Otherlife Awakening: The Selfless Hero Trilogy

by William D. Arand

Human

  Experience:

  00%

  Alignment:

  Good

  Reputation:

  5,020

  Fame:

  18,455

  Bounty:

  0

  Attributes-

  Strength:

  1

  Constitution:

  1(61)

  Dexterity:

  16

  Intelligence:

  15(105)

  Agility:

  9

  Wisdom:

  1

  Stamina:

  1

  Charisma:

  64(124)

  He pulled up the familiar configuration screen and slid the experience indicator to favor Satomi by ninety-nine percent. He needed her to catch up quickly.

  His eyes flicked over the servant bond available to him. He could still activate it. Wipe out her mind and turn her into a devoted servant.

  No. She’s not just a familiar. Rabbit would hate me for even looking at it.

  Instead, Runner thumbed the decline button, forever graying out the option.

  “They are well trained. Devoted. Strong,” Satomi said from his side.

  “That they are. I’ve said before that I’m unworthy of them, and I’ll say it again. They’re all worth more than whatever value you could assign to them. Well, Vixen, are you ready?” Runner asked, turning his head to regard the Kitsune.

  To his eyes Satomi looked unchanged. Quirking a brow, he opened his mouth to ask her about it.

  As if sensing his question, she held up her hand.

  “I will never be able to fool you, as your familiar. My disguises will only work on you if you will it to. Right now I appear as a Sunless woman. Attractive to be sure but not eye catching. My intention is that we travel as husband and wife. This would protect me from others as well as shield you from the offers of those who would proposition you. I have no doubt that where we are going is a hive of scum and villainy.”

  Runner snorted, smirking at her. “For someone who looks barely old enough to have moved out of her parents’ house, you’re rather well versed.”

  Sure knows an awful lot for someone not from around these parts.

  “I am eighty-four years of age. If I do not miss my guess, I am many times your senior. Do not fear, my bonded. I shall not age from what you see before you.” She gave him a wide grin, and her tail curled up around her waist.

  Runner realized for the first time her canines were enlarged, giving her a wild animal look. It wasn’t quite the level of ferocity of a Sunless smile, though it came close.

  “Shall we begin?” she asked.

  “Yeah. Probably should. Should probably establish our story as we go. I think I’d like to use the name… Walker. Because I feel like being contrary.”

  “Has anyone told you that you are an idiot?”

  “Often, I’m afraid.”

  Making their way towards the main road, they rehearsed their story.

  They were a married couple from the Sunless Kingdom, displaced in the war that had recently ended. A lower mercantile family who’d lost their wares and were trying to start over in Vix. They had considered traveling to Norwood but had decided against it. They believed the city was too new to sustain a valid economy and had instead chosen to wait, buy stock elsewhere, and travel to Norwood at a later time.

  Fortunately, or perhaps disappointingly, it did not matter. They entered the city unchallenged after paying a small entry fee and that was it.

  Named Letoville, it had all the decorum and trappings of an alcoholic in the first weeks of recovery.

  Empty and broken bottles were strewn about, trash was piled in the alleyways, and homeless crowded the sidewalks. Compared to the rest of the world, this looked like it had a government that couldn’t even describe itself as decentralized.

  He was reminded of the hive cities of Earth, where people had been stacked hundreds upon hundreds on one another. Where they achieved little more than breeding the next generation of menial labor and foot soldiers.

  There was one thing that Runner noticed in all of this though. Many people here seemingly had a sense of purpose. Whatever this place had been before, it was clear that whoever ran it now had begun taking steps to rebuild it.

  Runner did a quick assessment of those begging near him and approached a young man who stood off to one side.

  “Excuse me, could you provide me with directions to an inn?” Runner asked, holding up a single gold piece.

  “That I can!” The youth snatched the coin from Runner’s hand and then pointed down the road.

  “Follow this here until it hits the main intersection. You can’t miss it since it’ll be the only intersection with actual buildings. Turn right at that point and the inns will be on that street on both sides.”

  “Fantastic.” Runner held up another coin. “Any advice on the ones to stay away from?”

  “Yeah, sure. Keep out of every single one on the left-hand side, and the first one on the right. Those are all owned by people who would rather kill you and take your things in the night.” The second coin disappeared much like the first.

  “Much obliged.” Runner turned back to the road. Keeping Satomi well placed on his arm, he deliberately turned into a space that ran between the hung fabrics and tents.

  “A bit late to ask—can you Stealth, Vixen?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do so.” Runner capped off his statement by activating his own ability, his form disappearing from the rest of the world. Beside him Satomi did the same.

  Turning again, he brought them into a small lane that ran parallel to the road they’d entered from.

  “You fear we were followed?”

  “That we would be followed. I needed information and they provided it willingly enough. The problem is, information has a cost. There was no way to avoid flashing money around. I would still limit our risk by making sure to break contact.”

  “Wise. Good thinking, bonded. I would reward you, but I do not own anything myself.”

  “Ah, that’s a good point. Here.” Runner opened a trade window and slid two hundred platinum into the offered section. “Consider this your allowance for the moment. Buy as you will, what you will.”

