I still had a long walk to Danver, so I woke up just before sunrise to set off, hoping to make it by the afternoon.

  The night before, Val had led me to a cubby among a nearby boulder field that allowed me to build a small fire and stay relatively hidden. That fire had completed my first tier in the Firestarter Competency, and now, any fire I created would burn hotter and longer. I'd also be more resistent to fire, albeit, that resistance was likely so minimal that I wouldn't notice. Someday, I'd need to test it to see how much of a difference it made. The next tier promised a more significant increase.

  I had camped far enough away from civilization that bandits were a legitimate worry. Thankfully, the night went smoothly, and I slept well, knowing Val was watching over me. Or at least watching over her 'asset.'

  As the sunrise brought the morning light and I left my camp behind, I discovered I wasn't the only one on the road today. A good distance ahead, I saw three wagons traveling down a separate road from the north that would soon connect to the main road to Danver.

  The closer I got, the more traffic increased. Most were still a long distance off, but the road was coming to life. Like me, many travelers had found a safe place overnight and were now beginning their day.

  As I walked down the road to Danver, and I mean literally down, as I was losing elevation with each step, I couldn't help but admire the world around me. This new Earth was beautiful and ripe, and it felt old, primordial as if it had existed this way for millions of years, not four months. It was familiar, but it wasn't Earth as I remembered it. It was a fantastical version, akin to The Lord of the Rings or a fantasy game, filled with sweeping vistas and unique, photogenic landscapes. Mountain streams carved winding pathways across the fertile land. A massive pine forest of towering, deep green trees stretched for miles to the north of Danver. To the south, large fields full of crops ranged for miles.

  From my vantage, I could see there was a small village near a river that I'd need to pass on the road to Danver. It took me three hours to reach it. When I did, a notification popped up.

  YOU HAVE DISCOVERED RIVERBEND

  POPULATION: 209

  EXPERIENCE GAINED: 5 Points

  Wow, so generous of the AI to reward me with five points. The damned thing was holding out on me. I had traveled for days to get here, but I only received five measly points.

  While still classified as a village, Riverbend was larger and more advanced than Brighton, where my journey began. I recalled receiving only five points for discovering Brighton, so perhaps all location discoveries were rewarded the same way. If so, it would be lame. Hopefully, Danver would be worth more.

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  This well-kept town had cobblestone streets and solid, wooden buildings. It was a mix of homes and shops. A waterwheel spun next to the river, powering a nearby sawmill. To the north side of Riverbend was a large field full of sheep. If the size of the flock was any indication, sheep were a significant contributor to Riverbend's economy—that, and the river flowing through it.

  I found a shop named Traveler's Delight and popped in to say hello and restock my supplies. I had never collected the rest of my gold payment from Tara, but I still had enough change left to buy some food.

  Ultimately, I spent a third of my remaining coin to get two more bread loaves, two mutton sausages, and six apples. It was enough to get me through the rest of my journey with a full belly.

  The woman who sold it to me was young and blond and appeared to hate her job. There was something about her countenance that indicated to me that a conversation with her would lead to another quest, so I followed Val's advice and didn't engage her in idle chit-chat.

  Once I had what I needed, I stuck to the main road, hoping to pass through without further distractions.

  I had almost made it out when my quiet exit was interrupted.

  "Hold on," a deep, raspy, and decidedly unhuman voice said from my back. "You. In the leather jerkin. Stop where you are."

  Only one of the Kurskins had a voice like that, and ignoring it would only make things worse. I stopped and turned around to face it. It was a male with dark scales, and he was a bit on the older side compared to the other lizards I had seen.

  "Come," he ordered.

  'Do as he asks,' Val said.

  I complied and walked forward, not needing to feign my nervousness. "What can I do for you, sir?" I said with a shallow bow and subservient tone like a good NPC.

  He walked closer to me and clawed at the side of my leather jerkin. He tapped a faded insignia that had been carved into my jerkin, and my blood stilled.

  "I will ask this once," he hissed. "If you lie to me, I will cut you down where you stand. Do you understand?"

  I nodded.

  "Are you a deserter?"

  I did my best to look shocked, wide eyes and all. "Wha…what? Deserter? I... No. I've never been in an army."

  "Then why are you wearing this?" He tapped the leather vest.

  "It's just a leather jerkin," I said with a shrug, building up the lie. "Some guy came through a while back and sold it to me for two silvers. The deal was too good to pass up." I looked down at my feet. "Although, now I think I understand why."

  The Kurskin snarled but didn't strike. "You are wearing the vest of one of our infantrymen. Tell me the name of the man who sold it to you."

  I held my hands up. "I met him on the road. He didn't tell me a name."

  "Remove it," the Kurskin snarled. "Or I will remove it for you."

  Within two seconds, I had the jerkin removed. I held it out for the angry Kurskin, praying this would be the end of the encounter. I thanked God that my sword was currently in my inventory. It was a fairly basic sword and had no discernible marks, as far as I knew, but then again, I had never imagined that faded mark on my jerkin would give me away.

  He looked at me a moment longer, probably deciding if he wanted to kill me or not. Then, he snatched the jerkin out of my hands. "Leave. Now."

  I bowed my head like a good boy and tried not to walk too fast as I fled Riverbend.

  "That was way too close," I thought to Val.

  'I must commend you for talking your way out of that situation,' she said. 'You can be a good liar when you need to be. I am proud of you.'

  "Lying isn't something to be proud of."

  'In many cases, that is true. But lying to save your life from a deranged Kurskin, despite your moral objection to it, is, in fact, something to be proud of.'

  "Well, thanks, I guess."

  'You are welcome, Ethan. Now, let's hurry on to Danver. We need to make you stronger—a lot stronger.'

  "We're on the same page, Val. Let's put this shitshow of a journey behind us."