SKILLS
Blunt Weapons-1
Piercing Weapons-1
Cutting Weapons-3
Throwing-3
Light Archery-3
Riding-1
Trap Making-2
Ambidxterious-2
Running-3
Swimming-2
Light Conditioning-5 MAX
Medium Conditioning-1
Climbing-1
Stealth-1
Basic Biology-1
Torture-3
Deception-3
Poison Immunity-2
Type: Spore
Meditate
Identification
Observe
Murderer-90
Depraved-10
Army of One-5
Enemy of the People-3
Massacre of Willhelm-1 MAX
Battle of Gloommore Forest-1 MAX
Player Killer-4
Cannibal-2
Holy War-1
Dexterity Focus-1
Endurance Focus-1
STATUS
Name Kenji Shadowen
Level 34
Constitution 11.4
Strength 25.5
Dexterity 53.04
Endurance 52
Wisdom 5.1
Intelligence 5.15
Charisma 0
Luck 0
Fate 122.24
Quest-Medium
Monster Hunter
Kill the forest guardian
+100 EXP
Accept (Yes/No)
I was a bit disappointed. Maxing out light conditioning had only given one percent SP bonus for levels three through five and then unlocked medium conditioning. While I didn't think I would unlock ultimate power, I was hoping for a bit more.
My arrows were all used up, broken and cracked from the repeated shooting. I had tried practicing with my swords but the skill wouldn't level up unless I was beating something alive apparently. It had been only seven days, but I was done with the training and trying to improve my skills. I wanted to kill things again and was going a bit stir crazy. I sat at the edge of the rock looking out at the stars and how the scene was reflected against the lake.
I had the twenty four basic chants memorized. They were all fairly similar, but each of them was slightly different. I could see how it would be insanely easy to trip up and do the wrong chant. Next time I fought a magic user I would shout random things to confuse them. Also it was a big help to hear the names of the Gods otherwise I would never have been able to pronounce half of them just from the text alone. Each stat or god got three basic chants. The first was to remove a condition and heal in some way. The second chant was to boost a stat a small amount for a short time.
The final chant in each set was a bit trickier. At first I thought it was to boost a stat but that didn't make any sense since there was already a chant. It finally came to me a couple of days into the training. The second chant was for a longer period of time but a smaller increase while the third chant was for a doubling or even tripling of a stat for a very brief period of time. I figured it was the third type of chant that the priest had used against me.
I let myself smile as I looked out across the water. I was currently in the top fifty of all players. With the millions of people who had signed up, that was a bit surprising but not unexpected. I recalled the message that had come up recently.
NOTIFICATION
All players have been ranked based on levels and skills. You will be informed if you are in the top 10000, top 1000, or the top 50.
***TOP 50***
I honestly wondered how strong the strongest player was. Probably insane and I would need to take them down in order to reach the top. Maybe I was the strongest and someone would try to take me out. I stood up and began taking a piss off into the lake. I heard the twang of a bow.
I tried to twist out of the way and piss went everywhere. The arrow went through my shoulder. I fell on my rear. I quickly tightened up the pants I was wearing with my left hand. My right arm was weak and not doing so well with the arrow lodged into my right shoulder. That shot had come from behind. I rolled as another arrow hit the rock where I had just been laying. The arrow embedded in my shoulder twisted and I had to bite back a scream.
I grabbed the sword that I had set next to me while star gazing and began to move forward at high alert. Someone was out there and they were making a go at me. While they failed in their surprise attack and now they were going to pay.
Another arrow flew at me from the tree line but I was already moving to the side, letting the arrow easily slip by me. I continued racing forward to the source of the shot. I heard a person moving and darted in sword swinging. The figure had a sword of their own and blocked head on. I pushed on their blade and my higher Strength pushed their blade back. They moved to the side to strafe around me, but I countered by moving back and turning to keep them in front of me while not losing my footing.
The figure came in swinging. I blocked the attacks easily enough, but my right shoulder was not doing me any favors. I deflected the next jab and kicked out towards their knee. They had good battle sense and stepped back just in time to avoid a shattered knee cap. Damn, this person had some skill. While I had the stronger Strength stat they were my equal in terms of Dexterity apparently. Time to change things up.
