Chapter 14: Resting and intrusive thoughts

The team arrived at Willowgrove, a small village surrounded by vast fields of tall grass, rolling hills and a nearby river that flowed peacefully. They were greeted by Aric, the village chief, who welcomed them with open arms and offered them a place to stay for the night.

However, Kargath, the leader of the team, was not pleased with the initial pay that was offered. "This is not enough," he complained to Aric, "the information you gave us was wrong and the pay of 5 gold coins would have to be doubled, as we all could've died due to your negligence." Aric, shocked by the demand, tried to negotiate with Kargath, but the leader was not budging. In the end, they agreed to pay 2 gold coins more, bringing the total to 7 gold coins, which was very unusually seen in an outskirt village like Willowgrove, but the village chief explained that everyone came together to pay for it, as the Worg problem was hindering their trading routes. The currency system in this world worked like this: 100 bronze coins equaled 1 silver coin, 100 silver coins equaled 1 gold coin, and 100 gold coins equaled 1 platinum coin. The average person needed 1 silver coin per week to live a normal life.

After the heated discussion, Aric offered the team a place to stay for the night and the chance to rest and heal their wounds. As they settled into their rooms, the healer Zara offered to heal everyone's wounds. "I can take care of all of your injuries," she said, her voice filled with concern.

However, the rest of the team declined, insisting that they were only minor injuries and that Zara should focus on restoring her magic instead. "It's just a bruise," Raven said, waving off her offer. "I'll be fine." They told her that she should user her magic when it was truly needed. Zara, understanding their reasoning, nodded in agreement and decided to rest for now.

As they settled into their beds for the night, they all had different thoughts and emotions running through their minds. Kargath was pleased with the new pay, Zara was focused on conserving her magic, and Thorne was conflicted about Raven's potential. Despite their differing thoughts, they all rested well, knowing that they had a new day ahead of them and the potential for more adventures to come.

On the following day, Thorne sat alone on a bench in the centre of the village far away from the inn and was conflicted as he thought about how fast Raven progressed. Although Thorne was still stronger, he knew that Raven's potential ceiling was much higher. Thorne was also feeling a sense of jealousy, as he didn't want Raven to overtake him. He began to scheme up a plan, hoping to slow Raven down. He knew that he had to act fast before Raven became too powerful.

Thorne's thoughts were interrupted by Aric, who approached him. "You seem troubled. What is on your mind?" Aric asked.

Thorne hesitated for a moment, before speaking. "I was just thinking about Raven. He's been able to progress so fast, even though I'm still stronger. It's just...confusing," Thorne replied.

Aric nodded, understanding Thorne's concerns. "It seems like Raven is a talented young man with a bright future ahead of him. You should embrace his growth instead of fearing it. The two of you could work together, and push each other to become even stronger," Aric said, trying to reassure Thorne.

Thorne listened to Aric's words, but he was still not convinced. He was still unsure of what to do, but he knew that he needed to act fast. In his mind Thorne decided to provide Raven with false information on how to progress, hoping that it would slow him down.

The team stayed in Willowgrove for a few days, resting and recovering from their battle. They were grateful for the hospitality of the villagers, and the rest was much needed. When they were ready, they set out on their next adventure, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

As they left Willowgrove, Thorne was still conflicted, but he knew that he had to do what was necessary to protect his place as the strongest in the team. Whether it was the right thing to do or not, Thorne was determined to do what was needed to maintain his position.