Vell leaned forward to look at the map.
It didn't seem to be of very high quality, but it saw little use, so it was well preserved.
"This is not a recent map," the Yellow Mage said. "It is three decades old."
"That's not such a long time," Vell said. "It should be more than sufficient."
The Yellow Mage pointed at a part of the map, marked with a small cluster of cities, with the text 'Seroti' written above it.
He traced a route with his finger.
"Depending on which road you take, several days."
Vell studied the map.
There were mountains, rivers, forests, and several settlements marked with small names.
He recognized none of them.
Not one.
"I don't recognize any of these places," he said. "But I suppose that's not surprising."
Vell continued looking.
He tried to remember the maps he had once studied, but little matched.
It was like looking at a map of a world that he had never lived in.
"It's strange. You expect things to be different, but seeing it is bizarre. If Irath never existed, then I suppose the world would be very different. History for hundreds of years wouldn't be the same. Things really did change."
There was no particular sadness in his voice. Quite the opposite, there was a strange optimism to it.
"Things might be better. Hopefully not worse. I wonder what became of everyone. My friends. The people I knew, traveled with, and haven't thought about in years because I assumed there would always be time. Some may not have been born or may have died. Some who have died may have lived in this world."
He smiled faintly.
"A world without such a force. Who knows what happened in it?"
The people he knew. The thought troubled him, as he had barely considered it before.
The lives of countless people must have followed such different paths.
People who never fought against Irath, who did not lose their homes and did not die, and were still alive.
The people who became strangers to him.
The thought was almost comforting, but it was unsettling at the same time.
He was a stranger in this world.
"…I wonder what happened to me in this world."
Hearing that question, Sonder said, "I have a story to tell you."
"Ah." Vell perked up. "I'm sure you have many stories to tell me. For now, I think we should focus on our preparations."
He had many things to think about, but the safety of those who still could be his friends, of many strangers, and maybe of the entire world, came first.
Endrith would not just dally around.
He turned to the Yellow Mage. "I assume this is a human city. Maybe dwarven. Elven settlements don't change for a long, long time, so I think I would know them."