《I awoke as the hero of Oakvale》Chapter 10. To kill or to contract?
Advertisement
Green(general) Will experience or energy is what's left in the body after consciousness fades. For example, bugs don't have much of consciousness, to begin with, so most of their experience is "green experience". The undead who glows green is because the only Will they had left was to keep fighting and their minds are long gone. All that's left is the will to keep fighting. Either the other kinds of Will they had in life faded away completely or degraded into the green general experience having lost its purpose. Theresa's future sight is an exception to this as her eyes only appear green because it is a combination of Skill energy(yellow) and Will energy(blue). Skill and Might experience are only generated within the body by using certain actions to defeat an opponent or by consuming certain foods that promote those parts. Meat protein for muscles and eating fish because it is good for your brain and therefore mind. Green experience energy is the one that can be absorbed directly from enemies since it doesn't already have a purpose.
Knowledge is power and over time I've had no choice but to fill in the gaps for how magic works in this world. Since the inhabitants here including wizards and William Black don't know science they could never figure out how things worked. Some of these things are super basic like putting two and two together to get four. I mean they don't even understand how Will energy adapts to its user's desire and its intended function. In months I've discovered more than they have in centuries. Granted I do have the perspective of a game to help me see it from an outside perspective and a few hints here and there.
With what little time I have free I now spend on the borders of the Darkwoods and Barrow Fields. Since I can't allow myself to be seen by villagers with my shirt off while I train this makes the best location. The last thing I need is the other children calling attention to me by calling me something like "stripes" or "blue boy". Here my mother keeps watch as I train, so I have little to fear of Balverines and monsters attacking. Even with only a regular steel ax, she could easily dispatch them.
Remembering she once wielded a much better weapon I asked what happened to her legendary ax. To which she replied, "Oh the guild took that back".
"What?"
"Yeah, they made me do a treasure hunt with a bunch of keys to earn using it. Once I retired from active questing they took it back."
"Ah, so the guild owns all the weapons that are in the silver chests all over Albion?"
"Yes they do and they are mainly for new heroes" Scarlett added.
"Damn... So I have to get a better weapon for you too", I said. Turns out normal people can't even find the damn keys without having a guild seal. Bye-bye Murren Greataxe!
Since any weapons in those chests belong to the guild as a test for young heroes and must be returned eventually they pose little use to me long term. Meaning only weapons from stores, Demon doors, Quests, and those I craft will be truly useful. Crafting will have to wait since I don't have a way to learn it yet but once I do it's gonna be great. I'll make my weapon's incapable of being used by others first because I'd hate to have them stolen and be killed by my own weapon.
Every day I do 100 fast pushups,100 situps, 100 fast squats, and then I spent back and forth along the border. If possible I try to do this several times a day. I do all this while wearing heavyweights for my pink muscle training. A feat normally impossible for someone my age but magic makes anything possible. Being nine years old actually puts me at the ideal age for training this muscle as I can still develop new muscle fibers without the Will bonus. Since I also benefit from the bonus too my gains will be drastic. After two weeks of this hellish spartan like torturous training, I'm beginning to see results. I can feel the threshold to the first physique rank. It's only taking longer because I'm going quality over quantity by building superior less bulky muscle. Better products always take longer to make!
Advertisement
Meditating while focusing on building my physique as usual I felt something click. I can only describe it as an enlightened feeling or a twitch within my body. A moment of clarity within both my mind and body. Then there was a surge of what felt like power flow through me. I'd grown stronger the last few weeks just from the workout but it was nothing like this. Getting up from my seated position I grabbed a nearby rock buried in the ground that was about the size of my head. Giving it a yanked the small boulder exploded from the soil to reveal it was actually about 3 times bigger. I guess It's like how icebergs are always larger beneath the water. I held the stone in my hand aloft with some difficulty but I still managed it. Giving it a squeeze with all the strength I could muster nothing happened but I could hear the sound of the stone stressing. I couldn't break it yet but my strength was getting close and in time and with another rank in physique, it should be possible. Not that I would have the time to train another rank before Jack arrives since we only have a few months left. Once we leave in Nemo in a few days for the void we will have more time but I won't have the room/space to train my physique this way.
