Typo erros accepted!

Also tell me if its ok the pov from other charachter or you prefer for the Erobos Pov all the time.

Ah also tell me if you want me to change the tables (form, arrangement colors, etc)

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Chapter 5

Bernard was a lower noble of the elven race, more specifically a Silver Elf, he always took things unpassionately , and never took a dream to follow, so he was placed in the position of the south gate tower, he was not always like this, once he had the dream of being an adventurer, but his heart illness crushed that dream, after knowing that any extraneous work could kill him he lost his will to live, he didn't jog like he used to, he didn't talk to his friends like he used to, the only friend he still kept in touch with was one of his childhood ones Rod, and one other but this one was more like imposition, not because he was interesting but because he was posted as a guard in the south tower and could share the story the adventurers shared with him and only at that time Bernard heart would make a jump and this would take him to the place he always wanted to be and that is outside this unchanging capital and to the wild, most precisely to conquer the wilderness that ,that hasn't been achieved in a thousand years, at least the oldest record known says.

Now he is 25 years old, his ranking never went past the white stone because he never left the city, ho how much he wanted to leave, how much he wanted for someone to reach its hands his way to cure him and take him in an adventure, but thats just another one of his delusions and one of his most cherished and recurrent dreams.

Now when you are born in one of the ten kingdoms you are already in a capital, its because pregnant women are made to deliver in there for a very specific reason, the ring of ranking.

The ring of ranking is bestowed to all childs directly be the queen or in recent cases the youngest princess.

In the first day of being born the babies are taken to the palace and the ring is placed in their little hands.

Its not custom made to fit the finger but magically enchanted to adjust, its made like that because every person only has one ring, and only one. And if you lose it a heavy punishment is given to you and a new ring is made for you, of course it costs a lot and if you don't have enough money you are make to work for it.

A week is waited with the baby and the mother in the capital if the baby does not show abnormal growth he is allowed to leave.

If he does show the abnormality, or as the High priest of the temple of Liara professed years ago they will stay and will grow in a week to a full fledged adult, of course theres cases when abnormal growth shows but does not reach adulthood. They are equally powerful as the rest but instead of one month inside the capital, that the rest are made to stay as instructed by the goddess, they are made to stay six months. The stay of the parents that came with the baby is afforded by the palace and temple treasuries.

So when two adults with strange beautiful faces and a child with noble features appeared on the south gate without rings, Bernard was stressed.

Because it can be two possible cases.

The first and more favorable to him, they lost them. Ho how much he wanted it to be this case.

And the other one, they never got one, this case is special because every non-wilderness creature living in the different kingdom are accounted for, if by causality these three weren't all hell would break loose, even if it wasn't his job to begin with.

That is this way because the ten year old princess is mad, well at least it was, was Bernard thought of her, other would think of her drowning in power at such a young age without any restriction imparted by the queen, and anyone trying to discipline her was lashed at least five times with the wip the damn princess always carry with her.

If she is not mad, she at least is a future dominatrix, thats what Bernard think.

He starts to sweat thinking in the unjust punishment he will receive, and the more time it takes to take them to the palace worse it will be.

So after wiping his temple, he urged the trio to follow him not before asking Rod if they came alone.

“No, theres three people that came with them, but they did have a ring” He says while pointing at an empty space behind him.

“And … where are they?”

Rob doesnt answers, and just stays there dumbfounded, while the kid just mutters something about a loser group ditching them.

“Well its okay, you three follow me” He says to the parents and child, at least thats whats supposed to be.

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After the fat man make us enter the city i am marveled by the architecture of the houses and stores on the huge twenty meters wide road, or main road as i call it because theres smaller ones leading to side roads.

They all have a flat rooftop where guards are guarding from above, some of them have white marble or wood pillars holding balconies, others just a normal facade with big glass windows with a wood frame. Of course thats the second floor, because in the first floor theres a lot of shops and stalls selling all kind of merchandise, from food to weapons armors herbs, some kind of beverages of different colors in a square bottle. There’s also people selling more merchandise sitting on a blanket showing their products with a wood sign board that states what they are selling, of course no price, and as i see some people buying, the haggle.

