"Talking about skills, Alliot," said Lila, breaking the comfortable silence as they walked. Her amber eyes scanned the empty forest surrounding them. "How does it happen that we never see any humans? Not that I want to see anyone right now—torch-blind, I'm not ready for that. But we're a few days away from Wentouk, this should be their territory."

  Alliot's expression shifted to that of a teacher preparing to deliver a lesson. "I sense them long before they become visible. We all can—Aira through her Energy Manipulation, me through my skills and training." He gestured vaguely at Lila's form. "With practice, you'll develop the same awareness. The energy signatures of humans have a distinct... flavor. When we detect them, we simply adjust our course." His voice dropped lower. "As we approach settlements, we move primarily at night. Humans rarely do."

  "So we're just better at hiding than foxes in fresh snow?" Lila pressed, arching an eyebrow. "Or is it that humans actively avoid you—us?"

  "Both," Alliot admitted, watching the path ahead with renewed intensity. "But you're right about one thing—we're entering their territory now. The villages grow more numerous here." His shoulders tensed slightly. "We'll need to shift our routine completely. No more daylight travel."

  "Ah… shadowfooting it," said Lila. "I see."

  Alliot's eyebrows shot up, and his mouth fell slightly open at Lila's unexpected comment. He blinked a few times as if trying to process her choice of words.

  "That's… right…" he said. "Fine word to describe it. Our settlements are independent. Self-reliant. Still, there's trade. And only so many routes connecting us. Ancient highways and roads. We have some magic to repel humans. But the best option is to travel at night. That usually works."

  "Huh… never heard about my fellow ran…" Lila's voice hitched. She sucked in a sharp breath. "Ahem. Yeah. Fellow my ass."

  She rolled her shoulders like she was shaking off an old coat. "Anyway, nobody ever mentioned seeing your people in groups, Alliot. Just the odd stray 'undead'—mostly fresh ones."

  "That sounds about right," said Alliot. "Lost souls. Often they don't reach us. And don't call us 'undead'. You are an undead now as well."

  "Sorry, Alliot, but I don't know how to describe it otherwise when I'm speaking about my past," Lila said. "That's how my fellow humans call you. It would have been strange if we used the word 'enlightened.' We… They don't use it in this context. By the bark, it's gonna take time to unlearn that."

  She stopped mid-sentence, her eyes flickering to Aira and Alliot and back to Aira. As if searching for the right words in the space between them. Her lips parted slightly, but no message came through the party chat.

  After a brief moment, she continued: "And these ways to repel humans," Lila leaned forward, amber eyes gleaming with curiosity, "what are they exactly? Some kind of torch-blind illusion that makes folks think they're lost in the lichen? Or does it just scare them off like they've caught a howl of something dangerous?"

  "It's more like a ward," Alliot explained. "It makes humans feel uneasy. Impresses a sense of danger. Most of them turn back before they even realize why."

  "Clever," Lila muttered, nodding thoughtfully. "It's no wonder we never really knew much about your people."

  ***

  The next morning dawned crisp and bright, dew sparkling on the ancient stone road like scattered diamonds. Despite Alliot's warnings about human territories, Aira and Lila had agreed with barely a glance between them to maintain their deliberately sluggish pace. Their silent revenge against Alliot's abandonment manifested in countless small delays—Lila stopping to examine "fascinating" plants, Aira needing frequent meditation breaks—exactly opposite to the urgency their enlightened guide had recommended for safely reaching Ziemrot.

  Their petty rebellion came at a cost; winding forest paths sapped their energy and daylight hours slipped away. Alliot, despite his obvious frustration, eventually steered them toward an ancient road that cut through the wilderness like a forgotten promise of civilization—cracked and overgrown, but still solid enough to walk upon.

  The two women exchanged glances, their lips pressed into thin lines of mock frustration. Their enlightened guide seemed not to notice that they made him prolong the pursuit more than necessary by running for him for an additional day. Or, at least, he didn't mention that.

  That's how Aira, Lila, and Alliot continued their journey toward Ziemrot. They moved at a steady, comfortable pace, the rhythm of their footsteps in harmony with the rustling leaves of the trees that surrounded the ancient road and whispering winds.

  Although Lila was the youngest undead of the trio, her movements were surprisingly swift and graceful, defying her youthful appearance. It was too early for her Undead Resilience skill to make much of a difference, so it probably was just a glitch due to their base stats. And, maybe, a consequence of Lila's life of training and being a ranger. Instead, it was Alliot who lagged behind, his steps slower and more deliberate. If Aira wouldn't provide him with her boosts, compared to the other two members of the group, his pace resembled that of a weary traveler.

