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NOTIFICATION
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* Quest Completed: Queen’s dagger
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+ XP Gained: 25
+ Gold Earned: 2
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| Current XP: 30 / 100
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| Progress: ███░░░░░░░░░░
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Wiping the sweat off my brows, I sank onto a nearby rock and shut my eyes. How long had I been walking? An hour? Three? My legs screamed in protest, my wounds burned with every step, every gust of wind, every cold raindrop. The last few days had been nothing short of hell. Trouble seemed to find me at every turn, something I always avoided in my old life. Back then, I kept my head down. But this world? It demanded more. It forced me to adapt, to face challenges head-on.
The city lights flickered in the distance, faint but unmistakable. Maybe ten minutes away, or twenty. Yet I was spent. One more step, and I knew I’d hit the ground. I needed to rest. Just a moment—a long, long moment. My eyelids grew heavy, sleep beckoning me like an old friend. For someone like me, who struggled to sleep most nights, it should’ve been a relief. But now wasn’t the time.
“Come on... you’re so close.”
I pushed myself up, took a deep breath, and forced my legs to move. Every step was agony. My left leg dragged behind me, a dead weight, while blood dripped steadily into my eyes. I had to stop every few minutes to wipe my face, the crimson streaks blurring my vision and stinging like fire.
Then it happened—I stumbled. My legs gave out, and I nearly collapsed face-first. Grasping blindly, my hand caught a low-hanging branch, and I leaned heavily against a nearby tree.
“Agh,” I groaned, clutching my throbbing leg. “It hurts… so much. Damn it.”
My body refused to cooperate any longer, and I slid down the trunk, slumping against it. My head rested against the bark as I struggled to breathe, the dizziness setting in. Blood from the cuts on my face smeared over my skin, but I didn’t have the energy to wipe it away. Rain poured steadily, the cold seeping into my bones, and the wind howled through the trees. It would’ve been easy to just give up—to let the exhaustion take over and wait for the inevitable.
I shut my eyes, letting the darkness claim me for what felt like seconds. Then, a loud crack of thunder shattered the stillness. Lightning struck a nearby tree, the flash lighting up the forest like day. My body jolted, my heart racing.
“Just… a little more,” I muttered, spitting blood onto the ground as I forced myself to stand. My legs trembled beneath me, but I pushed forward. “A little more. Come on.”
A translucent box materialised in my vision:
Level 2: Axel
HP: [█░░░░░░░░░░] 11/110 (!)
Mana: [░░░░░░░░░░] -1/100
Stamina: [█░░░░░░░░░░] 08/120 (!)
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Options: [Inv | Skills | Quests]
I swiped it away with a shaky hand, dismissing it from view. My body was screaming in protest—my injured leg from earlier, my back still aching from the fall. Every inch of me hurt.
The terrain shifted to a slight incline, and I dug into my pocket for my phone. Miraculously, its water resistance had held up. The flashlight clicked on, illuminating the path ahead.
Familiar shapes emerged in the dim light: distinctive trees, a stretch of forest I remembered. Relief mixed with desperation. I had to be close.
“Okay,” I murmured, my voice weak. “I’m almost there. Just keep moving.”
Each step was an act of will. After a minute, I paused to catch my breath and leaned my forehead against a tree trunk. Recognition sparked. This was the spot where I’d found the lost sheep before. A sliver of hope flickered inside me.
“You can do this,” I whispered.
Pushing off the tree, I continued forward. My phone’s flashlight dimmed and then shut off, overheating from the strain. I didn’t stop. I couldn’t stop.
“Yes… yes…”
I leaned heavily against a boulder, leaving smudged, bloody fingerprints on its surface as I pushed myself away. Between the dense branches, the city lights glimmered like distant beacons.
Lifting my leg, I stepped over a fallen log and trudged forward. Parting the tall grasses ahead, I finally emerged onto the outskirts of Kinowa. To my right was the familiar tavern with the school uniform still hanging by its wall, and straight ahead, the city gates loomed. I was here—finally. All that remained was delivering the Queen’s dagger and collapsing into a bed.
As I limped closer to the gates, the lone guard stationed there stepped forward, raising his hand sharply to stop me.
“Who are you?” His voice was firm. “You can’t enter the city.”
Breathing heavily, I squinted at him. “I… can’t? Why not?”
“Curfew.” He stood tall, unyielding. “No one goes in or out after dark. Turn around.”
I staggered closer, clutching my side. “I have to. I’ve got the Queen’s delivery—her dagger.”
He crossed his arms, unimpressed. “Then you’re late. Try again in the morning.”
“There is no morning for me,” I said flatly, my voice hollow with exhaustion. “If I don’t deliver this tonight, she’ll have me hanged.”
The guard chuckled, shaking his head. “Well then, I’ll make sure to put flowers on your grave, boy. Now scram. And what in the hells happened to you? You look like death warmed over.”
A second guard stepped out of the shadows, his voice cutting through the exchange. “Let him through.”
The first guard turned, confused. “Are you sure, sir?”
“Yes,” the other replied, his armor gleaming with golden accents. “The Queen’s business takes precedence. I’ll write him a pass.”
The first guard hesitated but stepped aside, muttering something under his breath. I nodded weakly and followed the second man as he motioned for me to come along.
We veered left, heading into a nearby building marked with a sign of a sword and shield. He opened the door but shut it behind him before I could enter.
I leaned against the wall outside, muttering, “At least I’m inside…”
A moment later, he returned, holding a small parchment with an official seal. He handed it to me, his expression stern but not unkind.
“Here,” he said. “This states you’re out on the Queen’s business. Curfew rules won’t apply to you tonight.”
I unfolded the parchment and scanned the handwriting:
‘By order of the Crown, the bearer of this pass, engaged in service to Her Majesty, is exempt from the curfew for the duration of this night. No interruptions to their task will be tolerated.’
The signature at the bottom read: Captain Eliard Veras.
The guard crossed his arms. “Just make sure you put in a good word for Giarda, yeah?”
“Giarda?” I asked, folding the pass carefully.
He smiled faintly. “She works at The Diamond Eyes. My girlfriend.”
“Ah,” I replied. “I didn’t catch her name before. Thanks for the help, Captain.”
He waved it off. “No problem. But kid, you should stop by a vailhouse before heading to the Queen’s Palace. You look like you’re about to drop.”
“No time,” I said, already limping away. “Thanks again. Have a good night.”
He called after me, his voice trailing off. “Yeah… you too, kid.”
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