Chapter 9: Road to Fame – Arianna

Arianna followed Danielle up the stairs, grateful for being able to borrow clothes but also feeling a bit awkward about needing it in the first place. Her body still ached, though the pain had lessened considerably. As they entered Danielle’s room, the older woman immediately began rummaging through her closet, muttering to herself about what would fit.

“You know,” Danielle said conversationally as she pulled out a few options, “I’m really glad Cassis has a friend like you.”

Arianna, sitting carefully on the bed, gave her a surprised look. “Oh? Well, we’ve known each other for a long time. Same circle of friends, you know.” She was just as bad as Cassis, casually lying to his mother.

Danielle turned back to her with a knowing smile. “Yes, I gathered that much. He’s never mentioned a close female friend before, though. And you’re single?”

Arianna blinked. “I—yes?”

Danielle’s smile widened, looking strangely pleased. “That’s good to know.”

Arianna was confused. “Why does that matter?”

“Oh, no reason,” Danielle said airily, handing over a pile of clothing. “Just making conversation.”

Arianna glanced down at the clothes in her hands: a fitted blue long-sleeved shirt, a black leather jacket, and black leather pants. Practical, warm, and durable. At least she wouldn’t be fighting in her work attire - a green blouse and black pants - anymore. Danielle even fished out a pair of grey sneakers that looked to be in good condition.

“These should fit. We’re about the same size.”

Arianna nodded gratefully. “Thank you. This is perfect.”

Danielle waved her off. “Take your time. I’ll give you some privacy.” With that, she stepped out and closed the door behind her.

Arianna quickly changed, testing her range of motion in the snug but flexible clothes. The sneakers were a lucky fit, and the jacket and pants felt sturdy enough to provide at least a little protection. Once dressed, she sat on the edge of the bed and finally allowed herself to check her system messages from breakfast.

The first one still made her head spin:

[Warning! A mortal called Arianna Sloane just claimed to be your avatar. You have two choices: Smite her or take her on as a second avatar.]

Arianna’s heart pounded. She had never seen a message about having more than one avatar before. Could she really have multiple? Why now? She needed to discuss this with Cassis. In the last ten years she had never got the opportunity to take on another avatar. Did other patrons have more than one avatar? She didn't remember. She had just been so focused on Cassis's survival.

The next message was even more unbelievable:

[+ 10 FP (Gratitude received from Danielle Walker)]

[Congratulations! You have unlocked FP (= Fame Points) by spreading your name through your avatar.]

Arianna’s eyes widened. She remembered Danielle’s words at breakfast, thanking Sapphire for saving Marcus. Then Violet had done the same. Was the system rewarding her for gratitude directed at Sapphire? That was… interesting. But what was this new point system and what was it good for? She read on.

[New patron page functions: FP, Fame and Followers unlocked]

Her breath caught. Fame? Followers? None of this had existed in the system she knew. Had something changed when she crossed worlds? And what did “Followers” mean exactly?

[You may now appoint a Chaotic Priest or Priestess from among your avatars who have reached Level 5 or higher. This individual will further spread your name and power.]

Arianna was speechless. The system was practically telling her to start a religion around herself.

She read the last message:

[+ 10 FP (Gratitude received from Violet Bristol)]

So, it seemed that both Danielle and Violet’s gratitude had counted separately? That meant she had earned an additional 10 FP just from being acknowledged by a different person. This system really was something else. She wondered briefly if there was a limit to how many FP she could earn from gratitude. Would it work if Cassis thanked Sapphire? Or Liam? Or Nadine?

She shook her head. No time to experiment right now. Especially, as she didn't even know what the new points did. She had too many questions and no answers. How could she, a patron for over ten years, have never heard of any of this?

Feeling more confused than ever, Arianna closed the messages and took a deep breath. She needed to talk to Cassis. Maybe he knew something.

