Chapter 2:- The gift

Chapter 2:- The gift

Avil as soon as he heard grandpa voice, he was on the verge to cry,

A nine year old had its first time to hunt and succeeded was a big feat for him.

He was feeling very proud and a little bit scared as it was his first time experience of something so dangerous that if something would have went wrong then it would lead to a very dangerous or even life threatening event.

When Grandpa Rolland saw Avil staring at the dead body of the wild boar,

He gave a pat on the shoulder of Avil, like a affirmation of the act and decision he made while fighting his enemy and said,

You fought like a true warrior,

Even though you were scared, even though you were afraid,

You still fought and defeated your enemy,

Always remember Avil,

Courage is not when your aren't afraid of anything,

Courage is when you are afraid, but still faces the fear head on.

After this brief moment, which lasted for a few moments but felt like eternity.

Avil took the words to heart, and stood up,

After a while grandpa Rolland started to pick up the the wild boar laying on the ground with a big blood pool as its throat was slit.

He ask Avil to cleanup fast as other animals or monster could attack them by getting attracted to the blood of the wild boar.

Then grandpa Rolland put the dead body of the wild boar on his shoulder and we started to travel back to the village.

While we were going back grandpa Rolland was started to teach me where I was careless and helped me to get a better perceptive of the fight.

We then started to fool around while going to the village,

Then Grandpa Rolland told me something

A surprise is waiting for you in the village.

What surprise, Grandpa Rolland?

But he didn't answered till he we reached the village.

I was really pestering him but he didn't even budge a little,

I guess adventure experience.

When we finally reached the village, he then went to the main centre of the village and started to shout,

Avil had his first blood today!

Avil had his first blood today!

After shouting for few moments, all the villagers gathered as fast as they would near the centre of the village.

I was so much embarrassed by seeing such an old man shouting like a kid in the centre of the village.

This village isn't very big in term of size.

There were used to almost 100 people living but most of the adults and kids migrated as said earlier, so mostly elderly people and retired people were left in the village.

So it didn't took much time for the people to gather,

I asked Grandpa Rolland what was happening,

He replied,

It's a ritual of the village that whenever a kid from the village successfully hunts his first prey every villagers gather and celebrate and pray for the future of the kid.

Hey you geezer Rolland, at least you should have told us earlier about it you know,

Your old habits hasn't changed yet it seem,

Do first and then thin latter,

That's why you couldn't marry.

Said an old man in a friendly manner,

This old was Gideon Mercer, he was an old man who is friend with Grandpa Rolland back from his adventuring day.

He is a short man with a thick stubble and no hair on his head

But he had a very husky voice.

Hey don't be rude to Brother Rolland, did you forget who saved you when the dire wolf were going to attack you while you were have a pee.

The one who was scolding Grandpa Gideon was Grandma Lily also known as Lily Mercer.

She is the wife of the grandpa Gideon and also swore sister of Grandpa Rolland.

She was taller than grandpa Gideon she wasn't a beauty but she looked very kind and caring.

They all know each other for a long period of time.

You didn't need to bring that up again,

Said Grandpa Gideon,

Unfazed and unaffected by the words of Grandpa Gideon,

Grandpa Rolland,

Picked Avil up on his shoulder, even though he looked a little worn out he still had a lot of strength despite of his old age.

He quickly shouted

Listen everybody, today we will celebrate as my Grandson Avil had his first blood today,

He defeated a wild boar on his own,

Lets celebrate by roasting this boar.

Then everyone started to help grandpa Rolland to roast the wild boar.

It was a very nice atmosphere, like a festival was going on,

Everyone was excited and overjoyed by the fact of Avil first blood,

Everyone was giving their best wishes too Avil.

Even though he has only spend a few day with them, even though he has no memories of them,

He still feels very blessed and happy.

He felt like how home should feel like.

Grandpa Rolland was telling them how I killed the boar and how much talented I was like I was the most genius person in the world.

I guess I was a little embarrassed but looking at the proud face of Grandpa Rolland I was also feeling proud.

When the boar was roasted, everyone gathered and started to pray for the better future.

Then everyone started to eat the boar, some old men were drinking alcohol made from the wild fruits, women were playing music everyone was in such a delighted mood.

Eventually

As it was getting darker everybody was getting ready to leave,

That's when I thought the celebration was over,

Grandma Lily and grandpa Gideon came in front and started to shoot fireballs and light at the star filled sky.

The fireball blasted in the sky and looked very beautiful and mesmerizing; light gave more reflection to the fire making it look more splendid and amazing.

