At some point after looking at the ground, I began to notice that the roads became much more well crafted, eventually leading towards becoming gravel. Raising my head I saw a distant village, evident from all of the farming around the area, they seemed to specialize in agriculture.

The town seemed to be populated by men of middle or old age. It was strange, when I entered this village I had assumed to see a number of kids playing but they were never to be seen.

“This place sure has a strict curfew. Haha.” I glance back at Melody.

“The villagers seem to be working very hard as well. It’s clear to see that they are overworked.” Melody responded with her head low.

“Well, no reason we can’t help them right?”

Walking along I was searching for ideas to help these people. However what I couldn’t help but noticing was the beggars on the sidewalk. These people, they didn’t ask for money, they just held objects within their hands.

I walked up to a young lady slowly, she seemed to be in a daze, as if she was glancing past the object in her hand and more so at the ground.

“Hey, are you alright?” I asked the confused lady pitifully laying down on the ground. She had seemed to lose all hope, as when her eyes looked up and met mine. I saw the black void that had overtaken her. Gazing down at what was in her hands I saw a doll. It wore a pink dress with blond hair, stained, coated in dry blood it layed in her arms.

The singular words she managed to mutter out of her parched lips chanted, “S-She is gone, She is...” I had no idea this could happen to others, I had never experienced it first hand.

I couldn’t help but back up at what she was saying as she went back to crying with the doll still held tightly within her arms. Even my eyes began to water as I couldn’t help but notice her harsh predicament. What had done this to her, how had it happened?

Questions I did not ask, but hastily required an answer to as my vision began to blur. I had never experienced tears much, I didn’t even have control anymore as my emotions seemed to blur into one singular thought, sadness.

*Rumble*

The once clear green sky, became rippled with dark grey clouds. The land once dry and dust, began to moisten with the downpour of water from the heavens.

The water having fallen seemed to bring the crops alive as they began to grow at an exceedingly fast rate. Villagers looked up in shock at this marvel, for they had never seen a heaven so generous. All were rejoicing, but one.

I sat alone with the lady, for we were the only two not changed by the magical rain.

When the clouds finally parted, and the crops grown, I snapped awake. As if I had just awoken from a nightmare my body greeted me with an accurate response, I was sweating, my face drowned in what I could only assume tears.

I didn’t feel that sad all of a sudden, as if the illusion that had once taken control of me had broken.

[Passive has leveled up!]

[Passive, Emotion Trigger |Exotic|]

Level 2

[The user changes the world around him according to their emotion at the time, change is directly related to type. Emotion is also multiplied drastically. Intelligence will increase with level up.]

[Intelligence + 2]

A village elder seemed to be searching the ground mysteriously, only to yell, “Hah! You’re the one who used that high level water magic!” His finger apparently directly pointed at me. “I traced the magic back only to find it was in fact you who started this weather phenomenon. I can’t thank you enough!” He began to get on his knees, crying out these words.

“It really wasn’t that big of a deal, I assure you I-”

“Humble, and powerful! Please, allow me to tell you of what you have really done, although I am sure you already know, to use such high level magic, that is why you are next to Madam Bares, right?”

“Uhh no I-”

“It doesn’t matter, please come to my home, you must stay for dinner. We can talk more there as well.” He began to nudge me towards his house at the center of the village, I must admit it was far larger than any I had seen previously.

“You see, this village is under the ownership of a very powerful and tyrannical ruler.” The elder began to explain, as Melody proceeded to stuff her face with food from the table. “You see the lord did not complete his master’s request. In the master’s anger he took away all of the lord’s fortune, telling him to forsake his greed.”

“I take it that the ruler didn’t fare too well with that.” Flow asked.

The elder nodded, “He took away the children of this village, telling us that we must grow crops in the next month if we want them back. That is why you helping us like that is so important, you have saved us!”

With the endless shower of praise, and food we were able to find shelter for the night staying at the elder’s house. He lived upon a hilltop overlooking the village, with the sounds of a gentle stream nearby and a midnight moon, we would be hard pressed to find a better place to sleep.

In the morning however, all that could be heard from the village were songs of praise to the boy and lass that had saved the town’s children. I wasn’t against them singing the songs but the borderline worship that came from the gifts we received had me worried.

I had to do something to keep my mind occupied from these thoughts, walking down the paved roads I noticed the shops strolling by, all aimed at selling jewelry and other accessories.

Regardless, I continued down the path. I decided not to take heed from other villagers offering praise, simply smiling and saying hello seemed to do the trick. This cycle repeated until I wandered upon a humble shop with tinted windows and the smell of smoke.

The sign outfront read, ‘The Whimsical Witch.’ It seemed to have been kept in good care, and was recently used, as I saw a man exit from the shop extruding a large amount of confidence within his steps.

I began taking cautious steps to enter into the shop, as my hand touched the firm wooden door my ears were greeted with a loud *ding* from a bell.

“Coming in just a sec!” I heard a young girl’s voice emitted from the other room behind the counter.

After a series of glass cracking and books toppling over I went to go and check it out, however it seems the girl had already approached the counter. “Ahh, you’re the new guy! The one who made it rain, right?”

“Uhh, yeah I guess,” responding meekly.

“Can you tell me how you did it, please!”

“Actually I came here to see if I could learn a thing or two, or perhaps buy something? What is this shop actually?”

“Wait, could you not tell from the sign! I’m the famous alchemist Pree, dang it!” She yelled out, fed up with my ignorance, “I make potions you couldn’t even comprehend!”

“Oh yeah, try me.” I claimed, of course I had nothing to back this up. But I thought I could learn something from watching her, and besides my Examination skill will give me a hell of a helping hand with comprehension.

“Alright, put your money where your mouth is pretty boy, however to make this potion I’m going to require a few herbs from the forest out there. Sounds easy enough right?”

“I’ll do my best.”

“Heck, if you can tell me the potion I make, I will personally train you, how’s that?”

“What if I lose?”

“Tsk, so negative. Well, just give me that sword or something, I don’t know.”

I gave a swift nod to the arrangement, even if I lost my sword I’m sure I could buy another at the city I am travelling to, assuming I earn some money or something.

I still couldn’t help but marvel at how different the forests were compared to the planet Earth, regardless this love of nature quickly faded away when I heard the yapping of the 5 year old behind me.

“Do you even know what you are looking for?”

“Did you find it yet?”

“Look, if you can’t find what I asked for then just give up!”

I had been vigorously scanning the ground with Examination for the past hour looking for the herbs she mentioned. I had always come up empty handed I mean, just where the heck was I suppose to find ‘Stone Root’ anyway.

*Rumble*

The ground started to shake, the trees began to move and shake. I saw a certain green haired, girl being tossed across the ground like a ragdoll, and whilst this did give me some silence and satisfaction, that was only until I realised what had caused it.

“Rawr!” A giant landmass had risen from the ground, I believed my eyes to be deceiving me because it looked like a hermit crab, except for the normal shell it had a giant hill on its back.

And it was charging at me! “Oh, c#&p.”