Sam gave it some thought and decided that the king was giving him a seemingly good deal, at least for now. The terms were a little vague but the tit-for-tat seemed to fall more in Sam’s favor.
“Sure,” Sam agreed.
“Good lad. I’ll tell you a secret then to cement our cooperation. All the plantlike creatures in the woods can be easily killed with fire. That includes the seemingly immortal Forest Barkers. Those tenacious beasts like to attack relentlessly, but fire takes them out at the root so they can’t replicate. Here take this.”
Ignition Powder x5
“This’ll put the odds in your favor whenever you’re facing a hoard. Imbue it to your weapon of choice.”
“Thanks, King.”
12 The King’s Justice
They stopped right in front of a Soul Beacon that was placed nearby. Sam touched it and bathed in the blue glow that emitted from the stone snake totem.
Soul Beacon Activated
Without thinking, Sam sat down in front of it and rested. Surprisingly, the king sat down next to him casually, with one leg stretched out and the other bent with its knee pointing skywards and his hand draped over that. Sam looked over and thought to ask the king an obvious question.
“Sir ... king, what’s your name, sir?”
“That’s alright, boy. In our current situation there’s no need for formality. You can just call me king, if it pleases you. But I have to wonder, where you have to be from not to recognize such a famous king as myself.”
“I’m from another world, Earth. If you want to get specific, I’m from San Francisco though I originally hailed from Palo Alto.”
“I have not heard of such a world, but it is known that revenants lose their wits as they lose their quintessence. You’ll have to restore yourself soon or lose your wits completely. But to answer your question, boy, I am the Warrior King Herke of Aschelund. Tales of my exploits have been told the world over. I was once called the demon slaying prince in my youth, but am now known as the just king, for all my deeds leading up to my death.”
What about the mad king? When did they start calling you that?
“That was before the curse. Now it means nothing to be king in this undead land,” King Herke explained. “All I can do is spread the king’s justice to all the depraved souls that I come across with my greatsword. That forest killer for instance.”
“Why are you doing this?” Sam asked, naturally curious.
“I consider it a noble duty. Just because I am undead doesn’t mean I lost what made me a man,” he said with pride in his voice.
“Is that why you’re in this forest?”
“You’re a curious one,” he stated, then laughed. “I’m here because I’m looking to mete out the king’s justice to one particular undead.”
Sam was impressed by how real this all felt and how natural the king’s own conversation flowed. He wondered who provided the voice for the king. It had to be some highly trained classical actor. The king’s passion came through with his every word.
“The forest killer?”
“No. But he will receive his justice too. I’m looking for a Cutthroat much like yourself. This one lacks the fire that I see within you however.”
Even though he was referring to Sam’s avatar, Sam couldn’t help but take some pride in the king’s compliment.
“Who is this Cutthroat? What have they done?”
“Ah, his name? It’s been a while since I’ve passed that poison phrase through my lips. His name is Rondo and he hails from my own land of Aschelund, at least that’s what I’ve been told. He murdered my family; my wife and my son. I never even got to take his miserable life myself. While on the hunt, I was ambushed. Caught some arrows in my back from some traitors who wanted my throne. So the fiend slipped through my fingers, but I’ve heard it said that he’s in these lands, an undead. I’ve made it my life’s mission to hunt him down, kill him twice for my queen and my heir, and to pillage the impure quintessence that he preciously clings to. He will meet the king’s justice.”
Sam thought of the Cutthroat he had run into after he’d escaped Caesar’s house. He had attacked Sam closer to the middle part of the forest near the cave. Sam hadn’t made out too many of that Cutthroat’s features and at the time, he was too focused on running back to the cave to pay attention, but that was the only other human enemy that Sam had run into in the forest other than Caesar and possibly the huntsman. Sam knew one thing for certain though, he wanted to help the king. He felt bad for him. To lose his wife and child to a murderer, then his own life before he was able to kill the animal responsible. It saddened Sam, but Sam had also respected the fact that the king didn’t let an event as traumatic as his own death get in the way of doling out his justice.
“He’s in this forest?” Sam asked.
“He’s close. I can feel it in my bones,” he said with conviction.
“Well then king, I’ll help you find this Cutthroat. On my honor.”
For whatever that’s worth, Sam thought.
“Those are some courageous and honorable words you say there boy, but can I believe them?” asked the king. “I just don’t know anymore. My countrymen betrayed me and you, you’re dressed in the same clothes as my family’s killer.”
Sam went into his inventory and attempted to change immediately until remembering that he had nothing else to wear.
“But now, none of that matters, I suppose. I have seen your soul firsthand. I saw a conviction much like my own. You have potential, for an undead that is.”
Sam stopped and simply looked at the king. The big man stood up, completely eclipsing Sam’s view of the moon.
“If you are going to be a part of my King’s Guard and help me dole out justice, then you will have to be strong enough to survive the perils of this forest. To that end, I’m going to teach you a Technique of the Aschelund Royal Guard, one that uses the full power of one’s sword and soul.”
Sam hurriedly got up to his feet and was captivated by the king’s every word.
