Chapter 4


    Xane checked his quiver, making sure it was full of arrows. Placing a hand on the hilt of the dagger that hung down past his knee. Rolling his shoulders to settle the sleeveless doublet, he had crafted the night before.


    Hell cat leather doublet


    Item type: crafted


    Item quality: common


    Durability 100/100


    +15 to defense


    A smile crept on Xane’s small lips as he felt a bit of pride in making his own armor. “Yeah, I know it’s probably trash compared to what’s out there. Then again, how many six-year-olds can boast they have armor of their own. Actually, considering magic is real in Volderon…” Xane thought to himself before pausing in consideration. “Yeah, it’s more than likely all kids have a set or two.” He finished with a self-deprecating thought that was accompanied by a snort of derision. Letting the thought go, he pulled his new bow out from his inventory and entered the woods.


    Pausing by a large tree approximately a hundred feet in, Xane opened his map. After seeing the dragon the prior night, sleep eluded him. Part of him was fearful the dragon saw his lantern before he could close it and would come for him. Xane figured that may have come from the original Xane’s experience. Unable to sleep, he rose from his pile of furs and moved back to the outcropping. Remembering where he saw it land, had compared it against his known map and marked the location.


    While going to see if he could lay eyes on the majestic beast, tugged at him. He knew only an idiot would go near it willingly. No, today his goal was to scout a path to the town beyond the forest. The reason wasn’t because he was feeling lonely. No, he knew he would need supplies in the near future. Plus, if he could get some hunting in, all the better. With his path set, Xane moved further into the shadows of the overhanging canopy.


    Three hours later, he sat perched atop a fallen log, drinking from one of the many water skins he now owned. Through the trees, he watched a deer and her newborn fawn in the clearing just ahead. Putting away the waterskin and picking up his bow, Xane was about to move on when he saw something. In the tree line on the other side of the clearing was a pair of hunched forms.


    Xane’s heartbeat spike as something deep inside him told him to flee. Surprisingly, his identify triggered over the distance. The screen the popped up eased his nerves somewhat.


    Feral Goblin lvl 3


    Threat level: mild


    Feral goblins, on their own, are weak and cowardly creatures that will run at any threat.


    While cowardly, they are evil and sadistic creatures that revel in their cruelty.


    Arrow in hand, he drew back the sting on the bow as precise shot activated. Precise shot brought up a red circle that narrowed to a small dot when trained on a target within a 120 foot range. Basically, it gave him a targeting reticle for long-range shots. Centering the reticle on the forehead of the smaller of the two beasts. Xane let out a slow breath as the reticle formed into the red dot. Loosing the arrow, he was already reaching for the next as the first found its target. The smaller goblin’s head exploded, covering its companion in gore while its headless body flipped through the air. Letting the second arrow fly, the other goblin died when it punched through the back of its throat. When the first arrow hit the two deer startled and when the second met its mark, they fled. As they ran, a third sprang out of the bushes, tackling the fawn as it let out a pained cry. Xane pulled another arrow from his quiver as the mother turned back and to run down its child’s attacker.


    The snap of a twig was all the warning as he was knocked down when something jumped on his back. Bow skittering away, while he still clutched the arrow tightly in his hands. Claws scrapped uselessly at his doublet as he rolled away. Coming to his feet, Xane got his arm up as a fourth goblin jumped at him as it gibbered at him in a guttural series of grunts. Reflexively, Xane slammed the arrow into the ugly goblin’s eye. With a load pop, the eye burst in a gout of yellowish clear fluid mixed with greenish blood.


    Howling in pain, the goblin stumbled back as it clutched at its ruined eye, with one hand as the other slashed out blindly. Yanking the dagger free, Xane let out a wordless scream as he used both hands to ram the blade through the monster''s chest. Ripping the blade free, he kicked the dying goblin away as the kill notification popped up in the corner of his vision. Seeing the monsters were only worth a whopping twenty-five points of experience, he swiped the notification away. Almost immediately, another notification popped informing him he gained a level in archery. Swiping away the notification, he turned to look at the deer as he came down from the adrenalin spike, fighting the nausea that came with it. In the clearing, the mother had already trampled the lone goblin to death and was worrying over the injured fawn. Sheathing his knife, Xane took a deep breath and raised his hands in the universal gesture of not intending harm.


    The doe moved to stand over its injured child as it snorted at him in warning. Channeling mana through his healing skill caused his hands to glow with a gentle light. Looking the worried mother in the eye, unsure if it would understand him, he spoke.


    “I’m not going to hurt you or your baby. I just want to help. I can use healing to save your child’s life, if you let me.” Xane said, stopping just over ten feet away from the two animals. Watching him intently with its ears laid back, it came to a decision as it stepped back away from the injured fawn.


