NOVEL NEXT 6. Crossroads of Choices
As Justin and Lila made their way toward the town's southern gate, the hustle and bustle of the surrounding streets melded into a distant hum. The palisade walls were illuminated by the morning sun approaching noon. It had been a busy morning, and Justin wanted to get at least halfway to Silverton before the day was through so that they could arrive by evening tomorrow.
It was quiet at first and awkward. Justin wasn't sure of the proper protocol for hired muscle. Did they talk or ignore each other? He and Lila couldn't have been more different, at least on the surface.
Appearance-wise, she definitely wasn't disagreeable. He supposed his mind shouldn't go to such places, but there it was. He was a man, and men noticed things.
"So, a Socialite?" Lila began with a smirk, glancing sideways at him. "Can't say I've met one of those before."
"It seems to be a common sentiment."
"So, how does that work? Do you fight enemies with the power of charm and dinner parties?"
Justin couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, words can be as powerful as any sword. And trust me, social situations are difficult. You'd be surprised at how much damage a whisper can do."
Lila feigned a look of mock horror. "Please, spare me from your deadly gossip."
"Hey, don't underestimate the power of a well-placed rumor. It can break empires!"
"Well, you're Level 1, just like me. I think it's a little early to call yourself the 'Breaker of Empires.'"
"True enough," he conceded. "If you want to know the truth, I could hardly convince the innkeeper to fetch me a bath last night."
Lila laughed, shaking her head. "Really, though. A Socialite? You're obviously not from around here."
"It's a long story," Justin said. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
"Well, now I want to know even more."
"Alas, I must maintain an air of mystery, at least for now. Suffice it to say, my class is powerful in the right hands."
"Okay, Mr. Socialite, here's a question for you. What happens when words fail and fists fly?"
Justin smirked, adjusting his pack. "That's why I hired you, isn't it? I trust you are handy with those knives and that spinning move you did wasn't all just for show."
"You sound skeptical. Bards are far more capable in combat than you might realize. I don't just play with knives; I can make them fly as true as any Ranger's arrow."
"Is that so? It isn't all just singing and dancing?"
"Well," she said with a smirk, "I am a wonderful singer."
"So, what is your class skill?"
"Bardic Inspiration. It lets me boost any attribute by +2, and it applies to the entire party."
"That sounds useful. What about your Level 1 skill?"
"Well, you get a class boon at Level 1, not a skill. Mine is called Artful Precision. It enhances my ability to play instruments and handle knives."
"Sounds fitting. So, what's the difference between a boon and a skill, anyway?"
She looked at him strangely. Again, he suspected he was asking a basic question most everyone knew. "Well, a skill is something you actively use, if that makes sense. Most of the time it has a cooldown, so you have to be careful when and how you use it. Boons, on the other hand, work in the background, giving you a benefit without you ever having to lift a finger."
"I see," Justin said, nodding. "One is active, and the other is passive."
"That's right," Lila said with a smile. "Though a smart person knows how to make the most of both."
He set his thoughts on Lila's character, and to his surprise, his interface opened to give him more information.
Lila Fairwind
Class: Bard
Level: 1
That was all there was to see; Justin dismissed the information.
"I put my first point in Coordination," Lila said. "That should help my accuracy."
"I invested in Charisma, because it doesn't seem like I have many options," Justin admitted. "But in case things get rough, it's good to know I have you at my side."
She grinned, clearly liking the compliment. "And don't you forget it! Still, I must admit, it'll be interesting to see how your...unique skill set comes into play."
At that moment, Justin got the oddest sense that Lila was inspecting his character. He wasn't sure how the thought had entered his mind, but he was certain of it. It was like the feeling of someone looking at him from a distance, but stronger.
"So, what are your class abilities?" she asked.
"Poison Barb is my class skill," Justin said. "It lets me inflict emotional damage on someone. My boon is called Magnetic Presence. It basically makes people want to help me."
"Huh," Lila said, raising an eyebrow. "So that's why I volunteered to save your sorry ass."
Justin smirked. "You say that like you regret it."
