Chapter 2: 1. No Longer Dead

Adam gasped for air as the world began to move again, and once more his eyes burned as the sun pierced his eyes. He brought his arm over his shield his eyes, before the burning sensation soothed.

Through his teary eyes he could see a ruined stone wall all around him, though it only went up a metre and a half at the highest. He was in the process of rolling onto his front, but reached up to grab at the wall instead, and hoisted himself up.

Looking over the ruined wall he saw he was atop a hill, one which overlooked a large forest around it. However, off to his left was a wall which wasn’t ruined, surrounding a large town.

“Whoa, that’s so much bigger than Red Oak,” he said, whistling. “Red Oak was what, ten, fifteen thousand people? What did they feed this town?”

Intelligence Check
D20 + 3 = 11 (8)

“Must be at least double the size,” Adam said, sure that he was correct.

Wolves howled in the distance, and Adam took that as a sign that he should get his butt moving.

He checked his pack to see if he had everything which he had picked, form his weapons to his tools, before he realised something.

‘It’s really cold.’

He looked down to see he was butt naked.

“…”

‘Won’t the guards arrest me like this?’

Then he checked his pack again. “And I don’t have any gold? Hey, Bell! Did you stiff me?”

[No, the rest of your items are in the other ruin.]

Adam threw a look aside to the other ruined wall nearby, and then climbed over towards it. There he found his chain mail, a large pile of clothing, a set of smithing tools, a pouch full of coin, and the hilt of a sword.

He first changed into his clothes, and then froze. “Hold on, Fate Born didn’t give me any extra proficiencies for tools.”

[That’s because you are the tool.]

“…”

[You may choose two additional tools.]

“Also, I realised something else.”

[What?]

“I forgot to take the best trick, Tricks.” Adam cringed visibly, biting his lower lip. It was the best trick, and he half cursed himself for taking Guidance instead of Tricks.

[I can’t change that now.]

“You can’t?”

[I can, but I won’t.]

“…”

Adam finished changing into his clothes and armour, attaching his sword belt around his waist, tapping the pouch which was at his side. With that, he was ready to start his adventure.

[You’re not going to pick your proficiencies?]

“I’ll make you wait for it.”

[…]

With that, Adam continued along his path. He made his way through the forest, rushing through it so he could get to civilisation. He found a dirt path which led generally towards the town, so followed it until he was out of the forest and then out onto the road.

He leapt onto the road, feeling the hard stone under his boots, and looked towards the town. “Man, it feels good to be alive!” He whistled as he jaunted over towards the large town.

The town walls were thick and hard, made of heavy stone. It was easily five metres high, with a few small towers running along the perimeter. At the front was a thick, wooden gate, and a pair of guard in chain mail, carrying spears at their side. They also wore tabards, coloured red and there was a tree imprinted onto it. Adam didn’t think anything of it as he approached them.

“Hullo,” the guard called out. “What brings you to Red Oak?”

“Good mor-“ Adam looked up to judge the time quickly.

Survival Check
D20 + 1 = 11 (10)

“Good afternoon,” he said, correcting himself. “Well I’ve come to Red Oak…” He stopped. ‘Red Oak?’ He blinked a few times at the guard, wondering if it could be the same Red Oak that he knew. “Uh…”

“Yes?” the guard asked, taking off her helmet to reveal her beautiful face. She was strongly built, with long brunette hair, and a handsome smile. Her eyes were a deep, piercing green, like the most enticing field that you would find in a musical about romance, the female lead pressing herself against the lone tree which appeared from nowhere to speak about her forbidden love.

Adam wasn’t sure why, but he could definitely feel that she rolled a fifteen on her hotness check, what with her pearly white smile and beautiful eyes.

“She gets that a lot,” the other guard smiled as she took off her own helmet. She wasn’t quite as pretty, but that didn’t mean she could crack mirrors. She looked very similar to the other guard, with her brunette hair and piercing green eyes, but her face was slightly more gaunt, and there were small scratch marks against her cheek.

“Shut up,” the beautiful guard said, jabbing the woman beside her with her elbow. “So what brings you to Red Oak?”

“Adventure,” Adam said. “I’m here to join the Adventurer’s Guild.”

