Eight Hours. It's been eight fucking hours, and for half of that I was in a corn field. Eventually I had found a road, but going along it was leading to nothing. I hadn't seen a single car pass by. And that led me to where I am now. On the side of the road, sitting down because my little child legs can barely walk for shit, even if I'm a demigod.
I've been sustaining myself on corn and rainwater, but god damn would I pay to never eat corn again. Or the look at the colour yellow. Fuck yellow.
It was still nice to be able to walk and move. In the abyss, you have no control over your movements, you simply float, so to have freedom once more feels like walking on clouds. Still, walking for miles upon miles was really making the feeling stale.
However, something interesting that I'd discovered was the Inventory feature that came with the Gamer. All I had to do was put an item into the screen and then it would disappear. It was probably some sort of pocket dimension, but hey, I'm not a scientist. So far I've been storing corn, so I don't really know what the weight limit is, but it seems I can store an infinite amount of items, and the items in the Inventory don't appear to rot or change at all, which is insanely useful.
As I munch down on my corn, I hear a familiar sound I hadn't heard in a long time. The roaring of an engine. I spin my head around, dropping my corn. And I saw it. A car. It seemed like the kind of car you would see from those old movies made in the 90's or 80's, but it seemed brand new.
The car slowed down as it came towards me and came to a halt in front of me. I looked into the window and saw a middle-age man, with a big brown bushy beard, a chequered red shirt with white t-shirt beneath. Much of his hair was obscured by his straw hat. Frankly he seemed to be a stereotypical farmer.
"Hey kid!" The man said, his accent definitely being American. As a Brit, it was a bit disorienting to hear the accent in real life instead of movies, "Where are ya' parents?"
Now if I were asked this earlier, I would have no answer, but I had already come up with a lie. Funnily enough, my new body seemed to give me an American accent despite never having spoken with such an accent. Hearing my new voice for the first time was a fucking trip, but thank god I heard it before speaking to someone.
"Mommy and Daddy? I think they… left me here." I answered, faking a sad tone. Hopefully those 3 extra points I put into Charisma pull through. Regardless, it seemed to work as the guy gave me a look of pity. I have no doubt that if I were older, he'd struggle to believe me.
"Aw shucks. Well, how about I take you to my house, get you fed, and take you to the police?" He asks kindly. It's really lucky just how this guy just offers me into his home. Awesome how there are people like that.
"Really?!" I say with child-like joy. I really hope I don't have to do this for long. Acting like a child is extremely annoying.
"Yeah sure. Get in kid" He grins. I open the car door to the back seat, sitting down inside. It seemed that it was often used, so perhaps the guy has family.
You have received the Lying Skill!
Lying leveled up (1 - 2)!
Ok, the fact that I could create skills somehow, was pretty interesting. However, I'm not too sure whether I'm too proud of this particular skill.
As the car begins to travel down the seemingly endless road, I decide to use my skill, Observe. Sure, it was an invasion of privacy, but he wouldn't know, and it wasn't gonna hurt him.
Name: Matthew Miller
Age: 49
Title: None
HP: 290/290
MP: 0/0
Stats
Strength: 30
Agility: 12
Endurance: 33
Charisma: 44
Intelligence: 10
Willpower: 7
Description: Matthew was always a friendly boy, and he could find friends wherever he went. It was also how he charmed the bank into giving him a favourable loan for his farm. But it's always the friendly one with the darkest secrets. Matthew's favourite hobby is to travel around in his car, looking for hitchhikers such as yourself, luring them to the basement of his house, and butchering them like pigs.
He's killed 50 people so far, and he's ecstatic because you're the first child he's found.
What. The. FUCK!
What in the gods is this shit! How come the first guy I meet turns out to become a god damn serial killer. And this guy is actually looking forward to killing a child!
Should I have put stat points into luck? Because this really signifies that my luck is shit. Fuck, I need to escape this guy, because he's a shit ton more stronger and tougher than me. I really hope this isn't normal for the average person, because that'd mean monsters are even stronger.
Snapping me out of my thoughts, the man, Matthew asks, "So why did your parents leave ya' here kid?" Ah, the murdering bastard is trying to see if anyone will miss me if I suddenly disappear. His Intelligence stat is significantly lower than his physical stats, but he does have this quite planned out.
"Oh, well Mommy and Daddy don't have a lot of money, so they said that I had to wait in the field while they get some money" I answer simplistically. First thing about lying is to make sure to not give many details, or else they'll sus out your story. With how easily I lie, I had wondered as to whether I was a child of Hermes, but I lack the crooked nose that they have, and the desire to steal. I really need to find a mirror somewhere so I can see my face, since it should give a lot of hints as to who my godly parent is.
