The Lionheart

by Stevie Collier

  The Lionheart

  No Respawn Book One

  Stevie Collier

  Contents

  Follow Along!

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Thank you!

  1 - Loathed

  2 - Land of Sin

  3 - Savior

  4 - Training

  5 - The Choosing

  Grab your copy!

  About the Author

  Take your journey through the World of Drathos to the next level!

  Download your copy of “The No Respawn Follow Along Guide”! With this spreadsheet, you will be able to keep track of Tharis’ Inventory, Equipment, Skills, Reputation, and more! What are you waiting for? CLICK HERE!

  Not only that, but I will throw in three, that’s right, three free stories! Why? Because I love you, that’s why. Get your Loot Box now!

  1

  A username was entered.

  A password was entered.

  A player was born.

  My eyes opened for the first time and I stared up at a cobweb-infested ceiling.

  The room was lit by candlelight and I was strangely at peace. As my eyes adjusted, I could see that I was in a very small room with only a nightstand and a dresser. I sat up and pulled the thin covers off my legs and swung them over.

  I checked the nightstand first but found nothing. I stood and walked over to the dresser and opened one of the drawers.

  You’ve acquired 2 copper pieces.

  Was that a lot?

  I walked to the door and reached out to grab a handle but found that there wasn’t one. Just a rope attached to a hole that had been carved out of the wood. I grabbed the rope and pulled.

  A large room filled with rowdy drunks greeted me as I stepped out. A couple dwarves lifted their mugs at me and took a swallow. A few humans started to laugh, making others join along. But why? Were they laughing at me?

  I followed their eyes and noticed I wasn’t wearing anything besides my undergarments. I quickly covered up my genitals but was shocked when I felt nothing, just bareness. I was neither sex.

  “Well, good morning, newcomer!” said a kooky voice. A cold hand touched my shoulder and I turned to see a frail, old human male wearing a purple tunic looking up at me through beady eyes. “I said, hello there, newcomer!”

  “Ugh, hi,” I said.

  Muzuhlan Level ??? Wizard Was tagged over the man’s head.

  “I’m Muzuhlan. I’m here to help you!” The Wizard pointed at my crotch. “Starting with that!”

  I felt instantly uncomfortable and took a step back.

  A large notice covered my vision.

  You have been offered a quest!

  Quest details: Learn your gender, race, class and traits.

  Rewards: Experience Points, Starter Gear, and Personal Loot Bag.

  “Do you accept this quest, young hero?”

  I nodded instinctually.

  “Very good! I have something for you… now, where did I put it… ah, yes! Here you are!” The Wizard pulled out a small mirror encrusted with purple gems. In doing so, he accidentally undid his cloak from over his shoulders which now fell to his ankles, revealing a naked and shriveled old man. There was an uproar in the tavern as many patrons lost their thirsts and appetites after such a sight.

  Ignoring his nakedness, I reached out and took the mirror and looked into it.

  There was no reflection but I felt drawn to get my face closer until my nose was touching the glass. Suddenly, I was sucked into the mirror and could feel my body stretching and turning before I ended up in a third person view looking upon myself.

  I was a generic human. No hair, no muscle, no genitals, and a deadpan face. My skin color was pale and without any imperfections.

  Choose your Gender!

  I didn’t even have a choice. Some other entity chose male for me.

  Choose your Race!

  Time was taken for this selection. Each race was hovered over and selected by something other than me. I was not in control here. Under each was a description of the race. The Light Faction races included: Humans, Elves, Half-Elves, Dwarves, Half-Dwarfs, and Badrons. The Dark Faction races included: Humans, Half-Giants, Orcs, Half-Orcs, Archeans, and Fairies.

  Much time was spent on the Badron, Half-Elf, and Archean.

  The Half-Elf was selected for me.

  Configure your Features!

  I floated in limbo as a bodiless soul as I watched myself morph from a generic husk to a male Half-Elf. I was directed to be on the taller side which was a little taller than most humans. My ears were selected to be longer than a normal Half-Elf’s ears should be. My hair was colored a golden-auburn. My jaw was chiseled and defined. Muscle was added to my entire body, but not too much that I would stand out from other Half-Elves. My eyes had little black pupils with green irises that fumed jade-colored smoke out of the corner of the lids. My skin tone was chosen to be of medium color.

  Choose your Class!

  Underneath were several different versions of myself.

  On the far left, the character was hunched over in a praying position whilst holding a bow out in front of him. To his side was a large, furry beast that would occasionally swipe its paws as if it were striking at some invisible target. This character was called the Tracker and was known for being ranged damage per second (DPS). The Tracker wore leather armor along with other armor pieces of the elements such as foliage and dried dung. Weapon proficiencies included: Bow, Daggers, and Short Swords.

