Within the hour, Gregor led his new and newest charges to a familiar cave. Boot marks finally appeared from the opposite direction; at least the bandits hadn't spotted Graycott yet. The sooner he killed them, the sooner he could see the pretty lady who laughed at his jokes!
"They were just here an hour ago. Where the hell are they?!" Henry started grinding his teeth, the sound faintly echoing in the stone entrance.
Issac nudged Henry's side, flinching when the dark mage's glare turned his way. "Why don't we actually go inside the cave? It's pretty hot out here; they're probably hiding from the sun. You know, like we should be doing?"
Gregor must remember wee ones here too, Gregor thought. Killing bandits was a grown man's job. Children shouldn't be doing jobs adults need to do. At least these children knew the risks.
Gregor grinned, thumping his chest. "Issac and Henry be following me. Gregor knows secret tunnels to do ambushing." The redhead moved a few feet inside the cave, pulling open a hidden latch buried under a small pile of rocks.
Issac nudged Henry's shoulder, the ghost-hair boy nearly jumping from the contact. "Come on, Henry. Let's follow the pro."
Gregor waited until both boys‒because even Henry looked too stick-ish to be a man‒dropped behind him before facing forward. He reached towards the wall, satisfied when he felt his hidden ropes were still there.
"Grab wall ropes, wee ones. Gregor uses them to walk faster before eyes see in darkness." The banter between the boys fell silent as they struggled to keep up with him. Maybe Gregor should train Henry too. Mages too scrawny to survive close fights!
Still, it wasn't like Issac was any stronger. Gregor was surprised the small boy could stand after he found him in the desert; being buried under several corpses should have made him sick. Or sad about his family, at least!
Gregor don't like Issac not letting him be sad. Gregor was glad the tiny one couldn't see him frown. Issac needed help; more than an aging mercenary could give in a month. Verona would be a big help. Most mothers were good with emotions, and Issac already liked the pretty lady.
Gregor physically slapped the intrusive thoughts out of his head, ignoring the stares Henry and Issac gave him. Killing bandits was the most important task at hand. Everything else was a distraction until they were dead.
Ten minutes and several turns later, Gregor held a hand in front of his temporary charges. The other grabbed a knotted rope dangling from above. "We're here. Follow Gregor quietly."
With Grergor leading the way, the trio quickly reached the second trapdoor. Gregor pushed it aside, grimacing at the slight thump sound it made when it hit the floor. They climbed out of the secret tunnel and into a barren hallway, thankfully without anybody to notice them.
Henry turned to Issac, curiosity practically bursting from his eyes. "You're all kinds of interesting, you know? You aren't scared at all! Watching grown men bleeding out from someone practically half their size is going to be so much fun!"
Issac put a hand over the older boy's mouth. "Do you want to lose the element of surprise, or something?"
Undeterred, Henry spoke through the palm covering his mouth. "But why do we need that? It would be so much more thrilling to watch their confusion turn into fear when they watch us butcher them!"
Issac sighed, his patience beginning to fray. "Wouldn't it be more exciting to make them paranoid that the army was coming after them, underestimate us because of our age, and then have their fear skyrocket when we fill them with holes?"
Even in the near darkness, Henry's eyes shone with excitement. "You know just what to say! Let's see how terrified we can make them!"
Gregor gave the children a flat look. Issac and Henry quieted, following Gregor as he crept through the narrow hallway. Gregor grimaced as his temporary charges made too much noise to be 'quiet'. He would make sure they wouldn't make that mistake again; not if they wanted to continue this line of work in the future.
Henry hummed a tune only he seemed to know, scratching under Crowley's neck as they followed the mercenary. While waiting to unleash chaos was boring, the promised mayhem to be delivered would more than make up for all of this quiet. He was curious to see how well Issac would do; the first kill would be his messiest, after all!
Gregor held out an arm, making Henry glower. If he had to wait any longer, he would make them bleed for delaying his promised slaughter.
"We are here, wee ones. Be ready." Like a switch was flipped, Henry was positively beaming. His soon-to-be victims must be near!
