First Draw

by Tim Moon

  Jaron stopped ten feet from the statue and looked up at the woman’s face. She stood proud and strong, towering over him with a wreath of flowers atop her head, and two braided plaits of hair and vines framing her face. Leaves and flowers drifted down her curvaceous body on flowing water, while a skirt made of leaves wrapped around her waist. Her legs slowly transitioned into thick roots that grasped a crystal rock pedestal. He felt as though she was looking back at him, peering into the depths of his being. He felt another rush of… he wasn’t sure what to call it — energy?

  A blinking notification appeared.

  You have been drawn to a garden temple dedicated to Ahja, Goddess of Nature. By the grace of Mother Nature, you have been healed and all negative status effects have been removed. You also gain a 10% bonus to morale and experience points for the next 8 hours.

  Although he wasn’t suffering from the fruit or the resurrection sickness anymore, Jaron could tell the blessing revitalized him. He stood straighter and felt refreshed, ready to take on any challenges before him. The momentous occasion drove him to his knee, not in supplication but in honor of the woman he now understood represented the Goddess of Nature.

  “Stand, young one,” an ethereal voice whispered in his head with a hint of amusement.

  Jaron stood and gazed upon the statue. He backed up several steps to get a better look at her.

  The statue’s head tilted down and smiled at him. His heart pounded in his chest. Adrenalin rushed through his veins, not from fear, although he was startled, but in an inexplicable burst of emotions. He didn’t know what was going on. He’d never felt this way before and it wasn’t like he was some hippy dippy tree hugger. He respected nature and loved the outdoors but something odd was going on. Was this a trick? Was he being manipulated?

  Just as quickly as the questions arose, Jaron dismissed them. This was a next level experience, he realized. He was in the presence of a deity, one that spoke to his heart and mind, and sent ripples into his soul. He felt like a missing piece of himself had been found and set in place.

  “We need your help, Outlander,” she said in his mind.

  Jaron wanted to agree right away, but caution stayed his words. How could he help Mother Nature? He was no one. He didn’t even have a class or profession. He had just died!

  Get a grip, Jaron berated himself.

  Not wanting to project his insecurities, he simply asked, “What would you ask of me?”

  “The land of Drezkarn is festering with sickness, a darkness has invaded these lands and tipped the balance towards chaos. Nature needs allies, warriors to defend her, us, me,” the statue waved her hand around at the meadow and then touched her chest. “Will you become Nature’s Ally?”

  Jaron sucked in a breath, immediately concerned about committing to anything. He was still new to Drezkarn and already had a commitment to help the children. He would need more information before agreeing to be locked into an alliance or course of action he may not wish to follow through on. He had spent his previous life in service. It had been an honor, of course, but it came at a price. Sacrifices needed to be made. Known sacrifices. Here, he had no idea what those sacrifices may be or what long-term effects they may have.

  “Forgive me,” Jaron said. “What does becoming Nature’s Ally entail?”

  “I have seen into your soul, young Outlander. It involves no more than doing what you know is right,” she said. Her head tilted to the side as she thought for a moment and then grinned. “You seek defined requirements, yes?”

  “I am new here and everything is foreign to me.” Jaron shrugged. “Any clarity would be appreciated.”

  “Very well.” She inclined her head. “Becoming Nature’s Ally is not a commitment in the way you believe. It simply means defending the land and its bounty from willful destruction, excessive exploitation, and violation. It means striking down the servants of evil and darkness and cleansing the forest wherever you encounter them. It means bringing balance back to the land. You would be free to travel and explore at will. There are no constraints on your free will.”

  “Does felling trees for firewood or clearing land for farming count as destruction and exploitation?” Jaron asked.

  She gave him a disapproving look. “I think you know the answer to that.”

  Jaron did and he could definitely get behind striking down servants of evil and darkness.

  “I have to tell you that I won’t be a blind follower and I won’t proselytize on your behalf. No preaching, no door knocking, no street corner shouting, and definitely no funeral protesting,” Jaron said.

