Ch 19 - Breaking A Rule (1)

It had been a nice day and Albion was heading home from helping his dad at the clinic. The days seemed to merge and repeat. All days were good days. The sky was a bright orange hue as normal but that didn't take away from its beauty. The light slowly faded as it was slowly getting darker. It had been two years since his first experience in the forest and every week or two he and his dad went in together. He still wasn't allowed in by himself. It was a rule that his father and mother were insistent on. But he was great at hunting any Grey Dire Wolves and Goblins they found. He didn't have as nearly as much trouble now as he did before. His father never helped anymore. Just there to be a witness and help him sell the monsters. But before going home he wanted to make his usual stop. A stop at his favourite merchant.

Albion: Hey Gell!

Albion smiled and waved. Looking at Gell who was standing next to his usual small stall.

Gell: Just browsing again or does anything interest you this time?

Albion took a looked at Gells' small store. Small pieces of jewellery, some books, weapons and armour. Usually, nothing at Gells would interest Albion. But Gell wasn't a man to let Albion or his father down. He did have something Albion was interested in. A faint magical glow came from a book in his small store. The only book out of the group to have a magical glow.

Albion: Is that book for sale?

Albion pointed at the book he could sense a magical signature from.

Gell: Hahahaha. You and your father have the same eye for books. I just got this. It hasn't been appraised yet but I'll let you give the first shot. How much are you willing to pay?

Albion looked at the book.

[Regeneration (F) (Growth) Skill Book]

Albion smiled widely as he looked at the book. Looking back at Gell.

Albion: 2 Silver coins. {I feel kinda bad. It's probably worth a lot more than that if it's a growth skill.}

Gell: I take that back. You're nothing like your father. He would have said for free if I gave him that opportunity. Kid that's way too much. 1 silver coin is enough. I don't even know if it's more useful than the clean skill. For all I know this could just move some mud.

Albion: No I'm serious. I want to give you 2 silver coins for this. Maybe even 3?

Gell: *Sigh* I will only take one max. I'll feel bad if I scam Alekias kid. Here take it.

Gell took out the book as he passed it to Albion. Knowing he wouldn't just run away with it.

Albion: Thank you.

Albion took the book in one hand and put the other hand in a small coin pouch. Putting his hand in Gells.

Albion: You deserve this. {I'm really sorry if this is too little.}

Albion ran off as Gell looked down at his hand. Two silver coins. Gell looked up and Albion was already gone.

Gell: *Sigh* Nothing like his father.

Gell said with a small smile.

Scene change

Albion opened the book as it turned to dust. Albion standing in the open area where he trained.

[You have learned the passive skill Regeneration (F) (Growth) from a skill book.]

Albion: Let's go! Regeneration! One of Mum's skills!

Albion celebrated. Even a small bit of regeneration had to be good. Right?

Lily: It is a great skill. But it's only F rank. Level 1 at that. Don't get your hopes up. I don't remember exactly how good it is.

Lily said floating just over Albion's left shoulder. She was much smaller though. Able to just stand on it if she wanted to.

Albion: You know… with this skill, even if I get injured by a monster all I need to do is purify instead of heal.

Albion began to think. Of an idea. A plan that could help him grow even further. To make his parents amazed.

Lily: Where are you going with this?

Albion: I bet if I showed how well I do by myself, Dad and Mum would let me go more often. Maybe even by myself. Dad hasn't been helping in the fights anyways. Just monitoring.

Lily: It's about to become dark. This isn't a wise decision.

Lily floated over to his right shoulder.

Albion: The sun's still visible. Besides I have my sword and my dagger. And I don't really need the armour to fight wolves or goblins.

Lily: I can't support you on this decision. But I can't stop you if you decide to do it.

Albion took a second to think. He was sure if he could prove himself to his parents and they would definitely allow him out more. And after that watching his father he knew the basics of tracking. And taking out three wolves or a few goblins wouldn't take long. If he showed how well he did it was going to make them proud. They had always been proud when he demonstrated amazing growth.

