Maggots

Arad walked outside the city as the sun faded behind the mountains. He looked at the paper in his hand, barely able to read it.

^Luminescent fungus. I need seven heads.^ Aron walked deeper into the forest, looking at the tree roots and searching for the fungus.

It didn't take Aron long to spot one glowing in the dark. ^Gathering them at night is dangerous. That's the only reason they are in high demand.^

Aron started picking the fungus while keeping an eye on his surrounding. He can't let his guard down in the middle of the forest at night, especially since he's unarmed.

CRACK! Aron heard something around the bushes, and he gasped, turning around and looking closer.

"Please, god, make a small animal." He prayed, imagining a pack of wolves ripping him to shreds.

CRACK! From behind the trees, a skeleton walked out, his bones crackling.

Arad backed away, "A skeleton, what is such a monster doing here?" He looked around to see if there was more.

^Basic skeletons are the weakest of the undead monsters. There is nothing holding their joins together, so a gentle smack could cause them to crumble. They also can't generate any force as they have almost no magic or muscles.^ It's true that Aron never fought monsters before, but he did know the basics needed for survival.

Aron smiled, looking at the skeleton, ^I can win this,^

The skeleton only carried a single rusted sword in his hand, dragging it across the ground as it stared at Aron with his glowing green eyes.

Thud! Aron rushed behind the skeleton with a smile on his face. ^Skeletons are slow and their swings are wide and predictable. I should be able to knock it down,^

CRACKLE! As he reached behind the skeleton, it turned, swinging the rusty sword.

Aron ducked beneath the swing, tackling the undead to the ground. The impact caused the skeleton's thighs to fall off its hipbone.

The monster growled, lifting his arm to swing again.

Thud! Aron immediately grabbed the skeleton by the wrist, kicking its elbow and severing its arm. "Got you!" He growled, grabbing the sword by its blade and swinging the handguard at the skeleton's skull, shattering it.

Aron stood, taking the skeleton's sword with him. ^I already got what I came for. I better head back to the city.^ He took a fragment of the skeleton's bones with him.

***

"I finished the quest," Aron said, standing before the guild's desk, staring at the man behind the counter.

"That was quick," The man smiled, "Can I see the fungus?"

Aron pulled the fungus from his pocket, "They are mushrooms. Can they be eaten?"

The man shook his head, giggling, "No. They are poisonous to humans," He counted seven and looked at Aron's face with a smile. "You will upset your stomach. Leave them for alchemists,"

The man turned around and pulled out some copper coins.

"Two copper coins per fungus. Here is your payment," He gave Aron fourteen copper coins.

"By the way," Aron showed the man the skeleton bone, "I got attacked by a skeleton. Are they common around here?"

The man stared at the bone, "There is an undead dungeon in the forest. That one might have escaped from there. Good thing you weren't harmed."

"Skeletons are weak, the basic ones." Aron scratched his head, looking at the rusted sword on his waist.

"Most novice adventurers cower in fear upon seeing the spawns of death for the first time. You're a brave one," The man smiled, "I can buy that rusted sword for five copper coins."

"I don't have another weapon, so I'm keeping it," Arom looked at the man, "Also, I came from Lostville. I already cowered in fear of the power of the dead."

The man's face paled, "Is that so," he looked down, "It must've been hard, facing a skeleton right after the incident,"

Aron smiled, "Don't worry, crushing its skull felt satisfying." He took the money and turned around, "See you tomorrow,"

The man looked at Aron's back with a smile. "Those who get over their past are the ones who survive. Don't let it get to your head,"

***

On his way back to the church, Aron walked past the night market.

He stooped by the first shop selling vegetables and looked at his stock, "Potato, do you have them?"

"Of course," The owner pointed at a box in the back, "Pick what you like. They are two copper coins per pound."

Aron walked toward the box and picked some decent-sized ones, and gave them to the owner.

The shop owner weighed the potato, "Almost two pounds. Round them up with more? Or do you want less?"

Aron looked at the other vegetables, "Anything of the same price?"

"Onions, want some?"

"Yeah, round up with that," Aron smiled, picking two nice onion heads.

After buying what he needed, he walked toward a bakery that was still open and bought two bread loaves for one copper each, spending a total of six copper coins.

Aron looked at his pocket. ^I still have eight copper coins. I better save some for a better weapon.^

On his way to the church, Aron saw a carriage going out of the market carrying a whole cow carcass. ^The lord's flag. The bastard,^ Aron growled inside, seeing the carriage kicking dust into a beggar at the side of the street.

The beggar started coughing as he waved his hand, blowing the dust away. "You bastards, drive slowly!" He growled.

CREEK! The carriage stopped, and two guards jumped out, "Did you just call the lord's servants bastards?" The growled, approaching the beggar.

"Heh!" The beggar got shocked, stepping back with a terrified face. The two guards were fully armored and carrying swords and spears.

"Come on, stop it," A voice came from behind the guards, and they looked back.

Aron stood there with a smile on his face, "He's just a beggar. Ignore him."

"And who do you think you are?" The two guards growled at Aron, approaching him instead and grabbing him by the neck.

"Want to get thrown into prison?" One of them growled.

Aron grunted inside, "You were in a hurry, right? It would be bad for the lord if you hurt someone on the street, won't it?"

The two guards looked at each other. "Let's go, he's right. We're already late," The second guard growled, and the first dropped Arad.

"You're one lucky bastard," They jumped back into their carriage and left.

The beggar approached Aron, "Sir, are you okay?"

"Fucking Maggots!" Aron mumbled, standing up and rubbing his neck.

"What?" The beggar didn't clearly hear Aron's mumbled, probably due to his hairy, clogged ears.

"I'm fine," Aron stood, pulling a copper coin from his pocket, "Take this. It will buy you a loaf of bread." He gave it to the beggar.

"No sir, I can't take it. I almost got you killed," He cried.

"Don't mind it," Aron sighed, "Just don't start another problem," He then returned to the church.