The Land: Forging (Chaos Seeds Book 2)

CHAPTER 1

“Be welcome at the Hearth Tree, Richter of the Mist Village,” Hisako said with a smile. “And welcome home my son, I see you have grown in strength, hopefully in wisdom as well,” the last said with a wry arch of her eyebrow.

“Thank you, mother. Yes, I have learned much, and found a good friend and ally,” Sion replied with a smile.

Richter walked forward and took her hand, “Hearth Mother, thank you. Sion is more than a friend to me, he is a brother. There is no way I could have accomplished what I have accomplished without him. I formally extend the friendship and welcome of the Mist Village to you and your people. I sincerely hope that you will ask me for any help that you might need.”

A serious look came over her face, “I was hoping that you would say that. There have been small camps of goblins and bugbears seen in the forest between here and the Fire Tip Mountains to the east. They are slaughtering all of the local wildlife and despoiling the Forest. We need to clear them out and learn why they are making inroads into the Forest. I will not stand by and watch the Forest of Nadria become like the Whisper Woods, overrun with evil creatures. The Forest will be protected, no matter how many battles it takes. Will you help?”

You have been offered a Quest: Protect the Forest I. Bugbears and goblins have invaded the Forest of Nadria and are disrupting nature’s balance. The Hearth Mother is asking your help. You must destroy an enemy camp. Optional: Find out why the invaders are coming into the Forest. Reward: Unknown. Yes or No?

“Ready to take out some more bad guys,” Richter asked smiling.

Sion looked back with that happy bloodthirsty grin of his, “Oh yes brother! That’s what we do!”

“Yeah man! Now like we practiced.” Richter stuck his palm out, which Sion slapped with his own. Immediately, they slapped the backs of their hands together, then made fists, bumped them, drew their fists back opening them slowly, closed them again, bumped them again, twisted their fists to lock it, then opened their hands quickly and both said, “BOOM!”

Hisako just stared at them with wide eyes and her mouth ajar, “What are you doing?”

“That is called giving ‘dap’ mother. You wouldn’t understand,” Sion said with a laugh that was echoed by Richter. Shaking her head, she just turned around and walked to the Hearth Tree. The two of them followed, still chuckling.

They left the golden glade of the wood sprites the next morning. Their armor was left behind as well. Their adventures so far had left holes, gouges and dents in their gear. Unfortunately, the magical armor could not be repaired by a normal smith. The sprite magicians promised they would make it whole, but it would take several days. They decided to use the time to walk to Richter’s concealed glade.

Besides wanting to see Hisako, the other reason they had left the village was to collect water from the Pool of Clarity. The magical waters gave a 25% bonus to any experience earned over the course of a day. Richter had taken the waters for granted at first. He had later discovered that a Potion of Clarity normally sold for two to three gold pieces, however, or the equivalent of three to four months’ wages for most people in The Land. This wonderful little pond was going to be the cash cow that helped him grow the Mist Village as quickly as possible. Hisako had offered to send guards with them in light of the encroachment of bugbears into the forest, but despite the fact that they were now basically allies, he didn’t feel comfortable disclosing such sensitive information, i.e., where his glade was. Having guards come along would have been as good as drawing a map.

The two Companions set out just as the forest was coming alive. The birdsong that Richter had first heard when coming to The Land had grown more complex as the weather got warmer and more birds made the forest their home. The trip was relaxed and easy. Going without armor for the first time in weeks was also a freeing experience. Though invaluable, his Light Armor did decrease his movement speed. According to Ulinde, a journeyman of Light Armor who had decided to join Richter’s village, the decrease was about 3% per piece at his current skill rank. That meant when he was wearing the entire suit, he moved about 18% slower than he otherwise would have. Apparently when he became an Initiate, the penalty decreased to 2%, then 1% at Apprentice rank. Journeyman and on, the speed penalty would disappear completely. Richter was really looking forward to that! Medium and heavy armor had even worse penalties to speed. Dodge, casting, and several other things were affected by heavier armor as well. These were all reasons that casters, rogues, or fighters specializing in ranged combat, typically wore light armor.

