Joy of traveling

  Our group had been traveling for two days. As they continued their journey, they went deeper into the forest.

  Rodingten: "Ughhhh… why does this forest never end?"

  Traveler: "It’s probably one of those soul forests, that’s why it’s so big."

  Rodingten: "It could be… they are hard to distinguish from normal forests. Wait, aren’t soul forests known to be full of monsters?"

  Suddenly, an adult Globi Spider appeared in front of them, chopping off the horses’ heads. The horrifying monster looked them dead in the eyes. Its feet were covered in blood, making it look even more terrifying.

  Traveler: "You just had to jinx it."

  Rodingten and the old man, terrified that they would die, tried to escape. But the spider was smart; it used its webs to pin them to the ground. Rodingten was scared, but he shouted:

  "Run, Traveler! Even if we’re going to die, you should live!"

  Traveler laughed.

  "How can I let such a good person die?"

  As the Traveler stepped out of the carriage, the Globi Spider started to back away. After he got out, the spider shot its web toward him, then jumped forward, using its legs like spears to pierce through its opponent’s chest.

  Rodingten shouted:

  "TRAVELERRRR!"

  Right as the spider’s web was about to hit him, the Traveler vanished. He appeared above the Globi Spider, enchanting his fist with energy, and struck the monster, killing it in a single hit.

  As the Globi Spider crashed into the ground, Rodingten and the old man were shocked. The man they had met only three days ago had taken down a Globi Spider with a single punch.

  Traveler: "How long are you guys going to stay there? Help me gather the materials."

  The two of them were still sitting on the ground, scared, shocked, and disgusted, watching the Traveler butcher the Globi Spider with his bare hands. He cut off the spider’s legs, which were useful as knives since they were razor sharp. He also took its heart, as it was valuable for magic and potions.

  After butchering the spider and putting the materials in his bag, he turned to the two of them, who were still sitting on the ground, vomiting because of what they had just seen.

  Traveler: "Are you guys going to get up anytime soon? The city isn’t that far away."

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  Rodingten: "How can you be so unfazed by this? Is this how your usual journeys go?"

  Traveler: "Well, you’ll find out as we travel."

  Rodingten: "Ughhhh… whatever."

  As Rodingten helped the old man get up, they were still shaken by the situation. Since their horses were dead, they abandoned the carriage and walked for half a day until they arrived at Brawan.

  A giant wall made out of soul iron surrounded the entrance to Brawan. As our party came closer to the wall, they saw a line of people waiting to get inside.

  Traveler: "Man, it’s really surprising. Every time I see it, I’m amazed at how well they used their geographical advantage."

  After waiting in line for a while, the guards asked for their IDs. Surprisingly, they accepted the Traveler’s answer when he simply said he was a traveler.

  Rodingten: "Did you pay them or something? How did they accept your answer?"

  Traveler: "They probably didn’t want to bother."

  Rodingten: "Yeah… that might be it."

  The old man, shocked by the absurdity of the man in front of him, decided to leave them immediately after they entered Brawan.

  Inside Brawan was a huge city. Its architecture clearly represented its culture. The buildings and houses were mostly made of wood, but they were decorated with metal. Inside many buildings, you could see hammers used as decorations.

  As Rodingten and the Traveler went deeper into the city, they found a tavern called Iron Lady Tavern. The tavern owner was a blacksmith who liked creating statues of women made out of metal, which was where the name Iron Lady came from.

  Inside, the tavern was packed with different people. They were chatting peacefully, giving the place a warm atmosphere. As the two of them sat at the bar, Rodingten ordered two drinks.

  The Traveler, intrigued by the statues, asked the owner:

  Traveler: "What made you like those statues that much?"

  Owner: "Well, what better way to capture a woman’s beauty than with a statue? And since it’s made of iron, it makes it even more beautiful."

  Traveler laughed: "You might be right, but beauty and the way to capture it are subjective. Still, I like the way you captured it."

  As the Traveler and the owner chatted, Rodingten started to get bored and said, "Hey, owner, is it okay if I sing a song?"

  The owner, surprised but amused by the request, replied, "Of course! Do you know anyone in Brawan who doesn’t like music?"

  After laughing a bit, Rodingten started to sing Brawan: Land of Wahra. After spending a cheerful night with the people in the tavern, Rodingten and the Traveler went to their room.

  Four hours later, Rodingten woke up to noises from outside. People were awake in their homes, talking, chatting, or eating. Surprised by this behavior, Rodingten went downstairs. He saw the owner making snacks for people and asked, "What’s with everyone? Why are they awake?"

  Owner: "Well, unlike other cities, the people here are used to biphasic sleep. It’s a sleep pattern where you sleep in two segments: first from 10 to 3, and then from 4 to 8. We think it gives better rest."

  Amazed by this way of sleeping, Rodingten said, "That’s incredible. I didn’t know there were different kinds of sleep."

  The owner laughed. "I didn’t know you were this open-minded. Most people think it’s stupid, yet you’re amazed by it. You have the heart of a traveler."

  Rodingten became a bit flustered and laughed as well. "You’re complimenting me too much. By the way, have you seen my friend?"

  Owner: "I think he’s still sleeping. It’s better not to disturb people when they’re asleep."

  Rodingten: "Yeah, you’re right… Let me get a sandwich. They look tasty."

  Owner: "Of course. Here’s your sandwich and a beer the beer is my treat."

  After enjoying the food and the drink, Rodingten went back to bed. That night’s sleep felt like the best sleep of his life.

  While Rodingten was sleeping, the Traveler was sitting in front of a desk in his room, writing in his traveler’s journal. He wrote about Brawan’s culture, its architecture, and its unique traits. As the sun started to rise, the Traveler looked out of the window, waiting for Rodingten to wake up so they could continue their journey.