If players were asked where was the Lavias Public library, no user would know. It wasn’t exactly one of the places which users imagined spending their time in for beginner level quests. A five story building, 2 below ground and thee above, it was one of the lesser popular buildings but a strategic asset to the Air Kingdom.
Weed went to Lavias’s only library in the central town, it was rather dull and empty. The library wasn’t as big as Rodriguez’s private collection however it was still pretty big. He checked with the librarian if there were any books on magical ponds and fairies. Luckily, Lavias had the largest public library in Air Kingdom, and there thousands of books available on every subject and the librarian gave Weed directions to the books location.
In an age where everything was electronic, the concept of a book was reduced to a novelty. Most of the newer generation would loathe reading a book but when the same task was reduced to a part of a VR game quest, players would have no issues reading a book. In fact they rather enjoyed the old feel and touch of book. To those on a quest, it was one of the many important aspects of treasure hunting.
“Alak.” Weed whispered to avoid attracting attention.
“…”
“I am in the library, I am looking for clues on the fairy pond, you interested in helping me or not?”
“WEEEEEED!!! I had no idea you cared so much for me.”
“Well it just so happens I do care about my friends.”
- Deceit Beginner level 4 – 5% -
“Tell me Weed how can I help you? Anything just let me know!”
“Well I, thought we should know whatever we can about fairy ponds, that’s why we are here in the Lavias Library.”
“There was no need to come to the Lavias library for that! You could have just asked me!” Alak chuckled.
“Well, I had another quest which I had to do, but I wasn’t making any progress in it. So I figured I could do both jobs together. Though Rodriguez would be really angry at us for deviating from the quest he gave us. But I felt finding your home was more important.”
“….”
“I mean if Rodriguez does ask why I failed to get a ring for his beloved Lisa, I could always say that finding Alak’s home was so much more important than his stupid love.”
“….” Alak began panicking, he never meant for Weed to stop working on Rodriguez’s quest. Alak loved his master and never wanted to come between his master and his masters love.
“I don’t think Rodriguez can do much to me, but I fear he might really hurt you. Wouldn’t it be a good idea to run away? Just you and me, Alak. No Rodriguez forever! I might be a beginner, with terrible stats but you will help me right?”
“NOOOOOOO!!! I don’t want to leave master! I don’t want to upset master!” cried Alak.
“Come on now Alak! Don’t you want to go back to your home? Visit your family fairies? Sure Rodriguez is going to be angry, but what will he do? Track us down to the end of Versailles and rip out your wings? Even if you don’t have wings, I will still carry you to your fairy pond. I think wings are the most important part of fairy, their very defining feature so if your fellow fairies refuse to accept you for being wingless, I’ll save you from your misery. Would you prefer drowning in the pond or lying on a lotus leaf for an eternal wait of acceptance?”
“My wings! *sob* *sob*” Alak began crying and her light grew dimmer.
“Its okay, lets quickly find the fairy pond! I am sure we can find it tonight if we worked together.” Weed said with enthusiasm.
“Really?” Alak asked seeking comfort and assurance.
“Of course not! Are you crazy! It might take us months or years at the very least, you better be prepared for a rough journey Alak, there will be terrible monsters everywhere and I fear I might lose my life. By the way if I die, does that mean you will also die?” Weed was enjoying torturing the fairy psychologically.
“Weed-nim, I think it’s best if we finish Rodriguez’s quest first and then did mine. Mine is not all that important to begin with. We can do it later.” Alak replied while trying to dodge Weed’s last question.
“No Alak, I told you, it is just not possible. I am completely stuck at the quest. There is no way to do it. Let’s begin our adventure to find the fairy pond.”
“But Weed-nim, we haven’t even tried it. I am sure I can solve the problem.”
“….” Weed paused, it was a planned pause. He then showed mixed emotions of distrust and skepticism on his face.
“Come on Weed-nim, there must be some way for us to solve Rodriguez quest.”
“There might be one way, it is related to the moonstone and Theodore’s quest. The quicker I learn how to be a blacksmith, the quicker I can make the ring, but it is really difficult for me to find this moonstone. Especially since I can’t seem to be able to describe it to Snappy.”
“No problem!” Alak replied happily, as she sped around Weed. “Alak will tell Snappy what Weed-nim is looking for!”
“Oh no Alak! I couldn’t possibly let you bear that burden!”
“No Weed, I can do this, then we can get Rodriguez permission to find the fairy pond!”
“If you insist, Alak, but I am putting my trust in you here. I mean if you don’t help, then I might as well give up on Rodriguez quest and focus on finding a fairy pond.”
“I promise!”
