《John the Average Knight: Marvellously Mundane》 Book 1 Chapter 1 John was an average knight. He was the epitome of normality in the ranks of Delruse knights; in relation to his peers, he didn¡¯t particularly excel at strategy, nor was he ridiculously strong and his skill with a blade was anything but legendary. John did not hail from one of the powerful lines of nobility, and he certainly wasn¡¯t a commoner that had fought his way, tooth and nail, into his knighthood. He came from one of the lesser, merchant families that, while small in comparison to the true upper-class, could easily afford his education on the etiquette of the Delruse aristocracy. John didn¡¯t outshine his classmates when he entered the academy to begin his training as a knight. He did not possess the fledgling mind of a natural-born general, John¡¯s ability to absorb information was not abnormally high, and he wasn¡¯t a genius-level talent when being taught how to fight. To the instructors of the academy, he was known as the ¡®constant¡¯, as the results of any of his exams or mock-battles would always be quite¡­ typical. John wasn¡¯t ugly, and he wasn¡¯t considered handsome, or beautiful, for that matter. His short hair was dark brown, as were his eyes, he had a square- jaw and his muscled, tall form stood a little over six feet. There was one thing that John knew for certain that he was only one that could handle his sworn duty ¨C after all, the Queen of Delruse herself told him so. John could still remember the moment. ***** John¡¯s knees were shaking, sweat was gushing out of him and his jaw was clenched with equal parts fear and anticipation. He was about to learn what the Queen had decided his future would be. With trembling hands, pulled his blade out of its sheath. His hand clenched, his knuckles white, John reached forward and shakily sliced open the wax-sealed letter. Taking a breath, the young knight cast his gaze upon the parchment. Dear John Stone, It is with great pleasure that I write to inform you that your application as a Knight of Delruse has been accepted. Congratulations. You have been assigned to one the most important duties a knight of your calibre can ever be given. As I have been informed by my advisors there is a location; a very important place, and a possible weakness that needs to be protected and I think that you, John, are just what is needed. You shall be placed in charge of its protection. The Queen of Delruse. John marvelled over the mix of elegant and blocky penmanship that the Queen was known for. What other woman could possibly write this way? Surely she is but the only one! ***** After making a few inquiries, John managed to track down the location that was so strategically valuable that a knight such as he was designated as its guard. Deep in the bowels of the castle there was a small room, barely 5 feet on a side, with walls of smooth grey stone and a single, iron-banded wooden door. John trusted his Queen and her advisers and their decision ¨C so, with his back straight and his chest swelled with pride, so he stood in front of the door facing the opposite wall. John spent his time thinking of all the myriad of ways that this room was so vital it needs a dedicated guardian. A secret tunnel and an escape route for Delruse¡¯s nobility? Or is it the opposite? A possible entrance for the queendom¡¯s enemies? Ha! We don¡¯t have any enemies! Delruse is the sole queendom of our island! Well, there¡¯s the dirty, evil commoners, but they don¡¯t count. For a few days, John continued his watch over the room; he¡¯d look to the left, then the right and he¡¯d listen all the while. Left¡­ there¡¯s the wall. Right¡­ there¡¯s the other wall. Middle¡­ there¡¯s the floor Left¡­ there¡¯s the wall. Right¡­ there¡¯s the other wall. Lef- A strange sensation washed over his body. He shook his head. What was that? When nothing happened, he shrugged and continued his watchful patrol. Left¡­ ther- It happened again; a feeling of wrongness in the air. His brow furrowing, John hurriedly pulled his blade from it¡¯s sheath, and gazed warily around the room. Something¡¯s off¡­ ¡°To whomever or whatever is out there, show yourself!¡± Almost as if in response, the air in front of him shattered, revealing a swirling purple vortex. As the roaring winds this otherworldly thing had created pushed the knight backwards, John could do naught but open and close his mouth in shocked confusion. The violet-hued entity seemed to stretch forward, and something fell to the floor with a clatter. As quickly as it had appeared, the unexplainable phenomenon vanished. ¡°Wha¡­ what just happened?¡± John managed to ask himself, before both his mind and his body collapsed. *****The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. John let out a muffled groan, his eyes slowly opening, revealing the familiar, strategically-important room he had been tasked to protect. Did I fall asleep? I didn¡¯t, did I? What have I done?! I even had the gall to dream on duty! I can¡¯t believe I¡¯d dishonour the Queen in such a way! The average knight tensed, expecting admonishment any moment ¨C after a few minutes, John realised no one had noticed his lax in duty. Hastily, he scrambled to his feet and let out a relieved sigh. Everything¡¯s fine. I just need to keep watch. Left¡­ there¡¯s the wall. Right¡­ there¡¯s the wall. Middle¡­ there¡¯s th¡­ John blinked. He blinked again. ¡°Huh.¡± There was something out of place ¨C a silver sphere ¨C that was resting in the centre of the room. ¡°What are you?!¡± John demanded, drawing his sword. The ball didn¡¯t respond. The knight stared at it, unwilling to let his guard down in front of the mysterious object. ¡°Where did you come from?¡± Once again, the orb didn¡¯t react. Cautiously, John walked forward, one step at a time. ¡°Why are you here?¡± He questioned. The ball was apparently unfazed, and didn¡¯t react. Is this some kind of trick? A prank? Or¡­ that¡¯s what it wants me to think? Haha! You can¡¯t fool me! John leap forward, swinging his blade behind his back, he brought it down in an overheard cut. The knight had expected it to shatter, or at least crack, but he was shocked when, instead of breaking, it shifted, his sword missing by a hair. Before John could even process seeing an inanimate object move, the sphere rolled up his blade. With a shout, he frantically waved his sword through the air, trying to shake the orb off. Instead, it seemed to make the ball move faster and, before John knew it, it was racing its way up his arm. Dropping his sword, the knight tried to rip the ball off his arm. He had assumed that it would try to dodge his hand, but before he had even gotten close, it bounced from his right arm and onto his left hand. It abruptly stopped moving, losing all momentum. It shivered and it melted, but rather then dripping to the floor as any other liquid would have done in the same situation, it seeped into the gaps in his gauntlet. The knight clawed at his armour, but before he had the chance to pull it off, he heard sizzling and steam burst out of his gauntlet. ¡°What the hell are yuagh!¡± John lost control of his body and he collapsed. Why can¡¯t I move?! Why can¡¯t I feel anything?! What¡¯s it doing to me!? Moments later, sensation returned, and John ripped off his gauntlet. ¡°What in the Queen¡¯s name is that?¡± Three silver lines, each an inch long, running perpendicular to his arm, had appeared on the inside of his wrist. Stunned, John reached forward and brushed his fingers across the strange symbol. He gasped as lines of text started to flash across his vision, accompanied by a strange, monotone voice. Scanning¡­ complete User found¡­ Seeking contact with User¡­ complete Integrating with User¡­ complete Initiating System¡­ complete ¡°What is happening to me?¡± He shouted. You¡¯ve been connected to the System! It had changed from emotionless to cheerful in a heartbeat. John shrieked. Almost a minute later, he stopped screaming and started taking deep, heaving breaths. User, have you calmed down yet? ¡°W-what are you?¡± The knight asked shakily. I am your Personal System Unit! My purpose is to provide you with a connection to the System! To start off our companionship on a positive note, I would like you to know that your ¡®Queen¡¯ is unlikely to know your name or even that you exist. I recommend her leaving her employ, shortly followed by inciting a rebellion among the peasants and crowning yourself a king! The knight tensed. How could I even listen to this thing?! This must be why the Queen had me protect this room! I must report to her Highness! Huh? John wrenched the door open and started running as fast as his armour would allow. Are you listening to me? The knight jogged through the bowels of the castle, reaching the staircase that leads to the rooms above. Well, aren¡¯t you just being rude? All I did was suggest a little military coup ¨C what? Is that¡­ another User? He had ascended into the castle proper, and was moving as quickly as he could; heading towards the throne-room¡¯s entrance. John! Stop! We¡¯re getting closer to the other User! The man had stopped in front of the giant, marble doorway, blocked by the crossed spears of the two royal knights. Listen to me! The User¡¯s in there! That¡¯s bad! Very bad! We haven¡¯t even finalised your System integration yet! John nearly collapsed in front of the two guardsmen. ¡°There¡¯s an enemy in the castle!¡± He panted. ¡°I have to report the threat to the Queen!