Elias still healing himself noticed someone coming and as he was wondering who it might be Rina came out of the forest.
"You idiots didn''t stay in the last town I had to run all the way here" she said out of breath
Elias looking at her tried to pretend he was still sleeping that didn''t go so well
She noticed and told him not to act she saw his eyes open
Elias moving slightly growled in slightly pain
Rina noticing asking what is he up too as she finally saw his injuries
"What happened to you" she said falling down as a dramatic act
Elias not amused told her to get up Rina getting up came close and asked "serious what happened"
Kneeling down and holding his hands she said if you died can I take you cloak
Elias sighing told her to go sleep
Rina done joking got some bandages and patched him up
Elias was just silently looking at her as she did so
"All done this will keep you alive shadow boy" Rina said sitting next to him by the tree and sleeping
Elias continuing to heal himself was tired but had to keep watch so he did
Morning arrived too quickly. By the time the rest of the group began to wake, Elias was already up, standing at the opposite end of the clearing. He put out the fire and packed his belongings. No one questioned him.
Rina stretched, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she sat up.
“Mmm... Are we already moving?”
Leona shook her shoulders. “We aren’t getting closer to the capital while we sleep.”
“Can’t at least let me wake up,” Rina mumbled, tightening her cloak against the morning air.
She looked at Elias and saw that he was all ready to go, as if he had never even rested.
Auron watched Elias for a while before slinging his bag over his shoulders. “Come on. We should reach the next town by noon.”
They began walking down the road, the morning fog still lingering.
The path wound through open fields and clusters of trees, with distant farmhouses dotting the land. Birds chirped in the distance, and the only other sound was the steady rhythm of their footfalls on the dirt road.
“So, what’s the plan when we get to the capital?” Erik asked, adjusting the sword at his side.
Leona turned to look at him. “First, we gather supplies. Then, we report to the guild about the monster activity.”
The journey to Greythorne was pleasant, with no monster attacks or sudden perils along the way. By midday, the party arrived at a quaint little town.
Greythorne was a small place with cobblestone streets, timber-framed houses, and a lively market square where merchants shouted at the occasional passerby.
The scent of fresh-baked bread and roasted meats filled the air. Children dashed by, giggling, while townsfolk bustled about, attending to their errands.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
"Finally," Erik huffed, stretching. "First stop: food."
"Second stop: supplies," Leona corrected him.
Erik sighed dramatically but didn’t argue.
"Let’s meet at the inn in two hours," Leona stated, waving them off. "Do what you need to do."
Rina was drawn to a stall displaying jewelry and trinkets, their colors catching her eye. As she ran her fingers over a silver pendant shaped like a crescent moon, she heard Elias clear his throat nearby.
"It looks nice on you," he said.
Rina blinked at him before shaking her head. "Huh? You like it?"
Elias nodded slightly.
Rina smirked. "That’s probably the first compliment I’ve heard from you. Wow!"
Elias simply watched the pendant without replying.
Tilting her head toward him, Rina then turned to the merchant. "How much for this one?"
"Three silvers," the merchant said.
Rina contemplated for a moment, then looked at Elias again.
"You think it’s worth it?"
Elias glanced down at the pendant, studying it briefly.
"Yes."
Rina smiled. "Okay," she said, handing the merchant the coins. With quick, practiced movements, she fastened the necklace around her neck. "There. So if I get lost, you’ll know it’s me."
Elias turned away, a faint, barely perceptible smile on his lips. Then, he stepped back.
Rina watched him for a moment before chuckling softly. "Guy has a surprise for everything."
Meanwhile, Erik and Auron sat at a wooden table in the tavern, eating their meals.
"I’m surprised Elias didn''t come for a meal," Erik said through a mouthful of food.
Auron looked down at his plate, then momentarily gazed out of the window.
"He doesn’t have much need of us."
"Yeah, I noticed," Erik said, stabbing a piece of meat with his fork. "Not like we’re giving him much reason to, huh?"
Auron didn’t reply, but his grip on his cup tightened slightly.
Just then, Leona walked into the tavern carrying a bag of supplies.
"Once we eat and have time to rest, we’re moving on."
"Moving already?" Erik groaned. "Can’t we at least stay the night?"
"No. We are on a schedule," Leona said firmly.
Auron hesitated before adding, "We could use another rest."
The tavern had calmed down as most of the travelers had gone to their rooms. The group remained around the wooden table, finishing their food and drinks.
Elias hadn’t said anything, but Auron could see him deep in thought, his eyes gleaming with quiet calculation.
Finally, Elias spoke.
"From here to the capital... it''s about a ten-day march if we keep a good pace. Five days if we push."
Leona raised an eyebrow. "And?"
"The route is mostly clear. Greythorne is near the inner kingdom territories, which means monster activity is much lower compared to the outer regions.
Unless we run into the occasional bandits, the road should pose little threat."
Erik let out a sigh of relief. "That’s good to hear. No more unexpected monsters."
Elias nodded slightly. "At least, not until we get a little further."
Auron studied him. "And you?"
Elias met his gaze. "I''ll be fine for a while. Don’t worry about me. I won’t need to fight anytime soon."
Auron’s shoulders relaxed slightly.
Elias turned back to the group. "But if we want to make better time, we should hire a wagon."
"A wagon?" Rina asked, tilting her head.
Elias nodded. "It’ll cut the travel time nearly in half without exhausting us as much."
(And help me keep an eye on Auron better)
Morning arrived with the rich aroma of freshly baked bread drifting through the streets, mingling with the crisp air.
The distant sounds of merchants setting up their stalls, calling out their wares, and the occasional clatter of hooves on cobblestone filled the town with a sense of bustling life.
Outside the inn, the group stood in a loose circle, preparing for the journey ahead.
Leona crossed her arms, her expression unreadable. "I couldn’t find a wagon heading to the capital today."
Erik let out an exaggerated sigh, throwing his hands in the air. "Of course not. Why would things ever be easy for us?"
Auron rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Maybe we wait another day? There’s a good chance one might be heading out tomorrow."
Before anyone could respond, the sound of steady hoofbeats on the stone road caught their attention.
Elias strolled up casually, holding the reins of a well-built horse hitched to a sturdy wooden wagon. His expression was as calm as ever, completely unbothered by the situation.
"We have a wagon now," he announced simply, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
The group stared.
Rina raised an eyebrow. "Wait… what?"
Leona blinked. "Where did you even—?"
Elias climbed onto the driver’s seat, not offering a single word of explanation. "Are we leaving or not?"
Erik was the first to recover, grinning as he clapped his hands together. "Less walking? Say no more!" He hopped onto the wagon without hesitation.
Auron chuckled, shaking his head, while Rina eyed Elias suspiciously before climbing in as well.
Leona, still mildly baffled but unwilling to question a good thing, sighed and climbed aboard.