Chapter 20 – On the Road to Milaria

The night was calm, and the only sound that filled the air was the rhythmic creaking of the carriage wheels. Cedric sat across from Lila and the two children. The older man who had introduced himself as Jorin was driving the horses, keeping the pace steady but cautious. He hadn't said much since they started moving again, but Cedric could tell he was still on high alert, always scanning the surroundings.

The carriage moved slowly along the narrow path, the dim light of the moon making everything look muted and distant. Cedric tried to keep his focus on the road ahead, but the conversation between Lila and Jorin had drawn him in. They were talking about Milaria, the place they had mentioned before, and Cedric couldn't help but be curious.

"So, this place—Milaria," Cedric asked, breaking the silence. "You said it's a sanctuary. How does it really work? How do you get in? It's not like anyone can just show up, right?"

Lila, who had been cradling her child quietly, glanced at him. "Well, it's not easy," she said. "Getting there isn't the hard part. The hard part is staying in. People from all over try to make it to Milaria, but not everyone is allowed to stay. There's a process—a trial of sorts. They want to make sure that the people who come there are actually looking for safety, not trouble."

Jorin, still focused on the horses, added, "Milaria isn't like the cities you know. They don't have walls or guards. The only thing keeping it safe is the people who live there. The ones who've already made it there are the ones who decide who stays and who doesn't."

Cedric listened carefully. It made sense that a place like Milaria would have its own way of vetting who could stay. There was no way they could just let anyone in, especially with the constant threat of demons and the tensions between High and Low Humans.

"But what's the point of it all?" Cedric pressed. "What's the end goal? You said you weren't all welcome in Sky City, but why Milaria? What's waiting there?"

Jorin sighed. "It's not about an end goal. It's about survival. Milaria gives people a chance to live without fear of being hunted. Whether you're a Low Human or High Human, there's something there for everyone. They take in all sorts—merchants, farmers, soldiers, even people like me who don't belong anywhere else. We just want peace. A place where we can work without constantly watching our backs."

Lila nodded in agreement, her fingers absently brushing her child's hair. "Exactly. No one cares if you're High or Low Human. You just need to be willing to pull your weight and respect others. No one's above anyone else. We've all been through too much to judge."

Cedric glanced at her, seeing the determination in her eyes. She wasn't talking just about herself, but about everyone who was trying to get to Milaria. The people in the carriage, the ones walking for miles in search of this place. They weren't running away from something; they were running toward something—a better life, a safer place.

"Sounds too good to be true," Cedric muttered, mostly to himself. He wasn't sure if he could trust it completely, but he didn't have many options. He didn't know what else to do except keep moving forward.

Jorin overheard him. "It may sound that way, but it's real. We've been traveling for months to get there, and I've seen the truth of it. People are making it, even in small groups. It's not easy, and it's not guaranteed, but it's better than the alternative."

Lila looked at Cedric thoughtfully. "What about you? What's your story? You said you weren't a High Human, but you also don't look like you're from around here."

Cedric hesitated. He wasn't sure how much to share. He didn't want to go into details about his powers, about his past. It wasn't something he wanted to discuss, not yet. Instead, he simply shook his head.

"Not much to tell," Cedric said. "I'm just… a traveler. I ended up in Sky City, but I got kicked out for reasons I'd rather not explain. Now I'm just trying to survive."

Jorin and Lila didn't push him further. They understood. Everyone had their own struggles, their own stories, and sometimes, it was easier to leave things unsaid.

The conversation turned to other topics as the night stretched on. They discussed their families, their lives before everything had fallen apart. Lila had grown up in a small village where everyone helped each other. Jorin had been a merchant before the demons had ravaged his town. The two children, a boy and a girl, were quiet but curious, often asking questions about Cedric's journey.

Cedric tried to keep the conversation light, but he could feel the weight of their questions. What was he doing? Why had he left everything behind? Where was he headed next?

He didn't have the answers. He wasn't sure of anything anymore. But as they talked, he realized that maybe Milaria wasn't just a place for survival—it could be a place where he could find something he had lost along the way: a sense of belonging.

The road was long and slow. Cedric spent most of the next day listening to Jorin and Lila talk, learning more about the world beyond Sky City. He hadn't realized just how much news he had missed since he had been kicked out. They spoke of various groups trying to form alliances, of people seeking refuge, and of the unrest spreading through the continents. The world was a mess, and yet, there were still those who held on to hope.

As they approached a small campfire, Jorin slowed the horses to a stop.

"This will be a good place to rest for the night," he said. "We can talk more tomorrow."

Cedric nodded, feeling his exhaustion catch up to him. He had fought hard, and now he needed the rest. The last few days had been full of tension, fear, and uncertainty. The campfire looked inviting. For a moment, he could almost forget the weight of everything. Almost.

They made camp quickly, and Cedric was grateful for the small reprieve. He helped set up the fire, and for the first time in what felt like forever, he sat down to eat. The food was simple—dried meat and bread, but it was filling. It wasn't much, but it was enough.

As they sat around the fire, the conversation shifted to lighter topics. Jorin told stories of his days as a merchant, traveling from city to city. Lila talked about her children, how they were adjusting to life on the road. Cedric listened, but his mind kept wandering back to Milaria. Would it really be a place of safety? Would it be the escape he was looking for?

He couldn't stop wondering what awaited him there. It was the first time in a long time that he felt a glimmer of hope.

But hope was fragile. And he knew better than to let it blind him to the dangers still ahead. The road to Milaria was long, and there was still so much he didn't know. Still, for the first time in a while, he allowed himself to believe that there might be something better out there—a place where he could finally rest, where he could truly begin again.

And for now, that was enough.