I don't know it was because of the atmosphere or joy or the fact that I don't remember any detail of past,

This scene was one of the most beautiful scenes I ever witnessed.

That's when the villager came forward and each house started to give me some gifts and items.

Like one house gave me a quiver made from leather of a monster called Spitefang it is a monster which looked like a regular serpent but was as big as a human, its specialty was that it had a camouflage skin with patterns of forest and was very stretchable and strong.

Equipping it gives you +2 stealth.

By the way I forget to mention, everyone one has status, you can even show your status to anyone you want to and even look at some people status with some skills.

Mostly people hide their status to be safe from any danger.

You only get the status when you get 12 years old and get awakened at the church.

But even the pope isn't allowed to see the status

Only person who there to be awakened can see.

I have seen even grandpa Rolland's status, maybe in the past I don't know, cause I don't remember anything.

But anyways I think his status would be really awesome as he was an adventurer and is really really strong.

After that many villager gave me items like running boots which was made from skin of the silver ash cat, this monster is known for its speed

Hence it gave me a +2 speed,

Also I got the light armor, it was a regular armor which was very useful for archer like me, it is very useful to sneak and hide.

And some random things like horn of a razor bull, and some meat of red horned chicken which is very delicious.

After everyone gifted me something they went back to their house, as everyone started to dissipate, grandpa Gideon and grandma lily came,

And asked

What do you want Avil,

A sword, a bow, anything you are interested in

Asked Grandpa Gideon,

Then can you teach me magic? I also want to learn magic like you bith did?

Oh is that so? Said grandma lily,

Okay from tomorrow I will teach you magic but you can only learn basics as whether you can master a magic depends upon your awakening when you will be 12 years old you understood?

Okay I am fine with that too!

then I asked Grandpa Rolland?

So grandpa Rolland what are you going to give me today?

Grandpa Rolland then took out a blade which was in a scabbard,

Its name is moonlight, the hope of regret,

Currently you can't use this dagger but one day you will be able to,

This was gifted to me by a very special person, but that person is no longer in this world.

Please keep great care of this blade; it will help you to fulfill all your wishes and regrets in life.

Said Grandpa Rolland in a sad and teary voice,

The sadness in his voice was very noticeable but was it wasn't the cruel sadness but more of the regret sadness.

Its like he had regrets which he was never able to fulfill.

Grandpa Rolland do you have regrets in your life,

Grandpa Rolland didn't answer but looked at the sky and said,

You know a long long time ago, when I was a experienced adventurer,

I had an adopted kid whom I had named Roy, he was a very kind kid just like you, always curious and brave.

As I was an orphan without anyone supporting me in my childhood, I had to suffer a lot of hardships and sufferings.

I wanted him to have a good life but in the end he disappeared suddenly without any information, I tried to find him but was never able to find him. I went to guilds and posted a quest for it but never succeeded. He disappeared like he never existed.

Till this day it leaves a great hole deep inside me.

This dagger was a gift from me to him but I was never able to give him.

But then I met you,

I raised you, I saw you grow up I front of my eyes, but that day when you fell and lost your memories,

I was broken, it was like you would also disappear from my life and I didn't want to lose you too.

Disappearance of Roy was also the reason, I was never able to marry and have a family.

Grandpa Rolland, don't worry I will be your family I will never leave you alone, I promise.

Thank you Avil,

And also congratulation for your first blood, may the god always bless you with god luck and happiness Avil.

Said grandpa before going to sleep

Thanks Grandpa Rolland.

Next day was up, now the winter season coming to the end and the summer is coming pretty soon,

For citizens summer means ray of sunshine after the dawn of winter, but it's not the case of the soldiers,

Because winter and monsoon season are not at all suitable for the war, due to harsh climatic conditions which result into useless casualties on the both ends of the war, hence the war is avoided at all cost during this season.

The most suitable climate is summer when the conditions are stable, earlier days both kingdoms tried to sneak attack each other but were always met with the calamities and other things like a monster overflow,

No one knows why the monster overflow happens only in winter, but its never happens in summer.

Anyways I got up and saw Grandpa Rolland who was making breakfast for both of us.

Avil you are awake? Come for the breakfast!

You have magic training practice with Lily and also we are going for hunting later today,

Good morning Grandpa Rolland,

Good morning he replied.

By the way why are we going to hunt late today?

Because I want to teach you to hunt at night, I know it should be avoided but sometimes there would be some situations when you have hunt late at night.

And I want to prepare you for that.

After that I completed my breakfast and went straight to Grandma Lily's house.