George was clearly nervous now that they were getting close to the town. He checked his gear twice and walked around the camp multiple times just to fight his anxiety.
"We should reach Three Lakes in two hours," he said. "The terrain ahead is clearer."
Reidar re-summoned his Sprites since the time limit was ending. They had many fights during the day. Not enough for the others to finally get to level 1, but many nonetheless.
They were all worn out.
"Stay close," Reidar said. "We don't know what we'll find."
The forest thinned out just as George said it would. Oaks that looked ancient but couldn't have been more than a couple of weeks old finally gave way to open grassland. Walking got easier, but the group's nerves—especially George's—only seemed to tighten with every step.
"There used to be a wooden sign here," he said, stopping beside a splintered post. "Welcome to Three Lakes. Population 2,847."
