Chapter One - The Starting Point_Quest Eternal

Chapter one: The starting point

I reached out a smile upon my face, as I looked at the insect, it fluttered backwards and forwards, its wings a radiant gold. In my old world I never could have seen something this beautiful at least not normally. Not that I was that adventurous back then, I spent all my time lazing about before a computer. To be honest I wasn’t that different now except I spent most my time lazing about under a tree. A willow tree just like in my dreams the boughs bending low to rest less than a metre above me blocking the rays of the sun from my eyes. Today would be the day huh, the day I finally got to put my plans into motion.

I had come to this world fifteen years ago, to the day, and at first my memories were disjointed, nightmares plagued me every night, those years were a living hell for me until I began to piece together the memories held within my dreams, and I began to realise who I was. Not that it mattered much anymore; who I was and who I am are completely different things. Though I must say I did learn from the mistakes of my predecessor. Which is why I began to formulate my grand plan or so I would have liked to say. In truth I just spent my days lying down idly dreaming and counting clouds as they passed ahead. But not anymore, that isn’t the life I would lead, today was the day! I clenched my fist leaping from the roots of the willow.

But the butterfly, it didn’t care, it rested upon my raised fist and began to search for its next target before fluttering off in the direction of some wildflower. I chuckled slightly, it’s not like I needed to rush I had all the time in the world.

I parted the foliage of the tree and stepped out into the glaring light, a dark figure many times broader and taller than I approaching.

“Droga, we need to get to work!” his voice laughed, light and pleasant smooth like honey.

“Hey Caulder...” I returned scratching the back of my head. “What’s on the docket today?” I looked at my brother standing there in all his glory. Short blonde hair gleaming like the sun, skin pale as a new born babe, eyes of the brightest blue twinkling in the dawn light, he wore a simple dark green tunic and brown trousers that could not hide the layers of finely toned muscles that engulfed his form. I stood before a complete contrast; hair black like oil and eyes formed from midnight pools only the faintest vibrancy separating them from obsidian orbs, at five foot eight and with a thin frame, my heavily tanned skin, defined me as different. I really was a worthless older brother.

“Mother said something about you taking her merchandise over to the stall, so I did it knowing how long you would take, or more precisely how many brakes you would take.” Caulder stepped back rubbing his head ending with a light laugh.

“And?” I pushed knowing something bad would follow.

“She says now you have to do my job.” I felt my stomach drop out below me; this couldn’t possibly get any worse. “Which since it is the coming of age festival; is to erect the banners.”

I groaned falling backwards onto the grass and lying down, this wasn’t fair why did I have to deal with something like this?

That said there really wasn’t any way to fight it, I had a job, I’d been set a task and Droga Kivali never gave up, no matter what.

“So, we going?” Caulder questioned looking at me. I nodded and together we began to make our way towards the Arfiel settlement.

The town of Arfiel was contained within the Brokar dukedom in the kingdom of Ardore; once known as the adventurer’s empire it had stretched across half the world and had an unrivalled influence. That said roughly ten thousand years ago the rise of the black lord (basically a demon king) resulted in the annihilation of the empire forcing it back to its base within the Farn mountain range which formed a horseshoe around the kingdom preventing demonic assault, the adventurers that had guarded it vanished les than a year prior to the slaughter. But the demons did not stop passing beyond the mountains to other lands. But during this war a group of people arose known as the Heroes who were said to come from another world summoned by the gods. At first there were thousands then millions until billions of heroes had arrived. That said the world (which was named Halvidal), is many times larger than earth and could support the drastically increased population, which had already been reduced by the demonic onslaught. Not that the Heroes were always here they could jump backwards and forwards between worlds through the power of the gods. The same gods who displeased with Ardore’s allegiance to adventurers prevented Heroes from entering and preventing a demonic invasion.

Of course to anyone who has ever played a mmorpg or jrpg The tropes included in this plot were glaring and obvious, in a way classic, that and the fact that these so called ‘heroes’ were able to appear and vanish at the drop of a hat led me to a single conclusion. They were players and this was still a game. But this is only one view of many. This was still my world my family lived here after all, and everyone around me I considered them people.