"Oh Xyiterted, aid me now. Speed my senses for this time when all is at stake. For through your guidance I shall overcome the hardship placed before me. With your power let me now succeed where others might have failed." The figure had a cloth around their face and it was dark, but I could see them hesitate as I did the chant while continuing to trade blows.
The moment it was complete, but didn't activate of course, I didn't go for any fancy tricks. I just slammed my blade as hard as I could down at the figure. They stumbled, and I kept raining blows down on them. They sank to one knee and then two before finally losing the grip on their blade sending in flying into the brush. I kicked out and sent the figure backwards onto the ground. I then stabbed with my blade into their wrist, almost cutting off their right hand.
The figure screamed, but I kicked them a couple more times. They were cradled around their bloody stump, well not really a stump since the hand was still attached by a strip of flesh. "Log out." I heard the figure gasp out.
I placed my sword on their neck. "Get up and come with me." The autopilot obeyed. That was the thing about autopilots, you couldn't order your autopilot to kill themselves or do anything impressive. I got the figure out onto my rocky out cropping where I could see them better. I pushed half the wood I had stacked up by my fire pit into it with my foot to get some light in the area. "Take off all your clothes." The auto pilot looked like it was going to refuse for a second, but then it obeyed. There was a chance that the player had only said log out to trick me.
The black cloaked figure was a woman. They were having trouble with only one hand but managed. "Lie down on the ground face down. Put your good hand behind your head and your other one stretched out." The woman listened without complaint, but I saw the fear in her eyes. I let my sword heat up in the fire while keeping any eye on her. After a minute I walked over and burned the wound shut and cut off the rest of her hand. She let out a scream and then fell silent.
She stopped moving after that. I checked her eyes and breathing, but she had passed out or the system had calculated that she had lost enough blood and HP to pass out from the pain. I went into my pack and found strips of ripped up clothing I used for bandages. I then broke off the tail of the arrow and pulled it out of my back. That hurt, but luckily it hadn't broken inside of me when I had rolled on the ground.
I then proceeded to touch my white hot blade to my wounds. The next thing I remember after that was waking up with the fire dying down. I must have passed out. The woman was still unconscious thankfully. I finished bandaging up my wound. My shirt was a total loss, but I had a spare thankfully, which I wasn't going to use just yet.
I was exhausted from a day of training and now I had this nonsense to deal with. I cut up all the woman's cloths and searched her for any hidden weapons and loot. I found a knife in her boot. Simple, but effective, a true classic. Once that was done I bandaged up her stump and then tied her to a tree some twenty feet away from my fire.
After that I went to sleep. I woke up the next morning sore. I checked my wound and my status. I had lost about a third of my HP in the fight yesterday and then another third burning my wounds shut to stop my bleeding. It had gone back up a smidge, but HP regen was slow as was well but thankfully not as bad as MP. I figured it would take anywhere from three to four days to recover all my lost HP. That was really annoying, but nothing I could do about it.
Cutting Weapons-4
Straight through
LvL 1: You understand the basics of cutting weapons
LvL 2: You understand the theory behind cutting weapons
LvL 3: You understand the limits of cutting weapons, +1% Dexterity
LvL 4: You understand the applications of cutting weapons, +1% Endurance
At least that was one bit of good news. I looked over at the woman and saw that she was awake. "Good morning, player or auto-pilot?"
"I am going to rip off your balls, you ass hole." She continued on her rant which I tuned out. It was too early for this shit. I slapped her in the face to shut her up.
"Why are you pissed at me?"
"It's me Helena." I couldn't place her. "You killed me."
"Ah, well I make it a point not to remember the people I kill, since I kill so many."
"I am going to rip your eyes out and shove them up your ass so you can see my sword going-"
"Enough already, geez. So you came here for revenge."
"I already have mental log-out set up, so hah!"
"I figured, well thank you for being a fan and now the question of what to do with you."
"Let me kill you, I will rip off your face with my teeth."
