Peek: It Followed Me Home (Patreon)

This last week has been the most confusing of Edlart's life. He's well aware he hasn't had that many years, but he really hopes the rest of life will calm down a bit after this. He's just a farmer's son, his parents and practically everyone he knows are farmers or ranchers! When he went to go get his affinity tested last week, he thought he'd have earth or water affinity, like most of the rest of his family.

Imagine everyone's shock when his affinity came up as death. He was devastated, and even with everyone trying to encourage him, he felt like his life was ruined. He wants to help things grow, not kill things!

He only started listening to the encouragements the next day, when his parents pointed out that he could use his affinity to kill bugs and weeds to make sure the crops could flourish. That didn't seem so bad, at least. And he can still do normal farm things like he's been doing.

The next day, however, was when he got an idea. Everyone knows Thedeim is a safe dungeon to delve. His uncle even delves regularly! Could... could he be an adventurer? He doesn't hate farming, but... who doesn't dream of fighting monsters, getting strong, and keeping their family safe?

It took him the next couple days to prepare, and to get his pitchfork ready for battle. His uncle even quietly lent him a set of leather armor. It's too small for his uncle now, and a bit big for himself, but it makes him feel a lot better about trying this. Sure, Thedeim doesn't kill, but he can still collect some injuries and lose some of his stuff!

His delve started out simple enough. He's heard the Manor is a good place to start, but it's so busy. He decided to try the cemetery, instead. There's not a lot of fighting in there, ever since Thediem moved the wolf spawner, but there's still a few denizens he can probably challenge individually, right?

He wanted to try to take down a zombie or something. He wasn't sure if his affinity would give him an advantage or if it wouldn't work at all, but with a pitchfork and farmboy strength, he should be able to figure out something, right? Well...

He didn't skewer a zombie. He didn't get a skeleton, either. He didn't even get a hand. Instead, he got a rat, but something seemed... off about it. Even impaled on a tine of his pitchfork, it was still squeaking and biting at him. He thought Thedeim's denizens were supposed to be a bit more calm than that? Though, it was impaled. He'd probably lose his cool, too.

But while he was looking at it, something green entered his view and deftly plucked the rat off his fork. He turned to follow what he realized were vines, onto to see a green skeleton reeling in the rat. Then it entombed the rodent in vines and squeezed, ending it with a crunch. It took Edlart a few moments to realize what happened. It wasn't one of Thedeim's rats at all! He had heard about invaders, but he'd never seen one before.

He'd never seen the skeleton before, either, and he had no idea what to do about it looking at him, skull tilted like it wasn't sure what to do, too. Edlart caught movement out of the corner of his eye, spotting another rat, and he quickly skewered that, too. Just like before, it squeaked in rage, and just like before, the skeleton killed it.

Well, he never heard anyone talking about something like this, but if it keeps the skeleton from attacking, he was more than happy to keep skewering rats for it. He only realized what was happening when he got a notification of having tamed a verdant skeleton!

He didn't want a tame! He didn't even know the undead could be tamed! Who tames an undead?! The look the skeleton gave him was answer enough: he does. He sighed and left the cemetery, and now is walking back home, trying to figure out what to tell his parents. It was supposed to be a simple thing, maybe get some experience, get a taste of adventure. But now he has a verdant skeleton following him, curiously looking at the fields as they pass.

The elves, orcs, and 'kins of the fields don't pay him much attention, which he grateful for. He wouldn't want rumors to reach his parents before he gets a chance to talk to them about what's happened. Though maybe it'd be better that way?

He glances back at the skeleton, remembering what his younger siblings would say when they'd bring home a cat or a dog, or sometimes other critters they'd want to keep. He doesn't think the usual excuse is going to cut it this time.