The next morning, before the crack of dawn, they left.
For their journey, they were given a great deal of food, supplies, and a wheel-less magic sled adorned in decorative copper vines and silver rims, as ordered specifically by King Arthur. The cart was unlike the spirit-driven carriages they rode in before, since it operated solely on one's magic power as opposed to summoning. On its side, there was the kingdom's insignia, a Chir, embroidered in lustrous red gems. It had enough benches for several people, though only three occupied it at the time, as well as a front seat at the front for driving. Its control panel was a simple orb in which a hand could be placed upon to infuse it with a user's innate power and steer it as it hovered about a man's length above the ground. It could theoretically go as high as one wished, but the power it required was already so immense that few could drive for longer than a few hours. In exchange for its taxing need for magic energy, its speed was supposedly comparable to the noble Minokawa, which was a large scaly bird rumored to live atop the tallest mountains of Helios and said to be among the fastest creatures in the sky.
"Xinyu, might you lend your power in driving this vessel?" Cygnus asked. "It's simple, it just requires a copious amount of energy to sustain."
He figured surely someone who commanded the gods' magic had enough energy to control a simple vehicle of science, regardless of how much energy it consumed.
Xinyu hesitantly placed her hand upon the orb and tensed her entire body. It seemed like she was exerting everything, yet to Cygnus's surprise, nothing happened. Not a single reaction.
"It appears it is not something I can do," Xinyu said, breathless as she stepped back. "I am incompatible with this odd machine."
"How peculiar," Cygnus said. "You have great power within you. I've felt it twice. Perhaps the machine is broken."
"No, the problem is likely with me," Xinyu said, recomposing herself. "I strictly use magic that is not my own. It is not a magic I naturally possess; I learned it from a book a long time ago."
"A book, you say? Do you still have that book handy?" Cygnus asked.
"No, it was destroyed alongside everything else," Xinyu said. "Anyway, I think Brax is better suited to driving this strange thing. He has a pretty big pool of magic inside of him. I saw it! Brax, you should try."
"I s'pose I could," Brax said with uncertainty. "I'm not very strong, but maybe I can at least get us to the outskirts of Wunderdum's territories. You'll probably have to take over after, though."
Brax placed his hand upon the ball and concentrated a bit of his energy into the contraction, which seemed to pull his senses inside. He felt a wave of lightheadedness for a moment and almost stumbled, but grasped control of his muscles and acclimated. Then, focusing on moving forward, the vehicle unexpectedly shot forward at great speeds, which flung Xinyu and Cygnus to the back. Cygnus managed to catch himself and belt his body into a bench, but Xinyu haphazardly went headfirst back of the sled into the luggage. Brax had to hold back his amusement and keep his eyes forward.
"How incredulous," Cygnus said. "You've actually got quite a bit of magic power there. It's no wonder you were able to hold up so well against an angel."
"I don't remember fighting that damned angel, not one bit," Brax said. "But Lily said the same thing."
"Striking, isn't it?" Cygnus asked as he laughed. "Is it that you don't remember the battle, or do you not believe it happened? Either way, you've impressed me thrice now. Keep this up, and I'll have to recruit on my team."
"Wǒ tóngyì, I agree!" Xinyu said. "But he is already part of my team. We are only two, but we are equal to any kingdom on this planet."
"You talk as if we're not allies already," Cygnus said, amused. "Nonetheless, you've got my respect, Brax, my friend."
Brax was in denial about his contributions to the actual battle weeks prior, but he still couldn't hold back his internal delight from the praise. He could feel himself blushing in the cheeks, and he had to look down so no one could see his reddened face. People saying good things about him was not something he was used to, and it made him feel warm inside, kind of like a hearty sip of strong, grassy ale.
