The square was almost empty. Adrian's head, once a hero of my virtual world, still lay there, surrounded by a pool of dark blood slowly spreading across the stage. I couldn't take my eyes off that scene. The same question kept echoing in my mind: why? Why had he, the protagonist, the core of the story, died so miserably?
I felt suffocated. My hands were trembling, but I tried to stay calm. Next to me, an elderly man, probably drunk, was stumbling with a mug of beer in hand. I had no choice: I had to know what had happened.
"Excuse me," I said, trying to get his attention. "Why... why was he decapitated?"
The man stopped, staring at me with half-closed eyes. "You don't know?" he slurred, his breath reeking of alcohol and sweat.
"I don't know," I replied, trying to appear as innocent as possible, but his gaze changed. He began to scrutinize me with suspicion, perhaps because of my disheveled and out-of-place appearance. I could feel my heart beating faster, the pressure in my head becoming unbearable, but I tried to maintain my composure.
"Alright, I'll tell you," he finally said, in a distracted tone. "That one... his name was Adrian the Second. Son of an aristocrat. His family was full of money, you know, aristocrats swim in gold. But when his father, Adrian the First, died, he took everything. And what did he do? He ruined himself! Gambling, alcohol, women... all that wealth vanished into nothing. And now look where he ended up." The man laughed bitterly.
"But... what about his mother?" I asked, hoping to understand more.
The man stiffened for a moment. His eyes became even smaller, and suspicion returned to his face. "Well... she... she left with her brothers. Adrian was an only child." His words seemed confused, as if he wasn't even sure himself of what he was saying.
With a grunt, the man stumbled away, leaving me alone. I remained there, still staring at the stage. The guards approached, collecting Adrian's lifeless body and head. Slowly the crowd began to disperse. I remained motionless, unable to move.
Adrian... in the game, you were a symbol of hope, the hero destined to change everything. How did you come to this miserable end? And most importantly, what did it mean for me? The story had changed, and now I, Doruuk Velor, was left alone trying to survive.
I decided to focus on myself. With a hand gesture, I opened the status window, hoping something could help me.
Status: Doruuk Velor
Race: Human Class: Thief (Novice) Rank: 9 Strength (STR): 10 Dexterity (DEX): 12 Intelligence (INT): 8 Magic (MP): 0 Wisdom (WIS): 0 Ability: Escape (Cooldown: 10 minutes)
Looking at those numbers, I felt dead inside. No magic, no wisdom. My physical stats were barely decent, but my only ability was a support skill with a long cooldown. If I used it, I would remain vulnerable for 10 minutes. This wasn't the character I would have chosen to start a game with.
As if that wasn't enough, my race was human. In the world of Shadowveil, humans were the weakest: no innate abilities like the dwarves who were masters of forging armor and weapons, the elves who were skilled archers and used magic + bow to kill monsters, or the beast-men who had the advantage of physical power. Every human had to start from zero and build their own path.
I walked aimlessly through the streets of Drakathen, the largest city in Orvhalis. Its alleys teemed with life, but everything seemed hostile. People ran from one place to another, merchants shouted offers, and occasionally I saw suspicious figures disappearing into dark alleys.
I was hungry. That miserable slice of bread hadn't been enough, and my stomach growled incessantly. Moreover, I knew nothing about Doruuk Velor's past. Did he have a family? Someone who could help me? Probably not, otherwise he wouldn't have been in these conditions. And now I had to earn money, because without money I had no hope of surviving.
As I walked, a guard shouted: "Tomorrow at noon, the hunting portal opens!"
My heart jumped into my throat. The "hunting portal" was a dungeon that opened every two weeks. Fighters entered to earn money by killing monsters, but it wasn't all roses and flowers and a safe place. Once inside, laws didn't exist: anyone could attack you, monsters or other players, death could take you at any moment, there you could see the true nature of a human being.
I had no other choice. If I wanted to start building something, I had to register as a fighter. With hope of doing something, I headed towards the guild.
The environment inside was chaotic. Warriors in shining armor talked among themselves, formed groups, and drank beer. Some were new, inexperienced, and nervous; others seemed veterans, with scars and an air of superiority. There I was, with my black coat and common dagger, and I couldn't help but notice the judgmental looks.
When I approached the secretary to register, she looked me up and down. "Show me the document," she said in a bored tone. I showed her the piece of paper I had found in my pockets. She analyzed it for a few seconds, then raised an eyebrow. "Ah, low level. You seemed more powerful to me. Okay, registration costs 10 copper coins."
"I don't have them," I replied, embarrassed.
The woman stared at me, sighed, and said: "Fine. I'll charge you the amount. But if you don't pay it tomorrow, you'll end up like the man from this morning."
I nodded and thanked her, aware of having just added another weight to my shoulders.
Once the registration was complete, I left the guild, again lost in my thoughts as I walked through the streets. The sun was setting, and I needed to eat something because I couldn't resist anymore.
After a while, I saw in the distance a man snatching a bag from an old lady, and then he started running. Hoping to receive something in return for helping, I decided to help her and thus would also be able to test my ability. I activated my Escape ability. In an instant, I felt lighter and faster. My body moved nimbly through the crowd, I wasn't too fast but I was fast enough compared to a normal person, and thanks to the reduced sound of movement, the man wasn't able to perceive me, and in about 12 seconds, I reached the thief, stopping him with a push.
After that, I grabbed him and brought him back to the guards and returned the bag to the lady. She looked at me, surprised by my disheveled appearance. "I didn't expect you to be so young," she said with a shy smile. "Thank you, son. Take this money. It's not much, but I hope it helps you."
Her coins were more than enough for a decent meal. I bowed and thanked her sincerely. At that moment, I understood that even in such a hostile world, there was still a glimmer of kindness.
With those coins, I ate something, but not enough to afford a place to sleep. I slumped in a corner of the street, covering myself with my coat. The cold penetrated, but I managed to sleep a little.
Dawn came early, and the sun slowly rose above the roofs of Drakathen. Today I would face the hunting portal. I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I had no choice.
End of Chapter 2