Hero Gothic 1

Part 8

Oakvale. Albion

The last time I had been in Oakvale the place had been on fire. From what I'd seen so far the place had been perfectly restored. I spent a few moments standing completely still, looking at the field where I'd been talking with Theresa shortly before the bandits had turned up. The memory seemed as it belonged to a different person, yet it kept replaying in my mind.

As I walked into the heart of the village, I realised that indeed everything was as it was before, but also it had changed. Everything was smaller now either because I was bigger, or perhaps it was because none of it really mattered to me anymore. The Guild had been my home for so long that I had no attachment to this place, not that I had ever tried to form one.

I only stopped walking around when somebody called out to me. I turned around and saw someone who I had completely forgotten until now. Her name was Emily and she had grown up, but something in the eyes reminded me of a little girl who had lost her teddy bear.

"Hello!" she said happily "I remember you! We thought you'd died in the awful Bandit raid all those years ago".

I even remembered the name of the teddy bear, somehow.

"Is that you, Emily?" I asked, wanting to be sure.

She smiled at me.

"Of course it is!" Emily confirmed "Don't you remember. I was looking for Rosie, my teddy bear just before the raid".

The girl, who was still a teenager by the looks of things, moved closer to me.

"After that horribly day my parents moved to Bowerstone, but I never really liked in there" she told me "So when we heard that the village was being rebuilt we came back".

I was glad to hear that not everyone had been killed.

"Emily!" someone called out.

The young women turned around for a moment and then faced me again.

"I have to go now" she said "But it was great to see you again. Bye"

Once I had finished waving I walked over to the tavern where Maze was waiting for me.

"There you are. I thought maybe you were getting too famous to be seen round here" Maze said.

Given that only one person had recognised me, and not for being a Hero, that was far from the truth.

"Have you found anything more about Theresa?" I asked.

I knew she was with a bandit called Twinblade, but Albion was a bit place, and I had barely seen any of it so far. Plus there were many parts of this world that were cut off from the rest due to large oceans, nasty swaps, haunted woods, and hot deserts.

"Sorry I'm afraid I've heard nothing more of your sister, and there is little else I can do" Maze replied "Yet there is hope. I've heard that a blind seeress lives among Twinblade's Bandit Clan. She may be able to tell you about your sister".

Maze took me down to the beach, and showed me a road that led to the Bandit camp.

"The seeress stands next to the Bandit King himself. And it's no coincidence the Bandits have been doing so well lately" Maze said to me "Have you heard of Twinblade?".

I hadn't heard of him at all outside of the video game, and by shaking my head I led Maze know that I didn't.

"He was a Hero once, a giant of a man" I was told "He had little patience for the Guild though. He left it and brought together more than a dozen Bandit factions under his banner".

I would not underestimate his Twinblade, anyone who could unite so many crooks had to be a very scary person.

"So you want me to sneak into the camp, deal with Twinblade and find the Seeress?" I asked.

Maze nodded.

"I always suspected he was behind the attack on Oakvale" the Will User was now saying "If that's the case then this your chance for revenge".

Which was something I had wanted in the past, but having seen the village rebuilt it didn't seem so important any more. Still I had to play the game and defeat Jack of Blades, and that meant defeating Twinblade.

"I have left a Quest card at the Guild with the details" Maze informed me before teleporting away.

My eyes narrowed as he vanished. I couldn't help feeling that I was being set up, yet for the life of me I could not remember if that happened in the game. Not that it really matter if I was because I wasn't strong enough to fight someone like Maze, at least not yet.

One day, when I had become much stronger, then I would stop dancing to other people's tunes, but until that day I had to act as if I had no clue what was really going on. Which wasn't that far from the truth really.

(Line Break)

Meanwhile in the Bandit camp a young women, no more than a girl really, was almost driven to her knees by the power of her latest vision. She saw two men, both of which were dressed in Bandit gear, but that was the only thing they had in common.

She saw the younger and much more powerful man charge forward to attack the older, more experienced fighter that she knew to be Twinblade. Then the vision faded.

"What was that?" the women questioned.

Normally her visions didn't just hit her like that, and also she tended to see the outcome of such events. For the first time in a good long while a vision had made her less certain of the future rather more sure of it.

"Are you alright?" A man question.

The women looked up and saw a bandit, who just happened to be the nephew of Twinblade. The woman saw him die in her next vision and so decided it best not to talk to the young man. Besides she had things to do, someone important was coming for a visit.

