NOVEL NEXT Vol. 2 – Chapter 35 – The Kobolds Allegiance?
Vol. 2 – Chapter 35 - The Kobolds Allegiance?
"Elder, my friend here is shy to open up about who he is, but he that person descendant. Just look at the similarities, while the one in the picture has his own distinct features, making it unique, it is visible the similarities and as such, meaning my friend is that person descendant."
Once she said that a long sigh was heard from Mathias, but nothing following up, besides that, he was bickering with a certain old man in his brain.
{Accept it, kid! You are my Successor, there's nothing to be ashamed of and not open about it. You will be the Emperor of this country I built from nothing and take over the torch and finish all my unfinished plans.}
'No. I will not accept any unnecessary burden. I might sound like some bitch, but I don't want more drama in my head. Wait, what did she just said?'
{Bravoo, little baby. She is a keeper for sure. Now accept it kid!}
'Quiet. I will think about it. When I am home, we will talk in full about who you are, what you want from me, and what you want to achieve. Also, I will tell you what I want from my journey.'
{Ohh, I like it. Short and direct.}
With the old ghost silenced, Mathias released the long sigh, Vivian and Paula heard, before turning toward the old kobold who was turning the pages of the book he was holding, before he stopped seemed to read the contents of the memoir and speak out.
"The person in the portrait is the one called Haycien?"
"Indeed, the old ghost haunting me is that person, just a nagging old man." commented Mathias's, to which the kobold noted down, and immediately got on his knees and bowed down.
"I am here to serve, Master Saharan!"
"Wait, wait, that's too sudden, what got into you? My name is Mathias not Haycien, we don't have any relation except for the curse he placed upon me."
"No, young master, my ancestor has mentioned his lament for not being able to follow that great person, and help him fight against the other races, and expressed his entire regret when hearing about his death. He wanted to meet that great person one more time and pledge allegiance to him, but it was too late.
What followed next were years when he tried to approach the children of that great person but his request wasn't even received, instead was frowned upon. Since then, the ancestor never left the Gravelmark, and focused on protecting the surroundings against the strong monsters that began settling in the region. Such his last wish from the future generations was to be able to encounter the descendants of the great person who showed kindness, and pledge our services."
Hearing his story, Mathias still added his part, telling him in a serious but collected tone.
"You tell me, old kobold. Why would you restrict yourself and serve me? I am not even one of them, instead, an outsider who got cursed by that "Great Person" to look similar to him, by what magic, I don't know. Do you even understand what it would mean for your people?"
"You are wrong young Mathias, I can feel a strong power inside your body as in the ancestor description of how we could identify the descendants of that Great Person. From his words, even if those descendants of his would be just some simple people who descended from grace, we the Gravelmark Kobolds should be behind him."
'Old man, is this your doing? Some plan you schemed in the past for this moment?'
{Lad, would you believe me, I had absolutely no idea what that little kobold did after I allowed him to settle at Gravelmark? The story itself is new even for me.}
Meanwhile, without telling to Mathias's the rest of what he felt about this situation, Haycien sighed, giving off a small smile and shaking his head.
<I even allowed you to roam free in the world. I just told you to stay put there until my conflicts with the other races would be taken care of. It seems you really took my words literally, but now that I think about it, your children would become a supporting hand for this little snob of mine.>
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Back to Mathias who still didn't want to accept this idea that some person from the past would write some wish that would make all the tribe serve him just because of what curse the old man brought upon him. It was too inconvenient and unexpected, but the old kobold was adamant on what his Ancestor had wished for, and that he wouldn't break it off.
Even showing the memoir to Mathias that was filled with the draconian language he obviously had no clue to read, but taking Vek he told the kobold to traduce word by word the part which mentioned the wish.
Before reading to Mathias, Vek did a quick scan of the contents and even he was surprised by what was written there, and starting to traduce, it made Mathias's stock his chin, reminiscent to the times he had a bushy beard.
"My children, you might ask me why I would write down such a wish. But you wouldn't know or experience those times, the chaos and bloodshed between humans and the other races. How they gave us the chance to escape from the ruthless draconians who used us like slaves to build their Empire. Most of you were born in a peaceful atmosphere because of His Majesty's efforts to create peace in the world.
We are now able to call the land we live in blessed because of the peacefulness and beautiful resources that would appease our desires and gifts granted by the Dragon Father.
So listen, child of mine, we are now to live without being enslaved by the other races because of him, the one who just laughed in a friendly manner when I told him my story and simply suggested to me I move to the mountain filled with gems. Because of my past attempts of reaching out to His Majesty's sons, who rejected all my attempts at meeting them, I want you in the distant future in case His Majesty's descendants and the country turns into chaos, and lose their grace, to help them."