…
Although Brax initially intended only to take them to the outskirts of the city's territory, he felt like he could go on forever. He figured he could take them all the way to the Southlands. The piercing wind whooshing cooly through his hair and tired joints was invigorating– it was like he was gliding atop a phoenix in the sky as new life flushed into his fluttering skin. The feeling was much different from the speeds the pegasus spirits had taken them before. Those conjured creatures were fast, but compared to the limitless potential of the magic cart, those horses went at a giant slewsloth's pace. The trees, grass, and garfung were a blur of colors as he skyrocketed past everything around Wunderdum's grassy fields.
The castle got smaller and smaller, all the way to a speck, and soon, following, the sprawling walls surrounding it. The vehicle wasn't made to fly that far off the ground, yet Brax was high in the white nimbus puffs, going so fast, he barely knew where he was going. It was a rush.
Cygnus tried to pull out a paper map to figure out the direction they needed to go, but the wind swiftly ripped it from his hands. Brax noticed and took his hand off the ball, causing the vehicle to come to an abrupt, back-breaking stop. They all flung forward, crashing into each other at the front as the cart teetered lightly to the ground.
"Sorry," Brax said sheepishly. "I'll go try to find it."
"Don't bother," Cygnus said. "It was an old map I drew a few years back when I traveled to the Southlands. It was crude, and I couldn't make heads or tails of it despite drawing it myself."
"You've been there before?" Brax asked.
"Yes, to establish a few subsidiary research centers there," Cygnus said. "The South isn't big on technology, so I had to set up the outposts myself. The warriors and traders of the Southlands prefer a more natural means of living."
"So how do we get to your outposts?" Brax asked. "Can you remember which direction they're in?"
"Of course not. I'm quite terrible with directions," Cygnus said. "I suppose we'll have to just head south and find a settlement with a more detailed map of sorts. Of course, we probably won't have much luck with the small villages, unless it's the one my comrades reside at, but that's highly unlikely. We'll just have to hope we stumble upon a city."
"Wait! I believe I have a map," Xinyu said as she hurried back to the luggage and started digging through her giant rucksack. "Just give me a second…"
Xinyu pulled something out and handed it to Cygnus. He took the piece of paper and unfolded it from the creases, unveiling an ornately sketched view of the Southlands.
"Brilliant!" Cygnus exclaimed. "This is indeed a detailed map of the Southern territories, but where did you get such a thing? No Westland shop I know of would carry maps of other lands, and especially not the undocumented deserts of South."
"It was from a bartender in Brax's hometown," Xinyu responded. "He gave it to me!"
"A bartender, eh? How mysterious! Might we be able to visit this bartender?" Cygnus asked. "Where do you live, Brax?"
"Not too far ahead," he replied. "As long as we're followin' the main path, we'll be there soon. Actually, I was going there anyway, sorry I didn't say anything. I have something I gotta take care of before I go anywhere else."
"Oh yes, I would very much like to go back. The company was very good!" Xinyu said happily.
"I wonder where such an intricate map could have come from," Cygnus said. " Heed! Let us go there with brilliance!"
"Don't get too excited. I don't think you'll get much from my little hick town," Brax said. "I'm only goin' because I have to make a little delivery. Might be to an empty house, though."
"Now, now. You'd be surprised," Cygnus said as he brushed his hand against the old paper. "Some of the greatest discoveries have come from the most unassuming places."
…
They arrived at Brax's town when the sun was at the sky's center. After parking the cart a bit off the road and hiding it in some brush to avoid unnecessary attention, they made their way to the old tavern, which was already preparing itself for the evening. As the three walked into the familiar scent of booze and simmering bone broth, Brax noticed it was a completely different place. In a bar that he had visited countless times before, the quiet emptiness of it in the bright afternoon light was a bit eerie; unsettling even. He never noticed how dusty it was until he saw rays of sun come through those smeared glass panes for the first time. He supposed he, nor anyone else in that small town, would've visited those stools before there were countless stars in the sky, and thus the windows weren't worth cleaning.
Never once in the decades he'd gone there had the bar opened early, yet that afternoon, it was. Perhaps the owner had some guests coming. Brax gently opened the door and let Cygnus and Xinyu enter first. The barkeep, who was graciously pouring himself a glass of sweet red wine, perked his head up as he took a sip.
