They crested a hill, and Millhaven came into view in the valley below. It was larger than Finn had expected, with several hundred buildings arranged in organized districts.
Stone walls surrounded the town, not particularly tall or imposing but enough to deter casual bandits. Smoke rose from chimneys, and he could see people moving through the streets even from this distance.
The main road they were following led directly to the town's north gate, where guards in simple leather armor checked travelers and collected tolls. Fields of crops stretched out on either side of the road, farmers working in the afternoon sun to tend their plants.
"There it is," Aria said, a note of nostalgia in her voice. "Millhaven. Home sweet home."
Finn stared at the town with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. This would be his first real interaction with civilization since his reincarnation.
No more hiding in caves, no more isolation. He was about to step into a community with rules, expectations, and hundreds of people who would have no idea what he really was.
"Ready?" Aria asked, noticing his hesitation.
Finn adjusted the pack on his shoulder and made sure Pebble was secure. His hand unconsciously went to the sword at his belt, the weapon Aria had crafted for him. He thought about the equipment in his inventory, the materials that could change lives, the skills he had developed through endless hours of obsessive mining.
"Ready," Finn said, starting down the hill toward the gate.
As they approached, the guards took notice of them. One of them, a middle-aged man with a scar across his cheek, stepped forward with a neutral expression.
"State your business in Millhaven," the guard said routinely.
"Returning home," Aria replied, pulling out a small bronze token from her pouch. "Aria Vorka, registered blacksmith and resident."
The guard examined the token, then nodded and handed it back. His eyes shifted to Finn. "And you?"
"Finn Grayson," Finn said, trying to sound more confident than he felt. "I am with her. First time visiting Millhaven."
The guard looked him over, taking in the quality of his equipment and the strange rock sitting on his shoulder. "Adventurer?"
"Miner," Finn corrected.
"Miner," the guard repeated, sounding slightly skeptical but not particularly concerned. "Entry toll is five copper coins."
"Welcome to Millhaven. Follow the town laws, register at the Guild Hall if you plan to stay longer than three days, and try not to cause trouble."
Finn paid the toll from his coin pouch, and the guard waved them through. They passed under the gate and into the town proper, and Finn got his first real look at the world beyond his caves.
The streets were busy with afternoon activity. Merchants called out their wares from shop fronts, children ran between buildings playing games, and the smell of cooking food drifted from various establishments. The buildings were a mix of wood and stone, most of them two or three stories tall, with signs hanging above doors to advertise various trades.
"Welcome to civilization," Aria said with a grin, clearly amused by Finn's wide-eyed expression. "Try not to look too much like a cave hermit seeing daylight for the first time."
"No promises," Finn replied, already overwhelmed by the sheer amount of people and activity. "Where is your workshop?"
"Eastern district, about ten minutes from here. But first, I want to stop by the market square and let people know I am back. Plus, we should pick up some fresh food." Aria started leading him through the streets with the confidence of someone who knew every corner of the town.
As they walked, Finn noticed people giving him curious looks, probably due to Pebble. A talking rock was apparently unusual even in a world with magic and monsters. He tried to ignore the stares and focus on taking in his surroundings.
This was it. His first steps into the wider world. Whatever came next, at least he would not be facing it alone. Millhaven was full of possibilities, and Finn was ready to explore every single one of them.
...
...
The market square was exactly what Finn had imagined a fantasy world marketplace would look like, but experiencing it in person was overwhelming in ways he had not anticipated. Dozens of stalls lined the open plaza, merchants hawking everything from fresh produce to enchanted trinkets. The noise was constant, a mixture of sales pitches, haggling, laughter, and the general bustle of people going about their daily business.
Finn stuck close to Aria as she navigated through the crowd with practiced ease. She stopped at several stalls, greeting merchants by name and engaging in brief conversations that revealed just how well-known she was in the community.
"Aria! By the gods, we thought you had gotten yourself killed out in those caves!" An elderly woman selling vegetables reached across her stall to grab Aria's hand. "Your father would be turning in his grave knowing you were out there adventuring instead of running his workshop."
Finn was shocked hearing that coming out from the elderly woman's mouth. It sounded like something came out from a dark joke where Finn didn't expect that thing to came out of the blue.
"I am fine, Mrs. Thorne. Just had to take care of some business in the deep caves." Aria squeezed the woman's hand reassuringly. "And the workshop is still standing. I will be opening it back up soon."
Mrs. Thorne's eyes shifted to Finn, taking in his appearance with the shrewd gaze of someone who had been sizing up people for decades. "And who is this young man? Finally found yourself a proper partner?"
Finn felt his face heat up, but Aria just laughed. "This is Finn, my party member. He is a miner."
"Finn, this is Mrs. Thorne. She has been selling vegetables in this square longer than I have been alive."
"Nice to meet you," Finn managed, feeling awkward under the old woman's scrutiny.
"A miner, you say?" Mrs. Thorne looked him up and down again, her expression skeptical. "You do not look like any miner I've ever seen. Too clean, for one thing. And that equipment looks expensive."
"He is very good at what he does," Aria said diplomatically.
"We should get going, Mrs. Thorne. Still have a lot to do today."
They moved on before the woman could ask more questions, and the pattern repeated itself at several other stalls. Aria would stop, exchange greetings, introduce Finn briefly, and then move along before conversations could get too deep. Finn found himself mostly nodding and offering short pleasantries, content to let Aria do the talking.
By the time they finished circling the market square, Finn had been introduced to what felt like half the town. His face hurt from forcing polite smiles, and he was grateful when Aria finally led him away from the crowded plaza toward the quieter eastern district.
"Sorry about that," Aria said as they walked down a street lined with workshops and craftsmen's buildings. "Small towns like this, everyone knows everyone."
"They would have been gossiping about you for weeks if I had not introduced you properly."
"It's fine," Finn replied, though he was relieved to be away from the crowds. "I am just not used to that many people paying attention to me."
"You will get used to it. Or you will get better at avoiding it." Aria stopped in front of a two-story building with a faded sign hanging above the door. The sign showed an anvil and hammer, along with words that read Vorka's Forge in peeling paint.
"Here we are!"
"We've arrived at my workshop!"