Shova 29th 10,391
The hunt was over. Six was alone within the walls of the Leyhall. He sat with Nibbler on his lap, scratching the raccoon and working through prompts in his mind.
Level 21 Zernulg has died. 1924 Partial Experience gained.
He was close to hitting level 16 sitting at 118398 experience out of 120500. The rest would come soon enough he knew.
3/3 samples obtained, Trait obtained,
Troll: Racial ability, Troll Regeneration. Gain an increase of 0.1 points of health regen per point of CON and a reduction of 0.5 point of Force of personality per point of CHA.
3/3 Bloodwell slots filled.
Archive trait? Yes/No?
Six selected Yes.
Bloodwell is full, select trait to purge and replace.
Ravznok
Orc
Halfling
Six replaced the Ork trait with the Troll trait. The Ravznok trait decreased computational power while it seemed but the Ork trait made you vulnerable to mental attacks which Six rated as a larger risk. Simplicity was less of a risk than unpredictability.
Many of his skills went up by the end of his little war.
Perception, Survival, Athletics, and Heavy armor all went up by two.
Analyze, Chainsaw, Mindfulness, Unarmed, Inspect, Elemental Magic, Force Magic, Cycle Magic, and the Butchery skill all went up by one
Overall a pretty good return for what the three day long operation took from him.
Unleashed Muscle and Titanic Empowerment synergized better than he expected, Focused Action pushing result even further.
Maneuver: Unleashed Muscle
Rank: Minor
Cooldown: 1 hour
Range: Self
Casting Time: Instant
Duration: 10m
Stamina Cost: 90
Effect: Enlarges the user by 2% per level in Athletics and increases their Strength, Constitution, and Endurance statistics in relation to size gained.
Spell: Titanic Empowerment
Rank: Minor
Cooldown: 1 hour
Range: Self
Casting Time: Instant
Duration: 10m
Mana Cost: 80
Effect: Enlarges the user by 3% per level in Heavy Armor and increases their Strength, Constitution, and Endurance statistics in relation to size gained. Must be wearing armor to activate spell.
Two strong additions to his ever expanding armoury.
The troll’s had little use for the items that remained from their killing and the refuse pile held a large amount of treasure, a trove that would have taken years to accumulate from their victims.
- Zernulg’s Fire Hardened Blood Club of Anguish -
Rank: Superior
Rarity: Rare
Weight - 182 KG
Durability: 2500/2500
Traits:
Coagulation: Will absorb blood within 10m and heal durability damage at a rate of 50 durability per 1 kiloliter of blood absorbed.
Anguish: The collected emotions of those Zernulg ended with this club have infused the weapon, coalescing into a mind of pure anguish. Will inflict psychological debuff, Hopelessness, on the current enemies of its wielder.
- Immortal Steel Ring of Quickened Minor Heal -
Rank:Mundane
Rarity:Unusual
Weight - 4 G
Durability 50/50
Traits: Can be activated once in a twenty-four hour period to instantly heal 38 damage. Requires attunement.
He had one more attunement slot to fill and this would be a good simple fit for it.
Now that he ran that item through his mind he noticed it operated without charges. Not exactly like Sovereign Restoration but it recharged without the use of charges or mana cores. Something to research later, he was accumulating too many potential studies.
A broken down moss covered wagon told the tale of a lost trading caravan. The wagon was littered with broken pots and disintegrating cloth but beneath the rotted bottom were many ingots of immortal steel and a few of enhanced rank quicksilver. Six pocketed one quicksilver ingot and the rest, along with all the coins and gems, would go to the town as well.
The remaining magic items found in the troll lair he had the squad leaders divvy up and distribute to whomever they deemed worthy. They knew better than Six as to who deserved it and it would solidify the chain of command to their subordinates.
Zernulg was completely incinerated as while the blood clone effect seemed inert Six wasn’t about to risk it. The rest of the unevolved trolls were butchered and harvested, the hides going to Hodgekins while the blood, eyes, and glands went to Indigo.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Six kept the enhanced mana core of Zernulg for himself. He’d earned it.
The system bookkeeping done… he looked at himself.
He had executed a man today.
