The road to Grandovale stretched like a ribbon between hills and forests, the wind carrying scents of pine and dew. With each step, Zen and Lyra pressed forward through the winding trails, leaving the chaos of the bandit attack behind. Lyra, as energetic and vibrant as the sun itself, practically skipped ahead of Zen at times, spinning around to grin at him whenever she caught his eyes.
Zen, in contrast, walked steadily, his gaze usually locked on the path ahead. He was calm, rarely speaking unless needed, with a small but gentle smile playing on his lips. But Lyra wasn't the type to let silence sit for long.
"You know," Lyra chirped as she nudged Zen's side with her elbow, "you really need to laugh more. You're too cute to be so serious all the time."
Zen blinked, his face reddening a little. "I just… don't laugh often."
"Ah, so you can blush. That's a start," she teased, sticking out her tongue before humming a light tune.
They reached a grassy hill where they decided to rest, laying their things near a crystal-clear stream. Birds chirped above while Lyra kicked off her boots and dipped her feet into the water.
"You're not gonna try the water? It's freezing and amazing!" she called.
"I'm fine here," Zen replied, watching her with a hint of amusement.
Lyra splashed some water his way. "C'mon, live a little!"
The splash barely missed him, and Zen tilted his head. "If I get sick, you're cooking dinner."
Lyra grinned. "Deal!"
Later that evening, as they set up camp under a star-lit sky, Lyra playfully asked, "So, Zen the Calm, what are you gonna do when you become strong enough? Save the world? Charm all the girls in the academy?"
Zen stirred the fire gently. "I want to protect the people who are kind to me… like you. And maybe… see my parents again."
Lyra's teasing stopped. She leaned closer, her voice softer, "You're too sweet, Zen. That's why I like you."
Zen's eyes widened a little. "L-like?"
She winked. "Who knows? Maybe I like messing with you too."
A beetle crawled up Zen's leg, and he jumped slightly. Lyra laughed so hard she fell over. "Okay okay! Maybe you're not that calm."
They continued their journey, facing light rain, small wildlife encounters, and even helping a merchant push a broken cart from the mud. During those moments, their bond deepened naturally. Lyra filling every silence with laughter, Zen grounding every chaos with a quiet steadiness.
One night, while they sat atop a cliff overlooking the glowing lights of Grandovale in the distance, Lyra leaned against Zen's shoulder.
"You know… I'm really glad I met you," she said, voice softer than usual.
Zen only smiled.
As their journey neared the towering city walls and the famed Eboncrest Arcanist's Academy, an unspoken bond had already begun to form—a friendship tinged with something deeper.