    Nodding to the mother, Xane moved slowly as he inspected the young animal. A large chuck of flesh was torn away from its rear flank as blood ran from it and the gashes caused by the goblin''s claws. Dropping to his knees, Xane placed his glowing hands on the fawn as it cried out and struggled weakly. Slowly at first, the blood stopped flowing as the flesh started knitting itself closed. Minutes passed as he completed his task as the last of the wounds stitched themselves closed; weakness nearly took him as his mana came close to bottoming out.


    Healed, the fawn quickly stood to its feet and moved behind its mother as Xane took in slow steading breaths as his mana regenerated and topped itself up moments later. Clearheaded once more, he stood to his feet while the two deer watched him. Surprising, the two animals didn’t run off as he had expected, instead the mother approached slowly with its fawn right beside it. Staying still, Xane wondered what was happening when the doe nuzzled his cheek with its snout. The fawn, seeing its mother accepting him, also stepped forward to nuzzle him as well. Xane’s child like laughter escaped his mouth until a notification obscured his view.


    New Skill


    Animal empathy


    Animal empathy allows user to communicate with animals and other beasts via reading its emotions and body language.


    With the new skill, he was flooded with a feeling of gratitude from both the animals before they turned and scampered toward the tree line. The doe stopped at the clearing''s edge and looked back towards him. Flicking an ear as if it was waving goodbye to the deer entered the woods behind its fawn. Opening his map, Xane was verifying his path when his eyes locked on the trample goblin visible through the transparent screen.


    Hoping it wasn’t just a trope of all the stories he read and wrote during his life as Alex, Xane could only grimace as he started the grim task. With the help of his skinning knife, it only took a few minutes to collect the ears from three of the goblins. While it took a little longer to find the ears from the one whose head exploded. Done with his harvesting, he looked to the sky and checked the position of the sun before entering the woods, himself still intent to at least lay eyes on the town.


    Looking down at himself, Xane grimaced seeing the blood that caked his arms from the boar he took down an hour after leaving the deer. If it wasn’t for the bow he had gotten from the satchel that hung at his side, the overly tough beast would have been more trouble than it was worth. These thoughts ended when Xane noticed the river a short distance from where he stood. Hurring over to the river’s bank, he found a spot hidden by low-hanging branches that crossed just inches over the water. Stripping off the doublet and shirt, he scooped up a handful of the river sand to scrub the blood from his body.


    Now he was reasonably clean and dressed, Xane left his hiding spot and approached the guarded opening in the city’s outer wall. Approaching slowly, he could feel the curious looks of the two guards as he closed the distance. His heartbeat quickened with nervousness seeing the way the two guards looked at him. That’s when he noticed one of the armored individuals was a woman who tightly gripped the spear at her side.


    “What are you doing outside the town wall, boy?” She asked him. Xane fought the urge to run back to the woods, choosing to focus on the flyer behind her. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Xane quietly reached into the satchel and pulled out a stringer filled with four pairs of goblin ears. With the ears in one hand, Xane pointed to the flyer behind the woman. Raising a brow, she turned to look as her fellow guard spoke.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    “Oi Delores, I heard you like em young, but” the man’s words were cut off when she cuffed him in the back of his head with an armored fist.


    “If I hear you say shit like that again, I’ll do more than beat some sense into that thick skull of yours.” She said, clearly angry at her fellow’s attitude. A huff escaped her lips as she turned back to face Xane.


    “Let me guess, you want to collect the bounty?” At her question, Xane nodded.


    “Fine, follow me. We only pay for the right ear. You’ll have to dispose of the others on your own.” Agan Xane nodded as he dropped the ears back into the bag at his side. Following a short distance behind her, the woman let him to a small building on the other side of the open gate. Pushing open the door, she stopped and shouted inside.


    “Oi Marcus, got another for the goblin bounty.” In response, the man that sat behind the desk started awake, nearly falling from his seat. Letting out a sigh as she shook her head, she motioned for Xane to enter.


    After he passed her, the guard nodded to him with a soft smile, then returned to her post. Behind the desk, Marcus finished straightening himself before fixing Xane with a questioning look. Reaching back into his bag, Xane removed the stringer of ears and started to separate them.


    Having pulled the last of the ears free, he passed over the four ears to the man. The entire time, Marcus just watched him silently. Taking a chance, Xane used identify on the man. The results caused him to strain to keep a blank face read the information.


    City Guard Marcus


    Class: Shielder Level 10


    Age:25


    Guard Quarter master


    Threat level: mild


    Condition injured from taking an arrow to the knee.


