I stepped away from the small house and made my way back through the streets, the quiet of the night settling in again. The moonlight stretched across the stone paths, mixing with the warm glow of lanterns hung along the walls. Even this late, the city wasn’t fully asleep. It never really was.

A creaking sound pulled my attention to the side.

A wagon rolled slowly down the street, its wooden wheels grinding against the stone. Two guards walked alongside it, spears in hand, their faces set and watchful. Behind the wagon, inside a barred cage, were a handful of elves. Their hands were bound tightly with rope, some sitting, some standing, all silent.

One of them met my eyes.

Sharp features. Tired gaze. Not begging, not angry... just empty.

I looked away first.

"Move along," one of the guards muttered as the wagon passed, not even bothering to look at me properly.

"Yeah," I said under my breath, stepping aside. "Wasn’t planning to hop in."

The wagon disappeared down the road, its sound fading into the distance.

I kept walking.

A turn later, the atmosphere shifted.

Laughter echoed from the side of the street, lighter, louder, almost forced. A few women stood near the edges of the road, leaning against walls or standing under lantern light. Their clothes were... eye-catching, to say the least. Not exactly subtle.

One of them spotted me immediately.

"Well, look at this," she called out, pushing herself off the wall and stepping closer. "A young one wandering all alone at night."

Another woman chuckled behind her. "Careful, he might get scared and run."

"Or maybe he’s curious," the first added, tilting her head, a playful smile on her lips. "What do you say, handsome? Want some company?"

I raised a hand without stopping. "I’m good."

"Aw, come on," she pressed, walking a few steps alongside me. "First time’s always awkward. We can fix that."

"I said I’m good," I repeated, a bit firmer this time.

She studied me for a second, then shrugged. "Suit yourself. Don’t come crying later."

"Yeah, I’ll keep that in mind."

A few of them laughed as I walked past, their voices fading behind me just like the wagon earlier.

"This city really has everything, huh..." I muttered.

A few more turns, and the road opened up.

The gates came into view.

Tall, heavy, and guarded. Torches burned brighter here, casting strong light over the entrance. A couple of guards stood by, checking anyone coming in or out, their attention sharp.

I approached at a steady pace.

One of them glanced at me, then gave a small nod. I returned it and kept walking. No questions this time. Either they recognized me as a student, or they just didn’t care enough to stop me.

Fine by me.

I stepped past the gates, leaving the city behind.

The air felt different immediately. Cooler. Quieter. The sounds of the city dulled, replaced by the faint rustle of trees and the distant chirping of night insects.

I exhaled and rolled my shoulders. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Okay..." I muttered, stepping onto the path leading outward. "Where are you now, psspss..."

I looked around for a moment, scanning the open ground just outside the gates. Nothing. No movement, no rustling bushes, no glowing eyes staring back at me. Just empty road and the quiet hum of the night.

"Yeah... great start," I muttered.

Since there wasn’t anywhere obvious to check, I moved forward and followed the path as it dipped slightly downward, curving to the left. The ground shifted from stone to packed dirt, the air growing cooler the farther I stepped away from the city walls.

On my immediate left, a stable came into view. The structure was simple but wide, its wooden frame dark under the moonlight. The doors were shut, but I could hear the faint shuffle of hooves and the occasional snort from inside. The horses were resting, or at least trying to. A lantern near the entrance burned low, barely keeping the place visible.

I slowed for a second, glancing toward it. "Not in there... probably," I said under my breath, then kept moving.

This wasn’t going to work just by wandering around blindly.

I brought up the map.

The city and its surroundings appeared in front of me, clean and detailed as always. I focused on the quest, expecting maybe a marker to pop up. There wasn’t a direct point, though. Instead, a faint yellow area appeared on the map, spread over a section of land further out.

"Huh."

It wasn’t a pin. It was a zone. Like the system was telling me, ’It’s somewhere here. Go figure it out.’

"Nice. Real helpful."

Still, it was something. The highlighted area sat beyond the parts I’d already walked through, a place I hadn’t explored yet.

I closed the map and started heading in that direction.

The houses just outside the city walls were quiet. Small, simple homes lined the road, each with a bit of land around them. Fences, tools left outside, a few carts parked beside doors. No lights were on. No movement. Everyone was asleep.