But I honestly wished I could teleport out of this world considering my current predicament.

As I walked into town I received a series of glares from every individual highborn to low.

“It fills my heart with joy to know that everyone in this town, no matter how busy, still has time to glare at little old me.” I muttered sarcasm dripping like venom from my tongue.

“Tell me it isn’t your fault.” Caulder responded with a chuckle that vibrated through the air. I rolled my eyes, continuing in the direction of the town square.

The square was located at the northwest entrance of town by the church and the mayors house the most prosperous shops lining the street. Though today they were all closed instead small stands were placed out front they circled the square blocking off most of the town except for the door to the church. The procession of stalls and stands practically exploded after leaving the northern gate to the town. Merchants had come as they did every spring but this year was different it was special roughly three times as many traders as would usually had arrived.

“Quit day dreaming.” Caulder called slapping my back. I stumbled forward slightly to look at the pile of banners set in front of me.

“You got me into this mess so you’re helping!” I ordered taking up one of the banners that was roughly ten feet long. Caulder nodded accepting the command before leaning down and picking the rest up under one arm. The man was a freak of nature; strong as ten men! I dragged the poll out of the gate to look at the vast array of carts and tents, stalls and displays, tinkers and traders all alike sharing common ground a large dais built at the back of the large plot of land the centre being empty which allowed for people to move between the main stalls before plunging into the labyrinth of sellers beyond. If my count was right there had to be at least two hundred different stalls twenty percent of that being the locals. Speaking of which our mother’s stall was a just a couple of metres from the dais. She was a seamstress who had a truly prodigious output. Not surprising seeing as she used wind magic to aid her.

“You boys get to work!” she yelled waving from her stall. She was petite and fairly young black hair and blue eyes. But a true demon when her anger was unleashed. I grunted to Caulder to hurry up before slamming the first of the banners down into the ground my strength barely enough to keep it from toppling.

I began to move around area circumventing the ring of sellers planting one banner down after another. They may have been loose in their placement and slightly uneven but the job was done.

“Are you sure they’re in deep enough?” Caulder questioned poking one of the polls, which shook dangerously in the breeze.

“No, but what I do know? So I’ll going to take a nap by the lake!” I laughed before I began to jog in the direction of the lake to the east of town.

“Wait what if mother finds out, She’ll…” I cut him off before he could continue, I new what horrible torment lay in store for us in that scenario.

“Don’t worry I’ll take the blame, See ya.” I laughed as I ran away my sights set upon the lake a good ten minutes walk away.

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I awoke to the sound of drumming fingers an icy bolt flying down my spine; I could sense bloodlust. My eyes roved upwards towards mother, she sat besides my head smiling down at me eyes closed, my mouth opened in a silent scream. Of course it wouldn’t stay silent for long.

“Droga you ditched your work again.” Her words were cold and empty her eyes fixated on me revealing their icy depths. “You know this is how you gained the nickname ‘Loafer’ she laid a hand on my shoulder as I tried to sit up and crawl away. Her grip was too strong, or more likely I was too weak.

“Ten minutes ago a banner fell on my stall, all because of a five year old playing ball accidentally hit it. I wonder how it could have been loosened to such a degree. Would you happen to know why?” her questioned probed my fear building up. A desperate whine escaping my mouth similar to a ball that had just been punctured and stepped on. “Do you remember what I said would happen if you did this kind of thing again?” she questioned leaning forwards that eerie smile plastered to her face like some form of hellish mask.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Level eight curse: Black blood” I whispered nearly throwing out the contents of my stomach.

“Oh so you do remember!” she laughed “You know your very lucky, because today is a very important day. That is why tomorrow you’ll be receiving a level nine curse. Weak soul drain.” I blanched my face, tanned from many days beneath the sun turned a ghostly white. “You can call the extra level interest.” she patted my shoulder and walked off.

Is sighed it had been nothing but a brief reprieve tomorrow morning I would have to pay the piper.

