Chapter 5 - The Starting (Special)
[ Today it’s a Chapter number Five - which means it’s time for a special, therefore the author forced me to do some POV, So here we go to some uninteresting and bland guy, who just came on-line... ]
============> [ Bland Guy's POV ] <=============
After logging in, Robert looked around happily.
-" Great! It looks just as if it was a real thing! " He exclaimed and stretched his arms, before doing few experimental squats. -" Totally like in a novel that I read! "
-" Pff, what a retard. Is he twelve? " A condescending voice reached Robert’s ears.
-" Yhe, he read a book and now he thinks he’s gonna strike it big, like a hero no less. " Another person chimed in.
-" Totally, I bet his name’s weed or something! " Said the third. -" He could have at least go to the side alley... "
Robert grew beet red and escaped.
He really wanted to name himself weed, but thought that it's better to pick something else, so he chose Forest instead. He decided that he will work hard and will become great and strong through the hard work, just like in the story.
Forest ran around and eventually managed to arrive at a Training Centre. Without hesitation he entered the building and found impressively looking instructor, who wore a leather garb.
-" Young adventurer! I presume you have just arrived in the Kingdom of Gis, what’s your name? " The instructor asked loudly.
-" Yes, Sir! My name’s Forest, and I want to learn the sword! " Robert exclaimed excitedly.
-" A fine Lad indeed! Mine’s Gerhard. Come on then, grab the sword and strike the scarecrow, I shall teach you all about the ways of the sword! " The instructor smiled broadly.
[ Sometime Later... ]
As Robert, er, Forest was hitting the scarecrow the instructor suddenly jumped back and started reaching for his sword in panic.
-" I have not come for you Gerhard, but I might feel a bit better if you are willing to take their place? " Suddenly a girls voice came from the other side of the room.
He was really surprised by events and could not comprehend why the instructor behaved so strangely. Robert stopped hitting the scarecrow and looked at the back of the black haired girl. She was taking out training swords from the barrel while speaking boldly with the instructor, though topic of their conversation eluded Robert’s comprehension.
As Robert tried to get a better look at the girl, the instructor suddenly turned to chastise him.
-" Hey! Shouldn’t you be hitting the scarecrow? No break for you! ".
-" But... ", Robert tried to object, because he had been hitting the scarecrow for a long time, but Gerhard had interrupted him and forced him to train for a long time.-" Man up! " The instructor arbitrary silenced his protests.
While hitting the scarecrow, Robert tried to sneak a peek at the girl, but all he could see, in the corner of his eye, was her silhouette moving all over the place while vehemently striking at the scarecrows.
Robert was wondering what made the instructor so worked up and decided to investigate.
[ After a considerable amount of time had passed... ]
Eventually, the girl sat on a ground and began to eat. Robert noticed that the instructor wasn’t paying attention to him and tried to use that opportunity to get a better look at the girl. He snuck closer and closer, and started to get a good angle… but before he could take a good look at her cute face...
Suddenly, a powerful arm surrounded his neck and he was forcefully pulled back...
============> [ Forest's POV: END] <=============
[ Meanwhile in the story ]
Exhausted, I side-sat on the floor, with skirt spread over my legs. Wearing a skirt was an unfamiliar sensation. When I was walking, a fluttering touch of cloth and air on my legs, made me feel naked.
I retrieved a sack that was given to me by Samantha, finding two sandwiches inside. Each was made from two pieces of bread which kept ham, lettuce and tomato slices together. All in all it was better than my regular fare despite the lack of butter, to which I am almost addicted.
While eating, I wondered what I should do next, but I couldn't formulate any decent plan. Due to lack of new ideas, for the first time in my life, I ended up stuck on ‘what should I do next’ part of a problem.
I absentmindedly checked my skill list and deleting dual wield and reckless strike, as they were useless to me.
Irritated, I finished the second sandwich and drank some more water from the jug.
At that moment I noticed some commotion close to me. I looked around and concluded that the newbie tried to approach me, but was grabbed into a choke hold by the instructor and dragged back. I sent them an inquiring look.
