When I first was able to walk on my own two feet, I thought I would live a life of fun, excitement, and full of breeze, as I could finally do the things everyone else could do. In fact I’ve had it all planned out for a long while.
I would go out for a walk at a park, feeling the sun’s touch everywhere I go. Then I head for a shop or a restaurant and talk to the employee, as in physically directly talking, to get an order rather than asking a nurse for it. That being said, the only things you could acquire from a hospital were either nutritious or medicinal.
Anyway, despite me now being in a fantasy world full of magic and monsters, I still was optimistic that I could remain on track on what I set out to do … at least that was the case until I got the bitter taste of what it meant to be a hero.
“Straighten your back, get to a ready position, and start sprinting!” the knight commander yelled, as I adhered to his commands. “Now make ten laps around the field.”
“Wait, can we lower that number a bit?”
“Are you disobeying my orders?”
“No, sir!” I started sprinting like my life depended on it.
The thought of taking life easy vanished the moment I met Gareth Talborn, a knight commander of the Pylfur Kingdom, whom the princess tasked in training me. At first, I thought I would at least be given a week or so to enjoy life while getting used to this healthy body. But no. I was only given two days. Two days!
“You’re slowing down!” he bellowed. “Those demons won’t spare you if you can’t outrun them. Do you want to be their meal?”
“No … not at—”
“Then keep up the pace! If you’re tired, you have that blessing the bishop taught you, no? Use it!”
“[Renew]!” a luminescent aura enveloped me, hands of light embracing my every being, removing all exhaustion, as my straggling feet and stricken lungs became full of vigor once more.
Two laps, four laps, seven laps … I kept on renewing myself over and over, with every lap increasing in frequency in order to keep up the pace I set out initially. Until the final lap came and I almost reached the finish, when my head became all woozy and my body faltered in strength.
I have to … I have to bless … again … Alas, before I could utter the word, I fell to the ground and my consciousness waned, my body rendered useless like it used to be. A dreary familiarity that I could not accept at heart, yet pushed onto by the facts that I’ve heard countless times already in the hospital.
Strangely though, there was one thing that seemingly came out. A final vision of a panel alongside the words inscribed upon it, before I ended up in deep slumber.
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MP depleted. Initiating emergency rest mode.
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…
…
…
I had a dream … of me hopping down the hospital bed and at long last walking my first step. The first thing I did was to hug my mother, who’d given up everything for my own well-being after my father left the house and never listened. Her gentle touch and beaming smile that brought those worthless days of pain into something special and magical.
No matter what, I would bring her happiness. I would show her and those kind doctors and nurses that I could grow into someone capable of sharing their gratitude onto others. Perhaps that was why I wanted to be a doctor when I grew up, so that I could cure everyone who bore the same ill-fate as I had.
That was the impossible dream I’ve always yearned to come true.
…
…
…
“How is he? Is he fine?”
“Why certainly. Kalmia’s blessing has alleviated his severe exhaustion. However, mana depletion would require time for him to recuperate naturally.”
“Is that so?”
“Shall I ask Sir Gareth to soften his training regiment?”
“No. Due to present circumstances, we need to hasten his growth as a hero by the extreme if possible. Otherwise the king would … Ah, Dmitri. You’ve awakened.”
I opened my eyes and saw Princess Eryliana sitting on my bedside while talking to a Lessing, a fairly high-ranking priest in red and gold robes carrying ten-pointed star staffs, whose floating star on his back signified the ascension into being a divine servant. The Lessing left with a bow, leaving the two in the room alone.
“Princess …,” I tried to recall whatever conversation they had initially, but everything went to a blur. And my head especially, it felt like it was about to burst at any second now.
“Hush now,” the princess tapped my lips with her finger. “A patient requires rest time. No need to talk for a moment and allow me to explain. You have suffered what is called Mana Depletion. It is a state when your mana has used too much mana to the point where you were on the brink of using your own life force. Fortunately, the system that the Gods have designed stopped you from doing so, though that safety mechanism has put you in a temporary catatonic state.”
Who would’ve thought a system panel would give me an anaesthetic? I wasn’t exactly too bothered with my current stay, or should I say that I’ve grown numb to it. And in the place of my mother was Princess Eryliana, but she was not at all like her.