Despite the short distance between the Hearth Tree and the glade, finding their destination would normally not have been easy. It might have been near impossible in fact, but the Traveler’s map Richter had bought let him retrace his steps exactly. Anywhere he had been showed up brightly on the map. While locations he had not visited personally, but the map maker had, were in grayscale. Everything else was pure black. It was interactive so he could track his location, and find his way unerringly to anywhere he had already been. Even so, when the two friends approached the entrance to the small glade, there was nothing to indicate its presence except the rocks Richter had strewn around which would only be significant to him. The entry looked like nothing more than a stand of trees against a cliff face. Richter decided to test what Xuetrix the imp had told him when he had first awoken in the Land. When they were directly in front of the entrance, he turned to his Companion.

“Sion, walk in.”

“Walk in where,” the sprite asked. “There is nothing in front of us except for trees and cliff face.”

“Trust me,” Richter said. “Just start walking forward.”

Sion looked at him in disbelief, but did as he was asked. He put both hands out in front of him and tried to push past the trees. He didn’t go more than two feet when he stopped. It was clear that he was leaning on some sort of barrier. The sprite moved several feet to his left and tried again. This time his shoulders bunched as he pushed against whatever was in front of him.

“Are you having a laugh at my expense Richter? You are never really funny, but if so, then this is just pathetic!”

“Calm down! I was just testing something! When I first got here, an imp told me that no one else should be able to enter the glade. Looks like he was right.”

“An imp? You should not be interacting with those things! They are always causing mischief and problems!”

“He wasn’t so bad,” Richter said. “He gave me some good advice and information when I got here.”

“Trust me when I tell you that you were lucky! EVERYONE knows not to trust them. At least you don’t owe it a favor!”

Errrrrr, yeahhhh, Richter thought. He decided not to bring up that the imp HAD, in fact, tricked him into owing it a favor. No use talking about it now. Besides, what’s the worst that could happen?

“Well, like I said, the imp was useful. The point is that the entrance is right in front of you, it’s just that an enchantment is keeping you out. So come with me. I’ll walk you in.” Richter held his hand out.

Sion’s face lost all expression, “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Well, you can’t get in by yourself obviously. So come hold my hand.”

Sion’s sword materialized.

Richter held his hands up. “You can always wait out here, but there are a large number of herbs that grow inside. I haven’t seen most of them anywhere else I’ve traveled so far, so they’re probably pretty rare. Like I said, it’s up to you, though...”

Sion’s face screwed up in a pained expression. Richter could practically hear the sprite’s teeth grinding. He shoved the sword back into its sheath with his uncannily fast attack speed. The next words were said with deadly intensity, “If you tell N-E-ONE about this. I will make you pay for it!”

Richter nodded innocently. With a look of complete understanding on his face he extended his hand again. Muttering under his breath in the wood sprite home tongue, Sion clasped his hand without making eye contact. The two of them walked forward together, and after only a few feet Richter felt the light tingle over his skin that denoted when he entered the boundaries of the glade. Turning to Sion he said, “Now see there little buddy, that wasn’t so – Argggh! You bastard!”

Sion apparently did not appreciate Richter’s attempt at gentle ribbing. He had drawn his sword and slapped the flat of it across the back of Richter’s thighs. He didn’t even have the good grace to say anything, merely sheathing his sword again and walking forward into the glen. Muttering about angry little Napoleons, Richter massaged the back of his legs and glared at his Companion. Deciding nothing constructive would come from dragging the moment out, he let it go and examined a prompt that had come up.

You have brought a Companion to your hidden enclave. Do you wish to allow this person access in the future? Yes or No?

Selecting ‘Yes,’ he took in his surroundings. The small grassy area looked just as he remembered. Sunlight shone down through a break in the cliff face illuminating a pool of water surrounded by a small meadow. Colorful flowers and herbs were strewn about the grass. The ache in his legs quickly fled his mind. Richter had forgotten the wonderful serenity of this place, and he took a few minutes to just appreciate the beauty around him. Coming back to himself, he walked with the slightest of hobbles over to the Pool of Clarity.

