whisper whisper whisper.
Every where is dark. Why can't I see anything?
What are these unintelligible voices saying?
Did I die? Like did I actually die?
Splash
Why am I so wet!?
GASP GASP
It gets bright all of a sudden. I guess my eyes are open, but they're still adjusting.
"Thank the heavens, the boy is awake!"
"Don't say that too loud Pam, you'll make us sound like kidnappers!"
"But sir, doesn't he looks a little strange?"
"Yes, he does. He kind of looks like a fish out water gaping for air. Why's his mouth open like that?"
"Sir! I don't think that's an appropriate thing to say, considering the situation we're in right now"
What am I listening to exactly? I can somewhat see lips moving on dark circles which I presume are supposed to be faces. But I can't makeout what they're saying.
"Bub?"
"What, Pam?"
"Why is he staring blankly like that?"
"How the hell am I supposed to know! I'm not him!"
"Are you sure you gave me the right potion?"
"I'm telling you, for the last time, I gave that boy the finest healing elixir I had! I mean for crying out loud, you've been pestering me about it through out the night!"
Pam stays silent.
I have to be reasonable, I obviously can't be dead, since I'm seeing and hearing, even if I can't quite tell what I'm seeing and hearing.
Maybe I'm suffering from blood loss or shock. I'm probably just dazed. After all, I was tossed around like a ragdoll by that golem so I doubt my head's doing A-okay.
Wait a minute, I was tossed around by a golem and acid was melting my face. There's no way I could survive that!
"AH MY FACE!" I say out loud. I move my hands in order to feel it. In that moment, my head gets clear and I'm suddenly aware of what's going on in front of me for the first time since waking up.
Bub and the clerk lady, are standing with there backs arched with their faces uncomfortably close to mine, looking at me as if they discovered a new species.
"Why did he scream like that? Are you sure we gave him the right potion?"
"Enough already! I'm certain of it! He's just being a wimp! Can't you see all his injuries have disappeared?"
They're having a conversation I don't quite care for. I'm rubbing my hands all over my face, just happy that it's still there.
Sigh.
"Can somebody please tell me what's going on?" I say. They explain it all to me, now I think I've gotten the general gist of my situation.
At first, they thought I was a thief so they made the golem attack me. But after I beat it, they became certain I was an adventurer.
Strange, but either way they're wrong. When I was helpless and on the ground, the store clerk, Pam, came to my aid, pouring a healing potion on my head.
Yes, she told me her name in fact hey both introduced themselves. She's apparently Bub's niece.
And the last piece of information I got is that I was passed out for over twenty four hours. Right now it's seven in the evening; Monday.
When I entered the shop it was Sunday at about five in the afternoon. The fight with the golem couldn't had been longer than thirty minutes.
"If you don't mind me asking, how long was did I fight with that thing?"
"Oh yeah that fight was spectacular! Especially the part where you ran on the walls it was something straight out of a novel!" Pam said.
Wow, she really didn't answer my question. Bub didn't even attempt to answer.
"You fought that thing no less than an hour!" She continued.
She could've said that in one sentence but whatever. She said it was spectacular but was it really all that? I mean I was mostly running away and It practically almost killed me with a single blow.
Damn, I can't avoid it. No matter how hard I try, I don't think I can stop it.
IT'S GOING TO GET TO MY HEAD.
I smile and point to myself as my pride gets so high it tears a whole through the ceiling.
"Well for me it was a piece of cak-" bub cuts me off before I can finish my sentence.
"Duun gyaet fool of year sealf boii, ooo wooda been yat dyaats door without the potion".
I still can't understand this guys' accent. The only part I heard there was the; "without the potion" part, but even so I get what he was saying.
Pam smacks him on the head and pushes his head down into a bow. "I'm so sorry we caused you so much trouble Mr adventurer" says Pam.
I'm about to say something but I refrain myself. I get the feeling that letting this play out will be beneficial for me.
