Dark, cold water surrounded Uther on all sides. He didn’t fight it. He no longer could with his accumulated fatigue and blood loss. In just seconds, the cold black of the depths would overtake him, but then he saw something in the water. As water began to fill in Uther’s lungs, he saw a large, red, bulbous eye staring directly at him. He felt..something inviting him, a lifeline being offered amidst the black.
On instinct, Uther could tell this was no ordinary offer. The barely conscious Fettore knew that something was communicating with him on the deepest level, with his soul. The offer was there for the man. He just needed to accept.
Unsure of how he knew what to do, Uther accepted the offer. Instantly, he felt both his body and psyche be pulled forward and greeted with a comfortable embrace. It felt good to Uther and he allowed whatever force was pulling him to fully draw him in. In a flash, his mind was transported elsewhere, and warm light surrounded Uther to the point he could no longer see anything besides it. There was no water, there was no air, there was only the light. Immediately, his mind was free from any mental fog and Uther was able to be at one-hundred percent focus. The negative effects from the physical damage he’d taken were gone. In whatever magical space his mind had been transported to, the trauma to his body was not a concern at the moment.
“Safe.” The word came to him from everywhere all at once. Was the light..talking to him? The voice was light male but light and melodic. It sounded a bit detached as if it was talking to someone for the first time. Uther felt no ill will from the light. In fact, seeing as it was embracing him to the point he couldn’t see his own body, he felt it was rather kind.
“Are you saying that I need to be kept safe?”
No response.
“Or are you saying you need to be kept safe?” He asked, unsurely.
“Both.” The light responded.
“Um, okay. Well, I don’t know what you are, but yeah. We can keep each other safe. Though I’m not sure how good of protection I can provide. I’m a lancer with a broken spear, and I’m pretty sure I lost an eye.” Uther then gave a morbid chuckle as he marveled at how he can still tell he only had vision in his left eye despite the overwhelming presence of the light. There was a long pause where nothing was said. It was as if this entity that Uther was conversing with was thinking.
“Help?” The light eventually asked.
“You can help me with that?”
“Yes.”
Uther was truly at a loss. He did not know truly what in the abyss was happening, but he knew that the entity he was interacting with meant him no harm. He saw no downside to this deal. “So, you will restore my body and fix my weapon, and all we need to do is keep each other safe?”
“Yes.”
Uther smiled. He looked forward to the look of shock on the prince’s face once he came back uninjured and rejoined the f-“What in the? Grah!” Uther managed to scream just as a sharp pain burst from his chest. He knew it wasn’t his actual body that was hurting, but it sure felt like it was. The doomed man winced and grit his teeth. It felt like a giant claw was gouging him, removing out all his organs and making his body hollow.
Uther’s brain acted on instinct. Though it wasn’t his true body, he felt the need to fight back. He did not want to lose whatever was being taken from him. He resisted, scowling in defiance at this unseen attacker. With sheer force of will, Uther batted the intruder away from his body. He tried to prevent himself from being hollowed out, but the force was too strong. Still, he fought with all his might. He wasn’t able to stop the..thing that carved him out, but he did manage to retain some of what was inside him.
Uther fell to his knees as the force left his body. He began to process what just happened to him. His mind was in shock, but in that moment, clarity and understanding hit him. The pain, though not physical, felt that way because it was something that can affect the body. It was loss. Uther had just experienced deep and sudden loss, something so intrinsic that a part of him was just torn away from him. Still in shock, he couldn’t tell what exactly he’d lost. He just knew that he felt empty, less. Not all of him was removed, a product of his resistance earlier, but he could compare it to a glass of water with most of it being spilled out.
Uther didn’t have time to fully process what was taken and fall into despair because a new sensation rapidly hit him like a tidal wave. Something of immense power struck his chest. It was filling him up, replacing all that was lost inside the man. It began mending Uther and quickly, he felt restored. Uther smiled as his “glass” was filled once more.
That relief turned into strain as whatever was now inside him began to roil. It did not wish to be confined in such a small vessel and threatened to burst out of him. Uther grit his teeth. He knew on an instinctual level that if he didn’t control this force, he would wrecked worse than what had happened earlier. Uther would likely die. “Stay in.” He growled as he willed his body to contain this power, barely holding on.
