Scene 1: Beyond Pskov
The first light of morning slowly spread across the eastern horizon, bathing the recovering city of Pskov in a soft golden glow. The destruction caused by the battle was still impossible to hide; damaged buildings stood beside temporary wooden structures, portions of the streets remained cluttered with debris, and the sound of workers repairing walls and roofs had already begun to echo through the city. Yet despite the scars left behind by the battle, Pskov was beginning another day.
Inside the temporary accommodation, Avi slowly opened his eyes.
For several seconds, he remained still, staring at the ceiling while the remnants of sleep gradually disappeared from his mind. Then the events of the previous day returned to him—the conversation with Gavriil, the plans for their journey, the discussion about the seven city-states and the four autonomous spheres, and most importantly, their destination.
Novgorod.
Avi sat up and looked toward the window.
Today they would leave Pskov.
He gathered his belongings and prepared himself for the journey. Although he had spent only a short time in the city, Pskov had already become strangely important to him. It was the first place in this world where he had fought alongside people he had come to trust and the first place where strangers had begun to treat him as something more than an outsider.
As he stepped outside, he heard hurried footsteps approaching from behind.
"Avi!"
He turned around.
Varun was walking toward him with his belongings, while Yudhir followed at a much more relaxed pace.
"You're finally ready," Varun said with a grin.
Yudhir gave him an unimpressed look. "He's been ready for quite some time. You're the one who kept checking whether everyone else was ready."
"I was making sure we didn't miss the carriage."
"We're not even late."
"That doesn't mean we can't be early."
Avi smiled at the familiar exchange. Varun's enthusiasm was difficult to miss, although Avi could tell that something was still weighing on him. The news about Rusalka's departure was fresh, and despite his attempts to act normally, the cheerful expression he usually carried had not completely returned.
Avi decided not to mention it.
"Come on," he said. "Ruslan and the others should be waiting at the gates."
The three began walking through the recovering streets of Pskov.
Morning activity was already increasing around them. Soldiers carried supplies toward damaged sections of the walls, craftsmen worked on rebuilding houses, and ordinary citizens slowly returned to whatever remained of their daily routines. Every now and then, someone recognized Avi, Varun, or Yudhir and offered a respectful nod.
Avi returned the gestures quietly.
They eventually reached the main gates.
And that was when Varun suddenly slowed down.
"Whoa…"
Avi followed his gaze.
Three enormous creatures stood harnessed before the waiting carriage.
They immediately caught the attention of the three Dragon Fury members.
The creatures were large enough to make the carriage itself appear smaller by comparison. Their bodies were broad and muscular, covered in thick fur suited for the cold northern climate. Long manes grew from their necks and flowed down along their backs, giving them a striking silhouette. Their heads possessed features reminiscent of great forest deer, but their heavier frames and somewhat sharper facial structure gave them an almost predatory appearance.
Each creature carried a pair of sturdy antlers, shorter and thicker than those of an ordinary elk, while their broad hooves pressed firmly against the ground.
The three beasts stood calmly despite the bustle around them.
One shook its mane, and the thick fur rippled along its neck as it released a deep breath into the cold morning air.
Varun stared at them.
"Are those… wolves?"
Yudhir immediately shook his head.
"They have antlers."
"That doesn't answer my question."
Avi looked at the creatures for several moments.
"They don't look like anything I've seen before."
A familiar laugh came from beside the carriage.
Ruslan had noticed them.
"Of course they don't. You've never seen one before."
He walked toward the group, clearly amused by their expressions.
Varun pointed toward the three animals.
"What are those?"
Ruslan looked at them and answered as casually as though he were naming ordinary farm animals.
"They're Grivorns."
"Grivorns?"
Ruslan nodded.
"They're commonly used around Pskov for transportation. They're strong enough to pull a carriage over long distances, and they're especially useful during the winter because of their thick coats and sturdy legs."
Varun looked back at the creatures.
"So these are basically the horses of Pskov?"
Ruslan considered the comparison for a moment.
