《Rebirth Online》


 Return

    Hey all, sorry for the long hiatus I''ll got brutal with me working two jobs, but I am finally free to start writing again. To start I will be reworking the chapters I have out, better explaining things and clearing up as many issues as I can, the game features will be removed except for the job and class skills which will now provide passives rather than more moves. I expect to post the first reworked  chapter by the first of july

 Chapter 0 - Prologue - Redone

    Adam Sterling was a pitiful young man, Despite his twenty-one years he was as gangly as any thirteen year old, Standing at six foot and eight inches tall while only weighing one hundred and fifty pounds soaking wet. To make matters worse his bones were so brittle that the first time he tried to play football as a child one of the other kids shattered his rib cage, This was only made worse for him as he wanted nothing more than to be like the other kids, to go out and be reckless, To enjoy his life while he had some freedom.


    Despite his attempts to strengthen his body through exercise and vitamins nothing worked, if anything they made his condition worse so he soon began to fall into a state of depression at only ten years old Until he found the world of MMORPG''s.


    The fantastic feeling that came from singlehandedly killing monsters that others struggled with made him feel great Until he rose to a point in every game where nothing could last against him long enough to make him feel like he was going to die. He then tried other Fantasy type RPG''s only to find that while they were great it gave him a very little sense of accomplishment.


    At the age of 15, Adam had tried to accept his fate but it seemed impossible as he entered high school, Despite his kind nature it was hard for him to make friends as most in the rural town he lived in were into things such as Hunting, Hiking, Football and so on. So he only found himself more outcast than ever before, That is until he meets his closest friends, Two sisters, who were a part of an LARP community as well as gamers. When they noticed that during lunch and breaks that rather than talking on his phone or playing around like the others he was either reading fantasy novels or playing on his PSP.


    And after a while of getting to know each other, they invited him to join them one day when they went to LARP, Having seen videos of the event he gladly accepted and went with them. And things were great after this for a time, learning so much from all of the other LARPers.


    His favorites were William Jones, a grizzled old war veteran who used larping as a way to teach others how to defend themselves and how to swiftly take down an opponent, And then his wife Clarice who gladly taught Adam how to do leatherworking, a skill he quickly fell in love with, going as far as to take commissions to help pay for his own equipment. However, all good things must come to an end.


    And for Adam, it was three months to be exact until he was banned from participating when it was noticed that almost every time he was hit that even with the padded weapons something would break or bruise severely. It was a matter of Insurance for the community. This hurt him worse than anything else, But he had no other choice but to accept this and go back to his books and games.


    As word spread about the fragile boy people began to avoid him like the plague, Women would refuse to date him as they were scared that they would break his hip if they were to have sex, Men refused to associate with him as no one wanted to be around the nerdy kid who could break his jaw just by sneezing.


    When Adam graduated he was sad to see his two friends move away to join college but he knew it was the best thing, As his family couldn''t afford to send him to college he went to find work a few towns over, Luckily landing a job as a dog walker and house sitter for a rich couple in their fifties who were spending some time abroad to travel Europe.


    But things took a turn for the worst, As one night when Adam was going up the stairs to find the hyper little german shepherd puppy he was watching. The pup pounced on him and knocked him down the stairs, That was the last day he would ever walk, He had broken both of his arms as he held the puppy to keep it safe and had broken his spine, Not to the degree that he would die but he was unable to move his legs. He was found the next morning by the daughter of the couple and was rushed to the hospital.


    The family was sorry for the accident and gave him a massive settlement as they knew that the young man would never be able to walk again and wanted to help him as much as they could, And so three years were spent with Adam repeating the same routine as he had when he was ten, Reading books, playing games, sleeping, And repeating. It was when he was on the verge of suicide that an announcement was made that shook the world, The world''s first Virtual Reality game had been made.


    The creator showed footage recorded of the now finished product that had been kept from the world for almost ten years, He then went on to explain that the way the game worked was like that of a traditional MMORPG, But with a major distinction. Absolute immersion. Touch, Taste, Smell, Sight, Sound. He even said that pain could be felt if the user turned the setting on, Showing that even with an in-game death the user would be forced unconscious but would wake up fine.


    They then showed The Cradle, An advanced system that was already having requests thrown at it by medical and military alike. It was a large vat that was filled with a gel that replicated the Amniotic Fluid that a fetus would be in. It would allow the user to stay submerged in the game for months if they wished , The purpose of the gel was to allow the users to float freely as possible, during the game the user''s body would move in time with the movements of the character in the game in slow motion.


    This was a feature added to ensure that the user''s body does not atrophy after extended periods of time. And then the primary piece was that of the mask, A large helmet that went over the user''s face and supplied them air and served to pull their consciousness into the game world.


    Even while watching the video release Adam rushed to buy his own, It cost a staggering twenty-five thousand dollars with an additional quarterly fee of fifteen thousand dollars as the gel had to be replaced every three months on top of the connection fee. With Adam''s current financial state he could buy the cradle and afford one year of gel and connection fees before he was broke.


    Granted for most people his age it was nothing to shell out this kind of money, in recent years due to a major overhaul by their newest president the united states reverted to a truly equal country, no outsourcing jobs, low crime rates, the minimum wage had sky rocketed and the cost of living had gone down, leaving many with more money than they would need so long as they kept working, for Adam this was a struggle as no one wanted a workers comp suit waiting to happen.


    He was about to give up the thought until another video popped up stating that in addition to the massive amount of features the game included, There would be an auction house in the game which could be linked to one''s bank account to allow the sale or purchase of in-game items or currency from other players!


    This settled it for Adam and he ordered his unit and arranged for it to be installed in his room in his parent''s house just hours before launch which was only three months at the time of the announcements. He read up as much as he could about the game but everything except the basics was left as a mystery.


    Even going as far as to have a term in the user agreement stating that sharing any information about the game OUTSIDE of the game was terms for an immediate and permanent ban. Thus the only way to share information was through word of mouth, which due to the price of the game was impossible for most, And then there was mention of an Information Brokers guild, stating that anyone could sell their information to the guild in addition to a percent of the cost paid to view the information.


    As such all that the public was allowed to know was that the game offered nearly unlimited combat professions, The ability to take up work professions to make items assist in the players pursuits, Magic, An Open World, Unlimited PVP to heighten the immersion in the sense of worrying whether the priest you invited to your party would let you die just to take your gear. And finally, The Rebirth system Which only said Death Is Only The Beginning.


    And so the only thing Adam could do was wait, It seemed like ages but the day finally came and as he watched the men installing The Cradle he could only tremble in anticipation, Soon he would walk again, And when he did he would never stop.


    As they told him it would take a few hours to install he began reading through the beginners guide


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> Starting out: When you first create a character you will take a Personality test which will help find the class you will be best suited to, You will then gain 5 points to the three best stats for your class. For Strength users, these will be Strength, Endurance, And Charisma. For Dexterity users, these will be Dexterity, Endurance, And Luck. For Intelligence users, these will be Intelligence, Endurance, And Wisdom. In addition to the increase in stats, you will be given a set of items to assist in your journey.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Strength: The primary stat for warrior class users, Increases your attack power by 1 for every 2 points spent. Will alter one¡¯s appearance slightly by adding one pound per point to one¡¯s character, When taken in addition to Endurance one¡¯s character becomes more muscular and toned.   </td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Dexterity: The primary stat for the rogue class users. Increases your ranged, stealth, and dual blade attack power by 1 for every 2 points spent, Increases your dodge chance by 2% per 10 points </td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Intelligence: The primary stat for magic class users, Increases spell damage or healing by 1 for every 2 points spent, increases your mana pool by 10 per point spent </td></tr></tbody></table>


    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Endurance: A primary stat for all classes of user, Increases  health, health regen, stamina, and stamina regen.  Health and stamina are boosted 10 points per point of endurance while regen rates are boosted 1 point per 5 points, Will affect one¡¯s appearance by making them well toned and more athletic in appearance. </td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Charisma: A secondary stat for all classes, Charisma increases your ability to make friends, inspire troops, or tame beasts. </td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Wisdom: A primary stat for magic class users, Increases your mana regen rate by 1 per 5 points spent     </td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> Luck: A secondary stat for all classes, No one thought David would slay goliath or that Achilles would be shot in his heel. Luck increases your critical chance by  1% per 5 points spent, Increases  gold gain  by 1% per 10 points spent, Increases the chance of gaining a higher quality item from a quest by 1% per 10 points spent.    </td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Charm: A secondary stat for all classes, Will increase one''s beauty and help keep their weight down, acting as a counter to strength while still allowing the benefits of increased muscle and damage.     </td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Critical Chance: Critical chance is a stat gained from luck and  some pieces of equipment,  You can not put Status points from leveling into this stat.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Critical Hit: Critical Hit is an ability which allows your attack to deal 150% weapon damage You can guarantee a Critical Hit by striking at vital locations such as the throat, head, heart, and spine. Which will result in a Mortal Blow.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> Mortal Blow: A Mortal Blow is an attack that will result in a sure death. After all, who can live from getting hit over the head with a Warhammer?</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Crippling Blow: You achieve a Crippling blow by causing major damage to an enemies arms, legs, and spine. A Crippling Blow will cause damage equal to one fifth of your enemies health for the number of limbs disabled in addition to the damage you would have dealt. For example hitting your enemies hip and shattering it will deal 40% of their health as they will no longer be able to walk. for this example they have 100 hp and your attack alone does 10 damage you will do 50 damage overall</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Attack:  Attack is the numerical value of your attacks, you gain a higher attack score by spending points in Strength, Dexterity, And Intelligence. And the easiest way is to get a better weapon.  </td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Resiliance: Resilience is a value made of your combined Endurance and Strength, For 10 points of the combined total you gain one Resilience, This makes you take less damage equal to your total Resilience, Some armor will have some Resilience on it by default.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Elemental Resistance: Elemental Resistance is the numerical value of how much damage you can ignore from an attack from a weapon or spell with magic enhancements. For example, your Resistance is 5% and your enemy attacks you for 100 damage You would only take 95 damage.


    Resistance can be built up by receiving damage from the specific element for prolonged periods of time. The available elements are Fire, Earth, Water, Wind, Light, Dark, and Poison</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Fame: Fame is the numerical value of how well known you are, For every two hundred fame you gain you will get a 2% discount from all merchants as just having you as a customer can boost their sales. Fame is gained through a wide variety of actions, From discovering locations first to creating new and innovative designs.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Infamy: Infamy is the numerical value of how notorious  you are, When you reach 200 infamy you will notice guards watching you closely while not directly saying anything to you, At this time players with no infamy may freely attack you with no consequences from the guard. At 500 infamy you will be able to intimidate merchants into giving you a discount  At 1000 Infamy you are labeled as Kill On Sight by all guards. You gain infamy by killing other players, stealing and being caught, Being caught trespassing, Or being seen intimidating someone. Killing a player and then killing them again being their cause of death twice in a row will result in additional Infamy</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> Death: Death is only the beginning of your journey When you die you will be ejected from the game for a period of time, a character may only respawn at dawn and dusk in the game, so anywhere from four hours to four minutes.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Time, Time in Asgard moves three times faster than the real world, so one day of our time is three days in the game, this is done to allow longer play times.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> Work Skills: Work Skills are used to produce items such as weapons and armor, bandages, food, potions, Workskills can be bought in most general stores, Upon reaching the ninth level in a particular rank you must go to a specialist to train to achieve the next rank.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Skill Ranks: Skills come in five ranks. Beginner which allows the use of Common Materials, Adept which allows the use of Uncommon Materials with no chance of lowering the quality, Apprentice which allows the use of Rare Materials with no chance of lowering the quality, Master which allows the use of Epic Materials with no chance of lowering the quality, And Grand Master which allows the use of Legendary  Materials with the quality being based on your own personal skill and the time and dedication to the piece, And upon reaching Grand Master rank you can begin to add special effects to your items, Such as adding fire enchantments to a weapon if you''re a blacksmith, Or allowing your options to add extra effects such as a boost to your Strength and your Endurance rather than just one.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Skill Level: Skills come in Ranks and Levels, The Level is a numerical value of your experience in a skill, You gain EXP in the skill by using it. With Combat Skills, it means you must, of course, use the skill in battle successfully, For Work Skills you will gain more experience through using a higher quality material than what you are approved for such as using a Rare material as a Beginner rank craftsman.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    As Adam finished reading the basics the installation team finished and gave him the ok to begin preparations to start the game when it launches in a few hours.


    He took a deep breath as he moved himself to the edge of The Cradle, Having no ability to walk or climb Adam made the installers cut a hole into the floor and place the cradle itself in the basement with the top of the cradle coming to be even with his wheelchair, He had followed the instructions and bathed thoroughly before hand and was now in only a pair of white swimming trunks which came with the system and had the Rebirth Online catchphrase "Death Is Only The Beginning" on the right leg along with a black tribal sun.


    He then took a breath before he heaved himself up onto the edge of the vat and slowly slid inside, It was an odd feeling, the gel was kept warm and it was like sliding into a bowl of warm jello, He slid the lid on and locked it in place before pulling on the helmet, He then took a deep breath as he pressed the power switch on the inside which began to fill the rest of the vat with gel from a reserve tank, He was soon floating in the clear gel and sighed, taking a few more breaths to make sure the air was properly being delivered to the inside of the helmet and that no gel was leaking inside. He then nodded to himself and closed his eyes. "System Start!" he shouted to activate the cradle, The systems blue check lights began to turn on, soon causing the basement to glow with the bright blue light. And with that, the world went black

 Chapter 1 - First Step - Redone

    When Adam next opened his eyes it was to see a pure white room with a table and two chairs, Unsure of what to do he sat down and was soon shocked as a cute young woman appeared before him in the chair across the table. She looked much like a porcelain doll to Adam, He skin was so pale and soft looking, Her eyes a bright blue, Her long fine silk like hair was a pale gray and pulled back into a high ponytail. It was then that he was greeted by the young woman who smiled softly and spoke in a sweet voice that could no doubt cause any mans heart to flutter a bit.


    "Hello Adam, I am Lilim and i will be your guide for the duration of your account set up, During this process you will create an identification code, a username, Input your bank information if you wish to use any of the in-game features requiring payment, and then you will take a short personality test before you create your new character, Keep in mind that your character will look the same as yourself until you begin spending status points in  Charm, Strength, Or Endurance, and upon completion of the Personality test you will be awarded bonus status points in the areas that you will most likely pick a class in, The current groups are Strength Users, Dexterity Users, And Intellect Users. Are you ready to begin?"


    Adam shook his head a bit at the sudden speech but nodded softly."Yes Lilim I am ready to begin..."


    Lilim smiled again as she waved her hand and caused a small virtual terminal to appear for him to type his information into.


    "Please input a 6 digit identification code, This code will be used whenever you access the Information Broker Guild and the Auction House, Please choose something unique to yourself and that no one else will know. "


    Adam thought for a moment before inputting his chosen code and pressing next.


    "Please enter your username, This will be used when accessing the in-game web browser and be shown when posting on the forums, Information Broker Guild, And Auction House. This is not your Character name which will be chosen in the following steps."


    Adam decided to use his usual forum name "CrossgraveX."


    "Please input your bank accounts routing number, Be assured that Rebirth Online will not charge you for anything you do not personally authorize."


    Adam was starting to get jitters as he rushed through inputting his routing number, Now he really just wanted to play the game and wished he could set this all up later or had been allowed to do so on his laptop before hand.


    "Below you will find a standardized Personality test which will be used to narrow you into one of the following three groups for a bonus 15 Status points to be allocated equally in the three most important stats for your group. The groups are Strength Users, Dexterity Users, And Intellect Users."


    Adam began to rush through the test as quickly as he could, choosing the first answer that was the closest to what he would do, Most of it was the same crap you could find online to see what your spirit animal was so he didn''t have to put much thought into it.


    "Thank You, The results of your test are in, You are to be placed in the Strength User''s group, As such you will gain +5 to the following stats, Strength, Endurance, Charisma. Now please input your chosen character name, A First and Last name will be required."


    Adam shouted out the name he always used for an RPG."Atticus Shadowsong!"


    "Welcome to Asgard Atticus Shadowsong, Please choose your race and starting location. "


    Before he could think of responding the room around him began to fade and changed to become a massive map which highlighted a single supercontinent and many outlying islands. He then looked around and saw that there was only a handful of starting races, Humans, Dwarves, And Elves.


    As he looked over them he noticed that there was a small difference between each of the races, When he held his hand over one of the race icons a clone of himself would appear with the changes of the race, Humans, as expected, remained the same, But Dwarves shrunk down to be four feet tall and to be a bit more wide set, Elves, on the other hand, looked the same as humans only with pointed ears.


    Atticus didn''t need to think about this, He never was one for playing anything other than a human."I choose to be a Human and my starting Location will be Black Rock Hold."


    As he said this the model of himself as a human became highlighted and he felt odd looking at himself, The long, thick brown hair, Dark brown eyes, The bones showing through his skin, The odd sight of a six foot eight inch tall man with little more than one hundred and fifty pounds suddenly changed before his eyes however.


    Instead of wearing the same Rebirth Online swim trunks as he was the model was now wearing a black leather kilt with a large iron belt buckle in the shape of a wolf head, A large hunting knife hanging on the right side of the belt and a medium sized black pouch on the left, A pair of black leather boots now covering his feet.


    The bones disappeared as the bonus stats from Strength took effect and he now seemed somewhat normal as he now seemed to weigh two hundred pounds and was about more filled in.


    As he looked on the model smiled softly at him, As if knowing the pleasure he felt at seeing himself stronger already. But as he turned to look back at Lilim she waved softly.


    "Goodbye Adam, Enjoy your new life..." Lilim said in a somewhat sad voice which confused him but before he could speak he was in a small rustic village, He looked around and took in the sight of the old-fashioned log huts, and the well in the center. He then looked down and noticed he was standing, A wide grin was now plastered on his face as he began to jump up and down like a child, laughing almost manically much to the dismay of the other new users and a few of the Villagers.


    "I know this is a new experience but isn''t that a little overboard?" One man said to his companion, both of them were shorter than Atticus by almost a full foot and a half but they were larger and stronger looking.


    "Well get a look at him, This is clearly the most interesting thing he''s ever done!" The two laughed which caused others to laugh with them or to just shake their heads as they began looking around the village.


    Atticus soon stopped and looked up to the sky with his eyes closed, Taking in the sun and its warmth as he smiled, He had missed this feeling, This freedom. He soon felt a small tug at the hem of his kilt which caused him to look down and see a little girl, no older than ten years old, She looked scared which caused Atticus to smile softly as he knelt down before her."Hello Little one, Is there something I can help you with?"


    The little girl sniffled softly and rubbed her eyes with the hand that was now gripping his kilt." P...Please mister...Can you find my daddy?, He went into the woods two days ago and hasn''t come back..."


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>You Have Received A Quest</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Scared And Alone</td><td width="25%">Difficulty</td><td width="25%">F</td><td width="25%">Warning! Must Be Completed Alone</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You have been approached by a young girl who is desperate to find her father, Two days ago he left the village to clear out some of the wolves to prevent the village from being over run. The den is to the northeast of town, To prevent the wolves from detecting you you must go alone.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Reward</td><td width="25%">A Common Quality Weapon, 500 EXP.</td><td width="25%">Do you wish to accept?</td><td width="25%">YES/NO</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus could hear murmuring amid the crowd behind him who saw this."There she goes again."


    One of the men from before laughed."A friend of mine died on that quest before dropping it, His stats went down to zero except for the bonus he got from the test, And he knows how to fight! This twig is just going to fail too."


    Atticus could see the sadness in Elena''s eyes, She had clearly asked everyone, even the users and what''s worse is none of them would help her. So he nodded firmly."Aye Little one, ill go find your father..."


    <table><tbody><tr><td> Quest Accepted! </td></tr></tbody></table>


    Little Elena looks up at him, wide-eyed and excited like a puppy."R..Really!"


    Atticus smiled and nodded again as he stroked the top of her head."Aye, now run along to your mother I''ll be back soon.." He watched as she ran back to her mother who could only look gratefully at Atticus while also showing sadness as she thought he would die like the last adventurer.


    Atticus decided to look through his pouch and smiled as when he opened it a small window showing twelve slots appeared. Inside were ten bread, ten waterskins, and a small map, When he took out the map it vanished and a window appeared stating he could view the map by simply saying "Map"


    Atticus decided to look at his gear.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Black Leather Boots</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Feet</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">50/ 50</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Quality:</td><td width="25%">Common</td><td width="25%">Defense:</td><td width="25%">5</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A pair of simple boots made of black leather.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Black Leather Kilt</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Legs</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">100 /100</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Quality:</td><td width="25%">Common</td><td width="25%">Defense:</td><td width="25%">10</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A simple kilt made of black leather to keep your privates private.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Iron Wolf Belt</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Waist</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">50 / 50</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Quality:</td><td width="25%">Common</td><td width="25%">Defense:</td><td width="25%">5</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A black leather belt with a thick iron belt buckle stylized to be in the shape of a wolfs head.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Hunting Knife</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Dagger</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">200 / 200</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Quality:</td><td width="25%">Common</td><td width="25%">Damage:</td><td width="25%">5-10</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A large hunting knife made to cut through even a bears thick hide, can be used to skin dead animals .</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Adam nodded and stretched a bit as he closed out all of the windows."Alright, time to begin..." He took long deep breaths, emptying his mind of all but the basic information, that which his character himself would have, He did this every time he went into character, just as he had when he was larping, it helped to enjoy himself more if he did not think of anything other than what was in front of him in a way his character would. And in the case of the large warrior he had become, it would be the traditional Viking, ruthless, crass, and honorable.


    With his gear checked and ready, he began to run from the village to the northeast, He grinned widely as he was actually running! In fact, he was running faster than he ever had before without so much as a single jolt of pain from his shins and knees.


    As he was running Atticus was surprised that despite running as fast as he could for well over three minutes he had not yet felt out of breath, though he could feel the delicious ache in his muscles telling him they were working hard.


    To Atticus, This was simply incredible as in the real world running for thirty seconds used to leave him on the floor winded, But soon he heard the scream of a young woman nearby. He immediately took a hard right towards the southeast.


    After a minute of running he saw something that made his blood boil, The two brutish men who were laughing at him earlier had left the village before him and they were currently beating a young female dexterity user, Her cloth top and kilt were torn and they were no longer hiding her voluptuous form as her breasts spilled out of the top.


    As the game was rated for 21+ some things were added to the user agreement, The most controversial were that you could have sex in the game and feel the pain and pleasure of it. This was meant to add a depth of realism but was clearly going to be abused.


    Atticus drew his hunting knife and began walking silently towards the two who were working their belts to take their kilts off, At the same time a warning popped up.


    <table><tbody><tr><td> Warning you are about to enter combat, Would you like to disable pain? </td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus swiped the window away and pressed no without looking, Which then caused another window to pop up.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> Congratulations! As the first player to willingly leave pain enabled you will receive 30 points to your Elemental Resistance, and Resilience! </td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus again swiped the window from his sight and was soon close enough to the first man who was about to force his length inside of the woman.


    As he got closer his mind went back to his first Warrior lessons with William. It started with a hard smack to the face with a well-designed foam sword that could have passed for real if it hadn''t just bounced off of his cheek.


    "No boy you need to use the shield don''t try to dodge everything! A true warrior stands proud and defiant! He lets his presence be known and wins using overwhelming determination and maximum effort!"


    Adam was just about to complain that the blows were too much when another came flying at him, flinching and hiding behind his shield William grinned."That a boy! A shield is your best friend, it will take a knife for you without complaint. Something that another man will rarely ever do... Now I want you to copy what you just watched and attack me!"


    Adam nodded as he took a stance, spreading his legs to balance himself as he raised his shield to his midsection and readied the sword with the flat of the blade resting on the top of it. And without further ado he lunged and stabbed at the grizzled old man only to have the blade batted aside and have another whack to the face.


    "Good but leave the lunges to those fancy fencers and thieves, A true warrior uses a broad slash filled with all his fury and strength, Try again!"


    Growing more annoyed with the old man Adam growled and let his sword arm rear back, swinging hard and fast in a diagonal arc, catching the old man hard across the shoulder, though he took it with little more than a grunt."That''s it! Now we''re getting somewhere..."


    Shaking his head of the memories of his real life Atticus held the hunting knife out and ready¡°Such mighty warriors, Beating and raping a woman while outnumbering her¡­¡±As the man spun around Atticus swung with all his might, the blade slashing across the man''s throat causing a massive spray of raw arterial blood to coat his chest and face.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Mortal blow! 150 damage has been dealt with WingKing. </td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> You have killed another player!, You have gained 50 infamy. Infamy will make guards on edge around you and give you a more sinister appearance. </td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> You have committed the first murder of Rebirth Online! As a reward, you have gained a permanent increase of 100 Infamy, As well as a permanent ten point increase to your Strength, Endurance, And Charisma. In addition to the title Father of Murder</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> You have earned the unique skill Bloodlust! </td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> Level Up! You have earned 5 spendable skill points! You are now Level 2!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    As Atticus swiped his hand and closed the windows he grew annoyed that they kept popping up, breaking his immersion until he saw a small window on his hud in the corner asking if he would like to shut off notifications.


    He happily hit accept and closed the last screen to reveal the other man had stood up and turned around, having drawn his own knife. As the man lunged at Atticus from an overextended position he smiled.


    Atticus batted the blade aside and stepped in, his body pressing hard against the other man''s and knocking him to the dirt, Atticus stepped on his wrist to keep him from wielding the knife and attacking more, dropping down and slamming his knee into the man''s chest as he took his own knife and plunged it slowly into his opponents chest as he looked him in the eyes.


    The look of pure terror in the man''s eyes as he saw Atticus'' cruel and joy filled eyes only made it more satisfying as the blade finally reached the heart, killing him slowly.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Mortal blow! 150 damage has been dealt with DeezNutz. </td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> You have killed another player!, You have gained 50 infamy. </td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus then looted the two bodies and gained two more pouches which he equipped instantly, In addition to two more hunting knives, kilts, belts though these had only a simple iron buckle, twenty bread, and twenty waterskins.


    He tossed one of the belts and one of the kilts to the woman and began walking away.¡±Here, use this as a top and go back to town, You should be more aware of your surroundings...¡±


    And without saying anything else he went to turn around only for her to grab his wrist tightly."W..What''s your name? Mine is Sasha Cinderbloom"


    He stopped as she grabbed him, swallowing a bit as he tried not to ogle her body as he looked back and down at her."My name is Atticus Shadowsgrove."As he said this he got a message.


    <table><tbody><tr><td> Sasha Cinderbloom would like to add you as a friend. Would you like to accept Yes/No?</td></tr></tbody></table>


    "Will you let me add you as a friend? I would like to repay you for this sometime..." She smiled softly as she covered herself now with the kilt.


    Atticus nodded."Alright, I don''t mind, But for now, you should go back to town and rest up, I have a job to do."


    Hearing this Sasha gave a small pout that made Atticus swallow and feel no small amount of swelling in his groin."Alright then maybe we can talk later?"


    Atticus nodded and smiled a bit happily."Sure thing..." He then took off running again towards the Northeast. As he ran he decided to look over his skills for a moment to see what they did.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill Name:</td><td width="25%">Skill Rank:</td><td width="25%">Skill Level:</td><td width="25%">Skill Experience:</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Bloodlust</td><td width="25%">Beginner</td><td width="25%">1</td><td width="25%">50%</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Through the act of murdering another human in cold blood (As decided by the other player not attacking you first) you have become able to direct your bloodlust at all enemies around you, Inflicting them with fear if they of a lower level. Higher level enemies may be affected should you deal a steady stream of damage while taking none yourself or you have more infamy than they have levels. The ratio is 100 infamy to 1 enemy level, In addition, you can feel when hostility is directed towards yourself and from who it originated.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You can now detect all beings with hostile intentions within 20 yards.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    After another few minutes, Atticus slowed his run to a walk and he began eating a piece of bread and drinking some ice cold water as he walked, having to regain his wellness and stamina. It was while he was taking a break from running that he noticed a clearing. In the middle of it was a man who seemed to be in his early thirties and was wielding a pair of hand axes while fighting off a pack of five wolves. As he saw this he got an alert.


    Atticus sighed and drew his hunting knife and began to charge the wolves. When he got close he let out a roar and smiled as he noticed three of the five wolves flinching, He then tackled one of the fear affected wolves and rammed the blade into the wolf''s throat, splitting it wide open.


    Atticus then spun around as his Bloodlust pulled his attention behind him to where one of the wolves he had not affected with fear was pouncing on him, He raised his blade and stabbed the wolf in the heart as it fell upon him.


    He heaved the beast off of him and charged once more to the wolves and came up to the ones who were still affected by fear and slammed one''s head into a sharp rock, shattering the skull as he brought his blade down one into the other wolf''s skull.


    Atticus pulled his blade from the wolves skulls and stood up to be greeted with the sight of the older man panting hard and covered in blood but standing over the last wolf. ¡°Are you Elena''s father?¡±


    The man nodded as he collapsed on the ground.¡±A...Aye that be me, Lucian Frost¡­ How do you now little Ellen?¡±


    Atticus crouched down and held out one of his water skins and a loaf of bread which the man eagerly took and began eating greedily.¡±Elena asked me to come find you when I was in town, apparently all the rest were afraid of the wolves.¡±


    As Atticus looked around at the wolves he decided that while Lucian rested he would begin skinning them, having learned from his grandfather when he was younger. Upon making the initial cuts and beginning the processes he noticed a small icon in the corner of his eye, he figured it may be important and opened it.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Your previous knowledge has been converted into a skill!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>You have gained the work skill of Skinning!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus closed the windows as Lucian caught his breath.¡±Many other men in the village and YOU were the one who decided to brave the forest?¡± His surprise was clear as he thought Atticus would have been scared of the woods without a bow and arrow, But instead, he wields a hunting knife like a seasoned raider would a sword and does not flinch at the sight of blood, He even knows how to dress the kill which was another surprise since most of the young now would rather drag their kill to the butcher in town.


    Atticus laughed.¡±Would you rather I let you get eaten by wolves while I bulked up a bit? My name is Atticus by the way, Atticus Shadowsgrove.¡± As he began cutting the meat from the bone he gained another skill


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Your previous knowledge has been converted into a skill!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>You have gained the work skill of Butcher!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Lucian laughed and shook his head.¡±No lad I am most thankful for your timely rescue, another minute and the valkyries would have come and taken me to Valhalla to join the Einherjar¡­¡±


    Atticus nodded as he began dressing the other wolves, soon having four full black wolf pelts, One intact wolf skull, Four sets of paws and four sets of fangs, figuring he could use them for gear later. He had also managed to gain a few dozen thick slices of wolf meat that he would cook soon. ¡°We should return to the village for the night Lucian, your wife and daughter need you more than I do, I''ll escort you home and return to deal with the den of wolves...¡±


    Atticus stood up and pulled the man to his feet and began taking him towards the village, taking his time as he noticed Lucian had an injury to his right leg, likely a sprain which is why he was unable to return. not to mention the many new wounds from the attack.


    Lucian panted and grunted all the way to the village, in serious pain but he would live.


    ¡°Thank you Atticus, It may not mean much but you saved not only my life but that of my families...¡±


    Atticus nodded as he knew if he had died then his wife would have been forced to find another to provide for her, And women who are not virgins when wed were never treated well by their second husbands, let alone their children from the first husband.


    ¡°Don''t thank me, Lucian, Thank your daughter, She spent no telling how many hours begging everyone who would listen to save her father, no matter how many denied her request she continued to beg..¡±


    The two fell into silence as they finished the walk to the village shortly before the sun had fully set. He then let go of Lucian and let him hobble before they left the tree line to help protect his dignity, As soon as they entered the village and arrived at his home the door flew open and a crying Elena leapt at her father, holding him with more strength than one would expect a ten-year-old to have.


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Atticus smiled softly at the sight and soon Lucian went inside and grabbed a box before bringing it back out to Atticus.¡±It may not be much but this is my favorite ax may it serve you well..¡±


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Quest completed!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>You have gained a Steel Battleaxe</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Lucian then smiled as he looked at Atticus."And if you are successful in clearing the wolf den I am sure the Jarl of the village will reward you greatly.."


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>You Have Received A Quest</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Furry Threat</td><td width="25%">Difficulty</td><td width="25%">B</td><td width="25%">Warning! Must Be Completed Alone</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You have been asked by Lucian, a seasoned hunter to finish what he started and clear out the wolf den to the  northeast of town, To prevent the wolves from detecting you you must go alone.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Reward</td><td width="25%">A Rare Quality Weapon, 5000 EXP, And a Hidden Combat Class Book.</td><td width="25%">Do you wish to accept?</td><td width="25%">YES/NO</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus took the box and nodded as he did.¡±I will most certainly keep my word and clear the den, Now go and rest, I have work to do¡­¡±Atticus then spun on his heels and began walking to the inn only to stop and look back to Lucian."Actually, do you have some coin I can borrow until the morning? I want to sell some of the meat I got from the wolves but the store is closed.."


    Lucian laughed a bit and took a gold coin that was stamped with a large leafless tree on one side and a crow on the other and threw it to him."Just keep it, my friend, it''s hardly a problem..."


    Atticus caught it and was shocked as he saw it was gold and had expected coppers."Thank you, Lucian, Hey does you, think it will be fine to wait to clear the den for a few days? I would like to craft some armor before I go to the den."


    Lucian grinned as if knowing a secret and nodded."Aye it will be fine for a few days just don''t wait too long, I cleared up to the den before I had to run, having been attacked by ten of the beasts at once so if you take more than five days then they will be over running the forest again."


    Atticus nodded and took off running to the Inn, Once there he was greeted by the sights one would expect of an Inn, People tired from work but with still enough energy to laugh and play games as they ate and drank, It was on his way to the bar to speak to the Innkeeper that he was tackled from behind, He had to take a step forward to catch himself as he looked back to see a familiar face, Sasha Cinderbloom.


    Though he didn''t have time to take in her face before as he was in a hurry he took a moment to appreciate the almost heavenly pure face framed with bright red hair, pale skin like a dolls that had many small freckles that only added to her beauty, Her eyes were a deep almost emerald green.


    "I was wondering when I would find you!" The young woman was clearly already drunk, no doubt having made some money on her way back into town through some means


    Atticus smiled a bit as he turned around to face her properly, noticing she had a new leather top rather than the kilt he had given her which she was now wearing instead of the cloth one she had before."Sorry, I didn''t recognize you with proper clothes on.."


    As he said this she blushed fiercely and punched him roughly in the stomach."You''re such a perv!"


    Atticus coughed for a second and had to take in some air, Seeing this Sasha was confused."What are you doing that for, it''s not like you can feel it."


    Atticus stood up straight and rubbed his stomach lightly."Bullshit I felt it fine enough, What did you turn pain off?"


    As he said this Sasha''s eyes widened a bit."Yes, I turned pain off! What are you a masochist or something?"


    Atticus laughed and sat down at a nearby table."No, I''m not I just want to feel everything this world has to offer, Besides if you don''t have pain how will you know you have been hurt? What if someone were to stab you in the back? You could be hurt and not even notice if you switch off the messages."


    Sasha still had some surprise in her face."But if you die in the game you can black out for hours from the pain in the real world!"


    Atticus smiled bitterly."That just means it will be that many hours less I would have to spend without being able to walk.."


    Seeing her confusion he began to explain to her about his fragile bones and how he had been paralyzed three years ago, She looked sad for a moment."Atticus I''m so.."


    But before she could finish he held up a hand and shook his head."I don''t want your apologies, I took no harm from it, I just plan on spending as much time as possible inside of the game."He smiled happily as he leaned back into his chair."So how was your day since I saved you?"


    Happy for the change of topic Sasha smiled happily."I got to level 3 as I spent the day hunting rabbits, I got back to the village a few hours before sundown so I sold the meat to the general store, he''s in need of meat so he is paying one gold per piece for rabbit meat, two for wolf meat, and four for bear meat. After that, I went to the leatherworker and bought new top and gloves, And a pair of larger daggers from the blacksmith, What about you?"


    Atticus shrugged."I fought a few wolves to save the little girls father and he gave me a whole gold coin and a steel battleax."He thought that was a good haul until he saw Sasha laughing."What?"


    She grinned as she looked at him."You know that there is only gold coins in this game right? no copper or silver, just gold.."


    Atticus deflated a bit."That cheap bastard..." This sent Sasha into another laugh, They then spent the next few hours talking about random things like how combat worked, the stats, and even began talking about the real world. Come to find out Sasha knew the two girls he had been friends with and was in a few of their classes in college, Through her he learned that the older sister Lily had taken art as her major while the younger sister Alice took graphic design with Sasha herself being a graphic design major as well.


    It was not long before she found out his name was Adam as she told him that the two talked about him often and mentioned they couldn''t wait to see him as they had only talked to each other through Teamspeak when playing games together. She also told him that they were also in the game though they chose to be elves which made him laugh a bit as they always played elves, even when they were LARPing.


    After awhile of talking and drinking Sasha passed out which made Atticus shake his head, He picked her up and carried her to the bar where he paid for a room and asked which room Sasha rented. He then took her to her room and laid her on the bed and covered her up, locking her door and sliding the key back inside of it before he went next door to his own room.


    He checked his inventory and saw he had 40 wolf meat, 4 full wolf pelts, 1 leather belts, 1 leather kilt, 2 hunting knives, 1 steel battleax, 23 bread, 23 waterskins. He checked his new battle ax as he went to light the fire in the hearth.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Steel Battleaxe</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Damage</td><td width="25%">30-45</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">150 /150</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Quality:</td><td width="25%">Common</td><td width="25%">Attack:</td><td width="25%">30-45</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A well built and reliable steel axe, it is made with a steel head and a polished oak handle, It is strong enough that it could easily be used to cut down trees and enemies alike..</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus smiled a bit and happily replacing his hunting knife in favor of the new weapon due to the higher damage and utility, though the blade would keep a place on his belt to let him keep skinning beasts. He began cooking ten pieces of wolf meat, hanging some to be dried by the fire while the rest was cooked on the small grate in the hearth. keeping 30 pieces to sell in the morning.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Your previous knowledge has been converted into a skill!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>You have gained the work skill Cooking!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    He then decided to spend his status points before he proceeded to pack everything into his bags and fall asleep for the night. Planning on getting some armor made with his new wolf leather.


    Atticus woke up after a few hours and yawned, going down to the village center where the well was and got a bucket of cold water, he stripped his boots and kilt off and left himself bare in the village center, smiling a bit as he saw the looks from the other users, able to identify them by the looks of shock and horror on their faces as they saw him bathing in public, the NPCs took it as the usual start to the morning though his was a bit of a later start as it was now eight o''clock in the morning.


    Atticus kept scrubbing his body using a scrap of rough leather, taking a bit of joy out of the fact that his body now looked much like he had always wanted, weighing close to two hundred and fifty pounds, he had the beginnings of a six pack and every muscle on his body had clear defined lines.


    He then realized he had not shaved in almost two years, which had hidden his face for the most part. He took out his hunting knife and began slowly shaving his face, taking his time as the knife was many times the size of the straight razor he used in the real world. after a few tense minutes, his face was clean shaven and his groin was trimmed down, He was not an ugly man but he was not a pretty boy either, he had a modest face with a rugged jawline which now suited his body.


    He then rinsed his body off one last time before he pulled his long dark brown hair back into a low ponytail, tying it with a small piece of the leather and then cut off the majority of it, leaving only six inches past where he had tied it, he then pulled his kilt and boots back on, swept up the majority of his hair and went to the forest line where he would dispose of it before he went to the general store.


    As he turned around he came face to face with Sasha who was blushing deeply. He grinned a bit."Good morning, Sasha, You should have let me know you were there."


    Sasha punched him again though more playfully now."What the hell was that! bathing in public what are you an exhibitionist?"


    He laughed a bit."That''s how things were done back in the day when this game was based, I bet if you got up early the square would be filled with naked men, the women would wait until the men were out working before bathing themselves."


    She shook her head in disbelief as she followed him as he disposed of the hair."I must say the girls never told me you looked like this..."


    Atticus sighed."It''s just the Strength and Endurance, in the real world I''m only 150 pounds and look like a twig." He began walking  to the general store, Once there he sold the 30 wolf meat he had not cooked the night before, and two of his hunting knives and the leather kilt, This earned him 60 gold for the wolf meat, 4 gold for the kilt and another 6 gold for the hunting knives as the store owner had indeed been running low on meats as Sasha said which earned him 70 gold all said and done.


    Sasha sighed and muttered under her breath."I meant your face not your body..."


    As he had some money he decided to look into some crafting supplies. He looked around and found a small kit for the Leatherworking Work Skill, It included the skill book and all the necessary tools to make leather items at the cost of 30 gold and he could buy a small bag of ten buckles for 2 gold, and a ball of thick black string for another 2 gold,  and six pounds of wax for hardening the leather for 4 gold, and a small bag of steel rivets for 2 gold. So he decided to buy all of this in order to begin crafting something to help hold his ax leaving him with 30  gold after he bought the supplies.


    Once he was done at the store he paid the innkeeper 10 gold up front to pay for the next ten nights in advance, With this


    done Atticus returned to his room with Sasha in tow and activated the Leatherworking skill book.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>You have learned the Work Skill Leatherworking!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill Name:</td><td width="25%">Skill Rank:</td><td width="25%">Skill Level:</td><td width="25%">Skill Experience:</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Leatherworking</td><td width="25%">Beginner</td><td width="25%">1</td><td width="25%">0%</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You have studied the art of Leatherworking and can now craft leather items such as armor, clothes, and even bags.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Using higher quality materials will increase the amount of EXP earned but will yield lower quality products.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    With this done Atticus took out his leatherworking tools and the cleaned wolf pelts and set up the small frame that came with the kit and strung up his first pelt and began shaving the fur from it to leave the bare leather, He took his time and followed the movements that the skill had directed him, As he was afraid of damaging the leather he took his time which leads to him spending the entire day preparing three of the pelts, leaving the fourth alone as he planned to use it as a cloak.


    After a few hours, he told Sasha to go out and hunt and level up, and to bring him any animals she got and he would skin and butcher them for her in return for the leathers and furs and make her some armor with what she brought him


    Atticus then began making a pair of pauldrons out of the leather, he remembered a pair he made for when he was larping and smiled a bit and decided to make another pair just like them, before having had pre-treated leather he only had to shape and harden this was much harder.


    It was a simple affair really, the leather formed tightly to his body and was truly only there to help stop a slashing or piercing attack, with some wool on the inside he could have it better able to defend him from a blunt attack by absorbing the blow but for now, this would be enough. He then began working on an array of leather rectangles which when hardened would become as hard enough to stop an ax for a time.


    The rectangles were made to become plates which would wrap around his arm, elbow, and down his forearm. But there was a trick to them, he made them so that when he was not in combat then he could slide the segments up and into the pauldrons to keep them from unnecessary wear and tear. He then began to knock holes into the leather pieces where he would later band the rivets into to hold them all together.


    After a day  he had all of the parts cut and ready to be hardened,But he decided to turn in for the night and finish up in the morning. When he woke up he set the pot that came with his kit over the fire and set the wax inside of it to let it begin melting, then took a few minutes and ate some of his smoked wolf meat and bread to make a small sandwich and drank some water, He had some time before the wax was ready so he went and took a bath early, still no other users were bathing in town, all of them running out into the woods and bathing in the river.


    But he didn''t mind bathing in town as he no longer had a body to be embarrassed about.  When he was done he went back to his room and sent Sasha a message to see how she was doing out in the woods, having sent her to kill wolves near the den to keep them back awhile longer. He smiled as she said that she had killed three so far and was on her way back now with them in tow, having found that when they die animals become much lighter.


    He  noticed the wax was all melted he moved over to the pot and began the process of hardening the leather by basically boiling it inside of the wax when this is done wax floods the pores of the leather and serves to solidify it. When he noticed the bubbles slowly coming to a stop he would take each piece out, as if all of the pores were filled the leather could become brittle.


    After another hour he had all of the pieces hardened and began putting them together using soft leather strips and the rivets, When he was finally done he had a set of two pauldrons with extended leather plate segments, it had cross straps that went across his back and chest, In the center of the back straps he made a small leather tube that was as long as the belts were wide and made it wide enough to fit the haft of his axe.


    He also had hardened the full wolf pelt though to a lesser extent to leave it mostly flexible and sewn straps into it to let him attach it to the pauldrons to protect his back, to hide the straps the paws he had left attached to the pelt draped over his shoulders almost like he was carrying the wolf on his back, With the spare leather he made a pair of hardened leather gauntlets which had a cuff just wide enough for the end of his segmented sleeves to slide into before he tightened it down to keep it in place.


    Sasha had walked into the room at the end of the process and was amazed by what he had made, He gave her one of his wolf meat sandwiches and took a break from leatherworking and skinned and butchered her wolves and three small rabbits she caught on the way back, He spent two hours skinning and cleaning the bodies of the animals before he handed her the meat to sell while he went out in the woods to bury the animal''s bones, keeping the fangs and claws from the wolves.


    When he came back he went into his room and began working on his armor again,As he walked into the room he went to the armor and grabbed a different piece of rough leather than what he bathed with and began scrubbing the armor pieces to get the excess wax off of the armor which made them shine and gave the cloak the appearance of being plain fur, after that he went to the leatherworking kit and found a set of small iron letters which when heated were used to brand one''s signature into the armor pieces. He put the letters A.S. into the holder and put it into the fire to heat up before branding the pieces. When each piece was branded he decided to inspect the items.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Black Wolf Leather Pauldrons.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Shoulders</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">150/150</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Quality:</td><td width="25%">Uncommon</td><td width="25%">Resiliance:</td><td width="25%">20</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A unique design first used by the novice craftsman Atticus Shadowsgrove, incorporating full arm, wrist and shoulder protection in a form fitted, lightweight array while offering the added ability to sheath a weapon and attach a cloak without the need for a clasp, Also has room for six pouches.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>+ 5 Endurance.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>When the sleeves are pulled down gain +5 Strength and Resiliance.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> You have created a unique armor design, You have gained 50 fame. You can sell the design to smiths and leatherworkers for a high price due to the originality.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus closed the message as he planned on keeping the design to himself until he found a smith or leatherworker with enough money to pay him more than a few gold coins like the smith and leatherworker in this small village would be able to afford, he then checked on the cloak and gloves


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Black Wolf Leather Gloves.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Gloves</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">50/50</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Quality:</td><td width="25%">Common</td><td width="25%">Resiliance:</td><td width="25%">5</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A simple pair of gloves made by the novice craftsman Atticus Shadowsgrove</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Black Wolf Fur Cloak.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Shoulders</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">30/30</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Quality:</td><td width="25%">Common</td><td width="25%">Resiliance:</td><td width="25%">15</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A simple wolf fur cloak made by the novice craftsman Atticus Shadowsgrove</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>+2% to Frost resistance.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Conceals weapons worn on your back.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus was pleased with himself as he pulled the armor on and tightened it all, he moved his arms around with the segments fully extended to get used to the feeling, he then put the cloak on and slid his ax into the small sheath on his back under the cloak. When Sasha came back from the general store with her gold coins she was amazed to see what Atticus'' finished armor looked like and asked him for a matching set.


    Atticus agreed but he would work on it in the morning, They then went down into the tavern and began drinking and having fun with the townsfolk, both of them having a good time as the smith and leatherworker all but begged Atticus to sell them the design for his armor when he showed it was more than just a pair of pauldrons but refused as he claimed it was a family secret.


    After a while, they turned in for the night and in the morning he set to cleaning up the fur for Sasha''s armor as she went out hunting again. She told him she had reached level 4 yesterday and he felt a little depressed that he couldn''t level up himself but he was more than fine with boosting his leatherworking skill.


    It was late in the afternoon when Sasha got back and she was carrying four wolves today. Having just finished cleaning the pelts from the day before he began skinning and butchering again. He told her not to hunt tomorrow as he needed to measure her for her armor and for her to go to the leatherworker and buy a color dye she wanted her armor to be as he didn''t know if she wanted the same dark black armor as himself.


    He sent her off to sell the meat as he went to clean these pelts, leaving one of them with the fur on to make a cloak but the other three were cut into the same leather as the rest.


    Tonight he didn''t go drinking and passed out early, When he woke up it was the fourth day and he had today to finish Sasha''s armor and he had to be on his way to the den that night to let him spend all of the fifth day fighting in the den. He took a bath and banged on Sasha''s door until she got out of bed and stumbled to the door, wearing a lightweight robe she bought to sleep in. Without waiting for her to greet him he grabbed her arm and dragged her to his room and began measuring her body before he simply pushed her into his own bed where she could sleep for awhile.


    He worked hard all morning to get her armor done, the process was speeded up quite a bit as his Leatherworking skill put his body on autopilot since it was all designs he had already made. Soon after lunch, her armor was finished and he handed it to her, it was the exact same as his own but smaller, and dyed a light brown and instead of Strength she gained Dexterity,  She hugged him happily and gave him 30 gold coins as a small thank you. She then ran off to hunt while she could though she went to the south today as she knew she could not be with him when he entered the den and if he went in there would be no prey for herself.


    As he had a good bit of leather left he decided to make himself a tent, having only used two regular pieces and the fur piece for her armor due to how small she was compared to him, It was very easy to make the tent as he did not have to harden it or shape it too much. He would be able to fashion poles out of wood while out in the field so it was small and light.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Black Leather Tent.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Shelter</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">300/300</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''2''>Quality:</td><td colspan=''2''>Common</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A simple leather tent made by the novice craftsman Atticus Shadowsgrove</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>When inside of the tent gain +100% Resistance to Frost, Wind, And Water.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>When you die you may respawn in the tent rather than the village if it is still intact.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus packed up his tools and left them hidden inside of the room before he went downstairs, paying in advance for five days before he began running to the den.

 Chapter 2 - Trial And Error - Redone

    As he was walking through the forest Atticus realized he had not the faintest idea how to fight with a two handed weapon, As his body was so frail in the real world he only used small one handed items like a short sword and a buckler.As this thought passed through his mind he heard a shout.¡±THERE HE IS!¡±


    Atticus flinched as his Bloodlust ability detected four people nearby who were hostile, He spun around to see not only the two men he killed yesterday but two more men, while the first two were clearly Strength class users the two new men seemed to be Dexterity users judging by the fact that they were carrying two small knives each.


    Atticus¡¯ battleaxe was hidden thanks to his cloak so when he turned it was to be assumed he was unarmed, he knew it had now been over 24 hours since he killed them but he didn''t think they would grind non-stop and come to kill him¡±Oh come on, you pricks deserved to die, now you''re just reinforcing my point of being weak!¡±


    The two flinched remembering the way they died so easily yesterday. But now that they had met up with their friends they had grinded to level three, bought some better weapons from the smith in town, and bought gloves and a leather chest piece. They felt certain that he was still level two as they did not know how much EXP was gained from killing another player and that by his new armor he had sold all of their previous gear and his own knife as they didn''t see it on his belt and their friends had been watching him and knew he had not left town in four days


    ¡°Shut up you little bastard!¡±The one he stabbed in the forehead charged him wildly like a bull, His friends were close behind while at the same time fanning out to try and surround him.


    Atticus sighed and pulled the armor segments down from the pauldrons and tightened the gauntlets around them, The sudden appearance of more armor caused a look of confusion on all of their faces as did the fact that Atticus pulled out a large battleaxe seemingly from nowhere.


    Atticus wished he could have fought a few wolves to get a feel for the weapon but he figured that he may as well take the chances given to him, As the first man got close he let out the loudest shout he could and swung the axe as hard as he could in a downward, diagonal swing. He was met with a gruesome sight and the all too familiar sound of bones breaking. as the ax slammed into the man''s right arm which was holding a steel war axe, shattering the bones in the arm and cutting it deeply enough that it was left dangling by a few pieces of flesh.


    WingKing looked shocked and afraid as he lost all feeling in his arm and could not tell why until he looked, having turned pain off. When he saw his arm hanging by a few strands of flesh he dropped to his knees and began to vomit.


    While this happened the two new members had circled behind Atticus and were charging to attack him while DeezNutz charged him as well, though they saw their friend vomiting and his arm dangling they forced themselves to keep going as they didn''t want to give Atticus the chance to attack again.


    As they got close Atticus let out another shout and swung his axe again, deciding to move towards the Dexterity users as he knew his cloak would be able to take being hit with the large studded mace, but he didn''t want to chance the four sharp blades. But as he swung the first Dexterity user dropped to his knees in a slide and held one of the daggers up, slicing into Atticus¡¯ side.


    He grit his teeth and put, even more, force into his swing as he cleaved the second Dexterity user across his hip, having angled lower to stop him from sliding as well. He then felt a hard thud across his back as the mace connected with him.


    Atticus winced but he jumped forward with the impact to help him get away from them, He then turned around, panting a bit as blood ran down his side. Seeing his pain DeezNutz started laughing.¡±Get a load of this, This idiot left the Pain enabled!¡±


    WhiteShadow started laughing with him but WingKing and BlackLight were clearly not amused as they couldn''t really move, WingKing was now standing and had his axe in his other hand and was running a bit lopsidedly to catch up with his friends while Blacklight couldn''t move anymore.


    Atticus laughed with them.¡±What do you mean? you''re the idiots, I can at least tell when I''m hurt and react properly!¡± He began to charge them as he held his axe closer to the head with one hand, treating it like a war axe with a long handle as he soon got close to DeezNutz who swung his mace down at him. Atticus swung his left arm up to knock the mace to the side as he slammed the axe into his opponent''s neck.


    Atticus then turned right in time to have WhiteShadow stab him in the left shoulder with one of his daggers while the other went into his right side, barely missing his organs as Atticus knee''d WhiteShadow between the legs making him stumble back and turn white as a sheet as he was thankful for the fact of turning pain off just now


    With only 85 health left Atticus grew a bit panicked and  swung his axe at WhiteShadow, chopping off his right leg at the knee below his kilt.


