《Becket The Elf?》 Chapter 1- Becket The Elf? Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. ************************************************ Chapter 1 When I opened my eyes I found myself in a soft canopy bed. I realized I was naked and a beautiful woman was clinging to me. She too was naked and had long black hair. Her figure would drive any man into a lustful stupor and her two large mounds where pressed against my chest. What surprised me the most was my own body. I was a lot thinner than I remembered, but I could see slightly defined muscles. My skin was pale and there were no scars. I also had long blonde hair which was not what I remembered having. If it wasn''t for the thing I could feel between my legs and the absence of breasts I would have assumed this was a girls body. I had no idea where I was or who this woman was, but before I could think of what to do the door was kicked in. Ten men dressed in armor and holding swords entered the room causing the woman lying on my chest to wake up. A man entered after the knights wearing what I could only describe as the wardrobe of a king. He even had a crown and a scepter. He had a furious look on his face. King:"Becket! You''ve gone too far! How dare you touch my daughter the princess!" Princess Eva:"Daddy I love him!" King:"You''ve been fooled my precious daughter! He doesn''t care for you!" Eva:"I don''t care daddy! As long as he''s with me I''m happy!" King:"Secure my daughter!" Two of the knights stepped forward and pulled the princess off the bed. They covered her in the bed sheet while she struggled to free herself. King:"Cover the door and window! He''s fast! Do not allow him to escape!" One man stood in front of the door while five stood near the window. There were only two men left standing by the king. King:"You two kill Becket!" The final two knights rushed towards me. I was still confused as to what was going on so it took a minute to realize I was being attacked. The sword barely missed my neck as I ducked and lost a few strands of hair. I kicked the knight in his chest sending him falling back on his butt. The second knight swung his sword also trying to lop off my head. I caught his wrist and bent it back until he dropped the sword. I quickly punched the two in the throat causing them to fall to their knees trying to breath. As they gasped for air while lying on the ground I scanned the room. The King, Princess and knights all had an astonished look on their faces. King:"Elves aren''t suppose to fight!" *Elves?* I wasn''t sure why he was talking about elves. They only exist in fantasy. King:"Kill him!" The guards at the window ran towards me with swords held above their heads. I picked up the sword from the knight lying in front of me and threw it. It hit the knight running towards me in the leg and caused him to trip. The other four behind him also fell as they tripped over each other. I shortened the distance between me and that group of knights then knocked each one out with a punch to the jaw that rattled their brain. The princess had already stopped struggling and was watching as I finished knocking out the rest of the knights including the two holding her. It was now only the king, the princess and I left conscious. I stood in front of the king still naked and looked into his eyes. Becket:"Where the hell am I?" I made sure to use a stern voice. I was really irritated at being attacked the moment I woke up. King:"What?" Becket:"I said where am I?" I made sure to add a threatening tone this time. The king was obviously nervous and fell on his butt. King:"I-In my c-c-castle." Becket:"Where is your castle located? Which country? Which continent?" King:"T-T-This is my k-kingdom. The h-h-human continent." Becket:"Human continent? What do you mean by that?" King:"This i-is the human continent." I didn''t understand what this idiot was trying to tell me. Of course this was a human continent. All continents belong to humans. It''s not like we''ll give one up to animals. Becket:"Fine. Tell me who this Becket is?" The king looked confused. Eva:"You''re Becket." The princess had walked up to me while holding the sheet to cover herself. Becket:"Me?" Eva:"Don''t you remember?" Becket:"I remember who I am, but my names not Becket." Eva:"Do you remember me my love? I''m Eva." Becket:"Sorry. I do not remember who you are." Tears began to form and started pouring out of her eyes. She embraced me and buried her head in my chest. Eva:"You will remember me with time." I started to hear foot steps coming from the hall along with the sound of metal clanking together. Becket:"Where''s my gun Eva?" Eva:"Gun? What''s that?" She looked up at me questioningly with eyes still wet from her tears. Becket:"I never go anywhere without my gun where is it?" Eva:"I''m sorry. I don''t understand." The foot steps were getting closer. King:"Hurry! He''s attacking me! Summon the knights and mages!" I glanced angrily at the king which made him cower in fear. Becket:"I have to get out of here." Eva:"Will you come see me again?" Becket:"I can''t promise. I''m not sure what''s going on." Eva:"I''ll wait for you. No matter how long it takes." She separated from me and went over to her dresser. She pulled out a dagger with a black blade and a red hilt. She then walked back over to me and placed it in my hands. Eva:"Take this with you. It''s enchanted so it will never dull." *Enchanted?* Becket:"Thank you." King:"What are you doing Eva! That is to be given to your betrothed!" Eva:"Becket is the only man I will ever love! He is the only one I will accept!" I made my way to the window and severed the red curtain with my dagger. I threw it over my shoulder and jumped from the window just as a new batch of knights entered the room. I was pretty high up, but there were foot holds that I jumped to. I made my way down the building jumping from balconies to open windows. I couldn''t believe how incredibly light my body felt. I felt like I could do anything. My body would turn exactly how I wanted it to. I had better control over myself than ever before. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. When I made it to the ground I cut a strip off the curtain. I used the strip as a belt to tie the curtain around me. I tucked the dagger into my newly made belt and started walking. For some reason my senses were sharper so I could easily detect and avoid guards searching for me as I made my way away from the castle. I could see there was a town on the other side of the castle, but I made my way to the forest nearby. I decided to take a break and look at my body. I found a river and tried to look at my reflection. What I saw was a very pretty boy with feminine features. The long blonde hair and green eyes made me look like a girl. I was sure with the right clothes no one would realize I was a boy. I would even be considered a real beauty. I also noticed my head was the only part of my body with hair. I couldn''t help, but scowl. (Here''s a picture of what I imagine his face looks like.) Spoiler : This was not my face. I was a rugged looking man with short brown hair and eyes. I usually had a tan and many scars across my well toned body. I am a mercenary so I''ve been in countless fights. I always carry a gun with me, but I''m a knife specialist. The only conclusion I could come to was that somehow I ended up in a different body. I did like how much younger I looked. My old body was getting sluggish. The last thing I remember was being on a plane preparing for a mission. My group was hired to eliminate an arms dealer. I don''t remember what happened after we landed, but I get the feeling it wasn''t good. As I looked at my reflection I noticed something. My ears were very pointy which made me think of what the king said. Becket:"Elf?" I knew that elves didn''t exist. They were a made up race, just fantasy. Becket:"Where am I? What the hell is happening to me?" I asked those questions to the wind and got no answer. I decided to make my way to the town I saw and try to find out where I was. After an hour of walking I heard sounds up ahead. I kept low and made my way to the sounds. A group of three men were sitting around talking and a tent was a few meters away. They were dressed rather poorly, but had on armor. They each had a sword and dagger at their hip. *Why are so many people wearing armor? A bullet would go right through that.* Man 1:"How much do you think we can get for her?" Man 2:"A lot of gold. We ain''t never gonna need to work again." Man 3:"Ain''t we just the luckiest." The three men started laughing as I scanned the area and my eyes came to a stop on a bird cage. I couldn''t believe what I was seeing. Inside the bird cage was a human. She was about 6 inches tall with long white hair and wore a green dress. She was very beautiful and had four insect like wings sticking out of her back. The first thing I thought was *Fairy!*. Fairy:"Let me go you sonsabitches!" Man 2:"Shut your trap!" Fairy:"When I get out of here I''m gonna cut each of your throats and watch you bleed to death!" Man 1:"Go ahead and try you little bitch!" I could see the fairies face distort in anger as she glared at the three men. *What the hell is that! Have I been dropped into some kind of fantasy world!* The three men took out some dried meat and started to eat. Fairy:"I hope you choke on that and die you cock suckers!" The three men just laughed and continued to eat the dried meat. I wasn''t sure what was harder to accept the fact that I was looking at a fairy or that she seemed to have Tourette''s. I pulled out the dagger and prepared to attack. I really wanted to talk to the fairy so I decided to rescue her. I jumped to the guy closest to me and quickly cut his throat then threw the knife into the chest of the one farthest from me. I lunged at the last guy who had just drawn his sword and planted my foot firmly in his jaw. He did a little spin before falling to the ground. Fairy:"He''s still alive! Gut him!" The man was still alive, but he wasn''t conscious. I walked over to the bird cage and picked it up. Fairy:"If you''re planning on selling me then I''ll fucking kill you!" Becket:"I just want to talk." I carried her over to the man with my dagger in his chest and pulled it out. I used the dagger to break the cage door open and she flew up at amazing speeds. Fairy:"I''m free! Now it''s time to gut that sonuvabitch!" The fairy flew down to eye level and looked at me with adorable little eyes. She gave me a pleading expression and blinked multiple times. Fairy:"Can I borrow your dagger please?" I was a little hesitant, but more than anything I wanted to see what she would do. Becket:".....sure." I gave her the dagger and I could tell it was heavy for her. She flew over to the unconscious man and pointed the blades end towards his stomach then let gravity take over. The man woke up immediately from the pain, but the fairy had already retrieved the blade and plunged it into his throat. Fairy:"You should''ve listened you dumb fuck! I told you this would happen!" The man couldn''t hear her since he was already dead. The little fairy brought my dagger back to me and smiled while covered in blood. Fairy:"My names Aria. What''s yours?" I looked at the adorable little blood soaked fairy and told her my name. Becket:"I''m................Becket." Chapter 2- Fairies And Magic Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. ************************************************ Chapter 2 Aria:"Becket sounds like a nice name. Thanks for saving me." Becket:"I was wondering. What are you?" She tilted her head to the side and looked at me. Aria:"I''m a fairy. Can''t you tell." Becket:"Fairies don''t exist." Aria:"Of course we do. Just because we separate ourselves from the other races that doesn''t mean we don''t exist." Becket:"Could you tell me where I am?" Aria:"We''re somewhere in Druusell." Becket:"Druusell? I''ve never heard of it." Aria:"Druusell is the name of the human continent." I was starting to understand that this wasn''t the world I was from. It seemed like a fantasy world. Aria:"I can''t believe I found an elf that''s willing to kill!" I could see her grinning very wickedly. *So this body really is an elf.* Aria:"All the elves I''ve ever heard of were just a bunch of pussies that always use their speed to escape from danger." Becket:"Well I''m not like other elves." I walked over to the men''s corpses and began to search them. I found coins and a map. They each had a canteen so I took one over to Aria. Becket:"You need to wash that blood off." Aria landed on the ground and stretched her arms out towards me. Aria:"Pour it on me!" I turned the canteen upside down and watched the water fall out and onto Aria. I was surprised that the blood didn''t stain her dress and when the water stopped all the blood was washed off. She shook her head attempting to dry her hair then looked up at me with a smile. Aria:"Thanks!" Becket:"So why were those men keeping you in a cage?" Aria:"Because they wanted to sell me into slavery. Wasn''t that obvious?" Becket:"They mentioned you were very expensive. I''d like to know why." Aria:"Don''t you know about fairies?" Becket:"Sorry but I have amnesia. I don''t remember anything about this world." Aria:"Hahahah! Sucks for you!" Becket:"Yeah it really sucks." Aria:"Well what do you know?" Becket:"I don''t remember much. I had no idea fairies existed until I saw you so what makes you so expensive." Aria:"You saved me and I get the feeling I can trust you so I''ll tell you. It''s the magic of our race." Becket:"Magic? I don''t remember anything about magic?" Aria sighed and began to explain things to me. Aria:"Every race has it''s own magic that other races can''t use. Humans are the only ones not born with a specific magic. The fairy clan has always been weak, but we can give other races great power so our kind are often forced into slavery." Becket:"You can give other people great power?" Aria:"Yes. Fairy magic is called Blessings. Each fairy can bless up to five people in their lifetime and each person they bless gains a unique magic. The other races started to kidnap fairies and force them to use their blessings so our numbers began to dwindle. Most fairies were killed after they used up all five blessings and we were left with one fairy clan. In order to save our race we went into hiding and stayed their for many centuries." She had a slightly sad look on her face as she explained it to me. Aria:"This is all common knowledge." Becket:"Well I seem to have forgotten common knowledge. I was wondering if you could tell me about these other races?" I decided to first try and learn everything I can about this world. Aria:"Well there are more races than I can count, but there are seven races that hold most of the power on the seven continents. Starting from the most powerful there''s Dragon race, Vampire race, Werewolf race, human race, beastman race, dwarven race and elf race." Becket:"Why are the elves at the bottom?" Aria:"Because they''re peace loving tree huggers." *Hippies?* Aria:"They refuse to kill living things. They won''t even eat plants because of their ''all life is precious'' bullshit. They survive off of consuming their own crystallized mana which mutated their race. Originally elves were just like humans. After eating mana crystals the elves gained senses and agility on par with a beastman and they heal faster than most races except vampires and werewolves." This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Becket:"So that was why he was surprised." I was thinking to myself about how surprised the king looked when I fought back. Aria:"The elves are the only race that can crystallize their mana. Some of the other races tried consuming the mana crystals, but died from mana poisoning. The elves aren''t perfect though. Sometimes one of them strays from their normal behavior and is open to killing." Since I was an elf now I was interested in what magic my race had. Becket:"You said each race has it''s own magic so what kind of magic does an elf have." Aria:"Nature magic." Becket:"What exactly can that do?" Aria:"Controlling plants is the most common form. Elves are also the only race that can use the healing spells. That''s the only reason elves haven''t been wiped out." Becket:"How do I cast a spell?" Aria:"You have to first learn how to channel mana and memorize the chant. The chants aren''t too hard to remember, but channeling and maintaining control over mana is the hard part. Your races magic should be something you know instinctually though." I sighed. I was hoping that I could learn some easy magic. If I''m in a fantasy world than I''ll definitely need magic. Learning how to heal would be useful in a fight. Becket:"How do you use your magic?" Aria:"Like I said the magic thats race specific is instinctual. Fairies can bless people from the moment we reach maturity. The four elemental magics are the only magics that can be used by any race though." My ears perked up. Becket:"The four elemental magics?" Aria:"Yeah fire, water, air and earth manipulation. The four basic magics are the only kind of magic that all races can use if they learn how." Becket:"So if I learn the chants I can use the four basic magics?" Aria:"Yeah and I can''t teach you since it would be annoying and I only know a little wind magic. It''s not easy to learn." *I think I''m going to have a lot of fun in this world.* I made a mental note to learn more about elemental magic, but right now I wanted to get out of this forest. Becket:"How about we get out of here. I''m tired of being around these corpses." I pointed at the three dead men behind me with my thumb. Aria:"Sure! Lets go!" Aria flew off into the air above the trees and looked around. I could tell she spotted the town and flew back down. Aria:"There''s a town that way follow me!" She zoomed off before I could say anything so I chased after her. I decided to take a look at the map I got from those three guys. It was a map of a forest that showed paths a traveler should take, but I wasn''t even sure if it was a map of this forest. I decide to talk while we made our way to town. Becket:"Hey if the fairy clan has been hidden for centuries how were you captured?" Aria:"Well I''m in line to be the next fairy queen so it''s my responsibility to study the outside world and other races in case that knowledge is needed during my rule. I was tired of all the studying and wanted to see new places and different races with my own eyes so I snuck out. Sadly those three guys were the first people I met." Becket:"Do you know how to get home?" Aria:"Nope." I honestly felt a little bad for her. Their clan always had to hide and the one time she decides to sneak away she''s kidnapped. Becket:"Surely they''ll send someone to find you." Aria:"I guess so. I have no idea what they''ll do. Our clan hasn''t had any interactions with other races in a long time so there are few fairies still alive that have even met a different race. I''ve only ever seen pictures of the other races until now." Becket:"You said only a few fairies have met other races?" Aria:"There''s a group of fairies that collect information on the outside world. The queen has to be knowledgable about the outside world which can change really fast so we have to update our information." Becket:"Is it ok to tell me all this?" Aria:"It''s fine. You''re the first person from another race I''ve met that I can really talk to. Plus this is the first time that all the studying I did has been useful." Chapter 3- Town Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. ************************************************ Chapter 3 Since nature magic was suppose to come naturally to an elf I decided to try controlling plants while we head towards the town. I plucked a flower and held it in my hand. I had to make sure my pace didn''t slow since Aria would probably fly out of sight if I fell behind. I focused on the flower trying to will it to move. Nothing happened. We were getting close to the town and I was growing impatient. Becket:"Just move already!" The flower suddenly twitched. Becket:"Oh. Do I need to say it out loud? Move!" It twitched again. Becket:"Yes!" I threw my hands up in the air out of joy. Becket:"I guess I''m a plant whisperer." Aria suddenly stopped in front of me and turned around then flew into my chest. She crawled inside my curtain robe and pokes her little head out. Aria:"We''ve reached the town, but I can''t get seen so I''ll hide here." She tucked her head back in to hide. Becket:"....ok." I pulled the dagger out and hid it inside my clothes with Aria. I didn''t want to take the chance that the dagger was recognized. I continued to walk forward until I found a wall which I climbed over. I knew that if I tried to go through the main gate my curtain robe would look suspicious. There were plenty of places to hold on to since the wall wasn''t constructed with a smooth surface. I could only assume it was meant for killing. The rocks were jagged so if anyone or anything rammed into it they would likely suffer a lot of injuries. I made my way up the wall and found a walkway on top of it. There was a building close by so I jumped to it which was surprisingly easy. *This body is so light. It''s still so hard to believe.* I climbed down the side of the building and landed in an alley. I had successfully made it into the city. Aria:"Are we there yet?" Becket:"Yeah. No ones around so you can look if you want." Aria poked her little head out and looked around. She wasn''t met with a very good site. We were in a dirty back ally with trash in it. The odor made me regret my new heightened sense of smell. Aria pulled her head back in immediately. Aria:"This isn''t what I thought it''d be like." Becket:"I''m sure the whole town isn''t like this." Aria:"I hope so. These fucking humans need to learn how to clean up." I quickly left the alley and was greeted by a more bearable odor. I could tell this was a poor part of the town. People dressed in low quality clothes and the smell of sweat floated in the air. I felt a little annoyed when a drunk man started laughing at me for wearing a curtain, but he stopped and walked over to me. He reached out and touched the curtain which made me step back. Drunk:"Thash shome fine materal." He seemed to be telling me that my curtain robe was made of fine material. I put some distance between us since his drunk rambling annoyed me and made my way to a better part of town. I figured out which direction to go based on the quality of the buildings and people. Things and people started to look more expensive the farther into town I went. I drew a lot of attention, but I wasn''t sure if it was because of what I was wearing or the fact that I''m an attractive elven man. I got some lewd stares from guys who obviously thought I was a female elf. One man approached me. Man:"You''re a pretty little elf aren''t ya." Becket:"Leave me alone." Man:"Hey I just want to help ya. Looking at that outfit I''d say you probably need a little money right now. How about you spend a few hours with me and earn a few coins." Becket:"No." I passed by him and walked away. Man:"Hey wait!" He put his hand on my shoulder to stop me so I reached back and snapped his wrist. Man:"Aaaahhhhh!!!" The man grabbed his hand as he yelled out. He was cradling it while hunched over. Becket:"Touch me again and I''ll kill you." I tried to sound as threatening as I could, but to me the voice sounded to girly. The man obviously didn''t think the same thing since I could see the fear on his face. He probably didn''t expect a reaction like that from an elf. People had started to gather so I walked way. *I stand out to much.* I started pickpocketing people as I walked along the streets. I realized the coins were types of gems and I knew there value in my world, but wasn''t sure if it would be the same here. I was good at sleight of hand. In my old world I practiced all sorts of things to increase my skills when handling a knife. Anything that could increase the dexterity of my fingers and wrist along with hand eye coordination. After I gathered up a fairly large amount of coins I found a store that sells clothes. The door was held open by a wedge so I walked right in. Becket:"I''d like some new clothes." Standing at the register was an elderly woman with long gray hair. She seemed a little thin, but her eyes still seemed healthy. Elderly Woman:"Have a look around. Everything I''ve got is hanging up. If you''ve come to place a custom order forget it. I don''t have the energy to make them anymore." Becket:"I don''t need anything custom." I walked around and looked at all the clothes until I found one outfit I liked. I wore a lot of black during missions so at some point I started only wearing black even when I wasn''t working. The outfit I found wasn''t entirely black, but it matched the dagger so I picked it. Becket:"Can I try this one on?" Elderly Woman:"Sure. You can change in there." She pointed to a door next to her so I entered wit the outfit. Once inside I realized it was a closet. There weren''t any clothes inside besides what I brought in, but it was a little small. Aria:"I want new clothes!* Becket:"Quiet." Aria flew out and landed next to me. Aria:"You have to get me some new clothes too." Becket:"I''ll make you some later." Aria:"You''re gonna make them?" Becket:"Yeah." When I was young I had some anger problems and I was sent to a counselor who made me take up knitting as a hobby. I ended up enjoying it so I continued doing it even after I stopped seeing the counselor. I mostly just did it to get my nerves to calm down, but I enjoyed making clothes. It was also good practice with my hands. This was my most closely guarded secret in the other world since who wants a mercenary that knits. I put the outfit on and Aria hid under the curtain robe I was holding. I tucked the dagger into the back of my pants and tried to hide it with the coat then stepped out. Elderly Woman:"Oh! You look great. A little masculine though." I sighed. I decided not to tell her I''m a guy since I probably will never see her again. The clothes cost 2 amethyst and 25 garnet which I started to think was a rip off since she had a devious smile on her face as I passed the coins over to her. I was wearing black pants and boots with a tight red shirt and a black and red coat with a hood. I decided to buy a piece of armor to protect my heart. It was a cheap one so it only cover my chest and left my stomach unguarded. I wore it under my coat, but was a little annoyed when I realized I looked even more like a girl since the chest plate made it look like I had a small pair of breasts. (Here''s what I want the coat to look like.) Spoiler : The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. I also bought a red ribbon to tie my hair back with and a black satchel to put the money and curtain robe in along with Aria. I left the store in my new clothes and felt pretty good. I kept getting ogled, but I just ignored it and put on the hood. I bought some dried meat from a stall for Aria and I to eat later. I wrapped it up and put it in my satchel. We needed a place to stay so I searched for an inn with few guests. Normally I would find an inn with many people and try to blend in, but my appearance stood out to much. It would be easier to hide were less people might see me. The inn we found was called Morning Bliss. I kept my hood on when I entered and the familiar scent of body odor greeted me. The inn wasn''t in great shape, but it would work. The only person inside was a middle aged man with brown hair and a goatee standing behind a counter. He furrowed his brows when I came through the door. I walked up to him to get a room. Becket:"I''d like a room." Goatee Guy:"For how long?" Becket:"A week." Goatee Guy:"A week huh. That''ll be 14 amethyst." I reached into my satchel and pulled out 14 amethyst coins. Becket:"Here." I passed them over to him and he began inspecting them as if he thought they were counterfeit. After a while of silence he finally handed me a key. Goatee Guy:"Be sure to lock the door. It can get dangerous around here. The rooms upstairs at the end of the hall." Becket:"Thanks." I took the key and made my way to the room. It had a single bed with a chair and a window that was about the size of my head. It reminded me of a prison cell. I sat down on the bed which was quite uncomfortable, but I''ve slept on worse. Aria jumped out of the satchel and flew up in front of me. Aria:"This place fucking stinks." Becket:"Deal with it." I laid back onto the bed and just stared at the ceiling. It was starting to get dark outside so I decided to go to sleep. Becket:"I''m going to sleep." Aria:"Me too!" She landed on my stomach and laid down. I leaned my head up to look at her. Becket:"What are you doing?" Aria:"Going to sleep. I refuse to sleep on this nasty ass bed and your scent helps cover up the smell of this room." Becket:"Whatever." I plopped my head back down and closed my eyes. It took me a few minutes to drift off. I had a dream about the past. When I was young my father was an alcoholic. He would get a little violent sometimes so my mother and I would feel a little fear whenever he drank. I begged my mother to leave him, but she told me that she loved him. They met when they were kids and it was love at first sight. They never even dated anyone else. Mom got pregnant with me when she was 16 and my father was 19 which angered both of their parents. Unfortunately my father had an alcoholic father too who tossed him out. My dad found a job and an apartment then moved my mother in with him. They were happy for a while and had a wedding after I was born. When I was around seven my dad got fired from his job which made him start drinking. He never broke any of our bones or severely hurt us, but I still hated him. My mother still only felt love for him so no matter what I said she refused to leave him. I tried to stay away from home as much as possible and started hanging out with some bad people. I developed some anger issues and almost beat a man to death once for spilling his coffee on my new sneakers. I was only 14 and the man didn''t want to ruin my life so I ended up with community service and required anger management counseling. I couldn''t believe the fact that I almost killed a man and he was worried about my future. I started to get my anger under control and stopped spending time with the kids I thought were bad. I found out the man I attacked had just gotten home after a tour of duty over seas. I wanted to know why a trained soldier didn''t fight back against me so I went to visit him. He told me that he wouldn''t let himself hurt a kid. When I got home that day my dad surprisingly wasn''t drunk. I could see the joy in my mothers face. He really wasn''t a bad person and he had never been unfaithful. He wasn''t very nice when drunk, but I knew he really loved my mom just as much as she loved him. The two of them talked and laughed that entire day for the first time in a long time, but I couldn''t shake this eerie feeling I was getting. I felt like maybe we could become a happy family. I hate that I remember it, but they even had a lot of fun after going to bed. The walls were just too thin for me to get any sleep. I woke up and saw that the sun was just now coming up through the small hole in the wall they call a window. Aria wasn''t lying on my stomach, but instead had her ear pushed up against the wall. Becket:"What are you doing?" She put her finger up to her mouth. Aria:"Sssshhhhh. Someone just entered the room next to us." I decided to stay quiet and listen. Female voice:"We have to hurry up. He''ll be back in an hour or two." Male voice:"Just leave him. That limp dick husband of yours ain''t worth being with." Female voice:"He''s going to be getting a lot of money soon. Once you get your hands on it then we can run away together." Male voice:"All I care about is getting my hands on you." I could hear the girl giggling. Female voice:"We''ll need the money to get away from here." Male voice:"Sure. You tell me when and I''ll cut that old mans throat before he even realizes what happened." Female voice:"That''s why I love you." They started to make other noises which included moaning and all I could do was listen since Aria wouldn''t let me say anything. They eventually finished and left the room. Aria:"What was that?" Becket:"Sounded like that woman''s planning on killing her husband and running away with her lover." Aria:"No I mean those noises they made after that." Becket:You mean the moaning?" Aria:"Yeah. What was that?" Becket:"I didn''t think you would be this innocent." Aria:"Huh?" Aria tilted her head in confusion at what I said. I couldn''t help but laugh a little. I was going to need more money so I had to go out today. Aria and I ate the dried meat I bought yesterday which tasted terrible then decided to leave the inn to collect some money. When I reached the bottom of the stairs I saw a man and a woman that I didn''t recognize talking behind the counter. Before I could cross the room to leave its door came open and the goatee guy walked in with a cloak on. When he saw me he shifted the bag he was holding to behind his back then walked over to the counter. Goatee guy:"Fran have you finished cleaning all the rooms?" Male voice:"Not yet." I recognized that the man behind the counter was the voice I heard in the other room. Goatee guy:"Then stop fucking around and get to work." Male voice:"Sure thing boss." The man hurriedly made his way upstairs. Female voice:"Welcome back darling." She was the female voice from before. Female voice:"How''d it go?" Goatee guy:"Great. I''ve finished my job and they paid me a little extra." Female voice:"That''s great news!" I usually don''t like hitting girls, but I had an urge to strike her. Something about someone that can lie that easily to the person they''re suppose to love just gets under my skin. I hadn''t done any sewing to calm my nerves in a while so I might start getting a little temperamental. I wasn''t really sure what to do since I was in a complicated situation. Story Information This is a list of the races, available magics, continents and capitols, spells, Mage levels, knight levels and adventurer levels for some kingdoms, ranks in society for the seven most powerful races, clergy ranks in the church, name of the gods and which race worships them and the money in my world. I will be open to suggestions on what to add to this list. I would like new races and possible spells. I also need help on what unique magic some of the races have. If there are no parenthesis next to the races name then I haven''t thought of a unique magic yet so please suggest one. I will update this list as the story progresses. I will also introduce this information in my story, but this list is for if you want to check on things that you might have forgotten during the story. I would also like ideas for artifacts. They are magical tools or weapons some can be mass produced while others can''t. An example would be a cloak of invisibility. Races: Dragon(Gravity) Total manipulation of gravity. They have two forms dragon and humanoid. In their humanoid forms they appear human except for the horns sticking out of their head. They live for thousands of years, but have a low birth rate. Pure Vampire(Blood magic) Wide variety of abilities including creating Nosferatu, turning into mist and growing leathery wings to fly. Only thing distinguishable are their red eyes. They are eternally young and power increases with age. Low birth rate. Dhampir(Inherited trait) They are half pure vampire and inherit the other races unique magic, but sometimes they get a pure vampire power like turning into mist. They can live for hundreds of years and have a birth rate equal to that of the their parent that isn''t a vampire. Werewolf (Body transformation) Transforms their bodies into a wolfman like appearance that increases all stats. Appear completely human until they transform, but have superior abilities without transforming. Very high birth rate and live for hundreds of years. Strongest werewolves have eternal youth. Human(God Contracts) Born without a unique magic until they are ''baptized'' by a holy priestess. Which of the seven gods sect the holy priestess belongs to decides their unique magic. High birth rates. Only lives for decades. Beastmen(Aura) Mostly used for hiding your presence making them the best hunters and assassins. Some look more like beasts while others look human except animal ears and a tail. The more animalistic they look the more prone to violence they will be. High birth rate and lives three times longer than humans. Dwarf(Enchantments) Able to add magical effects onto any object. Requires training to pick which enchantment to use. Fully grown they look like human children ranging from 7 to 13, but are at least three times as strong as a fully grown man and the males can grow body and facial hair. Most males have well defined and bulging muscles. Moderate birth rate and lives twice as long as humans. Elf(Nature) Able to communicate with nature and send commands. Commands sometimes cause rapid growth and mutations in plants. A usually attractive human looking appearance, but have pointy ears. Half elves have shorter ears. Moderate birth rates and lives for hundreds of years. Species with the highest mortality rate. Fairy(Blessings) Able to bestow power onto other races. About six inches tall with attractive appearances and insect like wings. Low birth rate and lives for hundreds of years. Endangered species. Ghoul(Varies) A vampire that has lost it''s mind. There are a few ways to cause this. Eyes turn black and skin color changes to gray with black vein lines all over the body. No birth rate. Lives until killed. Incubus/Succubus(Sexual domination) Able to dominate a persons mind through sex. After sex the target feels total love and devotion for the incubus/succubus for the rest of their life. Appear human except long leathery tail and small horns. Any children they have are always born as their species regardless of the mate. Low birth rate and lives three times longer than a human. They maintain their youthful looks until death. Endangered species. Changeling(Racial trait mimicry) After absorbing a races essence through a kiss they gain that races magic. They are born with pale white skin, no hair, eyes or ears. Requires a drop of blood from any race then they take on that races physical attributes. Low birth rates and lives for hundreds of years unless given dragon blood at birth than it''s thousands of years. Endangered species. Shifters(Shapeshifting) A changeling that wasn''t given blood within a week after birth. They keep their original pale white skin, no hair, eyes or ears. They do gain the ability to mimic other people''s appearance and racial magic, but it only works for the same gender and requires essence from that race. Eternally young. Low birth rates and child will be a changeling if given blood. Endangered species. Banshee(Screams) Deafening/earsplitting screams. They tend to enjoy causing pain. Human appearance, but with glowing blue eyes. Low birth rates and lives for a few hundred years. Endangered species. Maras(Nightmares) Able to read minds, enter dreams and cause nightmares. Goblin like appearance with brown skin. Usually a little over weight. Moderate birth rates. Lives about a decade longer than humans. Elementals(fire,water,air,earth,lightning) Races or animals that died and fused with an element near their corpse. Sometimes called spirits. Usually appear as a manifestation of their element in the shape of their previous species. Lives until all of their magical power is exhausted. Lich(Necromancy) Skeletal appearance with the ability to resurrect the dead as servants. Servants intelligence and remaining memories are decided by the lich. No birth rate. Lives until destroyed. Nymph Elf like appearance, but always has green hair. High birth rate and lives for 100 years. Their children will always be nymphs regardless of the mate. Harpy Bird wings instead of arms and talons instead of feet. The rest of their appearance looks human. Are a race of females only. High birth rate and lives a few decades longer than a human. Children will always be harpies regardless of the mate. Lamia Human upper half with snake bottom. Race of females only. Moderate birth rate and lives a few decades longer than a human. Children will always be lamia regardless of the mate. Endangered species. Centaur Human upper half with horse bottom. Moderate birth rate and lives a few decades longer than a human. Children will always be centaur regardless of the mate. Endangered species. Minotaur Bull head and legs with human arms and chest. Moderate birth rate and lives a few decades longer than a human. Children will always be minotaur regardless of the mate. Endangered species. Mermaid(Underwater breathing and transformation) Human upper half with a fin instead of legs. Race of females only. Mostly lives underwater, but can change it''s fin into legs. Low birth rate and eternal youth. Children will always be mermaids regardless of the mate. Endangered species. Arachne Human upper half with spider bottom. Race of females only. Low birth rate. High birth volume and lives a few decades longer than a human. Children will always be arachne regardless of the mate. Endangered species. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Gargoyles(Petrification) Can turn people to stone, but it can only be used once a night. They turn to stone during the day. They have two forms gargoyle and human. Human form is indistinguishable from a normal human. Gargoyle form has gray skin with wings and claws and walks on all fours. Low birth rate and lives for hundreds of years. Goblins Small green men with large noses. Aren''t very smart. High birth rate and lives half as long as a human. Giants Giant humanoids with very little intelligence. Low birth rates and lives twice as long as humans. Orcs Human size with greenish gray skin and over grown canines. Moderate birth rates and lives just as long as humans. Griffin Body, tail and back legs of a lion; the head and wings of an eagle and an eagle''s talons as its front feet. High intelligence. Low birth rates and lives hundreds of years. Magic available to all races: Runes/Magic Circles Dark Continent Artifacts Binding/Summoning Alchemy Four basic elements Artifacts: Title Stone Displays a persons personal information. World Codex Book of every possible magic spell. Written in unknown language. Copies of it are sent to churches all over the world to decipher. 7 Continents & Capitols: Nessonth (Dragon continent)Corduth Aldley (Vampire/Werewolf continent)Ardeal/K?ln Druusell (Human continent)Freyedge Esterden (Beastman continent)Byvale Lochston (Dwarven continent)Ashwick Raylea (Elven Continent)Linford The Dark Continent Deciphered Spells: Fire Spells: Orange/white/Blue/Black(hellfire) Citatus atque imperio ignis [Ignis Pila] (Fire ball) Ego cingor igni [Agros Ignis] (Fire fields) Operias corpus cremer igne [Ignis Arma] (Fire Armor) Amnibus arva telum meum in igne [Ignis Telum] (Fire weapon) Implevit pallium inimi conlidam ignis [Ignis Laminis] (Fire blades) Protege me murus ignis [Ignis Murum] (Fire wall) Ure meum inimicos [Flamma Laculatrix] (Flame thrower) Water Spells: Citatus praecipio aqua [Pila Aqua] (Water ball) Aquam et cingor fulgentibus adhibeo [Aqua Agris] (Water fields) Protege filium meum corpus aqua [Aqua Arma] (Water armor) Amnibus arva telum meum aqua [Aqua Telum] (Water weapon) Implevit pallium inimi conlidam aqua [Aqua Laminis] (Water blades) Protege me murum aquarum [Aqua Murum] (Water wall) Aqua scaturiunt et occidere inimicos [Aqua Imbre] (Water spray) Wind Spells: Citatus praecipio venti [Ventus Pila] (Wind ball) Ego cingor sed vento [Ventus Agris] (Wind fields) Protege filium meum corpus sed vento [Ventus Arma] (Wind armor) Amnibus arva telum meum sed vento [Ventus Telum] (Wind weapon) Implevit pallium inimi conlidam venti [Ventus Laminis] (Wind blades) Protege me murus venti [Ventus Murum] (Wind wall) Clangite suorum finium esse [Ventus Torrent] (Wind torrent) Earth Spells: Citatus et tellus [Terra Hasta] (Earth spear) Ego cingor fulgentibus terra acutis [Terra Agro] (Earth field) Protege filium meum corpus humo [Arma Terra] (Earth armor) Amnibus arva meum cum telo terram [Terra Telum] (Earth weapon) Implevit pallium inimi conlidam terram [Terra Laminis] (Earth blades) Murus Protege me terram [Terra Murum] (Earth wall) Conteram inimico petrarum [Petra Tempestate] (Rock storm) Healing Spells: Prosunt omnibus personis huius iniuriis [Sanabit] (Heal) Prosunt omnibus circum me[Sanando Agro] (Healing field) Sage Rank Spells: Fire: Mulieres omnes inimicos cinerem vanescunt [Columnas Ignis] (Fire pillars) Water: Inundaret usque mundi [Diluvium] (Flood) Wind: Citatus uento creare omnes [Turbo Venti] (Tornado winds) Earth: Cecidit de caelo stella adhibeo [Meteoron Percusserit] (Meteor strike) Mage Titles: Sage- Red Robe Grandmaster Magus- Green Robe Grand Magus- Blue Robe High Mage- Purple Robe Mage- Grey Robe Apprentice Mage- Brown Robe Initiate Mage- Black Robe Knight Titles: Warlord- Red Armor Grandmaster Knight- Green Armor Grand Knight- Blue Armor High Knight- Purple Armor Knight- Silver Armor Apprentice Knight- Bronze Armor Initiate Knight- Leather Armor Adventurer Titles: Hero Champion Crusader Guardian Gladiator Adventurer Explorer Other Titles: Assassin Thief Weapons: Sword Spear/Lance Bow & Arrow Axe Shield Wand Staff Beastmen/Human/Dwarven/Elven Society Ranks: King/Queen Prince/Princess Duke/Duchess Count/Countess Baron/Baroness Knights Commoners Clergy Ranks: Cardinal Bishops Holy Priestesses Monsignor Priests Deacon Laity Dragon Society Ranks: Dragon Emperor Dragon Priestess Dragons Wyverns Vampire Society Ranks: King/Queen (Pure Vampire) Prince/Princess (Pure Vampire) Nosferatus Revenants Dracs Vampire Servants Ghouls Werewolf Society Ranks: King/Queen Prince/Princess Alphas Betas Gammas Omegas Rogues World Gods: Lissoth (Dragon God) Haarus (Beastman God) Dylios (Dwarven God) Ofhena (Elven God) Afana (Fairy God) Oteus (Elemental God) Esyn (Demon God) The gods are not the same race as the group that worships them. Money: 120 garnet coins = 1 amethyst coin 60 amethyst coins = 1 sapphire coin 30 sapphire coins = 1 emerald coin 15 emerald coins = 1 ruby coin Chapter 4- Goatee Guy Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. ************************************************ Chapter 4 Female voice:"So we can finally get out of this place?" Goatee Guy:"Yeah. We don''t need this inn anymore." Female voice:"Will you go pack for me? I want to say goodbye to some friends from around here." Goatee Guy:"Sure but we won''t be leaving today." Female voice:"I know. It''ll just be easier to leave if we get everything done first." Goatee Guy:"You''re right. I hate doing things at the last minute. I''ll pack while you say your goodbyes." Female voice:"I''ll take your bag for you." The goatee guy noticeably flinched. Goatee Guy:"No I''ve got it." Female voice:"I''ll just put it up for you before I leave." Goatee Guy:"No need. Go say goodbye to your friends." The girl showed goatee guy a smile I knew was fake. Female voice:".....Sure." She left the inn and I could hear her grumbling under her breath. Goatee Guy:"You just gonna stand there all day." I realized he was talking to me. Becket:"No. I was just leaving." I left while he gave me a glare full of suspicion. I decided to gather information while I was out. The first thing I learned was the name of this town which is Freyedge. This is the capitol of the human continent called Druusell. The human king and his family live in a palace here. I had to keep an eye out since the knights were out patrolling. I was told the king issued orders to capture a sexual deviant that attacked the princess. I was a little worried since the person talking to me told me the knights were giving out my description and asking for sightings. Man:"Well you don''t have to worry about that sexual deviant. He''ll be caught soon." He put his hand on my shoulder. Man:"If he does show up I''ll protect you Miss." This time I was actually relieved to be mistaken as a girl since the description said male. Becket:"Thanks." I said as I pushed his hand off my shoulder. I collected more money from the people I passed by who so generously donated to me without even knowing. If I continued to use the same spot the knights will probably be informed of a pickpocket so I''ll need to either change locations or find a new source of income. I would need more information about this world if I wanted to survive so I bought a world map. I wasn''t allowed to look at it until I paid so I wasn''t sure what I was getting. It showed seven continents, but one of them had no details at all. The other continents showed trails, mountains and streams, but that one continent was colored black with nothing else on it. I wanted to get out of this city as soon as possible, but I didn''t know where to go. I had to buy another map that was focused on this continent. It showed more detail about this continent. I found what appeared to be many major cities and small villages. I decided to stop there for now and tour the city. I placed both maps into my satchel and went for a walk. I didn''t get to close, but I was able to see the palace. It had many tall towers with a giant defensive wall surrounding it and was made entirely of stone. There were flags with the same symbol on it. It was a purple flag with a triangle in the center. Each tip of the triangle had a different symbol inside of a circle. There was one more symbol in the center of the triangle. (The symbol in the middle.) Spoiler : I was quite far away, but I could still make out each of the symbols. The next thing I found were these three buildings that were very extravagantly made. They were made of pure white stone and had mosaic glass for the windows. They were very close to each other and looked very similar so I assumed they had a connection. A flag with a single symbol was hanging above each door to the three buildings. These three flags were the only difference between the buildings. Each flag was white with a symbol in the middle of it. I noticed these were the same three symbols on the flag at the palace. (First symbol) Spoiler : (Second symbol) Spoiler : (Third symbol) Spoiler : Becket:"They remind me of churches." I wanted to go inside, but I decided against it for today. I was ecstatic when I finally found the market, but it didn''t have a large variety of food and spices. It was probably because I''m in a poor part of the city. I bought what looked good and got a few seeds to use as experiments. I spent a lot of time out so I decided to return to the inn. When I entered I noticed there was no one manning the front desk. I walked towards the stairs, but stopped when the color red caught my eye. I saw a drop of blood on the counter. If it wasn''t for my enhanced vision I wouldn''t of seen it. My satchel was filled with the things I bought and felt a little uncomfortable so I took it off. Aria popped her head out of it. Aria:"Are we back?" Becket:"Ssshhhhh!" I placed my finger on my lips. I didn''t want anyone to hear us if they were still here. Aria:"This isn''t our room?" Becket:"Quiet please." Aria:"Why?" Becket:"I''ll explain in a minute just be quiet." Aria:"Fine but if you don''t keep this promise I''ll make your ass regret it. I''m still waiting on those clothes you said you''d make." She finally shut up so I made my way over to the blood drop and when I leaned over the counter there was more blood. It led to the door behind the counter that was currently closed. I stepped behind the counter and cracked the door open. Inside was a hallway with no one in it so I opened the door wide. The blood drops made a trail down the hallway and led to another door. I stealthily glided to the door and pressed my ear against it. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Female voice:"Just tell us where you put the money and we''ll leave." Male voice:"Lets just kill him. We don''t need the money as long as we''re together." Female voice:"Shut up! I''m not leaving here poor! I''m sick of this life style! Give me the money!" I heard a thump which sounded like someone falling to the ground. I cracked the door open and saw two people standing with their backs facing me and goatee guy on the floor with his hands tied behind his back. He looked badly beaten and had cuts all over him. The male that was standing had a small dagger in his right hand with blood on it. I saw this as a chance to get a contact in this new world. If I save him he might be able to help me and if he''s just a problem I could always kill him. I also didn''t want to move to a new inn since this one was the best of the worst. I pulled the door open and ran in. I wanted to test out my body a little so I tried a dive kick into the girl and used her as a spring board to launch myself towards the man. The woman slammed into the wall causing her to black out immediately. My head went straight into the mans stomach sending him falling back into the hallway. I wouldn''t have been able to do that in my previous world, but I decided that much effort wasn''t necessary just to take out these two so I probably wouldn''t attack like that again. The man threw up on himself after landing in the hallway. He tried to stand with shaky legs, but slipped in his own vomit and landed right back where he was. I turned my attention to the goatee guy and he had a look of relief on his face. Becket:"You ok goatee guy?" Goatee Guy:"Goatee guy? Is that suppose to be me?" Becket:"Sorry. I didn''t know what else to call you." I cut his ropes and helped him sit up. Goatee Guy:"You know how to heal?" Becket:"Sorry I don''t." I remembered that Aria told me only elves can use healing spells. *So he noticed I was an elf.* I had hoped the hood was able to hide my ears, but I guess it didn''t work. Becket:"Is there anywhere I can take you to get healed?" Goatee Guy:"Of course not. The only healers in the city either cost to much or work for the royal family. I''ll just have to get something to drink to ease the pain." Becket:"What should we do about them?" I motioned with my head towards the girl then the man in the hallway who either gave up or passed out. Goatee Guy:"Tie ''em up for me." Becket:"Sure." I pulled the vomit guy into the room and set him next to the girl then used rope that was in the room to tie them up. Goatee Guy:"I''ll have to do something about them." Becket:"Isn''t there someone you can turn them in to for attacking you?" Goatee Guy:"The knights aren''t going to care. She didn''t kill me so they''ll just tell me to stop fighting with my wife. I hate this fucking city and the people in it. I should have known that fucking bitch was gonna do this." I wasn''t sure what to do so I placed my hand on his back and began to pat. Becket:"There there. Everything''s gonna be alright." Goatee Guy:"Why are you patting my back?" Becket:"To......comfort you?" Goatee Guy:"Hahahahahah! *cough* *cough*" A little but of blood came out of his mouth which he wiped away. Goatee Guy:"You''re a funny little girl!" I sighed and with a dejected look I said.... Becket:"I guess I am." *Pretending to be a girl is better.....for now.* I had some prior knowledge regarding plants that I could use on this mans injuries, but I couldn''t find any that I needed while I was at the market. I wanted to be prepared in case I get hurt since even a small cut can kill you. This world seemed to resemble the medieval times of my world which is famous for it''s uncleanliness so an infection was a real concern. Becket:"Do you have any medicinal herbs here?" Goatee Guy:"What''re those?" Becket:"I want to know if you have any plants that help prevent infection." Goatee Guy:"What''s an infection?" *Either this world doesn''t know anything about medicinal plants or this guy doesn''t know.* It wasn''t hard to believe that the medical field was behind since they had magic here. The people probably never thought that there could be other ways to heal a person. The mercenary group I was apart of had a guy that use to be a doctor and always carried different herbs and poisons around with him. He taught me a lot about plants and poisons including how they affected the human body. I use to spar with him for hours all the time since he really enjoyed knives too. I lost more times then I won since he always covered his blade in something that caused paralysis. I was told he made it himself, but the main ingredient was tetrodotoxin. At first I had no idea what that was then he told me it was the toxin from a pufferfish which pissed me off. If there had been to much of that toxin on the blade I could have died. He told me that he would never make that mistake, but I had to lock myself in my personal quarters to knit a whole new sweater before I could calm down. My team members would get me so angry sometimes that if I didn''t have knitting to calm myself than I would have attacked someone. I swore I would get him back so I had him teach me everything about different herbs and toxins. Since I had no medicinal herbs I could only clean and wrap his wounds. Goatee Guy:"You sure are handy. I wish I would of married a girl like you!" *If I don''t get some yarn and a sewing needle soon I might end up killing this guy.* He was starting to really piss me off so I pulled tightly on his wraps. Goatee Guy:"Aaahhh! That hurt! Be a little gentler!" Becket:"Sure thing goatee guy." Goatee Guy:"What''s wrong with me. You saved my life and I still haven''t introduced myself. I''m Gene." Becket:"Nice to meet you Gene. I''m Becket." Gene:"Becket huh. Doesn''t suit you. How about Sara." I pulled even tighter on his wraps. Gene:"Aaaaaaahhhhhhh! Fuck! I get it! I''ll call you Becket!" I released my hold on the wraps and backed away. Becket:"Well I''m done treating your wounds." Gene:"Why''d you wrap me up in this?" Becket:"It''ll help trust me." Gene:"Whatever. At least with em covered up the air can''t make my cuts sting." Becket:"Ok so what do we do now. Those two will wake up eventually." Gene:"I''m not sure. She may be a bitch, but she''s still my wife. I wouldn''t feel right if anything bad happened to her." Becket:"Even after she did this to you." I pointed at all the injuries on him. Gene:"That''s just how I feel. I''ve always loved her, but I''ve known our relationship was over for a while. I thought that if I made a lot of money and took her away from here things might get better. For now lets just deal with her when she wakes up. I''m fine with killing the guy though." Chapter 5- Ice Hole Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. ************************************************ Chapter 5 Becket:"If you want to kill him go ahead. I can''t stay in this room." I was covering my nose while I left the room and made my way back to Aria. Since my senses were enhanced I could smell a very powerful scent coming from the vomit. I could deal with the other stenches I''ve come across so far, but vomit wasn''t something I could handle as easily. I did try to bare it, but I had to give up. Arias little head was pocking out of the bag. Aria:"Can I talk now?" Becket:"Sure." I picked up the satchel and headed up to my room. Becket:"I wonder if vomit smell sticks to wood." This building along with all the others in this part of town are made of wood and are at most three floors. During the morning the streets outside are fairly empty, but in the afternoon they become so full of people that it''s hard to walk. The numbers thin down to a moderate crowd as it gets closer to night. It''s more lively and it''s easier to pickpocket so I decided to set the afternoon as my money collecting time. I entered the room and set my satchel down. I pulled each of the items I bought out and organized them into groups. There weren''t many choices at the market, but I found some things. I found what appeared to be a tomato and carrots. They were both blue so I wasn''t really sure if they would taste the same. I bit into the carrot then the tomato. Becket:"They taste exactly the same." They tasted completely normal. I then picked up this strange apple looking thing. It had a stem growing from two ends and was a mix of green and red swirled around on it. I took a bit and juice sprayed out. It was delicious, but I had no idea what it was. I was surprised that such a poor looking market place would have such juicy food. Aria:"I want some!" Becket:"Do you know what this is?" Aria:"Those are Dylios apples." I gave her a quizzical look. Aria:"Do you even remember who Dylios is?" Becket:"So Dylios is a person?" Aria:"Not exactly. Dylios is one of the seven gods that came to our world and gave power to the people." Becket:"God? There are seven gods?" Aria:"Yes. Dylios is the god mostly worshipped by the dwarves. This fruit was named after him since according to legend they sprouted up were ever he went. They''re abundant in the dwarven continent and their juiciness made them popular with all races." *I wonder what other kinds of food this world has.* I broke off a piece for Aria and handed it to her. Becket:"Thanks for the information." She smiled happily then devoured the piece of fruit. So far food seems to be similar to my old worlds food with some new things which excites me. I traveled a lot thanks to my work so I''ve gotten to taste all sorts of foreign food. I''ll be looking forward to finding a more expensive market to shop at. I recognized the different flowers I passed by on my way here so plants seemed to be similar too. This was a good thing since I planned on testing something''s out. I pulled out one of the seeds I bought. The person who sold it to me had no idea what kind of seed it was so I have to figure it out myself. I wanted to test my nature ability so I pulled out a cheap clay cup I bought earlier. I had already filled it with dirt so I pushed the seed into it. Becket:"Grow." I said in a commanding voice. A flower sprouted out and fully bloomed. I pinched the stem to break the flower off and held it in my hand. Aria:"What are you doing?" Becket:"Experimenting." Aria:"Oh! Are you going to make that flower dance!" Becket:"No." Aria:"Why don''t you try making it dance." Becket:"Could you be quiet for a few minutes. I need to concentrate." Aria:"You''re always telling me to shut up." Becket:"I promise I''ll start working on that dress as soon as I finish this experiment so please be quiet." Aria:"...ok" She glided over to the chair and landed on it. I went back to focusing on the flower and I suddenly felt something being pulled from inside of me. It made me jump a little so I dropped the flower which then stabbed into the wooden floor stem down. I picked it up and noticed how hard it felt. A second ago it was a normal flower now it felt like metal. Becket:"What the hell?" I touched the stem that stabbed into the ground and it drew blood. Becket:"Ah!" I didn''t expect it to cut so easily. How did I do this to the flower? I dumped out the dirt in the cup onto the floor and pulled a handful of dirt I had in my satchel out to fill the cup. I made sure to get enough dirt for a few experiments before returning to the inn. I found another seed that looked like it was the same one and pushed it into the dirt, but this time I left my finger in it still touching the seed. I closed eyes and I focused like before without trying a vocal command this time. I felt something being pulled from inside me and my finger started getting pushed up. When I opened my eyes I saw the same flower as before, but with a slight color difference and fully bloomed. I tried to pinch the stem, but I couldn''t break it. Becket:"Interesting." I decided to stop here with the experiment. I put the flower next to the bed and dusted off my hands. They had a little dirt on them I brushed them against my pants. Becket:"Ok I''ll start working on your dress now." Aria:"Finally! New clothes!" She flew up into the air and spun around in joy. I pulled out the curtain robe, my knife and a sewing kit I bought. It wasn''t hard to make the precise cuts using my knife, but I was worried about how it would look and hold up. I was using high quality fabric for most of the dress, but the stitching that will hold it together will be low quality. I worked very diligently to connect each part of the fabric perfectly. I don''t mean to brag, but I''ve been told the clothes I make are pieces of art. This may have come from anonymous people online that browse my secret sewing forum. I finished the dress after several hours and noticed Aria was sleeping on the bed beside me. Becket:"What happened to this bed being nasty?" I stood up and stretched my arms and legs then set the dress next to Aria. Becket:"Lets go see how goatee guy is doing. Oh! I forgot his name is Gene." I quietly left the room and made my way down stairs. Gene wasn''t at the counter so I went to the room I left him in. I found him sitting there alone. Becket:"What happened?" He turned and looked at me with sad eyes. Gene:"I tried to convince her that things would get better, but she didn''t believe me." Stolen novel; please report. Becket:"What happened to those two." Gene:"I let them go. I couldn''t bring myself to kill her or him. I''m to much of a coward to take a life with my own hands. I gave her the money she wanted and they left." Becket:"Some people just aren''t killers. You did what you felt was right." I began to pat him on the back again. Gene:"Thanks. I really did love her more than anything else, but I guess that wasn''t enough. Love is a weak emotion. It can easily be made or broken." Becket:"Not for everyone. Some people never lose their love." Gene:"I hope I''m not one of those people. I don''t think I could live with this crushing feeling." I grabbed his shoulders and pulled him up. Becket:"Lets go out tonight and have a few drinks." Gene:"I don''t think I''m in the mood to drink." Becket:"Well I feel like drinking and I don''t know any good places." Gene:"There''s one place I know that''s good, but it''s for men. You probably wouldn''t like it there." I thought to myself for a few minutes. Gene felt like a good guy and I wanted to make a contact that I can trust so I decided to gamble and trust him. Becket:"I didn''t tell you before, but I''m actually a guy." Gene:"With a pretty face like that......." He stopped talking since I had dropped my pants and revealed my proof of manhood. Becket:"See." I pulled my pants up. Becket:"Lets go out tonight and have some fun." Gene:"Wait! You''re a boy! But you have breasts!" Gene put both his hands on my chest try to feel for breasts. Becket:"It''s just a chest plate." He kept feeling around so I had to smack his hands down. Becket:"So what do you say?" He stopped to think for a few minutes. Gene:"Well I guess I do owe you my life so I might as well get to know you better. Lets do it!" Becket:"I have to run up to my room to get something''s." Gene:"Ok I''ll get some money and wait out front." I ran up to my room to grab my coin pouch. I pushed the door open and saw Aria had changed into her dress. Aria:"Becket it''s wonderful!" She flew around the room at incredible speeds. Becket:"Calm down." I walked over to my satchel and took out my coin pouch then fastened it to my belt. Aria:"You going somewhere?" Becket:"Yeah. There''s someone who needs cheering up." Aria:"Why bother?" Becket:"Because a local can be useful in certain situations. If I can make a trustworthy friend then more paths will open for us." Aria:"I don''t understand what you mean?" Becket:"All you need to know is he might be useful at some point." Aria:"Fine, but I''m coming too." Becket:"No not tonight." Aria:"Then bring me something back." Becket:"Sure." She seemed a little angry about being left behind, but she was a little more obedient. *Maybe she''s getting use to listening to me.* I found Gene outside. He placed a no vacancy sign on his door before we left. It was late in the afternoon so streets were starting to thin out. He chose the place since I had no idea where to go. It had a large blue sign that said Ice Hole. Somehow they kept it pretty cold inside which felt great since it appeared to be summer outside. It had three floors, but only the first was used for drinking. There were about 15 tables inside and only three were empty. It smelled like alcohol, sweat and vomit, but they must have a pretty good cleaner since the vomit smell was weak. Body odor wasn''t something I had any problem with even with my enhanced sense of smell. They had young women bringing the alcohol to each table. They were all fairly attractive even though they were obviously from poor households. After a few rounds of drinking and chatting which mostly consisted of him telling me his life story I noticed some of the women who were delivering drinks going upstairs with some of the men. *So this place is a brothel too.* The three floors made sense to me now. The women probably use the rooms on the other two floors to service men. I felt bad since some of the girls looked really young, but it was just one of those things that I couldn''t do anything about so I tried to ignore it. After a while I had to act like I was still drinking since I didn''t want to spoil Genes fun or get blackout drunk. Honestly I''d love to drink until I pass out, but I can''t afford to lose my wits in this world. The door slammed open and three guy in silver armor walked in. I started to remember something when I saw them. The men that attacked me when I woke up wore similar looking armor except theirs was brownish. I hadn''t gotten a good look at the guards patrolling for me so this was the second time I could really see the armor. I could only tell this armor apart from normal armor worn by commoners since theirs had a triangle engraved in the chest and seemed to be much higher quality. I had assumed the triangle meant they worked for the royal family. They stepped in and the room went quiet. Knight:"No need for silence. We''re here to drink!" People:"Yeeeeeaaaaaahhhhh!" All the people inside the bar cheered. The knights found a table which was fairly close to Gene and I. They were talking about something so I focused my hearing to try and pick up their conversation. Knight 1:"We better get all our drinking done today cause tomorrow it''ll be nothing, but training." Knight 2:"Fuuuuuck. Why does she have to come back now. I thought she retired." Knight 3:"She did try to retire, but a Warlord will always be given work for as long as they''re alive." Knight 2:"Isn''t she like 85?" Knight 1:"Yeah, but she can still defeat entire armies alone. The Warlord rank isn''t anything to scoff at." Knight 2:"I know but she''s such a bitch. It''s always train train train. If only she could have found a man while she was young than maybe she wouldn''t be such a cunt." Knight 3:"Wait I thought she had a son?" Knight 1:"He was adopted. They aren''t actually related by blood." Knight 3:"What''s he like?" Knight 1:"Everyone seems to think he''ll be the next Warlord." Knight 2:"Shit. So the next ones going to be just like the current one. That''s fucking terrible news." Knight 1:"Well they are strong." Knight 2:"I need to have some fun tonight since we''ll be locked in training for a while." The conversation then drifted off to which of the girls here they planned to have fun with. *I wonder what a Warlord is?* Chapter 6- Red Eyes Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. I updated the story info with birth rates and life spans for each race. I also added the colors that signify each knight and mage ranks. ************************************************ Chapter 6 ****************Aelisia POV***************** I''ve spent my entire life training my body. I was abandoned as a child so I never had a real family. I was taken care of by a small orphanage until I turned 13. I was lucky since I showed skill in swordsmanship and got adopted by a knight who held the rank of High Knight. The ranking system for knights and mages has been accepted by all races except dragons. They don''t follow traditional rankings. I followed the path of the knight which has seven rankings and a corresponding color for their armor that they have to wear. The ranks and colors are Initiate Knight that wears leather armor, Apprentice Knight that wears bronze armor, Knight that wears silver armor, High Knight that wears purple armor, Grand Knight that wears blue armor, Grandmaster Knight that wears green armor and the highest rank is Warlord that wears red armor. The four highest colors red, green, blue and purple are not allowed to be worn as armor by anyone that doesn''t hold the corresponding rank as a knight. It''s seen as a sign of disrespect to have those colors on your armor and they can be executed immediately. My only focus was training and anything else was pushed away. I was never with a man and never able to start my own family. I''m currently 85 and I''ve reached the rank of Warlord. My body is still in good condition for my age with a few wrinkles and my hair has turned completely white. I have blue eyes and wear red armor which shows my rank as Warlord. Man:"Mother we''re almost there." I was currently walking down a hallway with a red rug and paintings of past kings. The man beside me is the boy I adopted 14 years ago. Just like the knight who adopted me I picked him up when I saw the talent in him. The two of us stopped in front of a rather large door with a triangle engraved on it. There was a symbol in the center of the triangle. (Shown it before, but this is the symbol.) Spoiler : The door suddenly started to open. Inside was another red rug with gold lining it''s edges and leading up to a stone throne. Knights were lined up along the rug mostly wearing silver armor. There was a man sitting on the throne tapping one of his fingers on the arm of the chair. I walked forward while my son followed after me. King:"You''ve finally arrived Aelisia." Aelisia:"What did you call me here for Francis?" A flash of anger appeared on the kings face. King Francis:"I am your king and you will show me the respect I deserve by addressing me properly." Aelisia:"As soon as you do something worth respecting." The king sighed. He knew the power a Warlord held so he decided to move on to business. His expression relaxed and he continued the conversation. King Francis:"I summoned you to help in an extermination." Aelisia:"There aren''t many things that require a Warlord to exterminate." The king kept tapping his fingers on the chairs arm. King Francis:"Vampires have entered the city and are killing civilians. I contacted the Vampire King, but he sent a message saying he had no time for foreign matters." Aelisia:"Can''t the other knights handle this." King Francis:"Currently most of my high ranking knights are out on a job. The vampires inside the city also appear to be quite powerful since two of my High Knights have died. I released the news that you came here to give special training to the lower ranked knights so that we could avoid a panic." Aelisia:"So you want me to train the knights and hunt down these vampires." King Francis:"Yes." Aelisia:"I''ll train the knights, but I''m leaving the job of hunting the vampires to my son Gideon." I stepped to the side to show the man behind me to the king. King Francis:"You had a son?" Aelisia:"No I adopted him." King Francis:"Oh. That makes sense." The young man stepped forward. He was tall standing at six foot five with a muscular but lean build and appeared to be around 25. He had brown hair and green eyes. His ears had a slight point to them, but it wasn''t enough to think he was an elf. The king noticed the ears and eyes. King Francis:"Green eyes are common among elves. Are you part elf boy." Gideon:"I was told my great grandfather was half elf sir." He spoke in a respectful tone while on one knee. King Francis:"I don''t like elves." Aelisia was curious about why he suddenly hated elves since she had never heard about it before. Aelisia:"What.....did an elf fuck your daughter or something?" The king shot up from his throne and stared down with an angry glare. King Francis:"Leave at once! I don''t care how you do it just complete your job!" I snorted at him before turning and leaving. The doors closed immediately after our exit. Gideon:"Mother why do you speak to the king like that?" Aelisia:"He''s just a fool who confuses political power with true strength." I marched down the hallway towards the knight barracks to take out some stress on them. *****************Becket POV**************** I had to carry Gene back to the inn since he couldn''t walk anymore. One of the girls had approached him to offer her services after he already had too much, but he just started crying. *I guess getting over his wife won''t be very easy.* The roads were almost completely empty so I didn''t have to worry about all the attention Genes drunken state would bring me. We only passed one person so far during our walk back to the inn. It was pretty dark out, but luckily there was some type of glow stone imbedded in the streets every few meters that gave off a dim yellow light. Gene started to become a hassle so I knocked him out and threw him over my shoulder. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! As I walked towards the inn I felt a chill in the air and a strange tingling sensation pulsated throughout my body. Suddenly all of my senses told me I was under attack so I leapt to the side. A humanoid shape landed where I previously was. I immediately noticed the red glowing eyes. I pulled the dagger out and pointed it towards red eyes. I could feel hostile intent. Becket:"I don''t want any trouble!" Red Eyes:"Sorry but my master''s hungry." He lunged at me so I jumped back. His finger tips were sharp and sliced into my cheek. Once I landed I set Gene down. Red eyes was licking the fingers that had a little of my blood on it. Red Eyes:"You taste really good, but this doesn''t seem like elf blood?" *Is this hood even hiding anything!?* I was a little pissed that my hood didn''t seem to hide my identity as an elf, but I put that aside for now. Red Eyes:"Maybe I should have another taste." He jumped at me again and I received many small cuts across my arms and legs which I had to use to block his attacks. He was so fast that I couldn''t block everything by only using the dagger so I had to take some hits. I was completely on the defensive so I had no time to counter attack. I was currently fighting at a speed I wasn''t use to which made things harder. He suddenly put some distance between us. Red Eyes:"You''re not an elf." Becket:"What makes you think that?" Red Eyes:"You''re to fast. Elves always die with one hit." Knight:"You there! Halt!" I turned my head and saw a group of four knights running towards us all in purple armor. Red Eyes:"I''ll be back for you." Red eyes took off running in the other direction and was gone before the knights reached me. Three of the knights ran by me chasing after red eyes while one stopped. Knight:"You ok?" Becket:"Yeah thanks." Knight:"Get home now. Don''t take detours." Becket:"Sure." I picked Gene up and threw him over my shoulder trying to use his body to hide my face from the knight. I started walking towards the inn. Knight:"Wait!" I stopped and stood still. The knight walked up to me. Knight:"What''s your name?" Becket:"Steve." Knight:"Steve? Weird name. Where can I find you. I''ll need to question you later." I wasn''t sure what to say since I didn''t know the names of any other inns or the names of each district within the city, but before I could answer a sound rang out. Other Knight:"Aaaaahhhhh!" The knight standing next to me went into an alert state with his sword drawn. Knight:"Report to the castle tomorrow morning about who attacked you." The knight ran off towards the screaming knight. I quickly made my way back to the inn. Once inside I felt relief wash over me. Whatever attacked me made me feel fear for the first time in awhile. If I had more practice with this body I''m sure I could have beaten it, but those eyes felt powerful. I entered Genes room for the first time. He had a simple bed with brown sheets. I hoped they were naturally brown. A wooden bedside table was positioned on each side of the bed. There was a door to the left which I assumed was a closet and a window to the right. I pulled the covers back and dropped Gene into his bed then covered him up. He started mumbling, but I couldn''t understand what he was saying. I left and went back to my room. Aria was already asleep on the bed. She didn''t take up much space, but she was lying in the middle so I had to slide in next to her and sleep on my side. In my dreams I drifted off into the past again. About a year and a half after my father stopped drinking he died from cirrhosis of the liver. My mother was devastated and couldn''t handle taking care of me anymore. I stayed in contact with the man I attacked and called him up when I had no else to go. His name was Steve and he offered me a place to stay. He lived alone and had no family so he was happy to get some company. He caught me one day sewing and I was never able to live it down. It felt like I had an older brother. Steve:"Have you thought about what you''re going to do after high school?" Me:"Yeah I''m joining the military like you." Steve:"There are other things you can do. The military isn''t your only option." Me:"I know, but I want to do it." Steve:"I won''t fight your decision, but make sure you think hard on this." Me:"I will." After high school I joined the marine corps and volunteered for the scout/sniper battalion. I spent six years as a sniper in the marines and have 3 confirmed kills. I woke up when I felt something hitting my face. My eyes slowly opened and I saw a tiny fist hit me right in the eye. Becket:"Aaahh! Why''d you poke me in the eye?" Aria:"I was punching you!" Becket:"Why were you punching me?" Aria:"You were gone all night long! I was worried something happened!" Becket:"You didn''t seem to worried when I came in last night. You were sleeping peacefully." Aria:"I got tired!" Aria crossed her arms and glared at me angrily. Aria:"Don''t leave me alone for that long anymore!" Becket:"Sorry." I was rubbing my eye to try and ease the irritation. Becket:"You can come with me next time ok." Aria:"Fine!" After a few minutes Arias anger started to fade along with the irritation in my eye. Aria:"I''m hungry." Becket:"I''m a little too. Lets go get something." I picked up my satchel and Aria zoomed right into it. On my way out I checked up on Gene and found him still asleep. I wasn''t surprised he was still asleep since the sun had probably only been up for a hour or two judging from what I saw out the window in his room. His sheets had all been pushed off the bed so I picked one up and threw it over him before leaving. Once outside I could still smell the morning dew and only a few people were out and about already. I set off to find something to eat for Aria and I. Chapter 7- Basic Warrior Stance Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. This chapter has a lot of information, but I need to get it out. ************************************************ Chapter 7 In order to increase my balance and maneuverability in this body I decided to start walking on my tippy toes which made me feel like a ballerina. Aria and I visited the same market as before and found a slight decrease in the options. Small booths were set up lining the streets and there''s always a crowd here. Some of the good vendors were gone so I ended up buying dried meat for the two of us to eat. I wanted to know why the vendors thinned out around here so I found someone to ask. He looked around 50, had a short white beard and sold blue carrots. Becket:"Hey what happened to the other vendors?" Blue Carrot Guy:"You haven''t heard? There''s a rumor going around that vampires are in the city targeting the people in this district." Becket:"Vampires?" Those red eyes from last night instantly came to mind. Blue Carrot Guy:"You don''t have to worry during the day since so far they''ve only attacking at night which means it''s probably one of the weaker ones." Becket:"What do you mean by that?" Blue Carrot Guy:"Well if it was a high ranked vampire like a Pure or Nosferatu than they wouldn''t have to fear the sun." Becket:"Wait vampires can walk under the sun? I always thought they turned to ash if exposed to sunlight." Blue Carrot Guy:"Only vampire servants turn to ash. Don''t you know the different rankings for vampires?" Becket:"Sorry I don''t. Could you tell me." Blue Carrot Guy:"Only if you buy something." Becket:"Fine. I''ll take four blue carrots." Blue Carrot Guy:"Blue carrots? I only have ganji." *I guess that''s what carrots are called here.* Becket:"Then give me four of those." He tossed four blue carrots over to me which I placed in my satchel next to Aria who had a bored expression on her face and pulled out my coin pouch to pay him. Becket:"Ok so tell me the rankings." Blue Carrot Guy:"The strongest ones are born vampires and are called pure vampires then the vampires turned by a pure are called Nosferatu. Those top two are the only ones that can walk under the sun." The old man started to stroke his beard. Blue Carrot Guy:" When a Nosferatu turns someone it''s called a Revenant which won''t die from the sun, but it will burn and weaken them. When a Revenant turns someone it''s called a Drac which will be immobilized under the sun. When they turn a person it''s called a vampire servant which turns to ash if exposed to the sun." Becket:"Can you distinguish a vampire from a normal person?" Blue Carrot Guy:"Every vampire has red eyes. Pures are born with them and the others get them when they''re turned. There are also Damphirs which are half pure since they''re the only ones able to have kids. They''re the only type of vampire without red eyes. They aren''t effected by the sun either, but their power can range from very weak to very strong." I organized all the information in my head before returning to the conversation. Becket:"Thanks. I''ll buy from you again." Blue Carrot Guy:"I''m planning on leaving the city tonight so you won''t get a chance to." Becket:"Oh. One more question. Are the rankings for the vampires common knowledge?" Blue Carrot Guy:"Well not really, but I spent a few years in Ardeal trading so I''m fairly knowledgable when it comes to them." Becket:"Ardeal?" Blue Carrot Guy:"The vampire capitol. Where the vampire king lives." He gave a little chuckle. Blue Carrot Guy:"You need to learn a little about the people around you. The ignorance of youth can get you killed." Becket:"Thanks I''ll remember that." I gave a wave as I pushed through the crowd away from blue carrot guy. I now knew my encounter last night was with a vampire. This body needed practice so I headed back to the inn. When I entered Gene was sitting at the counter. Gene:"You''re back Becket." Becket:"Yeah." Gene:"Thanks for last night. I feel a lot better about things." I walked across the room towards the stairs with Gene watching me. Becket:"I''ll be in my room if you need me." Gene:"Why are you walking like that?" I was still on my tippy toes so I probably looked a little weird. Becket:"Balance training." Gene:"Balance training? What for?" Becket:"For fights." Gene:"Who are you planning to fight?" Becket:"Anyone that attacks me." Gene:".....ok." I gave him a nod before going up the stairs. Once inside my room I tossed my satchel onto the bed. Aria:"Aaaahhh! I''m still in here!" Becket:"Sorry. I Forgot you were in there." Aria was grumbling as she pulled the piece of dried meat out of the satchel and began nibbling on it. I was now focused on improving my control over this body. It was time I started practicing. To begin I got into the basic warrior stance I learned in the marines with my feet apart, hands up, elbows in, chin down and feet shoulder-width apart. Aria:"What are you doing?" *Why do I get asked questions all the time?* Becket:"Practicing." Aria:"Me too!" She flew over and landed to the right of me. She tried and failed to copy my stance. I started throwing basic punches, elbows, uppercuts and hooks then moved on to kicks, knee strikes and stomps. I made a good bit of noise, but Gene didn''t come up stairs. Aria was trying to mimic me, but she obviously couldn''t. Aria:"Fuck this!" Aria flew up into the air and zoomed over to the bed where she plopped down. Becket:"Giving up already?" Aria:"It''s to hard. I''m just gonna watch you." Becket:"Ok but I think it''s fun." I went back to my practice. ****************Aelisia POV**************** I was currently standing in a field with lush green grass below my feet and a vast blue sky above me. A large group of knights were standing in front of me dressed in full armor and covered in sweat which anyone within three feet could smell. Aelisia:"I want each of you to find a partner and spar. If you win the match you can go clean yourself up, but if you lose I want 200 more push ups." You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. The knights started to scramble to get to the people they wanted to fight before they were taken. One of the High Knights dressed in their purple armor finished his fight and was going to leave when I called him over. Aelisia:"You! Get over here." He looked a little frightened which made me chuckle. Aelisia:"What''s the deal with the king and his new found hatred towards elves?" He seemed to hesitate so I stiffened my gaze. He trembled then started to speak. High Knight:"A-an elf l-laid hands on p-p-princess Eva." I paused for a second to process the information. Aelisia:"Hahahahhaha! I was right! So what happened to the elf?" I continued to giggling as he talked. High Knight:"He escaped. W-we haven''t caught him yet." Aelisia:"That''s one brave elf! What else do you know about him?" High Knight:"His n-name is Becket. He was hired a month ago a-as a healer for the knights in training. The p-princess took a liking to him and started coming down to s-see him." Aelisia:"What was he like?" The knight seemed to have finally gained his composure. He let out a big breath and straightened his back. High Knight:"He kept his distance from everyone except the princess. The only time he interacted with other people was to heal the injured knights." Aelisia:"That''s enough." The knight was dismissed since I got what I needed. I left one of the higher ranked knights to watch the rest of them finish their workout as I made my way back to the palace. I was given a luxurious room with a large canopy bed that could fit three people and white silk sheets. To the left of the bed was a balcony that showed off the royal garden and to the right was a large wardrobe with a full length mirror inside. I opened the wardrobe and started removing my armor. I kept the black shirt and pants, that I wore under my armor, and my sword on. I got into a meditative position on the cold stone floor in the center of the room. It was time to balance my inner mana. I was never good at controlling outer mana so I had no promise as a mage. There are two types of mana in the world which are inner and outer mana. Knights learn to master inner mana while mages master outer mana. Either one requires a great deal of concentration though some people are born as naturals that can use one of the two manas easily. I was finished balancing my inner mana when I heard a knock at the door. *Knock Knock* I stretched my legs and arms out since they were feeling a little stiff. Aelisia:"Enter." The door glided open and Gideon was standing on the other side. Aelisia:"Don''t just stand there come in." He walked into the room and stopped a few feet away. I was still sitting on the floor stretched out. Gideon:"Four of the knights encountered a vampire last night in the Garnet district." Aelisia:"Oh. Well what happened?" Gideon:"Three of them died. One was late so he survived." Aelisia:"Why was he late?" Gideon:"The knights stopped the vampire from attacking a young woman who was helping a drunkard home. One of the knights stayed behind to question the woman." Aelisia:"Did they get a description of the vampire or figure out which kind it is?" Gideon:"The knight that survived didn''t get a good look." Aelisia:"What about the young woman? What did she see?" Gideon:"We don''t know. She was told to report to the castle this morning, but never showed." Aelisia:"Did he really think a woman from the Garnet district would come to the castle? Even if she did the knights on guard probably would have shooed her off." Gideon:"I''ll have the knight come up with a description of her to pass around." Aelisia:"Finding her is not going to be easy. That district is full of young women trying to earn enough to live." Gideon:"I''ll have patrols in that district increased." Aelisia:"Tell them if they do find her try not to scare her. I''m sure being attacked by a vampire was frightening enough to begin with." Gideon:"Of course. I''ll be getting back to work now." He turned around and left the room. ****************Becket POV*************** It''s been a week since the vampire attack and I''ve continued practicing with this body everyday. I''m now able to keep up with and perform movements that were impossible in my last world. Gene has gone out drinking every night this week, but he''s started to come back fairly sober so I guess he''s starting to get over his wife. I was curious one day and asked him so he told me what those three white stone buildings were. They are churches for the three gods worshiped by the humans. There are actually seven gods in total, but the humans only worship those three. The first god is Dylios who is the only god worshipped by the dwarves. The second god is Haarus who the beastmen worship and the third is Ofhena who the elves worship. Humans are the only race that worships more than one god. Aria and I were wiping ourselves down in our room which was now filled with many different flowers that I used to experiment a little with my ability. Aria:"The flowers really help with this rooms smell." Becket:"I found some with a sweet fragrance and I thought they would make this room a little more bearable." There wasn''t much sunshine in the room, but they didn''t seem to wither after I supplied them with mana which according to Aria was the pull I felt when forcing the flowers to grow and harden. We finished cleaning ourselves so we put our clothes back on. She didn''t seem to hesitate when taking her clothes off which I took as a sign that she didn''t feel embarrassed so I started to wonder if she might be older than she looks. Maybe she just didn''t understand not to undress in front of men. Aria:"Becket." I turned my head to look at her when she called my name. Becket:"Yes." Aria:"I wanted to thank you for rescuing and taking care of me all this time so as a reward I''d like to give you one of my blessings." Becket:"Are you sure? You told me you can only bless up to five people in your life." Aria:"I owe you my life so I feel it''s only fair to give one to you." Becket:"Ok. So how do we do it?" Chapter 8- Adventurers Guild Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. ************************************************ Chapter 8 Aria:"I have no idea what your unique magic will be. It might not be helpful at all." Becket:"It doesn''t matter what it is. The fact that you''re will to give one to me shows your appreciation." Aria:"Take off your shirt." I slipped my shirt off and tossed it over to the bed. During our stay here I had personally stripped the sheets off the bed and washed them. I used a scented shampoo I created from some of the flowers growing in the room which Aria and I also used to wash our hair and bodies. Aria flew up to my chest and placed both hands near my heart. Aria:"Brace yourself. I''ve never done this before so I''m not sure what might happen." A light started to leak from her hands and began flashing. The flashes sped up until they matched my heartbeat. I started to feel a tingling feeling in my chest then an intense pain when I was suddenly sent flying backwards into the wall. Aria:"Becket!" Becket:"I''m ok. My chest hurts a little, but other than that I''m fine." I stood up and shook each limb to see if they were hurting. The pain in my chest faded and I had no injuries so walked back over to Aria. Becket:"Did it work?" Aria:"It should have. I only know how to bless someone. I''ve never seen it done before or met anyone that''s gone through it so I''m not sure if it worked." I didn''t feel any different so I hopped a few times in place then tried a few jabs and kicks, but I felt completely normal. Becket:"Nothing seems different." Aria:"Should we try again?" Becket:"No. I might already have it but don''t understand how to use it. I wouldn''t want you to waste a blessing by trying it again." Aria:"Ok. So what do you have planned for today?" Becket:"So far all I''ve got planned is eating breakfast Gene." Aria:"That''s boring. I haven''t gotten to really see the city yet." Becket:"It can''t be helped. It would draw to much attention if others saw you." Aria:"There''s got to be some way." I placed my hand on my chin and started to think for a few minutes. Becket:"I think I might have an idea." Aria:"Really!" Becket:"We''ll talk about it after I finish breakfast." Aria:"Ok!" I left Aria in the room with some food for her to eat while I went to eat with Gene who I''ve been having breakfast with every other morning. Aria started to feel lonely eating alone so I decided to eat with her one day and Gene the next. I rotate between the two since they both seem to really want me around. For breakfast Gene usually pulls up chairs to the counter where guests check in. He''s always the cook which isn''t a good thing. I assume his wife cooked all his meals before. I was curious how he stayed in business since there had only been two guests since I started staying here and they only stayed for a night each. Gene:"So what are you doing in this city anyway?" Becket:"I wish I knew. For now I want to learn about this place before setting off into the world." Gene:"So you''re looking for adventure. Have you joined the adventurers guild?" Becket:"I''ve never heard of the adventurers guild. What is it exactly?" Gene:"It''s an organization that popped up a long time ago that gives out dangerous jobs. They can range from mapping out an area to defeating monsters. Even the lowest ranked adventurer is skilled." Becket:"Hm. Maybe I''ll go check it out. Where is it?" Gene:"It''s a few streets down past the three gods churches close to the rear defensive wall of the palace. You won''t miss the building." I finished eating the gruel and went back upstairs. Aria was lying on the bed just kicking her feet up into the air. Becket:"Aria." She sat up fast and looked at me. Becket:"I''m going to visit the adventurers guild. Do you want to come?" Aria:"Yeah!" She flew up into the air and I threw my hood up. I untied the ribbon and let my hair fall straight down. Becket:"Hide behind my neck and use my hair to cover yourself then you''ll be able to see the city." Aria:"Great!" Aria landed on my shoulder and crawled behind my neck. My hood covered her from the back and my hair covered the parts of her that were visible from the front. The only part you could see was her tiny little face in my hair, but it wasn''t likely that anyone would notice that. I said my farewells to Gene before heading out to the adventurers guild. There was a bit of a crowd so I decided to earn a few extra coins on the way. He was right when he said I wouldn''t miss it. It was wooden like most of the buildings in this district, but it had four floors and seemed well maintained. There was a large sign with a picture on it of a man fighting a monster. It showed very detailed looking craftsmanship that wasn''t likely cheap. Inside there were four lines of people waiting to talk to one of the women working the counters. The four women working each line were pretty and mature looking. There was a sign above the counter where each woman worked. Reading from left to right the signs said Explorer, Adventurer, Gladiator and Guardian. I saw a set of stairs to the right of the lines with someone dressed in light armor that appeared to be guarding them. I assumed the three upper floors were for more important adventurers. I chose to get in the explorers line since judging from their armor they were the bottom in rankings. There were some scented plants in the room that helped with the smell of body odor coming from the men sweating through their armor. After a while of waiting I finally made it to the woman at the counter who had a smile on her face. Counter Woman:"Hello and what business do you have here today?" Becket:"I just learned of this guild and I''d like to see what kind of jobs I could get." Counter Woman:"First you need to sign up as an adventurer. We will create an account that holds all the money you make on each job and it can be accessed at any of our other establishments. A fee is also required for first time members." The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.She pulled out a black colored wristband with a white crystal imbedded in it. It kind of looked like a watch. Counter Woman:"This white stone is called a title stone and it will show your personal information. It''s a means of identification for guild members. The color of the band that the stone is fastened to signifies your rank in the guild. The bands colors are the same as a ranked mages robe colors. Explorers get black, adventurers get brown, gladiators get grey, guardians get purple, crusaders get blue, champions get green and hero''s get red." Becket:"So I''m guessing the three other floors to this building are reserved for those last three ranks." Counter Woman:"That''s correct." She hasn''t dropped that smile the entire time which is a little creepy. Counter Woman:"One drop of blood onto the crystal and you will officially join our guild starting as an Explorer." Becket:"How much is the fee?" Counter Woman:"10 amythest." I pulled out my coin pouch and payed the fee. Counter Woman:"Thank you." She slid the wristband over to me and I picked it up. After pricking my finger with one of my nails I let the blood drip down onto the white stone. It started to glow then it turned completely red. Counter Woman:"Welcome to the adventurers guild our new explorer. To check the information just say identify out loud while focusing on the crystal, but be careful around other people since anyone can see your information. The balance of your account will also be listed on there. Would you like to sign up for a job now?" Becket:"Yes. What do you have?" Counter Woman:"Since you''re still an explorer the jobs will be fairly easy. Lets see.....we have an herb collecting mission inside the dungeon. A merchant needs new ingredients." *Dungeon sounds bad.* Becket:"So I just need to collect herbs? What kind?" Counter Woman:"Herbs are your goal, but in order to prepare you for harder missions you will be placed in a group of adventurers. They have a scouting mission to do so you will accompany them and collect herbs while they scout. We try to rank the new recruits up fast in this guild so expect a little danger with each mission." Becket:"When will it start?" Counter Woman:"The adventurers will leave for the dungeon later this afternoon." She pulled out a blue stone and reached her other hand out towards me. Counter Woman:"Let me see your title stone." I passed it back to her. She brushed the blue stone over my now blood red title stone and they both faintly glowed. Counter Woman:"Now you have been registered for the mission. You have formed a group with the adventurers that you will be working with. The title stone can send short messages to group members so they will send a location when it''s time to meet up. The herbs you are looking for have also been registered with the stone so it will glow when they are near. As you get closer to it the glow will intensify." She passed the wristband back to me and I strapped it onto my wrist like a watch. Becket:"Thank you." Counter Woman:"You''re very welcome." She gave a slight bow. Her creepy smile was exactly the same as when we started our talk. I stepped out of the line and made my way to the door. Once outside I head straight back to the inn. Gene was sitting inside alone like usual only this time he had a book. Becket:"I didn''t take you for a reader." Gene:"I''m usually not. I was cleaning out one of the rooms when I found this hidden under a loose floor board. I''ve only read a few pages, but so far it''s apparently the story of how the world began." I walked over to him and looked at the book cover. It had a leather bind holding the pages together with a string that wrapped around it. Becket:"It looks hand made." Gene:"Yeah it is." Becket:"Could I look at it for a second?" Gene:"Sure." He passed the book over to me. I scanned a few pages before passing it back. It never crossed my mind until now, but why was I able to understand the language of this world? I could understand the people talking to me and I could read their language. It seemed completely normal to me so I never put much thought into it. Becket:"I''ll be in my room if you need me." Gene:"Ok. See you later." I walked up the stairs and entered my room. Aria:"Wow! There were so many people!" Aria flew out of her hiding spot and hovered near me. Aria:"I never knew there were so many humans!" Becket:"This is a city." Aria:"Can I go with you to collect herbs?" Becket:"Sure but stayed hidden." Aria:"Yes!" I sat down on my bed and started to empty my satchel out. I wanted as much space as possible to carry back herbs. When I was done I sat back on the bed and decided to chill until the group members contacted me. After a few hours of trying and failing to sleep I put my right hand in the air and looked at the title stone. Aria had already fallen asleep next to me. She can sleep all the time if she feels like it. Becket:"I haven''t checked my information yet. Maybe I should." I sat up in the bed and started to focus on the title stone. I could feel the same pull as when I used my mana for nature magic. Becket:"Identify."