After he had filled first vial, he held it up to his eye. Richter was able to see motes of light floating through the crystal clear water; a detail he had missed previously. After filling the pinky sized vial, he placed it into the Bag of Holding and withdrew another empty vial with the same motion. While he was collecting the precious liquid, Sion seemed to be fascinated by the varied plant life. Richter heard him mutter, “Dragon’s Tongue, Bloodwort, Star Lily, Amarintha Cap, …” The sprite’s attention was so enthralled by the varied plant life in the glen, that they ended up spending the night there. Their day was spent carefully gathering plants. They finished their herb collection for the night and Sion’s breathing was deep and regular in slumber. Richter was about to follow his Companion’s example when he noticed a faint glow coming from the pool. Moonlight was falling directly upon it, and a blue light was shining up from the bottom, illuminating the water.

Richter quietly got up from his sleep roll. He waded out until he was knee-deep, and reached his hand into the pool. The blue gleam was coming from the floor of the pond. He scraped the mud and muck aside dirtying the water. When it cleared, he saw a glowing blue rock. A prompt came up:

Glade of Serenity. This secret glade was the home of Karim the Knowledgeable. He was of a long-lived species, the Hanketsu, that were typically prone to quick anger and judgement. He turned from this path, however and devoted his life to the study of the natural world. It was his belief that through the proper application of knowledge, one could create a society of just and fair laws. Feeling his death was near, he laid down by this simple pool and breathed his last. His death transformed it into a Pool of Clarity. The bones of the Hanketsu glow blue in the moonlight.

Richter realized then that he wasn’t touching a rock. It was a skull. The skull of Karim the Knowledgeable. Standing in the slightly too cool waters of the Pool, Richter bowed his head and stood silently. He would never know who this man was, but he honored him. He stood silent vigil over the bones of a man who had dedicated his life to a worthy cause, and he quietly thanked him for the help the Pool provided. When he was done, he left the water and laid down for sleep.

The next morning, Sion enlisted Richter’s help again to pick every remaining plant and herb that could be useful, and then place them in his Bag. One wonderful trait of the Bag of Holding that Richter hadn’t been aware of initially was that it either stopped or severely slowed decay. Food that was placed in the Bag, and then removed days later, did not lose any of its freshness. The Bag was not a form of cryogenic freezing, unfortunately. A simple experiment had proven that. A live fish fresh from the river had been placed inside. It was most definitely not alive when he pulled it back out even a few seconds later, though. On the plus side, it was still tasty!

They set out that afternoon, the glade almost stripped bare of herbs. A bonus of the time they spent was that Richter’s Herb Lore skill had increased. They would have been done faster, but Sion spread seeds of the collected plants in the glen and then watered them. He was planning to do the same once he returned to the Mist Village. The meadow above the village proper had already shown itself to be naturally fertile ground for rare plants. The Bag of Holding would keep everything viable until they got back home.

They walked back to the Hearth Tree enjoying the warm day. Spring was present now in full effect and everywhere Richter looked, small animals were scurrying about. The Hearth Tree was less than a day’s walk from the hidden glade, so they took their time. Richter examined his status. It was remarkable how far he had come in such a short time.

Name: Richter

Age: 24

Level: 10, 11%

Health: 290 Mana: 250 Stamina: 170

Strength: 15

Agility: 17

Dexterity: 30

Constitution: 17

Endurance: 17

Intelligence: 23

Wisdom: 21

Charisma: 21

Luck: 14

Abilities:

Limitless

Gift of Tongues

Fast Learner

Skills:

Herb Lore Lvl 5; 36% to next level, 100% affinity

Alchemy Lvl 1; 0% to next level, 100% affinity

Analyze Lvl 5; 17% to next level, 100% affinity

Stealth Lvl 4; 76% to next level, 100% affinity

Archery Lvl 7; 78% to next level, 100% affinity

Imbue Arrow Lvl 4; 94% to next level, 100% affinity

Focus Lvl 2; 60% to next level, 100% affinity

Double Shot Lvl 3; 20% to next level, 100% affinity

Drill Shot Lvl 2; 28% to next level, 100% affinity

Swordsmanship Lvl 1; 88% to next level, 100% affinity

Small Blades Lvl 1; 11% to next level, 100% affinity

Unarmed Combat Lvl 1; 10% to next level, 100% affinity

Pressure Points Lvl 1; 15% to next level, 100% affinity

Light Armor Lvl 6; 59% to next level, 100% affinity

Grace in Combat Lvl 2; 42% to next level, 100% affinity

Air Magic Lvl 3; 51% to next level, 100% affinity

Life Magic Lvl 1; 49% to next level, 100% affinity

Earth Magic Lvl 2; 98% to next level, 100% affinity

Water Magic Lvl 1; 19% to next level, 100% affinity

Dark Magic Lvl 3; 31% to next level, 100% affinity

Map Making Lvl MAX

Trade Lvl 2; 27% to next level, 100% affinity

Marks

Master of Mist Village

Resistances:

Air 50%

Mental 15%

Spiritual 15%

Race: Human (Chaos Seed)

Reputation: Lvl 2 “I think I know that guy!”