-" Please don't bother Lady, he doesn't know what's good for him. " Gerhard said apologetically, while keeping a big hand against the newbie’s mouth, who started to look blue due to asphyxiation. Newbie's struggle struck me as annoying and useless.
-’ I had enough, enough of wasting time looking for ideas. I will just finish the quest. ‘ I resolved myself.
-" Argh, I don't care any more. Your knife, give it to me! " I demanded while extending a hand in Gerhard’s direction.
-" Noo she snapped, we are all going to die! " Gerhard exclaimed and took a step back. -" Please reconsider... Lady! " Gerhard pleaded desperately, while taking another step back. Newbie’s eyes, which were bulging before, become even wider.
-" Give. Me. Your. Knife. " I said sternly, heavily accenting each word and narrowed my eyes threateningly.
-" ...But...but it’s a middle of the city...and...and garrison’s just round the corner! " Gerhard said in panic.
-" I know! Just give me the freakin' knife and I will be on my way out! " I said intransigently.
Gerhard fumbled with his belt, using a free hand, and thrown the knife that landed before me. Satisfied, I rose, while grabbing the knife, then I marched outside without looking back.
As I was leaving through the door I heard a commotion behind me.
-" Forest, boy! Don't die on me! Breathe! You must live! " Gerhard’s exclamation was followed by a strange sounds. [ CPR ].
After leaving the Training Centre, I walked across the street and entered the alleyways, through which I made my way to the slums.
Soon my angry steps brought me to the Slums. As I marched through the district my path crossed with some thugs, though, for some reason, they ran the moment they saw me.
I continued on and while turning at some corner I ran across two thugs mugging a newbie. Happy that they haven't noticed me, I closed in without slowing down and plunged the knife in the back of a smaller, ferret looking, thug.
The other thug, a big and bulky one, heard a muffled yell of his companion and turned with his hand held high.
I made a backward pirouette, on my left leg, to free the knife and followed the momentum to make a step forward, shortening the distance enough to plunge the knife in an exposed armpit of the big guy. Slight flip of a wrist was all that was needed to align the blade at a correct angle.
He yelped, in pain and surprise, and staggered back. I used his movement to pull out the knife, while twisting menacingly, intent on leaving a gushing wound.
My gaze impassively traced the big thug's fall, caused by the shock and sudden blood loss.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
I brought my attention to the newbie in a *clone garb*. He mistaken my actions for some sort of saving, as he started saying. -" Thank... " But, he stopped when he finally registered what exactly was going on. I turned my attention to the ferrety thug, who was lying on a ground and was making whizzing sounds due to his pierced lung. I approached him to slit his throat, then I did the same to the big guy.
Newbie, who looked like he was in a shock, suddenly recovered and started running. I let him go because I couldn't decide on what to do with him.
I checked the thugs in search of the loot and continued on my way. -' Hmm, even looting needs to be done in a normal way... getting monster parts will be messy ' I observed absentmindedly.
I continued to prowl the alleys and managed to ambush and kill some more ruffians. Last group, which was more numerous, didn’t even try to fight and started running the moment I killed the first one. Effect of my bloodied appearance most certainly.
In the meantime, I continue to distributed the stat points as they arrived, prioritizing agility and charisma.
Eventually, I reached the Thieves Guild. Before entering, I cleaned the knife, with a skirt, and placed it into the Beginner's Pouch.
After entering the building I made my way to the counter. Guild patrons, who were in the room, grew quiet.
I noticed a group of three players who sat at a brightest table. They gave me inquisitive stares, but quickly turned away when our gazes met.
As I approached the counter the bald guy from before gave me a calm look, evidently unfazed by my bloodied appearance.
-" Welcome, what's it going to be today? "
-" I have left my drink upstairs and I have things to talk about in there. " I said flatly.
-" Very well, please suit yourself. " He shrugged and placed a mug back under the counter.
While I was moving to a staircase I grabbed a candle and went up. This time I did not notice any presences near the staircase.
On the gallery, I left the candle near the entrance as its light was enough for my night vision. I went to the same table as before. My mug was nowhere in sight, same as a person with whom I spoke before, but I sat down anyway. I put my elbows on the railing and looked down.
