Chapter 3: Timeskip

That night was etched into Max's mind, the ability to recall the cold air of winter, the wounds he had suffered, that stupid blonde prick. These thoughts though easily recalled they were still like a distant dream of lifes' past but now Nathan was Max and Max Ashcrop didn't have things like that to worry about when traveling across Allaria with his father Ken. Max sat next to his father, the boy had recently turned five, his hair the same as his aging father's almost as if his father started mitosis and made an exact smaller copy. Black hair with strands of silver growing into it, a young slim frame but eyes of golden color as if his eyes were gold coins for trade and the slightly pointed ears. He was a bit paler than his olive-skinned father but so long as he wore a hat no one was any wiser to the fact that he was a half-elf.

Max wasn't too sure just why this mattered when he started growing, under the pretenses that this was some world like a manga or light novel but quickly grew to understand just what his being meant. Allaria was a magical world, full of spells, dragons, adventure, and similar but all the same, there were differences from all the goofy fun stories he had dreamed of in his previous life. In this world, Elves were viewed like demons, a byproduct of the gods being made just like typical demons but elves were different. Their magical prowess and ability to use magic in differing ways that were unmonitored had left them feared, most religious zealots believing that they are responsible for the creation of disease, famine, and curses. To say this was not the case was not a set in stone certainty for Max, from what his father explained there were many races of beings. Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Gnomes, Orcs, Beastmen, Lizard Folk, dryads, Teiet, Demons, Devils, undead, etc.

Each one other than Elves, Demons, and Devils were made by the gods as their own special creation and each had a ruling god, their creator.

The master smiths of the Dwarves believed in Hann' Ur, their creator who is said to have forged the dwarves in primordial metal and let the embers of life light a flame in their bellies.

Elves remained Godless since no god would bend their favors towards the unmade creatures but most worshipped Mouter, the goddess of nature, beasts, and plants.

The Orcs follow Argus, the god of war, blood, and weapons, and is supposed to be a neutral god who doesn't favor sides but due to their constant blood lust and fighting he typically blesses them. The legend goes that Argus once had a tantrum, lashing out at a large boulder in his path and from it spilled dark blood which the Orcs came from.

The Gnomes believe in GlitterToes, the god of treasure, fortune, and gold. He was lonely and loved treasure so much that he took jewels and gave them his most precious treasure of all, life so came the gnomes.

Beast and Lizardfolk commonly believe in Mouter as well while some worship Argus as well, the two supposedly came together and made life which was these anthropomorphic races. Beastmen vary on a weird scale that Max likes to call furry or not, this weird scale is something he had seen as Nathan on the internet. Ones that had animal ears and tails but no other characteristics were ok but the ones that looked as if they belonged in a zoo or at an odd convention, were the furries but the variation was an odd scale but gave the boy some fun whilst in towns with his father.

Teiet was last on the list as they worshipped Jusst, god of the air, avians, and knowledge. Their race was that of avians and was rare but interesting. They spent their lives either flying, in small libraries or curators of specific knowledge, or in isolated villages upon mountains. And lastly, humans, an unknown mess as each group believed in something different from everyone else, Gald, Goddess of Merchants, travel, and trade but Max didn't believe in any of them. Sure he could toss everything up to science and call it a day but that wasn't what he felt or believed. Why should he pay patronage to gods who disavow his existence and life?

Ken had a smile on his face, reins in hand, and his son by his side. He was thankful for what he had even if he was missing his beloved but for now, Max was what he had to live for, even with his son's curse he loved the boy, it was his own flesh and blood after all and the greying hair and golden eyes reminded him of Max's mother as he whistled at Max to grab his attention.

"I have a gift for you my son, in the back, there is a small bobble wrapped in the swaddling you adore so much. Bring it up here."

Ken spoke of the boy's beloved blanket, a cloak of purple and gold trim that never seemed to dirty and seemed to constantly sheen. In all reality, it was his mother's cloak that she refused to ever part with or fully explain but one day he hoped his son would be capable of wearing it just like she did that faithful night in the woods. He smiled as Max expertly climbed back to the little cubby he had called his room as he unwrapped this crystal orb from its hiding, the aquamarine-colored orb was cool to the touch and had odd energy about it as he brought it back to the bench his father sat on. Ken smiled, motioning to the boy with a chuckle.

"Imagine if you will a large spring, untouched water within it with winding paths already crafted. Imagine that water spilling forth from the spring, flowing up those paths and across your body, feel it in all of you and will it to gather in the orb you hold and let it gather slowly"

Max gulped, closing his eyes, and envisioned this spring but it was different than his father had explained it. It wasn't spring but like a vast ocean full of murky water, seamlessly with no end as he tried and struggled to find the grooves that were explained to him but he couldn't. His face twisted in discontent and frustration as the waters began to become uneasy before he felt a hand on his own and deep beneath the murky waters the ravines that he was searching for began to glow as he willed them to where they were supposed to through the waters remained unchanging as familiar but almost forgotten dings began to beckon his eyes open as he was met with familiar blur boxes that had lines of text on them.

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Race: Half-Elf

Age: Five

Health: 255

Mana: ERROR

Level: 1

Stats: Str(5), Dex(5+10) Con(8), Int(10+10), Wis(10+5) Cha(10+10)

Skills: Dwarvish (Fluent), Gnomish (Fluent), Common (Fluent), Elvish (Adept), Economics (Basic), Math (Adept), Drawing(Basic), Sales (Basic)

Racial Skills: Human Adaptability (MAX), Elven Magic (ERROR), Magic Circuits(ERROR), Elven Dexterity (MAX), Elven Foot Work (Untrained), Increased Charisma (MAX), Elven Mind(MAX)

Unique Skills: VICE (MAX)

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Max and his father excitedly read through this list as the two were amazed, more so his father than him since he lacked an understanding of the significant numbers. Ken didn't have a twenty in his charisma until he chose his job at eighteen and his son was only five and starting with two stats at twenty already! He was bewildered by how his son's schooling was paying off already but something was bothering him. The two errors and the unique skill of Vice, just reading it made him queasy as he gently guided his son's hand to click on the skill as it made another window overlap.

{{Vice(MAX): This skill is a cursed unique skill that is unable to be removed. Ones with Vice are incapable of experiencing the positive effects of certain items, elixirs, and specific things that fulfill the requirements. This skill will reverse the effects of positive effects, instead of placing the person with this skill in harm's way instead of experiencing the opposite effect. Things like potions, healing magic, or buffing magic will instead cause the bearer to endure the mirrored effect}}

As Max read this he was confused as his consciousness began to slowly tick and churn. In theory, if he was to take a healing pot, a basic potion, would that instead of helping him harm him? Or maybe if he got hurt and a town healer would use magic on the wound it would instead make it worse. A lot of things ran through his mind before he felt a gentle pat on his back and a deep embrace.

"You're letting your mind run boy. That isn't the end of the world but it makes things complicated, it also explains why that night you were on the brink of death. Every time we would use healing magic you would just grow paler and weaker yet you still came out fighting. I love you boy"

Ken smiled at his son and patted him some more as he chuckled at him and rubbed his back. Max loved his father, he was happy he made that wish... even if it did cost him his life

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