    Atticus then spun with his axe as Bloodlust alerted him to WingKing being behind him, His axe biting into his side which sent him flying to the ground. Panting raggedly he stood up and moved to stand over WhiteShadow before swinging his axe down into his head.


    He then walked over to BlackLight who was desperately trying to crawl away from him. He pressed his foot down in the middle of his shoulders and panted hard.¡±Ill tell you this one time and one time only, You and your three idiot friends had better stay away, Because if you attack me again i will kill you again. But i wont stop there, I will kill you every time i see you, whether we''re in the village or not. Do you understand me?¡± His voice was clear and serious, he applied Bloodlust as he said this to make the man feel more fear.


    ¡°I..ii.I understand!¡± he managed to grunt out as he could hardly breathe from the weight pressing down on him. Atticus nodded.¡±Good, Now i hope you understand but i need you to tell your friends quickly so die!¡± Atticus then swung his axe down and loped off Blacklights head.


    As Blacklight died a familiar banner popped up across his field of vision announcing that he had reached level 4 but he ignored that for now. As he was still bleeding her ripped Blacklights cloth shirt off and cut strips out of it  to bind his wounds.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>You have gained the Work Skill First Aid!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>You have survived a battle with heavy wounds against multiple enemies. +3 Endurance.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill Name:</td><td width="25%">Skill Rank:</td><td width="25%">Skill Level:</td><td width="25%">Skill Experience:</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">First Aid</td><td width="25%">Beginner</td><td width="25%">2</td><td width="25%">0%</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Your quick thinking on the battlefield has allowed you to learn how to apply triage.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You may now use cloth and leather to bind wounds and stop bleeding, doing so increases health regeneration by 10 when out of combat. Higher quality materials will give higher EXP but lower quality</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus sighed in relief as his health began to steadily climb up as he rested, looting the rest of the bodies and while he wanted to put on one of the leather chest pieces he didn''t want to take his cloak and pauldrons off in the field so for now they went in his bag. While he was sore all over and wanted to do nothing more than take a nap he had to forge onward, and so he got up, placed his axe in its holster and began running towards the wolves den.


    As he got closer to the den he noticed something that disturbed him, In the clearing where he found Lucian and killed the wolves there was a lone wolf, While this is nothing to fear in itself, It was the fact that this wolf had steel armor! Some nutjob had made a damn full set of steel plated armor for the wolf.


    Atticus came to a screeching halt and dropped on all fours to watch the wolf, It was chewing on the bones of its dead brethren, This made him come to a frightening revelation. The reason for the wolves increase in numbers and viciousness was because of whoever made the armor that was on the wolf.


    Atticus then looked around and saw no other wolves, To be sure he began sneaking around the area and letting Bloodlust sense if there were any hiding. He was clear for now the only one around was the armored wolf. Atticus then took a deep breath and prepared himself as he checked to make sure his health was topped off. He then drew his axe and charged the armored wolf, Letting out a fierce shout as he did which caused the wolf to flinch as it saw not only the massive man charging it but the fact he was wearing the pelt of another wolf.


    Atticus took advantage of this and swung his axe as hard as he could while aiming for the wolf''s belly with the bottom of the axe, hoping to cut the armor off of it to give him a better attack.


    As he attacked the wolf he saw its level and HP remaining, Not having seen it before as he was too concerned with the fact that he was fighting more than one enemy.


    Atticus growled as the armor didn''t fall off and the wolf shook off its state of fear, It then leapt at Atticus and bit down violently on his forearm and tried to shake its head as it tackled Atticus to the ground. But luckily Atticus had kept his armored sleeves down and it blocked its teeth from penetrating.


    Seeing this Atticus grabbed his battleaxe in a close grip and slammed it into the wolf''s stomach again, widening the original wound and making a loud snap as the wolf¡¯s ribcage cracked.


    As it was struck again the wolf growled and began thrashing its head, clawing Atticus across the chest. The pain was like a white hot fire, spreading through his chest as he could already tell if he didn''t hurry the wolf would get the better of him.


    Atticus kicked up between the wolfs back legs and kicked it square in the jewels which caused it to yelp and fly over his head and slam down on its back. Atticus got up panting as he swung the axe with his full force, Slamming into the wolfs front right shoulder and shattering it though the armor prevented him from cutting the wolfs leg off he had broken the leg.


    As the beast lunged at him again Atticus threw his arm to the side and bashed it hard against the wolfs head. This small blow threw the wolf off and sent it to the ground as Atticus swung his axe one last time, slamming down as hard as he could on the wolfs spine and shattering it.


    <table><tbody><tr><td> You have barely survived a battle with a foe a level higher than yourself +2 Endurance.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus let the wolf fall to the ground he hurried to apply another set of improvised bandages before he bled out. He stopped the bleeding with only 20 hp left. Breathing a sigh of relief as his Hp began to rise he began removing the armor from the wolf, noticing that the armor was held on with only two straps which was why he couldn''t cut it off easily. As he removed the armor he noticed runes etched in the inside of the armor. As he did he got a message.


    <table><tbody><tr><td> Quest Update: While on your way to the wolf den you find an Armored Battle Wolf, Upon inspecting its armor you have found runes etched into the armor. Return to the village and ask the Village Chief about the armor and its runes.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus sighed a bit and skinned and butchered the wolf before he began running back to the village, He arrived just a few hours before sunset and went to the grand hall in the south portion of the village. While he passed Sasha he held up a hand as a sign to wait for a bit as he was still working with his quest and didn''t want to risk failing after all this work.


    When he opened the door he was greeted with the sight of a familiar man sitting on the throne with a young girl in his lap who was smiling happily when she saw him.¡±Uncle Atticus!¡± Little Elena jumped from her father''s lap and charged at him and leapt up into his arms and hugging his neck, kissing his cheek as she kept smiling.


    Atticus was confused which was clear to Lucian who was grinning from ear to ear. seeing Atticus covered in black improvised bandages¡±Back from the den so soon warrior?¡±


    Atticus sighed and held Elena as he walked to Lucain, pulling the battered wolf armor from his bag and throwing it on the floor in front of him."Yeah, you didn''t tell me the wolves had armor!, Bloody mutt nearly killed me. And who the hell in their right mind would give wolves armor!"


    Lucian started laughing more at Atticus little outburst."Sorry sorry, I thought it would be more fun for you to find out for yourself. But all joking asside the madman in question is the holds former Enchanter, Floki. When I refused to allow him to experiment with the beasts he ran out to the woods to do his own experimenting and this is the result, He puts them to sleep with magic and puts this armor on them, it has been etched with runes of obediance, like the ones used on the slave collars we use on our warships."


    Atticus rubbed his left temple in annoyance." Isn''t this a little ironic, The man named after the god of lies and mischief and father of Fenrir is out forcing wolves under his control.." Atticus sat on a table as he grabbed a flagon of mead and began drinking, letting Elena sit on his lap as she smiled  and poked his wounds, He winced a bit but ignored her otherwise as his right hand stroked her hair.


    "Aye, but I hope you can see why I left you in the dark on as much as i can, If the people were to figure out that nut is behind this and not out on a trip to the next hold over to get supplies they would fall into madness and i cant risk it." Lucain bowed his head in apology as he then looked up."I sorry for making you keep this secret for this long but can i ask you to hold on a little longer and keep the beasts at bay my friend, Another day and ill be able to join you in battle."


    Atticus shook his head."No apolgies are nessicary friend, But I would appreciate it if you would allow me to bring my friend into this, She may not look like much but she can make quick work of wolves and I would like to have the den cleared by dusk tomorrow. She will not speak to anyone of this and she is already in my debt so she will not need anything in return save what I can give her from the loot in the den."


    Lucian pondered this, clearly worried about this but he nodded."Alright, but can I meet her before anything is said?"Atticus nodded and set little Elena down and smiled."Elena be a dear and go to the door, just outside a lovely auntie should be waiting for me, she will have bright red hair, Tell her that the Chief needs to speak with her.."


    She smiled and nodded before running off and coming back with Sasha in tow, Elena then went and jumped back into Atticus'' lap and hugged him, This made Sasha look shocked which made Elena stick her tongue out at her before burying her face in Atticus'' chest as Lucian caught Sasha up on what has happened and then she got the same quest he did though her reward was simply the title Thane. A position of power which would allow her some influence around the village and even discounts and increased sell prices.


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "Now that Sasha has been caught up I want to ask about this armor on the beasts, How exactly do the runes work?"


    Atticus wanted to know if perhaps there was an alpha wolf that had been taken control of and the other wolves follow its commands while it follows Flokis or if Floki was the only one calling the shots.


    Lucian shook his head sadly."Aye, there is an Alpha. A bitch we have named Lilim." As he heard this name Atticus'' mind flashed back to The Room where he met the beautiful young woman, Surely they were not the same.


    Atticus though caught onto something more surprising."A bitch as the alpha? What happened to the male?" While there was usually an alpha female they were never the ones in charge, it was always in the hands of a Male Alpha.


    Lucian smiled at the question."We all thought the same but Lilim killed the last male alpha and became the sole Alpha, that was one year ago now. But when Floki heard about this he was outraged and it was around this time he began begging to go and experiment on the wolves and see what was so special about this bitch, I guess he had this in mind all along."


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Quest Update!: You and your ally Sasha have learned the cause of the increase in wolf activity and about an odd wolf.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus rubbed his chin, almost as if he was stroking his now shaved beard."I now must know, If  must kill Floki are you going to have any problems with it?" He didn''t want to screw up and ruin the relationship he had made so far by killing someone he didn''t have the ability to detain.


    Lucian shook his head."If he does not listen to your warnings to stand down then you habe permission to use my authority to kill him."Lucian motioned to his wife who went into the back room and came back after a moment and handed Lucian a box."As an apology for lying to you so far and  to reward you propperly for saving my life i name you Thane of Black Rock Hold.." He stood up and walked over to Atticus and took a small gold hoop style earring that had a small black wolf claw dangling from it, The claw had a small rune etched into it.


    He was about to ask what the rune would do and he soon found out as when Lucian got close he grabbed Atticus'' left ear and forced the earring through his ear and clasped it shut. He growled a bit at the sudden pain not from the earring being rammed into his ear that he had felt long ago when his mother wanted to pierce his ear,


    What hurt was the rune on the earring began to glow and soon the earring was burning hot as it wielded itself shut."What the hell was that?"


    Lucian smiled abit."While we dont understand why the Valkyries refuse to take you and the other travllers to Valhalla we have noticed when you show up suddenly in the village you have none of the armor or weapons you did before, So the runes were added to the earring to make it bind itself to you permenantly...I think it will anyway, we won''t actually know until you die."


    Atticus shook his head abit as he heard this but he then recieved a notification


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>You have gained a title!</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You have been named Thane by Lucian, Jarl of Black Rock Hold.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>The guards of the hold will ignore your infamy  and treat you as one of their own, as by extention you are now able to pass judgement on criminals as you see fit with the Jarls authority.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>It also allows a small discount from all stores in the hold and they will also now offer you slightly more coin for your items</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You have earned 100 fame for being named a Thane!</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You have gained +5 Charisma from your title.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You have gained an Earring. Earrings cannot have an armor value and dont quallify as armor and as such are now under the Accessories tab, you may wear as many accessories as you wish though keep in mind that the more items people can see the more of a target you will become.</tr></td><tr><td colspan=''4''>You have gained an item you cannot loose through death!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus decided to look at the item and so he opened the accessories window by muttering its name


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Gold Wolf Claw Earring</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Earring - Accessory</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">Indestructible</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''2''>Quality:</td><td colspan=''2''>Heirloom</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A golden earring with a black wolfs claw, It is the chosen mark of the Black Rock Jarl Lucian Frost.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>It cannot be taken when you die.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus smiled as he realized he had the perfect plan for when those idiots attack him next, He would just imprison them for a few days instead of killing them, After all, there had to be a mine full of prisoners somewhere in the hold. He then stood up and clasped right arm up to his left shoulder."I will do my best not to bring shame to the hold Jarl Lucian.."


    Lucian waved his hand a bit as he began looking over the wolf armor Atticus had brought with him, Shaking his head seeing the massive dents in the right foreleg and the spine."Enough of that friend, I don''t like to stand on formalities with one who is has fought with me, Now back on topic of this armor. What are you a monster? this is no  thick armor but still it''s not easy to deform armor this much with an axe."


    Atticus grinned."The little bastard almost killed me, I didn''t want to  risk taking my time so, I just began wailing on him I broke the leg and spine before he finally died.." He then walked over to the armor, crouching down and looking it over again and now noticed a variation in the runes, seeing there were three in all."Hey, what is the difference between these three runes?"


    He pointed to the three and Lucian pointed them out as he explained."The first rune is to bind the wolves to the will of the owner, usually marked by someone wearing a ring with a matching a rune that looks like this but inverted. The second increases the wolfs fertility which is why there seems to be no end to them. The third is a rune to increase their movement speed, A nasty combination with the increased numbers. And while the males only have three I have a feeling the females have a fourth which will make it so the pregnancy period is sped up dramatically.."


    Atticus shook his head softly as he grabbed his hunting knife and scratched away the fertility rune while leaving the others in place as he put it in his bag again."Such things should not exist, it''s unnatural..."He genuinely felt that way as he thought of the puppy mills in the real world. He then stood up and clasped his arm to his chest."I have decided that I will attack the den immediately.."


    Lucian stood up and grabbed a small box from beside his throne, inside it was eight health potions, four each in a small belt attachment that held the vials for quick use.handing one to each of them"Take these with you, you will need all the help you can get going in there at night." He then turned to Sasha."Now, do you know how to use a bow and arrow?"


    Sashas eyes lit up at this."I do!, I wanted to buy one but your bowyer tried to charge me three hundred gold for a simple oak bow that looked like it would break if I used it." In the real world, Sasha was an avid archer, doing a lot of competitions with her college club and team.


    Seeing her excitement Lucien went into the store room and came back with a simple oak short bow, but it was thick and had curves blades along the recurves so she could use it in close combat should it come to that, He also had a simple cloth quiver with fifty armor piercing bodkin points.."Now then, these should do well with you then, try not to shoot Atticus in the ass as he gets the attention of the wolves. I know terribly well how bad these things hurt when you get shot with one...."He then looked back to his wife who was trying her hardest not to burst out laughing as she was the one who shot him in the ass when they were younger and just starting out as hunter and warrior.


    As Sasha got so very excited  about her new bow and began checking the damage on it and the arrows she actually squealed in delight. Atticus shook his head a bit and began removing his shoulders and cloak, letting them slide off onto the ground as he began to pull on one of the leather chest pieces he got from the four idiots earlier and strapped it on, though it fit fine it felt odd to have it on, so much so that Lucian noticed his discomfort but merely smiled as he had an idea of how to reward his thane if he succeeds in this quest.


    As Atticus worked to pull on the chest piece he checked its stats, As he did Lucian got up and picked up the pauldrons and looked them over, very interested in the design with how it could do so much at once, and how his smith and leather worker never even considered the possibility of making something like this.


    Seeing Lucian''s interest in the pauldrons Atticus sighed inwardly."If you like Lucian I can draw up the design I used and give it to your craftsman to make, though it was a family secret i would like to help the hold in any way I can.."


    Lucian who had been playing with the segmented sleeves looked like a child as he heard this."That would be wonderful my friend, It would allow for us to get away from the clunky sets they make while offering the same protection! I can give you 500 gold coins for the design upon your return, though it''s not much it is double what either of those two old goats put together would pay."


    Atticus felt that it was fair, being over what he was hoping for by two hundred gold."Agreed.." The two clasped hands to seal the deal , Atticus then pulled on his armor before he clasped his hand to his chest again and bowed lightly."If all goes well I will return in the morning with Floki''s head in tow."


    As Atticus took Sasha and began walking to the door Lucian smiled and settled back into his throne, the two of them reminding him of how he and his wife had been so long ago.


    For the next two hours hey ran towards the den, hearing howls coming from the direction of the den as he added her to his party. Atticus pulled out his axe as they ran and Sasha took out her bow and nocked an arrow while holding three more in her off hand. They passed the clearing and as they pushed on they found their first wolves, two of the large armored battle wolves.


    Atticus took a deep breath and let out as loud of a battle cry as he could, Feeling a drain on his mana as he did and noticed the two wolves cowering for a moment. Atticus then slammed into them, bowling them over as he fell ontop of one, slamming his knee into its throat as he swung his battleaxe and slammed it into the side of the others head.


    <table><tbody><tr><td>By using mana with your battle cry you have unlocked an additional ability for Bloodlust, Roar.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    As she saw his fighting style Sasha was taken back, seeing a mighty berserker out of one of the sagas of old, she would never have thought he was capable of this from what he told her about the real world but at the same time she understood, He was unable to move as he wished and was forced to hold back his entire life, But in here he was reborn, He could break every limit from before with a reckless abandon.


    She shook her head and began shooting at the wolves, Focusing on the one he hit with his axe as the other was pinned down for now.


    Atticus was about to shout for her to begin attacking when the first arrow slammed into the wolfs side, His eyes bulging as he saw 75 damage fall off of its health bar leaving it at <155/300>! He knew she was a higher level but what the hell was this!


    But as he thought it over while fending the wolf off with the haft of his axe and waiting for an opening he remembered that Long Bodkin Point Arrows in the real world were made to penetrate armor so that meant it was ignoring its defense and going straight to the flesh.


    But that could not be all, He looked back to is side as the next arrow slammed into the wolves side dealing another 75 damage."What the hell did you spend your points on!" he swung his axe and caught the wolf on the other side than what her arrows were on, not wanting to break them.


    Sasha laughed a bit as she nocked the next arrow and killed the wolf."I spent 15 points in Dexterity, and 5 in Luck!" Atticus shook his head hearing this"What the hell, are you going for a glass cannon build!"He then stood up off of the second wolf and jumped back from it


    <table><tbody><tr><td>A member of your party has killed Armored Black Wolf!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>You have gained 275 EXP. (Sasha has gained 275 EXP)</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus was glad it was a 50/50 split as with the way she does damage his exp would be crap if it was based on his damage. But he swallowed his pride and slammed his axe into the last wolfs side as it leapt at him, bashing it to the side and cracking some of its ribs as his axe hit, As it flew through the air one of Sashas arrows slammed into its eye and killed it


    Sasha grinned as she stood over Atticus as he began skinning and cleaning the wolves of all he could before he stood up and charged on."Sorry, i wanted to be able to beat Lily, she went with an archer set up as well though elves have it easier because her bow only cost 30 gold."


    Atticus sighed and handed Sasha the armors from the wolves and her arrows, having told her his plans of melting the armors down and making weapons and armor from them when he got the blacksmithing skill.."Why is it that I feel like you girls are going to leave me in the dust.."


    He grabbed a thick dead stick and wrapped a few of his extra strips of cloth around it, having run it through the wax he used when making the armor as they ran, knowing he would need some torches, He managed to make four small torches which he inspected.


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Simple Torch</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Tool</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">100/100</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''2''>Quality:</td><td colspan=''2''>common</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A simple torch made from dead lumber and waxed cloth.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Provides light for thirty meters for twenty minutes</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus took his hunting knife and with the back of it began striking the back of the axe to light the first torch. He then sheathed the knife on his belt and took his axe in a close grip and took the torch in his other as the two of them pressed on into the darkness of the den.

 Chapter 3 -Assaulting The Den-* Redone

    With the first of the new torches in his left hand and his battle axe in his right Atticus took the first foot into the den, with him at the front and with Sasha hiding out of the fires light so she could use Sneak Attack he moved cautiously, listening for the click of claws on stone or metal rustling. As they both entered the cave a series of messages crossed their eyes.


    <table><tbody><tr><td> Your party has discovered a Dungeon!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> Your party has gained 50 fame!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> You may sell the information about the dungeon to the Information Brokers Guild after you complete it.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> You have discovered Black Rock Mines: A former mine that ran dry long ago and has since been taken over by a pack of wolves, More recently a mad enchanter had begun experimenting on the wolves using enchanted armor to enslave them and mass produce them.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> The monsters inside of the dungeon have a higher chance of dropping uncommon and above materials for the next 24 real life hours.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> The boss of the dungeon Floki will finish a spell to fully capture and control the mind of Lilim the female Alpha in 24 in game hours. Should this happen Black Rock Hold will be over run with armored battle wolves.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> Failure to clear the dungeon within this time will result in the death of hundreds,This is unacceptable and you will lose any fame you have, gain 1000 Infamy and you will be exiled from the Human Race, causing you to respawn in a random location upon death.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> Good luck adventurers!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Seeing this Atticus dropped his head and sighed, Wishing he had an armor piercing attack to make this speed up but he knew that he could skin the wolves later. So he decided he would focus on clearing the place out until they got to a safe spot.


    He soon came to a point where the path opened up into a large room with three separate paths, It had an opening that let the moon in revealing a small spring. But in the middle of the room was a pack of five armored wolves. Atticus took a deep breath and decided to check his newest skill before he proceeded.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill Name:</td><td width="25%">Skill Rank:</td><td width="25%">Skill Level:</td><td width="25%">Skill Experience:</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Roar</td><td width="25%">Beginner</td><td width="25%">1</td><td width="25%">14%</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You have learned to pour Mana into your battle cry, The result is an amplified sound akin to a bears roar.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>On use you pull the attention of all enemies within 20 meters to you for 30 seconds as they perceive you as a higher threat. Cost 50 Mana</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>When used indoors or inside of cave systems the sound is amplified, Increase range by 20 yards</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>When used in combination with Bloodlust your roar fills the area with an aura of dread, Increases the chance of an enemy being affected by fear by 50%. Cost 50 Mana.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Seeing this Atticus turned back towards Sasha and motioned for her to cover her ears, Waiting a second Atticus threw the torch into the center of the room as he began his charge. He then let out the loudest shout he could as he activated Roar, Pouring 100 mana into it immediately to activate both of its abilities.


    He held his battle axe with both hands close to the base of the haft, like a baseball bat as he decided to try something new. As he swung his axe at the first wolf he poured the last 50 mana he had into it and the result was devastating.


    Throughout the cave, a gruesome series of snaps, yelps, and whimpers resounded as Atticus sent the first wolf flying across the room with its entire right side broken by the axe. As his axe made contact with the wolf he got a series of messages as he saw that the wolves inside the dungeon were on the same level as outside but they now had far more hp as evident of the wolf''s Hp bar that was now above its head.


    <table><tbody><tr><td> Through experimenting with Mana you have discovered how to strengthen your attack resulting in a new combat skill. Overpower.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill Name:</td><td width="25%">Skill Rank:</td><td width="25%">Skill Level:</td><td width="25%">Skill Experience:</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Overpower</td><td width="25%">Beginner</td><td width="25%">1</td><td width="25%">1%</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You have learned to pour Mana into your attacks, The result is an amplified damage that ignores armor . Cost 25 mana</td></tr></tbody></table>


    As he saw the massive damage he wanted to cheer but he had to start swinging his axe to fend off the other four wolves who got very angry with him, Apparently the last wolf was a female and these were all males.


    He was scratched a few times as he beat them back a bit but he kept moving to make it so they hit his armor rather than his flesh. Atticus moved around as much as he could while letting Sasha''s arrows strike out from the darkness, a few times she came as close as scratching his cheek with an arrow and dealing 5 damage to him!


    ¡°More damage, please! Almost dead here!¡± Atticus began running full speed now with three wolves still on him with only a sliver of hp remaining Sasha sent him a message as if she spoke she would reveal her hiding spot.¡±Shut up and sit still you big baby!¡±


    He watched his mana bar the whole time he was running and waited until it was back up enough to use overpower, Atticus then spun around and hit the three wolves with his axe and knocked them aside.¡±GO to hell! two more attacks and I''m screwed!¡±


    Atticus was panting raggedly as he began fighting the now crippled wolves normally now that their speed was reduced, It took almost ten minutes for them to kill the wolves due to Atticus having to run until his health and mana were back up enough that he could risk stopping, Due to the constant moving Sasha''s attacks were not able to strike vitals and as such did much less damage than before.


    When they were done Atticus collapsed on the ground and began draining waterskins to cool off, his body burning hot from the constant movement but he forced himself to sit up. He started a small fire using the torch and some small logs he brought, Putting out the torch for now as he began skinning the wolves after prying the bent and battered armor off of them, saving Sasha''s arrows.


    The worst part was the fact that the damn beasts were only worth 100 EXP each! Atticus almost died ten times and all he got was 500 EXP and the same common leathers and meats as usual. All of the wolf armors were ruined and common quality, he didn''t even get the bonus to endurance as he had the last two times he had a tough fight. Annoyed he decided to take a break and cook some food for the two as he waited for his health and mana to fully restore.


    ¡°Alright, new plan. No more Roars, ill stick to just using Overpower until I can get some more points into Mana!¡±He began eating a hot sandwich made of bread, wolf meat, and some cheese Sasha bought earlier that day


    As he said this Sahsa started laughing a bit.¡±But it was so fun to see you running around like a rodeo clown!¡± After a moment though she calmed down and looked over at him.¡±But tell me Atticus, How is it that you keep unlocking skills so quickly?¡±


    Atticus tilted his head to the side as he thought about it.¡±I just do, Maybe you won''t understand since you don''t have pain turned on but when you are fighting with your body on the line you push past your limits. Both Roar and Overpower were gained when I poured mana into my attacks or skills I already had. I have no doubt if you poured mana into your bow and arrow you could boost the damage by a lot more since you have those nasty little bodkin points..¡±


    Sasha looked at him with a confused gaze.¡±How do you add mana to your attacks?¡± It was then that Atticus remembered that she had no abilities that used Mana.


    ¡°Think of it as focusing solely on the arrow itself, Don''t think of what''s around you as I will have it under control, But as you draw the arrow picture...¡±He stopped for a moment to think of the feeling of Mana rushing from his body and nodded.¡±Ice water running down your arm and wrapping around the arrow!¡±


    He smiled a bit as he then stood up, dusting himself off as he stretched. His wounds and mana were fully healed and restored so he felt as good as new, Wishing that he had some kind of support class with him. He then thought of Lilim, the woman from The starting room, remembering she was wearing an odd looking robe that looked like something a shaman or druid would wear.


    He shook his head at the thought as he doubted he would see the woman again. He took up his axe and torch again as he waited for Sasha to stand up. He then walked over to the entrance they came in from and slammed his axe down on the ground. making a single mark. Planning on doing this with the other passages to mark which ones they had already been down.


    He then went to the far left passage and marked it as well before he began walking down it. As they walked he began hearing whimpers and whines from what sounded like wolves but also humans. He dropped low as he put out the torch, seeing a light up ahead in the next room.


    When he got up to the edge of the room what he saw horrified him. It was indeed humans and wolves he heard, But the horrors inside were beyond what he had expected. Bent over in a circle in the center of the room was a group of five Elven women, Beautiful beings with Ghastly pale skin and long blonde hair like that of honey, Bright green eyes and enchanting faces.


    But their faces were twisted in pain and their hair matted down while they were being mounted and raped not by wolves but by Wolfmen. which is the best he could put it, The wolves had been altered so they were walking on two feet, wearing armored plate and having a long sword on their belts. There were five of them again but these wolves seemed bigger, slower than the ones before.


    Atticus raised his hand to Sasha and gave the command and she wasted not a second as she knocked two arrows and tried what Atticus had said, Pouring mana into the arrows as she released them. The result was horrifying as each arrow slammed through the skull of a wolf and passed through and into another¡¯s head. Killing four in one go.


    As this happened though Atticus did not wait and charged the last beast who was now drawing his sword and charging towards the massive man. The two were of equal size and height.  As the two got close Atticus swung his axe and the beast swung his sword. But Atticus was not aiming for the body this time, but for the hands holding the weapon.


    As he swung his axe he activated Overpower and slammed into the beastman''s leading arm, shattering it through the plate which caused the sword to go flying and result in a horrible discovery. This thing was level six and had had a shocking amount of strength, This he found out as he was soon struck roughly in the stomach. It was not a claw as he had expected but an open palm. This wolf used fucking martial arts!


    Atticus coughed up some blood as the impact shook his body.¡±Damn, this thing hits like a truck!¡±Atticus swung his axe again but now he was planning something. He began to charge the axe with mana as he bull rushed the wolfman, As he did one of those deadly palms went whizzing by his head.


    Scratching his face with the claws as he dodged to the side and spun suddenly, Slamming the axe into the beast''s back which resulted in a satisfying Crunch. The wolfman dropped to the ground with the axe sticking out of his back as Atticus turned to the Elf women, Shaking his head at the sight of them, their bellies swollen with bastard children forced upon them by the wolfmen.


    He took out his hunting knife and cut loose their bonds, As they flinched and whimpered when he got close he could tell they would be scared for awhile. As such he looted the bodies of the wolfmen, staying as far away from the women as he could and letting Sasha tend to them as he kept watch for any surprise attacks.


    Luckily these wolfmen gave them 300 EXP each so it was well worth the trouble if they could repeat the fight again. But Atticus then realized that while he did high damage he was very much vulnerable for a melee style player. But it could not be helped if he focused too much on one stat now it would get far harder later.


    He looked over the Wolfmen armors, seeing that only one had the steel armor and the rest had leather but each had strange new runes on it so he didn''t bother trying to put it on as he wanted to know what the runes did but not to the extent of wearing the armor himself. As he didn''t want to loose bag space so he only took the steel armor and proceed to scout to the room, It was a dead end and was as Sasha learned where the beasts would breed their captives, A twisted breakroom of sorts.


    But hidden in the back of the room next to some destroyed boxes was a small cage, inside it was what looked to be an elf child, she looked to be four foot eleven inches, thin as to be expected but she had brilliant blue eyes compared to the usual green. He stepped back and broke the lock on the cage.


    As he opened the cage the girl crawled out and leapt up and into his arms, clinging to him, trembling with fear at what she had seen. Atticus was going to make her get down but hearing her sobbing he just let her stay, as he walked he removed his cloak and wrapped it around the girl, making a crude dress."It''s ok little one..."


    Atticus looked back over his shoulder.¡±Sasha get them up and let''s take them to the first room where the springs were, we¡¯ll let them bathe and eat while I use the leftover leather to at least make them something to cover up with...¡±


    She nodded and eased the women calmly up from their kneeling positions and she kept them close while letting Atticus go ahead to scout the way. It was clear for now so he began setting up the tent, He would have the five elven women hide in this with Sasha guarding them as he continued ahead.


    They didn''t have time to wait for them to regain their courage, or to take them back to the village as they now only had 20 hours remaining, Not knowing how much of the dungeon was left they couldn''t afford to make the five hour hike back to the village and back.


    And he couldn''t let Sasha take the five women and the child with her alone into the woods at night. The male users alone would likely be unable to hold themselves back, Hell the only reason Atticus could hold back was that he had just seen them being raped and it didn''t seem right to do that to them, even if they were willing he would probably not be able to do it.


    So as Sasha came into the first cavern with the women he had finished setting up the relatively large tent, having room to fit them all if they cuddled up tight. The elf child was playing in the springs, happy to wash the dirt and grime from her body He then walked towards the two paths they had not explored and sat down, starting the crafting on the simple tops and skirts.


    As he finished the last pair and distributed them and the food and water he heard a howl from the far right path, followed by the clicking of claws on stone, He put away his tools and grabbed his Axe and stood in a small notch between the pathways.


    After a few seconds a wolf that was almost ten feet long and four foot high charged out, As he saw its head Attics swung the axe down and hit its spine, activating Overpower at the same time and was met with something horrible. Despite having used all of his strength and Overpower, And that the damn thing had no armor on its back did not break!


    At the same time, he saw the monsters nameplate which sent a shiver down his spine. An ornate golden nameplate that had skulls on either end, etched with the rune he knew to be death


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Level 10 Fenrir <4954/5000></td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>You have engaged the first boss Fenrir, A monstrous wolf created through using dark magics by sacrificing the children of elven women born from twisted beings made from man and wolf.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    As he saw this he knew he could not kill it alone.¡±SASHA!¡± As he screamed out he swung the axe again right in time to catch the massive wolf''s paws and teeth with the haft, feeling the wood cracking and bowing as his own body was forced down, dropping to a knee as he began to sweat.


    He felt something he had only felt once before when he had been paralyzed. Absolute terror, And the fear of death. He had hoped that he would be strong enough with the amazing amount of bonus stats and skills he had gotten but this thing was just overkill!


    He realized as he sat there, holding the beast off that it had to have a fear-inducing ability as he had never felt fear in the game, not even from the five wolves that nearly tore him apart. But as he leaned to the side and the beast slammed down on the ground, cracking the stone below him he ran, Getting away from the wall just as three of the mana filled arrows came flying past him and slamming into the beast''s chest.


    But again they were met with poor results as each arrow had only done 90 damage each, dropping Fenrir to <4664/5000> He panted raggedly, exhausted already from being forced down by the beast but he forced himself to continue, He charged the beast and went to swing his axe noticing it was now looking at Sasha and trying to run towards her


    He swung the ax with both hands but let go with his left, this caused the ax to launch out until his hand hit the pommel, increasing his range while not affecting the speed or power. At the same time, he roared enough that he felt his throat go hoarse,  while not putting Fear on the beast it made it turn back to him just in time to take the massive axe to the left eye.


    Seeing his damage was low despite the attack blinding the beast he felt weak, as weak as he did in the real world. As this thought raced through his mind he felt like he was literally hit by a truck as Fenrir howled in pain and swiped him across the chest with a massive paw, ripping through the leather and down into his flesh as he was flung across the room, slamming into the wall.


    His vision wavered as the leather chest piece fell from his body, his ribs having cracked during the impact. he had never felt this much pain in his life, even when he had fallen down a long flight of stairs.


    But as his health dropped down to 80 he felt something in his body change. He felt a deep hatred towards the beast that had done this to him, that had made him feel so weak, so helpless. Even as it thought him broken and began running at Sasha who had been frantically pelting it with arrows he felt, even more, hatred that it did not even see him as worthy enough to deal a final blow.


    As he stood up he drank a health potion and restored his health to full and let out another roar. Pouring all of his hatred and bloodlust into it until it sounded more like a beast than that of a man. He noticed in the back of his mind all of the women, including Sasha, flinched as he did.


    Fenrir stopped dead in its tracks and spun around and charged Atticus. By the look in its eyes, it felt a hatred as well, Hatred that this, weak being had managed to startle it for a moment. With this the two began to charge at each other at a breakneck speed.


    Atticus had his axe resting on his left shoulder with his left arm in the middle of the haft, his right gripping it low as he planned on using the speed of Fenrir to counter attack it, the force of his axe being sprung off of his arm would help increase the speed.


    As they for close enough Fenrir lunged with its maw wide open, Atticus swung the axe down but had misjudged the beasts speed. Thanks to this error Fenrir''s teeth snapped shut on his left shoulder, biting through the bone and slinging him, ripping the limb off and sending him flying into the center of the room near the fire from earlier.


    Atticus howled in pain, his mind going deeper into its hate fueled state. He downed the second health potion but noticed the bleeding had not stopped, so he grabbed a burning log and shoved it against the bleeding stump, cauterizing the wound.


    [You have hurt yourself with fire!, Bleed status removed. -25 hp]


    Atticus then stood up and grabbed his axe and charged Fenrir once more. This time, he had his axe over his right shoulder and was relying on a single point of brute force. The beast spit out the arm which had the left pauldron still attached to it and charged the man expecting the same result.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    As Atticus charged Sasha shot out three more arrows, These slamming into Fenrir¡¯s side and right eye, blinding it fully at the perfect time. Seeing its health had dropped to <2500/5000>


    Atticus decided to go all out draining his mana, forcing out more than what was needed to use Overpower.


    As the pain from the arrow in its eye became too much Fenrir¡¯s attack missed and Atticus howled as he swung his axe down into its neck. At the same time as he did this, however, his axe exploded, the durability having worn out and was rendered worthless.


    <table><tbody><tr><td>You have killed Fenrir!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>You and your party have prevailed against a foe twice your level, +15 to all stats.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>You have gained 10000 EXP!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Level UP!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Level UP!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Level Up!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Quest Update, You have thrown a wrench into Flokis plans by killing Fenrir! Quest deadline has been extended by 72 hours.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Seeing these windows Atticus¡¯ mind went blank as he dropped to his knees, passing out for awhile. When he next awoke Atticus was greeted with the sight of the adorable elven child straddling him, holding him tight as to keep him warm while he slept. He looked down a bit and noticed his left arm indeed gone and had only a burnt stump in its place


    He used his right arm to tap the elf girl.¡±Would you kindly let me up?¡±


    As he spoke with a hoarse voice the girl pouted but got up off of her saviour and helped him sit up


    As he sat up and looked to see that where the massive wolf had been was a chest, unopened.¡±How long was i out?¡± It was at this time he was tackled by Sasha who began crying. Clearly having been afraid as he had been out for three hours and was barely breathing. A few times they thought he had died. Even though it was a game it felt so real that Sasha had forgotten he would respawn.


    He sighed and checked his quest window and was relieved to see a new time, They now had 89 hours left. He forced himself to his feet and began walking to the chest.¡±I''m surprised you didn''t want to open it up..¡±


    Sasha blushed a bit and looked away. At this point, the little elf who had been on top of him spoke up in a clear bell-like voice.¡±She tried but it would not open.¡±


    He turned and looked at Sasha before he sighed and opened the chest. Inside were a few items but the ones that stood out were a large helmet made of a wolf''s head, A massive black pelt. a large femur bone, A long length of sinew, and a leather shield with a crescent moon on the front. The rest were small health potions, gold coins, and a few large pieces of simple leather. Atticus looked over each item and sighed in relief that his suffering had not been worthless.


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Fenrir''s Gaze</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Helmet</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">100 /100</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Quality:</td><td width="25%">Rare</td><td width="25%">Resiliance:</td><td width="25%">30</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A helmet made from the head of the monstrous wolf Fenrir While not the same as the god of lies son this imitation was a worthy foe.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>When wearing the helmet any ¡°Shout¡± type abilities gain the new effect ¡°Alphas Command." Increasing the parties attack and health based on your own for one minute.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Fenrir''s Hide</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Leather</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">?? / ??</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''2''>Quality:</td><td colspan=''2''>Rare</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>The pelt of a massive beast with a large amount of defense, Can be made into armor by a skilled craftsman</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Fenrir''s Femur</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Bone</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">?? / ??</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''2''>Quality:</td><td colspan=''2''>Rare</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A mighty bone from a massive beast with a large amount of damage, Can be made into a weapon by a skilled craftsman</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Fenrir''s Tendon</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Sinew</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">?? / ??</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''2''>Quality:</td><td colspan=''2''>Rare</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>One of the tendons of a massive beast with a high speed. Can be made into a weapon by a skilled craftsman.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Shield Of The Moon</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Shield</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">100/ 100</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Quality:</td><td width="25%">Rare</td><td width="25%">Defense:</td><td width="25%">50</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A lightweight shield made of hardened leather and wood by the elves in worship to the moon, Emits a soft light in dark areas.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Seeing the items Atticus sighed softly and looted them, telling Sasha what they were and giving her half of the coins and potions, Keeping everything else as he told her he would have Lucien make the craftsman build their weapons. He then took out the long sword he got from the wolfman earlier and sighed seeing its stats.


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Rusty Iron Longsword</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Longsword</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">30 /100</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Quality:</td><td width="25%">Common</td><td width="25%">Attack:</td><td width="25%">10-15</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A simple iron longsword no doubt stolen from an old farmer.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus turned to Sasha as he decided what had to be done next.¡±Sasha the plan has changed. We''re falling back to the village where we will leave the women with Lucian and get our weapons and armor made. With my left arm gone and my axe broken we''re in a tough spot.¡±


    He retrieved his arm and the piece of armor  and was greeted with a message he was glad to see.


    <table><tbody><tr><td> Limbs lost may be reattached so long as they are not destroyed. Surely there is someone in the village who knows recovery magic.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    He sighed as he stuffed it all into his bag before he broke down the tent and threw it in his pack as he began walking towards the village. He hated this, not even five minutes into their hike through the woods and his body was acting completely off, such as him leaning far to the right causing him to turn and sway, stumbling often. Soon enough the elf child moved beside him on his left side and wrapped an arm around him to push against, making him level out though he groaned at this, Mainly because he looked weak. But also from the fact that he was all but useless if they were to get into a fight.


    Sasha voiced a complaint that she wanted to help him but he disregarded the thought as she was the only one with some combat strength left. Luckily though there were no fights to be had this evening. As they hiked Atticus decided to spend the fifteen status points he had earned into Int.


    He would be needing a much larger mana pool if he was to raid the Den properly. The sun was just rising as they entered the village which caused quite a commotion. The massive man they had grown accustomed to returning with only one arm, soaked in his own blood and covered in wounds and with five all but naked elves behind him.


    He stopped by the well and pulled a bucket of the ice cold water out and dumped it over his own head, he then got another to drink from before he pointed to the in and held out a small sack of coins to Sasha.¡±Take them and get them rooms, preferably next to our own. I''m going to go have a chat with the chief about giving me a hand¡­¡±


    He regretted his choice of words as Sasha began laughing so hard that she began crying, He sighed and shoved the pouch into her hand as he walked to the great hall.


    He kicked the door roughly to open it as he was greeted by the sight of a feast, and sitting around the table was not only Lucian and his wife and daughter But also four elves one female and two males, The female was wearing a very regal gown and the three men were in light chainmail armor. ¡°...We must find her majesty at all costs, even if we must raid the mountains ourselves!¡±


    As they saw him the three drew their blades, clearly put on guard by his high infamy. He was able to spot the leader of the group as he was wearing golden chainmail with a chest plate rather than the silver the other two.


    "Throw this swine out before he ruins the taste of the wine!." However, the hold guards merely shrugged at the sight of their thane, knowing not to step out of line on the orders of some prissy little elf. This angered the Elf guard captain and so he and his two fellows moved towards Atticus intent on throwing him out.


    As the three elves got closer to him Atticus growled low in his throat, A guttural sound like a beast''s.¡±You arrogant little whelps should know when to stand down¡± Lucian''s eyes widened as he heard the growl and watched as Atticus held out his arm to a guard near by, now noticing he had only one arm.


    The hold guard shoved his spear into his thane''s hands and watched as the three elves who were the same height as him though much lighter were knocked out of Atticus'' way. His new strength sent the guards flying, slamming them against the table where they had been seated.


    He passed the spear back to the guard before he marched straight up to Lucian, dropping to a knee as he brought his right fist to his heart.¡±Thane Shadowsong reporting from the Den!¡± He took a slight pleasure in the horror on the regal elf woman''s face as she heard his title and saw what he did to the three royal guard.


    The three from before who were all males were humiliated at how easily they were brushed aside and they rushed to attack him. As the marks appeared in his mind he activated Roar and Bloodlust, pouring all of his mana into them¡±Sit your narrow asses down before I put you down again!¡±


    As he yelled out the room became filled with the aura of hatred and dread. He saw all three of them stop in fear, sweat dripping down their faces as he noticed the same on the regal elf woman''s face.


    He then looked to Lucian and his family who were unfazed, Lucian smiled a bit but it was faint, just a slight tug at the corner of his lips.¡±What news do you bring Thane Shadowsong...¡±He did his best not to laugh as he said this, trying to stay serious but seeing the elves put in their place so quickly was just too fun.


    Atticus stood up and pulled out the items he got from Fenrir and slammed them down on the table, along with his own left arm that still had the armor on it.¡±While assaulting the den as requested I made three shocking discoveries. The first is that the enchanter behind this has used dark magics to warp wolves to be able to stand and move like men, Second is that while in the den I found a group of elvish women being raped and impregnated by the wolfmen, the same fertility runes you feared were on the wolf bitches were on the ropes used to bind them, The third is of course the beast I took these remains from. A monstrous thing made by dark magic, using the babies of the elf women and the wolfmen the enchanter warped the beast to make it ten feet long and six feet tall, Its weight alone drove me to my knees, Its blows shattered my bones, and its fangs ripped my arm clear off. I finally killed it after my archer blinded it and I was able to attack its neck...¡±


    As he spoke he noticed the elf woman stand up and was about to speak but he shot her a glare that said clearly to shut up and sit down. He was not in the mood to be interrupted right now.


    ¡°Upon killing the beast my axe shattered and I was left weaponless and with only one arm. I made the decision that with the monstrous beast dead I had gained enough time to return to the village to bring the women to safety and to re-equip myself and go back out within three days..¡±


    He then stood up and looked over the femur, hide, helmet, and tendon on the table.¡±I request you order your craftsman to make me and my archer what they can from what is before you so I may resume my quest..¡±


    As he finished speaking Lucian still looked stunned as he looked at the items before him and replayed the story over and over in his mind. With every time, he sees this young man he is reminded of himself when he was younger and the mighty Berserkers.


    ¡°It will be done for free as payment for the loss of your arm Thane Shadowsong, Now while I know you are no doubt rightfully irritated with them would you so kindly release your anger so that our guests may breathe?¡±


    It was then that Atticus noticed that the four elves had not been breathing for a minute and he nodded, dissipating his aura which resulted in four deep gasps. The first to speak was the regal elf woman who flew from her seat. ¡°I want this beast in chains!¡±


    Atticus stood up and strode over to her at a shocking pace, he then grabbed the front of her dress and pulled roughly on it, causing it to rip a bit while bringing her in close to his own face.¡±I will tell you one more time woman. You will show me the respect I deserve. If not for me the elves I saved would be broken and mindless whores for breeding. And if you test me I will not hesitate to break you..¡±


    She went white as a sheet and at the same time the three red marks appeared again, moving fast now. Atticus then grabbed the massive femur and spun, slamming it into the side of the leading elf which resulted in a ghastly snap which was not from the femur, He had cracked the man''s right arm and ribs, sending him flying into the other two and sending them all to the floor. Upon seeing that they were all level 5 save for the captain who was level 8 he felt odd, Like they were much to weak for Royal Guards. But the thought that this was an event felt likely.


    Atticus looked down at the elf who was writhing in pain.¡±You get up, or try to attack me again and I will kill you....¡± Atticus was about to say more until the door to the hall was pushed open and the small elf from before walked in, now wearing a black cloth robe. ¡°Enough! All of you! You dare to raise your hand to my saviour?¡±


    She walked with an odd authority and he noticed that the looks on the elves faces were more in fear than before when he walked in. It was then that he heard the elf woman behind him whimper.¡±M..Mother!¡±


    Atticus gave a confused look as the small elf woman who looked no older than fifteen walked up beside him, her arm going around his waist as she looked at the regally dressed elf.¡±B..But mother he has disrespected us and assaulted the captain!¡±


    The small elf shook her head.¡±I was watching from the start....¡±She reached up and stroked Atticus¡¯ left ear just above the golden ring he had for being a thane there was a small stud with a tiny emerald that he didn''t even notice before now.¡±And I do believe it was you who showed disrespect first, If not for this man the leading members of the Druids Of The Ironwoods and myself would have been bred like cattle until the end of days. You should have known better than to judge someone by their appearance.¡±


    She then looked down at the guard captain and shook her head even more.¡±And you Remi, I had higher hopes for my own guard captain but to attack a man who clearly has the advantage in strength is foolishness..¡± She then looked to Lucian and gave a curtsy as she smiled softly.¡±Hello, again little Lucian, Eleanor, Always such interesting things happening wherever your to be found it seems. First, a minotaur uprising in the mountains, Now a man no more than a boy in your years has shown me such a battle that I find myself nostalgic for when we raided Helheim¡¯s Gates..¡±


    Lucian and his wife Eleanor stood up and bowed deeply.¡±And a pleasure to see you as well Queen Liliana..¡± they both said in respect as they always did before they hopped over the table and hugged the little elf tightly, grinning wildly as they were reunited with their parties best Druid.


    Atticus walked close to them, seeing the two elves he had not beaten on edge he sighed, too tired to deal with them.¡±I am sorry to interrupt your reunion but is there someone who can reattach my arm?¡±He mainly directed the question to Liliana as he knew that Lucian could not, nor could his wife.


    Liliana looked to be in thought for a moment and smiled, while still in a very cute way it made him worry about what she was planning.¡±I could, but in return, I will need you to do me a favor when I ask it..¡±


    Atticus nodded and all too hastily pulled his arm out of his bag and held it up.¡±Whatever you want.¡± All of those in the room looked at him in surprise at how there was no hesitation in his words.


    Liliana looked up at him as she took his left arm from him.¡±You are certain that you want to agree to something without knowing what it is?¡±


    Atticus dropped to a knee in front of her and smirked.¡±Unless you plan on telling me what it is and giving me a reason to decline then slap my arm back on little elf...¡± He heard small gasps from the four elves but Liliana merely smiled and she then did something odd, she rubbed left upper arm which caused a mark of a large stag''s skull to appear, like a tattoo.


    She then moved over to him and as she pressed the arm into place she nipped his ear and whispered softly so only he could hear.¡±I will have so much fun watching you grow...¡±Before he could respond Atticus blacked out, falling to the ground as the arm was now reattached, The sudden reconnection of the nerves and the feeling of pain lingering from the arms wounds overloaded his senses, But his arm was good as new albeit with a nasty scar from the wolf bite and the new tattoo he would be better than ever.


    Liliana then clapped her hands and the five other women he had saved came in and picked him up, carrying him back to the inn and to his room. Liliana then turned to Lucian and smiled coldly.¡±Lucian, do you plan on having him walk the path you once did?¡±


    Lucian swallowed his saliva and nodded.¡±Yes, I had planned on inducting him into the order should he accept. And I was hoping you would help him when the time comes for him to face the rites...¡±


    Liliana shook her head softly but nodded.¡±I will help him to repay him for saving my life but I want you to know Lucian that it is cruel to force such a burden upon that boy. Especially when you yourself could no longer continue along that path..¡±


    Lucian smiled softly.¡±You should have seen him a week ago Liliana, He has grown much in such a short time, He will take up my mantle and rise even higher than I ever could have dreamed. And he will thrive, despite the darkness he will find the light. His desire for power will be rewarded in the truest sense...¡±


    Liliana sighed as she turned and left the great hall and headed towards the inn.¡±But at what cost Lucian? You lost the right to have children aside from Elena who was born beforehand. But what will this boy lose?¡±


    With that the doors to the hall closed behind her as she went to speak with the other leaders of her faction, deciding to offer this boy her full support to aid him on his rapidly darkening path.

 Chapter 4 -A Fresh Start - Redone

    Atticus woke up a few hours after the event in the great hall, And when he did it was to two things, The first was that his left arm was back and working perfectly fine again.


    The second thing he noticed and the most important to him was the beautiful young elf woman naked and on top of him, cuddling up to him as she napped. He then remembered that despite looking like a young teen girl this elf was a queen.


    He laid there for awhile and savoured the feeling of her tender flesh against his own, But while he was lost in the feeling she had woken up and smiled, moving a bit so his member was nestled between her cheeks. ¡°Enjoying yourself young warrior?¡±


    Atticus turned a bit red but he sat up, making her fall off of him and onto her back, taking in every curve of her body as he stood up, stretching his body as he rotated his left arm, happy that the feeling was normal.


    "Are you sure that this is behaviour befitting a queen?" Atticus had recovered his thoughts and pulled his mind back into character as he turned and looked at the young woman.  Now noticing that she looked older than she had earlier, as though she had aged six years in just a few hours.


    Liliana smiled a bit mischievously as she looked him over."well you did agree to help me unconditionally. And I have decided that you are to become my lover...." She clearly had a reason for her choice but no matter what it was he just could not figure it out.


    Hearing this caused Atticus'' eyes widen noticeably."And just why in the gods names would you want a lowly human warrior such as me for your lover? I have no fortune, no true power nor have I earned any real glory"


    The young elf smiled and stood up and began walking towards him, and with every step she took she grew older, soon appearing to be a beautiful twenty-three year old, her hair growing longer until it was at her knees, her breasts, however, did not grow at all, staying at a low b at best. Her rear, however, did grow quite well. Soon she pressed herself firmly against Atticus, nibbling his ear faintly as her tongue went over the small emerald stud in his ear.


    "Because you remind me of my beloved friend Lucain so much that I want to ensure that you are loved before your path gets any darker as it does with those favoured by Odin... He always shows favour to those like you, eager for power no matter the costs, he himself starved himself and hung from a tree by the neck until the understanding of the runes came to him."


    Atticus knew the tales of old, about how the all father even impaled himself with a spear and forbade the other gods from offering him any aid whatsoever."And just what makes you think I will follow a similar path of sacrifice for power?"


    The young queen merely smiled as she ran her hands along his body, tracing every scar that had been earned over the last week of his new life."Because it is in your nature, the embodiment of desire, desperate to obtain what you have been denied for so long, love, lust, power, strength...."


    Atticus shivered hearing her words, as though this NPC had looked into his memories and knew all there was to know about him. Surely that was not possible? If it was he could only imagine the traumatizing things that could happen to others.


    But before he could ask her how she knew these things about him she grabbed him by his hips before spinning and throwing him back onto the bed and straddling him once more. Clearly she would not be taking no for an answer.


    (Due to current issues with my writing there will be a fade to black, I know not the best cut but ill be returning in time to adjust this part.)


    [align=center]<table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>You have gained a title!</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You have become the lover of the elven Queen Liliana Irongrove and have become the Royal Consort.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>It also allows a large discount from all stores in the castle city of  Alfheim  and they will also now offer you much more coin for your items</td></tr>`<tr><td colspan=''4''>When you enter Alfheim you will be given a small unit of royal guard to follow you and ensure your safety</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You will also be granted access to all wings of the royal palace.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    He then looked back down to Liliana who was looking over his body with her clear emerald eyes with an almost hungry look which shocked Atticus as she had kept him detained for nearly the entire night but he shook his head a bit and pulled on his kilt and grabbed his armor and bags.


    Heading down to the leatherworker''s shop before he said anything else. He put in the work order for the hide of Fenrir to be made into items for him and Sasha, Requesting a pair of shoulders using his own design which he drew a  pattern for as they discussed the rest, He then wanted a new cloak, a belt using his wolf belt buckle, and a pair of pants.


