26 Priest of the Veles

Truly a strange sight appeared in front of me. Here deep into the woods, a tree house appeared. What was even stranger was that the tree house didn't appear to be built. It looked more like it just sprouted out. Like the crown of the tree, shaped up in the form of the house. Walls were made of wood and the roof was covered with leaves. The entrance was covered with lianas full of leaves. It was green on all sides.

I couldn't see how big it was but I would say that from here it looked rather big. Or it was just the tree that was big and the tree house happened to be there. Was anyone in? It finally hit me that someone should be here, but who or why they lived here was unknown to me. Do I climb up and enter to check it out. What if the resident is not hospitable and kicks me out? What do I do then? Maybe no one was here and I should just go for it. Before I had a chance to decide a voice talked to me.

, Oh, a guest, I haven't had a guest in a long time. Climb up, youngster, and tell me how you ended up here."

That voice sounded like it came from all around me. From the trees around me and grass below me, it sounded like the forest itself talked. As soon as the voice quieted down, I could see something crawling down from the house. It was shaped like a ladder but it was made from lianas. Thinking that making my host wait is rude I walked over the tree and started climbing. The ladder was very hard and there was no way that it could be broken.

Thinking about how someone made this kind of ladder, I finally arrived in front of a door. Leaves moved aside and that voice talked again.

, Come in."

I listened and entered. The first thing that caught my attention was a meter tall statue of a bear. It looked very imposing. Remembering statues of Gods in the village temple I remembered Veles, Lord of the Forest. There was nothing more in this room. I could see two more entrances to the other rooms but they too were covered in leaves.

As I was looking around this room trying to find something else, leaves moved from one of the entrances and a man appeared. I carefully looked at him, trying not to stare. He was covered in leaves all over his body. It looked like a cloak of leaves. I couldn't see if he had anything beneath or if he was skinny, fat, muscular or regular sized. His face didn't tell much either. He had a bushy black beard, black hear, brown eyes and regularly sized nose. If he were to appear anywhere else in a decent attire and shaved he would have looked like an ordinary guy. But nothing about him said ordinary.

He saw me looking at him and he also looked at me. We were looking at each other like that for two minutes or longer and he finally said.

, Oh sorry, youngster, I haven't seen a human in a long time, I was wondering if you changed a little."

, Are you not a human?" I asked with great shock. Was this maybe Veles, God of Forests? It can't be that he lives in this forest. But I was soon proved wrong.

, Human, me? Ah, yes I am human too. Old age does that. I almost forgot. Sorry, I thought I was a tree."

, A tree?" The more I heard this man talk the more I thought that he was crazy.

, Yes, a tree. You see a few years before, I merged with a tree to see how it lives and some memories stuck with me. That is why I thought I was still a tree."

, But who are you really and why are you living here."

, Me? I am Veran Treegrower, a priest of Veles. Have you heard of him? Really hard guy to find. As for why I am living here is simply because I like it here. Nothing wrong with that, right? Who are you by the way and how did you come here?"

, I am Wise Raven, an adventuring traveler. By the way is there somewhere a place to sit down. I am very tired?"

, Oh, how rude of me. Like I told you I haven't' had a visitor in a long time. Here, let's sit down and talk."

Veran moved his hand a little and two chairs made of wood and leaves came out of the floor of the tree house. I didn't have time to admire him more because he sat down on his chair and continued the conversation.

, Wise Raven, you said. Isn't it too early for you to have a name like that? You are still young to have a name like that. What is your born name?"

, Well my friends gave me that name, and the name my parents gave me is Novak."

, Novak, meaning first born, a nice name. That is how I am going to call you from now on. You can call me Veran for now. So how did you found yourself in my part of the forest?"

I told Veran about my plight this past couple of days. How I started traveling to the Little Rock town and how I went through the forest and my encounters with death. When he heard what I went through he laughed like a madman.

, Hahahahaha, you are either a stupid fool or a very brave one. You should have known not to enter into the unknown forest. Our Lord may be Lord of the Forests but he can't be in all the forests at once. There are some in which evil beings resign and you can find beasts in almost all of them. But I admire your resourcefulness. Few people at your level would make out alive from those situations.

So what are you going to do now? I know that town which you are talking about. It was there even in my younger days. If you want to go there when you exit my territory you will most certainly find more dangers. And I bet you, that luck won't follow you every time. I don't exit my part of the forest, only in extreme situations, so I can't help you."

