Warm and humid air washed over me as I shifted my heavy leather boots through the dry grass. Almost instinctively, I closed my eyes and inhaled as much as my lungs would allow. The waft of steam smelled odd. Slightly metallic with a faint hint of egg.

The cold wind blew the warmth away and my face once more felt its bitting sting. I held my breath a moment longer before releasing the air from my lungs and opening my eyes to witness the smoke escape from my mouth. Lionheart had told me it wasn’t smoke coming from my mouth but hot air, but I liked to imagine I was actually breathing fire.

I let my gaze slowly lower itself and in front of me, I witnessed a large fuming lake. Its surface made difficult to distinguish from all the mist hanging over it, creating all sorts of coloured rainbows in the sharp morning sun.

It’s called a hot spring. One of many in the Lowland region we were now travelling, but while most were little more than a fuming puddle, this one was large enough to fit a boat in. Several actually. From what Lionheart explained, the water came from deep beneath the ground where it was heated so hot it came bubbling up like the water through a kettle whistle.

I walked as close to the side of the water as I could without falling in. I bent down and touched the water and I retracted my hand reflexively. It was hot. Like an especially warm bath.

I had asked Lionheart if we could swim in these hot springs. He had explained that we could, but that doing so out here in the wild might be dangerous. After all, who knew what was underneath the surface?

I looked beyond the boiling waters toward the horizon, large mountains spread through uneven grounds. I remember dad calling it the ‘steppes’ when the landscape had first changed, but it didn’t really mean much to me. It did somehow remind me of the rolling hills of Oblon, but rougher. Wilder. Untamed. That made me feel at ease. As though this place had yet to be tainted… Although from the ruins that cluttered these lands, perhaps it would be more accurate to say that whatever might have tainted this place is now long gone.

I felt something being placed on my shoulders. Surprised, I turned around. My eyes lit up when I recognised Lionheart’s smiling face.

-Are you cold?-

He asked, I suddenly realised that the weight I had felt on my shoulder was a heavy blanket. Now warmer than ever, I shook my head as he placed a hand on my shoulder and looked toward the hot springs.

It was relaxing. Even more so with my father at my side.

I took a deep breath again before exhaling for several seconds. I almost wish this moment would never end.

Lionheart tapped my shoulder again and I turned to him.

-Let’s head back.-

I looked toward the hill beyond which our caravan had stopped for the night before looking back at the smoky waters.

-Just one more minute.-

I asked him pleadingly to which he simply answered with a nod, before leaving me to admire the springs a bit longer while he headed back to the camp.