Information
NameBecket Edwin
RaceElf
Age102Account Balance0
TitlesEnvoy Of The Fairy Princess Knight Of The Fairy Princess Keeper Of The Fairy Princess Blessed One Wandering Soul Explorer
MagicsNature Language Comprehension
BlessingBodily Augmentation (Through Ingestion)
Assigned JobHerb Collecting
Chapter 9- The Adventurers Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. ************************************************ Chapter 9 I was overcome with curiosity so I had to know what exactly my blessing did. I stood up and looked over at Aria. She didn''t wake up from me leaving the bed which was good since I didn''t want her to see what I was about to do. I stretched my hand out towards her and picked up one of her stray hairs which I then popped into my mouth. I swallowed it and waited. Becket:"Nothing seems to be happ........Aaaaaahhhhhh!" I screamed out in pain as a bone breaking feeling ran up my back. Becket:"Aaaaaahhhhhh!" I slammed against the wall then into the door which broke off it''s hinges. I fell down the stairs still screaming. Gene:"What happened!" Gene ran up to me, but I didn''t realize since I was blinded by the pain. I started clawing at my chest and tour off my shirt. Aria:"Becket!!" Aria flew down the stairs and hovered a few feet above me. Gene:"What the hell!" Gene noticed her and tried to swat her down, but she dodged his hand. I was still clawing at my chest which left bloody scratches. The pain masked the feeling of my mana being drawn to my back. After a few minutes insect wings popped out of my back and I passed out. When I opened my eyes I saw the same wooden roof I''ve been seeing for the last week. I felt a cold sensation on my head so I touched it and found a wet rag. I sat up and looked around at my room. The last thing I remembered was eating one of Arias hairs. One of the walls in here had a few broken boards as if something smashed them and my door was missing. I pulled my feet out from under the covers and placed them on the ground. I stood up and walked over to the door while looking around for Aria. I didn''t see her in the room so I went down stairs. Gene:"I wonder why he didn''t tell me about you?" Aria:"It was probably for my safety. A person could make a lot of money off of selling a fairy so telling people of my existence can be dangerous." Becket:"I don''t have to pay extra for having someone else staying in the same room do I?" Aria:"Becket!" Gene:"Becket!" Aria slammed her body into my face while hugging it and Gene pulled me into a hug that lifted my feet off the ground. Becket:"Put me down." Gene immediately set me down and backed off, but Aria was still clinging to my face so I had to peel her off. Her eyes were watery and she looked like she was about to cry. Aria:"I-I thought you w-were dying!" She was able to keep the tears from falling, but it was to late for Gene. His face was covered in tears and snot. Becket:"What happened? How long was I out?" Aria:"You went crazy and threw yourself all over the place then grew wings and passed out for about 10 minutes." Becket:"Wings?" I reached my hand around to my back and felt around, but there weren''t any wings. Becket:"I don''t have wings." Aria:"They vanished a few minutes after you passed out!" Gene:"She''s telling the truth. I saw them too." I noticed the scratches on my chest so I touched them which stung. When I closed my eyes and tried concentrating I could feel something at my back. When I attempted to push mana towards it like I did with the plants I felt a tingle then wings shot out of my back. Aria:"They''re back!" I opened my eyes and tried turning my head, but I could only see the ends of my wings so I reached around to feel them. They had kind of a leathery feel but stiffer and looked like Arias only bigger. I tried to flap them to fly and started to hover for a few seconds before turning upside down and landing on my head. Aria:"Becket!" Becket:"I''m ok." I sat cross legged on the floor and concentrated. I could feel the flow of my mana through my body better then before. The mana flowed to each of my limbs so I tried to cut off the flow going to my wings. They vanished immediately after cutting the flow. I was curious what would happen if I cut the flow off of another limb, but I decided not to try it since I might lose a body part. Becket:"Hey Gene how rare is the ability to fly?" Gene:"Well only a race born with wings like dragons can fly. Some mages have attempted it with wind magic, but I heard it didn''t end well." *This will be very useful if I need to escape from a situation.* I couldn''t keep the smile off of my face as I thought about being able to fly without the assistance of a machine which has only been a dream for humans in my world. I jumped up and brushed my pants off. I wanted to see what I could from eating other things. Becket:"I need to find some new things to eat." Aria:"You''re hungry? Me too!" Gene:"I was about to start lunch if the two of you want to join me." Aria:"Sure." *Great. I get more of his cooking.* I wanted to decline the offer, but couldn''t since Aria already accepted it. Becket:"I''ve got to go put a shirt on." I ran up the stairs and tossed on the first jacket I bought. I picked up my dagger and cut slits in the back for my wings. I can''t use them properly yet, but I wanted to be prepared. Aria and Gene talked all through lunch and she didn''t seem to mind his cooking. I think she was happy to talk to a different person for once. We hung out for a while after finishing the food and the title stone suddenly started to flash. I sent mana to it, but before I could say identify a message popped up.
New Message
Becket:"Identify."
Meet Outside Of West Gate Now
I stopped feeding mana and the message disappeared. Becket:"Seems to be a one time message. I guess an inbox was to much to ask for." Aria and Gene had been looking at me this whole time. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Becket:"I''ve got to go do a job. You want to come Aria?" Aria:"I''ll stay this time. I''m gonna talk with Gene some more." Becket:"Ok." I went upstairs to put on my chest plate and get my satchel. I was impressed by the elves natural healing since the scratches were already completely healed. I decided to check the title stone one more time while I was alone so I sent it some more mana. Becket:"Identify."
Information
NameBecket Edwin
RaceElf
Age102Account Balance0
TitlesEnvoy Of The Fairy Princess Knight Of The Fairy Princess Keeper Of The Fairy Princess Blessed One Wandering Soul Explorer
MagicsNature Language Comprehension Wing Manifestation
BlessingBodily Augmentation (Through Ingestion)
Assigned JobHerb Collecting
Becket:"Hm. Wing Manifestation. I wonder what would happen if I ate a whole fairy?" I couldn''t help but imagine tossing Aria into my mouth. I grabbed a skullcap I made with the material left over from the curtain robe. It was red and I used it to cover my ears. I also created a matching red cloak that I decided to put on too. Little red riding hood was the first thing that came to mind. I waved goodbye as I left the inn and jumped into the endless crowd of people. The city has four exits that are known called the north, south, east and west gates. I''m sure there''s probably some sort of escape route out of the city for royalty, but I have no idea where it might be. I made it to the west gate in about 20 minutes. I got tired of pushing through the crowd so I ended up using the rooftops. The west gate was a huge iron gate with two knights positioned on each side checking everyone that passes through. Next to each of the knights was a set of stairs leading up to archer towers. There were three archers in each tower with one mage to support them all. I was half tempted to provoke the mage since I still hadn''t seen one use magic yet. The knights at the gate seemed on high alert, but since they didn''t give me a second look I can assume I''m probably not who they''re looking for. The trail through the gate was completely dirt since the constant foot traffic stomped out all grass. I was given a quick pat down which ended in the guards disappointment since he thought I was a girl until he reached a sensitive spot. Once he found out I was a boy he stopped feeling me up and passed me through the gate. There were many people waiting around outside of it so I looked around for people who had an adventurers bracelet. There were actually a lot, but after talking with a few I still hadn''t found who I was looking for. I found another group and started walking over to them when my title stone started to flash. Big Man:"You the explorer we''re suppose to take with us?" A big man with bulging muscles and bronze armor covering his chest, arms and legs was the first to talk to me. He had brown hair and eyes to match it. On his back was a huge sword that didn''t seem practical in battle. Becket:"I believe so." Big Man:"Lets go then. We already lost time waiting for you." He turned around and started walking off. There were three other people in the group. One guy who looked like the first ones little brother and wore only a silver chest plate with a spear. He had a scar across the left side of his face that went from his forehead to his chin. The other man looked thinner with shaggy black hair, leather armor and a cloak wrapped around him. He was carrying a staff with a blue jewel on the end of it. I could tell he was a mage which excited me. *Maybe I''ll finally see some spells.* The last person was a girl with a hood thrown over her face and a cloak covering her body. I could see long brown hair, but she kept her gaze down so I couldn''t see much else. Each of them wore a title stone with a brown wristband signifying their rank as adventurers. They were all following the big guy so I did too. After an hour of walking into the forest I started to think he might not know where he was going, but that was soon proven wrong. Big Man:"We''re here! Equipment check!" I didn''t have much on me so I just stood there. We were standing at the mouth of a cave that led into total darkness. I could feel a cold breeze flowing out of it. Big Man:"Elf girl! Check your equipment!" Becket:"How''d you know I was an elf?" I knew my ears were hidden, but he could still tell I was an elf. Big Man:"Are you an idiot. That blonde hair, green eyes and alluring body made it obvious." Becket:"Don''t humans have those three things too?" Big Man:"Of course they do, but elves have a special kind of look. The hair always appears silky, the eyes always shine like emeralds and no man can resist stealing a few glances at the seductive body of an elven woman." *Maybe I should get a full set of armor.* Big Man:"Now check your equipment!" Becket:"All I have are the clothes on me, my satchel and a dagger." Big Man:"Where are your rations?" Becket:"Rations? Why do I need those?" Big Man:"You idiot! Haven''t you ever been in a dungeon before!" Becket:"No." A look of frustration covered big mans face. Big Man:"Damn! This scouting job is going to take a while so you need to be prepared to stay the night here." Becket:"I''m not here to scout so once I get the herbs I''m looking for I''ll leave." Big Man:"Idiot! If you leave alone you''ll die! Without someone to protect them elves are helpless." Becket:"Ok I''ll eat what ever I find in there then." I decided just to say whatever now then take off when I get the herbs. Big Man:"Fine but monster meat tastes terrible." He turned around and headed towards the cave. Chapter 10- Eva And Felix Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review.? ************************************************ Chapter 10 *******************Eva POV****************** I''ve had really vivid dreams since childhood. Sometimes it''s the same dream and other times it''s different. The one thing that''s always the same are the people in them. There''s always me and an elf together. This elf is sometimes saving me and sometimes comforting me. I feel joy when I''m with this elf. The elf was a very feminine looking man with long blonde hair and green eyes. He was very beautiful and even though he only existed in my dreams I was madly in love with him. When I was 9 I started hearing a new voice in my dreams. This time it was a woman telling me things like how that elf man would one day be my husband. The next day I told my father about my future husband. Eva:"Daddy I''m gonna marry an elf!" King Francis:"Honey you''re husband won''t be an elf. Lord Felix is your betrothed. His father and I have been friends for a long time and decided it the moment you were born." Eva:"No! I want to marry Mr. Elf!" I ran back to my room and shut myself in. My willpower was weak so I came out for dinner, but I stopped talking to my father after that day. As I got older I still only loved the man that came to me in my dreams. I never once heard his voice, but I could picture him perfectly when I closed my eyes. I was told many more things by the woman''s voice including her name, Esyn. She told me I was to be his wife, but not his only lover. On my 14th birthday I met Lord Felix when he came to my party. Father invited all of the nobles and their children to a dance. My siblings still needed suitors so my birthday was used to show them off to the nobles. I was given a beautiful blue dress to wear with matching heels. There were two tables with food on each side of the ball room and a large dance floor. I spent most of the party on a stage with my father and siblings except for when I had to dance. I was sitting quietly in my chair waiting for the party to end. Felix:"It''s nice to meet you again my betrothed." After being here for about 30 minutes he finally came to greet me which most would find rude, but I really didn''t care if he ever greeted me. He was about 10 years older than me with dark hair and blue eyes. I couldn''t quite tell what his build was since he wore a formal military outfit with medals on it and a sword at his side. He was handsome, but after seeing Mr. Elf in my dreams all these years I started to prefer a more feminine look. I knew I had to dance with him so I left the stage for my birthday dance with my betrothed. To get a little revenge I stepped on his toes as much as possible until he decided he was tired of dancing, but father invited him to eat on stage with us. King Francis:"So Felix. How''s your father doing?" Felix:"He sends his regards for not being able to attend. There were some matters that required his immediate attention." King Francis:"I understand. This is my daughters birthday anyway so you were the only one that was really needed." Felix:"I was surprised when I heard she was turning 14. Last time I saw her she was still leaning to talk." King Francis:"Yes and now she''s become a beautiful woman." Felix:"She has. I feel very honored to have her as my betrothed." King Francis:"When should we set the wedding?" Felix:"I''m still involved in a military campaign that will likely take years so it may be a while." King Francis:"Then the wedding will be once you return victorious!" Felix:"Very well my king." King Francis:"Eva, did you know Felix reached the rank of Grand Knight during his many successful military campaigns." Eva:"I did not father. Is Grand Knight a high ranks?" I already knew all about the ranks, but I feigned ignorance so that he would think I didn''t understand his achievement. Felix:"It''s not important." He seemed a little sad for the rest of the festivities. I was so happy to finally be back in my room after the party. Social events always made me feel so suffocated. ****************Becket POV***************** Becket:"Before we go into the dungeon I''d like to hear everyone''s name." Big Man:"Why?" Becket:"I''d like to know the names of my comrades." Mage Guy:"I''m Tallie." Becket:"I''m Becket. It''s nice to meet you Tallie." The big man seemed a little annoyed, but her still introduced himself. Big Man:"I''m Balor and this is my little brother Haluk." *So scar faces name is Haluk.* Balor:"What about you hooded girl!" *Are they not friends?* The girl tilted her head towards us, but didn''t say anything. I still couldn''t see her face so I wasn''t sure what she might be thinking. Becket:"You don''t know her?" Balor:"No. The only person here I know is my brother. The adventurers guild told me I needed two more adventurers so they put that mage and girl with us." Tallie:"I already said my name was Tallie not mage." Balor:"Whatever Tallie." Becket:"You know her Tallie?" Tallie:"No. I was alone when I went to the guild for a job so they threw me in this group." I walked over to the hooded girl. Becket:"What''s your name?" Her mouth moved a little, but she seemed to be hesitating. Girl:"I''m Sasha." She spoke in a low tone of voice. Becket:"It''s nice to meet you Sasha. I''m Becket." She nodded. Balor:"Ok we can enter the dungeon now right." Becket:"Yeah." Balor and Haluk entered the dungeon first with Tallie behind them. I stood behind Tallie, and Sasha guarded the rear. *I wonder how dangerous a dungeon is?* Balor:"How about some light!" Tallie:"Citatus atque imperio ignis. Ignis Pila!" A small ball of fire appeared above Tallies staff and hovered in place. Becket:"Was that a magic chant?" Tallie:"Yeah a simple one. It creates a ball of fire. The more mana I dump into it the more powerful it becomes, but if you don''t concentrate and put more mana in it than you can handle it will explode." A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Becket:"How long can you keep that going?" Tallie:"As long as I''m awake it won''t go out. Well it might if I was injured and couldn''t concentrate. To a mage concentration is everything." Becket:"What other kind of magic do you know?" Tallie:"I can only use two fire spells. The fire ball and fire wall. I was told to focus on first learning an attack and a defensive spell." Becket:"Who told you that?" Tallie:"My teacher at the magic academy." Becket:"Magic academy Huh." Tallie:"Yeah I decided to focus on fire magic since it seems the most powerful." Becket:"So you can learn magic there." Tallie:"Not just magic. Anything to do with mana is an option. The knights train there for a few years unless they''re going to be royal knights that live in the capitol then they get trained by the current royal knights. You can also learn summoning and binding, runes and magic circles and appraisal for artifacts. There might be some other classes, but I''m not sure since I only took fire mage classes. I never bothered learning about everything the school offered." Becket:"What are artifacts?" Tallie:"Magical objects found on the dark continent." I remembered the world map and the one continent that was blacked out. Becket:"What do you mean by found?" Tallie:"You must be from some small village if you don''t know anything about artifacts. Well they can be found randomly while on the dark continent, but not many have been found since the dark continent is so dangerous. When they are found and brought back they usually create new nobles. Anyone that has an artifact will become a noble. I heard once that an artifact user with no skill in fighting defeated a Warlord, but that''s just a rumor." As we moved farther into the dungeon our talking ceased, but monsters still hasn''t appeared. I did see herbs growing on the floor, walls and ceiling. None that I needed since the title stone didn''t react. Some of them were herbs I recognized, but I was confused as to how they were growing inside this dungeon. There was no sunlight and I knew some of these needed sunlight to survive. I couldn''t say for all of the herbs since some obviously didn''t exist in my world. My guess was that some how they survived off of magical energy instead of sunlight. Balor:"Stop!" We all froze in place. I was curious as to why Balor took the leader role, but since he seemed to be doing a good job I ignored my thoughts. A line wolf walked out from the shadows. *Wow. Balor has surprisingly good senses.* Before any of us noticed anything a dagger was already through the wolfs neck. It seemed just as surprised as us with wide eyes. Sasha was standing behind it holding the dagger. None of us saw her get behind it. The wolf collapsed without ever getting a chance to fight. Sasha walked back to the rear of the group and didn''t say a word. We decided not to say anything and continued the march forward. I wanted to eat some of it, but Balor told me that there would be plenty more of them so I could get something to eat from one of them that attacks us when we camp. I saw other small creatures, but couldn''t make most of them out. The cave was dark even with Tallies fire ball. I tried a few times to chant the fire spell like Tallie, but nothing ever happened. *Magic is hard.* We did run into a bunch of wolves and I never had to do anything. These adventurers seemed more capable then the knights I''ve run into so far. I started collecting some of the herbs I knew so that I could make some herbal remedies the doctor in my mercenary group taught me. I also wanted to test their effectiveness when fused with magical energy. I injected mana into them to keep them fresh. When we made camp Balor and Haluk set up two tents. I was surprised at how prepared they were since only those two knew each other before today. Balor:"Tomorrow we enter the ice hell for scouting. It was given a low danger rating so we should be fine, but theres always the chance the rating was wrong. Thats why we''re here to recheck its rating. The women will sleep in this tent and the men in the other." Becket:"Ok." Sasha didn''t say anything and just crawled into the tent. She went to sleep, but still didn''t remove her hood. Balor gave me a chunk of wolf meat he cut for me and Tallie cooked it with a fire ball. The two of them were really nice to me, but I still hadn''t heard Haluk say a word. I didn''t feel any pain after eating the meat and I didn''t want to check the title stone with people around so I went to sleep in my tent with Sasha. *****************Felix POV**************** She was still a child when I first met my betrothed. A cute child, but still a child. I wasn''t skilled with the sword, but I worked hard to honor my house. I sharpened my mind and body which led to me becoming a strong military presence by the age of 24. I was given command over a campaign for the first time. On my request the king sent me updates of my betrothed''s life. I would visit sometimes too, but only watched from afar. She became a willful person that defied her father often which I found cute. My mother raised me to be a faithful man so I never held another woman. When I was invited to her 14th birthday party I found myself unable to approach her for a while because of how beautiful she had become. It was then that I realized I had developed feelings for her and was truly happy that she was going to be my wife. Four years passed and I started losing the military campaign I was given so the king sent me some of his highest ranked knights and I was able to win after a year. I was now 29 and my wife would be 19. I hadn''t seen her in these past five years so I was excited to get back since I knew I could finally take my wife. One day a message arrived for me that changed everything. The king informed me that an elf attacked and raped my betrothed then escaped from the palace. If I had not needed all of the kings strongest knights to save me than my Eva might have been safe. Intense hatred boiled inside me and I vowed to personally rip every limb off of the elf once I find him. I will see justice done for my love and I will use my families artifact to do it. Chapter 11- Primal Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. ************************************************ Chapter 11 While I was sleeping inside the tent my dreams drifted to my past again. After I left active duty in the marines I stayed with Steve for a while. I knew I couldn''t stay forever since he had a girlfriend now and they were planning to get married. I had a little money saved up, but I needed a job so Steve asked his girlfriend Emily if I could help at her work. She was a veterinarian and she took me on as her assistant. I really enjoyed the job a lot more than military work. Eventually I got my own place, but the assistant job wasn''t paying enough so I started taking side jobs that my marine buddies introduced to me. They were mostly body guard jobs, but since I liked the assistant job I didn''t drop it in favor of the better paying body guard work. I was woken up by Tallie and told it was my turn to be on watch. I climbed out of the tent and sat down beside a fire. It was hot in the cave, but we needed the fire for light. Since Tallie was going to sleep I had to use a normal fire to push away the darkness instead of his fire ball. Apparently Haluk and Balor were carrying fire wood so I was able to use that along with some of the herbs I found around the camp. I was alone so I started working on a little project that involved the herbs I had been collecting. What I had learned so far about fusing herbs with mana was that they become hard as metal, but return to their natural state when I pull the mana back out. I also could freely manipulate them if I concentrated. I thought about using plants to restrain people in a fight, but it would be difficult since I had to be touching it to make it hard as metal. I could wrap someone up with plants, but they would be able to easily break free unless I touched the plants and sent them mana. I decided to make plant armor and weapons. One of the herbs I found in the dungeon was asclepias which is known as milkweed in my old world. (This is milkweed) Spoiler : It''s bark can be used to make strong natural rope which I would be able to manipulate with my nature magic. During my time on watch I created a bunch of this rope and tested out hardening it and manipulating it. I made it slither away from the camp to see how far it had to go before I couldn''t manipulate it anymore. After it got five meters away from me it stopped moving so I knew I could only control plants within 5 meters then I pulled the rope back. I made the rope thin and started sewing with it and added some of the leaves from other plants. I ended up creating a coat with a scaled leaf look. I removed my jacket and put my new one on under my cloak so that it was directly touching my skin. If I sent mana to it then it would harden which I could use as armor. It was a type of living armor that I could freely reshape. I tried to cut through it with my dagger, but with mana sent to this armor the dagger couldn''t cut through. It only covered my chest, but I could make it spread all across my body creating a complete set of plant armor with leaf scales. I could make it form blades over each arm to fight with. I also formed a bow, but I couldn''t fire an arrow made from my armor since everything I formed was connected. If I wanted to use a bow it looked like I would need to make my arrows separately. No one would be able to take my weapons without tearing it off my armor first. I put my other coat on over top my leaf armor coat to hide my new attire. I had taken quite a while to finish it so I never woke anyone else up for there time to guard. I did keep track of how much time passed. We headed out immediately after the others woke up. Balor was a little mad I took over the watch by myself, but he got over it. The only hostile creatures we encountered so far were wolves and now we were currently standing at a dead end in the cave. Balor:"This is the entrance to the ice hell. We need to be more cautious in there so don''t separate from the group for any reason." He stepped toward the dead end and disappeared. The others didn''t act surprised so I thought this must be normal. Haluk disappeared next then Tallie and when it was my turn I stepped forward and my vision went white. Snow was everywhere around me and I felt a bone chilling cold. It looked like we were in a snow storm. I wasn''t sure if we were outside since there was light, but I couldn''t see the sun. I wrapped my arms around myself shivering. Balor, Haluk and Tallie were a few feet in front of me and had pulled out heavy coats from their packs that they were putting on. Sasha appeared next to me with a different hooded cloak on. She must have changed before entering the ice hell. They were all wearing winter clothes now while I shivered in my leaf armor, light jacket and cloak. None of them kept me very warm. Balor:"You''re cold aren''t you. Next time bring clothes to change into." Balor pulled out another coat and tossed it over to me. Balor:"You can borrow that. I want it back when we leave." Becket:"T-T-Thanks." I put it on and immediately felt a lot warmer. It was a brown fur coat that went down to my knees. Balor was bigger than me so I had to wrap it tightly around me. We tracked through the snow for a while before small white creatures surrounded us and were a little hard to see. They looked like small polar bears, but with longer claws. They weren''t very strong so Balor and Haluk defeated them all. I cut a small chunk of meat off one of them and popped it into my mouth. I realized what I got from this creature immediately. It was thermal insulation to protect against the cold. I could feel my mana create a thin layer over my skin which was not visible and I was overcome with warmth. It seemed to be an ability that activates on it''s own. I didn''t need Balors coat anymore, but since it would be suspicious if I gave it back now I decided to keep it. We continued to walk for a few hours when Balor told us to take a break. Tallie made a fire for us all to sit around and get warm. The snow had stopped falling and I could now see an icy roof high in the sky. Balor:"We''ll reach our scouting location soon so we''ll camp here and prepare for whatever we may encounter tomorrow. Becket the herb you''re looking for will probably be there too." I nodded then stood up. Becket:"I have to pee. I''ll be right back." Balor:"Don''t go far." Becket:"I won''t." I put some distance between us since it would be a little awkward if they found out I was a guy this whole time and didn''t say anything. After I was done I decided to check my title stone since I had forgotten to until now. Becket:"Identify."
Information
NameBecket Edwin
RaceElf
Age102Account Balance0
TitlesEnvoy Of The Fairy Princess Stolen story; please report.Knight Of The Fairy Princess Keeper Of The Fairy Princess Blessed One Wandering Soul Explorer
MagicsNature Language Comprehension Wing Manifestation Healing Saliva Thermal Insulation
BlessingBodily Augmentation (Through Ingestion)
Assigned JobHerb Collecting
I knew where the thermal insulation came from so the healing saliva must have been from the wolf meat. *Thats useful.* I pictured myself licking my wounds like an animal. When I got back they had already set up the tents. Balor:"Same sleeping arrangements as last time. I''ll take first watch." Becket:"No I''ll take the first one. I''ve got some stuff I''d like to do anyway." Balor:"Ok but wake me up if you hear anything." Becket:"Ok." Everyone went to sleep while I set in front of the tents stoking the fire. After I was sure they had all fallen asleep I took off Balors coat and started practicing with my new armor. When the armor grows to fit the rest of my body I have a green scaled armor look. The red cloak and certain joints that needed to bend in order to keep my high maneuverability were the only things not covered in green leaf scales. I also decided against a full face mask since it might hinder my reaction time and narrow my sight. Instead I had a high collar to protect my neck. I practiced moving around in it and producing weapons with it. The first set of weapons I created were blades that were connected to the sleeves of the leaf armor. They extended out over top my hands, one on each arm. I was having a hard time with the flow of the weapons, but I adapted fast. I could also change the shape of the blades depending on the situation. The next weapon set I created were whips that were also connected to the leaf armors sleeves, but they extended out at the bottom so that I could grip them. If infused with mana they became stiff so I would have to wait for the tip of the whip to touch my target before infusing it with mana then I had to immediately reabsorb it. The whip would be flexible without mana and hard as steal during an attack then return to being flexible once the mana is pulled back. These two sets of weapons could be pulled back into the armor so to others I would appear unarmed. I liked the combined look of my green leaf scale armor with my red cloak so in celebration and to get a little exercise I ran around killing and eating monsters close to camp with my two new weapons. The only new magic I got was called primal sensing which allowed me to feel the presence of monsters and high killing intent close to me. I used it to hunt down more monsters, but it gave me a weird feeling so I stopped using it. The more I used it the more beastly I felt. I started running around on all fours and growling before I noticed it. After turning it off the urge to hunt was the only thing I still felt from it. I was siting by the fire after killing a few more monsters when I heard something out in the snow, but saw nothing. I was suspicious so I turned on primal sensing for a second and felt a strong presence. I leapt towards the thing and had my armor create claws for me to fight with. The primal sensing made me want to wrestle with the creature with out a sword or whip. It was completely white and buried in the snow. It sprang out towards me and we clashed in the air before falling to the ground. It was about my height covered in white fur with long claws on all fours and a tail with a single claw on it. It''s face had a human shape but a much bigger mouth with jagged teeth. It tried to claw me, impale me with it''s tail and eat me all at the same time. I first sliced off it''s tail then picked it up by the neck and shoved my arm through it''s chest pulling out it''s heart. It''s claws had hit my chest, but weren''t able to get through the armor. It''s body went limp and I let it fall to the ground. I took a bite out of it''s heart. Becket:"A little chewy, but not bad." I took a few more bites then my chest felt like it was on fire. I dropped the rest of the heart and fell to my knees. I wanted to scream, but I was able to control myself. I started breathing heavily and clutching my chest. I pulled all the armor back into it''s coat form and quietly endured the pain. I looked up to the sky trying to take my mind off of the pain when I saw a claw headed right towards me. I threw up my arm to block, but realized at the last minute my armor wasn''t up. I kicked off the ground to send myself flying backwards and the claw barely cut my arm leaving four lines. Blood trickled out, but it wasn''t a serious wound. I gave the cuts a quick lick and stood up. My chest was still hurting so I was slightly hunched over. The beast standing before me had a hole in it''s chest and looked really angry. It was the same creature who''s heart I just tour out. Becket:"How are you still alive?" It rushed towards me, but this time I didn''t feel the need to wrestle with it since the primal instincts I get from primal sensing had worn off. My armor grew out along with the dual swords I created and practiced with earlier. I immediately took the beasts head off. I sat in the snow next to it until the pain in my chest stopped. I decided to cut the creature open and found another heart. Becket:"So it had two hearts." I touched my hand to my chest to feel my heart beat and found that my guess was right. I could feel the beating of a second heart in my chest. It was a very strange feeling having two heart beats. I decided to check on my title stone. Becket:"Identify."
Information
NameBecket Edwin
RaceElf
Age102Account Balance0
TitlesEnvoy Of The Fairy Princess Knight Of The Fairy Princess Keeper Of The Fairy Princess Blessed One Wandering Soul Explorer
MagicsNature Language Comprehension Wing Manifestation Healing Saliva Thermal Insulation Primal Sensing
BlessingBodily Augmentation (Through Ingestion)
Assigned JobHerb Collecting
Becket:"Hm. So having two hearts isn''t listed on here." I buried the creatures body in the snow and went back to sit by the fire. After a while I noticed the claw marks were already healed. Licking it rapidly sped up the healing process. Elves already healed fast so any wounds would likely not last long if I apply some of my saliva. So far I had only seen shallow cuts heal, but I was confident a deep one would heal within a day. I did wonder if I could regrow a limb, but I decided not to try. Story Information Chapter 12- Hags Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. ************************************************ Chapter 12 I was sitting by the fire thinking. I should have woken someone up to take over watch duty, but I liked having this time to myself. While I stared at the fire Sasha came out of the tent. She looked towards me for a few seconds before coming over and sitting by the fire. I tried to make small talk. Becket:"It''s cold." Sasha:"Yeah." *Oh. She responded.* Becket:"So why''d you join the adventurers guild?" Sasha:"Need money." Becket:"Makes sense." Sasha:"You?" Becket:"Well I needed money too. I''m probably going to be doing some traveling soon so I needed to earn a little cash." Sasha:"Cash?" Becket:"I mean money." There was a silence for a while. Sasha:"Not a girl." I twitched. Becket:"What did you say?" Sasha:"You''re not a girl." I cast my eyes down. Becket:"How did you know?" Sasha:"Your scent." Becket:"I smell like a guy? Are you insulting me?" Sasha removed her hood and I saw her hazel colored eyes. Her hair came down a little past her ears, but was more tan looking than I first thought and littered with round black spots. When her hood was up it created a shadow that made the hair appear darker. She had black tear marks running from the corner of her eyes down past the sides of her nose that looked like tattoos and short slightly rounded animal ears on top of her head. Sasha:"I''m a beastwoman." Becket:"Oh. So you can tell the difference between genders by scent. I guess that''s something you would need for finding a mate." Sasha:"There''s another reason I knew you were a guy." Becket:"And what is that?" Sasha:"I dream about you sometimes." *Hm. Dream about me?* Becket:"You dream about me?" Sasha:"When I was young you started appearing in my dreams. My twin sister saw you too, but she thought they were just dreams." Becket:"I don''t know why you would be dreaming about me." Sasha:"Another person talked to us in our dreams. They said that my sister and I would become your lovers." Becket:"Strange. How did you find me?" Sasha:"The other person in our dreams told my sister and I to come here. He told me to take this job and I found you." Becket:"Where is your sister?" Sasha:"She didn''t believe the dreams so she didn''t come here. Her name is Clara. She''s the only mage in our family and decided to join the academy instead of chasing after the man in our dreams. I had to know if you were real so I came." Her story of dreaming about me sounded weird, but heck anythings possible in a fantasy world. Becket:"Who was this other person in your dreams?" Sasha:"Haarus. My people''s god......at least that''s what he said." Becket:"Did he say why we were suppose to become lovers?" Before Sasha could answer Balor came strolling out of his tent. Balor:"Get up Haluk, Tallie we''ve got work to do." Balor came over to the fire and set down. Balor:"Once we eat something we''ll set off." Becket:"Sure." Sasha had her hood back up and was silent. Everyone ate so I had some left over wolf meat. We packed up the tents and Balor led us like usual. I was near the rear close to Sasha so I decided to quietly try and finish our conversation. Becket:"What do you know about me?" Sasha:"Only what you look like. You were always kind in my dreams, but you never talked. When Haarus started appearing I asked him about you, but he only said you were important." *Do the gods here have something to do with me coming to this world?* Sasha:"He did say there would be other lovers and that they would be sent to find you." Becket:"Other lovers? Why?" Sasha:"I don''t know." *This doesn''t make any sense.* I wasn''t really sure what else to ask so we stayed quiet. The snow was falling and we couldn''t see very far ahead of us. After a few hours of walking the snow finally stopped and an ice mountain was revealed. We were about 50 meters away from what looked like an entrance in the side of the mountain. Balor:"This is the ice palace. Our job is to explore the outer area around it and take note of any monsters or traps. Do NOT go inside. Our ranks are to low to survive against what''s suspected to be inside." We spent the next 6 hours circling the ice palace and fighting weak monsters. We found a cavern in the side of the ice palace that was seven meters deep and eight wide. It was filled with what looked like frozen flowers that turned out to be the herb I was looking for. It became our next camp site so we set up the tents and ate. We sat around the fire together discussing tomorrow. Balor:"Tomorrow we''ll circle the palace again then our jobs done. Beckets already got his plants so we''ve got nothing else to do." Becket:"This job was pretty easy. I never had to do anything." Balor:"You''re just an explorer so of course your job would be easy. Ok everyone it''s time to get some rest. Sasha you''ve got first watch." Sasha nodded. I went to my tent, but didn''t go to sleep since I wanted to talk to Sasha. Maybe her dreams had something to do with why I''m in this world and in this body. After about 20 minutes I heard a rustling noise so I left the tent , but Sasha wasn''t sitting by the fire. I looked around and saw her standing at the other end of the cavern. Her back was facing me so I called out to her quietly. Becket:"Sasha." She fell to her knees and I saw what was on the other side of her. It looked like a human woman, but with messed up gray hair and dirty black rags for clothes. It''s eyes were completely white and its nails looked black with sharp tips. Sasha''s hair had turned gray and her skin was wrinkled. She looked like an old woman now. Becket:"Guys! Get up!" I called for the others to see if they were ok. Balor came running out of the tent with his sword. Balor:"What''s happening?" I had already covered myself in my leaf armor and lunged at the enemy. I easily took off it''s head. Balor:"What!? That''s a hag!" I knelt down next to Sasha. She was unconscious and it looked like she had all of her youth sucked out of her. Balor walked over to us. Balor:"The hag got her. She''s done for." He put his hand on my shoulder. Balor:"It would probably be more humane to put her down. People who are attacked by hags never survive for very long." I put Sasha in the tent and went to talk to Balor. Becket:"What is a hag exactly?" Balor:"They''re also called life drinkers. They steal the life from people." Becket:"Is there no way to fix it?" Balor:"Once the life''s been stolen only a hag can return it." Becket:"I might be able to then." Balor had a confused look on his face. I walked over to the hags body and cut off chunks of meat then ate them. This time I didn''t feel pain, but my throat felt dry. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Tallie and Haluk were up and seemed to be preparing for battle. Becket:"Are you expecting a fight?" Tallie:"Well once a hag dies their sisters always come." Becket:"How many?" Tallie:"Not sure. It varies, but probably only three to five." Balor:"Becket." I turned to face Balor. Balor:"I saw you kill that hag. You have some skill. I didn''t expect it." Becket:"What did you expect me to do?" Balor:"Run." Becket:"Thanks. Could you tell me how a hag steals life?" Balor:"It''s called the kiss of death. They lock lips with their victim and suck all of their life out. They''re just monsters with no intelligence. The only thing they know to do is attack people." *A kiss huh.* I entered the tent Sasha was in and made sure to close it up so no one else could see inside. She was still asleep. Balor:"The hags are hear!" I could hear sounds of fighting start. I knew I had to be quick so I pressed my lips against Sasha''s. I concentrated, but nothing happened. I did feel some faint presence that reminded me of what mana felt like. Becket:"Shit! Did I not get the ability? Identify."
Information
NameBecket Edwin
RaceElf
Age102Account Balance0
TitlesEnvoy Of The Fairy Princess Knight Of The Fairy Princess Keeper Of The Fairy Princess Blessed One Wandering Soul Explorer Life Thief
MagicsNature Language Comprehension Wing Manifestation Healing Saliva Thermal Insulation Primal Sensing Vitality Manipulation
BlessingBodily Augmentation (Through Ingestion)
Assigned JobHerb Collecting
Stored Vitality0 years
Becket:"What so I have to steal it from someone else first?" I stood up. Just what I needed was outside the tent. The hags. I walked out and saw a huge number of hags pouring into the cavern. Tallie:"Citatus atque imperio ignis. Ignis Pila! A fire ball bigger than any I''ve seen him cast before erupted from his staff and flew towards the hags. Many of them were burnt, but kept coming. Balor:"Why are there so many!?" Tallie:"I don''t know! Maybe they''re all from the ice palace!" Haluk was surrounded and pulled away from Tallie and Balor. Balor:"Haluk!!!!!" I activated the full body leaf armor and jumped into the crowd of hags. I sent body parts flying as I made my way to Haluk. He was already in the kiss of death so I lopped off the hags head. He was able to keep from falling to the ground by using his spear to hold himself up. Becket:"You ok?" He nodded. He appeared to have aged a few years, but was still pretty young. I turned my attention back to the hags. It was time to see if I could steal their life. I grabbed the closest hag by the throat with my left hand and fought others off with my right. I locked my lips onto the hags. I felt that mana like presence again, but it was much stronger this time. I pulled on it like I would my own mana and the hag started to shake. Once I pulled all of it out the hag turned to dust. Balor and the others were still fighting the hag horde so they paid me no attention and I started kissing every hag that got close to me. A pile of dust started collecting around my feet. The others were taking light injuries, but Haluk was the one most hurt. The age progression slowed him down and he was now covered in scratches from the hags claws. He had one cut on the throat that was bleeding badly so he used one hand to stop the bleeding and continued fighting with his spear using his other arm. When the last hag died the dust at my feet came up to my knees. I felt all the life I stole from them gathered inside my body. Haluk was sitting on the ground. He wrapped a piece of his shirt around his throat and the bleeding seemed to have stopped. Becket:"Unwrap your throat." Balor came over. Balor:"Do you know healing magic?" Becket:"No but I can help with the healing." Haluk still hadn''t unwrapped his throat. Balor looked at him. Balor:"Do it. She''s trying to help you." He nodded and revealed his throat. The cut wasn''t too deep, but it did slightly hit an artery. I placed my hands on his shoulders and leaned in. I licked his throat. Both Balor and Haluk seemed surprised. Balor:"Why''d you do that?" Becket:"My saliva has healing properties." Balor:"Really?" Becket:"Yeah." Balor:"Well I have a split lip." Becket:"You''re fine." I went back into Sasha''s tent and she was awake. She pulled off the necklace she was wearing and spoke in a weak voice. Sasha:"Please give this to my sister." She extended a shaky hand with the necklace in it. Becket:"Identify."
