A Wild Ride

A large bird soared upward at a sharp 90-degree angle, slicing through the sky like an arrow, heading straight into the clouds. Its massive wings flapped powerfully as it ascended higher and higher. As it burst through the thick layer of clouds, revealing a sky bathed in sunlight above, the unmistakable sound of Roy's exhilarated scream filled the air.

"YAAAHOOOOOOO!!" Roy's voice echoed joyfully, his laughter carrying over the rushing wind.

A close-up revealed Roy and Kevin clinging to the bird's thick, feathers for dear life. The feathers were long enough to provide a decent hold, and both boys clung with all their strength, their knuckles white as they held on. The bird's ascent was relentless, and the wind roared in their ears.

Roy's face was lit up with excitement, his mouth stretched in a broad grin as he laughed uncontrollably, the thrill of the ride giving him an uncontainable sense of joy. Beside him, Kevin's expression was a mix of panic and irritation.

"ROY! I TOLD YOU THIS WAS A BAD IDEA!" Kevin shouted, his voice barely audible over the howling wind and Roy's laughter. He tried to adjust his grip, his eyes wide with alarm.

Roy's laughter only grew louder, his carefree spirit on full display. "COME ON, KEVIN! LIVE A LITTLE! THIS IS AMAZING!" He yelled back, his eyes gleaming with excitement. His hair whipped around his face, but he didn't seem to care at all.

Kevin, on the other hand, gritted his teeth. He muttered under his breath, "Yeah, amazing until we fall off and become bird feed." He tightened his grip on the feathers, his heart pounding in his chest.

The bird let out a deafening cry, its voice reverberating across the sky. It leveled off, gliding smoothly above the clouds, its wings fully extended to catch the air. For a brief moment, it felt almost peaceful, the bright sun illuminating the sea of clouds beneath them.

Kevin glanced at Roy, who still looked elated, his laughter finally subsiding. Kevin couldn't help but shake his head. "You really are insane, you know that?"

Roy grinned, his eyes sparkling. "Maybe, but you'll thank me later, Kevin. Just enjoy the view!"

Kevin shook his head, his blindfold fluttering slightly in the wind. "I can't see it, Roy. You know that." Despite his words, a hint of a smile tugged at his lips as he felt the breeze on his face and heard Roy's enthusiasm. "Alright, alright. I get it... it's something."

Roy nudged him playfully. "That's the spirit! Now, let's see if we can figure out how to get this bird to take us where we actually need to go."

Kevin's eyes widened again. "Wait, WHAT? You mean you don't know how to control it?!"

Roy just laughed, his laughter echoing across the sky, as Kevin groaned, already regretting every moment of this wild ride.

It had been 20 days since they left Kevin's home city, traveling nearly 5,000 kilometers at an insane speed. They had about 9-10 days left to cover another 5,000 kilometers. Initially, their journey had been swift, but the arrival of the mountain ranges had forced them to slow down considerably. To make matters worse, they had been encountering bandits almost daily, sometimes meeting two to three groups a day. Seeing that they were going to be late, Roy had spotted a peak level 2 beast—a massive bird—and had come up with the crazy idea to hitch a ride.

Roy struggled as he tried to pull himself up onto the bird's back, his muscles straining as he fought against the wind. The bird squawked loudly, flapping its wings in protest, making it difficult for Roy to get a secure position. Kevin's face turned even paler as he felt the bird rolling slightly, their grip loosening. "ROY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Kevin yelled, panic clear in his voice.

Roy gritted his teeth, shouting over the wind, "I'M TRYING TO GET US A BETTER SEAT FIRST!"

After a few more attempts, Roy managed to swing his leg over and straddle the bird's back, finally securing a somewhat stable position. He reached out to help Kevin up, pulling him onto the bird's back as well. Once they were both sitting, Roy shifted his focus to trying to control the beast. 

The bird seemed to have a mind of its own, diving and climbing erratically as Roy tried to get a sense of how to influence its movements. It twisted through the air, its sharp turns sending both boys clinging desperately to its feathers. The cold wind stung their faces, and every sharp dip made Kevin's stomach lurch.

"This is insane!" Kevin muttered, feeling his grip slip slightly. The bird let out another screech, and for a moment it seemed like they were about to be thrown off.

Roy, however, was relentless. He could feel the bird resisting, but he wasn't about to give up. He shifted his weight, leaning into the bird's movements, and slowly began to sense a rhythm to its flight. He noticed that by shifting his body weight to one side or the other, he could influence its direction just a bit.

