Back to the present;
Kiara drove the vehicle along the roads leading toward the port city of Lushan.
The journey lasted several hours.
The landscape gradually changed from royal roads and cultivated fields to bustling trade routes crowded with merchants, wagons, travelers, and caravans.
By the time the group arrived, the sun had already shifted noticeably across the sky.
Nearly 396 kilometers had been covered.
After stopping at a restaurant and enjoying lunch together, they purchased enough supplies to last several days before continuing toward the harbor.
The harbor itself was alive with activity.
Hundreds of ships rested upon the water.
Sailors shouted instructions.
Ropes creaked.
Seagulls circled overhead.
The scent of salt, fish, and ocean wind blended together.
After some negotiation, Kiara rented a medium-sized houseboat.
The captain nearly smiled from ear to ear when he saw the size of the group and the impressive creatures accompanying them.
