Chapter 113 - 112: A Place to Begin

Chapter 113: Chapter 112: A Place to Begin

The survivors followed Henry and the others through the forest.

Nobody spoke much along the way. Their attention remained fixed on the people leading them, though a few occasionally glanced between the trees as if expecting another monster to emerge.

Iris walked near the front with Henry. Behind them, Caleb and Benjamin kept an eye on the newcomers, while the others remained alert to their surroundings.

The Darkstone Wall eventually came into view.

The survivors slowed.

It was difficult not to stare. The enormous dark structure stretched between the trees, its height and solid construction making it look more like a fortress than the boundary of a village.

One of the survivors stopped walking.

"That’s the wall?"

Henry nodded.

They approached the entrance, and as they crossed the territory boundary, translucent notifications appeared before their eyes.

[You have entered Velaris Village, Level 1.]

Several people stopped to read it.

"Level One?"

Another survivor looked up at the towering wall.

"This is a Level One village?"

Nobody answered him.

A second notification appeared.

[Please pay your entry fee within 15 minutes.]

The survivors exchanged uncertain looks.

"Entry fee?" someone muttered.

Before anyone could ask further, the available options appeared.

[Visitor Entry: 5 Copper]

[Temporary Residency: 100 Copper | Valid for 30 Days]

[Permanent Residency: 10 Gold]

For a moment, the group remained silent.

They had barely made it through the forest. Most of them had spent what little money they possessed on supplies before leaving their former territories. Ten Gold was beyond what many could afford, but the other options were considerably more manageable.

"Do we have to decide now?" a woman asked.

Henry looked at the notification.

"You have fifteen minutes to pay the entry fee. You don’t have to purchase permanent residency."

The man at the front looked at him.

"So we can enter as visitors first?"

"Yes."

That seemed to ease some of their uncertainty.

A few selected Visitor immediately. Others chose temporary residency, while those who had enough money and were certain they wanted to remain selected the permanent option.

Iris watched without interfering.

She knew how the system worked. She also knew better than to make decisions for people who had only just arrived. They could choose what suited their circumstances, and they could decide what they wanted from Velaris after they had recovered.

Once the selections were made, the notifications disappeared.

The survivors looked ahead.

Then they looked around.

Trees.

Nothing but trees.

A man turned toward the gate behind them, then back toward the forest stretching ahead.

"Where’s the village?"

Caleb glanced at him.

"Further in."

"There’s more forest?"

"Apparently."

A few exhausted laughs escaped the group.

They continued walking.

The path was not particularly difficult, but their condition made even a short distance feel longer than it should have. Some leaned on one another for support. Others kept their heads down, concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other.

Iris did not rush them.

She knew what lay ahead, but she also knew that the first sight of Velaris would be more meaningful if they discovered it themselves.

After several minutes, the trees began to thin.

The forest opened gradually, revealing stone paths and buildings beyond the clearing.

The first survivor to notice stopped.

"Wait."

The others looked up.

The village had appeared before them.

Several buildings stood among the trees, connected by broad paths that led toward the settlement’s centre. People moved between them, carrying supplies and going about their daily activities. Farther ahead, the Village Center stood among the surrounding structures.

The survivors stared.

After everything they had endured, the sight of an actual settlement was almost difficult to process.

One woman covered her mouth.

Another let out a shaky breath.

"There’s really a village."

A few people began looking around, trying to take in everything at once.

Caleb glanced at their expressions.

"Welcome to Velaris."

Nobody responded immediately.

They were too busy looking.

The settlement was not enormous, but it was clearly more developed than the places some of them had left behind. The paths were orderly, the buildings were intact, and there were people moving around without constantly looking over their shoulders.

It felt different.

That alone was enough to make some of the survivors visibly relax.

Henry led them further inside.

Several residents noticed the newcomers and began looking in their direction. A few exchanged questions, but nobody crowded around them.

Iris glanced across the settlement.

The original residents had already begun their day. Elias and the bodyguards were familiar with the routine, and Snow and Dog were somewhere nearby. The newcomers would have to get used to seeing people who were not part of the group that had brought them here.

A familiar figure approached from the direction of the Village Center.

Nina.