“You want to pave your own path, is that it?”

“Something like that,” Adam said. “I’m Adam, Adam Fate.”

“Marie,” the beautiful guard said, before motioning with her head to the other guard beside her, “and this is my sister, Mary.”

“Marie and Mary?” Adam asked.

“Mom wasn’t very creative with her names,” Mary said.

“Not that our father was any better. Harold, Harry, and Harri. Can you imagine being called Harri?”

Adam could hear the inflection at the end, and he assumed how it was spelt. “Right, uh…”

“Right, sorry. Gate fee is a copper coin.”

Adam reached into his pouch and pulled out a gold coin. “Do you have any change?”

The guard looked at the gold coin. “Do you only have gold on you?”

“Yes,” Adam chuckled nervously. “Sorry.”

“Well, we’ll get you some change. It’s always a good idea to keep a few denominations of lower currency.”

“Thank you.”

“A polite little one, isn’t he?” Mary said. “Usually you guys are a little rougher.”

“Us guys?”

“Adventurers.”

“I’m still young yet. My face is round, my blade still not yet wet by the blood of my enemies.”

Currency
15GP -> 14GP

“I’m sure you’ll be slaying plenty of enemies,” Mary said as her sister went to get some change. “You like to use a sword and shield, do you?”

“That’s right. Something romantic about a sword, you know?”

“I know, but a spear is easier to use. Easier to make, and cheaper to buy too.”

“The best weapon to arm a few hundred people with,” Adam replied back with a nod of his head. “Also useful to hunt with.”

She hadn’t expected Adam to be so eager to agree with her. ‘This guy is pretty strange, but quite likeable.’ “Where are you from?”

Adam smiled. “I’m from very far away, a place no one has heard of, that’s for sure.”

“Really? You came all this way to join the Adventurer’s Guild?”

Adam wasn’t sure how much he should give up. “I heard that it’s a nice place.”

“You bet,” Mary said, nodding her head. “Red Oak’s the best. Beautiful trees, great crafters, and not to mention our adventurers.”

“What’s so special about your adventurers?”

“Red Oak has created almost half the Mithril Rank adventurers in the entire Kingdom.”

“It’s about to be half once I join.”

Mary almost snorted with laughter, reaching up to hide her toothy grin. “Right, right.” She jabbed Adam with the butt of her spear. “Be careful out there. Don’t let your guard down.”

“I don’t plan on it,” Adam replied back with a smile. “I’ve already died twice.”

“Really? How did you die twice?”

Adam looked up towards the sky. “The gods decided my time had come.”

Mary nodded her head. “Death comes to us all.”

“They say only two things in life are certain.”

“Death and what else?”

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“Taxes.”

Mary snorted with laughter, covering her mouth. She tried to calm herself, but was too busy shaking from the silent laughter. Tears formed in her eyes, which was quite unfortunate for Adam.

Marie had returned, and watched as her sister was keeled over and shaking. Adam caught the look in her eye.

‘Uh oh.’

Charisma Save
D20 + 4 = 14 (10)

“What happened?” Marie had one hand clench around some coins, and the other firmly gripping her spear.

“I said a very funny joke,” Adam replied back innocently.

“What was the joke?”

“The context behind it is more important. Next time I swing by, I’ll try and make you laugh too.” Adam continued to smile innocently up at her.

“Uhuh. Alright, here.” She handed him his change. “Make sure you stay out of trouble, okay?”

Currency
14GP -> 14GP, 9SP, 9CP

“I’ll do my best,” Adam replied, patting his much fuller pouch. “Is there an inn you recommend?”

“If you’re heading to the Adventurer’s Guild, you can bunk there for the night. They take good care of newbies. You good at using the sword?”

“I’m decent.”

“Humble as well? Are you sure you want to be an adventurer?”

“It’s an adventurer’s life for me.”

“Good luck. If anyone gives you any trouble, be sure to call for a guard. Don’t take matters into your own hands. I’m sure I didn’t need to tell you that.”

“No ma’am,” Adam said, nodding his head.

“Alright, well don’t be a stranger.”

The gates had been open for some time, but Adam had been concentrating on the two guards ahead of him. However, now that he was making his way passed the guards, the blast of noise hit him like a truck.

