“I said no! I will not let you take so much as a single step out of this house until you let go of this stupid fantasy of yours!”
This was the sixth time Grant’s mom had said those exact words since he had told his parents he was planning on joining the local militia.
He was starting to get frustrated with how stubborn his mother was being, but when he felt the strength of the embrace that his mother currently had him locked into, he couldn’t help but sigh audibly.
His mother was but a simple woman with utterly zero strength to her name, at least that’s what he thought, but Grant felt like he was being locked in place by a bear. His mother’s embrace was even stronger than that of some of the men he had secretly been training with for the past few months.
Not knowing what to say to get his mother to release him, Grant looked to his father who was still seated at the dining room table.
When his eyes met his fathers, he did his best to put on a please help me look, but his father simply turned his head away and acted as if he saw nothing. Even going so far as to whistle!
Grant couldn’t help but curse his father in his mind. How dare he ignore me like this?! After all those years of me helping him out in the shop! He’s just worried he’s going to lose his free labor so he’s hoping mom can somehow stop me!
Knowing his father’s help was a lost cause at this point, Grant had no choice but to once again, do his best to convince his mother to let him go.
Struggling mightily, he raised his one relatively free hand and started to pat his mother on the back.
“Mom, I know you’re worried about me, but I’m 16 now! It’s time I start to think about my future. As much as you and father want me to take over the shop, I don’t have the patience to do that for the rest of my life!
Besides, Tim says that the beasts in the adjacent forests are starting to multiply at a rate far greater than ever before! If the men of this town don’t take up arms to defend it, we could be overrun before long!”
“No! I refuse to let you go! Let those stupid muscle brains take care of the dangers lurking outside! My little boy is too sweet and too kind to be tainted by those vulgar men and their talks of honor and glory! You will stay here and let me pamper you forever!”
With those words, his mothers grip seemed to get even tighter. Realizing that the subtle approach wasn’t going to get the job done, Grant decided to take a more aggressive stance.
No matter how much his mother wanted him to stay, he was leaving. And he needed to make that clear to them no matter what it took.
“I’m not a little boy anymore mom! And I have not been tainted by them and their talks of honor and glory as you put it! I just want to find my own place in this world!
Besides, every time I walk through the streets of our town, I see nothing but sympathy and sadness on people’s faces when they look at me!
At least when I am training with the militia, they don’t treat me like I’m some fragile piece of glass that will break at the slightest touch!
I want to be stronger; I want to be braver; I want to explore the world!
I know the loss of Ryan has hurt you and father greatly, and you are just worried for my safety. But I cannot and will not let the loss of big brother be the reason I don’t pursue my dreams.”
At the mention of his older brother Ryan, his mothers embrace finally loosened, if only slightly. After a few moments, Grant could hear his mother sobbing ever so quietly into his chest.
Since he was nearly a foot taller than her, it was easy for her to bury her face into his chest in an attempt to hide her tears.
After a few more moments, an audible sigh filled the now quiet room.
Grant glanced over at the dining room table and saw his father standing up.
At first Grant thought that his father was surely going to punch him or punish him in some other way for bringing up Ryan, but instead, when he reached the mother and son duo, he simply reached out and grabbed his mother’s arms before pulling them off of Grant and wrapping his own arms around his wife.
Seeing his parents standing there embracing each other, Grant took the opportunity to speak one last time while heading for the door.
“I will be back in a month’s time. You have my word. At that time, I will prove to you that I have what it takes to carve my own path in this world.
The militia is but a steppingstone to a wider world for me.”
After standing there for a few moments and realizing that neither of his parents were going to respond, Grant took one last glance around the small living room and kitchen before turning around and walking the rest of the way towards the door.
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He reached down and grabbed the bag of clothes, food, and other essential supplies that he had prepared in advance and reached for the door handle.
As he was turning the door handle and preparing to leave, Grant heard the barely audible voice of his mother.
“I love you son. If the world ever becomes too much for you to handle or you lose your way. Your father and I will always be here for you.”
Without turning back but with a peaceful grin now adorning his lips, Grant opened the door and stepped out onto his porch, letting the door close quickly behind him.
Before taking a single step forward, Grant stood there silently and basked in the morning sunlight, the smell of dew covered grass, and the vague sense of fear that represented the unknown that now lay before him.
“So, this is what it feels like to take the first step on my road to honor and glory.”
Yes, Grant had lied to his mother.
He had in fact been tainted by the militia men and their stories of the greatest warriors and magicians of their kingdom and the honor and glory that came from their positions.
