Author's Note at the end.
With that said, please enjoy the chapter.
The sounds of a crackling campfire filled the night sky. Skewers of wild bird and rabbit roasting by the fire created a delectable aroma around the area. The smell of cooking meat drew in a few curious animals, but all turned away from the sight of the human figure tending the area.
Makoto shivered slightly from the cold. It wasn't freezing, but the chill of the night sky was slightly uncomfortable. He scooted himself closer to the fire, basking in its warmth as he allowed himself to relax and let his mind wander a bit.
The clearing that Makoto is relaxing in is a part of the forest that he found himself in when he woke from unconsciousness a few hours ago. Setting up a basic shelter was his first priority and eventually found this spot after some time wandering the woods. In no time, the young luckster had a proper campsite to be able to survive the night. The rest of the day was used to look for food and investigate the forest properly; finding success in both regards.
His stomach rumbled and Makoto grabbed the skewer closest to him. The rabbit, he noted absentmindedly. He chomped down on the roasted game meat, making a face at how chewy it is. Seems like his cooking skills could use a little work, but it wasn't the worst thing he's ever had.
Finishing the rest of the food and letting it digest, he laid himself down close to the fire. Sleep was closing in, unconscious bliss calling out to him. He closed his eyes to let the day end. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day after all. Going into the village he found today should give him more of an idea of what to expect in this world.
Off to the side of the road, a man stood equipped in decent leathers with a spear strapped to his back. He held a shiny red apple in hand, sinking his teeth into it as he gazed out at the path. As the guard for the entrance of this humble village, he held the duty of ensuring that those who enter are first scanned of anything that may make them a danger. Anyone suspicious or deemed too dangerous would have to be turned away.
He took another bite of the apple, a crisp crunch sounding out.
His village's low numbers means that they need the most able bodies they can use right now, and he was the best one for this job. While he wouldn't personally disagree with the people's assertion of his physicality, he feels as if they are overestimating him a bit.
He munched on another piece, savoring the sweet juices collecting in his mouth.
The weight of the spear strapped to his back felt uncomfortable, the thought of actually having to use it making him anxious. Situations of when he would have to use the weapon raced through his mind; all of them bad and causing dark thoughts to spew afterwards. The plain-looking guard shook his head, he didn't need such grim ideas plaguing his mind.
He crunched into the apple again, trying to calm himself down.
While five consecutive days of nothing happening during guard duty sounded good, chances are it also meant something is bound to happen. He has no idea of just what might occur though. The thought of anything affecting the village hung on the forefront of his mind, as though it were an itch on the center of his back. The fear of any sort of catastrophe descending upon his home stayed within his thoughts, unable to be ignored. He scratched his head, wishing to be at the library instead of standing guard at the entrance of the village.
As he went to take another bite of his apple, he noticed movement up ahead on the path. He put his apple down, grabbed his telescope, and took a look. Focusing his eye through it, he tried to grab a clearer look at the approaching figure. Trudging along the path is a roughly five foot tall young man dressed in a dark olive suit and tie. Their chestnut brown hair was dry and partly oily as strands of it clung to his face, a spiky ahoge standing proudly at the center of it all. Their face was curious yet cautious, like a cat approaching an unknown object that has caught its interest. They looked slightly haggard, looking a bit worse for wear; and their stance was unconfident, slightly hunched over and nonthreatening overall. The way they approached, it was as if they were a complete stranger to the forest and the approaching village within, a newcomer with no prior knowledge of this area at all.
The guard frowned yet relaxed slightly as he put down his scope. This approaching stranger didn't seem dangerous, however, someone who knows nothing at all about this place could lead to anything. The guard pursed his lips, it would have to be up to him to discern this unknown's intent.
"Hail stranger!" The resolute guard called out to the figure once they got close enough. They jumped slightly, not expecting to be called out so suddenly.
"Oh! Um, yes?" Makoto stammered out. A nervous smile formed on the luckster's lips as he began scanning the approaching guard. His eyes went wide upon registering the spear strapped to their back. He gulped, nervousness now filling his form at the sight of the open weapon.
The guard stopped in front of the young man, scanning him up and down. Seemingly satisfied with what he saw, the guard then nodded and turned straight towards him. "May I ask for your name, stranger?" He politely inquired.
