Road to the Empire
The elite team departing from Wolfwood left the castle courtyard at dawn. The sun had only just begun to peek over the treetops when the horses' hooves struck the eastern road leading toward the Kingdom's border. The air was crisp, the morning mist still clinging to the blades of grass, trembling into tiny droplets with every step.
Andras Wolfwood—Young Wolf—rode at the head of the group, with Ironclaw beside him. She sat proudly in the saddle, a girl with a human's beauty but wolf ears and a bushy tail swaying behind her. The earth‑wolf bestial girl's eyes swept the forest with sharp vigilance, as if she could sense every subtle shift in the world around them. Behind them, Noelle—the half‑elf maid and healer—quietly observed the landscape, occasionally sensing faint ripples of the water element in the air.
Anita, the Whirlwind, rode lightly as if the wind itself carried her. Hard to say which one was more restless—her or her horse.
Andrea Wolf followed with firm posture, her armor chiming in a soft, rhythmic cadence with every movement.
At the rear of the group sat Fireburp, the young fire dragon in human form. Her red eyes sparkled with playful curiosity. She rode atop one of the packhorses, though in truth she was more like an extra piece of luggage than a rider. Still, for a dragon, she felt like she was riding—or at least pretended convincingly enough.
And accompanying them was Eris Scarlett, the Hero, clad in golden armor that shone blindingly even in the gentle morning light.
Day One
Edge of the Wolfwood Forest
The first day of travel led them through the deep, dark‑green canopy surrounding Wolfwood. The trees rose high, their trunks thick as castle walls, and the air carried the scent of pine resin and damp leaves. Birds chirped overhead, and the distant murmur of a stream accompanied their journey.
Light barely filtered through the dense foliage, casting the group in a half‑shadowed world, as if they were passing through an ancient sanctuary. The ground was soft, the horses' hooves making almost no sound as they moved.
Ironclaw's ears twitched now and then whenever a creature stirred in the underbrush. Anita's eyes drifted toward the horizon, as though the wind whispered secrets only she could hear. Eris and Andrea exchanged occasional glances—something unspoken, a faint tension lingering between them. Meanwhile, Fireburp had peacefully fallen asleep atop the packhorse, which Noelle had wisely tied to her own mount, knowing full well the dragon girl would never manage to control her own horse.
By the end of the day, the forest began to thin, and the group made camp in a wide clearing. The sunset painted the sky red, the shadows of the trees stretched long across the grass, and a cool breeze swept across the open field. The weather was pleasant enough that they didn't bother lighting a fire; the rolls and biscuits prepared for the first day were still fresh. The group sat together, chatting—everyone except Eris and Andrea, who had gone to fetch water and were, to put it mildly, taking their time.
After a while, Anita shot an impatient look toward the trees.
"They're taking forever with that water. Don't tell me they stopped to bathe in the river."
Noelle shrugged with a sly half‑smile.
"If only bathing was all they were doing…"
Anita raised an eyebrow.
"You know something I don't?"
"I know absolutely nothing," Noelle replied with the purest innocent expression.
Fireburp rubbed her sleepy eyes.
"Are they training again?"
Andras answered with a suppressed grin.
"Oh yes. They're doing physical exercise right this moment."
Noelle burst out laughing, while Anita stared at them suspiciously.
"If you won't tell me, I'll just ask them when they get back."
"That'll be entertaining," Noelle remarked.
Meanwhile, Ironclaw shook her pouch of dried meat.
"I'm out of dried meat. Can I eat tomorrow's portion too?"
"You'll eat tomorrow's portion tomorrow," Noelle said, gently taking the pouch from the bestial girl's hands.
An hour later, the Hero and the Wolf Knight finally returned, each carrying a large jug of water. Anita jumped to her feet immediately.
"What in the world took you so long?"
Andrea answered with perfect calm:
"I taught Eris a thing or two."
"Is that why her face is so red?" Anita asked, pointing at the Hero.
Andras smiled.
"Eris gained some new experiences."
Noelle's laughter rang out again.
Eris, however, couldn't utter a single word. Her face was burning bright red, she covered it with both hands, and quietly sat down on her bedding as if hoping the earth would swallow her whole.
Day Two
The Eastern Hills
By the second day, the landscape had changed. Beyond the forest stretched a rolling sea of hills, undulating all the way to the horizon. Wildflowers dotted the slopes—bluish‑purple bellflowers, yellow carnations, and tiny white star‑shaped blossoms. The wind swept across the fields, making the grass ripple like a green ocean.
The sun climbed high, bathing the land in warm golden light. The horses moved easily along the soft dirt road winding between the hills.
