Otherlife Awakening: The Selfless Hero Trilogy

by William D. Arand

  Then a second arrow burrowed into his shoulder, the impact threatening to spin him around.

  A third arrow skipped off the stone nearby and disappeared into the crowd of his people.

  Runner felt his mind spin as he tried to clear it of the fog that had settled over him.

  A wild pinging noise flooded his ears even as he struggled to get himself in gear.

  He wasn’t doing anyone any good. All he’d managed to do was send his people into harm’s way.

  A fourth and fifth arrow found their way to him accurately. Looking down he found the two offending arrows protruding from his chest.

  His health bar hit the red zone. Dazed, Runner looked up and found the source of the attack.

  Multiple bowmen had set up a wagon and were trained on him alone.

  One had reloaded and drew their bow back to fire at him again.

  Hannah stepped in front of him and shuddered as the arrow struck her.

  Turning to face him, she began hustling him through the line with Satomi’s assistance.

  “Damn me, and damn you, Runner. If you fucking die on me I’ll have Ernsta herself summon you so you can watch me skull fuck you,” swore Hannah. An arrow thudded into a shield somewhere around them.

  Reaching the rear of the formation, Hannah sat Runner down where he wouldn’t make himself more of a target.

  Then she worked to get shield-bearing guards around him.

  As the battle roared on, Runner found himself in a wall of shields and protected from harm.

  “The fuck did he do?” Hannah yelled over the din of battle at Satomi.

  “Basile was the traitor. He is also the champion of Rike. Runner revealed him. For an idiot plan it was rather good.”

  “Shit. Okay. You, you, you, and you. Take our emperor back inside and into safety. I have a mess to clean up,” Hannah shouted at the shield bearers.

  One guard began dragging him out of harm’s way, and the other three held their shields up during the retreat.

  “I have to stay. I need to help,” Runner mumbled. “I can’t leave them.”

  “Shush, bonded. Not every fight is yours to lead and handle. You have strong and loyal followers. Let them carry out their responsibilities.” Satomi glanced back towards the battle as she spoke.

  Runner lost his train of thought. He only came back to himself when they sat him down in a chair.

  Looking up, Runner found himself sitting under Bastion, in the middle of town.

  “Nice tree, good foliage,” Runner remarked. “Bigger than I remember.” Runner looked to the side to find his first statue of Nadine, which watched over all those who entered Norwood.

  “Call for no healer, Vixen. My bonded. Send them out immediately to assist our troops. I’ll live. Please,” Runner said, grabbing Satomi’s wrist.

  She gave him a curt nod and then gestured to someone he couldn’t see.

  His eyes then moved down the boulevard towards where the battle was ongoing. Troops, Norwood’s Own, and city guard left through the front gate in a flood as they joined the battle.

  Feeling helpless, he remained seated. Those who’d brought him here wouldn’t let him leave even if he ordered it.

  Runner had the vague impression they knew how close they had come to losing their emperor.

  The arrows jutting out of him told that story clearly enough. Runner took the time instead to bring his mind back to order.

  Utilizing his divine power took a toll on him.

  Must be because I’m not a real divine. Srit made me something else entirely.

  Twenty minutes crawled by before the sounds of combat became less intense. Ten after that and only the occasional punctuation of fighting reached him. Then nothing.

  A Norwood’s Own guard came jogging back to him.

  Having sorted his mind out into a semblance of normalcy, he waited for the messenger to speak.

  “Victory, sir. Basile has been slain. We’re currently in the process of collecting what we can. Then we’ll hold roll call to confirm the dead and missing.”

  “Thank you. If possible, please have the champions, Milicent, and Hannah sent to me as you can.”

  “Sir.” The guard saluted and then slipped back out the gate.

  Then his people began trooping back into the city. Many were bloody, but these were those who would be leaving the field of battle.

  They would return to their barracks and patrols, seek medical attention, and go into the recovery phase of a pitched battle.

