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[General POV / Mirewall Inn]
The inn smelled of smoke and roasted meat, the kind of lingering warmth that clung stubbornly to the wooden beams and heavy tables. Outside, the streets of Mirewall were slowly coming alive with the clatter of wagon wheels and distant voices, but inside, the party lingered over breakfast, their armor still carrying the subtle tang of blood from the last ambush.
Jake sat at the edge of the table, the dark leather of his Knight armor creaking slightly as he shifted. The Ring beneath his tunic remained quiet, inert, its presence only manifesting in the occasional flicker of the System’s unusual behavior. He reached out with a finger to request status, ignoring the stew in front of him.
---
[System]
STATUS:
Name: Jake
Level: 5
Class: Knight
Stamina: Medium
Health Stability: 100%
Active Buff: Blessings of Luck (Minor)
ATTRIBUTES:
Strength — 12
Agility — 18
Endurance — 16
Vitality — 17
Perception — 14
Willpower — 15
Luck — 8
Mana Capacity — 3
Mana Sensitivity — 9
Mental Stability — 100%
SKILLS:
- Pain Resistance (Tier 2)
- Basic Sword Handling (Tier 2)
- Tactical Assessment (Passive – Low Tier)
- Minor Body Reinforcement (Low Tier)
- Wild Anger (Growth Tier) [Dormant]
- Poison Slash (Tier 2 – Acquired)
[Arriving to guild will be rewarded]
---
Darian’s eyes swept the table, resting briefly on each of them.
“Reports from scouts indicate the western forest is still active. Beastkin forces are raiding supply caravans along the frontier roads. Our escort mission isn’t finished, not by a long shot.”
Alric leaned forward, hands clasped tightly.
“I assumed Mirewall was the end of this journey,” he said. “If the reports are accurate, the Beastkin are bold—far bolder than I expected.”
Serah stirred her tea, voice low.
“Bold doesn’t mean organized. They’re clever, but not strategic like soldiers. Still, if they’ve been raiding convoys, the risk is far higher than anticipated.”
Lysander, twirling one of her twin blades idly, raised an eyebrow.
The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
“Convoys or not, they’ll likely fight anyone on sight. The forest will be dangerous. And we aren’t the only ones trying to patrol it.”
Coren’s spear tapped against the table.
“I’ve fought Beastkin before. They strike quickly and vanish. If the reports are correct, they’re gathering somewhere deeper in the forest. Any supply line we protect could be attacked within hours.”
Alric exhaled sharply.
“Then we need to act. Mirewall is only a checkpoint.”
Darian nodded.
“Agreed. We should go to the Guild first. Ensure any reward for the escort is claimed and any reinforcement can be requested before we enter the forest.”
Jake chewed the inside of his cheek, considering. The System had hinted at the reward earlier with the Guild involved.
---
The adventure guild was a squat building near the market square, its sign swinging lazily in the morning breeze. Inside, the air smelled of parchment, wax, and polished wood. A clerk glanced at them as they approached the counter, noting the group’s armor and weapons.
Alric stepped forward.
“We have completed the escort to Mirewall. There was an ambush but we arrived safely.”
The clerk tapped on a ledger.
“Escort to Mirewall… yes. Reward available. However the guild master want to see you first, please go to the guild master office"
The party stepped through the guild hall of Mirewall arriving to guild master office.The guildmaster sat behind a heavy oak desk, fingers steepled, eyes fixed on the floor as if the reward they carried was a personal burden.
“You completed the escort?” he asked finally, voice flat.
“Yes,” the party responded in unison. “Alric reached Mirewall safely.”
The guildmaster let out a long sigh. “Hmph. Very well… the reward.” He slid a small pouch across the table. The jingling of coins echoed softly. “Twenty silver per person. That is all… for now.”
The party exchanged glances. It was enough, but his tone suggested there was more to come.