"...Oh, my name's Naegi Makoto. Pleased to meet you." The luckster introduced himself. Inwardly, Makoto was a bit surprised. The sudden politeness from the guard was unexpected though not unwelcome. First contact with sentient life on this world success?
"Pleased to meet you, Naegi. I am Adam." The now named guard stuck out his arm for a handshake. Not wanting to be rude, Makoto clasped the offered hand with his own and gave a friendly shake. Adam smiled slightly, seemingly pleased with the young man's politeness. "If I may, Naegi," the guard began, "what is your business here in Magus? We are quite down south in the region and not many travellers would think to head this way. Why have you come here?"
Inside Makoto's mind, he began panicking before forcing himself to calm down. He came up with a cover story last night, just in case something like this would happen. "Well, I guess you can call me an adventurer. I didn't know too much about the land down here so I decided to go exploring." He sheepishly chuckled. It was extremely shoddy and easy to poke holes into if the guard were to question him some more, but he hoped it was convincing enough.
The guard looked at him for a second, before nodding in his head in satisfaction. "Well that certainly explains it." Adam relaxed, his stiff stance dropping as he believed in Makoto's story. "You're free to enter the village, Naegi." The gullible guard stepped aside, letting the luckster continue on. He picked up his apple again and took a bite, the crunch sounding out through Makoto's ears.
The young luckster sighed in relief. The small tension in his form dropped, as if a weight had just been released from his shoulders. "Thank you, Adam." His smile was bright and his eyes held his cheerfulness as he waved goodbye to the guard, entering the village proper.
Adam waved back, a small smile on his face. The young man looked just like a puppy while happy like that. A chuckle escaped his lips at the thought. He's only just been introduced to the kid and already he couldn't see him causing any sort of trouble. Smiling in satisfaction, he took another bite from his apple and went back to surveying the road.
Five feet to the left and behind Adam, a bush shook.
A vast dirt path spread forward, modest structures stood on either side of the lane and the trees of the forest stood behind them, serving as nature's wall. Only a small number of buildings dotted the place, evenly spaced out from each other. A few people were outside, standing around and speaking with each other, while a couple of kids ran around playing tag. A brisk walk and one would find themselves at the other entrance, a wooden gate of decent make standing there to serve as the cutoff point for the rest of Isa Woods. Magus is a quaint little village, a simple place to live surrounded by nature.
Makoto gazed around, almost transfixed at the rural sights. He wandered about, taking in as much as he can and getting a good feel for the place. The luckster's gait was easygoing, smiling at everyone he passed as he gathered his thoughts in order.
All the buildings are made of wood he had noted, interested in their archaic make. It certainly fits the whole medieval setting here. But what's with the name "Magus"? It's kind of an odd name for a village. The lucky young man chuckled lightly, a faint hint of amusement dancing in his tone. He was starting to kinda like this world. Speaking of the whole medieval setting though, the spear that guard had also fits in pretty well. Old fashioned weapons must be common, and he had doubts that guns exist here.
His thoughts then drifted to the guard, Adam. A very western name; is that what everyone's names are gonna be like? He wondered in bemusement at the detail. But then does that mean that English is the main language? But if so, how come he could understand him earlier? Last he checked, he could speak Japanese.
The thoughts rang out through the luckster's head, questions popping in his mind that he just didn't have the answer to. He pursed his lips in frustration. Getting information would be a good use of time now that he's in a village, but where? Like a lightbulb turning on in his head, an idea came to mind. Is there a library here he could check out? That's definitely something he should ask around for. With a goal now set in his mind, Makoto strode forward, intent on questioning the next person he came across. Soon enough he found himself in what looks like to be the center of the village.
The first thing that caught the luckster's attention was a nearby wooden stall to his right, off the side of the road. It was of fine make; dark wooden planks structuring its base and roof as two sturdy beams held it all together. In its entirety, it was very large for a stall, being fifteen by fifteen foot wide and ten feet tall. Manning it was a large, muscular man.
