Jamis, Torvin, and Mira sparred on the training ground of the castle.
Princess Helen was another champion who had joined them along with her bodyguard, Felrick, another champion chosen by Kilpso, Goddess of Protection and Safety.
Helen was the champion of Luren, Goddess of the Moon & Healing.
Wooden and copper training golems rushed them as they fought together, learning to work as a team.
“You are Champions of Order,” Drill Sergeant Heldark barked at them. “Your strength is your allies. With them, you can face any of the Champions of Chaos who believe they are stronger on their own and are too selfish to work with others. This makes them weak!”
Jamis stepped in front of the wooden golem, protecting Mira as she fired arrows from her bow, each taking down a target.
Felrick carried a huge tower shield and stoically held off a dozen golems as they attempted to batter him.
Helen ensured she kept Felrick and the other melee fighters on their feet, letting out her occasional lance of silver light to obliterate a golem.
“You may be tempted to rush into the Cursed Forest but being dropped into that hell hole and just picking a fight with every Gifted beast and creature you come across will get you killed,” Heldark barked at them. “I’ve been told if you impress me today, you’ll be given a quest to go after some real prey. So, work together and show me what you got!”
They kept fighting as more and more golems surrounded them.
Eventually, the battle was done, and Heldark nodded approvingly. “Good. You’re ready to start hunting. Tomorrow, I want you to head to the nearby mountains. A bear wandered out of the Cursed Forest and murdered a hunter’s family. It’s laired up in the mountains. Take some horses to the foot of the mountain. Find and kill the beast.”
The five champions nodded. Sweaty and tired, they headed for the baths. Afterwards they would explore the city, their work done for the day.
***
Helen and Mira stepped into the bath, each wearing a bracelet that covered their body in mist, preserving their modesty. These baths were for the Gifted and weren’t separated by gender, the bracelets being handed out to both sexes to allow everyone to use the baths in comfort. Mira still looked uncomfortable, blushing slightly as she stepped into the steaming water, her wings unconsciously wrapping around her.
Jamis lounged against the other side of the massive bath, the water piping hot but not enough to burn. It was designed to help passively raise a person’s natural toughness over time. “I like these baths,” Jamis said. “We didn’t have anything like this in my clan.”
“What kind of world did you come from?” Torvin asked.
“My world has more technology than this,” Jamis said. “But only the mech priests are allowed to use it. The machines turned against us long ago, so even though I grew up surrounded by the old machines, we were never allowed to use them.”
“Is that why you came here?” Helen asked.
“Yes,” Jamis said. “I didn’t have much opportunity back home; I was the youngest of my household in a large clan. There was no space for me even with my skill in brawling. When Artrix offered me the chance to be his champion, there was little need to overthink it.”
“The risk of being killed in battle didn’t bother you?” Mira asked.
“Did it bother you?” Jamis asked with a shrug. “Why did you choose to become a champion?”
“I’ve always been a hunter,” Mira said. “But it’s not a role women are encouraged to take in my world. I was weaker than the other hunters in my aviary and there is no System in my world. I could therefore never become as strong as them. I want to become stronger so that I can be better at helping others. What about you three?”
Torvin ran a bronze scraper down his arm as he cleaned himself.
“I was a soldier. I’d been riding horses all my life. When the war started in my homeland, I was conscripted. In the last battle, I lost my legs when my horse died under me, and I was trampled. I suppose I was lucky to live, but there’s no use for a cripple in my world. When Galdren offered to give me back my legs and for me to become more than just a common soldier… Well, like you’ve both said, it wasn’t much of a choice.”
“Still, I don’t resent him for choosing me. He could have chosen anyone. He gave me a second chance,” Torvin said. “And I think I can make a difference. As a champion, I can fight on the front lines, so others don’t have to be conscripted or suffer like I did.”
“I’ve been chosen to be a champion since birth,” Helen said with a shrug. “My mothers have been serving Luren as priestess for generations. She was always going to choose one of us to represent her; I’ve been prepared for this all of my life.”
“Do you resent not having a choice?” Mira asked.
