Before There Was Braveheart

Chapter XXI: The Protector

Leaving the Kingdom of Luftschloss at the age of two hundred was a common choice made by young elves who wanted to get a taste of the world that was far from the ideals that their parents had taught them. A brutal and harsh world, a place not fit for the elven society who were so used to comfort and peace that they decided to keep their kingdom hidden from outsiders. To elves who have just reached adulthood, such a world sounded intriguing, for it is the opposite of the kingdom's philosophy of harmony. They would then decide to step out into the world, living on their own for a few years, until they've had enough and would return to their home, telling their stories and experiences to the elves who would not dare to set foot outside their kingdom.

A young elf, who had just been kicked out of his orphanage, decided that he would rather die outside of the kingdom than be homeless in Luftschloss.

For the first few decades, the young elf had many troublesome encounters with the wild. But he kept his chin up, for the days of being in the orphanage had nothing compared to handling a few beasts by himself. At least the beasts didn't have cruel intentions, they were only trying to survive, and so was he.

In the next few decades, the young elf was starting to get the hang of living. Not only that, but he learnt the art of socialising, one skill that he was never taught. The young elf would frequently visit villages, only settling down for a few years or so before moving on to the next. During his stay, however, he would often run errands for the villagers. He was a helpful sort, often offering his services without the expectation of being paid handsomely. He only wanted to help, and he did an excellent job at that.

During one of his stays, the villagers took in a woman who was entangled in spider silk. This woman claimed to be a merchant and told the villagers that she was attacked by a giant spider who had destroyed her cart. The villagers, fearing that the spider would target their homes, decided to ask the elf to hunt down this threat, to which he agreed.

The elf grabbed his makeshift spear and headed out into the forest.

Using his survival instincts that he had learnt during his days in the wild, it did not take long for the elf to find the wrecked ruins of the merchant's cart. He inspected the leftovers of the cart to find some clues on the spider's whereabouts.

It didn't take long, however, to find the spider, for the young elf was soon ambushed by the giant beast.

The young elf finally realised that the reason the merchant was attacked in the first place was because she accidentally set foot in the giant spider's territory.

But a beast is still a beast, and after an excruciating battle, the elf managed to slay the spider.

When he returned with the merchant's lost goods, she thanked him profusely.

"Please," she said, "I must know the name of the valiant hero who had bravely slain the beast and retrieved my trades!"

The elf pondered for a bit, thinking of a suitable name for himself.

"You may address me as...Johann."

Word of Johann's bravery soon spread throughout the land, and more people sought his aid in dealing with dangerous errands.

The Crown Ruler of Ambrosia at the time had heard of the young elf's achievements and decided to recruit him to join the knights. With proper guidance, he was soon appointed as a paladin at the age of 260. Truth be told, Johann liked how buff his body became after all that training, especially since how scrawny he looked during his first decades of surviving in the wild.