《Reaper's Game》 Intro I stared at the message box floating in front of me in utter awe and shock, around me the corpses of various boss level monsters and the ruins of what used to be the castle of the demon lord who is currently in pieces dissolving into the ground.
Congratulations to Player ShinKage for defeating the demon lord
*Ding
New title gained: Savior of the World
*Ding
New title gained: Death Defier
*Ding
New title gained: The First Legendary Hero
I can''t believe I finally beat it, this VR game that is ironically named "Death Defiance Online" was one of the hardest games that has ever come out, with thousands of players that contributed to the millions of deaths that is still growing as the game had a permadeath system. Rather than lvling and completing quests most the time you had to worry about how not to die because of the level of realism in the game. A large portion of the player base was made up of people who just wanted to see how many ridiculous ways you can die in this game. Having a complete anatomic system you can die from many different ways that normal rpgs would let you shrug off. Starving, freezing, dehydration, burning, drowning, asphyxiating, food poisoning, even tripping and hitting the ground the wrong way to name a few. And that being a small sample of the natural ways you can die, not including the player killing and completely random and wacky events like one that made the sky rain swords (free swords if you survive long enough, which no one did) or the random mutation of the non-hostile rabbits surrounding the start zone turning into monstrously huge killer rabbits complete with razor sharp fangs and glowing red eyes which isn''t all THAT bad if it weren''t for the fact that they were as fast as race cars... and they were on fire. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. All of these added to the bloated infamy of the game and many videos all over the internet depicted the many ways you can die (pretty morbid considering how realistic the game is, even with toned down gore). Despite that many hardcore players me including kept at it, trying to complete the clich¨¦ storyline of a hero going to slay the demon king. It took nearly two months before the first player reached level 20. After spending half a year in remote mountains fighting Rock Bears, camping out in the elements and eating meals that all but consisted of stale bread, water and whatever else I had time to scavenge out there. I opened my status menu.
Status WIndow
NameShinKageClassSwordsman
Level105Health1/10850
Mana279/6500Stamina0/13780
I cough out a bitter laugh, 1 HP, i barely scrapped by despite half a year''s worth of preparation and with the permadeath system it would''ve all been for nought. But it was exhilarating, a feeling that could only be accomplished by living hand in hand with death. It''s what keeps most of us in these games I guess, where one moment is enough the change the course of everything. Not knowing when, where, or how death would come at you. The sound of bricks stacking together brought me out of memory lane, looking around I can see that the area is starting to regenerate itself and I do NOT want to be here when it''s finished. Taking one last glance at the area I took out a Recall stone and teleported back to the starting city where the king awaited, it was finally time for me to finish this long journey. *Note: just a short little intro for now. Chapter 1: New World with New Companion? The trip to the throne room was more or less typical to say the least; there NPCs and players crowding around cheering and congratulating. Some were giving disturbingly murderous looks, though I ignored those as best I could and rushed through to my destination; jealousy, envy and pride are dangerously volatile emotions. On one knee I am now waiting for the king to finish his grand speech about all my heroics and rewards including titles, riches etc. etc. I quickly hit ok after the king finished speaking and logged off back to reality. Which I have to say is a dump, dirty laundry, stacks of instant food and cup noodles, bottles and cans littered everywhere. I.... should really clean up, but I can always do it tomorrow, I have sleep to catch up on. And so I drifted off to my first full nights sleep in a long time. I woke with my eyelids still tightly shut, it was getting uncomfortably hot. Did the air conditioner shut off? Grudgingly I opened my eyes, only to find myself staring at an unfamiliar stone ceiling. Wait what stone ceiling? I sat up straight, all sleepiness gone. I was no longer in my dusty, cluttered mess of an apartment but a perfectly smooth stone room that had a giant ring of black fire in the middle. I must be dreaming right? But the unbearably hot sensation of the fire said otherwise and even if I was still connected to the VR machine there are dampeners so things wouldn''t be this hot. "Where the hell am I?" *Ding With a familiar sound a notice like one in game popped up.
This is a room between dimensions, as the player who beat the game "Death Defiance Online" you are now the chosen of our lord the Grim Reaper.
I stared at the message... I must still be in the VR machine right? Maybe a bug or a glitch caused the heat to feel like that. "Log off........ Huh?" No menu popped up and I was obviously still in the room. "Menu, Help, Contact Support....." Nothing...
I assure you this is reality.
"Is this some kind of prank?" Maybe someone hacked my VR machine, maybe because I beat the game.
This is a waste of time, this is not a prank the game like functions are put in to make it easier for the "players". As previously stated you have been chosen to be the Lord Reaper''s game piece in the game the gods play. As of now the game has already been in progress for 2 years, you are behind as is.
"Wait, hold on backup I still don''t believe this is reality but, I beat the game so now I''m a pawn of a god in a GAME he is playing with other gods?"
That is correct.
"No way, send me back I never agreed to this!"
I am afraid that is impossible, you are unable to leave this world until you beat the game or die trying.
"No, just NO who are you to dictate someone else''s life I am NOT going to be some bored god''s toy."
I am soul number 4242564 assigned to you as your helper for the duration of the game, the choice was made by the Lord. I will now begin an explanation of the basic rules, further interruptions will not be tolerated.
Despite being just a message I felt pressure from it, for now it would be best to just listen.
You have one life, make no mistake this IS reality but the world you are heading to is a magical on straight out of a game or story. To facilitate and make things easier there is a system implemented similar to those in game, such as level and skills. Thinking status will open your status menu showing your current level and basic stats. Skill will show you your skills and Inventory your inventory. The goal of the game is to collect the most symbols that represent the patron god of the players over an undetermined period of time. The winner we get any one wish fulfilled, wishing for more wishes excluded. If you lose your symbol you will die so be careful.
Status thinking that a familiar screen popped up.
Status WIndow
NameShinKageLevel1
ClassNoneEXP0/100
Sub-ClassNoneRaceHuman
TitleHardcore Gamer
HP200/200MP[230/230
Stamina180/180Alignment0 - Neutral
Strength10Vitality10
Endurance8Agility13
Dexterity10Luck10
Intelligence13Wisdom10
I have a title already? I mean it''s accurate but what the hell does it even do?
Hardcore Gamer - You are a hardcore gamer, spending an unhealthy amount of time and money into games. +3 Intelligence, +3 Agility, -2 Endurance
*Ding
Due to gaming without cares for your own health you gained a new skill: Gamer''s WIll(Passive) - You gain a bonus to reaction speed and exp gain the more tired you get, up to the point you pass out, higher levels of the skill increases reaction speed and exp gain. Novice 1 - 0%, Increases reaction speed by 1 and exp gain by 1% per 10% missing stamina; one you hit 0 stamina you will pass out.
Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation."... What... that''s a skill?" *Ding
Due to constant asking of questions you gained a new skill: Questioning(passive) - Beings are more likely to answer your questions, higher levels increase chances of them answering your questions. Novice 1 - 0%, Beings have a 5% more chance of answering your questions.
So does everything I do give me skills? Wait... "Say, are you the one giving me skills?"
Questioning skill failed I do not need to answer that
"Why!!! And you put the skill failed thing to annoy me didn''t you?" *Ding
Due to constant harassment of another being you have gained a new skill: Insulting (Passive) - Beings are more likely to react when you insult them, higher levels of the skill increases the chances and intensity with which they react. Novice 1 - 5%, increases effectiveness of insults by 5% and intensity of reaction by 10%
I stare at the new window and sigh... "Well what do I do now?"
After I am done running you through the basics you will be teleported to a random location. As a bonus reward for beating the game you may choose one of the following options.
*Ding
For beating the game "Death Defiance Online" you can choose between these rewards: Fabled Hero (Title) - +100 Reputation with everyone, +5 to all Stats, +10 to Mana Regeneration, increase selling prices by 5% +50 unused Stat points +2 Lesser Healing Potions, +2 Lesser Mana Potions, +2 Weak Stamina Herbs, +10 Gold, + 200 EXP 1 Random Divine item from the game
I can almost hear the sound of a switch flicking as I start analysing the benefits of the rewards. The title can be really useful especially the Reputation boost, in the game there were many things you can''t do without having a high reputation. On the other hand though I already have a title and if it''s the same way as it is in the game I can only use one title at once, which means I would probably be switching the title out at some point. The Stat points will give me a really nice boost in the direction I want especially since my starting stats are so low. I don''t know the prices or the currency model for this world so while the potions are a standard start and the EXP tempting it may turn out to be cheap goods that I can easily get later on. The Divine item is most tempting since a Divine item in the game is an item made by the gods, being indestructible and having potentially game breaking effects but the game had many trash divine items as well. "Um... I do not mean to be rude but do you have a name? It''s hard to remember the numbers also if possible can you tell me the worth of the items?"
My name.... is... was Karen. As for the items I do not have access to that information as it is not about a skill, stat or information you have previously encountered.
So the helper is kind of like an in-game encyclopedia I guess. Also was? I''m curious but I feel like it''s not a subject she (think it''s a she) likes talking about. "But since you are the one who gives me skills.... is it possible to -"
No I cannot, the item you receive will be completely random, it may be possible but I would be vaporized for attempting it regardless of the result.
Oh... "Sorry for asking."
That is fine, but personally I would suggest the Divine item, there is more good items than bad and as it is unbreakable it would work well as a shield if it comes down to it. It will also be useful for virtually the entire time regardless of level as it was made for gods not mortals.
"That... is a good point. Durability is something you always have to worry about, a weapon or armour breaking in the middle of a fight is a good way to get yourself killed. Alright I''ll take the item then."
Preparations are complete, you will receive your item after teleportation and you will also be able to access your inventory then. Any final questions before I teleport you?
More questions that I can list, but if I''m 2 years behind every second counts, in a game it can be the difference between lying face down on the ground dead or dancing in victory. "Is there a way to get back aside from winning? Or at least a way to communicate with some people in my world?" I wasn''t particularly social, to most people I''ll just be someone who finally gave in and blocked out the world for a game or another. But there was one person at the very least that I don''t want to worry, Yuki was my childhood friend from the orphanage and being the same age we were always together. Since long ago she has been taking care of me, even the past half year she was the only reason my place didn''t turn into a complete garbage dump.
There is no known way of getting back or communicating with your world, perhaps you may ask a god about it within the world as they like to mess with things sometimes. But my database is limited so you may find a way that is not related to the gods.
I just hope she doesn''t get too worried... I don''t want to trouble her more than I already have. "Thanks, I think I''m as ready as I''ll ever be now. Let''s get this over with quick," my lips parted in a forced smile, "There''s a new game releasing in a month I wanted to play." *Note: I apologize for how short it is (and the ridiculous amount of windows), for now I''m planning to update within a few days, the next chapter though should be out sometime today. Chapter 2: First Soul *Note - For people who care about it, I''ll be making a page solely about what each stat does because I do not want to make a chapter consist solely of windows about stats. So let''s just assume it''s the same as the ones in the game and he already knows about them. It''s also a convenience for me so I don''t mess up his status page and for consistency (the first status window during the intro was completely random numbers which is why I didn''t include stats). Also I''ll usually use DDO as an abbreviation for Death Defiance Online from now on. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- More than sadness or pain or despair what I''m feeling now is just plain old embarrassment, the kind like when you wet your pants despite being more than old enough that you should have outgrown that. Floating about 2 meters off the ground I am now staring at what used to be my body impaled upon the sword of a recently deceased bandit leader. Not even a minute into the "game and I am already dead. If the people back in DDO saw this I would be a complete laughing stock, although it seems I did kill the leader since I got a level up window after I died. Well I assume he is the bandit leader since he was in the lead of three other guys who seemed like they were in the middle of attacking a small merchant''s wagon when I teleported above him. "Umm... sooo Karen, what happens now?"
....................
"There''s got to be a second chance or redo system right? I mean I was literally thrown onto this guy''s sword!" I complained as I pointed at another translucent floating form. Bob (I decided to call him that) was staring down at his own body in shock, although he has yet to notice me apparently. I would be too if I were him, one minute he was attacking a merchant, his one guard and a girl, the next he was crushed by a random body that came out of nowhere.
This is quite a disappointment and also quite an unfortunate accident, however seeing as your soul is still here I assume you have a skill that you can revive yourself with.
"Then what about that guy?" Again I pointed at Bob who finally got over his surprise and was now looking around.
It would appear that you are not visible to him, I do not know why he is still here though.
A thought suddenly came to mind as I watched Bob trying to peak under the skirt of whom I assume to be the daughter of the merchant that he was attacking earlier. Why am I so calm, normal people would have freaked out right now either over their death or the growing pool of blood on the ground. Yet I am floating here analysing everything like I was just reading a book. A single reason came to mind along with a very dangerous realization. I am treating this like a game... "I''m not quite sure whether that''s a good or bad thing."
What is?
"Oh, sorry was just thinking about how I am so calm during a situation like this and how apparently used to death I am."
Considering how you have 1995 deaths on record in DDO it is not surprising that you are used to death, as for whether it''s a good or bad thing, at least you can think clearly during these situations.
Now if you don''t mind I think you should look at your skills list. It is quite.... Interesting.
I raise an eyebrow, something that interests Karen? As far as I know she was just a strict business only person. Skills. like with the status menu a skill menu immediately showed up when I gave that command with my mind.
Sense Magic (Passive) - You are able to sense magic and magical beings within a certain area, higher levels of the skill will increase the range. Novice 1 - 0%, Able to sense magic and magical beings within a 5m radius around you. Spectre Vision (Passive) - You are able to see beings of magic and souls within a certain area, higher levels of the skill will increase the range. Novice 1 - 1%, Able to see weakened beings of magic within a 5m radius around, able to see souls. Language of the Dead (Active) - Allows you to communicate with souls and the undead. Aura of Death (Active Aura) - You create an aura of death around you intimidating everyone around you, higher levels of the skill increase aura range and power. Novice 1 - 0%, Intimidates weakened beings in a 5m radius around you, costs 5 mana per second. Chosen of the Reaper (Passive) - Being the chosen of the Reaper grants you +1000 reputation with all undead and -1000 reputation with all holy beings. You are immune to most advanced mind controlling effects. Undead Endurance (Passive) - Being the chosen of the Reaper grants you undead like endurance reducing all stamina costs, higher levels of the skill further reduces stamina costs. Novice 1 - 0%, Reduce Stamina costs by 10%. Dreamless (Passive) - Due to being the chosen of the Reaper you no longer have dreams and the amount of sleep your require is reduced, higher levels of the skill further reduce the amount of sleep you require. Novce 1 - 0%, Reduces sleep required to 8 hours. Ashen Taste (Divine Passive Curse) - Due to being the chosen of the Reaper you no longer require food to function, however consumed items will no longer affect you. Death Defiant (Divine Passive) - Upon dying you may consume a nearby chained soul or a soul from a soul stone to restore yourself, amount restored is determined by quality of the soul consumed. Rejected by Life (Divine Passive Curse) - You must consume a sentient soul within a period of time or you will die. You are unable to naturally regenerate Health, Mana, or Stamina. Quality of consumed soul determines length of time before next meal is required. Stolen novel; please report. Soul Reaper (Passive) - Nearby deaths will chain the souls of the fallen to their bodies for a period of time, higher levels of the skill will increase the range and duration. Novice 1 - 10%, Chains the souls of nearby fallen beings within a 10m radius for 10 mins. Create Soul Stone (Active) - Creates a crystallized stone of mana that can trap souls within amount of mana used determines the quality of the soul stone, higher levels of the skill increase the capacity of the soul stone. Novice 1 - 0%, Consumes x Mana to create a soul stone that can store 1 soul. Consume Soul (Active) - Consumes a soul to restore Health, Mana, Stamina and to increase your own power, quality of soul determines restored amount; higher levels of the skill further increases amount restored. Novice 1 - 0%, Restores 100 Health, 100 Mana, 100 Stamina and grants 100 EXP in addition to amount given by the soul devoured. Create Soul Contract (Active) - Creates a contract bound two souls, a contract made between souls is absolute, higher levels of the skill reduces the costs. Contract requires consent from both parties involved. Novice 1 - 0%, Costs 100% Mana, 100% Stamina, and 10 souls to create a contract. Enslave Soul (Active) - Enslave another beings soul to force them to do your bidding, you orders are absolute; higher levels of the skill reduces the costs. Novice 1 - 0%, Costs 99% Health, 100% Mana, 100% Stamina, and 10 souls. Soul Summon (Active) - Creates a physical form for a soul to affect the physical world, summoned souls cannot regenerate health, once killed they are removed from existence; higher levels of the skill reduces costs and increases power of the created body. Novice 1 - 0%, Costs 500 Mana to summon a soul at 50% power, costs an additional 20 Mana per second. Increasing initial Mana input will further increase the power of the soul. Summon Lesser Undead (Active) - Revives a suitable corpse to fight for you, revived corpses cannot regenerate health or mana and cannot use magic, however they have unlimited stamina; higher levels of the skill increases power of summoned undead, variety of undead you can summon, and reduces Mana costs. Novice 1 - 0%, Costs 100 Mana to revive a corpse into a Shambler. Gamer''s Will (Passive): Novice 1 - 0% Questioning (Passive): Novice 1 - 24% Insulting (Passive): Novice 1 - 5%
... Those are quite some game breaking abilities, although Rejected by Life concerns me. [windown]It has been 1 minute and 47 seconds since you have died, unless you want to wait until your skill runs out and you truly die I suggest you consume the buffoon over there who is trying to grope that girl[/window] I looked over at Bob and as Karen stated he was attempting to fondle the girl''s average chest and failing miserably as his hands phased through. Can I truly kill him though, sure I did technically kill him in the first place but it wasn''t intended and I wasn''t even really aware of it. The answer I found scares me... a cold dark Yes. Just then the living started moving again, a short skinny one ran up to Bob''s body, turned me over (I was surprisingly intact) and started pulling at the blade that was stuck inside of my body. Meanwhile the merchant and his daughter retreated into the wagon as their guard carefully watched the bandits, knowing he was unlikely to make it out of this alive. The bandit let out a cry as he finally dislodged the blade wiping it on my clothes, I hope my skill restores my clothes. "Haha!! Now that Bob is dead I''m taking over, anyone who disagrees can eat a blade up their arse! Now lets git back to lootin before anyone else shows up." Oh the random name I gave him was actually his real name? Though they were mumbling some terrible insults the other bandits complied and turned their attention back to the guard. But that''s about all they did, non of them were eager to take the risk of attacking the guard straight on.
Hate to remind you while you are watching this awfully boring scene but you are on a timer here.
"Oh right, sorry was busy thinking about my skills, they are rather evil but really strong for starting skills. Actually so strong some of them are game breaking."
They are gifts for being chosen by the Lord Reaper, I for one am glad you have those skills, at least you won''t be dying... at least not permanently for a while. Also Bob is doing something I rather not see, ever.
I looked over to see what Bob was doing and immediately regretted it, I mean why would you do that, you can''t even touch her. Enough was enough, Consume Soul. At that prompt Bob started dissolving into blue particles which then floated towards me. As the particles melted into me I felt... I felt POWERFUL!!!
Soul Consumed, 50 Health Restored, 10 Mana Restored, 20 Stamina Restored. Now Reviving...
Then I blacked out. I opened my eyes and saw the sky, some time seems to have passed since I heard some swords clashing, some shouting, some sobs and a lot of cussing. Rising up I saw the guard fighting one of the bandits but he had a large bleeding cut on the left side of his stomach. The other bandit was on the ground bleeding with a cut across his chest either unconscious or dead. The new leader was just screaming insults at both combatants oblivious to me who had stood up. I looked down at Bob''s corpse and a wicked smile started to form on my lips, it was time to test another one of my skills. *Note: I promise this is the only time you''ll see all those skills clustered together like that, unless he is looking at the skill itself they will be in simplified list form like the 3 previous skills from now on. Also I apologize if there wasn''t much action (I realize I''m cramming a bunch of info in at once), there will be some in the next one. Chapter 3: Bloody Mary Summon Shambler, as the Mana was consumed by the spell I felt tired mentally, but in exchange Bob''s body started rising up and to my delight without making a sound unlike the moaning zombies we often see. His skin was now a dark green, blank eyes and his movement seemed clunky but he was definitely moving and awaiting my order. His neck was also almost at a 90 degrees angle, guess I know how he died now. The merchant was too busy praying to whatever he thinks would save him to notice but the girl did and her eyes widened; making her doe like eyes bigger.
Shambler summoned: Bob Level 5 - 100/100 HP, 10 Atk, 5 Def, 3 Spd.
*Ding
From summoning your first magical being you have unlocked a new skill: Lesser Summoning Mastery - You are beginning to master the art of summoning reducing Mana costs and strengthening your summoned being, higher levels of the skill increase Mana costs reduced and further increases the power of your summoned being. Novice 1 - 10%, Reduce Mana costs by 1% and increase power of summoned being by 5%
A new skill too, that is a great start ignoring previous incidents. "Bob, let''s give your friend a surprise now shall we?" I said sarcastically as I went up to Stubs (Calling him that for whatever remains of his life) and tapped his shoulder. He jumped at the touch and spun around swinging the sword, which would have taken some fingers if I didn''t retract my hand in time, damn shouldn''t have acted cocky. His eyes widened as he saw me who was obviously dead with a giant hole in my chest which was no longer there. "Eek, how did you.. you were dead!!" a shrill voice screeched out. Then he saw Bob and he let out a scream that was even higher pitched than before. At that sound everyone turned around and their jaws dropped, my lips smiled in amusement subconsciously. Stubs over there having jumped back quite a bit away from me was right next to the other bandit, and my smile widened. "It was quite rude to pull a sword out of someone''s chest don''t you think? Also I believe you have something that belongs to Bob here." Summon Shambler, again I felt my mind getting heavier this time a lot more so but the once still body beside Stubs started moving again made it all worth it. So was Stubs scream as a hand grabbed his ankle which was once again an even higher pitch, so much so that it was barely audible.
Shambler Summoned: Bandit Level 3 - 53 HP, 8 Atk, 3 Def, 3 Spd
Do not forget about his soul.
Floating above the shambler that was currently eating Stubs ankle was the owners soul looking at the spectacle in both shock and... glee? Guess he really hated Stubs, well unfortunately I couldn''t let him watch the entire soul as I started consuming his soul. Once again power filled me and I felt healthier with my mind sharper than it was before.
Soul Consumed, 125 Health Restored, 110 Mana restored, 110 Stamina restored, 150 Exp gained, +1 Strength.
Oh this time I gained more even though he was lower level, I wonder if it''s because I consumed a soul without being dead. During the time I was processing that information stubs who has all but lost his left leg from the thigh down had managed to cut off the shambler''s hand and hop away and is now swinging his sword at Bob. The guard is breathing heavily as propping himself up using wagon and the other living bandit laid dead at his feet, probably killed by the guard while staring in surprise at the who scene. The merchant was now crying and pushed himself as far back into the wagon as he could banging at the back wall while the girl was staring straight at me... in fascination? Ignoring the screaming, begging and crying from Stubs I left the zombies to finish their job as I concentrated on trying out another one of my skills. Create Soul Stone, focusing on the number 50 I saw my Mana converge upon my open palm. A small multicoloured stone the size of a quail egg materialized into existence.
Small Cloudy Soul Stone created: Can store up to 1 weak soul indefinitely
Unlike when I consumed souls which was almost instantaneous, the soul of the bandit as he was getting sucked into the stone was a slow but steady process and he was screaming the entire time, it almost made me feel bad. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Sorry to bring you out of your internal monologue, but the fight seems to be over
Looking up from the glowing soul stone indeed the fight is over, Bob was missing three fingers of his right hand and had the sword stuck in his upper chest, shambler1 was still missing his hand but did not incur additional injuries, Stubs on the other hand had his face eaten off and most his body torn to shreds; gruesome to say the least. Swallowing some bile I walked up to the wagon, devouring Stub''s soul along the way (it really wasn''t eventful).
Soul Consumed, 120 Health restored, 100 Mana restored, 100 stamina restored, + 100 Exp, +1 Agility.
The guard seemed to be in his forties with gray hair and hard blue eyes, though they were clouded from pain. He held the sword high even as he has trouble keeping himself upright even with the help of the wagon. "I mean you no harm." Both arms raised to show my sincerity. Unconvinced he kept the sword levelled with my neck, the merchant was in the back slumped over, did he faint? Just then the girl leaned down from the wagon and kiss the man''s neck, his soul departing from his body however told me that what she did was not a kiss. Stories, movies and games though not real have told me enough for me to recognize what she did. "Vampire," I breathed out. "My, that''s not very nice." She looked up with her light brown eyes, there was a red glint to them which gave them a mysterious beauty. So were her deep red lips soaked with blood, long brown hair and shapely but conservative body; in fact everything about her seemed perfect. "You yourself are a monster are you not? People not even necromancers can simply revive from the dead like that." She paused to look at me, "or were you even alive to begin with?" "I am certainly alive, it''s just a special... ability I have." "Oh, is that so?" She drew closer to me, our faces almost touching, her breathe was warm smelling slightly of blood. "I wonder what ability is it? Maybe you could.... teach me?" Is it just me or is her eyes glowing? There seems to be a violet tinge to it now. "I... uh.. don''t think I can, it''s something only I can do." I regret only having minimal interactions with the opposite gender during my life now. "Hmm... I would love to hear more about you and your curious ability, but I think we should change locations. There is a camping spot not far, and there is some supplies we can take from this wagon." She pulled back and started digging around the wagon. "What about the merchant?" although I have a suspicion about what happened. "Him? He was being loud so I put him to sleep, his blood was terribly disgusting. Now," She turned back around and dumped a backpack in front of me. "Shall we get moving? Although not a lot of people use it there is still a fair amount of travellers and explaining this would be bothersome. Oh right would you mind getting rid of that merchant? Your... zombies would do." As I commanded the shamblers to eat the merchant a window popped up.
She is dangerous, I think you should kill her.
I looked at the girl, then whispered "We need some information about this world."
There will be others that are less dangerous.
Why was Karen so against this? I mean sure she is dangerous but I do not believe I would lose to her especially since I can revive. "What are you waiting for? You can''t be thinking that I should be the one to carry the stuff are you? I''m just a weak little girl." She had walked further down the road and is now looking at me with a hand on her hip. "Sorry was just thinking about something." Quickly picking up the backpack and consuming the guard''s soul (who was looking quite distraught at the girl) I hurried after her. I didn''t even bother looking at the window that popped up, it was probably a repeat of the same messages. "By the way," the girl suddenly looking over her shoulder at me with a big smile, "My name is Mary, what is yours?"
... Why am I always stuck with the idiots.
*Note: I know I suck at doing action scenes X.X going to work on it so there will actually be some action since this time it was all done by the zombies. But he will be actually involved, next chapter later today. Chapter 4: Blood and Chains Beneath The Moonlight Karen has been silent ever since we started walking down the road, once in a while Mary would look back at me but most the time it has been quiet. I don''t know how long we''ve been walking but as someone who only the minimal amount during a day, I am utterly exhausted especially with the added weight of the backpack. Mary on the other hand hasn''t even sweat one bit and is just casually walking down the rough dirt road. That reminds me though, what happened to the horses that were pulling the wagon, it would have been great if we could ride those instead of walking; even though I have no prior experience its got to be better than this right? "He...Hey!! Mary... do.. you.... think we can... take a little.... break?" It shames me as a man to ask for a break especially since the other is a lady but this was just too much. "It''s just a little further, Shin. Surely you can last that long?" A teasing smile was on her lips as she started moving a bit faster. Pride is going to be the death of me I swear, a little further turned out to be about an hour as far as I could tell, since Karen is still refusing to talk to me. As I am about to faint of exhaustion and dehydration Mary''s cheerful voice called out to me, "We''re here, now was that so bad?." Yes, I wanted to answer but instead I just collapsed onto the ground. "Did... you... by any.... chance pack... some water?" I asked hopefully. She laughed, it was a soft and gentle laugh, "Yes I did, but I would''ve thought a traveller would''ve brought his own water." She said as she dug through the pack and handed a waterskin to me. Drinking greedily and choking a bit on the water, "I''m just an average person who got magically thrown into a different world. I''m no traveller, I don''t even know the basic knowledge for this world." "Oh? That is some powerful magic to have summoned you from another world... Tell me do you have any other special skills or magic?" She was staring at me intently, again her eyes seem to glow a bit with purple. "I can devour souls apparently, it''s how I can come back from the dead." I took out the soulstone from my pocket, "This can store souls for me to use." "That is a very curious power indeed, do you mind if I take a look at this soulstone of yours?" Now that I''ve had some water and rest I can think a bit more clearly. She was staring very hungrily at the soulstone, is it that much of a rarity in this world? "Sure, I guess. I''m not sure if it can break though so please be careful with it." I carefully hand it to her, who grabs it and held it close to her face; it kind of reminded me of a certain ring obsessed character. Oh, I haven''t checked my inventory yet; should have done that a while ago. Inventory, And I just stare at it swearing inwardly..... Out of all the items I could have gotten it was this.
April''s Watering Can For Fools - A watering can that creates non-hostile life from every drop of water that flows out. The life created is random and the water will be replenished at the beginning of every day.
As the name states it was an item created and released on Aprils Fools that required you to talk to every NPC in the starting city, including the animals within a certain time limit in a certain pattern. It was used in many videos of ways to die because of the stuff that can come out of it can either crush you or crash the server if enough people use it at once: rabbits, fish, frogs, bugs, mice, hamsters, squirrels and the like. Small critters that neither aggro stuff or drop anything, truly a cruel joke. Depressed I took it out and started watering the ground, at least if it turns out to be a rabbit it may be edible. And of course what came out was anything but rabbits, they just kinda started piling up more and more which drew Mary''s attention from the soul stone to well pile of insects and small critters. Her eye''s widened, "What is that? Is it some kind of mass teleportation magic?" I looked up still depressed over it, "Nope, it creates life but only this stuff, pretty useless right?.... Eh?" She was looking at me with eyes that are way too large to be possible and griped my shoulders hard, so much that it hurts. "Something that creates life simply DOES NOT EXIST, Where did you get this!!!?!?!" Her eyes had a crazy look in them and there was a really deep purple glow to them. "Ah.. Mary.. do you think you can release your grip first it really hurts." I winced, her nails were now starting to dig into my shoulders which were now bleeding. "I ASKED, WHERE DID YOU GET IT!!!" This time she yelled at me fangs bare as she increased her grip on my shoulders. The sound of bones snapping was drowned out by the sound of me screaming as my shoulders were completely crushed by her hands. And then she tore out my throat, while I stared at her in shock, bathed in moonlight and blood with an ethereal beauty to her; mouth no long able to produce any sound as my vision faded to black once again for the third time this day.
I told you she was dangerous.
"Why thank you for finally talking to me Karen... Now what do I do." Mary was taking out her anger on the critters all around who were doing nothing but lazing around even as their brethren died around them. The soulstone I had lent her was pushed into my right eye. Seems like she was waiting for me to revive with the soulstone. If I did there was no doubt that I would be interrogated then killed by here again, and I do not want to ever feel that pain again. I also realized a fatal flaw about my stupid overconfidence, there were no corpses that I could create a shambler from and we had walked far enough away that Bob and friend wouldn''t be able to get here any time. I also had no way to actually fight her off, having thought I would get some overpowered weapon from the random Divine Item.
If you had listened to me in the first place this would have never happened.
"Come back here you cowardly Human, I know you can" Mary snarled, she was still beautiful even when angry like that. Wait what am I even thinking right now.
Also in case you haven''t noticed she has been trying to use hypnotizing magic on you for a while now.
That would explain the purple glow in her eyes, but is there really nothing I can do but revive? She did not seem to be giving up any time soon and I only had 10 minutes.
Well this is a long shot but, there''s all these souls because of that item and her raging around.
"Eh?" looking around there were indeed many souls, those of the small critters. Of course the watering can doesn''t just make magical beings, they were actual living beings; which meant they had souls. But even if I did consume every single soul there I wouldn''t even be able to scratch her, at least not without a proper weapon. I also highly doubt that the Aura of Death would affect her in the slightest. Wait there is one skill that I may be able to use. "Karen is it possible for me to use Enslave Soul on her?"
....... It may, the requirements is 10 souls but I would assume that the souls are at least of normal quality and that is against a normal opponent but considering that you have hundreds of souls here for you to use you can make up for that... probably. However it takes out 99% of your health so you would have to do it unscathed, even then it could fail.
"Well for now I guess we can wait till the last minute, since she is still killing the critters as they spawn and who knows maybe Bob will show up."
I honestly do not want to see him again shambler or not. That was just... incredibly disturbing.
And so we waited while Mary continuously killed the critters as they spawned, it even made me pity them such was the brutality she did. If a normal person would be doing it they would look like some crazy idiot stomping and smacking the ground but she looked as if she was dancing, only enhanced by the moon''s gentle caress. Although she was dressed plainly and was now covered in dirt and blood she obviously possessed an inhuman beauty, I guess my lack of interaction with those of the opposite sex caused me to over look that.
You have 1 minute remaining. I would definitely prefer if you made her rip out her own heart and eat it afterwards, she''s far too dangerous to have around.
"This is the first time you''ve shown confidence in me."
If you fail that would be the end, the only way out is to win or have someone miraculously save you which I highly doubt, I am simply stating what would be the only real possibility. Also I suggest you do not stare at her especially since you would die if you continue to do so.
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. "I... I wasn''t staring." Yet as I said that I found my gaze shifting over to her.
You obviously were and you definitely are staring at her right now.
"Wait... Bob?" Honestly I didn''t even think he would come close to making it here, but sure enough moving through the trees behind Mary was Bob and his underling, they must have some kind of internal GPS or something. Curious though that he is completely silent even when moving amongst the trees its like sound itself is killed around hi-
5 seconds remaining.
"Oh Shi-" Consume Soul, the soulstone started to glow and Mary seeing the light stopped her rampage to look back over. "Finally, this time you and all your secrets will be Miiiinnnee" She hissed out claws (when did she grow those?) extended and ready to pounce on me the second I revive.
Souls Consumed, all Health restored, all Mana restored, all Stamina restored. Now Reviving.....
Well... All or nothing, it''s clutch time. .... Or so I thought, the second my body full restored myself, even before I opened my eyes Mary had already pounced on my tore off my arms and had me in the air by the throat. And once again I found myself screaming uncontrollably. God damnit and here I was trying to act cool. "You aren''t getting away this time and you will tell me EVERYTHING. Even if I have to pull it out of you piece by bleeding piece." Even growling savagely she sounds amazing... wait I''m still screaming here, why am I thinking this!!! "First of all, how are you resisting my magic, even if you have a strong will there would be some effects but you didn''t even react when I tried my hardest." Well that''s because I''m immune, but even if I wanted to I couldn''t tell you cause now I''m choking instead of screaming.
Well just wonderful, guess I''ll pack up and get ready for my next job.
I know I look terrible in this situation but at least comfort me or something Karen!!! "I guess you can''t speak like this can you," Mary finally realizing that I can''t even breathe threw me up against a tree. "Now speak or you will lose your legs next." Must say that''s a terrible inefficient way to torture someone, if you want to get the maximum pain you would go slowl- Damn it this isn''t time to think about that. Attack, as I hoped the command worked and Bob plus company of one charged her. As he got near, Mary whipped around claws shooting out and cleanly took off Bobs head and cut his torso with several deep gashes; didn''t even last a second. But that Bob bought me enough time to heal my wounds as I consumed some of the now numbering in thousands floating souls of the critters. Soul Enslave, as the command went out I felt my mental and physical drain from me and also what feels like my blood being drained way. All the souls in the area converged itself into the single point that was floating in the air in front of me where all my energy was focused. "You have no more tricks now SLAVE," Finished with shambler1 who was diced meat at this point, she turned around to come face to face with a small portal from which black chains came flying out. Her reflexes and figure as she jumped back were amazing, any normal person wouldn''t have reacted in time. Still the chains were relentless and snaked towards her. Snarling she slashed at the chain closest to her... only to have her hand stopped short by the chain which then proceeded to circle around her right arm. Instead of pulling against the chain, she instantly changed her direction and jumped towards me, unbelievably fast. One second she was across the clearing the next she was right in my face left hand outstretched to take my head. I raised my hand to block and then AGAIN screamed in pain as the claw punched straight through my flesh and headed for my eye; her mouth in a triumphant smile. Then confusion flew across her face as her nail stopped just short of piercing my eye, my eye lid cut and bleeding. Holding onto her left arm was the beheaded body of Bob which was just barely in one piece, that sudden pause as enough for the chains to encircle and chain her entire body. Then as suddenly as they shot forth the chains withdrew into the portal dragging her screaming with them stopping at the opening of the portal.
Well that was an astoundingly unconvincing victory.
I released a breath I didn''t know I was holding, "For once I don''t feel like arguing with you." *Ding
For holding your breath for a period of time you have learned a new skill: Strong Lungs - Allows you to hold you breath longer as well as increase efficiency of your lungs, higher levels of the skill further increase the duration you can hold your breath and the efficiency of your lungs. Novice 1 - 27%, You can hold your breath for 1 minute and your lungs are 20% more effective at taking in oxygen.
For using a dark art you have gained a new skill: Lesser Dark Arts Mastery - Decreases the resource costs for all dark arts as well as increasing their effectiveness, higher levels of the skill further enhance the effects and reduce the costs. Novice 1 - 9%, Reduce costs of all Dark Arts by 5% and increase effectiveness by 10%
I look at them, the first one was random but potentially useful and the second one was really good if I could learn some attacking dark arts and level this skill up I could potentially be a monster; although I guess I am one right now. Screaming turned my attention from the windows to the source. The chains were burning themselves into Mary''s body and black light was flowing out of her eye sockets. "Please!!! Stop!!! It Burns!!! I Beg Of You!!!" Mary cried out with tears flowing as the chains engraved themselves deeper inside her.
Don''t even think of stopping.
"Even if I wanted to I don''t know how." Somehow Karen''s message sent shiver down my spine, there was a lot pressure and some of what seemed to be dark satisfaction imprinted into those words. Eventually the chains and the weird glow coming from Mary''s eyes disappeared leaving her slumped over silently sobbing. If it weren''t for Karen''s message I might have very well tried to stop, even now I feel guilty. Strange I felt nothing over Bob, the bandits, guard or the merchant but I feel guilty for doing this to someone who has killed me once painfully and tried to again. "Hey, are you alright?" I asked hand reaching for her shoulder. And instantly a claw went for my throat but stopped just short, I have GOT to stop doing that if it weren''t for what I assume the enslavement magic I would''ve been dead again for a third and probably final time today. "What.... what did you do to me?" She glared up at me an edge to her voice, her tear stained face was beauti- I mentally slap myself. Recomposed, "First off it would be great if you stop trying to kill me, and also don''t think of killing yourself." She seemed like someone who would die rather than be enslaved by someone. "You are currently bound to me in what you would call a master slave relationship." There indeed was a bond between us, I could feel her through it and the bond also seemed to let me feel where she roughly was, I could also tell she was VERY displeased with the situation. She made some strange mouth movements, what I assume to be attempts at biting off her own tongue before saying with a tinge of resignation. "What do you want from me now?" her eyes however told me otherwise. I gave a gentle smile, "For now just some information and company, but seeing as it''s night time let''s wait till tomorrow, Bob can stand watch well... what remains of him." Tired and content that she will not be trying to kill me I leaned against a tree and fell asleep almost instantly, today was very mentally taxing. *Note: I tried making it longer, sorry if there are parts that seem a bit awkward, those may be the times I wanted to stop but forced myself to keep going. There may or may not be a chapter tomorrow (busy with RL stuff), if there isn''t though I''ll try to make it two nicely long chapters on Friday along with the stats chapter thing that I promised a bit back. Stats and Background Information Blob of (unedited, so errors will exist) information that you do not have to read unless you really want to. Really you don''t have to, anything relating to the plot will be explained later in the story. *Note - this is just a rough layout for now and is subject to change, although numbers will most likely remain as they are. He will get a status screen within the next couple of chapters depending on how long the chapters are and how long it takes for him to get to x point. Exp Req is undecided, will probably change according to plot + 5 Stat points per level up + 10 Health, + 10 Mana, + 10 Stamina per level up Alignment changes as he does good or evil - Does not include normal fighting and he has to be apart of it in some way, shape, or form. Example: he gained evil alignment for killing the merchant even though he didn''t physically do it he ordered the deed. Killing the bandits did not count as either, if he was saving people from bandits however it would have counted. Basically it depends on the reason he does things. (I know its very vague but best I can explain it, grey areas will be judged as needed, does not need to be witnessed) Crimes will need to be witnessed (obviously) just to clarify and does not directly relate to Alignment. I am not currently planning on making a status for this but just some extra information, this and alignment are planned to come into play later. Strength - Increases attack power by 5 per point, increases carry weight by 5 lbs for now (subject to change) and also increases physical strength overall (not measured in numbers really). Vitality - Increases Health by 10 per point, Increases HP/Second by 1 per point (Yup there is healing per second), Increases immunity to poison by 1% per point. Endurance - Increases Stamina by 10 per point, Increases Stamina/Second by 1 per point, Increases physical defense by 5 per point. Agility - Increases movement speed (this one I''m not going to use numbers to represent), Reduces noise generation by 0.5% per point (So yes once he gets to 200 points he can be essentially silent, but that''s only him and anything he is wearing, collision with environment will still make noise if that makes sense) Dexterity - Increases reaction speed by 1 per point (expand on this later), Increases accuracy by a bit per point (explain later on), Increases movement efficiency by a bit per point (same with accuracy). Luck - Really this literally just increases how lucky he is per point, with an insane amount of luck aside from gambling he could probably trip on a pebble, fall forward and accidentally kill a dragon (yup luck be op u just need insane amounts of it). Treat it as something like a divine intervention more than a physical stat he has (this is reality not a video game). Intelligence - Increases Mana by 10 per point, Increases Mana/Second by 1 per point, Increases Magical damage by 0.5% per point (at 200 points he will be doing double damage with magic attacks), and makes a him a bit smarter. (Better memory, better understanding of how things work - think science -) Wisdom - Increases Exp gain by 1% per point, Increases Magical Defense by 5 per point, and makes him a bit more cunning and calm (better strategies, tricking people that kind of stuff), Increases Elemental Resistance by 1% per point: this being the natural elements: ice, thunder/lightning, fire, water, earth, light, darkness. This does not include pure energy, also yes I''m using darkness as an element (mostly accounts for curses and dark arts) This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Reaction Speed - Literally increases his reaction speed, so he can react to things coming at him faster at really high ranks with some certain other boosts he can react before the opponent even moves. Accuracy more or less pertains to ranged attacks, it basically means there''s less of a deviation from your planned attack. Of course this doesn''t mean shooting an arrow backwards will kill someone with a headshot 100m''s ahead of you, unless you have a certain effect on the arrow. I put this in Dexterity because the way I''m defining agility and dexterity basically agility is bigger movements and dexterity is smaller movements. Accuracy being able to make minor adjustments and hand/eye co-ordination. Efficiency pertains to melee and movement, reduces stamina costs and is basically being able to move without making big movements. I put this in Dexterity because... I really don''t know I just did. Of course a lot of these are ambiguous as in efficiency and reaction speed will help accuracy and vice versa. Also reaction speed and accuracy will both be affected by hand eye co-ordination. As for language it''ll be shown in the story later on but every "Player" has a language translation magic that is part of the system (Same as in DDO so therefore why he isn''t surprised) however that is only for verbal language. Written language is still completely illegible at least at the beginning before they learn the language. The reason it isn''t shown yet is that everyone was using the common tongue thus far (a language used by most races for ease of trading and diplomacy and yes it is basically the human language barring some exceptions). Location, map and kingdoms/races will be explained later as for time it is the same as earth, I do not expect earth to really come into play at all so there may not be many references to it. If you are wondering about the amount of time passed, from when he went to bed: 1 am, to end of chapter 4 is a day. He was awaken early morning. The time was about 3 hours before sunset when he got teleported (time flows differently in stone chamber). They spent about 2-3 hours walking and the entire scene of questioning and fighting took around 30 mins, him sleeping this time at around 7pm ish. This is just a rough estimation for people who like to know everything that''s happening. Also a little hint/spoiler that will be revealed sometime soon at least a bit, during the period of time between the teleportation and end of chapter 4 something happened to Karen. Also if Dark D ever reads this far or again for that matter (your choice) I have taken your advice about run ons into account and will spend a bit more time editing (instead of directly throwing the chapter out when I finish). This one being an exception, I may go back to fix up earlier chapters more but it isn''t high on priorities list and honestly there will probably still be mistakes because I probably won''t catch them. If problems exist please say something and I''ll either fix it on that chapter or for future chapters. (That was a message for everyone, opinions matter to me! :P)
Rather than make it a bigger blob of text I''ll post it here, aside from this it is unlikely there will be a chapter today, if there is it''ll probably be a short one with some info on either Karen or Mary. (Going to write from other''s perspectives sometimes) EDIT: Well derp it added it onto this anyways (wasting space again ><) Chapter 5: Behind the Window *Note - Yup calling it a mini chapter, may or may not make some more. This one gives a little peek into Karen since it''s a bit late to do this in a normal chapter and to be honest would be awkward if I spliced this in somewhere. Also a little something extra. EDIT: OK not so little a chapter after all >< little something extra still there but ended up revealing something different than I had in mind, a something that''s a liiiittle big. Still short but decided that it deserved the title of a full chapter.
Death Defiance Online was a game made to determine the representative for the Lord Reaper in the game amongst gods. The one put in charge of observing the candidates choosing one was Soul 4242 and so in a room full of monitors she watched the players. Needing no sleep or rest she was able to keep tabs on the players activities and quickly picked out promising subjects. The game itself was made stupidly hard and most people spent their time trying to complete quests and hunt monsters when they weren''t busy not dying. The ones she as looking at however were the ones shamed by society: Player killers. In a game like this items and Exp were vital, for the people who turned to coating their hands in blood they got tons of both. The starting inventory contains food, water and 10 gold which is extremely valuable, and as they racked up more kills they found a hidden passive. Every victim gives them increasing Exp gain, the first player to 20 got there while sneakily hunting newbies; carefully so he wasn''t seen. 4242 was almost certain he would be the one until HE showed up, garbed in black completely black garments that masked him in the night he hunted anyone and everyone that showed up. He gained the nickname: Reaper, for the mask he wore. 4242 identified that mask as an unique treasure one you can only get by killing a certain amount of witches, while it gives no stats the mask completely hides the users identity, his name simply did not show up. So even when the victims saw him and there were witnesses they could not identify him. Not knowing whether he was a player or an event led to many people staying offline during night time which decreased the amount of candidates. Trying to trace him was hard, while she had monitors that gave her vision over a large area they were in actuality small floating wisps that did not move very fast. He was very skilled at using shadows blend in and shake off any pursuers, a cold efficient killer that all but disappeared after his deed; truly a reaper. Thinking that he was someone who stayed in one of the cities she had the wisps watching for people leaving or entering them but the player''s levels were not high enough. He simply was no where to be found near players, so she spread out her network slowly as the body count rose and rose. Half a year later and a wisp that was sent out far into the east spotted a player fighting Rock Bears bare handedly a feat not feasible to most. 4242 was sure this was him and her suspicions were confirmed when he went to rest, a while after logging off he got back on and dug up a hidden stash. Donning the Reaper''s garbs he moved at a tremendous speed towards the nearest city that was 10 kms away. The next day the player continued fighting Rock Bears like nothing happened, it was quite curious as it did not seem likely that it was someone else logging on as the VR gear had safeguards against that. Deciding to hurry things along 4242 asked for some moderating powers from her superior and bumped up his progress and waited as he reached level 100. The fight with the demon lord was brutal but he had an advantage that the AI did not, 4242 had put in an invisible effect that reduced the damage he took by a bit; just enough to be unnoticeable. Even with that she barely managed to input the command that froze his health before it hit 0. After reporting to her superiors about the candidate and having it approved she was called to an audience with the Lord and his consort, an exceedingly rare and high honour that she never expected. For a lowly spirit, even one with an important job of hers was like a slave being gifted a bag of gold. And so for the first time she entered the spacious throne room, past dark pillars spiralling towards an unreachable roof, across a blanket a red deeper than blood and lined with suits of black armour to the foot of a flight of stairs where thrones of black gold inlaid with skulls sat. Upon them sat the Lord Reaper clothed in a hooded black robe scythe in hand and the Lady Consort dressed in a brilliant white hooded dress so pure that an angel''s light would tarnish it. Her face was hidden by a shadow darker than even the Lord''s clothes that completely blocked out all light and was in direct contrast to her dress. As she stopped at the bottom of the stairs and started to kneel she noticed two others that were beside her. So overcome by the atmosphere and the masters that she did not notice the two others that seemed to have been called there. Lilith a succubus queen who held monstrous power and was one of the many generals was shaking as she knelt hands and neck chained together. She did not exude either the sexual or dominating aura her kind typically had, her black hair was frayed and dusty, lips chapped and cracked, red perfect eyes were dead, proud confident posture slumped and flushed skin was a deathly pale white. Beside Lilith was a soul like 4242 but a more recent one from the looks of it. A plain women with shoulder length black hair and normal features, she too was in absolute fear although she was not chained nor in as bad as condition as Lilith. What 4242 originally thought was a commendation for her diligent work was quickly turning to dread, what did she do wrong? A minute that seemed like an eternity had passed before the silence was broken by the Lady, with a gesture towards 4242. "My dear 4242, do not be so afraid you have not done anything wrong. Neither have you Miss Kagerou." Although her voice was gentle there was an impossible amount of pressure seemingly ingrained in every word. The other soul, ''Miss Kagerou'' shivered as her name was said and even though the Lady said she did nothing wrong 4242 felt that maybe doing something wrong would have been better. The fact that the Lady knew her name was not a thing of comfort. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it "Now as for you my Dear Lilith," the dear was clearly exaggerated in a sarcastic sense and Lilith jumped at that, eyes regaining life only to show absolute terror; what ever the Lady had done or had in store was clearly something even death was preferable to. "I believe you are due for a sentence... are you not?" Although nothing could be seen through the shadows covering her face 4242 swore she saw a smile on the Lady''s face. Shockingly as the Lady finished her sentence Lilith broke down into tears, head bowed down so low she was touching the floor sobbing and begging for forgiveness. Just what had she done to the Lord and Lady? "Now, now you don''t have to be so afraid, if it was up to me fear itself would have ran but my Lord had decided that there was a more... entertaining punishment." seriously what had Lilith done, the Lady obviously had extreme anger towards he-. "And for that we need your help my dears." 4242''s thought process died... that did not sound good at all. There was a flicker of movement as the Lord lifted a gloved finger, barely detectable against the darkness. And as impossible as it was for a soul to, 4242 blacked out to the sounds of Lilith''s pitiful weeping and the Lady''s cold dark laugh.
When the world and internet was abuzz about the first person to beat DDO Yuki Emi was not in the slightest surprised it was Shin. Ever since they were kids he had persisted to a foolish extreme and came out on top every time without fail; through so many failures that even the most stubborn person would have long given up. That part of him had never changed, it was a part of him that was there ever since he arrived at the orphanage at the age of five. Everyday he walked to his parent''s graves on the other side of town no matter what the caretakers did, he always found a way. Once he even crawled through the vents scratched and dirty, they only found out after they heard loud banging which was caused by him pounding loose the vent in the hallway to get out. At first Yuki like the other kids stayed away from him, but one night as she passed by the common room where he was getting scolded again she heard something that made changed her heart. The last things his parents had said to him before they were brutally murdered was "Never give up", so he held true to the few things he had left of them. Having never met her own parents she did not know how it would have felt to have them killed in front of her; however imagining it with the people closest to her was enough to make break down in tears and feel helpless. From then on Yuki saw Shin in a new light, without a fail he would always bring flowers to his parent''s graves be it sunny, rainy, or snowy. Newly blossomed flowers and cherry blossom petals in the spring, flowers growing around the riverside during summer, and paper flowers during fall and winter. And despite all the nagging from the various teachers about him being late or absent during lessons he made up for it during free time studying seriously as the rest of us played. He was moving forward but keeping his parents close to his heart, and while he stopped going as often as he grew up he still visited and cleaned the graves every once in a while. He was terrible at socializing and hopeless when it came to cleaning so she picked up after him, her classmates and friends joked around at them being a couple but more than love what she felt for him was admiration. To continue living in that way was not easy, but sometimes he would show a dark look almost as if that day long ago had broke something in him. "It''s been about a week huh..." He probably already has his room full of trash and cluttered, even though when she left it was spotless. "Oh, I see you''re missing your hubby already." Kyouko a fellow college student bumped her playfully, "You should hurry up and confess, he might get taken suddenly since he''s famous now." Yuki looked over, "We aren''t like that, and I hardly think that beating a game like that would improve the view anyone has of him." "Who knows, there have been several girls who played that game that want to meet him." Kyouko gave a teasing smile, "Even I am starting to get interested, he may get a lot of money now too." "Don''t you dare use him lik-" "Excuse me, are you Yuki Emi?" A soothing voice interrupted. The girls looked up to see a lady with silver hair in a light steel blue one piece dress, gentle light blue eyes gazing upon. "Yes, um I am. What do you need from me?" Yuki was confused and stunned, and so was the everyone near them. Here was someone who looked straight out of a famous painting, elegant with an inhuman beauty. "It''s about your friend, or is it husband? I was not aware you were married." a playful smile displayed on her face as Yuki blushed, having a friend joke about it was one thing an absolute stranger doing it was extremely embarrassing. Wait she knew Shin? Did something happen? She thought back to what Kyouko said a bit earlier, he might''ve signed an impressive contract; but what did it have to do with her? "Would you please come with me?" a slender perfect hand was held out to her. Go where? Although uncertain Yuki reached out to take the lady''s hand, in hindsight some random stranger asking her to go with them should have been at least raised some suspicions; even if she tried to object it was undeniable that Shin''s name had clouded her judgement. The second their hands met soft silvery blue light wrapped around them and then they were no longer standing in the college courtyard. Stunned Yuki just stood there jaw agape. "Shall we have a talk now?" The lady gave a welcoming gesture composed and still smiling gently. What... just happened?
*Note - Soooo yeah this was not expected for me and turned out pretty long and a LOT of information. There are probably a lot of mistakes and problems but its 3:00 am and I''m really tired so I''ll think about it tomorrow :P. Figured getting the chapter out would be better. Remember if you have anything thoughts please comment ^^ they''ll be greatly appreciated. Tomorrow I''ll continue the story from where Chapter 4 left off. Chapter 6: Hunter and Hunted I... am truly an idiot, when I opened up my eyes in the morning I was greeted by Bob''s seriously diced up corpse and Mary was no where in sight. No matter how tired I was I should have realized that even if she cannot hurt me or kill herself she can still hurt those around me and run away. Now I was back at square one, no information, no protection and there is someone out there who seriously wants me dead... wait that''s less than square one.
Thought you were dead for a while there since you never woke up to all the commotion.
"Eh, did you see something Karen? Wait what can you see anyway?" Taking a further look around it almost looked like a tornado went by. There were claws marks digging trenches in the ground, trees were in pieces and beside him was a tree branch; suspiciously close to his head.
I can see anything around you and you in 360 degrees. As for what happened last night, after you fell asleep the Bloodsucker went on a rampage, also tried to kill you directly and indirectly multiple times. She left about an hour ago. Oh by the way you slept for exactly 8 hours.
"Do you not sleep? Wait that means when I go do my private business you can see?!!?!?"
I am a soul, I have no need for any nourishment or sleep, of course that includes waste disposal. As for your other question, don''t worry I would not want to look unless I was ordered to be the Lord and Lady themselves.
Also there were some skills you unlocked while you were walking yesterday...
*Ding
Stalker''s Eye (Active) - Reduces your vision to only one target allowing you to track it''s movements down to the most minuscule details resulting in higher reaction to actions taken by target, higher levels of the skill reduce Mana costs, reaction speed bonus, and increases environmental awareness. Novice 2 - 29%, Costs 10 Mana per second to focus in on one target, increases reaction speed by 1 to actions done by target. In addition you are able to see 0.5m area around the target. Walking Dead (Passive) - Reduces the stamina costs for walking, higher levels of the skill further reduces stamina costs. Novice 3 - 11%, Reduces stamina costs for walking by 15%. Discerning Gaze (Passive) - Allows you to see the status of a target after you stare at it for a while, higher levels of the skill further reduce the amount of time required to activate. Novice 2 - 76%, Allows you to see the status of a target after 55 mins of staring.
... It''s great to get new skills but they are kinda... "You are definitely the one giving me skills aren''t you? Also why is it only shown now if I unlocked them yesterday?"
Negative, my superior is the one who makes the skills, as for why you are only getting them now... I do not know, my memories from yesterday after we met the vampire are... kinda hazy.
There seems to be some jumps between Karen''s behaviour, does she have something against vampires? I recalled the message from last night and shivered, Karen seemed like she was enjoying Mary''s suffering. Well for now there''s nothing I can do about it, not need food was nice and all but there was an urging to get rid of all the water I drank yesterday. Pulling the sword which was still stuck in a chunk of Bob out I walked towards the trees. "Umm Karen if there''s some kind of off feature could you use it now?"
No such option exists, I''ll just stare at the bush to your right for the duration of the deed.
Now that I finished relieving myself what do I do now. I feel that Mary hasn''t gone far but if I go after her she might run away when I get near, I also don''t want to use more commands than necessary. "Well, nothing I can do about it, she''s my only lead anywhere and I desperately need information." Holding the surprisingly heavy sword I walked in the general direction that my bond was telling me Mary was in. It only took a walk of 5 minutes and 37 seconds according to Karen to get to the road, where I found Mary sitting on a fallen log brooding. Her simple clothes were cut up and dirty, my eyes drawn to the pale skin that was visible between the gaps in the cloth. "What do you want from me?" She asked in a quiet resigned voice as I got near. "I''m surprised you weren''t farther away." With her speed she could have been kms away by now. She laughed a bitter laugh, "is that supposed to be a joke?" she looked at me, her eyes stained with dried tears, "whenever I tried to get away from you the chains pulled tighter and scorched me." Looking closely I saw some barely visible markings of chains criss crossing her skin that even as I watched was fading away. "I''m sorry, I did not mean for this to happen, it was the only thing I could do to stop you." Once again reminded that I need some combat skills. "Then undo it, set me free from this curse." I said nothing, if I set her free I would be compromising my own safety. "See you won''t, just as a slave trader would be with a slave or a murderer with his victim." She stood up and started undressing. "Eh! wha- what are you doing?" She looked at me eyes serious, "Do what you will with me then end my life, grant me at least that much mercy." She wasn''t even trying to resist any more, after struggling throughout the night to no avail she had given up on any prospects of freedom. The most she could hope for now was a quick and merciful death instead of a life of servitude. "I just want information and a guard, although I was truly only thinking of a way to not die to you when I cast that spell." "There is no need to try and fool me, I have already given up; how much more do you want to trample on my pride. I''m not naive enough to believe you only to have you destroy what hopes I would have gathered in that time." It was clear that she did not trust me one bit and there was nothing I could do right now that would convince her otherwise. "Look for now just put your clothes back on, it would be rather bad if we got misunderstood by some travellers." "Is that an order?" "I... no-" sigh... "Yes, yes it is so can you put your clothes back on?" Aside from not knowing where to look there also seemed to be some strange pressure in the air that was giving me goosebumps. After she finished dressing she looked at me, seemingly waiting for me to say or do something. "Well then... umm which way to the nearest city?" "So you can show or sell me off?" "Just what do you see me as?"
Some monster that won''t die and wields unknown magic. Also the one who enslaved her body and soul.
"Karen I was not asking you!" Mary looked around then at me, "Who''s Karen?" "She is... a soul I guess, now could just get back on topic? I truly do not mean you ill. Really." "I will not fall for your lies. If we continue walking down this road we will reach Kane the city of gold in two days." "Well, let''s head there for now. I would like to ask some more questions if you don''t mind and also why the city of gold?" "I do not have a choice either way." Despite my efforts throughout the day Mary remained as hostile as ever and even though we passed some travellers nothing much happened aside from some greetings. But I did get a lot of information: The world we are in is called Mael, there is 5 known continents. To the north is the Continent of Fire where no one has successfully done a return trip to date, it''s a land surrounded by a sea of magma creating an unstable constantly shifting ring of flaming earth where it touched the oceans. To the west is the Continent Beasts, it is populated primarily by tribes of beast men and dragons along with a multitude of high level monsters. To the south is the Continent of Ice, it is a frozen land where like the northern continent much is unknown as none have returned. To the east is the Continent of Magic, it is a fertile land populated by spirits and other magical beings. While communication is limited there has been a recent increase in friendly relations over the past year as some really strong adventurers went out and started helping out the spirits. We are currently in the central Continent of Earth where most of the standard fantasy races are: humans, elves, orcs, goblins, dwarves, and gnomes as well as a bunch of monsters. Kane is located in the southern part of the human empire and called the city of gold because it is a central hub for trade and commerce so coins flow in and out constantly. As for what Mary meant earlier, a vampire slave is exceedingly rare and is priced high on the market. Vampires who are made slaves are completely shunned by their fellows so there is zero chances of a rescue from them so the only worry would be the slave him/herself. Unlike our stories the vampires here aren''t vulnerable to the sun or garlic but do require blood for nourishment and are weak to silver. About 30 years ago the empire held a huge vampire hunt and thus now days the few vampires left are living in hiding. Pure blood vampires were even more of a rarity being in the forefront of the battles between humans and vampires they are considered by most to be extinct except for a few relics. Mary was a pure blood vampire of 26 years of age, nothing more than a fledgling. Her parents gave birth to her during the war but died soon after, so she was taken in by a friend of theirs before she ran away from home to go on an adventure 3 months prior to our meeting. Both because of her age and heritage if I did sell her I would have more than enough wealth to live in luxury for ten lifetimes. That is quite a large sum that few in the empire could afford, but since I had no intention of selling her off to be a slave there is no problem with that.
We had made good progress due to both us having unnatural stamina so when the sun went down we made camp in a clearing a little ways off from the road. Water it turns out was not that much of a problem as Mary had a little bit of water magic, enough to be able to conjure up some clean water whenever we needed it. For the first time since I first met Karen I decided to check my status.
Status WIndow
NameShinKageLevel3
ClassNoneEXP500/600
Sub-ClassNoneRaceHuman
TitleHardcore Gamer
HP220/220MP250/250
Stamina210/210Alignment- 50 : Neutral
Strength11Vitality10
Endurance9Agility14
Dexterity10Luck10
Intelligence13Wisdom10
You have 10 Stat points to use.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. For now I guess I''ll put all 10 Stat points into Intelligence considering my skill sets, health would be nice but since my skills run off of percentage and I can''t regenerate health there''s no real point. I bring up my regen stats.
Health Regen Per Minute: 10 Mana Regen Per Minute: 23 Stamina Regen Per Minute: 9
Stamina Regen is a bit low but since I have skills that reduce the costs it should be fine, 11 minutes to fully my current mana pool is quite decent. Skills.
Sense Magic (Passive): Novice 3 - 10%, 10m radius. Spectre Vision (Passive): Novice 4 - 2%, 7.5m radius. Language of the Dead (Active): Mastered. Aura of Death (Passive): Novice 1 - 0%, 5m radius costs 5 mana per second. Chosen of the Reaper (Passive): Mastered. Undead Endurance (Passive): Novice 5 - 32%, stamina costs reduced by 30%. Walking Dead (Passive): Novice 5 - 59%, stamina costs for walking reduced by 25% Dreamless (Passive): Novice 2 - 0%, Reduces amount of sleep required to 7 hours and 50 minutes. Ashen Taste (Divine Passive Curse): Mastered. Death Defiant (Passive): Mastered. Rejected by Life (Divine Passive Curse): Mastered. Soul Reaper (Passive): Novice 6 - 29%, 16m radius for 16 mins. Create Soul Stone (Active): Novice 1 - 25%, x mana to store 1 soul. Consume Soul (Active): Novice 2 - 10%, 110 Health, 110 Mana, 110 Stamina, 105 Exp. Create Soul Contract (Active): Novice 1 - 0%, costs 100% Mana, 100% Stamina, 10 souls. Enslave Soul (Active): Novice 2 - 0%, 98% Health, 99% Mana, 99% Stamina, 10 souls. Lesser Dark Arts Mastery (Passive): Novice 1 - 9%, costs reduced by 5% and power increased by 10%. Soul Summon (Active): Novice 1 - 0%, costs 500 mana to summon at 50% power. Costs 20 mana per second. Summon Lesser Undead (Passive): Novice 1 - 50%. Summon Shambler (Active): Novice 2 - 0%, costs 95 mana. Lesser Summoning Mastery (Passive): Novice 1 - 20%, costs reduced by 5%. Gamer''s Will (Passive): Novice 2 - 54%, 1.5 reaction speed, 2% exp, per 10% missing stamina. Questioning (Passive): Novice 4 - 32%, 20% more chance of answers. Insulting (Passive): Novice 1 - 5%, 5% effectiveness and 10% intensity. Strong Lungs (Passive): Novice 3 - 6%, you can hold your breath for 2 mins and lungs are 25% more effective at taking in oxygen. Stalker''s Eye (Active): Novice 2 - 29%, 10 mana per second, +1 reaction speed, 0.5m area. Discerning Gaze (Passive): Novice 3 - 22%, 50 mins.
Yeah my stamina cost reduction skills are coming along just fine, I should probably be making some soul stones and training my other abilities too. Using the supplies we got from the merchants wagon we managed to make a small fire and set up some blankets to sleep on. "Do you not need food?" Mary was looking at me curiously, her brown eyes a fiery orange from the flames. "No, I consume souls as a source of... life force I guess you could say. How about you?" "Truly a monster, or are you a demon?" after a pause, "I''m a vampire we have no need for food." Funds wise I realized, our current party of two really isn''t all that expensive because neither of us needed food and Mary can provide the water. I had checked my inventory during the day and along with a ring with a skull on it - which I assume is the symbol that represents my patron - was April''s watering can and 10 gold. From what Mary told me the currency is the same between most races, going from copper, silver, gold, platinum, mithril, to finally gemmed coins. 100 of the previous coin is required to go up to the next coin, it is an inconvenience to carry so much coin around so there are banks situated in cities and some towns where you can exchange a slip written from a bank for your money. I had asked if there were fakes but Mary simply said that the notes were enchanted with magic, and while you can copy the magic you cannot copy another person''s magical mark, DNA so to speak. In rural areas and with come of the other races material goods were often exchanged as payment instead of coin, that of course in the exchange of slaves. As option I had to get 10 gold would start me off really well, but then I guess I wouldn''t have survived without that trash item. It was strange that Karen was quiet throughout the entire day since we set off, well it''s not like she has to converse with me. My last thought as I fell asleep was of Yuki, how as she doing?
Morning was quite uneventful, we packed up as soon as we took care of basic needs and went on our way. During the entirety of the time I spent making Soul Stones using various amounts of mana. Through trial and error I discovered that 100 mana and less created small cloudy soul stones that could store weak souls. Between 100 and 200 gives a small soul stone that can store normal souls. At around 3pm I had made 30 small cloudy soulstones and 6 small soulstones and while I was preparing to make another one we met up with a small travelling family of three. It seemed that family were merchants that was traveling from a small farming village called Vesthal after finishing their business there. They mainly dealt with foods and some raw materials and were delighted at having company for the road. Most of the time was spent with asking questions about the market and being asked questions about ourselves, we answered as vaguely as we could. The couple respected our privacy and didn''t pry but their daughter kept pestering us for answers. There were a lot of questions about my clothes (partially because there was a giant patched hole in my shirt, I know general life skills whether I use them is another matter) which were made from a strange material. Realizing that I was standing out a lot in the clothes I am currently wearing I asked if they had any clothes that we could buy, also because the wife kept glaring at me due to Mary''s clothes being patchy; especially since her husband kept stealing glances. As we stopped by the road and they dug up some clothes from their small wagon Mary suddenly tensed. Sensing that I turned to ask her what was wrong before seeing a group of six armed men. They were wearing hoods and carried an assortment of weapons, definitely bandits. Seeing them approach the father ushered his wife and daughter inside the wagon and tried to do the same for Mary but she refused to budge. "It''s her choice" I told him as he looked to me for help. Shrugging he went a bit ahead to greet the approaching bandits hands spread out to show he held no weapons. "Good sirs it''s a fine evening is it not?" He reached into the purse at his side and brought out six silver coins "We are just a small merchant family would you not let us by peacefully?" The bandit at the head of the pack looked back to his gang and snorted, "Merchant eh? Then you should have a lot more than this. If your family and your life is so important you got to have more right?" The merchant bowed his head, "this is all we can afford, if we give any more we would not be able to pay for our basic needs within the city." "Oh is that so? Then I guess we''ll just take everything from you, right boys?" at that the bandits drew their weapons and circled the wagon. Well this was bound to happen, I handed the sword to Mary "Please dispatch them, but try not to be too unnatural." "Is that an order?" This again? "No, but it is a request from me." She looked me in the eyes, and then apparently finding whatever she was looking for she started walking towards the men. "Hey boys, looks like there''s a girl here coming out to play with us." He laughed and started advancing towards Mary left arm stretched out to grab her. Just before he reached her, Mary ducked down and darted under his arm sword facing forwards with an almost inhuman speed. Suddenly with their leader on the ground the bandits stared at Mary and the body of their leader in a daze. Even the merchant seemed not to know what to make of it. "You bitch, I''ll make you suffer for that!" And the bandit who screamed that went down while swinging an axe at Mary who was just calmly standing there with a disgusted look on her face. The remaining bandits having figured out that the rest of us weren''t a threat surrounded Mary in a 4v1 situation. Mary was strong and fast but I''m not sure if she could take four opponents on at once unscathed so reaching into my mana pool I resurrected the two recently killed bodies. The rest went by really fast, the two bandits that saw my shamblers rising stared in fear frozen in place. Taking advantage of that Mary quickly cut off the head of the bandit to her right before swinging the sword diagonally to deal a devastating cut to the other bandit''s chest. By then the bandits that were behind her were already being eaten by their former friends. The merchant beside me was staring at us in shock, "What are you two." As I turned to answer Mary cried out in pain, a silver bolt was sticking out of her back as she fell forward towards the ground. Two more bolts of silver put a quick demise to my shamblers, as a figure clothed in white appeared from behind the trees. "One is a vampire, not sure about the other but seems like a necromancer." A man with a hand crossbow, cruel eyes and a sadistic grin said while slowly walking towards us. Stunned I stood there watching as Mary who was getting up from the ground reaching for her sword got her hand shot and pinned her to the ground. Through our link I felt a huge amount of pain and anger. From my knowledge of games I could tell that the person standing in front of us was a vampire hunter, and an asshole at that. That knowledge was also telling me that I couldn''t win and I had to retreat, but Mary was still there and I sure as hell aren''t leaving her to die. So I summoned 4 more shamblers as I consumed the souls of their previous owners intending to at least distract him so Mary could escape. Laughing maniacally the hunter simply just drew a silver longsword and swung, being shamblers they were not particularly smart so they got cut all at once. And then a bolt went into my chest. "Don''t die yet, I intend to have my fun with you." He is absolutely crazy. "Wa-Wait, these people saved us and there shouldn''t be any hunts against vampires any lo-" The merchant never finished his sentence as a bolt went through his head. Screams pierced the air as his wife and daughter ran to his dead body crying. "So annoying, would you shut up already?" Another bolt left his hand crossbow and a voice was silenced forever. The girl stared in shock at her mother who just followed her husband to the land of the dead, well to be accurate to be chained next to her body by my ability. "I have no interest in you so die." As his finger squeezed down on the trigger a dark furious anger flowed through and a scene years ago entered my mind.
Mary was in pain, a lot of it. Silver weapons hurt a lot for vampires and to add to that when Shin got hit by a silver bolt the chains burned into her body responded. Vampire hunters indiscriminately hunted vampire, even now long after the war they went around killing people, regardless of if they were actually vampires. Mary could care less about the humans but vampire hunters specifically were the ones who killed her parents and she fully intended to kill every last one of them. But here she was helpless against just one of her mortal enemy and even though she should be happy her slaver was about to die she had a feeling that the burning sensation inside her would consume her if he did. Gritting her teeth and grunting from the pain she pulled her hand through the bolt taking with it a chunk of her hand. Painfully picking up the sword she staggered towards them when a hand punched through the vampire hunter''s chest, held within the fist was a still beating heart shedding blood on the ground below it. When the hand retracted the owner''s body fell backward revealing the assailant. He was not a fighter, Mary had ascertained that during the two days they spent together but the one currently eating the bloody heart was no other than the one who enslaved her. A savage smile was on his face as he devoured his delicacy and his eyes shown with a murderous glint, finished with his meal he took a step towards her and she almost fainted from the amount of killing intent he was giving off. Every step he took the pressure intensified and as she blacked out looking up at the monstrous face she wondered, who was he truly.
*Note: Im going to be abusing the hell out of these lines from now on, theyll either represent a switch in perspective or a skip in time. Chapter 7: Shadows *Note - Ugh I''m so demotivated QQ somehow while I was typing I hit a weird combination of keys simultaneously that closed all my tabs which deleted my work for this chapter X.X I need to make a habit of saving. Don''t remember everything which meant I had to rewrite most of it fml.
