World Eater Saga
Chapter 1
Summoned Slaves
Fire licked at fresh wood, as John labored to chop more wood. His brothers sat in lawn chairs facing the fire. It was any other November day. The sounds of nature were heavy in the air. Owls hooted, and cats meowed loudly as they went about their business.
Horses ran around the adjacent pastures they whinnied for attention and edged closer to the fire. The friendly beasts belonged to their neighbor. That didn't stop John as a child from feeding them every piece of clover he came across.
He added a few more logs to the fire and sat back in his seat. "Hey John, who do you think would win in a fight Master Chief or Yamcha?" William said. Their parents were Pirates of the Caribbean fans, so his youngest brother gained the name William.
"Yamcha, now William be quiet John and I were talking about Shadow of War." William looked as if he couldn't contain himself. He hadn't seen his younger brothers in years. It was great to see them during the break. Brenden his second to younger brother looked ready to kill William. It really has been a long time he realized.
All sound cut off and a heavy wind forced him back. Just as quickly as it began it was cut off. He felt at his ears, blood. John looked to his younger brothers, blood trickled down their ears as well. Brenden yelled something out, but John couldn't hear it.
The ground shook and an explosion went off. John turned his head away when the explosion hit. Keeping his eyes closed he felt the screen of his phone explode. The glass buried itself in his leg. A hand wrapped around his leg. He looked down to see William holding his leg. Glass shards from his phone were in his eyes. Tears fought to run down his face. He was screaming, John couldn't hear him.
John held his hand in front of him and tried to block out the mushroom cloud with his thumb. They weren't safe. Benden bent down and puked his guts out. John didn't know if it was from seeing the stat of Williams eyes or the radiation.
A debilitating headache consumed his thoughts. John saw it their doom. A massive dust cloud of concrete, steel, and glass began to expand out from the explosion. A chunk of concrete smashed through Brenden's head. John turned his head away. Something hit his shoulder. His brother's hand around his ankle went slack. Vomit came up from his stomach and he threw his guts out.
The cloud swallowed John, and he knew no more. For a time, he existed within blackness. He was numb, a part of him wished it was a dream.
John opened his eye. He was standing on a circle. To be exact, he and hundreds other people were standing in a circle together. He looked around and didn't see his brother's anywhere. Williams golden blond hair wasn't among the crowd, nor was Brenden's flashy red, black, and blond beard.
A man in flashy black robes walked to the edge of the circle. The circle itself was lowered into a series of stairs. They were in an eye shaped pattern on the very bottom. The center of the circle. Without counting, he guessed there were less than two hundred people here.
"Welcome, I am your summoner the great wizard Belark." The man in robes made a ceremonial bow. "You are here because we need to fill our ranks. Our spells summoned you here because in all the universe you are the most qualified people to learn the craft." The old man smiled for a moment.
"If you haven't guessed, I'm fucking with you. You are here at random. For those of you who played any sort of video game say stat screen. For those of you who haven't you're fucked." He waited a moment. "I'm not joking say stat screen." A few larger men walked up.
"Hey you're scaring people. Now, if you want to wear a dress and shout orders that's great, we want to know why we're here." The wizard raised his hand and a bolt of lightning flew out and skewered the men. They shook once then spasmed to the ground.
That was the second time John saw people die. He didn't like it, not a bit. He was beginning to get the game. Who do mages summon other than servants and familiars. If they were summoned, then this was servitude.
"Why don't I hear anyone saying stat screen." The wizard yelled. John shook. The scent of burnt flesh made him want to gag.
"S-stat screen," John yelled. A blue window opened.
Gamer protocol booting
Boot up complete
Choose 7 of 36 stats
Agility
Avarice
Benevolence
Chastity
Chi
Diligence
Divinity
Endurance
Envy
Faith
Gluttony
Guilt
Hedonism
Humility
Intelligence
Judicious
Kindness
Kinetic
Liberality
Luck
Lust
Magic
Nature
Patience
Pride
Psychic(Psi)
Omni
Omega
Risk
Sloth
Strength
Terror
Union
Vitality
Willpower
Wrath
"That guy gets it. Why don't the rest of you indulge the stat screen, while the imps carry these dead bodies off for processing." Two small biped creatures opened a door and walked in. They were covered in scales and had the curled hors of rams. "Strong," John thought, as he watched them pick up five grown men and haul them away.
