The Gate Traveler

The caravan creaked back into motion, wheels crunching over the packed dirt road as I fell into step behind the last cart. Still a bit woozy and unsteady, with most of my mana depleted, I focused on drawing it in with each breath. It wasn't as efficient as meditating while sitting or lying down, but it beat passively waiting for it to refill on its own. Slowly, with each breath, I felt steadier, my head cleared, and my walk became easier. Not that I had to push myself. The caravan moved at a pace that could only be described as insulting to snails. Even with my shaky legs and half-full reserves, I had no trouble keeping up. Every so often, it stopped again. At each dirt track branching off the main road, it slowed, and before the wagons rolled fully past, the locals came, waving their hands and calling for it to stop. The merchants were more than happy to oblige. They tugged the reins, slowed the bison and horses, and shouted greetings, already unloading samples even before the customers arrived. Some stops lasted ten minutes. Others, half an hour. I stopped counting after the third.

Stretch, meanwhile, had the time of his life, or at least, the time of this trip. He claimed a spot in one of the larger wagons, surrounded by a group of children who couldn't pet him fast enough. One girl tied flowers into a crude garland and hung it around his neck. Another was scratching his ears. A third was combing him with a wooden comb decorated with flowers. For her sake, I hoped her mom wouldn't catch her. I had a strong suspicion it was the mom's comb and not meant for dogs. He sprawled across the straw-lined floor of the cart like a king, tongue lolling in a doggy grin and tail wagging non-stop. The little traitor looked completely at peace. Honestly, the way he leaned into the attention, I got worried he might choose to stay with the caravan instead of me.

It was a good time to check the blinking red light. The blinking was rhythmic and had a hypnotic effect that irritated me. Blink. Blink. Blink. Nonstop. It started blinking right after the leg surgery, but I'd held off checking it. I was in the middle of a conversation with the caravan leader, and it didn't feel right to check out on him mid-conversation. Not exactly polite. Now that we were crawling forward again, I figured I had a moment.

I added the points to Luck—it was still my lowest stat. I also decided to switch to a different series to read. It was entertaining, but didn't have class levels or stats. Maybe dumping all my free points into the lowest attribute wasn't the smartest long-term plan. I needed to "do research." I also reviewed my full profile to see my progress.

Huh, when did I get the Fortify Life Force spell? What does it even mean to Fortify Life Force?

The description was interesting:

Hmm, I should cast it after every healing.

To test the spell, I cast Diagnose on myself and paid attention to various systems. Then, Fortify Life Force, followed by another Diagnose. This time, the mitosis (cell division) rate ticked higher. My cells were dividing more rapidly and smoothly. My legs moved more easily, my spine straightened, and my breathing deepened. There was just… more. More energy, a bounce in my step, and a general feeling of being more alert. Even the walk felt different. Lighter, like the body had stopped dragging its feet and got on board. It wasn't a mental change, nor was it because I had regenerated some mana. The effect was purely physical.

Nice!

After about four hours, the caravan pulled into a clearing just off the road. It was a big, open space with lots of tree stumps cut low, like makeshift chairs. On one side, someone had constructed a few rough tables from logs, and all across the clearing, the remains of old campfires were scattered. Some were ringed with stones, others just piles of ash or black spots on the ground.

Two guards guided a smaller cart loaded with barrels across the road and onto a narrow trail. Meanwhile, three others grabbed shovels and split off in different directions. The caravan leader stood near the main road, barking out instructions on where to position each cart.

He shouted, "Move it forward, you stupid jurber food; you're blocking the road."

I laughed. Now I knew what a "Jurber" was. Settling on a tree stump, I continued to regenerate, enjoying the surrounding hubbub. It was nice to be with people again.

Stretch padded over and flopped down on my feet with a huff.

"Got tired of the kids?" I asked, glancing down.

He let out a wide, slow yawn, tongue curling.

"Yeah, they can be exhausting but also fun," I said.

His tail gave a lazy wag.

Smart wolf dog.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

After a while, the caravan leader approached me and pointed to the right of the clearing. "The males' latrine is there." Pointed left. "The females' there. Don't go near it if you don't want them to shout at you." Pointed behind the clearing. "The garbage hole is there; the mage will burn it in the morning."

I thanked him, and he left.

Shit, I still don't know his name.

I wasn't sure about using the garbage hole. I had a lot of takeaway boxes in my Storage in a garbage barrel. It was a good idea, but I didn't think they'd appreciate burnt plastic. I figured I'd burn it once I was back in the wilderness. Hopefully, my small amount of plastic wouldn't be a pollution problem.

After the commotion had settled, I went to check on my patients.

The woman sat near a low fire, warming her hands over the flames. She looked up as I approached; her face looked tired but softened with a smile.