¡± Damnit, John! You¡¯re still weak! Whoever¡¯s in that room is going to try to kill you! The royal knights stared at him and he took a breath, ready to convince them to let him through, but they pulled their spears to their sides. The doors opened, revealing a sight that few had ever seen. Fine! You leave me no choice! John didn¡¯t even register the entity¡¯s words ¨C he was stunned into silence. I can¡¯t believe it¡­ I¡¯m looking at the Queen! Please choose one of the following growth options¡­ Skilled: Base psychological stats are increased. +1 stat point and +4 skill points per level. Enhanced: Base physical stats are increased. +4 stat points and +1 skill points per level. Powered: Gain a random ability (Examples: Bend-Spoon, Invulnerability, Extend-Hair, etc). +1 stat point and +1 skill point per level. The Queen¡¯s beady eyes looked at him over the top of her crooked, squashed nose and her sausage-sausage like fingers clutched a golden, jewel-encrusted sceptre that looked tiny in comparison to her massive, bloated form. A gaudy crown rested atop her dirt-brown, knotted hair, tilted. On either side of her gargantuan, shining throne, armoured forms stood guard. She¡¯s so¡­ beautiful! I would die for this divine being! Growth option selected: Powered Generating power¡­ John slowly walked into the throne-room, the doors slammed behind him after the royal knights followed him inside. I want to tell her everything¡­ but how could I presume to do anything without her permission! Preposterous! What is wro- oh, hells! She slowly raised a finger, fat jiggling down her arm. What will she say? I will do anything for you, my Queen! Just tell me what to do! ¡°Where is the pig? Who dares delay my lunch! It¡¯s been minutes since I ordered that servant to fetch it!¡± Flecks of spit spattered to the floor below her. How could anyone deny my Queen her food! John! Wake up! She blinked, staring at him. ¡°Ah, almost forgot about you.¡± John bowed his head, pulling his fist over his heart. ¡°I have urgent news, my Queen! There w-¡± ¡°Guards, kill the intruder. I tire of his presence. And where in the bloody queendom is my damn food?¡± For a second the average knight thought he must have misheard her ¨C then his world shattered. Power gained: Conditional Intangibility As the guards marched towards him, weapons held at the ready, John was reeling in shock. My Queen can¡¯t be this¡­this... pile of filth! What was I thinking?! Why would I pledge myself to her?! Move! Run! Damnit, just do something, John! As he saw the words flash across his vision and heard the yell of the mysterious voice, the average knight somehow managed to pull himself together. He whipped around, his entire being focused on evading the danger behind him. He took a step and the tip of one of his sabatons caught the edge of a raised tile. The knight, his eyes blazing with renewed determination, tripped. The Queen¡¯s guards halted in confusion, looking at where their target had been. As if it wasn''t even there, John fell through the floor. Book 1 Chapter 2 While the knight had been falling through the castle like it didn¡¯t exist, he had no idea what was going on. When he stopped falling and startied floating ¨C he realised what was happening as he stared at the castle above him. Is this death? Have I died? Am I doomed to watch Delruse from below? Nothing but an empty castle ¨C hey! There¡¯s Patrick! Did he die too? But why isn¡¯t he down here with me? Is the afterlife different for everyone? He¡¯s still sweeping the floor! Does the man never rest? Wait¡­ there¡¯s another person! And another! John focused, pulling his mind out of his ruminations and his eyes off the castle, he searched for more people ¨C and he found them. What¡¯s happening? Did everyone die? No, John, they didn¡¯t. And neither have you. You again? Get out of my head, you¡¯re an enemy of the¡­ queen. Actually starting to use that head of yours, for more then your ridiculous imagination, huh? The knight shuddered. What is she? Why did I feel so¡­ loyal? She¡¯s a powered, like you are now. How dare you! John face twisted in disgust. I¡¯m nothing like her! Just stop being such a freaking idiot for one minute and let me explain, without you going all queen-fanatic on me! The man bristled, but he didn¡¯t think a word. Done? Good. You¡¯ve become a user. John waited. Is that it? Now listen, there are rules that I ¨C Listen? Listen?! Here I am, trapped between my home and a dark abyss, and that¡¯s all you¡¯ve got to say!? My Queen just attempted to murder me, for doing my duty! Not only that, but she somehow controlled my thoughts, my mind and my free-fucking-will! She¡¯s probably using her foul influence over all of Delruse! And you tell me to listen? Really? I might not be the best knight, and I¡¯m no scholar, but don¡¯t dare to treat me like an idiot! I¡­ I¡­ I¡¯m sorry, John. I wasn¡¯t thinking¡­ I don¡¯t need an apology! I need an explanation! The voice was silent, seeming to collect itself. John thought he saw a flicker, and he felt himself start to calm down. Before he had the chance to think about it, the voice started talking again. I am unable to tell you most of what I know, but there are a few things I can. A user is¡­ someone that has been connected to the system. I don¡¯t know the reason behind how or why it happens, besides the fact that it just does. Users are able to grow more powerful, using the system. I was forced to select your growth option for you; you were refusing to listen and you would¡¯ve died if I hadn¡¯t. You have become powered; you gain only a single stat and skill point, but you have a¡­ special ability. John¡¯s tone was cold. What are stat and skill points? Powered? Ability? Explain. They are¡­ hard to explain. Uh¡­ this might help¡­
User Name: John Stone Race: Human Total Level: 1 Classes: None (Available: Delrusian Knight, Guard) Hit Points: 30/30 Stamina: 13/20 Energy Points: 34/100 Undistributed stat points: 1 Undistributed skill points: 1
Statistics Strength: +3 Dexterity: +1 Vitality: +3 Endurance: +2 Charisma: +1
Active SkillsStolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. N/A
Passive Skills Delrusian Sword Fighting: +4 Delrusian Plate-Armour Fighting: +3 Delrusian Etiquette: +5 Sleep Resistance: +6
Ability Conditional Intangibility: +0
This is¡­ you. Everything except your personality, really. The knight¡¯s rage was forgotten as he stared at the writing in front of him. What? This is your character-sheet, your stat-block, your status. There are many names for it, but it is just the culmination of your experiences, quantified by the system. You¡¯re telling me this is¡­ who I am? Class? I¡¯m a noble! Energy? Passive and active skills? And what do all these numbers mean? It isn¡¯t your social class, it¡¯s more¡­ what you do. You¡¯re are a knight of Delruse, so you have the option to select Delruse Knight class. You also have the Guard class, probably because of how much time you spent watching over that room. Energy, as well as health and stamina, are the resource pools you have unlocked. Energy is what your ability drains when used ¨C if you run out of energy, you can¡¯t activate your ability. Health is¡­ how physically intact you are; don¡¯t let it reach zero ¨C that¡¯ll mean death for both of us. Stamina is drained whenever you do anything physically strenuous. Each pool¡¯s total is calculated by multiplying the related statistic by ten. Health is linked to Vitality, Stamina to Endurance and Energy is linked to all statistics. ¡®These numbers¡¯ are the bonuses you have to related actions. A bonus of zero means that statistic is average for your race. For example, if you tried to lift a heavy object, you would have a bonus of three, from your strength statistic. However, these bonuses can be added together. If you swung your sword as hard as you can, you would not have a bonus of three, but a bonus of seven; your strength added to your sword fighting bonus. You can increase your bonuses through training ¨C lift weights for strength, practice and fight with a sword to increase your sword fighting. Same for any of your skills or statistics, just with different methods of improvement. Or you could allocate your points into them as well. John blinked. He blinked again. You actually explained that very well. Don¡¯t be so surprised, John. For the first ten minutes of my life, you wouldn¡¯t stop going on and on about your queen. He bristled, but managed to reign in his anger failed to rise to the surface. You might just be right¡­ wait, first ten minutes of your life?! I became aware after we bonded. If I was an organic being, that would have been when I was born, so yes. How do you know all this information, then?! How did you know how to breath, see and hear, when you were born? You just did. It is instinctual ¨C same as everything I know. John paused for a moment. Fair enough. One thing I do know is that you should select your class and allocate your undistributed points. How? Well, normally, you¡¯d formulate a plan for your long term growth, but we¡¯re in a bit of a sticky situation. We are stuck on an island, which is also hostile territory, and it¡¯s Queen not only wants us dead, but also has an ability to inspire blind loyalty in her followers. And we¡¯re under her castle. Even though the odds are slim, we have a chance. You didn¡¯t answer my question¡­ Oh, uh, sorry. It¡¯s pretty simple ¨C simply will it to happen, and the system will recognise it. I wouldn¡¯t recommend choosing Guard, however, as ¨C
You have selected Delrusian Knight, however, due to special circumstances, the class has been changed. You are now a Level 1 Forsaken Knight (Delrusian).
