As Eldrin stepped back out onto the streets of Ironmane, his stomach twisted into a familiar knot. The weight of the task ahead pressed down on him, growing heavier with each passing second. He had agreed to this quest, but now that it was real—now that he was standing outside, on the precipice of actually following through—doubt rushed in like a flood.

  He could feel it creeping in, the quickening of his heartbeat, the slight tremor in his hands. His mind raced with everything that could go wrong. What if he fumbled his words at the apothecary? What if he got lost? What if he messed up such a simple task and proved, yet again, that he didn’t belong?

  His breath caught in his throat until a voice broke through the haze.

  “Well, ready to get going, Mellon?” Elara’s voice was light, almost teasing, as she stepped out from the Courier’s Guild behind him.

  Eldrin blinked, the tension in his chest loosening ever so slightly at the sound of her voice. He nodded, though the hesitation was still there. “Yeah, I suppose so. It’s not too far of a walk.”

  “Exactly,” Elara said, nudging his arm lightly. “Easy steps. No need to overthink it.”

  He inhaled slowly, steadying himself. It was just a simple courier mission. A delivery from the apothecary to the healers. No danger, no complicated twists—just one foot in front of the other.

  And, for now, that was enough.

  _______________________________________________________________________________________________

  As they walked along the cobbled streets, Elara pressed deeper into Eldrin’s past. She asked about his life before magic, before he had found himself here, and though he tried to stay present, his mind drifted. He thought of the times he had trusted others—friends, comrades, even family—only to be left behind, lied to, used, or betrayed. He had given his loyalty freely once, had believed in the bonds he built, only to have them torn apart over and over again.

  Now, he was guarded. He wanted friendship, wanted camaraderie, but he had learned that trust came at a price. One he had paid too many times before.

  Still, he answered her questions as best as he could. He wanted this to work. He wanted to believe that Elara was different, that this wasn’t just another fleeting connection destined to end in disappointment. Maybe she was here for a lifetime. Maybe only for a season. But for now, she was here, and that was something.

  After a moment of silence, Elara spoke up. “With all of this work ahead of us, trying to become Archmages, what’s your end goal?”

  Eldrin glanced at her, caught off guard. “My end goal?”

  She nodded. “Yeah. What do you want out of all of this? I know for me, I’d like to go back to the Greenhills someday, settle down, raise a family. Use what I’ve learned to help others. Having a title will help with future adventures, sure, but it’s more than that. I want something real. Something lasting.” She looked at him with quiet curiosity. “What about you, Eldrin?”

  The question lingered between them, heavier than Eldrin expected. He wasn’t sure how to answer. The future had always felt like something distant, something for other people to dream of. He had spent so long just trying to survive—he hadn’t truly considered what came after.

  For the first time in a long while, he let himself think about it.

  _______________________________________________________________________________________________

  As they walked along the cobbled streets, Eldrin found himself opening up more than he expected. He hesitated, scratching the back of his head. “I don’t know,” he admitted, his voice uncertain. “I’ve always wanted to attend the Grand Arcanum. I’ve had this need—this thirst for knowledge, reading, writing, storytelling. Maybe that’s what drove me to accept quests in the first place. To become an adventurer. I wanted to see the world, to learn as much as I could.”

  He exhaled, shaking his head as his thoughts tumbled out faster than he could control. “And I did. I traveled to far-off lands, fought in countless battles- I worked with the dwarves in the mines, trying to understand what it meant to mine, to create—not just weapons, but tools. Carpentry, things of use. Then, somewhere along the way, I thought maybe clerical work would help. Maybe healing others would help me heal, too.”

  He trailed off, realizing how much he was saying, how much he was revealing. But he couldn’t stop. He needed to say it. “And then I realized—I had lost myself. Somewhere in the battles, the losses, the journey... I didn’t lose just my friends. I lost me. My confidence, my drive, who I was. Something was taken from me, and I don’t even know how or when.”

