What was even more miraculous was that wherever the white cranes passed, even the water seemed to grow clearer.
The mist thickening around them naturally muddled their senses. No one knew how much time had passed-perhaps a quarter of an hour, perhaps two hours.
Both people and horses were panting slightly, but then their vision seemed to clear all at once. Following the white cranes, they had actually emerged from the seemingly boundless Marsh Wetlands and reached dry land.
A relatively dense stretch of woodland lay a hundred paces away, standing out distinctly even through the thin mist.
After trudging through the muddy Marsh Wetlands for so long, simply having solid ground beneath their feet again put them more at ease.
Everyone stamped their feet and brushed themselves off. Some even took off their shoes to shake out the muddy water.
The trees in the woods were tall. With summer underway, insects chirped and birds called in chorus, making the woodland seem all the more tranquil after nightfall and lending it an inexplicable sense of safety.
The sorcerer checked the Inherited Compass. Its needle was perfectly still.
"We're not going any farther for now. Let's build a fire in the woods, get something to eat, and dry ourselves off!"
"Right, I'll gather firewood!" "Then I'll see if I can find some game!"
The group was thoroughly exhausted. They led the horses into the woods, lifted the child down, and found a suitable spot to prepare a fire.
Hugging a large tree, the child looked toward the distant water. The white cranes walked along the shore, pecking for food and playing in the water, their figures hazy in the mist from afar.
Every so often, a few cranes called, prompting a whole flock to join in.
"Encounter something like this just