"Why, if it isn't the great Cygnus Rift," the bartender said, granting him a warm and genuine smile. One Brax had never seen him indulge those drunk old men with, nor one that he offered so frivolously. A smile he had only seen one time before, when Xinyu first arrived. "Oh, and it's Xinyu and Brax as well. I can see your journey has already led you to one of my old friends. Congratulations on making it so far."
"Old friend?" Xinyu asked. "You guys know each other?"
"This is certainly a surprise to find you here," Cygnus said. "See, Walter is a very important man with a lot of connections in and out of our kingdom… which is why I am baffled to see his face come up after all these years. Have you been here all this time?"
"I've been around," Walter replied. He swirled the glass gently and watched dreamily as the red whirlpool twirled round and round. "This small town is quiet, which I like, yet still gets enough interesting travelers visiting my bar since the main road runs straight through it."
"But why? I haven't heard anything from you in years," Cygnus said. "None of us has. You just disappeared."
"I felt like retiring, so I left," Walter said. "I'm fond of you, Arthur, Lance, and the others, but I'd rather sit here and listen to stories from travelers around the world. They bring me stuff I've never seen before, just like that young lass over there. Somehow she knew alcohol was what I loved most."
"You are a bartender. It is no secret you love alcohol," Xinyu said.
"Indeed," Walter laughed. "I have so many things from all around, and they are my treasures. Those and the stories I get to hear every night. From the small banter of this poor, yet nonchalant town, to the grandiose adventures of faraway heroes. There's no better way I'd like to live out this life."
"You could have said something before you left," Cygnus said.
"If I had, do you really think Lionel and the rest would have let me go?" Walter asked. "If I wanted out, I had to disappear. I just wanted to find my own simple happiness."
"You really didn't tell anyone?" Cygnus asked.
"No one except good ol' Ralph," Walter said. "And you know damn well his lips are sealed when it comes to secrets. Now that you've found me, will you out me?"
"I don't fully understand you," Cygnus said, sighing. "But I respect your wishes as you've helped me greatly. No one else shall know of what became of Sir Walter. In return, I must ask another favor, however."
"And that is?"
"We're traveling to the Southlands, and I wanted to know where you got this map from," Cygnus said, pulling Xinyu's map out.
"Ah," Walter said in remembrance. "That was from a dark-skinned writer who traveled all the way from down there. He's long gone by now, though. Went to the Northlands looking for something."
"That's fine," Cygnus reassured. "Because I know this map was a copy drawn by you anyway. Do you have the original three-dimensional one?"
"I do, but does that paper map not suffice?" Walter asked.
"Sadly, no. I need something way more accurate for the task we're going to undergo. Something with one-hundred percent attention to detail."
"I have it, but it will cost you," the bartender said, turning to stir his broth.
"How much? We can pay any amount directly from the king's pocket," Cygnus said.
"It won't cost Arthur a cent," Walter chortled. "I'm only charging you three, and it's not something money could ever buy."
"You're a very puzzling man, as always," Cygnus said. "Tell us what you want, and we'll accommodate you."
"Is it stories?" Xinyu asked.
"That's ridiculous," Brax said. "Who would want stories for something so valuable? Ain't those kinds of maps worth a fortune?"
"It is ridiculous," Walter agreed. "But she's right. That is what I want. Stop by every once in a while and tell me all about your adventures."
Walter went to the backroom and started rummaging through his heaps of stuff. Though it was a bit unorganized, he knew where each little device and trinket lay, and it didn't take him long to find the small steel diamond he was looking for amongst the cluttered shelves and crates. He pressed the button on its tip, and it spun through a series of magic and technological processes. As it hovered above the ground, it shone a light on a miniature version of the Southlands.
