The wasteland stretched before them, the cracked and barren terrain slowly giving way to patches of green. The road, while still rough in places, had been improved enough for travel. Scattered shrubs and lone trees dotted the landscape, a quiet reminder that even in the harshest lands, life could still take root.
They moved at a steady pace, blending in with the occasional traders they passed on the road. Their carts bore no royal insignia, no markings of power—just the air of frontier merchants moving rare, valuable goods.
As the sun dipped lower in the sky, the land began to shift. The harsh wastelands softened into rolling fields. The road widened, well-trodden and maintained—a clear sign that they were nearing a settlement of importance.
By the time they crested the next ridge, Eldrin's Crossing sprawled before them.
