“So? From what year do you come from? And the country? The last ones came from all over your plane” Martha asked after the silence had become too heavy for her taste.
The other guy, who I had discovered to be Martha’s Brother, James, slowed down his pace to hear my answer, but not showing any signs of curiosity in his face.
“2024, I am from New York.”
“And you weren’t part of the last batch? Strange.”
“When has the last ‘batch’ arrived?”
“Around 3 months ago, a total of 132 people were transported here, seeing their faces always makes me laugh,” she said while snickering.
‘So, Luck and Fate decided to pull me from my house, spawn me inside a forest without any type of equipment or way to survive and gave me no explanation.’ I thought to myself while unknowingly clenching my fist harder than I had ever done.’
“Who caused all of this? There must be someone that brings people here”.
“It’s recorded in most history books, that the first batch of Travelers came because of their uniqueness in the hope of defeating the Demon Lord- “
I interrupted her when my brain recognized those two words.
“Demon Lord?!” Don’t tell me I have been summoned to fight a war that doesn’t concern me at all.
“Oh no worries, most Travelers have the same reaction when they hear that name, but he died thanks to the first Travelers, they had the strongest cheats ever recorded, things like infinite mana, x1000 skill and level growth, instant Mastery, etc, things like those, it took them less than a year to get strong enough to kill the Demon Lord, it happened more than 10.000 years ago.”
“Then why are we still being summoned? Who even is summoning us? And why?” This conversation was causing more questions than giving me answers.
“The Gods,” James said before Martha could.
Before I could ask anything, else James pointed at something in front of him, and there I saw it, an amalgamation of fantasy and steampunk all in one city, there were some flying ships right above the city, docking on the side of the enormous walls surrounding the city.
“That is Redham, one of the cities where Travelers appear from.”
“One of?”
She didn’t say anything and instead continued walking towards the city, her steps now faster than they were before, James also started moving much faster, and I had to start running to keep up with them, and while the level up in Running was welcome, the heavy breathing I ended up with wasn’t.
After we had reached the entrance to the city, they had realized my current situation and Martha looked apologetic when she approached me.
“Right, I had forgotten how weak Travelers are at the start, take this.” She said while taking out a small vial, like those you can see inside a chemistry lab, with a green liquid inside.
James’s face darkened when he saw the vial, but said nothing, Martha noticed though.
“Come on James, this is just a weak stamina potion, the reward we will receive for rescuing him will cover it.” She said while handing me the potion.
“How do I use it? Do I just drink it?” I said while inspecting the small object residing in my hand as if it was made from diamonds.
“Yes, though do it slowly this is your first potion after all.”
I nodded and after removing the cap from the potion the smell of mint hit my nose, giving me a sense of freshness to my whole body.
Excited at the idea of drinking a potion for the first time, I started taking small sips, nothing happened till the last sip.
---
You have consumed a Low-Level Stamina potion.
A small part of your stamina has been restored.
Wait 10 seconds before consuming another one.
---
Before consuming the potion, I felt like I was on death’s doors, but now I felt like new… ok, not exactly, but still better than before.
While I drank the potion Martha and James approached one of the two near the entrance to the city, one of the men was much older than the two, maybe around 40/50, wearing full plate armour and with a spear resting on his shoulder, the other one instead was the complete opposite, around 20, fiddling on his spot and his spear constantly shifting position, either he was too nervous for his good or he just didn’t want to be there.
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Oh right, the old man had green skin and was 6 feet 5… HE IS AN ORC.
I stayed pointed at the man the whole time, not hearing even one word they were saying, too fascinated at the prospect of meeting a fantasy race.
“OY.” The man shouted to get me back to reality.
“ Ah, I am sorry, what were you saying?”
“No problems kiddo, If I had a bronze for every traveller that had your same reaction, I’d have a platinum right now AHAHAH.” His tone of voice melts my bones tremble because of the strength behind them, his laugh sounded more like a growl than a person laughing.
“Rishi, how many Travelers are you going to put through this stupid test? The last thing we need is for another traveller to shit himself,” James said while tapping Rishi’s armour.
---
New Skill: Basic Fear Resistance
Basic Fear Resistance Level Up
---
Rishi laughs, this time though it sounds like a normal laugh and not like a monster who wants to eat me alive.
“So? Did you get it?”
“How did you know I would get a skill?”
