The small wooden cabin sat alone beneath the swirling northern lights of Dalvia. Raiyan and the stranger stood silent on the porch, the cool night air brushing against their skin. Above them, the sky erupted in shimmering waves of green, purple, and blue, an aurora painting the heavens.
The strange beauty of the celestial display could not hide the unease settling between them. Raiyan's fingers tightened around the hilt of the dagger at his belt; even a moonlit night in a lonely land was an invitation to predators.
"So… this is Dalvia," the man said softly, his voice carrying easily in the still air. "I've never seen the sky dance like this." He had brought Raiyan here, to this secluded cabin, after the chaos of just moments before. Now he gazed up at the aurora, a knight with broad shoulders standing tall in his dusty armor. Raiyan glanced at him: tall and dark-haired, with thoughtful eyes.
Raiyan forced himself to relax a fraction. "I've heard of it," he murmured, mostly to himself. He wouldn't admit how out of place he felt. Wherever 'here' is, he reminded himself. He still didn't know how he ended up in this house in the middle of nowhere.
The other man turned from the sky to face him. "Name's Ezel," he said, extending a hand. His grip was firm when Raiyan took it. Ezel's accent wasn't the same as any Raiyan had heard back on Wena, but his tone was warm enough. "And I am—?"
"Raiyan," he answered, wary but polite. He didn't mention everything. Not yet. I'm just Raiyan, he told himself. Not the reincarnated soul of some long-dead hero, just a bewildered traveler. He wouldn't mention the System, either—no need to confuse the poor knight with talk of games. So he simply gave a small smile.
Ezel nodded. "Raiyan," he repeated, rolling the name on his tongue. It sounded foreign, yet he seemed pleased. "A good name." The knight's hand loosened, and he swept a gloved arm around the horizon. Beyond the cabin lay a broad, empty valley. It was hard to see much by starlight, but the shape of distant mountains was faint on the horizon. "I think we're somewhere south… quite far from the nearest city, I'm afraid."
"How far?" Raiyan asked.
Ezel scratched his chin, scanning the sky again as if calculating from constellations. "From this vantage I'd say…" He frowned, tracing an invisible line. "We're on the southernmost part of the continent. Dalvia, the Land of Storms. I used to study star charts for lessons… if I'm right, the nearest settlement is hours—maybe days—north from here." He shivered slightly, not from cold alone. "It's not exactly safe. Dalvia's full of—"
"Monsters," Raiyan finished the sentence. His voice was flat, but the underlying horror was clear. Of course. They'd landed—somehow—in a monster-infested wilderness. Not just any wilderness, but this notorious Dalvia.
The knight nodded gravely. "People call it a type of hell, too. I'm told most monsters stay here in the south. Not many venture into the main continent Wena." He looked to Raiyan with a faint smile. "If we want to survive, we should head north soon. We don't have food or coin to stop off much. But neither of us has money."
Raiyan glanced down at his tattered shirt and the single dagger in his hand. No coin, no sword. He must have lost it all in whatever calamity brought him here. "We make do," he said quietly. It wasn't much of a plan, but it was the truth.
Ezel nodded. "Agreed. Wena is far, but if we stick together, we might just make it. I am a knight of Moulm on Wena. Moulm's not the largest kingdom, but they will pay for heroes when they find them." He opened a small travel pack on the porch and pulled out a flask, handing it to Raiyan. "Here, water. We must be cautious. You look as hungry as a starving wolf."
Raiyan accepted the flask, gave a cordial nod, and drank the cool water gratefully. It was hard to argue with the knight's description. Hunger and unfamiliarity knotted his stomach. But for now, it was enough just to have a companion – and some water.
The night remained eerily quiet. Neither spoke of how they arrived here; Raiyan felt no mystery left to uncover yet, and Ezel seemed content with the uncertainty.
Finally, Raiyan cleared his throat. "Ezel, do you know why we're… here? How did you find me in the house?"
The knight gave a small chuckle. "Long story short: I was on patrol toward evening, riding the southward route from the Sea of Far East. Then I heard an explosion. Some unstable magic nearby, I thought. It hit me, I was no longer at Wena. The ground shook; a house burned, walls crumbling. I rode closer and found you—knocked out amid the wreckage, but alive."
Raiyan blinked at that memory. He remembered light and heat, and then nothing until waking in this cabin. "Explosion," he murmured. "Magic… Did you see who did it?"
Ezel shrugged, still gazing at the aurora. "No. When I got there, the house was half-buried in ash. I thought you must have been hit by debris—or trapped by some malicious spell. I lifted your body out of the wreckage, then brought you here. It's a safe place I found."
"My thanks," Raiyan said softly. He had no voice of gratitude in his dreams; he lost consciousness swiftly after the explosion. Whatever happened, Ezel saved his life.
Ezel nodded. "Well, a knight's duty, I guess. But the burning question – no pun intended – is whether anything in that explosion changed you. You're breathing, all limbs present… no burns, no scars."
Raiyan took a deep breath before he asked the seemingly shocking question. "So.. your systems not silent like mine, is it?"
Ezel stared at him for a moment. His expression was blank, like a teacher looking at a retarded student in exasperation. It panicked Raiyan. He doesn't know what the system is? Wait. So he doesn't have a system? His internal thoughts raced.
