Jeremy

  The quest appeared across Jeremy’s vision as soon as he responded. The 165 XP would be more than enough to move him to the next level and maybe even another.

  Heck yeah!

  “How do I find the shrine?” he asked, hoping for a glowing arrow or a magical GPS ability.

  “Elionas or Elirian may guide you,” Velarion said. “They may also assist in any battles; however, they will share in the experience of the kills. The quest rewards are yours alone.”

  Jeremy frowned. “I thought your world was peaceful. Why does Nivalár want me to destroy defilers? That sounds…not so peaceful, all due respect.”

  “I understand,” Velarion said, leaning back in his chair. “Peace does not mean the absence of conflict. We do not seek violence, but we answer when Nivalár calls. Other realms do not share our restraint. You will find good and evil throughout Elar. Eradication of all evil would be the eradication of all free will.”

  “That’s… actually profound. I’ve always wondered why our God allows evil to exist,” Jeremy said, then thought for a few seconds. “I wonder if our God is like Nivalár and —”

  “Best not to compare divinities,” Velarion interrupted gently, but firmly. “In time, you will learn truths you are not yet ready to bear. Please, understand.”

  With that, he rose and began clearing the table. Elionas and Elirian moved to help, but Velarion waved them off.

  Jeremy stood quickly. “I’m sorry if I said something wrong.”

  “You did not,” Velarion said from the washbasin. “But our conversation ends here. Choose who will accompany you?”

  “Both, if I can…um..if they want to.”

  “It is up to them. Elionas? Elirian?”

  Elionas stepped forward. “I will guide him.”

  “Acceptable,” Velarion said. “Good journey.”

  The abrupt dismissal left Jeremy awkwardly hovering. Shake hands? Bow? Kneel? Salute? He settled for a respectful nod.

  “Thank you,” he said, bowing his head. “For everything.”

  The brothers clasped Velarion’s hand and forearm in a gesture Jeremy mimicked. At the temple door, Elirian wished him a safe journey before parting ways.

  “Our travel will take two days. We may find food, but preparation is wise. Restoration potions especially.”

  “I only have three gold pieces,” Jeremy said. “What can I even buy with that?”

  Elionas smiled broadly. “Elaria does not use gold. But if Nivalár gave it to you, it holds value elsewhere. One gold equals fifty silver. A platinum coin equals fifty gold. Most goods cost less than one gold. You are well supplied.”

  “How do you pay for food or potions? Or bills?”

  Elionas smiled again saying, “Butchers provide meat. Farmers provide crops. Builders build. Anglers fish. Healers heal. Each contributes what they can.”

  Jeremy looked around. Everyone seemed content. No one rushed. No one argued. “What do you and your brother do?”

  “We are fishermen.”

  “Nice. My dad was a fisherman. That’s a popular trade where I come from. I work in tech—well, I did. I helped people invest their money.”

  “Ah. I have heard of investors. But we do not need them in Elaria.”

  “Right. No gold, no investments. Nice,” Jeremy chuckled. “I guess I have a new job now.”

  “Yes! As an emissary, you will want for nothing while in Elaria. Outside the city, you will need gold for trade.”

  “Got it. So, where do we stop first?”

  Elionas led him to a small shop draped in vines and flowers. Glancing around the shop, overflowing with vials, bottles, basins, casks, herbs, insects, mushrooms. Jeremy wondered if he could learn alchemy. This shop was an alchemist’s dream.

  Jeremy thought, excitement sparking. Please let there be skill trees in this new life.

  “Good day, Saelunor!” Elionas called.

  A man with a dark eyes, eerily Uncle Fester?like, came forward. “Come in, come in, Elionas! And who is this? Hmmm… I’ve never met someone of your species.”

  Jeremy introduced himself and shook his hand.

  While Elionas spoke with Saelunor, Jeremy wandered the shelves. The potions looked exactly like the ones in his games: blue for mana, green for stamina, deep red for health. None of them were labeled though.

  How do they know what’s what? Jeremy wondered.

  Elionas tapped him on the shoulder. “Are you ready, friend?”

  “Um…ahem…yes, sorry. I got lost there for a minute.”

