William was back in the martial training hall once more. The scene was a duplicate of his previous visit. The same swordsman was in the center of the room once more. William felt pleased at himself as he recognized the finishing strike of Form of the Sea. This was swiftly replaced with curiosity as he witnessed the unnamed warrior shift his stance forward two inches and lowered his center of gravity by the same measure. This was something new, and anticipation overcame William. He was about to experience the second sword form.
The swordsman exhaled slowly and with lightning speed, thrust straight forward, stepping in and to the left, shifting his momentum into another upward angled thrust. This was then followed with a pivot to the right and a perfectly horizontal thrust. The man then deployed multiple swift and consecutive stabs in what William could picture as the shadow opponent’s upper and lower torso, alternating for maximum damage and guard evasion.
This was then followed by a thrust to the left of his target, and William had a feeling that would have been a method to pierce a sword arm or some other area of potential debilitation. He did, however, notice something else that was more of a concern. The swordsman had no guard in this form. As if reading William’s mind, the warrior pushed off of his lead leg and hopped back three feet, before using the back leg to propel himself forward, blade held perfectly straight with his arms.
The form clicked into place for William as he could see that the form didn’t need a guard method if the user was nimble and light on their feet. William had a hunch, however, that the form wouldn’t be as effective against multiple enemies as the Form of the Sea could be. Then again, maybe it didn’t need to be. Perhaps the second sword-form was primarily focused on dispatching a single, tricky enemy. That made the most sense to William as you wouldn’t want to risk your blade getting stuck in one foe only for their friends to cut you down immediately after.
William took in as much details he could as he watched on. He expected that the movements would come to his mind like the first form had, but any insights gained here would hasten the progress he made significantly. The scene repeated for what felt like a few minutes and then the scene faded away the same way the first one had done. William’s senses once more perceived the shed that was his ever humble abode. The normally dim lit shed was even dimmer, indicating that it was evening time.
“Time flies when you’re having fun,” William said wryly.
His stomach rumbled and William pulled out a piece of Lynx jerky to keep it at bay until he could have the evening meal. The piece of meat was viciously devoured by William and with a contented lick of his lips, William got to his feet and summoned his sword. Stepping out from his shelter, he wanted to try the new stuff out before dinner. He started the kata that he could remember from his brief time in the vision, and started off alright, but as he stepped in to pivot, his back leg clipped his lead one, sending him staggering. William fortunately, braced his fall by sticking the blade into the ground. Sheepish embarrassment filled his being, but relief soon quashed that as he had not seen anyone looking his way. “Yay for small mercies I guess?” William mused, deciding that he would practice on the hills for that form. He didn’t want to ruin the foundations of his badass image that he hoped had started to form in the eyes of Greenwell. Life would stay easy if no one dared to fuck with him after all. William could smell the start of freshly cooking meat and hastened to the fireside. He joined his girls and the main group he had spent the evening with the past few days for another nice evening. Food was good, cheer was good, and the libido that completed his day between him, Stacey, and Armine was greater.
William woke up with both his girls curled up into him, something he felt would never get old. He wanted the morning to continue that way, but life was cruel and a knock at his door signaled the end of his comfort, for the morning at least.
“William? It’s Jane, can we talk?”
William cleared his eyes and started to get dressed. He saw no issue with letting the girls sleep in for a bit.
“I’ll be there in a minute, getting my shit together quick, Jane.”
“Is that a first in over a decade for you? A truly special day.”
William rolled his eyes as he replied, “Someone has to make sure you don’t hurt yourself or get in trouble, my dear sister.”
“Well, you do have your uses.”
“You speak the kindest words to me, it really warms the heart,” William retorted with a tone laden in sarcasm.
“You deserve nothing but the best of such words, William.”
The two bickered for a few more moments and William was filled with genuine surprise that his girls hadn’t awoken from it. With his kit donned and everything he needed on his person, William stepped out, obscuring the view of the inside with his body for the sake of the girls’ modesty.
“So what’s the actual thing you wanted to talk about?”
Jane looked a little bit more serious then before she said, “Mother.”
“Oh.”