Raiyan in a questionable, panicked tone then changed the questions tone. "I- uh I mean how's your digestive system working? Actually mine isn't very well, it was fine before all this. So I was uh curious if yours fine", he said grinning stupidly while clutching his belly all of a sudden.
Musing at Ezel's expression—wide-eyed surprise—a small curve played at Raiyan's lips. The knight seemed to take it in stride after a moment. "Well, I must say. You are hilarious. Anyways, the night grows late, and we have a road ahead at sunrise." He gestured toward the valley. "We should leave a first light."
Raiyan nodded. It was midnight now, and crawling monsters would not sleep. "Alright. We'll leave in a few hours."
Ezel closed the cabin door quietly and returned to the porch. "Let's rest here. I'll keep watch with my sword, and you take first watch."
They settled on the creaking wooden porch, backs against the wall. The stars slowly drifted behind the dancing aurora. Raiyan's thoughts were too scattered to sleep. His mind drifted to something – or someone – he hadn't mentioned yet. Aminah. The girl he lost or left behind. It was unimaginable, but possible, that she was out there somewhere in this world, or another.
But no, if she were trapped or hurt, surely the system or magic would have shown it. There were no scars, no hidden message, no second chance door. He searched his memory, felt around for anything. All he felt was weight and emptiness. Nothing to go on.
As Ezel dozed lightly beside him, Raiyan stared at the swirling sky. He could only hope that Aminah was safe—wherever she was. Not knowing gnawed at him more than any monster possibly could.
When the first pale light of dawn crept above the mountain ridge, Ezel shook Raiyan awake. "Time to go," he said softly. The sky was changing from deep indigo to soft pink. Frost sparkled on the grass; they could see a narrow dirt trail leading north, winding up the foothills. "Let's move. The sooner we're on the road, the safer."
They strode down the path, boots crunching on the dew-kissed grass. The cold morning air carried the scent of pine and wet earth. As the sun rose, the castle behind them shrank, revealing a panoramic view of the valley: dark forests and a river glinting in gold.
Even with Ezel leading, Raiyan spotted shapes in the distance – twisted forms like demonic trees, monsters stirring in the shadows. He felt a fresh wave of tension in his gut, but Ezel's confident stride was reassuring.
After hours of walking, still without words, Raiyan finally piped up: "You said you're a knight of Moulm. Why were you in Dalvia?"
Ezel, tall and stoic in half-armor under his travel cloak, glanced over. "Beats me. We were scouting monster movements after some villagers from the border reported… unexplained lights in the sky. I got teleported out of nowhere. When I saw that burst of flame, I came investigating. That's you—so I reckon our missions changed."
He patted the hilt of his sheathed longsword. "My duty now is to ensure we both make it home alive."
Raiyan managed a weak smile. "I'm not complaining."
They fell quiet again. The road took them through pine forest thickening around them. Ezel's tall silhouette bobbed ahead; Raiyan kept pace, absorbing his surroundings. He studied his companion. Ezel's armor and stance gave the impression of someone serious and disciplined, but every so often the knight let slip a human gesture. Like now, offering dried fruit from a pouch. Raiyan accepted a piece.
"How old are you?" Raiyan asked casually. He noticed Ezel's rugged face had some lines around the eyes, as if from many days in the sun.
"Old enough," Ezel smiled. "Younger than dirt, older than trouble." He winked. "Let's say I'm in my twenties, but have seen more than most."
This made Raiyan grin despite himself. The knight had a sense of humor. "Fair answer."
They reached a grassy clearing mid-morning. Ezel decided to make a short break by a stream. They sat, horses drinking at the stream's edge. Both had grabbed cloaks from the cabin, thankfully saving them from a bite of frost.
Raiyan felt slightly more relaxed. The monsters had stayed hidden for now. He dared not speak aloud what gnawed at him, but it slipped from his lips as a whisper: "I have to ask… everything feel normal with you? Any pain, mark, scratch—anything?"
Ezel raised an eyebrow. "No, I feel fine. You?"
"Same," said Raiyan. He flexed all limbs silently. "Nothing except… wondering." He half-laughed nervously. "I keep waiting for something to happen.
Ezel shrugged. "Well, maybe the gods have quieted down for a bit. Enjoy it while it lasts."
Raiyan couldn't laugh at that. He thought of Aminah again. But he didn't tell Ezel. Why weigh a stranger down with my demons? he reasoned. Better to focus on the path ahead.
After a brief rest, they climbed out of the woods and walked several more miles. The forest abruptly gave way to open fields. Raiyan recognized farmland: rows of low crops and a small homestead by a lazy river. Smoke trailed from a chimney. In the distance, perched on a distant ridge, was a town ringed by wooden palisades – their first destination, perhaps, maybe safely north.
Raiyan let out a soft whistle at the sight of civilization. "Look, Ezel. A town! Finally something—"
"Yes, at last," Ezel said, a relieved grin tugging at his lips. The knight had been alert and stoic since nightfall; at the sight of friendly walls, he visibly relaxed. "An adventurer's guild might even be there. We can rest, find work… eat real food."
"Huzzah," Raiyan said, his stomach growling at the thought.
They trudged to the smaller village first, hoping for information. A squat stone inn sat at the crossroads; its sign bore a picture of a bed.
A few farmers and laborers on horseback paused to look curiously at the dusty pair. Ezel, the knightly figure, walked confidently into the inn with Raiyan following.
Raiyan was tired.