《Chaste Paladin Isekai: A Wholesome, Semi-Cozy Fantasy Adventure》 Chapter 1: Graduation Day With heart of gold and blade of light, A Paladin seeks wisdom''s might. Where whispers dance on ancient stone, If prudence lost, the path unknown. Through shadowed veil and dragon''s snare, Her spirit shines, a beacon fair. The sacred Oath, a guiding star, Betrayal¡¯s sting, a painful scar. Where courage springs in trials deep, A well of truth and vows to keep. The final test with bated breath, To right old wrongs and conquer death. Chapter 1: Graduation Day The sun shone bright upon the commencement ceremony underway on the campus of Durham University. It being about 10 o¡¯clock in the morning on this late spring day, the sweltering humidity of the American Southeast had not yet reared its full and fearsome head. Rows of black chairs covered the lawn in front of the temporary stage, surrounded on three sides by the stately English Gothic architecture of this august institution. The highest point of the campus, Asbury Chapel, towered in the background, a wonder of dark stone, stained glass, and ribbed vaulting¨Cmore Hogwarts than Ivy League. ¡°And today, when you cross this stage you cross over a threshold into a new life,¡± the Dean intoned into the microphone. ¡°No longer students, I charge you henceforth to put your knowledge into practice for the good of all.¡± Soon enough Chastity Kristiansen was called forward to receive her graduate diploma: a Masters of Divinity from the Interdenominational Durham School of Divinity (whose motto was ¡®Fideles, Reformando, Oecumenicum¡¯). Chastity accepted the rolled up document and shook the Dean¡¯s hand, turning to smile for a quick photo. Later, after all the graduation caps had been flung in the air, Chastity greeted her father, mother, grandmother, and younger sister Charity on the lawn as the other graduates mingled with their loved ones. ¡°We¡¯re so proud of you, sweet pea,¡± her dad said, hugging her tight. ¡°Yeah¨Canother achievement for my Super Sister! Way to make me look like even MORE of a slacker, Chas!¡± Charity said, playfully punching her big sis on the arm. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Oh shush, Charity,¡± her mom gently scolded. ¡°Are we ready to go to brunch?¡± Chastity turned and looked over her shoulder at a stone building further across campus that housed the School of Divinity. The Professor¨Cshe hadn¡¯t seen him at the ceremony. ¡°You know, I need to go say goodbye to someone first. Meet you in the parking lot?¡± ¡°Of course, dear. But don¡¯t be too long. I¡¯ve got sweat dripping down my back.¡± Chastity hurried across campus, long blonde hair flowing behind her with each purposeful stride, her 5¡¯11 frame appearing even taller in her white wedge heels. The black graduation robe contrasted sharply with the fair skin and blue eyes of her nordic heritage, and glimpses of toned legs flashed beneath the moving fabric. The Professor. She couldn¡¯t leave without saying goodbye. To thank him for all he had done for her. Chastity came to Durham on an athletic scholarship. Her event¨Cjavelin throw. She was good, good enough to be an alternate for Team USA at the last Olympics. Academically, she began as a Biology major, pre-med. But one day she wandered by chance into a seminar the Professor was giving on J.R.R. Tolkien¡¯s concept of Sub-Creation. ¡°Sub-Creation, wherein mankind shares in the image of the Creator through the gift of creativity. Literary and artistic creativity is a form of participation in the divine aspect of creation, the worshipful forging of secondary worlds within the primary world. In Tolkien¡¯s Legendarium, Eru Il¨²vatar is the Creator, whereas the created beings, the Ainur and such, are given sub-creative powers.¡± Now, Chastity did not have an artistic bone in her body. She couldn¡¯t write a poem to save her life; she couldn¡¯t even draw a straight line with a crayon without somehow messing it up. But something about the Professor¡¯s lecture sparked a fire within her. It opened up a whole new world of intellectual inquiry and, ultimately, personal devotion. To both her and her family¡¯s surprise, she changed her major from Biology to Religious Studies and decided to pursue a Master¡¯s after completing her undergraduate degree. With a cognate in Practical Theology, she was ready to hop on an airplane in just a few weeks time and fly halfway around the world to help fight the maternal HIV/AIDS epidemic, serving with a nongovernmental organization in Sub-Saharan Africa. But as she crossed the quad, Chastity did not know she was being watched. In the shadows of the stone arches covering a nearby walkway, a slender figure stared after her with smoldering hatred. This figure was dressed as if for a funeral, all black from head to toe, with stringy jet black hair hanging down over his forehead and his step dad''s handgun tucked in the back of his tattered jeans. ¡°You ruined my life¡­¡± he seethed under his breath, ¡°and I am going to make you pay.¡± Chastity knocked on the door to the Professor¡¯s office. ¡°Come in¡­¡± answered a feeble voice. Chastity smiled and opened the door. The Professor was sitting at his desk, carefully assembling a model ship inside a glass bottle with long tweezers. He was ancient, with sparse, wispy white hair on the sides of his head, a moth-eaten tweed jacket with elbow pads, and eyeglasses that hadn¡¯t been in style for half a century. A living legend, the Professor had been at the University longer than anybody could recall¨Cand behaved accordingly. His office was a complete mess. Stacks of dusty books and piles of hand-scribbled notes lined his desk, his shelves, and even the floor. He had no telephone, kept no office hours, and never attended faculty meetings. He taught whatever classes he wished and never required his students to buy new textbooks. Chastity loved him. He was like the grandfather she never knew. ¡°Oh, hullo Ms. Kristiansen. What are you doing here on a week-end?¡± he asked in his faded ¡®Received Pronunciation¡¯ British accent. ¡°Professor,¡± she chided in a gentle tone, ¡°don¡¯t you remember? It¡¯s graduation day!¡± A flicker of recognition crossed his face, then a sheepish smile. ¡°Dear me, I seem to have forgotten all about it. That would explain the robe.¡± Just then there was a high-pitched scream from down the hall. Chastity froze momentarily, then hurried to the door. ¡°He¡¯s got a gun!¡± a woman¡¯s voice called out from somewhere. Opening the office door a crack, Chastity peeked out into the hallway. There she saw Damien Tahquitz, disheveled and clutching a handgun. And he saw her. Chapter 2: A Secret Passage Chapter 2: A Secret Passage Chastity slammed and locked the office door. ¡°What is it?¡± the Professor asked, concerned. ¡°It¡¯s Damien. Damien Tahquitz! He¡¯s out there with a gun!¡± Chastity answered, her heart rate accelerating. He had a deranged look. ¡°Tahquitz¡­?¡± the Professor mumbled quizzically, not moving from his seat behind the desk. ¡°Was he one of my students?¡± ¡°Remember? He was stalking my roommate in senior year. I reported him to campus security and they found all this disturbing stuff he posted on social media. He ended up getting expelled.¡± The doorknob rattled, followed by a loud banging on the door. ¡°Chastity! I know you¡¯re in there! Open the door!¡± Chastity hurried to the Professor¡¯s side. Where he was sitting, he was directly in the line of fire if Damien did something crazy and started shooting through the door. ¡°We need to move, Professor. And we need to call the police! Where¡¯s your phone?¡± The Professor blinked slowly, sweeping his eyes over the stacks and miscellany. The pounding on the door continued. Damien was trying to break through. ¡°I haven¡¯t got an office phone.¡± ¡°What about a smartphone?¡± ¡°Oh heavens, I haven¡¯t got one of THOSE even more.¡± Chastity chewed her lip. Her own phone was powered off and stashed in her wristlet¨Cwhich she had given to her kid sister! Damien was now kicking the door with his black doc martens, screaming profanities; the wood around the frame was starting to splinter. Chastity looked around the office desperately. There were a few narrow windows, high off the ground. They looked like they hadn¡¯t been opened in decades. Thinking fast, she dragged a heavy chair from the Professor¡¯s reading nook and wedged it against the door, stacking several volumes of the Summa Theologica on top. That would buy them a couple extra minutes¨Ctops. A brief light of recognizance passed over the Professor¡¯s face. ¡°Ms. Kristiansen, do me the favor of moving that bookcase over there,¡± he said, pointing with a wrinkly finger at a large, ornately carved wooden bookcase covering one wall. ¡°The bookcase?¡± Chastity assumed he meant for her to use that to further barricade the door and she obliged. It was laden with books and terribly heavy, but she was strong, and soon she managed to wedge one end of the case away from the wall, creating a two foot gap. The faintest hint of a cool breeze brushed her face and Chastity paused. In the wall, hidden behind the bookcase was a sort of passage¨Ca lightless tunnel. ¡°Professor¡­?¡± ¡°This is an old building. There are many architectural oddities they don¡¯t show you on the freshman tour.¡± ¡°Is this some kind of panic room?¡± she asked skeptically, trying to make out anything at all in the darkness. ¡°Go in. You¡¯ll be safe!¡± There was a loud rattle as several heavy books tumbled off the chair blocking the door. ¡°YOU RUINED MY LIFE! NOW I¡¯M GOING TO RUIN YOURS!¡± Damien yelled through the splintering wood. ¡°I¡¯m not going without you, Professor. Come on!¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. She reached out her hand. The Professor shook his head, locking eyes with his former pupil. ¡°I have a few things to put in order first. Trust me, please. Go through the passage. Go, now!¡± There was something in the old man¡¯s voice, and his eyes, that drove home the certainty and conviction of his words. Hardly knowing what to think, Chastity ducked her head and entered the tunnel. Suddenly the bookcase shifted behind her, blocking out the light. ¡°Huh? What happened? Professor? Professor!¡± There was no response. Chastity could not believe the frail old Professor had moved the bookcase back on his own, concealing the entrance to the passageway. But what other explanation was there? She pushed hard against the bookcase but it wouldn¡¯t budge from this angle. All she could hear was the frantic, crazed banging, now muffled. The office door couldn¡¯t hold much longer. I have to get help. I have to go through this hole in the wall and get help!, thought Chastity. She turned and stepped deeper into the darkness. Almost immediately, the sound of crashing wood grew faint, then disappeared altogether. The musty smell of old books and antique upholstery likewise vanished. The atmosphere took on a strange sensation¨Csterile, yet charged. The fine blonde hairs on Chastity¡¯s arms and neck stood on end. The darkness kept going on and on, impossibly so. How long is this tunnel? Weren¡¯t we on the first floor? Wasn¡¯t there just a wall between the office and the outside? Suddenly, a pale blue light appeared. Moving from the ground up, it systematically passed over Chastity¡¯s entire body, as if scanning her.
[System Initializing] [Realmwalker Detected] [Beginning Analysis]
¡°Hello?¡± Chastity called into the blue void. What is that voice? Where did it come from? And what is this light? I feel like I¡¯m at laser tag.
[Analyzing Core Attributes] [Analyzing SOMA Attributes: Strength, Vigor, Agility] [Analyzing PSYCHE Attributes: Intellect, Wisdom, Charisma] [Analyzing PNEUMA Attributes: Faith, Mastery, Occult]
What is happening? Soma, Psyche, and Pneuma¨CI know those words mean Body, Soul, and Spirit from my Greek classes. Am I being assessed by some kind of computer program? This is freaky!
[Analysis of Core Attributes Complete] [Primary Attribute Detected] [Your Primary Attribute is FAITH]
This MUST be some sort of computerized aptitude test, Chastity mused. But why would the luddite Professor, of all people, have something like this hidden behind a dusty old bookcase?
[The Primary FAITH ATTRIBUTE CLASSES are: Warpriest (faith + strength) Paladin (faith + vigor) Monk (faith + agility) Oracle (faith + intellect) Mystic (faith + wisdom) Prophet (faith + charisma) Cleric (faith + mastery) Heretic (faith + occult)]
¡°Classes? What do you mean, classes? I just graduated! I¡¯m done with classes¨Cforever! Professor, can you hear me? Let me out of here!¡± Chastity tried to go back, but realized she had gotten turned around. Not only that, but the passage seemed much bigger than before. This was no longer a narrow tunnel, but a wide empty space. All she could see was the pale blue light, and what vaguely looked like a floating computer screen.
[Secondary Attribute Detected] [Secondary Attribute is equal between STRENGTH and VIGOR] * [You are eligible for the following MARTIAL FAITH CLASSES: Warpriest (faith + strength) & Paladin (faith + vigor)]
¡°Paladin?¡± she murmured in confusion.
[PALADIN CLASS Selection Confirmed]
¡°No, wait!¡± Chapter 3: Beginning Realmwalker Translation Chapter 3: Beginning Realmwalker Translation Chastity inched toward the floating screen which appeared to defy gravity. She saw no wires, cables, or any kind of stand to hold it. In the darkness of the expanse, the screen¡¯s shining light was nearly too bright to look at directly. ¡°I want off this ride!¡± Chastity yelled. Somebody somewhere had to be controlling this process. A man behind the curtain, so to speak. There had to be an off switch¨Ca plug to pull. Ignoring her protests, the mysterious voice continued. The floating screen likewise registered and displayed what the voice was saying.
[Analyzing Natural Proficiencies] [Javelin Proficiency Detected] * [Analyzing Equipment] [Graduation Gown Detected Graduate Diploma Detected]
Okay. Am I being pranked? Did the girls from Track and Field arrange this? Did they even go so far as to recruit Damien to participate? No. No way. Nobody would bring a gun on campus and wave it around for a prank, not even a fake gun. Not in this day and age. And there was nothing fake about Damien¡¯s unstable behavior.
[Beginning Realmwalker Translation]
¡°Translation? Woah, what is this?!¡± Chastity felt a strange tingling sensation all over.
[NAME: Chastity Kristiansen -> Chastity Morningstar] [EQUIPMENT: Graduation Gown -> Cloak of Erudition EQUIPMENT: Graduate Diploma -> Scroll of Scholasticism] * [Bestowing BOONS] [Translation Boon Bestowed - Javelin Proficiency Class Boons Bestowed - Heavy Armor Proficiency, Holy Weapon Proficiency Equipment Boons Bestowed - +5% Ability Leveling, Knowledge (Religion)] * [Bestowing ABILITIES] [Realmwalker Ability Bestowed - Identify Equipment Ability Bestowed - Recall Knowledge] * [Bestowing EQUIPMENT and ITEMS] [Class Equipment Bestowed - 3x Medium Javelins, Chain Mail (Heavy Armor) Realmwalker Item Bestowed - Holy Symbol of Kr?sning]
Just as fast as they appeared, the pale blue light and the floating screen vanished. The tingling sensation likewise subsided. Once again, Chastity was bathed in darkness. She blindly reached out, groping for the walls of the passage. Up ahead¨Ca new source of light. Not blue, but white. A literal light at the end of the tunnel, which once more felt like a proper tunnel instead of some broad, undefined space. Sunlight! It has to be, thought Chastity. Whatever that bizarre assessment was, it was over. Chastity could finally get outside and get help for the Professor and anyone else who might be in danger because of Damien. With fresh determination she ran toward the light. But something was different. The closer she got, the colder she felt. It was as if a cold wind was whipping across the mouth of the passage. As she breathed in, the fresh chill of the air reminded her of when she went snowboarding with her little sister at Snowshoe. And were those snowflakes flitting past the opening? If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. But that¡¯s impossible. It¡¯s springtime in the South! Chastity burst out of the passage and was stupefied at the sight. This was not the Durham University campus. Not even close. Chastity stood near the summit of a craggy mountain covered in heavy white snow and ice. A wintry forest stretched beneath her and a frigid, pale sky above. Too surprised to speak, she turned back to look at the passage she had just emerged from. It was no passage at all, but rather the opening of a narrow rocky cave burrowing into the mountainside. Icicles hung down over the cave mouth and the cavern itself twisted away into darkness. ¡°This can¡¯t be real,¡± she said aloud. ¡°This is a dream. A trick. An illusion.¡± She tried pinching herself, because that is what characters in books and movies do in such situations. Predictably, there was no effect, except to further her shock as she got a look at her arm, and then the rest of her body. What am I wearing? Chastity was clad in heavy armor¨Cchain mail, with a sort of cloth tunic and leggings underneath, leather shoes, and leather gloves. A white cloak (more of a cape, really) flowed behind her, affixed at the shoulders of her armor. She then realized that she was clutching three javelins in her left hand, bound together by a small leather strap. Where did these come from?! Spinning around again, she gazed off the mountain at the wintry world below. Not only had she been transported to some distant place she could not recognize, but apparently her vision was playing tricks on her. It almost looked as if the entire world was painted. She dropped the javelins, removed a glove, and examined the bare skin of her hand in wonder. It looked as though she were inside a living, breathing illustration¨Ca three dimensional mirage crafted by a skillful artist. The faint peach tone of her calloused hand turned a light pink under the sting of the cold wind. ¡°It¡¯s official. I¡¯ve lost it. I¡¯m even talking to myself! Too many all nighters working on my dissertation. Too much strength training¨Ctoo many protein smoothies. I¡¯ve had a brain aneurysm! Maybe I¡¯m lying in a hospital bed right now in a coma.¡±
Ding! [You have 1 Ability Point to Spend] [Access your Character Record to Unlock a New Ability]
Chastity blinked. She had heard a chime, not dissimilar to a smartphone notification, and floating text appeared in her field of vision. Great. A visual hallucination WITHIN a visual hallucination. Why didn¡¯t I take that Abnormal Psychology elective when I had the chance? Chastity blinked again and rubbed her eyes with the back of her cold hand. The mystery text minimized, now floating at the edge of her peripheral vision, but did not disappear. ¡°THAT is going to get annoying,¡± Chastity mumbled. ¡°What does it mean to access my Character Record?¡± As soon as she said the words ¡®character record,¡¯ a large, translucent box of text appeared before her eyes, floating in space just like the screen from the passageway.
[CHARACTER RECORD] NAME: Chastity Morningstar RACE: Human HERITAGE: Realmwalker LANGUAGE: Common Speech CLASS: Paladin OATH: NONE TITLES: NONE LEVEL: 1 LIFE POINTS: 20 FOCUS POINTS: 10 BOONS: Javelin Proficiency Heavy Armor Proficiency Holy Weapon Proficiency +5% Ability Leveling Knowledge (Religion) ABILITIES: Identify Recall Knowledge EQUIPMENT: 3x Medium Javelins Chain Mail (Heavy Armor) Cloak of Erudition INVENTORY: Scroll of Scholasticism Holy Symbol of Kr?sning PRIMARY QUESTS: NONE SECONDARY QUESTS: NONE
¡°Woah!¡± It was information overload. Chastity tried to swipe at the text box and soon a secondary box replaced it.
[You have 1 Ability Point to Spend] [Level 1 - Paladin Ability Tree] Detect Good <-> Detect Evil Detect Good Like a fragrant aroma, by concentrating on a creature you can sense the presence of Good. Ability Level: 1 (Initiate) Requires: 5 Focus Points - Detect Evil Like a rancid stench, by concentrating on a creature you can sense the presence of Evil. Ability Level: 1 (Initiate) Requires: 5 Focus Points
Chapter 4: Avalanche! Chapter 4: Avalanche! Hold on, Chastity. Don¡¯t be hasty, she cautioned herself. Whatever this is, it seems to be voice activated. When I said ¡®Paladin¡¯ back in the secret passage I obviously selected something and I didn¡¯t have the option to go back. I need to watch my tongue. Like that old WWII poster in grandmother¡¯s attic says, ¡®loose lips sink ships.¡¯ Chastity slipped the leather glove back on and tried to concentrate, ignoring the fact that she had appeared out of nowhere on top of a freezing mountain that looked as if it had been painted by Thomas Kinkade by way of Peach Momoko. I am supposed to choose one of these options. Level 1 Paladin Ability¨Cit sounds just like a videogame. That was always more of Charity¡¯s department. What would Little Sis do? Is she standing over my comatose body right now, playing her Steam Deck? Are the sounds of her gaming interacting with my oxygen-starved brain to create these vivid dreams? I am so out of my element. Focus points? Ability levels? Creatures? Okay, approach this as a contest. Or a puzzle to solve. You want to win the contest, Chastity. You want to pass the test. That¡¯s what this all felt like back in the passage. Some kind of fantasy videogame test. So then, if I was inside a game, wouldn¡¯t it be better to be able to detect Evil? Good isn¡¯t going to hurt me; Good isn¡¯t a threat. The wise choice would be¨C ¡°Detect Evil.¡±
Ding! [1 Ability Point Spent] [You Gained a New Ability - Detect Evil]
Mercifully, the text box vanished. Chastity breathed a sigh of relief, seeing the vapor of her exhalation in the cold air. Interesting. It seems that unlike the world I come from, where morality is viewed as relative, this world believes in an objective difference between Good and Evil. Chastity smiled at the thought, remembering the countless hours she spent badgering the Professor with philosophical questions after class. Oh no¨CProfessor! The reality of the situation came flooding back to her. Damien Tahquitz, back on campus years after his expulsion¨Con the day of her graduation, no less. That was clearly not by accident. He was armed and screaming threats of revenge. Chastity had to get back and help the Professor. No matter what. Dropping her bundle of javelins in the snow, Chastity went to the cave entrance. She gripped the rocks on either side and looked in. All she could see was darkness. As her gloved hand brushed ice and snow off one of the rocks, she noticed an engraving. There was a strange symbol carved into a stone. It looked like a stylized X, with one line stretching out like a comet¡¯s tail. Perhaps it wasn¡¯t an X at all, but some kind of pictograph. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Ignoring the symbol, Chastity ducked into the cave. It was very narrow, and her chainmail armor made it hard to squeeze through. Ugh, how is this possible? How is it narrower going in than coming out? And soon she came to a dead end. She could barely see a thing but there was clearly an alcove of impenetrable stone. No matter how long she felt and prodded, there was no way to go any further into the cave. ¡°A one way trip,¡± she muttered, finally giving up and squeezing out of the cave again. This world certainly doesn¡¯t look real and, rationally, it can¡¯t be real. But it FEELS real. The cold against my skin, the air in my lungs, the sound of the wind across the mountain. How can I explain that away? Chastity began enumerating the points of evidence on her fingers, a habit she often engaged in when having an internal dialogue. Let¡¯s see¨CI have no history of psychosis. I have never abused any hallucinogenic drugs. There have been no warning signs of a brain tumor¨Cno unexplained headaches, vision problems, or seizures. My grandfather died from a brain tumor before I was born. Grandma said he started dropping things for no reason¨Ca pencil he was holding, a coffee cup, a plate with a sandwich. Then came memory and speech problems. Until I find evidence to the contrary, I need to deal with the here and now¨Cwherever here, and whenever now, is. Chastity plucked the bundle of javelins out of the snow and cautiously walked toward the edge of the mountain. It was a steep, sloping plunge down the side, dotted with evergreen trees and exposed stone between heavy patches of snow. There MIGHT be a way to climb down, slowly and carefully. If I had a snowboard I could pretend it was a double-black diamond run. Alas¡­ Light flakes drifted from the gray clouds, sticking to her long strands of golden yellow hair. Something caught her eye. Wait! There in the distance. Is that a puff of gray smoke? Beyond those trees. Could there be civilization in that direct¨C Chastity¡¯s foot slipped on a patch of ice and she tumbled off the side of the mountain. ¡°No-no-no-no-no!¡± She desperately tried to grab for any handholds as she plummeted, but her metal armor skidded right over the slick icy crust. All around her it was as if the mountain had awoken. A fine dusting of snow dislodged above her, dancing under the gray skies. Then¨Ca fissure spiderwebbed across the slope. A vibrating groan sounded as if from the belly of a rock giant. Soon a wave of cascading snow poured down in an unstoppable surge. Ancient rocks dislodged. Branches snapped. And Chastity was hurled even faster. She jammed her javelins into the falling snow and ice but found no purchase. Her body bumped and bounced roughly off the hard slope and she shifted her weight to narrowly avoid crashing into a tree, pointing downwards with both feet. ¡°Ahhhhhh!!!¡± At the base of the mountain she slammed into a snowbank. Instantly, the crush of powder and wintry slush fell upon her, burying her several feet under.
