Warrior's Path
Rough looking horsemen rode through the village as Frigga saw flames start spreading. The smell of burning wood and the cries of the villagers echoed while the bandits looted and pillaged the houses. Shabby clothing covered their bodies, even their faces were hidden by cloth. In the middle stood a giant of a man; presumably the leader who was watching his men. He held a massive broad sword, and wore a tough armored vest. His arms were as wide as a bear's and was covered in rippling muscles.
Shockingly, several of the townsmen were lying motionlessly on the ground. Among them were Drillmaster Henry and several of the men she had cooked for earlier. They bore wounds and had arrows sticking out of their bodies. The horrifying sight made her shudder.
"No!" Tom shrieked, seeing the lifeless bodies. He tried to rush out but the scholar hurriedly held him. He then looked on, mumbling, "they're not dead yet, some can still be saved."
"Burn them! The guards will be here soon!" The leader barked out. The bandits hastened their pillaging as the fire spread to the farther houses.
The remaining villagers could only look on in horror as their homes were razed to the ground and their belongings pillaged. Frigga gripped her sword tightly, contemplating her choices. Right now, she was only a weak adventurer, it wasn't clear whether she could handle the enemies. Regardless, there should be a way out of the scenario.
Should I attack them? She thought. She bit her lip, frustrated. All of a sudden, she saw a young lad run out of one of the houses. Phil! She recognized him. He was bloodstained and covered in soot with a crazed look in his eyes. Phil ran up to the leader, brandishing a knife, but the man swatted him away. The strike slammed the boy into the ground, where he slumped like a puppet that had its strings cut.
The man strode over. He raised his sword but before he could deliver the killing blow, the glint of metal shined right in the corner of his eye. Frigga had rushed into the fray! Yet, the leader of the bandits effortlessly swung his own sword to parry the blow. The man's monstrous strength blew her sword away and in one quick motion, had grabbed her by the neck!
"What a pretty face" The man chuckled as he raised her off the ground. She desperately clawed at the hand choking her, but the man's grip was too strong. "A shame you're gonna die here."
She squirmed and kicked but the man grabbed tightly. She wheezed, trying to suck in more air. Should I log-out? She was panicking, but the village! Even as she fought for her breath, she subconsciously opened the menu.
All of a sudden, she felt time slow down to a crawl. The man's words slurred and lurched to a halt before a blackness overcame her vision.
--
She suddenly felt the pressure disappear from her neck. Her rough breathing was all that was left. She gasped as she took a breather from the action. The menu was still open and her finger hovered over the log-out button.
"Child" A gentle voice reached her. The hand, the man, the entire village had disappeared from her senses and the surroundings had changed from the village to an endless darkness. From the darkness, she could see blobs and points of light, as if she was floating over a perpetual night sky.
"Calm down." The voice was soft and soothing, and as it spoke, she smelled the fresh scent of blooming flowers. In lilting tones, as if the owner was humming in a garden, the voice explained.
"This is merely your subconscious. We pulled you in here so we could talk."
"This one's got a bit of spirit." A hoarse voice growled within the space carrying with it the acrid smell of sulfur and burning magma while the clanking of metal could be faintly heard.
"Hello child, " A third one spoke up. This time, the voice felt like it was a great distance away, yet it was still clear; as if she was hearing someone speak from underwater.
"Who are you?" Frigga blurted out, confused at the sudden change.
"You already guessed who we are. But it doesn't matter, does it?" The third voice said. "We know, you are not from this world."
"And there are many others like you."
"We are here to help you unlock your hidden potential." The gentle one said.
Frigga pondered in silence. Could this be something like a cutscene?
"The stars of fate are unchanging, their trajectories fixed. Even we do not have the power to change it directly." the gentle voice continued explaining, sighing, "To tell you the truth, there is a sinister power hiding in the shadows. It seeks to consume everything in this world."
