"No lies pass these lips Lyndsay." The big man, Nicolas, broad shouldered and slow voiced pushed his chair back and stood, filling their cups again with hot sweet tea. The chicken, Nyctimene, who had succeeded in her quest for the holy pail clucked contentedly below the table, head tucked below her wing, in a small open-topped box. "The very day I brought in Nyc's egg and began to foster it, he left and became a squire to Diamos. Lord Diamos I should say now."
"But ... chickens?" Lyndsay laughed.
In the chicken's shed. after Nyctimene had made her noisy descent into the bucket, Nicolas had swung it around in front of him causing Lyndsay to rush forward, pickaxe in hand demanding he not hurt the bird. With a hearty laugh he had reached in and with surprising gentleness extracted the chicken, placing her on his shoulder with a few chastising words. After finishing up the feeding and stowing away the farm tools, they had moved inside for a drink.
"The only thing I've ever known to scare him, and I've seen the man run at a dragon with nothing but those toothpicks he calls daggers." He laughed deeply. "It's a common enough secret at court and council, although not many outside the inner circles of the king are aware of it. He's fine to see them, to be near them in a field, but ask him to hold one, or be in close quarters, he starts to panic." He leaned to one side to watch Nyctimene as she rested. "There is perhaps a little bit of familial sadism at play, but Nyc is, as you saw, a very gifted chicken. I caught a dragon breeder trying to steal her egg. Turns out he had a charm that led him to the best ingredients needed for making his monsters. He planned to hatch her as a cockatrice. That thought makes the blood run cold. She's dangerous enough as just a normal chicken." Proud clucks rose from beneath the table. Lyndsay swallowing the last of her tea placed the cup down to ask more questions, before being interrupted by a noise at the farmhouse door.
"Hello? Is anyone in?" The door opened and a young man walked through, sword drawn. Nicolas' hand wrapped around the boy's wrist, raising the sword, and man, high into the air. There was a bang as his chair fell to the ground. Lyndsay coughed, the tea she had been swallowing dribbling from her mouth. What the what that was fast! And who is this guy?
"Were you taught no manners boy?" Nicolas' voice, whilst still sounding the same to Lyndsay's ears had a weighted edge to it, a razor sharp timbre that made her shiver. The teen held aloft was panicking, his sword hand already noticeably paler than his flushed face.
"Put me down you troll!" He kicked out wildly. "Ah!" The crack had made her wince. The sword and man both fell to the floor with a clatter and a thud. She rose from her chair and moved closer. Nyctimene approaching at her heels, cautious and curious.
"I'd suggest learning to be polite. Quickly." She squatted down next to him. His clothing was near identical to her own. The sword looked blunt and worn. Worse than the seconds and training swords she had helped Aphid to gather from the floor. I'm picking up a lot of stuff from the floor today. Maybe I should pick up my clothes at home when I'm done. She shrugged away the picture of her bedroom. "I'm not fully certain, but I think a night's sleep should fix that. At the least we can get it seen to by someone in town."
"You know this fool Lyndsay?" Nicolas loomed behind her staring down darkly at the man on the floor.
"No Nicolas, I've never seen him before." But I've seen his type a hundred times. En-double-oh-bee written all over him.
"You are too charitable."
"Just eager to make new friends I guess." The farmer laughed loudly. Ouch. I'm glad he's liking me so much but I wasn't actually joking.
The man on the floor had pushed himself to his knees, holding his injured arm close to his chest, panting heavily. "I. Will. Not. Be. Ignored!"
Nicolas, rolling his eyes so hard his head tilted on his neck, picked up the sword that had fallen to the floor and stabbed the wounded man through the back. He fell back to the floor with a gasp and gurgle as Lyndsay screamed.
"Why did you do that?" Her eyes had not moved from it but the body had disappeared. There was no blood. A small black gem the size of her fist was floating an inch off of the ground where the boy had lain.
"He came at me with a sword." Nicolas seemed bemused by her agitation.
"No he didn't! He came in with a sword drawn. I came at you with a pickaxe!" She could hear her voice rising. Feel her lungs working faster. There was a timer inside the black crystal, counting down. 59:43 She reached out to touch it. A menu appeared.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
3DGEL0RD (DECEASED)
Level 3 Soldier
Would you like to: REVIVE | LOOT | DISMISS this spawn point?
Baulking at the name she focused on REVIVE.
You do not have the capability to revive 3DGEL0RD.
Well, I tried. She selected her preferred choice and a small fanfare rang out in her ears.
Mercenary experience has increased by 1,656.
Freebooter class experience has increased by 1,656.
++MERCENARY HAS REACHED LEVEL ONE++
++MERCENARY HAS BECOME MASTERED++
Plunder experience has increased by 1,656.
Freebooter class experience has increased by 1,656.
++PLUNDER HAS REACHED LEVEL ONE++
++PLUNDER HAS BECOME MASTERED++
Wait what? She closed the menu revealing the one underneath.