I rose from the bed, aching all over, yet the princess made no effort to put him back down. If anything she looked impressed. This was probably what she expected from a hero and even though I vowed to become so … the life I led now was far from what I imagined.
“You appear to be feeling down,” she said. “I may lend an ear if you have any doubts or complaints.”
“Not at all,” I replied. “I’m utterly grateful for all the support you’ve given me.”
My eyes glanced over at the prestigious armor hanging near the wardrobe. Cold crimson steel decorated by white and gold banners, and the insignia of the Pylfur Kingdom engraved front and center, a silver eagle soaring through the gold mountain peaks.
“Are you sure that you’re training me as a priest and not a blood cultist?” I joked, half-wittingly. A part of me saw it as too bold, as if I was brandishing my might and holiness to all who laid eyes on me, an intimidating look for the enemies I shall be facing soon.
“Red, white, and gold. These three colors are what signified those under Kalmia’s grace. Had we dressed you in green like our knights, then people would think you’re here on Meteria’s call,” the princess explained. “There’s a difference you know. Pyflur worships three Gods. Kalmia of the Light, Meteria of the Woods, and Ilhair of the Skies with Ilhair as our patron.
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“Once you complete your basic training, I’ll take you out to the town. It’d be easier to show you rather than to tell you about these things, as you are a hero from another world. Our world’s customs may sound very foreign to both your eyes and ears.”
“If I may request something …”
“I’m afraid that’s not possible.”
“But I haven’t even said anything!”
“Call it [Royal]’s intuition,” she smirked. “But if I were to explain it even further, it is due to the news that we’ve gotten from the other five kingdoms … and about their heroes.”
“When will I go meet them?” I sprung with excitement, for I was curious about the other people who were summoned to Orbiterra alongside me. What were they like? How did they fare after being summoned into another world? I even wondered if we could be friends, because I never had that sort of thing back then, being sick for my whole life and all.
“Patience, Dmitri. You shall meet them soon, for the five of you shall be working together to win this war against the demon king. Well, that was how it was supposed to be,” the princess's face suddenly took a turn, as a solemn look had replaced her brimming confidence.
“What is it? Did something happen to the heroes?” I asked, worried, for I’d never seen that kind of expression from her. “Could it be something happened with the summoning, or did the demons anticipate it and do something?”
“That we don’t know,” she said. “As I’ve said, the five kingdoms of Orbiterra have called upon five heroes to aid us slay the demon king. The Selestine Kingdom have called upon a [Warrior], Kalizar upon a [Swordsman], while Meinsdottir an [Archer]. And I have you, our lovely [Priest] Dmitri.”
Hearing her call me ‘lovely’ made me blush, but I quickly brushed the thought away. “Then what about the Aeryn Kingdom? What class is their hero?”
“That’s the thing, they didn’t summon one,” she said. “Their hero never answered their call.”
A shocked expression befell upon me. “Then … the reason why my training has been so harsh …”
“It is because we’re one hero short,” the princess continued. “No one knows why that happened. The prophecy has always foretold that five heroes would answer Orbiterra’s pleas and vanquish the evil festering within the western lands. Alas, with things having come to this, we must further strengthen our hold, our armies, as well as our heroes,” her eyes casted upon me, a scary gaze that gave me goosebumps. “The other kingdoms have taken measures in order to increase the growth of their own heroes, and Pylfur will do the same for you.”
“I’m not liking where this is going, princess.”
“Oh, don’t you worry. Regardless of the intensity of your future training, we will make sure that you come out of it alive and well. I have the utmost faith in you, Dmitri.”
… Five days later in the Weeping Forest.
I raced through the woodlands until my lungs burst, casting [Renew] everytime I noticed my breath and body started to falter. Ducking under low branches, hopping over large roots, dodging the mouths of salivating giant fly traps, all while running away from the claws of the three hungry spiny leopards out for my neck.
No armor and in an ordinary priest outfit though with pants instead of a robe. Beneath the shade where I thought I’d be safe, I remembered that cats could see under the blanket of night, and with moonlight as my only guidance, my once escape route stretched thinner with the swaying leaves of the towering pines. Not to mention the fact that it was so cold which turned my breaths to frosty gales, and the hazing mist obscuring my path forward.