Issac knelt beside Gregor at the end of the hallway. Henry stood; his curiosity wouldn't allow him to do any less. To the dark mage's joy, the walking corpses were right where they should've been.
Five men were seated at a table, playing some sort of card game. Laughter and curses echoed from where they sat. Iron swords and lances were leaning against their chairs, each weapon having bits of metal chipped off of them. Another four were standing near an open cask of ale, indulging in pre-raiding inebriation. Pairs of iron axes were strapped on their belts, in much better condition than their peers.
A tenth bandit sat off to the side, cleaning a steel bow that shone in the torchlight. Unlike the other raiders, the archer had a serious look on his face. He was watching over his peers, eyes flickering from the two groups towards the sole entrance to the room. Luckily, the shadows fell over the three intruders, temporarily concealing them from their foes.
"Oh, hell," Issac muttered. "That's a lot of bandits. Can the three of us handle all of them at once?"
"What's the big deal?" Henry asked. "There's more people for us to kill. That's a good thing!"
Cursing a storm in his head, Issac put that aside for the time being. It was too late to back out now; either the bandits would kill him, or Henry would for being 'boring'.
Observe.
Tier 1, Level 2 Plegian Bandit
Tier 1, Level 2 Plegian Bandit
Tier 1, Level 2 Plegian Bandit
Tier 1, Level 2 Plegian Bandit
Tier 1, Level 2 Plegian Bandit
Tier 1, Level 3 Plegian Brigand
Tier 1, Level 3 Plegian Brigand
Tier 2, Level 9 Plegian Brigand
Tier 2, Level 10 Plegian Brigand
Tier 2, Level 15 Plegian Raider Captain
Not only are we outnumbered, but we're nearly outmatched, too! Without Gregor, this would be a pipe dream at best. At least the bandits weren't aware of them yet. They could still launch a surprise attack and thin the herd, so to speak.
"Henry," Issac whispered, drawing the giddy eyes of his white-haired companion. "What magic do you have on you?"
"I have Fire and Flux tomes. I can't wait to watch them die at my hands!" Henry was thrumming with excitement. "Let's kill them right now. Crowley wants to eat their eyes!"
"Wee ones should be more careful. Not dying is important." Issac looked at the mercenary, pinned by the hard stare he was getting. "Issac stay closer to Gregor. Okay?"
Issac rapidly nodded his head, relieved when Gregor's eyes moved onto their targets. A corner of his mind whined at Henry not getting a similar order, but a mage, even a young one, could protect himself far better than a boy wielding a spear without any training to back it up.
Was this how Donnel felt?
Forcing himself to calm, Issac looked back to Henry. "In that case, why don't you use your fire on the alcohol? After all," Issac grinned, "ale is pretty flammable."
Henry pulled out a red tome, flipping through the pages until he found the one he wanted. A soft glow lit up the darkness. The bandits, just starting to turn towards the source of light, Henry's smile threatened to split his face in two.
"FIRE!"
A ball of reddish-orange flame flew from his spellbook. It hit the aged barrel, igniting the dust sitting on the outside of the container. Some of the heat sunk into the liquid held within, pushing the barrel past its limits and exploding.
The four men standing next to it were flung to opposite sides of the cave, flames crawling up the alcohol that spilled down some of their chests. The five at the table screamed as the burning debris pierced their skin. The one with the lance had the worst luck, a three inch piece of burning wood flying into his eye, disappearing inside his skull. That bandit dropped like a doll with its strings cut.
"Now!" Issac rushed out of his hiding spot at Gregor's command, unsure if Henry followed him; he could barely hear his own voice over the ringing in his ears. He thrust his lance forward, stabbing one of the bandits struggling to put out the flames. The bronze weapon pierced through the bandit's neck, and he slumped to his side.
Freeing his weapon, he struck out at the second bandit closest to him. The man batted away the weapon with his sword, but the fire climbing up his back distracted him. Issac took advantage of that, swinging the haft of his lance with both of his hands. The awkward sweep landed, scoring a cut across his chest.