  They stopped in a quiet square, the world moving around them, but Eldrin only saw Elara. “Not too long ago, I thought I was healing. I was on the mend. And then I got a letter—a raven from home.” His jaw clenched. “My mother had fallen to the Shadow Blight.”

  His voice cracked as he spoke, but he pushed forward. “I did everything I could. I read every book, searched for answers, and tried everything. But nothing worked. For so long, I had been the hero of my family—the adventurer, the warrior, the scholar. I saved countless lives, but I couldn’t save hers.”

  His hands curled into fists. He let out a bitter chuckle, looking at Elara. “I was once someone who never needed help. Now I can’t even trust myself to take a damn step forward.

  “And to make matters worse- now I can’t even carry a package without doubting myself. Without my stomach knotting. Without fear. I lost the support that held my world together,” Eldrin murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, slowly beginning to crack and tremble as he fought back tears.

  “And now… it’s gone.” He took a deep breath, steadying himself. “Three winters have passed, and my children are learning to live without their grandmother. But me? I struggle with losing my mother, my support, my guide, every single day.”

  His gaze drifted as if seeing something beyond the streets of Ironmane. “My mother was a fierce warrior—creative, skilled, sharp-minded- a jack of all trades among the elves. To this day, I still don’t understand why she didn’t hold a greater place in the world.” He clenched his jaw, shaking his head. “But then it hit me. That place in the world was in me. And I lost it. That’s what I’m trying to find, Elara.”

  Finally, he turned to her, his red-rimmed eyes locking onto hers. “I’m trying to find my place in this world. I am trying to find myself.”

  A cold breeze swept through the street, but Eldrin hardly noticed it. His voice was raw, pained, like the weight of his words had taken something from him.

  “I used to be someone who never needed help. Never had to rely on anyone. Now, I can’t even take a damn package from one place to another without my chest tightening, my hands shaking.” He let out a bitter laugh, but there was no humor in it. “I was once the one people turned to for strength. And now? Now I’m standing here, afraid of something as simple as moving forward.”

  His breath shuddered as he looked down at his hands, fingers curling into fists before he released them again. “I don’t know how to fix it. I don’t know how to be me again.”

  He hadn’t meant to say that last part out loud, but now it was there between them, unspoken yet undeniable.

  And he had no idea what to do next.

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  Elara raised a hand and placed it gently on Eldrin’s shoulder, a simple gesture meant to comfort, though it did little to break through the emptiness he felt. It didn’t make things worse, but it didn’t help either. He had become so numb that even the warmth of kindness barely reached him.

  “You know,” he muttered, staring at the ground, “the hardest part of approaching you that first day, to see if you wanted to quest together... that was an old sliver of myself, one I don’t even recognize anymore. I used to be outgoing. I loved adventuring, questing, exploring. That’s why I’m doing this now. I’m hoping to find that version of myself again. I’m trying to heal... and I don’t know how.”

  His voice wavered, but the tears never came. He was too broken, too exhausted, too worn down to cry. It was as if he had nothing left to give, no release, no catharsis—just the weight of everything pressing down on him, keeping him locked in place.

  Elara let her hand fall from his shoulder, but she didn’t step away. “Eldrin, my friend,” she said softly, her voice steady, unwavering. “We will do this together. I am here for you. I’ve always had a knack for knowing who the truly good people in this world are. And you, Eldrin... you are one of them.”

  She gave him a small, reassuring smile. “This? This is just a setback. In the grand span of the universe, this is no more than a blink of an eye. We will keep moving forward. Together.”

  Eldrin stared at her, searching for any hint of doubt in her words. But there was none. She meant it. And he wanted—needed—to believe her.

  A slow, cautious smile tugged at his lips, though deep inside, he prayed this wasn’t another bond that would break, another friendship that would end in disappointment.

  But for now, he let himself believe.

  “Enough of this mushy crap,” he said, forcing a lighthearted scoff. “Let’s get to the apothecary before I lose what little resolve I have left.”Elara grinned. “Agreed.”