The Lessings serving the princess taught me that the longer the chanting, the more powerful was the holy blessing. But exactly how could I focus on chanting words of prayers with two big half-cat half porcupine beasts coming after me while shooting endless volleys of poisonous spines?
“To hell with it!” I cursed and halted in place, facing my predators. “Mother Kalmia, [CHAIN SEAL]!”
Golden chains appeared out of nowhere, zooming through the trunks and wrapped around the leopards’ legs, pulling them high up to the sky as they now hung in midair. But they wouldn’t be for long, for the spiny leopards began biting on the chain with their steel-like fangs.
“Holy-mother-vanquish-the-evil-that-which-thou-humble-servant-encountered-on-thy-journey,” my speech hastened. “for-thou-servant-is-in-danger-thus-I-call—[Divine Volley]!”
Arrows of divine light conjured behind me, counting from ten to thirty, each darting through the air and struck the area where I aimed. Some struck the trees, while others were sent flying to nowhere, but the few important ones managed to pierce through the beasts’ hide.
The chains vanished and the spiny leopards fell to the ground, still alive, yet stunned. Thus, I raised my staff and swung down as hard as I could, smashing the beasts’ heads. Their fresh blood stained my outfit, but that didn’t matter. In the three days since I’ve arrived here, these leopards weren’t my first opponents nor would they be my last.
I need … to take a break …
I immediately sat down, leaning my back onto one of the pines, while allocating my stat points.
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Name : Dmitri Sergeyevich Petrov
Age : 17
Race : Human
Class : [Priest]
Titles : [Hero], [World Traveler]
HP : 60
MP : 85
STR : 3 + 10
DEF : 3 + 2
AGI : 3 + 11
INT : 12
WIS : 17 + 15
CHA : 5
LCK : 7 + 2
Skills : [Appraisal D] [Translator EX] [Divinity D] [Sealing Technique D] [Spearmanship E]
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It looked like I managed to raise my [Sealing Technique] to D-rank. I must’ve been too panicked to notice the notification. The sharper accuracy must've been attributed to the raise in rank, for it usually just went straight ahead without actually sealing anything.
And as for the increase in [Health] and [Mana], the amount of running I did must’ve contributed to their increase. The princess did say that apart from the specialized stats, the two common stats could only be raised through day-to-day life experience, or in this case, life-or-death experience.
I really can’t catch a break, I relieved a sigh, thinking that maybe I could finally shut my eyes and get some sleep, when I suddenly heard a shrug coming from the right. Instantly, I stood up and put up my guard, the staff's edge pointed ahead, ready to stab and swing down on whatever beast was to come.
Then, coming out was … a little rabbit hopping on the ground, scouring through the stones and branches before coming up to me. Its cute beady eyes stared so innocently upon the human standing in front of me, who thought of it as one thing and one thing only.
“Food …”
My stomach growled almost immediately, for I hadn’t eaten well in the past five days. Only leaves and mushrooms which I ate after detoxifying them using [Cleanse], as well as larvaes and beetles which I managed to catch using well-timed [Cage Seals]. I had no idea how to light fire nor did I have the [Fire Manipulation] skill, but divine light was kind of like fire in a sense, if I focused [Light Ray] onto a single point for a certain duration.
It totally worked! Although, I could only lightly roast it before some beast spotted the flame and prowled around me, waiting for me to lower my guard, and seize the opportunity to hunt me down. What a time to be alive, right?
HAHAHA! … The voice of laughter perpetuated in my head, as I thought I might be going crazy, but craziness would not solve hunger. While my mother never said anything about what to do in this situation, she would surely say to scrounge up anything in order to survive. Maybe? I didn’t know. She definitely would never expect me to cross to another world.
“Don’t worry, little rabbit. Just stay right here,” I began chanting for a strong [Cage Seal], when the rabbit started hopping away. “Wait, don’t go! I need your meat!”
I tried whacking it, but the little rabbit managed to get away and returned to the deep encroach of the shadowy bushes. Disheartened, I turned around hoping to at least find some bugs, only to find three glowing pairs of golden eyes looming within the shadowy thicket. As it proceeded to tread upon the moonlit path, its lion head revealed alongside the head of a goat and a snake, followed by a lion body, goat legs, and a rattling snake tail.
And then I screamed out of my lungs. “HELP ME!!!”