As the bandit fumbled to the ground, the youth swung again. The flat of his blade slammed against the bandit's skull, stunning him. Issac pierced his neck as well, the third man no longer moving.
Bandit killed! Gain 100 EXP!
Bandit killed! Gain 100 EXP!
Congratulations! You have leveled up!
The following stats have increased:
Tier 1, Level 2
HP: 4+1=5
Strength (STR): 1+1=2
Magic (MAG): 0
Skill (SKL): 1+1=2
Speed (SPD): 2+1=3
Luck (LK): 4+1=5
Defense (DEF): 1+1=2
Resistance (RES): 0
Attribute Points: 1+1=2
Issac was stunned. The effects of his level up were felt immediately. He felt stronger, faster, more comfortable holding his lance. If this was from one level up, how much of a difference would ten be? Twenty? Forty?
-1 HP!
Pain flared across his shoulder, an arrow just nicking his skin.. Turning his head, Issac gulped as the archer glared at him.
"Damn brat. You're lucky I'm not used to shooting children." The raider drew another arrow, pulling back on the bowstring. "Though I suppose you'll be good target practice."
"Gregor not letting you do that."
A purple wave crashed into the bandit's face, a cry escaping from his lips while a giddy laugh left Henry's. Though he recovered quickly, he suddenly had his hands full keeping Gregor from running him through with his sword. Henry ran to Issac, a predatory smile on his lips.
"You're one gutsy kid, you know that?" Henry slapped Issac's back, making Issac hiss in pain. Blood covered the mage's gloved hand, which just made his smile grow even more. "Let's keep going; maybe we'll get a few more showers of blood before Gregor kills them all!"
And indeed, Gregor was a whirlwind of steel. Despite facing four men at the same time, they were barely able to keep up with his attacks. The remaining three bandits, however, were already rushing the boys. Two held axes, with the third just behind them with a sword. Their movements were slow and awkward; they were suffering from pretty deep burn wounds. It just might be their saving grace.
Not wanting his inferior weapon to break, he snatched an iron sword from one of the corpses. Issac and Henry skirted around the trio of men, barely able to stay out of reach of their weapons. When one of them faltered, Issac spun on a dime, making the other two bandits flinch backwards on instinct. He slashed the staggered bandit in the thigh with his pilfered sword, making him collapse as he bled out on the stone floor.
"Grant! No!"
"You'll pay for that, brat!"
Looks like this one won't be easy. Ignoring the alert for the EXP, Issac turned to face the other bandits. The men towered over Issac, a pair of handaxes in their hands. Patches of their skin were burnt, but the injuries didn't look as debilitating.
"We're going to gut you like a fish, boy. You and whitey are going to pay for what you did!"
Another cloud of purple exploded above one of the bandit's heads. Henry rushed him, a small dagger whipping around the larger blade and landing several shallow cuts on the older man.
"Where are you going?" Henry whined, an uncanny pout on his face. "Let me watch you bleed!"
The brigand fell back, suddenly feeling like he no longer had the upper hand. The remaining bandit threw one of his handaxes. Issac batted it aside, but the swing left him unbalanced and unprepared for the second.
The bandit threw one of his handaxes. Issac batted it aside, but the swing left him unbalanced and unprepared for the second.
-3 HP! Health is now critically low!
I FIGURED! Issac groaned, on his hands and knees. His strength was slipping; no matter what his stats were, he was still in a child's body. He wasn't prepared to be in even a short fight like this.
A greasy hand pulled him up by his shirt. Issac was pulled up to the bandit's face, spittle flying from the brute's face.
"Time to die, little boy. Any last words?"
Despite the pain, Issac grinned. "Yeah," he said. The hand holding his sword tightened. "I'm still armed, jackass."
The man's eyes snapped down; just in time to see the sword sink in his side. Shrieking in pain, he threw Issac to the ground, his hands trying to stop the bleeding.
Issac's back slammed against a wall. He tried to stand, to move, only to fail. His head fell forward, the damage overpowering his resolve. He was well and truly spent now. With any luck, the bandit would bleed out.