Information
NameBecket Edwin
RaceElf
Age102Account Balance0
TitlesEnvoy Of The Fairy Princess Knight Of The Fairy Princess Keeper Of The Fairy Princess Blessed One Wandering Soul Explorer Life Thief
MagicsNature Language Comprehension Wing Manifestation Healing Saliva Thermal Insulation Primal Sensing Vitality Manipulation
BlessingBodily Augmentation (Through Ingestion)
Assigned JobHerb Collecting
Stored Vitality64 years
Becket:"That should be plenty. Sorry but you''ll have to give that to her yourself." I kneeled down next to her and leaned in to kiss her. When our lips locked I felt that weak mana like presence that I now knew was her life force. I pushed the gathered life I had inside me towards her life force. After about half of it was gone she had completely returned to the way she was before. She sat up and looked blankly at me. Sasha:"How?" Becket:"Magic." A few tears escaped her eyes and she pulled her hood up to cover her face. Sasha:"Thank you." Story Information Chapter 13- Freedom Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. Sorry if the last chapter felt like a dip in quality. I accomplished everything I wanted to happen that chapter, but something did feel off about it so I hesitated to post it. I decided not to rewrite it and just get it out there so sorry if that was the wrong choice. I''ll try to make this chapter better. ************************************************ Chapter 13 We decided to leave as soon as possible because there was the possibility that more hags would appear. The others didn''t ask how I saved Sasha which was good for me since I didn''t want to explain my ability, but they did have looks of astonishment when Sasha stepped out of the tent looking like nothing had happened to her. The snow was falling more fiercely than ever before as we tried to make our way back. I was the only one who talked the whole way and when I did it was whispers to Sasha. I didn''t get any useful information, but I still felt she was some how connected to why I was here. We faced little danger and finally made it back to the spot we appeared at in this ice hell. I hadn''t noticed them before, but there were two large ice pillars. Balor:"Only one person at a time can pass through the pillars. We''ll use the same order as last time." We all nodded and Balor passed through them. After we were all through everyone started removing their coats and packing them back in their bags. I returned Balors coat and just like last time Sasha changed before passing through. We had traveled straight back here without a break which left everyone fatigued so we decided to make camp. We gathered around the fire to cook something to eat. The warmth of the cave along with our fire made everyone sweat, but we were happy to be out of the cold. Balor:"I want us to get out of here fast so tomorrow will be another long day. This will be the last break until we get out of here." Haluk tapped his brothers shoulder so he turned to look at him. He then pointed to his throat. Balor nodded and moved his gaze over to me. Balor:"Haluk wants to thank you. His throat is healing nicely." Becket:"You''re welcome, but I''m curious why he doesn''t talk?" Balor:"Our father cut his tongue out when we were young." Becket:"Oh. Sorry." Balor:"It''s fine. That was a long time ago." Becket:"So how is the wound on your throat? Can I see it?" Haluk nodded so I went over to him. He unwrapped it and showed me. His neck was covered in dried blood so I couldn''t make out the cut. I wiped away some of the blood to get a better look at it and saw it had healed faster than I thought it would. It was only a scratch now. Becket:"Hm. That''s faster than expected." Balor:"That''s amazing. You were even able to save Sasha after she was drained by a hag. If you weren''t here I don''t know what might of happened to us." He reached out his hand towards me so I gripped it and gave him a shake. Balor:"Lets work together again." Becket:"Sure." I returned to where I was sitting. Tallie:"How about we make this a permanent team." Balor jumped to his feet. Balor:"Thats a great idea! What do you say Becket, Sasha?" Becket:"Well...for as long as I''m in town." Sasha:"Sure." Balor:"Great! We''ll register as a team once we get back to the guild." Everyone''s mood got better and we talked for a few more minutes while eating before it was time to get some rest. Haluk was given first watch so I went to sleep in the tent with Sasha. They assigned the last watch to me since they didn''t want me taking over everyones watch duty again. While I was on watch there wasn''t much to do so I practiced manipulating the stored life force. I could store it at any location inside my body just like mana which led me to believe that mana and life force might not be all that different. I could also now feel the amount of mana I had stored inside me. Until now I had never run out of mana, but I wasn''t sure if I had a lot more than usual or if this amount was typical for elves. A wolf showed up so I tried to suck it''s life force out, but I didn''t feel it''s presence inside the wolf. *Maybe I can''t drain the life force from all living things.* It was only a guess, but I assumed monsters couldn''t be drained. The hags had life force inside them, but it might not have been theirs since they could have stolen it first. Being able to return youth to people would be a world changing ability, but since I needed to steal it from others I knew it would only create a terrible world. Kings and other royalty would take advantage of their positions in society and use this ability to sacrifice many in order to live forever. Every scenario I could picture ended with abuse of this ability. I tried eating the wolf meat again, but nothing happened. To be sure I couldn''t get anything else from this monster I ate it''s heart tongue and many other pieces. Since I got nothing new I assumed which ability I got did not depend on what I ate from the monsters. When the others got up and started packing I was feeling a little tired. I hadn''t slept very much during this trip and it was finally catching up to me. We set off and I lagged behind a bit, but Sasha stayed with me. Sasha:"Are you ok?" Becket:"Yeah I''m fine. Just a little tired." She looked a little worried so I gave her a smile, but she never looked directly at me even while talking. Sasha:"I''ll need to contact my sister to tell her I found you." Becket:"I''d like to talk with her. Maybe her dreams were different or your god Haarus told her something else." My only hint on why I was here were these girls that had been dreaming about me. I still wasn''t sure if they dreamt about me or this bodies original owner, but I could feel that if I found them I would get some answers. *I don''t understand why the gods would want me to take these girls as lovers.* Becket:"Sasha what do you think about becoming my lover?" Sasha stopped walking and looked down. Sasha:"Umm..........I think it''s.......ok." Becket:"You don''t have any problem with a man you barely know?" Sasha:"I know enough, and plus now that I''ve found you I can get to know you better." Becket:"I can''t promise you a future with me. For now I''d like your help locating the other girls that dreamt about me. Will you assist me in my search?" She gave me a nod. I have no goal and no purpose so I might as well try and figure out why I''m here. *I at least hope there''s a reason I''m here.* Becket:"So Sasha tell me a little bit about yourself and your race. I''m interested." Sasha:"......Well I grew up in a forest with my family. My father taught me how to hunt using our races magic." Becket:"Could you tell me a little more about your races magic?" Sasha:"Our magic makes us masters of stealth. If we get strong enough we can hide out presence from others while still standing right in front of them, but I''m not that good yet." Becket:"What about your sister? Didn''t you say she was a mage." Sasha:"Yeah. She''s the first in our family born with the ability to harness outer mana. Our parents saved up so they could send her to the magic academy. I was suppose to go to become a warrior, but I came here instead." Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Becket:"You can still go." Sasha:"I''m sure I''ll experience more this way." Becket:"So you''re like a race of ninjas." Sasha:"Ninjas?" Becket:"Skilled warriors who fight while concealing themselves." Sasha:"So I''m a ninja?" Becket:"Sure." After what felt like years we finally reached the end. We could see the light flooding in as we approached the caves exit. I felt dead tired and was ready to get back to the inn for some sleep. Balor:"Finally sunlight." We were all squinting at the bright light as we exited the cave. The fresh smell of the forest entered our nostrils. Everyone had a smile on their face while staring up at the sky. Tallie:"Freedom! Hahahaha *Thump.*" When Tallie stopped laughing I shifted my gaze from the sky over to him. He was standing there with a stunned expression. An arrow was imbedded in his chest. I quickly looked around and saw knights everywhere. My eyes were still adjusting to the change in lighting so things were a little fuzzy. Tallie dropped his staff and fell to the ground. The others finally noticed what was happening. Balor:"Tallie!" Balor faced the knights. Balor:"Why the hell are you attacking us?" Some of the knights started clearing a path for an approaching knight. Felix:"My name is Count Felix. I am betrothed to Princess Eva and I''m here to arrest a wanted man in your group. That arrow was a warning not to defy us. Hand over Becket Edwin." Balor:"Becket? Why what did she do?" Felix:"You think he''s a girl? How stupid are you. Hahahahahaha!" I could see the rage on Balors face. Balor:"Shut the hell up you bastard! I''ll kill you!" Balor rushed towards the knight, but was intercepted by four knights in purple. Balors sword went flying off along with his left arm. He froze for a second, but didn''t realized what happened until they took off his right leg. Balor:"Aaahhhhhh!" He was on the ground clutching his bloody left stub with his right hand. His one leg was flailing around. Felix:"You dare attack your future king! Execute him!" The four knights crept in closer to Balor and readied their swords, but before they could use them their heads went flying. Becket:"You want me! You''ll have to kill me first!" I had my leaf armor covering me and curved blades extended out from the sleeves. Around me were many knights and all wearing different colored armor. Becket:"Get out of here Sasha! Meet with your sister! I''ll find you later!" She hesitated, but took off into the forest. Some of the knights chased after her, but I knew they wouldn''t find her. Haluk rushed over to his brother and readied his spear. I was attacked by the knights one after another and I started sending heads flying in all directions. A look of surprise was frozen on their faces after they realized their blades didn''t penetrate my armor. I had dumped a lot of mana into it to increase it''s hardness. Becket:"Is this the best you''ve got!" They all started aiming for my head so I had to be a little more careful. I was already dead tired and after 20 minutes of constant fighting I could feel my mana starting to bottom out. I was becoming more and more sluggish, but luckily I would get a break every few minutes since some of the knights hesitated to get near me because of the corpses that surrounded me. Haluk was still fighting while badly injured. Balor had already stopped screaming either because he died or passed out. Felix:"Out of the way!" Felix pushed his way through the knights. Felix:"Get away from here! I can''t guarantee your safety if you stay near me!" The knights all put some distance between them and Felix. He stopped several meters away from me. Becket:"So you''re gonna try and kill me alone? That''s brave." Felix:"I''m not going to kill you. I''ll arrest you, humiliate you then kill you." Becket:"Go ahead and try." Felix clutched a white crystal he had on a chain around his neck. A bright light shot out of the crystal and blinded everyone around it including me. When I could finally see again I was shocked. Felix was now at least 60 feet tall. His weapons and armor had grown along with him. I stepped back a few steps out of surprise. Becket:"Fuck he''s hu...." His sword slammed down into the ground. I just barely got out of the way, but Haluk and Balor were crushed under it. Becket:"I''m gonna shove that sword up your ass you fucking giant." I accidentally started talking like Aria. He dragged his sword across the ground towards me. I jumped to avoid it, but he pulled his sword up and it slammed into me. I felt like a rag doll flying through the air and I crashed into a group of trees before hitting the ground. I groaned in pain. Becket:"Shit. That hurt." I tried to stand up, but immediately fell back down. My right leg was broken. Becket:"Dammit! Hey gods. If you help me out here I''ll take those girls as lovers like you want." I didn''t get a reply. Felix reached his hand down toward me so I used my good foot to kicked off the ground with all of my strength. His hand smashed into the ground. I rebounded off a tree and landed on that hand then stabbed both of my blades into it. Felix:"Aaaaahhhhh! You bastard!" He dropped his sword and reached for me with his other hand. I slid off the side of his hand and opened up a gash on my way down. When I hit the ground I was almost completely out of mana and my body felt extremely heavy. My balance was off because of the broken leg so I stumbled and wasn''t able to get away. His hand firmly grasped me. Felix:"You can''t get away from me now." I struggled to get out of his grip. He pinched the sleeve on my armor and ripped it right off then he began to tear off my armor one piece at a time. Once all the pieces were lying on the ground they recollected themselves and formed back into it''s jacket form. Felix:"Interesting armor." He held me up by my arms in a crucifix style then snapped both of them. Becket:"Aaaahhhhh!" Felix:"I''ll make sure you suffer." He dropped me onto the ground. Felix:"Shackle him and box up that armor of his. I want it." I was lying on the ground unable to move. Blood covered my vision and filled my mouth. I couldn''t smell anything thanks to the broken nose and I could only taste the iron from my blood. Felix pulled out the white crystal again and after the light vanished he was back to his original size. One of the knights brought over a cloth and wrapped the wound on his hand. He mounted his horse and sneered at me before riding off. One of the knights boxed up my armor and followed after him. The other knights were still hesitant to approach me, but when they saw me not moving they got a smug kind of confidence. Knight 1:"Not so tough now are you." He kicked me. Knight 2:"You killed one of my friends." He kicked me too. Knight 3:"He''s pretty for a boy." That one smiled. Story Information Chapter 14- Tea Time Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. ************************************************ Chapter 14 One of the knights grabbed my arm which caused pain to shoot through my body and he started dragging me. I could only think of one thing to do so I activated primal sensing and let my instincts take over. ******************Aelisia POV**************** I was bored so I went to the throne room. No one was around so I sat down on the throne. Aelisia:"This chair is really uncomfortable." I hopped out of it and walked towards the door. Aelisia:"Maybe the knights are doing something interesting." Before I got to the door it swung open. Felix:"My king! I''ve captured the criminal who attacked my darling Eva." He stopped when he saw me. Aelisia:"He''s not here." Felix:"Warlord Aelisia. I didn''t know you were in this city." Aelisia:"Been here for a while." Felix:"Where is my king?" Aelisia:"Dunno." He looked a little agitated at my answer. Some other knights followed him in. Felix:"Inform the king I''m here." Knights:"Yes sir!" They ran off in search of the king. Aelisia:"So you found that elf man?" Felix:"I found him and broke him." Aelisia:"Oh. You sound so tough." I was mocking him, but he didn''t seem to realize. Felix:"Thank you my lady." Aelisia:"So how did you find him?" Felix:"He joined the adventurers guild. They were given his name after he assaulted the princess so once he showed up there they sent word to the palace. I was lucky enough to receive the message first so I acted quickly to capture him." Aelisia:"How much of a fight did he put up?" Felix:"He landed one hit." He gestured to his wrapped hand. Felix:"He was lucky I went easy on him." Aelisia:"So you were the only one to fight him?" Felix:"....No." Aelisia:"Who else?" Felix:"A few of the knights." Aelisia:"How many did he kill?" Felix:"Well........" Two knights came running into the room covered in blood. Knight 1:"S-sir!" Felix:"What is it!" Knight 1:"Becket escaped." Felix pulled out his sword and pointed it to one of the knights throat. His face was distorted in anger. Felix:"How?" Knight 1:"After you left he went mad. He started growling and pounced on one of the knights and tour his throat out with his teeth." Felix:"Bring me to him! I''ll kill him this time!" Knight 1:"We lost track of him." Felix pushed his sword through the knights throat. The knight wasn''t even able to let out a whimper before dying. Felix:"Find him." Knight 2:"Y-yes sir!" He quickly saluted before running off. Aelisia:"I guess you didn''t get him after all." He glared at me then turned around and walked out of the throne room. Aelisia:"Hm. He seemed a little angry." I strolled out of the throne room and made my way towards the palace baths. I undressed and placed my sword on top of my clothes. I wasn''t suppose to be in here since it was the royal bath house, but this was the most comfortable place to bathe so it couldn''t be helped. It was a huge indoor bath made of stone with three fountains on the side of the wall shaped like a lions head. I entered and noticed someone was already in here. A young woman with black hair that went all the way down her back. Eva:"Warlord Aelisia. You know you''ll get in trouble if you''re caught in here." Aelisia:"I know." I walked over to the water and stepped in. It was warm and helped soothe my bones. Aelisia:"This bath is the only good part of being here. Where are your maids and guards?" Eva:"Guarding my room. They still don''t know I sneak out of my room sometimes so they probably haven''t realized I''m gone." Eva dipped her head under the water to get the soap out of her hair then came back up and pushed her hair back. Aelisia:"Oh yeah that elf man of yours has apparently gone mad." Eva:"I know he''ll be fine, but what happened?" Aelisia:"Your betrothed Sir Felix attacked him. The elf killed a lot of his men then after Felix left he killed even more. One of the knights said he was growling and eating people''s throats." Eva:"If they keep attacking him it''s only going to end badly. Don''t they see how powerful he is." Aelisia:"Your father and that boy Felix will chase him until one of them is dead." Eva:"Can''t you do something?" Aelisia:"Are you asking a knight holding the rank of Warlord to defy his king?" Eva:"No I''m asking you to listen to the request of your princess." Aelisia:"What is your request exactly?" Eva:"Kill Felix. How dare he attack my love." Aelisia:"Thats a pretty serious request. Are you sure this elf is worth it?" Eva:"Of course he is. He''s the man I''ll be marrying. Isn''t it your job to eliminate any threats to your future king." Aelisia:"Felix is the one you''re officially engaged to." Eva:"That doesn''t change the fact that I''ll be marrying Becket." Aelisia:"Your father won''t allow it." Eva:"Then I''ll need you to help me with him too." We sat in total silence for a few minutes. Aelisia:"I''ll consider your request." Eva:"Thank you." Eva finished up and left first. Once I was alone I let out a sigh. Aelisia:"So she wants me to be the leader of a rebellion. I wonder if Gideon''s found anything on those vampires yet." ****************Felix POV*************** He escaped. That wretched elf slipped through my fingers. I''ve searched the entire forest around the dungeon, but found nothing so I returned to the city. My knights compiled all of the reported sightings of him from before the guild informed us of him registering. Most of the sightings were in the same area so I sent knights to every inn around there to arrested all of the owners. I was currently sitting in a tavern that I had taken over to use as a base of operations in this district. One knight entered holding a cage covered with a blanket. Knight:"Sir!" Felix:"What?" Knight:"We found something at one of the inns." The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Felix:"What is it?" The knight got a few steps closer and pulled the blanket off the cage. Aria:"I fucking hate these cages!" Felix:"A fairy!" Knight:"Yes sir." I slid my finger through the bars to poke the fairy. Felix:"Aahh!" I pulled my finger back and stuck it in my mouth. She bit me. Knight:"She''s a vicious one sir." Felix:"That bitch." I took the cage from the knight and shook it. She rattled around in it until she passed out. Felix:"Good. I''ll keep her." *She''ll make a great gift to my beloved.* Knight:"Um.....sir there''s something I have to report." Felix:"What is it?" Knight:"She killed two rookie knights." Felix:"If a knight could be killed by such a small creature then they deserved to die." Knight:"Also I believe the inn where we found the fairy is the same one that Becket stayed at." Felix:"And why is that?" Knight:"We have eye witnesses that say they saw the inns owner out drinking with an elf." Felix:"Where is the owner now?" Knight:"We have him shackled outside sir." Felix:"Have you interrogated him?" Knight:"We have sir, but he''s told us nothing." Felix:"Take him back to the palace and throw him in a cell with no windows. No food and water. Maybe he''ll talk after a few days." Knight:"Yes sir." The knight left the tent and another entered. Felix:"Garett, I''m leaving you in command. I''ll be going to see my betrothed." Garett:"Very well sir." I walked past him and left the tent with the cage in hand. My horse was brought to me by a rookie knight then I headed straight for the palace. As soon as I got here I received word of Becket so I hadn''t met with Princess Eva yet. I could only imagine the state she''s in after being attacked by that elf. What angered me more than anything else was that he had lain with her and stolen her maidenhood before I did. Once I got to the palace I finally found the king on his way to the throne room. He was accompanied by his royal guard and several maids. He had just returned from the palace barber and looked better than usual. It was obvious that he was trying to look good for some reason. I saluted him. Felix:"My king." King Francis:"What is it Felix? I''m busy today. My wife the queen is returning so I need to be ready." Felix:"My king we are getting close to capturing the criminal Becket. If it was not for an incompetent knight we would already have him." The king stopped walking. King Francis:"I want him captured as soon as possible. His mutilated corpse would be a good present for my wife''s return. I''ll put his body in the center of this city to warn others that no man can touch my daughter with out my permission." Felix:"My men will find him soon my king. I''ve returned for a rest an to see my beloved Eva." King Francis:"Send a message to Princess Eva telling her to meet Count Felix for some tea in the garden." Maid:"Yes sir." One of the maids rushed off to find the princess. Felix:"Thank you sir. I''ll go to the garden immediately and wait in anticipation." I turned to leave. King Francis:"Wait!" I halted my walk and turned back around. Felix:"Yes my king." King Francis:"I trust that you still plan to marry my daughter even without her maidenhood." Felix:"Of course my king." King Francis:"Also that elf used some kind of magic on her to imprison her mind. She''s enslaved to him so you''ll have to free her. Do whatever it takes even if it requires nightly sessions." Felix:"Yes my king." King Francis:"We will have your wedding soon so no reason to hold yourself back. You should consider the two of you already married." Felix:"I will my king." The king headed off to finish getting ready and I made my way to the garden. The garden was a set of rings filled with all kinds of flowers and in the center of all the rings was a white gazebo. A stone pathway cut through all the rings and led to the gazebo and inside of it was a white table with four chairs. I took one of the seats and maids began to set the table with sweets and different teas. Eva finally appeared after an hour. Eva:"Hello Count Felix." She took a seat across from me and a maid poured her some tea. I had mine refreshed and took a few sips. Felix:"It''s been to long since I last saw your face." Eva:"And it hasn''t been long enough for me." I ignored her, but a vein popped out on my head. Felix:"I missed you my dear. Your father says we''ll be getting married soon." Eva:"No. I will be marrying Becket." Hearing her say that pissed me off even more. Felix:"Don''t worry you will soon forget about him." Eva:"You expect me to forget him and what.......think about you?" Felix:"Of course my beloved. We are going to be husband and wife after all." Eva:"I''ll never accept you as my husband." I stood up. Felix:"Then I''ll make you accept me." Eva:"I''ve already accepted the man I love and you''ll never compare to him." I slapped her out of her chair. Felix:"You will be silent now!" She was on the ground with a hand on her cheek while glaring up at me. One of the maids picked up her chair then helped her off the ground and back into it. I sat back down in my chair. Felix:"That pained me just as much as it did you. I did not want to hit you, but you left me with no other choice." She just continued to glare at me with her hand placed against her cheek. Felix:"Oh yes. I just remembered I got you a present." I snapped my fingers towards one of the maids who quickly brought the bird cage over and placed it on the table. The fairy was still unconscious. Felix:"This is for you. It''s a fairy." She just looked at it without saying anything. Felix:"You can speak now." Eva:"Did you hit her too?" Felix:"No but be careful not to open the cage. She''s violent." For the next hour we continued to talk while drinking tea. Actually I talked while she mostly ignored me. Story Information Chapter 15- Fucking Fairy! Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. ************************************************ Chapter 15 ******************Eva POV****************** Felix continued to prattle on about many different things, but I paid no attention to what he said. He finally stopped when the sun started going down and decided to walk me back to my room. I had the caged fairy in my hands while he walked quietly behind me until we reached my door. I opened it and stepped inside then turned around towards Felix. Eva:"Well this is where I should say goodnight, but....." I started closing the door, but he stopped it before it could latch. He shoved it open and came inside. I dropped the cage and almost fell over backwards from him forcing his way in so I yelled out at him. Eva:"What do you think you''re doing!" Felix:"I''m just trying to spend some private time with my wife." Eva:"We''re not married nor are we going to be!" Felix:"We will be married." Eva:"I won''t let it happen!" He walked past me then reached out and grasped the collar of my dress. I felt a tug then a strong pull which caused me to fall and he began dragging me over to the bed. Felix:"You don''t a choice!" He threw me onto the bed and began removing his clothes. Being tossed disoriented me for a minute, but once my mind caught up to what was happening he was almost completely undressed. He was surprisingly fast at undressing. I scurried over to the other side of my bed and opened my bedside table and pulled out a dagger I kept there. He jumped onto the bed wearing only his briefs and a white stone connected to a chain around his neck. He crept closer to me and I readied the dagger behind my back and I flashed him a smile when he was within arms reach. I plunged the dagger towards his heart, but he caught my wrist. Felix:"A wife should be more obedient." He squeezed my wrist until I couldn''t take it any more and dropped the dagger. His other hand caught the dagger and he released my arm then climbed on top of me pinning both of my arms with his knees. He slapped me once across the face then again on the other side. Felix:"You know I actually loved you. Your father tried to convince me that the elf had you under a love spell. I guess he doesn''t want anyone to know how much of a whore his precious daughter is." Eva:"Guards!!!!!" He slapped me again then leaned in close to whisper into my ear. Felix:"They won''t be coming to help. Everything I''m doing was approved of by your father and your guards know exactly what''s happening." A feeling of terror permeated through my body and I began to tremble. You could hear a quiver in my voice as I started to cry. Eva:"P-please d-don''t." Felix:"You spread your legs for that elf, but I''m not good enough?" He slapped me again then pointed the blade towards my stomach. I felt it dig in a little then he started dragging it upwards. He slid the blade into the collar of my shirt and inched it down back towards the stomach. It easily cut through my dress, but he stopped after the tear reached just below my breasts. The neckline of my dress was brought down by the cut he just made, but I still wasn''t exposed yet. Felix:"This is more fun than I thought it would be." I struggled, but he was far stronger than I was. He leaned in again and smelled me. Felix:"Good. Seems you bathed today. I bet you wanted me to do this." Something flew over my head and smashed into his crotch which caused him to fall over backwards off the bed. Aria:"Thats what you get you fucking bastard!" The fairy was hovering a few feet away. Apparently the cage door broke when I dropped it. She had thrown one of the boots that Felix had taken off. I immediately leapt out of the bed and ran towards my door while holding the top part of my dress up. Aria:"Wait for me!" The fairy followed me out of the room and I ran past my guards who didn''t even try to stop me. Felix came barreling out of the room a few seconds after me. Felix:"I''m gonna kill that fucking fairy!" He was starting to catch up when one of the guards "accidentally" dropped his spear causing Felix to trip. Another one "accidentally" dropped his shield onto the fallen Felix which hit him right in the face. Most of these guards had been with me since childhood so I felt closer to them than some of my actual family members. They were probably ordered not to interfere, but it couldn''t be helped if there was an "accident". ****************Becket POV**************** When I awoke I was curled up on a branch at the top of a tall tree with the sun high in the sky. I looked around and realized I was still in the forest. My shoes, shirt and cloak were gone leaving me wearing only a pair of pants. The pants weren''t in very good condition so they kind of looked like torn up shorts. I was covered in a layer of dry blood and dirt that felt really uncomfortable. I checked on the condition of my body by bending each limb and taping my finger against the joints. It came as a surprise that I was completely healed. From my perch I could see a river close by so I decided to go wash off in it. All of the blood, dirt and whatever else was on me came off fairly easily so I sat next to the river for a few minutes thinking. I didn''t remember what happened after activating my primal sensing, but it appeared I was right. It was just a hunch, but I thought the animalistic instincts I felt while using primal sensing might save me. I was lost in thought, but pulled back by the sound of approaching footsteps so I jumped into a nearby tree. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Two silver knights came out of the forest and headed to the river to get something to drink. I jumped down from the tree and stealthily approached them from behind. I knocked them both to their knees then slammed their heads together. I undressed one of them and dropped their set of clothes and a pair of boots into the river to try and get the smell out. After they finally dried off I put them on and strapped two swords to my waist and two daggers. I had gotten use to dual wielding so fighting with one sword felt lacking. I was dressed in all black with a tight shirt and pants that would probably draw a lot of attention, but since they were meant to be worn under armor it couldn''t be helped. I thought about putting on the armor and pretending to be a knight, but I had smashed both of the helmets. I wouldn''t be able to hide my face which was one of the most important parts of concealing yourself. The river flowed away from the city so I dumped the bodies of the two knights into it. These knights were likely patrolling here looking for me so finding their corpses would alert the others. Disposing of the bodies would at least buy me some time. In order to stay hidden I jumped through the trees like a monkey. I still hadn''t taken any time to practice with my wings so I couldn''t use them. There''s no point in flying if I can''t properly control it. I past a few knights, but no one noticed me. I came across a young man wearing a grey cloak and holding an axe. He appeared to be a hunter. I easily knocked him out and took his cloak. I didn''t kill him since he wasn''t a knight. I was worried about the fact that I still felt some of the animalistic instincts which made me feel the urge to attack every time I saw a knight. I scaled the side of the wall again to get into the city. I kept my hands on the two swords under my cloak while I made my way back to the inn. I kept my gaze down and hood up, but I had prior experience with a hoods lack of ability and new I had to get off the streets fast. I entered the inn and found an unfamiliar man at the counter. Man:"Welcome." I stood there. Man:"Sir." He moved out from behind the counter and approached me. I turned around so he couldn''t see my face and he placed his hand on my shoulder. I grabbed it and flipped him over me then put his arm in a joint lock. Becket:"Where''s Gene?" Man:"What are you doing!?" I tightened my hold. Becket:"I said where is Gene! If you don''t answer me I''ll snap this arm in half!" Man:"I don''t know what you''re talking about!" Becket:"Don''t lie to me! You''re wearing knight issued boots!" When the man came out from behind the counter I noticed he was wearing the same kind of boots as the two knights I killed by the river. It was possible they just happen to have the same kind, but I was betting that these boots were a part of their uniform. I tightened even harder and you could hear the cracking of the joint in his arm. Man:"Ok! Ok! He was arrested!" Becket:"Where did they take him?" Man:"He was thrown in a cell in the palace!" Becket:"Was there anyone else here?" Man:"A fairy!" Becket:"Where is she?" Man:"Count Felix took her!" Becket:"Thanks." I kept a grip on his arm and wrapped my legs around his neck then twisted. He frantically tried to escape, but after I heard the snap his body went limp. I drug his body to the back where I had originally found Gene being attacked by his wife and her lover. I left the inn and made my way through the bustling streets towards the palace. Going to the palace might not have been such a good idea, but my animalistic instincts that were still affecting me had me lusting for more blood. My defense was lacking a bit without my armor, but that just meant I''d be fine as long as I don''t get hit. I spent hours circling the palace in order to get a sense of where all the guards were located. I avoided the sight of all the knights by hiding in crowds. The sun was starting to go down when I found where the weakest point in their security was, but I waited a few minutes for a little more darkness before doing anything. I climbed the wall and found myself in a garden. While staying low I crept closer to a nearby entrance. I was forced to stop and lay flat on my stomach when several maids came out to a gazebo in the center of this garden and began removing stuff from the table. I waited patiently while they completed their task. Maid 1:"I feel sorry for the princess. And I thought he seemed like such a kind man before today." Maid 2:"Thats what they''re all like. If you don''t listen than they teach you to." They left just as fast as they came and I continued making my way towards the entrance. There were two entrances and they they looked completely different. One was a single wooden door with slightly rusted metal hinges and the other was a double door that was obviously made of a much finer quality wood with engravings on it. I assumed the single door was a servants entrance so I took that one. Inside was a long narrow hallway that I followed all the way down and bumped right into someone. Story Information Chapter 16- The Palace Ghost Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. Sorry if these last few chapters felt a little short cause they have been by about 400 words including this one. I''ve come to the end of each chapter a little earlier than expected these last few times and I didn''t want to change how I planned to end them. Again sorry. ************************************************ Chapter 16 ******************Aelisia POV*************** Humans can be the weakest and the strongest of all the races. Since we''re born without a unique magic we can choose a god to follow. Once baptized by a holy priestess we gain the elven, beastmen or dwarven unique magic. Most knights pick to follow Haarus and we get the beast races aura magic. Aura magic can be used for many different things, but it''s main focus is usually stealth. You can hide your presence or sense others presence. There are other ways to sense a persons presence, but aura magic is the easiest way. I was one of the many knights who picked aura magic. Everyone''s presence feels different so you could use this to identify who your enemy is before they get to you, but that only works if you''ve already meet this person and remember his presence. If you can master aura it is also one of the best suits of armor you will ever have. The possibilities are endless with aura magic. Most knights abandon it''s sensing abilities and focus on strengthening it''s uses as invisible armor. During my stay at the palace I memorized what everyones presence felt like. I was a little interested in the fact that the princess was running around the palace, but what I was currently feeling was an unknown presence sneaking over one of the defensive walls so I went down to investigate. If I wasn''t an expert with aura magic this presence would have been seen as a small animal. Which would have been ignored by the few that did train their sensing. Small animals make their way into the castle all the time. Animals usually have more chaotic presences like this one, but it felt different. It was more like a bunch of different presences condensed into one. I never would have noticed it if it were in a crowd of people. Gideon would probably be the only other knight to realize that presence didn''t belong to any normal animal, but he was out right now. I completely masked my presence and went down a corridor where I found Felix almost naked. He was probably looking for the princess, but he was way off. She was already on the other side of the palace. I sighed. *If you would have trained your sensing than finding her would be easy.* Felix:"Where the hell did they go!" I was walking a few feet behind him, but no matter what I did he wouldn''t even realize I was here as long I masked my presence. We crept closer and closer to the aura. ******************Becket POV*************** Standing right in front of me was Felix wearing only his briefs and that chain with the white stone on it. Out of reflex I punched him in the face. He was immediately knocked out and fell to the ground like a ton of bricks. Becket:"Hm. He was pretty easy to find." His nose was smashed in, but he was still alive. I had expected more from our next confrontation so this left me feeling a little let down. I crouched beside him and took the necklace off then placed it around my own neck. Becket:"I''ll take this." I took his silence as an ok. Becket:"Now what? Should I kill you?" I came here to kill him, save Aria and Gene then possibly get my armor back. If I had to abandon it I would since I could always remake it, but I felt a little attachment to it. Currently I had no clue where the two of them were, but Felix probably did. The information I got from the man at the inn suddenly popped into my head. Becket:"That guy said Gene was in a cell." I didn''t know what the typical layout for a castle would be, but when I thought of cells the first thing that came to mind was the basement. This became my destination and since I wanted insurance I tossed Felix over my shoulder to bring with me. I wasn''t sure if anyone else here had a trinket like this necklace Felix gave me so I decided to continue stealthily. I was worried I would get caught a few times by patrolling knights, but I found rooms to hide in. Luckily there was no one else in them. I had a weird feeling the whole time I searched for the basement. The thought crossed my mind that this place might be haunted. A few times I jumped into a room to hide when there weren''t even any knights. It was a very eerie feeling like someone is watching you. I came out of the room I was hiding in and continued my search. In the last area I searched I found a set of stairs that led down so I followed them and found iron bar cells. There were so many that counting would''ve been to much of a hassle. I was standing at the bottom of the stairs looking towards the long corridor with cells on both sides. There was a single knight guarding the area so I quickly strangled him with a choke hold. His armor hitting the floor made a loud clank, but no one seemed to have heard it. Now all that was left was to find Gene. Aelisia:"He''s in one of the cells near the back." I was surprised by the voice and immediately pulled out a sword with my one free hand then pointed it towards the voice. I could tell it was a woman, but for some reason she was out of focus. Becket:"Who are you?" Aelisia:"I''m Aelisia." She pinched the tip of the blade with her index finger and thumb. The sword snapped in half. I dropped the broken sword and jumped a few steps back. Aelisia:"You''re not going to be able to hurt me with that kind of weapon." I dropped Felix and pulled out my other sword along with a dagger. Aelisia:"I''m not planning on fighting you. I don''t believe in bullying the weak." Becket:"I think you''ve misjudged me." Aelisia:"I don''t really care. Do whatever you want, but if you get spotted by anyone else then I might have to kill you." I didn''t take my eyes off her, but she just vanished. I spun around in a circle searching the room for her. She was no where to be seen so I cautiously made my way to the cells in the back. I found Gene beaten to a pulp inside one of the cells. I first tried to pick the lock with my dagger, but that failed like I thought it would. The tip of my dagger broke off so I tossed it to the side. The only way to get through the iron bars would be with a sacrifice. I took out my sword and got ready. With two quick slashes I had severed parts of the bars. It was a small opening and the sword I used was sacrificed to do it, but it worked. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. I leaned Gene up and he tried to see who I was, but he couldn''t even open his eyes. Becket:"Gene it''s me." He didn''t say anything back and only tried to smile or at least that''s what I think he was doing. I didn''t know healing magic, but I did know something that was probably close though I hadn''t used it to heal injuries yet. I transferred some of the stored vitality I had over to him. I got a little pissed and dropped him back onto the floor when he stuck his tongue in my mouth. Gene:"Ow. That hurt." He was completely healed and even looked a few years younger. Becket:"What''s wrong with you! Don''t go trying to play twister with my tongue!" Gene:"Sorry I was a little delusional. I woke up to what I thought was a beautiful woman kissing me. What would you do?" Becket:"I feel a little violated." Gene:"Sorry sorry." The two of us climbed out through the small opening. Becket:"Stay close to me. We still need to get Aria." Gene:"Do you know where she is?" Becket:"No, but he probably d....." Felix was gone. Becket:"Shit!" I ran over to the knight I had killed earlier and found that his sword was gone. Since Felix had been so large during our first fight I still wasn''t sure how strong of a swordsman he was. If I fought him right now with only the one dagger I currently had I wasn''t sure if I could win. Becket:"Watch your back Gene." The knight still had his dagger so I picked it up and gave it to Gene. Becket:"Just in case." I went first and we started up the stairs. They twisted around so I couldn''t see more than a couple feet ahead of me. When we made it all the way up the stairs I relaxed a little. Becket:"Maybe he ran?" Gene:"Of course he did. You''re to much of a badass for him." Becket:"He abandoned this pretty easily." I held the white stone up and looked at it. Becket:"I wonder how it works?" It kind of looked like the title stone before it absorbed some of my blood. I brushed those thoughts aside for now since becoming a giant while still indoors would likely crush me. ******************Aelisia POV*************** Watching Becket was much more interesting than stopping him so after talking with him I pretended to leave. I almost started laughing during the battle of tongues. *I had no idea he swung both ways.* Felix had been awake ever since Becket dropped him onto the ground so I was waiting to see what he would do. He disappointed me though when he stole the knights sword and ran off. I decided to follow him now while keeping track of Beckets location with my presence sensing. Anyone who had originally sensed his animal like presence already forgot it was here, probably. Felix was running like a mad man. It was likely he realized his artifact was gone. He really couldn''t do much without it. A few generations back Felix''s family held commoner status, but that changed once they found that artifact. Artifacts can be powerful and hard to get so his family gained fame then they were promoted into nobility. With each generation the family became more power hungry and now one of them was close to becoming the next king. He was running straight for the throne room. I could tell the king was inside with his royal guard so I didn''t stop Felix. He ran right in still wearing only his briefs. Felix:"My king! Becket is here and he''s taken my families artifact!" King Francis:"What! This is the worst possible timing! She''s on her way to the throne room as we speak!" Felix:"Lend me one of the royal artifacts so that I may rid the world of his existence." King Francis:"You fool! You lose your artifact and expect me to hand a new one over to you!" Felix:"Please my king!" King Francis:"Silence!" Felix went quiet. The king seemed to be putting a lot of thought into this and after a few minutes he spoke up. King Francis:"Very well. I''ll lend you an artifact, but if you fail I''ll have your head." Felix:"Thank you my king." The king gestured towards one of his guards who came up to him and leaned over. The king whispered into his ear then the knight ran out of the room. After a few minutes Felix decided to break the silence. Felix:"Which one is it my king?" Before the king could answer there was a knock at the throne room door. Everyone stiffened up. King Francis:"Enter!" The doors swung open to reveal a beautiful woman probably in her early thirties. She had long black hair and wore a long purple dress. She looked almost exactly like the princess only older. A squadron of knights followed closely behind her. King Francis:"My darling Sylvia." Sylvia:"Quiet Francis." The king shut his mouth. The knight from before came back into the room holding something wrapped up in a cloth. He took his position in the line of royal guards. Sylvia:"I''ve heard some interesting things about what''s happened while I was gone." She began walking down the long red rug that led to the throne. She stopped right next to Felix and gave him a look of indifference. He was still in his briefs. She continued looking at him while she spoke. Sylvia:"I also just ran into my daughter Evalyn." Story Information Chapter 17- The Demons Bloody Massacre Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. ************************************************ Chapter 17 Since Felix got away my first priority had to be getting Gene to safety. I didn''t know where Aria was so trying to search the palace while protecting Gene wasn''t an option. The thing I feared most was running into a mage. From what I learned during a few talks with Tallie it appeared most of them are much slower than a knight so I could probably kill them before they cast a spell, but if I failed to then there was no way for me to stop a fire ball. We made our way down the barren looking stone hallway where I came from. A torch was hung on the wall every few meters to provide light. Gene:"So what''s the plan?" Becket:"First I get you out of here then I come back and find Aria." Gene stopped walking so I did to then turned to face him. Becket:"What is it?" Gene:"I want to help." Becket:"Can you fight?" Gene:"I did once." I continued walking and Gene ran in front of me to block my way. Becket:"If you try to fight a knight you''ll die." Gene:"It''s not like I have much to live for anyway. My wife left me, my inns been taken, I don''t have a single penny and my only friend is going to run around inside a palace full of knights that know you''re there." Becket:"I can handle these knights." Gene:"Not if you run into the Warlord or they bring out the royal artifacts." Becket:"I''ll be fine and if you think your presence will save me you''re wrong." Gene:"I''m not saying I''ll be much help, but I still want to try and if it kills me so be it." I sighed out loud so that Gene could hear it. Becket:"I really might not be able to protect you." Gene:"Thats fine." I thought for a second before coming to a decision. Becket:"You can help search for Aria, but you''ll have to do it how I tell you." He brightened up and showed a pleased smile. Gene:"Got it." I back tracked once again to return to the basement prison. Gene:"Why are we back here." Becket:"Strip that knight and put on his clothes and armor." Gene:"Oh! I get it!" He stripped the knight all the way down. It was our misfortune that that knight wasn''t wearing any kind of underwear. Felix had a pair of briefs on, but that may be something only someone with money could afford. Gene quickly put all the clothes and armor on and tucked the dagger into his waist. Gene:"How do I look?" Becket:"Well you have no sword so a little weird." Gene:"Hmm. Maybe I''ll find the armory during our search." Becket:"I hope you do." I gestured towards the helmet still on the ground so Gene picked it up and put it on. When I strangled this knight earlier he wasn''t wearing it. I punched the knights face hard a few times to make it unrecognizable then dragged him into Genes cell and placed the bars back up. I had to be carful to balance them, but if there was even a slightly strong gust of wind I knew they would fall. Luckily this basement had no windows. I did start to wonder who had the keys to the cells though since they weren''t on the knight. Becket:"Alright lets go." Gene:"Doing that to his face was a little but much." Becket:"Just in case. There''s no telling when someone might come down here." As we made it up the stairs I felt the night chill make it into the palace. My thermal insulation activated and I didn''t feel it anymore. Becket:"We''ll split up and search. If you hear knights hide. Only try and use that disguise if you have to." Gene:"Ok." Becket:"Start your search with that hallway and be mindful of the sounds you make while walking. That armor can make a lot of noise and footsteps will give you away." I had him start his search where I had already been once. It was a good place to be for him since foot steps echo really well. As long as he tries to stay quiet he''ll hear any knights coming before they hear him. Gene:"Good luck." Becket:"You''ll need it more than me." We separated and I went deeper into the palace. Most of the hallways looked the same except some were wider and had windows. More and more knights started popping up. I had to break the latch on a few doors so that I could hide. I was currently walking down another another corridor when I heard clanking of armor. Out of reflex I jumped for the closest door and went in. Without even scanning the room I leaned against the door to listen for when the guards passed. Knight 1:"The king would kill us if he knew we left our post." Knight 2:"What were we suppose to do? Ignore a noble when he runs right by us in his underwear." Knight 1:"Maybe Count Felix is just eccentric." Both of there shadows stopped in front of the door. I took a few steps back and braced myself for a fight, but they just stood there talking. ????:"Hello." I spun around to see a little girl with black hair that came down to her shoulders. She looked around 6 years old with a teddy bear clutched to her chest and appeared to be wearing a pink pajama like outfit. Becket:"Sshhh." I put one of my fingers to my mouth. She tilted her head as she showed a look of confusion. The guards were still talking so I assumed they didn''t hear me. I kneeled down next to the little girl and whispered. Becket:"What''s your name?" Celestia:"I''m Celestia. Who''re you?" Becket:"I''m.......a new maid." Celestia:"Why aren''t you wearing a uniform?" Becket:"I haven''t gotten mine yet." The room was filled with different kinds of toys and the color pink popped up a lot. Her bed sheets, curtains and a rug right in front of the bed were all pink. The little girl turned around and ran over to her bed then jumped in. She sat there looking at me like I was suppose to do something. Celestia:"Tuck me in." Becket:"...Right." I walked up and pulled the blanket over her then tucked her in. Celestia:"Story." Becket:"Ok." I looked around the room. Celestia pointed to her bedside table. It was actually a small bookcase. I picked a book at random and showed it to her. Celestia:"Not that one. I want the one with the demon." Becket:"Demon?" I looked back at the books and saw one that was thicker than the others. I pulled it out and saw the title. Becket:"The Demons Bloody Massacre?" Celestia:"That one!" *Really!?* The book had no pictures and was obviously meant for a much older person. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Becket:"Don''t you think one of the other books would be better?" Celestia:"No." Becket:"But this book seems like it''s not meant for someone your age." Celestia:"I''ll call the guards." Becket:"Ok I''ll read." *Did this girl realize I''m not a maid?* Becket:"I have a question for you. Have you seen any fairies around the palace?" She shook her head then just stared at the book in my hands. Becket:"Ok I''ll start reading. Oh yeah don''t tell anyone I was here. They may not be happy I read you this story." She nodded. There was a chair next to the bed which other maids probably sat in to read to Celestia so I sat down in it. She was asleep after a single chapter, but the book already had some intense moments. Honestly I wanted to finish reading it. I quickly put the book away and went back to the door. The guards weren''t talking anymore, but I could still see their shadows. *****************Sylvia POV****************** Sylvia:"I suggest we execute this man." I pointed at the pile of trash next to me. King Francis:"Execute the next king? Have you gone mad?" Sylvia:"No you''ve gone mad. How can any father just sit there in front of the man that attacked his daughter." King Francis:"It''s not my business what a man does with his wife. As long as she''s not dead he hasn''t broken any laws." Sylvia:"Who cares. You''re the king. Try and flex that power sometimes." King Francis:"Executing him would never go over well with the other nobles especially with his father Duke Gabriel Mountier." He made sure to stress the title and name. As a Duke he''s considered one of the high ranking nobles and holds a lot of power in this kingdom. Francis came from a family with close ties to the Mountiers. In this kingdom the throne is passed down through the first born daughter. In order to lower the chances of discord with the nobles one of their children marries the oldest daughter and becomes king. The kings holds all the power while the queen holds everyone''s allegiances. The king is suppose to be in charge, but since he''s basically an outsider from the royal family it''s a long time after he ascends to the throne before he holds any allegiances. Because of this the king and queen are almost equal in power. The last time a suitor was selected was one of the most difficult ever. The Mountier families oldest son Gabriel and the Yalus families Francis were the choices. Obviously Francis ended up becoming the king. Once married into the royal family they adopt the royal families name. The kings name is Sir Francis Yalus Esyn. Sylvia:"I don''t care what Gabriel thinks. This brat hurt our daughter." The king began rubbing his temple while a look of frustration float onto his face. King Francis:"How about this. We make Felix duel the elf man that started this whole thing. If Felix looses and is killed by the elf his death will be considered lost during a proper duel and the nobles won''t be able to complain." *He''s trying to buy time. We don''t even know where the elf man is.* Sylvia:"Fine." Felix:"My king! What about the artifact!" King Francis:"Of course I will give you one for the duel.." Felix let out a sigh of relief." Sylvia:"An artifact during a duel would tip the scales." King Francis:"Yes but the elf stole his." Sylvia:"This child lost his families artifact? How careless." King Francis:"Felix go now and search the palace, but remember that if you find Becket you must challenge him to a proper duel." Sylvia:"Why is he searching the palace?" King Francis:"Because Becket is here right now." I was surprised which showed on my face. Sylvia:"He''s here?" King Francis:"Why do you think Felix rushed here without getting dressed? It was to warn us." *No it was because he was chasing Evalyn.* Sylvia:"Then I''ll send my personal guards to search for him too. I''d like to start this duel as soon as possible." Aelisia:"I know where he is." Everyone in the room turned around to see Aelisia the Warlord standing a few feet behind the queen. Sylvia:"Aelisia. It''s nice to see you again." Aelisia grinned from ear to ear. Aelisia:"You''ve become a fine adult Sylvia. Last time I saw you was when your father forced you to marry Francis." Sylvia was showing a delighted face and a beautiful smile. Sylvia:"Yes and you don''t look like you aged a day." Aelisia:"Oh I have aged." Sylvia:"So you know where he is?" Aelisia:"Yes he''s still in the palace." King Francis:"If you already knew why haven''t you done anything about him!?" Aelisia:"I wasn''t called to the palace to handle intruders." The king looked furious and whispered under his breath. King Francis:"You bitch." Sylvia:"Well then could you go and collect him. We''ll hold the duel at the knights training ground." Aelisia:"Okay. I''ll meet you all there." She disappeared. Sylvia:"Then lets all move to the training ground. I''ll need to get our daughter first." I turned and left the throne room then proceeded to where I left Evalyn with some of my personal guard. It was a guards station I had taken over once I ran into Evalyn. I entered as soon as I got there. It was small with walls lines with spears, swords, shields and other weapons. One of the knights had gotten a new dress for my daughter who was now changed. Sylvia:"Evalyn." Eva:"Mother. So what''s happening?" Sylvia:"It''s been decided that Felix will duel Becket in a death match." Eva:"Aren''t they going to need to find him first?" Sylvia:"He''s already here." Aria:"Beckets here!" The fairy that was with Evalyn flew up into the air looking directly at me. She had been sitting on Evalyn''s shoulder this whole time. Sylvia:"Yes he''s here. We are going to have them fight on the knights training ground soon so I came to get you two." Eva stood up and began rushing towards the door. Eva:"Then lets go already." I couldn''t help but chuckle at how excited she looked. Sylvia:"Very well lets go." I followed after her as we made our way to the training ground. It looked like everyone inside of the palace was now waiting at the training grounds in anticipation. This was a fight no one wanted to miss. Story Information Chapter 18- A Totally Even Duel Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. I feel like I should explain something. Like I''ve mentioned before there are two types of mana in the world of my story. Inner and outer mana. So far you''ve mostly seen inner mana which is what Becket uses on plants. It''s the mana stored inside a person. Inner mana is mostly used to power a races unique magic or objects that require mana like the title stone. Outer mana is what mages use. Outer mana floats in the air and is neutral so mages take it into themselves and convert it into one of the four elements using a chant to cast a spell. Inner mana can run out and slow the body down while outer mana will never run out. All people are born with the ability to use inner mana, but some are better at it than others. People who can manipulate outer mana are much more rare among the humans. The mages aren''t all powerful though since they are typically weak at controlling inner mana. Controlling outer mana requires concentration and puts a burden on the mind so it can be strained during fights. ************************************************ Chapter 18 Since I couldn''t leave through the door without running into those knights I decided to go out the window. I stuck my head out of it and felt a cold chill brush across my cheek. There were a couple places I saw that I could jump to, but I decided on a balcony about a floor below me. After leaping out of the window I easily landed where I was aiming, but someone was there. Becket:"Uh?" A knight was standing a few feet away from me. He stopped moving the second I landed. Once I saw him grasp what was happening I jumped from the balcony towards him. Gene:"Wait it''s me!" I wasn''t able to stop because of the momentum I had picked up so I shifted to the side and slammed into the wall. Gene:"You ok?" Becket:"Damn it. You should''ve said something sooner." I pulled myself off the ground and stood up. Gene removed his helmet and revealed a slight smirk on his face. Gene:"That was terrible aim. You completely missed me." Becket:"I missed on purpose. If we would have collided it would''ve made a lot of noise." Gene:"Oh. Sorry then. So any luck." Becket:"No, you?" Gene:"I got a sword." Gene put his hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist. Gene:"I did find what I think was the armory, but it was guarded. Though I was able to get this from a room of weapons and armor being sent for repairs." Becket:"So you got a damaged sword." Gene:"It''s better than being unarmed. Plus now I look completely like a knight." Gene stretched both of his arms out and did a 360 degree turn so I could see his entire outfit. Becket:"Yeah." Gene:"So should we keep searching or try something else?" Becket:"I''m gonna keep searching." A shadow appeared on the balcony I just came from. Aelisia:"Hello again." I pulled my dagger out while Gene drew his sword. Becket:"What do you want?" Aelisia:"I want you to come with me." She vanished and I felt a hand grip the wrist holding the dagger. I immediately dropped the dagger and caught it with my other hand then pushed it right up against her throat. Aelisia:"Oh! Good reaction, but you''ll never be able to pierce my skin." She leaned her neck forward trying to shove the dagger into her throat. The result was it snapped. Aelisia:"See." She wasn''t wearing armor. Actually now that I could clearly see her I noticed she was wearing the typical tight black outfit all knights wear under their armor with her sword connected to a belt hanging on her waist. The sword looked slightly curved with a pure white sheath, silver hilt and guard. It looked a lot like a katana. Her completely gray hair was tied back into a ponytail. With an up close look at her face I guessed her age to be around early 40s and her body was thin, but tight and firm. Since my dagger was broken I was now unarmed so I tried to trip her by kicking the back of her shin, but it felt like I was kicking a stone wall which only hurt me. I still couldn''t get my hand out of her grip. Gene had his sword pointed at her. Gene:"Release him!" Aelisia:"Listen you two. The king has decided for Becket to duel Felix. Regardless of who dies a lot of current problems will be resolved." Becket:"What happens to me if I win?" Aelisia:"Who knows?" She shrugged. Gene:"Answer him!" She ignored Gene. Aelisia:"Ok lets go. Oh yeah you there." She looked at Gene. Aelisia:"You might want to go around back to the knights training grounds. Get there fast if you don''t want to miss anything." Gene:"What?" She gripped my other wrist and pulled me back out to the balcony then jumped into the air. I was shocked as I felt my feet come off the ground and we flew into the air. We went up an impossible height then started falling back down. Becket:"What the fuck!" I activated my wings. They manifested and I immediately tried to fly, but Aelisia was insanely heavy and I still wasn''t sure how to use these wings so we continued to plummeted straight down. We landed with a loud bang as chunks of rock were sent flying in all directions along with a cloud of dust. A few meter wide crater was made around us and Aelisia released me. I was a little disoriented from the jump, but I quickly regained my senses." Becket:"Why the hell did you do that!" Aelisia:"Fastest way to get you here." The cloud of dust began to clear and I noticed I was surrounded. I was inside of a coliseum and all the seats were filled by knights. I was standing in the center of the coliseum circled by walls three times my height. Partially broken pillars and walls were spread out all around me. There was a spot that seemed to be for important people where I saw the king, princess and who I was guessing was the queen. Aria:"Becket!" Something slammed into the side of my head. I actually stumbled a little before regaining my balance. An annoying little fairy was now attached to the side of my head. Becket:"Hey get off." Aria:"No!" I peeled her off, but not without her struggling with everything she had to hold on. She continued to struggle as I held her in my hands. Becket:"Calm down Aria." She slowly stopped her struggle likely because she ran out of energy. I started to hear the knights comments. Knight 1:"Hey he''s got wings just like the fairy!" Knight 2:"She must of blessed him!" Knight 3:"I want a blessing!" King Francis:"Silence!" The crowd of knights stopped all the noises they were making. After making my wings vanish I climbed out of the small crater still holding Aria and walked closer to the stage-like part where the royalty were seated. Aelisia followed behind me. The stage was surrounded by knights in mostly blue armor with a few that wore green. I hadn''t run into knights with this color armor yet so I stopped to look them over. It was easy to tell they were much more experienced compared to the other knights. The youngest one looked to be in his mid-thirties. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. King Francis:"You will duel against Count Felix in a death match." Becket:"What happens if I win?" King Francis:"You will be pardoned from your crime of attacking the princess." *Is he telling the truth?* Becket:"Fine but I need a new weapon." One of the seated knights unsheathed their sword and tossed it down to me. It landed right in front of my feet. Becket:"Thanks." I was clearly being sarcastic. I picked it up and looked it over. It was a plain sword in good condition. I looked up at the three on their stage. The princess seemed to be trying to hold back a smile. Becket:"So when will we start this match?" King Francis:"In a moment. Now Becket do you accept this duel against Count Felix?" Becket:"I don''t think I''ve really been given a choice so sure." King Francis:"Very well. Enter!" On the opposite side of the coliseum an iron gate opened. Out stepped Felix dressed in a full set of purple armor with a sword at his waist. Another knight following him into the coliseum holding something wrapped in a cloth. I turned back to look up at the people on the stage. The king and queen showed firm stoic faces so I couldn''t guess what they were thinking, but the princess was looking with hostility towards Felix. I glanced down at Aria still in my hands. Becket:"Go find somewhere to sit while I fight." Aria:"Make him suffer." Becket:"Sure now go." I released my grip and she flew up to the stage and landed on the princesses shoulder. *What is she doing up there?* I pushed that thought out of my head as I turned to face Felix. The knight with him handed the object over and exited through the gate which then closed. King Francis:"Count Felix do you accept this duel against Becket the elf?" Felix:"Of course my king!" King Francis:"Very well then." The king closed his eyes for a second then reopened them and stood up. King Francis:"Let the match begin!" I sprinted full speed towards Felix preparing to plunge my sword into his chest. I wanted to end this fast since I was cautious of what he had been given. Our distance was shortened in a few seconds and Felix pulled the cloth off of what he was holding. Before I could react to what I saw a red beam hit my right shoulder while another one whizzed by my ear causing me to fall and tumble forward. While still trying to get my bearings I scrambled for cover behind a half destroyed wall near me. Felix:"Hiding Becket! Are you a coward!" The weapon Felix had was obviously a gun, but not one I recognized. They were actually dual pistols from what I saw. It also fired some sort of beam instead of normal bullets. Spoiler : I checked the wound on my shoulder. The shot went completely through and made a perfect circle a little bigger than the size of a quarter. When the beam hit me it felt cold and hurt like hell. I had hoped the beam would cauterized my wound, but that didn''t happen. I was bleeding pretty badly. Becket:"Where did you get those!?" Felix:"I''ve borrowed these artifacts from the king!" He wasn''t getting any closer so I knew I had to close the distance to win. A barrage of those red beams began hitting the wall I was hiding behind. The wall didn''t stop them at all so I dashed out of cover and ran towards a pillar nearby. Felix kept his sights on me and continued firing. The guns didn''t make any noises from what I could hear so I had to use my sight to avoid the shots while jumping from cover to cover. I was half tempted to throw my sword at him, but I knew that if it missed I''d be unarmed against him. Felix:"Stop running around! Just accept your loss and die!" While jumping behind another pillar I picked up a small rock and tossed it towards Felix. Felix:"Aahh!" He was hit in the forehead causing him to stop shooting for a second. I leapt out from behind the pillar and ran towards him, but he recovered fast and fired off a shot that hit my right knee. I fell forwards and landed face first and slid for a few feet before coming to a stop. Felix:"Ha!" I was in a lot of pain as I heard his footsteps approach me. *Damn those guns are hard to deal with!* I couldn''t even feel my right leg below the knee, but I tried to stand using the sword to hold me up. Felix:"Still trying to fight?" He shot me in my left leg and I fell back to the ground. He stopped right next to me and pushed his boot into my stomach. Becket:"Uuuhh! *cough* *cough*" Felix:"Pathetic." He tried to kick me again, but I caught it this time causing him to fall backwards. Felix:"Ah!" I pulled myself on top of him while he tried to bring the guns up, but I grabbed his wrists and twisted. He dropped both of them and pinned his arms down. Felix:"Bastard! Release me!" He struggled, but my strength surpassed his. My legs weren''t usable and my arms were occupied holding him down so I only had one way to finish him. I kissed him. He was so surprised that he didn''t move for a few seconds. When he started to feel something was wrong he began to struggle, but all his strength had already left him. His eyes rolled to the back of his head as his hair greyed and his skin wrinkled up. I pulled away leaving him barely alive. Everyone in the coliseum had gone silent. I crawled over to each of the guns and picked them up. Becket:"Hm? These don''t seem to use magic." I inspected the guns while everyone just watched. Felix was squirming, but couldn''t move very much thanks to the sudden aging. I pointed one of the guns at him and pulled the trigger. Until now I never noticed it had a green laser sight. I blew out both of his knees as he screamed in agony. Felix:"Aaaaahhhhhhh! S-Stop!" Becket:"Sorry but I''m suppose to make you suffer plus I''m a little angry with you." I tucked the guns into my pants and drew the sword Felix wore at his waist. Becket:"That arms gonna have to go." I chopped off his right arm. Felix:"Aaaaahhhhhhh! P-P-Please s-spare me!" Becket:"Ok." Felix:"R-Really?" Becket:"Of course." I smiled then brought the sword down into his chest. Felix:"Huh?" He looked at the sword in his chest before looking back towards me. His mouth opened like he was going to say something, but only blood came out then he stopped moving. I left the sword in his chest and crawled away from him. Aelisia appeared in front of me. Aelisia:"Good job." Becket:"Yeah." I had lost a lot of blood so I passed out. Story Information Chapter 19- Diaphanum Gladio Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. Sorry but I''m not really sure what my release schedule will be from now on. ************************************************ Chapter 19 ******************Aelisia POV**************** When I confronted Becket I realized he had skill and speed, but his defense and attack power was weak. He seemed surprised that his dagger couldn''t pierce my skin so maybe he doesn''t know much about aura magic. I shouldn''t really be surprised since knights don''t usually learn how to use it for this level of defense until they reach the rank Grand Knight. I wasn''t in the mood to take my time getting him to the coliseum so I just jumped there. I left his side pretty fast to take my position on the stage next to the princess. Eva:"Who do you think will win Aelisia?" The princess whispered to me while the king was talking. Aelisia:"In a normal fight I would go for Becket, but which artifact Felix has will heavily influence the outcome." Eva nodded and turned her head back to watch. Felix came out of the gate in the coliseum and seeing him made Eva tremble slightly with rage. I placed my hand on her shoulder to calm her which seemed to work. King Francis:"Begin!" Becket dashed forward. *Good plan. Use your speed to defeat him before he can use whatever artifact he has.* Sadly Becket wasn''t fast enough. Eva:"Aelisia I want you to make sure he doesn''t die even if you have to interrupt the duel." Aelisia:"That could anger the king you know." Eva:"I know." I closed my eyes, crossed my arms and sighed. * Why do I have such a soft spot for her?* Becket lost his mobility when Felix hit one of his legs. When he tried to stand back up Felix shot his other leg. *Is he gonna lose?* I placed my hand on the hilt of my sword and noticed Eva tensing up while watching. Becket suddenly pulled Felix down to the ground and climbed on top of him so I relaxed a little. He was able to disarm him then he kissed him? My mouth fell open out of surprise, but the next scene was even more shocking. Felix began to wrinkle up and I couldn''t help but let out a whisper. Aelisia:"Impossible." Everyone was silent. We recognized what he was doing, but none of us could process what we were seeing. We stayed quiet even after he climbed off Felix and inspected the artifacts. He toyed with him for a minute before driving the sword into his chest then he dragged himself away from the corpse. Once I accepted what I had just see I quickly made my way to him. When I was close enough he looked over at me. Aelisia:"Good job." Becket:"Yeah." His eyes closed and his head fell straight down into the dirt. Blood was still oozing out his wounds so I looked over at the king. When he noticed my gaze he stood up. King Francis:"Becket the elf has won." No one cheered, but Eva had a slight smile. The queen maintained a stoic appearance. King Francis:"I shall pardon him from the crime of attacking my daughter." Eva''s smile brightened. King Francis:"However many of our knights were slain by him so he will be arrested for murder." Eva:"Father!" Eva jumped from her seat. Eva:"What are you doing!" King Francis:"What do you mean? I promised only to pardon him from the crime of attacking you. I never said I would forgive him for his other crimes." Eva:"Those knights only died because you sent them after him!" King Francis:"Are you saying he should be forgiven for murder? Does an elf hold more worth then the very men who dedicated their lives to protecting you and preserving the peace of our kingdom?" Eva tightly clenched her hands together at her sides. It was obvious the urge to smack the king was bubbling up inside her. The queen stood up now and joined their argument. Sylvia:"Settle down." Eva looked towards her mother with eyes pleasing for her help. After a few minutes of eye contact Eva visibly calmed. Her tension seemed to dissipate has her shoulders drooped. Eva:"Yes mother." King Francis:"Shackle him and toss him into a cell." Some knights came out of the same gate Felix exited from. Them walked towards Becket and shackled his hands and feet together. I moved away from them and walked closer to the stage. Sylvia:"Francis he''ll die if not properly treated." King Francis:"A murderers death isn''t a problem." Sylvia:"What would the other nobles think if you immediately let the man who beat Count Felix in a duel die?" The king glared angrily at the queen. Naturally since the palace knights and the royal family were the only ones to witness the duel it would seem suspicious to the other nobles. If the man Felix dueled with were to die immediately after it, rumors might spread that the king had Felix killed and disguised his assassination as a duel. It was believable since Felix''s family had been who the current king competed with in order to win the queens hand and the throne. The nobles might think the two families still held some animosity towards each other so the king set this up to kill Felix in order to stop the marriage with his daughter thus preventing Felix''s family from joining the ranks of royalty. It had been many years since Francis competed against Felix''s father to win the right to marry Sylvia, but grudges weren''t easily forgotten. Francis had developed a nice relationship with Felix''s father; however, most nobles acted as if they were best friends with the people they hated. Keeping your enemies close was an established rule of being a noble. The queen was threatening to spread these rumors which could make the nobles lose trust in their king. He couldn''t afford to lose the nobles favor. The king grit his teeth in frustration. King Francis:"Send for a healer!" He yelled out in anger. Becket had already been dragged away and one of the knights quickly departed to fetch a healer. In this world magicians typically work for the churches that are seen as a second power in the kingdom which is led by the cardinal who holds just as much power as the king. The king and his men train knights while the churches train magicians. There is also an academy where a person could learn nearly anything, but the students there come from all over so it''s yet another independent power separate from the 7 kingdoms. The academy however is not located on any of the different continents and is instead on an isolated island. It''s more like another kingdom made up of all the races than anything else. It holds more power than any king or cardinal because of the versatility of it''s students. With a group of both magicians and knights under their control they would have a more powerful army if they had to fight. There are plenty of influential people who send their children there so they also have connections in high places in every kingdom. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Sylvia:"I''ll prepare something else for him to make his sleep a little more comfortable." The queen went over to one of the knights around them and whispered an order to him then he immediately left. I was still wondering about that ability he used. Aelisia:"He had fairy wings then an ability from a hag. What the hell is he?" ******************Becket POV**************** When I opened my eyes I saw an unfamiliar ceiling. The room was dark and felt stuffy. I was lying in a bed and noticed this room was actually a cell. It looked like someone moved a twin bed into here for me to sleep on. I could tell this was the same room of cells where I found Gene, but I knew there weren''t any beds in here before. I could feel something under my sheets so I threw them off, but just sighed. Becket:"Great." I was wearing shackles on my hands and feet. My wounds also appeared to have been healed. Becket:"Hm? I heard only elves could heal. Does that mean there''s an elf here?" I was a little curious since I hadn''t met an elf yet, but my thoughts quickly moved back to my current situation. Becket:"The king said he''d pardon me, but was that a lie?" I left the bed and went up to he bars at my cell. I could see two knights in silver armor standing watch at the staircase. They were being a lot more vigilant than the last guard that was there. I decided to call out to them. Becket:"Hey I thought I was getting a pardon? Why am I locked up?" The knights looked over at me then one of them went up the stairs. The one that stayed didn''t say anything. Becket:"Hey you gonna answer me?" He still kept silent. Becket:"Hell~oooo." After a while the first knight came back and whispered into the other ones ear. A new knight dressed in blue armor appeared from the stairs. The first two gave him a slight bow and all three came over to my cell. Silver Knight 1:"Back away elf." I stepped back from the bars and they unlocked my cell. Silver Knight 1:"Get out." I was escorted out of my cell and up the stairs. The two silver knights walked in front while the blue knight followed behind us. We were going at a slow pace since I couldn''t walk very fast with the shackles on. We stopped in front of a large door which I knew must open up to an important room. The doors began to open and revealed a throne room. There was a red rug with gold edges leading up to the throne and it was lined with the blue and green knights that I saw last night. I was pushed inside and only the blue knight followed me in. He shoved me down onto my knees once I was right in front of the throne. Since no one was sitting on it I glanced around the room, but there were only knights then I heard footsteps. The king stepped out from behind the throne and sat down. King Francis:"Becket." I could tell just by looking at his face that my existence was an annoyance to him. King Francis:"I''ve decided what to do with you." Becket:"You said I''d get a pardon if I beat Felix." King Francis:"I did pardon you......for attacking my daughter, but not for killing my knights." Becket:"What!" I started grinding my teeth. Becket:"I only killed them because they attacked me first." King Francis:"I will hand you over to Felix''s father and he will punish you." The king smiled. I narrowed my eyes at him. Becket:"You bastard." King Francis:"I hear he''s devastated from losing his son. I''m sure he''ll be able to think up a fitting punishment." I tried to stand up, but the blue knight shoved me back down. King Francis:"I wanted to see your face when you found out. It feels nice to see your anger. Now throw him back in a cell and pick a different one. A bed is to good for this elf." The blue knight started dragging me away and the king started to chuckle before breaking out into laughter. King Francis:"Hahahahah....." The king went silent and the knight dragging me stopped. I glanced over at the king and saw something sticking out of his chest. It looked like a blade had gone through the throne then the king. The blade was as red as his blood. It slid back into his chest then disappeared. A person stepped out from behind the throne. Aelisia:"Hey Becket." She was holding her katana, but now I noticed the blade wasn''t red. The kings blood covered it making it red. The blade was actually transparent. She swung her sword and all the blood slid off it making it appear that she was only holding a sword hilt. She put it back in the scabbard and looked around the room at all the knights. Aelisia:"Your not gonna try and fight me right?" The knights didn''t move from where they were standing except the blue knight that was dragging me who drew his sword. Blue knight:"What are you doing Warlord Aelisia! You murdered the king!" Aelisia:"What are you talking about Captain of the Kings Guard Rolin. I saw you kill the king." Rolin:"What!? You bitch!" He rushed towards her. She placed her hand on her sword and drew it at a speed I couldn''t even see then sheathed it again. Rolins head went flying across the room. His body took a few more steps before falling over. Aelisia:"Is there anyone else here who didn''t see Rolin kill our king!" The knights stayed silent. Aelisia:"Good. Now the king has died so security on the rest of the royal family will be doubled. Also I want Rolins body moved out of here and send for a craftsman to construct the kings coffin. Get to work!" The knights all began to move, but they made sure to clear a path for Aelisia as she made her way towards me. Becket:"Why''d you kill the king?" Aelisia:"Hm? I don''t know what you''re talking about Rolin killed the king." Becket:"Sure." Aelisia:"Now come with me. The princess is expecting you." Becket:"What about these?" I lifted my hands to show the shackles to her. Aelisia:"Oh yeah." She reached down and tour the shackles off with her bare hands. Becket:"Thats some serious strength." Aelisia:"Oh. Are you complimenting me?" Becket:".....yeah." Aelisia:"Then thank you. Now lets go." She started heading towards the door so I followed after her. ************************************************ The title of this chapter is Latin for transparent sword. Story Information Chapter 20- Answers Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. To answer a comment from the previous chapter. Sylvia did give the king a son. Celestia and Eva are the only children I''ve introduced, but they''re not the only ones. Eva is the oldest though. In the world I''ve created the next king is decided by who marries the oldest daughter in the royal family. They don''t pass the throne down through blood in order to keep an ever changing kingdom. Fresh blood on the throne with every coronation. Of course it is a rule that the next king needs to be related to one of the current nobles of the kingdom. ************************************************ Chapter 20 Aelisia led me to a different part of the castle. We walked for a while then went up some stairs and now we were standing in front of a wooden door. There were no designs on it, but I could tell the wood was high quality. There were two guards standing in front of it wearing blue armor. Aelisia:"She''s right in here." She gripped the door knob and pushed it open. Aelisia:"After you." She stepped aside to let me go in first. I glanced over at her before entering. Immediately I recognized the room from my first few minutes in this world. It was the same one I first woke up in. I noticed the curtain I had taken was replaced. Before I could think about anything else someone''s head rammed right into my stomach making me fall back onto my butt. Becket:"Uh!" I let out a weird sound because of the sudden impact then looked down. I saw a head full of white hair buried in my stomach. Becket:"Aria?" She looked up at me with slightly watery eyes. Aria:"Becket." Becket:"What happened to you?" I was confused since she wasn''t tiny. I couldn''t quite tell how tall she was since we were both currently on the ground, but she was a lot bigger than 6 inches. Aria:"Look Eva gave me this!" She pulled out a necklace she was wearing. It was the one with the white stone that I took from Felix. It must have been taken away after I killed him and passed out. Eva decided to speak since she saw the confusion on my face. Eva:"That artifact increases the users size by 10 times." Aria let go of me and jumped up onto her feet then spun around. Aria:"Isn''t it great!" Her wings were lying down against her back, but shot up because of her excitement. I stood up and gave her a pat on the head which made her smile. She seemed to be around 5 foot tall. Becket:"So you wanted to see me." I directed my gaze at Eva who was sitting on the side of her canopy bed in a yellow and white dress. She had a smile on her face as she looked back at me. Eva:"Yes I did. Aria, Aelisia could you two wait outside please?" Aelisia:"Sure." Aria:"What! I don''t wanna!" Becket:"Aria give us a few minutes." Aria:"But something always happens to you when you''re not around me." *What does she think she''s a good luck charm?* Becket:"Nothing''s gonna happen this time. I''m not getting into a fight or anything. We''re only having a chat." Aria cast her eyes down and spoke with a low voice. Aria:"Ok." Becket:"Thanks." Aria left the room with Aelisia. Becket:"Ok so what just happened with the king was that your doing?" Eva:"There''s no need to worry about that. It was bound to happen at some point. He may have been my father, but he was a terrible person. Mother will handle his funeral." Becket:"That guard of yours sure is something. She had a room full of top class knights afraid of her." Eva:"That''s because she''s a Warlord. Of course they would fear her. You can''t even be considered human anymore after you reach that rank." Becket:"I see." I snook a glance at Aelisia who was still standing at the door. Eva:"First I would like to thank you for killing Felix." Becket:"I wanted to kill him anyway." Eva:"I''m sure you have some questions about why you''re here." Becket:"Listen there''s something I need to tell you. I''m not the same guy..." I decided to tell her I wasn''t the same Becket, but she interrupted me before I could finish. Eva:"How are you liking this world?" Becket:"Huh?" Eva:"Is our world a lot different from the one you came from?" Becket:"Wait you know?" Eva:"Of course I did. I helped bring you here after all." Becket:"Why didn''t you say anything when I first got here?" Eva:"I had to feign ignorance or else you would have stayed to try and get answers. Esyn told me to do it that way." Becket:"Who''s Esyn?" Eva:"A god." *Another god. What the hell do they want?* Eva:"Esyn had to set up some important meetings for you so she needed you to think I didn''t know anything since it would affect your actions." Becket:"What do you mean? Explain properly." Eva:"I''ll start over. I''ve been in contact with a god named Esyn ever since I was a child. She would show me dreams of an elf man who she said I would marry one day." *Dreams again.* Eva:"She told me that her rebirth depends on our union. Apparently the gods have lost most of their power and decided to reincarnate, but sadly no one in this world is capable of having a child that can hold their souls. Your soul was brought here because it has the capability to do it." Becket:"So I was brought here to create new vessels for the gods?" Eva:"Exactly. The gods selected many girls that could possibly give birth to a gods vessel and they need you to impregnate them." Becket:"What? I was brought to this world just to make kids? What was stoping you from telling me this when I first got here?" Eva:"Esyn told me that in order to ensure the best possible future things had to be done this way." Becket:"So what? They can see the future?" Eva:"Esyn can see the different possible futures. Nothing is set in stone, but she wanted you to save Aria and establish the connections you currently have. If I would have admitted to you that I knew something the future wouldn''t have gone the way she wanted." Becket:"So everything I''ve done and everyone I''ve met was set up by her?" Eva:"Yes." I wasn''t really sure how to respond to that so I decided to move on to my next question. Becket:"Ok so why am I in this body?" Eva:"Becket is a descendent of one of the gods, but blood relation only offers the chance to achieve god like power. The problem was they needed a body without a linker." Becket:"Linker? What the hell is that?" Eva:"It''s what they call the other half of your soul. Everyone''s soul is linked to another persons only the two halves usually live in different worlds and inhabit different bodies. Becket was your linker so his body easily accepted your soul. If we would have tried to use another persons body it would have rejected your soul." Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Becket:"So what happened to Becket?" Eva:"He''s dead. Usually if one half of the soul dies its linker dies with it, but when you were at deaths door on your world the gods had me pull your soul over to this world. When you entered Beckets body his soul was already gone." She stopped to think for a moment. Eva:"Another way to explain it is both of you died, but instead of moving on your soul was pulled back into Beckets body and you were revived. Becket your linker stayed dead though. Since you have no linker anymore your children will be born without one too so the gods will be able to easily link to them. They will be able to take the bodies of your children in a similar way to how you took Beckets except they will fuse." Becket:"Then why did they pick out the girls for me?" She giggled. Eva:"They obviously don''t want to be born into weak bodies so they picked people with power in their blood." Becket:"And you''re one of them?" Eva:"I may not be powerful, but my children will be a different story. I''m actually a descendent of Esyn the god." Becket:"What if I decided not to do it?" Eva:"Why wouldn''t you? They''re offering you a harem." *Hmm. I really don''t have a reason to deny it.* Becket:"So I''m free to do what I want as long as I have kids with the girls they pick?" Eva:"Well it would be best if you had as many kids as you possibly can even with women that the gods didn''t pick since it''s always possible a random woman could give birth to a child one of the gods can use. They''ll also need you to do some other things for them too. Lets call them missions." Becket:"Like what?" Eva:"I wasn''t told. You will be contacted by them personally and given your missions, but they likely involve directing this world into the future they want. There''s no telling what they may ask you to do." I sighed. *So I''m a servant of the gods. I wonder what these missions will be like?* Becket:"So what am I suppose to do now?" Eva:"For now you will be a guest in the palace until your name has been cleared as a criminal. It shouldn''t take very long and one of the gods should contact you soon." Becket:"Well can I get something to eat? I''m starving." *I need to get something to eat and process everything she just told me.* I was still trying to organize all the information I just got. Eva:"I can''t have the cook make you anything right now since the whole palace is probably in a panic with the death of the king, but I can have some snacks sent up to you. I''ll have Aelisia escort you to your room." Becket:"Thanks." Eva was quiet for a minute before she stood up and walked over to me. Eva:"It''s nice to finally meet you." She hesitantly reached her hand out and touched my cheek then smiled. She whispered to herself. Eva:"It''s not a dream this time." Her hand was slightly trembling. Eva:"When I was performing the ritual to pull your soul over here I felt a little bad for Becket. I talked with him a lot. He seemed like a nice man, but I knew he wasn''t the person I saw in my dreams." Becket:"How?" She gave a radiant smile. Eva:"Woman''s intuition." She wrapped her arms around me and laid her head on my chest. I put my arms around her and gently stroked her hair. I still wasn''t sure what I planned to do from now on or if I even wanted to go along with these gods, but I did know that this girl needed someone to lean on right now. My parents had a strained relationship at times; however, they always loved each other and I always secretly wanted a relationship like that. I had never felt it in any of my relationships so I gave up a long time ago, but maybe I can find it in this world. Eva:"I was scared last night. Felix attacked me." Becket:"You don''t need to worry anymore he''s dead." She let go of me and stepped back. Eva:"Oh yeah there''s something else I should tell you." Becket:"What is it?" She leaned in close to my ear and whispered to me. Eva:"I''m still a virgin." Becket:"Huh?" I knew it would be a little rude, but I felt compelled to ask. Becket:"What about the fact that you were naked with Becket when I first woke up?" Eva:"That was part of the ritual. We didn''t have sex. Well you were the only one who actually had to be naked, but I decided to make your first few moments in our world an interesting one. Esyn thought it was funny." She covered her mouth with her hand and giggled. Eva:"Ok I''ve got to go now. Mothers going to have to announce the death of the king to the people so I need to be there." She walked over to the door and opened it. Eva:"Aelisia bring Becket to his room." Aelisia:"Sure thing." Eva:"Also get him a snack." Aelisia nodded. Eva:"Well good bye Becket. Until later." She left with the two knights that were guarding her door. Aelisia:"Come with me Becket." Aria was standing next to Aelisia who led us to a different part of the palace. Becket:"So that''s an interesting sword you have." Aelisia:"It''s an artifact." Becket:"Could you tell me about the weapons Felix used during our duel?" Aelisia:"They were twin artifacts. Like all artifacts we found them on the dark continent." Becket:"The dark continent huh." *So the guns weren''t made they were found.* Becket:"Since I''m gonna be locked up for a while could you get me some books to read? Specifically about geography, philosophy, economics and history." Aelisia:"I''ll send a maid up to your room to deliver your snack so just ask her." Becket:"Thanks." *There''s likely a trove of knowledge in the books here. I''ll need it if I''ve gotta permanently live in this world.* I was given a room half the size of Eva''s, but still much bigger than the room I had at the inn. There was a single bed with white sheets, a desk, chair, wardrobe and a window with wooden shutters. Aria ran in and jumped onto the bed. Aelisia:"If you need anything else ask the maid when she delivers your snacks." Becket:"Sure." She nodded then closed the door as she left. ***************Gideon POV*************** It wasn''t easy, but I''ve finally found the vampires base. I wanted to show mother that I can handle this alone so I sent all the knights under my command back to the palace. I have to prove I''m ready for the rank of Warlord. Mothers trained me for years yet she still tells me I''m not strong enough for that title. Today I''ll prove to her that I am. Today I become a Warlord. Story Information Chapter 21- Esyn Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. We''ll bang okay. ************************************************ Chapter 21 I read a few of the books the maid brought me. Just in case I also had her bring me a sewing kit along with string and fabric. I learned a little bit about the economies of the 7 kingdoms along with a rough layout of the world. While flipping through some pages I found info on the dark continent. The land on that continent is unmapped because of fear. People who go to that continent very rarely come back. This continent is also where all artifacts are found. Sometimes an artifact can be reproduced like the title stone which is a mass produced copy of an artifact that was found a long time ago. Why the artifacts are found on the dark continent and what happens to the people that disappear when they go there was shrouded in mystery. The continent is a big unknown in this world. People think of it as the land of the dead. The human king apparently sends a squad out every year to go to the dark continent to search for more artifacts since they can increase the kingdoms standing with the other races, but the knights usually don''t come back. Anyone that does return tells a different story about their experience on the continent. One says they were all wiped out by a monster they had never seen before while the other says all his team members disappeared one after the other. The only thing that is certain about the continent is that you''re unlikely to return from it. I closed the book I was holding and rubbed my eyes. My body was fine, but I felt mentally tired so I decided to go to sleep. I looked over at my bed and saw Aria was already asleep. I placed the book I was holding on the desk in front of me and stood up while stretching my arms. I laid in the bed on my side for awhile thinking then closed my eyelids and drifted off. I opened my eyes and saw my apartment. The one I lived in before I came to this world. I was lying on a queen mattress with white sheets and a black comforter. My alarm clock said it was five in the morning. Becket:"What?" I sat up and looked around then switched on the lamp next to my bed. Becket:"Wait was that all a dream?........... Impossible I know it was real." I looked down and saw my old body. When I placed my feet on the ground I could feel the sensation of the carpet between my toes. My room was clean since I don''t spend much time here. I have blackout curtains so that I can sleep in total darkness even during the day. I walked over to them and threw them open. The city was still a little dark, but I could see because of all the lights. Becket:"What''s going on?" ???:"You''re dreaming." I spun around to see where the voice came from and found a young girl sitting on my bed. She seemed to be around 10 years old with long black hair and violet eyes that seemed to shine. She had a black dress on that came down to her knees along with white stockings and a ribbon on each side of her hips. Her skin was pale and her lips were a vivid pink. I could tell by looking at her face that she was related to Eva. Becket:"Dreaming? But this feels so real?" ???:"Of course it does. I made this dream after all." It wasn''t hard for me to guess that this girl was probably one of the gods. Becket:"So are you Esyn?" Esyn:"Yes." She stood up and walked over to my dresser then picked up a picture I had sitting there. Esyn:"I created this dream from your memories. It''s a very interesting world." Becket:"I don''t feel like small talk. What is it you want?" Esyn:"Right to business then. Alright. Well you''ve learned about most of the situation from Eva right?" Becket:"She told me you brought me here to have kids that could be used as vessels for the gods." Esyn:"That''s right. You''re an anomaly like us, only we made you into one." Becket:"What do you mean by anomaly?" Esyn:"You see we weren''t always considered gods and like any other soul we had linkers. When a linker dies fate will kill the other one. It''s a way to balance out the energies in our universe. We took control of our own fate and kept ourselves alive even after the death of our linker so we became anomalies which is what we did for you." Becket:"So I''m some kind of walking dead." Esyn:"In a way. The universe doesn''t acknowledge your existence anymore so there are certain benefits." Becket:"Benefits?" Esyn:"Yes. One would be the ability to manipulate neutral mana. A normal person has to take in neutral mana and convert it into the spell they are trying to cast, but we can cast a spell with out converting the mana. This means we can literally do anything that we can imagine. You''re limited to what neutral mana can be converted into so when conversion is no longer necessary than you almost have no boundaries. It''s a godlike power." Becket:"So you goes are just people who got a lot of power." Esyn:"Yes. You can do it too. It took us many years to learn how to use it. It''s possible to just imagine something and it happens, but it easier to use keywords." Becket:"Keywords?" Esyn:"They help stimulate the spell you are casting. Consider it a short chant except it''s only a few words at most." Becket:"Ok so why are you telling me this?" Esyn:"Because I can sense the hesitation in you. You''re not sure what to do. Gods have been playing with your life and you just want to try and enjoy this new world. I''ve come to help settle your mind." Becket:"First tell me what you want exactly. I know I''m not here just to have kids." Esyn:"You''re right. We need you to change this world so we''ll give you missions." Becket:"Why should I?" Esyn:"We''re offering an exchange. We give you power and you do a few things for us." Becket:"I don''t trust you. Look at how the original Becket turned out because of you." Esyn:"His soul moved on. He''s not in any pain." Becket:"Was his death natural?" Esyn:"Of course it was. Sudden heart failure. We did know it was going to happen though and didn''t stop it." Becket:"So his heart stopped." I touched my hand to my chest. Esyn:"You''re actually the reason he died." Becket:"Huh? How?" Esyn:"Like I said before. A linker always dies when the other half of his soul dies. You were killed on a mission so fate took Beckets life too. That''s the way the world works." She walked over to me. Esyn:"If you help us we can give you access to unimaginable power. So what do you think of having god like power?" Becket:"It''s tempting, but I don''t like the idea of being under your thumb." Esyn:"So you won''t work for us?" Becket:"I don''t want a life were I''m a slave to the gods." Esyn:"You won''t be a slave. In fact you''ll eventually become a god yourself. Think of it as a job with a definite chance of promotion." Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Becket:"Why can''t you get someone else to do the missions?" Esyn:"Because you aren''t affected by fate anymore so your actions can cause serious changes to the future." Becket:"So without me you gods are screwed." I smiled, but she frowned. Esyn:"It would be a real set back if we lost you." She lifted her hand and pointed it at me then I was sent flying back into the wall. Becket:"Aahh!" I struggled, but I couldn''t move. Becket:"Let me down!" Esyn:"It may be a set back, but don''t think we won''t kill you if you''re in the way." Whatever force was holding me suddenly vanished and I fell to the ground. Esyn:"Listen, this isn''t a request it''s an order. We may be a lot weaker than we use to be, but as long as you have to sleep we can kill you." I stood up and regained my composure then closed my eyes to think. Honestly it''s a good deal, but working for these gods irks me. I get a harem and godly power so my life will probably be pretty good. I opened my eyes and looked at Esyn. Becket:"What about the girls you picked for my harem? How can you be sure they''ll want to have my kids?" Esyn smiled when I asked that. Esyn:"Thats easy. Regardless of which future they never found love without you. Most of them died anyway. With this future we''ve crafted they get to live and love. This seems like a better future than they would''ve had. We also properly conditioned them to love you so there should be little resistance." Becket:"You conditioned them?" Esyn:"Yes. It''s not hard to make a woman fall in love. We just gave them romantic dreams about you ever since they were children so of course they would fall in love with you. People are easy to manipulate especially regarding their emotions." *These gods are crazy as shit.* Becket:"That makes you sound a little evil." Esyn:"Aren''t we all a little evil. Now do you accept our offer or not?" Becket:"Ha, you already said I didn''t have a choice, but I''ll need to know what the out come of every mission will be. I have to know what each mission will do to the future of this world." Esyn:"Deal. Now it''s time to give you the gift of knowledge. Kneel." I went down on one knee and she places both of her hands in my cheeks. Esyn:"Illuminare!" She pulled me into a kiss. For some reason I couldn''t think straight and random things started popping into my head. Things I didn''t know before I now clearly understood. Most of this knowledge seemed to be centered around magic. I learned how to use it, it''s history and how to sense it. My mind was also flooded with all kinds of different spells which I immediately understood how to use. She separated from me and I stood back up. Becket:"What was that exactly?" Esyn:"The collected knowledge regarding how to control neutral mana except your brain will probably take some time to process it." Becket:"I don''t understand any of it." Esyn:"You just need a little practice with it. Think of it as an out of shape muscle. You train it a little. Now good bye Becket. I''ll contact you with your first mission at a later time." Becket:"Whatever." I was enveloped in black and I jumped up. I was back in the palace and in Beckets body. I let out a breath of relief. My body was covered in sweat so I got up and walked over to the window. There was no lock on them so they swung open and the darkness came into sight. Becket:"Ok so I need to make sure to avoid women. I''ll make these bastard gods wait as long as possible for a body." *Maybe I''ll be able to kill them if I master the power they gave me. No I should be careful they might be concealing some power.* I held no trust in these gods, but it''s not like I had any other choice. I need to be cautious and fish for information every time we meet. I won''t let myself get killed so easily in this world as I did in my last. I still don''t remember my last few moments, but I''m sure I died because I wasn''t prepared properly. *These girls are the biggest victims in this scheme of the gods. I should at least look for a way to give them their lives back.* I rubbed my eyes and yawned. I looked over at my bed and saw Aria lying there. Her head was at the foot of the bed and her feet were on the pillow. We had both been sleeping on top of the covers. I pulled the covers back and laid her properly then tucked her in. She reached out and grabbed my sleeve while still asleep. Aria:"Becket." *She''s not dreaming about me is she?* I felt a surge of anger. Thinking that the gods might be doing the same thing to Aria infuriated me. I guess I got a little attached to her before I noticed. I took a few breaths to calm myself and stepped back. *I need to knit something.* I walked over to the desk and sat down. The needles and fabric the maid brought earlier were sitting on the desk next to the books. I started making a scarf to try and calm the emotions that were bubbling up. A sigh of relief escaped my lips. *Its been to long.* It felt rather relieving to have some time to sew. *I miss me time.* ****************Gideon POV************** Gideon:"Huh?" I looked around. Gideon:"Why am I back at the palace? When did I get here?" My memory had a blank spot. Suddenly my vision started to blur a little and I felt like my consciousness was drifting away. Gideon:"Oh! Now I remember why I''m here!" I walked up to the knights who were guarding the front gate. They both saluted me. Knight 1:"Welcome back sir." Knight 2:"Welcome bac.." I pulled my sword out and cut off their heads before they even noticed what was happening. Gideon:"It feels good to let out a little stress some times. Oops, I got a little blood on my armor." I pulled off a piece of the pants from one of the dead knights and wiped the blood stain off my armor. It was a small spot so it was easy. Gideon:"I love this green armor. I don''t even care about the rank of Warlord anymore. I''ll just kill mother and show her I''m stronger." I turned around. Gideon:"Lets go." Several people appeared with black robes on. When they pulled their hoods off I could see the shine of their red eyes. Gideon:"Lady Carmilla can''t wait much longer. We need to complete our mission with haste." I turned back towards the gate and saw a squad of knights headed here. I removed my helmet and smiled at them. Gideon:"Lets begin shall we." Story Information Chapter 22-The Heart Nazi Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. The Soup Nazi ************************************************ Chapter 22 I continued making the scarf as I thought over everything. I always do my best thinking when I''m making something. So far the gods have offered me a fairly good life in this world, but I feel a strong sense of guilt regarding the girls they''ve picked. I have the most free will out of everyone involved in this plan since the girls were basically brainwashed. There''s nothing I can do about that so I might as well move on. They''ve given me a second chance at life, but who''s to say they weren''t the ones who took my first one away. I mean for some reason I don''t remember dying; however, that could just be because of trauma from death. I was being a little hotheaded earlier when I jumped to the conclusion that I should kill them, but it would be in my best interest to find out if they can be killed. A little after I started on the scarf I manifested my wings to practice with. I used them to hover in place while making the scarf. My mood had improved so I felt a lot better. I was about half way done when I heard foot steps coming from the other side of the door. *Isn''t it the middle of the night?* I had a bad feeling so I set the half scarf down, made my wings disappear and stood next to the door. It started to open so I hid behind it. A cloaked man entered the room holding a dagger. He was defiantly a threat so I put my left hand over his mouth and grabbed the wrist holding the dagger and shoved it into his throat. He flailed around for a few seconds before going limp. I gently put his body on the ground. His equipment made a slight clinking sound, but it wasn''t very loud. Becket:"So who are you?" I searched through his clothes, but he didn''t have anything on him except a dagger. It was in good condition so I took it. This person might not have been alone so I wanted to be ready. I walked over to Aria and shook her. Becket:"Hey wake up." She was mumbling in her sleep. Becket:"Come on already." I glanced over at the door and my blood went cold. The body was gone. I spun around and held the dagger up expecting an attack. The room was quiet which worried me. *Damn. Was he still alive?* Something caught my attention on the ceiling so I looked up. A pair of red eyes stared back at me. Becket:"You!" My muscles tensed up and the man leapt at me. Becket:"Confirma!" I dodged just enough to let him pass by me. As he passed by I grabbed his hood and pulled him back. His body was flung into the wall causing it to crack. Aria:"What''s happening!" Aria popped up with crazy hair and half closed eyes. Becket:"We''ve got an intruder!" Her eyes opened wide as she looked at the cloaked man. Aria:"Thats a vampire!" Becket:"Vampire! So should I pierce his heart?" Aria looked at me. Aria:"Your nose is bleeding!" I wiped my left arm across my nose and saw the blood on my sleeve. Becket:"Shit." I had used some of the knowledge I got from Esyn. It sort of came to me in the moment. When I threw him into the wall I used neutral mana to strengthen my muscles, but apparently I overworked myself already. *She said it was like an out of shape muscle, but damn it''s going to take a lot more practice than I thought.* The vampire had one broke arm and leg which twisted and bent back into place which was quite a sight. Becket:"Thats freaky." I rushed forward aiming for his heart; however, he blocked with his left arm. I stabbed through it and a little into his chest. He went for my throat so I jumped back leaving the dagger to pin his arm to his chest. I needed the extra strength since I lost my weapon so I activated it again. Becket:"Confirma!" I immediately coughed up blood, but dashed forwards anyway. I smashed his head into the wall sending the two of us through it. I released him and grabbed the dagger before leaping back again. There was a cloud of dirt floating in the air and all I could see was the vampires figure as he stood back up. His eyes became visible then he jumped towards me again this time in a fit of rage. Aria:"Implevit pallium inimi conlidam venti! Ventus Laminis!" Wind rushed by me and collided with the vampire sending several pieces flying in all directions. I turned around and saw Aria with her hand thrust out in front of her. Becket:"Was that magic!" She smiled. Aria:"I told you when we first met that I knew a little wind magic." (She did say it.) Becket:"You''re actually pretty strong." Aria:"My magics never been this powerful." She touched the necklace she was wearing. Aria:"Maybe this thing does more than increase size?" Becket:"Well thanks for that." I walked over to the vampires chest and tour out his heart. His skin was moving so I assume it was trying to heal, but that stopped when I took the heart. Becket:"Time for a snack." I took a big bite of it. Becket:"Hm. Not bad. Actually it''s quite good." It suddenly felt like my spin snapped. *Shit!* I fell over sideways. Aria:"Becket!" Aria rushed over to me as I wiggled around in pain. *Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit!* The pain started to ease until I could barely feel it anymore. I stopped moving and just laid on the floor then let out a breath of relief. Becket:"Ok I''m good." Aria:"Your eyes flashed red for a minute!" Becket:"Really? Sounds like something good." Since I didn''t have my title stone anymore I couldn''t check what I got so it was pushed into my check later mental file. I jumped up and stretched a little. Becket:"You know I feel pretty good now." I looked over at Aria and saw her trying to taking a bite out of the vampire heart so I slapped it out of her hand. Aria:"What are you doing!" Becket:"That''s what I should be saying." Aria:"You said it was good so I wanted to try it." Becket:"No heart for you!" Aria puffed out her cheeks to pout. Becket:"Ok so it was a vampire. Why was he here?" Aria:"Maybe he was lost." Becket:"I doubt it." ***************Aelisia POV************* My eyes shot open in the middle of the night. Aelisia:"So Gideon''s back, and he brought some guests." He split up with his guests and moved together with a single person. *Did that idiot get caught by the vampires?* I threw my blanket to the side exposing my naked body. Sleeping without clothes just feels more comfortable. I got out of my bed and put on my usual black clothes. My sword was strapped to my hip and I left my room. A few of the guests split off and headed towards the royal bedrooms. Gideon was the greatest threat, but he was going in the opposite direction so I prioritized protecting the royal family. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. It only took me a few minutes to exterminate all the vampires except one that went to Beckets room and a few others that seemed to be killed by guards. Gideon and that one vampire he was with seemed to accomplish their objective because they were already headed back to the main gate. Gideon probably informed the vampire he was with that all the others were dead. His sensing skill is on par with my own, but when it comes to fighting he always loses. I was able to catch up with them a few meters away from the front gate. Aelisia:"Where''re you going Gideon?" Him and the vampire stopped then turned around. When I saw the vampires face I knew what who he was. Aelisia:"Hey you''re Hesseliuses kid aren''t you. Now why is the vampire kings son attacking human royalty? You trying to start a war?" Gideon:"Mother. I started to worry you weren''t going to catch up to us." Gideon drew his sword. Gideon:"Go on Bram. I''ll hold her off." Bram was a pure vampire and son of the current vampire king. He holds a tremendous amount of power both politically and physically. Bram:"Very well." I noticed what Bram was holding. Aelisia:"So you came for an artifact. The blood of the gods huh." The blood of the gods wasn''t actually blood and was only called that. It was actually a blue liquid that held amazing restorative properties. The liquid was kept in a clear urn looking container. It was one of the artifacts that could be used up so it has only been used once. After years of studying it a way to recreate it has still not been found. Leathery wings erupted from Bram''s back before he flew off into the night. *Well I guess he''s gone.* I drew my sword and pointed it at Gideon. Aelisia:"I''m disappointed in you." Gideon:"What else is new." He lunged at me so I side stepped and drove my knee into his stomach sending him flying back. There was a rather significant difference between a Warlord and Grandmaster Knight. Gideon swung his arm to clear the dust cloud around him caused by his collision with a wall. I was going easy on him since I didn''t want to kill him. He hasn''t been turned into a vampire so he could return to normal. Some pure vampires have a type of mind magic which allows them to control people with weaker wills. If Gideon was struggling with anything mentally when he confronted the vampires they could have taken advantage of his stressed mind. Aelisia:"You''re too confident brat." I dashed forward and sliced his sword in half then circled around and tripped him. He has good defense, but wasn''t nearly as fast or as experienced as me. So far he has been able to brace himself before taking each of my hits so that''s worth praise after all I was going at my top speed. Aelisia:"Not bad, but it''ll take you at least another twenty years of constant training before you''re at my current level." I said current level because I''m not as strong as a Warlord anymore. Warlords are absolute monsters and I use to be more powerful, but old age deteriorates skills. Gideon:"You''re not even human are you!" Aelisia:"Of course I am. You''re just angry because of how weak you are." Gideon jumped up at me and swung his fist with full force. I parried it and back handed him back to the ground. Aelisia:"What did I teach you? Try and calm down before attacking." Gideon pulled his face out of the dirt and looked up at Aelisia. He took a meditative position and inhaled deeply then release it. He slowly stood up and took a fighting stance. Aelisia:"Good you''ve calmed down." I hadn''t really been using it so I sheathed my sword and took the same stance. Gideon narrowed his eyes then dashed forward with twice the speed as he had before. His punches were precise and his kicks held a lot of power, but he wasn''t anything I couldn''t handle. I punched him in the chest and felt a few ribs crack as he slid backwards. Gideon:"There''s no point in wearing armor against you. All it does is slow me down." Gideon threw off his green armor and stretched a little. He now only had on the tight black outfit worn under armor. The battle continued, but only Gideon took any damage and his fatigue started to grow. Gideon:"Hu..hu..hu..hu.." He was panting and losing massive amounts of sweat. His arms were beginning to droop as his energy faded. Gideon:"Hu..I guess I''m..hu..still not strong enough." Aelisia:"Maybe someday." He fell to his knees and looked down. Gideon:"I can''t fight any longer." Suddenly his head jumped back up and he looked around. Gideon:"Huh? How did I get here?" *It must have finally worn off. About time.* Gideon:"Mother?" Aelisia:"You need more practice." Gideon:"Huh?" I punched him in the face and this time knocked him out. I looked into the night sky in the direction Bram went. Alisisa:"Should I chase him?" There wasn''t really much reason to worry since what he got wasn''t the real blood of the gods. Since it''s an item that can be used up its kept separate from the other artifacts in a more secure location. What he took was ginji juice which was put there as a decoy. It tastes ok, but has no healing properties. Aelisia:"He''s gonna be pissed when he finds out." Two of the knights ran out toward me. Knight 1:"The royal vault has been broken into!" They stopped a few feet away from me. Aelisia:"I know, but don''t worry it doesn''t seem like they got anything important. Request assistance from the church. Tell them the palace may be attacked again so we need to borrow some mages." Knight 1:"Yes!" Aelisia:"And you get a group of knights to help you carry all the corpses out to the courtyard. Burn all the bodies including the dead knights. I don''t want to take the chance one of them was infected." Knight 2:"Yes!" They scurried off to do their jobs. Aelisia:"This palace has had too many incidents lately. We''re gonna need some new knights." We still had the best of this kingdoms knights, but our forces have dwindled. With the king sending knights to assist Felix, Becket killing a whole lot and this vampire attack we''ve lost a large number of our top forces. We''ve still got the soldiers in our army, but they aren''t nearly as skilled as a true knight. The soldiers have the smallest amount of training needed. Aelisia:"I just hope we don''t suffer any attacks from outside of the kingdom." I noticed everyone''s presence inside the palace was now awake. The fighting must have woken them. Aelisia:"Oh yeah. I guess I better go tell them the attack is over." Story Information Chapter 23- Confinement Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. ************************************************ Chapter 23 Aria and I went to look around the palace to see what was going on. How did a vampire get in here? We first ran into a few knights that were busy moving bodies. Becket:"Excuse me. What happened?" One of the knights no longer wearing his helmet looked over at me. He had greasy brown hair and a beard. Knight:"Vampires attacked." Becket:"I know that. I want to know the specifics along with whether or not they are all dead." The knight looked a little annoyed. Knight:"Listen buddy. I''m busy right now so go somewhere else." *Hm. Buddy? Does that mean he realized I''m a guy.* I felt a sense of admiration towards this knight. He was the first one to think I was a guy since I got here. One of the other knights walked up to me. Other Knight:"Sorry about him. He''s just mad that you beat Felix. There was a bet going and he lost." *Oh yeah. All the knights here know who I am.* I lost the sense of admiration after I remembered that all the knights already knew I was a guy. I felt a little sad that I would likely be mistaken for a girl by others in the future. The first knight brought hope and the second one crushed it. Other Knight:"Anyway if you want details ask the Warlord. She''s talking with the queen and princess about what happened. I believe they''re in the queens bedroom." The knight pointed the way out to me and Aria so we headed there. Two knights in green armor guarded the door. Knight:"Stop. Go back to your room." The knights blocked the door with their spears. *Hm. I haven''t fought any spear knights yet.* Aelisia:"Let him in." Aelisia yelled from the other side of the door. Somehow she knew Aria and I were here. The knights reluctantly stepped out of the way and we went in. Sylvia:"It''s nice to meet you Sir Becket." The queen was the first to greet me. She was sitting on her bed with her daughter right beside her and Aelisia standing in front of them. The queen and Eva were both wearing nightgowns. Eva''s was pink while the queens was red making them both rather provocative looking. Becket:"It''s a pleasure to meet you." The queen had a bewitching smile. She shared a lot of the same features with her daughter, but she had an air of maturity that Eva was lacking. This was one of the problems I''ve had ever since coming to this world. I''ve mostly been in contact with younger women so I''ve really been feeling my age. It''s not like I''m that old since I was 47 when I came to this world and the real Beckets much older than me. Aelisia:"So I''m guessing you''re here because of the visitor you got." Becket:"Yeah a vampire attacked me." Aelisia:"As I was telling the queen this wasn''t just stray vampires. Bram was their leader and probably their maker." Becket:"Who''s Bram?" Aelisia:"A pure vampire and the second son of the current vampire king." Becket:"Why did a vampire with such a high standing attack the palace?" Aelisia:"He was after the blood of the gods." Becket:"What! You have some of the gods blood!" This was a good discovery for me. If I can test some of their blood maybe I can find a weakness then I''ll have something to hold over their heads. I may work for them, but I don''t want to be under their thumb forever. Aelisia:"It''s just called that. It''s not even really blood." Becket:"Oh." I was a little dejected. I probably wouldn''t have found what I needed anyway. Becket:"So what is it?" Aelisia:"It''s an artifact with unparalleled healing ability. One drop can fix absolutely anything wrong with a person." Becket:"So why would he risk war for that?" It was obvious that if such an important person attacked another kingdom that it would definitely cause a war. Aelisia:"I can only assume someone important to him is critically injured. It must be an injury that normal healing magic can''t fix. If it could be would have hired a healer." Becket:"That does make sense." Aelisia:"He didn''t get it though. What he got was a decoy. He was using compulsion to control my son Gideon." Becket:"Compulsion? Vampires can control people?" Aelisia:"Some can and Bram is one with that ability, but it''s limited. Their target needs to have a weaker will and other factors." Becket:"What other factors." Aelisia:"Their target needs to be mentally weakened. Anything can do it, but for Gideon it was probably from all the stress he''s feeling about not getting the rank of Warlord." Becket:"I see. Well it''s likely he''ll come back once he realizes he didn''t get what he came for." Aelisia:"I''ve already sent some knights to request a few mages from the church." Becket:"Mages huh." I now had a much better understanding of magic thanks to the knowledge Esyn gave me, but I was still interested in seeing these mages use magic. The knowledge I have mostly revolves around neutral mana which can take any form; however, I''m still not quite sure how to fully utilize it. Maybe if I see some mages using their magic I''ll get a better idea. So far I''ve only seen some fire magic from Tallie and wind from Aria. Sylvia:"I think I may know why Bram needed the blood of the gods." Becket:"Why?" Sylvia:"I was recently setting up a trade route when some information was passed to me that said the vampire king''s oldest son Radu killed the oldest daughter Carmilla." Becket:"So he''s trying to bring her back?" Aelisia:"No the blood can''t revive the dead so she must have lived. She''s probably severely wounded, but I''m not sure what the injury could be since vampires have strong regeneration abilities." Sylvia:"Radu and Carmilla were apparently competing to determine which would be the vampire kings successor and Radu won." Aelisia:"So Bram probably ran away with his sister to prevent Radu from finishing her off." Sylvia:"Probably." I had forgotten until now, but I decided to ask about Gene. Becket:"Aelisia. What happened to my friend Gene?" Aelisia:"Him huh. I sent him back to his inn. He didn''t want to go at first, but after I told him you were going to be released soon he agreed. I was suppose to tell you to visit him so he could be sure you were ok." If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Becket:"Ok so he''s alright. Good." Eva:"Well I''m ready to go back to sleep." Eva stood up from the bed and walked toward the door. Everyone agreed with the princess so we all decided that was enough for tonight and returned to our own rooms. I was a little worried about going to sleep since a god might show up, but I was feeling tired. Using neutral mana really drained me. I fell asleep almost instantly when my head hit the pillow. I didn''t have any dreams that night. A kick to my ribs woke me up. I turned my head over and saw Aria turned side ways in the bed with her knee in my side. Becket:"I miss you being tiny." Since I could see the sunshine pouring in I rolled off the bed and walked over to the window. After stretching a little and doing a few light exercises I picked up one of the books to read. I also decided to hover around the room while reading for more practice with my wings. Apparently there''s an island called Maleos. This island is where the headquarters of each church is located. All seven gods have a church on this island. I started to wonder why the humans only worship three of the seven gods. Maleos is also used for important meetings. When negotiations between two kingdoms needs to be done this island is used and the churches oversee it. I stopped reading when I heard a knock at the door. When I opened it there was a maid pushing a cart with food on it. Maid:"I''m here to deliver your breakfast." I stepped to the side to let her in. Becket:"Come in." She pushed the cart to the center of the room then turned around to face me. Maid:"I''m also suppose to give you a message. The kings funeral is today so it would be best if the two of you remained in your room. Many nobles will be in the palace today and most will likely know of you." Becket:"I understand." *Can''t have the man who attacked the princess and killed her fianc¨¦ at the kings funeral along with a fairy that''s suppose to be extinct.* Maid:"When you finish your breakfast put the cart next to your door." Becket:"Ok." The maid lightly bowed then left the room. Becket:"So what should I do since I''m stuck in this room for today?" I looked over at Aria. Becket:"Hey Aria breakfast is here." Aria:"Breakfast." Aria sat up in the bed. She was sleeping like the dead a minute ago. I walked over to her and pat her hair down. I didn''t have a hair brush, but it was a little better than before. There were two trays on the cart so I brought one over to Aria. They both had the same thing on them. There was two strips of bacon, two pieces of sausage, scrambled eggs and toast. The cart had two pitchers and cups on it. One with orange juice and the other had water. Aria had orange juice, but I had water. Aria:"Ohhhh! It''s so good!" Aria was grinning while she ate. She finished before me and laid back on the bed then wrapped herself up in a blanket. Becket:"You going back to sleep?" Aria:"There''s nothing else to do since we have to stay in here all day." Becket:"Oh you heard. So you were already awake." Aria rolled around in the bed for a few minutes while I finished my breakfast. I finished off my glass of water and turned to look at her rolling from one side of the bed to the other. Becket:"What are you doing?" Aria:"I can''t sleep, and I''m bored." Becket:"Sorry about that. I''m gonna practice my magic." I put our trays back on the cart and pushed it outside of the room. I took the carts previous position in the center of the room. Aria sat up on the bed to watch me. So far I have a strengthening spell. The spell just came to me last night so I wasn''t sure how to use anything else. Neutral mana would surely have more uses, but the knowledge on what they are exactly was still locked. Becket:"Confirma!" This time I could feel my body strengthening, but no bleeding. If I concentrated I could maintain the strengthening. Last night I used it twice in bursts so that may have been more damaging on my body. I was lucky to have the elves natural healing. It stayed up for 10 minutes before I felt really tired so I stopped. My head slightly hurt in a more annoying than painful way. I stood up to take a break. Aria:"Done already?" Becket:"Yep." I didn''t feel like practicing anymore so I decided to finish the scarf I was making. A few minutes after I started on the scarf Aria jumped up. Aria:"I''m going out." Becket:"Ok. Be careful not to get caught." Aria:"I''ll never be caught." *You get caught all the time.* Aria used the necklace to return to her tiny version then flew out the window. *****************Bram POV*************** Inside of a windowless stone room with a single bed and chair in it. A woman was lying on the bed not moving, but she wasn''t dead. Bram:"Fake! It''s fake! Those bastards!" I threw the container as hard as I could at the wall and glass went everywhere. Bram:"Shit!" I punched the wall causing massive cracks to spread across it. Bram:"Damn them." I put my back to the wall and slid down onto my butt. Bram:"Now what? I''ll never be able to pull off another attack on the palace and even if I can I still need to know where the blood of the gods is kept." I sighed and put my face in my hands. Bram:"I''m sorry sister. I''ve failed." I looked over at my sister and my expression shifted back to anger then I jumped up. Bram:"I''ll just turn the whole fucking city!" I lost all of the people I turned since I got to this city during the attack on the palace so I at least need to replenish my forces. Bram:"First we need to move." *That Gideon guy knows where we are so once his compulsion wears off they''ll all know.* Bram:"Maybe I should try hiding in plain sight and stay at an inn." Since the fact that I''m a vampire is apparent because of my red eyes. There''s only one place I can stay at. I paid a man a lot of money to help my sister and I get I to this city. He told me he owned an inn. *If he would keep our secret once I''m sure a little more money can convince him to help.* Story Information Chapter 24- First Mission Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. I want the readers to have some say in my story so in the comments please tell me something you want to happen. I''ll pick something from one of the comments. I won''t count things I''ve already got planned in case someone has already guessed some future events. Also do I need to go back and delete the navigation bar I had for each chapter since the website put one in. ************************************************ Chapter 24 Aria came back after a few hours. Becket:"Did you have fun?" Aria:"No. The funeral was boring." Becket:"You weren''t seen right." Aria:"Of course I wasn''t." Aria picked up the artifact she left on the bed and used it to return to being five foot tall. After a few minutes there was a knock at the door. When I answered it the maid from before was standing there. Maid:"Excuse me, but some the nobles at the funeral reporting seeing a fairy. As you may imagine there was quite an uproar." I looked back at Aria. She was sitting on the bed looking in the opposite direction and whistling. Becket:"Sorry. I won''t let her leave again." Maid:"Please do." I closed the door and sighed. Instead of reprimanding her I just went back to sewing. I completed the scarf and held it up. Becket:"Not bad if I do say so myself." Aria:"I want it!" Aria snatched the scarf away from me and tossed it around her neck. Becket:"It''s still summer so a scarf isn''t necessary." Aria:"Don''t worry. I''m a summer fairy so I''m immune to the heat. I can wear whatever I want without worrying about how hot it is." Becket:"Really. That''s interesting. Are there winter fairies?" Aria:"There are a few, but all the other seasonal fairies are dead." Becket:"Oh." Aria said it without a single shred of sadness. I couldn''t help but wonder if she was a little bit of a sociopath. I decided to let her have the scarf which was completely black. She was still wearing that dress I made for her. Now that it''s size had increased I could see a few parts where I messed up. Nothing was immediately noticeable, but I felt compelled to fix it. After staring at her for a few minutes I looked away. Becket:"I''ll fix it tomorrow." Nothing important happened for the rest of the day and the sun finally set. A maid brought us our diner. Becket:"I feel like I''m being trapped here." After we ate there wasn''t really anything else to do so we went to sleep. I opened my eyes and groaned. Esyn:"Hellooo!" I sat up and scowled at her. This was my old room again and Esyn was sitting at the edge of the bed. She had on the same dress, but this time it was camo. She was also wearing a military helmet. Becket:"A dream huh." I threw the blanket over my head and laid back down. Esyn:"Hey don''t ignore me." Esyn stood up on the bed and started jumping. I poked my head out from under the covers. Becket:"Stop jumpi...." The wind was knocked out of me by a kick to the stomach. I fell of the bed and hit the ground. Esyn:"Oh you''re up!" Becket:"You bitch." Esyn:"It''s time for your first mission." Esyn jumped off the bed and landed at my feet. Esyn:"At attention soldier." Becket:"Shut up." Esyn:"Oh by the way I heard your little comment about avoiding sleeping with women so now if you don''t fuck a girl within a week I''ll give you a little brain damage." Becket:"What!" Esyn:"Don''t worry. It''ll only be slight brain damage. Nothing too bad." Becket:"Who do you even want me to sleep with?" Esyn:"Any woman is fine just be sure to get laid." She winked at me. I clicked my tongue and stood up. Becket:"So what''s the mission?" Esyn:"You know who Bram is right." Becket:"Yeah so you want me to kill him?" Esyn:"No I want you to kill his brother Radu. If Radu dies Bram is next in line for the vampire kings throne." Becket:"Why do you want Bram to have the throne?" Esyn:"Because if Radu has the throne he''ll pull the vampires into a war that will severely cripple their race as a world power." Becket:"Why should that matter to you." Esyn:"Enough questions. You have two months to prepare for your trip to the vampire kingdom. I suggest you train your magic." Becket:"So I leave in two months. I don''t even understand how to use the magic you gave me. Only one spell came to me." Esyn:"Try hunting strong monsters. More spells will come to you. Good luck with your mission and don''t forget to get some tail before the week is up. So long soldier." Everything suddenly went black and I was in my bed in the palace again. Becket:"Great. My first mission and I might get brain damage." I shoved Arias foot out of my face and sat up. The sun was coming up so I decided to exercise and try meditating. There was a knock at the door after a few hours. When I opened it there was a maid standing there. At first I thought she was bringing our breakfast, but I noticed there wasn''t a cart. Maid:"Princess Eva would like you and Miss Aria to join her for breakfast." Aria:"Breakfast." Aria crawled out of the bed and walked over to me with her eyes still closed. Becket:"Stop." Aria stopped walking, but still didn''t open her eyes. Becket:"You forgot your dress." Aria was currently only wearing the black scarf. She must have tossed and turned so much that she wiggled out of her dress. Her eyes slightly opened and she looked down then turned around, walked back over to the bed and grabbed her dress. It took her a few seconds to put it on then she joined me at the door. Becket:"Thats better." I pat her hair down like I did the previous day. Becket:"We need a hair brush." Maid:"I''ll prepare one for you. It''ll be in your room when you return from breakfast." Becket:"Oh I didn''t think to ask. Ok lets go." The maid led us to another part of the palace. We were the last to make it there so all eyes were on us as we entered. The room was three times the size of the room they gave me. A long wooden table was in the center and one wall was made of glass. It allowed us to look down at the garden. *I wonder if that is magically enhanced glass? Huh? How do I know about magically enhanced glass?* As I was pondering on why the thought of magically enhanced glass came to me someone spoke. Sylvia:"Good morning Becket." Becket:"Oh good morning." I returned the greeting that brought me out of my thoughts. Sylvia was sitting at the head of the table with Eva at her right and Celestia next to her. Celestia:"Maid." Celestia was looking directly at me. Eva:"This is my little sister Celestia. She''s 8 years old." Becket:"Nice to meet you." Celestia:"Maid." I just smiled at her. On the left side of Sylvia was a high chair with a baby in it. A maid was sitting next to the child and feeding it. The queen noticed me looking at the baby. Sylvia:"This is my son Wade. He''s 18 months old." Eva:"Sit down." Aria took a seat on the same side as Eva and Celestia while I sat on Wades side. The maid finished feeding him and he started to stare at me. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. *What a creepy baby.* He wasn''t making any noises just staring at me. No one else noticed the scary baby so I started eating the meal placed in front of me. There wasn''t a lot of talk while we ate so once it was over I decided to talk. Becket:"Is it alright if I go see Gene today." I wanted to check up on Gene since I hadn''t seen him since before my fight with Felix. Eva:"Sure. There''s no need to keep you hidden anymore so feel free to move as you please. I''ve informed the guards and maids to treat you like part of the royal family." Becket:"Well I think I''m gonna go see Gene now." I stood up from the table. Aria:"I want to come." Aria ran after me as I left the room. I let out a sigh of relief. That baby kept staring at me until the second I left. I strolled out of the palace with Aria following behind me. The streets were full so I had to hold her hand to keep her from getting lost. We finally made it to the inn and I couldn''t help but rush into it. Being in close proximity of all these people was hell. They smelled terrible. There must have been more people because of yesterday''s funeral. Becket:"Gene you here?" I heard foot steps and Gene emerged from the door behind the counter. Gene:"Becket! Aria!" He ran over to us. Gene:"What happened to you Aria?" This was the first time Gene had seen Aria this size. She pulled out the necklace that was around her neck. Aria:"I''m using an artifact." She smiled with a look of pride on her face. Becket:"Be careful. Keep that thing hidden." Aria pulled back the collar of her dress and dropped the artifact into it. Gene:"I feel so much better knowing you two are safe." I put my hand on his shoulder. Becket:"I''m glad you''re safe too." His eyes looked like they were sparkling so I removed my hand from his shoulder and took a step back. He looked like he was going to pursue me, but he stopped when he heard a bell. Gene:"I''ll be right back." Gene ran up stairs and came back after a few minutes. Gene:"Sorry about that. I''ve got some.....special guests." Becket:"What did they want you for?" Gene:"They wanted to know who I was talking to." Becket:"They could hear us from up there?" Gene:"Yeah so lets try not to be too loud." Becket:"Sure." Gene:"Well do you two want some breakfast?" Becket:"Actually we..." Aria:"Sure." Gene and Aria walked off together before I could tell him we already ate. It tasted terrible, but I ate it anyway. I filled him in on everything that happened while leaving a few details out like the fact that I''m from a different world. Gene:"Sounds like things really suck for you. How dare they force a harem of beautiful girls on you." Gene was being sarcastic. He obviously didn''t see the down sides to my situation. Becket:"It''s not that simple." Gene:"Yeah you''ve been given a mission by the gods to impregnate beautiful women who are likely completely in love with you. I''d hate to be you." I sighed and took another bite of whatever it was he fed me. Gene:"How about we trade lives. I''ll take the harem and you can have my inn." Aria:"I''ll take the inn." Gene:"I''m not really giving it away." Aria:"Too late. No take backs." Gene:"Then how about we split it." Aria:"Alright. First we need to remodel." Gene:"Sure I''ll let you pick everything out. I recently got some extra money so might as well remodel." Becket:"Extra money?" Gene:"Yeah these special guests pay well." I was now a little interested in these special guests of his. Becket:"Hey Gene who are they?" Gene:"My guests?" Becket:"Yeah." Gene went silent and seemed to be thinking something over. He then leaned in close to my ear and whispered to me. Gene:"They''re vampires." *Vampires as in plural. So there''s more than one.* This time I leaned in to whisper into his ear. Becket:"Is one of them named Bram?" Gene:"I don''t know there names, but one is a male while the others female. The girl seems to be sick or something. She''s been sleeping since they got here." I sat back in my chair. Somehow I had stumbled across Bram right after the goddess Esyn told me to help him get the throne. *Did she set this up?* Becket:"I want to meet them." Gene:"No way. He doesn''t want anyone to know he''s here." Becket:"I''m not going to cause any trouble for them. I just want to talk." Gene:"I''ll go ask. They might see what you have to say if I tell then I trust you." Becket:"Thanks." Gene went back up the stairs. After a few minutes he came back down. Gene:"He''ll see you, but you need to leave all weapons down here." Becket:"Sure." I didn''t currently have any weapons on me so Gene led me upstairs leaving Aria to eat the rest of my food. I went in alone. When I entered the room the first thing I saw was a man standing in front of the bed with a sword in his hand. He had black hair, red eyes and a high aquiline nose. Becket:"Bram I presume. It''s nice to meet you." Bram:"Who are you?" Becket:"My name is Becket and I''d like to put you on the throne of the vampire king." Bram:"Why?" Becket:"So that I''ll have a ruler of a kingdom in my debt." I made something up and he seemed to have bought it since he slightly lowered his sword. Bram:"How could one man help me get the throne anyway?" Becket:"I have my ways." Bram:"I don''t need the throne. All I want is to help my sister." Bram stepped to the side revealing a woman on the bed. She had long wavy blonde hair. Her body was slender with rosy-cheeks, large eyes and full lips. She was lying there with her eyes closed and I couldn''t tell if she was breathing. Becket:"May I take a look?" He raised his sword again. Bram:"No." Becket:"I only want to help." Bram:"I don''t trust you so there''s no way I''ll let you get close to my sister." Becket:"I know your sister must be very important to you, but being to overprotective could be a fatal mistake." Bram:"I failed to protect her once and that''s how she ended up like this. I won''t make that mistake again." Becket:"I understand, but I might be able to save her. Isn''t it worth a shot. You won''t need to do anything drastic if I can save her." Bram didn''t say anything back for a few minutes. When he did finally speak it was in a low voice while he stared at his sister. Bram:"I never told her, but I''m in love with my sister. I use to get so angry at her just because she was stronger than me. Seeing her like this hurts me. It hurts more than anything else I''ve ever felt." He moved his gaze over to me. It looked like he was holding back tears and in a voice even quieter than before he spoke again. Bram:"Please save her." Becket:"I''ll try." Story Information Chapter 25- Creeper Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. Sorry this chapter is a little shorter than the last. ************************************************ Chapter 25 I moved over to the side of the bed and looked down at the unconscious woman. After removing the blanket that covered her I couldn''t find any external injuries and she seemed to be breathing just fine so I turned to Bram. Becket:"What''s wrong with her?" Bram:"Her heart." Becket:"Heart? What''s wrong with her heart?" Bram:"It''s gone." *Huh?* Becket:"What do you mean by gone?" Bram:"There is no heart in her body." Becket:"Thats impossible. How is she alive?" Bram:"I''ve been using my ability to manipulate blood to keep it pumping properly through her body." Becket:"Wow magic can do some incredible things." I was surprised at the thought that magic could be used in place of an organ, but also intrigued. Becket:"First I need to know more about vampires. How do you naturally heal." Bram:"Well wounds heal about three times faster than a humans, but we can''t regrow limbs. They can be reattached though. We don''t die from blood loss and instead only die from damage to the brain. That''s why losing vital organs can kill us just like any other race except as long as enough of the organ is left a part of their functions is still possible." Becket:"I''m assuming you''ve already tried healing spells?" Bram:"Yes. The healer told me she was never going to recover." Becket placed his hand against his chin and started to think. *Healing magic doesn''t work and their natural healing hasn''t helped. Now I understand why he attacked the palace to get his hands on the blood of the gods. It''s his only chance to save her life.* I knew the crazy things love could get a person to do so the fact that he attacked the palace without worry if it would cause a war made sense. A few options came to mind, but I hoped that the easiest would work so I decided to try it first. Becket:"I have a way that might heal her, but you may not like what I have to do." Bram''s eyes narrowed as he looked at Becket. Bram:"What is it?" Becket:"I''ll need to kiss her." Bram had a confused look for a few seconds before regaining a calm expression. Bram:"Why a kiss?" Becket:"I can transfer life force to her which may return her heart." Now Bram was thinking silently. Bram:"I''ve never heard of an elf that can manipulate life force, but I''m going to take the chance and trust you. If my trust in you is betrayed you won''t make it out of here alive." Bram said that last part with a stern voice. I nodded and turned back to his sister. *That was surprising. I expected more of a resistance.* I leaned in and locked lips with her. She was quite beautiful so I might have lingered longer than I should have, but when we separated there was no change. It was impossible to tell if her heart was grown back without looking inside of her body. I looked over at Bram. Bram:"Her heart is still missing." I sighed then stood up. Bram:"I know my feeling is unjust; however, seeing you kiss her pained me. I shouldn''t feel that way since the two of you are girls, but I do." Now I understood why he wasn''t as reluctant as I expected. He too thought I was a girl. Since it would only complicate things I decided not to correct him. Becket:"Well next is a little more complicated. I''ll have to try and get some blood of the gods." Bram:"Blood of the gods! You can get your hands on it!" Bram had grabbed me by my collar and pulled me close to him. Becket:"I might be able to." I swatted his hands off my clothes then straightened them out. Becket:"I can''t be sure if I''ll be able to get it." Bram looked at the floor for a second while he was thinking then his eyes darted up and looked into mine. Bram:"I''ll give you absolutely anything if you save Carmilla." Becket:"Will you give me her." I pointed to Carmilla and Bram looked over at her before returning his gaze to me. Bram:"What would you want my sister for?" Becket:"I don''t want her. I was just wondering if you would give her to me. It was a joke." Bram seemed a little confused again. *Does he not understand jokes? Hm. Maybe I''m not funny? Impossible!* I firmly rejected the idea that I might not be funny. Bram was just weird. Becket:"I''ll try to save your sister. Like I said before my plan is to put you on the throne. I can tell that if I let her die you wouldn''t have the heart to become king." Heartbreak was a terrible thing. Experiencing the death of the one person you loved more than anything else could brake a man. I knew that feeling myself. I walked over to the door, but turned around to speak to Bram. Becket:"I''m going to see if I can get the blood. If that doesn''t work I have one more option that might save her." I closed the door behind me as I left. Aria was talking with Gene downstairs about new colors for the inn. Becket:"Aria it''s time to head back to the palace." Aria:"Ok." Aria jumped out of the chair she was in and walked over to the door with Gene following behind. Gene:"Come back and visit again sometime." Becket:"Actually we might be back later today." Gene:"Really?" Becket:"Yeah. I need to ask for something that I might not be able to have." Gene:"Don''t push your luck. Someone in the palace might resent you trying to step out of your social class and asking for things." Becket:"I''ll be careful not to step on anyone''s toes." Gene:"Sometimes you don''t even need to step on toes to make people angry." I nodded and took Aria''s hand before leaving. The streets were still full of people so I had to keep her close to prevent us from accidentally splitting up. After what felt like hours of swimming through the crowd we finally made it back to the palace. The knights recognized me and easily let me in, but on the other side of the gate I did notice a robed man sitting on a stool reading. *Is he a mage?* There was a cane with a blue crystal on top leaned against the wall next to him. I didn''t linger long and went straight to a maid to ask where Eva was. The maid told me she was currently in the garden since she always takes her lunch there. I thought it was a little early for lunch since it was probably around 10:30ish, but some people don''t wait till 12:30 like I do. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. The maid led me to the garden even though I already knew where it was while I sent Aria on a mission. I was seated across the table from Eva. Eva:"Good evening Becket." Becket:"Good Evening." *Even though I don''t consider it evening yet.* Eva:"So what is it that has you visiting me? I was beginning to think you didn''t like me." She said that last part in a kind of teasing manner. Becket:"How could I not like such a beautiful young lady. I''m here to ask for something." Eva:"Hm. A favor. Ask for whatever you want." Becket:"I want some of the blood of the gods." Eva was thinking over what I just said then she spoke. Eva:"What is it that you want to use it for?" Becket:"I want to heal Brams sister." Eva:"You want to give it to the man who attacked the palace? Why?" Becket:"Esyn gave me a mission and I think saving Brams sister will heavily influence whether that mission is accomplished." Eva:"Oh it''s a mission from Esyn then of course I''ll give you some, but you''ll have to get mothers approval. She is the current ruler of this country after all." Becket:"I''m sure with your support she''ll easily hand some over." I smiled which seemed to relax her. Aria:"Becketttt!! I found it!" Aria came running up to the table. Aria:"Haa...haa...I found...haa...it." Aria must have been running as fast as she could since she was so out of breath. She had completely the mission I assigned her and retrieved what I wanted. Becket:"Good. You did a great job Aria." I pat her head a few times before taking the item from her and putting it on. Becket:"I feel much better with this on." My scaled leaf armor didn''t look damaged at all. I assume the mana it had stored in it must have repaired it after Felix tour it off me. I was currently wearing my leaf jacket and tight black pants usually worn under armor along with a pair of black boots. I missed my red cloak, but it was destroyed by Felix when he tour off my leaf jacket. Eva stood up from the table. Eva:"Well then lets go see mother." Becket:"Yes." I felt kind of bad for disturbing her lunch, but Eva didn''t seem to mind. Apparently Sylvia the queen was in the kings study going through some paperwork so we quietly waited for her tea time which Eva told me would be soon. Sylvia didn''t even glance over at us as we entered the study and found a place to sit. A maid showed up with a tray of snacks and a pot of tea. She seemed surprised to find us all in here with the queen, but she didn''t say anything. Sylvia:"So what brings you here?" Sylvia had looked up from her paperwork and was now staring into Becket''s eyes. Eva:"Becket has come to ask a favor of you." Sylvia:"A favor? And what is it that you want?" Becket:"I would like some blood of the gods." Sylvia''s face scrunched up. Sylvia:"I''m afraid I can''t give you any. It''s a limited artifact and since it can''t be replaced we''re only allowed to use it in a dire situation." Becket:"I heard just a drop could fix absolutely anything." Sylvia:"Thats what I''ve been told, but I''ve never actually seen it used." Becket:"Then a very small amount is all I need." Sylvia:"Like I said it''s not something I can give away so easily." Eva:"Mother please." Eva was giving her mother a puppy dog look. She was pleading with her eyes. Sylvia sighed. Sylvia:"Very well since I can''t say no to my daughter. Aelisia will take you to get some." Becket:"And where is she right now?" Aelisia:"Yo." Becket looked to the side and saw Aelisia standing there. Becket:"When did you get here?" Aelisia:"I''ve been standing next to you ever since you got back." Becket:"Oh." I turned my head back to Sylvia while feeling a little creeped out by Aelisias personality. Sylvia:"Well I assume you understand. Show Becket into the lower vault." Aelisia bowed before we all left the room. Aria and Eva weren''t allow to follow us past a certain point so I we t ahead with Aelisia. Aelisia:"So you trying to add the vampire princess to your harem?" Becket:"I have no idea what you''re talking about." *How does she know? Was she listening in when Eva first explained things to me?* We kept walking in silence until we reached a dead end. There seemed to be a few small rocks protruding from the wall. Aelisia began pressing them in what seemed like a random order. Suddenly there was a slight tremor before the wall started to move. Becket:"Interesting. It''s kind of like a passcode lock." After entering the wall closed up behind us. Aelisia:"Now don''t touch anything. This is where we keep artifacts that are a limited resource or that couldn''t be figured out." Becket:"Couldn''t be figured out? So you have artifacts and don''t even know what some of them do?" Aelisia:"Yup." We passed by a bunch of weird looking objects, but I actually recognized a few. Becket:"Is that a blender?" I stopped to look at what appeared to be a blender. Aelisia:"I said no touching. Lets go." She pushed me on and we finally made it to a spot that was much more cleared out. The artifacts before were just randomly placed, but these seemed like they were on display. Aelisia pulled out a small glass bottle. Aelisia:"I''ll get the blood of the gods for you." Aelisia walked over to an artifact and began pouring the liquid inside of it into the bottle. While she was doing that I looked around and saw something that stunned me. I found C4 and some other explosives including plastique bombs. Becket:"There''s no way this was made in this world." Then something else caught my attention. Becket:"Oh man. I''m so taking that." Story Information Chapter 26- Head-butt Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. Sorry this is a little late. Come on guys. I added Aria to the poll because I felt like I had to, but she won. I thought I had given her a little sister or daughter vibe and now you want Becket to plow her. If there wasn''t a poll I was originally planning on having him to with one of the two bottom choices. Now I''m not sure what to do. ************************************************ Chapter 26 Aelisia wouldn''t let me take it. She said I had to get permission from the queen to remove anything from there. I knew there would be time to get it later so I decided to ask for it another time. There''s no telling what might happen so I didn''t bring Aria with me back to the inn. When I got there Gene was standing behind the counter. Gene:"You''re back. Got what you needed?" Becket:"Yeah. They still here?" Gene:"As far as I know they are." I nodded and went up the stairs. After standing in front of the door for a few minutes I knocked. The sound of footsteps could be heard from within the room then the door opened. Bram:"Did you get it?" Bram was looking at me with eyes full of hope. Becket:"I got it." Bram smiled. Bram:"Thank you." He pulled me into a hug. Becket:"Um......" I just stood there awkwardly until he released me. Becket:"Lets try it out." Bram:"Yeah." I moved over to the bed and kneeled down. After pulling out the small bottle of gods blood I lifted her head. I turned to look at Bram. Becket:"I''m going to give it to her using mouth to mouth." Bram:"Sure." *He''s gonna hate me when he finds out I''m a man.* I poured the gods blood into my mouth then locked lips with Carmilla. The blood tasted kind of like pepto. After she had drunk all of it I stepped back. Becket:"So?" Bram:"Let me check." Bram narrowed his eyes and their glow increased slightly. Then his eyes widened. Bram:"It''s working!" Bram pulled me into another hug. This time I decided to pat his back. Bram:"Her hearts growing back!" He lifted me up off the ground. Becket:"Whoa! Whoa! Easy!" Bram sat me back down with a big smile plastered across his face. I went over to Carmilla to check on her and to escape Bram. Her breathing was fine and she looked slightly better. I could only assume Bram wasn''t doing a perfect job of regulating blood flow so that might have been why she hasn''t woken up. Becket:"She seems to be fine." I stood up and walked over to the door. Becket:"Stay with her and don''t leave this inn. I''ll be back later to check up on her." Bram nodded and I left. I assumed she would still be asleep for a while so I didn''t want to wait around with Bram. *Now lets see about going on a shopping trip into that artifact vault and taking some of the things they have in there.* I said goodbye to Gene and returned to the palace again. I ran into Aelisia first. I think she might have been waiting for me near the palaces main gate. Aelisia:"Back already? How''s the new harem member?" Becket:"Carmilla is fine. Is the queen still in the study?" Aelisia:"Yeah. You going to ask for more artifacts?" Becket:"I want a few that I saw while we were getting the blood of the gods. I''d also like it if I could get those guns Felix had during our duel." Aelisia:"Well I don''t know what she''ll say about that, but you won''t be able to get the artifacts Felix used during your duel." I looked directly into her eyes. Aelisia:"They were given to Felix''s father in exchange for his family''s artifact which your fairy now wears." Becket:"Oh. That sucks." I felt a little disappointed, but getting what I saw in that vault would help me feel better. Aelisia:"Actually I''ve got something I want to give you." Becket:"Really?" Aelisia:"Yeah it''s in my room. Follow me." I was curious what she wanted to give me so I followed her up to her room. After we got there she went straight to her wardrobe and pulled something out. Aelisia:"Here you go." Becket:"Umm....thanks?" She passed me a light brown backpack made of some kind of animal hide. Aelisia:"It''s enchanted." Becket:"What kind of enchantment?" I opened it up and looked inside. For some reason the inside was completely black. I couldn''t see the stitching lining the inside of it. Aelisia:"It''s a very expensive item. It can hold anything you put in it and will never fill up so you''ll always have space to keep things. Oh but don''t put food or living things in it." Becket:"I can understand why no living things, but why no food?" Aelisia:"Any food left inside the pack spoils within 20 minutes. Don''t know why though." Aelisia shrugged as she said that. Becket:"This is quite a generous gift. You said it was expensive didn''t you?" Aelisia:"Oh it''s very expensive so you usually only see an item like this in the possession of a successful merchant." Becket:"And you''re just giving this to me for free?" Aelisia:"No I want something in return." *Of course.* I sighed. Becket:"What is it?" Aelisia smiled and crept in close to me. Aelisia:"Youth." Becket:"Youth?" Aelisia:"Yup. Why don''t you give me one of those youthful kisses of yours." *She saw me drain Felix, but how does she know I can return it too?* Becket:"I don''t know what you''re talking about." She placed her index finger on my chest and slightly pushed down. It took all my strength to keep myself from falling over. *Why is she so damn strong!?* Since she didn''t seem to be letting up I gave in. Becket:"Ok fine!" Aelisia:"You''re too kind for indulging in my request." She removed her finger and took a step back. She seemed very excited. Aelisia:"Ok. Do it!" She stuck her hands out towards me. Becket:"How far back into your youth do you want?" Aelisia:"Make me 25! My body was awesome then!" Becket:"25 so you need what like a little over fifteen years?" Aelisia:"Fifteen? I''m 85 you know." Becket:"85! Impossible! There''s no way I believe that!" Aelisia:"Well I am so do it! I''m tired of waiting!" She grabbed my collar and pulled me into a head-butt. Becket:"What the hell why''d y...." She forcefully kissed me. *Whats wrong with this woman!?* I was still having a hard time believing her age since she looked to be around her early forties, but I decided to give her what she wanted. I could feel that I had quite a few years stored inside me so I dumped a chunk of it inside her. For some reason I have a better gauge of how many years I have when I''m actually using them. I poured 60 years into her which according to her should bring her physical age down to 25. After I was done I pushed myself away from her and she didn''t try to stop me. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Becket:"There I did it." She immediately ran over to the full length mirror on her wardrobe. *Hm. So they have mirrors here. That''s good to know.* She had flaming red hair now since all it''s color came back and the few wrinkles she had before had completely disappeared. She had a fierce but attractive face. It wasn''t much but her skin did tan slightly. Aelisia:"It worked! It worked! Oh god yes!" She was so excited she jumped straight out her window. I would have been surprised if I didn''t know she could handle a jump like that. Since she was gone I put the backpack on my back and left the room. *I hope I don''t have to spend too much time around that woman.* I went to the study to talk to the queen again. The knights on guard let me in after a few minutes of hassling me. Sylvia:"So you''ve returned. Here for another favor?" Becket:"Actually yes." Sylvia:"Is our relationship only you asking for favors?" She talked in a teasing manner and had a smirk on her face. Instead of playing along I tried to move the conversation forward. Becket:"While I was getting some of the blood of the gods with Aelisia I saw a few artifacts that I would like to take." Sylvia:"The artifacts kept in that particular place are either dangerous, a limited resource or have unknown uses so I can''t just give them to you." Becket:"I know, but it''s not like you''re using them. I may even be able to help you determine what some of them do." Sylvia:"Really? Well if you can figure a few of them out I may be able to reward you with one, but only if you prove yourself." Becket:"Thank you. What time would you like me to start?" Sylvia:"Well I have some free time now so lets do a walk through. It you can tell me what five of the artifacts do then I''ll accept your offer." Becket:"Sounds fair." I knew I had seen quite a few that I knew so I wasn''t worried. She led me down into the artifact room and I stopped in front of a certain artifact. Sylvia:"So what does that one do? Three platoons of knights died bringing that artifact back from the dark continent, but we were never able to figure out what it does." I picked it up. Becket:"I feel bad for them cause this is a blender." Sylvia:"Blender? What does it blend?" Becket:"Food. It''s for blending food. It''s not a weapon or really useful here without electricity." Sylvia:"Thats it?" Becket:"Yeah." Sylvia:"How do you even know?" Becket:"Because I know what world this came from." Sylvia:"World. This came from a different world? But it was found on the dark continent along with all the other artifacts. How do you know this came from a different world?" Becket:"There''s actually quite a few artifacts in here that are pretty much useless to you. Maybe if you start using electricity, but I doubt that will happen anytime soon." I had dodged her question and Sylvia was mostly quite after that as I told her what a bunch of the other artifacts were. There were some that I didn''t know so I skipped over them. They did make me a but curious though just like the guns Felix had. Where did those come from? There were so many useless ones and apparently so many men died to bring them from the dark continent that the queen didn''t even care what I took anymore. If they were just taking up space and didn''t have any uses she didn''t even want it. Of course I planned to take ones that weren''t useless, but she didn''t have to know that. Sylvia:"Thats enough. You''ve gone well over five so take whatever you want. I don''t care anymore. I feel like an idiot for having a room full of junk." I gave her a nod and went to the artifact I wanted. I smiled when I opened the case and saw the AS50 inside. Becket:"It''s in perfect shape. I don''t think it''s even been fired." The AS50 was a British made sniper rifle. It''s a fairly new weapon and can fire five shots in about a second and a half. Inside the case there were two clips for it. A five round magazine and a ten round which were both fully loaded. When I first saw the case I knew it was a sniper rifle, but wasn''t sure what kind. What made me more happy was the fact that there were three large crates filled with .50 caliber armor piercing incendiary rounds closer to the door. This would probably be over kill for the people in this world, but who cares. Becket:"It''s so beautiful." My eyes were sparkling as I checked the weapon over. It seemed to be perfectly fine so I slightly giggled. Sylvia:"Umm...Becket are you ok?" I turned around to see Sylvia with a look of worry on her face. Sylvia:"You seemed to zone out and started giggling." I placed the sniper back into it''s case and stood up with it in my hand. Becket:"I''m perfectly fine. I''ll be taking this artifact." Sylvia:"What is it?" Becket:"It''s a sniper rifle." Sylvia:"A sniper rifle? What''s it do?" Becket:"Well it''s a weapon, but it takes considerable training to use so I''ll take it. I''ll also take some of these." I picked up some of the C4 and started loading it into the pack Aelisia gave me. I was able to slide the sniper rifles case into it too. After that I went over to one of the three large crates and reached in. Only one of the crates had originally been open, but I popped all three open after realizing what was inside. Three crates full of bullets would be more than I would probably use in a lifetime so I wasn''t worried about running out of bullets, but just in case I''ll look into having the bullets made. They don''t need to be armor piercing incendiary rounds since a normal round is likely to kill the people of this world. I wasn''t sure how magic would hold up against these bullets, but I was confident that these would pierce whatever they had and if it didn''t I would only need to shot when their guard was down. After putting half a crates worth of bullets into the pack I put it back on. It probably weighed about sixty pounds, but didn''t bother me at all. This elf body was stronger than my human body which took me a while to realize since the people of this world were freakishly strong. I had also had a strength increase after using the strengthening spell during my fight with the vampire. Becket:"Well that''s all I want." Sylvia:"You took a lot from that crate. What are they?" Becket:"They''re a piece of the sniper rifle. When separated they''re both useless." Sylvia:"Oh. You''re very knowledgable." She had a slight smile on her face as we left the artifact room. Story Information Chapter 27- Send Message Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. I accidentally forgot to include a picture of the AS50 last chapter so here''s one. Also I''ve got cover art for my story now, done by drealicious. ************************************************ Chapter 27 The AS50 was a good find, but I''ll still need to increase my prowess in close quarters combat. I realized when I met Aelisia that this world has a few monsters that would give me a hard fight. There will probably be few situations where I can actually use the rifle since only an idiot would try to pull it out in the middle of a fight. The AS50 will only be handy if I have some distance between my enemy and myself. A sniper is meant for sniping after all. I''m not planning on using it like they do in video games. Up close and personal. I still had one more thing I wanted to do so after splitting up with the queen I left the palace again. It wouldn''t be long before the sun goes down so I hurried along the streets. When I reached my destination I quickly entered. Inside the adventurers guild was rather empty except one warrior standing in the adventurers line. The sweet scent of the fern like potted plants in each corner drifted over to me. I went to the counter for explorers and waited for someone to notice me. Woman:"How may I help you?" A woman that was probably getting ready to leave came out from a door that was behind the counter. She must have noticed me waiting and decided to see what I needed. Becket:"I joined the guild not to long ago and lost my title stone thingy. Can I get a replacement?" Woman:"Of course. I''m assuming you''re rank is explorer since you got in this line?" Becket:"Yes it is." She nodded then disappeared into the back. She came back after a minute with a white stone attached to a black wristband. Woman:"It''ll cost you 10 amethyst." Becket:"Ok." I pulled out my coin pouch which I haven''t had to use in a little while and passed her ten amethyst coins. She gave me the title stone and I pricked my finger then let the blood fall on it. The stone turned red and I put it on my wrist. Woman:"Is that all?" Becket:"Actually before I lost my title stone I was in a group of adventurers and I need to get into contact with one of them." Woman:"Well did you lose your title stone while you were still registered as a group?" Becket:"Yes." Woman:"Well then let me see your title stone." I stretched my hand out to her and she pulled out a blue stone then gently tapped it on my title stone. Woman:"Ok it looks like you are still registered as a group, but most of the members appear to be dead or lost their title stone like you." She frowned and looked at me. Woman:"Only the adventurer Sasha seems to be alive and in possession of the same title stone." I was curious so I asked. Becket:"How can you tell who''s dead?" Woman:"The other title stones registered to your group have gone black. Once a title stone turns black that means either the user is dead or he got a new title stone so the old one becomes useless." Becket:"Oh. So how can I get into contact with Sasha?" Woman:"Since the two of you are still registered as a group you can send her a message." Becket:"Really? How?" Woman:"Simply pull up your status on the title stone and imagine the message you want to send to her then you''ll get a pop up so all you have to do is confirm it." *Thats sounds easy.* Becket:"Thank you." After I got the information I needed I left the adventurers guild. It had already gotten dark out and the streets were almost completely empty so I decided to check my status. Becket:"Identify."
Information
NameBecket Edwin
RaceElf
Age102Account Balance0
TitlesEnvoy Of The Fairy Princess Knight Of The Fairy Princess Keeper Of The Fairy Princess Blessed One Wandering Soul Explorer Life Thief Lackey of the Gods Esyn''s Bitch Vampire Wannabe
MagicsNature Language Comprehension Wing Manifestation Healing Saliva Thermal Insulation Primal Sensing Vitality Manipulation Vampire Eyes
BlessingBodily Augmentation (Through Ingestion)
Assigned JobN/A
Stored Vitality13 years
Becket:"Whats up with those titles. Now I''m starting to wonder who decides them." I was a little annoyed at the titles, but moved on since I had a new ability. Becket:"Vampire eyes huh." I stood completely still and closed my eyes. Like I did when manifesting wings I decided to concentrate my mana into one spot in this case my eyes. After a few minutes I felt a slight irritation so I opened my eyes. At first I was surprised since it looked bright out and I knew it was dark just a few minutes ago. Becket:"So I can see in the dark now." I was happy since this was a very useful skill especially for a sniper. I didn''t have a night vision or thermal scope so this would make up for that. I was having a little trouble with all the red dots that currently filled my vision, but after a few seconds I realized what they were. I was seeing the heartbeats of all living things around me. Becket:"This is better than I expected." I didn''t think vampire eyes would be this useful. I would be using this ability a lot from now on. I walked over to a window near me and looked at my reflection. My eyes were glowing red like a vampires. I stopped sending mana to my eyes and they returned to their normal green color. Since my new ability was figured out I decided to try sending that message. My status was still up so I closed my eyes again to concentrate on the message I wanted to send. After a few seconds I felt some of my mana slip into the title stone so I opened my eyes and saw a pop up.
Sasha it''s me Becket. Let me know if you got this message.
SendCancel
I confirmed it. Becket:"Alright. I got everything I needed done. Time to head back to the palace." I still needed to think of what to do regarding Esyns order. I certainly didn''t want brain damage so I''ll have to sleep with someone. Becket:"I''ve still got a little time to decide." I shrugged my shoulders and headed off towards the palace. *****************Sylvia POV**************** After Becket and I separated I immediately made my way to Eva''s room. Sylvia:"She knows Becket so maybe she can tell me more about him." I was dead set on finding out why he knew about the artifacts and it didn''t look like he wanted to tell me so I decided to interrogate my daughter. She''s the reason I let him stay in this palace and even shield him from the nobles that want revenge for Felix. It''s not hard and kind of fun to mess with the nobles like this so I readily agreed when my daughter asked for my help. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Now that I know he has knowledge on the artifacts I don''t want to scare him off so I can only gather information on him through my daughter. I didn''t knock and just entered her room. She was in the middle of changing and nearly fell over from my surprising entrance. Eva:"What are you doing mom! Knock first!" Her face was red with anger since I startled her. Sylvia:"I''m the queen. I don''t need to knock." I grinned. Seeing her angry always brings a smile to my face. Eva:"Whatever." She finished putting on her dress and turned to me. Eva:"What do you want." She crossed her arms and glared at me. I giggled. Sylvia:"You know I''m sure Sir Becket would love to see the normal you instead of the princess persona you always put on when he''s around." Her glare sharpened. Eva:"Just tell me what you want. I know you didn''t come here to tease me about Becket." Sylvia:"Well I kinda did." Eva:"Then leave. You put me in a bad mood with your sudden visit." *You''re just embarrassed.* I giggled again then put on a more serious face. Sylvia:"I want you to tell me about Becket." Eva:"Huh? Why?" Sylvia:"He knows about some of the artifacts that even our top researcher couldn''t figure out." Eva turned away. Eva:"Why should I tell you anything?" I took a step closer to her. Sylvia:"You know Becket isn''t high enough in social standing to marry you." Eva turned back around and looked into my eyes. After a few minutes they started to tear up. Eva:"B-But I love him." *Shes still a kid huh.* Sylvia:"I know you do, and if you tell me more about him I might be able to find a reason to up his social status." Eva:"Really?" Sylvia:"Of course. He''ll have to prove his worth to the kingdom so I need to know what his strengths are. Now tell me who is he exactly?" I sat her down on the bed and she started to spill everything to me. It was a little hard to believe, but now that she mentions it I do remember her talking about marrying an elf when she was a kid. I knew my daughter wouldn''t make up a lie like this so I decided to believe her. I let out a sigh while rubbing my temple. Sylvia:"So the gods had you summon his soul from another world? Sounds kind of like the hero summons ritual only he didn''t bring his body with him." Eva:"So will you make him a noble now?" Sylvia:"I''m sure he''ll be able to gain enough social standing to marry you even without my help. I heard Aelisia talking about taking him as a new student. He might become a high ranking knight." I stood up from the bed. Sylvia:"I approve of you marrying him." Eva:"Thank you mother!" Eva jumped up and hugged me. *An other worlder in the family could be a very good thing, but I''m a little worried how Eva will take it when he really does assemble a harem. She might not be able to accept it like she thinks.* Eva released me from the hug and was now smiling. Sylvia:"Actually I think you should probably keep up the sophisticated princess act. I get the feeling he prefers more mature women." After I said that Eva''s smile disappeared and she put on a more stoic face. Eva:"Thank you mother." She lightly bowed her head. Sylvia:"Thats good, but you''re still grinning a little." She still hasn''t perfected masking the emotions on her face, but she''s almost there. I left her room and decided to head to the bath. The royal bath has a constant flow of fresh water coming in and the floor is lined with magic stones that keep the water warm. I undressed and entered. It was surprising to find someone else already in it. Sylvia:"Hello?" The woman turned around and looked at me. She had beautiful long red hair. Her body was tight with lean muscles, but they didn''t bulge like most warriors. She had more a firm farmers body than a warriors. Sylvia:"Who are you?" Aelisia:"Yo." She waved at me. She didn''t seem to be hostile so I got into the bath. If she was able to sneak past the guards there''s no way I''d be able to escape her anyway if she was here to kill me. Sylvia:"So would you mind telling me your name?" Aelisia:"So you don''t recognize me? I guess that makes sense. I was about 60 when we first meet and you were only 5 then so you probably don''t even know what my hair color was." Sylvia didn''t remember it, but Aelisia still had a single red streak of hair until she was 62. Aelisia:"It''s me Aelisia." Sylvia:"................." I wasn''t really sure how to respond since this woman was way too young to be Aelisia. She might of even been younger than me. I''m only 30. Aelisia:"It''s thanks to Becket. He can return people''s youth." Now it started to make sense. How his match ended against Felix was finally clear to me. Sylvia:"So he can do something like that." *The need to keep him in our favor just increased.* I couldn''t help but smile. Sylvia:"How does he do it?" Aelisia:"A kiss." Sylvia:"Hmmm. Maybe I should visit him tonight?" Aelisia:"Hahaha! Sure you should!" It was any woman''s dream to have perpetual youth. Age is a woman''s natural enemy. I sat back and enjoyed my bath as I thought of how much of an asset Becket would be. Sylvia:"Oh yeah. How''s Gideon doing?" Aelisia:"Well he''s feeling a little depressed." Sylvia:"A depressed knight doesn''t sound good." Aelisia:"Well he''s sulking over the fact that a vampire overpowered his will with compulsion." Sylvia:"Well vampires are a very tricky race. Luckily their compulsion only works for a short amount of time otherwise they could rule over all the kingdoms." Aelisia:"If it was anyone other than Bram, Gideon wouldn''t have had his mind taken over. I hear Bram is the greatest vampire at using compulsion to be born within the last 600 years." Sylvia:"At least they didn''t turn him." Aelisia:"Thats what I said. He told me he''d rather of died than be turned into Brams lackey. Now he''s just sitting in his room doing god knows what." Sylvia:"I''m surprised you didn''t pull him out of there." Aelisia:"I decided to give him a little time to himself. If he comes out on his own within the next two days I''ll make his punishment lighter." Sylvia:"Don''t be too hard on him. He was being controlled." Aelisia:"Thats no excuse. The idiot attacked the vampire nest alone after sending all the knights under him back to the palace." Sylvia:"He''s just a kid that wanted to show off to his mother. They all go through a stage like that." Aelisia:"I know. That''s why I gave him the chance to lighten the punishment. If he doesn''t come out though I may make it worse." Sylvia:"Well when he does come out he''s in for a surprise. Think he''ll recognize you?" Aelisia:"He better. For his own good." Story Information Chapter 28- Champ Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. :) The poll didn''t go how I wanted so I decided to scrap it and just go with what I had planned originally. Sorry if you don''t like it. ************************************************ Chapter 28 When made it back to the palace I ran into a maid. Maid:"I''m sorry Sir Becket, but you missed diner. If you''d like I could have something prepared for you and bring it to your room." Becket:"Sure that''s fine." I accepted the offer and went up to my room. Aria was already asleep so I tried to be as quiet as possible. It wasn''t long before there was a light knock at the door so I answered it. Maid:"Your food sir." She held out a circular tray with a top on it. When I looked down at it she removed the top. Becket:"Oh looks good." There was a thick piece of meat and some cut up blue stuff as a side dish. Becket:"Thank you." I took the tray from her hands and she gave me a bow before leaving. The meat tasted like steak with a little spice and my side dish was probably vegetables. I wasn''t sure since I didn''t recognize the look of it or it''s taste, but I''m pretty sure it was at least this worlds equivalent to a vegetable. Becket:"Well that was quite delicious." I whispered to myself as I sat the tray aside. There was still one more thing I wanted to do before going to sleep so I pulled the rifle out of my pack. Some fabric was still left over from when I made the scarf so I took a small part of it and pushed it into the rifles barrel. I injected mana into my jacket and created a string to drag the cloth through the barrel. Becket:"Dusty." An excessive amount of dust had collected inside of the rifles barrel so I couldn''t help but comment. After I finished cleaning out the dust I wiped the whole rifle down and cleaned the scope. Becket:"Good. Now it''s all clean." I smiled as I checked the rifle over. I''ll still need to do a firing test to make sure the rifle works, but that can wait. The rifle was placed back in it''s case and slid into my pack then I joined Aria in the bed. She was lying on one pillow and hugging the other so tonight I''ll have to sleep without one. The next morning I got up and had breakfast with the royal family again, but this time I felt like the queen kept glancing over at me. Afterward I decided to go check on the vampires, but first made a request to one of the knights to get me a certain plant. When I finished making the request I tried to leave Aria at the palace, but she wouldn''t let me so I ended up letting her come too. Gene was sitting at the counter when we came in. Gene:"Oh good morning Becket and Aria." He seemed to be in a good mood. Becket:"Whats got you so happy?" Gene:"Well I spent last night with a woman so I''m feeling a little....rejuvenated." Becket:"Who''s the woman?" Gene:"She was a brothel girl, but I think I might be falling for her. If I''m not mistaken I think she might like me too." *Is he the type that falls hard and fast for women?* Becket:"Be careful. Those girls are being paid to do a job. She may not actually feel what you think." Gene:"Don''t worry I''ll tread lightly. Don''t want to end up with a girl like my previous wife." Becket:"Well I''m gonna go talk to your guests. Babysit Aria for me." Gene:"Sure." Aria looked a little angry that I treated her like a kid, but I ignored it and went upstairs. After knocking on the door I heard someone approaching it. Bram:"Becket." Bram had a few wounds on his face that must have been pretty deep since they were still healing. Becket:"What happened to you?" I entered the room while asking him that question. The first thing I noticed was that the bed his sister had previously been in was empty. Bram:"Sister woke up." Becket:"Yes and?" Bram:"She was angry about having her heart ripped out." Becket:"What? She took her anger out on you?" Bram looked down at his feet. Bram:"She was just feeling frustrated. It''s my fault for annoying her right after she woke up." *What is he? An abused wife?* Becket:"Where is she?" Bram:"She said that she was going to find some fresh blood. She loves virgin blood. Male or female." *Oh yeah I forgot. High level vampires can walk under the sun.* I had assumed she would be here since the sun was up, but I had forgotten the fact that the sun wasn''t an issue. Becket:"So do vampires need blood to survive?" Bram:"We don''t need it, but it does temporarily increase our healing and gives us a sort of high if you drink too much." Becket:"So she''s out getting high. Then there''s no telling when she''ll be back." I sighed as I thought about the stoner vampire. *What should I do now?* Becket:"Tell your sister I''d like to meet her. I''ll stop by later today." Bram:"I''ll tell her, but she may hit you when you see her." Becket:"Why would she hit me?" Bram:"I told her about how you kissed her. She''s a little violent, but she''s still a girl. Getting kissed by a stranger while asleep pissed her off." Becket:"Great. Then tell her I''ll be here tomorrow around this time." *I should give her a little more time to cool off.* Bram nodded. He would be the one to suffer the brunt of her wrath. I gave him a pat on the shoulder before leaving the room. When I got down stairs I could her Aria yelling. Aria:"You cheated you bastard!" *She''s cursing. Means she''s in a bad mood.* Gene:"I didn''t cheat." Aria:"I know you did!" Becket:"Whats going on?" Aria and Gene were sitting at a table playing a card game. When she heard my voice, Aria jumped up from the table. Aria:"Becket he''s cheating!" Becket:"Gene what did you do?" Gene:"I didn''t do anything. I taught her this card game and then when we started the fourth round she said I was cheating." Aria:"I know you were cheating! I saw you swap out a card!" I looked into Genes eyes. Becket:"Why would you cheat against a person who just learned how to play?" Gene just looked at me for a few minutes before showing me a face of defeat. Gene:"I''m sorry. I couldn''t help it though. She was kicking my ass and she only just learned the game." Becket:"Thats no reason to cheat." Gene:"I know. I just didn''t want to look so pathetic. I''ll have you know I use to be considered a champ at this game." Becket:"A champ? You? Hard to believe." Gene:"But it''s true! I swear!" Becket:"Then how was Aria beating you?" Aria:"Because I''m awesome at the game!" Aria puffed out her chest in pride. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Aria:"But someone had to act like a little bitch and cheat." Aria showed Gene a look of disappointment. Aria:"If you''d of just asked I would''ve gone easy on you." Gene hung his head low and started mumbling to himself. Gene:"I was a champ." Becket:"Well we''re going now. I''ll swing back by tomorrow." Gene:"Yeah. Sure. Whatever." Gene halfheartedly responded so Aria and I just left. I stopped by a textiles store to buy some red dye for something I planned to make later before returning to the palace. I had made my decision last night so after getting back to the palace I tried to ditch Aria. Becket:"I''ve got something I need to do." Aria:"I want to come. Maybe I can help." Becket:"No I don''t want you to come. This is something I need to do so just stay here." Aria had told me about how she was tired of being in the palace since it reminded her of all the time she spent in the fairy palace. She already lived the royal life and was sick of it. Becket:"Listen Aria. I have business I need to attend to. You only need to deal with the palace life for a little while longer." Aria:"When can we leave this city? I''m tired of humans." *Well Esyn gave me a mission and I have to leave in two months so not long.* Becket:"About two months." Aria:"I guess I can handle that long." I convinced Aria to let me go alone so I quickly left the palace. I had been to only one place where I could get the services I needed done so I headed there. I entered the Ice Hole and found a seat in one of the corners. There seemed to be few people there which I was happy about. Crowded taverns are usually noisy and noisy is usually annoying. Girl:"What can I get for you?" A girl about 14 or 15 came up to my table. Becket:"Something to drink. Make it strong." Girl:"Gotcha." She turned around and left. Becket:"Ok. So how does it work here?" I looked around at the other customers and easily spotted the ones that were here for a night with the girls. All their faces just screamed sexual deviant. *I don''t have one of those faces right?* I gently touched my face as I wondered if I had the face of a pervert. Girl:"Here you go." The girl returned with a wooden cup in hand. Becket:"Thanks." I took a drink from the cup she gave me and accidentally gulped it all down. When I looked up the girl was still standing there. Girl:"So do you want to head to a room now or later." Becket:"Huh?" *She figured me out! I really do have one of those faces!* Girl:"Most people who come here aren''t here to just drink, but this''ll be my first with a woman." She smiled at me and it was quite a radiant smile. She had maroon colored hair that was currently in pigtails probably to emphasize her youth. The light green dress she wore came down to right above her knees and she had black boots on. Her eyes were brown while her lips and nose were small. Girl:"My names Alexa." Becket:"I''m Becket." I reached out to shake her hand and she took it into both of hers. Alexa:"It''s nice to meet you. Now again would you like to get a room now or later." Becket:"Well I guess now is fine." Alexa:"Then follow me." Becket:"Wait I should probably tell you I''m a guy." Alexa:"A guy? Oh you''re a pretty boy! I''ve never seen one before." Becket:"Wait aren''t most elves pretty boys?" Alexa:"Not the ones I''ve met. They''re usually handsome, but a male elf in my experience looks male." *So I really am a pretty boy. I thought this was common among elves.* We went up stairs and found an empty room. As we entered I could hear a girl moaning in one of the rooms next to ours. The rooms were rather small with a bed and a desk. There were towels and a bowl of water on the desk along with lotions. *Thats probably meant for cleaning up afterwards.* I was slightly surprised that they had something like that prepared. I expected it to be less sanitary. I''m sure the lotions had a different use though. The bed sheets looked clean and crisp. It was like they were new. Alexa began undressing. Alexa:"What kind of service." Becket:"What are my choices?" Alexa:"The options are normal sex, tit-job, hand-job, blow-job, or anal." Becket:"Oh. Well then I''ll just go with normal." Alexa was completely naked and I could see her thin body and moderately sized perky breasts. She doesn''t have any body hair so she probably shaves it all off. Her hair was let down now and it gave her a slightly older look. Maybe I was wrong in my initial guess of her age. She might be around 16 or 17. The pigtails really made her look younger. She crawled onto the bed then turned around to look at me. Alexa:"You gonna join me?" I had just been examining her and the room all this time so I quickly undressed. My guy was really getting in the mood now. She was on all fours so I positioned myself behind her. Alexa:"Enjoy." She said with a smile while glancing over her shoulder at me. I placed both of my hands on her hips. Because of a slight feeling of guilt due to her being so much young than me I wanted to end this quickly, but forgot after I got started. Her moans mixed with the ones coming from the girl in the next room and I just fell into a trance. When I finally regained my senses we were lying on the bed next to each other. I wasn''t sure how much time had passed, but the two of us obviously had a good workout. Alexa:"I haven''t had fun like that in a while." She turned her head to look at me. Alexa:"Come by anytime and I''ll service you." She rolled off the bed and went over to the bowl of water then began wiping herself down. I joined her and we ended up cleaning each other. After we got dressed Alexa faced me. Alexa:"Time for payment." *Oh yeah I forgot about that.* Becket:"How much?" Alexa:"Two sapphire coins." It seemed a little expensive, but I paid anyway. She was smiling as she pocketed the coins and put her hair back into pigtails. We went down stairs together and I headed for the door. Walking across the tavern while everyone stared at you knowing what you just did to the girl a few feet behind you felt a little.........uncomfortable. Alexa:"Come again Becket." I left the Ice Hole wishing she didn''t say my name so loud. ************************************************ I wasn''t really sure how much detail I should put in the sex scene so I kept it low. I''m not writing a story all about the sex. He will have more of it, but the scenes will probably get only about this much detail. Story Information Chapter 29- Violence Is For Idiots Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. ************************************************ Chapter 29 After my session with Alexa I immediately returned to the palace. I made it for diner this time, but felt very uncomfortable since I just came from a brothel. Of course I didn''t let that show on my face. Sylvia:"So is everything to your liking Sir Becket?" I looked up from my plate. Becket:"Oh the foods wonderful." I gave her a smile. Sylvia:"Good. We want you to enjoy your time here." Becket:"Well I am. You''ve allowed me to experience an incredible life style during my stay in the palace." I smiled again before taking another bite of whatever I was eating. It was a thick piece of something. When I poked it with my fork it shook and when I stabbed into it a green liquid poured out. I had no idea what it was, but it did taste good. The food in this world had things I recognized and things completely foreign to me. Most of what I ate here had been quite delicious though. Becket:"If you''ll excuse me." I stood up and lightly bowed before leaving the dining room. I had eaten enough of that food and was ready to get back to my room. Aria excused herself too and followed after me. I was stopped by a knight on my way up to my room. Knight:"Sir those plants you requested have been found and collected." Becket:"Good. Show it to me." I told Aria to meet me in the room and I followed the knight. He led me to two other knights who were both holding bundles of something wrapped in brown blankets. Knight:"Is this it sir?" The knight tossed the blanket off one of the bundles to show me the plants they collected. Becket:"Yes that''s what I needed." Knight:"Would you like us to carry this up to your room?" Becket:"No it''s fine. I can handle it." I took both bundles and went straight to my room. The plants I had the knights collect was milkweed along with other more leafy plants. The milkweed was what I used to create the fabric for my jacket and the leaves were it''s scales. I started working on turning the milkweed into string and sorting the leaves. My jacket when injected with mana would stretch to cover my whole body covering me in leaf scaled armor, but there was something else I wanted to make along with improvements to the jackets design. Aria:"Whatcha doin." Becket:"I''m creating something to boost my defense. I''m fast, but my body is weak. When I''m done this armor will keep me free of holes." I first added springs right under each leaf scale. When I fought giant Felix I realized that even though swords couldn''t pierce my armor an impact still broke bones. The springs will lower the force from an impact to help prevent this problem. This also gave me new ideas. When given mana my armor would bend to my will and take any form I wanted it too. If I made springs on my feet during battle it would increase my speed and agility. Of course I would need to practice with them for it to be useful though. Becket:"Well I''m done." Adding the springs was easy. The other thing I wanted to make took a little longer. I made a leaf scale cloak to wrap around myself. It had the same green color as my jacket because of the leaves, but I used dye that I picked up to make the inside of it red. I was tired when I finished the cloak so I crawled into bed next to Aria who had already fallen asleep. Luckily I got a pillow tonight, but no covers since she had them all wrapped around her. I drifted off rather easily. Esyn:"Whats up Becket." I opened my eyes. Once again I was in my old room in my previous world. Becket:"What do you want now? I did what you said." Esyn:"I know; however, I have a new mission." Becket:"Don''t I already have one?" Esyn:"Yes but this one shouldn''t be too hard. I enjoyed the show of you and that Alexa girl so much that I want another. This time Aelisia." Becket:"Aelisia? She isn''t one of the girls you brainwashed is she?" Esyn:"No. I just really like her, and she''s strong. You have two months to train for your mission where you have to set off for the vampire capital and in those two months I want you to bang Aelisia." Becket:"What? How am I suppose to convince her? She seems like the type that would snap my guy in half if I pointed it at her." Esyn:"You''ll just have to win her affection the old fashioned way. If you don''t do it I''ll.................lets leave that as a surprise." Talking to her made me remember one of my new titles. Becket:"Hey I''ve got a question. Who comes up with the titles?" Esyn:"Well it''s the title stone of course. It determines the titles." Becket:"The stone decides? That''s a lie isn''t it?" Esyn:"Would I lie to you?" Becket:"Yeah. I think you might. Also I''m starting to get too many titles." Esyn:"I can fix that. They''re only piling up because of a glitch. Normally you would be able to fix that problem alone." Becket:"I could fix it? Then how?" Esyn:"Normally you could, but there''s just a small problem. Since you are in the wrong body it reads you wrong." Becket:"Reads me wrong? What does that mean?" Esyn:"Your body isn''t originally yours so you can''t assign a title and hide the rest like a normal person. The stone just won''t accept your soul as the owner of Becket''s body so it doesn''t allow full access to it." Becket:"I don''t have full access to the title stone?" Esyn:"A regular person could set a specific title to be the only one that shows. I''ll fix it though. It''s not difficult for me to set one title for you so which one do you want to keep?" Becket:"Set the Explorer as my title." Esyn:"Fine. Now bye bye. Don''t forget to cozy up next to Aelisia." She waved as my vision went black. I woke up in my room in the palace. Becket:"Might as well check. Identify."
