Falyn Elway’s P.O.V

I woke up under the shade of a large tree. Looking around I could see it was around noon. My stomach felt empty, my mouth dry, and the sourness of my muscles could still be felt from my soul enhancement form.

I instantly clutched the ground out of pure frustration and I felt each of my ten fingers dig themselves into the dirt. If I had just thought calmly, I could’ve beat that beast without using soul-enhancement.

I let my old emotions get the better of me and reacted like a pure fool.

I was a bit surprised with myself. How could seeing something I was so familiar with in my past life affect me so much?

I sighed as I tried to calm my head, It’s normal, just like in any other world. It’s just something I’ll have to get used to again.

“Ah, you’re awake,” Garrick said, as he walked over to me. “Here.”

He handed me and canteen and I immediately drank from it. “What happened after I lost consciousness?”

He sat down next to me, “You managed to kill the beast, and since then, you've been out. It’s been about a day.”

Sitting up I placed the now empty canteen on the ground, “What about Foxx?”

“He’s fine, resting up in the tent. He's taken losing an arm pretty well, I’d say.”

“That’s good.” My thoughts, then turned dark as I remembered what else had happened, “And Ryan?”

Garrick went silent for a moment, “I’ve buried him on the battlefield. It's what he would've wanted.”

“I see.”

He stood up and I could see Garrick was trying his best to put on a smile, “I’ll bring you some food over, you must be starving.”

“Thank you.”

As Garrick made his way back to the tent, I rested my head against the hard tree I was sitting beside.

‘You awake, buddy?’ I tried. But no answer.

It was to be expected, using Rye’s soul amplification didn’t only take a toll on me, but on him as well. He would probably be out for a couple of days.

Garrick eventually brought the food to me and after I ate, we rested for a few more hours before we decided to keep moving.

Once we did start continuing our journey, we were able to finally exit the forest and reach the town by midnight.

“Looks like this is it, Walker,” Foxx said, as we walked through the lantern-lit town. He took a pouch out of his spatial ring and tossed it to me. “The other seventy-five, as promised.”

“Thanks.” I said, putting the money in my own spatial ring, “What do you guys plan on doing now?”

“We’ll be dropping out merchandise off and heading off to Maradine.”

Maradine was the complete opposite way from Ara city. “Why there?”

“It's where the head family is located. We’re kind of on a time limit as well, if we weren’t, we wouldn’t have dared to step foot in that forest.”

I nodded, “I see. It was a pleasure doing business with you.”

“You as well.” He waved and then started walking in the other direction.

But Garrick stayed.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

“Thank you, for saving my life, Walker.” He said, then, he followed after Foxx, not even giving me time to respond.

And like that, they disappeared in the crowd of the rather busy town.

Turning, and thinking of my newly gathered coin, I decided to treat myself to dinner and a nice bed to sleep in for once.

I began looking for the nearest inn and it didn't take long to find one either. It seemed to be connected to some sort of tavern and noises of conversation could be heard from outside.

Walking in, I sat at the bar and was instantly greeted by a barmaid.

“Some water, bread, and whatever stew’s on the menu tonight”

“Coming right up.”

As the maid made her way to the back I began waiting for my food in silence, letting the chattering tavern aid as background noise.

Well, that was until some spoke to me.

“Just getting in for the night, stranger?” A woman who was also sitting at the bar asked.

Turning to her it was hard to tell if the women was a prostitute or an adventurer. She wore leather pants with with armor on her outer thigh area, but her top didn’t possess any armor at all, barely even cloth, exposing her cleavage. She had a wand strapped to her side so I guess she could pass as an adventurer, but I could never understand why anyone would wear such things into battle. “Yes, why do you ask?”

She took a sip of her drink, “Just making conversation. Where are you headed?”

I saw no reason to lie, and sitting in silence with a dark cloak on was sort of depressing, “Ara.”

“Looks like we’re headed than same way. You seem capable, do you mind if I ask you rank?”

The maid arrived with my food and drink, setting the steaming stew along with the hot bread in front of me. I took a drink of my iced water, “Bronze tier 1”

She frowned, “I had assumed somewhere in the silvers, but that's not too bad. You see, I myself am a silver tier 2”

I dipped my bread into the thick stew and dug in. Bursts of many flavors invaded my taste buds. This is really good.

“Slow down or you might choke.” She laughed.

Looking at myself for a moment, I realized I was eating like some sort of rabid dog.

“By the way, are you traveling with a party?”

Swallowing my food, I answered, “No. Are you?”

“No, but I am looking for someone to travel with, traveling alone is boring.” She looked at me for a moment, considering. “Would you be int-”

“I refuse.” I said, deadpan.

She looked taken aback for a second, gasping, “Such a firm refusal, if it were anyone else they would be offended. May I ask why?”

“Simple, why would you want someone you don't even know to travel with you. You don’t know if they're reliable or what they’re after, and by the status-quo i'm relatively weaker than you.” I turned my full attention to her, “So why would you even ask? What are you really after?”

She took another drink, “What can I say, a woman has needs, and I like a man who's cold.”

I scoffed, “I'm not looking to get seduced.”

She laughed, “But there is a reason I'm asking, and by the answer you just gave me, I can assume you’ve never been to this part of the kingdom.”

“What are you getting at?”

“On your way here you’ve encountered beasts you never would in the capital or further west, haven’t you?” She looked at my outfit, “By your tattered cloak, beat up boots, and ripped pants I can see you’ve already ran into your fair share of problems, but I can assure you it only get’s worse from here.”

I continued eating, but gestured for her to continue.

“You see, the kingdom can’t build a wall around the entire Lunar mountains, so here and there, beasts will leave the Lunar Mountains and find habitats somewhere in the east. Strong beast. It’s why city’s like Ara were created, cities of adventures near the Lunar Mountains to keep the beasts somewhat at bay. Every Kindom on the continent has a city like it.”

All this information was new to me, and I somewhat found myself glad she started this conversation.

She looked at me and tilted her head, “Have you never heard the saying, ‘The deadly east’ ?”

I shook my head, “No, I haven’t.”

“It's a saying used by adventurer's to scare off newbies. Although the east is dangerous, it’s where all the money is in the type of work.”

I never knew the east was such a dangerous place, given I grew up near here. “I see, so that’s what you want. You want to team up because you’ll have a better chance of survival that way.”

She nodded, “Just until we reach, Ara. And it goes both ways”

“Have you already tried to get other people to join you?”

“No, threes a crowd.”

I laughed, “So why ask me?”

“I can sense that you're strong, on par with me, maybe. I know ranks don't mean shit sometimes. Besides, that cloak you have on intrigued me, is there a reason you hide your face?”

“Well to hide my face, of course.”

She chuckled, “A man must have secrets, I guess I won't press the matter.” She cocked back the rest of her drink and lightly slammed the glass on the wooden bar, “Just think about my offer over night. I’ll be at the town's exit by noon tomorrow, find me there if you accept.”

I nodded, and she left.

After finishing my food I thought about the women's offer. The new information she gave me did suggest that teaming up would be best, but could I just trust her words like that? Hell, I met her in a bar. I didn’t know her skills or specialties either.

Her mana core didn’t seem too threatening, so if we did decide to team up, she could be dealt with if things went south.

Deciding to think over it in a good night's rest. I lifted my bowl up and finished the rest of my stew, then left the bar.

Buying a room for the night, I plopped straight into the neatly made bed and shut my eyes until my mind fell asleep.

I didn’t even get her name.