Ker slowly made his way through the forest. He might have tracked some birds nearby. Bird tracks on the ground meant most likely a nest on the ground. There were a few birds who lay eggs on the ground.
As Ker neared the nest, the Curlews tried to chase him away. But Ker was as insistent as hungry. After a few tasty morning eggs, he decided to hunt for small animals. That was a much slower success but rewarding nonetheless.
Good saturated Ker moved on following his routine from the past three days. His gut was filled with eggs and smoked flesh, but he didn't feel the same satisfaction as from beast flesh. He put those thoughts away since they were a thing for a more peaceful situation.
Ongoing, he had to stop every few hours to eat something. He was nearly certain that was because of his changed built. He probably had grown somewhat. After all, his bones and muscles were altered. He wondered if these evolutions would continue the same way or differ from last time.
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He made pace since the forest did not pose any threat to him. And every other animal actually tried to avoid him.
After a good while, he found tracks, clearly human footprints. Over a dozen of them. His group must have come by. If he followed their tracks, he would rejoin them.
He would meet his friends and fellow hunters again. What that would entail was unclear, but would surely show itself later on.
A great gnarly oak tree stood at the edge of a clearing. Ker remembered the tree. They moved through this place on their way to the hunt. They also took the same route back.
Ker's mind was on a one-way track. He wanted to see familiar faces, knowing that his friends were okay. He didn't linger on possible consequences and how he might react.
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Pov Snap/Helk
Snap, now rather bearing his original name Helk again, walked to Ellora: "I know you don't believe me. But I know Ker is out there, I just know."
Ellora followed with muted silence.
Hallauer added: "Nah, he still might be alive. That boy is a surviver, my gut just says so."
It has been about a day since they passed the old oak tree. It would be about three days more before they would leave the forest. From there, they would have to cross the fields, the first settlement and then would finally reach the city.
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Ker was on a good path. The tracks were fresher and fresher. Muddy lines from pulled wagons, footprints and occasionally leftovers, like an apple stump. They tried to get home too and decided to eat while traveling.
That wasn't the best idea, but Ker understood. They hurried to get away from the woods to safer areas.
He could literally smell them. It was like a scent overlaying the tracks. It reminded him of familiarity and friendship.
The closer he came, the more distinct were the traces of smell. He could distinct other emotions like fear, sadness and grief. It moved something in him.
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Pov Snap/Helk
He was uncertain but had a feeling that they were followed. He glanced behind him to find the usual forest. Something followed them, or maybe not.
He would have to ask Finn, but then he would have to walk all they to the front of the group. Right now, Helk was trudging behind. He just had neither will nor the stamina to push forward.
Suddenly, his hackles raised. There was somebody on to them. As Helk turned around, he noticed movement in the greenery.
He could not believe his eyes, who emerged from the thicket of the forest. That could not be. They said he was gone and didn't make it back, but here he was. Ker truly appeared, wrapped in brownish-red pelts. He looked like a barbarian living in the wilds.
As Ker came closer, it was obvious how rough he looked. Slowly, the others picked up on the change at the rear. Surprised faces and shouts were heard.
Helk didn't care in that moment. His friend was still alive. With teary eyes, he embraced Ker.
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Ker was moving for hours non-stop. Following the track like a wolf on the hunt. Ever closer until he finally reached them.
He walked through the thick underbrush and saw the wagons and people of his group. He also saw his friend. The one who always joked about being a senior adventurer to him. The one who's life he had saved. Ker blended out the other people and embraced his friend like an older brother.
But it wasn't only friendly emotions that greeted him. Some of the behavior of the other were outright hostile. They most likely did not recognize him and expected a confrontation. That changed by the people in the rear when both friends reunited again.
The front on the other side only got that someone had approached them suddenly. Still weery from the adventure Helm and Adam hurried to the back of the group.
What they found stunned them, Ker stood there talking to Helk and the rest of the people. As Ker looked towards Helm, his face darkened and Helm felt the guilt pressing down on him.
Ker's emotions raged inside him. On the one side, he was happy to have found his group, on the other hand, his instincts wanted to retaliate. As Helm started to justify his actions, he snapped. His instincts took control and his rage came with a vengeance.