    He then had him make the same for Sasha. He was told it was a close fit and that no mistakes could be made or an item would be lost, Atticus told him to take his time as the materials were one of a kind, he then also applied bloodlust to make the man thoroughly understands that mistakes would not be accepted.


    He then left the sweating leatherworker and went to the smith, He showed him the massive femur and asked him to make him a new battle axe using the bone as a handle, drawing up another pattern as he specified that he wanted the socket portion of the bone to be ground into a spike, with a steel axe blade like he had before.


    Unlike the leatherworker the smith nodded happily and said he could even make some extras with what was left, This made Atticus smile as he then asked for two blades to be cut if possible, drawing the shape of the ones like Sasha had now on her bow.


    Once he agreed he went to the bowyer, telling him he wanted a recurved yew longbow using the blades being made by the smith and the tendon from Fenrir. Unlike the others he had no need to share his design and so as there was nothing in it for him the bowyer began trying to set a steep price of one thousand gold.


    Atticus growled and let his bloodlust fill the entire shop.¡±This is how you treat a thane?¡±


    The bowyer who was only seventeen years old, having inherited the business early from his father held up his hands defensively.¡±B..But sir, this is c..custom made equipment!, Even 1000 gold is a steep discount!¡±


    Atticus slammed his fist down on the counter as he leaned in closer.¡±Don''t bullshit me you insolent whelp, Yew is all throughout the forest, I''m bringing you every other item needed, It will take you all of four hours to properly shape and treat the wood and install the blades and leather wrap it. I''ll give you 500 gold and not a single coin more....¡±


    The boy swallowed as he turned white and soon nodded.¡±Very well sir, 500 gold it is...¡±


    Atticus nodded and turned on his heels and went to check up on the village and to bathe, As he went to the well and stripped to bathe he noticed more people than usual around, noticing other users were staring at him with a wide array of expressions, Most of the younger women had lust in their eyes while the smaller portion of them was shocked at his boldness. He saw jealousy in the eyes of men due to his body''s build but also the addition of very clear claw, bite marks, and hickeys across his body no doubt fueled this.


    All of these things he had seen before, But among them were a few that showed a bit of bloodlust, not enough to trigger his ability he knew the feeling well now. He had an odd feeling about it all but for now, he decided to ignore them, He decided against shaving his face clean of the stubble that had grown and heard a loud gasp and turned to see the woman he had had trouble with earlier along with her guard. He then turned to face her, smiling a bit as he saw her blushing.¡±Hello princess, men...¡±


    Atticus had a clear dislike for them already but he had no small amount of condescension in his voice as he spoke to them, He exuded a small amount of bloodlust to show he was not afraid of them, even naked and armed with only a hunting knife.


    Seeing his confidence and the hate in the guards eyes a lot of the users were confused by this as most had noticed the small group of elves the day before and knew they were an envoy from the elf kingdom to check on trade agreements or so they were told. But seeing the hate the three of the guards showed Atticus in addition to the captains broken arm they were able to draw the conclusion that Atticus did it. But also the look of fear and embarrassment on the princess''s face caused almost all of the users to think he had raped her, causing them to shoot him looks of disgust and hate.


    He sighed and shrugged, walking towards the inn, pushing through the guards without a care until he stood in front of Melody. He then leaned down until he was close to her face.¡±I wonder how long you would last...¡± As he said this her face turned beat red and he grinned as he began walking to the inn again. Having been told that for everything to be completed it would take around six hours.


    So, for now, Atticus began killing time by crafting small things from leather, such as belts,gloves, robes, boots, and a wide array of pouches and vial holders. Making enough for himself and Sasha to completely fill their belts and those on the chest straps of their armor. He also made a pair of large satchels which could be slung over their shoulders.


    Sasha came to visit him when she woke up from her nap, seeing him crafting items she was confused and asked him about the items that they got from Fenrir, which is where he told her about each of the craftsmen, though not the intimidation parts.


    She was excited when she heard about everything he managed to arrange for them from the materials they had. But as she was excited she also realized that they would likely not be able to finish the dungeon with how much damage the monsters did considering that they have no healer.


    As this thought went through her head Liliana walked into the room with a small smile on her face, Seeing Liliana and being around Sasha who still thought of her as a simple, lowly elf so as she saw the little elf who last night had all but kicked Sasha over to be the one to take care of Atticus. ¡°Can we help you with something?¡±


    Atticus smiled and bowed which confused Sasha, But his next sentence made her jaw drop.¡±Greetings Queen Liliana...¡±


    Realizing her blunder Sasha all but fell over as she tried to bow, This however made Liliana laugh silently at the sudden change in attitude from Sasha.¡±And greetings to you Thane Shadowsong. I was wondering if you had plans to continue your journey into the den...¡±


    He noticed the small hint of worry but mainly it was a curiosity in her eyes, He nodded as he stood up straight again.¡±Indeed, I plan on continuing as soon as the craftsman has finished my armor and weapon.¡±


    Liliana smiled softly as she noticed he had no fear, even after being beaten to near death three times that she had seen this man was eager to delve back into the dungeon. Sasha was surprised that he wanted to continue so soon, having expected him to want to log out for a while as she often did after long fights.


    Liliana nodded softly and ran a hand through her long blonde hair.¡±If you are willing I know of a Shamaness who would aid you for the time being, at least until Floki is dead..¡±


    Atticus nodded resolutely as he heard this, wondering if Liliana had met a user who she wanted to have them take with them. But as Atticus followed her he was brought to the Great hall again. As the doors were opened Atticus saw Lucian as usual though his wife and daughter were not there he did see a lovely young woman, close to his own age talking with Lucian, wearing a simple grey robe and holding an oak staff.


    She had long blonde hair the color of straw that went down her back and was cut just above her plump rear, She was a petite woman with curves in all the right places, standing at five feet and two inches she was barely taller than Liliana in her concealed state, as well as a pair of soft grey eyes,


    All in all, she was a lovely young woman, as Atticus walked into the great hall Lucian smiled as he saw his thane.¡±Look at you, As good as new!¡± He then noticed the scar that was on his left shoulder and laughed a little.¡±Well almost new.¡± He placed a hand on the shoulder of the young woman beside him.¡±Atticus I would like to introduce you to my younger sister Rena Frost, She has just come down from the mountains after completing her training to serve the goddess Freyja.¡±


    As he finished the small introduction Rena smiled shyly as she gave a small curtsy.¡±H..Hello Thane Shadowsong...¡±


    Lucian motioned over his little sister and smiled again.¡±Upon hearing of your exploits so far in the Den she has requested to tag along with you to gain experience in her healing abilities And seeing as how you got your arm tore off last night i figured I should allow it. If you''re fine with protecting her that is...¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td> Rena Frost, A young shamaness who has just completed her basic training has offered to become your ally. Do you wish to accept Yes/No?</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus smiled and nodded.¡±I will gladly take her along Lucian.¡±As he finished speaking a message popped up telling him about the allies window, also how charisma would be needed to keep an ally in his service in tough battles. As he read this Atticus decided to take a quick look.¡±Allies Window...¡±


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Character Window</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Name</td><td width="25%">Rena Frost</td><td width="25%">Level</td><td width="25%">5</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Total Experience</td><td width="25%">4800</td><td width="25%">Experience To Next Level</td><td width="25%">2800</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Gender</td><td width="25%">Female</td><td width="25%">Race</td><td width="25%">Human</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''2''>Class</td><td colspan=''2''>Shamaness</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Titles</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>None</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Fame</td><td width="25%">0</td><td width="25%">Infamy</td><td width="25%">0</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Unspent Stat Points:</td><td width="25%">0</td><td width="25%">Spent Stat Points:</td><td width="25%">20</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Statistics</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Health</td><td width="25%">150/150</td><td width="25%">Health Regen</td><td width="25%">2-per second</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Stamina</td><td width="25%">150/150</td><td width="25%">Stamina Regen</td><td width="25%">2-per second</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Mana</td><td width="25%">250/250</td><td width="25%">Mana Regen</td><td width="25%">5 per second</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Wellness</td><td width="25%">100%</td><td width="25%">Critical Chance</td><td width="25%">3%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Attack</td><td width="25%">15-25</td><td width="25%">Resiliance</td><td width="25%">00</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Strength</td><td width="25%">10</td><td width="25%">Intelligence</td><td width="25%">25</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Dexterity</td><td width="25%">10</td><td width="25%">Endurance</td><td width="25%">15</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Charisma</td><td width="25%">10</td><td width="25%">Luck</td><td width="25%">10</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Wisdom</td><td width="25%">25</td><td width="25%">Charm</td><td width="25%">10</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Resistances</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Fire</td><td width="25%">5%</td><td width="25%">Frost</td><td width="25%">5%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Earth</td><td width="25%">5%</td><td width="25%">Poison</td><td width="25%">5%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Light</td><td width="25%">5%</td><td width="25%">Darkness</td><td width="25%">5%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Wind</td><td width="25%">5%</td><td width="25%">Water</td><td width="25%">5%</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Equipment</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Helmet</td><td width="25%">0</td><td width="25%">Shoulders</td><td width="25%">20</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Cloak</td><td width="25%">0</td><td width="25%">Chest</td><td width="25%">10</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Hands</td><td width="25%">0</td><td width="25%">Waist</td><td width="25%">5</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Legs</td><td width="25%">10</td><td width="25%">Feet</td><td width="25%">5</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Main Hand</td><td width="25%">15-25</td><td width="25%">Off Hand</td><td width="25%">15-25</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Combat Skills</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Skill Name:</td><td width="25%">Skill Rank:</td><td width="25%">Skill Level:</td><td width="25%">Skill Experience:</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Heal</td><td width="25%">Beginner</td><td width="25%">5</td><td width="25%">0%</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You have learned to channel your mana into an ally and heal them.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Restore 50 HP. Cost 25 Mana</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>When used on an Undead deal 100% weapon damage as light. Cost 25 Mana.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Skill Name:</td><td width="25%">Skill Rank:</td><td width="25%">Skill Level:</td><td width="25%">Skill Experience:</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Mend</td><td width="25%">Beginner</td><td width="25%">1</td><td width="25%">50%</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You have learned how to mend wounds using your mana.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You may re-attach limbs to allies within 10 minutes of them being cut from the body.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Skill Name:</td><td width="25%">Skill Rank:</td><td width="25%">Skill Level:</td><td width="25%">Skill Experience:</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Blessing of Freyja</td><td width="25%">Beginner</td><td width="25%">5</td><td width="25%">0%</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Through your devoution to the goddess Freyja you may now grant allies her blessing for ten minutes. Cost 100 mana.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Increase all stats by 10%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Skill Name:</td><td width="25%">Skill Rank:</td><td width="25%">Skill Level:</td><td width="25%">Skill Experience:</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Fireball</td><td width="25%">Beginner</td><td width="25%">3</td><td width="25%">0%</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You have learned how to change your mana into pure fire, When cast at an enemy deal 100% weapon damage as fire.Cost 25 mana.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>When cast on an ally you can cauterize wounds. Deal 5% weapon damage as fire to ally. Cost 25 Mana.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You may use your fire to light torches, campfires, and brazires instantly.Cost 5 mana</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You may use your fire as a torch.Cost 10 mana per minute.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Work Skills</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Skill Name:</td><td width="25%">Skill Rank:</td><td width="25%">Skill Level:</td><td width="25%">Skill Experience:</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Navigation</td><td width="25%">Beginner</td><td width="25%">6</td><td width="25%">0%</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You have gained the ability to tell where you have been before, your direction, and if you are inside of a cave or building you know what floor you are on. By saying Map you will bring up a map of your immediate area, World map will show the parts of the world you have uncovered.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Skill Name:</td><td width="25%">Skill Rank:</td><td width="25%">Skill Level:</td><td width="25%">Skill Experience:</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Apothecary</td><td width="25%">Beginner</td><td width="25%">5</td><td width="25%">0%</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You have gained the ability to make potions from common herbs without fail.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You can use higher quality herbs to gain more exp, But the quality of the potion will be lower.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Skill Name:</td><td width="25%">Skill Rank:</td><td width="25%">Skill Level:</td><td width="25%">Skill Experience:</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Herbalism</td><td width="25%">Beginner</td><td width="25%">5</td><td width="25%">0%</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You have gained the ability to gather common quality herbs without fail</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Gathering higher quality herbs than Common will risk ruining them, This will give more exp but the herb will produce lower quality potions.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Seeing her skills Atticus smiled happily, now he could go full force without worrying about anything other than her mana running out. At the same time he noticed up in his party frame Rena had been added as a member and he could see her HP & MP as he did with Sasha.


    ¡°Lucian I will keep her safe at all costs...¡± Atticus clasped his right hand over his heart and nodded resolutely. He then turned to Rena and bowed lightly.¡±It is a pleasure to meet you miss Rena..¡±


    Seeing the large man bowing and speaking so politely to her made Rena blush a bit.¡±The pleasure is mine....¡± She looked him over and smiled, seeing why her brother wanted her to travel with this man now. He had all of the things she was looking for in a husband, Strength, manners, and looks.


    Atticus looked her over and nodded as he took out some of the items he had made earlier A black hooded leather robe and that was close to her size, a belt, gloves, and boots.¡±Here, Rena, these will help to keep you more protected than this simple cloth robe...¡±


    He hoped he didn''t offend her by calling her robe simple but he held out the small stack of items to her which she soon took, smiling softly as she looked them over.¡±Thank you Atticus ill gladly take them.¡± She then ran off to put them on.


    He smiled a bit as she did, though all of them were of common quality he knew they would boost her defense well. He got a message from Sasha who was at the general store buying supplies that she was going to be logging out for a few hours so he told her he would be at the Den while she took a break.


    This lead to her complaining that he should wait so she could get the EXP too but then he made sure to bring up how he was a level behind her and he also told her about the new addition and how he wanted to help her get leveled up as well. With this, she grudgingly agreed and logged off.


    He sighed as he stretched and soon enough Rena came back out wearing all of her new leather gear and smiling happily,  she gave a small twirl as she looked over the armor,¡±Thank you Atticus, it fits really well!¡± She smiled softly as she ran her hands over her curves.


    Atticus swallowed his saliva as he watched her, He soon shook his head a little.¡±I''m glad you like it.¡±  He then noticed the sun was going down and gave a slight bow.¡±For now, I will be going to check in on the status of my equipment.¡±Atticus then left the great hall and decided to go check on the Smith first.


    He walked into the smithy and smiled as he saw the axe he had requested, the bone had been leather wrapped up the handle with black leather, the socket portion had indeed been shaved to make a spike, The steel axe head had been pinned onto the bone and was now razor sharp, the blade itself was sixteen inches long, eight inches wide, and one inch thick.


    The base of the handle was cut short and a new steel butt cap was on it and the portion that had been cut off had been shaped to look like curved blades, while not as sharp as a hunting knife when enough force was added it would cut. Atticus looked over the Ax as the smith handed it to him and smiled at the weight and feel of it.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Grim Chopper</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Battleaxe</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">300/300</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Quality:</td><td width="25%">Rare</td><td width="25%">Damage:</td><td width="25%">60-80</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A massive axe made from the femur bone of a massive wolf, when using the spike on the back your attacks ignore armor.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Requires 25 Strength to wield. If you have 50 strength you may wield the axe with one hand though you will deal 50% less damage.  .</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>+10 Endurance, +10 Strength</td></tr></tbody></table>


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Atticus shivered at the abilities on the axe and took out his shield he had got from Fenrir and held the axe, He did notice that the axe did indeed go down to only 30-40 damage. But with the addition of the shield he could well work with this. He could also throw the shield down if need be.


    But as he thanked the smith he began running to the Leatherworkers and walked inside, telling the leatherworker to add something to his pauldrons, over the leather loop for his axe he wanted a metal hook to hold his shield. Luckily the leatherworker was just about to sew the loop on and the addition of the hook was simple.


    It would be another hour before everything was done hardening so he decided to go to the bowyer, He opened the door and smiled faintly seeing the boy panic. The bow had been finished and all that was left to do was to add in the blades.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Grim Needler</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Battle Bow</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">300/300</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Quality:</td><td width="25%">Rare</td><td width="25%">Damage:</td><td width="25%">70-90</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A massive bow made from the tendon of a massive wolf, and wrapping a yew stave in leather. Made by the Expert craftsman James Featherwood.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Requires 45 Dexterity to wield. When in close combat gain +10 Endurance</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>+10 Dexterity</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus nodded and put the bow on his back, he threw the coins down on the table having gotten half of the payment from Sasha earlier. He then decided to go back to the smith. He opened the door and walked inside and looked around, he didn''t see any kits at the general store for blacksmithing so he thought that perhaps the smith had to personally teach the skill.


    As the smith saw Atticus he smiled.¡±Greetings Thane Shadowsong. You ran off so quickly before but I have a favor to ask of you. When you return to the Den I would appreciate it if you could find my pickaxe, The pick along with all of the tools I use in this shop was passed down to me by my father, and he received it from his father.


    And so on for nearly six generations. When the wolves took over the mine I was trying to find a new vein of coal when i was forced to leave it in my escape. If you return to me with my pick I will teach you the basics of my trade.¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>You Have Received A Quest</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">A Family Tradition.</td><td width="25%">Difficulty</td><td width="25%">E</td><td width="25%">A Party Is Advised</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You have been asked by the village blacksmith to retrieve a family heirloom from the Den.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Reward</td><td width="25%">A Blacksmithing Starter Kit (Blacksmithing and Mining Skill Books, Common Iron Tools, Portable Forge & Anvil), 500 EXP.</td><td width="25%">Do you wish to accept?</td><td width="25%">YES/NO</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus nodded happily.¡±I would be more than happy to help you, my friend, I was just about to ask you if you would be able to mentor me in the trade.¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td> Quest Accepted! </td></tr></tbody></table>


    He took out his map and rolled it out on the desk and pointed to the three pathways he had reached.¡±Could you show me which path I would find your pick in?¡±


    The smith leaned down and took out a charcoal pencil and his own map and filled in Atticus map to show the path Fenrir came from, and at the end of it was a large room that had three small paths branching off of it before circling the path farthest from the entrance. ¡°I was in this pathway here..¡±


    Atticus nodded and rolled up his map.¡±I will be returning to the den when my armor is finished, I expect to return in the morning.¡± The two shook hands before Atticus left the smithy again and headed to the leatherworkers and sat and waited for his armor to be finished.


    When it was all done he gave his iron belt buckle to Erik and was shocked to see that the pauldrons were better than he had expected. While using the same system as his first set, Erik had taken a wolf skull and mounted one on each shoulder over the leather and had been painted with the emblem of Black Rock Hold which was a set of three jagged stones in black paint.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Dark Wolf Leather Belt</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Belt</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">150/150</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Quality:</td><td width="25%">Rare</td><td width="25%">Resiliance:</td><td width="25%">20</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A thick belt made from the hide of a massive wolf,</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>+10 Charisma.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Grim Dark Wolf Leather Pauldrons</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Shoulders</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">250/250</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Quality:</td><td width="25%">Rare</td><td width="25%">Resiliance:</td><td width="25%">35</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A large pair of pauldrons made from the hide a massive wolf and the skulls of two lesser wolves, Made by the Master  Craftsman Erik Blackhand using Atticus Shadowsgrove¡¯s design.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Requires 25 Endurance to wear.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>+10 Endurance</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>When the sleeves are down gain +10 Strength and +15 Resiliance</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>When worn without a chestpiece gain +10 Charisma</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Dark Wolf Leather Cloak</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Cloak</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">100/100</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Quality:</td><td width="25%">Rare</td><td width="25%">Resiliance:</td><td width="25%">25</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A thick cloak made from the hide of a massive wolf.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>When wearing a wolf helm gain +5 Resiliance.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>+5% Frost Resistance.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Dark Wolf Leather Pants</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Pants</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">300/300</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Quality:</td><td width="25%">Rare</td><td width="25%">Resiliance:</td><td width="25%">40</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A thick pair of pants made from the hide of a massive wolf.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Requires 25 Strength to wear.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>+10 Endurance</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus noticed only his armor had wolf skulls on the shoulders but as he was about to ask Erik smiled.¡±Sorry, my friend, the skulls were much too large for the young ladies armor it would have hindered her more than protected. However, I found something that would suit her well¡±  It was then that he held up a pair of large fox skulls.


    Atticus smiled as Erik began putting them on." Indeed, they do suit that lovely vixen quite well. Just big enough to fit over her slender shoulders but not enough to restrict her, A fine choice indeed I am certain she will understand.." After all the choice to change the motif would change the stats to dexterity over strength.


    Atticus nodded and hurried to the inn where he pulled his armor on and took a look at his new stats.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Character Window</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Name</td><td width="25%">Atticus Shadowsgrove</td><td width="25%">Level</td><td width="25%">6</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Total Experience</td><td width="25%">7600</td><td width="25%">Experience To Next Level</td><td width="25%">3600</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Gender</td><td width="25%">Male</td><td width="25%">Race</td><td width="25%">Human</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Titles</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Thane Of Black Rock Hold</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Royal Consort of Ironwood</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Fame</td><td width="25%">150</td><td width="25%">Infamy</td><td width="25%">500</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Unspent Stat Points:</td><td width="25%">0</td><td width="25%">Spent Stat Points:</td><td width="25%">25</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Statistics</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Health</td><td width="25%">650/650</td><td width="25%">Health Regen</td><td width="25%">12-per second</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Stamina</td><td width="25%">650/650</td><td width="25%">Stamina Regen</td><td width="25%">12-per second</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Mana</td><td width="25%">400/400</td><td width="25%">Mana Regen</td><td width="25%">4-per second</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Wellness</td><td width="25%">100%</td><td width="25%">Critical Chance</td><td width="25%">3%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Attack</td><td width="25%">85 - 115</td><td width="25%">Resiliance</td><td width="25%">100</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Strength</td><td width="25%">50</td><td width="25%">Intelligence</td><td width="25%">40</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Dexterity</td><td width="25%">25</td><td width="25%">Endurance</td><td width="25%">65</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Charisma</td><td width="25%">70</td><td width="25%">Luck</td><td width="25%">30</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Wisdom</td><td width="25%">25</td><td width="25%">Charm</td><td width="25%">25</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Resistances</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Fire</td><td width="25%">15%</td><td width="25%">Frost</td><td width="25%">20%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Earth</td><td width="25%">15%</td><td width="25%">Poison</td><td width="25%">15%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Light</td><td width="25%">15%</td><td width="25%">Darkness</td><td width="25%">15%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Wind</td><td width="25%">15%</td><td width="25%">Water</td><td width="25%">15%</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Equipment</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Helmet</td><td width="25%">30</td><td width="25%">Shoulders</td><td width="25%">50</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Cloak</td><td width="25%">30</td><td width="25%">Chest</td><td width="25%">0</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Gloves</td><td width="25%">5</td><td width="25%">Waist</td><td width="25%">20</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Legs</td><td width="25%">40</td><td width="25%">Feet</td><td width="25%">5</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Main Hand</td><td width="25%">60-80</td><td width="25%">Off Hand</td><td width="25%">0</td></tr></tbody></table>


    He left the shield on his back as he held his axe, giving it a few test swings. His new armor all had a pitch black color save for the skulls on his shoulders which were polished to be a bleached white. He was now eager to go back to the Den so he went to find Rena, he ran to the great hall and flung the door open, Loving the look of fear he got from one of the royal guard elves as he barged in.


    He strode up to the center of the room and dropped to his knee in front of Lucian and Liliana.¡°Jarl Lucian, i am prepared to leave for the den!¡± As he entered the hall Lucian was taken back, remembering the armor he wore as he left home for the first time to raid the Dark Elf villages.


    Lucian smiled and nodded.¡±I wish you luck Thane Shadowsong, May your hunt be plentiful and worthy!¡± As her brother spoke Rena stood up and moved to join Atticus as he stood up and turned on his heel and began marching out of the hall.


    Thirty minutes into the long walk to the den Atticus heard something that made him sigh.¡±I FOUND HIM!¡± He turned to see torches throughout the woods, He took out his axe and turned to Rena who was panicking.¡±Hide in the bushes and watch my health, try not to heal me unless you must..¡± She nodded and dove into a bush.


    Atticus then turned and closed his eyes, letting Bloodlust detect five players nearby. He growled a little but he was ready to fight. He opened his eyes to see one Intelligence user who was most likely the healer, two Strength users carrying large shields and spears, and Two dexterity users with bows. As they got closer one of the Dexterity users shouted.¡±That''s him alright!, We kill him and my brother will pay us each 50 gold!¡±


    Atticus heard this and he decided it was finalized, He would make Wingking and friends life a living nightmare. He let the Dex and Int users hang back as the Str users charged him, Waiting before he decided they were spread out enough. He then let out a blood chilling howl which was created thanks to his helm.


    As Alpha''s command was applied he nearly moaned at the sudden rush of power through his body, turning the reaction into another howl, though this one was more lustful, something that deeply unsettled his foes as the fear debuff took affect. Seeing this Atticus then took off running at full speed, Holding his axe in one hand and the shield in the other, now emitting enough light that he could see them all easily.


    He charged through the Str users and knocking them aside as he kept going, taking two arrows to the shield as he kept running, moving past the Dex users and throwing the shield on his back as he took his axe in a two handed grip, roaring as he swung the axe and hit the healer in the right side, shattering his arm.


    But Atticus didn¡¯t wait for him to die from bleeding out, he swung his axe again and cut his head off, Swinging through and to one of the Str users and killing him at the same time.


    As he spun and killed Luxor he took an arrow to the back, His cloak mostly stopping it. Atticus turned and began running full speed for the archer who shot him, diving into a roll as he saw him loose another arrow, barely avoiding taking the arrow to the eye, As he came out of his roll he swung the axe as hard as he could and activated Overpower, Cutting both of the man''s legs off as he came out of his roll.


    As with the mage, he killed the archer right away. At the same time he felt a sharp pain in his right shoulder, Looking back he saw a spear in his right shoulder that had passed through his armor.


    Atticus was not low on health so he was not stressing out yet. He stood up and swung his axe back, breaking the spear as he kicked up and back with his left leg, catching the warrior between the legs. As he was thanking his choice to disable pain an axe was soon brought through his neck


    As he stood up he spun around to see that the last one was running. He started laughing as he let out another howl, running at full speed after him, As he got closer to the last Dex user who had claimed his brother sent them he took out his hunting knife and threw it hard, making it stick in the back of the boy''s lower back, severing his spinal cord and sending him tumbling to the ground.


    Seeing someone suffer the same injury he himself had should have rattled him but instead, it only spurred him on, encouraging him to inflict more pain.


    As he got close he sheathed his axe and pulled his hunting knife from his back before he kicked him onto his back and slammed a knee down into his chest before holding it to the boys throat.¡±Hello, Noir¡­ Who is your brother?¡±


    Noir while scared spit at Atticus.¡±Fuck you! you fucking psycho!¡± Atticus shook his head and slammed his knife down and severed three of Noirs fingers.¡±That''s not an answer...¡± He was then greeted with a pleasant message.


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Interrogation Work Skill has been unlocked, You now have the Torture ability which makes users feel 5% of the pain they would have if they enabled pain willingly.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Noir howled and writhed in pain, panic clear on his face.¡±What the fuck man! why does it hurt!¡± Atticus punched the boy hard, feeling a tooth break.¡°Answer me you fucking whelp! Who is your brother!¡± Atticus growled, Noir was now crying in pain.¡±Wh¡­.WhiteShadow!¡±


    Atticus nodded. and took the knife and began to slowly cut off Noirs left ear.¡±I warned them before if they were to attack me again I would not stop killing them until they were level one. It looks like i now have to extend it to anyone they send against me. But you...You''re going to carry this message. And the next time I get attacked ill hunt you down and do this again and again until you stop playing...¡±


    Atticus kept torturing Noir for three hours until his health finally ran out. Atticus sighed as he stood up and looted the boys body before going back and looting the other bodies. Rena had heard the screams of Noir but she said nothing, not having seen any of it as his order to hide in the bushes made her stay there.


    He washed up using some of the water skins and smiled as he held one of the new Yew staffs out to her.¡±Here, Rena, This Staff will be better for your magic...¡± She took it and nodded, wondering if the man she had decided to follow was actually a psychopath as Noir had yelled, But as she looked over his wounds she shook her head and decided he was just in this, She began to heal him as she removed the arrow and spearhead from his body.


    He smiled and stood up once he was fully healed and began walking again.¡±Thank you, Rena...¡± He then began moving closer to the den as he read his newest skill.


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill Name:</td><td width="25%">Skill Rank:</td><td width="25%">Skill Level:</td><td width="25%">Skill Experience:</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Interrogation</td><td width="25%">Beginner</td><td width="25%">3</td><td width="25%">60%</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You have found ways to make your enemies tell you what you want to know.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Using Interrogation skills on lower level users will allow you to force them to feel 5% of the pain they would have if they left pain on and deal far less damage than normal to prolong the torture.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Using Interrogation on a sentient monster such as a goblin can break it and make it spill its darkest secrets to make the pain stop.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Interrogation will only work on beings of a lower level than yourself, Unless they are crippled. For each limb crippled up to a maximum of 4 limbs the beings level will drop by 5</td></tr></tbody></table>


    While Atticus did not usually agree with torture it oddly felt right to him now, As if it was commonplace But he found nothing wrong with this change. He soon arrived at the Den and pressed on, taking out his shield to light the way while keeping his axe in his right hand and ready for use.


    He went straight down the path that he would find the old smiths pickaxe. Along the path, he saw wolves and he smiled. Charging them as he swung the axe down with brutal effect as the armor piercing spike made it easier to kill them and the shield made it so the usual 85 - 100 damage they dealt was down to only 45-60 which he could now take 10 blows before he had to worry.


    But as he killed the wolves he found that they no longer offered him EXP, Which irritated him a little but Rena was still getting plenty so he was fine with it, for now, they pushed on for the next two hours, killing wolves left and right while looting and skinning the bodies.


    Atticus soon began to grow low on bag space so as they stopped to eat he made a large backpack and a set of bags for Rena, effectively turning her into a pack mule as she had yet to take a single point of damage they had no need to worry about her mobility. He also made his own backpack and they continued on.


    Soon they came upon a large room as his map had said and in the center was a large wolf, Nowhere near as big as Fenrir but still bigger than the usual Armored Battle Wolf. Putting his shield away Atticus charged it and swung his axe hard, hitting its massive side with the spike and smiled.


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Armored Battle Wolf Beta/LvL 08/ <610/700.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus was pleased to finally find a wolf that could challenge him a bit now, Not having realized how much better his gear was now that the beasts he had struggled with the day before were like infants to him. He decided to take his time with this fight, Letting the wolf have a chance to retaliate.


    The wolf growled and swiped at him though Atticus turned and dropped to a knee, wanting to test something.  Grinning as he felt the blunt impact of the large paw on his back.


    It worked!, Atticus smiled as he stood up and swung his axe, hitting the wolf on the side with the armor piercing side of the axe. Pleased that his experiment worked, having the shield on his back along with the cloak he had worked as he had hoped. It had defended him even despite not being in his hand.


    After a few long minutes of fighting or rather playing with the Beta something odd happened. Atticus had cut away the straps of the armor and as it fell off the Beta rolled over and whimpered, showing it gave up and submitted. Atticus smiled and pet the large beasts belly as he took out one of the health potions and poured it into the wolf''s mouth.¡±Good boy, You behave yourself and I won''t kill you ok?¡±


    This shocked Rena as she expected Atticus to kill the large wolf not pet it like a hunting hound!¡±Atticus hurry and kill it!.¡± After all for all she knew the beast was just playing, her brother had not told her of the runes and how they affected the beasts.


    Atticus turned and looked back at her over his shoulder.¡±Why the hell would I kill something that no longer has the will to fight me, where''s the glory in that?¡±


    The answer he gave her stunned her, remembering that her father the previous Jarl of Black Rock Hold had often said the same when she asked him about why he never killed his prisoners of war.


    She nodded softly and looked down, ashamed that she had forgotten this basic principle of honor. As she did this Atticus


    went down the small path that the smith had circled and soon found the old pickaxe.


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Quest Update! You have found the pickaxe of the village smith Ivan Irongrip, Return to him for your reward.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus nodded and then decided to look around the mine as he wanted to let his stamina regenerate, He noticed small flecks of what looked like iron in the rocks near the floor in the farthest path to the right and decided he would mention it to Ivan, when he returned.


    For now, he went back to the center of the room and pet the wolf one last time.¡±Well boy, it looks like my break is over, You stay here and defend this area, I''ll be back after a while ok?¡± He laid some roast goat he got from the five low-level users earlier. The wolf barked and began scarfing down the roast goat as Atticus lead Rena from that pathway and back to the center room, marking the pathway they just left before he began to walk down the center pathway.

 Chapter 5 - Death & Boredom - Redone

    As Atticus began to walk down the pathway in the center he sighed as he remembered that when he told Sasha he would keep going that he would not kill any of the boss monsters without her, This put a damper on his excitement as he doubted he would be getting any EXP but he kept pushing on.


    Luckily for Atticus he was wrong, The entire center pathway was filled with armored Wolfmen in an array of steel and leather items. He found himself licking his lips at the thought of breaking down all of that armor and making a new set of his own out of Steel to see how it would compare to his rare leather.


    As they encountered the first Wolfman it let out a pathetic howl and not long after he heard more howls down the hall and the clank of armor and claws on stone, Atticus held his axe tight and began charging the first Wolfman and let out his own howl, filling the tunnels with enough dread and bloodlust that he noticed Rena crouch onto the ground.


    He sighed but he swung his axe and bashed the Wolfman across the ribs with the spike on the back of his axe, shattering three ribs and resulting in a yelp as it was soon slung against the wall, impaling itself on a stalagmite. Atticus clicked his tongue as he only got 50 exp but was soon grinning widely.


    At the same time, three large Wolfmen around his height and weight began charging down the tunnel, their swords and shields at the ready as Atticus threw himself upon them with a reckless abandon, not thinking of dodging or being surrounded he merely swung his axe with all he had.


    The sounds of whimpers and whines, the snaps and cracks of bones, and the shattering sound of steel rang throughout the tunnel as Atticus fought the three beasts now identified as level 10 Wolfman Guards.


    Whenever one of them would swing their sword Atticus would throw his arm up, parrying the blades using his new armor, or he would spin and take the slash across his shield and cloak, At the same time as the spin he would swing his axe which resulted in another injury to the Wolfmen.


    He soon stood over the bodies of the beasts and was panting softly, noticing for the first time that his stamina was drained severely by blocking blows rather than dodging. But it was of no concern to him, Even if he took the blow he had a Shamaness behind him.


    Though he would need to break her of the fear she had of him, He looked down at the wolfmen and smiled as he noticed the EXP gain was 150 each. He looked through their loot and shrugged, none of it was better than his own but he took all of the iron and steel pieces and weapons


    Atticus kept pushing down the tunnel until Rena collapsed from exhaustion. In this time he had killed enough Wolfmen Guards that they had both leveled up, He sighed and gave her food and water and let her rest, telling her to take care of herself and to tell him when she needed a break.


    After twenty minutes they resumed the push down the tunnel, soon entering a large room which had a bunch of wolf pups in large iron tubs of some odd liquid that reminded him a lot of the gel in the Cradle.


    As the thought ran through his mind he realized it was a potion to speed up their growth before the armor was forced upon them. Atticus felt sick about this but he kept moving on, noticing a large steel cage that looked like it was built for a beast.


    Not five seconds after this thought ran through his mind he heard the laughter of a madman from above the cage.Atticus looked up to see Floki for the first time, The sight of him sent chills down his spine.


    Floki was almost exactly like he had been before he was given his initial boost in stats, Tall, slim, awkward looking, The same madness he himself felt when he was forced to watch the other kids do all the things he could only watch was there as well


    ¡±It seems Lucian''s hounds have finally made it this far¡­ Too bad it shall all be in vain!¡± His voice was filled with madness, not anger, nor rage, But simple madness, like the hatter of wonderland. An odd mix of insanity and joy.


    As Floki finished speaking he clapped his hands, this caused the entrance they came in through to close behind them, And the steel cage ahead of them to open. And out walked a new abomination.


    Two massive wolfmen that stood at close to fifteen feet tall, five foot wide, weighing close to one ton, and wearing full plate armor and wielding massive weapons to match. Seeing the beasts Atticus'' blood sang as it began racing through his body, knowing worthy foes stood before him.


    Floki pointed to Atticus as the beasts looked him over.¡±Hati, Skoll, Kill him!¡± With his orders given the two beasts began to charge Atticus as Floki left the cavern. Atticus felt no small amount of fear as he saw the massive beasts stomping towards him, Hati carrying a large shield and spear, and Skoll carrying a large battleaxe.


    His mind began to slow as he took in everything about the two beasts, From their massive size to their armor. He noticed that they were toying with him as they took their time walking to him, Not seeing him as a foe deserving their respect or their full attentions.


    If anything they were more interested in the female who was cowering behind the runt their master ordered them to kill, All the while Atticus¡¯ rage built rage at being disregarded before even the first blow was thrown.


    As his bloodlust began to flow throughout the room and he felt his ax growing lighter he let out a howl as he began charging the two beasts.


    To the shock of the two and Rena, Atticus hurled himself at them with an intense aura of rage around his body, causing it to be surrounded by the dark crimson energy as he leapt onto a table without breaking his stride, then leaping again as he howled in anger.


    He saw Hati raising his shield but he did not care, He swung his axe with all the power he could manage, activating Overpower as the spike on the back of the axe connected with the shield, resulting in the loud sound of steel shattering, and a yelp of surprise as the spike went through the shield and into the back of Hatis hand.


    In reaction to this Hati slammed his shield to the side and smashed Atticus between it and the wall. As his health dropped to only 10% Atticus gasped for breath, His body all but shattered as he vomited blood all over the shield.


    Right away Rena began healing him but she soon cried in fear as Skoll swung his massive axe at her, barely missing her head. Seeing this only served to fuel Atticus¡¯ hate as he fell to the floor with a disgusting sound like that of meat hitting the ground.


    He let out as loud of a howl as he could and forced his broken body to stand, blood pouring from spots where bones had broken the skin and were slowly being forced back together due to Rena''s spells. It was a gruesome sight as his limbs that had been shattered and twisted were forced back into the proper position.


    It was enough that he saw a bit of disgust even in the eyes of the two beasts, He then picked up his axe and charged again, the aura around his body growing darker as he charged Hati again.


    Hati decided to stop this tiny being from getting close so he thrust his spear out, but as the spear was extended the runt swung its axe and batted the spear aside before leaping and swinging its axe again, this time, it found its mark across Hati''s eyes.


    Hearing the beasts howls of pain and seeing it drop its shield and spear to cover its ruined eyes brought a dark joy to Atticus¡¯ eyes, But he did not stop and began swinging his axe wildly, hacking into Hati''s face and the backs of his hands.


    Soon he heard Skoll growl and turned in time to duck under the massive axe, Smiling as he got a few system notifications.


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Through a quick act of instinct you have killed an enemy in an unusual way.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Skoll has killed Hati!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> You have gained +2 Intelligence for your quick thinking.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    He thought it was odd that he did not get any EXP as Hati''s body went limp with the top half of its head cleaved off, but as he looked at Skoll he realized this was a twin boss, one that had a split health pool.


    But something worse happened as when the bar hit 50% Skoll grew large and its black fur turned blood red.


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Skoll has entered Frenzy at the loss of his brother and has gained +10% attack speed and damage!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Seeing this Atticus kicked himself, but more importantly, he noticed a blur on his right side, Skoll''s massive axe had cut his arm off at the shoulder. and he was greeted with intense pain and the notification that he was crippled, along with his health taking a dive.


    Atticus howled in pain as he held his battle axe with only one hand but now his rage was at its peak, he began charging the massive beast as it swung its own axe furiously, with no pattern or reason, just trying to kill the thing that tricked him into killing his brother.


    Atticus swung his axe at an angle,  the spike clashed with the head of Skoll''s axe. This caused a shower of sparks as the spike caused a large chip in the axe.


    This alone was the only thing that saved him as he was slammed hard against the wall,  his body sitting between the wall and a large chip in the axe where his attack had shattered a piece just large enough to shelter him.


    Atticus took the chance he was given and slammed his axe down into the hand that held the massive axe,  severing the thumb on the lead hand. As he  did this Skoll let out a howl of pain and rage as he used his ruined hand to throw a punch at the runt,  growling as his first slammed hard into the wall.


    Having seen the fist coming at him Atticus dropped to his knees below the axe as Skoll''s fist slammed into the wall, At the same time Atticus swung his axe again, cutting the thumb of the other hand off,  rendering the massive axe worthless.


    As the massive axe fell to the ground Skoll backhanded Atticus, sending him flying across the room and slamming into a vat, luckily none of his limbs broke but he could feel his ribs breaking as he struggled to breathe.


    His axe had been thrown off to the side when he was hit which left him unarmed save for the hunting knife he kept, He took out the blade as he jumped to the side to dodge.


    Barely dodging the four large claws that raked through the stone wall like a hot knife through butter. He went into a roll and began scrambling to find his battle axe.


    During this time he heard sobbing from Rena before a bright green light went off, where she had been was now empty and she was gone. As he began to worry about the possibility of her dying a message popped up.


    <table><tbody><tr><td> Your ally has abandoned you due to overwhelming fear! She had returned to her Home location using an ancient stone and may potentially be recruited again.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus grit his teeth as he felt a hot pain across his back, his body going flying across the room once more, but with a much worse effect. As he landed his forehead slammed into the spike on the back of his axe.


    His world went dark and he soon saw only a message in the usual blue text.


    <table><tbody><tr><td> You have died! You have lost one level and the status points that came of it. You have dropped no gear through sheer luck. You will be unable to play for 12 hours, This will leave you with 62 hours remaining on your quest, Farewell Warrior!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    ____________________________________________________________________________


    When he next opened his eyes he was back in the real world, floating in the gel of the cradle. His mind going blank as he took this in, He had died for the first time, he had been forced back into his miserable broken body. But most of all he had been betrayed by his ally, One who had sworn to help him at all costs.


    Adam yelled in his anger and frustration for quite some time before he reached up and unlocked the seal of the cradle and pulled himself out of the gel and into his wheelchair which was waiting for him.


    It had been near three days since he went inside of the game, in that time the leaderboards had been established so Adam decided to check them. His overall ranking was #15, Money was #200, Level was #98, Murders was #1, Play time was #1, And he only had one death where most had at least five


    In the number one spot for every rank was a user by the name of Dark Desire. In the three days, the game had been out this player had reached level ten and become the first to obtain a Unique class, Valkyrie, a melee and magic hybrid class.


    She somehow managed to get a total of 50500 gold somehow perhaps through a quest like his own?


    All in all this amazed him as he thought he was off to an amazing start, with a sigh he pulled up the auction house tab in the desktop portion of RO and was able to at least put some of his items up for sale, choosing to sell all of the bags and extra armor he made, along with two tents, he left the starting bid low and left it to do as it would, after all, it cost him nothing to get the leather.


    He sighed once this was done and decided he would go out into town for the first time in a long time, He took a shower and shaved though to a much lesser extent than before, leaving a thick full beard behind. pulling his hair back as he did in RO, He was quite depressed that he was back in his scrawny body but he just shook his head a little and got dressed, pulling on a pair of jeans, a black Rebirth tee shirt and a pair of pull on boots.


    With this done he grabbed his phone and his wallet before wheeling himself out to the garage where his truck sat, It had been modified to use nothing but hand controls so he could still get around alone.


    He pulled himself up and into the driver''s seat and grabbed his wheelchair and broke it down as far as he could and resting it in the passengers floorboard before he cranked the old ford up and opened the garage.


    When he left he mainly just wandered, Without thinking he drove out of the town and was on the road towards the city where his friends were attending college, not knowing why he wanted to go there but he soon ended up on campus taking a tour around with a young woman from admissions.


    He surprised himself by how calmly he was able to talk with her, not stuttering or panicking like he would have in the past when he talked to women. After almost an hour they decided to take a break for lunch so she lead him to the cafeteria and brought some food for them as he waited.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    It was during this time as he had his eyes closed and just taking in the various conversations that he heard a gasp and the sound of multiple trays being set down, Opening his eyes he was greeted with not just the face of the attendant but that of his oldest friends Lily and Alice and Sasha, she looked just as she did in game.


    ¡°Wha...What are you doing here!¡± The first to speak was the younger of the two sisters, Alice a cute woman with a short petite body lacking any real curves but she had just enough to hold. When he could stand she barely came up to his chest.


    As usual, she preferred a pair of ragged jeans and a band tee than a skirt and tight top as most other girls were wearing in one form or another, Her hair was a dark black color and was kept long, coming down to just between her shoulder''s, Her eyes were a soft golden color which when combined with her personality and size made him treat her like a kitten.


    He grinned seeing them and looked Sasha up and down.¡±I see you''re still wearing normal clothes¡­ It''s a shame I still think you looked cuter when we first met....¡±


    He smirked seeing her face turn a dark pink from embarrassment.¡±What are you doing here you perv, missed me so much you started stalking me?¡±


    He sighed softly and leaned forward.¡±I got killed and because I was bored with nothing better to do I decided to come take a tour of the campus, here in a few months if things work out I''ll be attending.¡±


    Hearing this the attendant was confused but Sasha¡¯s mouth went agape.¡±You''re kidding me!, What the hell could have taken you out, usually you''re swinging that damn axe with enough force to cleave people in half.¡±


    It was as Sasha said this that the attendant caught on that they were players in RO, she finished her lite salad and excused herself as she had to return to work, writing a pass for the girls to show him around the campus instead.


    As she left Lily and Alice leaned forward and were shocked.¡±What do you mean battleaxe? all he ever used were light weapons like a rogue I mean look at him, his build is perfect for it..¡± This time, it was Lily who asked.


    Lily was very similar to her sister in looks, short and petite but she had an amazing body that defied her short stature, curves that would drive any man crazy with bright red hair and deep blue eyes she was a knockout.


    Sasha shook her head.¡±No, the game chose him to be a Str user and in the first in the game day he had a steel battleaxe and a high enough infamy that the NPCs looked on edge when he walked into the tavern. Not to mention that he was already built like an MMA fighter.¡±


    Adam smirked and leaned his head into his hand as he looked her over.¡±And whose fault was that Sasha? if you kept your guard up without thinking it''s only a game you would have killed those two before I ever had to do it, Since then the fuckers keep harassing me, hell just last night I had 5 of them come after me....¡±


    For the next hour, Sasha retold their exploits, focusing mainly on the battle with Fenrir where he kept fighting with a massive weapon despite only having one arm. He then told them how he brutally slaughtered the 5 players and included the bit about his Interrogation work skill , though not the full extent of the torture, telling them that after the three fingers were cut off the boy gave up.


    They cringed at this but they never planned on upsetting him, He then told them about the dungeon and the changes to the situation with Beta being friendly and having been slaughtered by Skoll, And how that little whore of an ally abandoned him to die.


    ¡°When I''m able to log in again i swear I''m going to discipline that little wench...¡± Without realizing it he spoke out loud and was met with three shocked looks.¡±What?¡±


    They shook their heads at him and soon began to share their story, Lily and Alice chose to use their same appearance and names, though for a last name they choose Shadowsgrove as they usually did, just as it didn''t surprise them that he chose Atticus Shadowsong.


    They told him how they were asked to go kill deer and bring them back to the small elven village where they were all taught archery, skinning, and leatherworking right away by the village elders as a Rite of Passage. They had partied with Dark Desire, another girl who they went to school with for the last few days and were now level 10.


    Both had taken up their new jobs, not unique like the Valkyrie but still rare classes, Lily had the Pathfinder class which combined the Beastmaster work skill with archery making for a two man team between her and a large owl she found.


    Alice, on the other hand, became a Lorelai, A sort of siren type class using magic to enchant her enemies into ignoring her or fighting for her and inflicting cold damage.


    Adam was impressed with their progress as they went into detail about how they had all found a dungeon on the coast near the elven starting forest, inside had been an array of goblins and Naga who were conducting dark rituals.


    Their classes had all been drops along with even finding rare items and even an Epic item but it went to Dark Desire due to it being restricted to Valkyries.


    They talked for a while as they began to tour the campus, deciding that when he hit level 10 and had his class he would try to meet up with them in the central city of Midgard which was Jotuns Hammer, A massive mountain city built by an alliance of the three races, from there they would quest together.


    As they had to go to class and they wanted to talk with him some more they took Adam to the library where he could relax and read as they checked him in as a guest. He went straight to the desk and asked them to help him find a section on crafting things such as arms and armor, Planning on finding out all he could and combining items to make unique sets.


    As he sat at one of the large oak tables reading the books he had found he noticed a beautiful young woman, She was tall for a woman, standing at what he would guess as 5''9 , She was not petite like Sasha and the others but she was not overweight either, she had curves in all the right places, simply put she was perfect.


    Adam swallowed his saliva as he looked her over, she had long dark black hair, so dark that it was like the abyss, Her eyes were a color he had only seen once before, A soft grey with red tint around them, Ocular Albinism if he remembered correctly.


    He was lost in thought and didn''t notice her walking over to him until she was right in front of him, bending down and placing her hands on the table as she looked him in the eyes.¡±Excuse me, are you finished with this book?¡±


    He jumped a bit as she snapped him out of his daze and he looked down to a book he had grabbed on nordic style weapons, having already read it he nodded.¡±Y.Yeah, go ahead...¡±


    As she grabbed the book she noticed his shirt and gave him an odd look of appraisal.¡±You play RO?¡± Caught off guard by her question he nodded softly.¡±I do, I would still be playing but I got killed by a boss monster...¡± He felt anger once again at the cowardly NPC ditching him.


    He then noticed a smirk on the girl''s gorgeous face.¡±What''s your name and ranking?¡± She had sat herself down across from him as she took out a small tablet and was checking the leaderboards.


    Adam was surprised at this but shrugged it off.¡±Atticus Shadowsgrove, Rank #15 overall.¡± He had not expected to be well known despite this so as he finished speaking and he noticed her eyes go wide he was stunned.


    Her eyes shot wide open as she opened his player profile, seeing everything about him save gear and stats, meaning she saw his high infamy and his title.¡±You''re the one who people are calling the Cain of RO!¡±


    Hearing her shout a few people looked over, Hearing this a familiar looking boy stood up, his chair flying back as he stared at Adam with a look of rage and horror.¡±I am the same, The first two I killed were trying to rape a girl in game, After that the idiots brought friends to attack me again, Then last night one of the idiots brothers and four friends attacked me....¡±


    He then smirked and looked over at the boy who was storming over to them.¡±So Noir did you tell your brother the next time he messes with me I''m going to have a talk with you again?¡± Hearing this the boy froze in place, not just from the reminder of what happened but the dark look in this crippled man''s eyes.¡±H...He said to go fuck yourself, Our guild will see to it that you never leave Black Rock Hold!¡±


    The girl sitting across from him went wide eyed at the coincidence of this.¡±You killed him just last night?¡± Adam laughed and shook his head.¡±Oh, we had far more fun than that, He wouldn''t tell me who his brother was so I tortured him for a while, I unlocked this lovely skill called Interrogation, It forces my target to feel 5% of the pain they would have felt if they left it enabled. We had a lovely three hours together didn''t we Noir?¡±


    The boy broke out into a cold sweat and was trembling at the memory of being flayed alive.¡±Go fuck yourself you sick bastard!¡± He went to turn and run but Adam reached out and grabbed his wrist with quite a bit of force.¡±Do not test me you insolent whelp, if I am attacked by you or anyone affiliated with you or your brother I will find you, and I will use my authority as Thane to have you imprisoned...¡±


    Noir turned around and snatched his arm away.¡±What does that matter, it''s only one in-game day that I''ll be in there...¡± After all, no matter the situation the system would only let him be held for one in-game day without just cause.


    Adam then grinned cruelly, like a child pulling the wings off of a bird.¡±But it will be 24 hours spent with me in a closed room with all of my tools, And ill have a Shaman on hand to heal you up every time your health drops. Picture it with me Noir, A room painted red in your blood all because your brother''s friends are sick rapists.¡±


    Noir swallowed and ran as fast as he could, As he did Adam looked back to the young woman in front of him, A bit of shock in her eyes but not fear, and an oddly sexy little smile.


    Adam swallowed again and took out his own tablet and pulled up the leaderboards.¡±Well, i told you my in-game name, what''s yours?¡± She smiled as she saw his discomfort with being alone again, his confidence from a moment ago gone.¡±Dark Desire, Rank #1 overall...¡±


    Hearing this Adam perked up, not even typing in her name as he looked into her eyes.¡±The Richest Valkyrie...¡±His mind spun but he soon bowed his head for a second.¡±Then i guess I need to thank you for taking care of my two friends, Alice, and Lily.¡±


    Hearing this her smile grew, She held out her hand which exposed a small tattoo on her right wrist, the rune Yr, or Death in the old norse.¡±Then you must be Adam, my name is Samantha Grey, a pleasure to meet you...¡±


    Adam smiled and shook her hand as well.¡±The pleasure is all mine...¡± They began to talk for awhile, exchanging stories about Alice and Lily, Their exploits in RO, And even the things they like and dislike. Soon they even got on the topic of weapons and armor as they were both melee fighters but she had a leg up on him and already had Mithril armor that was a reward from her quest that gave her the Valkyrie class.


    So they weighed the pros and cons of plate over leather and soon got onto the topic of designing armor, She brought up how most armor didn''t cover her arms yet and she had actually had both arms chopped off before.


    He then told her about his Pauldrons, opening a 3d design program on his tablet and pulled up the design, having it saved from when he made a set in real life, He then explained to her how it worked using an animation in the program and said it could be made in the game, telling her he had taken the design and made it there before selling it to the craftsman.


    She was amazed by just how much he knew about the game, remembering he was the player with the longest playtime to date, though that was already changed since he died. She wanted to keep talking with him but then something happened, Her eyes went wide just in time for Adam to see it and react.


    He turned and fell back in his wheelchair just in time to see Noir swinging a machete at him while yelling, the threat from earlier having sent him over the edge.


