The journey back to Vesta was tense but uneventful, fortunately for the group.
The group moved quickly and quietly, choosing not to make camp for rest despite the long trek, and their training as knights allowed them to endure the physical strain better than most— though fatigue still gnawed at the edges of their stamina.
Every rustle of leaves or distant sound kept them on edge, their senses alert for any sign of pursuit. Thankfully, the journey was quiet— very quiet— and they didn't encounter anything on their way back.
As the familiar city gates of Vesta came into view, the group slowed their pace slightly, exhaustion finally catching up with them. The guards standing watch nodded in recognition, though the trio didn't linger to chat, instead their minds were preoccupied with the next challenge: deciding how much information to share with the guild.
"We need to be careful about what we say."
Edwin began as they approached the guildhall.
"The less they know, the safer we'll be. If we reveal too much, we might draw unnecessary attention to ourselves."
Samuel snorted, his exhaustion doing little to dull his sharp tongue.
"And if we reveal nothing, this whole thing will have been pointless. What's the point of risking our necks if we don't at least give them something useful? What's the worst that can happen? We're already back here alive."
Edwin shot him a pointed look.
"The worst that can happen? We could draw the interest of whoever's behind this. Hooded figures working with goblins and Gatami? That's not something we want following us."
Seraphina listened to the debate, weighing their words.
Both had valid points, but she leaned toward Samuel's argument— not because he was right, but because she also believed that they should give them information.
There was no guarantee that avoiding the issue would keep them safe. If the situation in the forest escalated, it could very well affect them anyway, and revealing some information— enough to alert the guild but not enough to implicate themselves— seemed like the best course of action.
"We'll stick to the facts."
Seraphina said, cutting into the conversation.
"We'll tell them about the goblins gathering, the Gatami guarding the cave, and the sounds we heard from inside. Nothing more. No mention of the hooded figures."
Both men nodded in agreement, though Samuel looked slightly more satisfied than Edwin.
When they entered the guildhall, it was bustling with activity.
Adventurers huddled around the quest boards, discussing potential jobs or recounting their latest exploits. The clerk from before greeted them with a polite nod as they approached the desk.
"You're back."
He said, his tone was neutral but carried a hint of curiosity.
"What did you find?"
Seraphina took the lead, recounting their findings in a steady voice. She described the goblins scavenging the forest, the eerie quiet and emptiness of the area, and the presence of the Gatami guarding the cave.
She even went as far as to mention the faint sounds emanating from within but made it clear that they hadn't ventured inside due to the obvious danger— to add some flair to the story she said it sounded like screams.
After all, if it was screams, the guild couldn't possibly ignore the possibility of danger and send more people to assess the situation, maybe even deal with it.
That would solve their problem.
The clerk's brow furrowed as he listened, his pen scratching across a sheet of parchment as he recorded the details.
"Gatami in this region... That's unusual. They haven't been sighted here in years. And guarding a cave, no less. Strange."
He finished writing and looked up at the group, his expression serious but he kept a smile of friendliness on his face to not worry them.
"You've done well to come back alive. Forest investigations can be unpredictable, and it's clear you encountered more than anyone expected. I'll make sure this is noted properly."
The clerk handed over a small pouch of coins as their reward, then added, almost offhandedly.
"We'll probably send a higher-ranking team to investigate further. For now, I'd suggest not concerning yourselves with it— focus on other work, for your own safety."
As they left the guildhall, Seraphina felt a prickling sensation on the back of her neck, as if someone were watching her.
She glanced around, her eyes scanning the crowd of adventurers and passersby and near the edge of the hall, partially obscured by the crowd, she caught sight of a cloaked figure lingering near the entrance.
The figure stood still for a moment before slipping into the throng of people, disappearing from view.
"Something wrong?"
Edwin asked, noticing her hesitation.
Seraphina shook her head, though she found the interaction odd, and kept note of it.
"Nothing. Let's get back to the inn."
The group returned to The Amber Hearth, their exhaustion finally catching up with them. Samuel wasted no time sprawling across his bed, muttering something about not moving until morning. Edwin, ever the planner, set about tidying their gear for the next day before settling down.
Seraphina, however, found herself lingering, her thoughts drifting back to the cloaked figure outside the guild.
Later that night, as she was heading back to her room after a quiet dinner alone, the innkeeper intercepted her near the stairs.
The woman's warm smile and soft tone carried a hint of teasing as she spoke.
"Thought I hadn't seen you around for a few days. Off on some grand adventure, were you?"
Seraphina nodded, keeping her response vague and not wanting to go into the details of the quest too much— to avoid any danger.
"We were on a quest outside the city. Nothing too exciting."
The innkeeper's eyes gleamed with curiosity but didn't press further since the girl didn't want to reveal anything.
"Well, I'm glad you're back safe. If you ever need anything, you know where to find me."
"Thank you."
Seraphina replied, though her tone was slightly awkward— the memory of their previous interaction still lingered, making the conversation feel stilted.
The innkeeper seemed to notice but said nothing, offering a gentle smile before returning to her work.
When Seraphina returned to the room, she found Edwin already preparing to sleep, as for Samuel, he hadn't even woken up yet and was snoring softly, sprawled across his bed.
Just as she began to relax, a sharp knock sounded at the door.
Edwin moved cautiously, his hand resting on his weapon as he opened the door.
No one was there.
Only a folded piece of parchment lay on the ground which was obviously left there for them, so Edwin picked it up and unfolded it— his expression darkening as he read the message aloud.
"Stay out of the forest. This is your only warning."
A tense silence fell over the room as the weight of the words settled in.
"We've drawn attention."
Edwin said grimly.
"They know who we are."
"They didn't kill us."
Seraphina pointed out, though his tone was far from reassuring.
"That means something, right?"
"Maybe. But it also means we need to be more careful."