[-15 Life Points]
At last, the rumbling ceased, and an eerie silence settled over the land. A notification chimed and a new text box appeared in Chastity¡¯s blurry field of vision.
Ding! [New Location Discovered] [Silfurfast Woodlands] [You Have Gained Experience]
But Chastity did not notice, as she had lost consciousness. Chapter 5: Through Silfurfast Woods Chapter 5: Through Silfurfast Woods Chastity awoke and her blue eyes shot open. All she could see was snowblind white. Then she remembered¨Csliding down the side of an icy mountain and being buried in snow. She was freezing. The slush had soaked through the garments under her heavy armor, stinging her skin with constant cold. Ohhh, my head. Not to mention my neck, torso, arms, and legs¡­ Somewhere on the way down she had smacked her head. She might even be concussed. Chastity remembered an obscure safety tip from a snowboarding trip¨Cif you were ever buried in an avalanche, you should spit. That way gravity would tell you if you were upside down or rightside up. She did so, and the spittle dribbling down her chin was enough to orient her. She could feel the bundle of javelins still in her grasp. Claustrophobia setting in, she began jabbing upwards with the javelins, trying to break the surface. Thankfully the snow wasn¡¯t too packed and wasn¡¯t too deep. With the javelins¡¯ points she was able to breach the top and begin digging her way out. With the heavy armor it was exhausting work, but at last she collapsed on top of the snow, taking deep lungfuls of frosty air. She shakily rose to her feet and put a hand to the side of her head, half expecting blood. There wasn¡¯t any, but her temple throbbed with pain and was sensitive to the touch. Looking ahead, she saw a vast forest stretching out before her. Behind, she could see the crag from which she fell. From down here there was no way of seeing the cave. And the avalanche had obscured any obvious path back to the top. No, she needed to find that curl of smoke again¨Ca sign of life somewhere beyond these pathless woods. Smoke also meant fire. Fire meant warmth. She shook ice chips off her cloak and shivered as she limped, hoping against hope she was going in the right direction. Chastity stepped into the Silfurfast. Beneath a sky the hue of frozen tears, the ancient forest slumbered, cloaked in a mantle of pristine snow. Towering pines, their bark etched with the runes of a forgotten age, stood like sentinels, their boughs heavy with frosty crowns. Every twig, every needle, glistened like a thousand captured stars, diamond dust scattered by the wind''s unseen hand. The air, crisp and sharp, stung Chastity¡¯s lungs with a kiss of winter''s breath. A hush lay upon the land, broken only by the distant whisper of wind through frozen branches, and the occasional sigh of snow settling upon the sleeping earth. A tapestry of silver and shadow stretched as far as the eye could see, a world veiled in an ethereal stillness. But within this frozen realm, life pulsed with a quiet defiance. Beneath the snow, roots of ancient oaks, gnarled and wise, searched for sustenance in the frozen earth. Tiny creatures, cloaked in fur the color of smoke, scurried through the silent undergrowth, their tracks fleeting whispers in the snow. This forest feels oddly poetic. How hard did I bang my head? Chastity shivered and trudged, shivered and trudged, navigating through the tangled roots and branches of the woods. She casually inspected the trio of javelins bound in her left hand. They were shorter than the ones she practiced with for her sport, and made of wood rather than aluminum alloy or carbon fiber. The tips were leaf-shaped. That weird message I got earlier called these Medium Javelins. They look pretty short to me. And old fashioned, just like this impractical outfit. Up ahead, the snow shifted, a ripple in the pristine blanket, and from the forest¡¯s gloom stepped a pair of wolves. Their fur was moon gray and their eyes shone like the first glimpses of twilight. Each step was that of a ghost, measured and purposeful, paws singing into the snow with barely a whisper. The wolves regarded Chastity, the hackles raising defensively on their backs. The first, larger, curled back dark lips to reveal its fangs. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. That¡¯s not good! Chastity froze (not literally), then passed one of the javelins to her right hand. She raised her arm and took aim, testing the weight of the shaft. I train to throw javelins for distance, not accuracy. But accuracy at closer range shouldn¡¯t be a problem. Javelins were originally made to be weapons, after all. She was outnumbered, battered, and on the wolves¡¯ turf. A thought occurred to her¨Csomething about the abilities listed on her ¡®Character Record.¡¯ But what were they again? ¡°Character Record,¡± she said quietly. The wolves tensed at the sound of her voice. Both were growling now. The Character Record appeared in a translucent text box before her, unfortunately obscuring much of her field of vision. Oh no! She quickly looked until she found the list of abilities. There were three: Identify, Recall Knowledge, and Detect Evil. ¡°Identify?¡± There was another notification chime and the Character Record was replaced with a much smaller text box¨C
[Identify] [-1 Focus Point]
¨Cwhich was itself rapidly swapped out with a second box.
Silfurwolf Level: ?? Silfurwolf Level: ??
Silfur Wolf? Level unknown? And this ability is helpful how exactly? She decided to try another one. ¡°Detect Evil.¡± There was another chime, and another text box.
[Detect Evil] [-5 Focus Points]
The wolves she was anxiously staring at glowed with faint outlines.
[You Have Not Detected Any Evil]
Chastity hesitated, lowering the pointed tip of the javelin. The wolf closest to her snarled and made a lunging motion, but did not attack. These wolves are not evil. Most likely they view ME as a threat, she reasoned. I don¡¯t want to hurt them. If I make myself appear larger and intimidating, maybe they¡¯ll just run off. Chastity took the two javelins in her left hand and the javelin in her right and raised them above her head, striking them together as loudly as she could. ¡°Ha! Ya! Go away! Shoo!¡± she yelled. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you! Be gone!¡± Staring forcefully into the larger wolf¡¯s bright eyes, Chastity slowly stepped backwards, clanging her javelins and making as loud a commotion as she could. Clang, step. Clang, step. The snarling and baring of fangs ceased. The wolves cocked their heads to the side and attentively watched her unusual retreat. Then the smaller wolf turned and padded off deeper into the woods. Soon, emerging from behind a thicket of pine were several small wolf cubs. The larger wolf stood its ground, never breaking eye contact with the intruding human, until the last of the cubs passed by, following after the first wolf. A mother and a father! Chastity realized. As swiftly as they appeared, the pack vanished back into the winter-cloaked trees, moving like a silent symphony of predatory grace. They were not an ill-omen at all, but belonged to this icy landscape¨Cwhile the human interloper did not. Chastity breathed a sigh of relief and lowered her weapons. Seeing those adorable cubs, she was thankful she had not resorted to violence.
Ding! [You Have Gained Experience] [Your ¡®Identify¡¯ Proficiency Has Increased] [Your ¡®Detect Evil¡¯ Proficiency Has Increased]
Chapter 6: Goldenberry Village Chapter 6: Goldenberry Village Gained experience? This really is like a videogame, isn¡¯t it? But I got experience even though I didn¡¯t kill something, which is unlike a lot of the games I¡¯ve seen my sister play. Oohh my head! Chastity¡¯s skull still throbbed and her wet tunic was beginning to stiffen up, making walking incredibly uncomfortable. Stamping through the deep snow was equally exhausting, despite her natural athletic prowess. She also felt unusually thirsty. Is it safe to eat snow for purposes of hydration? I can¡¯t remember. My core body temperature feels pretty low¡­ Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink. She must have been trudging for over two hours in the beautiful yet intimidating woods, worried that she would accidentally double back on her own footprints. Eventually she found what looked to be a faint natural trail woven between the trees with several small animal tracks in the snow. Those don¡¯t quite look like deer tracks. Maybe rabbits? Following these are better than nothing. At least they lead somewhere. She was tired, thirsty, hurting, and now feeling hungry as well. Her blood sugar was getting low. The promise of a post-graduation brunch with her family felt like a lifetime ago. Southern-style eggs benedict served over biscuits. Pimento cheese spread. Peach iced tea. Her stomach grumbled pitifully at the thought and she licked her dry lips. But then¨Ca hint of smoke in the air. It was a comforting and nostalgic scent, like fresh logs burning in an old fireplace. Chastity gathered the last of her strength and pushed forward through the drifts, chasing the beckoning aroma. At last she exited the treeline. Ahead there was a wide, dark blue river, blocking her path. On the other side of the river sat a quaint looking town. No, more like a village¨Ca really old-fashioned village. On the opposite bank of the river was a wooden raft and a small dock. Squinting at the village, Chastity saw no paved streets or vehicles, no telephone wires, no sign of anything powered by electricity. Just a series of small houses and other buildings constructed of stone, wood, and painted mud plaster. Smoke curled lazily from several stone chimneys jutting out from snow-laden thatched roofs. What¡­? This looks like¡­ something from a Renaissance Fair. Chastity¡¯s thoughts were starting to blur again. She felt woozy all over. Her whole body ached.
Ding! [New Location Discovered] [Goldenberry Village] [You Have Gained Experience]
Across the river she heard a commotion. Several figures emerged and began pointing in her direction, talking excitedly. They were people dressed in similarly antiquated garb, but there was something different about them. They looked very small¨Cthe size of children. It was then that Chastity¡¯s legs buckled. She collapsed in the snow, the blood draining from her head and her vision darkening once more. ? Sometime later, Chastity gradually came to. A soft, warm light flickered in one corner of a cozy room¨Ca child¡¯s nursery perhaps. She blinked slowly, taking in her surroundings. Apparently she was still in this strange other reality as evidenced by the painterly aesthetic; apparently this was still not a dream she could simply wake from. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. It was a small room all right, with a small bed. Chastity¡¯s long legs extended beyond the edge of the bed by a considerable amount, poking out from beneath a thick quilt (her French tip pedicured toenails seeming incongruous with her current circumstances). At least she was warm. Parched, and hungry, but warm. A door squeaked open. A diminutive woman holding a ceramic saucer and cup stepped in then halted, her eyes going wide. But the look of startlement quickly turned to one of amiable surprise. ¡°O, bless the river! You¡¯re awake!¡± The short woman turned and called excitedly down the hall. ¡°She¡¯s awake! She¡¯s awake! Get in ¡®ere!¡± There was a shuffling of feet and soon several more small folks crammed into the room, surrounding the bed and gazing at Chastity with great curiosity. They were uniformly short statured, men and women, most with bushy eyebrows and rather rounded, cheery features. Chastity pulled the quilt up as if to defend from their inquisitive stares. ¡°I¡¯m Mrs. Underfoot,¡± the woman said, holding the steaming cup before her. ¡°You fainted, dearie. Right in the snow! A dozen men had to drag you ¡®cross the river on the old ferry!¡± The others all nodded and murmured in agreement. ¡°Where¡­ where am I?¡± Chastity managed, relaxing a little. Her voice sounded raspy. The group gasped. One of the men tugged his suspender straps and puffed a wooden pipe excitedly. ¡°You see?¡± he blurted. ¡°She speaks the common tongue, I told you she would! She¡¯s no barbarian. You owe me a copper, Pennybun.¡± ¡°Aye, but did you ¡®ear that funny accent?¡± said another. ¡°Shush the lot of you! Let the lady speak,¡± Mrs. Underfoot interjected. ¡°Apologies, miss. We don¡¯t get many Tall Folk in Goldenberry, beyond the traveling merchant that is. That¡¯s where you are! Goldenberry Village. You were about frozen stiff, you were. Hope you don¡¯t mind, we ¡®ave your things drying just over there.¡± Mrs. Underwood gestured and Chastity noticed pieces of her armor stacked carefully in one corner of the room. Her javelins as well. Her clothing and boots were slung over two chairs before a meager fireplace, drying. Wait¡­ then that means¡­ Chastity peeked under the quilt. She was dressed in some sort of linen garment, off white, like long underwear. She definitely hadn¡¯t been wearing this before. Chastity¡¯s cheeks flushed red. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t you worry! Just us women dressed you,¡± Mrs. Underfoot explained. ¡°Took three of our petticoats stitched together to fit you, it did. Good thing Old Brandyhill works fast with a needle! Now drink some of this before it gets cold.¡± The woman thrust the cup at Chastity, who carefully took it from her. It was warm to the touch and very fragrant. She frowned at the contents uncertainly. Some sort of brownish liquid sloshed inside. ¡°Just some barley tea! It¡¯ll do you good.¡± Chastity took a sip. The beverage had a strange, earthy taste. But the warmth of the liquid running down her throat felt good. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said quietly, still feeling a bit overwhelmed. ¡°You said Goldenberry Village?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± chimed in a man with a thick white mustache. ¡°Guldb?r in the old tongue, if mayhaps you¡¯ve ¡®eard of the place under that name. Famous for our goldenberries! Although, not NOW of course.¡± Chastity shook her head slowly. Hmmm¡­ how do I put this? ¡°And Goldenberry Village is located¡­ where exactly?¡± The others traded curious glances. ¡°This area¡¯s known as the Silfurfast, what with the great woods and all,¡± Mrs. Underfoot said, measuring her words. ¡°Some might say the Riverlands, as we often do. Though not as many towns and settlements round ¡®ere as there once was.¡± Chastity took another sip of the barley tea and cleared her throat. The cup felt like a toy in her large hands. ¡°Thank you. And¡­ the Silfurfast, the Riverlands¡­ what country, er, land are they part of?¡± Continent? Planet? Universe??? Now the small folk gathered around the bed were really confused. Some of them began to whisper to one another. ¡°Well, if you¡¯re asking for the big picture, I suppose this whole wide world is known as Sk?rselden. Just how far away do you come from, stranger?¡± Chapter 7: Pickled Fish and Possible Worlds Chapter 7: Pickled Fish and Possible Worlds How far away did I come from? Chastity restated the question in her mind. ¡°I¡¯m from far, far away. I got lost¡­ and¡­ uh¡­¡± Chastity trailed off. She really didn¡¯t know how to explain this, not even to herself. The group of onlookers shuffled awkwardly in the silence that followed. ¡°Now, now, dearie. Whatever the case, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re still out of sorts, what with you being half frozen out there and all. There¡¯s no ¡®urry to explain,¡± Mrs. Underfoot offered in a cheerful voice. ¡°Yes there is! We¡¯re dying to know!¡± the mustachioed man retorted. ¡°A strange-looking Tall Folk, with WEAPONS no less, wandering through the neighboring woods!¡± ¡°Shush, Mr. Pricklebush, and put out that pipe! All that smoke can¡¯t be good for our guest in ¡®er state of mending! Listen, this is mine and me mister¡¯s ¡®ouse¨Cour spare room. You¡¯re welcome to stay ¡®ere until you get your strength back.¡± Chastity nodded. She carefully looked over the men and women assembled around her bedside, each of them so startlingly small. How would she describe them? I don¡¯t think the term ¡®midget¡¯ is acceptable anymore, Chastity thought. Not politically correct. Vertically challenged? Little people? What is the right word? It seemed, improbably, like the entire village had a medical condition similar to dwarfism. ¡°Excuse me, I don¡¯t mean to offend. But can I ask you something?¡± she ventured. ¡°Ask anything you like dearie, except the recipe for my prize-winning goldenberry pie!¡± ¡°Are you all¡­ dwarves?¡± There was a moment of dead silence. Aside from the crackling fire, you could hear a pin drop. Then the group burst out in uproarious laughter. Chastity¡¯s face flushed again. She was mortified. Had she said the wrong thing? Some of the small folk were now rolling on their backs and slapping the ground, they were laughing so hard. ¡°Dwarves? Dwarves!?¡± one lady cried out between belly laughs that shook her whole body. ¡°She thinks we¡¯re DWARVES!¡± Chastity wanted to pull the quilt over her head and disappear. Mrs. Underfoot wiped tears from her cheeks, fighting to regain her composure as the laughter continued. ¡°Dwarves? He he¡­ no, dearie. Not at all. He he¡­ we¡¯re halflings!¡± Halflings?! Finally the laughter subsided, although a few stray giggles could still be heard now and then. Mrs. Underfoot cleared her throat. ¡°We tend to think of ourselves as River Folk. There WAS a dwarf settlement not too far from ¡®ere, but we don¡¯t ¡®ave much dealings with them nowadays. Come to think of it, ¡®aven¡¯t set eyes on a dwarf in several years. Anyhow, you should rest. I¡¯ll get this lot of nosey neighbors out of your locks. I can take that cup, too,¡± Mrs. Underfoot took the empty cup from the chagrined Chastity. ¡°Say, are you ¡®ungry?¡± Chastity¡¯s stomach rumbled loudly. ¡°O, my! I¡¯ll take that as a yes. I¡¯m afraid we ¡®aven¡¯t got much, but we¡¯re ¡®appy to share what we do ¡®ave. Where¡¯s that Cucumber? O, get in ¡®ere little Cucumber!¡± Chastity thought Mrs. Underfoot was calling for a literal vegetable to be brought in, but soon a younger halfing with ruddy cheeks and floppy hair sauntered into the increasingly crowded room. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Here I am, Auntie.¡± The young halfling was holding a jar. Mrs. Underfoot took it from him and twisted off the lid. Chastity¡¯s nostrils were instantly hit with a smell even more pungent than the barley tea. ¡°Some pickled fish. My best batch yet!¡± the young halfling said, glowing with pride. As the kind woman held the open jar out in front of Chastity, the scent became even more ferocious. Chastity¡¯s stomach did a flip, and she couldn¡¯t hide her alarmed reaction. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with ¡®er?¡± another halfling piped up. ¡°Don¡¯t she like trout?¡± ¡°No, no. It¡¯s not that,¡± Chastity assured them, although she still didn¡¯t reach for the jar. ¡°I like seafood. I¡¯m just not used to the cuisine of¡­ this part of the world.¡± ¡°Well what do you usually eat where you¡¯re from?¡± Mr. Pricklebush asked, incredulous. ¡°Uh¡­ you know, hamburgers and hot dogs. Things like that¡­¡± she answered lamely. Now it was the halflings¡¯ turn to blanch. Mrs. Underfoot slowly put the lid back on the jar (and slowly lowered her eyebrows) then turned to forcefully usher the others out of her spare bedroom. ¡°Now, now. You¡¯ve all ¡®ad your fill of curiosity for the day. Let the lady rest. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve got enough to gossip about in the tavern till the next full moon. Out you go! And don¡¯t let me catch you standing on each other¡¯s shoulders to get a peek through the window again, or I¡¯ll ¡®ave me ¡®usband after you with the broom!¡± Before he left the room, Chastity overheard Mr. Pricklebush muttering, ¡°Hot¡­ dogs? I take back what I said, Pennybun, I think the tall lady might be a barbarian after all¡­¡± ? Chastity slept for a long time. Despite the hunger pangs, the small cup of tea had done her some good. Mrs. Underfoot poked in now and then to tend to the small fire, checking the dampness of Chastity¡¯s clothes. At last, cool sunlight peeked through the window of the little room. A chilly night passed, giving way to a chilly morning. Feeling much better, Chastity reflected on all that had happened and about the current state of her reality. There was no doubt about it: she had somehow been transported to another world¨Ca sort of fantasy world, and was in a village populated by a race of (trademark-indistinct) halflings. And what about the time period? Chastity thought back to classes she had taken on church history. The technology, architecture, and dress (or what she had seen so far) reminded her of the Middle Ages, although that in and of itself comprised a span of about a thousand years. Either way, this was probably before the invention of the printing press and modern antibiotics¨Cand certain feminine hygiene items come to think of it. Chastity bit her lip. What would she do if ¡®that time of the month¡¯ rolled around and she was still stuck here? She shook her head. One problem at a time. The fact was she had crossed over into a parallel dimension¨Ca medieval fantasy world, and one that had rules like some kind of videogame. But how is this possible? she wondered. Nothing in my studies, and nothing in my belief system for that matter, would explain this type of phenomenon. How is it possible that a whole other world exists? Does this not somehow violate everything I fundamentally believe in? Wrestling with these mysteries, an idea came to her. One of the so-called ¡®abilities¡¯ listed on her Character Record. ¡°Recall knowledge¡­ religion,¡± she whispered, not wanting anyone in the house to overhear and think she was talking to herself. There was a chime, and a text box appeared in her vision.
[Recall Knowledge¨CReligion]
Chastity¡¯s mind sharpened. Awareness of past lessons rushed through her like a flipping rolodex. The name of ¡®Molina¡¯ popped into her head. Molina? She suddenly flashed back to a lecture on the work of Luis de Molina, and it felt like she was right there, sitting in the front row of class, listening to the Professor¡¯s voice. ¡°From the perspective of Molinism, God knows not only all necessary truths and all contingent truths, but also all counterfactual truths. Every possibility, and thus every possible world, exists within the mind of God. God chooses to actualize which reality serves the ultimate divine purpose. Yet there being a brain-boggling breadth of possible alternatives does not mean that God presides over chaos, for there may be transworld truths that persist across any actualized reality.¡± Chastity blinked, returning to the present moment. The small bed. The crackling fire. The armor piled in the corner. The rush of mental clarity subsided. Yes, Chastity thought. Whether or not I believed other worlds existed, every possible world MUST exist in some way within the imagination of God. And it seems that I have entered into one of those possible other worlds. But the real question is¡­ how do I get back? Chapter 8: Charlie Cucumber Chapter 8: Charlie Cucumber ¡°Open Character Record,¡± Chastity whispered, still sprawled on top of the too-small bed. The translucent text box appeared before her on command. If I want to have any chance of getting home, I need to figure out how this weird system works, she reasoned. Looking at the Character Record, she noticed that both her Life Points and Focus Points were full, at 20 and 10 respectively. Hmmm. I know I lost Life Points tumbling down that mountain. And I used some Focus Points activating those Abilities. Maybe they were replenished while I was sleeping? She looked carefully at the different categories listed in the record. As she focused on where it said Level, she was surprised to see the text box zoom in, opening up a new box. Woah! All I had to do was sort of stare at that word to open up a sort of sub-menu. She practiced this focusing technique, first with her eyes and then with the power of thought, concentrating on the part of the record she wanted to access and seeing if she could back out of the current text box. It took time and effort, but after several trials she realized she was able to ¡®zoom in¡¯ to different parts of the Character Record to view more details, and ¡®zoom out¡¯ again. It seemed that once she opened the record using a verbal command, her ability to focus would allow her to navigate freely within the screen. She concentrated again on the Level section of the record.