You gain the following bonuses. +1 Strength +1 Vitality +1 Endurance
You gain the following skills. Slash Block
You will gain the following bonuses for each level of Forsaken Knight. +1 Strength +1 Vitality +1 Endurance
I am a knight ¨C it is who I am ¨C I will not be anything else. That¡¯s¡­ what I was going to suggest¡­ but before you do anything else, you need to know about stat, skill and ability points. Ability points? You haven¡¯t spoken a word about them. Well, in the same way that stat points are for your statistics and skill points are for your skills, ability points are what you can use to strengthen your ability, beyond simple training, anyways. How do I get them, then? You can turn your stat and skill points into ability points at a one-to-one ratio. Meaning that while you get one stat and skill point each level, you could use those to upgrade your ability. John thought, weighing his options. What do you think, voice? Where should I put my points? Voice? That just sounds silly¡­ What am I supposed to call you, then? Well¡­ uh¡­ I don¡¯t need a name, I¡¯m just your heads-up display for the system¡­ Heads-up display? I don¡¯t know what that means, but I think I¡¯ll just call you ¡®Hud¡¯. Hud? A-alright. Hud fell silent. So? Where should I put my points? Huh? Oh, umm¡­ I¡¯d recommend focusing on your ability. Hud sounded more comfortable as he spoke. Seeing as we¡¯re trapped inside the land below the castle, I think allocating both points into your ability will grant you some form of control. Hopefully. I can¡¯t imagine increasing your strength or your [Sleep Resistance] will help us get out of here. With a bit of concentration, his undistributed points were gone ¨C as much as John wished to see what increasing his strength would be like, he had to admit having strong muscles probably wouldn¡¯t assist in his situation.
User Name: John Stone Race: Human Total Level: 1 Classes: Forsaken Knight (Available: Guard) Hit Points: 30/30 Stamina: 17/20 Energy Points: 21/100 Undistributed stat points: 0 Undistributed skill points: 0
Statistics Strength: +4 Dexterity: +1 Vitality: +4 Endurance: +3 Charisma: +1
Active Skills Slash: +0 Block: +0
Passive Skills Delrusian Sword Fighting: +4 Delrusian Plate-Armour Fighting: +3 Delrusian Etiquette: +5 Sleep Resistance: +6
Ability Conditional Intangibility: +0
How do I get rid of this¡­ whatever this is? It¡¯s a character-sheet, and it¡¯s the same as choosing your class ¨C just will it to close, and it will. The character-sheet was gone a moment later. Now, how do I get out of here? I¡¯ve got no idea. Book 1 Chapter 3 Jane was¡­ unique. She was an outlier, especially so for their family ¨C not only was she the second girl born in seven generations, the first being her mother, but she lacked their signature brown hair and eyes. Her waist-length hair was a vivid vermillion and her eyes were ocean green. Jane sighed, remembering the events that lead her to this moment. ***** She¡¯d heard that her father, Smith Stone, had thrown a violent fit when Jane¡¯s hair started growing and her eyes changed from baby-blue ¨C assuming that Jane¡¯s Mother, Grace Stone, had an affair ¨C even though Grace committed all her time to managing their family business, the ¡®Stone Merchants¡¯. Her mother, quite promptly, had Smith ¡®appropriately punished¡¯. After spending a week locked in the basement with naught but the dark, rats and the occasional loaf of bread, Smith readily admitted his idiocy and fault. Years later, Grace informed Jane that she had, in fact, had a hidden tryst with another man. She had hoped that the child would be Smith¡¯s, or that it wouldn¡¯t be too obvious that it wasn¡¯t his. Grace knew, that while the child was certainly a Stone ¨C she wasn¡¯t legitimate ¨C and should have been discarded at the first opportunity; but Jane was a girl. Grace didn¡¯t want to pass the business back into the hands of some idiotic boy ¨C she had spent decades pulling the Stone Merchants out of the deep hole that stupid men had dragged their family into. So, Jane had quite the dilemma. Abandon Jane to save the family¡¯s reputation or keep her to preserve the Stone Merchants ¨C these were her options. She needed some method to keep her daughter, without losing any face. Grace didn¡¯t have to come up with a plan straight away; she had years before any decision had to be made. A little over a decade later, Grace had an epiphany; letting a bastard child, even a girl, become the family head would be a mark on the family¡¯s status, but welcoming back a young, successful merchant, and grooming her for the position ¨C that could work. With her course of action decided, Grace set her plan in motion. The next day, a ten-year-old Jane, along with four guards and a hundred bars-worth of tools, clothes and building supplies, were sent out, away from the capital of Delruse, and to the frontier ¨C to a small village on the coast; Greycliffe. She was forced to leave behind a mother, father and her baby brother, John. Jane vowed to become the greatest trader Delruse had ever seen, not only to make her mother proud, but to aid the Queen. After all, the more successful Jane is, the more bars she can earn for the Queen! For every ten bars she makes, nine will be sent to the Queen for her tax. ***** Jane shook her head, bringing herself back to the present. ¡°Are you well, my love? I know this must be difficu-¡± She smiled, caressing his face with her hand. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Angus. It¡¯s just¡­ we¡¯re so close. We¡¯re nearly there! Near thirty years of work, and it could all come crumbling down around us.¡± Jane¡¯s fists clenched. ¡°What happened to John¡­¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Angus embraced her, holding her tight. ¡°I know he was your brother, but his sacrifice¡­ unknowing or not, it has given us the chance to finally defeat her!¡± Jane sighed. ¡°I know, it¡¯s just¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that you care too much, Jane. The people through that door, they don¡¯t need the sweet, loving Jane that pulled me the Queen¡¯s control when I was but an unthinking slave!¡± Angus looked her in the eye. ¡°They need the cold, calculating Jane that saved Greycliffe from the Cloud-Crawlers! The woman that, all alone, scoffed at an entire regiment of Delruse Knights, armed with nothing but the clothes on her back and her voice! The shadow that didn¡¯t only infiltrate Delruse and free tens of people from the Queen¡¯s slavery, but kept each and every one of them alive for three months in the Jazdar Forests, whilst hunted by countless assassins!¡± Angus was near shouting, both admiration and love in his eyes. ¡°They need their leader, their hero! They need the General!¡± Jane squared her shoulders, stepping back from him, her jaw set. ¡°Thank you, Angus. This is no time for personal issues. Delruse and her people¡¯s freedom is at stake.