Information
NameBecket Edwin
RaceElf
Age102Account Balance0
TitlesEsyn''s Bitch
MagicsNature Language Comprehension Wing Manifestation Healing Saliva Thermal Insulation Primal Sensing Vitality Manipulation Vampire Eyes
BlessingBodily Augmentation (Through Ingestion)
Assigned JobN/A
Stored Vitality13 years
Becket:"That bitch. I should''ve known she wouldn''t set the title I wanted." After a while of complaining to myself about my new set title I finally fell back asleep. The next morning I was able to sneak out after sending Aria to breakfast. I would have to find something else to eat. It could become a fight so I didn''t want Aria coming with me to meet Carmilla. I wore my leaf scale cape along with my matching jacket. Like usual Gene was standing at the counter when I entered. Becket:"Morning Gene." His elbows were propped up on the counter and his face was buried in his hands. When I spoke he looked up. Gene:"Oh Becket. Morning." He gave a weak reply. Becket:"Something wrong?" Gene:"She told me I was just a client." Becket:"Who?" Gene looked a little angry at my question. Gene:"Weren''t you listening yesterday? The girl I met and fell in love with." *Didn''t you say yesterday that you only think you might love her.* Becket:"I remember." Gene:"I asked her out and she turned me down." Becket:"Maybe it wasn''t meant to be. You''ll find someone." I tried to console him, but it didn''t seem to work. Gene:"Why can''t I make things work with a woman? I always end up alone." This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Becket:"You could always try being more persistent. If you prove you won''t give up maybe she''ll come to like you." Gene''s eyebrows shot up. Gene:"Your right! If I keep throwing myself at her she''ll eventually give in! Thanks Becket!" Gene was now all smiles. *I hope I didn''t just make a stalker.* Becket:"Well I''m gonna go visit your guests." Gene:"Go ahead. Oh yeah don''t make a mess of my inn." *A mess?* Becket:"Ok." I went up the stairs and once again knocked on their door. The room was silent. I stuck my ear to the door to listen, but heard nothing. Becket:"Did they leav..." A hand tore through the door and narrowly missed my head. I jumped back against the wall opposite the door. A woman''s hand with red nail polish was retracted from the hole it just made in the door. I wasn''t sure what was coming next so I injected mana into my jacket. Usually I wouldn''t cover my head since it narrows my vision and dulls my reaction time, but after almost losing it to that hand I took extra precautions. Once the jacket was done stretching to cover me in leaf armor I heard a voice. Bram:"Sister calm down!" The door was smashed into pieces as someone lunged forward. The same hand from before was shoved into my stomach. Carmilla:"Hmm. She''s wearing armor." The leaf scale armor kept Carmilla from tearing out my intestines. Bram:"Sister she helped save you!" Carmilla:"It doesn''t matter! Anyone who dares lay a finger on me forfeits their life!" Becket:"Shouldn''t your anger be more focused on Radu!" I was hoping to divert her rage to the person who actually tore her heart out, but she didn''t even seem to notice what I said. She tried to sever my head with her finger nails by jabbing them into my throat. Carmilla:"What the hell is this armor made of!" Instead of dodging I took all her hits. If I ran it would make our next meeting harder and if I fought back it might break the trust I''ve built with Bram. I was using up a lot of my inner mana to defend against each attack so I started to get worried I might run out. Becket:"Isn''t there anyway to settle this without disemboweling me?" Carmilla:"Of course there isn''t! This would be over quickly if you would just remove your armor!" She continued to drive her finger nails into multiple points on my body. I couldn''t even see since I had covered every inch of me in armor so I couldn''t dodge even if I wanted to. *Shit! Her strikes are powerful. It''s taking a lot of mana to defend.* I was starting to feel tired from using to much mana after half an hour. I had only used up all my mana once before so I wasn''t sure how much longer I could hold up. *Damn she''s persistent!* I had hoped she would get tired first, but she didn''t even seem to slow down after all this time. Bram tried to stop her once and I could hear his screams of pain. It sounded painful; however, I knew vampires had good healing so he''ll be fine. Becket:"We''re never going to get anywhere like this. All I did was kiss you." Carmilla:"A kiss isn''t something you can just take from me!" Becket:"Then I''ll give it back!" I didn''t even realize what I was saying since the only thing going through my head was how to keep myself from being killed. She suddenly stopped attacking me. Carmilla:"Really? You''ll give it back!" *Huh?* Becket:"Umm.....Sure." Carmilla:"Then I guess........I won''t kill you." *Is she an idiot? I can''t really give the kiss back.* Becket:"Well then........close your eyes I guess?" Carmilla:"Alright they''re closed! Now give it back!" I formed a single eye hole in the armor covering my face. She actually had her eyes closed. *She is an idiot!* Carmilla:"Hurry up and give it back!" She tried to punch a hole in my stomach again. *A violent idiot!* I pressed my hand against her lips. Becket:"There it''s back now." She opened her eyes so I cover my eye hole up again. Becket:"So are we good now? You gonna stop trying to kill me?" Carmilla:"Since you gave it back I''ll let you live." I heard footsteps leading away from me. Once again I created an eye hole and saw that Carmilla had walked back into the room. *That really worked? She really thinks I can just give her kiss back?* I decided to leave my armor on for now and followed her into the room while using only one eye hole. Whatever she had done to Bram was now completely healed and he was sitting next to the bed. Bram:"Well now that the two of you have officially met lets get down to business." Becket:"Ok then. As promised I''ll personally kill Radu which should leave you in line to be the next vampire king right Bram?" Carmilla:"No Radu is mine!" Bram:"Sister he tour out your heart last time you fought. It''s only going to end the same way." Carmilla:"No I''ll kill him! I was holding back last time!" Bram:"Sister you don''t know how to hold back." Carmilla punched Bram in the nose. He slammed against the wall with a face now covered in blood. *Holy shit! Did she kill him?* Bram:"Sorry sister. Of course you held back during the fight with Radu." He pulled himself up using the table next to him. She had a triumphant look on her face. Carmilla:"You green woman. I''m thirsty. Find me a virgin." Becket:"Me?" I pointed at myself. Carmilla:"Yes you leaf girl. I stayed in this room all morning waiting for you so I haven''t had any blood. Now find me some." *What am I this idiots drug dealer now?* Becket:"Weren''t we in the middle of a discussion?" Carmilla:"I''m tired of that talk. Now go. Bring me a virgin." Becket:"If I get you a virgin can we continue our conversation?" Carmilla:"Sure now hurry." She waved me out as I went downstairs. I could finally retract my armor. Becket:"How am I suppose to find a virgin? A kid maybe?" I wanted to get organized about our plan to put Bram in the direct line of succession for the vampire kings throne, but Carmilla was more eager to get high on blood. I wasn''t in a very good mood because of it. Gene was still smiling when I came downstairs. Becket:"Hey Gene where can I find some slave traders?" Gene:"Slave traders? You want a slave?" Becket:"I''m looking for a virgin. I figure buying one would be easier than finding one." Gene:"You''re probably right. When you meet a girl now a days you never know if she''s a virgin or not. I believe there''s a slave trader somewhere in this town, but I don''t actually know where." Becket:"Thats fine. Knowing that there is one means my search won''t be in vain. Any suggestions on where to start looking?" Gene:"The sapphire district. A lot of shady businesses are there including the assassins guild. While you''re there could you stop by one of the alchemist shops? I ended up with another brothel girl after I was turned down and I think she had something. My crotch has been itching all day." Becket:"Alchemist shop? I haven''t been to one yet. Sure I''ll find one, but what exactly should I pick up?" Gene pulled out a coin pouch and passed it over to me. Gene:"This is for the cost. I think it''s called efren. Brothel girls are required to use it since it cures all sex diseases, but I guess the one I got forgot." I took the coin pouch and looked inside. Becket:"This is a lot. Is it really that expensive?" Gene:"No. I threw in a little extra money as payment for picking it up for me." I closed the pouch and put it away. Becket:"Got it. Well see you as soon as I can." I left the inn and looked in the direction of the sapphire district. Story Information Chapter 30- Solomon Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. ************************************************ Chapter 30 The sapphire district was full of shady looking people, but the stores were of high quality. Becket:"No matter the world crime always pays well." This was likely where the cities underground leaders could be found. Every city no matter the world had a shadow group that usually held a lot of power. I could tell the sapphire district was the headquarters of this cities shadow group due to the experience I gained as a merc. Becket:"Maybe it''s the assassins guild Gene mentioned?" Assassins were always an important asset in a shadow group so the guild was at least connected to whoever ran the seedier side of the city. I had been on many assassination missions myself, but mine were all handled from a distance with my sniper. I quickly put these thoughts aside since I wasn''t here to bother whatever criminal organization was currently in control. After talking to a few store clerks I quickly found the alchemist shop. It was wooden with no display window unlike the other shops around it. Becket:"Well lets check it out." As I pushed the door open I heard the creak of the hinges. The shop was small with only a counter and a man behind it. He was an elderly man with a short white beard and circular glasses sitting on his nose. Behind his glasses was a pair of green eyes. He wore a dust covered black robe with a pointy hat on top of his head. When he saw me his eyes opened wide for a few seconds. Man:"Hello and welcome to Arnie''s Alchemist shop. What do ya need?" Becket:"Are you Arine?" Arnie:"Thats me. So what can I get for you?" Becket:"I think it''s called efren. My friend was with a woman and thinks she might of left him a surprise the next morning." Arnie:"Oh yes it''s efren you need just give me a minute." Arnie disappeared into a door behind the counter. After a few minutes he returned. Arnie:"Here you go. That''ll be 5 sapphire." *That''s more expensive than Alexa.* Since Gene told me efren wasn''t that expensive and that all working girls had to use it I could tell this guy must be over charging me. Becket:"That''s a little high. Did you raise the price just for me?" Arnie:"Oh! You''re right that''s too high. I must be going senile." The man set a vial of grey liquid onto the counter. Arnie:"Then that''ll be 30 amethyst." Becket:"Sounds better." I pulled out the pouch of money Gene gave me and paid for the efren. Becket:"Are there any healing potions?" I hadn''t thought to ask about them so far or seen any so I was curious. Arnie:"Well I''ve got some, but you know healing potions are very expensive and they can''t heal major wounds like severed limbs. For stuff like that you need an elf mage that''s proficient at healing." Becket:"Then could you look into something for me?" I pulled out a vial of what appeared to be water that I had been carrying around for a while. Learning of an alchemist was lucky since I didn''t know how effective my vial would be. Becket:"I want this kept secret. Inside this vial is a liquid with healing properties. I want to know how it compares to other healing potions." Arnie took the vial into both hands and held it up to the light examining it. Arnie:"Where''d you get it?" Becket:"I made it myself. I still haven''t tested it yet so I''m not sure how it will react when applied to a person." Arnie:"I''ll look into it, but that''ll cost you 3 sapphire." Becket:"Sure." I dumped out the rest of the money I got from Gene and added a few of my own coins. Arnie swept up all the coins and pocketed them. Then I took the efren and placed it in Gene''s money pouch. Arnie:"Give me three days and I''ll know everything about this healing liquid you''ve given me." I had high hopes since what I gave him was my own saliva. To add a little extra punch I infused my mana into it which made it turn clear as purified water. Since I hadn''t tested it I wasn''t sure how effective it would be. So far everything I injected with my mana changed in some way. My hope was that my mana would further increase the healing properties of the saliva. Becket:"Then I''ll be back in three days. Also do you know of where I can find a slave merchant." Arnie leaned in close. Arnie:"That depends. What do need em for?" Becket:"Obviously I want to buy a slave." Arnie smiled. Arnie:"Very interesting. Elves are usually against slavery." Becket:"I don''t really care. I just need a virgin." Arnie:"Oh. Well then step this way." Arnie gestured for me to step around the counter and when I did he opened the door behind him. Arnie:"Let me show you the wares I keep in the back." *So he''s also a slave trader. Convenient.* I followed Arnie into the back of his shop. The room I entered was filled with crates. Arnie guided me through to another door. This one opened up to a long narrow hallway. At the end of the hallway was a square door in the floor with an iron ring used to open it. When Arnie opened it there was a set of stairs leading down. We took those stairs down to a dark room. Torches lined the walls, but only provided a dim light due to their weak flames. Arnie mumbled to himself then multiple tiny fire balls shot out of his hand relighting each torch. Becket:"You''re a mage?" Arnie:"Of course I am." With the extra light the torches now gave off I could see cell bars. *This must be where he keeps the slaves.* We passed by many people sitting inside the cells. They all looked in good shape. Arnie:"I wouldn''t usually keep them down here. We''ve just had some trouble recently so they needed to be put in a safe place." We didn''t stop at any of the cells and instead entered another door. Inside was a sofa with a wooden table in front and a single chair across from it. Arnie gestured for me to sit on the sofa so I did and he sat in the chair. He took off his pointy hat and placed it on the table. I was surprised to see he had a pair of elven ears hidden under that hat. Becket:"You''re an elf?" Arnie:"Yes. Been one my whole life." Becket:"I thought elves were against slavery?" Arnie:"They usually are. I was raised by humans so I never really understood the elven way. Doesn''t look like you do either." Becket:"Well I don''t really care if you''re an elf I just came to get a virgin." His face now had a serious expression and his voice lowered. Arnie:"Actually I already knew why you were here the moment I saw you, but I was told to let things play out the way they did." Becket:"You already knew? How?" Arnie:"Ya know, I''ve been alive for a long time. Seen many different people, but this is the second time I''ve seen you." Becket:"Second?" Arnie:"I saw you in a dream a few days ago." *A dream? Is it the gods again? What are they up to?* Arnie:"It was a very strange dream. I was trapped in total darkness until I heard a voice. For the life of me I can''t remember what it sounded like, but I still remember what it said." He stopped for a second before leaning in closer. Arnie:"It said that it needed my help then suddenly the darkness was gone and I was back in my shop. That was when I first saw you. The two of us were talking to each other. It was the very same conversation we had before coming down here." Becket:"So you already knew everything we were going to say to each other. Why have the conversation if you''ve already heard it once." Arnie:"The voice told me to. It said if I changed anything you would have never gone down here to talk, but he was wrong. I changed the efrens price and you still came down here." Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Becket:"That explains the price." Arnie:"In my dream after our conversation ended I was pulled back into the darkness. The voice told me it wanted to give me something." Arnie stretched his right hand out in front of himself. On his middle finger was a ring. (The ring.) Spoiler : Arnie:"The voice told me this is called the ring of Solomon. From what it said this ring is quite powerful. Honestly I couldn''t believe what I was told, but when I woke up the ring was on my finger." He put his hand down into his lap. Arnie:"Apparently this ring is used for binding people. Infuse it with mana then press it against your targets skin. The mark on the ring will be branded onto the targets skin and they will follow any order given to them by their master." I gazed at the ring on his finger. Arnie:"The voice also explained the details on the ring. The people who''re bound maintain their personalities, but follow any order issued by the one with the master mark." Becket:"So why was I in the dream?" Arnie:"The voice told me my fate was tied to yours. From this day forward the two of us will form a partnership. It also told me that you should be given the master mark." Becket:"What exactly is the master mark?" Arnie:"The master of the ring isn''t allowed to have the master mark. The ring binds while the mark controls. The voice told me to be the rings master while you are the marks master." Becket:"So you''re saying you''ll brand people and I''ll become their master. Why not just give me the ring." Arnie tugged on the ring. Arnie:"Can''t give it to you even if I wanted to. The thing seems to be fused to me, but the voice did tell me the rings master can''t give himself the master mark anyway so if you had the ring someone else would have to be the master." *It must be some kind of safety measure. Splits the rings power between two people. Both are needed for the ring to be useful.* Becket:"Once someone has been bound is there anyway to remove the rings hold over them?" Arnie:"Repeat the process used to bind the person and the symbol on their skin will vanish along with your control over them. It''s quite ironic that this ring would be given to a slave trader." Arnie chuckled. *So the rings master binds and unbinds while the marks master only controls the people bound.* Arnie:"I was also told to deliver a message to you. It said don''t let ''them'' know about this ring." Becket:"Who?" Arnie:"I don''t know. That''s all the message said." *Could this be another god or just one of the seven I haven''t met yet?* Becket:"So how are you suppose to give me the master mark?" Arnie:"Thats easy, but first you need to pick where you want the mark on your body." I thought for a minute before deciding. Becket:"Does the location matter at all?" Arnie:"No. Just as long as you have the mark." Becket:"All right then." I pulled off one of my boots. Becket:"Put the mark on the sole of my foot. I doubt anyone will see it if it''s there." I decided to hide the mark since it could be used to identify me. Being an elf in human territory made me stand out enough already. Arnie nodded. Arnie:"All right." I propped my foot up on the desk. Arnie:"I''ll need you to put some of your blood on the ring." I had my armor form a small blade to prick my finger then dropped it onto the ring. Becket:"There you go." He pressed the ring against the sole of my foot and I felt a surge of heat before he pulled the ring back. Arnie:"It''s done." I took a look at my foot and saw an imprint of the ring in red. It looked like a tattoo. I shoved that foot back into my boot. Arnie:"Now that you have the master mark you can issue orders to anyone else branded by this ring." Becket:"But I need you to do the branding right?" Arnie:"And I will gladly brand anyone you want." A devious smile spread across his face. Becket:"Ok now I want to know why you decided to listen to the voice and why you''re so willing to help me?" Arnie sat back in his chair. Arnie:"Like I said I''ve lived a long time and I know that was some kind of god that visited me in my dream. I don''t know if it was Ofhena or not, but maybe if it was I''ll get the chance to meet her." Arnie smiled agian, but for some reason the smile felt even more sinister. Since I couldn''t remember I had to ask. Becket:"Who''s Ofhena again?" Arnie nearly fell out of his chair. Arnie:"You''re an elf and you don''t even know who Ofhena is? She''s the goddess worshiped by all elves and aknowledged as the most beautiful of the seven gods." Thinking about the gods annoyed me. So I huffed before I commented to myself. *Sorry if I don''t remember all their names. I''ve only met one of them.* Becket:"Oh. So you''re only doing this in the hope that you''ll meet this beautiful goddess. You''re a simple person to please." Arnie chuckled. Arnie:"I''ve learned it''s the simple things in life that matter the most." *Well because of their plans he might actually meet her, but if he does won''t she kind of be my daughter? No way am I letting this old man near my daughter!* Arnie:"So is there anyone you want me to brand? You came for a virgin right? I''ll get you one." Before I could say anything Arnie stood up and left the room. When he returned there was a man following him. He looked to be around 18 with shaggy brown hair and eyes. Arnie:"This one is defiantly a virgin. I''m pretty sure. If we use the ring on him you can just ask him to tell you and he won''t be able to lie." Becket:"Actually I don''t think I''ll need any slaves now. Feel like taking a walk with me?" Arnie:"I''m always up for a walk. Where are we going?" Whoever it was that sent Arnie that ring must''ve been on the same level as those annoying gods. My guess was that one of the gods must have a plan of their own that they don''t want the other gods to find out about, but what was it that they wanted from me and why give me the master mark? *Well I''m not gonna find any answers by questioning myself. Might as well get some use out of this ring.* Since my meeting with Carmilla I''ve felt a tad bit pissed off. *I''m over due for a good knitting session.* Becket:"We''re gonna visit an inn run by a friend of mine. He''s got a pair of siblings staying there that I''d like to introduce you to." It was a good thing this god didn''t leave any specific instructions like who I can and can''t use the ring on. *Arnie and that ring are going to make the whole vampire situation a lot easier.* Arnie:"Give me a minute." Arnie''s left with that man he showed me and when he came back there was a different man. He looked a little older with the same brown hair and eyes. His face was rather plain looking so I probably wouldn''t even notice him if we passed on the streets. He was wearing the exact same outfit the old elf had on. Arnie:"This is my personal slave. He''ll be watching my shop while we take our walk." I nodded. Becket:"Then lets go. I''m feeling eager to see those two again." I smiled as we left the alchemist shop. Story Information Chapter 31- Glutton For Punishment Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. ************************************************ Chapter 31 ****************Gideon POV**************** I was ashamed of myself. The vampire prince Bram was able to manipulate me and I wasn''t even able to put up any resistance. When I went in to face the vampires I knew to avoid eye contact to prevent the possibility of falling under their control, but I couldn''t help but look into his eyes the second I saw him. It was like I was drawn to them. Gideon:"I''m still so weak!" I jumped up and ran to a corner of my room. Gideon:"I can''t stay in this room any longer." In the corner was my armor that was taken off me after mother knocked me out. I usually wouldn''t let my armor sit in a pile on the floor, but I just couldn''t muster the will to even touch it until now. After dressing myself in the emerald green armor I headed for the bedrooms door. It was time to stop hiding in my room and put more effort into my training. I made my way down the hallway walking at a fast pace. My destination was a field the palace knights used for training. When I got there I froze instantly. Gideon:"Who is that?" I couldn''t believe what I was seeing. The most beautiful girl I had ever seen was doing push ups in the field with a huge smile on her face. She had the most beautiful red hair tied back into a ponytail. I wanted to talk to her, but my voice just wouldn''t come out. Aelisia:"Oh you finally came out of your room." *She''s looking at me!* The girl had stopped her workout and was now sitting on the ground looking over at me. *What do I do! I should say hi!* I was able to maintain my usual stoic face even though my mind was in turmoil. Gideon:"Sup." *Shit! That''s to relaxed sounding!* I had never once felt like I did right now. There was just something about this woman that called to me and shook my nerves. This was the first time I felt so thrown off around a woman. My training with mother left no time for personal relationships so I wasn''t very experienced in impressing the ladies. Aelisia:"So did you come to get your punishment?" She stood up and stretched. *Punishment? Is she some kind of sadist? That''s alright I can be a masochist if she wants.* Gideon:"I love punishment." She smiled. *Oh what a beautiful smile! Please marry me!* Aelisia:"Well if you really love punishment so much then I''ll give you exactly what you want." She lunged forward. *So fast!* I was barely able to block her hit. Her strength was incredible. If I hadn''t of already been wearing my armor it might of broken a few bones. Aelisia:"Alright lets see if you can handle it if I put a little power behind my punches." With her next punch I was sent flying. I had blinked during the fight and when I opened my eyes I was already looking up at the sky. Blades of grass poked my face. When I tried to brush them off I couldn''t for some reason. Gideon:"What''s wrong with...." Both my arms were broken. The armor protecting them was shattered to pieces. That beautiful angel from before was now standing over me. Even with my now broken arms I was able to maintain my stoic face. I wasn''t sure if she liked that kind of guy, but I seriously doubted she''d have a good impression of me if I started crying. Aelisia:"You couldn''t handle a weak punch like that? You really do need more practice. Don''t worry about your arms. The palace has a new elf from the church. I''ll go get them so that they can heal you." She was about to leave, but I stopped her. Gideon:"Wait what''s your name!" Aelisia:"So you didn''t recognize me." She sighed. *Even her sighing face is beautiful!* Aelisia:"I guess it''s a good thing you like punishment. Things would''ve been so much easier on you if you''d of just recognized me." Gideon:"Huh?" She walked away then came back holding something. Aelisia:"Recognize this?" It was mothers sword. Gideon:"Why do you have that? Wait........................ M-Mother?" ****************Becket POV**************** Arnie and I were making our way to the inn. Arnie:"I almost forgot to tell you. This ring can only bind 72 people at a time so that''s your limit." Becket:"That''s the kind of detail you shouldn''t forget. Is there anything else about the ring you haven''t told me?" Arnie:"The marks left on the people bound by the ring will disappear after a while, but control over them remains. We need to be sure to remember where we put the mark if we ever want to remove it." Becket:"Alright anything else?" Arnie:"Nothing that I can think of." Becket:"I hope that''s all." We made it back to the inn and I entered first. Gene:"That was fast. Is he a slave?" Arnie was standing behind me. Becket:"No he''s a new friend. His names Arnie. Arnie this is my friend Gene." Arnie gave Gene a little wave. Arnie:"It''s nice to make your acquaintance." I tossed the pouch with efren in it to Gene. Becket:"There''s the efren. Arnie and I have some business with your guests." Gene nodded and I headed for the stairs. Arnie walked a few feet behind me, but stopped when we reached the door. I had my armor fully covering me again except for two eye holes. Becket:"I''m back." I walked into the room that didn''t have a door. Carmilla:"About time." Carmilla was sitting on the bed while Bram was in a chair off to the side. I stretched both of my arms out towards them and whips shot out of my armor. There were four whips from each hand and each one grabbed a limb. I restrained both vampires and held them in place face up against the floor. Bram:"What is the meaning of this!" Carmilla:"Let me go! Get these things off me!" Becket:"Sorry but things will be a lot easier if I do this. Arnie put it on their necks." Arnie stepped into the room. Arnie:"You sure about the neck?" Becket:"Make it low so that it can be covered by a collar or something just in case it lingers." Arnie:"Alright." I wasn''t really very concerned about where to put their mark since it would vanish after a while. He walked up to Bram first. Bram:"What are you doing! Look at me!" Arnie and I had been avoiding eye contact. The two of us didn''t want to give them the chance to compel us. Arnie ended up having to use his hand to feel around for the right spot on the neck. He stuck the ring to Bram''s neck then stepped away. Becket:"Bram I order you to remain still and do not use compulsion on either of us." This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Bram:"Like hell I''ll remain still!" I released the restraints I had on him. Bram:"Why can''t I move!" Becket:"Quiet." Bram went silent. Arnie moved on to Carmilla next. He spent more time finding the right spot on her which ended up with him smiling as he felt around where he shouldn''t have. Carmilla:"Get your filthy hands off me! I''ll kill you!" Becket:"Do it already Arnie. Stop assaulting the girl." Arnie frowned then left the brand on Carmilla too. Becket:"Now you will follow the same orders I just gave Bram." I pulled the whips back from her and she didn''t move. The two vampires were now glaring at me. Becket:"Once my mission is over I''ll unbind the two of you, but for now I believe things will work out better for all of us if I am in control." I let out a huge sigh before taking a seat on the ground and retracting my armor. Becket:"I''ve used a lot of mana today. That earlier spat I had with Carmilla was tiring, but holding you two down consumed more than I thought it would." Arnie:"So what now?" Becket:"You can return to your shop for today. I''ll be visiting quite often from now on." Arnie walked over to where a door should be. Arnie:"Then I''ll be returning. I''ll have the research on that vial you gave me done in three days like I said." Becket:"Good. I might visit before then." Arnie nodded before leaving. I looked toward the two vampires that were just sitting quietly on the ground. Becket:"Alright let me explain how things are going to work from now on. Bram already told me vampires don''t require blood so the two of you will stop drinking it while we''re in this city. People disappearing isn''t good especially since I told the queen I''d handle the vampire problem." I stood back up. Becket:"We will put Bram on the throne in the vampire kingdom then I will release the two of you from my control. I won''t listen to anymore of your demands. We will do everything by my plans. Bram you can speak." Bram:"You betrayed us!" Becket:"No I didn''t betray you. I just made sure the two of you couldn''t betray me. I also told you this will only be temporary." Bram:"I still can''t agree to this! At least release my sister." Becket:"Your sister is the whole reason I decided to do this. She''s obviously a loose cannon. If we don''t put a leash on her she''ll cause some serious problems." Bram looked a little confused. Bram:"Whats a loose cannon?" Becket:"Someone who''s hard to manage." Bram didn''t try to deny it and just kind of nodded. *Should I let her speak? No. There''s no reason to.* Becket:"The two of you are not allowed to leave this inn unless you need food and once you get it come back here immediately." Bram:"You''re going to trap us in this inn?" Becket:"For now you two need to stay here. You''re not allowed to attack me or anyone else unless they try to kill you first." Bram:"Are we suppose to believe that you''ll really free us once you give me the throne?" *Maybe.* Becket:"Yes. All I need is for you to become the next vampire king. Once that''s done our business with each other will be over." Bram:"If a few months of servitude is all it takes to have Radu''s head then I''ll follow you, but if you can''t deliver on your promise then you''ll die. Even if I can''t kill you there are still other ways to arrange your death." Becket:"Bram you''re not allowed to arrange my death. That''s an order." I glanced over at Carmilla and saw that she was still glaring at me. Becket:"Fine you can speak too Carmilla." Carmilla:"I hate you! And your ugly face!" Her eyes narrowed. Carmilla:"I''m gonna crack open your skull and drink the blood as it pours out." Becket:"That sounds a little disturbing. If you don''t have anything nice to say don''t say anything at all." She went quiet. *I shouldn''t of let her speak. That was my mistake.* Becket:"Bram how can you like a person like that?" Bram:"Like what?" Becket:"Never mind." Carmilla was still glaring at me, but Bram seems to understand and accept why I did this. I walked over to the door frame. Becket:"Feel free to talk and get up after I leave." I waved as I disappeared past the door, but then stopped and stepped back into their view. Becket:"Oh yeah there''s something I should tell you two." Both of their eyes met mine. Becket:"I''m a guy. Alright bye." I headed off downstairs without looking to see their reaction. *I feel a little better knowing those vampires won''t be a big problem anymore.* Gene was wiping the floors with a rag. Next to him was a wooden bucket filled with water. He stopped and looked up at me when I came down the stairs. Gene:"That older guy Arnie just left. You leaving too?" Becket:"Yeah. One problem in my life has been simplified so now I''m headed back to the palace. Got things to do before my trip in two months." Gene:"Trip? What trip?" *Oh yeah I haven''t told him.* Becket:"I''ll be visiting the vampire kingdom in two months. Don''t know how long I''ll be there." Gene:"Why did you wait so long to tell me? I''ve gotta get prepared." Becket:"I hope you don''t plan on coming cause you''d just be in the way." Gene:"That hurts man. That really hurts." Becket:"I''m just being honest." Gene:"What about Aria? Is she going too?" Becket:"I plan to bring her." Gene slumped over. Gene:"So I''ll be all alone." Becket:"You still have that girl you''re stalking right?" Gene:"Stalking?" Becket:"Sorry meant to say in love with." Gene:"You''re right. I do still have her, but I''ll drown in loneliness if I don''t make her my wife before you leave so I''ll have to take more extreme measures." Becket:"She doesn''t have to be your wife right? I mean you''re not even dating." Gene:"I know she loves me. She just hasn''t realized it yet." Becket:"Don''t do anything crazy." Gene:"I won''t. I am an adult after all. I know what not to do." I was a little curious so I decided to ask. Becket:"Oh by the way. What was her name?" Gene:"I can''t believe I never told you her name. It''s the loveliest name that''s ever graced my ears. Alexa." Becket:"I think I should be getting back to the palace now. Bye." I left immediately. Story Information Chapter 32- Skipping Rocks Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. ************************************************ Chapter 32 I quickly left the inn. Becket:"I hope he never finds out I slept with the girl he''s in love with." He is the first person I considered a friend in this world so I''m a little worried. I don''t want to lose our friendship, but there isn''t anything I can do so I put it out of my mind for now. I passed through the palace gates without any problem. The guards use to stop me just to be annoying, but they must have gotten tired of it. Now that the vampires have been managed I can focus on a little training. Esyn told me I would need it if I was going to the vampire kingdom. Aelisia:"What''s up Becket?" I found the person I was looking for. Becket:"Hey Aelisia." She was in a field near the back of the palace. The two of us had a talk a little while back about me possibly learning under her. I was happy that I could get this training since I''ve felt like my level of strength has stagnated recently. Becket:"I''m ready to learn." I tried to act like an excited disciple. Esyn wants me to sleep with her so I''ll start small. We first need to build some kind of relationship, and I think the student teacher one is the place to start. Aelisia:"Good timing. See that guy?" She pointed off farther into the field were a man in green armor was balancing his entire body on one finger with his eyes closed. Aelisia:"Try and hit him with a rock." Becket:"You want me to throw rocks at him?" Aelisia:"Yes. Don''t worry though. It''s unlikely that you''ll be able to hit him." He was several meters away, but I was 100% confident I wouldn''t miss. *Maybe she expects him to dodge?* I hard a hard time believing that. It wouldn''t be easy to dodge a rock that you didn''t even know was coming while your eyes are closed. Becket:"Alright." I bent down and picked up a rock. My current body had great eyes sight and coordination so it only took me a second to aim then throw the rock. It was going to hit him center mass, but he caught it with his free hand while his eyes were still closed. Becket:"Well I guess it won''t be as easy as I thought." Surprise attacks usually work, but the people of this world are just too abnormal. Aelisia:"I want you to keep trying to hit him." She stood next to me while I continued to throw rocks at the knight. It kind of felt like I was bullying him even though none actually hit him. Aelisia started explaining things to me while looking at the knight. Aelisia:"Elves aren''t really meant to be warriors." Becket:"What do you mean?" Aelisia:"You have speed, dexterity, amazing eye sight, reaction time and you''re the only race that can use healing spells, but elves lack offensive and defensive strength." Becket:"My offense isn''t weak. I will admit my defense would be weak without my armor though." In my old world I started training in close quarters combat as a way to even out my skill set as a mercenary. A sniper is useful, but I wanted to be able to handle more diverse missions so I devoted a lot of time into learning how to use a knife. I could parry, dodge or counter, but if a blade hit my skin it would easily slice through. I was interested in how Aelisia was able to take a blade to the throat without a single wound. Becket:"Why don''t blades pierce your skin?" Aelisia:"My aura protects me. I have a thin layer over my skin at all times." Becket:"Isn''t that the beastman magic?" I had previously heard of aura. It was the racial magic used by the beastmen. Sasha told me it allowed them to hide themselves. *She must have been baptized under the beastman god.* Humans in this world had frightening potential since they could use any races magic after being baptized under their god. The drawback was that if they weren''t baptized by a certain age then they lose the chance to ever have a racial magic. Aelisia:"All knights in the human continent get baptized under the beastman god. Aura magic is the most useful magic for a warrior." Becket:"How so?" Aelisia:"It has multiple uses. You can hide your presence, sense other presences if you focus, create a protective layer over your skin to keep blades from injuring you and extend that layer onto weapons." Becket:"So that''s what broke my dagger. So your skin isn''t tough. You actually have an invisible shell used for defense. So why have I been able to pierce other knights skin?" Aelisia:"You haven''t fought any higher level knights yet. The knights that you''ve confronted range from novices to mildly experienced. You should be able to easily handle anyone up to the rank of High Knight, but above that you''ll have trouble." Becket:"Can I create this protective shell?" Aelisia:"No. Since your an elf creating this protective layer is impossible. It''s aura magic after all and you can only use nature magic or the elemental magics. All I can tell you is that leaf armor of yours is the best defense I can think of for you to use." Becket:"So I''ll always have to rely on armor for defense?" Aelisia:"Yep. That''s just how it is for elves." *Well she doesn''t know I have neutral mana.* I already had a spell to strengthen my body thanks to being able to use neutral mana, but that was the only neutral spell so far and it was temporary. Using the strengthening spell left a lasting effect on my body; however, it wasn''t enough to be significant. Aelisia:"You''re a race made for running away. If more of your kind were convinced to wield bows then your people might become a stronger world power. I''ve always thought that the only way an elf could get strong was by using a bow." She turned to look at me. Aelisia:"You''re a strange one though. You fight with some foreign martial art that I''ve never seen before. You''re also able to perform feats of strength beyond what I know your body can handle. You can even restore youth. What are you?" Becket:"I''m Becket the elf." I was still throwing stones at the knight, but he either caught or smacked them out of the way. He still hasn''t opened his eyes this entire time so I was starting to feel a little annoyed. Aelisia:"That''s enough of the rocks. Attack him. By the way his rank is Grandmaster Knight." Becket:"Ok." I kicked hard off the ground. Just to be safe I injected mana into my jacket and it entered armor mode spreading all across my body. My armor covered fist was aimed for his chest and he finally opened his eyes. He leapt to the side to avoid me, but I used my armor cloak. It stretched towards him and wrapped around his left arm. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Becket:"Haaaa!" I used the cloak to lift him into the air then slam him back down. His body hitting the ground sent a bunch if dust into the air, but suddenly a path was cut through the dust. The knight had somehow slipped his arm out of the cloaks grasp and closed the distance between us. He hit me hard in the abdomen which lifted my feet off the ground for a few seconds and he whispered into ear. Gideon:"Gottcha." The impact absorbing springs I added lessened the weight of his punch, but it was incredibly heavy to begin with. I took hold of his arm with both of my hands then twisted it while spinning around him and shoved him into the dirt holding his arm behind his back. *How far am I suppose to take this?* I wasn''t sure if restraining him like this was enough or if Aelisia wanted me to take this any further. I decided to use only grapples and holds since his aura would likely protect him from and punches or kicks. There was a sudden impact on the back of my head which sent me forward into the dirt. I quickly jumped up and realized it was the knights foot kicking me in the head. *He''s incredibly flexible!* The knight stood up and flexed the arm I restrained him with. Gideon:"You didn''t break it?" Becket:"Was I suppose to?" Gideon:"Of course." He lunged forward then dashed to the left of me. He probably assumed I was weaker on my left side. *I''ve been able to fight multiple knights at once since getting to this world, but this guy is on a whole other level. Nothing compared to Aelisia though.* He didn''t know I was pretty good with my left after years of having to sew without my broken right arm which was something that happened to me quite often. I bent my knees then turned my back to him when his fist was a foot away. It went over my shoulder so I grabbed it then flipped him over onto the ground and stomped down. Becket:"Shit!" He rolled away dodging my stomp so I chased after him. I felt something hit the side of my head and fell over. Aelisia:"You need to pay attention to what''s going on around you." She had hit me with a rock. I jumped back up and saw that''s she had also thrown one at the knight which seemed to hit. It was natural for me to put all my attention into what I was doing. I am a sniper and you need to be able to focus to do that job so I couldn''t help but ignore everything else. *Guess I need to look out for rocks now.* Aelisia:"That''s enough. The fights over." I turned to look at her. Becket:"Neither of us have landed any significant hits." Aelisia:"That''s fine. I just wanted to see you in action some more. I''ve only seen you fight against Felix and that wasn''t a good fight to accurately judge your skills. Honestly you''re better than I thought." Becket:"Thank you." Aelisia:"From here on out you are officially one of my disciples. That man you were fighting is my other disciple Gideon. Gideon this is Becket." Gideon''s face had a look of slight annoyance when he glanced over me, but he didn''t say anything. Aelisia:"Becket from now on you will wear the same armor as all the knights. Since you can not use aura magic you will be at a disadvantage with out that leaf armor of yours so we''ll focus on further increasing your speed. When you go up against an opponent stronger than you hit and run tactics will be the best option." Gideon decided to speak up so he stepped forward. Gideon:"Mother he''s a lost cause. Without that armor he wouldn''t last more than a minute against me. He can''t use aura magic and we both know it''s needed if you want to be a powerful warrior." Aelisia:"So what do you suggest we do?" Gideon:"Pass him along to another person. It''s a waste of time for someone as powerful as you to teach him when he has no future as a knight. There''s a reason why elves run instead of fight. They''re weak." Aelisia:"It may be small, but elf blood runs in your veins you know." Gideon:"Luckily my human blood is strong and I wasn''t stuck with nature magic. The weakest of all magics." Aelisia:"What about that armor he made? Only an elf can use armor like that. He strengthens it and manipulates it using nature magic. You seemed to be having a tough time dealing with it." Gideon:"I was going easy on him." *Liar.* Aelisia:"Well I''m keeping him as a disciple. I think he might even surpass you very soon." Gideon:"I find that very unlikely. I''ve trained for years." *I''ve trained for years too.* Aelisia:"Sorry Becket but I''m gonna have to start you out with silver armor and the rank of knight. You''ll need to go through official channels to rank up." Becket:"I''m fine with that." *If I remember correctly after the rank of Knight with silver armor is the rank High Knight with purple armor. I''ve killed a lot of those two ranks.* Aelisia:"Alright there''s something I want the two of you to do now. I''m sending you on a mission from the adventurers guild. The two of you will track down and kill a nest of chimeras." Gideon:"The two of us have to do this together?" Aelisia:"Yes. Hunters have been going missing in a forest south of the city for the last few months and they only recently realized it was a group of chimeras killing them off." Gideon:"Chimeras aren''t easy monsters and there''s no telling how powerful each one is." Since I didn''t know anything about these creatures I decided to just listen to Aelisia and Gideon talk. Aelisia:"I''ve already scouted it out, but I won''t pass any of the info I gathered to you two. You will have to gather all the info yourselves. This is a test for you Becket and punishment for you Gideon." Gideon:"I accept my punishment." Aelisia:"Once you come back Becket you will be handing that leaf armor over to me." Becket:"Alright but I plan to get it back." Aelisia:"Earn it back." Becket:"I will." *But I''ve only got two months before I have to leave.* Story Information Chapter 33- Distrust Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. :x For those who don''t remember Clara is the name of Sasha''s sister and Sasha is the beastgirl adventurer. ************************************************ Chapter 33 *****************Gideon POV*************** I tried to stop mother from accepting the elf as a student. If he''s around her long enough he''ll surely target her as his next pray and I won''t let that happen. I''ll need to keep my eyes on him just in case he makes a move on her. I won''t be tricked by his pretty face. Stories from the other knights about how he''s a sexual deviant have reached my ears. Becket and I left to complete the mission mother gave us. We went on foot since Becket didn''t know how to ride a horse and it wasn''t that far anyway. Just as we reached the outskirts of the forest the sun went down so we made camp. Gideon:"I''ll scout out the forest and find the chimera nest if you''ll cook." Becket:"Sure. I wanted to try some of the spices I found anyway." He started pulling things out of his pack. *I feel like I''ve seen that pack before?* I felt a sense of familiarity from his pack, but it appeared to be a basic pack so I was probably just over thinking it. He dug a hole and started a fire inside of the hole. Since he was beginning to cook I entered the forest. There were many different presences I could sense that belonged to animals and monsters. All chimeras are different from each other because they can assimilate limbs and organs from other creatures. This makes it hard to tell their presence apart from other wildlife so I had to searched every cluster of presences in the forest. After a while I still hadn''t found the chimera nest so I returned to camp. Becket:"The food was starting to get cold. Here." He passed me a metal plate with a piece of meat on it. Just to be safe I gave the food a sniff. It smelled really good so I took a bite. *He can cook!* I glared at him for the rest of the meal. He must have noticed since he put a little distance between us. Becket:"Well I''m gonna go to bed now." Gideon:"Fine." The two of us settled in and went to sleep. I woke up a few hours later when I heard leaves rustling so I opened my eyes. Becket was leaving the camp and stopped right before entering the forest. He turned around and I could see his eyes. *Vampire! When was he turned!* He had the glowing red eyes of a vampire. I was pretending to be asleep and he didn''t seem to notice. He disappeared into the forest. *What''s he doing?* I jumped up and followed after him after erasing my presence. He was fast so I had a hard time keeping up with him while hiding myself. Twenty minutes into his walk in the forest I sensed a presence coming towards him. When it came into view I could see it was a flame dancer. It''s a lizard like monster that comes up to a persons knees and can manipulate flames. A stream of fire poured out of it''s mouth towards Becket, but he leapt over it and plunged a blade into it''s head. He started to cut it open which confused me. They don''t make good armor and are useless for magic staff material. *That''s disgusting.* He pulled out a chunk of the flame dancer and ate it. *Did he come out here for food?* It was unlikely since monster meat tastes terrible. Most people can''t even stomach its taste. After he swallowed it he moved on. He didn''t eat any of the other monsters he killed. He would look at them then move on. After a while he finally decided to return to camp so I got ahead of him and laid back down. He snuck back into camp and went to sleep. I watched him sleep all night, but he never got back up. Becket:"Breakfast is ready." I jumped up. At some point I must have fallen asleep. Becket was cooking something and the smell wafting off of it made me drool. His eyes were green again. *What''s going on? Is he a vampire or not?* Gideon:"Did you sleep well?" Becket:"Yeah. Woke up a few times, but I was able to fall back asleep pretty fast." We finished breakfast and packed up camp. Gideon:"I wasn''t able to find the chimera nest yesterday so we''ll split up and search today." *No way he''ll find it before me. He can''t even sense presences.* Gideon:"Here use this if you find the nest." I pulled out two magical stones and passed one to him. When one of them is injected with mana the other will glow. Gideon:"If one of us finds the nest we''ll signal the other with these stones then meet up here. Do not go after the nest alone." Becket:"Got it." He pocketed the stone. I was starting to feel a little distrust since he was being very compliant. He hasn''t refused anything I''ve asked him to do. *He must be plotting something.* We split up and started searching for the chimeras. I ran into a few monsters, but still couldn''t find the chimera nest. *It''s always the last place you look.* There was only one cluster of monster presences that I had yet to check. Becket would only get in the way so I decided not to signal him. He was getting closer to the cluster anyway so I need to finish then off fast. There was a cave that jutted out of the ground and I could sense many monsters inside. They must have noticed me cause whatever was inside started running towards the entrance. I drew my sword and got ready for the chimeras. The first one was covered in fur and on all fours with a pair of horns pointed directly at me. It had a golden mane and bloodshot eyes. I sidestepped the beast and cut off it''s head. The next one ran out and was twice the first ones size and stood on two feet. Behind it a few with wings flew out and flew in a circle around me. Gideon:"The flying ones will be a little difficult." I cut the leg off a nearby chimera and pushed it back into a crowd of them. It squirmed around killing a few of it''s brethren. I leapt into the crowd and swiftly decapitated three of them then pounced on another. My sword went right down its throat. One of them tried to claw my back, but I jumped and it shredded one of the other chimeras. There was a loud boom that made my ears ring and caused me to stop moving. Gideon:"What was that!?" A flying chimera fell from the sky missing its head. Another boom came and this time I saw one of the flying chimeras head explode. *What''s happening to them?* I finally noticed a dot in the distance. In order to see it better I squinted and saw it was a person flying in the sky. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Gideon:"Becket!" It was his presence I felt from the dot. When it got closer I could see he was holding something. Gideon:"Is that an artifact?" The object wasn''t anything I had ever seen before so I assumed it was some sort of artifact. He pointed it at another chimera and its head exploded. I was so surprised that I lost concentration and was thrown into a tree. Not only did he have an incredible artifact, but there were wings on his back which allowed him to fly. Becket:"You ok?" He landed next to the tree that I was now apart of. I pulled myself out of the tree and dusted my armor off. Gideon:"I''m fine, but what is that?" I pointed at the artifact. Becket:"Oh this is an sniper rifle. I guess you probably don''t know what that is." I didn''t have enough time to think about what he said since another chimera lunged at us. Becket took off into the sky and started raining down destruction with that sniper rifle thing of his. Some of the chimeras retreated back into the cave. Gideon:"You finish off the chimeras out here. I''m heading into the cave." I yelled to Becket and he nodded then returned to dropping hell on the chimeras. There heads made good foot stools as I leapt over the crowd in front of me and into the cave. It was dark inside so I walked slowly with one of my feet extended out in front of me feeling around. I didn''t have to worry about chimeras attacking me in the darkness since I could feel their presence. Luckily there weren''t any powerful chimeras in the nest so it was just time consuming to kill them all. When I was finished and made my way out of the cave I found chimera body parts littered around the cave entrance. Some of them must have tried to retreat into the cave after me and Becket killed them before they could. Becket:"Hey." He was sitting on top of a rock with that sniper rifle leaned against his shoulder. Becket:"They all dead in there?" Gideon:"Yes." Becket:"Then I guess we''re done. Lets head back." I nodded. There was a smudge of blood on his lips. ******************Clara POV**************** I was born into a normal household of beastmen from the cheetah tribe. Our tribe is mostly identified by the black tear marks running from the corner of our eyes down past the sides of our nose that look like tattoos. My household consisted of four with my father, mother, sister and I living together. My sister Sasha and I are twins. When I started dreaming about an elf I kept it a secret at first. I ended up spilling everything to my sister when she told me she was dreaming about an elf too. I never did trust those dreams because of a story I read once where an evil wizard invaded a persons mind while they slept. It was quite a while before I found out that story was fiction, but even when I did the dreams still bothered me so I never did trust them. My family was very proud of me when they learned I had a talent for magic since it''s rare for our race. A priest from the church of Haarus tested all the children in our village with a crystal ball to see if anyone had a future in magic. I had high potential so I was offered a full scholarship to the magic academy. It was just another average day and I was headed for my magical combat class. My sister and I look exactly alike so to help others tell the difference we decided on different hair lengths. Sasha keeps her hair at her shoulders while mine grows all the way down to my waist. Since long hair gets in the way during combat class I started wearing my hair in a braid. Sasha:"Sister!" I spun around as soon as I heard that voice. Clara:"Sasha? What are you doing here?" Her clothes were dusty and partially torn. Clara:"What happened to you?" Sasha:"I found him!" Clara:"Who?" Sasha:"The elven man from our dreams!" I stiffened up. Clara:"We need to get you changed. Come with me." I took her hand and pulled her towards my dorm room. *Missing one class should be ok. I''ll just explain to my teachers I had an emergency.* We entered my dorm room and I immediately went to my closet. I pulled out some clothes for her to change into. Sasha:"We had to split up, but I''m sure he''s fine." Clara:"Get changed. Your clothes are in terrible shape." She nodded then quickly changed with a smile on her face. Normally she''s such a reserved person that seeing her this happy was a little strange. Sasha:"I told you he was real! Now you can meet him too!" Clara:"Sasha have you been eating properly?" Sasha frowned. Sasha:"You keep trying to avoid the subject." Clara:"I''m avoiding nothing. I''m just not going to entertain your delusions." Sasha:"He''s not a delusion and you know it! You dreamt about him too!" Clara:"I have no idea what you''re talking about. I''ve dreamt about no one." Sasha:"That''s a lie!" Sasha looked very upset. Clara:"You''re just tired." I pushed her backwards onto my bed. Clara:"Get some sleep." Sasha:"No! We need to talk about Becket!" I knocked her out. She didn''t expect it so she had left herself completely vulnerable to me. There were preparations that needed to be made. I found an inn nearby for her to stay at and dragged her sleeping body there. When I threw her into the bed her title stone on her wrist started to glow. Since she was still asleep I injected mana into it and a message popped up.
New Message
Sasha it''s me Becket. Let me know if you got this message.
I erased it. There''s no way I could trust someone who has appeared in my dreams for years. My sister will only be asking for trouble by getting involved with him so I removed her title stone and put it in my pocket. I put a letter next to her and the rooms key. The letter told her she was at an inn since waking up in a different place would be confusing. I tucked her in and left. I went straight to the adventurers guild and put up a quest for a Guardian rank adventurer. It cost a little extra to have the quest sent to the human capitols adventurers guild, but I was willing to pay. The quest was to gather information on an elf man named Becket. I also included a physical description. Story Information Chapter 34- Team Leader Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. :x Meanwhile back at the hall of justice. ************************************************ Chapter 34 We were headed back to the palace since the chimera nest was wiped out. The two of us were on a dirt trail that Gideon said was used by merchants. Our feet kicked up dust as we walked since the path had been used so much that grass no longer grew on it. The sun was high in the sky, but a cool breeze kept it from bein too hot. I was able to test fire the rifle and found no problems with it. It was surprising how easy the rifle was to use. It''s almost like this elven body was made to be a sniper. My armor absorbed the recoils force against my shoulder and my shots seemed more precise. Each time I fired the rifle I was astounded by my accuracy. Gideon:"Becket." Gideon suddenly called out to me while I was deep in thought. Becket:"Yeah?" Gideon:"What were those wings?" *So he''s curious about my fairy wings.* Becket:"That was a type of magic." Gideon:"Magic huh. I thought you were a swordsman?" Becket:"I''m both." He raised one eye brow like I just said something interesting. Gideon:"Most people who peruse the sword do it because being a mage isn''t an option. Why''d you pick both?" Becket:"I didn''t intentionally pick both. This is just how things ended up. Is it strange to be both a mage and a swordsman?" Gideon:"They''re rare. Like I said swordsman are usually weak with magic so that''s not an option and mages usually devote all their time to mastering their magic. Most mages have a sense of superiority because of their power and look down on swordsman." Becket:"Well they are kind of opposites so I can imagine there would be tension between them." Gideon:"Thats why swordsman usually work for the kingdom while mages work for the church. You''re an exception though since I''ve never met an elf mage that isn''t a healer. Most elves refuse to become attack mages and prefer the support role." Becket:"It''s been bothering me for a while now, but could you tell me how elves have survived if they''re not willing to hurt others?" Gideon:"You''re a little ignorant of the world aren''t you? It''s because of the monster race." Becket:"Monster race?" Gideon:"The monster race lives together with the elves and protects them. The elves are the only race that accepted those monsters so in return for a home they provide protection." Becket:"What exactly are the monsters?" Gideon:"Half human and half monster usually. Lamias, harpies, banshees, centaurs, gargoyles, mermaids and and the list goes on. Some people consider them all different races, but it''s easier just to call them the monster race." Becket:"So the elves won''t raise their hand against anyone, but they''re willing to let another race do their fighting for them." Gideon didn''t respond so I took it as him wanting to drop the conversation. We finally made it back to the palace without anymore talking. The two of us went to report to Aelisia who was training some new recruits according to the knights on guard at the front gate. We made it to the field and found Aelisia standing in front of a crowd of around 20 knights in leather armor. Aelisia:"You''re finally back. It took you way too long." She didn''t even turn around and kept her gaze on the new recruits. I could hear whispers among them as we approached. Recruit Knight 1:"Hey look they''re both wearing green." Recruit Knight 2:"Yeah they must be Grandmaster Knights." Recruit Knight 1:"And that blonde one is an elf." Recruit Knight 2:"She''s pretty hot." I scowled at those two recruits which made them avert their eyes. Gideon stopped a few meters away from Aelisia and straightened his back. Gideon:"We''ve completed the chimera nest extermination." Gasps could be heard from the new recruits. *Is that strange? They weren''t very strong.* Aelisia:"Gideon fall in line. Becket go see the knight captain. He has your new armor ready for you." Gideon joined the new recruits while I left the field. I quickly found the captains work room where he was currently signing papers behind a desk. A female in a plain looking blue dress with her brown hair pulled into a bun stood beside him. Becket:"I''m here to get my new armor." Both of them looked at me. The captain was a large man with a head full of grey and black hair and a matching beard. He wore basic looking armor, but since it was blue I knew he must have some skill. He smiled at me. Captain:"Becket the elf. Beatrice get Becket his armor." Beatrice:"Yes sir." The woman next to him walked by me and left the room. The captain continued to smile without saying anything else until Beatrice returned. Beatrice:"Here you are Sir Becket." She handed me a pile of silver armor along with that tight black under suit all knights wear and a plain silver sword. Becket:"Thank you." I turned around and was about to leave when I noticed something wrong with my armor so I spun back around to face the captain. Becket:"This seems to be the wrong armor." Captain:"No that''s yours." Becket:"That can''t be. This armor is for a woman." I held up the breast plate which showed two dents meant for a woman''s breasts. I call them dents because this armor was meant for a small breasted woman, but even small it was still noticeable that this armor was for a woman. Becket:"I can wear the rest of it, but this breast plate is obviously for a woman." The captain was still smiling. Captain:"Oh! Sorry there must have been a mix up, but you see we don''t have anymore armor that fits you so until we can fix this you''ll just have to wear that." I set my armor down and walked up to his desk. Becket:"Confirma!" I slammed both my hands down onto his desk which exploded into a million small pieces of wood. The captain leapt up and reached for his sword. I jumped forward and placed my hand on his sword hilt preventing him from drawing it then smashed him into the wall. Becket:"I''m starting to get real sick of this!" One of my hands stayed on his sword to keep it in the sheath while the other held the captain against the wall by his throat. His feet were flailing around while he tried to tear my hand away from this neck. Beatrice was screaming her lungs out behind me. I brought my face in close the captains and activated my vampire eyes so that I would look more intimidating. Becket:"If something like this happens again we''ll need to have another talk." I released him and stepped back. He fell to his knees gasping for breathe while clutching his throat. Beatrice finally stopped screaming and ran over to him. I picked up my armor and left without looking back at them. Aelisia:"Fall in line Becket." When I got back to the field after changing Aelisia told me to join the recruits like Gideon. *Were they just standing here waiting for me?* I stood next to Gideon. He looked over at me then whispered. Gideon:"Why are you wearing armor for a woman?" Becket:"Cause the captains a dick." I was pissed to be wearing the armor, but I was actually more afraid of what would happen if I showed up without it. Aelisia didn''t seem to even notice anything was wrong or maybe she just accepted it. *They''re all gonna think I''m some weirdo and this helmet is damn annoying!* I decided to give up on adjusting the helmet into a more comfortable position and hung my head down a little while sighing. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Aelisia:"All of you new recruits need some experience. Lets start with some spars so that I can see who has the real talent. Gideon and Becket I want the two of you to each pick ten new recruits and form teams." I looked around at the new recruits. Aelisia:"Once teams have been decided you two pair each person up against someone from the other team to spar with. Now get to work team leaders." Since she stopped talking the new recruits started rushing to who they wanted as their team leader. Most of the recruits went to Gideon, but about six came to me. When Gideon finished picking the ones he wanted the rest were given to me. The four I got from Gideon were bulky looking guys while the six I already had were all kind of skinny. One of the six was skinny because it was a girl though. Becket:"I guess we''re a team then." I gave them a look trying to size them up. The skinny guys looked weak, but the bulky guys looked slow. The five skinny guys approached me with a funny look in their eyes. Skinny Recruit 1:"C-Can we call you big sister." Becket:"Huh?" My whole body stiffened up. Skinny Recruit 2:"Is something wrong big sister?" I spun my head over to the recruit that just spoke. Becket:"You''ll call me team leader!" All Recruits:"Y-Yes team leader!" I continued to glare at the recruits who started to squirm under my gaze. Gideon:"Are you ready yet Becket?" Gideon walked up to me I snapped my head towards him while continuing to glare. Becket:"Call me team leader!" He seemed surprised and stopped walking towards me. Noticing it was Gideon I relaxed my face. Becket:"Oh it''s Gideon." He hesitated to speak, but after a few seconds he regained his voice. Gideon:"Are you ready to pair them up for the spars?" Becket:"Yeah. Lets do it." We drew a circle in the ground with a 5 meter diameter to use as the spar arena. Sadly my entire team lost except for the girl which was surprising since she tripped walking to the circle and exiting it. I had turned away since I didn''t expect her to win after seeing the rest of my team lose so I didn''t see the match. Becket:"Huh? She won?" Gideon:"Impressive. She might be really talented." Even though she was the only one to win she kind of hid behind her fellow teammates. Aelisia:"Well it was easy to see who has a promising future as a knight. Ok I''m done for today so all of you run a few laps around the palace. Make sure to lead them team leaders." She turned around and left. Everyone continued to stare at her until she was out of sight. Gideon:"Ok lets go!" Becket:"Follow me team!" The two teams followed their leaders as they jogged around the palace. No one was sure how many laps Aelisia wanted so we all ran until the sun started to go down. *That should be enough.* Our groups disbanded and I went to wash off using a well nearby. I dumped a couple buckets of water onto me. It was cold, but felt really good. That night I ate dinner in my room. I also had extra sheets and pillows prepared in case Aria stole mine. That night I slept soundly with no interruptions. When I opened my eyes the next day a person was standing over me so I jumped up, but was pushed back down onto the bed. Aelisia:"Calm down." Becket:"Aelisia? What are doing in here?" This time I slowly sat up. Aelisia:"Well I''ve come to talk." Becket:"Alright." Aelisia:"So I''ve been trying to think of the best way to train you and nothing was coming to mind. It would be easy if I was teaching you aura magic, but you can''t use it so I have to find a different way to come up with the same results." Becket:"Ok. So what did you come up with?" Aelisia:"Trax!" Becket:"Trax? What''s that?" Aelisia:"It''s a poison used to torture and kill people." Becket:"And what do you plan to do with it?" Aelisia:"I''m gonna have you take a lot of it." Becket:"I''m not confident that will help me." Aelisia:"A friend of yours showed up." She pointed over to the door so I looked. Arnie:"Hey." Arnie was standing there. Becket:"What are you doing here?" Arnie:"Gene told me I could find you here. I finished working earlier than expected on that vial you gave me." He stepped into the room. Aelisia:"Can you get more of whatever was in that vial?" Becket:"Yeah. Why?" She smiled and looked over at Arnie. Arnie:"Well she kind of questioned me before allowing me into the palace so I told her about my experiments with that vials contents." Arnie closed the door. Arnie:"First I need to know if you know anything about Trax." Becket:"I know nothing. This is the first time I''ve heard of it." Arnie:"Well Trax is a poison that puts the user through unimaginable pain and slowly kills them, but it also repairs and strengthens the body while doing it. Sadly no one has ever survived though so the effects are useless." Becket:"Ok. So why bring it up?" Arnie:"I had an accident while experimenting with the vials content. I spilled some and it mixed with the Trax I had. Usually nothing survives contact with Trax not even other poisons or healing potions." Aria started to roll around so Arnie lowered his voice and stepped closer. Arnie:"I tested what had mixed by injecting it into an animal. The way the animal looked didn''t change, but since it wasn''t dead after being injected with Trax I got curious. I tried to dissect it while it was still alive and my blade broke against it''s skin." Arnie smiled. Arnie:"That wasn''t the end of it. When I woke up this morning I found it darting around inside of it''s cage at impossible speeds. The animal is getting stronger, faster and harder to kill. I can only imagine what this would do to a person. I used all of the vials contents so I need more." He was begging me with his eyes to give him more of what was in that vial, but after what he just told me I couldn''t hand more out. Becket:"This sounds like something that could become very dangerous. I don''t think I should give you anymore." Taking this new concoction sounded interesting, but I didn''t want to take the chance of killing myself. Aelisia:"This could be how you make up for your lack of aura magic. If your body becomes impenetrable without having to use magic you could very well become the most powerful person in all of the kingdoms." Becket:"Why do you want me to get strong so badly?" Aelisia:"I can''t have my man weaker then me." Becket:"Wait! When did I become your man?" Aelisia:"Well you haven''t become my man yet. You still have to become stronger then me." Becket:"Then why me?" I was surprised. Did she already like me before I had the chance to make a move on her? Aelisia:"When you returned my youth I decided to do the one thing I never had time for before. I want to start a family and who better than the person that gave me a second chance to do it." She was grinning at me then she raised her hand and slapped me on the back. Aelisia:"Hurry up and get strong so you can give me a child." *Why does everyone in this world want me to have kids?* Story Information Chapter 35- Ball Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. :x ************************************************ Chapter 35 I ended up giving in to Arnies requests and gave him some more of my saliva infused with mana so that he could run some more tests on it. I told him to not let any of the test subjects live for too long. If he accidentally creates something extremely powerful it might cause a few problems. My mood was drifting a little back to my easily angered self so I finally did the repairs to Arias dress that I had put off. Working on the dress helped me feel relieved. Eva has offered her many new dresses, but most were declined. Aria likes to wear the dress I made for her whenever she can so she kept the number of outfits she has at three. She alternates between these three outfits and always seems happiest on the day she wears that red dress I made. A month passed and I continued training with the new recruits. I''m currently considered Grand Knight rank and wear blue armor even though these ranks are usually decided based on how skilled the knight is with their aura magic. Since I can''t use aura magic my trials to rise in rank are a little different. The knight captain didn''t make another mistake when creating my purple armor which I didn''t keep for every long. I was asked what kind of design I wanted when I ordered my blue armor. Apparently all knights get a basic armor design until they reach the rank of Grand Knight then you get to pick whatever you want. I decided to only protect my upper body since any armor on my legs or feet slowed me down and this time I didn''t get a helmet. (Armor) Spoiler : Apparently once you reach the rank of High Knight they make your armor out of a specific metal. Initiate knights get leather armor, apprentice knights get iron armor, knights get silver armor and everyone above that rank wears armor made of the same metal. This metal changes colors and hardens when mana is injected into it during it''s creation. It''s color and hardness depends on the amount of mana poured into it. If one person dumps all their mana into it then it turn purple and becomes twice as hard as silver armor. If three people dump all their mana into it then it becomes blue and three times as hard as purple. If eight people dump all their mana into it then it turns green and becomes six times as hard as blue. The last color is red and it requires twenty people to dump all their mana into it then it becomes ten times harder than the green armor. Currently I was sitting alone in the middle of the same field we train in everyday. I was practicing an ability I got during my trip with Gideon to exterminate the chimeras. There were actually two abilities I got during that trip, but I hadn''t had the chance to try out the one I got from the chimeras yet. Becket:"Finally!" After all of my failures I was finally able to active the ability pyrokinesis. A small flame danced on my right thumb. I made it leap from finger to finger in order to test my control over the flame. It did whatever I imagined and I could even increase its size so I sent a couple fireballs into the air as a test. Becket:"I can''t wait for a chance to use this!" When I found out magic existed in this world the first thing I thought of was shooting fire. I was quite excited that I actually could do it now. Playing around with the flame and imagining how I''d use it made me feel like a kid again which was actually felt good. I had my vampire eyes activated so that I could see the heart beat of anyone trying to approach me. One heart beat was steadily making its way toward me so I made the flame disappear. Becket:"What are you doing out here princess?" Eva:"I came to see you Sir Becket." I stood up to greet the princess since remaining sitting while she was standing would be rude. Eva:"There''s a ball tonight. I''m sure you''ve heard already." Becket:"Yes I have. Aelisia said I''ll be working security." All knights were told about the ball tonight. It will be filled with many nobles so extra precautions need to be taken to ensure their safety. This ball is being held to try and repair some relationships. Felix had recently squashed a rebellion and some of the nobles tonight were known to assist the rebels, but since there was no proof nothing could be done against them. Eva:"You''re going to be my personal bodyguard tonight. Since Felix was my fianc¨¦e I may be targeted now that he''s dead. Also many nobles will be trying to push their son into becoming my new fianc¨¦e since whoever I marry will become the next king. I want you to protect me from people after my life and my hand." Becket:"So I should stick close to you." She smiled. Eva:"Yes. You''re actually going to be my escort to the ball. We''ve already prepared your outfit." Becket:"I doubt anything will happen with Aelisia around." Eva tilted her head. Eva:"You haven''t heard? Aelisia won''t be here tonight." *She didn''t say anything about not being here?* Becket:"Why?" Eva:"Some villages were being destroyed so she''s traveling to them so that she can find out what happened. It should take her a day or two." Becket:"Why didn''t she say anything?" Eva:"Maybe she forgot to tell you." I let out a sigh. Becket:"I guess it doesn''t matter. Knowing why won''t change anything." Eva:"Your clothes have already been brought to your room. Make sure to tell Aria not to come out tonight." *Am I going to have to dance?* Becket:"Ok." I nodded. Eva:"Well I need to go prepare. I''ll send a maid to come get you when it''s time for us to join the ball." Becket:"Alright then I should probably start getting ready soon too." We ended our conversation there and set off to get ready. Aria and I were given access to the guest bathhouse, but Aria mostly took baths with Eva in the royal family''s personal bath. After washing up I went back to my room and found my outfit laid out on my bed. (Outfit) Spoiler : The suit fit very snugly to my body and I put my armor on over my coat then hung my sword at my side. I had been looking into this worlds clothing industry to see if they had any techniques that didn''t exist in my world. I was always interested in learning new styles so that I could incorporate it into my own while making clothes. This world turned out to have a surprisingly advanced clothing industry. I was expecting medieval level techniques, but they are completely capable of creating modern clothes. They even have zippers; however, they aren''t popular. Apparently a noble boy had an accident with the zipper on his pants and they ended up banning zippers. The ban was eventually lifted, but zippers are still unpopular. I decided to wait for the maid to come get me so I sat down on the bed. After a few minutes Aria showed up. Aria:"Wow! You''re all dressed up!" Becket:"Yeah. I''m escorting the princess to a ball tonight." Aria:"A ball? What''s that?" Becket:"You''ve never heard of a ball?" Aria:"Nope. What is it?" Becket:"It''s a large party filled with food, music and dancing. Do fairies not have dances?" Aria:"Not really. We do have the summer festival though." Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Becket:"Summer festival? I''ve never heard of it." Aria:"Thats because it''s a fairy festival. We are the only race that celebrates the summer festival." Becket:"So what is the festival about?" Aria:"We celebrate the coming of summer. All the fairies gather to watch pairs perform the sky dance." Becket:"Thats sounds like a fun festival. I''d like to see it someday." Aria:"Since you''ve got wings we could do the sky dance together. It''s almost the end of summer so we still have a while before it''s time for the summer festival." Becket:"Well that gives us time for you teach me the sky dance." Her face lit up with joy. Aria:"I''ve never been more excited for the sky festival. I learned the dance, but I''ve never actually been a part of it." Becket:"Then I guess I''ll get to be the first person you sky dance with." Aria:"Not just the first. You''ll be the only person I''ll ever sky dance with." Becket:"Why''s that?" Before she could answer a knock came from the other side of the door. When I opened it a maid was standing there. Maid:"The ball has already started. It''s time for Princess Eva and her escort to make their entrance." Becket:"Alright." I turned around to look at Aria. Becket:"I''ve gotta go now. Stay inside the room tonight ok." She was still smiling. Aria:"Got it!" She jumped back onto the bed and started rolling around. *She has so much energy.* I turned back to the maid. Becket:"Alright lead the way." She lightly bowed then spun around and walked away. I closed the door and followed after her. Eventually we met up with Eva who was dressed in a lovely gown. (Gown) Spoiler : Becket:"You look absolutely beautiful Princess Eva." Her checks went a little red then she turned her face away from me. Eva:"Y-You too look very nice." I stretched out my hand towards her. Becket:"Shall we enter now?" Eva:"Lets." She took my hand and we faced the large double door in front of us. There were knights positioned on each side of the door and they began to push it open. I braced myself since you never know when an attack may come. The light blinded me for a few seconds before the dance hall came into view. Eva and I were standing at the top of a staircase with a red rug on it leading down to the dance floor. Knight:"Introducing the first Princess of Druusell Lady Evalyn Gale Esyn and her escort Sir Becket Edwin." A knight introduced us to the crowd of people standing around on the dance floor. I gave the room a quick scan looking for anyone that could be a possible threat. The floor and walls were pure white while the curtains hanging in front of the many windows were golden. There were many large paintings that decorated the walls and four glass doors that lead out to a wrap around balcony. Tables covered in food were lined up against the walls to make as much room on the dance floor as possible. The last thing I noticed was a large glass chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Gideon was positioned near the queen who was having a conversation with some noble. We descended to the dance floor were a crowd of young noble men were waiting. It was obvious that they were all aiming for the throne. Seduce the princess and they''ll get to be king were probably the thoughts running through their heads. I emitted a little blood lust at them which caused them to scatter. Learning to control and sense blood lust was probably the hardest part of Aelisias training. She said it''s useful for feints during a fight. According to her, warriors use to rely on blood lust to sense incoming attacks. I also found out that magic didn''t always exist in this world. The story on how magic came into existence was lost with time just like the techniques used by old warriors. Blood lust is the only technique that survived however it''s not widely known. The man that taught her how to use the sword also passed this knowledge down and she told me that she''s never run into anyone else that knows about it. Her, Gideon and I are the only ones left that know how to use blood lust. Becket:"Would you like to dance?" Eva:"I''d love to." We walked out to the middle of the dance floor. Most of the crowd spread out so that we would have plenty of room. I wasn''t amazing at dancing, but I knew enough. My dynamic vision really helped keep me from messing up. Everyone in the room knew I was male because of what I was wearing along with the fact that I was escorting the princess. During our dance the noble men I frightened off earlier came back. They probably realized I was an elf which lessened their fear of me. After our dance she had to go around and greet guests so I followed her around all night. Most of the nobles just ignored me while she greeted them which angered me a little, but I quickly got use to it. When she had completed her duties I took her out onto the balcony since she wanted some rest. Eva:"I never did like these formal parties." Becket:"Well you''ve only got another two hours until the party ends." Eva:"It''ll probably take awhile for everyone to clear out even after the party ends." She sighed and leaned against the balcony''s rail. The sun had already set so she looked towards the moon. I stood beside her silently and suddenly I felt blood lust. Normal people wouldn''t be able to feel it unless the person emitting it wanted you too, but I had become sensitive to it thanks to my training with Aelisia. Becket:"Move!" I grabbed Eva and leapt backwards away from the balcony. The spot we were standing in suddenly collapsed. It looked like it collapsed for no reason, but I knew it was in purpose. Becket:"Are you alright?" I looked down at Eva who I was cradling in my arms. Eva:"I''m fine." I looked around for whoever attacked us, but say no one. The other knights including Gideon quickly crossed the ballroom and made it to us. Gideon:"What happened?" Becket:"Someone attacked the princess, but they seem to be gone." Gideon:"Did you get a look at them?" Becket:"No." A bright white light started to illuminate our surroundings. All of the knights including Gideon and I ran to the edge of the balcony to see where the light was coming from. Down below us was the garden and carved into the ground was a pentagram with a circle around it. Along each line of the pentagram and around the circle were words written in some language I didn''t know. Even my language comprehension magic couldn''t understand it. Gideon:"It''s a summoning circle!" Some of the knights started to panic when they heard Gideon. Becket:"What''s being summoned?" I yelled to Gideon. Gideon:"I don''t know, but judging from the size of the magic circle it''s huge." I looked back down at the glowing magical circle. *How did no one notice this giant thing being carved into the ground?* The light suddenly intensified so much that everyone had to close their eyes or look away. The next second sent a chill down the spin of everyone present. A deafening roar and shattering glass rang in our ears. When I opened my eyes I couldn''t help but gasp. Standing in front of me was a white dragon nearly as tall as the palace. Story Information Chapter 36- Damn Lag Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. :x ************************************************ Chapter 36 The white dragon just stood there looking toward everyone on the balcony. Gideon:"It doesn''t have wings. It''s a wyvern." Gideon whispered. I had read a little about dragons so I knew wyverns were the lowest rank. They were more intelligent than normal beasts, but not enough to compare to a real dragon who had intelligence at least on par with humans. Besides the intelligence of a wyvern there were three other differences between a full fledged dragon. Wyverns didn''t have wings, couldn''t take human form and lacked the ability to use gravity magic, but instead could use an element to attack with. Gideon:"It''s white. It must be a frost wyvern." The dragon still just looked at us. No one dared to move out of fear. It may be the weakest of the dragon kind, but they were still quite powerful. *Isn''t a dragon a little too much? Who the hell would summon one just to take out the princess?* I wasn''t too knowledgable on summoning magic, but I knew it couldn''t have been easy to summon this thing. The dragon began to lean in close to us and started sniffing. Eva''s legs gave out so I had to hold her close just to keep her from falling to the ground. She was trembling just from the sight of the wyvern so I told her to close her eyes. Becket:"Is there anything we can do to keep it from destroying the palace?" Gideon:"If it attacks only mages can protect the palace, but I don''t see any of them. Where did they all go?" We had requested a few extra mages to help guard the party today, but as I looked around they all seemed to be gone. Of that dragon attacks many people will die. *Oh shit!* The wyvern opened it''s mouth and the air around us started to drop in temperature. Gideon:"It''s attacking! Scatter!" Some of the personal knights accompanying the nobles scattered without worrying about their bosses while others carried two or even three people on their shoulders. I manifested my wings and was about to take off when something flashed across my mind which made me stop for a second. An icy wind shot out of the dragons mouth and hit the balcony. Ice started to spread across it while creeping towards Eva and me. Becket:"Bulla Clypeus!" I poured in as much mana as I could and a giant bubble formed around me then began to expand. This was the second neutral man spell I learned. As the bubble expanded it came into contact with the ice breath, but it didn''t stop. A layer of ice began to build up on the side of the bubble. I had to concentrate to keep the bubble from breaking and the longer the attack lasted the more my headache increased. Eva:"Becket!" Eva screamed my name as I fell to one knee. My head really felt like it was splitting open, but I endured. Finally the attack stopped so I dropped the shield. Becket:"Ha..ha...ha." I was taking as many breaths as I could and my headache started to dissipate. The wyvern seemed confused that its attack didn''t work. I picked up Eva and leapt into the air. My wings carried me high into the sky and the wyvern kept its eyes on me on the whole time. Aria:"Becket! What''s that doing here?" Aria suddenly appeared. Becket:"Aria take Eva." Since I had the wyverns attention Eva would be in danger as long as she was with me. I passed her over to Aria would surprisingly had no trouble carrying her. Becket:"The two of you get somewhere safe!" The wyvern was preparing another attack towards me so Aria zoomed off. Since it was so hard to use that bubble shield I decided to dodge this time. The blast went right by me as I flew to the left. This time the attack was more of a ball while last time it was like a beam. I wanted to see of the sniper could pierce it''s scales, but sadly I left it in the pack in my room. Becket:"I''m gonna enjoy your heart when this fight is over!" I zoomed towards the wyvern while dodging the balls of ice it shot at me. My sword was already drawn and pointed towards its throat. In my world I heard once the throat was a dragons weak point so it''s worth a try. The sword shattered when it hit the wyverns throat. Becket:"Shit!" I threw the hilt away and took some distance barely avoiding one of it''s claws. Its nails appeared to be iced over creating a much sharper set of claws. The other knights began surrounding it and I could see Gideon lung toward it''s back. Wyvern:"RRRROOOAAARRR!" The wyvern let out a roar when Gideon''s sword went into its back. *How did he get through the scales?* Gideon leapt off its back while a layer of ice began covering over the wound. The other knights were attacking its feet while I threw fire balls into it''s face. The wyvern lifted its legs then brought them down crushing several knights. Gideon continued to make small cuts on the wyvern which all iced over. Parts of the castle began to freeze as the wyverns attacks missed me. Most of the knights had become too afraid so they shot arrows from a distance which all bounced off, but they didn''t show any signs of changing tactics. Gideon was growing tired of all the jumping around to avoid it''s claws and feet. That''s when I noticed its tail finally moved. Becket:"Gideon the tail!" I tried to warn him, but I was too late. The tail sent him flying out of the city like a comet. *This isn''t good.* Gideon''s attacks were the only thing doing any real damage and now he was gone. I had only one idea so I decided to try it. I sped down towards the wyvern while tucking my arms into my sides. It opened its mouth preparing an attack and I slipped right in. Its mouth was slimy and sticky. I could feel it was startled from suddenly having something go down it''s throat. After a few seconds I was dropped into what I believed was its stomach. Becket:"Aaaaahhhhhh!" Immediately after coming into contact with the stomach acid it began to burn. Luckily only my left arm dipped into it and I was able to use my wings to hover over the lake of death. The bad part was that my arm literally fell off. Becket:"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" I burned it to cartelize the wound and stop the bleeding. Becket:"Shit! That god damn stomach acid!" My left arm was completely gone from the shoulder down. When my arm dipped into the acid it splashed up so my armor was so badly damaged that it fell off me and my suit soon joined it in the stomach acid. My hair was burned, but as long as I wasn''t bald I didn''t care. Becket:"God dammit! I''m gonna make this thing suffer!" I was so angry that I was seeing red or maybe that was because I activated my vampire eyes to find its heart. The heart wasn''t far from me so I tour through the walls of its organs making my way to it. The wyvern was roaring, but I just continued opening holes inside it. I stepped in front of the heart and tour out a chunk. Becket:"Thanks for the meal!" I swallowed the chunk whole and immediately began convulsing. My body was no longer under my control as I flailed wildly around. When I finally regained control over my body I felt my consciousness drifting. Before I passed out I managed to shove my hand into the wyverns still beating heart. The wyvern stopped moving so I assumed it died from my last ditch attack. Darkness filled my vision as I collapsed. Eventually I woke up with a lot of aches and pains. My body hurt, but surprisingly I recovered faster than expected. I stood up on wobbly legs and checked myself over. The missing left arm was the only real wound since all the minor cuts had healed while I was passed out. Becket:"Well at least I can try out the chimera ability now." I found my way back to its mouth and crawled out. The knights surrounding the wyvern were surprised to see me pop out of it''s mouth so they just stared at me for a few seconds. The knights soon snapped out of it and realized I was naked so one of them gave me their cloak. My right arm was fine which meant I still had my title stone so I activated it to see what the dragon gave me.