LEVEL: 1 Progress toward Level 2: 30%
Ah, I do remember some notifications saying ¡®experience gained,¡¯ thought Chastity. When I encountered those wolves, and even when I reached this village. I wonder what exactly counts toward gaining experience¡­ Next she concentrated on Life Points. As she concentrated, explanatory text appeared beneath the status.
LIFE POINTS: 20 Life Points represent your mortal life. Reaching zero means an end to your story. Life Points can be regained through healing Abilities and Items, or slowly recovered through rest.
That solves one mystery. I guess I¡¯ve been resting here long enough to get back to full health. What about Focus Points? She concentrated again.
FOCUS POINTS: 10 Focus Points are required for using most Abilities. Focus Points can be regained through prayer, meditation, or being well-rested.
This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.Interesting. Using ¡®Recall Knowledge¡¯ did not use up any Focus Points. Is that because I have Knowledge-Religion listed as a Boon? Is that what differentiates Boons from Abilities¨Ca sort of always-on, free, passive benefit? And does the use of that specific Boon make Recall Knowledge free-to-use? Next she concentrated on her list of Abilities, zeroing in on Detect Evil.
Detect Evil Like a rancid stench, by concentrating on a creature you can sense the presence of Evil. Ability Level: 1 (Initiate) Requires: 5 Focus Points Next Ability Level: 2 (Novice) Progress Toward Next Ability Level: 15% Ability Split: Detect Evil II <-> Sense Evil
Ability Split, Chastity mused, I wonder what that means? Either way, it seems that I will have the opportunity to improve these abilities through use and experience. I had to use an Ability Point to gain Detect Evil. How do I get more Ability Points? Just by gaining levels? But which Ability will help me get back to the real world? Just then, the door creaked open. Chastity jumped and quickly minimized the text box, not at all sure that anybody else would even be able to see it. For all she knew, everyone in this world had a Character Record. Or maybe she was the only one. Either way, she felt self-conscious about it. ¡°So sorry, it¡¯s just me,¡± came a familiar voice from behind the cracked door. ¡°Are you decent? My Auntie asked me to bring you some breakfast.¡± ¡°Uh, yes! Yes, I¡¯m decent! Come in!¡± Chastity replied more forcefully than she intended. The door squeaked the rest of the way open and the younger halfling from the previous day ambled in holding a tray. Chastity saw, and smelled, another cup of barley tea. There also appeared to be a boiled egg cut in half, showing off dark orange yolk, and some crackers. ¡°Beg your pardon, but my Auntie¡¯s hen laid an egg this morning,¡± said the halfling with a smile. Chastity eagerly accepted the tray, laying it across her lap and, hardly being able to restrain herself, dug right in. The rich protein of the still-warm egg sent pleasurable bursts to her nutrient-starved neurotransmitters and, although somewhat stale, she devoured the crackers in a spray of crumbs. ¡°Quite lucky if you ask me! Egg laying''s real hit and miss with the old girl these days. And we had to borrow the crackers from Miss Brandyhill, but Auntie insisted.¡± Chastity instantly felt a wave of guilt about her ravenous display. ¡°I¡­ did I just take food that was meant for you? For your family?¡± The young halfling waved her off, launching into a rapid monologue. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Got plenty of pickled fish to go around! You really should try some, you know. Bout the only thing I can pickle these days, terrible shame. Our village used to host a Pickle Festival every autumn. Aye, you should have seen it! Folks from all round the Riverlands would come. We were famous for it¨Cthat and the goldenberries of course. I can pickle those too, you know. But nobody much cared for pickled goldenberries¡­¡± Despite the halfling¡¯s nonchalance and change of subjects, Chastity was getting the sense that food was not exactly plentiful in the Underfoot household, and perhaps not in the village either. She carefully set her empty breakfast tray to the side. She would need to find a way to pay them back for their hospitality. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Cucumber was it?¡± she asked. The young halfling shook his head. ¡°No, no. Cucumber is my surname. The name¡¯s Charlie, Charlie Cucumber! The Underfoots are my aunt and uncle. I¡¯m helping out while my father is away looking for work up north.¡± Chastity extended her hand. ¡°Pleased to meet you, Charlie. My name is Chastity, Chastity¡­ er¡­ Morningstar, apparently.¡± The young halfling took her hand and eagerly shook it, grinning from round ear to round ear. Her hand nearly enveloped his. ¡°I¡¯ll take that tray from you,¡± Charlie offered. ¡°And my Auntie says, if you¡¯re feeling better, Mayor Roundhedge would very much like to meet you.¡± Chapter 9: A Perfectly Good Pint Chapter 9: A Perfectly Good Pint Once Charlie Cucumber left the room, Chastity got out of bed. It felt good, after her convalescence, to stretch her limbs by the fading warmth of the fireplace. Of course, she could only stretch so far under the low ceiling of this halfling dwelling. Making sure that no curious villagers were peeping through her window, she carefully removed the makeshift smock and pulled on the cloth tunic and breeches, which by now were completely dry, followed by a trial and error process to get into her chainmail armor and attach the cloak. It seemed odd, like putting on a costume. Yet the armor fit her well and she was able to move comfortably with it on. Chastity did a quick breath check, wondering if an equivalent to toothpaste existed in this world. To her pleasant surprise, her breath smelled sweet. Maybe those who live in fantasy storybook worlds don¡¯t need to worry so much about such mundane things as bad breath, she mused. Feeling something tucked into a pocket of her tunic, Chastity removed a small, round object. It felt unusually weighty. Was it a stamp? A brooch? A type of seal? She turned it around and around in her hand, studying it. ¡°Now what could this be?¡± she said to herself. Then, ¡°Identify.¡± She heard the now familiar notification chime.
[Identify] [-1 Focus Point]
The item was ringed in a faint, glowing outline as it rested in the palm of her leather glove.
Holy Symbol of Kr?sning Realmwalker Item Effect: ??
More question marks, Chastity thought. Wait a second¨Cthat symbol! On the face of the object was inscribed the same symbol she had seen carved into the rock outside the mountaintop cave¨Ca stylized X with an elongated tail. Chastity pondered the meaning of this, but could come to no clear conclusions.
Ding! [Your ¡®Identify¡¯ Proficiency Has Increased]
Ah! Chastity thought with a slight start. So many notifications. It seems that gaining experience and gaining proficiency are two different processes. Maybe if my Identify proficiency increases it will be more useful. She concentrated and mentally ¡®closed¡¯ the text box. Chastity took the Holy Symbol and, noticing a metallic loop on the bottom, tried to slide it over a gloved finger on her right hand. It fit, although she could just as easily imagine wearing it on a cord as a necklace, or in some other fashion. It felt more like a signet than a mere ornamental ring. That¡¯ll do for now. Although I wonder, following the logic of videogames, if I have access to some sort of inventory? ¡°Inventory¡­¡± she tried tentatively. There was another chime, and a text box appeared before her vision once more, this time with a grid pattern. There were not many spaces on the grid, and the upper-leftmost box contained the image of a scroll. She focused carefully on the item and discovered it was the Scroll of Scholasticism, granting her a permanent passive boon of Knowledge (Religion). She quickly voice-accessed her Character Record and discovered that the Holy Symbol of Kr?sning was now listed under her Equipment rather than her Inventory. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Aha, so I do have an Inventory, and it looks like I can access it visually or view a list of its contents through my Character Record. The Inventory seems to have limited spaces, and anything I wear on my person is counted as Equipment. So did I waste a Focus Point trying to identify that Holy Symbol? Maybe I could have just viewed it in my Inventory. Although I did gain proficiency for using the Identify ability¡­ Concentrating on the Cloak of Erudition listed in her Equipment, Chastity saw that it bestowed the passive boon of +5% Ability Leveling. However, unlike the scroll, the effect was not listed as permanent. If she removed the cloak, presumably the boon would no longer apply. There was a polite rap of knuckles on the door. ¡°Are you alright in there, miss? Do I need to send my Auntie in to help get you dressed?¡± It was Charlie. ¡°No! No, I¡¯ll be right out!¡± Chastity blurted. Lastly, she picked up her bundle of javelins from where they leaned against the wall and opened the door, ducking through so as not to hit her head. ? Once outside the house, Chastity felt the frigid sting of wintry air afresh. Several halflings were making their way through the village, bundled up and trying to endure the cold. Each stopped to gawk at the Tall Lady in their midst. ¡°I didn¡¯t know they made women that big!¡± whispered one passerby to her companion. Charlie pulled a floppy felt hat down over his ears and tugged a scarf tighter around his neck (the scarf that Mrs. Underfoot simply insisted he wear). He gestured past the winding row of modest thatch-roofed homes to another building nearer the river. It had a painted sign depicting clinking mugs, frothing over with foam. ¡°That¡¯s Roundhedge Tavern at the end of the lane,¡± Charlie said, ¡°where the mayor¡¯s waiting.¡± ¡°We¡¯re meeting the mayor¡­ in a tavern?¡± Chastity asked hesitantly. ¡°Of course! That¡¯s his establishment. Sort of an honorary mayor, really. It¡¯s a rotating position around Goldenberry. What, did you think we had some sort of town hall? That¡¯d be silly!¡± ¡°Silly, right¡­¡± Chastity followed Charlie¡¯s lead, approaching the wide, blue river that served as a natural boundary for the village. She saw the edge of the woods beyond. The river gave off a strong scent, mingled with damp earth and woodsmoke. Charlie continued chatting amiably as they walked. ¡°Each year there¡¯s a grand ale drinking contest at the tavern. The loser has to be the next mayor!¡± ¡°Not exactly a meritocracy, is it?¡± Chastity murmured. And how did the owner of the tavern lose at a drinking contest? ¡°What¡¯s that? Meri-whatsit? You¡¯ve been throwing around them ten-copper words, as my dad would say.¡± They passed by a wooden structure built right against the water¡¯s edge. Chastity saw a large water wheel, but it appeared to be inert. Charlie noticed her eyeing it. ¡°That¡¯s the mill! Beauty ain¡¯t she. Broken down now, I¡¯m afraid, and we don¡¯t have anybody to fix it. All of them that might have repaired it went with the merchant¡¯s caravan, looking for work in the north. I would give it a go myself, but I¡¯m better suited to other work.¡± ¡°Like pickling?¡± ¡°Exactly! Well, here we are.¡± Charlie opened the door to Roundhedge Tavern and again Chastity had to duck down to fit through the small entrance. It was thankfully warmer inside. There was a hearth with crackling logs, and several flickering candles set on round tabletops cast a warm, inviting glow upon the room. The tavern¡¯s low-beamed ceiling was adorned with rustic tapestries depicting various woodland creatures and harvest scenes. Behind the bar, the wall was lined with shelves groaning under barrels of ale. A half dozen or so River Folk sat about the establishment, nursing mugs of ale that looked to be larger than their heads and good-naturedly swapping tales and bits of gossip. The conversation ceased once Chastity entered, and in the minutes that followed, many other curious villagers made their way inside under the pretext of quenching their thirst, stealing glances at Chastity and Charlie, until the place was nearly at capacity. This is like the halfling paparazzi, Chastity thought. There was a hearty greeting as a red-cheeked halfling with a noticeable paunch sauntered out from behind the bar, a mug in each hand spilling over with frothy heads of foam. ¡°Young master Cucumber! And you brought our special guest¨Cthe talk of the village! Welcome, welcome. Fresh ale on the ¡®ouse!¡± ¡°Thanks, Mayor!¡± Charlie responded with glee. He eagerly grabbed his mug and began slurping until soon he had a great beard of foam upon his otherwise smooth features. Chastity smiled politely but waved the mayor off. ¡°None for me, thank you. I appreciate the kind gesture and I intend no offense, but I don¡¯t drink.¡± Mayor Roundhedge was taken aback, and even physically stumbled a bit, splashing some of the drink in the process. The growing crowd chattered in hushed tones, pretending (poorly) not to be eavesdropping. ¡°Aye, we thought you were some sort of ranger. Or knight. Or adventurer! Whoever ¡®eard of an adventurer that would turn down a perfectly good pint of Deep River Ale?¡± begged the honorary mayor. ¡°Well, since you brought it up, it turns out I¡¯m a Paladin,¡± Chastity replied with a shrug. At once, a deep silence fell over the tavern. Somewhere a dish fell to the floor and clattered. Any pretense of minding their own business evaporated as every single soul in the establishment turned to stare at Chastity in wonder. Chapter 10: The Paladin Prophecy Chapter 10: The Paladin Prophecy Mayor Roundhedge turned and railed against Charlie Cucumber. ¡°You brought a Paladin into my tavern? And you nearly let me serve her a pint!? This is a lady under holy orders!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know she was a Paladin, honest!¡± sputtered Charlie. He looked wide-eyed at Chastity, as if truly seeing her for the first time. ¡°Y-you¡¯re a Paladin?¡± Chastity gave a firm nod. That¡¯s what my Character Record says, she thought. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, er¡­ Miss¡­ Madam,¡± the tavernkeep said, doffing his cap and bowing in reverence. ¡°Or is it, Your Holiness?¡± Chastity quickly shook her head. ¡°No, no, no. Call me Chastity. Chastity Morningstar. You don¡¯t need to worry about any honorifics. And it isn¡¯t for religious reasons that I abstain from alcohol¨CI partake in sacramental wine, after all. But as an athlete¡­ hmmm, how to say this¡­ I try to keep my body in peak condition for¡­ um¡­¡± ¡°For all the evil you have to smite!¡± Charlie added helpfully. ¡°That¡¯s what Paladins do best, right?¡± He mimed swinging a sword at some imaginary beast. ¡°Um¡­ right! Well anyway, the CDC released a report showing that even small amounts of alcohol consumption can increase the risk for several types of cancer. Which is¡­¡± The halflings stared at her blankly. Chastity, you¡¯re in a fantasy world¨Cyou need to play the part, dummy! she scolded herself. ¡°Which is not to say that your Deep River Ale isn¡¯t wonderful! I¡¯m sure that it is. But today I¡¯ll pass. I must be fully prepared to¡­ smite evil, after all.¡± Dizzy from the excitement, Mayor Roundhedge reached for the nearest chair and collapsed onto it. ¡°Bless the river, a real, live Paladin in my ¡®umble tavern. Who would believe a thing like that?¡± he muttered, pulling out a handkerchief and dabbing his forehead. Chastity rubbed the back of her neck and sighed. She felt that the purpose of this meeting had gotten wildly off track. Several of the halflings were whispering, and she overheard the word ¡®prophecy¡¯ bandied about more than once. ¡°Anyhow, Mayor¡­ I want to thank you,¡± she started, then turned to address the whole tavern, ¡°to thank ALL of you for your kindness. I come from a far off land and have gotten lost on the journey. I am a stranger to you, with what I¡¯m sure is a strange appearance and equally strange manners. But you kind-hearted people here in Goldenberry Village have shown me nothing but hospitality.¡± She cleared her throat and continued. ¡°Now I fear that I have intruded on Mrs. Underfoot¡¯s family by taking food that they likely needed for themselves. I would like to repay their generosity before I take my leave.¡± Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°Leave?¡± came a creaky voice from the back of the room. ¡°What do you mean¡­ leave?¡± All turned as an older halfling, his eyes grown dim from age, hobbled forward from the rear of the tavern, leaning on a gnarled walking stick. He came close, his head reaching no higher than Chastity¡¯s thigh. ¡°I hope to return to the land I came from,¡± Chastity explained. ¡°Although I confess I don¡¯t know the way.¡± The halfling squinted up at her, wrinkling his nose. ¡°But what about¡­ the prophecy?¡± Chastity was at a loss. ¡°Mister Barkroot,¡± the mayor interjected, ¡°you are referring to that old prophecy, yes? The Prophecy of the Three Paladins? The same thought crossed my mind, but what do I know about such things? I¡¯m just a simple tavernkeep.¡± ¡°Three Paladins?¡± Chastity repeated slowly. The tavern was now completely abuzz with rumor and giddy excitement. The older halfling pulled a small looking glass out of his vest pocket and scrutinized the Holy Symbol worn on Chastity¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯ve seen this symbol before.¡± ¡°You have?¡± Chastity asked. So do they know about that mountain? How much should I tell them? Chastity wondered. They seem like guileless people, but I should listen before I speak. Chastity held up her gloved hand and displayed the Holy Symbol for all to see. ¡°Yes! There used to live in our fair village a Seer. Tall Folk, like yourself,¡± Barkroot said, scratching his chin as his dim eyes searched the corridors of memory. ¡°Don¡¯t know why he ever chose to settle in Goldenberry. Those were ¡®appier days, of course. The Riverlands were peaceful. A very learned man, with a library full of scrolls and tomes, secrets and wisdom. He would talk a lot about the prophecy, would tell anyone who would listen. The Prophecy of the Three Paladins. About Realmwalkers too.¡± ¡°Realmwalkers!?¡± Chastity blurted. Now they were getting somewhere! ¡°Aye. And I could swear on the river I¡¯ve seen that same symbol in that old library of his. He¡¯s gone now, left on a distant journey he said. Many years ago now. Before most ¡®ere in this tavern would remember. His place is at the edge of the village, sitting in wait for his return.¡± Charlie Cucumber shrugged his shoulders. ¡°A human Seer? In Goldenberry? I¡¯ve never heard of him!¡± Mayor Roundhedge whacked the young halfing with his cap. ¡°You were a twinkle in your daddy¡¯s eye down on the farm, Master Cucumber, if that! Listen to your elders tell the tale!¡± ¡°Oww!¡± Charlie rubbed his smarting ear. ¡°I don¡¯t understand, what is so special about these Three Paladins?¡± Chastity asked. She looked around for a place to sit, but was afraid she would break any chair she tried. ¡°Yes! Don¡¯t keep us in suspense, Barkroot. Tell us everything you remember!¡± Mayor Roundhedge encouraged. ¡°Need another ale to wet your whistle?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t say no to another pint,¡± Barkroot said as he shakily pulled out a chair and lowered himself onto it. He leaned forward with two hands clasped on the head of his walking stick while Mayor Roundhedge quickly ran off to pour another drink. Not waiting for the ale, Barkroot closed his eyes, rocking back and forth and humming to himself. ¡°Hmmm hmmm. Keep in mind this is just hearsay from the Seer, and long ago hearsay at that. We halflings try not to get involved with the problems of Tall Folk and other races, aside from trading with the dwarves and what not during ¡®appier times. Yes¡­ hmm hmm hmm. I distinctly remember¡­ bits and pieces. The Prophecy of the Three Paladins. It goes something like, let¡¯s see ¡®ere¡­ ah, yes. Something something Three Paladins¡­ something something Realmwalker¡­ something something Hour of Greatest Need¡­ and something something¡­ Purge Evil from the Land.¡± The old halfling opened his eyes and nodded solemnly. ¡°That¡¯s about the gist of it.¡± Chapter 11: Six Years of Winter Chapter 11: Six Years of Winter Charlie Cucumber was incredulous. ¡°You call that a prophecy, old timer?¡± He was rewarded for this remark with another whack from the mayor¡¯s cap. (Although Chastity had to admit this information was not exactly useful.) Mister Barkroot shrugged, ¡°As I said, it was a long time ago. But I bet it¡¯s all written down somewhere in that old library. All the secrets of Sk?rselden, he used to say¨Cthe Seer. Spending all day scribbling and reading and what not.¡± Mayor Roundhedge shifted nervously, then thrust his cap back on his head. He hurried over to the tavern door and bolted it shut, then returned, blowing out a few of the candles along the way. ¡°Maybe we shouldn¡¯t be talking openly of these things, not even in Goldenberry,¡± the mayor whispered conspiratorially. ¡°They say the Dark One has eyes and ears everywhere nowadays.¡± A distinct shiver of unease ran through the gathering. The silhouetting firelight from the hearth cast exaggerated shadows across the tavern floor. The Dark One? Chastity thought with mild alarm. That didn¡¯t sound good. The older halfling nodded in agreement, still half lost in thought. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re right, mayor. And he wouldn¡¯t take kindly to anyone, or any place, sheltering a Paladin. But I ¡®ope we¡¯re of little enough consequence to escape his foul notice. Best thing would be to take the Tall Lady to the Seer¡¯s ¡®ouse. It¡¯s locked up just like he left it, I imagine. Scrolls and books from floor to ceiling in that place, if the snow or rot ¡®asn¡¯t got in and ruined the lot.¡± The mayor¡¯s face lit up. He quickly disappeared into a back room behind the bar. There were sounds of extensive rummaging, and he re-emerged holding an enormous ring laden with keys. ¡°As honorary mayor, I¡¯ve got the keys to the whole village. The Seer¡¯s ¡®ouse must be on ¡®ere somewhere,¡± he said, scrutinizing iron key after iron key. ¡°Blast if I know which one. That door ¡®asn¡¯t been opened in, what, a good ten years?¡± ¡°Oh, far longer I reckon!¡± Barkroot said with a cough. ¡°Wait a minute,¡± said Chastity. ¡°You mean to tell me you have a whole library filled with incredible books and scrolls about prophecies and secrets, and all that¨Cand no one has visited it once in over ten years? Not even once?¡± Sacrilege! The mayor shrugged. ¡°Eh, we¡¯re not really big readers.¡± There was a chorus of hearty agreement around the tavern. ¡°Aye, aye!¡± ¡°We love to hear a good yarn,¡± Roundhedge explained. ¡°But sit down and read a big fat book? Puts us right to sleep! We prize short poems, especially limericks!¡± At this, Charlie perked up. ¡°Ooh! I know a great limerick!¡± He cleared his throat and began, ¡°There once was a Giant and a Halfling. One midsummer¡¯s night they had a fling. They laid down in the flowers and¨C¡± You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°Young Master Cucumber! That¡¯s quite enough out of you! Keep your bawdy verses to yourself. Need I remind you that this is a lady under holy orders!?¡± the mayor steamed. He tossed the massive set of keys to Charlie. ¡°Take Barkroot with you to the edge of town and see if you can get in. I haven¡¯t a foggiest what the right key is.¡± Charlie thumbed over the many, many keys doubtfully. ¡°You know, I bet I could pick the lock if I needed to,¡± he mused. ¡°Charlie! Watch what you say in front of the lady! Picking locks like a common thief? How many times do I have to say it? She¡¯s a Paladin under HOLY ORDERS!¡± ? Soon the unlikely trio tramped along the crunchy, frost-laden village pathways toward the outskirts. Their progress was slow as Barkroot walked with a pronounced limp, leaning heavily on his gnarled walking stick. Along the way, they conversed in low tones. ¡°Since I arrived, I¡¯ve heard many remarks about ¡®happier times¡¯. It seems a lot has changed around here and not for the better,¡± Chastity ventured. She was still thinking of her obligation to repay the Underfoots for their generosity. ¡°Aye. Goldenberry used to be a bustling village in the heart of the Riverlands,¡± Barkroot explained wistfully. ¡°We were gardeners, famous for our flowers and berries alike. There was scarcely anyone without their own small plot for growing fine green things. And folks would come from all around for our annual Pickle Festival, and not just halflings! We had regular trade with a dwarven settlement to the northwest. Even that is a memory now.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°¡®You know who¡¯ happened,¡± Charlie whispered. ¡°The one we aren¡¯t supposed to be speaking about.¡± The Dark One, Chastity supposed. ¡°One winter the snow began to fall,¡± Barkroot said, ¡°and it never melted. It was a winter without end, like the whole land had been placed under a curse.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t think that sledding down Thimble Hill and building snowfolk would get old, but it does!¡± Charlie added. ¡°How long ago was this?¡± Chastity asked. ¡°I reckon six years. Hard to tell without proper seasons to judge by¡­¡± ¡°Six years! It¡¯s been winter for six years?¡± ¡°Aye,¡± answered Barkroot sadly. ¡°The ground froze. The crops died. Only the hardiest fish swim this part of the river now. Some of the youngest in the village have never seen a spring flower, have never tasted a fresh goldenberry.¡± So they are connecting this permanent state of winter to this Dark One, Chastity thought. I wonder if it really is some sort of curse. Whatever the truth, these people are experiencing hardship because of it. ¡°Many went north looking for work,¡± said Charlie. ¡°Drifting off little by little. I figure about half the homes in the village lie empty now. Not much luck though. It¡¯s the same everywhere. It¡¯s like the whole wide world¡¯s gone mad¨Can end to the seasons. They send back what they can through the merchant, which isn¡¯t much, and the occasional letter.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve mentioned the merchant before. Who is that?