¡± Taking a breath, Jane pulled open the door and walked through. She stopped, seeing the crowd staring at her. Some were friends, others were those she¡¯d saved, but most were just¡­ people. Farmers, woodsmen, healers, smiths, tailors and too many others to count. Even Patrick, their sole man on the inside ¨C it had taken him years to inconspicuously join the castle¡¯s staff and to slowly fade into the background. Even now, he was sweeping ¨C Patrick had sacrificed so much for Delruse; he had once been a promising artist but, after his entire village was slaughtered, his creativity turned into a thirst for vengeance. Jane could feel all their expectations, their trust, weighing over her. ¡°My people¡­ it has been too long¡­ too long has our so-called Queen ruled over us! Too long has she been able to strip our very free-will! Too long has she lived without just retribution! Are you with me?!¡± The crowd was murmuring now, nodding in agreement. ¡°It falls to us to free Delruse! It is our responsibility! Our duty! We are the Awake! We will not let the Queen terrorise Delruse with her whimsical desires any longer! She cannot defeat us! Are you with me?!¡± Her followers yelled ¨C they were furious, excited and determined, all at once, but Jane silenced them in a single sentence. ¡°Some of you will die.¡± Once more, the crowd stared at her ¨C but uncertainty flickered behind their eyes. ¡°Some of you will die. You could take a sword to the neck, or an arrow in the gut. Your deaths will not be painless, quick or easy. But¡­¡± Jane cast her gaze across the crowd, somehow managing to look each one of them in the eye. ¡°You will die for your friends. For your family. For Delruse! To free our people from the Queen¡¯s tyranny! Whether you live or die, you shall never be forgotten! So, I ask again!¡± The crowd leaned forward, with bated breath. ¡°Are you with me?¡± The crowd roared its approval. Jane nodded and spoke again ¨C her voice was somehow heard through the din. ¡°We shall always remember my brother, John, who wrested himself from the Queen¡¯s control, too late to save himself, but he provided the distraction necessary for us to sneak our way into the castle. His sacrifice paved the way to Delruse¡¯s freedom, and it shall not be in vain! Let us storm the castle! Let us bring the Queen to justice!¡± The unruly mob turned around, heading for the exit ¨C the way from the servant¡¯s quarters into the castle proper. The crowd charged, but its momentum ground to halt before it had even started. A man¡¯s shaky voice echoed voice echoed through the room. ¡°What is that?!¡± Before the doorway ahead of them, the floor rippled; a hand raising from it, quickly followed by another. They latched onto the edge of the stone puddle and an armoured man hauled himself out, panting as he rolled onto his back. ¡°Patrick? Is that you?¡± The knight sucked in a breath of air. ¡°Fancy meeting you here¡­ You wouldn¡¯t believe the day I¡¯ve had.¡± Patrick paused. ¡°John?¡± Book 1 Chapter 4 Shoving her way through the crowd, the General stopped John¡¯s side, hauling him to his feet. ¡°It is a surprise to see that you survived, I thought you had fallen in battle!¡± The knight spoke. ¡°What? Jane? Is tha-¡± He was interrupted. ¡°Come, let us discuss your mission in private.¡± Leading him through the crowd, Jane pulled him into the smaller room, shutting the door behind her. ¡°Jane? Why are you here? It¡¯s been years! Mother said you¡¯d abandoned the family!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t abandon the family, John! I broke free from the Queen¡¯s control, but never-mind that, how are you even here, John? You just came out of the floor! I don¡¯t understand! How?¡± John scratched his head. ¡°Well¡­ I touched a, uh, ball? And then I¡­ changed?¡± Jane blinked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°A ba - , sorry, sorry, an installer¡­ merged? What does that mean? Oh, okay. An installer merged with me and now I have a¡­ connection with the system!¡± ¡°What? Who are you talking to? That doesn¡¯t make any sense!¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking to Hud; he is the installer and I can hear his voice whenever he speaks! And it really doesn¡¯t does it? No sense, at all!¡± John sighed. ¡°I can prove it, however.¡± ¡°I gained something called and that¡¯s how I pulled myself out of the floor! It¡¯s difficult to describe, but it lets me do this.¡± John stretched his hand to the wall and it passed through. The General blinked again. ¡°Huh.¡± Pulling his hand back, the knight gave her a strange look. ¡°Just ¡®huh¡¯? That is your reaction to this impossible display?¡±Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Shaking her head, Jane spoke. ¡°John, of all the so-called impossible things I have seen, being able to move through solid objects is the least unbelievable. Try cloud-crawlers! They¡¯re blue ants that literally crawl through the Drift¡¯s clouds like they¡¯re dirt! That¡¯s impossible!¡± ¡°What? These ants don¡¯t sound so ter ¨C ¡± ¡°They¡¯re bigger than most houses.¡± John coughed. ¡°They do sound quite¡­ impossible, yes. But we¡¯ve gotten distracted, Jane! What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to kill the Queen.¡± He paused. ¡°Really?¡± Nodding, Jane elaborated. ¡°With Patrick¡¯s help ¨C ¡± ¡°The sweeper?¡± John interrupted. ¡°Yes, the sweeper.¡± Annoyed, Jane continued. ¡°We managed to slowly sneak in a small group of my most trusted fighters. Patrick has found a servant¡¯s tunnel that leads straight to her throne-room and he¡¯s convinced the staff to stay clear for a few hours so that ¨C damnit!¡± Jane raced out of the room, leaving a very confused John behind. ¡°Everyone, we don¡¯t have any time to waste! Move, move, move! Get into the tunnel!¡± Shocked into action, the crowd charged into through the doorway. Behind them, Jane called to the knight. ¡°Come on, John! We go to kill the Queen!¡± As group disappeared into the tunnel, John was still dazed. ¡°I still don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on!¡± When his sister didn¡¯t even turn acknowledge his words, the knight cursed, before realising what was happening. ¡°Wait! Don¡¯t you dare kill that monster without me!¡± ***** Grease dripping from her face, the Queen tossed the plate to the floor. ¡°That was delicious! Someone, go find the cook that prepared that meal and have him make more! More and more and more! If he complains, give him a couple lashes!¡± One of her guards nodded, and walked to the servant¡¯s entrance. As he reached for the handle, the door burst open, knocking him to the floor. A flood of people rushed out, weapons held high as the charged towards the Queen. While she was frozen in shock, her guards reacted quickly. ¡°Protect her highness! Don¡¯t let the peasants through!¡± Somehow reacting quickly, the guards charged towards their attackers, but they were slowly being pushed back. Jane¡¯s voice shouted to be heard over the din of battle. ¡°We¡¯re almost there! We can save Delruse, right now!¡± The Queen was snapped out of her stupor. ¡°Attack them! Kill them! Protect me!