The group started moving in the direction of Testrovsc's Rest, which was their final destination. The atmosphere was laid back, but there was a trace of exhaustion in the air; after all, they had just finished fighting a draining battle.
The members of the group each took a moment to introduce themselves to Erik as they strolled along together. The woman holding the bow smiled and greeted the young man; she also frequently looked at him with curious sidelong glances as she approached. It was weird for him how a guy so young was so strong, much more than her.
"Well, since you've seen me in action, it's only fair you know my name," she began, a faint smile playing at her lips. "I'm an archer by choice and a free spirit at heart. People often tell me I have a way with air currents. You could say the wind whispers secrets to me. My name is Mira."
Next was the man wielding the halberd. He was a bit more reserved, choosing his words with careful consideration. "I'm the group's strategist, and I like reading," he admitted, his gaze steady on the road ahead. "My name is Kael." Clearly, Erik couldn't see how the man liked to read due to his impressive build.
The lively woman with the twin daggers was the last to introduce herself, her energetic demeanor barely dimmed by the earlier skirmish. "And I'm just your everyday rogue," she said cheerily, twirling one of her daggers with an ease that spoke of countless hours of practice. "My name is Lila."
The man Erik had saved was the only one who remained silent, as he was unconscious. Kael, the halberd-wielder, introduced him. "And our friend here, who you've so graciously assisted, is a swordsman," he explained, his tone tinged with respect from countless shared battles. "His name is Aiden."
Erik looked around at the curious faces and replied, "It's a pleasure to meet all of you as well. My name is Erik." He omitted his surname. Lila blinked a mischievous glint in her eyes.
Mira blinked, a playful glint in her eyes. "You're quite a mystery, Erik," she said teasingly. "Running around in a dangerous forest all by yourself. Don't you know it's risky going alone?" She chuckled, shaking her head, her hair catching the rays of the setting sun.
"Although," she continued, her gaze turning slightly serious, "it doesn't look like you need much help, considering how you handled those Ma Cofs."
A sliver of a smile crossed his lips in response to the rogue's statement. "I was going to the city," he explained, looking around the group. "But I got lost when going through the forest. And as for why I'm alone," Erik's voice trailed off momentarily as he considered how much information to reveal. "Let's say that stuff happened."
"But you're right," he admitted, chuckling, "The forest is dangerous. As you've seen, I can handle myself pretty well." His eyes twinkled mischievously as he acknowledged the woman's compliment about his strength.
Like everyone else in the group, Erik had secrets but seemed content to keep them for the time being.
Then Lila laughed, breaking the silence. "Well, that's an understatement," she said, grinning broadly. "We owe you one, Erik."
"Don't mention it," Erik said, dismissing the thanks with a casual wave. There was a brief pause before Kael, the man with the halberd, broke the silence.
"Your accent, it's unique," he observed a puzzled expression on his face. "Where do you come from, Erik?"
"I'm from Frant," Erik confessed, his expression unreadable. There was a moment of surprise among the group, but they didn't interrupt. "A wyvern attacked my vehicle while we were flying over the Eldraith mountain range," Erik continued, his voice steady.
The group let out a collective gasp. Mira, the woman with the bow, was the first to regain her calm. "Why were you flying so low?" she questioned, furrowing her brows. "It's dangerous to be within the monsters' reach."
Erik shrugged, appearing unconcerned. "One of the passengers asked the pilot to fly low. He wanted to see the mountain range up close," he explained in his best actor performance, his voice devoid of emotion. "I was lucky to have survived, but the others..."
He trailed off, leaving the unspoken words hanging in the air after he had finished speaking. The others were silent; each lost in their own thoughts as they remained by his side. Erik was, without a doubt, not telling the whole truth. The story was made up to justify his presence in the wilderness of Etrium without arousing any suspicions about his true situation.
Nevertheless, it seemed to be successful for the time being. The group members offered their condolences, and Erik allowed the tiniest of smiles to play across his lips as they did so. The deception he attempted to pull off was, at least temporarily, successful.
Before speaking, Mira, the archer, cleared her throat. "If you intend to enter the city," she explained, "you must first stop at the entrance and explain your situation to the guards."
Erik arched an eyebrow in response. "Is that so?"
Mira gave a nod. "Yes. They will likely check your Frantian ID on their computers, and if everything checks out, they will issue you an Etriumer ID."
Erik nodded, grateful for her advice. He'd anticipated that moving to a new city would present new challenges, but he hadn't anticipated the specifics. "Thank you very much, Mira," he said gratefully. "I'll be sure to do that as soon as I arrive," he said.
In spite of this, he intended to use the biological supercomputer to fabricate an identity for himself. This was the most reasonable course of action to take; it made perfect sense.
The Biological supercomputer gave him the ability to achieve something that was previously impossible. It would be a major setback for Frant, which most likely was looking for him, to learn that he had made it to Etrium and was still alive if the news made its way there.
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