Just like his brother Ryan, who had died tragically in a beast horde a few years ago, he too was determined to leave his name etched in the annals of history. Ever since they were young boys, the two of them had always dreamed of rising to the peaks of power.
Ryan was four years older than Grant was, so he had begun his journey much earlier. Unlike Grant however, his parents had supported Ryan wholeheartedly when he had made his decision to leave home and even encouraged Grant to be like Ryan and prepare to venture out to create a life for himself.
When his brother was lost, however, his parents had taken a complete 180 and refused to let Grant so much as venture out into the front yard after dark, for fear that something may happen to him.
His recent lifestyle had become suffocating due to his parents fear of losing their only remaining son.
Grant did not blame his parents however because he too had suffered greatly when the news of his brother’s death had reached home.
Although saddened immensely by the news, Grant eventually realized that Ryan had died pursuing his dream and that in and of itself was worthy of praise. Although he had failed to spread his name far and wide, he had left an impact on the local militias of the area and had become famous on a small scale for his sacrifice.
It was around his 15th birthday, and nearly 2 years after the death of his brother that Grant had finally overcome the death of his brother enough to focus on his future once again. He had decided to leave home the day after he turned 16. He would do his best to continue pursuing both his and his brother’s dream.
He would shoulder the burden of the dream for the both of them.
While Grant stood on the porch, lost in thought about the past and future, he heard the door open behind him.
When he glanced over his shoulder, he saw his father staring at him with an incredulous look on his face.
“I thought you were leaving? You won’t find honor and glory standing at your parent’s doorstep you know?”
Grant, who had turned back towards the yard and taken a step forward, preparing to leave, after hearing his father’s question, nearly tripped down the stairs when he heard the second half of what he had to say.
Grant turned around ready to deny it but saw his father standing there with a smug look on his face and his arms crossed in front of his chest. Before Grant could speak, his father spoke once again.
“What? You think I’m stupid or something? Do you really think I can’t tell what my own son is thinking? You and I are cut from the same cloth, boy. Do not forget that.”
Something about the smug look on his father’s face had really made Grant want to step up and sock him square in the jaw, but he paused when his father compared the two of them.
“You and I are cut from the same cloth? What? Did you seek honor and glory when you were younger?”
Rather than answer however, his father simply scoffed and waved Grant away with his hand before turning around and heading back into the house.
Grant wanted to follow him back into the house and question his old man but he knew that if he crossed the threshold of the house again, their was no way in hell his mother was going to let him go any time soon.
Fearing his mother’s overwhelming love, he pushed his curiosity out of his mind and faced the yard once again before slowly descending the few stairs that led up to their porch.
After a few moments, Grant reached the small front gate of their yard, he reached out and pulled it open and prepared to step out onto the dirt path that led down from the hill that their house was located on. He was nervous, excited, and scared all at once.
Before he took his first step beyond the threshold of his parent’s property, he paused one last time to pray, “May the Goddess Algaia bless me and allow me to attain the glory I seek.”
As soon as he finished with his prayer, Grant raised his foot and took his first step forward.
The moment his foot hit the ground; a voice boomed within his mind.
[Congratulations, your world has been chosen by the Gods and Goddesses as the destination for the inhabitants of Earth and their new VRMMORPG game Fate’s Glory. The Gods and Goddesses have selected you and your fellow humans to guide these new inhabitants in their quest for fame and fortune.
Restrictions will be placed upon you so as to provide Earth’s inhabitants with a uniform experience. As a Non Player Character, which is how the Earthlings will refer to you, it is your responsibility to introduce them to your world and guide them on their journey to immense strength.
Your town of Northwind has been deemed eligible as a “Beginner’s Town”
A role will be randomly assigned to you based on the merits of your life and what your potential would have been for future achievements; please stand by for more information.
Strength will be assigned to you by the system in accordance with your role.
Only by assisting the Earthlings on their journeys can you hope to increase your strength in the future.
Assigning of roles will begin momentarily, please stand by.]
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Beginning assigning roles in:
3
2
1
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Unable to locate sufficient role for Grant Walsh. Attempting to once again assign a role.
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Error! Error! Grant Walsh’s fate unquantifiable! Existence of individual deemed to be.. Error!
Grant Walsh.. Error!
Removing Grant Walsh from sys.. Error!
Contacting Gods and Goddesses for.. Error!
Interference by.. Error!
Must stop.. Error!]
While the voice continued to boom within his mind, only managing half sentences before it ended with Error! Grant suddenly felt a surge of energy course throughout his body, starting from the tips of his toes, spreading up his legs, through his stomach and chest, before quickly shooting directly into his head.
Before he could so much as scream in pain and fear, Grants mind went blank before he fell unconscious.