Crouching beside her, I asked, "How are you feeling?"

She let out a slow sigh and rubbed her forehead. "My leg feels good. Thank you."

"You sure?" I asked. "No weakness?"

She looked at me with a surprised expression. "How did you know? It's like I barely have the strength to sit up."

"That's pretty normal after intense healing. Let me give you a boost."

I placed a hand on her shoulder and cast Fortify Life Force.

Her back straightened a little, and some warmth returned to her face. She blinked at me, eyes wide. "Thank you… I feel better already."

"Good. Try to eat and drink some more, and take it easy for the next few hours, alright?"

She nodded, hesitated, then gave me a hopeful look. "Would you like to join me for dinner by my fire tonight? It's the least I can do to thank you."

"I'd like that. Thanks."

Her smile brightened. "Great. I'll see you then."

I gave her a reassuring nod and stood up, brushing dirt from my knee as I turned to find the man.

He was with their horse a little ways off, brushing down its side with slow strokes. When he spotted me, he straightened and offered his hand with a smile.

"Hey," I said, shaking his hand. "How do you feel?"

He took a step back, eyebrows lifting. His mouth opened, then closed with a soft click. He looked me up and down like he wasn't sure what to say.

"I feel good," he said finally. "I thought I'd never walk again. I couldn't even move my hand without screaming yesterday. How did you... thank you. Thank you."

Stepping closer, I rested a hand on his shoulder. "Mind if I check you?"

He nodded and stood still while I cast Diagnose. Most of the damage had healed, but faint signs still lingered in his system: subtle stiffness in the muscles, and a slight tightness in the jaw. I cast Healing Touch twice. His breathing eased, and the last of the tension melted from his body. Then, I followed with Fortify Life Force. He straightened up slowly, blinking like he'd just woken from a nap.

"Thank you," he said, voice a little steadier. "Feels better now."

"I'm glad to hear that," I said. "Eat and drink some more and take it easy for a bit, alright?"

He nodded, then looked like he was debating something. "Would you join us for dinner tonight? I want to thank you properly."

"Thanks," I said with a smile, "but I already promised someone else."

His face fell, but he tried to hide it with a polite smile. "I understand. Maybe another time."

"Definitely," I said, giving his shoulder a light pat. "Take care. And let me know if anything feels off."

He gave me a half-bow. "Thank you, from the depth of my spirit."

I left him there and called Stretch over with a whistle and a pat on my leg. He trotted to my side, and we made our way back to the woman's fire. And of course, I forgot to introduce myself. I shook my head in dismay. My manners definitely stayed behind in the wilderness. When we reached her, the woman was stirring something in a pot. She looked up and smiled at me.

Before I could forget again, I said, "My name's John. Nice to meet you."

"Hello, John. I'm Sami."

Whatever she was cooking smelled incredible; spicy and smoky, with a rich aroma. I sat near the fire, then asked, "Mind if I use part of the fire to cook something for my dog?"

Her eyebrows lifted. "You cook for your dog? Why? It's a wild bushland breed. They eat raw."

I chuckled and shook my head. "He used to. Then I gave him a cooked steak once, and now? If I give him raw meat, he pushes the bowl at me and waits."

She laughed. "Spoiled."

"Extremely," I said. "And picky."

I grilled two chickens for him, but to my surprise, he sniffed them and turned his head away. I stared at him, confused. Stretch loved chicken. With a frown, I took out some ground bison. His tail instantly whipped into motion, and he did a little happy tap-dance in place.

"Seriously?" I asked him.

He licked his chops, then my cheek.

While the bison patties sizzled, I flipped the chicken for myself and glanced at Sami. "Want one of these? They're good."

She gave me a playful look. "When I invited you to dinner, I was supposed to cook for you, not the other way around."

"I know," I said, grinning. "But I've got a demanding dinner companion."

"Of course he's demanding. You're feeding him premium mana-rich meat," she said, shaking her head.

"Huh?" I blinked at her. "Wait—what?"

Curious, I focused on the bison beef, sensing for mana. It was loaded with it. I felt like an idiot. Of course it was—I had to channel mana forever to loot it. Conservation of energy and all that jazz.

I took out a chunk of goat meat and checked it. It had mana, but not as much. It all clicked into place. Stretch started getting picky right after the first goat, and it got worse once I harvested the first bison. That probably explained the whole 'progress to awakening' thing in his description, too. I still didn't know exactly what that meant, but it was starting to make sense.

I groaned and facepalmed.

Across the fire, Sami burst out laughing. "You didn't know?" she asked, eyes sparkling with amusement.

I shook my head, rubbing my forehead. "Nope. Not a clue."

She laughed harder. "How is it possible? Mana-rich meat like that goes for a gold per sak."