Karen had been having memory loss and a killer headache for the past two days. It was like something was trying to take over her from the inside out, which was impossible since she was employed currently to over see the Reaper''s Chosen. No one, not even the bravest of the brave, most foolish of the fools, or even the most angry and powerful god would dare pick a fight with the Lord and his Lady. They were absolute existences, something even gods cannot even stand up to, the difference was like that between an flea and a dragon. EXCEPT someone was that suicidal to do something that angered them, or at least the Lady. Karen could not fathom why Lilith would ever risk doing something that would anger the Lady nor could she think of anything that Lilith could have done to anger the Lady unless Lilith tried to kill her. Even then the anger the Lady had towards the succubus was extreme... wait, succubus?.... there was no way right? The only possibility that Karen could think of was that Lilith was trying to seduce the Lord, a thought that was so inconceivably impossible and traitorous that Karen thought she would be taken away to the Lady''s personal torture chambers just for thinking it. Well either way, what happened to Lilith was unknown to Karen as she woke up in the isolated room that she was in now not unlike the one she was in prior except this one had no exits or entrances. The only connections she had to the outside was through the various monitors giving her access to the views around Shin Kagerou and the one monitor that gave her access to her helper abilities. It was also the monitor that allowed her to communicate with Shin, one that she hadn''t touched in two days time due to her... problems. Sudden murderous intent drew her out of her thoughts and back to the screen, where Shin was looking right at her... That can''t be possible right? There is no way Shin would know which direction she was looking from, but he was indeed staring at her eyes. "You''re there right? Karen...", There was something distinctly different about him, "Did you enjoy the show?" What sho- then she saw the carnage around him. While most of that damage was not done by him the most cruel and destructive wound was definitely done by him. His mouth twisted into a cold smile almost as if he could tell she just saw the scene.
Who are you? You... are not ShinKage.
He made a hurt expression, "I''m insulted, we are one and the same. I''m just the stronger part of him." His smile returned, "You know who I am, after all the one chosen wasn''t Shin but me; I noticed the Exp difference." That attitude and those words brought a name to the forefront of her mass of confused thoughts.
Reaper...
His laughed out loud, the sound chilling, "Correct, although I guess it would be weird for you to call me that won''t it? You may call me Kage, rather it would be more convenient if you did so." As she had expected when she first saw him in the game ShinKage and Kage were not in fact two different people but two entities sharing a single body. But even if he was a different entity with a different personality there was no way he should be capable of the carnage before her eyes after all his stats would not allow it. Wait his stats?
Status WIndow
NameKageLevel30
ClassNoneEXPN/A
Sub-ClassNoneRaceHuman
TitleHidden Shadow
HP2200/2200MP2500/2500
Stamina2100/2100AlignmentN/A
Strength110Vitality100
Endurance90Agility140
Dexterity100Luck100
Intelligence130Wisdom100
Sense Magic (Passive): Mastered, 100m radius. Spectre Vision (Passive): Mastered, 100m radius. Language of the Dead (Active): Mastered. Aura of Death (Active): Mastered, 100m radius, 0.5 Mana per second. Chosen of the Reaper (Passive): Mastered. Undead Endurance (Passive): Mastered, Stamina costs reduced by 100%. Walking Dead (Passive): Mastered, 100% Reduced Stamina costs for walking. Dreamless (Passive): Mastered, No sleep required. Ashen Taste (Divine Passive Curse): Mastered. Death Defiant (Passive): Mastered. Rejected by Life (Divine Passive Curse): Mastered. Soul Reaper (Passive): Mastered, 100m for all eternity. Create Soul Vessel (Active): Mastered, Costs X Mana to make a vessel capable of storing limitless amounts of souls. Heart Breaker (Passive): Mastered, Attacks aimed at the heart deal 200% more damage. Soul Chains (Active): Mastered, Creates chains of dark magic that attack the soul directly. Berserk (Passive): Mastered, Upon the consumption of blood gain 100% increased attack speed, movement speed and reaction speed until all life is dead around you. Summon Demon (Active): Mastered, Summon demons using various sacrifices to do your bidding. Advanced Summoning Master (Passive): Mastered, All summoned beings gain +200% Power and Health. Sadist (Passive): Mastered, Inflicting pain on others increase your strength by 200%. Vigilante (Passive): Mastered, When fighting someone with negative affinity you double your stats. Avenger (Passive): Mastered, When fighting someone for vengeance you triple your attack damage. All Seeing Eye (Passive): Mastered, You have perfect vision of all details and actions around you. Nothing Get''s Past me (Passive): Mastered, Your reaction speed is increased by 100%. Permanent Damage (Passive): Mastered, Damage you deal will be extremely difficult if not impossible to remove, heal or revert. Limit Break (Active): Adept 6, You may remove some of your bodies natural inhibitors giving you a massive boost in physical and mental power. Raises all stats by 400% for up to a day, receiving up to 99% reduced stats for a week depending on amount of time activated. Enslave Soul (Active): Mastered, Costs 1 soul.
This is... impossible, even if you are two identities there should be no way for you to have such vastly different stats and skills.
Kage laughed, "You said it yourself, this is reality with a system like that in a game to help us players more easily adapt, it also gives us superhuman power. How is it then that it''s impossible that if two identities exist within a person and one of them is stronger, than wouldn''t the game stats reflect it in an even more exaggerated way?" I.. do not know. The system was implemented by the Lord Reaper and being a lowly soul Karen has no access to that information but it did seem odd. No one should be able to improve at the speed players do that is biologically impossible, but because of the experience stat every time they level up they get 5 free stat points which if placed all into strength drastically increases their physical strength over the course of seconds. If the stats represent the power of that person then if that person suddenly gained an increase of strength several times over then it logically should be plausible that the stats multiply as well...
But then you can enter the realm of gods...
"That was the point wasn''t it? This is like a battle between gods without the gods putting themselves at risk, we are just throw away pawns to fight in their place. Of course I doubt they would actually let us get strong enough to kill one of them. It is just like a game minus the infinite resurrections."
Even... even if you are correct what do you intend to do about it?
Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. "There''s nothing I can do about it except win and I will be there to make sure Shin wins. I am after all an existence made solely to protect him. The question is what you intend to do now that I know of it." Murderous intent was transferred through the monitors and completely surrounded Karen, if she had intended to kill him, he would fight to the very end using every resource he had. And Karen was not entirely sure she was safe, in addition there is no way for her to find out if what he said was true or not. Wait, why do I even care... all I''m here to do is assist him in his journey, there is no reason to care about anything else. She is just a lowly soul and this was her job and she will not mess it up due to some unknown emotions or questions.
Nothing... I am here to assist as much as the system allows not to question you or your actions. If I was ordered to I will do everything possible within my power to eliminate you but as it stands my only orders are to observe and help as the system dictates.
She intended to do just that, but this man, Kage, was dangerous. What he had said was rousing and stirring up the emotions that have been starting to appear recently and within her Karen felt a shadow of doubt about what she was doing.
Karen had been silent for some time and there was no point in waiting longer, especially since five people were rapidly approaching. To be brutally honest while it seems that Karen does not have much power especially compared to him, she has the support of a god. And from what he could tell the Reaper was a really powerful one, he had not relished the thought of fighting her or his patron, at least not yet. Kage''s mouth twisted in a crude savage smile, he was feeling frustrated and Vampire Hunters were the best way to let off steam. Turning to his left where the closest approaching Hunter was he pushed off the ground moving at incredible speeds towards it, justice is coming and justice was screaming for blood.
Kent Draken was from a long line of vampire hunters and he was a veteran of the war against them years ago. Even now there were many blood suckers hiding away among humans and they need to be exorcised. Reports about a small caravan that a vampire attacked had led to his deployment with five other hunters. Among them was David Sanguis son of a famous pair of vampire hunters who was undeniably insane; while Kent was a fervent vampire hunter David derived pleasure from torturing them. He also had a tendency to look down on the vampires and normal humans alike, which seemed to have finally ended his life as he can no longer be sensed. So he and through his magic he sense the others moved in on David''s last location, he just hoped that the vampire did not run from there. It would be a pain to hunt him down. Suddenly something moving twice as fast as him went by in a blur of motion and the next thing he saw was his own body falling towards the ground, headless.
Half an hour had passed as the hunters fell one by one to Kage before they were able to even react to his presence, it was really quite disappointing; were the pure blood vampires just that weak or had these hunters grown dull over years of peace? Either way there was just one more to clean up, but that one was at the site where Mary was... Letting her die would be rather unfavourable as Shin currently depended on her for most of his combat abilities, and Kage''s time was running out. So he moved back towards his starting location moving this time at a speed twice his previous speed.
Liliana Moonhowl was a newcomer to the vampire hunting group who had yet to kill anyone never mind a vampire in the 20 years of her life. She had of course went through the training against her will because both her parents were hunters and it was expected of her, but she really wanted nothing to do with this bloody business. Vampires had not done anything except for a few isolated cases here and there for over a decade and she saw no reason why the ones who haven''t done anything should be punished for a crime they never committed. Nevertheless she was moving towards the last known location of a fanatic hunter named David along with probably the others. She was not adept enough at magic yet to be able to sense their locations, the only reason she knew David''s location was because another hunter had sent her a guide in the form of a hawk. Arriving at a road that was connected to Kane a trading city she saw a scene that made her gag and almost threw up on instinct. Body parts of bandits turned zombies were scattered everywhere in a bloody mess, a girl with a silver bolt through her pack and a chunk of her hand missing - pinned to the ground a bit away from where she was lying with another silver bolt - seemed to be breathing just barely. Two other bodies hit by bolts were not so lucky, besides them a girl around the age of 12 was crying. So much unneeded pain and misery, the culprit of this was lying on his back with a gaping hole in his chest. Liliana having got over her horror first stopped by the wounded girl and applied basic first aid and a healing spell then walked towards the grieving girl. Hearing her approach the girl momentarily looked up from her parents corpses and screamed in fright, backing up against the wagon. It''s no wonder she''s afraid, I''m wearing the same clothes as the one who murdered her parents. She felt sick that she was in the same line of work as someone like David and as terrible of a thought it is she was glad he was dead. "It''s all right, I won''t hurt you." She slowly approached the girl hands held out palms up to show her sincerity who kept sobbing while shaking her head hands outstretched as if to ward Liliana away. It was then that Liliana heard a rustling sound from the forest to her right and barely managed to draw her sword into a defensive stance before a blurred image crashed into her.
It was honestly quite impressive that the hunter that was standing there trying to appeal to the crying girl managed to block his attack. He had meant to take her heart out but instead bent her sword and launched her back against a tree on the other side of the road. She was groggily rising to her feet, sword bent, her dark red hair let loose from the white hood, before she could recover Kage charged forward and slammed her by the throat into the tree. Hands and feet flailing she tried to pry his grip lose but is failing to do so, her azure eyes wide in fear and wet from the pain. She struggled to speak, Kage caught some words here and there but nothing comprehensible. As much as he wanted to enjoy her suffering he was really running out of time so he tightened his grip. "Wait," a weak voice cried out from behind Kage; turning around he saw Mary slowly stagger to her feet. "She- she could be useful to us." "And what makes you think I would listen to you, or that I won''t kill you too?" Kage was certainly surprised Mary managed to get up that fast, even more so she spoke to him while looking him in the eyes. He was sure he had intimidated her thoroughly before she fainted. Mary gave a small wry smile, "If you had planned to do it, I wouldn''t be living right now. You have me bound by your spell right now so my body and soul are yours... I want information that she has, if you would do that and help me hunt down the hunters I will give my heart to you willingly." "Or I could order you to do so anyway, there is no merit for me to hunt down these Hunters." There was no real reason for Kage to do that though, Mary was not a real threat to Shin and it seems she had figured out that if Shin dies so does she, there really was no merit in going through all the trouble. "But you could increase our fighting force if you place her under the same spell, the hunters also hold a powerful weapon that the one who led the vampires once wielded; you can have it." Mary seemed really desperate to get a hold of the girl and her information, "She also healed me earlier I owe her one," Mary held up her hand which was fully intact when there was a hole in it before.
Liliana could barely breathe, she stopped struggling a while ago and was just now trying to conserve as much energy and air from the small gasps she can manage. Buying every second she can of life, from what she heard if she lived she was going to be a slave, and that the girl she healed seems to be a vampire. But any chance she can get to live on she''ll take, she never even wanted this job in the first place and she sure as hell wasn''t going to die because of it if she had a choice. The man holding on to her sighed and released his grip. Falling to the ground knocked what little breath she had out of her but then blessed fresh air filled her lungs as she gulped it up greedily. She looked up still gasping for breath to see energy collecting in the air in front of her, the girl that was bargaining for her life had an apologetic look on her face, "Sorry, it''s going to hurt... a lot." Then chains snaked out from the white energy, wrapped around her and seared itself into her her skin, she was only conscious for the first three seconds before passing out into painless nothingness.
*Note: Excuse me now as I take a nice long rest from writing. Chapter 7.5: A Short Meal Break *Note - Shin isn''t going to be in this chapter, not really.
After the vampire hunter passed out Kage turned around to face Mary who was looking right back at him. "From what I could tell you seemed to really hate vampire hunters, there are many easier ways to get them to come to you so why did you try so hard to save her life?" Mary shrugged, "She doesn''t seem like much of a hunter and like I said I owed her one. As for easier ways, once we start killing all the ones they send at us they''ll be more careful, even go into hiding." "Like the vampires did?" Her gaze narrowed a bit, then she sighed, "Yes like the vampires did even if I don''t like it, it''s a fact. Well what do you plan to do now? If we wait for her to wake up then the gates will be closed for the night." Kage looked above the corpses of the merchant and his wife, "For now I guess I''ll go settle something with the dead." Their souls were trying in vain to touch or comfort their child in some way shape or form who was currently also passed out. Kage stopped behind them and bowed his head a little, "I have no way of bringing you back into this world, but I will take care of your girl for you." At that they turned around, "You.... you can see us?" they were needless to say stunned at that. Then the merchant recalled something, "Necromancer..." "Yes and no, I can see and talk with you but I am not exactly a necromancer although I have abilities alike to one. But as I had said before please rest assured, I will take care of her properly." "How can we trust you?!? You''re just some stranger we met, one that meddles with the dead and your companion is a vampire." The wife shrieked at Kage, swinging fists that pass right through him. Although they did not physically hit him the fists left a cold feeling behind "I-". "Stop it Charlotte, we have no choice but to trust in this stranger... Please take care of Mina for us then, please." The merchant stopped his wife and looked to Kage, eyes resigned. "I will, please rest in peace." Kage once again bowed his head slightly and then Release Soul, the couple''s souls faded away, presumably to the afterlife. "Mary can you put them both in the wagon?" Kage went to the merchant''s body and removed the bolt, doing the same for his wife. "What do you intend to do?" Mary walked effortlessly over with the hunter in her arms. "Bury them, I have enough time left for that much at least."
It took about all of 3 mins for Kage to bury the bodies at the side of the road, unmarked except for the dirt mounds that stood out amongst the grass. Mary who had finished her job was sitting on the wagon observing him. He was a strange one, at first Mary had thought him to be a cold and merciless murderer a complete opposite of the man who seemed naive about everything. But here he was doing something that had no merit to him, likewise when he was presumably talking to the deceased couple about taking care of their daughter there was not a shred of insincerity. "Just because I''m a cold killer doesn''t mean I''m mindless." startled she found Kage looking at her. "You were staring at me strangely, I figure it''s cause you saw a big difference in the way I''m acting." That was true to say the least, he had non of the imposing air he had when he first awakened and Mary had felt no killing intent from him ever since before she passed out. "Anyone would question your behaviour, especially after learning the fact that you had two personalities." Was it just her or was Kage kind of unsteady. "Well, you won''t be seeing me for a while," he smiled apologetically, "Sorry you''re going to have to take care of three unconscious people all at once, just make something up with the guard." With that he collapsed onto the ground leaving Mary speechlessly staring with wide eyes. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. *Time Passed since Kage awakened - 17 Minutes 32 seconds.
She woke up staring at an unfamiliar wooden ceiling lit by soft candle light. The last thing she remembered was black chains wrapping around her then immense pain, pain that surpasses what you could feel physically. Shivering Liliana sat up and found herself in a room with two large beds, the girl sleeping beside her. The vampire was sitting at the far side of the room next to the window look out at what ever seems to have caught her interest. Then she laid her eyes upon the one who almost took her life, who was in a deep sleep in the other bed. "Finally awake?" the vampire now looking at her. Liliana hands automatically went to her waist where her weapons belt was only to find... nothing. In fact she wasn''t even wearing her robes but instead just plain tunic and pants. "Don''t worry, I''m not going to try to murder you, if I wanted to I would''ve done so earlier. It would have been helpful though if you woke up an hour earlier. What''s your name? Mine''s Mary." the vampire Mary walked towards her. "I... Liliana, thank you for saving my life before, are we in Kane?" There was no lingering pain from before but a weird uncomfortable feeling that she cannot identify, it was like her soul was being restricted. "Yeah, was a pain trying to convince the guard to let us in, with three unconscious people in the back of the wagon. We''re in the Dancing Bear, also sorry about your clothes they would have stood out too much and also about your purse." Liliana knew of the place, it was one of the medium class inns in the city although she had never actually been there before. "Ah yeah... umm didn''t you hate vampire hunters?" Mary laughed a bit, "Did you think I was going to tear your throat out or something? We aren''t beasts, I have no quarrel with a new hunter who hasn''t even seen battle before." "How did-" "You almost threw up when you first saw all the bodies, and you also healed a vampire probably not knowing better." Liliana could feel her cheeks heat up in embarrassment, "I''m not good with magic and this was my first mission. Ah about the other hunters..." "Most probably dead," Mary shrugged, "They never showed up so I assume Shin killed them." At that Liliana looked towards the man in the bed. "He doesn''t seem to be waking up any time soon though. Are you hungry? They deliver food here." At that Liliana realized she hadn''t eaten anything since lunch hours ago, what time was it even now? "Yes, that would be very appreciated," she looked at Mary curiously, "Do vampires not eat?" Mary smiled and approached, leaning in so that their lips almost touched, "We vampires have a different appetite than humans, would you mind if I took my meal first?" Liliana felt like she was sinking into Mary''s eyes, they were making her kind of dizzy, "I... Umm. Er.. I gue... guess that''s fine." As the last word left her lips hunger forgotten, Mary gave a mesmerizing smile showing off her fangs, "Well then thank you for the meal." Mary''s hands moved across Liliana''s body teasingly, tongue flicking on her neck. After a while after deeming Liliana was ready Mary sunk her teeth into the saliva covered pulsing flesh and as blood flood out from her, Liliana experienced a pleasure that made everything turn white, passing out again but this time in reluctance.
*Note: Quite short thus the .5, next chapter should be out later today (probably tonight) also thinking of doing polls to decide some future events. The current Poll will end in two days, might not have a chapter for the next two days because of RL stuff. Chapter 8: Adventuring We Go How long has it been? It''s hard to keep track of time in absolute darkness with no feeling, just thought. Even when I had tried to count the seconds and minutes the numbers eventually disappeared almost as if they were eaten up by the void around me. "You''re still here? Jeez, hurry up and get back out there before he wakes up. I can''t help any more or your body is going to get really messed up, get stronger you hear me?" Who are you? Who is he? I tried to ask but no voice came out, I couldn''t even feel my mouth moving. Then suddenly I can feel again. I''m lying in something soft, a bed? There were voices, is that Mary? The merchant''s daughter and someone I don''t recognize. Light, a wooden ceiling greeted my eyes; soft candle light causing shadows to dance across it. "This is a problem though, he needs to wake up soon or we''ll be sleeping in the streets." Mary said. "Mina doesn''t want to sleep on the streets!!" Mina, is that the name of the girl? "I can try to ask the city, they have special rooms for us hunters." Unknown, I feel a link towards her though?
Welcome Back to the world of the living Shin. A bit rude to sleep for three days straight don''t you think? I''ve already packed up.
"Sorry to make you worry Karen." I pushed myself up on the bed surprising the three girls as I did so. On the other bed at the other side of the room Mina sat cross legged while Mary was sitting rather close to a red head girl. "That was rather rude to say sorry to a soul rather than the people taking care of you." Mary was sticking really close to the other girl. "Would you like some water?" the other girl pushed Mary gently away and walked to the table in front of me pouring a cup of water. "Thanks," I responded taking the cup and drinking greedily. "Umm... sorry but do I know you?" For some reason she was so shocked she almost dropped the cup of water she was about to drink. Mary laughed a bit as she walked over, "I told you he wouldn''t remember, this is Liliana Moonhowl the vampire hunter you violently held down and tied up. Also my new... friend." "Don''t make it sound so indecent Mina''s right here, also you hypnotized me." Liliana was blushing furiously, seemingly over the fact that I didn''t remember her. Rather I''m the one shocked speechless right now for more than one reason. Mary made a friend? She was really hostile to me a while ago and now she was... well kinda of like she was high really. And I really don''t remember Liliana, but the bond is there so it was a fact that I apparently used Enslave Soul on her. "Only the first time, and Mina''s old enough to know about that stuff right? Rather she was awake the first time." Everyone looked at Mina who was beet red and had smoke coming out of her ears. "Wait, what happened while I was passed out?" This reminded me in a way of the online conversations I used to had with people, we would get way off track and end up getting nothing done. "Well, You suddenly turned killer when that guy with the crossbow tried to kill Mina and tore his heart out and ate it. Then you made me pass out and when I woke up you were trying to kill Liliana. I talked you into saving her and well that''s all I know about that. I took three unconscious bodies into this inn and we''ve been here for three days." Mary talked in a broken and fast fashion. Liliana and Mina chimed in agreeing that that''s about how much they know, less for Liliana. "That was kinda helpful but not really!"
You have a second personality who was way stronger and cooler than you. He was also very daring, threatening me like that
I can''t tell whether Karen is hating my second personality or liking him, wait second personality? Was that the voice I heard before? It did sound kind of like me... but more manly. "Stop undermining my confidence in myself Karen! Ok I give up trying to figure out what happened. What was that about funds?" I asked while walking to get myself another cup of water, sleeping for three days makes you really thirsty. "Including the amount that Mina''s family, Liliana, the other hunter, and the bandits we got 5 gold, 68 silver and 89 copper. We stayed here for three nights as well as baths and food that total comes down to 5 gold and 50 silver. By the way how do you not have any money on you!" I looked at Mary, "It wouldn''t be that expensive would it?"
It was 3 gold total for the room fare, 1 gold 50 silver for the baths and 1 gold for the food.
... "Why are we in such an expensive place?" "Tch, Karen huh?" Mary looked at me like I was crazy, "We''re in the City of Gold, of course it has to be a nice place, plus you got a bed all to yourself for three nights." I sighed, "So we have 16 silver and 89 copper, what''s that good for?" Mina raised her hand shyly like she was going to ask a question in a classroom, "I... I just used 15 silver for a teddy bear." ... so our current money count is 1 silver and 89 copper not that I could scold Mina for buying that for now anything that can distract her will be fine. I guess it''ll be best to not them know about the 10 gold in my inventory, explaining the inventory itself would be a pain. "So is there an adventurers guild or something? I assume that''s a good way to earn money." At that Liliana looked towards me - was she staring at Mary? - "There is four different adventurers guilds in the city, one by each of the gates. We''re currently in the southern end of the city which is quite close to the guild, but the missions with a good reward are quite difficult." "Is there any costs that we need to be aware of?" "As far as I know there''s a sign up fee of 1 gold per person, and 10 percent of the rewards go to the adventurers guild. Equipment and items would be useful, the costs varies depending on the items. If we look at the bare minimum we need a sword for me and preferably some armour for me and Mary." Liliana looked towards Mina then me, "As far as I was told by Mary you are a caster unless you are in your other personality and Mina wouldn''t be fighting. Some basic first aid and camping tools were included in the stock that Mina''s parents had and there was also some food that we can use though none of us knows how to cook really." Damn guess I really can''t hold back on the gold. "Okay, lets go get you guys some equipment then register at the guild and we can see if we can find anything we can do for some funds. Also I can cook so leave that me, so stop buying expensive food." First stop was the weapons shop which was a short walk from the Inn, it had a typical wooden sign with painted cross swords to represent what it was selling along with the name RedTalon''s Weapons painted in big red letters. Inside we were greeted with many weapons on display hanging from racks a long with a burly guy in leather armour with a sword in hand. "Welcome to the shop, long as you don''t make trouble or try to steal anything." "Thanks." It seemed like flimsy security to me but back in my world there was all sorts of security measures, one guard won''t be able to do much against an armed assailant or multiple. Liliana headed straight to the longswords and quickly picked a plain one up taking a few cautious swings. Mary on the other hand went towards some weapons that look like they would do well in a torturers dungeons. Mina tagged along with me as we browsed the general goods waiting for Liliana to make a decision. Behind the counter was a gold scimitar with red bordering and from the bottom of the hilt flowed a red silk like cloth. "That''s the RedTalon''s weapon, a beauty ain''t she?" A man with grey hair and closely cropped beard walked up from a room in the back, despite his age he was definitely not out of shape. "Are you the RedTalon Mister?" Mina was peeking over the counter at him curiously. He chuckled as he ruffled her brown head, "Nope, my brother was he recently passed away though." "I''m sorry we reminded you." He looked at me and laughed, "There''s no reason for you to be sorry, he lived and died like he wanted; on a whim. Now what can I do for you?" At that Liliana walked up and presented a longsword that was a bit longer than the one she first picked up, "Oh, you''ve got nice eyes lady, weapons aren''t about how much they stand out but how good they are. She''s a solid one and will serve you well." "Then we''ll take that, Mary put that back we aren''t buying it." Mary was walking towards us with a very unconventional dagger that looks like it came out of a nightmare. With a pouting face she went back to the rack while the shop owner laughed. "Well, are you looking for armour as well? We have some sets of leather armour as well." He pointed towards the back corner of the shop where a few sets of armour were being displayed on racks. At that Mary immediately went to one that was dyed a deep red and took it stand and all to the counter, making a face saying that she won''t be denied. Well she did need armour, Liliana picked up a similar set except they were plain brown. "You''ve got yourself quite a group there, who''s your favourite?" "Eh.. Umm, we''re not like that." The shop owner laughed again, "Well your total comes down to 3 gold and 70 silver for everything." I looked at the price tags and realized he gave us a small discount, handing him the coins and thanking him. "It''s fine it''s fine, been a while since a lively group has showed up, a lot of people recently picked up crafting lately so all we got left are the old faces. Here a little something for the girl, she needs a little protection too ya know." He said giving a small Iron dagger to Mina complete with sheath and belt. Thanking the owner again we head out fully equipped saving us the need to go to another shop for the armour. Mary seemed pleased with her purchase and was admiring herself the entire time we took to get to the adventurers guild. The adventurers guild registration itself took 15 mins of paperwork and waiting which wasn''t very eventful at all. Looking at the guild billboard there was a ton of quests ranked from F to S in order of lowest to highest difficulty, with the higher ranked quests near the staff. After discussing a bit we decided on a job for hunting monsters in the forest to the west, it seemed like they were getting restless and were acting a bit weird. Taking Dumpley the ex-warhorse that was the one pulling Mina''s wagon we left the city''s west gates at dawn the next morning. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Total Money: 51 silver, 89 copper.
As we left the city with Mina at the reins and Mary assisting her I turned to look at Liliana."Could you teach me the basics of attack base magic?" While I did have some magic they aren''t useful unless I have souls or corpses, always depending on someone dying first is unreliable and very saddening. "Hmm... I''m not very good at magic but the basics for magic is feeling the energy in and around you then focusing it into a certain point using a conductor which could be any item or through a spell spoken or written." She held out her open hand palm facing upwards. "Basic spells don''t need a medium and can be very powerful depending on the amount of energy, mana you put in. But if it exceeds the amount that your body can conduct it''ll explode outwards unstably and cause damage to your body. The most basic magic is that of fire since it is a conversion of one energy into another. Just think fire and regulate the amount of mana flowing and you can make a small flame. Air, Earth and Water magic are more about manipulation but you can make them out of nothing if you put in enough mana. I know little about higher level elements aside from the fact that they take more energy and you need to manipulate mana in a certain way." A green flame appeared on her open palm, small but unwavering. "Typically the colour of your mana dictates the colour of the element you release, mine is green." Imagining Mana flow from inside my body to my hand I tried doing the same thing, only to have a 3 feet tall black flame burst to life.
*Ding
Obtaining knowledge about mana flow gave you a new skill: Lesser Mana Mastery: Increases maximum mana and reduces mana costs, higher levels of the skill further increases mana given and reduction in mana costs. Novice 1 - 5%, Increases Mana by 10 and reduces Mana costs by 5%. Regulating the flow of Mana has given you a new skill: Mana Control: Increases efficiency of mana flow reducing mana costs, higher levels of the skill further reduce the costs. Novice 1 - 10%, Reduces Mana costs by 1%. Practising fire based magic has given you a new skill: Lesser Fire Mastery: Increases power and reduces the mana costs of fire element skills, higher levels further increase the power and reduce the costs. Novice 1 - 3%, Increase the power by 2% and reduce the Mana costs by 1%.
It''s been a while since I''ve seen one of these. So if I do the same for the other elements...
*Ding
Practising Air based magic has given you a new skill: Lesser Air Mastery: Increases power and reduces the mana costs of air element skills, higher levels further increase the power and reduce the costs. Novice 1 - 5%, Increases the power by 1% and reduce the Mana costs by 2%. Practising Earth based magic has give you a new skill: Lesser Earth Mastery: Increases power and reduces the mana costs of earth element skills, higher levels further increase the power and reduce the costs. Novice 1 - 1%, Increases the power by 3% and reduce the Mana costs by 1%. Practising Water based magic has given you a new skill: Lesser Water Mastery: Increases power and reduces the mana costs of water element skills, higher levels further increase the power and reduce the costs. Novice 1 - 8%, Increases the power by 1% and reduce the Mana costs by 4%.
"You have remarkable talent, a lack of control but I have never seen anyone using such strong magic." I looked up from my palm to see Liliana, hair wet and messed up. Oops I guess I really need to work on control.... Let''s see focus mana into hand and release. A warm wave of air drifted towards Liliana drying her hair quickly. That was surprisingly easy, all I needed to do was imagine what I wanted to do with the mana and then apply the needed energy to make it happen. "Are you sure you haven''t been taught magic before? You''re learning astonishingly fast, it took me a week before I managed to do that. And I haven''t seen any trace of magic on you either, I just recently learned to hide mine." "I''ve used magic before but this is my first time doing this, I don''t know why either." Maybe I do have talent in magic, that would explain why I have no physical skills to begin with.
Your magic aura is hidden as part of the system because otherwise there would be problems considering the fact that at higher levels your aura would be immense. Also the assist system is helping you learn faster.
"Oh... thanks for the explanation Karen." So it was just the system and not me... Oh well as disappointing as that is I''m glad it''s there helping me. So I spent the next few hours practising magic control with Liliana giving tips, at noon we stopped for a short break in a nearby clearing. While me and Mary could keep going for the rest of the day Dumpley needed rest and both Liliana and Mina needed to eat. Looking in the back we had various food but mostly it consisted of dried meats, bread and cheese. Using that I made some sandwiches for the two of them while they set up a resting place, it looked kind of like a picnic to be honest. "That''s an interesting way to eat something them," Liliana looked at the sandwiches with interest. They didn''t have sandwiches here? "It''s GOOD!!!" Mina was smiling widely as she ate hers, soon afterwards Liliana also said it was good leading to Mary also taking a bite; which then lead to me being the group cook. It kind of reminded me of the orphanage, we took turns cooking and the younger kids would always wait around for me because I was good at cooking. Yuki was mad at me for being better at cooking than her, although she got a lot better over time. Although this time all I did was make sandwiches it was nice seeing people happy from something I made. As we cleaned up a girl with brown hair tied in a pony tail and tanned skin run up from out of nowhere and starred at the sandwiches we had left over panting. At her sudden appearance everyone was shocked, before Mary and Liliana put their hands on their swords. "Hey, Jane stop running ahead of us... Oh," A giant black man about 6 ft tall and muscles bulging out from his plate armour saw us and presumably Jane drooling over our sandwiches, "Sorry about the trouble, Jane stop bothering these peopl-" Then he saw the sandwiches and looked towards us. "By any chance is one of you from Earth?" "I''m sorry but what did you say?" Liliana looked confused, "I didn''t catch the last sentence." "He asked if one of us was from Earth." Jane turned around to look at me, "We found another one! By the way can I have one of your sandwiches? For some reason we both have skills that makes whatever food we try cooking turn into inedible poison." "Uhh.. sure, they were just extras... Wait you were transported here too?" "Yup, what Brandon said just now was in English so the people here couldn''t understand it." Jane was busy stuffing her face with Brandon moving in to join her.
This was rather soon that we found someone, they seem quite tough. Ah by the way I''m not sure if I explained before but there''s an auto language translator for verbal communication, if you concentrate you can choose which language you speak otherwise it''ll be the common language. So what are you going to do?
"It''s been so long since we''ve had anything resembling the food in our world, say can you make anything else?" Jane was staring at me now... I think we came across some troublesome people, as the rest of my group stopped packing up and sat back down. It seems Mary told them that I was from a different world while I was unconscious cause while they were surprised at the pairs sudden appearance they didn''t seem surprised to know I wasn''t born here. "Yeah, I can make a few different recipes as long as I''ve got the ingredients." Brandon put a hand on my shoulder, "You guys are headed to the forest right? Let''s go together, the more the merrier right?" I looked towards the other three members of my party, Mary seemed to be staring at Jane, Liliana just shrugged and Mina was spouting questions out already. Well... I guess for now we''re going to travel as a group. I looked at Brandon and Jane, Brandon aside from the muscles had two handed great sword strapped to his back and while Jane was petite and compact you could tell there she was strong, her body devoid of any excess fat and her eyes were alert. Or were they just sparkling from joy? It would be best to observe them for now, they should have a god patron which means special skills that would make them a huge threat; what abilities they have would need to known before we attempt to fight them, plus as is we aren''t that much of a threat as a group. "By the way," Jane looked towards me head tilted to one side, "Who''s your patron god?"
*Note - sorry for the delay, had various distractions and also decided to rewrite some of it. Reason he did not get a cooking skill is because making sandwiches is not really cooking. Really it''s not, you''re taking things that are already cooked and stacking them. Chapter 9: Wuldrud Forest *Note: Sorry this was supposed to be yesterday''s chapter but I was too depressed over my comp being wiped due to windows update to write. Sigh.. goddamn hidden buttons that keep closing my browser. Also sorry but no tentacles, at least not in this forest. As for the name of the forest, I have no clue what I was thinking when I made it up but it''s a name and it works. I suck at names so I''ll take it.
"Oh, my god patron''s t-" *Ding x 4242564 Windows blew up across my entire vision along with a really loud and long chain of dings. "Ow, Karen what are you doing." Jane mischievously smiled, "Oh, so your god patron was a girl my apologies for asking." Then teasingly, "Cheating on your partner just because she can''t be here, rather sly aren''t you?" "Wha- What, why does everyone think like that, there''s nothing going on in the first place and Karen is-"
Shut Up
"And after how you violated me, to think you already had a partner," Mary blushed and looked away, not even trying to hid the smirk she had on her face. "I didn''t... not really... it wasn''t like that, Honest!!" The looks Jane and Brandon were giving me hurts, while the three members of my party were barely containing their laughter. Actually, Mary was laughing so hard no sound was coming out.
The Lord Reaper is not... very well liked among the other gods. It would be rather catastrophic if you had answered that question.
"Oh..." then to change the subject, "Who are your patrons?" Jane grinned puffing out her chest in pride, "Sekhmet Egyptian Goddess of War, I specialize in close quarters combat." "That''s not really something to brag about, war is a sad thing; you''re being affected by Sekhmet too much." Jordan turned to face me, "My patron is the Titan Atlas, I also specialize in close quarters combat. If you ask me though it seems like we were chosen for our physical abilities, both of us being athletes; how about you?" "I specialize in magic, I was just an ordinary gamer." I shrugged, "I got chosen after beating a game." "That''s an interesting way to choose someone, but I guess you''ve got some skills or talents if you''ve beat a game. Well thanks for the meal, although I feel like I''m forgetting something." Jane suddenly jumped up, "that''s right we left Carey and Ben behind when I smelt food." More companions? This could be troublesome, I would have a hard time with just two of them... they were nice people but I don''t want to die either. Wait, did she say she smelt the food, how far away was she for them to not have caught up yet? "They are going to be so mad at us, and we ate everything too, Brandon should we just make a run for it?" Jane was in a state of panic, were they that strong? "And where... *huff, do you intend *puff, to run off to?" An exhausted girl with blond hair in robes asked. "Eh, uh no where Carey, we were just waiting for you. And look we found new companions." Trying to change the subject she made movements with her hands like she was trying to show us off. Brandon put a hand on Jane. "Just give up, we''re sorry we ran off ahead of you guys, by the way where''s Ben?" Carey sighed, "He''s probably distracted by some animal or another, he''ll show up at some point. But at least I know he can take care of himself and knows where he''s going." "I would like to point out that we can take care of ourselves, although we are clueless in terms of directio-" Carey was glaring at Jane. Carey turned towards us and bowed, "My name is Carey, I''m a magician. Sorry for all the trouble Jane has caused you." "Hey, Brandon was here too!!!" Another glare was sent in Jane''s direction. "He did not leap on or start drooling on their food." That was pretty much right on mark, does this happen often? "Mmm," Mary came up to Carey with a very weird look in her eyes, "It''s fine, although I wouldn''t mind if you spent a while with me in compensation." "Eh? Umm... Ah.." Not knowing how to react to Mary, Carey stood their blushing. "Enough out of you, we have to pack up and get ready to move." Liliana said as she dragged Mary who had a pouting face on away, "Just ignore what she said, and it''s fine, we had some leftover food and it was nice company." "Oh, I''ll help." Jane hurriedly went after the two, probably trying to escape further scolding. "Right while we''re getting ready do you guys have any information about the forest? We kinda just started going there without looking into it." Inwardly I was cursing myself for making such a rookie mistake, information is a vital component of victory. Brandon laughed, "That was just like us at first, heading off without a care in the world almost worked too. As for information I leave it to our chosen one here, she''s good at magic AND she''s the chosen of this world''s goddess of light Lumina; although she isn''t part of the game." Carey was blushing, "I was just lucky to be chosen by the goddess and born with talent others did not have. I myself have little feats to live up to that title." After a moment of awkwardness she looked up with a composed face. "As for information, the forest''s name is Wuldrud and the inhabitants are primarily beasts and goblins. Although goblins are everywhere so there really isn''t much point in including them. Most of the time except for the occasional stray or small goblin band the inhabitants kept to themselves in the forest, but recently there have been reports of combined attacks. That is to say that the beasts and goblins are appearing to work together which is strange to say the least but if they are, the goblins could become an actual threat. Our job aside from monster hunting is also to find out what happened and to fix it so to speak." Goblins in games and stories were weak little green skinned things that were more annoying than anything. In large groups they can be dangerous but the most any game every gave them was some wolf mounts, mechanical monstrosities aside. After all if the worlds inhabitants aren''t using robots I doubt the goblins have enough intelligence to use and hide them from the world. "What kind''s of beasts are inside the forest?" Brandon spoke up at that, "Mostly the same as animals you would find in a forest, with several mutations. Bears, wolves, deer, moose, elk, birds, rodents etc." "Well, we''re ready to go any time." Liliana walked up with Mary still sulking, Mina and Jane were engaged in an energetic conversation about stuff from our world; is it okay to tell the people of this world about our technology? Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. I turned towards Carey, "You sure we don''t need to wait for your friend?" She sighed, "He''ll show up whenever he wants, the only things he''s good at is stalking and running so he won''t get lost easily even if you try. Let''s just go."
Carey looked at me in astonishment, "You really have talent for magic, what you''ve just learned in this short period of time took me several years." At first I was hesitant but Liliana came up and said that she didn''t mind because she taught me all she could as she wasn''t really compatible with magic so now Carey was teaching me about magic. System assist definitely was a cheat, all I needed was sufficient mana and a solid image. As long as the prior is good I won''t have problems with the latter. I also came to realize what my Soul Consume ability did, it converted souls into raw energy which is then absorbed by my body, kind of like drugs and steroids without the side effects. I also suspected it but... the souls I consume are gone for good, wiped from existence. A giant hand slapped against my back, "Good for you, to be honest I''m jealous because I can''t use magic to save my life. It really is a convenient thing that our world lacked." Brandon was giving a comforting smile, was it because I said I was just a gamer before? "Well, we''re here." announced Jane who was at the front of the group, ahead of us was a road that went deep into a dark crowd of trees. It almost seemed as if it was one dark hallway with the trees intertwining in such a way that blocked out the light, looking to either direction one could not see the end of the forest. "That, looks rather terrifying," If there wasn''t a path I don''t think anyone would be able to get back out of this forest, the entire feeling the trees gave off was one of foreboding. "And it looks like we''re going to have company," Jane grinned with her eyes glowing red, holding a plain steel dagger in each hand, "I can smell blood in the air, and lots of it." At Brandon drew his greatsword as Carey held her staff in front of her, Mina was in the wagon holding tight to her dagger as Liliana and Mary stood by Dumpley with their swords drawn. I felt out of place as the only one without any prior preparation needed in the tense atmosphere. Suddenly the still forest burst to life with a rustle as sixteen green blobs flew out from the trees grasps with six black blurs following close behind. Goblins dressed in rags and hides with primitive stone weapons chased by black wolves with red glowing eyes. "There shouldn''t be any black wolves her-" Carey didn''t finish her sentence as both of the monsters turned and headed straight towards us, whatever quarrel they had with each other forgotten. Snarling Jane jumped right into the pile of bodies with daggers flashing laughing manically. Her first victim a goblin with a thrust through the chin and into the head, her second a wolf with stab through the side of it''s head. Behind her Brandon charged in as an unstoppable goliath bodies bouncing off of him, his greatsword cutting enemies in half with every swing. A wolf and three goblins broke off from the group and charged at the wagon only to be impaled by a series of stone spikes that sprouted from the ground. Carey gave me a smile as I looked to her in shock, from what I learned magicians needed to chant out an incantation before a spell could be used, me as an exception. Not wanting to be outdone I launched my own magic; gather energy, focus on an image, and release! A dozen spears made of ice flew from above me landing among the few still moving bodies around the destructive pair. And then it was over, none of them even made it to the wagon, devastated by magic and steel. I walked in for a closer look, the goblins were small green misshapen humanoids with ugly features, just what you would expect from goblins but the wolves looked peculiar. They had a dark red glow around them that I realized was magic aura, yet the wolves shouldn''t be able to use magic and haven''t during the fight. "Could these be summoned wolves?" I asked Carey, "They have a red magic aura around them." Carey stared at a corpse for a while and then looked at me in the eyes, "It''s not impossible but I don''t see anything." Was it because of my skill that I could see the aura? But at the same time... I realized I could see the souls of the wolves, they were alive. If that was the case then they weren''t summoned familiars but created living beings, I have a bad feeling about this. Rustling turned our attention back to the forest, weapons and spells ready but what came out was a man who was bleeding from scratches and bites, leg severely injured as he clumsily limped towards us as fast as he could. "BEN!!!" Carey ran towards him as Jane moved with supernatural speed past him diving into the foliage, Brandon took up a defensive position beside Carey. Howls and two souls later told me that she dispatched another two wolves. Ben collapsed as into Carey''s arms as she reached him,"Heal." White light poured of of Carey''s hands casuing Ben''s wounds to slowly start to healing, "Are you alright? What happened?" Ben gave us strangers a glance before looking into Carey''s eyes, "I''m not too badly injured, running is my specialty after all," he gave a wry smile but there were no smiles in his eyes, "Something bad is happening here, it was just utter chaos. Thousands of wolves are fighting in there and killing anything in the forest, where they came from I don''t know but if they get loose there''s no way local militia or even most adventurers can hold them back." He was exaggerating wasn''t he? The wolves weren''t that difficult to defeat, although most fell to Jane. "That''s cause we were strong," Brandon said reading my expression, "Most people may be able to hold back one of them, maybe even kill one at best but not without serious injuries." Jane came back out of the forest covered in blood, "This reeks of a fight between chosens..." there was a dark look on her face, "and here I thought we had seen the last of people like that." "Well, either way we have to stop them don''t we?" Carey looked up at us, Ben apparently having drifted off to unconsciousness, she was angry, really angry. "We can''t let them get away with this."
Note*: Again sorry for the late chapter, X...X was going to put it out several hours earlier but didn''t have time to work on it until now, work is busy presumably because of the long weekend. I''ll try to get the next chapter out later tomorrow but if not, Tuesday for sure. Also, not sure if you''ve noticed but aside from Shin I use third person for every other char (including Kage), is that fine or should that be changed? Also I kinda feel like I worded this chapter weirdly but I feel that with everything I write so let me know if it is weird, can''t really tell. Well I''m off to bed, work tomorrow. Night! ^^ Chapter 10: Things Went Bad, Really Fast *Note: Did you guys forget his passive? Bet you did, here''s a hint, he was unconscious for three days. Also abusing the line command this chapter, sorry. Also I can''t think of a title for this chapter aside from that X.X sorry.
"Then we''ll have to split up, we can''t leave Ben here alone and if what he said was true Mina shouldn''t come with us." I looked at Carey, "Since you and Liliana are the only two who are capable of using healing magic you should stay here with Ben and Mina." "What! No, I''m going with you and I''m-" "No," Brandon interjected, "Shin''s right and plus if the opponents are chosen we can''t handle this rashly, the three of us have our gifted abilities while you haven''t discovered yours yet. We''ll go, its the best choice." "But" "Carey, you''re mad right now and will make mistakes. That is really dangerous for a magician, don''t worry we''ll make them pay." Jane was shaking and the red glint in her eyes haven''t subsided. Carey closed her eyes and breathed deeply, "Yeah you''re right." she gave a small smile, "To think I would be told that by you two, please be careful." Mary walked up to me and gave me a dark look, "Don''t you dare die." Carey, Jane and Brandon looked over in surprise at Mary''s sudden behavior. They probably think Mary loves me or something close to that. If they knew the truth of our relationship though things might go bad really fast. Chuckling Brandon pounded me on the back, "Don''t worry, he''ll be fine. We''ll bring him back to you in one piece." Then he hefted his sword and walked towards the forest Jane following behind, "Come on, let''s go before Jane loses control." Walking past the corpses an idea came to me, I wonder if it will work on non-humanoids, Summon Shambler the bodies gave twitches, Stop Moving. Immediately the minute movements stopped, I glanced around to see if anyone saw, Mary was staring at me but otherwise the rest did not notice. I gave her a small smile then headed into the underbrush storing the souls in soul stones as I did so. If the forest looked dark from the outside, it was worse on the inside. I could barely see my hand in front of me then in front of me a small light came to life. It was a small enclosed lamp, the tiny flame shedding light around us. Brandon passed the lamp to Jane who was sniffing the air, "Jane''ll lead the way, just follow the light." "What''s she smelling for?" I have a feeling I know but... Brandon looked back momentarily, "Blood, there would be plenty of it if what Ben said was true and unless he was affected by magic he wouldn''t have lied. Just stay away from Jane when the fight starts, two of her passives are Blood Fury and Blood Thirst. She won''t be able to tell friend from foe when she''s surrounded by blood." "Roger, I''m not a melee fighter so hopefully I won''t be near her." That would explain the shaking and the reddish glow around her eyes.
We continued in silence for a while, Jane''s breathing becoming heavier with every step, so much so that I feel like she''s going to hyperventilate. Then she suddenly dropped the lamp and sprinted forward, swearing Brandon dove to catch the lamp. Getting up he ran in the direction she disappeared in shouting for me to follow. There were sounds of howling and screaming up ahead and then we were no longer in the trees. The sight we beheld was as Ben said one of utter chaos. "What in the world." Brandon breathed out. And I would agree, in front and slightly below us was a clearing about the size of a football field where brown and black wolves were killing each other. That wasn''t the crazy part, what was insane were the amount of corpses that littered the ground, they piled over a meter high with branches sticking out of them here and there; this was clearly not a clearing before. The corpses were rotting with flies and maggots crawling all over them, the ones at the bottom had their cracked bones showing, crushed beneath the weight of the others. I started retching from the smell and view, Brandon fighting that impulse and winning barely. Jane was dashing across on top of the corpses weapons drawn and a savage smile on her face, heading towards the center of the fighting. "Shit, Let''s get going Jane can''t fight them all on her own." Brandon ran after her as I unsteadily tried to keep up. Stumbling forward with a dull headache and blurry vision, I noticed souls everywhere. Consume Soul, I almost immediately keeled over after consuming the soul thinking it would help. Up ahead Jane was noticed and attacked by several black wolves that were instantly killed with brutal efficiency. Laughing maniacally she danced among them blades flashing and blood spraying in the air as an accompaniment to her dance of death. Brandon was still a bit behind her but with he giant blade cleaving wolves in two. Strangely the brown wolves ignored them and even protected them seemingly, but they gave Jane a wide berth once she killed a couple of them.
Shin... You... Need... To... Co-
"I need to what, Karen?" Ugh the headache was getting worse fast. "Karen... You there?" She wasn''t responding... Crap this isn''t good, I fell forward barely catching myself with my hands on the bloody rotting ''ground''. It felt like I was drying up rapidly and the headache grew worse, it almost seemed like something was trying to break out of my head. The of the dead seemed to snarl at me as I started to black out.
*Ding
Emergency Mode Activated, Seeking out Sentient Soul.
What, what does that mean.... then I remembered one of my skills or rather curse, Rejected from Life. A pulse of pain went through my body as something in my head felt like it broke, then... nothing but darkness surrounded me.
Clara Smith breathed heavily as she wiped blood away from her eyes, in front of her lay several dead black wolves that added to the floor of corpses, she winced as she heard the death cries of many of her own wolves. Her orange t-shirt was in tatters and her jeans full of holes, her entire body covered in blood and gore from days of brutal fighting. She had been sent here as the chosen of Lupa and was trying to create a sanctuary within the forest when she and her summoned wolves were attacked by the black ones. Lead by a boy in faded jeans and a leather jacket they were brutal forcing Clara to respond in kind and over the long fight where neither could kill the other it turned into this. The only things she got from that boy was that his god was Fenrir and he wanted her dead to take her symbol and get stronger, strong enough to defeat the reaper''s chosen. Lupa had warned her of people like this but she did not expect to have to fight so soon, it was heartbreaking when she killed and her own was killed, for someone who loved nature it was absolutely horrifying. But she could not concede, to lose was to let Lupa die and she will not do that. As wolves once again attacked her she jumped back in surprise as a snarling form collided with the nearest black wolf. Daggers flashing the girl that came flying out of nowhere smiled in absolute ecstasy as the warm blood poured from the wolf onto her, before cutting onward bathing in the blood of the wolves around her. "Wha-" a giant form collided with her knocking the breathe out of her as the daggers flashed towards her. "Shit, are you alright?" She looked up into the concerned face of a young black man, "You need to pull back or else Jane is going to tear them apart along with you." "Eh? Wait what, who are you?" People were here? Did the fighting spread that far out? Clara felt tears coming to her eyes, she did not want to drag other people into this. "Brandon Chosen of Atlas, now we need to get out of here," He winced as he threw Clara over his shoulders and started trotting away from the front lines, "From the way your wolves are behaving I assume you aren''t the aggressor in this fight. So we''ll help you, but it''ll be easier on Jane if she doesn''t have her attention split between two targets." Help, that was something Clara gave up on very early on, "But, she can''t fight them all on her own." Brandon gave a dry smile, "She isn''t, we have another chosen with us and he''ll be more help than me. Hopefully he''ll be able to catch up, think I left him quite far back in my rush to follow Jane."
Blood, lovely delicious blood, "GIVE ME MORE!!!" Jane''s mind was filled with one thing and one thing only, the need to kill for blood. Her right hand went up dagger cutting through the throat of a wolf that leapt at her left hand sending a blade into the flank of another. In front of her was wave after wave of enemies, but that still wasn''t enough, she wanted blood; the blood of the one controlling these. "Out of my way!!" growling she dove into the thick of them cutting through faster than they could react, faster, she must kill them faster. Blood Thirst and Blood Fury were double edged, on one hand it made her a lot stronger and faster, but on the other hand she loses the ability to think. In the depths of her mind she recalled attacking a girl, stopped by Brandon who took two cuts to his back, she felt guilty and sorry but that only lasted a second as blood lust overwhelmed that feeling. There, a boy with short hair in a black leather jacket, wolves were coming to life around him out of nowhere, he was the one she wanted. She wanted his face twisted in terror and pain as his life bled from him, killing a human is different from that of a beast; she will enjoy every second of it when she gets to him. She let out a terrorizing roar as she headed straight for him killing all those that were in her way without slowing down. Almost, almost there, her bloody dagger flashed as she thrust forward towards his heart, then... PAIN, she tripped and rolled with the momentum of her run as her right leg buckled underneath the pain. Snarling she crouched on her good limbs, weapons lost in the fall as she readied to pounce. Then she looked at the boy in confusion, he was staring at his own chest in shock, a giant spear of ice was sticking through his chest. Looking down she saw a smaller icicle stabbed through her right thigh. Ice? Magic? She searched for a certain someone she knew used magic... Her vision was red, where was he! where was he! She will kill him for hurting her. Then she spotted him, a boy walking towards her with a black aura all around him as anything that got close to him was speared to death with ice. Every instinct in her says to run but her fury and thirst overwhelmed them. Her previous prey forgotten she leaped towards Shin with claws outstretched at her fastest speed yet; fangs ready to tear him apart.
Jared was on the ground bleeding out, by some miracle the ice lodged in his chest had missed his heart but he was dying and he knew it. All the power he had felt when he was chosen by Fenrir, when he was attacking that earth lover girl was lost when he faced death in the eyes of that bestial girl. But that was just fear of death, he was in utter terror right now, his bladder control lost as he watched an approaching figure. "Mommy..." he cried out barely a whisper, his lungs were destroyed in the attack. He had attacked the nature girl to get her symbol, to devour it and get stronger, she was to be the first sacrifice so he could get stronger, so he could hunt death. But what was approaching him right now was undeniably death itself. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. That beast girl is a fool for trying to attack the figure and it was proven soon as a giant sword of ice pierced through her abdomen. There was no sense of victory as he saw her get cut through, his mind was focused on one thing; he wanted to die, die before that figure reached him for he was sure that whatever that figure does, it would be worse than death.
The face she was looking into was not Shin''s, the effects of her passive having been chased away by the pain. It was twisted and evil, she pulled at the sword trying to dislodge it as her life was bleeding away. "Pull- cough - pull it out Shin, please, it hurts." There were no recognition in his eyes as he pushed the blade even deeper making Jane cry out in pain. A voice was whimpering in her head, Sekhmet, goddess of war with a blood thirst that surpassed even her fears of death was crying, fearful of the person standing in front of Jane. She had a sudden realization as she felt her life end, Shin never said Karen was his patron, they just assumed it... In reality his patron was... a horrified look was on her face as her mouth moved to whisper, "The Reaper."
Soul Consumed, status returning to normal
Kage stared at the window in front of him then at Jane''s lifeless body on the sword he held. An automatic system had kicked in to prevent Shin from dying to his passive which led to the current predicament. "JANE!!!" A booming voice cried out from across the battlefield. FUCK, I told Shin to get stronger but I forgot about the passive as well. His body hurt and ached, Shin''s body had just recovered from Kage taking over, he has to make this as quick as possible. Sucking Jane''s surprised soul into a soul stone he let go of the sword and dashed towards Brandon, he feels sorry for them but there''s nothing he can do now, it''ll be a problem if Carey knows what happened, she was strong and extremely dangerous.
Clara did not know what do to, what she saw had made her instincts sound alarms for her to run. Even if it was only for a short amount of time the aura that figure let out had sent irrational fear into everything in the forest. Brandon''s friend, Jane was killed by whom she assumed to be the other Chosen that was with them except from Brandon''s rage they did not know that the one they were travelling with was none other than the one they fear. The Reaper''s chosen, the one they all intended to take down or at least run away from. "You know the forest right? Run to the Eastern entrance, you''ll find a wagon there." Brandon''s voice was tense, rage barely held in through sheer will, "There''s a girl there with blonde hair, she''s one of this world''s Chosen, tell her what Shin is and get her to run." Eh? "But, what about you?" Clara''s voice shook, the only thing keeping her here was the wish to repay the debt of Brandon and Jane showing up. "I''ll hold him back, Jane was the one with the offensive power, for me it''s more defensive than offensive." He looked back and gave her an empty smile, "Don''t worry I won''t die, I have to settle something with that lying bastard." Clara stood there rooted, while his words held conviction his eyes clearly told her that he knew he wasn''t going to live through this. "GO! You have the best chance of making it out of here, I''m too slow... I''m counting on you." With that Brandon ran towards Shin, who was heading towards them now. Tears streaming down her face Clara ran, ran as fast as her legs can carry her without turning back, she was afraid of what she would see if she turned back or stopped. The thing that weighed the most heavily on her heart though was that she''s glad Brandon was slowing Shin down, glad that she wasn''t the one facing death.
As Kage got close to them the girl suddenly turned around and ran while Brandon charged at him sword held high with a pack of wolves with him, the girl had left them to help. Shit, he can''t let the girl get back, but Brandon isn''t going to let him chase her. It''s going to be a gamble but he has an idea, he concentrated on a command as he started consuming souls en masse. "You lying little bastard, DIE!!!" Brandon swung his greatsword down powerfully in an arc. Kage jumped to the left and over a wolf, grabbing onto and ripping off the wolves upper jaw as he went. Ice Spear, he sent a rain of ice down as he cleared the area. Brandon used his sword to block as he ran towards Kage, the wolves however were stabbed through easily eliminating the small danger they posed. Kage kept a spear of ice as a weapon and thrust it towards Brandon but it was shattered against his sword. Shit, guess ice even magically created is still weaker than steel, Kage jumped back as Brandon slashed again his sword taking apart the bodies of multiple corpses. Summon Shamblers, with no shortage of bodies the entire section of floor beneath them came to life as they rose as zombies. "Do you only have little tricks?" Brandon slammed his left fist down creating a dent around him as the zombies in that area was crushed to death. Physically they are the same in terms of strength due to Kage''s buffed stats and he''s faster but he has no weapon. Magic isn''t Kage''s strong point at all and system is notifying him that he cannot enslave Brandon. Soul Chains, black chains held onto Brandon slowing him down, but only slightly. While he doesn''t seem able to break them they barely hindered his movements, well Atlas did hold up the world so that wasn''t too much of a surprise. Slowing him is all Kage needed anyways, Devour Souls, a pang of guilt hits him as he casts his next spell while the numerous souls around sustain his mana, Summon Soul. Pouring every bit of Mana he has into the spell, willing it to go faster as Brandon was approaching sword held high. "We trusted you," Brandon was three steps away, "We never did anything to you," two, " Yet you killed Jane, you''re heartless," one, "Now die so no one else has to suffer!". Brandon stopped right in front of Kage and swung his giant sword down at Kage''s head. Just before the sword hit Brandon pulled back on the sword and swerved it to the right, the momentum taking the sword out of his grasp and slamming it through several trees before it embedded itself deeply inside an ancient oak. He was staring at his chest and the small figure in front of him, mixed emotions showing on his face. "Ja-Jane.." He fell over heart impaled by two elegant black daggers, their owners staring indifferently. Kage crouched and closed Brandon''s eyes before sealing his soul in a soul stone, "Sorry, but I can''t die here." He looked at the silent figure next to him, it was definitely Jane garbed in black leather but without her personality. She was there, he could feel her anger towards him, towards herself and her sadness but her soul had no power, it was just a spectator. He consumed the souls Shin previously stored, Summon Demon, using the bodies of the fallen chosen he summoned demons of wrath, lust and pride, putting the symbols of their various gods into his inventory. Brandon''s body was covered in red scales doubling in size with a single horn protruding from his forehead and in place of eyes flames took their place. Cruel black claws took the place of nails and a long muscular tail trailed behind him, "Who do you want killed Master?" it''s voice sounded like Brandon''s but also sounded like crackling fire. Jared''s body was covered in black full plate armor with longsword and a plate shield in his hands. His black hair was shoulder length and leathery black wings protruded from his back. He looked at Kage with entirely bottomless black eyes, "What do you want?". Jane''s body gained red wings, long sharp nails and a thin elegant red tail her eyes were red with a slight purple glow. Other than that her body remained relatively unchanged, "Master, what do you wish of me?" she said in a lusty version of Jane''s voice a seductive smile on her lips. "Stay out of trouble and out of sight, see if you can find where other chosen''s are and their information." Jane really did not like what he did with her body. "No smashing? Alright." "Understood, just make sure your weak body doesn''t expire while I''m away." "Aww and I wanted to do something nice with the master, but it''s master''s orders. Can I have a reward if I do well?" Saying a variety of things they left, Wrath through the trees, Lust and Pride by air, Kage turned towards Jane''s soul form. "Stay in this forest and keep out of sight until called upon, also sorry." Nodding Jane disappeared into the forest. Now, to finish cleaning up this mess.
They had made camp a bit away from the forest, Ben was still unconscious wrapped up in a blanket propped up against a small tree with Carey next to him. Liliana and Mary were chatting idly by the wagon where Mina was soundly sleeping. A figure bursting suddenly from the trees made them lift their weapons up, a girl with messy shoulder length brown hair was running towards them. Carey stood up staff outstretched, "Who are you? Stop right there!" The girl never got to answer as the corpses of the dead rose up and grabbed her, screaming in surprise she went down among the arms and mouths. Carey shocked stared, Liliana started walking forward only to be subtly stopped by Mary who had seen such corpses before. Swearing Mary quickly cast a sleep spell on Mina and Ben, "You take care of the girl" she said to Liliana in a whisper. Confused but complying Liliana sprinted towards the girl while Mary headed for Carey who was over her shock and quickly killed the shamblers with earth spikes. Scratched but relatively uninjured the girl got up and started blabbing a stream of panicked incoherent nonsense to them as Liliana approached. "Calm down first then spea-" Carey never got to finish as Mary slammed a fist into her gut, kneeling over Carey looked up at Mary in bewilderment. "Sorry Honey, sleep for now." Mary grabbed Carey''s head forcing her to look into her eyes. Carey collapsed unconscious as the girl screamed and looked from Mary to Liliana, before she could do anything else Liliana got behind her and knocked her out with a quick strike to the back of the neck. "Mind telling me what''s going on Mary?" Liliana picked up the girl and carried her back to the wagon, giving the corpses a kick to make sure they''ve stopped moving. Mary looked at the corpses, then Liliana, "I think... Our master did something," she sighed, then sneaked a glance at Carey''s unconscious form, a smile twitching at her lips, "Maybe if I ask nicely I''ll get to keep her."
*Note: Kind of a darker chapter, sorry I suck at combat. I also kind of feel like this is turning a bit into attack on titan where most the characters you meet disappear mostly due to death within an episode X.X I''ll try to not do that from now on... as much. Chapter 11 Part 1: Contract *Note: Sorry for the long time with nothing, work picked up a bit, chinese new year and Kancolle event really limited my time. Yup, I''m Chinese Canadian, and QQ E3 Kancolle just hates me, can''t get past boss. That aside while I haven''t updated in a while I have finished planning several future events, hoping that I can properly make you guys feel something for a certain group of people in the future. For this chapter a character makes a reappearance, connected the dots yet? There''s been slight hints since chapter 5, well actually chapter 5 is a giant hint.
"Karen you there?" silence, no windows, no chimes just Kage and the forest. It was really strange, Karen would be silent once in a while but for so long and during such a situation. It''s not something Kage can deal with right now however and he needs to settle this quickly, incapacitating Shin for a long period of time again is only going to loop this chain of events over again, but next time it may be in a more dangerous situation. As Kage went back towards the exit of the forest a slight movement to the right caused him to pause. He held his hands up with knees bent slightly, ready to react at any time; while he still had Brandon''s soul that was the only soul he had on him and he''d rather not use it up here. Out of the darkness of the leaves Jane walked out daggers out, did he mess up? Kage never used this skill before and he might''ve set Jane loose when he gave the order if so she would be out for vengeance. While he was thinking of counter measures Jane stopped a meter in front of him looking around silently. After a few moments Kage realized that Jane was not in control partially due to her behavior but also to the feeling of extreme frustration he felt through the link, "Why have you followed me?" Jane looked at him briefly before returning to her surveillance of the area, is she not capable of speech? But, her behavior told Kage that something dangerous was near him which would explain why she went to him; typically for summoned companions their default stance was to protect their masters. "My such a loyal dog, and I was just going to wait for her to go away." From out of the trees came a confident voice filled with lust. Staring hard at through the leaves Kage tried to find the source of the voice and hidden beneath the shadow of a large spruce was the shape of a woman barely visible. A sudden gust of wind blew past Kage and before his brain could comprehend what happened Jane was in front of him daggers raised to kill whoever the mysterious person is. At first Kage thought the adrenaline pumping through his blood slowed time down but sound of the surroundings confirmed that it was only Jane, that had frozen in mid air. "Hmm, would be a shame to kill this tool of yours." The mysterious lady caressed Jane''s face, "It''s crude but still useful, although a little too hasty and eager." She stepped out into full view facing him properly with two perfect red eyes. Her posture on of confidence with a supple body and silky black hair and an aura that could only be described as dominating. "Who are you?" Kage''s voice was calm and composed but his brain was racing. Jane was strong, stronger than before probably because of the large amount of mana Kage put into her creation but that person completely stopped Jane. Kage had mana ready to cast a spell at a moments notice but he knew that he wouldn''t win, not even if he had a hundred lives much less two. She made a small curtsy with her tight fitting red dress, showing off the flushed skin of her legs, "Lilith Queen of the Succubi and subject of the Lord and Lady of Death." She gave off an alluring smile, "You have nothing to fear from me." Kage relaxed a bit but still kept wary, there was no way for Kage to detect whether or not what she said was true unless he wanted to stare at her for about an hour which was tempting but Shin''s body would not be able to hold up. But he somehow felt that she was telling the truth all except the last part, she was dangerous and while she probably would not make a move right now it would be best not to trust her fully. Is there a divide in factions under the Reaper''s rule? Lilith laughed a bit hand covering her mouth, "You do not have to be so wary of me, I am here to help after all you are the Chosen of my masters." She made a gesture signalling him to come closer, no Kage realized, it was not a gesture for him as he felt something within him stir. He jumped back a bit trying to distance himself from her, whatever she did Kage felt ''HIM'' start to wake up which was bad; very much so. Lilith frowned a bit, "I am only trying to help here, you aren''t good enough the way you are." She walked closer each step light and sure hand held out to towards him. He couldn''t move, Kage''s limbs were frozen did she cast a spell on him like with Jane? Just before she reached his face her hand hesitated and Kage thought he saw the form of another woman take her place briefly. Her frown deepened, clicking her tongue she said with an annoyed face, "Seems I am out of time, I look forward to seeing you again; maybe you''ll be up to my expectations then." Then she disappeared, one second she was there and the next nothing but air and Kage could move again as Jane crashed to the ground, it was almost as if Lilith was never there. There''s something bigger going on here, Karen left out some vital information whether it was intentional or not. "Tch", Kage gave Jane a glance to make sure she''s uninjured and then continued on his way, there''s too many things he doesn''t know, and too many things he can''t do right now. "Need to finish things up quickly, things will get messy if someone shows up." He muttered to himself as he walked. "W-ww-ai-wa-wai." A soft stuttering voice made him pause, what now? Looking back he saw in surprise Jane standing there, shaking almost as if she was resisting an invisible force; mouth opening and closing trying to get words out.
Jane was angry, angry at Shin for lying to her and angry at herself for being so trusting. She should''ve learned from that event a while ago and her mistake caused the lives of her and Brandon to end, to the enemy they least wanted to lose to. She was also in despair, not only did she die to him he had used her as a shield to stop Brandon''s attack and her hands to kill him,. She can see it even now as if it was happening in front of her this instant, the feel of the cold daggers, Brandon''s eyes staring in absolute shock and the helplessness of not being able to do anything. She watched as he used their bodies to summon demons to hunt down the other chosen. Her mistake is caused all of this and when he gave her the order to stay in the forest the body that was not hers moved regardless of what she thought. Then sensing a presence the same body dashed to his side to protect him. Jane temporarily gained hope from his expression, he was fearing that she gained control of the body and maybe, just maybe she can. When she was frozen in mid air she would have shouted out in glee if she could, the mysterious lady was strong and if Shin dies all will be well. But her hopes was quickly crushed as the lady introduced herself as Lilith a servant of the Reaper''s and despair quickly returned, if Lilith is helping him with the power she held Jane saw no possibility that he would lose. Something happened though and Lilith had to leave, she had a limited amount of time? That was vital information she had gotten, information she could take advantage of if she was given the opportunity. It wasn''t hopeless, not yet. As Shin turned to leave after quickly making sure she was okay Jane suddenly realized something. Carey was back there and if the two companions Shin was travelling with was working with him than she was in danger, strong as she was. Shin had also muttered something about it being messy if people showed up. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Mustering all the will she had, she tried to move her body, a limb, a hand, a finger, anything. It seemed hopeless at first but then something gave a little, her mouth reacted from her persistence. "W-ww-ai-wa-wai," it wasn''t a complete word nor was it very loud but he heard her and paused looking back in surprise. It was a small victory that she gained over him but one that gave her hope she could do more, in time; but for now preserving Carey''s life was more important because she wasn''t involved in this at all. Focusing everything she had into one word at a time she managed to stutter out a string of words, "Wh-What... Ar.. You.. Goi.Going to.. Do.. With.. Ca...rey?"
Kage was shocked, after seeing her behavior he thought Jane had no control but here she was with a small token resistance but it symbolized a lot. Jane was not completely under his control and she could apparently take over the empowered body he gave her even if it''s only a little now it may become dangerous later. He composed himself, "I''m surprised you managed to take control, I thought for sure you wouldn''t be able to." "Do-Don''t.... Av-void.... The... Que-st-ion." Her voice was stuttering and trembling more than before, it must take considerable will and concentration. Kage gave an inward breath of relief, it would at the very least not be anytime soon that Jane can do anything major but it was still a problem he cannot leave alone. "She''s dangerous, if she isn''t apart of the game. I don''t believe angering her goddess will be a great move but leaving her alone poses too much of a threat and as far as I can tell the gods do not interfere too much with our interactions so I''m expecting minimal consequences." Jane was probably hoping to use the fact that Carey was not involved in the game to try and make him let her live, but what he said was true. If Carey goes free she would know their faces, even if Mary was able to hypnotize her there is not guarantee that it''ll be a permanent effect. Also being the chosen of this world''s goddess means her authority is big which would become a large hindrance to Shin at best, or a near death sentence at worst. It also did not seem like he could enslave the souls of other Chosen, it may be because of the bond they shared with their patron gods. Therefore even though it would be against Shin''s wishes since he had no way of keeping Carey silent for sure the only thing he can do is kill her. "There must be some way..." Jane managed to speak without stuttering but the strain was clear in her voice, "In exchange I''ll serve you, it would be better than a mindless robot. You must have something that can make certain I wouldn''t betray you." Her body was no longer shaking and she was starting to walk back towards the forest, it seemed that to speak clearly Jane could no longer hold back the body. Kage weighed the pros and cons of the offer Jane gave, it had already proven that the robotic Jane was not ideal in many ways, communication being one of them. If somehow Jane was able to control the body it would be a lot easier and he did have the soul contract skill which even though it requires mutual agreement there would be no problem there if it was part of a deal he made with her. However leaving Carey alive was still a huge risk especially long term wise. But Shin needed the extra protection, Jane with her current body far surpasses Kage and that would be needed. Mary and Liliana are capable but from what he could tell Mary could only use her full power at night or under certain circumstances since she hasn''t used her claws once since he enslaved her and Liliana is moderately good at everything but excels at nothing. "Alright, I''ll take you up on that offer. Jane stop moving," Soul Contract.
*Ding
Please specify the effects of the contract, also a reminder that the contract must be accepted mutually.
"In exchange for sparing Carey''s life, Jane will serve me eternally the same as if Enslave Soul was cast on her."
Do you accept?
"I do." "I-I...I do."
Contract has been successfully made, it is permanent until your souls cease to exist.
Now to give Jane control of the body... Maybe just thinking of it? Instantly the emotionless eyes were replaced by ones filled with surprise as Jane collapse on the ground, no longer held by his previous order of staying still. Jane reached for a dagger, "Don''t move." She froze glaring at him. Shrugging Kage moved motioning for Jane to follow, "Guess we know now that it works. Oh right, Don''t even attempt to attack me or the people that follow me, that also includes suicide. Now lets go deal with Carey, now that I can''t kill her." Jane followed behind with conflicted emotions on her face: relief as she managed to save Carey and regain her freedom of movement but also a mix of anger, despair and hate as she no longer had any way of killing him and now had to serve him till she ceased to exist. As they approached the light Kage was deep in thought with Jane still grudgingly following him. The zombies Shin had summoned were dead, Kage could no longer feel the bond that was there. But he had no way of knowing what happened, he just hopes that Mary was able to do something about it.