She chuckled. "Give me a reason to, and we'll see." She tilted her head thoughtfully. "What is this 'emotional damage' anyway? Do you insult someone until they cry, or...?"
"It's like a stun," Justin said. "Consider it a punch right to the heart and soul of a person. It's pretty amazing to see it in action."
Lila shuddered. "I'd rather get in a fistfight than have to deal with that."
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Justin looked ahead, finding that somehow, they had already passed through the gate. The vast expanse of the Silver Road stretched out before them. In the distance, the Umber Hills waited, rising low out of the misty forest. Justin hoped to make it there by nightfall.
Their banter faded as they left the city behind.
The Silver Road stretched out like a ribbon through the dense Wildwood, leading Justin and Lila to the opening of a narrow, steep-walled canyon as the late afternoon dragged on. The trees overhead formed a thick canopy, their branches intertwined, blocking most of the sunlight. The sun had been warm and bright earlier but was now subdued beneath this verdant canopy. The distant chirping of birds and the occasional rustling of leaves were the only sounds accompanying their footsteps.
As they approached the mouth of the canyon, Justin motioned for Lila to stop. He pointed to a bend in the road up ahead, where muffled voices reached their ears. Silently, they crept closer to get a better view and soon found themselves behind a massive boulder, using it as a vantage point.
A group of rough-looking men, unmistakably highwaymen by their worn-out leather armor and crude weapons, had surrounded an elderly traveler. The man's horse stood nervously to the side, its saddlebags being rummaged through by one of the robbers.
In the corner of his vision, Justin spied an alert. He set his focus on it, and it opened of its own accord. His heart raced as he read the message contained within.
Quest Available: Rescue the Waylaid Traveler
Recommended Party Level: 4
Average Party Level: 1
Risk Level: Almost certainly fatal! Proceed only if you have a death wish.
Description: Highwaymen are robbing an elderly traveler on the Silver Road. Will you be the beacon of hope in these perilous times and stand up against the oppressors? This quest is high-risk, but with significant risk comes a glorious reward.
Experience Points: 500
Rewards: Whatever items the robbers carry, plus any potential bounties on their heads.
Justin nearly gawked at those rewards. It would be enough to put him at Level 2 and then some, and the amount of loot could be quite a bit, likely far more than his current job.
Before he could tap the alert and accept, Lila grabbed his wrist, pulling it away.
"Are you insane?" she whispered. "There are four of them, and they look like they've been doing this for a while. We'd be killed!"
"But we can't just let them rob and hurt that man," Justin whispered back, torn between his sense of justice and the danger in front of him.
"I know, it's a hard thing to watch. But one dead is better than three dead. And I don't think your Poison Barb or my knives will be much use against those broadswords."
Justin immediately saw her point. This wasn't just a game. As far as he could tell, there were real consequences here. If he died, he really died. This might be his only chance at life. The will to live was a powerful thing, and Justin felt fear clutching his throat.
He decided, perhaps, given the circumstances, that it was best to stay on the sidelines.
The scene in front of them took a grim turn. After snatching all the man's valuables, one highwayman roughly pushed the traveler to the ground. Another unsheathed his dagger and, with a swift motion, ended the old man's life. It was quick and methodical. Clearly, they had killed before, and this group might even be the source of all the missing couriers.
The shock of witnessing the cold-blooded murder left Justin frozen, his mouth agape. The brutal reality of it hit him hard; this was clearly no game, but a ruthless environment where death lurked around every corner.
Lila's hushed whisper pulled Justin out of his daze. "We need to retreat. Now."
Without waiting for his reply, she turned and made her way deeper into the woods, away from the Silver Road. Justin, still trying to process what he had just witnessed, followed her.
They walked in silence for what felt like hours but was probably closer to minutes. The approaching dusk painted the sky with dark purples and blues.
Lila finally stopped in a small clearing, hidden by thick foliage. "We'll set up camp here for the night. We're far enough from the road, and those brutes won't find us in the darkness."
"Hopefully," Justin managed.
As they started setting up a makeshift camp, Justin spoke, his voice tinged with guilt. "We should have done something."
