13 A Pleasant Surprise

It was a long journey ahead, they only took a few stops for rest and to eat but other than that they continued moving forward.

It has been a long time yet Zen didn't know the name of the guard with him, so he asked. "I haven't quite gotten your name?"

A few seconds passed before the guard looked at him, a bit embarrassed, "My name is Sol Louver."

Zen nodded, "Where are you from?"

Sol responded with a bitter smile, "My family lives a bit far from the kingdom. We have a small village over there, Now... I don't know if there still is." Sol's head faced down and he looked teary.

Zen understanding then what Sol spoke he apologetically said, "I'm sorry."

Sol smiled weakly. "There's nothing to be sorry for."

The conversation ended with silence.

After traveling for quite awhile. Zen saw at a distance was a city. 'How come we're here? Aren't we supposed to be a long way from another city? The closest one should still be a thousand kilometers." He thought while he turned to Sol, both their eyes met and the understanding between them was obvious. i

Zen inspected the city and saw the name engraved. "DIWA Kingdom?! isn't that supposed to be really far from here?" Sol shouted in surprise.

Zen nodded in acknowledgment. "How long have we walked?"

Sol was in deep thought. "What if we were just hallucinating?"

Shaking his head, Zen said. "This feels too real to be fake... or it might be too real that it's fake."

Sol looked grim but he suggested. "Why don't we try getting closer?"

"Well that's better than just standing here waiting for something to happen." Zen accepted.

The two moved closer to the kingdom, they hid behind bushes and trees but the distance was too far away to be able to see.

"Who are you two?!" a voice surprised them from behind. It was a man wearing armor, a soldier of the kingdom.

Zen masked a servile attitude. "We have been pursued by bandits, we have lost most of what we have as you can see."

The man inspected them but it was not long before he closed them as a no threat. A thin man carrying a child and a man with a short sword, he could take care of them in just a few seconds.

"So why are you here?" The man asked questioningly.

Zen responded, "We were afraid we wouldn't be able to enter."

The man smiled, "Why don't I accompany you inside?"

"Okay" was the only response Zen could make, if he refused there would be a chance the man might overthink and have them as spies.

They moved out of the forest with the man leading them, "Right, I was rude. Forgive me, I haven't introduced myself. I'm Luther Tucad, a knight of DIWA kingdom." he said as he slightly leaned forward.

Zen said, "My name is Carlos and this is my companion and guard Charles, this is my child Alex."