“Even when I want a minute to myself I’m drawn in. It’s like I can’t sidestep these situations if I tried.” Mentally Runner shifted himself into his sleeping clothes and flipped the light to its nighttime setting.
“My sincere apologies, bonded. They were tipped off by an informant as to your location. In the end it will work out well for us.”
“I know. And there is no reason to apologize. It was actually fun to see you annoyed. You’re always so calm and collected. Even when you’re trapped in my own mind it’s very hard to read you.” Runner dropped his hands to his sides and turned his head to look at her.
“I fear you overestimate my abilities. I feel like I am constantly at my wit’s end to keep it all inside.”
“Why would that be so bad? It’s not like I beat you for your thoughts and beliefs. Since I can read your mind,” Runner said, yawning, “it’s not as if I don’t know what you think. Well, most of the time. You have this little dark cor—never mind. Regardless, no need to be so rigid.”
“I have my reasons. By and large I was always told I am a serious person. My family was that of tricksters.”
Runner felt his eyes close, and he started to drift at the sound of her voice.
“I often found myself to be the one to bring order to chaos amongst them.”
“Want to hear you sing sometime,” Runner mumbled, and then fell asleep.
11:21 am Sovereign Earth time
5/16/44
Runner confirmed the budget he was working on and sent it back into the system. Reaching up, he rubbed at his temples. The day had started well enough. No dreams last night. Woke up alone and without any rush on his time.
Then came the needs of state. Budgets, hearing complaints, judging on court cases that had serious crimes attached to them, balancing the growing number of needs and concerns against what he felt was best for the country.
“This job sucks.” Runner slapped his palms into the sides of his head to wake himself up.
“What’s next?” he asked, looking to the on-duty lieutenant. He missed his inner circle. They handled so much for him that he didn’t know how he’d ever managed without them.
“Your calendar has you listed as open to unplanned audiences,” the helmeted lieutenant replied. She was a big woman, easily eight feet tall. Bigger than even many of his Barbarians. She wore heavy plate and carried a wicked-looking great axe that he vaguely remembered making.
“Great. Send them in. If I keep working on any more of this, I’ll fall asleep at my desk.” He didn’t want to consider what he’d do if there wasn’t anyone.
His mind idly wandered to Satomi and Hannah. They were located together on his map in a location that he could only assume was the headquarters for intelligence. To his eye it almost looked like it was on top of the keep kitchen. Which meant it could only be beneath it.
He was curious how the operation went after he left with his familiar.
His guests entered while Runner was reliving the fun he’d had at Satomi’s expense. Looking up, Runner smiled at the three people before him.
He immediately stood and went over to greet them properly.
They were Petros Damalis, a Sunless Knight in service to Brunhild; Stefan Rune, a Barbarian Warrior pledged to Ernsta; and Justinian Wallis, a Rogue who swore his service to Amelia. The champions of the Triumvirate in the flesh.
“Welcome, welcome. Two-Shoes, Sarge, Guilder. I had heard you were in town but I hadn’t been sure if you’d visit or not.” Runner walked up to each and shook their hand as he said their nickname.
“Guilder?” Justinian said, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.
“You’re the guild master of the thieves, so, Guilder. Hey, at least it was creative. I could have gone with ‘Pretender’ or ‘Employee,’ ya know.” Runner sat on the edge of his desk facing the three men.
“To what do I owe the pleasure?” Runner asked, folding his arms over his chest.
Petros looked at the guards before making eye contact with Runner.
Stefan took the more direct route, “Religious concerns. Please send the guard out.”
Sighing, Runner nodded and looked to his lieutenant.
“Lord—” she began
“It’s alright, lieutenant. In fact, you may remain if it appeases you, the rest really must leave though.” Runner saw the woman nod once and dismiss the guard. She moved to stand at the edge of his desk warily.
“I trust her with my life, gentlemen. You can trust whatever it is you have to say with her.”
“We would like to meet your champion,” Stefan said bluntly.
Petros nodded his head. “When I was told that you had joined the pantheon I rejoiced. I must confess it’ll be good to have a fourth in our number.”
Runner had closed his eyes by this point and pressed his palm to his forehead.
“Apparently the entire priesthood heard Amelia’s proclamations for hours. I had no idea you were such a cad,” Justinian said with pleasure in his voice. Apparently he alone had realized Runner was being inconvenienced. And enjoyed it.
As if I didn’t start it back in his own home.
“Yes…” Runner turned his head to the side to look at the lieutenant.
Even through the helmeted slit of her visor he could see her awe and surprise.
“Don’t even think of bow—” Runner started.
The lieutenant fell to her knees and pulled off her helmet. Curly blonde hair spilled out from her helmet and she met his eyes boldly. She wasn’t like many of his guard.
As Lobu had mentioned, most were attractive at the very least.
The lieutenant definitely didn’t fit that particular stereotype.
She was a Half-Ogre. Her face had a blended aspect of both races that gave her a unique appearance. Not entirely beneficial.
Her dark blue eyes were a touch too far apart, her jaw a little larger than you would expect, and her canines looked like small tusks in her mouth. Her features were broad but not unappealing.