  “Truly, it is acceptable,” Elionas said as they left the store. “I acquired double rations of healing and mana potions. Enough for minor wounds and small mana recovery.”

  “Do you know how much mana you have?” Jeremy asked.

  “I do not. But I feel when it runs low. Mana flows through the body. When it drains, the body warns you. If you empty it entirely, you may become very ill. A severe headache comes first.”

  “Do you have a magical ability?”

  “I do,” Elionas said proudly. “Circle of Healing for groups. Direct Healing for major wounds. I can teleport short distances to escape danger. My strongest spell is a protective shield, but I may cast it only once per sun.”

  “How well do you fight?”

  “I do not fight. That is a job for a warrior or a mage.”

  “Ok. I guess that’ll work. Do we need anything else?”

  “Yes. We will stop once more for food.”

  They walked in thoughtful silence. Jeremy’s mind churned. So much had happened already, yet the day was only beginning. Quests, gods, money, magic, potions, XP.

  They collected jerky from a butcher and fruit from a farmer. Jeremy wasn’t sure he could eat either because of his teeth...lack of teeth.

  Jeremy marveled at the system of the city. Everyone worked, everyone contributed, everyone took only what they needed. No poverty. No homelessness. No sickness. No waste.

  No elderly, Jeremy realized.

  “Hey, Elionas? Where are the elderly? Everyone here looks to be about the same age.”

  “Home,” Elionas said. “They tend to their houses. Unless they have no children, they are not asked to work. It is respect for those who reached a pinnacle age.”

  “Retirement,” Jeremy said.

  “I like the sound of that. Retirement.”

  A shimmer caught Jeremy’s eye. Stretching across the path, a pink, oil?slick bubble stood between them and the gate.

  He hadn’t noticed this before. “What’s that?”

  “The Barrier of Protection,” Elionas said. “It is a gift from Nivalár. It keeps out those who do not belong.”

  “For a peaceful world, y’all sure need a lot of protection.”

  “Elar is peaceful, but all worlds have their dangers.”

  They stepped through the barrier. It felt like nothing at all.

  The world beyond Nivalár’s protective bubble opened like a painting—untamed, sprawling, and impossibly vast. A jagged mountain range clawed at the horizon. Dense woods and rolling hills stretched in every direction, untouched and wild. Elaria felt less like a city and more like a clearing carved gently into the forest’s heart.

  The air tasted clean, crisp, the temperature perfectly balanced. No engines. No electronics. No human noise. Only the soft percussion of wind, leaves, and distant wildlife. Jeremy felt like he’d stepped into a Bob Ross landscape full of happy little trees and monsters.

  A squirrel?like creature darted across branches overhead. A rabbit?thing sprinted past, running more than hopping. Then a bug buzzed near Jeremy’s face, and his tongue shot out, snatching it mid?air.

  His eyes bulged. Did I just—?

  “First bug I take it?” Elionas asked.

  “I…didn’t…even…want…to,” Jeremy sputtered.

  “It is your new nature. Did you even taste it?

  “I guess not, but still… gross.”

  “We have not encountered predators yet, but we must remain vigilant. Many roam this road. Most you can defeat. Some… not yet. Still, I hope we find something. You need practice.” He smiled and patted Jeremy on the shoulder.

  As if summoned, a howl split the air ahead.

  “Ah. A howler. They will fight back, but you should be able to kill them. Be ready. They travel in pairs or more.”

  Jeremy hadn’t used his lightning yet, but he imagined it striking the howler thirty meters in front of them. Text shimmered above the wolf?sized beast with two heads and six legs as he focused.

  Mana surged through him. He lifted his gaze to the cloudless sky and pictured lightning slamming into the creature. The bolt answered instantly, cracking down and striking the howler’s back. It yelped, stunned but alive.

  If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  A second howler lunged from the side. Jeremy’s tongue snapped out on instinct, smacking its flank. The hit landed solidly but only five HP lost.

  What was that? A tongue punch? Wait…maybe not…phrasing? Jeremy giggled at a meme from one of his favorite adult cartoons.

