Journey To Emberhod

The ship drifted steadily toward the mainland, the jagged cliffs of the coast growing larger in the distance. The city of Emberhod lay beyond—a sprawling harbor town where merchants, mercenaries, and outlaws all mingled under the watchful eye of those who held the power.

Darian tightened the ropes on the sail. "We'll dock at Emberhod, restock supplies, and figure out our next move. It's not the safest place, but it's the best we've got."

Kael nodded, his mind still reeling from everything he had learned. He had no divine power left, no allies beyond these two strangers, and the world had rotted in his absence. But he wasn't finished yet.

As the ship neared the docks, Ren grinned. "Just try not to draw too much attention, alright? A man with a scarred chest and black-dyed hair stepping off a ship full of treasure hunters is bound to raise some questions."

Kael smirked faintly. "Then let's not give them any answers."

The ship bumped against the wooden docks, and the crew set to work tying it down. The air smelled of salt, fish, and sweat—a city of survivors.

Kael stepped onto the pier, his boots landing on solid ground for the first time in two hundred years.

The storm had returned.

The streets of Emberhod bustled with merchants hawking goods, sailors stumbling out of taverns, and mercenaries eyeing their next payday. It was a city built on trade, survival, and the strength of one's own hands.

Darian led the way through the maze of alleyways, stopping in front of a worn building with a faded sign above the door—Emberhod Adventurer's Guild.

"If you want coin fast, this is the place," he said. "They pay out for monster hunts, escort jobs, even guarding merchant caravans. You just need to prove you're worth something."

Kael exhaled, glancing up at the sign. He had commanded armies, fought against celestial beings, and died at the hands of a betrayer. Now, he was here, just another nameless warrior looking for work.

Ren clapped him on the back. "Come on, Kael. Let's get you signed up before you start brooding too hard."

Kael stepped forward, pushing open the doors to a new beginning.

The Emberhod Adventurer's Guild was a lively place—rough-looking warriors, cloaked mages, and mercenaries crowded the hall, either drinking, haggling over rewards, or inspecting the job board.

Darian walked up to the front desk, where a bored-looking clerk barely glanced up. "New recruit," he said, gesturing toward Kael.

The clerk sighed, pulling out a worn ledger. "Name?"

"Kael," he answered.

"Experience?"

Kael hesitated for the briefest moment. Fighting in celestial wars probably wasn't the right answer.

"Enough."

The clerk gave him a dull look, then shrugged. "Fine. First-timers start with simple hunts—goblin culling, wolf packs, or sewer infestations." He flipped a parchment over the counter. "There's been goblin activity just outside the city. They're harassing trade routes. Standard pay."

Kael took the paper, scanning it. A far cry from the battles he once fought, but it was a start.

Ren grinned. "Perfect. A warm-up."

Darian crossed his arms. "Let's just make sure it doesn't turn into more than we bargained for."

Kael smirked. "Goblins won't be a problem."

With that, they left the guild, stepping into the twilight streets, ready for Kael's first test in this new world.

As Kael departed for his first hunt, Darian and Ren split off into the bustling streets of Emberhod.

"We'll meet back at the inn," Darian said. "We'll take care of food, supplies, and a place to sleep. You focus on not getting yourself killed."

Kael smirked. "I think I can handle a few goblins."

Kael rolled his eyes and turned toward the city gates while the brothers disappeared into the crowd.

Beyond the walls, the land stretched into rolling fields and sparse woodlands. Somewhere out there, goblins were lurking.

Kael's grip tightened on the dagger which once pierced his chest. Time to see just how much of himself he had lost.

Kael trekked through the dense, mist-shrouded woods beyond Emberhod's borders. As he hunted, he picked off goblins one by one—swift, brutal encounters that left him with trophies: the ears of his fallen foes, proof of his skill. Each ear was a testament to his survival, a relic from a life that once commanded the heavens.

But as he ventured deeper, the forest grew darker and the air heavier. The crunch of leaves underfoot gave way to an eerie silence, broken only by the occasional distant roar. It was there, among the gnarled roots and twisted trunks, that Kael encountered a presence far more menacing—a D-rank monster.

This creature was a grotesque aberration, a hulking beast with matted fur, sinewy limbs, and eyes that burned with a feral intensity. With a bellow that shook the very ground, it lunged at Kael. The battle erupted in a frenzy of steel and claw. Kael, still reeling from his earlier skirmishes, relied on his battle-honed instincts rather than the divine thunder that once flowed through him.

The monster's savage strikes left deep, brutal wounds on Kael's scarred flesh. Every swing of its massive claws tested his determination, every roar echoing the remnants of a power long lost. But Kael refused to yield. He darted and dodged, parrying the creature's attacks with his blade—the same blade that had tasted victory in countless battles of old.

After a grueling clash that blurred into a chaotic dance of survival, Kael found his opening. With a decisive thrust, he plunged his weapon into the monster's heart. The beast staggered, emitting one final, guttural cry before collapsing onto the forest floor.

Breathing heavily, Kael surveyed the clearing. Among the carnage lay proof of his conquests—the goblin ears now mixed with the remnants of a creature that challenged him far beyond a simple hunt. This was a victory, hard-won and bittersweet, a reminder that even stripped of his divine might, he was still a warrior.

As the echoes of the battle faded into the deep silence of the forest, Kael pocketed one of the goblin ears—a symbol of his renewed resolve. His journey had just begun, and though his divinity was gone, his fight for truth, redemption, and perhaps even revenge was far from over.