"We wanted to patch up your book for you but the pages fixed themselves. Well I guess that's magic for you"
The pages did what!? Wait a second how could I forget! That monster didn't die when I stabbed it in the eye, it was that mysterious light that killed it.
W-wait... I was looking through how to magic when I suddenly got hit. Those symbols...
NO WAY, DO I HAVE MAGIC NOW!?
It seems my surprised face comes off as angry when I'm thinking that because Pam starts to apologize even more profusely. She smacks bub on the back telling him to "do it".
"Well son... Even though I think it should be you compensating us" Pam smacks his head again.
"Err I mean, we put you through a lot of trouble so well we, no... I put you a lot trouble. I'd be happy if you accepted this compensation" he said with his back bent and his hands fully outstretched holding some money.
I don't know what's scarier; the fact that he seems sincere or the fact I can hear him perfectly now.
I try to decline their offer after all they had every reason to do what they did.
They thought I was a thief even though I don't get why. To steal something so valuable from an adventurer I had to be dangerous.
Most normal people don't even think about messing with adventurers, so to do that you either had to be bold, wreckless, or smart enough to get away with it.
"You don't have to give me anything; I have a feeling we'll be seeing much each other in the future. Just make sure to give me crazy discounts when you do, okay!" I say with a hearty smile.
Sorry Mr Bard, I stole your line. I think to myself as I start to walk away.
"You're going the wrong way, right now we're up on the second floor. The stairs are on the other side."
Oh what!? This looks exactly like the first floor. I guess it makes sense, they couldn't just leave me down there on display to their customers while they ran their business.
They guide me downstairs and I feel bad seeing how wrecked the whole place is.
Just as I'm thinking that, Bub hands me the books then puts his hand on my shoulders and says "I'm thinking of taking you up on that offer so keep your chin up!"
He smacks me on the back and pushes me outside after saying that.
What a guy...
It's a pretty uneventful twenty minutes as I walk home. When I finally get there I'm too nervous to knock.
I muster up the courage and...
knock knock.
Shoot that was too loud, Mr Fletcher hates that.
...
Nobody answered, that's unusual. I keep knocking to no response.
Maybe after knocking for ten more minutes I give up. Hmm would they be out at this time? I can't help but wonder.
I decide to wait on the ground next to the door and before I notice, I'm already dozing off.
"OH MY GOD!" A woman screams.
Huh what's going on? I say, with drool falling from my face.
"What happened to you? Are you all right!?"
I look up to see who it is and OH...
"Hey Ruth, nice to see you". I say, in an endearing tone.
She opens the door and quickly ushers me inside. It almost makes me feel like I'm a VIP because of how gently she's treating me.
She says I should wash off and change my clothes so I can rest.
She's being quite nice, isn't that nice?
She doesn't say it, but apparently I stink. Or at least that's what her facial expression implies.
This home I'm in isn't shabby, it's a story high and has: four rooms, a bathroom and toilet that's separate, it also has kitchen and a dinning area as well as a living room.
I quickly rush to drop the books and the card the horned man gave me. I drop them in a certain corner of my room before showering.
That's my lucky corner, good things happen when I meditate there.
Fwoosh
MAN, HAVING A COLD SHOWER IS UNMATCHED! I can't help but think with a wide smile on my face.
The water's so soothing and nice. I'm holding in the moans I'd definitely do if I were alone.
This is paradise compared to what l I've experienced for the the past two days. It's like all my pain and suffering is washing away with my sweat.
Even though this shower is amazing, it's pretty hard to ignore the fact that I'm all healed up. It feels as if the shower is only washing away my mental exhaustion because of how great I feel.
After I'm done showering I sort my weeks worth of clothes into a pile so I can wash them.
When I reach the clothes I was wearing before, I let out an exasperated sigh.
The clothes are completely haggard, not only at they ridden with holes, they're also bloodied.
