William would have typically done what most people would in his situation; rejoin and grieve with his family. The only reason he didn’t was the waiting prompts. He didn’t want to leave them for too long as he remembered the pain of ignoring them from when he first arrived on GAEA. Getting them out of the way now made perfect sense in his mind, even if it did piss him off somewhat.
William mentally dismissed all the kill prompts from the scrubs he dispatched, the details were irrelevant. His mouth quirked up minutely as eh saw a welcome surprise on the kill prompt for the Fell Champion:
{Ascension_Protocol}
You have slain: Fell Champion – Fell-kin Level 24 – Fighter Level 24
Bonus EXP from Titles.
Bonus EXP awarded for slaying a creature of higher Race level than you.
Bonus EXP awarded for slaying a creature of higher Class level than you.
[Notice – Full EXP awarded for slaying an opponent above the region’s Soft Level Cap]
----------------------------------------------------------------
{Race: Human – Level 21 Reached}
Attribute points allocated, plus 5 unused points.
{Class: Fighter – Level 14 Reached}
Attribute points allocated, plus 5 unused points.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
{Allocation:}
Would you like to Allocate Unused points (10) to attributes?
{Y/N}
{End}
William was delighted that he gained the full EXP benefits. It was also useful to know that the cap or in this case, the soft cap could be worked around. He did expect that as a soft cap existed, a hard cap also existed and those in games didn’t have a work around. William still intended to go to different places to continue his growth, but it was still nice to know that other regions likely had the same soft cap crap.
He didn’t immediately allocate stats, instead he wanted to finish the remaining prompts first, just in case by some slim chance he had another level up prompt waiting. William turned his attention to the next one and it made him chuckle briefly:
{Ascension_Protocol}
Faction Enmity: Heralds of Entropy +500
Enmity Level increase – Disliked > Infamous
[Notice – Enmity increases remove potential access to Faction facilities, Faction aligned quests and good relations with Faction followers.]
[Notice – Additional quests can become available that upon completion or through the process of completing them, damage the Faction in varying capacity. These quests offer additional rewards and additional Enmity.]
[Notice – If maximum Enmity with a Faction is achieved, that Faction and associated Factions will be hostile to you perpetually.]
{End}
William found the prompt both amusing and interesting. He just got lore dumped on enmity, which was something he was curious about since he got the initial prompt back in the Sylvar Woodlands. He wasn’t very concerned about pissing off the people that seemed to want to end all things, if the whole entropy thing in their name was to be believed. The prospect of additional quests with goodly rewards made him hopeful for more lucrative encounters in the future.
William shifted his focus to the third and penultimate prompt:
{Ascension_Protocol}
{New Title Offered: One-Man Army}
{Description}
Through standing at the frontline alone against overwhelming foes, you have developed an affinity for dispatching large swathes of foes with your blades. Let the hordes come to fear your lone presence.
{Effect}
When fighting five or more opponents alone, EXP and damage dealt are doubled.
[Notice – Title stacks with other Titles of similar function.]
[Notice – Accepting this Title will make it appear on your identity if the spell Identify is used on you. Description not included.]
Do you accept the title?
{Y/N}
{End}
William couldn’t say no to a good time like that. He re read the prompt and a revelation occurred to him. If he could double his EXP against groups of enemies, then that would in theory negate the EXP halving of the soft cap. William had a feeling that the EXP gains would still be small as he anticipated each level getting harder to reach without fighting increasingly tough foes, just like in any RPG he had played. The stacking benefits seemed good too, though the maths hurt his head a little bit. If the group of foes he fought were Fell-kin, would the initial EXP be doubled twice or would the doubled EXP be further doubled thanks to his Fell the Mighty Title? He wasn’t sure and had no real or easy way to tell, but he did understand that the stacking still gave a lot of EXP and that’s what really mattered regarding those titles.
With those out of the way, he turned his attention to the final prompt having a hunch what it was, and upon reading it, he was correct, though it was better than he thought.
{Ascension_Protocol}
{Region Event – Message to all individuals in region.}
The Bandits in your region have been defeated and the remnants have fled the region for fear of discovery and extermination.
Region Event Contribution MVP: William Bloodbane – 95%
[Personal Notice – William, as the instigator of this event, bonus EXP has been awarded for every bandit slain by your hand, and by your contribution to the objectives of the event.]
[Personal Notice – William, for attaining the reward of MVP for a Region Event instigated by you, the reward EXP has been doubled.]
[Personal Notice – William, as the Region Event was started before reaching the Region Soft Cap, you have been awarded full EXP gains.]
{Accept Rewards?}
{Y/N}
{End}
William noticed everyone nearby giving him curious looks.
“What’s up? Sorry if I hogged the contribution EXP by the way,” William said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.
Jane let out a long sigh before replying, “It’s a given that you would get the MVP. Your last name is Brooks right?”
“Obviously?” William replied, confused as to the dumb question.