Alignment: Neutral

Language: All

They were met at the edge of the glade by a female sprite.

“Well met, Sionavar,” she said.

“Well met, Daniella,” Sion responded sounding annoyed. “I have told you to call me Sion.”

She simply laughed, “The Hearth Mother wants the two of you to come to the Tree. Follow me.”

The three of them started walking towards the massive tree. Richter was able to successfully fight the impulse for all of ten seconds, “So Sionavar, huh?”

“I DON’T want to talk about it!”

“Hahaha, whatever you say… Sionavar!”

Sion half drew his sword again and pointedly looked at Richter’s legs. The laughter trailed off into a bout of coughing.

When they arrived in front of the Hearth Tree, Hisako was standing with three other older sprites. “Welcome back, Richter of the Mist Village. Welcome back, my son. Were you able to retrieve the supplies you needed?”

Richter smiled and said, “Yes. In fact, I would like to give you a small gift.” He pulled ten Potions of Clarity from his bag. One he placed in her hand, and the other he laid at her feet.

When she saw the motes of light in the vials, her own eyes began to sparkle, “This is a wonderful gift! Thank you!”

“It is a small token of appreciation for what you have given me. I am sure you have many wonders associated with your Place of Power Hisako. I would like it if, in addition to helping each other with defense, we could become trading partners as well. I know we could both profit from this arrangement.”

The sparkle in her eyes was replaced with a crafty gleam, “I am sure we can come to some arrangement in the future. I’m not sure our relationship is quite strong enough for a standing trade agreement right now, however. Perhaps if you employ an experienced trader we can discuss it again. If we do become trading partners, do not expect special treatment, just because you are friends with my son!”

Richter was confused by her refusal, but then a prompt came up.

Know This! Both parties involved in making a trade agreement must either be a minimum skill level of Initiate or employ a trader with that level. The stronger the relationship between two civilizations, the lower the level of trader required.

Richter nodded to himself, the rebuttal now making more sense. Not wanting to make the situation awkward, he gave a small laugh and answered, “I wouldn’t have it any other way, Hearth Mother. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

She gave a laugh of her own, “Well enough talk of state. We have repaired your old armor, but you won’t need it anymore. I think you will like what we have for you instead.” The tired looking elders moved out of the way. What was behind them took his breath away.

You have found: Sprite Helmet of Mana. Defense +7. Durability 30/30. Item class: Rare. Quality: Superb. Type: Light Armor. Weight 1.3 kg. Mana +44.

You have found: Sprite Breastplate of Brawn. Defense +12. Durability 60/60. Item class: Rare. Quality: Superb. Type: Light armor. Weight: 6.1 kg. Strength +8

You have found: Hardened Sprite Bracers. Defense +10. Durability 30/30. Item class: Rare. Quality: Superb. Type: Light armor. Weight: 3.0 kg. Dexterity +7.

You have found: Studded Sprite Gauntlets. Defense +7. Durability 40/40. Item class: Uncommon. Quality: Superb. Type: Light Armor. Weight 2.2 kg. Increased climbing +10.

You have found: Greaves of the Wood Sprite. Defense +9. Durability 45/45. Item class: Uncommon. Quality: Superb. Type: Light armor. Weight: 2.8 kg. Movement speed increased by 10%.

You have found: Reinforced Sprite Boots. Defense +8. Durability 35/35. Item class: Uncommon. Quality: Superb. Type: Light armor. Weight: 1.8 kg. Silence +15.

Congratulations! You have obtained an entire set of matched armor: Enhanced Sprite Armor. Defense given by each piece increased by 25%. Special Bonus: 50% less noise made while moving through forest. Special Bonus: +20% Earth Resistance.

