It’s been about three days since the battle ended. Right after the battle everyone went back to the barracks, with whatever prisoners they found. Every person taking part in the battle was exhausted, but the good news of a victory uplifted the remaining townsfolk. The village hadn’t recovered yet to a point where they can make a celebratory festival, but everyone around is certainly nagging the mayor to make a date for it. He promised to put it in priority, but he’s more concerned about rejuvenating the state of Coppercamp to that of twenty years ago when it was a small hub for nearby villages to come together and shop, and an attraction for merchants and bards for it’s beauty and history of as well as the crowd.

In these past three days Fren and Gregory spent their time at the inn and walking around Coppercamp. Many people recognized both after the battle everywhere they went, Fren for his bravery and power used to save guards from being overwhelmed and holding the line, and Gregory for his healing magic during and after the battle, and of course his contribution against the bandit leader. Both Fren and Gregory were compensated for their help to everyone, they stayed at the Linden inn free of charge and had some good meals, they were given new clothes too. They were swamped with visitors regularly coming to say thanks and bring them food so much that they decided going out to meet them would be less of a hassle. They visited many houses, one house in particular they came back to see was Ruby’s house.

The old house with rotten wood and dusty floors, the fallen ornaments and the holes for little creatures to crawl into, all of that changed. It took a few talented craftsmen, but Coppercamp had plenty of those, and now with them back in business due to the bandit extorters gone they decided to jump back into the trade with a charity gift to the Red and Purple eyed girl who delivered them from the bandits. The hole in the wall was fixed of course, the wooden planks were replaced, the ornaments were tied up again too, the bed of a thousand crawling nightmares was incinerated and a new bed was placed instead. Fren and Gregory were astonished when they went to visit there. It’s like a completely new house.

Ruby on the other hand spent little time at her house. After the battle she slept at the barracks and when she woke up and healed she got into the business of meeting everyone. Even the most skeptical of neighbors came around after learning of the fight, and those who were still not impressed were shouted down by Carola, who seemingly took her in. Not only did she save him from certain death but he also learned that Ruby helped the battle unbeknownst to anyone even before it had started by intercepting the bandit supply runners. All this and more led him and the guards at the scene to accept her as one of their own, and protect her from any prejudice.

Fren and Gregory now, on the third day, are finally ready to leave and head to their original destination of Mandoza. They packed for the trip, the tailors worked hard and actually managed to sow a secondary robe for Gregory, and Fren also got some ordinary shirt and pants while his armor was being mended, he doesn’t have to wear it at all times, but he does anyway under the normal clothes. They walk out of the inn, saying goodbye to Bob and Shaila, politely refusing to stay for lunch. The two walk down a path to the center of town where they first met Carola and his frowny face, it’s changed a lot the past few days, a lot of stalls are open and the central plaza looks like a central plaza should, not quite bustling like a market should but with time perhaps. They recall how dead it looked, and how suspicious and depressed everyone looked when they arrived, barely anyone outside. How different it is now with so many people out and about, rebuilding, upgrading their shops, returning to work, preparing for the mountains of travelers they assume will now flood the Plaza and all around.

They trail onwards and beyond the barracks where they exchange hellos with the guards they met during and before the battle, everyone they meet has something nice to say on their way with their large backpacks.

At the barracks lawn they stop at the newly erected post with names of those who lost their lives at the battle. They pay their respects by reading their names in their heart. Gregory healed anyone he came across, but there were some in the battle he couldn't reach. Fren knew some of them, helped them train in the days before the battle, and even tried to defend some during it. They both shed a tear, it’s enough to make them wonder for a while if they made the right choice in involving themselves with the troubles of Coppercamp, they talk a bit about some of the people who died, some of their friends who lived, how the people are grateful and happier now, even with the losses. It’s clearer now that it was the right choice, but not without sacrifice. It’s time to move on.

Then they walk past the mayor's place, the town hall, where the mayor, Carola and Ruby are having a conversation standing in the middle of the road. Ruby was totally awkward in the beginning, she hadn’t talked to anyone in so long, and was afraid of everyone still thinking she’s a demon, but she was proven wrong. Carola had something to do with that of course, he told everyone what she did, and that they were all wrong about her. She went around meeting some people, but her mind is sharpest when she has a target, she’s been spending plenty of time trying to figure out how to improve the village, for that she had several talks with both Carola and the mayor as of late.

“We can talk to Torta’s camp about it, and the other villages too.” Ruby is raising a point about the subject of their conversation.

