I wander around the village, but I don't see anymore damned souls. It's a small village, but are the people here really so good? Or has another warlock just been here recently? Eventually It starts getting later and I head into a bar. I order some food even though I'm not very hungry. It's pretty good. After I finish I stay and watch the people. Eventually I notice two men with red souls settle into a table at the corner as the bar starts filling more and more.
I make no attempt at hiding my gaze, I only turn away when someone new comes in to check on them. Otherwise I stare at them, making sure they don't leave my sight. They notice pretty quickly, but whether they leave or try to start a fight, it works out for me. Any reason to take this outside. I'd rather not make a scene in the bar. But either way, I'm not letting them get away.
Eventually, they decide to leave, and walk out the door. I can still see their souls faintly through the wall as I get up to follow them. It grows fainter until I see them directly again outside. I guess it lasts for a while after seeing them, but I doubt I can see people initially through walls. At least, it hasn't worked yet.
They quicken their pace, and I quicken my own. Slowly gaining on them. They lead me further away from the people still wandering around. Do they mean to attack me away from the rest? I guess letting me follow them home would be more concerning, but they're still giving me exactly what I want.
They turn a corner in the dark and I can see they're waiting. I walk past the corner and turn to face them. They're each holding knives, and they seem a bit upset.
"Who are you?" The bigger one says. "We-."
Before he can say another word, I summon my sword and strike down at him, then I strike his friend. I cut them until they fall down and I stab at their chest to finish them off. This worked out perfectly, but I don't think I should stay the night in some small tavern. Too easy to find the bodies, and too obvious that one of the only people staying at the tavern might've done it. I'm not tired yet anyway. I dismiss the sword and walk toward the forest as the sky darkens.
Once inside the forest I look at the map. According to this, a fairly large city is just a bit further north, toward inland. The forest I started in was somewhat near the coast in the southwest of this continent. I should be able to run there before I need sleep. Assuming I need sleep.
I begin running, keeping the compass in hand in order to make a straight shot for the city, not bothering to follow the roads. Before I go very far, I begin to hear chanting faintly in the distance, deeper in the forest. I follow the sound, and as it grows louder I begin to see firelight.
Once I get closer, I see three women in dark robes standing around the fire. Their souls are red, and there are bones in the fire. Maybe it's some sort of ritual. There's no reason to let them go on, and they don't seem to have heard me over their own voices. I charge in and cut through the nearest, then the next, who still seems focused on the ritual. The third woman stops and screams, but there's no one around to hear it. I cut her, with two clean cuts and a stab, then finish off the other two, still laying there with haggard breath.
Everything's over in just a few seconds. I look into the firepit filled with human bones. I wonder how many villagers they've killed? Or do they just raid the village's cemetery? I wander around a bit more but I don't find anyone else.
I continue toward the city. Running through the forest, I see no more people, but as I go on for what must've been hours, I start to feel tired. I guess I do still need sleep, just not as much as I used to. It's morning again.
As I near my destination, before I see it, I begin to feel exhaustion. For quite some time before that, I felt hunger and thirst. Clearly I still have a mortal form. It gives me a reason to hurry to the city, and I'll enjoy the food and drink more when I get there.
Eventually I see the city, It's dark again. I feel dead tired, but I wouldn't lay down in the dirt. I wrap around to one of the roads into the city and follow it. I walk so as not to alert anyone. I have no idea if running through forests is a common method of travel in this world, but I'd rather not answer questions at the gate if it's not.
I'm sure I could slip in some other way, but I go in through the gates. There's a guard, he asks a few questions, and then lets me in. I said I was traveling and needed supplies, and a place to sleep. The stores are closed of course, but he tells me where I can find some inns. I go to the nearest inn, not bothering to kill anyone until I've slept.
The woman at the desk seems friendly, the price for a night and some food is just several copper. I give her the money and eat. The food is good, better than what I normally ate, even at what I assume is a cheap inn. I go to my room for the night and sleep well. The bed feels amazing after running for so long. For once I don't feel the need to keep sleeping after I wake up. I don't even feel sore after resting. I've really enjoyed my time on this world, even after just a few days. Now I can go see what they have for breakfast. I'll have a big meal and take my time to enjoy it now that I'm not so tired.