Lila looked up, her green eyes softening. "In a perfect world, maybe. But you've got to choose your battles. We wouldn't have stood a chance. I'm only Level 1, for the gods' sake. And you..." She paused. "Well, you have no fighting abilities at all, sorry. You hired me to protect you, and that's exactly what I'm doing."
Justin sat down, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders. "This world...it's so real. The violence, the fear, the blood...I wasn't prepared for this! What happens if you get killed? Do you respawn somewhere, at least?"
Lila gave him a confused look. "Resurrection, you mean? Well, true resurrection isn't possible. But certain classes, like White Wizards, get powerful healing spells. It's said their magic can take even the smallest spark and fan it back to life. But as for what happens after...well, as an Adherent of the Light, those who place faith in the Creator and the Six Gods, and behave justly, will ascend to the Aether Realm upon death. Those who do not—like those men back there—are doomed to spend eternity in the Nether with Morvath, the God of Death. Others say it's all nonsense, and there is nothing but the Great Silence that cannot be heard. Whatever the case...I'm not ready to find out."
Justin remained quiet, not sure what to say. He could only assume, from the man's dying screams, that the pain was indeed very real. It solidified for him that this was a real place. A place where nature and the System itself, or its creators, were impartial observers and imposed their own rules over reality.
Of course, there was the third option he wasn't ready to entirely discount. That he was in a coma, or in some weird sort of purgatory he might wake up from someday. But with each passing hour, this idea seemed more unlikely. What dream was as realistic as this?
Lila offered a reassuring smile. "Look, every choice we make, whether to fight or flee, changes our path. The important thing is to learn and adapt. We survived today, and tomorrow we'll be smarter, stronger, and better prepared. We have our whole lives ahead of us. Let's not get caught up on something that was impossible to deal with."
Justin nodded, but of course, it was hard to be satisfied with that answer, even if he knew she was right. "That voice that talked to me when I got my class, when I leveled up…who is that?"
Lila watched him curiously. "Where did you say you were from?"
"I hit my head pretty badly a couple of days ago," Justin explained. "Plus, I just got my class."
The excuse sounded lame, especially since he had no visible injuries, but thankfully, Lila seemed to accept it. "That's the Voice of Veyrith. Normally it's just called 'the Voice.' Veyrith is one of the Three Manifestations of the Creator. Basically, anyone who has a class and access to the Aethereal Interface can hear it when you gain a new level."
"Yes, but why? Why are there classes and levels to begin with? Where does it all come from?"
"Well, all that's in the Book of Life. The Voice tests everyone with a class so that they can become stronger. So their cores can transcend the Mortal Realm through trial and choice."
The way she said that made Justin feel like she was reciting something. Something repeated so often that the words had completely lost their meaning. But for someone like him, it seemed like something very important.
The best he could figure it, leveling up was some form of spiritual purification. Hell if he knew.
Justin wanted to ask for more information, but Lila was already suspicious of him. Whatever questions he had, it was best to ask them slowly, over time. If he told her something completely crazy, like being from an entirely alternate reality, there was no telling how she might react.
Once again, getting access to a library would need to be one of his top priorities, so he could research things in peace without raising anyone's suspicion.
As night drew in around them, they opted not to build a fire, for obvious reasons. They just had to hope no monsters or unwelcome creatures found their way into their camp. Justin's stomach growled; he hadn't had a bite since lunch that day.
"I'll take first watch," Justin said. "No way both of us can sleep with those ruffians out there."
"No argument from me. I'm beat."
As Lila drifted off to sleep, Justin wondered how she could do it so easily. It seemed that death in this world was a constant companion, where the very act of reaching the age of twenty was a triumph, and much more than that, gaining a class.
It was enough to shift his perspective, at least somewhat.
The sounds of the Wildwood surrounded them, a symphony of the untamed wilderness. Justin found himself wondering about Lila. Like him, she must have just gained her class too, being only Level 1. What was her story? What was she doing in that Mercenary Guild, anyway?
He supposed those were questions that would have to be answered another time.