Evergreen, 27th of Rainwane, year year 179 BN

Path to Disceroa

"I can't believe it." Earl said right before he took a bite out of his loaf of bread. This was their first time eating today and no one was in a jolly mood, considering all they had to eat was bread. But, no one was going to stir up any trouble because of the lack of variety of food. They were close to the next town, a feat that none of them thought was possible.

It hasn't even been a full day yet, the sun was still there, even if it was setting.

His words caused Big Oar to glance at him. Big Oar already finished his meal, and drunk enough water for three people. He was leaning back against a tree in the open field they were in.

"Can't believe what?"

"That we are almost at the next town. Five days, you know that's how long it takes to walk there. And that is without any trouble, but this!" Earl waved his hand to showcase the area around them that they were in. "This is something else. We've only been traveling for more than half a day but here we are. You can already see the outline of Disceroa from here." Earl pointed at the city in the distance.

Big Oar remained nonchalant to Earl's excitement. His eyes scanned the horizon where Disceroa was located. "A verlpax does make a difference, doesn't it?"

Carl, who had been silent finally chimed in. "Yeah, but don't forget we also have that guy." Carl pointed behind him to where Benjamin was standing his eyes alert and ready for anything at any moment.

With him guiding them they have yet to run into any creatures, at least not any that were harmful.

Earl scoffed, brushing off Carl's words. "Oh, come on! Even without him, we'd probably do just fine on our own. All those stories we were told about how dangerous it is out here? A bunch of horseshit!" Earl refused to believe that Benjamin by himself was the cause of their safety. One person couldn't make such a difference, it was impossible.

Carl eyed Earl with a look that told him he was full of it. Both of them knew exactly how dangerous it was out here in the wild without the protection of the city walls. The monsters they faced year after year during the monster tide told them the horrors that awaited them. Carl was at a loss as to where Earl's bravado was coming from.

Big Oar's hands were itching, he was hoping to run into some beast out here and give it a good beating. Fighting them when they were restless and wild due to the monster tide meant nothing. What mattered was going toe to toe with one of them when they weren't driven by pure instinct. So he was disappointed when they did not encounter any.

"Maybe, but I thought we were going to do something about him?" Carl said in a whisper, just loud enough for his three friends to hear him.

The two of them knew who Carl was talking about. His name did not need to be said since he was the only one here with a large amount of money. Enough funds to hire them, buy a couple dozen items, and who knew what else. They knew that being a blacksmith was a decent profession, but was it so good that you'd be considered wealthy?

Big Oar glanced over to where Richard was sitting. The young man was odd that's for sure, he kept to himself for the journey so far and stayed in the carriage. Even now as he was eating Richard was sitting at the back with his feet dangling from the edge.

"We were, but the timing just never worked out." Big Oar said flatly.

Richard was always with someone or went to places none of them could go to. They had a simple plan but it never truly worked out, so they mostly tossed it aside. Until now when they were here on the road with the young man. He was protected by Benjamin but that protection would only last for so long. If they wanted to do anything, it'd have to be when Benjamin wasn't around.

Earl edged closer, subtly turning his back to the carriage, ensuring neither Richard nor Benjamin could see his actions.

"Is it still worth it? I mean, we're actually employed now, so why stop a good thing?" Earl's voice was low, tinged with uncertainty.

Carl, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, chimed in. "I'm not sure. I mean, if he keeps us on after this job, do we even need to... you know?"

Big Oar, silent until now, glanced at them with a hint of disapproval. "You're both forgetting, aren't you? Remember Sam? Worked us to the bone, he did. And then what? Dropped us like we were nothing, vanished into thin air. You want to put all our hopes on him?" He jerked his head subtly towards Richard. "Think he'll keep spinning us steady work?"

Earl, trying to lighten the mood, quipped, "Well, it's better than breaking our backs on the farm all day, right?"

But Big Oar wasn't in the mood for jests. His tone was firm, "That 'farm' of yours, it's been feeding you, giving us a little extra to sell. It's kept us afloat, along with the odd jobs we pick up. Don't dismiss it so lightly."

"Calm down, Big Oar," Carl said softly. "We're not dismissing the farm's worth. We're just considering the potential for something better. Our land, as you well know, is modest at best. It'll never yield enough to change our fortunes. But this job? It could be our ticket to expanding, to giving Martha and the kids a better life. Can you imagine Martha being able to choose from more than just those three gowns she owns?"

Stolen novel; please report.

Big Oar fell silent, the image of his wife in her limited attire lingering in his mind. They were simple clothes, worn and mended repeatedly. It was hard to buy more when they were struggling as is. She said it was due to his constant drinking, but he had to drink. It's how he relieved his stress, besides he was the one bringing home all the tales anyway. He should be able to do with it what he wanted.

"Alright, let's see how this job pans out," Big Oar finally conceded, his voice low. "But if it starts to go south..."

Earl jumped in, his voice laced with frustration. "But what if he cuts us loose early? Our pace is too fast, we'll reach Valewater in just a few days. We assumed we'd be gone for a month, maybe two, for this job. The shorter trip means less pay. We counted on this, and now..."

Carl scoffed, a note of bitterness in his voice. "Trust Roxanne to sell us a dream job. I should've known better. No more falling for a pretty face for me, that's for sure."