"Shit! Fuck! Son of a bitch!"
Of course not. The universe must have had a sense of humor; he had failed to protect Graycott, and now he was about to die for the second time. Maybe Validar wouldn't have a use for a fourteen year old?
Unsteady steps grew closer. Scuffed boots entered Issac's field of vision, drawing a groan from his throat.
"You tried, you shifty little fucker," the bandit growled. "I'll give you that much. But after you, your friend is next. I'm going to take my time with him."
A fire burned in Issac's core. Killing him was fine. He was an extra, a nobody. But Henry? He had a role to play, and Issac would be damned if anyone tried to stop him from doing just that.
I really hope this works. Issac poured his two Attribute Points into his HP. His vision cleared, a new wave of energy flowing through him. Now able to lift his head, the boy saw his foe raise an ax, ready to tear him open.
In a final burst of speed, Issac shot between the bandit's legs. He lashed out with his sword, feeling leather and flesh tear across his blade. Issac stood on shaky legs, and looked at his work.
His would-be killer's face was growing paler by the second. Blood was still pouring from his stab wound, and the new cut on his ankle made standing impossible. The bandit was shaking uncontrollably, and Issac knew his time was near.
"Nobody threatens my friends," Issac said. "Remember that when you start your next life." He watched as his enemy's breathing grew raspy, then desperate, and finally silent.
Brigand killed! Gain 150 EXP!
Issac sighed. Even if his words were tough, he certainly wasn't. The fear was bubbling just under the exhaustion. He hardly had the energy to stand. Hopefully Henry was able to deal with the other bandit without issue.
Where was Gregor? A frantic search gave Issac the view of Gregor thrusting his blade through the archer's heart, falling to the ground as blood spilled from his new orifice. The other three who had swarmed him all lay dead several paces apart. Issac sighed in relief. Even though Gregor shouldn't have had trouble with such weak opponents, nasty surprises could still happen.
"Aww, I'm your friend? Even though we just met?!"
"Gah!" Issac flinched, falling to the ground. "You scared the hell out of me, Henry!"
Henry gave him another smile, not quite as wide as the others he had previously. He tilted his head, while Crowley moved his in the opposite direction.
"Am I really your friend? You… like having me around?"
Issac gaped, realization finally dawning on him. Henry was a bit of a loner in the game, but it was different to see that in person. The dark mage balled his fists tight enough for his pale hands to whiten even more than his natural shade.
"Of course," Issac said. "We fought together. You definitely saved my life. I couldn't have taken on both of those men on my own. I'm pretty sure that makes us friends by default."
Issac swallowed, suddenly nervous. "I mean, if you don't want to, then that's okay. We only met today, and I can't do magic, and I'm definitely not as strong as you, and…"
Henry froze, leveling an unblinking stare at Issac. The silence went on for an uncomfortable stretch of time. Henry barked out a laugh, making Issac jump a second time in as many minutes.
"Friends it is." Henry turned, skipping towards the now dead bandit group. "Let's take everything we can off of their bodies before everything starts to stink!"
"Gregor agrees with pasty one," Gregor said. Issac couldn't flinch from surprise this time, the fatigue finally overpowering his adrenaline rush. He fell to the ground again, leaning against a thankfully dry part of the cave wall.
"You… you do?" Issac's head fell to the side, his vision beginning to blur. He knew that he needed to stay awake, but he was so damn tired…
Quest Completed!
The bandits planning to plunder Graycott Village are dead. Your home is safe. For now.
Bonus Objective 1: Kill at least two bandits (complete).
Bonus Objective 2: Earn Henry's friendship (complete).
Bonus Objective 3: Earn Gregor's approval (complete).
Reward: 500 EXP, Friendship with Henry, Gregor's approval, 100 gold, 1 Resistance, 1 Skill
Congratulations! You have leveled up!