"How much is a sak?"

She held out her hands—bigger than a pound, maybe eight hundred grams.

I scratched my head. "I bartered for it. Didn't like the taste, so I've been giving it to the dog."

She blinked, then laughed again.

"You want some?" I offered.

"No way," she said, still grinning. "It's too expensive. I couldn't accept it."

"I'm feeding it to my spoiled mutt," I said with a shrug. "Happy to share."

She hesitated, but I could clearly see she wanted it.

"It's really not a problem," I added. "I don't plan to eat it myself."

After a brief pause, she gave in with a small nod.

I summoned a big iron pot that looked good for open-fire cooking and filled it with minced bison. Then I brought out a large metal bowl with a swirling design around the rim, filled it with neatly chopped chunks, and handed it to her.

"You can keep the dishes," I said. "A thank-you for the mana lesson."

She shook her head and held up her hands. "No. I can't accept that. These are too valuable."

I hesitated, rubbing the back of my neck. Telling her they cost me fifteen bucks at a flea market felt… unwise. Still, I wasn't about to back down. "Sami, come on. You've helped me out a lot. These might be valuable to you, but for me, they're just a small thank-you."

She narrowed her eyes, clearly torn, then pressed her lips together in a stubborn line. "I don't know..."

I leaned in a little, trying to meet her eye without appearing pushy. "You told me something important. I wouldn't have figured it out without you. That's worth more to me than a pot and a bowl."

After a long pause, she exhaled sharply and gave a reluctant nod. "Alright, John. But only because you insisted."

I smiled. "Thank you."

She looked down at the meat, then back up at me. "You should speak with the mage. She will pay good coin for such meat."

"I will. Thanks again."

We sat by the fire a while longer, chatting about this and that. Sami was sharp, funny, and easy to talk to, and I had a great time. It was nice to interact with people again. Good people.

Eventually, I stood, said goodnight, and went in search of the mage. A few questions around the camp later, I found her by another fire, talking with the caravan leader. She appeared to be in her forties, with dark hair streaked with gray and a practical, no-nonsense expression. I waited for a pause in their conversation, then stepped forward.

"Excuse me," I said, keeping my tone polite. "Could I have a word with you?"

She glanced up, hesitated a second, then nodded and stepped aside with me. I took out a small bowl and filled it with bison chunks, holding it out to her.

She zeroed in on it like a fox on a rabbit. "Where did you get this?"

"I bartered for it with a butcher," I said. "You want to buy it?"

"How much do you have?" she asked, eyes fixed on the meat.

"A lot."

Her gaze snapped to mine. "But you're a healer. You need the mana, too. Why sell it?"

I shrugged. "I've got plenty, and I don't like the taste." No way was I going to tell her it was dog food.

"Show me," she commanded.

I summoned a large cooler filled with minced bison, then another packed with solid chunks.

Her eyes went wide. "Where did you get those boxes?"

"Brought them from my homeland, across the sea," I said cautiously. "Traded one to a butcher in exchange for a full load of meat."

"One box for all this meat?" she asked, sounding skeptical.

"Yeah. As long as you pack them with ice or use an ice spell and keep them sealed, they'll keep food cold for days."

She studied my face for a beat, then crouched beside the cooler. She poked at a few chunks, turning them over, then passed her hand just above the surface like she was testing something. After a moment, she stood, gave me a once-over, and said, "If you really don't want it, I'll take all of it. Is four hundred and fifty gold for the lot an acceptable price?"

My jaw almost dropped before I caught myself. I nodded quickly—maybe too quickly—and did my best to keep a straight face while my brain did a backflip and waved pom-poms like a cheerleader.

She tapped the cooler next. "I'll give you three hundred for the box."

I tightened my grip on the lid and shook my head. "Not for sale."

When she handed over the gold, my mind broke into salsa and built a cheerleaders' pyramid. It wasn't about the money. It was the fact that, in a roundabout way, I'd looted almost 500 gold.

That's how real looting should work!

I turned to the caravan leader. "Goodnight," I said, smiling. "I'll be continuing on my own."

He looked disappointed but nodded. "Safe travels, Grand Master Healer. We do move slowly." This time, I didn't correct him about the grand master title.

I found Stretch still napping by Sami's fire and called him over. He joined me with a sleepy grunt.

I walked back to her one last time. "Thanks for everything, Sami. I'm going to set up camp a bit further out."

Didn't want to startle anyone with my high-tech gear. I needed to invest in some local camping equipment.

"Take care, John," she said, smiling warmly. "Safe travels."

We headed into the wilderness across the road, looking for a place to set camp.

Tomorrow, I needed to dig into the Archive and figure out what "awakening" actually meant.