[Welcome to Plaxon]
[The system in Plaxon is truly unique, it isn't like on other systems before. The mechanics are completely different. Due to the nature of your.......Error #123456789 147284948272848483828484828383848383838;!;&,84$;8484!5&:9($4!;8,$3!38,73!;8.8.&3!5!5!4$388,$;$4!44!4!......]
“Godrak wake up, Da is waitin for you”, I opened my eyes to see my younger sister standing at the doorway to my room, rocking from foot to foot, pigtails swishing from side to side. I rolled over with a groan to face away from her, my straw mattress wasn’t the best but ma made sure to switch it at least once a month. “Godrak, not joking, Da is in the yard waiting for you, you know how he is when he gets angry”.
“Ok Beatrice, Thror's balls I heard you the first time. Now get out of my room. I lurched to my feet unsteadily, I was still getting used to my body. Today was my fifteenth birthday, my child’s body was filling out and I was a mess of limbs any way I moved. If I moved too fast I would smash my fist or bump my shoulder into the wall. If I walk slowly everyone yells at me to hurry up. Finally if I walked carefully, not slowly but focused on my walking, people gave me the stink eye like I was some Orc from the badlands without a brain. It isn't easy putting on thirty kilos of muscle in two years and having your shoulders expand horizontally. Spaces that I thought were my fit all the sudden became too small and I would knock into them. I pulled on a pair of simple cotton breaches and a shirt. The fabric was very well made, obviously by Ma. She was well known in the village as a seamstress. I was busy putting on a pair of smelly socks from yesterday onto my feet, when Someone knocked on the door to my bedroom.
“Coming” I answered slightly annoyed. I shouldn't have bothered though, my Ma peaked her head through the doorway, after opening the door slightly. “Godrak I know you didn’t sleep well last night, it’s only natural, why your father practically had to be dragged to his first test by you great uncle Grumbul. Those were the good days when we lived among our own folk. But your father has worked hard to find us a place here. Now you go and show him what you are capable of and make me proud. I partially blanked my Ma out, she was a prattler, she could talk a mule to death.
“Good morning Ma”, I got up and went to my mother and gave her a kiss on the cheek, as I walked by, eye rolling was her response, I had a reputation as a charmer.
I ran down the stairs to the main living area of our home. Our home was a small cottage which was split level, there was the main floor which consisted of a living area and kitchen, half a level up to the east side of the house was my parents room, which was really nice. It was supported by the cellar which was accessible from the kitchen through stairs going down. Above the kitchen was my room and Beatrice room. They were small enough for a bed frame and a small chest for clothes. My sister also had a small closet, you know how it is with sister’s.
I walked up to the table and grabbed a slice of bread as I walked into the yard towards my Father's smith. My father, Godrin, was quite the sight. Tall for a Dwarf, he had a full black beard streaked through with gray. I never did realize how much older my father was than my mother.
“Well Godrak, I’m glad you finally got your lazy bum outta bed. Come to the smithy, there is something we need to discuss”. I followed my father across our short yard, walking down a narrow path flanked by Ma’s vegetable garden. She was that kind of woman, prattling away while tending her garden. My father on the other hand was a silent dwarf, working with his hammer and tongues over the fire hammering away, content to be with his internal silence and thoughts. I usually helped my father at the bellows and he still barely spoke, except for the occasional grunt to give me instructions.
My father led me Into his tiny little office space where he would haggle with customers, it was little more than a table with a couple chairs around it, a small cupboard with a bottle of spirits and cups. My father sat down, I took the seat across from him and looked into his gray eyes with a little bit of trepidation, my father was rather intimidating in his quiet way. Although I have seen his Battle Axe he occasionally takes out from beneath his bed to sharpen, he would stare at with a melancholy expression, I knew that he was in some far off place despite sitting at the table.
“Son, there is something you should know,” my father began. “Your mother and I are very proud of you, we have argued for a few weeks now about speaking to you about your heritage” my father looked up sharply towards the entrance, we both heard my mother approaching. My father looked torn, like he wanted to speak and tell me things but my mother kept him silent.
With a stormy look about her, my mother barged into my father’s little office and you immediately felt the tension in the air.
“Godrin, I thought we spoke about this, you agreed to wait a few more years before you fill his head with stories of war and glory.” My mother said in a huff, her voice full of anger.
“Boni, the boy has a right to know his own history and heritage.” The words came out forced, as if they were being ground in a mill.
“I won’t have it, I will not have you sending him off to his death, he’s just a child”
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I jumped into the fray. “hay, I’m not a child, after today I am a grown dwarf.”
If looks can kill then Ma’s look would have, “stay out of this sweetness.” She replied icily.
