Colm awoke with a jolt, his eyes darting around as he tried to remember where he was. The room slowly came into focus.

Oh, right, he muttered.

I was with Luke and Tessa last night. After The Oasis Bloom, we headed to a bar—Tessa's recommendation. He grimaced, rubbing his temple. Man, I'm surprised I can still get a hangover at this level. If he remembered correctly, she had drunk him under the table, and when he hit the floor, the entire bar erupted in laughter. He grinned, thinking fondly of it.

A creak from the doorway drew his attention. Tessa stepped out, smirking.

"Morning, lightweight. Can't handle your liquor, huh?"

Colm shot back, laughing, "Hey, hey, it's been a minute! Cut me some slack."

He glanced at his HUD—an hour left before the crew's scheduled meetup for the escort mission.

"Thanks for last night." He smiled. "It was fun, and thanks for letting me crash on your couch."

Tessa waved him off. "No problem. If you ever need someone to drink you under the table, you can count on me." She motioned toward the other room. "I think Luke's still out cold. You actually handled it better than him." She let out a hearty laugh. "Give me a couple minutes, and I'll throw together a quick meal. I know you have to head out soon."

Colm nodded, thanking her as he turned his thoughts to his class, formulating a plan. Alright, go through with this escort mission and finally see the ocean. I'm so excited. He shifted in his seat. The ocean breeze, the smell, the sounds—I can't wait. And honestly, it'll be nice to meet some new folks and get to know them.

A rich aroma drifted from where Tessa was cooking, snapping him out of his thoughts. He stretched and stood.

"That smells amazing," he said.

"Glad you think so! It's my go-to meal when I don't grab anything out. Just some eggs and meat scraps tossed with seasoning." She nodded toward the table. "I'll be done in a minute if you wanna grab a seat."

Colm nodded, walking over to the table and taking a seat, letting the rich aroma fill his senses. He closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the scent, a wide smile spreading across his face.

Tessa plopped a plate in front of him. "Here ya go," she said before taking her own plate and settling into the seat across from him.

Colm wasted no time digging in, taking a bite—and immediately letting out an audible groan of satisfaction. "This is delicious. Thank you," he mumbled, half-trying to speak through a mouthful of food. A few stray bits nearly escaped as he talked.

Tessa burst into laughter at the ridiculous sight of him attempting to both chew and talk at the same time. Colm, mid-chew, watched her as if everything had slowed down. Strands of her blonde hair fell to the side of her face, framing a smile so radiant it deepened the soft creases at the corners of her mouth. That's when he noticed—her eyes. A piercing gray, bright with amusement, shimmering as a tear welled from laughing so hard.

After a moment, her laughter faded, and time seemed to snap back into place. Colm cleared his throat, coughing away any lingering food crumbs.

"Glad you could find enjoyment at my expense," he said, chuckling.

She shrugged, still grinning. "Hey, I can't help it if you do things like that."

Colm smirked and shook his head before settling into the comfortable silence, enjoying both the warmth of the meal and the company. But even as he relished the moment, his thoughts drifted toward the task ahead.

After the quick breakfast, Colm headed toward the door, waving to Tessa. "I'll be sure to stop by after I make it back," he said. "Tell Luke thanks again for dinner last night—it was amazing."

Tessa waved back. "Will do! Good luck on your mission, Colm. Hope you enjoy the ocean view—it's really beautiful out there!"

Colm nodded, flashing a grateful smile before turning and making his way toward the main gate.

Colm arrived at the main gate, glancing around in search of the escort party. Nothing stood out.

Maybe I should've asked more clarifying questions about what I'm looking for, he thought, scanning the area.

Spotting a nearby guard, he approached with a small wave. "Hey there," Colm said. "I've got a guild mission for an escort heading to the north coast. I'm supposed to meet up here, but I'm not exactly sure where to find them."

The guard gave a knowing nod. "Ah, just outside the gate, there's a caravan getting ready. There's already a good number of folks out there—you can't miss it."

"Perfect, thanks," Colm replied with a nod of appreciation.

Stepping through the city gates, he spotted the caravan a couple hundred feet away—a large band of wagons hitched to sturdy, horse-like creatures, the air buzzing with activity as preparations were underway.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Horse (Level 25)

Oh, they actually are horses, he chuckled.

Colm made his way toward the lead wagon in the caravan, waving someone down. The man who turned to greet him was older, dressed in fine silken robes.

He's definitely got to be a merchant or something, Colm thought.

Zach (Level 47) - Human

"Hey, Zach," Colm waved as he approached.

The older man turned, offering a polite smile. "Hello there, young man. How can I help you?"

"I'm here for the guild escort mission to the northern coast," Colm replied. "I'll be tagging along to provide security."

Zach nodded approvingly. "Splendid. You seem to be at a decently high level for this—just so you know, this job doesn't pay much."

Colm shrugged. "I know. Honestly, I just want to go as a way to see the coast. It's been a while since I've seen a view like that, and I figure it'll do me some good."