  With that, they turned and continued their walk through the city, taking another step forward—together.

  “Speaking of family,” Elara said curiously, tilting her head. “When do I get to meet them? You mentioned them a few times at the tavern last night.”

  Eldrin hesitated, his throat tightening as he shifted his stance. “Well, the Healer’s Sanctuary isn’t too far from my place, so… I guess after we drop off the package, we could stop there for lunch—if you’d like.”

  As soon as the words left his mouth, anxiety gripped him. His home was his sanctuary. He wasn’t prepared for visitors. He had spent so much of his life craving adventure, but now, he longed for solitude. His home smelled of cinnamon, apples, and the warmth of baking from his wife’s kitchen, yet he preferred the quiet. Once, in his younger, more reckless years, he and his fellow adventurers would storm into taverns without a care, but now? Now, all he wanted was the comfort of his armchair and his books, left undisturbed.

  “That sounds perfect,” Elara said, smiling. “It’d be good for your wife and kids to meet the person you’ll be adventuring with.”

  Her words hit him like a ton of bricks. The last time his family had seen his adventuring companions… was the last time they had ever seen them. They hadn’t come home. And Eldrin had barely made it back himself.

  His mind reeled, transporting him back to that moment—the crushing weight of stone, the sheer terror of knowing he might never return.

  The memory passed, but its weight remained heavy in his chest. He swallowed hard, forcing himself to meet Elara’s gaze. He nodded stiffly. “Yeah. It could be good.”

  And for the first time since stepping outside that morning, he wasn’t sure if he believed his own words.

  At that moment, Eldrin realized they had arrived at the apothecary. The wooden sign above the entrance bore an elegantly carved mortar and pestle, surrounded by arcane runes that pulsed faintly with enchantment. The scent of herbs, oils, and something faintly metallic filled the air as they stepped inside.

  Behind a heavy wooden counter, an imposing orc loomed. His green skin bore old scars, and his tusks gleamed under the dim candlelight. He wore a long, earth-toned apron stained with dried herbs and alchemical residue. His deep-set eyes met Eldrin’s with a look that was more of habit than suspicion.

  “You here for the healer’s delivery?” the orc grunted, his voice like grinding stone.

  “Yes,” Eldrin replied. “Do you need to see the courier note from the guild?”

  The orc snorted. “Not many folk come in here unless they’re buying or picking something up. Only delivery on my list is to the Healer’s Sanctum. Here.”

  He slid a neatly wrapped package across the counter, sealed with a crimson wax sigil. Alongside it, he placed a parchment. “This is your proof of delivery,” he muttered. Then, without ceremony, he set down a small pouch of gold and a bundle of deep-green grass-like strands.

  Eldrin picked up the plant, frowning. “What is this?”

  Elara perked up immediately. “Oh! Finger Grass!”

  The orc grunted. “Grows underground. When mixed with oil, stops bleeding instantly.”

  Eldrin turned it over in his hands. “Thank you.”

  The orc shrugged. “For your trouble.”

  Eldrin pocketed the payment, nodded in gratitude, and turned to leave with Elara. As they stepped back onto the bustling street, the package secured in his arms, he let out a slow breath. One task down.

  And still, so many more to go.

  ______________________________________________________________________________________________

  With the package secured, Eldrin and Elara stepped back onto the bustling streets of Ironmane, heading toward the Healers’ Sanctum. The midday sun warmed the cobblestone beneath their boots, and the scent of fresh bread and spices from the nearby market mingled with the crisp air. The streets were alive with energy, yet the two of them moved in their own quiet space, walking side by side.

  For the first time that day, Eldrin felt something shift within him—something less like anxiety and more like… companionship.

  “So,” Elara started, glancing at him with a smirk, “you never actually answered my question earlier. What is your end goal with all of this? Becoming an Archmage? A scholar? Maybe a legendary hero?”

