Benjamin POV

Not so long ago.

A dark room with only a bed, a computer, a machine that spits out food and a place to shit in. All in a 5 m² closed room. A small window to one side and bars to the other. A man is singing far away and I can not tell him to shut the fuck up. His voice is not that bad though, so it is mostly fine even though he sings the same song again and again.

I was not only not allowed to leave this room, my online activities were also heavily restricted. I was only allowed 6 hours a day online and most sites and games that were fun were not allowed for me. The best I could do was reading. A lot.

Recently not many books have been written and if they were, they were mostly fan fics about games and their favorite characters, like the story of the last instance, the lvl 32 one. King Margus and Elowena, their story of impossible love touched a lot of people hearts and so millions stories were online that depicted their childhood and the live they could never have.

But live ain't that easy. There is no happy ending.

We were also not allowed to leave the rooms, it was infuriating. We just sit in cells, as far from each other as possible and get only a few hours a day outside and if you do not go in time inside, they will not allow you to go out for a veeery long time.

Contact with others around here is also very limited. Even online I am always marked as a murderer and not many try talking to me. If they do, it is rarely to make friends.

I was lying on my bed and the screen in front of me had an application running that forced me to converse with a few people that would determine the rest of my future.

“You have been proven to be guilty, by your own statement and the evidence presented. Got anything to say before the judgment will be proclaimed?”

“No.”

“Very well. Benjamin Meier, here by you are sentenced to death for the murder of 2 innocents, Beth Meier and Gregor Bljadskij. The execution will be held in 8 months. Do you have any kinds of a last wish?”

I really did have a wish. The sentence was obvious and well deserved. I just wanted to do a few things before dying. “Yes, I want to have free access to Might and Magic for the remaining time and I want to be able to be there 24/7.”

I also added: “As long as I can play nothing matters to me.” It all started by me playing the game and hopefully it would end with me beating it. Just my little and uncalled for selfish wish before I get what I deserve.

The men on my screen immediately presented me with their conditions as if everything was within their expectations.

“For your commendable behavior we may allow you this. With a few limitations of course. You will get the absolutely worst alignment from the very beginning and a specific profession that worsens your relationship with everyone even more, making contact with others as hard as possible. Further we will put your name for everyone to see online and they can easily research for your situation. We do not care what you do online but you will be punished accordingly to the games rules while in it, obviously. You may also be on as long as you want. That's all. Next time we will see each other will be for the execution.”

Am I glad they do not just kill me right on the spot for some stupid bureaucratic reason.

I already had the game downloaded and ready, just could not have access to it till now.

“Start Might and Magic.” Finally. At least I could have some fun before dying. Only sad that my last character was deleted. Even if it was just a pure support shaman, I still had a lot of achievements on him. Well... starting a new one might be a lot of fun too. I no longer have to be a supporting kind of class.

I went through the standard intro, only that I was not allowed to hide my family name, change my appearance or choose my class freely.

It was a class called bloodthirster, a profession despised by everyone for its barbaric and demonic fighting style. Both tanky and dangerous. The opposite of my last class. A go in and wreck everything class.

Perfect.

Anyway, after the start the standard beginner quest was offered to me, which I ignored. The old man was hesitant and was not sure how to deal with me and seemed relieved as I just left him there.

I immediately went to higher level enemies and wanted to test how capable this class was.

I failed miserably against level 4 hawks. The description of my class said that I could get healed by fighting but I ain't seen none of that shit... I did not get any health back from sinking my blade into its body and in the end I lost, but it was very close.

I again read my class description and noticed a small detail that I missed in the beginning...

I need to stab the blade I will use through my heart and let it bathe in my blood. And as it happens this game will let me feel all of it.

This class is just perfect for me. I don't know if they wanted to punish me with this mechanic or knew that I was that kind of person that wanted to punish myself, but I was thankful for this little mechanic.

One problem though... The blade was much longer than to just hold it in front of me and stab myself...

I put my armor off and put the blade in front of me on the ground. Slowly I sunk the blade in me with a lot of resistance, the ribs just did not allow it to enter my heart that easily. It hurt like hell and the agony I got from it was used to push even further, until the other side was sticking out of my back.

After a few seconds a message popped up.

Congratulations, you have added the bloodthirster effect to your weapon.

My health was down to 20% as I pulled the blade out. I still had the heavy bleeding effect and used my healing skill. It was not the usual standard heal yourself skill with no additional effects, it was an already advanced one. Depending on how many enemies I have slayed, the larger the healing.

In general I got an unique class that would develop by itself, I did not need a teacher. I would probably not find any either.

Anyway, now I was able to kill that hawk that I had trouble before quite easily. After a few fights I understood that my class was supposed to fight without holding back, I would get the most out of it by charging blindly in and getting healed by overwhelming my enemy and cause more damage than he could deal and getting healed. It was a dangerous class...

I leveled quite easily to level 5 by killing random animals and slowly moving outside my starting village. Got a new skill that made things much easier for me. Blodchains, self explanatory. Costs me a percentage of my current health.

While I was busy level grinding, a few bandits approached me from behind.