Albion: I'll do it. Quick adventure. No more than 30 minutes.

Lily: Then I will watch over you. Just like I always have and always will.

Lily kissed the side of Albion's head. Disappearing.

Albion: Let's go then!

Albion smiled as he ran into the forest. Going to where he and his father usually went to. He would use basic tracking and small lures to try and find or bring out one or two monsters. His father taught him the basics if you wanted to hunt monsters but couldn't find them.

But after looking around. Albion couldn't find a single monster around. So out of a desire to prove himself, he went deeper into the forest. But he still couldn't find a single monster. The sun slowly disappeared and it began to get dark. Albion could only see just a bit but was relying on his mana sense. Not wanting to use his sword light and attract a horde that could be sleeping in wait.

???: SOMEONE HELP ME!!!! PLEASE!!!

Albion quickly looked to where the screams came from. The screams coming deep in the forest. The scream of a female.

Albion: {Was that a person?! But no one should be this deep in the forest at this time! Is it an adventurer?!}

Albion quickly rushed through the forest towards the screams of a female. As he got closer and closer he could hear the cries for help getting louder. Hiding in shrubbery Albion watched what was happening. Not wanting to throw himself in danger.

He couldn't see well but what he could see was a massive group of goblins. About 12 in number. He couldn't see the woman but he could hear her screams.

???: STAY BACK! PLEASE DON'T!

???: Kikiki! Don't be like that. It's your purpose as a female after all.

???: Exactly. Kikiki. Just be quiet. Or maybe scream a bit louder!

Albion could understand the goblins. As if they were speaking his language. But he didn't know if he liked this skill or hated it. What he heard made him feel rage in the deepest part of his soul. He hated what his mother had to go through. But that only happened because of what an orc did to her mother. And even though he hated what his grandmother put his mother through. The act was sick. Even in his own world, such an act was sick.

Lily: Albi…

Lily tried to warn Albion but he jumped head-first into the danger.

Albion: HEY! BACK AWAY FROM HER!

Albion came from the shrubbery as he drew his sword. The sword glowed brightly.

Goblin 1: Kikiki. A human? At this time of night? *Sniff* *Sniff* And a kid? Is he stupid?

The goblins began to laugh. The forest echoing with "Kikiki".

Albion: You're the idiot. You should have ran away as soon as I revealed myself.

Albion said confidently. Not knowing that the sounds and language coming out of his mouth was exactly that of a goblin.

Goblin 1: Does he… understand me Kikiki?

Albion: I know… a blessing and now apparently a curse.

All the goblins looked in confusion. Of all the humans and elves they had killed. They had never seen one that understood them.

Goblin 2: This kid is weird. But he smells like a male. Let's just kill him and get to the fun.

A dagger was thrown and it embedded itself deep in the Goblins skull as they all looked at Albion. His father didn't only teach him tracking and luring tricks. But helped him with his dagger skills.

Albion: As I said… you should have run away.

Albion glared as he gripped his sword harder. Ready to fight all the goblins.

Goblin 1: KILL HIM KIKIKI!

All the goblins were small in size. All smaller than Albion who looked like a tone 15 year old. 5"9 in height. His hair was long and tied back in a bun with thin strings. All so it didn't get in his eyes while he fought. He was wearing a shirt similar to his father's and some brown trousers. Brown leather shoes. Albion had no protection on him. Not a single piece of armour.

The goblins mostly had similar appearances. Only a few reach the four-foot in height the others smaller. Green skin with larger pointed ears that protruded from the sides of their heads. Larger than an elf's in size but not length. Their ears having one or two small rings in them. Collections of their hunts. They had longer tongues and pointed noses. Sharp teeth and wearing practically no clothes. But Albion kept an eye on the ones with more clothes. One with armour and the other in robes with a small broken staff. He hoped he was wrong about those two as he prepared to fight.

He hoped he was wrong about those one's standing there. Watching Albion prepare and letting him fight with the other goblins first.