Chapter 4: Sofia (1 year after Hope, Autumn)

- No

- Sofia come on, you know how this works. You're part of this family too aren't you?

- I don't want to, this is different and you know it.

- We're only taking some food, you've seen they got plenty...just think about it...meat, potatoes...

Sofia stood up and left the room.

'Damn fools, don't they see they managed to get all that food by working together and not by stealing it?'

She shivered as she left their modest wooden house.

'The second winter in this wretched land. Many will surely die again...'

She sighed as she made her way towards the town center.

'At least the wall is sturdy and high...some seem to even have forgotten who the enemy is'

As soon as the villages and nearly already towns managed to raise their walls the immediate danger from low level beasts was made almost inexistent. At that point crime spiked and many took what they desired. Most villages managed to keep order with some sort of police forces...or rather wolves killing forces.

'I really hope this united Defence Force thing takes root then my brothers wouldn't have to steal anymore because they'd be in a jail somewhere.'

She reached the town square and checked the notice boards. The one for monster extermination interested her the most. It wasn't like she loved fighting monsters but there was very little else she was capable of.

Two hands were suddenly obstructing her vision accompanied by joyful snickering.

- So fi a, trying to get bathed in blood again?

- Oh hi there Talia

- Don't be so gloomy, did your brothers try to make you a Rogue again?

- I told you not to act like this is one of your games Talia.

- Ah come on, there are literal levels and classes, it's EXACTLY like a game...

- And how do you explain all the pain, suffering and corpses?

- Eh it's just super hardcore mode. Anyway I hit level 40 today while hunting, you know what that means...

- No Talia I don't

- Oh don't act like that, we're getting drunk tonight...we have the technology.

- Didn't you hear, they can't use grains for alcohol, people are starving!

- I know where to get some though and you...are coming with me.

Sofia was dragged along with her over impulsive friend.

'I'd struggle but her strength is like 100'

Sofia was level 32 at the moment and her stats were evenly distributed all over the place, except for strength. She didn't have a class yet and wasn't yet sure in which direction to go.

Fifteen minutes of dragging and weird looks later they arrived inside a newly build tavern.

'At least it looks like a tavern, I didn't know something like this was authorized though'

Stolen novel; please report.

- Hey Ron, give us two special drinks to celebrate me hitting 40!

- Coming right up Talia, do try to keep it a secret though. I don't think there'd be a ton of problems but you can't be safe enough.

Talia simply ignored him and started telling Sofia about her last adventure

- You won't believe what we saw in that cave. It felt like a real dungeon or something like that. There were spiders and suuuper ugly slugs. They were like five feet high you wouldn't believe it!

- Sounds dangerous, did everybody make it out safely?

- I dunno, I think three died or so but it went pretty good overall. We even got some magical items and a couple tomes.

Sofia wanted to retaliate about the easily forgotten dead but she couldn't help but be excited about the magic items and tomes. It wasn't possible to learn spells before the first people found old tomes. The books did unlock the classes and spells but they were far from overwhelming and most people stuck with their swords and bows. Tomes could be used indefinitely which speaks for the quality of the classes and spells.

It's said that some people managed to learn new spells with training and meditation but these were mostly rumors.

- Can I see the tomes??

- Sure, they're super useless. I can't even read two of the tree because of my low wisdom. Not like I'm gonna need that anytime soon.

Talia was using a knight like fighting style with sword and shield.

- Here is your special drink ladies

Ron served them their beer.

- Thank you Ron

- Thanks!

- Here are the tomes if you wanna check them out, you might be able to read them.

- I'll give it a shot.

"Identify"

Tome of the necromancer

Includes spells from the long forgotten necromancer profession. The great king Dal'huin famous for his.....

Sofia stopped reading, she wasn't the least bit interested in Necromancy.

'Having to keep track of summoned corpses is too much of a hastle, I'd rather fight alone'

"Identify"

She used the inherit skill on the other tome

Tome of healing - School of Paal

The daughters of Paal pass this knowledge down to this day. The elven healing church is nearly forgotten but this tome inherits the basics of their powerful spells. Paals daughters were said to heal their allies by slashing them with their blessed swords.

Sofia smirked and took the tome.