For some reason, Callia and I had strange expectations for what the journey would be like. Instead of a gradual trip with peaceful and natural scenery, all the passengers were packed into a fortified carriage with small metal ports for windows. A pair of men pulling each carriage and a heavily armed escort shifted into position around the carriages. After everyone was loaded, Mother held my sister and me in her embrace and strapped herself into a fortified seat. Seeing our confusion, Mom began to explain.
“Travel between settlements is very dangerous, but people with specialized skills are trained by the kingdom to regularly escort caravans. Usually, people struggling to find work or those with special circumstances are given permission to move between settlements. Hold on tight to Mommy. The carriage is too fast for most children, but Mommy can keep you safe.” With that said, voices began to call out around the carriage, and then the carriage began to pick up speed.
The moment the gate opened, a team of men immediately rushed forward, and with a powerful lurch, the convoy of carriages rapidly took off as the men pulling them started racing ahead at speeds that made us dizzy. I nearly lost consciousness as a violent jolt shook the carriage. There was little Sis and I could do other than shiver and huddle in Mom's embrace, trembling like leaves being swept in a storm. Glimpses between the violent shaking revealed a blur as we crossed terrain at extreme speeds. From the lead carriage, torrents of fire swept away all the grass and vegetation that had grown over the path. On each side warriors moved with speed, fighting so fast I couldn’t even identify what they were ripping apart.
The convoy continued to race ahead at full speed even as night began to set, and as the last light of day began to fade, we crossed the horizon, reaching the towering walls of the neighboring town. We were stopped outside the gate, and a team inspected each carriage. I wondered why until, upon opening one carriage, a massive rat half the size of an adult violently breaks out, vanishing briefly before the inspectors rush over to its invisible form and cleanly cut it in half with a single swing. After the checks we were brought within the city and settled in an inn near the gate. Mom tried to set us down, but our limbs seem locked up, clinging to her even as our minds begin to accept we have arrived safely. Mom gently rubbed us and began to explain in her patient and understanding voice.
“Shhh, it’s all ok now Callen, Callia. We have arrived at Porten’s town, and our next stop will be Port Town. I know it was a bit fast, wasn’t it?” Mother lovingly pats our heads as we let her go, and she sets us down on a bed. “It’s scary the first time you see the difference between grown-ups and children, but remember, even if it’s scary, someday you too will be amazing, and even if that mean old man didn’t see it, Mom believes in you!” Nothing cheered me and Sis up like Mom could. Even though we were still very young, Mom always patiently took every opportunity to care for and guide us.
The inn was nothing special, just a number of worn-down rooms meant for people in transit. We had a two-day wait before our next convoy was due, and we got to listen to all kinds of interesting stories from the convoy guards as they spent the break drinking and telling tales of their past adventures. Our current trip was in fact considered a great success. Only one out of the ten carriages was lost, and that was because of a shadow rat, which, while rare, is one of the more elusive monsters they have to deal with because of its stealth and the ability to jump between shadows. The guards continue to spin tales of the other monstrosities they have outrun or fought in their journey.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
Porten’s Town was very different from the city. Instead of a sea of stone buildings, a large number of stone buildings were built around the markets and more populous areas, but there was also a large portion of the town left open where children would play in the trees and small fields with staple crops growing impressive yields. However, we didn’t have much more time to explore the town before it was time for the next leg of our journey. This time, however, our caravan had nearly tripled in size, and the journey was expected to last two days, as we would be travelling across rougher terrain.
Much like before, the journey started off as a blur as fire burned the thick overgrowth, clearing the path for the warriors who darted about, cutting down everything that approached the caravan. Soon we began to enter the forest with massive trees standing 20 to 30 meters tall. It seemed once we left the fields, the number of small monsters trying to attack significantly decreased, and less vegetation was in the way. However, even with fire torching all the plants in our path, it seemed to have minimal effect on the trees and their roots, forcing the runners to slow down as they navigated the quickest path to pull the carts. As the sun began to set, the carts were arranged into a circle, and all the passengers huddled together in the center. Most of the guards started to take shifts, and the uneasy night slowly passed, but the tension made it hard for most of the passengers to sleep.
Mana flooded the environment, snapping me awake from my uneasy sleep. The sudden shock of it made me cry in distress. Somehow it must have roused my mom, as me and Sis both began crying in fear. In my alarmed state I noticed everyone was sleeping, even the guards, and then I saw something entering our cart walls. A bright red and blue mushroom with small spider-like legs releasing waves of mana swayed as it pushed aside the carts in the clearing. Me and Sis both cried in fear, and Mom called for the guards while scooping up me and Sis. She ran for shelter in the cart, but thankfully it seemed once alert, whatever had put everyone to sleep lost effect. The camp now rapidly woke as we made more noise, and the guards and cart team rushed into action.
Mom boarded the furthest cart and held us close just moments before the cart-pulling team rushed to put distance between the carts and the mushroom. From Mom’s embrace I saw the mushroom move into the camp, and most of the passengers began to collapse before they realized what the danger was, and the guards who rushed it also fell to the ground. With my mana sense I could feel the concentration of power overwhelming anyone who approached the mushroom. It was just moments later the remaining guards called for a full retreat. Only a couple carts had any passengers left, and we escaped the clearing with only half the guards and three carts left. As we rushed away, I could see new mushrooms beginning to sprout from the unconscious bodies of those who we had left behind.
The carts began to struggle moving forward as the mage who cleared out the vegetation previously was left behind and our progress slowed to a crawl. The guards exhausted themselves cutting a path through the weeds that impeded us, but in the distance we saw the walls of Port Town. However, as we began the final approach, the mana began to thicken again. In fear I looked outside, trying to spot whatever the source was. I focused as hard as I could to sense where the mana was thickest. It was in the front cart. I looked hard and noticed a small red and blue mushroom beginning to grow out from the cart. I did the only thing I could and cried desperately for Mom's attention while pointing toward it.
Mom’s face went pale, and she shouted for the guards, wildly pointing to it, and the guards barely had time to react before the cart puller collapsed, stopping our convoy. Mom leapt with both of us and began running ahead. We began fleeing toward the town with the other passengers, and the guards abandoned us in a free-for-all race to safety.
From my position in Mom's arms, I could only watch as the small mushroom rapidly bloomed and began to pursue with countless others inside the cart forming a skittering swarm of bug-like mushrooms quickly closing the distance. Mom ran her hardest, but everyone else soon overtook her. We could only cling to her, hoping she would be strong enough to keep going, but the pressure from the mana emanating from the mushrooms began to weigh down on my mind like a great pressure trying to force itself in.
Just as we reached our breaking point, the pressure vanished, and a powerful THUMP shook us, and Mom lost her balance. A short cry was stifled as a strong arm reached out, catching Mom and gently pulling her and us up. I could only make out one word as dizziness overcame me.
“Marek,” Mom whispered, her voice thick with affection.
