Feryr

The text boxes will get better, I am having some pain converting my stuff over while publishing.  I just wanted everyone to know it is on the list of to-do.

Screaming in pain as I fall towards the ground, I felt the long green vine wrap further around my leg. Bright red needle bristling from it and driving deep into my leg.

I hit the ground barely not hitting myself with the ax. After only a brief moment of shock i twist around and hit it with the ax in my hand.

“Oh crap, I’m boned.” was the only thought in my mind as I took in the window in front of me.

As the monster continued its attack I felt my back start to come under attack as well, sick vine like appendages starting to strangle me. Wrapped around my neck and constricting I felt the blood supply to my head start to restrict and my vision became hazy. Suddenly the pressure was gone as a hard lump of wood ricocheted off the back of my head after squeezing its way past my jacket. The little thing barely touched the ground when its whip like legs tore at the ground and it barreled into the vine at my leg.

Oh my god that hurt! The little guy just rip the vine from my leg, leaving many of the needle like thorns still embedded. While not quite enough to make me pass out, it did leave me on the edge of unconsciousness. I was able to make out the blurry movements of a little sphere bobbing up and down off the ground fighting what appeared to be a green serpent of doom. Dragging myself backwards I glanced up at the health bar to the left and was shocked to see it mostly empty.

Well that made it even worse, I barely had a sliver of health left. My body felt warm, my leg burned, and the only thing my eyes could make out was my little buddy fighting off a green monster. Needless to say, this was not the start that I would’ve preferred.

Within moment a new window popped up, a window that I thought would surely bring the dreaded news of my familiars demise.

As the battle ended, apparently in my familiars favor, I felt a restriction on my body let loose. My heart seemed to settle, my mind cleared, and the pain in my leg seemed to lessen.

“Oh, well that explains why I’m already starting to feel better.” I said to no one in particular. Just then a little lump of wood burst into the dead center of my vision. “Well hey little buddy!” There definitely wasn’t anything I could call him after he saved my life by literal moments. “You saved me, I don't think I could've survived any longer without you!” I said to the little familiar.

Checking my status window and pulling up my exact HP values, I learned it was even closer than I initially thought.

While in the menus I also pulled up the little familiar’s stats as well.

“AHAHAHA!” Laughing hysterically I was dumb founded. Not only was the little guy tougher than me, he actually did get boosted by my ,now not so dumb, idea! Now having my full attention, I couldn't help but stare at him and be amazed with how lucky I got. I mean, I’m sure there could've been something better, but things were shaping up to be pretty decent. The little guy was pretty amazing, especially with his spiky fists. (Wind blowing) “Wait what!?” I bellowed in disbelief. His little root fists were spiked with dozens of the red needles! My forehead starting to sweat, I noticed that it wasn’t quite right to say spiked, he was carrying them more than anything else. Briefly looking past him I saw the now dead vine on the ground surrounded by needles and ripped off pieces of its fibrous flesh. The little guy had really put in some work with that fight. Speaking of which, some thanks were due.

“Thanks for the help a moment ago, I know we started off rough but you really pulled through for me! If there is anything that I can ever do for you, just let me know. We are a bonded team afterall.”

My only two responses were a flashing smiley face emoji next to his health bar in the top right of my vision and a new pop-up window.

Clicking Yes, a new window requesting a name popped up.

“What name should I give you?” I asked the little creature. The only answer I received was a questioning emoji. “I want to call you “Barry”(Berry) but you’re not a fruit familiar. You’re a tree, but I definitely can’t call you Woody. That would not go over well introducing you to others, for you or me. The only thing I can really think of right now if Rumble, mostly because of how you fight and the fact that it sounds like Rum-barrel… Which to be fair is kinda what you are shaped as and made out of similar wood.”

To my surprise, I was greeted by a laughing emoji and a thumbs up.

Inputting the name “Rumble” I was greeted by another window.

“Well that was easy!” I said while laughing with the little guy. “We need to celebrate tonight, celebrate to a great start! Grab the rest of the needles and keep a look out for me, we still need more wood cut or else we both will freeze tonight!”

