《Welcome to 'Real' Life?》


 The Fazstar

    Hamasaki, Airi - Missing.


    Abe, Haru - Missing.


    Hashimoto, Haruki - Missing.


    Akio was standing outside the bar " The Rum Tum" looking at all of the missing person posters. So many people had been dissapearing lately, but what troubled him the most, was the fact that they were all bounty hunters like him. And all of them were looking for the monster that has been terrorizing the surrounding areas of Melgard... The Fazstar, the fazstar was a bird-like monster, though it''s not able to fly that far because of it''s lack of feathers on its wings.


    The Fazstar is a mix of brown and red. It''s wings being a mix of both. The main torso brown, the head also brown and the neck and eyes red. It wasn''t actually that big, like a dragon or anything like that, but still not the same small size as a parrot. It was somewhere in between.


    When it stood on both legs, it was probably around 2 meters tall and that was enough to scare the crap out of village people and farmers. That and its massive sharp teeth.


    Akio had just gotten his new gear too, that he had been wanting for some time, but it required him to be level 50, so when he finally reached 50, buying the new gear was the first thing he did. He rocked the black metal plate and the black long sleeved shirt underneath it. His whole outfit was actually black now and it looked good on him, with his short dark brown hair and his brown eyes. But the stats is what truly matters on these things. But with +500 to both strength and agility, he didn''t need new gear the next 15 levels or so.


    Akio looked away from the "missing person" posters and continued onto the "wanted creatures" posters on the other side of the bar door. There was already a lot of other bounty hunters standing there, reading the diffirent jobs that was available. Akio could just exactly see the posters, when he saw the one that everyone feared. "WANTED FAZSTAR. LAST SEEN NEAR THE VON ZAAR FARM. BOUNTY: 100,000 KWIZIMI GOLD COINS"


    100,000 kwizimi gold coins.... wow


    Akio couldn''t stop looking at the poster. The only thing he could think about was how proud his dad, one of the best bounty hunters in not just the city of Melgard, but all of Kwizimi would be of he killed the Fazstar and came home with 100,000 kwizimi gold coins.


    Akio stared at the poster a little longer and pushed his way through the other bounty hunters looking at the job offers.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.He stood in front of the Fazstar poster, and could feel how the other bounty hunters started staring at him. He reached for the poster and pulled it off the board.


    The other bounty hunters were shocked and you could hear them mumble, things like "Is he stupid? Is the really gonna try and go after that thing?"


    "Oh my gosh! He took it!"


    Akio could feel the hair in his neck starting to rise, and all the eyes staring at him from behind.


    He turned around and suddenly there was a whole crowd standing behind him. It seemed like everyone that lived in Melgard was gathered, here to see him accept the job.


    Akio didn''t make a single grimmace, but looked down into the ground and pushed his way through the crowd and into the bar to accept the job offer.


    He walked into the nice little bar and could instantly smell the beer and hear the drunk travellers and knights yell and talk. There was always so nice in The Rum Tum, because of the moody shandaliers and the little bar with the beautiful bar-maid, Asuki standing there with all of the diffirent coloured drinks in the back.


    Akio walked up to Asuki and slammed the poster against the desk. There was a traveller sitting next to him, and his eyes went wide when he realized, what Akio had just slammed against the desk.


    "Are you sure about that son?"


    "Yes.... I am sure...." Akio looked up with a poker face and waited for Asuki to get to him.


    Asuki walked back into the bar and over toward Akio. She looked down onto the desk with the poster for the Fazstar, and looked back up at Akio with a worried face.


    "Akio...? Are you alright?"


    "Yeah... I''m alright, now sign me up for the offer."


    Asuki took the poster and looked worringly at Akio while turning around, to sign him up for the offer. She wrote his name on a contract looking piece of paper and hung it on the wall.


    "Alright, you are signed up. Good luck."


    "Thank you...."


    Akio walked out of the bar and the crowd was still there, on both sides of the door, making it look like he was the king walking out of his castle.


    When Akio got home, his dad and little sister were still sleeping.


    He took off his shoes, and walked into his bedroom, where he took off his new armor, and sat on the right side of his bed, facing towards the window, looking out over the city of Melgard.


    After 10 minutes of staring out the window, Akio went to bed. Tommorrow is the day he has to fight the Fazstar.

