The carriage had settled into a steady rhythm. Inside the long transport cabin, the passengers swayed with the motion, keeping balance out of habit more than thought
Ryn sat near the window, gaze half-drifted to the passing plains. The early sunlight stretched long across the road, turning everything gold.
Across from him, the four adventurers chattered quietly to each other.
At last, the man with the shield looked over. He had short brown hair and well-defined features, with a small scar on his cheek.
"We didn't catch your name," he said. His tone wasn't demanding, but carried weight without trying.Ryn blinked once, then offered the name he'd prepared.
"Eden. Just Eden."
"I'm Hale," the man said, tapping the reinforced shield leaning against his boot. "Leader of our party, Stonewake."
Next to him, the archer grinned. He had blonde hair and was slightly smaller than the leader. "Braden. If anything tries to kill us, I'll hit it first."
