The city was awake before we were.
When we passed through the main gate, the sun had barely risen, yet the streets were already full of hurried people, creaking carts, and voices arguing over prices. The world moved on with an irritating sense of normalcy, as if nothing had happened. As if no one had faced a demon general and barely walked away alive.
I walked, trying to keep my posture steady. My shoulder still complained, and my left leg felt a bit slower than it should. Nothing noticeable, but enough to remind me that running away has a cost that doesn't vanish the next day.
"It's strange," Elara commented quietly, watching the flow of the street. "Everything looks normal."
"For them, it is," I replied. "Big problems take time to reach those who are just trying to survive."
Liriel crossed her arms. "Humans have a special talent for ignoring the end of the world until it knocks on the door."
"And even so," Vespera said, stepping closer to me with a light smile, "they keep living. There's something irritating about that."
"There's something necessary about it," I replied.
The contract that had brought us there was too simple to justify delay. An old debt with the local guild, accumulated through small failures and wrong priorities. Not paying meant losing access to basic services. Information. Contacts. Shelter. Things we couldn't afford to lose right now.
We stopped in front of the contract board. Elara studied the details carefully, running her fingers over the lines as if searching for an invisible trap.
"Escort to an outpost outside the walls," she said. "Low pay, but immediate."
"Risk?" I asked.
"Medium," she replied. "Nothing compared to what we faced."
Liriel let out an impatient sigh. "After fighting a demon general, this almost feels insulting."
"That's exactly why we need to do it," I said. "We can't choose only big battles."
Vespera tilted her head. "So we're carrying boxes to save the world?"
"We're paying debts," I replied. "Saving the world comes later."
We accepted the contract.
We left with the cart shortly after dawn. The merchant was a short man, far too nervous for someone who claimed to run that route often. He kept glancing backward, as if expecting something to jump out of the road at any moment.
"Are you expecting trouble?" I asked.
"Always," he replied too quickly. "It's safer that way."
The road beyond the walls was calm at first. Open fields, steady wind, few trees. I watched the terrain carefully, mentally marking bad spots for ambushes. After the recent defeat, my mind seemed incapable of relaxing.
"You're walking like you expect an attack," Elara commented.
"Because I do," I replied.
"That's not healthy," she said.
"Being dead is worse."
She didn't answer.
It was near the hills that trouble appeared. Three men stepped out from behind the rocks, clumsily blocking the road. Their weapons were worn, and their eyes betrayed nervousness.
"This won't end well," Liriel murmured.
One of them stepped forward. "Leave the cargo and walk away alive."
"You picked the wrong group," I replied.
"Everyone says that," he shot back.
I didn't give time for conversation. I moved straight in, using the minimum force necessary. Elara altered the ground beneath two of them, making them lose their balance.
"Not too much force," she warned.
"I'm controlling it," I replied.
Liriel was clearly holding back, and her irritation was almost palpable. Vespera appeared behind the third bandit as if she had always been there.
"Did you really think this would work?" she asked, easily taking his weapon.
It didn't take even a minute. When it was over, the three were on the ground, too scared to try anything else.
The merchant let out a relieved breath. "I thought I was going to die."
"Not today," I replied.
He paid as soon as we reached the outpost. Heavy coins in the pouch. The sound was simple, direct, almost comforting. There was something strangely satisfying about solving a problem without major complications.
We stopped to eat before heading back. Simple bread, thin broth, tasteless food.
"This is awful," Liriel commented.
"It's food," Elara replied. "It serves its purpose."
Vespera took part of my plate without asking. "You eat too slowly."
"You could ask," I said.
"That would ruin the fun," she replied, smiling.
On the way back, we passed through the street of workshops. The smell of hot metal, oil, and sweat filled the air. Some people looked away. Others waved discreetly.
"They know who we are," Elara commented.
"They know enough," I replied.
I handed the payment to the creditor at the end of the day. He checked the numbers calmly, stamped the receipt, and slid the paper toward me.
"Debt settled," he said.
I walked out feeling the weight ease a little.
"One problem less," Elara said.
"Many still ahead," I replied.
When night fell, I sat for a few minutes before returning to the shelter. Yesterday, we almost died. Today, we carried boxes and paid debts. The world didn't stop. It didn't wait. And it never would.
So moving forward, even tired, even frustrated, was the only possible choice.
Tomorrow, the training would begin. And this time, I had no intention of running.