The Huntaereth Period: Maycol,19th day,800 cycles
----------------------------------------
It had been a hour or two that passed when Roan arrived to this world. He was bombarded by the strangeness of the air, the strangeness of the sky, the strangeness of the people it was all just weird. Interestingly weird.
“Cough into this paper for me, Roan.” Lord Alfie commanded.
”Alright.” Roan replied dejectedly. The blue screen didn’t tell him that he was sick so he thought that maybe he wasn’t.
[The system does not give status updates on sicknesses, we only show you the perks you receive and your general status.]
Roan jittered a bit after the blue screen popped up. How could this, thing, read his mind.
“Blue screen?” Alfie asked.
“Yeah?” Roan replied and then coughed into the paper.
Alfie smiled and then looked at him strangely.
“Your manner of speech is very, informal.” Alfie said.
“I guess I should work on that huh?” Roan asked rhetorically.
Alfie shook his head in agreement.
While their little conversation went on Lord Roschem, laughed. Startling Roan and Alfie with his booming resonance. After calming down.
“How about you joined the Plagued Legion?” Lord Roschem asked, somewhat hopeful. He leaned on his large mahogany desk.
“ Why and what’s that?” Roan asked. While leaning back in his chair.
Alfie looked at Roan like an ass. Lord Roschem just shook his head and laughed.
“As expected from a Votem warrior, basic elementary learning and then, just fighting. Your Vitality stat is the highest I’ve ever seen from a beginner. Even though it doesn’t show on your status, I think. You have a strong immune system according to the status effect paper test.”
“But, what’s a legion?”
“An army basically.” Alfie said.
You see while in high school Roan abandoned a few things. He didn’t flunk, none of that, rather he was just average. His favourite hobby? Wrestling. Things he liked to watch? Strongman competitions. Outside of that, maybe an occasional light novel about a certain Korean hunter, or a movie or a trashy tv show with a green person and outside of that not much. I guess he just missed out on all the best kingdom build/army novels ever.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
Alfie shook his head with bewilderment and Lord Roschem looked at Roan expecting an answer.
“I-I don’t know. I’m sure I can have an answer for you, just not, right now.”
“Well comeback to me when you have your final answer. Here, a mask. You might not be sick, but this is, a plagued land.” Lord Roschem said while handing him a Black Plague mask.
Gracefully accepting the gesture and bowing his head, unsure of the customs. He followed Alfie who had started leaving the office like space. They walked through the ‘halls’ of the tent and went outside. Alfie halted and turned to Roan.
“Why did you reject it?” He asked.
“I didn’t? I just, I’m new to all, this, ok.” Roan replied.
“What’s, ok? A word?” Alfie pondered.
Lying through his teeth Roan replied, “ Something we do in Votem, you wouldn’t understand.”
Alfie shook his head. He beckoned to follow, they went to what seem like the edge of the plains. It was an impressive view. It wasn’t even a plain, it was a plateau. An extremely large plateau. A slivering slope of white slopes jutted its edge the lowest level seemingly filled with white sand, barren of life, hope and will.P
“Where is this Sir Alfie?” Roan asked still enamoured by the sight.
Alfie squinted, shook his head answered, “ Coato, the last edge of the Huntaer Kingdom.”
“Huntaer, original much.” Roan said and chuckled, quickly cut short by Alfie’s comments.
“If you said something like that in the capital they would have gutted you on the streets, not even a proper burial.” Alfie said with anger, “ So keep your gullet away from such things.”
“I apologise.” Roan said curtly, “ Continuing, I would like to ask sir Alfie.”
“What?”
“ Could I have some appropriate clothes? It is getting quite, cold.”
“ Stop speaking like that, you sound more of a court jester than a man.” Alfie replied while gesturing him towards the shack they were beside.
They entered the shack. It was a place filled with more amour than clothes. Alfie went towards the armoury section. He reached down into a basket and threw a brown shirt to him and some long black pants, with strings to keep them up.
"Do you have any large belts?" Roan asked.
"Girding your loins?What for?" Alfie asked.
"It makes me feel, secure."
"Ah, I understand." Alfie responded.
He reached into the basket again and tossed the belt to Roan. He secured it around his waist.
[+2 Strength
Roan couldn't be bothered to check his status screen. He just sighed as he made it a small mission of his to get used to these pop ups.
"Do you know where I can find a mirror around here Alfie?"
"Yes, Roan," Alfie replied. While turning dejectedly he said in a sarcastic tone, "Follow me."
On there way to the mirror, which was taking longer than expected. Roan started a conversation as usual. The awkwardness of silence was too much for a pseudo-introvert.
"Alfie. If Mister Roschem is such a big shot, why is he out here? In this desolate place."
"This is," Alfie sighed, "It was 780 years ago, 20 years after the Huntaer coup against the Ottom. Huntaer obviously successful, tried to. Well wipe away their dirty history. Our, we'll my lord he was integral as a man who new poison. Many poisons-"
Roan interrupted, " Lord Roschem's father grand whatever father right?"
"No. Lord Roschem is of a transcendent level and his perks affects his aging process."
Roan was shocked at how nonchalant this fact was to Alfie. Was this also present everywhere. The fact that these people could essentially live forev-
"But as the kingdom grew more powerful so did Huntaereth's influence and so to wipe away the image of poisons and blood and war. He 'banished' m' Lord here. To this place.This dreadful!" Aldie stopped himself when his voice was to be raised.
This wasn't a topic he liked. Not one bit.