*Note: Splitting this up in two since I wanted to title to stay relevant but at the same time they won''t be long enough to be full chapters alone. Having two .5 chapters would be redundant (.5 chapters being ones that I deem too short to be worthy of a full one, earlier chapters aside, if I ever decide to .1, .2, .3 and so on will be the chapters will be basic extras with no real relation to the main story.) so I decided to make this into one chapter with 2 parts. The second "Part" should be out sometime tomorrow then the next chapter I am thinking Wednesday earliest because of work. Again any advice or corrections would be appreciated, I did proof read it but errors will persist, I do not claim this to be perfect and I know I have shortcomings. X.X I''m not as skilled as Olyver or Mythran (Two of the first fics I read on here >< I want more and think they are great at story telling much better than me). I CAN delay future chapters for a bit to proof read it on a different day from the one I write it on if you guys want. The pace I''m going to try to set it at will be 2 chapters per week minimum, counting Chapter 11''s two parts as one chapter. Ugh its late night. Character Status (Up to Chapter 11 Part 1) *Note: Here''s a list of character status''s that has appeared in the story thus far. There is a bit of information that I want to clarify because I don''t think I''ve clearly defined it during the story mostly with Kage. Also some information about the chars that are going to appear in tonight''s chapter.
Shin - An orphaned man who''s really into gaming, he was basically kidnapped and forced into the world of Mael as the Reaper''s Chosen. Currently he is in a state of unconsciousness with Kage taking control. Kage - A split personality of Shin''s that is ruthless but still takes Shin''s morals into consideration and carries a large chunk of Shin''s feelings of justice. He is many times stronger than Shin because he has access to power that your body normally limits, which causes a lengthy recovery time due to the amount of damage Kage''s presence does to the body. He is currently in control of Shin''s body and impatient to finish his work so he can let Shin rest. Soul 4242564 aka Karen (formerly soul 4242) - A soul assigned to Shin as an assistant and has been having gaps in her memory, she seems to hate vampires for some reason. Currently MIA. Mary - A fledgling pure blooded vampire specializing in mind magic whom Shin has enslaved using Enslave Soul. She is interested in girls and is currently in somewhat of a relationship with Liliana. Right now she is groping Carey while hoping the next chapter is delayed. Liliana - A novice vampire hunter who healed Mary back in chapter 7, was enslaved by Kage via Enslave Soul. Fell for Mary and is currently in a relationship of sorts with her. Right now she is glaring at Mary while watching over Clara who is currently unconscious. Mina - Young girl who''s parents were murdered by a vampire hunter and was saved by Kage, currently sleeping soundly under Mary''s sleeping spell. The Lord Reaper - A black clad embodiment of death with a lot of power not much else is known right now. Currently reaping souls. The Lady - The Reaper''s mistress who holds a lot of power and is sadistic, also holds a grudge against Lilith. Currently anticipating her appearance in the upcoming chapter eagerly... is that drool? Miss Kagerou - A plain woman who was in the throne room at the mercy of the Lady, a part of some kind of punishment for Lilith. Current status is Unknown. Brandon - A black gigantic weight lifting athlete who is the Chosen of Atlas, he knew Jane from Earth before they were moved to Mael and has a strong friendship with her. Has titanic physical strenght but was killed by Jane (Soul Form) under Kage''s orders. Currently Deceased. Brandon''s Soul - Inside a soul stone that Shin carries. Jared - A punk who is the Chosen of Fenrir, he was attacking Clara for her symbol in order to get more powerful to defeat the Reaper''s Chosen. Has the power to summon black wolves but was killed by an ice spike to the chest by auto mode Shin. Currently Deceased. Jared''s Soul - Devoured by auto mode Shin to satisfy his passive, no longer in existence. Jane - A petite tanned track athlete who is the Chosen of Sekhmet, she knew Brandon from athletic competitions before they were sent to Mael. Has high speed and reflexes which are enhanced when she is bathed in blood but loses her mind in the process. Was killed by auto mode Shin when she impaled herself on a sword of ice. Currently Deceased. Jane''s Soul - Was given physical form by Kage''s ability Summon Soul, her physical power from when she was alive is further enhanced by the amount of mana Kage put into the creation of her physical form. Was essentially enslaved by Kage after she made a pact with him to spare Carey''s life. Currently glaring at Kage and plotting to harm him in some way shape or form. Carey - The Chosen of the Goddess of Light from Mael, she was born and raised here as a strong magician who does not need chants to use spells. Cares for Ben a lot and taught Shin more about magic, was put to sleep by Mary in Chapter 10 after Clara showed up. Currently having nightmares about being attacked by "Beasts". This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Ben - A tracker and friend of Carey''s who is good solely in stalking and running due to his experiences of stalking girls then running away from them, their friends, guards and pretty much everyone. Was injured scouting the fight between Clara and Jared and fell unconscious after reporting to Carey. Is currently in a deep sleep because of the spell Mary cast on him. Clara - Chosen of Lupa and a kind girl. She was engaged in combat with Jared not soon after she was teleported to Mael and was on the defensive until arrival of Shin''s party. She was then sent to run to inform Carey of Shin''s true form but was knocked unconscious by Liliana before she could. Currently unconscious. Yuki - Shin''s childhood friend from the orphanage and is enrolled in school. Last seen whisked away by a mysterious lady. Lilith - Queen of the Succubi and a general of the Lord Reaper''s army. She has done something to bring the ire of the Lady upon her. She was last seen trying to awaken something dark within Kage/Shin before being forced to leave due to running out of time. She is currently brooding within her prison. Wrath - A demon of wrath summoned by Kage using Brandon''s body as a base, he is angry and wants to smash things but obeys Kage''s orders, not very bright. Currently smashing his way through the forest after being told to scout out a Chosen by Kage, honestly I don''t think he''ll be very successful. Pride - A demon of pride summoned by Kage using Jared''s body as a base, he is prideful and egocentric but listens to Kage because of the pact of the summoning. Currently engaged in a race of speed with an eagle who is somehow keeping up with him. Lust - A demon of lust summoned by Kage using Jane''s body as a base, she is flirty towards Kage and calls him master; seemingly willing to do anything he asks. Currently sucking the soul out of a poor stray bandit, well actually that was probably the best thing that has ever happened to that bandit. Bob - Bandit leader of the group that attacked Shin and was Shin''s first killer. Resurrected as a shambler Bob served until his death at the hands of an enraged Mary. His buddies are too unimportant to mention. Currently Deceased. Soul was devoured and no longer exists. The other 5 Vampire hunters - Killed by Kage without putting up much of a fight minus the first one who shot Shin, Mary and killed the merchant and his wife orphaning Mina. They along with Liliana made up the group of vampire hunters stationed in Kane and have not checked in with the main group in some time. Currently Deceased but their absence is causing trouble to brew. State of their souls is unknown. Merchant and his Wife - Briefly traveled with Shin and Mary before being killed by a vampire hunter, they were the parents of Mina. Currently Deceased, souls were released and are currently waiting in a huge line for reincarnation, they are fated to be reincarnated as a lizard and a bird within the next few years. Old Merchant and his guard - Killed by Mary and Shin early on, Currently Deceased. Guards soul was devoured and no longer exists while the old merchatns soul was free to go after a while of being bound to his body, currently being tortured by demons in hell because of his greed (more backstory on this and Mary soonish I promise).
*Note - I think I got them all, let me know if I missed anyone or if I missed any info and I''ll add it on. Questions are allowed as long as they are shown somewhat in the story already. Seemed a little weird to me in wording, what I meant is that I will answer any questions as long as the answers were somewhat shown, Kage''s info for example I''ve implied during the story but never outright said it, which I did now. Hope this helps answer some questions and clarifies what has happened thus far, especially from the last few chapters being kind of confusing. Chapter 11 Part 2: Divine Intervention The moment Kage stepped out of the forest he found Mary stripping Carey while Liliana was trying to watch Clara and restrain Mary at the same time which wasn''t easy considering the fact that Liliana was trying to stop Mary while facing the other way. "Ummm... Did I interrupt something?" They both turned to look at me, Mary started pouting while Liliana just glared. "What took you so long?" Liliana''s glare bore deeper once she saw Jane behind me. "Shin couldn''t you have taken longer? Like another few days longer?" Mary on the other hand was whining while reluctantly letting go of Carey''s body. "Was caught in a fight and ambushed by a general of the reaper''s, also I prefer Kage." Liliana immediately looked around, alert with a hand on her sword, "So what happened and what happens now, also why is SHE here? I assume you killed the other one so." "Long story short he did kill me and now I serve him in exchange for Carey''s life." Jane interjected before Kage could answer standing in front of Carey to ward of Mary. "So you add another..." Liliana sighed in resignation, "Ok so what do we do with these two?" "You seem to be misunderstanding something but that girl needs to die while we need to do something with Carey... How potent is healing spells?" Mary cut in, "It speeds up your body''s natural regeneration, it can regenerate missing pieces of flesh but not limbs." "How about tongues?" Jane grabbed Kage''s shoulders and glared at him, "You are NOT doing that." Kage shrugged, "I''m not taking her life, taking her hands and tongue will ensure that she won''t be able to say or write anything about this to anyone." Mary slid up to him grabbing his arm and pushing her chest onto him. "Can''t I keep her? I mean can''t you do what you did to me, Liliana and Jane?" Kage shook his head pushing Mary off in the process, "Doesn''t work on Chosen and Shin was the one that enslaved you not me, as for Jane we made a deal. It''s different." he had intended to try on Brandon but he somehow knew it wouldn''t work, probably the system magically imputing information into his brain. "Multiple personality disorder" Jane muttered under her breath. "So no Mary you cannot plus aren''t you in a relationship with Liliana right now?" Kage continued ignoring Jane''s comment. Mary opened her mouth to complain then froze, Liliana following her gaze followed suite. Kage had a bad feeling about this... Turning around he came face to face with a giant brown wolf that staring with at him ancient chestnut eyes. "I''m sorry to interrupt you but I have no time to wait for you to finish your... quarrel." A deep powerful voice rumbled out vibrating the air. "My name is Lupa I am Clara''s god patron," She lowered her head so much it almost scrapped the ground, "I humbly beg that you let her live." Kage was speechless, never mind the fact that a god suddenly appeared before him, said god was bowing her head and begging him. "Excuse me?" Lupa''s eyes looked up, large and sad, "I am resigned to my fate but at the very least let her live. She willingly agreed to help me after I asked her to and she does not deserve such an end." "I... do not follow you, you are god right? Can''t you just kill me?" Confusion clouded Kage''s mind. It was Lupa''s turn to look confused, or rather she let out an aura of confusion, "I cannot directly interfere, making an enemy of the Reaper would result in a fate worst than death for Clara." "What do you mean? Isn''t this a game between gods?" Things weren''t adding up, all evidence pointed to the fact that the Reaper was just a hated god in this game. Was he more influential than Kage thought? IOr was Karen withholding some vital information. "Wait you mean you don''t know anything?" Jane walked up. Lupa froze for an instant then turned her head towards Jane, "It is not our place to say anything, if your patron has decided not to tell you," She returned her gaze to Kage, "Then I can say nothing about it." Kage''s mind was racing, it did not seem like a rule for the game that the other gods can''t provide information if a Chosen''s patron decides not to tell them. Rather it was as if Lupa was AFRAID to, coupled with the fact that while strong Jane and Brandon weren''t especially strong for having 2 years on Shin in this world caused high suspicion that more than what he was told is going on here. "Putting that aside," it did not seem like Lupa would budge and from what she said if Kage forced Jane to give up information it would be same as a death sentence to her. "Wouldn''t taking the symbol result in her death?" "That is normally true, but if the god is no longer connected to her then no harm would befall the Ex-Chosen." Lupa bite into her right leg, the blood drawing a bloody trail across her light brown fur. Pooling at her feet it started moving as if it was alive slowly taking the form of a growing statue of a wolf that was in the middle of howling at the moon. As the statue reached the size of a trophy it solidified into a dark wooden carving, radiating power. "This is my symbol, once again I beg that you spare her." Lupa''s head again bowed down, her right leg shaking barely able to hold up her weight. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. "Would she pose a threat to me?" An increasing pain in his forehead made Kage push all complicated thoughts aside, this needed to be resolved... Soon. "No, she will retain the ability to hear and speak the languages and her increased physical prowess but she will not have any powers of boons that she had when I was her patron, nor would she have the immunity to your power." Lupa looked into Kage''s eyes with a sad smile, "Thank you, please if you have a chance. Send her back to her own world, and tell her that I''m sorry but thankful for all she''s done." "Wai-" Kage hadn''t accepted yet but Lupa had begun to be swallowed up by black mist the second she finished talking. "What... was that!" After Lupa disappeared Liliana and Mary who were both frozen in place yelled out in unison. "You have some explaining to do, Kage." Liliana grabbed Kage by his collar. "Umm... I would love to but Clara is waking up and I think we have another guest." Indeed behind Liliana a supernatural glow was forming into the shape of a woman. What... Is happening. A beautiful elf with long blond hair flowing past her waist which was clad in a loose golden dress. Her eyes the warm colour of honey, the aura she gave off clearly declared that she was not a mortal but a god. Bowing to Kage she spoke with a voice sounding of sunshine and spring, "Lunaela the Goddess of Light of this world. I will make sure that Carey does not spread this incident around so will you not overlook it?" Another god pleading with him, Karen has a lot to answer for when she shows up again . Kage sighed, "If she won''t be a problem I see no reason why I cannot, I assume you also can''t tell me the reason gods are asking favors of a mere mortal right?" She gave off a small smile, seeing it made the image of the the sun setting coming to Kage''s mind. "I am afraid you are correct, but know that I am very grateful for this." She started dimming, fading into the air, "I cannot stay long, if I stayed longer it would be... problematic, but once again thank you." Then she was gone, WHAT IS HAPPENING? Liliana, Mary and even Jane this time were all flabbergasted, "WHAT WAS THAT?!?!?". "I don''t know but, you''ll have to settle it with Shin later, sorry you have to clean up again Mary." As Kage fell towards the ground, he pitied Shin, for he had to deal with five very angry ladies when he woke up.
The Lady was giggling with glee as she had her white robed servants drag a sobbing, begging, chained Sekhmet away to her quarters. She was going to have so much fun with the little kitty before breaking her, a twisted smile forming on her lips, while Lilith''s attempt didn''t go as planned she had gotten a new toy. A glow in the middle of the stone chamber alerted her to a new arrival, her smile widened more. "Oh my, Lupa dear it''s been too long since we''ve seen each other. Let''s catch up in my room." The Lady made a motion with her hands and more robed servants appeared to take Lupa away. "Celesta..." Lupa was looking at her with pitying eyes. "My that''s awfully rude, don''t worry, I''ll be sure to teach you some manners later." Turning around laughing imagining all the lovely toys she was going to use on Lupa and Sekhment she almost ran into a figure clad in black that was darker than the night. "Oh, excuse me my Lord, I was a little excited." She tipped her head a little. The Reaper waved his hand, dismissing the servants without even replying to her, "Lupa is to come with me." a demanding voice clearly rang out across the stone tiles. "I-Uh-Yes of course my lord." The Lady bowed, deeper this time no longer with a smile on her face. Lupa was staring in shock, motioning for her to follow the Reaper departed the room gliding across the floor with a confused Lupa following suite. Once Lupa and the Lord was gone the Lady lashed out, sending wild tendrils of black energy flying out at random directions splattering some of her servants against the wall. "HOW DARE SHE, The Lord is Mine, MINE!" Celesta stormed out of the room with her servants following close but warily behind. Stopping suddenly she grinned, if she cannot touch Lupa then she can release her anger on another. She was looking forward to how a Lioness screams, maybe the jagged dagger? acid? No that was too plain, ahh... a devilish idea came to her mind, Celesta would skin Sekhmet alive after all the pelt of a goddess would look nice above the fireplace, giggling again she started hurrying back to her chambers, what a fun night it was going to be.
*Note: hmm this turned out a bit differently than what I thought it would. Was it too much of a change in atmosphere all at once? I dumped quite a bit of information out with this one. As for what the Lady... what Celesta does I''ll leave it to your imaginations, oh almost forgot to add that a stuffed black wolf now decorates her room along with a bronze statue of a man with holding up a water basin in her garden. Chapter 12: Sorting Out Messes I''m back for a bit!!! Starting another job next month but I no longer have to fill in for people at my other jobs so not sure how that''s going to turn out. But for sure there will be at least one on Friday (day I have off work). Also I realized that I SUCK at doing split work (this is around my tenth rewrite for this chapter). I am just not capable of working on one chapter over several days so from now on if I have time during work days I''ll put out a chapter but they will be shorter. I''ve also been debating about first person or third person for Shin for some time as some of the things I want to write actually become harder to do with first person, but for now I''ll leave it in first person for consistency reasons. If I do change it I''ll give a heads up.
Once again I was surrounded by darkness, an empty void where no sound, sight or touch existed. How long had it been? The last thing I remember was a notice telling me that emergency mode has activated, considering I''m in here like last time I can assume I''m still alive. "Seems I am out of time, I look forward to seeing you again; maybe you''ll be up to my expectations then." A very feminine voice broke the silence suddenly. Who? What? ... After the voice spoke out I could suddenly hear although I still can''t feel, smell or see anything, from how the conversations went I realized that Kage (my other self) is rather ruthless. From a strategical stand point though emotions aside his decisions were sound. That''s right, this is reality I can''t take it easy and let my emotions cloud my eyes if I want to survive. But... do I have a reason to live? As morbid as it is if you compare my life to someone like Jane who has a goal and dream presumably my life was plain and dull, was it worth the lives of others? This isn''t good I''m starting to doubt and right after I decided I need to stop doing that. Okay, it''s fine this is a game, just treat it like a game and everything will be fine. While I was trying to hype myself up light was gradually pushing away the darkness, was I waking up? ... Wait I have to deal with all the girls don''t I? Damnit Kage why couldn''t you have dealt with this before leaving. What greeted my eyes however was not a place a I recognize, a spacious room with polished black walls and floor. "Wait what, where am I?" "Hmm... I guess for humans this would be called hell?" Turning around I came face to face with an empty face, under a black hood where a face would normally was just darkness. Wait hell? Did I die while I was unconscious? I didn''t hear anything signaling an attack although a silent arrow or blade is possible. "You should stop scaring him, and despite what you think Shin you are not dead." Looking to the left where the king voice originated from was a huge wolf. "L-Lupa?" From the conversation earlier and my knowledge of myths from the period of time that I was obsessed with them I assume the one sitting in front of me was Lupa. "Nice to meet you, I ask that you take care of Clara from now on." Lupa smiled at me, in reality it looked kind of like she was baring her fangs at me but somehow I seem to be able to tell she was smiling. "I apologize for having you called here, rather forcefully but I wanted you to let Clara know that I am for the time being fine." "It''s not like I''m going to do anything to you old friend, although I can''t just let you go either." looking back to my right towards the hooded man, I found him looking at me. "Good to see you again Shin, although you probably don''t remember me I''m the Grim Reaper, God of Death and... Your patron god." "Eh.. Uh - Err- Hi, Si-Lor- Master?" I had thought it a possibility when I saw Lupa but, the REAPER!?!?! What do I do, am I being respectful enough? Does he want to eat me? Wait we met before? He laughed a bit at my reaction, "No need to be so formal I care not for it. That aside I must apologize first for dragging you here and second for the lack of information you have. I left the information control to Celesta and it seems she has done some... modifications to it." "Err, Yes! Thank you very much." There is no way I can relax, there was nothing particularly scaring or intimidating about him but that is what is scariest. Also who is Celesta? And does that mean that Karen hasn''t been getting access to full information? "You really are too scary, if you took off that hood it would probably be better." The Reaper turned towards Lupa. "You and me both know that my face is a lot scarier than black nothingness." What is his face like? I want to know but I don''t, this feels like a situation that the saying ''curiosity killed the cat'' fits perfectly. "Well, best of luck to you in the future Shin. Also as an apology gift I sent something to you through your inbox." Why do I feel like the Reaper is smiling right now? That is creepy, especially combined with what he just said. Can I decline the gift? "Ah, you need to go back now if you stay any longer you might die." WHAT!!! Please don''t say that so calmly, you dragged me here and I''ll die if I don''t get back?!?!? How do I even get back??! "It''s fine, it''s fine I''m sending you back now so it doesn''t happen." The Reaper snapped his fingers and black smoke started curling around me. ... It can''t be right? "Could it be that you... can read my mind?" Again the feeling of him smiling appeared, "Why yes I can, did I not tell you that?". As the smoke covered my vision and I started blacking out I heard him chuckling in the background.
"He is quite amusing, I''m glad he''s the chosen this time around." Lupa stared into the Reaper''s black hole of a face, "In all seriousness is he going to be alright? I''m glad he''s not a cold blooded killer but-" "Either way it''s not like we can change anything, he''s the only one this time around that fulfills the conditions. He''s also got that duo with him so he should be fine." Lupa frowned, "Except neither of them have memories and he''s up against HER." The atmosphere darkened, "He''s going to be fine... he''s got to be." "... You''ve really have changed." There was a sad tone to Lupa''s voice. The Reaper lightly laughed and the gloomy atmosphere receded although it still lingered in his voice, "For better or for worse we''ll have to see won''t we?"
The sky was darkening as Liliana made a campfire, Ben was still unconscious in by the tree, Jane and Carey were talking a by the forest, while Mary was making a lot of noise with Clara behind the wagon... The branch Liliana was holding snapped under the pressure of her hand sending some splinters flying off to the right. "Oww..." Liliana looked over and saw that the splinters had hit Mina who was currently wringing out a towl to place on Shin''s head. "Sorry Mina, I didn''t mean-" Mina''s face puffed up, "You''re an adult so stop acting like that, Mary''s just that kind of person so either get used to it or leave her." Turning around without letting Liliana respond she stomped off towards Shin who was still lying where he fell, although he was flipped onto his back. Lectured by a girl... Liliana sighed as she got a new branch and started poking the fire with it, watching the embers burn. A cry of pain from Mina made Liliana turn around with her right hand on the hilt of her sword.
I woke up with a start and banged into something with my forehead, "Uuuuu.." Mina was to my left holding onto her forehead with tears in the corners of her eyes. "Oh, uh sorry Mina." For some reason she glared at me and stormed off pouting, I said sorry didn''t I? "Glad to see you''re up," walking up to me was Liliana, her hand leaving her sword. "Indeed you have a lot of explaining to do." Jane walked up with Carey who was looking at me with a huge amount of murderous intent. "Oh you''re up?" Mary''s head peaked around the corner of the wagon, "Give me a second we''ll be right there." A bit later Mary and a bright red Clara emerged walking towards me... Damnit Kage, why can''t you hav-
*Ding
You Have Mail
What? Mail? A flashing icon of a mailbox appeared in the upper right of my vision... Umm Mailbox?.
Inbox
From:Description
SystemMissing Loot
The ReaperGift <3
... Do I need to open the one from the Reaper? It scares me...
Oh you''re awake, I''ve gotten access to some information and some changes to the rules it seems, or rather corrections.
"Oh what is it Karen?" "Why you, Don''t just ignore u-" I held up my hand and Liliana was cut off as her mouth clamped shut.
Here are the corrected rules: The "game" is a last chance for convicts to earn their freedom, if their chosen kills or outlives the chosen of the Reaper''s than the convicts will be released, however if their chosen dies anytime before the Reaper''s chosen''s death then the convict gets an execution sentence. The symbols that are left over from a kill can be used to increase the power of the possessor by giving access to abilities that were previously possessed by the chosen of said symbol. Alternatively a chosen may also present 25 symbols (not including their own) to the Reaper to win. To return to their worlds a chosen must win in one of the above listed ways. The starting amount of chosen excluding the Reaper''s is 100, the time limit is until the death of the Reaper''s chosen or the death of all other chosen. The gods have a 2 year head start to train their chosen, as a counter measure to balance the playing field the Reaper''s chosen will be given buffs to increase learning speed when he or she joins the game.
That... is a lot to swallow at once, rather I can''t imagine Lupa being a criminal in any way shape or form. "Karen what are the charges against them?"
The charges are unknown.
*Ding
Hidden Passives Unlocked: Looter (Passive) - You now gain loot for kills. Blessing''s of Learning (Passive) - You gain double EXP. Power Overwhelming (Passive) - You gain +1 to every stat for every symbol you have in your inventory.
So that''s what the missing loot message was about... let''s see Inbox. Oh that worked too, now let''s see to select the system message do I just think it?
Previously Missing Loot: 1 x Bob''s Eye 1 x Merchant''s Pinkie 39 x Wolf Meat 37 x Black Wolf Pelt 13 x Brown Wolf Pelt 92 x Wolf Fang 5 x Goblin Ear 2 x Primitive Axe 1 x Primitive Spear 4 x Primitive Dagger 1 x Wooden Shield 1 x Goblin Tongue If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.1 x Biker Jacket 2 x Steel Dagger 116 Gold 76 Silver 28 Copper For Defeating Mary Sanguine you get: 1 x Bottle of Saliva For Defeating Jared Joe you get: 1 x Fenrir''s Claw For Defeating Jane Bishara you get: 1 x Sekhmet''s Claw As a gift from the Reaper: tsk tsk tsk Did you think you can avoid this? - 1 Grandfather Clock of Time.
Seems like the Reaper''s message opened itself... well it seems like it''s nothing bad despite some strange things being here. Also it seems like kills that Kage get don''t count since there was nothing from the vampire hunters or Brandon. Hmm let''s see what are the unique items?
Bob''s Eye (Crafting Material): An eye from the bandit Bob, there seems to be some magical properties to it. Merchant''s Pinkie (Crafting Material): A pinkie from a merchant, there seems to be some magical properties to it. Biker Jacket (Jacket): A slightly worn leather biker jacket, it offers protection from wind and rain. Special Ability - Once a day during night time you may transform into a ghost rider for 10 mins giving you immunity to fire damage, fire aura burning everything around you and 25% increased fire damage. Mount not included. Atk: 10 Def: 150 Durability: N/A + 5 Vit Bottle of Saliva (Consumable): Vampire Saliva has various properties, applying magic you can change the properties of the bottle of saliva at will. The saliva''s properties can be changed to: Inflict immense pain, cause a severe increase in sexual desire and sensitivity, a complete numbness of affected area, a wet slobbery mess of saliva. Fenrir''s Claw (Clawed Gauntlet): A black magical weapon styled after Fenrir''s claw. Special Ability - Every time this weapon draws blood increase the user''s attack and life steal by 1%. Atk: 200 Def: 50 Durability: N/A + 10 Agi Sekhmet''s Claw (Clawed Gauntlet): A golden magical weapon styled after Sekhment''s claw. Special Ability - Every time this weapon draws blood increase attack speed and movement speed by 1%. Atk: 200 Def: 50 Durability: N/A + 10 Dex Grandfather Clock of Time (Consumable Relic): You may turn back time by 5 minutes once, usable while dead. Turning back time does not affect this item.
These... can be considered Divine equipment right? Is there no cap on the increase you can have for the weapons? How long is the duration?
You might want to pay attention to the ones around you soon, for personal safety reasons.
Looking around I realized that while I was thinking the girls have been glaring at me impatiently, Liliana with her arms crossed and mouth clamped shut. "Oh, sorry umm... you can talk now?" "Care to explain now?" Somehow her calm words are more unsettling than if she was shouting angrily at me. "Uhh yes, so what do you want to know?" "Well first of all who are you? Second what happened in the forest and third... Why are gods begging favors from you?!?!?" I looked over to Jane who shrugged, "I told my side of the story." "Okay, first off as Jane probably already told you I''m the Chosen of the Reaper. As for what happened in the forest... Jane knows more than me because I was passed out. For your last question I would assume its because of the Reaper''s influence." "Oh right, about what Lupa said," Mary came up to me with a sweet smile on her face and making puppy dog eyes, "Can I please have Clara? I promise I''ll take good care of her." "Wait, I never agreed to this!!!" Clara who was clearly against this backed away from me, "Yo-You stay away." Kage''s going to lecture me but, "I don''t plan on doing so, Clara can do whatever she wants. Lupa wanted to let you know that she''s fine though and if you choose to stay with us I''ll do my best to take care of you..." "How can I believe anything you say? You murderer!" "Is this how you trick people?" Carey said so with contempt, although I don''t blame her for hating me why does everyone just seem to dislike me? "You can believe it or not, I can''t prove it. And no it is not how I trick people, it''s not like I had much choice in the matter Carey. Aside from that can we just settle things quickly? It''s getting dark." Indeed the sun is barely a sliver above the horizon now and quickly disappearing. As Carey and Clara start to object a voice shouted out from the other side of the campfire, "I agree with that". Looking over Ben was standing up while rubbing his limbs, "How long did I sleep for? My entire body is sore." "Ben? Are you alright?" Carey rushed over and started fussing over him. "You aren''t still hurting anywhere right? You have a clear head? It''s not affected by magic right?" "I''ve said before all I did was put him to sleep, well since we aren''t going to get anywhere shall we continue where we left off Clara?" Caressing Clara''s face gently with her right hand Mary put her face enticingly close to Clara''s while leading her towards to back of the wagon. At this Ben looked over a perverted look on his face, "If you don''t mind can I watc- Owowowow Carey what are you doing?" "Even in this situation you''re still thinking about that stuff?!?!" Carey mercilessly twisted Ben''s ears, her face red. "I get it, I get it... But it''s not like it''ll do any good to be down." He looked over at me, "Thank you for not killing me by the way, I''m not going to try to kill you like Carey would if she could but don''t expect me to be friendly." He came close standing face to face with me, "However if you dare lay a hand of Carey I will kill you even if I cease to exist." He''s not as stupid as he acts... and he''s serious about that. "I have no plans to do anything to her as long as I''m not attacked first." Rather from the rules update... I might not even need to fight the other chosen. "I hope you mean that," Jane was staring into my eyes, is it a trick of the lighting or are her eyes glowing a bit blue? "Like what Ben said what''s done is done, not that I can kill you even if I tried. Can you release Brandon''s soul though? As a favor? You have me so there''s no reason for you to keep him right?" Although her voice was calm her hand was shaking a little. Kage would have refused for sure, and if you look at it from a strategic perspective that would be the correct response, but... "Yeah alright," Release Soul. Jane breathed a sigh of relief as a blue wisp flew out from me and disappeared into the sky, "Tha-Thank you." She lowered her head a bit then left towards Carey and Ben.
That might not have been the best choice
"Well, I''m not heartless Karen, I can always use April''s can for fools if I need souls." Now... what to do? I got an absurd amount of money from the loot as well as sell able stuff. In games you can usually process them into useful items, especially since some of them are labelled as crafting materials, do I need a trainer first? A tugging on my shirt made me look down at Mina who had a red forehead. "We can sell the stuff from the wolves and goblins for money, also I''m hungry so can you make me something?" Oh yeah she hasn''t eaten since this afternoon has she? And despite me getting loot the bodies are still there. "Ah yeah sure let''s see..." There were potatoes in the wagon, some herbs, some salt and pepper and we have the wolf meat.. actually why don''t I just put everything into my inventory? Stuff doesn''t seem to deteriorate in there. Pulling out a knife I started working on chopping the potatoes and preparing a simple soup. "Liliana can you skin and cut the meat from the wolves?" She looked over from where she was brooding, sighing she got up and started butchering the wolves that we killed earlier that day. Cooking was rather simple, especially with magic. Water, Air and Fire magic took care of all the sanitation and allows me to control the fire as well. Although the seasoning is simple the taste of the soup was good. I had to use the meat from my inventory though as the meat Liliana brought back was full of bugs, then again it has been a while since they''ve died.
*Ding
Due to your actions you have learned a new skill: Cooking (Passive): Allows you to cook delicious food, higher ranks of the skill further increase the quality of the food and decrease the time required. Adept 5 - Increase quality of the food by 75% and decrease the cooking time by 50%.
Did my experience in cooking carry over? Damn I want to see the stats since one of my passives said I can''t get buffs from food but I don''t want to stare at the soup for 55 mins. Oh that reminds me... what are my stats now? Status
Status Window
NameShinKageLevel10
ClassNoneEXP2350/3000
Sub-ClassNoneRaceHuman
TitleHardcore Gamer
HP290/290MP420/420
Stamina280/280Alignment125 : Neutral
Strength12Vitality11
Endurance10Agility15
Dexterity11Luck11
Intelligence14Wisdom11
You have 35 Stat points to use
Due to your actions you have gained new titles: Wolf Slayer - You gain 5% increased damage against wolves. + 5 Str and + 5 Vit. Backstabber - You gain a 25% increase in damage when you attack from behind. - 500 Alignment. Soul Eater - Devouring souls are 10% more effective.
Soul Eater would be useful when I devour souls aside from that let''s use Wolf Slayer for the stats for now. This is probably a stupid decision but let''s continue putting all stat points into Intelligence. Glass cannon all the way!!!
Sorry about the random (tr) there I don''t know why it''s there neither can I figure out how to get rid of it. There may be another chapter today. As always advice and critique is much appreciated. Also a quick clarification, he is technically in a party with Jane and co therefore the large amount of loot. As for Jane''s last name (I tried searching them up ><) she is of Egyptian descent. Chapter 13: Return to the City of Gold Sorry for taking so long but from now until the 10th there should be at least 1 chapter out per day maybe more. As for the harem tag it is staying for various reasons but (and this is without any malice or intended offense) if you are reading a story solely for the harem tag or similar tags don''t just scream at the author for not having it the way you like or not visible yet (the case here). It is a part of the story but not THE story, I put the tag there so it will be a part of the story. Also I don''t mind you guys bringing it up as a question but doing it over and over again in an aggressive way only really makes me annoyed and agitated. Stuff like that really dents someone''s motivation to continue (although in my case it was more work taking over all the time I had than anything).
Nothing happened during the night except some certain sounds that made it harder for me to sleep that originated from a certain trio. I think I miss dreaming, it feels kind of weird to close your eyes one second in the night then wake up to see the sun rising in the next. I wonder how it''ll feel to never have to sleep. Maybe I should ask Jane sometime since she was on the watch the entire night, being a soul she needed no rest. "Morning," Ben was sitting on top of a tree branch whittling at a chunk of wood, his face neither friendly nor hostile. "I heard from Jane and Mina that you were a good cook, can you make breakfast for us?" "Wha- I refuse to eat the food he makes and you should too," Carey is unexpectedly stubborn about it, last night she ate from her own pack, if possible I would like to get along with her... but at this point I''m just thankful she isn''t trying to kill me, probably due to the influence of Lunaela. "Come on, the food we have is just dry bread and other tasteless stuff meant for long travels. Plus he''s the one providing the food a small vengeance if you think about it that way." "I... I still refuse," stating so Carey went to sit away from us and started chewing on some really tough looking bread-like object. Ben shrugged, "Your loss, so what''s for breakfast?" Let''s see, we 20 potatoes, 3 rolls of cheese that''s kind of like cheddar, 39 wolf meat, 6 one day old bread, 12 balls of lettuce, 16 eggs, 30 tomatoes and 50 of a teal coloured fruit that is shaped a lot like an apple. "What is this Mina?" Pulling the fruit in question out from my inventory. She was staring at me with wide eyes, "How did you do that?" "Eh? Umm a special type of magic? It allows me to store things and it won''t go bad and as far as I know can''t be stolen." Carey looked over at that, "Spacial magic? But that''s one of the highest level magics in the world!" "Didn''t Jane and Brandon have that?" "Nope, we only had the option to view our skills and status. Perks of being the chosen of the Reaper huh?" "Wait we are getting really off topic, so what is this exactly Mina?" Once again I held the fruit out to her. "Oh that''s a Telin Fruit it tastes sweet wit ha bit of sourness; it''s a special product of the village my parents went to before we met you guys. They also produce a Teal silk from the silkworms that feed off of the fruits, we have a couple bundles of it in the wagon." Mina explained with a bunch of useless trivia on the side all the while with a serious face, not a face a child would have. Hmm... I guess an impromptu burger with juice would work?
*Ding
Recipes retrieved: Burger - 1 unit of Bread, 1 unit of patty, 1 unit of lettuce, 1 unit of tomato, 1 unit of cheese. 10 mins cooking time + 5 mins per additional Burger. Fire required nearby. Patty - 1 unit of meat. 1 min of cooking time + 0.5 min per additional Patty. Juice - 2 units of fruit. 3 mins cooking time + 1 min per additional Juice.
Mina was looking at me weirdly, I think it might be because my eyes are popping out of their sockets. Is this because of the [Cooking] passive? Of course when it came to games crafting was a major part of it, but I never expected it to be like this. Units... does that mean an inventory unit? Let''s try it. Craft Patty 10. An icon with a pot over a fire and a number 10 appeared in the upper right of my vision, mentally hovering an imaginary mouse over it popped a message up.
Cooking - While cooking your movement speed is reduced by 50% with every additional item further reducing your movement speed by another 50%. 5 mins remaining.
So I can''t fight while cooking, guess that makes sense since most games make you sit there staring at a progress bar although the time is much less. The stacking debuff should have my movement speed to be at around 0.1% so if I try to move. As I tried taking a step with my right leg, it moved in super slow motion regardless of how much I tried to push it. Actually I think I''m moving slightly faster when I use more force although my stamina is draining a lot quicker. Moving while crafting seems impossible although my upper body seems to be unaffected. "What are you doing?" Mina had her head cocked to a side and looking up at me, it gave me the impression of a small puppy. "Umm... Well cooking technically." "You just look like you''re trying out to be a clown... and failing." Yup, I look like a random idiot trying to do a slow mo of something while my upper body is moving like crazy; I guess waving my arms around wasn''t the best way to test if they were affected. "I know how it looks but I really a-" I almost fell over as my leg suddenly went forward knocking me off balance.
*Ding Cooking of 10 Patty is now done.
Throwing my hands forward I barely saved myself from face-planting into the ground. Brushing myself off as I got up ignoring the looks of pity directed at me, I looked in my inventory. There were 10 wolf meat patties, so every wolf meat I used counted as 2 units of meat. Damn and here I was thinking of exploiting the unit system by making every speck of food into a unit. Cook Max Burgers, Cook Max Juice If there''s leftovers I can always just throw it into my inventory, I wonder does it spawn utensils and containers as well? This time the debuff''s status displayed 52 mins. "Alright it''ll take about an hour to cook." "What are you making?" Jane asked with the impression of a drooling dog. "Burgers and some juice, that''s pretty much the only thing I can make with the ingredients we have on hand." At that her eyes seem to have a dangerous gleam to it. Did she miss the food from our world that much? "By the way where are the others?" Mary, Clara and Liliana were nowhere to be seen although I can feel that two of them are nearby. "Right here," Walking out of the dark forest dragging bags leaking blood was the trio that looks like they came right out of a horror movie. Liliana dropped the bag a bit away from the camp and started using water magic to clean herself off. "We were just taking proof of kills off of the black wolves, we can turn them in for a reward at the guild as well as collecting the hide." She glanced towards Clara, "It would be better if we got the ones from the other wolves but Clara was against it." "How much are they worth?" Considering how many I have we probably won''t have to worry about gold for a long time. "The bones when ground up should be worth about 1 silver per pound, the teeth about 75 copper apiece, the hide would be worth about 25 silver each. Would be more if we could process them into pelts, even better if we can turn them into good pieces of equipment but I don''t think any of us here can do that. My parent''s had a fiend who works with leather so if you want we can probably stop by and get a good deal off of it." "Yo-you sure know a lot Mina." Carey commented while everyone stared at the source of the blob of information. "I''m the daughter of a merchant you know? I need to know at least this much." She stuck out her chest in pride. "But aren''t the wolves summons? How did you get the price for them?" "It''s a rough estimation, considering the size, colour and condition and using normal wolf hide as a reference. Normal wolf hides go for around 5 silver coins per piece. The bone and teeth are also estimated based off of a normal wolf''s prices." ... That''s beyond pure memorization isn''t it? Isn''t she like 10? For some reason I feel like the early years of my life was wasted. "By the way how much are the bounties worth?" "Goblins are worth 1 silver each, the wolves probably around 20." I looked up at Ben who answered unexpectedly with a bewildered face. "What, I know how much things cost. I don''t just fool around you know." "Or rather he knows how much it is because he uses that money to fool around." Jane sneered, in that way we joked around until the food was done. Despite him saying otherwise I''ll say he''s being pretty friendly, it may just be his personality though.
"This... This is amazing!!! Carey you have to try this." the camp was in quite an uproar over the burgers with Ben and Jane trying to force Carey to try some. Was it really that great? Giving in to desire I grabbed a burger despite not needing any sustenance. Holding the burger with two hands I can smell the delicious aroma of the meat, it was mouth watering and created a sense of hunger in me that should not have been possible. Taking a bite the crispy bun, the juicy patty, the cheese that was perfectly melted, the fresh taste of the crunchy lettuce with the refreshing tomatoes made the burger divine. Cooking skill is so amazing, this is better than any other burger I have ever had. The juice was equally as amazing, despite just being squeezed juice its sweetness rivals that of honey but it wasn''t too overpowering because of the sourness. Recreating a taste that was close to lemonade but so much better. Carey caved in to the aroma`s and peer pressure and soon the plentiful amount of food consisting of 10 burgers and 25 glasses of juice (utensils and containers do come with the food) was gone despite three of us not needing any food. "That... That was sinfully good." Carey stated with face that seemed to be confused whether to be in love or grumpy. It was quite funny although saying out loud or staring is unwise, I''ve played enough games to know that much. "You can make a living off of that you know? I''ll manage the place an everything, split it 50/50?" Ben was trying to convince me into making a store. It makes me wonder how good will the other stuff be when I get the crafting skills. If I can make Divine level items it would make everything so much easier. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "Indeed, this burger and juice combination would go for 5 gold? No probably 10, and the way it stimulates your appetite you could make several platinum a day. Even leaders from all races would seek your food." Mina muttered, did she get caught up in the money making scheme Ben was proposing. "Ah I have a question." Everyone''s attention got focused on me in an instant... That''s a lot of pressure there! "How much is a gold coin worth by the way?" Despite being told the way currency functions by Mary and buying several things I''m still not sure exactly what it is worth. Like how much is it for a simple meal, clothes, etc. "Oh yeah we had this same problem before, think of it like this. Peasants and lower class takes anywhere from a month to a years work to get a gold coin. On the other hand lesser nobles get a couple gold coins per month. Upper nobles get a couple platinum a month. A country as a whole gets a couple mithril coins in a year and gemmed coins are pretty much unobtainable and are national treasures. You could BUY a country with one gemmed coin." Carey glared at Jane "You and Brandon wasted a bunch of money before too." Thinking back our spending was quite extravagant, rather why did we spend so much in lodging. The fee for the adventurers guild makes sense though in a business sense, its a pretty hefty price just in case you go and die but if you are capable you can make a good living off of it. "Wait why are gemmed coins so rare?" If it''s used as a currency shouldn''t there be a bunch of them? "Gemmed coins are not made by us. While it is listed as a currency since it is a coin it hardly ever changes hands and the few that do get their hands on one usually from a dungeon or divine favor are treated with great awe and respect. They are made from solid gem with a lot of magic imbued within, mages believe that the coins were gifts from gods or from an ancient civilization." Mina again spouted off a bunch of information. "That and the fact that the coins can store a huge amount of magical power making it even more precious. Items that can hold magic power in any real capacity are very highly sought for." Carey holds out a necklace made of gold, it was in the shape of a lady dressed in a simple robe with wings spreading out from behind her back. It clearly resembled Lunaela minus the elf ears. "This can store up to 500 magic power and was a gift to me from Lady Lunaela, as far as compared to other items goes the highest capacity that wasn''t a gemmed coin was a crystal sword wielded by the leader of the vampires which stores up to 5000 magic power. However it stores power by drinking blood so it is not used and kept safe by the vampire hunters." Mary twitched a bit at that but said nothing although both Liliana and Clara glanced at her a bit. This means the soul stones are really valuable provided anyone else but me can use them. I wonder what Carey''s stats are but I guess I can''t just stare at her for an hour. "Well, I think it''s about time for us to head out." Surprisingly it was Ben who brought it up. "Me and Carey are headed to the holy city of Svarlin... I assume that you won''t be coming with us, Jane?" "Wha-Why? You are coming with us right?" Carey was looking at Jane with almost pleading eyes. "Nope, I''m going with Shin. I''m not going to ask for too much," Jane bowed her head a little to me, is it about the thing with Brandon? "Figures, well what are you going to do Clara?" Ben turned towards Clara who had her mouth and eyes open in surprise while restraining Carey. "Eh? Er... I don''t know?" It seems she hadn''t thought about it before. "Lupa asked me to take care of you but if you want to go with them you can," I looked towards Ben and Carey, "I''m sure they can take care of you better than I can right now. I''ll provide some funds as well of course." "Guess it''s decided then, it was fun playing with you," Mary gave Clara a kiss on the cheek then walked a little distance away to where Liliana was standing. She looked at me, "What? if she had a choice she would take that, since she hates you. But how are you going to provide the funds? It''s not like they can carry this stuff all the way to the Svarlin and they aren''t going to head back to Kane with us either." I smiled awkwardly, "Benefits of a cheating ability I guess, I got some money from the defeated enemies." I walked up to Clara and placed a weighty bag into her hands, inside was 50 gold. "This should be more than enough for a while, as long as you keep it away from Ben." Opening the bag Clara''s eyes almost popped out of her head, "Thi-This is too much!!!" Hastily Ben and Carey went over to look at the contents, "The-There''s around 50 gold coins in there!!!" "Cheat ability sure is overpowered," Jane was looking at me, "How much more do you have?" "Not that much, we''ll get a bunch from the materials we have so giving that much should be fine." If worse comes to worse I can always sell food for a while.
Ever since we went our own ways I''ve been practicing magic, I had my right hand facing palm up with a strong fire continuously burning. In my left hand I held April''s Watering Can pouring creatures into the fire who''s souls I then ate. It may seem cruel but this helped me level multiple skills at once and it was clean since they just burned to ashes before hitting my hand. While we were packing up I had tried to learn some combat skills from Liliana but it seems that I need to be in actual combat to learn them cause aside from gaining 1 Strength, 1 Endurance, and 1 Agility I didn''t get anything else. I kind of wish I could teleport, create portals or something because this slow pace is eating away at me. Wait isn''t there usually a mount skill? Dumpley is doing well for his age but if I can boost his speed... "Liliana can I try driving for a minute?" Liliana looked at me doubtfully, "You aren''t going to crash us into a tree or something right?" I laughed nervously, "I shouldn''t, plus Dumpley''s smart enough not to right?" Dumpley snorted in response and continued trotting along. "Alright then," She gave me the reins then sat behind me reaching around to put her hands over mine. Her hands were small although a little rough from practicing the sword they were still soft... Wait what am I thinking, focus here! "You do this if you want him to turn left, this for right, to go forward and to stop." Rather than giving directions she directly showed me, when she started teaching me about how to get Dumpley to go forward or stop I could feel her modest chest pressed up against me. Along with the way she taught made sure that I remembered next to nothing.
*Ding Due to your actions you have gained a new skill: Driving (Passive): You can drive a pulled wagon or carriage properly, higher levels of the skill increase the speed and efficiency of your driving as well as stability. Adept 5 - 13%, You drive 75% faster, 75% more efficient and with 75% more stability. Due to your actions you have gained a new title: Pervert: Normal organisms of the opposite gender are 1000% more repulsed by you while organisms of the same gender are either 1000% more hostile or 1000% more friendly.
Oh!!! Did my experience from driving a car carry over? Suddenly Dumpley sped up by almost double his normal speed surprisingly the passengers. Jane glared at me, "Warn us before you use a skill you cheater." Seems she no longer surprised by the things that I do. Then again if you know that there''s a cheater there then most things that defy logic are explainable. "Sorry, I just got it so didn''t know it would do this." At best I thought it would only give me a small bonus, this was quite nice. I am going to be completely ignoring that title gain though.
.......
Yup going to ignore it, and the menacing window that popped up. I don''t see aaaaanything. So in no time at all we made it all the way back to Kane, without me gaining any experience in anything but Driving. "Hmm? Is it just me or are there a lot more people around?" We had just turning in the trophies for a 21 goblins at 1 silver each and 157 black wolves at 22 silver each we got a nice sum of 34 gold and 75 silver along with shocked faces from the attendants at our triumphant return. It seemed like there was a lot of whispering and staring from the adventurers there too, did we over do it too much? We left the materials for latter since I want to try crafting. On the streets seem to be a lot of people, notably a lot more carriages. "Oh right, today''s the slave auction." Jane made a disgusted face, while the other''s faces varied from displeased to absolute hatred. "It''s held once a month and anyone can participate, you need a lot of money to get a good slave though. Aside from personal connections and visits this event is the only way for people to get quality slaves so it draws a lot of attention, it''s also a way for nobles to flaunt their wealth." That would explain a lot, Mina was also visibly shaking. If we think about the circumstances of this world then it wouldn''t be strange if she had ended up a slave if the person that found her wasn''t us. Mary was also nervously glancing at me, she''s still worried I''ll try to sell her isn''t she? "Out of the way!!!" a commotion brought my attention back from my thoughts as a body came barreling into me knocking us both down. "Stop that slave!!!" A couple of brutes, came running up and restrained the runaway with an out of breath weasel looking man following behind. "Let me go!!!" The girl with wild brown hair up to her shoulders snarled snapping her mouth which had sharp teeth. On her head was a pair of furry ears and her hands were clawed. The grunts were having a hard time holding her still while they were trying to put a new set of cuffs and collar on her, it seemed she broke her old ones. "Very sorry about that sir," he bowed a bit, beady eyes glued to the bulging sack of coins I had hanging from my belt, I really should put that away or it''s going to get stolen. "You''re not hurt are you? We''ll make sure to discipline her properly so this won''t happen again. If you don''t mind..." He gestured towards the center of the city with a little bow, "How about you take a look at our merchandise first, I''ll personally give you a tour and it''ll be free of course. You can even purchase some of it if you wish, although..." He looked back towards the beast girl, "the more special merchandise will be for auction only."
There will probably be another chapter tonight at some point, if you like binge reading I suggest waiting till the 10th because then the chapters coming out will probably hit a stop for a bit depending on what my work schedule is like. Next month though I can probably keep it to at least 1 chapter a week if not earlier since I resigned from one of my work places (still need to work there for two weeks after my break though). Chapter 14: The Slave Auction Part 1 "I''m sorry I must decline, I''m not too... intrigued by it." I have a feeling it''s going to be trouble if I accepted, as someone who grew up without something like slavery being legal, despite the various objects about it I am definitely not comfortable with it; even if it''s a different world. "I insist, we must make it up to you for this unfortunate event." He''s rubbing his hands together, he is suspicious I mean slave trading aside he is someone I do not want to get involved with. "No harm was done and I don''t want to trouble you, you must be very busy with the event about to start. Plus my companions and I are tired from our journey and would like to rest early." Please just leave me alone, we are attracting a lot of unwanted attention here. I''ve basically pulled out every possible polite way to decline that I can remember. "Oh it''s no bother, I''m just sitting around during the setup anyways. If you''re tired we can offer you some services, it''s the least we can do for the inconveniences we''ve caused you." His eyes are glinting and his lips are twitching upwards a bit, damn people are starting to whisper to each other. Even upper class people are stopping their carriages to see what the commotion was about. I glanced at the girls, "If you insist that much I can''t decline anymore, however if you don''t mind my companions are going to head back first." "Of course not, that''s completely fine. I''m sure they''re tired. Now come right this way." He gestured with a waving hand to follow him. His eyes however seemed to longingly look at Mary before he closed his eyes in a smile and started walking away. "Hey wait you''re not going to-" Liliana walked up to me and grabbed my arm. "Just go back for now, can''t really decline with this many people." I still need to be in this city for a while and the nobles seemed to be disapproving of my attitude before. Nobles, they are important people and vital to a character''s progression in a game, making enemies of them is something very undesirable. "That''s an order." Liliana shut her mouth that was about to object and started to walk away with the other two after I hand her 5 gold for expenses, for some reason I think that 5 gold is going to disappear very quickly.
That was a rather cold, although you should have done that a long time ago.
"Not in the mood Karen."
Following the slave trader while storing the gold into my inventory (filling it instead with copper since he''ll notice somethings off if the bag suddenly becomes empty) we ended up near the center of the city where there was an open plaza where a stage was being built in the far end. Around the fringes were people setting up stalls and red and white striped tents where large covered wagons stopped, from the clinking of metal and quiet sobbing they are probably filled with slaves. Swiper (cause his hands kept twitching and he steals glances at the bag when he thinks I''m not looking) led me into the largest tent which was situated right behind the stage that ran all along the entire length of the plaza. Swiper kept looking back while ushering me into a store that was connected to the back of the tent while the beast girl was escorted deeper into the tent fighting all the way. As I stepped through the doorway a huge amount of perfume hit me in the face almost causing me to choke on it. Polished wooden floor boards rang out loudly as well walked over, nodding to a young lady who was manning the presumably expensive glossy wood desk Swiper took me through a door behind the reception into a nice looking office. Although not as grand as the entrance the intricate patterns sewed with bright colours on the carpet combined with magical lighting stones and plush seats were screaming luxury. "Now have a seat have a seat," Swiper gestured for me to sit in the couch? I guess it can be counted as a couch. "So what would you like to see first? A mature and experienced woman? An untouched ripe fruit? Or would you prefer an innocent flower? Oh you''re an adventurer aren''t you? We have some slaves that have combat experience or magic capabilities, worry not they are completely safe." "Any suggestions? You know them better than me and I''m not too sure what I want." Let''s get this over with. "Of course of course, I''ll bring them in right away." Swiper said that with a huge smile as he did a bow and left the room. A minute later a young girl around Mina''s age with her light brown hair tied in pigtails walked in with a tray in her hands. Balancing the pot and cup on top of the tray she walked towards me unsteadily, I stopped myself from trying to help her because it would probably get her into trouble. "Here is some tea for you to enjoy while you wait sir." She had a small voice, placing the pot and cup down on top of the marble table in front of me with trembling hands she poured some tea out. It''s too cruel isn''t it? To force a girl that age to do something like this, well at least she is properly clothed albeit in a maid outfit. "Pl-Please enjoy." She then went to stand behind the couch after she finished pouring the tea. Damn, there are so many skills I need but an analyze skill is on top of my list; I can''t tell if the tea is poisoned or laced with something. Fortunately while I was debating whether or not to drink the tea the door opened and Swiper walked back in with a grunt in tow. "Right I forgot to introduce myself, my name is Dooza Verholn, I''m the slave trader in charge of this event. Now as per you requested I''ve brought a few slaves that might suit your fancy." Giving the grunt a gesture a large group of woman were brought in along with a couple of men all of them scantily clad. Damn mind stay calm I almost shouted out instinctively that I didn''t need any men, the fact that they were half naked makes it all the more disturbing. First he showed off a bunch of mature and well endowed woman even asked me if I wanted to touch a bit to which I politely declined. Maybe because I wasn''t visibly showing much reaction he looked a little displeased before moving on to some young girls around teenage years with thin but curvy and untouched bodies. After that were young girls like the maid before, at this point my mind had been in constant state of war between my lust and my conscience for a while now, but I managed to keep in control. Again he looked displeased at my lack of reaction, before aggressively signaled his grunt to bring the next group forward. "Here are the ones I truly recommend to you." A group of seven was standing in front of me, three of them being men. "These slaves are combat able and will be able to help greatly to your safety and security during your adventures. From your right is a man of great strength." He pointed at a muscular tanned man with short cropped hair, "He used to be an adventurer too before getting into a huge gambling debt and becoming a slave. He specializes in melee combat primarily with a sword and shield." My uncaring expression must have showed on my face because he quickly went through the other two men with the bare minimum details. One being a fire mage with low tier spells, the other being a laborer type able to carry a lot of weight. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. "Here we have Medline Watrow, she is an ice mage with access to mid tier spells and low tier wind spells. She used to be an adventurer before... certain circumstances made her as a slave." Medline was a tall big breasted lady with long flowing purple hair and what would be described as a sadistic looking face. My mind was screaming witch, but magic wise she is the most competent out of everyone thus far. What counts as low tier or mid tier? "It is very nice to meet you master," Medline bowed a bit with a seductive smile on her face. Concentrating my will power to keep a certain part down (the pants in this world aren''t very concealing to bulges) Swiper started introducing the next girls. "This is Rin and Ran, they do not have last names. They were orphans taken in by a martial arts master before he died and the dojo was shut down, being their legal owner at that point the master''s son sold them as slaves. As such they are extremely skilled in hand to hand combat and have great coordination with each other making them a force to reckon with in battle. They are most preferably sold in a pair as being separated may affect their performance they are both also untouched." Two petite girls with one trying to hide behind the other were looking at me, the one in front with a glare and the one in the back timidly. Stereo types are scary the fact that they practice martial arts aren''t helping. I wonder if they can do things bruce lee style? "Finally this is Caroline Verosa, she was a minor nobles daughter before she was sold because of certain... incidents. She is good with etiquette, cooking, housecleaning, educated and exceptional with a sword. She is one of our best slaves and I highly recommend her for all purposes, of course she is still pure." At the word slave she flinched a bit, it is impressive that she manages to look dignified in what little clothing she has considering how it is little more than scraps of cloth. "So, is there any that you have taken a liking to?" Medline was blowing me kisses, Ran? was looking conflicted whether or not to do something to appeal while Rin had teary eyes, Caroline wasn''t even paying attention to me. Needless to say none of the men really cared I guess it''s cause they figured out I''m not the least bit interested. "What are the prices?" I''m doing this only to check the coin worth, definitely not thinking of purchasing anyone. "For Medline it would be 25 gold, Rin and Ran together would be 30 gold 20 if separate, as for Caroline she is set at 50 gold." His eyes were shining as he said that, also he skipped the men. While I''m not sure of the market prices from his actions it seems that he is overpricing them quite a bit. "That''s quite a bit too expensive." Resist temptations resist temptations!!! "I assure you they are properly priced, I can however give you a discount if you purchase multiple slaves." Typical marketing strategy. "There is still the auction though is there not?" What am I going to do if he gives in? Just say no already so I can leave, this is hell for right now; a certain bodily smell is being emitted mostly from Medline. "Hmm... that is true, Ah! I know let''s go take a look around the auction items first, then you can make a decision afterwards." Tch he''s still pushing for a sale, if I say I''m not interested in any of the auction girls then he''ll try to make me buy one of these but if I say I have interest then back out he''ll know. "Right this way," he gestured out the door as I got up, "Bob clean up with Milly, also keep the girls in reserve and ready," he nodded towards the last four he introduced. Bob? Why do I have a feeling I''m going to be running into a lot of people with that name... and that they are all going to be brutes or a carpenter. Once again we were back in the large tent, this time we went further in where various cages of different types were displayed. Aside from female monsters there were also a variety of beasts in cages, a bear with a hide that had a rock like texture, a tiger with a fiery pelt, a colossal rabbit (yes a rabbit) with sharp metallic teeth to name a few, All the while with Swiper explaining in an exaggerated fashion. "Ah here we are, these are the three most prized items for this auction. Behold an extremely rare mermaid" He pointed to a lit up glass orb filled with water. Inside was indeed swimming a beautiful mermaid with her distressed expression making her strangely more beautiful. "We had quite the trouble acquiring her as a result of how hard it is to see one never mind capture one. She starts at 10 platinum" As if that speaks for itself, which her beauty certainly did; he moved on without any other remarks. Tied to a cross with chains was a small girl dressed in a tattered butler uniform, she had pale skin, red eyes and short cut black hair. "Here we have a vampire''s thrall, a pure blooded vampire''s thrall at that. She starts at 50 gold but can be bought out at 1 platinum for certain VIPs who are vampire enthusiasts." A pure blooded vampire''s thrall? Could it be that she knows Mary? But it didn''t seem like Mary had any servants and she never mentioned anything about it. "Finally as you have met already we have the beast girl, she is of the tiger race and is very ferocious and strong, we offer a variety of services to tame her or if you feel adventurous or cruel you may do that yourself. She starts at 1 platinum with a warranty period of 3 months in case shes too much for you to handle." She was definitely the beast girl that crashed into me earlier, except this time she was completely covered head to toe with thick iron chains and despite her strained attempts at escape they did not break. "So what do you think?" He looked at me a wide smile on his face. "To be honest I don''t have the money to afford the bids, and I also have other expenses I need to cover." Would this be okay I wonder? If he''ll let me go with just this it''ll be great. "No problem, no problem we can give a period of time to pay for the regular slaves. We also buy slaves so if you ever feel like you want to sell I can offer you a great price for your slaves. In fact I can give you all four girls plus all three that are up for auction in exchange for the vampire in your service." His smile widened showing the his teeth like that of a predator cornering his prey. "I can tell since I have an analyze skill, she is pure blood vampire is she not?"
This one''s a bit shorter since I wanted to get this out first, second part will be up tomorrow probably somewhere around noon depending on when I wake up (for me that is GMT -6 if you feel like calculating) Chapter 15: The Slave Auction Part 2 Ugh couldn''t sleep last night for some reason X.X kept waking up every 30mins or so thus the delay. Well here it is >< and I love seeing speculations, I don''t think its only me but most creators.
He was looking at me expectantly, tch knew it wasn''t going to be this easy. It never is, there''s always some complication that makes it a huge pain in the ass. I wonder how much he can see with his analyze, in DDO it can be anywhere from just the name to the entire inventory and stats as well as a detailed life record of everything they did; of course the latter was nearly impossible to get. "I apologize but that would not be possible she is a part of my fighting force and one of my companions," I bowed my head slightly in apology. "Oh that''s fine that''s fine, it''s a shame but it''s your choice," I don''t like how his smile never left his face, actually it got bigger if that''s even possible, "Come then, let''s go back to the store and you can spend some time alone with the girls first before deciding." During our conversation he amount of grunts increased, doesn''t seem like I can say no without repercussions. "Then please, I''m sorry about all the work you had to do just for this," "Oh please don''t worry, I''m sure I''ll get a profit in the end," that is definitely an evil face, he''s is scheming something. The narrowed eyes and large smile reminds me of a certain shiv throwing back stabbing clown demon thing. So once again we walked through the tent, past the abnormal monsters and the huge increase in grunts; I swear they look exactly the same. This time when we went to the still over perfumed reception, instead of the door in the back we went upstairs stopping at the first room there. "Here is the first room, you are free to spend as much time as you want talking to the girl even touching if you wish but I must remind you that any damage or insertions will cost you," He started walking back down the stairs then turned around, "Oh but of course you are a respectable man so there should be no problems right? But just in case please be sure to... control yourself." The fact that it came from his mouth makes it sound the opposite of what it means. "Ok, well let''s get this over with." I took a deep breath then put my hand on the door-
You know... I''ve been keeping quiet but somehow I feel that your are in a lot of bad situations and all of them your own doing.
Thinking back, she''s not wrong although I''m not sure whether or not to call this a bad situation; at least the ones I''m about to walk into. I should be immune to most mind control effects, if somehow they have one that affects me there''s not much I can do about it. If it''s poison or drugs as long as I stay away from eating or drinking it should be fine unless its airborne. Let''s create a small air filter around me, focus energy, a solid image, release!!! All of a sudden the air I breath in became fresher, the perfume was gone and I feel refreshed, this can work nicely. Checking my mana it''s draining 1 mana per second which is quite efficient actually so it''ll last me a while, "Karen can you remind me when my mana is at about 100 or so?" It''s always good to have a little insurance.
Yeah, but even at 1 mana per second it''s still not going to last you that long about 11 minutes to be exact.
"I''ve got some souls stored up so I can use those, thanks Karen." Well let''s go.
When someone walks into a room most often the first thing they notice would be a person if there is one, this instance is no different especially someone as attention grabbing as Medline who was now wearing transparent purple cloth instead of the rags from before. "Hello there handsome, care to join me for a bit?" She put up her hand and gestured for me to come closer with her index finger, her attitude completely ignorant of the place we are in. Well then again the place itself looks better than a five star hotel. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Resisting the urge to bolt out the door away from her who is definitely trouble I went over to sit at the edge of the bed. She looked kind of disappointed at my lack of reaction, there seems to definitely be something in the air because her face was flushed in the dim light and her underwear was wet. "You''re rather mean aren''t you? Ignoring me while I was waiting here for you the entire time." She got closer, "Let''s have some fun shall we?" I pushed her slightly away... even without the drugs she was more than stimulating enough, "Ho-how about you tell me about yourself?" "Oh, are you shy? Have you never had a woman before?" She got closer a teasing smile on her face.
Really? I mean you aren''t that good looking but I thought you would have at least done it with someone before.
"No, I have it''s just that I''m not really... interested in finding a partner right now." Well for someone who was looking for a true love story a long term relationship wasn''t exactly possible. She pouted a bit, "Am I not good enough for you?" she was looking up at me with teary eyes and her left hand was reaching out to my lower regions while the other was undressing herself. "No, I think you''re a very attractive woman. So much so that it''ll be dangerously distracting while traveling. so sorry!!!" Pushing her gently away I ran outside slamming the door shut; that was dangerous, extremely so, even with the filter I almost lost control.
Well that was entertaining, two more rooms to go.
"I... just want to leave now, Karen," Trying to calm my nether regions all was futile, trying not to think about it made me think about it and what would''ve happened if I didn''t escape.
You''re going to leave the girls there? So heartless.
"Ugh fine, let''s just get this over with."
Dooza Verholn or Swiper as Shin calls him was sitting in the room they were in before when he showed Shin the goods, Milly was kneeling in front of him giving him service. "How''s it going Bob? Did you find out where they went yet?" Bob looked up from the maid in a hurry, "Er, Ah yes they be at the Dancing Bear Inn. It seems the child and the hooded one left to buy stuff. Vampire and other one stayed at the inn." Dooza grunted a bit as Milly started to chokingly swallow, "Good, get the boys ready to move in." A large smile was on Dooza''s face, he had stumbled upon a great treasure. Pure vampires are rare, almost extinct because of the vampire hunters and to just randomly see one while analyzing the adventurer that walked out of the guild with a huge bag of coins was a great stroke of luck. Milly who was finished drinking stood up and started to awkwardly undress, "Bob, why are you still here? Get going, as soon as you are ready go get em." "Er, Yes sir!!!" With some effort Bob peeled his eyes off of Milly and left the room where moans and grunt soon emitted from.
Was debating whether or not to leave it like this or to continue working on it, since this is out I obviously decided to put it out. There will be a part 3 but for now I''m going to eat X...X too hungry to work on the story. The final part will be longer and probably released tonight. Bit of inside info (Consider it a small spoiler) highlight to read: A wild Princess appears. Wild Princess uses bodyguard, bodyguard is super effective Also found out today that the colour code of this background is 262626. Abusing this at some point maybe... I don''t think I can abuse something I never use. Chapter 16: Raid Before I even opened the door it exploded into splinters and a palm struck me in the chest sending me flying into the wall. I started coughing fitfully as pain wracked my chest, looking up with wet eyes I saw Ran snarling at me, held back only by Rin both clad in simple linen underwear. How much strength did she have? Checking my hp in the top left of my vision while I don''t seem to have broken anything I''ve already lost over half my health. "Let Go of me Rin, he needs to die!!" Ran was trying to move forward as Rin clung to her waist, imprints were being made in the floor by their struggle with each other. "Y-You can''t Ran," her quiet voice straining to speak, "You shouldn''t do something like this." "Ma- *cough, may I ask what I''ve done to anger you?" Getting up slowly I prepare some magic, imagining a magical barrier between us; considering how magic has worked for me so far I hope this goes off without a problem. "It''s simple you need to die for us t-" the door further down the hallway opened revealing Caroline standing there in translucent blue underwear. "How unsightly Ran," She walked over to us then grabbed me by the arm pulling me up, "Let''s come to my room sir, and ignore the rude beats." "Why you little," Ran growled while attempting to claw her way to us leaving deep gashes in the wood, she really did look like a beast; how exactly did they keep her here? "Well then, sorry about that incredibly rude incident," Caroline closed the door behind us as she sat me down on the bed, "Would you like some tea?" "Ah, Yes please." What just happened? "Here you go, while these aren''t the best tea leaves I am quite confident about my skills in brewing it," Caroline brought over a tray with a teapot and two teacups. Pouring the tea in with smooth graceful movements she held one of the cups out to me. "Thank you," Taking one of the cups I hesitated a bit, could the tea be drugged or poisoned? "Don''t worry there is nothing in them," She took the cup from my hands and took a sip before handing it back to me with a small smile. "So-sorry and thank you," The tea resembled green tea and although not very strong it was warming and pleasant. "And thanks for your help back there." She laughed a bit, it was a pleasant sound, "You say thank you a lot sir, it was not a problem I am just doing my duties." She shifted closer leaning her body in towards me and pressing her bountiful chest against my arm, "I can be doing a lot more if you bought me though." I almost choked on the tea I was drinking on spilling a bit on myself, "Oh, I am very sorry sir for startling you," Caroline started wiping me down with a handkerchief her hands touching areas that weren''t hit by the tea. Then suddenly she stopped, following her gaze she was looking at the bag that was hanging at my waist. It was opened and inside was just a lot of copper coins, she looked up at me her gaze hard and cold. "It seems that the old slaver had misjudged you quite a bit hasn''t he?" She sighed and backed away from me sitting at the edge of the bed, "And here I thought it was my chance to buy my freedom." Her hand reached under the covers and seemed to be searching for something. "What do you mean?" She ignored me and continued talking out loud "Too bad, but at least I''ll get something from this," She looked towards me and showed a brilliant smile but her eyes were emotionless, "If you want to blame anything blame your own misfortune." Her hand whipped out burying something in my chest before I could react, a feeling that was sadly getting familiar to me started to overcome my senses. As my vision blurred I looked down to see a simple iron dagger buried to the hilt with her slender hands holding on to it.
Well that was expected considering your luck.
"Yeah don''t need those comments of yours," I was looking down in my soul form as Caroline took my copper coins while she was frowning. "Barely a silver here, not even enough to cover the cost of cleaning up this mess." She made a disgusted look, "That pig made a big miscalculation here, and to think we thought we could buy our freedoms using him. I should have just let Ran tear him apart." I wonder if the slave trader made a deal with them, that would explain how they were acting and why Caroline had a weapon. Certainly if I didn''t replace the coins inside that bag it would have been more than enough to buy the girls.
So what are you going to do now?
"Well since I can''t exactly revive right now, lets test something out," As far as I know all the souls chained by my ability are stuck where they died, so if I try to move... Taking a step forward towards the door nothing special happened, I took another step, then another until I was by the door. Well this is anti climatic, I mean I was an irregular but still I thought there would at least be some resistance. "Well next would be to door." In most movies and stories ghosts can walk through walls and stuff, reaching my hand out I felt resistance but pushing a bit I got through no problem.
*Ding Due to your actions you have gained a new skill: Spectral Walk (Passive): You can now move around freely while in soul form, your revival location is still at where your body is. Or if your body is no longer existent where you have died.
Well that''s certainly useful to know, "Karen can you tell me when I''m about to hit my limit?"
Yeah yeah, I''ll let you know a minute before your ability times out.
Now it''s time to do some snooping around, after all there are some things that you can only find with free camera while dead.
The Dancing Bear was a pretty popular inn frequented by adventurers, merchants and lower nobles alike. Today however the merriment was quickly put to an end by a rough looking group of twenty accompanied by three white garbed hunters. At first the inn keeper resisted but a bolt to the hand quickly got everyone moving out of the inn in a silence and with one of the hunters outside no mobs were formed, non were curious enough to risk their lives. "Now if you need our help we''ll just be right here." The leader of the three hunters spoke, with a mischievous oh his lips. "We don''t need your help." Bob the leader of the goons grunted, "Let''s get em, what room were they in?" "Room 10 Boss," one of the rabble answered. The hunter sighed, these thick headed idiots were going to take on a pure blooded vampire? Well it''ll make his job less of a pain, they''ll weaken her. He liked his lips oh what fun they''ll have later on.
"Hey Mary..." Liliana put a hand pushing Mary''s face away from her lips, "Everything suddenly got quieter." "Hmmm, you noticed too? And here I was thinking we could play a bit longer." Mary started getting dressed in a slow seductive fashion. While Liliana started to hurriedly put her clothing and armor on in a professional military way. "This is serious, there''s really only one reason that the inn would get like this and without any panic or uproar," well there was for a bit where the innkeeper sounded angry followed by a scream but aside from that it was utterly silent. For an inn in the middle of the very well patrolled town to sound like that would mean that someone with the authority to do this was here. "Didn''t you say all the hunters in the city were dead? Aside from you that is." Mary leaned in close to steal another kiss as Liliana again pushed her away. "All the hunters stationed in this city yes, but since we haven''t sent a message in a while they probably sent someone to check on us. And I think the slave merchant had an analysis skill, he was looking at you funny and for a long time. I didn''t think it would be this soon though." Liliana gritted her teeth, she should have told Shin but usually the hunters don''t move that fast, they take things at their own speed not caring what happens as collateral during that time. "Won''t we be fine with you here? Plus I do have my own unique type of magic," Liliana looked over at Mary''s carefree words, Mary''s hands however were trembling a bit and her eyes did not seem playful at all. Peeking out the window Liliana saw a hunter and several brutes moving around. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. "Seems the merchant had an analyze skill," Liliana looked at Mary, "He wants you." Not surprising, pure blood vampires after the war are priced up to 50 mithril, that''s enough money to live extremely luxuriously for several lifetimes. "I see one, no two hunters maybe more." Liliana while being not much more than a novice in magic can hold her own against most other hunters in weapons combat, leaning more comfortably towards melee. Mary on the other hand wasn''t very well versed in combat and since it wasn''t night time she couldn''t transform. "Do we have no way of communicating with Shin or Jane?" They were linked by a bond but other than feeling each others existence the bond wasn''t particularly useful. While Liliana didn''t see the fights the carnage left over from when they entered the forest was more than a testament to their strength although they won''t be able to stay in the city afterwards. Mary shrugged, "Not that I know of, I guess we''re on our own."