¡± She screamed. As the General¡¯s followers roared in response to their commander¡¯s words, they surged forwards with renewed vigour, breaking through the protective line of guards. Shrieking, the Queen started speaking. ¡°You damn peasants! I¡¯m the Queen! I command you to stop!¡± Jane rushed out of the mob, her rapier dripping crimson pointed straight at the obese beast. ¡°Die!¡± She shouted. ¡°I will remember you, peasant! Emergency log-out!¡± The Queen yelled, fury lacing her voice and she vanished. Book 1 Chapter 5 John stumbled out of the servants¡¯ entrance, taking deep, gasping breaths. ¡°Has¡­ has the Queen been killed?¡± Patrick¡¯s voice was empty. ¡°The Queen¡­ she¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°What? How could she have left? Is there another secret-¡± Jane spoke up, interrupting her brother. ¡°That monster just¡­ disappeared! I was standing right beside her, about to strike her down! But then she just wasn¡¯t there!¡± Fury flowed from her in waves. Ask her if the Queen said anything before she vanished! What? Just ask her, John! Trust me! ¡°Jane?¡± ¡°What?¡± Her irritation was evident. ¡°Did the Queen, uh¡­ speak before she vanished? Did she say anything?¡± Jane paused, thinking back. ¡°She said¡­ emergency¡­ something?¡± Did she say emergency log-out? ¡°Was it emergency log-out?¡± ¡°That was it!¡± She stared at him. ¡°You were still stumbling up the stairs when she disappeared. How did you know what she said?¡± ¡°It was, uh¡­ Hud! Hud told me!¡± The gathered fighters started whispering. Jane turned to them. ¡°We¡¯ve waited here for too long! Secure the castle!¡± She eyed what was left of the royal-guard; they were all moaning, clutching their heads in pain. ¡°Make sure there aren¡¯t any people still under her hold and look after the ones that are recovering.¡± Moments later, the room was empty, except for Angus, Patrick, John and Jane. ¡°John, do you know where the Queen is?¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°No.¡± The knight answered. Yes. ¡°Sorry, I mean yes.¡± Where is she? She¡¯s at the City. Which city? No, the City, with a capital ¡®C¡¯. Where¡¯s that? No-one knows. There are theories, of course, but- How did she go there then?! It¡¯s a place only Users can go ¨C once you reach level 5, you can teleport there, in one of two ways. Say ¡®log-out¡¯ and wait an hour, or say ¡®emergency log-out¡¯ and teleport instantly. The second option comes at a cost, however. What¡¯s teleport mean? And what¡¯s the cost? Teleportation is moving from one place to another, without going through the space in-between. And it will reset your level to 1, if you choose the emergency option. ¡°Ah, I get it now.¡± John turned towards his sister. ¡°She moved to a city full of people with Huds because the Queen was level five! Now she¡¯s only got one level because she used the emergency option, rather than the one-hour teleport!¡± Simultaneously, Jane, Angus and Patrick blinked. ¡°John, they don¡¯t know about¡­ Hud, yet. You¡¯ve explained this to me already, and even I don¡¯t understand what you just said!¡± John, repeat after me. Word for word, don¡¯t try to explain it your own way! You are really, really bad at that. Like you cannot be worse at conveying information! The average knight sighed. Fine. What do I say? ***** ¡°So you¡¯re the only one that can go to the City?¡± Patrick questioned. ¡°Yes, because I have a Hu- I mean, I¡¯m a user.¡± John responded, pride tinging his voice. Actually¡­ What? Right now, you¡¯re the only user here¡­ but there is a way to turn someone into a user. Uh¡­ excuse me? Could you please explain? You can sacrifice one level, to create one personal-system-unit. I can make more of you? Well, they wouldn¡¯t be me, they¡¯d be a blank slate that would create and develop a personality based of their host, but sort of, yeah. Huh. ¡°So, Jane?¡± He asked. ¡°Yes?¡± She had a questioning look in her eyes. ¡°If I said that I could make you into a user, what would you say?¡± Jane¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°I¡¯d say that I want to become a user as soon as possible. How do we make that happen, John?¡± How do I make it happen, Hud? Well, you can¡¯t do it yet since you only have one level. And there is a downside ¨C for each level you spend to create a PSU, the required experience to gain the next level doesn¡¯t drop. What does that mean, exactly? Let¡¯s say that to reach level two you need two experience and level three needs three experience. You reached level two, but dropped a level because you made a PSU, to reach level two again, you¡¯d need three experience. Because the experience required to level-up gets exponentially bigger, you really shouldn¡¯t make too many PSUs. Well, I want to at least give Jane a PSU¡­ so what now? John, it¡¯s time to power-level! Book 1 Chapter 6 John flopped onto the floor, panting heavily. ¡°Remind me¡­¡± He gasped. ¡°Why I¡¯m doing this, again?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just doing what you said to do, so don¡¯t blame me for this.¡± The General¡¯s tone was apologetic, but the knight could see the smirk on her face. My sister¡­ she¡¯s pure evil! Cold-hearted! Sadistic! Cru- To be fair, you did tell her to do this. I told her what you told me to, Hud! John heard a sigh from his psychological partner. And we¡¯re both trying to help make you stronger. ¡°How is pelting me with stones going to help me!?¡± The knight screamed in frustration. ¡°The first day, it was running for hours, without break, in full plate-armour! Then it was practising the sword from dawn till dusk! I could barely put up with th-¡± John stopped to duck under a rock that would have struck his head. ¡°Jane, please! Would you s-¡± ¡°Stop complaining, little brother! I¡¯m doing this for you!¡± She¡¯s right, you know. The only way to level up is to do things related to your class ¨C and you¡¯re a Forsaken Knight. That means seeking revenge against your Queen and, to do that, you need to get stronger. Hence practising your fighting skills and improving your ability.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Another stone flew by, narrowly missing the pained knight. And stop dodging them! We are training your ABILITY, not how well you can dodge! Try to figure out when and where the stone is going to hit you and become intangible for a moment! John groaned. ¡°Fine!¡± Groaning as he straightened his back, the knight spoke. ¡°Okay, sister, I am-¡± He shrieked as he was rapidly pelted with stones, loud clangs emanating from his armour on contact. ¡°Patrick! Not you, too!¡± He heard a low chuckle. ¡°I am sorry, Sir John, but this is for your benefit.¡± Just concentrate, you could actually do it if you tried! Glaring at his self-proclaimed friends, John watched as they readied to throw more stones. This time, they were aimed directly at his centre mass. The man grunted in concentration; bending his entire will towards making himself partly incorporeal. He winced, closing his eyes as the rocks shot towards him, but John was stunned when he never felt the pain of their collision with him.
Conditional Intangibility has gained improved to +3!