He stormed towards Helm to everyone's surprise that he was so fast. No one could react in time, only Adam thrown himself, Longsword drawn, between them. Ker swatted away the block and cut with his hands cross Adams face. As Adam relented, Ker blocked the strike with the back of his left arm, punching with the right into Adams ripps.
Adventurers wore armor, just rather leather armor. In this case, it was not enough to prevent the damage and two rips cracked.
Adam coughed in pain and had to forcefully compose himself to not open up more weak points. In this moment, he saw the abysmal black eyes of Ker and halted. Ker used that moment to take Adam by the shoulder and hurl him to the ground. Adam was also not prepared for this level of raw strength and he was flung several feet to the side.
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
Ker was in one leap in front of Helm. The man had his right hand on hos blade, but didn't draw it. For some reason, Helm let go of it and protected himself with both his arms. But Ker was unrelenting in his rage.
Tearing through hardend leather bracers, leading to cuts on the forearms of Helm. When the flesh of Helm tore, he had enough and answered with a swing that made Ker's teeth shudder.
That, in turn, just made Ker's rage boil over. He forced one of Helms arms to stetch and bit down. Blood gathered in his mouth. It just drove him further over the edge.
He hit and clawed with his hands incessantly. Blood covered the ground, two beings in a desperate fight to gain the upper hand.
Something snapped, a body dropped.
Ker, still in his battle frenzy, slowly gained his awareness back. His hands drenched in blood. His arms and body battered. A frame of someone appeared in his periphery.
It was Helm. His face void of emotion, the gaze starring into endless emptiness.
Ker shuddered at the realization: That was a murder.
Did I kill someone?
That can not be, I wouldn't murder anyone.
Wait, there are others around me...
Ker didn't, couldn't face the people around him. He needed to get away from this.
He ran. And ran and ran.
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Only a sharp pain in his right arm made him stop. He looked baffled as he found a daggerwound in his right forearm. The pain became unbearable. He had to stop the bleeding and clean the wound.
As he checked his body, he found a second smaller daggerwound dangerously close to the lower rips. Ker forced himself to slow down and look for appropriate herbs. He found one that ge knew would help against the bleeding.
He crunched the plants and rubbed them on the wounds. He also held the wound on his arm together until he could do something about it.
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In the midday light, a farmer brought his harvest in. Fresh harvested grain was gathered in bundles aside from the field. The farmer just returned to his field to continue the harvest.
A bleeding man in rags - or pelts was making his way to the settlement. The farmer clearly wanted to help but was weary when he saw the battle scars. To that, the wounded man was wearing pelts like a barbarian. After all, it could be an outcast.
On the approaching farmer, Ker's eyes lit up. He had reached the first signs of civilization. Finally, he could rest, no more monsters downstairs, no more beasts out of the undergrowth.
As soon as the farmer saw Ker was no danger, he helped him to his house. There, they met the farmer's wife taking care of their three children.
The two youngest were far more enthusiastic to meet the new stranger. The older child, already adolescent, showed at least careful interest.
Short after, an old one from the village took care of his wounds. He was a healer, even being in old age, he still operated.
Seeing the slow but steady hands work, Ker asked: "How long are you working in your profession in this settlement?"
The healer furrowed his brows: "You are very well spoken for someone walking out the forest in rags."
"I... my name is Ker... Ker of Eldoria."
The eyes of the healer darted from left to right: "You are a noble! What in the works are you doing here and then just in rags and this condition."
Ker let go of a deep sigh: "That is a rather long story. Let's say we were hunting and everything went wrong. Actually I would like some clothes, something more civilized."
"Sure, first your wound than a real bath and then clothes. How about that order." The healer snickered.
Ker was very happy with that order. A bath was something very welcome he didn't have the luxury of for weeks.
After the healing, Ker already felt better. The family showed him a bath with steaming water. He definitely had to thank them later.
The water felt great on his stressed, scared skin. He made certain to clean himself thoroughly. At some point, he couldn't ward off the consequences of his stress. He just let go to enjoy his bath to the fullest.
