The guild hall carried an easy warmth that night, the kind born from shared hardship and earned victories. The party slipped into the familiar buzz of conversation, the scent of roasted meat and spiced ale drifting between tables. For once, no one looked exhausted or bloodied. Instead, there were relaxed smiles, soft laughter, and that quiet sense of belonging that only came after surviving something together.

  Carcan leaned forward at one table, excitedly recounting how the final moments of the goblin boss fight had unfolded, her hands sweeping dramatically through the air. Another adventurer, a wiry archer with a scar across his cheek, chuckled and raised his mug. "You lot actually took on a troll on your first delve? Brave or stupid, can’t quite tell."

  Bhel thumped his chest proudly. "Both! That’s how you know we’ll go far."

  Josh rolled his eyes. "Mostly stupid. Definitely stupid when Bhel tried to punch it."

  "It looked punchable!" Bhel protested, drawing another round of laughter.

  Brett, relaxed with a mild drink in hand, exchanged stories with a duo of mages who had recently returned from the undead cave. They described eerie whispers, flickering blue flames, and skeletons that fought with unsettling precision. Brett listened intently, his brow furrowed, already thinking ahead to when they’d eventually face it themselves.

  Despite the cheerful chatter, no one drank heavily. They were content simply to sit in the warm glow of the hall, surrounded by friends and strangers alike, all united by shared purpose.

  As the evening wound down, Josh glanced at Brett. "Bulls Head?"

  Brett nodded. "Before we end up asleep on another guild table, and Mich actually hits us with that pot."

  They said their goodbyes, stepping out into the cool night air and making their familiar way to the Bulls Head Inn.

  Soon, the slightly off centre door creaked open, and Garrik looked up from polishing tankards. His face split into a grin. "Well, look who hasn’t been evicted after all. Room’s still yours. Didn’t have the heart to throw out the boys who saved the town from a goblin stampede."

  Josh rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "We’ll, uh… repay the rent as soon as we can. We’re basically broke again. Gear is expensive."

  He waved a hand dismissively. "You’ve earned a clean slate for now. Besides, Barb says you eat like starved badgers, and she’s grown fond of feeding you."

  Josh groaned. "I knew it. She’s preparing to fatten us up."

  "Aye," Garrik said with a wink. "Easier to find you in a dungeon that way. Now off with you, go sleep before you collapse on my floor."

  The pair grinned, thanked him once more, and headed upstairs, feeling lighter than they had in weeks.

  The pair made their way upstairs, the noise of the guild fading behind them until only the creak of the old wooden steps and the soft hum of distant voices followed them. Their room at the Bull’s Head was dim and familiar, lit only by the moon pushing a pale glow through the shuttered window.

  They kicked off their boots, armour already stowed, and collapsed onto their beds with twin groans that were equal parts exhaustion and relief. For a few minutes, there was only silence. The good kind. The kind that settled over tired muscles and soothed the last flickers of adrenaline left over from long days of danger.

  Then Brett spoke, his voice low in the dark.

  "Hey… Josh? Do you find this all strange? Like… really strange?"

  Josh shifted, folding his hands behind his head. "What part?"

  "All of it," Brett said. "Less than a month ago we were on Earth. Working crap jobs. Ordering takeaways. The most danger we ever saw was a fight at school… or that time at the pub when you knocked over that guys pint." He paused. "And now we’re… this. Fighting monsters. Nearly dying. Actually killing things. And we just… deal with it. Like it’s normal. Like it doesn’t shake us anymore. Doesn’t that seem weird to you?"

  Josh let out a soft breath. "I… haven’t really thought about it. Not properly. Everything’s been happening so fast. One thing after another." A faint, humourless chuckle. "I guess I just accepted it because I had to. Didn’t stop to question the rest."

  The darkness shifted as Brett rolled onto his side. "Do you think the system’s changed us? Or the mana? Maybe both? Because I’m telling you, man… we shouldn’t be this calm. Not after what we’ve been through. Though I’m no where near as calm as you are most of the time."

  Josh thought about it for longer than he expected. "Maybe it has changed us," he said slowly. "We’re stronger. Faster. Our bodies aren’t the same. Our minds… maybe they’re not the same either. But honestly? I don’t know."

  Brett huffed a soft laugh. "It’s strange. At first I was terrified. Like… every second. Every fight. I thought I was going to die. But now? I’m having fun. Proper fun. I enjoy this. The magic. The world. The people. I feel… I don’t know. Alive?"

  Josh smiled faintly into the dark. "Yeah. I get that."

  "Still," Brett added, "I’d sell a kidney to have the internet back. Or just a video game. Or a meme. One meme. I’d take anything at this point."

  Josh snorted. "Same. Can’t believe I’m saying this, but I even miss adverts. The stupid ones. The ones that pop up in the middle of a video and make you rage. I’d take one of those right now."

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  A quiet laugh drifted between them, soft but warm. The silence that followed felt different from before. Heavier, but not unpleasant. A shared weight.

  Brett spoke again, softer this time. "Do you think… we’ll get home? One day?"

  Josh didn’t answer immediately. "I hope so. But if we don’t… we’ll make this work. We always do."

  Brett let out a small, tired sigh. "Yeah. I guess we do."

  He rolled onto his back again, staring up at the ceiling neither of them could see.

  "Night, Josh."

  "Night, mate."

  —---

  The next morning came slowly, sunlight filtering through the shutters in soft, dusty beams. When Josh and Brett finally made their way downstairs, the Bulls Head was quiet, only a few early risers lingering over bowls of porridge and the smell of fresh bread drifting from the kitchen.

