In the morning waking up, the first thing he saw was a window.

Alert!

The God of Life doesn't tolerate your existence in their territory. If you don't leave until the end of the day, you will be punished!

'Geeez... I just woke up!'

After getting ready for the day he met up with Gran.

"Did you have a good night?"

"Yes! I missed sleeping in bed!"

"Then come and join me at breakfast!"

They went to eat the breakfast.

'It seems like, being silent while eating is an expected behaviour for elfs.

After ten minutes of silence they were done. Then he started to get ready for the jurney ahead of him.

'So the goal is the prairie in the north. I will need food, at least one decent weapon and armor.'

"Elder Bran I'm thankfull for your kindness, but I should be on my way now."

"It was a pleasure meeting you. Also it is natural for us to help someone in need."

"I'm still thankfull! If there is anything you want me to do while I'm travelling to the prairie, please share it with me!"

The elder seemed lost in thought for a few minutes, then grabbed two books and handed them over to Joseph.

"As I was watching your soul I saw that you have a very basic manna core in yourself. One of the books is a beginner magicians guide. It will help you use your abilities. Take it as a token of friendship."

Joseph looked at the book. It was an old book, made from paper and covered by leather. The title was in english.

'Basics of magical knowledge. Alright it seems like I can read it!'

"Thank you! What about the other one?"

"That is a book I want you to take to the ancients."

The ancients were the older elfs living in the prairie. The book looked very different. The cover was made from wood and the paper in it was a lot more rough. The title was in a different language.

"Alright I will take care of it!"

As they left the house they saw Leafa waiting for them.

"Took you long enough. I was waiting for a little while."

Bran looked at her questioningly.

"Why did you not come in?"

"I didn't want to interrupt you! But now let's leave!"

She grabbed Joseph's hand and started to pull him away. The clench was so strong, that he couldn't resist.

"Goodbye elder Bran! I'll take care of the things you asked for!"

"Goodbye young one! Take care!"

After he said this, the elder returned to his house.

'Seems like I'll be dragged around for a little more.'

"Where are you dragging me anyway?"

"I'll take you to the tailor and then to the smithy."

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

After they got to the tailor, they got new clothes and a backpack for him, then a new pair of shoes from the cobbler. The new clothes were really simple. They were all made from cloth and they were comfortable.

Leafa explained, why he got these clothes.

"These are very durrable, made for the guards, so you don't have to worry about tearing them when you move around in the forest."

As they left, he turned to her.

"I don't have anything to give you for it."

"Don't mention it. I get some stuff because I'm part of the guards. I don't really need anything nowadays anyway, so I give you these free."

"Thank you!"

"Also I wanted to say sorry..."

She said it so quietly, that Joseph did not hear it.

"To the blacksmith now!"

As they walked in, he saw a huge place with three furnaces and two blacksmiths making items at the same time. They were even taller then Leafa and they had big muscles and looked like body-builders. Next to the furnace there were trees and all kinds of metals. Next to the walls were weapon racks with all kind of weapons and mannequins wearing different armors. A third blacksmith was sitting in front of a table and drinking tea.

Leafa approched the one next to the table.

"Hey Leo! My friend needs some stuff. Could you arrange them?"

It was more like an order than a question. Also they both seemed tense, like something was not rigth between them.

'Maybe love problems? Huhuhu...!"

"If you can give me something in exchange! You know you allready took those arrows as a payment for the month!"

Leafa had an annoyed face.

"Could you give it, as a favor? I won't ask anything from you for 2 months!"

"Now you say that, but you will definetly come here next month for more arrows. You break so many of them, that I have to keep lists for your exchanges! You are the most annoying customer!"

"Oh! Don't say that! When did I break my promise?"

"Around a week ago? When you came for more arrows? Then a month ago, when you broke your new bow? And don't forget the month before..."

He was listing all kind of stuffs for a while. Leafa turned more and more sad. At the end she was crouching in front of the master and almost crying.

'Seems like she is really problematic.'

"Anyway, for your friend I can make stuff, as long as they do a little bit of help here."

Then he looked at Joseph.

"Is that dead tree from the waste lands on your shoulder? Let me look at it!"

He walked in front of Joseph. He gave the master one of the madeshift spears.

"It is! You know what? if you give me all the branches you have I will make you some stuff. These woods are really good firewood!"

'Really? That was really fortunate!'

"Then if I give them to you, can you make a shortsword and some lighter armor for me?"

"No problem! I can give a short sword now!"

He grabbed one from the weapon rack next to him and gave that to Joseph. It was somewhat heavy, but not unusable. He gave it a few swings.

"I can get used to it!"

'It is good that I played so much with wooden swords. Though I can't really fight with it, but I can beat goblins. If they are as strong as the last one was.'

Meanwhile Leafa recovered from the shock.

"Pfff... You can't even use it. How do you want to kill anything like that?"

Joseph stood in one place and Leo started to measure his different bodyparts.

"Well. It should be enough for a goblin or two. They don't seem that strong."

"For goblins? Yeah! But if you meet anything else you will die really fast!"

"You might be right. But I can't really stay and learn how to use it."

"That is true. You have to deal with it on your own."

The blacksmith finished measuring him up.

"So you don't go with your friend?"

"Why would I? Also you know. I'm part of the guards. I can't leave the city."

"I don't think anyone would have any problem with you leafing!"

Leafa's face turned red.

"How dare you!"

"I dare because you are still in dept for me!"

The blacksmith towered over the "small" girl. She started to shrink back again.

"Now let me do my job! Then leave!"

She looked really sad.

"Okey!"

Leo grabbed one of the smaller chained shirts and gave it to Joseph.

"Try it on!"

It fit him. But it was a little heavy.

"I'm not sure about this. I don't think I can move normally."

"Hahaha. Then you are just as weak as you look."

He looked just as sad as Leafa. Now two sad puppies were in the smithy. Leo grabbed an armor from the mannequins and started to work on it meanwhile, ignoring the two. In a few minutes he finished the adjustments.

"Try out this one."

It was a top armor made from some leather like material and strenghened at the parts where the shoulders and at the top of his chest, defending the weaker parts. It was lighter than the chainmail.

"This doesn't look that durrable, but until an orc hits you, there should be no problem."

It fit on him perfectly.

"Thank you! It is just my size! No wonder everyone calls you master!"

He didn't even seem like he heard what Joseph said. Just extended his right hand.

"Flattery takes you nowhere! Just give me the branches!"

He gave Leo all of them.

"I just said the truth. I don't like to flatter people anyway. Except if they earn it."

"Good mindset. Keep it up and you can get far!"

"Thank you again master! Maybe we'll meet again!"

The master just turned to the furnace and waved at him, saying he got work to do.

"Come Leafa! We shouldn't bother them anymore."

But she was still in sad puppy mode. So now he grabbed her hand and led her out of the smithy. After she got back her senses they went to the grocery store and got some other usefull stuffs, like rope, waterskinn, food etc.

"It seems like it is time for me to depart."

"Yeah. But don't worry! I'll take you until we reach the edge of the city's territory!"

After they left the city, they headed north.