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"Mhm" - "Have we slept well."
Someone spoke to him, he didn't like the amused undertone of the voice. Then Ker opened his eyes and saw that he had slept in.
"Yeah, sure, it was great, thanks." His answer was given in the self-conscious that he had dozen off.
The healer closed the door again and there were fresh clothes on a chair. It was time again to look like a human being.
The clothes were definitely not what Ker would wear. More on the farmer side of the style range. But Ker wouldn't protest to look like a normal person. Actually he was happy to have clothes at all.
As Ker walked inside the main room, he saw the old healer as well as steaming buns waiting. He even got food. That was more his idea of living.
As he ate, the farmer's wife apologized that these were reheated buns, not fresh baked ones. Ker didn't care one bit. In comparison to vole, basically everything tasted fine and good.
"I am very interested. How a noble son ended up in such a state in rags."
"A noble son?" The woman asked and nearly dropped one of the dishes she was cleaning.
"Oh right, we should probably introduce ourselves." He let Ker go first.
"I am Ker of Eldoria, from the house of Reginald. My parents are Juno and Hellena of Eldoria."
"I am Brian, to answer your question from earlier, I tend to people here since 30 years. It's a nice village, at some point I just decided to stay."
The woman nearly dropped to her knees as she heard from Ker's house. Ker urged her to stand up and then settled for a deep bow from her.
"My name's Ina, just Ina. My man's Erd and this is John and the two hiding behind the door are Ila and Enne."
By the last words, he heard giggles from behind the doors.
Ker kind of liked it here. It was simple, probably a hard life but simple. But he had to come back to his parents. They would worry about him if he delayed further. His mother most likely worried already about him.
He didn't know how to bridge the topic.
"So, it is really nice here, but I think I should head home, you know."
"Now? It is getting late, we don't have horses or something like that." mentioned Ina incredulously.
"As a dedicated healer, I advise to stay at least for now. Tomorrow, you might fetch delivery of grain to the city. Even with a horse, it would be several hours of travel."
Ker didn't want cause additional work to the nice farmers. "Maybe I could help with something. Maybe the grain..."
At that, the eyes of Ina bulged: What, no no no, there's no need for you, sir. Please, you can just sit here and we bring anything you need."
Ker would rather not have given his name because of this subservient behavior. But he was coming of age and should learn to act appropriately.
Also, they were right. He was in no condition to go for a day long run. He definitely should not be in any acceptable condition. But he felt fine. Thanks to the healing and his body, he was sure he could take the distance.
Then again, maybe he should really rest, come to a halt.
In the end, he agreed to stay for one night and then return. The family had of course not another bed for a visitor. They managed to get one from a neighbor. Meanwhile, Ker asked John, the adolescent child, how life was in the countryside. John was hesitant, not knowing how to speak to a noble. After Ker assured him that any kind of talk with him would be okay, the child relaxed more. John thought, that it was boring and he wanted to get away. Maybe become an adventurer.
Ker had a different view on those things, thanks to his recent experiences. But he saw no reason to dim the hope the child had. He thought about it a moment and decided to tell the children a story. He just had to change a few things.
And so Ker told the tale of his adventure. He omitted the deaths and overall horrible parts. He also added here and there some events. Ker was amused but the ohs and aahs of the three children.
"You'll see, I become the greatest adventurer and then I can tell you all the stories." Declared John as he was lead out of the room by his mother.
Ker also had general introductions with the man of the house, Erd. Ker found him to be a very grounded, hardworking man.
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The next day was very pleasurable for Ker and very busy for everyone else. With a more focused mind, he could see the disparity between them. The people here worked very hard, had very little and were happy for every good event in their life.
However brief his stay was, it was beautiful in its own way. Ker said goodbye and got on his way home.
It was more than a day of travel for a low-leveled person. But Ker had quite the high stats and was trained to the edge.
His run home cost him several hours without getting into a sweat. The city guards let him since they recognized him and knew of his family.
As he reached his home, a grand estate to every other house around, a butler opened the front door and his mother stepped out. She smiled with tears on her eyes.
Finally home.
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End of Act I
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