A bit further away from the stall were three figures. One of them was dressed in plainclothes; a basic shirt, pants, and a pair of boots. The other two were dressed in much less common clothing. The first man was equipped in full fledged plate armor, decked out in a suit of iron with a sword and shield strapped to his back. The other man next to him was garbed in a white robe and holding a staff. All three of them were in the middle of a conversation, a heated one at that. The man in plainclothes seemed worried as he raised his voice at the two, though not shouting. The other two in comparison were much cooler, calmly chatting between themselves. From the looks of things, the plain man had troubles and two were there to at least hear him out. This was the kind of scene one would expect to find in a novel fantasy story or movie and the sight of it led to a very bemused Makoto.
The last thing to catch his attention was the building the three were in front of. It was much grander compared to the other buildings, being the only one to have two stories so far. The roof was of much nicer quality as well, having stone shingles and a flagpole proudly displayed at the center. The flag itself was a bit eye-catching, displaying an orange silhouette of a man pointing upwards with one hand and pointing downwards with the other, all with an infinity symbol above him and against a black background. All-in-all, the building seems like it's pretty important somehow.
Finished with scanning the area in front of him, Makoto began going over his possible courses of action. He could go to the stall and talk with the seller there, he could go and talk to the three, or he could go inside the building and hope there would be information there.
He dismissed the idea of going to the three first. It would be awfully rude to interrupt their conversation, something he should definitely avoid doing in order to not get people angry at him.
The thought of the armored man brandishing his sword popped up, the idea stabbing itself into the forefront of his mind as a cold sweat ran down the luckster's neck. Yeah, pissing off deadly-looking men with swords is something he should definitely avoid.
He pondered the idea of going inside the building before dismissing that as well, he doesn't even know if he's allowed in there. Going to the stall and talking with the seller seems to be the best bet, but would a simple seller really have anything important to say? He frowned and grabbed his chin as he lost himself to his thoughts. In the end, Makoto made his decision and walked towards the stall.
As he approached, the young luckster was able to get a more detailed look at the seller. Behind the counter of the stall sat a decently muscular man. His bald head rested on his fist in a completely relaxed manner as he kept his sight on the three men. His face was of mirth, the amusement twinkling in his eyes as his bushy, choppy mustache did nothing to hide his slightly sardonic grin. He kept focused on the arguing trio, his full attention directed at them. Even as Makoto got much closer, the seller hadn't spotted him.
"Excuse me, sir?" He piped up. The man flinched, the voice bringing him out of his focus as he shot his head to look at the sudden speaker.
"Wha, yes? Yes! Yes, hello!" The seller popped out of his seat, standing himself to his full height as he greeted Makoto exuberantly. The luckster stared upwards. At full height the seller towered over him, and the man's tank top just enhanced his muscular physique. "Hmm?" The seller stared down at Makoto quizzingly. "I've never seen your face here before, stranger. Just blow into town?"
For a moment, the luckster was speechless. His mouth hung open yet no words would pass through. Makoto just openly gaped at the seller for a good five seconds before the question finally registered in his mind. "Um, yeah." He managed to croak out.
Inwardly, Makoto winced. What a first impression to make.
"Good, good. It's nice to have more people here." If the seller was bothered by Makoto's off-putting manners, he didn't show it and continued on. "Did you camp out in the woods last night? It'd explain why you arrived now; early in the day."
"Yes actually." The luckster sheepishly replied, his finger instinctively going to scratch his cheek in nervousness. "I thought it would be better to visit town in the morning instead of late at night. Didn't want to be a huge bother."
The large man threw his head back and gave a full belly-aching laugh; his face filled with cheerful amusement. "My friend, it would have been no problem at all! We would have happily received a peaceful stranger such as yourself, no matter the time of day. Ah but regardless, welcome to Magus!" A large smile stretched from cheek to cheek on the cheerful man's face. His jolly attitude proved to be infectious as Makoto soon felt a large smile begin to sneak upon his face as well. Behind the counter, the seller's arm stretched down to grab something before bringing it back up to reveal an apple. "Take it, my friend, my way of welcoming you into town."
"Ah, thank you." With a polite smile on his face, Makoto accepted the apple. Bringing it near, he took a small bite. It was crisp, a small crunch sounding out as he bit into the flesh of the fruit. Its juices were sweet, mild and refreshing to his parched senses. Outwardly, Makoto's eyes twinkled in delight.
