CHAPTER 10, INTO THE NORTHERN FOREST
Morning slowly descended over Vairax City.
The sky had not fully brightened yet. A thin layer of mist floated above the streets, and the cold breath of the night still lingered in the air. The city was beginning to wake—shopkeepers unlocking their doors, merchants arranging goods on wooden stalls, and distant hoofbeats echoing faintly from the outer roads.
But Jay had already been awake for a long time.
Inside the small room of the inn, he stood silently near the window, watching the quiet city below. The map Lyra had given him was spread across the wooden table behind him.
After a moment, he turned and looked at it again.
His finger slowly traced the rough path drawn on the parchment.
Vairax City.
Then the Northern Forest.
Then the Black Valley.
And beyond that—
the Ashen Mountains.
The journey would not be easy.
Even Lyra had said that few travelers willingly walked that road. The forests were filled with predators, the valleys were known for bandits, and the mountains themselves were dangerous enough to kill unprepared adventurers.
But Jay did not have the luxury of choosing a safer path.
If the Blue Essence Flower truly existed in the abandoned temple hidden somewhere in those mountains…
then he had to reach it.
No matter what stood in the way.
Jay folded the map carefully and placed it inside his coat. His eyes drifted briefly toward the pocket where the Shadow Contract Coin rested.
The cold metal pressed lightly against the fabric.
A reminder.
He had already stepped into a world far darker than he had imagined.
After one last look at the quiet street below, Jay left the room.
The wooden stairs creaked softly as he descended into the inn's common hall. The innkeeper was already awake, wiping mugs behind the counter.
"You're leaving early," the man said without looking up.
"Yes."
Jay placed a few coins on the counter.
The innkeeper glanced at them, then at Jay.
"Traveling far?"
Jay hesitated for a moment before answering.
"North."
The man's hands paused slightly.
"Mountains?"
Jay nodded once.
The innkeeper let out a quiet breath.
"Be careful," he said simply.
Jay gave a small nod and stepped outside.
The morning market was already coming alive.
Unlike the chaotic casino district, this part of the city still held traces of ordinary life. Farmers, craftsmen, and traveling merchants filled the narrow streets, their voices creating a soft hum of activity.
Jay moved through the crowd calmly.
He purchased a few necessary supplies for the journey.
A sturdy knife with a simple leather sheath.
Several packets of dried meat and bread.
A fresh water skin made from treated leather.
And a heavy black cloak that could protect him from both cold winds and curious eyes.
As he was preparing to leave, an old merchant who had been watching him from behind a stall spoke up.
"You're heading toward the Ashen Mountains, aren't you?"
Jay stopped.
The old man's eyes were sharp despite his age.
Jay gave a small nod.
"Yes."
The merchant studied him carefully.
"Those mountains don't like visitors," he said quietly.
Jay allowed himself a faint smile.
"Good," he replied. "I don't like easy roads."
For a few seconds, the old merchant simply looked at him.
Then he slowly nodded.
"Then maybe you'll survive."
Jay adjusted his cloak and continued walking.
Soon he reached the northern gate of Vairax City.
Tall stone walls stretched high above him, and several guards stood near the open gate watching travelers enter and leave.
As Jay approached the exit, something inside him stirred.
A quiet instinct.
The feeling that someone was watching.
He did not turn his head.
Instead, he allowed his senses to quietly scan the surroundings.
On the rooftop of a nearby building—
someone stood partially hidden behind a chimney.
And farther down the street—
a man leaned casually against a cart, pretending to examine its wheels.
Jay understood immediately.
The Iron Fang Gang.
They had recovered faster than he expected.
A small smile appeared on his face.
"So the game continues."
But he did not confront them.
Without slowing his pace, Jay walked through the gate and stepped beyond the walls of the city.
The world outside felt completely different.
The noise of the city faded behind him, replaced by open air and distant winds.
For the first time since arriving in Vairax City, the horizon stretched freely before him.
Jay walked along the rocky road leading north.
Hours passed.
The massive stone walls of the city gradually disappeared behind him until they became nothing more than a faint shape in the distance.
Eventually the road narrowed.