The main road in addition to normal merchandise shops also has bars and inns, the further you go better the quality and also the price.

As we reach the main square we see a huge water fountain with a statue depicting a woman in a silk gown and a small plaque naming her Liara goddess of nature.

Two roads at the sides leads to other gates, and at one corner of the main road behind the fountain theres a white marble temple that i assume worships her also on the other side i see stone building with a huge signboard that says “Guild”.

We don't enter neither building nor change roads but keep going straight to the palace.

I don't know what expect of the palace but the man is sweating a lot.

When he starts grabbing where his heart should be and breathing heavily i start to worry.

“Are you okay?”

The man called Bernard as i remember stops and looks at me with loose eyes.

Talking while trying to catch up his breath is pretty difficult for him but still he talks.

“I.. have.. a .. heart problem”

Quest received!

Bernard Heart problems

You found out Bernard has a heart disease, because of his unhealthy eating and care of his body he is going to die in two months, save him.

Quest difficulty: E

Time limit: 2 months

Reward: Bernard’s undying loyalty.

Rod’s friendship

Unknown

Failure: Bernard dies.

Rod’s hate

“Do you want me to help?” I ask him while pointing at his heart.

He answer while looking quite sad.

“You know i've been expecting those words for my whole life, but coming from a little kid doesn't give me much hope, anyways if you are willing to help me i won't deny your willingness”

Quest accepted!

After Bernard catch ups his breath we continue towards the palace.

As we come closer the palace, i notice the building at the sides no longer have first floor but huge threes acting as it, holding enormous mansions a top of them, they magnificently carved of marble with precious gems acting as the frame of windows, carvings of gold on the doors… such opulency, such waste of money.

I don't know if these so called nobles are corrupt and stealing from everyone, or they are just simply rich and wasting money like this.

When we reach the palace some guards with much better equipment compared from the previous ones i see including Bernard, and some atop the mansions but not all of them, seems some nobles likes to spend on showing off.

“State your business” Says the guard with a lot of scars showing his experience in battle and preventing any offense with his penetrating glare.

“We come for… ring bestowal” says Bernard nervously.

At those words the guard changes his face to one of joy.

“And where's the baby?” he says much more friendly than before… or just friendly because last time wasn't at all.

He starts looking at us trying to catch sight of a baby but finding none his face goes back to a stern one.

“Where is the bay!” He says while glaring at Bernard which makes him tremble a little.

“Theres none, the bestowal is for these three”

The eyes of both guard open wide and their jaws fall.

Then the other guard that hasn't been talking at all that now that i notice by her voice and figure is a female glares at us and specifically at Bernard.

“What did you do this time!”

She yells at him.

“It wasn't my fault Relia!”

He answers back in the same tone at her, but after he takes a look at the other man who simply grins at the discussion.

“Don't grin father, don't you see how he is!”

But he doesn't answer and just starts laughing at the situation, which provokes a death glare from Relia.

“Ok let me go through, if she finds out we've been keeping a news like this from her” He just shudders.

Both the guards give an understanding look at him and let us go through.

I become marveled at the inside of the palace, it was the most beautiful architecture he has seen so far, all the place is constructed of white and black marvel contrasting each other perfectly with not one impurity, theres is hallways full of painting of different themes beautiful womens, regal mens, exotic landscapes, and much more.

All this adorned with expensive looking fabrics in a light blue tone and in the center of each a rune, that to my all knowing eye i can read as “The beacon that guides in the darkness”.

Unwillingly i say that out loud, which provokes strange looks from guards and Bernard.

“You… how did you know the motto of this queendom?”

And i just point to the rune.

Which provokes a wide eye look from him and some of the guards, which they whisper strong enough for me to hear, “Runic decrypter”.