  The ancient road stretched before them like a river of stone frozen in time—its surface worn but still bearing the unmistakable precision that only lost human technology could achieve. Moonlight caught the faint geometric patterns embedded within the material, patterns that no chisel or hammer could have created. For each traveler, this remnant of a forgotten world held its own kind of magic.

  Aira had never experienced advanced technology like the humans of this world had a few centuries ago. Her world resolved the infrastructure projects with magic.

  Alliot witnessed the remnants of the Old Times daily as he lived in an ancient city. But he wasn't old enough to have first-hand experience of the high rises being erected or roads being built. Finally, Lila was the only person among the trio who had associated herself with the people of the long-lost civilization. But this flat road that seemingly wasn't made of laid stones or with any familiar tech, that road that would have stretched into the distance until reaching the horizon if it wasn't dark, it seemed no different from the magic Aira or the enlightened showed her.

  The road wasn't perfect. During the centuries of neglect, it cracked and overgrown with weeds. Still, it felt sturdy underfoot as they walked. Despite the darkness that enveloped them during their nighttime journeys, the moonlight cast enough glow to reveal the worn grooves left by countless travelers before them in some places. The ancient roads provided a much easier path than the tangled underbrush and unpredictable terrain of the surrounding forests, and that benefit was exploited by all who lived in the area. As Lila now knew, the enlightened people weren't an exception. They just took precautions not to be noticed by humans.

  Compared to their trek from Mountain View to Wentouk or their detour around the ancient city, this leg of the journey finally felt much more manageable. Now, the two women had learned that it was one of the advantages of moving between the enlightened settlements. As they occupied the remnants of ancient cities, they could still make use of the old roads and crumbling infrastructure left behind by a long-vanished civilization.

  The journey wasn't wholly carefree, though. Potholes and cracks marred the pavement, marks of age. In some areas, the road simply vanished, leaving travelers to navigate dirt paths where the poured stone surface once lay. Bridges that once spanned rivers and ravines were now crumbling, their supports rusted and weakened, forcing detours that added hours to the trip.

  Each dawn found them seeking refuge in hollows and dense thickets invisible from the road—not from physical exhaustion but from the tactical necessity of remaining unseen. They needed no fire for survival; the ambient energy of the elements sustained their undead forms. Yet each night, Aira and Alliot wordlessly gathered kindling and wood for Lila's sake, understanding that for someone so newly transformed, the dancing flames offered comfort that magic could not replace.

  On the fifth evening of their journey, as twilight's last purple faded from the sky, they settled in a small hollow sheltered by ancient pines. Lila crouched near the small pile of kindling, striking flint together with practiced ease—a ritual from her ranger days that her fingers remembered even though her transformed body neither moved with the same agility nor required the fire's warmth. Sparks danced before catching on dry bark, curling into a delicate ember. As the fire grew, it cast long shadows across the clearing, flickering against the ancient road like ghosts trying to reclaim their path.

  "See?" Lila said, stretching her fingers toward the warmth. "Not just for the mood. It makes things feel… less empty."

  Besides that, meditation, training, and talks filled this downtime.

  "So, Alliot, how was the grand return to Wentouk?" asked Lila during one of their day stops. "Any juicy gossip? Any drama? Anything at all worth spilling?"

  "It is always good to connect with the source," answered Alliot. "It is strange to sense it's power waning with each kilometer. Until it isn't there anymore."

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  "What do you think about the other city's source?" asked Aira. "Ainorrh mentioned that it may not be a friendly power for a person attuned to a different element."

  "We'll see," said Alliot.

  "Hard to drag any story out of you, isn't it Alliot?" said Aira. "Maybe you can tell us a bit about your early years as an enlightened person? It may help Lila."

  "Not much to say. Training. Meditation. Patrols. I'm sure Lila's early years as a ranger weren't much different."

  "Well, of course," said Lila. "If you forget that I didn't have any magic. Just good old-fashioned sweat, bruises, and getting yelled at by Korin…" she stopped, inhaling sharply. "Never mind."

  Alliot stood up, not noticing Lila's state, and walked a few paces away from the fire. He stood there, at the edge of the clearing, looking into the forest.

  "When I first awoke as an undead," he said, not looking back. "Ainorrh was the one who taught me our ways. The forest became my sanctuary. I learned to use my abilities to protect it. To protect our community."

  Finally, Alliot turned to face the two women and smiled, a rare expression that softened his rugged features.