"I suggest you hurry. Once you finish selecting your stats you will receive your first quest." John selected pride, faith, divinity, strength, magic, intelligence, and willpower. There were no descriptions for the stats, so he picked what looked good.
"Oh, and before I forget. It is advisable that you choose vitality, Intelligence, magic, and strength. I fear survival will be difficult without those stats." John watched the screen lock in before he could change anything.
Flash black of his helplessness crossed his mind. If he had moved them in the house, then maybe they would have lived long enough for help to arrive. "Who am I kidding, I'm dying, and this is the last spark of my brain cells dying out." John thought.
User has selected
Pride
Intelligence
Faith
Divinity
Magic
Willpower
Strength
10 points have been awarded to the user.
Three perks are available.
One perk can be selected for free
Lonely Island
Rank Rare
Description:
The man who said no man is an island never met you. You are the very definition of an island. You are prideful to the point of arrogance. There is a desire within you to be the best. Others don't want to partner with you.
+250% stat increase rate
Faithless God
Rank Rare
Description:
There is no faith you desire before your own. You cannot obtain faith energy from others. Faith energy can only come from your own belief.
+500% faith increase rate
Might and Magic
Rank Uncommon
Description:
You are a user with access to both magic and strength. You have the potential to be a powerful sword mage.
+100% Strength and Magic skill increase rate
John chose might and magic. It was becoming clearer that he could die here. John stared at the wizard and frowned in contempt. The old man caught his eyes and smiled. "It seems some of you still have some fight left in you. Good, you will need it."
John stared at the life bar and lv that hovered under the question mark, where the old man's name should be. Class wizard, lv235, and Hp25million that was everything his new abilities revealed.
Allocate stat points to receive your first quest
John stared at his seven stats. He had 0 points in his stats so far. He placed 2 in magic, 2 in faith, and one in everything else. John felt something flow over his mental state. His mind seemed to expand, layers of fog felt removed from his consciousness.
John Union
Titles
Summoned slave (Slave of the Wizard's Union)
Perks
Might and Magic (+100% Strength and Magic skill increase rate)
John lv1 experience 0/50
Health 100/100 (Hp = (Str*Div *lv) + 100 * lv)
Health Regen (Hr = (Div *lv))
Mana 102/102 (Mp = (Wil * Div * Mag * Int*lv) +100)
Mana Regen 2Mp/minute (Mr = (Div * Mag*lv))
Faith 0/2 (Prd*Fai*lv)
Faith Regen 2Fp/minute (Fai*lv)
Stats
Divinity 1 (5Fp to next)
Faith 2
Intelligence 1
Magic 2
Pride 1
Strength 1
Willpower 1
Skills:
NA
Inventory (Inv) 1 (Inv = str * lv)
Armor
Casual shirt +1Phys Def
Casual jeans +1 Phys Def
Cowboy boots +3 Phys Def
Cowboy Hat +1 Phys Def
Phys Def Total(PDT) 6
Mag Def Total(MDT) 0
Money 0/0
This game was insulting. John had played many RPGs in his life. This was no different. Even if this was Dark Souls Larp addition, he would be fine. It might have been his new pride stat affecting his mind, but he felt confident even in this situation. Once he finally regained control of his shaking limbs. "Quest," John said aloud.
"Oh, there is a gamer among you. It seems one of you may live long enough, to become a serf instead of a slave. The wizard yawned loudly. John peeked under the hood. The wizard wasn't human at all. The creature had a dog's snout and ears. Whatever they were dealing with it wasn't human. He saw the wizard's sharp yellow teeth as it yawned. "I'm going to the auditorium to wait out the survivors. Those who manage to leave this circle, I will see you soon." The wizard walked off.
Quest menu opened:
You have one quest
Quest
Leave the circle
Rank E
Objectives:
Leave the circle
Failure conditions
Die
Fail to leave the circle within the next five minutes.
Rewards
50xp
Black Mage Spell: Fire
John didn't run he calmly walked out of the circle. The others were too focused on choosing their stats to notice him. Once he stepped out of the circle, he received a message.
Quest complete
Leave the circle
Rewards received:
50xp
Black Mage Spell: Fire
A book appeared in his inventory and he felt awash with energy.