I really put my back into it when I'm washing the top and I must say, I put in an amazing effort. It's perfectly clean! Well it's a perfectly clean rag....
I ransack my pant's pockets before I put it in in water. I pull out several kur that I watch fall to the floor with a look of pure shock.
I have a mini panick attack thinking that I might've accidentally stolen from someone.
But thinking practically it's completely unlikely.
Right?
Should I tell Ruth about this? Maybe Mr Fletcher gave me money I forgot about. I decide to count it first.
"NO WAY! THAT'S 1000KURS!!"
It's spread out in ten different 100kur notes.
Oh no... How could this have happened?
I pace back and forth in search of an answer for a few minutes, until I notice a piece of paper on the floor.
It's a note that reads:
"This is compensation for the whole Golem fiasco. It's also technically hush money! My business was the doing perfectly fine before you came along... I don't want that to be ruined by you running your mouth off to local authorities. Yours truly, Big Bub."
When could he have slipped that in? Oh! It was when he pushed me out of his shop!
Once I'm done reading it, I get back to washing and I spread my clothes on a line situated within the bathroom.
Hmm, isn't strange how ruth hasn't asked about my clothes, or why I came back a day later than I should have.
After having the the scare of a lifetime, I head to my room, it used to belong to Ruth's mother. But she passed away two years ago.
I keep the money underneath my bed; a safe place for it, after all it's no small amount!
I pick out some night wear and get dressed.
I look at my bed longingly and I'm pretty sure it's looking back at me the same way, because when I crash face first on it, it makes an excited squeak sound.
I MISSED YOU TOO, BED!
"I hope I'm not interrupting something" Ruth says.
DAMNIT WOMAN MOST PEOPLE KNOCK! For obvious reasons I don't say that out loud.
I ask her what she wants and she responds saying "food's ready!" In a really cute voice.
How could I forget!? I haven't eaten anything today, I'm totally famished.
"YOU'VE OUTDONE YOURSELF RUTH!"
I chow down on the delightlful dish that is spicy potato porridge. Wow she even prepared orange juice to go with it. If I didn't know better I'd think it was my birthday today.
"Suh whars meester Flatcher?" I say whilst stuffing my face with porridge.
"It's poor etiquette to speak with food in your mouth, you could choke!"
I quickly swallow before asking "which food?"
For some strange reason she now has an angry look on her face. Guess my comedic genius was wasted on her.
"You're so childish, but to answer your question he's currently helping a friend manage their shop" she says.
All these store owners are always so cooperative, It's always nice to see.
"Hmmm that explains why he's gone, but not why you were out till so late." I say with a cheeky smile on my face.
She pauses for a moment then says "How about I don't butt into your business so you don't go butting into mine. Atter all, coming back days later wearing bloodied rags is way worse in comparison"
What a boring answer, well at least it wasn't fruitless. I now know that she wasn't supposed to be out.
Once I finish my food, I head to the kitchen to do the dishes, then to my room so I can have some fun.
I look at the corner; my lucky corner where I dropped my newly acquired most valuable possessions and I can't help but smile.
"LET'S GO LEARN SOME MAGIC, BABY!" I shout out accidentally.
"SHUT THE HELL UP YOU'RE MAKING NOISE AT NIGHT! YOU'RE DISTURBING THE NEIGHBORS!!" Ruth shouts.
I'm pretty sure you were louder than me, I say to myself in a quiet nervous tone.
I open up how to magic by Morgana Nutlafay and the first few pages are just blank.
WHAT! I DON'T UNDERSTAND!
I start frantically flipping through pages till I reach a point half way through the book. The massive text consuming two pages reads.
"You must master the magic within yourself before you can read."
HUH- WHAT KINDA BULLSHIT IS THAT!
I blurt out, making sure my volume is as low as possible.
Don't I have to know how magic works before I can master it? I ask with a sad tremble in my voice.
NO, NO, NO! THIS ISN'T RIGHT! THIS LADY IS A FRAUD!