At this, both Big Oar and Earl exchanged knowing looks and couldn't help but smile. Carl's weakness for charming women was well-known among them, especially considering his fondness for Betty. Betty wasn't the best looking, but she had that captivating smile – and Carl, well, he had always been easily swayed by such charms, as evidenced by the string of women he'd been seen courting around town.

....

Benjamin's voice, always cold and detached, cut through the evening air. "We should set up camp here for the night."

Richard, recognizing the tone, set aside his map and stepped down from the carriage. Their journey had been surprisingly peaceful, encountering only benign creatures like the White Stag or Glimmerbuns. This world's equivalent of a deer and rabbit.

"Are you certain?" Richard asked, his gaze shifting to Dave, his verlpax. The beast yawned, revealing an intimidating array of teeth, more suited for crushing tough vegetation than for predation. Time had blurred during their travel, it felt like only a few hours, maybe less than half a day. He figured they could push on to Disceroa's border, avoiding any nocturnal predators.

Driving had become a monotonous task, lulling Richard into drowsiness, broken occasionally by the jolts of the carriage. The others had alternated between walking and resting in the carriage, continuing that until they had arrived here.

Richard found himself missing the comforts of his old world, particularly a radio. How he longed for the tunes of Earth, Wind, and Fire during these long drives.

Benjamin arched an eyebrow at Richard's query. "You questioning my judgment?"

"No, just noting there's still daylight," Richard countered.

Benjamin responded swiftly, anticipating Richard's concerns. "This area's safe – open plains, few trees, and, for reasons unknown, rarely frequented by creatures. It's ideal for an overnight stop." His tone suggested he was used to preempting such questions.

Richard had other queries, but Benjamin wouldn't know that.

"Moreover," Benjamin continued, glancing at the weary verlpax, "that creature needs rest. It won't be much good at nightfall. It's safer to camp here than risk traveling blind."

Richard glanced at Dave once more and nodded. Benjamin was correct in that regard, Dave needed his rest and would be helpless once the sunset.

"Alright," Richard conceded. "Tomorrow, we'll make stops at a few villages en route to Disceroa for supplies. I'm also keen to gauge the local situation, compare it to what I've seen in Evergreen."

Benjamin simply nodded but didn't say a word. The man didn't speak much from what Richard gathered so far, but when he did speak he had something to say.

Richard's plan for the villages extended beyond mere supplies. He hoped to trade some of the items he carried for extra cash, scouting for potential trading spots for their return journey. The key was understanding local demands and price points – a strategy he hoped would pay off.

As for Disecroa, Richard planned on visiting the tavern there, whichever one he came across first. Talking to Roxanne provided Richard with a bit of knowledge that he's forgotten. People who owned bars usually knew a lot about the ongoings in the city, because people liked to talk once they were drunk. It was the same way back in his world, and it's the same here.

He could still recall that time maybe ten or twelve years ago when he was minding his own business drinking his worries away when some stranger sat next to him. The man was drunk and his words were slurred, but he had a lot to say. Especially about his ex-wife and how she was a good-for-nothing nobody who only wanted him for his money. There were a lot of other words and names spoken about the woman, but that man was only one of man who talked about their problems.

"Not sure if that's the best idea. While the creatures, the fierce ones at least lessen on our way to Disceroa, there will be an increase in bandits and the like. A man such as yourself with a verlpax and this carriage." Benjamin nodded to the carriage that Richard came from. " Will be a prime target, and while I'd like to earn my keep, I'd also like to avoid killing the greedy if I can."

"Understood, but I still have to check those places out. You're not the only guard here, there are those three too." Richard motioned toward where Big Oar and the other two were located. They were circled around one another and seemed to be chatting, Richard couldn't really make out what they were doing since they were huddled so close.

His thoughts about those three were something, to say the least. The man named Earl always seemed to have questions about the carriage and Dave which was fine since Richard was ready to answer. While the large brute of a man was named Big Oar, and truly that was a unique name. Richard assumed it was just a nickname, but no, his name was actually Oar. The reason they called him big was due to his size, and he also had a son named after him.

As for Carl, Richard didn't have much to say about the guy. He was a bit on the cautious side at times and seemed to prefer hanging out with the other two more than communicating. It was at times like this he wished Gregor were here with him. At least then he'd have someone to talk to about... well anything.

Benjamin was okay, but the man was not one for speaking much. So traveling thus far has been pretty boring.

"I have my reservations," Benjamin admitted, eyeing the group. "The big one, Big Oar, he's clearly battle-ready. But the others, Earl and Carl, don't strike me as warriors. Relying on them might be a stretch."

"Be careful not to judge too quickly," Richard cautioned. "Appearances can be deceiving, and everyone has their own story."

Benjamin remained skeptical. His life experiences had taught him the necessity of swift and often harsh judgment, especially when it came to trusting others in battle. His preference for solitude in his work stemmed from a deep-seated distrust in others' abilities. He believed trust was a commodity best bought, and his numerous scars were a testament to that philosophy.

From what he could see, neither Earl nor Carl bore any scars indicative of real combat experience. Big Oar, however, with scars on his forearm and a missing piece of his ear, clearly had his share of battles. Whether his size was just for show or a true indicator of his strength, Benjamin couldn't yet tell.

Strength, he knew, wasn't solely about physical prowess. There were other, more crucial factors. Time would reveal the true mettle of Richard's companions. Benjamin could only hope that, if push came to shove, they would be up to the task.