Chapter 4: The Road Begins .

Chapter 4: The Road Begins

The first rays of sunlight entered the royal palace as a new day began in the Kingdom of Lelana.

Today was the day.

The day their journey would begin.

Aaron stood near the palace gates wearing simple explorer's clothes. A brown leather jacket covered his white shirt, and a dark green cloak rested on his shoulders. A small backpack hung behind him, carrying maps, supplies, and a notebook where he recorded his adventures.

Master Roland arrived shortly after, dressed in light armor. His legendary sword rested at his side.

Only one person was missing.

Princess Elena.

A few moments later, the palace doors opened.

Aaron's eyes widened.

Princess Elena walked down the stairs wearing a magnificent royal dress. The blue fabric sparkled under the morning sunlight, and silver embroidery decorated the sleeves. She looked less like an adventurer and more like someone attending a royal celebration.

Roland sighed.

"A princess, perhaps."

Aaron shook his head.

"A traveler? Definitely not."

Elena stopped in front of them.

"What?"

Roland crossed his arms.

"Princess, we are leaving on a dangerous journey."

"I know."

"Then why are you dressed for a banquet?"

Elena frowned.

"There is nothing wrong with my dress."

Aaron pointed at the long skirt.

"What happens if a monster starts chasing us?"

"I'll run."

"You'll trip."

"I will not."

"You absolutely will."

The princess glared at him.

"And you are absolutely annoying."

Roland rubbed his forehead.

"Go change."

After several seconds of silence, Elena finally turned around and disappeared into the palace.

Ten minutes later she returned.

This time she wore simple traveling clothes.

A green tunic, brown leather boots, black trousers, and a light cloak covered her royal appearance. She still looked elegant, but now she looked ready for adventure.

Aaron nodded.

"Much better."

Elena rolled her eyes.

"I wasn't asking for your opinion."

With everything prepared, the three finally left the capital.

The roads were crowded at first, but as they traveled farther from the city, the number of travelers slowly decreased.

For several hours they walked beneath the warm sun.

Then suddenly—

"Wait!"

A voice echoed behind them.

Everyone turned around.

A young boy carrying a wooden staff ran toward them.

His dark hair was messy, and he looked completely out of breath.

When he finally reached them, he bent over while trying to catch his breath.

"I made it..."

Roland smiled slightly.

"You're late, Leo."

The boy laughed nervously.

"I overslept."

Princess Elena raised an eyebrow.

"On the day of an important mission?"

"It was an accident."

Aaron grinned.

"I like him already."

The newcomer straightened himself.

"My name is Leo. Apprentice Mage of the Royal Academy."

He proudly lifted his staff.

"And future greatest mage in history."

Aaron laughed.

"Confident."

"Very."

Before long, Leo officially joined the group.

Now there were four travelers.

Aaron the explorer.

Princess Elena.

Master Roland the Swordmaster.

And Leo the mage apprentice.

Together they continued toward the Mountains of Lelana.

However, the farther they traveled from the kingdom, the stranger everything became.

Animals seemed frightened.

The forests felt unusually quiet.

Even the air itself felt different.

Then a terrifying roar echoed through the mountains.

Everyone stopped.

Several dark creatures emerged from the forest.

They looked like wolves, but their eyes glowed red and dark energy surrounded their bodies.

"What are those?" Aaron asked.

Roland immediately drew his sword.

"Monsters."

Leo tightened his grip on his staff.

"The destruction of the Stone of Light must be affecting the kingdom."

The creatures charged.

Roland rushed forward first.

His sword flashed through the air.

One monster fell instantly.

Leo raised his staff.

A small fire spell shot forward and struck another creature.

Meanwhile Aaron grabbed a fallen branch and helped distract the remaining monster while Elena guided everyone away from danger.

After a short battle, the monsters were defeated.

Silence returned.

But nobody felt relieved.

If monsters were already appearing this close to Lelana, what waited deeper into the mountains?

As evening arrived, the group crossed the borders of the kingdom.

A peaceful river flowed nearby.

Roland decided they would camp there for the night.

A fire was soon burning in the center of the camp.

The four sat around it.

The campfire crackled softly as the four travelers sat beneath the stars.

For a while, nobody spoke. The sound of the nearby river filled the silence.

Finally, Roland looked around the circle and spoke. "A journey is not measured by how far you travel," he said. "It is measured by how much you grow. The road ahead will test all of you.

There will be moments when fear will tell you to turn back. When that happens, remember why you started." Aaron listened carefully.

He had always dreamed of adventure, but hearing Roland's words made the journey feel more real than ever.

Elena stared into the flames before speaking.

"As a princess, I was taught that a ruler must always appear strong," she said quietly. "But today I realized that being strong doesn't mean facing everything alone." She glanced at her companions.

Roland nodded approvingly. "True strength comes from trusting those beside you." Aaron smiled. "Then I guess we're all stuck with each other now." Leo laughed, and even Elena couldn't hide a small smile.

For the first time since leaving Lelana, the group felt less like strangers and more like a team.

after that,They simply listened to the sound of the river.

Far above them, countless stars filled the night sky.

Aaron stared at them quietly.

Their journey had only just begun.

And somehow, he felt that everything was about to change.

The campfire burned low as Aaron sat alone beside the river.

The others had already fallen asleep.

The night was calm.

Too calm.

Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine.

It felt as if someone was watching him