 The Von Zaar Farm

    "Akio! Wake up!"


    Akio slowly opened his eyes, looking out through the same old window, with a view over the town square and the beautiful, water fountain in the middle, with the two dolphins on each side.


    He got up from the bed and walked over towards his closet.


    Same old wooden closet... Same old boring day....


    He slowly opened the closet and put on his new armor, turned around and out through the door into the hallway.


    Right across his room was his little sister''s bedroom. Her name is Zuki.


    Her door was open and she noticed Akio outside her room. She turned around, smiled and waved.


    "Good morning, big brother!"


    "Huh...? Oh good morning Zuki"


    He scratched the back of his head and walked toward the front door in the other end of the hallway, to the living and dining room.


    His dad was already up. He is sitting with the local newspaper, in his hand and is not even looking up at Akio.


    "Dad? Are you okay? By the way i have a headache, so can I get some of that medicine you got a couple of days ago?"


    His dad looked up from the newspaper and looked at Akio.


    "Did you sign up for the contract to kill the Fazstar last night?"


    "HUH? What are you talking about? I wasn''t up last night, I went to bed with you and Zuki!"


    "Well in the newspaper, it says you did. You must''ve been sleep walking again."


    "HOW CAN YOU EVEN DO THAT WHILE SLEEPING? AAARRGGHH!"


    "Don''t freak out. Grab the medicine from the left bottom drawer, there is the medicine that''ll fix your headache, and after that you walk down to ''The Rum Tum'' and tell Asuki, that you can''t do it. It was a mistake."


    Akio didn''t say a thing, his mouth was wide agabe. He was scared and confused.


    "Why are you just standing there? Get going!"


    "Huh? Oh yeah.... This is gonna be just great."


    Akio opened the drawer and took out a little brown bottle of medicine, and drank the last of it.


    "Slurp,slurp,slurp"


    Akio wiped his mouth with his sleeve and looked over at his dad while placing the little brown bottle on the desk.


    "Well. Guess I better get going then? See you later dad! See you later Zuki!"


    Zuki stuck her head out of her room and yelled through the hallway


    "Goodbye big brother!"


    Akios father just looked at him, with a serious face, then looked back into the newspaper, drinking his coffee.


    Akio opened the door and walked down the stairs.


    He reached the door at the bottom and walked out. He could instantly feel the fresh breeze of air hitting him, and the small-talk around the town square. It was so beautiful.


    Shabby placed cobblestone all around the big water fountain, with the two dolphins.


    Then there was the many wooden houses around the whole townsquare leaving only few and narrow exits. You could also see all of the tall green trees around the outskirts of Melgard. This place was amazing. This was home.


    Akio looked around the town square, when his eyes landed on The Rum Tum.


    He sighed and walked straight across the town squares cobblestone.


    He could feel all of the people looking at him, all the way to the bar.


    Why are all these people looking at me? God damnit, maybe I did accept that job last night... What was I thinking... I can''t kill that thing, i''m a terrible bounty hunter. I''m only doing this to make my dad proud, and I doubt he is proud right now...


    Akio reached the bar and walked in. The instant his body got through the door and into the cozy bar, everyones eyes turned towards him. Akio can''t be anywhere without everyone staring at him. He scratched his neck and gave them all an awkward smile, all the way up to the bar.


    "Psst! Psst! Asuki!"


    "Oh hey Akio. You ready for that job? I wish you the best of luck"


    "Yeah.... About that..... I can''t do it." Asuki looked at him, clearly thinking "i knew something was wrong last night"


    "What do you mean you can''t do it? You were so confident last night, and everyone thought you were either insane or cool."


    "I have this weird sleep walking thing you know, and I wasn''t exactly awake."


    Akio made yet another awkward smile, closing his eys at the same time.


    "Yeah I know about that, but there is nothing I can do. You are signed up, and your name is on the wall. See"


    Asuki pointed toward the small wooden wall to her right, behind her.


    Akio''s jaw dropped to the ground. He was speechless.


    I can''t believe I have to fight this thing. Why did I do it? Will I ever come back? Will I survive?


    How is it possible for me to kill it. If it even is possible!!!??