Helen laughed. “Of course, I had a choice, but what fool would turn down becoming a champion? Unless they are some god of Chaos, we get the opportunity to become ambassadors of the gods to the people. Not only that, but there is also the ultimate chance of becoming gods ourselves.”
“I suppose I’m similar to Torvin and Helen,” Felrick said. “I’ve been a prodigy among the royal knights since I was a child, assigned to protect Helen as just a young boy. When Kilpso gave me a choice, I took it so I could better protect her and others. I don’t think I’m going to win this game, but I want to fight to make sure the right one does.”
***
I was shaken awake by one of my vassals. Sighing, I rolled out of bed and levitated a few dozen stone spearheads. They were each as hard as iron, nine inches long and sharpened to a needlepoint. I went to the entrance of the crypt where a small horde of skeletons and zombie animals approached us: raccoon, deer, wolves, and a bear.
Smaller creatures scuttled over the ground. I launched attack after attack, standing in the doorway, stomping down on the little undead who tried to chew through my boots.
The skeletal bear reached me.
It was missing some of its bones, but its frame was still massive.
Ducking under a swipe, I smashed down repeatedly with my warhammer until its skull finally broke. My foresight warned me of an attack, and I brought my shield to bear, breaking the charge of an undead stag. Its antlers skittered off and broke on impact with the metal of my highly effective shield. I stepped forward, shattered its skull, and continued fighting.
It took around ten minutes for me to kill everything. There were so many of the little undead animals although, usefully, they died with one strike.
Blood and Souls (Repeatable): Kill 80 monsters or humanoids. Current progress: 57/80. When you complete this quest, you will gain 16 rank points. The next quest will require double the number to be completed but will award double the rank points.
Panting from the exertion of battle, I had spent nearly every point of Stamina and Mana I possessed, dismissing the notification after briefly checking the numbers. I wasn’t sure if the tiny undead counted toward the total, and I’d lost count of how many I’d killed.
Surprisingly, my title for Bloody Pugilist had been helpful after all, in stomping down on the little freaks. The acquired increase in damage from Bloody Pugilist and Exorcist practically made them explode when I kicked them.
I went back to bed and fell asleep much faster, this time from exhaustion.
***
The next morning, voices could be heard. I rolled out of bed and my vassals gave me a bowl of venison stew in return for me grunting thanks, not being a morning person. Invigorated by the wholesome breakfast, I took my newly acquired bottles, then grabbed the entire body of the buck and prepared to kill the lion. I sat above its cave and patiently waited.
I had changed the shape of the bottle of skunk odor; it was now spherical and as thin as an eggshell. The skunk bomb was ready, and all I had to do was wait.
It took around four hours, but the Nemean lion finally wandered out of its den.
I stayed pressed flat to the ground and using my Telekinesis, hurled the skunk bomb. It jerked its head at the last minute but was too slow. The stone shell broke over its face, drenching it in fetid skunk odor. The lion went ballistic, tearing all over the clearing.
It bashed its head into trees and knocked over the smaller ones as it tried to paw the disgusting smell out of its face.
Meanwhile, I didn’t move an inch. Any sound or movement now could get me killed.
So, I waited until the lion fled back into its cave and kept waiting. Finally, I levitated the buck’s body to the ground near the cave’s entrance. I had slit its belly open and packed it with the Black Rot mushrooms. Now that the Nemean lion couldn’t smell them, I hoped it would eat the buck and poison itself. I tried to think of a back-up plan, but didn’t have anything else that could kill it, briefly regretting not choosing Force Lightning as one of my abilities but quickly turning my attention back to the clearing, waiting.
I wasn’t a patient person, able to feel the rot spreading through me, the black veins extending even further from the bite mark on my arm.
Even though I technically had six days left, I didn’t think I’d be operational for that long. I needed to purify the rot from my body… quickly.
It was almost nightfall before the lion exited its lair and looked around warily.
I froze.
It sniffed and snorted irritably, batting at its nose. As it looked around, it spotted the body of the buck then circled the carrion four times before getting closer, sniffing and snorting. Finally, it bit down, dragging the buck’s body back into its lair.
Sighing, I slowly got up, and left.
