“Do you have an extra I can borrow,” Sean asked, referring to the bows slung around Nick and Nate’s backs.

After Leopold had taken the Caravaneer, Lerel, to the barracks, Sean and the two huntsmen had walked over to the conjoining hunter shacks. They had agreed to accompany Sean on the journey around the domain, so they were gathering supplies for the trip.

“Of course, My lord,” Nate said–he was the shorter one with the blonde hair. “It’s only been a day or so, we’ve yet to go through all of our belongings, but I did spot a few strings and a spare bow.”

“Amazing,” Sean said with a smile. The familiar handle of a bow in his hands would be good for him. Sean needed something to take his mind off of everything plaguing it, and what better than a tool he was actually used to.

In some ways he was eagerly anticipating the journey into the woods. He wanted to see the land formations that were swirling around in his mind from the [strategist trait] in real life. Experiencing was different than imagining. And to top it off, there would be actual danger, a thrill he hadn’t experienced while hunting the forests near his home.

“I would also like to say I apologize for us leaving without your permission, my lord. We only left early because we wanted to do a quick scout of the area. Also, it was Nick’s idea.”

Nick added a rough grunt in assent, seemingly unbothered by the blame being placed on his shoulders. Sean didn’t care either way, but decided it might be good to play up the part of a benevolent Lord.

“It’s fine, but don’t let it happen again. Inform Leopold or me directly next time. I want all of the village to stay safe.”

He cringed as he made his voice deep and authoritative to deliver the words. He sounded like his father, but in a kiddish way that lacked any real threat of discipline.

“Man, I suck at this,” he mumbled to himself.

[Subject loyalty increased]

“Or maybe not.”

“What was that, my lord,” Nate asked.

“Nothing, just thinking out loud.”

The trio departed soon after toward the forest with supplies in bags and bows slung over their shoulders. Nick, the quiet brother, took the lead.

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“We’ve explored the outer edges to a good degree, the forest is teeming with life. We’ve seen traces of deer too, so the hunt should be good,” Nate said.

“Uhn-huh,” Sean answered absentmindedly. His mind was busy orchestrating what he liked to call the ‘progressions’ which was a special way to say breathing exercises. His dad had taught them to him long ago. Sean still did it every time he stepped into the wilderness; It was a good routine.

As his mind started to calm, reaching the focus the progressions were meant for, Sean started to get an abnormal amount of clarity. It was as if a fog had been lifted from his mind. Sean hadn’t even known there was fog to begin with.

“Do you hear that?”

Both Nick and Nate paused their walk, and turned back to stare at him. Sean had fallen behind the careful path Nick had been cutting with a knife–not a machete.

“Hear what specifically, my lord? The birds? The bugs?” Nate gave Sean a questioning stare.

Sean ignored the look and focused his mind. He was listening for the sound he’d heard previously, and after a second he heard it, a small hiss.

“Nick, jump back,” Sean shouted.

Nick jumped back and a bright pink snake leapt from the underbrush where it had been hiding. Luckily, the shout had come in time. The snake missed and Nick capitalized by tossing a small dagger attached to his waist at it, pinning it to the ground.

“That was close. Thank you,” Nick mumbled softly. Nick followed his dagger throw up, and got behind the snake to cut its head off.

“Close indeed. You have great sense, my lord. I think that’s a garden viper, they are not venomous but they do leave a nasty mark,”Nate said. “I would need to check the bestiary back at the shack to be sure though.”

“You have a bestiary book? Why didn’t you bring it?”

Sean didn’t even know it was possible for the hunters to read. As far as he could tell the whole world had reverted back to medieval times if you didn’t count the gifts from the system. He expected that beyond the mage everyone else would be illiterate. It seems that was not the case.

“The book is important, my lord. We can’t run the risk of losing while out for exploration.,” Nate said.

“Would you allow me to look over the contents once we get back. I want to know what creatures and possibly monsters I need to look out for,” Sean said.

“Of course once we get back,” Nate said. “Nick, are you all right over there?”

His brother was at work skinning the snake, and picking through the rest of its remains.

“Snake tastes good,” Nick mumbled again. The bigger brother almost never spoke louder than a whisper.

“We are in a rush. The lord wants to see all of his domain. Leave the snake alone,” Nate said.

“Just need a minute,”Nick replied without stopping his work.

They waited until Nick was done skinning and gutting the snake before they prepared to leave. Sean was happy for the small reprieve.

“Ok stuff that thing away and let's go. No more waiting,” Nate said.

They made their way deeper and deeper into the forest, every once in a while, spotting signs of brightly colored animals. Sean made them stop to look at most of them. He’d never seen regular animals with such exotic colors in a normal forest and not a jungle.

“It’s there,” Sean shouted, seeing a faint shimmer in the air of what could only be the boundary the system spoke of. He got a notification to confirm it.

[Quest completed: Bronze token awarded. The boundary is the same distance in every direction from the starter village core. It marks domain ownership and all benefits that may come with it, including deterrence of monsters. If a player steps out of their boundary any domain effects they have gained will be lost.]

“My lord, where are you going?”

“To see what’s on the other side of the boundary,” Sean replied. Adventure had called to him in the form of an image of a lake from his [strategist trait]. He had to answer.