Thinking about Veran's words I was thinking what to do. My thought wondered away for a moment while I was thinking about how old is Veran. But I soon gave up on that and started thinking for real what to do.

, Is there any way in which you can help me now, so that I can move easily in the forest. Can you teach me?"

Veran looked at me curiously and then asked.

, Do you want to become a priest of Veles?"

I was surprised at first and then a notification appeared in front of me.

" Class quest Priest of Veles is available. If you accept Veran's invitation you will embark on this quest. Would you like to accept his invitation?

Yes No"

Wow, a class quest appeared. This is what I hoped for. First I had to ask Veran one question but I think that it won't change my answer.

, Are priests of Veles druids?"

, Well you can say it like that. Druids are a general name for people who follow nature gods and worship nature itself. Druids are called like that in the far west of the continent. The rest of us somehow got included in that name also, but we are calling ourselves as we should, priests of Veles. So do you want to join us then?"

, Yes of course!" I said as fast as I could. Just as I hoped before I entered the game, I wanted to become a druid. I wasn't 100% sure if they are incorporated in Slavic mythology in the game but this made it clear.

"Quest, Priest of Veles, accepted

For more information talk to Veran"

, Good, good. Our Lord will be pleased and so will the rest of my brothers. And they said I would never teach a disciple myself. Haha, I proved them wrong."

I was a little concerned with Veran's personality but he then said.

, It's getting late, we will start your teachings tomorrow. For the night rest in this room and tomorrow, I will tell you everything you want to know and what you should do."

Then he moved his hand with small motion and a bed of leaves appeared on the floor of the room.

, Well, good night Novak, rest well, you will need it."

Before he could enter one of the rooms I remembered something and used Appraisal on Veran. I wasn't sure if it will work, but maybe because I already knew him my Appraisal worked on the first try. When I looked later at my skill progress I found out that this one Appraisal raised my proficiency from 21% to 31%. Whole 10 %. That was the highest number one of my skills grown so far in one go.

Well, it isn't that strange when you look at Veran. This is what I found out.

Veran

Humanoid NPC

Class Druid ( Priest of Veles )

Subclass ?????????

Level ???

Not much right? But when you think about how my Appraisal raised by 10 % and that I couldn't see his level it showed how strong he is. I wouldn't be surprised if his level was in three digits. he even has a subclass. I wonder what is it.

He entered his room and I slowly lied down on the bed of leaves after laying aside my things on the floor. Then I logged out and fell asleep.

When I got up the first thing I thought was, when will I be back from work so that I can get back into the game as soon as I can. Getting a class is a very exciting thing. I could have probably got the class when I arrived in Little Rock Town, but getting it sooner brings great benefits.

During breakfast, I asked Hope how is she doing and bragged to her about how I am going to get a class.

. Wow, big brother, you are really fast. Most of the players have yet to leave the village. You should tell that to big sis Maria, she will like you even more than."

, Haha you really know what to say to other people to make them happy. My little sister is very smart. By the way, what class are you going to choose? I haven't ask Maria and Anna either."

When she heard me praising her, she blushed and smiled.

, Of course, I am smart. That is obvious. Who first noticed that big sister Maria likes you?"

True, Hope and Mia noticed that immediately. I like Maria and she likes me, but if Hope didn't give me any advice. we would have still talked only at teachers lounge at school.

, As for the classes we are not sure yet. We will think about that when we arrive at the town. Big brother are we going to be in the same town?"

I haven't thought about that. Wolf, Marco and I figured out that we will be in the same town. But I am not sure if the girls will end up also there.

, I am not sure Hope. If the name of the town you guys can go is Little Rock than yes. I would like that as well. Then I can help you out."

, You mean help big sis Maria. You want to show her how strong you are." she giggled.

. I will help all of you." I said helplessly.

At school between classes, I talked with Maria and Anna. Nick also sat with us, so seeing his surprised face when I told them that I already found a class instructor, was priceless. He couldn't believe that I am faster and better than him.

After school and lunch at home, I first got over some curriculum for the future. Since I am a great history nerd, there are rare times when I need to repeat something I already learned for class. But even I can't remember everything.

Getting into the game. I woke up and as soon as I did I heard Veran's voice from the other room talking to me.

, Are you ready young Novak? Climb down and wait for me there. Eat something and then we will begin."

I couldn't wait anymore. I will become a druid soon. But first, let's pray to Veles. If I want to become one of his priests I will need to pray to him daily from now on.