AN: Thank you to all those who have review! You people are awesome! This little thing was me wondering what if the People of the Land had legends about Adventurers or if when Nureha told the story to those kids it actually became common with the NPCs. Hope you like it!

Fairytale

– Some legends are actually true.

There is a tale all in the land of Yamato know. It is a common tale, one told to both the children of nobles and peasants alike.

It is the tale of a Person of the Land who became an Adventurer.

No one knows who had first woven this tale, nor if it be true or false. Adventurers were strange beings, immortal and most surely omnipotent, powerful and ones you should be careful about, so the legend remains unconfirmed.

And if you ever forget this tale, the children could recite it for you word for word:

"Once upon a time," one of their grandparents would start. "there was a band of five Adventurers..."

And five there were, all different and mismatched, but each a fantasy close to childhood dreams.

"One was bold and brash," the elders would start "but none could deny the loyalty he had to his companions. A Protector was he."

"His sister was a fair maiden," another would continue "with bells that chimed like birds on her staff, the motherly Guardian of this rag-tag group."

"The women are also allowed to fight?" a girl would ask more often than not, for all girls were taught from youth that such crassness was reserved for men.

Wise old men would smile, saying: "Our cultures are different, little one, we must not judge." and only adults heard how empty those words were, for none could not judge the strangeness of the immortals.

"Besides, they're uncivilized barbarians, they don't know how to treat their women." the adults would whisper among themselves, hiding mocking, smug smiles. their children would eventually learn that fact, in their own time.

But the old storyteller would ignore such whispers, and so would his young listeners. "Two more girls were present in this party." he'd intone pleasantly "One who healed all ailments and another that had a gift for music and song, one who could enchant those around her, a Bard if you will."

All the girls and all the boys would imagine these heroes, warped in appearance and characteristics so to better befit the completion of one of the Land.

"Her dance partner was a young Sorcerer. Arrogant as he was, his heart was a good one."

Once the five were introduced, the tale could truly begin.

"But this young man carried a secret..." the storyteller would say in a hushed tone, shifting his eyes this way and that as if preparing to reveal a secret. "...for he was of the People of the Land."

The children would gasp and their awed eyes widen, and some would ask, bemused: "What?" and "How?" for no one knew, not even the storyteller. Still, they wondered. The children wondered who could be so brave and so lucky as to be accepted among Adventurers, while the adults snorted and wondered at the stupidity and shameful act of being enamored with those so different from them.

"His companions did not know his true nature and he did not wish to enlighten them. Thus he played his act, like a true actor would, and hid his secrets from those around him." a sigh "But alas, all truth must come out eventually."

"So they rejected him?" a young noble would guess, for what else could have happened?

The story-teller would smile "Now, now, don't be impatient."

"Once, sea monsters attacked a town of the Free Cities, and many Adventurers came to defend it – both from sea creatures and goblins, vile creatures they were. Among these immortal heroes, hid one mortal one." And all knew who the story-teller spoke of, even if his identity eluded them.

"He went to train with his four companions, went to sleep with them, rose with them at sunrise and shared their meals. As he had done all this, he had gone to battle with them as well."

All the boys would cheer in excitement when the talk of battles and glory came...

"They became separated from their army once the fight began and fought on a bridge, far from the help of their allies. They were young, but fought with valor and strength..."

...and they quieted when there was mention of death...

"Then, the Noble Protector was cornered, with wolves surrounding him in a deadly dance and though he would revive, the Hidden Mortal could not let his companion be felled..."

A pause, in which children would wait with bated breath, no matter how many times before they had heard the tale. "And so he sacrificed his life in order to save his Protector."

"The other four, not knowing he could not be revived attempted to heal him." the silence that fell upon the listeners was a common one when they heard this part, and even the scornful people would quiet.

"The Healer, try as she might, could not give him his life back, could not return the color to his skin nor the warmth to his flesh. And all seemed hopeless."

"Is that the end?" a disappointed voice would ask from time to time, but would brighten with a shake of the storyteller's head. "Then, the Maiden of the Shrine called upon her teacher, an Archmage..." the awe would return to young eyes, and respect and wariness to those of age.

Excitedly, the young ones would exclaim "So, what happened?!" and then silence one another with many "Shhh!"

"Her Master came to their aid, and so made a contract with the mortal hero, to let the hero within his ranks as a fellow Adventurer."

"Huh?"

"He became an Adventurer?" they would ask and they would wonder. "How?"

"Magic, maybe." The storyteller would suggest with a smile, and he would get many reactions from his audience.

"Huh, don't be foolish. Such things only exist in fairytales." Mothers would tell their children.

"Such power, I hope never to cross paths with that Wizard."

"I wish I had such power."

"What a foolish wish."

The People of the Land would say, knowing but clueless of the truthfulness of the fable. Some thought it amusing, ludicrous, preposterous, some were disdainful and some wished it to be true – but all stopped to listen–

"I want to become an Adventurer!"

–because everyone wants to believe in miracles.

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