>>5392474While they wait, Pine asks him about the history of this river.
Jess recounts a time during in childhood, when his mom’s family had to relocate to Cinderpath from the northern side of the country during the later years of the war between Sablestream and Galepeak.
It’s also where she met his father, who was a hunter in the town.
While the distance between him and his mother widened as they grew older, he still remembers one of his mother’s recollections.
According to his mom, this used to be a large forest, which served as a hunting ground for people in Cinderpath.
It was a deadly place, where boars can easily gore any unsuspecting man and the maze like nature of the place could keep people trapped for days. In certain nights, shadows moved on their own and entities roamed.
However, great treasures await them there. The abundance of fish, fruits and wild animals meant that the hunters could attain wealth in a matter of days.
She remembers it fondly, as it was one of the few places that truly awarded hard work. As her knowledge of the town broadens, she sees far too many incompetent people put in positions undeserving due to nepotism or bribery.
Unfortunately, it didn’t last long. As news of this place spread, more people came to the forest, eroding it until barely nothing remained.
Her family was lucky to be the first ones there, earning enough money to sustain themselves while transitioning into other jobs.
Eventually, the town faded back into obscurity. Some didn’t take it well.
Many lives were displaced, with a portion of the hunters plaguing the town as bandits.
With an industry collapsing, a new one emerges - private security. Sellswords that acted as little more than hitmen as long as the pay was decent.
Pine could tell from his expression that he is recalling more than a few painful memories from those days.
(Cont.)