"Ah, that explains it." Seems he bought my story. Thank god he doesn't have high Intelligence.
After about half an hour of driving, we arrived at what seemed to be the murderer's house. It was a standard farmhouse, very big with a large porch. But the whole place looked so… empty. I don't know whether the fact that I know his secret is changing my perception, but everything felt eerie, especially since day turned to night. He guided me towards his house as he went inside, turning the lights on within.
It was at that moment, I wondered, "Should I make a break for it?" I could run into the fields, lose him in the sea of corn, and find the closest city. But then, I remember the description from his profile. 50 people. 50 people dead. I came to this world to become a hero, but if I run away now? When there's a high chance he finds a new target tomorrow? No. I couldn't let that happen.
I won't let it happen.
Quest added!
A Monster in Human's Clothing
Matthew Millers' murder spree has gone for long enough. It's time to end it.
Objective: Defeat Mathew Miller
Rewards: EXP, 10 Stat Points, ?
A quest huh? Well, I am curious to find out what's behind those question marks.
Nervous, I walked into the farmhouse, where no doubt much pain and suffering had been caused. It was as if blood was seeping through the walls. There I saw the man, Matthew, setting out some plates, putting… fucking corn on them. This guy's 100% a psychopath.
"Ah, come in kid! There's a bath upstairs ready for you, and then you can come back down for dinner." Matthew shouted with a fake good-nature. This guy is insanely good at acting.
I decide to go along with it for now, and go to the next floor, whilst making sure I give the serial killer a meek thank you. Frankly, it disgusted me, but I'd deal with him soon. The bathroom was pretty standard, but what was most important to me was the mirror upon the wall.
I rushed to the mirror and raised my eyebrow. I have to say, I look quite dashing for an 8-year-old. A dark bronze Mediterranean skin, a sharp some-what angular face that had a defined jaw (as defined as it can be for a child), piercing blue eyes, and golden blonde hair that was short and straight. Frankly, I looked a bit like one of those stereotypical Brazilian hot people, that were often tanned and were dyed blonde. It's a wonder why the murder in the floor below didn't question my looks, because I certainly didn't look American. Maybe he was just high off of the thought of killing me.
Quest added!
Who's Your Daddy?
The System has randomly assigned you a Godly Parent. Find out who it is before you reach Camp Halfblood
Objective: Find out who you Godly Parent is
Rewards: EXP, ?, ?, ?
Ah, well that's gonna be somewhat hard.
I'm certainly not a child of Athena considering my eyes were not grey, something every Athena demigod had. I was pretty sure I wasn't a child of Ares as they tended to look more 'brutish' or rough as Percy described them in the books. I looked more like a child of Aphrodite than Ares. Speaking of Aphrodite, I was definitely not her son, since I could not speak French, something all of her children can inherently do. Plus I was kinda cute or pretty, but not drop-dead gorgeous. Also Hades was off the table since I think he would rather die than have a blonde child. I was 70% sure that I was not a child of Poseidon since my eyes were not 'ocean-like'. I also tried to drown myself in the bathtub. It was not fun.
Frankly, that left Zeus, Dionysus, Hermes, Apollo, Demeter, and Hephaestus. I still wasn't sure about Hermes being my father though. Regardless, I wasn't going to find out my divine parent any time soon.
After taking a long soak in the bath, relaxing for the first time since dying, I went downstairs, very slowly to not cause a sound. I listened closely, and managed to hear the serial killer talking to himself.
"Where the fuck is that kid?" He muttered, the kind persona now gone. "It's a bath, not a damn spa. I'm going to make sure I fucking torture that kid. Maybe burn off a leg." Hearing the monster made me sick.
Fuck it. I'm going to beat his ass right now.
"HELP!" I scream, before hiding behind the bathroom door. I could hear the thuds of the man as he rushed to the bathroom, probably worried that someone died and he hadn't caused it. He went into the bathroom, presumably looking around for me. And at that moment, I took my chance, and rushed him from behind. It seemed that I caught him by surprise.
I pushed him into the bathtub, forcing his head to stay inside. He struggled. He struggled a lot. But even though his strength was far greater than my own, I was putting my entire weight onto his head and using as much of my strength as possible. Higher stats or not, he was still pretty old.
Eventually, the barrage of oxygen bubbles had become very little, and soon, none.
You have won against an opponent stronger than you!
You have leveled up (1 - 3)!
+15 Stat Points!
He had died. Like a candle flame snuffed out. I should feel proud. Shouldn't I? I had inadvertently saved hundreds of lives. I was a hero? But why didn't I feel like one? When I looked at his body, his eyes empty, I saw the man I shared a beer with before I died. I saw the deaths I'd seen before and the deaths I may see in the future.
I saw blood on my hands, the nails stained in crimson. I looked in the mirror and saw my face half melted, and I swore I could feel the heat of the nuke.