"Ah, makes sense," Zach said, understanding. "Well, I'm glad to have you aboard. We've got a few other guild members here, so feel free to make yourself comfortable. We'll be heading out in about an hour."

Colm nodded, then quickly remembered something. "Oh—how do I mark it with the guild that I completed the escort mission?" He rubbed the back of his head, feeling a bit embarrassed for not thinking to ask earlier.

Zach chuckled. "No need to apologize, young man! It can get confusing. Basically, once we return to the city, any of the caravan leaders—myself or anyone else dressed like me—can give you a writ confirming you accompanied us and completed the job. Just be sure to see one of us after we get back."

"Got it. Thanks," Colm said with a grateful nod.

Colm took that as a cue to wander off, making his way around the caravan, familiarizing himself with the different wagons and their numbers.

I'm not entirely sure what a mission like this entails, he thought, but I want to be prepared.

Eventually, he found himself near the last wagon in the line, where he overheard a bit of idle chatter.

"…I was tired of running Echoes non-stop. So this is a nice change of pace—and I can still make some money," a voice said.

A second, rougher voice chimed in. "I've been doing these for a while now. Got sick of risking my life in those damned Echoes for minimal gain. This job's steady income. Hats off to you for delving them, though—I respect all those folks who do."

As Colm rounded the corner, the two men caught sight of him and paused their conversation, watching him curiously.

"Hey there," Colm said with a friendly smile. "Sorry, couldn't help but overhear some of your conversation. You two here for the guild escort mission? It's my first time doing one of these, so if you've got any pointers, I'd appreciate it."

Grant (Level 38) - Human

Don (Level 43) - Human

Don, the older and gruff-looking man, was the first to speak, letting out a hearty chuckle. "Now those are some manners," he said. "Name's Don—nice to meet you, Colm." He extended a hand, and Colm grasped it firmly.

Don raised a brow. "Strong grip you've got there. Not bad." He let go and continued, "Not sure how much you overheard, but I've been doing this mission regularly for a few years now. More than happy to give you the rundown."

"For the most part, we've got a handful of adventurers on board, and nothing really happens. The caravan prioritizes safety, though, so they always take extra members if they can. It's a pretty straightforward job—we spread out between the wagons, usually one or two adventurers per cart, depending on how many signed up. We camp at regular intervals, and in a couple of days, we'll reach the coast."

He paused, scratching his chin. "Honestly, we're so far from anything that trouble almost never finds us. The worst we've had were a couple of lone undead wandering too far out, but an archer took care of one before it even got close. Occasionally, some creatures act a little mad, but nothing serious."

Don smirked. "They've got me in charge of splitting up the groups since I'm a regular on this mission. If you want, you can team up with me—we can chat more along the way."

Colm, surprised by the older man's warmth, nodded. "Thanks, Don. I'd appreciate that."

"Sounds good," Don said. He glanced around before adding, "Looks like it's about time to head out. Follow me—we'll get the wagons sorted."

He turned to the other man. "Grant, you got this one? I'll send someone else to keep you company too."

Grant nodded. "You got it, Don." Then, looking at Colm, he gave a warm smile. "Good luck, Colm."

"Thanks," Colm replied before following Don toward the caravan.

Grant climbed into the back of the wagon, and Don began walking off. Colm quickly spun around to catch up.

He was about to ask Don a few more questions, but before he could, the older man hollered at a couple of approaching adventurers. "You two!" he barked. "Take this wagon."

The pair quickly nodded and hopped into the back.

The routine continued as they moved down the line, assigning adventurers to their wagons. By the time Colm reached the lead wagon again, he locked eyes with Zach.

"I see you've met our friendly Don over here," Zach said with a knowing smile.

Colm chuckled. "I did. He gave me some great information and invited me to group up with him so I can learn more."

Zach nodded approvingly. "Wise choice. Don's done this about as much as I have—he's an excellent guide. You'll be in good hands."

Turning to Don, Zach asked, "All set?"

Don nodded. "Yep, all the wagons have two adventurers in them. Somehow managed an even number this time," he chuckled. "Everyone's got a buddy."

"Perfect. With that, we can be off." Zach walked toward the front of the caravan, and Don motioned for Colm to follow as he climbed into the back of the wagon.

Once inside, Colm glanced around. It was a plain, no-frills setup—mostly crates stacked on one side with little room to sit.

Catching his expression, Don chuckled. "Yeah, this one's not the most spacious—mostly boxes."

He turned his head just in time to see Zach settling into the driver's seat, taking the reins. "Ah—cover your ears for a second. He's about to signal the caravan to start."

Colm did as instructed, pressing his hands over his ears just as a loud, muffled whistling sound reverberated through the space.

Kinda sounds like a train whistle, Colm mused.

Don laughed, shaking his head. "Yeah, I sometimes forget how jarring that can be for a newbie. If you're too close, it can damn near make your ears bleed." He grinned. "But that's the signal—journey's officially begun."

Colm glanced at the man sitting across from him before turning to peek outside the back flap of the wagon. A wide grin stretched across his face as excitement bubbled within him. I'm finally going to see the ocean.

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