Chapter 45 - The Mountain Investigation

That morning, everything had changed.

The village was no longer scrambling. It was working. Steady. Predictable. And because of that, Ren was already thinking ahead.

Water.

Still the core of everything.

The current well couldn't support the entire population much longer. The only real answer lay beneath the mountain to the north. The buried power stones needed to revive the dead water drill.

But not everyone trusted him yet. Many of the new arrivals barely knew his name.

So Ren stood at the edge of the well and called out.

"Everyone, listen up."

The noise quieted. People turned. He pointed down into the stone ring.

"This water, it's not enough for all of us."

He paused, letting the silence settle before continuing.

"Some of you don't know, but before now, we had a drill. It pulled water up from deep underground. That machine is dead now. What it needs to work again… is in the mountain just north of here."

A few of the older villagers nodded. The refugees, though, simply watched. Cautious. Curious.

"I'm forming a small team. I need miners. Those with real digging experience. If you've done the work before, come stand with me."

Slowly, eight men stepped forward.

Ren scanned their faces. "Do any of you have family here?"

Two raised their hands.

"Then stay with them. The rest of you. Six. Come with me."

He raised his voice again.

"We leave for the mountain today. It might take a week. Maybe more. I don't know what we'll find. But I promise, we'll come back very soon."

He turned to the crowd, then gestured to his side.

"Tobren, come up."

His right hand. His trusted partner, stepped forward.

"For those of you who are new here… this is Tobren. If you need anything, if something's too difficult, or if you just need someone to talk to, you go to him. He'll be in the tower, or just shout his name loud enough, and he'll find you."

There were a few quiet chuckles.

Ren smiled faintly. "Alright. Let's eat and get to work."

People began moving toward the food tent in loose lines, the tension easing slightly.

Ren and Tobren headed for the tower.

What Ren didn't notice, however, was a conversation happening quietly near the back of the crowd.

A tall man with a clean shirt and folded arms leaned close to a few others.

"He's leaving? Now?" the man muttered. "Convenient, isn't it… just as things start running smooth."

"He says it's for water," someone replied.

The tall man snorted. "Sure. Or maybe he's got other plans. Maybe that mountain has gold in it. Who knows what he's really after."

Whispers spread, faint and sour.

Ren, unaware, continued toward the tower with Tobren, already planning supply lists and route markers in his head.

Tobren still didn't understand why the mountain was suddenly urgent. But one thing he knew for certain:

If Ren was going, it wasn't for himself.

It was for all of them.

The people.

The village.

***

Near the gate, Ren stood with Tobren and the two adventurer teams, finalizing the departure.

The wagons were ready. Supplies packed. Tools loaded. The six chosen miners stood nearby, checking rope, picks, and shovels.

Ren looked to Tobren first. "The list is with you. Stick to the work schedule. If anything breaks, prioritize the fields and fences first."

Tobren gave a firm nod. "Understood."

Kaela stepped forward, arms crossed, a rare glint of warmth in her eyes.

"Hope you come back with good news," she said, "and without a single wound."

Sera stretched and grinned. "You really said that? I'm going with him. You think anyone can touch him when I'm around? Even on their best day?"

The guild members chuckled. One of the newer ones added, "That's right. All of us put together still can't lay a hand on her. Not even at our best."

Another smirked. "I saw her cut a mana-beast in half mid-charge. Good luck to anyone who tries."

Ren offered Sera a dry smile. "Remind me not to annoy you on the road."

She smirked. "Too late."

The group was ready.

Ren looked to the miners. "Can any of you drive a wagon?"

One stepped forward. "I can."

"Good. Here's the plan," Ren said, eyeing the team. "I'll take one wagon with Sera and Fera. London, you ride the second one with two miners. Pick up the rest of the team on the way out."

He glanced toward the supplies. "Check everything. We won't get a second chance if we forget something."

The miners nodded and moved into position.

Sera hopped onto the front of the first wagon. "So, mountain trip? Feels like a vacation compared to babysitting this village."

Ren climbed up beside her. "Let's just hope the mountain agrees."

Before giving the signal to move, Ren stepped over to Becca, already strapped to the lead wagon and calmly waiting.

He placed a hand on her neck, running it gently down her side.

"Becca," he said softly, "we're walking together again."

She gave a soft exhale, her ears flicking back.

"But this time, it's a bit farther. So, if you're tired, just give me a sign. We'll rest when you need it."

She responded with a low huff, almost as if she understood.

Ren smiled. "That's all I need."

At the second wagon, Daro snorted impatiently. London chuckled. "I think he's more excited than I am."

Ren nodded. "He'll lead if Becca needs to rest."

He glanced back once more at Becca. Loyal, steady, bit older now. There was a fatigue in her breath he couldn't ignore. He tucked the thought away, but a seed was planted.

One day, he told himself, I'll find a way to make something better. Something that doesn't need to bleed or wear down to help us move forward.

Maybe a wagon that moves on its own. Maybe something that runs without reins.

But for now, he gave the signal.

With a final nod to Tobren, the caravan rolled forward. Two wagons, ten people, and one goal.

They were chasing the heart of the mountain.

***

The road curved gently north, climbing higher than most had ever gone.

Grass thinned into rocky paths. Trees became sparse. A wind picked up, dry and thin, rolling across the hills like whispers from the peaks above.

They passed the edge of what the villagers called "safe land" and beyond that, it was just them.

Ren rode near the front, occasionally checking the map in his satchel. It wasn't glowing now, but he could feel it. Like something beneath the mountain was watching.

Waiting.

Behind him, the others rode in quiet conversation or focused silence. The clatter of wagon wheels and the creak of wood were the only rhythm they had.

Sera, sitting beside him, leaned back and looked at the sky.

"You sure about what's up there?"

Ren didn't look away from the road. "No."

She smiled faintly. "Good. I was worried you'd say yes."

As the sun dipped behind the jagged edge of the northern ridge, the mountain finally came into view. Dark, rising, veined with stone and shadow.

They would reach its base tomorrow.

And whatever was buried inside it…

They were coming to wake it.