Ash. The Legends of the Nameless World. Progression Gamelit Story by Kirill Klevanski (essential reading .txt) 📗

Mary nodded, tightening her belt and adjusting the scabbard. “Guys, where’s Ash? I didn’t see him when I woke up.”

At that moment, the sound of blows being exchanged sounded from the outside. The Stumps exchanged glances and, grabbing their weapons, flew out of the room, almost knocking the heavy doors off their equally heavy hinges. Mary’s saber flashed red, Alice’s wand glew with golden fire, Blackbeard’s shield flickered with waves of light that covered the squad, Tul drew two guns, and lightning flashed across Lari’s blades. They were ready to rescue the newest member of their squad by cutting and tearing through any monster that might’ve attacked him.

“You moth―” Blackbeard muttered but was shut up by a bun shoved in his mouth.

The Stumps lowered their weapons, watching as the ax split wood with rhythmical thuds. As if by magic, the firewood, cut into neat quarters, would then fly to the woodpile.

Ash, naked to the waist, stopped to wipe the sweat off his forehead. One would think that the ladies would stop to admire the young man’s body but... there was nothing to admire. He was thin for his age, no manlier than any farmer working hard on the fields, but such was the price of magehood. One traded brute force for arcane knowledge.

Ash, oblivious to the audience, kept chopping wood, dirtying his canvas trousers and hemp sandals even more. He hadn’t gotten a chance to change his wardrobe for years, so he kept patching up the only clothes he had. This, however, didn’t bother him as much as it seemed to bother others. Firewood kept flying into the air and soaring to the wall, forming a long, high row.

All of this was happening so easily and naturally as if the mage had been doing it all his life. To most Ternites, these kinds of daily chores were useless work. The number one rule of all adventures was: “don’t make what you can buy, don’t buy what you can get, and don’t get that which you already have.”

“Ash?”

The guy turned and smiled at the bewildered group.

“I’d say ‘good morning,’ but one can’t really tell if the morning’s good or not.”

“It won’t be for you, that’s for sure,” Lari growled.

Noticing his mood, Ash wiped his neck with a piece of cloth and put on his shirt. In retrospect, he shouldn’t have done it. Lari was in front of him in a heartbeat and holding him firmly by the neckline.

“You—”

Ash waving his hand in the direction of the old, sturdy hut shut him up. Turning his head, Lari saw an old woman whose description would fit that of her home.

“Grandma Gerda!” Ash waved again, his shirt threatening to rip apart in Lari’s grip. “I’m done with the wood!”

“Thank you, Ash!” the old woman replied, ignoring the fact that the young man was being held a couple of inches above the ground. “I’ll bring you the doughnuts.”

Smiling, she disappeared into the house. Lari, now even angrier, began to shake the poor Ash who, thinking about doughnuts, was smiling blissfully and drooling.

“You were given the simplest task!” the swordsman snarled, losing his temper. The two days they had spent in the cursed castle had taken its toll on him. “One task! And you failed it!”

Huffing in annoyance, he threw the boy away. Landing onto the grass with a yelp, Ash rubbed the sore spot, looking with resent at Mary and Lari.

“One task,” Mary repeated. “You have a brain in that skull of yours?”

“What’s the problem?” Ash grunted. He didn’t seem to have any intention of getting up.

“What’s the—? Are you—?” Lari stared at him in shock. “Have you lost your marbles?!” he roared. “You were given one simple task! One! Simple! Task! I kept watch for half of the night and you—”

Before he could finish, Gerda appeared next to him holding a bundle wrapped in purple cloth. Despite being old, she stood with her back straight. Her gray, but still lush hair gave her a special charm, like some sort of a farm witch. You didn’t know whether you were going to be thrown into a soup or given soup.

“Here you go,” she said, handing Ash the bundle.

“Th—”

“Don’t touch it!” Lari growled, waving his hand. The bundle fell to the ground, violet cloth waving mournfully in the wind.

“What a pity...” Gerda sighed. “I’ll go get more.”

“Doughnuts...” Ash sniffled and reached for the food.

“Screw it!” Lari snapped. He looked like he was about to step on the doughnuts and finish them off, but Ash threw himself at the bundle and shielded it with his body. Clinging with one arm to Lari’s leg, he babbled about how wasteful throwing food was.

“Let me go!” Lari hissed, shaking his leg.

“Doughnuts!” Ash yelled in panic, holding the tip of Lari’s boot in a death grip.

“Get off me!” the swordsman shouted, reaching for the knife.

Mary, seeing that the situation was getting far too tense, gave both of them a smack on the head. Jerking back in retaliation, Lari kicked Ash, causing the young man to yelp in pain and finally let go. The face he pulled made Alice start giggling into her sleeve and hands. Tul and Blackbeard exchanged glances, struggling to contain their grins.

Ash, in the meantime, was frantically picking up the fallen doughnuts. By the time Lari had glared at Mary, there wasn’t a single crumb left on the grass.

“Ash, do you realize what you’ve done wrong?” Mary asked.

The mage nodded vigorously. Mary was about to breathe out a sigh of relief when the old lady walked out of the house.

“Thank you!” Ash exclaimed joyfully and sprung to his feet. Grinning from ear to ear, he took the bundle from her hands.

“Think nothing of it, dear,” she smiled, wiping her hands on her apron. “You’ve saved me from the cold. Bright