    Adam would later find out that Noir or Jack was the youngest of three children and had been abused by his oldest brother so at the thought of being stuck with being tortured by Adam should his friends attack him once more he could not take it. After all, he played RO to escape the abuse.


    The blade barely missed Adam and luckily Samantha jumped back and away from the table, Jack, on the other hand, had turned and was swinging the blade again at Adam.


    Cursing himself for his crippled body he did the only thing he could, He rolled out of the wheelchair as the blade slammed down where his throat would have been, Adam then grabbed a pen off the floor and stabbed it through Jack''s wrist that held the machete.


    With a scream of pain Jack let go of the blade but went to kick Adam instead, Adam, however, had grabbed the blade and swung it with all the force he could, severing Jacks right leg and severely damaging the left, having passed through the leg at the knee.


    As this happened the police ran in and called the paramedics, handcuffing Adam as they saw him as the attacker at the moment. Before anyone could say anything else both he and Jack were being carried outside though he was going to the precinct and Jack to the ER.


    "Man....Just when things were looking good with life..." Adam thought as he was wheeled down to the patrol car and moved down to the precinct.


    ____________________________________________________________________________


    As the quick but brutal fight played out in front of her Samantha felt something odd coming over her, it was not fear but Lust, Not for the well-toned young man swinging a machete like a madman. But rather for the scrawny, pale, crippled man who reacted so calmly and smoothly, As she saw the blade pass thrown one knee only to stop in another she could feel something hot between her legs, and a feeling she only got from fighting in RO.


    Sexual pleasure,  Samantha had been a cruel girl, killing young animals at a young age, severely hurting other children, and just a general abusive nature towards men to the point where she still had never had a boyfriend despite her beauty. This was mainly due to her uncle molesting her but she had grown mostly out of physically acting out and had put her anger into video games, and was now hoping to find a boyfriend.


    And as she thought of her desire for a lover here before her was a man who showed the same look of pleasure on his face as the blood began flooding out of his attacker. But before they could say a word the police were there and he was gone. She gave her statement and she immediately called Alice and told her what happened, And also asked for Adams phone number. She had made up her mind that Adam would be hers.

 Chapter 6 - Love-Hate-Sex-Pain - Redone

    Adam sighed as he sat in the small cell he had been given, currently he was waiting for his lawyer to negotiate with the police for bail and to straighten out everything, When he had arrived he was surprised to see a lawyer waiting for him at the precinct, looking very familiar but he could not tell why.


    As they went through the events of the day he left out the conversation of him torturing Jack in the game, seeing that as motive and whatnot. And now as the lawyer came back it was with an officer, and a lovely young woman with breathtaking eyes and hair as dark as they abyss.¡±Hello, Adam.¡±


    She smiled happily as she saw him, it was then that he realized the young lawyer was her brother as they were too close in age to be parent and child. He smiled softly himself.¡±A pleasure to see you again miss grey...¡±


    At this time, the officer walked in with his wheelchair and moved him into it.¡±You''ve been released Mr. Sterling, All witness reports say that you were acting in self-defense, you''re free to go now and I apologize on behalf of the precinct for the trouble..¡±


    As he was pushed out of the cell by Samantha he looked back at her.¡±I must say this was a little easier than what it looks like on tv...¡± She grinned.¡±It is when your brother is the go-between for the precinct and the DA..¡±


    Her brother Greg sighed.¡±Hey, you said no more favors after the last time I fixed an issue, I was sure my bosses would stop yelling at me for a few days and now this...¡±


    She just smiled more.¡±But you know he was going to be forced to sit in there for three days otherwise, you just expedited everything.¡± He was soon brought outside and helped into a van by Greg, grumbling in discomfort at being helped but the damn van was for some reason higher than his truck so he could not get in alone.


    As Greg drove them back to the campus, now at eight in the evening Samantha sat beside him in the back seat, She smiled softly as she leaned in close to where only he could hear.¡±Luckily no one else heard you threatening to torture Jack later so everything was fixed quickly...¡±


    Adam shivered as she whispered in his ear and nodded.¡±Thank you again, Both of you...¡± He said this loud enough for Greg to hear but he just waved a hand to brush it off.


    Samantha however smiled and moved closer to him, a hand resting on his thigh.¡±The others were worried about you so they agreed to stay on campus and wait, They all want to go out for drinks if you wouldn¡¯t mind going with...¡±


    Adam swallowed harder as he shivered feeling where her hand was and nodded.¡±S..Sounds good, I could use a drink...¡± While never drinking in real life bars, Adam had been quite the alcoholic as he had a neighbor bring him bottles of whiskey on a regular basis under the premise of checking up on him while his parents were out of town for work.


    Soon enough he was back on campus and pulled from the van and pushed into his truck, having enough room for the four girls and himself. He drove them to a nearby bar that they frequented,


    It looked like an old roadhouse, Motorcycles and muscle cars could be seen everywhere, Adam already felt out of place as he wheeled himself inside following the girls, But once inside he felt much better as he noticed it was run by kids his age, he could see games of D&D running on some of the tables, rock music playing throughout the place, Even a few spots where they had TVs playing news on RO and other gaming topics.


    Sasha smiled as she pushed him towards their usual table.¡±Welcome to The Tavern, My cousin owns it and lets us drink all the time for half price, As you can see he enjoys gaming in all its forms.¡±


    Adam nodded as he looked around the place, dazed by the number of people there and even more on the second floor could be seen through the rails.


    Most shocking of all was how his character Atticus was suddenly plastered across every screen at the moment, a reporter commenting that they had received news that the player of the infamous Cain had just been arrested in connection to a real life attack against another player.


    As a result, Adam was shocked and spoke louder than he meant to."How in the fuck did they find out about my arrest so fast?!" Because of this heads turned and despite the appearance of a scrawny frail man, everything else was there, the eyes, hair, the look of cruelty.


    After that the night was a blur, they all talked about the incident and began drinking at a breakneck pace, Enough so that a few guys tried to pick the girls up only to be shot down, the rougher ones who wouldn''t take no were sorted out by a bouncer who worked near the bar,


    Adam felt bad that he himself couldn''t do anything due to not being able to stand let alone throw a punch. But the girls soon drank him under the table and it didn''t matter, When he woke up he was looking at an unfamiliar ceiling.


    It looked much like the one in RO but judging from how he heard Godsmack''s Serenity playing he knew he was not there, He tried to sit up but was met with resistance¡­ It was soft yet heavy.


    He opened his eyes fully and found that he was laying in a strange bed in the back room of The Tavern, Naked. But far from alone.


    He had his head resting on Sasha¡¯s taunt stomach, Alice and Lily cuddled up to him and each holding an arm, And Samantha laying on top of him with his member still inside of her.


    His mind was racing as he tried for the life of him to remember what happened only to draw a blank. Not long after he began moving about he heard cute groans around him as the girls began walking up.


    Soon enough he was met with three ear piercing screams of shock as Alice, Lily, And Sasha all but fell out of the bed trying to cover themselves while stuttering.


    Samantha, on the other hand, gave a knowing grin as she kissed his throat and rolled her hips back which sent a jolt of pleasure through his body.¡±Good morning lover...¡±


    A few hours later they were all sitting at the same table as last night, freshly showered and dressed in yesterday''s clothes as Samantha filled them in on all the details of how when they all got too far gone to remember.


    Sasha had begun groping Adam''s member in the open which leads to Alice and Lily claiming he was theirs, After some playful fighting He broke it up and said he had more than enough love for the four of them, They then dragged him into the back room and all but used him like a living sex toy.


    The three girls besides Samantha were red in the face with embarrassment as was Adam, Samantha, on the other hand, was hugging his arm and nibbling his ear teasingly.


    After a hearty breakfast cooked by Sasha''s cousin Lucas who was grinning the entire time as he heard the story from the kitchen, not to mention the moans from his room just on the other side of the wall from them.


    The five then decided to go their separate ways, for now, promising to meet up in RO later and send friend requests as they had class and he was now able to log in once more.


    He drove home and felt quite depressed, Sure he not only lost his virginity in the real world and had a sex with four women at the same time. But he couldn''t remember any of it, he felt cheated. And made the firm decision that he would make them his in the game as soon as he could,


    ____________________________________________________________________________


    When Atticus awoke it was to a bright dawn as his body solidified in the plaza. He stood up and saw looks of shock on the faces of the villagers as they had never seen him die, Others yes but their thane was said to be an unstoppable force.


    He stormed straight to the great hall and kicked the doors in, throwing one of them off of its hinges which frightened the elf party save for Liliana and made Lucian cringe as he realized what was about to happen.


    Atticus stormed straight to Lucian and slammed his hands down on the table.¡°Where is that little whore!¡± He didn''t even realize his bloodlust was pouring out stronger than ever, Even Lucian looked a little pale.¡±What has happened Thane Shadowsong?"


    Atticus growled deeply, amplified by his helm.¡±Your coward of a sister abandoned me in the middle of battle and I was killed by a fucking monstrosity as I fought alone, That is what happened!¡±


    His voice thundered through the hall enough so that he heard sobbing from the back and his eyes narrowed, Stomping his way there only for Lucian to move in front of him.¡±I understand your rage my friend but you need to calm yourself before you do something you will regret...¡±


    Atticus stopped and removed his helmet.¡±All I wish to do is to teach her her place...¡± While his eyes were lit with a bright fire it was not all rage,


    Lucian could see a spark that made him smirk and step aside.¡±Very well, Don''t hurt her too badly...¡± He remembered how he had reacted when one of his allies had abandoned him and it was to kill them, But this man¡­


    Atticus had the eyes of a man who was mad at his hound for running away from the hunt, The eyes of a man about to discipline the hound and break it. Just what his sister needed.


    They could hear Rena''s crying as Atticus dragged her from her hiding place and further into the hall, He could see all of the elves save for his dear friend pale as they heard the sound of leather hitting flesh and as cries of pain soon turned to those of pleasure.


    It was an hour later when they saw Atticus next, Covered in sweat as he buckled his belt which had small spots of blood on it now, He made eye contact with the spoiled princess of the elves as he spoke.¡±I hope I did not disturb you all, My Jarl I regret to inform you that your sister is in no shape for combat so I have left her sleeping on a cot in the storeroom...¡±


    Lucian burst out laughing as he could no longer resist.¡±It is fine my friend, I will have a physician see to her later, May I ask how your battle in the den was going before your¡­. Accident?¡±


    Atticus filled him in on the beast that killed him and Lucian nodded gravely and as he was about to call for a new Shaman to aid him Liliana stood up.¡±He is to go alone!¡± All there flinched including Atticus at this news.


    Lucian turned and looked at her with a confused look until he saw the look in her eyes and realized what she wanted him to do.¡±It is as her majesty says, I fear you must go alone as the other shaman I would send with you would flee as well..¡±


    Atticus was angry, and he could feel his bloodlust rising, At the same time he got a notification as did Sasha when she logged in stating that the dungeon must now be completed alone.


    Atticus wanted nothing more than to vent and raise hell but he knew it would ruin everything he had worked for so he grit his teeth and gave the same soldiers salute he had been doing so often.¡±As you say, Jarl Frost...¡±Atticus spun on his heel and began storming to out of the great hall and the village.


    He began heading towards the den as usual, But as he stepped foot outside of the walls surrounding the village he saw Wingking and friends. along with ten new faces With his helmet on he growled violently.¡±I warned you to stop....¡±


    As he said this WhiteShadow was the one to respond.¡±Fuck you, you bastard! You cut my brothers leg off! He''s never going to walk again!¡±


    Atticus growled deeper.¡±I told him the same as you, Stay away from me but he instead decided to attack me in the real world, And I was a real cripple, I just leveled the playing field!¡±


    ¡°You are now kill on sight to every member of The Rising Sun!¡± Atticus had no doubt that was the name of the guild they were unofficially formed into at the moment.


    As those words left his mouth four arrows came hurtling towards Atticus. With all that had happened the last two days, it was very easy to say that Atticus was furious, Their stupidity, Their harassment, Their selfishness. All of it sent him into such a rage that he soon saw his vision go grey and monotone.


    As the four arrows slammed into the man''s shoulders and chest they felt a sharp chill run down their spine. Each arrow hit and did damage but it barely took a chunk out of his HP. Then there was the blood-curdling howl.


    A demon had been born in this moment, The anger and the pain had sent Atticus over the top. He let out a howl of anger and pain louder than he ever had before, activating Roar and Bloodlust in one shot, Seeing his Hp increase by 25% of his total value scared his foes, at the same time the fear status was applied and they could feel their blood run cold at the sight of him, He seemed to get larger in their eyes.


    His eyes were now pitch black and they saw as right above his heart a blood red tattoo appeared, It was a scene of a wolf sitting upon a mountain of skulls while gnawing on one. At this same time, Atticus got a message.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>You have unlocked a new stat Rage: Warriors who fight on the frontlines with no appreciation begin to let their anger control them, and empower them. A spendable resource such as Mana. May be increased through experiencing great anger surpassing previous limits. Current Maximum set to 250. Rage is regenerated when taking damage in battle, Currently at a total of 20% of damage received</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Your Skill BloodLust has gained new abilities from your intense rage!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> You have given in to your bloodlust and rage! you have learned to Enrage like the beasts you have hunted so much when backed into a corner, You gain an increase of 50% Attack damage, Attack speed, And movement speed. Cost 25 Rage per second.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Your fiery hate now infuses your every attack with Fire damage, Causing all wounds while Enraged to burn shut making the Bleeding Effect impossible.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>You have become close to a beast, it is now 50% easier to raise intimacy with animals and monsters.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus disregarded every window as he slammed his foot into the ground and vanished for a moment, The next time they saw him he was already past the Warriors and was among the Archers, His swings lopped off limbs faster than ever, no screams were let out as none felt the pain, But they all fell down, Missing arms and legs.


    The shield and spear bearing warriors spun and attacked him, ramming their spears through his body, only for their arms to be cut off just as soon, Atticus kept moving even with the two spears stuck in either side of his body, Howling like a wounded beast.


    Two rogues attacked him by stabbing him in the back using poisoned weapons but Atticus spun and slammed the axe into their legs, chopping them off at the knees.


    Already six of his new ¡°Friends¡± were missing their knees and a few their arms. Atticus then held his battleaxe with one hand as he noticed a Mage trying to cast the Mend spell. He pulled one of the spears from his side and threw it with enough force that it passed straight through the mage''s chest and halfway through his back.


    Unfortunately killing him but Atticus paid it no mind, Rushing the other mage and slamming the axe down into his collarbone and slicing straight through to the hip, cutting the man in half. and killing him as well.


    This left the usual four. Blacklight, however, was trying to run and he could not allow that, so he removed the last spear and threw it, ramming through Blacklights leg and into a tree, thanks to the guard his only option was to stand there or cut the leg off and crawl.


    Wingking and Deeznutz charged him as Whiteshadow took aim with a bow and arrow. Atticus noticed his vision getting color again so he charged at the two and let them hit him just to extend his rage. He then rammed through them and knocked them to the ground with a heavy thud.


    He moved in on Whiteshadow and kicked him in the chest, shattering the bow he was trying to draw as he flew into a tree, Seeing him gasping for breath Atticus turned back to the two and cut off their arms and legs before he returned to Whiteshadow.¡±I''ll let you taste what your brother did...¡±


    He then activated his Interrogation skill as he began cutting off his arms and legs, Asking him simple questions such as¡±Why are you so stupid¡±, ¡±Did your father not beat you enough as a child?¡±, ¡°Does it hurt?¡±.


    When Atticus¡¯ first howl of pain and rage went out the guards ran out to see what was going on, just in time to see the carnage, And to see their Thane become like a wild beast as he tore his foes limb from limb.


    They did nothing to stop this as they had heard the fourteen talking about how they would attack their thane but they were planning on helping. But now they would help in a new way.


    As his rage ended and Whiteshadow lay below him crying he turned to see the guards, the darkness still in his eyes.¡±Take them all to the Barracks!, They are to be imprisoned for attempted murder!, I will announce how to punish them when I return from the Den!¡±


    He turned and began walking towards the den, still bleeding from his wounds but he didn''t want to show pain or fear to the guards as he noticed his health dropping down to 10%, the poison had gone but the bleeding was still killing him so once he was out of sight he removed the arrows, bandaged himself, and ate some food before continuing.


    As the guards complied with their thane''s command they carried 14 men into the village, all of them missing arms and legs, none of them bleeding and one of them crying like a child, Other players saw something gruesome indeed as a side effect of his Interrogation skill each of his victims to be tortured had become branded with the same tattoo he now had on his chest, the mark carved into their flesh. Most thought it was an event while others began to whisper. Whisper that Cain had risen to a new peak of cruelty.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Atticus entered the den and rather than heading straight to where Hati and Skoll where he went hunting, Ruthlessly slaughtering the respawned wolves and wolfmen as he ground out to level 6 again and added his points not into mana as he had before but to Endurance.


    With his new Rage stat, he had a feeling that with his playstyle he would keep getting attacks using Rage so he figured more health would help.


    He went and visited the large wolf he had subdued what was now three days ago in-game, As he walked into the room the wolf barked and tackled him, licking his face and nuzzling him like a puppy.


    The memory of the wolves in the vats in the room where Hati and Skoll resided made Atticus realize that he was a puppy, forcibly aged and sent to attack. He grit his teeth at this thought and pet the wolf, giving him more meat and water as he continued petting him softly.


    The wolf soon rolled over on its back and whimpered. At the same time, a window popped up.


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Your actions have tamed a beast!, A new work skill has been added.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill Name:</td><td width="25%">Skill Rank:</td><td width="25%">Skill Level:</td><td width="25%">Skill Experience:</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">BeastMastery</td><td width="25%">Beginner</td><td width="25%">2</td><td width="25%">0%</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You have learned how to make beasts follow your lead and see you as one of their own.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You may now tame beasts at or below your level with 100% chance of success, If your intimacy with a higher level beast reaches its maximum they may willingly submit to you</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>When a higher level beast submits to you they will be temporarily lowered to your level, leveling up automatically with you until you are at their initial level.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Beasts tamed by you will have to level up using the same system as yourself, though with a lower exp total. For example to reach level 2 a player must gain 400 exp, For a tamed beast only 300 is needed</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Beasts tamed by you will receive 20% of your stats in addition to their own.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> Would you like to Rename Battle Wolf Beta? Y/N</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus smiled and ran his hand through the beast''s fur and pet him.¡±Welcome to my pack Shadow...¡±


    The large wolf barked and licked his face happily, nuzzling him as his body shrank down to that of a normal wolf, As he looked at the new Pets Window he saw why.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''> Pet Window</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Name</td><td width="25%">Shadow</td><td width="25%">Level</td><td width="25%">6(10)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Total Experience</td><td width="25%">7600(27600)</td><td width="25%">Experience To Next Level</td><td width="25%">3600</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Gender</td><td width="25%">Male</td><td width="25%">Species</td><td width="25%">Wolf</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''2''>Loyalty</td><td colspan=''2''>100%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Unspent Stat Points:</td><td width="25%">0</td><td width="25%">Spent Stat Points:</td><td width="25%">25(45)</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Statistics</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Health</td><td width="25%">380/380(480)</td><td width="25%">Health Regen</td><td width="25%">7-per second</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Stamina</td><td width="25%">380/380(480)</td><td width="25%">Stamina Regen</td><td width="25%">7-per second</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Mana</td><td width="25%">0/0</td><td width="25%">Mana Regen</td><td width="25%">0-per second</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Wellness</td><td width="25%">100%</td><td width="25%">Critical Chance</td><td width="25%">4%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Attack</td><td width="25%">17(22)</td><td width="25%">Defense</td><td width="25%">0</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Strength</td><td width="25%">20</td><td width="25%">Intelligence</td><td width="25%">18</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Dexterity</td><td width="25%">35(45)</td><td width="25%">Endurance</td><td width="25%">38(48)</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Charisma</td><td width="25%">24</td><td width="25%">Luck</td><td width="25%">21</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Wisdom</td><td width="25%">15</td><td width="25%">Charm</td><td width="25%">15</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Resistances</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Fire</td><td width="25%">3%</td><td width="25%">Frost</td><td width="25%">14%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Earth</td><td width="25%">3%</td><td width="25%">Poison</td><td width="25%">3%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Light</td><td width="25%">3%</td><td width="25%">Darkness</td><td width="25%">3%</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Wind</td><td width="25%">3%</td><td width="25%">Water</td><td width="25%">3%</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Equipment</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''2''>Body</td><td colspan=''2''>0</td><tr><td colspan=''4''>Ailments</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Weakened: Level and status has been reduced to fit its masters power</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus sighed seeing the wolf now shrink down to be the size of a normal wolf but he kept petting him.¡±It''s alright Shadow, I''ll have you big and strong soon enough..." With this Shadow barked and nuzzled into his master''s cheek, his long bushy tail wagging happily.


    After a short break, Atticus stood up with Shadow by his side and they walked back to the room in which Hati and Skoll waited. With every step, he forced his body and mind to remember the pain the abominations caused him, The rage of Flokis experiments, The stupidity of the other players, Being forced to go alone save for this wolf which apparently didn''t count as an ally as it was a Pet.


    As he got close to the entrance of the room he was greeted with a message.


    <table><tbody><tr><td> Your Bloodlust has changed your pet!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Your pet now has an ability, Spirit Bond: When seeing its master Enrage the pet will follow suit!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Pet has gained new stat Rage: Rage set to 250</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Without paying this any mind Atticus walked into the room, seeing Hati and Skoll both alive he let his rage loose, Activating Enrage as did Shadow.


    At the same time both let out a blood chilling howl as his Alpha''s Command activated both he and Shadow got a boost in stats equal to another 20% of his stats.


    The two then charged into battle with the two abominations, Hati and Skoll charged as well, with no memories of this tiny human they charged while looking down on him and his runt of a pet. It was one of their past mistakes.


    Both Atticus and Shadow ran past Hati and straight to Skoll and focused on immobilizing him, At the same time as one another they attacked Skoll''s ankles, severing the tendons as Atticus took the right and Shadow the left.


    With a yelp Skoll dropped to his knees as he tried to swing his axe and kill them, Atticus stepped up and braced his axe handle against his shoulder as the blade of the massive axe hit hard, causing him to slide across the ground but he took only half of the damage as before.


    Still close to 250 hp but this only served as fuel for his rage, He swung his axe and chopped of Skoll''s thumbs once more. Causing the massive axe to drop to the ground as Atticus then tackled Skoll, Howling as he used every ounce of strength to get up to the height of the beasts head as he brought his axe down with the full force of his body.


    The axe bit deep into the wolfman''s throat and shattering the collarbone on the left side. At the same time, Shadow leapt from behind and bit savagely into the back of Skoll''s neck as he began thrashing with all his might.


    At this time, Atticus felt the air shifting and looked back to see the massive mace incoming. He let out a shout as he and Shadow both jumped to the side right as the mace killed Skoll by crushing his skull.


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Through a quick act of instinct you and your pet have killed an enemy in an unusual way.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Hati has killed Skoll!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> You have gained +3 Intelligence for your flawless coordination.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    On schedule, the remaining beasts fur changed color from black to red.


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Skoll has entered Frenzy at the loss of his brother! +10% attack speed and damage!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus drank the last health potion he had as he prepared for battle. He charged Hati head on as Shadow ran around behind the Wolfman. Hati threw his shield and mace down and took up its brothers axe. Swinging recklessly as he tried to avenge his brother.


    Atticus was surprised by the weapon swap but he could tell the beast was not used to the weapon so it was much easier to dodge than Skoll''s trained swings. He held his own axe at an angle, letting the axe glance off of it and slam into the ground.


    At the same time, he leapt and swung the axe hard as he took out Hati''s right eye, At this time Shadow took out Hati''s right ankle, causing the beast to take a knee and allowing the two to exploit a bit of a dirty trick.


    With a blind spot and reduced movement speed Atticus and Shadow were able to attack Hati''s right side with ease, Its wild swings were easy to dodge and they soon went for the kill, Shadow and Atticus let Hati swing its axe one last time.


    Hati was enraged, It had been backed into a corner by a pair of runts! With all of its hatred, it swung its axe and spun, only for the runts to attack him, the wolf biting the right side of his throat as the humans axe began hacking ruthlessly into his left side.


    Soon with a burst of golden light the two Wolfmen vanished, Leaving a large chest in the center of the room. Atticus pet Shadow softly as they both were bathed in light,


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Level Up!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Your pet has Leveled Up!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> You and your animal companion have killed the abominations Hati and Skoll!, Dark beasts formed from a dark magic performed on a litter of pups merging four pups into each beast along with a child born of a powerful elf and a wolfman.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus walked to the chest and opened it and looked at the loot. Only two items dropped this time in addition to the usual health potions and gold but it was oddly perfectly planned by the system in the event of a man and beast killing the boss.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Hati''s Collar</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Necklace - Accessory</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">Indestructible</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''2''>Quality:</td><td colspan=''2''>Rare</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A pitch black leather collar worn by the Wolfman Hati, Etched with runes symbolizing Endurance, Strength, And Loyalty.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>+10 to Strength and Endurance</td></tr></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Allows mental link with the wearer of Skolls Collar</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Skoll''s Collar</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Necklace - Accessory</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">Indestructible</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''2''>Quality:</td><td colspan=''2''>Rare</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A pitch black leather collar worn by the Wolfman Skoll, Etched with runes symbolizing Dexterity, Luck, And Loyalty.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>+10 to Dexterity and Luck</td></tr>[/tr]<tr><td colspan=''4''>Allows mental link with the wearer of Hatis Collar</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus gladly put Hati''s collar on as he put Skoll''s on Shadow. As he did he was assaulted with increased senses. His body going rigid as was assaulted by the smell of blood and sweat, The brightness of the torches in the room went up dramatically, And the sound of sweat dripping off of his body and his own heart was driving him insane.


    But soon an excited voice entered his head.¡±Is master ok!¡± He looked up and into Shadow''s eyes, He could feel the worry through the link and he smiled as he pet the wolf who had gotten a little bigger.


    ¡±Master is fine Shadow.¡±He soon forced himself to his feet as he took a breath, and collected his thoughts, He then looked down at Shadow and grinned.¡±Ready to go kill the bastard who caused all of this nonsense?¡±


    Shadow growled and barked loudly.¡±Your will, My fangs!¡±


    Atticus nodded and pet the wolf as he checked his axe, it had 75% durability remaining so they were fine for now. With this checked they began walking up the stairs in the back of the room and towards the final battle.


    ____________________________________________________________________________


    Outside of the Den


    Having seen that she was no longer allowed to enter the dungeon due to the quest saying Atticus must proceed alone Sasha pouted and decided to meet up with Lily, Alice, and Samantha.


    So she began to long journey to Jotuns Hammer, Hunting along the way and grinding her levels, Using this as an excuse not to see him just yet after their revelation that they all slept together. After all, it was not every day you find out that you instigated an orgy between your crush and your best friends.


    ____________________________________________________________________________


    In the forests of the elves.


    Samantha lead the way through the dark forests as Lily and Alice followed behind her, With a spear in one hand and her class specific shield in the other she was eager to meet up with Atticus,Wanting to know how he fights as the others never told her and said it was a surprise. She thought he would be a rogue class from the way he dodged Jacks attack and countered so quickly with what was at hand.But at the same time, she thought he could be a mage with how he loved reading and designing things.


    But more importantly, she wanted to see just how well he slaughters his foes in the game where he is not bound by mercy, She herself was quite fond of crippling her foes and beating them to death slowly using the butt of her spear. Lily and Alice never knew about her past and thought she was playing in an aggressive but defensive way, always making sure her enemies can''t attack her.


    The three continued on their way, All the while Samantha filled them in on their wild night together much to Lily''s pleasure and Alice''s embarrassment as they found out that Alice loved to be spanked and acting like a cat.


    The two sisters also told Samantha all about their time together with Atticus before coming to college which she greatly enjoyed. Soon she would have a great party, Two archers, a support type mage, a warrior, And potentially a dual blade using rogue or a damage dealing mage.


    And she had every intention of staying at the top and taking her friends and lovers with her, Having sent out all the friend requests they decided that when they met in Jotuns Hammer they would form a guild.


    The name was still a work in progress as each had their own idea, Though Atticus had yet to voice his own.

 Chapter 7 - Class - Redone

    As Atticus and Shadow walked down the long passage they could see no other monsters, as though Floki never expected Hati and Skoll to fall in battle, So they decided to eat as they walked, Taking turns as they snacked on bread and goat meat and took drinks of water.


    Soon they arrived at the final room. Inside was a large armor covered wolf, equal in size to Fenrir, chained low to the ground inside of an arcane circle as Floki was chanting something. Atticus didn''t want to wait and see what it was so he took off running at full speed.


    He did not use his shouts as usual as he wanted to conserve his mana, his rage climbing rapidly as his anger began to flood through his veins at the sight of the one responsible for the disgusting scene below, That of wolf pups being forcibly aged.


    He felt his blood boiling hotter than ever as he slammed into the man, sending him flying and causing the circle of runes to go dark, the spell stopped for now.


    Floki slammed against the wall and showed Atticus something confusing. His level was only 1 and his HP was only at 150, he wasn''t even a boss monster. It was at that time that Floki began laughing maniacally.


    ¡°You¡¯re too late warrior, My creation is complete!¡± As these words left his mouth Atticus heard a low growl behind him and the sound of chains snapping and a whimper from Shadow.


    ¡°M..Master she''s hurting...¡± Atticus turned to look at the massive wolf and smiled softly as he looked at Shadow.¡±It''s ok buddy, I won''t hurt her any more than I need to, Watch Floki, if he moves or speaks then rip his throat out...¡±


    With a loud bark, Shadow moved closer to Floki and watched him intently while growling. Atticus, on the other hand, put his battleaxe away and took out his hunting knife, He was going to keep his promise and not hurt the wolf anymore than he had to.


    Seeing Atticus moving towards her Lilim growled and lunged, slamming her paws down on his shoulders expecting him to fall. But he had come a long way from his fight with Fenrir and stood firm.


    As she snapped at him he threw his left arm up and gave her something to chew on as he began cutting at the straps on her armor, Smiling as the strips gave way with ease before the sharpened blade.


    But soon Atticus heard the sound of howling coming from the path he had just come from, He soon saw a pack of armored battle wolves running into the room. He let out a frustrated yell as he kicked Lilim away and drew his axe.


    He was going to have to hurt them quite a bit but there was nothing he could do about it. He charged them and activated his Enrage, kicking the wolves and swinging his axe as precisely as he could.


    He was aiming solely for the straps on their armor but he was constantly taking damage, while low since these wolves were only level 1 and were meant to be cannon fodder for this fight, The sheer number of the wolves kept driving his health lower and lower.


    He soon lost the use of his left arm as a wolf bit it and pulled hard, dislocating it. But at the same time, he was slowly making progress with the wolves, the armor began falling off of them and they ran as fast as they could out of the room.


    But as he got down to the last five wolves he felt a weight on his back as Lilim pounced on him, snapping down on his right shoulder. Atticus howled in pain as he rolled and slammed the wolf''s head against the ground.


    She held on tight but he soon let go of his axe and chugged a health potion, swinging his axe again while using the side of it to stun the lesser wolves as he rolled and bit Lilim violently on the throat, breaking the skin and causing her to yelp, letting go of his shoulder as he pinned her down.


    He was cutting the last of her straps off of her armor as Shadow backed the last wolves into a corner along with Floki. It was as Lilim shook her armor off and whimpered, rolling on her back before Atticus that something changed.


    Floki saw what Atticus was doing and the very thought of it enraged him, so he went with his final plan of desperation. Using his staff and the wolves as a shield from shadow he began casting a spell.


    When Atticus caught on it was too late, the spell was complete and before their eyes Flokis body merged with that of the five wolves, The result was a twisted abomination that no longer looked human nor beast, its form constantly shifting between the two.


    Floki now stood on par with Hati and Skoll, his body covered in bits of steel plate armor from the wolves, his hands shaped into claws of steel, his eyes filled with madness like a rabid dog.


    ¡°You shall not stop me! I will discover the secret of the ulfheenar!¡± Floki roared as he charged Atticus, bashing Shadow to the side of the room, not killing him but he could feel the pain his companion was in and it enraged him ever more.


    Lilim jumped in front of him and tried to stop Floki only to be met with the same brutal blow, flying across the room only to slam into the wall. As he watched the two wolves being beaten by this monstrosity Atticus¡¯ rage reached a new limit and he let out a fierce roar.


    He began to charge Floki with his blood boiling and raging through his veins, spurring on his every movement as his vision went dark, His senses heightened to an all-time high as his bond with Shadow boosted his senses.


    The two clashed in the center of the room and a loud impact could be heard as steel hit steel. Atticus had swung his axe with all his mIght as Floki had swung his claws, the two forces were equal in power and caused a severe recoil, sending them both back five feet.


    But the two did not stop, They clashed, again and again, trading blows as Flokis claws carved into Atticus¡¯ body and Atticus¡¯ axe tore chunks of Flokis flesh and muscle from the bone, The two had lost all reason,


    Focusing solely on trading blows with one another in their rage, Atticus soon had large patches of his flesh torn away, his left arm missing, his left eye gouged out with a long jagged wound running down to his jaw line.


    Floki was missing his right arm, right eye, all of the steel plates had been carved from his body leaving only the steel claws now. With every hit the two beasts, attack speed began to grow, their rage driving them to greater heights,


    But as Atticus reached 10% he felt a rush of adrenaline shove him past the limits of what his ability should have allowed. With a howl he began slamming his axe harder and faster against Flokis body, the steel claws soon denting and bending, quickly becoming useless.


    Floki''s legs were soon missing massive chunks of muscle and tendons, making him fall to his knees, In his Enraged state he began to move faster as well, soon knocking Atticus¡¯ axe across the room.


    But this did not stop Atticus as he felt his bond with Shadow growing with every rage fuelled attack, His canine teeth


    grew longer and sharper, his nails grew into claws and soon he lunged at Floki. Clawing and tearing into the massive beasts flesh with a greedy hunger.


    He began to eat the beast alive, swallowing large chunks of flesh and blood as he tore Flokis throat out. Soon Atticus¡¯ body was covered in blood and chunks of flesh but he continued to tear into Flokis body. Howling savagely as he soon made his way to his still beating heart.


    With one final slam down with his clawed hands, Atticus shattered Flokis ribcage, tearing it open he lunged down and devoured his still beating heart. Howling loud enough that it reverberated through the halls of the den and those hunting in the woods could hear, And what they heard was a beast who had just devoured his kill.


    He was panting raggedly and shaking violently as floki''s body vanished. He received many messages but he could not see them as his body came down from its primal high.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Your madness has deepened, resulting in a new title and skill!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Your savage methods of dispatching your foe has brought you closer to becoming a beast! Your nails and fangs shall permanently be that of a wolf! + 10 Attack</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>You have killed Floki and stopped his madness! The village of Duskhaven in Black Rock Hold will rejoice!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>For being the first to clear the dungeon you have gained a level!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Level up!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Level up!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Level up!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>You have reached Level 10!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>For killing the final boss of the dungeon without help from other players or NPC allies you have gained the best items the boss has to offer</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus sat there panting for a good ten minutes, Even as Shadow came over to him and began licking his face while whimpering he was lost in the flood of exhaustion as his rage left his body.


    After he regained his senses Atticus decided the first thing he should do was to check his status and update it, petting Shadow as he dragged his axe back to him.


    Atticus drank a health potion as he noticed how damaged his body was, almost dropping the potion as his hand was shaking so badly. As his body forced itself to regenerate most of its muscle and flesh Atticus¡¯ body was soon covered in many scars.


    He forced himself to his feet and opened Flokis chest, The loot made him grin widely.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Beginners Rune Smithing Manual</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Skillbook</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">Indestructible</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''2''>Quality:</td><td colspan=''2''>Rare</td>[tr]<td colspan=''4''>Requires Beginner Blacksmithing to and Leatherworking to learn.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Teaches the user to etch runes of power into their weapons and armor.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Alphas Footpads.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Boots</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">1500/150</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Quality:</td><td width="25%">Rare</td><td width="25%">Defense:</td><td width="25%">20</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A pair of boots made from the hide of the last alpha of Blackrock Hold..</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Requires 30 Dexterity to wear.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>+10 Charisma</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>+2% Frost Resist</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Run with the pack: Increases the Movement Speed of yourself, your party, allies, and pets by 25% for 1 minute. Cost 100 Mana.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Your footsteps make no sound even when running.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Fine Rune Smithing set</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Tools</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">Indestructible</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''2''>Quality:</td><td colspan=''2''>Rare</td>[tr]<td colspan=''4''>A set of very well made steel engraving tools for Rune Smithing.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    When he saw the skill book and tools his eyes light up, the thought of upgrading his weapons and armor greatly appealed to him as he could then sell them for far more money depending on what runes he could put on them.


    The boots were great as well but the book was his favorite of all. He took the usual gold and health potions before he gave one to Lilim and one to Shadow. Petting them both and changing into his new boots before he stood up.¡±Let''s go home...¡±


    With that said they began the long walk back to Duskhaven, Not even thinking about the blood coating his body as he walked through town he was met with looks of fear from the users, After all, a blood-soaked, battle-scarred, one armed giant of a man walked into their town with two massive wolves following behind him, the smaller of the two carrying what they could only assume was his arm in his jaws. and carrying a giant battle axe in his one hand.


    All the while the NPCs around him cheered and howled out their joy at his return with the Alpha under his control. He stopped by the well and bathed, stripping naked as usual as he began to scrub himself and his armor.


    Once that was done he drank nearly three buckets of water before his thirst went down. He then got dressed. As he sat in the noon sun half naked and guzzling down ice cold water Lucian, Liliana, and the other elves came out to greet him.


    In as loud a voice as he could manage Lucian looked down at Atticus¡°Thane Atticus Shadowsgrove! What is your report on the Den!¡±


    Atticus tossed the bucket aside and stood up, slamming his right hand to the tattoo over his heart as he roared out his response.¡±The Den is clear!, The rouge Runesmith Floki is dead!¡±


    As his voice thundered out across the village the villages all began cheering louder, The users looking on in awe as the savage man known unofficially as The Cain of RO was being heralded as a hero, Most not understanding that in the old days one''s honor was forged in blood, not just good deeds.


    Lucian grinned and nodded resolutely.¡±As a reward for your great deed to my hold, i hereby revoke all villainous deeds from your past! And I award you with the highest honor i can give. I hereby invite you to the order of the ¨²lfh¨¦enar! The Wolf Skinned Berserkers!¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Quest Complete!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    At the mere word Berserker, all the users knew what frightening things a berserker was. And the villagers roared their approval, After all, Berserkers were owed the highest respect of warriors.


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Lucian Frost, Jarl of Black Rock Hold, And Leader of the ¨²lfh¨¦enar has invited you to his order. Do you wish to change your class to that of a ¨²lfh¨¦enar (Unique Berserker variant) Y/N?</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus gladly accepted, dropping down to one knee¡±It would be an honor to learn from you, Jarl Frost!¡± As he said this a blood red light shone down on him, and the two wolves behind him howled in an eerie, bone-chilling+


    6 way, alternating their howls to make a haunting song.


    Within seconds wolves flooded out of the forests and all gathered around him and joined in the chilling song. Feeling his link mates joy he himself joined in with a howl of his own. Hearing the almost ghostly song the villagers dropped to a knee and the fear status was applied to every user in the area that heard the song, getting a message at the same time.


    <table><tbody><tr><td>The world has witnessed the birth of a ¨²lfh¨¦enar, A Warrior clad in wolf skins. For 24 hours all wolves will be 100% stronger, Travel in larger packs, And give 50% more loot and EXP </td></tr></tbody></table>


    It was then that he received a new window.


    <table><tbody><tr><td>You have become a ¨²lfh¨¦enar! Check the Class window for information on your new class and abilities.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Atticus gladly did so.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>¨²lfh¨¦enar</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Through your brutal battles you have become one with the wolf, You are one with the pack, An Alpha. All will fall in line behind you or be met with the fangs of you and your pack.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Effects</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>+ 30 to Str, Dex, End, Cha.


    +200 Rage


    Your skill Overpower has been empowered and has become Savage Blow, now ignoring all armor, having a 25% chance to inflict Bleeding, The damage has turned to darkness


    You have gained the skill Pack Master, Allowing a mental link with your pets, your party members pets, and all Druids in animal form in your party,


    Your Beast Mastery skill has been changed. your pets, your party members pets, and all Druids in animal form in your party now gain 30% of your stats rather than 20%


    Your skill Roar has been renamed to Howl and  has gained a new ability, Alpha''s Command Now increases Health, Attack Speed, And Damage done by your pets, your party members pets, and all Druids in animal form in your party by 25%


    When you die you will no longer lose a level, However, you and your pets must now gain twice as much EXP as others.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus was about to groan seeing he now had to work twice as hard as the others but was stopped as Liliana walked over to him and stroked his scarred cheek lovingly, leaning down and kissing him passionately, much to the dismay of the elves and the shock of the users as they saw the lovely queen of the elves gladly kissing the savage they all feared would attack them when they left the village.


    Seeing that Liliana was clearly fine with a public display of affection he kissed her back, pulling her close and letting his hands rest on her tight rear, this earned him a great deal of hate from the users and the elves, enough so that his Bloodlust marked fifty-six enemies on his mental map.


    But after a long minute, Liliana pulled her lips from his and smiled."Thane Shadowsgrove, I Liliana Ironwood wish to formally thank you for saving and avenging myself and the founding members of the Ironwood Druids and our Initiate Lilim. I will grant you four rewards for this feat. First, I will mend your wounds, Second I will allow you to keep Lilim as your loyal pet and companion."


    He was confused as she said this until Lilim walked into his vision and changed into the familiar form of the elven woman who helped him during his account set up, though now instead of her robe she was wearing a scant leather top and shorts like the stereotypical Fantasy armor one would expect a druid female to wear.


    He then got a message stating she was now his pet. He was about to speak but Liliana put a finger to his lips which silenced him right away.


    "Third I shall leave one of the elders here to train those who wish to become druids. And Fourth.  I offer you this blade." She held up a blade the same size as his current hunting knife, This blade, however, is made of a brilliant silver, the edge glimmering to a degree that the sharpness alone scared him. Etched into the stag horn handle was the same tattoo on his arm, though slightly different.


    She gave a sly smirk before she dropped down to her knees and kissed his neck, Making a show of licking and kissing every scar on his body which made them vanish slowly, leaving the one where Fenrir tore off his arm, and the  slashes across his back from where Skoll killed him.


    She then pressed his arm into place as she licked along the wound, healing the arm though this time while it hurt greatly he didn''t pass out, instead his rage maxed out at 500.


    When she was done she kissed him again, This time as she pulled away the stag''s skull tattoo on his left arm glowed with a bright green light, becoming surrounded with thorns which ended with a bramble crown on top of the skull, now matching that of the symbol on his new hunting knifes handle. At the same time, she smiled and whispered softly."Mine..."


    Atticus was a bit dazed at her claiming him as her own but soon he got a message telling him about his new title, and a message saying that she was his lover now, but he decided to ignore it for now."I thank you for your generosity my queen..."


    With the ceremony done Lucian coughed a bit and Liliana all but skipped happily back to her original spot as she grinned happily. Lucian sighed and smiled."I hereby declare that for the next week there shall be a feast in honor of our thane''s glory!"


    With that there was a roar of approval as the villagers began to run about, bringing the tables and chairs from their homes as the smith began to set up a large fire pit which Atticus moved to assist him with, At the same time the women of the village began gathering food from the storehouse to begin cooking once the fire pit was done.


    As they finished building the pit Atticus took out the pick axe and held it out to the old smith."I believe this belongs to you my friend.."


    <table><tbody><tr><td> Quest Complete!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    The old smith actually broke into tears as he clutched the pick, for a long while Atticus waited a bit awkwardly until the old man collected himself. He then leads Atticus to his shop and pulled out a small crate, inside was everything he needed to become a blacksmith."True to our agreement my friend here is the skill books and equipment I promised you, Thank you again for returning my family pick to me..."


    Atticus nodded but he soon remembered something."Before i forget I found what seemed to be traces of iron in one of the back pathways if the Den. Perhaps I can convince Lucian to send some guards to patrol the den and allow us to mine there to get more materials?"


    Hearing this the old smith perked up."I always knew there was still a vein in that old mine, Tell Lucian to send me down there with a team of five guards and I will confirm that there is still worth in that mine.."


    He didn''t get a quest window but Atticus nodded firmly as he left the smithy for now and decided to go rest in the tavern while the feast was being set up.


    He sat down on his bed and took out all of the tools and books he had so far and began reading them, The blacksmithing manual told him a few small details he didn''t already know from the books he read in the real world but it didn''t give him the skill he needed.


    He then read the mining manual which taught him all about mining from what ores look like when still in the stone, to signs of dangers such as poison gas and the signs of a potential cave-in.


    The Rune Smithing book was what he was truly excited to read, It taught him how to engrave the runes as well as a few starter runes, the rest had to be discovered through the world in libraries or in dungeons. His starting runes were Life(Health) Invigoration (HP Regen) Discipline (Int) Fury(Str) Longevity(End) And Speed(Dex)


    With the knowledge he needed he returned to the smithy and asked for permission to use the forge and furnace as he didn''t want to wait for the coals to reach the right heat. With a very happy old man''s blessing, Atticus went to work, melting down all of the steel armor and weapons he got from the armored wolves and wolfmen, as well as the players who attacked him so often.


    Near five hours later Atticus had 140 steel bars, having taken a break to find Rena and take the armor she had been carrying for him.He kept one of the pieces of wolf armor and decided to study it, learning the fertility and growth rate runes, While not wanting to use them he figured it would be best to have them, He then studied the design of the last set of wolf armor before took a break as the feast was now in full swing.


    He and the villagers, and users partied non-stop for a week, Atticus took short breaks to work the forge but he didn''t sleep and never stopped drinking. This lead to a funny combination as he found his End and Str rose by one after every two hours of work in the smithy due to the intense labor and heat.


    He also told Lily and Alice about his class, having agreed to keep his class a secret from Samantha for a while to surprise her, Sasha, however, was still pouting even after he told her the only loot that dropped was for beast users. It was through this conversation that he realized Lucian still owed him a weapon!


    He stumbled off to find the Jarl who was half drunk like himself but was grinning."I was wondering when you would show up..." He stood up and put an arm around Atticus'' shoulder and lead him to the storeroom in the back."You see Atticus, while we ¨²lfh¨¦enar are Warriors like the rest we have an overwhelming strength when we are in battle, this allows us to do something unique which is to use two great weapons at once... "


    He soon brought Atticus before a large suit of thick black iron armor with an old silver wolf pelt over it. In the suit of armors grasp were two massive battle axes. And laying in front of the suit was a smaller battleaxe closer to the size of his Grim Chopper, And a book laying on top of it.


    Lucian handed him the book which vanished instantly as it taught him its skill."The book you just used held the skill Jotuns Grip, It allows us to wield two great weapons with no penalties to damage though for now your attacks will be slower than normal until you become more adept at it...Or you could use it as I some of the stranger men have, choosing to wield monstrous weapons only monsters would consider to wield."


    He then motioned to two blades Both were black steel battle axes which had a wolf motif like the tattoo on his chest engraved on the blade in blood red though one was monstrous in size, something one would expect to see in a minotaurs hands. "Take your pick Atticus, it is your life after all."


    Atticus decided to grab the larger of the axes just feeling that one weapon was more suited to his style. Lucain sighed and nodded seeing Atticus would be one of the darker of his order"This is Fury, It is a battleaxe passed from one ¨²lfh¨¦enar  to the next when we have decided upon our successor."


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Fury</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Great Axe</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">300/300</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Quality:</td><td width="25%">Rare</td><td width="25%">Damage:</td><td width="25%">330-350</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A massive axe made from black steel quenched in the blood of wolves,  Passed from one ¨²lfh¨¦enar  to the next as a tradition, and a right of passage.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Requires Jotuns Grip to wield.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>This monsterous blade stands at 7''0 tall and weighs two hundred pounds, no mortal warrior would be able to wield this blade. As such it may not be stolen and will not be lost on death</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Allows the user to gain 20% of the stats from one of his pets. May only be used by a ¨²lfh¨¦enar.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus gladly took the weapon and gave it a swing with both hands, loving the weight and feel, but he also noticed an eerie howling sound as he swung it, Noticing small holes cut in the back of the axe that the air passes through. He looked to Lucian and bowed his head."Thank you for this honor my friend..."


    Lucian patted his shoulder and shook his head."Don¡¯t thank me yet boy, For you to become a true ¨²lfh¨¦enar and have access to all of our power you must complete the Rites, Grueling tests that will push you to your limits, with each test you will lose something but you will gain power beyond your imagining.., Liliana will contact you when she feels you are ready for your first rite, The Druids have always been our allies and helped us during our rites by setting the challenge and ensuring our survival...Most of the time at least.."


    Atticus sighed a bit as Lucian lead him back out to the great hall and smiled."But enough with the seriousness my friend, We must keep celebrating. After all once the feast is over ill really be putting you to work!"


    ___________________________________________________________________________________


    The world of RO changed greatly overnight, unknown to Adam his Cradle had recorded his latest session all the way up to Liliana healing his body, ending before she claimed him as her own.  With this the world found out the brutality of the ¨²lfh¨¦enar  for themselves, seeing his fight with Hati and Skoll, As well as his brutal slaughter of Floki.


    While not showing them any of his items gained or the stats of his class only its description and how it had a clear effect on the wolves in the area. That night the forums were on fire with tales of Atticus, The Cain of RO returning to the village with two massive wolves and covered in wounds only to become a Berserker style class.


    The second Unique class in the game after Dark Desires Valkyrie, But also now many players thanked him as they were able to take up the Druid class which allowed them to shapeshift into various animal forms after they studied the beasts for long periods of time.


    ___________________________________________________________________________________


    In a small room in the Duskhaven Tavern.


    "Ohhhh why did this have to happen... I know they said it was part of my job description but to be a pet, And to a savage like him no less... Can we switch places Liliana?"


    In this room sat a beautiful young elf, complaining to an even more beautiful elf though she was three years younger than her.


    " Oh quit complaining Lilim, he''s quite nice once you get to know him,and seems like he will be very fun to serve, You should have heard how he beat the daylights out of that Ally NPC that abandoned him, she went from absolute pain to mind numbing pleasure in like three minutes!"


    Liliana grinned as she told this to her older sister, The two were unique beings in RO, Players paid by the company to act as NPCs, In Liliana''s case as the Queen of the Ironwoods, a level 75+ woodland area which was the capital of the elves,


    While she was not keen on the staged rape she very much enjoyed her time with Atticus, loving the reactions he gave her when she teased him, and his new confidence after being forced to log out for awhile was just awesome.


    Lilim and her baby sister were in a terrible accident three years ago, a drunk driver ran into their car which resulted in both girls being paralyzed completely from the neck down, so when they were approached by Rebirth Industries they leapt metaphorically at the chance to beta test the game and to be permanent residents, Their monthly fees fully taken care of as well as a large sum of in-game gold to do as they pleased.


    The only conditions were that they had to play specific roles when the game went live, after helping sort new players they would be sent to one of the Human dungeons where a chain of events leading to the only two Berserker classes would be unlocked.


    The best part was Lilim lost the coin toss to see who became the ''Pet'' to the ¨²lfh¨¦enar, Lilim complained the whole time as Liliana was an openly submissive masochist and she argued she should have taken the role instead. But Liliana got to be the Queen of the Ironwood Elves, and so she had to watch other women be raped when the first players entered the dungeon, Though the people at Apex were shocked as they never expected her to pick her savior as her chosen lover.


    "That sounds great for you! it already sucks that I got smacked across the room earlier and had like every bone in my body shattered!, That shit hurts!"Lilim groaned as she remembered the pain before Atticus gave her the potion.


    "Hey quit bitching, I have to stay in the capital from now on and play a damn RTS while you get to go out on an adventure, If I had known the full details of this role I''d have let you take it... I would love to have him beat me when I act out....." A lewd look crossed Liliana''s face as she bit her lip softly, shifting her legs a bit as she got wet at the thought of the abuse a misbehaving pet would get.


    "God, how did I end up with a pervert like you as a sister..." Lilim cringed and shook her head as Liliana laughed softly and tackled her sister playfully and hugged her close.


    "Come on you know you still love me..."Liliana grinned and cuddled up to her big sister like a kitten would when seeking attention.


    Lilim smiled and held her sister close, really just glad that the two could be together after nearly two weeks in game time."How could I ever hate you...."

 Chapter 8 - The Pack - Redone

    One week had passed since Atticus had taken up his class, and the entire time was spent working like a slave for Lucian, sorting out disputes, catching bandits, cutting down trees to fortify the village and expand it. Atticus had managed to gain two new work skills through the week, Bounty Hunting, And Lumberjack. Both were great as he could now take bounty hunting jobs from the inn as long as his rank matched that of the request and his level allowed him to kill or capture the target.


    And Lumberjack gave him the ability to chop down trees using a felling ax, As a result he could now harvest wood to be used for light shields, buildings, bows, staves, weapon hafts. In addition, it increased his Str and End by 10 and his damage when using axes by 5% passively.


    Liliana had left to return to her palace, though not before giving him a present, 5 Lesser Healing Potions. These were a notch above the ones he usually used and did twice as much healing so he gladly took them. The 12 men he had taken prisoner were tortured daily while the Druid elder left by Liliana had the recruits healing their wounds and mending their limbs as training. The men were kept gagged and they were imprisoned for the full week, If they died then Atticus would throw them back into the cell and the torture would resume.


    At the end of one week in the real world, And time passed the men were all at level 1 and most had stopped playing altogether, And the rest who did log in on the final day were given one last warning to behave themselves or the torture would resume.


    It was the start of a new day in Duskhaven and so Atticus decided to bathe himself and Shadow as had become their morning ritual, Lilim though acted like the Users and would only bathe in secret out in the woods. But he figured it had something to do with Elven pride, Over the last week he had learned quite a bit about the druid class, For example, Lilim was level 10 and had unlocked her second beast form.