Forsaken Knight is now Level 2! +1 Strength +1 Vitality +1 Endurance
¡°Ha! It¡¯s now- Ow! Damnit, Jane!¡± John could¡¯ve sworn he heard his sister muffle a laugh. ¡°I thought you had it that time! Sorry!¡± ¡°I did, but I got distracted when I got a¡­ What is it called, Hud?¡± A notification, or a pop-up. ¡°Yes, I got one of those. A pop-up.¡± What did it say, John? ¡°My ability increased by one, I think? And I am now a level two Forsaken Knight.¡± That¡¯s great! You know what that means, right? ¡°That I can finally rest?¡± No, even better! It means that this training was working! It means you keep on going! John groaned as hail of stones were thrown at him. Book 1 Chapter 7 ¡°It should be Jane.¡± Angus decided. Patrick nodded. ¡°She is the General, after all.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean that I shoul-¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t just our commander, Jane. We all owe you our lives several times over and, if you could do that without John¡¯s¡­ abilities¡­, imagine what you could do with them?¡± Angus replied. Patrick nodded. ¡°She is our saviour, after all.¡± ¡°But-¡± She started. John interrupted. ¡°Don¡¯t I get a say in this?¡± ¡°Even if any of that wasn¡¯t true, you¡¯re the smartest of all of us ¨C if anyone can figure all this ridiculous stuff out, it would be you!¡± Patrick nodded. ¡°She is a genius, after all.¡± ¡°Could you all please stop ignoring me?¡± You guys¡­ Jane smiled. ¡°Alright, but I¡¯ll be giving you my first levels, too.¡± John sighed, looking resigned. ¡°Hud? How do we do this?¡± The knight¡¯s eyes glazed over, his face blank. ¡°Do you think he¡¯d notice if I punched him?¡± Angus questioned innocently.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Jane turned to him. ¡°Of course, he¡¯d notice! Don¡¯t be such a child!¡± Would he notice? Looking down, Angus kicked at the ground. ¡°I poked him last time, pretty hard, and he didn¡¯t feel it then!¡± He mumbled to himself. I¡¯m curious now¡­ damnit, Angus! John blinked, coming back to reality. ¡°Set Jane Stone permissions, User.¡±
Checking level (John Stone)¡­ complete Deducting 1 level (John Stone)¡­ complete. Integrating with User¡­ complete Initiating System¡­ complete
Uhuh¡­ that¡¯s just weird¡­ And that is rude, Jane Stone. What? Who are you? Wait, are you like Hud? Sigh. Yes, I am ¡®like¡¯ Hud. You didn¡¯t sigh, you just said it¡­ Would you like to choose your growth option now? Um, sure? But aren¡¯t you just changing the subj-
Please choose one of the following growth options¡­ Skilled: Base psychological stats are increased. +1 stat point and +4 skill points per level. Enhanced: Base physical stats are increased. +4 stat points and +1 skill points per level. Powered: Gain a random ability (Examples: Bend-Spoon, Invulnerability, Extend-Hair, etc). +1 stat point and +1 skill point per level.
Jane took a moment to read over the text that had appeared in front of her. John chose Powered, didn¡¯t he? He did, yes, but I would not recommend that option. It is quite unreliable! Skilled is a much be- I choose Powered. Oh, dear. I hope you¡¯re lucky.
Growth option selected: Powered Generating power¡­
True Psion (Mutation)
What¡¯s True Psion mean? And mutation? Is that good? Jane¡­ that¡¯s a fantastic ability! But it¡¯s a mutation¡­ What? Sorry, dear¡­ Jane collapsed to the ground, screaming as she clutched her head. Mutations hurt, dear. Book 1 Chapter 8 ¡°It¡¯s unfair, that¡¯s all I¡¯m saying.¡± John muttered. Angus tried to cheer him up. ¡°No, it¡¯s just that¡­ that¡­¡± He trailed off. The knight pointed his finger at him. ¡°Exactly! I can fall through the ground and sometimes rocks just pass through me! What can Jane do? Almost anything! Move stuff with her mind! She can fly! Throw bolts of weird purple energy! Somehow knows everything that¡¯s happening around her! And let¡¯s not forget, she can-¡± Jealous, little brother? ¡°Talk without using her mouth.¡± He finished with a sigh. It¡¯s not your fault, John. It¡¯s just luck. ¡°And you were luckier than me.¡± ¡°To be perfectly clear, yes, I was luckier than you ¨C in some ways. Tell me, how¡¯d it feel when you got your ability?¡± The knight shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know, not much different?¡± Jane stared her brother in the eye. ¡°It felt like someone was pulling and pushing my brain at the same time, in all directions at once. A thousand knives jammed into my skull, getting twisted around. Like my mind was getting torn apart. And exact thing happens, any time I overextend myself and try something I¡¯m not ready for, John. I know this. You know this! You¡¯ve been with me the last couple days, while I¡¯ve been training, figuring out how to use this power. Right beside me, whenever I start screaming and fall to the floor.¡± Ashamed, John couldn¡¯t meet her eyes. ¡°But it¡¯s okay, little brother. I know you wish you have what I do, but we¡¯re all working towards the same goal. You and Patrick. Angus and I. We need to protect Delruse. Help make sure her people are strong enough to protect themselves, and we need find that monster.¡± John¡¯s hands clenched into fists, and he looked at her. ¡°She needs to die, little brother, and we¡¯ll be the ones to do it.¡± He nodded. ¡°Then let¡¯s keep training, keep getting stronger.¡± The General focused on her new senses ¨C and she knew. She knew everything, within three metres ¨C nothing could be hidden; not the young spider hiding amongst the grass, not the dust particles floating on the wind, nor the bruises covering most of John.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Ready, little brother? ¡°As I¡¯ll ever be.¡± As Jane curled her power around the stockpile of arrows beside her, she willed her character-sheet to open, hurling arrows at John. Her newfound abilities had granted her limited multitasking, after all.
User Name: Jane Stone-Renson Race: Human (True Psion) Total Level: 3 Classes: Psion 2, General 1 (Available: Archer, Ranger, Thief, Assassin, Spy, Leader, Captain, Commander, Warrior, Sword-Master, Blade-Dancer, Scholar, Merchant, Trader, Lady, Hunter, Slayer) Hit Points: 20/20 Stamina: 17/20 Energy Points: 151/200 Undistributed stat points: 0 Undistributed skill points: 0
Statistics Strength: +3 Dexterity: +7 Vitality: +2 Endurance: +2 Charisma: +8
Active Skills Command: +1 Bird¡¯s Gaze: +2 Persuade: +4 Hide: +1 Parry: +2
Passive Skills Delrusian Sword Fighting: +6 Delrusian Archery: +7 Delrusian Medium-Armour Fighting: +4 Delrusian Etiquette: +7 Stealth: +5 Inspiring Aura: +1 Terrain Advantage (Urban): +3 Terrain Advantage (Forest): +4
Ability True Scion: +5 Telekinesis: +2 Flight: +1 Psy-Bolt: +1 Mind-Blast: +1
After a quick examination, she decided her progress was coming along nicely. Ignoring John¡¯s near-constant grunts and curses, she opened her Patrick¡¯s and Angus¡¯ character sheets.
