First week
"So how do I look?" Brad asked as he came out of the door of his room.
"Holy shit!!! Are you still the same person? How come you look like an elf?" Kent was slacked jawed as Brad appeared in one of his favorite costumes of all time. A Thranduil costume, Brad always liked cosplaying since he retired but getting fat stopped him from doing the Thranduil costume after the full set or armor and crown arrived at his doorsteps.
It has been a week since he had the four as his guest and he was now able to speak in fluent common tongue of this Realm or so they called it. Since he had time in this winter he tried to get their goodwill by entertaining them. First it was showing them all the simple tools he had made as well as the animal pens that made them flabbergasted at the amount of work that had to be done to make this cave.
They thought that Brad was part dwarf when they saw the various contraption made from simple wooden gears and strong vines. The Waterwheel as well as the irrigation system, even the forge was shown and they asked if he was part dwarf. But now Brad stood for about 6'1" after the physical enhancements he had in eating the monster meat, they ruled out the possibility.
Third day he showed them the indoor gardens he had made by using ice blocks as lenses to get light inside the room. Brad said this was temporary and he would find ways to make Glass which was surprisingly only produced by dwarves here in this world. They were skeptical at how he knew all of this if he was lost in this world but the confusion in learning their language was genuine and they knew he didn't lie.
Brad only said he might be somewhere out in the stars which the four found absurd but it was kind of true so they couldn't feel any lies in his words. Brad asked them of various things on the fourth day about this world. And about how there are five continents in total, two were inhabited by the various races for centuries and had been on wars all over their history.
The other three were forbidden areas like this continent ruled by the monsters, which was also the largest of all the continents. There was also the the Endless Dessert which was a hot and arid continent full of resources but few of the various races were able to take foothold in the dry continent. It was also the second most largest and was teeming with gigantic desert creatures.
Not as many as this Beast continent but still dangerous that only 20% of the continent ahs been explored for the last thousands of years. And the last one was the Icy tundra in the north, a never ending winter housed with frost elementals, undead, and creatures that thrive in the frigid climate. Like the Dessert continent, this continent had also some of the various races gain foot hold on about 15% of the continent.
This continent he is in right now had just started to shown signs of a chance for the various races to gain foothold in it due to the conflict started by the Beast Lords. Brad was not sure if there was indeed conflict as the time he had been here was quite peaceful except for the hunting part. He was thankful he was far away from the war that he had no part of. He started to learn how to write from Ashea but he didn't use any of the writing items he had from earth to not gain to much suspicion.
He did make a quill with one of the beautiful Feathers he got from that Large Eagle. He used an ink made from soot mixed with various extracts and powdered lime he found in the caves in one of his explorations, he made random mixes as he was not sure what to use. Though not the same clay like consistency he still could use the ink bar, he also made some brushes from soft hair on Elk, coyote and boar in different sizes. He did this on his pastime where he was waiting for the wines he made to ferment.
The four was amazed at the finesse and control Brad showed in writing but Brad attributed this to the enhancement he gained in drinking the wine he made from the Eagle. He still didn't share any of the prized items he had but he did try to accommodate the four guest. The fifth day Brendel was itching for a spar with him, Brad obliged and they went to a room where Brad kept the failed tools he had made. He did keep some wooden weapons he made to use as a guide for weapons he made with stones.
Brad never had any training in using cold weapons thus he was more into hammers and axes where he just had to swing. He did make some proto-type buckler which Brendel used. He picked up a club with stones on it, the fight was not that flashy as Brad held back in the spar. The day consisted of him getting disarmed but the longer it got, the better his skills were getting much to the surprise of the four.
On the sixth day he sparred with Kent and Ashea in sword play which he wanted to do like those in LOTR or GOT. He did very badly as he showed uncoordinated control over the sword which was polished later in constant sparring. This made the four realize how inexperience Brad is but also very talented in learning things.
Winter was long and the four knew they would impose in this place for months so they must repay in any way like teaching him how to fight properly. They saw his moves were very much used to fighting bigger things like the monsters but not any of the Various races. So they started to educate him in many fighting styles and hours passed as their surprise turned into numbness at how fast their teachings were absorb.
Later that day they did learn there is something they couldn't beat Brad at, it was hand-to-hand combat or CQC. Even with weapons they couldn't see where the attack was and could predict the moves that BRad had showed. He might be a noob in cold weapons but he was a beast in martial arts. Brad smiled as he too showed basic footwork that made the four realize this was very similar to those ascetic monk use to fight but used in a deadlier way.
Every strike was into the vital parts and invoked dread upon the four realizing that this nice man that treated them hospitality was a trained killer yet he still helped them when they were in danger. The four were feeling more thankful and felt indebted to him as they were treated with great food everyday. They were able to consolidate their recent increase in power and even got to teach this very talented individual.
But the seventh day was when Brad decided to do something he had wanted to do since he had gotten taller and slimmer. To cosplay as Thranduil, he has the facial ratio which makes make-up more easier. This after two hours of preparing he came out as the blonde Handsome Elf King that made Ashea want to kneel and worship him.
"Seriously man, are you a shape shifter?" Kent joked as he knew it was still obviously Brad when they heard his voice but seeing him look entirely different from the cool hunter into this Elven Royalty made him think this man has more secrets that they would be finding out.
"Wow, sho handshome!" Rhean looked greedily at Brad's new look. She went into deep fan-girl mode as she ogled at the handsome appearance of Brad.
"Stop drooling, you're a priestess have some self respect." Brendel chided the small nun. But deep inside she too was attracted to Brad, she was just not sure how to express it.
"Yo-you-your like a re-real R-royal Elf. H-how?" Ashea stuttered as she tried to find her bearings.
"This is the real power of make-up and costumes. If I have the materials then I could change the way you look too!" Brad smiled elegantly as he felt posh and fancy all-over dressing as Thranduil.