The first one that smashed through the door ate a fireball to the face which took him down with a lot of screaming, however before Liliana can fire off another attack they have already crowded into the room. The screeching of metal clashing on metal was heard as Liliana parried a metal bludgeon with her sword, using the opponents power against them Liliana pulled back slightly while angling her sword to send him flying off to the left before slashing him across his side. Getting back into a defensive position she got ready to face the next opponent. "Obey me!" Mary''s eyes emitted a purple glow as she glared at the intruder that had bypassed Liliana which stopped him in his tracks. "Fight for me." Following her commanding voice the brute turned around and smacked the grunt behind him across the head before a larger club smacked him right across the forehead. "Foul magic," spat Bob had walked in and started lumbering towards Mary while Liliana was distracted by three of his subordinates. "You shall obey!" Once again Mary''s eyes glowed purple as she demanded Bob serve her... except this time Bob only grinned. "Your magic won''t work on me, vampire" Bob showed off a silver bracelet upon which blue runes were carved. Mary swore as she readied her sword in a flawed stance, she didn''t think any of them would have mind control immunity items. As they started exchanging loud stinging blows it was clear Bob had the upper hand despite Mary''s physical superiority. Bob wasn''t super smart nor was he a genius at fighting, he got to his position today by clawing his way through the streets and past better men than he using experience and thinking you can only get by scrapping a living through the slums. "Tch, get out of my way!" Liliana was still stuck by the entrance of the room cornered- no kept busy by the other goons, five bodies in total lay by her feet the blood making the floor slick. Bob blocked a badly aimed attack directed at his chest by Mary and reflected her sword away with his bludgeon; swinging his left hand from his chest he back slapped Mary across the face sending her flying into the table effectively destroying it. "That all you got you monster? Can''t do anything without your tricks?" Normally fighting a pure blood vampire was suicide, but what luck his boss had stumbled upon to find an irregular vampire unable to use blood magic. Bob grinned, he loved his job. He was on the other side of the stick during a whacking and even though his pay was meager there were certain benefits to it. A flash of light shifted Bob''s attention as he barely brought up his left arm to block it sending searing pain to his brain in response. "Graaaahhgh!!!" Lightning temporarily ran painfully through him, the origin was Liliana who took a hit to her right side to send that magic out at him. Although the damage was superficial it bought Mary enough time to regain her surroundings, getting up in a crouch her eyes once again glowed purple. "That was annoying but it''s time to end this," Bob poured a sparse amount of his barely existent magic pool into the metal bludgeon he held in his right hand triggering several runes that glowed blue. Sparks shot out as lightning danced all throughout the weapon stopping at the hilt. Bob moved in close wanting to knock Mary out before she had a chance to try anything, the bracelet her wore made him immune to mind control but experience told him not to trust in trinkets and mystics. Swinging the bludgeon at her from the right Bob''s instinct told him something was wrong, she was smiling. He wasn''t under a spell nor was he hindered at all but she was up to something. But she wasn''t doing anything special, she had brought her sword up to block which despite having his weight behind it was stopped do to her brute strength; the result however was the same and that was her being electrocuted. Gritting her teeth Mary didn''t scream out even as the skin on her hands blackened, wait she had done something. Bob let go of the bludgeon to turn around to kick out at the shadow that was approaching him but not fast enough as a club similar yet inferior to his own smashed into his head, splattering it over Mary.
"Man, I didn''t expect much of him but to lose to something like that, how weak." The hunter that stayed in the inn was looking at the dwindling amount of idiots from down the hall with a smile on his lips. "But for Liliana to be there, this is an unexpected treat." Turning towards the door to the street where his companions were he shouted out, "Ginger, Kent clean up out there we''re going in." Grunts and screams were heard soon after before the two other hunters entered one immaculately clean the other drenched in blood. "Ginger you always make such a mess, can''t you be cleaner?" Ginger looked up and gave a crooked smile her eyes containing an insane glint, "I love the feeling of blood our clothes are too white, but you aren''t one to talk Sebastian." "Isn''t that your sister up there?" the other one Kent spoke up while cleaning his blade off with a pure white handkerchief. "Does it matter? I hated her anyways, always wanted to kill her and now that she''s broken some rules... I can" From beneath Sebastian''s hood blue eyes peeked out framed by unkempt red hair his teeth sharp and broken like a sharks.
Jane and Mina were shopping for supplies, using the connections Mina had to some people in the city they got some decent stuff for nice prices. They even managed to secure underwear at a nice price although Jane had to convince Mina a bit about that. 35 silver for a set of plain underwear may not be much but even Shin would be grateful for it, using a single pair for so long couldn''t have been comfortable. Jane felt something odd as Mina was with candy in hand haggling with a merchant about prices on some provisions it was a disturbing feeling deep within her. Pain, Anger, Panic, these weren''t her feelings. Identifying the cause wasn''t hard, ever since she was revived in this form there has been a connection between her, Shin and the other two who were bond to Shin. Therefore from the rough direction it was coming from Jane deduced that Liliana and Mary ran into some trouble. "Did the hunters move already?" A betrayal was sure to get their attention, also Shin wiping out an entire squad. "But they never moved this fast before, they do everything on a whim." "Did you say something Jane?" Jane looked up at the curious face of Mina not realizing she had spoken out loud. "Ah no it''s fine, can you continue shopping on your own? I have something I want to look at." "Sure, take your time." Mina replied quickly and nonchalantly which caused Jane to pause for a second, was she really just a child? But the urgency of the feelings she felt and distant screaming gave her no time to investigate further, pulling her hood down Jane hurriedly slipped through the crowd moving towards the inn.
Ok I kind of lied about the spoiler for this chapter and this took longer than I thought it would take, also food poisoning is not fun. If you''ve gotten it before you have my sympathies if not you are very lucky X.X. I''m not sure if I have work tomorrow, I''ll try to get the next chapter out today so as to technically keep the spoiler somewhat relevant (princes will for sure be in it) if not it''ll be out tomorrow. Most likely another chapter out tomorrow if I don''t have work. Chapter 17: Teleportation!!! While Caroline was looting my body I went around to check around the building, when I passed by the room with the blasted open door Ran was complaining to Rin about Caroline. "She better share properly, that would have been ours if she hadn''t interfered." Ran''s face was puffed up in anger, "And why did you even stop me? We could have been free by now." Rin was shaking a bit while answering in her quiet voice, "It''s not right to kill people for our own freedom, he never did anything to us and he seemed like a nice person." "So did the master''s son, it''s the law of the world eat or be eaten." Well I guess Ran will have an unpleasant surprise later, I feel bad about it but I can''t just impulsively buy things never mind people.
I can kind of tell by your expression and steadfast attempt at ignoring it but are you not curious about the sounds originating from the next room?
"I thought I was doing a pretty good job of a deep thinking face, do you have a heartbeat monitor or something." tch of course Karen had to point it out. It seems like whatever aphrodisiac and drugs were laced into the air of Medline''s room was stupidly over potent.
No, but you have this certain change to your eye and manner when you think of perverted things. And to begin with souls don''t have heartbeats.
"It was a rhetorical question Kare-" The door that I last visited was kicked open loudly as Caroline exited in a rage stopping at the top of the staircase ignoring Ran who was chasing after her. "Clean up in my room," The guard started walking up the stairs his face in a knowing smile. "Guess he was a miss? And the boss was so sure." Ran grabbed onto Caroline''s shoulders, "What do you mean he was a miss? You didn''t just take all of it did you?" Caroline threw the bag she was holding at Ran, "All coppers, barely a silver in total there. Aren''t you glad you weren''t the one to land the killing blow?" "Well go let the boss know, I''ll clean up." Grunting at Caroline the guard headed to where my body was.
What now? You can take out the guard easily if you revive before he gets there.
"Let''s follow Caroline for now," Although I won''t know where my body is that shouldn''t be much of a problem, they''ll probably dump it in some alley or something.
Paperwork had stacked up for Dooza while he was having fun with Milly; it seems several slaves have been privately bought during that time by some VIPs and he had to deal with the ordering of the show now. As he stamped and signed papers someone knocked at his door, "Who is it?" he shouted while taking a sip of alcohol from an ornate glass cup. "It''s me," opening the door a former noble with her supposed secret parts exposed walked in. "He dead? How much did he have?" That man had come out of the adventurers guild with a big bag of coins, and from the way people were looking at him it must have been a surprisingly big amount. Throwing the same bag that had hung from that man''s belt onto his table she stated coldly, "107 copper coins, you misjudged badly this time." His beady eyes bulged out to what would be a normal eye size, "There''s no way I would misjudge, you didn''t take any did you?" his voice held a dangerous tone to it. "And what good will taking any of it do me? I was supposed to get freed if it covers my price." "Bah, did he switch it out before coming here? But I didn''t see anything, maybe his companions?" Dooza startled grumbling to himself as knocking once again came from his door. "Who is it this time?" "Boss. the raid is going smoothly right now." Another one of his typical henchman walked in, "Bob thinks that it won''t take long to nab to vampire." Caroline looked from the thug to Dooza, "that''s why you wanted us to kill him so badly, to get rid of the master/slave status. Even if something went wrong it''ll be the work of a rebelling slave, it wouldn''t even matter if we said you ordered it." "Doesn''t matter it''s none of your business Caroline Verosa, get out. And you,"Dooza turned to the thug, "Learn to keep your mouth shut until we''re in private, what would you do if someone heard it?" Before the thug could respond a thin hand gentle nudged him to the side revealing a beauty with long blonde hair framing a gentle face in a lacy pink dress, "Don''t worry Mister Verholn I''ve already heard it all, there won''t be need for any further private conversations for a while" Behind her came several soldiers in blue armor trimmed with gold. "Pri-Princess Shea wha-what are you doing here?" Dooza was trembling and Caroline can''t help but smile a bit. "Through investigations we have found some rather dubious and villainous deeds that you have been involved in." She paused as a knight in a more elaborate armor brought in a wooden box filled with various letters and documents, all bearing Dooza''s signature and seal. "And some rather shady deals you have taken a part of or initiated." "Th-The Baron won''t stand for this outrage!!! Those are fake and you know it!!" The Princess smiled a little at that as the knight stepped in. "The Baro- Former baron is awaiting you at your new home, it seems like the two of you were quite good friends from what the letters have revealed. I''m sure the two of you will continue to get along nicely in there." Dooza''s face drained of blood as he started pleading, bribing, threatening even while he was being taken away in cuffs. The knight sighed, walked towards him and proceeded to punch him in the face with a fully armored fist effectively silencing him. "As for you," The Princess looked away from the mess that was the slave trader to his thug, "You will be escorted away to be present at the trial for a testimony, after that you will be released." "And... what of me?" Caroline who had recomposed herself after seeing Dooza get what he deserved spoke up, she had after all killed a man. "Same as him, you''ll be kept for the testimony and after that released." The knight explained matter-of-factly to a dumbstruck Caroline. "You did not explain the rest Tryn," Princess Shea turned to Caroline, "All the slaves you included will be offered a job at within the royal grounds, accepting or declining will not affect your treatment. Also regardless of your reply to our offer everyone will be given two gold as compensation. Of course however criminals will be re-trialed instead." "I thought the rumors about the royal family were just court rumors from hateful nobles. You''re making a lot of enemies with this and it''s costing you quite a bit." From what she remembers of the conversations the daughters of other nobles were having the royal family wasn''t very well liked, among commoners however especially those close to the royal lands they were loved. The Princess laughed a bit, it was a soft pleasant sound, "I can live with a smaller wardrobe or less jewelry." She then turned to Tryn, the conversation with Caroline concluded, "Did you get the name of the place they were raiding?" "Yes, the Dancing Bear Inn. It seems a commotion was recently started there... It involved the Vampire Hunters." The Princess bit her lip thinking before turning back to Tryn. "Can I please ask that you take care of it?" She had a worried look on her face, rather than concern for Tryn however it was for the people. The hunters were infamous for their brutality and collateral damage. "Of course," Tryn turned to the soldier behind him, "I leave the Princess''s care in your hands Aeran." As he left collecting some soldiers on his way out, there was a floating soul in a panic above the Princess and it was not from the height advantage he had on the Princess''s chest.
For a block now the streets and windows had been empty and silent, running alone Jane was nearing the inn with daggers drawn. In front of it there was several bodies, some precisely and cleanly cut others an unrecognizable mess. Guarding the entrance were two thugs, easily dispatched by a cut to the neck without them noticing anything but wind flying past them. "This body is ridiculous," Her recreated body had all the power of her previous one with none of the negatives plus a huge boost in physical strength. As she was heading up the stairs a silver blur caused her to jump backwards leaving a huge dent in the wooden steps caused by her sudden change in direction. "That''s not good, and here I was aiming for a spotless kill." A white hooded man from the sound of his voice showed up at the top of the stairs, crossbow pointed at her. "You are abnormally fast though, are you a vampire?" "Sorry to disappoint," Jane dashed straight at him daggers held in front, "But I''m not one." Blocking a bolt with her left dagger her right dagger flashed up in a vicious arc. Kent moved his sword swiftly to block and the sound of steel on steel rang out for a millisecond, before it changed to the sound of steel being cut. Jane''s dagger with the aid of her vastly superior strength cut straight through Kent''s sword taking off his left arm along with what remained of the sword. Following up quickly her left hand shoved the other dagger into his throat before he could scream, gurgling sounds were heard as his body fell to the ground. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. "This body... seriously," Jane sighed and continued towards Mary''s designated room.
All across Mary''s burnt arms were countless cuts each oozing out blood slowly her limbs pinned to the wall with silver bolts. Ginger was smothering herself with Mary''s blood while deciding which of the wicked blades spread out across the floor to use next. "You... are... one... crazy girl." Mary breathed out through pained gasps. "And your blood is wonderful, so beautiful and delicious." Ginger picked up a knife whose blade spiraled inwards as it extended out like a drills. "Let''s try this next, don''t worry you aren''t going to die from it. Like my other blades this is covered in a drug to slow down blood flow." She showed a creepy smile. "That... Now that is just wrong." Jane who had just entered the room was fighting her stomach, one hand on the door frame. Despite being in a similar state before Jane had no actual fascination with being covered in blood, it was just something that happened. "Are you to join us as well? Maybe I''ll hang you off of the ceiling. Oh what happened to Kent? Since you''re here he''s probably dead and covered in blood right? I would love to have seen the look on his face when he saw his clothes covered in red." Ginger throughout all the insane talking has been fiddling with her blades, settling on a pair of straight swords with small blade points every which way along it she took up a stance waiting for Jane to move first. Like before Jane once again rushed forward at a superhuman speed while Ginger just laughed maniacally. Right before Jane reached Ginger she slipped a bit on the plentiful amount of blood seeping from bodies everywhere, taking advantage of that opening Ginger swung both swords one from each side. Bringing up her daggers while upside down Jane managed to parry the swords, then twisting her body deflected them away from her and out of Ginger''s grasp. Flipping back to her feet on top of a dead thug she thrust her left hand dagger to catch Ginger in the chest only the scrape metal as Ginger kicked backwards a few feet. "My you''re fast. I hope you won''t die as fast later when I cut you up." Ginger pulled out two jagged cleavers, one of which had a nick in the middle of the blade. "How many weapons do you have?" From their positions Ginger was right next to the window while Jane was beside the bed, if she wanted to escape it wouldn''t be too hard. "Lot''s, I love them, not as much as blood though." Laughing Ginger threw the cleavers and rushed in towards Jane hands reaching in to her sleeves. Dodging one of them and deflecting the other Jane likewise charged headfirst at Ginger, the two colliding with their bodies. Sweeping her left leg Ginger attempted to destabilize Jane and drew three scalpel like blades with each hand, but Jane wasn''t there anymore. "Too slow." Twisting her head around Ginger caught sight of feline eye''s as her neck was severed, distorted laughing was the last sound she made. "Well... That was entertaining," looking up Jane saw that Mary has been covered in blood from the recent beheading of Ginger. "Where''s Liliana?" The blood that fell on Jane were already sliding off her black leather armor before puddling at her feet. Wrenching the bolts from Mary''s limbs Jane put an arm underneath her as support. "Taken by her brother, presumably to their headquarters," Mary''s expression went dark, "If only I was a normal vampire." A clatter of metal boots alerted Jane to incoming company, changing the grasp on Mary to a princess carry she leapt out the window and ran into the nearest alley. "We need to tell Shin. He''s probably got something we could use in his bag of cheats."
Well that was amusing.
"Not for me, and definitely not them." After getting into a panic about the information I overheard from Dooza I started searching for my body. Suddenly appearing in the middle of the place naked isn''t the most inconspicuous way to make an exit, never mind that I was supposed to be dead. But who would have thought that Caroline and the Princess with her guards would find my body first. In the rush I was to get back to the inn i recklessly revived then and there causing quite a panic. Using an impromptu smoke bomb with dust and wind via magic I managed to get away but I hope they didn''t get to see my face that much, explaining it all would be next to impossible without telling the truth.
Turn left here and then take the first alley to your right.
Following Karen''s instructions to get to the inn the quickest sent me colliding with some people, covering me with something sticky and wet. "That really hurts you know," eh? this voice? "Mary?" Yup it was Mary, looking bloody and burnt but alive and Jane looking well normal? Can souls even look tired? Wait Jane is carrying Mary in a princess carry? "Where''s Liliana?" "About that..." Jane started but then looked towards Mary. "Well her brother knocked her out and went through a portal, that''s all I know," Mary shrugged, "I didn''t even know there were anyone that could summon portals outside the mage council." "So, we were looking for you hoping you have something in that bag of cheats that could save the day." Jane finished explaining. Well that would be why they were here and not at the inn but. "Umm... I don''t have any teleportation or locating magic," well I might be able to considering the skill system I have but I''ve never tried before, "Hey, don''t look at me like that. I''m not god I can''t do everything."
Let''s see, teleportation magic requires a detailed description of the place you want to teleport to as well as a mental image.
"Thanks Karen, Ok that basically makes things impossible." Damnit, think think think. Location magic? But that won''t let me see the area. "Karen, can I use scrying or clairvoyance?"
No information on either of those.
"Why is there on teleportation and not that?"
How would I know? I know basically as much as you do.
"Ok, sorry. Come one think think." Can I use the bond? No it''s too vague, I know she''s north of here but that''s most the continent. Something I can picture... "Hey Karen... can it be an object?"
... Yes it can but it has to unique, and you won''t know where exactly on the object you''ll appear, you could end up stuck in the table underneath the object if it was on the table, or falling off a cliff if it''s near one.
"Well... It''s unique as far as I know unless there are clones. And well since I only know one side I don''t think that''ll be a problem." Ugh, this isn''t going to end well. Jane looked at me with a suspicious gaze, "Wait, you aren''t thinking of teleporting directly to her are you?"
Why are you going so far for her, she isn''t related to the objective nor are in a relationship. There is a high chance of failure you know, you might end up completely dead.
I looked at Jane a wry smile on my lips, "Maybe. And Karen, no party member of mine is going to die if I can help it, especially not a girl." Ok lets just concentrate now, Aagh stop thinking about how wrong this is going to be. Ok, gather magic power. Picture the feeling on my back, the image. How nice it fel- wait not that. The clothes she was wearing, sound, smell. Release
We had some people over so it took a bit longer than I thought it would, apparently it was decided after I went to bed last night. Originally this was to be the end of what would be this "arc" but I feel like this is a good place to cut off for a chapter so anotha chapter came into existence. If nothing unexpected happens there''ll be a chapter for sure tomorrow. Chapter 18: Reapers Power Instead of typing it out all the time Focus, Imagine, Release will be abbreviated to F.I.R.
Liliana awoke in a daze, her limbs tied together and she was kneeling down on a dirt floor. The smell of the earth, the blood stained streaks... she was all too familiar with this place. "Glad you''re awake sister," Sebastian was looking down at her with a wide smile on his lips, "You remember this place yes? The place where all hunters get initiated into our order." He laughed sadistically, "But this time you''re on the opposite end." It was a memory Liliana had tried to forget, the underground stadium where certain criminals were brought to fight the initiates. You either left victorious or died, but for the criminals there was only death even if they won. The one she fought was a young man accused of disobeying orders within a noble''s army resulting in the death of his squad captain. He was scared and shaking, begging her not to but she had cut him down because her parents were watching, because she did not want to die. "Did you really think an initiate would be able to kill me?" Liliana looked up meeting Sebastian''s eyes which were once a gentle blue now shining with a crazed murderous glow. "No, but who ever said it was just going to be ONE initiate," He lifted his arms and made a gesture as if to show off the entire arena, "Plus you''ll be watched by many of your friends. And..." His smile widened showing off his sharpened teeth, hissing, "Our Parents." "If you''re done now Sebastian," Magical flames filled stone braziers revealing the stands full of white clothed hunters and at a raised platform the two that raised Liliana. Her father holding a blood red crystal sword in his right hand and her mother standing beside him scorn in her eyes. "Liliana Moonhowl, you have betrayed your squad leading to their deaths. You have also collaborated and consorted with a vampire, a pure blood no less; these are great and treacherous crimes against our order. But you were a hunter once and even in death you shall serve the order willing or not, your execution will be left at the hands of our initiates and your death bring a new generation into our ranks." Straight and to the point, her father never was one for ceremony; one of his only redeem features in her mind. Sebastian cut her bonds, then slowly headed back to one of the two gates leading out of the pit into the stands, eyes never leaving her''s the entire time. Looking around most of the hunter''s faces were hidden by their hoods aside from her families, considering her father was the one to go through the procedures it seems the head of the order wasn''t here. A deep scraping sound signaled the opening of the four heavy stone doors leading into the pit from the chambers below. Two... Six... Twenty... at least two dozen initiates walked into the arena with a variety of weapons and crossbows. Liliana felt inside her, the magic she has left is around half, she was unarmed. Get close to a group of people to prevent the crossbows use or take them down with magic first? She also had to be weary of their magic though, even if they are so called initiates they are basically a full fledged hunter to be taking part in this. She was also unarmed, the man she had thought back then at least had a sword; her father is taking necessary precautions, after all he was the one that knows her abilities best. One of the hunters a blew a horn, Liliana got into a fighting stance once it reached three blows the execution will begin. Two, sweat was making her hands a bit slippery, unarmed fighting wasn''t her forte. Three... as the third horn blew a body appeared out of nowhere and slammed into her.
From the feeling on my back and the large amount of hunters around I''ll say it worked out fine, with the exception of us being unarmed in a pit surrounded by armed and very hostile people. "Shin?!?!" Liliana pushed me off as she got to her feet, "How''d you get here, what ARE you doing here?" "Err, well I teleported kind of..."
*Ding Due to your actions you have learned a new skill: Teleport (Active): Teleports you to a previously visited location or item. Higher levels of the skill increase teleportation accuracy, success rate and reduce mana costs. Novice 1 - 10%, Teleports you to the general area at the cost of 500 mana with a 50% success rate.
I looked around, yeah this is kind of a bad situation... I''m glad I put points into intelligence so I have mana to fight with. "What are you waiting for?" A man with a fragile looking sword, crystal swords are never fragile in fantasy yelled out, "Kill them." Seems like me suddenly appearing made the initiates unsure, but now given an order they started moving all at once several firing crossbow bolts our way. Damnit, cheat magic don''t fail me now. Focus, Imagine, Release!!! An grey dome covered me and Liliana as the bolts were stopped at the edge losing all momentum and fell.
*Ding Due to your actions you have gained a new skill: Reflective Barrier (Active): Using mana you create a barrier capable of blocking and reflecting projectiles, higher levels of the skill reduce mana costs and reflection chances. Novice 1 - 5%, Costs 100 mana to cast draining mana as projectiles impact, has a 5% chance to reflect projectiles.
"You had this kind of magic?" Liliana voice had confusion in it. "No, just made it right now." I heard her sigh behind my back as one of the bolts got reflected and stabbed some poor guy in the eye. "You are just unbelievable." It took 1-3 mana per bolt so probably depends on the force, eating some souls I prepare another spell as they got closer. The first one to reach us was swiftly dispatched by Liliana evident by the grunting and the sound of a body hitting the ground heavily, right after someone further away screamed; presumably shot by Liliana. Having people run at you with swords is damn scary, Focus, Imagine Release! A fireball the size of a man''s chest fired off from my hands slamming right into the guy closest to me lighting him agonizingly on fire. What, no skill? Well with fire mastery that I''ve practiced during our trip back it was quite cost effective. F.I.R. Another one went down, this time a girl from the screaming. Behind my several screams indicated that Liliana was cutting down a lot of them, the bolts have stopped and the shooters have joined the zerg rush. I''m not good at melee, they were only a couple steps away now. F.I.R. Several sets of glowing orange runes showed up on the ground in front of me, when the first initiate reached it the rune blew up in flames effectively stopping his advance. Leaving a couple insect souls as backup I start consuming the souls of the deceased hunters, Summon Shambler
6 Shamblers Summoned: Initiate Level 14 - 130/130 HP, 17 Atk, 8 Def, 3 Spd Initiate Level 13 - 125/125 HP, 13 Atk, 5 Def, 3 Spd Initiate Level 14 - 150/150 HP, 12 Atk, 10 Def, 3 Spd Initiate Level 16 - 110/110 HP, 26 Atk, 18 Def, 4 Spd Initiate Level 12 - 100/100 HP, 10 Atk, 10 Def, 3 Spd Initiate Level 15 - 180/180 HP, 15 Atk, 15 Def, 3 Spd 4 Skeletons Summoned: Initiate Level 12 - 80/80 HP, 20 Atk, 3 Def, 6 Spd Initiate Level 10 - 50/50 HP, 15 Atk, 1 Def, 6 Spd Initiate Level 19 - 125/125 HP, 37 Atk, 8 Def, 8 Spd Initiate Level 13 - 90/90 HP, 13 Atk, 15 Def, 6 Spd
*Ding Due to your actions you have gained a new skill: Summon Skeletons (Active): Raise a skeletal body to do your bidding, higher levels of the skill increase strength of raised skeleton and reduce mana costs. Novice 2 - 0%, costs 95 mana to raise 1 skeleton.
I heard Liliana give a cry of surprise as well as the corpses around us rose again, subsequently one of the shamblers died. "Friendlies, Liliana." I heard another sigh in reply. But skeletons? Was what I summoned dependent on the corpse used? With the arrival of the undead however the initiates with no real combat experience quickly fell, especially to the skeletons which had human like speed if not the reflexes. "You okay Liliana?" I devoured the remaining souls that were left from the deceased hunters, rejuvenating my mana to full. "Yeah... Thanks to you." She was breathing heavily but seems to be okay.
*Ding Level 15 reached, achievements and advanced stats have now been unlocked.
Advanced stats would be useful but achievements eh. Guess they kept this system inline with DDO, since you died so often achievements were only unlocked after you reached level 15 and they all gave little boosts kind of like titles but without the limiting nature of them. "That... Was rather disappointing, the initiates performance was just utterly terrible," The guy with the sword was talking again, "Sebastian finish off your sister, and this other intruder." Sebastian dropped down from the stands, "I was waiting for this, I hoped you would live but a necromancer is an unexpected gift." He showed his teeth, what was wrong with them? They were sharpened almost like he had them filed that way. Mentally I commanded the undead attack, he looked unconcerned at the movements they made. "Careful... He''s strong," Liliana held two swords in her hand and was tense her face full of worry. Sebastian looked at me, he looked kind of like Liliana he''s her brother isn''t he?"Don''t you have anything stronger than this?" He swung an arm even though they were still a couple meters apart, a wave of red fire poured out from his arm as he swung it burning the undead to ashes within seconds. No chants, instant casting. "No? Well then let''s get rid of the annoyances." He moved his right hand like he was raising something from the ground and the corpses around us burst to flame turning to ashes. Damn if I saved some souls I might be able to enslave him... wait that wouldn''t work, weird magical sense is telling me he can''t be enslaved. He casually threw a fire ball at the barrier I had erected and forgot to take down, it was twice as large as the one I threw earlier. On impact it pushed the barrier in a little making an indent before slowly withering away, taking with it 600 mana. How strong was he? "Uhh, we may be in trouble here." I didn''t have enough mana to teleport but I''m not sure I should have risked it. It''s only a fifty percent chance and I don''t know if I could take Liliana with me. He seems to be a mage like me, so if Liliana could get close... she probably can''t.
Kill Liliana, you can probably get enough mana that way to teleport away.
"What? No Karen I will not do that!" Liliana looked over at my sudden shouting. "Do what?"
There''s no way out of this otherwise. Don''t throw it all away just for her, you hardly know her anyways.
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. There has to be a way, uhh, magic, fire, fire?... The jacket! Wait damn it that''s night time only. Turn back time 5 minutes? but that won''t change much, it''ll give me the mana back but I don''t know how much it would be to teleport two people. "I''ll go in, see if you can make it to one of the chambers underground. Chances are slim but you may be able to get away." I looked up at Liliana, she was staring at me with resolve in her eyes. "We can''t win against him, Sebastian he... I don''t know what happened to him but he''s way too strong." "What no, I''m not leaving you her-" Wait charge in?, "Liliana can you kill him if you can get close enough?" "What? Ah, yes probably." "Then I''ll go in and hold him down, stab him through me if you have to." "What!?! That''s insane, you won''t make it." "I''ve got some tricks up my sleeve," F.I.R. My body started glowing orange slightly.
*Ding Due to your actions you have learned a new skill: Fire Protection (Active): Raises your fire resistance, higher levels of the skill further increase resistance and reduce mana costs. Novice 1 - 10%, costs 50 mana to cast and 5 mana per second to increase fire resistance by 10%.
No time to waste I charge at Sebastian who smiled and shot a fireball at me. Not dodging I ran right at it and DAMN it burns. On his face was a look of surprise as I got through the fireball alive and... well not on fire. Every part of my body hurt as I ran towards him, I probably look like a mess right now. He lifted his hands in a panic and released a wave of flame at me, ignoring it I jumped at him hoping to get to him before I died. The second I died I ate a soul and came back, to him it must look like I never died, some of my body regenerated but it was now a charred painful mess. "RAAGHGHA!" I grabbed or rather fell onto him locking him in place. "Sorry!!" I heard Liliana say before dying again with two swords piercing through my back accompanied by Sebastian screaming in pain. 1 soul remains.
Liliana stood up pulling the blades out, her brother''s screaming had ended leaving the entire place silent. She still felt a bond with Shin but he was very evidently dead, but she has seen him do crazier things. She turned to look at her parents, something was wrong, they did not look worried or disappointed at all. They aren''t people that would feel attachment even towards their own children but there should have been some response to the victory she had just now. A sudden explosive sound behind her made her turn around to witness a pillar of flame, the source was Sebastian''s body that was now getting back up, Shin''s body had been completely destroyed in the process. "That hurt sister, I really did not expect that." He looked down at where Shin''s body was, "Definitely did not expect him to survive all that." How, how was he not dead? "You see sister dearest, after you left me there for dead I had god whisper in my ears." He smiled, his eyes a pit of darkness with flames for a center, his body was cracking all over revealing fire. "He asked me if I wanted to live, if I wanted power. I answered Yes." His entire body was now blackened by the fire spilling out of his body... no that wasn''t fire it was lava. "He was not a god of this world, however but his power allowed me to purge the blights upon this land. It won''t matter in a bit but I''ll allow you to hear his name. Surtr a Norse god of fire." Sebastian cackled maniacally from is right hand a sword of bright fire formed, it''s pommel and grip a of solid black obsidian. Liliana dropped her swords, there was no way she could fight this, fight a god. Despair was in her eyes and she apologized to Shin who had given his life. "Goodbye... Sister." The sword was driven through her cutting cleanly in and cauterizing the wound right after. Sebastian pulled the sword out as Liliana''s lifeless body fell undamaged save for that one cut.
"Damnit!!"
Your best bet is to just wait them out before reviving, you aren''t strong enough to fight him yet.
Liliana''s soul was floating there, she was dead the bond that was there before was also gone. No one could have known he was a chosen. But the Reaper was the strongest right? Then why couldn''t I do anything. There was little point in turning back time, it won''t change anything, I know that enough to not waste a precious item but DAMNIT. "Well done Sebastian my son, that was an exemplary display of your power." The with the sword was congratulating Sebastian on killing his sister?!?! That was his daughter he just had his son kill what kind of a parent was he!?!? Anger welled up inside me, at my own weakness. I hate games with scripted character deaths, it wasn''t right. There were supposed to be choices but no matter what you did they always died. So I decided to do everything I can to prevent anyone from dying outside of those, I was laughed at by people for trying so hard protecting some bits of data. Expendable bits of data they called it, I got too attached I know but its a part of who I am. I should have just declined the slave trader, if I tried out more magics. If I stored more souls. Power. I need power to overcome everything, to do anything I wished. Power to not lose to anyone. You want power? ... Did someone just say something in my head? Let the anger control you, you''ll naturally bring out your power. "Kage is that you?" That weakling is not here, quickly decide. "I''ll take it." Good, feel the power of the Reaper flow through you, embrace it and destroy your enemies. A dark mist swirled around me, sinking into me, strengthening me. It was pure destructive power, more than I could have imagined, it was like going from level 1 to 9999, the difference was incredible. Sebastian was turning, walking towards the gate that leads out... I won''t let him, let anyone here leave. Consume Soul.
Liliana wondered why she still there, she was dead that much she knew, was it because she had attachments? But normally you wouldn''t be tethered to your corpse. There was no one else here and she couldn''t interact with any of the living. Something swirled past her, dark mist focusing in on a sing point twirling in a circle, suddenly the mist concentrated and Shin''s body reappeared causing Sebastian who was living as well as all present to look at him. There was something wrong with Shin, it was dark... or rather it was deadly, the energy surrounding him wasn''t evil just pure power.
They all looked at me in shock, Sebastian who was just turning back reignited his form and drew the sword again. Did his god tell him to be careful? He had no look of mockery on his face and was completely serious. Above Liliana''s body I saw her soul, walking to her I released it. At the very least she shouldn''t have to see this, I knew instinctively this power will annihilate everything. A shout, looking to my left I saw Sebastian running towards me sword held high. There as no need to direct this overwhelming power that even now i felt like I could be ripped apart by it, rather I couldn''t control it. I wonder how the Reaper does it. Then again he''s a god isn''t he? I let the power that was swirling inside me go and almost immediately pass out.
Varleck Moonhowl was looking with shock as with everybody at the sudden reappearance of the intruder, he had an overwhelming presence that he did not before. As the intruder fell before Sebastian reached him a dark mist was released in all directions moving quickly. As he saw Sebastian disappear into nothingness eaten by the mist Varleck instinctively stabbed the sword he held into the ground and hid behind it. As the mist reached him he heard hunters and his wife scream but his focus was in front of him where a red aura protected him, but the sword was cracking.
"What a mess... We''re going to be scolded by the Reaper for not helping sooner." Three hunters and the area around them were completely unscathed by the mist a black dome of magic protecting them. "There was no way of telling before, Oh looks like Moonhowl is still alive. Such a waste of a beautiful artifact, he should have just died." The mist had receded leaving the only survivors the three, Shin and the Varleck who lay there out of breath with the crystal sword shattered. Around the entire place one could only call it absolute devastation, everything the air, people, corpses, the ground had died leaving things blackened and like a picture from hell. "You can just repair it can''t you? Master Craftsman. That aside can I go punch him? Varleck had been on my nerves ever since I met him." A feminine voice this time spoke out from the shortest of the three. "You are just a muscle head Vilana," The first voice spoke again, the hood fell back revealing a confident young face with combed back black hair. "And you, are just an ancient buffoon." The two continued to bicker and argue and Vilana walked to Varleck who was in a state of shock. "Well... I don''t feel like getting my hands dirty anymore, Riaz you do it." The first voice spoke out in exasperation, "You''re asking an emperor to do such a dirty thing?" "Vilana just do it, we need to get the chosen out of here." The second speaker had reached Shin and was picking him up with some difficulty, hanging off his belt was an obsidian statue of a giant with a sword, the symbol of Surtr. "Fine." A punch to the face completely pulverized Varleck, and the wall behind him. "There, let''s leave." "Don''t forget the sword! I can''t fix it if it''s not there." "Yeah yeah," Vilana picked up the broken swords hilt ignoring the shattered pieces, "Hey old coot where are we going now?" "You aren''t even using my name anymore!!!" Riaz sighed, "That''s why I don''t like dealing with unrefined meat heads. We are heading to the mountains west of here, most isolated place within human territory. Checked it out before there''s no other chosen there and I''ve already cast a spell keeping people away. "Umm... Some help please?" The one who had picked up Shin was having trouble with the weight. Vilana grumbled as she headed towards him, "You are such a weakling Fafnoth, how do you even work the forge?" Fafnoth gave a small smile, "Magic."
Lilith was looking at through the screen at Shin, things were progressing nicely. This incident has awoken it even more, at this rate she won''t even have to do anything anymore.
Note* that''s actually my sentimentality towards my game party members (mostly towards girls an after affect of playing Rance games). God I hate when someone dies and there''s no way I could stop it no matter how strong my character, equipment or preparations are. Well going to make lunch. Probably won''t be another chapter today, still have to organize events for next arc. Chapter 19: Road to Strength Part 1 I have a gigantic headache, it was like that one time I got really drunk during a game of cards... I never should have agreed to that game. "Ugh, where am I?"
Stone Claw Mountain, well mountains. It''s technically a mountain range that when seen from afar looks like a claw.
"Thanks Karen, how do you know that anyway?"
I had time to admire the view while you were being carried here, by the way you''ve been out for six days.
"Carried here? By who?" I lift my hand up to hold my pounding head, "Wha?" My right arm was chained to the ground beside the pile of furs that I was on. Looking over I found the same with my other three limbs, did I get captured while I was out? The last thing I remember was releasing the ridiculous amount of power. Lifting my head to take in the surroundings in I noticed that I was for one naked, two on top of a pile of furs and three in a cave lit by white glowing stones. As I lay there wondering what I was going to do I heard footsteps approaching. Crap uh F.I.R.... Nothing happened? I was imagining the chains popping open but they were unaffected, shit the footsteps are getting closer. F.I.R. Ah this time it worked, I wiggled my limbs a bit as the stone floor the the chains were hammered into became soft.
Due to your actions you have gained a new skill: Soften (Active): Using magic to soften an item or area, higher levels of the skill decreases mana costs, increases effectiveness and area able to be affected. Novice 1 - 10%, costs 5 mana to soften a 1 cm by 1 cm area by 10%.
Considering the fact that the rock became like soft cookie dough I assume it can stack, also because I lost quite a bit of mana. The footsteps meanwhile kept getting closer, should I use fire magic since it''s my strongest element? But if they survived the mist they must be strong. "Oh! You''re awake, thank goodness. Vilana was going to go kidnap a healer if you didn''t wake up soon... Well wake up as yourself anyways." A man in his early twenties with shoulder length blonde hair was holding a bowl of soup and fussing over me waking up. "Hey Vilana he''s awake!" "Umm... Who are you?" He took out a key and unlocked the chains binding my wrist, well guess that was pointless. Then after handing me the bowl and a spoon he introduced himself. "Fafnoth, former Elven master blacksmith; although that was in another life. I''m very glad you''re awake chosen one, otherwise the Reaper would kill all of us." The sound of something soft bumping into the walls echoed as a pair of footsteps and dragging could be heard. Around the corner came a short girl also in her early twenties rounded the corner, the messed up bleeding bundle of a man from the sounds of it hit the wall as she turned. Her hair was tied up in a bun and although she wore plain brown clothing her body was shapely beneath it all. "Oh good, here eat this before you go mad." She tossed the man towards me and straight into the wall beside me, the sound of blood and a breaking bones echoed off the walls. "Wha-what''d you do that for? And I don''t eat people last time I checked," I flipped him onto his back as I check his pulse, he''s still alive at least even if his face, and well... entire body is one big bloody mess. "Huh? I even went and caught him for you and kept him fresh. And how should I know your eating habits, I just know you need to eat his soul." Why was she the one acting pissed? "I''m not going to eat some random guys soul. His family is probably worrying about him right now." "Well," Fafnoth interjected, "I highly doubt that, he was a part of a group of bandits that we captured on the way here so your conscience should be fine with it right?" Oh... that would be better but can I trust them? "Ugh, If you''re not doing it I will," Vilana grabbed the man and just snapped his neck like a twig effortlessly. I opened my mouth and closed it a couple times, I don''t want to defend the assumed bandit who has probably done a lot of terrible things but that was just cruel. I sighed... there wasn''t anything I can change at this point, and I probably did need a soul, Consume Soul. I felt the headache subside as his soul turned to energy and entered me. "What was that about the chosen waking up?" A tall man with black hair slicked back walked in with two skeletons in tow. Those were definitely a lot higher level and quality than the ones I made before. Dressed in steel plate armor with an elegant design carrying a long sword and shield they looked like ones ready to fight compared to my half burnt piles of creaking bones. "Great, my name is Riaz and the faster we finish the faster we will be free." He signaled the skeletons, they walked towards me in unison and then picked me up by the arms. "We have much to do, you are to start with basic knowledge then we will go into the harder stuff later in the day." "Wai-" I was interrupted by a fist the went right beside my face, it smashed the skeleton to my right to pieces metal included. The air from the passing of the fist caused several cuts to appear on my cheek. "Hey, I get to train him first." Vilana growled while looking hostilely at Riaz who was doing the same, green power was being concentrated around Vilana''s fists while dark purple energies were flowing around Riaz. "You two need to stop fighting, it''s not going to get us anywhere." Fafnoth turned to me, "Now I''m sure you''ve got a lot of questions and we can answer them while you eat. "Tha-Thanks." I don''t need to eat but I would have to be an idiot to say that in this situation.
Several things I''ve learned which are useful, at least the stuff I could hear Fafnoth explaining over Riaz and Vilana quarreling with each other. Firstly all three of them are reincarnated monsters, monsters in regards to their power. Riaz was an emperor of a great nation that fell when attacked from all sides including within. To combat it he traded his soul to the Reaper for power over the dead, saving his nation but ultimately leading to its ruin; he''s also over a thousand years old. Vilana was a human of sorts except their lifespan is about 200 years so double the humans I''m used to and she was an accomplished master martial artist. She exchanged her soul for an additional 200 years to create and master her own style. Fafnoth was an elf who''s lived for thousands of years, a master craftsman not just smith who could create up to mythical level items. When his world was in danger from one of the Reaper''s chosen he sold his soul to make a divine weapon capable of defeating said chosen. Although he seemed to have lost much to the chosen he held no hostility towards me, this also made me question the Reaper''s motives and how much he cared about his chosen. The three of them were reincarnated to this world to await the Reaper''s chosen as part of his orders and to teach him or her their skills until mastery was reached. As proof they each had a white skull that emitted power etched into their bodies, it couldn''t be faked because the energy it gave off was the Reaper''s. However in this world the markings were taken as ill omens and they were consequently thrown out of their homes, were picked up by the vampire hunters and joined them where they met each other. While they''ve been keeping an eye out for information about me it was complete coincidence they were there at Liliana''s execution. During the time I was unconscious after using the Reaper''s power as my own I was carried here during which they were attacked by bandits where the recently deceased man was subdued. When I asked about the Reaper''s power and the voice in my head I found out that it literally was the Reaper''s power, I was channeling his ''mana'' through my body. The Reaper''s representative was chosen mostly on how much power they can use as normal people would just disappear if they were to touch it. Even for chosen with high resistance it''s dangerous, the power influences them changing their personality and that I should avoid using it if possible. I''m beginning to wonder if it really was through my own skills that I beat DDO. After I had finished swallowing the really terrible soup porridge thing, I was taken by Vilana to train in her style and to eventually master it, no was not an answer. When I asked about letting Mary and the others know Riaz said he would take care of it... I hope he doesn''t create a huge commotion considering his only magic appears to be that of necromancy.
"First of all let''s see how strong you are physically." Vilana brought me out of the cave and up to a plateau outside of the cave. "Lift up the biggest rock you can," looking around I could see rocks varying from that of a tennis ball to that of a truck, there was even one the size of a two story house. I walked up to one about the size of a soccer ball and proceeded to attempt to lift it. Even if I was having trouble I could lift the rock, however it seems that it''s not nearly enough because Vilana was grumbling to herself while having a dark look on her face. "I''m more a mage than a warrior." She looked over, my instincts are screaming warnings and before I knew what was happening I was on the ground bleeding from a broken nose with Vilana standing over me, "Could your magic have saved you there?" She pulled me up like I weighed nothing, "If I had preparatio-" Once again I found myself on the ground this time dead. Vilana looked at my soul form, she could see me? "Preparation means nothing if you aren''t anticipating it, and believe me you won''t be able to anticipate everything... even if you could see the future." She opened the lid of a wooden container that was hanging on her waist, reaching in she pulled out a small bug then crushed it with two fingers. "Come on, revive." If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. As I did so she looked at me seriously, "If you want to protect things, even if it''s just yourself master everything you can... You are blessed by luck and can learn it all, make the best of it." Is she referring to the fact that she had to sell her soul to gain time? Yeah... to protect the things I want I need to get stronger, "What do you want me to do?" She gave off the first smile I''ve seen from her, even if I know she''s over 400 years old right now she looks amazing, "Running and strength training, the entire day with no resting. Even if you die, you can just revive and keep going."
At first I though she was kidding, but after running for 3 hours straight with my legs falling off, depending on water magic to keep cool and hydrated I was immediately sent to do push ups. After about 30 push ups I started coughing blood from the continuous exertion, but she told me to keep going. I refused and was immediately killed. Reviving I continued doing push ups until I passed out, at which point she killed me and had me revive again. While it did refresh me every revive it''s was ridiculously painful. In addition I was also lifting rocks for weight training, running with rocks in a pack and practicing some basic stances. The latter being the hardest because Vilana would throw punches my way kind of like a screen with a figure cut into it to ensure I had the stance perfectly, of course I died many times there. At the end of the day however it felt somewhat rewarding, not least of all the fact that I can finally rest.
Skills gained: Running (Passive): Increases your speed and reduces the stamina costs, higher levels of the skill further reduce costs and increases speed. Novice 7 - 39%, Increases running speed by 70% and reduces stamina costs by 35%. Strong Back (Passive): Increases carry capacity strength, higher levels of the skill further increase your carry capacity and strength. Novice 5 - 77%, Increases carry capacity by 50% and strength by 5. Stance Mastery (Passive): Increases the effectiveness of stances and reduce stamina costs, higher levels of the skill further increase your the effectiveness of stances and reduce stamina costs. Novice 3 - 15%, Increases effectiveness of stances by 30% and reduce stamina costs by 15%. Turtle Stance (Active): Increases defense and reduces damage taken, higher levels of the skill further reduce stamina costs and increases defense. Novice 2 - 10%, Increases defense by 20%, reduces damage taken by 10% at the cost of 50 stamina per second. Tiger Stance (Active): Increases attack speed and attack damage, higher levels of the skill further reduce stamina costs and increases attack speed. Novice 2 - 15%, Increases attack speed by 20% and attack damage by 10% at the cost of 50 stamina per second. Bear Stance (Active): Increases impact force of attacks and movement speed, higher levels of the skill further reduce stamina costs and increases impact force. Novice 2 - 30%, increases impact force by 20% and movement speed by 10% at the cost of 50 stamina per second. Phoenix Stance (Active): Imbues your strikes with fire , higher levels of the skill further reduce stamina costs, increase fire damage and the area of effect. Novice 3 - 2%, Imbues your strikes with 30 fire damage at the cost of 50 stamina per second. Stats gained: 10 Strength 9 Endurance 3 Vitality 1 Agility 3 Dexterity
"Wake up, it''s time for lessons." I was rudely awakened from my peaceful lovely rest by cold skeletal fingers. Rubbing sleep from my eyes I saw that I was no longer in the room with the pile of furs. The cave actually was just a part of a collection of open areas within the mountain that the three of them have made, the one I''m in now is filled with various scrolls, books and arcane objects. "Vilana told me you fancied yourself a mage, pretty shitty magic from what I saw. Child''s play." Riaz threw several books at me, "Read them then do as they tell you, don''t slack off my skeletons are watching." He then simply waltzed out leaving me with several dictionary sized books and a pair of menacing skeletons with drawn swords. I died twice before I made it past the first couple pages.
Concentrate the mana in my hand, then release it slowly in the shape of an orb. Control the movement of the orb while maintaining it''s form, up, down, left, right. Make it grow, shrink, spin it in a circle, make it release heat, light, then let it fade slowly into the atmosphere. It took me five hours to finish the first assignment given to me, the skeletons were judges and would let me know with a prod if I did it wrong. No wonder it takes a long time for people to learn magic, even with system assist its hell. "Can I take a little break?" The skeletons responded by poking me with the tips of their swords, guess that''s a no; how long will I be doing this?
"Hey Shin! How are you doing?" Fafnoth walked in with a smile on his face, "It''s time for you to train with m- what happened to you!?!!" I believe my current appearance is that of a total wreck, as part of the magic exercise I had to cut something so I shaved and cut my hair, trimmed my nails; basic stuff. But I haven''t bathed since I got here nor have I slept since I started the magic training, "I''m so glad this is finally over." I''m about to cry of relief, it''s been a day since I started and I''m currently half way through the first book. Having wet myself many times because I wasn''t allowed to go to the washroom probably didn''t help, even though I did use water magic to try and keep myself clean. "Riaz is so unreasonable, well let''s get you working alright?" He handed me a herbal smelling green mixture in a cup, "This''ll help you to revitalize, don''t use it too much though it won''t be good if you get addicted." Fafnoth lead me through various tunnels leading to a room with various alchemy equipment all over. "Since you''re tired lets start with something that''s not as physically taxing." "You probably won''t be able to distinguish between herbs right now but this one," he held up a green herb with some round leaves and a crisscross pattern on it, "Is a healing herb, while this one," he held up another green herb also with round leaves but this time with zigzag lines across the surface, "Is a poisonous one." He handed me a pile of both while taking out a mortar and pestle set from one of the cupboards in the room, "Now here, you crush the herb completely." He demonstrated, putting in a bit of herb then crushing it into a paste, "Then add a little water, for higher levels of alchemy you would use other things but for now plain old water is fine." he stirred well with a metal stick combining the paste and water into a smooth green liquid. He took out a set of cylindrical glass containers and poured the mixture in. "And done, simple isn''t it? It''s not a very potent one but it works fine as a potion for small scrapes and bruises. You try now." The first few attempts either failed because the herbs weren''t crushed enough or I used the wrong one resulting in several poisonous mixtures. He made me keep all the mixtures in my inventory, saying I would probably find a use for them at some point and time, every failure is a useful experience. After about an hour I felt completely refreshed, almost as good as if I had a great nights sleep, I can see how someone would get addicted to this. "Hey, uh Fafnoth how did the mixture you gave me earlier work? Consumables aren''t supposed to affect me." He gave a wide smile, "The mixture itself would not affect you, I added in some elven magic thinking that might work. From this we can tell that a normal potion wouldn''t help you neither will a normal poison harm you but if they were magically enchanted they will." Was I... just used as a guinea pig? He handed me a purple potion, "Lethal poison, acts in seconds with just a small amount in your body, drink it up." "E-excuse me?" That sounds incredibly suicidal to me. "We just went through it didn''t we? Normal poison doesn''t affect you, we can build up your poison resistance in case you ever get attacked by a non-consumed poison." What he said makes sense, it''s just that the crazy looking eyes staring at me is making me incredibly suspicious. I thought he was the nice sane one but he''s just a mad scientist isn''t he? "A-alright already, just please stop staring at me like that," it''s highly disturbing. Putting the bottle to my lips I drank the poison, it tasted incredibly bitter almost making me spew it back out.
*Ding Due to your actions you have gained a new skill: Poison Resistance(Passive): Increases your resistance to poison reducing its effectiveness with a chance to nullify the effects, higher levels of the skill further reduce the effectiveness of poison and allow the nullifying of higher level poisons. Novice 8 - 38%, Reduces the effect of poisons by 26.7% and nullifies poisons of rare level and below.
I don''t feel anything bad but what kind of a poison did I drink for it to boost my skill level that high? Err... "Please stop staring at me like that." I wonder if this is how a lab rat feels...
Sorry about the absence, work has been busy. The problem with having two jobs in the same area is when it gets busy I run out of time to do anything (I do have the time after work but I feel like shit at that point). The chapter is a bit short I know and yes there will be time skips (yup skips). I have events planned out but not completely organized in an order yet, although I can say that the next chapter will be about other people and not Shin and that it''ll be out sometime tomorrow and then another on Tuesday (Yay breaks). Chapter 19.1: Wrath The south western part of the human empire was relatively isolated from the rest of the civilization, having little resources and nothing in terms of strategic value it was basically a place where the unwanted go. Harold made a grim smile he was sent here because his superiors didn''t like his ''Forgiving'' nature, as if not slaughtering everyone was abnormal. He looked around at his small office, no fancy furniture, not of stone or marble, just simple wood furnished with a desk, a shelf and several chairs; still it didn''t smell of insanity or blood. "Mister Harold, I''ve brought some tea and refreshments." The sound of knocking could be heard along with the quiet female voice. "Come in," Harold''s voice in comparison was rough. A girl in simple villagers clothing walked in carrying a wooden tray as Harold cleared away several stacks of paper to make room on his desk. "Sorry to have you go through this trouble everyday Celia." Celia set down the tray and poured some tea into a cup, beside the cup was a plate of plain biscuits. "It''s the least I could do, you and your men keep us safe from monsters." Harold can''t help but have his look linger upon Celia''s body, here beautiful blond hair, emerald green eyes, soft pink lips and curvaceous body, if only she has here because of affection and not duty or respect. "I''m just doing my job, plus the soldiers the royal family sent out are helping a lot too." Harold said as he brought the cup to his lips, a rather bland taste filled his mouth. Five? No probably the sixth time these leaves had been used, the village was a poor one but produced a small amount of tea on the side. Most of it however was exported in exchange for food as more monsters than animals lived out here and the land wasn''t very fit for farming, just having tea to drink was a luxury; especially since it was poured by the village beauty. "We are very grateful to both parties," Celia bowed her head slightly, an unspoken fact floated in the air. Either parties could have taken heavy taxes in exchange for the help leaving the area devastated in another sense, of course the lesser noble in charge of the area being extremely reasonable has kept this area afloat before he had arrived. A smile tugged at Harold''s lips, very few nobles even lesser nobles would care about commoners, even less to the point of hiring mercenaries at their own expense to keep the area safe so Harold had high respect towards him. As Harold was about to say something the door slammed open and a young boy came in, his white clothes dusty and hood down. "Leo what''s wrong?" Harold was immediately on alert, standing up and buckling on his silver sword. "Th-There''s a- red demon- heading this- way." Demon? They exist? "You mean a monster that looks like a demon right?" One of those things from legend can ruin an entire country, well before the empire was made. Leo caught his breath, he must have ran all the way here from the hills in the east where the villagers were foraging. "I have never seen, read nor heard of such a monster before." Harold swore if Leo says so it very likely is, he turned towards Celia. "Please tell your father to have everyone gather at the central square," Celia nodded and went out the door, Harold opened a drawer in his desk and took out a crossbow and started gearing up fully, "Leo have you told the soldiers yet?" "No, I went straight here." Leo wiped the sweat off his face with a scratched up sleeve, blood from the many cuts on his skin dirtying the once white cloth even more. "Get the others up and ready, I''ll let the soldiers know." With a nod Leo sprinted out the door, "Ugh, what happened to my peaceful tea time with Celia."
"Find chosen, stay out of trouble, stay out of sight, find chosen, stay out of trouble, stay out of sight." The sounds of trees and rocks being knocked out of the way of Wrath could be heard but strangely enough his footsteps can be barely heard despite his huge size. "Find chosen, stay out of trouble, find chosen, stay out of trouble." Wrath''s started moving faster and stomping could be heard thundering as he gouged out the earth with his strides. Animals were running away from the disturbance as fast as possible but a doe was caught frozen in fear right in his path. Reflected in her eyes was imminent death as Wrath continued advancing undeterred. Just before slamming into the doe Wrath swerved to the right before returning to his original path leaving the doe unharmed although with a severely shortened life span. "Find chosen, find chosen, find chosen." Three goblins were squabbling, clubs smacking at each other and tiny hand scratching completely unaware of their surroundings. A wet crushing sound could be heard as Wrath passed by, but he had no even noticed anything. The wake of destruction left behind him was complimented by the fearful scream of one lone goblin.
"What do you make of it Captain Kal?" Harold was looking through a handheld telescope created by Leo, beside him the captain of the soldiers sent by the royal family was doing the same. "Not a monster I know of," Kal looked at Harold grimly his weathered face weary, "At the rate that thing is going it''ll reach us before the sun sets, glad your boy spotted him." Kal looked at the telescope in his hand, "Handy little trinket, wish I had these back when I was at the front lines." Compared to Harold who had limited actual combat experience before he was sent here Kal had been fighting against the beast men for years, only to be retired from the front lines due to an arm injury. Harold shook his head a bit, despite that injury and the grey hair Kal can still floor Harold ten times out of ten; just proves how much it took to fight the beast men. "Do you think we could take it down?" Harold asked that question hoping that such a man can think of someone but it was obvious from Kal''s face that the answer was something obvious. "I doubt a damn group of them beast men can take it down, us? Not a chance." Kal started walking back down the simple but sturdy wood wall, "I''ve sent a young lad off to ask for reinforcements from the noble." He won''t make it in time, looking over at Kal, Harold smiled wryly, "That''s considerate of you." The kid he sent away was probably Kyle who was barely seventeen and had no experience with fighting. "At the very least he shouldn''t have to be dragged into this, he''s got along life ahead of him." Twenty one soldiers clad in various types of armor were waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs, many older than Harold himself; off to the side his group of six was looking anxiously over. Kal faced the group most of them grim but with determined faces, "We''ll take on the demon here, Jerry, Tal you two help the hunters out with extracting the civilians to the Master Geram''s house." Jerry nodded in affirmation while Tal stood up, displeased with his posting. "I will stay here and fight with all of you," Before Tal could say anything the other soldiers slapped Tal on the back. "Get going Tal, evacuating the villagers is an important job." "That''s right, prepare some drinks for us when we get there." "You can have all the fun next time we go hunting alright?" The group of soldiers left carrying a resisting Tal, Jerry stopped halfway and turned back towards them, "Thank you for everything Captain Kal." He bowed deeply then quickly ran after the group of soldiers. The hunters that watched the commotion with Leo in the lead walked up to Harold, "We''re in charge of evacuation? We know what is going on and our chances of winning are practically zero... so please let us fight with you till the end." This time it was Harold who spoke, "And who will protect the people? We have a bad enough reputation as a whole already, the people always comes first, before glory, before honor, befor-" "Anything else." Leo finished what Harold was saying, looking depressed. "We-We''re like family this is just." The group was thrown out here for helping people, being too nice, questioning the hunter''s morals and ever since arriving they''ve bonded together; there was nothing left for them but here. "We''re not planning on going down without a fight, but our chances are destitute that is true. All the more reason you can''t die here. More so since we''re family and I will protect my family, so get going. And help me protect Celia." Harold ruffled Leo''s head, who was trying desperately not to cry; looking around the other five were doing the same. "Come on, we''ve got a lot to do before nightfall," Kal patted Harold''s shoulder and pulled him away towards Harold''s office. They''ll have to try everything to at least slow down the demon when he gets here. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
The wall of the village was pretty impressive considering the size of the place. About two men tall of solid wood it had repelled many goblins and the few ogres that appeared sometimes. The soldiers had planted even more stakes in front of the wall that Wrath was heading towards and nailed metal parts made up of pans, shields and armor to the wall to reinforce it. Behind the wall was a small ring made up of wooden fences and stakes, they held no illusion that their makeshift wall could stop the demon. "Has he changed course?" Harold asked Kal who was looking through the telescope, before Kal answered however Harold already knew the answer for they have been checking every hour. "Not a bit, still heading in a straight line towards us." Kal snickered, "don''t know if I should be happy or sad about that." "I still think we should try to talk to him first." Kal gave Harold an annoyed look. "I''ve told you before he probably can''t understand you, even if he did he probably won''t listen." Harold shrugged, "There''s no harm in trying, at the very least there''s no reason not to." They had four archers up on the walls at either side of where the demon was headed, the archers would lose the chance to shoot one or two arrows but Harold highly doubted that the arrows would do much if any damage at all. "Do whatever you want." Kal looked down the wall at the fifteen soldiers in his command, "Get ready, he''ll be here in less than an hour." A chorus of acknowledgements reached Kal''s ears along with the sound of swords bashing shields, "Lively bunch even heading to their deaths... I''m a terrible captain." he muttered under his breath.
Leo was overseeing the evacuation along with the rest of the hunters, Jerry and Tal. He wanted to be back at the village with Harold who was like a father to him, but he had an important mission given to him; to protect Celia. Leo will make sure Celia was okay when Harold meets up with them again because he definitely won''t lose even if the opponent was a demon. Leo looked up startled when a pair of hands griped onto his arms, "Wha-" "Leo, have you seen Celia? She left me this letter." The village chief was holding a plain piece of parchment where a bunch of neat letters were written, to anyone who knows how to read it would be immaculate writing but to Leo it was just mysterious scribbles. "Chief, calm down, what does the letter say?" Celia''s missing? But where could she be during an evacuation? A single location came to Leo''s mind, she couldn''t be... "She thanked me for taking her in and that the demon is probably here for her so she''s going back," The chief was in tears, "Please, please bring her back Leo." "Leo? Chief? What''s happening?" One of the fellow hunters came over in concern once she heard the chief crying and saw that he was on his knees clinging to Leo. "Take care of the chief please Ruby," Leo pried the chief''s hands off of him and sprinted back in the direction of the village, ignoring Ruby''s shouts.
Talking to the demon had failed, the thing just kept asking where the chosen was, what chosen!?!? Harold was knocked off the wall with the others when the demon barreled through it tearing apart the wooden structure. Shaking his head clear he looked around to regain his surroundings, Kal was unconscious a few feet behind him along with the two archers that were with them, one of the archers on the other side had fallen onto the stakes and the other had his head crushed by the demons foot. "HOLD!!!" the demon had been stopped by the soldiers that were behind the fence, or more correctly slowed by the human wall blocking it''s path. Despite the fact that they were bleeding and probably had many broken bones from withstanding that impact they kept pushing with their shields with their utmost might. The demon uncaring about the various weapons that were being broken over his red scales continued to move forward, now slowed to walking speed. Harold got up unsteadily and drew his sword, his crossbow was lost when he fell. If conventional steel won''t work, how about SILVER!!! Running at the demon Harold jumped with the sword held high point downwards then impeded the silver sword into the brutes shoulder.
Celia was sure the demon had come for her... demon''s don''t exist in this world, at least they shouldn''t. The only reason they would is if another chosen had come for her life. Celia, Celia, Where are you? "I''m sorry Echo but I can''t... If I go he''ll just follow me and hurt more people, if I just go to him maybe he''ll stop." Tears were running down her face, the soldiers, Captain Kal and Sir Harold who protected the village shouldn''t be dragged into this mess because of her. To begin with she was adopted by the village chief when she was thrown away as a baby. She rounded the corner putting the wall or what remained of the wall into view and screamed. Harold had just stabbed his sword slightly into the demons right shoulder before being slapped with the demons left hand into a house. Enraged the demon started pounding on the previously ignored soldiers, crushing and smashing them against the ground. "Where is the Chosen!!!" "Stop!! I''m right here, please just stop." Celia shouted at Wrath, who looked over with his eyes. Dropping the soldier he was about to throw he slowly walked towards her. As Wrath reached out a bloody hand for her she was thrown to the side and a silver bolt was shot into Wrath''s hand. "Go Miss Celia, I''ll hold him off." Leo was standing there sword drawn with his legs shaking. Wrath roared in range plucking the bolt out of his hand, "That HURT!!!" He slammed his fist down shattering the ground where Leo was a moment ago, a silver flash and a small cut appeared across his chest. "NO! Stop Leo, you can''t win." Small cuts were being inflicted on Wrath but Leo was slowly getting sluggish, the toll of having to dodge Wrath''s heavy fast attacks was wearing his body down faster than anything he had experienced before.
Annoying insect keeps poking him and running, making it hard for Wrath to hit him. The ground in the area had been filled with holes and cracks all over the place, burnt and melted where his blood fell. Left punch, right punch, stomp here, attack there. "RAAAAAAGH!!" Wrath swung his tail around slamming it into the bug''s side knocking him into the wall of the building to the left. The annoying sword was the same as the one the man used earlier but now it lay broken into pieces, as Wrath advanced towards Leo he pulled the sword that was embedded in his back and tossed it away. Now to finish him off, Wrath grabbed the heavily breathing Leo up the sound of hoarse screaming could be heard as he tightened his grip. Lifting his hand over his head Wrath threw Leo expecting to hear a splat as he collided with the ground, instead a high pitched scream of pain was heard.
Celia had put herself between Leo and the ground suffering the brunt of the impact. Go Miss Celia! Celia looked up with blurry eyes at the silhouette of Wrath as she lay there bleeding and coughing. "Pl-please, let hi-m go." There was no acknowledgement from Wrath but he picked up her broken body and started walking before stopping. "... What now?" Wrath looked at the unconscious Celia then scratched his head, he was just told to find a chosen not what to do afterwards. Maybe Lust or Pride would know? Wrath lifted his head and let loose an extremely loud roar, one that could be heard from across the continent but only understood by the other two demons. "Err... Now we go this way." Wrath looked at Celia again to check on her, when did she get pointy ears? Then he threw her over his shoulder and stomped back the way he came.
Sorry for the delay, ranked games in league as well as the content change in the chapter ended up with this being a bit late. Originally this was supposed to be just a short chapter on people''s status''s. Err.. somehow it turned into this (Wrath was originally supposed to be walking across the ocean floor smacking sea monsters and what not). So... because of this might not get back to Shin for a bit. Note* Just for clarification Celia isn''t dead... yet, she''s just unconscious and... well heavily wounded. Also as a clarification of Echo''s speech, she can only say words from the last few words she hears. Maybe there''ll be a short chap about Celia and Echo meeting in the future :P Chapter 19.2: Pride Flying above the clouds silently at a speed that is generating a large tailwind behind him, Pride was heading off in search of a chosen. The largest chance of finding one would be looking for the biggest disturbances in the land below, after all you can only keep the power of a chosen undiscovered for so long. As the ground flew by in a blur Pride''s eyes were taking everything in, a white robed boy dashing towards a wood walled village, a beautiful girl carrying a tray of tea, the hidden base of a bandit, a turtle and a rabbit in mortal combat, many things were seen but nothing Pride cared about; somewhere there must be a disturbance. A faint blue pillar of magical power was shot into the sky to Pride''s right, a gentle colour that soothed souls, except Pride was unaffected, instead he turned and headed in that direction. That was done by no normal mortal, his eyes scoured the area underneath the pillar and settled on a girl with long black hair wearing a red and white schemed robe; she was the source.
"That was brilliant Lady Himiko." "Truly marvelous." "You must be blessed by the gods." Praise after praise was thrown at the young girl standing beneath the pillar of light, beside her lay a young child who had been not a minute before twisting and turning in pain from a disease no one had been able to previously cure. Now the child slept with a peaceful face almost as if nothing strange had happened before hand, the child''s parents were weeping at the girl''s feet thanking her excessively. "There''s really no need to thank me so much, I am grateful to be of help." A gentle voice reached out to them as the light dispersed into the air. "Everybody please make way. Lady Himiko needs to rest now." A woman with long grey hair dressed in similar clothing to to Himiko''s started dispersing the crowd, her grey hair tied back in a bun. As they retreated out of sight of the people and into the oriental building Himiko breathed out a heavy sigh, "Thank you mother," as much as she loves to help people being surrounded and praised is exhausting, especially if it''s endless. "I''m sorry that this is all I can do for you..." A sad look was on the woman''s face as she bowed her head in apology to her daughter. "No, please, please raise your head mother, I''m most grateful for what you have done for me." Himiko gave a small smile, one that sheds light through darkness, "I also enjoy the work that I do." "You are so much like your father," Her mother looked at her endearingly, "What a fool he was, helping stranger he never even knew." "That''s how you fell for him thought is it not?" Himiko''s eyes sparkled, hearing about the father she never met, seeing her mother''s usually strict face become gentle and loving was a joy. She loved hearing stories about how her parents met and her father''s journeys. "Yes it was, such an honest fool." Her mother''s thoughts turned inward as she relived her memories of her loved one. That''s really sweet. Himiko looked down at the necklace that hung around her neck, a simple necklace made of white thread strung with four small jade magatamas and one larger one. A gift two years ago from a goddess who chose her to be the champion, giving her a great boost in magical capabilities like creating the miracle from before. With each magatama she can create one miracle each day, Himiko fingered the one of the far right which had small etchings of flowers on it, the one that she used already today. You should cut back a bit on using that one... it''s flashy and will lure others here. "Ah!" Himiko was startled as her mother made a sudden noise, "Very sorry Himiko, I got lost in my memories and you even stood here waiting for me." "I don''t mind, you''re too stressed all the time dealing with the other pries-" Screaming stopped Himiko before she could finish what she said. Looking over to her right where the entrance to a small enclosed garden was she saw one of the priestess on the ground staring at the sky all the while mouth open wide screaming. "What''s happening?" A group of six monks in simple robes wielding naginatas ran down the hallway past them towards the priestess in the garden. The priestess looked over but before she could answer a black sword pierced her chest, a cold stare from the perpetrator froze the blood of all those present; his eyes were black, bottomless pits of darkness. Yelling out battle cries the monks dashed towards the demon with weapons held out while Himiko''s mother pulled at her to get her away from there. As the monks fell, slashed and pierced by his sword, their weapons never reaching him Himiko could not look away for his eyes never left hers. Pride... Pride? Is that the demon''s name? If Amaterasu knows him then that means... "We need to get out of here Himiko NOW!!" Her mother started dragging her away but Himiko was no longer listening, all her focus was to one of the magatama on her necklace; one that had flames etched into it.
Humans were so loud and annoying yet so weak and vulnerable kind of like dogs, all bark, no bite. Pride had decided to land quietly and unnoticed in the enclosed garden within the building after he saw the girl walk in and the first person he met just wouldn''t shut up, so he helped her. The men who had rushed him were nothing to speak of, their techniques and physical strength so insignificant that Pride almost felt pity as he cut them down. Now it was quiet, except for the woman pulling the girl away from him, he walked towards them slowly without rush, nothing here can touch him. An enormous amount of magical power started gathering in the girls hands and Pride hesitated, although he was confident he wouldn''t be defeated he shouldn''t take any chances. Nothing matters as long as victory is achieved, he has a perfect record to keep up. Shield at the ready Pride once again approached the girl at a pace faster than before, they were separated by merely 5 meters, 4, 3, 2... "BURN!!! Solar Flare" The girl shouted out as bright orange light flowed out from her hands and a swirling wave of fire surged towards Pride. In response Pride simply lifted up his shield and as the area around him burned he was unscathed by the flames.
Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.Himiko was breathing heavily, using two magatama''s in such a short period of time was incredibly draining, she did not want to ruin the building or desecrate the bodies of the others but there was no other choice. It was a feat to use just one of these miracle producing spells but two had pushed her to the limit. "Are you alright Himiko?" Her mother was crouched beside her, face filled with concern. Yelling from everywhere was heard as the other residents of the temple came to the scene of the incident carrying buckets of water to put out the fire. "Yes, I''m alrig-" Watch out! from out of the inferno came the demon, black armor polished and completely untouched. "That was a nice attack," His eyes connected with hers once again, "Now why don''t you come with me, you won''t win even if you kept fighting." Rather than arrogance or over confidence what Himiko heard in his voice was absolute certainty. She gripped a magatama hard, on it was etched the pattern of a mirror, even if she was at her limit she must cast the spell. "Over my dead body," Himiko''s mother stood in between them, breaking off the eye contact they had. Her hands were glowing as she recited a spell and a white barrier formed itself between them. Boosted by floating charms it was a barrier that would repel even one of the legendary drakes easily. "Is that all?" Pride said while simply walking through it, the barrier blackening and corroding away where he touched. Dozens of paper charms flew past Himiko as the various monks and priestess''s started a ritual in harmony. "Come let''s go Himiko," Her mother pulled her up on her feet and started leading her away. "But, what about the others" they both knew the seal wouldn''t hold him. Her mother had little magical power but through effort mastered the strongest barrier and Pride just waltzed through it like it was nothing. "They will hold him long enough, we need to get you out of here." Her mother lead her to the back exit of the temple whistling she then hugged her tightly. "We all knew this day would come, when someone would want to use your powers for themselves. We''ll hold him back as long as we can and... I love you." Her mother released her and turned back tears flowing. "Wait, I can''t just run away on my own." It was her fault this had happened in the first place. "The girls right you know." Startled by the voice both Himiko and her mother looked over to the shadows of a rock to the right where three monks emerged; the elder priests of the temple. In their hands were their signature weapons, a naginata, a staff and a pair of chakrams. "You traitors, have sullying our name not been enough for you?" The three elders who have been exploiting HImiko''s powers to increase their own influence and fortune had always been at odds with her mother, but to show up here... "Now, come here Himiko and we won''t have to get violent." The three men moved forward menacingly, they no doubt want to turn her in for a reward from the demon. A screen of white light appeared in front of their faces before dissolving. "You will not touch her!" Himiko''s mothers complexion was pale and breathing getting rougher, using that tiny bit of magic in a show of resistance. The lead elder made a twisted grin, "I was hoping you would say that." He drew back a hand , chakram ready to be released, "I''ve always hated yo-." Everyone was staring dumbly at his arm, where his hand was is now bloody stump. Before his brain could process what was happening and let out a scream he fell apart vertically. "That''s kind of despicable now," Pride walked through the wall in the whole that he had created while killing the elder, as he stepped onto the grass he looked over at the remaining two elders. "Milord, we were just in the process of capturing her for you, please wait a while." The two started groveling at Pride''s feet, not a word was said about the remains of their recently deceased comrade. "Hmph," Pride''s sword swung twice, delivering death sentences onto the two. "Such disgusting, pride less creatures." He turned the sword towards Himiko, "Now back to what I was doing." He started advancing. "Like I''ve said before." Himiko''s mother slammed against Pride, likely in what would have been a tackle. "You aren''t going anywhere near her while I''m alive." Pride looked down at her, "Very well then, if you want death you shall get it." "NOOO!!!!" Himiko gripped the fourth magatama, decorated with a single sword. The sound of a sword sliding into soft flesh echoed as a sword of light golden light manifested in front of Himiko. "Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi!!!" The sword flew at Pride''s heart as Himiko lost consciousness falling backwards towards the edge of the cliff. Pride growled in pain as the sword went through his shield and pierced part way through his chest. "Ha! So the demon can feel pain." Himiko''s mother laid on the ground bleeding from her wound a taunting look on her face. Pulling the sword out, Pride tossed the sword aside as it started disappearing into light. "Unfortunately," Pride dashed forward hand outstretched to grab Himiko before she falls off the edge. "You are out of tricks. Grah?" A hand suddenly grabbed his foot and Pride lost his balance, slamming into the ground as he watched Himiko disappear over the edge. "You BITCH!!!" An arm went flying as Pride flew towards the edge. "You''ve lost this time demon." Himiko''s mother lay there dying in her own blood but on her face was not a look of a despair but one with a smile. A giant eagle flew past Pride as he got to the edge, upon it''s back lay Himiko. "So you''re the last defense, nobody is faster than me!" Wings extended Pride took off after the eagle both at a speed that broke the sound barrier leaving deafening explosions of noise in their wake.
Going to bed now X.X I can probably get Lust''s story out tomorrow and maybe finish up the demon''s little story cluster after work. Currently looking at Wednesday for another chapter and Sat/Sun although I''m not too sure yet since my schedule is prone to changes. Also as before apologies for errors and mistakes (mostly in the form of grammar) as I don''t have anyone to PR, if someone wants to do it for me that would be very much appreciated. Ugh misspelling a lot now, need sleep... Chapter 19.3: Lust Long story short looking at show homes and going on vacation consumed a week and work plus card hunter (that game chews up time) ate up the time from this week.
Lust looked down at the dried up husk of what used to be a bandit in disgust, his soul just tasted terrible. But her master''s life force would taste simply ecstatic, just thinking of it made Lust''s body twist in pleasure; such an unobtainable delicacy. "Jeed what''s taking you so long?" The trees behind Lust rustled an another bandit appeared, "Err... Umm... Hi." Lust''s lips curled up into a smile. "Why hello there," Lust got close to the bandit and caressed his face, making him look directly at her, "What''s your name?". "Bra-Brant," Lust''s eyes glowed pink as the bandit stumbled with his words, "My Lady." As Lust''s magic took over, his eyes became glazed over and lifeless almost as if he was a wood puppet. "Now, let''s get to know each other shall we?" Lust tangled herself around Brant, "Tell me everything."
A bunch of ramshackle wooden buildings camouflaged into the surrounding forest with various vegetation made up the bandit''s makeshift base. Stationed around the walls were several bored bandits, often found with drinks, food or dice with them. "What do you think is taking Jeed and Brant so long?" A bandit with a red bandanna asked the bandit across from him as he threw a pair of dice. "Who knows, maybe they found some stray woman along their way," The bandit gave out a shout as he won the round. "That''s three coppers now you owe me." "Tch, my luck has been shit ever since Jeed left." Bandanna bandit scratched his head and stopped to listen to some rustling. "Stop trying to stall for time, it''s probably another animal." "Alright alright," Bandanna rolled the pair of dice again, both of them landing on sixes. "Ha! Finally some luck, try and beat that!" Grumbling the other bandit picked up the dice as a voice came over the wall, "Oi! It''s me Brant, let me in!" Getting up the two bandits looked over the wall in the direction the voice came from, "Who''s the lady with ya? Hmm? Where''s Jeed?" "Did ya finally kill him off?" The two bandits broke out in laughter at their own joke, as much as Brant and Jeed fought there was no way they would kill each other. Brant waved his hands, "Hurry and open up the gates for me." Then he paused for a second looking back at the lady before turning back to face them, "No clue where Jeed went, he''ll come back when he wants to, probably off chasing some animal or something." As the bandits went down the steps, the one with the bandanna hollered towards one of the bigger buildings, "Oi Boss!!! Brant''s back... and he''s brought a girl with ''im." As Bandanna and the other bandit opened up the gate they were greeted by glowing pink eyes that seemed to drag them in, "Thank you boys." As they stood there dumbly Lust walked right by towards the gathering group of bandits, Brant following behind. "You''re late Brant!!!" A rough looking man walked out from the building, chain mail jingling. His face deformed into a malicious grin as he saw Lust, "At least you know how to apologize even if she''s a bit on the small side, you''re excused." He waved his hand at Brant then proceeded to reach out for Lust. "Let''s have some fun now shall we?" "Sorry for being on the small side." Lust mirrored his grin as pink light poured out of her glaring eyes blasting him in the face. Grunting he fell down on his knees as all the other bandit''s bodies slacked, their eyes dull. "Oh my, you''re resisting." Lust''s lips twisted in a way that would make demonic nightmares tremble, "I think I''ll have some fun with this."
The bandit''s hideout was practically a village, minus the food producing utilities that would be needed to keep the population of forty four (not including the recently deceased Jeed) and five horses fed. Of course they didn''t need to produce their own food, as they were bandits they took the things they needed from unfortunate travelers and villagers. "Hmm, so you''re funded by this mysterious noble to attack certain merchants and other important figures." Gak nodded dumbly, as Lust sat on his padded chair checking her nails. "Well I don''t really care who the noble is, when does his messenger usually arrive?" "Dunno, she shows up whenever we have a job to do." Normal charms only allowed simple actions but a charm from a high level demon like Lust gives full control while barely inhibiting the subjects abilities. "My lady!" The bandit with the red bandanna walked in through the door before being immediately plastered to the floor roughly with an invisible force. "Remember to knock next time alright?" Although her face was smiling the aura she exuded was the very opposite. "Now what is it?" "Y-yes my lady," despite the force being lifted off of him bandanna stayed lying on the ground, "The three who left earlier to pose as guards for a caravan are coming towards to ambush spot... what should we do?" Lust pondered for a moment before answering, "You were going to attack and take the goods were you not? Proceed with that plan but if possible take them alive, including the three." "Yes, my lady." Getting up and bowing he left through the door, dust trailing behind in his wake. "Why alive?" Gak looked over a puzzled look on his face, Lust opened the door behind the desk and walked through sighing, this was the problem though with her charmed targets; they ask so many questions. She turned back towards Gak who was in deep thought. "You won''t understand even if I told you. Now come here, we have some time before they arrive." Her tone seductive she beckoned Gak towards her as she lay on top of his large but simple bed, clothes already undone.
Comprised of three wagons and six guards it wasn''t a big but it was one that Farrad has built up from travelling around with a pack of goods. Looking back at it he can''t help but feel accomplished, but of course he wasn''t going to stop with just this. Kane was a city of riches but only a few can rise up while the rest get trampled into the ground, being one of the few that rose the sky''s the limit. Or that''s what he thought, before a bandit ambush took everything he had, "Keep moving." Being pushed forward he almost fell over, only held up by the grip that held the ropes tying his hands behind his back. It was a sudden attack, out of nowhere a group of bandits appeared, armed with makeshift wooden clubs. The six guards who were armed with leather armor and blades shouldn''t have had any trouble dealing with the ten poorly armed bandits, he even felt sorry for them. Certainly they must have been the unfortunate lot that were kicked aside by the ones that rose. That was before half of his guards turned on him, surprised the other guards quickly fell two wounded and one dead, all incapacitated. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. The two drivers and him sat there in shock at the sudden betrayal, easily suppressed by the bandits. A cleric that was travelling with them put up a better fight, giving one of the traitors a bash to the head with his mace before being knocked out, unfortunately the bandit only suffered some light injuries. "Who sent you?" It wouldn''t be surprising if they were told to attack him by someone who didn''t like him rising up, especially since the three ''guards'' were introduced to him by a respectable inn master. All he got in answer was a smack to the head, guess that would be considered mild. "Let go of me!" One of the other guards, a female warrior named Jan was trying to fight back while she was being striped by the three bandits lust clearly on their face. With one arm disabled it was hardly any resistance to three men and there was nothing any of them could have done to help. *Smack Everyone had frozen at the unexpected sight, even Jan who was struggling with all her might before stopped as one of her assailants was slumped over on the ground knocked unconscious by one of the other bandits. "Wha-" Before he could protest another had been hit over the head, the last one was barely able to pick up his sword before being incapacitated. Infighting within the group maybe? But there had been no time to take advantage of that as they were quickly tied up and dragged into the forest, three of the bandits remained behind to drive the wagons and clean up the mess. So that lead them to were they are now, Farrad , the three traitors, Jan, the unconscious guard Harold, the cleric who''s name Farrad can''t recall, the two drivers: a middle aged man named Gent and his son Trent were being dragged through the forest. The bandits had been eerily silent the entire time, neither bantering, insulting them, assaulting them or other things that bandits would typically do. Their unusual behavior just made Farrad fear what was waiting for them, especially since Jan was otherwise untouched except for the ropes restraining her after they had dealt with the three. Normally a quarrel would happen over money, women or power but in this case it was non of them.
"That was disappointing." Lust was getting dressed after cleaning herself off, looking back disapprovingly at the pile of twitching bodies on and around the sullied bed. Gak barely lasted an hour and the others even less leaving Lust unsatisfied. She started playing with herself half dressed, "Master should hurry and come back." the life force of the chosen of the Reaper, just fantasizing about it made her want it even more. *Knock knock "My lady the group is back." Lust narrowed her eyes at the sudden interruption, the door was opened by an invisible force and the bandit was pulled in. "I''ll deal with that later, but first" Lust straddled him violently, his red bandanna falling off in the progress, "You will please me." He had no chance to reply as Lust started assaulted him and filled his mouth with hers, some where deep inside where his original consciousness still resided he felt like he was in heaven.
They were unceremoniously dumped into an open area after they were brought to the bandit''s base, one of them walked towards the biggest building before being pulled through it with an invisible force. Farrad hoped that the bandit had done something to displease their leader and was on his way to death... Ten minutes later they were still kneeling there, all through that time the bandits around the fort just stood or sat there watching them. Jan was breathing heavily almost feverishly, she had laid where they threw her without moving; probably didn''t have the energy to. Her right shoulder where a blade had been stabbed was still bleeding and the way her hands were tied behind her back was not helping at all. "Ugh.." The cleric groaned as he regained consciousness, his brown hair and robes dirty from the dust. Shifting his weight he slowly managed to get into a sitting position, if anything at least they weren''t bothered too much, no excessive brutality which made Farrad wonder what their goal was. If eliminating him was what they were told to do there was no reason for him to be alive, maybe to sell as a slave but since slave trade was more or less illegal now there would be little merit to expose themselves like this; especially since they knew where the base was. If they were hoping to get ransom it was useless cause there''s no one that would pay for him and as far as he knows it''s the same for the others. "Untie me please," Did Farrad just hear wrongly? What is the cleric thinking? "Be quiet! You want to get us all killed?" Farrad shouted out agitated, even if he doesn''t know why they are being kept alive as long as he''s alive he''ll grasp onto the hope that he could escape; that means not agitating their captors. But cleric just ignored him and looked at one of the bandits, "The two guards need help otherwise they''ll die." Certainly Jan''s face was getting paler every minute and Harold hasn''t regained consciousness once yet. The bandits however just stood there silently watching. "I won''t try anything, please..." At their continued silence the cleric got up slowly, it may be partially do to having to get up with out his hands or that he didn''t want to alarm the bandits but there was no reaction from them. Crouching down awkwardly next to Jan he tried to place his hands on her wound without leaning onto it, at his touch she gasped out in pain. At that the bandits moved and pulled him away from her, slamming him into the ground where he began and seemingly knocked him out in the process. Farrad looked on in shock as they returned to their places, rather than people they seemed more like... puppets. Once he had heard in an inn from a drunk that there was magic which could control people, make them dumb only able to obey simple orders... The only things able to use that magic according to the drunkard was demons and vampires, Farrad gulped hard, he had disregarded it as a tale made up under the influence of alcohol if it was true... what awaited them?
I may or may not do one of Shin training, but what the next chapters look like are: Wrapping up of the demons stories, princess side story, and maybe one about the rest of the party (I half want to just leave it a mystery and half want to write it out, well I''ll see when I get to it.) Chapter 19.4: When Demons Gather *Note: This was written over the course of three days so it might be a bit weird, if there''s any mistakes or problems as always please let me know. Aside from that enjoy ^.^ (Not really a replacement for death march kara if you read that as well but hey it''s something right?)
It had been almost another hour before the door once again opened and a small tanned woman walked out, Farrad almost thought she was child because of her size but the red eyes showed otherwise. "Eh," She knelt beside Jan, black hair swaying. "What happened to her?" "One of the guys who were undercover stabbed her," A bandit answered, putting away a pair of dice that he was fiddling with before. "Who are you bitch!?!?" "Why are you guys answering to her!?" "Wheres the boss?!" The three traitors were quite a bit more beat up than when they first got here but from what they were saying it would seem that they didn''t know who she was. "Hmm? Gak? He''s still passed out on the bed, such a disappointment," She made a pouting face causing the heart rate of everyone present to rise rapidly regardless of their will. "That''s enough." She made a dismissing gesture and the bandits that were beating on the three for their rudeness backed off, resuming their previous postures. She made another motion and the three were lifted off the ground to face her, one of them spat at her feet. "That was rather rude don''t you think?" Contrary to what she was saying what showed on her face was a creepy smile that grew bigger every second. "I will make you pay for that with you body later, for now..." Her eyes glowed pink and the three that were struggling froze. The eyes of the captured party bulged out in surprise as the three went to take up positions next to the bandits after they were let down and unbound. "Vampire..." A gasped out word, barely audible but everyone heard the word said, the word that was on their mind. The woman turned her head slowly to look at Trent who let that word out, a warm smile on her face. "I''ll say this once so listen carefully," What they felt from that smile was the opposite of warm, tension completely filled the air and not one sound was made by anyone. "I am not... a vampire." As she finished her sentence Trent exploded in a shower of flesh and blood, leaving his father staring in shock. Farrad looked on in terror as blood splattered his clothes, Gent who''s brain had caught up with the situation fainted from the shock and laid there bathed in his sons blood as silence prevailed. "Oh seems I might have over done it a bit." "Demon." The cleric had woken up and spat out that word, glaring at her with utter hatred. Farrad fully expected the same thing that just happened to happen to the cleric but instead the woman just made a questioning expression. "How did you know that? I''m pretty sure I hid it perfectly." Certainly aside from the red eyes she looked like a perfectly normal girl. "I can smell your stench from anywhere, I can also see the evil energy coming off of you." He was straining at his bonds now, hate emphasized on every word. The air around her rippled revealing a pair of elegant bat wings behind her back along with a thin tail, a large smile was on her face, "You must have some inherent blessing, not many people can see through my illusion. From your hate though, you''re a priest?" She motioned to one of the blood soaked bandits, "Cut him free... What''s your name?" The cleric slowly stood up rubbing his aching body, eyes never leaving hers, "I have no reason to give you my name." "True... but then I''ll just have to give you a reason." She beckoned a bandit who then positioned himself over Farrad, sword drawn. "Kendrick, Kendrick Lannar a cleric," Despite his efforts at hiding it, panic was still in his voice. When he answered Farrad sighed in relief as the bandit backed off, his life was at least for the moment safe. "Good, now that we have that out of the way." She looked at Kendrick with eyes again glowing pink, "Mind healing the two lying over there?" "And what would be your name?" Staying where he was Kendrick asked, apparently unaffected by whatever spell she had cast before. She pouted a bit, "It''s disappointing that I can''t control you, well you may call me Lust." she pointed at the two unconscious guards. "They''ll die if you don''t heal them soon." "And what will you do after I heal them?" "You''re worried about me controlling them? Don''t worry I treat my pets gently." She smiled then promptly sat down, her body supported by an invisible force. Kendrick ground his teeth together as he stood debating whether or not to do as she says. "Their alternative is death you know?" "Better dead than under your control." Kendrick closed his eyes and stood there body tense. "Then how about..." Lust started, a sinister smile making its way onto her face, "I slaughter a village for each of them that dies?" The tone of her voice indicated that she wouldn''t think twice about doing it. Opening his eyes in shock at her statement Kendrick slowly replied through clenched teeth, "You would go that far?" An irresistibly luring laugh was accompanied by cold taunting words, "You said it yourself didn''t you? I''m a demon." "Damn you!" Kendrick ran forward at Lust but slammed into an invisible wall before taking more than two steps. "Now now, no need to be violent," Lust was thoroughly enjoying the situation, it mattered little to her whether the guards died or entire villages did.. "So what do you choose Kendrick Lannar?" Breathing slowly to calm down Kendrick went over to Jan and put his hands over her shoulder, "Lesser Heal." Slowly the wounds on Jan started to disappear and her breathing stabilized. "Good boy, I believe you''ll make things very enjoyable here." As she finished her sentence Lust stood up and walked back to the building seductively, almost as if every movement was calculated to show just the perfect amount of skin and cause the largest reaction by the lower organs of living beings; regardless of gender or race.
The room was cleaned up and the bodies of the unconscious bandits moved. Now Lust was sitting there writing various things using resources from the merchant''s wares because the bandits disappointingly, aren''t literate. On the other side of the desk stood Kendrick who just walked in after being summoned and was looking in surprise at her, "You can write?" "Did you expect me to be illiterate just because I''m a demon?" Lust continued writing without looking up, "How are they?" "Stable but I could only close the wounds how long it takes for them to wake up would depend on their wills..." Kendrick looked at the words Lust was writing, numbers? His hand twitched a bit, "Aren''t you afraid I''m going to attack you?" Aside from him and her there were no one else in the room, even outside there was not a single guard posted. Lust looked up for a second before continuing to work a smile on her face, "I''m sure you would if you could, but we both know that you aren''t even the tiniest bit of challenge for me. There''s a dagger in that drawer by the door if you want to try though." "...One day I will." With that Kendrick left the building, slamming the door shut on his way out. "Hmmm... This should be good for the paperwork." A lewd smile was on Lust''s face, "I''m sure master would be appreciative of the work," The first step of running a good operation is organization and planning, on the sheets were numbers depicting resources that they had in stock as well as money and a log of their usage. The merchant had set out with four guards one of them being Gak, taking with him the resources the bandits had plundered as goods he was going to further increase their wealth while collecting information. Of course the bandits were buffed by various spells in case of emergency encounters. Gent however had commuted suicide after he woke up and the two guards reactions would have to be seen. "Well it''s not like I could charm that many more people anyways. Ah, I should have kept Kendrick here," Lust licked her lips, "He would probably last longer than the others."
For days they flew in a non-stop high speed chase, surprisingly the eagle was still ahead of Pride who was scowling at the situation. Pride was the fastest out of all the sin demons, at least in the air and had great stamina above most creatures. As a superior form of a fallen angel he should not be in anyway losing to a lowly eagle, no matter how large it was but that impossibility was happening right now. Pride lose? There''s no way that can happen, he cannot lose. Letting out a high pitched shriek Pride strained his aching wings picking up speed slowly catching up to the eagle. On it''s back the girl looked back in fear and hatred at the sudden noise, her eyes widening as she saw him catching up the them. Faster! Even Faster! The distance between them disappeared in an instant as Pride flew by the eagle in a blur. "Ha! Take that, I''m the fastest there''s no way a lowly being like you can out fly me!" Turning his head to gloat and bask in his own glorious self Pride found himself flying alone, the eagle no where in sight. "Wha-" A roar that almost knocked Pride out of the air stopped his sentence. "What? Wrath needs help?" He hovered in the air as he thought, his prey had eluded him and there wasn''t anyway for him to track them. Swearing Pride lowered his altitude turning towards where Wuldrud forest. As he returned with his wings spread out gliding on the wind he solemnly swore to himself that no one will know about this... and that he would settle the score someday. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!
Stomping back the way he came with perfectly kept tempo Wrath left behind an even more devastated landscape in his wake. Unlike when he was heading off in the direction of the village when he had been careful most the way his passage back spread cracks along the land where his steps landed. For Celia who was still unconscious it was a rough and unpleasant journey, small cuts from branches and earth flying paired with bruises from bumping into stuff amplified the pain on her body; although exhausted as she was, consciousness was blessedly out of reach. Once he had reached the clearing of the forest where there had been an uncountable amount of wolves corpses he put Celia down onto the bed of bones that now covered the floor. Days of being exposed to the elements and scavengers without the shelter of the trees had left a massive amount of bones that would be a necromancers heaven. Wrath sat heavily down crushing the skeletons beneath him to dust as he pondered what to do next. He had already sent out a call for the other two and they should have heard him, should he roar again? Before he reached an answer the sound of bones being clumsily clambered over made him turn his head curious towards the origin. Dragging the corpse of a fox and covered in scratches a poorly dressed goblin made it''s way towards him. "Who you?" Wrath''s booming voice caused the bones to shift, the movement of the uneven ground was too much for the goblin to handle who promptly fell down. Scrambling to get back up the goblin proceeded to present the fox to Wrath, its body bruised but luckily not pierced through by the ribs or fangs it fell on. "Me be Gree, you Gree master?" At the end of its broken speech it shoved the hands holding the fox forward, urging Wrath to accept it. "Me master?" Wrath scratched his head confused by it, "Me have a master." Despite answering that way Wrath grabbed the fox by it''s neck and shoved it into his mouth, crunching on it loudly. "Yay! Master Master" Gree hopped from one foot to the other leading to another painful fall onto the ground. Getting up Gree picked up a good sized bone to use as a club and carefully walked over to Celia, the makeshift bone clanging as it was dragged. With great difficulty Gree lifted up the club with both hands barely able to maintain balance. With a yell Gree brought the club down towards Celia head with as much force as the small body can produce. "Grah?!?" Gree fell backwards into the bones as the club was repelled by an invisible force. "Wrath, if you''re planning on getting minions at least make sure they don''t do something stupid, like killing the person you captured." Walking out of the trees with several bandits behind her Lust directed her attention at Celia who was has not moved during the entire commotion. "Is she the one you found? Are you sure she''s a chosen? Her aura is sorely lacking." Wrath stood up spreading white dust everywhere, "She said she is chosen." "And you didn''t think she could be lying? Maybe to protect the real chosen... In the first place we were supposed to collect information not bring one back..." Lust sighed holding her head with a hand, "At least you brought her back alive." "Did you expect anything else from him?" A sudden wind blowing away the dust signified Pride''s arrival, "He''s just a brute, don''t know why he was summoned." Lust raised an eyebrow at Pride who was puffing out his chest, "Says the one who made a commotion at the temple and then let the chosen get away." Pride''s grinning face gave way to shock as something that only he should know was revealed, "How did-" "You left a lot of live witnesses at the temple, something about a demon wreaking the place and slaughtering the elders then flew off after an eagle. The eagle crashed into Kane about a day ago meaning you weren''t successful, in the first place you weren''t supposed to reveal yourself." Lust was picking at her nail, ignoring Prides reddening face. "And what did YOU do, playing around with filthy humans?!!?" Pride''s pride was hurt and he had his hand on the hilt of his sword, left hand pointing an accusing finger at Lust. "I did what the master asked." Lust pointed at the bandits behind her, "I got an information network working and-" Lust interrupted herself and made a slapping motion. The sound of the impact of something soft on something considerably harder was accompanied by screaming and then a crash, Gree had gotten up and again tried to hit Celia only to be faced with a forceful slap by an invisible force. "Annoying goblins, anyways back to what I was saying I''ve found out that the shrine maiden there who was highly likely to be a chosen is now under the protection of the princess and that the royal army is on the move because of the two of you making such a fuss." Lust made a motion to one of the bandits, following her unspoken instructions the bandit moved forward to pick Celia up. "Was that really necessary?" Lust was looking at Pride a belittling look on her face, the bandit lay on the ground in two bloody halves, Pride who had drawn his sword pointed it at Lust. "I never liked you loose whore!" "Now isn''t the pot calling the kettle black? Mister egocentric!" A miniature explosion occurred as Pride''s blade clashed with Lust''s invisible wall. A deep scar was made in the earth as Pride jumped to the left and sent a cut towards Lust, dodging it Lust replied with a wave of force that Pride blocked with his shield; the trees behind him were not so lucky. Wrath and the bandits looked on as the two fought, Gree was face down in the ground rendered to the same state of consciousness as Celia. "De-Demons!" A scared cry interrupted the two''s fight, a man in mail armor was the source of the noise, behind him were several other infantry men who had been assigned the task of finding out what happened in the forest. For an instant that seemed like an eternity nobody moved, breaking the silence were the men who ran back the way they came. "This is all your fault," Raising her arms then bringing it down an a semi circle of trees was crushed in front of the soldiers, the leading soldier was completely crushed. "Mine?!?! You were the one who had an information network," two men were cut in half in an instant as Pride disappeared from where he was standing and reappeared next to the soldiers a strong wind following him, "You should have known about them." "Hiiiii!" The man who initially screamed at the beginning brought his sword down at Pride only to have that blade snap off as it collided with the black plate. Turning to look down at him with disgust Pride raised the hand that had the shield and slammed it into the side of the mans head with the sound of a watermelon being smashed. The remaining two soldiers ran the other way away from Pride towards forest as fast as their legs could go. "Wrath take the trash out," Pride yelled at the red behemoth as the splatters of red on his armor slide off as if it was sliding on oil. "Ok." Wrath grabbed a fistful of ground and hurled it at the fleeing soldiers, crushing them under rock and bone. "Damnit!" Lust swore and pointed a finger at Pride, "We should have kept one of them alive for information, I could''ve even had him giving us information from inside the royal army. "What information can they possibly give that would be useful." Holding her head in frustration Lust let out an annoyed sound and ordered the bandits to take Celia back, "Let''s just go, Wrath stop being so noisy and Pride... YOU are under my rules at my place." Pride shrugged before leisurely following Lust from the air, Wrath looked from Lust to Gree. Seemingly making his mind about something Wrath picked up Gree, grip tight enough to make it very uncomfortable for the goblin and carefully followed the other two, almost moving on the tips of his toes in an attempt to be quiet.
After the demons left one of the soldiers that was hit by Wrath''s attack clawed his way out of the rubble, breathing heavily he pulled out his dagger and started engraving letters into his helmet with shaking hands. As scavengers descended upon the fresh corpses he drew his last breath, dagger a bit away from finishing the words he was writing.
*Note: Ok so yup princess chapter next (I feel bad for her) then ''After Training'' Shin chapter (some parts of his training days will be explained later on so don''t worry about *spoiler spoiler spoiler). And since I''ve already told someone who asked me a question via pm I figured I might as well let you guys know too. Shin''s chapter will feature technically the beginnings of his harem (Lust aside). Chapter 19.5: Troubles for the Princess(es) After Tryn left Princess Shea turned to face Caroline, "Do you know where they may have taken the body? At the very least we should give him a proper funeral and see if he has any relatives." Caroline shrugged, "One of the guards took care of it, probably dumped in an alley somewhere?" "Oh," The grunt that was about to be taken out the door spoke up, "Are you talking about Jeremy? He was taking something that looked like a body towards the beast pens." "Do you know the way Caroline?" "Ye-yes, but the beast pens..." Caroline had a disgusted look on her face. "Let''s hurry then," With Caroline in the lead the Princess and her guards headed towards the beast pens, where giant monsters of various shapes and sizes were.
Caroline wrinkled her nose at the smell of the place as they entered the area of the beast pens. Although the condition of the cages weren''t terrible, they weren''t great; having so many in such a crowded area did not help to make it any better. Already there were some soldiers here making a list of the various monsters that resided in this part of the wing, stopping their work to greet the princess. "You don''t have to make that face Caroline," Shea smiled a little. "But the lack of formality and discipline, this isn''t how one should greet a superior never mind the princess." "Maybe for a normal army or group but we''re all friends and family here, there''s no need for pompous formality." Shea looked around, "There doesn''t seem to be anywhere that they could have put the body..." Her face darkened, "Unless they fed it to one of the beasts already." "There''s a room on the far side that has stones that cool the air, that''s where the meat is usually stored." Caroline stopped and looked at the princess, "But doing something like this... the nobles aren''t going to just let it go." "They won''t like it and will hold a grudge against the royal family but that''s about it. There''s no profit for them to rebel right now especially since the royal army is the one holding back the beast men in the west." Shea shook her head, "The nobles seek power and fortune over anything else, as long as they don''t hold anything in terms of agreements with the elves and dwarves, they won''t do anything rash especially since we have plenty of evidence here." "That''s a pretty fragile defense you have there... It''s true that nobles are self serving but it''s also true that when they feel threatened they''ll fight back. It wasn''t just a merchant or lesser noble you arrested this time Princess, it was the Baron; meaning that none of them are immune to your investigations." They stopped before the door to the meat room, the wooden door leaking cold air out, "It''s simple then, they just have to do everything legally." Caroline felt a headache building, are the royal family just ruled by naive idiots or just strategists she couldn''t tell. On one hand the Princess prepared all evidence so that there wasn''t any way for the Baron and Dooza to escape legally, on the other hand they leave a lot of things to luck and hope that nothing goes wrong. Aeran drew his sword as he walked up to the door and slowly opened it, releasing a wave of freezing cold air into the area, carrying with it the smell of raw flesh. "Wha-" Standing inside of the room was a naked man, not a trace of the wound that was previously on his chest could be seen. The guards took up position in behind Aeran as he raised his sword at the man. "Get down!" Aeran suddenly shouted out as he ran at the man, the reason why was only clear to three of them in that room. Princess Shea who immediately started casting a shielding spell with a red face, Aeran who ran at the man and the man himself who was using casting a magic spell. The spell was completed without a word being uttered by the man and at a speed that is unobtainable by normal mages, sending Aeran flying backwards into a slab of hanging meat as a torrent of wind and dust spontaneously spawned inside the room. "Lesser Barrier!" A blue dome of light about 3 meters in diameter came into being with Shea at the center, protecting her, the two guards and Caroline from the dust; although a little late as their clothes are now covered in dust and they were pushed out of the room. "Aeran are you okay?" Although muffled a positive reply came out from the room, Shea turned to Caroline, "I thought you said he was dead." "I-I''m positive he was, I stabbed him through the heart and checked for life." Caroline''s face was although to a lesser extent also red like Shea''s. "Undead then? But I don''t recall any undead being able to cast spells except for... Liches" Shea''s face looked grim, "If that''s true then we have a problem." Shea''s barrier dispelled itself before the wind ended, but since it was deemed that the dust storm wasn''t harmful aside from it getting inside your orifices Shea didn''t cast it again and simply retreated further into the room where soldiers were gathering. Aeran came out a bit after the barrier was gone with dust trailing behind him, coming out of every opening in his body and armor. The storm itself ended about ten minutes after it first started and when the soldiers went in they found nothing but meat that now had a crust of dirt around them. "We need to check on his background." Shea turned to face Caroline, "Dooza said something about a vampire right?" "He did, it seems he wanted us to kill the man so that he can enslave the vampire. But if the vampire hunters are there then there most likely won''t be anything left." Shea stood there silently thinking for a bit before motioning to one of the soldiers that was trying to clean up the dust, "Search up his background if you can, maybe the inn keeper or one of Dooza''s men knows something, let me know if you find anything." Shea started heading towards the exit of the place, "For now I need to get cleaned up." "And me?" Caroline looked around in confusion as the soldiers ignored her and continued walking, Aeran and the two guards that were with them heading in the same direction as Shea. Despite the dust covering her dress, hair and skin, Shea''s smile still made her seem like most beautiful thing there is, even to Caroline, "You''re coming with me of course."
The baron definitely had a luxurious bath, spacious and decorated with gold statues and patterns it was something Caroline hadn''t experienced even before she became a slave. She could almost completely enjoy her first hot bath in a long time if it weren''t for the dozen armed maids that were waiting at the edge and the three annoyances that were in the bath with her and the Princess. "You don''t have to be shy." Medline was all over Ran''s struggling body, it was a mystery how Medline a mage was able to hold down a martial artist like Ran but it was something Caroline didn''t want to look into. Rin who was standing a bit away from the two kept speaking in a barely audible voice with broken sentences to try and stop them. "I''m not being shy! Get away from me you pervert!" The splashing they were making in the bath was loud and echoing off of the high ceiling, completely unfitting of the atmosphere. "Stop this at once, you''re in the presence of the Princess!" Unable to hold it in any longer Caroline stood up with an loud outburst temporarily creating a moment of silence. The first to break the silence and the stares directed at Caroline was Medline, "That''s quite a lovely body you have there," Blushing Caroline sat back down again, hiding her body like she had previously been doing. "It''s fine isn''t it?" Shea gave them a bright smile, "There''s no need to mind me. Ah, Merilyn that will be all for now, Tryn should be back soon." The head maid gave a bow then left with a stack of papers, even in the bath the Princess was working on the issues in this town, although most of it was issues because of her arresting the Baron. "Take you time please, rooms and clothes have been prepared for you and if there''s anything you need please ask the maids." Flashing another bright smile the Princess left with all but four of the maids. Medline quickly went back to her antics as Caroline sat there thinking about the Princess''s proposition, certainly serving her wouldn''t be bad at all, it may even be better than when she herself was a noble. But... serving such a master will certainly end in trouble, the royal family can''t be that ignorant or naive to think that the nobles will put up with this forever. "You shouldn''t think so much about it." "Eh-?!?!?!" Medline was all of a sudden really close to Caroline''s face. "You were thinking about what the Princess offered weren''t you? I think she''s a nice person and the offer isn''t bad at all you know." Medline opened her hand and cold air started concentrating there and from it was a pair of birds spiraling upwards following the path of the steam. "It''s not like there''s anywhere better for us out there." "We don''t have a home or anywhere to go to so we''re going to be accepting it." Ran was sitting there in a guarded position with Rin behind her nodding. "Maybe... if you three weren''t tagging along." Caroline stood up and got out of the bath, she didn''t think her thoughts was that readable but it was true that she also did not have a place to return to. A small smile was on her lips as she started drying herself, maybe it won''t be so bad.
"Dooza''s thugs were killed and we found two of the vampire hunter''s corpses inside the inn, one of the rooms was filled with blood." "And the vampire?" Shea did not look up, on top of the desk were stacks of paper regarding contracts between the Baron and various merchants within the city as well as tax and other miscellaneous stuff that would have been originally handled by the Baron and his men. Tryn shook his head, "No where to be found, I presume though that most of the blood inside of the room belonged to her... The tools and weapons found in there indicated that, the vampire hunter was torturing the vampire. There were also a couple of civilian casualties." Tryn was sitting on the other side of the desk with a handful of papers in his hand, "The investigation of the man that was supposed to be the master of the vampire and the one you saw in the meat room lead no where. All we know is that he registered in the guild under the name Shin two days ago, took a request to look into the disturbance in Wuldrud Forest and came back with a lot of trophies for the reward earlier today before being taken to Dooza''s place. We know nothing about him or his company before he arrived here with his group." Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. "Anything on his group?" "It seems he arrived with a wagon and four girls, one of them a child. Some people recognized the girl as the child of a small merchant who has been running some trades between Kane and the villages in the area. One of them had a hood on most the time and was dressed in all black, we presume the vampire was the one dressed in red leather armor and we have no information about the other one." Tryn shifted the papers and held up another one, briefly scanning it. "The guild seems to be preparing a group to go see what happened Wuldrud Forest about the situation there and to confirm that he had completed the request properly, they should be departing in a couple days." "What about the request to the mage council? Will they be sending anyone?" "Because of the nature of the request it seems like they will be sending Elder Durmez, he will arrive in about three days time." Tryn shifted the papers again and started talking before Shea could ask anything more, "Most of the slaves have accepted the proposal with only a few of them wanting to go back to their families, we have found suitable areas for most of the monsters to return to and will be releasing the mermaid near where she was captured with an escort. The beast girl is temporarily under watch in a guest room, she will be moved to the castle later when we depart, the vampire''s thrall only condition was that she will leave our service once she has found her mistress." "That is fine," Shea looked up and smiled at Tryn, "But you''re always so prepared, thank you." Tryn shook his head, "I''m just doing my job, rather than having you handle multiple reports it''s better to get it all done at once." "Princess!" Urgent knocking was heard, from the voice. "Come in, what is it Aeran?" With Shea''s permission Aeran opened the door and walked in, there were some traces of the dust but most of it had been removed. "Dooza... has escaped." Aeran bowed deeply in apology, "His maid suddenly turned into a monster and broke him out of jail." "How is the injuries?!?" Shea stood up concern on her face. Aeran stood in shock for a second before answering, "There were some wounded but nothing major, the damage to the jail cell however will take some time to repair." It was not the first time but Aeran would never get used to how much concern the Princess showed to the soldiers, normally the status of the prisoner or blaming of the guards would be first but to her those weren''t even comparable to the safety of the men. "Thank goodness." Shea sighing sat back down slowly hand on her chest, "Tryn can you send a group after him, please be very cautious however." Tryn stood up and bowed, "Of course." leaving the room with Aeran he quietly closed the door and started walking towards the place where the soldiers were staying. "I-I''m sorry," Tryn turned around to see Aeran bowing deeply to him, "I couldn''t do anything earlier today and Dooza even escaped." "There''s nothing to apologize to me about, there were no major injuries and everyone''s safe. The Princess doesn''t blame you or anyone else for it and neither will I, duty is important but don''t throw away your life, she''ll be sad." Tryn put a hand on Aeran''s soldier, "Let''s get to work now, it''ll make it easier on the Princess if we do our work properly." "Ye-Yes!" As the two were having their conversation the Princess inside the room was working under the candlelight, there were lots of problems with the management that needed to be fixed, sighing she resigned to having no sleep tonight.
"I can''t believe this!" Caroline was scolding Shea who was smiling weakly while laying in bed, she had collapsed earlier from the exhaustion of working several days with little or no rest. "You need to take care of yourself better, and the work can be done by someone else. Also you people need to pay more attention and make her rest when she''s pushing herself so hard." Throwing rank and formality out the window Caroline was yelling at not only the Princess but also the head maid and Tryn. "There''s no stopping the Princess once she gets like that, the best we can do is support her." Merilyn calmly replied as she supported the Shea''s head and brought a cup of tea to her lips. "And don''t you trust us to be able to handle all of the paper work?!!? Why did you do the paperwork usually done by a group of people youself!?!" "They''re just minor issues, it''s not like I have anything better to do." "Tea parties, meeting with nobles, there''s plenty of things for you to do that''s more befitting a Princess." "Well if there''s nothing else, then I have to leave there''s a lot of work to be done." Tryn bowed his head slightly with a smile on his lips before moving to leave the room. "Don''t push yourself too hard." Shea waved from the bed. "You''re not one to talk!" Caroline stomped out of the room, "I''ll make some tea that''s good for resting for you so stay there!" "She changed a lot since she started working with you," Merilyn was laughing at Caroline''s behavior with Shea. "Reminds me of you when you first started." "You were a handful even back then," Merilyn looked out the window at the bustling city, "One day the world will be changed by all the effort you''ve put in." "It will take a lot more than just effort the change the thinking of an entire race," Shea sighed and relaxed into the bed, "There needs to be something or someone that can cause an effect as big as when we were at war with the other races to unite us properly."
The sound of wood and stone being broken apart woke Shea up suddenly, blinking the sleep out of her eyes she got dressed in simple cotton clothes that had good mobility before heading out the door towards the sound smiling warily; Caroline''s going to scold her again for dressing like that. "What''s happening Tryn?" Meeting her at the front door Tryn was ordering several soldiers around. "A giant bird crashed into the wall just now creating a big fuss, for now we''ve cleared the nearby area of civilians, it seems the bird is unconscious and there''s a girl on top of it. From the clothes we''ve identified her as one of the priestesses in a temple to the south, there were reports that the place was attacked by a demon recently." "Demons!? Why wasn''t I notified of this?" "You were sleeping from exhaustion when the report came in, we also had another report of a demon attacking a village to the south where Captain Kal was stationed." "What... is happening?" Demons haven''t been seen for ages, not even by the elves or dwarves. First the case of Shin coming back alive and using magic now this? A commotion near the gates drew her attention away from her thoughts. "What''s the problem there?" A soldier ran up to them and saluted, he was a regular soldier of the city, "There''s a man saying he knows the bird." "Let''s go meet him then." If there''s someone with information about the situation it''ll make things faster. Tryn shrugged at the soldier who was looking at Shea''s relaxed remark. "Pri-Princess Shea!" A man with short grey hair and beard promptly bowed his head at her arrival. "No need for the formalities, I heard you have information about the bird?" Shea had a kind smile on her face. "Ye-yes! Her name is Scarlet and she was a bird that my brother saved while she was adventuring, the streak of red feathers on her tail is unique to her... and I believe the girl would be his daughter, my niece." Despite what Shea said he was still talking in a reserved tone. "Scarlet won''t hurt anyone I promise... ar-are you going to kill her?" Shea turned to look a Tryn before looking back into the man''s sincere eyes, "I wasn''t intending to kill her either way, Tryn please make sure their wounds are treated, I would like to hear more about Scarlet if possible." "Of course! Tha-Thank you Princess, thank you!" The man was bowing over and over again as Tryn left to make preparations. "Found you!" Caroline was running out the front door, "What are you doing dressed like that and in such a dangerous place?!?!" "Uh.." Shea smiled awkwardly, "I think we''ll have to talk later, Aeran please guide him to a guess room I think it will take me a while."
"It seems like Shea has her hands full" A well endowed woman was polishing a great sword while talking to someone through a mirror. "You''re quite busy too Princess Gwyn." "So?" The Princess moved around a bit as she reached for a cloth to wipe her sword with, long red hair swaying, "Do you need me to come back right now Tryn?" "I''m only letting you know just in case, while there have been witnesses and various evidence of a very strong monster we have yet to confirm them as demons, we have requested the aid of some adventurers and the mage council. Besides it''s not like you can leave the front lines right now." "It''s not like I''m taking the troops away, besides the attacks have begun to lessen so the old man can take care of it by himself." "Calling the general old man is not very nice." "He''s and old man so what''s wrong with calling him that?" Gwyn sheathed the sword, "Well greet my sister for me alright? And tell her to stop over exerting herself." "I will... you should also take a bath, it''s unbecoming of a Princess even while at the front lines to be covered in blood." "Yeah yeah, later." Gwyn scratched her head as she looked into the mirror that no longer held Tryn''s face but her own. "It''s not that bad is it?" In the soft candlelight the blood covering her reflected the light almost as if it was on fire and coupled with her dark crimson eyes she looked like a demon from hell. Certainly it was a look befitting of her nick name of ''Princess of Hell''.
Note* Sorry this was delayed a bit, my mouse registered a double click and closed the tab yesterday effectively deleting most of it. On a side note I hate kids, annoying little shits. There were some minor time skips here but next chapter will be after a much bigger time skip, Shin''s chapter! Chapter 19.6: Refuge Shin''s chapter will be released in a bit, honestly wanted a bit of a time buffer since it is a considerable time skip but I wanted this part out and it didn''t make sense to bundle it with the chapter.
"So... Now what?" Jane looked over at Mary who''s wounds had stopped bleeding and was slowly closing, the spot where Shin had been standing a minute ago was now empty. "Is there something special you need to heal faster? Blood maybe?" "Y-Yeah, blood." Mary was still staring at the spot Shin teleported from, her breathing heavy. "Does any blood work or does it have to be human?" If any blood could work Jane could just quickly go buy an animal since she herself doesn''t have any blood. "Any blood works... Human blood is better." Her eyes started closing a bit. "Okay, just hang in there I''ll be right ba-" As Jane turned around to leave the alley towards the market a small figure popped around the corner. "Are you two okay?" Mina was standing there, in one hand she had a vial of red liquid. "Here you go Mary, wyvern blood should be plenty effective right?" Pulling the cork off she held it to Mary''s lips, who slowly drank it. "Wyvern blood? Wait how''d you afford that? I wasn''t even aware they sold it here." Wyvern''s aren''t a usual sighting, they show up near the dwarven mountains so supply was extremely low. Never mind being able to afford it, finding a seller was hard as the nobles buy it up the second it is being sold. "I know a place in town, I managed to haggle the price down a lot." Mina gave off a bright smile, suitable to a kid. "Okay let''s go!" Mary''s wounds had closed up instantly and her skin practically glowed with vitality, eyes wide she just sat there looking down at her own body. Jane likewise was shocked at the sudden improvement, "Blood is that effective?" "I- no, healing maybe but for that little blood to have an effect is." "You''re a special type of vampire right? You don''t have access to blood magic or a lot of a vampires bonus''s but you get more power from drinking special blood you know." The two looked at Mina with mouths wide open. "How do you know this? I don''t even know..." "I''m good at collecting information," Mina had her eyes closed and a big smile like a child being praised, "A friend of my dad''s taught me, we''re going to his place by the way. Let''s go before the guards start searching for us." "Okay..." Still confused by the actions of Mina who was a child, Jane and Mary followed while trying to process what just happened.
*knock knock knock "We''re closed!" Graplan Lorkas, or GL as some people called him back when he was a mercenary shouted at the person who was knocking at the door to his place. It was to describe it a bar, a very poor one at that but to people who dealt with the darker side of things this place was known as the best information provider. "Maybe someone really wants some information, you think it''ll be the princess with all the uproar lately?" GL looked up from his hand of cards at his old time friend Harvey Fardes. "Don''t care HF, we''re closed during this time." Drawing a card GL scowled. *knock knock knock "Leave or I''ll beat you to a pulp!" GL threw down the card he just drew. *knock knock knock Getting up Gl put down his cards and picked up a heavy metal club as he made his way to the door, "Don''t you dare cheat." "Heh, I can already tell I''ll win, there''s no reason to cheat." HF was grinning while taking a drink from a mug, cheap alcohol heading towards his stomach. *knock knock SLAM The door was thrown open as GL got to it revealing three girls, the one in front who had her hand up to knock again was a kid. "Scram before I beat your heads in." "That''s awfully mean," The girl made a pouting face, "I''m Mina uncle Graplan." "Who? I don''t recall anyone named Mina, now leave I''ll give you a count of ten." As GP started to count down the girl- Mina, made a shocked expression. "You were in the same mercenary group as my father Tervalt, how could you just forget me!" She had tears in her eyes. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. "What''s the hold up GP! Delaying won''t do you any good," HF shouted while getting up to see the commotion. "I- did Tervalt have a child?" GP couldn''t remember, Tervalt did settle down and become a merchant with a nice girl from a small town somewhere and they had a drink once in a while but did they have a kid? "Huh? I don''t think he ever mentioned it did he?" HF peered over GL''s shoulder at Mina. the two girls behind her had confused looks on their faces. "Uncle Harvey you don''t remember me either? You even played some cards with me before when we came over." "I- Oh, right sorry Mina," GL scratched his head, "The alcohol must be doing something to my memory, come in come in." "Y-Yeah, think we''ve been drinking too much today, let''s put the game aside for now. Where''s your parents?" HF went back to the table and started cleaning up as GL moved aside and let the girls in. "The-They were umm, they''re not here anymore." Mina had a dark expression on her face, "Th-these two helped save me though." GL and HF stopped what they were doing and looked a Mina in shock, "Sorry for asking." "Tervalt? But he was one of the strongest of our group." "Hunters did it." One of the girls spoke up, "I''m Mary." "Jane, I wasn''t there when it happened," Jane took off the hood revealing tanned skin and black hair pulled into a ponytail. "So I was wondering if we could stay here for a bit, maybe help out around." Turning towards Mina both GL and HF gave a soft smile. "Of course, of course stay as long as you need to, least we could do for Tervalt''s child." "I''ll prepare the rooms, GL cook up something warm for them will ya? And no alcohol." HF said as he headed up stairs, following his suggestion GL headed for kitchen leaving the three girls in the main room. "What, was that?" Jane looked at Mina, "That seemed kind of unnatural." "I don''t know why they forgot me," Mina pouted again, "But now we have a place we can stay until Shin comes back."
During the meal Mary''s face darkened and Jane looked over at her in worry. Mary put down her utensils and excused herself from the meal as she went upstairs, her food barely touched with the rest of them looking at her in worry, all except for one. "Lili is gone isn''t she?" Mina looked at Jane. "Er-" Jane paused for a bit, "Yeah, she just disappeared. Shin is still there though." The invisible bond that connected them to Liliana disappeared, and Jane looked at the stairs where Mary had went. She hopes Mary won''t do anything rash, there was nothing they could have done if Shin couldn''t do anything about it. "Lili?" GL and HF looked at them questioningly. "One of the people that saved me," Mina simply stated and continued her meal. "I should probably go check on her," Jane who had been eating the meal out of consideration not necessity stood up and started heading towards the stairs. "Gah!?!?" Before taking two steps however she suddenly collapsed, the sound of a body hitting the floor was heard from above at about the same time. As the rest of the group downstairs gathered around in concern a black energy was pulsing from Jane''s body. HF who had went upstairs to check on Mary shouted down that the same thing was happening. "Let''s get them to bed for now." GL picked up Jane who was surprisingly light, "I''ll get a friend who''ll keep quiet to check on them later." As GL went upstairs Mina calmly finished her meal, rather than concern curiosity was on her face, "I wonder what happened." What was pulsing from the two of them was a unique type of energy of a certain god, "Well, I guess I''ll ask Shin when he shows up." A raven hopped out of the shadow of the table and flew up to her shoulder, perched there it whispered into Mina''s ear before disappearing in a puff of smoke. "Oh thanks, Loki. Hmmm, seems like it''ll be a while before Shin comes back, I guess I''ll do some preparations myself while we wait then."
Chapter 20: 2YL Bordering the forests in the southern part of the Stone Claw Mountains was the town of Ortelle that made it''s fortunes off of the resources from the forest. With a population of around five thousand it was the largest of the settlements that surround the mountains due mostly to the influence of Lord Houd who invested heavily in the town. "Mornin Barns," A rough looking man gave a greeting to the inn keeper who nodded in return. The shelves that were behind the bar counter were once filled with alcohol of various types now only had a few, Barns however still gave his signature smile of greeting. "Morning to you too Barat, how was the trip?" Wiping a mug off Barns went to one of the barrels of alcohol underneath the shelves and started to fill the mug. "Worse than before, the monsters are even more aggressive than last time," Barat was a lumber jack, wood was always needed for a variety of projects within the town but was also one of it''s major exports. A little over a year ago however the monsters that would normally be found up in the mountains started coming down making work difficult and dangerous. The lord wasn''t helping much either as the price of sending men to kill the monsters was much higher than the income he would be getting, as a result the people were the ones who had to suffer the cost of protecting themselves. "Managed to get two carts before a Stone Bear attacked, we ran from it as fast as we could. It was a good thing we were already packed up." Barat took a drink of the mug that Barns had set down. "How is it here?" "Not much change, just some of the lords men and mercenaries coming in once in a while and the regulars," Even the mercenaries were starting to leave, most of the adventurers that had come at the beginning had also left; there wasn''t enough coin between the residents to keep them here. It didn''t help that the lord increased the tax so that the amount of income he gets from here increases and recently his men has been conscripting from here as well leaving everywhere short handed. "Tendit''s son was taken away last night, Tendit himself was arrested for interfering." "Damn it, this place is just being bled out slowly, just what is the royal family doing!" Barat slammed the empty mug down and held his head with the other hand. "Don''t be like that, they tried sending resources to us but the lord taxed almost all of it. And the thing about the fairies coming overseas is causing a lot of problems for them," the one thing that hadn''t stopped was news, there were still merchants coming even if there were less of them and with each one the situation looked worse. Like the majority of the common folk most of the people living in Ortelle favored the royal family, but it didn''t look good for them. "We should fight before they kill us all!" Barat stood up and looked straight into Barns''s eyes," Nothing good will come out of the nobles winning, we have enough people we can take them down." "Shh, shh!" Barns was shaking and trying to get Barat to close his mouth, "You want to get us all killed? They''re trained soldiers and those same soldiers are patrolling everywhere." "If I''m going to die anyways I''ll do it holding a sword and fighting the bastards than starving to death beneath them." Barat grabbed Barns with both hands, "Join me, you can''t be happy with the state of things either." However Barns was no longer looking at Barat but something behind him. The clatter of something metal hitting the wooden floor made Barat turn around where several men in mail armor were grinning at him. On the ground was a sword that they had tossed, "Then pick it up and die," The leader of the group drew his sword and advanced towards Barat, the other five slowly formed a circle around him. "Graaaahh!!" Pushing Barns away Barat rushed at the sword, reaching it he pulled at the handle but the sword wouldn''t budge. The soldiers started laughing and jeering at Barat, "That''s treason you know?" A malicious smile was on the leaders lips, "Time for your execution." Barat tugged at the sword as the man approached with sword held high but it still wouldn''t budge despite all the muscles tempered from logging Barat simply couldn''t draw the sword. "Curses, bloody cowards!" Barat stood up holding the sword like a club and charged at the leader. Grinning the leader easily sidestepped Barat''s swing and brought his sword down cutting into Barat''s leg. "That all you got?" The soldiers laughed as blood flowed from the wound, although it didn''t go all the way through the cut was still deep. "Please stop, today''s meal would be on the house alright?" Barns grabbed onto one of the soldiers shoulders and begged. "Hah?!? All your food and drinks belong to us anyways, you were a conspirator in this treachery too you." The soldier shoved Barns against the wall, "Just stay there and watch, it''ll be your turn soon." "Bloody BASTARDS!" Getting up on his good leg Barat raised the sheathed sword limping forward he tried to hit the leader again and once again blood flew, along with his left hand. Clutching his hand in pain as blood spurted from the wound the soldiers started looting the place as the leader slowly walked towards Barat, "This is starting to get boring so let''s finish it alright? Oh old man I believe you have a daughter right?" Barns paled as the leader mentioned his daughter. "Please, please have mercy! Guh" Barns who had got on his knees and had his head on the ground, bowing furiously was kicked by one of the soldiers that was gulping down a bottle of alcohol. "She looked quite nice didn''t she? As a service we''ll do her in front of you," a devilish grin appeared on the soldiers face, "Or maybe you would prefer to do her yourself?" At that the soldiers burst out laughing. "The public order certainly has deteriorated," The laughing was cut off by a feminine voice appearing from the door. Looking over the soldiers had lecherous grins on their faces as they saw the origin of the voice. Despite wearing a heavy traveling cloak her well endowed figure was not at all hidden, although the leader frowned slightly at the fact that they didn''t even notice her coming in it was quickly put aside for the lust he felt. "Another conspirator, we''ll have to punish you thoroughly too." Walking by Barak the leader headed towards the hooded figure, "Well if you are obedient we''ll let you live." A large grin was on his face, "As a slave though." As he reached out a hand to grab her she smiled brightly, "I have a better idea," suddenly all the leader could see was red as he felt pain across his entire face, very quickly though his vision faded to black as he lost consciousness. "How about you obediently get beat up and I won''t kill you?" For a bit no one said anything at the shock of the scene before them, in the span of an instant the leader''s face was smashed down through the floor boards. "Wh-Who do you think we are!?!?! What you just did is an act of treason!" "Treason?" She made a feral grin, "I''m just delivering punishment on misbehaving soldiers of our kingdom." As she said that her hood fell back revealing wild red hair and crimson eyes. "You! But you''re supposed to be fighting across the ocean!" The soldiers were shaking with fear. "I was, I came back for a little vacation," She took a step forward and the soldiers reflexively took several steps back. " "Ge-Get her! We out number her!" Despite the loud shout even the soldier who spoke didn''t believe himself that they could win. That day Barns and Barat witnessed why the first Princess Gwyn was named the Princess of Hell.
A Rock Bear was a beast that lived in the Stone Claw Mountains, named so because of their skin which had the texture and hardness of rock they were fearsome monsters that required a skilled party to take down. Over the past while however they have come down from their usual habit into the forests creating trouble and chaos. Sherry was part of the group of adventurers that stayed and helped the town for minimal payment out of concern and sympathy and they had successfully defeated several beasts so far with minor injuries. But what, what is one of Steel Bears doing here!?!? "Graaawrrr!!!" Roughly triple the size of a normal adult bear with fur that was tough as steel and razor sharp claws it was a foe that they had no chance of beating. In fact the Steel Bears were supposed to live in the very deepest caves of the mountain so their presence here was almost impossible despite recent events. "Retreat!!!" The leader of the group a young swordsman named Jack said the obvious thing they should do in this situation and the group ran as fast as they could away from the thing. Breathing heavily they had almost made it out of the forest when Sherry''s cloak got caught on a branch causing her to fall onto the ground. Turning around their archer Prah shot several arrows which bounced off the bear without a scratch as Jack stopped to help Sherry to her feet, but they weren''t going to make it in time. Gripping his sword Jack pushed Sherry forward as he faced the beast, "Go! I''ll hold it back!" His voice was loud and steady but his hands were visibly shaking. "But-" "Jack!!!" Sherry was cut off as Prah tried to run back to Jack, Sherry barely managed to catch and hold her before she got out of reach. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.With a roar the bear swung one silver paw at Jack as it approached, huge form blocking out Jack''s entire view. Closing his eyes in resolution he just hopes that his body will slow the bear enough that his companions and Prah can get away. "Wind Ball!" A tiny cute voice cried out and a metallic ringing sound was heard, the blow Jack was expecting never came but he was knocked over by a strong gust of wind. "Bad Bear!" Floating in the air with her hands on her hips was a small girl the size of a newborn baby. With iridescent wings slowly moving with light trailing from them and an elegant aura the group easily recognized what she was; a fairy. "Are you okay?" "Ye-yeah Thank you," Jack bowed and Prah ran towards him with tears streaming from her face. The moment was short however as the bear with the sound of screeching metal slowly started getting back up. "There you are Lily!" Pushing through the vegetation a man appeared, with black pants and a naked top. Bright red the girls looked on awkwardly as Lily flew right at the chest of the man, hugging onto his bare chest tightly while giggling. The two, or at least Lily seemed to be in her own little world with little regards to the surroundings and because of that the party momentarily forgot about the bear. "Watch ou-" Before Jack could finish his warning however the man had simply grabbed the sharp claw that was aimed at his head and flipped the bear over his shoulder slamming it into the ground with an explosive sound. "Lily, you should make sure the enemies disabled first. It''s dangerous otherwise." "You were here though, I knew you would take care of it," while Lily was flirting with the man the adventurers were staring with mouths basically open wide and with their eyes looking like they''ll fall out. The bear which would have taken several high level party''s to take out with a high risk of casualties was casually taken out. The body was twisted and broken as it lay half buried into the earth, a two meter wide crater around the area of impact. "Ah right, do you guys know where the inn would be?" he asked while Lily was perched on the man''s shoulder humming. "Uhh, there''s an inn right beside the nearest gate to here, its to the left once you enter." "Thanks, oh right you can have the bear''s corpse," With that he started heading off towards the town. "Wa-wait!" This time it was Sherry who called out, "Who are you?" "Oh sorry forgot to introduce myself, it''s been a while since I''ve talked to someone else, I''m Shin and this is Nelily Faen. Ah you guys should leave soon too, although the forest should return to normal in a couple of days." With that he left as the group watched his figure.
"We should leave too," Jack snapped out of it first and started to get the others moving, "There may be more bears coming." "Who was he though? To take out a Steel Bear like that." Sherry was still looking at where Shin had headed, "A hero?" "Hero''s don''t exist," Prah was sticking close to Jack as he worked to pull the corpse out of the ground. "Won''t budge a bit... Guess we''ll just leave it here, we can go report in to the guild and they can have someone deal with it." "That''ll lower the amount we get though." Prah was pouting a bit. "We weren''t the ones who killed it either way, come on let''s leave before more show up." As Jack started to lead the group away from the forest he turned around to look at Sherry who hadn''t moved, "What''s wrong?" Sherry looked up, "How did he know that everything will be back to normal in a couple of days?"
"Ah, I overdid it a bit didn''t I?" Five bodies were among various ruined furniture, walls and floors. The soldier currently held in Gwyn''s grip was the one she had originally buried into the ground, unfortunately for him he woke up and tried to get away while she was beating his men to a pulp. "Twuu Swon''t Gez Away Fifth Dis!" His words were barely comprehensible and drool accompanied each word. "We''ll see, for now go to sleep!" With a grunt Gwyn twisted her body and threw the soldier at the door, with a cracking sound the door splintered with the collision. "Woah!" Gwyn looked out the open doorway in surprise at the voice that was there. Standing there was a bare chested man with a fairy on his shoulder, wait a fairy? "Hey you!" Gwyn walked towards him, "What''s the fairy''s name?" "That''s rude isn''t it?" The fairy puffed up her cheeks, "When asking for a name you should give your own first! Vilana said that." "Calm down a bit, her name is Nelily Faen." The man patted Lily''s head and she seemed content with that and calmed down. "What is your relationship?" Nelily Faen was the fairy that had gone missing which led to the current problem of a group of fairies traveling over the ocean to search for her. It was also one of the reasons Gwyn had returned from the front lines. "Shin''s my husband of course!" With that Lily hugged onto Shin''s neck, the latter only smiled wryly. "I guess you can call me her caretaker? Why do you ask though?" Gwyn debated for a second in her head before deciding that letting him know won''t matter much, "Her mother the queen of the fairies has come over here to look for her," Gwyn looked over at Lily who was smiling happily as she hung off of Shin''s neck, "If you don''t mind how about you come with my to the capital?" "What do you think Lily?" "I don''t want to go back! I want to stay with Shin." "But you still need to meet your mother don''t you?" "... alright but I''m staying with Shin." "So we can go with you... but first of all would you mind giving us your name?" "Gwyn Brevar, First Princess of the Kingdom." Gwyn gave a little nod in place of the usual curtsy. As Shin opened his mouth to say something Gwyn heard a familiar voice. "Princess!!!!" running down the road towards them were a group of around fifty men, clad in a variety of armor and wielding various weapons they look more like mercenaries then the troops of a princess. Out of breath the one in the lead was a young man with brown hair, he had big brown eyes and a thin but strong build. "You shouldn''t head off like that." "Sorry sorry, my bad. Take care of the clean up please Tarbalt. Oh right these two are coming with us." At that the man who was focused on Gwyn jumped back a bit as he noticed Shin and Lily. "Eh, this... A FAIRY!?!? Could this be the fairy we were looking for?" "Yeah, so let''s go." Gwyn went up to one of the soldiers and picked up a great sword... and buckled it to her back, "Sorry about this Fergul I forgot about my sword." "It''s fine I''m already used to it." the man replied with a voice so deep it was almost a growl. "... What?" Tarbalt stood there trying to comprehend the situation, a small hand suddenly pat his head. "It''ll be ok, Shin''s here." Lily gave off a bright smile as she went by on Shin''s shoulder, Shin himself gave Tarbalt a sympathetic look. Holding his face with his hand Tarbalt followed after quietly almost bumping into Shin who had stopped temporarily and was staring into a nearby alley. "What''s wrong?" "Hmm... nothing." As Shin started to move again Lily decided to sing out a song merrily, after a few stanzas Gwyn and most her troops readily joined in the chorus; an unexpectedly decent mix of bird song and deep gruff chants. From the shadows of the alley Shin was looking at earlier was a pair of dark eyes belonging a raven, shuffling its feathers a bit it melted into the shadows leaving but a feather as evidence of it''s existence.
"You think he''ll be fine?" Vilana was sitting on a rock looking down the mountain at where Shin went. "Grew quite attached to him didn''t we?" Fafnoth was sipping tea on the ground next to her looking at the same spot. "What attached? I don''t know what you two are talking about." Riaz''s voice was wavering even though he had his back to where the other two was looking at. A moment of silence with only the wind and the sound of metal clashing on stone. "Well we have work to do now don''t we?" Fafnoth said while finishing his tea off, "Come on, let''s get everything finished before he comes back." "You heard that? Get moving you lazy sacks!" Riaz started walking back towards the base while yelling at the variety of undead that was doing construction work. "I''ll stay here a bit longer then go on my way too, it''s time for the monsters to come back up the mountain." Vilana closed her eyes and bathed in the warmth of the sun, it''s been a long time since she missed someone. A gentle smile that was rarely seen made its way onto her face, "I wonder how that boy is doing." The only other disciple she had that passed her training... she had already left that world behind however and there was no use thinking about it. Taking a deep breath Vilana got up and started heading down the mountain.
Decided to take an approach that wasn''t from Shin''s pov, let me know how it is ^.^ As always comments are always welcome, (going to have a side chapter at a later point for Lily and Shin''s meeting so don''t worry about that). Chapter 21: Swiper Returns "Shiiinnnn! I want some ice cream!" I looked at my shoulder where Lily was sitting with a bright face in anticipation. "I already said you can''t before we came down the mountain." Explaining an item box would be a pain in front of other people so we already discussed this before hand. Lily pouted and started hanging off my head, "but it''s hoooooottt, I want some!" Laughter can be heard in the background as the men looked at the scene, it may be because of her personality or look but they got used to her quickly despite the fact that she was a fairy. "What''s this ice cream you''re talking about?" Gwyn came over with her sword in one hand and a rag in the other, was she polishing her sword? "It''s sweet and cold and very delicious." Lily''s face lit up as she talked about it, hey wait don''t drool on my face! "Won''t it melt then?" There was a smile on Gwyn''s lips as I wiped off the drool, well pretended to. As weird as it sounds saliva from fairies are a great crafting component so I''m storing it in my inventory as I wipe it away. "It''s okay because Shin has a magical storage space!" Lily stuck out her chest in pride with a boasting look on her face as she just gave out my secret. "Spacial magic?" Gwyn was looking at me with wide eyes, actually everyone had stopped working and was now staring at me. Sigh... "It''s a magic item I found while adventuring" I reached into my pant''s pocket and pulled out a silver square that had the letter ''I'' imprinted on it. Of course it was a fake that Fafnoth suggested I make in case someone found out, but to have to use it this early. "Oh, indeed I can sense a large amount of magical power in that." So Gwyn can sense magic? Although it was actually just an enchantment to make the thing really really hard to damage. "Ca-Can I see that for a minute?" Tarbalt had come over and was almost drooling at the sight of the item. "He''s aiming to become an enchanter so he''s interested in magical objects." Fergul came up with a big grin on his face explaining Tarbalt''s strange behavior. "Sure, but you can''t actually use it. It''s bound to me so unless I die no one else can use i- Owowow. Lily!!!" Lily had started hitting me with wind balls, not that it does much damage but it does feel like little punches. "I want my ice cream!!!!" As she was screaming she made a big wind ball more than double her size and sent it flying my way. "Barrier!" A red wall formed in front of me as I was about to cancel the magic out and blocked the path of Lily''s attack. It made a groaning sound as cracks formed all across it''s transparent surface but managed to hold as the wind dispelled itself. "You have it tough don''t you?" Tarbalt walked up to me and handed back the magic item while smiling, "As expected of a fairy though, such strong magic." "Thanks," As I put the item back into my pocket Lily floated over with an apologetic look on her face. "Sorry..." She was hovering lifelessly while looking dejected, small tears in her eyes. Tears... tears are unfair. "Just forgive her and give some to her already," Gwyn said that while slapping me on the back and chuckling. "Just be careful next time," I pat Lily''s head as I take out a small glass bowl from my inventory, in it were three scoops of pink ice cream. Lily''s face immediately brightened up and her body regained life as I gave her the bowl and a small silver spoon. "Mmmmmm," Lily had her eyes closed as she ate the ice cream satisfaction visible on her face. As I was thinking that Lily looked like a puppy I heard multiple gulps behind me, looking back every member of the group had stopped what they were doing and looking at Lily. "Do you guys want some?" I had a lot more ice cream and in a lot more flavors so it wasn''t much of a problem, especially since they know about my ability now. "N-No we can''t," Gwyn surprisingly was the one who rejected despite being the one that looked like she wanted to eat the most. "We live off the land, it''s our rule." "We aren''t going to bind you to our rules but it''s in preparation for when we run out of supplies or are in enemy territory." Fergul lifted up a bow, "We hunt for our food unless we''re in a town." "Alright lets go and get ourselves a feast tonight!" Looking back longingly at Lily Gwyn set off with twenty of the soldiers including Tarbalt and Fergul to hunt in the nearby forest. "Mind if I join in?" I''ve mostly only been in and around the mountains so it''ll be nice to get some new crafting materials. Gwyn paused for a second, "Are you sure? It could be dangerous." "No problem! Shin is the strongest!" Lily looked up from licking the bowl and raised her fist in the air to emphasize her statement, "More!" She held out the bowl towards me. "I guess if Miss Lily says so it''ll be fine then," The group was laughing at Lily''s antics. Miss Lily? Oh right Lily did say she was the fairy leader''s daughter. "Thanks, also Lily no more ice cream and watch the camp properly." "Ok..." dejectedly Lily floated over to one of the trees in the camp and sat there. "Alright lets go before it get''s dark." With that we departed into the forest.
"Tracks, probably a bear." Bartley a muscular and heavily built man was surprisingly the archer and hunter of the group was currently kneeling down by deep imprints in the earth. "Rock Bear? We''re pretty far away from the Stone Claw Mountains, did they roam this far out?" Gwyn asked with a concerned look on her face. "No, doesn''t seem like it. Foot prints are too deep for a Rock Bear." Bartley stood up, "We may need to call the others back I think it''s a Steel Bear or... maybe a Platinum one." "What!?!? Don''t those only exist deep in caves?" Gwyn was grinding her teeth, "We need to take care of it then." So they are rare? They were pretty common back at the mountains... "Shin you should go back, can you send the rest of the men here? Fergul can you take them to the capital?" "I''ll be fine," everyone stopped moving as I said that. "It''s a Platinum Bear you know, not just a regular bear. Adventurer or not it''s not something you fight against normally. Plus we need to get Lily back to the capital as soon as possible and unharmed and she doesn''t seem like she will go without you." "I''ll be fine." This time to put Gwyn''s worries aside I used a bit of Intimidation Aura. Gwyn blinked a couple times while looking at me, Tarbalt, Fergul, Bartley and two others noticed the slight change to the atmosphere around me as well. "Alright then, let''s get moving."