User Name: Patrick Jernsi Race: Human Total Level: 3 Classes: Spy 1, Artist 1, Cleaner 1(Available: ) Hit Points: 10/10 Stamina: 30/30 Energy Points: 82/100 Undistributed stat points: 0 Undistributed skill points: 0
Statistics Strength: +2 Dexterity: +6 Vitality: +1 Endurance: +3 Charisma: +6
Active Skills Hide: +2 Listen: +4 Erase: +1 Clean: +2
Passive Skills Delrusian Rapier Fighting: +3 Delrusian Archery: +2 Delrusian Light-Armour Fighting: +4 Delrusian Etiquette: +9 Cleaning: +2 Stealth: +5 Terrain Advantage (Urban): +3 Acting: +3 Painting: +2
Ability Irritate: +2
User Name: Angus Stone-Renson Race: Human Total Level: 2 Classes: Warrior 1, Protector 1 (Available: Guard) Hit Points: 58/60 Stamina: 38/50 Energy Points: 100/100 Undistributed stat points: 0 Undistributed skill points: 0
Statistics Strength: +4 Dexterity: +1 Vitality: +6 Endurance: +5 Charisma: +3
Active Skills Slash: +1 Block: +3 Charge Health Link: +1
Passive Skills Delrusian Mace Fighting: +3 Delrusian Shield Fighting: +3 Delrusian Plate-Armour Fighting: +4 Delrusian Etiquette: +1 Increased Defence: +3 Charge Awareness: +4
Ability Summon Filled Teacup: +1
Nodding, Jane thought to herself. We¡¯re getting there! Now we just need to reach level 5. Book 1 Chapter 9 A soldier cried from the forest¡¯s edge. ¡°General! I have a message! General! Gener-¡± What is it? He stiffened. ¡°W-w-what was that? Show yourself!¡± Did no one tell you? Really? The soldier aimed his crossbow between the trees. ¡°Foul creature! I am not afraid of your tricks!¡± Just relax, will you? I¡¯ll be there in a minute, along with- ¡°Coming to kill me, are you? Well, you won¡¯t find me to be an easy morsel!¡± The young soldier heard something stomping through the brush. Pointing his weapon in the direction of the sound, the man saw something glinting from the underbrush. With a shout, he pulled the trigger, letting the bolt fly. The next moment, he recognised the figure the armoured figure ¨C it was the General¡¯s brother, John. ¡°Watch out!¡± He screamed, knowing it was too late. He saw the projectile plunge into the knight¡¯s chest, and the soldier slumped to the ground. ¡°What have I done?¡± He heard someone clear their throat and the soldier looked up to see John, still standing, with a wry smile on his face. ¡°Wha? How?¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. The knight shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s because I can make it so that the things that touch me don¡¯t actually touch me. So don¡¯t worry, man! All is well!¡± The soldier whipped his head around as he heard another voice come from above him. ¡°John, what have I said about explaining things? Look at the poor thing, he looks so confused he doesn¡¯t know up from down!¡± The General dropped from the sky, landing in front of him. She paused, looking thoughtful. ¡°James, right?¡± The soldier was too dumbfounded to do anything but nod. With a smile, Jane continued. ¡°Sorry about my brother, he is just so, so ridiculously bad at explaining things. He¡¯s fine, but are you alright? You just dropped to the ground¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s just a little scared.¡± Someone whispered, from right behind him. James whipped his head around, letting out a small shriek of surprise. Patrick grinned mischievously. ¡°See?¡± The soldier¡¯s arm started itching like crazy, just as he heard yet another person. ¡°You¡¯re the ones scaring him half to death! He doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s going on!¡± James felt someone pull him to his feet. Angus clapped him on the back, giving him a charming smile. The soldier stuttered. ¡°Th-thank you. What¡­ what are you? How is he still walking? I shot him with a crossbow! And where¡¯d the General come from? How did she fall from the sky?¡± Angus shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, James! Just relax. Tea?¡± The man held out a delicate teacup, the tea inside steaming as if it was freshly made. James shivered. ¡°What¡¯s happening? Have I gone insane? Has the-¡± ¡°James, you¡¯re a soldier! Act like one! Now, tell me what you came here to tell me.¡± The familiarity of the General¡¯s orders managed to remind the soldier of his purpose, and he managed to resist scratching his arm.. ¡°It¡¯s the noble families, Ma¡¯am. They¡­ they¡¯re fighting for the throne!¡± Book 1 Chapter 10 ¡°It just doesn¡¯t make sense, why would you want to scare one of your own soldiers?¡± John questioned. Jane sighed at her brother. How many times do I have to bloody say it? ¡°Nearly every Delrusian believes that the Queen is dead, rather than simply gone. That rumour spread like wildfire ¨C there¡¯s nothing I can do about it.¡± The knight gave her an odd look. ¡°Can¡¯t we just tell them abo-¡± The General interrupted her brother. ¡°Tell them about the system? And users? About how Angus can make tea out of thin air? Or how things pass through you like you¡¯re not even there? Would you have believed any of this was possible, before?¡± ¡°Well, not really.¡± John started. ¡°But what¡¯s that got to do with terrorising that poor soldier?¡±The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Jane forced her irritation down. Calm, Jane. Stay calm ¨C John¡¯s just a bit slow. He¡¯ll get it this time! Be positive! ¡°For people to work together, there has to be a major¡­ cause, a motivator, an issue. The problem that united my forces, was the Queen. She was our common enemy, hated by all. Now that she¡¯s gone, it won¡¯t be long before problems start cropping up. At first, it¡¯ll be something small, like squabbling, and it will eventually progress to full-blown infighting and collapse.¡± Her brother squinted at her. ¡°And you made us terrify that man because¡­?¡± ¡°I need to give Delruse a new motivator, before it collapses, John! What we did to my soldier was to make us seem¡­ more mysterious. If they think that we can do the impossible, who would even want to overthrow us? And who better to protect you, than the unexplainably strong? They already think of me as just, fair and honourable ¨C if we reinforce that opinion with mystique and just a touch of fear, we can unite Delruse!¡± After a moment, John nodded. ¡°I think I understand now. Thank you, for explaining.¡± ¡°Good.¡± She smiled. It¡¯s so obvious that you don¡¯t. ¡°Now, let¡¯s go deal with these nobles, shall we?¡± Book 1 Chapter 11 ¡°Flying through the sky, like a bird? Really, Lady Bulemi? How could you believe such nonsense? ¡®Tis just rumours the peasant masses came up with! Only a fool would believe such things!¡± Lady Hunata scoffed. Lady Bulemi stared at her, her mouth agape. ¡°Am I¡­ am I a fool?¡± She questioned, despondent. Lady Jupalo spoke up. ¡°Pah! Quit with your whining, Bulemi! We have much more important issues at hand than your ridiculously low self-regard! What are we to do about the General? And her forces? We can¡¯t just let her take control of Delruse! It should at least be one of us, no?¡± Lady Retalle slammed her hand on the table. ¡°A vote! We call a vote!¡± Bulemi eyed her. ¡°To decide if I am a fool?¡± ¡°What? Of course not! We need to decide on how to deal with the General! And who shall control Delruse!¡± Retalle practically snarled. ¡°Finally, someone is speaking sense!¡± Lady Hunata smiled. ¡°Now, who will vote for me? A resoundingly negative response echoed through the room.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Bulemi straightened. ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯m a fool?¡± ¡°For Delruse¡¯s sake! Just be quiet, Bulemi!¡± Lady Yarratu entered the room, carrying a platter of steaming baked-snacks. ¡°It¡¯s sounding awfully lively in here, ladies! Scones, anyone? I have crumpets, too!¡± Retalle launched to her feet, smacking the tray of food to the floor. ¡°We have no need of your crumpets, Yarratu! What matters is th-¡± Staring at the crumpets and scones that had been scattered across the floor, Yarratu spoke, her words furious. ¡°How. Dare. You. How dare you! I made those myself!¡± By the time she finished, her voice had turned to a shriek. Lady Retalle didn¡¯t have time to react as Lady Yarratu tackled her to the ground. As crumpets were throne and her was yanked, Grace Stone could do naught more than shake her head. ¡°You¡¯re all just so, so stupid. How are you even the head of a family? Ladies? Hah! Bickering old crones, more like!¡± As one, every Lady in the room turned to her. It was Hunata that spoke up. ¡°Crones? Crones?! You¡¯re just some upstart merchant! I don¡¯t even understand why you¡¯re here!