After half a minute, the restorative force that had moved widely inside him finally settled. Uther exhaled in relief as the..thing that was inside him had seemed to fully mesh with him. Before he could ask the light any more questions about what just happened, his mind was pulled away and his consciousness faded to black.
Uther’s eyes snapped open. He gave a sharp inhale, or at least, he tried to until he felt something inside his lungs stopping that. The doomed gagged and turned his body as a large globules of salt water began to be coughed out. After he had coughed the last of the uncomfortable amount of fluid out, Uther just lay there breathing heavily.
After a few minutes of just laying there, his mind and body had calmed down enough for him to move, and he slowly sat up. Uther then got his barings and scanned his surroundings. He was in a jungle, a lush green rainforest. The air was humid, and the sounds of birds and monkeys calling could be heard in the distance. Uther was sitting on a rocky shoreline next to a moderately fast-flowing river. “How did I get here?” He asked.
“I brought you here.” A detached voice answered.
Uther snapped his head to see a small kraken sitting on a nearby large rock covered in moss. It was the same child he’d saved before. It had one difference though. It only had one eye. Where its right eye once was, was now just replaced by more of its off-white/yellow flesh.
“Wha..How?”
“When the bad man attacked you, I pulled you into the water. I swam a long time and brought you here to safety.”
Uther felt some connection to this small creature. It helped him to know what it told him was the truth. He still had many questions though. “But why?”
It wriggled its tentacles a little in discomfort. “You helped me. So, I helped you.”
Uther was both touched by the gesture and confused. Yeah, he helped keep those imperials away from the young kraken, but his clan was also responsible for the death of this thing’s mother and sibling. Plus, it was a monster, the type of being Uther had despised. “Thank you.” He said a bit awkwardly. He felt he needed to say that. “Can I ask, what happened to your eye?” Uther was too curious not to ask.
The small monster cocked its head curiously. “We agreed I would help. You needed an eye. So, I gave you an eye.”
Uther went still. His brain finally processed two big things he’d been ignoring. First, the small kraken’s voice was the voice of the light he’d heard earlier when his mind had been transported. Second, Uther could see out of his right side again. The darkness and pain he’d felt earlier back in the cave was completely gone. Slowly, he turned toward the river. Uther carefully crawled over to see his reflection.
The doomed let out a reactive gasp in surprise. He was a monster, or at least he looked like one. He still had the two vertical scars on the left side of his face, but now he had an even larger one on his right side that traveled from the base of his horn to his jaw. That wasn’t what was concerning however. It was the fact that where his right eye was, there was a red, bulbous, alien-looking kraken eye about twice the size of his normal brown-colored left one.
He slowly raised up a shaky hand to touch it. Sure enough, it was there. His bond mark to Gungnir was still present on his left temple, but it seemed dull. The vibrant blue of the flames spinning around the spear tattoo were now barely noticeable. He tried to activate his mark, but nothing happened!
For a good minute, Uther stared at his own reflection. Eventually, his heart began to race. He looked back at the one-eyed kraken and scowled. “What did you do?!” He demanded as he stood up and summoned his spear. He felt something on his left shoulder wriggle slightly before stopping, then his weapon appeared in his right hand. He slammed it into the ground. Uther noticed it felt distinctly heavier in his grip.
Now the small kraken turned its head even more in confusion to a comical ninety degree angle. “What I promised. What we agreed to. I gave you an eye and fixed your weapon.” It said and pointed to Uther’s spear.
Uther looked up, and his eyes widened. It wasn’t a spear at all anymore. In his hand was a trident. First off, it was notably heavier than his spear. Most of the red color was gone, replaced with a dark gray. All three prongs of the weapon ended in wicked-looking points with the center one being wider than the outer two. Grooves were carved along the three prongs and top of the weapon. That's where the blood red tint was still prevalent and mixed in, making the weapon look more sinister. A carved tentacle spiraled around the center prong and bottom of the weapon, both ending with a fine, sharp tip.
He tried to use Odin’s Eye on it, but it didn’t work. He heart began to sink as he suspected what had happened. He moved over his shirt and cloak where he had felt the subtle wriggling on his shoulder earlier. There, he saw what he had feared. It was a tattoo of a mass of tentacles. Uther could tell it wasn’t just any tattoo. It was a mark, the physical sign of forming a bond or pact.