Level Up
John lv2 experience 0/200
Hp +2
Hp 104/104
Hr+1
Hr 2/min
Mp +2
Mp 104/104
Mr +2
Mr 4/min
Fp +2
Fp 4/4
Fr +2
Fr 4/min
Points 10
John allocated points. Some people were slowly making their way out of the circle. There were still a few minutes before the quest closed. 2 points went to pride, 2 points went to strength, he placed a single point in all his other stats.
John's stats
John lv2 experience 0/200
Hp 112
Hr 4/min
Mp 124
Mr 12/min
Fp 10/18
Fr 6/min
Divinity 2 (10Fp to next)
Faith 3
Intelligence 2
Magic 3
Pride 3
Strength 3
Willpower 2
John slowly counted down the time. Along with his health, mana, and faith bars he had a clock. It was currently 00:04 military time. They were summoned here just before midnight. He had been talking with his brother about games. Funny how things can change in the blink of an eye. 00:05 on the clock.
It started with a spark. The circle flashed with red spark of static. The first to notice it ran for it. He was eager to see if they would trample each other to escape.
The first to try to walk over the static froze in place. The sparks traveled up their body. The woman was frozen like a statue, designer clothes and all.
"Did you notice its mostly women who are still in the circle?" John turned to his fellow survivor. "It's quite the harsh penalty. Weeding out those who can't make quick decisions, it isn't fair." John watched as those still within the circle huddled together like cattle.
"Someone please help us. We don't want to die." John turned his head to see one of his fellows run for the circle. He leapt over the sparks. John observed that the sparks were moving closer towards the center. Could the guy make it twice?
"Guys what are you waiting for. If we all band together we can save them. Do you want these women to die?" Three more guys stepped forward. They ran and leapt over the sparks.
The sparks were not a static trap. John observed the slow creep towards the center. "Idiots, they could have finished the stat selection and jumped to safety themselves. Now more will die trying to save them." John looked over to see a woman talking. She was in her early twenties with red hair and freckles. She had a lithe build like a super model or an anorexic.
The guy from earlier spoke up. "They won't make it, and neither will the guys. White knights and victims dying together how tragic." John didn't see them in that way.
"What if we need them for the next task?" John asked. He pulled up his quest menu.
Quests
Auditorium
Rank E
Objectives:
Make it to the auditorium
Find a seat
Listen to the lecture
Failure
Wait and watch the others die.
30s left before failure
Rewards:
50xp
Black Mage Skill book: Water
John ran towards the door to the auditorium. The others cut and ran with them. They didn't see if those left behind died or not. John reached the door first. He ripped it open and leapt inside. The others ran in behind him. The wizard stood on stage with a small smile on his muzzle.
Due to seeing past glamour willpower has increased by 2
Willpower 4
John launched himself in a seat. He prepared himself to listen to anything the dog man had to say. "I didn't think any of you would make it. I had resigned myself to reading a novel and waiting out the rest of the initiation." The dog man swiped his hand and the door slammed closed. One of the women who were trapped in the circle managed to leap through the door just in time. John couldn't see any of the guys who went out of their way to save them in the room.
The dog man walked around his podium. "I am known as Belark. Many of my colleagues came together and forced me do the summoning this year. You are slaves to the great Wizard's Union. To make proper use of you an explanation is needed." The dog held a glass of water to his snout and lapped at it. You have been collected to join our union. The problem is we haven't the time to train any of you. For now, you are all pups. My pups to be exact. As an Anubis my species has a particular process of raising young." John looked around to see the others staring at this dog man. John was trying to figure out where this creature was going. "We prefer the tried and true method of throwing our young in a lake, to teach them to swim. That is what I am going to do with you. Metaphorically, speaking of course, I plan to sperate each of you. You will each be placed in a different biome. I and a few of my apprentices will give you quests, such as slaying monsters for their meat and collecting rare ingredients. To survive you will have to complete a single quest each month. If you manage to survive for let's say a year, then you will be transported back here. Every year exams are taken to determine if a slave is worthy of promotion. If you pass your exam, then you will be a serf. Your lives won't be so easily taken and certain privileges will be awarded to you." John checked the quest menu to see there was nothing pending.
