Chapter 2: Family
The skill pertaining to the Scribe Class was to be able to quickly copy and create any texts or documents (basically anything on paper), improved writing neatness, and enhanced memory. Not exactly a skill set suited for adventuring, but it'll have to do.
At least I wasn't completely helpless! I hadn't been alive for fifteen years doing exactly nothing. Dabbling in swordplay had been my favorite pastime to prepare for the adventurer life and I felt I was capable of at least dispatching a wolf. For now, I would have to head back home and begin packing.
Leaving the church revealed a festival congratulating all those who made it to fifteen years of age and obtained a class. There were people making merry and others consoling each other with some laughs. I couldn't help but get excited too, even with a subpar class. The mood was contagious.
No, no, no. I was going to become an adventurer without a suitable class. I need to work much harder than others. I couldn't already be held up now.
Making my way out of the crowd through the alley ways, the bustling noise faded behind me as I began my trek home.
The town of Ruk wasn't very big, but with that said, also wasn't small enough to know everyone living there like in a village. It was surrounded by low stone walls, only about waist high compared to the average adult, but it was enough to hold off most animal attacks. Just outside was farmland sustaining the town. If worse came to worst, and a monster attack happened, the guards would be able to let loose flaming arrows and burn the monsters with the crops. Finding food would be tough, but nothing beats being alive.
Because of the bestowal ritual though, the town was beyond packed. Although people were born everyday, the goddess obviously couldn't possibly bestow classes without rest so the ritual was typically carried out at the start of every season. Just having a church was a big selling point for Ruk during these times. No one knew who built the churches and the goddess statue inside, but for all we humans knew, they've always been there and entire countries have formed around them.
Ruk stayed relatively rural because no one had ever maintained the roads leading to it. The rough roads meant that usually no one went there unless something threw their plans off schedule and they needed to go to the nearest stopping point. Needless to say, it was to a shock to many travelers that there was a church, but a little known secret between the people who ended up there was that they wouldn't spread the word. Apparently in the big cities, you might find yourself in a cell the next day if you got a little too crazy while drunk so cozy places like Ruk were a rarity where you could enjoy yourself to the fullest.
Well it wasn't all fun for some of the residents there though. After a while of being pushed around, I finally made it out of the crowd and into the back alleys where I could move freely. Most of the houses in the town were made of wood with stone foundations, but the further to the outskirts you went, the shoddier the builds became. When the walls came in sight, I had arrived home, a worn out wooden house with cracks in the roof and walls. In fact, it was in such bad condition to help shelter against the elements that I even had a tent inside that I really lived in.
The door often got stuck so I jumped through the window instead, kicking up a light layer of dust. My tent was in the far corner the house, a part that was relatively less worn out. Besides it was a table and chair where I usually ate. Next to me was the kitchen but well it's been out of use for a long time besides the stove which had a healthy amount of coal underneath to keep warm in the winter.
Just outside the tent was my sword propped up against the wall. I unsheathed the blade about halfway, revealing a rather dull and chipped blade, but it was what I had to work with. It would have to do until I could make more than enough money to just live. Seeing my reflection in the blade was enough to get me excited about what was to come so I set it down and began packing for the journey.
"Sword... check. Waterskin... check. Tent... all packed up. Food... should be enough. Paper... and a quill and ink. I guess I should bring some. I am a scribe after all!" Walking out of the house, I couldn't help but look back in sadness. Even if it wasn't the best of places, it was still home and I was going to miss it. Then... I had an idea.
It wasn't exactly a scribes work, but neater writing means neater lines... right? Enhanced memory would also help to not have to look up as often. I found a nice shady spot and sit and set out scribbling on my paper. "And done! This... is pretty amazing isn't it!" Even I was shocked by my own ability. I held the paper up to the sky, admiring the ink drawing of the worn down house gave off a sense of a loneliness, but also strength as it stayed up to shelter the one inside. I couldn't help but hesitate to leave after reminiscing on the life I lived here.
"...time to go off. I'll miss this place." The sun has already begun to set. Better to stop stalling and leave now so I didn't actually get any ideas about staying. I climbed over the wall and began quickly heading north with the remaining light of day... or I would've if I wasn't pulled by the back of my shirt.