  “Who would protest a funeral?” Ahja asked with a gasp.

  Jaron snorted. “You’d be surprised.”

  Inside he cringed in anticipation of being struck down for insolence. All the stories he ever heard or read about gods said they were vengeful, jealous, and demanding. They loved to wield their power and make examples out of people. Jaron had not asked for this encounter nor her favor, so he had to make his conditions known. No matter the cost.

  A gust of wind buffeted him, forcing him to take a step to brace himself. Yet when he looked up, none of the trees appeared to be affected.

  “Bold words for a mortal,” the spirit of Ahja said, smirking at him. The leaves continued shifting and flowing in the stream of water that covered her torso. “I do not require missionaries. I do not require prayers or subservience. Simply put, the natural world needs those who will defend it from forces of destruction.”

  That seemed fair enough. One thing still bothered him though.

  “Why did you reveal yourself to me?” Jaron asked.

  The statue shifted on her crystal pedestal and nodded knowingly. “Because within you, I sense great potential. You are an Outlander, a being of destiny, and now more than ever we need allies such as you.”

  “What kind threat are we talking about?” Jaron asked. It must be formidable to attract the attention of a goddess.

  “It is unclear.” Regret creased her stony face. “Shadows are formless and flee under the harsh light of scrutiny.”

  Jaron nodded. “Do you have a quest for me?”

  The woman reached down and placed one finger to Jaron’s forehead. His eyes went wide as he felt power stir within his chest. Power that felt innate. The same power he felt stir when Myra used her spells on him.

  Jaron felt sturdy, yet he swayed in the wind, resilient and forgiving but powerful at the same time. He felt strength flow through him, moving down his arms and legs, cascading to his toes and fingertips in a never-ending stream. He felt warmth in his chest like the sun beaming from within. Knowledge blossomed in his mind and tears of joy flowed down Jaron’s cheeks. Now that the spirit of Ahja had really shown herself, his earlier words of caution tasted bitter in his mouth.

  “We are all elemental beings,” the spirit of Ahja said. “I have awoken the elemental power of Earth that resided within you.”

  Jaron looked down at himself. He felt so different, yet he looked the same. New notifications appeared in his vision.

  Congratulations! Your power has been revealed by Ahja, Goddess of Nature. Her touch has unlocked your ability to use Earth magic. As the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility. Use it wisely, Outlander.

  Congratulations! Your Earth magic has been enhanced by Ahja, Goddess of Nature. You will receive two random Earth spells of uncommon rarity or higher. Enjoy the bounty of Mother Nature!

  Congratulations! You have become Nature’s Ally. Doing so gives you a 5% bonus to Earth damage. Random changes and effects of this boon may improve over time. Defend the land of Drezkarn from the destructive forces of evil!

  “Wow, thank you,” Jaron said.

  A tingling, itchy sensation on his hand made him glance away from her beauty. On the back of his left hand a silver light traced out the shape of a tree from its roots up to its leafy boughs. The whole thing faded from silver to a green glow and then faded from view.

  “That is the mark of Na
ture’s Ally. It will gain you favor with woodland folk,” Ahja said. “And there is no need to thank me. Your aid as an ally is all the thanks we require.”

  She sniffed the air and her eyes narrowed. Jaron subtly sniffed himself, thinking he might need another bath.

  Naw, I smell fine, Jaron told himself.

  He followed her gaze and looked around but didn’t see anything unusual. In the back of his mind, Jaron still hoped to catch the rabbit. He was so hungry!

  Ahja’s avatar stood to her full height, scanning the trees. A bird flew up and circled her head, chirping wildly.

  “I did not mean for this to happen,” she said as the bird flew away. “I am afraid your first test is upon us. Defend this holy place, young Outlander.”

  You have received a quest: Defend Nature’s Temple I. Protect the statue of Ahja, Goddess of Nature, from desecration. Conditions: Repel the incoming attack. Reward: 1 random Earth spell, 500 XP, 2 gold coins.