Hisako looked at him and chuckled, “Close your mouth, Richter. That’s how you catch flies.”

“Hisako, this is too much!”

“This is well within my power Richter. My son is wearing an almost identical set of enhanced armor. The resistances are different, and there are one or two other small variations, but otherwise you are now wearing the armor of a sprite warrior. We fight for the good of the Forest of Nadria, and you have proven that you do as well. The least that I can do is to give you better protection.”

Richter looked at Sion, “You have been wearing enhanced armor this whole time? And I was the one that had to run from the giant skeeling?”

“What giant skeeling?” Hisako asked confused. Sion looked at the ground and kicked it with his foot.

Richter looked at the stats of the gauntlets, “And increased climbing? Is that how you always make it into the trees so easily? When I asked, you said I just needed to apply myself!” Richter’s voice was getting louder.

Sion looked up with a smirk on his face.

“And your Strength? I asked you how you were so strong when you were so much smaller than me! You told me it was because of ‘secret sprite exercises!’ You had me do all of those pushups!” Richter’s hands leapt out to choke the little man who was now cackling with abandon. Richter was sure he heard chuckles from behind him too, but he stayed focused on the manipulative leprechaun in front of him.

Violence would most definitely have ensued if Hisako had not placed herself between the two of them. “Peace, Richter, peace! My son has a lot of growing up to do! I am sure he is sorry!”

Sion kept laughing and shook his head. Richter glared at his Companion. Tears were coming out of the bastard’s eyes now!

“Ignore him, Richter! Look what else we have for you!”

Richter exhaled heavily, “Okay Hisako. You’re still a dick, Sion!”

“Sion! That was not funny,” she half-heartedly admonished. Was that a note of suppressed laughter in her voice? When Richter looked at her, all he saw was her normal serene mask so he couldn’t be sure. Still not quite trusting her calm exterior, he decided to let the matter drop. For now, anyway. He would be getting even with Sion at some point, though.

Hisako looked to one of the older sprites who nodded back. He went inside of the Hearth Tree and came immediately back out. His arms were holding… something. When he shook out his burden, though, Richter whistled softly in appreciation.

You have found: Cloak of Concealment. Defense +4. Durability 30/30. Item class: Rare. Quality: Superb. Weight: 0.9 kg. Increased Concealment in all terrains +25.

Richter placed his hand on the cloak and felt the fabric. The smooth cloth molded to his skin. It almost seemed to anticipate his movements. Putting it on completely, he found that it reached down past his calves. The molding quality of the cloak kept it close to his body as he moved. At the same time, it was light as a feather, and when he extended his arms, it easily fell away. It would be perfect for either stealth or battle.

“Once again, I am overwhelmed by your generosity,” Richter said his irritation forgotten as he played with his new and latest toy.

“Fight well Richter. Enjoy our gifts,” a wry expression found its way onto the Hearth Mother’s face.

Richter smiled back, “Thank you again. There were one or two other things I would like to discuss. Master to Master so to speak.”

Hisako nodded, “Daniella, take Sion to his armor. The rest of you, thank you for your help. I will speak with Lord Richter alone.”

Everyone began to shuffle away. Sion and Daniella appeared to be arguing good-naturedly as soon as they started walking together. In a short period of time, Hisako and Richter were alone in the sea of golden grasses. They walked leisurely through the meadow. The grasses reacted to the Hearth Mother’s presence, both bending out of her way and also caressing her outstretched hands.

“So what did you want to discuss,” she asked.

“First, I’m guessing from your surprise,, Sion did not tell you about that battle with the skeeling?”

“No, I had no knowledge of this. I have never heard of a skeeling any larger than a raccoon.”

“Well, to make a long story short, we found an Offshoot. Sion said it was a baby Hearth Tree or something like that. The Seed Core was still active, and a skeeling had been feeding off of its energy. It had grown to the size of a bear. We killed it and skinned it. Once it was dead, we were able to recover the Seed Core.”