"Are there any questions before you are transported away. This may be your only chance for answers. I am feeling generous. So, I will allow 3 questions." Belark said. John's hand shot up.
The dog nodded to him. "You said we are slaves, what are slaves normally expected to do?" John asked.
The dog cocked its head. "I assume you meant, what are slaves normally expected to do in the Wizard's Union? Well you collect materials and farm ingredients for the higher ups. Though you can ignore nine out of ten quests it isn't in your best interest. To ignore a quest is to make an enemy. Your job is to farm for special items as a slave you get the lowest amount of pay possible. Rarely will you receive a mission in the D or C ranks. B rank quests for your station is considered unheard of. If you are ever met by another of the wizard's union, they can demand of anything from you. If you refuse they can kill you on the spot. They can kill you on the spot for the slightest of offense. Some of my colleagues delight in torture and rape. I assure you meeting them is unpleasant for a slave." John nodded. "Two more questions before I send you all into the lake." Belark said.
Another raised their hand. "I want to know why we have these gamer powers here and not where we are originally from." John didn't recognize the person who asked.
"You must mean, why do we have these gamer powers here and not in our original universe. To answer the statement, you always had this power. You have been under a type of hypnosis throughout your existence. A being that you may refer to as god uses humanity as a faith farm. It is in his best interest to block off your ability to use your own powers. Do you have any hard questions?" Belark said. John didn't know what to think. That sounded just cynical enough to be real.
"What happens, if we choose to never return from where you send us?" The red head said. The dog man gave a wolfish grin.
"That is simple. A hunter squad will be given a quest to hunt you down and take your head." Everyone was silent as they listened to the wizard. "Now if questions are over, I can begin sending you to your new destinations." Belark said.
The dog man pulled out a galaxy S 8 of all things. "Smart phones can be connected to your gamer ability to make it easier to use. This model was chosen for its familiarity. Once connected, phone calls can be sent out in universe. A few of you may be fortunate enough to be on the same planet. Others may be in the same solar system. More often you will be in the same galaxy. The current universe you are being sent to will contain your current class. Take a smart phone from the box and walk over to the transporter." John had another question now. Was the Wizard Union on hard times? Was that why they were randomly transported here? Did they need hundreds of new wizards with no pay to function? Not only that, they apparently stole a crate of smart phones from earth.
John rose from his seat when it was his turn. He dug in the box and pulled out one of the smart phones. It's autobox was crimson, he like the color. Once he touched the phone he felt the connection. Several loading screens appeared, and the phone was synced. The phone had a mini map app already loaded up. The portal was his destination. This was a quest and he hadn't even realized it.
Quest complete
Auditorium
Rewards
50xp
Skill Book Black Magic Water
Those in front of him vanished through the portal in a flash of blue light. John felt like a sheep going in for the slaughter. There was no telling what lay beyond that portal. His world could be a planet with a methane atmosphere for all he knew.
The portal took people quickly enough. It was his turn before he knew it. Red head went in front of him. He wanted to say something to her. "Good luck," John said lamely. She vanished with an eye roll. Once the blue light from the teleportation vanished it was his turn.
He looked over at Belark. The dog man was busy reading his book. "What do you want to know slave recruit John?" The wizard asked. He was stalling, and Belark probably knew it. John envisioned getting shot through the chest by the dog man. It wasn't wise to continue, but he must.
"What can we expect on the other side? Is the atmosphere even breathable?" John demanded.
The dog man chuckled. "Yes, you will be sent to worlds with an atmosphere like your own earth's. The local fauna and flora, now that is yet to be determined. Be brave like the others John. Enter the portal.
John stepped through and felt his body explode. He was light and stardust, for a moment he had no cares of earth or the wizard union. John felt himself reach a point of peace. Only to be firmly reminded that he had responsibilities. He returned to being human and slammed hard in the ground.
Several names loaded in his contacts menu. He held his cell phone up and watched the screen fill out with people. Funnily enough, out of over hundred people, he was the only John.
The sky was blue just like earth's. If he closed his eyes he could relax in the sun and pretend he's still on earth. It reminded him of when he was ten. His parents often sent him to play outside. He would spend his entire day outside from sun up to sundown. The grass he lay in was like the grass then. His dad mowed often, but kept the grass tall. It reminded him of sleeping on a large shaggy carpet.
