Becky looked out of the wagon watching as the town she barely just met was already leaving. She saw the Inn where she spent the night, watching as the wagon was going through the town. Becky watched as the building turned to street vender and crowded for people and beck as they made their way to the tougher town entrance. The wagon stopped at the gate before leaving into the forest. Becky looked out at the town she felt happy but still was happy to leave after all she faced.
The wagon headed in the forest, Becky looked uneasy as they made their way into the forest. Seeing Beckys' discomfort, Zephyr decided to break the tension. " I plan on teaching the both of you how to control your magic… and especially you becky."
There was a silence for a second, Becky didn't understand why he wanted to teach her magic or even if it was possible sense she wasn't from this world.
Before Becky could speak Lila shouted out, "You would really do that! Thank you so much, you don't know how hard it is to not be able to control my magic"
Did Zephyr know I'm from another world? He acts too trustworthy and acts like he's known me for longer than we've met.
"I don't know anything about magic," Becky said while looking out into the dense forest.
"I know you never learned about magic", Zephyr said, leaving a pause. Becky looked at Zephyr with a confused look. Zephyr continued his thought saying "when we first met you never knew magic existed".
Raise of light filtered through the tree, leaving the bottom of the forest under a dim shadow. As they traveled the sun slowly melted away into the horizon, the forest grew darker and colder leaving a creepy silence in the forest with only traces of moon light hitting the wagon.
The wagon creaked through the silent forest, josoling through the cold night air, Becky was jolted awake with the cart hitting a hole in the path, she looked around seeing she had fallen asleep and saw Lila sleeping in the back. Zephyrs' half awake face was still driving the wagon. Becky noticed a blanket was thrown over her. The wind picked up, the cold breeze shuck becky down to the bone.
In the distance the sounds of rattling boards and slamming of metal could be heard. As the cart trudged through the wind, a sign with a blown out lantern was flapping around in the wind, can into view. As the cart grew closer to the sign it grew brighter as Zephyr half awake rose his hand towards the sign.
The sign was barely visible to Beckys' tired eyes, but she could tell it wasn't good when Zephyr let out a sigh.
"Ughhhh…" Zephyr sighed for a solid minute, but still looked a little happy.
The wagon pushed through where we eventually met a small clearing where the wagon came to a stop, pulled off from the path we were following. Zephyr got out of the wagon, he headed to the back to grab a pillow and blanket.
"Arright, Becky can you head to the back of the wagon where Lila is, it would be more comfortable to sleep back there", zephyr mustered in a tiered voice.
How did he know I was awake? I guess it isn't that hard to tell.
"Alright", Becky said with the same tired voice.
Becky got up, she could feel the cold breeze chilling her down to her bones. Becky stepped into the back of the wagon were Lila was sleeping, becky grabbed the last pillow and throw it down next to Lila and raped her self up in the blanket to escape the cold.
Becky poked her head out of the blanket, looking up at the stars, the creep feeling grow faint as she looked up at the twinkling stars that stretched across the clearings' sky.
Becky's eyes lost to exhaustion, the sky slowly faded, nothing was left in its place.
Nothing was left in its place but a light danced through the forest clearing, it twisted and wrapped around the air. The light faint in the night fog that coated the forest ground but it was still enchanting as it weaved through the forest into the trees.
The vibrant light pierced through to beckys' eyes, Becky woke up to find the clearing surrounded by a sporadic light dancing across the ground. Becky looked around for Zephyr and Lila who were still sleeping.
Maybe this is normal for this world? Becky thought to herself, this thought alone wouldn't soothe her fear.
Becky's body sagged with exhaustion, the weight of the long journey pressing down on her. She watched drowsily as the fading light flickered around the wagon, her vision blurring at the edges. Before she could fight it, her eyelids grew heavy and she drifted into sleep.
The wagon shook and jostled over the uneven ground with every bump. Becky woke up, squinting her eyes from the bright light to find Lila struggling standing over her from the shaking of the cart. Lila eventually came to the cart and decided to sit next to becky.
"You're finally up! I've been trying to wake you up every so often", said Lila.
"Normally I'm not that heavy of a sleeper", Becky said apologetically.
"We're almost there!" Lila exclaimed
Becky forced herself up into the cold morning air, she looked out at the grove that they were now in. up ahead yet again stood a group of guards outside the town, unlike last time thies guards were welcoming people in with a smile.
As the wagon got up to the town entrance a guard stopped the cart to talk to Zephyr.
"Morning sir, where are you headed from?" asked the guard.
"We've come from Everglow, we need some supplies that you can get from there." said Zephyr.
"Perfect, then all we need to do is the usual check before you enter."
The guard inspected Zephyr and Lila, ensuring their magic was properly regulated. Then he turned to Becky.
"Can you hold out your hand for me, please?" he asked.
A little cautious, Becky extended her hand. The guard placed his palms around hers, and instantly, Becky felt a strange pulse of energy ripple through her fingers. It wasn't like before — this felt alive, restless.
The guard's brow furrowed. He shifted his hands slightly, muttering a quiet incantation under his breath. A faint glow formed around Becky's wrist, pulsing faintly with her heartbeat.
"You're not restricted," the guard said, voice low and wary. "But you're... not stabilized either."
He reached into a satchel at his side and produced a thin, silver band etched with runes. Without waiting for permission, he fastened it gently around Becky's wrist.
"This will monitor you. If your magic grows past safe levels, you'll be summoned for immediate registration. Fail to appear, and... well, it won't go easy for you."
Becky swallowed hard, feeling the cool weight of the band against her skin. Zephyr and Lila exchanged a look — one that made Becky's heart pound even faster.
The guard gave a curt nod, then waved them through the checkpoint. But Becky couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted — something she couldn't take back.