Chapter 33: Promises and Prosperity
Arvind, Anika, Faelan, and Eldrin rode through the mountains, their breaths visible in the crisp air. Sunlight filtered through the trees, casting a mosaic of light and shadow on the forest floor. The scent of pine was strong.
Arvind sighed deeply, letting the aroma fill his lungs. "It's so different from our last expedition—trapped by anxiety and urgency to fix the node," he mused, his voice tinged with nostalgia. "Now, the scenery and I are complete with a new perspective, reminding me how much life has changed."
Anika nodded, her gaze sweeping over their surroundings. "It is. Remember the oppressive weather and uncontrolled anger within you? I saw a burning desire to fix the nodes; nothing else mattered to you. Yet, we fixed it, my lord," she said, raising her hands.
"Let us accept new things and experiences with an open mind. There's always something better in store for those who strive to continue despite challenges and who see the world with different perspectives."
As she spoke, Anika realized her words applied to her own journey too. She felt a surge of potential within herself—she was not just a maid but someone important to Ravengarde and Arvind.
Faelan, ever the observer, glanced at Eldrin, who silently absorbed the scenery. "Although I cannot fully empathize with you, my lord, during the journey my apprentice and I took to the village, we faced bushes, trees, and even the anticipation of magical beast attacks," he said, pointing at the bush as they rode.
"And now, my perspective has changed. Looking at the bush makes me wonder if there's a herb I could trade—it's funny, really. Anika is right—life does change us. I was a young man aspiring to become a scholar, breaking the social norm of my merchant family. Now, I am your loyal subordinate. It's unexpected and surprising, but I welcome it. Perhaps something is in store for me. Who knows."
Eldrin's arms relaxed, and his mind cleared like sunlight shining over a dark past. "True. Back then, I saw despair and hopelessness in the townsfolk's eyes. Yet now, I pursue what I thought about at that time. It has been hard, and sometimes I have doubts. But I keep going. Now, I just want to see Ashford prosper in my lifetime."
As Arvind rode, gazing at the mountains, he said, "No worry, Eldrin. We just launched the reform, and in the next two years, Ravengarde will see significant changes."
Time passed as they crossed countless mountains. Arvind marveled at their height, muttering, "Building a road here will be full of thorns," remembering the saying, "If you want to be rich, build roads first." He also noticed an increase in air elementals as they ventured deeper into the mountainous region.
The next afternoon, close to a waterfall, they rested. As Arvind drank from his water bag, he spoke softly, his voice filled with sincerity. "You know, Anika, you have changed a lot. My first impression of you was that you were beautiful and considerate in difficult times. Yet, you have shown strength and a willingness to help, choosing Lira. I believe that many women in the future will admire what you become. I am truly grateful for your presence."
Anika's cheeks flushed crimson, and she stammered, "My lord, I—how—Th-thank you, my lord."
Faelan, witnessing the moment, stepped forward with a warm smile. "Anika, I know how your pointers saved Ravengarde from chaos. At that time, my apprentice and I conducted a census in Warcraft village. We noticed the cloudy, turbulent elemental energy and worried for my lord and the others, yet it passed. We are lucky to have you with us."
Eldrin nodded in agreement. "Indeed, Anika. Your courage and kindness inspire us all," he said appreciatively.
Anika, with a red face, replied, "Thank you, I am grateful." She had no words for her joy at that moment.
The atmosphere lightened as Anika's blush deepened, but she couldn't help but smile. Their camaraderie grew stronger, their bonds forged through mutual respect and admiration.
As they rode, passing mountains, the breeze hit their faces. Anika's hair flew as she gazed ahead, placing her hand around Arvind's shoulder. She noticed red elemental rabbits, dozens of them jumping around trees, devouring grass. Some raised their heads while chewing, gazing curiously with innocent eyes. Anika blurted out, "So cute!" and said, "My lord, look at the rabbits. They are so cute!"
As her shout rippled, the rabbits continued nibbling grass, not frightened, perhaps thinking, "What are these rare two-legged monsters doing?" The rabbits contentedly ate while their tails emitted air elemental energy. Though they appeared relaxed, they were prepared to escape if danger approached.
Arvind noticed the rabbits' bluish tails and couldn't help but marvel at the power of evolution. Observing the lively animals made him sigh, thinking about how destructive humans can be.
As they continued up another mountain, a magical beast resembling a cow, with yellow coloring, curiously watched them while chewing grass. It wondered when these two-legged monsters had arrived, thinking, "They are weak, riding beasts like me. Why not run on two legs?" Confident in its single stomp, it watched them disappear, then resumed chewing, unconcerned about human plans.