“Now I’m sure there is still a lot I don’t know about it,” Richter continued, “but Sion told me that it could grow any number of magical trees. He also told me that you would not mind me planting it in my village. Now I can only imagine what an amazing asset it could be for my village. Whatever benefits the tree might provide however, your friendship is more important to me. The Seed Core seems like a relic of your people. I will give it to you if you want.” Richter pulled the brown sphere from his bag. The green veins pulsed with light. Once more, he was filled with a feeling of contentment, and the smell of warm rain on grass filled his nose.

“My son was correct. If the Forest led you to the Seed Core, then it belongs with you. But,” a speculative look crossed her timeless features, “perhaps we can help one another. Your Mist Village is the physical manifestation of your Place of Power, much as the Hearth Tree is the physical manifestation of mine. I am guessing that your village is still at level 1. Having progressed my Place of Power past level 1, I have access to certain high-level spells that you do not. Both of our Places of Power share a Life ley line. As long as the spell is of that school there shouldn’t be any… unforeseen consequences.”

“Okay, you lost me. What do you mean consequences?” Richter asked.

“It is never a good idea to recklessly blend magic of different types. It can cause short or long term effects that might be good or ill. To fully explain would take years of study, but an example is casting Heal on a zombie. A spell of Life cast upon a creature of Death can have the opposite effect. In this case, casting Heal actually harms the zombie because it is undead. The same spell might heal a vampire, though, because it is living dead. As you can see the details can get quite frustrating and irritating. It is best not to imbue an already powerful relic with a blessing that just might negatively react with the massive Powers your village is built upon.”

“Makes sense,” Richter said. “So what blessing did you have in mind?”

“There are several, but what I suggest is the Life Blessing of Growth. Seed Cores grow much quicker than other trees, but it would still take years for even a level 1 tree to develop. I can advance the growth one level, which would equate to ten to fifteen years of growth. The Blessing of Growth is also the best because we do not know what type of tree will be made. I don’t know if Sion explained, but Seed Cores create whichever type of tree best serves the needs of the lives around it. We can almost be assured it will be a strong tree, though if you plant it at your Place of Power.”

“I will trust your judgement. This Growth blessing sounds wonderful, but you mentioned that I could help you as well. What can I do?”

“I am sure you remembered the chrysalis from the staff?” Richter nodded. “Unfortunately, we have been unable to revive the Royal Pixie inside. I can only deduce that the pixie has been in stasis for too long. That, coupled with the chrysalis being used to fuel that evil weapon, must have made its life spark wane dangerously low. We need an infusion of Life energy to safely extract it from the chrysalis. A Seed Core is the purest expression of Life Magic that I know. Unfortunately, the Hearth Tree will not make another for at least one hundred years. That is why I need your help. When a Seed Core is planted, it releases an amazing amount of Life energy. You can save the pixie trapped in the chrysalis. Will you help?

You have been offered a Quest: Resurgence of Light I. The pixie race was destroyed many years ago by a magical plague. One chrysalis has been recovered. One last light has been preserved. When you plant the Seed Core at the Mist Village, will you help Hisako birth the Royal Pixie Chrysalis. Reward: Unknown. Yes or No?

Richter nodded at Hisako, “Of course I will help.”

She breathed a sigh of relief, “Thank you. The ceremony for the blessing will take place tomorrow morning. I will need to use all the mana that can be generated by my Place of Power, and I have already used a large amount to enhance your armor. My stores will replenish by the morning. As long as we get the Seed Core planted within a week, the Blessing will last. While you wait today, I have a suggestion. You should work with Yoshi. He is an adept in swordsmanship and will be able to teach you how to use that sword on your back.”

“Thank you. I would be honored,” Richter said somewhat surprised. It never occurred to him that the diminutive sprites would have a high-level swordsman. Before he let Hisako slip away, there was one last piece of business to address, “Do you know where the bugbear and goblin camp is yet?”

Hisako sighed, “We are looking, but so far we have found nothing. We must be cautious, though. The bugbears have been sending out patrols of their own. We have already had several skirmishes. Thankfully none of my people have been seriously wounded yet. Don’t worry, we know they are to the east, so there are only so many places they can hide. We will let you know soon.”

Richter nodded and the two of them walked back through the tall grasses. Once they reached the Hearth Tree, Hisako took her leave. As she was walking away, she called out to another sprite to bring the sword adept. She also looked back and said, “Don’t worry about returning your old armor. I have a feeling it might come in handy for you to have a spare set. Also,” she paused, “you might want to put on your new armor now.” The last was said with what could only be described as a devilish grin on her face. With that parting rejoinder, she walked away.

