85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIvEfi70kV6
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
4. A Warrior in Another World
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLTyQVRLRqp
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVYM3R9bxxJ
Lyra pulled herself out of the water to the riverside where the man stood and the beast's body laid. I slowly followed just to see that the danger was truly gone.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjIGlt8XYix
“Um, no. This duck. I… think it's a duck. Protected me.” she said pointing at me.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNdSYvO5jEq
“A duck did this? Interesting.” laughed the man “Look Lyrianna, this is why I told you to stay close.”
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ8PhztcFLk
“And I said I wanted to bathe. Gavin Eldreblud. I told you not to call me that.” Lyra huffed as she turned to me.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo8lJbVv9RV
I cocked my head in confusion. I don’t know what her plan was, but she looked like she was up to something.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSgtyoAdFiU
“This duck. I shall take it as a pet.”
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobQLUBOHg6
“What?” questioned Gavin.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1iAFbvMd7I
“Quack?!” questioned myself.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlZ6oVkz05U
“Had he not been here, you wouldn't have made it in time.” she pouted.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA0mpDnPxIZ
“Had you not demanded to wander on your own, this wouldn't have happened at all.” he argued, “And let's not pretend like you're completely defenseless lady Li-Lyra!”
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGODFzv0blY
“That's besides the point.” she said, kneeling down to my height and reaching her hands out.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7m8U8KINnD
*What should I do? What should I do?! These are the first people I've met in the real world. Erg. Maybe I go with them just for now… I can always just disappear if I need to later. And it's not like I can talk to them. BUT maybe I can at least learn from them.*
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRh5KnO0eXp
I nodded and waddled slowly into her arms as she began to pet me, “Look, so friendly.” she said happily to Gavin's dismay.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhyRFCxFN1R
“Look… whatever, okay? Let's get back. The men want to get home, as do you, I'm sure.”
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSSmDGcB34p
“Fine.” said Lyra, clutching me up to her chest and following behind Gavin as he turned to lead the way.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOoUm2HLxCE
*She's warm. And… and soft. It's weird being held completely by someone else. But also comforting. It's nice.*
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvickURWGu
“I hate these trips.” she said.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡePkL8sEpvW
“I know that, but they're necessary. And they're for your father.” explained Gavin.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz7EL0yfCkH
“I know. I just,” Lyra looked down at me as she slowly followed behind him, “I want to actually explore the world freely, not just be a messenger in his name. I'm thirty now!”
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXyIPOPRLMp
“Thirty is still a baby in elf years and you know it.” Gavin snapped back. “What we do, we do for your safety.”
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVP8mjP30Ub
*Thirty?! She looks like a teenager. But the way they're talking, she must be very important. Some kind of relations delegate maybe? There's still so much to learn about in this world.*
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxyX1jxpZ9
“Quack.”
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1GjFwuYaoY
“You too?” Lyra joked.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYSTJogrbY4
Gavin turned back. He looked to be sizing me up and down.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQOxelb5C3l
“What're you gonna name him? If it's to be your pet?”
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mAkxbcecP
“I was thinking Duc. Duck without the ‘k’ but sounds like duke, the position.” suggested Lyra.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPupSKir4Jf
*I never thought about having another name. I've been nameless for some time now.*
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡde5k6UUaBQ
"Quack!” I chirped out of agreement and Lyra smiled.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBB4FNLp3Z7
“Huh, and uh, Duc? That duck really saved you though? He looks pretty ordinary to me.” he questioned.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwPdJVzRXLz
“Yeah, there's something special about him. He can use magic,” said Lyra petting my head once again.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXztjiRTde0
“Magic? You’ve got to be kidding!” exclaimed Gavin in disbelief.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUzIqeSkCod
I didn’t know what to do without being threatening, so I tried something, hopefully harmless. I felt the air around Lyra and myself and pulled it inward through my nostrils, holding it in my mouth for a second to focus a small amount of mana. Then, I opened my mouth as the air jettisoned forward into Gavin's back, pushing him forward a little, but not enough to make him fall.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoCcNbARS21
“Quack.” I smirked.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6T7PlySbq7
“What the hell? Well, that's new.” said Gavin in disbelief, “Of course you would wander and find the only magical duck in the world though.”