"Touching a point on the model can zoom into any location of interest, just as long as it has been seen by the map's creator," Walter explained. "These types of three-dimensional maps aren't very popular anymore, since they're created from a certain type of magic that converts a person's memories into a physical holographic model. As you'd expect, it takes exceedingly long periods of time to map out simple layouts, but the payout is a perfect replica of one's spatial memories. Whoever had created this one clearly had spent their entire lives doing so, considering it contains most of the civilized areas and more."
"Such dedication to the craft!" Xinyu said. "There are many craftsmen like that where I live, but their names are never known. It seems those types of people are content with living through their work."
"Yes, such specialists are hard to find nowadays. Spatial map making in particular is a magic art few are willing to dedicate their lives to," Walter said. "It's a thankless skill that gets no regard or accolades because the ones who do it have their heads down their entire lives, strictly devoted to their mapmaking. Just one city could take years. To think, this little cube holds the entirety of the Southlands. It really is incredible."
"Indeed," Cygnus lamented.
"Now," Walter said. "Make sure to keep good care of this."
"Are you sure you're okay with letting us have such a valuable treasure for free?" Brax asked.
"Of course," Walter said. "But as I said, it's not free. Think of this more like an investment. I know hearing the tales of your journey will be more golden than Starlight River itself. After seeing what you have done thus far, I know it will be the greatest journey ever. To think, you three did the unthinkable!"
"Wait, does that mean you know about th-" Brax started.
"Of course I do," Walter said as he took another sip of wine. "Now you must be off."
"I promise that we shall return," Cygnus said, shaking his friend's hand. "With more discoveries than life you have left."
"Dangran! I agree!" Xinyu said as she bowed. "I will tell you so many stories, your head will spin."
"Thank you," Walter said. "Oh, and if your journey ever takes you north and you meet a gentleman by the name of Langston, tell him I am still waiting to read his novel. He's the one who gifted me the map, so I'm sure he will be of use to you should your paths cross."
"I'll keep that in mind," Cygnus said. "There's one more thing. Have you heard of the fellow known as Faust running around these parts? I heard rumors that he was running around the outskirts."
"Faust? You mean the quack doc who took his own life a few weeks back?" Walter asked.
"He took his own life?" Cygnus asked.
"Yep."
"I see," Cygnus said. "Well, we will be taking our leave now. Until next time, Walter."
"Adieu," Walter said, sipping his wine. "A party, in your honor, and in honor of the fallen."
As they were leaving the bar, Brax looked back towards where his house lay. He took a deep breath and knew he had to find out the aching question which had plagued his mind since he left.
"Hey," he said. "Do you mind if I stop by my house? I need to give something to my wife… if she's still there."
"Medicine for your daughter, right?" Cygnus asked.
"How do you know that?" Brax asked, glancing at Cygnus in alarm.
"Well, it's normal for the kingdom to do research on its allies. Just routine precautions," Cygnus said, then looked at Xinyu. "Although… not even the Agents of Darkness could dig up any information on you."
"That is because there is nothing to know," Xinyu said. "Even if you searched all the Eastlands, you would find that I am not as special as you might think."
"I do wonder," Cygnus said.
Brax wasn't sure Christa would even be there. Weeks had passed without a word, and he wouldn't resent her in the slightest if she decided to leave. It's what he would have done if he were abandoned on a whim. Still, he was worried about his wife, but most of all, he was worried about Nora. Was she getting enough to eat with the barebones amount of gold he rationed out for them? What had Christa told her happened to him? That he was a deadbeat who ran off from his family the first chance he got? Regardless of what was waiting in his dusty old house, he had to know the answer.
As Brax placed his hand on the doorknob, he couldn't bring himself to turn it. If he was walking into an empty house, he didn't want to know. He thought he wanted the answer to his question, but as he got closer to hearing it, he began to falter. An eternity seemed to pass before his mind began to steer him away, more and more. He could not bear it if his greatest fear were to come to fruition and his grip on the knob loosened. That's when the door opened for him. Staring him down with a welcoming simper and gentle face, Christa wrapped her arms around Brax and pulled him in tight.