“We..made a pact?”
“Yes.” The small kraken said with obvious delight. Its tentacles moved up and down happily when it said that.
With reluctance, Uther pulled up his status screen.
Name: Uther Krillku
Level: 1
Race: Doomed
Pact Status: Pacted – Damemnos The Kraken
Profession: Hunter – Specialization: None
Class: Occultist – Specialization: None
Languages: Common, Old Norse, Infernal, Skjold-Sign
Skills:
Sailing Level 10
Shipwright Level 5
Dodge Level 20
Polearms Level 13
Subskills: Parry Level 10, Sweep Level 7, Trident Level 1
Deception Level 11
Light Armor Level 12
Leatherworking Level 5
Unarmed Fighting Level 7
Blunt Weapons Level 2
Herbalism Level 2
Stealth Level 13
Beast Handling Level 3
Eldritch Magic Level 1
Abilities & Spells:
Eye of the Kraken
Ebyssian Grasp
Mind Spike
Mark Prey
Beasts’ Bane (Passive)
Summon Trident
Advanced Tracking
Darkvision (Passive)
Feats: Survivor, Bond-Breaker
Pools & Resistances
Health: 100
Mana: 80
Stamina: 250
Armor: 28
Demonic Bloodline: +25% resistance to heat and fire damage.
Shadowmire Armor: +10% chance to detect others in Stealth, +10% chance to remain undetected while in Stealth
Cold Resistance: 5%
Mental Magic Resistance: 10%
Stats
Strength: 23
Agility: 21
Intellect: 8
Perception: 27
Discernment: 13
Fortitude: 25
Vitality: 10
Dexterity: 32
Luck: 26
Insight: 24
Will: 35
Significance: 137, 528
Uther was completely floored by what he saw. Ignoring the multitude of new abilities and even new stats, one thing was at the forefront of his mind. He had broken his bond to Gungnir. He had betrayed the Fettore and the people of Skjoldheim! His Polearms Skill, his highest level skill, had been reduced to be just above half of what it once was. He lost his Spears Subskill as well as all his Fettore-specific abilities. That was what he’d lost…A flurry of emotions threatened to overwhelm him.
The little kraken moved into the water, moisture soothing to its skin. “Are you alright?” It asked.
Uther looked at the little thing. Its one eye staring at him in true concern. Uther was confident of the good nature about the creature, but now with his pact, Uther was absolutely sure of it. Looking at it, Uther was comforted by his master’s teachings. He did the right thing. This was definitely not the intended consequence, but it was not irreversible. “Yeah. I’m good. Thanks. So, your name is Damemnos?”
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
The kraken nodded, “I am. Damemnos, son of the Matriarch. And you are Uther?”
Uther bunched his lips in discomfort at the mention of Damemnos’s mother. He and his brothers-in-arms were technically responsible for her death. “Yep. I have to say, I didn’t know you could be a patron.” He said, quickly trying to change the subject.
“Indeed. Though,” he wiggled his tentacles sideways as he lowered his head. Was he embarrassed? “I don’t know exactly what a patron is. The System just told me I could be one. When I tried to save you, the System asked if I wanted to offer patronage. I didn’t know what that would do, but I hoped it would save you. I’m glad it did.”
Uther sighed. This monster was way too damn nice. He thought, as he felt even worse about what happened to his family. Then, the reality of the rest of its words hit Uther. “Wait, you don’t know what a patron is?!”
Damemnos shrugged. “I have a better idea now after I went through all my System notifications. It says I have given you a portion of my significance in order to form our pact. I confess, I know not what significance is however.”
Uther saw the word significance earlier when he was looking at his status screen. It was the final one of his new stats. He had now clue what it was either. The doomed did notice a flashing icon in the corner of his vision. “I also have some System Notifications, a lot of them by how much it’s flashing. Come, let’s go under the cover of the trees. We’re too exposed out here.” Uther said, then began walking toward the thick trees.
