Chapter-4 Merchant

Lith woke up with a start to the sound of roosters crowing and the distant sound of villagers starting their day. He rubbed his eyes, sat up, and felt his heart racing as he tried to remember where he was. The memory of the previous night slowly came back to him.

He quickly gathered his few belongings and began planning his journey out of the village. He remembered hearing rumors of a nearby town called Stonewall, which was about a three-week journey away. It seemed like the safest place for him to go, but there was no way for him to survive the journey alone. He had no money to pay for mercenaries, and as far as he knew, there were no adventurer parties visiting Ravensworth. Joining a merchant leaving the village was the only option left.

As he walked through Ravensworth, Lith couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The recent attacks on the surrounding villages had left everyone on edge, and rumors of the Inquisition's presence in the area only added to the tension. He quickened his pace, eager to be on his way.

As he walked, he spotted a group of merchants setting up their wares in the town square. They had several pack animals loaded with goods, and were talking amongst themselves in hushed tones. One of them, a burly man with a thick beard and a friendly face, caught Lith's eye.

"Excuse me, sir," Lith said, approaching the man. "Are you heading in the direction of Stonewall?"

The man nodded, sizing up Lith with a curious expression. "Aye, we are," he replied. "Why do you ask?"

Lith hesitated, unsure of how to proceed. He knew that traveling with a group of strangers could be dangerous, but he had no other options. "I was hoping to join your group," he said, trying to sound confident. "I'm traveling alone and could use the company."

The merchant looked Lith up and down, taking in his ragged clothes and worn boots. The man scratched his beard thoughtfully, considering Lith's request. "We could use an extra hand," he said finally. "But we'll need to know what you can do."

Lith breathed a sigh of relief, glad that the man had agreed to let him join their group. "I can help with the animals, carry supplies, and keep watch at night," he said, listing off his skills. "I also know a bit about hunting and survival, if that's useful."

The man nodded, seeming satisfied with Lith's answer. "Very well," he said. "You can travel with us, but we'll need you to pull your weight. We're not a charity."

Lith nodded eagerly, grateful for the chance to join the group. He could feel his heart racing with excitement, knowing that he was one step closer to his goal.

The burly man smirked "Actually, I could use a hand loading up some of the heavier goods," he said. "Follow me."

Lith followed The man nodded, to the back of the wagon, where they began to load up large sacks of grain and barrels of ale. Lith grunted as he lifted a particularly heavy sack, feeling the strain in his arms and back.

As they began to load up their animals, Lith struck up a conversation with the burly merchant again, who introduced himself as Drogan. "So, Drogan, what kind of goods are you transporting?" Lith asked, trying to make small talk.

Drogan chuckled, gesturing towards the animals. "Just about everything," he said. "Food, clothes, tools, you name it. We're merchants, traveling from town to town selling our wares."

Lith nodded, impressed by the variety of goods they were carrying. "That must be a profitable business," he said.

Drogan snorted. "Not as much as you'd think," he said. "It's a tough life, traveling on the road day and night, always looking over your shoulder for bandits and thieves. But it's better than working for someone else, I suppose."

After a few minutes of heavy lifting, Drogan wiped the sweat from his brow and turned to Lith. "That should do it for now," he said. "You should have plenty of time to go and grab your supplies. We leave at nightfall, so be ready."

Suddenly, Lith froze. "What? Why at nightfall? This forest is too dangerous at night."

Drogan let out a hearty laugh. "Don't worry, young one," he said, clapping Lith on the back. "We've traveled this route many times and know how to handle ourselves. Plus, we'll have plenty of protection with us. Not to mention, the whole journey through the Foggy Forest will take us at least two weeks, we're going to be traveling at night whether we like it or not."

Lith looked unconvinced but decided not to argue. "Okay, I'll make sure to be ready"

Drogan grunted. "We'll see," he said. "Meet us at the entrance to the village before sundown."

Since Lith had most of the day left he was in no rush to get his last few hidden possessions. It was time to see if anyone else saw the creature, maybe he could even learn some more details about it that could help in his upcoming journey.