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You look out the window. You are approaching Vallaki now, the final stretch of forest overlooking the lake moving quickly. You wonder how you are going to get through Vallaki and stay on the road... surely Vallaki wouldn't open its gates, and the carriage would have to divert?
You lean back in the seat. As you approach Vallaki, the world outside the window of the carriage seems to blur and fade, as though you are viewing it through frosted glass. The carriage passes through the closed town gates as though they don't exist. The town square zips by, and then there are no more buildings, only trees and the gray sky - as the outside world returns, you have passed the western gate, and are now on the road again, heading further West than you have ever been.
You blink a few times. You did not go around Vallaki; you went straight through it, without stopping or slowing down for a second. That was so pointless, so wasteful of whatever magic drives the vehicle, but also kind of impressive.
As you watch the scenery move past, you try to take note of the landscape in case you find yourself back here. The road west of Vallaki comes to an X intersection, with branches to the northwest, northeast, southwest, and southeast.
Beyond that, it's mostly a straight path, upward, that leads back into more mountainous terrain. There is a branch to the south a little ways up, visible through the left window. You recall that Argynvostholt, home of the Order of the Silver Dragon, could be reached by the first branch south past the crossroads... is that the branch the knight on the bridge was referring to?
Thinking back to that trip to Vallaki with Ireena strikes you with a small pang of disappointment, a sadness. You liked travelling with her. Your travels together ended so unceremoniously. Your suspicion that she may not be safe is growing stronger the farther you get from the land you are familiar with.
You believe you are finally nearing your destination. You see a weatherworn signpost next to the road. The three arms of the sign point along the three branches of the road. You can't read the signpost, but through the woods you can see an arching stone bridge spanning a river. The east road slopes up gradually, and the southwest branch slopes down gradually; the direction you are headed, west, is level.
The mist is strong here, and the mountains on all sides are capped with snow, squishing the valley into a narrow funnel.
(cont.)