  He pivoted and summoned another bolt. Lightning hammered the first howler, dropping it. A banner flashed above the corpse. Damage tallied, kill confirmed.

  The remaining howler circled him, muscles coiled. Jeremy eyed it, wondering how many tongue?strikes it would take to finish the job.

  Like counting licks to the center of a Tootsie Pop.

  He lashed out deliberately this time, tongue stretching nearly four feet. He missed. Mana still recharging, he’d have tongue?punch it to death.

  The howler leapt. Jeremy dodged and jabbed his tongue like a spear. The tip slapped one of its eyes. The beast yelped and crashed to the ground.

  It staggered up again, but the eye had gone pink and gooey. Infection. Spreading fast. It collapsed a moment later.

  The determined creature tried to get back up several times, falling repeatedly. Even though it was a gross technique, Jeremy saw the benefit of using it in between magical attacks.

  Um…not yet. Jeremy thought

  “Yes!”

  “Damn! I can’t loot,” Jeremy said, looking over at his companion.

  “Worry not, friend,” Elionas said. “I can extract items from a fresh kill. Observe every detail. Soon you will learn the same skill or ability as you gain in strength.”

  He placed a hand over the corpse, murmured a chant, and a soft glow pulsed. He repeated the process on the second.

  “We could not salvage meat from the poisoned one,” Elionas said. “But the other will serve for dinner. And we received silver coins. You did well. Your lightning is powerful. Strengthen it. Can you progress?”

  “Yes,” Jeremy said. “Should I level up now or wait?”

  “I will warn you if danger approaches. Enhance your abilities.”

  “Just call it ‘level up’ next time. Trust me…it’s easier.”

  Jeremy opened his interface and assigned two points to Strength and one to Intelligence. Energy rushed through him, muscles tightening, senses sharpening.

  “Nice! I got the same looting ability you just used!” Jeremy exclaimed.

  “A valuable skill,” Elionas replied. “At first, you will lose many items, and the process destroys some things. It is important to continue to use it, however, so it can improve.”

  They continued down the path. Jeremy inhaled the scent of pine and earth. Back home, he’d spent more time in his room, with his computer or PlayStation, his phone. That day with Bart was the most he had been outside in months.

  And look where THAT got me!

  A butterfly perched on a flower ahead. Jeremy stepped closer, admiring the intricate patterns—while fighting the urge to eat it.

  “They sting. We let them be,” Elionas warned.

  “A butterfly that stings? They don’t do that back home.”

  “Here, alchemists harvest their wings. The stinger evolved as defense.”

  “Good to know!”

  The path sloped downward toward a wooden bridge spanning a crystal spring.

  “This is a suitable spot to stop for rest and water,” Elionas said.

  “Man, you gotta use some slang,” Jeremy said.

  “I will pay attention to your dialect and attempt to speak in your slang…man.”

  Jeremy grinned. “Sweet! You’re good people, Elionas.”

  “Thank you, but I do not understand why I taste sweet.”

  Jeremy laughed. Talking to him felt like chatting with Spock.

  He knelt and drank directly from the stream. The water was cold, clean, perfect. “Back home, we have to filter and bottle everything. This is amazing.”

  “We cannot drink all water,” Elionas said, “but mountain water is free and fresh. Elaria has many wells.”

  He pointed across the stream. “Look. Another beast. It believes we do not see it.”

  “Bitch, I didn’t see it.”

  “I do not know this word… bitch.”

  Jeremy snorted. “I’ll teach you later.”

  Back on track, Jeremy studied the salamander-like stalker.

  “Do we... have to kill it?” Jeremy asked.

  “They attack children and are plentiful. Their skin makes valuable antivenom. Most Elarins kill them on sight. You could use the experience.”

  “Say no more.”

  Jeremy summoned lightning and dropped it with a single bolt. With the XP earned for the kill, he needed only 5 more points to level up again.

  He tried his new loot ability. It fizzled. The salamander vanished. No loot.

  “No worries, my friend,” Elionas encouraged. “You will have plenty of opportunities to kill more bitches.”

  Jeremy choked on a laugh. “Oh no. What have I done?”