Fragment of Divinity

by Jamey Sultan

  The cart glowed, and the cinderstalks rose into the air in a swirling vortex of energy and vegetables. “Get them, you moron!” Mirabell screamed over the sound of the rushing wind.

  Bato lumbered into action as a crossbow bolt flew past Ferko’s head and slammed into a nearby tree. The cinderstalks swirled in the air for another moment, then disappeared into Ferko’s chest with a bright flash.

  The farmer vanished, and for a blessed second, all went quiet.

  The sudden silence was broken by two snapping noises, followed by two thuds, one much louder than the other. Ferko reappeared in the seat next to James, panting slightly. Both Mirabell and Bato were on the ground, lifeless eyes wide in shock, their necks twisted at unnatural angles.

  James stared at Ferko. “What… what was that?”

  Ferko tried to speak, but his panting grew heavier, and he wasn’t able to get the words out. Instead, he waved his hand at James, creating two notifications.

  Farmer V

  Glutton (7/30):

  Consume all food around you in a 7-meter radius.

  Agronomist IX

  Skilled Consumer (10 /10):

  Allows you to stack food-based bonuses that would normally not be stackable. Duration scales down the more food is consumed.

  James gaped at the now-empty cart. Ferko had to have consumed a few thousand cinderstalks. The synergy of those skills was insane. He made a mental note to never mess with Ferko.

  The display of power gave James a solid dose of respect for people with non-combat-based classes. He had thought that the two bandits would have the advantage in the fight, because they were geared for it, but clearly that wasn’t always true. “What just happened. Who’s the Red King?” James asked, overwhelmed by the experience.

  Ferko caught his breath. “Those were probably some deserters. Sometimes, they abandon the war with the Goblins and flee south.” He gave James a suspicious glance. “Hard to believe you don’t know about the Red King. Everyone’s heard of him.”

  James just shrugged.

  “The Red King controls all crime from the Serpent Plains to the Endless Sands. He is one of the great powers of the land.” Ferko hopped off of his cart. He gestured to James. “Come. Help me with this.”

  They loaded the corpses onto the wagon, while James considered what Ferko had told him. Interesting. All crime was organized in this part of the land. It didn’t mean much to him now, but it was something to keep in mind. More importantly, James now had an overview of the surrounding geography.

  The Endless Sands and the Serpent Plains. Not exactly the most enticing of names.

  Chapter 7

  They arrived at Riverside later that day, the thick stone walls of the town coming into view as they crested a hill. When they approached the gate, two soldiers stepped out from their post and one held up a hand. The cart slowed to a halt.

  The soldiers approached the cart nervously, hands on the handles of their weapons. They were both young, wearing identical leather armor dyed a coppery red.

  The impenetrable walls and suspicious guards surprised James. He’d thought Riverside was supposed to be an insignificant border town, but apparently it was much more.

  The guards split up as they approached, one turning to stand between them and the gate, while the other approached the car itself. James checked out their statuses.

  Name: Lew Vicker

  Race: Human

  Level 15

  Class: Recruit

  Name: Willem Bai

  Race: Human

  Level 15

  Class: Recruit

  Lew was the closer guard. He had one hand on the hilt of his sword, and he looked nervous, mumbling as he approached. When he arrived at the cart, he stared at his feet and stammered, “Business your state… I mean, state your business.”

  Ferko smiled politely. “Turning in two bandits that held us up on our way to the city.” He pulled back a sheet to reveal the two bodies stacked in the back of the cart. Upon seeing the bodies, the color drained from Lew’s face, and he stumbled back a step. “Willem, get the captain.” His voice shook as he called to his partner.

  A woman wearing much nicer leather armor than her guards stepped out from the wall before Willem could react. She wore similar armor, but dyed blue. She held a leather helmet tucked under her arm. A heavy battle axe hung on her back, but she moved as if it weighed nothing.

  Name: Lamia Price

  Race: Half-Human, Half-Serpent Beastkin

  Level 25

  Class: Legion

  When she got close, she glanced briefly at James, her eyes bright yellow with slitted pupils. Through a gap in her armor, James could see a line of rust- colored scales running up her arms. He quickly glanced away, trying not to stare. She glared at the guards, and the teenagers withered under her gaze. “Remind me again, what job did I assign you two today?”

  Willem was the first to meet her gaze. “Guard duty?”

  “Right,” She replied in a tone fit for toddlers. But as she continued, her voice got louder and faster, until she was practically shouting at them. “And tell me, how exactly are you guarding anything if every single time a traveler approaches the gate, you summon me? If I wanted to stand out here guarding the gate all day, I wouldn’t need you morons!”

  “B-B-But…” Willem stuttered, “they have bodies.” He threw back the sheet in the bed of the cart.