"Something like that."
Yudhir walked closer, examining one of them.
"And there are only three?"
"Three is enough for this carriage."
Ruslan gestured toward the harness.
"It's a traditional Pskov arrangement. The central Grivorn carries most of the forward pull, while the two on either side help with balance and speed. The carriage is designed specifically for them."
Avi looked more carefully at the arrangement.
The carriage itself was different from the simple two-animal carts he had imagined. A central shaft extended toward the middle Grivon, while curved harness frames connected the two outer animals to the carriage. The structure allowed the three beasts to move together as a single team, giving the carriage a wide and stable stance without sacrificing speed.
Varun's expression brightened.
"So we're really going to ride in that?"
Ruslan laughed.
"Unless you suddenly learned how to walk all the way to Novgorod."
Varun immediately climbed toward the carriage.
"Then what are we waiting for?"
Yudhir sighed.
"Of course you're excited."
Avi smiled as he approached the Grivorns.
He had already learned that this world was full of creatures that would have seemed extraordinary in his own world, but seeing one being used as an ordinary means of transportation still felt strange.
He stopped beside the central Grivorn.
Its fur was a mixture of dark grey and silver, while its thick mane carried a slightly warmer tone. As Avi looked along its shoulder, something caught his attention.
There was a distinctive marking beneath the mane.
It resembled the stylized form of a flame.
Avi's expression changed.
Varun noticed it as well.
"Hey… look at that."
Yudhir stepped closer.
Ruslan followed their gaze.
For a moment, his expression softened.
"You noticed it."
Avi looked at him.
"What is that marking?"
Ruslan reached out and gently moved aside a portion of the Grivorn's mane, revealing the pattern more clearly.
"It's one of the old markings associated with Pskov."
He paused.
"Simargl."
The name immediately caught the attention of all three Dragon Fury members.
Avi became silent.
Varun's smile faded into a thoughtful expression.
Yudhir stared at the marking without saying anything.
None of them needed Ruslan to explain who Simargl was.
They remembered him.
They remembered standing beside the Divine Guardian during Pskov's darkest hour. They remembered the battles, the corrupted Guardian, the desperate struggle to save him, and the final moments when Simargl had continued protecting the city despite having almost nothing left.
Avi's thoughts briefly returned to the Guardian's final words.
It was an honor… to fight beside brave humans once again.
He lowered his gaze.
The memory still hurt.
Ruslan noticed the change in their expressions but did not immediately say anything.
Instead, he gently rested his hand against the Grivorn's neck.
"People here have associated these markings with Simargl for generations," he explained. "They are especially common among the Grivorns raised around Pskov."
Varun looked at the animal again.
"So that's why you recognized it immediately."
Ruslan nodded.
"It's something I grew up seeing."
He smiled faintly, though there was a hint of sadness behind it.
"For people here, Simargl isn't just a story from the past. He's part of Pskov itself."
Avi looked toward the city behind them.
He understood that.
After everything they had experienced, the idea of Simargl being inseparable from Pskov no longer sounded like a simple legend.
Yudhir quietly said, "It feels strange seeing that symbol after everything that happened."
Varun nodded.
"Yeah."
Avi placed his hand against the Grivorn's mane.
The creature remained completely calm.
For a brief moment, none of them spoke.
The memory of Simargl connected the four boys in a way that needed no explanation.
Ruslan finally broke the silence.
"We should probably get going before Uncle Boris starts shouting at us."
From the carriage came Boris's voice.
"I heard that!"
Ruslan laughed.
Varun immediately climbed inside.
Yudhir followed, shaking his head.
Avi gave the Grivorn one last glance before joining them.
Behind the carriage, Taras was checking the supplies while Andry helped secure the luggage. The official letters for Novgorod had been carefully packed along with the provisions needed for the journey.
This wasn't simply a trip.
For Taras, Ruslan, and Andry, Novgorod meant returning to their mother and bringing their family closer together again.
For Boris, it was a journey back toward a city he knew well enough to guide them through it.
