The story picks up where it left off.
Lex reached the city gate just as morning broke across NOR. The ancient stones were lit gold by the rising sun. Merchants were already calling out prices, carts jostled by, and old women swept dust from their steps. None of it mattered—today, something bigger was about to begin.
Luo stood ahead, hands on her hips, scanning the crowd with sharp eyes. She noticed Lex right away, her composure breaking for a split second into a grin.
"Lex!" she shouted, waving an arm to get his attention over a group of traders.
Lex dodged around a donkey cart, finally making it to her side. "Luo—are you ready?"
Luo nodded, voice sure. "Yeah, everything's set. Packed light, but I brought the good boots."
Lex smirked. "Smart. Last time we got stuck in all that mud, you almost lost a shoe."
Luo rolled her eyes. "And your whole bag got soaked. Maybe this time you'll learn to zip it shut."
They both laughed, easing the tension that clung to them. They started walking, blending into the crowd pouring through the gates.
Meanwhile, in a quiet neighborhood across the city, Lon finished sharpening his katana. The soft scrape of steel against stone was almost comforting. He checked the blade's edge, wiped it clean, and strapped it to his back with practiced ease. He stood by the window, taking in the distant city walls and the rolling green beyond.
"Let's go…" he murmured, gathering up his kit. For him, this was more than an adventure—it was a challenge, a chance to test everything he'd trained for.
The view outside the city was breathtaking. Forests stretched as far as the eye could see—dense, mysterious, threaded with rivers and hidden valleys. Above, sky islands drifted, casting deep shadows over the land below. The mountains on the horizon looked like sleeping giants, wrapped in mist.
Back at the gate, Lex and Luo wove their way past gossiping townsfolk. A group of boys snickered as they passed, and two old men muttered to each other about "kids these days and their wild dreams." Lex felt the stares but ignored them. He only glanced at Luo, who walked with steady steps, unfazed by the world around her.
"If today goes well, we might actually see those floating islands up close," Lex said, looking skyward.
Luo shot him a sideways glance. "First, let's make it past whatever's waiting in that forest. I'm not planning any detours if some crazy beast shows up."
Lex was about to answer when he bumped hard into a figure leaving the shadows near the trees. Reflexively, he stepped back, raising his hands.
"Ah! Sorry—"
Lon, unfazed, simply nodded. "…Sorry."
Now all three stood in a triangle at the forest edge.
Luo regarded Lon with curiosity. "Wait… are you heading out too?"
Lon adjusted his katana, eyes calm. "Yeah."
Lex's smile widened. "Then let's go together. Might as well face trouble as a team, right?"
Lon paused, sizing up Lex and Luo. Finally, he gave a small nod. "…Okay."
Luo sighed, half amused. "Just like that, huh? No introductions, no fancy welcomes?"
Lex laughed. "Alright. I'm Lex. This is Luo."
Luo waved. "Hello."
Lon nodded. "Lon."
Without ceremony, they headed forward side by side. Branches swayed overhead, sending dappled light across faded trails. Their footsteps crunched in the leaf litter, the air growing cooler and thicker with the scents of moss and old rain.
Behind them, NOR began to fade into mist and distant clamor. The forest loomed large ahead, shadows twisting along the path, promising adventure and danger and something ancient neither could predict.
A moment of silence hung between them before Lex broke it. "So, first one to spot trouble gets bragging rights?"
Luo snorted. "You mean, first to trip over a root."
Lon simply shook his head, the start of a smile playing at his lips. "Let's just keep moving."
It wasn't grand. It wasn't perfect. But together, they entered the wild—three friends, one beginning, a future waiting to unfold.
Was the path ahead really going to be this easy?
Only time would tell.