Harold considered how the trip had gone as a whole, now that they were walking up on the Brunner farm from the opposite direction. It must look strange; them returning so soon and with some weirdo in tow. They were bound to have to answer a lot of questions. Shit, I just really hope Livia and Kalle take the lead on the harder ones.

There was no denying they had learned a lot, not the least of which was some portion of what their children's children's children's children were getting up to. Why do I have a headache?

But the question remained; what Brunner and the rest of the people who had seen them off, not to mention Kalle's old folks back home, would have to say about it all. The return did also stir up thoughts about his father, Ronald–and Harold was sure that Oscar was having similar thoughts. How could he not, with them returning home but not going to stay at their childhood house.

But even if they no longer had the Hare's Retreat to return to, they did still have the silver that the sale had earned them, which was certainly added security.

But then again, if they started dipping into that then it posed the question of how they would fund their trip in the spring. Harold did think about these things often, but when no solution sprung to mind; he made sure not to dwell on them. If he didn't have an answer then he was sure one would materialize eventually, one way or another, or something more important would come up. The point is not worrying, since when has that ever been the solution?

Their fellowship, with the recent addition, made sure to holler properly when they came within distance of Brunner. It took a minute but the old [Hatchet Arborist] soon came within sight and waved at the group with a big smile on his face.

"Returning so soon, and with a friend in tow, or is it a trader?" When no answer was readily available he tried lightening the mood. “Did she sell you that toothy new outfit of yours, Harold? Hah. Gotta say it suits you. Somehow.”

The whole group had been thinking of how to answer these things, but for some reason they had not discussed it and now nobody really took the lead.

Oscar was the first to figure out why Livia was being hesitant. "Hi Brunner, it's a long story but we will tell you all about it, this is Livia who saved us from a group of mosswolves,"

The words widened Brunner's eyes considerably. "It wasn't near here was it, such beasts should be weeks out… But then again, they do roam at times,"

A large enough pack, led by an evolved alpha, was potentially a threat even to Brunner and if there was trouble he would need to prepare and maybe even call up the rest of the gang from Salcret to back him.

Oscar reassured him quickly though: "No need to worry, it was dealt with thanks to Livia here, we don't know of any more threats,"

That calmed the man, but he was still visibly thinking. "We should probably send some messages and see if the other villages have heard news of attacks."

They were ushered into the familiar farmhouse after that and Livia got a chance to relax in a proper house for a couple of minutes, which was something she sorely needed, before more questions needed to be answered.

They even got a proper meal while they sat, as was custom at Brunner's house.

When he heard the rest of their story Brunner was amazed at how much had happened in just a few short weeks, as were the lads now that they were back home and the reality of it all got put into perspective.

Thinking back; they'd had plenty of days where nothing happened, but then what felt like three adventures mashed into one in a matter of days. But the shame the boys felt when recalling their mistakes, how they'd exhausted themselves right before entering the most dangerous area on the journey, how they had even likely attracted the beasts by using their Campguard stone way past when it was advisable... Even the mistakes during the actual combat.

But Brunner was not someone who believed in dwelling on things, he was similar to Harold in that way. Instead he focused in immediately on what could be improved, aiming his words at Kalle first. "What have you learned about your wailing Spell then," He gave the lad an encouraging nod.

The lad seemed surprised to be addressed so pointedly, but there was barely any hesitation.

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Kalle took a deep breath and answered in a rush. "That I control its focus completely, and only my own experiences can fuel what my Spell does, my imagination is the limit and my experience limits my imagination,"

Brunner was nodding along. "Maybe not how I would have put it, but certainly close enough to the mark. I never told you what I felt back then when you hit me with it, what type of attack made me break down when I was so sure I was ready for anything you lads might throw at me, but I will tell you now…"

The whole room was hanging on his next words. "Disappointment, a profound sense of disappointment in myself, in my inadequacies and my failures to prepare for what the world would throw at me. I'm pretty sure our mindsets resonated and you hit the button, because I was broken inside for a minute."

The words stunned his audience, but the honest moment was revealing. About Brunner certainly, but about his Spell too.

Kalle responded after another minute had passed. "Yes. I see how that could be. My worst pain before this trip was the sense of failure I felt when my mother died. Even though there was no logical reason, or thing I could have done to help, I remember feeling like a failure, for a thousand reasons that made no sense. If I had been older, if I knew great magic, if and if and if. And then just fearing weakness, fearing to try and fail. I guess I put all that into my Spell."

Brunner had been observing with glistening eyes as he spoke, but now he shook it off and clapped Kalle on the back. "Hit me right in the spot, but it doesn't work so well on wolves, now does it?"

He delivered the words with his characteristic uproarious laugh, which startled their puppy; and with the heavy mood broken, the others could not help but chuckle along. "But now you've got something else to attack minds with, don't you?"

When Kalle understood what he meant it all finally clicked and he suddenly knew how he could make his whole Class more powerful. "I'm going to burn them," The dark words did not match with the gleeful expression on Kalles face.

But Harold and Oscar were smiling too. They knew that it wasn't the prospect of inflicting pain, but just the figuring out his Class and feeling hope for the future that made Kalle smile so creepily, but the contrasting words and expression caused another bout of laughter despite the fact.

Eventually Livia interrupted the morbid topic and casually mentioned how Oscar and her both had their birthdays just the other day. This of course made Brunner break out the prime apple drinks; and after sharing a lovely, warm evening the group all got properly sauced.

The only one not taking the opportunity to truly relax yet was Harold.

Instead he took the first chance he got, to go talk to Brunner alone out by the latrine; he wanted to see if the man with such a much more highly leveled nature affinity Class had some advice on figuring out Harold’s highest tier Spell, [Voidthorn's Grasp].

It had sounded so simple when Harold first saw the words, but all his supposedly greatest Spell did was drain his entire magic pool to summon what looked like heavily overgrown rose bushes, but not of a kind nor speed even close enough to justify the exorbitant cost for use in combat.

"Huh, Voidthorn, I can't say I've heard of it. Certainly sounds magical," Brunner spoke thoughtfully while Harold was standing there, sloshed and nodding at the words.

"One thing is for sure, a lot of [Druid] Spells are based on some plant or animal, and having a relationship with said creature always improves the use of the Spell in every way." Harold was confused by the words, but did see how it explained his poorly working Spell. "If you don't have the magic pool yet to create the real thing from scratch, then you'll need to use the Spell as a sort of summon instead, and the more similar your summon to the original intent of the Spell the less friction between your blueprint and Casting; so you avoid causing the cost to launch off into the sky," Brunner was tipsy as well but he nodded at his own words, looking like he had done an old teacher proud with the short lecture.

That old mentor would have been rolling in his grave.

Harold had forgotten it all by morning.