Sitting around Aerithel waiting for a possibility won’t help anyone.
Especially when dragons are actively fighting people somewhere else.
"No," I start to speak.
Sylvia looks at me.
"We don’t know when it happens," I quickly explain. "The front lines are real right now."
She doesn’t say anything.
"If we stay here because of something I saw, people could die somewhere else while we’re waiting," I finish explaining.
That thought stings a bit... But I can’t just sit around while other people continue to die.
Sylvia studies me for another moment, and then she nods.
"Alright, let’s go to Zameref," Sylvia says with her usual cheerful tone.
That was easier than I expected.
"You’re not going to argue?" I question.
"I thought about it but you’re right," Sylvia responds with no hesitation.
She walks closer.
"I appreciate that you are trusting my judgement," I say with a genuine tone.
"Of course. One thing though, you tell me immediately if you have another vision," Sylvia replies as she continues to walk.
"I will," I say quietly.
I don’t know how she manages to switch between being serious and cheerful so quickly. Guess that is just how she is with everything.
We continue walking for a while.
This time we’re heading towards the outer parts of Aerithel instead of wandering around without a goal.
Zameref.
The place where the war began.
That name keeps going through my head. I wonder why it all started with that place or why it continues to be the front lines itself.
"What exactly happened there?" I ask.
Sylvia looks towards me.
"At Zameref?" She questions.
"Yeah," I answer.
She slows down a little.
"I don’t know everything, but from what I was taught, the first large dragon attacks started around that region," Sylvia says with a calm tone.
"Large attacks?" I question.
"Not one or two dragons... But groups of them," Sylvia answers.
"Villages disappeared first," Sylvia continues. "Then towns. By the time the kingdoms understood that it wasn’t random, the dragons had already taken a lot of territory."
That explains why the front lines are there a bit.
"So Zameref used to belong to humans?" I ask.
"Most of the region did," Sylvia responds as she picks up the pace again.
I can’t say I’m surprised that it became a battlefield.
"Sounds awful," I say quietly.
"Some towns are still standing," Sylvia adds. "There are forts too. Slayers move around a lot because the dragons constantly try to push further into human territory."
"Then us going there is definitely the right decision," I respond.
Seeing the actual battlefield where it all began will be an eye opener... One that really shows me how intense the war is. I’ve seen a bit of battle but it won’t compare to that.
~You sound eager.
I’m not really eager to see people dying.
~That wasn’t what I meant.
I know, I just want to understand what I’m fighting.
It is easy to say we’re at war with dragons when I’m walking through peaceful streets.
Maybe seeing the front lines will make everything feel more real.
~It is already real.
You know what I mean.
The system goes quiet.
Sylvia points towards another street ahead.
"We should probably get supplies before leaving too," Sylvia suggests.
"Food?" I ask.
"Food, water, maybe some medicine," She answers.
I glance towards the cut that is finally healed on my side.
"I can actually pay this time," I say with a casual tone.
Sylvia laughs.
"Look at you. Already becoming independent," Sylvia teases.
"Don’t make it sound like I was helpless," I reply before letting out a small laugh.
"You had no money," Sylvia adds.
"That doesn’t mean helpless," I say with a smile.
She just lets out another laugh herself.
After that we stop by a few shops along the way.
Food is definitely the easiest.
Some dried meat, bread, and a few containers of water.
Medicine costs more than I expected, but I still have plenty of Silvi from the quest.
I don’t know how long it’ll last since I don’t really have a good grasp on the cost of goods.
Definitely not a long time.
At least I’m able to confidently take on these quests for some money now. That alone will make a difference when I do get low.
As we leave the last shop, I adjust the small bag resting against my side.
"This should be enough," Sylvia says.
"For how long?" I ask curiously.
"A few days," Sylvia answers.
A few days doesn’t feel like enough if I’m honest.
"How far is Zameref?" I ask with some concern in my voice.
Sylvia stops walking.
"Several days but we’ll be fine," Sylvia assures me.
I stare at her for a moment but she just smiles.
"Are you positive I shouldn’t be concerned about the food or water?" I question.
"Kain it is fine. Trust me," Sylvia assures me once more.
I shake my head.
But the kingdom gates are visible in the distance once again.
It feels strange leaving Aerithel already, especially when we just arrived.
I guess this is just normal for slayers at the end of the day. We just do what we need and then depart as soon as possible.
Just constant movement.
Maybe there won’t ever be a real home for me again.
Astien was home, but I never planned to replace it anyway.
Sylvia walks slightly ahead of me.
I look towards her for a moment.
I’m not moving alone anymore either which makes a huge difference.
"What?" Sylvia asks without turning around.
Did she notice I was staring at her?
"Nothing," I answer.
"You were staring," Sylvia teases.
"Maybe a little," I say honestly.
She lets out a small chuckle.
This is what I needed to get my mind off of that damn vision. Some comfort and relief.
Having her by my side has really made a huge difference in how I look at everything. I hope she’ll be able to keep it that way, even after we reach Zameref.
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