    To lock in a beast form one had to study a beast thoroughly, to the point of losing their humanity, Much like he has but not in a savage way, From the way they hunt to the way they mate a Druid must take in every aspect. For her second form Lilim chose a Raven as she had always wanted to fly, Atticus could not find fault in this desire so he let her roam the woods freely and she still has yet to return.


    As they finished bathing and drying off Atticus pulled his armor on and began walking around the town, Yes town. Over the last three in-game weeks, Atticus and the villagers had expanded the walls and built more buildings, Atticus helped them to build two-story buildings, With the reasoning of combining the store and home into one by making the second floor home.


    It took a long while to perfect the first two story building but after that everything went smoothly, The mines had been reopened and iron, coal, and stone were being brought in daily, Criminals were now being forced to work in the mines for the duration of their sentences.


    The walls around the town were now fifteen feet high and covered completely with stone, As were most of the houses as to prevent fires from spreading rapidly through the town in the event of a raid.


    As they stood now the town was only half full of people but now the Users could buy homes, But as a perk of being a Thane, Atticus had been given his own home, A larger two story home with a cellar. While sparsely furnished he now had an all stone kitchen with a large brick oven, and something he had shown to the others in the town.


    On the stone counter where he prepared food he made a small gap where he put a fire, over the fire was a solid steel plate that he now used to cook food on like a griddle, this made it possible for him to make scrambled eggs and when he got everything he needed, Pancakes


    He had a large living room area, and a storeroom on the first floor, On the second he decided to make one large bedroom where he bought an equally large bed that looked like it could fit ten people comfortably, as well as an armory where he would store his weapons and armor.


    He then set up his own forge in the cellar as well as his leatherworking equipment, He then made a series of chests store all of the materials he had.  With all of this, he realized that any thief could break in and steal his stuff while he was away so Atticus decided it was time to go train in the woods.


    He finally wandered around the area and began scouting out what the other users were doing when they started. Most would take a job from the notice board in the Inn, Usually to hunt rabbits, deer, bears, or wolves In terms of strength the Wolves posed the most threat as Bears while having a large health pool and strength their speed was slow enough that when you see the attack coming you can easily dodge.


    They also roam alone whereas wolves work in packs of three or more, lower health but a high damage output and superb tactics. So Atticus decided to expand his pack by breaking in some wolves to act as guard dogs when he was away.


    He figured six total at two per floor would be good as they would easily detect any thieves and when they did they would alert the others, Another reason he chose to have large rooms, to let his pack have enough room to tear their foes to shreds.


    As they walked out into the deeper portions of the woods where the highest levels wolves in the area live he pet Shadows head softly.¡±Just think Shadow, soon you will have packmates, And if we''re lucky more than one bitch to choose from to breed.¡±


    As he said this Shadow bolted ahead and spun to face him barking happily.¡±Really Really!.¡± Atticus laughed as he saw the overgrown pup''s tail wagging erratically. ¡±Yes Shadow, I need to reward you for being such a good companion after all.¡± Atticus had learned that while forcibly aged Shadow still had the instincts of any other wolf, Hunt, Breed, Repeat. So he figured it would be a good idea to find him a mate.


    The wolf ran circles around him for a few minutes while barking his joy, After a while of this they came upon their first pack of wolves, Not wanting to hurt them Atticus decided not to use his axes and instead would use his claws and teeth to beat them into submission.


    As they got close the wolves all cowered down and began snarling, They knew that the beings before them were not of their pack And that the bigger one was an Alpha of his own. Right away the three smallest of the five wolves ran away as fast as they could.


    Atticus turned to Shadow and barked an order as he began running.¡±Deal with these two, I''m going to give chase to the runners, If they won''t submit kill them!¡±


    Atticus heard whimpering and whining as the fight started behind him, but he didn''t look back, he kept running after the small wolves and hoped he would find more of them, and for Shadows sake that he could find a few young pups that had yet to mate.


    After nearly thirty minutes of running Atticus caught up with the wolves, He even found more of them, Around twenty of them, All level 10 and all of them angry, Especially one whose nameplate was clear above his head before the fight even started.


    A massive gray wolf with streaks of brown through his fur and covered in scars, Clearly an old and battle worn beast.


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>¨®er</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Rank:</td><td width="25%">Elite Boss</td><td width="25%">Level:</td><td width="25%">11</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Health:</td><td width="25%"><2000/2000></td><td width="25%">Attack:</td><td width="25%">75-100</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>An ancient wolf who has begun to expand his territory into Black Rock Hold following the fall of the last Alpha wolf of the area.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Abilities</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Thrash:Used when biting an enemy to inflict 50% more damage and causes Bleeding.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Infectious: Every attack has a chance to infect the target with an ancient, long forgotten disease</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Seeing the massive wolf who stood on par with Fenrir he was about to draw his axe but before he could he was met with a message as the old wolf leaped down from the stone he stood upon, all of the wolves in the clearing surrounding them as ¨®er snarled and let out a howl.


    <table><tbody><tr><td>You have been challenged to single combat by another Alpha, Using weapons will result in your enemy dealing 50% more damage. If you are victorious all of the wolves in Alpha ¨®er¡¯s pack will become yours If you fail Lilim and Shadow will become members of ¨®er¡¯s pack.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus was surprised at the message but he nodded resolutely as he dropped into a low crouch as he gave his own snarl and howl and activated Enrage. And with that, the fight had begun. The two charged at one another as all the wolves present watched to see who they would soon follow.


    As they got close to one another Atticus dropped into a slide as ¨®er tried to pounce on him, As he slid under the massive wolf Atticus raised his claws and raked them down the wolf''s stomach while using Savage Blow to inflict extra damage,


    ¨®er growled at the pain but turned and leaped again at the small alpha, Atticus was not fast enough to dodge the agile beast so he had to take him head on, He raised his hands and set his stance as ¨®er slammed down on him.


    He caught the wolf''s paws and held tightly to them, At the same time he saw the massive beasts equally massive jaws open wide as to tear off his head. Atticus then dropped to one knee as he fell backward,


    This made ¨®er  move forward a good two foot as Atticus lunged up and bit savagely into the wolf''s neck, taking inspiration from ¨®er¡¯s skill he began thrashing his head side to side to inflict more damage.


    He let go of the wolf¡¯s paws and began clawing violently across his body, between this and the thrashing he had inflicted the Bleeding effect. However at the same time, ¨®er moved back despite the pain of the sharp fangs pulling against his neck and slammed his claws down and across the small alpha¡¯s right shoulder down to his hip.


    Atticus growled in pain as he let go of ¨®er¡¯s neck and got up, now covered in enough blood for his Savage Combat to begin boosting his rage regeneration and for his Bloodthirsty effect to start healing him as he swallowed a large mouthful of blood.


    However, this was a bad idea, As he did get a boost of 15 health per second he had also taken in infected blood, as the system let him know.


    <table><tbody><tr><td>You have drunk the blood of an Ancient Wolf and contracted Lycanthropy, On the next full moon you will have your race changed to Lycanthrope.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus disregarded this as he didn''t have time to worry about it with the massive beast swinging his claws again. If he lost he would lose his only two pack members and that was unacceptable, Especially since Lilim was a very sexy little elf!


    Atticus leaped to the side and then jumped on ¨®er¡¯s back and began biting and thrashing as his claws began chipping away at the beats health, Making sure to use Savage Blow as much as he could until his mana went dry, and then every time he hit 50 mana.


    During the five minutes of fighting Shadow arrived and watched his master fighting the massive wolf, Worried as the other wolves would not let him help his master, and angry as they mocked his foolishness for challenging ¨®er.


    Atticus panted as he was thrown again from ¨®er¡¯s back, The massive wolf now had <1035/2000> HP remaining and was missing his right eye and had the hamstring of his left front paw ripped out.


    Atticus, on the other hand, was down to <280/1150> HP, His body was completely covered in claw marks and blood so his Savage Combat was working at full capacity and he currently gaining a good portion of health back per second.


    However ¨®er was giving him little time to rest as he kept pushing the attack, Soon the two were on near equal footing as Atticus misjudged where ¨®er¡¯s paw was going and now had his left eye gouged out again with four jagged claw marks running from his hairline down to his collarbone.


    Atticus howled in rage as he let his bond with Shadow begin leading his actions as he did in his fight with Floki, Relying completely on instinct he charged the wolf, leaping high as the wolf pounced down on an empty patch of dirt before slamming down on the beast''s back.


    He began biting and thrashing wildly as he used his right hand to gouge out ¨®er¡¯s remaining eye, at the same time he began tearing out large mouthfuls of meat blood while swallowing greedily as if he had not eaten in days.


    ¨®er howled in pain and began thrashing and trying to throw Atticus off but Atticus would not have it. He kicked his boots off and kicked into ¨®er¡¯s sides, his clawed toes digging in deep as he wrapped his arms around the beast''s neck and squeezed violently.


    He let his claws dig into the sides of the beast''s neck as he began choking him, all the while tearing the flesh and muscle away from the back of his neck until he bit firmly onto the spine and began thrashing again.


    Soon there was a loud crack and a whimper as ¨®er went still, Atticus had won but he didn''t stop, He kept devouring the large wolf as his claws tore the furry hide away to expose the meat below.


    When Atticus finally came to it was dark out and the moon was high in the sky A full moon. He was then greeted with quite a few messages.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> You have become a Lycanthrope! Check the Race option in the Character Window for more information. </td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> You have killed the ancient alpha ¨®er and become the alpha of his pack. </td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> Your pack now consists of 8 Males, 12 Females (4 Unmated). Check the Pack Window for more information.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> As the Alpha of a pack without a mate there is no true order and as such Male wolves will try to take the Unmated Females for themselves. Selecting a Female Alpha will result in n harmony between the sexes. </td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> For killing and devouring a rival Alpha your skill Pack Master has gained a new ability, Dominating Presence. </td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> Dominating Presence: Fear binds your pack members to your will, Increases loyalty to 75% by default no matter how they are gained. When haggling with merchants they will be 25% more likely to agree to your price. </td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> For becoming a Lycanthrope Aspect of the Beast has reached its strongest. Your eyes are now permanently heterochromatic showing your fall to beasthood. Your right eye has now become a bright gold that glows in the darkness while your left is a bright cobalt blue. +30 Attack damage,Str, End, Dex.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> Your Bloodthirsty effect has become stronger. an additional 50 Infamy has been added. </td></tr></tbody></table>


    Seeing all of this as well as all of the wolves around him sitting silently, With Shadow standing over the 4 Unmated females and guarding them Atticus decided to take a moment and collect his thoughts.


    He started by picking up the blood-soaked pelt that he had torn away from ¨®er, It eerily was complete from the neck down as he pulled it off like one would that of a rabbit. It was of the Epic quality so he pushed it into his bag,


    All of the bones were ruined with being covered in marks from his teeth and some even half gone. He did save the skull which was of the Epic quality, surprised him as it was a Trophy.


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>¨®er¡¯s Skull </td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Trophy</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">Indestructible</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''2''>Quality:</td><td colspan=''2''>Epic</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>The skull of an ancient wolf who was defeated by the ¨²lfh¨¦enar Atticus Shadowsgrove in single combat while barehanded.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>When hung above the mantle in one¡¯s home increased fame by 100</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>When hung above the mantle in one¡¯s home increase the stats and damage of all wolves or dogs inside of the home by 25%</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus was impressed with this as he had never even thought that trophy item would exist, It would work well with what he had in mind. He then noticed something else on the ground, Two large grey-brown paws that looked like they could fit his hands.


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>¨®er¡¯s front paws</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Leather</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">Indestructible</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''2''>Quality:</td><td colspan=''2''>Rare</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>The paws of an ancient wolf who was defeated by the ¨²lfh¨¦enar Atticus Shadowsgrove in single combat while barehanded, A Master Leatherworker can make these into a pair of Gloves.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus was pleased with this as his own gloves were falling apart and made of plain leather. He then decided to see what this Lycanthrope business was all about.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Lycanthrope</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Through battle with an ancient wolf you have contracted the Lycanthropy disease, After failing to cure it before the full moon you have been turned into a Lycanthrope!</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Effects</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>+ 50 to Str, Dex, End.


    +200 Infamy


    +300 Rage


    Once per month you may infect another with the Lycanthropy disease,


    You now have a second Form, Beast Form. When you enter combat your body will grow larger, faster, stronger, and furry. When in beast form you will gain an additional 25% of your stats.


    Your skills Bloodlust,Skinning, Beast mastery, Packmaster, and Howl have been upgraded to the Adept Ranking and have received a bonus.


    You may now see clearly in the dark.


    You are immune to Vampirism.


    When fighting with your fangs, claws, or claw type weapons gain + 50 Attack.


    Silver weapons now deal 75% more damage to you.


    You take 50% more damage from fire attacks when in beast form due to the risk of your fur catching fire.


    Those who do not know you well will be more likely to attack you when they see your Beast Form.


    Normal armor will break when entering Beast Form.


    You must now gain an addition 50% EXP to level up.(In combination with your class ¨²lfh¨¦enar you must now gain 2.5 times as much EXP as others)


    Your alignment is set to Chaotic Neutral.


    You may now accept quests from monsters.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus sighed seeing that he now needed, EVEN MORE, EXP to level up, but he tried to see the positive in things and looked at the skills that had reached the Adept rank.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td width="25%">Skill Name:</td><td width="25%">Skill Rank:</td><td width="25%">Skill Level:</td><td width="25%">Skill Experience:</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">BeastMastery</td><td width="25%">Adept</td><td width="25%">1</td><td width="25%">0%</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You have learned how to make beasts follow your lead and see you as one of their own.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You may now tame beasts at or below your level with 100% chance of success, If your intimacy with a higher level beast reaches its maximum they may willingly submit to you</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>When a higher level beast submits to you they will be temporarily lowered to your level, leveling up automatically with you until you are at their initial level.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Beasts tamed by you will have to level up using the same system as yourself, though with a lower EXP total. For example to reach level 2 a player must gain 400 EXP, For a tamed beast, only 200 is needed</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Beasts tamed by you will receive 40% of your stats in addition to their own.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Skill Name:</td><td width="25%">Skill Rank:</td><td width="25%">Skill Level:</td><td width="25%">Skill Experience:</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Skinning</td><td width="25%">Adept</td><td width="25%">1</td><td width="25%">0%</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You have gained the ability to skin animals to gather furs and leathers for use in crafting. You may now use Uncommon quality materials with no risk of failure.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You can skin any animal you come across, Skinning animals of a higher level than yourself will grant far more EXP but yield lesser quality materials.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You Have a chance of gaining Rare materials when skinning an animal at your level or lower.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You may now use your claws to skin your kill.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Skill Name:</td><td width="25%">Skill Rank:</td><td width="25%">Skill Level:</td><td width="25%">Skill Experience:</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Howl</td><td width="25%">Adept</td><td width="25%">1</td><td width="25%">0%</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You have learned to pour Mana into your battle cry, The result is an amplified sound akin to a wolf¡¯s howl.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>On use you pull the attention of all enemies within 40 meters to you for 40 seconds as they perceive you as a higher threat.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Alpha''s Command Now increases Health, Attack Speed, And Damage done by your pets, your party members pets, all Druids in animal form in your party, and all members of your pack within 40 meters by 25% for 1 Min.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>When used indoors or inside of cave systems the sound is amplified, Increase range by 40 meters</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>When used in combination with Bloodlust your roar fills the area with an aura of dread, Increases the chance of an enemy being affected by fear by 60%.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Skill Name:</td><td width="25%">Skill Rank:</td><td width="25%">Skill Level:</td><td width="25%">Skill Experience:</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Pack Master</td><td width="25%">Adept</td><td width="25%">1</td><td width="25%">0%</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Your connection to the realm of beasts has granted you the ability to talk telepathically with your pets, your party members pets, all Druids in animal form in your party, and members of your pack.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Your presence alone is enough to force most into submission, Dominating Presence: Fear binds your pack members to your will, Increases loyalty to 75% by default no matter how they are gained. When haggling with merchants they will be 25% more likely to agree to your price.</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Skill Name:</td><td width="25%">Skill Rank:</td><td width="25%">Skill Level:</td><td width="25%">Skill Experience:</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Bloodlust</td><td width="25%">Adept</td><td width="25%">1</td><td width="25%">0%</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Through an act of extreme cruelty you have become able to direct your bloodlust at all enemies around you, Inflicting them with fear if they have lower Infamy than yourself or are of a lower level. Higher level enemies may be affected should you deal a steady stream of damage while taking none yourself or have at least 50 points more infamy than them.In addition, you can feel when hostility is directed towards yourself and from who it originated.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>30% chance of inflicting fear upon another being within 40 yards of yourself when you perform a battle cry when they are of a lower infamy than yourself.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>50% chance of inflicting fear upon another being when you attack them and they are of a lower infamy than yourself.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You can now detect all beings with hostile intentions within 40 yards.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You have given in to your bloodlust and rage! you have learned to Enrage like the beasts you have hunted so much when backed into a corner, You gain an increase of 60% Attack damage, Attack speed, And movement speed. Cost 20 Rage per second.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Your fiery hate now infuses your body, Causing all wounds while Enraged to burn shut making the Bleeding Effect impossible.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You have become close to a beast, it is now 75% easier to raise intimacy with animals and monsters.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Atticus sighed seeing this all as it was a good upgrade with most everything going up at least 10% but the fact that his armor would break every time he went into combat was a bit of a pain in the ass. He stood up and stripped his armor off and put on his kilt and belt again. rather than the leather pants made from Fenrir''s hide.


    He then looked over the pack and gave a shout.¡±Follow me!¡± He then began walking back towards the town of Dusk haven with 21 wolves following his lead, the entire time he mulled over his options for armor.


    Luckily they did not get into any fights and they all returned to the town with ease at dawn, And once more the users were filled with fright as they saw the usual sight of the savage man covered in scars and blind in his left eye return to town, with not two but twenty large wolves and one massive one in tow.


    The villagers quickly spread word as Atticus went straight to his home where he took a break, placing his new trophy on the mantle and assigning one mated pair of wolves to each floor of the house, He then let Shadow have his pick of the Unmated females, he quickly chose one that had a bright red coat of fur.


    He stretched as he then let the rest  lounge in the living room for now as he wondered what to do with them all. For now, he began cooking some goat meat he had bought the other day, making sure to have enough for all of the wolves to have a large haunch before he himself ate.


    As they were eating Lucian opened the door and rushed in which resulted in a chorus of growls throughout the house which Atticus silenced with a command through the pack link.¡±Good morning my friend, How can I help you today?¡±


    Lucian looked around at all of the wolves in a slight state of wonder.¡±By the gods boy, Did you get enough wolves? i


    thought you only wanted 7 of them, And what the Hel¡¯s name happened to your eye boy its gold as the beasts...¡±


    Atticus nodded.¡±I did but I ended up running into an Alpha..Ancient one that had a pretty nasty disease called Lycanthropy.¡±He motioned to the massive skull behind him on the mantle of his hearth.


    ¡±And as a result, I took over the pack, Want to take about 10 of them off of my hands? I''m sure the guard could do with some armored wolves by their sides..¡±


    Lucian ran a hand through his long bushy beard.¡±I''ll see what I can do, most of the guard have experience handling hunting hounds so they may be able to handle a wolf. And do you mean the lycanthropy? Fur and all?¡±


    Atticus nodded.¡±The one and only, hence the lack of armor, I''d hate to break all of mine on accident, But I think I figured out a way to work around it so I''ll talk to Erik about modifying my armor later.¡±


    He stood up and began walking over to Lucian, giving the order to stay to the wolves as he leads the man outside and towards the great hall.¡±In the meantime, I need to get this left eye healed, though at this rate I may as well stop worrying about it, After all, Odin seems to do fine with just his right...¡±


    This caused Lucian to laugh heartily as they walked.¡±He does but you''re no god, my friend, we''ll have Rena patch you up, after that beating you gave her she''s been worried you want nothing to do with her as you haven''t spoken to her since..¡±


    Atticus smirked.¡±I''d hate to sound rude Lucian but I needed to teach the bitch her place after that incident of her leaving me in battle, the pain and the feeling of abandonment will hopefully have done her some good..¡±


    Lucian grinned.¡±Don''t worry my friend, there''s a reason I pushed her off on you, she started getting lazy and using my name to get her way around town, Now she''s behaving herself and working to earn her keep.¡±


    As they entered the great hall they went and sat at the table as a servant went to bring Rena from the back, When she walked out she was wearing the armor Atticus had given her and she ran straight to him as she began tending his wounds, never making eye contact with him and not speaking.


    Once he could see with his left eye again and all of the scars except the four where his eye had been gouged out were gone Atticus nodded, a hand reaching down and grabbing Rena''s chin as he pulled her into a deep kiss, after a second the young woman kissed him back eagerly until he pushed her away.¡±Good girl, Now go and get me some mead...¡±


    And once again he was ignoring her as she happily ran off.¡±Y..Yes, sir!¡± As she did both he and Lucian started laughing before Atticus began to tell Lucian about his fight with ¨®er, He could see the older man''s eyes alight with the desire to go out and fight among the beasts once more.


    But he told Atticus shortly after he got his class that the Rites take something for the power they give, In his case he lost his sense of taste with the first Rite, And the ability to have children with the second. Though with each it is a different price, his predecessor had lost his voice and sight from two of the Rites.


    He was assured that the prices were a fair trade for the power gained, But there is no going back once the price has been taken When they found out that he could no longer give his wife a son it nearly tore them apart.


    But now the two were more in love than ever before, though he still finds her staring longingly at the young couples with newborn babies. Atticus, however, had a thought, While he didn''t like the way Floki had used the rune it could help his friend in no small way.


    ¡°Lucian, Have you thought of using the Fertility Runes?, Perhaps I could etch the rune into your wedding rings?¡±


    Lucian stroked his beard in thought.¡±Well, we haven''t we tried all of the traditional ways but perhaps the runes will make it work...¡±After a moment, Rena returned with their mead.


    ¡°Heres your mead sir...¡±She set it down on the table and tried to run off only for Atticus to throw his arm out and grab her by the back of her robe.


    ¡±Be a good girl and go fetch your sister-in-law, we need to have a chat...¡± He looked up at her, smirking a bit as he saw the glee in her eyes of being able to help but also the shyness of remembering how he had his way with her when he returned to town after she abandoned him.


    She nodded and as he let her go she ran off to find Eleanor In the mean time Atticus and Lucian began drinking and Lucian began to tell him of the way he had met his former party.


    Lucian had grown up in Duskhaven, a small village that barely got by, too far out of the way for them to get many travelers


    other than those who were criminals trying to make some money by kidnapping and selling the women and children,


    Eleanor had been his childhood friend and neighbor, as such they had played together since they were old enough to walk, She took to the bow and he to the axe when they got older, As soon as they came of age they were wed, though they left the village shortly after to go on an adventure.


    Three months had passed and they were running out of money from their last job so they decided to journey to the human capital at the time before the alliance of the three races, Dawn''s Rise which was later turned into Jotuns Hammer due to its central location between the three biggest cities of the elves, dwarves, and the humans second biggest city which was then renamed to Dawn''s Rise in memory.


    It was there that they met Liliana, at the time she was still an initiate of the Druid order and was sent to become stronger before her final test, As well as Ivan, the smith. At the time they met he was a man in his late twenties, wearing a massive suit of blood red steel armor and wielding a war hammer while on a journey to find a vein of Mithril not hoarded by the elves so that he could study the metal in its raw state and thus learn how to use it.


    They went on many adventures together until they suffered a brutal defeat at the hands of a rival party, Their loot stolen and their pride was broken they disbanded for a full year and six months When they reunited in Dawn''s Rise everything had changed.


    Lucian had left on his own to train in the wilds where he was found by Freki, the previous grandmaster of their order. He trained for a solid year before Freki gave him his first and only two rites.


    Eleanor had gone to the mountains to train herself, though to a lesser extent than Lucian as she realized she was pregnant with their daughter a few days after everyone had left. But she kept training as best she could until she became a Pathfinder, excelling in stealth, tracking, and pinpoint accuracy


    Liliana had become a full druid and risen to be the first princess in line for the Ironwood throne, Having trained her magic over nature and healing to the point where she could even bring back the dead within an hour of their death so long as their heads were not smashed.


    Ivan had  become a Warlord, leading three hundred mercenaries at his prime  while now being able to run just as fast as Lucian could naked while he was wearing two hundred pounds of heavy steel plate armor. His Warhammer had grown to be nearly three times the size as before.


    In addition, they met a new member, Alissa, a dual blade wielding assassin who had become Ivan''s wife, A fair-haired young woman with a tall and lean build, Enough so that everyone worried that Ivan would break her at night when he was drunk,


    He was about to tell him about their adventures when they heard someone clearing their throat, Looking up it was to see an annoyed Eleanor, and from behind her was little Ellen who darted over and tackled him.¡±Good morning Uncle Atti!¡±


    Atticus smiled at the little girl and pulled her up and into his lap as he stroked her hair.¡±And good morning to you too little one, Did you sleep well?¡±


    She nodded happily.¡±Uhuh!¡±


    Atticus then got a thought as he remembered the smallest of the unmated wolves, little more than a pup who was only six months old.¡±Ellen, How would you like it if you had  a wolf?¡±


    The girls eyes lit up as she looked to her father who sighed a bit.¡±Cheating bastard...¡± He muttered as he looked at his daughter''s adorable little face.¡±As long as you treat it kindly, Uncle Atticus has a few to spare...¡±


    He heard a small laugh from Eleanor as he kept stroking the young girls hair, he then ordered Shadow to bring Isis, the young wolf to him, having already picked his mate Shadow agreed. As they waited Atticus remembered the main issue at hand as he took out his runesmith equipment.¡±Eleanor, would you let me hold onto your wedding ring?¡±


    Eleanor looked confused but seeing Lucian taking his own off she nodded and handed it to the man who had already served their hold well, who had quickly risen to a station of power and respect though he never abused it.


    ¡°I will but what are you going to do?¡± She trusted her husband but seeing Atticus¡¯ tools she was worried about her ring being damaged. Atticus noticed this so he started with Lucian''s ring.¡±I am going to carve a set of Fertility runes into your rings, the same that Floki was using if it had such an effect on the elves who are known for being hard to impregnate then perhaps it will help you both.¡±


    She looked hopeful but at the same time, she had been told the same about so many things.¡±But Lucian cannot have children, he has become impotent...¡±


    Atticus smiled a bit.¡±Does he stand at attention when you play at night?¡± She blushed a bit but nodded.¡±Yes but no child will come of it...¡±


    Atticus shook his head softly.¡±You see in the lands I am from, The one you have taken to calling the Beyond, our shamans have found that a man can become infertile, like a woman, this can be caused by many things, such as a change in lifestyles. Since this happened after the Rites that is a lifestyle change, perhaps it''s not that he cannot have children, but it is merely harder..¡±


    As he finished speaking he passed Lucian his ring, having etched dozens of tiny runes along the inside of the ring, it now had a soft pink glow when it was not on his finger. He then did the same to Eleanor''s ring and handed it back to her.


    ¡°Give it until the next full moon, If there is not a baby in you by then there is nothing more I can think of other than forcing Freyja herself down here to bestow her blessings..¡± As he spoke the two grinned and stood up, running from the room like a couple of children as they eagerly wanted to test this.


    Atticus sighed again as he looked at Rena and little Ellen, all but forgotten by her parents in their haste, but soon Shadow and the small wolf came into the great hall through the open door,


    Ellens'' eyes went wide at the sight of Shadow, this being the first time she had gotten to see him as they left the village long before she awoke.¡±Is that one mine!?¡± she asked happily as she pointed to Shadow.


    Atticus laughed softly and shook his head before pointing to the little wolf.¡±No little one, you get a little wolf to match, Her name is Isis, She is still young but she is a good strong pup If you feed her well and train her she will no doubt grow even bigger than Shadow...¡±


    As he spoke she nodded and hopped down and ran over to the pup, As she did Atticus went into his pack window and changed ownership of Isis to Ellen, While still being in the pack Ellen''s orders now trumped his own but he told the little wolf one order. Protect and serve her.


    He then got up and walked over to the small girl and wolf and pet them both before he removed his and Shadows collars, He adjusted them and locked them onto the two girls necks and right away Ellen shouted in pain as she fell over.


    This caused Rena to panic and come running over but Atticus raised his hand and gave a silent order to stay still. And soon enough Ellen sat up slowly and looked into Isis¡¯ eyes and then to Atticus and began laughing happily.


    ¡°I can hear her uncle Atti! I can hear Isis talking!¡± Her eyes had changed like his own, becoming more like wolves though in a cute way like a puppy''s eyes, Not the savage beasts eyes he himself had.


    Atticus nodded and kissed the girl on the forehead.¡±I know little one, I used these collars with Shadow before I became one with the pack, But now I can hear all of the wolves so I will let you have them ok? Just never take them off, Now go play with Isis and bond with her.¡±


    Ellen nodded happily and Isis barked as the two ran out and went to play in the woods, Knowing there were still beginners who didn''t know better he took out a special piece of armor he had made for Shadow.


    It was made of tempered steel, etched with all of the runes he knew except growth rate and fertility. It had two marks on it, one was that of the tattoo on his chest, which was now on the right front shoulder of the armor, And Black Rock Holds emblem of a jagged black rock on the left.


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Black Rock Wolf Plate Armor .</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Fullbody</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">1500/1050</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Quality:</td><td width="25%">Rare</td><td width="25%">Defense:</td><td width="25%">200</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A set of sturdy steel plate that covers every part of a wolfs body except the eyes, and ears while allowing full mobility due to the unique design of Adept smith Atticus Shadowsgrove.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Requires 30 Dex and Str to wear.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>+15 to Str and End</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>+100 Health</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>+5 to End, Str, Int, and HP Regen</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Etched with the runes of Fury, Life, Invigoration, Discipline Speed, and Longevity. Due to a high number of runes the effects have been reduced by 50%</td></tr></tbody></table>


    He put the armor on Shadow, making sure everything moved properly from the steel jaws to the joints of the tail. He then nodded.¡±Go defend the little ones in case someone is stupid enough to attack them. If it happens kill the enemy, show no mercy¡­¡±


    Shadow growled and barked loudly.¡±Understood!¡±


    He smiled as his furry companion took off to catch up with the two little ones, still only able to move at 75% speed due to the weight of the armor but at the same time it made him like a tank, hard to knock down and even harder to pick up or push off.


    Atticus then walked out of the great hall while ignoring Rena a bit as she stepped forward and tried to ask him if he needed her help but she could tell she was still being punished so she went back to working.


    ______________________________________________________________________


    In a large facility fifty miles from any form of civilization, Rebirth Online Developer Haven''s main office.


    Grant Longshanks was the designer of the Cradle system and RO''s leading developer, He had made the game and system in order to test medical theories about long-term paralysis due to nerve damage and potential ways to treat it,His backers, however, didn''t know he had a far different agenda from just medical testing to help the crippled


    It was in the main server room where a team of surveyors watched over the hundreds of thousands of players, spotting out the ones with talent or just had amazing adventures, So it was no surprise that the two Unique classes owners were being closely watched.


    But because of this, many members grew sick to their stomach, they watched a man who just days ago was calm and sane become a beast, ripping apart a massive wolf and devouring it raw. It frightened them enough to consider sending psychiatrists in to remove the man from his cradle.


    What stopped them was an order from Grant himself."You there, Whos feed are you watching!"Grant had never seen numbers like the ones on the edges of the screen showing the violent death of a wolf.


    "T.Test subject Adam Sterling sir, Also known as Atticus Shadowsong.." Grant ran to the screen to get a better look at the data, Grinning widely at what he saw. In the top right corner there was a view of the inside of Adams Cradle, And inside they could see his legs moving ever so slightly.


    Grant also noticed something far more important. This boys Synch rate was through the roof, most averaged 25% synch with the system, a numerical value of how real they believed the world to be and how they treated it, Adams synch rate was at 90%!


    Grant looked back at the surveyor in charge of Adam."What is his medical status!" The young woman swallowed a bit at the glare she received."Pa..Paralyzed from the waist down sir!, Inoperable nerve damage due to falling down the stairs!"


    Grant smiled as he looked back to the screen before walking towards his office giving orders to update him constantly on his condition."I have found you... My perfect soldier..."

 Chapter 9 - Weakness and Training - Redone

    As Atticus walked out of the great hall he decided it was time to pay Erik the leatherworker a visit to sort out his armor issue, He already had an idea on how to handle this but he needed the master Leatherworkers skill to make proper use of his new materials.


    As Atticus walked into the shop he took out his armor and laid it out on the counter, this resulted in an odd look from Erik.¡±What is this? Have you finally broken the armor or...¡±


    Atticus shook his head softly.¡±No Erik the armor was fine, but something happened and now I need it modified, as you know the sleeves work using small rivets and leather strips to extend, Well now I need to change the armor so that it works as usual but has the ability to expand wider, again through the use of rivets and a new form of fastener¡­¡±


    Atticus then took out a small belt quiver he made for when he ran into Sasha next, he then laid it on the counter and pointed out what looked like a normal rivet, until he pulled on it which resulted in a subtle snap.


    Erik looked confused as Atticus broke the strap until he watched the warrior put the quiver on his belt without taking it off. He just pressed on the rivet and again he heard the subtle snap, When Atticus removed his hands the quiver stayed in place.


    His eyes lit up at this and all but leapt over the counter as he began pulling on the quiver still on Atticus¡¯ belt.¡±Lad how does this work!?¡± This confused Erik as they had always used rivets to finalize their products, But Atticus¡¯ was able to open and close freely without sacrificing the usage of the strap.


    Atticus took the belt quiver off and popped it open again to show Erik up close what was going on.¡±It''s called a press stud in my world Erik, it works by layering small disk of metal, the one that sticks up abit has a tiny groove etched into it, and the other part that has a small hole in it has a small strip of metal which slides into the groove to hold it in place.¡±


    Atticus then took out a small bag of the press studs and a pattern to make them.¡±Make my armor so it will expand and ill give you the pattern...¡±


    Erik nodded eagerly.¡±I''ll help you out Atticus but first we need to know how much it needs to expand by...Why do you need it to expand anyway, you don''t seem like you''ll be getting much bigger..¡±


    Atticus grinned and stepped back a bit, loosening his belt to its last hole as his kilt became loose¡±It''s easier to show you than to tell you Erik, Hit me.¡±


    Erik was confused but he nodded and flexed his hands before taking up a fighting stance and punching Atticus firmly in the chest, As his fist connected with the larger man''s battle-scarred chest something odd began to happen.


    The muscle below his flesh began to move, he could hear bones creaking and snapping as Atticus doubled over, His hair grew longer and soon his body began to become covered in thick dark brown fur, His face changing and becoming more wolf like.


    Atticus grew another four inches making him stand at 7 foot tall, He grew heavier, his body weight nearly tripling though his body grew thicker but not fatter, a tail began to grow from the base of his spine, his ears becoming wolf like.


    Before his eyes his thane stood up, now in the form of a massive wolfman like being, and he felt awe at the sight of this. He reached down to his tool belt and took out a tape measure before pulling a step stool over as he began to measure his body.


    ¡°How in the god''s name did you manage this one Atticus?¡± He was in awe, just the amount of possibilities and and changes the young man opened up was amazing, Bringing new innovations, Helping to expand and upgrade the village to its current state, And now this!


    As Erik took his measurements  he began wondering just how to do the armor to make sure there were less gaps than needed when Atticus mentioned layering, And so Erik began making the adjustments.


    Atticus mentioned Layering, in terms of armor what he had in mind was when in human form it would basically be double layered which would increase the armor in a small amount, though Atticus thought it should double he knew that if that was the case then it would just let him start stacking leather ontop of itself until plate was worthless.


    And the games design would not let this happen, But back to the design, the first layer of leather was a thick wide piece that now covered up to the center of Atticus¡¯ chest when in human form, the second layer was three pieces of leather plates that would spread apart with his change in size snapping the press stud that held them together in human form. With the sleeves Erik again layered the plates using press studs so that when he changed forms it would widen to fit. The pants were actually simple enough, Erik went back and added a few small folds that are held by press studs and when he shifts forms it would grow wider.


    As Eric didn''t want to sacrifice the integrity or quality of the armor he used ¨®er¡¯s hide for the additions, This sadly gave no additional boosts to armor or stats. For his Alphas footpads they had a shocking discovery.


    When they tried to put them on they changed shape and instead of pitch black boots became a series of leather strips which wrapped around his paw like feet , covering the fleshy pads on the bottoms of his feet.


    He then remembered that in his race window it mentioned Normal armor breaking, and he assumed that his Alphas footpads were an exception to the rule, perhaps having something to do with being made with an Alpha''s hide.


    With their bit of awe over the way the boots changed now subsided a bit they began working on his new gloves.. Like his pants it was made with small folds and press studs, but what was nice was that the gloves had a unique effect and had become a Epic item.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Ancient Alphas Claws </td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Gloves</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">350/350</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Quality:</td><td width="25%">Epic</td><td width="25%">Resiliance:</td><td width="25%">30</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A pair of gloves made from the paws of an ancient wolf who was defeated by the ¨²lfh¨¦enar Atticus Shadowsgrove in single combat while barehanded.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Requires the class ¨²lfh¨¦enar to wear.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>+10 Cha,Luck.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>When wearing these gloves your bare handed attacks will apply the Infected Wounds status effect. Reduces the victim''s status points by 10% for thirty seconds.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus smiled as he knew what he would be focusing on next, Learning hand to hand combat. He had no doubt that he could learn basic hand to hand from any NPC male in the village.


    As his armor was now modified and he could wear it without the risk of it breaking he tightened everything down and decided to leave the shop and rest at home where he would browse the internet using the ingame functions.


    The first thing he did was check the leaderboards, To his surprise not only Dark Desire(Samantha), But also Alice, Lily, And Sasha were the top 4 players, With Sasha having gotten the class Siegemaster, A class that focuses on using absurdly heavy draw weight bows and attacking at an extreme distance.


    They were also all level twenty with Samantha being level 23, This made Atticus feel weak once more as he was still 30% away from even reaching level 11. His own ranking had taken a plunge to the point where most who didn''t live in Duskhaven thought that he had simply quit.  However, it was as he was checking the forums that he got an email from the developers.


    It seems that his fight against Floki had been recorded and uploaded by one of the maintenance workers. As a result, this violated the terms of use which stated the players had full control over their footage. After all with sites like twitch and Youtube still running strong a lot of gamers made their livings off fo their videos.


    As a result, Atticus had been offered a special deal as compensation. Rebirth Industries decided to offer him a free month for the video that had been leaked without his permission. He would be entered into the hall of fame for being the first to solo kill a boss, And in addition, they would offer him a flat six hundred dollars a week for permission to stream his feed live when he was not just lazing about crafting.


    As he saw nothing wrong with this set up he gladly agreed to the terms as it would enable him to relax a bit on selling items and instead focus on playing the game and exploring more. He also had a quota to provide at least twenty-four real hours worth of video per week at the minimum.


    Hearing this he decided to get an early start to the feed and stood up, manipulating the camera options to show a third person view as to let everyone know just who they were watching. The Bloodthirsty Thane of Black Rock Hold.


    He stood up and sent a command to one of the young female wolves, Scarlet, Shadows chosen mate. He ordered her to come downstairs and follow him to go out for a while. Having decided that he needed to make the young pup more powerful.


    As he heard her skittering down the stairs he smiled and took out a prototype set of armor much like the one he had made for Shadow only this was made from leather. As the wolf came to a stop before him he strapped the armor onto her, leaving the headpiece off as he pet her softly.


    He then grabbed his ax from the mantle and started the hike to the mines, he wanted to check on the prisoners first before he went off searching for a quest or bounty to work on.


    Once he was at the mine he decided to check the progress of things, Ivan had set up a new smithy in the mine and along with his apprentices was pumping out steel like never before, It was almost to the point where they could begin building walls of steel.


    But Atticus had told Ivan about a way to increase production at a cost of some iron to start. Rail carts. He had drawn up a rough design and Ivan quickly took to it, forging enough tracks to fill every tunnel in the first three days, Now they were able to clear more than triple the amount of stone and ore as before.


    Before the only way to transport the resources was through wicker baskets on backs which meant men had to be taking breaks so to say from clearing out the tunnel whereas now they had two men per track running on a timer of sorts, as one left the tunnel the other left the smithy, ensuring minor downtimes.


    But today as he went to his usual place he heard shouts of fear and the clashes of sword and shield. He began running faster and soon found the source, The miners had dug into an ancient crypt just minutes ago and ever since level 20 Skeletons have been flooding out.


    Atticus decided to charge into the battle seeing as all those on the front were guards he had seen around the town, He let out a loud howl as his body began to change, not even bothering with his Fury as right now he just wanted to beat down everyone he saw.


    Though he decided to limit himself to the skeletons, rather than all the guards. He began to quite literally tear through the skeletons as they oddly only showed 300 health rather than the 1500 you would expect from a level 20 or so regular monster,


    Though they gave him crap exp of 15 each, This made him remember something from other games. Summoned adds gave low exp and dropped no loot, as these skeletons were. With that in mind he pushed forward and continued his assault.


    He made sure to crush the skulls of every skeleton after he made a shocking discovery, they had runes carved inside of the skull, Runes of Loyalty, and more disturbingly Undeath which is how they were brought back. He studied the Undead rune for a moment and a small window popped up.


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>You Have Received A Quest!</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Unholy Army</td><td width="25%">Difficulty</td><td width="25%">B</td><td width="25%">Group Quest.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You have found signs of Necromancy being used in a long abandoned crypt hidden inside of a mine, The source must be stopped before the army becomes too large or the realms of man will be taken over by Hel¡¯s forces... </td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Reward</td><td width="25%">The Necromancy Combat Class will be unlocked in all major cities, 5000 gold, 40000 EXP.</td><td width="25%">Do you wish to accept?</td><td width="25%">YES/NO</td></tr></tbody></table>


    As he saw this Atticus¡¯ eyes lit with a savage glee, He would gain almost a solid two levels just for the quest, Not to mention the sheer amount of gold, The Necromancer class was just a bonus to him as he loved his class for its sheer brutality.


    So far Scarlet had reached level three so he figured it should be fine to take her into the crypt with him, though he made sure her build was an equal split of Dex and End. Giving her the firm order to fall back at the first sign of trouble.


    He ignored the looks of awe among the guards and the fear in the criminal''s eyes as he stepped into the crypt opening, having to crouch low just to step inside. As he did he was met with the usual slew of windows related to a dungeon.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> You have discovered a Dungeon!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> You have gained 50 fame!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> You have discovered The Ancient Barrow, A series of catacombs that had been covered long ago in a landslide only to be rediscovered by an unfortunate miner!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> The monsters inside of the dungeon have a higher chance of dropping uncommon and above materials for the next 72 in game hours.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> The boss of the dungeon is a mighty Lich who is reanimating the skeletons of the crypt to build an army large enough to pave the way for Hel¡¯s armies</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> Good luck adventurer!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus was thankful for his Night vision as he began looking around the first room, It looked to be the entranceway of the crypt in the old days as it had an altar with statues to the gods, a few benches, and a large iron door.


    Behind the altar was another iron door, for now he decided to walk towards the altar, once there he noticed many valuable things in front of the statues, He wanted to take the items but stopped himself as he remembered legends of the gods being vengeful and vindictive.


    He sighed but walked past the altar and through the door behind it, He went down the stairs behind the door and soon came into a large mausoleum, As he set foot inside of the room he heard groans and bones creaking, As he looked around five undead beings rose from their respective reseces.


    Atticus looked over them and noticed the Rune of Undeath was etched into their foreheads and that all of them held axes and shields, Before he could think of anything the five began to run at him with a shocking amount of speed.


    He pulled out his own ax and swung violently, and was shocked as three of the Draugrs used their shields together to stop his ax dead in its tracks and resulted in him being knocked back a few feet.


    At the same time two of them hacked at Atticus, cutting light wounds into his chest. He growled and activated Enraged and began swinging Fury with all he could, and still the Draugr'' kept blocking him.


    He soon began backing himself out of the room while fending off the Draugr until he could slam the door in their faces. He was tired and panting, covered in small wounds and his stamina was completely drained.


    It was this that made Atticus realize just how lucky he had been so far that all he had fought were inexperienced users, beasts, and weak level three bandits, He grudgingly left the Barrow, Giving orders for a barricade to be made and for all work in that tunnel to be stopped for the time being.


    He then returned to town and went to find Lucian, Hoping that by now he and Eleanor had played enough. He found Lucian bathing by the well, Ivan panting and drinking buckets of water as he had just run here from the mine while Atticus was in the Barrow. Tired and sore he decided to join them in both bathing and drinking some of the cold water.


    As Atticus began washing the blood from his body Lucian looked over at him.¡±Tough time in the Barrow already?" Atticus rolled his eyes but kept bathing."No one of the tavern girls got too hands on, Yes i had trouble, Dead or not those damned warriors still know what they were doing."


    Lucian laughed as he kept scrubbing his own scratched body ¡±Well i''ll be, I thought you knew how to fight by now.¡± Lucian shook his head a bit as he pulled on his kilt .¡±Aye lad the beast may help to keep us alive but at the same time we need our own wits for when the beast gets dull..¡± Lucian put an arm on Atticus¡¯ shoulder and lead him towards the training grounds with Ivan in tow.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    A large area added in during the expansion where new users could train their fighting skills, Atticus had helped to implement it but never used it as his instinctual fighting always did the trick.


    As they arrived a lot of the users and young npcs looked up, recently with most of the original users having left more and more new users thought he was an NPC more than anything from the way he got along with Lucian and the other townspeople.


    Lucian shook his head softly as he took a seat near on a bench next to one of the sparring rings."Unfortunately, for you lad I can''t teach you anything about how to use that monster of a weapon, I chose the dual fang style because I preferred speed and working with my wolf."


    Just as Atticus was about to complain Lucian smirked and pointed to Ivan next to him."However that monster right there is just who you need to train you, For no reason whatsoever he decided to use a Warhammer wielded by the first ogre chieftain he killed, Through hard work and determination he became adept in using monster weapons and those of a similar size."


    Atticus turned to look at the former warlord turned blacksmith and was shocked to see he had already stripped down to nothing more than a pair of pants as six of the town guards came into the training grounds pulling a cart with a monstrous weapon in the back.


    It was a beastly weapon made from what looked like a young oak tree and an anvil, An improvised weapon but it was no doubt an effective one."Are you sure you want to do this Ivan? I''d hate to hurt a man of your age....."


    The guards had reached Ivan as Atticus began speaking, and as an answer the older man picked up the massive mace and swung it one handed, slamming it straight into Atticus'' side and sending him flying into one of the wooden walls, This resulted in the disgusting sound of bones being turned to dust and wooden poles snapping.


    "Listen here furball, I''ve been killing whelps like you for more than two of your lifetimes, playing with you won''t even break a sweat... Now get up and let''s see that blade, After all, your going to have to get used to fighting monsters using massive weapons.."


    One of the novice druids had to heal Atticus¡¯ wounds before he stood up, hacking up a little blood as he began walking back to the ring, He grabbed Fury, The blade began to glow a bright red as his blood touched it for the first time.


    Seeing this Lucian nodded and motioned to Ivan to begin."Very well, The first trick is to scout out your battlefield, no doubt you have realized that I would not have been able to swat you like a fly inside of a small area. In such a time some improvising is needed..."


    As he spoke he spun his massive war hammer around so that the handle was pointing towards Atticus, It was then that he noticed it was shaved to a point and fitted with a steel butt cap much as his own ax had been fashioned."To counter tricks like being maneuvered into tight quarters monsters have made their great weapons into spears to allow thrusting and stabbing."


    Atticus decided to flip Fury around, finding that it was oddly comfortable contrary to what he thought."Good Now were going to run basic drills until you have spearwork down like any respectable man should.."


    As a few of the str users laughed Ivan growled and slammed his hammer down into the ground causing a shockwave."You whelps can get your asses over here too, not the first one of you shits knows how to use a spear properly! Now grab a spear and line up or youll be fixing your own gear from now on!"


    Atticus smirked for a moment as there was a rush of people falling in line beside and behind him, forming ranks as all began to take part in the drills, even Lucian joined in.


    Lucian was glad to see Atticus was focusing on training properly, mimicking his and Ivans actions flawlessly after a while. He decided to take this as a chance to teach him more about their order."Have you ever wondered why there are different types of berserker Atticus?¡±


    Atticus nodded as he kept up the drills."I have, I know we are the Wolf Skinned Berserkers, those said to be Odin''s chosen warriors, But if I remember aren''t the Berserkers held in high esteem as being the pinnacle of warriors?"


    Lucain took a breath for a second as he then began to explain their counterparts.¡±The Berserkers are a savage order even among us, They rely on brute force, direct fighting, and an all consuming rage, They pay homage to the Bear as their totem beast.¡±


    He then got a pained look as if remembering something from a long time ago.¡±They become monsters that are not fit to fight amongst men, they are our forerunners, sent to weaken our foes on the frontlines alone with no support, Any that try to aid the Bears in battle are torn apart without rime or reason, They are a forsaken order which is kept secluded high in the mountains above Jotuns Hammer.¡±


    ¡°Unless the need is dire we leave them to their own devices on the agreement that they do not leave the mountain, we send runners with food and supplies and updates on current events, but besides that we will not go near them for fear of becoming another stain upon their flesh...¡±


    Atticus was stunned to hear this, In history the Berserkers had always been held in the highest esteem as men of the greatest honor, but here they are treated like demons, Beasts to be kept in a cage and released as a worst case scenario.


    Lucian then shook his head a bit.¡±We were once one order my boy, but long ago there was a time when twin boys were born, Exactly the same in every way except the youngest was born with stark black hair and golden eyes. He had a way with beast and men alike, Even monsters fell into line before him, He was our forebearer and first scion of our order. Atticus Blackfang.¡±


    Lucian then had a sad look as he remembered the dark stories of their orders past.¡±The oldest brother had dark brown hair and eyes, Much as you did, Despite his gentle and kind nature he was unable to form a bond with anyone save his brother, mother, and two baby sisters and even that did not last. His name was Ragnar Blackfang.¡±


    ¡°It was during their first battle that things turned sour and our orders split, The boys had trained their entire lives in a mountain village, living simple lives and eager to go out into the world after their Rites of combat had been completed, It was while the elder warriors were called away for the Dusk Wars that it happened.¡±


    ¡°The brothers had just turned 16, They had become men in their own rite but were still not seasoned enough to be called to war and so they were left to guard the women and children and the sick and elderly of their village, They were returning from a hunt when they noticed fire in the village, and the sound of screams and the scent of blood filled the air..¡±


    ¡°They rushed to the village only to find a band of Dark Elves three hundred strong had been waiting to strike when the men had left, They went into the village when they thought all of the warriors had left, They proceed to kill all of the elderly, the women and children were all dragged from their huts and taken to the square, the elves took turns raping them all, no matter their age or gender.¡±


    As he heard this Atticus could feel his mentors rage building and that of the guards, as well as the shock and revulsion in the users, His own rage was building as he could vividly see the scene before the two young men.


    ¡°The brothers ran into the village and were met with the sight of the large force using their women and children like cheap whores, covered in seed and blood from being beaten, Atticus and his pet wolf were stunned at first as they saw their beloved village being savaged by the elves, The rage of their clan taking hold of them...¡±


    ¡°But Ragnar¡­ His rage had never been seen, even when getting into an argument with the other boys of the village. But in this moment, he was broken. He became a monster it is said the first elf who attacked him was killed with his bare hands, in his rage he had forgotten his axes.¡±


    ¡°He let his rage take control of him and he proceeded to brutally slaughter every elf with nothing but his bare hands, Even after the last elf had fallen he did not stop, he mangled the corpses beyond recognition, When the last elf had fallen his brother tried to calm him, but in the process had lost his right eye.¡±


    ¡°When Ragnar finally came out of his rage he was met with a sight that sealed his fate, In his rage he had blinded his brother, killed the wolf he had helped to raise, And now stood on a field of corpses as the villagers held their spears up to defend themselves from him.¡±


    ¡°Despite saving them he had become a blood soaked monster who scared them worse than the elves, He then left the village and went deeper into the mountains, He returned only in the case of dire times, killing rogue monsters, or helping to defend the village In time he was allowed by his brother to return but he declined for fear that in his rage he would kill all that he sought to protect.¡±


    ¡°From then on those who could control their rage remained in the village and those who could not were sent into the mountains to be lead by Ragnar, In time we became established as the Bears and the Wolves, Two beasts who sought to protect what was theirs but through different methods.¡±


    Lucian then slammed his spear against the bench behind him which resulted in a thunderous clap, snapping everyone out of their distracted states of mind.¡±Enough of history, let us return to training!¡±


    Atticus shook his head and nodded, Though as he had kept going through the drills Ivan lunged at him, thrusting his makeshift spear at the young thane to test him, It was a weak attack that easily knocked asside and countered, though as he went to stab at Ivan the end of the Warhammer touched his chest and he realized what had happened.


    Ivan had used the counter to transition back to his main form of attack, Seeing the grin on the old man''s face as the trick was realized the two began a deadly game of tag, though in their case instead of a tap it was a series of broken bones and deep gashes, though thanks to the small squadron of druid novitiates they took no lasting damage.


    In time however the game changed, Ivan stopped using the spear point on the base of the handle and began using full on attacks, so Atticus followed suit, noticing Ivan using different stances at times so he begun mimicking them, finding that the weight of the weapon shifted in his hands, seemingly becoming lighter and moving faster.


    He noticed in time that it was like he was dancing with his weapon, and rather than fighting Ivan it was more like they were seeing who was the best dancer, seeing who made the least mistakes and who could go the longest and the fastest.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> You have learned the basics of the Warlords War Dance! A fighting style made for the use of monster weapons, and to allow a fluid ever changing series of attacks and counters. </td></tr></tbody></table>


    He got a notification but before he had the chance to read it Ivan laughed and kept their game going."That''s it, laddie, This is the dance of death, The dance of War. This is what made me a warlord, Learning that to use weapons like ours, we need to treat them as people not as tools, after all, in due time you may well find your blade is the only one who truly understands you for who you are..."