"Neither we nor anyone from this world has the power to change fate. We are bound by it. But your kind, who are not from this world, you are an unknown variable."
"Think of it as an exchange, we will help you. And in the future, you might have the chance to return the favor."
Just in time, the system window popped out.
--
"Special Quest has been updated!"
"Special Quest: Defend the Village!
"Select a class!
While defending the village, you were assaulted by the leader of the bandits. Outmatched, you find yourself at his mercy, yet in that very same moment, a voice speaks to you. It is the will of the gods! The three Gods offer to awaken your inner strength and grant you power! Now it is up to you to choose what path you will take!"
"Warrior"
"Seasoned veterans of the battlefield, warriors use their strong bodies and expertise over arms and weapons to bear on their enemies. They are often found in the frontlines of battle, trading blows against their enemies and protecting their companions with their strong defensive abilities."
"Wizard"
"Mysterious, yet extremely powerful, wizards use intricate spells and complicated sorceries to crush their enemies. They are incredibly difficult to battle, as their spells are unpredictable and can deal a great amount of damage."
"Devout"
"Blessed by the powers of the gods, Devout are able to channel sacred powers that avoid comprehension. With their faith, Devout are able to heal and support their allies while brandishing divine abilities to punish and damage against their enemies."
"Ranger"
"Lightning quick and wicked sharp, rangers use their superior speed and sharp senses to outwit and outmaneuver their opponents. They are capable of inflicting massive damage to vital points in a short amount of time. However because of this, Rangers are oft lacking in terms of protection."
Frigga contemplated. Right off the bat, she crossed off Devout. The class seemed more suited to a support or tank build, and it didn't suit her playstyle. She looked over the Warrior, Wizard and Ranger. Hovering over the choices displayed a more detailed description as well as the corresponding skills.
The Warrior class seemed to focus on both offensive and defensive skills. Its offensive skills focused on strong, empowered melee attacks like [Unyielding Strike] and [Asunder]. It also had great defensive skills that fit a tanking role like [Battle Howl] and [Iron Will].
The Wizard class seemed more like a damage dealing class. It had a combination of single target and area-of-effect spells like [Fireball] and [Ice Spear]. In terms of survivability, it had several skills that allowed it to escape from battle like [Teleport] and cast illusions like [Dream Field].
The Ranger class looked like a damage dealing class that was more physically oriented than Wizards and unlike Warriors, relied on critical hits and quick, fast attacks to deal damage. This included skills such as [Vital Points Marking], [Quick Shot] while its other skills focused on speed and evasion like [Flash Step] and [Buck and Weave].
After reading all the descriptions, Frigga took a minute to decide before selecting her new class.
...
"We are only able to grant you a small portion of our power." The one with the gentle voice explained.
"Hurry, the outside world beckons." She said as the surroundings suddenly started warping and twisting.
"We have planted many seeds." The faraway voice said, "I'm getting sleepy."
"We can only hope that we have planted enough." The one with the gentle voice said.
"A new age is indeed coming." The hoarse sounding one said "It is up to them to decide the future."
--
...Changing Instances...
...Initializing...
"You have been bestowed [Divine Strength] (Temporary)"
"Class has been changed to [Warrior]"
"New skills have been unlocked!"
The darkness faded away and the sunlight pierced Frigga's eyes. The image of the burning village snapped into focus. The hand that had been choking her, the man, the villagers and the bandits were exactly the same as when she blacked out. Only one thing had changed. Her glazed eyes were now replaced by a chilling calm. The bandit leader suddenly felt something was amiss! But before he could react, Frigga had pulled out the knife from her belt and stabbed! The man reeled from the searing pain, releasing her from his grip.
Rolling away, she wheezed as her starved lungs gasped for breath. Before the bandit leader could recover, she stumbled to her sword.
"Unyielding Strike!" She roared!
