The next day... [10:00 A.M.]

"Whooaaaaa, So this was that village you were talking about...!" Meridia looked around excitedly.

It was still cold outside, so I let her use a coat I had with me in my bag. It was a dark black cloak, and was a bit too big, but it didn't seem like she cared. "So this is what Human villages look like...!" She grinned, as I let out a sigh.

The snow fell gently from the sky, piling up on the ground. Lampposts were scattered about alongside the paths, giving off a warm glow. Children ran around donning fur-lined coats and boots as they ran around, cheerily throwing snowballs back in forth.

As we walked, we attracted a few stares from the village people. Neither of us seemed to care, either. Meridia was entirely focused on exploring and learning as she strolled along the path. I, on the other hand, was looking for an armory.

If she was tagging along on my travels, she needed proper equipment... and possibly some clothes. All she had was her ragged white dress, and sandals... and for the time being, my cloak.

"So... these structures, what are they made from?" She asked, looking at the wooden houses. "Wood, why?" I asked. "I grew up with houses made of stone. I never knew houses could be built with other things..." She said, as I looked around.

"Speaking of land, how can you breathe out of water?" I asked. "Breathing air is a special, rare trait that only very few Aquarians have, including the royal family." She said, as I nodded.

"Granted, we never really make use of it. It's forbidden to go above the surface." She said, as I found the shop I was looking for. "Alright, lets go in here." I said, as she nodded. "W-Wait are we going inside that building?" She asked, as I nodded. "I don't wear armor..." She said, pointing to something displayed in the window, which was a giant set of armor. "I figured, but you need some sort of equipment." I said, as she crossed her arms in thought. "I'd like a dress." She said happily, as I let out another sigh.

"Because you're a princess?" I asked her with a raised eyebrow. "I'm not talking anything over the top. Maybe something simple... Oh! Like that there in that building!" She pointed, as we walked over. It looked like a white kimono of sorts. It was sleeveless, and had a blue sash, as well as various beads and ribbons. The sleeves were separate, and a bit baggy. It looked nice.

"I can sense something odd about it, maybe it's magical...!" She said, as I looked at the sign above the door. It was a shop that sold things that a mage would generally use, or have on them. Magicked items, robes, accessories, and etcetera.

"Yeah. This is a magic shop." I said, as we went inside. "Greetings." The shopkeeper waved as we walked up to the counter. I looked down at Meridia, and she was behind me, almost as if she was hiding. Is that dress in the window magic?" I asked, as she nodded. "Yes, in fact it is! You have a good eye! That one is more of a battledress, it grants you more strength. I'm guessing she wants it?" She pointed at Meridia, who was peeking from behind me. "She's a bit shy." I said, as the woman nodded. "Would you like to try the dress on?" She asked, as Meridia ran out from behind me and nodded eagerly. "May I ask about that trident of yours you have on your back? That looks amazing!" The shopkeep said, looking at it. "Not for sale." I said, as the shopkeeper sighed. "Bah, alright alright." She said, as she walked over to the mannequin to retrieve the dress.

A few minutes later...

"Alright, are you done changing?" The woman asked, before Meridia opened the door. It fit her perfectly. The white and blue went extremely well with her eyes and hair. She looked... really pretty.

"I want it." She grinned. "Alright." I sighed, as I paid the shopkeep, and the two of us left the shop. She put on the cloak once more as we entered the cold. "This is comfy." She said, as we continued walking.

"You can keep it for the time being. We're gonna start traveling today." I said, as we continued walking through the village.

"Hey, did you hear? Firestone village is under attack right now! It's crazy!"

"Isn't that the village of wizards that specialize in fire magic? Did they cause some sort of trouble again?"

"I heard that there's these abnormal, shadowy looking things that are ravaging the place..."

I raised an eyebrow as I overheard a conversation. "And it looks like we just found a destination." I said, as Meridia tilted her head in confusion. "Those shadowy things are attacking Firestone village. They live in a warmer climate, and luckily the village isn't that far away from here." I said, as she nodded. "I say we go and help those people then. I don't want a repeat of what happened to Atlantis." Meridia said worriedly. "I say we set out right away," I said, as we walked through the entrance of the village, "Let's go."