¡± Chastity asked. ¡°Tall Folk like yourself,¡± said Barkroot. ¡°From the north. We know him as Honeytongue, although I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s his real name. I once heard him referred to as Charj?r, but I don¡¯t remember where I ''eard that. He travels with a great big wagon, pulled by a pair of ponies. The wagon¡¯s laden with all kinds of goods from around Sk?rselden. You might meet the man someday if you stick around Goldenberry. A smooth salesman, that. He could sell a rat trap to a rat!¡± ¡°He is generous, though,¡± Charlie added. ¡°He offers free transport north as part of his circuit. Halflings are easy, he says, they don¡¯t take up much room in the wagon!¡± Suddenly, a sorrowful look passed over the young halfling¡¯s usually unflappable features. ¡°Aye, there¡¯s the place,¡± Mister Barkroot said, pointing with his stick. Chastity looked up to see a curious dwelling, separated from the rest of the village and halfway built into the side of a tree-topped hillock. It indeed appeared abandoned, with heavy snow piles reaching to the windows and a broken picket fence serving as a jagged perimeter of what must have once been a yard. Charlie Cucumber jingled the heavy ring of keys. ¡°Shall we?¡± Chapter 12: The Abandoned Library Chapter 12: The Abandoned Library It took several minutes of Charlie trying and retrying various keys, but eventually one fit in the keyhole of the oblong wooden door and turned with a satisfying click. The door was stuck. It was larger than that belonging to the average halfling home, so Chastity put her shoulder against the wood and pushed until it finally popped open. The trio peered into the dim space and, blinking, one by one stepped inside. Gray light filtered through dusty and cobwebbed windows. Roots from several of the trees growing on the hill above had long since pierced the ceiling and snaked intrusively down the sides of the walls. A smell of mildew pricked Chastity¡¯s nostrils. ¡°Ahh¨Cachoo!¡± Charlie sneezed violently, sending a burst of dust off a nearby tabletop. Barkroot wriggled his nose, using his walking stick to feel his way deeper into the empty home. ¡°Aye, if my memory serves me, the library is through that passage there.¡± He indicated an arched doorway leading into the back section of the home. This front area appeared to be a modest living and dining area, buried under a thick layer of dust. ¡°Did anyone bring a candle?¡± asked Charlie. ¡°I can¡¯t see a blooming thing.¡± ¡°Maybe our Paladin can cast a divine light,¡± said Barkroot. ¡°You can, can¡¯t you?¡± Chastity frowned, thinking back over her list of Abilities. ¡°Um, I don¡¯t believe so.¡± ¡°Maybe I¡¯m thinking of Clerics. You do ¡®ave special abilities, do you not? Granted by the Great Divine?¡± Great Divine? What is that, a power source? A reference to their deity? ¡°Abilities? Yes, a few. I think I still have a lot to learn about being a Paladin,¡± Chastity admitted. ¡°Which is why we¡¯re ¡®ere. Maybe if the young master will clean off the window panes, there will be a bit more light. Otherwise we can go back and fetch a lantern.¡± Not exactly thrilled with the idea, Charlie rooted around until he found an old piece of cloth and began wiping away the dust and cobwebs. It did help bring a little more of the gray light into the abode. Chastity pushed onward into the spacious rear alcove which served as the library. In a way, it reminded her of the Professor¡¯s office. It was organized chaos¨Cshelves and tables spilling over with bound tomes and scrolls. Equally dusty as the rest of the place, none of the materials had been disturbed for years. Where to begin? Chastity wondered. What am I even looking for? In her searching, her hand casually brushed over a wooden engraving hidden beneath a loose manuscript. There was a slight ¡®wooshing¡¯ sound as a symbol within the circular engraving took on a glow. It matched the holy symbol she wore on her finger, and now both were aglow as if resonating. ¡°Woah!¡± The quiet slumber of the home was disturbed by the sounds of unseen wooden wheels turning and ropes creaking. ¡°Aye! What¡¯s this now?¡± Barkroot uttered with no little alarm. ¡°What kind of trickery or secret art is afoot?¡± A large section of the wooden shelf began to collapse in on itself, parting to reveal a hidden set of stairs leading down into a sort of basement level. The same glow that had appeared on her ring and the engraving, now faded, beckoned from below. ¡°It looks like a secret room,¡± Chastity said and boldly descended the steps. The two halflings cautiously followed at her heels. She was in a rounded, earthen space, partially finished, like a cellar hollowed out of the hillside. A series of sconces in the constructed portion of the walls emitted the glowing light. At the far end of the room stood a pedestal atop which rested a large book, glinting like silver leaf. Flanking the pedestal was an armor rack and a weapons rack, both empty. Cobwebs and roots were present here as well, but the book appeared improbably immaculate, as if dust and dirt were repelled by its silver-gilded cover. Chastity approached, her blue eyes wide and drawn to the large tome.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°Identify,¡± she whispered.
[Identify] [-1 Focus Point] Paladin Codex
This was followed by the notification that her Identify skill proficiency had improved, which she quickly brushed aside. Paladin Codex? This sounds exactly like what I need! Chastity thought. ¡°What¡¯s that you found?¡± Barkroot murmured, squinting from where he stood safely behind Chastity. Charlie, meanwhile, went to inspect one of the glowing sconces. ¡°A book. A Paladin book,¡± she answered, taking the hefty object in her hands. The codex was large, rectangular, and shimmered with a silver sheen on thick covers of unknown material. In the center of the cover was engraved a winged crest different from the holy symbol she was now familiar with. She flipped the book open. The pages were of thick vellum, and lavishly illustrated. Golden castles in the clouds. Winged angelic messengers. Heroic knights in full armor facing off against coiled serpents.The book reminded Chastity of illuminated manuscripts she had seen, such as the Book of Kells on display at Trinity College in Dublin. As for the text¡­ it was utterly indecipherable. Chastity had studied Koine Greek, Hebrew, and even a semester each of German and French (she opted out of Latin). Some of her classmates had gone all-in on various Ancient Near East cuneiform languages, but not her. Her best guess was that this book was written in some form of runic alphabet. ¡°Barkroot, do you know what this says?¡± she asked, holding the open book before his face. The old halfing leaned in as close to the page as possible, using his looking glass and scrutinizing the text with his better eye. He shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s written in the Old Tongue, I reckon. Not Common Speech. I doubt there¡¯s a soul in all of Goldenberry that could read that. Although I¡¯m sure the Seer could have, learned man as he was.¡± Chastity sighed, not able to hide her disappointment. ¡°Thank you, Barkroot.¡± The book was fascinating, the images beautiful, but ultimately of little help without an interpreter. Then¨C ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± Chastity turned as Charlie cried out in pain. The young halfling had a look of terror on his face, his hand bunched into a tight fist below his shoulder. Dangling against the earthen wall was the largest spider Chastity had ever seen. Its abdomen was the size of a basketball, and it had sunk its fangs into Charlie¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Identify!¡± Chastity blurted, slamming the codex shut and instinctively reaching for a javelin.
[Identify] [-1 Focus Point]
The spider shone with a faint outline. A moment later a second box appeared in her vision.
Lute Spider, Lesser Level: 1
¡°Yah!¡± Mentally dismissing the box, Chastity threw the javelin straight and true, piercing the spider¡¯s fat abdomen and pinning it to the wall. Green ichor splashed the wall and Charlie tumbled forward, released from the spider¡¯s grasp.
Ding! [You Have Gained Experience] [Your ¡®Identify¡¯ Proficiency Has Increased]
Chastity was on her knees before the halfling in an instant, and Barkroot soon hobbled to her side. ¡°Charlie! Are you okay? Can you hear me?¡± she said, gently shaking him. Charlie was moaning softly. He remained lying face down on the ground, and Chastity began to roll him over. His body was stiff, but his eyes were open. ¡°Barkroot, he was bitten by a Lute Spider,¡± she said, shuddering. She hated spiders. ¡°Will he be okay?¡± ¡°A Lute Spider?¡± Barkroot gasped. ¡°We haven¡¯t seen one in these parts for years. Must ¡®ave burrowed into this cellar, looking for someplace warm and dry. But¡­ they are venomous. The bite of a full grown Lute can stop a halflings¡¯ breath!¡± Oh, no! Charlie! ¡°This was a Lesser Lute Spider. Does that make any difference?¡± ¡°It does! If that is true, young master Cucumber may just be paralyzed for a spell, but should otherwise come out unharmed. Depends how much venom he took. Are you sure it was a Lesser Lute Spider?¡± Chastity nodded, nervous but certain. ¡°I¡¯m sure. Is there no antidote or treatment?¡± ¡°There may be. As I said, we ¡®aven¡¯t dealt with these pests in quite awhile. Aye, these are ill times indeed! He needs the warmth of a roaring fire to keep his body from stiffening up more. Otherwise, he needs time for his body to fight against the venom.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s not waste another moment,¡± Chastity said. She slung Charlie over her shoulder in a fireman''s carry, tucking the Paladin Codex under her other arm. She pulled the javelin from the wall, letting the gnarled body of the spider crumple to the floor. ¡°Let¡¯s get him back to the village at once.¡± Chapter 13: Enter the Transgressor Chapter 13: Enter the Transgressor Damien Tahquitz stepped into the dark passageway concealed behind the bookcase. His lower back screamed in pain from wrenching the heavy piece of furniture away from the wall, but he had finally found how his target¨CChastity¨Chad vanished from this office. Ignoring the motionless body of the Professor on the floor behind him, Damien entered the tunnel, gun drawn. He had wasted far too much time. The cops would be swarming the campus by now. Of course, he had always expected this to be a journey of no return. ¡°I know you¡¯re in there!¡± snarled Damien. ¡°You can¡¯t hide anymore!¡± Getting the gun had been so easy. Damien¡¯s stepdad, blacked out from drinking, hadn¡¯t even stirred as Damien entered his bedroom, opened the drawer of his bedside table, and plucked the fully loaded firearm. Suddenly, a pale blue light flooded the darkness, moving up and down over Damien as if scanning him. ¡°Agh!¡± Damien startled, shielding his eyes from the light. A mysterious voice filled the chamber.
[System Initializing] [Realm Transgressor Detected]
There was a loud noise, like an alarm or failure alert, and the blue light turned a harsh red color. Damien cursed.
[Beginning Analysis] * [Analyzing Core Attributes] [Analyzing SOMA Attributes: Strength, Vigor, Agility] [Analyzing PSYCHE Attributes: Intellect, Wisdom, Charisma] [Analyzing PNEUMA Attributes: Faith, Mastery, Occult]
The ¡®scanning¡¯ stopped, and the red light coalesced into a floating screen in the darkness. Damien cautiously approached, seeing the spoken words displayed.
[Analysis of Core Attributes Complete] [Primary Attribute Detected] [Your Primary Attribute is OCCULT]
¡°What is this!?¡± Damien demanded.
[Secondary Attribute Detected] [Your Secondary Attribute is AGILITY] * [You have been matched with the following MARTIAL OCCULT CLASS: Assassin (occult + agility)] * [ASSASSIN CLASS Assignment Confirmed]
Infuriated, Damien raised the gun and took a shot at the screen. The sound of the gunshot was deafening, but there was no impact or ricochet. The shot simply disappeared into the endless ether of the passage. The floating red screen and voice continued without interruption.
[Analyzing Natural Proficiencies] [No Natural Proficiencies Detected] * [Analyzing Equipment]Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. [Hooded Sweatshirt Detected Semi-Automatic Handgun Detected] * [Beginning Realm Transgressor Translation]
Damien shuddered as an unpleasant burning sensation coated his entire body. The red light of the shining screen cast a blood-like pall over his gaunt features.
[NAME: Damien Tahquitz -> Daemon Nightblade] [EQUIPMENT: Hooded Sweatshirt -> Hooded Cloak of Enshroudment EQUIPMENT: Semi-Automatic Handgun -> Repeating Hand Crossbow] * [Bestowing BOONS] [Class Boons Bestowed - Dagger Proficiency, Poison Proficiency Equipment Boons Bestowed - +25% Stealth in Darkness] * [Bestowing ABILITIES] [Realm Transgressor Ability Bestowed - Conceal] * [Bestowing EQUIPMENT and ITEMS] [Class Equipment Bestowed - Iron Dagger Additional Equipment Bestowed - 5x Crossbow Bolts Realm Transgressor Item Bestowed - Cursed Sigil of Shattering]
As the burning sensation grew unbearable, Damien gritted his teeth and pushed forward, walking straight through the suspended translucent screen and further into the darkness. ¡°You can¡¯t¡­ distract me¡­ from my purpose¡­¡± he managed through his clenched jaw. There was a light ahead. A way out of this tunnel. No doubt where the object of his malice had escaped to. Damien followed the pinprick of light, time and space dilating around him, as he unknowingly slipped through the membrane of reality into a frozen, enchanted world. ? The still body of Charlie Cucumber lay before the hearth of Roundhedge Tavern, bundled in several blankets. His open eyes stared straight up at the ceiling, his face pale, his expression fixed. Every spare piece of kindling was added to the fire. Many anxious onlookers stood about, offering suggestions from half-recollected remedies and watching to see if his condition worsened. Chastity knelt at Charlie¡¯s side, silently praying for his recovery while Mrs. Underfoot rubbed a vegetal paste on the swollen location of the spiderbite. Meanwhile, Barkroot filled the Mayor and other villagers in on what had transpired at the Seer¡¯s house. It was quickly decided upon that the only ones likely able to decipher the text of the codex, besides the learned scribes and scholars in faraway Crown City, would be the elves, who retained knowledge and practice of the Old Tongue as if the language were evergreen. Although there had been no formal contact for many, many years, the closest Elven settlement was believed to be Everglen, several days'' journey to the east. The Evervale, wherein lay Everglen, was said to be an ancient, primal forest, where only the likes of Wood Elves dared trod (if the tales were true). If Chastity wanted answers, she could follow the river south from Goldenberry, through the neighboring farmlands at the river¡¯s great bend, then follow the old cobblestone road eastward until the road gave way to untamed wilderness beyond the water¡¯s fall. A gasping sound escaped from Charlie¡¯s lips. Chastity turned back to the young halfling, her heart lifting within her. ¡°Charlie! Can you hear me? Can you speak? Are you okay?¡± The whole village, seemingly crammed into the tavern, crowded in. The halfling moved his lips, trying to form words. ¡°A¡­ a¡­¡± he whispered weakly. ¡°A¡­¡± ¡°O, bless the river!¡± his aunt exclaimed. ¡°He¡¯s coming ¡®round. What¡¯s that you¡¯re trying to say, Charlie? Speak up!¡± Mrs. Underfoot bent her ear low before the young master, straining to listen. ¡°A¡­ a¡­. ale¡­¡± Charlie rasped. ¡°P-please give¡­ me¡­ s-some¡­ ale¡­¡± Chastity rolled her eyes. But in a flash, Mayor Roundhedge with an assist from misters Underfoot, Pennybun, and Pricklebush, tapped a barrel and began to funnel some of the amber liquid into Charlie¡¯s open mouth. ? Damien trudged down a steep, winding path leading down the back of the mountain he had appeared upon. Wind driven snow stung his face, and he pulled his black cloak tighter around himself. So¨Che had been transported to another world. And he himself had been transformed in the process. He had been called ¡®crazy¡¯ many times before in his life. Had been locked up in psych wards for months at a time against his will: labeled, forcibly medicated, then spat out once his mom¡¯s health insurance ran dry. Well, if this was all a hallucination (and the intrusive screens he kept minimizing were evidence of that), who cared? Anything was better than the godforsaken world he had just left behind. Damien paused along the haphazard trail. He examined the repeating hand crossbow attached to his wrist. It reminded him of the weapon from a certain demon-hunting class from a dark fantasy video game. To be honest, fantasy games weren¡¯t his favorite. He preferred games where you could run over civilians in stolen cars, burn down trailer parks, and simulate other ¡®antisocial¡¯ activities. The kind of games that get banned from Steam, that you have to pirate via sketchy links on dark web message boards. A shape moved across his peripheral vision. Damien tensed. He still didn¡¯t know what to expect in this strange place. But there, hopping nimbly across the snowy ground, was an arctic hare. Damien relaxed, then raised his arm, aiming the crossbow at the animal. A grim smile crossed his face and he fired a single bolt at the innocent creature, staining the snow red. Chapter 14: The Goblins’ Quarry Chapter 14: The Goblins¡¯ Quarry Damien descended into a craggy scar at the base of the snow capped peak, opposite the side from which he emerged in this other world. Picking his way over uneven ground and maneuvering through tight spaces in the bouldery land, Damien shivered. Below the mountain that cut the sky like a jagged tooth, the air was not as thin but just as cold. Rivulets of water, long since frozen in stony cracks, conspired to slowly split the ancient rocks, and sharp icicles dripped from every overhang. There were fewer trees on this side of the mountain, but there were several copses further from the rocky path he now trod. A bird of prey, perhaps an eagle, drifted on a cold gust overhead. Damien squinted at it, taking aim with his crossbow. No, it was much too far away to hit. He continued on, pressing into a narrow crevice between two enormous boulders. Damien did not have a clear goal. Not yet. He was intrigued by this world, and by the sudden power that had been bestowed upon him. Power he had long fantasized of. Power he believed he deserved. Yet he should not forget his original purpose¨Crevenge against the girl who had ruined his life. Whatever the truth of this reality, his smoldering hatred of her remained fixed. ¡°I¡¯m an assassin,¡± he whispered to himself. ¡°Daemon Nightblade. This world has recognized who I really am. Who I am really meant to be. It has given me the ability to carry out my purpose¡­¡± He would find Chastity, somehow. And when he did¨C ¡°Ahh!¡± Damien let out an involuntary cry as a rope closed around his ankle, yanking him off his feet and hoisting him into the air. He groaned as he painfully swung upside down from one leg. His long black cloak hung down around him like a wilted flower. There was a cackling sound. Gleeful and malicious. Damien frantically looked about. Disoriented, and trying to move the limp fabric out of his face, he made out two oblong figures emerging from behind a nearby outcropping. With the blood rushing to his head and the skewed perspective, it was hard to make out exactly who (or what) these people were. ¡°Lookee, lookee! A human! It¡¯s a human!¡± one of the figures squealed in a high-pitched voice. ¡°Watch out! He¡¯s armed!¡± yelled the other. The figures quickly scuttled toward him. One was clutching something in its grip, like a thick tree branch. No¨Ca club. It swung, and Damien felt an explosion of pain on the side of his head. Then all went dark.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ? Damien came to in a warm, stuffy chamber. The side of his head throbbed terribly. He tried to move, but he was stuck. He tried to cry out but could only manage a grunting noise. There was a foul cloth stuffed in his mouth and tied around the back of his head. He tried to speak, to breathe, but could only gag in response. Struggling, he realized his arms were tightly bound behind him with rope. Damien fought against the bile rising in his throat. He forced himself to breathe through his nostrils and struggled to get on his knees. The air was stale and chalky. There was no more sky, but there were sources of light. He could sense matted blood on the side of his head from where he had been struck. Damien¡¯s cloak was gone, as was his crossbow. Blinking, squinting, and wincing, he tried to take stock of his surroundings. He was bound and gagged, kneeling on hard stone, inside a large wooden cage constructed of crisscrossing branches lashed together. A makeshift prison cell in some sort of cavern, with a few scattered torches as the only illumination. The sounds of hammering and clanking could be heard echoing from somewhere. A few small, hunched figures shackled in leg irons trudged past, carrying pickaxes. They looked no larger than children. Did one have bluish-gray skin? Perhaps the torchlight was playing tricks on his eyes. Three figures were nearby, speaking. When they noticed Damien moving, they approached the cage. There were two shorter figures, and one much larger, and they were clearly not human. Damien recognized the nasal squeal of the first two, the ones who had sprung the trap. They had sickly green skin, with elongated arms and pointed yellow nails at the end of their long fingers. Their sneers revealed an abundance of crooked and sharp teeth. The larger one, a deeper olive green, appeared scarred and fierce, with an almost porcine snout and tusks protruding from beneath. Each was clad in garments of animal skins lined with fur. ¡°So this is the man you captured!¡± the large one uttered, his voice guttural. Clearly he was in charge. ¡°And you say he was alone?¡± ¡°Yes! We saw no others!¡± one of the shorter figures answered. ¡°He has the look of a ranger or scout. Part of a hunting party!¡± ¡°No! No! He searched carefully. He was all alone! Trust us!¡± the other of the two whined. ¡°Trust a goblin? Bah!¡± the larger figure spat on the floor in contempt. He fingered a whip coiled at his side, as if deciding whether or not to use it on the other two. Damien¡¯s mind wheeled. Goblins? He struggled futilely, feeling the tightly bound ropes cutting into him with each attempt. ¡°P-please! Please. We¡¯re telling the truth! There was no other man!¡± the goblins pleaded. ¡°We clubbed him, and made sure there were none following! And we covered our tracks real good!¡± The large one moved his hand off from the whip, stepping closer to the cage and glaring at the captive. Dark, saucer-like pupils swam within his yellowed eyes. ¡°No humans should be in these parts. This could be a problem,¡± the leader grunted. ¡°Keep him under guard. I will go back to the great mine and report to Slaggmaw. I¡¯ll return in a few days. Then we¡¯ll see what is to be done with him.¡± Chapter 15: South by Southeast Chapter 15: South by Southeast Chastity walked a well-trodden dirt road leading southward from Goldenberry Village, against the course of the Deep River as it wended its way through the Riverlands. Tufts of thistle and other light brown grasses encroached at the edges of the road. The ground was cold and firm beneath her boots. She had set out at first light, hoping to make as much progress as possible before nightfall. Judging by the position of the pale sun it was near midday. It would be a multi-day journey into the Evervale, and the thought of sleeping out of doors in these frigid conditions was not exactly appealing. Despite a less than ideal night¡¯s rest in the undersized bed of the Underfoots¡¯ guest room, her Focus Points were back to full. Chastity also added the Paladin Codex to her Inventory. It felt strange, slipping the hefty book into some invisible compartment, but she knew the answers she sought were buried within its inscrutable text and she could not risk losing or damaging it. The neophyte Paladin carried nothing more than her regular equipment with an added bedroll and meager rations (mostly crackers) in a small leather pack provided by the villagers. She felt bad enough, having imposed herself on the Underfoots, dipped into their limited stores, and inadvertently endangered Charlie. But the villagers, and Mrs. Underfoot in particular, would not hear of it. ¡®You saved my nephew, O bless you! Bless you, your ladyship!¡¯ she had said, much to Chastity¡¯s chagrin. Speaking of Charlie¡­ Tink. Tink. Tink. Charlie Cucumber strolled alongside Chastity, weighed down by a pack that looked far too bulky for his diminutive frame. But he bore it in stride, whistling a halfling tune to himself as they walked. He showed no lingering effects from his nasty encounter with the Lesser Lute Spider (although the puncture marks beneath his shirt were starting to scar over). Despite Chastity¡¯s protests, and real concern for his safety, Charlie simply insisted on escorting her until at least the road turned eastward¨Cwith the enthusiastic consent of the villagers. Tink. Tink. Tink. ¡°Charlie, what is that noise coming from your pack?¡± Chastity asked, her patience finally wearing thin after hours of listening to the repetitive noise. Charlie¡¯s face brightened. ¡°Just some jars of pickled fish! In case we get hungry, which I reckon we will. Folk cannot live on crackers alone, now can they?¡± Chastity frowned, feeling a spasm in her gut. Back when she was training for Team USA she consumed nearly 4,000 calories a day. Mostly it had been lean proteins, complex carbs, and healthy fats. True, she was no longer near that level of intensity, but she had not had a square meal since arriving here (nor a round, triangular, or any other shaped meal for that matter). If I get truly desperate¡­ ¡°Er¡­ tell me, Charlie. How do you make pickled fish? What goes into it?¡±The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°You really want to know?¡± he said, perking up like a puppy who just heard the word ¡®walk.¡¯ ¡°As far as I can tell, we¡¯ve got miles to travel and little else to discuss. And I know pickling is a point of pride for you.¡± Grinning widely, Charlie stopped and took off his pack. He dug around until he pulled out a jar, struggled back into the straps, and continued on. He began to recount his recipe, adding colorful commentary along the way. Apparently you could remove the skin or leave the skin on; Charlie preferred skin on. Why, Charlie. Why!?