For Avi, Varun, and Yudhir, however, Novgorod offered something else.
The city was the largest commercial hub in the country, a place where merchants and travelers from distant regions gathered. If they wanted information about their missing brothers, there were few places better to begin their search. The four Dragon Sons who remained separated from them were still somewhere in this vast world, and every lead mattered.
Before they could depart, however, voices came from behind.
Timothy and Gavriil were approaching the carriage with several members of the Veche.
And standing a little farther behind them was Ludmila.
She had come to see Ruslan off.
Ruslan immediately stepped down from the carriage when he saw her.
"Ludmila."
She smiled.
"Going to leave without saying goodbye?"
Ruslan rubbed the back of his head.
"Of course not."
Her expression became gentler.
"Don't worry about Ostap. I'll take care of him until you return."
Ruslan's expression softened.
"Thank you."
"He's still sleeping peacefully. You should focus on the journey and your family."
Ruslan nodded.
"I will."
Ludmila gave him a reassuring smile.
"Then come back safely."
"I will."
Ruslan returned toward the carriage, but before he climbed inside, he looked once more toward the infirmary's direction.
Ostap was still there.
Still unconscious.
But someone he trusted was watching over him.
That was enough for now.
At the gate, Gavriil raised his voice.
"Everyone ready?"
Boris took his place at the front of the carriage.
The three Grivorns shifted their weight beneath the harnesses, their powerful bodies responding to the subtle movements of the reins.
Avi settled into his seat beside Varun and Yudhir.
Ruslan and Andry sat with their father.
The carriage was ready.
Pskov was ready to let them go.
And somewhere beyond the road ahead waited Novgorod—the city of a thousand markets.
Their journey had finally begun.
Scene 2: Echoes of the Past
The preparations were finally complete.
The three Grivorns stood harnessed before the carriage, their thick manes shifting gently in the morning breeze as they waited patiently for the signal to depart. Behind them, the fantasy of a traditional troika had been adapted into a Pskov design suited to the creatures: one Grivorn occupied the central position while the other two moved slightly outward on either side, their harnesses connected to a reinforced wooden frame that distributed the weight of the carriage evenly between them.
The carriage itself was sturdy enough for a long journey, with broad wooden wheels reinforced by metal rims and a spacious enclosed cabin fitted with glass windows. Supplies had been packed beneath the rear compartment, while food, blankets, medical provisions, and the official letters intended for Novgorod had been secured inside.
The seven travelers were ready.
Avi, Varun, and Yudhir stood beside the carriage when Timothy approached them carrying three small leather document cases.
"I nearly forgot one last thing," Timothy said.
Avi turned toward him.
Timothy held out the first case.
"Your identification documents."
Avi accepted it with both hands.
Inside was a carefully prepared identification card bearing his name and the seal of Pskov.
He looked at it for a moment.
Until yesterday, he had technically been a person without an identity in this world.
Now he had an official name, a place of residence, and a city that recognized him as one of its own.
Timothy handed the other two cases to Varun and Yudhir.
"Keep them safe. If you encounter Red Winter officials along the way, these should prevent unnecessary questions about where you came from."
Yudhir examined his document carefully before placing it inside his belongings.
"This will make things much easier."
"That is the idea," Timothy replied.
Varun opened his case and stared at his identification card.
"So I'm officially a citizen of Pskov now?"
Timothy smiled.
"For the purposes of your travels, yes."
Varun held the document up proudly.
"Look at that! I'm legitimate!"
Yudhir glanced at him.
"You're acting as though you were committing crimes before this."
"I wasn't!"
Avi smiled.
Timothy shook his head with amusement before looking toward the carriage.
"Take care of one another. And when you return, I expect those documents to still be in your possession."
"We'll take care of them," Avi assured him.
Timothy nodded.
"Good. Then you should go. You have a long road ahead."
Boris climbed onto the driver's seat and took hold of the reins.
"Everyone aboard!"
The three Grivorns shifted almost simultaneously.
