…Wooooong~
The old, decrepit building quivered as though it might collapse, its fragile walls shaking with the strain of the teleportation array at its center.
The array blazed with bright light, filling the space with an unnatural glow before dimming just as quickly.
When the light vanished, four figures stood at the center of the room—Ex-General Leana, Damon Terrace, Anaya Stokeshorn, and Daveon Acheon.
Each was dressed in battle-ready attire, though their outfits were more practical than specialized for combat.
Dust swirled around their boots as they stepped off the array, their sharp eyes scanning their surroundings. The building’s worn-down state made it clear that it had seen better days.
“This place looks like it’s about to fall apart,” Damon muttered, brushing dirt from his jacket.
“It’ll hold,” Leana said dismissively, already striding toward the exit. “It has always held.” She added as a murmur.
The students exchanged uncertain glances before following her. They emerged into the open air, finding themselves on a dried-up path surrounded by sparse vegetation.
The sky overhead was a dull gray, and the air was cool with a faint breeze.
“This isn’t our destination, is it?” Anaya asked, frowning as she looked around. There was no way this was their destination and Anaya wasn’t the only one who felt so. The other two did.
Leana shook her head. “No. This was the best we could do. The academy doesn’t have an arry connected to the place we’re headed, so I picked the closest teleportation point.”
“And how far is that?” Daveon asked, adjusting the straps on his gear.
Leana smirked but didn’t answer directly. Instead, she started down the path, her pace brisk. Experience tales with empire
The students followed, though they couldn’t help but grow more suspicious with each step.
The desolate surroundings and their guardian’s evasive demeanor were enough to make them uneasy.
“Are we sure she’s not selling us off?” Damon whispered, half-joking.
Leana overheard him and turned her head slightly, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. “I just might be,” she said teasingly. “A place like this could fetch a good price for three strong students. Especially ones from a prestigious academy like Elderglow.”
Anaya’s eyes widened, and Damon stiffened, though Daveon rolled his eyes. “She’s messing with us,” he said flatly.
“Is she?” Anaya whispered, clutching her gear nervously.
The group continued down the path until they came upon another building, this one slightly more stable than the one they had just left but still showing signs of age.
Leana pushed the creaky door open and stepped inside without hesitation.
The students, however, hesitated at the threshold.
Anaya turned to the others, her voice low and worried. “What if she’s serious? What if she really is selling us?”
Before anyone could respond, voices drifted from inside the building. Leana was speaking with someone, and her words carried clearly to the students.
“Three others,” Leana said.
The students froze.
“Four hundred gold coins,” another voice replied.
All three of them took a step back simultaneously, their suspicions growing.
Moments later, the door swung open, and Leana poked her head out, her expression amused. “Why are you still standing out here?” she asked.
Anaya stepped forward, her hands on her hips. “We refuse to be sold!” she declared, her voice trembling slightly.
Leana blinked in surprise before bursting into laughter. “Sold? You think I’m selling you? I was buying a teleportation scroll!”
The students exchanged wary glances.
Leana sighed, shaking her head. “The seller needed to know how many people would be using the scroll. That’s why I said ‘three others.’ The scrolls have limits on how many they can transport.”
Anaya’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Damon rubbed the back of his neck, while Daveon just let out a quiet sigh.
“Now, are you coming in or not?” Leana asked, stepping outside. “Actually, never mind. We’re done here. Let’s move.”
She motioned for them to gather around her. As the students placed their hands on her shoulders, she tore the scroll in her hands.
The magic activated instantly, enveloping them in a shimmering light before whisking them away.
When the light faded, the group found themselves standing just outside the gates of a bustling city. The sound of merchants shouting, wagons creaking, and townsfolk chattering filled the air.
The city was alive with activity, a stark contrast to the desolation they had left behind.
“This is more like it,” Damon said, his tension easing slightly. “I hope this is our destination!” He added, curling his palms into fists.
Leana led them toward the gates, where two guards stood watch. As they approached, the guards raised their hands, stopping the group. “IDs, please,” one of them said gruffly.
Leana reached into her pocket, producing a card and handing it to the guard. He scanned it briefly before his eyes widened in recognition. “Ex-General Leana,” he said, saluting her immediately.
Leana nodded curtly. “These three are with me,” she said, gesturing to the students.
The guard stepped aside, waving them through. “Of course, General. Welcome to Lyria.”
As they passed through the gates, Anaya grinned. “Your status really comes in handy, huh? That was smooth.”
Leana smirked but said nothing.
Daveon, however, was less impressed. “Why are we in a city?” he asked. “I thought we were supposed to be hunting demons, not sightseeing.”
Leana glanced over her shoulder at him. “This city is the closest human establishment to our destination,” she explained. “It has a teleportation array that leads there, which is why we needed to stop here. If the academy had an array linked directly to this city, we could have skipped all this.”
She muttered to herself, “I’ll have to tell the Dean to set up a linked array here.”
The group made their way through the busy streets, weaving through the crowds as they headed toward the teleportation hub. The students couldn’t help but exchange curious glances.
Their destination remained a mystery, but one thing was certain—their guardian wasn’t one to waste time. “Come, come… We have somewhere important to be at.”