Riverlands Pickled Trout (Recipe) Ingredients: 1 Deep River Trout, filleted and pin boned A halfling handful of coarse sea salt Fresh dill Goldenberries Black peppercorns Cider vinegar mixed with ice melt (may substitute fermented goldenberry juice) Preparation: Step One: In a bowl, combine the sea salt, dill, crushed goldenberries, and black peppercorns Step Two: Rub the mixture generously over trout, inside and out. Place in a covered dish and bury in the snow for two nights. Step Three: After curing, rinse the trout in cold water to remove excess salt. Pat dry with a cloth. Step Four: In a jar or other container, layer the trout with fresh dill sprigs. Pour the vinegar or fermented juice over the trout until it is submerged. Step Five: Seal the jar and store in a cool, dry place for no fewer than seven nights. The longer it cures, the stronger the flavor.
Those ingredients, individually, don¡¯t sound so bad, Chastity reasoned. ¡°Care for a taste?¡± Charlie asked, opening the lid and proffering the jar. Chastity wriggled her nose at the blast of fish and vinegar. ¡°Maybe later!¡± she blurted, her hand reflexively shooting up to cover her mouth. ¡°Well I brought plenty, so just let me know when you get peckish,¡± Charlie said, taking one last luxurious whiff before closing the lid. They continued on. After another half hour, Chastity noticed some shapes in the distance. The landscape was subtly changing. A notification caught her attention.
Ding! [New Location Discovered] [Riverlands Farms] [You Have Gained Experience]
The bucolic region stretching out before the travelers lay abandoned, the empty shells of quaint farmhouses and barns scattered across a wintry expanse. Once fecund, the ground was a patchwork quilt of frozen earth and snow drifts. Fences, once stout and sturdy, were bowed and broken, their weathered timbers groaning in the chill wind. A thin layer of frost clung to every surface. As the river carved its wide bend through the landscape, partially encircling this region, the road turned inland and passed between empty farmsteads. One nearby house stood forlorn, its windows dark and empty like hollowed-out eyes. The chimney was a mute sentinel, its throat choked with snow. Chastity could just detect remains of the ruddy paint that once graced its walls. This must have been a place of great warmth and life before the endless winter set in, Chastity thought. I can imagine that farmhouse glistening like a ripe tomato in the sunshine. Charlie had grown uncharacteristically quiet since coming upon this new location. ¡°Charlie, this is where you grew up?¡± The young halfling nodded. ¡°Nearby, yes. But we were often invited over to that house yonder for supper at the Harvest Moon celebration each year. The Beetroots¡¯ place. Hot mugs of spiced cider¡­¡± Charlie lapsed into silence again. Chastity considered sheltering for the night in one of these farmhouses. But while they looked abandoned, they were still somebody else¡¯s property; it wouldn¡¯t do to trespass. Plus, there were still some hours of daylight and plenty of road ahead. Chapter 16: The Chantry Ruins Chapter 16: The Chantry Ruins The dwindling sun, gliding along a near horizontal path over the land, began to dip low into the horizon. Without the rays, lusterless though they seemed, the ambient temperature plunged precipitously. Chastity pulled her cloak around her but found little comfort from the biting cold. Her legs were sore from the day¡¯s journey. Up ahead, in the lengthening shadows, the remains of a stone structure stood on a hillock overlooking a crossroads. The unpaved road the travelers walked gave way to cobblestone and turned abruptly to the east, following the long curve of the river, while the option to continue southward across a dilapidated wooden bridge in the near distance lay before them.
Ding! [New Location Discovered] [Southroad Chantry] [You Have Gained Experience]
Chastity glanced up at the structure. A chantry? Isn¡¯t that like a sort of chapel, or part of a chapel? she wondered. That sounds promising. ¡°Charlie, do you recognize that building?¡± Charlie nodded his head, starting to shiver. ¡°Some clerics used to stay here, if memory serves. Only came by it once before as a lad. Been abandoned awhile, looks like.¡± ¡°We should take shelter for the night,¡± Chastity said. ¡°I think we¡¯ve traveled as far as we can for one day. And I can¡¯t stand this cold much longer.¡± Charlie nodded and the two climbed a winding path to the top of the small hill. They passed by a prominent stone statue, a figure clad in armor holding a greatsword angled toward the ground. The head of the statue was missing¨Cbroken off¨Cand the writing on the accompanying plaque eroded away. The building itself was deserted and desolate. Heavy wooden doors had long since been broken down and now hung warped from rusted hinges, allowing them to walk straight in. One section of the perimeter stone wall lay collapsed, as well as portions of the ceiling. Heaps of broken stone littered the ground. However, there was enough coverage to offer suitable protection from the elements. This will have to do, Chastity reasoned. She pointed to a flat, dry section of limestone flooring in the middle of what might have been the nave. ¡°Let¡¯s gather all the wood we can find. I¡¯ll build a fire here in the center. The hole in the roof should keep us from getting smoked out.¡± Charlie nodded again and they set out their bedrolls, then went about finding the driest twigs, branches, or scraps of wood they could scavenge. There was little remaining in the interior to give Chastity any sense of the sacred, or any anthropological clues as to the people or faith once practiced. The best she could discern was the splinters of what might have been pews or kneelers.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Stuffing handfuls of the dormant brown roadside grass at the base of the kindling pile, Chastity borrowed a flint from Charlie and struck the head of a javelin against it again and again until she sparked a small tongue of fire into existence. Ah, that feels amazing! Chastity sighed, removing her gloves and warming her stiff hands over the meager but growing flame. If only she had a cup of Mrs. Underfoot¡¯s barley tea! Yes, the taste had grown on her over the last couple days. The usually talkative halfling sat by the fire, heavy lidded and quiet. Chastity looked him over sympathetically. ¡°Well, this is it, isn¡¯t it Charlie? Where the road bends east toward the Everglen? Thank you for showing me the way. I take it¡­ when the sun rises tomorrow, you¡¯ll be able to find your way back to Goldenberry alright?¡± Charlie Cucumber glanced up, a look of surprise on his face. Or was it disappointment? ¡°Y-yes, I should be able to manage¡­¡± he said, turning his eyes back to watch the fire. ¡°Then we should try to get as much rest as we can. Do you mind tending the fire for a bit? I need to go take care of something.¡± Chastity set aside her bundle of javelins and traveling pack, then got up to leave. ¡°Take care of something? I don¡¯t understand, where are you going?¡± Charlie asked, alertness returning to his features. ¡°Er, let¡¯s just say I need some fresh air!¡± The halfling blinked, visibly confused. ¡°Plenty of fresh air with a third of the wall collapsed, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°I need to go¡­ answer the call of nature. Urgently!¡± Chastity murmured, bolting for the door. ¡°The call of nature? I don¡¯t understand! I thought you were a Paladin, not a Druid!¡± Charlie called after her, but she ignored him, her cheeks reddening. Chastity exited the ruins and circled around the building, walking past what appeared to be a small cemetery, burial stones protruding from the snow. She walked further, past a small ridge and behind some bushes to relieve herself. Up above the stars were coming out, and they were beautiful. Without modern light pollution, and no visible moon on this chill night, the sky was a wondrous tapestry of illumination, like cans of white and midnight blue paint spilled across the heavens and pricked with pins. Oh, wow. Chastity didn¡¯t know enough about astronomy to say if these stars and constellations had any parallel to her own back home, but they took her breath away. She felt deeply moved in a way she could not quite express. But that wonder was short-lived. A shriek arose from the direction of the ruins. ¡°Chastity! Help! Chastity!¡± Charlie Cucumber was yelling, clearly in a panic. Chastity quickly hoisted up her garments and hurried back, realizing that she had foolishly left her bundle of javelins inside. Bad move, Chastity! I need a weapon! Stopping by the headless statue, standing guard like some forgotten sentinel over the chantry, Chastity grabbed hold of the stone sword, using all of her strength to wrench it from the statue¡¯s grasp. There was a cracking sound as the piece came loose.
[Equipment Acquired - Stone Sword (Improvised Weapon)]
¡°Where are you, Chastity? Hurry!¡± the plaintive cries echoed again from within the ruins. Clutching the unwieldy stone blade, Chastity strode toward the doorway. But she stopped suddenly in her tracks. Under the starlight, wisps of vapor started to form in the air between her and her destination. A haunting wail emanated from the midst of the vapors, making the tiny blonde hairs on the back of her neck and arms stand on end. The vapors coalesced into two distinct shapes, twisting and writhing in the air before her, semi-translucent, with faces like the faces of long dead men, like the shriveled remains of those bodies found preserved in Irish peat bogs (Google it!), but somehow incorporeal. ¡°Ah!¡± Chastity sputtered, brandishing the sword defensively. ¡°I-Identify!¡±
[Identify] [-1 Focus Point]
The two ghastly figures shone with faint outlines. The accompanying text box did little to allay Chastity¡¯s concerns.
Ruin Wraith Level: ?? Ruin Wraith Level: ??
Chapter 17: Ruin Wraith Wrath Chapter 17: Ruin Wraith Wrath (say that five times fast)
Ding! [Your ¡®Identify¡¯ Proficiency Has Increased]
Skull icons, Chastity thought, frowning. It doesn¡¯t take an expert in video game logic or fantasy worlds to realize that means bad news. Pushing aside her fear, Chastity clutched the stone sword and stared down the two apparitions. The threatening wraiths stood (okay, hovered) between her and her companion, who sounded like he was in danger. ¡°I don¡¯t even need to detect evil,¡± Chastity said through clenched jaws. ¡°This chantry was meant to be a sacred place, and you abominations have befouled it!¡± Of course, as soon as she said the words ¡®detect evil¡¯ aloud, the ability activated.
[Detect Evil] [-5 Focus Points]
Oops, thought Chastity. There has to be a better way to control these abilities!
[Evil Creatures Detected] [Category: Undead]
Like I said, it was kinda obvious!
Ding! [Your ¡®Detect Evil¡¯ Proficiency Has Increased]
Ignoring the alert, Chastity swung the improvised weapon at the nearest wraith. To her dismay, the blade sailed right through its incorporeal form. In return, the wraith lunged at her, ethereal hands reaching straight through her chainmail. ¡°Gah!¡± Chastity gasped, feeling an impossibly deep and painful chill penetrate her heart. Dropping one hand from the sword¡¯s hilt, she clutched at her chest. Was she having a heart attack?
[-6 Life Points]
She staggered back, and the wraiths immediately closed the distance. The second wraith reached out, wailing miserably. It raked its grasping hand through her torso, dealing more invisible damage.
[-5 Life Points]
¡°Agggh!¡± Chastity yelled. She swung the stone sword a second time and got the same result. She couldn¡¯t fight these things, not out here, outnumbered in the cold and dark of a moonless night. And if these undead fiends were too strong for her, then Charlie Cucumber was no match at all. I have to get to Charlie¨Cbefore it¡¯s too late! Chastity jumped to one side and rolled, the snow cushioning her landing. She got up and sprinted into the chantry. The wraiths turned and pursued her, their mournful expressions distorting in a gust of wind that swept across the ruins. Inside she saw Charlie. He was cowering near the fire, holding up his traveling pack in defense as another wraith menaced him. Thankfully he seemed to be unharmed¨Cfor now. ¡°Charlie! Keep your distance! Don¡¯t let it¨Cagh¨Ctouch you!¡± Chastity winced as the pain in her chest lingered from the previous attack. She circled around the ghastly creature and stood in front of the halfling, offering her own body as a shield. ¡°I¡¯m s-scared,¡± Charlie stammered. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Stay behind me,¡± she ordered. At the same time, she dropped the sword and grabbed her bundle of javelins, pulling one free and flinging it at her foe with all her strength. The javelin flew free and true¨Cstraight through the wraith and burying itself in the distant wall of the building. ¡°It¡¯s no use. Nothing I do can hurt them!¡± Now all three wraiths were inside the ruins and closing in on the two travelers. Chastity eyed the openings in the partially collapsed walls. Maybe if she distracted the wraiths, Charlie could attempt an escape. It was not the end she had imagined for herself¡­ As long as there is life, there is hope, Chastity counseled herself. That¡¯s right¨Cas long as there is life, there is still hope! Don¡¯t give up. Seconds passed. The ghoulish, hollow faces of the wraiths drifted back and forth, snarling, their bodies sometimes intermixing then separating again. But oddly, they came no closer.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Aha! ¡°Charlie¨Cthe fire! I don¡¯t think they like the fire!¡± Charlie lowered his pack, glancing at the threatening spirits. ¡°The fire?¡± ¡°Maybe it''s the light, or the heat. Look¨Cthey won¡¯t come any closer. As long as we stay close to the fire we might be safe!¡± Chastity grinned. The apparitions wailed with scorn, groping impotently at their would-be victims from some boundary they would not cross. ¡°Grab the largest sticks you can safely reach. We can make torches. If we keep the fire burning, maybe we can keep them at bay all night. Once the sun rises, something tells me they won¡¯t be bothering us.¡± ¡°All night?!¡± Charlie asked incredulously. ¡°You mean we need to stay here and fend them off the whole night long? Sounds like the worst night ever!¡± ¡°I can think of worse,¡± she retorted. Chastity dug in her pack and removed the extra linen garment the halflings had fashioned for her, ripping it into strips. She wrapped the fabric around the end of a large piece of wood and fastened it with the leather strap used to bundle her javelins. ¡°Do you have any fuel? Oil? Animal fat, anything like that?¡± Chastity asked. Charlie dug into his pack, and Chastity heard various jars clanking together. ¡°I have a small vial of repju oil I got from the traveling merchant.¡± ¡°Repju?¡± ¡°Comes from up north. Thought about trying it out for one of my recipes. But¡­ oh, nevermind! Left it back at the village! Ha ha.¡± Chastity exhaled in exasperation and decided to dip the makeshift torch into the flame anyway. It would burn, but maybe not for very long. She passed it to Charlie and looked around for materials to craft a second. ¡°If any of those things come closer, swipe at them!¡± she urged. Charlie swallowed a lump in his throat but nodded. The swirling phantoms drifted back and forth, angry, but did not come any nearer. ¡°As I said, as long as we can keep this fire burning, we should be¨C¡± At that moment, a powerful gust of icy wind rushed through the openings of the ruined building, extinguishing the campfire. Oh no! At once the wraiths rushed in. Chastity grabbed the stone sword off the ground and backed away. The weapon was useless against them, but holding it felt better than nothing. Charlie¡¯s torch still burned, but the wraiths could easily get within swiping distance. They retreated quickly, never taking their eyes from the approaching wraiths, and soon their backs were against the wall. This part of the building might have once been akin to an apse, or even sacristy. Chastity saw no holes large enough to fit through, no windows or doors. They were hemmed in, with only the tip of Charlie¡¯s torch delaying imminent doom. Chastity¡¯s boot hit something hard that gave off a sharp pinging sound, like she had struck something made of glass. In fact, she had nearly tripped over the object jutting out beneath a pile of rubble and splintered wood. It wasn¡¯t just a piece of debris. On instinct, Chastity stooped down and picked it up. It was a bottle. Beneath a layer of dirt, dark blue glass caught the light of the torch and glinted. The wraiths snarled and drew ever closer. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Charlie demanded. ¡°They¡¯re readying to kill us!¡± Chastity brushed the dirt away and held the bottle up to the light. There was writing on it, or there had been, in Common Speech too. But it was hard to make out. ¡°Identify!¡±
[Identify] [-1 Focus Point] Holy Water
Holy water! Chastity¡¯s heart, still stinging, nearly skipped a beat.
Ding! [Your ¡®Identify¡¯ Proficiency Has Increased] [Ability Level Advancement Ready]
This just might work! Chastity unstoppered the bottle and poured half the contents over the stone blade. Instantly the sword began to glow with a faint blue light. The wraiths shrieked and recoiled at the sight. ¡°Woah!¡± Charlie exclaimed. Chastity rose to her full 5¡¯11 stature, gripping the handle of the glowing weapon with both hands. ¡°Return to whatever darkness you sprang from!¡± she uttered, swinging the sword down. The nearest wraith exploded in a flash of light, its form dispersing like black smoke. The other wraiths drew back, perhaps uncertain of what to do. Were they capable of rational thought? Strategic planning? Or did they act on vile instinct alone? Chastity leapt forward and slashed diagonally, the heavy blade bursting a second ruin wraith in as many moments. ¡°Be gone!¡± the Paladin shouted. The final wraith withdrew with a ghoulish cry, seeking dark corners and deepest shadows to seep into and escape. But Chastity would not let that happen. She ran after the fleeing creature and swung the sword sideways like a baseball bat, looking to decapitate the spirit if possible. Like the others, it evaporated in a violent burst when the glowing blade struck it. The mighty swing also brought the sword crashing into the heavy stone wall behind. The sword cracked and shattered, pieces of the unknown statue¡¯s blade falling to the floor. Gradually, the blue light faded from the crumbled stone.
[Equipment Lost - Stone Sword (Improvised Weapon)]
Trembling from exertion and adrenaline, Chastity let the useless hilt fall from her hands. The chantry, and the world around her, were wholly silent in the absence of the undead menace. That is, except for the multiple pinging notifications.