“Read the prompt again. Specifically the part with your name.”
William did as she said and realized that his last name was listed as Bloodbane.
“Right. I see, Jane. In my defense, I’m quite distracted right now.”
Jane rolled her eyes and walked away, presumably to where their mother was. William’s attention was drawn away as another prompt appeared. He held off accepting the rewards and opened the new one:
{Ascension_Protocol}
{Region Title awarded}
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Bloodbane
You have become known to the other settlements of the current region as Bloodbane.
[Notice – Region Titles offer no rewards and cannot be rejected. They are titles given by a mass consensus of people in a region.]
[Notice – Region Titles can be changed through actions and deeds that make the general consensus towards you change, for better or for worse.]
{End}
Well. Fuck. William didn’t like that he didn’t get a choice, but for a fantasy last name or region title, it was a pretty fucking cool one.
William accepted the outstanding rewards form the previous prompt, wanting to be done with them so he could focus on grieving with his family. He wanted to experience it oddly enough, unnerved at his ability to focus on prompts when his dad had been killed not ten minutes ago. He was definitely changing, and he didn’t know if it was for good or for ill.
After accepting the rewards, William felt like he had been hit by a levelling truck as he read the prompt that smashed into his consciousness; the result of a massive EXP gain giving multiple levels:
{Ascension_Protocol}
{Race: Human – Level 22 Reached}
Attribute points allocated, plus 5 unused points.
{Class: Fighter – Level 15 Reached}
Attribute points allocated, plus 5 unused points.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
{Race: Human – Level 23 Reached}
Attribute points allocated, plus 5 unused points.
{Class: Fighter – Level 16 Reached}
Attribute points allocated, plus 5 unused points.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
{Race: Human – Level 24 Reached}
Attribute points allocated, plus 5 unused points.
{Class: Fighter – Level 17 Reached}
Attribute points allocated, plus 5 unused points.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
{Race: Human – Level 25 Reached}
Attribute points allocated, plus 5 unused points.
{Class: Fighter – Level 18 Reached}
Attribute points allocated, plus 5 unused points.
{Allocation:}
Would you like to Allocate Unused points (50) to attributes?
{Y/N}
{End}
William was shook. He had gained ten more total levels, most likely putting him well ahead of the other denizens of the current region.
William started the process of allocating his new points. He decided to split the fighter specific points with five points to each. With the total of ten points to wisdom from his racial levels he felt that the stat split was optimal for the moment. With the fifty free points, he put five into charisma, which was one point every other level as opposed to the typical allocation he did. The reasoning was because he wanted the extra five points to put elsewhere. With the forty five remaining, he threw fifteen into Vitality and the same amount into Intelligence, wanting the MP boost and HP boost as both were something he struggled to keep up in the earlier battle without doping himself on potions. Speaking of which he was starting to feel a resurgence of nausea as the numerous distractions he had been dealing with. Feeling the rushing tide of sickness creeping, William quickly split the remaining fifteen points into Dexterity and Strength at an eight and seven split respectively.
Sickness nearly overtook him. As a last ditch distraction, William brought up the attribute changes he made to confirm the allocation he had done was correct:
{Attribute Changes:}
- Strength: 75 > 87
- Dexterity: 77 > 90
- Intelligence: 64 > 79
- Wisdom: 76 > 86
- Vitality: 60 > 75
- Charisma: 48 > 53
{Resource Pool Changes:}
HP 600 > 750
MP 640 > 790
SP 750 > 870
{End}
William smiled at the results before he vomited. A lot. It felt like the full spectrum of the rainbow was leaking from his guts. His imagination was getting the better of him as he eventually finished vomiting, rolling onto his back, exhausted from the experience.
“Is that...rainbow vomit?” William heard John say with concern.
“He can see it too? The fuck?” William thought, sitting up and looking at the puddle on his left. If oil coloured vomit slick existed, he was looking at it.
“That’s probably bad,” William muttered in labored breaths, looking around sheepishly.
“That’s the telltale sign of potion sickness, William,” Devlin said, walking over pointedly ignoring the bodies all over, mostly put there by William.
“I guessed it was from too many potions but it’s an actual sickness?” William replied, raspy and hoarse, trying to find his center and get to his feet.
“Yep, something most youths do when they initially start the levelling process. Most of my friends brought it on themselves. Honestly, seeing them vomit the potion residue back up made me glad I chose the path of a craftsman.”
“How long will it last?” William asked with concern, worrying that he couldn’t be there for his family if he was at risk of vomiting on them as they grieved.
Devlin looked at the puddle, then back to William as he scratched his beard and replied, “You won’t be sick again unless you have another potion. It gets worse the more you do it. Some idiots in the past thought they could force themselves through. Develop an immunity of sorts. Their blood became infused with potion residue and killed them slowly...so don’t have potions for a while. My friends were stuck unable to use them for about a month. Although, you used full potions, not the basic potions most people can access, so it may be longer. I ain’t an expert.”