The Seller bit down into his clenched fist, a suppressed squeal almost eeking out of his lips. The luckster is, quite frankly, very adorable. He is like an innocent puppy, so bright-eyed and cheerful looking, enjoying a delicious treat given by his loving master. The seller bit down even harder before trying to regain his composure. He cleared his throat, drawing Makoto's attention. "My name is Bud Hartman, the local fruit seller around here." The now named seller introduced himself, a warm smile painted on his lips.
Makoto wiped his mouth with his arm, cleaning it of any juices, before giving Bud an equally warm and bright smile. "My name is Naegi Makoto, it's nice to meet you!" The luckster's face was one of pure warmth and happiness. His cheeks were spread wide and his eyes closed naturally from how big his smile was.
"It's nice to meet you too, Naegi." Makoto didn't see it, but Bud was having a breakdown over how precious he looked.
The large man collected himself, resisting the urge to pat the luckster on the head. "So why are you here, Naegi? Most people don't head this far down south of the region unless they're fixing to cross to Burrsore; and you're no Orc so that can't possibly be it."
Orc? Burrsore? The questions burned in his mind before he replied back with his cover story. "Well I don't know too much about the land down here so I decided to go adventuring." Naegi sheepishly chuckled. "Hasn't been what I expected it to be like though."
For a moment, Bud kept a steady gaze on Makoto, his narrowed eyes piercing through him. A cold sweat started to run down the luckster's head. Had he been outed?
"An adventurer eh?" Bud smiles. "In that case, have you been to the Candlelight Tavern yet?" The muscular seller asked. It seems like he believed in his story, thank goodness.
"Candlelight Tavern? I haven't seen that building yet, so I can't say that I have." Naegi sheepishly replied.
Bud nods. "Since you just arrived, I suggest you head there and set yourself up with a room to stay in. The couple who runs the place are real sweet, some of the nicest folk you'll meet this side of Noverra." The seller kindly explained. "Plus, it'd be a chance to get a real meal in you."
"That sounds awfully nice." The luckster smiled at the thought before it fell as he remembered something. "Ah but I don't have any money."
"Oh? Well that shouldn't be too much of an issue. The Gimdalls would still be happy to help." Bud points further down the road. "Anyways, just keep walking down, you'll see the building eventually."
Makoto nodded and gave the fruit seller one last smile and a wave before walking down the road. "Thank you for the help."
As the luckster walked down the road, Bud kept his piercing gaze on his retreating form. "He is hiding something." The perceptive seller muttered under his breath before snorting. "Well it's not like he means any harm. Besides, we already have our hands full with the green beasts around the village."
The Candlelight Tavern is a very modest establishment compared to other taverns from other towns and cities. Here though, it was one of the much nicer buildings; it being one of the only buildings to actually have a second story. The sign hanging outside made it clear to Makoto that this was the place Bud mentioned; the picture of a burning candlestick and the words "CANDLELIGHT TAVERN" making it more than obvious. The luckster in question scanned the place from top to bottom before opening the entrance door and making his way inside.
It's very homely inside, only a couple of tables and a bar making up the tavern area. Currently, a man is seated down at one of the tables slowly eating a bowl of oatmeal; and manning the bar right now and reading from a book is an older woman.
As Makoto approached the woman, his eyes shot wide open and he did a double take. She is one of the shortest people he's met so far, even beating out the former Ultimate Cook. The old woman looked like she would just barely come up to his waist.
As he approached, the old woman heard his footsteps and looked up to spot him . "Oh hello, dearie." Slowly, she closes her book and puts it away. "What can I help you with?" With that, she gives him a warm smile.
The shock of seeing the woman melted away, her friendly attitude quickly easing the luckster. "Hello ma'am, my name is Naegi Makoto," he introduced himself with a smile. "I'm new around here and, well Bud suggested I come here."
"Oh Bud sent you?" The old woman's smile grew a bit more. "The man's a good judge of character," she muttered, "you must be a kind lad then."
His face heated slightly from the compliment as his finger instinctively went to scratch his cheek again. "That's nice of you to say, ma'am."
The kindly, old woman chortled. "Quite bashful aren't you dear? Now if you're new in town you must be looking for a room to stay the night." Quickly, she pulled out a journal from beneath the bar and hummed a bit in thought as she looked over it. "We do have a couple available, nothing too pricey, just five silver a night."