  "I told my piece. What about you, Aira? What was life like in your world?"

  Aira's eyes took on a distant look as she recalled her past. "I was a fighter, trained to harness and control both powerful weapons and energies. My world was filled with magic and mystery, challenges and quests. It was… so different compared to what you have here. Even the enlightened… I don't know how to explain. I thrived on the thrill of adventure, but I never imagined I would find myself in a place like this."

  "You know where and how I grew up," said Lila. "I always dreamt of something more. Exploring. I guess I have to blame my grandfather for that. Becoming a ranger was my way of escaping the confines of my hometown. But the things I've seen and experienced since then... It's more than I ever imagined. And now, being an undead... well… enlightened… it's a lot to process."

  "Look, guys," said Aira. "We had a proper sharing moment here!"

  Alliot stepped back and placed his hand on Lila's shoulder. "You've shown great strength, Lila. Adapting to this new reality is no small feat. I… You're not alone in this journey. I'll… I'll guide you. If you want that."

  "Alliot, that's..." Lila hesitated, rubbing the back of her neck. "Storm or shine..." She caught herself, jaw clenching as another ranger phrase tried to escape. "Root me sideways, I can't seem to shake these old words." She straightened, meeting his gaze directly. "No more of that. Just... thanks. Clear as sunrise, I'd appreciate the guidance."

  ***

  It was on the next day that Aira started sensing something different. As Alliot mentioned before, the influence of Wentouk had waned with each passing hour. The decline was probably not as severe as it was for the enlightened defender, as Aira had an advantage of more than sixty levels over him. But still, it was there.

  But that night, during their walk along the ancient road, she sensed it. The flavor of magic in the air had shifted. It wasn't as straightforward as before. Something new mixed into it, making Aira want to test it and experiment with it. To explore its limits and capabilities.

  They were walking silently for a couple of hours by that moment. Each of them was deep in their thoughts. That's why when Aira sent her message through the party chat, both Alliot and Lila jumped a little, momentarily taken out of their reveries.

  "So, Alliot," Aira said. "You mentioned the affinity of Ziemrot. It's earth, right?"

  "You are correct, Aira."

  "I think I'm beginning to sense it," said Aira. "The presence of Wentouk is almost gone. But there's a new feeling in the ambience."

  "You… Still feel it?" asked Alliot. "That's… impressive."

  "It's almost gone," said Aira. "But there still is the presence of the Heart of the Forest there."

  "Impressive," said Alliot. "But it's only reasonable. It has been seven days since Wentouk. We should be right in the middle between the two cities. It's just… I never knew a person who could sense both of the sources at the same time. Our cities are placed at these distances for a reason. Not to interfere."

  "You may rethink your approach to city building if someone decides to grow high with their skills instead of going wide," said Aira. "It should be, what, level fifty? Level fifty five?"

  "What do you mean?" asked Lila.

  "You know that every five levels you get a new skill offered to you," said Aira.

  "Yes, I have three."

  "If you decide to take only one and upgrade only that single skill," said Aira. "Then, by around level fifty, you'd be able to upgrade it to skill level ten. You need around 9,000 SP for that. So, if you spend your skill points only on that one skill, then you need about nine million XP to get there."

  "Level fifty!" The words burst from Alliot like a physical shock, his typically measured voice cracking. "That's..." He faltered, mathematical impossibility warring with the evidence before him. "Ainorrh is level forty-three. And she's been alive for centuries! You are already planning for that! That's… hubris! That's what it is."

  An unlikely outburst surprised Aira and Lila. But the more experienced of the two decided to turn it into an educational moment.

  "Yes, it seems your world doesn't have a level fifty yet," Aira replied with a casual shrug that belied the magnitude of her words. "Especially not one who focused entirely on boosting a single skill. But we have to plan early to collect the right skills and grow them wisely. I'm sure you do the same. Even if much slower."

  Alliot froze mid-stride as if he'd slammed into an invisible wall. The full moon bathed the ancient road in silver light, illuminating his face—jaw slack, eyes wide with something beyond mere surprise. The expression of a man whose foundational understanding of reality was crumbling beneath his feet. The enlightened defender looked truly lost.

  Aira spun around to face Alliot, her ginger hair glistening in the moonlight. Her lips stretched into a broad grin, her eyes sparkled with mischief. Finally, they were getting some emotions from the enlightened defender. It just took them a few days of experimentation and exploration of different topics.

  "But my other concern," continued Aira, "is that if you are affected by the foreign affinity so much, it may be an issue for a person who senses it right from their home city. But, I guess we'll see soon. When you start to react."

