A Forest Encounter

It has been foggy all day in totten forest, there is a certain heat that comes after the rain, that makes it hard to breathe, more so after the hunting a session, Helden thought after cutting some bushes in his way and continuing his path back home, it was getting late and he didn't want to be in the dense darkness of the forest by night, there are rumors of monsters still lurking beneath them, far hidden from Javco's light. Despite the thought Helden Waddenwalls is a brave young man, he is more scared of the Coach's wrath than he is of darkness.

-For Javco! it has been 3 hours and we just got this rabbit. Franz Arstler, Helden's hunting partner complained.-Well I would blame it on our hunting skills, rather than the lack of food in this forest, why don't you search for some berries?-Helden, come on look at me. Do I look like someone who would eat just berries?Helden stopped for a moment and gave Franz a powerful glare.-Alright, alright-you don't have to be so rough man.

"He has always been like that," Helden thought, -Ungrateful for what he has obtained. Old man and Coach has been working so much to have us all in good form. They have faith in us, in a group of abandoned children who nobody would give a single penny. I would pay them thousands more, and for Arstler-he'll soon learn his lesson." He took a deep breath and continued his way when a sudden sound distracted his meditation. And a shadow quickly collided with him, his reflexes weren't good enough to stop him, and he continued his way until he hit the tree behind him. Franz rapidly turned back from his way and approached the rushed individual. It was a young man, about their age-Helden was puzzled, as he has a weird hair color he hasn't seen before, fiery red-as if flames were lit in his head, he has not seen this type of red, perhaps a little bit darker, but never this clear and vivid. "Hey, you better start talking or you'll see what is good," Franz exclaimed-but it was not complied, his sight was loose and dark. What sort of terror has this guy experienced in order to lose consciousness and still keep running at that speed, Helden asked himself, but Franz seemed to not be worried by that at all and was about to beat him up, but Helden stopped him. "Stop Franz, this guy seems to be troubled, let us bring him home" -Helden softly suggested. "You must be kidding me Helden! The Abbey is full of people already and we don't have enough food for one more!" -Franz uncomfortably responded. "Well we can't leave him like this, plus he might be of use for future hunting, look he has an-" An AXE! Holy Javco, this guy was armed all the way long, and the axe got blood in it. We better get him to the old man then, and ordered Franz to pick him up anyways.

The sun was starting to set and the unlikely trio was already arriving towards their destination. As they got near a group of young kids swarmed them over and yelled things like: DID YOU GOT DEER? DID YOU FOUND A BEAR? HEY HELDEN! FRANZ PLEASE GIVE ME FOOD! Helden had to quickly dispatch all of them with moderation and entered the main complex.

The Totten forest Abbey was a big building for being a forest construction, it was constructed by Clerics of Javco years ago, to honor the spirits of nature that used to reside in the forest and as a training camp to future ball players. By the pass of years it has turned into an orphanage. All the kids that has been abandoned, are well received under the mantle of the old man. Despite these are peaceful times, there are still people without heart, there is still injustice and social inequality. There is still evil. Helden didn't dare to complain about it, as sometimes complaining was seen as heretic behaviour and kids were harshly punished by such insult to Javco's precious gift of peace.

They started crossing the Ball game field and something in the red-haired subject eye's turned on, the lamp's light actually reflected in his eyes. "Do you play Game?" Helden asked him, which was answered with "So this-is a field of Game father" and he passed out. They quickly passed through a passageway of doors (which were the bedrooms for each kid) and arrived to a big wooden door positioned in the northernmost side of the structure. They knocked and reported themselves. As long as they heard the positive, they entered. It was a modest room for a priest of Javco, full of pictures and sculptures of the game, art pieces and game tools, Also some potions, inks and scrolls in the main desk. In front of them Old Man himself was facing them, he looked at the newcomer directly and gave him a weird potion, "he will be better by tomorrow, you did well bringing him here," the old man said, "Now he needs rest, take him to your activities tomorrow, and Helden-Please take care of him." Helden didn't understand why so much care for this newcomer in special, why so much care? But as always he neglected his feelings and followed the orders.