I order eggs, bacon, fresh baked bread, sausage, hash browns, and some fresh fruit. I drink what must've been gallons of milk and juice with my meal, and I spend quite a bit of copper. I pay the woman for another night to keep the same room. The inn only seems about half full, so she seems to appreciate the business.
I'm not sure if I can start killing people in broad daylight in the city, but I should at least find a way to make money. I wonder if there are any jobs I can take that'll make it easier to find more souls? Mercenary jobs, an adventurer's guild, hopefully something like that exists in this world. I'll have to ask the woman at the counter, she seems nice.
I've counted my money. I had ten bronze, twenty iron, and seventy copper before spending any here. So far I've only used copper. From what I can tell copper coins are worth about a dollar.
I ask the woman about where I could buy gear first. She was helpful and mentioned the general area where I might find a smith and other stores for gear. She also mentioned a slave auction happening later today. I figured it was worth taking a look, I might be able to find a lot of red souls there.
With Some time before the auction, I head for the market district and head into a smithy. There were some weapons and armor, as well as tools. The weapons are fine, they look solidly made enough, but they're not as beautiful as the weapons I was given. The prices aren't bad from what I can tell, most of it only costing copper or iron, which I assume is the next highest currency, maybe a hundred dollar bill. The armor tended to cost at least a few iron. None of the available pieces looked as if they'd fit me, and I don't have time to wait days for custom fit armor.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
I visit some other shops and buy a large water skin, and a bit of travel food called pemmican. I don't bother filling up the water skin or grabbing too many rations, there's no point when I'm just walking around the city.
I make my way to the auction. After wandering around for a bit it's easy enough to find my way around. The auction is just outside of the city, quite a long walk really, but still near the markets. There's a large gathering of people. Chairs set out, a stage set up, and many cages filled with people, as well as a procession of chained up humanoids of various races.
Even though the event hadn't started yet, the place was filled with so many red souls in affluent clothing. Clean cloth and shining jewelry dressed many, but a few looked more gruff, clearly looking for cheap labor, or whatever else.
It would be hard to let all of these people go, and there's no way I can follow them home and quietly take them out. I felt the power I gained, and I felt the rest go to her. After spending a day to find just a few people, it'd be a shame to let all of these go. And why shouldn't I kill them? Even the few that aren't red, they're all a part of this anyway. If all goes well I won't have any witnesses, save for the freed slaves.
Most here aren't ready for a fight, unless they can summon equipment like I can. Even the guard for this event don't seem very threatening. More so to keep the people civil and the slaves in line than to stop a massacre. I just need to kill a few guards while they're unaware to reduce their number. Then there will only be a few more left.
After the place is filled and the bidding's begun, I make my way from the back toward the largest gathering of guards off to the side. I slink behind them and pierce the one guard who cared to turn in the chest with my summoned blade, immediately feeling his soul pass to me. I pull it out and carve through another's throat, then pierce the side of another reaching for his blade, skewering him through, the gambeson they wore offering little resistance. I cut down the last few in my immediate area.
The rest however, over the initial panic, have started making their way toward me, though they're interrupted by the crowd making a scene, getting up from their tightly packed chairs, trying to get through each other. Away from me, away from the town. Only open field for them. I cut down a few near me to further disincentivize the idea of running past me toward the town.
A few guards make it to me, one or two at a time, not waiting for the rest of the group. I cut them down with little resistance. Their attacks are weak and slow. I didn't even need armor, it's better to just dodge their attacks. Though I would like some beautiful platemail in the future, if I could ever afford it. For now though, cutting down these guards, and whichever part of the crowd was near enough for my sword, I'd brought in so many souls. It was a fruitful encounter, I can't be so greedy as to want the whole world at once.
In just a few moments, in the chaos of the crowd, there were no more guards. A few of those in attendance tried attacking with knives as well, but they met with the same end. Most of them were even worse than the guards. However, some were moving surprisingly fast, even in less than ideal clothing, making their way out into the empty field. I rushed past the main writhing mass and cut off the fastest runners. Whatever Alachia did, or whatever this world allows, has made me much faster than the rest of these people.
