Age of Adventure

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It has been a perilous journey and as I was chased and hunted, I finally have successfully hidden myself among the people, hiding from the forces of Veva

The time has passed since that day and I could not help but feel touched because of his act of sacrifice for me.

After I successfully break out the enemy encirclement, I quickly heeded his advice and try to find Amy and protect her.

Aero has sacrificed his own freedom for me. Of course I need to honor his wishes. That is what is playing on my mind as I finally escaped them

I must do this.

After I was sure that the Vevaian soldiers no longer could track me, I retrace back to the supposed hill that Aero has thrown her.

It is unfortunate that even after following her footsteps, the only thing I found in the forest is a hut.

There seems to be traces of her in the hut so I searched it from top to bottom. It seems the owner of the hut was in a rush and abandoned it.

But it is clear to me that she was here. There is her scent and there is traces of her existence in the hut

I lost her but I was in the right direction. But I must do my work secretly for I am not the only one that is searching for her. The entire military of Veva is searching for her and myself.

I need to find her while at the same time hiding my true identity which makes the job is a little harder.

I went to the nearby cities and offer gold to some information broker to seek news about anyone matching Amy description.

After a few days there is some news. A red hair girl is a lot and I had to filter some of the information to narrow it down.

Some of them say they did meet a girl like that, boarding a ship with another woman shrouded in thick robe.

This news set me off running to seek the ship.

It was to my disappointment that when I went to the Port only to saw that no ship can sail as long as they are not checked by the Kingdom military.

I waited in anxiousness, fearing that she was among these ships and that she would be apprehended by the military.

I hide among the crowd ready to render assistance if the situation calls for it.

After waiting for a long time to see if anyone got caught, finally I’m convinced that she has already escaped.

Now, I have to also escape Veva. I decided to travel, through sea since the border patrol is even stricter than the sea.

I know that I am a wanted man and worse I have no silvers. That night, with no silvers and gold I could only sleep in the back of an alley reeked with the smell of piss.

During this time, I could not help but look at the sky. I put my hands together and pray to Hephaestus but like always, the answer is always disappointing.

The star in the skies shines brightly and the wind blew but like always there is only silence and no answers. I could not help but feel anger rising.

Why do the Gods answer a mortal king prayers but when the bloodline of Olympus themselves call upon them, upon their parents why they did not answer?

It is during these time that I am jealous of Zeus, the mortal King of Veva. Not because of the many anilities that the Gods have granted him but his strong connection he has with the Gods.

Zeus favor him like he was his son.

But Hephaestus? Even I myself do not know how to refer Hephaestus? Should he called him mother? Because when Hephaestus give birth to him, Hephaestus was a she. Or should he be called his father?

My mother is a God. a relation more powerful than Zeus and his patron God.

Why wouldn’t she answer? Am I unwanted? Sometime those thoughts crossed my mind. It was with these thought I went to sleep that night.

The next day I started wandering around other cities to evade the already widening net of capture.

I will come back when the military is convinced that I have also escaped from the Kingdom.

At that time, I need to find a job so that when the time comes I can buy my way to Vanheim.

It was then on a good morning, I stumbled upon a carpenter’s workshop. The owner of the workshop is an old man.

He is frail and already nearing his end.

And he is looking for workers. It was a lucky encounter. I quickly volunteer. After seeing my skills, he agreed to hire me in his employ.

He asked me what my name is. I couldn’t tell him honestly so I called myself Derrick from Asgaro, a refugee with no way of identifying myself.

He was satisfied with my answers and I started working in the workshop. So begin my days as a carpenter.

Day after day I worked in the carpenter shop. Days turn to weeks. And weeks turn to month.

The people here have known me and greet me warmly when morning came. I also have many good relationships with them.

Then one day as I was smithing a sword, I heard the news. A holy War in the South and Veva is participating.

All the people in the tavern is talking about it. From the streets to the house of the nobles, war looms again.

It is then that I recognize what this is. This is an opportunity for me to escape and went back to Vanheim

Then another news came to my knowledge. Veva is in a state of unrest as many more states rebel.

The noble Arwin and Berrick has raised their arms and begin their rebellion while the other adventurers join their cause.

And that is not the only things that is happening. I do not know how but it seems many adventurers have known the news of my friend imprisonment and they are united in their cause in demanding his release.

People from all over the Continent came from the East, the South and from the Central continent marching through thousands of miles to demand the release of my friend.

My initial plan to board a ship to Vanheim and raise an army to march back to the North is cancelled.

I decided it will be more beneficial to join these men. Thousands and thousands of them and I could hide among them.

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He then put down his pen and nodded as he closes the book.

Then a voice comes from behind him and he got startled.

"Derrick, writing on your diary again?" he turned and he saw the old man and he smiles. He has always been grateful to this old man for helping him and giving him a job

He could not have evaded imprisonment if not for the kindness of this old man and he decided that later he would one day repay him in kind.

Derrick then said

"It’s not a diary. It is more like something I kept to get me focused" The old man shakes his head and then said

"A diary" The old man repeated. Derrick just chuckles. The old man is always stubborn.

He nodded his head resigning to it and reply

"Fine, a diary" The old man bitterly smiles and then he said with eye slightly closed.

"It’s a little sad"

"Why?" Derrick asked

"You’re leaving us tomorrow" he said sorrowfully. The old man has always treated him like he is his son.

And Derrick was always fond of this treatment. He sighed and then nodded. He himself is reluctant to leave. These past month his life is truly a blessing.

It was like the island of Calypso where his life is good and peaceful.

"Yes. There are some things I have to do"

The old man nodded his head

’I hope you will be safe in your journey. You always have a home here’

Derrick nodded

The next morning, with a sword on his hips and armor covering his body he marches to fulfil his promise.

The old man watches in sorrow and then when Derrick finally moves out of the city, the old man went back into his workshop and close his door

And then when he closes his door the workshop crumbles and no one seems to notice it.

The people that always comes to the workshop suddenly forgot that there is a workshop in the comer of the alley near the marketplace.

When some of the regular customer walk to the area and watch the pile of planks they only tilted their head in confusion and felt like they used to come here.

But they are only abandoned planks and wild bushes around there. They then would ignore that feeling and walk away.

When the old man closes the door that old man grew bigger and he look like a vigorous strong man with bulging muscles and he has beard.

He had a large hammer strapped on his back and he walk with halting footstep because of his lame and misshapen feet

He then walks for a few second before he whistled and a flying wheeled chair arrive behind his back and he sat on it.

The wheeled chair is a golden chariot made from the essence of the sun which he took from Apollo when he was born.

The old man is none other than the disguise of the God of Blacksmith Hephaestus. As his wheelchair moves to his workshop in Mount Aetna he sighed

’The Great War is coming’ he said to no one in particular and he watched worrily as he saw his son marches to save Aero.

He did not know how the war will start but he knows that at that time he needs to choose a side.

He sighed and lean his back and close his eyes. Deria believe that Hephaestus did not hear his prayer. In fact, he did, but a God favor could not easily be revealed. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

In these past month, Deria felt the warmth of family and a father. And he himself felt the warmth of having a son.

He sighed and he felt very lonely now. He could only hope that his son would survive just fine.

That was his wish and desire as the sun come down and night descend upon the world.

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