Weed smiled, fairies were beyond gullible. That was definitely useful information that he had read just moments ago. Weed checked if there was anything moonstone and then read up about the only moonstone to be ever found. It always shined like the moon at night and looked like an ordinary white stone in the morning. ‘So Theodore was describing it correctly, it really is a fragment of the moon.’
Weed put back all the books in the shelf and returned to the northern mountain pass. He cautiously slid towards the eastern side and waited for the sun to set. He lay down and tried to sleep, he figured he could replenish his stamina and level up his skill at the same time while doing so.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
At night, Weed brought Snappy for his nightly walk and woke up Alak. Alak described to Snappy what the moonstone looked like but Snappy replied it was more to do with smell than looks when it came to finding. He also told Alak that dogs were color blind but the moon was white in color to them so it would be possible to find it, however he had never seen anything white as the moon on the ground. Alak relayed everything Snappy barked to Weed. Weed, then asked if Snappy had seen the jewel in the Dwarf City Ceiling to which Snappy replied that he was never allowed inside a dwarf city.
Another dead end. Weed offered any amount of fresh meat (not even meaty treat) to Snappy if he searched the nearby mountains for the next entire week and a dragon bone (which is supposed to be huge) if he found the moonstone. Upon hearing this offer Snappy sped up to the other mountains in search for the mystical moonstone.
“Alak?”
“Yes, Weed-nim?” “There are 1300 holes that I have dug here, so could you please re-check each of them?”
“What! No! I don’t want to!” replied Alak.
“I see, I might as well give up on this quest and look for the fairy pond. I bet Rodriguez will be furious with me.”
“Weed-nim, you search elsewhere, I’ll check the holes you have already dug.”
“Alak! That is an excellent idea!” Weed exclaimed. “You are brilliant!”
The fairy happily fluttered around Weed, being praised felt nice.
Saying that Weed rushed towards the foot of the mountain and screamed back to Alak, “I am going to search in the forest and risk my lives against wolves, you look up there where it is safer.” (Deceit skill – Beginner level 4 – 6%).
Weed couldn’t hear what the fairy said but he was sure that the fairy was more than glad to agree. Weed decided to take a break from digging holes. He was sick of hunting foxes during the day and needed a break from everything to think more clearly. They weren’t much of a hunt to begin with. What he truly eyed were wolves, no level of fox loot compared to wolf loot. A single fox hide sold for a mere 3 copper where as a wolf hide went for as high as 10 copper.
Weed using his stealth cloak, snuck up on a pack of wolves that had just caught dinner. In an instant he lashed out on the unprepared group of hungry wolves. His sword mastery was already level 5 and he dealt considerable damage with a single strike. There was nothing better than hunting, Weed thought, VR gaming’s raison d’être could be to satisfy the violent tendencies of men. The pack of peaceful wolves was butchered in seconds.
Weed shook his sword to cleanse the glistening red blood on it. He had 6 days left to find the moonstone and his progress was nil. ‘Is this really a level D quest?’ Even the E level quest was very difficult given the time it required to complete and Weed’s low level. However the reward had been satisfactory in the case of returning Snappy back.
Weed collected his loot and began to head back. He was staring at the eastern face of the mountain glow and he froze in his place. ‘The eastern side of a mountain, possibly where there is a river crossing by….It couldn’t be!’ Weed cursed his folly; he had forgotten to look for a place next to a river! This was the Northern Mountain range; all the maps indicated that the moonstone should have fallen around here yet there was no sight of any river nearby just forests everywhere. Weed took a moment to recollect the words of Rodriguez, ‘two cities….city of the northern mountain range….’
Weed ran back to the Lavias Library with Alak and began scanning through different sections: The history of Lavias, history of Air Kingdom, Topography, and history of changing topography. After several hours of speed reading (gained +1 wisdom), he finally found what he was looking for, the old entrance of the Dwarven City of the Northern Mountain Range. It was there next to which a mighty river flowed. Over time the river changed courses and what remained was a huge lake. Judging by the distance it would take at least 3 days to make the journey. Weed estimated, just the journey to and fro would take 6 days. That was the exactly the amount of time Weed had left. He wasn’t even sure if would have the time left to search for the moon stone.
Weed cursed his idiocy bitterly; he felt as if his idiocy knew no bounds.
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Authors Note:
1. Edited by Knaivvs.
2. Released early as part of celebration releases. Hope the chapters aren't too short!
3. http%3a%2f%2fi.imgur.com%2fhGUTSVa.jpg [http://i.imgur.com/hGUTSVa.jpg]
4. W is Weeds position at the Northern Mountain Range Pass and the un-named dot is the dwarven city's old entrance is located.
5. Small edit, all though I say pack of wolves were slaughtered here, it was a small group of 5-6.
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Connect to Royal Road – Elementarem Vim next Chapter?YesNo
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