The next morning Leif screams with joy and scares a few birds.
His prayers is answered and he finally gets a lighter.
It's not even one that needs skill to use, just a Zippo.
He immediately wants to make a fire and starts collecting large stones from the rock face.
He clears out a small patch of grass and places them in a circle.
It would be a shame, if the plateau burns down.
He places the wood, that he didn't carv anything out jet in the middle and uses the shavings from the carving as a fire starter. The fire burns after a few tries and he just sits back for a moment to enjoy the warmth.
But not long, because he couldn't wait fore something warm anymore.
He skewers a corncob and holds it over the fire until it gets a nice brown.
After such a nice meal he makes a break to think about his new life.
It sucks. He wants to go back home.
Complaining is not gonna help, today the crops should be ready.
He harvests them quickly and notices that the soil looks noticeable worse than before.
[ Quest Completed: First Harvest ]
[ You earned your first harvest. Time to enjoy the fruit of your labor and eat some Boom Corn (common). ]
[ Reward: Box of Giant Oca (common) ]
This one harvest will keep him fed for a while, so he decides to grow something new.
These oca seem unfamiliar to him and he can't remember seeing these before.
He takes them out and they look like long red tuberous potatoes.
They are longer than 15cm and one is even 20cm.
He plants them and leaves a few over, because he slowly can't stand corn anymore and the Nutribar are slowly running out.
It is late afternoon when he hears a noise in the distance. When he turns around he is shocked. There are people coming! Four man in plate armor!
Leif thinks that they could be bandits, but there were only four and the look friendly.
Not just friendly, the armor they wear looks also really expensive.
No bandit would walk around in such elegant decorated armor, especially not out here in the mountains.
It is to late to run anyway, so instead of pointlessly trying to hide, he goes in their direction to greets them by waving.
The first man in plate armor winks back and takes off his helmet.
"Greetings! I didn't expect to run in someone else out here and then even alone."
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
He decides to try his best acting and to just play along.
"Greetings back! I could say the same, the path does look pretty unused"
"Haha! Yes, not many are crazy enough to go this route. The monster here are just terrifying."
He already learned that the hard way, but it was still good to know.
"You're right. But you still took it. You guys have to be strong or desperate"
"Don't worry. We are strong. The route over Mirit is faster, but the war.. And the accident.. You know.."
He does not know, but it would be suspicious to ask more so hr changed the topic.
"Are you here for materials? The strong monsters must be expensive."
"No, well, we pick up what we defeat, but we are happy when we make it to Ulin to sell our goods"
Goods? They must be merchant, he has nothing to sell, but it would be good to have a look.
"Oh? What are you selling?"
"You know.. It's dangerous to travel, so only the most expensive stuff."
He could defiantly not afford that.
"What exactly?"
"Salt sells the best, you can't really get it here on the inland. We also have delicate clockworks made in Zuri. Enough about us, what are you doing here?
Sorry, but you dont look particular strong and you aren't armed"
He decides, that he should stick to the truth.
"I'm building a temple here."
The surprise on their faces was clearly visible.
"That explains a lot. But how is this possible? It's been over 300 years since the last temples where finished. I've never seen one so small" He said while looking at the shrine.
Oh god. Well, that is interesting. He decides to act, like he knows what he is doing.
"You got that right. This is only a shrine, but in the future there will be a big temple here."
That man seemed happy.
"That is great news, with a safer trade rout more people will use it. I haven't introduced myself jet, haven't I? I'm Ulrich, that's Ansgar, Egon and Knut."
"Pleasure to meet you, I'm Leif"
"Same, hope we could stay here for the night, if you don't mind"
Leif smiled internally, he could use that.
"Sure, I would be happy to share a meal with you and hope you would pray on my shrine"
"Yes, we will cook for you and even if the protection of the spirit is weak, it will help us considerably"
The walk to the fireplace together and they start to set up their cooking stuff they also took out strange big metal boxes, but Leif was to afraid to mess up their image of him to ask.
They have a wonderful and warm meal together. It feels like he had not eaten something so great in eons.
Turns out Ansgar is a healer and Egon a mage. It seems like only high ranking partys can afford healers, because the are always in demand and only longer routes earn enough to be worth leaving the safety of the city walls.
Turns out the boxes where compartments to sleep, he guesses that with these monsters you dont want to sleep unter open sky. So that's why they found his tent strange..