He had expected the little kraken to slink across the stones behind him. To his surprise, Damemnos reached out, wrapped his tentacles around Uther’s arm, and crawled up to sit on the man’s shoulder. The doomed just stood there, a bit uncomfortable and confused at what to do with the small cephalopod being so “friendly.” He grit his teeth though and didn’t say anything as he just went into the jungle.
Once he made it just into the treeline, he felt immediately more comfortable. Training as a hunter, he had acquired a healthy degree of paranoia when it came to being in foreign environment. He pressed his back against one of the large trees and looked at the one-eyed kraken. “Okay. We should be safer here. I’m going to check my notifications. Can you keep a look out for enemies?”
“Indeed.” Damemnos nodded.
Though he knew a one-eyed scout wasn’t ideal, Uther had to take what he could get. So, he mentally activated his notification icon.
Pact Status Lost: Bond to Gungnir The Divine Spear
You have broken your bond to the Divine Spear, Gungnir. Be warned, all choices have consequences.
Skill Lost: Spears Level 22
After breaking your bond with Gungnir, the subskill intrinsic to your bond has been taken away from you. Though you resisted the loss of the base skill Polearms. It has still been severely reduced in level. Know this, Gungnir is a possessive patron, and the divine spear can be petty. For your audacity at not only breaking your bond but resisting the spear’s retribution in taking back your borrowed power, Gungnir has marked your soul. Until it is removed, you cannot ever gain the Spears subskill again.
Class Lost: Lancer
After breaking your bond with Gungnir to follow another patron, you have willingly broken away from the Fettore specialization and its base class, Lancer. All bonuses that the class and specialization provided can no longer be obtained.
Pact Status Gained: Pact to Damemnos The Kraken
Congratulations! You have formed a pact with a patron! As a pact-wielder, you gain unique access to the System that only those of your status or patrons themselves possess.
You gain
▪ New Class
▪ New Feat
▪ Access to Leveling System
▪ Greater access to quests
▪ Access to hidden stats
In addition to those basics, you and your patron have negotiated on the following
● 5% of all direct Significance & Experience gained is sent to Damemnos
● You and your patron have sworn a soul oath to keep each other safe to the best of your abilities.
● You have acquired the right eye of your patron.
● Your patron has repaired and evolved your weapon to better suit your class, giving you the Trident subskill as well.
Class Gained: Occultist
You have formed a pact with a kraken. Krakens are rare mysterious beings that inhabit the vast and dark seas of Eldryndr. Their unique heritage and mysterious powers are legendary compared to many denizens of the oceans’ depths. Not only do they exhibit aquatic might, but they possess the ability to use the supernatural force known as “The Eldritch.” Be warned, not all look upon these creatures favorby because of just that. Instead of being wary of the monster’s history and might, you choose to embrace it. Occultism involves exploring hidden & secret knowledge associated with the eldritch. Occultists may engage in rituals, meditation, spellcasting, or the use of symbolic systems to gain insight, tap into that unseen force, or manipulate reality according to their eldritch might. Be warned, occultist, many who’ve attempted to master the eldritch have ended up becoming slaves to the very force they were seeking to control. Be ever vigilant that you don’t end up the same.
You gain:
● Eldritch Magic Level 1
● Eye of the Kraken
● Ebyssian Grasp
● Mind Spike
● +5 Intellect, +2 Perception, +2 Discernment, and +1 Will per level
Feat Lost: Monstrous Disdain
In willingly becoming a pact-wielder and servant to a patron who the System recognizes as a monster, you have went against the requirements of Monstrous Disdain. In choosing to go so defiantly against that path, that Feat has been removed.
Feat Gained: Bond-Breaker
To be a bond-wielder and survive a bond being broken is no small feat. To be in service to a patron, break that very bond yourself, and then defy the retribution of the patron is something of true significance.
● +6% Chance of Success in a battle of wills against a patron
● +10% Damage Dealt to patron, their blood descendants, those who’ve wield a bond or pact to the patron
● +10% Resistance to all damage dealt by patrons, their blood descendants, those who’ve wield a bond or pact to the patron
● +5% Increase to Significance gained
Congratulations Pact-Wielder! You have gained access to the Leveling Aspect of the System. With the foes you defeat or the deeds you perform, the System will grant you experience for them. With enough experience, you will level. With every level, you will be allocated stat points based on your race, class, profession, as well as specialties.