Taking a deep breath, Arianna left Danielle’s room and stepped into the hallway. Cassis was just coming out of his own room, dressed in a grey shirt, a denim jacket, and dark blue jeans with black sneakers.

“Thanks again, Danielle,” Arianna said as she moved toward him.

Before she could say more, Liam appeared, carrying old ice hockey pads and a helmet. He offered them to her first, but Arianna shook her head and reasoned, “You should wear them, Cassis. You’ll be fighting more until I get another potion.”

Cassis hesitated but eventually nodded, starting to put the gear on.

Before he could fully suit up, Arianna grabbed his arm and pulled him back into his room.

“We need to talk,” she said firmly.

Danielle and Liam were still in the hallway. This conversation wasn’t meant for their ears.

Cassis frowned as Arianna pulled him into his room, concern clear in his golden eyes. “What’s wrong?”

Arianna took a deep breath. “I got a system message about another avatar—me. It asked me whether to smite or accept another avatar, and the name listed was Arianna Sloane.”

Cassis blinked in surprise before his expression cleared. “Oh, that makes sense. Some patrons had multiple avatars. It wasn’t common, but it happened. You should accept yourself as an avatar. That’ll strengthen you.”

Arianna hesitated, but he made a valid point. If the system was offering her this choice, she might as well take advantage of it.

“As Sapphire, I accept Arianna Sloane as my avatar.”

The moment she spoke the words, a rush of energy coursed through her body. It was overwhelming yet familiar, like a wave of strength reinforcing her very being. She exhaled sharply and clenched her fists, testing the feeling.

Cassis watched her closely. “That’s the sensation a new avatar gets.” He gave a small smile. “Congratulations. You just got a power-up.”

Arianna nodded, still adjusting to the sudden change. Then she shifted topics. “That’s not all. I also unlocked something called Fame Points.”

Cassis’ face went still.

She thought back to the system messages and pieced it together. “It happened after you told Danielle about Sapphire and she thanked her. The message said my avatar was spreading my name. That must be why I got the points.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Wait a second… Cassis.”

His shoulders tensed.

She leaned closer. “Could it be… you never talked about me with anyone? In ten years?”

Cassis rubbed the back of his neck, eyes darting away. “…I mean, what am I supposed to say to that?”

Arianna groaned. “What am I asking? Of course you didn’t. You were basically the lonest loner ever.”

He stiffened at that but still looked embarrassed. “Some patrons were famous,” he muttered. “They practically founded a religion around themselves, had priests and the strongest avatars. But those were powerful patrons. I didn’t want to say anything back then, but…” He hesitated before finishing, “You were kinda weak. Or rather, poor.”

Arianna felt her eye twitch.

“I was not poor!” she protested immediately—then caught herself. Okay, fine, maybe she was. Getting VP had been seriously difficult. But still! “You just threw yourself into so much danger that I had to burn everything I had on recovery and protection items!”

Cassis still looked uncomfortable but managed to mumble, “But you were really stingy with potions. You always told me to heal up by myself unless it was life-threatening or debilitating…”

Arianna inhaled sharply. A dangerous, saccharine-sweet smile spread across her face.

“Oh? You poor thing.”

Cassis took half a step back, sensing danger.

Her voice turned sharp. “I was always worrying about you! But did you stop? Did you take a break? No!” Her voice rose into a shout. “You just threw yourself into more danger! I had to slow you down somehow, and the only way I could do that was by withholding healing for a while!”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

Her vision blurred slightly, and she realized with shock that she had tears in her eyes.

Cassis’ expression shifted first to guilt and then to something softer. Regret flickered across his face, and he stepped closer, taking her hand.

“…I’m sorry.”

His voice was quiet, sincere.

Arianna exhaled shakily. “Thanks… No use crying over spilled milk,” she muttered. Then she met his eyes and squeezed his hand back. “Let’s try to do better this time, okay?”

He held her gaze for a moment before nodding. “Okay.”