My father, being a dwarf, dug in his heels “the boy has a right to know”, no one said dwarves weren’t stubborn.
Ma and Da stared at each other silently for a few moments, while I was fidgeting uncomfortably, trying to disappear into my chair. I felt the tension rising, it was palatable, you could swim through the tension. This was a new experience, i never actually saw my parents fight before.
“Maybe I can hear about it after my trial, if I do well that is.“ I blurted out without thinking. My father perked up at those words, while my mothers frown only grew in size and shape.
“Well then my boy let me get you started, as a dwarf looking to join the ranks of Dwarfkin and being a dwarf, you must forge your own weapon and armor. The quality of the weapon and armor is determined by the Father as is tradition. If you think I am going to allow my son to craft anything other than good quality, you are mistaken. There will be no short cuts for you.
Ma harrumphed proudly hearing my fathers words. “Honey, perhaps we should even make him craft a shield, you know how your uncle, Brunfin always told that story of his in the woods, where he killed that goat with his shield, practically saved his life it did.”, Ma’s speech became kind of funny when she was telling stories, another secret in a family filled with them.
“Well dear, that is a good idea, but the tradition is very clear, he is required only a weapon and armor, no more. But your mother is right my boy, a shield will be very helpful during your life. We shall make one after your trial.
My father gave Ma a small nod with his head acquiescing to her request or idea, which ever way you look at it. Either way I was exploding with excitement, finally after like five years of watching my father work it would be me over there holding the hammer, I could not wait.
“So”, my father continued, “the first step of making armor is to have leather, that you can use for straps and padding, you know for almost anything you need some good leather, as i always say you can never have too much good leather. So you will go get yourself some leather, not from the market. Rather the old fashion way, you are going to go into the forest to the west and hunt a deer. Mother will prepare for you a pack with food for one day, water for two days and I will supply you will a bow and arrows.
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As these text lines flashed through my mind, I saw them with my mind's eye not visible with my eye but they we somehow in my mind, my head exploded with agony. I slid off my chair clutching my head with both hands while a deep groan escaped my mouth.
My father jumped out of his seat surprisingly fast and was by my side in an instant, “my boy what’s happened, why are you in pain?”.
I hesitated a second, fearing that they would think I am a lunatic, “father there are words and letters in my brain’
“O, don’t worry that is just part of your journey to being an adult, all sentient beings are gifted with their Pathway at the age they become an adult. You should have received a quest from me to craft a weapon and armor, as well as a quest to hunt a deer.”
My mother slowly came around with a look of concern, “Godrin, i’ve never seen anyone react like that to their Pathway entering their being. I heard a tale once of a man who was cursed, Matilda the neighbor, was telling me how a witch cursed a boy who threw some mud on her door and got caught in the throwing. She cursed him and when he turned fifteen he had massive headaches and migraines until he died a horrible death a few years later.
“Hush you”, I could see the anger and worry in my fathers eyes, “you be fine I will look into it with a few of my friends, but in the meanwhile you best get started on your quest. I will prepare for you some things you might find useful and Ma will prepare for you a bag of food for tomorrow. Son, Ma and I believe in you, you can overcome and do anything you want.”
The pride in my fathers voice was real and gave me confidence. I looked at my mother, I saw in her eyes the love and devotion that she has towards our family. My gaze shifted to my father, with his big beard and saw his determination and conviction that I shall succeed in this world. I felt my heart swell with renewed hope. I had been a bit apprehensive when I got the message about some error but my parents gave me confidence that everything was going to be alright.
***
Some time later I found myself at the threshold to our home with a pack of food and other necessities on my back. A bow in my hand and a quiver on my hip. Dwarfs had very wide shoulders and it wasn't easy for us to reach behind our back, big muscles didn’t tend to be too flexible, we were more the straight forward type.
Standing in the door frame were my parents and my younger sister. She didn’t quite understand what was going on but she knew that it was important and different then everyday life. Something momentous was taking place, a young dwarfling was taking the first steps towards his own unique life and path.
“Well son, what needed to be said was said, now you must prove yourself with your actions, Ma and I are waiting and praying for your success.”
I nodded my head in understanding, not that there was much to understand but still I wanted to convey that I understood that they are here for me. Conversely, it was time for me to prove what I was capable of and who I could be. That journey, the great journey of life started today. I felt slight chills in my spine knowing that life was changing for me.
My ma, who had stood silently until now looked like she wanted to say something but held herself back, in the end she made do with a short “good luck sweetness”.
“Well son you best get going” my father said with a tone of inevitably.
With those words I turned my back on my family and walked towards the edge of the field surrounding our home, towards the road which led out of town and eventually into the woods where it would be my turn to prove myself to the world.