A Tale Beyond Yggdrasil
Where friendship, loyalty, and love can be found in the same place.
#1 Welcome To Etria
The river that separates a small town called Etria and the Imperial Kingdom reflected the sun as it slowly rose from the east. A young man with his backpack full of adventurer kits and a sword on his belt looked exhausted. He wiped his sweat from his face.
He finally made it out to Etria. Where the city found an underground forest that brings out curiosity to many adventurers to investigate it.
Many came, many tales told by the retired adventurer, many lost. But the underground forest still an uncharted place full of mysteries.
He is the one of the new fledgling adventurer who dared himself to explore the place.
The road is treacherous. Savage beast, untamed plant, sighted monstrous creature lurking in every corner. And no less, the victim of the Labyrinth increased everyday. Making it more one of a dangerous place in the Imperial Kingdom.
But people who lack of common sense, who seeks fortune, fame, and glory? They all went as an adventurer to explore the place.
And when they failed it became a purpose for an adventurer to come. A symbol. A place named by the adventurer, The Yggdrasil Labyrinth.
As he walked closer to the gate. He saw the guard was checking on something up ahead.
When finally his turn was up, he walked to the guard.
"May I see your passport?"
"Of course." He put down his bang and searched for his paper but he couldn't found it. Apparently he vaguely remember that he left it at his home back at the village.
The guard awaited him, restless. He made a huge line bee-line behind him.
"I'm sorry, sir. But you cannot enter Etria without a pass."
"But I came here as an adventurer. I wanted to explore the famous Yggdrasil Labyrinth." He pleaded.
"No exception, sir. I know it's been a long road for you. Especially with so much stuff you put inside your backpack." The guard sneered at his backpack. "But in here we have restriction. It's for the safety of the town."
He and the guard argued and suddenly someone behind him interjected.
"What's wrong? You can see a huge line behind don't you? Make it quick!"
"This person didn't want to leave. He didn't have a pass."
"For gods sake." The man in the white coat pulled a paper from his hand."Here's my pass."
The guard took the paper and read it in flashes and folded it back. "You may go, but this young man must leave."
Before the guard could dragged him out the man hold him back.
"Don't worry. Let him. He's with me."
"Well that settle it, Yamato." The guard seems happy as he didn't have to handle the same annoyance everyday so he let the young man slip inside.
The young man sighed in relief as he gained an entrance. He thought that he will foil his first adventure but the lady luck is on his side today with a form of a person called Yamato.
Yamato. He seems to be at his age. His yellow hair slicked back showing his huge forehead. He has a purple eyes. Yamato didn't notice him observing because Yamato was busy managing his backpack.
"What's in it?" He tried to open a conversation.
"Oh, I'm a trained medic. In here I always kept my salves." He grinned. "I'm just a little perfectionist over trivial things."
He decided that he follows Yamato inside the Etria because he seems to know where to go. And on the other hand he is just a wanderer. That kept him sticking around with Yamato a little longer, which is actually fun. Because the guy sure easygoing.
After a while, finally Yamato arrived at his destination. A clinic which is on the Under sector area. The crowd filled with people who injured ranging from a normal wound to a dread wound enough to make a sane person disgusted.
"I think this is where we split. It's nice to have a conversation partner like you." They shaked hand. "Good luck on the Labyrinth."
Before Yamato leave, he tapped his shoulder.
"By the way, thank you for taking me in. I don't know what will I do if you hadn't be there." He can only express his gratitude with word, he felt bad about it.
But Yamato shakes his head. "Naaah... Don't mention it. You're okay, you know that."
And then Yamato swallowed by the crowded scenery.
He decided to walked straight to the Labyrinth Entrance. He wondered what will be inside the labyrinth. But before he could think more he noticed a guard were standing in front of the entrance, again. The entrance!
He has a bad feeling about it.
And it proved right.
"I'm sorry sir. But you need to have a permission letter from the Radha Hall in order to explore the Labyrinth."
Dissapointed, he walked back wearily. So many thing he discovered that becoming an adventurer is a tough one. He should have become a farmer back at the village.
But that thought gone when he walked pass a vociferous place. There were a lot of people singing and dancing. The melody coming from the instruments they played is good to hear. It's traveling troubadours!
He didn't expected that he will meet them in this month. Because at this time they probably at another continent. But seeing them here right now made his spirit lifted up.
One of the troubadour captivated him with her dance and time passes as he sat down hearing them playing. He then surprised when the troubadour that he observed wave at him.
"Hey there!" She shouted at him. He quickly walked from the place. He didn't want her to think of him as a pervert.
As he wanders, he noticed that a lot of people in Etria wearing a different kind of outfit. Ranging from a simple tunic to armor furred metal. He felt a little bit off with only sword, his tweed and his backpack on him.
He finally stopped walking at one particular place that amaze him.
An Explorers Guild.
He entered the place, wishing for a guild to accept him. But none of the guild can accepted him. Maybe because their guild is full or they just didn't accept new adventurers . He can only guess. A guy with an eyepatch on his left eye told him he can create a guild for himself.
"As long as you have a group of people, you can make a guild."
With that, he took his leave to the man.
With stars filled the vast sky he decided to go the nearest inn and rest. So much had happened in one day.
Putting his backpack besides his bed, he rested his head to the pillow and thinking about his peace little village and how he despise that. He didn't want to go back at his normal life. He didn't want to work at the field, herding the livestock. Plowing the land. He knew that there's another live out there.
But he introspected himself. There's nothing he can do about it. First day at the Etria and he almost screwed it in front of the gate. He decided to go back to the village.
Before his mind went slumber.
An idea struck into his head.