World Witout Wizards: Guard

"Tell it to me again…" She frowned. I repeated the story: how she had swum away quickly, and I had caught her up, how she had spoken a strange foreign language. "Well, maybe that's why he's not coming. For sure, this damned girl wanted to sacrifice our son, to become a demon quickly. She was even able to find the altar under the water. That's why his guards haven't come to us yet, he's trying to save his own skin. What if it's Sukram Altar?!"

"I can't believe it. Even the Demon Emperor doesn't worship the Black Lord. This is forbidden and carries the death penalty," the dwarf said dumbfounded, stroking his plaited beard. "It's even scarier than worshipping Light."

"That's it! The appeal of eternal darkness on the border of the Empire! He'll be burned alive in the сentral square for this!" The elf smiled. "We have to figure out what to do. I mean threats, hints…"

"Well, it's up to you, dear. Do as you like... You're royalty. I'm a simple man working with his sledgehammer."

"You're not so simple, Greystle," mom smiled and kissed my father.

"You think too highly of me," John blushed and looked down. "Let's not embarrass our son."

"Are you kidding? He wasn't embarrassed when he went swimming with a n.a.k.e.d girl! I think he won't be embarrassed about his loving parents." She hugged her husband, looking into his eyes, then turned to me. "Go home, son. I need to talk to your father. You're almost well now. In a couple of days, you'll be fine."

"The MESSAGES say it'll take ten days…"

"Ten days is too long. But the Magic System is more well informed. If you paid more attention to the warnings of the System, you would have avoided many difficulties. The law of the HAND is cruel and inescapable, but it's fair. In its own way.

Nodding and saying good night, I went to bed and stayed there for two long days. I felt as if my body was being pierced with needles and my bones were being broken. I couldn't even go outside. I felt worse every hour. My exhausted mother asked my father to take me outside in the morning. I didn't care.

John was a responsible guy, so he put a mat on the straw for me first, then took off my last shirt. I was completely n.a.k.e.d and felt terrible. Customers and neighbors were walking into the yard from the forge, and I couldn't even move. My mother pulled on the clothesline and hung a sheet to hide me.

I felt much better after spending a whole day in the hot sun. I felt like a tree rejoicing the light. My father turned me over as if I was a pie and needed to be evenly fried. I felt full of energy by the evening.

"Okay," mom nodded with satisfaction. She didn't leave my side for the last five days. "You look better now. Tomorrow we'll sunbathe together. I need energy, too. I kept thinking when my blood would become one with yours. Everything's fine now. Try to stand up on your own."

"Humph," I grunted and tried to turn and get on my feet, but couldn't do it. It took me some time to get up without disturbing my bandaged neck. The light seemed to have permeated me to the bone, strengthening my muscles. Amazing! How did this happen?

"Good! So, tomorrow you'll get out of bed and go out in the field," the elf nodded joyfully. "You'll gather herbs for me. I spent most of my silver-leaves on you. I also need a red root to heal your blood."

"Are you messing around?" Father grunted as he left the forge. "Go inside and get dressed. The messenger came; he said the chief had convened a Council. They are waiting for us."

"I won't let him go!" Mother answered indignantly. "What are you talking about?! He's not going anywhere!"

"Of course, he won't go without you and me," the dwarf nodded, removing the heavy apron. "But we have to go. I got a magical MESSAGE. If we don't come, we'll be whipped. But this does not mean that we should go unarmed." John smiled broadly, showing his gray, slightly pointed teeth.

"Do you suggest we should do what we did when we were young?" Naomi raised her eyebrows. "There will be at least two guards there, I'm afraid the villagers will condemn us."

"You and I used to fight several knights at once and beat them. Besides, we won't be going out looking for blood, we just have to be prepared for it."

"As you wish, but we must find something for him to wear," mother nodded in my direction.

They weren't even interested in what I thought. Like I was a small child and had to obey.

"Sonny, go and get dressed while your father lays out his weapons. I have to be generous too. You'll need some new clothes. I was going to give it to you for your birthday. But today is special. You became a man. Go and put on your pants and I'll get the rest."

"OK, mom," I nodded, completely puzzled. I liked getting presents, and not just on my birthday. But my parents were acting strangely. They kept looking at each other. I dressed carefully without touching my bandaged neck. Then mom took out a bag.

I opened the bag and froze. I saw genuine leather. It was worn, not new, but it was strong and elastic. The pants had straps for carrying weapons. Light long sleeve jacket. Padded boots. When I was getting dressed, I thought I would be hot in the suit. It was summer. But I didn't feel hot, I felt confident. My body breathed like I was wearing nothing.

"This is spitter larvae skin," mom explained seeing my surprise, "the air and light can penetrate through it. This is the best robe for an elf. And you, my beloved son, are a sharp-eared half-elf."

"Thank you so much, it's a great gift! But where did you get it?"

"Well…" she thought for a moment and waved her hand without answering my question. "Okay, come on, your dad's waiting for us."

Father was standing in the middle of the forge, brooding. Different weapons were laid out before him on the workbench. We even worked together on some items, but I saw most of them for the first time.

"My treasure," the dwarf said, looking at his riches, "All of the excellent quality, some of them are even enchanted. But there is one problem. You don't know anything about weapons, we didn't teach you to fight. We thought it was too early. You need a simple, not complicated weapon. But these are for warriors and knights, some of them are for hunters. But I can offer you something…" He put three weirdly shaped blades on the anvil... A short sword with a wide handle and a drum mechanism at the foot of the blade. A club with a smooth iron pommel, perforated at the top, and a rope sticking out of the counterweight. An unusually thick sword with a long narrow blade, glowing blue. I reached for the objects, but my mother grabbed my hand.

"Don't rush. These are unusual items. Perhaps you can get not only the weapon itself but also the blessing of the System to use it. Then the magic will raise your skill as if you practiced for a year."