"The way it was moving it''s probably injured," Currently the we were crouched in the bushes near the entrance of a small cave, around the mouth of the cave were a bunch of shredded body parts that Bartley had confirmed to be the remains of goblins. "What could injure a Platinum Bear in this area, is there a stronger monster around?" Gwyn was gripping the hilt of her sword hard. I think I know where the bear came from... From the way the tracks it''s right foreleg was injured and it was moving in a bit of a staggering fashion. Two days ago Vilana was meditating when a Platinum Bear stumbled upon her, in annoyance she just kicked it away into the distance; it would seemed that it survived the fall. "Anyways we need to wait for the rest of the men before we do anything." Bartley swiftly climbed up the nearest tree while saying that, looking at his body I don''t understand how he can be so nimble. "Check your equipment and be careful we don''t want to alert the bear to our presence." Gwyn turned to me, "By the way how do you fight?" "I''m a martial artist, I fight with my body," although in reality I''m closer to a necromancer. It doesn''t seem like we''ll have time to wait for reinforcements however because Sense Presence is showing that the bear is heading this way. "Shit, it''s coming." Bartley drew his bow and aimed at the mouth of the cave while everyone tensed up, briefly looking around I can tell that our group balance was terrible. Out of the twenty people here fifteen were melee fighters, one mage, one healer, and three ranged fighters. Lumbering into view with steps that were gradually getting louder due to it''s weight the Platinum Bear stepped into view. It definitely survived but it looked like a mess, with one eye crushed by it''s metallic skin bending in on it and the right foreleg bent at a weird angle. Not to mention all the dents in the bear''s body most likely caused when it collided with the ground. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. "What in the world happened to it?" Vilana happened to it, all things considered it was relatively lucky; most things Vilana hits instantly explodes or breaks. Looking our way it glared for a bit and silence reigned for a short period of time, then it rose up on it''s hind legs and let out a loud bellow. Gwyn grinned, I have a feeling she and Vilana are somewhat similar, "Let''s answer his challenge!!!" Yelling battle cries the group rushed in, following behind her I ended up directly facing the bear. Well I said we rushed in but this is a veteran unit isn''t it? Rather than run head long into battle after closing the distance they quickly surrounded the bear while staying out of range of his attacks. Again we plunged into silence, a normal wild beast would run or charge in response but the Platinum Bear sat there cautious and ready. It may be because of its wounds or the fact that it was higher tier monster but he did not want to attack first neither did Gwyn and her men. Considering how normally a Stone Bear was more than a match for a group of soldiers, a Platinum Bear that was two ranks above was no easy opponent... Except I could actually take them out without trying much.
Just beat it down and move on already.
And here comes Karen. Well it is true that nothings going to change with how things are going right now, hmm should I just take care of it? But I didn''t say anything when they were going to call for reinforcements... Well for now let''s get the bear moving and see how strong the princess is. Provoke, Insult, Enrage As I activated the skills the Platinum Bear gave a roar and charged me, his eyes red and mad, immediately Bartley released an arrow aimed at its eye but it bounced off the eyelid. Following up Tarbalt cast Barrier and Fergal swung his sword down at the flank of the bear, both of which were inconsequentially nullified. The bear plowed right through the barrier and Fergal''s sword simply broke, not just their''s either but all the soldiers that were behind the bear as a result of it rushing forward had attacked and their weapons were destroyed by its tough hide. "Haaaaaaaaaah!" Giving a shout Gwyn swung her great sword sideways and slammed it into the bear''s face as he passed her, slightly knocking it off balance and delivering a small cut; although her sword cracked as a result. "Shin!" As expected of layered high level skills, it didn''t even care about the attacks on it and is heading right for me. Turtle Stance With Turtle Stance active I blocked the bear''s left paw as it came down at me and shrugged it off to the side. Bear Stance Using the movement speed boost I slide in under the bear, with a firm lower stance and twisting my body as I strike my fist delivers a solid impact to the bear''s chest. The sound of creaking could be heard as the metal gave way and imploded, the area on the other side of the impact exploded outward and a shower of metallic red blood and organs appeared. As the bear collapsed on the ground undeniably dead it was silent all around, I guess the sight was too shocking? "Ho-How did you do that?!?" The first to react was Gwyn who ran and held me by the shoulders. "Well I''ve been training for quite a while in a hellish environment..." I look away as I said that, I definitely should not tell her that I currently have Restraint on and was therefore only at a quarter strength. I guess I left a sufficient impression on them though and I was able to confirm that Gwyn was not a chosen. "That''s amazing, what kind of training did you do?" I turned to look at Gwyn, "I''m not going to tell you because you would die... literally." After I said that in all seriousness Gwyn stood there frozen, if one looked closer you would see sweat that was not from the battle just now. "Well leaving that aside, we might as well take it with us for the meal tonight." Fergul came up and broke the tension. "Mind carrying it Shin? Don''t know how we''re going to cut it up but," Tarbalt looked over and shrugged, "it''s a bit too heavy for us." "Sure." Walking over I lifted the bear up on my shoulder and started walking back to camp. "You okay Gwyn?" As I was leaving I heard Tarbalt whispering to Gwyn with concern in his voice. "Ye-yeah just a little shocked, let''s get back to camp and have a feast!" Hmm seems like she''ll be fine, I accidentally used Intimidate and a bit of murderous intent... no one should go through that training, well most people would die not even several hours in.
All the way back to camp there weren''t much talking, the soldiers did whisper among themselves every once in a while mostly in admiration at my strength with some fear mixed in. Gwyn herself just kept walking along silently, seems she was deep in thought. What greeted us after the silent walk however was a shock even to me to say the least. We had already anticipated that Lily would draw a lot of undesirable attention before we left the mountain but I figured that with the princess''s soldiers around they wouldn''t show up as much. Didn''t seem like it did much as several of the soldiers were injured while a whole bunch of thugs were laying on the ground unconscious; from the amount of holes in the ground though I would say that while alive the men have a lot of broken bones. "You''re back!!!" Slamming into me at full speed Lily linked her arms around my neck and swung around several times with the momentum. As she stopped spinning she looked down at the ground where I had dropped the Platinum Bear, "Oh are you cooking tonight?" Her eyes were shining so much it seemed to emit beams. "Well..." Scratching my head I looked around, Tarbalt gave me a shrug as our eyes met then went back to talking to the soldiers about what happened, "Sure I guess." "Yay!!!" Throwing her arms up into the air several times Lily flew around in a happy mood, it seemed her mood was infectious since most of the soldiers had smiles on their faces after quickly getting over the shock of the things that had happened; even the princess had a small smile on her lips as she went to sit by one of the campfires. I also seemed to have been affected since I found myself smiling at Lily even as I pulled out a small knife and started to skin the bear, of course there had been enchantments cast on the knife to ensure durability and sharpness.
"Damn, those useless pieces of trash couldn''t even capture a single fairy." Standing a relatively long distance away was a short man who was looking though a magically enchanted telescope that allowed vision at night. "Master, i-it''s really cold out right now maybe we should make a camp." Standing beside him was small girl in a maid outfit. "Are you stupid? Then they''ll see us, and it''s that battle maniac of a princess''s group too. You can just keep me warm..." "Ye-yes master." The girl bowed, as she lifted her head her body started changing shape, sprouting fur she grew several meters bigger. "Tch, just you wait. I''ll have those Princess''s dancing for me soon." The man put the telescope in his pocket and spread a sleeping bag on top of the girl who had laid down on the floor. Closing her arms the girl covered him completely with a thin membrane from wings that had grown from her arms. "Stay watch you hear!? Don''t disturb my sleep!" "Ye-yes ma-master." As she said that another pair of arms grew from below her main ones, her eyes changed growing similar to a cats while her ears elongated to that of a bats. Attentively she remained alert of her surroundings, sending out clicks that weren''t audible to most living things every once in a while just in case something invisible was in the area; her new pair of arms which were tipped in large claws that had a green sheen to them at the ready.
That night while most were asleep the large number of bears that had wandered down the mountains went back up in a rush, Rock, Steel and Platinum Bears alike ran for their lives alongside smaller animals as a demonic being herded them into the various caves that spotted the mountains.
*Note: Yeah... can''t really think of anything to say here... Oh, fairy queen next chapter! (Probably) Chapter 22 Part 1: Duel "Fight me." I looked up at Gwyn who said those words first thing in the morning when we woke up. "Sorry?" Although I cannot think of a reason why she would say that she did have her sword drawn and pointed at me; rather that''s quite a lot of strength to be able to swing that sword around one-handed. "I want a duel," Gwyn said that without moving from her original pose, looking into her eyes she definitely seems serious. "You''ll lose you know, Shin''s the strongest!" Lily floated around us cheerfully, at that Gwyn grinned. "There''s no point in challenging you to a duel if you weren''t strong." Was this because I killed the Platinum Bear in one hit... or was it because of the intimidation yesterday? "Just give up Shin," Tarbalt said from the sidelines, rather the men have already created a circle around us about ten meters wide. "Since you''ve already cut up the meat I''ll handle the cooking so don''t worry about that." Fergul called over from beside a fire where he and several other men were roasting the meat. "That''s why you guys were looking at me and whispering last night!" I thought it was because of the show I put on before, sigh... "Fine, Lily go join the circle." "Okay! I want pancakes after!" After spinning around me several times she flew to sit on Tarbalt''s shoulder. "So..." I looked at Gwyn, "How are we doing this? I''ve never done a duel before." Actually I have but I don''t think the duels those three do are the same. "Well... I called it a duel but this guy won''t last long," Gwyn tilted her head towards her sword, the crack from last night aside, it was surprising it hasn''t broken down yet due to the wear that was evident on it. "I''m not ignorant enough to believe I could win, so let''s just fight until he breaks, you''re more than worthy enough to be his last opponent." Gwyn assumed a stance, holding her sword out in front of her with both hands. I guess that sword has some sentimental meaning, despite all the chips and scratches it has obviously been maintained well and this morning too going by the shine it''s giving off. "Ok," I lowered my stance into a defensive one, "Ready when you are." "Thank you..." Gwyn closed her eyes for a second, "HAAAAAAH!" with a shout she closed the distance between us in an instant. I''ve thought so ever since a year ago but what would normally be so fast that I wouldn''t even see it is now slow, I kind of feel like one of those over powered heroes or villains. Suddenly Gwyn fell forward, did she trip? I reached out intending to catch her as Sense Killing Intent and Sixth Sense as well as Danger Perception all went off at once. Turtle Stance (Restraint 50%) With a green aura covering my arms I crossed them just in time to receive Gwyn''s great sword that was coming at my chest. Because of my positioning when I tried to catch her I was blown back several meters before stopped at the edge of the circle by a cute voice shouting out Wind Wall. "Thanks Lily." My arms stung a bit even with the skill on so I shook them while observing Gwyn, rather than a trick I think I just misinterpreted her attack; well at least the strong has room for stupid acts of kindness.
The cracks along her great sword expanded after the impact with Shin''s arms, considering the force she hit him with this wasn''t surprising. But really, Gwyn had thought that he would have at least taken some damage from that but all it seemed to do was cause a little pain. Using the force from falling forward and spinning, that blow also had her strength and weight behind it, "Really you are making me lose confidence in myself." What''s most frustrating for her however was the fact that Shin hadn''t even shown any killing intent never mind counter attacking, meaning that he has yet to get serious. Even before Gwyn was probably only able to knock him back because he thought she had tripped and was trying to help. Normally leaving a small opening especially to an opponent like Shin would end up with her dead, but since it was Shin that she was up against Gwyn felt that she could take the time to use her trump card. Although I wanted to fight with you for a bit longer... She looked down at her sword then closed her eyes a small smile on her face.
When Gwyn closed her eyes a wild red aura started flowing and forming around her and her sword, "Wait Gwyn, you''re using that?!?!" Tarbalt hinting that this is Gwyn''s trump card or at least strong skill isn''t very smart you know, although anyone with any amount of sense would be able to figure out that she was up to something. Turtle Stance (No Restraint) The green aura solidified around me and formed into an avatar of a turtle.
Maybe she''s using her gods ability?
"I don''t think so Karen, it taking too long to be an god''s ability." I Whispered so no on else could hear, well one fairy could probably hear me. The reason she didn''t use it last night was probably because of the amount of time it takes to prepare. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. "You know..." Gwyn opened her eyes which were now glowing red and glared at me with a savage grin showing off sharp fangs, "this is the real reason I''m called the Princess of Hell." The red aura flowing around her all of a sudden formed into a red ogre with two large horns protruding from the side of it''s head. As sudden as it appeared however it quickly disappeared and started condensing around her sword. Was it transformation magic or something similar to my stances? Either way even with Turtle Stance up at full power I was getting alarms, a smile slowly crept its way up my face. "Damn, I guess I picked up Vilana''s bad habit." That damned battle manic, Carbon Skin, a thin layer of condensed carbon surrounded my body like a second skin, first time I actually used this skill since I got it from the Lord of the Mountain; nice that it doesn''t restrict my movements. Rock Crushing Fists (Restraint 50% Bending my knees into a stance where I can react quickly I wait for her to attack.
"Barrier, Barrier, Barrier, Barrier, Barrier!" Five Barriers was Tarbalt''s max, he was less concerned about Shin than Gwyn''s attack. Having also witnessed what happened last night Tarbalt can understand why Gwyn decided to use that skill but to this extent it would create a lot of damage. "What are you doing?" Lily floated upside down in front of Tarbalt without a care in the world. "Putting up Barriers obviously, that skill of Gwyn''s devastates the area her sword strikes." Tarbalt looked at Shin''s back which was being covered in a black material, "I don''t think I''ll have to worry about him but there''s going to be collateral damage. "Hmmm... Shin! Tarbalt said we need Barriers." Lily waved at Shin while she said that, Tarbalt swore inwardly, he gave Shin another hint about Gwyn''s attack. "Make one then Lily." "Okay!" Lily flew up above the group and aimed both her hands down towards the center of the circle, "Barrier!" A white transparent dome appeared locking the combatants away from the outside. Tarbalt can''t help but feel jealous, stacking five Barriers was the most he could do at the same time yet Lily could cover the entire area and not looked tired in the least. As Tarbalt''s vision strayed from the fairy back to the fight an explosive noise could be heard and in an instant accompanied by a blinding flash of light it was over. "Shin make breakfast now!" The barrier faded as Lily darted at Shin for a hug before once again sitting on his shoulder. "Wha-what just happened?" Tarbalt was not the only one in confusion, none of the viewers aside from Lily saw anything in that short period of time. "As expected," Gwyn stood there holding the hilt of her broken sword, the shards and blade were no where to be seen, "Can''t even leave a scratch on you." "I wouldn''t really say that," Shin was looking down at his right fist where a light red mark could be seen, "You did manage to break through carbon skin and turtle stance, if you had a stronger weapon..." "You were holding back a lot," Gwyn sighed, "Not even once did I make you fight seriously... Even though you said I wouldn''t survive your training I''m more interested in it now." "You''re plenty strong already you know, I doubt many other''s could have defended that attack, magical beings aside." "Don''t need to be considerate of me, that skill would be really hard to use in actual combat." Gwyn sat down, "It''s tough on my body and drains all my mana, even if you do ignore the long time it takes to prepare it would be a desperate last attack at best. It was fun though," She flashed a large grin before looking down at the hilt of her sword, " I''ve still got a long way to go... for this guy however the journey''s done."
Wasn''t really consideration, it''s true that Gwyn is ridiculously strong for a person from this world without a patron god; even now I can still feel the sting from the impact. "Oh, Shin can fix that for you." Sighing I facepalmed, Lily doesn''t mean anything bad, I know that but she''s pretty much given away two of the secrets she wasn''t supposed to within 24 hours. "It''s fine," Gwyn looked at me sympathetically, "That didn''t seem like something Shin wanted to be known." "At this point it doesn''t even matter anymore, when we get to the capital I''ll fix it up for you," I did store the broken pieces of the sword in my inventory so it wouldn''t scatter everywhere after all, even if currently they are in an unstable state. "What''s with all you guys?" Fergul said as he waved us over to him, "Well whatever, breakfast is ready." "Eh!?! Shin''s not the one making it?" Lily exclaimed while pouting, pretty sure Fergul said that before we started the duel. Patting Lily''s head I pulled out a plate of pancakes complete with butter, cream, berries and syrup; instantly her face lit up and she happily ate while we started breakfast.
*Note: This ones a little short mostly due to the fact that I have this little problem with seeing "break off points" in the story (might be one of the reasons some of my chapters could be longer/combined but aren''t), good news though would be that I can probably finish the other half of this tomorrow. Chapter 22 Part 2: Lardon Near noon we reached Lardon the largest city in the northern part of human territory, the funnel for dwarven and elven goods into the capital. Being situated in the north, it was also the largest supplier of raw natural resources such as wood, ores and various plants. Naturally as the first princess Gwyn is supposed to go greet Baron Burbus Von Helvick even if they did not plan to stay the day here. "Why do I have to go visit that old man, let''s just drop off the criminals and go." "You can''t do that Princess, there are formalities you have to follow." "Then you take care of it Tarbalt, I''ll be at adventurers guild training grounds." Saying thus Gwyn started walking away from the mansion in the center of the city, with the rest of the men laughing lightly at Tarbalt''s predicament. "Shin, please say something." Turning towards me he had a begging look on his face. "Hey hey Shin what''s that over there?" Lily was fluttering about an accessories cart while drawing lots of attention. "Pri- Gwyn, I''ll train with you later today so go talk to the Baron, faster we get it done the faster we can leave." In addition to the looks redirected from Lily to me there were also various glares and gazes of amazement when I called Gwyn so casually. "Alright, let''s go Tarbalt!" Switching directions Gwyn started dragging Tarbalt at a fast pace towards the mansion, well I call it training but I have no clue how to teach people. Ignoring the looks I faced the stall and saw the piece of accessory Lily was pointing at, it was a simple silver hair clip with a blue butterfly made from a crystal like material. "That''s for holding your hair in place." "Hmm... Shin make one for me!" The old man that was running the stall smiled warmly at us as Lily said that with her eyes sparkling. "Maybe later, how much will that hair clip be?" "That''ll be five silver coins," Despite his warm and homely look it would seem that he was trying to bump up the price. With the ornament certainly looks pretty and expensive it was made from a simple blue crystal that wasn''t worth much at all, in fact I have a ridiculous amount of it in my inventory from when we were hollowing out the mountains. "Here you go," Reaching into my pockets I brought out five silver coins, it''s not that big of a difference that I need to make a fuss about it plus Lily seems to really like it. "Thank you for your purchase," After counting the coins the old man reached underneath the stall likely into a compartment and brought out an identical piece. Is it just me or was the crystal glowing... "Wait Lil-" As soon as Lily touched the hair pin, she along with the stall and merchant disappeared. Sighing I released the restrain on Sense Presence and searched for Lily. It seems like she was teleported to the far side of the city, I tapped Fergul''s shoulder as he was issuing orders to the men. "It''s fine, I''ll go by myself. Just take care of the thugs and I''ll be back before Gwyn''s done with her greetings." "Eh, you know where she is? No, either way you should take some men with you. I know you''re strong but one shouldn''t be careless." I activated Killing Intent (Restraint 99%), "It''s fine, Lily could escape by herself but... well knowing her she''ll wait for me. Plus I don''t want to accidentally hurt one of you guys." "Er-uh, okay... be careful though alright?" I hate high level skill sometimes, despite being at the lowest possible setting Fergul was still shivering a bit. "Yeah, I will."
"Where''s Dooza right now?" The old man was busy making preparations to leave, on a crate nearby Lily was sitting in one of the cages with a collar on her. "Wasn''t he going to Ortelle because of the situation there? Think he was going to make some trades with Lord Houd." A middle aged man with a muscular build and short cut hair replied to him. "You sure about trusting him with a fairy?" A young man, not much more than a boy was standing next to Lily''s cage and poking at the bars with a dagger. "Didn''t he already get caught by the Princess before? And this time you kidnapped the fairy from the First Princess''s men didn''t you?" "Leave the fairy alone she''s precious merchandise and Dooza''s good at what he does. He''s a crafty sly merchant but honest, he has an image to uphold after all." Grabbing several accessories as well as a sword and a blanket he walked towards Lily, kicking several small scrap papers on the ground in the process. "Don''t know why you can''t be marked as a slave but be quiet otherwise we''ll have to get a little rough with you." "Shin''s coming to rescue me you know, " In her hand she still held the accessory from before although the crystal was cracked, "You should run if you don''t want to be hurt." "We''re across the city from where we were, there''s no way he would be able to find us." Putting on several of the bracelets on his hand the man covered Lily''s cage with the blanket then picked her up. "Let''s go, Bob should have the wagon ready by now." Creaking the door to the warehouse slowly opened revealing the silhouette of a big bald man. "Right on time, let''s move before the guards start searching." "Tch, boring." As the three men start to move Bob remained unresponsive. "Hey Shin!" The cage that contained Lily burst apart, the collar that had been on her neck was nowhere to be seen as she flew up with ample amounts of sparkles. "Wha- how''d you get out?!?!" "Oi, old man you didn''t put the wrong collar on her did you?" The collar was specifically made to prevent the casting of magic. "Of course not, I''m not that senile yet, just catch her quickly." As the two older men fused over Lily the younger one was looking at the doorway where a tiny amount of killing intent leaked out with a grin on his face. "I don''t know how you got here so fast but entertain me a bit will you?" Reaching into his pockets the boy threw a glass ball at the doorway. On impact the glass shattered releasing a fiery explosion causing the other two men to cover their heads in panic. "What are you doing? Are you trying to get us caught?" As the old man was lecturing the boy the other man finally noticed the presence at the door. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. "That was quite heartless, wasn''t he your friend?" Standing there admist the burning edges of the building calmly and untouched was a man in black clothing, Bob was collapsed in a pile right outside behind him. "Well I highly doubt you will but if you surrender I promise not to hurt you... much." "You two get him while I catch the fairy," Saying so the old man pointed one of his rings towards Lily, glowing the ring created a downward draft of air pulling Lily slowly towards the ground. "That tickles Shin," Giggling Lily rolled around a couple times in mid air as the magic from his ring was canceled. "Wha-" Confusion was painted on the old man''s face as the body of his guard slammed through several crates, one arm bent badly with bone protruding from his flesh. Turning around the man saw Shin standing beside the boy and without any visible emotion Shin started casually walking towards him. Mumbling a continuous string of gibberish the boy was curled up into a ball, his arrogant attitude and daggers no where to be found. What had happened in this short period of time, there wasn''t even a sound between him giving his orders and the man crashing into the boxes from behind him at all. "So, will you surrender or am I going to have to... immobilize you." Who was he? Searching in his memories for any mention of a person like Shin the old man came up with nothing. It definitely wasn''t that his information wasn''t extensive enough, for someone like him that dabbled in the dark side of society he made sure to make note of people he should be wary of. "I''ll take that as a no." "Damn it!" The old man thrust his hand out towards Shin but nothing happened. "What did you do!??!" As he shouted at Shin he was looking down at the bracelets and rings that he had on, none of them were responding. "Simply an Anti-Magic Barrier, I figured you would have a means of escape for emergencies." Shin shrugged, "It''s a must for evil doers is it not?" Stating so in an indifferent tone Shin walked up to the man with a fist raised. "Wait! I surrender, please don''t hurt me." Dropping to his knees the old man bowed his head, he would have a chance to escape if the anti-magic barrier goes down, but someone who could use an anti-magic barrier. Just who was this Shin person. "Shin I want some candy," Lily floated down and onto Shin''s shoulder, "The blue one that fizzes up." Shin looked at Lily a bit and blinked. "Okay, let me just make sure he doesn''t get away first." "Oh and I don''t want this anymore," Lily dropped the broken hair clip into the old man''s hands, "I want one made by Shin." Shin looked down at the man for a second then back to Lily, scratching his head he started leaving. "Alright, I make you one when I fix Gwyn''s sword okay?" Pulling out a miniature blue candy he put it into Lily''s open mouth before patting her head a bit, "Sorry I didn''t stop you, although you should stop getting caught on purpose." "Eh... but I want you to rescue me," Lily leaned over and kissed Shin on the cheek, "You''re my knight after all." As the noise of the two faded and the sound of guards rushing to the scene was being heard the old man just sat there looking down at the hair clip. His body was lax and drool was leaking out of his mouth and strange baby like sounds were coming from his mouth, almost as if his mind had regressed back to that of a newborn''s. This would later go down in history as the second most disturbing arrest the guards had ever made in the city.
"Are you two alright? No injuries or anything?" Tarbalt was fussing over us when we got back to the group, in fact there was a good amount of the cities guards gathered seemingly ready to start a search. "Shin rescued me!" Lily exclaimed loudly raising a fist into the air. "Yeah we''re fine." "Ar-are you sure? Lily''s mouth looks a little blue." The two men in the group who knew healing spells was walking towards us. "Perfectly fine, Lily''s mouth is blue because of the candy so nothing big." A little too much candy, I need to make sure Lily properly brushes her teeth tonight. "Okay all solved, let''s go!" Gwyn clapped her hands then waved for the guards to leave, "I''m looking forward to tonight Shin." Tarbalt looked at us in concern one last time before turning towards what I think is the captain of the guards and bowed his head with an apology about the commotion. "Shin I want another candy." Lily opened her mouth and closed her eyes, "Ahhhhhh." "No more, you already had three." Looking at her pouting face I pulled out a small glass of apple juice, "Fine drink this but no more until dinner." "Yay!" Grabbing the cup eagerly Lily started drinking the sweet juice.
You really are acting a lot like an over doting and over protective parent right now.
Due to your actions you have gained new titles: Doting Father - You gain + or - 1000 Reputation with kids and mothers . Over Protective Father - You gain + or - 1000 Reputation with kids and mothers.
Internally sighing I ignore Karen and the title to the best of my ability, the amount of useless stuff I''ve got in the list of titles and achievements over the past two years vastly out number the amount of actually useful stuff.
*Note - Clarification of what happened to the young man: Intimidation (No Restraint) + Killing Intent (No Restraint) is quite traumatizing. X.X going to bed, cut a bit into my sleep time to finish this (although I slept directly after work which led to this situation) Edit: Don''t think anyone saw it but wrong title >.< ("Capital" will be the next chapter and be out during the weekend sometimes, it will be a longer chapter) Chapter 23: Night Training Since there were some meat from the Platinum Bear left over there was no need to hunt so we walked until long after the sun set. This is going to be a pain, I know nothing about sword skills and Gwyn already left towards the river with a look full of expectations. "Shin!!! I want to go too!" Lily clinging to me isn''t helping, not even sweets made her stop. "Why don''t you take her along too?" Tarbalt suggested, "I know you said we shouldn''t since it''ll be dangerous if we try to imitate the training but Lily won''t be doing anything would she?" Since strength training has nothing to do with a fairy no she won''t... but she has a big mouth, last thing I need is for Lily to give Gwyn training ideas. "Why not, that is unless you''re planning to attack Gwyn," Fergul laughed lightly at his own joke but Tarbalt was glaring darkly at me. I''m not planning to... but if I was it''s true that nothing they could do whether they were there or not. "I''m not going to do anything but Lily is going to get in the way," I pulled my trump card from my inventory, a glass vial of golden liquid. "You can''t make me stay with food!!!" Lily tightly clung to my neck, my shirt was soon getting wet from drool. Sunlight Honey, collected from a special Day Lily that Fafnoth cultivated by Flare Bees it was a honey with over whelming sweetness and aroma as well as magical power. We had a one of the floors dedicated to various flowers but the bee population remains low even with continuous summoning since the bee''s die burning up with the slightest climate change so the amount of honey I had on me was only two per type. "Oh right, I know we have enough food but you might want to set some extra guards." Saying that to Tarbalt I uncorked the honey, instantly a huge wind slammed into us blowing several pieces of equipment away and knocking the men down. I looked at where I set camp to see Lily greedily gorging on the honey surrounded by walls of wind. "Ah don''t touch that by the way, the wind will cut you up." "What was tha-" Tarbalt was cut short as the sound of activity came from the forest. "The honey doesn''t affect humans much but for monsters and beings of magic it''s irresistible, soooo have fun with that." Leaving Tarbalt and company still staring in shock I headed off towards where Gwyn was, Lily will probably just fall asleep after she finishes the honey.
"That was quite a commotion you made heading over here." Gwyn was sitting on a rock with her feet submerged in the river. "You don''t seem very concerned about it." "Hmmm... I guess it''s because you were there?" Gwyn had her eyes closed with a small smile on her face, "I''m a little surprised myself at how much I trust you, it probably has a lot to do with your strength but maybe also how you interact with Lily. You just... seem like a nice person." "It could be an act you know, and that could have been us eliminating your soldiers." Gwyn looked at me and laughed, "There''s no reason you would have to act, you could have easily wiped us out alone." She turned her body to face me, "Thank you for your concern but I won''t blindly trust just anyone." I scratched my head, damn got immersed in the atmosphere, "it really wasn''t out of concern, your words just reminded me of several character''s lines." "Character''s lines huh..." Gwyn stretched and gave me a gentle smile, "You are one big mystery, the things you say and the things you do can differ so much. Well let''s not waste anymore time." Standing up Gwyn picked up the sword at her feet, "Let''s start training." It was a full moon tonight without any clouds in sight, Gwyn usual attitude made her seem rough but the gentle moon light really brings out her beauty... "What''s wrong?" I jumped back away from Gwyn who had walked up close to me and was looking at my face. Crap, release Restraint on Lust Control.
I wonder just what you were thinking.
Two years of straight training without any sort of release led me gaining that stupidly useful skill and the mastery of it. When I was heading down the mountain I used Restraint on all my abilities and just released or edited the amount on the several skills I needed since it was faster, Lust Control completely slipped me mind. "Sorry," I bowed my head, "I''m actually not sure how to train someone and I have no weapons training so..." Gwyn shrugged, "Doesn''t have to be weapons training nor do you need to teach me anything special. I''ll take anything I can get whether it''s just physical training or a simple form of hand to hand combat. Well I''m not going to force you if you really don''t want to but isn''t there something you can teach me?" There wasn''t much I did out of the ordinary although in much more extreme conditions, but truly I wouldn''t be able to do that without the system assist/skill mastery system and my unique abilities. Vilana never said anything about teaching her arts to someone else but I don''t want to do so without asking, plus it literally is just basic stances she never taught me anything else. "Oh, what about magic? I know a little about controlling it." "Are you referring to the coloured aura that covers you sometimes?" Technically speaking that uses stamina but... "Yeah more or less, although you did use something similar it seemed kind of wasteful." Back then her aura was definitely impressive but it was constantly leaking power out, to someone who can see it that could be an intimidation attempt but less than a quarter of the total mana she used there actually went into her attack. Gwyn opened her eyes in shock but quickly recovered, "As expected of Shin I guess to be able to see that. I have no talent in magic, whenever I use magic a lot of it is wasted because I am unable to control it very well." "Then doesn''t that just require practice?" Efficiency and proper control was something I learned after many days of painful practice. "That doesn''t work, once I start using magic my mana flows out until it''s empty; it''s one of the reasons I decided to just use that one hit against you instead of dragging it out." I''m sure the sword breaking was another big factor but I did wonder why she didn''t keep the buff from using that ability and just went for a single attack. "Have... you tried doing an in between thing?" Gwyn looked at me with confusion, "Sorry I''m not good at explaining it, what I meant was instead of keeping your ability up or using all your mana up in one attack have you tried storing the excess mana in your blade while the ability is up?" What she did back then was cover her sword in a layer of mana, when the blade collided with my fist however the mana scattered; some of it went into the broken pieces of the blade leading to it becoming unstable. "Wouldn''t that be the same as what I was doing? And the ability ends once my mana runs out so even if I put it into my sword it wouldn''t change the duration much. Plus my sword would become unusable from the mana" Oh right, I think Carey said something about items that could store magical power are rare and expensive. "For now... how about meditating?" "Meditating? That was something monks and priests do isn''t it?" "It''s pretty relaxing and it helps you control your emotions as well as your energy better." "Are you that against teaching me your training?" With a teasing smile Gwyn sat down cross legged with both her hands on her legs, "I''ve never really done this before so what next?" "Close your eyes and just relax, try not to think of anything but don''t fall asleep." I fell asleep many times when I was first meditating and ended up almost being put to eternal sleep by a fist. Following my instructions Gwyn closed her eyes and slowly relaxed her body, she was still a little tense in some places but for a beginner this was actually really good. "Now breathe in and out using deep steady breathes." Taking a similar position facing her I synchronized with her breathing and stared at her using Stalker''s Eye. Damn, this is making me feel guilty and it seems that Lust Control can''t suppress everything; I''m not even close to meditating properly right now.
It''s been 29 minutes and 33 seconds. I didn''t know you had this kind of hobby though.
Damn it Karen... it''s hard enough to pay attention to just Gwyn for so long I don''t need your distractions. It had been in actuality almost an hour since we started, I''ve had to restart the countdown for Discerning Gaze several times at the beginning because my gaze and mind kept straying. Even now I''m barely managing to restrain myself even with Lust Control, Meditate, Inner Peace and Stalker''s Eye all running unrestrained.
*Ding Conditions for Discerning Gaze has been cleared, bringing up stat screen now.
Status WIndow
NameGwyn BrevarLevel89
ClassWarriorEXP165748/409500
Sub-ClassDemonic WarriorRaceHuman
TitlePrincess of Hell
HP2080/2080MP1420/1420
Stamina1489/2160Alignment976 : Good
Strength193(+30)Vitality89(+30)
Endurance97(+30)Agility56
Dexterity58Luck25
Intelligence53Wisdom41
Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Wow she has a lot of strength, it''s more than double her other stats.
Status: Meditation (Active) - Restores 1% of missing Health, Mana, and Stamina every 10 seconds. Reduces effects of status effects by 5% every 10 seconds. Blessing of Strength (Divine Passive) - All strength experience gained is increased by 25% Magically Impaired (Divine Curse, Uncontrollable) - Once used Mana will continue flowing until it hits 0, in addition Stamina will be drained at half the speed of Mana for the duration.
Damn as I thought it''s a trait, well a divine curse; if it was just a normal curse or disability there might have been something Fafnoth or I could have done. That did help explain why she was so exhausted after using her ability, draining Stamina as well is a terrible side effect. "Which god did it though..."
It could just be a random blessing, it''s like how some people are born naturally talented at something or with a complete lack of talent.
Well training magic really is inefficient for her, the most it''ll be able to do is reduce the cost of Mana and therefore reducing the amount of Stamina it consumes. Gwyn seems completely into meditating right now, surprising considering her personality, getting up slowly so I don''t disturb her I look up at the sky. Back in the cities seeing stars were rare and the ones you did see might not be stars at all but satellites or aircraft. The moon looks absolutely amazing tonight though... Oh there''s that.
Unexpectedly when Gwyn started meditating and followed Shin''s instructions it felt really nice in a peaceful way. All her life there was always pressure because she was the first princess of the royal family. The politics required by such a role and the stress as a result of that was overwhelming. Then one day she met a mercenary who was training with some of his companions, that was when Gwyn set out on the path of the warrior. In a way it was an escape, the marriage requests and interactions from nobles decreased over time and when her sister was born it almost stopped completely. Only when Gwyn stepped down from being a successor to the throne did the nobles stop bothering her, but Gwyn felt guilt ever since that time; for all the problems she ran away from ended up falling upon her younger sister. She had told her sister all about it once, however Shea at the time did not act in the way Gwyn thought she would. There was no blame nor anger, in fact Shea had hugged Gwyn close saying that she would take care of it all despite the fact that Gwyn should have been the one to do that. Since then Gwyn had started taking over the military duties of the royal family while Shea started taking the economical and political duties. While the king and general did handle the majority of it all, there was no denying that the princesses had contributed greatly. They were bitter sweet memories for Gwyn and as she started meditating those and others floated into her mind, after her memories caught up with the current time all that was left before her was blissful emptiness. It was peaceful, quiet and calming here although Gwyn was vaguely aware of the world around her; for now all she wanted to was relax in this space. For an indeterminable amount of time Gwyn spent in a trance like state, not fully awake yet not asleep before she felt that she had spent enough time here. But yet she lingered, nothing mattered here; there was no deceit, no enemies, nothing. After spending yet more time trying to decide, a sweet scent started pulled her away from the place. That scent brought with it the sense of reality, the duty she had to her sister and the people. Slowly opening her eyes Gwyn was greeted by an elegant, translucent glass cup glistening in the moonlight, the sweet scent originated from within. "How was it?" Tearing her gaze away from the cup Gwyn looked up into the smiling face of Shin who was opposite of her.
"Really relaxing... so much that I might get addicted to it." Gwyn slowly blinked a couple of times and stretched, her gaze never leaving the cup. "I figured rather than training we should just enjoy the view for the rest of the night." I gestured for her to pick up the glass, I held a similar glass in my other hand. It was just water, pure crystal clear water created with magic the only difference however was that I put a single drop of Moonlight Honey into each cup. Unlike it''s counter part Moonlight Honey does affect humans however it was like a gentle caress and the taste was that of a subtle sweetness. "It''s... really beautiful." Gwyn was looking between the glass and me in surprise, despite describing it with a word that isn''t used to describe taste I know what she meant. "Perfect for star gazing don''t you think?" Raising the glass again to my mouth I drank it slowly, it was definitely something you would easily get addicted to. Actually now that I think about it I''m a little worried about Lily drinking all of the Sunlight Honey, but knowing her she should be fine. Putting all thoughts aside me and Gwyn enjoyed the stars and water together with the sound of the stream flowing by. After the moon rose high into the sky, Gwyn put down her empty glass reluctantly and looked at me. "Let me guess, you can''t do anything about my magic problem?" I blinked in surprise a few times and Gwyn gave a knowing smile at my reaction, well might as well tell her. "Kind of, there''s no way to actually fix the problem but raising your efficiency will help deal with it and maybe if you had a... never mind that won''t really be possible." Gwyn looked at me with eyes full of suspicion, "What''s the second thing?" "If you had an item that increased your mana regeneration to the point where it could match or even exceed the amount you lost then it''ll work." But considering this world- "That''s impossible, even if there was such an item the cost would be too high for anyone to pay. Well I''m glad you didn''t say anything like sacrificing people to a god or something. There were rumors that you could get a favor from certain gods if you did a mass sacrifice, well not like it''ll be worth it even if it was real." Considering the state this world was in any item with a normally negligible amount of regen to gamers would be an extremely rare object.Well I can actually make one right now but... she may end up an enemy in the future. As for the sacrifice thing... I''ll just feign ignorance but I have a feeling I know who the criminal of those rumors were. "Well... I''ll try practicing magic a bit and thank you, for teaching me how to meditate." Gwyn stood up and bowed to me, don''t girls usually curtsy instead? "Also for the little treat, however I believe we should head back to camp now."
*Ding Due to your actions you have gained a new skill: Teacher (Passive): Increases the effectiveness of your teaching and reduces the amount of time required for the student to learn. Novice 1 - 50%, Increases effectiveness by 10% and reduces time required by 5%.
Did that require her stating that I taught her for me to get the skill? As always the conditions to get skills and stuff are really random, I still haven''t gotten many magic skills like ice spear yet despite having used them repeatedly. Well probably some hidden condition I have to clear for it. "I didn''t do much, I basically just told you to breathe. I''m glad you liked the drink, sorry to say there''s not going to be anymore it can get a bit addicting."
You''re not going to give her any more despite the fact that you''re on your third cup?
No one needs to know that, non at all.
When we got back the area was a mess to say the least, the corpses of beasts of all shapes and sizes were littered around everywhere and the men exhausted. Well there were no major injuries so that''s nice, although the area where I set up is soaked in blood with Lily sleeping while floating several inches in the air hugging the vial with a satisfied look on her face. I stored the corpses in my inventory then moved Lily over to a clean spot while thinking that I would not lightly used the honey again. Looking over I saw Gwyn talking to Tarbalt and Fergul heartily, noticing me she gave me a knowing look before she went off to set up the watch and get the men to settle down. I had checked earlier with Sense Presence and there was nothing threatening nearby, actually most of anything nearby was dead and the rest that stopped coming midway seemed more confused about where they were than attacking us. Well if anything dangerous comes I''ll know, for now I''ll just enjoy sleeping even if I didn''t require much.
Note* Okay... soooo stuff happened and they haven''t reached the Capital City yet... I seem to be terrible at estimating things so I''m going to stop doing that. Also technically I could have finished the chapter for the capital city as well but I was working on a different story (spontaneous ideas are spontaneous) so sorry bout that. Anyways night! Chapter 24: The Capital A typical scenario for when a player reaches some place important is for the sun to rise while the player is walking over a hill revealing the location in all it''s glory. Reality disappoints but then again it''s not like I can get a panorama of the place in reality anyways. Still walking down a flat paved road surrounded by people during the middle of the day kind of sucks, especially since twice now I''ve had to break the arm of someone who was trying to kidnap the still sleeping Lily. "Welcome to the Capital City," Gwyn stated while we went through the gates leaving the line of people going in and out of the city behind. "There''s no name?" I thought she would say something right after that but we just continued moving forward. "There isn''t really one, despite being located in the very center of the country it was made after the treaties with the dwarves and the elves. Basically they just chose this place to build the city because it was in the middle and on the border of several human countries." Tarbalt spoke up enthusiastically, was he really into history? "At the time the city was originally built as just the palace where the Royal Heart was set up, it provides the mana that is used to run the entire city." Now that he mentioned it there were something akin to lamp posts in abundance, although the lights were currently turned off. I wonder how Yuki is doing, I hope that me disappearing didn''t make that big of a commotion. "Over time as people started gathering around the palace and a city was erected, eventually it became the three walled city you see today. The inner circle contains the palace and it''s extensions and is guarded by the Royal Guards and the Princess''s own troops. The middle circle contains the servants quarters for people who serve in the palace, it is also where the majority of the mounts are. The outer circle, the one we''re in now are guarded by the Royal Army, although they are spread quite thin right now due to various problems across the country as well as the war in the west. Patrolling of the city itself however is handled by the City Guards and not the Army." That would explain the different armor and symbols between the guards I''ve seen patrolling and the guards near the gate. "Unlike most cities where the nobles and high class residential areas are closer to the central point the ones here are concentrated in the south where there is a sectioned off path to the palace as the nobles didn''t like walking by the servants area. The mages council is placed in the south as well mostly due to the fact that the majority of mages are nobles while the two temples are situated here in the northern area." I looked towards Gwyn as Tarbalt continued spouting out knowledge about the history and achievements of the temples and mages council, I appreciate the information but this is a bit... Gwyn noticed my look and grinned before continuing on, Fergul just gave me a sympathetic look.
Well... the situation certainly got a little awkward. Looking around I''m currently surrounded by Princess Shea''s troops which are mixed bunch including a large amount of demi humans and the fairies royal guards. The second we walked in Princess Shea walked up and hugged Gwyn which would have been a touching reunion if the girl who killed me two years ago in Kane didn''t show up right behind the Princess and pointed at me screaming that I''m an intruder. Of course the fairies also arrived probably because they sense Lily heading towards them but decided that for the sake of respect they would wait till she got here; her being unconscious and the fact that she wouldn''t wake up didn''t help at all. "Hmm so he''s the undead you were talking about?" A creepy old man was also staring at me, I think it''s rude but seriously his face is that of a villains with a bald head and sunken eyes he''s about as evil as an old man can look. "So Human, what have you done to my daughter?" Someone who I can pretty say for certain is the Queen of the fairies floated forth while motioning for the guards to lower their weapons; at least one group of guards stopped threatening me actively. Actually they are splitting images of each other except Lily''s mother definitely was more mature in mind and body, she''s also wearing a fancy dress made of shiny white fabric; I wonder what it''s made of. "She ate too much and fell asleep?" Well not sure if eating too much is supposed to put you to sleep for almost a week but that is the literal truth. The queen narrowed her eyes, "You are either making a very stupid excuse or it''s the actual truth, considering Lily''s personality I wouldn''t be surprised if that was actually what happened." She floated closer to me ignoring the objections of her guards and raised her hand to Lily''s face. Blissfully unaware of what was happening Lily was still curled up in my arms with a happy look on her sleeping face which suddenly woke up in pain. Forehead flicks exist in this world!?!? "It hurts!!!!" Lily was rolling around in the air while holding her forehead which was red where the queen flicked her. "Finally awake my air headed daughter?" The cold glare from a beauty actually really hurts in real life and Lily who realized who was there flew behind me and peeked out over my shoulder fearfully. "Mo-Mother, what are you doing here?" Well I guess waking up to a forehead flick from her mother is surprising but this was our goal in the first place Lily. "You went out during that ridiculous storm to steal honey from the bees and disappeared, half a year later and you still haven''t changed." The queen was rubbing her head, seems like Lily was a huge pain for them too. "Bu-but but Shin''s food is so good!" As she said that Lily started drooling on my shoulder, damn need a new shirt again; that was one of the reasons why I stopped wearing shirts. "Don''t throw me under the bus here Lily!" As Lily looked down apologetically and muttered sorry the other fairies were looking at me in shock. "You can speak their language?" That remark was from Gwyn who had been looking at my situation in amusement until now. Wait what? The fairies language?
They''ve been speaking in their language every since Lily waked up you know.
Tell me that earlier Karen!!! "Yup, Shin can speak any language!" Why are you looking so proud Lily?!?! "No more food for you." In shock of what I said Lily froze in midair with her mouth wide open, even with the existence of magic I can''t help but think that she is completely breaking the laws of physics. "Iummm Sworries!!!" Completely bawling her eyes out Lily clung on to me, wait why''s everyone looking at me like I''m the bad guy, she''s the one that kept giving out my secrets I even warned her earlier. Gwyn held onto Shea''s shoulder as she laughed barely able to stand, "Well, let''s leave it at that and Shin''s not undead as far as I could tell." "But he was dead! Caroline was sure of it." Oh that was her name, Caroline. "Here''s your proof," There was a little sting on my back as a familiar voice came from behind me, looking behind me I saw Carey holding a sword that was surrounded in golden light; the blade of said sword was stabbed into my back. "Carey? Wait what the hell are you doing?" Reaching back I felt the area where the sword was stabbed in but while there was blood the wound was not there. "Holy sword, it''s extremely effective against undead but only heals others." A sword that heals? Isn''t that kind of pointless? Well except maybe as a torture tool but unexpectedly Carey helped me? "Tch, thought you would scream in pain though." Or not... "Hey Shin! Long time no see right?" Waving from on top of the wall with a carefree attitude was Ben. "Eh? You know him?" Shea was looking between the three of us, oh right now that I think about it wasn''t Carey the chosen of the goddess from this world? "Unfortunately," Carey sheathed the sword into a white scabbard that had golden etchings on it, now that I look at her properly she was dressed in a set of armor that was decorated with the same scheme as the sword. "Now that it''s solved lets continue talking inside, away from prying ears." The last part was said in a whisper. "Shin can make food for us while we talk," Ben jumped down and winked at me, "Carey really missed your cooking you know." "I did not!!!" Her face was red as she refused and briskly walked away, I kinda thought of it with Lily but... Is my cooking secretly a dangerous weapon? "Uuuuu I want some too, please? I''ll be good." Lily had finished crying and was now using the power of puppy dog eyes combined with tears. "Fi-" "Sure you can, Shin can make a feast appear out of thin air and everyone can enjoy!" Before I could answer (give in to) Lily Ben shouted that out. Gwyn was looking at me with interest while the others were just ignoring Ben, I thought he was just being friendly but was this his way of taking revenge? These people... while I don''t think they''ll say I''m the chosen the of the Reaper they know a lot of my other secrets. "Yay!" Recovering instantly Lily once again sat on my shoulder resulting in various glares of hostility coming from the people around us, surprisingly the queen just sighed while the most deadly glare was coming from Carey.
"I know we needed a place to talk..." Shea was standing there grumbling at the doorway, "But why did it have to be MY room!?!?" Currently we are in Shea''s spacious room, well I call it spacious but it really was mostly empty. There was a modest bed by the window, a pretty large but otherwise unremarkable closet, wooden desk and chair with a mirror just big enough to reflect a person''s upper body when they were sitting down. Taking up the majority of the room a large wooden table with wooden chairs placed around it was set up, several of them were higher chairs and were obviously for nobles. "Can''t be helped though Shea," Gwen shrugged as she passed Shea and sat down on one of the plain chairs, "This side building is for your use and only your people move around in it." "It''s fine isn''t it? I doubt any of us really mind." Carey the main perpetrator in this sat down along with Ben two seats down from Gwyn, seems like that''s Shea''s spot. Tarbalt instead of sitting took up a position behind Gwyn, now the fancy seats were obviously for the fairies but where do I sit? "Over here Shin!" Gwyn patted the seat on her right and Lily instead of following her mother and kin to the fancy seats stayed on my shoulder. I looked at her and opened my mouth, "I''m staying right here Shin!" she guessed what I was going to say? Looking over to the queen she acts like nothing happened so I guess we can just leave it, right? "Fine," Shea walked over to her chair then bowed towards the queen, "I apologize for the insufficiency of our furniture to be befitting of a ruler like you." "There''s no problem at all, in fact you have been very thoughtful towards us and our sudden intrusion upon your territory." Likewise the queen bowed her head, as both the leaders returned to their original postures Carey cleared her throat. "Hehem, so to start the meeting I would like to confirm with you, your Majesty Naerlel Faen that the incident has been successfully resolved?" "We have no complaints now that we have found my daughter, we thank you for your cooperation during this time period." The queen gracefully bowed, "As we have agreed we will agree to negotiate a trade agreement and other diplomatic agreements." She signaled the two guards that were directly behind her among the other eight that was there, well hovering would be more accurate. The guard on her right had bright green hair and flew forward presenting a ring to Princess Shea, "This is a ring that would allow you to directly communicate with me," The queen raised her hand which had a similar ring on it, the only difference being the sizes. "And this is our payment for all the troubles we have caused you over the past half year." The other fairy who had yellow hair, not blond but yellow yellow hair brought forth a pair of silver paper thin swords that had an iridescent shine to them, "These were made with a special metal that we fairies produce and is stronger than the steel you have as well as being capable of storing up to a thousand units of mana." In terms of human use however they were smaller than a sword but larger than a dagger. I''m interested in the metal they used as well as any other materials, also the way they produced that sword. Oh wait, Weapon Appraisal (No Restraint)
Glistening Fairy Sword (1-Handed Sword): Made from the magical fairy metal it is sharp and resilient allowing it to cut through steel with ease while also simultaneously being tough enough to block most attacks unscathed. Special Ability - Up to 1000 MP may be stored at once in the sword without any decay. Atk: 100 Def: 50 Durability: 1000/1000 + 10 Agi + 10 Dex
Those are some really impressive swords, almost as strong as the claws I got a while back; they can''t even be compared to normal swords. A typical steel sword has 10 Atk, 5 Def, and 100 Durability with no stat boosts meaning that the fairy swords are vastly superior and even if you exclude the special ability the sword is worth a lot. "This! We can''t accept something of this much value." "We haven''t actually done much, at most we just found Lily with Shin and pointed them towards here." Shea backed up by Gwyn was refusing the swords while maintaining respect, it wouldn''t be strange at all for these swords to be worth nearly as much if not more than the country''s annual income. "We insist." With those two flat words the Queen rejected their refusal, the air around certainly fit for a ruler. "Now," she turned towards me, "What would you like for a reward?" Of course I have thought about that, the materials they had access to, crafting techniques, magic, etc. but it would feel like I was using Lily so it was kind of uncomfortable to be asked directly. "Hmm..." Well there were some things that weren''t exactly rewards that I wanted, "I didn''t do much, it was similar to taking care of the kids from where I came from. However if possible I would like to be permitted to visit your country and purchase goods from there as well as exploration in and around the area." Since there weren''t any glares from my left I assume it was a relatively reasonable request. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. "You''re an interesting one," The Queen said while laughing, "Most of your kind would ask for fame, fortune or power gains but what you chose was basically something you could have done by simply crossing the ocean." "That may be true but it would be impolite, there''s also no guarantee that I would be let inside to browse even if we ignore the fact that the currency would surely be different." "Well that is true," The Queen gave me one last smile before turning back to face Carey a poker face already back in play, "Now what is it that you had wanted to discuss that you would go to such lengths for secrecy?" It would seem, that the queen had reached the same conclusion I had. According to Carey the king was currently in an audience with the nobles but even if we exclude the throne room there were other rooms that would have been suitable for our talks, yet Princess Shea even went as far as to personally request the elder from the magic council to leave in addition to our talks being located in an area where loyalty is 100% ensured. "That..." Carey looked nervously around before she continued, "We would like to request the assistance of the fairies in regards to what we expect would be a civil war. The agreements we had in place with the dwarves and the elves had kept the nobles in line but late last year one of the five lords of the dwarves died and was replaced by his son who had an unfavorable position with us; the elves as a result also decided to take a neutral stance on our internal affairs." So that meant that they didn''t have a strong amount of support within either of the factions, well considering this worlds background it wasn''t that surprising that the two other races that lived longer than humans would still hold grudges. "If you are asking for me to assign my men or bring my army over then I would have to decline," There was no hesitation in the Queens reply. "We will however state that our negotiations will be with and only with the royal family and place a diplomatic group here." "We appreciate any help that you can give!" Shea was the one who spoke this time and bowed deeply... now that I think about it isn''t the major reason why the nobles are rebelling her? I mean certainly by no means is she acting wrong morals wise but to the nobles she has been doing nothing but antagonizing them. "I would also like to ask for your help as well Shin." Gwyn lacking her usually atmosphere had a serious face on and bowed towards me. While I do want to help there''s also the problem with my goals in this world and rather than being known across the continent I''d rather stay unknown and be able to explore unhindered. "Shin will help! Shin is the strongest after all!" Leaving aside Lily who was once again unleashing the gates of annoyance both princess''s were looking towards me with hope while the queen for some reason seemed to be glaring at me. "If Lily says so then you must truly be strong." So she says, is she another battle maniac? "Yup Shin is strong, even stronger than you mothe-" Before she could finish her sentence I splashed a cup of water on her leaving the entire audience staring in shock except for the queen who was looking at me with approval with a tint of hostility. "I would like to see who is stronger but now is not the time," The queen got up from the chair, "Mera and Mara will stay here as part of the diplomatic group along with four other fairies that will arrive later, as this discussion no longer seems to require our input we will begin preparations to head back." The two fairies mentioned were the ones earlier that had come forward to present the items to the table. "What about Lily?" I don''t particularly mind if she goes back with them although it would be kind of sad to see her go since she''s kind of like a younger sibling? No maybe a pet? Considering the way she was hanging onto me and hiding from her mother I would say the latter, actually her entire behavior is very similar to a pets. "She doesn''t seem to want to leave so she can stay with you, even though I question that you are as strong as me she wouldn''t make the mistake of saying you were strong if you weren''t," Stating so she and the other fairies left. Wait so why did she come all the way over here if it wasn''t to take Lily back? Once the fairies had left aside from Lily who was asking for treats everything was silent. "Well I agree with Lily, let''s have something to eat!" The first one to break the silence was Ben who grinned and winked at me as he said that. "I would also like to try some of the food that Lily had been enjoying earlier while we were traveling, especially that honey." At the sound of the word honey Lily started darting around the place asking me for some. "I thought you were going to hunt for your food Gwyn." "That was when we were traveling and this is now, some of that water would be nice as well." "I reject to asking such a suspicious person for help." The one who said that in the midst of all the requests for food was none other than Caroline who seemed to hate me for some reason. "Bu-" "I respect your opinion Miss Flaron but we have little information on him and the circumstances around him are dubious at best." Did she perform an investigation on me or something? I mean that''s pretty standard for a suspect but I''ve never done them any real harm, not that they could get much on me in the first place. "If I am correct aside from looking for Lily, calling Gwyn back from the front lines was because of the upcoming conflict?" If it was simply looking for Lily there wouldn''t be a need to call Gwyn back, having someone that''s strong at fighting doesn''t help when it comes to searching. "Yes, our situation is currently pretty desperate to say the least. In addition to the major of the nobles being on the opposing side and the majority of our own army fighting a war across the ocean a large number of the remaining soldiers of our army are likely to join them as well. Most of our loyal troops have been out looking for Lily and searching for the demons that had previously wrecked havoc in the southern part of the country." Unexpectedly it was Princess Shea who spoke up, "Neither the dwarves or elves are sending reinforcements and despite the fact that both of the temples are cooperating they themselves have a divide within their group." Wait... did she say something about demons? I remember Fafnoth saying that Kage said he had summoned some demons and told them to do reconnaissance. Carey looked downwards angrily, "Corruption and temptation are hard to get rid of or resist but to think so many of our members were tempted by fortune and power." Well that''s typical human nature isn''t it? Rather I would say that the people who are selfless are in the minority. That would also explain why Carey was armored, well the sword is to say pretty damn useless though. "Even with the aid of the fairies presence at most the nobles would delay their assault by a few days to attempt to reach an agreement with them. If Gwyn and Carey believe you can help I humbly request it." Shea bowed deeply, following her so did Carey and Gwyn, even Ben and Caroline did so after a pause. "In the first place... Isn''t this a problem created by you yourself?" Shea flinched when I said that, while it is true that she accelerated it there was no doubt that this would have eventually happened considering the royal families position on things. If not the nobles some other group would have revolted wanting a better life or more profit, our own world''s history was basically built upon that. "I believe however..." Carey was looking at me, the way Ben was grinning a bit gave me a bad feeling, "That you may have had something to do with those demons that had appeared." Considering the timing and location it shouldn''t have been hard for Carey to figure it out. "I don''t know what happened in the forest but from what Ben says, you aren''t likely to have ordered the attacks." "Actually I never said that, all I said was-buh!" Ben was mercilessly smacked in the face with the sheathed holy sword, well I guess the scabbard doesn''t heal since it was just the blade that was holy. I don''t really want to look at Princess Shea or Caroline though because I feel like they hold a new hostility towards me. "Ok fine, I don''t actually control them but I am technically responsible for them." There was no real point in denying it, not that they could do much to me other than make me wanted criminal... that was a lot and completely counter to my goals. "I still owe Gwyn a sword so I''ll make the best one I can, as for reinforcements I don''t want to be revealed to the public so I''ll refrain." "But!" I interrupted as Shea and Carey were both going to object, "I''ll leave a group of reinforcements just in case." Well even without Carey bringing that up I was going to strengthen Gwyn''s sword but I guess I''ll put my all into it now. "Wha-What kind of reinforcements?" Carey is being really cautious isn''t she? Well then again all they know about me right now is that I am somehow related to demons and undead, neither were looked upon with positive opinions. "Minor demons and the like," I raised a hand to stop their objections, "Regardless of how you feel about them they will not attack you and will help out properly. I really prefer not to but I would like the stuff about me to remain a secret without me having to resort to violence and yes that is a threat." Carey would be cautious of me and Gwyn knows I''m strong so that should be fine but Shea and Caroline may object. "It is shocking but I''ll judge someone from their actions, and I did say I trusted you so taking that back now is kind of..." Gwyn scratched her head a bit while saying so, despite trying to hide it I did see some fear in her eyes; damn it''ll be better if I wasn''t hated or feared but that''s not possible is it? "I still won''t forgive you for before but... I''m depending on you for your help." Carey bowed deeply towards me but her hands were grasping her sword hard, even if it was an act being thanked feels kind of nice. "Objecting now... Would be kind of terrible of me since both my elder sister and Carey have accepted but that doesn''t mean I trust you." The end part of her words and her face kind of made Shea seem like a tsundere to me but she was obviously just speaking the truth. "We can just sign a contract, since it binds the souls neither party would be able to break it." Carey looked at me with narrowed eyes as she heard the word contract. I smiled in reply to her look, "You didn''t expect me to do this for free though did you? It''s not anything hard however, I would like to have complete access to your information, past, present and future as well as accepting the fact that the Stone Claw Mountains are a part of my territory." "The Stone Claw Mountains?!?!" Well from the limited information I had access to while holed up in those mountains it would seem that several nobles had a share of mountains, although none of them ever actually did anything with it aside from the villages doting the fringes of the forests. "Naturally it doesn''t really matter whether or not you do accept as we will have no trouble delivering punishments upon ANY trespassers, it''s just that it''s preferable this way." I don''t know about the other races but the humans themselves don''t pose much of a threat, chosen on the other hand might. "The mountains themselves are claimed but undeveloped, considering the fact that the nobles around are all apart of the rebelling faction there wouldn''t be too much trouble with that, but I thought you wanted to stay unknown?" Does that mean she agreed to my demands already? "Of course it wouldn''t be me who is the figure head, in the first place there really is no need for a leader to show his face even if you did declare the area as my property but I will have a proper replacement." Actually said replacement, Joker who was a Jester Mid-tier Demon, was currently helping with managing the base. Carey was looking towards Shea who was whispering with Caroline, I added Restraint to my hearing and lip reading just to offer them privacy. Lily was currently talking with Gwyn who apparently left the decision to Shea. Despite having used Restraint I still heard the worlds demon and undead several times so I guess they would be most concerned about that, well who wouldn''t though. "Okay," After they finished discussing Shea took a deep breath then turned towards me, "While... our information network being open to an outsider is concerning it probably wouldn''t take you long to interrogate someone even if we left you out but would it be fine if we kept personal things secret?" Well I''m not really interested in knowing their body sizes or anything, no really I''m not so I nodded. "Then we accept... but just to make sure the contract is for sure right?" "Yes it is." "Okay the in that case... we will sign the contract." Her anguished eyes kind of leaked what she didn''t say. Considering their conversation before and her personality along with my vast knowledge of characters it is highly likely that she wants to but can''t hold me responsible for the demons rampage because of her sense of justice. It would also seem highly that she had reached the conclusion that the terms I presented could be easily fulfilled by the nobles thus leaving them rather hopeless if demons joined their enemies side. "Good, I''ll even cook tonight''s dinner as an extra," Create Soul Contract as the Shea stared in front of her in shock at what was probably a window popping up I saw Carey suppressing the urge to smile at my announcement while Gwyn, Ben and Lily were openly celebrating. "You are only getting a small amount Lily."
Note* I think this is longer? Well either way the next chapter will be a lot less heavy (even though I don''t know the length I at least know the contents). And yes, that is a reference to Batman. Edit: I haven''t edited the chapter too much so sorry if there are spelling or grammatical errors, will do some editing tomorrow when my mind isn''t seeing the words that should go there instead of what is actually there. Chapter 25: Over Crafting "Morning!" Gwyn greeted me energetically as we started walking towards the gate, "Where''s Lily?" "She''s still asleep, Carey was going to take her out to town later today." I just hope she doesn''t cause too much trouble. Pulling a simple sandwich made of Platinum Bear meat out of my inventory I handed it to Gwyn along with a glass of water with Moon Honey in it, of course I made a glass for myself. "You are amazing at cooking though and I thought it was only this water." Amazing or not the Princesses and their people ate most of the food and ingredients in my inventory, not long after we started eating dinner the fairies joined in as well as the other servants in the palace. "Did you put something into this? I feel strangely energetic." The food that wasn''t eaten up were food that were made using an unrestrained cooking skill and had the effect of granting various buffs. The sandwich I gave Gwyn was one made from Platinum Bear meat and gave a huge boost to Health and Stamina, not that I would tell her that. "Maybe it''s your imagination? There''s nothing strange inside of it." Gwyn looked into my eyes for a bit then shrugged and continued eating. "Hmmm, if you say so." We walked in silence for a bit before Gwyn stopped and turned towards me, the sandwich nowhere in sight, "Have you reconsidered my proposal?" Is she referring to the marriage proposal from last night? She wasn''t the only one, a lot of the other girls there and some of the guys tried to arrange marriage but I just thought Gwyn was joking. "No thank you but it''s not because I find anything lacking in you, it''s just that I''m not looking for a relationship right now." If a normal person was to receive an offer like that from Gwyn of course it would be stupid to decline, even if she no longer had any rights to the throne, but it''s too bothersome for me; plus even if I do get into a relationship with someone my end goal is to get back home at some point if possible. "Alright, let me know if you ever change your mind."
"Dervus D. Dundy at yer service." A short bearded man that would be globally recognized by gamer''s as a dwarf pounded his chest and stated his name. "Alina Vel Ezcheel, I''m the head enchanter here." A woman with short blond hair tied back in a pony tail with blue eyes likewise stated her name almost disinterestedly, she looks kind of like an elf but her ears weren''t long at all. "I''m a half elf." Noticing where my gaze was directed she said that with a slightly aggravating tone, normally half breeds aren''t very well received; I guess this world is no different. "Nice to meet you, I''m Shin." Shaking hands with each of them I introduced my self simply, "I''ll be in your care for the next three days." "Three days? Hey Gwyn let me make you a new sword instead of this kid, I''ll make you a true sword." Dervus really likes chest pounding. "I must agree with him there, I simply do not see how Shin would be able to forge a sword then enchant it in three days time. Ignoring the brute work, enchanting itself takes at least a week to properly do." "It''ll be fine, by the way don''t skimp on the materials. Ev-er-y-thing is available to you Shin." While emphasizing on the word ''everything'' Gwyn was looking not at me but the other two, is there something special that they weren''t supposed to use or was too expensive to use? "Well I''ll see you later Shin, I''m looking forward to my new sword!" Handing me the hilt of her old sword she left waving with a large grin on her face. "Letting you use our facilities and materials as you wish doesn''t agree with me but we owe a big debt to the royal family so I''ll follow my orders." Dervus led the way into the large building that was the area he was in charge of, the clanging of metal on metal resounded in the background. "Well this is our humble smithy," Hard at work forging anything from tools to art pieces to weaponry and armor were several men of various races and age, there were even two girls mixed in. "We do work to make items that is used in the castle as well as selling various items to help fund the royal family. Most of the items as you can see are made of iron with a few made of steel," He turned to face me, "I''m going to be honest with you, we don''t have much in terms of materials but as meager as they are you are free to use them as promised." Walking again Dervus lead me into a large open room where two forges were fired up and ready to go with various smithing tools all around. "You can use this room while you are here." "Thank you." Nodding he started leaving the room, pausing to give Alina a look before continuing. "An enchanter shouldn''t mess with another''s work because it could result in the magic going out of control so there''s not much I can offer..." Alina reached into her robes then hesitated, "But this." Bringing her hand out she revealed a glass orb, within floated what appears to be a scale. "It''s a dragon scale, not one of those childish dragon pretenders but a mature authentic dragon. It''s worth a lot money and has been with the royal family since the war with the other races ended." She openly glared at me with hostility, "Letting you use it as you please does not sit well with me but like Dervus I owe them a great debt, make a sword worthy of this." With that she left the room without waiting for a reply. "Okay, well first things first I need to melt the sword pieces down." I locked the door and walked up to one of the forges, it''s temperature is perfect for making a sword, personalities aside those two were definitely apart of the best that this continent has to offer, their aura''s were no joke. Barrier a glowing sphere about a meter in diameter spawned in front of me, next taking out the sword pieces that were in my inventory the blades appeared inside of the orb, glowing a menacing red. Dispelling the unstable magic will take some time, then I''ll have to melt the pieces down and incorporate them into the blade of the new sword. Looking down at the heavily enchanted orb beside me I start picturing how the sword is going to look.
Why don''t you just use your skill to make a blade? It''ll be a lot faster.
"Breaking down a material with that does reduce it to basic components but then it won''t be the same..." the pieces would just be converted from one item into another item entirely, "It''s also a matter of sentimentality and sincerity." Rather than making a new sword I want the sword to be as if it transformed and got stronger, defying death and all obstacles. There''s also the fact that items made with the skill are all uniform but items made by hand can vary, being either stronger or weaker depending on the circumstances.
You sure that''s all? There''s a smile creeping up your face.
Is there? I tried calming down to remove the smile but it''s hard to, I finally have free reign on crafting something without a need for any restraint or Fafnoth breathing down my back.
"So you met Shin half a year ago when you were blown away from home by that storm." Carey was walking down the street with Lily floating nearby. "I''m surprised that you survived." "It''s because Shin and Fafnoth helped me, oh that looks tasty!" During the ten or so minutes that Carey has been with Lily, she was truly pitying Shin who had to put up with Lily everyday. Lily just would not stay still and Carey''s purse has been getting lighter, how much can she eat?!? "So, is Shin a martial artist now?" Yesterday after the meeting Carey had talked to Gwyn asking about Shin''s fighting capabilities, the result was quite a shock. Provided that back then he was only just starting on magic but he had an absurd amount of potential. "I''m not allowed to say anything, otherwise I won''t get food again!" Stating so Lily proceeded to stuff her face with the various type of food that Carey just bought from the multitude of stalls around the street they were walking in. Carey pulled out a little blue ball, "I have some candy I''m willing to trade for the information" She had asked Shin for some last night and saved al- the majority of it for this exchange with Lily. "Yay Candy!" Grabbing the blue ball from Carey''s hand Lily stuffed it into her mouth then moaned in satisfaction. "And about my question?" Lily shook her head furiously until Carey offered another two pieces of candy. "He''s good with both magic and fighting with his hands." So a monk maybe? Carey didn''t know too much about them but monks use magic to enhance their bodies when fighting, or maybe a magic knight. But Lily had specifically said hands so that would be unlikely unless Lily was deceiving her. Carey looked at Lily who floated near another stall ordering a bunch of food... There''s no way that fairy can even think of being deceitful. "Wait! Lily, I''m running out of money!" About thirty minutes had passed since they started and Carey''s money was already more than half gone. "Hmm? You mean these things?" Lily reached into a small blue bag that was hanging off of her waist and pulled out a gold coin. "Shin said these were my allowance... don''t know what that means though." Lily continued munching on the chicken on a stick that she just got from the vendor as Carey stared at her in disbelief. "A gold coin for an allowance?!?" Certainly Shin wouldn''t be poor but isn''t a gold coin too much? "Errr..." Lily looked into the bag and started counting, "One... Two... Three... Four... There''s ten gold coins in here." So eleven including the one she took out, that''s a small fortune and Shin gave that to Lily?!?!? It''s all going to disappear for food before the day''s done at the rate she was going. "You... need to learn some money sense. You can''t buy anymore food for the day, and you only have that one outfit don''t you?" Dragging a wailing Lily towards an apparel store Carey started lecturing Lily on things she should buy and how to spend her money, collecting information completely forgotten.
"The nobles probably won''t touch most of the capital if we give the city up and just defend from the second wall." Shea, Caroline, Gwyn, Carey, and Tryn were in Shea''s room standing around the table that now had a map laid out on it. "They''ll most likely come from the south," A woman with short black hair in light leather armor spoke out, "We have minimal guards there since it''s their private residences and its sectioned off from the rest of the city with a direct path to the castle." "If they have anyone with even a bit of tactical knowledge they wouldn''t bet solely on that." Gwyn was looking on the map, "Because the temples are situated in the north they wouldn''t send anyone from there, even if some of the members of the temples revolt." The last part was said cautiously with Gwyn glancing over at Carey. "The south is a death trap, it has a direct and connection with us here but it''s also completely closed in. There''s also the mages council and the other nobles so they would be slowed down considerably giving us ample time to prepare. If I were them I would send in various small squads to try and take the East and West sides where we would have less men posted, if they do manage to do that then our defenders would be boxed in and cut off from the rest of our forces." "We don''t have enough man power to guard the entire stretch of the wall, especially after we start fighting." A lanky man dressed in luxurious clothing, "If we just hold the inner walls we can last until our other forces regroup and come relieve us of the siege." An obvious point that the others present had thus far refused to consider, holding the inner walls especially in a siege, aside from the lack of space for the animals also carries the risk of damage to the palace that the hero built. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. "The palace itself is an artifact from the past letting it get damaged is just..." Even Caroline who often vouches for the most logical and appropriate choice voiced out her discontent about that plan. "Then I''ll carry that burden!" With that exclamation the doors were swung open and the king walked in, despite only being in his forties he had a folds of wrinkles and white hair. "We will hold at the inner walls that is an order." "Bu-But father even if we win, the blame for the damage on the palace would likely fall upon you." Shea getting up in surprise at his appearance tried to convince him otherwise, the others aside from Gwyn were bowing deeply. "Enough. My name is not more important than this," Waving one of the people that was standing behind him forward the king spoke out clearly, "Hesn, you and the palace guards are to join in the defense of the walls, I''ll be fine by myself." "That''s really risky father." Gwyn who had remained quiet up till now said so simply. "If I should fall then so be it, there are the two of you still here is there not?" The king took his time looking into each of his daughter''s eyes, lingering longest on Gwyn''s. "Don''t think of something foolish like protecting this old man, I''m sure that together you two will be able to do much more for the people that I have." *Bang The door suddenly flew open with the eight guards, four of them being the king''s personal guards, were launched backwards into the room. Reaching for their various weapons an even tenser atmosphere than before surrounded the group as they waited for the assailant to show themselves. "Damn it Lily what did you even do!" "But you said you would make me some food after you''re finished! I haven''t eaten much the past three days!!!" The ones that appeared were not an attacker with malicious intent but an unexpected duo. "Ah, right. Putting Lily aside for now, I''m sorry to interrupt your death flag triggering event but I finished Gwyn''s weapon." "Of course we''re here to see it." Dervus and Alina walked in together giving the downed guards a glance before continuing towards the table. Dervus had a scowl on his face and was constantly glaring at Shin while Alina was just looking disapprovingly at him. Walking right up to Gwyn, bypassing the king and his guards earning him more glares, he reached into the air and pulled out a great sword almost entirely identical to her previous one. "WAIT!!! It took you three whole days of locking yourself in my forge to make that!?!?!?" Dervus was so red it almost seemed like steam would blow out of his ears. "What happened to the dragon scale?" Alina''s gaze was cold and her voice flat, completely different from Dervus who was like an unstable anger bomb. "Hmm? Of course this isn''t just a simple sword, this is a mythological grade sword." At that all the mouths dropped to the ground, "I apologize but I''m unable to make Divine weapons right no-" "Wait! Wait! Wait! WHAT!?!?" Several people yelled out at once but the loudest one was Dervus, "You telling me this exceedingly NORMAL steel great sword is bloody Mythological grade?!?! Who the hell are you trying to fool!?!?!" "I''m not lying though? Here Gwyn pick it up." Shin held the sword out to Gwyn. "It feel exactly the same... wait the weight is slightly different?" After taking a few practice swings Gwyn stated so. "Now try pouring mana into it." "Alright?" As Gwyn started using magic a red aura appeared around her and started expanding out as it usually did, "I don''t see what''s differen-!?!" All of a sudden all of the mana that Gwyn was releasing got sucked into the sword, unlike before when she was dueling Shin the mana didn''t collect around the outside of the sword but was instead sucked in to the blade. "Wh..at...wa..s that?" Out of breath Gwyn asked while looking at Shin, physically she was almost entirely drained. "Hmm... Maybe that wasn''t enough mana?" Taking a bottle of water that was releasing a sweet smell he passed it to Gwyn, "Here drink some while continuing to pour mana into the sword. *Sniff sniff sniff, "That smell.. ish zhat huneyz?" Lily''s word started slurring as an endless amount of drool started flowing out of her mouth. Not only her though, everyone else was staring at Gwyn or rather the bottle jealously as Gwyn started chugging it down. An immediate effect was visible as Gwyn was no longer slouching and the previously thinning aura around her came alive again and almost doubled in size from before. After she finished most of the bottle off the blade finally started to react and glowed a deep crimson colour causing Gwyn to temporarily stop drinking.