    Ivan soon slammed his hammer down, knocking Atticus back with a shockwave of raw power."That is enough for now my boy, I can''t go giving all of my secrets to Lucian''s pupil. come find me when you wish to become a true lord of war..."


    Atticus nodded and bowed slightly.¡±Thank you, Sir!¡± As they had been fighting the crowd had grown bigger and little Ellen came running up to her father covered in sweat and dirt from playing with Isis in the woods.


    Shadow running behind her with a few scratches and dents in his armor and blood on his claws and muzzle showing some had been stupid enough to try to attack the little ones.


    Ellen jumped and tackled her daddy with much more force than she could before, which actually knocked a now stunned Lucian off of his feet as his little girl began bouncing in his lap excitedly as Isis ran over and started barking happily.¡° look daddy look! This is Isis, Uncle Atti gave her to me!¡±


    Lucian looked over at Atticus with a shocked look when he noticed his little girl''s eyes and how her canine teeth were starting to sharpen like their own.¡±What in Hel¡¯s name did you do to her?¡±


    Atticus smiled as Ellen hopped up and tackled him, though he was prepared for the impact and picked her up as she hugged him happily.¡±I gave her the collars Shadow and i used before i gained the ability to speak to him without it, It strengthens the bond between the wearers so she now has increased strength and senses equal to half of Isis¡¯.¡±


    Lucian sighed as he heard this.¡±I said she could have a wolf boy not become one!¡± This got him a pouting look from Ellen and a little growl from Isis.¡±Why can''t I be like Isis daddy!¡±


    Lucian sighed again as he stood up.¡±Because darling it''s not what little girls should be doing...¡± He went to take her from Atticus¡¯ arms but she actually bit him on the hand.


    ¡°Why not! I like playing with Isis.¡± She pouted a little more and they could actually see tears start welling in her eyes until Eleanor came up behind Lucian and smacked him upside the head and took their little girl, kissing her on the cheek.


    ¡°Its fine honey you can keep playing with Isis just like you are, Daddy is just a stubborn old goat...¡± Eleanor gave a small smirk as she carried Ellen to the well to bathe her and Isis.


    Lucian flinched at his wife hitting him and taking their little girl. He then sighed sadly.¡±And here I was hoping she would be a cute little princess, unlike her mother...¡±


    As he said this a small arrowhead went flying by and slammed into a target behind him, a thin line of blood on his cheek.¡±I heard that you old goat!¡± Eleanor shouted from nearly fifty meters away, This made the guards and users break out laughing as training came to an end for the day and everyone went to bathe.


    ____________________________________________________________________________


    On the outskirts of the Lights Blossom woods, Elven area rated for levels 20-30.


    Sitting around a table in a large tavern drinking a staggering amount of alcohol were four lovely young women, Three Elves, and a Human.


    ¡°Just what the hell is he doing! He hasn''t leveled up in over a week and he hasn''t logged out once...¡± Sasha complained, Adam had let to tell any of the girls about his class change or race change let alone the disadvantages it put him at.


    ¡°Knowing him hes probably screwing around and taking in the scenery and reading a book,¡± Lily added as she had also been wondering about his sudden halt when he had been leveling up at a rate that shocked the rest of the community the first day of release.


    Alice shook her head as she grinned happily, a heavy blush across her cheeks from drinking too much.¡±I think he''s making stuff again, Remember when he made all of the weapons and armor for the LARP group? He stayed holed up in his workshop for a week working out every imperfection...¡±


    This made the four girls laugh as they had all heard the stories from Lily and Alice about Adams hardworking attitude and how he took everything seriously, Over the last week the girls had spent every waking minute of their vacation time in RO and as such had all but dominated the leaderboards through taking dangerous quests into dungeons to get vast amounts of EXP and loot.


    At the same time, they had received a quest from their starting villages elder to establish a new village on the outskirts of the woods but they had finished that over a week ago using the in game calendar.


    Samantha the de facto party leader smiled and leaned in over the table.¡±Perhaps he found a cute young woman to spend his time with and gave up the rest of the game?¡±She knew this was not the case but wanted to tease the others.


    This made them go silent and start fidgeting and brooding abit, Seeing this Sam smiled more.¡±How about we leave in the morning for Duskhaven and go see him, With the Harts and carriage we got from the elder we should be able to make it there in under a week.¡±


    The other three girls then perked up with a bit of a fire in their eyes to see what the hell their friend was doing, and the three of them nodded in unison¡±Deal!¡±


    ____________________________________________________________________________


    Atticus had returned to the Barrow and was slaughtering Draugr by the dozen using his new found martial abilities, he mainly stuck with using his ax like a spear for now as it allowed him to pinpoint precision and the ability to flourish and decapitate a Drauger when it got too close.


    He had just finished a pack of the undead warriors when a cold chill went down his spine. He spun around but there was no one there which only made him shiver more as he pressed deeper into the dungeon.


    He had finally hit level 12,He put his 5 points into Int and kept pushing on into the Barrow, keeping his guard up for traps and unexpected undead to pop up.

 Chapter 10 - Abomination - Redone

    Atticus sat down on an old stone bench, His body covered in a sheen of sweat and blood from his enemies as his beast form rescinded. He had gotten used to the pain that came with the change, now he could stay focused through the pain and keep an eye on the situation around him.


    He decided to take a few minutes to rest up and go over the tactics of his current enemies. First were the Skeletons, Weak by themselves but in numbers, they would swarm and overwhelm their target if they got careless.


    As they were only bones and tendons they didn''t have nearly as much Str or End as a Draugr and before the brutal force of Atticus¡¯ rage fueled assault hey were like twigs, As a result they were only ever armed with a rusty iron sword or ax.


    Skeletons also had little to no intelligence, like simple vacuum robots they patrol halls and rooms with no thought other than to kill whatever live humans they found.  So they were just like a skeleton in any standard RPG, Weak cannon fodder mobs.


    The Draugr on the other hand were an entirely different beast, While they were undead they maintained their muscle and intelligence, for the most part, As a result, they were often seen wielding a wider array of weapons and armor while using cunning group tactics that got more and more complex the deeper he delved into the Barrow.


    He had faced some wielding simple rugged leather armor and a light war axe and a leather wrapped wooden shield, To a massive bastard his own size wearing massive armor plate nearly an inch thick while wielding a large sword and a shield that looked like a damned door!


    As well as seeing sneaky Draugr hiding behind the warrior types while wielding bows, And more frightening was that he found some wearing ragged robes and able to cast magic.  It was always Darkness Magic and Fire Magic.


    But at the same time he found out something quite interesting, When your affinity for an element is high it seems that spells of that type can be used to heal you to some extent, As he noticed the mages putting curses on their own warriors.


    While it did nothing to them in terms of weakening them it acted as a healing over time spell, This was quite the pain in his ass in a literal way as the mages always had a minimum of two Heavy Warrior type and one to three Archer type.


    He had been inside the Barrow for nearly twelve hours now and had gotten a good amount of loot, Mainly old weapons that he took the time to study the designs as they looked very nice. But he would melt them down in order to conserve bag space.


    The leather and cloth items were nearly worthless as they always had little to no durability left, But he found that they still worked well when he turned them into bandages or tourniquets so he broke them down as well.


    In addition to these he had found a small amount of gold coins hidden in small pouches on their person, a few gold and silver accessories that he could melt down later and cast into bars when he made proper molds that bore his insignia.


    He had decided to adopt the sigil of the ¨²lfh¨¦enar as his new makers mark, As such he had no way to mark his crafted items which meant if one were to steal the items he made they could brand it with their own mark and steal his credit. Though luckily Ivan was already crafting a set of branding and molding tools for him.


    In the time he was in the Barrow he had also found a few small scrolls and tomes with very unique contents, The scrolls were usually weapon or armor patterns whereas the tomes were spell books.


    Not as amazing as it sounds to tell the truth, These tomes didn''t teach you how to cast the spells instantly but taught you the theories and principles of the spell and you had to work out the spell yourself.


    Atticus skimmed through them and found that they went into depth on the Summoning process for making familiars, Guardians, Even summoning demons to create pacts. The basics of Affinities, This let him know that everyone be they User, NPC, Or even Mob had an element that they were innately better at than others.


    This is mostly based on personality and has methods of testing one''s affinities. The time that went into detail about Affinities had a large crystal imbedded on the cover and when one''s blood was dripped onto it it would change colors to match the element that the user had an affinity for.


    It came to no surprise that Atticus had an affinity for the Darkness Attribute and as such the crystal turned pitch black in the shape of a skull, While it mentioned that one being could have multiple elemental affinities that usually it would require devoting yourself to the element.


    For example to gain Wind Affinity he would have to drift aimlessly, embodying the free will of the wind, though he was sure there were other ways these were merely the ones pointed out. He also found out that to gain every affinity was near impossible as they will begin to conflict with one another and cancel one another out.


    This capped ones affinity for an element at 50% in both of the conflicting elements, From another book he found out that when one''s affinity for two attributes reached the maximum they could merge the two into a new effect.


    The ones displayed in the book was Frost and Wind to create Fog, being able to blind and even freeze an opponent. And Fire and Earth to make Lava which was just plain and simply a bad thing for all involved.


    He found that after reading them he got no windows announcing new abilities so these were more like the ones you should find in a library, It was at that moment that he made a resolution to make a School back in Duskhaven


    He had also found a Rune carved into one of the accessories he found laying on top of a non reanimated body and was a bit surprised as he got a message.


    <table><tbody><tr><td>You have discovered an Ancient Rune! Ancient Runes are those no longer used as the smiths with knowledge of them died out during the Dusk War.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>You have discovered a Set Rune! Set Runes are runes that work in tandem with others when they are etched in a specific pattern.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> You have discovered the Ancient Rune: Slavery! When etched onto an Accessory with the Slave rune being etched into the item and then covered in a drop of the Master¡¯s blood the wearer will be bound to the matching items wearer. The Master rune will be etched into the Matching item and the rune will then be covered with the Slaves blood, sealing the Master''s Authority over them. </td></tr></tbody></table>


    Seeing this Atticus had many ideas run through his mind, Such as binding the Criminals to a guard in order to keep them in line, Tricking unknowing people into wearing the item and becoming his slaves.


    And quite a few other dark ideas but he let them go as he decided to save this rune for a special time when he needed to be sure of one''s loyalty, As of now that was not really a problem as he did not go around other players enough to be tricked or betrayed by them.


    He had also gotten a few messages the last time he had taken a break, About thirty of them to be exact, All of them simply saying ¡°Your Item Has Been Sold!, Your money has been added to your account!.¡±


    After reviewing what he had learned so far Atticus stood up and stretched his body, He was currently on the Fourth floor of the Barrow, Oddly not running into a single Elite or Boss monster yet. This had him a bit worried as he wanted to make sure to get the best loot he could as well a get great fight scenes.


    It was as he was thinking this that he came to the stairway down to the next floor, Thinking nothing of it as he continued to go down until he entered a long hallway, At the end of the hall was a room that was dark even to his eyes.


    Confused he walked closer, with every step he could smell the every growing scent of death and blood When he was almost to the Hallway he was forced into his beast form which had never happened before he entered combat.


    He was confused but kept going forward, drawing his ax in case of a trap. When he stepped foot inside of the pitch black room it suddenly lit up, Slowly at first starting with two torches behind him on either side of the doorway he walked through.


    At that instant an iron gate slammed shut and locked him in as more torches lit up around the room, Soon it was fully lit up and showed a hideous abomination standing in the middle of the room, Standing nearly as high as Hati and Skoll put together  at 40 meters the monstrosity was cobbled together from countless bodies and covered in runes of Undeath.


    Be they human or not whoever made this thing was clearly insane as it no longer looked remotely human, With its head being cobbled together from the torsos of humans with its eyes being the heads of some poor bastards.


    Just looking upon the monstrosity filled him with disgust but what made it worse was that when he looked around he saw pools of blood and body parts strewn about. This told him that there was more than one way into the Barrow as the blood was still very fresh.


    As the Abomination realized he was there it gave a goofy and disturbing version of a smile, And then in a voice that sounded like that of a little girl, no older than three that sounded so similar to his niece¡¯ it shouted.¡±YaY furry new friend!¡± As he heard this Atticus felt severely disturbed as it truly chilled him to the bone.


    It then turned a bit and revealed that its left arm had been turned into a massive spiked club, As he stood there disturbed to his core the abomination charged him, Swinging the club down


    with a frightening speed and accuracy.


    Shaking his head Atticus charged forward to avoid the blow and swung his axes with as much force as he could, The resulting attack did a small amount of damage to the abomination and it let out a pained scream, this broke Atticus¡¯ heart as it still sounded like a little girl.


    ¡°Why you hurts me?!?¡± Stunned as none of his foes ever cried out in pain like this he was open to a savage blow from the abominations right arm, sending him flying across the room as he hacked up a large glob of blood.


    He drank a potion as he looked above the Abominations head and saw its status.


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Reina</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Rank:</td><td width="25%">Boss</td><td width="25%">Level:</td><td width="25%">25</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Health:</td><td width="25%"><19600/20000></td><td width="25%">Attack:</td><td width="25%">350-400</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A disturbing experiment by the Lich ruling over the Barrow using a mass of bodies dug from a mass grave of a town recently slaughtered by Orcs, The amalgamation of corpses oddly took on the dominant voice of a three year old girl who was killed in her sleep.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Abilities</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Crushing Blow:A monstrously strong attack that can cripple a limb with ease..</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Wail: Lets out an ear piercing wail which can stun an enemy for 5 seconds. Effect is broken when damage is taken.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Nightmare Shroud: The stuff of nightmares can be seen before you...</td></tr></tbody></table>


    As he read the background information he felt his rage grow towards the unknown Lich, The mere thought of doing such things to those unfortunate souls was purely disgusting, WOuld it have been a band of bandits that had been turned into this thing he would not care nearly as much.


    But the desecration of innocents sent him into the deepest state of rage he had ever felt, Enough so that his beastial instincts began to kick in. Not just from his rage but at the paternal instinct to not hurt the monstrosity that sounded so much like his little niece.


    Soon his world went grey and all sound was drowned out by the beast, Protecting his human halves currently damaged mind from what would happen next. As Reina swung her large club hand Atticus charged once again as the club just barely drifted over his head.


    He swung his ax once again as it began to glow with an eerie pitch black fire, cutting into her massive ankle as like a beast he began trying to take out her movement, Even with the beast blocking the sound the sight of the creatures face distorting in pain it replayed the scream over and over.


    It was maddeningly similar to his nieces when she had broken her arm after she fell off of her bike last month, As his body moved quickly and ruthlessly tears could be seen running down his cheeks as the human part of his mind soon began to replace the abominations face with that of his niece.


    This deepend both his rage and the pain he felt with every savage blow he delivered to her. From cutting large chunks out of her thighs and calves, to the gaping wound across her mouth which broke out some of the rib bone teeth.


    With every blow he could see the wounds on his adorable, innocent nieces body and this all but broke Atticus¡¯ human will. He didn''t realize it but with every blow the beast delivered his human mind kept crying out.¡±I''m sorry...uncle is soo soo sorry little one¡­ It will stop hurting soon i promise...¡±


    He soon noticed that Reina was crying tears of blood which poured from the mouths of the faces she had for eyes, though again still looking like his beloved niece to him this only served to make it harder for him.


    Soon enough even the Beast began to slow its furious assault as they got knocked across the room after Reina wailed in pain. Another potion was downed and the beast dropped the axes and charged.


    Reina swung her club once more as the Beast leapt up and over it, leaping into her face as he began clawing violently, Hoping for nothing more than to render the abomination mute to end his Humans despair before he got them killed by resisting the urge to kill their foe.


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    The Infected Wounds effect was applied as he kept clawing and tearing into the abomination, Ripping out the eyes and tongue which looked to be made of dozens of pieces of back flesh.


    As the tongue was removed the screaming stopped  and only grunts could be heard as Reina struggled to remove the beast from her face, Everytime she would swing her right hand or club to get him he would move away and let her beat herself senseless.


    After a few minutes of this the beast managed to claw through the majority of her head and soon exposed a large amalgamation of human brains that glowed with a dark purple color, He rammed his arm deep inside and tore out the object making the light.


    As he did Reina quite literally fell apart and exposed the twisted body of a little girl, The arms and legs twisted and sharpened like blades as her teeth had been filed to sharp little points. The crystal he pulled out a moment ago had been there to hold the full form together.


    But now the twisted little girl charged him with a blinding speed, Lunging at him with her sharpened arms and stabbing at him, She covered him in wounds across his body but soon the beast grabbed the little undead in a tight bearhug,


    She began struggling and biting into his shoulder armor and thrashing to try and get at his flesh, He soon spoke in the same broken voice that Atticus had earlier.¡±Its ok little one, The pain is over now...¡±


    With that he bit savagely into her throat and broke her neck, at the same time his arms crushing her ribcage. She struggled for a moment before falling still, Then a pale blue light illuminated the room and he could see shapes of spirits leaving the scattered remains.


    Soon one left the body he had crushed in his arms, An adorable little girl who indeed looked just like his niece.¡±Thank you for freeing us mister!¡± As she spoke she touched her ghostly hands to his cheeks which were still covered in tears ¡°I don''t hurt anymore, so you shouldn''t hurt anymore either...¡±


    Atticus let the broken body fall from his arms as he shook his head, a hand resting on top of hers as she vanished, When she vanished he stayed there kneeling, his mind still quite broken as he constantly replayed the scene of him killing his niece, Not even registering that he had gained two full levels.


    As he sat there the room grew ice cold, enough so that his breath turned to frost. He soon felt a soft but ice cold hand on his cheek, His eyes slowly focused on what was in front of him, A beautiful young woman, Much like Samantha she was not a petite woman but at the same time she was by no means over weight.


    Her skin was a pale blue and light black runes he didn''t know went across her skin like tattoos, Her hair was as white as snow and her eyes a deep crimson like that of the blood surrounding him. She had large horns that curled like those of a ram, A pair of large leathery bat like wings, and a long almost serpentine tail that looked much like an arrowhead,  ¡°Such a poor thing¡­ Were my Illusions to real for you?¡±


    As she spoke he felt a chill rush through him, It was a sickeningly sweet voice, like one you would expect to hear from an angel rather than a demon. This made him realize that he had been holding onto the crystal he had ripped out of the Abominations head.


    Quickly dropping it the woman vanished and he felt his body begin to grow warmer except for where she had touched his cheek. He looked down at the large dark purple crystal and noticed the strange runes carved into it, just as they had been carved into the woman''s flesh.


    As he looked at it he noticed that there seemed to be something moving inside, Looking closer the purple color seemed to be smoke, and inside of it he could see the woman, bound in chains. As he looked it over he got a message.


    <table><tbody><tr><td>You have found a Bound Spirit! Bound Spirit Attributes Darkness/Frost.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    He sat there for a moment, Going back through the books he had read so far that related to Summoning magic and spirits. Spirits could be bound either through a mutual contract or through forced binding to crystals.


    It was recorded that spirits which were bound with force were more often cruel spirits that had brought great harm to others and as such were bound to prevent them from hurting anymore people.


    But a Bound Spirit could still bring harm to others when they come into contact with the binding crystal. It was at this moment that he realized why the abomination was able to hold together and move so quickly.


    This spirit had been placed inside of the abomination to act as a pilot of sorts, holding the bodies together and enhancing it with mana, This angered him as he soon remembered what the Spirit had said, ¡±Her Illusion¡±.


    He wanted nothing more than to break the crystal but he knew this would set the spirit free, So he took out some of the cloth and wrapped the crystal in it carefully before putting it in a pouch he didn''t use often to prevent touching it.


    Atticus collected himself as he now knew it was all just an illusion and that his Niece was not really there and he didn''t truly hurt her. He then stood up and checked out the loot that was in the large stone coffin like chest before him.


    As he opened it he was met with nothing but potions and gold, Granted it was 5 each of Lesser Health and Mana, and a hefty 500 gold. But he would have been sure that he would have gotten loot besides that. Until he remembered the crystal.


    The spirit was the true prize here, He sighed and stood up and continued on through the Barrow down to the sixth floor.


    ____________________________________________________________________________


    Back in Duskhaven.


    The town came to a halt as something shocking occurred, A carriage pulled by two massive brown Royal Harts pulled through the town gates, Sitting on the bench and holding the reigns was Sasha, someone they had seen before and knew as one of their Thanes companions,


    As such they let her enter without a problem but told her to go to Lucian after they had put their carriage and mounts in the stables, Being in the town was a bit awe inspiring to them as they had yet to see a single house made of stone in any other small town, only large cities had had them so far.


    From the last time Sasha had been there so much had changed, the village had grown to nearly three times its size officially becoming a town, There were now player ran stalls, Houses for sale, And most importantly was the wolves, There were nine large wolves patrolling the town.


    Each clad in steel armor marked with the mark of Blackrock just as the guards were, But in addition, they had a symbol she had not yet seen, That of a wolf standing on a mountain of skulls.


    As they kept walking Samantha moved closer to Sasha.¡±I thought you said that this was just some backwater village?¡± she asked in a soft voice not wanting to offend anyone who could over hear.


    Sasha shook her head still as impressed as her.¡°It was when I left here, What could have caused it to change so quickly....¡± No sooner than she had said this she heard a deep growl and she was tackled to the ground.


    A monstrously large wolf nearly the size of their Royal Harts had tackled her as they passed a large stone house, The others took out their weapons but stopped as they heard Sasha laughing, The wolf had begun licking her cheeks and its tail was wagging happily.


    Samantha was confused but soon the wolf hopped off of her and barked at Sasha.¡±Do you know this thing, Sasha?¡±


    Sasha sat up quickly and moved behind Samantha.¡±N..No, but he clearly thinks he knows me...¡± Shey then heard a deep laugh from behind them.


    Turning they saw a grizzled man in his thirties walking up, following him was a little girl with bright eyes and a large wolf at her side wearing a set of black leather armor once again marked with the two symbols.


    ¡°You left the village before you got to meet him but he must have seen a lot through the Mental Link he has with Atticus, This is Shadow, Chosen Pet of Thane Atticus Shadowsong....¡±


    Ellen soon mounted shadow, hugging his neck as he looked down into Sasha''s eyes, giving the young siege master a good look at her beast-like eyes. "Don''t worry he only hurts bad people..."


    This caused Sasha''s mouth to drop., Atticus had mentioned that he had gotten a wolf pet but this thing was simply massive, standing as tall as Fenrir did and nearly as long¡±This is the wolf that he caught! But he''s so huge now!.¡±


    Hearing this made Lucian laugh.¡±A lot has happened since you left, Most all of it thanks to Atticus¡¯ efforts, Though he''s not home right now.¡±As he spoke he motioned over to the large stone house that had the now familiar symbol of a wolf etched into the door as well as a sign that read ¡°Trespassers will be mauled to death!¡±


    At this Sasha''s mouth dropped again as she realized that the symbol was Atticus¡¯ Makers Mark. Samantha was clearly impressed.¡±Is that why he hasn''t come to find us yet? He''s been playing mason...¡±


    Lucian laughed as he nodded.¡±That would be it, he complained many times how you girls were somehow becoming more powerful than him while he was being worked like a slave, Which reminds me, young lady...¡±


    He then turned to Sasha and gave a stern look.¡±Where have you been for the last month? You were supposed to come talk to me once the Den was clear so I could reward you for assisting your fellow thane!¡±


    Hearing this loud shout Sasha got a message announcing her new title and she could hear cheering and laughing from the small crowd that had grown since the conversation had begun. She was shocked but it only got better.


    Lucian lead them across the street to another large stone house and unlocked the door, opening it and handing Sasha the key before pushing her inside, The others followed as he sat them all down in the already furnished living room as he began to fill them in on what had happened so far,


    As per Atticus¡¯ request if they should show up he didn''t tell them about his class as he said they had a game going right now. But he did tell Sasha how Atticus had built and furnished her house with his own money as it had been agreed that she would be a Thane, He told them about how Atticus had tamed the wolves and gave them to the guard, as well as how he had made the armor for the wolves,


    How it had been his idea to expand the village into a town and that he had even convinced Lucian to reopen the mine, How he had implemented a prisoner work camp that mined for them during their sentence rather than just wasting away.


    He even made the remark of how a lot of the young women of the village were all trying to find a way to get the man into their beds and tie him down as their husband. This made the four women and one girl glare at him which made him drop the subject immediately.


    Even Shadow had whimpered a bit at the hostility of the girls and wished for the hundredth time that day that he had been allowed to go with him but he stayed with Ellen and Isis and protected them as he had requested, even though the little girl was now a level ten as was the wolf.


    Over the next few hours they went over what changes had been made and Lucian even gave her the gold reward she had been promised as her quest was officially completed. After Lucian left the girls all explored the house before leaving to go shopping for better furniture.


    They even took along Ellen who wanted to talk with Sasha and the others about Atticus.


    ____________________________________________________________________________


    Back in the Barrow, Ninth floor.


    Atticus sighed as he sat down to take another break, The monsters had gotten stronger and smarter over the last few floors to the point where he nearly died every time he fought, only barely getting out alive.


    A new monster had joined the mix, Vampires!, Powerful and fast moving beings that worked much like a cross between a dual blade rogue and a mage. They liked to cloak themselves using invisibility spells making them hard to kill them as they dart around behind the Draugr or Skeletons.


    Nearly all of them looked like the traditional vampire, pasty white skin, sharp fangs, But he found that the women had a very seductive nature to them, More than a few had tried to offer their bodies if he didn''t kill them, Oddly enough they seemed to enjoy the thought of becoming his.


    He had just finished killing a group of them in the last room of the ninth floor, having found that they were able to summon the skeletons he had been fighting but not the Draugr, apparently they were still too low level for that.


    The Vampires luckily all had leather armor and robes which were in wonderful condition, A few even having runes for elemental resistances, The daggers and staves were all in great condition and some even had runes that would cause them to hold an edge longer or that increased their Durability,


    He had managed to grind out another two level and a half to be level 15 and nearly 16 as the monsters had grown an average of two levels per floor he went down, With the first floor having an average of level 23 mobs the floor he just finished was at an average of 40.


    While he hated the fact that he had to work over two times harder than others he was thankful for just how overpowered his class was as his attacks when enraged did fire damage which did double damage to undead.


    He had also found more books and scrolls, The latest one that piqued his interest was a book on Bound Spirits mentioning how a Rune smith could create a series of runes that would bind the spirit to an item to empower it while allowing them to summon said spirit at will.


    But he would experiment more on this later, for now he had only read the first few pages before he had decided to move on, Now he stood up having eaten and drank some water and began down the stairs to the tenth floor.


    _______________________________________________________________________________

 Chapter 11- Trickery and Spirits - Redone

    It was the start of a new day in the town of Duskhaven, the sun was just rising as Samantha got up or of the bed that currently had three other naked women in it. They were, of course, the top 4 players in Rebirth Online, Alice, Lily, and Sasha.


    Over the past month inside of the game the girls had all come to accept that they had slept together before,  and now did so every night though not always turning sexual the four of them all slept naked and cuddled together.


    Through their exploring of the house the girls had found a room tucked away in the basement and to their collective joy it was a bathroom, With a large metal tub and even a shower, The room was lit up using a series of mirrors and candles as to leave the basement hidden from outside to give the girls privacy


    Atticus had found a new spring below his house and Sasha''s, while he didn''t mind bathing in the ice cold well he knew that a hot bath was very important to a young woman. He had dug into the spring and through a series of pipes and runes had made a shower.


    The excess water would run through a pipe out to the woods, As a result, the excess water had no chance to pool up in the village and leave the streets full of mud, After all, they were still working on cobbled stone streets.


    Samantha stepped in the shower and sighed happily at the feeling of hot water running down her body, Letting her hands slowly rub the water in as she savored the feeling, It had been so long since she could enjoy a hot shower.


    As she relaxed she wondered what Atticus was up to, from what she had seen so far he was out fighting as he had leveled up a fair amount since they had arrived and he had set his messenger to away as he wouldn''t answer them.


    This had upset the girls a bit but they then focused on the house,  While Atticus had chosen practical furniture the girls pooled their gold and bought leather chairs and couches made by a skilled user that owned a shop down the street.


    They had bought cookware and ingredients, surprised to see a griddle had been built into the counter and so Samantha had decided to make them breakfast. It was just omelets and hash browns with some toast but it was by far better than the usual jerky and bread they had gotten used to.


    As it all finished cooking she went up to the bedroom, moving on to the bed as she began kissing and groping her lovers, causing a lovely symphony of cute moans as they  slowly began to wake up.


    Once the girls had eaten they  got dressed and split up, Sasha and Lily had chosen to help train Lucian''s men in the bow as to prepare them for siege defense. Alice went to Atticus'' house, escorted by Shadow she fed the other wolves and took them out for walks since they had been inside all night.


    Samantha, however, decided to go out hunting, Sasha told her where the mine was so she headed there first, as she arrived she heard fighting.


    She took out her spear and shield as she began running full speed through the tunnels, she soon found a large man with thick grey hair and some guards fighting a group of Draugr that were pouring out of a breach in the wall,  the man wielding a massive mace made from a seven foot sapling and what seemed to be an anvil


    But this man swung it with ease as though it was no heavier than a normal war-hammer, as she saw that the Draugr were all at her level she was shocked after all this was so close to the starting area.


    Shaking her head she charged into help the men, as she got closer she was met with an oppressive aura, one full of rage and hatred, at the same time she saw a Wolfman larger than the warrior before her charge out of the breach, howling in rage as it began to tear through the draught.


    Dressed in armor made from leather and bones, wielding a monstrously large claymore that looked more like a slab of pure darkness, The blade glowing with black and green flames the beast tore apart all in his path.


    She noticed the guards backing away from the frontlines as the Draugr were all after the beast, as she watched the beast slay the last draugr she lunged to attack the beast. As she did she heard the old man shout." Don''t be stupid little lass our Thane will tear you apart!"


    She was stunned at hearing the man call the beast Thane but it was too late, her spear pierced the beast''s right shoulder, There was a howl of pain as the beast turned and backhanded her in one swift movement. She was thrown against the wall, her right arm and ribs were shattered as she hacked up a massive amount of blood.


    She was shocked and confused as she saw the nameplate of the beast.


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Atticus Shadowsong</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Rank:</td><td width="25%">User</td><td width="25%">Level:</td><td width="25%">30</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Health:</td><td width="25%"><2350/2500></td><td width="25%">Alignment:</td><td width="25%">Chaotic Neutral</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A Thane of Blackrock Hold, The Bloodthirsty, Royal Consort, Lich Lord.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus soon changed back into a human as he pulled her spear from his shoulder with little more than a grunt, He studied the weapon for a moment. an ornate piece made from an ash wood handle, gold guard, and a mithril blade, And judging by the stone embedded in the center of the blade a spirit stone, One of light and wind.


    He smiled and flicked the stone which caused a shout from nowhere to Sams surprise as she had yet to find out about her spirit. He then walked over to her and crouched down in front of her. " Hello darling, shouldn''t have attacked me..." as he poured a potion into her mouth to heal her, she coughed more as the pain went away slowly


    As she saw his human body and felt his savagery she felt wet and excited, she pulled him down on top of herself and kissed him deeply and passionately. Atticus growled lustfully as he picked her up, spanking her roughly as he returned her kisses.


    Soon she pulled back and licked her lips softly. " And here I was thinking you were a rogue or mage... " Atticus smiled as he shook his head. " I don''t think I would like to be a sneaky Rogue or a Mage, not enough fun for me my love. " He grinned and began walking towards the exit.


    As he passed Ivan he grinned. " Take the boys down the barrows and start making it into housing,  I burned all the bodies already, and on the thirteenth floor, I found this. "


    He reached into a small pouch and took out a small chunk of bluish silver metal. Mithril. Ivan''s eyes lit up at the sight of the ore. " Ohhh this will be worth treading those hallowed halls thank you Atticus,  alright you lot burn the bodies and let''s go. Time to prove that the elves aren''t the only ones who can smith silvered steel! "


    Atticus laughed at the old man''s excitement and carried Samantha out of the mines. As he walked she nipped his ear gently. " Are you going to tell me exactly what you have been up to until now? The girls and I have been at level 25 for a while so why are you who plays nonstop only just now reaching level 30? And what was up with the fur? "


    He smirked a bit and spanked her roughly,causing a sexy little moan. " When we''re all together my dear, I''ll only tell the tale once. "


    She could see and feel how much he had changed from the real world, and She loved it! In real life, he was somewhat shy and quiet but here he was bold and there was an air of power around him.


    She could not wait to hear his story, As they walked through the woods a large raven landed on his shoulder. It nuzzled his cheek for a moment,


    ¡± Welcome back Lilim, I see your quest went well. " He smiled softly as she moved to the ground before changing into the lovely young women he remembered from the start up room.


    " It took me longer than I thought it would but it was soo worth it, the view up there is amazing! " She said as she twirled about, he had given her a set of black leather armor much like Sashas though this one had pants and was embossed with the tattoo on his left shoulder, that of the Ironwood Druid queen Liliana, And his own makers mark painted on for now with red enamel.


    Though her armor was special, as a perk druids received cosmetic effects for each animal form they master, in Lilim''s case she had a wolf pelt hanging from her belt like a skirt, and now a cloak of ravens feathers.


    She, however, kept the sleeves of her armor tucked away which left a large tattoo on her left arm exposed, It was his maker''s mark in a beautiful emerald color. It was a side effect of when he named her as his alpha female in the pack to help maintain the balance between the sexes of the pack.


    Samantha frowned a little as she pulled on Atticus'' ear " Ohh so she''s the reason you were in no rush to get to us, you had found a new woman to play with... "


    He shivered and spanked her again. " I''ll explain later. "


    Lilim was confused but she figured this was his real life girlfriend, as such she kept playing her role as his pet and followed behind him, wondering what he had been doing to change so much.


    <hr />


    Back inside of the Barrow, Around the time, the girls went shopping. Roughly 10 hours before Sam found Atticus.


    Atticus had just descended the stairs from the 9th to the 10th floor and was once again met with a long hallway. He then figured out that it was every 5th floor that would hold a boss monster, this, however, made him wonder how many floors remained.


    As he walked through the end of the hall and entered the room the gate slammed shut and the room lit up as expected though this room had countless stone pillars around three feet thick, Standing in the center of the room was a massive Draugr, This one was wearing the familiar thick plate armor and standing as tall as him at 6¡¯8.


    However this draugr''s armor was impressive, as black as night and covered in spikes like a moving castle rampart, It made it all but impossible to get into melee range for a bare hand fighter.


    The Draugr was wielding a massive sword that glowed with an eerie black and green hue along with the oh so popular iron door sized shield And as if things couldn''t be more annoying for Atticus he read the Draugr¡¯s nameplate.


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Sven Blackwall</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Rank:</td><td width="25%">Boss</td><td width="25%">Level:</td><td width="25%">45</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Health:</td><td width="25%"><50000/50000></td><td width="25%">Attack:</td><td width="25%">750-900</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A former Warlord who lead one of the many bandit legions that rose up in the Dusk Wars to fight against the invading dark elves. He was struck dead when he was hit by an enemies Lightning Bolt, Now reanimated and firmly set on guarding his ancestors barrow..</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Abilities</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Shield Bash: Smacks its foes with its shield to stun them for 3 seconds.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Lightning Strike: Infuses its attacks with mana to deal 50% more weapon damage as Lightning, There is a 25% chance to be stunned for 3 seconds Damage will cancel this effect.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Cursed Blade: The blade is letting off a dark aura, When struck its foes will suffer a 25% loss to all stats for 15 Seconds.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Unmoveable Object.: Thanks to its heavy armor this foe is unable to be knocked down through sheer force.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Seeing these things he almost performed a facepalm but Sven charged at him with a frightening amount of speed while letting out a ghastly battle cry, Atticus took out his battle ax and howled back at him as he prepared himself for combat.


    Taking up a defensive stance he braced for the impact of the massive sword, But this was a mistake as when he got within range Sven held out his shield to perform a bash. Atticus leaped to the side and narrowly avoided taking the shield to his face, as it was the stone pillar behind where he had been was completely destroyed.


    ¡° Oook definitely not trying to catch that thing to the face.... ¡± Atticus was starting to worry about his hp regen, As things stood it would take just under a minute and a half to regain his health, And counting the fact that this things base attack could three shot him if he got careless. was quite worrying.


    But he pushed it out of his mind as he activated Enraged and charged Sven, Doing his best to weave in and out of the pillars to attack the joints of the Draugr''s armor to hopefully immobilize him.


    This however proved to be far more difficult than he had thought as Sven was faster than he had thought as every time one of his axes got close to the back of Sven''s knees the shield would knock them away.


    He growled as he jumped out of the way as he barely dodged Sven¡¯s sword, taking a deep cut to his left arm as the sword demolished yet another pillar, As this pillar fell Atticus heard some creaking in the ceiling.


    He then realized why this boss was so fast despite wearing such massive armor, Most other users who would enter the dungeon would rely on magic and arrows, whittling the bastard down slowly.


    But then again Atticus had already realized that unlike any other game the terrain could be exploited, such as earlier in the day how he had killed a vampire by throwing them up against a spiky iron wall sconce.


    And so his battle of endurance began, He dodged all of the attacks he could, leading Sven around the room and baiting him to destroy the pillars. He even went so far as to put his axes away and take out some bandages and rely solely on running, dodging, and first aid.


    However he had run into a new issue through this process, Sven''s Lightning strike was not like his own Savage Blow which infused his attacks with darkness, Lightning Strike was able to be used as a ranged ability.


    The worst part of this is when the stun effect would proc, This left Atticus open to take a good hit


    from the massive Draugr, Luckily for him the bastard kept hitting his armor which helped to dampen the damage and keeping his limbs attached, though still breaking them until he downed a potion.


    After ten minutes the final pillar he needed was broken, Diving out of the way as the ceiling came down and crushed Sven, Atticus panted hard as he stood ready to run but he was soon greeted with a wonderful chain of messages.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Level Up!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Level Up!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>You have killed Sven Blackwall using the Environment!</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>For utilizing the environment you have gained +5 Dexterity.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>For killing the boss alone the best possible loot has been dropped.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus wanted to jump for joy but he quickly realized how stupid he was. While he had killed the boss in record time he had also buried the loot under a pile of rubble. He groaned as he actually did facepalm before he took out his pick and began clearing the rubble, spending the better part of an hour clearing the rubble from the massive black iron chest that was spawned.


    When he opened it he was excited to see four pieces of loot, A shield, A sword, A necklace, And a book,He decided to go through the loot and check out their stats only to let out a sigh of disappointment, Quite obviously the items dropped by a level 45 boss monster were made for players of that level, so he was unable to use them except for the book and oddly the sword..


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Ivy</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Great Spirit Weapon</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">300/300</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Quality:</td><td width="25%">Epic</td><td width="25%">Attack:</td><td width="25%">45-60</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>An ancient blade of a long forgotten warlord, Crafted with Dark Mithril and a Darkness/Nature spirit.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Abilities</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Blight: When hit with this blade enemies will suffer from Blighted causing a 10% reduction in stats for 15 seconds, Effect may be canceled by a priest.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Growth: Due to the nature of weapons made with Bound Spirits the weapon is only as powerful as its user, The spirit of the weapon will gain 50% EXP of each being you slay.(Does not take EXP away from you.)</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Requires 10 Str and 15 End to wield.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>+100 Infamy.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>+10 Str and End</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Requires Jotuns Grip to Wield.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Cannot Be Stolen</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''2''>Level:</td><td colspan=''2''>1</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>[b]Blackwall</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Great Shield</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">800/800</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Quality:</td><td width="25%">Epic</td><td width="25%">Defense:</td><td width="25%">500</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>An ancient shield of a long forgotten warlord, Crafted with Dark Mithril.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Abilities</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Shieldwall: When near an ally using a shield you and your allies gain +30 End per ally with a shield.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Shield Charge: Dash forward and slam into an enemy within 5 meters. Cost 100 Stamina</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Requires Level 45</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Requires 150 Str and 150 End to use.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>+40 Str and End</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Warlords Sigil</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Necklace - Accessory</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">Indestructible</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''2''>Quality:</td><td colspan=''2''>Heirloom</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A sigil of a long forgotten warlord, Made from Dark Mithril..</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>It cannot be taken when you die.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Can only be worn by those with the Warlord Subclass.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Requires Level 45 to wear.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Allows the user to start a guild for free.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>When worn by a Guild Master all members of the guild will gain +30 End so long as they remain in the guild.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>How To Dominate Your Foes</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Sub-Class Handbook</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">Indestructible</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''2''>Quality:</td><td colspan=''2''>Unique</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Grants the user the Warlord Subclass.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus grinned widely at the loot he had gained and decided to use the sword instead of Fury as he wanted to level up the blade, After all since he had no pets currently with him he didn¡¯t benefit from the special effect of Fury.


    He then put the rest of the items away, debating on whether or not he should sell the necklace and book or use them for himself, He shrugged and gathered the hefty 1000 gold and 5 each of Greater Health and Mana potions, These were made for players level 40+ so he did not benefit from them but he still luckily had 6 of his lesser grade potions remaining.


    He then stood up and went down the stairs to floor 11, Expecting another four floors before he had to face another boss Atticus was caught off guard as instead of the wide open room he had gotten used to he was in another hallway.


    But he shook his head, eager for the chance to kill another boss so soon, He began running full speed before he took out the two weapons and charged into the boss room. He instantly regretted his choice as all around him were thick cobwebs and large eggs.


    Atticus felt a cold shiver down his spine as he had always hated spiders, having been bitten by a brown recluse when he was young, And now in front of him was a monstrously large black widow that looked at him and let out a chilling shriek.


    At the sound, he heard eggs cracking and the clatter of sharp legs on stone as he saw ten spiders the size of a wolf running towards him. He felt his skin crawl at this and soon the beast took his place, growling in annoyance at being called out for mere spiders but he had to help his human.


    He charged in and began hacking and slashing violently, Every time he killed a spider however the queen would let out another shriek and ten more would pop out. But on the positive side, Ivy was level 5 by the time he had killed 20 spiders.


    While he was fighting the near endless wave of spiders he had to begin jumping from side to side, careful of the webbing as the spiders began spitting small globs of poison at him. However while he dodged one of the globs he felt a heavy impact on his back and an intense burning.


    Rather than spitting poison like the others the queen spit out a damned acid that all but destroyed his cloak, as well as melting some of his fur. Howling in pain he noticed small alcoves throughout the room that slowly go closer to the queen as they went.


    He decided to test his theory and bolted into the first alcove, a massive pillar blocking his line of sight to the queen as the spiders began swarming in slowly around the pillar and into a bottleneck, this made it far easier to kill the spiders and he also began to notice small details.


    The melee type spiders were all black whereas the poison spitters were typical black widows.with the red hourglass on their backs, As he noticed this thing got a lot easier as he began to focus on the widow''s first as the regular spiders did not inflict poison when they hit him.


    He even noticed a number of spiders drop down enough that he was able to run out of the alcove and towards the next one in the row, sure enough as he left the alcove the spider queen began to shriek and spit more acid at him as he ran and dived into the alcove.


    He thought things would progress well enough now but as he dove into the alcove he noticed a new spider, An all brown one that was far faster than the others, He noticed it as it lunged in and bit him before darting off long before the other spiders could catch up,


    These, however, did have a poison, though not a damage over time it made the part of his body that was bit go numb for 10 seconds. He groaned as his left arm went completely numb and his arm dropped to the side as he howled in anger at the spiders.


    He was surprised to find that he could still wield ivy despite only using one arm, perhaps because the blade was still quite small, near the same as a standard claymore though thicker and wider.


    He began swinging the blade as fast as he could, only to be hit again by one of the spiders and another portion of his body go numb just as the first regained feeling. It was as he lost feeling in his legs and left arm at the same time that Atticus heard a voice.


    Similar to the one he had heard when he held the Bound Spirits crystal after killing the abomination. a females voice but this one sounded seductive and nurturing rather than cruel.


    ¡° Hmmm this is no good, I can''t have you dying on me so soon... ¡± As he heard this the sword shone with a bright green and black light as a woman soon stood before him. She stood at 6¡¯0 and weighed around 120 lb, She was rather petite with no outstanding assets.


    He was speechless as she had long hair that was a soft green with black streaks, she had a long black and green tail and ears like that of a wolf, As she turned to look back at him he could see her eyes, A deep emerald green iris with pitch black pupils.


    Her skin was a soft green, like fresh grass save for the black runes tattooed into her skin, She had the scent of honey around her as one would expect from a nature spirit, though there was a bit of spice to the scent, Cinnamon is what he thought.


    He felt oddly at ease at the sight of her rather than the alertness he felt being around the other spirit, This one seemed to let out a nurturing aura along with the intent to kill though it was directed at the spiders and not him.


    He watched as she walked over to him and then behind him, kissing his neck as she wrapped her arms around it, He shivered at the warmth of her behind him  and soon he felt his body become invigorated.


    The poison''s effects had been removed despite still having eight seconds remaining. ¡± Do not waste this chance warrior, the blessing will only last for another minute... ¡± He let out a yelp of pain as the spirit bit deep into the right side of the nape of his neck and vanished. Little did he know he would have a new tattoo shortly.


    He stood up and began running rather than fighting, heading through the alcoves while dodging the acid spray of the queen, Grinning as he heard shrieks behind him as the acid would kill dozens of the smaller spiders.


    While not giving any exp he didn''t have to kill them so it was still a win in his book, As he reached the final alcove he howled and charged the queen who was now only a few meters away. He jumped up onto her back and began hacking and slashing violently.


    He soon cleaved the spider queen''s head off and was greeted with the usual messages and was shocked at how simple this fight had been. While granted it had taken him a total of thirty minutes and two potions it was just like a horde boss.


    He only received one level though Ivy had now caught up to his level and no loot dropped other than the usual potions and 500 gold. He felt slighted but then noticed the spider''s silk all around him.


    He had an idea and began to cut as much of it as he could, He even found a pitch-black spider egg and while every part of his body said to destroy it he decided to keep it. It took him another thirty minutes before he had cut down all of the silk in the room and he then headed down to the 12th floor.


    He was glad to see that he was greeted with the usual layout rather than a long hallway and decided to check something, Ever since Ivy awoke earlier he had a feeling that he was being watched.


    ¡°Ivy?¡± Atticus asked cautiously and shivered as from the nape of his neck he felt a warmth and soon a pair of soft green arms wrapped themselves around his chest and he felt a nibble on his ear.


    ¡° Yes, master? ¡± She said this in a playful and teasing tone while keeping her body pressed against his back.


    Atticus had to resist the urges he felt welling up as he turned around to face the naked woman.¡± What was it that you did earlier when I was being overwhelmed by the spiders? ¡±


    The spirit smiled softly as she nipped at his throat playfully, Almost like a puppy would when playing with a new friend.¡± I just purged the venom from your body by making your metabolism speed up.¡±


    Atticus growled a bit as she kept teasing him but he tried to ignore it for a bit longer. ¡± And why is it only now that you have shown yourself to me? Why not as soon as I took up your sword? ¡±


    She nibbled on her bottom lip softly as he was not returning any of her playful teasings.¡± Because I was still getting stronger¡­It had been so long since my last wielder died that all of my power had been drained... ¡±


    Atticus nodded as he began walking again, Not wanting to take much more of a break, Though Ivy followed him rather than returning to her dormant state, quite obviously enjoying her new freedom to move about as she pleased.


    Atticus sighed but let her do as she pleased so long as it did not hinder him.

 Chapter 12- Sinful Pleasures - Redone

    As Atticus walked through the halls of the 12th floor of the Barrow he had forced Ivy back into the blade as he had grown tired of her flirting, despite the fact that he wanted nothing more than to give into his lust but he wanted to complete the dungeon as quickly as he could.


    As he kept going into the dungeon he discovered something interesting, Dark Elves. He was greatly confused now as he watched a group of Dark Elves wearing a combination of gray leather and a type of chainmail made of the same metal as Ivy. Dark Mithril.


    The group was moving around and looting the bodies of the deceased as well as moving some bodies to the middle of the room where a cart was waiting, As he watched he decided to take in the appearances of the Dark elves.


    As one would guess they were Tall, Slender, Beautiful, Long Slender Ears, A Seductive Tan Skin Tone, Bright Crimson Eyes, And Ghastly Silver White Hair. The women were just positively beautiful, and the men could well be mistaken for a woman if they didn''t keep their hair cropped short.


    He noticed that all of the men and women in this group were in a scout style gear, Lightweight and designed for maximum maneuverability, They had plenty of pouches and multiple small throwing knives. In addition to the armor, The elves were equipped with daggers made of Dark Mithril as well as Long and Short Bows made of a black wood that he could only guess was Ebony.


    Atticus  took a deep breath in and softly exhaled, He then held his weapons in a tight grip as he began sneaking towards the elves, Knowing better than to test an elf and their prowess with a bow,


    Before he was going to attack he heard the conversation of the group, Hiding under a table as he listened in and grinned widely at the valuable information.


    One of the men  let out a noise of disgust as he threw another Draugr into the cart. ¡° Why must we do such things, Even if she is the Princess consorting with a Lich still gives me the creeps.... ¡±


    A woman with a soft and nervous voice then spoke up. ¡± I agree to defile the dead in order to corrupt the Mithril so that those with a high Darkness Affinity can use it doesn''t feel right...Even if they are human swine. ¡±


    It was then that a woman who seemed to be in charge responded. ¡± Quit your complaining!, You find another way to allow us to alter Mithril besides soaking it in the elixir and we will do it! Til then were stuck with that disturbing wench... ¡±


    As she finished the same man let out another sound of disgust and by the sound of his voice a shiver.¡±Don''t even remind me of it, I was on mixing duties earlier and they had us grinding the bones and flesh into a powder, Then the blood that disgusting Abomination collected got added in and it let off an aura of complete darkness. Even for me it was weird..¡±


    Hearing this Atticus got a notification.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''><table><tbody><tr><td>


    You have heard of a way to corrupt Mithril, Normally a metal that only those of the Lawful alignment, or those with a high affinity for light may wield. Perhaps you can find the notes on the process?


    </td></tr></tbody></table>


    He read through it quickly but soon closed it as he prepared to attack the elves, Waiting for them to get close enough together for him to attack them all at once. He noticed the elves all getting close together, about to open a large coffin.


    He then leaped out from under the table and swung his weapon violently, He was met with a sight of the heads of the two male elves heads flying,  As their blood splashed on his arms and face he shivered.


    Not in disgust but pleasure, Oddly the blood of these elves had a sickeningly sweet scent, not to mention the warm soft feeling, more akin to water than blood. He then had to jump back as two of the women had managed to draw their daggers and lunged at him.


    While he managed to avoid a pair of stabs into his kidneys he now had long gashes on his abdomen, But it didn''t hurt, instead he felt an odd pleasure from it, He licked the blood from his lips as he then shivered raggedly, The taste was intensely delightful, like a cup of hot cocoa in the winter.


    As the women saw this they gave a look of fear as Atticus then charged them and in their moment of hesitation one of the women was killed, Atticus had swung Ivy at a downward angle and severed the woman''s spine,


    He would have managed to cleave straight through to her hip but the Dark Mithril Chainmail prevented his attack from getting that far, As he killed the woman he felt a sharp pain in his back.


    Spinning around he slammed his elbow into the cheek of the Dark Elf who sounded to be in charge earlier, Resulting in a yelp as she fell to the floor, Atticus reached back and pulled the daggers from his back, having narrowly missed his kidneys.


    He charged the last elf standing as she nocked an arrow in her bow, He raised Ivy as though it was a shield and lunged at the elf right as she shot the arrow, It glanced off of Ivy¡¯s blade and skittered off into the shadows as he slammed the woman up against the wall,


    Seeing she was the woman who was in charge he smiled a bit.¡± I thank you for your information regarding Dark Mithril... ¡±


    Before she could speak he tore her throat out, swallowing the meat and muscle down and panting raggedly as an almost orgasmic feeling shot through his body, Dark elves tasted simply delicious!


    He then turned and looked down at the final elf and walked over to her, Kicking her roughly in the stomach which caused her to hack up a glob of blood.¡±I have special plans for you, my dear...¡±


    She had seen what he did to the last girl and had a dark feeling welling in her stomach.


    (WARNING! The following will be quite gruesome so if you dislike things such as abuse, Gore, and a detailed scene of a woman being devoured then continue on without opening!)


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    Atticus picked the woman up and carried her to the table he had been hiding under, It was a large stone embalming table. He slammed her down on top of  it and strapped her down to it as he began removing her armor.


    As he no longer felt a threat his body changed back into his human form, This caused the woman to begin squirming and fighting against her restraints even more as she screamed. ¡°Wh! What the hell are you doing you pig!¡±


    Atticus gave her a wolfish grin.¡±Oh, I am just going to have a little fun with you little wench...¡± He remembered a horror movie where the killer took the time to neatly fold the victim''s clothes before them so he decided to do the same.


    Smiling as he noticed that the way he seemed to treat this so nonchalantly scarred the woman even more. Watching her squirm he could even smell her fear, The beast was currently taking over in a more subtle way. Working on integrating himself into Atticus¡¯ very personality.


    He then stepped back, licking his lips as he took in her body, Tall, likely 6¡¯0, weighing around 120 pounds, Firm well toned body though her breasts, rear, and thighs still had the plump curves that would send any man crazy as one would expect of an elf.


    He then moved up onto the table, moving between her legs as he licked her inner left thigh, smiling at the small yelp she made, He then bit softly, just above where the femoral artery would be.


    The result was a cute ragged moan that caused the woman to blush furiously, even her thighs turning a bit red in embarrassment. Atticus smirked and kissed slowly up her thigh, working closer to her virgin sex.