“I know things aren’t great with the two of you, but I’m worried. Mother had been spotted leaving Greenwell towards the north about thirty minutes ago.. She told dad that she wanted a walk on the hills as she was cooped up in Greenwell. He said to only loop the perimeter, but Walter spotted her leaving and mentioned it to Wallace. I was skeptical given that this is Walter we’re talking about, but Mother hadn’t been seen since she left the hut this morning.”
William was starting to get a bad feeling, as if a disaster waited around the corner.
“Has anyone started looking for her yet?” He asked, getting ready for a run.
Jane shook her head and replied, “The two offensive teams are guarding the woodcutting work. The two defensive teams and new four person team are also needed here in case we get attacked. Wallace also believes that with her current stats from avoiding conflicts, she won’t have walked too far and suggested I grab you to bring her back. I suspect it’s also an attempt to give you and Mother time to mend things between you.”
William grunted in acknowledgement and a bit of frustration as he started heading off at a brisk pace. His brisk pace being that of a quick jog on Earth. He was atop the first northern hill in under a minute and surveyed the area. Nothing obvious at first glance, but then he spotted some stepped down grass, indicating recent footfalls. The impression was light and William suspected that the grass would be back to normal in a couple of hours. He decided not to chance it in case this was some magical grass bullshit and followed the faint tracks.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Ten minutes passed and concern started to well up inside him. He had noticed several deeper foot prints joining his Mother’s. The footprints were those of a similar size to William's own. He knew then that it was time to get serious and run after them. Roughly two more minutes passed and as he crested the hill he stood atop, his horror was confirmed. Four bandits were passing his disheveled Mother between them, the fabric of her clothes barely containing her modesty. A rage unlike any other overwhelmed William. Today, no flesh shall be spared. That was also one of the few bible quotes he actually found somewhat interesting.
He ran down the hill towards his quarry, eyes of hatred guiding his path of death as he descended upon them.
He was now ten feet away and the four had dropped his Mother on the ground who looked on in horror as William approached. He couldn’t be sure if the horror was for what she expected he would do or for his safety. It didn’t matter. The bandits’ lives would end on that hill.
“Four,” William murmured, a ferocious cold carrying the word from the darkest spot of his newfound resolve.
He was then upon them. The scum was not worth his main sword, and he threw a Mythril dagger at the lead bandit’s upper thigh region. The dagger was propelled through [Dagger Toss]. The dregs of humanity didn’t even merit a use of [Mana Investment]. The man crumpled, clutching his now hemorrhaging thigh as William’s attack hit its mark with pinpoint precision. He ducked two slashes from the next pair of vermin, summoning his sword from the ring and with a pivot, readjusting his momentum, he lunged at the fourth bandit.
He had noticed that the fourth bandit wielded a staff, and he had a hunch that the foe was a Medic class. Always target the healer first. A gamer rule as old as time. William’s feet were lightning, clearing the distance in mere moments. He wouldn’t give his prey time to heal its injured friend. He felt that it was as good a time as any to try the new kata. He thrust forward and was satisfied at how perfectly horizontal it was. Sword met flesh and the effect of his Syphon Rune gave William a warm feeling. It was unfortunately irrelevant as the rabid dogs before him wouldn’t land a single blow. The sound of steel piercing flesh sounded out and his foe lurched, gagging out copious amounts of blood. William heard footsteps approaching from behind and with a swift pivot, he was behind the wounded Medic thus keeping the approaching enemies in his full view as William indulged in further experimentation.
The pivot was smooth and was immediately followed by another thrust into the lower back of the medic. More gurgles and grunts came, but William paid it no mind or compassion as he started repeatedly stabbing as fast as he could, trying to mimic the vision of the second sword-form. It was exceedingly easy to execute and William did briefly wonder if the insights from Form of the Sea had aided his budding instincts for good swordplay. He didn’t linger on the thought for more than a slight moment as the Medic let out his dying groans and fell face first.
William eyed the two on looking and angered bandits with cold, ruthless eyes, contradicted by a vicious grin, “Three,” William briefly said as he adjusted his stance to Form of the Sea.
The bigger of the two rat-humans before William growled in hatred brandishing a mace. It was a vicious looking weapon and William was thankful that these creatures wouldn’t be able to land a single blow. The big rat raised its mace high and charged, telegraphing its intent of a downward thwacking. William grinned as the scum was less than a foot away and with a brief sidestep, the mace met air. A graceful execution of an upward slash relieved Big Rat of its arms as he watched the creature crumple to the ground, screaming profanities that would make sailors blush. William paid the vermin no mind as he stepped over the dead Medic’s corpse prompting Small Rat to lunge with his sword.