  You may not refuse this quest.

  Well, he didn’t like that last part. Being forced to do things when he was no longer a soldier didn’t sit well with him. That said, the rewards were solid, and he agreed with the principles Ahja espoused. Jaron took a deep breath and gripped his spear tightly.

  “Who is coming?” Jaron asked.

  When she didn’t respond, he looked up at the statue. It appeared as any statue would and he felt the absence of her spirit which had radiated comfort and safety. Her sudden disappearance sent a shock of fear through him. Either she trusted him enough to defend the meadow or he had just been played for a fool.

  He didn’t believe it was the former, but it was too soon to tell.

  If stories of gods and goddesses told us anything, he thought, it was that they could be duplicitous tricksters.

  Jaron ran to the edge of the forest and took cover behind a tree. He still didn’t see or hear any danger, so he took a moment to check out his spells.

  Finally! He had magic! A fact that made him smile despite himself.

  First, he went to the character sheet which featured a new tab conveniently titled “spells.” In all, he had three spells, two uncommon and one common.

  Level 1 Earth Spells

  Putrid Mud [Uncommon] - What’s that smell? This area of effect spell creates a pit of sticky mud that slows all enemies mired in its grip while noxious fumes deal damage over time. Depending on the size of the enemy and how the area of effect is designed by the caster, it is possible for enemies to drown. Mana Cost: 20 Range: 30 feet Area of Effect: 30 cubic feet Duration: 2 minutes Cast Time: 2 seconds Damage: 15 damage over 5 seconds Effects: 50% penalty to movement speed Cooldown: 1 minute

  Stone Spike [Uncommon] - Create a 1-foot spike made of stone. This spike can protrude from a variety of surfaces or be conjured in-hand and used as a dagger. Effects are diminished or negated against medium or heavy armor. Mana Cost: 10 Range: 30 feet Duration 1 minute Cast Time: 0.5 seconds Damage: 3-8 damage Cooldown: 5 seconds

  Terraform - Who said you can’t move mountains? Given enough time you could do just that. Move earth, stone, sand, and other natural materials to shape the land to your will. Mana Cost: 35 Range: 50 feet Duration: Permanent Cast Time: 3 seconds Effects: Move up to 100 cubic feet of earth up to 100 feet from its origin. Cooldown: 30 seconds

  Well, he didn’t have a fireball or chain lightning spell, but the utility of the first two spells were obvious. Terraform sounded like it had interesting applications, especially if used creatively. The damage of stone spike was nothing to write home about but it was better than his spear and it was reassuring to know that he would never be without a weapon, even if the magic spike was temporary.

  Jaron closed the character sheet window and focused on preparing for the incoming enemy. He left the beautiful statue for the safety of the trees. He skirted the edge of the meadow and ducked behind a large tree that would give him cover and a great vantage point to view the whole clearing.

  Moments later, he detected movement at the far end of the clearing, near where he entered. Was he being tracked? The idea that he may have led trouble to the meadow made his gut clench.

  When the potential enemy came into view, Jaron blinked in surprise.

  Half a dozen little green figures stepped out of the shadows of the forest. They looked around, blinking at the bright sunlight. Their greedy eyes fixed on the statue. Jaron sucked in a breath at being so woefully outnumbered. Not to mention creatures were hideous. Despite being outnumbered, Jaron would not allow them to defile this place.

  With that thought in mind, Jaron prepared himself for battle.

  24

  One of the green creatures wore a colorful headdress of woven sticks, feathers, bones, and what looked like a bird skull. Jaron focused on him. Clearly, he was the leader of a small group of what looked like goblins.

  Name: Kuvat

  Race: Goblin

  Gender: Male

  Age: Unknown

  Height: 5’1” (155 cm)

  Weight: 142 lbs (64 kg)

  Alignment: Unknown

  Level: Unknown

  Health: Unknown

  Mana: Unknown

  Stamina: Unknown

  Defense: Unknown

  That’s still an awful lot of unknowns, Jaron thought. It did verify his guess that they were goblins though. He grinned at the thought of going toe-to-toe with the little monsters. The classic new player mob that everyone knew and loved to slay. It would be difficult to enjoy a fantasy RPG that didn’t have goblins to fight!