I would have to come back in the morning and look it over.
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After washing the dirt off me in the river, I returned to the camp. I missed hot showers, but had to admit to having fun despite the infection that if uncured, would kill me in a few days. I took another bowl of venison stew with added wild corn.
We also had pastries made of bread leaf and filled with wild berries.
The leaf was surprisingly thick and tasted like bread in itself, making it seem like a chewy naan. I ate my fill, letting the skunk have my leftovers, and took myself off to bed.
Awake again at midnight, I sighed, rolling out of my sleeping bag.
This time, it wasn’t even a dozen skeletons. I appeared to have already culled the majority of the possible undead in this area. All that remained to deal with were a single wolf, a few deer, and a couple of undead raccoons, also some weird animals I couldn’t identify from their remains.
Blood and Souls (Repeatable): Kill 80 monsters or humanoids. Current progress: 77/80. When you complete this quest, you will gain 16 rank points. The next quest will require double the number to be completed but will award double the rank points.
Frustrated at not completing my quest tonight, I went back to bed, falling asleep almost instantly.
***
I woke before dawn the next day and tried to get back to sleep, but the pain in my arm wouldn’t let me. I sighed again, getting up and preparing my gear, ensuring I had all my weapons and potions. I heated up a bit of stew, ate it, and headed out.
The sun rose as I hiked the four miles through the forest back to the Nemean lion’s lair.
Cautiously, I approached the cave’s entrance, straining to hear what was inside. As I crept slowly forward, I was listening intently for any clues to the outcome of my plan.
Entering the cave, I looked around, barely able to see in the darkness. There was a sliver of light and I moved forward, stopping when I saw the lion lying on its side.
I held my breath and watched, but its chest did not move.
I let out a sigh and kept moving, pushing aside the curtain of vines and entering the grotto. Taking out a jar, I gathered the petals from the lilies and shoved them into my backpack.
On turning around, I nearly had a heart attack.
The Nemean lion stood there shaking, a deep growl rumbling out of its chest. Its eyes were bloodshot and its body trembled. Its menacing growl was momentarily broken by a cough before it snarled and lunged for me. Rolling under it, I felt the claws from its hind legs raking across my back. I pushed through the pain and ran, activating my boots, then teleported to the mouth of the cave and kept running.
The lion was on my heels and let out a roar.
I stumbled and rolled, the roar knocking me off my feet, leaving my mind fuzzy and stunned. My thoughts cleared just in time to roll out of the way as the beast pounced down on me. Its claws were long and dug into my chest. A huge paw slashed across my face, nearly taking out my eye. It elicited a gasp from me, feeling the claws deeply piercing the flesh between my ribs. Then it jumped off me as a stone spearhead struck it in the side of the head, narrowly missing its eye.
Rolling to my feet, I pressed a hand to my chest to slow the bleeding. Blood ran down the left side of my face from the long gashes inflicted by the claws. My teleport came off cooldown, and I darted forward, narrowly dodging another pounce from the lion.
Next, I charged toward the lake, jumped in and started to swim. The speed bonus from my boots apparently also applied to swimming, and I was moving out across the lake, kicking with my feet as I reached for the potions in my backpack.
There was a splash and I risked a look behind to see the lion swimming toward me. It was sinking quickly but was able to keep its nose above water as it paddled toward me.
I kicked out faster, my hand finding one of my health potions.
In my wake, the water reddened, my head going fuzzy. I uncorked the potion and chugged it down, getting a mouthful of lake water in the process. I swallowed, but it made me cough and splutter for air. Soon, however, I felt the wounds in my chest closing. The bleeding slowed without stopping completely, but the fuzziness in my head subsided.
Something clamped onto my foot, making me turn to see the Nemean lion sinking underwater while firmly latched to my boot, determined to take me with him.
“Dominion,” I tried, feeling my ability impact the lion, but it slid off, unable to take hold as it resisted me, its will refusing to be bent to mine.
I took a breath, then went under.
The lion thrashed.
My ankle twisted, but my boots were an artifact, and its teeth couldn’t pierce them. I held my breath, feeling my lungs burning.