"Alright, alright... let's try this again," Roy muttered to himself. He shifted to the right, and the bird banked slightly in response. Roy's face lit up, a smile of triumph spreading across his face. "Kevin! I think I've got it!"

Kevin, still clinging desperately, couldn't help but shout back, "You THINK you've got it?! That's not very reassuring, Roy!"

Roy laughed, his eyes focused now, determination etched into his face. He continued to adjust his movements, and the bird began to stabilize, its frantic flight slowly turning into a more controlled glide. Bit by bit, Roy managed to guide the bird in the direction they needed to go.

After several minutes of tense maneuvering, the bird finally responded smoothly, gliding in the direction Roy intended. Roy let out a whoop of victory, his face flushed with excitement. "See, Kevin? Told you we'd figure it out!"

Kevin, still holding on tightly, let out a long sigh of relief. "Just... try not to kill us before we get there, okay?"

Roy gave Kevin a thumbs-up, his grin still wide. The bird soared forward, its massive wings cutting through the sky, and for the first time since they had taken off, the ride felt almost... pleasant. The thrill of the wind in their hair, the sun shining above, and the endless sea of clouds below gave them a sense of freedom like never before.

They traveled a whopping 5,000 kilometers in just three more days. Traveling in the sky had its perks—no obstacles, no mountains to slow them down, and no bandits to deal with. However, the constant flying had taken a toll on the bird. It was clear that the massive beast was beginning to tire, its wings flapping with less vigor. It felt as though the bird could dive down at any moment.

Roy and Kevin spotted a small village in the distance, nestled at the edge of a forest. They exchanged a glance and silently agreed—it was time to give their exhausted ride a break. Roy directed the bird towards an open area near the village, guiding it down slowly.

As soon as they landed, the bird let out a loud squawk and immediately took off again, its wings beating furiously as if it was desperate to escape. Roy and Kevin barely had time to jump off before the bird hurriedly flew away, disappearing into the sky.

Roy watched the fleeting bird with a look of annoyance. He crossed his arms and shouted after it, "Come on! It's not like we did anything bad to you!"

Kevin sighed, shaking his head. "Honestly, Roy, if I were that bird, I'd probably be flying away too. You really do have a way of scaring even the bravest of creatures."

After that, they moved towards the village. They wanted proper rest after 23 days of constant travel and bare minimum rest. As they approached, they noticed the village had a wooden fence surrounding it, with a gate that was slightly open. Entering through the gate, Roy's eyes narrowed as he spotted a group of bandits inside.

Roy groaned in frustration. "Seriously? Bandits again? There has to be a limit."

Kevin sighed, his shoulders slumping. "I guess we're just lucky like that, huh? At this point, I almost expect them to pop up everywhere we go."

This was the world they lived in. If one didn't have power, then it was impossible to live a normal life. Maybe in the bigger cities, things were better, but in smaller places like this, trouble was always lurking, and people had to deal with these kinds of problems all the time.

The bandits were harassing the villagers, demanding food and valuables while waving their weapons threateningly. One of them had grabbed an elderly man by the arm, pulling him roughly as the other villagers watched helplessly.

Roy's eyes narrowed, and without a word, he stepped forward. Kevin, sensing what Roy was about to do, followed closely behind. The two moved quickly, Roy charging straight towards the bandits while Kevin used his other senses to detect the movements around him.

Roy's fist connected with the first bandit, sending him sprawling to the ground. The other bandits turned in shock, but before they could react, Kevin had already knocked another one down with a swift kick. The rest of the bandits, seeing their comrades taken out so effortlessly, tried to flee, but Roy was too quick. He blocked their path, and within moments, the remaining bandits were disarmed and on the ground, groaning in pain.

The villagers watched in awe as Roy and Kevin made quick work of the intruders. The elderly man, now free, stumbled back, his eyes wide with gratitude.

One of the villagers, a middle-aged woman, stepped forward. "Thank you, strangers. We don't know what we would have done without you. How can we help you? Please, if you're looking for a place to rest, you're welcome to stay here. We have a small inn that can offer you food and shelter."

Roy smiled, dusting off his hands. "We'd appreciate that."

The villagers led Roy and Kevin to the small inn near the center of the village. It was a modest building, made of wood with a thatched roof, but it looked warm and inviting. As they approached, they could see smoke rising from the chimney, and the smell of something delicious cooking wafted through the air.