    The closer he got the more she struggled, her mind racing as she remembered the tales her mother told her and her siblings of the Dark War, Of how entire battalions of their armies were wiped out by madmen,


    It was as Atticus moved up so he was on top of her, His hands on either side of the table my her head that she saw his tattoo, It was one of the two marks engraved deep into the minds of young Dark Elven children.


    The mark of a Beast, Shortly after the incident related to the founding of the ¨²lfh¨¦enar the brothers had been called to war, While Atticus Blackfang had led a pack of wolves to harass supply chains and kill all who did not run.


    Ragnar Blackfang had stood alone against entire battalions in the light of day, Slaughtering the elves by the dozen. As a result, their marks had become symbols of fear and hatred among their people.


    The Woman was about to scream again but Atticus bit deeply into her throat, Silencing up her scream as he ran his hands along her body, his sharp claw-like nails cutting slightly into her skin. ¡°Go fuck yourself you human pig!¡± As she spoke she spat in his face which caused Atticus to growl, His eyes showing his anger. And it was at that time that the woman realized her mistake, And that Atticus¡¯ earlier threat was one he would keep.


    He kissed her forcefully before biting her tongue roughly, causing it to bleed as he then bit it completely off, swallowing the sweet tasting flesh before he kept kissing her, drinking up all the blood she tried to spit out. All the while he felt his body surging with power, and pleasure. Soon he pulled back and licked his lips before pushing some cloth into her mouth to soak up the blood.¡±Stupid wench, if you would have behaved I would have let you live...¡± He then moved down and bit savagely into her right breast, ripping out a large piece.


    The woman gave a somewhat muffled scream as she  watched the monster of a man begin devouring her body, He kept her alive for as long as he could, eventually her legs from the hips down were nothing but bone,She had bled out when he tore her femoral artery but he felt she had suffered enough anyway. He then wasted no time devouring the rest of her body, Licking her sweet blood from his claws as he shivered with pleasure.


    He looked at the bodies on the floor but they had grown cold which made him a little sad,


    But he cleaned himself up and began looting their bodies, Looking over the armor they had it was impossible for him to fit into it, So even if he was level 40 like them it was useless to him for now, But he did learn a few new things about the properties of Dark mithril as he looked over the armor he had looted.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Ashwalker Chestpiece</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Chest</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">400 /400</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Quality:</td><td width="25%">Uncmmon</td><td width="25%">Defense:</td><td width="25%">300</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A chestpiece made of hardened leather from a stag and chainmail made from Dark Mithril .</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Requires 200 Dex and End to wear</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Requires 75% Darkness Affinity or the Evil Alignment to wear.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>+20 Dex and Luck</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You are harder to see during the night.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus smiled as he got more information on the requirements of Dark Mithril, though he wondered why Ivy didn''t have any set requirements like that, Though the thought that it was because it was a Bound Spirit weapon helped to explain it a bit as perhaps the spirits affinity made up for his own.


    He knew he would be holding onto this armor for a while but when level 40 became common then rogue characters would love this armor for its defense and the benefits After all the Darkness affinity would help one in various ways.


    From what he had read it would make one take less negative effects from curses, Makes it easier to sneak as at higher levels one can almost blend completely into the shadows, So he could only assume that Darkness would be something all rogue based players would be aiming to get.


    After he looted all of the weapons and armor he piled the bodies up with those in the cart and lit them on fire using the nearby brazier, He then resumed walking through the Barrow, He felt his mouth watering as his mind kept going back to the dark elven woman he had eaten.


    He wondered why he felt the urge to devour more of the women but he figured it had something to do with his title The Bloodthirsty. As he continued through the dungeon he found that the Elves were rare, scattered throughout at checkpoints so to say.


    Atticus went through taking his time to clear out the barrow, As he went through he found more dark elf scouts, though none of them were women so he didn''t bother eating them as for some reason the thought of eating another male was just disturbing to him even if their blood tasted decent though not as good as a woman''s.


    The rest of the floor was filled with an assortment of Draugr, He had grown accustomed to fighting them but even then he couldn''t relax, As soon as he wanted to relax during a fight one would manage to get past his defense and knock him back while leaving him open to attacks for awhile.


    As Atticus came to one of the Checkpoints and saw the group of elves he all but drooled, They were all women These, however, were two wearing Dark Mithril Plate, Wielding halberds made of Dark Mithril.


    The halberds looked simply amazing to him, The poles were nearly six foot long with a sharp spike on the butt cap and a sharp bladed spear on the tip, On one side of the pole was a large axe blade but rather than being solid it had cut out designs to make it lighter, On the opposite side they had curved bladed hooks that could be used to disarm an opponent, Literally if they were used properly.


    He looked over the weapons with a bit of envy, He had always liked the Halberd as it combined a spear and a battle axe in one, These however seemed far too light for him, they would be great for one handed use, But he already had an idea formed for the first weapon he would make from the Dark Mithril.


    Atticus waited for them to be occupied with something that would face them away from the doorway, he then snuck into the room and hid under another table, wondering if he would learn something new.


    As he watched through a hole in the cloth covering the bottom of the table he smiled as he noticed a few chunks of black ore on a smaller table that the women were standing around. It was at this moment that one of the smaller women turned and looked at one that was taller, her armor having an emblem of a raven standing perched on a bow that had an arrow nocked.


    He identified this woman as the leader due to the emblem that none of the others had.¡±I am starting to worry knight commander, the scouts should have returned with the next batch of bodies by now, Could the Princess have lost control over the Draugr guards?¡±


    The taller woman who was now confirmed as the Knight Commander shook her head.¡±That''s not possible, Especially not while she is so close to them, Something must have happened along the way¡­..¡±


    After a moment, she turned to look at the three scout types and pointed down the hallway he had just come out of.¡±Go scout out what has happened and report back, Hurry now we can''t have production slowing...¡±


    They swiftly saluted and ran down the hall, Atticus groaned in his head as he remembered he killed some draugr just a few hundred yards down the hall, He decided now was the time to act, As the scouts ran down the hall and the knights turned back to the table he crept after the scouts.


    But rather than kill them he had something else in mind for them, He sheathed his weapons and took out a large stick he had planned to make a torch out of if it got too dark but he could now use it to knock out the women.


    As they arrived at the bodies of the Draugr they began to inspect them, It was then that he struck, With swift and strong movements he bashed two of the elves over the head with the club before tackling the third and grinning coldly as he slammed her head down to the floor.


    As he didn''t kill them he got no exp but he was able to now try something interesting. He took out his rune smithing tools and some simple bracelets he had found before etching the slave rune into them,


    He then put drops of his blood into the carvings before slipping them onto the woman''s wrists, He then took the three bangles and got drops of their blood on them after carving the Master rune into them.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    After a bright glow, he was met with a message detailing the women''s names and stats, But he ignored them as he would not be keeping them around for long. He let them sleep while he went back to take care of the remaining two elves.


    As he stalked back through the barrow Atticus began to think of a way to deal with them without killing them, after all taking high-ranking prisoners was always a beneficial plan.  He could use the club but he felt that was too basic, But then he remembered that there was another way.


    He had overwhelming strength when fighting unarmed, perhaps by using open palm attacks he could beat them into submission without the risk of killing them. But then he had a new problem, How to get past the halberds, He was fast but he had realized how light the Dark Mithril gear was, in addition to elves natural agility he was looking at one hell of a fight.


    He had been tempted to turn back, Returning with Shadow or even recalling Lilim for a time. But without thinking much more about it, he grit his teeth and charged in head on, He had decided on a shock and awe tactic, dropping to all fours and taking off at full tilt down the hallway and bursting into the room.


    He leapt and slammed one of the women against the wall, knocking her out but despite this the commander was not phased, she merely spun and with the back spike of her halberd slammed into his side, causing a howl of pain before she withdrew the blade and lined herself up to begin thrusting the blade at him as a spear.


    As the tip of the blade got closer Atticus jumped back, his hand going out and grabbing the axe blade of the halberd by the beard, pulling hard  to try to pull the woman off balance, However the commander merely smirked at him, twisting the handle as he pulled the halberd to unsheath a hidden estoc. He groaned as he tossed the halberd across the room and down the hall from where he entered.


    " Stop resisting I''m not going to kill you! " Atticus yelped as the estoc came flying towards his eye, moving to the side to let it catch his armor instead. The commander was shocked as she heard him, After all, no one expected a wolfman to be smart enough to talk, make armor yes, think and speak no. She took up a fencing pose and began launching lightning fast thrusts at him as he danced around to dodge them. " What is the meaning of this? What business does a beast like you have down here! "


    Atticus took deep breaths as he began his dance, Rather than dancing with his weapon as Ivan had beaten into him he decided to dance with her weapon, watching it and only it as he begun swaying and dipping under the blade. After a few short seconds, something strange happened. He reverted back to a human.


    This had never happened since he had been turned, and at the same time, he noticed a tiny window that he would have to check later no doubt explaining this event. As she saw the massive beast become a human the commander was shocked, Enough so that she overextended and allowed herself to be caught by the wrist and slammed to the ground where she was swiftly pinned down by Atticus.


    " What manner of sorcery is this! " The elven woman struggled below the heavy man, his knees pinning her wrists down by her waist as he used his shins to hold her legs down to prevent her from kicking him. Panting softly Atticus begun tightening his armor down, as he did it exposed his tattoos, not just the mark on his chest but the one on his left shoulder.


    Seeing these marks together shocked the commander, Not only was this beast truly a man, but he was one of the madmen who all but obliterated her people, On top of this he was also a royal consort of the forest elf queen. " What in Hel''s name are you! "


    Atticus smiled softly as he begun removing the woman''s armor. " I am a Thane of Black Rock Hold, I am the Royal Consort of the Ironwood Queen, And I am a Bloodthirst Werewolf. But above all else I am an adventurer. " Atticus smiled seeing the quality of the armor pieces, stacking them neatly beside them as he soon took out a small golden earring.


    The woman felt a tug of fear as the name Black Rock pulled at her memories, It was an important name but she could not remember of what, however, but it tormented her, struggling to remember what it meant.


    " So imagine my surprise when the miners of my hold re-discover this barrow only to find it swarming with the restless dead, And to discover hideous abominations all along the way only to find that the Dark Elves are behind this all. Oh and let us not forget the secret to corrupting Mithril..."


    Atticus opened the earring and bit his thumb sharply and smeared his blood along the inside of it to reveal the runes etched into it, Slavery and Permanence.  Once the ring was closed it would seal as the one of his hold symbol had The commanders eyes grew wide seeing the runes together which only renewed her struggles.


    " Don''t you dare you filthy pig! " Atticus grinned as he watched her, grabbing the front of the soft cotton shirt she wore and tore it away, He had something special in mind for her now. He leaned down and kissed between her breasts faintly, earning him a gasp of shock as he then took the nipple of her right breast into his mouth, nibbling it lightly to get it hard before he used his canines to pierce it.


    The commander cried in pain as she kept struggling. " No stop! Just kill me! I refuse to be your slave! " This made Atticus smirk as he pushed the ring through her nipple and closed it, taking out a new ring as he wiped some blood from her nipple and smeared it across the new ring, showing the matching runes, Mastery and once more Permanence.


    " That is the beauty of this system my dear I don''t need your permission..." Atticus went to push the ring through his ear as he noticed the elf open her mouth not to scream but to push her tongue out, preparing to bite it off and drown herself with her own blood. But he could not allow this.


    He shoved four of his fingers into her mouth and winced as she bit down hard but to no avail, barely able to injure his tough hands. And at the same time, she watched in complete despair as using only one hand Atticus forced the rune ring through his ear and closed it, gasping as the flood of power flowed through them both signaling the ritual was finished.


    Atticus shivered as he decided to check a few things, stroking the woman''s cheek tenderly as she cried. He felt bad for her but he could not kill an enemy commander blindly nor could he allow for her to be held by mere ropes, He had to bind her to him in the truest sense of the word.


    He opened the notifications window and looked through briefly, finding out the woman''s name was Natalia, A level 40 knight commander who was a mere 23 years old.  Sighing softly he got up and put her armor back on for her, stroking her head tenderly as he kept reading as the other notification he had obtained was the cause of his sudden change back to human.


    <table><tbody><tr><td> You have calmed the beast for now by resisting the rage of battle, choosing to take a pacifist route to detain your foe. As such you have learned a new War Dance. The Dance of  Baldur, When using this dance you will revert to your human form.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> You have attained the ability to calm the beast of your own will, you may now change freely between your human and beast forms.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus smiled seeing this and shrugged, His beast form had not bothered him so far but it did feel nice to have just that much more control over things. He then looked back to Natalia, pulling her to her feet as he took out a small brush and red paint, painting his mark on her breastplate before pushing the pot of paint into her hands.


    " Go down the hall and retrieve your weapon, then go further down and paint this mark on the breastplate of the three women there, After that return here and do the same to her. " He motioned to the woman on the floor by the door to the next hallway. " Once that is done you are to wait for my return understood?"


    Natalia looked at him with tears and hate in her eyes as she nodded." Yes, master... " He sighed but turned and went to the next woman, making her his slave using a ring as he had the first three. He then continued along the path before him with Ivy in hand.


    As he walked down the hall Ivy came out of the blade, poking at one of the small wounds on his body. " Well, aren''t you the cruel one, not even allowing her to take her own life to avoid the dishonor of not only being taken captive but being made a slave to her clan''s mortal enemy... "


    Atticus winced and spanked Ivy roughly, resulting in an overly sexual moan. "She is too important to kill, I will need her to command the other elves under my command. And she knows far ti much for me to ignore..."


    Soon they came to a set of rough stairs that descended into the 13th floor. It was here that he saw something astonishing, A massive mine of Mithril that was being excavated by skeletal miners. There was only one elf woman in this room, standing at a table below the stairs.


    Atticus took advantage of this and dropped right on top of her, slamming her head into the table to knock her out before binding her. He then took to slaughtering the skeletons who finally realized he was there. He took a moment to look around before noticing that all of the mithril chunks had been tossed down a large hole in the floor leading to the next floor down.


    He noticed a staircase that was leading down and went for it, moving down slowly as to avoid making any excess sound. He then  came to the entrance of a room, rather than charging in he decided to peak in first. What he saw shocked him, It was a beautiful young dark elf woman with a flawless hourglass body standing in a pool of glowing crimson, wearing nothing more than a sheer black robe.


    In front of her was a massive mound of Mithril, but from the bottom and spreading up it was changing from the light blue-silver to pitch black. This must be the Elixer the others had mentioned. He dropped low and begun sneaking towards the center of the room, staying out of the pool for now as he moved across high rocks.


    He noticed no enemies in this room save for this woman, And even then she was too focused on the ritual she was performing. He took out the improvised club from before as he got closer, standing up and swinging hard as he cracked the woman over the head and dropping her to the floor.


    However it was as he did this that a horrifying shriek could be heard, he heard a rumbling behind the mound of mithril, He heard nothing coming so he swiftly bound the woman, deciding to use another earring this time as he felt this was the princess he had heard the commander speak of earlier. She had a tattoo on the nape of her neck much like his mark as Consort.


    However hers was a faded gray, and instead of a stag, he saw a sabercat surrounded by smoke. He picked her up, seeing the new notification had her name as Rose,  up out of the pool of muck and laid her down by the staircase where he had come down from.


    He then returned to the pile of mithril to see it was still converting, though, at a far slower rate, He shook his head before he moved up on top of the mound and looked to find where the noise came from. It was here that he saw a large stone door that had opened. The shriek had come from the new passageway.


    He heard a giggle from Ivy who was standing over Rose."I look forward to seeing how you fare warrior...." With that, Ivy vanished back into the sword. Atticus sighed as the spirit went back to sleep, He then shook his head and climbed the mountain of Mithril, noticing that it was still being converted from the beautiful blue-silver into a pitch black despite Rose being knocked out. Her ritual had only been to speed the process up.


    Atticus looked around to find the source of the sound he heard a moment ago and soon saw a large stone door now opened behind the mountain of ore, He decided that before he progressed he would take a short break. He pulled out a sandwich he had made from bread, cheese and roast goat meat. As he ate he took the time to read through the Bound Spirit guide once more.


    In doing so he discovered every rune he would need to bind a spirit inside of a crystal, And as he finished the book he found that in order to create a weapon with the stone one must learn the name of the Spirit as the Name holds all power. It was for the simple reason that Atticus owned Ivy that he knew her name. All weapons being named for the spirit they contain.


    Atticus sighed softly as the only way he would be able to bind his other spirit was to gain her trust and respect, After all, she would not give it up freely. But he pushed the thoughts from his head for now as he stood up and jumped down from the mountain and stepped into the passage, finding it was shockingly better detailed than the areas above, like the difference between a nobles mausoleum and a peasant''s group mausoleum.


    As he walked he began to see very detailed murals depicting a battle between men wearing furs and thin demons, It didn''t take much for Atticus to realize this was depicting the battles of the Dusk War. Of battles between the Berserkers, ¨²lfh¨¦enar, and the Dark Elves. As he kept walking he came across a large row of the skeletal remains of wolves, As he began to walk by he noticed what looked like tiny cells. Inside were the skeletal remains of long dead ¨²lfh¨¦enar.


    They were still in full armor, wearing full suits of leather and bone, and on either hand was a battle ax. Not a single ¨²lfh¨¦enar that he saw so far had a Great Weapon. As he walked he looked to the right side of the hall and noticed more cell like resting places. Inside of these were men wearing simple kilts with monstrous weapons laid beside them.


    The Berserkers. Atticus took a moment and looked over their weapons and noticed that they were all made of bone and iron. And more here were the large crystals embedded in the blades, They were all Spirit Weapons. And it only took an instant for Atticus to realize why, The berserkers were forced to tread alone into the tide of battle, lest they kill their allies. The spirits were there to be a constant companion to the Bear in question, The blade took the place of the wolves of the ¨²lfh¨¦enar


    This thought made Atticus shiver, all alone with a being that would just as soon kill you as look at you had it not been bound. For days, weeks, even months with only a spirit to keep your company, there at all times watching your every move from within the blade. Atticus shook his head and pushed on.


    It did not take him long to come to a Massive door. Pushing it open he was greeted with the sight of a large skeleton sitting upon a throne of what he could only guess had been Elven bodies, The skeleton held a monstrous battle ax that had to be at least ten feet long. It was a weapon of pure black that was riddled with spirit crystals. Atticus counted thirteen along the haft and blade of the ax.


    The ax blade had large notches cut out like a massive saw blade, on the back of the ax was a brutal barbed spike. At the butt cap of the ax was a massive spear blade, This was a weapon born of pure hatred.


    By the skeletons, feet was a large plaque that read. ¡° Ragnar Blackfang: Elf Foe, Beast Bane, Scourge of humanity. A beloved brother who gave his all to Vengeance for his home of Black Rock Hold only to be forsaken by those who could not understand his love. ¡°


    As Atticus read this he was floored, All along he had been in the village of his order without realizing it, He was standing before the remains of the greatest Berserker in the history of their kind, And even long dead he could feel the power emanating from the bones and the weapon clenched in the skeletons fists.


    He moved closer to the skeleton and reached out to touch the blade of the ax, but as his fingers got close he heard the same shrill shriek as he had earlier, but now it was so close and in such a small area that it hurt his ears. Atticus howled in pain as his body shifted forms, spinning around to look for the source as he drew Ivy.


    It was as he turned to the door that it slammed shut and hiding behind the door was a ghastly pale woman, she was short, perhaps 4¡¯11, She had a curvy and thick body much like Sam, But it was the eerie runes flowing over her body, the billowing cloak, and the large tome floating by her side that made her stand out. This woman was the Lich, And a very powerful one at that if she could maintain a human form.


    Atticus howled and got ready to fight. ¡± Why have you come to this place you filthy corpse! ¡± This however only got him another shriek as the Lich raised her hand, the tome opening itself and moving below her palm as she began to recite a spell.


    He moved to stop her but it was already too late, a massive ball of fire had shot out and engulfed his entire right arm, and burnt it to a crisp, This earned a howl of fury as his weapon fell down as the Lich laugh darkly at his face of pain.

 Chapter 13 - Resolutions & Reunions -

    As the Lich laughed over the wounded man it was shocked to see the man become larger and furrier, its damaged arm shattering and falling away as the beast growled savagely. ¡±Very well I''ll just have to beat it out of you.... ¡± Before the Lich¡¯s eyes, the man''s clawed left hand and the fangs in his mouth began to emit an eerie black and red flame-like aura.


    The very air around him began to be filled with dread and hatred, Enough so that the lich immediately began to search for another spell to send at the beast as she leapt back. But as she went to land the beast was there and she was met with searing pain across her ribs as the clawed hands raked across her body,


    She was sent flying into the door she had been hiding behind with four large scars, The wounds had been burned shut instantly. As though the beast wanted to interrogate her rather than kill her, She lifted her palm and willed the tome to open where she needed, to a spell of weakness, one to make him as weak as an infant.


    To her dismay however as the black haze of smog poured from her hand and surrounded the beast he became wreathed in ivy, His armor becoming encrusted with it as he charged through and slammed her against the door, biting savagely into her right arm and tearing it from her socket. She wailed in pain, releasing a scream much like a banshee which stunned the beast, giving her time to take flight into the high rafters of the room.


    How had the beast resisted her curse! What was this strange Ivy that was coating his body!


    <hr />


    As Atticus was enveloped in the smog he felt the mark on his neck flare to life, a faint whisper of power flowing through his body, a whisper he could not make out in his rage. But as the effects of the wail left him he looked around for his prey, seeing her high in the rafters he howled savagely, the sound causing a movement of wind that put out the torches and braziers in the room as he kicked off from the floor.


    He kicked off of the wall and up to the lich as his eyes readjusted to the darkness, seeing her fumbling with her tome to remember a spell to bring light. He grabbed her leg and pulled hard, flinging her back down to the ground as he dropped on top of her, slamming his fist into her gut as he growled savagely, hot breath filled with the scent of blood hitting her face. ¡°I ask again corpse, Why are you here? Why are the elves hear? How did they get in here?¡±


    As he watched the Lich take a deep breath he growled and punched her hard in the chest, feeling a few bones breaking as he knocked the wind from her. ¡± Don''t think that you will be able to scream anymore bitch¡­ ¡± Atticus pressed one of the burning claws against her cheek resulting in a burn as the lich struggled to get air. ¡° The only thing I want to hear from you is the answers to my questions, Anything else and you will lose something important.... ¡±


    However all this earned him was a cruel grin from the lich, and behind him, he felt a rush of wind, Next thing he knew he had been sent flying across the room, and right before his eyes he saw his left arm. He howled in pain as he looked to see what had attacked him and before his very eyes was the massive axe of Ragnar Blackfang, in the hands of the great Bears hands.


    The cheeky little wench had been reanimating him!, Atticus struggled to get up only to keep falling down. And with every failed attempt the skeleton got closer, With a howl of rage he kept struggling, enough so that the back pouch he had stored the Bound Spirit of frost in opened itself, the crystal rolled down his back and became wedged between his back and the axe holster.


    At this time, everything grew cold as once more he saw the cruel frost spirit, But now he saw her walking beside Ragnar, with sorrow in her eyes, her hands trying to touch him only to phase through his bones. It was then that Atticus noticed a fourteenth slot on the weapon, This one in the spearpoint, through the slot was empty now. It only took him an instant to piece them together.


    ¡°You were his...Weren''t you...¡± The world around them seemed to slow as the spirit nodded, Ragnar now frozen in place as well as the Lich who was stopped mid laugh. The spirit ran her hand along the blade of the spear at the base of the axe, a look of longing in her eyes.


    ¡° I was his first spirit, He found me locked away in a trunk owned by a Dark Elf general, his curiosity got the better of him and he picked me up. I filled his mind with illusions of enemies but he did nothing but watch me, calmly, peacefully, with no hate or fear. And when I asked him why he simply said ¡° Because I have killed every last living being within twenty miles of this place, You are not but a spirit who can do no harm unless I allow it, All I have to do is let go of this crystal and you will vanish. ¡± ¡±


    The spirit smiled as she sat on the haft of the axe in her former master''s hands, leaning back against the broad bone chest with her head sitting just under his chin, as though it were her rightful place.


    ¡°But he did not drop the crystal even as I created more and more elaborate illusions, tapping into his memories and using his loved ones. But he just kept watching me, for hours we were like that. Finally, I could not stand it and I asked him why he refused to lash out at me, why he refused to let go of the crystal even as he was forced to watch the scene of his village being attacked over and over again. But he just smiled at me and said. ¡° Because you don''t make me feel the urge to kill, I feel calm when I look into your eyes, Calm like I was before that night happened. Like the pain and Rage were frozen under your gaze. ¡± ¡°


    ¡° It was then that I realized that I had been the first sentient being he had spoken to in nearly three years, All others would shun him, pretend he didn¡¯t exist for fear that he would snap and kill them all. I felt a bit of pity for him, After all, you humans are like rabbits, too much loneliness could kill you in ways you don''t know. ¡°


    The spirit stroked the blade of the axe and the stones within it which caused them to light up a bit letting him see there was a variety to them, some were darkness and some were light, but all were a combination of those main elements and the primal elements.


    ¡° I then decided to accompany the poor soul, I taught him the way to smith a weapon to house me, I kept him as sane as I could as he tore through elves like paper, And in time he found more Spirits, Each of us helped him in different ways, but all of us grew to love him over time, soon giving him our names to be added to his weapon to be of use to him. But we all knew that our time together would be short lived. You humans always die in time.¡±


    The spirit smiled sadly as she tapped the slot where she used to reside. ¡± He knew this and wanted to free us but we refused to let him, banding together to bind him to his throne in his final hours, we wanted to stay with our beloved king of chaos to the end of days, In time the residual power left our crystals, with myself being the oldest I have the greatest stores, even now the last of his power is leaving me.¡±


    The spirit then glared at the lich, for an instant before turning back to Atticus. ¡°Then this whore came along and removed me, using my stone to fuel that abomination to pulverise the prisoners they would bring in for their dark magics, I could handle that role with glee, after all, I had always taken pleasure in killing your mortals. But what I cannot stand is having to see my beloved warrior forced to fight once more after he had taken his long-awaited final sleep... ¡±


    The spirit then stood up and moved to Atticus, kicking him violently in the burnt socket of his right arm. ¡°I will grant you my blessing for a time beast if only to see that Lich punished and my beloved returned to his throne, to sleep once more...¡±


    As she spoke time begun to resume as she turned into a purple fog, his left arm sliding across the floor and reattaching itself as he watched his blood pool around the stump if his right arm, the fog mixing with it as his arm was reformed. In the back of his mind, he could hear her cruel voice as the spot where her crystal was felt ice cold, her mark branding into his spine between his shoulder blades. ¡° Stand resolute warrior, Let the blessing of the black glacier carry you through your battle to victory¡­ ¡±


    As time returned to normal and he stood up he looked to Ragnar, the skeleton had stopped altogether, frozen in place by the purple fog, the fog forming his body at the time of his death, A grizzled old man covered in countless scars, to the point where his flesh alone had to be as thick as the best plate mail, A great flowing kilt with armored plates, and the fur of a massive bear draped across his shoulders. A true berserker.


    Atticus shook his head as he turned to the Lich who was dumbfounded at the change, About to shriek once more before Atticus grabbed a skull from the throne and threw it as hard as he could, hitting her right in the face as he rushed her, His strength fully restored as his clawed hands wrapping around her throat as he squeezed violently.


    ¡°As a Warrior of Black Rock and one of the ¨²lfh¨¦enar I cannot allow you to live a minute longer¡­ ¡±  As he squeezed down and snapped the Lich''s neck the girl vanished, leaving a large crystal wrapped in a dark mithril setting, It had no runes but Atticus could see the woman inside of it, covered in arcane glyphs.


    Seeing this he knew it was her phylactery, A crystal that held the spirit of a Lich which left alone would allow the lich to respawn at full power. But Atticus knew this from extensive sessions with classic games, most players would not have known this unless they had also been fans of D&D style games.


    Atticus decided to try something special, he took out his rune smithing tools and began engraving the crystal with the marks to bind the spirit, which should prevent her from taking form once again, making her nothing more than a bound Spirit. However at the same time, he added a few runes of Loyalty, As he finished the inscribing he got a series of notifications as his body returned to that of a human.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>


    You have defeated the Lich of Black Rock Barrow and stopped the production of Dark Mithril by the Dark Elves. You have completed the dungeon!


    </td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>


    You are the first being to ever capture a Lich, A reward you have gained the title Lich Lord. Once per day you may summon an undead minion to fight for you until it dies. Minion chosen is based on your level and class. Current Minion, Skeleton Magi


    </td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>


    For defeating the boss solo the best possible items have dropped!


    </td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td> You have completed your quest! Under-Keepers in all major cities have begun taking on apprentices and showing them the dark arts of Necromancy.


    </td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>


    Level Up!


    </td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>


    Level Up!


    </td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>


    Level Up!


    </td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>


    Level Up!


    </td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus smiled as he saw his level rise from sixteen to twenty from the massive surge of exp, he was close to catching up with the girls now He looked over and saw a chest sitting by the door, but he stood up and turned to the image of Ragnar, Moving to the ghastly image as he lifted it, grunting with exertion as he slowly moved to the throne of skulls, each step cracking the flagstones beneath him as he set it down upon the throne once more.


    As he did, however, the image smiled at him and reached out a large hand, setting it upon his head. The hall became radiant and full of light as the image solidified, turning into a true human. ¡± Thank you young wolf for honoring this old demon¡­ No one has ever shown true respect to me since I became a true Berserker.  And I thank you for honoring Isolde''s wish, For helping my oldest friend I want to reward you with something to aid you in your coming trials¡­ ¡±


    Ragnar then reached out and grabbed Atticus¡¯ right arm, This sent a fiery hot sensation through his entire right side, along his entire arm and side, down to the heel of his right foot a series of intricate norse scrollwork appeared with the skulls of wolves, bears, and men inside of it. As the burning subsided he was greeted with another notification.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>


    You have been granted the favor of Ragnar Blackfang, The greatest Berserker to ever wield an axe. As a result, you may now take the Great Axe Shadowsong.  A monstrous blade that when swung releases an eerie song that has a chance to force your enemies to see their darkest memories, leaving them open to attack.


    It houses fourteen powerful spirits that were once on the levels of gods, by earning their respect you will be granted their mark and blessing. Due to the countless lives that were taken by the blade it will attract wraiths to attack you if it is wielded for too long, It has the ability to be stored within the tattoo you have gained. It can be summoned at will after you have completed the Rite of Blood.


    To allow for you to wield the weapon your level has increased by ten and all points were put directly into Strength, These points may not be removed.


    </td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus panted softly as he had dropped to a knee before Ragnar, the man merely smiled and reached down Atticus¡¯ back and grabbed Isolde''s crystal, kissing it faintly before placing it back into its socket.


    ¡° While this blade may grant you no small amount of trouble due to its inhabitants they will in time grant you the strength needed to surpass every challenge you come across if you have earned the right spirit''s blessing that is¡­ However I urge caution young Wolf for a power of this magnitude can swiftly become your greatest enemy, become too captivated by the blades song and your mind will become warped beyond recognition.¡±


    Ragnar then shoved the axe into Atticus¡¯ right side, but rather than it killing him the blade vanished within him. ¡° The spirits will feed on your energy until they are ready, Isolde will continue to watch over you from her mark¡­ And take pride Wolf, I shall be watching you from the halls of Valhalla to see what you become..¡±


    With that Ragnar sat back down upon his throne, turning back into a skeleton. Panting from the sudden rush of power from the massive increase in levels Atticus crawled to the chest, opening it to find only one item, The massive tome the Lich had been using earlier.


    <b>Spoiler</b> : <input type=''button'' value=''Show'' class=''spoilerButton''>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''> Tome of Grand Lich Elzol </td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Type:</td><td width="25%">Tome</td><td width="25%">Durability:</td><td width="25%">350/350</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Quality:</td><td width="25%">Epic</td><td width="25%">Damage:</td><td width="25%">350</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>An ancient tome made from human flesh the writing itself is actually a series of scars cut from the backs of the living. This tome of the arcane was written by Grand Lich Elzol nearly a thousand years ago.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Requires the class Necromancer to wield.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>+50 Int & Wis.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>You will gain a new spell every five levels.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>No Level Requirement.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Increases your Grave Summoning to Adept Level.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus cringed looking at the book, it was indeed bound with human flesh, the edges and center design were done with Dark Mithril with a large ruby embedded in the center. He shoved the book into his bag and decided to figure out something to do with it later. He then pocketed the five thousand gold and ten of each potion before he stood up, dusting himself off as he realized something. He had yet to find how the elves had gotten in.


    He decided to go back to the first room, The crypt of the berserkers closing behind him as he stepped into the room, the crude liquid gone as every chunk of mithril had been stained black. It was then that he saw Rose, she was moving from where he had left her and across the room where he could see a large group of Stalagmites.


    He moved silently around the mountain of mithril and saw there was a rough opening that could easily be missed if one had not been looking for it. Atticus smirked and gave a loud shout startling Rose. ¡± Get back here woman! I have not given you leave! ¡± He then stormed up to her and grabbed her by the arm, dragging her to the twelfth floor where the commander was with all the other women.


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    He then slung the princess to her as he stretched. ¡± I have a job for you women, for now, I want you to go to the mithril mine and block off the entrance through whatever means necessary, then I want you to block off the entrance you lot came through. If a few days time I will come back and gather you all and my Mithril understood? ¡±


    Atticus got a few lackluster nods and yes¡¯ but he expected as much for now he would work his way back up to the mine, killing any undead remaining and burning all the bodies of the deceased on his way up.  It took him the better part of the day to get back up to the top having found a few draugr had risen from their recesses to defend the halls once more.


    From here Atticus met up with Sam and then Lilim, As they went through the forest Sam and Lilim noticed that there was not a single beast in the area, whether a wolf or a bear they were all in hiding, Clearly regarding Atticus as the Apex predator of the forest. As he walked into the town he smiled seeing his favorite wolf charging at him, looking like a giant animal mech from a classic cartoon his grandfather showed him when he visited.


    He swiftly set Sam down and held out his arms as Shadow tackled him, lapping at his face as he barked happily. ¡± MASTER IS BACK! PLEASE TAKE ME AWAY FROM THEM! ¡± Atticus laughed as he looked past Shadow and saw the girls and little Elena and Iris, Iris had grown quite large, the armor he had made for her being replaced with a bigger set that had been left with Lucian.


    Atticus shook his head and began taking the armor off of Shadow since he had been stuck in it for nearly four in game days. ¡± Sorry buddy but we¡¯re already trapped.... ¡± He then walked over to the girls and hugged each of them, though he got looks of restrained disgust as he then remembered he had not bathed in quite some time.


    He smiled sheepishly as he then stripped everything off of himself as he walked to the well, smiling as he saw the entire town square as covered in cobbled stone with drain grates built in around the well, He knelt by the well and began bathing himself, Shadow, And their armor. The girls were stunned save for Sasha and Lilim who had gotten used to his habit of stripping down in the middle of the square to bathe.


    As he bathed Elena and Isis came over and Elena mimicked Atticus, stripping down and bathing herself and Iris, Or tried to until Atticus thumped her on the head and made her pull her dress back on. ¡°No little one if I let you bathe out here in public your daddy will flay me alive, Go with miss Lilim and she will take you to a private bath..¡±


    Elena pouted but nodded and went with a laughing Lilim who took her to his home where she would bathe the girl who was caked in mud, And for now Atticus bathed Iris before sending her off with Shadow to play, Shadow now the size of a horse he stood out and had killed enough foolish players that none would bother to attack him, even the newest users were warned right off the bat by the older ones about the massive wolf, and even the little girl and her wolf who were now level 15 thanks to Shadows kills.


    Atticus then took the women to his home and began making dinner, sending all his wolves out to hunt and play for now as he told the girls about his month alone, leaving out his devouring of a dark elf but letting them know about his quest and even Ragnar''s Blessing. Even having them touch Ivy to let them see the sultry spirit so they knew he was not crazy when he would turn his head and shout at her to stop as she had been biting his ear.


    He then looked at the girls and smiled, they all looked annoyed with him, no doubt for managing to gain nearly twenty levels in a single day. But he just shrugged as he finished their meal, the girls had brought many things from their journey to Black Rock, Best of all had been steak, Not wolf, bear, or horse, But actual freaking steaks from a cow!


    He had bought some potatoes and onions the day before so he chopped them up and fried them on the girdle, saving the ends to replant in the small window box in the kitchen. He then cut the steaks into thin strips, taking out some rolls which he split in half and laid on the griddle to soak up the juices before he made some very improvised cheese steak sandwiches.


    As they ate there was an urgent knocking at the door which caused Atticus to growl, standing up from his meal he went to the door and flung it open to show a guard that was out of breath. ¡° Thane Shadowsong, Thane Cinderbloom The town is under attack! ¡±


    Atticus still in just his kilt pulled on his boots and gloves, grabbing Ivy, now a massive slab of a blade at a full seven feet long and nearly one foot wide, her blade was a solid inch and a half thick with razor sharp edges. ¡° Who in the hell is attacking us boy! ¡±


    The guard swallowed hard as he pointed towards the village gate. ¡± Its a band of people calling themselves the Rising Tide, They keep shouting to bring out the monster. We can only assume they are talking about you, sir. ¡± The Rising Tide, The name alone made his blood boil, It was the band of morons who kept attacking him during the first few days of the game.


    Now they were the first true guild with nearly forty members strong of various classes though no one had a unique class other than Atticus, Sam, And Sasha. Atticus looked back at the girls and shook his head. ¡± Who wants to see how a monster fights his battles?¡± There was a savage look of joy on his face as he took off running, heading straight to the front gates he took the steps to stand on the ramparts in a mere three strides, no one of the Rising Tide knew of his level just yet so this would be fun.


    As the game only updates the leaderboards once every twenty-four hours in the real world everyone in the guild would think Atticus was just a lowly level 11, Atticus let out as loud of a howl as he could, letting his hatred fill his voice with an aura of dread and hate, enough so that everyone who heard it stopped moving to look at the speaker. ¡± Who dares to attack my hold! ¡±


    As they stopped moving Atticus surveyed the field, the only dead were his guards and a few of the wolves. None of the players had sustained any real damage just yet. And as he looked out he saw fifteen  familiar faces looking back with looks just as full of hate as his voice. The one that stood out, however, was Noir, having two legs again the man was wielding a pair of long daggers that looked to be small swords.


    Atticus singled him out and smiled darkly. ¡±I see you have both legs again boy¡­ ¡± He took pleasure in seeing the hate grow in him as the attack was made fresh in his mind, Noir had spent every day since he got out of the hospital playing the game non-stop, reaching the fifth place on the leaderboards over all, He had just found a Unique class today that none but the guild knew about.


    He looked back up to Atticus and shouted. ¡° The Rising Tide comes to exact vengeance upon the monster known as Atticus Shadowsong! We will ignore all else if he comes with us peacefully!¡± As the girls joined him Sam went to throw her spear only for Atticus to stop her, The same savage joy in his eyes as when he cut Noirs leg off in the real world.


    ¡°Very well, All guards are to retreat inside of the gates! On the authority of Jarl Lucian Frost, no one is to interfere! ¡± Atticus had kept Ivy out of view, for now, leaving her a step below him he decided to leave her there. He leapt from the gate and slammed into the ground on both feet, unarmed save for the gloves but they did not look menacing.


    As he landed he walked calmly into the middle of the field, kneeling beside poor little Iris, whimpering as she had a spear through her back legs, not dead but clearly the pup would not be moving again if he did nothing. He kissed her forehead and smiled. ¡± It will be ok little one, Alpha will save you¡­ ¡± He felt bad for little Elena who could feel the pain and was no doubt paralyzed from it.


    He then stood up and looked around, taking in the faces of all who stood against him.¡±So this is the guild who has proclaimed me Kill On Sight, A ragtag band of bandits more like it, Attacking an innocent town when you could just have issued a challenge¡­ ¡±


    This remark clearly hurt quite a few of the people there, they had been told that this was a hostile place, most of the guild had spawned in the large city of Dawn''s Rise to start thinking it would be easier. So when the first fifteen came to Dawn''s Rise to recruit more members to take on dungeons they discovered none could pass it up. So when their guild masters brother had gotten his new class they could not pass up the chance to attack the guilds enemy.


    Noir stepped to the front, clearly being the leader at the moment. ¡± Why take the risk that you had corrupted their minds to make them into an army! We merely played smart...¡± Atticus looked him over, seeing he wore a strange combination of armor, an all white set of leather and cloth robes, It made him look like the pope from the real world while at the same time like a pirate.


    ¡°Yes, that is your way isn''t it, attack before checking to see if there is a threat, and just like before it will cost you dearly....  Rejoice members of the Rising Tide! This is no longer your main spawn point so I will not be able to play with you like I had before! But I will not go with you, For all of you shall be killed here and now! ¡±


    Noir merely smiled, thinking Atticus stood no chance against forty level 16-23 players. Noir raised his hand and as he did four archers drew their bows and aimed at his joints, and with the drop of the hand, the arrows were launched, impaling Atticus¡¯ knees and elbows.


    Despite this, however, he stood strong, And before their eyes he became a true monster, The first and still the only Lycan, He then let out a blood chilling howl, sending out a command through the pack link, All wolves within the area began to howl the same haunting song they had when he took up his class, but now there were more howls, wolves of the wild began to howl as well, paying heed to the order of the Apex.


    And at the same time he shouted. ¡°I shall show you true fear tonight you insolent bandits, Tonight Shadowsong is Revived! ¡± He felt the mark at his spine chill, Isolde granting him permission as he rammed his right claw into his own side, this caused a gasp until they saw him pulling the monstrous axe from his side.


    No one had ever seen anything like this let alone thought it possible, Atticus begun swinging the blade overhead, The air began to thrum with something akin to the wail of phantoms, a depressing sound that when added to the howling reminded everyone there of a raid boss from other games.


    He then slammed the axe to the ground as he looked at Noir with savage glee in his eyes, At the same time, Noir let out a shout. ¡° Shield Wall! ¡± in that instant all members fell into line, the shield and spear users formed a strong shield wall, with the mages and archers behind them. At the same time, Noir gave another order. ¡° Charge! ¡± With this, every warrior let out a battle cry as they charged, spears out and ready as they overcame their fear of the beast before them.


    But it was short-lived, Atticus took up the ax and held it as low as he could on the haft, swinging it violently, Letting the beast take over as the blade ignited in the pitch black flames Though now the fire was ice cold, Isolde''s gem glowing brightly as the axe connected with the first user, cleaving straight through his shield and body, and so with the next and the next, He took down half of the members of the wall in an instant, the rest were knocked aside with the force.


    As the mages launched fireballs at him and the archers loosed more arrows Atticus stood still, letting them all land on him, his fur was singed but not truly burned, The arrows barely going past the tips as Atticus executed the rest of the strength users, Howling with the wolves and swinging Shadowsong at the same time.


    He then kicked off, charging the archers and swinging his with ease, severing limbs and bisecting the unlucky, It was at this moment however that Noir appeared, a flash of white as his blades lashed out, both hitting Atticus, right arm and severing it, at the same time Shadowsong vanished, No doubt because of Isolde recalling the blade.


    But Atticus did not stop, he lashed out at Noir without missing a beat, slamming a fist into the mans chest and sending him flying into a group of mages as he began tearing into the remaining archers using his fangs and remaining arm. He could see that Noir was being healed but he could not bring himself from the closest targets, howling louder as he tackled one of the younger archers, tearing savagely into the poor lad, his Interrogation skill activating as he devoured him alive, Causing his victim to scream in pure terror and agony.


    Before the groups eyes, Atticus¡¯ wounds healed, the arrows were pushed from his body, As he looked up he saw Isolde, staring into his eyes and helping to center him and return his human mind to control. As this happened Atticus noticed a few people running away, He then howled, at the same time the thundering sound of paws could be heard as every wolf in his pack charged, leaping from the ramparts. The wolves then encircled the players and charged them,


    But unlike before the wolves were cloaked in an aura of red, They had been granted an increase in stats from his command and from his own large pool of stats. And the one taking the forefront was Shadow, walking over to Iris and picking the pup up by the scruff of her neck, carrying her into town where Sam was waiting with a health potion to heal her.


    Atticus then began walking towards Noir who had just stood back up, charging the beast as Atticus kicked off the ground, vanishing for a brief instant as he appeared behind Noir, tearing apart the healers until it was only Atticus and Noir. At the same time, his body reverted to his human form.


    Noir was confused at this change but took up a Dimachaerus stance, This made Atticus smile as this was a style William had told him about in passing, It was used by the roman gladiators when they were using two swords. It was a style that required great skill and dexterity to pull off properly.


    It was at this moment that a haunting thought crossed Atticus¡¯ mind. If they were near the period of time when the Roman empire was expanding and pushing conversion to Christianity then this could be truly bad After all the Roman empire lead great purges against the pagans, And if Atticus was right then this could be a great change.


    ¡° What is this, Do you fancy yourself a roman now Noir? ¡± This earned him a smug look as Noir charged him, both blades lashing out swiftly. ¡°If you only knew you disgusting freak, I will purge all of your pagans from these lands and show you the true god!¡±


    This made Atticus growl as he began his dance with Noir, dodging the blades as he shook his head. ¡±Just as I thought a small minded man would be the one to find a class dealing with Christ.... ¡±


    As he spoke Noir grew angry, jumping back he shouted out. ¡° Benedic Laminae! ¡± As this shout went out the blades began to glow with a bright yellow light, Noir then charged in, faster than before as he began lashing out at Atticus, leaving light nicks on his body that sent great shocks of pain through his body.


    Atticus growled and lashed out with his left hand, his claws cutting across Noir¡¯s eyes, The boy cried out in pain at being blinded, clearly having turned Pain on, This caused Atticus to laugh as he watched his foe fall to the ground. ¡° What is this, The great man of god was foolish enough to turn Pain on? Did you miss the feeling of pain when we played together Jack?


    Noir lashed out at Atticus¡¯ voice. ¡±Shut up! It''s a side effect of my class! ¡± Atticus sidestepped the blades and knocked Noir down, pinning him to the ground as he leaned down, his mouth by his ear. ¡° And just what would that be, Religious Nut Job? Murderous Priest?  Noir struggled against Atticus but it was no use, the man was like a boulder on top of his back, making it hard to even breathe. ¡°I am one of the  Sicarius Sanctus! The left hands of the holy church of christ! ¡± Atticus smirked and wrenched one of the long bladed daggers from Noir¡¯ hand, It was a beautiful blade, but it oddly burned his hand as he held it, shaking his head as he looked down at Noir.


    Well isn¡¯t that cute, but you interrupted my dinner and a reunion with five beautiful young women, so be a good boy and fuck off, Oh and just keep in mind that your entire guild is now the target of the wrath of the Shadowfang guild... ¡° With this Atticus slammed the dagger into Noir¡¯s temple, killing the man instantly for once.


    He then began looting the bodies, all the items were standard fare, nothing really stood out to him, they must have left their best items at home in case of this very outcome. At the same time, he noticed that Noir had vanished completely, no items were left behind which meant that they were all Heirlooms of his class.


    Atticus sighed as he stood up, whistling sharply as the wolves began tearing greedily into the now naked bodies, on his way back to the gate he grabbed his arm. At the same time, Lilim landed on his shoulder in her crow form, mending his arm as he held it pressed into place.


    As he walked back into town he was met with cheers and praise for taking out the attackers, though as he looked at Sam and the others he was met with a stern look. ¡± Really now you''re not only going to steal all the kills but you name our guild on your own? ¡± Atticus laughed a little awkwardly as he held up his hands defensively.


    ¡° Sorry sorry, It was a spur of the moment! ¡° At the same time Lucian came out of the great hall, Anger clears on  his face as he looked over the bodies of his guards, men, and women he had grown up with or watched from childhood.


    ¡° Such senseless violence, All for a petty disagreement¡­.  Once more violence has been brought to our lands, We were lucky this time that we had a capable Thane on hand. But I cannot stand to let this pass without punishment. This means war boy¡­..¡±

 Chapter 14 - Preperations -

    As Lucian finished speaking there was a roar of agreement between all of the townspeople, The stomp of feet and the sound of spears and axes hitting shields rang through the town square, Being in a foul mood himself and already planning on making their lives hell Atticus howled savagely, his wolves following suit for a time.


    When all became silent Atticus looked to Lucian and dropped to his knee before him. ¡± My Jarl I wish to be of aid to the hold once more. ¡± Lucian smiled as he looked at the young man, battered, in pain, and still eager to fight, not even a full day had passed since his time in the Barrow and yet here he was asking to be sent to war for a hold he had only been a part of for three months.


    ¡° Rise, my friend, I do not intend to stand on ceremony here after all you have done for us in such a short time. I gladly welcome your aid, And I was just about to ask you if you would be willing to lead our Warband! ¡± Once more the townspeople roared in agreement, the young eager to go off to war and the old eager to fight and die for their hold alongside an honorable Thane.


    Atticus rose and nodded. ¡± I will gladly lead the warband my friend, But I wish to aid in a more important way, I wish to spread my gift to the people of the hold, Give all here the blessing of the beast so they may fight longer and harder! ¡± As he spoke the townspeople began to whisper among themselves.


    They all knew how powerful their Thane had become since he became a Lycan, How even without his weapons he was able to take down nearly a full ships worth of enemies before their very eyes. The thought of an entire warband filled with such warriors obviously piqued Lucian''s interest and seeing as how the preparations for war would take them nearly three moons that was enough to spread the gift through enough of the people of the hold.


    ¡° I am fine with this, however, i will not force anyone to take your blessing, and I can tell that some are frightened of the change, it may be hard to find one willing to be bit....¡± Before Lucian could finish one of Atticus¡¯ friends stepped forward and raised her hand, She wore a bright set of chainmail in the elves fashion, but she wielded the spear and shield of the ancient warrior women blessed by odin.


    ¡° I volunteer to be the first to be turned¡­ ¡± Lucian was surprised at this as while the elves had been friendly they never liked to go to war, let alone taint their blood they usually sought to protect. He turned to the woman who had no ties to the hold and posed a question to her. ¡° And what would one of the Ironwood elves gain by throwing aside their heritage and fighting for a human hold? ¡±


    This merely earned him a sultry look as the woman walked over to Atticus, pulling him close and snuggling up to him, nipping at his neck. ¡° What more of a reason than to be the mate of a man like him? ¡± As this happened there was a deep laugh from all there, though most of the unwed women of the village were clearly not happy with this as they had been hoping to take the THane for themselves


    Before Atticus or Lucian could respond the other three women all but tackled them, clinging onto Atticus and glaring at Samantha. One among them he recognized as his thane, but the other two were elves like the first girl, one wore flowing blue leather robes reminiscent of a ball gown, the other wore the tight fitting leathers of a huntress much as his wife once had.


    ¡± That''s not fair Sam! ¡± ¡° Yeah don''t try to get ahead so suddenly! ¡± It was the twins who spoke out first though this only merited a smirk from Sam. ¡± I don''t know what you''re talking about. ¡± Atticus sighed as the women began bickering amongst themselves before he growled and let his body shift into that of a Lycan, He then grabbed Sam and bit savagely into her neck.


    There was a gasp as the woman struggled briefly against him before submitting, When he pulled back there was a large scar in the place he had bitten, and at the same time Sam cried out in pain, there was a burning sensation in her chest as the same mark Atticus bore appeared between her breasts though none could see it.


    Atticus then picked Sam up and smirked. ¡± There it is settled, The gift will take root and manifest tomorrow night, until the next full We must continue to fortify the town, build higher walls, cover them in stone,  And most of all I want all of you little shits training until you pass out in the training grounds, then get up and do it again! They will come back smarter next time, and no doubt more powerful!¡±


    He then turned back to Lucian and nodded towards the great hall, He began walking with Sam in his arms and the other girls in tow, pouting but fine with the decision. As they walked by the shops Atticus sent the girls off to gather Ivan, Erik, and James. He would need their help in preparing the hold for war.


    He knew that the general time they were in they would have basic weapons and armor, thanks to his armor pattern they were at least getting lighter weight armor without sacrificing integrity. But to win he would need to advance them a few hundred years. He needed to get them working on the standard fare of castle defense. Balista and Crossbows.


    As he entered the hall he laid Sam in a large fur covered chair which was new, no doubt his seat for being a thane. But for now, he stood, taking out parchment and coal from his bags as he began sketching out the basic design of the crossbow and Ballista, checking the web browser once in awhile to make sure he left nothing out.


    As he finished the sketches the craftsman walked in, James¡¯ eye went straight to the paper that Atticus was looking over. ¡° What is this sir? ¡± Atticus motioned the craftsman closer as he moved to the opposite side of the table. ¡° This is something we will need to ensure victory honored craftsman. ¡°


    Atticus smiled as he looked at their confused faces. ¡± James, how long does it take for a fighter to learn how to properly aim and shoot a bow? ¡± The young bowyer tilted his head at the sudden question but answered regardless. ¡° It could take months of strict practice to learn to properly use a bow at most ranges. As the young ladies have seen our hold is best suited to infantry fighting. ¡±


    Atticus nodded and grinned. ¡° Aye, now what if I told you that with these our unskilled guards that could not hit the broadside of a barn at fifty paces could pick up one of these beauties and be killing skilled archers at one hundred paces with ease before the archers could line up a shot? ¡±


    The mere thought of this made all but Lucian perk up, James, however, turned red with anger. ¡° That is not possible, there is no way that such a bizarre contraption could beat out a proper longbow! ¡±


    Atticus smirked and tapped the blueprint. ¡±Prove me, the wrong boy, make me one of these using oak for the stock, Ivar makes me bow arms of steel using the design here, I also have a vast amount of fine spider silk to use for the bow string, more powerful than the hide we use now. Make me this and I will show that even the crappiest of archers can perform on the same level as an elf¡­  ¡±


    Lucian smiled seeing the way Atticus took charge of this little project, he knew that despite the man''s strange methods he would bring them victory if all went as planned. ¡° See it is done men, I''ll see to it you are prop¡­ ¡± Atticus, however, cut in as he slammed a monstrous sack of gold coins down onto the table.


