THE ADVENTURES IN THE NEW WORLD

 The sun had dipped below the horizon, casting a golden hue over the dense canopy of the Emerald Veil Forest. As the caravan pushed deeper into the heart of the woodland, Edric Fairweather, the merchant, raised a hand, signaling for the group to stop.

"We'll camp here for the night," he announced, his voice carrying over the soft rustle of leaves in the evening breeze.

The carts were arranged in a defensive circle, their wooden frames creaking under the shifting weight of the supplies. In the center of the camp, a fire flickered to life, its orange glow casting dancing shadows against the trees. The scent of roasting meat and herbs soon filled the air as Kael and Draven helped prepare the evening meal.

"Not bad," Draven muttered as he stirred the stew. "Didn't expect you to know your way around cooking."

Kael chuckled. "You pick up a few things when you're on your own."

As night fell, the group settled in, their laughter and quiet conversations filling the air. The meal was simple but hearty, and soon, one by one, they retired to their tents, letting the fatigue of the day take hold.

Kael's sleep was anything but peaceful.

He was back on the forest path, surrounded by the fallen bodies of the thieves he had slain. Suddenly, their cold, dead hands reached for him, their hollow eyes filled with vengeful rage. One of them lunged, pressing its rotting fingers around his throat.

Kael gasped and bolted upright, his breath ragged. Sweat clung to his skin as he clutched his chest, trying to steady himself.

"It was just a dream," he whispered, shaking off the lingering fear. His throat was dry, his body aching.

Reaching for his water bottle, he took a deep sip. As he lowered the flask, something outside caught his attention—a shadow, moving against the flickering firelight.

A creature with a long tail and a pointed snout crept through the camp.

Kael's grip tightened around his sword. Moving silently, he nudged Draven awake.

"Draven," he whispered, his voice tense. "Something's out there."

Draven's hand immediately went to his bow. "What did you see?"

Kael gestured toward the shadow. As their eyes adjusted, more figures emerged from the darkness. Lizardmen.

Despite the wyvern-thorn herbs placed around the camp, the reptilian creatures were undeterred.

Kael's pulse quickened. "Wake the others. Now."

The camp erupted into chaos as Tharian and his team sprang into action. The lizardmen charged, their scaled bodies gleaming under the moonlight. They wielded crude but deadly weapons—spears, bows, and jagged swords.

Selene's voice cut through the night. "We have to drive them back!"

Kael swung his blade, narrowly dodging a spear thrust. The creature hissed, its yellow eyes filled with bloodlust. The clash of steel echoed through the camp as the adventurers fought back.

Draven loosed arrow after arrow, each shot finding its mark. But the lizardmen were relentless. One of the merchant's subordinates screamed as he was dragged into the shadows.

"We have to help him!" Kael shouted.

Tharian gritted his teeth and stopped Kael forcefully from running into the depths of the forest. "We can't chase after them blindly! We'd risk losing more people."

The lizardmen, sensing the fight turning against them, hissed in frustration. Selene pulled out more of the wyvern-thorn herbs and scattered them around the camp. The creatures recoiled, their bodies twitching in agony at the scent.

With a final screech, they retreated into the forest.

Silence fell over the camp.

Edric knelt beside the empty bedroll of his lost worker, grief shadowing his face. "He was with me for years… I should have protected him."

No one spoke. The weight of loss pressed heavily upon them.

........

At dawn, they resumed their journey. The path led them to Sylvalis, a town hidden deep within the forest. Towering white trees stood like sentinels around the settlement, their silver leaves shimmering in the morning light. Intricate wooden bridges connected platforms built into the trees, forming a network of elven dwellings. The air was filled with the scent of wildflowers, and small streams wove through the town like silver veins.

At the entrance, a tall elf clad in emerald armor, greeted them.

"You seek entry?" he asked, his voice carrying the weight of authority.

Edric stepped forward, presenting his merchant permit. The adventurers handed over their adventurer IDs for inspection.

The elf studied them for a moment before nodding. "You may enter. Welcome to Sylvalis."

As they unloaded the goods, Edric turned to the group. "Thank you. Truly. I only wish we had all made it here."

The sorrow in his voice was unmistakable.

Kael placed a hand on his shoulder. "We did what we could."

Edric forced a small smile. "I know."

..........

As they wandered through Sylvalis, Kael was captivated by the elven warriors training in the square. Their movements were fluid, precise—an art form rather than mere combat.

Selene smiled and asked to her friends. "Would you like to see my home?"

They agreed and followed her to a modest yet elegant wooden house nestled between two great trees. Her parents, Eldrin and Lyanna Starbloom, welcomed them warmly. They were so happy to see Selene safe and sound. They all introduced themselves to Selene's parents.

They thanked her friends for taking care of their daughter. After that, Selene take her friends on a tour around her house. Lyanna asked them all to make themselves home while she prepare a nice lunch for all of them. They all agreed to do so. 

It was finally Lunch time. They ate the lunch Lyanna made for them. It was delicious and they enjoyed it. They didn't forget to appreciate her good skill in cooking. 

After the lunch, they all took a short break while Kael and Draven were looking around the town. Eldrin was their tour guide. Eldrin introduced the traditional pottery, clothes, arts etc. Draven seems to be familiar with most of them as he is also an elf. 

While being the guide, Eldrin was studying Kael. So he waited for an occasion to ask him " Can I ask something personal kid?"

Kael without any hesitation " Sure."

Eldrin "You don't have magic, do you?"

Kael hesitated before shaking his head. "No. I rely on my swordsmanship."

Eldrin's eyes gleamed with interest. "Yet you've reached Rank Two? That's no small feat."

Kael straightened. "I've been training since I was five. Becoming an adventurer is my dream."

Eldrin chuckled. "You seems to be confident in your skills."

Kael blinked. "Well, I have been training for a long time now. So.."

Draven whistled. "Mmm... interesting. So how about this, want to test your skills."

Kael "...."

........

The training ground was a wide, open field encircled by ancient trees. The air was thick with anticipation as Kael and Eldrin faced each other.

Eldrin unsheathed his elegant elven blade. "Show me what you've learned."

Kael nodded, gripping his sword tightly.

The moment hung suspended in time.

Then, they moved.

Kael lunged forward, his blade flashing in the sunlight. Eldrin met the attack with effortless grace, deflecting the strike and countering with a fluid slash. Kael twisted, narrowly avoiding the blow.

Their swords danced, striking and parrying in a flurry of movement. The clash of metal echoed through the field. Kael pushed forward, forcing Eldrin to step back.

"Impressive," Eldrin admitted. "But let's see how you handle this."

He raised a hand, summoning the wind. A powerful gust swept through the battlefield, knocking Kael off balance.

Kael gritted his teeth. "Magic… of course."

Eldrin's attacks came faster now, his blade nearly invisible in its speed. Kael barely managed to block, his arms aching under the force.

Then, he saw an opening.

Kael ducked low, sweeping his leg beneath Eldrin's stance. The elf stumbled. Kael seized the moment, pressing forward.

Their swords met one final time before Eldrin stepped back, lowering his blade.

"Well fought," Eldrin said, nodding in approval. "You have the potential to become truly great."

Kael exhaled, his chest heaving. "Thank you."

Eldrin clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Train harder. One day, you might even surpass me."

Kael smiled, determination burning in his eyes.