The following stats have increased:
Tier 1, Level 3
HP: 7+1=8
Strength (STR): 2+1=3
Magic (MAG): 0+1=1
Skill (SKL): 1+1=2
Speed (SPD): 3+1=4
Luck (LK): 5+1=6
Defense (DEF): 2+1=3
Resistance (RES): 3+1=4
Attribute Points: 0+1=1
Okay, this is getting a little weird. Issac was equally pleased and worried. He knew that Aptitude was strong, but he had never had anyone with this ability level up every skill twice in a row. That was completely ignoring how his Attribute Points would add up incredibly quickly. Either his Luck is superpowered compared to the game, or he was being prepared for something truly challenging.
Why not both? Would that be a problem?
Obviously.
"Wee one speaking to self? Or to Gregor?"
"M-Myself. I'm pretty wiped, Gregor. I'm gonna take a nap…"
Gregor frowned. "Issac should be staying awake. Sleeping next to corpses leave bad taste in mouth. Gregor knows this."
Issac's eyes cracked open. The body of one of the bandits laid on the ground, barely ten feet from him. Henry must have killed that one; his face was slightly melted from the magics used to kill him. Already, the putrid stench of decaying flesh invaded his senses. Before he could stop his churning stomach, bile escaped his throat and splashed against the stone floor.
Issac was pulled to an upright position, Gregor's large hand rubbing soothing circles on his back. Gradually, the illness permeating him receded, leaving him feeling numb as he finally acknowledged the slain bodies littering the area around them.
Blood was pouring from their open wounds, leaving red stains on the ground that would likely stay for a long time to come. Upon further examination, Issac noticed the majority of the ground had reddish-brown stains covering the ground where they stood. This was far from the first fight that had taken place here, and it certainly wouldn't be the last.
"Is wee one not wanting to fight now? Gregor can take him back to Miss Verona. Gregor not judge." Indeed, his eyes bore no restrained emotion; Gregor would very likely not hold it against him if he changed his mind about learning how to kill more people. He could spend the next few years with Verona, learning more about how to fit in with the other villagers.
Instead, Issac shook his head. "No, I haven't changed my mind. I'm just… going to need to get used to the smell. And the exhaustion."
Henry practically vibrated from where he stood. "Yes! More murder is fun. Friends who murder together is even funner!"
Issac tilted his head, his friend's oddness temporarily pulling him out of his funk. "More funner? I think your grammar could use some work, Henry."
Henry frowned. "Aw, now you sound like my teachers. They're no fun at all!"
"You go to school? What kind?"
This time, Henry sighed. His posture slouched, like he was reluctantly pulling out an unfortunate memory. "The Grimleal School for Disaster and Strife. The name is more exciting than the actual classes. They make us do homework." The dark mage shuddered, remembering more than a few useless reports he 'failed to complete in an acceptable manner.'
Issac laughed. "Homework isn't a big deal. At least you're learning something." His gaze returned to Gregor. "Speaking of learning…"
The mercenary smiled, his too-white teeth almost reflecting the torchlight inside the cavern. "Gregor understand! Gregor start teaching smallest wee one how to fight. But first, Issac must learn to bury corpses."
Issac looked at the bodies littering the ground, a sinking feeling growing in his gut when he saw Gregor's smile stay on his face. "You're going to help, right?"
"No!" Gregor grinned. "Issac be needing muscles more than Gregor. Issac be moving dead bandits on his own." He turned to face Henry. "White-haired wee one should go to school. You must be learning how to magic better!"
"But Gregor!" Henry whined. "I don't want to! I wanna watch their blood drag across the floor."
Issac's eye twitched. "You should go back to your school, Henry. When we see each other again, we can go murder as many bandits as you want afterwards."
Henry's complaining stopped immediately. "Really? Really really? You promise?!"
"Yes, Henry, I promise. I don't go back on my word."
With a quiet sigh, Henry stood straight, giving Issac another soft smile. "I'll hold ya to it!" With that, the fledgeling Dark Mage left the cave, whistling a happy tune as he did so.
Now alone with Gregor, Issac turned to the bodies surrounding them. Issac sighed, hefting the smallest one‒who was still double his height and weight‒over his shoulders. "Where do I put these guys?"