The reason I opened this wasn't just because I was excited to learn about magic, I also wanted to check the spell I used against golem.
Wait a second, that's it!
I stretch out my left hand, fully expecting mystic power to come surging out of it, but nothing happens.
"Nooo why me" I say as I dramatically drop to my knee and curl into a ball on the floor.
I can't remember the words at all. Fine
then, that's just postponed.
I'll totally remember the words, master the magic, then I'll master the book too! I think this in an effort to chair myself up.
Well even if this went badly I still have, a guide to everything adventure by Mr Freegut.
I read through it thoroughly for about thrity minutes, until my mind goes blank and I can't process any information.
This book is amazing, it really is the real deal. I can't help but think to myself.
I learnt so much about monsters in general, monsters found in dungeons and their classifications, the duties of an adventurer, and last but not least adventuring culture.
Speaking of adventuring culture, apparently most adventurers become very superstitious and start believing in strange things.
Whether it's developing strange habits and rituals, in order to try and acquire more fame, money, or good furtone. Or avoiding certain things or certain people because they bring ruin, or so they think.
But Mr Freegut asserts that the only thing that helps an adventurer are:
1. Their friends/companions.
2. Their luck.
3. Their will power.
4. Their might.
5. Their strengths.
I think I agree with him. And as far as all those things go, I'm pretty sure I have almost none of them. Well... Maybe except strengths.
Hmmm I think my strengths are, that I'm clever. Maybe?
There's also the fact that I'm slightly more charismatic than most.
Another thing that stuck out to me was the fact that it's partially a pop up book. While reading through it, some pages would pop out with some amazing visuals.
It's truly a remarkable thing to see.
Tomorrow is the day I go back to the guild. I'm definitely going to become a bonafide adventurer. I JUST CAN'T WAIT!
Before I know it, tomorrow lands and I'm woken up by the sound of chirping birds.
I head out of my room then shower, get dressed, then whip up an early breakfast for myself.
Luckily I don't have to worry about working today since this whole week has been declared a holiday by the Nobles in the capital.
It seems I woke up before Ruth.
Hmm Mr Fletcher still hasn't come back, I wonder what he's up too right now.
Once I'm done with breakfast I do the dishes, clean the house and head back up to my room to take the card that muscular horned man gave me.
And with those last acts, I leave the house, making sure to close the door as gently as possible so I do not disturb Ruth's sleep.
Ok Showtime!
The commute to the guild is long and boring. But I'm totally pumped up when I get just in front of the guild.
Seeing those giant doors in front of me makes it feel like giants live here. The thing that's really suprising is that they're super easy to move.
I see the same man on the bench from before, sitting there again.
"Good luck kiddo" he says with a smile as he stretches out his knuckle fist, for a first bump.
I stretch my hand out to bump it.
What a nice guy.
I breath heavily and as a result I fog up a small part of the giant golden doors. I calm myself down by saying I'm not the man I was before.
After all I did defeat a golem. With a tiny bit more confidence than I had before, I enter.
Suddenly I feel the force of gravity pulling me downwards.
"NO WAY..." I say, as I see at least fifty metres between ground and myself.
I scream loudly as I plummet to the ground like a star descending from the heavens.
I free fall faster and faster with my hands tretched out instictively in order to break my fall. As if that's going to change anything.
In the split second before my inevitable death, I utter out these strange yet familiar words: "STELLA CADENS!"
A powerful gust of flame gushes out from beneath my palms and flings me upwards; completely nullifying the force of my fall.
For a brief moment, my body is suspended motionless in the air around it, then FWOOSH.
I fall to ground so hard that my body bounces on the ground a few times. It hurts like hell, but I'm alive.
Before I can fully process what's just happened, I hear a voice saying:
"WELL DONE ASPIRING ADVENTURER! YOU HAVE EARNED YOURSELF TEN POINTS!!"