++YOU HAVE LOOTED THE REMAINDS OF 3DGEL0RD++
You have gained 1,560 sterling.
You have gained 1x Soldier's Training Sword!
You have gained 2x Escape Stones!
You have gained 1x Soldier's Shield!
You have gained 4x Army Rations!
Whoa. Clearly all junk but nice. She watched the crystal fade away, the timer turning from 59:18 to --:-- before disappearing.
Turning to Nicolas she saw him sitting at the table, feeding Nyctimene. At her approach Nicolas began to speak.
"You came at me to defend Nyc. To protect a harmless creature obeying its instincts." He stroked the hen softly as she drank from his cup. "He came in to my house with his weapon bared. To Lord Anguine's house." He chuckled softly. "The boy got off lightly. If Stirling had been here he'd have been bleeding, not broken. And still alive."
"Lightly! You killed him!"
"Does that matter to you?"
"Yes!" Why though? I didn't know him. This is a game. I'll likely have to kill people at some point. Is it because of how easy it was? He moved so fast!
"Why? He'll be back. He's one of your kind." Nicolas seemed nonplussed.
"My kind?" Does he mean players? I thought we weren't meant to talk about this as a game?
"The cyclists." Lyndsay pursed her lips, caught off-guard. "He bears the mark of one who can not truly die, as you do. After each death his cycle will begin anew."
"I have a mark?" She resisted the temptation to check herself. "Can everyone see it?"
"Yes, above your head there is an icon much like the one you just claimed. And no, not everyone can see it. There are certain skills that allow hidden things to be seen. And seen things to be hidden. Before all else, balance is the nature of the world."
Focusing on keeping her chin down and eyes focused on Nicolas Lyndsay smiled at him as she chewed her lip whilst thinking. "What else can you see? What information does this mark give you?"
"That varies by the skill and its power. I can see your name, your chosen vocation, and the path you have taken, although you have yet to make that choice, as well as a ranking of your strength, congratulations by the way on growing stronger than most I have seen here. I can also see your intent. That is how I knew you did not seek to kill me earlier. And how I knew that the boy sought to kill you, despite your rankings." Nicolas sat back, taking a sip of tea.
"He was going to kill me? Why?" Lyndsay turned pale.
"He was going to try." Nicolas snorted. "Even without protection I am certain you would have been able to handle him Lyndsay. Especially in his wounded state." He glanced at the clock on the wall. "And whilst I had hoped to part on happier terms I have animals to tend to. Do give my thanks to Astrid and Beadle, and their daughter." He rose and stood alongside her, the chicken on his shoulder. Lyndsay stepped closer, extending her hand.
"Thank you Nicolas, for the fun stories, and the help." She looked over towards where the body and crystal had been. "I'm sure Lord Anguine will hate it."
The large man laughed loudly. "I can but hope. It is the duty of an elder brother to torment his younger." His legs cleared the room in a few leisurely steps as Lyndsay hurried to keep up, walking through the door he held open with one giant paw. Stepping through and locking it behind him he turned to her, squatting to place Nyctimene on the ground, bringing his face close to hers. "Be wary young cyclist. Your kind are blessed with the impermanence of your deaths, but it is also a curse. A true death can be release. Take it from one who has lived even a scant few decades longer. I already look forward to my own shrouded sleep."
"Nicolas! What do you mean?" Lyndsay looked up into his face concerned.
"I do not seek it yet, do not worry, but I shall rest comfortably when my spirit is claimed. This war has just begun and already I find the cost too high." He sighed deeply. Lyndsay could feel the heavy breath against her face and through her hair. Entering one of the other sheds he returned carrying one of the pickaxes she had delivered, and another that looked more worn. "A parting gift for you, my brave defender of the innocent." He smiled warmly. "Sell it, learn to use it, burn it for fire - I'm sure you'll find a worthy use. And remember, practice hard. Life is not a game where you can start over. Even for one such as you cyclist." He turned to go.
"Thank you Nicolas. I'll try my best. Be sure to contact me if I can be of help to you. Or Nyctimene." She saw him pause mid-stride at her joke. Watched him rotate on the spot and step back to her.
"I'm sure, given time, you will be able to help us all cyclist. And perhaps end the cycle that we here on Camorra find ourselves trapped in." He let his hand fall gently on top of her head, the weight warm and comforting, even in the heat of the high sun. Removing it he turned and walked behind the farmhouse towards a yard covered in large rocks. Lyndsay's eyes were left focused on a screen that had appeared before her.
EXPERT ARRIVAL II - Your esteem has reached maximum with both of the Anguine brothers. Miller wishes to see you. This quest has no time limit.
UNLOCK REQUIREMENTS: EXPERT ARRIVAL | Have 50+ esteem with three residents of Beachhead. | Accept two Esteem-based quests.
REWARDS: EXP: 0 | BELI: 0 | OTHER: 1x ADVENTURER'S LICENCE
WOULD YOU LIKE TO ACCEPT THIS QUEST? YES / NO