My focus will be gaining general and will experience from now until its time to leave for the void. The idea is to gain the ability to use light magic before arriving into the void. Once there I'll bend or remove the light that makes us visible so that the monstrosities there cannot see us. Worst case I can try using light to make a barrier or use enough that the darkness bonded creatures that they are cannot get close enough to hurt us. As much as I hate it I'm going to have to improvise as time is getting super tight now. Even with the traveling time difference, I won't know what course is best until I'm there. Theresa claims her sight doesn't work well in the void so she isn't certain what we all do there.
Wanting more experience than bugs provide I got Scarlet to take us all to the Greatwood cullis gate. Theresa now has ebony wood bow thanks to our mother. She invested in getting her the bow because she had no good way to protect herself in close combat. I didn't get anything because I already have the Dollmasters mace. Brom got some pieces of plate and chainmail armor as well as a banded iron wooden tower shield. His weapon remained one of his wood axes because he's used to swinging them. Switching to a new and heavier ax would make it awkward to wield and the unfamiliarity could cost him his life. An ax is still a deadly weapon so it should be fine for now. Even if he freezes up in combat his muscle memory should follow through.
Seeing a group of bandits down the hill I prepare a few time blades between him and our group. Since only two were close together and could possibly see us Theresa shot one in the head using her bow. The arrow went right into his eye and he fell over dead. His colleague enraged ran towards us up the hill. Preparing for the worst-case I readied my mace as my parents readied their weapons too. My worries were misplaced however as the bandit ran straight into an invisible time blade cutting himself in half.
Advertisement
The man simply fell apart while tumbling into pieces from his sprint. The image was horrifying as he separated right down the middle with blood spraying everywhere. Feces flung from his severed intestines as did piss from his ruptured bladder. I gagged at the sight that although not right in front of me was close enough. I could smell the carnage and it made me gag. That is right before the vomiting began followed by the immense guilt of what I'd just done. I killed that man. He was going to kill that trader down the hill but he'd never done anything to me and yet I'd killed him. I killed another human being!
I tried to hold it in but I wretched again into the brush. I hope plants like puke because now they're covered in it.
Theresa padded my back, "Its ok bother. you'll feel better later".
Those were not the words I wanted or expected to hear from a child. Theresa was arguably not a child anymore though and she killed that other bandit while barely batting an eye.
My mother just nodded in approval at our kills while our father turned pale as a sheet. To his credit, he didn't lose his lunch as I did.
When it was his turn Brom struggled a lot more to defeat his enemy. It was a battle of brute strength and equipment against his foe. The bandit couldn't compete with the difference in weaponry and eventually, my dad got the better of him planting an ax into his chest. He panted and heaved for air and I could tell was almost as disturbed by killing someone else as I. Again he didn't throw up either and I realized maybe I don't give him enough credit.
"We'll make a hero out of you yet dad!" I claimed while giving Broms backplate a slap. The reverb and bang snapping him out of a thousand-mile stare.
"I-I can't let my little ones do all the work now can I?" Brom exclaimed pridefully trying to cover up his initial vulnerability and reluctance.
Theresa and Scarlet chuckled lightly and I just smiled back.
Together we spent the whole day killing all the bandits and wasps we could find.
Heading back through Greatwood towards the cullis gate I stopped by a small ruin where there was a chest containing a Willmaster's Elixir. I would give Theresa a Willmaster Elixir of her own eventually but not right now. One of use needed to be the powerhouse that faces up against Jack. Otherwise, even with teamwork, he can focus on and kill one of us at a time. If one person is strong enough to hold all his attention and focus then the others can help from the sidelines.
I needed more power so as before I gulped down the Elixir and meditated to absorb its full power. The Elixir was still very effective and boosted my overall Will-pool by about a third of its previous size. When I opened my eyes my mother had a cringe on her face.
"What?" I asked.
"Its nothing, it's just you drank that Elixir."
"So?" I pressed.
"People normally don't drink potions because they taste like butt, I mean maybe in an emergency situation they do because of the increased potency...", Scarlet rambled.
I double facepalmed and scraped my hands down my face," Of course they don't"
I hadn't thought of being able to use potions like a poultice by applying them to my skin. Being able to absorb a potion by pouring it over myself is handy but also a waste. Why are the inhabitants of this world so stupid? You'd waste the benefits of a legendary potion because you don't like the taste? For real?