  Then would come attendance to confirm the bodies found on the field. A looted corpse would be disposed of quickly. There was the possibility slain people would be looted before someone could notice their demise.

  Getting to his feet, Runner reached back and tossed the chair to the side of the boulevard, sending it clattering over the stones to slap into a wall.

  Runner faced the oncoming troops and saluted them. He remained at attention as his people filed by.

  He almost felt a little silly doing it. Maybe a touch overly dramatic.

  Holding himself in that pose, he remained stationary under Bastion. In his mind it was the least he could do for those who’d fought for him even as he’d been hurried from the field of battle.

  As the last passed him, heading towards their barracks, Runner dropped his hand to his side.

  Targeting himself, Runner cast Regeneration. His mana could be used on himself without concern at this point.

  “Vixen, please have this marked as a day to remember all of our dead. Past and future. It’ll be a ceremony for all those who have died in service. After all, this is our first encounter as an empire.

  “We’ll also need a citation made for this. Call it the First Battle.”

  “With fucking traitorous bastards, no less,” Hannah said, coming up to his side. “Fuck me, you still look like death warmed over. I mean, I know Ernsta makes rapey eyes at you sometimes but good goddess. You’re covered in blood.”

  “Yeah, I refused treatment since healers would be better served on the lines. I’m already healing myself. Clothes will need to wait. Feeling tired,” Runner said as he turned to address her with a negligent hand wave.

  A step behind her were Milicent, Sophia, Stefan, Justinian, and Petros.

  Runner felt the stone hanging around his heart drop and fall away.

  “I’m so glad to see you all. I worried for you,” Runner said, encompassing them all with a smile.

  As a group they seemed uncomfortable with his attention.

  “My lord,” Milicent said, stepping forward. She dropped down to a kneeling position before him. Her unique face stared up at him. “Your will is done.”

  “Thank you, Milly. You’ve served above and beyond. What boon should I grant you?” Runner asked, placing a hand on the crown of her head.

  Feeling a smile curl his lips, he waited. She was as offbeat as they came. A Berserker Half-Ogress Paladin didn’t exactly come standard.

  As a Paladin she would never be comparable to the existing expectation the people would have for a Paladin.

  Serving as Runner’s Paladin though? In his personal opinion?

  He thought back to her prayer and the way she had dove into the enemy line.

  Best Paladin ever.

  Milicent glanced down at the grass surrounding Bastion before looking back up to him.

  “Return me to Eden. There is much to learn. It is a blessed place. I feel your presence in everything and everyone. I would remain there for a while longer.”

  Runner almost missed the curiosity that statement prompted in some of the people around him.

  Runner made a buzzing noise, then laughed and poked Milicent in the middle of her forehead with his free hand.

  “Try again. That’s happening regardless.” Runner waited, his right hand still pressed to the crown of her head.

  “I… I don’t know.”

  “Ask for a set of armor, you silly fuckwit. Norwood colors, enchantments, holy and all that shit. Alternat
e weapons, too. Your gear is already made by him, least he can do is make it unique for his first and only Paladin,” Hannah supplied.

  Milicent’s eyes became wide and she nodded her head.

  “That, my lord. I wish for that.”

  “Consider it done. I have to make a few things for other people anyways. I’ll have it ready for you upon your return. Stand, Milly. I would have you at my side for the next bit. We must greet, thank, and send on our dead.”

  Milicent stood up to her full height and then moved to one side of him.

  Looking around he caught sight of Sophia speaking to the on-duty lieutenant. She looked fine. Healthy. Hale.

  Runner wanted to talk to Sophia, to hug her and find out what had been going on with her. He hadn’t seen her in nearly half a year.

  Duty waited for no one though.

  “Angel, please bring me our dead. I would thank them before I send them to our plane.”

  “Of course. I’m glad you’re doing this, my little lamb,” Ernsta said, popping into existence underneath the boughs of Bastion.

