Chapter 3

The patrons blessing

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As again any comments well appreciated

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3 weeks and a couple of days passed by very quickly for Grim as he was training with Thalan during the day and worked for Tyra during the nights. His ability to wield the 2 stick was progressing smoothly while the work in the inn became a thing he could do with his eyes closed.

But after all this training with the Instructor something unexpected happend.

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Mace proficency has been created due to the repetition of the action.

Mace beginner 0%

Increases dmg by 15% with maces or blunt weapons

Increases chance to knock back with maces or blunt weapons by 3 %

" Hah , boy , thats what i was waiting for. " Thalan said while excitment filled his voice.

Grim on the other hand tilted his head at the odd behaviour and gave him a puzzled look.

" Now boy , take this and this. The real training begins now. " The instructor said.

He handed him a mace with a heavy head and a shield that was smaller then a buckler and was strapped to the arm instead of held with the hand. As he strapped it in place he noticed how light it was but also the odd shape. It had 2 spikes coming out from the part that covered his left hand.

Like clockwerk Grims brain started to discover the possibiltys he had with these weapons that were not what he was used to but still felt exactly right in his hands.

" Now let me explain , with 2 wooden sticks you can't fight against monsters or animals. They will just snap them in 2 and that will be your end. Now these custome made things have what a adventurere needs. " Thalan started to explain.

" With the mace you can deal incredible damage while loosing a little speed. The shield guard is something i invented with Badric the dwarven smith to suite your tasts and we both put a lot of blood and sweat into those so treat the with care. You can stab with it like you did with the sticks. "

Now the instructor told him to resume his training with the new equipment he obtained out of generosity.

Grim approached the scarecrow and placed his left foot upfront and the right side of his body was turned away from his oppenent by 45 degrees. He swung the mace towards the place where the scarecrows should would be and turned his body counter clock wise with the swing.

As it connected a loud ' BOOOM ' was audiable throughout the training center and he received stares of surprise from the other players that occupied the building. The instructor on the other hand told him to go on.

After a staccato of smashes that crashed into the scarecrows side he started to use his left hand as well. He extracted the maces head from the scarecrow and turned his body back by 45 degrees but while doing so he stabbed with his ' shield guard '.

Grims facial expression went from suprised to disbelieve to benevolent smile as he beat the scarecrow to pulp. Everytime the maces head conncected the puppets outer shell gave in and it sunk deep inside it. Straw was flying around everywhere as he stabbed it with his left.

A few hours passed and soon he began to work in the foot work the instructor taught him. Some would describe it as graceful others beautiful but the instructor knew other wise. To him Grims expression and aura told him of a river that became a waterfall and barraged his oppenent with a incredible force that could create canyons and grind stone to nothingess.

The sun sank and that was when Grim noticed he had spent a whole day using his new weapons.

" Thank you , sir , for your guidance so far. " He payed Thalan his respects and wanted to hand over the weapons for safe keeping.

" No , Grim , the pleasure was all mine. Keep the weapons you will need them. " Thalan said.

On grims face a expression of confussion spread out.

" Was , sir? " he asked.

" Yes there is nothing i can teach you anymore. Keep the weapons as your reward. But boy visit me sometimes if you are in the area i will miss my disciple. " The instructor said while sadness spread across his face.

Grim bowed deeply and promised that he will visit him again, at least before he left the village of beginners.

..............................

He was talking a shortcut to the inn he discovered a while ago and soon his mind wandered back to his conversations he had with Andulas every other day.

They talked about the creation of the elves and how they taught the other races , then about the other gods , times of war , times of peace , times where the races prospered and even the times where all the races dispaired.

Also geography was a main discussion topic they shared.

Grim learned that the elves lived on the northwest side of the continent where the biggest and oldest forest where located.

The dwarves had their mountain kingdoms just below the elves in the western most parts.

Draconians lived in the swamps to the east and orc souteast in the sandy deserts.

Humans on the other hand held the choke point right in the middle between all races.

The distribution of the races was also something to consider. Elfs and dwarves made up 20 % of the whole population the same as orcs and draconians. Humans on the other hand held about 50 % and were still in a age of incredible fertility.

Other neutral creatures with intelligence made up the rest but they were widely lonesome tribes or races that would assosciate with none.

Some political information was placed in Grims head as well. Standing of the royal houses of the elfs and the clans of the dwarvs. Prominet houses and kingdoms of the humans.