Kevin took a deep breath, savoring the scent. "Smells like we're in for a good meal, at least," he said, his voice filled with anticipation.

They were ushered inside, where the innkeeper greeted them warmly. "Please, make yourselves comfortable," she said, gesturing to a set of chairs near the fire. "We'll bring you some food shortly."

Roy and Kevin sank into the chairs, the warmth from the fire seeping into their tired bodies. It felt good to finally rest properly after so many days on the move. Kevin leaned back, letting out a sigh of relief.

"You know, Roy, for once, I'm glad we stumbled into some trouble," Kevin said, a hint of a smile on his face. "At least it got us a decent place to sleep."

Roy chuckled, nodding. "Yeah, I guess even trouble has its perks sometimes."

A short while later, the innkeeper returned with bowls of stew and some bread. The aroma was mouthwatering, and both boys eagerly accepted the food. As they ate, the villagers gathered around, some of them wanting to hear their story.

"Where are you two headed?" one of the villagers asked, curiosity clear in her eyes.

Roy paused, swallowing a mouthful of stew. "We're on a long journey," he said vaguely, not wanting to give away too much. 

The villagers nodded, understanding. They knew the world outside their small village was harsh, and travelers like Roy and Kevin had their reasons for not sharing too much.

After they finished their meal, the innkeeper showed them to a small room with two simple beds. It wasn't much, but to Roy and Kevin, it felt like a luxury compared to sleeping on the ground or clinging to a giant bird.

Kevin lay down on one of the beds, letting out a content sigh. "Finally... a real bed," he murmured, already feeling sleep tugging at him.

Roy smiled, glancing over at his friend. "Get some rest. We've got a long way to go still."

Kevin nodded, his eyes already closing. "Yeah... but for now, let's just enjoy this," he whispered, drifting off to sleep.

Roy lay back on his own bed, staring at the ceiling. He could hear the faint sounds of the village outside—the crackling of the fire, the murmurs of the villagers, the rustle of the wind. For a moment, it felt peaceful. He closed his eyes, allowing himself to relax and fell asleep.

Early the next morning, Roy and Kevin woke up before dawn. They quietly gathered their belongings and made their way to the inn's reception. Without making any noise, Roy took out a small pouch of gold coins—coins they had received from the city lord—and left it on the counter. Though the villagers hadn't asked for anything in return, Roy and Kevin still decided to leave a generous amount.

Once everything was in order, they stepped out of the inn, the cool morning air brushing against their faces as they silently left the village behind.

The next few days of their journey were filled with a mix of excitement and challenges. They moved swiftly, covering great distances each day. The landscape shifted from rolling plains, where the grass swayed gently in the breeze, to dense forests filled with towering trees that blocked out the sun. Eventually, the terrain turned rocky, with steep cliffs and uneven paths that made their progress slower. They encountered a small pack of wolves one evening, their eyes glinting in the darkness as they circled, but Roy and Kevin managed to scare them off without much trouble. The nights were cold, and they often had to take turns keeping watch, the crackling of the campfire the only sound in the stillness.

They also ran into a couple of curious travelers along the way—merchants with carts of goods—who seemed too interested in their destination, making Roy wary. Kevin, always cautious, kept his senses heightened, but thankfully, they managed to avoid any unnecessary trouble. Despite the obstacles, Roy and Kevin pressed on, determined to reach their goal. They walked through sunrises and sunsets, the sky shifting from a brilliant blue to shades of orange and pink, each day bringing them closer to their destination. Though the journey was tiring, the sense of purpose they shared pushed them forward.

After several days, they finally arrived in front of the Azure Mountain Range. The sight before them was breathtaking. Towering peaks stretched high into the sky, their tips covered in a thick blanket of snow. The mountains seemed endless, their majestic forms shrouded in mist that made them look almost ethereal. The air was crisp, and a gentle breeze carried the scent of pine and earth. In the distance, waterfalls cascaded down the mountainsides, their waters sparkling in the sunlight.

Roy took a deep breath, his eyes scanning the horizon. "There it is. The Azure Mountain Range... we made it."

Kevin nodded, his head tilting slightly as he listened to the sounds around them. "It's quiet... but it feels powerful. I can almost sense the vastness of it all."

Roy smiled, determination filling his eyes. "Let's go."