  “Thanks, Angel. Good to hear you say that, because I doubt this’ll be easy. Everyone else, you’re welcome to stay or go as you please. I’m unsure how long this will take.”

  Runner squared his shoulders and prepared himself to begin welcoming his dead. Those who’d died because he ordered them to fight.

  He was used to that though. After leading a war, he’d stacked bodies by the thousands. So long as he spent their lives effectively and for the benefit of their country there would be no wrong in their deaths.

  They began to appear as ghostly silhouettes. They were lined up along the boulevard one at a time, directly in front of Runner.

  Smiling sadly, Runner stepped up to the first, a young man, and held out his hand to the ghostly image.

  “Thank you for your service. Please, tell me your name.”

  Chapter 16 - Messed Up -

  1:48 pm Sovereign Earth time

  5/17/44

  Runner slogged his way through the manor house. His nerves were still raw after thanking and sending so many people on to their final rest on the astral version of Eden.

  Milicent had been sent back as well once they’d finished up with the departed.

  The champions were dismissed to their respective goddesses. Norwood’s Own, the city guard, and his people all returned to their duties or barracks depending on how they’d fared and what they were doing previously.

  First on his priority list was deciding what to do with the Human kingdom, since they were now without a king. As the emperor he’d have to appoint a new one. The problem was how to go about it.

  He’d also need to send messages to Helen and Vasilios to make sure they were aware of what happened. All the ugly details and what the background of it had been.

  Better from me than a rumor. I can also use this to applaud Hanners and Vixen for their intelligence network.

  He sat down at his desk, bent over it, and started writing down the various tasks he’d need to take care of.

  He heard a slight creak of furniture and looked up from the paper he’d started writing on.

  Hannah sat herself down in the exact spot they’d shared together the night previous.

  Clearing his throat, he returned to his sheet of paper.

  “Let me know if there’s anything I can help you with. In regards to the prisoners, that is. Admittedly I’m not really cut out for the question and answer thing. I mean I can Brainwash answers out, but those are fairly binary. I imagine they’ll have information we need to dig out that’s context rather than simple things.”

  “Getting tired of interrogating people. I’m a Thief, not a Spy. Fuck me,” Hannah muttered, leaning back in her seat.

  “Actually, the Thief class can become a Spy. Honestly, Hanners, you’re doing great at it so far. You and Vixen make a great team. I feel bad sending you two into harm’s way for it, but you get results,” Runner said, passing on the chance to comment on her invitational vulgarity.

  Finishing his list, he leaned back and folded his hands into each other on his desk. His eyes wandered over Hannah and the bookshelf beyond her.

  Sitting in a glass case was Nadine’s crossbow.

  He’d browbeaten the goddesses until they had spent a bit of power to enchant the case and crossbow to be indestructible.

  As if she followed his eyes to the case, Hannah sighed.

  “She wouldn’t fault you. She’d be upset at the loss of life, but she knew that at times there was no way around it. You’ve done all you can to limit that loss. For fuck’s sake, even I try to live by her standards,” Hannah muttered.

  Runner smiled lopsidedly at that.

  “She liked you, Hanners. Quite a bit. The Thief who would be redeemed. Who waded through an ocean of shit to come out the other side unbroken,” Runner said quietly. Tearing his eyes from the bookshelf of mementos, he looked to Hannah. “She saw you as proof that all people could change. While I admit I’m glad that you’ve become who you are, I’ve never been able to believe the same as Rabbit did. Not everyone can change.”

  Runner hesitated before continuing. It wasn’t a pleasant subject to bring up and his failure even more so.

  “I ever explain how badly I failed to you?” he finally asked.

  “Several times,” Hannah whispered. He had no false notions that this conversation did anything other than make her uncomfortable.

  “If I had just… there were so many other things I could have done. And I let my feelings guide me instead of my head. I could have killed Jacob quick and easy. Sent him on without a problem. Jacob didn’t have to be the problem I made him out to be.”