“Lord Norwood, hear my prayer. Make me a Paladin in your service. I am Milicent, a lowly Half-Ogre. A low born who made her way as a Berserker. Please, Vindicator, let me serve. Break me free, Breaker,” she prayed to him. Runner felt the weight of the words on him.
Her desire pressed on his divine core. It was his first prayer on this plane.
“A Half-Ogre?”
“Impossible.”
“A Berserker.”
Paladins were a special class chosen by gods to represent their will made flesh. Normally the class was restricted by race and alignment.
A Half-Ogre Berserker couldn’t be further from the allowable combinations.
Runner only vaguely heard whatever they said after their first comments. It didn’t matter to him who said what. It was what they said that ignited his desire to prove them wrong.
Their doubts empowered him.
“Are you sure, Milly? My expectations of you would be great. As my first Paladin a great responsibility would fall upon you.”
She nodded her head once, lost in the possibility of his words.
Runner took that as her blatant acceptance.
He launched his mind at the program in his head, his link. Bending it to his will, he set it loose on the code of the game. At the same time, he pressed his hands to the woman’s temples and summoned up his divine power.
All of it.
Then he fired off the ClassReset ability he had gained as a GM.
Even before the ability activated, he launched his divine essence into her as if she were an empty vessel. To grant her prayer.
He stuffed her full with every scrap of power he had in him, including his mana.
Then he bent his link to the code. The ship fired to life as every bit of processing power it had leapt to the gaming server to facilitate his desires.
In the span of a second he’d attacked the problem on three levels. Game code, internal mechanics, and unfettered divine will.
The explosion was
deafening. Like a thunderclap a foot above their heads.
Milicent vanished in a fiery eruption of bright white motes of light. The world slowed down as Runner concentrated on his desire: to make this woman a Paladin of his own personal order.
To be the first Paladin in the religion of Runner Norwood. Bestowed upon the first person to pray to him whose prayer was to be that Paladin.
Congratulations! Server first: ╩○¥╜»
¼┐←æ
You have developed the ability to bestow the Paladin class upon a subject.
A default name has been generated: Confer Class Paladin
Would you like to rename this ability?
No
Runner grinned at the message window. At least it would be easier in the future.
Then Milicent returned as quickly as she had been blown apart. She remained kneeling before him, and his hands returned to the same spot he had been holding her at.
She was unchanged in any way.
Except that her eyes now shone with an inner light. Runner could feel her presence. She was now a part of him in a small way.
It was nowhere near the bond he shared with Satomi, or even that of the champion link he had with Sophia.
A general feeling was all. That she existed.
Existed in his service.
She would need something to serve him with.
Runner reached over and took her axe from her hands. She relinquished it quickly, almost dropping it before he had fully grasped it.
It already was an artifact of his own creation. He’d built it as a stat weapon to augment the wielder’s inherent character build.
Hopefully he’d be adding to that, rather than removing things.
Concentrating on his desire, he broke the axe into three parts. The haft, the hilt, and the blade.
A Paladin’s power is based in faith, right?
Feeling artistic and a little silly, he decided to try something different.
Heating up the blade instantly, he gouged out a long line from the center with his fingers. The tear went all the way to the other side of the blade, creating a hole.
He wiped the molten metal onto his forearm, then pulled a pane of glass from his inventory.
Fitting it to the three-finger-wide gouge he’d made, he cut the glass to the dimensions to fit. Since the axe was no harder to shape for him than clay, he easily embedded the glass into the metal.
Checking the placement, he nodded to himself and then sliced his palm open with the axe blade.
His health bar dropped a fraction and blood welled up in his hand. Holding his bleeding hand over the glass channel, he waited.
Drop by drop the channel filled with his blood. When it was about ninety percent full he realized he would be getting nothing more from his hand without cutting himself again.
Flexing his hand, he set the glass plane against the blood-filled channel. With a single motion he cut the glass to match the gouge. A press of his fingers later and his blood was trapped in a glass window set into the axe itself.
Focusing on the axe blade, he enchanted it with Fireblast. Picking up the haft, he set Regeneration into it. Heating up the break point on both sides, he fit the axe blade into the shaft of the weapon.
Holding the half-built weapon in his left hand, he picked up the hilt with his right.
Feeling the weight of it in his hand, he smirked to himself. Checking his divine power pool, he felt elated.
It was already filled to the brim. There was nothing missing. Not a drop.
Need to thank Alexia. That constant stream of offerings really helps.
Focusing on imbuing the hilt with a holy element, he flooded it with the entirety of his divine power pool. He drained it to nothing once again.
Power was meant to be spent. Holding onto it like a miser did nothing.
As if it had been lit with an inner light, the leather-bound hilt began to glow. Heating up the two points where they’d join, he brought them together.
It briefly hazed out of existence and returned. Any blemish it had was gone, and it had the elegant look he had originally given it.
A brassy gong sounded in his head as he successfully created an artifact.
Runner opened the naming function for the weapon and gave it one.
