“Here you go, Mr. Wayland. Due to the lack of information, you will have to start off as a bronze-ranked adventurer. But don’t worry! With your current level, you should be able to rank up in no time!” The guild worker smiled reassuringly, handing Caster his adventurer card. “Thanks,” Caster replied, glancing at the card. He was in the busy adventurer’s guild, wearing his armor, and he could feel the energy of excitement and chatter all around him. On the card, he saw his new name, “Wayland,” along with a small bronze symbol in the corner. It looked like a sword and shield crossed over each other, with the sword in front. He remembered the stories he’d heard about how an adventurer's card would change colors when they leveled up. “Red for silver, blue for gold,” he murmured to himself, imagining the day he would hold a shiny silver card. “If you keep at it, you’ll be silver in no time!” the guild worker chimed in, interrupting his thoughts. “Just remember to report your quests he

With much effort Caster opened the door, now the sound of it seemed to protest to such an attempt almost as if it would crumble to pieces. He grudded to himself, “I must get a new door or anyway get some cracks but it may do with nails.” He closed the door and looked around him; there were wooden steps which led to a small and somewhat clumsy porch outside.It could be comfortable if a bit of effort were invested.” Perhaps there could be a bench placed here by the entrance he mused as he visualzed it. “In that way the guests will be able to sit down and remove their shoes before they step inside the house.”Entering deeper into the house Caster got into a small, plain lobby that led to a slightly larger room with a wooden table and two chairs both of which looked somewhat antiquated and, nestled on gray dusty coating. An ancient fireplace was built into the far wall, and its bricks were stained with the soot of many fires past. “Got good bones, I’ll give it that,” he said, running hi

Caster was determined to clean his new home, starting with every corner almost immediately. He spent minutes then hours, scrubbing the walls, the floors and even the dusty shelves. Looking at his brow as he worked, wiping each drop away, 'This place ... it just has seen better days, right?' He mumbled to himself. The task was no laughing matter, and he chuckled softly. “It’s either a fixer upper or it’s already fixed when you start, I guess you could say.”He paused halfway through cleaning, feeling the urge to practice mage crafting that he got when coming to get the manual for his mage crafting lamp. “Not without a little magical boost here,” he said aloud. He pulled his water producing wand out and stared at it thoughtfully. “If I could just adjust the flow… maybe get some pressure behind it…” He tapped his chin, thinking hard.After a bit of tinkering and a few minor spells, he finally managed it. When he activated the wand, the water stream was strong, just like a high-pressur

The settlement in question, then named Albrook, was neither here nor there from the big busy metropolises on the island. Rolling hills, dense forests, and its inhabitants were a peaceful bunch, they liked it slow and simple.They made their living for the most part as farmers, hunters, or fishermen. Eli, an old farmer, used to say: 'I like my life the way it is.' “That’s simple and it’s enough.” But for their contentment, a persistent restlessness hung in the air like a storm cloud waiting to blow.Eli sighed in the tavern one evening and said, ‘You know, nothing exciting has gone on I wish something exciting would happen around here.’ Every day feels the same.” His voice yearned somewhat as if he were capable of changing anything he desired simply by speaking of it.Marcus nodded his agreement too, expression a mixture of sympathy and skepticism. Empty blackness shimmers around me, somehow smelling like hardened butter, and I can’t help but ask this question to myself, sending it spi

As he thought about various fighting combinations, Caster finally reached his destination. The volcano puffed out black smoke intermittently, swirling into the air. The temperature increased slightly the closer he got, but it was still bearable. He’d attached a special chilling magic to his armor. “If things get too hot,” he muttered to himself, “I can lessen the burden on my body by activating it.” This magic acted like a buffing spell, lowering his mana pool by a set amount while it was active, but he trusted his instincts that it would be worth it.Moving forward, Caster noticed other adventurers milling around. Some waited for their teammates outside the entrance, while others ventured inside. A few emerged, looking worn out and weary, their faces painted with the fatigue of battle.“Hey, watch it!” shouted a rough-looking man as he bumped into Caster. The man had scratches and wounds all over his arms, clear signs of a recent encounter. “You’re not the only one trying to get in