  “I admit I am not from this plane, but even I must confess this is a princely sum.”

  “And yet it’s what you’re getting. So shut your pretty mouth and take it before I decide you should wander around in nothing but your underwear.”

  “Hmmmm.” Satomi accepted the trade and peered up at him for a moment.

  “You lie. You rely on your bluster. Cajoling others and disarming them with humor. You are reactionary.”

  “You know what, as soon as Lady Death gets home, I’m giving you to her. You’ll get along great with each other. You can spend hours psychoanalyzing each other. Then I’ll tell Sunshine to go visit you both.”

  Runner grumped mentally, escorting his familiar towards the area that had been described to them.

  Opening his minimap, he noticed that the locater for Isabelle was currently in a side alley behind the inns that had been suggested to him earlier.

  Sophia’s blue dot, however, was not with Isabelle. It was inconveniently at another location. Much further in amongst the city of Letoville.

  Curious. I told them to stay together, didn’t I?

  “Either they felt like disobeying or something happened.”

  Beside him, Satomi’s arm stiffened up as if she were preparing herself.

  Isabelle’s blue dot suddenly bolted down the alley in his general direction.

  Marking off the alley mentally, he picked up their pace a bit. They passed over a tiny crossroad, then entered the alley.

  Reeking of unwashed everything and whatever had blown in, it did a number on Runner’s senses. Cracked stones and poorly built buildings created this armpit of an asshole civilization.

  Maybe fifty yards ahead of him in the alley he could see Isabelle. She h
ad her eyes on the ground as she dodged debris. Her health bar flashed dangerous in the orange zone.

  She was being pursued by several men in armor. They had a similar look to those who had been watching the wall. Runner saw three yellow health bars listed as “guard” and that they were nearly atop her.

  One of the guards raised a hand up and a spell left his palm. Streaking forward, a bolt of lightning clipped Isabelle’s shoulder and sent her tumbling to the stones.

  She slid a few feet on her face and hands, then skidded to a halt in the muddy grit. Runner heard her groan as her health dipped to a red color and a status effect flashed.

  “Take care of Belle.”

  Heart pounding in his chest, Runner blinked forward to the first man as he came to a stop above Isabelle.

  He slammed a Banishing Blade into the man’s gut, then tilted his head at the next man.

  The one who had lit Isabelle up like a neon sign.

  Runner released the hilt of the enchanted item as it vanished, the spell taking the guard with it. Walking forward, Runner brought up his next spell.

  Targeting the second man, Runner looked to the third. Appearing behind that man was a fourth “guard” and a fifth man named “Captain.”

  Runner drowned the targeted guard with Brainwash.

  “Kill your captain.” Runner moved his attention to the third and channeled a quick shot of Stunner. He watched dispassionately as that man crumpled under the massive amount of electricity coursing through him.

  Runner cast Splatterhouse point-blank into the stunned guard’s skull as he passed his twitching form, walking onwards towards the captain, who was now engaged with his brainwashed compatriot.

  With a sickening squelch, the downed guard’s head popped open under the impact of the large caliber slug hitting for a critical. Blood and brain matter sprayed the walls and Runner liberally with gore.

  The fourth guard looked to Runner with obvious fear in his eyes.

  “Scott wants to know if you’d prefer to eat your own hands or your feet. Linda thinks that’s being selfish and that we shouldn’t share with you. I’m willing to compromise—if you’d like to cook your own feet, you can have those. Then we’ll eat your hands.”

  Runner gave the man a wide vacant smile. Blood from the explosion of the guard’s head dripped down into his snarling mouth and brought the coppery taste of death. Drawing his long sword from its sheath on his hip with a rasp, Runner continued to close on the man.

  The captain had been shouting this entire time, but Runner couldn’t care less. He loosed a charged Linda spell. The last guard turned to flee and fell on his face instead as his knees gave out.

  Stepping on the man’s spine, Runner used Stealth followed by Precise Thrust and scored a critical back stab, aiming for his heart.

  Twisting the blade as he pulled it out, he dropped a Lava Shot on top of the guard’s head to be sure.

  Marching inexorably onward, Runner watched as the captain slew the brainwashed guard. Discharging a ring he had enchanted with Brainwash, Runner stopped in front of the man.

  “Destroy all of your equipment and sit down,” Runner said quietly. Soon the captain was naked and sitting in the muck of the alley.

  Placing the tip of his sword at the point where the man’s shoulder met his neck, he angled the point down.

  All it would take is a shove. One lung or his heart. Maybe both. Or I could send him to Hell with Jacob. I need to visit Jacob.

  Behind him he could hear Satomi speaking quietly to Isabelle. Looking over his shoulder he saw Isabelle had regained her feet.

  She looked to be in poor condition. Dirt stained, bloody, and dark circles under her eyes. She was alive, however.

  Flipping open his raid window, he scanned for Sophia’s box.

  Runner looked to Sophia’s health bar and confirmed she was healthy, though suffering from a few status ailments.

  Hungry, cold, wounded, and tired.

  Looking back to the captain, Runner waited for the spell to end.

