The Quartz Fountain

"Fancy meeting you here. Did you finish the mission Professor chose for you?" asked Ray enthusiastically as he was carrying a bag behind him. 

Artis looked at him and nodded, "Yeah. I completed the mission just a few minutes ago. Now, I am going to do another mission in my free time." 

"Already!" exclaimed Ray, shock visible on his face, "It took me days to finish Professor's first assignment! And you completed it in just a few hours? Wow, you are actually stronger than you look..." he added the last sentence slowly. 

"Yeah, well...It wasn't that hard...Actually, it was, I almost lost that fight. But I managed to pull through and finish it."

"Man, my first mission was rough..." said Ray with his hands over his face as he almost screamed, "Argh! Remembering it sends me chills, who in the world tells someone to subjugate a group of Gararats for their first mission!"

"..." Artis was speechless as he allowed Ray to vent out his frustrations while he listened to him attentively without interrupting him. 

"That workaholic Professor must hate me or something. He always gives me difficult missions!" finished Ray as he looked at Artis, "Sorry about my venting out by the way, must've been uncomfortable for you." 

"N-No, it wasn't." consoled Artis, 'It for sure damn was.' thought Artis internally. 

Ray sighed, "Anyways, I just got back from my usual mission of collecting herbs and fighting some beasts and golems. What about you, Artis? How did your first mission go?"

Artis recounted his tale of what happened at his first mission, hiding some details, and explained that now he was heading to East Ferrous Park to clear the field. 

"Eh? A mission where a ruffian steals money from the people? That's strange, why wasn't I aware of that..." 

"Huh? You weren't aware?" asked Artis in surprise. 

"No! I wasn't!" exclaimed Ray, "If I was, I would've done this mission earlier all by myself! And I haven't heard people complaining to me or my friends who can handle it. But still...10 Adventurers and other folks we might not be aware of...Perhaps I can see why Professor gave you this mission." 

'Oh? Me too!'

Artis nodded, agreeing with Ray, "Well, I gotta go now. Will talk to you later once I complete this particular mission."

"Oh, Alright! See ya!" Ray waved at Artis as he went inside the laboratory.

"...10 Adventurers...and nobody among us knew. Maybe I will ask Maya and others about this detail..." 

...

Artis made his way towards the East Ferrous Park, following the X-transceiver's directions. The park was actually near the hospital he stayed at and was only 10 minutes walking distance from the lab. 

The park's entrance was covered by huge trees and bushes as Artis made his way and entered the park. A pleasant scent of greenery and flowers soon greeted him as Artis marveled at the decoration and maintenance of the park. The land was covered by cobblestone paths, multiple gardens that had tall grass, and a huge fountain made of quartz crystal in the middle of the park, where many birds and beasts fluttered over. 

Artis unconsciously approached the fountain as he circled the fountain marveling at its construction. He admired the intricate design of the quartz fountain, the sunlight catching on its surface and creating a dazzling display of colors. The tranquil sound of water cascading down added to the serene atmosphere of East Ferrous Park. 

He looked at his reflection inside the water and saw a rather tired face reflected to him. He was actually surprised to see his tired face but what made him shocked was the actual surface inside the fountain. 

He dunked his hand underwater and felt the surface of the fountain. 

It was made of metal! And not just any metal, but a hard metal that Artis recognized as Aeternium, a rare and nearly indestructible material often used in high-level magical constructs and Unique Items. 

'Why is such a rare metal used to make a random fountain in a park, and how come no one ever excavated it?'

As Artis continued to touch the surface, unknowingly to him, a person snuck behind him and grabbed his shoulders. 

"AAAGH!" screamed Artis out of shock and fear as he turned around to see who touched him. An old man wearing a sleeveless yellow jacket, a full-sleeve striped shirt light brown pants, and shoes, dark sunglasses with a straw hat on top of his head that showed a bit of his white hair was lying down on the ground clutching his head. 

"Ugh! Youngsters these days, they got no tact for old folks like us nowadays!" grumbled the old man irritatedly. 

"Ummm..." Artis wasn't sure how to respond, "Are you alright?" 

"Am I alright!?" The old man stood up instantly, "You youngster! Here to steal my berries again, aren't you!? Just you wait, this old man will teach you a lesson!" 