Gregor started walking towards the exit, waving Issac towards him. "Keep up with Gregor! Gregor show you desert burial tricks."
Issac took his first step, nearly falling down from the added weight. "Wait for me to catch up! This guy's heavy."
"Issac be needing to keep up with Gregor. Is good for muscles!"
Issac grit his teeth as he dragged the body towards the exit. Fucking slave driver. At least it can't get any worse…
Smack.
"Too slow."
Thwap.
"Too high."
Slap!
"Issac not learning very fast. Gregor is bored."
SLAP!
-1 HP!
"Gah, fuck!" Issac tumbled to the ground, his sword falling from his grasp. He laid on his back, muscles screaming in protest as he fought to keep his breakfast inside his stomach. Bruises littered his body, proof of the lack of success Issac was having.
They were in a separate area of the small cavern system, away from the room that their former enemies had taken up. Issac was grateful, since he could still recreate that fight with perfect clarity. The negative sides of Photographic Memory were making themselves known, much to his dismay. Just the sight of raw meat was slightly disturbing to him; thankfully Gregor hadn't asked him to go hunting on his own yet.
Gregor told Issac that he needed to find a primary weapon to specialize in. As much as Issac wanted to master all the weapons immediately, Gregor told him that he should choose a single weapon to focus on. Axes were his worst choice, by far; the weight of even training axes was too unwieldy for a child to throw around easily. Lances were better, but he lacked the strength to hold up the several foot-long spear for more than a minute at a time.
Swords, however, were a different story. They were lighter than axes and spears, less unwieldy. Even with the bronze variant, Issac had a better handle on this weapon than the either axes or lances.
Still, easier to use doesn't mean much when he's facing off against an opponent at Gregor's level. He was still a child trying to hit a grown man. The dents and faint cracks on his sword showed as much.
Observe.
Bronze Sword: E-Rank weapon. Reserved for training and emergency use only, this blade is heavier than most other blades. It's perfect for building stamina, which you will very much need.
Damage: 3+STR(3) = 6
Durability: 20/50
Have I ever told you how weird it is that I can do this?
Only once a day since you started training with your teacher. Duck, by the way.
Flinching, Issac flung himself to the side, landing next to his sword. Blinking, he saw Gregor's hand stretched out to slap him again. The ginger-haired man cocked his head to the side before beaming at his temporary charge.
"Issac finally dodge correctly! Is good news."
Issac groaned as he stood upright, his legs shaking from the effort to stay standing. "It is?"
Gregor nodded. "Yes! Now Gregor pushes Issac harder."
Issac couldn't stop his jaw from dropping. "More? More?! I can barely stay standing."
A shiver shot up Issac's spine as Gregor leveled a chilling look at the boy. "Gregor fights tired all the time. Can't stop until enemies all die. Issac needs to be learning this lesson quickly. Gregor be leaving for contract in seven days. Wee one be alone after that."
Objective: Train with Gregor for the next month.
Bonus Objective: Reach 'D' rank with at least one weapon type.
Reward: 1000 EXP, increased relationship with Gregor, ?
Failure: Forced conscription by Garrick, inevitable death to the Shepherds.
Issac scowled, reminded of the timeline for his training quest with Gregor. His lack of progress was really starting to worry him.
Weapon Skills
Axes: E-Rank (20%)
Lances: E-Rank (30%)
Swords: E-Rank (35%)
Getting to 'D' rank with any weapon was a lot more difficult than he thought it would be. He knew it wouldn't be as simple as hitting someone until his skill magically became more proficient. Even with an experienced teacher and the drive to succeed, he was still a child. He needed a lot more time than he had left with Gregor.
Issac blinked as a bow was thrust in front of him. "Try being archer. Distance keep wee one safer."
The young boy grabbed the offered weapon. It was a wooden recurve bow, along with a quiver holding about thirty arrows. While it wasn't a weapon that anyone would use unless they had no other choice, Issac found himself holding the weapon far more naturally than the other weapons.
Without thought, he nocked an arrow and fired it at Gregor. The mercenary swung his sword, actually having to put in a little effort to bat the projectile out of the air.
