The road didn’t really deserve the name as it was more of a dirt path, but it was several steps up from walking through the untamed forest. Edwin set a brisk pace, determined to test the limits of his new body. He figured that an ambush by the goblins was unlikely, as they had been quite far from the road when he last saw them, but he didn’t want to chance it by taking his time. If he did run into them after all, he figured that he would be able to outrun them as long as he spotted them in time. With that in mind, Edwin spent the morning tensely scrutinizing the woods along the trail, only relaxing when he had put a considerable distance between himself and the village.
After he stopped worrying about ambushes, the day was actually turning out to be quite nice. The fine weather was holding, and with his legs easily keeping the pace he set, Edwin simply enjoyed his trip through the countryside. The birds were frolicking about the treetops, small animals rustled through the undergrowth, and twice he even spotted a deer. Walter had never been very fond of nature, but Edwin thought he might just enjoy being outdoors.
Around noon, Edwin spotted his next waypoint through the trees: Miller’s Crossing. It was the market town for the surrounding villages, as well as the only good bridge across the small river that flowed down from the mountains in miles. Traffic and commerce had caused the town to grow, turning it into a real backwoods metropolis. The palisade was sturdy and in good repair, and the northern gate was manned by an armed watchman.
“Hail, traveler.” The guard called out as Edwin approached. He tensed for a moment, until he realized that the man didn’t intend to search him or pry into his background. He was simply bored and hoping for some gossip.
“Hail to you as well, good man.” Edwin put on a smile that he hoped to be easygoing – he still wasn’t used to the new face, and without a mirror he couldn’t really tell if he was charming or creepy. He wished he had practiced before he left the laboratory.
“Good day for the road, in’t it? Where ye out from?”
“It is that. I left Three Faces this morning and made good time.”
“Three Faces? Aye, ye must’ve flown! Ye really shouldn’t have started so early, it’s dangerous to travel in the dark.” As Edwin stopped next to him, the guard’s eyes widened a little when he realized that he only came up to Edwin’s shoulder.
I should probably stop telling people that. It’s starting to get annoying.
“Say, have you had trouble with monsters recently?” Edwin asked. “I’ve heard that it’s gotten worse lately. The headsman of Three Faces asked me to deliver a goblin bounty notice to the Guild in Pel Darni.”
“Goblins again? They really got it bad. Feels like the last adventurers just came back from there.” The guard scratched his scraggly beard. “We do, but the villages by the mountains are the worst off. Most of them can’t even really farm anymore, ‘cause they can’t leave to tend the fields on their own. We have enough people to only go out in groups, and our walls are big enough to make ‘em monsters not wanna try us. Just means they try snatching people off the roads instead or go even further south. Real pests, those gobbos.”
“Seems like it. I’m just glad I got here before they found the road. Maybe you could warn people going north?”
The guard looked a little offended at that. “Course I’ll do that! I been guarding this gate for years, keepin’ people safe. Don’t need ye ta tell me how ta!”
Edwin grimaced, raising his hands in a conciliatory manner. “I apologize, good man, I meant no disrespect. I’m sure a veteran such as you knows full well how to do your job, I was simply trying to do my part. I wouldn’t want anyone ending up over a cooking fire after all.”
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The guard calmed down at that. “Aye, yer right. I apologize, yer a good lad for wantin’ to warn people, I shouldn’t be snapping at ya.”
“No harm done, good man. I should probably get going.”
“Ye’ll want to rest after hurryin’ like that. The Riverview Inn has the best stew north of Pel Darni, and good, clean beds. Tell ‘em I sent ye.”
“Thank you for the tip, good fortune to you.” Edwin bid his goodbyes and continued through the gate. He had absolutely no intention of stopping here, having made good time and not feeling any fatigue. He was certain that he could make Pel Darni before nightfall if he kept up the pace.
Miller’s Crossing was strikingly different from Three Faces. Where the latter had been a random assortment of log cabins squeezed together inside a wall, the former was a proper town. Cozy looking homes, many of them with a second story, lined the straight, wide road. Somebody must have anticipated the growth the settlement would experience and had prevented newcomers from building wherever they wanted.
The market square was spacious, albeit empty. Market day was, apparently, not today. Still, several shops lined the square, dealing in everything from yarn and nails to wagon wheels and raincoats. For a moment, Edwin considered visiting a few of the shops to see if there was anything he needed. Then he shook his head and moved on. He would be in Pel Darni before long, where he could get everything on sale here and infinitely more. I’ve missed civilization. He realized. Time to get back to a proper city.
The bridge was wooden and well-kept, and shortly after crossing it, Edwin arrived at the southern gate. The equally bored guard didn’t spare him a second glance, and before he knew it, Edwin was once again surrounded by trees.
--- ----- ---
The rain caught up to him by late afternoon. He had been briskly walking without a break for hours, and finally started to feel it taking a toll, when the first drops fell on his head. Cursing, he pulled his cloak out of his pack, having stowed it early in the day. The wool was decent enough at keeping him dry, but the heavy garment caused him to sweat. At the same time, the road that had been easy and pleasant to walk minutes earlier was now half puddles and half mud. I don’t think I’m going to end up enjoying the outdoors after all, Edwin thought grumpily.
When he reached the imposing stone walls of Pel Darni, Edwin was thoroughly sodden and surly. The sun was just setting and the gate was still open, the guards manning it having retreated under the gatehouse. They waited until Edwin was out of the rain as well before they stopped him.
“Hail, traveler. What brings you to Pel Darni?” the older of them asked.
“Hail.” Edwin replied, taking off his hood and carefully shaking off some water. “I’ve traveled quite far to join the Guild and become an adventurer. Where would I find the guild house?”
“An adventurer, eh?” The older guard replied thoughtfully, as the younger one, barely a man yet, gave Edwin a dirty look. “You’ll find it easy enough, it’s in the city center. Follow this road until you reach the northern square, then turn right. That way will get you to the central square, and the guild house will be on the northeastern corner of that – on your left.” He hesitated, then added “If you’re looking for a place to stay, the northern quarter has plenty of cheap inns. The ones near the Guild are quite pricy.”
Edwin had to stifle a smile. To the guards he must have looked like a poor village boy, in the city for the first time in his life, carrying what little he could scrape together in his foolish attempt to become a famous adventurer. In truth, although he had taken only a small portion of Walter’s remaining money, he could have easily afforded an inn in one of the better parts of town. He wasn’t going to give himself away by living above Edwin’s standards, though, so he smiled and thanked the guardsman for his advice, heading into the city.
When Walter had been searching for a place to establish his secret laboratory, he had spent some time in Pel Darni. Edwin still couldn’t easily find his way through the city, but he knew the important places, and then some. For this reason, he could have found the guild house without any trouble – it was, after all, right on the central square – but now that he had finally reached the city, he needed to truly embrace Edwin’s personality. And Edwin had never been to Pel Darni before today. Also, Edwin was cold, wet and miserable and needed a bath, food and a bed. He considered delivering the bounty letter right away but decided against it. It wasn’t like adventurers would see it immediately and leave for Three Faces during the night. Tomorrow would be soon enough.
Edwin arrived at the northern square, and instead of turning right and heading south towards the main square, he continued east. After a few hundred meters he turned into a narrow street and quickly found himself before an unassuming, two-story building. With a smile he pushed open the door.