An Apostle's Fate
Chapter 2: Rattle me' Bones
10 years later
'Where….am I? I was at that plain right? How….something with the Game?'
My mind was….strange. Everything was unclear as if I had fallen asleep and couldn't quite wake up.
I'm limiting your senses so you don't panic.
Things have gone…..slightly wrong.
'What...What do you mean cypher? Why can't I feel anything?'
You don't listen, do you? The game had some difficulties in adjusting your race to this reality. And the Senses were taken to prevent you from going insane.
I don't care Cypher. I can't do shit if I can't even tell where I am or what is going on with my Body. Give me my senses back!
Fine then, if you want your senses back then here you go.
After all this time it might not be that bad actually.
In an instant it felt like there was a crushing weight pinning me down, trapping me against another surface.
There… was something else as well. Certain bits of my body I just couldn't feel for some reason.
I thought my senses were supposed to be returned, but I could barely feel even half my body let alone move it.
One by one, more and more parts of my body began to register. There was an itch in my right eye, followed by pangs of hunger and thirst as my stomach cried out for something to fill it. Suddenly a thick, earthy scent filled my nostrils, tinged with an unusual mix of different scents.
But my sight wasn't returning, I was still trapped in this darkness.
I tried to move, to rise and get a feel of myself but I couldn't. Not for lack of trying though, but it felt more like someone had tied me down. I could barely even shift my fingers, trapped in by the weight as they were. The taste of dirt registered in my mouth, the texture carrying down into my throat and… even into my stomach.
It hit me like a truck, the sudden weight, the complete darkness, the dirt filling every orifice. I wasn't blind, I'd been buried alive.
But if my body is full of dirt then how can I be breathing? Am I even breathing?
I need to get out of here, I needed to figure out what the hell was going on.
Why the hell am I so calm about this? I've been buried alive and yet I'm acting like someone just told me my meal would take a little longer to arrive.
My stomach growled at me again, perhaps thinking of food in a time like this wasn't the smartest thing to do.
First things first, get out of here. I can figure the rest out later.
Smart decision, you might also want to grab something to eat.
You'll need it.
'What do you mean I'll need it?' I called out to cypher, but was met with nothing but silence.
Well if I wasn't going to get an answer from him then I'll have to figure it out on my own.
I'll have to figure out a way to get back at the bastard later.
My limbs gain strength and I claw at the ground around me. The earth above me loosens up with every push and pull. I eventually grab hold of roots and ripping them around helps my effort. Soon enough, the first glimmers of light filter through. I continue clawing at the hole and continue widening it as I eventually pull myself out of the ground. I grip onto the thick grass and pull the rest of my body out of the grave.
I try to breathe out in relief, but earth and slimy goo is all that comes out. I need a second or two to empty my airways. I'm honestly amazed at my survival, but I won't deny that I am happy about it right now.
Even out of the grave it seemed my vision was trash, I was completely blind on my right side and with my left I may as well have been considering I could barely make out the blob that was my hand. The moon hung overhead, granting some small semblance of light and filled with an unusual sense of vigour.
Even standing was a struggle, my bones creaking and cracking with even small movements.
Turning back to the grave I'd dragged myself out of I saw that there was little there to mark its place other than a series of colourful flowers around the hole I'd dug. At least I thought they were flowers.
A scent registered on my nose, something...delicious. Without thought my body began marching forward. Well marching was a strong word, it was more like a drunken stumble than anything else but I was still heading right towards it. I could practically feel myself salivating the closer I got.
I stumble and trip here and there, but I thankfully don't feel any pain while doing so. Getting up isn't too hard, but it does make me wonder about it all.
A few more minutes pass before I eventually come across what I'm assuming to be a road. It wasn't too modern and just a dirt path, but it was enough for me. Some Isekai this was. Cypher was ignoring me, and my body felt strange. I also didn't even know what kind of world I ended up in. Was it Fantasy? Modern? Dark or even space age? The fact that I didn't know made me angry.
There was that stuff that Cypher mentioned concerning my skills. I was certain it was related to the Nasuverse, but I was honestly unsure about it. My memories were still very spotty. While I was remembering things like knowledge or trivia, I was drawing a complete Blank on myself.
I eventually stop when the smell becomes more prominent. Just a short distance away, what I could assume to be a vehicle stood with two...horses in front? A Carriage then? I could barely make out the shape, but combined with what little sound I could hear and their unique smell? I could make out what they were.
So I continue approaching them. I open my mouth in an attempt to ask for help, but only gurgles and wheezes escape my throat. I can see a shape at the front of the carriage suddenly jump down from the front. I assume it to be a person, but he suddenly starts shouting in response. My ears aren't working properly but I can still make out the words even if I can't understand them.
"Wer ist dort! Zeigen sie sich sofort!"