"Woah, a bit much don't you think. Well I am going to have sex with you. Before you start screaming about rape and all of that I am also going to untie you. So you have a chance a killing me." There was no gamble, I already knew my Strength stat was much higher and I figured the loss of a hand would hinder her greatly. I was a bastard, but I wasn't about to force myself on anyone, or any player. The least I could do was to channel her hate in a productive manner.
There was also the fact that other players had noted the massive penalty they got from raping other players. Sure eating them and torturing them was fine, but heaven forbid any sex. NPCs were fine, but I guess they wanted to discourage potential law suits.
She seemed conflicted. On one hand she wanted a shot at killing me. On the other hand she hated my guts. "Fine, let's do this." The first thing I did was gag her securely. She mumbled out curses and yelled at me through the gag. Too late, she agreed. The system would recognize her statement and no penalties would be applied.
"You didn't think it would be that easy. You can try to ungag yourself with your free hand once we start." I could feel the heat of her glare." Next I made sure my weapons and gear were hidden in the forest. I didn't want her escaping and grabbing one of them. Then I got undressed and went to untie her. I wasn't that worried about her having friends, since they would have attacked while I had been resting.
Fifteen minutes later I had lost about a tenth of my HP from her hitting me with her one hand and her stump and she was out of SP was exhausted. I got up and tied her back up. I was glad I had trimmed her nails on her remaining hand before we started. She alternated between hitting me and trying to undo the gag to bite me. She never managed to get the gag off thankfully.
I went for a swim in the lake to get cleaned up and then got dressed and started packing up all my gear. I had found her satchel, but there was only some food and a couple of copper. Nothing valuable for all this headache. I guess the tender fruits of her flesh would have to suffice. I walked into the forest and found a bulb after looking around for a bit. I carried it back with me.
She had regained her senses and was staring in horror at the bulb I was carrying. "Now you have two choices. First choice I kill you quick and easy. Second choice I set you free with no hand and no clothes. Third choice is that I set this guy on you. Interesting fact, you don't die while this thing is attached. Well you will eventually when more bulbs grow out of you, but that is very messy."
***
Ramponator: 2, 2, 2, 2
6996: Three of course
HolyMan: Let her suffer for her failure, three
PedoBear9000: Two and three somehow, combo?
Ramponator: Put the bulb on her and then remove it and set her free, Option 4
UltimataSecret: Option 4
KilluaXXX: Option 3 or 4, bulbs rule
JackSlash: Option 1, let the blood rain
GODHAXLOL: YOU SCREWED HELENA
Ramponator: Best part of VR
FuriousGhost: You are all sick shits, option 1
Tattles: Seems like someone is a sore loser, in a couple ways, option 4
***
"Well the votes are in Helena. For option one, a quick death, you got 57 votes. For option two, set you free, you got 587 votes, for option three, bulby, you got 783. In a surprising twist there was a forth option to combine two and three and that received…wait for it….3,287 votes in that little impromptu poll." I went and took off her gag.
"You are all sick shits. I am going to kill you all!" She screamed out in rage.
"Good luck with that. This honestly was your best chance. See you are going to go back to the beginning while I only get stronger. I will also take those as your last words." I placed the bulb I had hunted up during the voting and placed it between her breasts. I had to respect the smaller breasts, monster size breasts would be way to unwieldy and make a person top heavy.
I waited for a minute then pulled the bulb off and stuck it back into one of my satchels. I saw a number of green eggs in the wound as it slowly healed shut. I then removed the rope and put it away as she lay there paralyzed. "Well have fun." I left her there, her face a picture of frozen rage. I was hoping the paralysis would wear off. Naked with monsters growing inside of her and only one hand. If she did come back as some weird player monster hybrid then that would be a bridge I would cross when I got to it.
Torture-4
Stright through
LvL 1: You understand the basics of torture
LvL 2: You understand the theory behind torture
LvL 3: You understand the limits of torture, +1% Charisma
LvL 4: You understand the applications of torture, +1% Charisma
I let out a small sigh. I really didn't care about Charisma or Luck. I set myself to heading further west, deeper into the forest or out of it for all I knew. I had no idea about the local geography, online no one was sharing anything either. The few people who did share, well Breckley and Mendal were not on their maps. I had no idea how big the world was, but based on the low encounter rates with other players I figured it was fairly large.