Trying to drown the fear of future punishment out of my mind I turned towards the lake. A pair of fishermen were pulling in at the far shore and appeared to be heading for the festival. Going by the position of the sun steadily sinking in the West it was nearly time. I stretched watching the blazing red light catching against the waves lapping at the banks. Now wasn’t the time to get lost in the beauty of nature. I had plenty of time for that later. Today was the festival and it was likely starting soon.

The coming of age festival was an incredibly important event: in every child’s life there are three crucial dates the fifth, tenth and fifteenth birthday. The first means that a child is healthy and will likely live to adulthood so they are given a name to reflect their personality, on their tenth birthday children will receive an apprenticeship to a tradesman, or a fighter in the hopes of gaining a class which they will not know until their fifteenth birthday. My fifteenth birthday had already passed however it was the festival where I would discover three incredibly important facts; my class, my deity and my affinity. These three features would shape my future and my goals.

I grit my teeth at the mere memory of those promises. Three tasks, each just as unlikely as the others, most would deem them impossible or at least insane. But that is what would make this new life all the more fun. La vie droll!

I began to jog my attention fixed on the town, no longer would I laze around the village, I probably should have started training already but I couldn’t spend my entire life on earnest work I needed to actually live as well. Without both of these things there was no chance I’d be able to accomplish anything. I’d live a life and die a death worth less the air I breathed. I would not let something like that happen again.

I approached the festival lanterns hung on long poles dotted at every intersection of booths and above all important stalls. The wavering banners fluttered, made from dark blue cloth lined with silver, the symbol of the Ardore kingdom emblazoned upon it. A silver winged snake, eyeless its mouth open. My memories told me it was a Hadarask, a subspecies of basilisk similar in size to dragons but slightly less dangerous.

I yawned as I pushed through the crowd my eyes catching the immense form of my brother standing head and shoulders above the crowd slowly rubbing the side of his head. I tick that usually meant he was worried: a rare enough event, and one to take advantage of. I approached in silence faint memories filling my mind; they guided my footsteps through the crowd until I stood besides my brother. I reached out and lay a palm upon the back of his neck. He flinched turning around and swinging a fist. I didn’t have time to react the blow striking my face and sending me flying backwards, striking a little girl over and rolling across the dirt.

Panicked Caulder immediately tried to comfort the girl who had grazed her knee. While I, his brother, was left with a minor concussion and a small cut beneath my eye that would probably swell before the night was out. I groaned standing up, my face aching with a dull pain. I reached up blood on my fingers. I sighed pinching the area around the wound causing it to bleed faster. After wiping away the blood and grime I staunched the bleeding with my sleeve and turned to Caulder.

“You really didn’t hold back.” I sighed scratching the back of my head.

“Where the hell were you, I was worried damn it!” he yelled grasping my shoulders. I rolled my eyes.

“If you were so worried why did you punch me?’ I questioned equally peeved.

“Well…” before he could continue I cut him off.

“Doesn’t matter, looks like we’ll be starting soon.” I began to make my way towards the dais. But was stopped by the thickening crowd. They were parting to make room for Ularus the town’s only enchanter who came with several guards pushing a gigantic red crystal onto the dais. It was a testing crystal of gigantic proportions. Normal testing crystals were about the size of your fist, they were used to publicly confirm and display a person’s identity and ability hence the name. The guards lifted the massive stone onto the dais with great effort their bodies physically straining and as it was placed atop the stage a dark shadow was cast about them

His name was Olgar Vocav; he was the mayor of Arfiel and a man that you would not want to deal with. A man who cast a shadow that you could not escape. Of course I’m being literal here the man was fat, fatter than he was tall though he was not that tall. He was dressed in a red shirt and black trousers, they strained to contain the sheer volume of fat that hung off the man. His face was sweaty and twisted, he might have been handsome if he lost a couple hundred pounds but I didn’t see that happening in the near future. He walked with a black cane and as he ascended the dais the boards creaked below as if howling their agony at just having to support this travesty of a human being. I shook my head a forced habit that the man seemed to invoke with his mere presence.

“People!” he called. “I have spoken with the priest”

I didn’t really care whom he’d been speaking to, just watching his chins move when he talked was starting to hypnotise me.

