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Ydalon
Silence and curt were the responses he received, with only a bare few exceptions. Clearly none of them felt at ease in the group, or they would speak more freely. They were strangers who considered themselves forced together by circumstance, distrusting eachother, but also respecting the hidden abilities of their companions.
They did not discuss where they came from, nor where they were going. They did not speak of news, or meals, or even the weather. Let alone of themselves. Naught but the odd remark about bandits. One or two had even joined without remark or invitation, tagging along in dead silence. If they would split ways shortly and never see one another again, then why the mystery? It seemed as if each had something sinister to hide, carried the scars to prove it, and the abilities to endure and survive.
Ydalon would have liked to see greater camaraderie after sharing the bridge encounter, but it was not to be. Fair enough. He shared a look with Isokla for a moment, and then called a halt in a clearing.
The air was moist with Ryr, as the river rushed past on the other side of the gently sloped hill. Fungi covered a number of felled forest sentinels, and insects were seen dancing in the air wherever the mild sunlight reflected off their tiny bodies just so. The trees here were mainly oak and hawthorn, though other species, too, had found their way to the forest. The chatter of birds filled the air overhead with the sounds of life.
Spotting a tall treestump near the center of the field, the boy was quick to clamber on top and claim this perch as his own. He then waited for the others to find a seat of their own, or to remain standing behind trees if they preferred.
"We're taking a rest so she can stop limping," he explained, indicating the injured woman. "And because there is something else I need to know before I take you any further. You've all seen the Lords of Vision, the outlaws at the bridge. They're making life impossible for normal folk, and they're hoarding a ton of wealth. How many of you are seriously interested in helping me stop them?"
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