Traveling further, Arvind noticed bent and uprooted trees piled together. It wasn't just close to him but everywhere his eyes could see. He wondered if a big storm had come, but shook his head, realizing it was likely the nexus disturbances they had just stabilized.
"Anika, thank you so much. Without you pointing out our wrong approach..." He closed his eyes, his mind blank, his hand instinctively leaving the reins.
"What is it, my lord? What do you mean?" Anika, absorbed in imagining herself as Arvind's advisor, was shaken from her thoughts by his interruption. She almost fell from the horse in fright.
Eldrin said solemnly, "My lord is talking about the nexus crisis you helped solve. Look ahead. See how many mountains have been stripped bare, with trees on the ground. Do you see that landslide? It almost cut the mountain in half. Look further—the situation is the same, with bare, chaotic mountains and piled-up trees."
Anika, confused, realized the significance and said, "Yes, you seem right. I didn't realize how significant my assistance was at that time. Wow, yet we passed it, right, my lord?"
Arvind regained his composure, grabbed the reins. "Yes, yes, Anika is right. Look ahead. I can foresee the worse situation the mountain village is in."
Faelan, guiding the horse, said, "My lord, I understand that this time the mission will be exponentially difficult. When I came last time, the mountains were self-sufficient, and the people's eyes said, 'Go away; don't disturb our life.' And now..."
Arvind knew it would be difficult to convince the disaster-struck people of his vision. He wondered what to do, who to ask. "No, no, how can I, the lord, ask such immature questions?" he thought.
As they passed another mountain, the horse struggled with the difficult path, logs from the storm, and tall grass. No matter which direction he looked, the view was the same. He steeled his mind and clenched his fist secretly. "No matter what path lies ahead, I vow to be a tiger and a wolf. Dark clouds cannot block the sharpness of a tiger."
"Your mother abyss, I curse you to see who I am—the great history of me, the greedy goblin, the stubborn dwarf. I will cut you into pieces to calm my fire." Faelan tripped as the horse stumbled over a log. He sweat as his body flew forward, but the reins saved him, preventing a fall. He looked below at the sharp logs and trees, knowing a fall would brush over his body, perhaps making it impossible for his mother to recognize him.
Arvind regained his senses, amused by Faelan's predicament. He had never predicted that a scholar as stable as a mountain could have funny instances in life. While chuckling, Anika and Eldrin shed tears of laughter, Faelan's blood surged to his face as he glared at them, yet they laughed together, lightening the gloomy atmosphere.
---
As Arvind and his group arrived, they noticed several collapsed buildings, broken supports, and unnaturally high bushes contrasting with the barren surroundings. Some repaired while others looked downcast. He noticed the downcast atmosphere while children played aimlessly like happy sheep.
The people needed support, yet for Arvind, the task ahead loomed large. A few minutes later, he noticed a village leader, resembling a big don with two dogs by his side, approaching. The leader said,
"Uh, when did nobles come to our village where birds don't even bother to shit? Perhaps you are an adventure group? No, it cannot be... This outfit is one only blood-sucking nobles would wear. What do you mean by being here? This is the territory of the Baron of Ravengarde. I will report you! Don't think that your five knights will scare us away. Let the wind blow you back."
Arvind's blood surged to his head, and he signaled his knights, ready to draw their swords. Before he could interject, one of the dogs struck the leader in the arm, earning an angry glare.
"Motherf*****r, what??? Do you see I am busy here?" The dog, coming to its senses, hesitated while the other whispered in the leader's ear. Nodding, the leader's body shook as he turned to Arvind and saw Faelan. "Mother Earth, what is this???" Sweating, pretending to look up, he said, "Mother Earth!!! The sun rises from the west! I remember being hit by a stone before and could not see the big mountain and the benevolence of Lord Baron...."
Arvind waved his hand to stop him. Even children could identify his lies. He knew that, despite his arrogance, the leader would never confront his lord. This was the helpless reality, but it was an advantage for nobles; without extraordinary power, everyone is an ant in Atheron.
Seeing the odd atmosphere envelop them, Faelan stepped forward, coughed, and said, "Leader Gorran Stonefoot, long time no see. What happened to the village? This damage... is everyone okay?"
Gorran Stonefoot sighed in relief, glancing at Arvind, and said, "Nothing has been good for us. Mother Earth has cursed us. The storm came with inexplicable diseases that have killed 60 people so far. Not only that, our crops have been ruined (60%) and the surrounding animals have disappeared. What kind of fairness is this to us who live with our lives?" He spat and kicked a stone, sending it flying into the mutant grass.
Gorran gritted his teeth and said, "So, my lord, we have nothing to give you, a noble shining as the sun. Our crops have been ruined, and this winter we will struggle to survive. Have mercy on your subjects, my lord..."
