Margaret’s suggestion to leave with Reidar represented a major shift from their survival strategy of the past days. If it could be called strategy, of course.
"She’s right. We can’t stay forever. Maybe it’s time to take the risk and actually leave this place."
George stood up. "If we’re going to do this, we need to prepare. We can’t just walk out there empty-handed."
Reidar nodded. "We gather all the food and water we can carry. Then we make weapons from whatever we can find here. The food can be placed into our inventories."
The group spent the next hour asking questions, wanting explanations, and collecting supplies. They filled the inventories with canned goods, bottled water, and energy bars.
"This is still surreal," Mike said as he watched a Summoned Stone Rift-Sprite help them search the gas station. "I’m letting a monster help me search around."
"Don’t see them as monsters. See them as friends..." Reidar said. "Or as unusual allies."
The group continued the preparations.
They gathered weapons from whatever they could find around the station. George kept his metal pipe, while Sarah picked up a heavy wrench from the maintenance area.
Mike grabbed a crowbar from behind the counter. Linda took a sturdy flashlight and a utility knife. Margaret settled on a large screwdriver and a small hammer. Frank stuck with his tire iron and the kitchen knife he’d been holding all along.
"These aren’t exactly professional weapons," Linda said.
"They don’t need to be professional. They just need to be useful against the monsters. Most of the ones around here are still relatively weak, but they are still many levels higher than you lot. Though I will help you until you get the gist of it."
Each person took two makeshift weapons, following Reidar’s advice about redundancy. If one broke or was lost, they’d still have a backup.
"Everyone ready?" Reidar asked.
The group exchanged nervous glances. Days of hiding had made the prospect of leaving their shelter terrifying, but they knew it was necessary.
"As ready as we’ll ever be," George said.
They gathered at the station’s entrance, Reidar’s summons forming a tight circle around them. A few people still flinched at the sight of the Rift-Sprites, but their fear was slowly turning into something closer to wary acceptance.
"I’m sending scouts ahead," Reidar said. "They’ll check for threats and report back."
He gestured to his Wind Sprite and one of the Aqua Sprites. The creatures chittered in acknowledgment and darted into the forest ahead of them.
The group came out of the gas station into daylight. After so many days in the gloomy station, the brightness outside was almost overwhelming. Sarah shielded her eyes with her hand.
"It’s so quiet."
"It won’t be for long," Reidar said. The wild monsters were in general quite noisy, especially the Rift-sprites. So, this silence was rather unusual.
The absence of civilization was weird for them. The highway they were so used to seeing and taking every day was nowhere to be found, which added to their bewilderment.
They began walking along what had once been a road but was now more of a path through increasingly dense vegetation. Reidar led the way, with his remaining summons spread out in defensive positions around the group.
"So," Mike said after they’d been walking for about ten minutes, "what exactly can we expect to find in Creamont?"
Reidar thought about it. "Honestly? I don’t know. The town might be completely overrun with monsters. It might be empty. Or there might be survivors who’ve established some kind of safe area."
"That’s not very encouraging," Frank said.
"I’m not going to lie to you about the dangers," Reidar said. "But there’s also hope. If someone inside a gas station could survive for ten days, then organized groups in towns might have done even better."
"What about the monsters? How strong are they likely to be?" Margaret asked.
"They will for sure be stronger than they are today," Reidar said. "But I can’t tell by how much. The ones I’ve been fighting have been gradually increasing in level, but the progression isn’t dramatic, at least not yet."
"Actually, that raises a point," George said. "We don’t have to go straight to Creamont, do we? There are other towns along the way."
Reidar nodded. "I was planning to check several towns during the trip. Information gathering, resource gathering, maybe finding other survivors."
"Good," George said. "Because there’s a town called Three Lakes about two days’ walk from here. That’s where I live." His voice carried a note of hope mixed with anxiety. "My wife, Marie, might still be alive. She’s... she’s very resourceful."
He looked around at the group. "Would it be all right if we made that our first stop? I know it’s asking a lot, but..."
"Of course," Linda said. "We don’t have anywhere else we need to be anyway, and even if we do, we are far from home. If we have the chance, we might at least help you find your wife. It makes sense to check the closer settlements first anyway. We might stay there if we like."
Reidar shook his head. "I’m going to Creamont first and Kingsgate later. I won’t stay, but you are free to do as you wish."
He paused. "My journey will probably be hard, so staying with more people will be a good idea for you," Reidar said. "It could be a good base of operations."
Frank remained silent, but he didn’t object.
Reidar felt a surge of optimism. These people were finally getting out of their shells.
"Three Lakes it is," George said.
The group nodded, but Reidar could tell they weren’t completely sold on the idea. He got it. Everyone had people they were hoping to find. Staying in Three Lakes meant putting their searches on hold, at least for a while.
And yet they likely felt conflicted, because they were scared, and there was no assurance their family was alive.
The conversation helped pass the time as they walked. The forest path was easier to navigate than Reidar had expected, though he remained watchful for danger.
His sprites had been gone for about 20 minutes when he saw them returning through the trees. Their movements were time-sensitive, and their chittering carried an agitated tone he’d learned to recognize.
<Trouble ahead.>
The Wind Sprite got to him first, waving its claws toward the trail up ahead. The Aqua Sprite showed up right after, looking just as worried.
Reidar held up his hand, signaling the group to stop.
"What is it?" George asked.
"Monsters ahead," Reidar said, studying his summons’ behavior. "Something that’s got them concerned."ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ novel⁂fire.net