The light in the lion’s eyes faded, its grip on my boot loosening as it finally drowned. Evidently, the poison had ultimately taken its toll.
6 rank points gained.
Blood and Souls (Repeatable): Kill 80 monsters or humanoids. Current progress: 78/80. When you complete this quest, you will gain 16 rank points. The next quest will require double the number to be completed but will award double the rank points.
I kicked upwards desperately, my vision going black. Almost at the surface, it was possible to hold my breath no longer, the inhaled water flooding my lungs. Somehow, I made it, coughing up what seemed like gallons of the lake. I was still bleeding too.
The wounds across my face and chest had still not closed. There was a blinking notification in the corner of my vision; I opened it up.
You have been affected by a Laceration ability that prevents wounds from closing and healing. Stop the bleeding before you die. Time until death is 2:30 minutes.
It seemed I had just bought myself some time with which to fend off imminent death. Pushing aside the panic, I felt around in my backpack, managing to find what I was looking for. Opening one of the jars I had made, I took out the cauter fennel, packing it into the three wounds on my chest and biting back a scream as a burst of fire flared up, burning my flesh. The pain was intense, but the blood stopped pumping out. I packed the cauter fennel into the gashes across my face, unable to bite back screams as the healing fire flashed through me.
It scorched my fingers as even the blood there was enough to ignite the leaves.
I waited. Five minutes passed. I was still alive.
You have completed a hidden objective and earned a title. Objective: Survive a mortal blow that prevents healing.
Reward. Title: Survivor.
*Survivor: You are resistant to death itself. Mortal wounds are less effective on you and require higher damage stages to occur.
Exhaling pure relief, I lay on the shore, panting, staying there for almost half an hour before standing up, wincing from the pain in my ankle.
Finally feeling strong enough, I swam down to the bottom of the lake and grabbed the lion’s tail. I dragged it toward the shore but it took multiple trips, moving the lion bit by bit. Eventually, I was able to drag half of its body up onto the beach.
I tried to skin it, but my knife refused to even prick its skin. I took its paw and awkwardly used it on its other limb to open up the flesh. A claw came away as I yanked. Razor sharp, it ripped through the skin on my palm, making me howl profanity into the air.
Then, I drank another potion. Soon, my palm healed and my ankle felt slightly better, but I still felt some deep bone bruising.
Nemean Claw. Rarity: Rare. Hardness: 12. Taken from the body of a Nemean lion, this is the only thing besides an artifact capable of damaging its hide.
I used the lion’s claw to skin it, heaving it over as I pulled off its hide. When its coat was clear, a notification prompt popped into my vision. I opened it.
Nemean Lion Hide. Rarity: Epic. Hardness: 12. Taken from the hide of Nemean lion, this hide possesses the latent power of its former owner and is immune to any weapon not made from Nemean claws or an artifact.
I washed the blood and flesh off the hide and collected the other claws from its corpse. I cut it open and pulled out its heart; it wasn’t fleshy but was still hot and hard like a rock.
Iron Heart. Type: Material. Rarity: Rare. This is a trophy from a Gifted beast and has a wide variety of uses, from alchemy and smithing to absorption when gaining a new ability.
I stored the heart in my backpack and went back to the corpse, cutting through its flesh quickly and removing its skull.
Nemean Skull. Type: Material. Rarity: Rare. Hardness: 8. The skull of a Nemean lion, like all the bones of the beast, is especially hard.
I chopped the rest of the body into sections, thankfully able to levitate its whole body which weighed as much as a draft horse. I went back to its lair and lit a torch. There was nothing in there apart from a few cave paintings of men hunting a massive, scaled beast.
Leaving the cave, I returned to the lion’s body to grab my stuff and donned my backpack, grabbing the bloody skull and slinging the hide around me.
It was still tacky and raw, but was the only armor I had except for gauntlets and boots. So, I returned to camp wearing the red-striped lion pelt.
My vassals looked at me and blanched, turning away quickly.