Arianna and Cassis stepped out of his room quietly, the weight of their conversation still heavy in the air. Liam and Danielle were standing outside, their eyes following them as they emerged. Danielle’s smile was unsettling for some reason, her gaze lingering on her hands. Arianna noticed that they were holding hands.

Cassis quickly pulled his hand away.

Arianna didn’t comment on it, though her eyes lingered on her hand for a moment before she focused on Cassis. Without a word, he finished putting on Liam’s hockey gear, the sound of straps being tightened echoing in the quiet corridor. Then, they moved to the living room, grabbed their weapons, and climbed out of the kitchen window, taking care not to make too much noise.

Cassis helped Arianna out of the window, his hands firm as he guided her through. She winced, her leg still aching and her injuries far from healed. Every movement felt like a fresh wave of pain, but she gritted her teeth. She had to push through it.

They both dropped down into the backyard, crouching low, listening carefully for any sounds of the creatures that might be lurking nearby.

The moment they hit the ground, they froze, the distant shuffling of something approaching. It wasn’t long before two goblins appeared right in front of the house, their hunched bodies moving quickly as they sniffed the air.

Arianna felt her heartbeat quicken, and though her body protested, she couldn’t help but tense, preparing for the fight ahead.

Cassis, as always, was calm. He glanced at her, giving her a small nod. "Stay low. Let me go first."

She nodded, her grip tightened on the baseball bat. She checked if the shovel she had grabbed earlier, was still secure in her waistband.

Cassis reached down and grabbed a small stone, tossing it behind the goblins. They turned in response, their beady eyes scanning the dark yard.

Arianna’s heart thudded in her chest as Cassis moved in first. He rushed at the goblins, stabbing the first one in the arm with a swift motion. The creature shrieked, stumbling backward, and Cassis kicked it hard in the stomach, sending it crashing to the ground.

Without missing a beat, Arianna was right behind him. She swung her bat with all the strength she had, bringing it down onto the goblin’s head until it collapsed in a heap.

[+10 CP for killing a sentient being. Exp gained.]

Before she could even register the notification, she turned to face the second goblin. It had already been pinned by Cassis, who had shoved a poker into its stomach, and was screeching in terror.

Arianna didn’t hesitate. She rushed forward and swung her bat at the goblin’s head, finishing it off quickly.

[+10 CP for killing a sentient being. Exp gained. Pseudo-Awakener Physique level up.]

Her heart was still racing when she turned to Cassis, who was already scanning the surroundings. The calmness in his eyes belied the situation, but Arianna could feel the pressure building.

"Nice work," he said, offering her a quick smile. She raised her hand and flashed the universal gesture for a level-up: two fingers, a V sign.

“Only ten CP more,” she said, trying to hide the pain that still lingered from her injuries.

But before he could respond, the air was filled with the sound of footsteps. More creatures were closing in. Arianna’s stomach churned.

“Five,” Cassis muttered, glancing toward the street. "Three goblins and two pigs."

Arianna’s blood ran cold. The goblins’ shrieks had attracted more attention.

Her hands tightened around her bat. She wasn’t sure they could handle this.

Cassis, however, stayed calm. "Stay focused. We can do this."

With that, he charged toward the creatures, his poker held high. Arianna gritted her teeth and followed him, despite the pain in her leg. There was no choice. They couldn’t back down.

The first pig came at them with a terrifying charge. Its tusks were gleaming in the moonlight. Cassis ducked to the side, narrowly avoiding the beast’s deadly horn, and stabbed at it with his poker. Arianna was already on the move, throwing her shovel at the second pig charging toward Cassis. Luckily, the goblins were farther behind, as they were slower than the pigs.

The pig let out a grunt, turning to face her. It was fast, but Arianna was faster. She dodged its charge and felt a flash of pain in her leg as she moved, but she couldn’t stop. The pig turned again, roaring in fury as it lunged at her.

Arianna’s heart pounded in her chest, but then she had an idea. A wall. She raced toward it, luring the pig behind her. At the last second, she spun to the side, letting the pig crash into the solid stone. The beast staggered back, dazed.