I saw a new monster that afternoon. A tree creature with a face. "Observe."
Small Forest Ent
LvL 43
Strongest Stat: Constitution
Cutting through that bark would be hard. I backed away and it just kept on eye on me standing still. I gathered up a bunch of branches and started a fire. I piled more and more onto it, until it was really going. I set my satchels off to the side and picked up a bunch of long branches that were burning and red hot. I rushed the forty feet back to the Small Forest Ent and placed them at its base. I then ran away. Nothing happened for two seconds and then I saw the tree roots rip out of the ground as the Ent smashed the burning branches in a cloud of embers.
It began to move at a slow to moderate pace after me. I gathered up my gear and moved to place my bonfire between me and the Ent. It hesitated at the edge of the fire. I threw one of my swords which stuck out of the Ent as a sap leaked down the side. It moved forward right into my fire. For a second I thought it would just plow through, but it faltered in the middle of the burning logs and branches. Half a second later the Ent became a pillar of flame. A few seconds later the Ent was gone except for a cloud of ash that collapsed in a black wave over the forest floor.
I ducked behind a tree as the soot washed by me. I then looked out and saw that my fire had gone out and the whole area was covered with a layer of soot and ash. This was going to be long and messy. I built up the fire again. I then ran to where the Ent had been and raced through the trees hitting them with swords.
I managed to get three more Ents. They all began to move towards me. When they hesitated near the fire I would throw a sword to enrage them and they pushed through the fire. With the three Ents after me they were close enough that when on went up the other two did as well. They burned briefly but intensely. I wondered if there was a way to harvest their sap, it would make for a great fire bomb if it truly was the source of their combustion. The slowest part was having to rebuild the fire each time as the soot and ash smothered it. I made sure that I never pulled more than two to three Ents. Once I had two of them after me I stopped hitting trees with my sword and retreated.
I killed off a total of fifteen Ents and was covered in Ent soot. I wanted to try something, so I pulled a single Ent and led it through the forest and then back towards my fire. Every time it stopped chasing I would run up and hit it with my sword. By the time night fell the Ent stopped moving even if I hit it. I had four canteens with me. I normally only kept two full since there were a number of streams in the forest and it was a pain to carry around that much water.
I used my two spare canteens to collect Ent sap. I smeared some onto a branch and threw it into the fire pit. The sap was incredibly flammable. Once I was done I washed off the stickiness in a nearby stream and returned to my fire. I built it up some more and allowed myself to relax. I had leveled up to thirty seven from killing all the Ents. I dumped all nine of my stat points into Constitution. With my HP being as low as it was, I wanted to avoid being killed in a single attack.
I lay down next to the fire and began to drift off. I heard the beat of wings nearby. I was too tired to really care. What, I always cared. My body numb. I couldn't focus. Everything was blurry. There was a huge shape moving towards me. Act. I had to act.
I grabbed my sword next to me and stabbed my foot. The pain cut through the haze. I saw three large moths about the size of my head hovering around my campfire. "Observe."
Luna Moth
LvL 41
Strongest Stat: Wisdom
A smart bug is still dumber than a dumb human. I swung my sword up and cut one of them in half. The other two moved to fly away, but they were too big to move quickly. Two quick slashes later and they were dead. I got out my bandages and wrapped up my foot. I then looked at the corpses. There was a faint yellow powder on the wings.
I poked it with my finger and it locked up. I could move it just barely, but it was hard. I spent the rest of the night poking my fingers into Luna Moth poison. I figured they sent out a barrage of it over an area to knock out their prey. Then they would land and probably lay eggs in me, or something equally freaky.
Mourning came and I was exhausted. I washed myself off again from all the soot and packed up my stuff. I carefully cut off the Luna Moth wings and placed them in the shirt that woman had ruined. I then left this portion of the woods until I found a stream and a couple of large boulders.