● Race (Doomed) grants 1 in Agility, 1 in Discernment, 1 in Dexterity, 1 in Perception, 1 in Will, and 1 in Luck per level
Congratulations Pact-Wielder! You now have more direct access to the Quest Aspect of the System. With quests, you may gain experience and grow in power more readily with the benefits that you’ve negotiated with your unique pact. Check the Quest Tab in your vision to see the statuses of quests.
Congratulations Pact-Wielder! Though many individuals are pact-wielders, they are by far a very small minority in Eldryndr. As a pact-wielder, you are not only able to wield immense power, but also concealed knowledge not shared with many in the world. Your mind has been granted access to specific information about the hidden stats of the System.
Luck: Governs chances of bonuses and critical hits
Insight: Governs ability to successfully read a situation and the intentions of others
Will: Governs strength of your determination. Increases rate of goal/quest success, willpower, and overcoming resistances & defenses
Significance: The arcane essence that weaves through existence and binds the fabric of reality.
Uther just stood there in a mix of shock and information overload. It took him a good minute to begin to process all the notifications he’d received. To help himself, he organized them into categories, positive and negative per what the System had said. First was the negative.
He’d lost his bond to Gungnir and therefore his status as a Fettore, essentially throwing away his identity, his nation, and his life’s purpose…His mind drifted off again at that, until after an unknown period of time, he managed to cope by shoving that thought into a far off corner in his mind. He then mentally kept the despair and utter panic at bay by reaffirming to himself that he will find a way to “make it right.” With that internal crisis handled, he went back to going through the rest of the updates.
Next up, he lost his Spears subskill. Upon re-reading the notification about it, Uther realized the “claw” that had attacked him when he was in the light was the power of the divine spear. The emptying/hollowing out sensation was Gungnir trying to take away Uther’s Polearms skill completely, effectively removing all the subskills. Uther had no idea it was Gungnir that he was resisting when that happened. To be fair, he didn’t know what exactly was happening during that time, he just reacted to what felt like an attack on an instinctual desire.
Despite the reasoning he’d come up with, Uther was still both frustrated and saddened by the notification of the permanent loss and the prevention of re-acquiring his Spears subskill and Lancer class. He’d literally invested years of his life into honing that skill and to become a Fettore, a System-recognized specialized Lancer Class. At least he kept Polearms as a whole and had other subskills present. Hopefully, he could use the knowledge he’d gained to boost his Trident subskill in the meantime.
The last and final thing he’d lost was his Monstrous Disdain Feat. Feats were marks upon one’s soul that defined who they were. They were not easily removed. In fact, Uther had never heard of one getting removed. He wondered what it meant about him and his soul that it was now gone. Was he no longer himself anymore or was he just different now? Was he truly any different aside from the boon the System gave him? He wasn’t sure. The only thing he could say for certain about it though, was that it made him feel uncomfortable.
Quickly wanting to change his focus on the more “positive” things, Uther looked at what he’d gained. It was a lot! First off, he was a pact-wielder now! In terms of power in the world, that was huge. There were three tiers of power in the world, unbound being the lowest, bond-wielders were next, and pact-wielders were at the top. Patrons themselves as well as beasts and monsters used a totally different measure of power. Uther was also unaware before the System notifications informed him, but apparently the “conversation” he had with the light previously, which was now obviously Damemnos was him negotiating and forming his pact with the small kraken.
Uther really did mean he would keep him safe, but didn’t think the words were a soul-binding oath at the time, nor did he expect to get his spear morphed into a trident or get implanted with the eye of a kraken. The last part of that was going to take the most getting used to. One part did perplex him about their agreement though. He had no clue what Significance was as the System had recognized and definitely did not remember agreeing to give five percent of whatever it was to Damemnos. He would ask the kraken about it later.
Next up, was his new Occultist Class. Uther winced a little at the name as it definitely sounded a little “villanous.” Being a man with demon blood, a monster’s right eye in his skull, and now having the Occultist class was definitely not making him out to seem like a nice guy. He was going to have to be more careful when he interacted with others to not appear villainous with those factors going against him.