Information
NameBecket Edwin
RaceElf
Age102Account Balance0
TitlesEsyn''s Bitch
MagicsNature You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.Language Comprehension Wing Manifestation Healing Saliva Thermal Insulation Primal Sensing Vitality Manipulation Vampire Eyes Pyrokinesis Limb Assimilation Thick Skin
BlessingBodily Augmentation (Through Ingestion)
Assigned JobN/A
Stored Vitality13 years
Becket:"Thick skin." It was pretty easy to imagine what it did so I decided to see if the magic was active or passive. One of the knights gave me their dagger which I pressed against my chest, but it didn''t even draw blood. Gideon:"What happened?!" Gideon was finally back from his trip out of the city and he came up to me. Gideon:"Your arm is gone." Becket:"Don''t worry. I''ll get a new one." Gideon:"Huh?" Becket:"Hey could you cut that wyverns left arm off for me?" Gideon:"What? Why?" Becket:"I''ll show you after you do it." Gideon looked over at the wyvern then back at me. Gideon:"Fine." Watching him sever the arm I was able to understand how he got through the scales. He coated his sword in his aura magic. He actually used more aura magic on the sword then he did on his own body for defense. Another thing I found out about the vampire eyes were that they could see the flow of magic. I was surprised Gideon didn''t say anything about my red eyes though. Gideon:"There." The arm was completely severed so I walked up to it and pushed my shoulder against the severed end. This was the first time I activated limb assimilation and it hurt. It felt like each of my nerve endings began to split. The wyverns arm began to shrink and it eventually matched the size of my missing limb. It took the shape of a normal arm; however, it was covered in white scales and the finger nails were made of ice. Gideon:"What did you do?" Gideon had a look of amazement on his face. I bent each of my new fingers and twisted my arm around to see if there were any problems, but there weren''t any. The white scales covered my left shoulder stopping at the neck and encroached on my chest. My hair was burned weirdly so I knew I needed a hair cut, but at least patches weren''t burnt out. Becket:"I guess losing an arm was worth it. I made a nice trade." I felt another difference with my body that was probably thanks to the wyverns heart. Even though I had just been in a battle I felt refreshed. It was like all the energy I wasted fighting the wyvern was returned to me and more. My stamina must have increased to abnormal levels. I looked around at the knights that survived. It was a short battle, but the fatigue was obvious on their faces. Gideon was still staring at me as if everything would eventually make sense to him as long as he didn''t look away. I looked at the ice finger nails on my new left hand and tried to focus. They suddenly grew in length and created a set of ice claws similar to the ones that the wyvern had. Becket:"It worked." Somehow I new it would. It was like a feeling that if I tried it would happen. Maybe that was a part of the chimera ability. The reason why it''s unlikely to find two chimeras that look alike is because they grow stronger by stealing the limbs of other creatures. If they attached a limb and couldn''t figure out how to use it they could die so their ability probably came with a natural ability to understand the use of new limbs. I looked over at Gideon now ready to get to work. Becket:"Gideon we need to question all of the mages that were suppose to be guarding the ball." He still wanted me to explain how I took the wyverns arm, but he knew that wasn''t important right now. Gideon:"You''re right. They all suddenly disappeared right before the wyvern attacked." Since Gideon was the highest ranking knight around right now obviously he was in charge. Gideon:"Alright everyone listen up!" Gideon decided to address all of the knights. Gideon:"Today we have suffered great losses! The enemy is unknown for now so avoid injuring anyone you may suspect until they are proven guilty! For now we need to split up! Half of you go with Becket to protect the surviving nobles along with the royal family while the other half follows me to the three gods church." Most of the knights seemed to want revenge so I was left with the lower ranked ones that were still inexperienced. Sadly the group I had been team leader for came with me. Skinny Guy:"Team leader why didn''t you tell us you were a boy!" The same one that called me big sister ran up to me with a red face. Besides the cloak I had on I was mostly still naked. Becket:"Didn''t I?" Skinny Guy:"No! You never said anything about it!" Becket:"Well I did start wearing male armor." Skinny Guy:"We all thought that was because you wanted to show everyone you were just as good as the male knights!" Becket:"It doesn''t matter now. We have a job to do so lets get to it." My body felt better than even, but there was still one problem. Everything in view had a lag to it. At first I thought my vision was still adjusting from the changes, but now I realized what it was. The world appeared to move slower than before. The amount of information taken in by my eyes seems to have increased while the time spent processing that information has decreased. Becket:"So my reaction time should increase." Some people would be happy since they could react to threats faster than others, but this lag was damn annoying. The guest from the ball took refuge in all different directions which I could tell by searching for heart beats using my vampire eyes. I sent the knights to round them all up in the ball room. It had the most space so we didn''t really have any other choices unless we regrouped outside. Eva & Aria:"Becket!" Two girls entered the ballroom and tackled me to the ground. Honestly I could have stayed on my feet, but I''m sure they would feel like they ran into a pole at full speed. Aria:"Your arm!" Eva:"What happened!" The two of them were so close to my face that I could feel their breath. Becket:"I lost my arm while fighting the wyvern so I took its arm as a replacement." Aria:"So you beat the wyvern! That''s amazing!" Eva:"Wait! You took it''s arm?" Even though I hadn''t told Aria about the chimeras ability she easily accepted the fact that I took the wyverns arm. Eva on the other hand wanted an explanation. Becket:"I can assimilate body parts so I took it''s arm." Eva:"What kind of ability is that? I''ve never heard of anything like it." Becket:"It''s similar to how a chimera can attach limbs from different creatures." Eva:"That''s an incredible ability!" I couldn''t help but feel a little proud of myself even though it''s thanks to Aria that I have this ability. While waiting in the ballroom for Gideon and the rest of the knights to return, I got a change of clothes since the cloak was a little breezy. There weren''t really many choices so I put on the tight black outfit I usually wear under my armor. It was spared from my bath in stomach acid earlier since I wore a suit under my armor instead. Since we had nothing else to do I had one of the maids trim my hair. I had gotten use to having long hair, but it felt really nice to have it short. I wanted to cut it a little shorter than I did; however, Eva liked my hair long so she had the maid keep as much length as possible. Luckily it was short enough not to get in my eyes. Story Information Chapter 37- Prince Charming Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. :x ************************************************ Chapter 37 *****************Aelisia POV**************** One of the nobles reported that something had been going around attacking and destroying villages on their land. He was a high ranking noble with a large amount of land and people that he governed over so he requested help from the capital. Since the ball was coming up the palace couldn''t spare any knights because of security reasons. I ended up having to go out alone to visit these villages. Currently I was covered in a brown cloak and dressed in a dark green tunic with black pants and boots. Strapped to my side was a plain sword since I left my usual one at the palace. I was riding on the back of a wagon with my eyes closed. I ran for about a day before I found this wagon and asked for a ride. The guy who owns the wagon was a new merchant. Apparently his uncle was a merchant and he wanted to follow in his footsteps. Honestly the guy was a little annoying since he seemed to love talking about himself. The only reason I even asked for a ride was so that I could take a nap without having to stop. He seemed adamant about telling me absolutely everything about himself so I ended up not getting any sleep. When we finally reached the village I immediately separated from him. Aelisia:"I guess I''ll go find a place to stay." This part of the country was a big adventurer area since the monster population was high. I knew there would be somewhere in town that offers a place to sleep for the night. I decided to visit the local drinking spot and have them direct me to an inn while possibly gathering a little information. Taverns are always easy to find and have plenty of people willing to talk. I had received very little information on this mission. This was suppose to be one of the attacked villages, but it looked like it was in pretty good shape. Of course the place wasn''t built as nice as the buildings in the capital, but that was to be expected. When I walked into the tavern all eyes landed on me. There was a bar and only a few tables all made of cheap looking wood. It probably wouldn''t take much force to destroy the furniture. The place was small but packed. It was filled with mostly large muscled hunters, but an adventurer group was seated in the back. I made my way to the only seat left empty in the place which was a wooden stool at the bar. Aelisia:"I need something to drink. Something strong." I was hoping to get a little drunk so that I wouldn''t notice the smell of this place anymore. I''m sure its been a while since these guys last had a bath. While waiting for my drink I glanced around the bar. My eyes fell on the adventurer group in the back. It was a group of four with one guy and three girls. The guy wore expensive looking leather equipment. I say expensive even though it''s leather because I can tell it has been enchanted. His shirt, pants, boots, cloak and leather chest piece along with the bracers on his arms were all black. His hair was brown though and spiked up. Two women around him wore the same kind of outfit only a little more revealing and looked like they could be his sisters, but probably not since they were all over him. His two sisters had well developed bodies while the last adventurer looked a little childish. Because of her aura I could guess her age. It was easy to tell she wasn''t a child and only had an underdeveloped body. Her outfit was plain looking and all a dark blue while her hair and eyes were violet. The reason I pointed the childish one out was because she was the only one not trying to give mister spiked head a hand job. In fact she looked like she was trying to keep her distance, but spike head kept trying to get her to join the other two girls. *He seems pretty committed to getting her to join in. Maybe he''s into little girls?* My attention was pulled away by the arrival of my drink which I quickly downed. Muscles Hunter:"You should really move miss." One of the hunters next to me spoke out in a low voice. He sounded a little scared. Aelisia:"Why?" I had no where to move to even if I wanted. Well actually I think there might be a spare seat at spike heads table, but I don''t want to get anywhere near him. Muscles Hunter:"Big Jim will be getting back soon and he doesn''t like it when people take his seat." The hunter sounded worried. I decided to try and do my job instead of moving. Aelisia:"Hey have there been any attacks on this village recently?" Muscles Hunter:"Attacks? No more than usual. Though the monsters do increase their attacks when harvest time comes around." I already knew monsters attack more during harvest season. Monsters like to eat people, but can survive on nearly anything. During harvest season people are the plumpest because of all the festivals and even if they can''t get them there are always crops to eat. That''s probably why the adventurers are in this particular town. They were probably hired to kill off monsters in the area. Aelisia:"No attacks huh." I started to think. Obviously the noble lied but why? Could it have been to get me away from the ball? Was he planning something or apart of a group that was planning something? Whatever the reason is I don''t care. Gideon and Becket should be able to handle anything that happens. Speaking of Becket I told him I wanted to have his kid. I honestly did it just to make him work harder. I thought maybe a little motivation in the form of a pretty girls body would make a difference. I don''t expect him to really reach the rank of Warlord without aura magic. Some races can surpass the power of a Warlord without aura magic, but elves just aren''t one of those races. *Well if he somehow really does get stronger then me I''ll have to make sure he knows I''m the one in charge. A few kids actually wouldn''t be so bad.* I accidentally let a sinister smile spread across my face. It vanished just as quickly as it appeared. I was actually a little hopeful that Becket would get strong. Ever since I got my youth back I''ve noticed Beckets been looking a lot more appealing. I''ve been secretly checking him out during training. Big Jim:"What the hell is this?" An angry voice boomed behind me. I turned around to see a large man with muscles and a gut. He was covered in sweat and smelled worse than anything in this tavern by far. Big Jim:"Why are you in my seat?" I held my nose while looking up at him. Aelisia:"Please leave. This place smells bad enough already." A vein popped out on his forehead and the other hunters around me cleared out. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Big Jim:"You must not know who I am. This is my town." Aelisia:"I understand why everyone''s so afraid of you." He smiled. Big Jim:"I''m glad you understand. You''re actually pretty good lookin. If you spend the night with me I''ll forget all about you taking my seat and even your insult. If you don''t accept my kind offer....." He didn''t finish his sentence and instead started cracking his knuckles. Aelisia:"People are afraid to be around this stench for too long." His face went red with anger and he drew his fist back. I was wondering which bones to break when someone drop kicked him straight through the wall. Spike Head:"Are you alright miss." Aelisia:"Oh spike head." A vein popped out on his head too. Spike Head:"My name is Gwen." Aelisia:"Isn''t that a girls name?" Unlike Big Jim Gwen here was able to control himself. The vein on his head quickly vanished. He then placed his hand on my shoulder. Gwen:"I''m just glad you''re not hurt." Then I noticed it. He was wearing an enchanted stud earring. I hadn''t realized before because of all the other enchanted items on him. This ones enchantment was easy to tell since I could feel it. It must have some kind of charm enchantment. Of course once I noticed the enchantment I easily brushed it off. Aura magic is just as good at defending against mental attacks as physical ones. He started to smile thinking he charmed me. Gwen:"Now I''m sure you''re eager to get some alone time with me so..." Aelisia:"Not really. In fact I wish you would leave me alone." I interrupted him. I reached out and tore the stud out of his ear. Gwen:"Aaaaahhhhhh!!!" He fell down while clutching the side of his head. Aelisia:"This must have been expensive. Charm enchantments are rare." The voluptuous sisters ran over to him while I examined the stud earring. Aelisia:"I think I''ll keep this." Spike head stood up while still covering his damaged ear. His sisters/girlfriends stood beside him. The childish adventurer was still sitting at the table. Gwen:"I''m gonna be needing that back." Aelisia:"It''s mine now." He smiled. Gwen:"I''ll still be taking it back." I stumbled to the side, but stopped myself from falling to the ground by catching the side of the counter. Everything around me was spinning. Gwen:"I just wanted to try charming you. Guess the enchantment didn''t work. Should''ve just waited for the drugs to kick in." *Drugs? Damn! That drink was drugged!* My fingers went numb so I couldn''t hold onto the counter anymore and I fell to the ground. Spike head was standing over me smiling. My vision was going black so as my last act of resistance I tripped him before passing out. . . . . . Gwen:"Oh she''s waking up." When I opened my eyes I was no longer in that tavern. I was lying on top of a blanket inside a carriage with my hands chained behind my back. Aelisia:"I''m not dead? What a bunch of idiots." I was surprised he didn''t kill me since it shouldn''t be hard to guess that I was going to slowly tear off each of his limbs once I woke up. It was uncomfortable so I sat up. Aelisia:"Where are we headed." Spike head and that violet hair little girl was sitting in the back with me. The other two were up front. One was driving the carriage while the other one was sitting next to her probably on watch for thief or monster attacks. Spike head had bandages wrapped around his head for his bleeding ear. The stud was now in his opposite ear. *Maybe I accidentally tour the whole ear off?* Gwen:"We''re headed to finish this job." *Sounds like someone hired them to kidnap me.* Aelisia:"Who''re you working for?" Gwen:"You''ll meet him soon enough. Now shut up." I decided to wait for them to take me wherever they planned. The leader of this will have to show up at some point and then I can kill him along with spike head. Eventually we came to a large brick estate that I recognized. It belongs to the noble that governs over these lands. The same one that asked for help with the destroyed villages. I let the guards and spike head escort me inside. It would be better to start the massacre with the man in charge. Gwen:"We''ve brought her sir." I was taken to a study where two men were waiting. Two knights stood outside while four entered with me, violet haired little girl and spike head. His sisters/girlfriends waited outside in the carriage. Noble Man 1:"It feels good to see you in chains Aelisia." Only one of the men spoke. Seeing his face I finally understood what this was about. Aelisia:"Is this about your son Felix?" One of the men was the noble who asked for help while the other was Felix''s father Henry. Henry:"Of course it is!" He yelled angrily while walking towards me. His hand was stretched out in front of him with his finger pointed at me. Henry:"You scum murdered him! Then you killed the king!" I remained silent. Henry:"All of the current royals need to be purged. Especially that whore of a princess. I heard she had my son killed because he tried to stand up to her lover. I''ve already set my plan in motion and everyone in the palace will die." Violet Haired Little Girl:"Father calm down." Henry''s head spun to the side and glared at violet haired little girl. Henry:"Quiet Felicity!" The girl took a few steps back. Aelisia:"I never knew you had a daughter." His head spun back around to me. Henry:"There was no reason to announce her. Dwarves hold no claim to the estates of nobles in our kingdom." I looked over at her. *So she''s half dwarf. Must have been from one of his mistresses. Explains why she looks so young.* Henry became even angrier. He had answered Aelisias question without even thinking about it. He reached around his back and pulled out one of the pistol artifacts that Felix used in his duel. Henry:"In case you haven''t noticed those chains binding you stop all forms of magic. You can''t even use your aura." He smiled and point the gun at my head. Aelisia:"It''s alright I already knew that. I didn''t become a Warlord thanks to magic alone." I smiled. Story Information Chapter 38- Blood Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. :x ************************************************ Chapter 38 *****************Aelisia POV**************** I kicked him right between the legs. Without my aura magic I couldn''t put ball breaking power into it, but I''m sure it still felt like it to him. His legs lost all their strength and he plummeted to the ground. I easily dislocated my arms so that I could pull my chains around to the front then leapt backwards throwing myself into one of the knights. He slammed against the wall so hard that it knocked the breath out of him. Gwen:"Kill her!" I pulled off the helmet to the knight I had pinned against the wall and caved his face in with it. A sword stuck into his chest barely missing me as I jumped to the side. The knight that accidentally stabbed his friend gagged when he saw what was left of his face so I dropped kicked him right out of a window. His body twisted in unnatural ways as he hit the ground. Gwen:"Die!" Gwen lunged at me with his sword drawn so I raised my chains up and used them to stop his swing. I wrapped the chains around his sword then pulled him towards me. My knee drove straight into his chest causing his eyes to roll to the back of his head. Henry had already recovered enough to pick the gun back up and tried to shoot me. Gwen made a perfect shield. Henry:"What are you standing around for kill her!" The two guards that were left outside of the room had already entered, but were keeping their distance along with the two that were in here since the beginning. Aelisia:"Hahahahaha!! This is fun!" I threw Gwen''s body at Henry then threw his sword into one of the guards. The other guards turned to look at the one that just had his heart pierced. One of them dropped his sword and ran out of the room. Henry:"Get back here!" Henry was struggling to get Gwen''s corpse off him. I dashed forward and punched one of the guards in the chest sending him flying into the wall with dented armor. The last guard hesitantly swung his sword at me so I circled around him and jumped on his back. My chains wrapped around his throat then a loud snapping sound echoed throughout the room as his body fell to the floor. Aelisia:"What about you?" I looked towards Felicity and the other noble who were cowering in a corner. Felicity:"P-Please don''t kill me." I was about to respond when another shot from that damn artifact zoomed by me. It took only a second to disarm him and break his arms. Henry:"Aaaahhhh! You fucking bitch! My arms!" Aelisia:"Now where''s the key to these cuffs?" Annoyance was obvious in my voice since I got a little excited during the battle and forgot I didn''t have aura magic. I punched one of the guards armor without thinking about it and ended up injuring myself. The guard died from the impact with the wall or possibly from having his chest crushed inside his armor, but the hand I used was now bloody. The injury wasn''t serious; however, I felt like an idiot. Felicity:"T-This guy has it!" I turned to look at the violet headed dwarf girl. Henry:"You imbecile!" The noble without saying anything fumbled getting something out of his pocket and threw it to Aelisia. Aelisia:"Thanks." She used the key to unlock the cuffs and let them fall straight to the ground. Aelisia:"Lets go! I''m taking you back to the capital!" Executing these two in front of the other nobles would be a good deterrent against anyone else planning something against the royal family. Aelisia:"You too little girl." Felicity was trembling, but still managed to nod. *****************Becket POV**************** Since there wasn''t anything to do while we waited for Gideon to come back, I decided to do some knitting. Everyone started looking at me funny though. *I guess Aria was the only one that knew I knit.* Both Aria and Eva sat beside me while all the other nobles had formed groups. Sylvia was moving around trying to keep everyone calm. Eva:"What are you making Becket?" Becket:"Socks. I can''t stand wearing these boots without them anymore." Socks didn''t exist in this world. The women did have a type of pantyhose and there were sock like foot warmers, but that was the closest thing to them I found. Since I didn''t want to wear pantyhose and the foot warmers were too thick I decided to make some socks. *Maybe I could become a sock salesman.* I shrugged. There''s no guarantee socks would sell well. Since they were just plain socks, it didn''t take long to finish them. Becket:"That feels so much better." My boots felt much more comfortable. While I was enjoying the soft sensation on my feet the ballroom door opened. A large group of people entered and more were waiting in the hallway behind them. They all had staffs so I assumed they were mages. Becket:"If you attack I''m gonna have to kill you all." I had separated from the everyone and stood in front of the mages alone. They decided to ignore me and attack. Mage 1:"Citatus atque imp.. I had already taken his head off before he could finish his chant. Instantly three more mages burst into flames thanks to my pyrokinesis. Mage 5:"He''s a monster!" I froze that guy. Becket:"This wyvern arm can shoot ice. Cool." I didn''t notice, but apparently I was smiling as I slaughtered them. Some were impaled by ice spears while others burnt to death. I personally ripped a few apart to test out my new strength. There was only one left alive now." Mage ?:"M-Monster! Citatus et tellus! [Terra Hasta]" I let him fire his magic which was an earth spike. It flew towards me with incredible speed then I slapped it down. Sadly it didn''t fall and instead shattered into many tiny rocks. It didn''t hurt, but a bunch of little rocks hitting me was annoying. Mage ?:"........" Becket:"Where are the knights that went after the mages at the church?" Mage ?:"T-They''re s-still there. We split o-off from the church to f-finish the nobles that were left alive after the wyvern attack." Becket:"So Gideon''s still there. It sure is taking him a long time. Thanks for the information." I froze his head. Becket:"This castles in terrible shape. Partially destroyed and bodies everywhere." I sighed as I walked back over to the girls. All of the nobles moved farther away from me. No one wanted to me near me. Aria:"That was amazing! You beat them so effortlessly!" Standing next to the girls was Sylvia who looked towards the dead mages. Sylvia:"It would''ve been better if they were still alive." Becket:"Sorry about that. I wanted to test out how strong I became after the wyvern fight." Sylvia:"It''s fine. They were rebels after all, but their executions should have been public." This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Becket:"Most of the nobles saw their execution." I pointed towards the nobles. Seeing me pointing at them caused fear to bubble up on their faces. Sylvia:"Yes, but the way we did this could be a problem. I''m sure our local church is acting on their own so when the head church hears about this they may assume we started the fight in order to reduce their control over this area. A war with the head church is not something we can afford right now." Becket:"Well there''s nothing we can do about it right now." Suddenly I had an idea. I activated my vampire eyes and scanned all around me. Every heart beat other than the nobles were coming from the citizens outside of the palace. Becket:"Alright it doesn''t look like anyone else was sent so everyone here should be safe. Sylvia, I''m going to visit the church." Sylvia:"Why? Gideon should be fine." Becket:"There''s something I want to see." Before she could object I manifested my wings and took off. After a minute I reached the church. Becket:"A siege huh. Perfect." Gideon and his knights had surrounded one of the churches, but apparently the mages were held up inside it. The knights were having a hard time getting into it. I flew away and quickly found the inn. Gene:"Becket. What are you doing here?" Becket:"I''m here to pick up your guests." I walked up the stairs and straight to the vampires room. Bram was reading while Carmilla was asleep. Becket:"Follow me!" Bram was surprised, but jumped up when I entered. Carmilla on the other hand didn''t move at all. She was still asleep. Becket:"Wake her up." Bram:"Please don''t make me." It wasn''t hard to guess that she probably didn''t like being woken up. Becket:"I still don''t understand why you like her. Now wake her up." Bram walked over to the bed and gently up his hands on Carmilla. Bram:"Wake up sister." He narrowly dodged a punch from his sister as she leapt up. Carmilla:"I was sleeping!" Bram:"Becket needs us to follow him!" Bram was dodging punches from his sister while trying to calm her down. Becket:"I''m taking you out to get some blood." Carmilla:"Blood!" Carmilla stopped her attack and looked at me. Becket:"Yes. Should be quite a bit of blood." Carmilla:"Lets go!" She ran out the door. Bram:"Wait sister! He hasn''t given us a destination yet!" Bram chased after her. I didn''t even have to use my control over them. I went down stairs and they were waiting at the door. Carmilla:"Come on! We can''t leave unless you say we can!" Becket:"Your target is the church. Leave a few mages alive and don''t touch the knights. Now go!" They both took off at frightening speeds. *Better catch up. Others wise this is pointless.* I sent the vampires after the mages so that I could get an idea on how vampires fight and how strong they are. These two should be powerful so it will be good to know their exact strength for when we go to the vampire continent. Carmilla must have been really craving blood since she was literally running so fast that I only saw a blur. *Vampires sure are frightening.* The zoomed into the church destroying the large front doors. None of the knights except Gideon even saw them pass by. Becket:"Hey Gideon." I flew down and landed next to Gideon. Gideon:"Becket? Why aren''t you with the nobles?" Becket:"They''re safe. I had something I needed to do." All of the knights that were attacking the church previously now stood frozen as screams escaped from the building in front of them. Even though the doors were wide open no one entered. I was using my vampire eyes to watch each heart beat get snuffed out. Even I was a little cautious to enter the church. After a few minutes the screaming finally stopped so I went inside with Gideon. Gideon:"This is......" The entire church was painted with the mages blood. The floor, walls, ceiling and all furniture was red. Limbs were scattered everywhere around the room. Carmilla and Bram stepped out of a side room together. Bram didn''t have a single drop of blood on him, but Carmilla was drenched in it while smiling. It was a peaceful smile; however, the blood made it look a little menacing. Gideon:"Bram!" As soon as Gideon saw Bram he pointed his sword at him. Becket:"Don''t worry Gideon. They''ve both been leashed." Gideon looked at me with doubt in his eyes. I looked over at the vampires. Becket:"I thought I told you to leave some of them alive." Bram:"There are five of them still alive in there." He pointed to the room they just came from. Becket:"Alright. Head back to the inn and...........wash up." I made that one an order so they immediately left. Gideon was grumbling about something as we entered the room where the survivors were. Gideon:"Damn vampires." Becket:"Well they are alive. I think?" The five survivors weren''t in the best condition. I didn''t even want to think about what was done to them. Becket:"Well that''s a lesson learned. Need to me more specific with my orders." *Vampires sure are strong. I hope those two are just unusually strong since I doubt I could beat more than five of them at once.* I left the blood soaked church and went to question the vampires. Carmilla was lying on the bed again while Bram was pacing. Becket:"She cleaned up fast." Bram stopped pacing when I entered. Bram:"Becket, why did you have us kill all the mages?" Becket:"Two reasons. They were currently rebelling and I wanted to see you two fight. By the way where do you two rank as fighters." Bram:"Sister and I are considered skilled warriors." Becket:"So most vampires won''t be as strong as you two?" Bram:"Yes, but our brother Radu and our father are many times more powerful then we are." Becket:"Do you think your father would betray Radu?" Bram:"Definitely not. Radu has always been his choice for the next vampire king." Becket:"So the father has to be defeated too. Hey..............is she asleep again?" I pointed to Carmilla who hadn''t moved since I got here. Bram:"Probably not. She doesn''t like talking to you." Becket:"Once we start our trip she''s gonna have to talk to me anyway. Well I better get back to the palace." I was suppose to be guarding the nobles so I need to get back. It''s unlikely that anything happened since most of the mages in the city are dead, but safety first. Story Information Chapter 39- Top Ten Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. :x ************************************************ Chapter 39 When I returned to the palace Gideon had already started sending nobles home. Since some of their personal knights died during the wyvern attack we had to use palace knights to escort them back to their territory. The palace was quite empty now without the nobles and a large portion of the knights. Though once the nobles do get home the palace knights will immediately return. Gideon:"Oh by the way mother should be getting back today." Since things had calmed down I was about to head out when Gideon spoke to me. Becket:"I thought she was gonna be gone for a while." Gideon:"I received a message from her. She arrested some people and decided to immediately come back." Becket:"How did it get here before she did?" Gideon:"Well it wasn''t a normal message. Mother sent me a message using aura magic." Becket:"You can even send messages?" *I was started to not feel so surprised every time I heard of a new use for aura magic.* Gideon:"They''re simple messages and she''s the only one that I''ve seen able to do it." I sighed. *What can''t she do?* Aelisia must have been a prodigy or something. She has found more uses for aura magic than anyone else. Even with my recent boost in power I still doubted I could win against her. I had a little time to myself so I went to the training field to practice with the wyvern arm. There was something I noticed during my fight with the mages. Sometimes the arm would move on it''s own. During the fight I turned to throw a fireball at a mage and one of them actually tried to attack me with their staff which wouldn''t have hurt. The arm moved on it''s own and broke the staff in half then shoved itself into the mans gut. The arm was useful since it can create and manipulate ice, but if it''s sentient that could be a problem. Another issue was that the wyvern arm couldn''t create a fireball. Before I lost my arm I could create fireballs on both hands, but now I can only do it with my normal arm. Likewise my normal arm can''t create ice. It''s not too much of a problem as long as I''m faster than my opponent since I would have plenty of time to twist my body. Becket:"Well I better be getting back." I was out in the training field and since the sun had set I figured it was time for bed. I stood up and faced the castle. Aelisia:"Yo." Becket:"Shit!" My heart nearly leapt from my chest. Aelisia was standing right behind me. Most people can''t sneak up on me so my guard was completely down. Becket:"How long have you been there?" Aelisia:"Hmmm.....10 minutes." Becket:"Why were you just standing there for 10 minutes?" Aelisia:"I wanted to watch what you were up to. I see you got a hair cut." I reached up and felt my hair. Becket:"Some of it got burnt so it had to be cut. So was there something you wanted?" Aelisia:"I got you a gift." She reached into her pocket and pulled something out. Aelisia:"Here." She tossed it over to me and I almost missed it since it was so small. Becket:"A stud earring? Why''d you get me this?" Aelisia:"I thought it''d look good on you." Her smile seemed a little suspicious, but since she went through the trouble of getting something for me I decided to accept it. Becket:"Thank you. It''s a nice gift." I was about to put it in my pocket when she stopped me. Aelisia:"Put it on." Becket:"My ear isn''t pierced." Aelisia:"Then pierce it." Becket:"..." Something seemed very suspicious. *Why does she want me to wear it so badly?* Aelisia:"I''ll put it on for you." Before I could even react it was already in my ear. What surprised me most was that she had easily done it. Since I have the thick skin magic from the wyvern it shouldn''t have been so easy. Aelisia:"You look great! Now don''t take that off or I''ll be angry." Becket:"Yeah, I definitely don''t want you angry." I began to rub my ear because of the slight throbbing pain. Being an elf sucks when getting a piercing. My ears are extremely sensitive. Aelisia:"My work here is done. Goodnight Becket." She waved as she disappeared into the night. Becket:"Is this earring cursed or something?" I was a little worried, but I doubt she''d give me something cursed. It was getting dark so I made my way back to the palace. The security was pretty thin, but knowing Aelisia was back felt reassuring. At the gate I was met by a maid. I had seen a lot of this maid since she was assigned to handle all affairs regarding Aria and me. Maid:"The queen would like to see you." Becket:"Alright, take me to her." The maid was acting strange as she lead me to the study. She kept glancing back at me. I felt like she wanted to say something, but she never did. After a walk filled with silence we eventually made it to the study. Maid:"H-Here you are." Becket:"Thank you." She bowed as I passed her and entered the study. A shiver ran down my spine as I walked by her. *That was a little strange. Did she just.......sniff me?* The maid stood next to the door as I entered so obviously I had to pass her. She slightly bowed as I passed and I could have sworn she sniffed me. *Maybe it was just my imagination. Hope I don''t smell too bad.* Becket:"You sent for me?" Sylvia was filling out some paperwork and didn''t even look up at me. Sylvia:"Yes, Aelisia brought back the people responsible for starting today''s rebellion. They haven''t given up any information on their conspirators so we''re going to send some people to investigate all the nobles that didn''t show up to the ball." Becket:"Does that mean you called me here because I''m being sent to investigate these nobles?" Sylvia:"No. For now you are to remain here." Becket:"Is that all you called me here to tell me?" Sylvia:"Actually there is some unrest among the nobles now that knowledge of you has been officially released. None of them support you as Evalyns new fianc¨¦e." Not being looked in the eye slightly annoyed me, but I ignored it. She was a very busy person after all. Becket:"I don''t remember ever becoming her fianc¨¦e." Sylvia:"We both know your going to marry her. She told me everything. How is anyone suppose to object to a marriage blessed by the gods." I sighed. *Blessed by the gods huh.* Becket:"From what I''ve learned elves aren''t the kind of race usually chased after. They may be good looking, but they''re not very tough so it''s understandable that the nobles wouldn''t want me in line as the next king." *In fact I don''t want to be the next king.* Sylvia:"That sounds a little narcissistic." Becket:"Just stating a fact. So what should we do?" If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Sylvia:"I plan to make you into a Hero." Now she looked up at me and when our eyes met she stopped talking and just stared at me. She previously had a serious expression, but after looking at me her face relaxed. Becket:"You ok?" Sylvia:"Y-Yes!" Her voice seemed to raise an octave. It made her sound a little childish. Becket:"How do you plan to make me a hero?" Sylvia:"Hero? Oh yeah! I forgot for a second." She smiled awkwardly. Sylvia:"A-As I was saying." She looked back down at her paperwork trying to escape my eyes. Sylvia:"If we turn you into a hero the other nobles will be forced to accept you." Becket:"Ok so how do I become a hero?" Sylvia:"Slay the Goblin king." Becket:"Goblin king? So Goblins exist here." Sylvia:"Every year the goblin king attacks human settlements. They are born randomly so it''s impossible to stop permanently unless all goblins are wiped out. Usually we send knights out to subjugate them, but this year a large number of knights have died." *There were an awful lot of deaths. A few were by my hand.* Sylvia:"I decided to hire adventurers for the subjugation, but if you go and complete it with one small team then the nobles will have no choice but to accept you." Becket:"How exactly does killing goblins make me a hero?" Sylvia:"When I spoke with the guild head he told me that my request probably wouldn''t draw the attention of any hero ranked adventurers. That was when this idea hit me. Completing this quest will rank you all the way up in the adventurers guild." *I forgot the top rank for adventurers was hero.* Becket:"Why wouldn''t it draw their attention?" Sylvia:"Currently all the hero ranked adventurers are outside of the country. A supposedly safe route into the dark continent has opened up." I was interested in the dark continent, but that was a matter for later. Right now I had another question. Becket:"Then why would becoming a high ranking adventurer force the nobles to acknowledge me?" Sylvia:"Reaching the rank of hero comes with perks." Becket:"Perks?" Sylvia:"The adventurers guild acquired an artifact back when they were first created. It can only be used on a person once, but it can drastically increase a persons power. It''s a closely guarded secret so even I don''t know what the artifact is. Because of it the guild gained a lot of political influence. The heroes are treated as their nobles." Becket:"That explains why all the knights here aren''t adventurers." I looked down at the title stone on my wrist. This was very handy and I was wondering why everyone didn''t have one. If all the knights were adventurers their loyalty would be in doubt. Becket:"Wouldn''t being a hero be worse for me? The nobles could claim I''m a spy for the guild." Sylvia:"That''s why you need to be a hero. No noble would risk a quarrel with one." Becket:"That''s fine I guess, but who''s gonna be apart of my team." Sylvia:"I''ve decided to let you pick the team that goes with you." Becket:"Can I pick anyone?" Sylvia:"As long as you make sure they register as adventurers. I''ve already set it up with the guild leader since usually an adventurer ranked at the bottom like you wouldn''t get this job." Becket:"I''ll make sure everyone''s registered tomorrow." I had already decided on my party members. Sylvia:"There''s one more thing I''d like to talk about." I thought we had come to the end of our conversation, but she now looked up at me. Sylvia:"Come with me." She stood up and walked by me. I followed after her and noticed she would tremble slightly when I got close to her. Was it fear? It took me a few minutes to realize we were headed towards the royal bedroom. I was on alert. Sylvia seemed nervous and I wasn''t sure why. *Why are we going to her bedroom?* There was always the obvious reason, but I didn''t see why she would suddenly invite me back to her room when I am supposedly engaged to her daughter. I just couldn''t imagine Sylvia as that kind of mother. She entered the room first and when I closed the door she jumped me. I was pushed into the door while she drove her tongue down my throat. I grabbed her shoulders and pulled our lips apart. Becket:"What are you doing?" Sylvia:"I don''t know why, but I just can''t bear it any longer." Becket:"Don''t you want me to marry your daughter?" She was struggling to get to me, but I held her at a distance. Sylvia:"You can still marry her. It''s not like you''re planning to be monogamous." She was right. The gods definitely didn''t want me to be monogamous. Becket:"One question then have you ever had any dreams about me?" Sylvia:"I don''t think so?" I shrugged. *Guess it''s fine.* I was given free range to sleep with whoever I wanted and since she decided this of her own free will I might as well enjoy it. I carried her over to the bed and gently placed her down. Her clothes had already been thrown to the side before I even had a chance to remove my shirt. You can learn a lot about a person through sex. The first thing I learned was that Sylvia was not a submissive partner. She liked being in control. Her skin was soft and her limbs were delicate. She didn''t have any muscle so her body was soft. My strength had increased so I used very little force. A faint smell of perfume and clean bed sheets entered my nostrils. The perfume was light and flowery so I rather enjoyed it. The two of us were so absorbed in the fun that we didn''t notice someone entering the room. The bed also had a curtain around it so Sylvia probably wouldn''t have noticed anyway. My hearing was what I used to tell if a person was sneaking up on me, but right now all I could hear was Sylvia. I suddenly felt my arm shoot out and grab something on the other side of the curtain then pull it into the bed. Eva:"Becket?" Becket:"Eva?" We just stared at each other and even Sylvia froze. It was awkward since Sylvia and I were in the middle of round two. Eva didn''t even glance over at her mother and just continued to look into my eyes. I didn''t expect what happened next. She began kissing me. Sylvia started up again since we weren''t finished and Eva pulled off her sleeping clothes. I wasn''t sure why she came in here dressed so lightly, but right now I was thankful for. She was the opposite of her mother and acted completely submissive to me. Having two women at the same time was harder than I thought. It wasn''t my intention to sleep with Eva, but in that kind of situation I wasn''t exactly thinking with the right brain. Luckily I had much more stamina thanks to the wyvern so I could probably add a few more girls and still be fine. That night went down in my top ten. Story Information Chapter 40- Enchantment Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. :x ************************************************ Chapter 40 When I woke up the next day, Sylvia and Eva were both sleeping comfortably on my chest. Luckily they were hard sleepers so escaping wasn''t hard. My destination was Aelisias room. When I had some time to think about it I figured out it was the earring. I put it safely in my pocket. Maid:"G-Good morning sir!" I was greeted by the maid from last night. She was busy cleaning outside Aelisias room, but stopped and bowed to me. Becket:"Good morning." I smiled and waved. Just when I was about to knock on Aelisias door a finger tapped me on the shoulder. Maid:"Shes not in there." I turned around to face the maid. Becket:"Where is she?" Maid:"In the royal smithy." She was avoiding eye contact. Becket:"Much appreciated." I set off for the smithy, but after a few minutes I realized I didn''t know where it was. It ended up taking me half an hour to find someone who then gave me its location. When I entered a wave of heat hit me in the face. Becket:"Hello?" I used my forearm to cover my eyes since the heat dried them out. Girl:"Yes?" I looked to see who the voice came from, and standing to a large furnace was a young girl. Off to the side was a middle aged man sleeping in a chair. I couldn''t understand how he slept in this heat. Becket:"I''m looking for Aelisia. I was told she would be here." Girl:"You just missed her." I took a look around the room. Becket:"Maybe I could ask her." I whispered to myself. Becket:"Do you think you could help me out?" Girl:"Depends on what you need help with." I pulled the earring out of my pocket. Becket:"I was wondering what this was." When she saw the earring her eyes widened. Girl:"Where did you get that?" Becket:"Aelisia gave it to me. I know it seems to have an affect on people, but how exactly does it work?" Girl:"That''s actually something I enchanted." Becket:"Oh, guess I found the right person then. I''m Becket." I reached my hand out to her which she shook. Felicity:"I''m Felicity." Becket:"I''ve never seen you before. Are you new?" I was certain I had met every worker in the palace at least once. I may not know everyones name, but a young girl like her would stick out in my memory. Felicity:"Actually I just started working here today. Aelisia was down here because she was checking up on me." I thought it was a little strange that Aelisia would check up on a random palace worker so this girl was probably special. Out of curiosity I decided to see if I could find out why. Becket:"Why would she need to personally need to check up on you?" Felicity:"Well.....I''m working for the palace as a way to make up for my crimes." *She must be one of the people Aelisia arrested yesterday.* Now that I had answer I decided to return to the earring conversation. Becket:"So about this earring." I prompted her for an explanation on what it does. Felicity:"It''s a pseudo charm enchantment. Usually a charm enchantment is incredibly hard to do, but I found a way to make one that works similar. It actually has two enchantments on it." She seemed really excited to explain the earring to me. Felicity:"The first enchantment invades a persons mind through eye contact and searches for any kind of feelings of love or even lust. Once it finds the right feeling the amplifying enchantment activates suddenly strengthening the emotion it found. The only problem with the enchantment is that if the target holds zero feelings for you it won''t work." A look of pure bliss adorned her face. *She must be really passionate about enchantments.* Becket:"So anyone who falls for this enchantment already likes the person using it on them at some level?" Felicity:"Yes, but it also works for physical attractions not just emotional ones. It also needs to stay close to the users head in order to work so not wearing it makes it stop the enchantment." Becket:"Why''s that?" Felicity:"The enchantment moves to the users eyes, but it can only move a short distance. It doesn''t necessarily have to be on the ear. You could wear it as a nose, tongue or even lip piercing." Becket:"Are there any permanent side effects from using the enchantment on people?" Felicity:"Using it once or twice should be fine, but if used on a person too many times they''ll begin to act the same way around you even without the charm." I continued to listen as she talked on and on about enchantments. Eventually I realized she isn''t planning on stopping anytime soon so I decided to escape. Becket:"Well it was nice talking to you, but I need to go find Aelisia." At the mention of her name Felicity shut her mouth and nodded. Fear evident in her eyes. *What did she do to scare you so much?* I left the smithy without a destination. Since I had already learned about the earring I no longer needed to talk with Aelisia. I had wasted about an hour inside the smithy so it was probably time for breakfast. As I approached the dining room I could smell that my guess was right. There were three people already inside not counting maids. Aria, Celestia and that creepy baby were already eating. That baby was staring at me again while the maid fed him. I sat down on his side of the table across from Aria. Everyone had different schedules so sometimes they would meet during breakfast while other times they miss each other. Aria:"Where were you last night?" Aria was innocently questioning me. Becket:"I fell asleep in the library." I decided to lie to her. It felt like the safest route to take. She seemed to accept it since she went back to eating. The maid finished feeding the baby and took it for a nap. Sylvia and Eva entered together shortly after. Sylvia:"Good morning everyone." She looked composed, but Eva was obviously nervous. Becket:"Good morning Sylvia, Eva." They took their places at the table and began eating. Becket:"So about the Goblin King." Sylvia looked up at me. Sylvia:"You''ll need to pick your team and get them registered as adventurers today. We have to handle the goblins before they begin attacking villages. After breakfast I''ll call the person in charge of communication with the scout team watching the goblin tribes." Becket:"So when exactly should I set off?" Sylvia thought for only a second before answering me. Sylvia:"As soon as possible would be best so if you can you should leave tomorrow." Becket:"Tomorrow huh." We spent the rest of breakfast silently eating. I was introduced to the communications guy who gave me all the information he had on the goblins including their current location. The scout team was actually a group of adventurers being paid by the kingdom. I left the palace and went to Gene''s inn. Those vampires would be all I needed for a team. Gene:"Hey Becket! I''ve got great news!" Gene smiled the moment he saw me. Becket:"What''s the news?" Gene:"Alexa agreed to a date." I tried to smile, but it was a little stiff. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Becket:"That''s great." Gene:"I''m gonna take her to a restaurant near the palace. It''s expensive, but the vampires pay a lot so I should be able to afford it." Becket:"Well I''m actually here to see them so I''ve gotta go." I was eager to escape that conversation. There''s no way I wanted to tell him I''ve slept with the girl he likes. I quickly shot up the stairs. Becket:"We''re going for another trip!" I walked into their room announcing my presence. Carmilla perked up when she heard me. Bram:"Who are we going after this time?" Becket:"Goblins." Carmilla:"Goblin blood is disgusting." Carmilla seemed a little annoyed. I think she was disappointed that it''s goblins this time. Bram:"I don''t understand? Why goblins?" Becket:"The goblin king is rising up so we need to squash them before it turns into a real problem." Bram nodded in understanding. Carmilla:"I don''t want to hunt goblins!" She was pouting on her bed. Becket:"If you kill more goblins than your brother I''ll get you some fresh blood." She jumped up from her bed. Carmilla:"I''ll kill them all! I don''t even need Brams help!" I wasn''t sure who would be the donor for Carmillas blood addiction, but I''ll worry about that later. Becket:"Both Bram and I will be there. You''ll just have to work hard not to be out done by us." A looked of determination filled her eyes. Carmilla:"I''ll kill more goblins than both of you combined!" *She''s easy to motivate.* Becket:"First, are the two of you registered as adventurers?" Bram:"I''m not, but sister is. Our family doesn''t usually allow something like adventuring, but sister insisted. She can be very persuasive when father isn''t around." Becket:"Alright then Bram we''re going to get you registered. Do you still have your title stone Carmilla?" She tilted her head in confusion. Carmilla:"Title stone? What''s that?" I lifted my hand to show her the one on my wrist. Carmilla:"I think they gave me a bracelet like that. They had to give me a new one every time I finished a job." I looked over at Bram. Bram:"She easily losses things." I exaggeratedly sighed. Becket:"Guess we''ll get you a new one. Lets go." Since they were with me I had a reason not to talk to Gene on the way out. Carmilla was acting like a child trying to run off every time I took my eyes off her so I ordered her to stay close. The adventurers guild wasn''t very busy so we finished up quickly. Carmilla was already Crusader rank from whatever adventures she went on back in the vampire kingdom. I dropped them off back at the inn and told them to be ready in the morning then I returned to the castle. There was still work to do in perpetration for fighting the goblins. I had to get armor and weapons for the vampire then prepare a carriage and supplies for the trip. It would only take about a week to get there so we needed two weeks worth of supplies. I was helping some of the knights load the carriage when she showed up. Aelisia:"Sup." Becket:"So you finally show yourself. I was looking for you this morning." Aelisia:"Why was that?" It was obvious she understood why I was looking for her since she couldn''t keep the smirk off her face. Becket:"I was wondering if you could explain why you gave me this." I pulled the earring out of my pocket and brought it close to my face so that the enchantment could activate. Unfortunately it didn''t seem to affect Aelisia. Aelisia:"Are you trying to charm me? It''ll take a lot more than an enchantment to make me subservient." I put the earring back into my pocket. Becket:"So, why did you give it to me?" Aelisia:"I thought it''d be funny, and I was right. I thought it would be Aria first, but you ended up with the queen and her daughter. At the same time." Her smirk had turned into a full blown smile. Becket:"This earring is dangerous. Felicity told me multiple exposures to it will lead to permanent changes in a person." Aelisia:"Oh, you''ve met Felicity. You going after her next?" Becket:"I''m not going after anyone." Aelisia:"Did you know she''s Felix''s sister?" Becket:"What? That''s his sister?" This new information made me forget about the earring. Aelisia:"She''s apparently a half dwarf." Becket:"Wait I thought dwarves were short, muscular and hairy people." Aelisia:"Hm? Who told you that?" Becket:"No one." *All the dwarves I saw in movies looked like that in my previous world.* I didn''t like Felix very much, but there was no reason to dislike his sister. If she found out I was her brothers killer how would she react? I did introduce myself so maybe she doesn''t know my name. I decided it would be best to clear that up before leaving so I headed back towards the smithy. She was still there except this time she was alone. The middle aged man wasn''t in the room asleep. Becket:"Hello Felicity." Felicity:"Oh, you''ve returned Becket." She was sitting at a table with a sword in front of her. Becket:"What are you doing?" I decided to start with a little conversation. She looked down at the sword then back at me. Felicity:"I''m enchanting this sword." Becket:"You don''t need any kind of devices to do that?" Besides the sword there wasn''t anything else on the table so I was a little curious. Felicity:"A true enchanter uses nothing but their mind." She puffed out her chest with her hands on her sides in a triumphant manner. Felicity:"A crafter uses tools to carve magic circles onto the item which works just like an enchantment except if the enemy can read magic circles they will know what enchantments you have." Becket:"Interesting." I decided to get to the heart of the matter. Becket:"Actually I came here to talk about your brother." She stiffened up when I said that. Becket:"What do you know about his death?" She hesitated, but still spoke. Felicity:"My father told me he was trying to defend his honor. Someone stole his future wife so he tried to get revenge and died for it." Becket:"It was me. I killed him." I was looking directly at her, but I didn''t feel any hate. Felicity:"I barely knew my brother. Father kept me away from him and his family. Whatever happened between you and my brother has nothing to do with me. I thought father would accept me if I captured the Warlord, but his plan failed. Now I only want to spend all my time working on enchanting." It didn''t feel like what she said was a lie so I decided to believe it. Becket:"So there''s no problems between us. No grudges?" Felicity:"I would prefer it if you acted like I have no relation to that family. That''s how I was always treated anyway." I let out a sigh of relief. When I heard Felix had a sister it worried me. I can kill people and not flinch, but seeing a sad woman always gets to me. Becket:"Then I''ll leave you to your work." She forced a smile and waved goodbye. Story Information Chapter 41- My name is.... Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. :x ************************************************ Chapter 41 **************Goblin Joe POV************* The new king has been born. His strength is unimaginable. I''ve never seen anyone as strong as him. Goblin King:"It''s time for us to rule!" Goblins:"Yeeeeeaaaaaah!" Goblin King:"This land was meant to be ours!" Goblins:"Yeeeeeaaaaaah!" We roared in unison as our king spoke to us. It was finally time to take vengeance against those humans always hunting us. Some of the elder goblins tried to convince him that fighting humans was pointless. According to them the previous goblin king attempted the same thing and suffered for it, but they just don''t understand our current kings strength. I may only be a month old, but I know unbeatable strength. There is no way our king will lose against any human. The king killed the elders for opposing his decision. We all cheered as he removed the only obstacle in our way of fighting the humans. A few days passed and more of our brethren had gathered. Our numbers were greater than anything the humans could possibly muster. After all they only ever attack us in small groups. There''s no way they could summon this many of their own kind. Goblin Jane:"Haaa!" Goblin Joe:"Haaa!" One of the female goblins prompted me for sex so I agreed. Strength wise I''m directly under our king so this happens often. I''ve already had one kid, but that was with one of the human women we captured. I already lost track of which young goblin was my son. When we impregnate women they usually give birth in a week so our numbers increase rapidly. The human women are more enjoyable so after I finished with the female goblin I went to visit our current captives. I was fond of the one that had given birth to my child so I decided to impregnate her again. To my disappointment she was already dead. Most of our captives either kill themselves, starve or one of the young energetic goblins get too rough. I settled for one of the other girls. I was about to impregnate her when I heard fighting outside the cave. Quickly I ran out to see the king fighting a small group of humans. In order to keep our numbers low the humans constantly attack us and for some reason steal the ears of our dead. Our king was the first in many generations to become a hobgoblin according to the dead elders and displayed his strength against foolish humans that came to hunt us. They were easily beaten so my assistance wasn''t even needed. I chuckled as he dragged off the female human for his personal use. When the king finished he decided to begin the march toward the human settlements. The female humans were left behind since we''ll be getting new ones soon. We all marched enthusiastically toward victory. Nothing could stand against us. Even after hours of walking we were all still filled with energy. BOOOOOOM! Explosions began to ring out all around us. Goblins began to explode into chunks of meat. One of the small pieces stuck to my cheek. Goblin Joe:"Attack! Attack!" Someone was attacking us, but I couldn''t see them. There would be a break every few seconds before more goblins started to explode. Even our king didn''t understand what was happening. Goblin 1:"Aaahhhhh!" Goblin 2:"Aaaaaahhhhh!" Goblin 3:"Ruuun!" Goblin corpses began to fly through the air from each side of our army. Two people were making their way through our forces by casually kicking my brethren around. The sight of these two monsters caused my mind to go blank and I ran away trying to ensure my own life. Luckily I slipped through everyone and made it to a hill overlooking the slaughter. I could now see the two people flinging goblins around. One was a man with black hair while the other was an incredibly beautiful blonde woman. Normally I would feel lust for such a beauty, but the scene of her ripping goblins apart was a boner killer. The woman continued her rampage in the middle of all the goblins while the man made his way to our king. I smiled. *Foolish human. Our king is unbeatable.* My smile vanished. The man didn''t even notice when he decapitated the king. He treated him like any other goblin and didn''t even give him a second glance. *T-They''re too strong!* My blood ran cold. I just noticed that goblins haven''t been randomly exploding in a while. Quickly I spun around to run from the battlefield. Becket:"Where are you going?" Standing behind me was another incredible blonde beauty. Her hair was short and one of her arms looked strange. She was also carrying a long black object. It was a strange looking thing and she had it slung over her shoulder holding it with one hand. Becket:"Sorry, can''t let any of you get away." I raised my sword into the air and jumped at her trying to cut her stomach open. Goblin Joe:"Die!" She easily caught me with that white arm of hers by the throat. I could see scales on it like a lizard. My feet dangled as she easily lifted me into the air. All the human women I''ve come across until now were weaker than me so her strength was shocking. I could feel my windpipe being slowly crushed. Becket:"Goblin bones are thicker then I thought." SNAP!!! *****************Becket POV**************** The wagon shook as it rolled down the uneven road. Bram sat in the coachman''s seat while Carmilla and I were in the back. We were on our way to exterminate the goblins. It would probably take us another day to reach them. I was watching Carmilla stare intently at the doll in her hand. It was a simple doll I stitched together and gave to her. Bram told me gifts would be the best way to get on her good side. We were going to be traveling together soon to the vampire continent so I wanted her to stop ignoring me. The doll was a chibi version of her and she hasn''t taken her eyes off of it since I gave it to her. Since the two of us have the same hair color I used some of my own hair for the doll. Now that I think about it I feel that it might seem a little creepy, but at the time that felt like the best option. Becket:"So....do you like the doll?" For the first time since getting it she looked away from the doll and towards me. Carmilla:"It''s me.......but smaller." I slowly nodded. Becket:"I made it to look like you." She turned her stare back towards the doll. Watching her stare so seriously at the doll was kind of cute. I started thinking about all the girls I''ve met since coming to this world. For some reason they''ve all been rather childish. Aelisia who''s the oldest acts like a carefree kid that likes to pull pranks. *Maybe you regress in age mentally the older you get.* The wagon suddenly stopped so I poked my head out. Becket:"Something wrong?" Bram:"No but it''s about to get dark so I think we should camp here." The sun was getting ready to set so I agreed. Of course Carmilla didn''t help set up camp which didn''t really bother me. It was a cloudless night allowing the millions of stars to be seen scattered across the sky. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. As I laid by the camp fire my mind wandered to the past. There were many times I slept under the stars with the mercenary team I was apart of. We had to camp out for more than a few missions. Most of our work was done in war torn countries so there wasn''t always a place to stay. Some of them could be annoying, but I found myself missing those days I spent with them. Once again I tried to remember how I died. My memory just all of a sudden stops then starts back up again in this world. Why couldn''t I remember my last moments? I know I was about to start a mission when my memory cut off. Did my team make it back? Was I the only one that died? My thoughts continued to swirl around in my head until I finally fell asleep. My dreams were filled with the past, but something else appeared in them. Things and places I''ve never seen before. I was in my original body walking in a forest. The sound of twigs snapping under my combat boots was the only thing I could hear. This didn''t seem strange to me because I hadn''t realized I was dreaming. The forest was dark then suddenly the sun broke through the roof of trees attempting to block it. I closed my eyes at the sudden brightness. ???:Hey, Becket! Play with me!" I looked down searching for the voice. Attached to my leg was a little girl probably around 6 years old. She had long green hair and green eyes. She tugged on my pants trying to get me to come with her. I crouched down so that we were level with each other. Becket:"Who are you little girl?" She tilted her head and made a face that said she didn''t understand, but it was quickly replaced with a smile. That''s when I noticed she had pointed ears. She was an elf. ???:"Lets go Becket! Lets play!" She tugged harder on my pants. Becket:"That''s not my name little girl." I smiled at her, but she looked confused again. Becket:"My name is....." I jumped up. My body was covered in sweat and I was breathing hard. My head felt like it was about to split open. I had returned to Beckets body. The dream was over. I looked around the camp to see both Bram and Carmilla were still sleeping. Becket:"What was that?" Thinking about the dream gave me an ominous feeling so I put it out of my mind and started making breakfast. It wasn''t long before we were back on the road. Carmilla was still completely focused on that doll while Bram drove the wagon. He was the only one in our group that knew how to. After a while Carmilla decided to speak. Carmilla:"I want more." She was looking directly at me. Becket:"More?" She held up the doll I made. Carmilla:"More of these dolls. Enough to fill a small bed." She was nodding to herself with a smile on her face. Becket:"I don''t think I have enough hair for that." Carmilla:"No need to use your own hair. I want them all to be different." I took a minute to think. This would give me something to work on. I also enjoyed making that doll. Becket:"Alright. I''ll make them." She nodded in confirmation then went back to staring at the doll. Since she wasn''t a great conversationalist I climbed into the front with Bram. Becket:"You ready?" He glanced over at me for a second then looked back towards the dirt road. Bram:"I need no preparation for a fight against some goblins." Becket:"They may be weak, but there''s a lot of them." I had only read the reports so I wasn''t sure how strong they really were. It''s always better to be cautious. Bram:"No matter how many goblins there are I will not die by their hands. It is simply an impossibility." Becket:"I''ll drop it of you''re so confident in your ability." We were silent for a few minutes before he spoke again. Bram:"Sister really likes that doll you made her. I heard you two talking. Will you make her one of me?" He was glancing over at me trying to guess my answer from my facial expression. Becket:"I doubt a doll that has a slight resemblance to you will make her like you more." I wasn''t trying to make him feel depressed, but that''s how it turned out so I decided to change the conversation. Becket:"So about the fight with the goblins. I think we should discuss our plan." Bram agreed and called for Carmilla who poked her head in between us. I pulled out a map and placed it on the bench Bram and I were sitting on. Becket:"It''s a simple plan. I''m going to take up a position with a good vantage point. If the last report from the scout team is accurate they should be passing through here by the time we catch up to them." I pointed to a spot on the map. Originally we planned to attack them before they even began marching, but they started earlier than expected. Becket:"While I''m covering the two of you I want a blitz. You will run straight into the enemy army throwing them into disarray. Slaughter them while they''re trying to reorganize their forces." I circled my finger around the edges of where the army would be. Becket:"This area is surrounded by hills so they will have a hard time fleeing. Anyone who makes it outside of your kill zone I''ll handle." I sat back up straight. Becket:"From the reports I''ve read I''m sure the goblin king will be no problem to you two. Kill him the moment you find him. That should cause more panic." The two nodded and Carmilla went back to her doll watching. This plan wouldn''t normally be a good one, but with the strength of two vampires the plan didn''t really matter too much. No matter how we attacked them there was no way the vampires could lose. It wasn''t long till we reached our destination. The goblins were a little ahead of schedule, but that was fine. Quickly we got ready to attack. I took off my pack and pulled the sniper out of it along with the extra clip. They were fully loaded so I had 15 rounds before I would have to reload both clips plus one in the chamber. It was a semi-automatic sniper rifle so I''d go through each clip rather fast which is why I had my pack set next to me open so that I could reach in and pull out more bullets. I laid in the back of the wagon with the rifles barrel sticking out. It was a covered wagon so I had to pull the cover over the back off. I got myself comfortable and set the spare clip next to me. I looked through the scope and scanned over the army. They were only about a click away so I wasn''t likely to miss any shots. Just to be safe I activated my vampire eyes. There wasn''t much wind to interfere with my shooting so conditions were favorable. *Maybe I should train Aria to be my spot. She could also reload the clips while I''m shooting.