The mountain on the right looked still as far with my normal vision this time. Not to mention the unending plains in front of us, the focus of my attention was still as my memory recalls it.

Long, sloping land with scattered trees also scaling down towards the... more clumped sea of trees, extending far to hide parts of the river. Then further that, the walls were still lit with dots of fire. Which I now seem to notice also had bits of trees separating it from the river. What only changed was the moon that shifted a lot more towards the plains, casting trees with unnecessary elongated shadows.

"Save your questions, lassie. We're speeding for the town," mister Orden remarked as he rolled his sleeves to his elbow, breaking me out of my observation.

"And hop on. It'd be faster that way," he commanded as he got on his left knee.

I stared at him for a moment before I crept on his back. Latching myself with the ragbag between us clutched safely while he lifted me easily.

"Make sure to really hold on tight. No, not on my shoulders," letting go of my left leg, he pulled my arms, took both, and clasped it together in front of his throat. "There. Don't worry, I won't choke," he chuckled when I tried to loosen my grip.

"Tighter. Ok. Ready?" Mister Orden crouched lower in a way as if he'd jump and reach for something high up above, all the while as I watched in attention when green and brown circular, dim lights suddenly appeared on the ground around us. Encircling us.

"Off weee," drawing his words, I tightened my grip, realizing his speeding up didn't speak of running. Rather, he meant magic. And that was something I sorely lack in experience. So I heeded his advice and gripped tighter. It didn't stop me, however to crane my neck and look how those circular lights worked. Magic.

"Go."

But what a bad decision it was to crane my neck and watch the magical circle. A strong gust of wind assailed my face before I managed to hide on mister Orden's back. I didn't even had the time to breath my surprise even after knowing he'd be using magic this way. My hand clasped together with more strength this time while straining to keep up with the wind that pushed my hands against mister Orden's neck. Not to mention the odd whistling sound accompanying us that erased the rustles, chirps, and all kinds of evening sounds just moments ago, I didn't bother thinking about the blurred colors rushing past us.

With every second that poured in, I felt my strength slowly getting sapped away. If not for mister Orden's hands gripping me tight, I'd look like as if I was his cape. Being sure that I'd be similar to a dangling curtain blown away by the wind now. Worse, actually.

Still, I pressed my chest and stomach harder against mister Orden's back. The ragbag had straps, but I wouldn't bet it to fare against the wind. It would tear open and the gifts I've received would be wasted just because I didn't held on.

So with that thought spurring my motivation, I persevered and bid the time away with clenched teeth and closed eyes. And so, before I knew it, my cheek slammed on his back. I got off from his back after he pulled his hands back.

Steadying myself with my hands on my knees, I tried to stand if I could, only to wobble a moment later, falling on the grass that was still as cold even with my garbs.

That wasn't important now, though. Quickly checking that the ragbag wasn't ripped or showed something the same, I let out a relieved breath and calmed myself.

So that was what mister meant by speeding. I looked at where we came from and found nothing but trees, no semblance of where we flew from. Only the massive river that separated the sea of trees from us an indication of how far mister Orden flew. Or dashed? Jumped? Those circles are really nice. But seems very dangerous.

Thinking about it, I looked at mister Orden on my left who sat atop a boulder while looking at the sky, his earlier hum ringing back to me in recollection. I found him not the least bit disheveled nor perturbed when he was the one that fared against those storm-like winds that could have toppled trees. Magic. I suppose. I moved and wriggled my feet while thinking of any questions I might still be able to ask. Nothing coming to mind at the moment.

"You fine now? Sorry, sorry. That's the only spell I know to hasten our journey," with an apologetic smile, he added, "it'd take hours if not."

"Ah, no. It was... fine, sir. A new experience but umm... maybe it'd be fun again. Just looks dangerous for me." I cracked a shallow smile as I lightly bowed.

"Fun, eh? Well, that's not a bad way to think of it. You good to go now?"

Seeing that I was able to stand, mister Orden asked. I stretched my feet for a moment before nodding and voicing a response. With my affirmation, mister Orden jumped from the boulder and we began moving again. I trailed behind him as I inspected where we landed. With a couple of trees further where we're going, it looked no different than the forest itself, except that the trunks here stood straight and the grass, bushes were neatened to a degree that it looked like rice fields here on out.