  As soon as it did, Runner pushed on his sword, the tip sinking deep into the man’s flesh.

  “Good morning to you, officer. I’m afraid you’re not going to survive this encounter. I’m feeling very generous today, so you’ll actually have a choice. You have the option of suffering through this and then for all eternity. Or receiving a chance to make amends in the next life and being able to pass from this plane with very little pain.”

  Runner pushed again on his sword, the blade sinking deeper into the man’s chest.

  “I recommend telling me everything I want to know, in as few words as possible, without lying. Did I mention my companion can smell lies? Now, shall we begin?

  “Why were you chasing the Elf?”

  “Leto ordered it. We captured the other one last night.”

  “Have you harmed ‘the other one’ at all?”

  “No! No. She’s in a jail cell. She refused to say anything, so we put her there to loosen her tongue. They plan on trying again tomorrow morning. For now she’s just being left alone.”

  “And how did you find them?”

  “We received new information from the south. Norwood sent spies up here. They included two new drawings.”

  “I see. Why is Leto so concerned with Norwood?”

  “He wants to rule the island. He’s cleaning up Letoville first. Norwood is a place of evil. They gather there and scheme to destroy us.”

  Runner nodded his head an inch. The first step to unifying a people was giving them a hated universal enemy. Nothing brought people closer than shared near-death experiences and a mutual enemy.

  “How do we get into the jail?”

  “You can’t.”

  “Sure I can. Vixen?”

  “Yes?” Satomi said, pacing over to him.

  “Memorize his face for me. Just in case I need to look like him for whatever plan I end up concocting. I will get Grace back regardless of what I must do. I do regret that I had him destroy his armor, so I can’t use it as part of a disguise. Please use the other guards for a template instead. Questions?”

  “Not at this time,” Satomi replied curtly. She grabbed the captain by the chin and pulled his face towards hers. After staring at him for a few seconds, she released him.

  “I am done.” Turning around, she left Runner alone with the man again.

  “Now, you were a good boy. So you get a chance.” Runner extracted his sword and pressed his hand to the man’s forehead.

  Activating Taxi, he felt the world around him flash.

  /GMHub 2

  Teleporting…

  /GMHubReturn

  Teleporting…

  Now that he had deposited the captain in his new home, Runner set his mind to caring for Isabelle.

  Only to find she was at full health, leaning against a wall a few feet from him, and that Satomi stood next to her.

  “Good to see you, my lord. Though you look strange as a Sunless, it’s still very good to see you. I didn’t think I’d get out of that one. Or see you again.” Isabelle pressed her lips tightly together, her hands resting on her thighs.

  Tired but unbroken.

  She was a strong woman, not one for fainting or weak spines. A mercenary captain by the strength of her own will and hands.

  “They caught us unaware. Burst in on us in the middle of the night. Sophia covered my escape while I dove out the window. I stayed in the alleys around town, but they found me in a search.”

  “Vixen, please give her a disguise. She’s now your sister who is traveling with us, so give her a look that’s similar to yours. Once you’re done with that, let’s get a room. Preferably in the same inn you were staying at, Belle. We could get lucky and figure a few things out or get news. A search and seizure like that generates its own gossip. That or just track their movements.”

  Runner moved to the corpses and began looting them of all they had.

  A few coins and some garbage equipment went into Runner’s inventory.
Satomi finished up with Isabelle a second later and they ventured out as a group, moving into the main street.

  “Did you learn anything of interest in the one night you had?”

  “Nothing that would give you an instant victory, but we did find out a few things, my lord—” she started before Runner interrupted her.

  “Brother-in-law, brother, or Walker. Not lord.”

  “Ah, yes, Walker. Apparently this place had a different governor a few weeks ago. This Leto stepped in and took control of everything in a few days. He’s been stirring everyone up against the south. It’s much as you suspected, these are all cast offs, survivors, and runaways from dungeons.”

  Runner had assumed that to be true. Having it validated only solidified his concerns.

  “On top of that, there are refugees here who came all the way from the mainland. They Awakened there and made their way here.”

  And it’s done.

  “In other words, Awakening is spreading without the help or assistance of anyone. Well, it’s not unexpected. I’m glad everyone will get a chance to live a life. Even if it does slow my plans.”

  “There’s also an underground movement to support Norwood here. Seems your reputation precedes you. There are those who think you’re the best shot at a stable country. It’s a minority faction, but it’s growing. That is, until Leto’s crackdown broke some of it apart.

  “They’re camped together in the western part of town. They were hoping to ask for inclusion to Norwood lands.”

  “I see. I can’t fault Leto. He’s doing pretty much what I would do. The problem is that I want his city as much as he does. More’s the pity for him. I will give him a set of choices: walk away, be banished, or die,” Runner hissed, holding his hand up and making a tight fist.

  “When you are done with the theatrics, bonded, we must quit this place.” Satomi patted his shoulder and then walked past him.

  “Is he always thus?”

  “Usually. You get used to it. The idiot plans are where he’ll surprise you.”

  “Idiot plans?” Satomi asked Isabelle, stepping out into the street proper.