I washed off more of the soot and then washed out my clothes as best as I could. I was really hating the Ents and their soot clouds. I gathered a bunch of wood and started a fire. I ate bread and jerky while I left a piece of Luna wing on one of my feet. The paralyzing effect went up to my hip and then faded away from there. Every so often I would alternate legs.
After half a day with still no improvement in my resistance I scrapped a tiny bit of the yellow powder onto a piece of bread. By tiny I mean minuscule. I then touched my lips with the piece of bread. My entire face froze up. Not enough to completely paralyze me, but all my muscles were sluggish. I then took a tiny bite and began chewing. I had a canteen of water ready. My jaw and tongue locked up. It was an effort to swallow but I did. I lay there on a slap of rock in the middle of a forest trying to breathe.
My mind grew heavy. What. I. Focus, must focus. Poison moths. I hate bugs. A few minutes later the effect wore off. It was surprisingly restful being unfocused like that, once you got past the terror of losing control and eating bug poison. I also activated my Meditate skill while I was laying there prone. Multi-tasking was the path to success.
Night came and I set the wings aside. I went to sleep. A number of times during the night I would wake up and listen. I managed to kill two more Luna Moths at the beginning of the night and after that no more showed up. I went back to poisoning myself the next day. Late in the afternoon I finally got a message.
Poison Immunity-2
Tastes like chicken
LvL 1: You are immune to basic poisons
LvL 1: You are immune to intermediate poisons
Types: Spore, Bug
That took far too long, but was worth it. The poison just gave me a moderate numbing affect now. I applied it liberally to my injured shoulder and foot. My health was still low and not recovering quickly as I would have liked. I took a deep breath and calmed myself. That was probably how people died. They rushed and placed themselves in a bad situation.
I went back to hunting Ents. I would kill about twelve a day and then rest during the afternoon. At night I would doze while keeping an ear open for the Luna Moths. Two to five showed up every night and I quickly killed them off and then went to sleep. Not to say I wasn't alert, but I was a lot less worried after they had shown up once, since there never was a second round of them. I figured they pick a target at stuck at the target for the night.
After five days I had reached level forty five. I had placed all my points into Strength and it was at forty nine. The only real event of note was when I pulled a massive Ent. This thing must have been Granddaddy Ent and I was barely able to keep ahead of it as it charged through the forest. I lured it onto the bonfire but it just plowed right on through. That was when I threw my canteen of Ent sap. It burst open and then the sap was struck an ember from my fire.
I was still grinning like a loon from creating a fireball. The Ent had literally stumbled back and then erupted into a pillar of flames as well. I poked around the soot hoping for some loot or drops, but nothing. My right arm was usable again, but a bit stiff. I made sure to use it every mourning and it was slowly getting better. Trap making went up by one and I got a one percent wisdom bonus. Probably from all the Ent fires I started.
Trap Making-3
Everything was covered in soot. Even my food had a soot like taste to it. It was time to return to civilization and to kill off Lord Breckley and this stupid war. I still had no idea how a player, no matter how awesome, could start a war with a country. The system seemed to legitimize terrorism, which was both scary and something to look for more information on. I set off towards the east as best as I could manage using the sun rise and sun set as my main ways to direct myself. It took two days to get out of the forest. I wasn't in that big of a hurry as my HP was still recovering.
This farm had a large fenced off pasture for some cows. I also saw more fields in the distance. I kept the bulb in my satchel covered as I made my way to the farm house. I was feeling in the mood for some diplomacy, it was time to try and start building up a group. The incident with the moths only highlighted how a group would be useful. It was nearing sunset so I figured everyone was inside eating dinner. I knocked on the door and stepped back. The farmhouse had at least three rooms if the 'L' shape was anything to go by. The walls were motored stone and the porch was elevated, with only a single entrance and no windows.
A man opened the door, a hand on his sword. He looked at my soot cover form and the two blades on my hip. "You can cooperate and live, or I can kill everyone here. It will be annoying, but that is how it is."
"You can't take me, I was a soldier under Lord Breckley." He raised up his weapon. I flipped open my satchel with the bulb and he collapsed. I closed my satchel and he lay there unable to move. The poison ran out before he could choke to death. I figured the duration had to do with Constitution and how long one could go without breathing, which was related to SP. All I knew as that the SP cost went up very quickly the longer one held their breath.