    Akio filled his head with tons of questions he couldn''t answer, himself. He finally closed his mouth and looked at Asuki.


    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!After 5 seconds of staring at her, he jumped over the desk and clung to her feet.


    "PLLEEEAAASE, DON''T LET ME GO!! I CAN''T DO IT, I''M INSANE"


    "Get, off of me Akio! There is nothing I can do"


    Asuki managed to kick him off, and Akio slammed his back against the desk.


    Asuki looked down at him. "Save some of that energy for the Azstar.


    Asuki grabbed him in the deck and by his belt, lifted him up and walked towards the double wooden door. (The entrance)


    She kicked the doors open and threw Akio out.


    The whole square was looking at him laying outside of the bar, on his stomach with his ass stuck into the air.


    Akio got up rather quickly and brushed off the dirt, from his armor. He still didn''t notice the fact that everyone was staring at him and laughing, until he finally looked up.


    His face went pale, and his pupils dissappeared. He was so embarassed. The cool guy that accepted the job to kill the Fazstar, just got his ass kicked out of a bar, by a girl.


    Akio decided to just run. He ran and he ran and he ran, for the nearest narrow exit.


    After walking for a while, Akio got to the Gate of Melgard. Pretty much the only thing in Melgard that wasn''t made of wood.


    He walked out through the gate and continued through all of the tall green trees.


    He took a deep breath, to really feel the fresh air outside of Melgard.


    Akio stuck his hands in his pocket on his way through the forest. "Huh?"


    There was something in there. It was the contract. All of the information and everything was on it. Akio stared at it, getting nervous again. He took another deep breath and crushed the paper in his hand. He looked forward, like he had a goal, and he did. The Von Zaar Farm, where the Azstar had last been spotted.


    After a couple of minutes of walking, Akio stumbled upon an open field surrounded by a small wooden fence. He walked alongside the fence until he reached a gate and a sign saying "Welcome to the Von Zaar Farm"


    Akio walked through the gate, with the open field on the right side, and another field on his left side but full of cows.


    At the end of the road, was 2 buildings. The main farm, where the owners lived and some kind of barn. The main farm had 2 storys and was made entirely out of wooden planks. The same goes for for the barn, but it was painted red and white. It was also taller than the main building, there was probably an attic of some kind in there where they stored stuff.


    Akio walked onto the porch of the main building and knocked on the door.


    "Knock, knock"


    I hope they are home, so I can get this overwith and go back to Melgard and say I failed....


    A tiny elderly woman opened the door.


    "Hell... Huh?"


    Akio didn''t notice her at first because she was so tiny.


    "Mhmmm"


    Akio slowly looked down and his eyes landed on a little elderly woman, with grey hair and a ponytail.


    "Oh! Sorry I-I didn''t see you"


    Akio put his left hand behind his neck, acting like he didn''t just tell her he didn''t see her because she was so tiny.


    "That''s okay son. I assume you are Akio, the guy that is here to hunt the Fazstar?"


    "Ehm, yes that''s me"


    "Come inside son, I''ll tell you all about it and what it did here."


    Akio stepped inside with the old woman. It was nothing like how he lived back in Melgard. When they stepped in, they didn''t reach a living room or hallway.


    You stepped right into an open room, with a kitchen on the right side and a dining table right in front of the entrance, and even deeper in the room, was two couches, a fireplace and a rocking chair. To the right of the living room with the couches was a spiral stair leading up to the second floor, also made out of wood.


    "Sit, son."


    "Oh, yeah. Thank you"


    The old woman began to tell Akio everything she knew about the Fazstar and how it had been attacking the farms around Melgard.


    After having listened to the old lady for what felt like half an hour, Akio could finally leave.


    "Well, thank you for everything you''ve told me today. It could come in handy."


    "You''re welcome young man, now good luck with hunting that thing down. I wish you the best of luck"


    "Thank you very much" Akio smiled and walked off the porch.


    I hope she didn''t notice that I almost fell asleep under that speech... Damn.


    Akio had gotten the information he needed and the whereabouts of the Fazstar.


    Apparently there is a small mountain nearby, where the Fazstar should have a nest.


    Akio walked down the gravel road between the two open fields again and continued longer into the forest, heading for the mountain. It shouldn''t be that far from the Von Zaar Farm.