With a swift motion, Arianna swung her bat, cracking it across the pig’s skull.

[+10 CP for killing a sentient being. Exp gained.]

But she didn’t have time to celebrate. She heard Cassis’s shout from behind her.

“Damn!”

Her heart stopped. She turned around to see him struggling, bleeding heavily from several cuts. The last of the goblins – the other two lay already dead on the ground – had managed to stab its knife into his arm after he had somehow lost his protection, and the other pig was biting down on his leg. Thankfully, the leg still had its protection on.

“No!” Arianna cried out, charging toward him without thinking. The goblin had its back turned, and she swung her bat hard, smashing it over its head.

[+10 CP for killing a sentient being. Exp gained.]

[+10 CP for saving a mortal.]

Arianna reached Cassis’s side just as he pulled the pig off his leg, still standing, though clearly weakened by the blood loss. He finished off the pig with a powerful swing of the poker.

They both stood, panting heavily, but before they could exchange words, more sounds echoed in the distance. More creatures were coming.

Cassis cursed under his breath, quickly scanning the area. He grabbed Arianna’s uninjured arm and yanked her toward a nearby garden. Without a word, he dragged her into a small shed, the door closing behind them with a soft creak.

Both of them were covered in blood, and Arianna’s leg was bleeding again. Cassis, though clearly exhausted, was still moving with precision, his expression focused. He barricaded the door with a wooden box from the shed and brought them both low to sit down. “1st wave monsters are stupid. They won’t come into the shed, if they don’t see movement or hear noise. Let’s take a short break here.” He began fumbling with his hockey gear.

Arianna nodded. She went to the Patron Shop and purchased the small healing potion for 50 CP. Now she had only 20 CP left. Money comes, money goes she sang in her head. Then she held out the vial to Cassis. He looked at her for a moment, disbelief flickering in his eyes.

“What are you doing?” he asked, seeing the potion in her hand.

“You’re injured,” Arianna said, her voice low, but firm. “Take it.”

Cassis glanced at her. "It’s yours."

She shook her head. "You’re the main damage dealer. You should take it."

Cassis sighed, clearly frustrated, but he took the vial, uncorked it and then pushed it against her mouth.

“Drink,” he commanded.

And without hesitation, she did.

Arianna sat beside Cassis in the dim light of the shed, her body still humming with the golden warmth from the healing potion she’d consumed. The injuries that had plagued her were completely gone now, the pain and weakness replaced with a sense of energy that made her feel almost... invincible. The throbbing in her leg and the aches in her arm and stomach vanished like they had never been there.

But Cassis—her gaze flickered over to him—was a different story. His arm was still bleeding, and the gashes along his side and legs were soaked in blood, evidence of the brutal fight they’d just survived. Arianna’s heart clenched, and she couldn’t stop herself.

Without waiting for him to protest, she moved toward him, pulling the bandages from her already healed wounds.

Cassis glanced at her, brow furrowing as she began wrapping the cloth tightly around his arm. “You don’t need to baby me, Arianna,” he grumbled, clearly uncomfortable with her care. “I’m fine. I’ll be okay. I’m used to this.”

Arianna didn’t say anything, focusing on making the bandages tight but not too tight. He was used to this. The words stung, even though she knew he wasn’t trying to make her feel bad. Still, he didn’t deserve this constant cycle of injury and bloodshed. He shouldn’t have to be so used to it. That should stay in the future, past, the other timeline. She didn’t know what to call it anymore.

She ignored his protests, checking his body for any more serious injuries. There were the shallow cuts along his other arm and his legs, each of them bleeding more than they should have, but none of them were life-threatening. Still, they were a constant reminder of how dangerous their lives had become.

"See? Told you I’m okay," Cassis said with a faint, tired smile as she finished wrapping his arm. "I’m used to this." He’d said it again.