“Draw your sword,” the king demanded.
Sam was confused by the sudden change in the king’s demeanor, but he made sure to closely obey his commands. He quickly drew his Rapier from its scabbard at his side and held the blade up in front of him with both hands.
“No need for two hands, boy. Relax.”
Sam took one hand off of his sword then looked over at the king.
“Good, now watch me and do precisely what I do.”
The king drew his huge greatsword from the sheath on his back. The face of the blade was bathed in the moon’s light which refracted into Sam’s eyes. The king held the greatsword in front of him in one hand, which was impressive, seeing as how the blade had to be the size of his teenage sister Rui. Sam had expected the sword to be rugged in its design, but it was actually very elegant and somewhat ornate with fancy designs etched into its hilt. The blade had care put into its design and the king was keeping it in good shape since it looked expertly polished and superbly sharp. His grip on the sword handle remained firm and the king looked focused as his sword took on an orange glow. At the apex of the glow, he turned the sword around with a flick of his wrist and swept it upwards over his head in a diagonal arc. The king’s right knee had bent slightly while his upper body twisted in time with the blow. The blade’s glow subsided once the king was done with the strike. The king maintained the finished pose from the strike for another second allowing Sam to take in the details of the form. The final detail was the bend of the left elbow while the right arm was completely extended with the sword in hand.
“Impressive,” Sam half whispered.
The king dropped his sword to his side as he talked to Sam.
“That is the famed Sword Uppercut Technique of the Aschelund royal guard. Like with most of our Techniques, it’s best used to fell massive foes like those nightmarish beasts in our homeland. Now, try it for yourself.”
Sam took his Rapier in hand and attempted the Technique with
no results. He tried again and got nothing.
What the heck is wrong, he wondered. This is exactly how he did it.
He tried and tried and failed and failed.
“Don’t lose heart now. You almost got it. Your form is impressive. Now you just have to feel for the power of the blow. For us soldiers and royalty in Aschelund, the power comes from a resolute oath we take. For we are the shields of our kingdom and the pillar upon which everything is built. That resolution gives us immeasurable strength. It is what ignites the power of our souls.”
To be strong and resolute, Sam wanted that too. He needed it in his personal life as much as he needed it in the game right now. He needed more strength to deal with the consequences of his father’s death, particularly the loss of his sagely advice. Sam could only rely on himself now and he needed to be strong. He needed to set a better example for Rui as well, so that she would have someone to turn to like he had with his father. He also wanted to be strong for his mother, who he still knew hadn’t gotten over his father’s death. He needed to be resolute in his decisions and stick to them. Being there for his family, continuing forward as an artist in the video game industry even though it wasn’t working for him, not answering the phone when Michelle called, and more than all that sticking to the plan for success that he and his father had mapped out many years prior. That path had no room for quitting and doing anything else except what Sam had planned on doing. Sam would be a professional concept artist and he would make good money doing it dammit, but right now he would be the best at this damn game!
Sam found the burning feeling he needed, the feeling that he associated with winning, with survival. It wasn’t a feeling he felt too often either.
“Good, boy. That is your Soul Burning. You need it to power Techniques of this magnitude. Use all the power of your soul! Use it with your most ferocious strikes and you will achieve victory.”
I will be strong and resolute, my blade will strike and I will not falter. That thought had somehow felt natural to Sam. It was such a strange thing to think, something so ridiculously serious. He couldn’t think of the last time he had thought words so serious and powerful in real life, maybe never. The words made him feel so good and so strong that he wondered what they’d make him feel like if he said them out loud.
“I will be strong and resolute. My blade will strike and I will not falter.”
He took his Rapier in hand and took on the king’s earlier one handed fighting pose. He kept that feeling of assured victory and let it burn within him. He wouldn’t let himself lose now. The burning he had felt inside of him had risen so much and soon seemed to even affect his sword. It glowed in his hand just like it had with the king. Finally, he turned his wrist upwards and swung his sword over his head in a diagonal arc. He felt unstoppable as he swung his sword with the feeling only subsiding once the blow was done.
New Soul Burning Technique Learned. Gained Sword Uppercut.
“Good, boy! Good! You’re a natural it seems. That power is not easy to summon forth.”
It wasn’t and it seemed to tire Sam out very quickly. He looked over at his green stamina and saw that it had depleted by about forty percent.
“Holy hell!”
This wasn’t the sort of Technique that one could spam (use repeatedly in an exploitive manner). He also noticed a new bar under his health and stamina bars. It was blue and about a tenth the size of his health bar. It had already partially depleted after he had done the Sword Uppercut Technique which was when it also appeared in the first place. A magic gauge? It seemed so. And so Techniques used magic and stamina.
Sam looked over at King Herke to see if he had anymore wisdom to impart to him. It unnerved him to find the king staring at him with great intensity.
“Where did you get that ring?” he asked aggressively.
“What—”
Sam looked down at the rings on his hand and tried to figure out which one the king was referring to. One had increased his physical defense, the other his magic defense, and the third one increased his persevere which did something that Sam couldn’t remember. He stared at the rings. The first two rings didn’t look like anything special, but the last ring had a cool etching of a three headed dog on it, like Cerberus from Greek myth.
