The air grew warmer as they descended the last stretch of the mountain path. What had once been biting wind and rock turned into softer breezes carrying the scent of pine and moist earth. Below, nestled in a valley carved by time and rivers, lay the faint silhouette of a small village — smoke rising from crooked chimneys, thin trails of it spiraling lazily into the morning sky.
Kai stopped for a moment on the ridge above it, his darkened hair stirring with the wind. “So that’s Azure Creek,” he murmured.
Chiron followed his gaze. “Still smaller than I expected. Used to be a trade route years ago — before the Empire taxed it dry.”
The boy’s eyes narrowed faintly, observing the faint shimmer of water running through the center of the valley. From their height, he could see the entire layou