The male voice was truly incomprehensible, but I was certain I might be able to gesture my intentions. I won't be hampered now that I could smell the food they had and I knew it was in front of me. I really needed it.
I continue approaching the figure and a light appears slightly away from his hand. Considering the nature of the light, I deduce it to be a newly lit torch. I eventually come into the newly illuminated area and get another reaction from the Man.
He backs away while keeping the lit torch above his head. Another horse trots from behind the carriage, a metallic smell originating from the person atop it.
"Eine wandelnde Leiche! Ein Vieh des Teufels! Herr Erich, leihen sie mir ihr Schwert!" the man with the torch yells out. I still can't understand the language, but it shouldn't be too big an issue. I'm certain there is a form of magic or something that could translate words with me.
I raise my hand in order to ask for help and try to speak out once more. My throat feels strange as I try to produce sound and another gurgling sound comes out. That sadly isn't the only thing though, as I do suddenly throw up even more dirt that had been churning in my guts.
I slowly look back to the two figures only to see the one with the metallic smell run towards me. As he closes in, I also notice that the smell was due to the Full plate armour he had been wearing...as well as the Sword he was tightly gripping in his hands.
He was on me before I could even think to raise a defence, his sword ramming through my chest as my hands shot up in panic.
-197 HP
I could feel the blade piercing through my body, tearing its way through meat and bone until it came out my back. On instinct, I cried out in pain, even reduced as it was far greater than anything I'd experienced before. The knight's charge carried forward, his bulky form and the weight of his armour knocking me off balance before I managed to plant my feet and halt him.
A sound of shock came from his mouth, and with clear desperation, he tried ripping the sword out of my body. My hands snapped around his wrist with strength I didn't know I had, crushing down with as much force as I could muster.
He grew frantic as he pulled again and again, but my grip was like iron.
-97 HP
His boot slammed into my abdomen, sending dirt that had filled my lungs instead of air into his face and blinding him.
"Franz! Nehme die Gräfin und Fliehe zum Schloss! Erzähle der Kirche von was du hier gesehen hast! Befor es zu spät ist!" The knight screamed out, panicked and hurried as the others began to flee into their carriage.
He shifted to kick again, so I yanked as hard as I could. He howled in pain as I felt the arm I'd grasping go limp and he began to tumble forward.
Acting on instinct my hands flew from his own to push against him, one of them slamming into his lower jaw and shoving it back with a sickening crack before the knight fell to the ground in a broken heap.
[+2400XP]
You have advanced to Level 7
Urchin class skill added: Stealth
...Error.
Class Skill system compromised...
processing...
Future skills shall be processed beforehand.
Urchin class skill added: Presence concealment E-
(The standard skill in a Assasin/rogue's arsenal, the ability to reduce one's presence and hide away from the world.
This skill allows you to reduce your presence by 2.5%)
Urchin class perk added: Unseen (As one of the dregs of society, it applies that others would want to avoid your presence. This perk grants you a passive form of sneak that decreases your aggro rating by 10%
HP and Od have been restored
The gash in my chest and back seemingly healed, but I honestly could not tell the difference. My body was still clumsy...yet it was strong...Why? Then there was the smell. Even though the carriage left, I could still smell Food on...or within the knight. And that thought was unsettling.
As I ponder that, I also stare at the fallen body for a second or two. The carriage was now long gone, returned to whatever home it had. I had just killed a man….And I simply do not care. It was him or me... And I'm ok with that.
Well, thank the maker!
She isn't a spineless wimp.
'About time you answered! Tell me what the hell is going on!' I scream out in my mind. I may not be able to speak, but I could still think. And it was easy to realize that cypher could see my thoughts.
No need to shout at me Claudia.
There is a time and place for everything.
I just didn't care to tell you about your situation before knowing just what kind of persona you are. While a bit disappointing, you did defend yourself and managed to kill a level 48 Human. Better than most, but if anything it was due to your racial modifiers.
'Racial….modifiers? What...What do you mean?'
I don't care enough to explain that much but I will give you a rundown. You were meant to be a vampire but this reality has its own version of them and you were adjusted in order to avoid any tears in reality. While a fully functional SYSTEM could have avoided these, you have no such luck. Therefore, things went a bit...unexpected.
For now...I will advise using that knight's armour as a mirror perhaps.
Considering that I wanted answers, I followed his advice and looked down to the body before me. I first rub some dirt out of my one good eye before kneeling down in order to turn the knight around. I eventually find a decently polished piece of armour and the face that stares back at my lone eye leaves me shocked.
Sure, I couldn't make out any smaller details, but the missing flesh over my mouth and missing eye painted a clear picture. My face... was...rotten, old…the kind of thing you would expect from a corpse...or in this case...a "Ghoul".
Looks like you figured it out. It was also the reason that those humans immediately grew hostile. Who wouldn't when a shambling corpse approached them.
