Chapter 191 - 186: The Road to Ravencross
John woke to the smell of smoke.
Not from a burning forest.
Not from an attacking monster.
Just breakfast.
He opened one eye.
The campfire was still burning, and Aerion was standing over it with a pan.
John sat up.
"You’re cooking?"
Aerion glanced over his shoulder.
"Someone has to."
John looked around.
Lythriel was still asleep inside her tent.
Sylvara was already awake, sitting beside the stream.
Darius was nowhere to be seen.
"And where’s Darius?"
Aerion pointed toward a nearby tree.
John looked.
Darius was asleep against the trunk with a book still resting on his chest.
John smiled.
"Didn’t expect that."
"He stayed up reading."
"About what?"
"The history of Ravencross."
John stood and stretched.
"Of course he did."
He walked over to the fire.
"What are we having?"
"Eggs."
John looked at the pan.
"They smell good."
"That’s because I’m better at cooking than you."
John stared at him.
"I’ve never cooked for you."
"Exactly."
John laughed.
"Fair point."
---
A few minutes later, the others gathered around the fire.
Lythriel emerged from her tent looking half-asleep.
She sat beside John without saying anything.
John handed her a plate.
"Here."
She looked at it.
Then at him.
"Thanks."
She began eating.
After a few bites, she slowly became more awake.
Sylvara smiled.
"Better?"
"Much."
Darius eventually woke up.
He looked around.
"...What time is it?"
John raised an eyebrow.
"Late enough that everyone else has eaten."
Darius looked embarrassed.
"I was resting my eyes."
"You were snoring."
"I was not."
"You were."
Lythriel nodded.
"You definitely were."
Darius sighed.
"Fine."
John laughed.
The morning passed without anything unusual.
It was almost boring.
And that was wonderful.
---
They packed their belongings and continued along the road.
Ravencross was still several hours away.
The road gradually became busier.
They passed farmers carrying produce.
A group of traveling merchants.
Two adventurers wearing worn leather armor.
Then a large caravan heading in the opposite direction.
John moved slightly aside to let it pass.
The caravan consisted of six wagons.
Several horses.
A few guards.
And a large wooden cage covered with cloth.
John glanced at it.
Something inside moved.
He slowed down.
Lythriel noticed.
"What is it?"
"Not sure."
The caravan continued past them.
John watched until it disappeared around the bend.
The Soul Raven suddenly flew from its perch and followed the caravan for a short distance.
John frowned.
"That’s unusual."
Aerion looked toward the road.
"Maybe it sensed something."
"Could be."
But the raven eventually returned.
It landed on John’s shoulder.
John looked at it.
"What did you see?"
The bird gave a quiet croak.
John didn’t understand it.
"Helpful."
Lythriel laughed.
---
Around midday, they reached a crossroads.
A wooden sign stood beside the road.
**RAVENCROSS — 18 MILES**
Another sign pointed toward a smaller village.
**MILLBROOK — 4 MILES**
Darius stopped.
"There’s a choice."
John looked at him.
"We’re going to Ravencross."
"I know."
Darius pointed toward Millbrook.
"We could stop there first."
"Why?"
"The road ahead has been busy recently."
"There’s supposedly a problem with a bridge."
John looked at the map.
"How bad?"
"Unknown."
"Could add a day if we have to take the long route."
Lythriel looked toward the village.
"Then maybe we should stop at Millbrook."
John nodded.
"Let’s do it."
They turned toward the smaller road.
---
Millbrook was exactly what its name suggested.
A small farming village built around a large wooden mill.
It wasn’t particularly impressive.
There were only a few dozen buildings.
A small inn.
A general store.
A smithy.
And a wooden bridge crossing a shallow river.
John immediately noticed something.
The bridge was fine.
Darius looked confused.
"This doesn’t look damaged."
An elderly farmer nearby overheard him.
"Because it isn’t."
Darius turned.
"We were told there was a problem."
The farmer laughed.
"That rumor came from a merchant who didn’t want to cross the bridge."
"Why?"
The farmer shrugged.
"He was drunk."
John couldn’t help laughing.
Lythriel covered her mouth.
Darius looked annoyed.
"Wonderful."
The farmer smiled.
"Ravencross is still open."
"Road’s clear."
"Unless you plan on getting there before sunset."
John nodded.
"How long?"
"Three hours if you walk steadily."
"Good."
They thanked him and continued.
---
Before leaving, John noticed something unusual.
Several villagers were gathered around the river.
Children were throwing small stones into the water.
John walked closer.
"What are they looking at?"
Sylvara looked over.
"Fish."
John blinked.
"Fish?"
"Yes."
"That’s it?"
She smiled.
"That’s it."
John stared at the river.
There were dozens of silver fish moving through the clear water.
One of the children caught a small one with his hands.
He proudly held it up.
Then an older girl immediately took it from him and released it.
"You’ll hurt it."
The boy frowned.
"But I caught it."
"You can catch another one later."
John smiled.
The scene was so ordinary.
He liked it.
---
A little girl suddenly noticed him.
She stared at John for several seconds.
Then pointed.
"Are you an adventurer?"
John looked at himself.
"Does it show?"
She nodded.
"Your clothes."
John laughed.
"Yeah."
"Are you strong?"
Lythriel immediately smiled.
John crouched slightly so he was closer to the girl’s height.
"I’m strong enough."