"You stayed," Brax managed to get out, though his voice wobbled. He was relieved.
"Of course. You're the person I fell for," Christa said. "Though you're a fool, I can't say I'm any better. I'd take you back over and over again."
"And Nora?" Brax asked. "Are you guys getting by alright?"
"It was horrifying at first," Christa said. "We were running low on the money you left, and I thought I'd have to go crawling back to my family. That's when, oddly enough, coins started appearing at our doorstep each morning. It wasn't enough to make us rich, but it was way more than we ever had before, delivered daily. That's when I knew you were right all along. I didn't think you'd do it, but somehow you did. You saved us."
Brax looked at Cygnus, and he nodded. It seemed the scholar, who was too kind to ignore even strangers he had never met, ensured his comrade's family was taken care of while Brax was incapacitated in the hospital.
"What about-" Brax started.
"Nora's okay now," Christa said. "A doctor from the city came and has been seeing her. When he told me it was Tuberculosis, my heart sank. But he's been treating her, and she's basically all better now! How did you manage all this? Ah, the details don't matter, I'm just happy you're back."
Brax breathed a heavy sigh of relief.
"She's even begun to smile more," Christa continued happily. "And that's because her father is a hero. He's a big, strong adventurer who has to go on a quest. That's the excuse I told her when you left, and suddenly you became her hero."
"I see," Brax said. "I'm sorry you had to tell a lie to keep her from hatin' me."
"That isn't quite a lie anymore," Cygnus interrupted from behind. "He had a pivotal role in taking down a beast that threatened the capital. Surely you must've read the paper? Coin and medicine are a small price to pay for the lives his actions saved."
"Ah, I'm sorry!" Christa said. "I wasn't expecting guests. Let me put on a pot of tea for you. Wait, are you Cygnus Rift??"
…
After an evening of catching up, Brax was both relieved and worried to find out that Nora had taken up academics at a school in a town not too far down the road. Though the scholar didn't care to admit anything, Brax was sure it was all Cygnus's doing. Christa said that despite Nora's young age, she showed exceptional cunning and promise, and surprised everyone with her superb mind. Brax had no idea his daughter was so smart. She was fond of books, sure, but to be acknowledged by teachers as a child was certainly prodigious.
It seemed that Christa's own feelings showed a vast turn as well because Nora now viewed him as a hero. If that was the way his daughter saw him, then perhaps that was the man he would become. The man he ought to become. He would brave the lands no one had been to before and become a true hero. He would bring back infinite riches to them and do the thing he always promised: create a world for them that was safe enough to smile, even if he had to save it himself.
And although Brax and Christa had to part ways once again, it was on much better terms. He gave all the gold he had been given before to her and promised to send anything he earned back home. He promised exotic gifts as well, and when he returned, stories from far and wide.
"You really don't want to see your daughter?" Christa asked.
"I do, but we don't got time to wait til' she gets back," Brax said. "Next time I see her, I'll be a real hero with even more stories to tell."
Christa turned to Xinyu and Cygnus.
"Are you sure you're okay with him? He's not burdening you, is he?" she asked.
"The furthest from it," Cygnus said. "I am unable to recount the exact details, but I can say this: in my own moment of weakness, it was he who pulled me from the depths and helped me stand. Right now, the kingdom needs trusted allies we can rely on. He might not be the strongest, but he's someone I believe I can rely on, and that's worth more than a hundred thousand swords."
"Brax is an important part of my– our mission," Xinyu said. "Furthermore, you do not need to worry about his safety. He is under the protection of the strongest ever!"
"Hearing you speak so highly of him means the world," Christa said. "I won't stop you this time, Brax. Just keep going, and I'll be here."
"I don't know when I'll be back this time," Brax said, embracing Christa tightly. "Will you wait for me?"
"Of course," Christa said, pulling out the white teardrop pendant he had left her before. Brax took out his, and they locked the two pieces together. "Even if I must wait centuries, I will be here."