  Not wanting to miss out on skill progress like he had with the children, Jaron analyzed each of the goblins. They had a curious variety of names, yet they were all equally Fugly with a capital F. They gave Myra a run for her money on that front.

  The two that flanked Kuvat were Wocs and Kriz. The three clustered behind them were Irki, Shag, and Bert. That last one was the runt, standing barely four feet tall with a patch of curled hair in the middle of his otherwise bald head. No doubt he got picked on. In the end, Jaron ended up with 60% skill progress though little additional information about his enemies.

  Unfortunately, he had no idea what level these creatures were and there were six of them. Even weak goblins could overwhelm him with sheer numbers. These six must be a patrol, but did that mean there was a larger force nearby? That would present a problem when he completed this quest, so he’d have to tread carefully.

  “Oooh, it’s so pretty,” Bert said, reaching out with a finger to invite a butterfly to land. The little goblin chased the butterfly until Wocs smacked him in the side of the head.

  “This place is disgusting,” Wocs said with a sneer.

  Like the others, Woc’s eyes were squinted against the bright sunlight. Only Kuvat appeared unfazed.

  “Shut yer trap, I smell something,” Kriz snapped at the others.

  “It might be yer breath,” Irki said.

  Bert chuckled but quickly slapped a hand over his mouth and looked away.

  “Does it smell like yer mum?” Shag said. His low chuckle sounded like rocks grinding against each other.

  Kriz whipped around and punched Shag in the face. The smaller goblin staggered backwards, his arms flailing through the air. By chance, he caught hold of Bert and the two landed in a heap.

  “Don’t ever speak about my mum again,” Kriz said, rubbing his knuckles into the palm of his other hand. “Or I’ll split ya open and piss on yer guts.”

  Jaron really wished he had a bow and arrows so he could thin the herd while they argued. With just his spear and a few spells, he was severely limited.

  Now that he thought about it, putrid mud was an area of effect (AOE) spell that would slow them and do damage over time, perfect for an ambush. The only thing that gave him pause was that he had never cast a spell before. There were no icons to “click” in his heads-up display and the spell tab on his character sheet didn’t have instruction. It could be like using analyze…

  When Jaron willed it to happen, the knowledge ca
me to him. He leaned the spear against the tree and the words of power flowed in a low chant. His hands and arms moved easily, almost of their own accord as the spell power built up in his chest with a hum of energy. He visually chose the shape and location that he wanted the mud to appear. All of that happened in a couple of seconds and then Jaron thrust his hand forward and energy surged through his body, exiting unseen from his hand.

  Nothing obvious happened and Jaron began to wonder if he miscast the spell. Then cries of alarm broke the serenity of the Ahja’s temple. A wicked grin curled Jaron’s lips as the goblins fought against the thick mud. Their cries of anger and fear filled the air as he began to cast stone spike. He aimed this one at Kuvat whose expression of surprise at the putrid mud was hilarious.

  Casting stone spike only took one word and a quick gesture, much easier than putrid mud. Jaron intended for the spike to pierce his knee, but grass obscured his view, so his aim wasn’t certain. The stone spike must have struck well because Kuvat threw his head back and howled in agony.

  The other goblins struggled against the mud and each other as they tried to extract themselves from the pit. Apparently, the mud was quite sticky. The goblin’s greed worked against them too. A little teamwork and they would be mounting a counterattack rather than suffering damage over time. Not that he was complaining of course. In fact, he laughed on the inside.

  Utilizing the confusion, Jaron slinked through the forest and take a position on their flank. The first of the clumsy goblins pulled himself free when Jaron was still 20 feet away. Taking a deep breath and tightening his grip on the homemade spear, Jaron sprinted from the forest as quietly as he could and ran the goblin through.