Morning light filtered through the open windows of Woodhaven's central square, bathing the cobblestones in a warm glow. The village was coming to life - shopkeepers arranging their wares, farmers bringing produce to market, and at the heart of it all, near the softly glowing shrine, stood Lydia.

Cain's mother wore her healer's robes with quiet dignity. The pale blue fabric, embroidered with silver healing runes along the hems, complemented her chestnut hair, which was pulled back in a practical braid. Unlike the blacksmith's forge with its specific customers, Lydia's role as a village guide meant she assisted all newcomers, providing the critical first instructions that would shape their journey through this world.

Cain had finished his morning duties at the forge early. His father, engrossed in crafting a batch of iron shortswords, had barely noticed when Cain mentioned taking a short break.

"Be back before the midday rush," was all Edric had said, hammer striking metal in that familiar rhythm that formed the soundtrack of their lives.

Now Cain sat on a wooden bench at the edge of the square, ostensibly polishing a dagger that needed finishing. In truth, he was watching his mother work. There was something fascinating about the way she interacted with the new Adventurers—patient, kind, infinitely helpful. The same questions asked a hundred different ways, yet she responded to each with fresh enthusiasm.

The shrine pulsed with blue light, depositing a new batch of Adventurers into Woodhaven. Five materialized in rapid succession, each momentarily disoriented before finding their footing. Lydia approached them with a welcoming smile.

"Greetings, Adventurers. Welcome to Woodhaven, the starting point of your journey. I am Lydia, a healing guide. I can teach you about health, recovery, and basic survival in this world."

The Adventurers converged around her, their expressions ranging from wonder to analytical assessment. One—a young woman with the name "StarGazer" floating above her—stepped forward.

"Hi! This is amazing! Can you tell me how to check my health and abilities?"

Lydia nodded, her gestures fluid and practiced. "Of course. To view your health, focus your attention on the upper left corner of your vision. You should see a red bar representing your vitality."

StarGazer's eyes shifted slightly, then widened. "I see it! And there's numbers too—100/100!"

"Excellent," Lydia continued. "Below that, you'll notice a blue bar representing your energy, depending on your chosen path. These resources are essential for survival and using abilities." She gestured gracefully. "Would you like to learn about recovery methods?"

As StarGazer nodded eagerly, another Adventurer—"DarkWolf87"—interrupted. "How do I organize my belongings? And where do I find the list of tasks available to me?"

Without missing a beat, Lydia shifted her attention. "To access your belongings, you can either use the mental command 'Inventory' or make this gesture." She demonstrated a subtle motion with her hand. "Your available tasks are accessible through the same method, under the 'Quests' section."

DarkWolf87 mimicked the gesture, then nodded. "Got it. Is there a faster way to travel in these lands?"

"Transportation options expand as you progress," Lydia explained. "In the beginning, exploration is done on foot. Mounts become available after reaching Silvercrest City, which requires completing the paths through the surrounding forests."

From his bench, Cain observed the methodical way his mother addressed each question, no matter how basic or repetitive. Where his father's work was physical—hammer and anvil, fire and metal—his mother's was educational. Both served the Adventurers, but in distinctly different ways.

A third newcomer—"HealBot"—approached Lydia with a specific question. "I chose the cleric path. Can you tell me how healing works?"

Here, Lydia's expression brightened further. Healing was her specialty, after all.

"As a cleric, you channel divine energy to mend wounds and cure ailments," she began, gesturing for HealBot to follow her to a small demonstration area near the shrine. "Let me show you the basics."

Cain shifted his position to get a better view. This was something he'd seen many times but still found fascinating.

Lydia indicated a training dummy set up for demonstration purposes. "Imagine this dummy represents an injured companion. To cast a basic healing spell, focus your intention on restoring health while visualizing the flow of energy from your core to your hands."

HealBot looked confused. "Do I need a special gesture or something?"

"In this world, abilities are controlled through a combination of intent and gesture," Lydia explained patiently. "For your first healing spell, 'Minor Heal,' extend your hand toward your target and mentally focus on the words while visualizing warm, restorative light."

The Adventurer awkwardly extended his hand, face scrunched in concentration. After a moment, a faint glow appeared around his fingers.

"Whoa!" HealBot exclaimed. "I see it! There's actually light coming from my hand!"

"Well done," Lydia praised. "In combat situations, timing is crucial. Healing requires concentration, which can be interrupted by taking damage. Positioning yourself away from direct danger while maintaining line of sight to your allies is a fundamental skill for healers."

As Cain watched, more Adventurers gathered around his mother. Each came with questions, and she addressed them all with the same calm competence. Basic movement. Combat techniques. Resource gathering. The location of the first quests. How to form parties with friends. The consequences of falling in battle.

It struck Cain how much knowledge his mother contained—far more than he or his father. While their roles were specific and focused, hers encompassed nearly every aspect of the world.

"If I fall in battle, what happens to my belongings?" asked a nervous-looking Adventurer.

"Upon death, you will return to life at the nearest shrine with all your equipment intact," Lydia assured him. "In the forests around Woodhaven, there is no penalty for death besides the time lost. Beyond Woodhaven, death may result in a minor experience loss or temporary attribute reduction, depending on the circumstances."

"And the Natives? Do they die permanently?" The question came from an Adventurer lurking at the edge of the group—DoomSlayerX, the same one who had asked about harming Natives in the forge yesterday.