"That sounds great, ma'am. But uh," he gave a sheepish smile, "I don't really have any money on me right now."
Shocked, the old woman gazed at the luckster with a wide eyed expression. "Oh my, you don't?" Makoto shook his head. "Well that won't do at all." she harrumphed. "You're free to stay in a room however long you like, dearie."
Now Makoto is shocked. "Are you sure, ma'am?" It was quite the generous offer after all.
She waved off his concerns. "Of course, dearie. Me and my husband would have no problems with it all."
The luckster opened his mouth to argue, "She's right lad." before a third voice interrupted their conversation.
Coming down the stairs is another short man, though not as short as the old woman by the bar. The man's thick, bearded face held a great, big smile as he slowly stepped down onto the ground floor. "We've got no problems wif you taking a room for however long yur in town. Wouldn't sit right by us if we let a lad like you sleep in the cold when we've got free space."
"Well, if you're sure." Sheepishly, Makoto accepted their offer.
The kindly man's smile grew. "O course we're sure, lad." He turned back towards the stairs. "Come on, I'll lead to yur room." He climbed back up the stairs, going into the second floor as Makoto followed right behind him.
They went down the hall before stopping at the second door. The bearded man pulled out a key from his pocket and unlocked the door, swinging it open for the luckster as he stepped in; the wooden floor creaking with every step made. The room itself was fairly modest; a single bed lay in the corner with a desk and a burning candle right next to it providing light for the place. Simple as it may be, the room was perfect in Makoto's eyes.
"If ya need anything lad, feel free to call." The man said in his thick accent before snapping his fingers. "Oh y'know, I never introduced myself." He held out his hand, Makoto grasping it almost immediately and shaking. "Belin Gimdall, lad, and me halfling wife downstairs is named Lallee. Pleasure to meet ya."
"Nice to meet you too, Mr. Belin. I'm Naegi Makoto." He introduced himself with a smile.
Belin gave one last big smile before letting go of Makoto's hand and stepping out of the room. Now alone in the privacy of his own chamber, the luckster's form slumped slightly as he sat and relaxed on the bed.
His thoughts quickly went to the owners of the inn. They were not human, that much was obvious. The man, Belin, resembled the stereotypical dwarf one would read about in a fantasy story. His wife on the other hand, she just seemed like a very short human; though Belin called her a halfling. It reminded Makoto of that western book he read before the Tragedy. Despite all that though, they were nice people. In fact, everyone he's met so far has been really nice. This small village he found himself had been nothing but peaceful, a far cry from what he had been expecting from this world.
He bit his lip in pensive thought. From the way Clementia described this world, he had expected something more along the lines of the Tragedy. He had expected open violence, two-faced liars, and complete anarchy. Yet so far, he had been treated to warm kindness, friendly strangers, and the general feeling of peace. Was the goddess wrong? Or was he tricked? He shook his head, not wanting to think about it any longer.
He laid himself down, resting his head against the pillow. He sighed, appreciating its softness before closing his eyes. He could think about all this later. For now, he decided to get a bit more rest. Soon enough, he began to drift off to unconsciousness.
"Help!"
At least until a scream sounded out from outside. Immediately, the luckster jumped to his feet. Old survival instincts kicked in as he threw the door open and rushed out. His steps were frantic as he stomped down the stairs towards the lobby before he stopped and took in the sight before him.
Belin and his wife were tending to a man leaning against the countertop. The man was bloody and bruised; his tunic and pants all torn and scratched. He looked like he had gone through hell, just barely struggling to stay awake and conscious for the two to tend to him. Makoto's eyes hardened at the sight as he walked forward and placed a hand on Belin's shoulder, catching his attention. "What happened?" The luckster questioned.
The dwarf stood shocked for a moment, before quickly answering back. "We're being attacked lad. The goblins that been lurking aroond town are invadin." The panic was clear in his voice. "We're just farmers, we cinnut fight. We'd be lucky if only half the town go down after this." Gone was the warmth and friendliness on their faces, fear and worry taking its place. It was clear as day for Makoto to see, they were in despair.
