Warm Welcome

Bernie stopped walking briefly and opened his eyes wide with excitement.

"Oh well, sure! Everyone that comes here is given a system! It's honestly a wonderful tool that we use to keep an eye on everything. Let's say someone gets sick! Well, the 'Inspect' skill can actually tell you what the ailment is. In some cases, how to cure it!"

Clove pondered his own system as Bernie ushered him down the twisting path illuminated by Celestial Orbs.

Clove was cautious and gently shooed a couple away when they got too close.

"What the hell are these things?"

Clove said as he continued waving his hand at them.

Bernie looked at a little orb in front of him, and began to play with it as it bounced between his hands.

"They're harmless. No one seems to know what they are, but everyone calls them 'Sprites'."

Clove looked at a Sprite close to his face

[Inspect]

[Inspect Failed]

Bernie continued

"They don't really do anything, besides lazing around the land. They seem to be pretty much invulnerable as well."

He said, as he swatted one away as hard as he could. The Sprite collided with the ground and gently bobbed back up and floated over towards Clove. He allowed it to rest in his hands a while. Caressing his fingers against the pulsing energy, he shot a glance over to Bernie as he felt his demonstration was unnecessary.

Bernie continued after a sharp exhale through his nose.

"Not even 'Inspect' works on them. That's why we just kind of, let them be. But boy, do they seem to like you!"

Clove then noticed what he was talking about. There were about thirty Sprites dancing around him now, where as Bernie only had a few.

"You look like a Christmas tree!" Bernie started to laugh until it ended in a hoarse cough.

"What are they doing?"

Clove asked as he continued to shoo others away, waiting for Bernie's response.

"They just seem fond of you is all. Maybe it's the blood? Or that lil' fella you're coddling there... Who knows!" As Bernie started to laugh again, until he calmed himself and continued their walk.

The sun had set at this point, allowing the stars to set the sky ablaze. Clove couldn't recognize a single constellation. Maybe, in the mess of stars, he could see something if he connected the dots. Trouble was, it would be like debating whether a cloud looked more like a dragon, or an angel.

"So, do you have a named system?"

Bernie cut the silence with his words. Clove made a note of his persistence when Bernie continued:

"Like the Gardening System, for example?" Bernie waited for a response, and not to raise suspicion, Clove tried to answer right away.

"Er... no. No, I don't have the Gardening System." Clove hesitated saying anything more. He felt the hairs stand up on the back of his neck, once again.

"I don't think the system has a name."

Clove continued.

As Clove was walking, he felt a hand on his shoulder causing him to stop in place. He turned his head to meet Bernie's gaze, illuminated by the Sprite's ghostly light, his face was stern.

"Every system has a name, Clovey. But I'm going to assume that yours is embarrassing, or you dont understand it, seeing as you don't want to give it up."

Clove gulped hard as he looked into Bernies eyes. He could suddenly feel an immense pressure radiating from his body.

'Is this from my perception skill? There's no way, is this even the same guy? Where the hell is this all coming from?'

Bernie squeezed his shoulder firmly with a little shake.

"And seeing as I'm not sensing any danger from you, I think it's safe to assume that you're not one of the baddies!" Bernie said giving Clove a slap on the back.

"Besides, none of them would take the time to bury their kill!"

Bernie struggled to finish his words as he blurted out in laughter. Giving Clove another pat on the back, he continued his walk down the trail laughing to himself.

Clove took a moment before placing one foot in front of the other.

'I seriously felt like I was going to die just then... and who the hell are the Baddies?'

Bernie called back to him.

"Come on, Clovey! We're almost there."

********

Approaching the town, frogs could be heard croaking from a large pond next to the road. He could smell civilization as he witnessed some silhouettes bobbing back and forth in the distance. Attatched to the pond was a lumber mill with an imposing waterwheel that sloshed intermittently, as a woman carried a cart of small logs nearby. Clove could see a sign framed by overgrowth that read, 'Laywater'. There was another sign below it that had been haphazardly nailed to the the post. 'Enjoy the free XP! It's the last you'll earn!'

Bernie walked up and ripped the sign away.

"Damned kids... I told them to take it down." Bernie grumbled to himself before splitting the board in two.

He looked back at Clove.

"Come on then, you should get a treat from your system around here."

And Bernie was right, when Clove took a few more paces forward, he recieved a system message.

[New Location Discovered! "Laywater"]

[+15 xp]

A white meter appeared, slightly filling up.

[Level 2: 15/100 xp]

Reading the leveling stat made Clove excited.

"What did that sign mean, exactly?"

"Oh nothing, really. Just some cheeky kids that have been complaining that leveling up has been too hard. Can't say I blame them too much. Between the two kingdoms here, there aren't a lot of beasts to be slain. In my time, the walk we just made would've taken a couple days. And that's if you're lucky enough to not have a companion unable to walk!"