He had fallen asleep, something warm began to fall on him when he woke up. The small bits of warmth turned into a golden shower. John leapt up blond haired woman with a horse for a lower body turned to him in abject horror. Her mouth was slack jawed, and her horse cunt winked at him. John stared at it and she blushed heavily. John saw that she was lv35 to his lv2. If it became a fight he doubted his chances against her. She saw his lv and frowned.
Her horse vagina continued to wink as they stood there in silence. The awkwardness of the situation was palpable. It felt like they were in the middle of a field full of land mines. John decided to be a gentleman for once.
"My name is John if fell asleep here by mistake. It's nice to meet you miss centauress." John smiled, with the most congeniality he could muster. "If it isn't too much trouble could you stop that?" John asked.
She turned her horse half away from him. She took an intimidating stance. "What in the unholy six are you doing sleeping out in the middle of the white plains. There are multiple prides Chaos Lions that would love to find a lv2 like you sleeping. You're lucky a herd of Prideful Zebra haven't trampled you. I could have trampled you by mistake looking for a safe place to piss." She shook her head.
"I'm with a caravan, you can stay with us, I will talk it over with my manager. Take off your shirt. It seems, I missed your pants. How did you get out here anyway?" John mumbled that a wizard teleported him.
"What speak up, I have horse ears, that doesn't mean I have the hearing of a bat." John looked at her head to see she had a cute pair of horse ears atop her head.
"A wizard teleported me out here as a practical joke. It was my teacher. He had a noble lined up to be his student and didn't want to deal with the guild. I guess he planned on me dying out here." John said.
"A political assassination. I've dealt with the guild before. They don't give a damn about anyone, who isn't ridiculously talented or has connections. The most I can get is cantrips." She said and turned her gaze back to him.
"Sorry, I have an axe to grind with the organization too. Come on I will take you to the caravan. We can claim a succubus stole your levels. Of all the unholy six beasts they are by far the most diabolical. They wouldn't blink before stealing levels from some poor adventurer looking to have a good time." She shook her head. John watched her wavy blonde hair move to the side. He had only seen centaurs in movies and anime. This one was so nice too. Weren't they supposed to be rambunctious and sometimes evil.
"Hey John, let me do the talking. My name is Isabel, but my friends just call me Izzy." John smiled and nodded. Did this chick have a ton of virtue stats or something.
They approached the caravan at a fast pace. Izzy didn't like moving slow at night. A guard blocked their path. "Isabel, your back, with a guest. Lv2 was he attacked by a succubus are there succubi getting ready to invade the camp?" One of the guards rang a bell and men rushed out of their tents and wagons. John saw armor of all kinds. There was a man dressed in a robe carrying a staff among them. Many of them had lion and horse features. A slightly longer neck here, a set of clawed fingers there, and on occasion a full main of hair.
Looking over, Izzy was clutching her face and shaking her head. She pounded her hooves on the dry ground. The sound was amplified. The movements of the guards halted.
"Rick there isn't an army of succubi, this far from Lilith's domain." She turned her head and stared down the approaching men. "You bunch need to go back to sleep we aren't under attack." John felt her clamp a hand around his shoulder and hall him towards a large covered wagon. The wagon was blacked out. Slabs of metal covered the wagon, the wheels were spiked like a chariot's, and to top it off it had a vault door for the entrance.
Izzy smashed her fist against the door. "Hey Victoria, open the damn door. I found a guy down on his luck out sleeping in some grass." The door swung open revealing a chamber large and covered in silk pillows. Izzy slammed her hooves on the ground before entering. John took off his shoes to be polite.
The door closed behind them. The rooms interior was a mixture of reds and purples. It looked a little tacky in John's opinion. There was a small coffin to the side. He raised an eyebrow to Izzy. "Victoria likes to be dramatic, just relax and roll with it." Izzy whispered.
The coffin's lid slid open and fog poured out snuffing out a pair of candles. The only light source they had left. John knew he should have already used the skill books he was given. He could create a small fire if he had. Live in learn he reasoned. "Oh, Isabel did you bring your master a delicious morsel this night. The poor dear, lv2 pathetic. Come and let me take your gently in my arms. Victoria will put you out of your misery softly." John felt a pair of cold hands grab at his rear. He smacked them away.