At first they looked like they wanted to kill me, but then the woman among them stopped them all and looked in awe at me.

“Hey, handsome!” the female leader called out to me. “Looking all menacing here. I even got all wet looking at you. How about it, wanna join us? I promise you to treat you nicely. Or better we will join you!” She looked very... interested in me.

Could it be that to add realism to the game people with such a bad alignment would have a chance to form bonds with enemy npc's like them? I thought they are just regular mobs hm... the game is deeper then I thought.

But wait...

They were low level criminals since they were in this area. They seemed to have an intelligence and are also adults, so I do not understand how they can stay this low leveled. Do npc's lvl up that slowly?

“No interest.”

She came near me. “Come on cutey... How many people have you murdered and how many lives destroyed to get that...status? I know that we are mere murderers... But we also have done some cool things.” She pulled out a dagger. “See this. Just one hour ago I killed a man that cried about us taking his wife and children haha.. So annoying and disgusting. I know this has to be nothing for you, but we do have potential, believe me!” She had the look of a mad man, a fanatic.

Just what is wrong with them... “Why are you doing this? What will you get for doing all of those things? What will this status help you?”

“You have it, don't you... Say, have you already talked to him? Has Lucifer already spoken to you?”

Her face was all red from excitement.

They are no bandits. They are fanatics. “Are there more of you or is it just the bunch here?”

“Yes! There are more of us! And all of us are trying our best to please our lord! To the south, there is our base. Rape, slavery torture, you name it! Join us and be our leader! Help us get close to our lord!”

…

Why is it making me that angry? I mean I always liked npc's, but to get that furious over her words...

Has it something to do with Beth I wonder.

“Do not worry, I will help you..” I pulled my weapon and started to slaughter them.

….......................................................................

A few days later.

The fight against the boss was very sweet. I also got some sweet gear from it.

Right now I am hunting down the cult that wanted to recruit me. It was almost like a mini dungeon. I was always attacked by a group of at least 3 people. When too many attacked me at the same time, I had to retreat into a narrow corridor and fight them one by one.

They may be humans and have the intelligence, but they still are a bunch of retards. Always screaming about their lord and how I am a false prophet, undeserving of my status. I have already killed 24 of them and they are still coming.

Oh god, if my bad alignment means I will attract such people...

Please do not do it.

My 2 new skills helped me a lot. Bloodchains that allowed me to pull the annoying bow and magic users. [Battle cry], that may buff me and my allies or debuff the enemies.

I was in a long narrow passageway and 6 people were trying to kill me in front of me. But of course they could not fit, so only one was before me, while the others provided support from behind.

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A knight looking motherfucker was doing his best as to not to die under my furious attacks. I stabbed forward lightly but he blocked all my attacks.

From behind him the others were supporting with bows and magic.

After a while it got annoying and my CD was off.

Large weapons were just not the best for such kinds of environments...

I got enough and used bloodchains to pull a mage from behind right onto my blade. They all were shocked as I just stabbed him a few more times and used my battlecry afterwards.

Throwing the head of my victim to the knight and attacking right afterwards, he lost his balance and was finally killed.

Now the mages and hunters weren't shit against me.

I just love how my class allows me to fight longer battles and get stronger and stronger and has this amazing sustain. My shitty shaman class from before ain't shit against it.

I went further inside the cave and saw a few cages with women and children inside them. The good looking ones were kept untouched to be sold while the others... well.

I just opened their cages and let them run, if they wanted to.

If not I gave them weapons and told them to help me.

Now a little further inside I had 15 women following me, their cold and lifeless expressions were now changed to that of rage.

It was inspiring seeing those raped and tortured victims picking up weapons into their hands and finishing off those that I left hurt enough as to not to be a big threat for them. Inspiring and sad.

Behind me right now a woman with some of her hair ripped of her head, was holding a dagger inside the mouth of a man and screamed. “COMMON YOU DIRTY SLUT, SWALLOW IT! “ She now stabbed it through the back of his throat.

Does not have to be said out loud, but I guess this was payback for something else...

I went further ahead and saw a silver ranked boss. A man in a black robe that was screaming some bullshit.

It was an easy fight. He did not pose a threat at all. At 15% I just left him without legs to the women.

The mechanics behind cutting of limbs were that you have to do enough damage to that specific body part to cut it off. Something like if the leg is 15% of the body, then you have to do 150 out of 1000 hp damage to it. It's harder then it needs to be and easier then it sounds. Just so that you could not easily decapitate strong enemies per luck.

Now that the cave was cleared, I got to take what was lying around. Got around 10 gold and some materials, a few very rare healing potions. I also let the women loot around and told them they are free to do whatever they want.

Some stood beside me.

“Can you end this for me?.. Please make it fast.” A single woman asked me and 3 more followed. The others just clothed themselves, took some gold and maybe grouped up between them and they walked away. They did not thank me, but I was not mad. Just happy they want still to move on.

As for the women that wanted to die... The game mechanics prevent me from doing it fast.

I told the first one to go on her knees. I did not want to just do it, but I just did not have anything to say and I doubt she wanted to talk. But still..

“Before I do it, what happened to you? Why do you so desperately want to go?”