The comment sets me off by a slight amount, prompting me to rip away from the vile reflection. 'I don't want more sass or cruelty Cypher. Tell me what exactly I am, because I am very sure this isn't what a vampire is supposed to be like. And Dead apostles shouldn't look like this either!'
Very True Claudia. By the way, might I state how glad I am that the barest retention of memories is part of your skills?"
I grit my teeth in frustration, 'Get to the point you robotic prick!'
Fine you spoilsport. Here is what happened. Your level was simply too low to actually have you start as a prim and proper Dead Apostle, but you can't be one of "The Dead" either as that would have invalidated Gamer's mind. So you were bumped up in the evolution and became what is known as a Ghoul.
It is a rather interesting evolution actually. When a "Dead" possess certain requirements such as spiritual organs, then they have the ability to evolve further. As a Ghoul their bodies are buried with the intention that their flesh and vital organs decay over time. In your case, it was 10 years. I am amazed someone even had the decency to bury you.
But back to what's important.
In this reality, the Brain is the anchor of the Souls, but a Ghoul undergoes a process that changes this. You no longer need functioning organs or even a brain to survive and as long as bits and pieces of your body remain, then so shall your spirit.
This has obviously changed a few things so please let me show you.
Claudia von Mondrecht
Lv= 1 (0/100 XP)
Class = Rogue
Subclass = Urchin
Race = Dead Apostle (Ghoul)
Title = none
Hp = 3000 HP (END x 100)
Hpr = 30 HP/m (LV x END x 0.1)
Body/Blood Coefficient= 14%
Damage Reduction = 3 (END/10 + ARMOR)
Stats:
Strength = 60
Endurance = 30
Agility = 20
Mind = 1
Charm = 0
Luck = 20
Magic Parameters:
Od = 195
Circuit Quality = E
Circuit Quantity = 13
Origin = Unknown
Element = Unknown
Due to you becoming what is effectively a fully conscious zombie, the natural limits to your strength have been lifted. Even in your decayed state Gamer's Body is preventing any loss of Physical Stats, however there is a slight decrease to your Mind and Charm stats.
Another little addition and probably the most important one would be the newly added Body/Blood Coefficient
Let me guess, since I'm a Ghoul I've got to eat people to restore myself right? 'Cause, that's what Dead Apostles usually have to do and if I'm one of them it stands to reason that I'm going to be held to the same rules. Right Cypher?
Yup. You got it.
Looking down at the body of the dead Knight it was clear that this was going to be the point of no return. I was going to have to eat this man to build myself back up. There was no room for hesitation or morals, especially not in these times. If I wanted to live beyond today then I was going to have to leave behind the morals of my old world… or was it my future world?
God damn, I hate time travel.
With my newly-found resolve, I remove the helmet and grab hold of his face. I kneel closer and take my first bite from his cheek. Blood and flesh enter my mouth and fill me with an indescribable amount of euphoria. The textures were strange and far too tough, but the fresh blood made up for it.
With barely a minute passing, I had nearly eaten all the flesh from his face.
That...was unexpected. It would seem you really do have some promise.
While you continue with that...I may as well show you what your new stat sheet looks like.
Claudia von Mondrecht
Lv= 7 (300/700 XP)
Class = Rogue
Subclass = Urchin
Race = Dead Apostle (Ghoul)
Title = none
Hp = 3,700 HP (END x 100)
Hpr = 25,9 HP/m (LV x END x 0.1 )
Body/Blood Coefficient= 14%
Damage Reduction = 3 (END/10 + ARMOR)
Stats:
Strength = 67
Endurance = 37
Agility = 34
Mind = 8
Charm = 7
Luck = 34
Magic Parameters:
Od = 195
Circuit Quality = E
Circuit Quantity = 13
Origin = Unknown
Element = Unknown
As you might have guessed from this, Stats are assigned based on your class. The Urchin subclass gives you 1 Strength, 1 Endurance, 2 Dexterity, 1 Mind, 2 Charm and 2 Luck per level and her XP requirement increases by 100 XP per level.
It was a mainly untested SYSTEM and it ended with some rather overpowered in later Stages, but that is the point of a Gamer system in the end.
Also, you eat fast. Very fast.
'Well sorry, I was just starving for the last 10 years and literally have bits of this fall out of my stomach! So yeah, I do want to eat and fix this damn thing as fast as possible!' I yell out in my mind.
While I had been gorging myself, my body had already been hard at work to restore itself. A few bones that had been poking out, were no longer visible. New patches of muscle had grown, with my hands getting some of them as well. I doubt finer functions were possible, but I should now be able to grip things at least.
The most important thing to me was probably my eyesight. My sole eye could see more clearly and after a bit of prodding, I could determine that the other one had started regrowing. Generally, it was a good development but it wasn't nearly enough.