Lydia's expression didn't change, but Cain noticed a slight pause before she answered. "Village Natives are protected within settlement boundaries. Those you encounter in the wilderness will return after a period, similar to beasts. Their purpose is to enhance your adventure, whether through providing services, information, or combat challenges."

DoomSlayerX nodded slowly, a calculating look in his eyes. Cain felt that same unease from yesterday returning as he watched the Adventurer make mental notes.

Cain was so engrossed in watching the interactions that he nearly forgot his promise to return to the forge before the midday rush. Glancing at the sun's position, he realized he'd stayed much longer than intended. He packed up his polishing materials and stood to leave just as a new group materialized at the shrine.

This group was different. Instead of wide-eyed newcomers, these were clearly veterans—their levels ranging from 30 to 45, their equipment gleaming with enchantments far beyond anything available in Woodhaven. Their names floated in custom colors and fonts: "MageBlade," "WarchiefTX," "ShadowPriestess," "RogueAce," and "ShieldWall."

They approached Lydia with purpose, not as students but as returning visitors.

"Good morning, Lydia," MageBlade greeted her with unexpected familiarity. "Still guiding the newcomers, I see."

"Greetings, Adventurers," Lydia responded with her standard welcome. "Welcome to Woodhaven. How may I assist you today?"

WarchiefTX laughed. "She's forgotten us already. The villagers here tend to be too busy to remember every face that passes through."

"Actually," ShadowPriestess interjected, studying Lydia carefully, "I heard that since the recent lunar alignment, some village elders retain impressions of past visitors. Hey, Lydia, we visited about two weeks ago. We were helping newcomers with clearing the wolf den. Do you recall that?"

Cain watched as his mother's expression shifted slightly—a searching look crossing her features before she responded.

"I recall a group assisting newcomers with the wolf den recently. The task was completed efficiently, with no casualties among the new Adventurers. Was that your party?"

"See!" ShadowPriestess exclaimed triumphantly. "The blessings of the moon are real. Her recollection is impressive."

"What brings such experienced Adventurers back to Woodhaven?" Lydia inquired, maintaining her role as guide.

"Remembrance journey," ShieldWall explained. "We first met as strangers in Woodhaven a year ago. Now we're one of the top expedition teams in the realm. Thought we'd come back and see where it all began."

"And maybe help some newcomers," RogueAce added. "Pay it forward, you know?"

"A noble purpose," Lydia responded with a gentle smile. "The forest outside Woodhaven holds challenges well beneath your current abilities, but your assistance would be valuable to new Adventurers."

As the high-level party continued chatting with his mother, Cain found himself intrigued by the concept they'd mentioned—Natives with memory, remembering Adventurers from previous visits. Did his mother truly remember them, or was it just a convincing response? Could he remember things too, beyond his daily experiences?

His contemplation was interrupted by MageBlade suddenly pointing in his direction.

"Hey, isn't that the blacksmith's son?" MageBlade asked, pointing in Cain's direction. "I didn't expect to see him away from the forge."

All five veterans turned to look at Cain, who froze under their scrutiny.

"My son assists his father at the forge," Lydia explained. "He often brings me lunch or delivers messages throughout the village."

"Huh, interesting," WarchiefTX remarked. "Family connections and everything."

RogueAce approached Cain with curious eyes. "So you're the blacksmith's apprentice? What brings you to the square today?"

Cain wasn't sure how to respond. He rarely interacted with Adventurers outside the forge.

"I... I help my father craft weapons for new Adventurers," he finally said, falling back on what he knew. "I was just observing my mother's teaching methods."

ShadowPriestess raised her eyebrows. "That's interesting." She turned to her companions. "The people in this village seem more thoughtful than I remembered."

"I should return to the forge," Cain said, uncomfortable with being discussed as if he weren't present. "My father will be expecting me."

"Sure thing, kid," MageBlade chuckled. "Go run along."

As Cain turned to leave, he heard ShieldWall ask his mother, "Do the Natives in this village have entire lives when Adventurers aren't around? Like, do they eat dinner together and stuff?"

"All villagers have homes and lives," Lydia answered, just as she had told Cain the night before. "We maintain Woodhaven whether Adventurers are present or not."

"Fascinating," ShadowPriestess murmured, looking around the village with fresh appreciation.

These words stayed with Cain as he walked briskly back toward the forge. The way she looked at Woodhaven... as if the village were some curiosity to be examined rather than a home where people lived their lives. Their dinner conversations, his father's quiet pride in a well-crafted sword, his mother's gentle hands brushing his hair from his forehead when she thought he was asleep... none of this was performed for outsiders. This was their life.

The forge came into view, smoke billowing from the chimney. Cain quickened his pace, knowing his father would need help with the midday customers. Yet his mind remained in the square, replaying the veterans' words and his mother's patient instruction.

There was something about the way she taught—an endless well of knowledge delivered with genuine care—that made Cain proud. The Adventurers might see her as merely a village guide, a helper for newcomers, but to him, she was so much more.

As he reached the forge door, Cain glanced back toward the square. In the distance, he could see his mother now surrounded by a new group of level 1 Adventurers, her hands moving gracefully as she explained some fundamental concept of their new existence.

"Cain! Those sword hilts need wrapping!" His father's voice boomed from inside the forge.