  The next class held its hands in a praying-like pose with his head bowed low and his eyes closed. This version of myself wore a long, red velvet tunic and every once in a while would move its arms in a rather cool rhythm with white energy radiating from its shoulders in an electrical light show. This character was known as the Rector and his primary skill was that of healing. This class wore only light clothing, mostly robes, and his weapon proficiencies included: Staff and Religious Artifacts.

  The Warrior was the next class over from the Rector. It had a giant sword that it leaned on, resting both palms on the top of the hilt. He wore freshly-polished plate armor along with a cocky smirk on his face. Unlike the first two classes, this one did nothing other than… well… smirk. This class was able to wear any type of armor but gains proficiency in armor that is plated. This class had the ability to deal damage at a moderate level but was able to take a lot of damage, which was of no interest to me. The Warrior’s weapon proficiencies included: All Martial Weapons.

  The Monk was next and, much like the Rector, this class held a rather calm and collected stance. He was standing on one leg with the other crossed over the fr
ont wearing no shirt revealing six pack abs and a square chest. He would then perform a series of one legged squats all while keeping his eyes closed. The Monk was proficient in wearing light clothing. This was a strong DPS class and his weapon proficiencies included: His Fists and Gauntlets.

  The Apprentice floated in the air, all his limbs out in a star-like position. He rummaged through his cloak and pulled out a vial. He pulled out the cork and consumed the fluid. There was a loud hiss as dark energy seeped through his skin and crawled over his arms in the form of black smoke. He would continue doing this perpetually. The Apprentice was close-up and ranged DPS class that was able to wear light armor but could later train to become proficient in leather. Weapon proficiencies included: Staff, Incense, and Power Vials.

  The Bard sat cross-legged on a wooden chair, a freshly polished lute resting on his lap. He played a fine tune and sang with an angelic voice that made me want to move my hips. Every note that he struck sent a wave of air that ruffled his hair and clothes while creating all sorts of different-colored glowing effects around his body. This class’ purpose was to aid his friends in battle as he created lyrical and musical buffs for them. The Bard was restricted to light clothing and his weapon proficiencies included: Musical Instruments and Voice.

  There was a small explosion that grabbed my attention. The Architect version of myself wore a leather vest and some sort of tan working pants. His brow was wet with sweat as he tinkered away on a mini wooden trebuchet. After one last swing of his working hammer, the trebuchet’s sling was pulled back with a shiny, black bomb resting in its cradle. The character lit the fuse and… BOOM! The bomb was slung out into the air where it exploded. This class was used for Ranged DPS and Support with tons of bonuses in crafting and auctioneering professions. This class was proficient in weapons such as: Hammer, Warhammer, Axe, and Machines of War. This one got me excited! Just the thought of having my very own trebuchet got my heart racing.

  At first, I guessed that these six classes were all that were available in the world. That is, until I looked up and saw myself suspended in midair, my left hand gripping a rope while my right hand was busy juggling three small, throwing knives. A large and baggy hood was pulled over my head which covered half of my eyes. Besides that, he wore a basic, everyday tunic but with a wide utility belt covered in small, smoke bombs, poisonous arrows, and sharp metal jacks. This character class was known as the Trickster and his weapon proficiencies included: Bow, Daggers, Throwing Knives, Short Sword, and Utilities.

  Below these seven classes was a statement that read:

  All classes have an immense amount of sub-classes that make each individual character much more unique. You may NOT choose your sub-class but rather your sub-class will choose you. This will depend on the decisions you make and how you play the game. Choose wisely!

  The Warrior class was chosen without my consent by the foreign entity which was very disappointing.

  Choose your name!

  This was the next notice that popped into my field of vision and it was the first time I realized that I had no name. Who exactly was I?

  “Raptor” was typed in.

  Name already chosen.

  “Air”.

  Name already chosen.

  “Blaze”

  Name already chosen.

  “Kakerot”

  Name already chosen.

  Damn, that was a good one!

  “Tharis”.

  There was a pause.

  Welcome to the World of Drathos. You are now being transported to the starter city of Ashvell. Good luck.

  2

  I was teleported back to a different tavern than the one I had left. The wooden walls were replaced with stone, the bar was on the opposite side of the room, and there were a lot more players and NPCs here.

  Muzuhlan was also there and had still not replaced his cloak over his shoulders.

  “So, you made it back! And looking good, might I add,” he said with a wink.

  Quest Complete!