He looked at the confused guy and told him "My name is Helden, Nice to meet you," the guy watched him with some air of semi-dead curiosity and replied "Erik-my name is Erik, why do you help me?" Helden did not know the answer by himself, there was just something inside him, that couldn't leave this guy by his own. "You will never leave someone to spend a night in those woods, have you not heard the stories?" -"My dad and me used to pass the night all the time" -He said faintly.-"where's your dad now? why were you running?" -Helden answered. Erik gave him that look, that sad look, on the moment he saw it, he knew what was happening.-"It doesn't matter, you are welcome here Erik, just call me when you need something, you can always call Totten abbey your home." The look in Erik's face started to become brighter, less dull-he seemed relieved now, as if he has stopped feeling a great pain, and then he closed the door.

The next day after the sunrise, Helden woke up Erik to take him to normal chores, first they started thanking Javco for his great gift of peace, for that they prepared the field with much care and Old Man threw a strange water in the field, while whispering some prayer. After the thanksgiving was over, the youngsters went to the farm, and to the stables, Erik was taught how to milk a cow; since with his father he just lived from the fruits and meat they hunted and gathered. After that they had breakfast with the best beverage Erik has ever had, it was some kind of mix with oats and milk.

-Do you like it? Helden asked with a weird curiosity for this character he has just met.-It is really good, what does it have? Erik replied with a recovered mood.-It's the Old Man's special recipe, it contains Godseed, it is also very nutritive-so all the boys can grow healthy.-Nutritive? what's that?

Helden laughed and explained Erik a little bit about how to eat properly, intrigued by the idea that he didn't know, since priests of Javco profess the ways of wellness all around the kingdom. The boys then continued their daily labors for all morning, then they had lunch-which was a special rice with beans and cabbage, meat was just eaten in special occasions at Totten's abbey. They rested until afternoon and then finally what everyone has been waiting. The Training session! The son of the old man, was the coach and he ordered everyone to run for a while. Erik appeared to be in form as he didn't struggled as any beginner should have, Helden Thought.

After Stamina training they started playing Catchball, Helden paired with Erik and threw the ball to him, He caught it without problem, then it happened-the ball thrown to Helden fell from his glove, He couldn't believe it, all this time he has been proud of being the best at catching the ball as his preferred position is Catcher, but this caught him unaware, the ball wasn't even coming that fast-but it suddenly broke-a late break, and it slipped out of his glove. At that moment Helden froze for a second, he looked at Erik, and he felt somehow, the incredible potential this guy had, he was perplexed. "What happened?" Erik asked. Helden just gave a little shake to his arm, picked the ball, "That was an excellent throw, are you a pitcher?" He replied with an incredible curiosity, possibly the biggest he had ever felt. "Yes my father taught me the ways of pitching, but i've never played as pitcher though." Helden nodded and answered "I would like to see your pitches a little bit more, give me your best shot."

Helden squatted a little and put his glove in position to receive a serious ball. Erik's face expression changed, his eyes didn't flinch-without doubting it he started the windup, his foot reached really high up to his face, then with all that momentum it turned left rapidly, to face Helden-at that point he blinked to save a mental picture in his mind, something he has done since being childhood. The ball was not being seen, he had a perfect posture-then the sling was unleashed, it came so fast Helden almost didn't see it, then it broke. Helden's hand moved by reflex, he has done this lots of times, but he never have had such a good throw, if he hasn't seen his previous pitch that was a slower version of this, he would've failed to catch it, the ball felt deep in his glove and he felt a swift breeze of refreshment and excitement, this is what they have been needing, this would finally give Tottenabbey Kobolds, the abbey's team, a complete turn in their game's results, they would finally have respect, it was as if Javco has sent this guy, he is like a wind of change.