  “Speaking about Jacob. Foxy mentioned something about that,” Hannah confronted him.

  Runner pressed his lips tightly together. He had indeed mentioned Jacob in front of Satomi.

  Considering how bright his people were, this of course meant the two of them were now aware Jacob wasn’t actually dead.

  “He’s alive. Alive and in my custody,” Runner admitted.

  “Runner. You say you care for me,” Hannah started.

  “I do. Deeply so.”

  “Then tell me the truth.”

  Runner dropped his eyes to his hands, ashamed. She was right of course.

  “He lives in eternal torment. I put him on a plane where he can’t die. Then I built a series of rooms filled with things. Water. Lava. Broken glass. Spikes. Acid. I visit him on occasion and move him into a new room. I watch him. Listen to him scream for hours.” Runner’s eyes unfocused, his heart speeding up a little at the idea of watching Jacob suffer.

  “Fucking hell, Runner. Even I have my limits and that’s disgusting even to me!” Hannah yelled at him.

  “I know. I can’t—I can’t help it. He took Rabbit from us. From me. Had it been you I would have done the same,” Runner confessed, opening his inventory. He pulled the figurine of Nadine free and set it on his desk.

  Resting his chin on the wood, he stared into the small likeness of the woman.

  “She’d hate me for what I’m doing to him,” Runner whispered.

  “Yes. She would. She’d even leave you over it,” Hannah said. She’d closed the distance to him and now stood a foot from the desk.

  She hesitated with a raised hand before resting it on his head.

  Runner felt tears come unbidden to him, and he smiled sadly.

  “She would, wouldn’t she?” Runner said with a shudder.

  “Yeah. She loved you deeply, but she’d tell you it was too much. That you’d have to release him or she’d be done with you. Our little merchant was feisty. Feisty and always knew her mind.” Hannah’s fingers smoothed Runner’s hair back.

  “End it, Runner. Or for her sake, I’ll leave. Because I do care for you. I’m a fucking idiot. A real unimaginative shit stain of a Thief. But I do care for you. So end it, or I’ll do what Nadine would have done.” Hannah lightly rapped her knuckles on the top of his head.


  She’s right.

  “Come with me?” Runner pleaded, making his choice.

  “Of course. Let’s take care of it now. As you’re always saying, things to do. I need to get everything in order for the campaign. Satomi will be taking over everything while I’m gone.”

  Runner grunted, reached out to press his hand to Hannah’s hip, then called up his ability pane.

  /GMHub 6

  Teleporting…

  Active settings only:

  Death=Off

  Food/Water=Off

  Damage=On

  Gravity=100%

  Biome=Plane

  Day/Night Cycle=Off

  Runner heard the screams before he was able to see anything.

  A constant ear-piercing shriek of agony. That and the hiss of burning flesh.

  Runner watched as Jacob rolled around in a glass box full of fire. The flames that surrounded him would burn low to high and cycle back again over the course of an hour.

  Runner had stopped coming as frequently. Even to him, this had lost its meaning.

  “The smell, it’s awful,” Hannah whispered, pressing a hand to her nose and mouth.

  “You get used to it,” Runner said without emotion.

  He really hadn’t noticed the smell in a long time.

  With a flick of his hand he turned the flames off. The mounted burners in the corners and in the center of each glass pane turned off immediately.

  Jacob lay motionless in the large glass cube.

  “He stopped talking after the fourth day. I’m honestly not even sure if he’s there mentally anymore,” Runner explained.

  “Runner, this is…” Hannah trailed off, unable to say anything.

  “I know. At first it was therapeutic to punish him. After a while I felt… wrong. I couldn’t end it, though, because to me it almost felt like I’d be betraying Rabbit. But you’re right. I’m betraying her in not ending this.”

  Runner opened his console and typed a single command into the settings window.

  /GMHub Settings

  Death On