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Vek turned toward Elder Morkl, who raised his hand as if to stop him from reading, and later shifted his attention at Mathias's whose face was dead serious, seeming to contemplate the information he gained, he said to him.
"Concisely, what the Elder said is true."
"I understand, now you two quiet down, I have to think about it." remarked Mathias, staring at the two kobolds, and entered a deep state of silence.
Looking at Vek after five minutes, he asked him in a calm manner, a simple question.
"What do you think little Vek? Would you want to see your tribe entrusting their future to my hands just because of a dead person of the past? Be honest."
Vek when hearing that question addressing him, he shifted his gaze on the old kobold who didn't gesticulate anything, leaving him to say his opinion.
"... I don't care that much about the past and what the ancestor has done. I am not the leader to decide for the tribe, but if I was the leader, I would want to befriend the human who helped my tribe from the monster haunting us."
"Just befriend, correct?"
"Indeed, we still don't know who you are, what your intentions are. Also, you could be someone who might bring danger to my people, so I would rather just befriend you and have that type of interaction."
While Vek was speaking his mind, Mathias began chuckling, as if his assumption was correct, and it resulted into something akin to a self-shoulder pat, thus, when the young kobold ended speaking his mind, Mathias got the lead of the discussion and asked Elder Morlk.
"You've heard your Chosen One. Our relation from this day will be of acquaintances and be on friendly relations. Also I am not in any position to help you or support you, at least right now. I am just an adventurer with a spear in his hands and some magic gifts."
"Sigh, fine. If this is the decision of that great person's descendant, I will not bother you with this subject. However before you leave, I will gift you some things which from what I heard it will be useful to you. Now, if you excuse me, I still have to talk with Vek about his new transformation." informed the old kobold the human group, and starting with the girls, followed by Mathias's the party of three exited Elder's Morlk house, leaving only Vek inside.
The two old and young kobold looked at one another, with Vek turning out to be taller, it made Morlk laugh in a happily, accepting Vek's stance on the Ancestor's wishes.
"You did well little Vek. Better than I ever could do it. I've saw your valiant efforts and determination, the manner you protected your brothers and even how you runned out of control. You have a lot to learn from now on. How to utilize your new gifts in an manner that it wouldn't harm you and the ones close to you."
"Elder, can you tell me what happened, Lord Mathias only told me that I awakened my draconic bloodline." inquired Vek, feeling slightly awkward for not having the entire picture from what happened in the fight against Iljnoks.
"That young human helped you stabilize your bloodline powers using his own unique powers that are exactly like the ones used by that great person from the Ancestors description which he itself felt on himself. A red calming aura, that could destroy mana itself and also soothe the most worldly pains."
Touching his chest, the kobold was reminiscent about the moment he woke himself being surrounded by a gentle red veil, and with Morlk's explanation, he got most of the story.
Taking their time talking about what the Dragonwrought was, and what abilties each was blessed by their bloodline, Vek only heard from the Elder about what abilities their Ancestor, Gurgulmak, has managed to awaken, and slowly, with most words being said, Vek opened his snout as if he wanted to say something but stopped short.
"Elder, I want to go outside the mountain and explore the world. Would I be allowed to explore the world with Lord Mathias?" asked Vek at last, looking with hesitation at the old kobold, who turned sad, yet responding to the request thrown at him.
"If this is what you wish for, little Vek, I will allow you. I think it will be beneficial for you to see the world, and later return back with all the knowledge you managed to gather. In the end, I and the other old ones are still restricted to what we've read and heard from our predecessors but your generation is different.
You young ones want to explore around, even the mines began turning you down. However, you will have to take the ancestor memoir that contains the guidance for the dragonblood awakening. Study it well in your journey and don't get discouraged and upset when others will give you weird stares."
Vek, dropped on his knees and bowed to the Elder, thanking him for everything he has done for him, and all the patience he has showered him with even in the days he was checky.
"Come on little one, don't make me cry. Be good and listen to Mathias, and also go say your farewell to your friends." said the old kobold with emotion on his voice, trembling when speaking, and with a hug, Vek later exited the house.
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On another hand, Mathias who was walking in the Groove area with the two girls, heard the huntress mention in an apologetic tone.
"I didn't intend to make it hard for you, I just thought you had to progress the quest you were facing with the kobold Elder."
"Have I said something about it? It is fine, I know or better said I understand why you did that. I can even thank you since things settled down nicely on my end and also the kobolds side."
"Still, why haven't you accepted the offer? If you would have gained the kobold tribe as your helping hand, you could have grown faster and become the strongest player in the game. Why are you restricting yourself?"
{Well said little doll. Why didn't you accept the offer of the kobolds? You've wasted all of that old kobold's effort in writing his wishes.}
Ignoring what Haycien was whining about, he responded to Vivian while strolling in this garden the kobolds managed to cultivate, followed by the girls.