"Where'd'ya think yer goin' kiddo?!" My legs got caught on the wall and I was forced to look up at disheveled looking man with a bottle of alcohol in his hands. "Ya really tryna leave with this party goin' on for you lot!" He said while dragging me back in front of my house. "Oiii, everyone! This lil' runt was tryna leave without sayin' g'bye to y'all!"
One by one the doors and windows of the other desolate looking houses opened and heads of all ages poked out. I let out a sigh. "Dirk, you know I don't like being the center of attention..." Dirk. He was like an older brother to me and in fact to all the children in our area of the outskirts as well, but also a father figure.
With his calling, the children ran out and tackled me to the ground and swarmed all over. After tussling with them a bit I was finally free and sat up to the sight of a table and food laid out. "What is all of this..." I murmured with my eyes beginning to heat up.
"We decided to have our own little celebration for you, slum-style. Even in the town center we just couldn't fit in with our roughness." Dirk stood by me and looked down with a smile, his usual accent gone. "I know you're eager to start your new life, but you should know... this may be the last time we see each other... so shut up and accept our kindness just for today! Let's get this party started everyone!" With a pat on my back pushing me forwards, I joined the festivities.
The festivities lasted long into the night. All of the children were already asleep and the adults were dead drunk on the floor. Sitting on the ground and looking at the sky, fire spells were exploding, creating flowery sparks... fireworks I think they were called.
I moved to stand up, but felt my hand slip. It was my drawing of the house. I looked at my drawing, at the lonely looking house then back up again at the scene around me. "So I wasn't alone after all..." I laid by a knocked out Dirk and drifted off.
I woke up early the next morning when sun was just beginning to rise. Making sure not to wake anyone, I silently made my way over the wall, making sure to snatch some fruit from a nearby tree and began my walk.
Reaching the northeastern entrance to the town, a voice called out to me. "Hey kid. You heading that way?" Looking the direction of the voice, it was man accompanied by the boy who was declared a merchant the day before. I guess he came from a merchant family. No wonder he was excited about his class.
"Yeah!"
"I wouldn't mind letting you ride with us. We're heading the same direction. Just waiting on a few people before we head off."
"You sure?"
"Yup, you might have to wait a while, but it beats walking for who knows how long. Hop on in the back!" He said with his thumb pointing back and a great smile on his face.
"Thanks!" I said smiling back and made my way over.
"Hey, you dropped something." The man reached down and picked a paper. "Hmmm, this is a pretty nice picture. You draw it?"
"Yeah. It's important to me. Thanks." I accepted the picture back with gratitude. I would be my only memento of this place once I'm gone. I looked back down at and reaffirmed my dreams of becoming an adventurer before safely putting it away.
Dirk woke up with his head pounding. "Hey kiddo, you there?" He sat up rubbing his eyes and a blanket fell over. Dirk looked at it with a knowing smile. "So your already gone huh. Never did end up asking him what class he got." The sun was high in the sky already, he had slept past noon. Looking around, the place was already cleaned up and no one else was around.
"Sheesh, at least someone could've woken me up." He turned around to look over the now emptied, worn wooden house and a melancholy fell over him. He sighed and made his way in. "I almost wish he stayed..." Wish he'd never told him stories of his adventuring days. That way he wouldn't have to feel so anxious. "He was like a little brother to me. But as someone who couldn't reach his own dream, what right do I have to stop him reaching his own."
Dirk paced around the empty house telling himself maybe something was forgotten or maybe he would find out quickly he wasn't suited for the job. Anything so that he could have an excuse to see his little brother once more. The wind blew through the cracks in the walls and he shuddered, but not before hearing the flapping of paper. Turning towards the sound, the paper on the wall blew loose and flew into his face.
"What the--" He grabbed the paper and examined it before letting a few tears fall. "So I wasn't the only one who thought that way..."
It was a drawing of a worn, lonely looking house that seemed unlivable, but in front were adults sprawled around the floor with bottles in their hand, children snuggling together, and in the middle... a man and a boy just barely coming of age sleeping side by side under the starry sky.
On the back was the picture's title, 'Family,' and with it, a message: "I'll be back one day. Wait for me."
-Signed, your little brother, Rui.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone