The campsite did not take long for James to pack up, and he was making good time as he traveled south to the town of Vϋndark. It was not long upon his travels that he came across a battered road, made from cobblestone that would guide him towards the town. Following down it, he took the time to look around at his surroundings.

Since animals were not alerted by his presence, he noticed how the small creatures of the forest continued to scamper about when undisturbed. He noticed a group of kits and their mother fox in the distance heading to their little home. He noticed squirrels climbing around in the trees gathering acorns and nuts for the approaching winter. Most of all, he noticed the serenity of it all, and how much the road conflicted with the natural life that existed.

His feet ran across the loose cobblestone with silent steps, a feat he had learned in his training to keep your presence hidden even when you are the safest. During this time of self war that the humans seemed to be stranded in, it was necessary to have such abilities. You could never know a single person’s intentions, even among friends. It was a sad truth, but the civil war in the human race was one of treachery and deceitful tactics.

Hours into the walk, James came across a small pond that was a nice change in the now-bland scenery. The waters sparkled with brilliance all their own. A family of ducks swam in the pond, content to themselves and letting out noises of affection. He noticed that there were slight remnants of a campfire and holes in the ground where a tent was pitched, and decided that it was a group of warriors, most of whom he assumed were not coming back after the bloody conflict that took place.

There was no official name for the war that had taken place in the northern remnants of Castle Yser. But on the battlefields, it was referred to as the Second Yser Conflict. The Castle had been the Apex for the beginning of the war when the rebel knights of the Gaius Cross had tried to take control of the entire human territory. It had been a terrible battle that ended with the destruction of the castle’s interior and surrounding buildings. Since then, it had been referred to not only the Castle of Yser, but the Yser Division Line, marking the separation of both sides.