Why did he do that? Was it truly necessary to track him down, drag him back. Kill him? Six was sleep deprived, emotionally turbulent, and fresh out of battle, but he wasn’t sure of the effect all that would have on his mind. Even then it was no excuse.
He could have confined the man to prison for the rest of his sentence, could have added more time.
Instead he personally killed the man.
He hadn’t grown up in a country where the death penalty was used. It wasn’t part of his previous experiences.
None of what he experienced in Zarmul had been a part of himself before… or had it?
Who was he becoming? Who had he become? Was this always who'd he been?
Did any of that matter? Did his regret matter? Did what he want matter?
“No.” he said to the empty room.
These tumultuous emotions were meaningless in context of what he thought was the best return for the village.
He didn't do it for himself, he did it for the tribe.
He made an example of that man and only time would tell if it was worth It. Looking back in retrospect Six felt like he’d made a mistake, as if he lost an ideal he’d used to hold. Actions held weight, actions defined you.
He'd responded poorly to this failure. He responded with an emotional overcorrection. He fucked up.
He rolled the racoon on her back and scratched her belly. Feeling grateful for the non judgemental and unconditional acceptance of a pet.
Part of him wanted to share these questions and insecurities with Ravna but he wasn't about to put more stress on his pregnant girlfriend.
He could handle it.
He stood to go and fought Nibbler as she clawed and clung to his arms to avoid being put down.
He needed to catch up on sleep before tomorrow.
***
It was just after dawn and Six and Ravna wandered around the town square, arm in arm.The weather was perfect, summer was coming to an end, so it was clear and cool. The lake sparked and the air held a tinge of that mountain freshness. Six wasn’t wearing his armor for once, instead wearing simple and undamaged clothes, his nice clothing that he saved for dinners with Ravna. She wore a knee length dress of brown and green that had spiraling multi-coloured symbols sewn down its length.
Leoka and Elara had done a wonderful job preparing for the festival. The perimeter was lined with various vendors of food and trinkets, some still setting up their shops, and the center of the area had a raised arena. There were two other vendor markets set up in other parts of the village, shutting down main intersections to have the proper amount of space.
While Six had basically been hands off with the planning he had requested one thing, a fighting tournament.
So for the next two days fighters under level 10 would duke it out and the top three would receive prizes and ribbons or something. 64 participants meant 6 rounds, three today and three tomorrow.
Ravna leaned into him as they walked. “This is nice. It's good to just have a few days to ourselves.”
“We’ve earned it,” Six murmured.
“My love, you take a break whenever you need to.”
Six started to respond, intending to remind her of his responsibilities but cut himself off at seeing her expression of hope and worry.
Six pulled her closer “I will, thank you.”
She just cared for him and wanted to see him safe.
People streamed in from all parts of Mountain’s End and the area began to fill and explore the square, streaming about like wood chips caught in the wind.
It was time for him to officially start the festival so Six made his way onto the arena stage.
He looked about in all directions and people filled every inch possible. The murmur of the crowd intensified for a moment before a hush rippled outward.
Six let the silence build before he broke it. “People of Mountain’s End, please let me welcome you to the first Mountainside Reverie festival!” He paused for cheers but everyone stood watching. “Its been a challenge, us getting this far. It’s been battle after battle, everyday, everyone throwing in as best they can. We worked together to get here. Now we should take some time to appreciate it. There are foods, games, and competitions to enjoy for the next two days.
Now, a moment of silence to remember the fallen, those we have lost along the way, whom without we wouldn’t have made it here.”
Six stopped talking and the tiny sounds of the crowd died. He just listened to the breeze, thinking of his sisters who he lost to drugs. He thought of that first pirate he killed. Alison came to mind spiking Six’s guilt. Then a vague platonic ideal of a soldier, lost while he was gone, lost in the fight against the trolls.
He let that silence sit and once again broke it. “Thank you. I wish you all well.”
A small cheer rose as Six left the stage and rejoined Ravna.
“Ready?” she asked, grabbing his hand.
“Ready.” He smiled.
They spent the morning checking each stall, trying various foods or looking at different crafts. Food vendors were limited by having access to strictly local ingredients but as Six worked his way through pies, kebabs, and doughnuts, he thought everything was absolutely delicious.