She looked toward the newcomers, then at Iris.

"Another group?"

Iris nodded.

"They came through Eldilon Forest."

Nina’s expression softened as she examined their condition.

Some of them were limping. Others had visible injuries, and almost everyone looked exhausted.

"I see."

Her gaze moved briefly toward the people behind Iris.

"They need water."

"We know," Henry replied.

Nina turned toward the settlement.

"I’ll get someone to bring some."

"Thank you," Iris said.

Nina nodded and walked away.

The survivors watched her go.

One of them glanced at Iris.

"She lives here?"

"Yes."

He looked around again.

"So there are already other people?"

Iris nodded.

"Velaris has residents."

It was a simple answer, and she left it at that.

They continued toward an open area where the newcomers could sit without blocking the paths. Several residents soon arrived with water, which was passed around.

The first few people drank too quickly.

"Slow down," Henry warned. "You don’t need to finish it all at once."

One man lowered his container and wiped his mouth.

"Sorry."

"It’s fine. Just take your time."

The survivors gradually settled down.

Some sat on the ground. Others leaned against nearby structures, too tired to care about appearances. A woman helped the injured man she had been supporting earlier, while another survivor carefully checked the condition of a child’s feet.

Iris watched them quietly.

They had made it.

That did not mean everything was suddenly easy, but at least they were no longer surrounded by an unfamiliar forest with no idea where they would find their next meal or safe place to rest.

Caleb approached one of the survivors who was still standing.

"You should sit down too."

The man shook his head.

"I’m fine."

"You look like you’re about to fall over."

"I said I’m fine."

Caleb glanced at Henry.

Henry gave the man a calm look.

"Rest. You won’t be helping anyone by collapsing."

The survivor hesitated before finally sitting.

Iris turned toward the buildings.

"The dormitories are available for newcomers who need somewhere to stay. The rooms accommodate up to four people, and the rent is five Copper per day."

A woman looked up.

"Five Copper?"

"Yes."

"Per person?"

"Per room, per day."

The woman released a breath.

That was considerably more affordable than she had expected.

Another survivor looked toward the buildings.

"Can we go there now?"

"You can, once you’ve had something to eat and recovered a little. There’s no need to rush."

The man nodded.

Nobody asked about Garden Villas or permanent homes. They had just arrived, and most were not in a position to think about buying property.

For now, a room with a roof was enough.

A resident brought over food shortly afterward. The portions were simple, but the newcomers accepted them with visible relief. Some ate quietly, while others seemed almost unable to believe they could finally sit down without worrying about what might attack them.

Iris did not ask them to recount their journey.

There would be time for that later, if they wished to talk about it.

For now, she wanted them to recover.

Benjamin came to stand beside her.

"They’re in rough shape."

Iris glanced toward the group.

"I noticed."

"Some of them need proper attention."

"We’ll see who needs help first."

Henry joined them a moment later.

"The injured should be checked before they move into the dormitories."

Benjamin nodded.

"I’ll arrange it."

The three of them watched as the newcomers gradually became more settled.

A few were already speaking to Nina, who had returned after arranging for additional water. She answered their questions about the settlement without overwhelming them with information.

Iris was glad someone else could handle that.

She had spent enough time around people who had just arrived to know that too many explanations at once would accomplish very little. They needed to experience Velaris for themselves.

One of the survivors approached her after finishing his food.

"Thank you for bringing us here."

Iris looked at him.

"You don’t have to thank us. You made it here yourselves."

The man shook his head.

"We wouldn’t have known where to go."

Henry gave him a small nod.

"You’re safe inside the territory for now. Get some rest."

The survivor lowered his head gratefully before returning to the others.

Iris looked across the settlement again.

Nina was already speaking with one of the women, while Caleb had found himself answering questions from a small group of curious newcomers. Benjamin was helping Henry identify those who needed medical attention.

The settlement continued around them.

It was an ordinary afternoon in Velaris, but for the people who had just arrived, it was the first time in days that they could sit somewhere without watching the trees for danger.

Iris looked toward the dormitories.

There was still plenty to do, but none of it needed to be forced into a single afternoon.

They had reached Velaris.

They had crossed its gates.

And now, at last, they had somewhere to begin.