It wasn’t quite the same caravan that set off from Oud’s Bog. For one thing, many of the merchants had stayed in the city and just as many more had joined up again, so there were a lot of new faces.

The landscape was an even larger change. The deep, dark forests of the Boglands were far behind and the world ahead of them looked to be made of nothing but rolling prairies interspersed with cultivated fields. The lack of ominous forest made the tone of the journey feel completely different than it had before. The world felt safer, more domesticated, and people acted as if the danger they’d faced in the Boglands was going to stay there.

The biggest new adjustment was by far the children. Three of the new wagons were families with children, and there were a few that had been left behind before. Apparently the [Dancer] had a ten-year-old son that she’d left behind in Oud’s Bog during their circuit through the Boglands, and the [Camp Chef] now had three grandchildren who’d be traveling with them.

They mostly stayed on the wagons as they moved, but seeing them tear around the camp during lunchtime, laughing and shrieking, was something that would take some getting used to.

“They’re just kids, Brin. They aren’t going to bite you,” Zilly said, sitting next to him with a bowl of stew. During the evenings the campsite would be set up with tables and collapsible benches, but since this was just lunch he, Davi, Myra, and Sion had made do with a spot of soft grass.

Brin realized that he’d been glaring at the new children and schooled his face. “I don’t mind kids. I’m just surprised, I guess. After all the trouble we ran into on the way to Oud’s Bog, I didn’t think anyone would trust their kids out here.”

Sion took a bite of stew, then winced at the heat and put it back down, blowing on it. “You cannot leave your family behind all the time. Most of these caravans are more like traveling villages than adult workplaces. I think the only reason we were so lonely in the last leg was because of a..."

Myra started making the "cut" motion across her neck at Sion, and he stared at her confused before finishing. "...a [Weaver’s] predictions.”

Myra winced, and Brin laughed. "It's fine. I don't hate every [Weaver]. You guys can go have your future told all you want; I honestly don't care."

“In that case, there’s a high-level [Weaver] in Oud’s Bog. She predicted the danger from the last circuit, but now she says the journey from here to Blackcliff will be safe,” Myra said.

“Really?” Brin asked. It was hard to believe anything was safe when a [Witch]-turned-monster mother was in your dreams.

“Yeah. She’s higher level than my mom. I don’t even know if she has time for actual weaving anymore because loads and loads of people go to her before they set off on long journeys or make big decisions,” said Myra.

“Did you?” Brin asked.

Myra took a huge bite of stew, and then pointed at her mouth apologetically. Then she looked away. She kept chewing until the stew was long gone and Brin became aware that she was going to avoid the question.

"So how are you going to stay busy now that you won't be fighting monsters every day?" asked Zilly. "I'm sure you and Davi already cooked up some kind of insane training regimen."

"I honestly hadn't thought about it. I miss our weight set, but it was too heavy for the wagons. I guess I assumed we'd keep hunting monsters," said Brin

Zilly shook her head. "There won't be very many around, not until we get closer to Blackcliff. We're on a main highway now."

"Well, I thought of something," said Davi.

Davi decided to show them his great idea rather than simply tell them, so after they finished lunch, they followed him to one of the rear wagons where he unhitched the ox that had been pulling it and yoked himself in its place.

"You're kidding," said Brin.

"Nope," said Davi. "I can pull it. Just watch."

Myra told him he was insane, and Zilly just laughed while Sion just looked afraid that someone would ask him to do the same.

A whistle came from the front of the caravan, signaling the start. Davi grit his teeth, took one firm step forward, and then another. "See?" he huffed. "I... told you."

Brin would've guessed that Davi would run out of steam immediately, but the big guy kept pushing onwards, and carried the wagon the entire four hours until Zerif called for a stop.

It probably was pretty good training, but it also looked kind of embarrassing and Brin had no desire to mimic that.

At least until at the end of the day a weary Davi set down his burden, only for his tired frown to transform into an excited grin.

"You got an Achievement for that, didn't you?"

"Maybe," Davi said, drawing out the word.

"What was it?" Brin demanded.

"Earn it yourself and see," said Davi.

"Don't give me that! I get more than enough of that type of thing from Hogg!"

Davi folded his arms, which were still shaking from the strain, and frowned.

"Give me a hint?"

Davi shook his head. "Come on, Brin. I don't want to be the only one doing this. It's embarrassing."