Maybe... I overdid it... The plain great sword that was in Gwyn''s had transformed into the size of cloud''s sword. A hilt and blade made out of black metal that seemed to suck light in that had elegant crimson flames across the entire thing releasing a heat that even I could feel despite my heat resistance. In the middle of the cross guard was a red gem like thing in the shape of an oni''s face that emitted an intimidating aura, meanwhile Gwyn''s mana was no longer leaking and was actually not very visible at all although I could see it flowing from her hand directly into the sword. "How did you even make this?" Gwyn was looking in wonder at the sword she was holding. "Err well it technically was a normal sword until you put mana into it, it''s also soul bound to you now so no one else can use it aside from you and me." Well technically that''s not true soul-binding but close enough, but seriously that was unexpected. I thought it would just grow bigger and shoot out flames or something but this is quite elaborate... maybe I should use soul metal more moderately in the future. "Oh right I also made you some armor." "Eh?" Everyone was looking at me with wide eyes, why? I mean sure mythological is rare and all but it exists, in DDO only one person managed to obtain one though and died immediately after. The Dragon Heart was a mythological item that called dragons... literally. Taking the armor out of my inventory I passed it to her, it was a form fitting black leather outfit complete with something close to combat boots and gloves. Of course the stitching was done with soul metal threads and the rubber was also done with soul metal... I haven''t figured out how to make rubber yet. "Try it on." "Wait what are you asking her to do!?!?" Carey finally said something which caused everyone to snap out of the shocked trance they were in. "Hmm? Oh I just meant to channel your mana into it, there''s an instant change magic attached to it." Conveniences are of course required, transformation sequence and chants omitted. The instant Gwyn touched the armor it disappeared from my hands and materialized over her in a burst of flame, there was no magically naked but not naked transition scene. Of course like with the sword, flames were all over the armor and the soul metal pieces were in a crimson colour although the stitching was done so it wasn''t visible. Over her face was a red and black oni mask which suited her wild hair well... actually where did the mask even come from?
I suggest a tactical retreat.
I was actually considering that... Was mythological even rare in this world? "Well now that I''m done with that," They all looked to me in unison, actually Gwyn is really scary right now. "I''ll be taking me leave, I need to cook for Lily as well as catch up on three days of sleep. Bye!" Before they could reply I ran out the door with Lily on my shoulder... I should not reveal what was used as construction materials... I definitely overdid it, way overdid it!
"Ah, there''s the scale." Alina was the first to break the silence after Shin left, looking where she pointed they saw that on the belt buckle was the diamond shaped red scale. Nobody really paid any attention to the scale at this point however, the scale being vastly over shadowed by the information just presented by Shin. "So... what can you do now?" Carey was looking a bit to the side of Gwyn''s face. "And err can you take that mask off? It''s a little... Unsettling." "... How... do I do that?" Gwyn put a hand on the mask and tugged on it, but the mask stayed there stubbornly. She tried dropping the sword, taking off the gloves and boots, nothing worked. "Umm... am I stuck like this?" "What if you tried using some mana?" Shea spoke up, magical items often required mana to work in any way shape or form. As Gwyn focused the mask disappeared as did the gloves and boots, as the rest of her clothes started to disappear in flames the female members quickly shoved the males out the door before anything was revealed. "Uhh... maybe we should ask Shin..." The armor completely disappeared, manifesting itself into a black metal bracelet with graceful red lines on it depicting flames; the sword however remains unchanged. "I rather not have my clothes disappear every time I put the armor on. "I don''t even know what to say anymore about the ridiculous things he''s done already." Carey was holding her head, "Are all chosen''s of the reaper''s like this." "Wait what was that? I didn''t hear the last bit." Caroline looked at Carey inquisitively. "Nothing, ah right Gwyn... if you don''t mind can I have the last bit of that drink?" "Wai- I was aiming for that!" Shea protested as Gwyn drank the last of the liquid.
"Seems like they will be fine," The king was leisurely walking down the hall with his guards. "I don''t think we can trust him." Franz the leader of the palace guards was walking beside him. "Maybe not entirely but at least he''s not hostile towards us; as long as he isn''t there''s always room to maneuver." The king looked out the window, "Maybe it''s time for Gwyn and Shea to consider getting married." The king turned back to Franz as they continued walking with a questioning look on his face, "By the way, what is a death flag triggering event?"
*Note: The part I kept rewriting was the beginning part, I first wrote about the entire night, then decided not to, redid it, then removed it again so the result was... well what it is now. As for item grades (not sure if I defined it before, couldn''t find it when I went back to look for it in the other chapters but could''ve just missed it.) It goes like this (this being the permanent definition): Common < Uncommon < Magical < Rare < Legendary < Mythological < Divine Common being your run of the mill item, Uncommon is just basically something a (normal)Master Craftsman would be able to make so an item with exceptional quality, Magical being an echanted item. Rare is usually an item with magic mixed in with it. (Enchanting adds magic on top while mixing magic in during the manufacturing progress results in a rare item, of course the craftsmanship has to be top class), Legendary is an item worthy of being immortalized in legends (Defining legends as real stories, albeit possibly skewed by various things over the years of story telling), Mythological is an item that is only found in myths (So basically something that is considered so strong its non-existent), and Divine I identified before as an item made by gods for gods (something that transcends mortal capabilities) Also not entirely related in a way (will put this in status too), I''m going to be starting a different story because that one has been bugging me constantly, so while it probably won''t affect the chapter that''s released around the weekend it will most likely end up being chapter for that during the week and chapter for this over weekend. Chapter 25.5: The Demon Jester "I''m guessing your clothes were burnt away by the flames when you were equipping it." Gwyn was currently sitting on a chair in the room I was staying at and asking me various questions about the equipment I gave her. "Is there a way to fix that problem?" Gwyn was looking down at the bracelet which was the condensed form of the armor. "Ah... I don''t think so. To begin with it wasn''t even me who implemented the flames, it was originally just supposed to be a flash of light." The flames were probably a result of the soul metal interacting with Gwyn''s mana, technically my fault but how could I have known? "It doesn''t really matter either way, the way the armor is designed it can take on any shape you want. It can even change colours, although the armor value does not change. So if you make a long flowing dress the armor of each individual part is reduced while concentrating it into that bracelet will make it incredibly resilient." Aesthetics is important you know, people can spend hours in character creation and even lots of money for purely visual goods. It''s the worst feeling ever when you have a piece of equipment that is amazing but looks shitty or doesn''t match your theme after all. "So I just use my mana and imagine it?" While she was asking the question the bracelet glowed and flames sprouted out from it covering her body. When the flames disappeared she was dressed in simple brown leather armor like the set that I met her in. "Oh this is really useful... By the way what''s this made of?" "Promise you won''t freak out?" Of course the topic of materials would come up... I totally overdid it, in terms of strength that armor is probably close to the level of a boss dragon''s scales. "What... Did you use?" Gwyn was looking at me suspiciously without really answering the question. "Err... The base leather is made using Carbon Leather made from the hide of a Carbon Bear, it''s highly fir-" "Wait Carbon Bear!?!? You mean the lord of the mountain?" Gwyn stood up from her chair and slammed her hands against the wall on either side of me. Isn''t this a rather familiar scene? But normally I would be on the other side of this treatment. "Ah, yeah I kind of killed him about a year ago." Gwyn opened her mouth but before she could speak, "Continuing on, as I was saying the armor is highly fire resistant due to the Fire Dragon''s Scale. With how the Soul Metal reacted to you, it would seem that the armor will make you completely fire immune and highly heat resistant. There is also a complimentary automatic temperature regulation system that will allow you to walk in extreme heat or cold comfortably. Unfortunately I couldn''t enchant it to allow flight but there are various stat buffs tied in with it and it will take something ridiculous to damage the armor. That''s about all that I did to the armor." Comfort is a required thing you know, I''ve been through a hellish training where I managed to block a magic attack only to have it burn or freeze me through the temperature and not the attack itself. "There were a lot of words I didn''t understand in that... But basically what you''re saying is that this armor is really really strong?" "Well if you were to simplify it, basically." "Who are you really?" During my explanation Gwyn had sat back down and was now looking up at me in amazement. "Just someone who gets carried away with things, you should stop by my place sometime." I''m proud of the work done on the base over the past year and a half, the four of us got way too carried away but it''s almost a country in and of itself in the way it functions with a lot of luxuries of earth functioning. "Maybe later, I guess the sword is the same?" Gwyn sighed and started getting up. "Actually I have no clue about the sword." Gwyn froze then blinked at me a couple of times. "Sorry I think I heard wrong, what did you just say?" "I have no clue about the sword, I made it using the materials from your old sword mixed in with Soul Metal. I have no idea what stats it has after it transformed." It was simply a rare quality steel great sword before she touched it, I haven''t had a chance to examine it yet due to the way things went. "Just give me a second." Weapon Appraisal (No Restraint)
Onihime''s Hell Blade (Divine 1-Handed Great Sword): With a flame strong enough to rival a god''s, this sword was made from the condensed flames of hell. Special Ability - Consumes 500 mana to summon an Attacking Red Oni to fight by your side, Consumes 500 mana to summon a Protecting Blue Oni to fight by your side. Atk: 250 Def: 100 Durability: N/A +50 Str +50 Vit +50 End +500 Fire Dmg +25% to the effectiveness of Fire Skills/Magic
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. WAIT DIVINE!?!?! I assumed it would end up being a mythological grade since that''s the highest I could craft but what the hell is with the stats?!? "So... what did you find out about the sword?" Gwyn was looking nervously at me who had my mouth open in shock. "Err... How do I tell this to you without causing a panic..." There probably isn''t, "The sword is Divine grade and is stupidly strong, gives buffs to fire attacks, it''s virtually indestructible and you can summon Oni''s to fight for you." "Wha-WHAT!?!!?" Gwyn was staring in shock at the sword in her hands, yeah... I made have overdone it a little, think she''s a bit too ridiculously strong at this point. "What''s wrong?" Carey slammed open the door to my room with Lily following right behind happily chewing on some sweets. "Nothing, we were just looking at the stats of Gwyn''s Divine grade sword." Carey looked at me and blinked, "WHAT!?!?!" More footsteps could be heard coming down the hall as Lily was humming, this... is going to be a long day isn''t it?
"So you want me to help them for the duration of the attack?" A creepy jester was standing in the middle of my room, twenty sets of black plate armor was lined up behind him. "As you wish master." Giving me a bow Joker the jester clapped his hands and skipped out the door. Responding to his clap the empty armors marched after him out the door, of course they weren''t normal suits of armor. They weren''t just any animated armor either, made from Soul Metal with the soul of a demon merged in the Demonic Armor''s were stronger than most humans could ever be. Still Joker is really unsettling to me even though I technically summoned him, his androgynous voice is actually really confusing sometimes; I also wonder why he wears such frilly clothes. "I''ll go make sure they don''t cause a panic," Carey followed the demons out the door with a sigh. "So you can use teleportation magic too?" Shea was looking at me with interest. "How did you know it was teleportation not summoning?" "The magic for the two are just different." Was there a difference? They looked the same to me. "So anything you need?" Actually why is Shea in the room alone with me right now? Lily not counting, even Caroline isn''t with her. "Uhmm..." Shea blushed, wait this isn''t another proposal is it? "This is embarrassing for me to ask but..." Shea squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath. "Can I have some of the drink you gave my sister earlier?" "Eh?" Did she mean the Moonlight Honey Water? I was feeling expectant for a second... "Uhh sure." I held out my hand towards her as a bottle appeared in my grasp. "Tha-thank you," Shea bowed, "And please don''t tell anyone about this." With that she left, wait was she waiting for this the entire time since she got here? "Shiiiinnn, I want some too!!!" Lily hugged my head from behind. "You can''t have any, you already drank an entire bottle of Sunlight Honey before." I handed her a cup of apple juice, which she instantly grabbed and started drinking. Do fairies have a high metabolism? Lily is eating more than most people I have ever known yet doesn''t change physically in any way shape or form, I think many would envy her. "Well let''s go do some shopping, we''re leaving tomorrow morning at dawn." Since I''ve fulfilled my end of the contract I have no reason to stay here any longer, any information I would want to collect can be done through Joker. I need to track down the Sin Demons and make sure they rampage somewhere before anything else happens.
For Joker, serving ones master was one of the most joyful things he could be doing. As a demon the ranking one has among the others was decided by their strength as well as who they had connections with. Despite being a relatively low ranked demon Joker had the luck to be chosen to serve Shin which meant that there was a connection to the Reaper. If Joker does well maybe the Lord Reaper himself will give commendation for the loyal and hard work Joker has done. Joker turned around to look at the twenty other demons following behind, they were in the same situation; lowly demons that they were. "Ah, maybe if I carry Shin''s child I''ll be able to get an even bigger boost. Ah if the Lord Reaper makes me a general that would just be the best." Giggling Joker went along her merry way towards the room where she and the other demons would be residing in until the incident is over. The servants that were along her path gave her frightened looks with various whispers about the mask she had on her face and her strange behaviors. "Hehehe I wonder what the child will be named?"
Note* Short therefore the .5 but still relevant to the story, next chapter will be out probably Saturday, will try to get two out this weekend while I''m still in my writing mood. Chapter 26: Peace Plan "My, aren''t you a little aggressive my master?" A face similar to Jane''s was facing me with a seductive smile on her face, "Not that I dislike it." Certain parts of our bodies were touching and she started undressing in a squirming manner. "Wai- What?!?" Let''s retrace my steps. I woke up, made breakfast, gave Gwyn an item that allowed her to communicate with me, asked Ben about Clara, then teleported with Lily to Wuldrud Forest where the demons were last seen. So how did I end up on top of Jane? "Jane? Buh!" A collision with a familiar magic sent my flying, "You''re my husband Shin!!!" Lily was floating there with both her hands held out, wind balls were already forming in her palms where the last round was just fired from. "Oh, I don''t mind being a mistress you know." Jane(?) got up, wait she had wings and a tail. "I believe this will be our first time meeting," She gave a little curtsy, that looks really weird with Jane(?) doing it, "My name is Lust one of your loyal servants." Oh the demon of lust that Kage made... wait he used Jane as a base? I can''t help but feel a little disappointed in a way. "Wait Lily, stop hitting me with those, they''re annoying." Although the first one had sent me flying, now that I was standing up they were kind of like snow balls. "Nice to meet you Lust but... why are you here?" Looking around there were definitely the huge piles of bones that used to be wolf corpses along with a bunch of debris and holes where there weren''t any before. "I sensed someone teleporting here and assumed that it would be you, after all there are not many who would be able to use it." Lust gave off another smile while getting up, her clothes messed up in a way that revealed various peeks at her womanly parts. But to get here this fast, was she just nearby or really fast? I have no idea the capabilities of the sin demons. "Now that you''re actually here, the other two should arrive soon." Sense Presence (No Restraint) Several people were heading our way, rather two demons, some goblins it would seem to be and a couple of humans. They really stood out with Sense Magic, a pitch black existence which created a void in the area and the other a blazing inferno. Lust''s aura was a bit disturbing in an awkward way, it was pink and seemed really attractive for some reason. Ugh am I craving company so much that I''m attracted to an aura? Lily sat forcefully on my shoulder and clung to my head while hissing at Lust. "What a cute little thing you are, I would love to spend some time with you." Lust''s eyes started glowing and I felt a small amount of pressure in my head, mind control magic? I covered Lily''s eyes, rather her head with my hand. "What are you doing?" Intimidation (No Restraint) Lust smiled completely unfazed by my skill, "Sorry sorry, she was just so cute that I gave in to temptation for a bit." Turtle Stance (No Restraint) I threw Lily behind me as I activated turtle stance and removed the restriction on my defensive passives. Just in time because a black crescent of magic smacked into me pushing me back several feet. "That''s just rude, Pride." Lust was looking casually in the direction where the attack came from. "You are not the one I made the contract with." Wings, plate mail and an absolutely arrogant attitude, he''s one of those characters that I hate the most. "Different souls but same person, our contract was with the chosen of the Reaper and he fulfills that you know." Lust smiled at Pride tauntingly. "I will not accept such an inferior being as my master. To serve such a disgusting lower race such as a human is a disgra- ?!?!" While he was talking Pride was slammed into from behind into the ground several meters away to the right with an explosion of bone. "Huh?" The one standing there, Wrath I assume was looking between his hand and Pride, "Did I do that?" "Master''s Master, this one is Gree. This one greets you most humbly." A goblin that was wearing some leather armor walked up from behind Wrath and knelt on the ground. "Greets you, Greets you." Following Gree''s example four other goblins also knelt before me. "Wrath you bumbling idiot!" Pride had gotten up, not one spot on his immaculate armor and started stalking towards us again. "That''ll be enough." I guess I''ll need to subdue Pride first before anything. I activated an ability that I rarely used due to it''s stupidly overpowered nature.Aura of Death (Restraint One Target) "Guh..." Pride stumbled as if hit by a heavy blow, it seems he is quite strong indeed since this ability kills weaker beings exposed to it after it had leveled up. "If you think you can make me submit with just this you are sorely mistaken!!!" Pride started moving towards me with his sword raised.Intimidation (No Restraint), Killing Intent (No Restraint), Demon Eyes (No Restraint). Pressuring Aura (Restraint One Target), Ruler''s Aura (Restraint One Target) Every time I stacked another ability on Pride stumbled, as I activated my last ability Pride was forced onto his knees with his head bowed. "Give in yet?" I don''t want to resort to physical attacks since I''m not sure how much he can take, if I go too easy he''ll probably dismiss me but if I take it too seriously I might end up seriously injuring or killing him instead. "Like hell I will to a lowly human!" This... might take a while. It''s a good thing I have a large pool of stamina and mana as well as the skills themselves costing little resources due to their high level and efficiency. "Wind Hammer!!!" Suddenly the area around Pride collapsed deep into the ground, of course Pride was no exception as he was slammed deep into the earth. Turning around I saw an angry Lily, "Wind Hammer! Wind Hammer! Wind Hammer!" Despite Wind Hammer being a relatively low level spell, Lily''s high magical proficiency makes it incredibly deadly. "Wait Lil-" "Wind Hammer! Wind Hammer! Wind Hammer!" The hole Pride was in is now several meters deep as Lily repetitively cast her spell, Lust was laughing on the side holding her stomach with both hands as Wrath and the goblins watched silently. "WIND PILLAR!!!" A giant pillar twenty meters tall and five meters wide of compressed air formed above the hole and slammed down at an incredible speed. Magic Break (No Restraint) The pillar exploded outwards generating large winds spreading outwards, Lily was launched backwards into my waiting hand as everyone else endured somehow; well the goblins were just hiding behind Wrath the unaffected giant. Lily puffed her cheeks out at me, "Why did you stop me!" "That was going overboard Lily." With the sound of cracking rocks a black plated hand grabbed onto the edge of the hole and slowly pulled the owner upwards. Pride''s immaculate armor was now cracked in several places and one of his eyes had a rock jammed into it. "Ahahaha you should look at yourself." Lust was barely standing while laughing at Pride. "Shut up you whore." Pride glared at Lust as the rock fell out of his eye socket, aside from some dirt his eyeball looked completely fine. "And you!!!" Pride pointed his sword at Lily, "You shall-" He never finished his sentence as I slammed him with a fist empowered by Bear Stance, of course with my strength unrestrained. *Boom!!! "Ah..." Oops I lost it for a second, where Pride landed was a giant crater worthy of a meteor. The surrounding trees were completely blown away and the rocks shattered, there were even several bloody spots where there were living critters a second ago. "You should just," Lust couldn''t finish her sentence as she held her stomach laughing soundlessly, "Submit." Squeezing that word out Lust continued with her fight against laughter. Pride slowly peeled himself out of the ground however his armor was in shreds at this point with a giant hole where my fist landed, the pale flesh underneath a deep purple and swelling. "Fi-fine, you are worthy of being my master." His voice was strained and he was staggering towards us, now that he was up I could see that one of his wings was bent at a weird angle; injuries aside he''s damn tough. "Great, first lets fix you up." Repair using the repair command from my inventory I restored his armor while being next to it, Space Magic Mastery was really useful. Pride grimaced in pain as the armor was fixed, pressing down on the various wounds across his body. I tossed him a Major Healing Potion as I turned around to face the new comers that were just arriving. "Wha-what the hell was that?" A man that was breathing heavily stepped into the clearing followed by another man and a woman. "Oh Kendrick, pft, you''re late." Still plagued by the remnants of the laughter Lust greeted the man in the front. "Meet my master-" it seemed like she was going to introduce me before she clamped her mouth shut and endured the temptation to laugh again while looking away from Pride with a large smile. "You''re human?" What''s with the dumbfounded looks on the three''s faces? Did they expect me to be some evil demon lord or something? "Yes, yes I am human. 100% biologically human. I''m Shin, nice to meet you." I held out my right hand for a hand shake. Kendrick stared at my hand fearfully for a bit before hesitantly grasping it in a handshake. "Kendrick Lannar, a cleric." "Harold, I was a guard for a caravan." "Same as Harold, I''m Jan." The two introduced themselves, it seems like these three weren''t under mind control? "I assume you have a base right?Let''s head there before talking." This place would likely be under investigation quite soon after that explosion. "Of course, right this way." Lust pressed her chest against my arm and dragged me off in the direction the others had come from, "Would you like a bath, food or... me first?" She had a large grin on her face as Lily was pulling on my ear from the other side. I must say that I''ve always been envious of the protagonist''s with a harem, now I kind of pity them; who knows what goes on off screen.
"This... is quite impressive." What we have essentially returned to was an amazing fort camouflaged as a decent sized hill, so well in fact that I might have skipped it entirely if I wasn''t led by Lust. "Isn''t it? It took a lot of work you know." Lust was showing it off all the while taking every opportunity to flirt with me. "A lot of work for everyone but you, you mean." Kendrick was sighing behind us, since we returned at a much more manageable pace it seems like everyone''s more or less recovered from their previous trek. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. "I''m sure you''re tired from your travels, let us speak in a much more comfortable environment shall we?" As Lust led me to what was obviously the main building, although it was more like a small mansion, the others drifted off in different directions. Walking into the building where two guards held the doors open for us I noticed that most of the people although working independently, seemed lifeless. "Welcome to my room." Lust threw open the double doors to one of the room on the second floor revealing a spacious bedroom with a large soft looking bed. "Weren''t we going to an office or something like that? Also are all the people here under mind control?" I stopped at the doorway and refused to budge despite Lust pulling on my arm, Lily had a triumphant face on for some reason. Lust sighed and seemed to give up on dragging me, instead opted to sit at the edge of bed with some very welcoming gestures and posture. "They are but I''m treating them well you know. I''ve been dutiful to the order so at least let me have a reward for it." Lust pouted, I still can''t get used to her having the same face as Jane. "If I remember correctly, Kage said that the order was to find information about other chosen and stay out of trouble right?" The base certainly was hidden but so many people go missing is inviting trouble isn''t it? Plus there had been very obvious evidence of demon activity that matched Wrath''s and Pride''s descriptions. "That''s about right, the men here are mostly bandits with the exception of the three from before and won''t be missed. About information gathering I have people infiltrated into most of the underground and a good portion of the legal businesses; from the information obtained I have a list of several people who are most likely a chosen. Of course we''ve got a good amount of money, equipment and items stocked up here in case we need to act in a less subtle way but I''ve been careful you know." "Even though there are hunts for both Wrath and Pride?" Lust sighed and rubbed her forehead, "They did that before I could stop them, Wrath is kind of dim and attacked a village almost killing the chosen there while Pride massacred a temple but let the chosen escape. I''ve kept them out of sight ever since then, but it was hard you know." "Where''s the chosen now?" I can kind of sympathize with her since Pride looked uncontrollable and with a name like Wrath I doubt he''s much better. "She''s locked in one of rooms in this building, of course she gets proper treatment since I knew you wouldn''t have wanted her harmed." Lust shifted her posture, in the process moving her clothing to be even more revealing and suggestive. "Thanks," As I turned around to leave an invisible wall blocked my path. "Is that all I get?" Turning around I saw Lust walking towards me with tears in her eyes, "I''ve done so much the least you could do is give me a reward." She curled her arms around my neck and strained to get closer to my face, her height lacking despite already being on the tips of her toes. Where''d Lily go? She was here before we went up the stairs. "Is my body not enough for you? I know I''m lacking in several areas but at least just a kiss?" Lust started stripping, wait if it''s just a kiss why undress? "Ok if it''s just a kiss." Lust gave me a small smile as I bent my legs a little putting our faces at a close distance to each other. Lust closed her eyes and pulled on my neck to get even closer and... kissed my on the cheek. As she did so I felt some energy leave me as Lust seemed to become more energetic. "Thank you my lord, that was truly delicious. Maybe next time we can go further." Lust was fully dressed by the time she let go, did she have an instant dressing skill? She winked at me, "We succubi are great in bed you know." "Sorry..." I''m kind of ashamed that I was actually disappointed about just the kiss on the cheek, tch taking advantage of her isn''t something I want to do. Sigh... true love is impossible to achieve I know but I still can''t help but to chase after it. "Sorry for what?" Lust linked arms with me and again led me, this time down the stairs towards the basement of the mansion. "Let us head towards her then."
"She was near death when I met her, we barely managed to keep her alive and even now she has various wounds." Despite being the basement the halls were brightly lit by torches that contained small magic stones placed at equal intervals. "She is alive and stable but we couldn''t fix her limbs, only her right arm is still fully functional. Jan takes care of her most the time." Lust''s smile disappeared for a second, "Such a shame, she would have been fun to play with." It seemed that Kendrick can cast low level healing spells but he couldn''t heal her completely, the three being sin demons of course didn''t have any healing spells. At the end of the hall we arrived at a door guarded by two female demons, "My lady, Master." The two bowed to us before moving aside. In terms of appearance they looked like a human except their red skin and the two horns curling forwards that was on their heads. Did Lust summon these? I did not think that solely because their clothing were very revealing. Opening the door we entered a decently sized room with a big bed was situated in the corner furthest away from us. right in front of us were a closet and to the left at the end of the bed was a desk covered with what appeared to be letters. It was there that a blonde girl sat looking at us with wide fearful eyes. "This is Celia, the chosen of Echo." Echo... I think she was a muse in greek mythology? She was cursed to only repeat sentences spoke to her but she wasn''t a god according to the myths. "Celia this is my master Shin." Hearing Lust say that Celia hastily covered up the letter she was hiding with her arms and kneeled on the floor with strained limping movements. "Please forgive this one for any disrespect to you great lord." Her voice was cracked and weird sounding in several places and she was shaking the entire time. "This lowly slave humbly present herself to you." I looked at Lust questioningly who looked away slightly, "We... may have threatened to completely massacre her town to get some information out of her." "It''s fine, please get up we aren''t going to do that." "Tha-thank you very much." She slowly got up, her eyes scanning us for any sudden movements or displeasure. Looking at her closely her ears were slightly pointed, elf? "Are you an elf?" Celia trembled at the word elf. "I-I am a half elf." She continued trembling as she answered my question, she seemed on the verge of tears. "It''s my first time seeing one." Not that I''ve met many while training, I reached out a hand to touch her ears out of curiosity but before I made contact Celia dropped to the ground. "I-I''m very sorry, I''m sorry for existing, please don''t destroy the village." She was full out crying at this point and I held a arm out to stop Lust who was leaking some killing intent. Is it because she was a half elf? I thought half breeds may be treated poorly but her reaction is extreme isn''t it? "It''s okay I won''t do that." I reached a hand and pat her head and she flinched at my touch, wait isn''t she a grown woman? I was used to doing this because of Lily but is this fine? I froze as I saw her limbs that had been previously covered by her clothes. Her legs and left arms had many scars on them and were slightly curved one way or the other along the entire limb. "Here drink this." I held out a vial that contained a deep purple liquid. This was a rejuvenation potion, different from regulars potions that just closed wounds this potion will regrow limbs; hopefully it works just fine on repairing damages and scars. "Ye-yes." Celia reached out her right hand for it and used her left hand to uncork it with some difficulty since the movements on her left arm were slow and shaky. Lifting the vial to her lips she paused and seemed to look behind her. "It, it''s okay Echo." She said that in barely a whisper being chugging the potion. So it seems she could communicate with her god like Jane said, am I the only one who can''t? A soft glow covered Celia as her damaged limbs straightened themselves and the scars faded until they were gone, yup a girl definitely shouldn''t be hurt like that. "Tha-Thank you very much." Celia bowed her voice soft and lovely with her movements smooth, seems like she''s all better now. "No problem, in fact I should say sorry for what my subordinates had done to you in the first place." I bowed my head slightly to a flustered Celia and a pouting Lust. "Sorry to do this right after you just recovered but, I would like you to join us." I continued while looking at both their shocked faces. "Of course I don''t mean to join us as in joining my army or as a servant but a treaty of sorts I would like to make between chosen. I may be the chosen of the Reaper but I have no wish to fight or kill others unless I have to so I have decided that I would live in this world and if possible convince the other chosen to do the same." This was the course of action I have decided upon after getting the full rules from Reaper, it wasn''t against any of the rules and even if it was a slim chance it would allow anyone who outlived me to return to their worlds if they wished. Of course this was a naive plan but one that I can actually fulfill using the strength I''ve obtained. "I-" Celia cut herself off and looked uncertainly between Lust and me. "You can go back to the village if you wish and of course I promise that we won''t attack. We can even do a soul contract if you wish." "I... if it''s alright can I stay with you instead?" I blinked in surprise at her request. "It was my fault that the village was attacked and... even if you don''t there is no guarantee that another chosen won''t attack in the future. " "Er, if you want I guess, but what about your contacts?" I pointed to the letters she had on her desk. Celia smiled wryly, "I was actually writing to tell him that I''ll be cutting off connections with him... I don''t want to drag anyone else into this mess anymore." "Well then... Welcome I guess." This was an unexpected turn of events, especially after all we had done to her. I wonder if sending a bunch of gold to the village would be at least a bit of compensation.
Note* I may release Shin''s stats at some point in the future but for now iz a mysteryz (although obviously they are high). Next chapter will be a side chapter about Celia (since I ended up writing the rough draft in my mind while writing this, kind of random but my brain is wired weirdly). I''ll try to get another chapter out sometime during the weekday but my schedule is pretty messed up so not sure what is exactly happening. If not chapter will be out next weekend for sure. Chapter 27: Preparations of War "I demand compensation and justice for the criminal actions Princess Gwyn has taken against my men!" An angry voice resounded in the audience hall where the king was meeting with a certain Lord Hound. Beside the rough looking noble was a common soldier covered with bandages, the skin that was visible through the gaps of white were bruised purple. "As I was told, your soldier was doing excessive and unprovoked violence to a villager when she stepped in to interfere before she was attacked by said soldier." Of course everyone present knew who was right and who was wrong. "She went in with her sword drawn so of course he would think it was an attack, but not only did she assault him resulting in the severe injuries visible. She also killed the rest of his squad." The soldier in question quietly nodded several times agreeing Lord Hound. Several of the other nobles present also voiced their sympathy for the soldiers, of course it was all an act. Despite Gwyn''s rash actions there was no way she would just randomly attack a group or kill them. The king sighed internally, this was not the first time this has happened; rather it happened quite a bit. Even now on the verge of war they are still intending to drain as much of the royal family''s resources as they can.
As the discussion turned from one of liability and crime to one of compensation Hesn clenched his fist hard. All the nobles present are pretty much confirmed traitors but since they don''t have any conclusive evidence they aren''t able to do anything about it. If they just took them all out right now that would solve a lot of proble- no it wouldn''t. Hesn pushed his emotions down, killing the nobles or otherwise taking a hostile action without the evidence required to back up the act would lead to their men and other nobles to join the attack. There were many that were sitting on the fence watching for an opportunity, those were the ones that were either torn between their allegiance and greed, ones that feared for their lives or the sly ones that reap the rewards while others suffer. A light tap on his shoulder almost reflexively made Hesn turn his head but he managed to resist. Normally a guard would react to that action with hostility but he knew who the perpetrator was. "The armies are starting to move." An emotionless feminine voice whispered near his ear, "Their estimated arrival is in four days." "Good, continue the surveillance." The presence behind Hesn faded, carefully looking around no one in the room had noticed the short exchange. Kaila a ninja and the one in charge of the royal families information network as well as the king''s personal body guard, honestly even Hesn doesn''t know how she does it. The shadows in the room were few and light yet she always manages to remain undetected, coming and going as she pleases. In fact he had searched the room for secret pathways before but found none, perhaps she had a type of teleportation magic. Four days though... The nobles sure aren''t wasting anytime with this.
Slowly Gwyn took deep breaths in and out, the surrounding completely silent as requested by her. In one of the rooms that were underground it was completely made of stone and surrounded by cold air, but that didn''t bother her. Across her legs and on top of her palms laid her sword that she had just finished filling with mana. "Are you alright?" Gwyn opened her eyes and saw Shea standing there, a tray of tea was in her hands. "Yeah... This sword is amazing." Ever since Shin left five days ago Gwyn had been constantly filling it with mana and it has yet to be full. Gwyn put the sword down on the ground beside her and accepted a cup of simple tea, unlike the nobles they made do with good quality but cheap leaves. "It seems they''ll be here in four days..." Shea sat down beside Gwyn curling her knees up and hugging them. "I''m not sure we can win... maybe... maybe it''ll be better just to surrender." "Where did all your confidence go?" Gwyn looked down at the cup in her hands. Reports have been constantly coming in and every new one stated that the enemy forces was growing ever bigger. If they just surrendered the casualties would most likely be limited to the royal family, their close allies and any rebels; much less than if they fought. "You know though, we don''t have a choice but to fight. A lot of lives may be loss in the process but under their rule a lot more people would suffer and die you know." "Maybe they wouldn''t... They need people in order to keep their fortune and power." Gwyn looked at the insecure Shea in surprise, this may be the first time that Gwyn has ever seen Shea weak and insecure. Ever since they were little she had always been strong and full of confidence, way more than Gwyn. Gwyn lifted the cup up and drank the tea down in one gulp then got up putting a hand on Shea''s head, "It''ll be fine, I promise." "But-" "You''re the one that takes care of the stuff that needs thinking and I''m the one that deals with the tough work remember?" Gwyn put on a face full of confidence although truthfully even she had doubts. The latest report had the enemies at a number of ten thousand compared to the defenders that number barely five thousand and that''s not counting any of the people that could betray them at any time. If it was just two to one they could win but they are cut off from all resources here in the city while the enemy could continue replenishing their supplies and forces. They were desperate to get any help they could but maybe Gwyn should have pushed for Shin to stay, if it was him he could easily break any sieges by himself. "Sister?" Gwyn looked down at Shea who was looking up at her in worry. "Sorry was just thinking of something, anyways just leave it to me okay? I''ll deal with everything and punish all of them." Gwyn lifted the hand that had stayed too long on Shea''s headed and picked up her sword. "Let''s go, if we stay here too long Caroline and Tarbalt''s going to give us a lecture again." Shea slowly got up, picking up the tray in the process and gave Gwyn a small smile, "You make it sound like I''m being bullied by them." "If only, you''ve always been the one of the bullying side ever since you were born." Gwyn took the tray from Shea''s hands and started leaving the place, Shea''s protests following close behind. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.
"How are things going?" Several cloaked figures were meeting in a stone chamber. "Everything''s coming along great, the beasts are on their way too." One of the figures was attended by a small maid, despite the hood everybody could tell who that was. "The royals should be low on supplies and men right now, Hound managed to leech fifty gold off of them." "Only fifty gold?" "Heh, the king haggled hard for that. It would seem that they don''t have much more than that." "What about the fairies and the mysterious group of knights?" "The fairies aren''t going to interfere and the group of knights only number twenty one, even if they are elites they stand no chance." "I wouldn''t be too sure of that." The gathered members looked towards the direction where the new voice came from. A man dressed in the characteristic white of a hunter stood there closing the door behind him. "What do you mean?" The one who asked the question had an elderly voice and was holding a walking stick... no a staff. "They stink, I would say they are related to demons or the undead." "It would be a big scandal if that were true." "You doubt me?" "Of course not, but even so we should be sure." "Kaila here personally heard them talking about it, they seem to be of demonic origin." "Kaila?" The members of the group became alarmed at that name. "Yes, come here." The hunter beckoned in the darkness and a petite girl dressed in ninja garb walked out of the darkness and bowed to him tensely. "All twenty one of them are of demonic origin, I do not know what demons they are but they are not that much strong than a knight. The Princess had their personal guards practice with them in secret and they were about even. Also they still believe that the forces they are facing number only ten thousand." "Good work Kaila." The hunter made a twisted smile and caressed Kaila from behind, she offered slight amounts of resistance. "What magic did you work to make her work for you?" The previous alarmed faces were replaced with ones of cruelty and lust. "Just a little persuasion..." The hunter released Kaila, "Continue your work, and don''t forget the most important matter." "You''re letting her go already? Let us have some fun." One of the members made a particularly disgusting face, the maid behind him made an uncomfortable expression. "There will be time after, for now if she disappears for too long it''ll arouse suspicion." The hunter turned away from Kaila and faced the group. "Are your preparations done?" "No problem here, we have about half of each temple up to the bishops willing to join us." One of the men stated, the glint of a black crescent moon was visible from the gap in his clothes. Another man nodded in agreement, the glint of gold metal was visible. "All good and ready to go," A high pitched squeaky voice replied along with the clanking of metal armor. "The gates will be open when the time comes." "We''ve been ready for a long time already, all the ones who disagree have been... subdued." The old man grinned revealing his crooked teeth that was missing a couple here and there. "Yeah yeah, all this scheming and stuff is boring." An annoyed voice came from one of the corners of the room where a young mad laid on the ground playing with what appeared to be a skull. "I can''t wait to meet the Princess." The hunter smiled to himself, after planning for years they finally have the capability to get rid of the royal family who had been nothing but a thorn in his side obstructing him from cleansing the land of foul beings. First the humans who were unclean, then the elves and dwarves. After that the world will be for the taking, he delved into his memories and remembered a certain vampire couple he had killed before. The leaders of the group who had naively tried to make peace, he enjoyed the look of despair on their faces as her raped the wife before the husband''s eyes before killing her. Oh he would love to see the trashes under his feet again.
"Blauurgh!!" Kaila was currently in one of the washrooms of the castle heaving into one of the holes that served as a toilet. "Are you alright miss?" Another ninja was behind her with concern in her voice, Kaila looked up into the fox mask that she was wearing. "Ye-yeah..." Kaila slide down onto the ground and laid her back against the wall, the people that were there. She could identify most of them... who was the one with the armor though? Not... that she could do anything about it. "You should stop doing this." "I can''t... I have no choice." "We can run away, escape!'' "And what will happen to the clan if we do?!?" Kaila lowered the fist that she didn''t know she raised, there was no point in getting angry with her subordinate who was only worried about her. "It''ll be fine, if we just endure till this is over. Continue with the work, I''ll be out in a bit." "I-Understood." With a bow her subordinate disappeared. "I''m sorry... your majesty." Kaila stared at the symbol that was etched into her clothes, the symbol of her clan.
Note: So apologies for disappearing for so long and to clarify though this was not the one I was working on yesterday since I decided to change it up a little after sleeping on it. Celia''s chapter is mostly done just needs to actually be written but the next couple of chapters would probably be about the battle rather than Shin (well you know how good I''m at predicting stuff so treat it as a probably instead of will be). Somewhat spoiler? Not really? Can''t tell but putting it in spoiler thing anyways. Spoiler : Three, technically four of the chars revealed here are chosen. I wonder if you can guess who they are? I''m probably going to end up returning to shorter chapters at a faster pace since that fits into my schedule a bit more since I don''t always have six to eight hours to binge write. Chapter 28: Night Attack "Everything is organized and ready to go. I''ll be taking my leave now." Carey bowed to the king who was sitting on top of his throne, aside from them only Hesn and Ben were in the room. "Thank you very much for your help." The king gestured for Carey to get up gratefully. "I''m sorry to have taken so much of your time." "Since this will help a lot in the upcoming battle it was not wasted time at all..." Carey paused and looked conflicted for a few seconds before looking straight at the king, "But are you sure this is worth it? I mean to make that sort of contract with him." "I am neither a great warrior or mage, I''m not a wise sage or a valiant commander. Truthfully, I''ve hidden behind my daughter''s backs more than they have mine. Contenting myself on following up on their actions rather than taking those actions myself." The king raised a hand to stop the protests that were about to come out of three people''s mouths. "I know my own capabilities and I also know that I am nothing but dead weight in the upcoming battle. If so this little that I can do to make a difference is certainly worth it." Carey wanted to say something, anything, because in her mind the king that had held the kingdom together for so long was definitely capable. But at the same time the words he had said were true. If you were to ask about him from random person from any class be it commoner or noble they would most likely answer with indifference. Neither good king nor a bad one. One who stood by justice''s side but at the same time made sure the nobles were pleased, as such there were few that would answer otherwise unless they were directly affected by the king''s decisions. "Well enough with this depressing topic, I hope you have a safe trip and I''m truly grateful to you from the bottom of my heart." This time the king bowed to Carey, surprising all present into a flustered panic. "M-My liege!!!" "Hmph, don''t take me as an ignorant or prideful fool. At the very least I will show gratitude where it is due. Besides, it''s not like there''s anyone else here." The king gave a wry smile, "Just don''t get yourself killed, if the palace gets damaged we can always fix it, if the castle gets taken we can always take it back; but there''s nothing we can do about the dead." "I-" Carey froze up with tears threatening to spill over. From a young age she had already been acquainted with the princess''s, of course she had plenty of interaction with their father who despite being busy all the time managed to free up a part of the day to spend with his daughters. For Carey who didn''t know her parents, he filled up that void. "Come on, let''s go." Ben grabbed Carey and turned her around then gently pushed her back, "Don''t worry old man, I''ll keep her safe." As they were about to exit the room Ben stopped and turned around, "Watch yourself too okay?" Without waiting a reply he strode out with Carey in tow. "Heh, he still hasn''t changed all these years. Wonder when he''ll confess." The smile that was one the kings face faded as he turned towards Hesn, "Hand out the items Carey had been organizing to the troops." "At once!" Hesn bowed and headed out the doors that were to their left, one especially made for guards. "Hmm... So, how''s your father been?" The king didn''t look behind him as a figure melted out of the shadows. "He''s been fine, no less energetic than before." Kaila stood there behind the king''s throne the sharp glint of a blade in her hands.
One more day till they arrive... Gwyn looked down at the sword that lay beside her. Despite diligently filling it up with mana every day there hasn''t been any indication of it being full, "As expected of a Divine weapon, does it even have a limit?" "You''re done early today." Shea stepped into the room with a tray of tea. "Seems I''ve gotten better at handling mana." Gwyn grinned as she accepted a cup of tea from Shea, this had become a daily event for them. "Here, this is yours." Shea handed Gwyn a leather bag that was small enough to be attached to the belt. "What is it?" Gwyn opened up the bag and stared at the contents with her mouth open, "Th-This is!" Inside were small vials with transparent liquid of various colours, all arranged with a little bit of cloth between them so they would not break from bumping into each other. "Potions, supplied to everybody here." Shea patted a similar bag that was attached on her left side, "Hesn and the guards started handing them out just now. "Hesn? But where would he get these?" Potions were of course a must for any soldier or adventurer but the cost was not a simple thing. Gwyn lifted one of the vials, not only was the potion contained within glass it was also clear and had a solid colour unlike the usual ones that were often diluted several times to the point where the colour is barely distinguishable. "Seems father and Carey made a deal with Shin before he left. The red potion heals most wounds barring missing parts, the blue one is for mana and the yellow one refreshes you completely. Every bag has at least three, the types depending on who they are for." Shea gave a bitter smile, "Carey didn''t tell me anything, even though all this time she had been sorting them." "Just what did Shin want for all of these?" For almost five thousand people to have three of these, it would cost no small fortune to obtain normally. He already had access to information and he didn''t interested in marrying either Gwyn or Shea. "I don''t know but for now I think we can be grateful for them." Shea carefully closed the bag and sat down, slowly so the bag doesn''t hit the ground hard. "This will save a lot of lives." "Definitely, with this the troops can be more relieved about the upcoming battle." Gwyn likewise carefully placed the vial back into the bag and closed it. "Don''t save it though, if you need to use it; use it." Shea looked up in surprise because Gwyn had guessed what she was thinking. "I''ve known you long enough to at least know that you want to save it for someone who really needs it. They''re fighting for us so don''t throw away your life." Gwyn grit her teeth, the battlefield was merciless. If one tried to save a comrade who went to protect you it would only end up wasting their efforts, the job of a leader is to stay alive; as long as they are hope won''t be lost. "I will but I don''t think I''ll have any chance to use it. Joker told me to wear one of the animated armors tomorrow." Shea sighed, "I tried refusing but she wouldn''t take no for an answer." Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "Well, it''ll come in handy during an emergency... wait! Joker is a girl?!?!" "Eh?!? You didn''t know?" "Well I mean the way she acts and talks, not to mention the name of Joker... does, does Shin know?" The name was given by Shin so did he giver her that name without knowing? From the depths of her heart Gwyn truly wished that it wasn''t the case.
"Everything is ready, Sir!" A soldier gave a salute to a cloaked figure who was grinning while caressing a skull. "Kukuku, it''s finally time. I''m coming for you my princess." The figure waved his hand. Simultaneously a dozen armored forms stood up and started walking in unison towards the wall from the shadows of the buildings they were in. Their skin glowed green in the moonlight, "Let''s give them a wake up call!!!"
The Capital City''s Second wall: "Guh!" One of the royal army''s soldiers toppled over with a deep cut on his chest. "W-Why?" "We''ve been running around here and there for YEARS, and we have gotten nothing from them." The fallen soldiers former comrade in arms was standing over him holding a bloody sword with a mad glint in his eyes, "The time of the royals are at an end!!!" He raised the blade, "Don''t worry, I''ll make it quick." The blade came slashing down and warm blood flowed through the cold night air. The soldier painfully opened the bag that was at his side with his left hand, his right was barely attached now. Having found the red potion he quickly drunk it before grabbing the bag off of the cold body at his feet. Offering a quick prayer to the corpse he re-lit the torch that was recently put out and ran towards the watch tower, he needed to warn them that there was an attack coming. Across the entirety of the wall a similar scene was happening, over half of the soldiers stationed on the wall turned on their former friends. That one soldier would prove to be the only loyal soldier to make it out of the attack.
"Killed by a dagger." The cloaked figure kicked the corpse of the traitor, "Useless." He reached down with a jagged knife and started sawing off the head. A moment later a green light was emitted from his hand and the detached head shrunk down to the size of a billiard ball. "Let''s go." He started walking while carelessly throwing the newly shrunk head into the bag he had slung over his shoulder. Within the head was quickly swallowed up by the other heads that were in there shifting due to his movements. A dozen guards followed him closely as he strolled towards the gate that connected the royal grounds and the nobles residences, his aim was the walkway that would give him access to the inner wall. Behind him trailed the soldiers that were put under his command by the nobles. "... Why are we working with a monster like him?" "Shhhh, he''ll hear you. Orders are orders, just follow them and you''ll be fine." "I wonder... what that skull''s for? Is it how he casts those spells?" "Shut it!" The senior soldier smacked the unfortunate soldier that spoke last, "Just move, we won''t have to deal with him after this." "I don''t think we''ll be able to kill him though, even with a surprise attack." *Smack, the soldier fell down with blood trailing from his mouth, "I said shut it!" the senior soldier cautiously checked the hooded figure for any reaction before turning back to his men, "Don''t speak of that matter again, it''ll be somebody else''s problem after we start fighting anyways."
"Gwyn!!" Tarbalt burst into the room with Fergul close behind. "They''re attacking!" Gwyn untangled her legs and got up quickly before falling over because her legs were numb from being in that position for so long. "What?!? Weren''t they not supposed to arrive until tomorrow?" "About half of the royal army turned on us, one of the soldiers from the second wall got away and alerted us but now the ones inside turned as well. There''s heavy fighting everywhere and it''s chaos." "We''ve already told everyone else to head towards the south gate." Fergul shifted his armor a little. "DAMN!" Gwyn grabbed the sword and wrapped her arm around Tarbalt who held out his arm to support her. They just had to attack right after she finished transferring mana over to the sword. "Where''s Shea?" "She and her unit is headed towards the north gate to keep it clear for Carey''s return, a messenger has already been sent to the temples but considering the fires around there I''d say they have their own problems." "And the other gates?" The north and south gates would of course be the most highly contested, especially the south. The other two could be said as extras since the city guard are keeping the enemy from travelling there as much as possible but a sneak attack cannot be dismissed. "Surprisingly quiet." Tarbalt''s eyes met Gwyns, "It may just be that the enemy is overlooking it or doesn''t want to contest it but, I highly doubt that." "I can walk myself now." Crimson flames surrounded Gwyn as her favorite leather armor came into existence. Up ahead through the open doors of the Palace Gwyn could see the figures of soldiers fighting on top of the walls, a group of them concentrated near walkway between the two walls drew her eye. A cloaked figure was situated in the middle of them and was cutting heads off of the fallen regardless of alignment. Gwyn quickly uncorked the blue and yellow potions chugging them down and then, feeling energy flow into her she started running at the cloaked figure. "You two meet back up with the group, I''m taking that bastard down!" Gwyn gripped her sword hard and started focusing on the vast pool of mana that was stored within, Shin had said she could summon monsters, two powerful monsters and right now they need all the help they could get.
*Note: Numbers!!! - Royal Forces: 4975 -> 3215 Traitor Forces: 0 -> 967 Noble Forces (Currently engaged): 0 -> 1758 + 13 (Cloaked man and guards) Total Casualties: 793 (Royal/Traitor Forces), 242 (Noble Forces) Celia''s chapter about 35% I''ll say done (was working on that instead of second chapter). X.X writing down the rough stories of the people surrounding her so I don''t forget ate up so much time. Chapter 29: The Minion Master "Out of the way!!!" Responding to Gwyn''s shout the area around the gate and walkway quickly cleared of soldiers regardless of allegiance. Normally fleeing a battle would result in the escapee getting cut down but since anyone who lived within the human country and some of those outside of it knew of Gwyn they prioritized escape over defeating their foe. The only ones remaining in the area were the cloaked man and his minions, "There you are Princess!!! I''ve been looking for you." A twisted smile was on his face as he caressed a skull that was hanging off his belt, "You''ll be perfect for my collection." Gwyn grit her teeth as she continued running towards him, less than a quarter of the original distance was between them now. "Go!!!" Gwyn pointed her sword forward and out of the tip of her sword flew two balls of energy, one blue and one red. *Boom!!! "Eh?" Gwyn stopped in her tracks at the absurdity of the sight in front of her. The stone wall fifteen meters tall and five meters wide were was pulverized into dust by two towering bodies. The one on the right had red skin and was almost twice as tall as the wall wielding a giant sword with two horns coming out of its forehead. The one of the left was blue and only slightly taller than the wall but with a much sturdier build and armed with a wooden club that was easily bigger than a tree with a single horn jutting out from above his only eye. "Shin... you never told me they were this bi-Guhh!?!" Gwyn who was complaining while looking at her sword was suddenly sent flying backwards with a dull pain in her chest, a long spear was pushing up against her armor. "Oh, you''re alive? That''s surprising." The dust cloud that used to be a wall separated revealing the cloaked figure who was completely unharmed. His men however weren''t so lucky, beneath the strength of the two oni they became green piles of mush that were releasing a sickly green vapor. "Grrr..." Gwyn got up and looked at the end of the agitated oni''s weapons where she had assumed would be the ground. Blocking the sword was a large bear with a dark green luster and holding onto the club was a large man in full plate armor. "Renag The Unmovable?" The spear, the armor and the figure was unmistakable even if an unnatural colour. Gwyn had met him several times before, mostly during combat events. A man of great strength that defeated a Steel Bear bare handed all the while bearing a heavily load of supplies that he was delivering to a remote village had earned him his name, he was widely regarded as one of the strongest people even among the elves and dwarves. "Oh, you knew each other?" A devilish smile appeared on the strangers face, "He was so easy to kill. The actions of someone who protects is so easy to predict, all it took was threatening some children''s lives and he gave up." Gwyn thought back to the heads that the stranger was cutting off, was that how he preserved the bodies? To create these twisted undead nightmares? But she had never heard of a dark magic like this where it could recreate a body from just a head, not to mention a fully functioning and unhindered body. "GRAAAAHHHH!!!" The terrible sound of metal scrapping against metal was heard as the Red Oni put strength into his arms, the Steel Bear''s body which was on the other end of the sword started folding in on itself as it stood it''s ground stubbornly against the attack. "GAAUUGH?" Renag on the other hand was pummeling the Blue Oni with punches, resulting in the sound of brutal punishment raining upon flesh to ring out. The Blue Oni however just stood there taking all the punishment, outwardly it would seem that it was losing but somehow Gwyn knew that the damage he took was minimal to the point of non-existence. "Hmm, guess those two aren''t going to be enough." The stranger reached a hand into the bag he had slung over his shoulder rummaging around. "Let''s see... you and you and you... and also you." Several small objects came flying at Gwyn who jumped back to avoid them. After they collided with the ground Gwyn got a good look at the objects which had lost their momentum. "Heads?" The items the man had thrown were extremely shrunken heads, to the point that they seemed more like doll heads than ones from living beings. "YOU!!!" Gwyn gripped her sword tightly and took a step forward, preparing to charge at the man but paused. All of the heads that he had thrown were from the loyal soldiers of her army, ones that had most likely fallen defending the very gate that was just destroyed. That however was not the reason Gwyn had stopped, what had stopped her was the fact that those heads were growing rapidly with a body forming while a disgusting squishing sound could be heard. In seconds a dozen soldiers in full armor with all their gear had came into existence forming a semi-circle in front of Gwyn. "Aren''t they lovely?" The man was manically laughing, "They who used to be so weak, with my blessing they have become strong!" "Strong is it?" Gwyn directing into the faces of the soldiers who looked no different from when they were alive, their faces were expressionless but their eyes exuded the aura of suffering. A proper funeral would probably be impossible at this point, especially considering what happens to the corpses of this man''s undead; but at the very least Gwyn could do one thing for them. "About three time stronger than when they were alive!!! Three!!!" The man reached into his bag again, "They would''ve been considered heroes, conquerors, leaders!!!" "They... were already heroes in my heart." Gwyn swung her blade, there wasn''t any fancy technique or excessive strength just a normal swing. That normal swing however easily tore through the bodies setting them ablaze with crimson flames. "You''re next." Gwyn pointed her sword at the man, killing intent overflowing from her and manifested itself as a dark red demon behind her. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
"Ho-how?!?" From the information he had there was no way that the Princess in front of him was this strong. Of course he didn''t expect her to lose to just twelve soldiers but there should have been no way for her to easily dispose of them with a halfhearted attack like that. To begin with even though they were normal soldiers, with his blessings they were easily three times as strong and that also included their defensive capabilities. "Damn it!" He grabbed a handful of heads that were closest to his hand and threw it at her and took several steps back while reaching into a small bag he had on his hip. "Like I''ll let you!" With a shout Gwyn charged towards him, her sword easily eliminating all the half summoned bodies. "Come! Stella Vel Rouge!!!" The man picked up a head from the pouch and threw it at the ground behind him as he blocked Gwyn''s sword with his arm. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" While screaming in pain he drew out a dagger and cut off he left arm from slightly above the elbow before the flames could start consuming him. He quickly started retreating but the sword was already on it''s way.
A blast of hot air blew Gwyn away from the man as she was about to deliver a mortal blow. Opening her eyes Gwyn realized that what blew her back wasn''t air but green flames that had glassed the ground around her. Tracing the fire back to it''s origin Gwyn saw a beautiful girl that had long flowing hair and a noble aura, her hand stretching out towards Gwyn. "To make me use her..." Gwyn turned her attention to the man that was hiding behind the girl, his arm that had previously been cut was starting to grow back in a green slimy mess of flesh. "Go Stella! Kill her!" Reacting to his command the girl aimed both hands at Gwyn and sent two fireballs hurtling directly towards her. "This armor..." Gwyn stood up and calmly walked forward, the fire colliding with her ineffectively. Normally there would be no way that a piece of armor could protect a place that wasn''t covered, yet never mind her face not even one hair was damaged by the fire. "Looks like I have a lot to thank Shin for." "How?!?!" The man was staring speechless at Gwyn who was advancing in the now continuous stream of fire that was coming from Stella''s hands. Those flames reached extreme levels of heat and burned even rock, the melted burning mess of earth that Gwyn was walking upon a testament to that. "How indeed, I don''t even know myself." The flames abruptly stopped as Gwyn unhesitatingly cut Stella down, from the sounds of heavy footsteps and crunching metal it would seem the Oni are done as well. "You don''t seem to have the confidence you had before. Are you only brave in front of those weaker than you?" "YOU!!! You''re not even chosen! I WAS!!! I WAS!!! I''m the MINION MASTER! ME!" The self claimed minion master started raving, spit flying everywhere. "Not the head warrior!! Not the elder or the chief but ME!!!" The hood fell back revealing pointed ears and two small horns. Gwyn looked at him in surprise then pity, what life did he lead to make him act this way? "Everything in the world is MINE, MINE!!! You who isn''t a chosen have no right to hinder me!!!" "Just rest in peace no-?!?" Gwyn started swinging the sword that she held back in pity as her instincts alerted her of immense danger but it was too late, an explosion centered on the minion master radiated outward leaving a massive melting depression in the ground; the two Oni were completely swallowed up by the attack. Coughing Gwyn slowly got up, the blast had push her to the outside edge of the crater, or rather it buried her into the side of it. "Seriously... *Cough, has saved me way too many times today." "Gwyn!!! Are you alright?" Tarbalt and company was running towards her from the direction of the mostly intact wall, it would seem that the explosion expanded in a cone towards the palace rather than in a circle leaving the soldiers that were fighting disorientated but alive. "Yeah, glad you guys are doing okay to-" Gwyn dashed towards her soldiers and got their just in time as something collided with her body slamming her into the ground. "Gah!?!" Gwyn dazedly looked up at her assailant while spitting out blood. Standing there was girl that looked vicious but extremely gorgeous with long red hair tied in a pony tail behind her and dressed in light leather armor. In her hands was a long thin single edged sword similar to a katana but without a guard, that sword was pointed directly at Gwyn. "A... Dragon-kin?" Tarbalt broke the silence with a voice full of doubt. Dragon-kin... a descendant of one of the world''s ancient dragons that were unimaginably more powerful than the dragons that existed now days and were said to have strength similar to their ancestors. Gwyn then noticed that the Dragon-kin girl had a greenish glow to her. "Rio..." The man from before staggeringly stood up from the middle of the crater, body dissolving in the heat. His hand was weakly grasping at the place where the skull he cherished used to be.
*Note - OP items are OP. Spoiler : Remember how I said there was technically four chosen? I present to you two of them. Can''t be that hard to figure out the remaining two right? EDIT: Forgot to say, I went to sleep after I got back from work so only this chapter today, apologies to the people who were looking forward to another. Special Chapter ~ Christmas Eve "How many hours did you spend to get this good at the game?" In a dimly lit room two figures could be seen sitting in front of a large screen surrounded by various remains of food and drinks. "Not that much, maybe ten years or so?" Stretching his arm''s out the one on the right replied to the first speaker, his face hidden by a hood. "And your duties?" The body of the one on the left slowly mutated, stretching and pulsing until it turned into the shape of a large wolf. "I finish them on the side... still living so long has sucked the enjoyment out of everything, even these games that advanced civilizations make give nothing but a moment of entertainment." A deep sigh came from within the hood. The wolf let out a smile that looked menacing against the back light of the screen, "You''re acting a lot more childish than most would imagine." "It doesn''t matter how they see me long as they don''t make any trouble." A carefree shrug came with the reply as he reached and pulled a glass out of thin air. "Want one?" "I''m fine. Hmm speaking of childish isn''t it about that time again?" "Ah..." With a snap of their location changed from the messy filth filled room to a large audience hall. "Almost forgot about it, thank you Lupa." Lifting her large body off the ground Lupa went to sit on one side of the aisle, "Considering how you stopped the game at such a convenient time I have done nothing but point out something you already knew of." Any reply was completely cut off by the sound of the doors slamming open, non-nonchalantly walking in was a group of kids. "Nicky, that was very rude!" "It''s fine it''s fine, don''t be so annoying, it''s like you''re my mother." Two girls were leading the group, one of them was dressed in red and white skimpy clothes with an average height and size while the other was dressed in brown furs with what would be called very large assets. "Hey! Lupa you''re here too this year?" Nicky waved at Lupa while walking down the aisle, her red heels loudly clicking against the polished stone floor. "Hi!" "Hey!" Two twins, one male and female dressed in skin tight leotards shouted out as they rushed from behind Nicky towards Lupa. "I''m sorry for the noise the other three are making, Lord Reaper" Bowing deeply the one covered in the furs respectfully to the one sitting on top of the throne, her nose lightly glowing red. "It''s fine Ruby, they do this every year. Where are your mothers?" Ruby lifted her head up, nose glowing even brighter, "Umm, they said they would be busy finishing all the last minute preparations so they will meet us later." "Sheesh Ruby, enough with all the formal stuff. We''re just here to get our no good fathers then we can go have fun at Luna''s place." To Nicky''s energetic shout the twins also started yelling out an agreement. Lupa smiled gently at the four as she turned to the Reaper, "Are you going to go with them this year?" "... No... You can if you want though, just come back before tomorrow ends." Waving his left hand a set of silver doors appeared and slowly opened. From within the clanking of chains could be heard slowly coming closer and closer until a red light came into view. What walked out from the doors was a man covered in a beard of white dressed in classic red and white clothes that most people associated with him. Or at least it would be but the sleeves were ripped off revealing several tattoos about Christmas, or if he had a bulging stomach instead of the extremely toned muscles that were barely contained within his clothes. "Hurry it up dad so we can leave already." Nicky gave but a glance at her father, instead she opened a red small red sack that was on her hip where several phones came flying out. "Now is that any way to address your father that you haven''t seen for an entire year?" With an indignant look on his face Santa Claus complained to his daughter. "It''s 100% you own fault you ended up here, mom didn''t even want to see you this year after all the antics you did the last year." The reply came instantly with a harsh tone without even looking at him, the man known for his jolliness fell to his knees in depression, the chains on his limbs clanking loudly. "It''s good to see you''re well father." Ruby bowed to the reindeer that was following behind Claus, the source of the red glow. "It''s nice to see you as well," Widely known across dimensions as one of, if not the top helper of Santa, Rudolph held his head high as his nose shone brightly. However his voice contained none of the innocence or childlike pitch that most people imagined. It was instead a deep grumbling noise; his appearance was likewise different, covered with scars all over his body and even parts of his antlers missing he gave off a old veteran vibe instead. "Has your mother been well?" "Yes, although she still has yet to forgive you for joining the fight alongside Santa Claus." "A man''s got his honor, although I am aware I have put both you and her through much pain because of it, I am truly sorry." "Fath-" "Yeah yeah enough with your emotional reunion and teary stuff that you go through every single year." A cranky old man walked out of the gate which started closing as soon as he was through. "Dad!" The two twins slammed into the old man making him groan in protest. "Jacky and Jackie! Get off of me, you''re several thousand years old already! Just when will you two grow up!?!" Peeling the two off of him Jack Frost stared walking up to the Reaper. "Let''s get this over with, the less time I spend with the delusional idiot over there the better." "Just make sure you''re back by the end of tomorrow okay? I don''t want to have to send people after you again Jack." With a motion the shackles that were binding the three slowly faded away, "And no blizzards, just normal snow." "Yeah I got it already, just keep your men away from me." A wind blew through the place and the spot where Jack was a moment ago was replaced by a patch of ice and snow. "Hah... if they weren''t so vital to so many worlds..." Lifting a finger towards Nicky black smoke flew towards the point the Reaper had designated, swirling into a portal. "Alright portal''s up, it''s not for you Claus." As the children started walking through the portal lead by Nicky with Ruby reluctantly separating from her father the sight of the huge man trying to sneak his way through was needless to say ridiculous. "I''ll see you in a day then Lupa." Lupa nodded her head once in gratitude before quickly moving through the portal. "But but but." "Just give it up already boss." Walking through the door was a short man with pointed ears. "Snippy!" With a shout Santa Claus jumped towards the elf with arms outspread for a tackling hug only to be smacked in the face with a large metal wrench. "Enough with your foolish acts, we''re already fifteen seconds behind schedule, there''s even more children this year so we have no time to waste." Snippy nodded towards Rudolph, "Sleigh''s ready to go, your team is all prepped and ready, we''re just waiting for you." "Leave it to me, get up Nick." Rudolph headed for the door, giving Santa Claus a sharp kick to his behind on his way past. "I''ll excuse myself now then my Lord." Bowing deeply Snippy started dragging the staggering Santa out the door. "I almost want to let the three of them go just because of how much of a pain in the ass they are to deal with." The Reaper sighed once again while looking towards the portal that lead to Luna''s realm. "Maybe once Shin succeeds."
"That''ll be all for today, enjoy the rest of your day as you please." A white owl deftly picked up the books that were on the table and flew off; leaving Yuki there with a surprised expression. "I have... free time?" Ever since Yuki has arrived at Luna''s place all she''s been doing is training and studying, aside from sleeping, eating and taking care of her personal hygiene. It was an extremely bland lifestyle that was even worse than when she was trying to get into a good school. "Let''s play, let''s play!!!" Several small rabbits of varying shades of blue jumped into the garden that she was studying at and energetically hopped around her, almost knocking over the various items that were on the table. "Stop bothering her!" Breathing heavily a girl with rabbit ears collapsed into the garden chasing after the rabbits, "She''s still studyin-?!? Where''s old Hoot?" "He left saying I have the rest of the day off, here." Yuki quickly poured a cup of water and handed it to her, "You''ve worked hard Usa." Stolen novel; please report. "Play! Play!" As Usa was about to get up to receive the glass of water she was quickly knocked back down into the ground by the group of little rabbits. "You little $&#($#!?!" Yuki laughed quietly as Usa tried to catch the little bouncing fur balls in vain, being bullied by the kids as usual. "My, the little ones sure are energetic today." Yuki turned around to face the speaker and gasped in surprise at the breath taking sight. Luna was already what you would call a goddess normally, well aside from the fact that she was in fact a goddess; but right now she was so stunning it couldn''t be put into words. Even for Yuki who was also a girl Luna held an allure that felt like it pulled on her very soul. "Is there something on my face?" As Luna smiled her silver hair softly flew to one side releasing a very sweet smell. "Prettyyyyy," The little rabbits said out in unison with childish innocence while Usa and Yuki were struggling to find words. "Thank you very much little ones." Luna gracefully walked forward, silver sparkles flowing behind her and crouched down petting their small heads, "Your reaction was expected Yuki, but I didn''t think you would still be affected after all these years Usa." Luna had an amused smile on her face, her voice teasing but gentle. "I-I-I can''t help it you know, for one of the sisters with unrivaled beauty so much so that it even leaves the goddess''s of beauty in the dust to dress up of course I would react like that." With her cheeks bright red Usa replied while covering her eyes with her ears. "Is there something special happening today?" Yuki finally managed to speak out in a hoarse voice, her mouth felt extremely dry. "Oh we have some guests coming over tonight, it''s Christmas you know. I came to get you since you are my chosen after all." Luna gently took Yuki''s hand and pulled her along as she started walking. "We still need to make you presentable, Usa can you help the girls with the decorations?" "Of course, come on you guys, let''s GO!- BUh?!?" With her eyes still covered Usa quickly marched off in a random direction directly into the fence face first causing the little rabbits that were following her to the burst out into laughter. "Uuuuu my nose." Squatting down with tears in her eyes her appearance caused the rabbits to laugh even harder, sending out various taunts, even Yuki and Luna smiled a bit at her sight. Leaving Usa and the rabbits behind, Luna swiftly guided Yuki through the garden and into a large mansion made of white rock so pure it seemingly gave off a soft glow. Whenever the two passed by a spirit or one of the denizens of Luna''s realm gasps could be heard behind them, of course those weren''t directed at Yuki but at Luna. "Who''s coming tonight?" Yuki asked with a voice that was slightly too loud causing her to flinch. All the attention was focused on Luna and as a girl she couldn''t help but feel inferior and jealous of her, even if she knew it was stupid to compare herself to a goddess. "Mrs. Claus, Carol who''s the wife of Rudolph, Icy who''s the ex-wife of Jack Frost and their children." Luna paused, a sad expression briefly flashed across her face, "And hopefully he will show up too..." "Eh, Santa Claus is real? Moreover he has a wife and child?" Yuki found out really early on that Santa Claus wasn''t real, after all the orphanage couldn''t afford gifts for every child that was there. Luna looked over at Yuki with confusion on her face, "I thought Hoot already taught you how gods come into existence?" "Err, gods are born when power collects and is infused with a powerful idea, thought or worship, typically in the form of a religious god or highly popular mascot. Another way they can be born is when enough power collects that a mind develops, these are called the original gods and are rarely seen." Considering how Hoot had forced Yuki to repeat it until she memorized it, it''s not something that she would forget but as far as she remembers Santa Claus never did visit their orphanage; they were mostly good kids too. "Exactly, as such somebody like Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus naturally would come into existence, incidentally me and my sister are a part of the earliest original gods as for their child. Reproduction is quite possible and often practised, however there are several ways that it can happen with some varying from the image in your head." Luna opened her palm and several images made of silver light appeared. "The first would be what you mortals would call mating or sex, physical interaction between members of opposite genders will result in an offspring. While this method is tedious it also presents the lowest risk to both parties involved, it also results in children that are more unique and is usually the method that most choose as it is also a very intimate act." The images of various sexual positions with animation included changed into two orbs of different colours, one red and one blue slowly mixing together. "The second way carries far more risk to the two individuals involved but still produces a unique offspring. Somewhat similar to mating two people take a portion of their soul or being, typically half and half and proceeds to mix it usually within one of the partners but rarely in the open. Different than mating this path allows members of the same or with no gender or beings that have no reproductive organs to reproduce, sometimes with more than two participants; the risk to the carrier however increases as the different types of souls are increased. Needless to say the risk of the creation failing and being lost is drastically increased if it is left in the open during the process, without a container most of the time the power just dissipates; if you''re unlucky however the power explodes dangerously either causing widespread damage or creating an abomination." Once again the images changed, this time into a single silver orb. "The last practical way would be called asexual reproduction and is one individual splitting their soul into one or multiple offspring. While this is the fastest way to reproduce it also brings with it a lack of individuality and naturally makes it easier to wipe all of them out it also greatly weakens either the offspring, parent or both as the energy is provided by only one being. This is the preferred way for spirits and several types of monster to reproduce." Luna made a sad smile as the images changed one last time, a black figure of a human was formed with silver light flowing from it''s hands and forming into another figure. "There''s really no point in knowing this but the last way a being can be created is literally creation. By collecting energy and giving it thought you can create a completely new being that did not exist before, of course the energy required for such a thing is beyond ridiculous. It would take entire worlds and galaxies being destroyed to collect even a portion of the power required, the only one who can accomplish such a feat is the Reaper who holds virtually unlimited amounts of power. He''s called the god of the gods for a reason, in fact it is said that all of creation, original gods included were created by him." Luna fell into an eerie silence after finishing, her face the perfect representation of a sad maiden that would make beings of either gender do anything to appease her. "Ah, Sorry for going on like that," Luna gave a gentle smile as they stopped in front of a grand door with many floral patterns engraved into the white stone. "Come, let''s get you dressed up properly." "Y-Yeah." Yuki stuttered a bit as the awkward atmosphere from before had yet to dissipate. During the time she spent here there were many clues that Luna was connected to the Reaper at a personal level but... just what is their relationship? The only things Yuki knew about the Reaper were that he''s all powerful, the one who kidnapped Shin and whenever Luna is reminded of him she gets extremely sad. Yuki shook her head to clear her thoughts as she started preparing for the party, there''s no point in trying to figure something like that out right now, she just has to do what she can so that when she meets Shin she will be able to help him.