Ding! [You Have Gained Experience] Ding! [Level Up!] [You Have Reached Level 2] [Your Maximum Life Points Have Increased to 30] [Your Maximum Focus Points Have Increased to 15] Ding! [Level Up!] [You Have Reached Level 3] [Your Maximum Life Points Have Increased to 40] [Your Maximum Focus Points Have Increased to 20] Ding! [You Have 2 Ability Points to Spend]
Chapter 18: Level Up, and Up Chapter 18: Level Up, and Up Charlie Cucumber stretched sore muscles and sat up in his bedroll. It was light out, and the remains of last night¡¯s fire gently smoldered. He had slept like a baby. After the wraiths were vanquished, he and Chastity rebuilt the fire deeper within the building where there was more shelter from the wind. They had agreed to take shifts through the night, but it seemed that the brave Paladin had let him sleep straight through. Encountering those wraiths should have made a good night¡¯s rest impossible, but the resulting feeling of peace in the aftermath of the confrontation surpassed comprehension. Charlie looked around. Where was that Tall Lady, anyhow? Shuffling outside, he saw her sitting on the edge of the short stone wall partially surrounding the chantry. Her eyes were closed, feeling the morning light upon her fair face. ¡°Chastity?¡± he asked. ¡°Are you alright?¡± She turned and smiled. ¡°Yes, just finishing my morning prayers,¡± she answered. ¡°Oh! I¡¯ll just start packing up camp then,¡± he said, feeling sorry for interrupting her. ¡°That would be great. Thank you, Charlie.¡± He quickly went about the task, straightening up and even tucking the scant remaining Holy Water into his pack alongside his prized pickle jars. Meanwhile, Chastity finished her prayers but remained sitting, turning her attention inward. Despite her lack of sleep, she felt truly refreshed. Leveling up not once, but twice, had filled her with renewed energy. She had scarcely felt better. Prayer was one of the methods to manually regain Focus Points, but her Focus Points were already full. In fact, both her Life Points and Focus Points had refilled to max upon leveling up. Not only that, but the maximum range of both had increased significantly. Just yesterday, Chastity¡¯s Life Points were capped at 20 and her Focus Points capped at 10. Now they were 40 and 20, respectively. With each Level, my Life Points must go up by 10, and my Focus Points by 5, she reasoned. And now I have two Ability Points to spend! It seems I gain one of those with each level as well. She verbally opened her Character Record, and focused on the Level section.
LEVEL: 3 Progress toward Level 4: 0%
A secondary notification persisted, reminding her of the Ability Points at her disposal. She opened the Ability Tree, seeing a variety of options.
[You have 2 Ability Points to Spend] [Level 3 - Paladin Ability Tree]
Identify (ready to advance) Detect Evil (not ready to advance) Smite Evil (unlockable) Aura of Bravery (unlockable)
Through repeated use and increased proficiency, Chastity was now able to advance the Identify skill to its next stage. However, her ability leveling progress for Detect Evil was not yet sufficient for advancement. She no longer saw an option to select Detect Good as a standalone choice, but curiously, there were two additional abilities that she could unlock. She focused first on the Identify skill tree, which in this case was quite linear. There was no talk of an ¡®Ability Split¡¯ like there had been for Detect Evil.
Identify An ability unique to Realmwalkers, allowing you to discern information about persons, creatures, or items in other realms. Ability Level: 1 (Initiate) Requires: 1 Focus Point Next Ability Level: 2 (Novice) Progress Toward Next Ability Level: 100% ¡ýHelp support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Identify II An ability unique to Realmwalkers, allowing you to discern information about persons, creatures, or items in other realms. You are able to determine the Level of persons and creatures up to 10 Levels higher than your own. Ability Level: 2 (Novice) Requires: 2 Focus Points
Aha, thought Chastity. At the cost of an extra Focus Point per use, I¡¯ll be able to figure out what level things are. No more pesky question marks. Unless, of course, they are much higher level than I am. Next, she looked at Aura of Bravery, which sounded odd for an ability name.
Aura of Bravery Your courage is inspiring! Companions within 10 feet of you gain temporary immunity to fear. Ability Level: 1 (Initiate) Requires: 10 Focus Points
Oof. 10 Focus Points is a lot, Chastity noted. That is an interesting ability, but I¡¯m not exactly leading an army here. I wonder if I would ever use this¡­ What does Smite Evil do?
Smite Evil Once per day, you can deal double damage to any evil target. Ability Level: 1 (Initiate) Requires: 10 Focus Points
Another 10-pointer, she realized. I see how this would pair well with my Detect Evil ability. I didn¡¯t realize just how much evil there was in this world, but from hearing whispers about the Dark One and encountering those awful wraiths last night, I can¡¯t afford to be naive. After some careful thought, Chastity decided to spend one Ability Point to advance her Identify skill from the Initiate to Novice stage.
Ding! [1 Ability Point Spent] [You Advanced an Ability - Identify ¡ú Identify II ]
She went back and forth over her next choice, but eventually chose to invest her second Ability Point in Smite Evil. I¡¯d rather avoid fighting, but if I have to defend myself or someone else, I should be prepared. At the next Level Up, if there was a next time, she could choose the other option, advance one of her current abilities, or maybe a whole new option would appear.
Ding! [1 Ability Point Spent] [You Gained a New Ability - Smite Evil]
Smiting evil? I guess Charlie Cucumber was right after all, Chastity smiled and chuckled to herself. ¡°All packed up!¡± Charlie called. He stood at a respectful distance, nearly teetering under the combined supplies of both travelers. ¡°Thanks!¡± Chastity said, hopping off the wall and taking her things from him. She shielded her eyes and looked out at the cobblestone road leading into the eastern distance. ¡°I guess this is where we part ways?¡± Charlie shuffled his feet, not answering. ¡°What is it, Charlie? Please, speak your mind.¡± Charlie stared hard at the ground, balling his fists at his sides and brimming with¡­ frustration? Determination? What was it? ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± he started, working up to it. ¡°I want to go with you!¡± Chastity was surprised. ¡°Oh! Really? Even after¡­ everything?¡± The spider attack¡­ the wraiths¡­ narrowly avoiding hypothermia¡­ Suddenly, Charlie looked up to meet Chastity¡¯s gaze with his bright, round eyes. ¡°This is the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me! And if I turn back now, I could never live with myself. I want to keep going. I want to see the Evervale. I want to see the Elves! If I¡¯ve been sullen lately, a right bump on a log, I¡¯m truly sorry. I was just missing my dad! Missing the way things used to be. The truth is, there¡¯s not much of anything waiting for me back in Goldenberry. But you inspire me! I¡¯m not ready for this adventure to end¡­¡± Having worked himself into a minor tizzy, Charlie took several deep breaths to steady himself. So Charlie truly had been downcast since they passed through the farmlands, as Chastity thought; it was not just her imagination. Missing his absent father, and more than that¨Cgrieving a lost way of life. She could understand that. Strange, Chastity thought. When I was transported here, I was initially so focused on helping the Professor that I hadn¡¯t even given much thought about my own parents. My grandmother, my sister. What must my family be thinking right now? What must they be going through? Are they doing a grid search for me? Are they putting my picture on milk cartons? Am I going to end up on an episode of Unsolved Mysteries? Chastity rubbed her chin thoughtfully. Could it be¡­ the longer she remained in this other world, the less she thought about (and remembered) the one she came from? Was she subtly changing, adapting to this place¨CSk?rselden, as the villagers called it? Or was she just taking the role of fantasy Paladin a bit too seriously? Did I really use the phrase, ¡®you abominations have befouled it¡¯ last night? Her cheeks flushed pink with self-consciousness. She cleared her throat. ¡°Charlie? This is the biggest adventure I think either of us have been on. I might regret this¡­ but yes, you can travel with me into the Evervale. But stay close, and do what I ask. The last thing I want is for harm to befall you on my watch.¡± Befall you on my watch? There¡¯s that stilted language again! Charlie quickly wiped his cheek¨Cwas he brushing away a small tear of gratitude? He nodded and grinned, hoisting up his traveling pack. And then the two were off, following the road eastward. ¡°You know, this is the farthest I¡¯ve ever been from home before!¡± the halfling offered cheerily. ¡°Me too, Charlie. Me too.¡± After another several dozen steps, he piped up again. ¡°No, no. Now THIS is the farthest I¡¯ve ever been from home.¡± A quarter of a mile down the road, he spoke yet again. ¡°Now this here is really, truly, the farthest I¡¯ve ever been in my whole life! Woo hoo!¡± Oh noooo, Chastity silently groaned. Chapter 19: Marked Chapter 19: Marked Damien screamed as the goblins pressed the red hot branding iron against the side of his neck. The sound and stench of sizzling flesh and the blinding pain were overwhelming. ¡°Holdem still! Holdem!¡± one of the captors squealed. Several goblins braced Damien against the branding block until the cruel procedure was over. The brutes were all smaller than he, but they had every advantage. Half-starved, sleep deprived, outnumbered, and catching who-knows-what illness from the unhygienic living conditions, Damien could hardly resist. But his nearly emaciated physical state did not prevent the goblins from putting him in shackles and placing a pickaxe in his hand. Now branded as forced labor for this goblin crew, he was put to work in the mines, though he scarcely had the strength to swing the pick against the stubborn gray stone. ¡°No sign of that stinking Ork! Meanwhiles we got quotas to fill,¡± one of the overseers had grumbled. ¡°Man or no man, Slaggmaw isn¡¯t going to be pleased unless we dig every speck of gold from this vein!¡± the other had agreed. ¡°Put a mark on him and get him to work! No free meals here, prisoner or not!¡± And so Damien was led deeper into the dark, suffocating mine, and back to his cage after untold hours of toil, under near constant verbal harassment and threat of beatings from the goblins¡¯ wooden clubs. The only respite between was a meager portion of, for lack of a better word, gruel. A pasty sort of foul-smelling stew that had the consistency of snot. More often than not, Damien had to flick away a maggot or two squirming up the rim of the shallow dish. The first two meals left him retching, but eventually his desperate hunger forced him to keep some of the stuff down. Still no sign of the large one¡¯s return¨Cthe ¡®Ork.¡¯ Damien was kept separate from the other workers and forbidden to speak to any of them in passing, and vice versa. Some of the workers were smaller in size, not unlike the goblins, and Damien noticed at least one had a similar brand on its neck. And all wore shackles as they were marched back and forth from their tasks. But in his downtime in the cage, Damien had finally started paying attention to the notifications flashing in his peripheral vision. He had something called an Ability Point to spend, a way to gain a new Assassin class skill in addition to the Realm Transgressor ¡®conceal¡¯ ability he started with. He also was able to study the ins and outs of his Character Record, becoming more familiar with the strange system that governed this world. There were only two Ability options to unlock at first: Sneak Attack and Deathmark.
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.Sneak Attack If attacking while successfully concealed from your target, deal extra damage. Damage scales with level. Ability Level: 1 (Initiate) Requires: 5 Focus Points - Deathmark If you possess a personal belonging or effigy of your target, you can sense what direction they are in. Ability Level: 1 (Initiate) Requires: 5 Focus Points
No longer bound by ropes while locked in his makeshift cell, Damien had fished a small scrap out of a pocket in his clothing¨Csomething the guards hadn¡¯t noticed when they confiscated the rest of his equipment. It was, or had been, a newspaper scrap¨Ctorn from an article in the student newspaper years ago. Chastity Kristiansen posing for a picture after placing first in a regional javelin throw event. But now, much like Damien¡¯s own transformation, the scrap of newspaper had become a piece of parchment, and the black and white photograph of Chastity the student athlete had become a small painted portrait, or some such likeness. She looked different, regal¨Cas if she were a high-end cosplayer at a Renaissance Faire. But it was unmistakably her. (Can you guess which Ability he took?) Later, as he was being marched back to work in a dim alcove, flanked on either side by armed goblin guards, Damien nervously glanced down at the large key ring hanging from one of his captors¡¯ belt. Concentrating on that key ring, Damien whispered a command. ¡°Conceal.¡± ? Some hours later, there was an uproar in the mine. One of the two goblins that had first captured Damien searched frantically through the storage chests and tattered cloth sacks scattered about the goblin encampment. ¡°The keys! I can¡¯t find the keys!¡± His search was interrupted when the other goblin burst into the torchlit space, looking stricken. The sounds of commotion could be heard in the passage beyond. ¡°He¡¯s gone! The man¡¯s gone!¡± he said, trying to catch his breath. The clatter of boots and muffled shouts echoed in the background. ¡°Whatdoyamean he¡¯s gone?!¡± snarled the first, turning to face him. ¡°The human! The lock is off, the door is open, the cage is empty, and his gear is missing too!¡± The first goblin went wide-eyed, first with surprise, and then with growing unease. He began to pace back and forth over the stone floor, cursing and muttering. ¡°Nonononono. When Urlug hears about this, he¡¯ll roast us alive! He¡¯ll flay the flesh off our backs! Even if we catch that filthy manchild and drag him back, we¡¯re done for!¡± The other goblin narrowed his eyes. Quietly reaching behind his back he produced a crooked knife and, twitching nervously, held it at the ready. ¡°What are you doing!?¡± the first goblin demanded. ¡°This is all your fault. In your stupidity you let the human escape! That¡¯s what I¡¯ll tell Urlug when he returns. He won¡¯t have to punish me if you¡¯ve already paid the price!¡± Without a second¡¯s hesitation, the goblin lunged at his companion, thrusting the blade into his green belly. Chapter 20: Piercing the Evervale Chapter 20: Piercing the Evervale As the light faded, Chastity and Charlie neared the outer boundary of a great forest. The cobblestone road grew sparse, as if retreating before the looming wood, until the stones themselves seemed but an afterthought swallowed by damp earth. The Deep River, which had accompanied them along the whole of their journey thus far, abruptly ended (or rather, began) at a series of generous falls precipitously cascading down a blue gray eruption of sharp-peaked mountains.
Ding! [New Location Discovered] [Evervale Forest] [You Have Gained Experience]
Not a bad deal, gaining experience simply by visiting a new location for the first time. If I had the luxury, I could explore this enchanted world and slowly level up, Chastity thought. Briefly checking the Paladin Codex tucked away in her invisible inventory, Chastity knew she had no such luxury. She had pressing business someplace deep in the heart of this forest. ¡°My legs are tired from all this walking,¡± the Paladin told Charlie as she peered into the yawning dark of the thick forest. ¡°And my canteen is empty.¡± With the fading light, they would need to find another place to camp for the night. But would it be safer to rest outside of the forest or within? Who knew what wild animals could be there? ¡°Let¡¯s refill our water pouches at the waterfall!¡± Charlie said, pointing to some boulders that allowed access to the nearest edge of the falls. Chastity looked carefully at the falling water, trying to ascertain its clarity. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s safe? Where I come from, water usually needs to be purified or boiled before we drink it,¡± she explained. Except for natural springs, I think? Charlie emptied the last few drops from his water pouch onto the ground and began making his way off the road. ¡°The River Folk always say the closer you get to the source of the Deep River, the purer it is!¡± Chastity followed, removing the empty canteen from her traveling pack and watching as the young halfling scrambled up the rocks with surprising ease. He was, in fact, quite nimble. Balancing on the edge of a rock slick from spray and mist, Charlie opened the topper and carefully filled his pouch with the falling water. He took a greedy swallow, topped off, then attached the stopper. A smile spread across his ruddy face. ¡°Why, it¡¯s the best water I¡¯ve ever tasted!¡± he yelled over the noise of the churning falls. ¡°Feels like I could keep walking a whole day more!¡± Not relishing the possibility of near-future nausea, stomach cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea, but seeing no other options for hydration, Chastity climbed up on the stones and carefully stretched out to catch the water. The spray coming off the falls was absolutely frigid, sending fresh shivers through her body. When she put the canteen to her lips and took a swig, her eyes brightened and she sighed audibly. ¡°Wow!¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Charlie looked up at her and grinned. ¡°Isn¡¯t it something special?¡± he asked. Chastity nearly drained her whole canteen before immediately refilling it. The water was astonishingly refreshing. The ache in her legs diminished, and the natural tiredness that comes from nearing a day¡¯s end faded. Was there some enchantment at play, or was it merely a placebo effect? Chastity thought of the holy water discovered at the chantry ruins. This water, spilling naturally from its glorious source, perhaps possessed its own sort of ¡®holiness,¡¯ or at least unspoiled purity. ¡°I think you¡¯re right, Charlie. I no longer feel tired in the least. I would press on, in fact I would like to, but I am concerned about the sun going down and navigating in those dense woods.¡± Returning to the dwindling path and approaching the forest¡¯s edge, the Evervale spread before them. Strangely, there was almost no snow on the ground within. The verdant canopy above was so thick that very little snowfall could penetrate down to the forest floor. Perhaps it would be better to make camp inside after all, Chastity realized. ¡°Let¡¯s go further in and explore a bit,¡± she said. Charlie agreed without hesitation and they pressed in, seeing no obvious paths pointing the way to their ultimate destination. It was, in every sense, an old-growth forest¨Cancient really, untouched by the hands of man or any other race. Sprawling trees stood like titans, their gnarled limbs festooned with lichen beards of emerald and silver. The thick scent of damp earth and pungent humus abounded amidst fernlike undergrowth, and the entire forest lay under a hushed blanket of silence. With each encroaching step the forest seemed to swallow them up. Despite the nearly impenetrable tree cover above, they had surprisingly little difficulty seeing. ¡°Charlie¡­ is that¡­¡± Chastity trailed off. Charlie gasped in wonder. As their eyes adjusted, they grew aware of faint sources of light scattered throughout. The moss and lichen draping the stones and branches shone with pearls of luminescence. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful!¡± the halfling whispered reverently. Chastity had to agree. ¡°Not only do I feel completely refreshed, but we have enough light to keep going. Do you feel up for it?¡± Chastity asked. ¡°Yes! Let¡¯s not stop until we find those Wood Elves!¡± Charlie enthused. Chastity took another draught from her canteen and looked around at the subtly shimmering forest. The Everglen was said to lay deep within this primordial place¨Cbut where exactly? There was no telling the depth and breadth of the untouched forest. ¡°The only problem is we have no trail, no compass, no map, and no inkling of which way to go,¡± she replied. Chastity didn¡¯t notice the vine-like appendages creeping across the ground until it was too late. Silently, the vines coiled around each of her legs. At last, Charlie spotted the disturbance. ¡°Chastity¨Clook out!¡± ¡°What¨C?¡± Chastity was yanked backwards against a nearby tree, the impact knocking the breath out of her. ¡°Oof!¡± At once, thin branches wrapped around each of her arms. The hostile tendrils forcibly spread her legs and arms apart, pinning her to the trunk. The bundle of javelins fell from her grasp. Chastity grunted and, with her formidable strength, wrenched her arms free, snapping off the branches and vines that bound her. But just as soon she was constricted afresh from a different direction. What is this?! her mind whirled. She quickly flipped through her mental rolodex of abilities: Identify, Detect Evil, Smite Evil. Which would be most useful? But before she could issue the verbal command to activate any of those skills, probing vines shot up to her face, covering her mouth. She tried to yell, but could only produce a muffled noise beneath the suffocating assault. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ve got you!¡± Chastity¡¯s eyes shot down to see Charlie brandishing a knife from his pack. At once he leapt upon the nearest vines constricting her legs and started to cut through them. With one leg free, Chastity braced against the trunk and pushed off, ripping her arms free again. Immediately, fresh vines and branches reached out, grabbing and attempting to lift her off the ground. Charlie dodged a grasping branch aimed at him and hurried after Chastity, cutting again and again the entangling growth. Chastity chomped hard against one of the vines lingering at her mouth, tasting incredibly bitter sap that stung her tongue. She flexed every muscle and ripped herself free once more as Charlie weakened the cords. The branches retreated. The vines slithered away with a wounded whisper. Chastity grabbed her javelins off the ground and stood back-to-back with the knife-wielding halfling.
