Chapter 34: Dream world
The sun was setting, Arthur and Sylrathi’s cart approached what looked like a safe place to stay. The inn ahead seemed perfect—old stone walls, warm light glowing from the windows, and smoke coming from the chimney.
"Finally," Arthur muttered, his fake appearance starting to flicker as he got more tired. "I thought we’d have to sleep outside tonight."
"Out here, that would’ve killed us," Sylrathi said seriously, her eyes carefully watching everything around them. "But something doesn’t feel right about this place."
Arthur’s sharp senses agreed. It was way too quiet—no birds singing, no small animals moving around. Even the shadows seemed to move when they shouldn’t, like they were alive.
[ENERGY LEVELS: 165/500 - VERY LOW]
[DISGUISE FALLING APART: 73% AND GETTING WORSE]
[MAGIC HEALING: 60% BETTER BUT SHAKY]
"We don’t have another option," Arthur said, getting off the cart carefully. His legs almost gave out, and he was thankful when Sylrathi quickly helped steady him. "I can barely keep this disguise up, and we need shelter before it gets dark."
The inn’s wooden sign swayed in the wind: The Wanderer’s Rest - It had been serving travelers for two hundred years, according to the old writing. That should’ve made them feel better.
Instead, every magical instinct Arthur had was warning him.
[DANGER ALERT TURNED ON - USED 5 ENERGY]