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoTnQU33876
“What's that supposed to mean?” Lyra asked pouting.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCwxfg9kK7f
“Nothing,” said Gavin with an uneasy smirk as he continued walking, “Just weird luck. Maybe…”
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCNVLmallek
“You're weird. Are we there yet?” sneered Lyra.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzhDssf2e0i
Gavin looked ahead. It appeared he was looking for a marker to tell his way, “There. That fallen tree on that hillside. The men are camped on the otherside. See. We gave you a little leeway,” Gavin stated, pointing the way.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbg13siCswH
“Hmph.” Lyra grunted. “It's just not the same as freely traveling on my own. I just want to see more of the world is all. I don't think that's too much to ask.”
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgqBd71sQnh
“I don't think so either. We're both burdened by obligation. However, life can be long for us. I'm sure you'll see plenty.”
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn92JNPYmw6
“Did you just call me a burden?”
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOtRQBaEu5X
“Haha,” Gavin chuckled, hiding his face from Lyra and lead on up the hill.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡljSfH5caEZ
“How do you think the meeting went? I didn't ask because, really, I didn't care. But now that we're heading home, I'm afraid of disappointing my father,” asked Lyra, clutching me a little tighter.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKUoW5BqyMc
“You did your best. We obviously can't give them as many resources as they want, but you kept it civil and offered alternatives. The best we can do now is wait for their response. Hopefully they'll be understanding.” said Gavin.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDyVZiT6roX
“Hopefully… I didn't like their King. He wanted too much. Nothing was a fair trade. He seemed, greedy.”
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡof2t7ks6Tg
“Well, he has just taken the throne. I'm sure he's learning. You handled him just fine,” doted Gavin.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIynofBMlYy
“The human kingdoms only ever want our ore for weapons to fuel their wars. We stay out of their conflicts, but they all want things from us. I don’t know how my father juggles it all,” said Lyra shaking with a bit of anxiety.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhJbnMwzHCc
We were over the hill and going down now. Trees covered the other side of the hill. It sounded like the men were being loud. Perhaps, throwing a celebration of some sort? However, the ground was shaking as well.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDdVa99uz8f
“You'll learn too Lyra. You'll figure it out too. Just-” Gavin was cut off short as something big came out of the trees towards Lyra and I.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR8yqUJA4qS
Instinctively, I formed my defensive egg around the two of us. But it didn't matter. The force inflicted against us sent us barreling towards a tree. My egg shattered and I fell to the ground.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3bH0pxAy1G
I glimpsed what looked to be a giant ogre covered in armor, ripping apart the men we were going to meet. Gavin had drawn his blade, ready for a battle and I… I got dizzy. Faded to black
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrbA6cMD44d
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
End Part 4
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡArJihwDL7W
Author's Notes #2:
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvOwn8Cyyp
Initially, I wanted this to be a simple, low stakes, slice of life fantasy, and while I've worked towards that, early on I felt the need for urgency. I wanted Duc to be a likeable character for sure and while just doing duck things and battling monsters could have been my main go to, I always intended for him to get out in the world and pair up with a heroine.
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh6Uwy5JIci
While the beginning couple of parts hype up Duc and his power, I wanted to make sure you know this isn't one of those “over-powered” main character stories. Duc is fallible, not nearly as all powerful as he is described to be, and I think I really wanted to establish his mortality early on. He can get hurt. He can lose battles. The real question and obstacle was how to make him grow, especially when he has no one to talk to. Well, that's the beauty of the journey and growing in general. Just seeing how it all shakes out.☆
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4qs5ZE3HhD
𓅹𓅹𓅹𓅹𓅭𓅹𓅹𓅹𓅭𓅹𓅹𓅹𓅹
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7UatFnXqW1
Duck Fact #2: Ducks communicate vocally, that's how we all know of the quack, of course. But they actually communicate vocally even before they hatch! While in a nest with other eggs, this ability causes a more organized hatching, as they'll communicate to hatch at the same time. Also, ducks that live in a city have different accented and louder “Quacks” than country ducks!
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4fK4iBBpD
𓅹𓅹𓅹𓅹𓅭𓅹𓅹𓅹𓅭𓅹𓅹𓅹𓅹
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAfoVP4HvsO
⋆༺𓆩The.Fellow𓆪༻⋆
ns3.128.181.81da2
然後按「加至主畫面」