My attention, however, lingered no further at those comfortable sheet of greens I would have loved to lay upon, to sleep at with nothing to worry about. Not when the familiar lined-up, flickering fire past above the copse burning brightly required my attention. Along with the massive river behind, it immediately indicated where we are. Only for the magical words to confirm it.

Ethered Town.

I blinked at it before waving it away. How useful. So this is really the town. And mister Orden's magic really took us far. I glanced at him before we continued forward. Seeing him humming some tune and seemingly busied away in thoughts, I halted my questions in me. I've got a lot of time to know about it.

Along the way, mister Orden helped inform that I'd be settling the night by the townside, explaining that it was standard procedure of the town. Shortly after that, we exited the forest shade and entered a clearing completely blanketed with grass. The land turning upwards and the tall walls in full view this time. Further what the walls couldn't mask were more snaking trees that scaled the slope in a shallow steep.

Before those huge walls were a few wooden houses intermingled with a few more trees and bushes, snaking upwards till it reached the foot of the wall.

I was pulled back to the shadows that moved oddly atop the roofs that weren't shaded by trees. I stopped to my tracks for a moment as I realized what it was—who they were. Then I followed behind mister Orden, making sure to at least hide half of my body from where they could see me.

"Ey, Orden." A yell from a shadow atop one of the houses echoed to us. The deep and rough voice giving away his identity even before he jumped towards our way.

But unlike what his commanding voice suggested, the mister donned a sunny expression. Tugging a smile so natural that I doubted whether he was faking his voice in an attempt to intimidate or the other way around.

As we got closer, I found nothing vastly different to mister Orden and mister Virel. Although the mister wore a different set of garments, I found, unsurprisingly, the same lavishness that the other misters donned. They weren't anything like the Northers or the kingdom's soldier. Not even the town's. I halted and shook that thought off. Why had I even thought of that.

The mister waved in greeting at me that I responded with a nod. This time, I heeded mister Virel's words and didn't outright... identified him. Mn, let's call it that now.

"Who's she, Haven't seen anyone like her around. A refugee?"

"Nah, from an untouched. The rooms are ready, I hear?"

"Ohh. Now that's new," the mister gave me a glance again before he continued, "definitely new. The rooms aren't completely done yet, but beds been set. Go do your report, I'll take over."

"As it should b—

"But before that!" the mister cut Mister Orden with words pressed with strength, eliciting a sigh from him and a surprised thump from me. The mister looked over me, with my eyes following the direction his hand were pointing at before snapping back to him.

"Can you do me favor and find your way to one of the balcony there, uhh, kid? You can sit or do what you like. Or go inside and wander around! That'd be better, choose a room while you're at it, actually. I'm just borrowing him for a second, and I'll help you settle for some sleep, ok?"

This time, the grin the mister has informed me he really was just a very enthusiastic person.

Mister Orden gave me a pat before he closed the distance to the mister who immediately had his arms hooked to mister Orden's neck who almost stumbled at that.

Turning my way towards the houses, I find the dirt path reminiscent of my earlier... stumble. So with careful steps in my plod, I made sure to trek the place where I'm sure I wouldn't slip and roll around. Not about to get myself injured by the same mistake again. Although a quick look behind suggested a much shallow slope that shouldn't replicate any unwanted wounds, but who would know?

Once I safely reached one the closest wooden house, I looked once again at the walls. This time, having the time to fully assess what I missed earlier. I noticed the small entryway on the foot of the wall from which a dirt carved a path towards.

More importantly, between the wall and the wooden houses, small trees were lined up in as if it was deliberately grown. But what I was more enamored were the colorful flowers and vines that found their homes at the foot of the walls. Something similar to mister Virel's, seemingly equally tended yet still maintained its natural ambience. But here was extremely abundant compared to mister Virel's treehouse.

And I knew exactly how this all came to be. The lined-up trees, the tall walls, the tended flowers and the smooth plain of grasses. They should be of magic. Hididng my chuckle with a smile, I thought it far-etched of a thought. But as if in attempt to disagree, the words I saw earlier came again.

Ethered Town

This time, I smiled. It might be magic, after all.