"Aren't you a touchy one. You don't have to worry just let me have a taste." When John felt cold hands touch his cheek he spun around and punched. He felt his hand hit something akin to steel. The light from the candles returned.
He saw Victoria. She was a small girl with pale almost blue skin and purple hair. He had hit her pretty hard in the mouth. "Oh, you like it rough." She licked the blood from her lips. "Don't worry so do I." She floated and stood back to her feet. Her eyes began to glow a crimson red. John saw her level was 105 and felt nervous.
"I didn't bring him to you as a surprise meal." Izzy said. Victoria suddenly dropped to the floor. John saw the wound he had made on her lips fade. She placed a finger in her mouth and bit down.
John's eyes shot open in suprise. "It's an apology for her abhorrent behavior. Vampires treat blood as a form of currency. This is an apology for the embarrassing display she just gave you." Izzy explained.
John nodded, his heart beat erratically as he approached the girl. She looked to be twelve, for all he knew she could be ten thousand. He opened his mouth and she jammed her fingers in. Her licked the blood clean. John felt his cheeks heat up as he tasted her. It killed his pride. But he was obscenely weak now. Every little bit helped.
She had cut her finger for him and he sucked it. Victoria smiled to him. "I assume you are a friend of Isabel otherwise she would have let me drink you dry. Even my guards risk my hunger at times." The wound healed, and John gave her finger another lick as Victoria reclaimed it. John had seen enough anime to know that vampire blood was like steroids for any character. "Oh, a playful one then. Perhaps, we will be the best of friends as well. After all I smell you on him Izzy. Do you plan to train him from scratch?" Victoria said. She laughed lightly at her friend's blush.
You have consumed the pure blood of a born vampire.
New skill
Life Drain lv1 (active) 0 of 10xp
Description:
A normally vampire only skill this skill falls within the stats of the seven deadly sins. Any who possess one of the seven deadly sins can obtain this skill. The more of the deadly sins possessed the stronger the skill. All seven of the deadly sins will grant this skill the strongest bonus.
Mag damage = Pri * Div * Mag * skill lv
Mp cost 100/min
New skill
Life sense lv1 (passive) 0/10
Description:
A skill classically possessed by undead and rarely necromancers. This skill can be obtained by any with any of the seven deadly sins.
Range = Pri * Div * Mag * skill lv *1m
"Actually, I fell asleep in the grass and she peed on me." John admitted. He could feel it and it was freaking him out. Life was all around him with the slightest of efforts, he could feed off it. A hand snapped at his face.
"Hey wake up." She continued to snap and get his attention. You gained a skill from my blood. "What's your sin?" John shook the haze from his mind.
"Pride yours," John said. John felt his legs begin to give out. The presence of so much life was getting too much.
"Izzy what kind of stats does your friend possess. His range is 18 meters from what I can determine. That shouldn't be possible for a human. I'm going to have to knock him out. If I don't he will go feral. This human is practically newborn vampire. You know I don't want children." Victoria said. John gritted his teeth and tried his best to hold his desire to feed at bay.
By holding back an intense desire willpower has increased by 2.
Willpower 6
The desire didn't ease up that isn't what willpower did. Instead his ability to handle the desire grew stronger. "I'm ok, there isn't a need to knock me out." Victoria looked him over. There was a flicker of worry on her face. John didn't know why they just met.
"John, I'm going to take you to my bedroll and your going to sleep until morning." Izzy said. Victoria shook her head. "What do you suggest instead. You're the one who poisoned him with your blood." Victoria snorted in an unladylike fashion.
"He is hardly poisoned. I expected him to be cowardly and puss out. How was I supposed to know he would lick my finger clean? You know if he gets passed this and gets a few dozen levels he might make a descent adventurer. I could sponsor his certification." John felt his body shake.
"What's happening?" John choked out. Victoria turned her crimson gaze to him.
"Well," Victoria started before Izzy interrupted.
"You gained a skill, humans can't deal with. Life Drain is an undead skill. Your human body is trying to adapt to a new way of feeding and in the process your body is making new hormones. Those hormones are clashing with your body and that's where the shaking is coming from. If you don't get a handle on it soon you could die." Izzy said. John heard her words and couldn't believe it. He had been in this world for less than a day and already he could die.