(Line Break)

Oakvale

"Oh, a Hero! I could really use your help sir" A man said to me as I headed inside the inn "I run a harmless little chicken contest down on the beach, but I'm having a bit of ghost trouble.

That might sound like he was setting up illegal cock fights, but this was Albion so it was just as likely that he was racing the chickens or something else rather harmless.

"Some deceased chicken-fancier no doubt. The thing is, he's scaring all my punters away" The man explained "You couldn't, you know...work some of your Hero magic and get rid of him, could you?"

The Will powers of a Hero weren't like using magic spells or being a priest. I couldn't just go and exorcise a ghost, but there were other ways of making a spirit move on, and if I remembered this quest correctly then this was a case of a soul having unfinished business rather than a haunting.

"Yeah sure" I agreed.

My dog and I walked down towards the beach and soon I saw a ghostly figure who was just standing around while looking towards the sea. Once I got close enough to be noticed the ghost turned to speak to me.

"Aaah. At long last, a kind soul who don't flee at the sight of me" the ghost said "I have paced this forsaken beach for so many years. Could it be that ye have been sent by the gods to lift me from my fierce torment?"

Mostly I was in it for the XP. Heroes grew stronger by getting out into the world and doing quests. Plus the pay was good.

"Something like that" was my reply "I'm here to help if that's what you need".

The ghost nodded.

"Ye see my body dwells at the bottom of the sea, gar, and my poor wife is left destitute and grieving" I was told "She thinks I was but a simple fisherman, and still be somewhere lost at sea".

I nodded to show that I was listening

"It may shock you to learn, that I had a small side-business in piracy. Gar!" the ghost then said.

I was not at all surprised, the guy even looked like a pirate.

"Yar, I hid my sinfully plundered treasure next to the jetty on the western beach. If you were to use a spade to dig it up and give it to my wife, I will reward you with plentiful riches, ye old sea dog!" the pirate proposed.

That might sound simple, but digging up the treasure could be a lot of work as 'next to the jetty' wasn't exactly a precise location. But I'd do my best.

(Line Break)

Oakvale.

"Oh my goodness. This is from my Husband?" The pirate's wife asked.

I decided to say as little as possible as I had no desire to lie to the woman, but nor did I wish to shatter any delusions she had about her dead husband.

"Yes" I said.

Sadly for me she didn't jut accept the shiny things.

"How did he make so much money?" she asked.

I thought fast, and came up with what I hoped was a good fib despite not wanting to lie, as I did enough of that already.

"He never told me the details" I said "Maybe he found he found some buried treasure".

The woman seemed to buy that lie.

"I know he really cared for me. He was such a good, honest man. Thank you so much. I will still pray to see him return safe one day" the women said "Right after I've done some shopping"

After that she left and I went back to the beach where the ghost pirate was waiting for me.

"Avast, yer've been trusty seadog, ye have!" the dead man said "Perchance now I can finally enjoy my death. But before I leave, I shall keep my end of the bargain, gar!"

I assumed that meant I'd be getting a reward.

"The rest of the swag be buried under the axe of a statue in the local graveyard. If it still be there, yer welcome to it. Now thank ye, and goodbye" the Ghost pirate said before vanishing.

Quickly, I went over to the graveyard and sought out my reward.

(Line Break)

On Route to Bandit Camp

The clifftop path was narrow and not at all flat, and although the place was dangerous, it was also quite at that moment when the Guildmaster started to talk to me through the Guild Seal I was able to clearly hear him.

You'll need to sneak past those Bandits to reach their camp. If any of them see you, they'll raise the alarm and lock the gate.

"I'll be careful" I muttered.

After telling Oggy to stay out of sight. I located the highest tree and climbed up it. Once I was settled on a branch readied myself to fire my bow.

Then I waited until one of the bandits was standing far enough away from the others before I let lose an arrow. The bandit I hit had been standing on the edge of the path while taking a piss, so when the arrow hit him he staggered forward and went over the edge.

He screamed and I aimed at the second bandit, who rather than raise the alarm, as I had thought he would, the bloke went to see what had happened to his buddy. He also got an arrow his back, and went over the edge. Like the other bandit that guy's body would end up feeding the seagulls as it would be pulverised into chunks now that it had hit the rocks below.

Like a ninja I then ran towards the third guard whom I caught completely of guard. I snapped the man's neck and then began to undress him, which was extremely unpleasant, but I needed at least some of his clothes in order to make it past the gate. Once I was done with him I tossed his body off the cliffs. Then I stashed my armour inside my pouch of holding, which was something all Heroes got as starting equipment.

"Things I do for XP" I muttered to myself.