"I'm going out there." The luckster's gaze was intense as he made to step out the door. The two snapped their heads to Makoto in shock. Their eyes were wide, not believing what they just heard from the young man.
"Wait lad!" Belin quickly stepped in front of Makoto, trying to stop him from leaving. "You go out and there and yu'll be killed! We cinnut hope to drive em off!"
Makoto's gaze was intense as he stared back at the well-meaning dwarf before giving him a large, reassuring smile. "Don't worry about me, ok? I'm only going out there to get people to safety." Belin gaped at luckster in awe as he moved past him and towards the entrance. The luckster stopped right in front of the door before turning back and giving one last confident smile towards the two. "I'll be fine." With that he slipped outside and shut the entrance.
Keep running, keep running, keep running, keep running, keep running.
The man repeated the mantra over and over in his head. He had to. For the sake of his survival he had to.
Keep running, keep running, keep running, keep running, keep running.
His legs burned, and his body pleaded with him to slow down. But he knew the moment he did, it would be all over for him.
Keep running, keep running, keep running, keep running, keep running.
He could still hear them behind him, their rapid footsteps and monstrous cackling motivating him to run faster than he ever had before.
Keep running, keep running, keep run- "Shit!"
He stumbled. He ran too fast and took a bad step resulting in him tripping over nothing. He crashed onto the ground with an audible thud as the footsteps behind him slowed down.
Well, this is it. He's done for. The goblins were slowly walking up to him now, chattering to themselves. Probably discussing in their native tongue on how best to kill him. He turned over to glare at them. Sure enough, the two were laughing among themselves; taking their sweet time in reaching the downed man. Once they got close, enough for the man to see the cruelty in their eyes and to smell their trashy breath, only then did they raise their clubs high to bludgeon the man and end his life. He grit his teeth and closed his eyes, accepting his demise.
"Hey!"
At that shout, both goblins stopped and turned around. The man opened his eyes in shock and saw Makoto standing several feet away with a couple small rocks on hand. The luckster glowered at the two monsters before him, no fear in his eyes.
"Get the hell away from him!" As he shouted, he threw one of the rocks straight at one of the goblins. It shrieked in pain, cupping it's now bleeding eye before rushing towards Makoto with a screech of anger. Makoto only threw another rock at it, stunning it as the projectile hit its mark once again, and another one at the other goblin, hitting it as well.
Their previous quarry now forgotten, both of the stupid beasts rushed at Makoto as he turned around and fled. The forgotten man, eyes wide at the bravery of the luckster, slowly began to pick himself up. Lips pursed in worry, he prayed for Makoto's safety as he began to limp towards safety.
Back with the luckster in question, he cursed to himself as he ran. Getting the two's attention was the only way to save the man, but now he's the one in hot water at the moment. His actions were foolish, no doubt, but he was able to save that man; and that's completely fine with him. Even as the rapid footsteps and angry squawking behind him got farther and farther, Makoto kept up his pace. He kept following the dirt road as it led back to the center of Magus. When he first left the tavern, he could hear the sounds of fighting coming from that direction. He was tempted to go there first, before he saw the man running away from the goblins off in the distance. Now with the two focused on him, he was heading over there hoping that someone could help.
As the sounds of fighting got closer and closer, Makoto didn't notice the lone goblin hiding off to the side of the road. It lunged out, catching him completely by surprise. It hit him in his stomach, knocking the wind out of the luckster and dropping him to his knees. He wheezed, trying to get the air back into his lungs as he stared up at his assailant. The goblin laughed, pleased with itself as it moved to slam his club into Makoto again.
The luckster grit his teeth and scowled at the monster. "Why are you doing this?" He shouted out at the goblin; whether it was out of fear, anger, or desperation he didn't know. It paused, and tilted its head slightly. Makoto's eyes widened. It could understand him? He focused his attention on the small monster again when he heard it cackle again. Suddenly, it was right up in his face and smacked him up the head with its club. Makoto shouted in pain as he fell back before getting another whack from the green beast's weapon. His head was throbbing and he could feel blood start to trickle down its side as the goblin loomed over him menacingly. Slowly, it began to raise its club high above its head, a sadistic sneer across its ugly face.
Makoto's eyes were wide open before slowly closing them, accepting his fate. "I'm sorry, guys." He whispered through gritted teeth.