She was quiet for a few seconds before replying. “Our home was invaded. My husband was killed in front of my eyes. My daughter and my cute baby boy were taken from me, taken to where their lives would be hell from onward, where death would be their only hope.. My cute Dominique and my poor Hannah... Those monsters did not want us to die, they wanted to torture and stretched out our horrible lives as long as possible! Please. I just want it to end.” She was crying and on her knees in front of me, presenting me her bare neck and awaiting my assistance.

I put the sword above my head and struck her neck. It only went in half. Then I put it again above me and used decimate. This powerful hit separated the head from the body. The other two also had the same destiny.

The last however was very young, to young for her to just abandon all hope. I came to her and looked into her dead eyes. “Why do you want to die?”

“I have been tainted, I am better off dead, Life holds nothing for me or my future anymore.”

I slowly and hesitantly put my hand on her head and patted her with care. “No, they may have tainted your body but as long as your mind believes in itself, this abuse will not hold you down. In the end death may come to you any second, no, you should cherish your life and enjoy it, take the best out of it and just do whatever the fuck you want because you have seen the worst of it now and nothing may any longer hold you down. Live it to the fullest until one day death will come knock on your door and you will look back and realize how much you would rather want to keep on living because live is not as bad as you think of it right now.”

She looked up to me and with tears in her eyes she answered. “Yes, easy for you to say that while you yourself are--”

I interrupted her. “I can tell you that exactly because it was similar for me. Now go. Join the others and build up your new life. Together or alone, just do not let anyone hold you down. What is your name?”

She stood up and walked away while watching me with a blank but complicated stare. "My name...  I am Elizabeth."

I was now alone in the big room filled with corpses. It was a cold and dark room with wind blowing to an opening above me. Some cages were still hanging from the ceiling.

I got a title.

Punisher: You will exterminate all evil. Even if that means taking the wrath of gods and every human upon you. + 10% damage against beings with negative alignment or creatures of darkness. Inflicts fear in the hearts of your enemies. The more well known your punishments are, the more you will be feared and sometimes even admired.

I new went around and checked inside the cages if someone was still alive.

Walking to a small cage and asking the one inside of it “Hey there? Are you alive?” for some time, until I checked all of them and carried the few that had still signs of being alive. No one was breathing or even having a pulse.

I saw some easily flammable stuff lying around and wanted to set this whole place in fire.

Some boxes of black powder and oil were conveniently placed around, so I got everything ready and spread it around.

I lit it on fire and walked away as the fire spread around the cave and I heard it crackling and some small explosions.

“AHHH!” I suddenly heard a scream behind me. I ran towards it immediately. A small child sitting inside a cell with fire spreading around it. I saw that her hands suffered some burns as she tried to open her cell somehow. She was crying and rolled herself into a ball.

I ran up to the cell and used the master key I got from some asshole to free her.

I picked her up as flames burned my feet and let them boil inside my plate armor. It was a disgusting feeling and the pain was something completely different. It not only just burned. It was much slower.

As I ran with her on my hands outside, the fire was already widely spread and I had to cover her up with my body as to not let her suffer anything worse. The horrible thing about this situation was that my armor was heated up so she probably felt not really better. As we were running she was screaming this whole time until she lost consciousnesses and woke up again and again coughing from the smoke and screaming from pain.

Fuck.

After a minute we were outside and I let her fall to the ground as my touch burned her skin. If not for the natural healing ability of everyone, I would have been really scared for her now...

My healing ability was now again of cooldown, as I was using it the whole time while running, I healed myself back up again.

I looked at the small girl in front of me. Her state was horrible. Her hands had no skin on them, her complete body was in third degree burns and I noticed how some of her skin was sticking my my still burning armor. The blackish flesh was visible all over her body.

And it was my fault... again.

No time for this however. I poured my healing potions inside her mouth one after another and watched as her injuries slowly regenerated over the next few hours so very painstakingly slowly. When all of it was over, she was covered in pink skin. Hopefully no scars would be left, both kinds.

I took my cloak and covered her almost naked little body with it.

“What am I going to do now..” I felt so guilty. So guilty that I thought that I should go kill myself. Then I chuckled a little bit over it and was worried about myself. “The fuck is wrong with me...”

The girl suddenly opened her eyes and looked up to me. I expected her to be terrified and to scream but she smiled very cutely and some saliva leaking out of her mouth, her eyes still not focused on anything. She started to reach out for me and grasped my pinkie with her full hand and just whispered “Papa”.

I immediately got a notification that I have adopted Fiora ???? and her name changed to Fiora Meier.

Being for a loss of words I just held her in my arms and watched as she slowly lifted her body and hugged me.

…...................................................

I was still on my way towards a city to get her at least cleaned up and maybe see what I would from now on. My goal of beating the game was still my top priority so the little girl would to somehow have to come along now.

Suddenly I got a message from the outside that the platform was ready to be installed so that I could now live inside of Might and Magic and would not have to log off for anything.

Telling Fiora to stay by my “sleeping” body and not to go anywhere I logged off and hurried with the installation as I was worried dead for my new adoptive daughter.

What a day....