The first day of the journey

Misty Canyons was no place for ordinary people. Joshua was not confident about leaving that place alive with his current strength. Even though the reasons behind Khali's were unknown, it was still a good thing.

They all left the wooden cabin in a hurry. Based on what Khali had said, their pursuers were not that far.

"Who are they?" Khali asked as they sprinted through the fog, following him closely behind.

Joshua looked at Aurora and signed. "I don't know. They appeared out of nowhere and attacked our village."

Khali nodded after hearing that. Joshua did not tell him that they were after Aurora. Not that it was a hard thing to figure out anyway.

It did not take long for them to see Khali in action. He ran as if he knew every corner of the area, and no beast could chase them as he avoided them swiftly. Joshua and Aurora alone could not even think of doing that.

Khali moved his hand and pointed towards a direction, saying. "There's a hidden passage that leads out of the canyons. I built it myself as an escape route. We should be able to leave this place smoothly without anyone finding us."

A heavy burden fell off Joshua's shoulders. He would not be able to forgive himself if anything happened to Aurora. After all, he promised his master that she would be kept safe. Their destiny was now the capital. It would prove to be a safe place for Aurora. And also a place where she could begin her training. Joshua on the other hand was not aiming to learn fancy spells, but to become a mercenary. It was said to be a dangerous yet profitable path.

After thirty minutes of running, the passage Khali talked about came into their sight. It was a path carved in stones, and Joshua wondered how Khali produced such a feat. It was something almost impossible to be done alone. Perhaps the reason behind it was that Khali was just too strong? Joshua could not see his level, but he could not be that strong, right?

Khali anxiously said. "That's the passage. I heard some noises behind us. I'm surprised these humans were catching up with us. But that's all there is to it."

Joshua was also surprised to hear that. Because he had no sense that their pursuers were close, and if that was the case, they couldn't just follow them through the passage?

Well, that was not possible. Joshua saw how Khali waved his hands, using the mana to draw strange symbols that were floating in mid-air. With that, all sorts of plants covered the passage as soon as they passed, creating a natural cover to it.

Joshua and Aurora had their mouths open. Even Hanrog that was used to seeing his dad perform magic was astonished. The way Khali moved and drew the symbols looked like art. Joshua was certain that he was a skilled magician.

"Do you know the way towards the capital? I have been in these canyons for a long time." Khali said.

"I know, don't worry." Aurora was the one who spoke up. Compared to Joshua, she was more knowledgeable about geography. It was strange, to say the least, that Khali did not know how to get to a city. The world could not change that much in the years he lived there. It was a good thing that Aurora was with them, or else they could be walking cluelessly.

"The first thing we should do is get to this city." Aurora used the map that Joshua got from Richard to show them. "It's a city called Rinidan. From there we should be able to get a carriage directly to the capital."

"All right. So it's all settled, let's go."

~~~~

Rinidan was one of the oldest cities in the country. Some say that dwarves themselves built it. It was a place covered with mountains, and the majority of the mines were in that area. Iron, steel, and gold were some of the ores that were found in Rinidan. But the most important of all, Aetherium.

A huge vein of Aetherium was beneath Rinidan, and for that reason, it was one of the most important places within the country. Aetherium was a magical ore that enhanced the usage of mana, making it easier, and stronger. For that reason, it was the main material when it came to forging magic weapons, and armor.

The fact that Rinidan was so important made Joshua uneasy. Security would sure be tight there. Not that they wouldn't be able to enter it, as it was open to everyone as long as one wasn't a criminal. But them being newcomers and unknown to everyone, would sure make it difficult for them to blend. And if their pursuers followed them to Rinidan somehow, well, that would be a problem.

It would take them three days to reach Rinidan. Of course, they would not be able to run nonstop there, and for that reason, they camped for the night after walking all day long.

Khali brought a tent inside his backpack, and set it up in no time. He also hunted some beasts for dinner. Everything felt easier with him around, and as they chatted, Joshua felt safer with them.

"So, miss Aurora. I know you're planning on joining the magic academy, but if you don't mind, I can give you some classes regarding magic. I and Hanrong plan on staying in the capital for some time, so that should not be a problem for me." Khali said as he cooked a piece of meat using a stick and the campfire Joshua had set.

"For real? That would be perfect." Aurora clapped her hands in excitement. "To be honest, I'm kind of nervous about joining the academy. Your help would mean a lot to me."

Joshua glanced at them and smiled. It was a good thing that Khali was also looking after Aurora. He was not certain that he alone would be enough.

All things were going in the right direction, and nothing bad happened for the first time in a long time. Joshua went to sleep close to Aurora, and they hugged each other to stay warm.

In the middle of the night, Joshua opened his eyes.

"Where am I?" he thought, as everything around him was unknown.