I circle them, cutting down those on the outside, chasing the ones who try making a run for it in whichever direction, and herd them like animals. Eventually, they're huddled in a mass, hysterically screaming, crying out for help, but we're too far from town. I carve my way deep into the mass of bodies, chasing down those who futilely try to run, and eventually it's quiet. There's no red light left among the bodies. If anyone is left alive in the pile of corpses, then they're not worth digging out.
This was amazing, I don't even know how many there were, I didn't bother to count them. But it must've been dozens, but somewhere under a hundred. Though, that's just the red souls.
However, now that the fun has ended, I'm left with a question. Obviously I shouldn't stay in town, but what should I do with the slaves? I might as well free them. But should I take them somewhere? I suppose I can just ask them after I've freed them. They can run off if they want, I don't care either way.
I dismiss my sword and make my way up to the stage, toward an emaciated orc woman, the first slave. She hadn't bothered to move or speak. I try speaking in a language she can understand.
"The men are dead, and only your arms are bound, can you help me find the key amongst them?" She looks shocked, brought out of her quiet stupor, no longer holding her breath.
"You speak my language?"
"I should be able to speak any language." I just look at her, not wanting to repeat myself, but not wanting to scavenge amongst the dead either.
She answers just a bit after. "Yes, I'll find the key to my chains, and for the others." She makes her way toward the bodies and begins searching. The other slaves, various humanoid races, begin speaking more loudly in their various languages. Now that they're sure I'm not here to kill them as well, they seem more at ease, and if anything, more excited to be free. For most I don't see anything, but a few out of the many do have red souls. I'll kill them if they become a problem, but for now I'll leave them this kindness.
The woman begins freeing the slaves with the gathered keys as I watch. Some stand there dazed at their sudden freedom, some celebrate with each other, and some come over to me, though they keep some distance, and thank me in their various languages.
If they all just leave on their own that's fine with me, but if they request I take them somewhere, it could be a hassle. Though, if search parties are sent by the slavers, or the town, surely there would be more red souls for the taking. A bodyguard job could be lucrative in it's own right. And either way, I can't stay here. I'm confident in direct combat with some weak guards, but I'd rather not be attacked at the tavern, and I still need to sleep. If anything, I doubt the freed slaves would try to attack me, more likely they'd warn me of danger.
When they've all been freed, they congregate in one area, and the woman looks at me as if she wants to speak. I approach her.
"What is it you want? You're all free to go whenever you want, I'm not taking you prisoner."
She smiles for the first time since I've met her, though only faintly. "I didn't think you meant to take us, or else you wouldn't have let me remove our chains. But we are not near our homelands, or even near a safe haven for our kind. Most of us are not fighters, and those that were are hungry and have no equipment. We could use protection on our way out of the southern kingdom."
"If it won't take too long, I'll lead you wherever you need. Have the people take any equipment from the guards and give it to those able to use it. They can take any knives and currency found on the bodies too, but we should leave soon after that, they may notice what I've done soon and send a militia."
She nods in agreement. "Yes ser, I'll tell those I can." She issues commands to those who understand them. She speaks what I believe is some form of orcish language and something similar to what the people in town were speaking. I speak to the other races in the tongue they understand to help get more people gathering supplies. These people must've brought money with them, and I'd rather not go broke buying supplies along the way to take care of these hungry people when all of this money is just lying around.
The freed slaves, those of them most physically able, and with a strong enough stomach, begin looting the dead of equipment, coins, and jewelry. Some even taking clothes that were undamaged, or only slightly cut and bloodied. The freed people were mostly wearing such worn down clothes they were barely more than rags, so it's fair to take what you can from the bodies.
After the warriors, and aspiring warriors, put on the equipment that fit them and and after they'd taken the larger weapons from the guardsmen, the rest are given clothes and knives from the others, and a pile of money and jewelry, each wrapped up, is brought to me. Like offerings to some warlord. I suppose given the situation, I'd likely be doing the purchases in any small village we come across. I take them and stuff them in my bag, then put them back in the pouch. I keep out the map and compass. I lay it across the stage and gesture for them to come over.
The orc woman and a few others who have stepped up to become some sort of leaders approach and look over the map. They'll know where we need to go better than I do. I've got no idea about the laws of this or any surrounding kingdoms.