Armored knight reads a parchment map while walking — AI art by @vangogh_

CHAPTER III: A Path in the Mist The heavy door of the tavern closed behind him with a dull thud as the knight stepped back into the cold, damp air of the village[cite: 1]. Clutched tightly in his gauntleted hands was a worn, crumpled piece of parchment—a map hastily scribbled by the keeper, marked with the winding trails leading toward the high northern highlands[cite: 2]. Moving past the watchfully silent villagers, the knight paused on the muddy path, tilting his helm downward to inspect the faded ink[cite: 3]. His armored fingers traced the rough markings and natural landmarks drawn on the map[cite: 2]. After ages of wandering blindly, he finally had more than just a faint sensation; he had a direction. The journey ahead was long, veiled in the same thick mist that swallowed the old world, but for the first time in centuries, the path was clear. Folding the parchment, he looked toward the horizon, ready to follow the faint trail of his lost sovereign's bloodline.