Something Uther could fully wrap his mind around was getting a new feat, and he couldn’t help a smile appearing on his face when he read about the Bond-Breaker one. He could admit, it was pretty badass. To have a mark and boon to his soul if he ever had to fight against patrons made him a much more serious warrior and deadly threat. Pact-wielders and patrons were almost never seriously threatened by a bond-wielder or below. Uther had success in the past because of the true legend his master was, the sabertooth was apparently just newly powerful enough to be a patron, and a large amount of luck which was now apparently a System-recognized stat to his amazement. Now though, if he could wield these new powers correctly, many elite forces would have cause to fear him, patron and pact-wielder alike.
The doomed also was excited about the possibility of leveling. He was not surprised to discover that he gained race-specific bonuses, but was definitely taken away that his class would give him points as he leveled too. The most puzzling was his last notification, specifically, Significance. It had to be important since it came up time and time again. While the descriptions for Luck, Insight, and Willpower made sense, the one for Significance was annoyingly vague.
The arcane essence that weaves through existence and binds the fabric of reality. What does that mean? He thought. Uther was stuck. He believed he did the right thing, but was stuck as to what to do now. Whether intentional or not, he was now an apostate of the Fettore and turncoat to Eldryndr. Still, he wanted to clear his name. Not only that, he wanted to warn his people about prince Seteshan and whatever malevolent forces the empire is using with their “Shield Division.”
That was when he noticed the Quest Tab in his vision. It seemed to pulse slightly as if on cue. Uther remembered that one of the previous notifications informed him to check the tab. Since that was the case and it seemed to have information for him based on the tab pulsing, he opened it.
Quest Failed: To Snuff Out A Threat
You not only failed to subdue or kill all the monsters you were assigned to deal with that were hiding in the Nilelands, you escaped the empire with one of them.
Penalty For This Failure:
Wanted Fugitive of the Nilelands Empire
Loss of apprenticeship opportunity with Jarl Frogruuf
Quest Alert!
Path of Redemption
You have strayed from the Fettore and from the path you had committed yourself to so long ago. As such, you are an apostate of your clan and exiled from Skjoldheim. Do not fall to despair yet, warrior. For while Gungnir is a petty patron, the spear is not without mercy. The divine weapon had decreed through its original pact-wielder long ago that there are ways to be welcome back into its graces once more. To be reaccepted, Gungnir requires 1 of 3 specific things - The last remnant of its original master’s body, proof that you are worthy to stand up to it, or death to one of Fenrir’s descendants.
Requirements:
Find Odin’s Eye and bring it to Gungnir to show Honor, Loyalty, and Wisdom.
Kill The Jarl and prove you have the strength worthy to wield Gungnir to show Strength, Honor, and Home
Kill an Alpha Dire Wolf and bring its head to Gungnir to show Strength, Honor, and Loyalty.
Reward (Dependent on which path chosen):
Reinstatement into the Fettore and/or Title of Jarl
Removal of exile status from Skjoldheim
Do you accept?
Yes/No
Quest Alert!
Occultist I
As an Occultist, you are tasked with exploring hidden & secret knowledge associated with the eldritch. This can be achieved in a variety of ways including rituals, meditation, spellcasting, the use of symbolic systems, or communing with a patron who wields such magical prowess. As a newly introduced Occultist, you are tasked with growing your knowledge and power specifically in the Eldritch field of study.
Requirements:
Increase Eldritch Magic to Level 10
Reward:
20 Free Stat Points
1 Occultist Ability or Spell Evolution of your choice
1 New Occultist Ability or Spell
Access to the Occultis II Quest
Do you accept?
Yes/No
Quest Alert!
Spies Amidst I
You have discovered some odd incongruencies within the Nilelands Empire. Specifically, you noticed multiple strange individuals within their Shield Division. While being strange is not a crime, your keen mind realized something that truly didn't make sense, their powers as the darkness they exuded appeared antagonistic to their patron Ra’s sun & light powers. Clearly, there are dark forces at work, manipulating the empire in the background. Expose the members of Shield Division and their plot.
Requirements:
Discover the dark force empowering Shield Division’s members
Uncover the truth as to why they were hunting and eating the krakens.
Reward:
+5 to Discernment, Intellect, Perception.