Clove continued to listen.

"Best you keep your nose down, and do your job. Whatever that will be, everyone is a cog in this machine whether they agree or not."

Wanting to make the most of the situation, Clove imagined the adventures to be had, and the friends to be made.

A smile spread across his face as his small Sprite companion softly hummed in his hands. He pet the orb once more before he threw his arms up, allowing it to float away.

"Brought us another Arrival, have ya, Bern?"

The woman hauling the cart of small logs had a thick English accent, and Clove was starting to piece things together.

"Oh yeah, this one's alright! Strangled a Timber with his bare hands!"

Bernie said as he backhanded Clove's chest, before gripping his own bicep.

Clove grabbed his chest as the wind was knocked out of him.

[HP 7/10]

Relieved, Clove slowly caught his breath.

'I thought that would have for sure knocked down a couple HP!'

The woman laughed at Bernies crude reenactment of Clove's encounter.

"Well, he should fit right in! You two go and get a good night's rest! I'm sure the folks in town will want to throw the boy a party!"

The woman gestured towards a building that released a wonderful aroma of warm bread, and seasoned meat.

"Happy Death Day, lad!"

The woman directed at Clove.

Clove instinctively waved back as he was about to enter through the large doors of the building that concealed delicious food and good conversation.

Walking inside the tavern, a group in the back corner played a collection of handmade instruments, resembling modern day band equipment. There was a man in the rear of the group banging sticks against kegs that were cut in two, and had animal hide stretched tight to perform the desired note. A woman played a wooden piccolo, alongside another woman strumming a guitar. The trio were covering seventies and eighties rock ballads that had the room in an uproar.

Some townsfolk were dancing on top of tables, while others where trying to save their food from being trampled on. Clove dodged a couple with their arms interlaced, twirling past him.

'No way.... how the hell would they know this song?'

Clove noticed a banner, loosely hung above the band that read, Rock Hounds.

Bernie tugged against his ragged shirt signaling to a table along the side of the commotion.

He sat down and looked to the barkeep, motioning back and forth at the table between himself and Clove. The barkeep approached quickly with an excited expression.

"How's it going, Bernie? Looks like you've finally found another one! Boy, Candace is gonna be pissed you beat her to him."

The man had fair skin and balding orange hair. His mustache looked debonair as it complimented his bulbous nose, twirling unevenly at either end. He wore baggy clothing that had several stains scattered across his apron.

Bernie smiled towards Clove.

"Candace can shove it. It's her fault she stays up late. This one here popped up earlier today, strangled himself a Timber. Even buried the bugger! Proper rites and all!!"

Clove rolled his eyes as he was patronized. The barkeep let out a laugh as he wiped his hands with a dirtied cloth, then threw it over his shoulder.

"Welcome home! My name is Martin.."

Martin stretched out a mostly clean hand towards Clove.

"Martin Allen."

Clove took another mental note.

'This man is American. That's it. I can't take it any longer...'

"Are you all dead?" Clove accidentally raised his voice when he asked this.

The music stopped at a sloppy end, even a dancer fell off a table as their partner lost concentration mid-dip to look in Clove's direction. The Tavern was silent for a brief moment until Martin yelled at Bernie.

"Bernie! What did you two spend the last four hours doing? You didn't think to tell the kid anything?"

Bernie shook is head in disbelief as he pointed to himself.

"Wha-!... Me?! It took me a while to figure out if the kid was harmless or not! He literally popped out of nowhere! Not like I can forsee the exact spot he's going to land! Ee..Even then, everything sort of slipped my mind. I mean, it's been about 15 years since anyone has shown up!"

Martin looked at Bernie in disbelief. He wasn't buying Bernies defense.

"It's literally part of your job, Man! Doesn't your system award you for doing things like explaining the basics??? Aren't you the Walking Tutorial?!"

Bernie looked extremely offended before his response back.

"I've never claimed to be the Walking Tutorial!"

Bernie responded, heavily mocking Martin.

"Mine and Candace's systems are being wasted doing the damned job in the first place! Nobody has the balls to start another war, so you lot decided to put us on baby sitting duty!"

Bernie slammed a fist down on the table, splitting it in two. Just then, heavy footsteps could be heard descending the wooden stairs before firmly clacking against the cool stone floor.

"What's the hell is going on here?"

A woman's voice called out.

Clove saw a gorgeous blonde haired woman with piercing blue eyes. She was tall and wore a similar outfit to Bernie's. Her lipstick was a nice shade of brown that complimented her tanned skin. Clove noticed he was staring and turned his attention to the matter at hand.

Martin scoffed at an unflinching Bernie as he walked back to his bar.

"Ask your brother."