"Hmm, you got an interesting point. Do I restrict myself and my options? Probably. But let me ask you Vivian, would the story of this world be the same for me if I would hoard around all the help, advantages that the general public doesn't have the chance? My way of passing by this world is different as you might have noticed. I don't care much about the levels given by quests, or levels in general, instead, I want to explore each of the people's stories. The deep story of the individuals, ahh and besides I am an amateur novelist so it helps me around hearing more stories."
Vivian was surprised by his response and began pondering on what he implied, she was discussing this information with Paula who also was taken aback by his response.
@Paula: I don't know what to say Vivi, either he has some vendetta, or he might be that smart to figure out something most don't. But I am more inclined to believe he has some vendetta.
@Vivian: No, but now that I think about it you have seen how serious he took the contents of the quest. I can swear he was ready to kill both Anjo and MikeIron if they sabotaged even for a slightest the fight. He always had stamina spared for any possibility.
@Paula: It's too troublesome for me, I don't even want to be bothered. I am still not sold on the idea that NPC'S have a soul and their feelings are unique as some small circles of players speculate. Right, Vivi, what will we do with those two, you are the party leader after they died.
@Vivian: Hmph, I don't care about those idiots.
[You have kicked from party, <Anjo>, <MikeIron>]
@Vivian: Much better, we don't need those two, since we can always find out some tank player or warrior to fill the empty roles in the party.
@Paula: What about Mathias? It seems to me he can fill in any role, Tank, DPS, Support.
@Vivian: Don't bother, it is hard to keep such a player in our party. If he was a professional LTS player, the money required to just have him in our party would empty our pockets. Just that boss fight would be about 5.000$ or more.
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Nevertheless, Vivian still talked with Mathias, filling the time with one of the most basic questions on the internet.
"I never asked you Mathias, but where are you from? Because of the translation device we can't tell you if you are a native english speaker or foreigner."
"Ohh that, I guess the translation device is quite handy. I am from Romania."
Paula who picked her ear on what Vivian and Mathias talked and heard about his country of origin, started fantasizing about the tall castle from the vampire movies, the Bran Castle or some alteration of it.
"Is it true that Romania has Vampires?" asked Paula looking at Mathias face who gave her an expression as if she had some problems in the head, making her turn embarrassed.
*Chuckle* "It depends on which Vampire you are referring to. The old zombies who still don't want to kick the bucket and die lurking with corruption as their only source of satiety? Or the ones from the movies?"
"The ones from the movies."
"Haha, you have one in front of you." joked Mathias using his right hand to blow his untied crimson hair, and gaze her with his ruby eyes, and placing an attempt at a charming Vampire persona, while approaching Paula.
Paula, when seeing Mathias so close to her turned even more embarrassed, with her cheeks becoming red, and walking toward Vivian, staying next to her.
{Good one, son. That was some charming move even I would appreciate. Just look at that little doll, all beaming red. Where have you learned that? Ahh, also so you know Vampires are real. Beriache is one of them. I heard she is quite the beauty, but it is a shame I couldn't meet her, I would have taken her out for dinner.}
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Still ignoring Haycien's comments, he did a small laugh, before telling Paula in a casual tone.
"It is always amusing to see the foreigners' reaction when they ask if vampires are real. Who knows, we still haven't found Vlad's remains, which means his legend would forever be carved in stone and he will continue haunting his enemies.]
"Wow, so even you don't know. What about the castle? I heard it is quite old."
"..."
'Should I tell her Bran Castle isn't really Vlad's castle? Tsk, I don't like lying.'
"His castle is indeed old, but it was destroyed by the Ottomans. The castle I am talking about is called Poenari Castle, which was his original castle, not Bran. To be honest, Bran in fact is the castle of the Teutons who had settled in the Brasov region in the 12th century at the Arpad Hungarian King's request after the Crusades which, let's say, ended quite unfortunate for all sides with the Fourth Crusade and Fifth Crusade."
After saying that, he did a forced cough, and told the girls in a sarcastic way.
"Ahem, yes I know I am not the party type guy."
The girls looked at Mathias with some amusement, finding him interesting, especially Paula who had some interest in the mysterious vampires, making her remark.
"Wow, there's another castle. I never heard about it. Also, how do you know all these things?"
"Just a hobby of mine. History."
As such, the group three talked around, until their stamina refiled, with only Mathias going up the Elders mound to see what else he required from him.
When Mathias stepped inside and walked toward the main room, he couldn't find the old kobold, but not long after, he heard the sound of something hitting the ground, along with the pain cry of some old person.
"Damned boxes, why have I placed them so high when I am so old?"
"Elder, are you alright?"
"Ohh, it is you young Mathias, so you are ready to leave Gravelmark? Come in and give me a hand, I am stuck between those pine boxes."