003 - Again?

"The Moonflower!"

"That was easy enough. And there is a lot of them too."

[Ding]

[QUEST UPDATED]

[Help your father at the Emat Forest]

[Bring Back the 5 Harvested MoonFlowers]

[Reward: Inventory]

[MoonFlowers: 5/5]

[Time Remaining: 19min]

"Ok, time to go back. I don't want to miss the quest deadline."

The way back was uneventful. In a few minutes, Charles was back at the place where he found his father the first time. Runar, his father, was now removing the dirt and cleaning some herbs while putting them inside a rucksack.

"Hey, son, back already? Found the MoonFlower?"

"Hey dad, yeah. Was easy enough. Although on my way there, a Slime jumped out of a bush, that scared the hell out me."

"A sli-what?"

"Err... that green bubble thing. You know?"

"Oh, you mean the Green Globber. That's a first. Those Globbers usually tend to stay away from us, and just show up when there is some mana fluctuation in an area."

'HA! So mana does exist in this world. Seems like monsters have different names from those novels I remember.'

"You didn't mess with it, did you? They are crafty little fellas, but can be nasty when angered."

"No father, it just crossed me and then jumped back onto another bush."

"That's good!"

"Oh, here are the flowers father. Do you need anything else?"

"No, no, that would do. They look great. Will fetch a good price at the Estrada Shop."

'Estrada Shop? That's a new name. Maybe is one of those shops I passed by in the village?'

[Ding]

[QUEST COMPLETED]

[Help your father at the Emat Forest]

[Reward: Inventory]

'Awesome! Let's test later how to use it.'

[Ding]

[SYSTEM RESTORE AVAILABLE]

[Power - 1/10]

'System Restore? What does that mean? Restore like, getting features back or fixing it? I'm really in the dark here, this thing should come with a manual. I have no idea what that power means, or how to use it. It can mean energy power, superpower or any kind of power.'

'There is so much I don't know, that is overwhelming. Every minute there is something new to assimilate. I wonder how those powerful characters from those novels were always able to remain calm and understand everything so fast. I know they are stories and fiction, so there is that.'

"Hey kiddo, can you do your old man another favor? I need to deliver these herbs today before the Estrada Shop closes, or we will have a cut in the payment like last time, but I still have some stuff to do here before I get back. I can meet you at the house in a few."

"No problem father."

"Thank you son, here is the bag with all the herbs, take care on your way back and careful to not drop the bag as to not mess the herbs. The arranged pay for this one should be around 50 bronze coins if they get there in one piece."

"Got it. Thanks, dad! I will be going now."

"See you later at home son!"

[Ding]

[NEW QUEST RECEIVED]

[Get Home Safe]

[Reward: Random Item]

[Time Limit: 30min]

'That's suspicious enough. If there is a quest for something so simple, then it means there is usually a "challenge" or obstacle to completing it, right? Although getting the MoonFlowers was not hard at all, and I got a pretty sweet reward as well.'

Charlie traced his way back to the crossroad with no problems, but the quest was still on his mind. The system so far has been predicting things, like for example, his father that could use his help. It is an omniscient thing? Or it is a being? So many questions for not a single answer.

'Ok, there is no one around, this should be good to try the inventory thing.'

"Inventory!"

[...]

"Well, that's kind of expected. It seems like talking out loud is not the way around this system. Let's try to store something in it."

Charlie got a small rock from the ground, and while holding it in his open hand, thought about storing the rock in his mind.

*swish*

After feeling a small breeze in his hand, Charlie realized that the rock was gone, but he could still feel it's presence someway.

"It Worked! That's awesome, so simple and effective. That will surely come in hand later one or if I ever need to hide stuff from bad guys."

"Although the rock is gone, seems like I can feel its presence on my mind, as it is occupying space within me. That's a really strange feeling, as it is saying to me 'I'm here if you need me' while at the same time giving a sensation of still affording to accommodate more. If I was to translate the feeling, it would be something like a dark 5x5x5 meters rooms with a pebble at the corner."

"Let's try to get it back."

'Think...Rock...Out...Hand'

*swish...plop*

A rock suddenly appeared a few centimeters above his hand.

"It seems that the item appears a little bit far from where I tough, maybe to not overlap with me? That means that I need to be careful not to lose anything small. I would not be able to auto-equip items as well it seems. I can test to remove and put my clothes later, as I'm not sure if anyone is watching. The last thing I need right now is those cliches 'caught underpants' moments."

[Ding]

[QUEST REMINDER]

[Get Home Safe]

[Reward: Random Item]

[Time Limit: 13min]

"Oops, almost forgot. Thanks system. Let's store father's bag within the inventory, for now, just to be safe."

After walking for a couple of minutes, before getting close to the entrance of the village, Charlie saw two people chatting. After realizing his presence, both of them look with shock on their faces upon seeing him.

"You! You are...alive?"

The one who spoke, was a young man, with around 16~18 years old, fiery red hair and fierce-looking eyes and simple build. Not skinny but not fat either.

'This kid, it seems like I can remember him somehow.'

"Warren? Is that y..."

Before Charlie could finish his sentence, the red-haired boy, that must be Warren, which his mother said had visited him and his memory is on full speed trying to identify, pushed his colleague, a frowny looking boy with also red hair with a scared look in his face, to his back while protecting him.

"Stay back! Who are you?" said Warren with a troubled face, while maintaining a posture that seems ready to attack at any moment.

"Wait! What are you talking about? I'm Charlie."

"That can't be! Charlie is dead, I saw with my own eyes."

'Charlie is dead, I made sure of it. Nobody would have survived that, and the fall.' thought Warren.

"I don't know much either, I just woke up a few hours ago, and everything is still a bit blurry." Charlie said while trying to get closer to them, showing his hands to not look hostile.

Warren didn't seem convinced by Charlie's words, as he kept protecting the other boy with his body, while slowly walking backward as if trying to find an escape route.

'Why is he so afraid of me? I can't remember anything of the past where I would have done something bad to him or anyone else. All that comes up when I try to remember is that he is supposed to be my friend until my accident 3 days ago.'

"Sorry, but I can't let you go, knowing what you know!" said Warren, while putting his hands upwards. His pose looked like he was lifting something heavy over his head, mumbling some strange words that Charlie was a little too far to hear.

Suddenly, the ground at Warren's feet started to glow. Two circles appeared, one large and one smaller inside the larger one, with strange inscriptions and drawings between them. After a second, they started to rotate on opposite directions and two star-shaped objects appeared at the circle center.

'A magic circle? Shit! This doesn't look good. What do I do? System! Help!'

"Wait, I don't know what you are talking about. I don't know anything, I can't remember anything since I have woken up."

"Sorry Charlie, I can't risk it. Just go back being dead."

Warren's face changed to a resolute one and his hands clasped together on front of him, while his palms were aiming at Charlie, as he was pushing an invisible wall.

'Bright and...Hot...'

That was the last thing Charlie felt before losing his consciousness.