    Xane was surprised to see the man was only a mild threat. Was it because of his stats, but that shouldn’t be the case with the man being seven levels above him and with a class? Maybe it’s because of the cliché of an injury he had suffered. For now, all he could do was put that information aside for later contemplation. While Xane was lost in his thoughts, Marcus had taken the ears with a slight scowl of disgust and left through another door. Moments later, he returned and placed a stack of four small silver coins on the desk before him.


    “What’s yer name, boy?” The quarter master asked.


    “…Xane” He replied in almost a whisper.


    “I haven’t seen you around the town. Yer new here?”


    Xane only nodded quietly in response.


    “Who are yer folks?” he asked, in response, Xane only looked down to the floor. The man’s hard look softened a bit.


    “Where yer living?” the man asked


    “Forest.” Was all Xane replied with.


    “The forest? Ye know, it’s not safe out there, especially for a kid.” The man replied with a look of genuine concern.


    “Safe enough.” Xane said, tired of the questions, and held out his small hand for his reward. Marcus just gave him a pitiful look and placed the four coins in his hand. Xane nodded his thanks and turned to leave, before he got two steps away the man called out to him.


    “Hold up, if you are going to stay in the forest and come into town, then yer gonna need this.” The guard said, as he fished something from an open drawer. A moment later, a small item flew through the air, that was quickly snatched by Xane’s tiny hand. A look of surprise came across Marcus’ face before he explained. “That’s a gate pass, just show it to the gate guards and they will let you in without issue.”


    A small smile crossed Xane’s lips as he nodded to the man and left through the door. Stuffing the small, engraved iron rod in his bag, his eyes roamed the streets, taking in the buildings they contained. Clutching the strap of the bag tightly, he set out towards one shop that had a signboard depicting a bag. Moving past, he could feel the curious looks from the townsfolk as they walked by. Escaping their curious gazes, he rushed up the shop steps and pushed past the door.


    It took a few seconds for his eyes to adjust to the dimly lit interior. When his vision came into focus, he could take in the store’s contents. Tools, clothes, bags and satchels, a small smattering of arms and armor were amongst the things he could easily see. As the stood rooted takin in the sight and scent of the place, a soft voice came from behind the counter.


    “Welcome to my shop, little one.” The shopkeeper, a kindly old woman, said as she stepped out a curtained doorway.


    “He.. he.. hello” Xane managed to stammer out. Taking a steading breath, he spoke again. “Can you tell me what I can buy with this? He asked more calmly as he held up a single silver coin. The woman gave him a grandmotherly smile as she looked him over.


    “I do have a cloak and a pair of boots in your size, little one. I can even throw in something to wear other than what looks to be armor, if you wish. It will cost you six copper coins.” Seeing the confused look on his face, she asked. “Is this your first time with money, little one?”


    Hearing her question, Xane stiffened as his face darkened in embarrassment. In response, he only nodded. The shop keeper flashed him a grand motherly smile while motioning to come closer. “Then let me explain a few things.” What followed was a short explanation of the system of coins the people of Volderon used. From what she said, it was a fairly easy system. Ten coppers coins equaled one silver coin. Likewise, ten silver coins equaled one gold coin and same for gold to platinum. Though it was mostly nobles that dealt with the latter. After she then used a few examples from her shop to help him understand their worth. Once her lecture was over, he excused himself to purchase what he could.


    On top of the cloak, boots and clothes she initially offered. He also purchased a second cloak and fletchers kit to help him make arrows for his bow. Along with that, he bought a few small bags of salt and other spices for his cooking. As he was taking the last of his purchases to the counter, he notices a ripped canvas sack poking out of the closed top of crate.


    “Can I buy that as well?” Xane asked, pointing to the ripped bag. Following his finger with her gaze, the shopkeeper’s eyebrow rose in question as she responded. “You want to buy a torn bag?” to which he only nodded. Shrugging, the woman retrieved the bag and added to the small pile of items. With the ease of a merchant with years of experience, she quickly added everything up and gave him the total. The old woman’s eyes opened in surprise when he passed over the requested two gold and 8 silver coins. But they got even wider as she watched him pack everything away inside his satchel. With the last of the items packed, he gave her a quiet nod of thanks and left.


    Xane stood at the top of the shop steps on his tiptoes to get a better look. Finding his next destination, he scurried down the steps, heading for the next shop. Crossing the cobbled stone street, Xane came to a stop as two boys in their teens eyed him menacingly.


    “Hey brat. That bag there, why don’t you let me have it.” The larger of the two stepped closer to him. Xane’s anger flared at the sight of these two. After everything he went through as Alex, he had no tolerance for bullies. Using identify, Xane let a feral smile cross his tiny lips as he read the results.