* That last thought crossed my mind before we began the attack. Becket:"Go!" BOOOOOOM! Story Information Chapter 42- Awkward Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. :x Sorry that it''s taking me longer to get each chapter out. I have no excuses. It''s laziness. ************************************************ Chapter 42 *Slow.* *Slow.* *Slow.* *This rifle is so slow!* BOOOOOM! BOOOOOM! I pulled the clip out and sat up in the back of the wagon. As I began to reload both of my clips I watched Bram and Carmilla toss goblins across the battlefield. The goblins are so weak that I feel like this rifle is overkill, but it takes too long. Picking them off one at a time like this is way too tedious. Becket:"Alright! Lets do it!" I shoved the clip back into the rifle and shoved the spare clip into my boot. I jumped up and leaned the rifle against my shoulder as I glanced over the goblin army. Becket:"Looks like one of them escaped." A lone goblin sat on top of a small hill watching the battle. He must''ve decided to run instead of facing Carmilla and Bram. Smart goblin. I tossed my pack on and quickly made my way over to him then stopped right as he turned around. Our eyes locked. Becket:"Where are you going?" He was an ugly little thing. Bald, green, large nose but surprisingly muscular. He had a short sword and wore some kind of leather. Becket:"Sorry, can''t let any of you get away." It jumped at me swinging its sword. Goblin Joe:"Die!" He was so slow that I had plenty of time to decide how I''d kill it. I reached out my wyvern arm and caught him by the throat. He seemed to lose all his strength and just dangled there. The sword fell to the ground the moment he collided with my hand. When I tightened my grip on his windpipe he finally began to struggle. Becket:"Goblin bones are thicker then I thought." SNAP!!! I broke his neck and he fell limp while his eyes rolled back. No other goblins tried to run yet so I casually walked down the hill toward the chaos. I left goblin Joe where I killed him. Currently I was standing near the rear of the army so only a few goblins turned around and noticed me. I swiftly killed each of them. Becket:"Lets see how many this will kill." I got down on one knee and pointed toward the goblin army. BOOOOOM! The bullet tore through one goblin and continued forward shredding any other in its path. Becket:"This is much better." I smiled. From my spot in the wagon I was wasting bullets. They would pass through my target then hit the ground. Now that I was level with the army I could kill many more with a single shot. Because of this I was noticed, but that was fine. Any goblin that got close to me had its head removed. The goblins thought the time I took to reload my two clips was an opening. Sadly for them it wasn''t. After a while I got restless and stood up. The goblins around me jumped back. I took off my pack and put the rifle into it then threw it back over my shoulder. Becket:"There are a lot of you goblins." Flames sprayed out of my hand and engulfed the goblins near me. Goblin screams sounded kind of like a pig squealing. This fight was taking too long so I spread my wings and shot up into the air. Becket:"Killing goblins is so tedious." I pointed both of my hands toward the army. A storm of fire and ice covered the back of the goblin army. It killed half of what was left, but I felt seriously drained. Becket:"Ha....That was exhausting." I landed and retracted my wings. The ground was completely destroyed. I started a slow run toward the rest of the army then suddenly zoomed forward. My sword separated from its sheath and was covered in blood within a second. I hacked my way through the army carving a path straight across. At this point only a few small groups of goblins were left. Carmilla and Bram were already beginning to work on those groups so I took a seat on a large rock. An intense headache suddenly hit me. Becket:"Shit! What the hell?" I gripped both sides of my head until the headache vanished. My eyes were shut while I endured the pain and an image floated into my mind. It was a house built in a tree. I immediately recognized where it was located. This was the same forest I was in during my dream about the little elf girl. Bram:"Becket." I opened my eyes and the pain was gone. Bram and Carmilla were standing in front of me. There wasn''t a spot of blood on Bram, but Carmilla yet again was covered in it. I stood up quickly and walked toward the wagon. Becket:"Lets go." The goblins were all dead so I wanted to quickly leave. The headache put me in a bad mood, but I calmed down and turned back towards Bram. Becket:"Did you get the goblin kings head?" The thought didn''t cross my mind at first because of my disorientation from that headache, but we still needed the proof of this missions completion. Bram:"Actually I''m not sure who the goblin king was." Becket:"I was told he should be the only hobgoblin." Bram blinked a few times before speaking again. Bram:"I''m not sure what a hobgoblin looks like. We don''t have goblins in our kingdom." I nodded. Becket:"I''ll find him. You prepare the wagon and make sure Carmilla gets cleaned up." I set off into the goblin army looking for the king. It wouldn''t be hard to find him as long as he wasn''t turned into a puddle. I looked for him while I killed goblins so I was sure I hadn''t run into him. The king will be the only one with hair. The search took half as long as the actual fight which took about two hours. Considering we fought an army that was great time. Of course I had the highest body count from that fire and ice storm. My mind drifted to that house I saw along with that little elf girl. For some reason it made my head hurt so I pushed it to the back of my mind. The goblin king was split in two from a cut across his chest starting at his left shoulder and ending at his right hip. I severed the head and went back to the wagon. Once again I was amazed at the speed Carmilla was able to perfectly clean all that blood off of herself. She must have a lot of practice doing it. Becket:"Here''s the goblin kings head." I tossed it into the back of the wagon. Most of the blood left in the head spilled out on my way here so only a small pool formed under where it landed. Bram:"It almost looks human." Bram was looking over the head with interest. Carmilla had returned to the staring contest with her doll. Becket:"Alright, lets get going." Bram put the goblin kings head into a brown sack and hung it on the back of the wagon before taking his seat up front with the reigns in hand. I had used a lot of magic so I was considerably tired. Creating fire and ice cost little inner mana, but manipulating it only required concentration. Since there wasn''t any around during the fight I had to create it in large amounts. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Becket:"I''m gonna close my eyes for a little while." Bram gave me a nod and I closed my eyes. I didn''t sleep well since that house and little elf girl kept appearing in my dreams. I also saw the village that house was built in. All of the houses were built in trees. Eventually I woke up with a headache. Sleeping wasn''t doing any good so I decided on something else to do. I pulled off the leather strap I used as a belt then took out a needle and thread from my pack along with several small pouches. These I had already made on the trip here. Now it was time to attach them to my belt. What I was making could be called a utility belt. On missions I use to wear a utility belt in my old world, but I already had pockets on every article of clothing so it was mostly used to hold spare items. Getting things out of the pack each time I needed something was getting annoying. A utility belt from this point on will become apart of my outfit. Each pouch was made out of monster hide so it could stand being treated roughly. It was a little more difficult to find good enough thread so I ended up spending more than I want to, but it didn''t really matter since the palace has been paying me a knights salary. It''s not a lot of money; however, they also provide everything for me so I have few expenses. When we stopped for the night I had already finished the belt. We ate then went to sleep. After a few hours of tossing and turning without falling asleep, I got up. Bram was still awake so I decided to chat for a little while. Becket:"Enjoying the night air?" He was gazing up at the stars so I sat next to him. Bram:"I was just thinking......." I looked up at the stars with him. Becket:"Tell me a little about yourself." Bram looked over at me for a second before turning his gaze back towards the stars. Bram:"Well I grew up in the city Ardeal. Including Carmilla I have three sisters and one brother. Along with my mother and father we made up Ardeals royal family." He sighed before continuing his story. Bram:"Ardeal is located on the continent Aldley which is the only continent with two kingdoms ruling it. The city K?ln is home of the werewolves our hated enemy. We''ve been at war with them for centuries." I interrupted his story to ask a question. Becket:"I''ve got a question. What''s the difference between a werewolf and a wolf beastman?" Bram:"A werewolf looks human until they transform into wolfmen then they take on a more beast like appearance, but maintain their intelligence. Some beastmen do look similar to a transformed werewolf; however, they have very low intelligence." Becket:"So their transformation and intelligence sets them apart." Bram nodded. Bram:"A low level werewolf is generally more powerful then a low level vampire, but as you go up in level the vampires begin to overtake the werewolves in all aspects. Of course on a full moon werewolves get a massive increase in power so those nights we usually spend on the defensive." Bram looked over toward the wagon were Carmilla was sleeping. Bram:"It was one of those nights that Radu used as a distraction to try killing my sister. Werewolves like to eat the hearts of their enemy so he tore hers out to make it look like a werewolf did it. Luckily I found her before it was too late." Bram looked into my eyes. Bram:"Again, thank you for saving her." I remained silent and just accepted his thanks. Bram:"I''m gonna get some sleep now." Bram stood up and walked over to the wagon. He pulled out a few blankets then laid down next to it. I decided not to comment on the fact that he was trying to sleep as close as he could to his sister. It was another hour before I finally fell asleep. There were no strange dreams this time so I slept comfortably. . . . We final made it back to the city. I half expected a parade or something since I am considered a hero now. Apparently the title didn''t mean as much as I hoped. I was given a new red wrist band from the adventurers guild for my title stone and I passed over the goblin kings head. It wasn''t like no one cared. The adventurers seemed excited and so did the lady at the counter giving me the new wrist band, but no one approached our group. It was probably because of the two vampires. After that we stopped by the inn. I was surprised to find Arnie there with Gene. Becket:"What are you doing here Arnie?" The vampires didn''t care and just headed off to their room. Arnie:"I came by to talk with Gene. We''ve become good friends since that day you brought me here." I looked over at Gene. He looked.....different. My first thought was that he had been working out. Becket:"Well friends are always nice to have." Arnie closed his eyes then nodded. Arnie:"This was fun, but I must be leaving now." Arnie quickly left. It felt suspicious like he was trying to escape. Becket:"So how are things going with you?" He smiled joyfully. Gene:"Great!" The door behind him swung open and a girl walked out holding several sheets. Alexa:"A guest?" *It''s her!* I tensed up when our eyes met. Gene:"No just a friend, but two guests did return with him." She looked at me for a few seconds before turning towards the stairs. Alexa:"One of the other guests checked out this morning so I''ve got to change the sheets in their room." She disappeared up the stairs. Gene:"That''s Alexa." He was smiling while looking toward the staircase. Gene:"She''s been spending the nights here so she started helping out." Becket:"That''s great. I''ve got some things I need to do so I''ll see you later." I left as fast as I could trying to be gone before she came back down. I literally dashed towards the palace trying to escape the awkward situation. Once inside my first stop was the smithy. During the goblin subjugation my sword was chipped pretty badly. Like usual the room was quite hot. Felicity:"Oh, Becket!" Felicity came up to me smiling. She wasn''t sweating very much even in this heat. Becket:"My sword was damaged so I need repairs." I passed it over to her and she began to examine it. Felicity:"I''ll pass it on to Bard. He''s the one that does the metal work here. How about I enchant it for you?" Becket:"What kind of enchantment." Felicity:"Just a basic one like durability. Should make it harder to damage the blade." Becket:"Sounds good. I''ll take it." Felicity:"I''ll deliver it to you when it''s finished." I accepted then left. Now I had to conclude the last of my business by visiting the queen. Story Information Chapter 43- Proper Ranking Among the Top Ten Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. :x Sorry it took so long. This time I actually had some stuff happen in my life so I didn''t have any time to write. I''ve also got multiple prologues for new stories, but none of them feel right. I''m taking my time picking what my next story should be about. If you have any suggestions for what you''d like to see in a story please comment. ************************************************ Chapter 43 I knocked on the door to the study. The queens had a lot of work lately so she spends most of her time here. Sylvia:"Come in." The guards at the door didn''t react to my presence so they were probably expecting me. Word of my return must have already reached the queen. I stepped inside and found her busy completing paperwork like usual. Sylvia:"That was fast. You''ve returned before the estimated date." I took a seat on a stack of dusty books pushed to the side and leaned back against the wall. Becket:"Their army moved so we met up faster than expected." Sylvia:"That''s good news. So I assume the goblin king is dead?" I held up my title stone showing the red wrist band. Becket:"Yeah, he''s dead and I guess I''m a hero now. It''s a little anticlimactic. I thought being a hero would be slightly different." Sylvia''s face showed a weak grin. Sylvia:"Hero is just a title. It use to mean something, but that was a long time ago." She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. Becket:"You look tired." She opened one of her eyes and looked at me for a second before closing it again. Sylvia:"I am tired. You should hurry up and marry my daughter so I can retire already." I couldn''t stop myself from smirking. Becket:"After what happened before I left, I was under the impression you might what to fill that role for your daughter." She opened both her eyes and smiled. Sylvia:"It wasn''t only the two of us there that night. I remember how much fun you had with my daughter." I crossed my arms and lightly laughed. Becket:"She lacked some of the vigor you had." Sylvia:"Well, I had to try and keep up with your pace." Becket:"Really? I thought you had me in your rhythm the whole time?" She only smiled at me so I sighed and leaned forward. Becket:"Well, I''ll be leaving again soon." Sylvia:"For your trip to the vampire continent right?" Becket:"Yeah, I''ve got about four or five days before I need to leave." Sylvia''s face became serious. Sylvia:"The vampires are a strong race. I advise against going there." I looked at her and responded with a just as serious face. Becket:"It isn''t something I can avoid doing, but I''ll be sure to be careful." Sylvia nodded. Sylvia:"If we could afford it I would send a few knights with you, but that isn''t an option." I already knew how dire the kingdoms situation was. They had lost a large number of knights this year because of one problem after another appearing. Becket:"I''ll be fine without them." Sylvia:"I hope so." I stood up. Becket:"Well, I''ve reported my rise to the rank of hero. Now I''ll be leaving." Sylvia:"Be sure to visit Evalyn. Tonight would be the best time. I think she deserves a one on one session with you." I had already crossed the line that I didn''t want to with one of the brainwashed girls so all I could do now was embrace it. Becket:"Yeah, I''ll visit her." I left the room after saying that. Laziness can easily creep in so it''s best to always remain active. Skills can also wain after taking a single day off so I set my sights on the training field. Since I wouldn''t need them I had a maid take my pack and utility belt to my room. It was likely that I would have the training field all to myself because none of the knights had any free time anymore. The kingdom has become so short staffed that all the rookie knights have already started working with few breaks. It would usually take a couple years of training before they would be allowed to officially work for the kingdom. I found Gideon practicing sword techniques in the training field. He''s hit a bottleneck in his aura training and can''t seem to get stronger through training it so he began focusing on his swordsmanship. I originally thought learning to wield a sword wouldn''t be too hard since I was already skilled with a dagger, but it turned out to be much harder. Skill wise I am a novice with the sword while Gideon is a master. I''m not even sure what Aelisia would be considered. A god level swordsman maybe? She can easily defeat Gideon without even using her aura. I guess that''s just the difference in experience. Becket:"Hey Gideon." He was practicing a sword style that greatly resembled fencing. It was strange since I knew his normal style was almost an exact copy of Aelisias, and hers reminds me of a Japanese style. Gideon stopped thrusting his sword and greeted me. Gideon:"Becket, you''re back. How was the goblin king?" I shrugged. Becket:"I didn''t even get to see him until after he was dead." I stepped out in front of him. Becket:"So, what are you doing?" He pointed his sword at me. Gideon:"Practicing. Want to join?" I nodded as I drew my sword. It was a temporary sword so I knew it wouldn''t be able to take much damage. Becket:"I''ll join you for a single round. I doubt this blade will hold up long." Normally I carried a much sturdier sword which takes longer to make, but it was currently at the smithy being repaired and upgraded. Gideon:"Then I''ll begin our match." He jumped at me with his sword aimed for my heart. I parried it to the side, but the thrust was weak. He quickly pulled the blade back and once again pushed it toward my heart. This took him only a second so a normal person wouldn''t be able to respond. Gideon:"That''s troubling." My wyvern hand was grasping the tip of his blade only inches away from my heart. His speed was so surprising to me that I wasn''t able to react at all. Luckily my left arm has a mind of it''s own. Becket:"You''ve gotten a lot faster." I smiled as I shoved him backwards by pushing his sword into his chest. My strength was incredible now and this was with out using the spell to increase it. Before I could counter he had already begun gathering his aura around his arms increasing their strength. I prepared to accept his next thrust, but it was a feint. His foot crashed into my side sending me skidding across the ground. I stabilized myself and landed on my feet gracefully. That was a rookie mistake. I focused on his arms and sword since I thought he was about to attack with them. Obviously you need to keep an eye on all of your opponent. Every part of the body can be used as a weapon in some way. His kick didn''t do any real damage since there was no aura magic strengthening it. If he had tried to do that I would have sensed the attack coming. This time I jumped at him while covering my sword in multiple thin layers of ice. Our blades collided and pieces of ice scattered in all directions. Becket:"You''ve gotten better since our last spar." He tried pushing me back, but I held firmly in place. Gideon:"Of course I have! I must prove to mother I''m not wasting my time!" He only now noticed the ice on my sword had spread to his. Before he could release it the ice had covered his arms. Gideon:"Damn!" The second he was distracted by his hands freezing, I was able to reach out and grab the back of his neck. I pulled his head close and slammed mine into it. He was disoriented so I broke my blade free from his and sent a kick to his side like the one he hit me with. The ice covering his arms shattered as he rolled across the ground. His sides had been vulnerable since his aura was busy trying to prevent the ice from spreading anymore. Unlike Aelisia he still wasn''t able to strengthen all of his aura at once. Instead he would syphon power from parts of his aura in order to strengthen other parts. Becket:"You still lost." I pointed at him with my sword. It was now partially destroyed so I filled in the missing chunks with more ice. Gideon stood up while wiping blood from his mouth. I probably crushed one of his organs with my kick. His aura was concentrated on the spot I had kicked so I assumed he was trying to rapidly heal it. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. He stepped forward slowly trying to close the distance between us. I slammed my foot into the ground and rocketed toward him. His limbs being temporarily frozen dulled his movements so he reacted a little slower than usual. Gideon:"Aaahhhh!!" My sword along with his shattered into tiny pieces and I sent a punch into his chest. I had aimed for the chin, but he was able to divert my fist. He was flung backwards; however, his balance wasn''t broken like last time so he landed on his feet with only a slight crack across the armor covering his chest. Gideon:"I surrender. I may have a chance with my sword, but not hand to hand." I smiled as I tossed the hilt of my now destroyed sword to the ground. Becket:"That was a good fight. I enjoyed it." I nodded my head in approval as if I was acknowledging a disciples improvement. Of course he noticed my face and frowned. Gideon:"You improve at an unnatural rate. It''s not fair." Gideon was pouting due to his loss. Becket:"It''s not an unnatural rate. I''ve got plenty of experience so I''m just adapting to a new style." Gideon:"Sure, whatever." I sighed and crossed my arms. Becket:"I noticed you were using a different style during practice." Gideon''s mood seemed to improve a little. Gideon:"I figured maybe my current style of swordsmanship might be lacking so I''ve began training in a new style." Becket:"Is it something you created?" Gideon:"No. I''ve been studying the style of a former hero." I raised my eyebrows in interest. Becket:"A hero from the adventurers guild?" Gideon:"No, a true hero. One of the world travelers." I stepped closer with an even more powerful interest. Becket:"World traveler?" Gideon stepped back with a slightly worried look on his face. Gideon:"Yeah, one of the summoned heroes." Becket:"Tell me a little more about these heroes." Gideon looked a little happier. Maybe he enjoys knowing something I don''t? Gideon:"Hundreds of years ago seven heroes were summoned. They were the most powerful people in this world and helped to defeat the demon king. When the war was over the other races marched into demon territory and slaughter them all." Gideon went quiet for a few minutes before continuing. Gideon:"One of the heroes stood up against the others and tried to protect the remaining demons since they were civilians. Of course no one else accepted that and killed the hero along with the final survivors of the demon race." Becket:"So was that style used by the one that tried to protect the demons?" Gideon:"Yes, that hero was obviously the only true hero among them. Killing off the innocent is something a real hero would never do." He sighed. Gideon:"Well, after the demons were wiped out the six remaining heroes settled down all over the world. People became inspired by the heroes and the adventurers guild was started." Gideon scoffed at his last few words. Gideon:"The adventurers guild so easily hands out the title of hero now that it doesn''t even mean anything anymore." I nodded while keeping my red wrist band hidden behind my back. Becket:"Well, it''s starting to get dark so....later." I waved goodbye and set off toward the palace. The queen didn''t show up to diner since she was too busy. Aria was happy I had returned, but got a little depressed when I told her I might not be sleeping in our room tonight. I ate slow so that I would be the last to leave the dining room. When I felt the time was right to make my way to Eva''s room I first decided to stopped by my room to remove all of my equipment. Aria was still awake, but she tried to pretend she was asleep. I didn''t say anything and set off to Eva''s room. The guards at Eva''s door glared at me as I knocked. Eva:"Come in." I opened the door and stepped inside. A candle with a very sweet aroma was burning on the table next to her bed. She wore a pink negligee and matching panties. Most of the negligee was see through so I had a full view of her slim body. The part hiding her breasts was unfortunately not see through which slightly disappointed me. It was obvious she expected me so she must have heard about my impending visit from her mother. She was sitting on the side of her bed with her hands in her lap. I wasn''t sure what she used, but I could tell she had just lit the candle after I knocked. Becket:"You look beautiful tonight Eva." Since I had already gotten past my reluctance to sleep with a girl I considered brainwashed, I decided to accept my new lover. The other night I wasn''t able to properly do things because I was caught up in the moment, and there was another person in bed with us. Each step I took toward her caused her blush to deepen. Becket:"We haven''t had a chance to talk since that night." I didn''t need to specify the night I was referring to so I didn''t. It would probably just make it harder for her to talk about. I sat down at the end of her bed on the same side as her. Eva:"I-I didn''t mean to b-barge in on you and mother." I gave her the gentlest smile I could and reached out for her shoulder. She stiffened up when it touched her, but didn''t try to shake it off or move. Becket:"But it sure was a happy surprise. I''ve never had a more wonderful experience." *Well, it still doesn''t beat the sky diving sex, but maybe I could give it sixth place. I mean it was the first time I slept with a queen and a princess.* Now that I had sorted out that experiences ranking among my top ten I returned my attention to reality. Eva:"I e-enjoyed it too. I felt strange, but I''m glad I didn''t run away." *Should I tell her about the enchanted earring?* I mentally shook my head. *That would likely just cause more problems.* Becket:"Well, I am sorry that our first time together had to be so sudden and in such a weird way." She either hadn''t noticed or didn''t care that I had closed the distance between us. Eva:"I-It''s fine. I-I didn''t e-even really pay a-attention to who e-else was there at the t-time." Since her stuttering increase I assumed she had taken notice of how close we were. Becket:"Let me make it up to you. How about a massage?" Her face started to form a smile, but she was able to stop it before it fully took shape. She was trying so hard to maintain a stoic face like the one her mother often wears. Eva:"I would love one!" Even though she was able to prevent the smile her voice was still raised when she answered me. I lightly laughed as I helped her into position on the bed face down. Becket:"It''ll feel better without this on." Without asking I began pulling the negligee up in order to remove it. She nodded and helped me take it off her. Now she only had on a pair of light pink panties, but since she was lying face down her breasts were mostly out of sight. Becket:"I''m going to start now." I received another nod so I got to work. In my previous life I had massaged a few of my lovers; however, I was never as skilled as I was now. The gentle touch, flexible fingers and soft baby like skin that covered my entire body, including my hands, allowed me to raise the level of my massage skill. I couldn''t help but think an elf probably made the best lover. I took my time and ran my hands all across her body. After about an hour the massage began to change so she was now on her back facing me. I had avoided touching her in specific places so that I could save them for last. My fingers gently glided past her belly button and under the thin cloth protecting her most sensitive spot. She closed her legs on my hand so I began to kiss her. Slowly her legs weakened and released my hand. I separated our lips and moved to her neck then down to her chest. As her moans got louder I began to wonder what the guards outside the door were thinking while listening to us. I heard they had all been guarding her since she was a young girl and held a sort of fatherly love toward her. Those thoughts vanished as soon as she began to tighten the grip she had on me and slightly raised her hips. I smiled as she relaxed back into her bed. Her stamina was low since she was just a princess, but we were just getting started. Story Information Chapter 44- Shopping Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. :x I''m not planning on dropping Becket. I''ll be writing it along with the other story I plan to start. A comment in the last chapter mentioned using both first names which I decided to do. Morgan Vale will be my next main characters name. ************************************************ Chapter 44 I woke up the following morning with Eva snuggled up next to me. My arm was wrapped around her while her head rested on my chest. Looking around reminded me of the first time I opened my eyes in this world. There were very few differences between the current room and what it looked like back then so it felt a little weird. I easily escaped Eva''s grasp and began getting dressed. It was still early so after leaving her room I went to the library. When I was told about the goblin king mission the queen also mentioned that a new route into the dark continent had been found. It had caught my interest since the dark continent was so mysterious. Not only was this continent unmapped it was also where all the artifacts had been found. I pushed open the large double doors and entered the library. It had three floors filled with books available to me and a fourth floor below ground only available to royalty. I''m sure if I asked they would give me access to this floor, but I hadn''t thought about it until now. I didn''t want to bother anyone this early so I decided to stay on the floors available to me. I searched through all the geography books, but they didn''t have any useful information. Even if the dark continent was dangerous the edges should be mapped. Why hadn''t anyone mapped out the coast? This was strange so I figured some information had been purposefully left out. After going through a few more books, I found out that a small island near the dark continent was used as a base for groups headed there. No one wanted to spend the night on the dark continent so a town had formed in the island and was mostly filled with inns. Maybe this town would have maps of the coast? After searching for an hour I found no useful information so I decided to give up and leave the library. There were a few things I needed so it was time for a shopping trip. I stopped by my room in order to get a few gold coins out of my pack since I never carried it with me while inside the palace. I quietly opened the door to my room since Aria might still be sleeping. The lump under the bed sheets told me she was. Just as I finished removing the coin pouch from my pack I heard her move around on the bed. Aria:"Becket?" Becket:"Morning Aria." She began to rub her eyes while looking towards me. The bed sheet was still pulled up, but I could tell she was sleeping naked. *She probably wiggled out of her clothes again.* Becket:"I''m going out to buy some stuff. Do you want to come with me?" She jumped up from the bed completely revealing herself to me. Aria:"Yes!" Becket:"Then get dressed and brush your hair. It''s a mess." She searched around the bed for her clothes and quickly dressed herself then ran up to me. It was unclear where she was keeping it, but the brush was already in her hand. She held it out towards me with expectant eyes. Becket:"Alright." I took it and she spun around. Brushing it like this wouldn''t be a good idea so I first used my hands to slightly straighten it out then began to use the brush. After a few minutes everything was in order and we left the palace. The streets were just as crowded as usual so I kept Aria close. A few people actually tried to pickpocket me, but they left with broken fingers. Reporting them would be a hassle and I doubted they would try anything like this against me again so I let them go. They had absolutely no technique to their pickpocketing. Anyone would notice if you just shoved your hand into another persons cloak. Also never target someone that stands out as much as we do unless you have complete confidence in your skill as a pickpocket. The fact that we stand out so much is probably what caused them to target us. A well dressed elf accompanied by an attractive young woman with white hair would obviously draw a lot of attention. It takes a keen eye to find a target. Obviously, you need to avoid anyone carrying a weapon. If you are caught they can instantly retaliate against you. They also usually have a better sense of their weight. When the coin pouch is snatched from a veteran warrior it throws their balance off which immediately alerts them of what happened. If you''re only a mediocre thief then a fat target is the best option. Since being overweight can reduce blood flow and cause circulation problems, they are usually less sensitive to touch which increases the chances that they won''t notice anything. Of course it''s always safer to draw their attention to a different part of their body by making contact with it. The most common method is bumping into them. We finally made it to a shop I had passed a few times while walking around the city. The clothes displayed in their window had an unusual number for its thread count. I didn''t think this thread count was possible without the assistance of a machine. I already knew this world had a fairly advanced textile industry, but these clothes were comparable to the ones from my world. Elderly Woman:"Good morning." Sitting behind a counter at the back of the small store was an elderly woman with long grey hair. A smile appeared on her wrinkled face as she looked at Aria who was already browsing the wares lined up near the door. I strolled up to the counter and smiled at the woman. Becket:"Good morning young lady." She found my comment funny and chuckled. Becket:"Are you the one who creates these fine clothes?" Elderly Woman:"Not anymore. My granddaughter does all the work now, but I was the one who taught her. Why?" Becket:"I couldn''t help but notice how much work must have been put into making each piece. It piqued my interest so I thought I''d ask. How did you get such a high thread count?" The woman smirked then brought her thin finger up and waved it back and forth. Elderly Woman:"That''s a family secret. If you really want to know then try to win my granddaughters favor. If you marry into the family I''ll tell you, but it won''t be easy. I heard she''s recently found herself a boyfriend." Becket:"Your secret does make me want to try; however, I already have plenty of other problems so sadly I''ll have to leave your granddaughter to her boyfriend." Elderly Woman:"That''s disappointing. Lately she''s been spending more and more time away from this shop. If a young man like you showed interest in it maybe her love for this kind of work would return." The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. I had to keep myself from smiling. *She knows I''m a man!* Becket:"Working with a needle and thread has always been something that soothes me. I was only curious. I''ll give up on learning your secrets, but I would like to make some purchases." Elderly Woman:"Any special requests?" Becket:"I need a roll of beige fabric and black thread." I tapped my finger against my coin pouch while thinking. Becket:"Also, do you have any small beads?" Elderly Woman:"Will these do?" She reached under the counter and pulled out a small black bead. Becket:"It''s a little bigger than I''d like, but it''ll do. I need a few pounds of those beads." I wasn''t exactly sure how many I needed. If this wasn''t enough I could always get more later. Becket:"There''s one more thing. Do you have any mohair?" The elderly woman tilted her head. She was obviously confused. *Maybe it doesn''t exist here.* Mohair is what people typically use for doll hair. I couldn''t keep using my own hair for all the dolls Carmilla wanted. I didn''t actually think they would have any, but after seeing such well made clothes I thought it was a possibility. Becket:"Could you show me the thinnest thread you have?" Elderly Woman:"Sure." It took a minute of moving things around under the counter until she pulled out a spool of red thread. She passed it over to me and I examined it. Becket:"This is perfect. I''ll take this one and also some in black, yellow and white." The woman smiled as she lined up the other three spools of thread on the counter. She was a little slow as she gathered all of my order, but after checking over everything I got that short wait didn''t even bother me. I paid her a little extra since I wanted to be on her good side. Losing the right to shop here would really suck. Becket:"I''m very happy with my purchase so expect to see me again." Elderly Woman:"I''ll be patiently awaiting your next visit." I waved goodbye as Aria and I left the shop. There was nothing else I needed to do so we shoved our way through the crowd back to the palace. Aria:"What are you making?" We were back in our room and I had all the material I just bought spread out in front of me. Becket:"I''m making a doll." Aria sat down beside me. She looked pretty excited about what I told her I was making. Becket:"How about I model the first one after you?" Aria:"Can I have it?" Becket:"Sure." She watched for about half an hour as I worked, but she eventually wandered off. I thought Carmilla would like them more as beanie baby dolls and that''s why I bought those beads. That was a mistake. I spilled the beads three times while making the first doll. Adding the small details on the face wasn''t possible, but I tried hard to make it look like Aria. Even though I wasn''t getting paid for this I still wanted it to turn out good. The hair was easy since all I had to do was sew the thin white thread onto the dolls scalp. Each piece of the doll was made separately starting with the head, torso then arms and legs. They had all been sewn and filled with beads. I sewed all the pieces together at the very end and began working on the dress. Aria had told me to have the doll wear that red dress I made for her so I created a smaller version of it. I didn''t have anything I could use to make the wings so she turned out to be a wingless Aria. Becket:"Finally done." I held the doll up into the air and examined it. Becket:"Not bad. Maybe next time I should use fewer beads. She''s a little stiff." It was larger than I had originally planned, but I had to make it this big since the beads were larger than I wanted. The doll was about the size of an ordinary teddy bear. Still small but at least twice as large as the one I already gave to Carmilla. The red dress this doll was wearing could actually be removed so if I felt like it this doll could have its own wardrobe. I looked around the room for Aria. She had left a long time ago so I got up and set the doll on the bed next to the pillow. Maid:"Sir." I turned toward the door and saw the same maid that I often run into. She was carrying a sheathed sword in her hands. It was clutched to her chest. Becket:"Is that my sword?" Maid:"Yes sir. It was finished about an hour ago and I''ve come to deliver it." I walked up to her and reached my hand out. She carefully placed the sword in my hand and stepped back. Becket:"Thank you." Maid:"It was my pleasure sir." She bowed before turning and leaving. I looked down at my sword. It was obviously a few inches longer and there were grooves on the handle for my fingers. The guard extended out a couple inches in both directions and then curved upwards into a point on either side of the blade. Becket:"Not bad." The grooved grip was made of a smooth reddish brown wood while the guard was completely silver. I drew the blade from the sheath made of the same reddish brown wood with a black belt strap. It was a normal double edged european style sword except the silver blade had a purple shine. Just above the guard was a small black magic circle. I swung the sword around a few times to test it. It felt slightly heavier than my last sword, but there wasn''t any serious problems. I walked to the window and pointed the blade outside so that I could check the magic circle. Becket:"Alright lets see what you can do." I injected mana into the blade and in was absorbed by the magic circle. The blade suddenly became extremely light as if all the weight had vanished. Becket:"Is that it?" I was a little depressed. I expected it to be some sort of attack, but I guess this makes more sense. The sword was sheathed and strapped to my waist as I left the bedroom. I walked down the hallway with my hand placed on top of my new sword. A part of me really wanted to test it out. Maid:"Sir Becket." That maid showed up again. Becket:"Yes?" Maid:"A message just arrived from the adventurers guild. They are requesting your presence." Becket:"Right now?" Maid:"Yes sir." I sighed and took my hand off the swords hilt. Becket:"Alright." Testing the sword will have to wait. Story Information Chapter 45- Magical Contract Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. :x I think I told you all this before, but I''ve actually written a few stories and I''m not sure which to actually post. The one I''m currently leaning towards is called "I Wish". This is a quick synopsis: A high school girl finds a magical lamp that belongs to a Djinn named Morgan inside her neighbors apartment while she''s looking for his motorcycle keys and ends up wishing to be transported to a world of fantasy in order to become a hero. This story is not about that girl but Morgan who decides to also travel to this fantasy world since he''s so damn bored. ************************************************ Chapter 45 I whistled happily as I entered the adventurers guild. Having a new weapon always puts me in a good mood. It was pretty packed and the smell of sweat filled my nostrils. I glanced around at all the people while receiving a few glares. Man:"You must be Becket." A tall man wearing a white tunic and black trousers walked up to me. His short brown hair looked much cleaner than I expected. Most adventurers aren''t very clean after all so the scent of soap also surprised me. He looked to be around the same age as Gene and had a sword strapped to his waist. Becket:"Yes, I''m Becket. Who are you?" Man:"I''m Deris the head of this guild here in the capitol." *The guild head? What does he want from me?* Becket:"So, why''d you call me here?" Deris:"How about we talk somewhere a little more private." Without giving me a chance to answer he turned around and walked toward the receptionist counter. I quickly followed after him. Deris:"Take a seat." We had gone into the door behind the receptionist counter then down a hallway and entered this current room. Inside was a large desk covered in papers which reminded me of Sylvia''s study. In front of the desk were two couches facing each other with a table between them. I took a seat on the couch across from Deris. Why this room didn''t have any windows interested me, but I didn''t ask. Becket:"Well, are you going to explain?" Deris:"First I''d like to congratulate you on advancing to the rank of hero." He put his hands on both of his knees and bowed then straightened out and looked into my eyes. Deris:"Honestly an adventurer isn''t officially named hero until after their strengthening." Becket:"Strengthening?" *Oh! I just remembered Sylvia telling me about that!* Deris:"It''s a secret known only to the guild and we''d like to keep it that way so it is required for all heroes to sign a magical contract." Deris leaned forward sliding a piece of paper across the table. Deris:"All it needs is a single drop of your blood." I picked up the paper and began to read it. There didn''t seem to be any tricks and if there was I doubted the guild would still be in business after messing with someone like me. According to the contract I''ll instantly die if I try to reveal anything about the strengthening technique. I didn''t have any plans on telling others about it anyway. Becket:"Alright, I''ll accept the contract." Deris looked a little relived and his shoulders slightly relaxed as he let out a long sigh. I''ve heard heroes are extremely powerful so maybe being around me made him a little nervous. That''s not good for a guild head. Becket:"Does the blood need to go in a specific spot on the contract?" Deris:"No, just make sure it touches the paper." I nodded then looked at the paper as I sat it back on the table. *I feel like I''m always cutting myself since coming to this world.* I grew out the ice nail on my wyvern arms index finger until it looked like a small claw and sliced open my normal hand. There was more blood then needed, but my wound quickly closed up and the paper absorbed all the blood. It glowed for a few seconds then stopped. Becket:"Is that it?" Deris:"Yes, why?" Becket:"I was expecting more then a glow. Maybe it bursting into flames or something." Deris:"I don''t know of any contracts that burn immediately after finishing them. If they did then it would be voided." *Does he realize that he just told me how to void this contract?* Deris:"Doris!" A woman opened the door and walked in with a stone tablet in her hands. *Doris? Is that his sister?* Deris:"This is Doris and she''ll be helping you with the strengthening." Deris got up and walked towards the door as Doris took his seat across from me. Deris:"I''ve got other work to do, but I hope we meet again Becket." He disappeared behind the door. Doris:"Hello." She sat the stone tablet on the table after rolling the contract up and setting it next to her. Her brown hair was in a bun and she wore a plain blue dress. Doris:"Please put your hand on this tablet." I looked down at it for a second before placing my hand on top. Doris:"Now channel a little mana into it." I nodded then forced some of my mana into it. The tablet seemed to not want my mana and I ended up wasting a bit. Finally something happened.
Status
NameBecket Edwin
RaceElf
GenderMale
Age102ClassNone
TitleEsyn''s Bitch
Life Force2904Mana437
Level37Strength190
Endurance90Agility240
Stat Points: 1365
A blue box appeared on the tablet. It reminded me of the one that my title stone creates. Doris:"Most people don''t realize there is a system governing everything we do. When it judges we''ve gained enough accomplishments it rewards us with raising our level and gives us stat points. The problem with this system is that without the help of this tablet we wouldn''t be able to distribute those stat points." I stared at the blue box and the number of stat points I had. Doris:"Without this tablet you wouldn''t normally even know that everyone has a level." Becket:"So if I distribute these stat points my endurance, strength, agility, life force and mana will increase?" Doris:"Stat points can only be distributed to strength, endurance or agility. Life force and mana have to be increased through natural methods." Becket:"What about this class thing?" Doris:"You have the option to select a class which will slightly increase stats depending on the class and a new magic will become available to you." Becket:"New magic? Like what?" Doris:"It depends on the individual, but as an example I heard of a person that gained an ability to become invisible after selecting the Assassin class." *Classes sound interesting.* Becket:"Ok so how do I distribute my stat points?" Doris:"Tap your finger on the stat you would like to increase. If you want to drop 10 stat points at once then first touch your stat points once before touching where you want to drop 10. If you want to drop 100 then touch the stat points twice before selecting where to drop them." I nodded and began adding my stat points to my other stats. There were a lot of stat points so once I was done my stats looked completely different. Doris:"Now would you like to select a class?" I stopped for a second to think. Becket:"Can I change my class after selecting one?" This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Doris:"No." *So it''s a once only choice.* Becket:"Can I think about it for a day?" Doris:"Very well. Please return tomorrow with your decision." I stood up. Becket:"Thank you for your help Doris." She stood up too. Doris:"You''re welcome Becket." While opening the door I accidentally tore it off its hinges. I looked back to Doris. Doris:"Just leave it there. This happens a lot. The sudden increase in strength can be hard to manage. Be careful not to crush anyone." I leaned the door against the wall and quickly left the guild. The increase in strength was much more than I expected. I knocked over a lot of people while walking down the street. It also felt like I was moving in slow motion when I matched my pace to the people around me. Finally I reached my destination, Arnie''s shop. After I finish here I need to serious practice with my new speed and strength. Becket:"Arnie you here?" There was no one in his shop so I yelled. Since the door was unlocked I assume he''s here. After a few seconds he popped out of the door at the back. Arnie:"Perfect timing Becket. Would you mind giving me some more of that healing solution?" *I think I''m turning into a really creepy person. I''m giving Arnie bottles of my saliva and Carmilla a doll made with some of my hair.* I pulled out a few vials of my saliva that I had prepared before coming here and set them on the table next to him. Becket:"So, learned anything new about that trax stuff?" He smiled and came closer to me. Arnie:"I started human trials a couple weeks ago and they are turning out amazing." Becket:"So it works?" Arnie:"If you take the right amount it does. Too much will kill you and too little will deform you. The successful trials have only two side effects. The first is an increase in libido and the second is slight scaling on the back." Becket:"An increased libido can be managed, but how much is the slight scaling?" Arnie:"Just a single line of scales starting at the top of the spinal cord and stopping at your tail bone. With a shirt on they aren''t even noticeable." I nodded my head while listening. Becket:"Sounds good. Alright continue with your experiments." I pulled out an extra vial of my saliva and placed it next to the others. He was happy with my addition to his supply and greedily took them all. Arnie:"I''ll be getting back to work then." I nodded to him and left his shop. The walk back to the palace was just as difficult since I needed to take care not to accidentally kill anyone by bumping into them. The first thing I decided to do was practice and try learning a little restraint. A grin covered my face when I saw who was meditating in the training field. Becket:"Lets test my limits." I ran at full speed toward Aelisia who was sitting cross legged on the ground with her eyes closed. While focusing all my strength into my leg and driving it into her red chest plate I punted her into the sky. Becket:"Was that a little too much?" I couldn''t even see her anymore. I smiled and began to laugh. There wasn''t a single part of me that believed that actually did any damage, but I''m sure it annoyed the hell out of her. Aelisia:"You''ve suddenly jumped in power." I spun around to see her fist hit my chest knocking the wind out of me. Strangely that''s all it did. Aelisia:"Oh? Incredible! What happened to you!? How''d you get so strong?" She continued to ask me questions, but was also not giving me a chance to answer. Her fists never stopped flying at me as I swiftly avoided them. Honestly it wasn''t easy. It''s pretty hard to imagine how much she must have been holding back up until now. Maybe she''s still holding back. She slowed down so I took some distance and quickly unstrapped my sword belt. It was in the way so I tossed it aside. This is a battle of fists. Magic and weapons are obviously not allowed. They''ll only spoil the fun. Aelisia:"Oh! Are we getting undressed?" I threw my cloak aside and took my stance. She tore off her dented chest plate and removed her sword. Aelisia:"I didn''t expect to have this fight so soon. Makes me wonder where all this power suddenly came from." Her hair slightly swayed as she vanished. I threw up my guard just in time to stop her fist from crushing my jaw. A leg sweep came next so I lightly kicked off the ground and sent my knee into her stomach. She swatted it aside with her knee and shoved her foot into my ribs. Becket:"*Cough*" Blood spewed out, but I didn''t show an opening and got ahold of her foot that was still crushing one of my ribs. Becket:"Gotcha!" I pulled her to the ground and wrapped my legs around hers. She punched me in the back which made my spine tingle. SNAP I broke her leg, but she didn''t even flinch. That was expected so I released that leg and climbed up her body until I was sitting on her stomach. She was smiling and so was I. Aelisia:"Not bad." I sent a flurry of punches at her face. Only one got threw though. As my punches began to weaken she caught my right fist and used her other hand to crush my elbow with a quick strike. She took that chance to roll me over so that she was now on top. Many more of her hits made it past my defense since I only had one arm to guard with. I felt my nose shatter and blood fill my mouth and nostrils. Defending wasn''t working so I made a decision. I sacrificed my defense and drew my arm back while she smashed every bone in my face. I focused all my energy into my still good wyvern arm and landed a clean hit to her face sending her flipping through the air. Becket:"Ha..ha...ha...ha." Getting air into my lungs wasn''t easy. I stood up on my wobbly legs and firmly grabbed my broken arm then snapped it back into place. My whole body was kind of numb so it didn''t hurt too much. Aelisia had been sent flying into the forest so I quickly chased after her. During my short run to the forest I started to think of my first girlfriend. Aelisia actually reminds me of her. We met in a street fight with cash on the line and she kicked my ass. I lost over 100 dollars that day betting on myself. I kept betting more and she kept kicking me back down. My pride forced me to keep challenging her. *I guess I haven''t changed much.* I slowed down my pace as I found her leaning against a tree. Her leg was already popped back into place, but was still unusable. Becket:"Feel like giving up?" Aelisia:"Why? You tired already?" She spoke jokingly with a distorted smile on her face. My last strike to her face really did some damage. Before she could do anything I tackled her into a tree which broke in half when her back hit it. I also heard a few of her ribs crack. She sent another strike to my spine which caused me to lose feeling in my legs for a second. As I fell down I punched her broken leg causing her to fall with me. We both struggled on the ground trying to gain the top position. Eventually I won and pinned both of her arms down with my wyvern arm above her head. I smiled at my small victory then leaned down and locked lips with her. My blood poured into her mouth. I really couldn''t help myself and began to kiss her more passionately. Even though one of them was broken she still wrapped her legs around me. I released her arms and she immediately used her legs to throw me forward. My vision went black just as my face slammed into a tree. Story Information ************************************************ Now decide on which class you want Becket to pick. If you have an idea for a different class leave it in the comments. Unless I really like one of the classes left as a comment, I''ll be using the one that gets the most votes. Also I''d really like a comment on my idea for my next story. Chapter 46- Becket The ???? Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. :x ************************************************ Chapter 46 I slowly opened my eyes. Once again I had returned to my room from my previous world. Becket:"Damn it." ???:"Hello." I turned my head in confusion. This voice didn''t sound like Esyn. ???:"It''s nice to finally meet you. I''m Ofhena." Becket:"Ofhena? Another one of the gods." I narrowed my eyes at her. This was the first time I''ve seen a god other than Esyn. I knew the name Ofhena was the god the elves worshipped, but she didn''t have pointy ears. Her hair was long and blonde with green streaks that seemed to shine brighter than the rest of her hair. One of her eyes were blue while the other was green. She appeared to be about half a foot taller than me and wore a green formfitting strapless wedding dress with a sweetheart neckline. Ofhena:"Yes, I''m a god." Her dress looked like it would slide down at any second revealing her large chest. I couldn''t tell what kind of shoes she had on since her dress went all the way to the ground. Becket:"Haaaaaa....what do you want?" I sighed loud enough for her to hear and leaned back against my beds headboard. Just like all the other times I had come here I was back in my old body. I died needing a hair cut so it was slightly in my eyes. Even though I was almost 50 my body and face looked around mid 30s since I always ate healthy and worked out frequently. The scars covering my chest, back, arms and legs were the only flaws on my body. I had been lucky and didn''t have a single scar on my face. Ofhena:"I''ve come to both give you a gift and punishment." Becket:"Why do I need to be punished?" Ofhena:"Because you failed to complete the quest given to you by Esyn." I stood up. Becket:"I was told to leave for the Vampire continent in two months. I''ve still got a few days till then." Ofhena:"Actually you have one day, but that''s not the quest I was talking about." Becket:"That''s the only one she gave me." Ofhena:"You failed to conquer Aelisia." I closed my eyes in annoyance. The memories of what I was doing before coming here just resurfaced. *Damn. She beat me again.* Becket:"If you wanted her and me to get together you should have brainwashed her like the others. I''m not some Casanova that can get any girl he wants. Besides I''ve been busy." I was feeling a little down since Aelisia had tossed me into a tree after releasing her so I tried to defend my failure. Ofhena:"Don''t worry. I''m not nearly as mean as Esyn." I frowned. Becket:"Where is she by the way? Why are you the one here talking to me?" Ofhena:"She''s.......busy. I''ll be the one interacting with you from now on." My curiosity made me want to ask what she was doing, but I doubted I''d get an answer. Ofhena:"Ok! It''s punishment time!" I slightly flinched. Esyn threatened me with brain damage so I was obviously a little worried. Ofhena:"Done!" Becket:"Huh? I don''t feel any different." Ofhena:"Of course not. That''s not your real body." *Oh yeah.* She giggled. *Oh god! What did she do!* I was now very worried. Becket:"W-Would you please tell me what you did?" Ofhena:"You''ll see. It''s just a minor curse." I hung my head a little. *These damn gods and their games!* I wasn''t sure what the curse was, but it was obvious I wouldn''t like it. Ofhena:"It''s a curse, but I won''t tell you what it is. You''ll have to figure it out." She giggled again. I was eager to get out of here and see what she did so I tried to hurry things along. Becket:"Well, what about the gift?" Ofhena:"I first need to tell you about a problem.............wit your body." Becket:"A problem? What the hell is it now." Ofhena:"You''ve hit your limit. An elf''s body is too weak to continue being strengthened like you''ve been doing. If you keep going without fixing this you''re body will give out on you." Becket:"Damn it. So you''re saying I can''t get any stronger or else I''ll just be killing myself?" Ofhena:"Yes but I''m here to fix that." She held out both of her hands. In them were two pills. Ofhena:"Take the white pill and you''ll evolve into a high elf. Take the black pill and you''ll evolve into a dark elf." The pills were a little big so swallowing them will be a pain, but it''s better than being stuck at the same level of strength forever. Becket:"What''s the difference between a dark elf and a high elf?" I had read some fantasy novels; however, that was mostly just to kill time so I wasn''t sure about the distinctions between the different kind of elves. Ofhena:"The high elf is similar to the current you. Your nature ability allows you to grow small plants and strengthen them while a high elf has complete control over the planet. At the cost of most of your mana you''ll be able to grow an entire forest and mold the very land you stand on. With a single touch you can grow absolutely anything instantly. The very planet is under your control." *So stronger plant powers and something similar to earth magic. That could be extremely powerful.* Ofhena:"You''ll also be able to control all metals and wood." *Becoming a high elf is tempting. I wonder what a dark elf gets.* As if hearing my thoughts she immediately began explaining the abilities of a dark elf. Ofhena:"A dark elf loses its nature ability, but gains control over the atmosphere. They can manipulate the wind and all the elements that make it up. Anything that isn''t a solid or liquid will be under your direct manipulation. The weather, air pressure and even temperature will change as you wish it." *Atmospherical control. These elves sound way too powerful.* Ofhena:"Your appearance will change according to which one you pick and your mana pool will expand. A high elf''s strength and endurance will rise while a dark elf''s strength and agility increases." Becket:"These elves sound incredibly powerful." Ofhena:"They are, but high elves and dark elves no longer exist." Becket:"They don''t exist? What happened?" Ofhena:"They were the minority in the elven community, the only ones willing to fight. When the demons were being wiped out they tried to stand up to help and ended up getting killed with them. After their strength became known, they were seen as a threat and the few that didn''t get involved with the war were hunted down. Now they''re extinct." Becket:"How were they beaten?" Ofhena:"The humans had six summoned heroes with them. Those heroes were unimaginably powerful. There were originally seven, but one switched sides and was killed for it." *The heroes. This is the second time I''ve heard of them.* Ofhena closed her hands and retracted them. Ofhena:"You can pick whichever elf you wish to become and I''ll even let you keep the other pill. Make sure you don''t take both. They''ll definitely kill you. Even after evolving you''ll still need to train. Your mana pool is considered pitifully small for a high or dark elf. Their spells require massive amounts of mana so you''ll only be able to use a small portion of their power." I held out my hands for the pills. Ofhena:"You''ve already got them." As soon as she said that I felt her hand lightly hit my chest causing me to fall backwards into my bed. I shut my eyes instinctually them reopened them. Becket:"I''m back." I was resting in my bed in the palace. No one else was in the room. Becket:"How''s my arm." I pulled the blanket off me to inspect my body. Not a single scratch could be seen. I was completely healed. Suddenly I jumped up. Becket:"The curse! What did she do!?" I scanned my body, threw a few punches tested my magic, but couldn''t find anything wrong. Becket:"Was it a joke?" I sighed. *I hope it was a joke.* I currently only had on a pair of pants. The table off to the side of the room drew my attention. On it I could see the two pills Ofhena offered me. Becket:"High elf or dark elf." I picked up the pills and looked at them. While I was deep in thought I remembered what Ofhena said. Becket:"I''ve only got one day till I leave for the vampire continent." There were things I needed to do so I quickly got dressed. My sword that I threw off during the fight against Aelisia was leaning on the wall next to my bed. I strapped it to my waist and pulled on my boots then the black shirt I usually wear under my armor. My cloak was the last thing I put on before leaving. When I stepped out of my room Aelisia was standing there. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Aelisia:"Yo, have a nice nap?" Becket:"The nap was fine, but the dream was a little unpleasant." I turned away from her and began walking down the hallway. She followed after me. Aelisia:"Something seems different. Your aura has changed." Becket:"Hmm. How so?" Aelisia:"There''s a new color mixed in." From what I had been taught this seemed strange. According to Aelisia auras don''t change very often. In fact it''s very rare. *Does it have something to do with the curse?* Aelisia:"Well, guess it doesn''t matter. You''re a strange existence to begin with." She shrugged and gave up trying to figure out my aura. Even she doesn''t know what all the colors mean exactly. Aura reading isn''t her focus anyway. She''s trained to effectively use her aura in combat. Aelisia:"You''ve gotten a lot better, but you''d still die if you fought a Warlord to the death. I used the bare minimum of my aura magic and still won." I sighed. Becket:"You went easy on me?" Aelisia:"I didn''t use any special techniques so technically I did go easy." *Damn. I wonder what level she is?* Just imagining what level she must be frightened me. Since she didn''t have access to the adventurer''s guild''s stat distributor, that means her stats are high without using any stat points. What kind of a monster would she become if she did distribute her stat points? We separated at the palace gates after I told her I was heading to the adventurer''s guild. I felt like people were watching me as I moved through the crowd. A few even tried to touch me, but they were way too slow. After speaking to a receptionist Doris came out to meet me. Apparently Deris was busy. She led me back to the room I was in last time then left to retrieve the tablet. I noticed the door was already fixed. When she came back the tablet was placed in front of me on the table. Becket:"Is there a class you recommend?" Doris:"I''m not allowed to influence your decision." I nodded. If they recommended a class it could come back to bite them. They wouldn''t want a hero claiming they got a bad class because of the guilds recommendation. Because of the magical contract the hero wouldn''t be able to tell anyone about it, but the contract doesn''t stop them from using violence against the guild. I clicked on my class and a list popped up. This list had every class that was an option for me to take. According to Doris each person has different classes that they''ve unlocked. Mine were as follows: -Tamer -Gunslinger Tamer -Brawler Tamer -Harem Lord -Spy -Outlaw -Ranger -Tailor -Hero -Demon King -Gunslinger -Dark Druid -War Druid -Druid -Shaman -Mana Warrior -Magic Warrior -Ancient War Mage -Jack of all Trades -Mana Adept -Dragoon -Foreign Mercenary -Endless Warrior -Wanderer -Titan -Jar Head -Hunter -Brawler -Innermana Fighter -Fighter -Fist Fighter -Battlemage -Enhancement Shaman -Dracomancer -Dragoslinger -Manly Class -Baby Boomer -None Doris also told me it was possible to unlock more classes as I level up. After my conversation with Ofhena, I wanted a class to increase my mana pool. The classes didn''t come with a description so I wasn''t sure what they did. Mana Adept or Mana Warrior sounded like they might increase my mana pool. Becket:"I think I''ll pick Mana Adept." When I selected it the list vanished and returned to my status screen. Hero was a tempting class choice, but I had absolutely no clue what that class would do. Doris:"Hold out your title stone." I removed my hand from the tablet and stuck it out toward her. She chipped a small piece off of the tablet, smaller than my pinky nail, and touched it to my title stone. It was absorbed by my title stone causing it to change color into a grey. Doris:"Now you have access to your stats. Instead of coming here every time you need to distribute your stat points you can just do it on your title stone now." I decided to test it.
Status
NameBecket Edwin
RaceElf
GenderMale
Age102ClassMana Adept
TitleEsyn''s Bitch
Life Force2904Mana546
Level37Strength620
Endurance630Agility635
Stat Points: 0
Magics: [Nature] [Language Comprehension] [Fairy Blessing] [Wing Manifestation] [Healing Saliva] [Thermal Insulation] [Primal Sensing] [Vitality Manipulation]- 13 years [Vampire Eyes] [Pyrokinesis] [Limb Assimilation] [Scale Skin] [Cyrokinesis] [Womanly Aura] [Misdirection]
The updated title stone showed all my info and available magics. I had already realized that this list only included magic I could activate without a spell. The magic I learned from the gods wasn''t part of the list. The original Becket apparently knew healing magic, but since it requires a spell it also wouldn''t be on this list. Becket:"That bitch." Doris flinched when I said that. Becket:"Sorry, I wasn''t talking about you." I stood up. Becket:"I need to go. Thank you for this." I gestured at my title stone. Doris:"I was just doing my job." I smiled at her before leaving. After looking at my list of available magic, I was able to find out what the curse was. [Womanly Aura] wasn''t on the list until now. *Now I understand why people were messing with me on the way here.* I could guess that it was probably a passive magic that charms men. Becket:"Fuck those gods." Since I didn''t see him very much I stopped off at Gene''s. Before entering I used my vampire eyes to see how many people were there and luckily Alexa wasn''t. Gene:"Becket, good to see ya." He was cleaning the floor when I walked through the door. Gene:"Is it just me or are you much prettier looking today." Becket:"Shut up." I said weakly with a sigh. He noticed the aura, but didn''t seem to be drooling over me. Maybe it doesn''t work on people who know I''m a man? Becket:"I''m gonna be leaving for the vampire continent tomorrow." Gene:"Have a nice vacation." I pulled out a chair and sat down. Becket:"I''ll try." I opened up my stats and looked over them again. The Mana Adept class did increase my mana pool. The rest of my stats didn''t change from the last time I distributed points though. I also got a new magic called [Misdirection]. Out of boredom I tapped the skill.
[Misdirection]
Allows the user to redirect opponents mana based abilities.