There were hundreds of boots hitting the stone floor as porters carried various goods, men and women carried home their groceries.

“Carol! We’re making baskets later!” a woman shouted to another as she carried a basket of ropes and twigs.

“Okay!” the other woman shouted in return.

Horse hooves struck the ground as the beasts pulled along carts and carriages of some fellow or another, a rhythm sound which caused people to step aside to give space.

He could smell the industry from afar, the wafting scent of street food, and the smell of hard labour as people carried sacks full of various vegetables, grains, and materials.

Everything hit Adam, causing him to pause as he looked at the hundreds of buildings ahead of him, unable to see passed the crowd towards the town centre. He hadn’t seen a large town like this in a while, not since he was in the giant town, which was built for many tens of thousands of giants, though it couldn’t be compared to a human town.

Quest: Join the Adventurer’s Guild
Reward: +100XP

The words shone ahead of him, causing his eyes to twitch around them, before they faded away.

‘Well, that was the plan…’

He marched forward, a warm feeling of excitement carrying his steps. The electricity of adventure rushed through him, spurring him passed the thin, tall buildings of Red Oak. They were made of wood, of course, and some had bits and pieces of red oak. A window frame here, a door frame there, and some just had a single plank across the front, right above the door frame.

Perception Check
D20 + 2 = 5 (3)

He also noticed the walking sticks some people carried, made of red oak too. Most people also wore a club at their side, and now and against he found someone with a club made of red oak. He hadn’t noticed the various other trinkets people carried with them, or their red oak rings which very few people wore.

As he walked past certain shops, he also saw sign boards made of red oak, with either the name or a symbol etched or painted into it. The designs were of varying levels of intricate, but instead of getting lost in them, he shook his head and continued forward through the bustling main road, dodging and weaving his way to the centre of the town.

“…”

He stepped aside towards a side road, realising a mistake he had made. He had no idea where the Adventurer’s Guild was. He looked about, trying to find someone who could help him, before seeing an older man sitting at his doorstep and smoking. His pipe was made of red oak, obviously.

“Excuse me, do you know where the Adventurer’s Guild is?” Adam asked, not approaching too closely. He was a large half elf, adorned in heavy armour, with various weapons at his side. He understood that he didn’t give off the friendliest impression.

“Right I do,” the old man replied, nodding his head. “You head to the centre, take a left on to Labour Road, and follow it down. You can’t miss it, not unless your eyes are as bad as mine.” The old man smirked at his joke, sucking at his pipe and half laughing and choking on the smoke.

“Thank you, sir,” Adam said, reaching into his pouch.

The old man held out a hand and shook his head. “No need to worry about that, lad. You take those coins and buy yourself a nice drink, you hear?” The old man looked to Adam in his fairly shiny armour, his blade gleaming. ‘Look at this whipper snapper. I bet he’s only just stopped suckling on his mother’s teet. At least she raised him well.’

“I will.” Adam chuckled. He nodded his head. “Thank you again.” ‘Wow, everyone’s so nice here.’ He hadn’t expected that the people here would be so kind and helpful. Even the guard hadn’t tried to stab him after walking across the sight of seeing her sister keeling over as though she had been struck.

He followed the instructions, marching towards the town centre where there were buildings made purely out of red oak. He could see that each had a guard standing outside of it, making sure no one untoward was stepping into the buildings.

There was a fountain in the town square, where people refilled their waterskins, and others dropped in coins to pray for good fortune or for the demise of their most hatred enemies.

“Please make Billy fall over,” a young boy said, having spent his hard earned allowance.

Adam could only respect the youngster’s faith, and wondered if the gods were listening in to trip over Billy. He thought back to the gods he had met. ‘More than likely.’

There was another large building off to one side, made purely of wood, though Adam only barely glanced at it as he found the sign he was looking for. He looked along Labour Road to see a large number of crafters, from woodworkers to leather workers.

‘Why’s it called Labour Road and not Crafter’s Road?’ He shrugged his shoulders. ‘Not like I’m in charge of naming roads.’ With that, he followed the path along for a few minutes.

Perception Check
D20 + 2 = 16 (14)

He narrowly dodged a pick pocket, slapping their hand as he continued along. It was the same little shit who had made the prayer earlier. “I hope you trip over,” Adam whispered to the young boy, but continued along his way to the Adventurer’s Guild.