"W-Wa-Wait! Calm down, old man! I'm here to do a mission! A MISSION!" 

"A mission you say?" asked the old man, "Oi, are you the Adventurer who chose to do my mission of clearing the weeds?" 

"Ye-Yes. That's me..." replied Artis slowly. 

At that moment, the old man suddenly patted his shoulders and replied in a cheerful tone, "Then you should've said that in the first place! I thought you were another one of those ruffians who came here trying to dig out that rare Aeternium for yourself!" 

"Ha...Haha..." 

"Well then, let's get started!" 

It took almost an hour to clear the park by removing the weeds. Artis was completely drenched in sweat as he and the old man continued to converse about various topics. 

"Hey, old man?" asked Artis, "What's with the Aeternium in that strange fountain? Why was such a metal used to build this? Shouldn't this metal be used to create other items?" 

The old man remained silent for a while, before answering, "...Well, it's not like I can answer myself this either. This fountain...it has remained here for a very long time. Even before the fire incident, and perhaps even before the calamity..." 

"The Calamity?" 

"Oh? You know, The Catastrophe which almost ruined Aurosia 50 years ago? Ah yes, Aurosia, before dividing, used to be a big continent, and East Ferrous City used to be known as Ferrum City, who knows even long before that...but I can tell, this fountain has always existed in this state. Nobody knows who built this, this monument has always existed in this state." 

Artis looked at the fountain again, but this time, with more questions in his mind. What is this fountain? How long has it been here? Why did he feel...so weird when he looked at the fountain?

...

"Alright, that should do it!" said the old man as he and Artis collected the weeds in a corner, satisfied with the work they have done. 

The old man muttered a single word, "Ignis" and conjured a flame in his right hand and burned the collected waste in the get-go. 

"Thanks for the help youngster." The old man thanked him as he took out a small pouch, "Here's your first set of reward. 5 Blueberries." 

The old man threw the pouch which Artis managed to catch as he opened the pouch to see a rather small berry of blue color between his fingers. 

"Try eating one and tell me what do you feel." suggested the old man. 

Hearing that suggestion, Artis looked at the Blueberry and examined it properly, gulping a little, he ate it in a get-go. 

The sweet flavor of this berry filled his mouth as Artis felt energized after eating a single berry. He examined his body and realized that the fatigue he was feeling disappeared instantly and that he was a bit stronger than before. 

"Hahaha, how is it, youngster? This berry is good, isn't it? You are feeling energized, right? Well, this is what this berry does. It completely removes your fatigue after consuming it. I have even heard that if you make a juice out of it, it will help you revitalize your organs and system. Try it once." 

"This is incredible..." marveled Artis, "Thank you, Sir." 

"No problem, youngster," the old man replied with a grin. "Keep those blueberries handy, they'll be useful in your adventures."

...

As Artis had free time now, he wasn't in a rush to go to the lab and collect his other reward, he sat on one of the benches of the park and began processing what happened the day. 

As he continued to think, a bird with a small body and a large beak flew over and grabbed the pouch where Artis had stored his blueberries. 

"Aaaah!" Artis exclaimed, leaping from the bench as the bird flew off with his pouch of blueberries. 

Artis recognised what this bird was, A Pelibur! A beast found in the City and coastal areas who have sharp beaks that can cut a branch from a big tree instantly. 

"Come back here!" Artis shouted, his voice echoing through the serene park. He sprinted down the cobblestone paths, his eyes fixed on the bird. The chase led him deeper into the park, where the trees grew thicker and the pathways became narrower.

The bird stopped after a while as Artis caught up to it. Artis approached slowly, trying not to startle it, "Easy there, little guy," he said softly, inching closer. "I just need my berries back."

As he reached out his hand, the bird cocked its head and dropped the pouch into Artis's palm. Artis sighed in relief, smiling at the bird. "Thank you," he said, securing the pouch safely in his pocket.

As the bird flew away, Artis stood up and looked around the clearing. He decided to explore it further but suddenly, his eyes caught sight of a strange tent. 

Curiosity piqued, he walked over to the bench and brushed off some of the moss. He approached the tent and a mysterious feeling began to form within him. 

He gulped as he wiped off his sweat as he continued to stare at this mysterious tent.