The sword is picked up by the owner but the blood has yet to be clean. More was shed.
*Stab*
*Stab*
Both the head and the heart.
Siola went to check on the skinny man who got blown away. His body is shattered and twisted beyond limits.
Soon, two guards arrive to check the scene.
“What’s going on here?”
“You, guard. State your name.”
“Siola, sir.”
“Tell us what happened.”
“I was ambushed, sir. In that alley. This man brought two of his friends, but he ended caught in between their attacks.”
“I wasn’t planning to kill them, but they were dangerous. I had no choice but to make sure that they’re dead… for my safety.”
“Are you hurt yourself?”
“No, sir.”
“Good. Then sit down and rest. Mal, report to the captain.”
And Siola did just that. Catching her breath with a sigh. She then notices the white rabbit that has lost its front feet came out of the alley and approaches her.
“Heheh, what you want to come with me, little guy?”
She picked it up and notices something.
“Heh, or should I say, lil boo?”
The sun is about to set and captain of the guard, Oklam, has arrived to a scene. A shock at the sight of the two dead men lying in the alley.
Colon gets a good look at them too, “Sir, aren’t they…”
“Yeah.”
“Melop and Semot, D-Rank Adventures… or used to be anyway.”
Colon takes a closer look at the body. Under the armor, deep stab wounds, a lot of cuts and the eye sends a slight jolt to his body as he recalled the one piece of memory with his combat assessment not too long ago.
“…”
“Get them out of here.”
He went to approach the perpetrator. Sees another dead man who is being put into sack.
‘I can’t believe a slippery thief and two problematic goons of that guy got done in like this.’
“You okay?”
Siola stood, “Yes sir.”
“Any idea why they were on to you?”
“Probably because of earlier in the day, I caught that one pickpocketing.”
“I gave him a stern warning but it seems that he holds a grudge because of that.”
“Why didn’t you bring him in?”
“I deemed it unnecessary, sir. The purse was retrieved and as it was my first time seeing him, I thought a warning was suffice.”
“Mm, well except that guy is notorious around this part. It would be ideal if he were to be locked up and sentenced properly than… this.”
“…” Siola glances down, “My apologies sir, I didn’t know.”
“Well, it’s your first day. It’s an easy pardon this time especially with those two.”
“Them?”
Nodding, “You just offed two of Boram’s goons, he’s kind of the thieves’ king pin in this town. He kept getting away whenever we got too close. Probably hiding in a hole somewhere.”
“Those two are ex-adventurers themselves and a D-Rank one at that. I’m both surprised and relieved that you came out unscathed.”
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
Siola looks at the two men who died by her hands. Yet, it doesn’t bother her in the slightest.
At the brink of the night, within a certain pub, a glass full of wine shattered.
“Hmmph! What did you just SAY?!”
“M-Mel, and S-Sem is… dead.”
His head burns with ache, “Dead? Deaaaad?!”
Going back and forth, smashing the counter table, “Aaaaaaaaargh!”
“Dek! What happened to that piece of shit?!”
“H-He, he’s dead too, boss.”
“Aaaaaaargh! Useless!”
“Why can’t they kill one fucking guard.”
“Hooooow?! Did! They! FUCKING! DIE?!”
“Calm down, Bossu.”
“Garan! We got a fucking shipment tomorrow and those bastards died before they can deliver that shit! That woman’s gonna kills us if we fail!”
“Fuck!”
“…” she sighs, “Then why don’t I take care of that guard, Bossu?”
“Not you too, Garan! If you die too, then who else gonna—”
“Ah-aa-aa, bossu,” from sitting on the table, to suddenly appear in front of him within an instant, “Did you just doubt me?”
Breath filled with anger, but her words suppress it, “You know, I don’t, Garan. Why do a life of a single guard even matter anyway?”
“You sent those two to their deaths. Might as well finish it, don’t you think? Bossu.”
“…” sighing, “Be quick about it.”
She chuckles, “Don’t have to tell me.”
“She won’t even see it coming.”
Poilteyre Goods. A store full of different assortment of items, potions, even weapons. Siola walks behind the lady she met earlier in the day.
“Thank you for letting me stay, Ma’am.” Said Siola.
“Aww, again. I’m supposed to be the one saying thank you.”
“And what did I say? I have a name you know, so call me Vanya.”
“Then, Madam Vanya, thank you for letting me stay.”
“Goodness, you…”
Chuckles, ‘You don’t know it, Madam Vanya. The guard’s barracks beds are less than one meter from another, and the fact that those men didn’t wash their body before they go to bed, the stink of sweat made me wants to go sleep in the forest than that cursed place.’
“Here it is.”
A small room with a bed and a window.
