Step Lightly.

Andross found himself on the bank of a river.

He felt around his head with a thought, and came to the conclusion that he had had way to much to drink. Or a head injury.

He knew things, he was comfortable in his large, muscled tank of a body, and knew instinctively how best to swing swords and take down enemies. He also knew other things like how to center a div or make a macro in excel.

Confident in his ability to make best out of whatever he found, he sat up and started to come to grips with his environment.

He was next to a river that wound its way through fields of wheat. The wheat was placed haphazardly, so he knew he was not in the presence of industrial civilization.

Finding the nearest path, he wound his way through the farmland, eventually finding himself at a small decrepit shack. An old, thin, wiry man sat in a chair outside.

“I don’t care, I’m done! Either leave me alone or kill me!” The man shouted at Andross.

“Peace” Andross responded, his voice deep and calming.

The old man looked up at him suspiciously .

“Ill not be doing no more farming for you people! You nobles can go fuck yourself!”

“I’m no noble” As Andross said this, he found it to be true.

“What are you then” The codger grumbled.

“A traveler, who has seemed to have misplaced his belongings” Andross tilted his head back, and let out a goofy smile. “Don’t suppose I could trade you some labor for some food?”

Andross had gotten close enough to see the man was not as unhealthy as he looked from afar.

“There’s a scythe on the ground over there, and a cart. Fill that silo over there up with enough grain, and I’ll give you some of my bread” The old man scowled and pointed to a stone building nearby.

Andross laughed. He knew an opportunity when he saw one. “You have a deal!”

He quickly picked up the scythe, walked over to the cart. There were some ropes next to the cart, so Andross strapped himself to the front of the cart, and made his way into the fields.

Andross meditated as he walked, swinging the scythe in exacting arcs, the cut talks flying behind him and landing perfectly in the cart.

Routinely, he made trips back to the silo. The silo had what he recognised as an archimedes screw and inlet container. He tipped his full cart in, and turned the lever until all the grain had reached the top and spilled inside.

He was having a great time, just enjoying the constant movement. He felt neither weary or tired.

Eventually the sun started to set, and Andross found himself having cleared the entire field of wheat. He chuckled to himself, and went looking for his promised food.

The old man was waiting for him, smoking a pipe in the cooling air.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

“Suppose you be one of those adventurers, then” The man stood up and walked inside. “Best be coming in now”

Andross followed the man inside. The inside of the shack looked a lot nicer than the outside. It was full of perfectly clean cooking instruments, and had a wood stove and even what looked like a baking oven.

There was a simple set of chairs and a table in the center of the room. The man indicated he should sit, and he did. Andross watched as the old man started assembling a gluttonous feast.

Androsses stomach grumbled, and the old codger laughed. “Dig in, it’s not going to attack you”

He started eating, tearing apart the bread.

“What’s your name, old man?”

“Dulcies” He said, sitting across from Andross.

“Yer saved me weeks of effort, youngn, what you go by?”

“Andross” He introduced himself. “I don’t suppose a farmer like you has a bit of alcohol lying around?”

“Hah! Yeh think erm a noble!” Dulcies slapped slapped the side of his chair in mirth.

Andross slowly put the bread he was chewing on down.

“You… don’t know how beer is made?”

“Of course eh know! Do I look like I can afford to rot weeks worth of grain, just ta hope eh batch stinks right?”

Andross was speechless.

A few minutes later, Dulcies found himself listening onto every word, as he spoke at length about his favorite recipes.

After some time, Dulcies grew tired,

“Make yourself at home boy, here's a set of my old gear, the rags you have on are an abomination”

Andross agreed, he had worn through the remnants of whatever he was wearing. He graciously accepted the hand me downs. They fit him, and Andross wondered what had happened to the old man.

“I can see ya wondrin, I got old, lost all my muscle. Used to look like you, back in the day”

“Thank you for everything, Dulces. I appreciate it. Ill be out of your hair, moving on tomorrow”

“Don’t worry about it” Dulcies shuffled towards his bed. “The village is over that way, if anyone asks, yer me great nephew”

Andross made a nest for himself in the corner with some rags Dulcies pointed out.

He didn’t feel any need for sleep however, and decided to spend the night meditating.

***

The sun was bright. It was early morning, and Andross had started on the walk over to the town. He had a gotten a couple breadrolls from the old man in exchange for a promise to visit sometime when he had some beer brewing.