Trio of adventurers that I saw earlier had their looks glued to the staircase, their faces showing a concerned expression. I realized that they probably saw my name due to the murderer’s mark.
I smirked when one of them, a rogue, suddenly felt something and looked up. I waved at him and his face paled, as a small, red light spontaneously appeared on my forehead. He looked down quickly and the light vanished.
-' Interesting, so it’s only showing up when you are actually seen. '
I decided to experiment a bit and made a small sound. I kept myself hidden, in the gallery’s shadow, while the group from below looked up. To my satisfaction the mark didn't light up.
Afterwards I waited, while enduring the uncomfortable feeling of wetness. My skirt and tunic were drenched in blood and the smell was not pleasant either.
Suddenly, the expected voice broke the silence and a dark presence, which was barely noticeable, appeared in a chair on the other side of the table.
-" So you have returned, in a bashfully unexpected manner I might add. " A soft voice sounded, with a slight variation added to a cliche sounding beginning.
I kept myself still for a moment, I wanted to show him that his arrival did not shake me.
I turned to him, while propping my elbow on the railing. I tried to appear as casual and comfortable as possible. I looked at my companion directly and tilted my head slightly when I spoke:
-" I decided to skip over a minor details. " Silence followed, so I had taken it for a cue to continue. -" We both have things that we want. "
-" That is true, we might as well proceed further. " He said after a momentary pause, then an announcement appeared:
*Ding*
-------------------------
Quest Completed: Something Shady - The Beginning
Completion Difficulty: F
Reward: Incognito skill
-------------------------
I checked the skill window quickly and noticed two changes there. I left them for later because my companion spoke again.
-" During the night there will be...a movement of goods. It would be a pity if the City Guard was to become too curious. "
-" Certainly, I will look into Guards curiosity. I would assume that further details can be gathered at the counter below? ".
-" That is correct...and take heed. The price of failure is great. " He said and vanished in darkness.
I opened the status window to familiarize myself with the changes:
--------------------------------
Name: Almisha
Alignment: Chaotic-Neutral (12)
Race: Half-Elf
Profession: None
Title: None
Level: 8
Fame: 27
Infamy: 48
--------------------------------
Unused Attribute Points: 0
Health: 70
Mana: 110
Strength: 8
Agility: 43
Vitality: 7
Wisdom: 11
Intelligence: 12
Charisma: 63
Luck: 10
--------------------------------
Magic Resistance: None
--------------------------------
Skills:
-Art of Conversation(Passive) - B3 - You are skilled in the art of affecting others with words.
Improves your negotiation, barter, intimidation, deceive and charm skills.
-Charm - B4 - the power of delighting, attracting, or fascinating others.
-Intimidation, Killing Intent - B5 - the power of frightening, daunting or alarming others.
Killing Intent improvement allows use of terror against threatened foes.
-Deceive - B2 - power of causing others to believe in something that is not true.
-Anatomy(humanoid) - B4 - Ability of discerning vital points of the humanoids.
-Dagger Mastery - B3 - Ability of wielding short bladed weapon.
-Assassination, Takedown - B4 - Power of executing deadly surprise attacks. Takedown improvement allows use of nonlethal attack instead.
-Stealth - B3 - The power of moving, proceeding, or acting in a covert way.
-Incognito - B1 - The power of suppressing Murderers Mark. Requires users identity to be covered fully.
---------------------------------
Afterwards I rose up and made my way downstairs, extinguishing the candle on the way.
=======================
Hey~, Authors here~
for today's release I wanted to thank the Owlbear General as he was the one supporting this release in opposition to Narrator, whom is still sulking. Maybe I should replace the Narrator with say Orc Warboss or Chaos Chieftain?
[ How dare you! Take that - Annihilation Overdrive! I wont be denied! ]
Hmm, there's that ... Anyway lets give a second of silence for people of (former) northern hemisphere.
Anyway please share your views on today's special chapter.
Cheers~
Ps We will be having new cover soon - courtesy of Owlbear General - I was really surprised to find one of the monster generals versed in arts.
NEXT CHAPTER: Chapter 6 - The Scheming (Extended)
There's poll in there, read the chapter first and then choose whether you side with the indecent Narrator or traditional Owlbear General.