  "Conducting experiments?" Alliot asked.

  "Well…" said Aira.

  "I approve that," said Alliot. "It is only reasonable to use every opportunity to learn."

  "Well! That's good!" Aira said. "So, what can you tell us about Ziemrot?"

  "As you know," Alliot said, "I've never been there. I've never been to any other cities and towns, either enlightened or human. I guess I'm on a mission to widen my horizons."

  "But do you know anything about them?"

  "They are an Earth affinity city," said Alliot. "That you know already. They are famous for ground defenses. But growing stuff is also their forte. Not surprising. The treehouses we have in Wentouk are grown from the seedlings distributed by Ziemrot."

  "So, that would be the second affinity we'd have to explore," said Aira. "Did you ever meet any people with earth powers?"

  "Yes, briefly," said Alliot. "Can't say I felt any difference. They are just ordinary people like us. If only with different skills."

  "Like us!" Lila exclaimed. "Well, would you look at that? We made it into the 'enlightened club' But I'm not sure the rest of your people we'll be fine with our membership cards just yet."

  "That… We'll see," said Alliot.

  ***

  When Aira's connection with Wentouk was lost entirely, and Ziemrot's flavor had completely filled her magical senses, the terrain around them shifted dramatically, becoming more rugged and mountainous. The once-dense forests that surrounded the roads they chose gave way to rocky outcrops and steep inclines. And the paths themselves were also not the same, influenced by the landslides and the abuse of the elements much more here, in the open. The air grew crisper, and the occasional glimpse of snow-covered peaks in the distance indicated they were nearing their destination.

  "Bones and bark, would you look at those peaks!" Lila breathed, eyes wide with wonder. "They're reaching higher than ambition itself! Makes our mountains back home look like they're just skirting the shadowline. Like some frost-touched giants took their chisels and carved out pieces of the sky itself."

  Alliot nodded, his gaze fixed on the distant views. "Ziemrot is located at the base of one of these mountains," he said. "We must be vigilant. The terrain will only become more challenging."

  For Aira, it was another opportunity to explore her senses. Probe the new flavor of the elemental energy. A familiar sensation tugged at the edges of her perception. An energy akin to what she had felt from her Rune. A powerful and ancient force that guided her.

  She closed her eyes for a moment, letting the energy flow through her, then pointed in the direction she felt drawn to.

  "This way," she said with confidence. "I can feel it—it resonates with my Rune. It's coming from the direction of Ziemrot. It's the source."

  Now, they swapped roles. Alliot moved to the side, relinquishing his position as a guide, and Aira took the lead. The trio continued forward, tackling the increasingly rugged terrain. Their journey led them along narrow, winding mountain paths that twisted like serpents, across ledges where one misstep could send them plummeting into the abyss below, and through thick, tangled underbrush that clawed at their clothes and skin. The magnificent ancient roads were no more. But despite these obstacles, the trio advanced with a determined stride, fueled by the hope of finally reaching Ziemrot and getting at least some answers.

  As they crested the final ridge, breath caught in throats and footsteps faltered. The valley below unfolded like a revelation—Ziemrot, ancient and formidable, sprawled where mountain met earth in a union so perfect it seemed born rather than built. Massive towers erupted from sheer cliffs as if the mountain itself had decided to reach skyward, their stone indistinguishable from the living rock that birthed them. Gossamer bridges spun across dizzying chasms—some intact, others half-collapsed, their broken spans reaching like desperate fingers toward connections long lost. Living fortifications rose from the ground, earth and architecture merging in defiance of separation, every surface transformed by centuries of creeping vines and cushioning moss into something that breathed with patient, ancient life.

  The air itself changed, becoming thick with power that vibrated against their skin—a bass note too deep to hear but impossible to ignore. Aira felt it surge against her senses, at once familiar and alien, like recognizing a voice speaking a language she couldn't quite understand. The power welcomed her while simultaneously warning her away—the contradictory greeting of a sentinel that recognized both her kinship and her intrusion. The three of them stood on the precipice, taking in the sight of Ziemrot. The path winded down to the side. Narrow and treacherous.

  "It's like the mountain gave birth to the city," Lila whispered, awe evident in her voice. "Boulder-solid and ancient, like it's been waiting for us since the dawn of time."

  "Of course it is," said Alliot. "All our cities are ancient."

  Aira nodded, her eyes fixed on the city. "Ancient and powerful. Hopefully, we'll get some answers here…"

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  The Dark Lady's Guide to Villainy :)