The morning sun had climbed high into the sky as Tessa moved silently through the forest. The fresh wind stirred the treetops, rustling the leaves while her armored steps made barely a sound on the firm ground.

  She had left early, the night offering her time to think. Now it was time to move forward—to understand where she was, and what threats or opportunities this world held for her.

  Mike was alert, watching everything through her eyes, but said little. It was the first real sign of civilization they had found.

  The First Sign – A Road Without StoneAfter hours of walking, Tessa noticed something changing.

  The ground grew firmer. Less overgrowth.

  Eventually, she stopped.

  Before her stretched a road—not paved, not set with stones or wood. A trail shaped by time and repetition.

  She knelt, brushing her fingers across the compacted dirt.

  “Is that… a road?” Mike asked softly.

  Tessa nodded slowly.

  “Yes. One formed over time. When people or animals walk the same path again and again, the earth compresses. Looks like this one’s well used.”

  Mike was quiet for a moment, then asked thoughtfully:

  “So that means…?”

  Tessa gnced in both directions down the path.

  “We must be near a settlement.”

  The Unexpected SoundThen—a sound in the distance.

  A low, rhythmic rumbling.

  The heavy crunch of something rolling across packed earth.

  Tessa tensed immediately, her hand sliding to Frostmore.

  Mike reacted fast.

  “Hide!”

  Tessa opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off:

  “We don’t know these people. Charging in blind doesn’t make sense.”

  She hesitated—then sighed, slipping back into the shadows of the trees.

  Her dark armor melted into the shifting light. Her breathing slowed.

  Wait. Watch.

  The Source – An Ox CartThe sound grew clearer.

  Then it emerged from the forest’s edge.

  An ox—broad and powerful—pulled a wooden cart behind it.

  The wagon was old, simple, but solid.

  Sacks y piled on the back—supplies, maybe goods.

  On the front sat a man.

  His clothes were worn, simple but clean.

  He didn’t look like a warrior. No sword, no armor, no crest.

  Just a traveler. Or a merchant.

  The Observation – A Stranger, Yet FamiliarTessa watched him closely, noting every detail.

  His face was angur, hair dark, body marked by bor.

  He looked cautious, not fearful.

  Mike finally broke the silence.

  “He looks… Asian.”

  Tessa frowned.

  “What does that mean?”

  Mike paused.

  “In my world, there are different cultures. ‘Asian’ refers to people from pces like Japan, China, Korea. His features match those.”

  Tessa studied the man again.

  “But his clothing… it resembles tribes from my world. Not yours.”

  Mike was silent for a moment.

  Then, quietly:

  “That’s… strange.”

  The Vilge Comes Into ViewThe cart rolled past and vanished around a bend.

  Tessa waited until the sound faded before stepping out of hiding.

  “We should follow him.”

  Mike agreed.

  “But carefully. No direct contact. Not yet.”

  Tessa grunted.

  “I don’t like sneaking around…”

  “Yeah, yeah, I know. But this time, it’s smarter.”

  She followed the path, staying just off the trail, hidden by the forest’s edge.

  Soon, the woods opened up.

  Tessa stopped.

  Before her y a wide, open field—and in the distance, near the treeline, a vilge.

  The Vilge – And the Building on the HillThe vilge consisted of small wooden huts.

  Smoke curled from chimneys—signs of life.

  Fields and farmnd stretched along the outskirts.

  But beyond the vilge y something more intriguing.

  A hill, and atop it, a single mid-sized structure.

  Its entrance marked by a rge gate.

  Mike gasped.

  “That… that’s a torii.”

  Tessa blinked.

  “A… what?”

  Mike Expins the ToriiMike inhaled deeply.

  “In my world, that’s a spiritual gate. It stands before Shinto shrines in Japan.”

  “It marks the boundary between the mortal world and the realm of the gods.”

  Tessa furrowed her brow.

  “So, a sacred site?”

  Mike nodded.

  “Yeah.”

  Tessa studied the building again.

  It sat atop a raised area.

  From there, one could observe the entire vilge below.

  A perfect strategic vantage point.

  “If we want to learn more about this pce, that’s our best observation post.”

  Mike agreed.

  “If it’s a shrine, it’s probably not busy. Perfect for scouting.”

  Tessa nodded and straightened up.

  “Then that’s our target.”

  End of Chapter 10