The Last Blood Mage

Keeping Bloodlust In Check

As Xander and Atheria set out toward the Cold Mountains, their journey began through the sprawling grasslands that bordered Mooncrest. The early morning light cast a golden hue over the landscape, a serene backdrop to the challenges that lay ahead.

"Five days to the summit, they said," Atheria mused aloud, guiding her horse alongside Xander's. "I hope these monks are worth the trip."

Xander chuckled, the sound mingling with the gentle clop of their horses' hooves on the soft earth. "After everything we've been through, a five-day ride sounds like a damn vacation. Just you, me, and the great outdoors."

The grasslands gradually gave way to denser forest, the canopy above filtering the sunlight into a kaleidoscope of greens and golds. The path, though well-trodden, wound its way through the woods with a deceptive calm, the silence punctuated only by the occasional call of a bird or the rustle of small wildlife.

"Keep your eyes peeled," Xander warned, his gaze scanning the dense underbrus