William nodded his thanks, staggering past Devlin before he managed to find his feet steadying. William took in breathes of fresh, afternoon air, grateful for the reprieve and refreshment. A few moments later, William was as right as rain, minus the sickly feeling in his stomach. He saw Jane and his mother Mary both sat by what remained of his father’s body. William couldn't help but let out a sorrowful sigh as he approached. The two teary eyed women looked up at him, lost. He sat down beside them and wrapped his arms around them both, holding them close.
The three sat in stoic silence for several moments before Jane broke and started bawling her eyes out into his chest.
“It’s my fault. I killed him. If I hadn’t ran out there then dad would still be here!,” Jane muttered struggling to complete the words.
William tightened his grip on her shoulder in supportively as he let out the thought he had locked away since it appeared when their dad saved Jane.
“If I was faster or killed him quicker, dad would be alive. It’s my fault. Another death that I’m responsible for,” William said, his voice breaking as some tears finally flowed, turning his red smeared face into a salty stream of crimson tears that flowed down his cheeks.
Mary slapped the pair across the backs of their heads softly as she spoke up, “You idiots! He made his choice. The choice to do what he could in the face of certain death. It is the duty of the parent to protect their child and he did just that. He is the love of my life yet I’m glad he made the choice. We both swore when we came here that if we had to die to make sure you both live, we would. My hero, my love, my Bill will forever be the greatest man I’ve known. Neither of you killed him. The man who took him from us is gone. We have to-” William felt his mother shudder, struggling to finish what she wanted to say, clearly holding back another bout of tears.
“We have to be strong and look after each other without him now. William, Jane, you both will survive this world, I know it. I’m sorry for being so useless up to this point. I’ll work to do better for you both,” their mother said as she finally succumbed to the tears that had built up within.
William continued to hold them both, his thoughts on that last image of his father. The look in his eyes that told William all he needed to know. William would keep the others safe, and may all that is true and powerful save any who get in his way of that. Turning his focus back to his mother he thought on her last few words. “Useless? She saved Jane!” William thought, the memory coming back to him. He felt some shame that he was only now realizing it. He noticed the tear in the cloth tunic his mother wore and sighed.
“Mum, you aren’t useless. Without you, Jane wouldn’t be here now. You saved her, nearly dying in the process for god’s sake,” William said, realizing he did what was called taking the lord’s name in vain or some shit.
He didn’t know or care really. His eyes widened then as he didn’t get a retort from his mother, something that had become like a muscle memory or automatic response for her when him or Jane said something like that. Was it the grief? No, she seemed different over the past couple days. She seemed more free. More animated. His mother didn’t reply to him with much but a gentle nod as she continued to cry, her cries growing a little calmer.
Instead Jane spoke, “Mum saved me and dad saved me. I nearly got mum killed and did get dad killed.”
William saw his mother’s head lift up sharply to glare at Jane and William couldn’t help but do the same. He noticed his mum about to speak but held his hand up, deciding to do so himself, hoping what his mum would say matched his own words.
“Jane, you think that’s the case but you’re completely wrong. Armine nearly killed you. Nearly killed mum. Darris killed dad. Mum’s right. We didn’t cause the death, but we can still get stronger so those situations are less likely to reoccur in the future. You also saved mum’s life after Armine’s attack. You healed John. You’ve healed me from my often life threatening wounds. You literally save lives as your class, so don’t go spouting that shit of ‘woe is me, I killed my dad’. You didn’t. Darris did. That’s it. No puzzle, no conundrum, just pure, fucking fact.”
Jane was gobsmacked and tried to speak up, “But I-”
“No buts. That includes you being a big poo-poo butt,” William interrupted, giving her a stern look.
Jane was still gobsmacked but the corners of her face creased up in amusement as she started to laugh, a soothing thing to William’s ears. From the small smile he clocked on his mother’s face, he guessed she felt the same.
“Oh god, poo-poo butt? You haven’t called me that since we were little,” Jane said, still lost to her mirth.
William and their mum both started to laugh as well. The amusement faded, the atmosphere turning sombre once more, but less so. This time, there was some light shining down the tunnel. Some hope.
William noticed Wallace walking over, tired and seeming overwhelmed. William didn’t feel much better if he was being honest.
“Hey Lad, I’m sorry about Bill, he was a good man. I heard what happened. He was a hero to rival the best of ‘em,” Wallace said, a sad but respectful look on his face.
He continued, “I would leave you to grieve, William, but I need to sort the aftermath of everything and want your input, including what to do with all the bodies. On both sides.”
William paused and pondered on it for a minute, looking at his mother and sister, both nodding in approval.
“Grieve together and think of the best times together. I’ll be back as soon as I can,” William said, giving the pair a warm smile and a gentle hug before he let them go and rose to his feet, following the old war veteran away.
“It was time for the post battle clean up and plans going forward.