‘I can’t believe he caught me!’ The boy rubbed the back of his hand, shocked that he had been caught. He was certain that he had rolled well on his dice check, if that was a thing in this world, but it appeared that Adam had rolled much better.

The Adventurer’s Guild stood tall. It was made of stone for the first floor, and the next three floors were made of wood, getting slightly smaller as it approached towards the top, giving certain roguish classes a decent way to climb up, but also giving the people on the higher floors a better vantage point to see oncoming people.

Perception Check
D20 + 2 = 4 (2)

Adam didn’t see the faint etching on the top floor, or the faint runes which created a defensive spell against any intruders.

What he did see, was a large field to one side, with targets far to the back, and a small field were a couple of adventurers and guards were trying out their skills against one another. Behind the smaller field was a stone building connected to the side of the Adventurer’s Guild.

He walked up to the heavy, red oak doors, and pushed on them. They were fairly plain, though he recalled that they were engraved with quite the sight in the other world, in his last lifetime.

To his right were adventurers drinking and eating, a bar beyond them, and to his left were a few adventurers playing games, and a wall covered with posters for various requests.

‘Wow. This place looks just like the Adventurer’s Guild I knew. Is this really Red Oak, or did the universe find that this was the greatest way of formatting Adventurer’s Guilds?'

Ahead of him was the counter, which was currently blocked off by a group of burly men. Each were adorned in heavy furs, covered from their neck down in the fur cloak. He confidently approached the counter, standing behind the group as he waited for his time. The sensation of queueing filled his British bones, causing him to relax. He almost closed his eyes as he thought about how it made him feel right at home.

The burly men muttered between one another, speaking in low growls and grunts in their own language.

“The sheet’s all filled out, so why don’t you step around back and we’ll get the test started soon.” The voice was a familiar and feminine.

‘Isn’t that…’

As the burly men stepped aside, Adam saw the sight of a tall and young woman, close to twenty or so years of age. She had long red hair, loosely draped past her shoulders, and down her back. She wore a simple outfit, a red shirt that went down passed the counter where Adam dared not to peek. Her face held an earthly beauty, with sprinkles of freckles all over her face.

“Good afternoon. I’m Emma, receptionist of the Red Oak branch,” she said, seeing as she had never seen this freshly armoured fellow before. “How may I help you, stranger?” she asked in a practised tone which was meant to sound cheerful and sweet.

‘Emma?’

Adam blinked, looking through his helmet to see the familiar face.

‘What the hell is going on?’

Emma smiled, waiting for him to speak. Adam was in a state of shock, and he shook his head, catching glimpses of the burly men who had stepped to the side to mutter between one another and wish their youngest good luck in his exam.

Adam froze. The moment passed as he half darted forward, causing the burly men to turn on instinct. One grabbed his shoulder, another grabbed at his outstretched arm and hooked it back. They had moved seamlessly, not a word passing between them, but catching him expertly in unison.

The burly men looked towards Emma, seeing as this wasn’t their home, and they weren’t the kind to make a mess in the Adventurer’s Guild.

Adam’s heart pounded wildly, his hand still outstretched. He was so close, close enough to touch.

“Excuse me, what are you doing?” Emma asked, her voice cold, not matching the smile on her lips. ‘Who the hell is this kid trying to make a mess? Does he have a death wish?’

Adam wasn’t paying attention, as his heart continued to pound, thunderous within his chest. He was sweating too, a cold sweat, one coming from extreme shock. It was like he had been punched out of the blue. His throat was parched, but he swallowed whatever shock he had.

The young man, who had been stepping into the back room, had stopped when he heard the commotion. He was tall and strongly built, wearing heavy furs of white and grey, contrasting with his eyes, and his dark hair which fell down towards his shoulders. At his side was an axe, and tied to his left arm was a shield. On his forehead was a tattoo, a pattern of blue diamonds, and at the centre of his forehead, a single blue circle.

Though it was tattooed, he didn’t forget that face, he couldn’t.

“Jurot!”

 

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What? Whaaaaat? What's going on?

It's the same, but different?

Who saw it coming?

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