Ding! [You Have Gained Experience]
¡°Thanks for the assist! Where did you get that weapon?¡± Chastity asked, trying to spit the foul taste from her mouth. ¡°Have you had it with you this whole time?¡± ¡°Oh this? It¡¯s just my vegetable knife!¡± Charlie said, eyes darting suspiciously from tree to tree. ¡°This forest is ALIVE,¡± Chastity cautioned. ¡°Well¨Cyou know what I mean. Alive-ER.¡± ¡°What do we do? We are surrounded by¡­ whatever this is!¡± ¡°All I know is we can¡¯t stay here. Run!¡± Chapter 21: The Last of the Viridian Stewards Chapter 21: The Last of the Viridian Stewards Imagining the dormant threat lurking behind every branch and bush, Chastity and Charlie made haste and did not stop to catch their breath, lest the aggressive vines surround them once more. Deeper and deeper they probed into the vast Evervale, pressing onward beneath the luminescent shimmer of the forest canopy. At times they encountered swaths of ground overgrown with sharp thorns, or pools of knee-high quickmud, and Chastity would hoist the halfling onto her sturdy shoulders and quickly stalk through the difficult terrain. After nearly an hour they realized they were hopelessly lost. They had just as much a chance of finding their way back to the forest entrance as stumbling upon the fabled Everglen. They sensed that they were being watched from every conceivable angle, and yet, thankfully, no further attacks came. At last Chastity called for a respite, pulling thorns larger than shark teeth from the sides of her mud-caked boots. Charlie drew his vegetable knife again, suspiciously surveying the trees. ¡°What do you know about Everglen, or these Wood Elves?¡± Chastity asked, hoping for any clue that could point them in the right direction. ¡°As much as you, I¡¯m afraid!¡± Charlie answered. ¡°We never had any dealings with elves on the farm, and I never saw one come to Goldenberry. Proud folk, I¡¯ve heard.¡± ¡°Hmm. Well, what do they look like? What kind of homes do they live in?¡± At this, Charlie shrugged. ¡°Tall and fair, I reckon. But I can¡¯t imagine them being any taller or fairer than you, beg pardon. As for how they live¨CI couldn¡¯t say. I don¡¯t imagine they just roam about the woods like wild beasts.¡± Chastity nodded. That description was more fitting for them at the moment. Some sign, any indication at all of civilization, would be a welcome sight. The Paladin bowed her head and offered a silent prayer for guidance. ¡°If you have the stamina, let¡¯s keep going. Just keep your eyes open for anything¨Cfootprints, broken twigs, trails, discarded candy bar wrappers¡­¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Just a joke, Charlie,¡± she sighed. ¡°Ah. Must be Paladin humor, I reckon! As for broken twigs, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s in the nature of Wood Elves to go around breaking twigs, do you?¡± ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t know anything about them!¡± Another shrug from the halfling as he stowed his vegetable knife and stretched his limbs. So they continued on, doing their best not to double back on their own tracks, unable to navigate by the night sky and hesitant to make any markings on the bark of the trees. For several hours they traveled in this fashion, but at last they noticed a change in the forest.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. The trees began to thin out. The canopy opened up, revealing a sliver of pale moon above. Up ahead, the white of crusty snow could be seen once again covering the ground. There was a clearing, a large circular clearing in the Evervale. No¡­ not quite a clearing¡­
Ding! [New Location Discovered] [Everglen] [You Have Gained Experience]
¡°This? No, this can¡¯t be it¡­¡± Chastity murmured in disbelief. Before them, silhouetted in shadow and moonlight, was the bombed out wreckage of what once must have been a majestic treetop community. It reminded Chastity of the Ewok village from Return of the Jedi, except that it was blackened and charred, husks of burnt trees and collapsed bridges hanging limply. A layer of ice coated the scorched ruins as if forever sealing them in this dreadful state. If this was truly Everglen, the domain of the Wood Elves, it looked as if somebody had dropped napalm on it. ¡°This¡­ what is this?¡± Charlie wondered, at a loss. Chastity stepped cautiously out from beneath the green forest canopy and into the ring of destruction, her boots crunching on the icy slush. As her eyes adjusted to the moonlight, she made out several dozen dark, elongated forms lying in the center of the ruined village. They were oval-shaped bundles, laid out in perfect rows on the cold ground. A voice clear and keen rang out from somewhere overhead. ¡°Go away.¡± Chastity and Charlie halted, searching everywhere for the source of the voice. Instinctively, Chastity readied a javelin. ¡°Go away!¡± the voice said again, more forcefully. ¡°This is a place for the dead.¡± I don¡¯t like the sound of that, thought Chastity. ¡°O-oh, yeah?¡± Charlie stuttered. ¡°Y-you don¡¯t scare us! Are you another wraith? A haunt? A ghoul? This here is a holy Paladin! She banished some of your vile kind just the other day and she¡¯ll banish you too! Come out and do your worst!¡± Chastity shot Charlie a disapproving look. ¡°Charlie!¡± she hissed. ¡°I appreciate the vote of confidence, but please don¡¯t volunteer me for anything!¡± A mournful laugh echoed about the skeletal settlement, putting the trespassers even more on edge. ¡°A Paladin? Is it really so? Just because you are no enemy does not mean you are welcome here. Again I say, go away!¡± Not an enemy? Chastity thought, relaxing her grip on the javelin only a little. She swallowed the lump in her throat and took another step into the village. ¡°Who are you? And WHERE are you? We have come searching for the Wood Elves, and we mean no harm or disrespect. Please, we need your help.¡± There was another laugh, this time from a different point above but belonging to the same speaker. ¡°The Wood Elves cannot help you, for we could not even help ourselves. A man and halfling together braving the Evervale to find this place? My people would have sung of it for a hundred years. But alas, there is no one left to sing.¡± From a half-burned wooden platform perched high atop a blackened tree, a braided cord of plant fiber unspooled. Grasping this cord with a single gloved hand, a slender figure slid down and landed soundlessly in the snow before Chastity. The figure rose to its full height, eyes glinting in the low light. ¡°I am all that remains of the Sk¨®garalver of the Evervale, the sole survivor of my kindred, the last of the Viridian Stewards. We elves can only perish by mortal injury or from deepest sorrow, and I am very near to the latter. As I warned you, this is a place for the dead. There is nothing here left to concern the living.¡± Chapter 22: Wood Elf Hospitality Chapter 22: Wood Elf Hospitality Before them stood a tall, slender figure with a long brown braid, but otherwise masculine features on a smooth face. This person had high cheekbones, piercing eyes, and notably pointed ears. Under a thick gray cloak, they wore a tunic of green and brown adorned with various tassels and cords. ¡°You are a Wood Elf¡­¡± Chastity said. ¡°He¡¯s an elf! A real live elf! And I knew it,¡± Charlie blurted. ¡°I guessed you would be tall but not quite as tall as my Tall Lady here, didn¡¯t I?¡± Read the room, Charlie! This is not the time or the place. Chastity cringed, giving a sheepish smile. ¡°Humans are oft in the habit of speaking the obvious, and halflings of speaking entirely too much,¡± the figure replied wearily, pointing back to where the duo emerged from the Evervale. ¡°Now please return from whence you came and leave me alone.¡± Charlie spoke up again. ¡°Now wait a minute, mister Wood Elf. You want us to go back through there? That forest is dangerous! Those trees and vines tried to kill us! We¡¯ve been hiking through mud and thorn and climbing over rocks and logs and¨C¡± The elf¡¯s brown eyes flashed to the halfling for an impatient instant and then back to Chastity. ¡°Please,¡± Chastity pleaded. ¡°I am truly sorry for whatever has happened to you, and to this place, but please don¡¯t send us away just yet. We¡¯ve traveled for days and faced several dangers to get here.¡± ¡°The forest is not fond of outsiders, especially humans. Can you blame it? After the armies of the Eastern Kings brought axe and hatchet against it to build their engines of war in the last age? Truly does the forest have a long memory. I hope that neither of you dared to carry an axe into the Evervale?¡± ¡°Um, no,¡± Chastity said, returning her javelin to her bundle. ¡°Just these javelins. Although my companion here cut some vines with a knife in self-defense.¡± ¡°They were evil vines, they were!¡± the halfling said indignantly. The elf sighed. ¡°Nay, the natural world is not evil. Although with enough bitterness of root or thirst for vengeance, no matter how justified, perchance even a fair flower may transgress. I will speak with the trees and bid them offer you safe passage back, though I cannot guarantee they will listen. Much pain has been visited upon them, and suspicion abounds in these sorrowful times. What are your names, that I may translate them for the forest?¡± Chastity reached out to offer a handshake. The elf stared at her gloved hand in confusion. ¡°I am Chastity Morningstar, Paladin. My companion is Charlie Cucumber¡­ er ¡­ Pickle-Maker.¡± The elf gave a slight bow, but there was no warmth in the gesture. ¡°You may call me Yr ?rsm¨ªe. The recitation of my full name would no doubt test the patience of short-lived races such as you are.¡± Then, for just a moment, the wood elf softened. He sighed once more, this time a hint of resignation playing across his angular face. ¡°Because our kind fought side by side in the last great war¡­ I do not mean YOUR kind, of course,¡± Yr said, nodding to the halfling before continuing, ¡°I will at least serve you a meal before I throw you out of the ashes of my home. However, it is improper in elven custom to eat in front of those who can no longer partake.¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Chastity looked over the elf¡¯s shoulder at the rows of bundles on the snowy ground in the middle of the destroyed village. They are bodies, she realized, her heart sinking. Dead elves, covered in funerary shrouds. ? Chastity and Charlie sat around a circle of uncut stones in a small gap in the forest off to one side of Everglen, keeping at least one watchful eye on the nearby treeline. Yr had gathered armfuls of dried lichen and waved his hand over the pile, igniting it with a blue green glow mixed with golden embers. The visitors gladly warmed themselves by the enchanting fire as the elf went off and prepared the meal. He returned with wooden cups filled with water nearly as pure and refreshing as that which they gathered from the waterfall, along with thick slices of buttered bread. He joined them around the circle and distributed the food. ¡°Bread and butter!¡± Chastity said with more excitement than she intended. ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± Charlie licked his lips and tucked right in. Chastity took a generous bite, then stopped. The bread was very, very dense, and had a peculiar flavor she could not place. ¡°What kind of bread is this?¡± she asked while chewing, half curious and half not entirely sure she wanted to know the answer. ¡°Acorn bread,¡± Yr replied. ¡°A wood elf specialty.¡± Ohh noo, Chastity groaned inwardly. Are acorns even edible? ¡°This is delicious!¡± Charlie enthused. ¡°And the butter is made from stoat milk.¡± Stoat? As in weasel!? The clump of bread sat in her cheek, growing denser and mushier by the second. She honestly did not know if she could get it down with gagging, but dared not spew it out in front of their stern host. ¡°Miss Morningstar, you look pale. Is the food not to your liking?¡± Yr asked, his keen eyes perceiving her obvious discomfort. She put one hand over her mouth and waved with the other, trying to play it off. ¡°She comes from a far away land,¡± Charlie explained. ¡°Has very particular tastes, she does. Although I¡¯ve never had elf food myself! Tell me, do you mash your own acorns? And have you ever tried to PICKLE acorns? Now that¡¯s a new thought!¡± Yr ignored the halfling for the time being, looking with concern at the human. ¡°If our bread does not agree with your barbarian appetite, I do have some elf ears you can eat.¡± At this, Chastity¡¯s stomach strongly protested. Elf ears!? Are elves cannibals? Is that a thing? Do they eat their dead!? Yr reached into a cloth satchel and produced a few light brown objects, oblong and pointed at one end. Charlie eagerly took one from his hand. ¡°Elf Ear Mushrooms! Will you look at that! You know, I¡¯ve heard of these before. Never seen one¨Cnever TASTED one!¡± Chastity relaxed a bit. Mushrooms, she could handle¨Cso long as they were not poisonous. Maybe she could use her Identify ability on one just to be safe. ¡°I¡¯ve heard, if prepared properly, they taste a bit like roast pheasant!¡± Charlie continued. ¡°I would not know. We only eat that which grows from seed or is shared by beast, nothing for which a life would be taken. Elf ears can be gathered throughout the Evervale, if one knows where to look,¡± Yr explained, producing an additional number of the large mushrooms from his satchel and setting them on a wooden platter near the glowing fire. ¡°And I find they are best enjoyed warm but raw.¡± Chastity forced down the mouthful of acorn bread and chugged her water to wash it down, wondering if she could spam her Focus Points to somehow keep from barfing. She carefully picked up a mushroom and examined it. It smelled earthy with just a hint of sweetness, and she took a delicate bite. Hmmm, not too bad, she realized, taking another nibble. Finally something I can handle! Interesting people, these wood elves: foraging, eating vegetarian (but not vegan¨Cstoat milk!), living in harmony with nature¡­ She realized there was no animal leather of any kind on Yr¡¯s outfit or belongings, but all was woven or sewn from plant fibers. But she still needed to clarify something. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the¡­ er¡­ forest get upset with you burning these plants? Or carving cups and plates out of wood?¡± Yr shook his head. Off to the side, Charlie surreptitiously stuffed some of the extra mushrooms into his traveling pack. ¡°When the great trees have no more use for the Glimmer Moss, it falls from their branches. We gather it, and after burning, we scatter the ashes on the forest floor, returning nourishment to the soil. Our wood comes only from fallen limb and log, repurposed for noble use, for which we express our gratitude.¡± He grew silent, the light from the glowing embers reflecting in his eyes. ¡°I keep saying ¡®we¡¯ and ¡®our,¡¯ whereas I alone remain. I chided you both for habits common to your respective races, while I myself must now contend with habits rooted over thousands of years.¡± Chastity looked back over the scorched grove and the shambles of the elven village perched in the trees. ¡°Regardless of the reason we came and the favor we sought¡­ please tell us what happened here. What disaster fell on Everglen and on the Wood Elves?¡± Chapter 23: The Night of the Blood Moon Chapter 23: The Night of the Blood Moon Staring into the glimmer moss blaze, the wood elf began recounting the sad events with a hollow voice, the psychic wounds still fresh. ¡°It was the night of the Blood Moon. Svarturdrake¨Cthe Dark One, the Black Dragon fell upon us.¡± The Dark One! thought Chastity. At the mention of this name, a tremor of fear ran through Charlie. Yr noticed. ¡°I do not fear to speak that name, halfling, for it is now forever worn as a curse upon my lips. What more can the fiend do to me? What more can be taken? And so I shall speak, and spit, the accursed name of Svarturdrake.¡± Yr ?rsm¨ªe continued his tale. ¡°Many moons have passed since that night. I have stopped counting. After the seal was broken, after the Dark One escaped his prison, in arrogance we believed we were safe. And so we were for years¨Cconcealed in our ancestral home, shielded by the great Evervale. But the Black Dragon found us out, and with fire and brimstone pouring from his maw he incinerated this place¨Cwood and rope, elder and youth alike. Millenia of our history and memories erased in but a few hours.¡± Chastity twisted her hands in her lap, vicariously sensing the trauma of that awful night. ¡°His attack came without warning, savage and unrelenting. Our archers tried to take a stand, and some of our arrows landed true, but we were no match for the dragon¡¯s power. I watched everyone I know perish in those flames while I alone escaped, left as an impotent guardian over the bodies of my brethren until I too become as they are.¡± Charlie wiped tears from his eyes. He could just imagine Goldenberry falling under such a fiery onslaught, though he dared not dwell on the idea. Anger welled up within Chastity. Righteous indignation at the evil that was wrought upon the wood elves. ¡°But¡­ why!? Why did this dragon attack you?¡± she cried. ¡°The Dark One hates elves¨Call elves, for we were among the first of the Great Divine¡¯s handiwork, caretakers of the garden-forests at the dawn of the First Age. We drank the nectar of the first fruits, and thus the seed of life abides within us. Apart from the elves, only Celestials and Infernals see days without end. The Dark One¡¯s fearsome strength is matched only by his jealousy and spite.¡± Chastity mulled all of this over. It was a lot to process, but she was finally gaining some clarity (along with many more questions). And she had no words to console such a grievous tragedy.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°I¡­ I am so sorry for your loss, Yr. For everything. I didn¡¯t know¨Cabout the Dark One, or anything else really. What happened here is terrible.¡± The elf looked at her cautiously. ¡°How can a sworn member of the Holy Order be ignorant of the Dark One? Did you deceive me when you claimed to be a Paladin?¡± he asked, his tone pointed. Okay¡­ how much do I risk saying? ¡°I am a Paladin! The truth is¡­¡± Chastity started, ¡°the truth is¡­ I did not choose to become a Paladin, but it was chosen for me. Charlie here mentioned that I come from a far away land. That¡¯s true. But just how far away is complicated¡­¡± Chastity held up her Holy Symbol of Kr?sning for the elf to see. ¡°I am a Realmwalker.¡± ¡°Ah! Though¡­ how can that be? The Prophecy of the Three Paladins¡­¡± Yr murmured, distracted for a moment from his pain. ¡°I was brought here from¡­ my Realm, I guess. By accident. And I¡¯ve been trying to get back home. We found this Paladin Codex,¡± Chastity explained, conjuring the weighty tome from her inventory. Charlie gasped as the book materialized from thin air¨Che hadn¡¯t seen that trick before. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Paladins could do that!¡± the halfling sputtered. Chastity flipped open the codex. The vivid illustrations and strange runic writing seemed almost alive in the flickering light. ¡°I was hoping to find information that would show me how to return to where I belong. My world. But this book is written in the Old Tongue, which I was told only the elves could translate.¡± Yr reached a hand toward the book then stopped himself. He retreated into thought, his lips moving silently as if engaged in some internal debate. At long last he replied, tossing the last handful of glimmer moss into the stone circle. ¡°I am sorry you traveled all this way,¡± Yr began, rising to his feet. ¡°We do speak the Old Tongue, as we were the first to speak it, but it is not true that only elves can. There are scholars of your own kind in the north that can translate for you. I suggest you seek them out. My part in this conflict is over. My fight is over, and my reward is defeat. You have had your meal. I will speak to the forest as promised. Now leave me here to die.¡± ¡°But why!?¡± Chastity retorted, standing up. ¡°Why just lay down and die? As long as there is breath in your lungs, there is still hope! You still have something to contribute to this world, despite all the pain and suffering that has been visited upon you!¡± Yr had already turned and was walking away. Chastity followed. Soon they were in the center of the burnt village, standing before the rows of bundles lying in repose. ¡°Why stay here among the dead? Come back to Goldenberry with us! Nobody¨Celf or otherwise¨Cis meant to be alone. Come with us!¡± she urged. Yr arched a thin eyebrow. ¡°Live among halflings? I think not,¡± he muttered, walking between the rows and gently brushing bits of snow off the shrouds. ¡°I must stay here and keep vigil over the bodies of my kin, long though they have fallen. Elven flesh does not quickly decay, yet it is our custom to send our dead across the Great Sea to the land of rest prepared for us. These cannot begin the journey over the waters until the proper rites are performed by one so suited. Alas, all who could carry out such rites lay among the fallen. Thus, I must remain until either such an elf arrives to perform the ritual, or until I join my brethren in death. Although, I am not confident when another elf may come upon us. No doubt the Black Dragon has continued his vengeful warpath. Either way, I cannot leave.¡± Chapter 24: Burial Rites Chapter 24: Burial Rites Charlie nudged Chastity in the ribs. ¡°You¡¯re a Holy Lady, aren¡¯t you? Can¡¯t you say a few words for the deceased?¡± he whispered. Chastity pondered this. Hmmm. I did learn some funeral liturgies in my Homiletics courses, she thought. But those were from a world away, a time away¨Ca species away! I doubt a wood elf would care what I have to say, but maybe it¡¯s worth trying. ¡°Ahem,¡± Chastity cleared her throat. ¡°Would you allow me to say a few words for the dead? I may not be an elf, or versed in the rituals of your people, but I am a Paladin. I¡¯ve been trained in various burial rites and ceremonies. At the very least, it might help bring a measure of peace to your troubled heart. Then we will take our leave and disturb you no more.¡± Yr considered this. Sensing an opening, Chastity pressed the matter. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, please tell me a little more about your beliefs. I would not want to say anything offensive by mistake¡­¡± Yr rubbed his smooth chin, not meeting Chastity¡¯s eye. ¡°I do not pretend to understand the ways of Realmwalkers,¡± the elf answered quietly, ¡°but I do have respect for the Holy Order of Paladins. True, even a human Cleric might be better suited to the task, but if there is something you can do for my brethren¡­ they are at least owed that much.¡± Chastity placed the Codex back in her inventory and stowed her javelin bundle. ¡°Then tell me about this Great Divine. We may know your deity by another name in my Realm. And please tell me about the land of rest you spoke of.¡± Yr turned to face her, his countenance softer than before. ¡°As any child of Sk?rselden could tell you,¡± he began, ¡°we follow the Great Divine¨Cthe Unpainted Painter, the Unsculpted Sculptor, the Uncomposed Composer. He is also called the Celestial King, ruling from his throne in the Celestial Kingdom above the crown of the world. When their time in this world comes to an end, the souls of the mortal races make their way to the Fields of Renewal or the Realm of Black Fire below. Although I fear that ever since the seal was broken and the Black Dragon released, it has been difficult for the souls of the wicked to find their way to that netherworld.¡± Could that explain the presence of those Ruin Wraiths? Chastity wondered. The spirits of the evil dead wandering this plane? ¡°For the elves,¡± Yr continued, ¡°the first of the races of creation, the Great Divine prepared a special land of rest beyond the waters as reward for the caretakers of his first forests. The eldest among us believe that one day, in an unknowable age to come, we will be called on to restore this world to the Paradise it was always intended to be. Then the righteous souls at rest in the Fields of Renewal will return to live in harmony, n?r den lysende broen ?terost?lles mellom Himmelriket over och disse Mellomlande¨Cwhen the shining bridge is restored between the Celestial Kingdom above and these Middle Lands.¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. That last line sounded like a verse of poetry or song. Chastity was touched by the beauty of the sentiment. She bowed her head in gratitude. ¡°Thank you, Yr, for explaining. I believe I can perform the rite¨Cone that I am familiar with¨Cin a way that will be acceptable for the wood elves. Will you allow me to?¡± Yr nodded. He asked for a few minutes and went off, gathering some items stashed away for safekeeping. This gave Chastity time to prepare. I need to think back to what I learned, she thought. I¡¯ve never presided over a funeral before, thankfully. But I want to ¡®translate¡¯ or ¡®contextualize¡¯ my liturgy in a way that will honor the faith of this elf. ¡°Recall knowledge¨Creligion,¡± she breathed. As before, there was a chime, and a text box appeared in her vision.