"Stop!!!" Arvind waved his hand impatiently. "Don't you think you should throw your grievances to your noble shine as the sun instead? Anyway, stop the act and tell me how we can help."
As they walked, Gorran began his introduction to the village's situation. As of now, about 100 houses lay in ruins, and the people's emotional state was unstable, ready to burst at any moment. The crops they cultivated, similar to rice with vegetables, were 60% ruined. They resorted to hunting beasts, yet their numbers dwindled due to the disaster.
"Hey you, give that bottom to me. Why are you looking down? Can't you see your father works hard? Hurry, the sun will set soon," a villager scolded his son below.
Noticing this, Arvind motioned to his knight and commanded him to help the villager. Then he said to the old leader, "We can't just leave it like this. We know your village fell into this unfortunate state, but we must move on and start repairing right now."
As Gorran nodded, he smiled and summoned the villagers. With the leader's persuasion, they followed. He divided them into groups; some were assigned to log gathering, and others to repair buildings. With some help lifting logs and using industrial practices from his past life, Arvind accelerated the progress like a bicycle turning into a car. After working continuously for two days straight, all the houses were repaired, and smiles returned to the villagers.
Arvind, with his arms crossed behind his back, smiled with satisfaction and said, "See the power of us? With sheer effort, we have done what would have taken a month or more." Turning to the old leader, he continued, "There are more benefits to come to your village as long as you follow and remain loyal to my rule. All citizens will be uplifted and benefit from the development led by me."
The old leader's gaze softened, and he said, "We are always your loyal supporters, my lord, no matter who stands in the way."
Arvind nodded with satisfaction as his gaze returned. Anika perked her ears, listening with admiration for Arvind. Faelan and Eldrin marveled at Arvind's miracle, which solidified their confidence in his leadership.
Faelan couldn't help but imagine the scene where he became a big boss of merchants and said, "My lord, there should be unique plants here, such as the sugar you mentioned in River Village. Such plants will significantly affect our trade interests with the two baronies."
Hearing this, Arvind snapped his head and turned to the old leader to lead the way.
As they approached the mountain slope, Arvind noticed a bush with small, dark berries. Once they arrived, the old leader said, "My lord, these are our unique plants. We call them blacksphire berries. When roasted, the seeds emit a rich aroma. We use them to provide more energy during heavy labor. It does increase our focus, and a person can run from this mountain to that one."
Arvind was in disbelief as he looked at the distant mountain, which should be approximately 5 kilometers away. What kind of powerful plant is this?
Faelan's eyes shone as he took a deep breath. "This is a gold mine. The mages, nobles, and adventurer groups will pay a hefty price. We can sell each for 2 gold coins and still make a profit. This is unlike the previous sugar plant..."
Arvind calmed his beating heart and asked to taste it. The old leader gave him a seed. As Arvind swallowed it, he confirmed it tasted like coffee but with elemental energy. This was undoubtedly a magic herb.
Anika approached and touched the leaves, closing her eyes, which caused the leaves to shine with elemental aura. She voiced her conclusion, "My lord, this is not an ordinary plant but a magical one."
With Anika's confirmation, Arvind was convinced and imagined how this plant would significantly impact his soldiers during war and offer many more opportunities to explore.
---
As the villagers gathered at the center, Arvind waited for a while and then stood up, saying, "Our cooperation was smooth and based on trust. This was a memorable moment for me as your lord. I am happy to see the resilience among my people. My group and I, including Faelan, the one who came for the census work , aim to integrate and benefit together as Ravengarde develops. So here, I promise that the road connection to River Village will be opened soon."
"You may have seen this bush plant and discarded it as not food, but today I give you the task to vigorously cultivate this plant. When Faelan, the one who does the census work, comes with the caravan, sell it to him. He will give you money and goods to buy. I won't take much of your time, but one thing is certain: a good life will befall this village. Thank you again."
The villagers were shaken as they didn't expect the noble to not announce taxation. Hearing his voice, they couldn't help but imagine the beautiful life the lord envisioned. Some, with eyes of eagerness, wanted to help Arvind in his vision. The assistance provided by him had not gone to waste. Many villagers began to show loyalty and diminish their dislike for the nobles.
As the speech finished, Arvind and his group bid farewell to Gorran and the villagers, who waved their hands at the gate. Arvind smiled and waved, while Anika frequently waved her hand. Faelan and Eldrin smiled and waved too.
As they turned eastward and passed another mountain, Anika, watching the landscape shift, whispered, "We're changing more than just economics. We're changing perspectives and creating hope."
Their journey had not ended; they still had to go to Warcraft Village. What challenges and growth opportunities awaited them remained to be seen.
To be continued...