With the dragon finally defeated, our questing days were officially behind us. The next stage of our journey was about to begin.
Before leaving, we made sure to return home to say goodbye to our parents. They were hesitant at first, but once they heard everything we had accomplished, they knew we couldn't be convinced otherwise. In the end, they supported us—and even seemed proud of what we had become.
Afterward, Alva insisted we celebrate our victory at the Flower Tavern before marching off to face the orcs. We obliged and arrived at the tavern.
It was busier this time, about half full, with chatter and laughter spilling into the air.
The barkeep spotted us the moment we walked in.
"Hey, Talos Party! Welcome back!" he called, waving us toward a table.
We settled in, and the same flute melody from last time drifted through the air, catching my ear.
The barkeep finally made his way over.
"You all look different today—you've got a new…swagger about you," he said.
Maybe he was right. After defeating a dragon, we did feel different, and I guess it showed.
"I'm Earl, by the way."
"Talos, Uri, Alva, and Velara," Talos said, introducing us.
"Nice to officially meet you. Now, who's ordering first? Luka—turn that music down!" Earl called over his shoulder.
Luka obliged, softening the notes.
"Oh, I actually like the music," I said.
"Luka, you playing just for yourself? Louder," Earl countered.
Luka just shook his head in disbelief before picking up the melody again.
That exchange told me everything I needed to know about the relationship between boss and employee here.
We ordered our food—the same dishes as last time. Alva once again insisted on ordering ale against my wishes, and soon our conversation began.
"Vel," Talos said, "I think I can handle greater strength now. My body's adjusted to simple strength pretty well—and if we know anything about orcs, it's that they're ridiculously strong."
"Alright, I'll stop by a shop around here and pick up some spells. Uri, Alva—anything for you guys?"
Uri shook his head.
"I can't handle a stronger haste," Alva said through a mouthful of food. "My fingers might fall off. But… maybe you could start using swiftness on me too, now that I'm changing up my fighting style. I'm moving a lot more."
"That actually might be a good idea," I said.
As we kept eating, a pair of young elf women approached our table.
"You're the half-elf who beat the Haron Party, right?" one asked Alva.
"Wait—you know me?" Alva nearly choked on his food.
"Of course. Everyone's been talking about it."
Alva looked at us in shock and glee.
He was definitely never going to let this go.
"Well, yes—that was me. Us," he corrected. "They were valiant, but we were… valianter. I'm Alva by the way." He raised his mug and took a proud swig.
"Wow," they swooned.
How did that win them over? And why was no one questioning the half-elf drinking ale?
"So you really think you can take on the orcs?" the other asked.
The tavern fell quiet as if anticipating our answer.
"Of course we can," Talos said.
A ripple of whispers swept through the room. It felt like the whole tavern was invested in our conversation.
"Those orcs aren't trolls," a man said. I turned to see a knight watching us.
"We've fought plenty more than trolls," Talos shot back.
"Yeah, we even defeated a dragon earlier today," Alva added, taking another triumphant drink.
The tavern erupted with chatter.
"A dragon? As if," the knight scoffed.
Alva took a bold step forward.
"Wait—I know you. You're the same knight Governor Ducott scolded at Loris Bridge. You tried to stop us from fighting the troll—because you were too scared. Remember?"
The ale had clearly already taken its toll.
The tavern roared with laughter.
The knight looked embarrassed.
But now that he mentioned it, he was right—that was the same knight. I kinda felt bad for him, but it was also kinda deserved.
"Why don't you go with them?" someone asked.
"Because I have a city to protect. Now, if you'll excuse me." The knight turned and left.
The laughter kept going.
Earl and Luka, meanwhile, looked pretty pleased with the whole situation.
As the tavern quieted down and we finished our meals, a man stepped up to our table.
"If you're really heading after the orcs, I heard they've already taken a small village on the Beastarian coast—near the orcs' bridge into the kingdom. If you want a chance to help stop them, you should go now. Here's a map."
He pulled it from his pocket and unfolded it. "I'm a… trader. Use this side route. It'll get you there undetected."
Instead of questioning who he was or how he knew all this, I took it as a sign to get moving. We didn't have a specific lead on the orcs' location, so this was a great help.
"Thank you," I said, as we took the map and stood.
"Bye, ladies," Alva called as we left. A few others even wished us luck before we mounted our horses.
I was really starting to like that place.
On the way to the shops to get spells, Alva puked off the side of his saddle. Poor Celestia—his horse deserved better than a buffoon like him.
On our way to Beastarian territory, even though I knew we were prepared, a knot of anxiety tightened in my stomach. I'd only ever seen orcs from afar—seasonal kings, their guards, and a few illustrations.
They were very self-reliant.
While the other three societies built themselves on more balanced, multifaceted systems, the orcs almost entirely centered their way of life around fighting and getting stronger. I doubt parties even existed in their lands—there simply wasn't enough nuance in their practices.
Nothing wrong with that, of course. It was just…different.
So, in a clash of brute strength against brute strength, aiding the Beastarian knights would amount to little. But fortunately, we had far more than strength on our side.
As we entered the Beastarian Kingdom, I could feel the tension hanging in the air. The orcs had already invaded, and that unease seemed to ripple through the entire kingdom.
