Greyhawk woke slowly, like a wounded animal testing whether it could still stand.
The morning sun painted the streets in pale gold, but it did little to warm the air. The damage from the night before was impossible to ignore. Cracked stone remained where the bear had fallen. Burn marks and dark stains scarred the square despite repeated attempts to clean them away. The broken gate had been temporarily reinforced with iron braces and thick beams, guarded by twice the usual number of men.
People moved carefully, voices low, eyes alert.
Fear had settled into the town—not panic, but something heavier. A quiet awareness that safety was no longer guaranteed.
Elias walked through the streets without haste, hands tucked into his cloak, eyes observing everything.
Whispers followed him.
Some were grateful.
Some were afraid.
Some were simply curious.
None of them mattered.
What mattered was the pattern.
He noted which shops were closed, which guards looked exhausted, which hunters were already preparing to leave town. Greyhawk was changing its behavior. Merchants talked about caravans being delayed. Hunters argued over whether to take missions at all. A rumor spread that a larger force might arrive from outside—but no one knew when.
Uncertainty bred movement.
And movement created opportunity.
Elias entered the Hunter's Hall.
The building was quieter than usual. Several notice boards had been cleared, missions removed or marked unavailable. A few hunters sat at tables, sharpening weapons they might not use today. Others argued softly, tension evident in every word.
Arin was already there.
He leaned against a pillar near the back, one arm still wrapped, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp. When he saw Elias, he lifted his chin slightly in greeting.
"You look like you didn't sleep," Arin said as Elias approached.
"I rested."
"That's not the same thing."
Elias didn't argue.
They stood side by side for a moment, watching as the Guild clerk argued with a pair of hunters demanding higher compensation.
"They're leaving," Arin observed.
"Yes."
"Smart."
"Also dangerous," Elias replied. "The roads are less safe now."
Arin snorted. "Everything's less safe now."
The Guild Master emerged from his office, his presence alone quieting the room. He scanned the hall, then fixed his gaze on Elias and Arin.
"You," he said. "Come with me."
Inside the office, maps covered the table—old parchment layered with fresh markings. Red lines traced roads, circles marked towns, and several areas were heavily crossed out in black.
"The eastern woods are officially sealed," the Guild Master said without preamble. "No missions. No patrols. Anyone caught entering will be detained."
Arin raised an eyebrow. "Detained by who?"
"By me," the man replied flatly.
Elias studied the map. "That won't stop it."
"No," the Guild Master agreed. "But it buys time."
"For whom?" Elias asked.
"For help to arrive."
Elias straightened. "Stellaris Academy."
"Yes."
"When?"
The Guild Master's jaw tightened. "Soon."
"That's not an answer."
"No," he admitted. "It's the only one I have."
Silence stretched.
The Guild Master exhaled and folded his arms. "Listen carefully. Greyhawk is no longer safe for someone like you."
Arin glanced at Elias sharply. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means," the man continued, "that whatever is guiding the corruption reacted to him specifically. Keeping him here is a liability—to the town and to him."
Elias didn't react.
He had reached the same conclusion hours ago.
"I want you gone," the Guild Master said bluntly.
Arin blinked. "You're kicking him out?"
"I'm relocating him," the man corrected. "Discreetly. Before something worse decides to come knocking."
Elias inclined his head slightly. "Where?"
The Guild Master pointed at a mark far west on the map. "There's a relay town two weeks from here. From there, a direct route to Stellaris territory opens."
Arin frowned. "Two weeks on the road? After last night?"
"That's why he won't travel alone."
The Guild Master turned his gaze to Arin.
"You're going with him."
Arin froze. "Me?"
"You're capable," the man said. "You've already been marked by association. And you trust each other enough not to stab one another in the back."
Arin laughed once. "That's a low bar."
Elias spoke before the Guild Master could respond. "You don't have to."
Arin looked at him. "I know."
The Guild Master's voice cut in. "This is not optional. For either of you."
Arin stared at the map, then sighed. "Figures. Every time I think my life's about to calm down…"
Elias studied the route. Forests. Rivers. Ruins. Several areas were marked with warning symbols.
"This path avoids the eastern woods," Elias said. "But not the influence."
"No," the Guild Master agreed. "Nothing does."
He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "You leave in three days. Quietly. No announcement."
Elias nodded.
Three days was sufficient.
The next hours passed in focused preparation.
Elias returned to the inn and laid out his possessions on the bed. The dagger. Extra clothes. A small pouch of coin. A handful of beast cores he hadn't sold yet. He examined each item carefully, deciding what to keep and what to discard.
He did not pack sentiment.
Only utility.
Arin knocked once before entering, carrying a bundle of gear and a half-smile.
"Figured I'd check before you vanished in the night," he said.
"I wouldn't leave without notice," Elias replied.
Arin smirked. "Good. Saves me the trouble of chasing you."
He tossed the bundle onto the bed. "Extra rations. Some basic medicine. And this."
He handed Elias a small, cracked compass.
"It's broken," Elias observed.
"Yeah," Arin said. "Doesn't point north anymore. But it's good at one thing."
"What?"
"Reminding you that directions change."
Elias turned the compass over in his hand.
"…Thank you."
Arin waved it off. "Don't get weird about it."
They packed in silence for a while.
Eventually, Arin spoke again. "You could've refused."
"Yes."
"But you didn't."
Elias paused. "Staying would be irresponsible."
"For the town?"
"For myself."
Arin studied him. "You're not used to thinking like that."
Elias didn't deny it.
That night, Elias walked the perimeter of Greyhawk alone.
He memorized the streets. The rooftops. The damaged gate. The places where people had fallen. Where the corruption had touched the ground.
Not out of nostalgia.
Out of closure.
He stopped once, near the wall, and looked east.
The woods were distant, dark, silent.
Watching.
His shadow stirred faintly at his feet, responding to the same pull.
"Not yet," Elias whispered.
It obeyed.
The final day arrived quickly.
The Guild Master provided sealed documents, travel authorization, and a single warning.
"If you draw attention," he said, "don't come back."
Elias accepted the papers.
At dawn, Elias and Arin left Greyhawk through the western gate.
No crowd gathered.
No farewell speeches were made.
Just two figures walking away from a wounded town, their shadows stretching long behind them.
The road opened ahead.
And for the first time since leaving Duskwood, Elias did not look back.
:)