+3 to Insight
15 Free Stat Points
Access to Spies Amidst II Quest
Do you accept?
Yes/No
Uther quickly accepted all three quests. The first notification was like a punch to the gut, but hope was immediately rekindled at the Path Of Redemption Notification. Goosebumps went across his skin. He could rejoin the Fettore. He could be welcome back into his clan, to his nation and family.
He was surprised to see there were three different ways to achieve that though, each method highlighting a few of the Fettore’s tenants. Also, killing the Jarl was an option?! Even with now being a pact-wielder, Uther thought that option was unrealistic. That left two other paths to being redeemed within his clan, either find Odin’s Eye or kill an Alpha Dire Wolf.
Odin’s was last known to be in Mimir’s well, but after The Great Cataclysm, or Ragnarok as the people of Skjoldheim called it, the well was destroyed and the eye lost. It has been passed down across generations of Skjoldheim citizens that whoever can bring the eye to Gungnir, will receive an inheritance from the last vestiges of Odin’s power. There were some among the Fettore who were more into delving ruins and searching for artifacts. Uther was pretty sure Lee and Nicholas had specialized in doing that actually. He never did ask them what their professions were, he realized. Still, Uther knew that wasn’t the method for him.
The doomed was a hunter, and there was truly only one option for him to pursue in order to be welcomed back into his clan. That path was the last option, to kill and bring Gungnir the head of an Alpha Dire Wolf. Alpha Dire Wolves descended from the bloodthirsty god beast Fenrir. Though the wolf and Odin were now both dead, each of them killing the other, Gungnir retained the disdain toward the creatures whose ancestor killed its former master.
The challenge to hunting these beasts was threefold. They were large, it was fair to say monstrously so. With that size came strength. The second was their cunning. Alpha Dire Wolves were no ordinary canines. They retained the cleverness of Fenrir in order to satisfy their bestial hunger. They also used their smarts to keep their presence hidden as information on them was scarce. Uther only knew so much because of his Hunter profession and his various contacts built up over the years. The last challenge was their location. Alpha Dire Wolves lived in the Frozen Wastes.
The Frozen Wastes was an absolutely gargantuan stretch of land to the North of Eldryndr, that quite literally spanned the entire world according to the latest maps Uther had previously seen from a Cartographers’ Guild map years ago. As the name indicated, it was a hostile place that was difficult for anyone to survive. Those that did make the wastes home were not the friendliest either. Various hostile barbarian clans ruled the wastes in service to different savage patrons and beast gods.
Still, Uther resolved himself to hunt one of the beasts. He may have lost his Lancer class, but he was still a Hunter. He could kill any beast given the right resources and preparation. The Occultist I quest was a no-brainer. The System rewarding him for growing in power? That was an obvious yes.
Uther hesitated slightly at the Spies Amidst I quest. He’d gotten into this whole mess because he’d interfered with the empire’s affairs and had lost much of his identity. Part of him wanted to ignore the empire and focus on getting re-accepted into Skjoldheim. Thinking about the island nation and people changed his mind actually. If he just ignored the sinister forces of Shield Division and Prince Seteshan who promised to wipe out Skjoldheim one day, he would be doing the citizens a disservice. So, he accepted the quest too. Also, more stat points didn’t hurt as a reward.
After Uther closed, accepted the final quest, and cleared his vision and looked over to the small kraken still sitting on his shoulder. “Okay Damemnos. I think I’m caught up now. I can’t call myself a Fettore anymore, but despite that shift, I’m still me, and I thank you for saving my life.”
“You are welcome, Uther. You saved me as well. You are not like those others that butchered my family without considering why. I’m glad to have saved you and form a pact with such an honorable and strong person.”
That struck Uther hard. He nearly had been just like his two compatriots, and when Damemnos mentioned being “honorable,” it was like twisting a knife. Still, he shrugged it off. He wasn’t going to justify why the Fettore were hunting. Yeah, the krakens this time were an exception, but that was a major minority. As far as Uther was concerned, every monster was a foe until proven otherwise.
The doomed silently nodded at the small kraken’s compliments before abruptly changing the subject. Uther turned his head to look downriver. “Okay, little guy, listen up. I’ve got a plan.