I threw up into the toilet, and stared at the body for what felt like years.
Later, I decided to look at the screen that had popped up after my kill.
Quest Complete!
A Monster in Human's Clothing
Matthew Millers' murder spree has gone for long enough. It's time to end it.
Objective: Defeat Mathew Miller
Rewards: EXP, 10 Stat Points, Guardian Shield
You have leveled up (3-4)!
+5 Stat Points!
Those are pretty good rewards. But were they worth killing someone? No, it wasn't the rewards that were important. It was the lives that would be saved. But why did I feel guilty?
I decided to search the pockets of the man… No, Matthew, and I found a key, a wallet, and a car key. I had a sneaking suspicion as to where the key led to.
I walked downstairs, and to the right of the bottom of the stairway was a door. It stood plainly, with no decorations around it, yet an aura that made me sick seemed to emanate from it. I took out the key I got from Matthew's pocket, and with a shaking hand, I unlocked the door.
The first thing that got me was the stench. The smell of corpses is… unpleasant to say the least, and it was easily smelt despite the multitude of stairs that separated me from the basement. Nevertheless, I walked down the stairs. I had to. Even if it was to know that I was justified, I still needed to go down to the basement.
Going down, I noticed red stains on the walls and stairs. I could see scratches and nails. It felt like seeing the physical manifestation of pain.
But that was nothing compared to what was at the bottom of the stairs.
Blood. So much fucking blood. A pile of bodies in the corner, slowly rotting. Intestines on the ground, clearly ripped out with force. On the walls were corpses, chained by the hands. Their legs had fallen off the waist as the muscles had decayed. Eyeballs were plucked out, and like in some sort of horror movie style gore, they were all in a bucket.
I could see the last emotions these people had before dying.
Pain. Horror. Panic. Fear. Suffering.
I threw up once more, in the pools of blood and guts. Is this really my second life? A world of horror? Or… is this just reality kicking in? I've been treating this like it was a game or story this entire time. I've been acting like I'm the main character and everything will go my way. Sure, my life may go the way I want, but that doesn't mean that people won't get hurt. How many will die in wars as I galavant around, trying to complete a frankly childish dream. I've been on a power trip without having any real power.
I… I have much to think about.
1 hour later…
I walked outside, spilling more and more gasoline, creating a fuse of sorts. Matthew had a lot of gasoline in his basement, and I could imagine what he did with it. A sick monster.
I pulled a lighter from Inventory, turning it on and igniting the gasoline. In all but a second, the entire house was in flames, for I had essentially drenched it in gasoline, with every door opened. I made sure that the basement would be turned to ashes.
I watched the giant fire, and the house slowly burning. The suffering that had occurred here wouldn't happen again, at least for now. It could've been me being inside a small body, but it felt like the make-shift funeral pyre could touch the sky.
I would leave the memories of what I saw here, letting them burn along with the flames, but I wouldn't forget what I did. No, what I had to do.
I walk to the campfire I had made before igniting the house, and from my Inventory, I pull out a cool box full of food I had taken from the fridges of the killer. I throw each of the food items into the flames, and as I do so I internally pray, "Hello, Lord Hades. I know you can hear me since I don't think anyone else really prays to you, so I hope you listen to my request. I've given all the people killed by… that man, $50 on their body, so I think if they haven't gone past Charon yet, they should now. So please, give them the Elysium. Or even let them reincarnate through the River Lethe. I know that you shouldn't give special treatment, but they've done nothing wrong. Please let these souls have peace."
With the last of the food sacrificed, I took a step back from the small campfire, and noticed that a notification from the System had popped up.
For helping 50 souls go to the afterlife, a Mystery Box has been put into your inventory
That was a surprise. I didn't think I would actually get anything for helping those people, but I'll accept it regardless.
To be honest, I think I'll open it later.
I feel so… tired.
Author's Note: Well that's the second chapter done. Frankly, this was tough one to write, considering the heavy gore and the introspection that Gill goes through. Don't worry though, the next chapter will be more exciting! Also do tell me how the formatting is of stat screens and stuff. Hope it's not too disorientating for phone users!
Oh and btw, I decided to release this two days early because I was bored. Yes, I am a kind god. But anyway, don't get used to it, since I'll try to make a regular schedule of once a week, every thursday. (I am in the UK, so it may be late Wednesday or Early Friday for some of you lol)
Anyway, here's the Player Profile:
Name: Gilgamesh Ashford
Age: 8
Level: 4
Title: None
HP: 200/200
MP: 350/350
Stats
Strength: 12
Agility: 12
Endurance: 8
Charisma: 8
Intelligence: 5
Willpower: 5
Luck: 10
Stat Points: 30