"Naegi!"
The luckster opened his eyes once again; just in time to see Bud, the large seller he was talking to earlier, clothesline the unaware goblin and send it flying to the side of a building. In a complete reversal of fortune, Makoto had found himself being saved; just like how he had saved that other man just mere moments ago.
The muscular seller was furious, huffing like an enraged bull only seeing red. Hearing more goblins approaching, he quickly crouched down to check on the luckster. "Are you alright?" Bud questioned before wincing as he saw the blood trickling down the luckster's side. As gently and as fast as he could, he picked up the injured, young man. "Stay with me, Naegi. I'm bringing you to my stall to rest alright?" Too out of it to even say anything back, Makoto merely gave a thumbs up in response.
They soon made their way to the center of the village, towards Bud's fruit stall. Once there, the seller set Makoto down; propping him up into a sitting position against the back wall. "Rest and recover here, alright? I'm going back out to help more people." With that, the muscular man darted back outside.
Now out of danger, Makoto tried to relax even as his body ached. Trying to distract himself from the pain he gazed out into the road, towards the sounds of fighting. There he saw the two men from earlier fending off as many goblins as they could.
The armored man was a sight to behold. His sword was a blur as he used it and his shield to deflect any attack made his way from the five goblins surrounding him, slashing back at the green beasts whenever he could. The robed man used his staff to hold back a goblin before pushing him off. Given space, the robed man raised his staff just as a beam of yellow light descended from the sky and struck down the small monster.
Makoto's mouth dropped. Was that magic?! Plain as day to see, that was a magic spell just like one would find in a typical fantasy show or novel. Just what the heck is with this world?
Movement from down the road caught his eye again. He turned his head and saw two kids, no older than ten, running away from three goblins. The green beasts were gaining on them, their expressions completely feral. Makoto's eyes widened. He went to get up, before the throbbing in his head intensified and forced him back down. The luckster grit his teeth, angry he couldn't do anything. He looked back up only to sigh in relief as he saw Bud now standing before the kids and the goblins.
The seller glared down at the small monsters, putting himself in between them and the children. The goblins themselves only glared back, not intimidated at all. "Are you alright, children?" He whispered as he looked back towards the kids.
With tears in their eyes, the kids nodded their heads before their eyes widened. "Mister look out!"
Bud's head snapped back towards the goblins, now seeing all three rushing him. Swinging his arms forward, his fist smashed into one. The second jumped at him only to meet his other fist. The third, however, managed to get into his guard. Instead of swinging at him with a club however, this one used a secret weapon it had kept hidden away. It slipped its dagger out and stabbed the seller right in his stomach!
"No!" Makoto cried out in horror as he witnessed the whole thing.
Bud's eyes were wide open in shock as he stumbled back; the dagger staying stuck inside him. Behind him, the kids were petrified, unable to move and crying in terror. "Kids, run!" The seller bellowed out as blood and spittle flew out of his lips.
With a cry, the kids tried to run away. They weren't able to get very far though, as the goblin that had stabbed Bud quickly ran after them with his club, catching up to them in mere moments. It screeched in triumph as it swung its weapon down at one of the kids.
A meaty whack sounded out as the club made contact. However, it wasn't the original target that had taken the blow.
With a shout of pain, Makoto tanked the strike with his arms crossed. As soon as the goblin ran after the children, the luckster stood and vaulted over the counter; reaching the children just in time to take the hit. Ignoring the building pain, Makoto pushed the goblin back. Now in between the small monster and its targets, the luckster glowered down at the green beast. He raised his arms up, as if to say that it had to go through him first.
It would be for naught, however. The goblin, now shrieking in rage at having been interrupted a second time, rushed at Makoto with its club reared back and ready to unleash a mighty blow. The swing came so fast, the luckster didn't even see it before he was sent flying to the side. His body ragdolled in midair and crashed down into the stall, smashing directly into it.
"NAEGI!"
Bud and the children were horrified. They looked over at Makoto's unmoving form, blood now splattered over his face from where the club struck him. The goblin that had done the deed cackled in delight. Now ignoring its original targets, the green devil raised its club in triumph as the other two ran up to it and began congratulating it; all three of them grinning and chortling with glee.
