The morning sun slipped through the branches, bathing the glade in a warm, golden haze.
Kano was the first to awaken, groaning as he pushed himself off the ground.
His body ached all over, and his head was still spinning from yesterday's whirlwind of events.
Beside him, sprawled out like a man without a care in the world, Elghot the mage slept soundly, his breathing steady, his posture resembling that of someone utterly unfamiliar with the concept of responsibility.
Kano leaned against a tree and pulled the helmet from his satchel.
His gaze was resolute—yet beneath it, a quiet anxiety churned.
— "If this helmet really means something… then I need to figure out what to do next."
As if sensing his words, Elghot stirred, rolled onto his side, and cracked one eye open.
— "Mmm… what are you muttering about now? Planning your next dramatic episode? Give me a minute, oh great hero."
Kano sighed, stepped closer, and crossed his arms.
— "Enough sleeping. Time to move. I need to know more about this world—especially the human continent."
Elghot yawned, stretched like a lazy cat, and slowly sat up, propping himself against a tree.
— "Ah, the human continent. What a lovely place—full of betrayal, bloodshed, and cheap dreamers. Why there, of all places?"
— "Because I'm human. It's the only place where I might find something familiar."
Elghot stroked his beard thoughtfully, frowning.
— "If that's your decision, then listen well. The human continent is far. Very far. From here… it's roughly two hundred leagues."
Kano blinked, processing.
Then tilted his head.
— "What's a league?"
Elghot stared at him in silence for a beat.
Then burst into uncontrollable laughter.
— "You can't be serious! A league is a thousand steps. So, two hundred leagues… means two hundred thousand of your charmingly clueless human strides."
Kano's eyes widened.
His expression shifted from surprised, to horrified, to outright despair.
— "Two hundred… thousand…" he whispered.
Then he dropped to his knees, clutching his head with both hands.
— "I'm going to die. I'm definitely going to die. I'll never make it that far. That's impossible!"
Elghot gave him a flat look, then smacked his own forehead with his palm.
— "Gods, you're exhausting. Alright, listen—and memorize: everyone in this world survives. And if you don't want to become another tragic tale in my future drinking songs, stop whining!"
The mage leapt to his feet, straightened to his full height, and began pacing around Kano, arms flailing.
— "Do you think being human means something here? Humans are pathetic. Short lives, weak bodies, barely able to hold a sword, and never able to agree on anything. Their only shared goal is self-destruction."
Kano stared at him, stunned, but Elghot wasn't done.
— "And what do you know about the others, hmm? Elves? They think they're perfect. But they'd sell their own kin for a taste of status. Dwarves? Sure, they make weapons— but what they really love is gold. They'd sell you your own axe if it earned them a coin."
Kano swallowed, but the tirade continued.
— "Demons? Manipulators. Never trust a demon's smile— next time you see it, it'll be the last thing you ever see. Beastkin? Wild, poor, uncivilized. They'll trade their own brother for a loaf of bread."
Elghot stopped in front of Kano and leaned in, his voice dropping lower.
— "And the worst of all… The Undead. Those who've come back. They don't know if they're human or monster. But one thing's certain— once they've touched you, they'll pull you down into the world they crawled out of. And they won't let go."
Kano was trembling.
His eyes were wide with panic, his breath shallow.
— "This world… It's on the edge of apocalypse."
Elghot saw the boy's face, let out a long sigh, and sat down beside him.
— "Now you understand. This isn't a place for the weak."
Kano nodded silently, though his chest rose on the edge of panic.
He sat beneath a tree, arms around his knees, trying to process the torrent of information Elghot had hurled at him.
The forest now felt like a sea of threats— an endless tide of beasts, betrayal, and blood.
— "There are monsters everywhere…" he whispered. "We're in the middle of nowhere. And the closest place with intelligent life is probably thousands of steps away, right?"
Elghot, who'd reclined onto the ground and was now gazing lazily at the sky, suddenly burst into a laugh so loud, a flock of birds took flight from the nearby trees.
Elghot burst into another fit of laughter.
— "Thousands?! Thousands? Oh, gods…" He sat up, wiping tears from the corners of his eyes.
— "The nearest settlement is maybe… two hundred steps. Three hundred if you walk like a chicken."
Kano froze.
— "…Two hundred steps?"
Elghot nodded, pointing lazily through the trees.
— "Straight through the forest. That way. And you didn't notice the road? What the hell have you been doing out here?"
Silence.
Then— an explosion.
Kano threw up his arms and started pacing wildly, shouting like a man who had finally cracked.
— "TWO HUNDRED STEPS?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! I'VE BEEN SURVIVING IN THIS DAMN FOREST FOR TWO DAYS! EATING BERRIES! SLEEPING ON DIRT! AND I WAS TWO HUNDRED STEPS FROM CIVILIZATION?!"
He sprinted in circles, waving his hands.
— "I COULD'VE HAD A BED! I COULD'VE HAD FOOD! AND YOU! You old fraud!" — He jabbed a finger at Elghot.
— "You knew, didn't you? You knew and said nothing! Just watched me suffer like some deranged forest experiment!"
Elghot collapsed back onto the grass, clutching his ribs as he howled with laughter.
— "Hahahahaha! This is better than any play I've ever seen!"
After a few minutes, Kano finally dropped beside him, completely exhausted.
He wiped sweat from his brow, chest still heaving… and suddenly, his eyes glistened.
His voice came quiet, trembling with defeat.
— "Please… just take me there. I don't know what to do anymore. I can't stay here."
Elghot's face twisted like he'd just tasted something rotten.
— "Ugh, don't. Don't cry. I don't deal with criers. But—" he sighed, "if you pull yourself together, wipe your nose, and stop looking like a kicked puppy, maybe—maybe—I'll take you."
Kano's head shot up.
He wiped his eyes, stood quickly, and with newfound resolve— "No tears. No whining. I'm ready."
He pulled the helmet onto his head like a warrior ready for battle, straightening up with a stoic face, eyes hard, expression intense.
Elghot stared at him for a few seconds… then doubled over laughing again.
— "Oh no—no, stop! You look like you're trying to pass a boulder. Take it off! First person who sees you is going to think you've got stomach problems!"
Kano blinked, confused.
— "I thought… I looked cool…"
Elghot waved him off as he stood.
— "Sure, sure, whatever helps you cope. Come on. And please, stop trying to look serious—you'll break that helmet from sheer effort."
They set off through the trees.
Elghot led the way, casually leaning on his staff, humming something off-key.
Kano followed behind, still clutching his helmet protectively, muttering under his breath.
Nestled on the western slopes of the mountains, hidden among dense forests and jagged passes, lay the city of Drachenfest—a neutral sanctuary woven together from the tangled fates of countless beings.
Here, adventurers walked beside exiles.
Mages haggled with mercenaries.
Rogues and nobles, traders and outlaws—all bound by a single truth:
This was a city that belonged to no one… and welcomed everyone.
Free from the laws of great nations, Drachenfest thrived in its chaos.
Gold spoke louder than bloodlines.
Secrets were currency.
And power… came in many forms.
From behind the trees, the spires and towers of the city began to rise, emerging like a mirage from the wild.
For the first time since arriving in this world, Kano saw something that felt like hope.