“It’s a little empty. I myself haven’t found a use for it, so you can stay as long as you like.”
“Ahh, I shouldn’t. I mean, tomorrow I should be able to afford to stay in an inn.”
“And what about food and other expenses? It’s okay, you don’t have to feel bad about it. Besides, it’s not good for a guard to stay at an inn, you know.”
“What do you mean?”
She smiles, “You protect people like me from bad people, but those bad people might come back and you don’t want them to have an easy time to get to you now, do you?”
“Ohh…”
‘Well, I can’t just say that it already happened.’
“Now, give me that ball of fur. You need to sleep.”
“Oh, poor thing. Where did your feet go?” she then notices something peculiar about the healed wounds, “This is… the work of a Heal miracle.”
“Yes.”
Glancing at Siola, “Oh, did you do it? I mean, are you a Priest?”
She nods.
“I seeee,” looking at the rabbit, “You are so lucky you little soft ball.”
Smooching it so eagerly. Siola smiles seeing them.
Resting on the bed she did. Doors closed. She looks at the moon in the sky through the window and slowly closing her eyes.
Sigh, “Finally…”
Dark cloud gathers, it’s a downpour.
The window slides up by a hand, and then in an instant, a masked woman suddenly appears right beside her. She takes a closer look at the armor on the ground before looking back to Siola.
Blade unsheathed.
*Slash*
Blood splattered. The woman grabbed the black hair and lifted it under the light of the moon. Thunder clashing.
“Hmph, three men died just for this.”
But then, she notices something. When the light bounces and shine the decapitated head. Siola’s eyes are opened, they’re blackened completely. No irises, no whites.
Eyes narrowed down as she witnesses Siola’s mouth moves.
“… of the Abyss…”
She inspects it closer.
“Hemotether.”
Shudder as she pulled herself back, but then her line of sight rolled up all the way down, crashing on the floor. From there, she sees her headless body holding the decapitated head. Eyes twitch, she witnesses Siola’s body rise to grab her decapitated head and reattach it.
She made a sign with her finger, “Art of the Mad Dead, Sanguine Harvest.”
Grasping the air towards the headless body, its blood gathered into one. Soon, the flesh follows, and then the bone. And then… nothing.
! {Requirement has been met}
* Awaken
! {Ability Unlocked}
* Mage Shift / Tier 11 / Change class into Mage
*Chirp *Chirp
Siola opened her eyes, blinking at the sight of her profile status. She shifts her attention into the window outside, to clear morning skies. Glancing once again at her profile menu.
{Siola Mithra – Level 18}
{HP: Rank F | MP: Rank E | SP: Rank E}
{Class: Priest | Ability: [Illuminate], [Restore Vitality], [Heal], [Turn Undead], [Sacred Flame], [Mage Shift] | Passive: [Dark Protection]}
{STR: Rank E | DEX: Rank D | FTH: Rank S | INT: Rank S}
‘The hell is that?’
“A class change spell?”
‘How the hell did I got it?’
‘No, it’s… is it a bug?’
‘Can’t be. This is no longer a game. So, why is it saying Tier 11 here? I’ve known ways to change class but I don’t know any abilities that can just… change it.’
‘Not that I want to do it anyway. That’ll just infringe on my friend’s path who was a wizard.’
‘And it looks mad suspicious too. And the fact that I surged to Level 18 all of a sudden.’
‘Certainly, not from those guys I killed.’
“Hrmm, I’m about to be late and I haven’t even bathe yet.”
*Clank *Clank
“Hm? What’s this?”
* Shadowcloak / Rare / Shroud the wearer when moderately obscured
* Gauntlets of Fast Hands / Uncommon / Slightly increases DEX
* Boots of Shadow Steps / Epic / Slightly increases DEX. Innate Spell: [Shadow Steps / Tier 3 / Teleport the wearer to a lightly obscured area at will]
* Ring of Mana / Uncommon / Slightly increases MP
* Ring of Fast Hands / Uncommon / Slightly increases DEX
* Echoing Shadows Ring / Rare / Moderately increases DEX. Innate Spell: [Shadow Echo / Tier 2 / Leave behind an afterimage]
“Holy— Ahem, wait…”
‘I know I started worshipping Armalia but a god would never give their graces like this. I’m thankful that she did grant me a blessing yesterday, but this…’
Eyes glancing to the door, ‘Madam Vanya is possible, but I doubt her kindness would extend to giving me such precious items.’
‘And I woke up with a new ability and few more levels to my status.’
‘It’s… worrying.’
She picks up a blade beside the items.
* Jaw Cutter / Epic / Effective against hard objects
“What, a dagger for chopping wood?”
“But it doesn’t even have a serrated blade.”