Their hooves struck the road with a heavy but steady rhythm.
Avi climbed into the carriage with Varun and Yudhir, followed by Ruslan and Andry. Taras settled beside his sons, while Boris remained at the front with the reins in his hands.
Ludmila stood a short distance away near the gate.
Ruslan leaned toward the window.
She raised a hand.
He smiled and waved back.
For a moment, his eyes drifted toward the direction of the infirmary where Ostap remained.
Then he looked ahead.
Boris gave the reins a gentle pull.
The central Grivorn lowered its head, and the two beside it moved forward in perfect coordination.
The carriage began to roll.
Pskov's enormous gates slowly approached.
Avi sat beside the window, watching the fortress walls pass by.
The city looked different from this angle.
From inside, the damage had been impossible to ignore, but from the road outside, the scale of Pskov became clearer. Its massive defensive walls surrounded the settlement like an ancient guardian, while the towers rose above them like stone sentinels watching over the city.
Workers were already repairing portions of the damaged structures.
Smoke rose from chimneys.
People moved through the streets.
Pskov was wounded, but it had not stopped living.
As the carriage passed beyond the gates, Avi turned toward the window once more.
The fortress entrance gradually grew smaller behind them.
He continued watching until the road curved and the walls began disappearing from sight.
Avi remained silent.
Pskov had been the first place in this world where he had truly begun forming connections.
It was where he had met Ruslan.
Where he had fought alongside people who had once been strangers.
Where he had encountered Simargl.
Where he had found himself standing beside Varun and Yudhir, protecting people who had nothing to do with their original journey.
And now he was leaving.
He knew they would return.
But still, he found himself looking back one last time.
The final glimpse of the massive gates disappeared behind a line of trees.
Avi slowly turned away from the window.
"Goodbye for now, Pskov."
Varun looked toward him.
"You said something?"
Avi smiled faintly.
"Nothing important."
The carriage continued along the road.
The morning gradually settled into a comfortable rhythm.
The three Grivorns maintained a steady pace, their footsteps producing a deep, repetitive sound against the road while the wooden wheels rolled behind them. The further they traveled from Pskov, the quieter the surroundings became.
After some time, Boris called back from the front.
"Breakfast is ready."
Varun immediately sat upright.
"Finally!"
Yudhir laughed.
"You were waiting for that, weren't you?"
"I've been waiting since we left."
Taras opened one of the food containers that had been packed for the journey.
Their breakfast was simple but filling.
There were thick slices of white rye bread, accompanied by bowls of warm kasha, prepared from a mixture of auburn millet and yellow oats. A pot of shchi, made with the region's distinctive blue cabbage, provided something warm to drink and eat as the morning chill lingered outside.
Varun took a piece of rye bread and immediately began eating.
Ruslan looked at him.
"You're going to finish everything before anyone else gets any."
Varun swallowed.
"I've got a big appetite."
Yudhir looked at the bread in Varun's hand.
"You already had two pieces."
"Exactly. And I'm still hungry."
Ruslan laughed.
The atmosphere inside the carriage gradually became more relaxed.
For the first time since leaving Pskov, they weren't thinking about battles, injuries, or enemies.
They were simply seven people traveling together.
The journey to Novgorod would take approximately three days by carriage.
That gave them plenty of time to talk.
And eventually, their conversation naturally turned toward the differences between their journeys.
Andry was the first to bring it up.
"When I traveled from Novgorod to Pskov, it only took me about a day."
Varun nearly dropped his spoon.
"One day?"
Andry nodded.
"On foot."
Varun stared at him.
"You walked from Novgorod to Pskov in one day?"
"I wasn't exactly traveling normally."
Yudhir looked toward him.
"You were using Alkonost's power."
Andry nodded.
"When Alkonost was dying, I resonated with her. After that, I could feel her power inside me. I was burning through it continuously while travelling."
He looked down at his hands.
The memory of Alkonost still carried a quiet weight.
"I didn't know how long the power would last, so I used it as efficiently as I could. It was the only reason I managed to reach Pskov that quickly."
