To speak the truth, despite how terrible and awful it may be, is an honorable thing to do. Still, it makes the deed no less difficult to do. However, irregardless of its difficulty, I had to do it. I had to be the one to tell my uncle that his entire home was about to be destroyed. I had to tell him that his daughter, Zaatri, was about to awaken to become an avatar for a being that hadn't existed or been seen in thousands of years; a Titan.
After I had completed the daunting task, through which my uncle elected to remain fully silent, he stood up slowly with a simple sigh.
"I'm going to have a close talk with my wife and daughter. If you'll excuse me for a while, I'll return eventually to discuss more with you. In the meantime, you'll find the general goods should have everything you need." My uncle elected to say before exiting the room.
It certainly was a lot to take in especially from a ten year old. Well by this world's standards I was ten years old, but due to the increased amount of days per year, I am at the maturity level of a fifteen year old. Still it was a tremendous amount of bad news to take in.
I chose to give him the time he deserved to take everything in, and I left out to find the general goods store and my friends. After I found them I decided I was going to do some training and try to find some summonings and special techniques for my skills. I knew that I was terribly behind on my abilities to be effective. I had a little over a year left to merge the gap.
As I exited, I had to squint my eyes to adjust them to the noon sun. The quaint estate had a bit of a prettier ambience now that it was fully lit by the sun. I could smell something cooking wafting through the air, but it was tainted by the scent of the smoldering forge of the local smithery. It wasn't unpleasant. In fact it was unique enough that I was certain that I wouldn't forget it anytime soon.
My eyes eventually landed on the general goods store mostly because I noticed Bruhom's massive figure standing outside eating a smoked leg of some creature and Sehaela skimming through some sort of tome that had a grey cover with white trim.
"Sehaela, what do you have there?" I asked her as I approached her and Bruhom.
"Oh this is a tome for a few wind summonings. I bought it off the merchant in there." She replied and immediately peaked my interest.
Summonings on this world resembled spells from the fantasy stories of earth. My time spent playing video games has given me an edge on understanding certain aspects of this world and its magic. A new tome with summonings for me to learn was an excellent way for me to gain a leg up on my need to advance my prowess.
"Really? Did they have any others?" I asked her with genuine enthusiasm.
"Yeah, I think I saw a fire one in there but it was way older than this one. I was going to try to buy it for you, but that guy wants an incredible amount for it. It must be valuable or he thinks it is." She shrugged before diving back into her tome.
I immediately decided I had to try to get this tome from this merchant. I went inside the store which seemed like it was also the merchant's home. I was greeted almost immediately.
"Good afternoon, young man, What can I do for you?" He greeted me cheerily.
"Well my friend informed me you have a fire tome. I was wondering what your price is on it, and if you have an idea of its contents." I stated trying to sound formal. Even though I don't much care for status, I was probably about to us the fact that I was the Lord's nephew to my advantage.
"Well now... I assume you are a wielder of the almighty fire. Hmmm... well this particular tome is supposed to be extremely ancient. In fact, I only acquired it because some bum supposedly found it in one of the Gaibek ruins. He seemed like he was just trying to make a quick deal and move on. He didn't know what he had. I got a hefty price on it." He stated, folding his arms like he was certain I couldn't afford it.
"Yes sir, I do wield fire, and that sounds like a really valuable tome. I need to know your price though."
"Oh... well I can't let it go for anything less than fifty gemites."
Gemites are the highest valued forms of currency here in this world. They are green gems about the size of a walnut and generally egg shaped. Due to what I have deduced, each gemite is relatively the value of refrigerator back on earth. This man wasn't kidding about his price being hefty, but something told me that he had overpriced everything in that store.
"Well I only have ten gemites on me, but I'm sure my Uncle Chilroy would compensate you the rest and I'll even tell him to throw an extra twenty to you if you would be willing to part with it now." I stated hopefully
The man's eyes lit up with greed and shock.
"Forgive me sir, I didn't realize that I was in the presence of Nobility. I'd gladly take only five gemites from you now for the sixty later. It would be disrespectful for me to take your entire wealth you have on your person. I'll even throw in a free dinner seal as well." The man rambled in fear and nearly drooling at the soon to be extra income that he'd never expected to come in probably the next three years.
"That sounds perfect." I grinned handing over the five gemites and he instantly ran to get the tome. He returned quickly with a definitely well aged book that had a very strange symbol on the cover. Nearly faded, it resembled a flame burning what looked like a rocky sphere.
With a giant smile, he handed me the tome and a letter that was the dinner seal which is basically the same as a gift certificate good for one free meal from his store.
"It's such a pleasure to do business with the Nobility. I wish you all well."
"Thank you so much." I smiled back before walking out of the store.
I saw Sehaela, Bruhom, and now Josiah and Hevlauna standing together at the stairs to the Lord's Mansion. They all seemed to be laughing except Hevlauna who stood with a grin that looked like it was painful.
"What are you all laughing at?" I asked as I approached them.
They all looked at me and then burst into laughter once more this time including Hevlauna.
"You stepped in dog shit! bwahahahaha!" Sehaela burst into laughter once more joined by the chorus of laughter from the others.
"Well damn it..." I cursed as I looked down at my now shit clodden boot