“This one?” Sam asked holding the finger up with the dog etching.
“Yes. Where did you get it?” The king narrowed his eyes at Sam. All the trust they had recently built up seemed to have flown out the window. Sam could think of nothing to say but the truth. He only hoped that it wouldn’t get him killed.
“From the forest killer’s house. I snuck in after he killed me and looted his place when he left.”
The king surprised Sam when he started laughing.
“By the gods of light! Did you really steal from that madman?”
Sam nodded his head with a grin on his face.
“That’s bold, boy and much better than he deserves in any case. That ring you so casually wear belonged to a member of the Aschelund royal family. If it were in that monster’s possession, no doubt he’s murdered some kin of mine. As if I needed more of a reason for him to meet the king’s justice.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, sir. Would you prefer it if I didn’t wear the ring?” Sam asked thoughtfully.
“No, it’s yours now. The royal name of Aschelund has very little meaning in these lands anyway, probably less than my former title of king. I’d rather someone with righteous fire inside of them hold onto it than a killer. Now that it’s in your possession, let’s make sure it stays there. I will teach you one more Technique, this one my own specialty. I’ve only managed to teach it to one other person. Once you master this, you’ll be truly prepared for the dangers that lie in this forest. Now follow my lead.”
13 The Gift of Sinning
The king’s Skyward Thrust Technique was more difficult for Sam to learn than the Sword Uppercut was. Mimicking the king’s intricate movements was the most difficult part. This time, the piercing blow required a lot of forward movement on Sam’s part. He had to start the Technique leading with his off foot in front and then lunge forward with his right foot in front of him while thrusting his sword into the air with his right hand. There was a trick to the thrust too.
“You can’t do it exactly how I do it,” said the king. “Our weapons are too dissimilar. Thrusting like I do with my greatsword isn’t going to help you.”
He hadn’t instructed Sam on what to change to make the Technique work and that left Sam to practicing it for a while to figure it out. The main difference between Sam’s Rapier and the king’s greatsword was size. The king punched forward with his thrust, effectively relying on his great power to obliterate all that stood ahead of him with a single blow. Sam didn’t have anywhere near the amount of strength that the king had, so he had to rely on his skill instead, even with a powerful Technique like the Skyward Thrust. Once he had that in mind, he seemed to visualize his next move perfectly when he closed his eyes. Now he just had to feel it out and perform it flawlessly.
He got into position and practiced a few normal thrusts. Then he built up the power of his Soul Burning, that feeling of complete power, of victory. Thanks to his visualization, he instinctively knew what to do next.
Is that something that the game programs in us, he thought, the ability to visualize these Techniques once we figure them out? It doesn’t matter.
He led the Technique with his left foot and lunged forward with his right, this time he swiftly upturned his wrist and let loose three quick rapid stabs followed by a powerful final blow that he had to completely extend his body into. The whole time he felt rooted to the spot and as strong as stone. During the Technique, each of the stabs resulted in a fiery glow on the tip of his Rapier and the final elongated stab caused the whole sword to glow like an ember. Sam’s body had also been briefly engulfed in the glow whilst performing the move.
New Soul Burning Technique Learned. Gained Skyward Thrust.
Replace Cu
rrent Skill? Yes No
Sam chose yes. It was strange, but somehow he was able to equip the Technique without having any spirituality slots. But, he still had to remember to occasionally put some points into spirituality so that he could equip multiple Techniques or Spellcraftes, should he find any good ones. For now the Skyward Thrust seemed to suit him more.
“Good, very good. You have learned my Technique well and made it your own.”
“Thank you, king! I feel stronger already.”
The king laughed and put his own sword away.
“You should. That very Technique has been used to slay the most foul and fearsome beasts in our land. My own ancestor used it to slay the tri-headed crimson beast of legend. Make sure that you aren’t the only bearer of this Technique to leave this plane in abject mediocrity.”
Sam was determined not to be. He gave the king a quick nod and thought of the many uses he’d have for his two new Techniques. He needed to practice them ASAP. Now, he had favored the Skyward Thrust, because it was a multi-hit thrust Technique with great range. The Skyward Thrust used more of the magic gauge, which Sam now knew was called Soul Power. Each stab from the Technique drained a little of the gauge, with the final power stab taking slightly less SP than the entire Sword Uppercut. The Sword Uppercut was a quicker attack though.
“Now go. This forest is large and the easiest way to find Rondo is to take separate paths to the fiend. I will leave my sign in the forest. If you find him or are in dire need of my help, use my sign to call me. I too am a Walker.”
“A Walker, sir?”
“I can travel between the planes of worlds. That ancient mage Letraym has left all sorts of tools around to make such a thing possible. But if you find any wicked person of interest or simply need my assistance, find my signature and summon me across the planes to your side. It’s the best form of cooperation in this cursed land.”
Hell's Glitch (LitRPG): Into a Dark Adventure Page 11