Only my footsteps broke the silence.

I kept to the left, following the curve of the road. After a minute or so, I checked the map again.

The yellow zone... had shifted.

"You’ve gotta be kidding me."

It wasn’t much, just a slight movement, but it was enough to tell.

The cat wasn’t staying still.

"At least you’re alive," I muttered, letting out a small breath. "Good for you."

I picked up my pace.

Another wagon passed by as I walked, this one slower, heavier. I stepped aside and watched it roll past. Several soldiers sat in the back, leaning against the wooden sides. Their armor was scuffed, some of it dented. A few had bandages wrapped around their arms or heads, stained darker in places.

They weren’t in critical shape, but they’d clearly seen a fight.

"Fucking elves," one of them grumbled as they passed me. "They gave us a hard time today."

"We were outnumbered," the coachman replied from the front without turning. "Now shut up. You shouldn’t be talking while bleeding like that."

The wagon kept moving, disappearing down the road.

I watched it for a second, then turned back to my own problem.

I continued forward, checking the map one more time. The yellow zone was closer now, and after a bit more walking, I stepped right into the edge of it.

The area changed slightly.

The road narrowed, splitting into smaller paths that wove between patches of overgrown grass and scattered trees. It wasn’t deep forest, but it wasn’t open land either. A few abandoned-looking sheds stood here and there, their wood worn and slightly tilted, like they’d been left to rot over time. A shallow ditch ran along one side, filled with weeds and bits of broken debris.

There were also signs of life.

I glanced around, taking it all in.

"Well, I’m here," I muttered, resting a hand on my hip. "Damn, this map is really useful..."

I stepped further into the area, moving slowly now, eyes scanning the ground instead of the horizon. The trees thickened just enough to break the moonlight into uneven patches, shadows stretching across the dirt in strange shapes. The air smelled different here; damp soil, old leaves, and something faintly metallic underneath it all.

"Alright... where would a cat go..."

I crouched slightly as I walked, brushing past low branches and pushing aside thin shrubs. Every now and then I’d pause, listening. No meows. No sudden movement. Just the quiet hum of insects and the occasional rustle of leaves shifting in the wind.

Then I saw it. Paw prints. Small. Light. Fresh.

I leaned down, squinting at them. The edges weren’t worn yet, the dirt still slightly disturbed.

"Got you..."

I straightened and followed them, moving more carefully now. The tracks led deeper in, weaving between trees and patches of grass, sometimes disappearing for a second before reappearing again a few steps later.

After a short walk, voices reached my ears.

I stopped immediately.

"...not good, of course."

I lowered myself and moved forward slowly, keeping to the shadows. The trees began to thin out ahead, replaced by a rocky slope that rose slightly above where I stood. It wasn’t steep, just a short climb of four or five steps, but enough to give whoever was up there a better view of the surroundings.

I crouched behind a bush at the base of it and peeked through.

╔═══════════════╗

Location Discovered!

─────────────────

Name: Bandit Camp

╠═══════════════╣

Region: Toakwood

Danger Level: ★★★☆☆

Recommended Lvl: 1-10

╠═══════════════╣

Gained EXP: +46

╚═══════════════╝

A camp.

Four tents were set up in a loose circle around a small fire, the flames crackling softly. The light flickered against the canvas and the nearby rocks, casting long shadows across the ground. The camp was backed up against the side of a large mountain wall, rough stone rising high behind them. No way around from the back. Anyone coming in had to approach from the front or try their luck from the sides.

Six men.

Two of them were asleep near one of the tents, wrapped in rough blankets. The other four were awake, sitting around the fire or moving about the camp. Weapons were close by. Not sloppy, not careless.

And then I saw it. Right beside the fire, curled up like it owned the place, was the cat. It was sleeping.

"Ah..." I muttered under my breath. "Why bandits. Really?"

I shifted my gaze around the camp again, paying closer attention this time. Something felt off.

There were too many animal hides stacked near one of the tents. Some were fresh, others already dried and folded. Strips of meat hung from a makeshift line, swaying slightly in the night air. The smell I noticed earlier made sense now.

"Those aren’t bandits..." I whispered to myself. "More like poachers."