"Have you fought monsters?"
"A few."
"Dragons?"
John paused.
Lythriel almost laughed.
"He’s asking the wrong person."
John gave her a look.
Then turned back to the girl.
"No."
Technically...
That wasn’t entirely true.
But explaining that he himself was a dragon would probably cause unnecessary problems.
The girl looked disappointed.
"Maybe someday."
She nodded seriously.
"Then you’ll need to be stronger."
John smiled.
"Probably."
She ran away.
Lythriel walked beside him.
"You lied."
"I simplified."
"That’s what liars say."
John laughed.
---
They eventually left Millbrook.
The road toward Ravencross became wider.
The surrounding farmland slowly disappeared.
The landscape changed into rolling hills.
More travelers appeared.
A few merchants passed them.
Then another group of adventurers.
John watched them curiously.
One carried a massive axe.
Another wore a full set of metal armor.
The third was a young mage carrying a staff.
They looked like an experienced party.
The armored man glanced at John.
Their eyes met for a moment.
The man nodded politely.
John returned the gesture.
Nothing more.
No challenge.
No unnecessary hostility.
Just travelers passing each other.
John found himself appreciating that.
Not every encounter had to become a fight.
---
The sun was already beginning to descend when they finally saw it.
Ravencross.
The city stood beyond the hills.
Its walls were enormous compared to Greenhollow.
Several watchtowers rose above them.
Merchant caravans lined the road leading toward the gates.
The sound of the city reached them even from a distance.
People.
Wagons.
Animals.
Guards.
Merchants.
John stopped.
"So that’s Ravencross."
Lythriel smiled.
"Looks bigger than Greenhollow."
"Much bigger."
Darius adjusted his glasses.
"Ravencross is one of the main trade cities in this region."
"Several roads meet here."
"Merchants from different kingdoms pass through."
John looked toward the gate.
"And adventurers?"
"Plenty."
That caught John’s attention.
Lythriel noticed immediately.
"You have that look again."
"What look?"
"The one you get when you hear about strong monsters."
John smiled.
"I don’t know what you’re talking about."
"You absolutely do."
---
They reached the gates shortly before sunset.
A long line of travelers waited outside.
Guards inspected wagons before allowing them inside.
When John’s group reached the front, one of the guards looked at them.
"Travelers?"
Darius nodded.
"Yes."
"Purpose?"
"Passing through."
The guard looked at John.
Then Lythriel.
Then Aerion and Sylvara.
His eyes stopped briefly on the Soul Raven.
"That’s an unusual bird."
John glanced at the raven.
"It’s a companion."
The guard shrugged.
"As long as it doesn’t attack anyone."
"It won’t."
The guard stamped their entry papers.
"Welcome to Ravencross."
John stepped through the gates.
And immediately realized something.
Greenhollow had been peaceful.
Ravencross was alive.
The streets were packed.
Merchants shouted prices.
Children ran between stalls.
Adventurers walked around wearing equipment of every quality.
Horse-drawn carriages moved through the streets.
Magic lamps illuminated buildings.
Somewhere nearby, a musician was playing a string instrument.
John looked around with genuine curiosity.
"This is different."
Lythriel smiled.
"Definitely."
---
They found an inn after some searching.
It was larger than the one in Greenhollow.
The lobby was crowded.
Adventurers sat around tables.
Merchants discussed trade.
A pair of dwarves argued loudly over something involving a broken hammer.
John smiled.
"I like this place."
Darius laughed.
"You haven’t even seen the guild yet."
John looked at him.
"Tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow."
Lythriel shook her head.
"You two are already planning."
"We’re just talking."
"That’s how it starts."
---
After securing rooms, they went downstairs for dinner.
John ordered more food than usual.
The journey had made him hungry.
Lythriel noticed.
"You’ve been eating more lately."
"I’m growing."
She looked at him suspiciously.
"You’re already enormous."
John laughed.
"I mean my body."
"Still."
Sylvara smiled.
"Let him eat."
John nodded appreciatively.
"Thank you."
The conversation continued naturally.
They discussed the road.
The festival.
Millbrook.
The strange caravan they had passed earlier.
Darius mentioned the guild.
Aerion talked about finding better equipment.
Sylvara wanted to visit the city’s herbal district.
Lythriel wanted to see the adventurer’s market.
John mostly listened.
It felt good.
He wasn’t in a hurry.
He didn’t need to know what tomorrow would bring.
---
Later that night, John stood alone on the inn’s balcony.
Ravencross stretched before him.
The city lights continued far into the distance.
He could hear people laughing below.
A carriage rolled through the street.
Somewhere, someone was playing music.
John rested his arms against the railing.
He thought about Greenhollow.
The festival.
The little flower.
The quiet road.
Then he looked at the enormous city ahead.
A new place.
A new Chapter.
Not because some ancient force had chosen him.
Not because a prophecy demanded it.
Simply because he had decided to keep traveling.
The Soul Raven landed on the railing beside him.
John glanced at it.
"Tomorrow."
The bird tilted its head.
"We’ll see what the Adventurer’s Guild is like."
The raven gave a quiet croak.
John smiled.
"Yeah."
He looked toward the city.
"For now, let’s just enjoy the night."
And for once...
There was no hidden voice waiting in the darkness.
No ancient door opening.
No monster awakening beneath his feet.
Just Ravencross.
Waiting for tomorrow.
---
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