Scene 1: A Moment's Rest
The sun hung high in the sky as Elliotte and Christopher emerged from the dark confines of the cave. The Ring of Vigor was now safely in Elliotte's possession. The warmth of daylight was a welcome contrast to the damp chill of the cave.
"Man, I am beat," Christopher groaned, stretching his arms above his head as if trying to shake off the fatigue clinging to his body.
"Why don't we take a little break then?" Elliotte suggested.
"You don't have to tell me twice." Christopher plopped down in the shadow of a large oak tree, its sprawling branches shielding them from the sun.
As the two settled in, a loud growl echoed through the air. Christopher clutched his stomach sheepishly. "Uh, yeah... I'm starving."
Elliotte raised an eyebrow, suddenly realizing something. "Wait... we haven't been carrying any proper food supplies, have we?"
Christopher blinked, then laughed nervously. "I guess we've been living off forest fruits this whole time."
"And whose brilliant idea was that?" Elliotte retorted, crossing his arms.
Christopher shot back. "Yours! You're the one who's supposed to be leading this whole 'heroic quest.' Shouldn't you have thought of something as basic as food?"
"Me? You're the one who keeps bragging about being the brains of this duo. Where's your genius plan now?" Elliotte countered, though his tone was more playful than harsh.
Their bickering was cut short when they noticed a group of four merchants heading their way, their carts laden with goods. Christopher shot to his feet.
"Hey, uh, excuse me!" he called out. "Sorry to bother you, but my buddy and I are really hungry. Do you know if there's an inn around here?"
The merchants exchanged glances, murmuring among themselves before one of them nodded. "Sure thing. We're actually on our way to an inn right now. You can tag along if you'd like."
Elliotte stood, brushing off his clothes. "Thanks. We'd appreciate it. Please, lead the way."
As they followed the merchants, Christopher leaned closer to Elliotte, grumbling under his breath. "Why are we lagging behind? They're getting ahead of us."
Elliotte shot him a cautious glance. "Because it's better to stay sharp. We don't know these people. What if they're leading us into a trap?"
One of the merchants overheard and let out a small laugh. "It's alright to be cautious. We were a little suspicious of you two at first. You can't trust everyone in today's world. But it's good to see you were thinking the same way—it puts us at ease."
Christopher chuckled awkwardly at the merchant's honesty, but Elliotte remained silent, his eyes scanning their surroundings just in case.
As they walked, one of the merchants casually mentioned, "Strange times lately. Just last week, a caravan like ours got ambushed by bandits not too far from here. You two best watch your backs on the road ahead."
Elliotte's expression darkened slightly. "Noted."
Scene 2: The Restful Grove
After some time, the group arrived at a quaint inn tucked away at the forest's edge. A sign swung gently in the breeze, etched with the name The Restful Grove.
"Well, this is where we part ways," one of the merchants said, tipping his hat.
"Thanks for your help," Elliotte replied, this time offering a genuine smile.
Elliotte and Christopher stepped inside the inn and approached the counter. Behind it stood a man whose eyes lit up as he spotted Elliotte's sturdy clothes and fine gear. A greedy smile spread across his face.
"Welcome! A night's stay will be 20 glints," the man said, his tone oozing false cheer.
"20 glints?!" Elliotte exclaimed. "You're charging us 10 each?"
Before Elliotte could argue further, Christopher leaned forward with a sinister smile that sent a chill down the innkeeper's spine. "I don't think that's the price, buddy. Why don't you check again?"
The innkeeper's face turned pale. "Y-yes, of course! My mistake. It's actually just 10 glints for the both of you—5 each!"
"Perfect," Elliotte said, handing over 15 glints. The extra coins clinked on the counter. "Here you go. Make sure our food is prepared well. We don't want any trouble."
The innkeeper nodded frantically. "Yes, sir! Right away!"
As they took a seat at one of the tables, Christopher shot Elliotte a puzzled look. "Why'd you give him extra? That guy was trying to rob us!"
Elliotte chuckled. "Don't worry about it. It wasn't my money anyway."
Christopher's confusion deepened. "Wait... what do you mean, not your money?"
"Why don't you check your pockets?" Elliotte said with a sly grin.
Christopher's eyes widened as he frantically patted his pockets, only to realize a chunk of his stash was missing. "You little—"
Before he could finish his sentence, a waiter arrived, placing a plate piled high with food on the table.
"Here's your meal, sirs," the waiter said politely.
Christopher's frustration evaporated as he stared at the food. "Alright! Man, I can't wait anymore. I'm starving!"
Elliotte leaned back in his chair, shaking his head with a small smile. "You're impossible."
As they ate, the tavern buzzed with chatter from other patrons. A conversation at a nearby table caught Elliotte's ear. "I heard they spotted a strange glow in the Forest of Duskthorn last night... Probably just a firefly swarm, but still eerie."
Elliotte frowned slightly but kept his thoughts to himself.