Riven let out a quiet sigh. The first person he'd met since waking up… was now the first person he'd lost.
Part of him wanted to turn back, to give Logan a proper burial. But something in his chest told him not to. The old man wouldn't have wanted that.
He paused as a strong breeze swept through the trees, rustling the branches above. He closed his eyes.
The weight of the moment pressed down like a stone. Beside him, Spark walked in silence. The husky's tail dragged low, his usual spirit dulled by loss.
Then, as Riven opened his eyes, he saw something drift into view—white lily petals, gliding through the air. They twirled around him and Spark, carried gently by the wind, like a quiet farewell.
And for a brief moment, Riven could've sworn he heard a voice in the breeze.
Take care… and may the wind carry you forward.
The petals rose into the sky, spinning higher and higher until they disappeared beyond the treetops.
Riven exhaled softly.
"May you rest with the winds, old man."
Without another word, he and Spark continued on.
The trail stretched ahead, and Riven followed it with steady steps, the bag slung over his shoulder. He wasn't completely unprepared—an old wooden bow and a small knife hung at his side—but both were worn and weathered. He'd need better equipment soon.
Still, tucked safely in his bag was a single slime core.
"They're worth a good chunk," Logan had told him once. "Their bodies make for useful ingredients, so don't waste them."
Riven gave the bag a small pat, the memory of the old man's voice still fresh in his mind. With Spark trotting at his side, he continued down the trail—toward Oakfield.
Would the core be enough to buy better equipment? He doubted it. Maybe he should hunt more slimes… or small game. Think the butcher would pay for rabbits? He didn't even know the currency system here, let alone what anything was worth.
Better to play it safe.
"Spark."
Woof.
"Track rabbit."
Spark barked again, nose to the ground as he sniffed through the underbrush. Moments later, he gave another sharp bark—he'd caught a scent.
"Now fetch."
It was a command Spark understood well. It meant to bring the prey back alive—biting by the neck without killing it—so Riven could finish it off himself.
Riven waited patiently, crouched by the tree line. Sure enough, Spark returned with a plump white rabbit gently clamped in his jaws.
"Good boy," Riven said, scratching behind Spark's ear.
Then his stomach growled.
Spark's did too.
Riven glanced at the rabbit, then back at his companion. "Maybe we should eat this one."
Spark gave a small bark of approval.
Riven sighed, already pulling out his knife. "Yeah… we'll figure out money later."
Riven quickly set up camp—or rather, made use of a fire pit someone had left behind. He gathered dry wood and kindling, then sparked a flame just as the old man had taught him.
Once the fire was going, he carefully skinned the rabbit, setting the hide aside and placing it in the spare bag he'd found back in that cave when he woke.
As he threaded the meat onto a stick to cook it over the fire, his eyes drifted to the bag.
Right… the note.
The one he'd found on the skeleton.
He hadn't forgotten. The names written on that weathered note still echoed in his mind. Once he reached town, he'd start asking, one by one—until he found answers.
Speaking of which, there was also a bag for a girl named Amber. Hopefully, it wouldn't be too hard to find her.
With that thought, he placed the meat over the flames, keeping a close eye on it. Once it was ready, he and Spark shared a quiet meal, savoring the warmth and simplicity of the moment.
But their peace didn't last long.
A sudden shout pierced through the trees.
Riven jumped to his feet, stomping out the fire. "Stay close," he told Spark, already sprinting toward the sound.
As he pushed through the last thicket, the scene opened before him: a teenage girl, maybe 16, wearing a deep purple cloak and an oversized hat adorned with stars and moons. She looked like she'd stepped out of a storybook—half scholar, half stargazer. And she was surrounded.
Hilichurls closed in from all sides, grunting and brandishing clubs.
"Back off, you filthy creatures!" she shouted, her voice full of irritation rather than fear.
She extended her hand, and a hydro sigil pulsed to life in the air before her. With a quick flick of her wrist, a wave of water erupted, slamming into the hilichurls and sending them sprawling into the underbrush.
Riven blinked. "She didn't need help at all…"
And that water attack, how did she do that?
A Vision, maybe? Logan said they granted people elemental powers, but the truth was… he didn't know much. He never asks Logan more about them, mostly because the old man had never used His.
But now, seeing it firsthand, someone controlling water like that, bending it to their will, Riven couldn't help but feel a flicker of awe.
The girl huffed and clapped her hands together, "Ugh. That's the third time this week. Can't a genius astrologer stargaze in peace?"
Then, spinning on her heel, she pointed straight at him.
"You! Do you have food? I'm starving!"
"Wow, she's blunt," Riven thought. Still… there was something a little cute about her, especially with that outfit. It looked almost too luxurious for the middle of the woods.
"Excuse me? I'm speaking to you," she said sharply, arms crossed and one brow arched in expectation.
"Nope. Sorry, little lady."
"Little lady?!" she stormed up to him, indignant. "Do I look like a child to you? I'll have you know I'm a distinguished astrologer—ahem, I mean, a lady. So please refrain from using such diminutive titles."
Riven gulped. He definitely hadn't meant to offend her. Trying to change the subject, he silently swore to never call any girl little again.
"So… what are you doing out here alone?" he asked.
She let out a graceful sigh, brushing a bit of dust off her clothes "I was stargazing, obviously. But just as dawn broke and I was getting ready to head back to town, a bunch of ill-tempered monsters decided to ruin my morning. Honestly, they have no respect for personal space."
She paused, giving Riven a curious look as her eyes traveled over him. "You don't look like you're from Mondstadt… Hmm, your face, there's something about it. You look like someone who's lost."
Then, with a sudden spark of interest, she tilted her head. "Hey, want me to read your fate?"
Riven's eyes widened. Read my fate? His curiosity flared—this was definitely interesting.
A soft "woof" interrupted his thoughts.
The girl smiled warmly. "Aw, what a cute dog." She stepped forward, crouching down to give Spark a big hug and gentle pats.