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“Trota’s camp is in no place to trade with, we need something bigger.”

“Now, mayor, Ruby thinks Trota’s camp is a good trade ally and I agree, they are the closest place to us.” Carola weighs in with his frown and a ruffle of his mustache. “We need to start some kind of silver exchange and-” He notices Fren and Gregory “What are those packs for?!”

“We were just going to the stables, we do need to go back to our journey.” Gregory replies, both he and Fren have an awkward grin. Carola’s yelling always sounds like he’s angry, and now it sounds like he accuses them of sneaking away.

“You can’t just up and leave us! Come here and say goodbye like a man!” Carola beacons them with his hand, his frown is not completely gone but you could imagine a smile under his mustache, it is very difficult to do that though.

“We need to be-”

“Moyar, these are the brave souls who won us the battle, along with Ruby here of course.” he taps her on the shoulder.

“Then I am very grateful I must say,” the mayor moves in to thank them. “ You did us a wonderful service. We were just thinking about our next movement.”

“We need to revive the trade around Coppercamp, a trade with the local villages is best-” Ruby adds but the mayor interrupts her.

“The local villages are not enough, we need more than that. Fort ray is a better choice, we need to add powerful allied towns.”

“We still argue on that…” she explains after showcasing it.

“I’m glad to see that you’re so active with the village now.” Fren says and smiles at Ruby “I’ve seen your house, it’s renovated, looks a lot better now.”

“Yeah, it’s fixed now. I still find it hard to sleep in but…” It reminds her of her past, the painful past she endured, and what she had done. “But anyway, are you two going to move on now? Not staying a little more? You did all this, and you're not going to enjoy it a little?”

“We have a special task from the inner circle paladin's very own Allous, we can’t afford to lose any more time.” Gregory proudly exclaimed, reminding himself of some important details “Oh Mythos! I forgot, she said to meet her there, Fren, do you think we’re going to be late?” Gregory remembers Allous telling him to meet up at Mandoza, he dares not get on her bad side, she is his superior after all.

“I’m sure she’ll understand if we tell her what happened. But we do need to hurry.” Fren probably also remembered his own mission, to save Duhndale from the threat of the unsealing monster. The seal could be undone any day according to the village elder.

“Hold on,” Ruby tells them before they start saying their goodbyes. “Even if you do… before you do that.” She hesitates for a moment, but shakes it off and steps forward to Fren. “Before you go, I wanted to give you something.” She shoves a hand into her pocket and takes her old eye patch out. “Here, I don’t need this anymore. It’s for you to remember me by.”

“I was going to complain about not getting anything, but now I'm glad I didn’t.” Gregory remarks

“You! Stupid idiots don’t deserve anything.” She gets upset quickly.

“He was only joking, Ruby.” Carola tries to cheer her up, but with his demeanor it looks like he tried to boringly explain humor to her.

“I know, shut up.”

“I’m sorry I don’t have anything to add to that, as mayor I thank you but as it stands now-”

“Don’t worry, the villagers accommodated us plenty. And this guy is a priest, I don’t know if he should be accepting rewards.”

“That’s for granted, everyone around thanked you, but you deserve more!” Carola doesn’t really understand the word accommodate, “If you ever come back around here, as long as I’m in charge of the guards you’ll have a home here at Coppercamp.”

“Fren!” Ruby has one last thing to tell him “I showed everyone my secret eye, people aren’t as bad as I thought. You can do it too.” Ruby waves goodbye to Fren and slightly confused Gregory.

“You have a secret eye too, Fren?” He asks him on their way to the stable. It has been on Gregory’s mind for a while that the two know each other but not very much. They spent time together and laughed and recently cried together, but they aren’t really aware of where they each came from.

“Everyone has their secrets.”

“You could tell me.”

“But then it wouldn’t be a secret.” Fren grins, but even though Gregory gets the joke he isn’t laughing “Look, I’ll tell you soon, let’s first get on a carriage, then we can share our secrets.” Does he really mean that though?

They reach the stable, a young man taking care of the horses arranges a closed carriage to take them away, he didn’t know they were the heroes of the battle, and even though one is a priest he isn’t bright enough to connect the dots. Eighteen silver stones is the fee but they get an actual carriage this time. A compartment with seats and a driver outside with two horses, as fancy as it gets around Copper camp.

“So, I’ll start, My name is Gregory Engillian, My father’s name is Harvey and my mother’s name is Elenor…” Gregory starts to explain about his past on their trip to the city of Mandoza.