Becket:"So I can pull up information on my magic. Is this knew or could the title stone do this before?" Gene looked at me as I was talking to myself. Gene:"Talking to yourself is a bad habit." *So is stalking a girl until she likes you.* Becket:"I''ll try to work on it." He went back to cleaning the floor and web back to fiddling with my stats. I clicked on my title and my list of titles popped up. Becket:"Oh thank god I can change it." I selected the hero title I got from ranking up in the adventurer''s guild. Becket:"Mana Adept isn''t quite as good as I hoped. The boost in mana is a plus." I tapped my class and the class listed popped up again. Becket:"N-No way! Is this a glitch?" ************************************************ After all the comments I was conflicted on what class to give him. I hope this makes everyone happy. Now decide on which pill Becket should take. This time the winner of the poll really will be what I use. Chapter 47- Pulse Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. :x No one seems to like the gods in my story. I feel so sad. Since there''s so much hate for Becket being under the gods, I''ll speed things along. A few things I originally had planned may change now. The reason I didn''t follow the class poll was because I''m more swayed by comments. Most of the comments wanted different classes. Just to let everyone know why I picked mana adept as his initial class was because the guy who left the class in the comments also came up with misdirection which I liked. The magic that came with it is why I decided to use it. I also didn''t think it really matter since he''s going to be switching between classes anyway. ************************************************ Chapter 47 ****************Ofhena POV**************** Ofhena:"He needs to hurry up and make me a body." I looked down onto the unconscious vessel lying in the bed. There was no longer a soul inhabiting it since I just sent him back. Ofhena:"You make us waste so much energy." I turned around and walked toward the bedroom door. It opened for me and I passed through it. Lissoth:"How was he?" In front of me was a young boy around 10 years old with short blue hair. He wore a purple shirt with black pants and boots. His eyes were two pools of total darkness. Ofhena:"I don''t think he likes us very much." Lissoth:"Good. The more anger and hatred he feels the longer we have." He motioned for me to follow him. Ofhena:"If we push him too far it could end badly for us." Lissoth:"We don''t have a choice. If we didn''t have his emotions to draw energy from we''d already have vanished." Ofhena:"He''s starting to like some of the people around him. Can''t we feed off those feelings yet?" Lissoth:"Not yet. His connection to them is still too weak." Ofhena:"He''s not a complete idiot. Eventually he''ll realize his anger towards us keeps vanishing." Lissoth:"That''s a good thing. Learning the truth will only make him angrier and give us more energy." We reached a pair of large double doors. Lissoth easily pushed the heavy looking doors open with one hand. Ofhena:"What if he decides to be spiteful and kill himself. You know we don''t have enough energy to revive him." The room we entered was filled with comfortable looking chairs and couches. Large pillows were scattered everywhere on the floor. The temperature was slightly warm, but there was a cool breeze blowing through the room even though there was no window for it to come from. Lissoth:"That''s why we have a back up plan." Ofhena:"Yes, but the back up plan won''t allow all of us to survive." Lissoth plopped down onto a chair much larger than he was. I sat on a pillow lying on the floor across from him. Lissoth:"We no longer need to worry about Esyn and if it''s necessary we can abandon Oteus. The rest of us should be able to make it." Ofhena:"I would prefer all of us surviving. Oteus too." Lissoth raised one of his eyebrows. Lissoth:"You''re not still loyal to him are you?" I lowered my head. Ofhena:"Of course not. I just feel it would be a shame to lose one of our comrades." I raised my head to see his reaction. It looked like he was about to say something when the doors we entered from suddenly swung open. Haarus:"I felt a surge of energy! You must have riled him up again!" A large man with bulging muscles barreled into the room. His brown hair and beard were both obviously unkept and he wasn''t even wearing a shirt or shoes. His dark blue pants were the only thing separating him from being nude. The muscles on his chest twitched as he walked up to us smiling. Lissoth:"Don''t waste it Haarus. We''re not sure when we''ll be able to get anymore." Haarus:"Don''t worry don''t worry!" He waved his hand at Lissoth as if he was blowing his warning off. Lissoth:"So is there a reason you''re here or are you just trying to annoy me?" Haarus:"Of course I have a reason! I was just checking up on Oteus and he''s obviously weakened!" Lissoth narrowed his eyes at Haarus. Lissoth:"He used up some of his reserved energy? What was he doing?" Haarus began scratching his head. Haarus:"Don''t know, but it must have been something big. He''s pretty weak right now." Lissoth closed his eyes for a few seconds. I knew he was trying to figure out what Oteus did. His eyes shot open. Lissoth:"Solomon''s ring is missing from the treasury! That bastard sent it to Becket didn''t he!" Solomon''s ring. A magical item that can put anyone under your control. It was equipped with a safety measure that requires two people to use it. Both the holder of the ring and the holder of the master mark must agree or else the ring is useless. Lissoth:"Shit!" Lissoth picked up the chair he was previously sitting in and threw it into the wall sending pieces of it flying all over the room. Lissoth:"If Becket has that ring we''re fucked! Kill him! Kill Oteus!" Ofhena:"No! Please wait!" He spun his head around and glared at me. I flinched under his gaze. Ofhena:"Th-This can still be turned into a good thing." He stomped over to me, who was still sitting on a pillow on the floor, and grabbed my throat. Lissoth:"How?" His face was so close I could feel his warm breath on my cheek. Ofhena:"W-We just need to win over the person he gives the ring to." After I finished speaking his grip on my throat tightened enough to block my wind pipe. Lissoth:"Then do it. If you can." He released me and I gasped for air for several seconds before finally being able to whisper again. Ofhena:"Yes sir." Haarus:"Gahahahahah! He got you good!" Lissoth:"Shut up Haarus." Haarus:"Guuuu!" Haarus fell over holding his hands on his crotch after Lissoth hit him there. Lissoth left the room angrily with his hands balled up into fists. ****************Becket POV**************** I selected the baby boomer class just to see if I could. Becket:"Unbelievable." My class immediately changed. I clicked on it again and the list of classes popped up. Becket:"I really can switch between classes." I switched back to Mana Adept then stood up. Becket:"Sorry Gene but I gotta go." I wanted to spend some time here and be a little lazy, but this glitch changes things. Gene:"Alright see ya later." He kept scrubbing the floor and just gave me a wave. I''d actually like to discuss this with him, but I can''t mention classes or anything like that because of the magical contract. The training field wouldn''t be private enough so I exited the city and found a nice river to sit beside. A few monsters attacked me and got incinerated by a burst of flames or frozen solid. I don''t want to accidentally die by somehow revealing information against the rules of the magical contract so isolation was necessary for the time being. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Death was not something I was in the mood for. My life may be under someone else''s thumb right now, but as long as I''m alive I have the chance to change that. My research began by equipping each class and taking a look at its additions to my current arsenal. Some of the classes would increase my stats, but not all of them. Every class did give me at least one new type of magic; however, once I switched to a different class that magic vanishes. Switching between classes in the middle of a battle just so I can use a different magic could be dangerous. When I set my class as tamer, a tingle starting at my foot ran up my body. The masters mark was the source of the tingle. *Is the masters mark why I unlocked tamer classes?* It was just a guess, but I hadn''t done anything that might give me a tamers class since coming to this world so maybe the mark is what unlocked it. How I got the class didn''t really matter anymore so I decided to stop thinking about it. The wanderer class was pretty cool since it gave me a magic that allowed short range teleportation. Endless Warrior had a magic that converted mana into stamina so as long as I had mana I wouldn''t become exhausted in the middle of a fight. The Mana Warrior class had a magic that strengthened my body just like the magic I already learned from the gods. Becket:"I wonder what would happen if I stacked both of those strengthening magics?" I wasn''t sure if I should select the Demon King class. It hadn''t happened yet, but it''s possible my mental state could be affected by one of these classes. I didn''t want to actually turn into a demon king. After a few hours of messing around with my classes and new abilities, I decided to finish up. Since Mana Adept was the class I originally picked, I set it as my class once again. I pulled out the two pills given to me by the gods. My decision had already been made so putting it off anymore would be stupid. I put the black pill away and held the white one up to examine it once more. Becket:"Hope this doesn''t hurt." I popped the pill into my mouth and swallowed it. Since the pill was rather large, it didn''t go down easily. A sense of warmth spread throughout my body. At first it was comfortable then the heat began increasing. Becket:"What is that!?" I could feel something squirming under my skin. It was a very uncomfortable feeling. I was covered in sweat from the heat my body was producing and I couldn''t stop scratching. My clothes started to feel suffocating so I completely undressed and jumped into the river trying to cool myself down. An intense headache made it feel like my skull was slowly breaking open. I thrashed around in the water trying to keep from tearing my own skin off. My fingers twitched at the thought of digging into my flesh and pulling out the snake like things crawling under it. One of them finally broke through the surface. A green vine covered in my blood tore out of my elbow and wound itself around my arm. Becket:"Aaaahhhhh!" The vines began sprouting out from under my skin in various places all over my body dyeing the water around me red. The vines finally stopped moving after my entire body was covered in them. The wyvern arm was the only part of me unaffected. The thought to tear the vines off was immediately dismissed since they were embedded in me. There was nothing I could do except endure the pain so that''s what I did. Shortly after the vines covered my face I blacked out. There was no dream while I was unconscious, but I did hear a strange sound the entire time. I could feel the cool sensation of the dirt and hear the soothing sound of the river. My eyes slowly opened as I pushed myself off the ground. That strange sound was still thumping away, but I couldn''t tell where it was coming from. My legs felt a little wobbly so I crawled over to the river in order to see my reflection. Becket:"What is that sound?" When I saw my own reflection, I felt slightly depressed. My hair had once again grown out and reached a little past my shoulder blades. It was still blonde, but there was a kind of white radiance making my hair glow and sparkle. My eye lashes seemed longer and my lips looked a little thinner. It wasn''t a huge change; however, I looked like an even more attractive female. Becket:"I give up. If I keep worrying about how I look it''ll get me nowhere." I resigned myself to always looking like a girl. There was no point in fighting it. In the short amount of time I''ve been in this world I was about to finally start building some muscle onto this body. It wasn''t a lot of muscle, but I was still happy. That muscle was now gone and my body had a thin frame with no definition. As long as I covered up the thing between my legs I would look completely female. If I saw a girl that looked like me, the flat chest wouldn''t even be a bother. Becket:"Guess I''ll get dressed." It was a good thing I was still recognizable. Except the sparkly radiance covering my hair and the even softer feminine features, I still looked like Becket. Anyone that knows me could easily tell that it''s me. The gods probably wanted me to still look like myself so that the girls they brainwashed could recognize me. I pulled myself onto my feet and took a step toward my clothes. With each step my understanding of that strange sound became clearer. It must have been instinctual for a high elf. The sound was actually the planets pulse. Somehow I knew this pulse was a very important factor in using my new abilities as a high elf. Becket:"Haaaa.......I better get back to the palace." I sighed as I got dressed. My body was feeling pretty tired, but I needed to write a few letter before going to sleep so I hurried back. Story Information ************************************************ Sorry this chapter was a little late and a little short. I''d like you to help me come up with a few magics for my classes. If you have any ideas post them in the comments. Here''s the list of classes. -Tamer -Gunslinger Tamer -Brawler Tamer -Harem Lord -Spy -Outlaw -Ranger -Tailor -Hero -Demon King -Gunslinger -Dark Druid -War Druid -Druid -Shaman -Mana Warrior -Magic Warrior -Ancient War Mage -Jack of all Trades -Mana Adept -Dragoon -Foreign Mercenary -Endless Warrior -Wanderer -Titan -Jar Head -Hunter -Brawler -Innermana Fighter -Fighter -Fist Fighter -Battlemage -Enhancement Shaman -Dracomancer -Dragoslinger -Manly Class -Baby Boomer Chapter 48- Monster Hunt Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. 8) For those that don''t remember, Sasha is the beastgirl from that group of adventurers. She has a twin sister named Clara who attends a magic school. Sorry it took so long for this chapter to be released. I found out that my mother has breast cancer which she has apparently had for a few years without realizing. She set up a go fund me account and I''ll be adding a link to it at the end of this chapter if anyone wants to donate. ************************************************ Chapter 48 *****************Clara POV****************** I was eating my lunch alone once again. The tree I sat under shaded me from the suns rays and a cool breeze kept me comfortable. The other students were all eating in groups and talking happily in the lunch area, but I was currently isolated. This tree is on the edge of the campus so I''m unlikely to be disturbed. Clara:"This food sucks." Like usual I bought my food from one of the cheap stalls set up by locals trying to make money off the students. It was just a plain sandwich. This was how my lunch typically went so I just quickly ate the sandwich and waited for the break to end. The fact that I''m of the beast race has kept me isolated ever since coming to this school. There are actually plenty of beast race students, but they are all in the warrior classes while I''m in mage classes. I was one of the rare cases where someone from the beast race was born with high levels of inner mana. Because of my races natural magic we are usually born with very little mana, but as if to make up for that weakness we typically become very powerful warriors. My lack of skill as a warrior created a gap between me and the others of my race while my uniqueness as a mage of the beastman race has scared everyone in my class off. I stood up and looked toward the academy. Its main building has five floors that are all filled with classrooms. Most of these classes are magic related since the warrior classes are usually hands on and take place outside. Each building on the academy''s campus has been painted with a layer of mana dispersing paint and the stones used to make the school are specially crafted to resist magic. The stones are black while the paint is clear which gives the school a glossy black look. Vandalism is the one crime on campus that''s not taken lightly. If you purposefully damage one of the buildings the school immediately kicks you out. Anyone not enrolled or working here aren''t allowed on campus without special permission and someone is always assigned to supervise them. The academy cost an unimaginable amount of money to build so even small acts of vandalism take a lot of money to repair. The warrior students are the ones this rule was made for since the mages can''t even scratch the walls. Clara:"Guess it''s about time to get back." It took a few seconds to dust my clothes off and begin walking back to class. The teacher lectured about magical theory while most of the class ignored him. This class was required, but only the students planning to research magic actually cared about it. Even though I wasn''t planning on going into magical research I still quietly took notes. Teacher:"Next weak we''ll be starting on runes which are also commonly referred to as magical circles. Be sure to get your hands on a rune crafter before then." Student 1:"Finally." Student 2:"It''s about time. This class has been completely useless so far." Learning to draw runes usually begins about half way into the year and they are the reason why this class is required. The reason runes are taught in the magical theory class is because runes sometimes are easier if you understand the fundamentals of magic. Most mages are split on this subject. Some say learning magical theory first allows students to craft better runes while other mages claim it''s all based on each individual students natural skill. Teacher:"Class dismissed." I swiftly left my desk and exited the classroom. Since the campus is so large it took me a while to reach the main gate and finally step out onto the main road. It was pretty packed with students trying to get home and even some teachers. Just a few days ago I received the report from the adventurers guild. The request I put up to investigate Becket was finally completed. Finding information about him was apparently quite easy. He was hired by on of the knight captains and began working as a healer at the palace. Not very long after starting he was accused of assaulting the princess, but that problem turned out to be some kind of misunderstanding which has already been worked out. The report continued to say that he challenged the princess''s fianc¨¦ to a dual for the rights to marry her. Becket won and even claimed the fianc¨¦''s life. Later his engagement to the princess was announced. During the ball where he made his first public appearance there was an attack by some of the nobles that didn''t approve of the engagement. The attack began with the summoning of an ice wyvern. Becket was reported as the one who single handedly defeat it then he assisted with the siege of the churches within the capitol that had been won over by the nobles attempting this rebellion. The last piece of information was that he registered a group in the adventurers guild with two vampires and then made some deal with the guild in order to instantly increase in rank from explorer to the highest rank of hero. This special treatment has left a lot of adventurers angry with him, but the job he took to reach the top required his team to massacre the goblin king and his army so this has kept everyone in check. He''s currently living in the palace. All of the information I was able to gather on him has only increased my wariness. People who have reached his level of strength are rarely kind and can even be extremely dangerous to get involved with. I know it would be best to keep as far away from him as possible, but a part of me truly wishes to meet him. I''m afraid that if he appears in front of me I won''t be able to deny him even if he''s an unimaginably terrible person. Without ever meeting him I''m already completely in love with him, but that is what frightens me the most. I don''t even know what kind of person he really is. The crowd around the adventurers guild was just as packed as the one outside of my schools front gates. Most students pick up a request at the adventurers guild in order to train their magic or skill as a warrior. The guild allows nonmembers to take some requests, but they''re all low ranking jobs so many students end up joining the guild in order to get more difficult missions. Clara:"Sasha!" I stuck my hand in the air and called out to my sister. When she heard my voice, she turned toward me and began making her way through the crowd. Like usual she used a cloak to cover herself. She''s a bit shy so the cloak makes her feel more comfortable. Sasha:"Sister." Her voice was low and because of the hood I couldn''t see her face very well. A hand stuck out if her cloak holding a piece of paper. I took it and gave it a read. Clara:"This looks good. We need a few more things so we''ll have to make a stop at a couple shops first." Written on the paper was information regarding a massive subjugation request the guild put out. Since we were a little low on money we decided to join the subjugation request. It would be starting tomorrow, but everyone planning on participating had to gather at the base of Rivet Mountain tonight. Since we''ll be camping out for about eight days, we need to get a few monster repellent stones, some food and other minor supplies so that we can sleep outside without worrying. Clara:"Lets go." It didn''t take us long to get everything together and head towards the mountain. Many adventurers had already gathered and were setting up camp. The adventurers guild selected a representative, to organize and lead this large scale subjugation, named Zander. His rank within the guild is only Guardian, but he''s still the highest ranked person here. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Zander:"Welcome fellow adventurers to this years monster hunt." Zander had created a stage using earth magic and was currently addressing all of the adventurers. The faint luster his brown hair gave off and expensive looking clothes told everyone he came from a prosperous family. His blue cloak covered up most of his figure, but he took a few steps causing it to flutter and reveal a well trained body that couldn''t be hidden with clothes. He was still thinner than your average warrior since he was obviously a mage. Zander:"As you all should know by now the monsters on this mountain become very violent once every year so the adventurers guild puts up a request to subjugate them. Some of you may have participated in this event last year and are already familiar with the rules, but for those of you who are joining us this year I''ll go over them for you." Sasha and I stopped setting up our camping area and turned to listen since this was our first time joining the monster hunt. Zander had a bright smile on his face while he continued speaking. Zander:"All of you will gather in front of me in the morning and I''ll put you into groups. For the people already in a group I''ll allow you to begin the hunt first thing in the morning. At least five people are required to make up one group." I frowned and glanced at my sister. Since I''m here it should be fine, but usually she would avoid joining a group of strangers. If she doesn''t have someone she trusts with her, she prefers being alone. Zander:"My group will pass out maps for everyone once all of the teams have been formed. Certain spots have been marked in red and are considered extremely dangerous zones so it would be best if you avoid those areas. Other than that the only rules are to avoid conflict with other groups and be sure to collect proof of subjugation or else you won''t get paid for the monsters you kill." Zander clapped his hands together and beamed an even brighter smile to the crowd of adventurers. Zander:"After eight days of hunting with your group we''ll all gather here once again and leave the mountain. You''ll be left behind if your late. I also advise you to refrain from staying an extra day since the more powerful monsters will begin to come out. These eight days are a grace period where the boss monsters hibernate. Fighting one is very dangerous so be sure to make it back here on time. The more experienced adventurers will begin their hunt once we leave." When he finished talking, he leapt off the stage and walked away. He had his hands behind his back with a happy look on his face. It''s obvious he''s really enjoying his position as leader. Sasha:"Sister." Sasha called to me in order to get my attention. When I glanced back at her, she wasn''t looking at me so I moved my gaze to the direction she was looking. Someone was making their way through the crowd of people headed in our direction. Clara:"Who is it?" I whispered to myself while waiting for the person to be revealed. A body finally stepped out of the crowd. It was a very beautiful woman. She had on a dark grey cloak, white shirt, grey pants, black boots and a black satchel. Even though her clothes were plain looking her beauty still made them look very fashionable. Her long green hair was so glossy and clean that it didn''t fit her outfit. Her pair of emerald green eyes looked directly at me. Clara:"An elf." Her pointy ears easily revealed what her race was. Her bust size looked a little larger than mine and her height was also slightly more than my own. Elf Girl:"Hello." When she finally made it over to where we were standing, a beautiful smile greeted us. Elf Girl:"My name is Ilyana." Clara:"H-Hello, I''m Clara and this is my twin sister Sasha." I was a little stunned at first so I stuttered, but quickly got myself to calm down. Ilyana made my heart skip a few beats. For a second I really thought she was Becket. Her face looks eerily similar. Sasha remained quiet. Ilyana:"I noticed the two if you were alone and I was wondering if you''d like to form a group with me. We''ll still need to find two more people though." I didn''t even hesitate before answering. Clara:"Sure!" A few races believe elves have a natural charm ability. The church tried to test the theory and after much research they announced that the elves have no such ability, but now I''m thinking it might be true. Ilyana:"Thank you." She took both of my hands into hers and happily thanked me with an exquisite smile. I couldn''t stop myself from blushing. *I-It must be because of that face! It really does remind me of Becket.* Sasha:"Aren''t you a pacifist Ilyana?" After hearing what my sister said, my thoughts finally started to clear up. Ilyana:"Yes, I''m a healer so I''ll have to leave all the hard work to the two of you." It wasn''t until now that I realized she didn''t have a weapon. This wasn''t strange since elves normally don''t carry weapons and try to avoid any type of confrontations. Most of the elves that leave their homeland work at the churches as healers or are employed as a healer for some rich merchant or noble. Your average elf would never come to this monster hunt. Clara:"That''s fine." I could tell Sasha still had her guard up, but I just couldn''t deny this girl. Did she look similar to Becket just because they are both elves? I''m sure Sasha couldn''t trust her because of those similarities. We ended up taking her back to where we set up camp and she spent the night with us. The base of the mountain was a comfortable temperature so when the fire went out no one cared to relight it. Also the monster repellent stones set up in a large circle around our camp allowed us a little assurance to sleep without worry. Both my sister and myself had bought a sleeping bag made from a carnivorous hare so they were fairly comfortable. They were cheap so both the top and bottom were open which I guess makes it not really a bag anymore. Adventurers usually focus more on the defensive properties of their sleeping bags since you''re the most vulnerable in your sleep so most of them are stiff and hard to properly rest in. The monster repellent stone we bought were also the cheapest so they can be broken by a powerful monster, but we''re unlikely to run into any that strong. I fell asleep easily while snuggled up in my mildly comfortable sleeping bag. Ilyana slept a few feet away from me and Sasha was another couple of feet on the other side of Ilyana. I woke up to the sensation of someone climbing into my sleeping bag from the opening at the bottom. Their hands were very small and delicate as they gently glided up my legs. Clara:"Wh-What are you doing!" I angrily whispered. It was easy to tell who it was since I just had to look to my side to see Ilyana wasn''t there sleeping. Ilyana:"I''m just thanking you for letting me group up with you." Her voice sounded a little excited. Ilyana:"Now be a good girl." Clara:"Eeeehhhh!" I covered my mouth to keep anymore sudden noises from escaping. Ilyana''s hands were all over a very sensitive spot which caused me to squeal. Being of the beast race I was naturally strong with a lot of endurance, but I felt like I was melting in her hands after only a few minutes. That was a very long night. Story Information ************************************************ For anyone that may be suspicious Ilyana isn''t a trap like Becket. Here''s the link if anyone wants to donate and help with my mothers breast cancer. Thanks in advance. GoFundMe Link Chapter 49- Scam Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. ;) It''s getting harder to write this story. I''m taking a long time now just to write one chapter. My ideas are running dry. Sorry about the long release schedule lately. ************************************************ Chapter 49 *****************Clara POV****************** I lost myself for a short time, but when my reasoning came back I was able to drive her away with a few kicks. She didn''t bother me again for the rest of the night. Worrying about her coming after me again kept me from falling asleep, and I was completely worn out by the time everyone started getting up. Ilyana cooked breakfast for us which was really delicious. She didn''t eat it though and instead pulled out a yellow stone. This yellow stone gave off a faint light and I could tell it was condensed mana. It was interesting to watch her eat it like some kind of a fruit. Sasha:"What does that taste like?" Surprisingly Sasha decided to talk to Ilyana. Ilyana:"Taste? Hmmmm." Ilyana began to slowly chew the piece of condensed mana in her mouth while thinking about what to say. Ilyana:"It doesn''t really have a taste, but I do get a feeling when eating it." Sasha:"What kind of feeling?" Ilyana:"A sense of comfort and ease washes over me." It looked like Sasha actually wanted to talk more; however, I spoke up. Clara:"We need to find a couple more people to join our group." I wanted to join in their conversation, but I felt a little awkward talking to Ilyana after what happened last night so I decided to force a new conversation in order to change the atmosphere between us. Though this awkwardness was something only I felt. Ilyana:"Most people seem to have already grouped up so it''s gonna be hard to find people." Ilyana responded to me in a casual tone while Sasha just nodded. We were trying to think of what to do when a man walked up to us. Ashen:"Hello ladies." My body tensed up when I saw his face. It just screamed villain. He was obviously trying to look friendly with a smile, but those sharp eyes and stern looking face made it impossible. Ashen:"My group noticed the three of you were unable to find enough people so our leader thought to invite you to join us." He pointed towards his group and instantly I recognized the leader. Ashen:"Our leader, Zander, couldn''t stand the thought of leaving you three all alone." Ilyana:"We''re fine alone." Ilyana''s voice sounded a little cold. Mr Villain looked angry............wait........that''s just his face. Ashen:"That''s no good! The monsters around here may be weak right now, but you never know what could happen." This time I decided to speak. Clara:"We''ll be fine even if strong monster appear. Thank you for your offer, but we''d rather be alone." Mr Villain narrowed his eyes. Ashen:"According to the rules we can''t allow you three to continue without a group of at least five." Clara:"We''ll find some more people. Now excuse us." I wanted to end the conversation so I grabbed Ilyana and Sasha''s hand then pulled them both away. That man was too suspicious. He kept his eyes on us until we were out of sight. ****************Becket POV**************** Traveling by wagon really sucks. It''s already been a full day since we began our journey toward the vampire continent and the constant shaking is a real pain in the ass. I said my goodbyes to everyone then left with Carmilla and Bram. Sylvia wasn''t feeling well so I ended up not being able to see her before leaving. Aria was mad since I left her behind, but she''ll only be trouble so I didn''t have a choice. To make up for it I''ve decided I''ll do something special with her when I get back. I''ve left it up to her to decide the specifics. Before leaving I paid the adventurers guild to send a letter to Sasha. I was starting to get a little worried since she never responded to my message on the title stone. Becket:"Here you go Carmilla." I passed a new doll over to her. Like the last one I made it was based on Aria. Carmilla showed a very attractive smile while receiving the doll. Becket:"I''m gonna stretch my legs." My voice was loud enough to reach Bram who was currently sitting up front controlling the wagon. Carmilla ignored me since she was completely focused on inspecting the new doll, but Bram gave me a nod. I climbed off the wagon and began walking behind it. Becket:"It''s getting easier." The earth pulse emitted faint traces of energy. As long as I focused on the sound the flow of energy coming from the planet became visible. I''m not sure if it''s actually called the earth pulse, but that''s what I''ve decided to call it. It was becoming easier for me to sense the pulse and the energy it emits. The energy flows into the dirt, trees, rocks and all the different kinds of plants. Since high elves are masters of nature and earth magic I assume their secret is actually this energy. Learning how to connect to this energy is likely the key to using a high elf''s abilities. I can feel this energy in the clothes I''m wearing and the sword at my waist. If my guess is correct I''ll be able to manipulate anything that originates from the planet once I learn to use this energy. In most places the earth pulse is so weak that I can''t hear it without focusing. It becomes easier near bodies of water. I''m not sure why. Bram:"There''s a town ahead of us." A tall wooden gate came into view several meters down the path we were currently on. This town is a marker for people leaving the capitol. Once you pass it the royal families influence begins to weaken. The villages around the capitol are considered under the direct rule of the royal family so they directly govern the land, but once we pass through this town we''ll enter one of the noble''s territory. The human continent has a total of 14 noble families that each govern their own land. The royal family manages the capitol and all surrounding villages. A town is set up to mark the border of each nobles territories. Every territory, except the areas governed by the royal family, has four marker villages. One marker village is located at the northern most part of their territory along with a village in the south, west and east. The royal families territory has 14 marker villages designating the start of each nobles territory. If you were to look on a map you would see the royal families territory creates a large circle around the capitol. Becket:"After we pass here, the real journey begins." I talked to myself while we approached the wooden gate. Two knights in full armor stood on each side dressed in silver. Both of them had spears and a sword at their waist. Thanks to a special pass we received from the princess before leaving, the guards let us easily enter the town. Since the main road ran straight through the town, we had to go in even though we planned to immediately leave out of their eastern gate. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. No one paid any attention to us since we were all dressed in plain clothes. I had gotten use to wearing fairly expensive clothes along with some of the knight armor so I felt a little funny. Even the vampires usually wore high class clothing. Currently I had a pair of cream whit pants on along with brown leather boots and my green leaf coat that I hadn''t worn in a while. My hair was pulled back in a ponytail since it was long again. Shady looking man:"Hey Miss Elf!" A shady looking man with his hood up approached me while we were on our way toward the eastern gate. Shady looking man:"I''ve got something I''m sure you''ll want to buy! Look! Look!" He stuck his hand into the sack he was carrying and pulled something out. Becket:"An.......ocarina?" He was holding a blue ocarina. *Why would he think I might want to buy that?* Shady looking man:"It''s a magical ocarina!" Becket:"I don''t need it." This man was obviously trying to scam me so I brushed him off. Shady looking man:"W-Wait! It really is magical!" The man kept trying to sell it to me while explaining the history of the ocarina. I only half listened so all I heard was that an elf was the previous owner and supposedly it could be used to travel through time. It got a little annoying so I eventually frightened the man off by displaying some fire magic. Becket:"Such a dumb scam. An instrument that can time travel. How stupid." I sighed at the man for his lack of creativity. Becket:"No one will fall for such an obvious scam." Not long after that we made it out of that town and officially entered one of the 14 noble''s territory. Once again I began to focus on the sound of the earth pulse. The energy particles became visible and I tried to connect to them. That''s when I finally noticed something. Becket:"I''ve seen this energy before." This was the same energy the gods implanted knowledge of into me. Becket:"Then why can''t I connect to it?" I didn''t understand. If this truly was the same energy then shouldn''t I already be able to connect to and manipulate it? What was preventing me from moving forward? Becket:"Confirma!" The energy coursed through my body. It felt much stronger than the last time I used it. Maybe a high elf''s body was more suited to using this magic or perhaps it was just because I''ve gotten stronger since then. Becket:"It''s different." I could sense a slight difference between the energy in my body and the energy floating up from the earth pulse running under my feet. It was very similar, but also very different. Becket:"It''s the quality isn''t it?" It''s only a guess, but I think the energy currently running through my body is a refined version of the energy coming from the earth pulse. Becket:"That must be the reason. My body is use to handling a version of this energy with the impurities removed so processing it in its natural state must be difficult." I sighed. Becket:"Damn gods. Didn''t they realize this would happen?" I immersed myself in thought. Magic is a strange thing so I wasn''t sure if my assumption was even correct. Perhaps I''m just not suited for using this type of energy. Becket:"No, there''s definitely a way to connect to this energy." Carmilla:"What are you doing?" Until now I had been watching the ground while I walked as if keeping my eyes on it would help somehow, but her voice caused me to look up. She was sitting on the back of the wagon with her legs dangling off staring at me. Both of the doll I made were in her lap. Becket:"Practicing magic." She picked up the dolls in her lap and set them down next to her then jumped off the wagon. While facing me she walked backwards so that we could talk. Carmilla:"I know some magic." Becket:"Oh? What kind?" I was interested in what kind of magic a vampire used so I asked. She came close to me and smiled revealing her fangs. Carmilla:"Bodily magics." Becket:"Bodily magic?" She had a confident look on her face. Carmilla:"It''s the strongest magic." She shook her head up and down agreeing with her own statement. Carmilla:"It changes a persons body. Strengthening it, transforming it or affecting it in any way." Becket:"Transformation? Like a werewolf?" Carmilla looked disgusted for a second. Carmilla:"Those dogs do use a type of transformation magic which is technically a bodily magic, but theirs is much more limited when compared to a vampire''s." Carmilla raised her hand and spread her fingers. The nails began to extend a few inches and formed a sharper point making them look very deadly. Carmilla:"Vampires are masters of their body. We can transform pieces of ourselves instead of a full transformation. Those dogs lack the fine control over the transformation process." *I''m surprised. She''s not as dumb as I thought she was. I didn''t think she would be able to explain her own magic in this much detail.* Becket:"So werewolves and vampires have similar magic? I wonder if they''re somehow related?" I spoke that last part low so that she wouldn''t hear it. She obviously holds some dislike for the werewolf race so I didn''t want to anger her. Carmilla snorted coldly. Carmilla:"Wild mutts can''t even be compared to a vampire. Their magic is pathetic, but they do have those instincts which makes them a real annoyance. Crushing some of them can be rather difficult for a lower vampire." Becket:"So you''ve fought werewolves?" Carmilla:"Of course. I can''t even remember the number of how many I''ve killed in my life. Those savages should just quietly surrender to us vampires." Becket:"Could you explain mana to me?" Carmilla tilted her head. Carmilla:"You''re practicing magic without knowing about mana?" Becket:"No, I know a little about it. I was just interested in hearing about it from you." I was still perplexed on how to connect to the earth pulse''s energy so I figured maybe her explanation on mana might give me an idea. I was taught to try looking at things from a different angle when it gets too difficult. It''s possible her view on mana differs from my own. She brought her hand up to her chin and made a pose as if she was thinking deeply about how to answer my question. Her blood red eyes looked directly at me. Carmilla:"Mana is......" . . . . . Carmilla:"......Magic!" *Maybe she is an idiot.* Story Information Chapter 50- Sage Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. ;) I''d like to make it clear that I currently have no plans to go on a hiatus. My comment from last chapter was just to warn everyone that my rate of releasing chapters may not be very fast, but I''ll still try to get at least one chapter a week out. My mothers going in for surgery today so they can try to remove the cancer before it spreads further. I''m letting you know since in a week or so it might become harder for me to write and post a chapter. If I disappear for a short time know that this story definitely will not be abandoned. It''s unlikely that I''ll disappear, but I''m warning everyone just in case. ************************************************ Chapter 50 ***************Hains Mansion*************** After refilling everyones cup the maid placed the teapot back on the cart and pushed it off to the side. Gathered around the table were eight men who all wore high quality clothes. Three had newly polished armor on, two wore robes, and the last three were dressed in a more business like fashion. Edward:"Leave us." Maid:"Yes sir." The maid left immediately after receiving an order from her master. The man who issued the order sat at the head of the table and was one of the two men that wore a robe. His name was Edward Hains. The robe he wore was green which told everyone in the room that he was a Grandmaster Magus. He was in his early forties and his brown hair already showed many streaks of gray. Edward:"I think you all know why I''ve called you here." Dayton:"Yeah, cause you''re scared of that elf." A tall man with a bald head but full beard answered Edward. His name was Dayton Tanner and he wore green armor that was mostly covered by his black cloak. He received a glare from Edward, but didn''t even flinch. Edward:"I''m not afraid of that elf. It would be best if you paid attention to what you say in another persons residence." Dayton:"You think I''m frightened just because I''m in your territory? Even if all of your knights assisted you that wouldn''t be enough to restrain me when I''m serious." Dayton was obviously a few years older than Edward and only practiced aura magic, but he didn''t fear this Grandmaster Magus sitting in front of him at all. Ernest:"We shouldn''t be fighting amongst ourselves right now." The other green robed man tried to prevent a fight from breaking out. His hair was black and he appeared to be about ten years younger than Edward. His name was Ernest Wells. Even though both Ernest and Edward were the same rank, Grandmaster Magus, it was fact that Edward would win if they were to ever fight. Edward:"Ernest is right. Lets move on to the matter at hand." Edward tried to ignore the annoying glare he was getting from Dayton while he spoke. Edward:"The royal family has decided to put an elf on the throne. I''m sure you''ve all heard already." Dayton:"Of course we''ve heard! Stop beating around the bush and get to the point already!" Edward wanted to tell back at Dayton, but he was able to control himself. Edward:"I believe it''s time for a change. We''ve lived under royal rule for long enough." This time Ernest spoke up. Ernest:"So who''s rule do you wish to be under?" Edward smiled and looked at Ernest showing he was happy to answer the question. Edward:"Obviously the churches. I''ve been in contact with their main branch on Maleos Island and they too wish for a change." Bartem:"So the church wants to get their own continent." One of the men wearing neither armor nor robe chimed in. Bartem Grant was his name. His dark blue shirt seemed to be made of a silk-like material while his pants appeared to be leather. The soft looking blue hair matched his shirt and a smile formed on his young handsome face. Bartem:"Their power already rivals the major races, and it''ll only increase if they get their hands on one of the kingdoms." Edward:"Their goal isn''t power." Edward looked at the young noble who dared to speak ill of the church. Edward:"They wish to cleanse this land. The royal family has corrupted the people and even dared to wage war against one of their branches." Bartem:"I heard it was the churches branch that aligned themselves with a corrupt noble and decided to start a war first without the approval of their main branch." Bartem quickly brought his hand up to cover his mouth while displaying an obviously exaggerated expression of surprise. Bartem:"Could it be! The church fears the royal families retaliation and decided to assist you in a rebellion!" Edward slammed his fists down on the table. Edward:"This is not a rebellion!" He had clearly shown his anger, but quickly calmed himself down. Edward:"You should know the church doesn''t fear anyone. The gods are on their side. Besides the royal family can''t afford to retaliate after the number of casualties among the knights." Ernest:"How do we know the church isn''t just using us to further weaken our own kingdom? How do we know they really won''t abandon us and leave our country to fall to ruin?" Edward:"Because they''ve already sent a representative from the church. Bishop Luke will lead us in removing the royal family and he will help guide our country into a new era." Everyone went quiet. A bishop was the second highest rank among members of the church. If they were really sending someone like that then it obviously meant they were being serious. The church possessed an artifact known as the world codex which was written in a strange language but contained a treasure trove of magical spells. Of course only high ranking members were allowed access to it and even then not all would be able to learn even a single spell. This codex was also where the four basic element spells came from along with the four Sage ranked spells. Those few spells were released as a sign of good faith to the other countries many many years ago. Anyone who joins the church starts at the position known as Laity then if they are dutiful servants of the church they can become Deacons. After that they can move up the ladder and take on the position of a Priest. Above Priests are Monsignors. The top three rankings in the church are special. A member of the church can not not rank up from Monsignor unless they are already a Sage rank mage. If a man reaches Sage rank and is given the honor to move up in the church they immediately become Bishops. Women have a choice to either become a Bishop or a Holy Priestess. Technically a Holy Priestess is just below a Bishop in positions, but they are given more freedom than a Bishop. They are also the ones who perform the baptisms necessary for a human to obtain another races racial magic. The final and top position in the church is Cardinal. They are unmatched in terms of skill as a mage and must have mastered a few of the spells in the codex that weren''t made public. The top three positions in the church are existences that no one wants to anger. Not only are they Sage rank but also have the full support of the church behind them. To distinguish themselves from other mages of the Sage rank they all wear pure white robes. Dayton:"You''re forgetting someone." Edward:"Oh? Who am I forgetting?" Dayton:"Aelisia is still in the capitol. One Bishop against a Warlord won''t be an easy battle. I doubt Bishop Luke can beat her." Edward:"He doesn''t need to beat her. I''ve already prepared her opponent." Dayton:"Not many can stand up to Aelisia. Who did you get?" Edward:"Alezar." The room was filled with silence again. Dayton:"H-How did you get him to help?" Edward:"All I did was send him a message requesting his assistance. His response was that it sounded ''interesting'' and immediately accepted." Dayton''s face paled. If Edward has the backing of both a Bishop from the church and Alezar then the royal family''s as good as dead. He was now regretting all the arguing he''s been doing with Edward since this meeting started. Either one of those people could easily crush him if they wanted to. He wasn''t the only pale one in the room. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Bartem:"W-With Warlord Alezar''s help is there anything left to discuss? Victory is assured." Even Bartem''s usually smug expression was no where to be seen. The others remained quiet. Ernest:"You''re right Bartem. Not even Aelisia can stand up to Alezar." Ernest was barely able to control his shaky voice. *****************Becket POV**************** We were currently stopped in a small village about two days away from the port city Balsotte. There was already a ship prepared for us at Balsotte to take us to Aldley(Vampire/Werewolf Continent). Carmilla and Bram had gone to get a room at the inn while I walked around the village. I only ran into a few of the residents and none of them seemed to mind my presence so I continued my walk. My walk took me to the small fields around the village with what I assume to be wheat growing in them. It looked like wheat, but you never know in a fantasy world. A small boy around 10 or 11 was walking along the edge of a barren field. His hands were both pointed out with his palms facing the ground. There were patches on his clothes at both knees and one near his belly button; however, they appeared well maintained and he looked healthy. His brown hair grew just enough to cover his eyes. Becket:"Hm?" One of my eyebrows went up as I watched him. I could feel the earth pulse moving around him. That''s when the barren field began to fill with life. Beautiful green grass covered it and I could tell the soil had been completely enriched. The boy was covered in sweat and fell back onto his butt breathing heavily. Becket:"I''m such an idiot." I shook my head at my own ignorance. It was only just now that I realized what the high elf pill actually did to me. I had already been using the earth pulse whenever I used nature magic. The only difference between now and then was that I couldn''t sense the pulse before. That pill changed my body so that I could feel the pulse. Instead of thinking of this as a new magic I should approach it as if it''s an extension of my nature magic. Becket:"It was so simple, but I just had to over think things." I''ve been told that I sometimes over analyze a situation and make things more complicated. I could only shake my head at myself. Becket:"Lets try this again." I concentrated on using my nature magic just like when I grew those plants in the inn shortly after coming to this world. This time I paid attention to the earth pulse. It began to spiral around me although I''m the only one that can feel it. The energy was many times more powerful than the kids. I focused it toward the earth below me and I felt the dirt shift. Becket:"Uh oh." I accidentally created a quagmire and sunk into it. Becket:"Great now my clothes are covered in mud." I pulled myself out of the sludge pit I inadvertently made and stomped my boots against the ground trying to shake off as much mud as I could. When I looked up, the kid was staring at me. I gave him a wave then left after returning the ground to its previous state. I didn''t even notice that my residual energy had affected the crops growing around me. Bram:"What happened to your clothes?" When I reached the inn where I left them, Bram and Carmilla had just walked out together. Becket:"I fell in some mud." Since the mud had finally dried, I used my newly upgraded nature magic to separate all the dirt from my clothes. It came off in a puff of dust. The reason I waited for the mud to dry was because removing still wet mud would leave the water on my clothes. I can only control the earth part of mud while the water mixed into it would remain on me. I had made the previous quagmire by accidentally redirecting underground water making temporary pipes that transported the water to just below my feet. I was quite surprised at the outcome since I only had a fleeting thought that I could use this magic to create many convenient things. The first thing I consider was improving daily life and an image of pipes and proper plumbing crossed my mind. My thoughts only lasted a second, but they were instantly materialized in the real world before I even realized it. Carmilla:"What was that?" Both Carmilla and Bram seemed a little surprised at the cloud of dust that suddenly jumped off my body. Carmilla was the first to speak though. Becket:"I was just cleaning off my clothes. Worked surprisingly well." As I inspected my clothes, I noticed they appeared cleaner than when I fell in the mud pit. *I wonder if I could do the same thing when sweat and dirt builds up on my body?* I was a little hesitant to test it on myself. What if I accidentally removed something I shouldn''t? Possibly a layer of skin. I still wasn''t sure what all in this world I could manipulate with my magic. Bram:"You can use earth magic? I didn''t hear a spell though? Could you possible be a Sage ranked mage?" *Oh yeah. The only people who can use the four basic elements are mages or monsters, but why does he think I''m a Sage?* Using my magic without care of who''s watching became a habit since everyone in the palace was so tight lipped about information regarding me. I already knew normal mages used chants to summon fire or control the earth which were both things I could do with only a thought. Of course the earth part was still under development. They had a chance to see me using fire and ice during the goblin subjugation, but we were fighting on opposite ends of the army so I''m pretty confident they didn''t notice. Becket:"What brought you to the conclusion that I''m a Sage?" Bram:"Obviously because you didn''t chant a spell. Only a Sage can us chantless magic." Becket:"Oh?" *Need to remember that.* Becket:"Yes, I am a Sage." The two of them were obviously a little impressed and Bram''s eyes even showed a hint of admiration. From what I know mages seem to be specialized so if anyone asks I''ll say I''m a Sage that uses fire and earth magic. *I''ll need to be careful about using ice in the future since it''s not one of the four basic elements.* Story Information
Status
NameBecket Edwin
RaceHigh Elf
GenderMale
Age102ClassMana Adept
TitleHero
Life Force3102Mana1249
Level37Strength823
Endurance879Agility635
Stat Points: 0
Magics: [Nature] [Language Comprehension] [Fairy Blessing] [Wing Manifestation] [Healing Saliva] [Thermal Insulation] [Primal Sensing] [Vitality Manipulation]- 13 years [Vampire Eyes] [Pyrokinesis] [Limb Assimilation] [Scale Skin] [Cyrokinesis] [Womanly Aura] [Misdirection] [Geokinesis]
Incase anyone cares to know his current stats. Everything except agility has jumped slightly after the high elf pill. Chapter 51- Worlds Greatest Tailor Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. ;) I forgot to change his race last chapter, but it''s fixed now. Also the high elf isn''t an agility type so he didn''t get an increase in that stat. My mothers surgery went well, but the cancer has already spread so she''ll have to start chemo and radiation soon. I''m not very knowledgable about cancer so I don''t know the difference between the two though. Anyway I''m gonna have to spend a lot of time working to make up for her not being able to work so that''s why my releases may take longer; however, I will not be dropping this story. I just want to make sure everyone knows that. ************************************************ Chapter 51 The inn wasn''t as comfortable as Gene''s place, but luckily I was able to sleep through the night. We only planned to spend one night here so we were ready to leave at any time. There was a large grassy area right behind the inn which I was currently using for meditation. Becket:"Focus on your surroundings. Let your consciousness melt away and become one with nature." I spoke to myself while trying to concentrate on the earth pulse. An idea came to me yesterday just as I was falling asleep so I decided to attempt it this morning. The dirt around me slightly shifted and an image came into my mind. It''s hard to describe what I was seeing. I felt like I could see everything around me in great detail all at the same time. Even things outside of my field of vision became a part of this image in my head. As my consciousness began to spread over the area around me it began to span out and increase its radius. I could feel my sense of the surroundings around my body growing larger. It felt like I had become the planet and just knew everything about the area I was in. When my consciousness spread to reach the inn, which was the closest building to me, I could tell exactly how many people were inside. Becket:"Shit!" An intense headache forced my consciousness out of my surroundings and back into my body. Becket:"Damn it hurts!" Both of my hands firmly gripped my head for about five minutes until the pain subsided. When relief finally engulfed my body, I collapsed backwards. The sky was vast and blue without a single cloud in sight. Becket:"I guess I tried to push it too far." I sighed at myself for not being cautious while testing a new power. Luckily there was no irreversible damage so it wasn''t much of a problem this time. Bram:"Becket." Since my thoughts had drifted off, I failed to notice Bram walking up to me. He was obviously here because the horses were ready so I sat up. Becket:"Bram, what do you think of this world?" Bram''s expression didn''t change after hearing my question, but I could tell he was thinking it over. Bram:"I like it." He reached his hand out to me which I grabbed and pulled myself up. Becket:"That was a simple answer." He was taller than me so I had to looked up into his red eyes. Bram:"Sometimes simplicity is the best option." There was no real reason for my initial question so I let the subject drop here. We quickly made our way to the wagons where Carmilla was waiting. Like her brother I also had to look up to her brightly glowing red eyes. *I need to get some lifts built into my boots. Being short just feels too weird.* Even though I was a little taller now after becoming a high elf, most of the people around me were pretty tall to begin with. Carmilla and I climbed into the wagon while Bram sat up front like usual. The ride was just as boring and bumpy as always so I used this free time to begin sewing a new doll for Carmilla. This one was based on Eva, and I tried to copy the dress she wore to the ball when the wyvern attacked. Instead of using the beads again I decided to stuff it with cotton. It would be better to use polyester fiberfill, but I didn''t have any so I settled for what I had at hand. Polyester didn''t seem to be popular in this world even though it''s wrinkle and stain resistant. Its dislike probably comes from the fact that it doesn''t breathe nearly as well as cotton clothes. This wouldn''t be a problem for the higher classes of society since looks are more important to them, but polyester is also a hard material to dye. The molecules of a normal dye are too large to soak into polyester fabric. It also has another problem which is its weakness against fire. The most commonly used magic among both humans and magical beasts is the fire element. Becket:"Maybe I should make my own polyester." Once I actually started to think about the details regarding the fabric I had in my mind, I realized how useful my nature powers were. I could easily grow everything I needed to create my own clothes. It wouldn''t even take me more than a few seconds to grow the plants necessary. In my previous world I never needed to make everything from scratch so this might actually be an interesting experience. Of course I would need to get my hands on the plants I needed before I could grow them. A plant won''t grow without first being planted. I decided to think carefully before making polyester. Even though I personally like the fabric it''s still troublesome when it comes to disposing of it. Most of the synthetic polyester and some of the natural polyester are not biodegradable. This world doesn''t have many problems concerning environmental contamination, but that doesn''t mean I can just casually pollute. I had just finished stuffing the body and each of the limbs when the wagon came to a stop. We were still in the middle of nowhere so naturally I was curious why Bram decided to stop here. Becket:"What''s the problem?" Bram looked back at me to answer my question. Bram:"There are about 10 people waiting ahead of us." I peered over his shoulder towards the dirt road, but didn''t see anyone. Becket:"They''re hiding? Is it an ambush?" Bram nodded to my words. Carmilla:"You missed one. There''s an archer stationed in the tree a little further down the road." Carmilla joined our conversation and pointed out an eleventh man that Bram didn''t notice. Since she had been helpful recently, I decided to reward her. Becket:"You can have the archer. I''m sure you''re dying to get some blood." She may not require blood to live, but I knew she really enjoyed drinking it. Bram:"She''s already gone." Bram quietly commented on Carmillas sudden disappearance. She was so eager to get some blood that she vanished immediately after getting my permission. Becket:"You watch the wagon. I''d like to test out my sword." I leapt off the wagon with my hand on the hilt of my weapon. My blood began pumping as I walked towards the ambush. The excitement in me was building up. This would be the first time I''ve gotten to use this sword. Man 1:"So we were noticed." About five men stepped out. They were hiding in the bushes and behind trees. There was a large boulder that seemed a little out of place where a man on top of a horse emerged from. He had a spear while the others were armed with swords and axes. The others remained in hiding without even making their presence known. Becket:"Are you a knight?" The man on the horse had silver armor on that I recognized as a knights uniform. Knight:"I use to be." I didn''t expect him to answer, but nodded when he did. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Knight:"Leave behind all of your belongings and we''ll let you pass." *So they''re bandits.* Man 1:"But boss how can we let such a beauty go without having a little fun with her!" The man that just spoke had an axe and his tone was loud as if he was proud of what he was saying. The knight looked toward me then back to the man that spoke. Knight:"Fine, but don''t expect any of the loot for this job." The man smiled. Man 1:"That''s fine with me! You don''t get the chance to see a beauty like this everyday!" He stepped forward while scanning over my body with his eyes. I drew my sword which caused him to stop. The slight purple glow my blade gave off had an ominous look to it. Man 1:"You''re not going to hurt me are you little elf?" He picked up his pace this time like he was trying to make up for the few steps he lost. The knight seemed to take interest in my sword. Knight:"Wait!" Before the knight even finished the word, I had already separated the axe mans head from his neck. Becket:"Wow! There was no resistance at all." I casually inspected my blade while the bandits were all just looking at me. It so easily sliced through his neck that I was a little surprised. With my inspection now over I dashed forward at the closest bandit and severed the hand holding his sword. Man 2:"Aaaahhhhhhh!!" He stumbled backwards gripping the stub where his hand use to be. My sword had already pierced through the heart of the next bandit instantly killing him. Becket:"Its piercing and slashing power seems much higher than an average sword. Its performance is better than expected." I praised my new sword while kicking the dead bandit off the end of the blade. An axe came flying down towards my skull so I parried it and slid my sword across the mans stomach. He lost his footing for a minute, but quickly balanced himself and took a few steps back. Becket:"You dropped something." I pointed downwards. Without even looking he seemed to realized and fell to one knee while releasing his axe in order to use his hands to prevent anymore intestines from spilling out of his stomach. The last visible bandit besides the knight thought he had a chance since my back was facing him so he pounced. I spun to avoid his sword and slammed my swords hilt down onto his skull cracking it open. His brain was shaken so much that it killed him in one hit. Becket:"What about you?" I looked toward the knight still on horseback. His face showed clear anger. Knight:"Scatter!" The four bandits still in hiding finally showed themselves, but they were running away. The knight kicked his horse and it sped off into the forest. Becket:"Carmilla! Finish these two off!" I left the guy holding his intestines and the guy missing a hand to Carmilla then rushed toward the knight. His horse was fast, but I quickly caught up to him. Becket:"I''ll be borrowing your horse!" He tried stabbing me with his spear so I shattered it and leapt onto the back of the horse. His reaction was too slow so I had already twisted his neck before he even realized. After I heard the snap, I shoved his body off the horse and took his seat. Becket:"Alright lets test it!" I activated my Dragoon class and used the ability [Rider] which allows me to perfectly control any mount. Even though I had no knowledge of how to ride a horse my body still swiftly guided it toward the other escaping bandits. They were slightly stronger than the first five I cut down, but not as good as the knight so the fight ended quickly. Becket:"Why''re you such a messy eater?" When I got back, I found Carmilla mostly covered in blood. She was licking the blood off her fingers. Bram pulled up with the wagon and jumped off landing next to me. Bram:"Should we collect their heads?" I assumed we could probably turn their heads in somewhere for a little cash. There were bandit subjugation requests at the adventurers guild. Becket:"No need. It would just be a hassle, and we already have plenty of money." Bram nodded then walked over to his sister. I climbed off the horse and switched my class back to Mana Adept. Magicians were the people I was currently most wary against since I''ve never fought a strong one. Having an ability that allows me to redirect a magic attack handy could save my life someday so I liked using Mana Adept as my usual class. I found out Ancient War Mage actually increased my mana supply more than Mana Adept, but the ability I got from it was attack based. I already had plenty of ways to attack so Mana Adept seemed more useful. Of course I''d really like to try out its attack; however, I''m worried about how much it will damage the area around me since it''s an extremely powerful Area of Affect magic. I''m more worried about two other classes. Demon King and Hero have multiple abilities, but for some reason they''re covered in [????] so I can''t read what they are or what they do. My stats also all turn into question marks including my health and mana. I tried testing my body with those classes equipped, but nothing seemed to be different. Something also disrupted my magic making it unusable so I couldn''t test the depth of my mana supply. Becket:"We gotta clean her up a little bit." I pulled the pack off my back and reached in for a few jugs of water I stored in it. They washed off most of the blood on her so we got back on the wagon after clearing the path. The bandit corpses were thrown into the forest. The blood on my sword seemed to slid off so there was no need to clean it. I wanted to do some maintenance on the blade, but I just realized I have absolutely no idea how to. I''ve only been using a sword for a few months now. It''s possible I should treat it like I did my knives, but this weapon doesn''t seem to me made of normal metal. It also has enchantments and a magic circle carved on it so any careless mistakes could ruin it. Becket:"I should have asked Felicity about it." She seemed to really enjoy talking about enchantments so she probably would have happily explained how to maintain this sword if I had just asked. All I could do was hope that either Bram or Carmilla knew something about weapon maintenance. For now I decided to finish the Eva doll. *I wonder what I could make with the tailor class?* As I thought about the ability the tailor class has, I realized there were many possibilities. The ability didn''t seem like something a normal tailor would have. It would go well as an ability for a tailor, but wouldn''t it make them want to change career paths? I mean tailors don''t make very much unless they sell to nobles or rich merchants. Few can live lavishly in this world running a normal tailor shop after all. Becket:"Actually, now that I think about it I''m probably the only one it this world with the tailor class." I had forgotten that most people don''t have a class. Even if you meet all the requirements for a class you still don''t automatically get it. Only Hero ranked adventurers can activate a class with the approval of the guild. If a person was able to make it all the way up to Hero ranked then I doubt they would have any interest in becoming a tailor. Becket:"Maybe I should aim to be the worlds greatest tailor?" Story Information Chapter 52- Twisted Forrest Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. :) Sorry for taking so long. Been working. ************************************************ Chapter 52 Ilyana:"Please don''t go!" I turned back to my closest friend and showed her a kind smile. Becket:"I have to go. The gods requested it of me." I wiped away the tears that began gathering in her eyes. Ilyana:"B-But I''ll never see you again!" Becket:"You know I''ll be back. You''re one of the chosen after all." My fingers gently caressed her cheek. Her sniffling slowly stopped as she placed her hand over mine. Ilyana:"It won''t be you......" My gaze shifted to the woman behind Ilyana. Becket:"Take care of Ilyana for me, Naomi." She nodded without saying a word. I looked back into Ilyana''s eyes then, with no hesitation, pressed our lips together. Even though we had already lived over a hundred years, this was both of our first kiss. Elves do not get intimately involved with the other gender unless it''s their spouse. Neither of us have been married so obviously we''re inexperienced. We finally separated, and she began wiping away the few tears still left. Ilyana:"You kiss like a girl." A playful grin adorned her face. Becket:"How would you know." I bonked her on the head. It was slightly peeving since she knew I had a complex about that. The other elves always call me girly. Ilyana:"Here." In her outstretched hands was a mana crystal, our food source. It was pulled out of the satchel she always wears. This one was a pure white color unlike the usual yellow. Becket:"This is....." Before I could complete my sentence, she shoved it into my chest and ran away. Naomi:"Have a safe trip." Naomi said her farewells before chasing after Ilyana. Becket:"That girl....." I smiled at the backs of my two childhood friends. The mana crystal I was given is special, among elves it represents a marriage proposal. It''s created from an elf''s own essence also known as their soul. Only one can be made in their entire life so it''s very important to be careful who you give it to. If the proposal is accepted then all I have to do is eat it. . . The weight of someone sitting on top of me suddenly roused me from my sleep. My eyes were covered in a haze because of my drowsiness. The sound of someone sniffing was the first thing I noticed. Becket:"Carmilla?" When my consciousness fully returned, I realized it was Carmilla sitting on my chest. Her nose was touching my neck and her warm breath could be felt. I couldn''t actually see her face, but it was easy to tell who it was. Becket:"You know drinking my blood is not allowed." I could guess what she wanted so I reminded her of the command I had once given. The limits to my commands haven''t been tested yet so I wasn''t sure if the one I had issued, back at Gene''s inn, was still being forced upon them. It was given as a way to protect myself, obviously I needed to be sure it was still working. Carmilla:"Someone is following us." My ears perked up at her whispering voice. Carmilla:"They''ve been following us for a while now, but they kept their distance to keep from being found out. I almost didn''t notice." With a quick surge of mana to my eyes, I activated my vampire sight. The only heartbeats I could see were Camilla''s, Bram''s, and my own. *They must be quite far away.* Becket:"Which direction?" I still wasn''t sure why she was on top of me so I rolled over putting her on the bottom. Carmilla:"That way." After she extended her finger, I took off at top speed. Fairy wings sprouted from my back, and I soured into the sky. I passed through the treetops to get a birds eye view of the surrounding area. A lot of ground was quickly covered when a faint red dot finally came into sight. By the time I was clearly able to see it, the dot began to move. Becket:"Damn, I was noticed." There was still a large gap between us, and the forest covered them so I couldn''t make out their appearance. They moved at an incredible speed while zigzagging through the trees. Becket:"No choice then." Both of my hands reached out toward the red dot, my body trembled as the power began to flood the forest. A creaking noise echoed throughout the woodland below me while the trees started twisting into frightening shapes. My lack of control was deforming the forest. Becket:"This is trickier than I thought." I tried to focus all of the power toward the dot. It wasn''t easy since the swift little thing was constantly moving and barely in one spot for more than a moment. Becket:"I''ve got you!" A twisted cage of trees trapped the dot inside. It darted around trying to find a way out then just stopped moving. I descended toward the cage and landed with a thud. Becket:"That really...ha...ha....took a lot of energy." After a few seconds of sharply inhaling, I got my breathing under control. It didn''t take very long to catch this person, but I ended up using too much of my own energy. Manipulating the earth pulse puts a large strain on my body and mind. Practice is essential. Becket:"I''m going to come in! You make one move and I''ll kill you!" One of the twisted trees making up the cage began to move. An entrance appeared in front of me, and I jumped inside. It was dark in the cage, but I quickly matched eyes with the person in it. Becket:"Aria?" All the tension that had been built up was suddenly lost. The innocent looking fairy was the only one inside with me. Becket:"You followed me." A sigh escaped from my lips as the twisted trees separated. That artifact to increase size was still around her neck so she currently wasn''t tiny. Even with it she''s still short. Becket:"Didn''t I tell you to stay with Eva?" My voice was stern so that she would know I was angry. Aria:"I didn''t want to stay." She refused to look me in the eye and made her pouting obvious. Becket:"It''s going to be dangerous in the place I''m heading to." I knew she wasn''t going to back down after following me all this way. The only choice left was to take her along, but I hoped this last warning might convince her to turn back. The smile on her face told me my warning was completely disregarded. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Aria:"I''ll be ok!" After quickly patting her on the head, we headed back to camp. Both Bram and Carmilla recognized Aria as one of my friends which let them lower their alertness. Bram easily excepted her arrival, but Carmilla seemed a little upset. Of course she slept with me like always. It had been a while since we last slept together, and I''ve gotta say, it feels better to have a warm body beside you at night. We didn''t talk much the next day as we got up and prepared to set off. There was still a mountain path we had to cross through before reaching the port city. As we moved along, the temperature continued to drop. Bram drove the wagon like usual. Becket:"Could you move back a little?" Aria was being a little clingy, and it was getting in the way of my doll making. I had already finished the Eva doll and was now working on an Aelisia doll. Aria:"Don''t want to. It''s cold." She pulled closer to me trying to cuddle into my side. Carmilla had been watching us this whole time. My doll making process seemed to interest her; however, this time she was mostly watching Aria. More like glaring at her. It kind of seemed like jealousy, but I didn''t think Carmilla had a thing for me. Who knows maybe she fell for me, love is a mysterious thing after all. I subconsciously rubbed my neck. Last night I was worried she wanted to drink my blood, and now there''s this problem. No matter how things turn out, I''m certain my near future will be filled with trouble. Becket:"If you have to be this close then at least use my back instead of my side." There was a few second long pause to think about it, but she ended up accepting. With her now at my back, I was free to work on the doll. I even made some red armor and a little sword for the Aelisia doll. It looked like a miniature war goddess with the flaming red hair and crimson armor. The armor had to be removable since it wasn''t very cuddly with it on so she also had that tight black outfit all knights wear under their armor. Bram:"You can see the town." When Bram called out to me, I had been extremely absorbed in my work. The fact that Aria had already moved to the front of the wagon to see the small city was not noticed by me. There were walls around the town, but they weren''t as tall as the capitol''s. Bram:"This town makes a lot of money for the human continent. I hear their taxes are high in order to prevent them from making more money than the capitol." Aria:"Why?" Because of her lack of real world experience, Aria didn''t understand this country''s political worries. Bram was nice enough to answer her. Bram:"The capitol is afraid this town may one day rebel if they''re allowed to grow richer and stronger than the royal family. That''s why this area hasn''t reached the level of a city yet since they''re also having the expansion of their territory limited. Despite the fact this town could thrive if released from the royal families rule, they have never tried even once to oppose the capitol." It wasn''t until now that I thought about who I was traveling with. Aria is the fairy princess, Carmilla is the vampire princess, and Bram is the vampire prince. They''ve never really felt like royalty so my mind never really excepted it. Eva is the only one I''ve acknowledged. She''s a princess that will be queen some day. Becket:"Why do I run into so many royals?" I mumbled to myself as we approached the town gate. It felt like a shrunken version of the capitol if you just judged it on first looks. The town itself could be completely different, but I won''t know until we get inside. Two knights in silver armor stood on either side of the gate. A third knight was talking to the man driving the wagon at the front of the long line we were currently in. The knight was handed a few coins then he went to check the contents of the person''s wagon. Once the check was over, the knight waved the man through after the gate opened. The wait wasn''t long and we soon reached the front where the knight was standing. He approached our wagon and spoke to Bram. Knight:"What''s your purpose here today?" When the knight and Bram met eyes, there was a short silence. The reason was because the knight took a step back. He must have noticed the red eyes and realized Bram was a vampire. This probably isn''t the first time he has seen a vampire, but they are still frightening creatures. The eyes naturally intimidate you, and the stories of their blood sucking would likely be revolting to a normal person. Bram:"We''re traveling. We''ll only be here for a few days before departing." The knight seemed to settle down and collect himself before speaking. Knight:"Any cargo?" He looked towards the back of the wagon. Bram:"Only three other people and their personal luggage." A skeptical look flashed across the knights face, but was quickly changed. The sign of a true professional, he easily hides his thoughts. Still, he''s not all the way there yet since what you''re thinking should never be visible for even a second. He''ll rise through the ranks with a little hard work and a few more years of practice. Poker face is important in any job. He searched the wagon to be sure. This was a much more detailed search compared to the others that had been ahead of us, but that is to be expected. He obviously doesn''t trust vampires. Knight:"Everything looks fine." After paying the entrance fee, we passed through the gate. The town was bustling with many different kinds of people. Unlike the capitol there were less humans. I was surprised since this is still the human continent. Bram:"This town is a major port city where a lot of trade happens. Almost all goods coming and going from this continent pass through here. The constant traffic from other continents has allowed this place to mix with other races." As if sensing what I was thinking, Bram began to explain. Becket:"Good. I''ve been looking forward to meeting some of the other races." My voice was low since I was talking to myself. Mostly, I''ve been looking forward to meeting a proper elf. There weren''t any currently within sight, but hopefully I''ll run into one. Since my body was that of an elf, I was very interested in what they were like. Carmilla broke me out of my thoughts with her next statement. Carmilla:"I can sense Radu''s kin." Story Information Chapter 53- The Turtle and The Mouse Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. :) Update on my mothers condition(for those who are interested) Spoiler : The doctors just told us my mothers cancer is stage 4 and has reached her bones. It''s now in her spine and one of her hips. Don''t know how they missed it until now, but she started radiation and after that they''ll be doing chemo. If things go well she should live another 5-10 years. There''s a very small chance it will be cured, but the doctor said that''s unlikely. I don''t know what state she''ll be in for the next 5-10 years while going through radiation and chemo. Sorry to add this downer at the beginning of the chapter. I know where the story is going, but it''s taking me time to get it written down and posted. Sorry about that. ************************************************ Chapter 53 Becket:"Can they sense you?" I was immediately alarmed. Running into servants of Radu before leaving the human continent was not expected. Carmilla:"No, only a pure vampire could sense Bram and I." A breath of relief escaped my lips. Things could get very difficult if Radu hears of our impending arrival. We needed to at least be on the vampire continent before he notices us. Becket:"How close is he?" Carmilla:"On the other side of town." Becket:"Good, for now lets avoid him. Keep me informed on his location." Aria didn''t seem to pay any attention to the conversation we were having and just enjoyed looking around. She had seen a few of the other races back in the capitol, but this was the first time she''s seen so many. A man with a turtle shell on his back approached our wagon. Turtle Man:"You''re new here." He had a cheerful smile on his face. His eyes were a dull green and his hair was chestnut colored. Even though his outfit was a simple off white shirt and brown pants tucked into similarly brown boots, a well toned body could be seen was underneath it all. The shell was dark green while his skin had a hint of a green coloration. If he wasn''t standing directly under sunlight, I might not have noticed the green color. Turtle Man:"The name''s G, short for Green. At least that''s what my friends call me." He walked along side out wagon and tried to make conversation. G:"I happened to notice your curious stares and realized this must be your first time here. For just a little spare change I''ll happily guide you around town." He looked to be around 18 and seemed to need the money so I decided to help him out. Becket:"Here." I tossed him a few coins. G:"Thank you Miss!" He winked at me and I just rolled my eyes. For a second, I actually thought I was getting use to being mistaken as a girl, but it still annoyed me. It would just be a waste of time trying to correct him. Becket:"You heard anything about vampires here in town?" Quickly, he glanced at Bram and Carmilla then looked back towards me. G:"Sure, vampires come here sometimes." Becket:"What about recently? Like within the last few months." I was hoping Radu''s servant had stuck out a little, and I''d be able to gather some useful information on him. He appeared to realize I wasn''t just asking out of curiosity. G:"Hmmmmm, maybe but I''m not sure my memory is very clear." I tossed him a few extra coins. Money was this guys goal so I knew not to act stingy, and it might be a good idea to have a local contact incase I need some info. People, who are all about making some money, are typically easier to handle. G:"Oh yeah! Now I remember! There was a vampire that just showed up about two months ago acting all important. He spent a lot of money to buy up one of the larger plots of undeveloped land here in town." It was a little surprising to hear this vampire actually bought land. Since the amount they''re allowed to expand the town each year must be small, he had to of payed a very large sum of money. I could only imagine what the prices here would be. What exactly was he doing here? Becket:"What else has he done since arriving here?" The turtle man took a few minutes to think. As I watched him a stray thought crossed my mind. *I wonder if he can retract into his shell?* It looked sturdy enough to protect him from swords, but I was confident I could break through it. While I was thinking this, Aria popped her head up from behind me. Yet again I had failed to notice her moving around. Aria:"A turtle." The turtle man seemed to fascinate her so much that her wings began to twitch. They were under her dress in order to hide her identity as a fairy; however, I could still see them moving. Her wings reminded me of a dogs tail, they would inadvertently flap when excited. I had to stop her hand from reaching out and touching his shell. She wasn''t happy about it, but she didn''t try again. G:"I don''t really know anything else about him. He stays in the higher class district so that''s a little out of my normal group of friends." Becket:"That''s fine, so where can we find an inn?" The vampire subject was dead so I decided to change it. No use trying to drag out information he probably didn''t have. G:"There''s a fair priced inn close to here just follow me." Turtle man jogged to the front of the wagon and began directing Bram. Becket:"Fair priced, huh?" Only Aria heard me talking to myself. Since turtle man didn''t ask for anymore money, I was sure he probably had some deal with this inn. Possibly a commission for every guest he brings. He first led us to a stable that he claimed was managed by the inn he was taking us to. We left our horses and wagon there with a few people who appeared to work for the inn. They tended to our horses by bringing them water and feed. The stable and inn, were separated by one building which happen to be a supply store aimed toward travelers. Its expensive looking glass windows allowed me a clear view into the store and let me see a few of their products. Large sacks of preserved food were stacked in piles toward the back while all sorts of equipment lined the walls. This store looked much better than the supply stores in the capitol so I made a mental note to do a little shopping before leaving. I guess a town centered around travelers knows what they need more than a governing based city. Turtle man followed us inside the inn and even walked up to the front counter ahead of our group. That ever present smile was still plastered on his face. There were a few empty tables and chairs inside the room which meant this inn probably served meals. Gene''s inn had a few tables, but this place was a few times larger than his. Turtle man banged on the counter twice with his fist. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. G:"Customers here, Jan!" A woman about my height, likely in her late 20s, stepped out from what I assume was the kitchen. A delicious smell wafted out when the door opened. She had a white apron on and a simple gray dress. Her brownish red hair was tied back in a ponytail while her similarly colored eyes showed a look of surprise. Jan:"You really got people to follow you here?" My eyes were stuck on the ears sitting on top of her head. They were a pair of round mouse like ears that looked incredibly adorable. Even I have a slight weakness to cute little animals. Once I tore my eyes away from them, I noticed her thin tail dancing around behind her. If it meant the same thing as dogs, then I''d say she was happy. G:"Don''t act like I''m someone suspicious! I just brought you customers yesterday!" She smiled and giggled a little. Jan:"Alright, grab whatever you want from the kitchen." G:"You really saved me! I was starving!" He happily strolled past her and into the kitchen while she came up to us. Jan:"Need a room?" I stepped forward to greet her. Becket:"Yes, we''d like to stay for a night." Originally, we only planned to be in this town for a day or two, but things have changed. We need to know why one of Radu''s men are here. Jan:"How many rooms do you need?" She looked towards Bram and smiled. Jan:"Maybe one room with a large bed? We''ve only got one that will fit all four of you." My sight shifted over to Bram with a look of weariness evident on my face. *She thinks we''re all part of Bram''s harem doesn''t she.* No matter how many times I remind myself, I always forget how I look to others. Jan sees one man traveling with tree pretty girls. Becket:"No, we''ll take two rooms. One single and a double." Jan:"You got it!" Cheerily, she skipped over to the counter and pulled out two keys from behind it. Jan:"This is for the single room." She leaned in and lowered her voice so that only I could hear the next part. Jan:"It''s a large bed in case you and your friend there get lonely." From what she whispered, I could tell she thought the single room was for Bram and I. Jan:"And this is for the double." She handed the second key to me with a wink. I took it and passed the key to Carmilla who was closer to me than Bram. The double room was for her and her brother while the single was for Aria and my own use. It hurt a little every time the mouse woman winked at me so I quickly paid and headed toward our room. Becket:"We''ll take a break for now. Rest in your room." That was the order I gave Bram and Carmilla before separating. They''ve strangely gotten use to following my orders. I figured since they were royalty it would bother them, but it didn''t seem to even phase them. Aria immediately went to check the quality of the bed and judging from the look on her face it failed her test. I sat cross-legged on the ground while rummaging through my pack. My sewing kit was pulled out along with several different plants, seeds, and many pieces of bark. It''s time to make a new outfit, one that is both inconspicuous, and versatile. I do love my leaf armor, but it draws a lot of attention. With my new understanding of my magic and what I can do, I''ve noticed a lot of things that if added will bolster my fighting potential. Last, I pulled out my sniper rifle and about ten clips worth of bullets then lined them up next to me. I''ve been doing precision practice with earth magic whenever I had free time so I was now able to manipulate metal, although to a lesser extent. Becket:"I''m gonna need to really concentrate. Aria, make sure nothing disturbs me." She jumped off the bed and vigorously nodded her head. Becket:"Alright, lets get to work." I switched my class to tailor and began working. ******************??? POV******************* A man completely covered by his brown cloak stepped into the Ice Hole. Only a few people glanced his way before turning back to their drinks. He quickly found a table alone and sat down. One of the girls working there approached the mysterious man. Girl:"Is there anything I can get you?" She was a little nervous not being able to see his face, but tried to act calm. ???:"Water please." Girl:"Sure." It was weird that he only ordered water since this was a place meant for drinking. She didn''t question his order and simply brought the cup of water. ???:"Thank you." The girl nodded and walked to the next table. His cloak parted, as he reached for the cup, revealing a plain brown shirt and pants. The clothes told others little about him, but what he had on his hand spoke volumes. A pure silver gauntlet with claw-like finger tips. That wasn''t the only point of interest, his left hand was also missing. Instead of continuing down, his left elbow was just a stub. His face still wasn''t visible; however, his status as a warrior had been made clear. He continued to sip on that water for about an hour until a new person stepped into the Ice Hole. This person drew even more attention and even instantly created a silent atmosphere inside the bar. His clothes easily gave away important information about him. Random Customer:"It''s a Sage." One person finally broke the silence and announced the magicians rank. This man was the highest rank possible for a magician, but instead of a red robe he wore a white one. White identified him as being affiliated with the church. They are known to be more powerful than a normal red Sage; however, saying that out loud is kind of a taboo. ???:"I''m over here." The mysteriously cloaked man from before raised his hand to get the Sage''s attention. The Sage, a young man with dirty blonde hair, smiled and waved then quickly moved to the cloaked man''s table. ???:"You''re drawing a lot of attention by wearing that, Luke." Luke:"W~ell, you''re drawing a lot of attention in your own way." The cloaked man finally removed his hood which caused a few people to glance in his direction out of curiosity. Underneath the hood was a man in his late twenties with shaggy brown hair. He wasn''t human. On top of his head was a pair of cat-like ears that twitched once being exposed. ???:"Yeah, by associating with you." Luke:"Don''t be like that Alezar." The Sage gave Alezar a pat on the shoulder. Luke:"So, shall we get to work?" Story Information Chapter 54 - Raisin Note to the reader: *.......* means he''s saying that in his head. Rate and Review. Sorry about the really long wait. Things just haven¡¯t been going well. ************************************************ Chapter 54 I was so absorbed in working on my new outfit that I had lost track of time. The sun was just about to set, leaving only a few rays of light to illuminate my room which were slowly vanishing with each passing second. With a tired sigh, I stood up so that I could see the newly finished outfit stretched out on the ground below me. It was entirely forest green consisting of a cloak, shirt, and pants. Though the right sleeve on the shirt was black up to the shoulder and stopped completely at the stitching marks. A few green veins ran down the black sleeve making it stand out. This design wasn''t originally intended, but it ended up being the only way I could make the sleeve work. Since my control over the metal used in the sleeve was still too weak, I had to interlace threads made from several different plants in order to bolster my control over the sleeve. The inner part of the cloak along with the reverse side of my clothes were all brown. This gave me two choices in the color of my outfit. I''ll be wearing this particular clothing set a lot so a little variety is nice. Surrounding me were the leftovers that didn''t become apart of my new get-up. Among the clothing scraps, a slightly out of place pile of bullets sat to my left. Becket:"Well, this is good enough." I shrugged while looking at those bullets. They weren''t able to be incorporated into the outfit like I had hoped, but sometimes my ideas don''t work out so I wasn''t too upset. Magic is a mysterious thing, there¡¯s no telling what will work and what will fail. Becket:"Uh, I took too long." A short groan escaped my lips. So much daylight had been wasted, and the night had already begun to cover this town in darkness. I needed to gather some info so the town''s market would''ve been a nice place to go, but that was probably closed now. The next best place would be a popular bar. That would usually be my first idea; however, my appearance makes things harder. I draw a lot of attention with a face like mine so the market was a better place for me. Becket:"Damn it. I really don''t want to do that." One idea that would allow me to fully utilize the bar¡¯s setting came to mind, but it made my skin crawl. The best way for a man to get information from another man is to build a sense of comradery which is a lot easier to do when they¡¯re drunk which makes a bar a very useful place for men to gather information. Torture was always an option, though that has its own set of problems. Because of my looks, using the lovers approach would work better; however, the thought of even being able to seduce men made me shiver. It was a useless thought since my body is something I¡¯m just gonna have to get use to. Bram was a man so he might be able to do the work in my place, but some of the people here seem to be wary of his kind. Even if they weren¡¯t consciously wary of him, a normal person would still unconsciously have their guard up with a predator in their midst. Becket:"I''ll just see how things go tonight. If it''s necessary, I¡¯ll just have to take the information I need." With that uncomfortable topic about my confusing gender temporarily pushed aside, due to my lack of enthusiasm at using womanly charms, I quickly changed into my new clothes and shoved all the leftover scraps into my bag. Aria was sleeping peacefully on the bed with one of her feet dangling sloppily off the side. I fixed her position and covered her up before quietly leaving the room. My pack and weapons were all left behind, but I felt pretty safe wrapped in this green cloak. The black right sleeve on my shirt was slightly heavier so my balance was a little off. Becket:"That''ll take a while to get use to." After a few seconds of balance testing, I threw the hood over my face as a way to ward off the attention my womanly aura draws and began to leave the inn. Both Carmilla and Bram poked their heads out from the room they were staying in. It was a little funny looking, but I stopped myself from chuckling. Becket:"Follow me." It was better to keep things simple so I only said that. Their help wasn¡¯t absolutely necessary so I''ll give them a different job for tonight. I could tell they wanted something to do. They jumped in line behind me and we left the inn. There were more people still out then I had thought there would be, but it was definitely fewer than before. We stopped in an alley where I gave them orders. Becket:"I want the two of you to patrol near the wealthy district where that vampire is living. Try and find his residence if you can. Don''t approach him under any circumstances.¡± I didn''t need an exact location just the neighbourhood. Vampires are more active once the sun sets so I assumed he would do most of his work then. Any additional information they collect during their patrol will likely end up being useless since I can''t expect to find out his secrets on my first night here. Being careful and gathering even possibly useless information is just how things are done. It¡¯s all a part of knowing your enemies. Bram:"Is that really all you want us to do?" I wasn''t sure if he was displeased with being given so little to do or just asking follow up questions. Carmilla just looked a little bored. Becket:"Yes, for now that''s all." Bram nodded at me before vanishing into the darkness with his sister. Now, I need to find a popular bar. I tugged on my hood once to be sure my face was properly covered then stepped out of the alley. The slight chill in the air gave me a bad feeling, but I decided to ignore it. Years of being on a battlefield where you need to keep an eye on both sides of the war can give a soldier a sense for danger; however, this sixth sense can make you too cautious. Hesitation can also get you killed. The echoing sounds of my footsteps filled the now empty streets. Further down the road was a three story building bustling with activity. This place wasn¡¯t a bar, but I was sure they could point me in the right direction. Becket:¡±Good evening, I¡¯m a little lost. Could one of you tell me where I might find a place to get a drink.¡± Two men stood beside the entrance with swords hung at their waists. They weren¡¯t knights, but looked rather competent if it was just a simple brawl. A tired expression covered both of their faces. Guard:¡±There¡¯s a good place around the corner, but a pretty girl like you will have a lot of trouble with the drunkards.¡± Neither of the guards seemed overly infatuated with me thanks to half of my face being covered. Since my race change and added womanly aura have had men drooling over me lately, it seemed a little strange. The hood did a decent job. Becket:¡±I¡¯ll be fine, thank you.¡± After being pointed in the right direction, I left the two guards to their duty. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ******************??? POV***************** Finally, I found him. That damned elf walked into the very bar I was drinking at. It must be my good fortune. I¡¯ve been waiting in this town for a week for him to get here. My master Alezar gave me a mission, to kill him. I don¡¯t know the reason, but my master''s word is law. Even with his face partially covered by a hood, it wasn¡¯t even necessary to confirm it was him by checking the sketch I had. There was no way anyone else around here had a face like that. In fact, he looked a bit¡­..cuter than the sketch. ???:¡±Definitely him. That face really is too pretty for a man.¡± He looked around, scrutinizing his surroundings, as if searching for someone then headed for a table occupied by a group of especially rowdy adventurers. I readied a dagger under my cloak. One quick stab and I¡¯ll be able to return to my master''s side. Adventurer:¡±You come to play little missy?¡± I stopped myself when I heard that loud voice. ???:¡±Damn.¡± I cursed my luck for this misfortune, Razen was here. He¡¯s an annoying adventurer with some amount of real skill and a sense of justice, especially if it¡¯s concerning a woman with a pretty face. If I killed the elf in front of him, he¡¯d definitely restrain me if not kill me. There¡¯s no way he¡¯ll realize that elf is a man. Backing down now and following the elf is the best plan. Becket:¡±Play? Good idea.¡± The elf slammed his elbow down on the wooden table making the wood groan under the force he exerted on it. Becket:¡±How about I test your strength, boy.¡± Razen just looked at him for a few seconds with a slightly surprised expression before bursting out in a fit of laughter. His fellow adventurers soon joined him in the chuckle fest. Razen:¡±Hahahahahahaha..ha..ha¡­¡­.ha. That sounds great!¡± A large grin spread across Razen¡¯s face as he placed his arm on the table. Razen:¡±The names Razen, you?¡± Becket:¡±Raisin?¡± A vein bulged on Razen¡¯s head. Becket was obviously mispronouncing his name on purpose. Razen:¡± Ra. Zen. Not raisin!¡± Becket:¡±My bad, Ra. Zen. My name¡¯s Becket.¡± The bewitching smile on that elf¡¯s face seemed to sweep away Razen¡¯s previous anger as he grinned happily right back. Razen:¡±Alright, Becket let''s make this more interesting.¡± Razen took his arm off the table and crossed them against his chest with a confident expression. Razen:¡±I¡¯ll be your opponent if you can beat my friends first.¡± He was about to start laughing again, but Becket interrupted him. Becket:¡±Deal, but all of you have to answer one question each time I win.¡± Razen:¡±Sounds good! As long as you take a drink each time you lose!¡± Razen slid the mug he was previously drinking over to Becket. Because of the color, I could tell it was stronger than what an average person drinks. Becket didn¡¯t seemed worried at all and just carefreely nodded. With a push from his comrades one of Razen¡¯s friends took his place next to Becket. That was the beginning of an unimaginable spectacle. That thin looking elf singlehandedly defeated every adventurer that challenged him. It ruined the lively atmosphere around the adventurers as they all seriously competed to defeat that elf. Razen¡¯s party, including himself, lost several times before finally admitting defeat. Their competitive side increased with each loss until finally they could no longer deny the truth that was in front of them. They just couldn¡¯t continue this game anymore due to fatigue. A gloom surrounded them as if they had just failed a high level request from the guild. These adventurers weren¡¯t pushovers in regards to their strength. It was rather frightening that the elf could beat them all without breaking a sweat. I hesitated to even continue my mission, only the thought of disappointing Alezar kept me from running. Physical strength alone couldn¡¯t win all battles, but I knew he at least had the skill to beat Felix who was a skilled warrior. It was in the report I only half-heartedly read about this elf. During this struggle, he calmly questioned all of the people he beat. Each inquiry seemed to be rather simple with him mostly gathering information on this city and its inhabitants. Also, he was interested in vampires. I was informed before coming here that the elf would be traveling with two vampires. If he was so interested in their kind, why not ask the ones he¡¯s traveling with? The adventurers weren¡¯t the brightest of people so he didn¡¯t get much from them. After a few drinks and a little light arguing, they seemed to all become close friends. The alcohol they were all gulping down probably aided in their sudden friendship. I thought the elf was more of an intellectual type, but seeing him fit in with these idiots makes me doubt that. He finally left after many many more drinks. Without even stumbling once, he swiftly made his way down the empty streets as I followed after him. If I hadn¡¯t seen it myself, I¡¯d swear he hadn¡¯t had a drop to drink tonight. My scouting skills are considered top notch so stealth work is actually my forte. If my mark is within 50 meters of me, I¡¯ll always be able to follow them even with my eyes closed. After a few minutes of following him, his presence suddenly vanished. I went into defensive mode in case he had found me, but nothing happened. It was strange. How and why did he suddenly disappear. There was no one around to give me answers so I headed back to the inn I¡¯m using. At least I know he¡¯s in town. I¡¯ll find him again. The assassin failed to realize that Becket didn¡¯t disappear by concealing himself. He simply ran outside of the detection range at such an incredible speed that, if seen by others, it could only be thought of as vanishing. ************************************************ I apologize for disappearing for such a long time. We¡¯ve found out that the doctors aren¡¯t going to be able to cure my mother so I kinda lost all motivation to write until now. They said she could live for another 4 or 5 years. She¡¯s been taking something like oral radiation(pills), I think that¡¯s what it was called, and things are actually looking better now. This won¡¯t save her, but she might live a little longer than originally predicted. I¡¯ll try to post more frequently, but my motivation is still rather lacking so I don¡¯t know what may happen. Now to talk about something less depressing. I¡¯d like for a few people to comment and tell me of story ideas they have. What I¡¯m mostly looking for are story arcs, not specifically for this story. The most cliche example is something like, main character¡¯s goal is to defeat the demon king. In arc one he learns to master his abilities. In arc 2 he begins his journey. I want an over all goal and several small arcs leading up to accomplishing it. I plan to use everyone''s suggestions for future stories I may write.