And ahead of him rose a dense wall of trees.
The Northern Forest.
The entrance to the forest looked almost like a giant doorway formed by twisted branches and thick vines. Sunlight struggled to reach the ground beneath the heavy canopy.
Jay paused only briefly.
Then he stepped inside.
The atmosphere changed immediately.
The air grew cooler and heavier. The scent of damp earth and moss filled his lungs.
Every sound felt sharper here.
The rustling of leaves.
The distant cry of birds.
The occasional crack of a branch somewhere deeper in the forest.
Jay moved cautiously along the narrow path.
His eyes constantly scanned the surroundings.
Because in a place like this, danger rarely announced itself.
For a while, nothing unusual happened.
But near midday—
a sudden sound broke the silence.
A heavy thud.
Jay stopped instantly.
The noise had come from somewhere ahead.
Slowly, carefully, he moved toward the source.
What he found a short distance later made him frown.
A broken wagon.
One of its wheels had shattered, and wooden crates were scattered across the ground. Nearby, three bodies lay motionless.
Jay approached cautiously.
Two of them were clearly dead.
Their clothes suggested they were traveling merchants.
The third man, however—
was still alive.
Barely.
A deep wound ran across his chest, and blood soaked the ground beneath him.
Jay knelt beside him.
The man's eyes fluttered open weakly.
"Water…" he whispered.
Jay took out his water skin and carefully gave him a small amount.
The man coughed before speaking again.
"Bandits…"
Jay's expression hardened slightly.
"How many?"
"Five… maybe six…"
His breathing grew heavier.
"They… took everything…"
Then fear suddenly filled the man's eyes.
"They're… still here…"
The moment those words left his mouth—
the forest rustled.
Jay slowly stood up.
His hand moved to the knife at his side.
Then several figures stepped out from behind the trees.
Four men.
Their clothes were ragged, their faces covered with dirt and rough beards. Each carried crude weapons—swords, axes, and clubs.
One of them grinned.
"Well, look at that."
"Another traveler."
Another bandit chuckled.
"Seems like luck is on our side today."
Jay remained completely calm.
He asked only one question.
"You killed them?"
One of the men shrugged casually.
"That's the rule of the forest."
"The weak die."
Jay's eyes grew colder.
"That rule is wrong."
The bandits laughed loudly.
"And you're going to correct us?"
One of them raised his sword.
"You're alone."
Jay's voice was quiet.
"So are you."
The bandits didn't understand the meaning of his words.
Not yet.
The first attacker rushed forward with his sword raised.
Jay stepped sideways and grabbed the man's wrist.
With a sharp twist—
a loud crack echoed through the forest.
The man screamed as his arm broke.
Another bandit charged with an axe.
Jay ducked and drove his fist into the man's stomach, forcing the air from his lungs.
A third attacker tried to strike from behind.
But Jay had already moved.
He turned sharply and drove his knife into the man's shoulder.
The fight lasted less than a minute.
When it ended—
the four bandits lay scattered across the forest floor.
Silence returned to the trees.
Jay stood still for a moment, steadying his breath.
Then he returned to the wounded merchant.
But it was too late.
The man had stopped breathing.
Jay remained silent for several seconds.
Afterward, he dug a small grave using a broken piece of wood from the wagon.
He buried the two merchants beside their fallen companion.
In a forest like this, no one would remember them.
But at least they would not become food for animals.
When Jay finished, the sun had already begun to move toward the west.
The forest shadows were growing longer.
He wiped the dirt from his hands and returned to the path.
After walking for some time—
he finally saw them.
Far beyond the trees.
Dark shapes rising against the horizon.
The Ashen Mountains.
Even from this distance they looked massive and ominous.
Jay stopped and stared at them for a long moment.
Those mountains held the answer he was searching for.
Somewhere deep within them—
the Blue Essence Flower was waiting.
Jay's eyes hardened with determination.
"Just a little further," he murmured.
Then he continued walking.
What waited for him in those mountains—
danger, monsters, or something even worse—
he did not know.
But one thing was certain.
This journey was only beginning.
And before it ended—
it would change Jay forever.