Shy Boy And The Monster Girls

"Aeris, Oh Aeris can you here me" A soft womanly voice called out to me pulling me out of my tired slumber only to find not my regular and familiar worn down bedroom but instead a sea of clouds and sky's adored with shades of soft yellow and pink awaited my now wide awake eyes. "Where am I, what happened, who are you" My frantic panicking was quickly calmed by a soft and gentle "Shhhhhhh". A warm feeling spread throughout my body, my once racing mind was now in a state of peace. "Good boy, now that your all calmed down we can talk about why I've brought you here cause you are very important" "M-me miss you must have the wrong person I-I'm not special in the slightest" It was true though for most of my life I was a coward, no other way to describe it, a terrified, scared, calling for his mommy coward. "My my so modest, a perfect trait for a hero that will defeat the demon queen" Come again, did she just say hero like hero hero, sword wielding, people saving, monster killing hero and did she say defeat the demon queen. But before my brain could even start to think of a response "Now I know what your thinking Aeris about how you couldn't possibly be a hero and that your not strong enough for such a task ahead of you but I can sense something in you, a strong desire to help and to grow even if you don't know it yet" "B-but miss really I haven't held a sword a day in my life let alone hurt anything I just can't see what you see in me, n-not t-that I'm saying your wrong or anything but" I was cut off once more but instead of a calming soothing shush, it was a soft giggle "Please try to relax, have both faith in my decision and in you okay" A gave a soft mumble in response "Use your big words okay" A blush crept on to my cheeks "O-okay I'll believe in your decision" "Anddddddd" My cheeks went from pink to crimson "A-and in myself" "There we go, now I suppose it's about time you woke up" "O-oh okay" I was a little taken a back by her sudden choice for me to leave but just thought that being a god wouldn't have that much free time "t-thank you for believing in me" "So cute" She whispered under her breath "What was that?" "Oh nothing, bye bye now"

And just as soon as I was welcomed into the land of clouds and oddly coloured sky I was met with my all to familiar wood celling to the let's just say obnoxious tone of my screaming alarm clock which has made me fall from my bed tiny bed more times then I'd care to admit. Unlike most days where my body felt stiff and aching almost forcing me to stay in the soft yet dingy confines of my bed, today I felt energized, determined and a sense of confidence awakened in my body wherever it had been the uplifting pep talk of the goddess or some godly magic she decided to employ, it had certainly filled it's job. With an all to familiar creak of the wooden floorboards I jumped out of bed, changed out of my pyjamas and then proceeded to take the next hour searching my wardrobe for the most hero looking attire I could find constantly thinking "A hero wouldn't wear something like this" or "This looks so bland, a hero would wear something more striking" I wasn't two hours in and I was already questioning my ability to do this. At the end of the tortures hour filled with doubt and anxiety I had finally decided on my attire, a simple get up comprised of mostly dark and brown clothing, grey shoes and gloves (cause I though they made me look cool). I quickly realized just how long my clothing adventure took so with my familiar panicked state in tow I went out the front door into my hometown Linarus. In all honesty Linarus wasn't that impressive for a town, it was poor to put it simply and relied on it's community to keep itself stable, the appearance wasn't much better, Wooden hut's as far as the eye could see, vegetable farm's built in every direction as that was the only way to get food and not a piece of metal or steel in sight well that is except for the crowing jewel of the town, the blacksmith which luckily was where I was headed.

I walked into the worn down looking shop smelling the familiar aroma of dust and iron a smell, I had grown all to familiar with and just like every other day I was met with an all to familiar smile "Ah Aeris what can I do you for". The cheery man that greeted me was john, a happy, friendly man that greeted everyone with the same almost overwhelming optimism and energy which made his shop incredibly successful, I mean it also helps he was one of the best blacksmiths this side of the continent, hell he could be working for the royal army and make who knows how much money but he chooses to stay here as it was were he grow up and wants to help the community. I owe a lot to john, he like a father figure to me and we've spent hours talking and discussing people, places, the world, he was the only person I truly felt safe with and it had just now dawned on me what I would be giving up for my journey. "Helloooo Aeris you in there" "O-oh sorry sorry just kinda day dreaming is all" "What you got a girl on your mind or something" there he goes again with his trademark teasing which was quickly followed by my red cheeks, "N-no s-shut up" John let out a hearty laugh, taking much amusement in my embarrassed reaction "Alright I will I will, so what you wanna talk about today" A part of me hoped I could just say my usual response of "I don't know what about you" but I know I can't do that, I can't. "Actually there is something I need to say" I said trying by best to calm myself "Wait really, huh, wow never thought I would see the day so what did you want to talk about" I could see the excitement on his face which made it even harder to say "I-I need to buy a sword" A long drowning silence echoed throughout the room not aiding in my already bubbling anxiety "And what would you need this sword for pray tell" "W-well I-I p-plan o-on" I realized my horrific amount of stuttering, took one long deep breath and "I plan on taking a sword so a can go on an adventure to see the world" I wasn't technically lying and since John didn't believe in the goddess saying that I'm going on an adventure to defeat the strongest creature in the world because a voice in my head told me to, he would think I'm insane which granted he was probably right but still. I half expected another long pause of silence but my statement was met by a long sign from John "I kinda thought one day you'd get to this point, wanting to explore, see the world I tell you stories about, find out what you really want to do in life, to live basically and while sure I do want you to stay, who am I to stop you from living" My heart hurt knowing that this maturity he thought I had grown was all just a lie, my heart screamed to tell him it was a lie and that the goddess told me to do this but I was to far now and it would only cause more problems then solve them. John headed to the back of the store and soon came out (after a concerning amount of bangs and crashes) with a steel blade which he held out to me "Here you go buddy, one of my finer works if I do say so myself" A shakily grabbed the blade by the hilt which felt firm and heavy, I had always looked at John's variety of swords out of curiosity and wonder but holding one with my own two hands felt otherworldly almost. I expressed my gratitude for the sword and started to leave trying to leave as fast as possible before my heart me to stop not even realizing he gave me the sword for free "Oh before you go have this" John placed in my hands 100 silver coins and a small picture of a photo we took together for our two year anniversary of knowing each other, I started at the photograph, seeing our smile, his smile, one I might never see again, the photo became wet, he hugged me, I cried.

My bag was filled with goods, from coins, to rope and even some weird and obscure board games, all of which were given by the rest of the town, "I won't let there faith go to waste" I thought to myself a new sense of determination boiling within me, I put on my bag, put my sword in the waist belt which made feel more giddy then it probably should have and checked myself one last time just to make sure my eyes weren't still red from this mornings cry-fest. I opened my front door and took one last look at my home, it wasn't much, most people would call it terrible but it was still mine and I loved it, in a love-hate kinda way. And for the first time of my life I stepped out of the village which felt a bit anti-climatic to be honest, my true adventure would start once I get past the magic barrier. The magic barrier were set up at every town, city or any place of that nature which kept monster's out from attacking people, one of which was placed in the throne room around the demon queen keeping her locked in, she could still give her subjects orders but hey it was better then attacking the world herself. I was torn on what to do next but I know that the goddess was watching over me and that no matter what I wouldn't fail.