"Let's just go home..." I began to say but I spotted something out of the corner of my eye.
"That can't be what that looks like", I exclaimed as I rushed towards what I'd spotted.
"Wait! Arn", Brom and Scarlet shouted but I ignored them.
Rushing to the top of a small green hilltop I was surprised that my eyes hadn't lied to me. It was a very human-looking little fairy creature or what they called in fable a "Nymph". To be more exact this Nymph was the water kind that had the most human appearance. Normally they are extremely hostile to humans but I was not worried about this one attacking me. That's because currently, this water nymph had her leg caught in a bear trap and was laying on the ground while weeping lightly. She'd lost a fair bit of blood and was separated from water for who knows how long. For a Water Nymph who knows how long it takes before that's fatal.
She looked like just a small cute little blue girl. Well, technically a small naked one but she was smooth where there would normally be certain parts... so not really.
" Plea...", The creature mumbled barely audible.
"A NYMPH!" my mother shouted rushing towards the creature while readying her ax.
"STOP!!!" I demanded.
Scarlet didn't listen or was too enraged to hear me. So I used my time barrier which blocked her ax easily. Surprised her ax stopped and the creature still breathed she turned to me.
"Let me kill it that things EVIL!" Scarlet demanded.
"NO!", the response took scarlet by surprise.
"You don't unders..."
"YOUR WRONG!" I interrupted.
As Scarlet was aghast and at a loss for words I continued, "I've seen EVIL and I know when I see it. From what I've seen so far I doubt that thing is evil. Its most likely just misunderstood and with humans infringing and polluting its home thinks were an enemy."
"They kidnap children and most likely eat them!" Scarlet added angrily.
"Even when they do capture a human they don't kill them but turn them into a hobbe which is as close as we can become to being a nymph. I won't kill something just based on the word of someone else and their limited knowledge. Especially when the information I have leads me to believe otherwise. Also evil is when someone or something is indifferent to living sentient creature existence enough to torture or kill mercilessly. From most beings perspective humans who only care for their own kind appear quite evil."
"Boy, you.."
"Don't give a damn about your opinion! As a wise old man, I once knew said I'm F**KING this hog so you just hold it's head". I cut Scarlet off. The crude remark about where I was claiming her position in this team was silenced her. She probably thought as the adult, parent, and former hero that she in charge.
I gave Scarlet my coldest and most serious look, "Just so you know I'm running this show. So if you got a problem with that we can fight it out but I promise I won't pull any punches. You most likely will die just because of your ego."
It was only after Scarlet let out a sigh that I realized my eyes were brightly glowing with will energy.
"They grow so fast", Scarlet sighed again while walking away.
Turning to the dying water nymph I asked, "So child of the river how did you end up like this?"
"Please I give you Golddd if you set me freeee!" The creature cried.
"How do I know you won't try to kill me later or kidnap other children after I let you go. Also, I do not need gold. So what can you offer me so I can trust you?"
She faintly lifted her hand towards me and to my surprise, a blue banner appeared. It was a blue screen just like in a game!
Water Nymph Naia would like to form a pact with you. As your familiar, creatures are unable to harm you. she will be loyal to you as your death will mean her own. This pact is permanent and a hero may have one familiar. Would you like to proceed?
I hadn't expected any game-like mechanics to exist in this world. Previously just in case, I'd tried to activate or summon the menu screen/inventory. I even asked Scarlet about it and she had no idea what I was talking about insisting such a thing didn't exist.
Thinking about the familiar contract at first I thought such a thing was never in the game but then I remembered the dogs from fable 2 and 3. The heroes of this world wasted their one familiar contracts on DOGS!!! Did they not realize the familiar would always be loyal to them regardless of species.
Yes, I exclaimed and as I did so a glowing blue drop of water hovered out of Naia and after a burning sensation so did a glowing red drop of blood from my finger. The two combined disappearing in a golden flash of light and then a notification briefly popped up saying the pact was complete. Before I could say anything else the screen was gone and an itching or stinging sensation began. It was not that painful but was annoying like having a grain of sand in your eye. I heard a voice in my head scream, "Don't just stand there human boy get this thing off me!!!"
Realizing the bear trap was still on Naia's leg I went over and released the trap. My mother was holding her ax ready to strike at any moment the whole time.
