Adventurer 1

Win walks throughout the night. He knew he would need to leave in the night so he left. He knows he’ll need to find somewhere to sleep eventually, but he does not know where. He knows that the city closest to the manor would never work. There are too many soldiers there, he would definitely get caught. And even without the soldiers, he resembles his father quite strongly, and he might get caught just based on that. While he knows the map of the Lufian territory well, understanding it now that he’s out and about is another question entirely. He knows he’ll need to find one of the smaller villages, but he has no idea how long it will take. But moving forward is all he has. It’s all he can allow himself to do, so he has no other option but to walk under the canopy of the forest, the stars in the sky shining through the small gaps in the leaves.

After hours of walking, just as Win begins to feel his focus drift in exhaustion, he finds a tall wooden wall. He’s tired enough to where he can no longer think entirely straight. With his hood pulled further to better cover his face, he finds the proper entrance to the village, even while he would be able to jump the wall with ease.

At the village gate stands a scrawny man, always looking around in the dark with sleepy eyes. He holds a spear weakly and uneasily. Although Win is the one who has been walking all night, it’s clear that this man is the more tired between them. Win, wearing so much dark clothing, seems to suddenly appear out of the shadows. The man jumps back and starts shakily pointing his spear at Win.

“I-Identify yourself!” Win tries to make his voice gentle, with the same tenor that his mother always had towards him.

“My name is Win. I’m a traveller. Would it be alright if I rested inside your village for the night?”

“O-Of course not! For all I know you might be here to destroy us! No way am I letting you inside!”

“I promise you that I would never hurt the people of this territory.”

“And why should I believe you?”

“I suppose that’s true. People are the sorts of fools that betray each other. Is this village being threatened by someone?”

“Well, nobody but the Witch, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be the start of it.”

“At the very least, I’m no witch. Can you please let me stay the night?”

“No can do. Visitors in the night are not to be trusted. I’m sure that something terrible will happen soon, and no way am I letting you do something like that.”

“Sir, you’re too tired. I’ll let you keep me tied and bound, so why don’t you let me inside and rest for the night.”

“Well, I guess that would be alright.” The man takes out rope from a pouch on the ground beside him. He begins to tie it around Win’s body, though the knots are sloppily made.

“Thank you, sir.”

The man leads Win inside the village. Win had assumed it would be quaint, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. There are people everywhere, loud and celebratory. As with Win, they all carry weapons. Win quickly figures out who they likely are.

“This village is a common stop for adventurers, sir? No wonder you were so suspicious of me. I’ll become an adventurer tomorrow morning, and you’ll never need to worry about my identity again.” The man doesn’t say anything.

The man stops at a building, clearly just an ordinary home, and opens the door. He ushers Win in, then enters himself. There’s nobody else inside.

“Is this your home, sir?”

“That’s right. I can watch you better like this.”

“I see. What’s your name, sir?”

“I’m Ward the Lesser.”

“I’ll go to sleep now, Mr. Ward. Please get some rest yourself.”

Ward points at a small cot against the wall. Win goes and lays in it, wrapping himself in his cloak. He turns away from Ward, but does not immediately go to sleep. He finally has some time to organize his thoughts.

“They have so many adventurers around but they’re making some random guy guard the village? He shouldn’t even be training for it, he’s obviously not made for this. What a damnable world this is. They just sit around and do nothing, only using their strength for their own self gain. It’s like they have nothing to believe in. That’s just human nature I suppose.”

He can feel Ward looking at him. He hates the feeling. Win wishes he would just trust in him and go to sleep. His paranoia is pure folly. He wouldn’t be able to do anything, but he’s not even strong enough to realize that. Win doesn’t even know what there is to be suspicious of. If he wanted to destroy the village he simply would have done so. It’s folly for him to believe these walls are so strong. Win hates how foolish this man appears.

After an hour or so of laying there in silence, Win feels Ward’s eyes leave his back. Win goes to sleep, already irritated by the thought of dealing with adventurers come morning.