  Eldrin chuckled, shaking his head. “I don’t know,” he admitted, his voice tinged with reflection. “Once, I wanted to see the world—to learn everything it had to offer, to chase knowledge like it was the only thing that mattered. But now? Now I just want something that feels like home. A life that brings me peace, fulfillment.”

  His gaze drifted toward the distant rooftops, where the Healers' Sanctum loomed just a few streets away. “I need that for my children, for my wife. But in order to be the best version of myself for them… I need to find me again.”

  Elara listened intently, her expression unreadable but patient.

  “Maybe, when all is said and done,” Eldrin continued, “I’d like to write it all down. My story. The battles, the victories, the lessons… maybe even a few tales of adventure that weren’t all doom and despair. See where that leaves me.” He smirked slightly, shaking his head at himself. “Who knows?

  Maybe someone out there would actually read it.”

  Elara grinned. “I’d read it.”

  He let out a small, genuine chuckle at that. “Yeah?”

  She nodded. “Yeah. And I think a lot of others would, too. Stories have power, Eldrin. And sometimes, writing them down is just another way of making sense of them.”

  For the first time in a long time, Eldrin felt something stir inside him. Not anxiety. Not fear. Just the possibility… that maybe, just maybe, he still had a future worth building.

  Elara nodded knowingly. “I get that. You can travel to a thousand places and still not find it. Sometimes, home is something you have to build.”

  They walked in silence for a moment, their strides matching unconsciously. The Healers’ Sanctum was just beyond the next street, but neither of them seemed in a hurry.

  “Tell me something, Eldrin,” Elara said suddenly. “Do you regret it? The life you’ve lived?”

  Eldrin exhaled, his gaze settling on the horizon. “No. But I do wonder if I could’ve done it differently.”

  She smiled softly. “Then we keep moving forward.”

  As they neared the Healers’ Sanctum, Eldrin found himself grateful—not just for the journey, but for the company beside him. Maybe, just maybe, this wasn’t just another fleeting partnership.

  Maybe this was the beginning of something real.

  _______________________________________________________________________________________________

  As they approached the Healers’ Sanctum, the grand stone building loomed ahead, its arched windows adorned with vines of glowing ivy, a testament to the natural magic that flourished within. Outside, a simple wooden dropbox, marked with the healer’s sigil, stood beneath an iron lantern. It was a secure and trusted place for couriers to leave important deliveries.

  Eldrin carefully placed the package inside, exhaling softly as if releasing the last weight of their task. Just as he turned, a familiar voice pierced the air.

  “Daddy!”

  Before he could react, three small figures came barreling toward him—his children, their faces alight with excitement. They nearly tackled him in their enthusiasm, their chatter overlapping as they clung to him.

  “We missed you!”

  “Can we have lunch in town?”

  “Mama said we could!”

  Eldrin laughed, ruffling the hair of his youngest as he steadied himself. He felt warmth spread through him, a feeling he hadn’t allowed himself to fully embrace in a long time. As he straightened, he gestured toward Elara. “This is Elara, a friend of mine.”

  Elara smiled, crouching slightly to meet the children's eyes. “Nice to meet you all. Your father has been telling me a lot about you.”

  The children eyed her curiously before one of them, the oldest, asked, “Are you a knight?”

  Elara chuckled. “Something like that.”

  Eldrin smirked, shaking his head. “Alright, alright. Let’s get moving before they eat me alive.”

  With that, the group made their way toward The Shattered Compass Pub, a cozy tavern nestled between the bustling streets. Its wooden sign, depicting a shattered helmet and crossed swords, swayed in the breeze. Inside, the scent of roasted meat and fresh-baked bread filled the air, and the low hum of conversation created a warm, inviting atmosphere.

  As they settled in at a corner table, Elara glanced at Eldrin, a knowing smile on her lips. “This is nice.”

  Eldrin met her gaze, nodding. “Yeah… it really is.”

  And for the first time in a long while, he allowed himself to believe it.