Grim also learned that though the humans made up half of the known population of the world their kingdoms were in constant quarrels or skirmishes. For generations no war had broken out either between the good and evil side or between the humans themselves.

As he arrived at the Inn he put away those thoughts until he would meet Andulas tomorrow morning.

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The day ended quite fast and after a quick breakfast with Tyra , the inn shopkeeper , he set out to the usual meeting place.

" Hello , Grim , how have you been? " Andulas greeted him in the usual fashion.

Grim bowed quickly and answered in an orderly fashion.

" I have been doing excellent , Andulas. I hope your days were also filled with tranquility. "

Andulas smiled pleased at the greetings elfs exchanged between them that he thought Grim.

" Very good , Grim. It is always refreshing to exchange some light chatter with a young and promising boy such as yourself. But i won't teach you anything more then what i have already did. " The elf told him.

This confused Grim as his whole demanor seemed to shout ' WHY? ' .

" Don't worry you haven't done anything wrong but i can't meet you any longer. Tomorrow the ceremony of the chosen ones will be held in the grand cathedral. I will have alot to do after today. " He told him trying to calm Grim down.

" Ahh yes i almost forgot about the ceremony all together! " Grim said in surprise.

Andulas tried to surpress his laughter but after a few seconds it just broke out of him.

" Sorry boy , but this is just like you. You are so occupied with helping people and doing your own things you forget everything else. Now for our last meeting why don't you tell me what you are looking forward to the most in this world. "

Grim wanted to open his mouth and speak his mind but something inside of his head made him hesitate.

A female voice was whispering inside of his head and told him the answer he knew was right.

" I could say i look forward to the most that everything will be just and right at my own hands or even how i look forward to the most terryfing battles with dragons and the like but that is only part of it. What i truly want to see in this world are the beautiful places and regions that are yet not explored or long since forgotten . " Grim started.

" I want to venture to the planes of humans , orcs and draconians but i also want to see the kingdoms underneath the mountains of the dwarves and many more silent and serene forest that we elfs live in. But what i dearly hold inside of my heart are snowy peaks and ice planes and tundras. "

Andulas was left speechless at Grims heart felt words and ideas but he also had a gift for him before they would never meet eachother again in this certain place just to have a nice chat.

Stolen story; please report.

" If you are truly seeking out the snowy and icy planes your adventure will take you into the south kingdom of Ultharia. You will have to travel through the kingdoms of men until you reach their south borders. From there on out it is uncharted teritory. To reach the human citys it will take you weeks and to reach ultharia months. Do you still want to adventure there? " Andulas asked.

" Yes i do. " Grim said without any hesitation.

Andulas smiled as he answered.

" Very good , boy. But first you need to become stronger to undergo your travels. Numerous mind wrecking adventures lay before you to reach your goal. "

" Yes i will do my best! " Grim stated with confidence.

After this they both parted and Grim went back to the inn to help there on his last day.

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The last day went by very smoothly and as soon as morning breached Tyra was already awaiting him with freshly made eggs and bread for breakfast.

" There is my boy! " She said happily.

Grim quietly sat down and ate while the shop keeper was barraging him with questions to which he only nooded or shook his head.

" Not really a morning person , ey? Be as it may , for all your hard work here take this. " She said while slamming a pouch on the table.

Grim eyed it with excitment but as he tried to untie the strings at the top they wouldn't open.

" Don't worry after the ceremony you will be able to open it. Now , boy , i really enjoyed having you here and appreciate everything you have done if you ever decide to come back to this town stop by atleast okay? " She said with a sad tone.

She hurriedly turned away and a tear ran down her cheeck and Grim decided it would be best to just leave without making any promises he might have to break in the future.

As he left the store numerous people were standing infront of the plaza and were directly waiting for him. Some faces he recognized others he didn't but the most prominent were the Instructor the girl he helped repair the roof the old lady which bag he carried and other people he helped willingly without any compensation.

All were a little sad , some more some less , but all were bidding him farewell as now his real journey began. With renewed vigor he strode towards the cathedral where he would receive his ' patrons blessing '.

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Hundreds of players , naturally all elfs , where already waiting inside of the cathedral that easily covered 3 football fields in length and 2 in width. As he slipped in nobody took greater notice of him and he was surprised at the sheer amount of players that started on the same day he did and all as elfs.

