After leaving his village of Willowdale, Oscar walked for a few hours, taking in the wooded scenery around him. The trees were tall and lush, and the birds sang sweetly in the branches above. He spotted a deer grazing in a clearing and a family of rabbits hopping through the underbrush. The journey was peaceful, and Oscar couldn't help but feel a sense of longing for the quiet life he left behind.
Just as Oscar was starting to feel the weight of his journey, he heard the sound of wheels in the distance. As the carriage came into view, an older gentleman pulled up beside him. "Where are you headed, young man?" the older gentleman asked.
"I'm on my way to the neighboring Kingdom of Arvandor," Oscar replied.
"Well, I'm heading that way myself. Would you like a ride?" the older gentleman offered.
Oscar gratefully accepted and climbed into the carriage. The older gentleman introduced himself as Gaspard and they set off on their journey. As they rode, Oscar couldn't help but take note of Gaspard's appearance. He had a full beard and his face was weathered with age, yet his body was surprisingly spry. "You're a Dwarf, aren't you?" Oscar said, surprised.
"That I am," Gaspard replied with a chuckle. "But don't let my age fool you, I've still got a few good years left in me yet."
They spent the next few hours talking about Gaspard's life as a blacksmith and crafter, and Oscar was impressed by the old man's knowledge and skill. As they rode, Oscar couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort in Gaspard's presence. It was as if he had known the Dwarf for years.
As the carriage rolled on, Oscar couldn't help but feel a sense of camaraderie with Gaspard. He knew that they were from very different backgrounds, but they shared a love of learning and discovery.
As the carriage continued on its journey, Oscar couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder and excitement. The landscape around him was constantly changing, with lush forests giving way to rolling hills and rocky mountains. Gaspard, the older gentleman driving the carriage, proved to be an excellent companion, regaling Oscar with stories of his life as a blacksmith and crafter. They talked about everything from Gaspard's early days as a young apprentice to his more recent projects, and Oscar was impressed by the old man's knowledge and skill.
The journey was peaceful, and Oscar couldn't help but feel a sense of longing for the quiet life he left behind. However, as the day grew later, the peacefulness was interrupted by a group of bandits that emerged from the woods. Gaspard quickly stopped the carriage and pulled out a smithing hammer, ready to defend himself and Oscar. Oscar quickly used his analysis ability on the bandits and discovered that they were around the same strength level as himself. Gaspard, noticing Oscar's lack of a weapon, quickly duplicated his hammer and handed one to Oscar.
"I'll take the left, you take the right," Gaspard said, and Oscar nodded in agreement.
The bandits were armed with swords and axes, weapons drawn, ready for a fight. Gaspard, armed with his smithing hammer, stepped forward to meet them head-on. He swung his hammer with precision, expertly dodging and deflecting their attacks. Oscar, armed with his own hammer provided by Gaspard, fought alongside Gaspard but was not as skilled. He struggled to keep up with the bandits' quick strikes, but with Gaspard's help, he managed to hold his own.
One of the bandits managed to slip past Gaspard's defenses and slashed at Oscar's arm with a knife. Oscar felt a searing pain and looked down to see blood pouring from the wound. Suddenly, he felt a strange energy coursing through his body. He realized that his Adaptation ability had been triggered by the injury. His body began to heal at a faster rate than normal and he felt a surge of strength.
With renewed vigor, Oscar fought alongside Gaspard, dodging and weaving between the bandits' attacks. Gaspard fought with fierce determination, his hammers a blur as they struck down one bandit after another. Together, they made quick work of the bandits, and soon the last one lay defeated at their feet.
Breathing heavily and covered in sweat, Oscar and Gaspard looked at each other in triumph. They had successfully defended the carriage and each other from the bandits' attack.
After the fight, Oscar and Gaspard searched the bodies of the bandits for any valuables. They found a small amount of silver coin, about 20 pieces, scattered among the bandits' pockets. Gaspard looked over the weapons the bandits had, shaking his head in disapproval. "Junk," he muttered, before offering them to Oscar. "You can keep them if you want, they're not worth anything to me." Oscar gratefully accepted and stored the weapons in the ring his father had given him. As he did, he noticed the hammer Gaspard had given him had vanished, the duplication ability now deactivated.
Gaspard and Oscar split the money they had looted evenly between them. As they climbed back into the carriage, Oscar couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and nervousness as he thought about revealing his analysis ability to Gaspard. "I have a rare ability too," Oscar began. "I can analyze the strength and abilities of others with just a glance. I can't find out all the information on someone or their abilities, but it gives me enough to have an edge."
Gaspard's eyes widened in surprise. "That's a useful ability," he said, impressed. "I can duplicate objects, but it's only temporary and the duplicates aren't always perfect."
Oscar nodded, impressed by Gaspard's ability. "That's a great ability to have." He said.
The two of them fell into a comfortable silence as the carriage continued on its journey. Gaspard expertly navigated the winding roads, and Oscar couldn't help but feel a sense of camaraderie with the Dwarf.
The rest of the journey passed in relative peace, with the occasional small talk and stories from Gaspard. As they approached the outskirts of Arvandor, Gaspard pulled the carriage to a stop. "This is as far as I can take you, Oscar," he said. "But I have a feeling our paths will cross again."
Oscar thanked Gaspard for his help and they said their goodbyes. As Oscar walked towards the gates of Arvandor, he couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement for what was to come. He was ready to discover more about his ability and the world around him.