Day 1 of Summer in Year 515 AV
Dust floated lazily through the air, the many booted and hoofed feet kicking up dirt as a large caravan trekked through Mirahil’s Pass. The sound of wooden wheels churning under the weight of heavily laden carts, the thud of hooves clomping noisily as they chugged along the road; merchants chatting loudly with one another doing their best to pass the time, combined together to make a deafening noise, all drifting across the fields, echoing, blurring into one sound as it bounced off the mountain side.
Each cart dutifully followed the one in front of it, the drivers keeping as close together as possible for protection against the dangers of the wilderness, braving the long journey from Syliras to Zeltiva. Armed guards, hired by the merchants wandered vigilantly along the outskirts of the caravan, eyes locked drifting casually the length of the forest edge, hands resting easily on their weapons, murmuring quitely with one another.
The caravan finally came to an end as the last cart bounced along the dirt road. A single voice rose above the commotion ahead of it, puberty seemingly doing its best to humiliate the adolescent it came from. The cracking of the boy’s voice didn’t seem to faze him however as he chattered on breathlessly to the driver who sat beside him, bored and seeming to do his best to ignore the boy.
“…so then I said to him, ‘You’re telling me that this RED apple looks blue to you? Man, you need to stop eating that grass you grow next to the corn, it’s doing some serious damage to your head. And he was all like-“
But suddenly the cart rounded a corner and Zeltiva loomed in front of them and the words drifted off, all but forgotten. The young boy leaped to his feet, eyes widening excitedly. He snatched his massive backpack that nearly dwarfed him up, random odds and ends strapped to the bag poking out haphazardly. The fifteen year old boy looked over at the driver animated and squirmed in his seat excitedly, his youthful face shining enthusiastically.
“Well sir, it has been lovely talking to you!”
The boy held out his hand politely to shake the driver’s but the sullen man, ignored him completely. The lad shrugged, undeterred at the man’s reaction and beamed up at him, not an ounce of sarcasm in his voice.
“I have to go now but great conversation! You are amazing! But I really have to go for reals now! Zeltiva calls to me so byyyyyye!”
And without waiting for a response, Lem Free leaped down off the moving cart with his possessions strapped to his back and stumbled forward. He managed to catch himself and turn towards the driver, waving happily before speeding off towards the city gates.
His grand adventure had finally begun.