Through an act of self-restraint willpower has increased by 3.
Willpower 9
A switch was flipped. The gamer stood up. He would be fine. The desire was still present, and it would always be there. It was an addiction like cigarettes or sex. It could be controlled, he would handle it.
"I think, I'm good now." John said. Victoria grabbed ahold of his face and looked him over. Turning his head, she inspected his eyes. He didn't know what she was looking for, but she nodded her head.
"Well John, was it? Nice meeting you. Isabel, I expect you to be up and about bright and early to pull my carriage. John, your staying with us until we hit town. Stay close to the caravan. If you feel hungry and not in the human way. Find some mouse or something and drain it to dust. I don't want any of my guards or drivers vanishing. Do you understand?" John nodded. "I'm not joking. You are like this because of my blood. If you were a normal human, then my blood would have boosted you a few levels. Instead, you gained a powerful and dangerous skill. You must stay fed you clearly have a willpower stat. That will only hold for so long. Trust me, keep yourself fed." She smiled with a bit a fang. "Sleep well." She said.
The door swung open. John stepped out along with Izzy. The centauress let him put his shoes on before she followed him. The door shut closed behind them. "Well, that went well." John said.
Izzy snorted loud enough to get his attention. "Come on, you can lay down with me for the night. It may not feel it right now, but the temperature is about to drop." John nodded. She led the way John followed behind her. He looked up at the moon. The sun had sunk below the surface while they were in the carriage.
There was a spot that was clearly hers lain out. A large blanket fit for a horse's size. To the side a massive pack lay to the side, along with a massive bow, and three full quivers of arrows. Her legs folded down and she lay on her side. She flared her legs up and turned over in a roll.
John saw a flash of something that confused him. She didn't have teats on the bottom of her horse half. He was truly confused. "What's wrong John get down here. I haven't had a sleeping buddy since my brother." Izzy said.
He took his shoes off and stepped on the blanket. John unbuttoned his pants and placed them to the side. There were ten quests already available on his updates. He would have to deal with that this month. Who knew what strange things they wanted of him.
"Does it have something to do with your massive testicles and horse penis?" John hadn't had a chance to see that when they were moving in to camp and talking with Victoria. She shrugged her shoulders.
"Yea most guys don't like seeing a sack on a woman bigger than theirs. I wasn't always a centaur John. If you don't know this then you must be either really sheltered or foreign. When a human eats the meat of a prideful zebra or a nightmare the mana of the creature will infuse them. This alien mana allows the consumer to lv up and it changes them. I ate a lot of equines, it gave me my taur form and a little extra," John thought about it. Honestly, he was too exhausted to care.
"So, are all centaurs like that?" John asked. He got down with her.
"No, there are natural born and there are those like me who consume a lot of monster meat. I was after the perks that came with the different equine. What it did to my body didn't concern me." Izzy said.
"I don't have any problems with your male half, so long as your female." John said. He needed to sleep and focus on the quests tomorrow anyway.
"Hey John, what do you think of Victoria? Izzy asked. John shrugged.
"She seems nice enough, why?" He heard her chuckle.
"The guards are terrified of her. Remember when we approached. The guards all rose up in arms to defend the camp. That's the fear that Victoria puts in them. You're only a lv2, so you can't really determine the true depths of Victoria's power. Well when a vampire gets at the level she is at, they are practically unstoppable. She became my friend because I'm not afraid of her. You were the same in there. Instead of freaking out you stepped forward and drank her blood. She respects courage, remember to be brave around her. She is known to eat cowards." John blinked. He had a much greater threat to worry about than a cranky vampire.
John closed tried to sleep despite his new centaur friend' extra plumbing. It didn't really bother him. No, what bothered him was the red eyes in the distance. They were too far apart to belong to Victoria. John heard galloping hooves. The presence circled him.
The guards let the creature pass. John felt his mind drift. He was falling asleep. Fire light from the camp light was sucked in by the creature. Its form was that of a black hole with two red eyes. A hunger radiated from the monster.
He slipped away from consciousness fearful that this would be the last time he was awake.
John's Adventures will continue in the next chapter.
Follow me on twitter, I'm on P a treon if you want to become a patron. I have no rewards so far. I'm going to post the next chapter there in three days. If all goes well this will become a book.