Then I headed towards the gate, only stopping when I heard some people taking.

"Here, you heard what happened to Stern, Elirc?" one of the Bandits asked.

Someone else soon spoke.

"No Weston. What did the idiot do this time?" a man I assumed to be Elirc replied.

"He only lost his bloody cap in a raid. Was a week before he could get back in the camp" Weston told Elirc.

"Yeah, you can't get in unless you're in full gear these days" Elirc remarked "If you ask me, old Twinblade getting a bit jumpy. Don't know what's got into 'im" Weston said.

Thankfully I had the full gear so I would be able to get in without anyone knowing who and what I was.

(Line Break)

"So he's inside the camp?" Twinblade asked, as he sat upon his throne.

He was talking to a young blind woman, and she needed a moment before she could answer as she was trying to look into the future, but mostly what she was getting was the present.

"Yes" she said "and he's already killed three of your men".

Twinblade shifted in his seat.

"I see. So this little Hero does want a fight" the bandit king said, sounding amused "I'll crush him".

The Seer smirked.

"Do not underestimate him Twinblade. He has much more than mere physical strength" the blind woman warned.

The bandit king shifted in his seat for a second time.

"What do you mean?" Twinblade then asked.

(Line Break)

The gates opened and the watchman allowed me to proceed inside. I headed down the hill and into what was just part of the camp. As I looked around I saw many Bandits who were sitting by the camp fire, drinking beer and talking about recent event. They had no idea that one of the Heroes of the Guild had infiltrated their camp.

My dog, who had rejoined me without being summoned, and I both ran up the hill towards the gate to the next section of the camp. The doors opened and the guard gestured for me to go inside. Once inside, the doors closed behind me and I got worried. This was all a little too easy.

As soon as I'd finished thinking that I saw that the gate I needed to go through next was heavily guarded. This was a problem because if I attacked them then I'd ended up fighting the whole camp, and as powerful as I was I couldn't fight this many bandits.

Knowing that I would need a distraction I made my way up the hill towards where the prisoners were being kept. There I found another guard who was watching over some poor girls who had been locked up in cages. Not that I normally had a problem with women in cages, but this wasn't at all consensual.

"Come to look at Twinblade's entertainment?" the crook asked.

"Yeah" I replied simply.

I didn't sound like a bandit so it best for me to say as little as possible.

"Ain't they just lovely? Gonna be a fun party all right!" the bandit told me.

I took out a knife and before the thug could react I had a hand over his mouth and a knife in his back. Seeing this caused the women in the cages to scream, but that didn't attract any attention. So I figured that the bandits around here were used to hearing girls scream.

While I hid the body I found the prison key on the crook and I took it off him. I then went over to the cell and opened it.

"Thank you so much!" a woman thanked me.

She was wrong to be grateful as I was just using these young ladies as a distraction. They would be only be recaptured or even killed in short order.

Which left me wondering when I'd become the type of person who would put helpless people in danger in order to serve his own ends. Sure in the long term my defeat of Twinblade was a good thing, but I wasn't going to kill him in order to help people I was going to kill him for the rewards offered and so I could grow stronger.

"I thought we were going to die! But we have to leave quickly, before they notice!" another woman said.

The girls ran out of the cell and down the hill towards the gates. Unfortunately for them the guards, who had been baring my passage, noticed them and called out in alarm. Then the guards started chasing the women.

"Well done, the gate is open. You can into Twinblades area now"

I ignored the Guildmaster and headed through the now unguarded gate.

(Line Break)

Bandit Camp

"Stay here" I commanded my dog.

This fight was between the bandit king and I. No one else was to get involved.

"I've been waiting for you!" Twinblade said when I finally found him "Stand back, lads! Twinblade wants a word with this little hero!"

The bandit king was large and tall fellow, clothed in black, brown and red. Also he had used spikes and skulls to decorate himself. Those things, along with the two massive blades he held made him look more like Warhammer Ork than a man.

"She said a Guild-puppet would come, and here you are. My blades have been dying to meet you" Twinblade announced "They haven't tasted blood in days".

Had any of the other bandits said that I would have called it posturing, but Twinblade didn't need words in order to be threatening.

"Draw your blade, Guild-puppet. Let's see what you're made of " then bandit king ordered

Twinblade was the first to attack. He dashed forward and swiped his blades in such a way that had they connected I would have been cut in half, but luckily for me I was able to roll out of the way in time.

When I got back up I saw the criminal Hero hold up his weapons high into the air and then thrust them down to the dirt. Which caused the ground to become very unstable, and I fell over.