Sometimes a match on the arena stage would catch his attention, an interesting technique or series of blows. Most were in their twenties but a few like Edna were as old as Denny. None of them had their classes yet, only working with the skills they built over time. Six wondered who would claim the number one spot.
The connecting streets between the festival bazaars were populated by little groups of performers and food sellers that made their way up and down the lanes.
Six was getting the local equivalent to a really expensive cream roll when he saw a group of Vrill dancers. They had made a manta ray costume and wore it in a way similar to Chinese dragon dancing. The Manta was a shiny yellow gold that caught the light with the rippling movements they performed. They moved as one and awed the crowd with their smooth puppetry.
“What is that?” Six asked Ravna.
“It's a representation of the great beast Gordokalko, a level 60 monster of vrill mythology who was said to have once terrorized the skies of Zarmul. In the story it was defeated above the jungles of Arkorjia by a twice evolved mage long ago,” she replied.
They saw Aclo and Narhurin display a traditional martial performance. Choreographed moves that flowed together in a graceful dance. It had been guided by their few sessions with the mask spirit Yanzo, correcting the cultural drift present in the tsunken aelves of today.
Bark led a marching band that wore elaborate costumes of sticks, leaves, and bones. Looking like forest cryptids creeping through the village, emanating haunting, melodic music.
There were many such bands, all scattered about, playing a diverse array of instruments. Flutes, harps, horns, and drums all coming together to create something cohesive.
More than the fighting tournament there were other contests and competitions to try. Minor magic contests, archery contests, boulder tossing contests, and some track and field. .
The archery contest was what Six focused on the most, it had quickly evolved into a distance and precision struggle between Zilana Kreist and Charles. He watched while feasting on a bag of egg and cheese potato skins.
They shot from farther and farther away with each round.
Charles in a nice new set of imperial outerwear and using his blood bow, siphoning more and more HP into each shot with every round.
Zilana held a massive bow. Nearly 6 feet long Six would say. Each round she increased her draw, and adjusted her angles.
Eventually Charles conceded, losing too much health to continue empowering his shots. Zilana was awarded the first place prize, a wheel of cheese, and hoisted her treasure above her head. Receiving cheers from the crowd and her retinue and reveling in her victory.
Charles took the loss well, joining in applause then bowing in defeat to the princess, an even smile plastered on his face. “You are very skilled, Princess,” he grunted out. Looking somewhat pale.
“You are quite skilled yourself, Muldstanii. You almost had me there I think,” she laughed.
“I shall have to improve my health pool before we compete again.”
“You can always use a real bow instead of cheating with magic,” she teased.
“Cheating with magic is how we do it here.”
“I’ve seen. My village will be very surprised to learn that such a settlement has appeared so close in such a small amount of time.”
Charles turned solemn. “Will that be a problem?”
“If you’re the best archer we have nothing to worry about,” she said impishly.
“There's one better.” Charles admitted.
“Why is he not here?”
“I wanted to look good in front of a princess.” Charles said with a smile.
She rolled her eyes. “You’d have impressed me more with a victory.”
“A loss lets me ask you for lessons.”
Charles… you dawg…
Zilana cocked her head with narrowed eyes, smiling at his audacity as the people Six took this moment to congratulate her on her competition victory.
Zilana inclined her head. “Lord Six, you throw a fine festival.”
Six shrugged. “I didn’t plan shit, this is all the work of my admin Leoka and scribe Elara, they will be happy to hear of it. Thank you. The Captain gave you a challenge I hope?”
“The Captain?” Zilana looked at Charles with a questioning eyebrow. “The Captain is a skilled archer, yes. He could use a better bow though.”
“Oh?”
“My bow was a gift from Lord Six.” Charles interjected.
Zilana coughed and side-eyed Six. “That is, I meant to say-”
Six waved away any notion of offense. “Sall good. It's fun to boast with friends, eh?”
Relief crossed her face. “Yes, it is fun.”
Six introduced Ravna. “This is Ravna Laza, the village smith and my partner. We’re going to go watch the final few tournament matches for this evening. Would you two like to accompany us?”
“Aheuh,” Charles sputtered.
“Yes.” Zilana said
“Yay!” Ravna cheered.
At the end of the night when Six collapsed into Ravna’s bed, he fell asleep with a smile on his face.