Note* I realize this is quite a bit after Christmas but I did start writing this before if it''s any compensation, >.< work has somewhat calmed down now so finally had time to finish it. As for the two chapters I''m rewriting I will delete the old versions when I put the new ones up and they should be done before the end of Sunday and the contents will be changed in terms of the direction everything went. Well going to work on my other story that I haven''t been giving much love to for a while. Happy Christmas and Happy New Year, even if I''m late by a little with this! Chapter 30: Chosen Get Shea bit down on her lip hard as she looked down on the corpse of the young man she just killed, his once bright armor now covered with blood. Taking advantage of the temporary calm around her she surveyed the mess of a situation they were in. Having lead her unit here as soon as she got the message that a bunch of the soldiers on the second wall had betrayed them, they made it here just in time to stop them from taking the gate. Whether it could be called lucky or not the traitors didn''t try to take advantage of the situation and because they weren''t hiding their hatred and feelings Shea and company were able to quickly take action. Right now the two hundred or so enemies were pushed back to beyond the gate which was being held with the help of two of the enchanted armors that Shin had left behind. Untiring and untouchable by the weapons of the enemy the two were almost able to completely block the gate off by themselves giving their troops time to rest and patch up their wounds. "We''re lucky we aren''t dressed in the same armor and they were too stupid to take advantage of it." Caroline walked up to Shea while cleaning her blade. "We''ve gathered up all the remaining soldiers and gave them healing, Rin and Ran are in charge of watching them for now since we can''t verify if they are loyal or not." "Thank you Caroline," Shea looked over to the open patch of field where roughly a hundred men were sitting there many with bandages over the various wounds they had. Shea laughed a little at the two small figures that were at the head of the group responsible for watching over them. "Even from here it''s easy to tell who is who." "It''s a wonder why they refuse to surrender despite being at such an obvious disadvantage." The two turned around to face Medline who was making a troubled face while walking towards them. "For now they seemed to have retreated back to the second wall, but they don''t seem intent on leaving." "They are probably waiting for reinforcements," Caroline crossed her arms as she thought, "It''s unlikely that the temples would fall even in the case that they are overwhelmed the remaining force shouldn''t be very large either." "There''s more than one place they can come from you know~" Reacting to the voice that was right behind her Caroline swung her fist as she jumped forward. Having caught Caroline''s arm that was aimed at her face Joker gave the company a bright grin. "You don''t have to be so surprised do you?" "Where did you come from?" Hissing Caroline retracted her hand from Joker''s grasp with some difficulty. "From the princess''s room." The words from Joker''s mouth temporarily stunned the people around as they took in what she said. "Why, were you in my room? Wait, that''s not important, what did you mean about them coming in from other places?" Shea held out an arm to stop Caroline as she was about to start yelling at Joker, rubbing her head with her other hand. "Your little bird has been playing with others behind your back you know, there''s currently several groups of soldiers in the secret passages to the castle and a horde of over a hundred thousand coming in from the south." "A-a hundred thousand?!?!" That was over ten times the number reported in the first place there shouldn''t be an army of that size reaching the city unnoticed. "Kaila did?" The number of a hundred was staggering, it was definitely not something they could win against therefore Caroline''s exclamation was the logic reaction, to Shea however the most shocking piece of information however was that Kaila betrayed them. Having spent their childhoods together almost as sister''s and given her family''s background Shea wouldn''t believe it if someone told her that, especially someone as dubious as Joker. But somehow Shea couldn''t help but consider it a possibility, certainly if Kaila who was in charge of their information network betrayed them the fact that the enemy attacked at a time that was different than predicted and in much larger numbers was a possibility. At the same time however a quicker march would bring the enemy here faster and while you can''t easily hide such number if they were using secret passages. No, no one should have known about the secret passages aside from the royal family and those closest to them. Even her father didn''t know all of them but if it was Kaila, she probably has the knowledge and capability to access most of those. "How did they get this many troops in without being seen? Even IF," Caroline paused to look over at Shea with concern,"If Kaila was manipulating the information someone would''ve seen such a large amount of soldiers marching, the supplies required for that as well wouldn''t be easy to hide." "They didn''t have to come all at once you know, if they just planted soldiers that were on their side as the gate guards they can easily bypass the security and come in with an unchecked wagon full of soldiers to hide in the noble''s houses, as for the supplies the royal family has been paying for those have they not? And with the cooperation of merchants, purchasing supplies in bulk wouldn''t be all that suspicious." Joker tilted her head with a hand to one of her ears as she finished explaining, "Seems like they are''re here. Well time for work, if you need help desperately there''s a surprise for you in your room, it has to be you though Princess." With that before they could respond Joker disappeared in a puff of smoke. "Do you really think what Joker said was true?" Shea looked at Caroline and Medline. "It''s possible... What she said is logical and there''s no reason for her to lie." Medline looked away as Caroline stated hesitantly. Soon after they heard a large explosion and saw a dust cloud rising up from the direction of the south gate. Shea bit her lip hard enough to draw blood, if even Kaila who was a sister to her betrayed them... Who else?
Kaila slowly sneaked along the shadows of the throne room, silent and hidden from view, her hand on the hilt of her sword. The king had just sent all of his guards away and was just sitting there on his throne, did he know Kaila was there? That she was there to kill him? No but if he did he wouldn''t leave himself undefended would he? But if he doesn''t why isn''t he moving? Maybe the guards are hiding waiting to ambush her, but who would be able to hide from her? "To be able to hide this from your father you''ve grown a lot Kaila." As if mocking her excessive thinking the king started speaking to her without moving from his spot. "There are no traps or soldiers here just us." "How did you know?" Kaila cautiously slide out of the shadows behind the throne and slowly made her way towards him, weapons partially drawn. "That you were here or that you were helping the nobles? It was all information provided by Joker in the short time that she was here. You won''t get many opportunities as good as when your target is in confusion after a surprise attack after all." "If you knew, then why would you-" The king turned to look at her as she rounded the throne and gave her a gentle smile, "For generations your family had been serving loyally with not so much as a word of complaint or a request for reward. In addition to the blood and sweat your family has spilt for our country ever since it''s founding, you are like a daughter to me. If I could help you and your family in some way even if it costs me my old life I would do it without hesitation." "I find it hard to believe that the king of a country would be willing to leave himself undefended like this." Kaila slowly expanded her consciousness to try and search out every corner of the large room, above on a pillar she felt a familiar aura. To even follow her here... "I''m a king yes but a failure of one, but I am also a father. Shea and Gwyn are more than capable of running the kingdom, it was about time for me to step down for the new generation anyways. My only regret would be that I couldn''t have done more for you and your clan." Kaila clenched her teeth together as she struggled to contain her emotions, it hadn''t been easy at all for her to come to this decision. She also felt that the royals were family just like how they felt about her, but when it came down to it her clan was more important to her. Her eyes started blurring as the emotions she forced down for the past while started surging up again, gripping her fists she glared at the figure of the king, the figure of a man she considered a father. "They''re not going to live after tonight, there''s over a hundred thousand men attacking tonight! A hundred thousand!!! Not to mention the fact that the Mage Council and the Vampire Hunters are there too." Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. "Shin''s bad feelings about those two were correct after all, it may be inevitable that we turn towards the item he left behind." The king spread out his arms, "Let''s quickly finish this before anyone comes back." "I, I..." Kaila stopped pulling her sword out half way, the sound of the blade shaking against the scabbard was echoing in the large hall.
Misaki was watching things unfold from the shadows of one of the pillars, if Kaila couldn''t do it in the end Misaki would do it for her. Even if Kaila ends up hating her for it at the very least Misaki could take some of the guilt off of Kaila''s shoulders, and if killing her will help Kaila she was willing to lay down her life as well. Quietly she took out several throwing daggers that were glistening venomously even in the dark shadows she was hiding in, seeing Kaila waver it seems it''s time for her to intervene. "Boo." In response to the sudden whisper into her ear Misaki twisted her body and threw the daggers directly behind her. What she saw behind her was the terrifyingly grinning face of Joker''s who was catching the daggers out of the air.
*Thud Kaila quickly pulled out her sword and pointed it in the direction of the sound out of reflex, her mind taking several seconds to catch up with the situation. "Misaki?" Looking down at the face of a familiar mask Kaila was confused as to why Misaki who had been hiding up by the pillar was suddenly crumpled onto the ground down here. "You guys are making my work so difficult," Jumping down from the pillar where Misaki was Joker revealed herself; all Kaila could do was stare at Joker in surprise, even now she couldn''t feel any presence from her. "Protecting you old man was also part of the contract." "I... won''t let you interfere." Getting up unsteadily Misaki clumsily drew the sword that was on her back as mana started collecting around her left hand. Joker looked between Misaki''s left arm which had a small cut slowly oozing blood and the dagger she held in her hand that had a green shine to it in surprise, "That was enough to knock out a rock bear you know." "We''re trained to resist that!" Shooting the mass of black mana that had concentrated in her hand at Joker Misaki dashed forward, sword slashing down at Joker''s chest. Tilting her body to one side Joker dodged the magic as she pulled out two daggers from out of nowhere to intercept Misaki''s sword. "I''m surprised you can still move but you shouldn''t force yourself, it''s not good for your skin~" Parrying the weak slashes that Misaki threw in her direction Joker landed a solid kick sending Misaki tumbling back several meters. "Wait! Joker this is my decisio-" As the king started to get up from the throne a dagger was thrown right beside him planting itself solidly into the back of the throne. "Wha-" All of a sudden the king lost unconsciousness and fell back down, a small amount of blood bleeding from a cut on his neck. "Night Night~" Joker was facing the king completely disregarding Misaki''s existence. "Your overconfidence will be your down fall!" Ignoring the pain in her abdomen Misaki once again dashed forward with her sword reaching out for Joker''s blood. In a relaxed manner Joker raised the remaining dagger she had in her hand to block Misaki''s sword causing a thin smile to appear on Misaki''s face. Of course Misaki''s sword was easily blocked and she was forced down to her knees as Joker pushed her sword down towards her but then out of the shadows eight swords sprang out towards Joker''s undefended back and bite in deeply causing Joker to cry out in fear- Did not happen, Misaki''s triumphant expression quickly turned into one of disbelief as all eight of the shadowy clones had a Joker appear behind them breaking their outstretched arm causing their swords to fall to the ground. Kaila who had also started moving when Misaki was forced to the ground was suddenly tripped by the leg of another Joker who appeared out of the shadow of the pillar next to her, Kicking away Kaila''s sword the Joker clone who tripped her pulled both her arms behind her back and kept Kaila down on the ground despite her struggling. "So who''s over confident again?" The original Joker gave off a chilling smile as she regarded Misaki who was being lifted up by two of the eight Jokers that destroyed her clones. "But still to summon those, could you be... a chosen?" Hearing that word Misaki who was struggling froze for a moment, "What are you talking about?" Misaki swore inwardly as Joker''s smile revealed that she didn''t miss clue that Misaki dropped. "What an unexpected treat," After stating so Joker took out a wooden coin from out of the air and tapped it several times, "Hellooooo! Can you hear me?" After a couple seconds passed Joker opened her mouth again, "Everything''s just fine, it''s just that I found a chosen, what would you like me to do with her? Hmm? Okay I understand, what do I do about the chosen''s master? Yes she''s the one, okay! Bye!" Apparently done with the conversation Joker tossed the coin into the air where it disappeared. Walking up Joker held a dagger against Misaki''s throat her smile sending chills down Misaki''s spine, "Now, would you like to join us? My master is currently... Collecting, chosens." "My allegiance is to milady only." Even under threat of death with the dagger drawing blood Misaki answered unwavering and without even a moments hesitation. "Hmm, admirable but what if we bring the life of your... Milady into question?" With her arms still held behind her back Kaila was forcibly dragged over. "You!" In response to Misaki''s outburst Joker just waved her hand in the air dismissively, "Don''t pretend you didn''t see this coming, but that aside," Joker turned to look at Kaila''s defiant face, "Would you like to join us? If you do master will save your clan." Kaila''s defiant attitude immediately broke in face of that statement; from what she has seen of Shin''s forces and what she knows of him strength is not an issue. If they were to help her clan it would be a simple thing but- "Don''t trust her milady, she''s just trying to trick you." Misaki tried to push forward only to be pulled back painfully by the clones that were holding onto her. She knows how desperate Kaila is to save the clan, after all she even betrayed the royal family, but Joker and Shin were incredibly suspicious. She could think of no reason that Joker and her master would want to keep them alive except to torment for entertainment. "I''m insulted," Joker put a hand on her chest and faked pain, "To think you thought of me that way. But-" Joker turned back to Kaila, "It''s your choice whether to believe me or not, if you don''t they''ll die because of your failure, if you do they may survive." Joker''s smile was cruelly emphasizing that she knew Kaila''s answer already, after all it wasn''t even a choice. "I-I''ll accept and join." Kaila said between grit teeth while Misaki closed her eyes, depressed and angry at herself for not being able to stop this from happening. "Great!" Joker clapped and together as a group with the two of them still restricted they started marching out of the room. "First let''s start with bedroom etiquette." "Eh?" Surprised at their first activity they didn''t have much time to protest before the Joker''s started groping their bodies as they were walking. Soon there was no one left in the room except for the unconscious king and a small box that had a lever sticking out of it.
Note* The second one will be out tomorrow, what was supposed to just be a lunch with family turned into an almost full day shopping trip... gotta love that right? Also what took the longest in proportion to it''s length was... the chapter title, I suck at those. I may end up just leaving it as Chapter # in the future. That aside I''m trying to get a friend to proofread for me but since it''ll delay the chapter anywhere between a day to a week I don''t think that would work out very well. Chapter 31: "Sta-Stay away!!" Crawling desperately away with his arms the once polished set of armor he wore was now torn and dirt from dust and blood. "Please! Please don''t kill me!," With desperation only one who was facing death could have he inched forward slowly, behind him twin trails of crimson was painted on the ground. "This was so disappointing," A jester strutted closer playing with a dagger that was in her hands, "I thought you were elite troops, but to think you didn''t even make it half way through our game." It was just a toss, a careless toss, but the dagger that was tossed in a way akin to how one would throw away trash found it''s mark in the back of the half dead soldier, adding to the number that was impaled in his body. Screaming pitifully the soldier continued pleading for his life as he made his way forward little by little hoping to get away from this demon. "I''m sorry, I''m sorry, Please don''t kill me!" Joker sighed as she looked at the disgusting bug wiggling upon the ground, "Well it''s about time to end our game." From the sounds of explosions she heard from a while back the fighting outside was getting more violent. It was definitely more exciting out there than in here down in the ancient tunnels that showered her with dust, dirt and other disgusting particles every time it shook. "No, Please! No!!" The cries fell upon deaf ears as Joker casually pulled another dagger, this one cracked from over use from out of the air. "Bye~" Before the dagger even landed Joker had already disappeared in a puff of smoke leaving the broken corpses of the soldier and his squad scattered inside the moldy passage.
Tarbalt and the rest could only watch from the sidelines as Gwyn fought with the summoned dragon kin, they would only be in the way if they tried to help. The two were just blurs and every time their weapons collided a wave of air would come bursting forth from the point of contact, evidence of how strong both contenders were. However, even though it may look like an even fight if you were looking from afar Gwyn herself could tell that she was getting pushed back. Rio was superior in both strength and speed, if anything the one thing Gwyn was better at was that she could think. If Rio had incorporated feints and other attacks that weren''t as direct as swinging her sword full force at Gwyn the battle would''ve ended quite quickly. Even so Gwyn was just barely able to keep Rio''s attacks away from her vitals and the armor she had saved her many times, the dull pain she felt all over her body a testament to that. "NO!!! Rio!! WHY!!! I was so close!!! I just needed a few, no only another year!" A mad man is what you would call the disfigured and raving minion master. "Damn it!" Kicking off the ground Gwyn tried to gain a little bit of distance from Rio who was aggressively keeping close to Gwyn striking with her much more mobile weapon. For Gwyn maneuvering her great sword in such close quarters was incredible taxing as well as difficult, never mind attacking she could barely defend herself. Gwyn snapped her head hard to the right as Rio chased her with a thrust that was aimed for where Gwyn''s head used to be, the follow up slash was barely blocked by Gwyn who had used the hilt of her sword to keep the blade from biting into her neck. Gwyn almost regretted her choice of weapon, the large size and heavy weight of the sword made it very bad match up against Rio who used quick precise strikes. This was made even more apparent because Rio didn''t seem to tire even as time went on but Gwyn could feel her arms screaming for rest, her movements made clumsy by the exhaustion of this prolonged high speed fight. *Snap A strange sound was released after Gwyn blocked another one of Rio''s attacks. At first Gwyn thought she had just imagined the sound but Rio''s attacks were slowly getting slower, it was a minute difference but one that Gwyn who was the one who was in the closest proximity to Rio wouldn''t miss. *Snap, snap ,snap Again the sound rang out in quick succession and this time the speed of Rio''s attacks were greatly reduced, even the strength behind them seemed greatly weakened. Once again Gwyn kicked off the ground to buy her some time and space but this time Rio didn''t follow as fast as she did before. Taking the moment to breathe in precious air Gwyn observed Rio who was relentlessly pursuing her but with great difficulty and at almost a walking pace. The origins of the sound was immediately found, Rio''s limbs were twisted at weird angles. The reason the speed of her attacks dropped was because Rio''s arm had broke near the elbow held together only by flesh and muscle, the fact that she hadn''t dropped her sword was a wonder. As for why Rio wasn''t moving even remotely as before was because her legs were in a similar situation to her arm and she was plodding forward in a forced fashion that would likely cause a normal person to faint in pain. Gwyn had been puzzled as to why the minion master was so angry at having to use Rio, the answer was gruesomely revealed to her as Rio''s immaculate face started melting off. "There''s a time limit." Either that or a limit to how much power the body can use up before it starts breaking down. If that was the reason it would make sense why he was so mad about it to the point of ignoring his own body being burnt by his surroundings. It wasn''t uncommon for people who have lost loved ones to turn to necromancy but without a doubt all who attempted it ended up in one of three ways. They died when they tried to use mana beyond what they had, they died to their loved one after they successfully resurrected them but as an abomination and a monster, or they turned in a lich losing their humanity and thoughts in the progress. "You can''t bring back the dead." Despite all he had done all Gwyn could feel while looking at the dejected mess of a man was pity. "What do you know! If I just managed to kill 25 of them, just 25 I could have her back." The man started laughing brokenly while tears streamed down his face. "The world should just end. Yeah it should just be destroyed." He grabbed the bag that he had slung over his shoulders and started pouring the contents out. Countless miniature heads covered his legs up to his knees in a pile around him as he continued his maniacal laughter. Like from a nightmare green mist started surrounding the area as bodies dyed green started pulling themselves up over each other with only a single aim, kill everyone. "Tarbalt! Signal the retreat, fall back to the palace." Painfully Gwyn started making her way towards the palace, even if Rio was out of the fight so was Gwyn. As it stands she could barely walk never mind fight an army of those monsters.
From within the shadows of the crumbling remains of the wall Joker stepped out lazily, "I was told to look after her just in case but... ain''t she doing fine by herself?" Suddenly a pillar of green fire rose up into the sky basking the surroundings in a green glow. Looking towards the source Joker sighed and put a hand on her forehead, "Of course it isn''t this easy, but to think they could use their abilities even when in that state." With a voiceless roar what emerged from the flames was a giant dragon, a true dragon, with large wings spread out like it was claiming the skies and scorching flames flying out of it''s mouth. That was Rio who had upon collapsing due to decay and turned into the massive dragon, a glittering emerald in the shape of a diamond embedded inside her chest where within the picture of flames could be seen. "Ah, she''s looking at the Princess." Joker grabbed her head with both her hands and started screaming out to the sky, "Why is it me!!!!"
"Don''t worry about me and go!" Gwyn swore, a dragon of all things, what is with all these things that are completely blowing away all the common sense she had. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. "But!" Gwyn glared at Tarbalt as he hesitated, "I''m immune to the flames thanks to this ridiculous armor, now GO!" Seeing Tarbalt off Gwyn turned around to face the dragon who had turned to face her. How do you even go about killing a dragon? "Well I only know one way of doing things anyways." Taking a deep breath Gwyn lifted her sword, even if it''s a dragon she somehow felt that her sword can still cut through it. "Stop making my job harder you stupid lizard!!!" As Gwyn was about to dash forward Joker appeared screaming some ridiculous things and throwing several vials of light blue liquid towards Rio. "Eh? Joker? Why are you he-" "Shoo shoo, you''re just in the way." Joker started pushing Gwyn away as the Rio opened her mouth and released a torrent of flames in their direction. Upon colliding with the vials it released winds so powerful Gwyn was tossed into the air and back several meters, the same happened to Joker except she did several twirls and tumbles while in mid air. "Guess the failures weren''t enough. How about this one? Or this one? Or how about this one?" Pulling out vials of different sizes with colours that were across the entire spectrum Joker continued to throw them at Rio who in return continued to shoot out green flames. Gwyn was gradually shot further and further away from the scene as the collisions between the flames and whatever the liquids were created varying sizes of explosions. "Was that... Ice?" Sometimes there was ice that formed for a fraction of a second before being melted instantly by the hot flames, sometimes it was something that looked like poison and yet sometimes flames themselves seem to petrify before being liquefied in a molten mess that fell down towards the ground. "I can treat this as a dream right? Yeah when I wake up this will be all gone." Gwyn started walking towards the palace a hand massaging her head as she sighed deeply, no matter how you view that scene it looked like one out of a comedy where a clown was actually fighting evenly with a dragon. There wasn''t much Gwyn could have done anyways even if she stayed there.
"To think he even had a dragon with him." Several notable nobles were gathered in the room as well as representatives from both the vampire hunters and the mages council. The comment had come from one of the nobles with a large stake in this rebellion, Lord Velmark. His family had once ruled one of the countries that surrounded the royal capital and was highly dissatisfied with the treatment they got from the royal family. Over time as all the countries dissolved into this one kingdom his families land had shrunken down to a couple of measly cities, a family that used to rule as one of the strongest countries in the human lands. "Someone was fighting it however were they not?" Elder Durmez of the mages council although old and weak looking was in fact one of the strongest among the humans. Seventy years of magic study and practice has made him absurdly powerful and knowledgeable, impressing even some of the elves that have come to visit. "I find it hard to believe that someone dressed in a jester costume was fighting evenly against a dragon with a bunch of potions." Known simply as Silver, being one of the top hunters in the organization he had a presence that didn''t lose out to that of Elder Durmez''s. "Hmm, it is hard to believe since our level of alchemy is rather low but it''s not impossible; especially with all the interesting people that have shown up in the past four years." Durmez''s eyes were glinting like he had found his prey, "If possible I would like to retrieve that person alive and to see what he knows." Durmez rubbed head of the winged horse that was carved into the top of his staff as he said so. "To begin with it might not even be an actual dragon, it can be a cheap imitation that brat made." Silver played with the hilt of his sword impatiently, a man of action he really didn''t have the patience for these meetings. "Regardless of if it''s real or not, can either of the two of you bring it down? We don''t know what other tricks the royals have inside the palace and now that they''ve sealed themselves inside..." Velmark who was once a part of a royal family of course had some artifacts from that time, items that were powerful and left over from the war with the elves and dwarves; some even had the power to freely manipulate an element. "Off course we can, these silver blades are able to kill anything." Silver stated in a loud voice as he unsheathed his sword to display it, the action causing the guards in the room to enter high alert. "Put away that thing, it''ll do you no good if you die before getting close. As for if we can kill the dragon or not..." Durmez scratched at his bald head, "It''s probably possible but we have no idea what it''s capable of or it''s weak points. It will probably be safest if we observe for a bit longer." "Unfortunately we can''t afford to wait much longer, every hour we spend trying to take them out is another hour the Baron of the north has to get here. Our last reports put him and his army about two days away under normal marching speed." Man power wise Velmark and his allies obviously had an advantage but that was just numbers, the baron''s men are tough and could be said as elites, especially since the old man had preferred to hire ex-adventurers who had tons of fighting experience. While it would be highly unlikely for them to lose, keeping control of the kingdom would be extremely difficult if they had to fight off the baron. Silver lazily pointed at Velmark, "What about your elite squads, weren''t they supposed to have cut off the king''s head by now?" "We... have not had any contact with them yet and any messengers we tried to send disappear. It would be highly likely that those groups have been wiped out." "Doesn''t that mean they were incompetent? That or Kaila sold us out." Silver waved one of his subordinates over. "Let the Black Dagger clan know that they can start exterminating those pests." Durmez watched the hunter leave before turning towards Silver, "Is that fine without confirming it? As long as she''s alive she''s a threat you know. There''s nothing more dangerous that a wounded beast that has nothing left to lose." "She''s going to die here anyways, I''ll personally make sure of that." Silver stood up and headed for the door. "Where are you going?" At Velmark''s signal the guards blocked Silver''s way. "I''m tired of all this talking, if you two aren''t going to move I will. Get out of my way." Silver roughly pushed aside the two guards and kicked the door open before slamming it shut again after he left the room. "Is everything alright Lord Velmark? I can almost see steam coming out from your ears." Durmez laughed lightly as he lifted a cup to his lips and sipped the tea. "No respect at all!!! Are all the hunters like this? That unruly bunch is just a group of criminals with pretty clothes." "It''s strange how you and the royal family''s opinion match up so well isn''t it? Well it''s fine, we can just use the hunters as a source of information." Durmez slowly got up from his chair, "I will excuse myself now, if you need me you know where to find me." With a small bow Durmez left the room leaving Velmark, several lower nobles and the guards in the room, in one of the dark corners where light doesn''t reach two beady eyes were peaking out of the shadows, it''s black body completely blending in with the surroundings.
*Note: After several rewrites I''ve decided to settle on this version and basically from here on out it will be different than the chapter before the rewrite. The story is going in a different direction and you can mostly consider everything from this point just a continuation of the story. Chapter 32: Explosions continued to rumble across the castle grounds as the ridiculous engagement between Rio and Joker continued. At this point whether or not the area could still be used could be called into question, with holes being the least of the countless dangerous leftover of their fight. The mindless minions that only had one reason for existing, to kill everyone were not surprisingly eliminated in droves from the crossfire as they tried to reach Joker. "What is this even anymore." Gwyn held her head as she leaned against the opening of the window, "this can''t even be called a rebellion at this point." "But because of that we can take a breather." Tarbalt walked up and held a glass of water out to Gwyn. "Shea''s group is coming in to the castle now, we''re only missing Hesn''s group." Aside from about half of the minions chasing after Joker futilely the other half was engaging to remainders of the traitors, only a hand full was heading towards the castle itself. In fact even some of the forces the noble''s brought were engaged in the fight since the spawn point for them was near the south gate where the majority of their men would be coming from. "How long do you think the dragon will last?" Gwyn hadn''t been fighting with Rio for that long of a period of time, although that was because of how high speed their fight was. If it was based on power, considering how many times the dragon had breathed out flames it wouldn''t be strange if it started decomposing soon but if it was time based Joker may run out of the mysterious vials that she was currently using to fight on par with the dragon. "Probably not that long." Tarbalt squinted at the nobles forces and pointed his finger at them, "White clothes." "The hunters?" Gwyn looked in the direction Tarbalt indicated and saw that indeed there were a large amount of Vampire Hunters heading towards them through a sudden cleared open space. The soldiers around them were compressed against the walls and each other as much as possible almost as if they want to get away from the hunters, well not surprising considering the record the hunters have of killing people that were in their way. "So they did end up joining them..." "Gwyn!!!" Shea came running down the hall while yelling, Caroline and Tryn close behind along with two suits of black armor. "What... What''s the situation? Why''s there a dragon?" Gwyn passed the glass of water that she was sipping out of to the breathless Shea. "Well, we''re currently holed up in here while Joker is fighting the dragon, as for why there''s a dragon there... I don''t really know, guess the man that called himself the minion master summoned it? Although I don''t know where or how he managed to kill a dragon first." "What?" Shea poked her head out of the window and saw the figure of Joker throwing something at the dragon that was countering the flames. "How?!?" "Who knows, probably some potions Shin made? I mean if it''s him..." Gwyn shrugged and looked down at her equipment; Shin, someone truly incomprehensible with common sense. "... The hunter''s are with them..." Shea''s face was grim but she was only surprised for an instant, it wasn''t a secret that the hunter''s weren''t content with the royal family but to go to the point of rebelling, it was a little unexpected. Gwyn jealously looked over at the two sets of armor that was following Shea, "You had two following you?" "Ah? Oh yeah, they were really helpful... they almost blocked of the entirety of the gate by themselves and didn''t take a scratch from the fighting." Shea paused then sighed, "I''m glad we aren''t fighting them or Shin." "I think I would just give up if we were," Gwyn blinked at the surprised looks the people around her were showing, "What? Even I know when I''m outmatched, and plus this is beyond just out matched, it''s like an ant trying to fight against a god. E-Enough about that, there''s two here with you Shea but where''s the others? There was twenty of them right?" Gwyn looked at the two armor but as expected they remained silent, well not like they have a mouth in the first place. "I don''t know, their deployment was left up to Joker..." Sudden screams and sounds of heavy impacts drew their attention back outside the window. Gwyn had a wry grin on her face, "Guess there''s our answer..." Looking at the two stoic demons behind them Gwyn once again held a hand to her head, "Really what is going on today."
Silver was leading the group of hunter''s towards the castle and the jester fighting the dragon as just in sight when everything in their surroundings blew up. Removing the hand that was protecting his eyes from the clouds of dust that went up because of the impacts Silver looked around and immediately froze. In the various craters created by their fall were varying monsters made of black metal surrounded by bloody corpses of the unlucky, soldiers and hunters both. It wasn''t hard to find where they came from, hovering in the air above them were winged monstrosities made of the same material, menacingly glaring at the humans below them. Silver pulled out his crossbow and shot at the one closest to him, the sound of strings releasing could be heard around him probably the veterans that were in the group he lead. However the second before the bolt was shot a panicking soldier that was running away from the monster bumped into his hand causing the bolt to miss it''s target by a large margin. "Incompetent fool!" With a slash of his blade Silver quickly dispatched the soldier who interfered, but there was more than just one soldier that was running. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. All of this happened within the first few seconds and the already chaotic area quickly turned into a scene from hell as the demons started moving. It was a blood bath completely and utterly as dozens of men fell to each attack the demons made with their claws, teeth, tails or weapons. All of the soldiers were already in a complete route disrupting the hunters that were trying to fight. "Form a line! Kill anyone who runs!" Unlike the easily scared standard troops the hunters were at the very least trained to fight monsters, following Silver''s orders they quickly reorganized themselves and blocked off the soldiers path of retreat. "Turn around and fight you cowards!" Silver yelled at the desperate soldiers as he cut down another two that were fleeing, caught between the hunters and the demons the number of soldiers that was left there drastically fell. With the chaos of the battlefield relatively calmed down at the expense of the noble''s troops the hunters were then able to fire their bolts at the demons without interference, the sharpened silver began hitting their marks but the penetration was lacking. Only several minutes have passed but the soldiers there were all but wiped out and the area around them were empty except for the hunters, the demons and the corpses. Without caring about the various needles that were poking at them the demons had slaughtered the soldiers but with them gone their attention was turned towards the hunters causing a large amount of the new hunters to shake in fear. The tense silence that was created by the demons having finished the soldiers off and the hunters that had ceased firing simply because it did nothing was interrupted by a giant fireball smacking into one of the flying demons. "Meddling mage." Silver looked back towards a tall tower where the mage council was situated, several more fire balls was being sent his way. "Attack!"
Durmez had just gotten back to the tower and just so happened to be passing by a window when he saw the demons drop down on the hunters. It was needless to say something that greatly intrigued him, they were obviously not hostile to the royals so he was very curious on how they were being controlled. He decided to thoroughly interrogate the royals once this was all over but first they had to win. Gathering a group of the top mages he lead them to the roof to shoot supporting fire at the demons, who were now engaging the hunters in a melee and obviously winning, the hunter''s won''t appreciate the support but at the same time they couldn''t win without it. "Come, let''s begin casting." Durmez and four of his colleagues in the center in a circle and started chanting while channeling their mana. Below them was a complex spell circle that glowed in reaction to the mana they were feeding it, originally it was intended to be used against the dragon after it''s existence was revealed but the demons were a bigger threat and if it took the sacrifice of a few hundred hunters then so be it, rather it would be welcomed.
"Aww, done already?" The sun had started rising when wet globs of flesh finally started melting off the dragon''s body. At this point Joker has used hundreds of different potions and chemicals already all to varying effects, in fact there had been several times when the fire breath had won out almost scorching Joker. "I still had so many things I wanted to try on you." In truth however those were all low tier concoctions that Shin had made while experimenting over two years time and Joker had countless amounts more of them in the storage ring that she was given, in fact there were many mid and high tier vials that could have easily defeated the dragon. She didn''t use those only because Shin had wanted battle statistics of his various creations, something about how stats didn''t tell him how effective they were. A loud cracking sound was followed by the sound of a heavy but wet impact as one of the dragon''s forelegs was broken leaving the dragon barely balancing upon its remaining foreleg. "Guess this is as far it goes, and I wanted to be praised more for getting a lot of information." Sighing Joker took out a vial that was different than any she had taken out before, in the first place the glass and liquid itself could not bee seen as the outside of the vial was painted with black and yellow strips with a skull and cross bones on it. "Well since it''s the end let''s finish it with style!" The obviously dangerous and suspicious looking item was casually thrown into the air by Joker towards the downed dragon that was now struggling to lift its upper body off the ground after it''s remaining foreleg under the weight of it''s body and from the decomposition broke off. Upon impact the thick glass shattered revealing it''s glowing green contents before releasing a blinding flash of light. When the light receded what was left in front of Joker was another large crater that was giving of steam in all the colours of the rainbow. "Ah... maybe I shouldn''t have used that." Joker frowned as temperature suddenly rose and the surroundings turned red. "The sun''s rising this fast?" Joker turned around to face the southern gate and stopped. What was in front of her was not the sun but a giant fireball instead that was headed right for the gate where the hunters were currently engaged with the demons.
Note* A bit later than what it was originally supposed to be, backspace op. Things should wrap up in two more chapters I''ll say then we''re headed back to Shin. Chapter 33: Silver gasped in air painfully as he pushed himself backwards, a hand on his stomach where it seems several of his ribs have been broken. Despite the pain and humiliation of being blown back a far about thirty meters by one of the demons, he has never been so thankful to anyone before because in front of him was a completely melted and burning scene of hell. "Those old withered twigs!" Tracing a line of fading red light it led back to the mage tower where the fearsome attack originated, there was no way that they didn''t intend on taking out the hunters at the same time, even the demons are nothing but melted piles of metal. "That was really hot!" Silver pulled out a short sword that served as his side arm as afigure walked out from inside the castle. "It''s a good thing they shot it here, I don''t think I have anything that would be able to completely counter that." Joker was standing there using a fan of knives in an attempt to cool herself down. "You!!!" Silver remembered the report of a jester fighting the dragon, and the one in front of him fit the description in addition to the nonchalant attitude it had to the current surroundings. "Oh, there''s someone still here." Joker kicked at one of the piles of melted metal, "Hey get up, you''re still alive right?" In response to that the pool started to collect together into a very unstable body that had some similarities to one of the winged demons from before, it was not the only one. In total five of the demons were still functional to some extent despite being in a liquid state although only two were able to form any real shape of a body the others unable to get past the blob stage. Seeing the surreal situation unfold before him even Silver started losing his grasp on reality, or rather his mind was starting to rapidly break down. Even if he were to ignore the fact that Joker had defeated a dragon alone the sight of the melted nightmares slowly making their way towards him was unbelievable. His opinion towards the mages aside, their strength was undeniable and the strength of the previous attack would have even taken out a dragon. Then did that mean those demons were stronger than a dragon? Joker looked curiously at Silver who suddenly started laughing maniacally, "I didn''t even do anything and he''s a;ready broken... Well he''s just a small fry anyways." Turning back to look at the pools of metal that didn''t budge Joker sighed, "I''m going to get yelled at for this aren''t I? Although I never thought they would have that kind of attack." Lifting her head from her depressed state Joker turned towards the second wall where the sound of many boots stomping on the ground started to annoy her. "These damn pests, they just keep coming and coming. If only I could just nuke them." Joker pulled out a light blue potion that was contained within a vial shaped in the form of a pair of wings and poured the contents into her mouth. Immediately a pair of white wings appeared on her back and lifted her into the air, if it wasn''t for how she looked the men that saw her after she rose up over the wall might have mistook her for an angel ascending from the battlefield. As it is what greeted Joker was obviously not shouts of joy or amazement but a multitude of projectiles both of physical and magical origins. "Annoying!" Throwing the knives that were in her hand Joker dodged the oncoming attacks with ease, it was not her first time using this potion although the reasons greatly differed. Casually lifting the hand that had the storage ring on it Joker made a swift action like she was commanding an army to attack.
"A potion that enables flight!!!" Durmez was looking from the back of the horde of men currently pushing their way towards the castle, with the demons and dragons gone it was deemed that it would be safe for them to do so. Rather they didn''t really have a choice since the hunters tragically perished alongside the demons. "Do you know how big of a problem you''ve caused?" Lord Velmark had to personally come out with his personal army as the vanguard to convince the other nobles to move. It wasn''t surprising considering what befell all the others who had marched upon the castle that night. "That''s inconsequential, it''s a potion that enables flight you know!!! It''s something humanity has been trying to make for ages now and even the elves with their knowledge of magic and vastresourceswere unable to achieve." Durmez brushed Velmark''s worries aside as he continued to study Joker, how many secrets would he find from torturing and dissecting the demon? "Inconsequential?!? The hunter''s aren''t going to keep silent about this! and now that you''ve basically destroyed the area around the castle, how are we going to restore it to functionality?!?!" Ever since Silver had left with his group Velmark had been having a huge headache, adding to that was Durmez who completely ignored any of the potential problems his actions caused. In the first place Velmark had intended to win quickly with a surprise night attack using numbers except the gates never opened, all except the south gate if you counted destruction as opened. Since he was the one intending to take over the capital he would have to be the one to fork out the finance required to restore the area, but in addition to the destroyed walls there were large stretches of scorched earth that would take even more money to fix. Looking at Durmez''s reaction to Joker, Valmark could do nothing but sigh. With what just happened it was likely he had just made an enemy of the hunters and while he could kill Durmez to try and appease their anger it was just as likely to end up in a situation where he had to fight both mages and hunters. "My lord!!" A heavy impact knocked him off his horse and onto the ground as he was starting to get dizzy trying to calculate everything. While he was still trying to figure out what was happening several smaller impacts could be felt through the hard metal that had collided with him. "Damn it! Someone hit that thing!" "It''s impossible!" "Retreat! Retreat!" "Cut down any man who tries to run!" Screams and shouts further confused Velmark as he started to recognize his surroundings, seconds later the thing that was on top of him was removed and he as roughly pulled up by several pairs of metal gauntlets. "My lord are you alright?" One of the soldiers that Velmark recognized as one of his personal guards was holding a shield up in front of him covering for Velmark as he spoke. "What, happened?" Looking around at the chaos Velmark frowned, rather than fear his mind was in turmoil from the sudden events, after all he wasn''t used to the battlefield. "It started raining daggers and knives all of a sudden, the jester somehow made a bunch of them appear." The one who answered was Durmez with a high pitched voice. Looking to his left Velmark saw a sight that almost made him lose his dignity, it was a gruesome sight with soldiers and horses alike filled with blades, in fact Durmez was laughing hysterically and grinning like a child while he was bleeding from a cut on his cheek. Velmark didn''t know what was more surprising, the fact that he was somehow calm albeit still shocked about the incident or that in front of Durmez stuck in the barrier that the mage had deployed was literally a wall made of blades of varying sizes. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. "Was that a creation ability? Or was it a storage one?" Watching the creepy sight of an old man giggling like a child left even the soldiers around them to temporarily freeze up, although the screams of dying men quickly jolted them back into action. "Please- Retreat to the back *cough, my lord!" To his right Velmark saw the sorry sight of the captain of his guards, his back had been pierced through by many blades and he was coughing up blood. Velmark wasn''t as naive or stupid as some of the other nobles, he quickly realized that the man that was dying in front of him had saved him, even if it was in a rough way, from death. "I''ll do that and... thank you." Quickly retreating while being covered by shields Velmark said that quickly to the man who had showed great loyalty towards him, those words of thanks were the least he could do for the dying man.
"Did... Joker just turn back the entire army?" Shea was looking at the retreating soldiers in amazement. Of course routing an army is different than destroying one but doing it alone against that size of an army was still an impossible feat or it was supposed to be. "Yeah... But I don''t think she''ll be able to do it for long." Gwyn frowned, time and time again Shin and his subordinates had saved them one way or another but now that they''ve retreated into the palace they''ve left all the walls open so even if Joker can defend one side once the nobles reorganize themselves it won''t be hard to overwhelm them with sheer numbers. "You''re right, I can''t keep this up." Startling the group that was by the window Joker''s voice came out of one of the two remaining armors. Lifting the helmet up Joker pointedly looked at Shea, "I think it may be time for you to open your surprise." "Can''t you just keep forcing them back? You seemed to have great success before." Caroline placed herself in between Joker and Shea and stated with a glare, she did not trust Joker or Shin''s surprise at all. "I''ll run out of weapons before they run out of meat shields you know, plus I can''t watch all four sides while throwing that amount of weapons at the enemy." Joker shrugged while she stated that, in truth however while she was limited in the amount she can take out at once (so using clones won''t make a difference) she wasn''t going to run out of daggers any time soon. The amount that was in the storage ring is actually at such a high amount that Joker could continuously take them out at max capacity for several days straight. "What is this surprise? Can''t you tell us what it is?" Even though Gwyn trusts Shin to an extent the fact that Joker has been referring to the thing in question as a surprise is, well suspicious... extremely so. "I can''t because I don''t know what it is, I was just given instructions about it." "With the two demons you have there and you we can definitely hold." Caroline turned towards Shea, "Don''t accept it, I have a bad feeling about it." Shea was at a loss as to what to do, they already owed Shin a great deal so it wouldn''t make sense for him to betray them at this point, but at the same time she also had a bad feeling about the so called surprise. Gwyn just shrugged when Shea looked for help and Tryn didn''t offer any opinions either so it was all up to her to decide. "I''ll do it. After investing this much in us I don''t see how Shin can benefit from taking any hostile actions against us and if we can minimize the losses even more it''ll be a good thing." "Okay! Let''s go!" With a puff of smoke Joker disappeared from inside of the armor and reappeared further down the hall... "I''m still against this." Caroline had been strongly opposing during the entire walk even though she knew Shea probably wouldn''t reconsider, especially now that they''ve arrived at her room. "I wonder what it is, equipment or soldiers? Well either way it should be fine." Tryn had left to watch the situation in case the enemy attacks while they were gone but Gwyn had followed along, on her face was an expression of excitement as she was curious to what Shin would''ve made in Shea''s bedroom. "I present to you the present!" Joker threw the doors wide open with a grand gestures only to reveal... "Mmfmfmfm!!!" "Mmmhmhmhmmm mmhmh Mmm!!!" "Eh, Kaila?" Shea first recognized the person but then started blushing from the situation. Inside the room Kaila and Misaki were tied up in lewd positions and struggling desperately against the ropes which passed through certain locations, the air itself had a peculiar smell to it. "Err... well this is a surprise.." Gwyn scratched her head while looking away. "This!! This!! This is unacceptable!!!" Caroline on the other hand was in a fit of rage at the scene, "To think he was doing this!" "Ah... Oops, sorry I did that." Joker scratched her head with embarrassment as she confessed, "I completely forgot about them." """Eh?""" Ignoring the stupefied expressions on the three girls faces and even more violently struggling duo Joker went over to Shea''s wardrobe and patted it, "Shin said that the surprise was in here and that Princess should be the one to open it, I''m not allowed to." "Umm about Kaila..." Shea started walking towards the wardrobe before stopping and looking towards Kaila. "Hmm? Oh that, it''s nothing just some lessons I was teaching them, you can just ignore them." Joker pulled out a dividing screen from out of nowhere and blocked their vision of the two girls. "MMmmhmhmhm!!!" "Mmmm mmhmh MMMHMHMH!" "But, Kaila is-" "Just do it already." Joker interrupted Shea and pushed her towards the wardrobe, "I still have a lot of stuff to do back at base so the faster we get this finished the better." As Shea was about to open the wardrobe the doors to it suddenly slammed open and a hand reached out gripping onto Joker''s face. "Who had stuff to do?" Standing there in front of a wall of swirling darkness was a young woman in relatively plain brown clothes. "Ahh ahh Lady Vilana!!! Please let go!! It hurts!!!" The sight of Joker flailing in the air while being held up by the short girl would be comical if it weren''t for the heavy amount of killing intent that was being released by the aggressor. "Hah?!? You were just lazing about back at base and now you can''t even finish this one task by yourself?" The girl''s grip tightened and sounds of cracking could be heard as jagged lines appeared on Joker''s mask. "Umm... excuse me... but who are you?" Shea spoke up meekly. "Hmm?" The girl looked over at the three that were standing there, Caroline was struggling to stay conscious while Gwyn was gripping onto the handle of her sword ready to fight at any time. "Oh, My name is Vilana, I''m one of Shin''s teachers."
*Note: I''m heading to sleep now, X.X tired. Still looking at probably a chapter tomorrow if I don''t end up falling asleep during the middle of writing. Chapter 34: "Shin''s teacher?!?" To that revelation Gwyn and the others inside the room were obviously shocked, of course no one thought that Shin learned everything on his own but to suddenly meet his teacher here. "Actually, master is more appropriate... although in some ways I''m also his subordinate." Vilana scratched her head with the hand that wasn''t currently crushing Joker''s face. "Please stop!!! I''m sorry, I''ll work harder!" Completely ignoring the atmosphere Joker was pleading while flailing around in the air, "I won''t steal food anymore, I won''t paint Riaz''s soldiers, I won''t mix in random things with Fafnoth''s experiments." "Hah? Like hell I care about that." Annoyed Vilana made a wind up motion, aiming Joker at one of the walls as Joker shouted out as loud as she could. "I-I won''t steal your alcohol anymore!" Vilana froze mid swing at what Joker said. "You." Lifting Joker so that her face or at least the parts that weren''t currently being crushed by Vilana''s hand was at an eye to eye level. "Were the one stealing my alcohol?" The glare Vilana released put a deep chill in the air, even Kaila and Misaki started to shiver in response to the atmosphere and killing intent that was being pressed upon Joker. "Uh, uh ju-just once!" "REALLY?" Joker''s right eye which wasn''t covered started roaming the room. "O-Okay it might have been a few times." "FEW?!?! Over the past year that you''ve been here I''ve had six hundred and fifty three bottles of alcohol go missing. You wouldn''t happen to know anything about that would you?" Vilana gave off a smile that had no joy or gentleness to it, her eyes narrowing down to slits as she glared heavily at Joker. "I''M SORRY!!! Please don''t kill me! I haven''t given birth to Shin''s children yet!!!" "Eh?" Gwyn who was about to interrupt their fight froze while she was trying to understand what was just said, did Joker just say children? "Tha-That''s!!!" Shea on the other hand turned bright red, of course as a princess especially one that handled all the domestic and government side of things she was well aware of where babies came from as well as acts that many people do that would be considered rape or at the very least extreme sexual harassment. "How dare you say something like that in the Princess''s roo-" *Crack "-oom?" Caroline''s words were interrupted by a loud crack followed by a very scary crushing sound as Joker''s mask got ground into dust. "Owwwww..." Joker was fortunate or unfortunately not injured aside from falling down on her back side. Groaning Joker slowly rose up and lifted her head to reveal! Another mask... It was another mask that was a hundred percent identical to the one that she had always been using. "Why would you wear a mask over a mask!!!" Caroline shouted out at the reveal, rather how did Joker fit two masks on her face without it looking weird or bulky. "I''ll only show my face to master after al- *Smack", Joker was sent tumbling across the room with a loud sound by Vilana who simply back slapped her. "Stop playing around... Damn it I keep getting caught up in your pace all the time..." Vilana rubbed her temples and then suddenly looked behind her. "What are those idiots doing now?" Vilana stuck her head through the portal leaving behind a rather disturbing appearance. "Even though I wasn''t entirely fooling around..." "Umm... it was definitely a surprise but... how is this going to help?" Shea hesitantly asked the dejected Joker. It''s not that she doubted Vilana''s strength but it would really be a similar situation to Joker''s before. While a person can be worth and army in strength, they still can''t cover the entirety of the battlefield by themselves. "Who said anything about taking them on by myself? Although that is an option." Vilana looked at Joker in disgust while clicking her tongue before stepping away from what used to be a normal wardrobe. Soon after she did that a young man stepped through, his entire body encased in a dull silver armor. Gwyn narrowed her eyes at his appearance, somehow even though the armor is as plain as plain can get without colour or decorations it made her nervous and that was worrying. "Nice to meet you princesses, my name is Fafnoth and I am Shin''s master for crafting." Fafnoth held out his right hand in greeting, on each metal encased finger was two rings that gave off a magical aura. "A-are those enchanted rings?!? And really high level ones at that!" Shea''s previously meek appearance was like an illusion as she grasped onto Fafnoth''s hand. Being the one most sensitive to magic she was that much more impressed by the power coming off of every single one of the simple iron rings. At most Gwyn could get a feeling of ''powerful'' from it and Caroline could sense it somewhat, Kaila and Misaki who were both able to sense magic and even see magic were unable to get a good look at the items because of their positioning. "Is it that impressive?" Gwyn casually shifted her sword to an easily usable position, it wasn''t that she was suspecting Shin but if each one of his master''s were as strong as Shin then the war potential that he had currently in this room was worth more than the hundred thousand or so men that were currently outside the walls; if they were hostile... "Yes! While the power they give off is impressive especially for how simple the item and materials is the enchanting on the it is amazingly intricate, I can only see a small amount of it''s structure." "Oh? You can see the structure of the enchantments?" "A little bit, I spent some time learning about enchantments but since I wasn''t suited to using enchantment magic I stopped. I still haven''t found a type of magic I''m good at even though my magic aptitude is supposedly very high." "You haven''t tried dark magic yet have you?" The people present got a chill down their back at the sound of the voice although it was not the voice that gave them the chill but a literal drop in the temperature of the room. "Why would anyone bother trying to learn the same stupid magic as the ones you use?" The girls in the room released the breaths they didn''t know they were holding as Vilana yelled at the new comer. Unlike Vilana who wore tight but simple leather equipment emphasizing on maneuverability or Fafnoth who was walking around in some simple but obviously high level full body suit of armor the man that stood before them looked more prepared to attend a party than a battle. A deep navy blue mantle that held a mysterious shine to it and elegant black clothes and despite looking the most respectful and gentle out of the bunch he gave off the aura that caused the most wariness from them. "Magic is much more effective than those fancy movements you call martial arts, I believe I have proven that point many times already." "Hah?!? Has your brain decomposed you ancient buffoon, we''re currently at 66-65 in my favor, right Fafnoth?" "Like hell it is, don''t try to skew the numbers you old hag, I was the one leading as honorable and honest Fafnoth would testify to." "Riaz... Vilana is the one leading." "Hah! See! I told you! Your magic tricks are nothing but that, tricks." "You... to think you would be bribed by her, I''ve trusted you wrongly Fafnoth." "I''m simply telling the truth, now if you two would stop quarreling like two children we can proceed with what we came to do." Shea smiled awkwardly and thanked Fafnoth briefly for stopping Riaz and Vilana, in the first place even though the three technically five there wanted to say something in order to stop the two there was no way they could with their strength; even Caroline and Gwyn was troubled with how the two army strong monsters seemed like they were about to fight each other. "Ah, right. Hehem. Ignoring this shriveled wretch let''s get on with the main topic." Riaz turned towards the princesses. "My name is Riaz and as unlikely as it looks I am the noble master of that rude boy." "Heh, I''ll like to see you say that to Shin''s face." "Shut up Vilana! I''m talking right now." Before Riaz and Vilana could once again get derailed from the conversation and fight again Fafnoth stepped in between the two of them. "Obviously letting either of you handling this was a mistake," As the two back downed under Fafnoth''s glaring he returned his gaze to the princesses."Continuing from where these two imbeciles left off, which speaking honestly amounts to nothing. We have come here on the orders of Shin to take over the castle." Fafnoth snapped his armored fingers loudly as large skeletons armed like a knight, a death knight walked through the portal. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. "What are you talking about?!" The first to move was Gwyn, pushing both Caroline and Shea behind her Gwyn positioned her sword in front of her, ready to attack or defend at any time. "I thought I explained it quite clearly, we are here to take over the castle and as an extension the city as well." The number of death knights that have entered the room has reached ten and it did not seem like it would stop increasing anytime soon as yet another undead walked through the portal. "No, like I said. What are you talking about? There is no gain for Shin to be attacking us at this stage." On the outside Gwyn appeared more or less calm but inside she was panicking. At most she could hold one of them back and that was if she relied heavily on the gear Shin gave her, but there''s three of them here. It would be impossible for either warring faction to stop the three if they decided to push through with their announcement, after all there was no way they could even hope to compete strength wise. "I believe he said something about demon king role playing or something like that. We aren''t actually taking over your country so don''t worry about that. We are simply taking over the castle under the guise of the demon king''s generals, I assume the reasoning Shin has for this is because you''ve revealed that you had demons working for you. Of course you can say that you didn''t know they were demons when you hired them but the timing would definitely plant a seed of doubt for many." Riaz stepped in front of Fafnoth, "That, is where we come in. The amount of people that knows you requested directly from Shin the reinforcements is known to only a few so if we create a commotion here under the pretense that the demons were supposed to infiltrate in and take over from within it''ll solve a lot of your problems." "And give us a common enemy." Caroline added, her eyebrows crossed as she started thinking deeply about the subject. "In the first place this kingdom is made up of many different countries joining together to fight an external threat. Keeping all those greedy pigs from stabbing each other in the back after the initial conflict was resolved for so long is quite an achievement." Vilana shrugged, "Although if it was up to me I would just kill all of them." "MmphmmmMMPH!!!" Kaila was shaking her head violently in obvious protest, while she was unable to actually talk or shout the sound she was making was more than loud enough to attract the attention of all the people in the room. "Joker..." Vilana once again grabbed hold of Joker''s head, this time from behind as Joker attempted to escape into the portal. "What were you doing?" "I wasn''t playing! I swear! I was training them for the master!" Already the sound of cracking could be heard as Joker was struggling desperately. "Just leave her alone Vilana, she won''t listen to a single thing we say anyways, only Shin." "She was messing with your experiments." "..." Fafnoth patted Vilana on the back and removed her grip from Joker. "Now no need to be so rough, Joker''s just doing her best for her master." Fafnoth held Joker in front of him and put a hand on her forehead, well the forehead of her mask. "You must be tired, come let''s get you something to drink." "Eh? Ahh, NOoOoOoooOooooooooo!!! I''ll die! I''ll seriously die!!!!" Joker was held by the shoulder and pushed towards the portal, all the while struggling with all her might. She even utilized several clones to try and stop Fafnoth''s advance but he was steadfast and undeterred by the blows being given to him, rather six pairs of hands couldn''t even move one of his fingers. "Oh right, we really only just came for a greeting, the actual representative of our demon king is just a high level undead Riaz summoned, Vilana trained and I supplied. A self proclaimed hero should show up a little after these guys wipe out the rebels so don''t worry about it and just watch." With that Fafnoth walked into the portal dragging the clones that had at this point piled up on him along. "Hmph, for him to get mad at such a childish prank." "She was the one who drew all over your soldiers you know." "..." Riaz looked at Vilana who was staring right back completely serious. Wordlessly he quickly went back in through the portal. "So, that''s that. I also need to have a talk with her." "Wait!" Gwyn stepped forward and held Vilana back. "We haven''t agreed to this yet, in the first place throwing a bunch of undead into the castle is- *Boom" The wall directly opposite of the wardrobe was caved in with Gwyn being the center of the impression. "No one here is ASKING, princess." Vilana stated coldly before turning her back to them, "Well try not to die alright?" Stepping through the portal she traded places with an undead knight that was twice as large as the normal ones garbed in black spiked armor and holding a giant two handed axe. As the portal closed the monstrous skeleton roared loudly and lifted it''s weapon, the target was Shea. "DAMNIT!!!" Sparks flew as the black blade of the axe collided with Gwyn''s sword. "Gwyn are you okay? Light Heal!" As Gwyn was having a strength contest with the death knight Shea cast a healing spell on her. "Those damned people! Shea get out of here with Caroline and evacuate everyone through the secret passages, take Kaila and Misaki with you. I''ll hold this guy back." Even with the heal spell Gwyn was hurting, although it didn''t leave any major damage that light hit from Vilana had slammed Gwyn hard into the wall and there would definitely be a large bruise if Gwyn had checked her back right now. "But I can help!" As Shea took a step forward it was Caroline who stopped her. "No, we should leave." Caroline looked around cautiously at the rest of the death knights around them, together they number twenty. "While the small ones aren''t moving yet it isn''t guaranteed that it''ll stay that way, getting everyone especially the non-combatants out should be our first priority." Caroline paused, looking over at Gwyn''s equipment, "Besides, Princess Gwyn''s chances of taking any major damage is probably minimal if not non-existent." Shea hesitated before heading to Kaila and with some difficulty managed to cut the rope, although rather than the rope itself being tough it was just simply finding a place that wasn''t tightly plastered to Kaila so to avoid cutting her. Kaila suddenly gripped Shea''s shoulders, "There''s enemy troops in the secret passages, we can''t go out that way." "So you really did... betray us." "I..." "Just get going! The small fries are starting to move!" Gwyn interrupted the two as she blocked a heavy overhand swing, the floor underneath her feet caved in a little and cracks spread out from underneath her. "Talk later, for now we''re on the same side and that should be enough." Misaki stated as she started pulling Kaila towards the door. "I agree." Caroline did the same with Shea, even if her tone of voice was cold. After the others had left Gwyn was immediately attacked by all of the undead present. Ignoring her body that started protesting from her extensive use of it without satisfactory rest she continued to fight, desperately trying to keep any of them from exiting the room. "I am definitely going to make you pay for this Shin!!!"
"Hmm... Huh?" In the midst of all the chaos the king slowly opened his eyes dazedly, "Wha, what happened?"
*Note: Sorry it''s pretty late in the night, work dragged on longer than it should have, One of the groups of people just wouldn''t leave and we couldn''t kick them out. That aside I was going to try and get another chapter done during the week and while that hasn''t changed... the chapter won''t be about this story. I got a weird idea for a story for the valentines event that is in a format I haven''t used before in writing. Probably going to give that a go. P.S. Yeah I know I went over the estimation for when this section was going to end, well as far as when we''ll get back to Shin it''s fairly soon but I''ll refrain from putting a number out there as it''s not accurate at all, depends on so many factors and if something new (not planned) comes up while I''m writing. For now, good night!!! Sleepy >.> Chapter 35: "I''m definitely going to punch Shin next time I see him!" Gwyn yelled out of frustration while blocking yet another attack that sent her several steps back; the main doors to the castle behind her. At first she had tried to contain the undead inside Shea''s room to keep the damage to a minimum and to buy more time for the others to evacuate using the door as a funnel. Unfortunately all that did was earn her several more bruises as the skeletons just broke down the walls and surrounded her; well it wasn''t all bad as rather than spreading out the skeletons just single mindedly chased after her. At most the little skeletons were a nuisance, if it were only those then Gwyn would have eventually taken them all down because they had rather monotonous and stiff attacks. If only... however there was still the larger skeleton and fighting it was like fighting a seasoned general as his movements were both fast, strong and tricky with feints mixed in along with kicks and punches. With a creaking sound the doors behind her opened causing Gwyn to reflexively start to turn back, if it wasn''t for her insticts telling her to raise her sword she would''ve taken an axe to the body which probably wouldn''t have broken through her armor but she hardly needed any more bruises. "Oh, you''re still here?" Peaking in through the door stood Joker with her head tilted, "You should just run you know? They''re ordered to chase the army outside and if you aren''t blocking their way they wouldn''t have attacked." "TELL ME THAT EARLIER!!!" With some difficulty Gwyn managed to dodge the next attack and tumble to beside Joker who was standing slightly off to one side of the doors. "Well explaining this stuff wasn''t my job, I was just cleaning up you know." Joker grinned and held up a small golden statue of a dragon, it''s body raised up and mouth open like it was going to breathe out fire. "Where did you- Wait weren''t you taken through a portal?" Unlike Joker who was casually standing there Gwyn was breathing roughly and watching the skeletons warily; like Joker had stated however the skeletons just ignored the two of them and started marching off towards the reforming nobel armies. "I''m just a clone so don''t worry~" Joker suddenly looked up from where she was previously admiring the trophy, "He''s here awfully fast, tch if you hadn''t stalled them the skeletons would''ve inflicted more damage on the nobels you know." Turning back to Gwyn who couldn''t understand why she was being blamed, Joker pushed her back, "Let''s get go see the king shall we? Things are going to be wrapped up here."
If one were to ask if he was a good king, he himself would have answered with a no. Being born the son of the king did give him the opportunities others were lacking such as private tutors and material resources, he did not lack anything growing up. However just by being born into the royal family doesn''t necessarily mean they are born with talent and that was what plagued him who had everything, a lack of talent. He was leeching off his parent''s rule when he was young and when he became king after his father had become unable to rule anymore due to age he depended on his young wife, the daughter of a noble from the north that he coincidentally met and had fallen in love with. When she had passed away after Shea''s birth he hadn''t known what to do, to begin with he just wasn''t suited to ruling, even with extensive help from trusted advisors the influence of the royal family started to wane and problems that he could''t solve started popping up all over. Just when he was at the end of the line, this time his daughters stood up and supported him. With Shea taking over the domestic and diplomatic affairs and Gwyn taking over the military they vastly reduced his burden and was just starting to put the kingdom on track again. And yet.. here he was wtih rebellion being inevitable, all due to his own incompetency despite how little he had to do compared to his daughters. Knocking on the door interrupted the king''s thoughts. "Excuse me this is Shin, I heard you wanted to speak with me?" Standing up from the chair he was sitting on he personally opened the door, "Thank you for coming and I''m sorry for calling you this late at night." Shin, a mysterious man that Gwyn had brought home with her who according to Carey is a dangerous individiual but had nonetheless helped the royal family and the kingdom a great deal during the current crisis. It was quite strange for a father to think so but he wouldn''t mind if Shin took both his daughters as his brides, after all Shin had more than enough power to keep them safe... and the kingdom. "It''s fine" He looked around the room as the king closed the doors. "With everyone even your secret guards gone... this is a serious conversation?" He could even tell that just by stepping into the room, or did he know before he even knocked? The king slowly walked towards the balcony doors and opened them with a bottle of wine and three cups in hands, "Please join an old man for a bit."Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. "This isn''t about Gwyn or Shea is it?" Shin awkwardly walked up and recieved a glass as the king started pouring the wine. "They are both beautiful and great but I would like to refuse." "Normally it would be the father refusing wouldn''t it?" The king took a sip of the wine, "No, while it is true I would like you to take them as brides I won''t push too hard for it." He starred off at the night sky as an awkward silence took over. Shin was off to the side shifting uncomfortably as he took a very small sip of the wine before putting it on the railing. He must not like alcohol very much the king thought inwardly as he gathered his thoughts, after all this was top quality wine despite their current financial state. "First I must thank you for your help," He bowed towards Shin who suddenly got flustered. "No, I''m getting something out of it too so there''s no need to thank me too much, besides you''re a king aren''t you?" At that the king chuckled for a bit as he straightened himself out, "I''m not much of a king, so don''t worry about it." He took a gulp of the wine before continuing, "Despite all the assistance you have given us this worthless old man must shamelessly ask another favour of yours." He turned to look at Shin who had a very uncomfortable look on his face, "Can''t you help us more? I''m sure you''re not lacking in the power to do so and I will give you anything, even my life if I have to." "And STOP!!!" Before Shin could reply a very young girl around the age of 12 burst through both doors and pushed her hands against Shin''s mouth. "Oi old man don''t you dare die, you still got two daughters that you''ve barely spent time with." "Sharena... I know I did invite you but to burst in like this..." Sharena, the current head and pope of Nara''s temple and despite appearances was acutally- "You were thinking something rude weren''t you?" Sharena glared at the king, a knowing glint in her eyes. "No, not at all." The king started sweating despite the cool night breeze. "That aside," Sharena turned around to face Shin acting daintily, "How about you marry me?" PFT!! The king couldn''t help but spit out the mouthful of wine he just took in as Shin laughed a little as he looked away. "Isn''t a little late to try and act that way Pope? In the first place while I''m not exactly against someone older... shouldn''t you act your age a little mo...re?" While the king was recovering Shin replied in an unexpected way, it would seem Sharena and Shin already met at some point? No considering her abilities it wouldn''t be strange. It seems Sharena was angry as she punched Shin near the end but to little effect. "Damn brat... can''t you please an old lady for a bit?" Sharena sighed and took the third glass of wine being chugging it all down. "Add my request to the old man''s, if for nothing else but to pity us can''t you give more assistance to us?" At that Shin thought deeply before replying in a way that caused the king to spit out the wine again... the gardener will have a tough time tomorrow. "I can... but on one condition, show me the core of the palace later." The core of the palace... was a secret place that only the king, the next in line for the throne and the popes of both temples knew of. "How... nevermind considering it''s you it wouldn''t be strange," Sharena sighed as she poured herself another glass of wine. "That isn''t much of a problem, on my authority as the pope of Nara I will grant you access to it." "Even though I was the one that suggested it... aren''t you treating a national secrety lightly?" The king and Sharena both looked at Shin in surprise, "What secret is worth more than the kingdom itself? Besides with your strength you could just force your way in, after all you probably know the general location since you know about it already." The king looked seriously at Shin, "Even though Sharena beat me to it, I intended fully to do the same you know." Shin didn''t know how to respond for a bit before sighing, "I thought I would''ve needed to bargain for a bit. Well then I''ll have Joker guarantee your safety and here." Shin opened the doors and stepped into the king''s room before taking out boxes upon boxes of vialed liquid, "These potions should help greatly, the red potion heals most wounds, the blue one is a mana potion and the yellow one is a cleanse/refresh potion. As for the castle itself I''ll arrange something, I don''t know how much damage it will take or how long it will be until that annoying guy and his party arrives but the castle won''t fall I''ll promise that much." After that the king and Sharena had spent some time being both astonished at the potions and questioning his help, the best they got was that a very strong and reliable hero would come to save them. Just before he left Shin gave the king a sealed envelope and said he should read it later. The two leaders left behind spent some time in silence looking out over the city. "Don''t die... at least not before me you brat." Sharena was the first to break the silence after finishing the last of the wine, her eyes still contained many emotions but her voice conveyed how serious she was about it. "Despite trying to avoid topics relating to your age after you got your powers..." The king looked towards a part of the castle where he knew his daughters were in. "Don''t you die either, the temple, the people and we still need you... Nan-guh!?!" "You brat, getting cocky now? Like hell I''m going to die to those snot nosed brats." Sharena removed her fist from the king''s stomache and walked towards the door, "I''ve been wanting to clean out those bastards for a long time and this is the perfect opportunity to do so. I''ll let Carey know about the potions so prepare some bags for them." She stopped to turn back and look at the king, "I''ll bring help once we''re done so make sure you hold out until then." With that she left the room as the king looked into his empty glass with a gentle smile on his face. "Everyone has always been too good for me." He looked up at the moon one last time before putting the glass down and exiting the room to call Hesn, "May the goddess''s and the hero watch over us."
Fa-th--er... Fat-her... FATHER!!! The king dazedly open his eyes as he heard his daughter yelling his name. "Hmm.. Huh?. Wha, what happened?" Character Sheet (Up to chapter 35) Shin- A gamer who was taken from earth and put into this world (Mael) as the Reaper''s chosen in a "game" among gods. He has spent two years training under Fafnoth, Vilana and Riaz and currently attempting to find other chosen and making peace with them if possible. Karen- Soul number 4242, she was assigned to advise and watch over Shin. Kage- Another side of Shin which is dedicated to protecting him, has access to a different set of skills than Shin. Mary- A pure blooded vampire whom Shin has enslaved on the night of his arrival to this world. She has interests in girls and was in a relationship with Liliana. Liliana- A novice vampire hunter who got entangled with Shin and was enslaved. She was in a relationship with Mary before being forcibly called back to a vampire hunter "court" where she was killed by her brother. Jane- A petite tanned rack athlete who was the chosen of Sekhmet and friend of Brandon. She was killed by Shin when he was in auto mode due to soul starvation and was brought back as a servant by Kage and ended up killing Brandon as a result. Brandon- A black weight lifter who was the chosen of Atlas and a friend of Jane''s, he was killed by Jane after she was brought back by Kage as a servant. Currently Deceased, his soulwas released. Mina- The young daughter of a merchant (presumably) who''s parents were murdered by vampire hunters and was saved by kage. She has taken Mary and Jane to her parent''s friend''s place pre time skip. Jared- A punk who was the chosen of Fenrir and was killed by Shin (Soul starved) and the base for Pride. Currently deceased and soul eaten. Clara- A kind girl who was the chosen of Lupa, at the end of the mess at Wuldrud Forest Lupa released Clara from being her chosen. Afterwards she left with Carey and Ben to train. Carey- The chosen of the goddess of light Lunaela (Mael''s goddess) and was born and raised in the temple from a young age to be a master magician that did not need chants to cast spells. Cares for Ben a lot due to them growing up together. Ben- A hunterand childhood friend of Carey''s who''s strengths lie almost entirely in stalking, tracking and running away. Very open about his desires for members of the opposite sex, to Carey''s annoyance. Yuki- Shin''s childhood friend from the orphanage, was taken as the chosen of Luna and undertook trainingin Luna''s realm. Lust- A lust demon that exists in this world by using Jane''s mortal body. As a lust demon she is strong in management and information gathering as well as sex, relatively weak in combat compared to other sin demons. She has created and controlled a large part of both the underworld and overworld of the kingdom.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Wrath- A demon of Wrath that was summoned using Brandon''s body as the base. As a wrath demon he is arguably the strongest compared to the other sin demons when it comes to combat however as a result his intelligence is relatively low and tends to forget things a lot. Raided Celia''s village and captured her due to a misunderstanding and forgetting of Shin''s orders. Pride- A demon of Pride created using Jared''s body as a base. Among the sin demons the pride demons could be said to have the strongest leadership and technique, despite their very flawed personalities. Had attacked the temple that Himiko was in but failed to capture her. Himiko- She was a chosen of Amaterasu and previously healed people as a priestess in a remote temple before Pride''s attack. With the help of her mother who gave her life, Himiko escaped from Pride on Scarlet, a giant eagle. Dooza Verholn- A slave merchant who had his business shut down by Shea, he had escaped capture and is plotting against the princess. Nicknamed Swiper by Shin due to his apparance, personality and actions. Shea Brevar- Second princess of the kingdom who handles most of the domestic and diplomatic affairs. Fairly skilled in magic and capable enough to defend herself in melee. Tryn- Shea''s personal guard and trusted aide since she was young. Gwyn Brevar- The first princess of the kingdom and a relatively straightforward person. She handles the military affairs of the kingdom while her little sister Shea handles the domestic side of things. Met Shin when he was coming down the mountain from his 2 years of training and recieved some equipment from him. Tarbalt and Fergul- Guards of Gwyn and part of her personal troops, serves as second in commands when she is away. Joker- A demonic jester that Shin has summoned who seems to be handling most of his orders. As a demonic jester Joker is adept at stealth, traps, subterfuge and information gathering; in direct combat she relies on tricks and equipment. VarlhaimBrevar- The king of the kingdom and father to Gwyn and Shea, he inherited a kingdom that was already on it''s way to seperation from his father and while not a great king he has managed to keep the kingdom together for this long. Previously without name (that I know of) Hesn- Head of the royal guards and the king''s personal guard. Sharena- Pope of Nara''s temple and a chosen. She has met Shin at some point during his 2 year training. Lunaela- The goddess of light and one of two goddesses the kingdom believes in. Nara- Lunaela''s twin sister and the goddess of the night. Durmez- Head of the magicians tower, magic fanatic. The Minion Master- A chosen of an unknown god who had the power to shrink the heads that he cut off and later use them to summon a stronger version of the person the head''s were taken from (heads were consumed by summoning). Currently Deceased. Rio- A dragon kin who was the minon master''s beloved and spent most "screen time" as a skull before being used as a last attack by the minion master. As a dragon kin she was powerful and was able to transform into a dragon, was a chosen. Velmark- Leader of the "rebel" army. He was descended from a royal family that existed before the kingdom''s creation. Vilana- One of Shin''s masters, Vilana was a master of martial arts before reincarnation into this world. Riaz- One of Shin''s masters, Riaz was an emperor of a fallen empire and a master of magic particularly of the necromantic type before reincarnation into this world. Fafnoth- One of Shin''s masters, Fafnoth was an elven smith who had at one point fought against a chosen of the reaper before his reincarnation into this world. Nelily Faen (Lily)- A fairy Shin had saved from a storm during his 2 years training she had followed him since (largely in part to her stomach). She insists she wants to be married with him and as the daughter of the fairy queen, she has quite the magical prowess. Celia- Half elf and chosen of Echo. Was captured by Wrath before being healed by Shin after he met her 2 years later.