  They took their usual corner table, both moving with the groggy stiffness of men who'd had just a bit too much to think about the night before. Garrik wordlessly slid two plates in front of them, giving an approving grunt before returning to the counter.

  For a while, they ate in comfortable silence. It wasn’t until Josh pushed aside his empty plate that he finally spoke.

  "I’ve been thinking about what you said last night," he said, resting his elbows on the table. "I reckon you’re right. Something is changing us, I just don’t know what. System, mana, this world, whatever it is, it’s doing something to us."

  Brett looked down at his porridge, stirring it thoughtfully. "It’s strange. Like we’re becoming people we wouldn’t even recognise back home."

  Josh gave a soft laugh. "Yeah. I mean… I do miss some things. I’d kill for a proper cup of tea. A good one. But outside of that?" He shook his head. "It doesn’t pull at me as much as it did. Home feels like a dream, some days."

  "Same," Brett admitted. "At first it scared me. Now I’m… adjusting? Maybe enjoying it a bit too much? I don’t know. But whatever’s making us braver or stupider, I guess it’s part of being here." He tapped his temple. "System’s rewiring something in us, I reckon."

  Josh shrugged, leaning back. "Probably. And we can’t exactly fight it. Just… work with it, I guess."

  They sat in the moment, thoughtful but not uneasy. Both had felt the shift, the quiet certainty in their bodies, the readiness in their minds, the lack of normal fear where fear should be.

  And yet, neither felt disturbed by it.

  "Come on," Josh said at last, standing and adjusting the strap of his pack. "Let’s go meet the others before they think we ditched them."

  The morning air outside was cool and fresh, the town already awake with the sounds of carts rolling, animals calling, and smiths beginning their early work. The walk to the guild felt almost peaceful, both men feeling strangely aligned after sharing the thoughts they’d been carrying.

  When they reached the Adventurers Guild, their party was already gathered near the steps. Bhel grinned the moment he spotted them. Carcan gave a small wave. And all of them were dressed in their new gear, fresh leathers, polished metal, and new colours that marked them as proper adventurers rather than lost travellers. Josh and Brett joined them, exchanging nods, smiles, and a sense of shared anticipation.

  And one way or another, they were ready to face the day.

  As the party set out on their first proper adventure since returning from the goblin dungeon, the morning air felt sharp and fresh. Sunlight filtered through the trees as they left Ashenfall behind, their boots crunching over the leaf?strewn path. Everyone carried an eager sort of energy, the kind that came from finally being rested, re?equipped, and ready for whatever came next.

  They followed the forest trail for a short while, chatting lightly, before something unusual caught their eye - a lone figure sat in the middle of a patch of wildflowers.

  Not beside it. Not near it.

  Right in it.

  A human man in simple brown and green robes sat cross?legged among the blossoms, but instead of looking melancholy or lost, he wore a dreamy, almost cheerful expression, as if the flowers were telling him a mildly amusing secret. The blossoms around him swayed despite the still air, bobbing as though greeting him.

  The group slowed, exchanging uncertain looks. "Uh… is he alive?" Brett whispered.

  Carcan took a careful step forward. "Excuse me… are you alright?"

  The man blinked brightly, as if returning from a pleasant daydream rather than waking up. He turned toward them with a theatrical gasp that somehow managed to sound delighted.

  "Oh! Adventurers! Yes, yes, very alive. Perfectly breathing. Entirely subject to the mysteries of existence." He nodded vigorously, as if this were a wonderful thing.

  Josh leaned in slightly. "You feeling okay? Need help with anything?"

  "Only if you can improve the overall structure of reality," the man replied in a chipper voice, then added with sincere warmth, "But thank you for asking. I'm Hopeless. Part time druid, part time baby sitter to the insane apparently."

  "Apparently?" Brett raised an eyebrow.

  Hopeless swept a hand through the air as though conducting invisible music. "I work as a moderator at the town administration hall! Sorting requests, soothing tempers, guiding confused citizens who insist their goats deserve voting privileges. It is…" He paused, searching for the word. "A labyrinth. With many screaming corners. So I come here to sit with the flowers. They never yell. They just vibe."

  The blossoms gently leaned toward him in agreement.

  "You're a druid?" Josh asked.

  "Oh yes! Nature adopted me," Hopeless said with a cheerful shrug. "It decided I was one of its favourites. I don’t know why either, but here we are."

  Despite his strange phrasing, his energy was upbeat, almost whimsical. Even Perberos smiled begrudgingly. They chatted for a few minutes. Hopeless mentioned his wife often, each time with a warm, fond tone that contrasted his eccentric commentary.

  "She's out thrifting today," he said, practically glowing. "Her friend is visiting too. They always bring pastries! I should head back soon or I'll miss them, and then I'd have only myself to blame for a pastry-less afternoon."

  Slowly and gracefully, Hopeless rose to his feet. The flowers shifted aside like welcoming curtains.

  "Well! I must return to my post and shepherd the endless fools into some kind of order. May the forest bless your steps! Or surprise you! Surprises are nice. Usually."

  With that, he drifted down the path, light on his feet, almost floating.

  The party stared after him.

  Bhel was the first to break the silence. "…What just happened?"

  Brett blinked. "No clue. But I think I liked him?"

  Josh nodded slowly. "Yeah. Weird. But the good kind of weird."

  Carcan let out a soft laugh. "Let’s hope the forest’s surprises stay friendly."