Thankfully I was quick on my feet and I was able to get up before the huge man could kill me. In fact I soon found that I was, if not faster, then more nimble, than the crooked Hero.

Which worked to my advantage, as when Twinblade charged at me when trying to match my speed, he couldn't stop as easily as I could. A couple of times he even trampled a few of his own men.

I took advantage of this, and every time he tried to trample me I would dodge. Then when his back was turned to me I would strike it.

During one of his attempts to crush me under his boots. I dropped down and slashed at his ankles. He tripped up and landed flat on his back. I took this chance to zap him with lightening, which while not doing much damage it did scare the shit out the crowd who were watching.

"Finish it quick then. I'd do to the same for you" Twinblade said with a groan.

Just as I was about to kill Twinblade it became so quiet that I was able to hear a woman gently say my name. I turned towards the source of the noise and I saw a young women came out of the tent.

"There you are" she said "I've been waiting for you".

She'd known I was coming just I'd known she'd be here.

"I've seen so many things. So much killing, so much dying" Theresa went on to say "I've seen you, Gothic. In a ring of sand and blood. An arena full of secrets. And I've seen the choice you'll have to make one day, between the darkness and the light"

Seerers annoyed me, they never just came out and told you the future they had to spew out a load of silly rubbish that tended to only make sense after the foreseen event had already taken place.

"Theresa?" Twinblade pleaded.

The blind girl look at the bandit king with an expression of sadness.

"I'm sorry, Twinblade. Your path has come to an end just as all our paths do sooner or later" Theresa replied

Well at least she'd been able to predict that I was going to kill him.

"But before I leave. Gothic I have a present for you. Something to make up for what I'm going to have to do to you one day".

Again that was awfully cryptic, but I no time to think about that as Theresa held up her arm and I got the most incredible rush I'd ever felt. The power that was inside every Hero filled me completely, it was such an intense experience that by the end of it I was on my hands and knees, barely able to breath.

"That was even better than sex!" I declared.

Which had been somewhat of a bad thing to say since my sort of sister had been the one to make me feel that way.

"He finds you when you're sleeping, and when the daylight fades" Theresa warned.

After that she was surrounded by light and she disappeared.

"What are you waiting for? Finish it or leave me alone. I'm dead anyway" Twinblade then said to me I'm no one's King anymore".

I turned to look at the broken Bandit King, and all of his men. The bandits who could stand up were all backing away from me.

"Run, bitches!" I shouted as powerful Force Push exploded out of me.

(Line Break)

The Arena

The Witchwood Arena was alive with shouts and cheers everywhere. Warriors battled against one another, beasts were slain, humans were tortured by their gruesome opponents, others were eaten alive by the beasts put up against them.

It was the kind of quality entertainment that could keep even the most bloodthirsty crowd amused for hours. However Maze wasn't in the stands, enjoying the show. He was down in the dark, looking for someone.

"What is it Maze?" asked the entity.

Maze looked at the thing that had the form of man, but he knew that it was not a man.

"It turns out that the boy was able to find his sister" the Will User reported.

The being stepped out from the shadow

"Our boy is growing up" the creature said.

Maze was more concerned that the entity.

"He is no longer a boy Jack" the Will User corrected "and you shouldn't take him lightly. Though he is young, he is the most promising hero Albion has seen in years".

The being had no face, at least not one that could be seen, but Maze was still able to sense its change of mood.

"And where is there proof of this?" asked Jack coldly.

Maze gave the desired informed.

"He has defeated the bandit king Twinblade. Something no Hero has done before." said Maze.

Jack of Blades didn't find this to be impressive.

"Oh he has, has he" Jack said "So, our little hero was able to defeat a bandit. Perhaps I should flee now?".

Maze knew the creature was being sarcastic.

"Jack, I'm serious. If you let him live much longer, he could become stronger than you" warned Maze.

A hand with a dark red glove suddenly shot out and wrapped its around Maze's neck before lifting him off the ground.

"Nobody is stronger than me. I do not care what anyone says about him, he will never be able to defeat me!" Jack of Blades declared "Once I have the sword, then nothing else will matter. Do you understand that?".

Maze struggled to speak.

"Yes..." the Will User was able to say.

Jack dropped Maze and the being's mood shifted again.

"If I were to kill him now, then there would be no way for me to get the key so I need him alive" Jack said "and I need the power in his blood".

Maze nodded and turned away, but before he could leave the creature spoke again.

"Don't disappoint me when it comes time to kill the boy. I know how attached you have gotten to him" said Jack.