Rumble quickly threw me a root salute and ran off to grab up some more needles and within moments of me getting to my feet a new window appeared.

Selecting Yes, the bundle of needles disappeared from Rumble’s little roots.

“Remember Rumble, keep an eye out for another enemy because I really cannot survive another hit from one.”

From that point on the wood gathering went well without anything too eventful. We ended up gathering a total of 11 solid logs and further splitting a 12th log we were able to get quite a few smaller pieces to start as kindling. As we were about halfway through taking in the wood, I noticed a stranger coming up the road on horseback.

“Howdy neighbor!” a cheerful baritone came over the wind. The owner of said voice was a larger man, probably about 6 ft but all of 250 pounds. Clad in a metal breastplate and sturdy leather armor elsewhere, he was quite the tough looking fellow when compared to my frame, almost 100 pounds lighter. “I am lieutenant Dan, a local guard officer for the small town of Westbend just east of your…. Farm?” he asked that last part quite quizzically.

“Haha” I laughed. “Ya, it's not much now but I plan on making it into a respectable farm as fast as I can. Also, I’m Bradford Wallace, but I would prefer if you just call me Brad. Obviously I am new around here but I’m happy to make your acquaintance.”

"It's good to meet you too!" The large man cheerfully responded. "To get right down to business though, I am here to give you either an introduction to our community or to purchase your estate."

"Why would you be here to purchase my estate!?" I asked.

"In case you had chosen a fully adventurer class composition, or if you just wanted to explore. Our billboard in the guard station lets us know whenever a completely new character is made which enables us to go and have this conversation with them, or in this case you."

"Oh, well that's convenient. Does your billboard also help locate criminals or list attacks?"

"Everyone asks that, and no it does not. The billboard is a request board for locals to make of us or others, just so happens to also get one time updates on new people that don't arrive by travel." Lieutenant Dan explained.

"Well, no need to purchase my land, I plan on farming and building up a life here. I was a fan of the farming games before graduation. So really all I really need is to know how to keep my house warm long term and if this is fall or spring. Is the cold just starting or about to end."

"Well, it's just the end of winter, should be spring in two days." Dan explained. "As for heat, it looks like you have enough firewood for tonight, but I hope you have made a stone fire pit for it in your home. I know these shacks don't normally come with one."

"I didn't even think about that. Ugh, looks like I have a bit longer in this cold." I complained.

"Look here, I'll help you out real quick and get you warm for the night and in exchange I want you to come to the town and have a look around tomorrow. We will be having a welcoming celebration for new arrivals." Dan explained.

"Deal, but that's assuming I'm allowed to bring my familiar."

"A familiar!? You didn't pick Laborer as your secondary class? Did you pick hunter or something for ranching?" the large man questioned.

"No, I'm a druid and I picked farmer as my secondary. I'm hoping to make use of my abilities to grown better crops."

"A druid!? Are you serious!? And Farmer!? You should've become a mage or something!" Dan asked incredulously.

"Look, I don't want to go off fighting everyday. My goal is to relax, grow and fight off the local monsters eating my crops. If I wanted to fight I would've picked mage, but I'd didn't. So, could we please keep this between us and let it go?"

"If you want to keep it between us fine, but I would recommend not bringing your familiar unless it looks like a normal hunters pet. Speaking of which, were is it?"

"Rumble, can you come over here?" I shouted. And within moments the little ball ran down the path out from the shack, where he was piling wood in preparation for the coming night. "Dan, meet Rumble my plant familiar. Rumble meet Lieutenant Dan".

"Well ain't that something. The little bugger sure is cute. He definitely stands out though, I would recommend either not bringing him, or hiding him. I'm curious how big he will get and how long you can hide him though. Hunters often start with wolf pups but within a few levels they out grow all but the biggest of dogs." Dan commented.

"Hopefully big enough to kill all the monsters!" I joked.

"Ha, true enough. Well let's head on inside and make you a safe fire pit that won't lead to a burn victim by morning." Dan said.

And so lieutenant Dan helped show me how to make a stone fire pit while he quickly assembled one in the shack using loose stones found outside. And within the hour he was on his way further west in order to greet another new arrival leaving me with Rumble and the cold night ahead.