He urges me to follow him quickly.

At the end of the hallway a double wood door with engravings is open by two guards standing besides it.

And in the both sides i can balconies which can hold hundreds of people, and which are holding hundreds of people, by their attire nobles.

A large blue carpet extends from the door we just went through to two thrones in front of me.

They are both occupied, in one theres a beautiful adult woman, and in the other a child a little younger than me with a bored expression placing a ring in the hand of an elven baby.

Theres a line with at least five woman in front of me each holding a baby except one holding two.

Unhurriedly the line goes by, one by one, and when the womans leave with their babies they make a strange look when passing us.

When finally theres just one woman ahead of me with one baby, i can see how the ceremony goes.

First the woman kneels and when the princess as i see the crown in her head tilts it, the woman stands up and extends the arm of the baby letting the princess place the ring on right index finger, while a phrase is said.

It sounds in another language but i can still understand it.

“I princess Edweneth bestow upon you the protection of the goddess Gaia, fulfill your destiny!”

After the words a bright lights shines from the ring and subsides after being places in the finger.

The mother kisses the princess ring and leaves not before giving the ritualistic look at me just like the rest of the mothers.

As we come forward Bernard kneels and waits for the tilt of the princess head, but the princess does not tilt it because she is still waiting for the three of us to kneel.

“Hey, kneel!” Bernard whispers at us with pleading eyes.

And when i kneel my two companions follow.

Finally seeing us kneel the princess tilts her head, not before giving us a glare for making her wait.

“State your business”.

She says calmly.

“Ehmm” follows up Bernard but he can't decide on which words to say.

The princess gives him another glare which makes Bernard shiver a little, and a little while after he calms down.

“I'm here princess, to bring forth these ringless people”

At the word ringless all the noble start to whisper between each other.

“So be it, did they bring the fine?”

“Ehmm”

Another death glare from the princess comes his way.

“I don't think they ever had one” He says while closing his eyes in fear of retaliation.

But no harm was done to him, just a lot of whispers from the nobles balconies.

Annoyed by this the princess sends her death to them too and they immediately stop talking.

“Explain yourselves” She says directing her eyes at us.

I make a not knowing what shes talking about face and she becomes enraged.

“Where were you born!”

I give her another puzzled look, and by the look of the princess my two companions did the same.

“Bring the orb!” The queen at her side says to one of her guards.

Shortly after the guard holding a transparent orb shows up, i feel relieved because the princess didn't take her eyes of me giving the worst glare i could ever imagine.

And just as the princess is going to talk a little whining sound can be heard from inside my ragged clothes where i'm holding Astraea from before we entered the palace because she fallen asleep.

I let her out and the guards approach us with weapons unsheathed pointing them at Astraea.

“Hey, what do you think you are doing!” I shout at them while picking her up and holding her against my chest.

“Hand that monster slowly and no harm shall befall you”

At those words i take out the red dagger.

“Ok let us stop here” says the queen thats been silent until now.

“Its clearly his pet so i'll allow it, but don't ever take your weapon out in this palace” She says to me in a gentle but threatening voice.

I put back the dagger inside my ragged clothes and the guards stop pointing theirs at me.

“Ok now lets wrap this up” Says the queen.

I put Astraea back in the ground and i order her to sit which she readily obeys.

The guard thats holding the orb brings it to us and tells us to touch in turns.

When Baltoz or Eos touched it nothing happens and when i do, still nothing.

The whispers start again, and like before a glare from the princess makes them stop.

“Ok its been confirmed, you never had a ring, so Edweneth perform the ritual”

The princess signals us to approach, and just before she is about to perform it i ask something that makes their jaws fall to the floor and the nobles whisper , it can't no longer be called whisper more like yells.

“Why are you performing blessing in the name of Gaia if the temple in the square is from Liara”

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[bChapter 4[/b] width=50%]Chapter 6

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