Uri held the map, guiding us to the secret path the mysterious man had told us about.
The path stretched before us as a long dirt road, almost untouched by outside eyes. I didn't want to think too hard about what it was usually used for. For now, its purpose was clear: it was our path to stop the orcs.
After about an hour, we finally made it. But the village lay in shambles. We were too late.
Broken stone walls, collapsed roofs, with piles of rubble and debris everywhere.
Despite the wreckage, villagers were already hard at work, clearing debris and tending to the wounded.
As we approached, a group of knights spotted us.
"We're the Talos Party—we came to help with the orcs," Talos announced.
"Oh—thank you for coming. We could use the help, as you can see," one of the knights replied.
"So what happened?" Alva asked.
"They caught us by surprise. We'd been preparing our forces around King's Tree to prepare for their assault. But several hours ago, a band of orc knights slipped through and came here, demanding food. This village is small—we barely have enough to survive ourselves. When we refused, they pillaged us until we finally drove them off."
He gestured at the ruined buildings. "We're still rebuilding. The wounded are being cared for."
"Where did they go?" Talos asked.
"They retreated the way they came. Looked like they were heading for Stripe City. They may have taken over that city, but I'm not too sure."
"Thank you, sir. We'll go after them," Talos said, tightening his reins.
"Wait," I said, glancing around at the devastation. "We can't just leave these people like this. We have to help."
"We can help—by stopping the orcs. That's why we came here, remember?" Talos argued.
"What do you guys think?" I asked the others.
"I think we stay," Uri said. "We were too late for the orcs, but not too late for these people."
"Alva?" Talos pressed.
Alva looked at the villagers, then nodded.
"Vel's right. These people need us. We should stay. We can fight the orcs first thing tomorrow."
Talos sighed but relented.
I understood his disappointment. We had no idea when or where the orcs would strike next. Maybe this was the wrong choice. But my gut told me leaving now would be wrong. We couldn't walk away—not when we could make a real difference here.
We tied up our horses and split up to help. Talos hauled the heavy stones, Alva worked the ropes and pulleys, and Uri climbed buildings to help restore the higher places. I went straight to the wounded.
A small group of healers was working near the shore, clearly understaffed. After introducing myself, I joined in right away. Beastarian men, women, and children lay in rows, with injuries ranging from cuts to bruises. One of my favorite things about healing magic is that it doesn't matter whether you're human, elf, or Beastarian—it works on anyone, skin or fur alike.
As we neared the end of treating dozens of patients, something caught my eye. Off to the side, away from everyone else, a woman and child sat alone on the shore. Nobody else seemed to notice them.
I finished with my current patient and hurried over.
As I drew closer, I realized I wasn't mistaken—she was an orc woman, cradling her child and quietly weeping.
"Excuse me," I said, which startled the woman.
She looked up with tear-stained eyes. Her skin was green, her long dark-green hair hanging loose, and her child beside her matched her features—pointed ears and small tusks. Both wore simple, tattered brown clothes. Her eyes were fixed on me, wide with fear.
"Uh… hi, ma'am. I'm Velara. My party and I came to help here. Is everything okay?"
She kept staring, her expression shifting to confusion.
Did I say something wrong?
I knelt down beside her, and I could feel her body ease ever so slightly—as if she wanted to trust me.
"This was not supposed to happen," she whispered, shaking her head. "None of this." She closed her eyes.
"What do you mean, ma'am?"
"He said we would be safe here. My husband. He is a knight—but he is not like them. He is a good man."
I was taken aback. I didn't know what to say, but one thing was clear: she sounded sincere.
And I believed her.
She continued.
"He has been a knight for years, even before… all this. The King—his plan is to take over all of Runeveil. He means to capture the creatures from the Wilderness and bring them back to the Orc Kingdom. That is part of his strategy."
The more I learned, the worse this predicament sounded.
"My husband told us to retreat here, thinking it would be safer than home. When some of the knights attacked this place—that was not supposed to happen."
So the orcs' leadership was disorganized, yet still deadly. I couldn't decide if that was a good thing or a bad one. Either way, I suddenly understood why she was sitting here apart from everyone else.
"They blamed you? Is that why you're out here alone?"
She looked up and nodded.
"Well, are you or your child hurt? I can heal you."
She shook her head.
"Alright… if there's anything else I can do, let me know. Do you need coin?"
"No, thank you. Just talking with me… that is already enough. You helped me feel better."
She stood, holding her child closer. "It is good to know people like you are in the world. Tonight I will call a bat and write my husband a note—about what happened, and about you. Thank you."
With that, she walked off.
At that moment, I knew we'd made the right choice staying here. Moments like this made everything worth it.
After we finished healing, I regrouped with my party, and told them what had happened. The villagers offered us dinner, and we stayed the night in one of the still-standing homes.
By morning, Talos was eager and energized, ready to move. We met with the knights at first light.
"You don't know how much you've helped us, Talos Party. We're in your debt. If you want to skip Stripe City and head straight for King's Tree, there's a shortcut here."
He marked it on our map.
"We'll remain here to look after the people, but for what it's worth—we believe in you."
"That means a lot, sir," Talos replied.
And with that, we set out for King's Tree.