Could really use a horse...

Our walk didn't take long but it was enjoyable for what it was. Yura gave me some advice on traveling in the countryside. What areas to avoid, what ones were safe. What animals to watch out for, and which to trust. The advice didn't take much to understand and I was thankful for them no matter what. She was kind enough to give them, so the least I could do was keep it all in mind. Especially since I would be alone for the coming future. After a short while we finally reached the outskirts of the village. We stopped at the gate and she lead me around the southern side of the wall. Giving a brief explanation as to where I was going. She couldn't tell me much but it was something more than what the map provided.

Finally we came to a stop at the far southern edge. Several paths converged into a rather confusing fork in the road. "Though there isn't a gate, this has become a sort of go to spot for meeting with clients for outside work. Most the other settlements are south of us, so it just makes sense."

Looking around I noticed that the only thing within sight was a few seemingly empty guard towers. Most likely in the middle of shift change. I adjusted the bag and lifted my gaze to the sky. Clear and beautiful. Even with the sun slowly rising from the east, I could still see countless stars. No pollution to dilute the incredible beauty of the universe. For the first time since my awakening I felt as if I could live. Like I wasn't in some fever dream. That I could truly live in this strange and fantastical world.

The next thing to catch my gaze was the woman next to me. Tall, beautiful, sexy beyond belief, kind and caring. Yura truly was a spectacular woman. With my free hand I reached out and pulled her into me. Catching her off guard since she too was staring into the sky. Before I could lose the courage I planted my lips on hers. My arm wrapped around her waist. After a moment i felt her own rise to pull me into the embrace as well. Her soft lips and the softer moan that escaped her only made the moment all the more pure.

Finally, after oxygen became a need, she pulled away. Smiling widely as she met my eyes once again. Licking the taste of ale off my lips, "For good luck. I'd wish for more, but that would just take up the entire day. Besides, I think you gave me a very pleasant time yesterday. When I get back we can work out another payment, or maybe I could take another loan."

She pulled me back into another, quicker, kiss. This time pushing me away herself after only a moment. "Next time you'll have me for the entire day and night. Now get moving, you've got a lot of ground to cover. I'd give you something to ride, but you'd just break its hip. Go, you'll have a little welcome back party when you return." With a smack on my ass, something I really wasn't expecting, she bid me farewell. I glanced back after a few hundred feet and she was still standing their smiling and watching me leave. I suppose it felt good to have someone see me off.

So the first real step in my adventure started. It took my a while to make my way through the cleared area. Small garden plots dotted the roadside, likely accidentally planted by falling off of carts. Either way I did 'steal' a few tomatoes that I lazily ate as I walked. Similar to cherry tomatoes but more sweet. A nice treat to enjoy while on the road. The bag slung over my shoulder wasn't the most comfortable, mostly due to the wooden base at its bottom. The sword on my hip slapped my leg, the dagger doing much of the same. Despite the minor discomforts though, it wasn't a bad morning.

I continued to walk for most of the morning. Once I reached the forest it became more difficult to gauge what time it was. The heat, however, set in quickly. Not until I saw the sun high above me did I realize it was noon. I had walked for nearly seven hours, and I barely felt any exhaustion. Another thing I could thank Eros for. Taking my first real break I decided to look around for anything to eat. With my little funds I didn't have much left over to buy rations. Thankfully, in a world so wild, it didn't take me long at all to find a large patch of strawberries. Large, ripe, and juciy. So I laid back on a mossy rock and enjoyed the fruits of my hunt.

Around thirty minutes into my lunch break I could hear branches snapping and the grass being trampled. Jumping out of my relaxation I drew my sword. After fumbling with it for a few seconds...

Not twenty yards from me came a huge hulking mass. Easily four, five, six, times my size. Massive and astounding, a bear came to enjoy the same berries I had. It's fur was unlike what I had grown used to. It wasn't black, or all brown. Instead it had white stripes along its back. Similar to a tiger in a way, save for brown instead of orange. It's snout was also shorter than any bear I had seen. It didn't occur to me until later that it looked a great deal like a short-snouted bear from the ice age. I kept quiet and my sword between me and the massive beast. Instead of acknowledging me, however, it simply munched in the available berries. Breaking entire branches off as it took down the leaves and fruits all at the same time.

The bear and I continued to have our little standoff for a long while. The bear, not caring about me in the slightest, or maybe not wven knowing I was there. While I was too scared to dare move. I wasn't stupid enough to think I'd stand a chance with such a beast. A single swipe from it's massive paws would reduce me to a red mist. Something I wasn't exactly keen on experiencing. Our standoff continued until the bear had finally had its fill. However as it turned to leave it finally acknowledged I was there. Staring at me for a short moment before going about its day. It knew I was there, the entire time, it simply didn't care. Perks to being the biggest and the baddest, I assumed.

With my pants thoroughly soiled I decided it was best to keep moving. I continued to snack on the berries until they ran out. It wasn't a very fulfilling meal, but it was good enough for me. I knew that if I kept walking I'd eventually come onto the river once again. Thanks to Yura's map I knew I could simoly follow it for a long while before having to cross the next day. I decided to camp on the shore that night. After trying, and failing, to catch any fish, I also tried, and failed, to start a fire. Thankfully it was still warm enough, and dry enough that I didn't need to worry about getting sick. The sweat wasn't fun, though.

The next day was much of the same. I woke up before the sun had a chance to burn my retinas, I snacked on a few more tomatoes that I had stowed away, and I lost track of time as I walked. Before I knew it I had reached the waterfall that was to signal the time to cross. Just as the instructions said, the water was actually more shallow at the water's edge. So I was able to make my way over with minimal difficulty. I only slipped once. Maybe twice.

Once again I walked until the sun had reached it's peak. At that point my feet had begun to hurt. Though, it wasn't really pain. From what I could tell Eros had dulled my pain receptors some how, while leaving the pleasure ones intact. I didn't understand it, nor cared to. It did concern me however that I might not have known about any injuries. When I finally stopped for the day I checked myself over. Thankfully finding no pain or broken toe bones anywhere. A few ticks that were unpleasant to remove, but nothing concerning.

The night came on quicker than I cared for but as the sun began to sink to the west I finally caught sight of the small village I had been looking for. Several farmers still tending to their livestock or women and children organizing grain or vegetables. As I walked up on of the men came to 'greet' me. His attitude less than desirable. Like many of the other people I had come to see he was of a blueish hue, save for his freckles were more brown than others I had seen.

In his left hand he held onto a sickle, I could almost hear his knuckles cracking. "What do you want? Who are you?" His scowl said it all. Likely just some asshole who decided he was the village chief. In response I just pulled the medallion out of my pocket. Really needed to make it into a necklace or something. He grumbled and spat to the side. "We don't need your kind. We didn't send out to hire some inbred human."

"Well, this is what you get. So fuck off." I didn't care to deal with some prick with a raging hate boner. I continued to walk into the village where another resident came up to me. This time an older woman. She had a soft smile and walked with a painful limp.

"You're from the guild?" She asked in a scratchy voice. "Mors is this way, he hasn't left his son's side in nearly a week. He'll be delighted to know you've arrived."