The first day of travel passed without incident.
For most caravans, long-distance travel was an exercise in patience rather than distance. Wagons stopped frequently so travelers could stretch stiff legs, relieve themselves in the brush, eat cold rations, or argue about who had forgotten what. Progress was slow, broken, and uncomfortable.
Jax and the Vixens experienced none of that.
Their carriage rolled onward from morning until dusk without stopping once. The Draft Behemoths pulling it forward moved with tireless, rhythmic strides, massive frames barely seeming to notice the weight behind them. According to Barb's instructions, the creatures could travel for nearly fourteen hours straight before needing food and rest. Once fed and allowed a few hours of sleep, they could repeat the process again the next day without issue.
As the sun dipped below the horizon and the sky bled orange into violet, Jax finally guided the carriage off the road and into a quiet clearing bordered by trees and tall grass.
"We'll camp here," he said, hopping down.
Inside the carriage, the Vixens barely reacted. The day had been spent lounging, talking, exploring every corner of their absurdly spacious mobile home, and—if Nyxian's empty glasses were any indication—drinking generously.
Jax walked to the rear storage compartment and opened it, retrieving the sealed containers of Behemoth feed. Each one weighed close to five hundred pounds.
He lifted the first easily.
Then the second.
Setting them near the edge of the clearing, he gathered firewood and built a controlled blaze a short distance away, recalling Barb's explanation that the warmth helped the Behemoths rest more comfortably. The massive creatures were already lowering themselves near the fire, thick legs folding as they settled in with deep, rumbling exhales.
As Jax finished arranging the camp, his system chimed softly.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEARN THE PROTECTOR SKILL: BARRIER WITH ALARM?
Allows the user to create a protective barrier around campsites.
Prevents unwanted entry and masks light, sound, and activity.
Notifies the caster if the barrier is breached.
Jax raised an eyebrow.
"Well," he murmured, "that seems extremely useful."
YES
The knowledge settled into place instantly.
Jax extended a hand and pushed mana outward.
A faint, translucent glow rippled across the clearing before fading entirely, leaving no visible trace behind. The barrier enclosed the camp in silence and shadow, dampening the fire's glow and muting sound so completely that even raised voices would struggle to carry beyond it.
Protected.
Hidden.
Satisfied, Jax untied the Behemoths and allowed them to roam freely within the barrier. He filled a large trough with their feed, used magic to create clean water in a troth and watched as they ate contentedly. With no risk of outside intrusion, he wasn't concerned about them wandering too far.
Still, caution came naturally to him.
He raised his hand again.
"Come," he said quietly.
Two shadows peeled themselves from the darkness.
Gryph emerged first, wings folding tight as he perched silently among the trees. Moments later, Fang—the massive shadow serpent—coiled along the ground, his form nearly indistinguishable from the night itself.
Jax focused briefly, activating his enhanced charm skill.
The Behemoths stiffened for only a heartbeat before relaxing again, accepting the shadow creatures as part of their surroundings rather than threats.
"Stay hidden," Jax instructed softly. "Watch for trouble."
The shadows melted away.
Inside the carriage, the atmosphere was far less restrained.
The Vixens were full, relaxed, and varying degrees of intoxicated. Plates sat empty on the table, wiped clean of what Jax confidently declared was the best meal he'd cooked yet—Gryphon steaks prepared with care and seasoning he'd perfected over the last few weeks.
Nyxian was fully sprawled across one couch, blissfully drunk and humming to herself.
"This," she declared lazily, "is how adventuring is supposed to be."
Bunny laughed, curled up nearby. "I don't think I could ever go back to sleeping in tents."
Zee nodded, sipping water. "Or eating dried rations."
Llandra glanced around the carriage, thoughtful. "We haven't even started the mission yet."
Jax smiled faintly but said nothing.
The night passed quietly.
Too quietly.
Morning came without incident.
Jax rose early, dismantled the camp with practiced efficiency, returned Gryph and Fang to Shadow Space, and dismissed the barrier. The Behemoths were fed, harnessed, and ready before the Vixens had fully shaken off sleep.
By midmorning, they were back on the road.
As the carriage rolled onward, Jax experimented with his new skill. He extended the barrier again—this time while the carriage was in motion.
The effect held.
The barrier wrapped around the carriage itself, stretching to encompass both the dimensional interior and the physical exterior. Light, sound, and mana signatures dulled instantly.
More importantly—
The alarm remained active.
Even inside the dimensional space, Jax felt the faint thread of awareness tied to the barrier, ready to alert him if anything pressed against it.
Useful.
Very useful.
The road stretched on.
Early afternoon sunlight filtered through the carriage windows as conversation drifted lazily between the Vixens. Nyxian had sobered just enough to be dangerous again. Bunny was telling a story that involved exaggerated gestures and frequent laughter. Zee listened, smiling quietly.
Then—
Something tugged at Jax's awareness.
Not sound.
Not sight.
A subtle pressure.
The barrier pulsed once.
It had been struck by something.
Jax's eyes sharpened.
The carriage slowed slightly as the Behemoths responded to the dangers ahead.
Outside, the road ahead curved gently between rising embankments and dense tree cover.
The journey had encountered its first obstacle.
Whatever waited ahead—
It wasn't coincidence.
And it wasn't friendly.