The game has been out for 2 weeks in the real world now , inside of the game on the other hand already 2 months have passed since the first ' chosen ones ' appeared.

Even though the humans had the most ' chosen ones ' , roughly 40 % of players , the hundreds of pointy eared companions were an incredible sight.

Grim kept on looking at all his fellow chosen ones but soon an imposing speech quited the hall down. He wanted to see the speaker of the voice clearly but from 250 yards away he couldn't make out alot of features.

" ... Now as i call your names step forward and accept your patrons blessing with dignity as any elf should! " The voice ended his speech.

Numerous robbed figures appeared and people assembled in alphabetical order to receive the blessings. Grim knew this roughly but he didn't expect them to get blessed as single people instead of the hall itself.

" Do you know what is going on? " He asked a female elf with blue colored hair besides him.

As she turned around Grim was stunned for a few seconds by the other wordly beauty with the delicate facial features with blue hair and ice colored ice not unlike his own. Her lips were full and her neck slender and long. Her height was clearly below average but her intent gaze made her seem more like a ferocious beast then a docile herbivore.

" Don't you read the forums? We are being adopted into houses. " She told him.

" Houses what houses? " Grim asked in a confused manner.

The girl clicked her tongue and looked at him disapprovingly before she continued.

" Players get a family name when they get adopted by one of the prestigeuos houses the npcs hold. Even players can form their own houses but then they need to help the beginners in various ways. " She started.

" First they help them get knowledge about the world itself. Then history some even teach politics and other things like combat training. There are even houses which only have magical training and so on and so on. There is a political order to every house but most houses are some sort of royals. Dukes , Counts , dutches and even kings. But i never read about anybody being adopted by the line of Gwachilmar. "

This suprised Grim and even though the girl was nervously staring at the front and trying her best to ignore him he tapped her shoulder again to get her attention.

" What is it now? " She snapped at him.

" Sorry to bother you again but what is the line of Gwachilmar? "

Her mouth was opened wide as she stared at him.

" It's the line of elfen kings ... what did you do inside of the town of beginners for a whole month? "

Even though it was a question judging by her tone he knew it was rethorical so he didn't want to bother her with replying.

" Farain. " Someone called from the top of the steps and the girl that he talked to received her patrons blessing and giving her a family name.

This all sounded very much like a guild to him , but Grim knew there was also a guild system within the game so he discarded that thought.

5 more minutes passed and then his name was called out as well.

" Now child , kneel down and we will tell you the house that will adopt you. " One of the 30 head priests told him.

Grim acquired some more information about this event from other players.

Every headpriest was a head of a house of elfen blood and one of these heads would adopt and train him further.

For example the house of Fab-gwain was a household of Knights and Paladins , while the house of Bianel was a house of the finest archers. House Aquilias was known for its magic and library and there were houses of merchants as well.

" Child , Palanthalos our god and creator , will guide me to discover the most suitable house for your endevours. " The head priest spoke up again.

After his short speech his hand glowed and Grim felt a warm touch ontop of it without the priest actually touching it.

" This .... this can't be... " The priest said as the light disappeared.

" What is wrong , sir? " Grim asked in a weak voice.

His behaviour was definetly strange and now the other head priests had gathered around Grim and stopped the procedure completly leaving the other players hanging in the air or so to speak.

" Palanthalos has guided this child but nothing like this has ever happened before... " The one that examined him said.

Now another head priest approached the still kneeling Grim and examined him with the light as well.

" Wha ... how can this be? " This one said.

After 5 or 6 more examined him in the same fashion Grim couldn't hold his anxiety any longer.

" What is wrong , have i done something that doesn't please you? " He adressed the assembled head priests.

The crowd of players watched the whole procedure with contempt , some were gettting angry while others started to resort to violence and pushed themselves forwards.

A imposing voice that was the same who held the speech at the beginning shouted a single word and the whole cathedral did his command of silence.

He had noticed the problem they were having and as he came closer the head priests that had Grim encirceld parted before him. As he drew closer to grim his hand began to glow in the golden light as he started to examine him.

Even though his facial features were hidden behind a deep drawn hood , like every head priest wore , a smile surfaced on his face.

" Child let me reveal the name you will uphold with honor from today onwards. Your name shall be Grim Gwachilmar. My son. " The imposing figure said as he withdrew his hood.

Now standing before grim was Andulas ... the king of the Elfs and ruler of Sereinbar the Kingdom of elfs.