Yudhir leaned back slightly.
"That actually supports something I've been thinking about."
Ruslan looked at him.
"What?"
Yudhir's eyes moved between the two brothers.
"Your situation and Andry's aren't completely different."
Ruslan frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"You resonated with Simargl."
Ruslan's expression changed.
Yudhir continued calmly.
"Andry resonated with Alkonost. We already know that. His power changed after that resonance, and he received something from Alkonost that remained within him."
Andry looked down at the faint traces of ash that occasionally responded to his emotions.
Yudhir turned toward Ruslan.
"Your ember changed too."
Ruslan looked at his hand.
The memory of the white flame returning to his blade flashed through his mind.
"It responded differently after the trial."
"Exactly," Yudhir said. "That's why I think you may have received something from Simargl as well."
Ruslan's eyes widened slightly.
"Simargl's essence?"
"Perhaps," Yudhir replied. "I'm not saying we know exactly what happened. But the resonance is too similar to ignore."
Andry nodded slowly.
"I felt something similar when Alkonost gave me her final power."
Ruslan looked toward his brother.
"So you're saying…"
Yudhir finished the thought.
"You may have resonated with Simargl and received a portion of his essence."
Ruslan fell silent.
Taras, who had been listening quietly, looked toward his youngest son with concern and curiosity.
Boris also glanced back from the driver's position.
Neither man had forgotten the extraordinary events surrounding Simargl.
Ruslan eventually looked down at his breakfast.
"I still don't completely understand what happened to me."
"You don't have to understand it all at once," Yudhir said. "We're still learning."
Ruslan nodded.
"That sounds like something Big Brother Avi would say."
Avi smiled from beside the window.
"I'm starting to think you're all getting too good at analyzing things."
Yudhir smirked.
"Someone has to."
The conversation gradually shifted toward magic.
Avi had already received an introduction to the magic system during his first journey with Ruslan, but the events surrounding the Guardians had given the subject an entirely different importance. The question naturally came up again as Yudhir tried to understand what had happened to the Petrovik brothers.
Ruslan seemed happy to explain.
"You remember that Zhivava flows through living beings and nature?"
Avi nodded.
Ruslan continued, "People who use it are called Volkhvari, and they're broadly classified into the Six Paths of Zhivava."
Varun leaned closer.
"Six?"
"Six," Ruslan confirmed.
He raised a finger.
"First are the Sborniki, the Gatherers. They draw Zhivava from their surroundings, usually according to their elemental affinity. Most elemental mages fall into this category, and mastering their flow generally requires a meditative lifestyle."
He raised another finger.
"Then there are the Vnutriki, the Inborn Flames. They generate Zhivava within themselves. It can come from ancient bloodlines or simply extraordinary spiritual will. They're powerful, but if they can't control their emotions, their magic can spiral out of control."
Yudhir listened attentively.
Ruslan continued.
"Third are the Otrazhenni, the Reflected. Their abilities awaken because of something external—natural phenomena, mystical relics, sacred beasts, and similar forces. Their magic can become extremely rare because it's often something that cannot simply be reproduced by another person."
Andry looked toward Ruslan.
"That sounds closer to what happened to us."
Ruslan nodded.
"That's what I was thinking."
He continued.
"Fourth are the Poddelniki, the Forged. They use artificial methods to activate or enhance Zhivava. Runic tattoos, implants, alchemy, and similar methods can be involved."
Taras frowned.
"Artificially?"
Ruslan nodded.
"Yes. It's considered dangerous and taboo in many places."
He then raised another finger.
"Fifth are the Prinoseniye, the blessed. Their Zhivava has been touched by something on a much greater scale—divine, ancient, or cataclysmic forces. They're extremely rare, and many legends are built around them."
Avi listened carefully.
Ruslan's expression became slightly more serious as he reached the final category.
"And finally, the Nevedomiye."
Varun tilted his head.
"The Unknowable."
Ruslan nodded.