Item: Norwood’s Will
Effects-
Fireblast: Chance to deal burning damage on hit.
Holy: Imbued with the holy might of their god.
Functions-
Regeneration: Activate to regenerate twenty-five percent of total health.
Cooldown: 30 seconds
Attributes-
Strength: 15
Agility: 3
It had lost a few attributes but nothing too terrible. He would gauge this one as a success.
Runner held the axe back out to Milicent. She took it in her hands but didn’t break eye contact with Runner.
“I charge you with the following task, Paladin of Norwood. Tend to the flock of the Triumvirate. For they are my flock, in truth. Those who worship the Triumvirate, in turn worship me.
“Your second task is to recruit and train more Paladins. I trust your judgment in this, as you will of course be the head of the order, unless I deem you unworthy. I think that will be very unlikely, however.
“To that end, you will be required to attend staff meetings. They are generally held every morning in the dining hall. We’ll discuss more of that when you return from your education.
“With that in mind, I shall now send you to the plane of my power to train and learn of my word and desire. You shall be taught by Alexia, my high priestess. Understand this, everyone there is chosen and must remain there. You may only select prospects for the Norwood order here, on this mortal plane. Do you understand?”
“My lord,” Milicent whispered reverently.
“Be blessed, Milicent, Paladin of Norwood.” Runner smiled down at her and felt a small trickle of power pass from his hands to her. “Off with you now. Seek out Alexia.”
Runner activated Taxi.
/GMHub 2
Teleporting…
/GMHubReturn
Teleporting…
Runner sighed and sat down on the edge of his desk again, returning alone.
“Now, as to my champion. Sophia is not here at the moment,” Runner said, meeting their shocked stares. “Oh, wait, one second.”
Runner looked to the door and called out. “Sergeants! Please come in here a moment.”
Two guards opened the door and entered. They glanced around as if to find their lieutenant.
“Milicent has been promoted. She’ll be in training for a week and then she’ll be transferred to a new department. One of you will need to fill in her role for the time being. Please wait outside while I finish this meeting.”
Both women nodded and departed without a word.
“Sophia should be returning in about a week. Hopefully before we set out on campaign. Was there anything else? I’m afraid I suddenly find myself weary and could use some rest.”
“It really is true. You’re a god,” Stefan breathed.
“Yes. But you’ll not be spreading that around.”
“Why not? It’d serve our cause well,” Justinian said, unsure.
“You’re right, it would. But I’ll not allow it.” Runner put a hint of his divine power into that statement. Despite his oath to the goddesses, he was still their senior. Which made their champions roll up under him.
Each felt the divine command as if it had come from their divine.
Runner noticed it and immediately frowned. Lifting his head up, he spoke to the ceiling.
“My apologies, ladies. I didn’t mean to do that to your champions. I’m willing to accept any punishment you deem fit.” Hopefully that would ameliorate any hurt he had given them as well as give them back any type of loss of face.
“No need, we’re in agreement with your command,” Brunhild stated.
“Anything else, fellas? Tired.
” Runner gave them a small smile. He really did need a break all of a sudden.
Behind them the door opened and Hannah stepped in, looking from him to the champions and back.
“Runner, two problems,” Hannah explained.
“Only two?” Runner pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingertips.
“I need you to take care of my prisoners. Send them off to that fucking hole in wherever they go.”
“Okay, that’s simple enough. We can take care of that this evening. And the second problem?”
“Their majesties have asked for you to please join them in council.”
“Great. Goodie. Fantastic. Super,” Runner said quietly.
Is Fate going to fuck me or fuck me over, I wonder.
Chapter 14 - Momentous Occasion -
11:21 am Sovereign Earth time
5/16/44
“We can continue this another time, gentleman,” Runner said, dismissing the champions. “I’ll let my armorer know that you’re here and may require gear. I believe I have several sets of gear that could replace yours.”
Runner stood up from the front of his desk and moved towards Hannah.
“They’re in the royal meeting hall,” Hannah said, falling in beside him.
“Great. How’d the catch go last night? Any fish escape the net?” Runner asked, his guard falling in around him. One of the sergeants had taken the place of Milicent and a new guard had joined.
Sophia has put together an effective infrastructure for her force.
“Not a fucking one. Got ’em all. Including where they were hiding. Satomi’s been disguising herself as one of their crew. Then we toss her in with someone else from that cell. Make ’em think we were finished with questioning Satomi. They end up giving us more information than we’d hoped for.”
Runner grunted at that. It was a solid ploy and would give them substantial results if done right.
“Good info then?” Runner slowed his pace. This was a conversation he didn’t want to rush.
“Very. Apparently they met their employer before Satomi joined them. We’ve eliminated so many of them that the only person left who could give orders was the actual person in charge. It was a man, but they couldn’t see or identify him. He gave them instructions on the plan and were waiting for something like last night to happen. They weren’t going to have contact again. One of them said that the bait was to do nothing the first night but make herself ‘useful’ to you. Poison on the second night.”
Otherlife Awakening: The Selfless Hero Trilogy Page 24