Brin sighed. "Fine."

That night, he put all of the anti-nightmare wards in and around his sleeping roll. He lay under the enchanted blanket despite the warm night, curled up around the jar full of ash, and put the board with the carven image of Anshar under his pillow. He needed to test this out the first night away, because if they somehow failed to protect him they'd still be able to turn around and get back to Oud's Bog before he went insane.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

He was almost too nervous to fall asleep, but when he finally did the entire night passed dreamlessly.

The next morning, he didn't find Davi strapping himself to a wagon. Brin walked the entire length of the caravan until he found him near the front, and Davi confessed that he was so sore from the day before that he didn't think he'd be able to try again today.

That left Brin's morning fairly free, but it wasn't too long before Pio "casually" moved over to walk next to him.

They walked along in silence for an awkward two minutes before the [Beast Master] nodded to the children sitting a few wagons ahead. "They brought their families. I hope we will have no monster attacks on this trip."

"Me too," Brin agreed.

Pio nodded, a little too vigorously. "Good. Yes. Putting the caravan in danger when we are all grown warriors, prepared and ready, that is perhaps forgivable. No one was hurt, so it's in the past. But now is different. There are little ones here now. Nothing must disturb our peace."

"I agree," Brin said slowly, thinking it through. Pio was acting like he thought Brin was somehow the one luring monsters to attack them. Brin thought it was Aberfa doing it, but Hogg still suspected Pio. And now Pio suspected him, making everything go around in circles. Maybe Pio was pretending, to deflect any suspicion, but Brin really didn't think he was the type. He just couldn't picture the shirtless, forthright [Beast Master] capable of any kind of scheming.

"Do you think that they will stop? It would be strange if we were attacked here on the main road. It would draw attention," said Pio.

Brin thought for a second. "Let me just go out and say it. I asked Hogg if he was luring monsters to the caravan in order to give me combat experience, and he said he's not. But just in case, I'll tell him to stop."

"Good enough," said Pio, and he marched away.

After lunch, Davi announced that he'd recovered enough, so Brin reluctantly hitched himself to a wagon, right behind Davi. The harness itself wasn't overly complicated, just a large bar across the top and a smooth leather strap to keep the bar from sliding around on the ox's back. They relied on Pio's Skills rather than machinery to keep the animals in place and doing their jobs.

The ox that he replaced snorted at him and gave him an amused look, and sidled off to walk in place alongside him.

Brin grit his teeth, and took a step. He grunted when the load was heavier than he expected, but he still managed to pull it forward a step, and then another. It got a bit easier to pull as the wagon gained momentum, but every time the wagon hit even a tiny bump, the harness dug painfully into his shoulders and he had to strain to keep it rolling forward.

It took his entire concentration to keep going, and he couldn't even use [Directed Meditation] to ignore his body and think about illusions or something. He had to keep his focus on the here and now if he didn't want to lose his step, and tripping now would probably get him run over by the wagon he was pulling.

"What a wonderful... exercise routine... you've come up with!" he gritted out.

"Isn't it great?" Davi called back with false cheer.

The minutes crawled by slowly, making Brin feel each and every one of them with his entire body. At one point the [Dancer's] two children came by and climbed up on his wagon, laughing and cheering as he pulled their slight added weight. When one of them threw a pebble at him, their mother scolded them and dragged them back forward to their own wagon.

More than a few times, Brin stepped into a kukubaru snack from one of the beasts of burden in front of them. "Why are we so far back?" Brin yelled at Davi.

"Zerif said we had to! Otherwise we'd stop the whole caravan if we slipped."

When three hours had gone by and there was still an hour left, Brin was certain he wouldn't be able to take another step. He knew he wouldn't make it the full time, so he focused on just getting a little further. Just a few more steps before he collapsed. He would get to that rock, no that tree, no that patch of grass, and then he would stop.

Before he knew it, he heard a whistle. He was so exhausted that it didn't register immediately what it was for so he kept plodding along. Just a few more steps. Davi's wagon stopped in front of him, forcing him to stop as well. What was Davi doing? Now that they'd stopped, he didn't think he'd be able to start again. Oh. The whistle. They were done for the day.

Brin numbly tried to pull the harness off himself. It took three tries. Then he stumbled to the side, and collapsed into the tall yellow grass on the side of the road.

Through training you have received the following attribute:

Vitality +2