"So we can speak through our minds?" I asked Naia.
"That's obvious adolescent human", Naia grumbled.
I rolled my eyes at Naia, "Please I know your child-like appearance isn't just a trap. You were born of Will and a body of water."
Who or whats Will creates Nymphs I'm not sure, maybe its the world. It could be nature itself but whatever is doing it stops doing it before fable two. Trolls always seemed to be born of some kind of ambient will energy combined with any natural material or element. This energy could possibly be from the destruction of the old kingdom. Trolls later would be made almost extinct but alway would spawn more eventually. Though less spawn in the future than there are spawning currently in the world. The reason for this decrease is clearly from humans. Most Nymphs are born from water and trees so with modern technologies destroying the forest, polluting waters, and poisoning the soil. As a result, less magical creatures are created.
"How old are you Naia?" I demanded which startled my new familiar by me already knowing her name.
"Five years old", Naia conceded.
"F-five", Scarlet coughed. Realizing probably just now she was going to kill an innocent little girl.
"Mother would you mind healing her", I said pointing out the nasty gash on Naia's leg.
"Oh, right!"
A flash of white light later and Naia was looking a lot better.
I took a seat on a nearby rock while looking towards Naia and said, "So Naia tell me why your kind hates humans so much"
Advertisement
- In Serial31 Chapters
A Snake's Life
The Afterlife isn't always what you think… The loving father of three children, Alfred lived a life of few regrets. He served his country far from home. He outlived his soulmate. He died alone. However, Albert's intentions about a peaceful eternity, reunited with his wife, are thrown out the window when a meddling god digs his fingers into Albert’s afterlife. The positive? He has a chance to make things right—to live the life that was so cruelly taken from him the first time. Reincarnating into a world full of magical evolutions, monstrous deer, and sassy ten-year-old elves, Albert worries he doesn't have a chance of surviving the three-hundred-years the god promised it would take to reunite him with his beloved. But if life has taught Albert anything it’s this: If something is worth having, it's worth fighting for. And he intends to fight.
8 143 - In Serial67 Chapters
Cultivating Civilization
Cultivating Civilizations are horrible places for people to live. Abducted from his retirement, Jack was placed into such a world. He has two options. Either he can follow the traditions of the world and kill his way to the top, or try to change the world into one where people don't have to. Follow him on his path as he tries to balance his past life's morals with this life's realities. Jack doesn't care that a sea of people stands in his way, he will nurture a sea of his own and drown them. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hey guys! I hope you like my novel. If you want to read advanced chapters then you can visit this site. You can visit the novel's Discord through this link. I will post at least 1 chapter per day here.
8 160 - In Serial10 Chapters
Leap of Faith
Captain Alba, traveling betwixt the stars, the universe his oyster. That's the dream at least. Life as a lone salvager wont be the end of him, least of all with the chance of a lifetime in front of him. This wreckage should not be here, it would be prudent to leave and forget he ever saw it, but with risk comes opportunity and within this black ship might lie the key to his future and a start to his crew. Leap into the void and find out. Will you fly or fall? (Updating once a week on Mondays)
8 128 - In Serial13 Chapters
One Piece: Straw Hats Conquering the Seas
Youth from the modern world reincarnated into the world of fiction holding powerful legendary artifacts. He shall conquer the seas and became the king of the pirates
8 148 - In Serial31 Chapters
Blood Thirsty [Kim Seunghun - CIX]✔️
They were human, that was a fact, but why are they so weird?They keep secrets, a lot of them in fact. So now I have to keep digging till I unwrap everything.
8 104 - In Serial45 Chapters
Snape X reader -a fine line-
It was (Y/N)'s sixth year at Hogwarts and she was more than exited to go because of her secret crush. While struggling with her mental health and cutting, she couldn't stop thinking about him: Long black cloak and onyx, cold eyes. Her crush was no one less than the head of Slytherin and potion master Severus Snape. What happens when she finally dares to kiss him and what happens when she suddenly gets captured by the Death Eaters. Will Severus Snape save her or let her die under the hands of the Dark Lord itself? (Beginning is a bit trash so i'm sorry for that!)-TW--Self harm-Smut-Unwanted touches (only in one chapter)
8 475