The Homeseeker: An Elemental Adventurer LitRPG

Chapter 26 - Poppyville

"I am sorry you had to see it," Aldric said sincerely. Then he snapped his fingers loudly. "This group is fine, open the gate!"

The gate pulled open for the five of them and Zalan marveled at the energy of the city. The excitement was almost tangible as he observed the residents rushing between marketplaces. There was an air of enthusiasm that met the travelers as soon as they entered inside, like they had joined in some party.

"Is it always like this?" Zalan asked, watching children run by with treats in hand.

"I have never been here before," Rep shrugged, equally enamored with the buzz of the people.

The others had not visited before either, and Yelsa decided to get some answers from the nearest woman selling bouquets of radiant flowers.

"Is there a festival happening?" Yelsa asked.

"Indeed!" she said. "We are sending off some of our fighters to the Elemental Rage Tournament and trying to rouse them before they leave us! Our annual Festival of the Tournament!"

"You do this every year?" Yelsa asked, impressed.

"Indeed! If one of our fighters wins, we want them to come back to us with their title and talents rather than running off to some new town that will want to woo them as a new champion," the shopkeeper explained.

"I appreciate your candid explanation," Yelsa smiled, then slid her a gold coin. The woman's eyes darted between the coin and Yelsa a few times, her eyes wide. "I'll take five bouquets," Yelsa smiled.

"This can get you much more than that!" the shopkeeper replied as she took the coin gladly.

"Just five is fine. Consider it for both the flowers and your succinct answers," Yelsa said.

Her companions watched with interest as she distributed a bouquet to each of them. Zalan normally didn't care for flowers, but these bouquets were wonderfully aromatic and brought him a sense of calm. Especially when they were offered by Yelsa, who was yelling at him only hours ago.

"What am I to do with these?" Gorb asked, twisting his bouquet as though looking for a hilt to grip.

"Take them as a token of peace," Yelsa suggested. "We have been at one another's throats for much of our time together, but I certainly want us to work together when we reach the Castle of Docrun. Retrieving the Homeseeker is very important to me. I really do wish to go home."

"Back to the clouds?" Fran smiled, then Gorb nudged her in the ribs. "Right, peace, yes," she corrected herself.

"I welcome the gesture," Rep said encouragingly, a pleasant smile on his face as he held up his bouquet like he was making a toast. "To a better team!"

Zalan tapped his flowers against Rep and the others laughed in amusement. The residual animosity between the group had been largely removed, and he once again felt glad to be in their company. It felt like they had all apologized to one another, though no one explicitly asked for forgiveness.

"What do we do now?" Fran looked at Gorb.

"The original intent was to spend a night here to heal our wounds and replenish our food... but it seems we are in need of neither? I feel no hunger and the Boznoks did me no damage. We could simply continue?" Gorb suggested.

"Or we could spend a day at a festival!" Yelsa said as though it were obvious.

"But we would waste a day that the Satiator would keep us fed," Gorb replied.

"It is not a waste! We could spend the day explaining everything we know to the infant here," Yelsa indicated to Zalan.

"I wouldn't mind staying to check out the festival," Zalan shrugged.