Gift

Chapter 6: Inn of the Forgotten

Are were there yet, Arc?" I groaned.

"Almost, Master Jean. A bit more walking and we will have reached the port town." She replied cheerfully as she continued on with her task of carrying my luggage. "We should arrive in about an hour or so."

I nodded and looked up at the sky again. It was still early morning, but it already felt hot out here compared to how cool everything had been back in Strahl. The sun was rising higher into the sky, its rays casting a golden glow across the area. It reminded me of the time that I had spent exploring the great forests in the north with my parents when I was younger. We would always go camping near a river while I was growing up. I missed those times. My mother would make a big fire for us every night, and I'd get to play with the other children who lived in the nearby village. They all knew that I enjoyed tinkering with stuff and creating tiny mechanical robots, which they saw as just cool little toys. I didn't mind though, if an invention of mine can make someone happy, then they call it whatever they want.

"Master?" Arc was stopped in front of me, looking at me with a perplexed look on her face. "Is something the matter?"

Arc is an automaton created by the Gods and given to me as my Gift. She has pure white hair that was tied up into a ponytail, and the most beautiful pair of brown eyes that are almost hypnotic to stare into. Her skin tone is pale compared to humans, but her features resemble that of a human girl. She's not exactly pretty either. In fact, she looks rather plain and dull. But that doesn't mean she isn't good-looking. There's just something unique about Arc's appearance. It draws you in and makes you wonder what lies beneath the blank expression she usually has on. She also likes to wear a maid outfit all the time and act as if I'm her master. She said when we first met that it was simply a natural condition that all Avatar type Gifts have towards their "masters". It's not something that bothers me much, so as long as she is happy, I'm happy. We've known each other for almost a year now. My birthday is in January and it's late October currently.

"I'm good. Guess I just zoned out there for a moment." I spun in a circle and moved myself in front of her then grabbed her hand and bent down on one knee. "Must be your beautiful presence, Arc. It's the Gods giving us a sign that we should be together."

She removed her hand from mine. "No. I haven't gotten an order of any kinda like that from Father."

"Does it have to be an order?"

Arc kept walking forward. "Almost to Port Laurel. If the rumors are true you can ask him yourself."

The rumor she is referring to is the one about a God arriving at Port Laurel. Arc said she received a directive to come find her Father, a God, somewhere on the planet. We don't know where he could be, so we've traveled around in search of him, following rumors and clues. This specific rumor, in particular, is a long shot of being true. I mean, a God showing up at a random port town and there are now ceremonies or preparations being prepared for it? It's most likely a fake rumor to drum up business for them, but, hey, can't hurt to take a look, right? As long as there is no danger, I have no issue with it.

***

Port Laurel is a small port town located on the western side of the continent. It is mostly used as a stopping point for travelers or to rest before continuing on their journey. In the town are a few inns, a tavern, several shops selling various goods, and even a shrine dedicated to a local deity. Port Laurel also has some places where people can buy fresh fish and other ocean life that they have caught. There is a large dock situated in the middle of the town, and boats can be seen arriving and departing throughout the day. There were two ships docked at the docks. One of them was a large trading vessel that belonged to the Skyfall Trading Company. This company was founded by a well-known entrepreneur, Leuel Bet, years ago, and it quickly became very successful.