[Recall Knowledge¨CReligion]
Chastity¡¯s mind sharpened. Her thoughts flew to the Book of Common Prayer, first released in 1549 under the guiding hand of Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury. In the most recent version of that venerable text, there were several sections that were applicable. Ministration at the Time of Death? No¡­ not that one. Burial of the Dead: Rite One, Burial of the Dead: Rite Two, and An Order for Burial. Chastity focused on the words of these centuries-old liturgies, consciously aligning the language to fit this other world. It was easier than expected¨Cas if this world had a special gravity pulling her deeper and deeper in its reality. When the preparations were made, Chastity stood at the head of the resting ground. As she recited the words, Yr went from body to body, carefully pining a single white flower and an ornamental green leaf onto each of the carefully wrapped bundles. He softly repeated the Paladin¡¯s words as he went, translating them into the Old Tongue. ¡°O Great Divine, whose mercies are uncountable¨Caccept our prayers on behalf of your servants¨Cthe Viridian Stewards of Everglen. Grant them entrance into the land of rest that you prepared for them across the Great Sea. Although they have fallen, may they again see light and joy at the end of their journey, and find fellowship with all the elves that have crossed over the waters ahead of them. Many are the troubles of this world, but we beseech you for strength and grace, especially for their brother Yr ?rsm¨ªe, to entrust these here into your never-failing care. May you hear and answer from your Celestial Throne¡­¡± She then recited a psalm appropriate for the occasion, one of several suggested in the Book of Common Prayer. And that is where a Cleric might end the service. But as a Paladin, Chastity continued, again feeling hot indignation rising within her. ¡°... and Celestial King¨Cmay you rain down righteous judgment on the dark fiend who visited this evil upon these your servants, executing divine justice and freeing the land from his tyranny!¡± As the ceremony concluded, tears like the morning dew streamed down Yr¡¯s face. But there was gratitude mixed with sorrow. As promised, Chastity and Charlie gathered their belongings and prepared to leave. ¡°Wait,¡± the wood elf called, approaching the companions, eyes still wet. ¡°Thank you, Miss Morningstar. And you for accompanying her, Little Cucumber. It is enough. Yes, it is enough¡­¡± ¡°What will you do now?¡± Chastity asked. She couldn¡¯t fathom how dozens of bodies in this landlocked glen, with only Yr to move them, were to cross over any ¡®waters.¡¯¡°It will take me some time to prepare the longboats which will carry my brethren,¡± he explained. ¡°Then I shall summon the stags of the Evervale to draw them to the hidden river that cuts through the southern mountains to the Great Sea. I will speak with the trees, as I said, so that you may return safely. But before you go, as thanks for the service you performed for us¡­ for me¡­ I will translate the Codex for you.¡± Chapter 25: The Seven Paladin Quests Chapter 25: The Seven Paladin Quests Full daylight shone over the ruined glen. Despite being awake for well over twenty-four hours, Chastity did not feel tired. Seated beside her on a log at the edge of the treeline, Yr ?rsm¨ªe took the Paladin Codex in hand and gently thumbed its gilt edges before opening the thick cover. ¡°To understand the Prophecy of the Three Paladins,¡± the wood elf began, ¡°you must also know more about our history. I will not take it for granted that you are familiar with the great songs of Sk?rselden.¡± He turned the pages, pausing to delicately trace the runic writing with his fingertips. Soon he came to an image of swirling darkness, with a single piercing light breaking through like a bright lode star. ¡°In ancient times, before the memory of mortal races, the Celestial King tamed the Chaos Giants and planted the first garden-forests of Sk?rselden. We elves were the first to walk among this new creation, caretakers and stewards of Paradise. Later, the Great Divine fashioned the other races, including Dwarves, Halflings, and last of all Man. This ushered in what was known as the First Age. ¡°It was in this First Age that a Celestial of great strength and beauty rebelled, drawing away other Celestials after him. Of course, his treachery was not immediately known. Before evil was discovered within him he created the corrupted races of the world¨COrcs, Trolls, Goblins, and their ilk. Corrupted races? Chastity fidgeted uncomfortably. That sounds pretty problematic. ¡°Are you saying these orcs, trolls, and goblins are¡­ evil by nature? Born evil?¡± she questioned. ¡°What are orcs, trolls, and goblins, but elves, dwarves, and halflings twisted by hatred and transformed by the cruel arts of the Dark One? And now this propensity for evil runs in their blood¨Cfor they cannot even find comfort and rest unless they first commit some wicked act.¡± No, Chastity protested silently. Yr must be mistaken. I cannot believe that even they are beyond any hope of redemption¡­ ¡°But what about humans?¡± she asked. ¡°Humans are neither inherently good nor evil. They have the capacity for both, often at the same time in my experience.¡± Touch¨¦. Yr continued his explanation, flipping forward to a scene of a heavenly clash between winged armies. ¡°And so there was a Divine War. Svarturdrake, the Dark One, whose original name has been forgotten, was defeated and cast down from the Celestial Kingdom. His fall was so great that it created the Infernal Valley in the lands far to the south. And beneath that rift he was imprisoned in the Realm of Black Fire, over which was placed a great seal.¡± Yr turned more pages and stopped on a striking image. It depicted a tall, strong figure with a broad leonid head, clad in shining silver armor and holding a greatsword aloft. Despite the abstraction, the image reminded Chastity of the headless statue outside the chantry. ¡°This was the First Paladin,¡± Yr said, tapping the picture. ¡°The Celestial Prince himself¨CJ¨²da Dandelion. He was also a Realmwalker, like you. His triumphant banishing of the Black Dragon ushered in the Second Age. However, the shining bridge, connecting the Celestial Kingdom to Sk?rselden, was withdrawn so that neither the Dark One nor any of his Infernals could ever again set wing or claw upon that sacred firmament. ¡°In this Second Age, J¨²da established the Holy Order of Paladins and the Holy Order of Clerics, along with the other disciplines, to ensure ongoing peace, justice, and instruction in the Righteous Way while he left to walk the Realms. And so life continued for generations, season after season.¡± Yr turned further in the Codex, revealing an illustration of an uncountable army of warlike men. Their martial uniforms did not match any fashion Chastity had yet seen worn in this world. The bannered hordes had the look of hardened conquerors led by warlords. ¡°After much time passed, men rebelled¨Cthe Eastern Kings and their Gnashing Legions rose up to throw off the shackles of the venerable Way and lay siege to the world. All the noble races, with the mighty Paladins at their head, joined forces to oppose them. It was a hard won peace with many, many casualties.¡± Yr looked up from the book, a faraway gleam in his brown eyes. ¡°I served in that conflict. I am no Ranger, like many of my kin, but rather a fletcher. However, I too shed blood with my own hands in those days¡­¡± After a moment¡¯s contemplation, Yr turned the page to reveal an illustration of a well-built armored man holding a greatshield adorned with the same iconography that graced the cover of the Codex¨Ca winged crest. ¡°The champion of that terrible war was the Second Paladin, Exemplar Titus Epiphanes. And so dawned the Third Age. An age of rebuilding, of licking our wounds, of tenuous peace. Or so we thought for nearly a hundred years¡­The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°The last act of the Gnashing Legions in that conflict was to weaken the seal holding the Black Dragon imprisoned. Little did we know, the Black Dragon¡¯s dark influence began trickling out, like poison seeping into the groundwater, reaching into the hearts and minds of the weak and greedy. Through years of manipulation, he used his malign influence to empower and guide his occulted servants to finally break the seal. ¡°And so, after thousands of years of captivity, the Black Dragon escaped from that bottomless prison, his Infernal minions following in his wake, declaring war upon all creation. And now through his dark power he has placed the whole world under a curse these past six years, an endless winter, wherein the lifegiving rejuvenation of spring shall never again be enjoyed. So soon after the Third Age began, I fear we have instead entered into¡­ the Dark Age.¡± Through the recitation, Chastity listened with rapt attention, weighing all the words of the elf. The Black Dragon. The Third Age. The Gnashing Legions. The Second Paladin. The Righteous Way. (Proper Noun overload!) Charlie Cucumber also listened, but may have dozed off for a bit somewhere in the middle of the elven exposition. ¡°But how exactly does the prophecy tie into all this?¡± Chastity asked. She knew that somehow, someway, this prophecy held the key to her return home. It had to. ¡°I was getting to that. Before J¨²da departed from this Realm, he taught the Prophecy of the Three Paladins to each of the Holy Orders he established. It is indeed recorded in this very book. In three times of dire need, three heroic Paladins would arise. The first had been himself, the Celestial Prince. Following the clues of the prophecy, it was widely believed that Titus fulfilled the role of the Second Paladin, delivering us from the Eastern Kings and restoring peace to the land. But there was always meant to be one more Paladin to come in history¨Ca Golden Paladin from a far off Realm who would arise in Sk?rselden¡¯s hour of greatest need and purge the land of evil once and for all.¡± Yr turned a page and there was an illustration of another Paladin, distinct from the other two, in full plate armor and ablaze with radiant light, shining so brightly that the figure¡¯s face was obscured. But was that a headful of long golden hair in the artistic rendering¡­ or just a halo? This Paladin had a sword pressed against the throat of a cringing black dragon that lay beneath the Paladin¡¯s boot. ¡°With heart of gold and sword of light¡­¡± Yr recited. ¡°As you see, each Age of our world has been marked by a mighty victory. The Celestial King subduing the Chaos Giants. The Celestial Prince casting out the Black Dragon. The Champion of Man defeating the Gnashing Legions. And¡­ well¡­ what does not make sense to me is why would the Third Paladin arise while the Second yet lives? Do not look so surprised. Exemplar Titus is by now ancient in human years, but still possesses the strength of a much younger man. Or so he did. ¡°When the Black Dragon was unleashed, what remained of the unified armies were defeated and scattered. The Holy Order of Paladins was stamped out. If you are ever caught in possession of this Codex by the Dark One¡¯s followers, beware! It will mark you as an enemy. The tale we heard in Everglen is that Titus traveled north to Crown City, the Capital of the Western Men, hoping to rebuild the Order, recruiting every able-bodied and brave soul he could to make a stand. ¡°But he began that journey years ago, and we wood elves never knew what became of him. The fellowship of the noble races is not what it once was, when we stood shoulder to shoulder and fought as one in the Second Age. And now, I am afraid that the love of many has grown cold. This Exemplar, I know not what has become of him. If you journey to Crown City you may yet discover that he is mounting a resistance. Yet¡­ against such power that could do this in a single night?¡± Yr gestured to the charred ruins beyond the treeline. ¡°You ask about the Prophecy of the Three Paladins, and you carry with you the mark of a Realmwalker. Is this truly our hour of greatest need? It may be. Whether you could be this Golden Paladin or not is not for me to say,¡± Yr said. ¡°There have been many Paladins that have lived and died over the years. But the one thing I know for sure about Realmwalkers is this: contrary to an earlier statement you made, a Realmwalker would never come here by accident. You must be guided by destiny, summoned by the hand of fate.¡± Or Providence, as we might say in my Realm, Chastity mused. ¡°Prophecy or not, you were brought here for a purpose. And if you want to return home, you must discover and fulfill that purpose. I think you will find much guidance within this Codex.¡± Yr flipped to the latter half of the book where the more practical sections lay, explaining the duties, responsibilities, and ceremonies of the Holy Order. He began to translate a section enumerating the Seven Paladin Quests as Charlie once again grew heavy-lidded nearby. As the elf spoke, urgent notifications flashed in Chastity¡¯s vision.
Ding! [You have Unlocked the Seven Paladin Quests!] [New Primary Quests Obtained] The Quest of Prudence Unmask a Sinister Deception The Quest of Justice Right a Supreme Inequity The Quest of Temperance Withstand a Great Temptation The Quest of Fortitude Defeat a Prime Evil The Quest of Faith Achieve the Impossible The Quest of Hope Overcome Crushing Despair The Quest of Charity Lay Down Your Life for Another
Woah! thought Chastity. But the notifications weren¡¯t finished.
Ding! [New Secondary Quests Obtained] Obtain a Legendary Holy Sword Obtain a Legendary Set of Holy Armor Obtain a Legendary Stead Pursue a Sacred Oath Ascend to a Higher Class
Chapter 26: Honeyed Words Chapter 26: Honeyed Words Damien staggered through the forest, half-starved and nearly snowblind. Parties of goblin scouts hunted him, but he used his stealth bonus to hide in the shadows of trees and nooks in the rocky mountainside. At last he was able to put enough distance between himself and his erstwhile subterranean prison that the angry din of search parties grew faint, then ceased altogether. Each time he successfully avoided detection he gained experience. And each time he killed an animal he gained experience as well. He realized this as, in desperation, he tried to hunt for food. He managed to shoot a sort of pheasant with his wrist-mounted crossbow. But when he attempted to build a fire on the snowy ground to cook the meat, he utterly failed. The carcass was left to rot. Bitter and despondent, Damien pressed on. He could find no other sustenance. No fish in an icy stream. No fruit on the trees; only long, pale pinecones. But he had a built-in compass. A power that pointed him to his target. All Damien had to do was whisper the word, ¡°deathmark.¡± A chime sounded. And a textbox appeared in his vision.
[Deathmark] [-5 Focus Points]
Clutching the image of Chastity between dirt-stained fingers, a pull within his heart directed him onward. Whatever natural barricades obstructed his progress through this wild land, he would go over or around, following the lead of this inward sensation. And when he found himself unsure of his next steps he re-oriented with another invocation. ¡°Deathmark.¡±
[Deathmark] [-5 Focus Points]
Now he was out of Focus Points. Studying his Character Record taught him that Focus Points could be recharged through long rests, prayer, or meditation. He wasn¡¯t about to pray, and there was nowhere to sleep in this frigid wilderness. As for meditation, Damien once told a counselor that his brain was like an active war zone; it was impossible to quiet or empty his mind before intrusive negative thoughts flooded in. The Assassin kept going, ducking beneath branches and scrambling over rocks, until up ahead he saw a cart path winding through the dense forest. The cold breeze carried the sound of creaking wood and the whinny of a horse. Damien leapt into the shadows of a nearby thicket, pulling his Cloak of Enshroudment around himself. He waited. A brightly painted wagon rumbled up the dirt lane, pulled by a pair of muscular ponies. The garish colors clashed against the endless brown, white, green, and gray of the environs. A man, from the look of him, tugged the reins on the ponies, and the wagon rolled to a stop mere feet from where Damien crouched.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Woooah. Woah there,¡± the driver called in a buttery voice. Damien tensed, fixing his bloodshot eyes on the stranger. He was indeed a human, wearing a long brown coat and bowler hat over mismatched clothes. A noticeable paunch protruded beneath his vest, and several rings adorned his thick fingers. Whistling to himself in a carefree manner, the man climbed down from the box, patted the ponies on their necks, and went around to the back of the wagon. After rummaging around inside, he emerged with a wide plank of wood and some crates. Arranging the items, he fashioned a sort of roadside picnic table. He disappeared once more and returned with a steaming pot, cups, various plates and platters, and sundry edible goods. ¡°Ah, just what the afternoon called for. Lunch in the woods,¡± he announced in a loud voice, spreading out a miniature banquet. ¡°Hot buttered scones. Lingonberry tea. Dried elk jerky.¡± He ceremoniously plopped himself down on one of the wooden crates that now served as a seat and smacked his lips. ¡°If only there was somebody else to enjoy this meal!¡± he called. ¡°Perhaps some hungry soul adrift in the forest! A pity to have all these delectable morsels and no one to share it with¡­¡± Damien armed his crossbow and slowly rose from behind the thicket. Not taking his eyes off the man, he stalked forward, aiming straight at his chest. ¡°Woah! Woah, now,¡± the man sputtered, raising his hands in mock surrender. ¡°Do be careful where you point that thing. This teapot is made of the finest marble, carved by the hand of a true dwarven master. It would be a terrible shame to chip it.¡± ¡°Who are you!?¡± Damien shouted, summoning all his remaining strength to appear intimidating. The man slowly lowered his hands, selecting a scone and just as slowly bringing it to his mouth. He took a theatrically large bite, the crumbs sticking to his ruddy mustache. He thoughtfully chewed and swallowed before answering. ¡°Mmmm. Me? I am just a traveling merchant. My friends and customers, who are one-and-the-same of course, call me Honeytongue. The real question is who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking the questions!¡± Damien snarled. ¡°That is the garb of an Assassin, is it not? But you¡¯re a long way from the East, and you don¡¯t have the bone structure of those peoples. No¡­ something about the cheekbones. I¡¯d wager that you¡¯ve gotten a bit turned around in the Silfurfast. Good fortune you¡¯ve found me! Or, rather, that I found you. The ponies picked up your scent. Good girls!¡± Damien shook with anger, with exhaustion, and with undeniable hunger. ¡°I¡¯ve been dealing with goblins. I¡¯ve killed them. Many of them!¡± Damien lied. ¡°I just want to find someplace warm.¡± ¡°Goblins you say? In these parts? That¡¯s not going to be good for business!¡± the merchant said, dabbing his mouth with an embroidered napkin. ¡°I can point you in the right direction. Better yet, I can take you there! Fresh food. A warm bath. A soft bed. How¡¯s about it? I¡¯m sure we can come to an arrangement. Just please¡­ put down the weapon. You have nothing to fear from me.¡± Damien slowly lowered the weapon, his eyes roving over the plates of food. ¡°Take a seat. There¡¯s more than enough for the both of us. Eat your fill, then we¡¯ll talk shop.¡± Damien lurched forward, nearly collapsing onto the waiting crate. He began grabbing food from the bowls and platters, scraping it onto an empty plate the merchant provided, and stuffing morsels into his mouth with his dirty fingers as he went. ¡°Goooood¡­ goooood,¡± Honeytongue cooed encouragingly. ¡°Never negotiate on an empty stomach. That¡¯s what I always say.¡± As Damien scarfed the food, his mouth grew increasingly dry. As if the scones were turning to dust and clay between his teeth. He could barely open his mouth to take a breath through the gluelike wad filling his maw. In desperation, he grabbed for a nearby cup. Empty! ¡°Slow and steady, young man. Here, have some tea to wash that down,¡± the merchant said. ¡°Better yet, I have a special cordial¨Can exotic draught guaranteed to soothe whatever ails you.¡± The merchant got up and hurried to the back of the wagon, emerging with a large ornate bottle. He brushed strands of straw from the container, uncorked it, and poured a steaming red liquid to the brim of Damien¡¯s cup. ¡°Drink thissss¡­¡± he said with a wide smile. Damien, gripping the cup with both hands, greedily gulped the substance down. His whole body began to radiate with warmth. ¡°Yesss¡­ you¡¯ll feel better in no time at all, Mister Nightblade.¡± Chapter 27: Serenity Chapter 27: Serenity The wood elf explained in exacting detail the way out of the Evervale. ¡®Once you reach the birch bough bent like a longbow, follow the footpath that winds round the elder tree heavy with lichen on its north-facing side. Cross the whispering brook¨Cnot the babbling stream¨Cthat has five smooth stones sunk in its center, and continue on in the direction of the setting sun. If you reach the bed of plentiful ferns, you have detoured too far south¡­¡¯ It should go without saying that Chastity and Charlie got lost several times. However, they finally reached the boundary of the great primal forest, setting their eyes on the snow laden flatlands once again. At least they had been accosted by no plant life during their extended egress. Yr had been true to his word, and his long speeches to the trees apparently had their intended effect. As a parting gift, Yr ?rsm¨ªe bequeathed Chastity with a modified quiver, long enough to hold her javelins upon her back. Although it appeared leather at first glance, it was intricately woven of hearty plant fibers as was the wood elf fashion. No longer would she need to carry the javelin bundle by hand. For her part, Chastity had again encouraged Yr to seek out Goldenberry Village when his solemn task was complete. The elf remained noncommittal, but they parted on good terms. And now the two travelers took up their journey in reverse, at least one of them a little wiser than before. As they walked, Chastity¡¯s thoughts turned to the Professor. Much time has passed since I arrived in this world. With the mortal danger the Professor was in when I left, I have all but despaired for his safety. No matter what happened, I feel utterly helpless. I am trapped here¨Cpowerless to save him! Chastity took a deep breath. She focused inwardly, recalling an invocation¨Cthe Serenity Prayer composed by Reinhold Niebuhr nearly a hundred years ago. She quietly exhaled some of these words now. ¡°Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference¡­¡± That¡¯s right, she realized. I can¡¯t change whatever has befallen the Professor. I can only hope for the best, remember him in my prayers, and take action with what lies before me. But there are bigger things at play here. Why was that¡­ passage, or portal¡­ even in the Professor¡¯s office? Did he know about this place, this fantastical world? What is his connection? Yr said that I was summoned for a purpose. Could that be true, even though the experience of coming here felt so frightful and slapdash? If there is a grand design at work, I have to trust that the Professor¡¯s well being is part of that. ¡°Character Record,¡± she said, no longer caring what her halfling companion thought of her talking to herself. The large, translucent text box appeared before her eyes.
[CHARACTER RECORD] NAME: Chastity Morningstar RACE: Human HERITAGE: Realmwalker LANGUAGE: Common Speech CLASS: Paladin OATH: NONE TITLES: NONE LEVEL: 3 LIFE POINTS: 40 FOCUS POINTS: 20 BOONS: Javelin Proficiency Heavy Armor Proficiency Holy Weapon Proficiency +5% Ability Leveling The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Knowledge (Religion) ABILITIES: Recall Knowledge Identify II Detect Evil Smite Evil EQUIPMENT: 3x Medium Javelins Javelin Quiver Chain Mail (Heavy Armor) Cloak of Erudition Holy Symbol of Kr?sning INVENTORY: Scroll of Scholasticism Paladin Codex PRIMARY QUESTS: The Quest of Prudence The Quest of Justice The Quest of Temperance The Quest of Fortitude The Quest of Faith The Quest of Hope The Quest of Charity SECONDARY QUESTS: Obtain a Legendary Holy Sword Obtain a Legendary Set of Holy Armor Obtain a Legendary Stead Pursue a Sacred Oath Ascend to a Higher Class
Chastity scanned the list of seven primary quests. If she were to fulfill her purpose as a Paladin summoned into this world, this seemed like her best roadmap. But how exactly does one go about, say, achieving the impossible (Quest #5)? No pressure, right? Chastity thought, her boots trudging over the cobblestone path. Maybe trying to connect with the remnant of the Holy Order of Paladins in Crown City would be the next logical move, although she had no idea how great of a journey that may be. For now, her duty was to return Charlie Cucumber to his home in one piece. More words of the Serenity Prayer echoed in her mind. Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time, accepting hardship as the pathway to peace. That evening, bone-deep tiredness finally settling upon them, they made camp in the chantry ruins once more. All the atmosphere of foreboding was now gone, and the ruins gave Chastity an almost idyllic sense in the fading light. Nevertheless, they took watches by the fire through the night. Combing through the ruins offered no further discoveries save for fragments of a prayer rope and an old hymnal rendered unreadable by the elements. The next morning, they continued north and passed through the farmlands of Charlie¡¯s upbringing. Chastity was lost in thought, reflecting on the apparently literal three-tiered cosmology of this world¨Ca Celestial Kingdom above, this middle land they now trod upon, and a Realm of Black Fire below¨Cwhen Charlie spoke up. ¡°Scuse me, Chastity. I was wondering something.¡± he asked. ¡°Sure, what is it?¡± Charlie scratched his chin. The jars in his overstuffed pack continued their rhythmic clinking with each step. ¡°I was wondering¡­ from the parts of the elf¡¯s story I was awake for¡­ he mentioned the Dark One was once a Celestial? Dwelling in the Celestial Kingdom?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what he said,¡± she confirmed. ¡°But how could¡­ I mean to say, if you were there¨Creally there in the presence of the Great Divine and all the glorious Celestials¨Cif you were living daily in the midst of that wonder and splendor¡­ how could you turn aside from it? How could you turn evil when all you know is good and proper and lovely?¡± Chastity chewed her lip, memories of countless philosophical debates resurfacing. ¡°I¡¯ve thought a lot about that over the years,¡± she confessed. ¡°Not specifically about the Dark One, of course, who I didn¡¯t know existed until a few days ago. I think the best explanation is free will.¡± ¡°Free who?¡± ¡°Freedom of the will. Let¡¯s do a little thought experiment, Charlie. If you had¡­ say¡­ two pickles¡­¡± ¡°Ooh! I like where this is going!¡± ¡°You have two pickles¡­ and somebody else gives you two more pickles. How many pickles do you have?¡± ¡°Well that¡¯s easy, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯d have four pickles, and I¡¯d be a pretty happy halfling!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Two plus two equals four. A simple mathematical fact. Undeniable, really. It is true no matter who you are or what universe you live in. But the thing is¡­ you could have answered ¡®three¡¯ or even ¡®five.¡¯ Nothing was preventing you from giving the wrong answer. You, in essence, had the ability or freedom to give the incorrect response.¡± ¡°But why would I want to do that?¡± ¡°Hmmmm. Well, you might think that five pickles are better than four. Aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Oh, most certainly!¡± ¡°Anyway, we¡¯re getting slightly off the subject. You could give the wrong answer perhaps by accident. Again, you would not be constrained from making a simple mistake. But it is possible that someone might start to actually believe, in their heart, that two plus two really equals five, despite all reason and immutable proof to the contrary. They could even willfully choose to believe this! And worst of all, someone might try to convince others of this inherently untrue thing.¡± Charlie lapsed into silence for a spell, processing all of this information. Chastity could almost see the wheels turning. ¡°So you¡¯re saying¡­ the definition of evil¡­ is believing that two pickles plus two pickles equals five pickles, and teaching others the same!¡± Chastity chuckled and shook her head. ¡°You know, there are some people that don¡¯t believe free will even exists.¡± Charlie had a shocked expression on his round face. ¡°No freedom!?¡± he cried. ¡°From that perspective, we are more like characters in a story. Our thoughts, our motivations, and even our actions are written out for us!¡± ¡°Well if that¡¯s the case, I hope that big fancy writer adds in some more delicious pickles. And the story better end with a happily-ever-after!¡± The two laughed heartily as they walked side by side.