I stood there in the doorway as he got up again and picked up his sword. He sheathed it. "On your word to the Eight there will be no violence?" He asked.
"I already gave you my word, that should be good enough. Call out your family, I am not explaining this twice." Eventually the family was gathered in front of me. His wife, three teenage boys, two younger daughters, and a little boy. The wife was also pregnant. No wonder they were able to have so many soldiers. The NPCs had a distinct lack of birth control it appeared.
"I am going to explain how things are going to work once. I am going to stay here for two nights and then leave. If you don't cause any trouble I will leave some copper for your efforts, maybe silver. If there is trouble then things will get unpleasant. First rule, the girls, your wife, and the young one don't get to leave the house. I won't be touching them unless there is trouble. Second everything I eat one of you will eat. You poison the food you will be killing your family. Understand so far?" I got uneasy yeses.
"Third if you go for help things won't end well. Fourth you all do what I say. I won't ask anything too unreasonable. Any questions?" There was a silence.
"What is your name?" One of the boys asked. A bit braver than most, and I decided to answer.
"I am glad you asked, Kenji Shadowen." They all paled at that and one of the girls let out an 'eek'. "I see my fame proceeds me. No matter, behave and all will be fine. Now I want a large dinner, meat, cheese, wine or beer. Also fruit if you have some and bread. You and your three boys can start bringing buckets of water. I am covered in filth and wish to be clean. Also prepare a set of clean cloths." No one was moving. I wave my sword at them and they all jumped. "Get moving, I will eat after I am rinsed off."
The women moved back inside the house and the father and sons went to get water. They came back with buckets and the water was clean enough. "Bring out your little one."
"No, I won't let you-"
"Shut up, or I will kill you and then drag him out. I plan to hold him with my sword against his throat while all of you wash me off. Once false move and he will be dead. Otherwise I can kill all of you and then wash off myself. Which do you choose?" The father gave me an angry look but got his youngest. I ordered the three sons to step back and proceeded to cut myself out of my sooty clothes. I tossed them to the side. "Burn them where I can see out front here, also get a bench to sit on." No use in giving trackers anything to follow me with.
The boy went to gather some food while the father came back. I placed on hand on top of the child's head while my other held my sword against his throat. "Your youngest son will wash me, the rest of you go back inside the house." I got angry looks but they obeyed. I sat down on the bench holding the shivering child to me while I looked at the door way into the house. The youngest teen was standing just off to the side.
"What is your name."
"Ulther…" The boy mumbled out.
"I see you have some rags and lye, you will wipe me down. Do not rush, make sure you get all the soot." He nodded and got to work. It was quickly getting dark, but I was clean soon enough. I sent the youngest child running back into the house and then looked at Ulther. "Good job, go inside. Bring out my fresh clothes and my meal and set them on the porch.
He brought out everything I asked for and turned to leave. "Go inside and tell your family they should go to sleep and then I want you to come back out here. If they ask why, tell them because I said so." Ulther ran inside. I got dressed and began eating through the feast laid out in front of me. I had dragged the bench over to the porch and sat on it so I could watch the door while eating off the porch floor where all the food was laid out.
Ulther came back out. "Shut the door, go to sleep the rest of you." I said the last bit to the people standing the doorway. "Ulther sit down and help yourself."
"I…can't…" He mumbled out.
"Eat or I will kill all of you horribly." I said with a smile. Ulther began picking at the food. "Now I am going to ask some questions, if you lie, well let's say I will be unhappy. Also speak clearly. Say yes."
"…yes."
"Speak up."
"Yes."
"Louder."
"YES!"
"Much better. So how old are you?"
"Fourteen."
"A good age. What do you want to be when you get older? A soldier?"
"No."
"Then what?"
"A priest."
"Interesting, why don't you go to priest school or whatever."
"Too expensive and I have a hard time understanding words."
"That is too bad. Good food right?"
"Yeah, my mother is a great cook."
"So what do you want most in this world?"
"…."
