My friends and I pushed through a vast crowd, eager to glimpse the award ceremony. The renowned adventurer, Iridell, a half-elf, was being honored for his countless deeds and accomplishments. As the ceremony commenced, Iridell captivated the audience with his enthralling tales of adventure encounters with fascinating people, visits to mystical places, and battles with extraordinary creatures. Mesmerized by his stories, I mustered up the courage to approach Iridell, albeit shyly.
"Uh... Hello, sir... Do you think that..."
Iridell interrupted my hesitant words with a warm smile. He asked if I, a young adventurer-to-be, wanted to follow in his footsteps. Without a doubt, I nodded in response. Delighted by my ambition, Iridell encouraged me.
"Let not this world be your limit. Set your sights on the vast heavens, and perhaps the gods may lay witness to your feats."
Years later, as Raymond, I embarked on a journey to become a great adventurer. Along the way, I arrived in a small town and found respite in a cozy tavern. While enjoying a meal, my ears perked up as I overheard a group of villagers discussing intriguing rumors.
"... It's just a rumor, you know?"
"Yeah, but Jones saw her turn from an old hag to a beautiful maiden!"
"Who knows, maybe he just got drunk again."
They continued to chatter about it, brushing it off as a rumor. Finishing up a delicious dinner, I stride onwards with my journey, or so I thought, being distracted by the stories and forgetting that I had no coins left, as the tavern cost all of it. Days went by as I bore off wandering past the vast terrain. The fatigue from all the sleepless nights started to get to me and forced me to take camp in the dark woods.
When I awoke to the ambush of a group of ravenous wolves, I had been sound asleep when I felt something pulling me gently over the ground. As I rush towards my tent to get my sword, I kick back at the wolf on my leg, but the pack leader suddenly emerges from the shadows. They encircled me, and I could not get my firearm. When I thought it was over for me. My mind went blank, and it seemed like my body was moving on it's own. The pack pursued me as I vaulted and dove through the forest using the trees as footholds. I sprint back to my camp to grab my sword, but the alpha had been planning this and waited for me at the hills near the camp. It drops down, and in a flash, my arm had been ripped apart, My cries echoed through the forest, stuffing the silence.
Amidst my struggle to retrieve my sword, the res of the pack were able to catch up to us. The alpha tosses my severed arm to the others, ripping it apart.
Out of nowhere, the forest resonated with the rhythmic sound of shoes gracefully traversing the treetops. Arrows swiftly pierced through the air, finding their mark on the wolves. Seeking safety, I sought refuge behind a fallen tree, witnessing the relentless onslaught of arrows raining down upon the pack. The howling ceased, and the whistling of arrows also subsided. Intrigued, I cautiously peeked over the tree to see who had come to my aid. To my astonishment, a group of elves stood before me, engaged in animated conversation.
Although I couldn't comprehend their complex Elven language, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the entire group was fluent in their language and proficient in human speech. They effortlessly switched between the two, occasionally conversing in their native tongue. It was a captivating sight to behold as I marveled at their linguistic abilities and wondered about the connection between our worlds.
The elves' presence and ability to communicate in humans and eleven languages offered a glimmer of hope and reassurance. Perhaps they could provide guidance or assistance in overcoming the challenges I faced.
After unexpectedly joining the bounty hunter group, I spent several days in their company. We had a fantastic time together, but deep down, I couldn't shake the feeling of inadequacy compared to their skills and abilities. One day, one of them, a non-human, approached me and asked about a particular feat I had performed while swiftly maneuvering through the trees.