William saw the blade approach and was quite frankly, disappointed. A quick parry made the attacker stagger of balance, and the opening it left was soon capitalized on by William. Small Rat briefly felt sharp pain in its neck before it felt no more. The head rolled but the body briefly continued before falling chest first on the grass in front of Big Rat, who was now tear stricken.
“Two.”
William approached the first scum who still clutched at the wound it bore, staunching as much blood as it could.
It spoke up at him, “Ya bastard. When the boss gets ‘ere with our friends, he’s gonna skull fuck ya before proper fucking big tits over there,” The vile creature yelled, pointing at his Mother.
William felt some rage form but then a mirth filled chuckle escaped his lips.
William leaned down at the scum who glared with the purest quality hate it could muster and after another chuckle said, “He’s gonna skull fuck me eh? Even if he did manage it, at least I’d still have a skull.”
Some confusion briefly flashed across the vermin’s face before he noticed William raise his boot. The move made his prey’s face of stupor become a face of pure fear.
“No, not that, just kill me with that blade. Pl-” The bandit pleaded but was cut short as William’s full stomp crashed into the rat’s skull. A pained grunt and some distorted weeping was all that filled the air between each sickly crunch. Several moments passed and the moaning had ceased as the pancaked red flesh and bone had sprayed out in the immediate vicinity.
Paying it little mind, William turned to the final scum that remained.
“One,” William stated, a cold deeper than winter lacing the word.
William took slower steps, making sure that his final prey knew death approached unimpeded by the beat of its own drum. It wasn’t long before William stood over the pitiful creature as it bore a face of forlorn pain and defeat. It knew death had come for it.
“You...monster,” Was all the vermin said, as it lowered its head, indicating for what William assumed was a hope of swift death.
He held the sword high and replied, “Yes. I am. One that does what is necessary. One that does what others don’t have the strength or stomach for.”
William gave no time for a response as his sword came down, removing head from shoulders.
“Zero,” he added, wiping the blood from his sword on the jerkin that the bandit wore.
He assessed his surroundings and felt some relief that no more rats had appeared. He hoped for a levelling prompt, but none came and William reflected on it. The Bandits must have been rather low level. It was of little consequence, the little EXP here and there added up in the end.
William had other things to sort at that moment than levels or insights. He had to make sure his Mother was okay. He approached and saw mixed emotions of hope, relief, fear, and horror. She was evidently conflicted in them feelings as she remained speechless.
“You’re safe now, Mother. Can you walk?” He asked, with genuine concern. The tone seemed to make her warm a little more, but not by a massive margin as she simply nodded and got to her feet. She wrapped her arms around herself, clearly feeling exposed and vulnerable. William sighed and took off his overcoat before draping it over her. She clutched it tightly, covering as much of herself as she could, which thankfully due to William’s size, was most of her.
He walked over to the ground pounded vermin to reclaim his Mythril Dagger. With a wipe of the blade on clothing, he sheathed it once more. He then rummaged for coin pouches and smiled when the count came to two gold and sixty silver. He added that to his own funds and walked back over to his Mother.
He had felt her eyes on him as he looted the prey. The weapons and clothing were not too desirable, but he did collect the Mace in case someone wanted to use it in the future. As he returned to her side he spotted her eyeing the back sheaths holding the Mythril daggers, then watched as they moved to his thigh sheathed daggers, and finally examining his shield and sword. She was clearly surprised at his array of weaponry. And he realized that she wouldn’t have really seen anything other than his shield and sword as he usually had the overcoat on.
William would let her infer what she wanted from that as he moved on to something more important.
“Let’s get back to Greenwell. I want to have a no bullshit talk or heart to heart if you will, with you about...everything I guess,” William said, suddenly feeling nervousness. It was funny to consider that he was unflinching when slaughtering people, but nervous when talking with his own mother.
She looked up at him with a face bearing a mixture of concern and curiosity but simply replied, “Okay.”
It wasn’t going to be a great conversation.