Bows: E-Rank (5%)
Issac dropped his jaw. Five percent just from shooting one arrow? It took him half a day to make the same progress with swords, and that was the second easiest weapon he had learned!
Gregor gave a deep belly laugh. "Gregor sees Issac liking bows most! Wee one should practice that until Gregor leaves."
A shit-eating grin on his face, Issac started firing arrow after arrow in Gregor's direction. Ready this time, Gregor had no trouble deflecting the slow-moving arrows away from him. Still, every shot fired felt the slightest bit easier, every draw slightly more natural.
Bows: E-Rank (10%)
Yeah, this was definitely the best choice.
Issac tossed and turned on his bedroll, sleep eluding him yet again. While his body was worn out, his mind was buzzing. The memory of his first fight was still haunting him. As much as Photographic Memory was aiding him in learning how to fight, the perk was proving to be very much a double edged sword.
He could still remember with crystal clarity the wet gasps the two men he killed had made before they stopped breathing. The scent of iron in the air as their blood splattered across the stone floor still lingered around him like a haze. His breathing became rushed, shallow, and his vision started graying at the edges.
A large, warm hand on his back broke Issac out of his downward spiral. "Wee one needs deeper breathing. Breathe with Gregor."
Issac nodded shakily, facing his mentor as he tried to match the pace of his breathing. Gradually, he forced his lungs to take in more and more air. His vision started clearing, and his shaking turned into a faint tremor.
"T-Thanks, Gregor."
It was strange; Gregor wasn't smiling. He wasn't angry at being disturbed from his sleep, either. Instead, he just looked concerned. Issac looked away and at the ground, unable to meet his older companion's gaze.
"Gregor is glad to help Issac. You need someone listening to your troubles, yes? Gregor listens for cheap!"
Despite himself, Issac couldn't stop a huff of laughter from escaping. "You'd really charge me? I'm a terrible customer; I have no gold on me to pay you."
Gregor wrapped an arm around Issac's shoulders, pulling him in for a side hug. "Gregor gives children special discount! Price is telling full truth."
Issac sighed, leaning into the unexpectedly comfortable embrace. "I… I can't stop thinking about the fight. I can still remember everything that happened like it was yesterday."
"Is understandable. Issac never fought before, no?"
Issac shuddered, staring across the room, his eyes glazed over. "Yeah, that was my first fight. I didn't know people would make those sounds when they died. I didn't know that they would smell as awful as they did, either." Issac looked up at Gregor, his shaky tone betraying the nervousness he felt. "How do you… stop feeling like this?"
"You don't."
Issac blinked, shocked by the definitive answer Gregor gave him. "I don't? But how do you keep going? How do you keep fighting when you don't stop feeling this way?"
Gregor grabbed both of Issac's shoulders, leveling a firm yet kind look at the boy. "You fight for many reasons. Food, money, friends, women," Gregor grinned briefly at that, before schooling his expression. "You need to be finding reasons for fighting. Do you have any?"
Issac went silent, his thoughts turning towards the future. All of the bloodshed that would happen over the next decade would make this fight seem like a schoolyard scuffle, at best. If he was this unsettled now, how would he function in the future, when he would be fighting hundreds, possibly thousands of people at a time?
Unbidden, more memories surfaced. Verona taking care of him when he first awoke to this world, becoming Henry's friend, training under Gregor. Warmth filled him from within, banishing the doubts from his mind. He needed to protect them as much as he could. They had roles to play, and he would stop anyone from getting in their way.
Now we're finally caught up! I enjoyed writing a bit more about the quests and traits in this pseudo-Gamer story. I've wanted to do a fanfic like this for years. With my employment status being…up in the air, my writing time has expanded a great deal.
I made a New Year's Resolution; I will write significantly more this year than 2024. This story will get all of my attention until I finish it‒random plot bunnies be damned!
Thanks again for your patience while my life got thrown for a loop and a half. I'll make sure to get more chapters out to you guys as often as possible. Catch you all in the next chapter!