  You have successfully chosen a gender, race, class, and name. Congratulations!

  Rewards: XP, Starter Gear, Pack.

  As soon as I had finished reading, the update disappeared from view. I looked down at the mirror in my hand just as it burst into a thousand pieces which then evaporated into a white smoke that rose into the air.

  “Here you are!” Muzuhlan said, extending his palm out. A brown leather pack and neatly folded clothes appeared and floated above his hand.

  I took the rewards and thanked him. I turned and tried to walk back into my room, but the door I had come through was no longer there. Without any other choice, I put the pack on the ground and unfolded the clothes.

  Old Wool Vest

  Tattered Leggings

  I put on the rags. The wool itched at my chest and air made its way through the holes in the leggings. I wasn’t much better off now than when I had been naked.

  I opened the pack.

  Stick

  Bark Shield

  I placed the pack on my back and it disappeared. I somehow knew that if I ever reached back to get it that my intent to do so would make it reappear. I wasn’t sure exactly how I knew this, I just did. I reached my hand behind my back and felt nothing. Half a second later a pack formed into my hand. I unclenched my hand and it disappeared once again.

  I equipped the Bark Shield and Stick and made my way across the tavern. I could tell the difference between the NPCs and the players by looking at the name bars above their heads. Players had blue titles while NPCs had green. There were three players here and all of them ignored me. It was the NPC’s that pointed and laughed as I made my way to the exit. What was I doing here?

  My instincts told me to head to the door and so I did.

  I swung the door open and my mouth dropped. The first senses to hit me were the sounds. Birds were chirping, people were haggling prices and telling jokes, and horses clopped on the cobblestone road. The sensation of wind licked my face as smells of delicious foods wafted into my nose. The road was lined with beautiful, stone buildings and there was a view of snowy mountains off in the distance.

  A hand grabbed the shoulder of my tunic and pulled me out of my daze. I was shoved to the ground and a figure hovered over me. I was blinded by the sun and couldn’t make out his face.

  “What do we have here? A tourist?” said a snake-like voice. “Jegg, has this one paid the tourist tax?”

  A chuckle came from behind the figure. “Sure hasn’t, Boss! I hasn’t seen it. It ain’t in my coin purse!”

  The man who still gripped my tunic grunted. He let go and stood himself up. “That’s what I thought.”

  I concentrated on his name tag above his head.

  Toxhin Level 16 Warrior

  “What do you want?” I asked, not even making a grab for my stick. It would be a useless attempt.

  “Whatever the hell I want,” responded Toxhin. “And I want a lot of things. Did you check the drawer in your room?”

  I knew what he was getting at. “No, I didn’t think of that.”

  “Liar!” cried Jegg from behind. “He’s lyin’, Boss. I’m sure of it.”

  Toxhin took a few steps back, his appearance becoming visible. He was the tallest a human could be with a small rectangular head. His black hair was long on the top and buzzed on the side. His face was greasy and smudged with dirt from lack of wash. Jegg stood behind him in a hunched over position. He was much smaller than Toxhin and wore a brown wool tunic that matched his friar’s tonsure haircut. The dusty lute over his shoulder was cracked in several places and missing a few strings.

  Jegg Level 8 Bard

  Toxhin wore a mail chest piece with matching leggings and metal boots. On his back was a wooden club with spikes sticking out of the end. A cloth guild tabard was worn around his neck and fell all the way to his knees. It was made with red and purple linen and had a dagger protruding from a heart embroidered on the middle of it. He saw me notice it and tugged on it a bit to m
ake the horrible image more apparent.

  Toxhin bent back down and grabbed my vest again. He pulled my face to his. “You wouldn’t be lying to me would you? You know what happens to liars in my village?”

  I just stared at him. There was nothing I could do. I was Tharis, a Level 1 Warrior with only a stick and a piece of bark to my name.

  “They die,” Toxhin finished. “And you know what they say, don’t you?”

  “Tell him, Boss!”

  “You don’t come back.”

  A drip of sweat formed on my forehead. I hadn’t been alive for long but I knew deep down that I wanted a chance. I wanted to live.

  My heart started to race and I looked around for options.

  “I’m gonna count to three. When I hit three and you still haven’t coughed up the copper, then you go to then graveyard. Understand?”

  The private message that popped in my chat box came as a shock and I was unsure whether or not to trust it. But did I even have a choice?

  And so I lay there, still as I could be, not sure what was going to happen next.

  “Two!” Toxhin unlatched his mace from his back and held it over his head with both hands.

  I could hear my heart beat deep inside my head.

  “Three!” Toxhin paused only for a moment before bringing down his mace.