From time to time, Fireburp leapt from her saddle and ran alongside the horses in human form, laughing as the wind tugged at her hair. Noelle watched her with a gentle smile, then summoned a small, cooling bubble of water above the dragon girl's head to keep her refreshed.
Eris and Andrea rode side by side; sometimes speaking quietly, other times simply enjoying the peaceful scenery, as if the calm of the hills had settled over them as well.
Small streams trickled between the slopes, their waters crystal clear. Young Wolf occasionally stopped to examine the area through the water element—each stream was clean, vibrant, full of life.
Ironclaw, as usual, found the dried meat insufficient. She ended up catching nearly all the fish in the river where the group stopped to bathe. Fireburp then grilled them one by one with dragonfire, giving the fish a smoky flavor as if they had been cured beforehand. The group ate contentedly while the sun dipped lower behind the hills.
By the end of the day, the hills grew gentler, and in the distance they could already see the forest line marking the eastern border of the Kingdom. The wind quieted, and long shadows stretched across the fields, as though the land itself was preparing for nightfall.
Day Three
The Borderwood and the Gate of the Empire
On the morning of the third day, the group reached the Borderwood—the natural dividing line between the Kingdom and the Empire. The trees here grew taller than anywhere else: their trunks smooth and grayish‑brown, their crowns dark green, and the air carried a strange, spicy fragrance unique to the plants of the frontier.
The light behaved differently in this place. The air felt denser, as if the magic of the two nations met and mingled among the trees. Patches of faintly glowing blue moss shimmered on the ground, especially in the shaded areas, as though the earth itself wished to signal that something ancient and powerful slumbered beneath.
Instinctively, Ironclaw moved closer to Andras, her ears flicking at every sound.
Anita's eyes gleamed with a cold light—the instincts of a demon hunter sensing the foreign energies pulsing beyond the border.
Noelle whispered a quiet healing mantra, as if asking the spirits of nature to guide them through this transitional land.
Eris and Andrea straightened at the same moment, gazing toward the Empire with a mix of curiosity and cautious determination.
At the end of the Borderwood stood a wide, ancient stone bridge arching over a narrow gorge. In the center of the bridge rose a carved stone pillar bearing the crests of both lands: the Wolf of Wolfwood for the Kingdom, and the Griffin of this Imperial region. The engravings had worn down over the centuries, yet they still proclaimed the past with proud clarity. This land had once belonged to another Kingdom—conquered by the Empire five hundred years ago.
As the group crossed the midpoint of the bridge, the air shifted.
The wind blew differently.
The light glimmered differently.
The ground vibrated differently beneath the horses' hooves.
They had entered Imperial territory.
Young Wolf halted for a moment and looked over his companions. Beyond the Borderwood lay a new world—vast, foreign, and unpredictable.
The coming weeks would change all their lives.
Crossing the Border
"This is my first time stepping onto Imperial soil," Eris remarked as she glanced toward the far end of the bridge.
"You're not the only one," Andrea replied. "None of us have been here before."
Young Wolf unfolded the map he had received from his grandfather. It was the merchants' detailed version—marking side roads, dangerous regions, and even the peculiarities of sparsely populated lands.
Anita leaned in with curiosity.
"So, what do you see on that map?"
"Once we cross the bridge, there's a watchtower a mile to the left," Andras said. "We're not interested in that. If we go straight, there's a village five miles ahead where we can rest."
"And what's to the right?" Anita asked.
"If you go right, there are monsters. Then more monsters. And then the Forest of Monsters, where there are even more monsters."
Ironclaw's ears perked up at the word.
"We're not going that way?"
"No," Andras replied firmly. "We're going to the village."
The group continued straight, but after three miles, a squad of Imperial border patrol soldiers blocked their path. Their armor gleamed in the late‑morning sun, and they crossed their spears to bar the way.
"Halt!" one of them barked. "Judging by your crest, you're Wolf Knights from Wolfwood. Even if you're young, entry into the Empire requires the Emperor's permission. If you have such a document, show it. If not, turn back unless you want trouble."
"Relax, honorable guards," Andras said, producing a parchment. "Here is the official document with the Emperor's seal."
The guard took the paper, squinted at the seal, then nodded.
"Hmm… the seal checks out. You may proceed."
The group passed the checkpoint without issue—thanks to the "official" document Jack Goldfred had acquired for his grandson. The seal was genuine; the paper, however, was a forgery. A real permit cost twenty silver, a fee no merchant liked paying—the richer they were, the less they liked it. A forged seal cost only two silver. And the border guard… well, he wasn't exactly one of the Empire's sharpest minds.
Soon, Young Wolf and his companions reached the village. Even from afar, they could see the villagers gathering in the central square. As they drew closer, five gallows came into view.
An execution was about to take place.