“The heroes have arrived!” his voiced boomed as the double doors to the church were thrown open. A wave of roughly two hundred men and women came pouring out of the church they all wore the same garbs, white togas and brown sandals held by clasps of various different colours and styles. Their only items of real value being twenty-five silver coins - enough to buy clothes and low-grade equipment. Just looking at them made me uneasy. I knew well enough that these people saw this world as a game, that they would do anything to get what they wanted especially this lot. Most players would appear intermittently at random churches in beginner towns. However this lot had appeared in mass they knew there was an event and were going to use that to spring board themselves into the world. A good fifty percent of players just chose to live in this world renouncing the title of hero, but this lot, I was sure at least ninety percent of their number were here only for the glory.

“Come now heroes, come. Recently the gods have declared that natives of the continent of Keland may now join heroes on their journeys permanently as ‘companions’ allowing them to share in you benefits. I assure you now every one of our fine young citizens would be more than happy to aid you in your quest to slay the black lord!” As he spoke I huffed, the gods in deed, it was more likely the developers trying to add a new element to the game. This whole event reeked of update. New map, new features new treasures. Soon the entire kingdom would be swarming with people like these. I shook my head; perhaps it wasn’t right to criticise in truth I held more in common with them than NPCs. “now young men and women please ascend to the stage and form a line.” the Mayor waved his hands through the air gesturing for everyone to gather. They did, their were twenty six of us, I was stood at the far left, second to last place in line my brother taking the furthest place from me and Madeline, the daughter of Ularus stood to my other side.

“I’m surprised you actually showed up loafer.” her acerbic comments passed me by. “Caulder, I do not understand how you can be related to this pathetic excuse for a man, your twins right, it seems you must of gotten all of the good genes.” My brother and the Madonna, the two were dating and had been for a couple of months, it was plain to see no matter how they tried to hide it. Although her hatred for me was clear. Her father had offered me an apprenticeship; I’d turned it down however, along with everyone else who came to offer. The reason being I’d already selected my profession; I would be an adventurer.

The kingdom despised adventurers, desiring to be one was unheard of. To this day they were considered, vile uncouth thugs who only worked for money, they hunted down monsters with skill but were useless in a head to head battles with humans and demons making others consider them weak. This was a lie of course, at least today, however in the past there had been a key difference between heroes and adventurers. Heroes would gain ten stat points every level and adventurers only gained five, and adventurers were capped at level one hundred while Heroes had no level cap some reaching levels upwards of three hundred.

“Now whose first, a Armon, step right up lad; let us all see what the Kolbar guards’ bloodline has to offer!” he gestured to the gigantic red crystal. The boy first in line approached and extending a hand gingerly touched the surface

Name:

Armon Kolbar

Age:

Race:

Human

Level:

Lv1

Class:

Lancer

Strength:

Speed:

Dexterity:

Intelligence:

Endurance:

Affinity:

Earth

Deity:

Stomar

Alignment:

(Neutral) +9

Fame:

Murmurs ran through the crowd, the boy had a good set of stats, abnormally high, fifteen being the average limit of a stat. he had three that surpassed that level. This meant he’d be a slightly more important character in the future. Certain features could measure a characters possibility; base starting power, rarity of class and appearance. Generally the more important characters were more appealing to behold, as you would expect of humans, vain as ever.

Of course I lacked all of these things or at least I assumed so. Your base stats depended on training, which I had not done, your class was linked to your apprenticeship, which I did had refused and your appearance, which if I’m honest mine was below average. Which here made me ugly seeing how everyone had a digitally altered level of beauty.

I sighed as they began to work there way down the line. Those who had already completed the test were sent off to the side where they began to mingle with adventurers who had already made them offers to join them on their journeys, especially any pretty girl they got a hold of, luckily the guards were near by so nothing was going to get out of hand.

“Hey Loafer your up!” the mayor yelled grabbing my collar and throwing me forwards. The crowd went silent this breach of protocol was probably triggering flags in the mind of each player. I sighed placing my hand against the crystal. At first it was as I expected, low stats, all their lowest possible base values, but then it got weird.

Name:

Droga Kivali