“You got it? Been a while from the last time I met a Traveler with some backbone, train that skill like your life depends on it, last thing you want is to shit yourself when you meet something big enough to kill you.” The man said while smiling showing off his two tusks, one sharp enough to tear my flesh and the other having the end broken.
“Rishi, just let the kid go through the process so that we bring him to the church,” Martha said while massaging her temples.
The man nodded and handed me a glass ball, since he threw it at me, I was forced to grab it, but after holding it for a few seconds nothing happened, I looked back at Rishi.
“Was something supposed to happen?”
“If you wanted to get in the prison, then it should have turned black, since it didn’t, you can get inside kid,” Rishi said, his smile never fading.
Rishi moved out of the way, and only after I moved between the two guards, did I notice that the other guy was basically on the verge of falling asleep and shifting his spear from spot to spot to not sleep.
“What did you mean when I have to go to the church?”
“That’s where Travelers live until they are to fend for themselves or until they have a class, and before you ask anything else, I suggest you do your research, discovering new things is the best way to level up Knowledge-based skills”.
As much as I wanted to ask what a class was, I stayed silent and instead decided to get mesmerized by the fantasy/steampunk city I was inside of, streetlights, fantasy races, people in armour or robes holding swords and canes, is that a gun?
It took us 30 minutes to reach the church, which looked more like a mansion than anything else, with walls made of grey stones, with several windows with intricate drawings on them, the whole building emanated a feeling of safety and warmness.
---
You have entered an area protected by the Gods.
HP/MP regen 50% faster.
Stamina will regenerate at double speed.
By feeling the power of the Gods for the first time you have gained a point in Faith
Fih 0=>1
---
My previously aching and still tired body slowly started feeling better and better, and the pain I had been feeling until now on my ankle due to the run now disappeared.
“I still can’t get used to how good this sensation feels, these bonuses are just broken,” Martha said while laughing.
James opened the wooden doors of the church, opening an enormous room with several people inside, all doing something different from the other, some in armour, others playing cards with each other, and some people wearing what I recognized as nun/priest clothing, no apparent symbol on them, one of said nun started approaching us.
“Martha, James, what are you doing here?” The nun asked, her face showing no emotion, but her voice felt like honey to my ears, warmness emanated from every action she took.
“We found a stray Traveler in the middle of the forest, apparently he got here just today.”
The nun looked me straight in the eyes, and I felt every little detail of my life had just been revealed.
---
Advanced Appraisal has been used on you.
Luck Chosen/Fate Enemy has hidden itself from the Appraisal.
---
“Oh my, what an unfortunate child, appearing in the middle of the forest and getting the Courageous title all in a day, you must be quite tired.”
“You got the courageous title?” Martha asked me with wide eyes.
“How do you think I got this?” I said while pointing at my ankle.
“Fell from a tree?”
“Now it’s not the time for such unnecessary discussion come here child, let me help you.” She said while waving her hand towards me.
“Asmov.” The nun said, suddenly a golden light enveloped me, and everything stopped hurting, the injury on my ankle disappeared, and the previous scratches along all my arms were gone as if they were never there.
“What was that?” I said while checking my body,
“One of the most well-known light spells, human mages also like to call Heal.” The nun said while smiling, and staring at me like I was a child.
“Now, why don’t we get you sorted out so that you can finally rest?” She asked me.
“What am I supposed to do? Wear a hat on my head that will choose my house?”
“I have already heard such a joke, around 100 years ago from a child like you, who has grown to be quite a well-known archmage.”
‘… ok so I am a child from her point of view, how old is she?’
“I am an elf, my lifespan is 10 times longer than the normal human, that is if you take into account the effect of Vitality and Endurance.”
‘Perfect, more questions I will have to look for.’
The nun turned towards the north of the hall and started walking, we followed closely behind, getting some stares from the others here.
The nun, of which I still don’t know the name, led us to a room with wooden pews, windows with drawings of beings I recognized being Gods, and statues all around representing said Gods.
“Pray to any of the God of the Sun, and you will receive your class.” She said while pointing at the biggest statue in the room.
There, standing like… a God, was the representation of a man with long hair, I bet he is a blonde, wearing plate armour and with a sword and shield on his feet, his face emanated authority and power, actually all statues emanated all kinds of different type of vibes.
Taking a big breath, I kneel in front of the statues entangle my hands in the form of a prayer and close my eyes.
After around a minute, not feeling different I opened my eyes, hoping that my 1 in faith hadn't screwed everything up.
"I don’t think it’s worki- “
… WHY AM I SURROUNDED BY GODS?