"Those are the ones people barely understand. Their powers are said to defy reason, time, and even the laws of the world. Some people don't even believe they truly exist."
Avi raised an eyebrow.
"Some people?"
Ruslan grinned.
"Books are my secret weapon, remember?"
Avi laughed.
The explanation was almost identical to what Ruslan had told him when they first met, but now Avi understood it from a different perspective. At the time, the Six Paths had simply been interesting information about a strange new world.
Now they were directly relevant to people sitting inside the carriage with him.
Yudhir folded his arms.
"So where would you place yourself?"
Ruslan thought about it.
"I'm not entirely sure."
"And Andry?"
Andry shrugged.
"I'm even less sure."
Yudhir nodded thoughtfully.
"That makes sense."
Avi looked toward the two brothers.
Their powers had clearly changed through their encounters with their respective Guardians.
Whatever category that placed them in, it was something they would need to understand eventually.
For a while, the conversation became quieter.
The rhythmic movement of the carriage filled the cabin.
Then Yudhir spoke again.
"There is something else we should discuss."
Avi knew immediately what he meant.
"The memory trial."
Yudhir nodded.
More specifically—
Peter.
The First Emperor.
Ruslan looked toward them.
"What exactly did he tell you?"
Taras and Boris both turned their attention toward the conversation.
Avi began explaining.
They told them about the memory realm inside Simargl, the appearance of the First Emperor Peter, and the revelation that had changed the entire meaning of the trial.
Peter had not merely been an apparition from history.
He had revealed that he was their ancestor.
More importantly, he had revealed that Ruslan belonged to the royal bloodline and that Rod's Essence had awakened within him. The ancient gate could only be opened by someone of Peter's bloodline, and Ruslan was the descendant they had been waiting for.
The moment the words left Avi's mouth, Taras froze.
"What?"
His voice was quieter than before.
Ruslan looked at his father.
Taras stared at his son as though he were trying to reconcile two completely different versions of his family's history.
"You're saying… our family is descended from the First Emperor?"
Avi nodded.
"That is what Peter told us."
Taras leaned back slowly.
For years, he had known his family as ordinary people from Pskov.
His father.
His children.
His wife.
Their home.
Their work.
Nothing about that life had ever suggested that their bloodline could be connected to the ancient royal family.
Boris was equally stunned.
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"So the Petrovik family…"
His eyes moved toward Ruslan.
"…is part of the old royal line."
Ruslan still hadn't completely processed it.
"I don't know what to think."
Andry remained silent.
But the revelation affected him differently.
His thoughts returned to the figure of Peter's sister, Sophia.
He had heard stories about her before. Ruslan had once told him about the tales surrounding the members of the ancient royal family, and Sophia had always stood out in those stories.
There was something about the way she had been described—her character, her warmth, and certain traits that Andry had never been able to forget.
His mind unexpectedly wandered toward Alena.
The resemblance wasn't physical.
It was something subtler.
Certain characteristics.
The way Alena carried herself.
The warmth behind her kindness.
The strength that existed beneath what appeared to be a gentler personality.
Andry had never really understood why those stories of Sophia had stayed with him.
Now, after hearing Peter speak again, the thought returned.
Could Alena somehow be connected to Sophia?
He immediately dismissed the thought as impossible—or at least far too premature to say aloud.
There was no evidence.
Only a strange feeling he couldn't explain.
Andry looked down at his bowl of Kasha and remained quiet.
Ruslan, meanwhile, had already entered his familiar scholarly mode.
"If Peter really was our ancestor, then there should be records."
Taras looked at him.
"Records?"
"Genealogies. Historical manuscripts. Royal documents. Anything that survived."
Ruslan's eyes sharpened with determination.
"I've already read most of the records available in Pskov. At least the ones I could access. But Novgorod has far more historical material."
He looked toward Andry.
"I want to check the archives there."
Andry immediately nodded.
"I'll help."
Ruslan smiled.
"We'll compare the records with what we already know."
Taras still looked overwhelmed.