Her heart tightened in her chest. She knew what he meant. She could see how easy it was for him to dismiss the damage—he had been through worse, and yet, here he was, still standing. But to her, the idea that he was "used to this" only hurt more. She didn’t want him to get so accustomed to pain, to fighting for survival, to everything they were up against.

But she couldn’t say that. Not now. Not when he was so determined to carry this weight on his own.

Instead, she sighed and let the silence stretch between them, trying to push the heavy thoughts aside.

After a moment, she finally spoke, her voice softer now, more curious than anything. “Did you level?”

Cassis looked at her, and despite the bloodstains, his expression softened. "Yeah. Level 4. One more level, and I’ll be a better fighter. I'll be able to keep up a lot better and finally unlock some skills." He paused, his voice growing more serious. "I’m too slow right now. I need to level up."

Arianna nodded. She understood.

She herself was at level 3 now, which meant she was just a couple of kills away from reaching the next level, but her mind kept drifting toward what came after that. She needed to make a decision—her class, the direction she would go with her abilities. And unlike Cassis, who had a clear idea, she was stuck.

“So... what class will you choose?” she asked, eyeing him carefully.

“Warrior, of course,” Cassis answered without hesitation, though his gaze was distant, lost in thought. “It’s what I know best, and it fits my fighting style. I won’t be able to protect you if I’m too slow, so I need the extra strength and the tanking skills. It’s just the right fit.”

Arianna nodded. She understood perfectly. He wasn’t looking for some flashy power; he just wanted to make sure he could protect them both. And she appreciated that, even if it made her heart ache.

Her mind, however, was preoccupied with her own choice. At level 5, she would have to pick from the basic classes: Warrior, Ranger, Mage, or Cleric. None of them felt completely right.

Warrior was out of the question. Having two warriors on a team wouldn’t be ideal, and with Cassis already heading in that direction, she needed something that balanced him out.

Ranger was an option, but... was she ready for that kind of class? Rangers were good for long-range physical damage, and their self-defence skills were solid, but their ability to fight solo was more efficient than their teamwork potential. Could she really be the one to support Cassis when things got tough if she wasn’t more focused on healing or protection?

Mage was another potential choice, but she could barely keep herself from being injured as it was. If she became too squishy, Cassis would be exhausted from protecting her. The mage class was powerful, but it required excellent positioning and strategy, which would be hard to pull off with the chaotic nature of their world right now and only the two of them on the team.

Then there was Cleric. Arianna knew how important healing could be, and the idea of supporting Cassis and the team with healing spells and buffs made sense. But there was a catch. At the end of the apocalypse, no healers had been around in the other timeline. They hadn’t made it. And how could she survive in a world where she was weak without her allies? She also knew the cleric class wasn’t built for solo fighting, only getting some basic blunt weapon skills and a few defensive spells and that made her hesitate.

She ran through the possibilities in her mind again, the weight of the decision pressing heavily on her chest.

The Ranger class was tempting, offering physical damage and self-defense skills, plus the ability to fight on her own. But it didn’t offer the same support for Cassis that the Cleric class would. And if they were going to survive, support was crucial.

Yet, if she became a Ranger, she could stand on her own two feet more effectively. Could she really leave Cassis to fight their battles while she focused on only healing?

Her thoughts tangled, her hands fidgeting with the bandages, until she finally spoke, more to herself than to Cassis. “What do you think? Do you think Ranger or Cleric would be better for me?”

Cassis turned toward her, his expression thoughtful. “I think... if you can’t fight solo, you’ll need to be able to rely on someone else. If you want to keep me from getting ragged from protecting you, Cleric is the way to go. But if you want more independence, Ranger’s the better bet.”

Arianna sighed, leaning back against the wall of the shed. She was torn. The decision was critical. Her class could change everything about how they fought, how they survived.

What would it be? The supportive healer with defensive magic, or the self-sufficient fighter who could stand on her own?

She just wasn’t sure yet.