    Lil’ Billy


    Level 0


    Age;14


    Threat level: minimal


    Turning his gaze to Lil’ Billy’s crony gave him a similar result.


    Jimmy


    Level 0


    Age: 13


    Threat level: minimal.


    Knocking away Lil’ Billy’s hand, Xane maintained his feral smile as he spoke. “I’ve fought goblins scarier than you, dumbass. Now get out of my way.” Thrown off by Xane refusing to cower, he was easily knocked down when Xane shouldered past him.


    “Hey, get back here.” Jimmy said as he tried to stop Xane by grabbing his shoulder. The look on the kid’s face when, instead of stopping Xane, he got pulled off his feet nearly made Xane laugh.


    “You little shit!” Billy said, picking himself off the ground “I’m gonna beat your ass!” he shouted with a wild swing. Xane easily ducked the weak punch as he sent one of his own back. His small fist combined with compacted mass and his 36 str sent the kid double over before getting sent skittering across the stones. Jimmy tried to overpower him by wrapping his arms around Xane’s smaller form, attempting to lift him off his feet. Jimmy let out a startled grunt, finding the stand was too heavy to budge. Lifting his foot, Xane stomped down, feeling the bones crunch underneath.


    Letting out a howl of pain, Jimmy let go as he fell to the ground and clutched at his broken foot while sobbing in pain. Looking down at the boy, Xane shook his head in disgust. Behind him, a loud shout made him stiffen in terror. Turning around, he found the guard from the gate looking down at him disapprovingly.


    “You there, boy. What is the meaning of this?” the woman barked out angrily, causing him to shrink within himself in fear. Her tone bringing back the painful memories of his abusive mother and ex-wife.


    “Well?” she asked, making him shrink even further.


    “Those two attacked him when he refused to hand over his bag, Sergeant.” Came the voice of a man that had apparently witnessed the whole thing. Xane was thankful for the help, yet hated himself for the fear he was feeling.


    “Are you telling me this small child overpowered these two who are more than twice his size she asked.


    “It is as he said, Ma’am. The little feller was just defending himself and got the better of the mayor’s son and his friend.” Came another voice to his defense, this time a woman that exited the door behind him.


    Letting out a tired sigh as the guard pressed the fingers of her free hand against her temple, she fixed Xane with look as she spoke in a slightly softer tone. “And you. Where’s your folks?”


    Warring against the fear that made him cower, Xane straightened up and attempted to speak. “I… alone.” Was all he could squeak out in a low whisper. The fear he felt because of the aggressive woman was obvious from his shaking body.


    “Sergeant, you’re scaring the poor boy.” The first man said, admonishing the woman. Looking between the gate that was just over a hundred feet away and the woman who let out a weary sigh as he pondered what to do. The sergeant’s gripped eased on her spear as she squatted down to look him in the eye. With her demeanor relaxed, Xane took his chance.


    “Hey, wait!” she shouted, falling back in surprised when Xane suddenly bolted away. Dodging past startled town''s folk he ran as fast as he could.


    “Stop him.” The guard shouted, getting to her feet. Looking back and seeing the angry expression on the woman’s face only caused him to run faster. Turning back around, he barely ducked her fellow guard''s outstretched hand. Clearing the gate, Xane kept running until he was well into the forest.


    When he finally came to a stop, it was because his mana had bottomed out once more. Slumping against a tree, Xane sucked in deep gulping breaths as his head spun. A minute passed as his mana recovered.


    “Fuck, fuck, fuck!” he shouted angrily while slamming his fist into the tree repeatedly. Each strike causing the foot thick trunk to shake from the force. “And to top it off, that asshole was the mayor’s son. They’re probably already looking for me to toss my ass in prison, or worse.” He wailed to himself, unsure what to do. Another couple minutes passed before he finally calmed down and noticed where he was.


    Checking his map, he confirmed he was only twenty minutes away from his cave if he walked. Trying to figure out he accomplished such a feat, he opened his logs eyes going wide when he saw something he had dismissed in his panic.


    New Skill Found


    Body reinforcement lvl 1


    By cycling mana through your body, you can increase your body’s effectiveness two fold. i.e. faster movement, more endurance, or more damage given or lessening damaged received.


    Activating the new skill, he was back at his cave''s entrance in a matter of minutes. Looking out over the sea of trees, he could see the lights of torches searching the far edge of the forest. Checking the system clock, another useful feature he learned from the journal, he let out a low whistle. “My best time in the army was thirteen minutes for two miles. I just ran damn near ten miles in thirty minutes.” He thought to himself, chuckling in amazement at the achievement.