The midday sun bathed Delocard in golden light, its warmth at odds with the chill that had settled in my chest. We'd spent the morning gathering supplies—sharpening blades, checking armor, and packing provisions. It might seem unnecessary for what is supposed to be a quick and easy job but I've learned over the past year it's better to be safe than sorry, adventuring is unpredictable. Yet as we walked through the cobblestone streets toward the town's edge, I couldn't shake the persistent unease gnawing at my thoughts.
Something about this job felt wrong. The old man's story, the location, the promised reward—all reasonable on the surface, yet together they formed a discordant note in my mind. I had no tangible reason to distrust the information, nothing I could point to as suspicious, just an instinct that had served me well in the past.
The busy marketplace thinned as we approached the outskirts of town. Merchants' calls and the buzz of daily commerce faded behind us, replaced by the occasional birdsong and the rhythmic sound of our boots against the dirt path. My companions chatted easily, their voices barely registering as I wrestled with my growing apprehension.
When we reached the town's boundary, marked by a weathered stone pillar, I stopped. My gaze drifted toward the distant treeline—dark and dense against the clear sky—while my thoughts remained tangled in uncertainty.
"Kai? You alright?"
Maya's voice cut through my reverie, startling me from my thoughts. I turned to find her studying my face, concern evident in her crimson eyes.
"Y-yeah, I'm fine..." I hesitated, then decided to voice my concerns. "Does something feel off to you guys?"
Her brow furrowed in confusion. "Off? What do you mean?"
I glanced between her and Rowan, searching for any sign that they shared my misgivings. Finding none, I dropped my gaze to the ground.
"I don't know. I just have a bad feeling about this job."
Maya stepped closer, her leather armor creaking softly with the movement.
"Well, if you don't feel right about it, we can find a different job," she offered, her tone gentle. "I'm sure the old man will find someone else willing to help him."
The suggestion eased some of the tension in my shoulders. "Yeah, maybe you're right."
"I don't know, guys," Rowan interjected, running a hand through his hair. "I really think we should help this poor old man out. He's having a hard time, and what's the worst that could happen? We turn back if it gets too crazy?"
I looked up at him, weighing his words. He was right, and I did want to help the old man I truly did I just… I don't know something isn't right.
"I don't know," I repeated, the uneasiness still coiled in my gut. "I really feel weird about this."
Rowan stepped forward, placing a reassuring hand on my back. The weight of it was comforting, solid.
"It'll be fine, Kai. You're thinking too much," he said with the easy confidence that characterized him. "Let's help this old man out. You'll feel better after. It's always nice to do something nice."
Despite myself, I chuckled at his words.
"Yeah, I guess you're right," I conceded, looking between my companions. "I'm thinking too much. Let's just go."
Rowan's hand thumped against my back with enough force to momentarily push the air from my lungs. "That's the spirit!" he exclaimed, turning to face the road ahead with renewed enthusiasm. He began marching forward with a confident stride.
I grinned despite my reservations and fell into step behind him, with Maya taking up position at my side.
The road stretched before us, a pale ribbon winding through fields of tall grass that swayed in the gentle breeze. In the distance, the woodland that was our destination loomed dark and imposing. My earlier trepidation resurfaced as I contemplated the shadows beneath those ancient boughs.
"These woods are awfully close to the city to be infested with monsters," I observed, breaking the comfortable silence that had fallen over our group.
Rowan, who had drawn slightly ahead in his eagerness, glanced back over his shoulder with a grin that crinkled the corners of his eyes.
"I doubt it's actually infested," he scoffed good-naturedly. "There were probably just a couple of monsters that made a nest in the forest, and the old man got so scared he ran out with his eyes closed." A soft chuckle followed his words, the sound carrying easily in the still air.
I found myself joining in his laughter, the tension in my chest easing slightly. Perhaps he was right. Perhaps my instincts were mistaken this time. We had, after all, faced and overcome numerous challenges in the last year. Our skills had grown considerably since those early days of our journey.
"We'll be fine," I reassured myself aloud. "We've gotten a lot stronger this past year. Whatever's in there, we can handle it."
The journey to the forest edge passed quickly, our path following the main road until we reached the tree line. The trees rose before us, their canopy casting the forest floor into deep shadow despite the bright day outside.
I pulled out the crude map the old man had drawn for us, studying the marked location. "It says on this map he got attacked not that far into the woods, so we won't have to venture too deep." I looked up at my companions, my expression turning serious. "But still, be quiet, vigilant, and ready at all times."
Maya and Rowan responded with stern, focused nods. The casual atmosphere that had accompanied our trek from Delocard evaporated, replaced by the focused alertness that came with entering potentially dangerous territory.
As we turned from the sunlit road toward the shadowed path that led into the forest, I couldn't help but cast one last glance back at the distant outline of the town. The sense of wrongness had faded to a dull murmur in the back of my mind, but it hadn't disappeared entirely.
With a deep breath, I followed my companions as they stepped beneath the ancient trees, the weight of my sword at my hip a familiar comfort. The forest enveloped us in its cool embrace, the sunlight filtering through the leaves in dappled patterns that danced across the forest floor with every breeze.
Ahead lay our objective, and possibly the source of my unease. Only time would tell if my instincts were trying to warn me of genuine danger or if they were merely the product of an overactive imagination. Either way, we were committed now. There was no turning back.