The guildmaster leaned forward, lowering his voice. “There’s another matter. The merchant route through Beastkin Forest has become… troublesome. Ambushes. Stolen goods. A real mess.” He tapped a map with a thin finger. “We had planned to post a notice, but… since you handled the last task efficiently, I expect you’ll take this one as well.”
The party stiffened. “This wasn’t part of the agreement,” Darian said, voice careful but firm.
“Consider it an opportunity,” the guildmaster said smoothly. “The reward will be higher this time. Complete it, and your guild standing will improve… you might even skip a rank others have to earn step by step.”
A quiet tension hung in the room. The party weighed their options: more danger, yes, but also more coins, better rank, and prestige. The guildmaster’s gaze bore into them, patient but insistent.
Finally, Darian the party leader nodded. “Fine,We’ll take it.”
The guildmaster straightened, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Good. Don’t disappoint me. The merchants are counting on you.”
Jake felt the System hum faintly.
---
[SYSTEM]
NOTICE: Previous quest assignment incomplete due to anomaly detected. Quest automatically finalized.
QUEST FUNCTION UNLOCKED
QUEST: Guardian of the Path
Objective: Escort Alric safely to Mirewall.
Details: Alric must reach Mirewall without falling into enemy hands. Stay vigilant, bandits and wild creatures roam the roads.
Requirements: None
REWARDS:
- Strength Attribute +5
- Shield (Rare): Aegis of the Dawn
Description: A round shield with a faint golden rim that glimmers at sunrise. Lightweight yet resilient, it bears subtle inscriptions of ancient protective runes.
Effects:
- Defense +15
- Passive: Minor damage reduction against Shadow-aligned or undead foes.
Info: "The shield that greets the first light, warding off darkness."
---
“Looks like we aren’t done,” Coren said.
“No,” Alric admitted, scanning the maps pinned against the wall. “Reports indicate the raiding points are in the Grimwood Forest… west of Mirewall, bordering the Beastkin lands. We’ll need to be ready for combat immediately upon entry.”
Lysander smirked faintly, spinning her blades in her hands.
“Combat? I was hoping for some quiet after the ambush.”
Serah shook her head, settling her staff across her lap.
“Quiet is a luxury. The forest is still active. The moment we step inside, we’ll be under watch by creatures we haven’t fully seen.”
Jake stood, adjusting his armor. The weight of responsibility pressed on him differently now, heavier than it had the night before. The Ring remained inert beneath his tunic, yet every instinct told him its influence had not vanished.
Darian cleared his throat.
“Gear checked. Spells ready. Supplies distributed. We move toward the forest at midday. Any last preparations?”
Alric hesitated for a moment, fingers brushing the map.
“Do we know exactly what we are facing? Reports are vague.”
Coren shook his head.
“No one can say. Only that it’s large enough to threaten supply lines repeatedly. Stealth and strength will both be tested.”
Jake glanced at the tavern door, where the morning sun cut streaks across the worn wood. He thought briefly of the System, the ring, and the uneasy feeling that the mission’s true danger had yet to reveal itself.
The group adjusted their packs, checked weapons, and set their pace toward the Guild exit.
From the corner of his eye, Jake caught a flicker of movement at the edge of the road, just beyond the first rows of twisted oaks. It was fleeting, deliberate, controlled—too precise to be a bird, too silent to be a Beastkin.
He paused for a heartbeat, instinct flaring, but the figure vanished behind the trees before anyone else could notice.
The Guild had already recorded the extended mission, marking it as active. The journey into the forest was no longer optional; it had become an urgent continuation of the escort mission.
Jake’s hand brushed the leather across his chest, feeling the subtle weight of the ring beneath. It was quiet, patient, but it seemed attuned to the shadow that had just observed them. Whoever—or whatever—moved in the forest, Jake sensed they were no ordinary foe, no casual observer.
The path ahead swallowed the morning light, the twisted trees forming natural archways that seemed to watch the party as they stepped forward, their boots crunching over fallen leaves. Something waited in the gloom, silent and unseen, but Jake knew it was already aware of them.
---
