Westward Journey (2)

As the morning dragged on and the morning sun lifted further into the sky, a peaceful quiet befell our group. The forest was wild but calm. However, there was a distinct lack of magical energy in the environment. It seemed like this part of the forest was, for all intents and purposes, a mundane zone. An area where the magic in the surroundings is either too little, or doesn't exist at all.

Still, the forest brimmed with life. Occasionally an animal would run by, accompanied by others like itself. Birds flew overhead, singing and dancing over the trees. Most of what we had seen so far were mundane creatures. Leaf-eaters and prey. None posed a threat or wished to be.

That was until a large brown bear came stumbling from the trees. It stood on its hind legs as it blocked our path, roaring loudly to assert its dominance. The donkeys panicked.

Before the adventurers could attempt a response, I quickly cast a spell of drowsiness on the donkeys. The two equines soon fell asleep. Tov looked impressed while Gred and Redtail were already standing up with weapons bare.

"Let me handle this," I said, raising a hand, "Watch over the wagon. And your drunk grandpa."

The two adventurers nodded but kept their weapons close. Zeal wrapped herself tightly around Redtail's arm.

"You have this covered then?" Tov said as I walked past.

"It's just hungry," I explained, "A good chunk of meat should earn us its blessing and safe passage."

I could have ended the bear from where it stood using a spell that turned the wind itself into sharp blades. But the animal was just that, an animal. It was desperate to fill its stomach. If it wasn't, I doubted it would have even considered making itself known.

Not that it mattered to me. I sensed the animal as soon as we drew close to its territory.

Summoning a portal, I pulled out several large chunks of frozen beef from the pantries back home and threw them at the bear. The big fuzzy animal immediately seized the meat, gobbling up as much as it could before dragging the rest back into the shadows of the forest. Cold mist leaked from the open portal.

"You have piles of meat just lying around?" Tov asked, more amused than confused.

"There's a constant supply, yes. But since I'm not home, I might as well make use of it before it goes bad." The portal shimmered and closed, expelling a short gust of frozen air.

"So that's where you got the ingredients for the sausage and stew!" Gred realized. I hadn't explained to them how I fed the little beastkin. Just that I did.

I reversed the spell I cast on the donkeys and they awoke soon after. I waited for the wagon to catch up to where I stood before walking alongside it once again. The rest of the journey proved to be peaceful and uneventful. Fortunately.

Though the road was narrow and muddy, my constant intervention ensured that we weren't bogged down by mud. At times the wheels of the wagon would buckle, and in each time the wheels held steadfast, much to the relief of our drunk driver.

The thickness of the forest began to wane somewhat as we entered the afternoon. Hot was the bright sun above our heads, its light both a blessing to the eyes and a curse to the skin. Thankfully, the branches of the trees were enough to cast a constant, looming shadow that shielded the wagon for the rest of the time that was spent in the forest.

Evening came soon. We set up camp on a nearby pond. Water lilies dotted the surface of the clear water. Small fish swam together alongside the occasional tadpole. Frogs called the place home.

A small campfire soon cackled and a cauldron was placed atop. The smell of fresh stew soon filled the air. After dinner was made and done, the adventurers tucked themselves to bed for the night. Zeal, surprisingly, wanted to sleep next to me. She rolled herself inside her blanket and snuggled beside me. I appreciated the little trust she was beginning to show.

I was to keep watch for the rest of the night since I didn't need that much sleep in the first place. And so I did. The owls called. The crickets sang. Distant wolves howled.

We were still days away from the settlement, maybe more than a week even. But as long as I was here, nothing would impede us. Still, however, I found myself wishing I had just teleported everyone to our destination. It would have saved us time.

But the journey mattered, or at least I wanted to think it did.

We spent the rest of the days and nights of our journey in silent appreciation, loud conversations, and tempered revelry. Though I wasn't one to drink or get drunk, especially since I couldn't get drunk even if I wanted to, Tov had no such qualms.

It was a nostalgic experience. To be surrounded by a merry band of adventurers. A part of me missed this kind of life. A life of adventure and thrill, of friendship and bond.

But.. my time had passed. They were... gone.

Everything was gone. Only I remained.

The forest would soon wane on the last day of our trip, giving way to grassy fields. Cattle grazed on the grass. We were soon walking on a cobblestone road, finally free of the mud and dirt. The faint sound of rushing water greeted my ears.

A walled town came into view as we continued onwards, passing by fields of yellow and green. Wheat and potatoes from the looks of it. Judging by the thickness and length of the crops, it was going to be a bountiful harvesting season.

"Home sweet home!" Tov said. We had run out of beer yesterday, but he still stank as if he had just drank an entire barrel. To be fair to the dwarf, he did indeed drink an entire barrel, and another. When the villagers told us that we had at least two weeks of beer supplies, I couldn't help but think that they were joking. Two barrels as large as the ones they gave us should have lasted for a month, at least if it was only for the adventurers.

But I underestimated the capabilities of the dwarf; and promptly proven wrong. Two entire barrels. Gone. An impressive feat and a reminder that dwarves were, indeed, tenacious in their drunken addiction.

This would be my first time visiting a town after a few millennia of isolation. I would be lying if I claimed I wasn't feeling even the slightest bit uneasy