Makoto slowly began to open his eyes once again. His vision was blurry, pink being the most prominent thing he can see, and there was an almost painful ringing in his ears. Where was he again? Ah, right. The throbbing in his skull had intensified, making it feel like his head was about to burst, and his stomach felt queasy; as if he were about to violently throw up.
He moaned in pain. The kids, they were still in danger. He tried to get up, but he didn't have the strength to move. It felt agonizing to even breathe.
Was this it then? Was his life about to be snuffed out here? In the middle of some unknown world, away from all his friends and what little family he had left? In a vain attempt of protecting some kids he didn't even know?
Makoto gave a small, shaky smile. That didn't seem too bad actually. Even if it was ultimately pointless, the luckster would have done it all over again. Slowly, his eyes began to close again.
"Arise."
His eyes snapped back open as he heard the voice in his head.
"You have much more to do here, my champion."
The voice was warm and comforting, like a comfy blanket draped over his body in the middle of a snowstorm.
"So I ask you, please, to arise."
So slowly, the luckster began to get up. The pain he was feeling before had all but disappeared now. He reached a hand up to wipe the blood from his eyes before looking back towards everyone else.
By now, they all had noticed. The kids and Bud gaped at the luckster in awe as he stood again, his eyes now glowing with a holy light and a divine energy cascading from his form. The goblins chattered among themselves; first in confusion, then in rage as a kill was robbed from them yet again.
Makoto grabbed a piece of debris from around him, one of the beams that held up the stall, and pointed it at the goblins. "Stop this." His voice reverberated all around, oddly comforting to the three on the sidelines. He took a step forward, readying the beam in his hands. "This is your one and only chance to walk away and end this madness."
Despite his words, the goblins ignored his warning. The one that had smacked him before rushed at him again, ready to pound his head again. It screeched as it reached him and swung with all of its might.
Another meaty whack sounded out the area again. This time however, Makoto didn't even budge. The luckster simply took the hit without even flinching. He looked down at the one that had just hit him, the full force of his divine glare freezing it in place.
"You have been judged. You are beyond redemption." The goblin was given no time to even think about dodging before Makoto swung the beam and hit the small monster. As it made contact, a burst of radiant energy erupted from the weapon. It shone the area with divine light for a split second before the goblin launched into the air. Its body landed several feet away, smoking slightly from the radiant power that flung it. The other two followed their brethren's flight before turning back to look at the divine luckster in fear. They made to beg, but Makoto just charged and attacked them; sending them away just like he did the first one.
For several seconds Makoto stood, the divine energy still rushing out from him. His gaze swept over the area for several seconds before he collapsed, landing face first on the ground.
Off to the side, the kids and Bud openly gaped at the luckster. Grunting in pain and clutching at his wound, the injured seller slowly began to make his way to Makoto's unconscious form. A glow caught his eye, and as he turned the knocked out luckster over, he saw it. There, glowing on his right wrist was an image of a laurel branch.
First of all; for any of you who were actually waiting on my story, I apologize. The writing process was quite slow and there were a number of times I had to redo parts of this chapter to make sure it all flowed as smoothly and as nicely as I wanted it to.
Second of all; for any new readers, welcome. I hope you enjoyed what I've written so far and that you'll stick with me as I write out this crazy story I've had burning in the back of my mind.
I am now properly committed to writing this brain baby of mine out. As I've said before, the writing process was quite slow, but I am going to keep at it.
Funny enough, it was actually the conversations between characters that gave me the most trouble. I have the social skills of a bug, and I suppose it translates onto the writing process as well. There were numerous times were one character said something but I had no idea what the other character would respond with.
Now for those of you who read before and are interested, I went back and changed a couple things in the prologue. Nothing too major, but I say it flows more properly now.
Also if you hadn't figured it out, this is a D&D heavily inspired world. Many of its mechanics and terminology are going to be used. I'll try not to make it too reliant on D&D terminology though, for the sake of those who don't actually play. I'll get more into detail about the world itself in later chapters.
Now next chapter I publish, the author's note will be at the beginning instead. I only decided to put this note here at the end because I figure more people would be interested in just getting to reading right away.
Well, that's it from me. Thank you once again for reading my humble story, and I hope you had enjoyed.