"I didn't quite catch that, did you say be rich." I reached into my soot covered satchel and pulled out my money bag that was bursting. I set it to the side and opened it up. Ulther's eyes popped out of his head as I let the coins rain down back inside the bag from where I had pulled them. I was flashing my single gold piece and silver as well. "Power?" I put the money bag away and lifted up my sword.
"Strong enough to protect my family."
"A good goal. So how do you plan to get there?"
"…"
"Be a soldier?"
"Not that strong, my oldest brother Bran was strong. Died in a fight against some monsters a couple of years ago and he was a lot stronger that me."
I leaned in and whispered, "Do you want to come with me?" Ulther turned and looked at me in shock.
"You will become strong. Strong enough to protect your family from people like me. Don't answer, just think on it." We sat there in silence for a while enjoying the cool night breeze. I could read this whole kid's backstory in a heartbeat. The umpteenth kid in a long line, over shadowed by his siblings. No chance of inheriting that much. He could become a soldier, but he would never be that great.
A player would have baggage and be subject to other types of pressures. It was a long shot, but having an NPC in my corner I could mold would be perfect. The door to the house opened and the father was standing there. "Why don't you run on to bed and take all of this with you. Oh I will be right outside, I will open the front door once I am up."
They cleaned up and went into the house. I opened up my satchel and hung it up near the door way making sure the bulb could not escape. I fell asleep lying in front of the door. I awoke right before dawn like I normally did. Early to bed, early to rise makes a man murderous if he doesn't get his shut eye.
I got up and did some stretches and moved the bench to the side of the door way along with all my stuff. Only then did I move the satchel holding the bulb and bang on the door. I wasn't about to open a door with a potential trap on the other side. I sat on the bench and began sorting through what I wanted to keep.
The front door opened and the father came out again. "Good morning." I said. I just got a glare in return. "Very well, your attitude doesn't matter only cooperation. I need a pack that goes over both shoulders, another set of clothes, bread and meat for twenty days, five canteens, a barrel, a new satchel, and a horse with tackle. How much will all that cost?"
"Everything but the horse would run about two silver, with the horse, six silver." That was reasonable from what little I knew. "Here is nine silver, go get everything and you can keep the change as payment for yesterday's food and wash. Don't let the quality suffer, best stuff you can get." I gave the man a glare. I should probably learn his name, but I really didn't care. "Can you get it all done by mid-day?"
"Will be tough."
"Get it done, or I will think the worst." I laid my hand on my sword and the man's face tightened. I laid the money at the far end of the bench near the door. He went over and took it and then walked off. I waited a couple of minutes to make sure he had left. I knocked on the door again. This time the mother was there. "Breakfast please, and your children can go out to tend to their chores. Ulther can wait with me."
"Don't you go-"
"If you talk back at me that means you want to fight. This isn't a discussion." She huffed and went back inside. All three boys came out. I waved at Ulther over to the other end of the bench. His brothers gave him a look and then went off to tend to the animals.
"What was that about?"
"They kept asking me about what we talked about."
"Ah." I didn't say anymore. I made my offer and was hoping he would take the bait.
"I like it here. But….it isn't enough. I want to go places, meet people, do things. All I know is this farm and the Rockway, the nearby village. I just don't want to go with you, there will be….trouble."
"I can respect that. But let me ask you this, if you don't leave now, when will you leave?" Ulther frowned and that was when his mother brought a bowl of porridge out. "Leave the bowl here and give a spoonful to him." She let out a sigh and went back inside. A moment later she was carrying the young one out.
"Stop, use the same spoon you laid out with the bowl." Her eyes grew wide with fear, but she listened. As she made to reach into the bowl she knocked it over.
"My apologies, let me get another."
"Leave the spoon with me." Her face turned pale and she left the spoon on the bench between me and Ulther and went back inside. She brought out more porridge a bit later and I had both her and the youngest have a spoonful. I also had her lick the outside rim of the bowl. She went back inside. Ulther remained quiet this whole time.
"What are you going to do?" He asked.
"She tried to kill me, but she is your mother and I like you, so you make a recommendation. No rush, think about it very carefully. For in life there are no do overs." Well except for players who reincarnate, but who is counting that.