It meant one thing in the end, I needed more.
I get up from my crouched position, now having more ease in the action than before, and give the Knight another glance. All that remained was a broken skeleton along with a pile of clothes and armour.
Might as well take that then. I hold up one of the armour pieces and remember another one of the essential skills I had gotten. Observe was adjusted and changed to Mystic eyes. A Magical organ...something I have no clue as to how I could even use it.
Activating Magic circuits in fate was always a rather strange concept. Before they were activated, you had to have someone else open them….Or you receive some other kind of Bullshit that broke the rules in order to open them.
For now, I will work on the assumption that they are open, as they are technically a requirement for me to become a Ghoul…
So I focus on my inner being. What I need to activate my circuits is a trigger of sorts. Emiya visualized the hammer of a gun being cocked. Tohsaka visualised her heart being stabbed. Whatever it was, it had to be a singular thing that wasn't something one thought of in daily life but something that would also cause a flight or fight for you. It also had to be something one could vividly recall or describe….
For now, the only thing that comes close to that is….
I look towards the pilfered equipment once more and stare at a certain article. The very longsword that I had been stabbed with. I grip the handle of the blade and slowly pull it from its sheath. The sliding sound and metallic grind are...unique… They were different to what is usually heard in movies and so on. It was quieter, more...sleek I guess.
I am no expert in swords, but I do imagine this to be a special one. It probably wasn't, but it was to me. More so due to it actually being the blade that injured me. The first of its kind I would imagine.
So I use it as the basis of my idea. A blade made to kill me. The metallic sound and scent, the silver glimmer it has while under the moonlight. I take them all in and memories them to my core.
A few minutes passed with me merely pulling the blade from its sheath and resheathing it just afterwards. After a while, I finally place the blade to the ground before me and close my eyes.
Within my mind I repeat the action, focusing on every aspect of the blade. I struggle for another couple of minutes with this endeavour. The image of the blade changed in my mind, but the idea felt more….connected..more real to me. The blade became cleaner, sharper. The metal glimmered as if it were made of blessed silver.
Soon enough, I can smell a tingly scent from my own body. I quickly open my eyes and look down to the side of my right arm. On it, stretching from the elbow to the wrist, were 13 lines glimmering with a faint blue light. I could smell them?
Did that mean that my nose was…...was I a bloodhound in the same manner as Shirou was? That….made sense for a dead apostle to have actually. I was in a state where hunting was a necessity.
I focus on my circuits once more. They aren't the best, but they should get the job done. My mystic eyes eventually light up with Od and I observe the Armor before me
[Armour]
…..
…
…..
The fuck? This...this can't be this bad! I activate the Mystic eyes once more, hoping for something else.
[Armour]
…...Fucking Fuck….
[Armour]
Why would you do this to me?
[Armour]
Why must you hurt me this way?
[Armour]
[Mystic eyes of Analysis (Augment) has advanced to LV 2]
Wait a second? Level up?!
[Armour plate]
I fucking hate my life…..I also used up 5 units of my Od. Fuck this.
Turning off my Magic circuits, I give the armour one last look. The armour was fitted for a smaller person so I doubt I will be able to use it myself. I shouldn't waste it though. Plate armour is plate armour and I do believe I have an inventory.
This time, the process is considerably easier. A single window suddenly pops up in front of me. I can modify its size and move it around. I don't even have to do it by hand but can do it with pure thought alone. I direct the window under the corpse and extend it to the items beside it.
I let the window fade from view and only a large patch of blood and flesh bits remain. It will be rather an interesting sight to see later on.
But for now, I need to focus on more. I have a weapon in the sword and my skills are somewhat decent for stealth now. I should be able to take on some people now. I look towards the road once more and begin walking along the beaten path. It might lead me to the property of whoever was in that carriage and it might eventually lead me to a village.
Should I find one, I will try my best to devour all of them. Being what was essentially a zombie is utter shit and I do not wish to remain this way any longer than I have to. Besides, peasants had crap lives during this age anyway. They didn't have labour rights, let alone human rights. Sanitation was shit and the food could kill you. Christ, drinking the Water could kill you.
If anything, I would be doing them a favour.
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Author's Note: Hope you all enjoy this. Don't expect an update schedule, I doubt I could uphold one.
So Yeah.
Oh yeah. Here are translations for the Dialogue.
"Eine wandelnde Leiche! Ein Vieh des Teufels! Herr Erich, leihen sie mir ihr Schwert!"
"A walking corpse! A beast of the Devil! Sir Eric, lend me your blade!"
\
"Franz! Nehme die Gräfin und Fliehe zum Schloss! Erzähle der Kirche von was du hier gesehen hast! Befor es zu spät ist!"
"Franz! Take the Duchess and flee to the castle! Tell the church of what you saw here! Before it's too late!"