A little confused as to why he would need stronger armor in the heart of the wood sprites’ defenses, he still took her advice. Once that was done, he stowed his old armor in his Bag of Holding. It took up a ridiculous amount of slots in the 20x20 grid. He would have to unload it in the vault as soon as he got back to his village. Once that was done, he drew his longsword and took several practice swings with it. The tall gold grass bent out of his way whenever the sword came near. At first he thought it was a trick of the wind, but when he intentionally tried to hit the grass, it still avoided the strike. He started a bit of a game, fencing with the grass which continually dodged out the way. Despite his efforts, he got nowhere near cutting even one of the tall gold blades of grass. He jumped back with his sword extended, and one arm thrown in the air behind him and shouted, “En garde!”

“Don’t play with it son,” a gruff voice said. “That’s how you go blind!”

Confused, Richter turned towards the voice. He was surprised by who stood before him. The sprite was taller than most. Hisako was the tallest he had seen at four feet. This man was closer to five. He also lacked the smooth, childlike quality to his face that the other sprites possessed. That may have just been due to the scar that pulled the left corner of his mouth down into a slight perpetual frown, but Richter didn’t think so. His ears were also more pointed and his skin a slightly darker hue. Richter decided to use his Analyze skill.

Name: Yoshi. Half-Sprite, Half-Human. Level 26. Health 520. Mana 200. Stamina 290. Racial blends are erratic in their disposition. They can end up with some or none of any of their parent races characteristics. Profession: Warrior.

Level 26! And he had a profession! This was not someone to take lightly! Richter nodded at him. “So you are the sword adept?”

“That I am. Hisako asked me to help you. Is there a reason you’re staring at me like that?”

Richter had been closely examining the man. He had never seen a mix of the races before. When Yoshi asked the question, though, he jumped, not realizing he had been so obvious with his observation.

“I’m sorry, I’ve just never met someone who was born of two races before.”

“And? Do you have a problem with it,” Yoshi asked with raw ire in his voice.

“Not at all! I did not mean to offend you! I am truly appreciative of any help I could receive from an adept like yourself.” Richter raised both hands in a mollifying gesture.

Yoshi gave a loud ‘hmpf.’ “Well enough then. We might as well get started. Hold onto that crowbar you call a sword if you can!” Yoshi picked up a bundle of thick sticks he had next to him and walked over to Richter. He dropped the bundle when he was a few steps away from Richter and drew a four-foot long piece of wood from the collection. It was a thumb width in size and bare patches showed where smaller twigs had been torn off.

“Now attack me,” Yoshi said.

Richter looked at him with uncertainty, “You’re not going to use a sword?”

“No, I’m going to use these branches.”

“Why? I don’t want to hurt y-. Owww!”

As Richter was talking, Yoshi had leisurely raised his stick and then there was a blur. Richter hadn’t seen the man move, but he felt the stick strike him in the side of the head. He grabbed the spot that was throbbing, taking a step back. When he looked up again, Yoshi was standing in the same place with a calm expression on his face.

“I am using this stick for several reasons. You have just discovered one of them. It allows me to instruct you without the risk of immediate and irreparable injury. When I give you a command, I expect it to be followed. You may always ask questions, but only after, or time permitting, during, the completion of my command. Now come face me and attack.”

Richter rubbed his head and glared at the man. He wanted to be attacked? Fine! Richter would give Yoshi a little scar to remember him by. He stomped up to the smaller man. With no hesitation he lunged forward, sword positioned to scrape the man’s ribs. That was the intention anyway. What actually happened, was Richter began to move forward, Yoshi did something, and then he was lying on his back. The sword was no longer in his hand and now his right wrist, both temples, chest and left leg were all throbbing. It was now very clear why Hisako had told him to put on his enhanced armor. Even wearing it, and with Yoshi using only a stick, this was incredibly painful!

Richter heard a long suffering sigh come from Yoshi. “Banished gods, why have I been sent such a hopeless case? Well? Get back up human. We have a lot of work to do.”

Richter’s only answer was the combination of a slow exhale and a groan.