I dropped my stuff, went to the river, and saw my reflection in the water. Black scabs in three lines covered the left side of my face. They extended from my forehead over my eye, which had narrowly escaped being blinded, almost down to my chin. I felt the inside of my mouth where the claws had ripped through. The wounds had healed faster than usual but would definitely leave a scar, especially since I’d had to cauterize them.
I washed the blood off and returned to camp, spreading out the Nemean hide and making a flat scraper from stone. I pulled the brain from its skull and started to boil it in a stone pot with a small amount of water. Then, I scraped off every inch of flesh until only the pelt was left. I poured boiling water over the hide, scouring off the blood and everything but the hide itself. After that, I spread the brain mixture over the hide, not sure what I was doing, but I knew that the brain was somehow used for tanning and figured I should let it sit for a while.
My brush with death had been exhausting, but I tried to overcome my fatigue for now and looked for my vassals for more information.
“Where can I find other Gifted?” I asked.
My vassals looked at each other. “The lord of this land and his family have the Gift. They have powerful earth magic.”
“Right. Quin killed one of them for his powers, didn’t he?” I asked for confirmation of something I already knew.
They nodded.
“If you’re thinking about trying to fight them, I’d advise against it,” Jand said. “They’re powerful and have lots of guards and other protections. Quin killed a cousin while he was sleeping in a tavern. It was a lucky opportunity, but you can’t count on that luck again.”
“And if you kill one, the rest of the family will come to hunt you down,” Fentren added.
“Aren’t there any Gifted who are easier targets? Or, at least ones without many allies to come to their defense?”
They were silent.
Then Maria spoke up. “There is the Bandit King,” she said. “He’s a Gifted with supernatural strength and durability.”
“He also has many men under his command,” warned Jand.
“That’s more of a bonus than a disadvantage,” I said. “How far away are they?”
“A week and a half through the Cursed Forest,” Jand said.
“Is that the name for this forest?” I wanted to know.
Maria nodded.
But Jand shook his head. “I believe that it’s officially called the Cursed Forest on the maps, but my great-grandmother referred to it as the Forest of the Ancients.”
“Very well. Rest up. Tomorrow around midday, you will guide me to the Bandit King,” I commanded.
I went to bed, leaving them to sort out the intricacies of the watch between themselves.
There were still some things I wanted to do before sleeping, so I lay back on my sleeping bag, the skunk snuffling and curling up beside me. I had to make a decision.
I could either raise Telekinesis by one rank or raise Compress Earth by two ranks. While in combat, I made much use of Telekinesis. The stone spearheads were, however, a big part of my damage output, so increasing their quality could help a lot. I also wanted to raise it to Rank 5 and see if all abilities got an additional effect at this rank.
My mind was made up. I made the decision.
“Raise Compress Earth by two ranks,” I told the System.
Compress Earth (Rank 3): You can fuse dirt and stone into a more durable, heavier material that can be shaped. You can currently fuse a 4-foot-square section of earth and common stone. Your compressed stone has a Hardness rating of 5; your compressed earth has a Hardness rating of 3. The detail with which you can sculpt is based on your Mind & Perception Attribute.
Cost: 1 Mana per 1-foot square.
Upgrade this ability to increase the amount you can compress, its durability, weight, and the materials upon which you can use this ability. Each upgrade increases your Mind Attribute by 1.
A throbbing headache pierced my skull.
Compress Earth (Rank 4): You can fuse dirt and stone into a more durable, heavier material that can be shaped. You can currently fuse an 8-foot-square section of earth and common stone. Your compressed stone has a Hardness rating of 5.5; your compressed earth has a Hardness rating of 3.5. The detail with which you can sculpt is based on your Mind & Perception Attribute.
Cost: 1 Mana per 1-foot square.
Upgrade this ability to increase the amount you can compress, its durability, weight, and the materials upon which you can use this ability.
Each upgrade increases your Mind Attribute by 1.
My headache turned into a migraine. It was as if a gnome had started jackhammering away at the inside of my skull. I groaned and clenched my teeth, the pain terrible, but nothing compared to the claws which had pierced my lungs.
Thankfully, the pain was as brief as it was intense. My work done for the day, I sighed and closed my eyes. Lying back on my sleeping bag, I fell asleep instantly.