"Ruslan, be careful. If this information is true, then there may be people who would rather see it buried."
Boris nodded.
"Your father is right."
Everyone looked toward him.
"Red Winter has controlled historical information for years. Whatever records survived may not tell the entire story."
He thought for a moment.
"I have my own sources in the capital. The information available there is limited, but I can still ask around and see whether anything about the old royal line survived outside the official archives."
Ruslan looked at him.
"That would help enormously, Uncle."
Boris smiled.
"Then we'll investigate from both sides."
Taras looked between his sons and his brother.
The shock had not disappeared from his face, but something else was beginning to replace it.
Concern.
Curiosity.
And perhaps a small desire to finally understand where his family had truly come from.
Avi listened quietly.
Everyone inside the carriage now had something to pursue.
Ruslan and Andry wanted to uncover the truth about their family's lineage.
Taras wanted to understand the history of his own bloodline.
Boris would search through his sources in the capital.
Yudhir was already trying to understand the implications of Guardian resonance and Rod's Essence.
And Varun—
Varun had apparently decided that breakfast was more interesting than all of them.
He had finished his Kasha and was now sitting beside the window, staring outside.
Avi glanced toward him.
Varun's attention had been captured by the world beyond the glass.
The road stretched ahead between fields and scattered woodland, with the morning sunlight illuminating the frost that remained upon the grass. The rhythmic movements of the three Grivorns had become almost hypnotic, their heavy breathing occasionally audible beneath the creaking of the carriage.
Varun pressed closer to the window.
The deeper they traveled, the more wilderness surrounded them.
He could hear unfamiliar calls coming from distant areas of woodland, some deep and resonant while others were high and almost melodic.
Then he spotted movement in the sky.
Several bird-like creatures were flying far above the treeline.
Varun narrowed his eyes.
"Ruslan."
No answer.
He looked toward the group.
Ruslan, Andry, and Yudhir were still discussing the royal records.
Varun decided not to interrupt them yet.
He continued watching.
One of the flying creatures banked sharply, revealing a strange silhouette unlike any ordinary bird Varun had ever seen.
"Okay…"
He leaned closer to the glass.
"What are those?"
Avi looked toward the window.
"What did you see?"
"Some kind of birds."
Ruslan finally heard him.
"Birds?"
"Yeah. Over there."
Ruslan shifted closer to the opposite window and looked toward the sky.
"Oh."
Varun waited.
"Well?"
Ruslan smiled.
"You'll have to wait until I get a better look."
Varun groaned.
"Come on!"
Ruslan laughed.
"You said you wanted to explore the world, didn't you?"
Varun folded his arms.
"I'm exploring it!"
Yudhir finally glanced toward him.
"You've spent the entire morning looking through the window."
"Exactly. That's called exploration."
Avi chuckled.
Outside, the landscape continued changing.
The open fields gradually became narrower.
Trees began appearing more frequently along the roadside.
The distant sounds of civilization faded until the only sounds surrounding them were the Grivorns, the carriage, and the wilderness.
Avi turned toward his own window.
Ahead lay the forest they would soon enter.
The trees stood densely packed together, their branches forming an enormous green-brown wall stretching across the horizon. Between them, Avi could already hear the distant calls of creatures hidden somewhere within the wilderness.
He watched the forest approach.
Three days still separated them from Novgorod.
Three days to search for clues.
Three days for Ruslan and Andry to uncover the truth about their family.
Three days for Yudhir to understand the strange resonance within the Petrovik brothers.
And three days for Avi, Varun, and Yudhir to continue searching for their four missing Dragon Sons.
The carriage rolled onward.
The Grivorns carried them steadily toward the forest.
Varun remained glued to the window, eager to see what kind of creatures waited beyond the trees.
Avi watched silently beside him.
The road ahead disappeared beneath the shadow of the forest canopy.
And before noon had even arrived, the travelers from Pskov were already leaving the last traces of the civilized road behind them.
Their journey toward Novgorod had truly begun.