¡± With another shake of her head, Grace turned to leave. ¡°Neither do I, Hunata. Neither do I.¡± The head of the Stone family left the throne room, disgust radiating from her in waves. Preoccupied by a battle of tea, crumpets and scones, none of the ladies noticed the slight, flickering distortion that slipped out of the room behind her. ***** ¡°What do I have to expect? Poison? Assassins? Traps?¡± Jane questioned. Patrick smiled wryly. ¡°I don¡¯t think you have anything to worry about, General.¡± Book 1 Chapter 12 Huh? Wha-? I don¡¯t even know, John. I don¡¯t even know¡­ They¡¯re literally attacking us with crumpets! Crumpets, Hud! Maybe Angus would fit in with them? What? Why? Because of his ability? Tea¡­? Oh¡­ haha¡­ You literally thought the word ¡®haha¡¯ at me, John! Their mental conversation was interrupted by his sister. ¡°So¡­ I think we¡¯ve found the long-term effects of the Queen¡¯s powers on people in close-proximity¡­¡± Jane stated.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Their training in the forest had pushed them all to level five, but they hadn¡¯t been able to increase any more. Hud had explained to John that a user¡¯s level could not be increased pass five, without actual combat experience. They had been waiting in the throne room, for the hour-long timer to finish - the plan had been to teleport to the City, scout around and search for signs of the Queen, before returning to Delruse within the day. Minutes before the teleport occurred, however, a gaggle of ladies rushed towards them, hurling crumpets. With a wave of her hand, Jane lifted their attackers into the air, and gently sent them outside, locking the door behind them. ¡°They used to be some of the terrifyingly cunning minds in the Delruse queendom¡­ now they¡¯re naught more than lunatics.¡± With a sigh, she spoke up. ¡°At least we can avenge them. How long left?¡± John assumed she continued the conversation with her Hud-equivalent. Hud? How long? It has to be close, it feel¡¯s like we have been sitting her for the entire day! John got the distinct sense of¡­ cackling. I¡¯m sorry to say¡­ the System counted that as combat¡­ you¡¯ll have to start the hour over again. What?! They threw crumpets at us! Crumpets, Hud! How the hell is that fighting? I don¡¯t make the rules, John. I can¡¯t say that this one isn¡¯t funny as hell though! Crumpets count as an improved weapon! Ha! Both John and Jane let out an irritated sigh. Book 1 Chapter 13 John coughed. ¡°Uh¡­ should it not have happe-¡± And then they weren¡¯t in Delruse anymore. They were in the City. ¡°-ned already.¡± While John, Patrick and Angus were still reeling from the sudden transition, Jane had already cast her psychic senses as far as they could reach, and the General was shocked. She perceived four men, covered in strange armour. What¡¯s the point in those pipes? And are those tiny, spinning¡­ wheels? Then she looked at them. They¡¯re glowing! Why are their eyes glowing?! Jane¡¯s mental companion, they had agreed that her name was Eleanor, spoke up. Dear, can you feel their thoughts? Their minds? No, I can¡¯t feel anything from them. Are they statues? How can there be nothing?! They aren¡¯t people, Jane! They¡¯re Gearen! You have to run! Get out! Eleanor had only ever called the General ¡®dear¡¯. Hearing her name, Jane knew something was wrong, and she screamed a mental warning to her team-mates the instant Eleanor had warned her. It was too late. In the moments it had taken them to finish their conversation, the four men ¨C the Gearen ¨C had already attacked. Jane only saw a flash of movement and Angus crumpled to the floor, like a puppet with it¡¯s strings cut. She saw the Gearen standing above him, it¡¯s segmented, metal skin parting to reveal whirring parts as it turned towards her brother. It¡¯s blue eyes cold, emotionless. Jane! You need to run, right now! I¡­ we, can beat them! The General focused on pushing as much energy into a psi-bolt as she could, trying not to flinch as she sensed another Gearen pull Patrick out of his stealth. Jane could only ever find her friend if she used her psychic abilities. The Gearen had done with his bare hands. Jane! Eleanor was shrieking. And¡­ I¡¯m done! With a triumphant shout, Jane launched the strongest psi-bolt she had ever created, directly into the chest of John¡¯s attacker.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. John hadn¡¯t even had time to draw his sword, but she wasn¡¯t worried about hitting her brother; his intangibility would protect him. Jane watched as the purple-blue bolt collided with the Gearen. It didn¡¯t even turn to look at her, as it reached for John¡¯s throat. Ha! You might¡¯ve gotten us, but you¡¯ll never get John! It¡¯s bronze fist clenched the knight¡¯s throat, lifting him into the air. He clawed at it frantically, but he may as well have been tickling the monster, for all the good it did. But, how? Jane¡­ you should have run. This¡­ this wasn¡¯t supposed to happen! It isn¡¯t meant to be like this! You had a chance, no more than that, to escape, while there were three other distractions. Now, with their attention focused on you, you have none. No¡­ no! There¡¯s always a way! This was supposed to be a scouting mission! Sorry, dearie. I wanted to warn you, but System ru- A smug voice interrupted Eleanor. ¡°Oh? Now what do we have here?¡± A tall, slim woman strutted into the room, her sharp-features, white-blonde hair and pointed ears making her seem foreign to Jane. One of the Gearen responded ¨C it¡¯s voice the sound of metal grinding. ¡°Four users total, two ability-users, two unconfirmed. It is most likely that they teleported here upon reaching the fifth level, as shown by demonstrated combat-¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking to you, clanker.¡± She spat at him, before turning to Jane. ¡°Who¡¯re you?¡± The General said nothing, hiding her fear under a neutral expression. How do I get out of this, Eleanor? If¡­ if I get enough energy, I think I could take her out! She can¡¯t be as strong as these¡­ Gearen, right? I don¡¯t think you can, dearie. The woman scoffed. ¡°So, you¡¯re one of those, huh? It doesn¡¯t matter if you struggle, it¡¯ll just make it worse for you.¡± When Jane didn¡¯t rely, the Gearen¡¯s apparent leader turned to the one that spoke. ¡°So? What can they do?¡± She asked. It somehow managed to exude hate, even though the Gearen¡¯s face couldn¡¯t move. It doesn¡¯t hate us, does it? It hates her¡­ The lady narrowed her eyes. ¡°Answer my previous question, clanker.¡± It pointed towards John, who was unconscious on the floor. ¡°He is some kind of self-augmenter. She is a manipulator. The other two males are unknown.¡± Jane could practically hear the woman¡¯s teeth grinding. ¡°Answer the question, explicitly.¡± ¡°Which question?¡± The Gearen was radiating pleasure. It¡¯s¡­ gloating? The woman was shouting. ¡°Tell me everything you learnt about their capabilities!¡± ¡°She reacted quickly and possesses a manipulation ability. Most likely psi-based, judging by the bolt she fired. No damage was received, but it would have killed a-¡± It looked at the furious woman. ¡°-lesser being. Her threat level is between three and four.¡± Threat level? Don¡¯t worry about that, dearie. Not important right now. Gesturing at John, it continued. ¡°This man is most likely related, judging by physical similarities, and contains a self-augmentation ability. He can become incorporeal, but m I lack the data to judge the extent, duration and overall capability of his ability. The ability ceases to function while in contact with magic-infused metal. The third man displayed no ability, but reacted with admirable speed, activating a stealth skill. It was also rendered useless by means of magic. The final of the four was incapacitated too quickly to create any judgement. Overall, the-¡± What in Delruse is magic? Something that really doesn¡¯t matter, at the moment! The slim woman interrupted, drawing Jane¡¯s attention away from her companion. ¡°Enough, enough! Too much, clanker!¡± She turned to Jane, with a smile filled with malice. ¡°I¡¯m keeping this one and I¡¯ll sell the rest.¡± By the time Jane registered what the woman had said, cold, metal fingers had already wrapped around her throat. As her world darkened, the General heard something that terrified her. ¡°Who knows? Those two aren¡¯t much, but the augmenter¡­ he might even survive for several months!¡±