She suddenly felt as if the entire world had shrunk to the tip of the blade. Her entire body moved as one with the sword. The sword pierced straight through the bandit's chest! He looked down in disbelief at the blade running through him, desperately trying to pull it out. He collapsed on the ground. As he writhed, floating particles of light swirled, covering his death throes, disappearing as he stopped moving.
Frigga once again readied her stance, preparing to confront the other bandits. But the rest of them had already fled after seeing their leader lose.
--
It only took a few more minutes for the Kingdom's guards to arrive.
She heard the clopping of heels and saw men in armor riding over, carrying the kingdom's coat of arms. It's over, she thought.
The guards swiftly took command of the situation. Two men in white robes busied themselves treating the wounded. White light suffused the surroundings as Frigga watched the men heal the villagers. Despite their timely response, a few couldn't be saved. The guardsmen quietly cleaned the scene and helped put out the still-blazing homes, before preparing for a cremation.
A somber mood pervaded the townsmen as the villagers had stopped the cleanup. Everyone was standing still in the middle of the town as a funeral pyre was held for the dead. One of the white robed men quietly prayed to the Goddess, before chanting a spell. A white hot flame magically rose up from the pyre, consuming the bodies of the dead. She could faintly see again the swirling particles of light float into the night sky.
Frigga stood at the edge, observing the ceremonies. The Drillmaster's body as well as several other townsmen reflected in her eyes.
"Thank you." An old man spoke to her. It was the town's mayor. He limped towards her, his clothes still stained with blood and soot. The captain of the guards stood beside him.
"This town would have suffered more if not for you." He said, "Perhaps, we would have been forced to seek our luck in the city like many others."
"Alas, most of our belongings perished in the fire, but I could still reward you, even for just a meager amount."
She only nodded back.
"You have done a service to the kingdom." The captain said. "That man was Giant Buga, a dangerous criminal. This wasn't the first village he and his band had attacked. You have saved more than just this village." He explained. "He also has a bounty on his head. Go to Lorraine's Magistrate Office and they will reward you generously." He turned silent.
Just as Frigga was about to check the rewards, she was surprised as the man suddenly kneeled and placed his head on the ground. Before she could say anything, he cried out.
"Please! Allow me. I was born in this town as well, and not as a Guardsman, but as a resident, please accept my thanks!"
"Special Quest Completed!"
"You have saved Prairie Town from the bandits! You managed to save the lives of the villages living in Prairite Town! You have brought out your hidden potential and have now become a Warrior!"
"However, your journey has just begun, you have met the three Gods, and have become aware that there is something deeper and more sinister lurking in the shadows. Yet as a novice, it is not the time for you to worry or despair! Continue on to forge your own story!
"Rewards Received: Broad Sword, Highlander's Leather Vest, Mysterious Letter, 100 Silver, 100 EXP"
"You have received the title [Hero of Prairie Town]"
"Highlander's Leather Vest"
"A thick, long leather vest that protects the wearer's body. Effective against slashing and slicing attacks.
Phys. Def: +3-4
Durability: 89%
Weight: 0.3kg"
"Broad Sword"
"A two-handed, double edged, broad steel sword with good craftsmanship. It is heavy but has good balance.
Level Requirement: 5
Phys. Attck: +5-8
Durability: 92%
Weight: 1.2kg"
--
Frigga looked down at the rewards she had equipped. She was currently wearing the vest that the bandit leader had. The blood and the hole where the sword pierced through was nowhere to be seen, and the shape had suddenly conformed to her body. It seemed to be made from thick animal hide, and the craftsmanship was not that great, yet it felt warm and sturdy. The broad sword was strapped to her waist through her belt. It was a double edged sword, a third of a foot wide at the base and roughly three feet long, made of hard, shiny steel. It was sheathed in a rough wooden scabbard, and its grip was made from tanned leather covering a thick metal handle that ended in a round pommel.
Looking at the townsmen who were busily attending to the town's repairs. She suddenly felt weariness wash over her. Glancing at the in-game time, she decided that it was time to rest and continue tomorrw.
--