    ¡° Not needed Lucian, I will cover this expense, see to it the workers are paid proper wages for the additions and upgrades to our walls after all broke and overworked  workers are bad for morale and are easily swayed to betray their own¡­ Besides, if our bowyer is pleased with the performance I will have dozens more made, and the Ballista is of a far larger scale, but I know that one bolt could take down a gate such as our own. ¡±


    Ivan stretched as he then remembered something, he took out a new set of tools and held them out to Atticus as he grabbed the blueprints for his part of this experiment. ¡± Here you go lad, finished them this morning before you chased those Draugr out into the mine. I think I can speak for all of us here that you deserve a rest, go home and eat, have some fun with your women. Your work will be waiting for you tomorrow. ¡±


    Sam who had recovered by now grabbed Atticus¡¯ belt at the back and pulled it firmly. ¡± Besides, we need to reheat our food and it''s our turn to tell you what we have been up to.... ¡± Atticus smiled a bit as he saw her still unsteady on her feet. ¡° Very well then, I shall return home for now, But should anything come up let me know as soon as possible... ¡±


    Lucian smacked Atticus hard on the back as he smiled. ¡± Aye my friend you will be the first to know, but please rest for a while before you ruin your mind and body. ¡± Atticus nodded before he followed the girls back to his house, noticing that Alice, Lily, and Sasha were looking back at him and Sam, clearly still a bit jealous that he had chosen Sam to be the second Lycan instead of them.


    However he ignored them, he would tell them the full details of his choice soon. As they sat down at the table and the girls were about to tear into him he held up his hands. ¡± Before we even start the yelling I chose Sam because the Lycan race favors the Warrior types, I will still turn you, girls, if you wish but for now please wait. ¡±


    They pouted but nodded, as they began eating They began telling him all about their adventures to this point, explaining how Sasha got her new class of Siegemaster, How Sam met up with Alice and Lily. They also began discussing their guild now named Shadowfang. They had the money to start up a guild so the girls let Atticus become the guild leader simply for appearances since Atticus didn''t really want to be in charge of the group.


    He had not told them about the actual effects of his amulet, how it would allow him to create a guild for free, after all, it did him no good when he was still 13 levels away from being able to use it. They all talked until the wee hours of the morning, all of them passed out in his bed, though nothing going past the girls clinging to him as they slept.


    When the sun began to rise Atticus slipped from the bed and grabbed all of his gear and bags, He then went downstairs to sort out his loot without disturbing the girls, Once he was done he stood up and went to the well once more to bathe. As he was walking through the living room he smiled and nudged his massive furry friend.


    ¡° Come along pup, we haven''t run together in quite some time¡­ ¡± Shadow perked up and all but scrambled to his feet, falling over a few times as he was still a little sleepy. Laughing a bit Atticus pulled the wolf up and held him steady, resting his forehead to Shadows as he scratched behind his ears.


    The two proceed to the well to bathe, after that Atticus took his armor to Erik and asked him to do some maintenance for him as he wanted to go out and did not have the time today, paying him ten gold coins in advance as he took only his pants and the original sheath that Ivy came with, a large bandolier style strap with a smaller support strap wrapping around his chest. And of course his hunting knife.


    As for bags he carried none today but that was because he had made something special for Shadow, As the beast had grown so large that even the best-bred stallions were hardly a match Atticus decided to use him as such, Though rather than a saddle he simply made a harness that could hold saddle bags and allow him something to grip onto without hurting his friend.


    The two the left to the east, Lucian as a norseman surely had a few boats, and as such a harbor was necessary right? SO he took off to the east in hopes of finding water,the only directions he had left to explore within a day''s run was the east and the west now. So as he had promised Atticus took off running, having to struggle to keep up with his friend as even holding back he was outpacing Atticus with ease.


    The two ran unhindered for the next hour, soon coming to a small cove which served as the shipyard and harbor for Blackrock hold. And the sight of it made Atticus cringe as he saw the shape of the docks. SIghing he made his way out onto the dock, examining the docks structure as he went.


    Due to his uncle''s job he knew quite a bit about dock repair as he went along to watch when he didn''t have school. His uncle was a commercial fisherman who had to maintain his own dock as part of the rental agreement.


    He sent Shadow off to hunt and play after retrieving the saddlebags from his back, SIghing softly Atticus began the long process of chopping down some pine trees to begin repairing the dock, The boats were out right now or so he hoped they even had some. He took a break after felling three trees, sending a message to the girls that he would not be coming home tonight, and telling them to send Lucian out to the harbor.


    With that done he got up and using a saw he cut them into ten foot sections and rolled them out onto the dock as he began debranching and debarking the trees, They would need time to cure naturally as if he were to use the wood in its current state the boards would bend and bow as they dried out.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    He was glad his father had begun taking him out to the lumber yard with him to learn the family business. Even now he wanted Atticus to take over though he didn''t want to just settle for what was given to him, he wanted to try some other jobs first, go to school and look for a degree that he could love.


    As he finished with the three trees he decided to take down a few more, giving them the same treatment as the others though with these he made them into ten and twenty foot sections, These however were not rolled onto the dock before being debarked, These he rolled to a large flat stone area and begun cutting notches into the ends of the poles.


    He was making a log cabin in the long house style, something he did plenty of before they begun the conversion to stone in the village. Cutting two poles in half and laying them in place as the bottoms. He then cut a notch along the length of the poles to lay the next set of poles on top of them, Son the series of notches begun locking together, making it impossible to move the house.


    He began cutting out windows and a door as he went, framing the door in properly, As he went he made trips to the shore, gathering some mud that he mixed with all the bark shavings to make a plaster of sorts, slathering it into the joints of the notches and each pole to help seal the gaps.


    But then as time came to work on the roof he took a break, resting out on the dock with an improvised cane pole using one of the branches of the trees and a long strip of thick leather, and a hook he made from some thin metal, He caught a few small fish which he threw back, mainly just doing this to pass the time.


    Before long however he heard barking, turning his head to see little Iris and Elena running full tilt towards him, Lucian and a medium sized grey wolf taking a slower pace as they clearly weren''t in a hurry, He stood up and stretched as he whistled sharply, letting Shadow know if he was nearby to return.


    As Lucian got close enough he held up his hands to prevent the questions that were about to come from the young warrior. ¡± I know I know, We don¡¯t have any ships and the dock is a wreck..¡± Atticus sighed and rubbed his face as he looked back to Lucian.¡±Alright, what in god''s names happened to the shipwright? Every village worth its salt has to have one. And how did this dock get this bad have you not sent anybody to maintain it? ¡±


    Lucian shrugged as he sat down. ¡± Well it''s hard to get the workers out here when they are maintaining a dock with no ships, and our shipwright died in a raid not long before you lot showed up¡­ Since then I meant to send a runner to Dawn''s Blossom to find a new one, But well then Floki turned and I couldn''t spare the manpower. But now, Well if you wouldn''t mind going out after you finish the repairs to the dock I would be more than grateful. ¡±


    Atticus shrugged softly as he grabbed his ax once more. ¡± It will be a day or two but it will be possible, Though hopefully, things will run smoothly in my absence¡­ ¡± As Atticus was about to finish his sentence however everything went dark, His eyes next opened to see his basement once again, sighing softly as the hud on the mask showed that the chamber needed to be cleaned and refilled, that the crew that handled the process would arrive within the hour.


    Groaning Adam pulled himself up out of the gel, more watery than he remembered but he figured this is why he was being forced out of the game. He found that it was easy to pull himself out of the gel and into his wheelchair, making his way to the bathroom to wash the residue from his body and shave once more, though he only hollowed out his cheeks and trimmed along his neckline, leaving the length alone.


    WIth this done he made his way back to his room and began working on the videos, editing and uploading them after he removed all the boring bits and with that done he checked his remaining auctions, Only having a few small bags left now. With all of this done he heard a knock at the door.


    He wheeled himself to the front door and saw it was the maintenance men, RO had distributed two to three maintenance offices for each city to ensure minimum downtime. Adam remembered these crews as the ones who installed his cradle. Opening the door he let them in, letting them do their job with minimum interference.


    As soon as the men left Adam locked the door and went climbing back inside of the gel, noticing that the gel now had a red tint to it but he paid it no mind, figuring it was just a random coloring to keep things interesting. Once he was back inside of the cradle and the link had started he was surprised to find himself on his back inside of his half finished longhouse, shaking his head as he sat up slowly.


    He looked around and saw Shadow had wrapped himself around his body, Elena and Iris were snuggled up next to him as Lucian was stoking a fire, the light allowing him to see that the older warrior had finished the framing for the roof and even partially finished the roof.


    He had only been out of the game for around two hours so it was now sunset, no doubt Iris and Elena had tired themselves out playing and Shadow had been standing guard as Lucian worked. Atticus yawned as he stood up, walking quietly to sit across the older warrior. ¡± Sorry about that my friend, rare occurrence I assure you¡­ ¡±


    Lucian nodded as he held out a flagon of ice cold water for the young man to take. ¡± I''ve heard tell that it happens once every three moons, a time when all of your kind are pulled back to the beyond, I have to hope that you will keep this weakness in mind as you lead our warriors into battle after all it is bad for morale to see your leader drop like a stone out of the blue¡­ ¡±


    Atticus groaned a bit as he took the flagon and drained it quickly. ¡± Aye I have every intention of delaying any battles to work around this weakness, or should I feel we have the upper hand push in and wipe the enemy out¡­ But back to what we were saying, you need me to go out to Dawn''s Blossom and retrieve a new shipwright, And just how do you want me to motivate a master craftsman to come out to our tiny town rather than stay in the capital of our kind? ¡°


    Lucian grinned and held up his fist. ¡± Brute force lad, There be a shipwright named Leif who owns the Erickson woodworking shop on the river, tell him his Jarl calls on him to return, should he resist beat him down and drag his sorry ass back, I think twenty years is long enough of a vacation, it''s time for him to return home¡­ I got word he just returned from a journey so I suggest you hurry before he leaves once again¡­ ¡±


    Atticus motioned to the dock and was about to ask about it as Lucian shook his head. ¡± Don''t start I''ll have a few prisoners brought out to do the labor, I have the knowledge of how to build a dock my friend, now if you were a normal warrior I would suggest you stay until morning before heading out, But I have no doubt that you and that beast will make it back to town easily enough. Once there speak to Erik, I had him refit my old war saddle so it will fit on your behemoth of a wolf when his armor is on. ¡±


    Atticus stood up and went to wake Shadow when Lucian grasped his wrist. ¡± I have another request, my friend.  When we have our first ship I want you to take Elena to her grandmother on the emerald isle... I want her away from war for as long as possible and with the hope, she will learn some of her grandmother''s arcane arts¡­ ¡±


    The young warrior was shocked at this, The Emerald Isle, after all, meant Ireland. He was excited about this prospect as this meant he would have a chance to meet true celtic warriors. Atticus grinned and nodded. ¡± Aye my friend I will gladly escort the little princess out to the isle, Though I will likely end up commandeering a boat or two on my way back. ¡±


    Lucian laughed a bit as he shook his head. ¡± So long as they belong to bandits or those Rising Tide whelps I don''t care how many your bring back, it will help our bottom line in the end, But for now focus on a shipwright, we need at least five boats before we can begin our raids against the Rising Tide¡­ ¡±


    Atticus laughed and nodded as he patted Lucian on the shoulder as he walked towards Shadow. ¡° Understood my friend, While I am away I suggest you begin teaching the little one how to defend herself, And with your permission, i would like to take Iris with me so that I may train her as well after all our princess needs a powerful guardian to protect her. ¡±


    Lucian hated the idea of teaching his little girl how to fight already but he knew it was time, He nodded his head and motioned for them to go. ¡± Aye that is fine, Take her and Iris home ill stay here to finish construction on this little storehouse in the morning, Just tell Ivar to arrange workers to be sent to me. Oh and Atticus see to it that the pup comes back alive¡­ ¡±


    Atticus bowed softly and nudged Shadow to wake him up, holding a finger to his lips to keep him silent before he gently placed the young girl and the wolf pup up on Shadows back, pulling himself up as well before he bent down, petting Shadows head softly. ¡± Take us home boy¡­ ¡±


    And with that Shadow padded out of the house before he took off towards the village, Shockingly enough the wolf''s speed did not decrease despite having Atticus and the little ones on his back, If anything he seemed faster, the world around them passing in a blur of trees and small game animals scurrying back to their hiding places.


    They arrived at the village in just over twenty minutes thanks to Shadow, Slipping off of the wolf''s back he carried Elena to her home, knocking on the door and holding up a finger to his lips to keep Eleanor from waking the little one up, carefully transferring her over before he lead Shadow home.


    Once there he let the wolf rest as he began preparing for their trip, packing enough rations for both of them to eat for a week even without hunting, He also packed a pair of fine leather clothes, Something that would look at home on a noble, he had made them before he went into the barrow, wanting some casual clothes to wear in case he needed to go somewhere formally.


    Embossed on the chest of the armor was his maker''s mark, On the right arm was the holds symbol, and on the left arm was his mark as a royal consort. He then stripped off his armored pants and pulled out a pair of lightweight basic riding gear, While made with lesser quality materials than his usual armor it was lighter weight than his usual armor and more comfortable to boot.


    As he finished getting dressed he then took out Shadows armor, petting the wolf as he began the chore of strapping the full steel barding to his body, knowing he hated it but he needed him fully protected and as intimidating as possible.


    He then lead Shadow to Erik''s shop as he knew the old coot was up late working, motioning of Shadow to stay outside as he slipped into the shop, He saw the saddle almost instantly, Erik putting the final touches on it now. It was an elegant thing in its own right.


    Made of pitch black leather it resembled a low profile horse saddle however it had a few additions. Where the lower back support was had been turned into a full rest, allowing him to fall asleep if needed, And more importantly it offered a place to hang his weapons for easy access while keeping them off of his back.


    It had raven skulls for buckles, small metal pins knocked through the bone to allow for the strap to be cinched down. He noticed a small recess at the back of the saddle, a curve of sorts, He realized what it was quick, A spot for his bedroll and tent.


    Atticus smiled at the sight, simple yet elegant. He walked up to the counter and knocked softly on it to catch Erik''s attention. ¡± Good evening Erik, I assume this saddle is for me? ¡± The master leatherworker tugged the final stitching down tightly and nodded. ¡± Aye it is your¡¯s now lad, a gift from Lucian as you know, but apparently, it is a sort of heirloom from your order. A special saddle for wolves, though I see nothing different about it from a horse saddle. ¡±


    Erik set the saddle on the counter before grabbing all of Atticus¡¯ armor on the counter beside it. ¡± I still can''t believe three moons have passed since you showed up in our midst,at the time a ragged little village, And now a thriving town, I want you to know I wait with bated breath to see what new changes you will bring forth. ¡±


    Atticus smiled as he nodded, picking up his things. ¡± I won''t disappoint you, Erik, Of this, i can assure you... ¡± With that he turned and left, saddling Shadow and packing up everything, laying Iris across the front of the saddle before pulling himself up into it himself. ¡± Alright my friend, We need to head to the west, We have a shipwright to locate¡­ ¡±


    Shadow barked loudly and took off at his full speed, As he ran Atticus noticed the eyes of the raven skulls seemed to glow, He knew what made this saddle special now, It would allow his wolf mount to run full speed despite having barding.


    Atticus leaned his head back as he began falling asleep, letting his wolf run towards their destination, following the dirt road out of the town and towards their next big adventure.

 Chapter 15 - Questions & Memories -

    Apex Industries Gaming Division Haven Headquarters, Location Classified.


    Grant Longshanks had taken a deep interest in the front runners of the leaderboards, A group of four college girls who despite taking frequent breaks had managed to maintain the highest level through clearing dungeons and Expansion quests.


    Others had shown up as time went on, champions of the dwarves a group of brothers who had experience in blacksmithing have been swiftly rising through the ranks of the Iron Council''s young members. Not an easy feat as the young were often seen as arrogant and not worthy of praise.


    But so far the one that held his attention the most was a young human who had become the focus of his company''s attention for their side project, He had been paralyzed from the waist down years ago due to combined misfortune of birth and luck. While medical technology and procedures have come far in the past century there were some things that were still too risky,


    But that is where Apex comes in, For nearly two hundred years the company has been the frontrunners of medical discovery, pushing the boundaries of ethics to find new innovative methods. One of their most successful products was a classified serum used to create super soldiers.


    A subject that was still frowned upon even with the acceptance of cybernetic augmentations though the government still allowed the use in their black ops groups. Recently they had begun testing a new serum formula to help augment a body to correct birth defects. If successful it could be used on young children to all but erase every sign of the ailment.


    The trick, however, was to find the right dosage for humans, Animal testing had shown to be quite effective in treating disorders of the bone, flesh, even cancer, And so after ten years of testing, they have finally been given permission to roll out the serum in small test batches to see its results.


    And in what better way than to test it on the Players of Rebirth Online, A game made to require constant exposure to a substance similar to the serum, the only difference is a slight change to the tint of the gel.


    The test subjects so far were a handful of death row inmates, A few of the ¡° NPC ¡± Employees and select players with disabilities from a variety of sources, It would take a few weeks to get the results but Grant had high hopes for the young Adam Sterling. A boy who showed a strong desire for power and survival inside of the game.


    This was an important factor as the serum would be working on the subject''s body without their notice, as such suddenly returning after the process has begun would often result in a massive shock to the system as they discovered with their criminal testing. However with their NPC group, it seemed that those who played combat style characters began to bleed fantasy and reality.


    This eased the shock to their systems when their minds returned to the body, allowing them to come to terms with the growth as a side effect from the cradles ¡° Sleepwalking ¡± feature that allowed the body in the real world to move in time with that of the body in the game though at a slower speed.


    With these combined factors most just thought that playing the game had given their bodies more muscle mass thanks to this system. But this would be the first time that they tested the process on those who were fully paralyzed.


    With hope, all would go as planned and the body would first repair the nerve damage before strengthening the bones. It was to check the progress of the Nervous systems repairs that they chose to use the cheaper version of the serum  than to use the PFC version.


    PFC or Perfluorocarbon, Is a synthetic liquid fluorinated hydrocarbon¡ªclear, odorless, chemically and biologically inert, with a low surface tension and high O2/CO2 carrying capacity. PFCs can hold as much as three times the oxygen and four times the carbon dioxide as human blood.However if that was used in the cradle then there would be no need for the mask which hid a high-tech system of electrodes to run EMG testing to check the progress on the nervous systems of the subjects.


    Most would take one look at Grant''s life work and think him a monster, a narcissistic psychopath with a god complex. However, he simply wanted to change the world for the better, if it meant the loss of a few subjects ignorant of these tests than so be it.


    Should things progress as planned then by the end of the year his serum would be distributed worldwide despite the US government believing they alone would have a monopoly on the product. But Grant would not allow this, after all, the countries obsession with money and keeping the poor sick to ensure paying customers was just as much of a cancer as the real deal. It had to end and APEX was just the tool to realize his dreams of a cure-all that was cost effective and could not be contained by the government or big pharma as previous treatment methods of the past had been.


    Grant shook his head as though to shake off his thoughts as he returned his attention to Adam Sterling, Better known as Atticus Shadowsong. This boy was loved by the game''s AI system, he was an anomaly that fit in so well, following customs and traditions as best as one could hope, while at the same time introducing change and innovation,


    It was like watching a time traveling experiment, As to test the boys wit Lilith had chosen to move things up a few months, granting his nemesis a unique class granted to those accepted by the Christian Romans.


    This would be a turning point, an all out war between every pantheon of gods and the ultimate game of Deadliest Warrior. Lilith had decided to send Atticus off on a mission that would lead him to encounter the Celtic warriors and their Pantheon and lore.


    At the same time, it began choosing suitable champions for every god, goddess, devil, demon, and divinity. She began to unlock races at a shocking rate, Orcs, Goblins, Lich''s, Trolls, Minotaur, Naga, Werewolf, Vampire, Half-breeds. It was a marvelous sight to behold. But it was time to play his own role in everything, Grant stripped down and slid into a Moderator Cradle, one devoid of the Serum and using PFCs.


    <hr />


    As he closed his eyes the world around Atticus became bright and brilliant, Looking around he was on his feet rather than riding on Shadow¡¯s back. He found himself standing in a massive great hall with tables so long he could not see the end, The tables were packed with countless warriors, both men and women, young and old, fat and thin.


    Beautiful winged women flew through the hall carrying pitchers of mead His eyes soon came across a massive throne which held a grizzled old man who was missing his left eye, Large Ravens on either shoulder, two large wolves at his feet, a massive golden spear in his hands.


    A beautiful weapon that showed care to detail, a broad spear blade that put Ivy to shame, a shaft that was as thick as his wrist and etched with countless runes of power. It was simple and elegant at the same time. The man himself was wearing a simple black cloth robe, like one would expect an old mage would.


    Around three seconds had transpired since Atticus opened his eyes. And it was at the fourth second that Atticus knew who sat before him and he dropped to his knees swiftly and bowed his head in respect. The being before him was none other than Odin, The All-Father, And leader of the Nordic Pantheon.


    A deep laugh shook the hall as the Einherjar, The Valkyries, And Odin himself saw the young warriors swift recognition of his new surroundings. ¡° Greetings little wolf, I welcome you to the great hall of Valhalla, Where the Einherjar await the great fields of Ragnarok. ¡±


    As Atticus made no move to stand or even speak Odin smirked seeing this outsider show respect beyond his years. ¡° Stand and speak boy, Or are you a mute now? ¡± Atticus swallowed his spit and stood up, doing his best to seem imposing and valiant.


    ¡° I thank you for this honor All-Father, But i..I have to ask why I am here? Surely I have not died so easily whilst on the back of a wolf in a forest that I am the apex predator? ¡± His confusion was clear to all After all, Valhalla was a place barred to all but those who died a glorious death on the fields of battle with a weapon in hand.


    And seeing as how his weapon was sheathed and his last memory was falling asleep he could only have been killed by some kind of assassin or venomous beast. Which if was the case he was not worthy of Valhalla, and even then he could not truly die and none had mentioned being taken to Valhalla.


    Odin raised a hand as to calm the young warrior''s mind, and it worked, instantly his heart rate slowed and his mind came to a stop, focusing solely on the god before him.¡± Be at ease young wolf, you are merely visiting my great hall for a time, I would have words with you about what you have been doing among my most faithful of worshippers¡­ ¡±


    Atticus swallowed hard but found only air as his mouth had gone dry, Odin was an all knowing god, there was nothing he could hide from the being before him so all he could do was nod resolutely, prepared for whatever punishment would be bestowed for his acts of cruelty, his consorting with the Dark Elves, And his acceptance of the Dark Mithril below the Barrow.


    Odin showed him a faint smile, The being knew what he was thinking and to his surprise asked him something so simple he didn''t know how to answer at first. ¡° Why have you chosen to live among the people of Black Rock Hold as you have? Surely your world is far more advanced than this one, What could you possibly stand to gain from suffering amongst them? ¡±


    Atticus was stunned for a few seconds, It was a good question, Every other player he had seen treated the game just as such, they took nothing seriously and only interacted with the NPCs when it was absolutely unavoidable.


    But Atticus shook his head for a moment before he answered. ¡± Yes my world is many times more advanced than your own, We have weapons that can allow the weakest and most cowardly of men to massacre entire races of people, We have no worries of sickness or dying for no apparent reason, We have all of our teeth¡­ ¡±


    This earned him a hearty roar of laughter from the older veteran Einherjar, most of which indeed were missing half their teeth from rot or having them bashed out. But Odin held up a hand to silence them and let the boy continue.


    ¡° But in my world I am weak, If I had been born in this world my father would have bashed my head in with a rock before I sprouted the first hair on my balls, In my world I am so weak that my bones shatter with ease like twigs, My lower body no longer moves as I wish it, I can''t run or fight, and if things don''t change I will likely die in another few years.... ¡±


    Atticus trailed off for a moment as all present could hear the disgust in his own voice, clearly despising his own body even more now that he had become used to moving freely and fighting to his heart''s content. He then raised his head and looked Odin directly in the eyes, His own filled with a look common in the most battle crazed of warriors, the look befitting a feral beast.


    ¡° But here, Among your worshipers, i may fight as I please, I may kill as I please, No one can look down upon me and pity me for being weak here! ¡± As he spoke his body changed before the eyes of all, Revealing himself as a Werewolf, his leathers falling apart as he stretched out his arms and stood tall.


    ¡° Man and Beast alike recognize my power, None can deny my strength. At first, I would have been content to simply live in this world doing nothing other than running free in the woods. But then I was met with a shocking discovery. Here Rape is not considered an offense so long as it was an outsider such as my friend who was the victim.... ¡±


    As he spoke his voice shook with a deep feral growl as he remembered all the annoyance brought on by the Rising Tide. ¡° And worse of all when I killed the offenders, also outsiders I was regarded as the criminal, Allowing them to attack me as they pleased despite having been in the wrong. ¡±


    His body shook with rage as the dark brown fur began to glow with a dark crimson light, the extensive tattoo that contained Shadowsong glowed brightly, becoming a natural pattern of black fur on his beast form


    ¡° And so I did what I had to, I slaughtered them like pigs, Again and again, Even as they brought more and more people with them I fought despite the odds my fury took me to victory. Eventually, when I became Thane for my actions on behalf of Jarl Lucian Frost, One of your chosen few I used my power to punish them, Torturing them until they either submitted or left this world altogether¡­ ¡°


    ¡° But now they have found their spines again, creating a guild of other Outsiders with the main focus of making my life hell, And as you no doubt know All-Father. I could have handled their attacks without a care and just began torturing them again. But they chose not to call me out honorably and attacked the innocents of the hold I serve! ¡°


    His rage became tamer now, channeling it towards his current goals. ¡° So now I have decided I will destroy them absolutely, I shall brand these aggressors with my mark and make them eternal outcasts, not welcome amongst any of the races for fear of my wrath. I shall take the vengeance owed for those killed in this cowardly attack! ¡±


    As he finished speaking twenty-six figures appeared around him, Ten valkyries carrying the wraith-like remnants of the guards and the three wolves who died defending the town. The guards saluted their thane and it only made his resolve stronger, The wolves brushed up against their alphas body, as though trying to console him and soothe his fury.


    This gesture from the wolves caused his body to revert to its human form,  He looked up to Odin once more and bowed his head. ¡± This All-Father is why I have chosen to live amongst your worshipers, to live as I please, and now more importantly to seek the vengeance for those slain at the hands of those who bear me a grudge. I am a petty man, Hardly one worthy of your attentions... ¡±


    Odin, however, smiled broadly. ¡±On the contrary young wolf, You are worth every bit of my attentions, After all, you were the one who earned the blessing of my beloved warrior clan, The respect of their descendants, The respect of a wolf you could just as easily have killed rather than befriended. You have taken it upon yourself to dive head first into battle to stop more innocents from taking wounds that would fel them¡­ ¡±


    The All-father then stood from his throne and stepped down, standing above Atticus and placing a hand upon his shoulder. ¡± Know this my young wolf, You have the blessing of Odin the All-Knowing. Take pride that your path leads to eternal glory and a place here in Valhalla once you fight your last¡­ ¡±


    Atticus looked up and was stunned at these words, but Odin was not finished yet. ¡± Now while I bare the Celtics no love we both agree that this upstart god of the Romans needs to be dealt with and swiftly. I know that in your world he was the cause of our fall from grace, devouring all other divinities by making the worship of them a crime¡­ As such when you carry out Lucian''s request I ask you to seek out the Tuatha D¨¦ Danann and enlist their aid against the Romans. They might ask a great favor of you in return but we will need them to ensure victory. ¡±


    As the young warrior nodded Odin stepped back up to his throne and sat down, clapping his hands hard enough that a shockwave shook the hall. ¡± Now the time for you to return has come young wolf After all, the little one can only carry you for so long¡­ ¡±


    Before Atticus could question what Odin meant his face met the mud of a river bank, Spitting out mud he looked up to see Shadow panting raggedly, lapping up river water greedily as blood dripped from his muzzle and his armor marked with deep dents and cuts that had not been there before. No doubt he had just slaughtered and devoured something.  He turned his head to see a dozen bandits torn to shreds,


    It was only as he went to stand up that he realized the full extent of the situation, His body was weak, as though it had not moved in days. Which it had not, during his visit to Valhalla three days had passed, in this time Shadow had kept running without sleep, pushing himself to the utter limits. He had been evading the bandits for as long as he could but was soon cornered and forced to fight.


    Atticus growled deeply as he forced his body to move, shaking hands undoing the wolves armor. Yelping as the armor was hot enough to burn his fingers. The pieces that fell off into the water causing steam to rise off of them. And the instant it was all off Shadow dove into the water and submerged himself.


    Atticus pulled himself into a sitting position up against a tree as little Iris laid in his lap, clearly having been worried for her alpha and the one her friend loved so much. Groaning Atticus began guzzling water from his waterskins, pulling out roasted goat and tearing into it, giving Iris pieces as he went,


    After a few minutes Shadow came out of the river and laid beside Atticus, He felt terrible for his loyal friend and pet him softly.¡±I am sorry Shadow, I didn''t know he would keep me away for so long, it felt like only minutes that I was there..¡±


    Shadow whimpered faintly and laid his head across Atticus¡¯ knees, still panting heavily but not angry with his alpha, He could feel through the link that something had happened. But the wolf was completely worn out from the constant movement and then the struggle of killing all the bandits without allowing Atticus to be harmed.


    Sighing softly Atticus stroked Shadow¡¯s head and let the wolf rest, for now,  He leaned back and decided to rest for now until his body regained its feeling, He intended on making a camp here for the night as neither of them was in any shape to move more than a few feet.


    As he sat there Atticus let the events play through his mind, His meeting with Odin, the mentions of the celts and even remembering Lucian''s request to take Elena to her grandmother. It was at that moment that he felt a tickle at the back of his mind, Morrigan¡­


    If he knew his mythology, which he did. Morrigan was the name of the Celtic goddess of Death, Fertility, And War. But he shook his head softly, it would be too much of a coincidence if this were the case, Morrigan was a popular name so he could not assume it would be so straightforward as to tell him exactly where the meet one of the Goddesses of the Tuatha D¨¦ Danann.


    Atticus shook the thoughts from his head and pulled himself up, pulling his tent from the bag he set it up under the large tree they were under, As he did such he heard the rumble of thunder in the distance, followed by Shadow¡¯s annoyed growl. After all, he knew he was too big to fit inside of the tent and so he would have a long wet night ahead of him.


    But Atticus was not having that, He got up and went scavenging through the bandits sundered gear, gathering all the leather traveling cloaks he could, the weapons as well, the armor, however, was destroyed beyond use, not even enough to scrap.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    He was panting as he all but crawled back to his tent, taking out his leather working kit he began sewing the cloaks together, and soon he had a large tarp that he slung over the low hanging branch of the tree and staked to the ground using pegs made from sticks.


    This would give shadow somewhere nice and try to sleep as well as help to keep him warm. But he was not done there, he took out his knife and cut one of the sides of his tent in the middle, pulling the bottom half out and staking it as he tied the top half to the tree branch.


    Shadow perked up and looked to Atticus questioningly as he saw the tent being destroyed. But Atticus just smiled and crawled inside of the tent, patting on the flap as a sign that it was for Shadow to lay on, this would make sure he was up off of the wet ground as well,


    Shadow gave him a murr of happiness as he all but rolled onto the flap and snuggled up to Atticus and Iris, And not a second too late as the storm came down, the sky darkening as lightning filled the sky and the thunder shook the very air around them. Shadow lowered his ears a bit as Iris cowered between the larger males, this being the first real storm she had ever faced.


    Atticus however smiled, laying on his side to look out at the storm, taking in the scent of nature and fresh rain. Letting everything wash away as he listened to the storm, remembering his childhood.


    <hr />


    The sun had just crested the horizon when Adam had been woken up by his grandfather, It was summer time, he had just turned sixteen at the time, it was one year before his grandparents passed away,


    His grandfather had a mischievous grin on his face as he shook Adam.¡±Come on now it''s already afternoon¡­.¡± This was a small joke in his family, His grandfather was a farmer and a hunter, he started his days at three in the morning in order to beat the heat and to catch his prey unaware.


    Despite being in his late sixties at the time his grandfather had a similar build to Atticus which was no surprise since he had chosen this name in memory of his grandfather, He stood at six feet eight inches tall with broad shoulders and a shockingly well-toned body. He never stopped working until the day he died, Perhaps this was the reason he kept his health.


    While most others his age were slowing down he was only increasing his work, Adam shook his head softly and sat up while rubbing his eyes. He knew not to complain as he knew his grandfather had something to teach him.


    You see despite knowing how fragile Adam was his grandfather Atticus was not scared to take Adam out into the woods and show him his craft, just the day before he had been taught how to skin a rabbit, the day before that he had been shown how to track prey.


    But as he pulled on his jeans and boots and stumbled out to the truck his grandfather carried out a small box no bigger than a shoebox, Atticus would not tell him what was in the box and simply said it was a surprise, It was a long drive out into the woods to get to their destination.


    All the while Adam could hear the ¡°Classic¡± rock his grandfather grew up with, Artists such as five finger death punch, Bring me the horizon, Godsmack, The music was low as Atticus decided to tell Adam stories about his father, how when he was younger he was a hellion who destroyed everything he touched.


    He even told him when his father got into the fishing business and how he met his mother. Adam smiled and laughed as he listened, It was these long drives that gave Adam his love for classic rock, and enough stories about his father that he could blackmail him if need be.


    During the drive, it began to storm as was the norm in northern Florida, But Atticus paid it no mind and kept driving until they came out of the narrow woodland path and out into a large grove that had a large oak tree and a lake. All around the lake was various wildlife who all but ignored the truck until it got within a stone''s throw.


    As the storm passed Atticus smiled and grabbed the wooden box and slid out of the truck, Adam did the same as his grandfather dropped the tailgate of the truck and set the box down. He then stepped back and looked at Adam expectantly, smiling as he motioned to it.


    ¡°Well come on open it.¡± Adam sighed seeing the wide grin on his grandfather''s face, knowing this was something he had been planning for some time now, However when Atticus opened the box his mouth dropped and he knew why Atticus was so happy. It was an ax.


    But it was not just any ax, This was a small tomahawk, like the one his grandfather carried while out in the woods and in the fields. Adam picked it up and shivered at the feel, it was a beautiful piece of craftsmanship, a solid hickory handle that had been stained black, a solid stainless steel blade, But there was something odd about it, there was a small hole up at the top where the blade was affixed to the haft.


    Adam went to look inside of it but Atticus stopped him.¡±Careful boy! This piece has a little surprise in it..¡± He smiled as he gently rolled the tool over in Adam''s hand, showing him a small ring on the pommel of the haft, he gave it a full turn and pulled out a long rod, As he did this a small bullet fell out, it was something Adam recognized as a .22 pest control round.


    ¡°It can only hold one round but it''s meant for pest control such as when you are chopping wood and you see a rat close by, Of course, you won''t have much use for it in the suburbs but I wanted you to have one. It''s a bit of a novelty than anything else, though...¡±


    Things began to turn blurry and the sound became distorted as the world around him turned into a golden haze.


    <hr />


    As the morning sun shone through the opening of the tent Atticus opened his eyes, shaking his head softly as he remembered the last summer he got to spend with his grandfather. He smiled a bit as he sat up slowly, his body ached a little but it was nothing like it was the day before when he had been thrown from Shadows back.


    Looking around he smiled seeing the wolves up and moving, Shadow was chasing little Iris around as the larger wolf went around stretching, through to her his long strides were like a full run. Yawning softly Atticus pulled himself to his feet and began packing up the tent and the improvised tarp.


    He went down to the river and washed his body and gathered the scattered pieces of Shadows barding, creating a nice pile of steel as he decided he would walk for the day to let Shadow have a day outside of the armor. He slung the saddle and the saddle bags over his shoulders and whistled sharply, proceeding towards the city.


    For hours they walked unhindered, however as they trudged through the forest Atticus could tell they were in a higher level area by the way the animals began to react to them, Stags begun to stare Atticus and Shadow down, seeing them as a challenge but not yet a threat that triggered their instinct to run.


    Along the edges of his vision, Atticus made out the shapes of large wolves stalking through the woods, following them along until they made a mistake and let their guard down. This made Atticus smile deeply, It meant that these wolves were powerful beasts, they saw him and Shadow both as nothing more than prey to be stalked and killed once tired from the walk.


    He decided to play with the beasts, sending a subtle note to Shadow to start limping, as though an earlier wound had begun troubling him. The beast sent his agreement as he begun limping, keeping his right forepaw up to his chest, for the most part, using it gingerly as they walked.


    All the while Atticus picked little Iris up and slung her over his shoulders with the saddle, both to protect her and to add extra weight to make him seem exhausted even though he was not. He was playing into their strengths while laying his own trap, He made himself and Shadow seem weaker and easier to kill to make the wolves bolder.


    And it worked, within the hour the wolves began closing ranks, their shapes becoming bolder, allowing them to see the large wolves who were just a little bigger than even Shadow. And from what Atticus could see they were lead by a large pitch black beast with a jagged red scar running from his left front shoulder all the way to his hind end.


    As the sun began to go down Atticus picked his campsite, much like the night before he chose a large oak, however, this one had a small hollow recess that he could fit the bulk of the tent inside of. He then hung the tarp on the low branches and set the gear down, he motioned for Iris and Shadow to lay down and rest as he took out some more dried goat, splitting it between the three of them.


    Atticus, however, kept scanning the edges of the camp as darkness set in, keeping track of the beasts as he set up a small fire pit. He would challenge the Alpha soon, knowing it would be he that lead the attack on them once they felt that their prey had become too tired to properly fight, He would add all of these massive beasts to his pack, after all, his raiders would need good mounts to assist them in the battles to come, and what better than beasts on par with his beloved partner.


    As they rested and ate Atticus looked over to his bag that held all of his armor, It would give him an advantage over the riding leathers he wore now but he decided to forgo even that added protection, He stood up and began stripping his clothes off, pulling his kilt from the bag and strapping it on as he placed his hunting knife on the top of the pack.


    He then stood up and began walking into the darkness as he let the beast take over, He winced in pain as the change began to break and remodel his body, His long nap taking its toll as his body was no longer used to the change that would happen two even three times a day.


    His bones shattered and rebuilt themselves larger and more wolf-like, his skull elongating as his fangs began to grow larger and thicker, Howling in pain as his flesh tore apart only to rapidly heal and tear again, only stopping once his body had taken its final form, His fur longer than before and slightly curling at the ends.


    As his eyes refocused he howled savagely and locked eyes with the alpha of the wolves. As he did the system informed him a challenge had been issued and gave him the same warning as his first wolf duel. He, of course, accepted the risks as he charged at the Alpha.


    At the same time, the Alpha charged him with the recklessness that was to be expected of a younger alpha, Headstrong and sure of himself. The two howled as they clashed, Claws tore into flesh as their bodies met, long gashes covering Atticus¡¯ chest and shoulders as he raked his own claws along the wolves flanks, at the same time pivoting and falling, slamming the wolf to the dirt.


    Atticus licked his muzzle as he growled deeply. ¡± Submit and I won''t kill you mutt, you are too valuable to waste as a new kilt! ¡± The wolf snarled at him and charged again, Enraged at the audacity of this beast, healing him rather than taking the killing blow, And only to ask total submission of him!


    Atticus would not fight to kill, He would break the beast''s spirit by toying with him. And when he could no longer stand he would give it a potion. And he would continue this process for as long as it took. After all, Shadow was still worn out and he had plenty of time thanks to his partner''s constant movement over the past days.


    <hr />


    Grim was a young alpha, five years he had been on this earth and for five years he had fought and struggled to remain on top and in command. He fought countless challengers who sought to usurp him, forcing them to join his pack and show him fealty.


    The winter had been rough on his pack as the stags in the territory have been growing stronger somehow. Just today they had killed two of his strongest so a single stage, Tensions were high but then they saw a weak looking wolf and a human, while they didn''t like the thought of eating another wolf it was better than starving, and at least this one was not a member of their pack.


    They also noticed a young bitch with them, close to her first heat who would make a perfect addition to the pact to help rebuild their numbers. As the prey grew weaker he was certain they would eat tonight. But as the human built a den and stripped off his fur they were shocked to see he was truly a wolf in disguise.


    As he was challenged Grim of course accepted, being certain he would win just as he always had before. But as the challenger began to overpower him he was stunned, he looked so weak just moments ago!


    Then as they clashed he was suddenly on his back, Grim yelped at the sudden movement, not having expected it as soon the challenger was on top of him and biting savagely into his throat, Struggling he found nothing to scratch or bite onto, the strange wolf had clutched tight to his body and prevented any of his limbs from moving, tearing at his throat.


    But right as he could feel his consciousness fading the challenger released his throat and there was a burning as the pain from his throat vanished. Confused Grim struggled to his feet as the challenger has gotten off of him. Growling savagely he saw a small glass vial in his hand.


    It was the ultimate disgrace, even if he won this fight he would likely lose members of his pack for this. It was the greatest dishonor to an Alpha to be shown mercy by a challenger. Grim understood what the beast spoke despite it being in the human tongue so he attacked once again.


    The beast merely sighed as he closed his claws and slammed a fist violently into Grim''s ribs and sending him flying across the small clearing. He could smell fear among his pack members and soon the taste of cherries filled his mouth, shaking his head he saw the beast with another vial in his hands.


    Growling savagely as he lunged once more Grim kept up his struggle, refusing to submit to the beast so easily. But soon the minutes turned to hours and he found himself flying through the air once more as the beast merely rolled its shoulders and began stalking towards him, another vial in his hands.


    It hurt to breathe, blood was flooding his lungs, His ribs had been shattered and pushed into his lungs for what could only be the dozenth time over the last five hours, He couldn''t move at all. And right as things went black the familiar taste of cherries filled his mouth and his strength returned.


    The beast had kept this process up without rest, beating him until he could no longer move only to restore his strength and break him once again. But surely this beast needed to rest soon, And it was then that he would take his chance and kill the beast.


    Grim fought for the better part of ten hours, until finally as the cherries filled his mouth once again he just remained down, whimpering softly, He couldn''t take it anymore, no matter how long they fought the beast showed no weakness, no signs of exhaustion, And what''s worse he could see the pity in the beast''s eyes, it knew just how weak his opponent was.


    As the beast stood over him and was prepared to bring his fist back down onto his ribs Grim gave in¡­


    <hr />


    As the wolf rolled onto his belly Atticus sighed softly, petting his head as he dropped to his knees. He looked over the pack interface as he leveled up and looked over the twenty new wolves he had obtained. He pets Grim softly as he whistled sharply for Shadow to come out.


    After all Shadow and Iris now had to show the other wolves that they were of a higher ranking in the chain. As Shadow got close he sat down next to Grim and sighed. In a voice filled with pity, he placed a paw on the other wolves side as it shook in fear of its new alpha.


    ¡°It''s ok, Master is nice, though he can be mean if he doesn''t get his way...¡± Atticus rolled his eyes as he growled softly.¡±Hey, I gave him many chances to stop this before he lost so much pride. But stubborn fools only submit once they have fallen to the floor..¡±


    Iris whimpered and sat in Atticus¡¯ lap. ¡°But but you didn¡¯t have to be so mean uncle!¡± Sighing Atticus pet the little pup.¡±You will understand soon little one, some people won''t submit when given the chance, they hold onto pride for as long as they can...¡±


    As he looked up over the wolves he counted thirty, not twenty, ten were walking away which made him growl savagely, his bloodlust leaking out and filling the area with an aura of dread, enough so that the wolves outside of the pack would find the air hard to breathe.


    ¡°I did not give you permission to leave!¡± As he barked this out Atticus winced, his body being shaken by a new bout of pain as his body began to change. At the same time, he got a new message.


    <table><tbody><tr><td>You have become fully attuned to the aspects of a wolf. As such your race has been advanced. You are now an Alpha Lycanthrope! As such you have gained the ability to change completely into the form of a wolf. You are now the Racial Leader of the Lycanthrope race of players. New players and Rebirthed players may now choose to become Lycans and will be under your command until a new alpha usurps you! You may now turn up to ten beings into Lycans per Lunar cycle. Remaining number 10</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Atticus howled savagely as the pain reached new highs, his body grew longer and broader, his bones changing once again as he took on a form similar to Shadows. However he was much larger, he was exactly like ¨®er. A massive beast standing at the peak of the pack.  His body remained of course covered in brown fur, however much like his werewolf form he retained his tattoos in the form of what looked like a thick warpaint.


    As the changed completed Atticus stumbled to his feet like a newborn calf, the ten wolves had taken this chance to begin moving in on him only to have Shadow snarl and move in to protect his friend. Seeing the boldness of the wolves Atticus growled and took off, forcing his body to work as he wished, tackling into the largest wolf and biting its throat violently. ¡°You will submit or die, I shall not spare another tonight!¡±


    This sudden change had the wolves confused, Where once was a man stood a beast, and now before them stood a massive wolf who was clearly the strongest one there. Grudgingly the ten laid down and submitted, adding themselves to Atticus pack as he howled loudly, as he did Shadow and little Iris followed suit, Grim forced himself to join in as the rest soon followed suit.


    And so the Shadowsong pack became the largest in a one hundred mile radius. Atticus, however, turned to look at his friend and little Iris, grinning in a wolfish way as he lunged at them, tearing into their sides with his fangs.

 Rebirth

    Greetings all, I am truly sorry for the long wait but i am returning, however there is to be some changes. i will be overhauling the story once again , fine tuning it for what i hope is the last time.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    I will be rebuilding Adams character from scratch, new "tutorial" chapters which will give depth to the character.

 Re:O Prologue.

    Harbinger of Chaos, Servant of the old Gods, Beast Master, Monster, Betrayer. Wilhelm Shadowsong has held many titles befitting of his role in the history of Re:O, but none believed the stories of the greatest player in the massive VRMMO. But as the simulcast stream of his latest exploits took over screens around the world all were forced to bear witness to his madness.


    Standing between the armies of the Roman-based guild The High Legion. And the Anglo-Saxon based guild The Grand Crusade he stood alone among the countless corpses of wolves, bears, lions, foxes, and ravens.


    A beast of a man standing at nearly seven foot tall with a head of long wild brown hair that reached the middle of his back, His beard came down to the top of his pectorals, His body a mass of solid muscle. Clad in nothing but a black kilt with a pitch black Halberd that was large enough that it could easily cleave through a horse.


    His tanned flesh marked with both Nordic and Celtic tattoos, scars marred his otherwise smooth flesh, But despite being surrounded the man seemed to be grieving the loss of the animals around him.


    Upon closer inspection, they had all been struck down by a cloud of arrows. Alone he stood unharmed, yet coated in blood. The beasts closest to him had covered his body with their own to protect their master.


    If someone had not been keeping up on the current events in the world''s greatest video game turned international television sensation they would not understand why two armies of one million players each would band together to kill just one man.


    But as the sun dipped beneath the horizon and the amber glow of Twilight engulfed the world a blood-curdling howl was heard as the lone man threw back his head, It was a sound that all could relate to sadness and rage. And it was at this very moment that all hell broke loose.


    The tattoos all over the man''s body began to glow a deep crimson as the beast blood all around him began to glow and flood towards him, At the same time the two armies began their charge, their mages starting the incantations for their spells as priests cast their blessings upon the soldiers.


    Before the eyes of all the blood was absorbed into the man''s body and his howl turned to a cruel laughter as the man swung the halberd across both of his shoulders and began to shout in a deep voice that carried out across the plains, drowning out the warcries of the two armies.


    "I, The Forsaken Wolf of Oden, The Beloved Champion of Freyja. Surrender my Honor!"


    "I, The Blood of the Tuatha, Beloved of the Morrigan. Toss aside my Pride!"


    "I, The Old Friend of the Forest, The Body of the Beast, Savior of Yggdrasil Discard my Kindness!"


    "I, The Leader of the Damned, Chosen Warrior of Hades. Embrace my Insanity as I Lose my Humanity!"


    "I Sing the Song of Shadows! The song of Vengence! I welcome The Fury and Hatred!"


    With every line he spoke an aura of dread began to emanate from his body, a light of black and crimson shone down upon him, Around his neck, On both of his ankles, and both of his wrists a black iron band appeared, each etched with different languages. Gaelic, Nordic, Greek, And an unintelligible script never before seen.


    The Halberd shattered as he slammed the spiked butt to the ground, the very earth shook and cracked open, Pale green flames shot forth from the cracks and engulfed the bodies of the beasts as they rose to their masters call once again.


    At the same time, the man''s body shook and began to grow larger, His jaw, Metatarsals, Phalanges, And Metacarpals becoming elongated, As his body grew his skin grew dark as hair began to cover his body rapidly. Soon Standing at eight feet tall and weighing five hundred pounds of solid muscle, Was the Lupus Rex.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    The King of all werewolves both Player and NPC, His fur was the same dark brown as his hair but what stood out was the brilliant grey-silver fur that was in place of his tattoos, the intricate designs still shown upon his body.


    With a bone-rattling howl, the reanimated beasts scattered, charging their killers ranks, And once they were close enough to enough enemies they would explode in a blast of fire and bone. The blood of the Ravens and Crows had become acid which now rained down from the sky killing all those unfortunate enough to be out of range of the healers.


    In mere moments both armies had sustained heavy losses, But their horror was far from over. The Beast crouched over one beast that had not moved when the others had been reanimated, A large black female wolf with a silver patch of fur on her lower back that looked like a perfect Triple Goddess.


    A Wiccan Symbol that represented the stages of life, The Maiden, The Mother, And The Crone. As the Beasts claw ran tenderly across her fur the wolf''s body changed to that of a beautiful young woman, A Druid. Her flesh was pale as snow; her hair was long and straight, and as black as night.


    She was a larger woman, standing at six feet tall but with a toned yet voluptuous figure, The woman had been his partner, the only one who would not fear him despite his immense rage, Yet now she was dead all because of some rumors that he was building an army to conquer the world. Rumors that he was an NPC that held immense wealth.


    The Beast stood and grasped the band around his neck and shattered it, causing the moon to rise more swiftly in the sky until it stood at its zenith, the light shining down upon the beast as three brilliant albino crows descended and perched upon his body.


    But the beast shook and pointed to the woman as he growled, While the crows showed concern they fluttered down to the woman, and as they did her body began to ascend into the sky.


    This act would shock everyone as he had used one of only a handful of resurrection items in the game. The only one that had been attained by a player. The Torc of The Morrigan. You see the reason why the game was called Rebirth Online was thanks to its intricate system of Rebirth.


    When a character died, they could be reborn, but with a bonus for every level over twenty, they had grown in the game. However, the feature was only active for Players and what he had just used it on was a lowly NPC.


    As the woman vanished into the sky with the crows and the pillar of light dispersed the Beast threw back his head and howled out once more before he kicked the ground hard, creating a crater as he launched into the nearest battalion of soldiers and began ripping them apart in a terrible and painful manner.


    Horror was apparent in the eyes of the soldiers around him as their blades could not even cut his pelt, His level and defenses were simply too high for those who served as infantry, those who were promised that this would be an unlosable fight.


    With every kill the Beast grew faster and stronger, biting into the throats of men and ripping out large chunks of meat, flesh, and bone. Gulping it all down as fireballs began to bombard him. Killing dozens of soldiers around him while he stood unharmed.


    Seeing even high-level spells have seemingly no effect on him some attempted to run, But as they did a brilliant golden light shown down upon the battle. Countless winged figures plummeted from the sky and slammed down in a crouch around the battleground.


    At the same time, hundreds of ghostly Draken Harald H?rfagre class ships sailed down from the heavens, each packed to the brim with the eternal warriors of Odin, The Einherjar. And as the ships came to a halt the Warriors leaped from the vessel and joined the Valkyries in blocking all from running.


    And as massive shield wall was completed a deep voice rumbled down from the heavens.


    "Those who dare to challenge a Demi-god have no right to flee, Die a glorious and honorable death and perhaps you may still have a chance to be reborn again!"


    Horror was felt by all as a message was displayed on their screens.  Warning! attempting to flee this battle will result in instant death at the hands of Odin''s warriors and your character will no longer be eligible for rebirth and instead, you will be forced to make a new character.


    For the next six hours what was displayed was a brutal slaughter as a lone beast, The most dominant player of Re:O let all know his wrath and power. It was not until the half-way point in the battle that the strongest players in the armies even stepped forward.


    While their attacks managed to wound the beast the wounds healed within seconds of taking another life, Even when his arms and legs were separated from his body they would reattach as soon as he shoved the parts to their stumps.


    None below a certain level of perception could even see the beast''s fur anymore, all that they saw was a gruesome blood-soaked whirl of malice. And as the sun began to peak over the horizon the beast stood alone upon a mountain of corpses.


    His body returned to its human form as he let out a savage war cry, and as he did the sound of axes, spears, and sword slamming against shields rang out as the Einherjar and the Valkyries began their accent back to Valhalla.


    What all would see was the sight of a monster wearing the suit of a man, his body even now impaled with spears, arrows, and daggers. But still, he stood tall and proud, His heart pounding so violently that the Cradle was forced to alert local EMTs to his home as he went into full Tachycardia.


    One Year Earlier.

 The Rebirth of Rebirth!

    An extended Prologue has been uploaded as a small tide over until I finish the complete works of chapters 1-5 which at my current pace should be around the end of next month! I hope you all will enjoy the new start to the story, and I want to let you all know that I greatly appreciate your words of support and encouragement XP


    And while I would like to stop here I am required to do more so I will explain a few of my decisions


    From here on in characters speech will be denoted by different colors which will be tied specifically to that character should they hold an important role, Background characters will maintain a standard text color. TO help separatethe speech from the rest of the story everything thatwas spoken will be in bold.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    As for the changes to Adams back story, I changed it to be more or less fitting of his knowledge of fighting, from here on in, we will see small bits of his story unfold as he is leftalone to his own devices and his memories, both good and bad.


    The girls will be added in slowly, and one massive change that some may have noticed Samantha is an NPC! This will be explained in more details soon enough.