  Slowly, as if she couldn’t believe how stupid the guards were, she replied. “Yes. They have bodies, and they explained why they had bodies. Let them in.” She turned to James and Ferko, rolling her eyes. “Head on in. Don’t cause any trouble.”

  Ferko nodded. “Of course.” He turned to James. “I’m going to have to take care of this.” He said, gesturing at the corpses. “Follow the road until you reach the blacksmith and make a left. That will lead you to Lillian’s place. If you see the butcher’s shop, turn back.” He gave James a pat on the back. “Good luck out there. Hopefully, I’ll see you again soon.”

  “Thanks, for everything,” James said, hopping out of the cart.

  Once inside the town, the road changed from packed earth to cobblestone as it wound around a large hill. James had expected a smaller village, with wooden buildings reminiscent of medieval Europe. Instead, he was getting ancient Roman vibes as he passed open air buildings of stone and marble. He passed a small fountain with three decorative fish, carved to look as though they were mid-jump, with their mouths open wide. The fountain was dry, except for a small trickle leaking out from one fish’s mouth. He wondered why, considering everything else he’d seen pointed to this being a prosperous town.

  The sound of hammer striking steel brought him back to the present as he came up on a large open stone building with a burly man standing in the center of the room, hammering on his anvil. James waved to the smith, who glanced up and waved back at him, wiping sweat off his brow. After the smithy, the road split. The right path continued to loop around the hill while the other, the path the farmer had instructed him to take, headed into a heavily wooded area.

  As James followed the path, the surrounding plants grew more exotic. A vine in the center of the path grabbed his ankle and snapped taught, hoisting him into the air. He yelped, then started hacking at the vine with his dagger. A sharp voice cut through his panic. “What do you think you’re doing?”

  As Nana Rasner approached, the vine placed James on the ground and slunk away under her withering glare. “How many times do I have to tell you not to attack my guests?” she snapped, then turned to James. “Are you okay, dear?”

  “Yea,” he replied, a little shakily, sheathing his knife. Is it me, or did that vine look ashamed?

  “Follow me.” She turned and walked away, and James scrambled to follow as they strolled through the thickening foliage, which somehow always seemed to not be in the way, no matter how thick it got.

  They reached a small wooden shack with a massive greenhouse set behind it. The inside of the shack was as bare as t
he outside, with a compact kitchen, a table, and a bed but not much else. A portrait of Nana hung above the bed, but she looked different. She was wearing pure white robes with green trim, standing next to a hulking figure in golden armor. “That’s a nice portrait,” James said, pointing at the painting. “Who’s the warrior?”

  Nana Rasner, who had been puttering around the kitchen, looked up and frowned. “My son.” She turned away from him, opened a tinderbox, and started a small fire in the hearth, above which she hung a kettle full of water. She thanked James for bringing her herbs and took the bag from him as if it weren’t twice her weight, then laid it in the corner.

  You have completed the quest: Helping the Elderly I

  + 2 experience

  Level up! You are now level 3.

  James was disappointed with the experience, but at least it had been enough to level him up. “I leveled up!” James exclaimed. “Any advice as to where should I put my points?”

  Nana tapped her chin with a finger. “You should put two into Strength and two into Dexterity. Focus on physical stats until we can see if you’re able to learn magic.”

  Magic! Awesome.

  He always played a spellcaster in video games. Conjuring fireballs or a lightning storm in real life would be a dream come true. Still, he took Nana’s advice and put two points into Strength and Dexterity.

  As he looked over his notifications, Nana poured them each a cup of tea and sat down across from him. Slightly bitter—not what he usually drank. He preferred tea that was more creamer than tea, but the notification he received made it worth it.

  You have drunk Tea of Insight.

  Duration: 5 hours

  + 5 to intelligence

  + 5 to wisdom

  They sat in silence for a bit before Nana spoke. “I saw the brand on your calf,” she said. “Can you explain what you were doing in that cave, and why the God of Death’s mark is branded to your skin?” She stared at him intensely.

  James had no reason not to trust the woman, she’d basically saved his life back in the cave, so he started from the beginning. He explained how he’d woken up in the cave, and how the spider had attacked him.

  How he’d come from another world.

  Nana thought carefully before replying. “You aren’t the first youngster that I’ve found wandering, looking for adventure. Normally, I try to convince them to go back to their families. Most adventurers die early.” She glanced sadly at the painting on the wall. “But, for you, that isn’t an option. You’ve been given a mission from a god, and you must complete it. The gods don’t take kindly to people who ignore their requests.” She looked at him seriously. “I can teach you a little about this world before you embark on your quest, but your future will be dangerous, no bones about it.”

  James nodded in gratitude. “Thank you.”

  She gave him a kind smile. “Good. I’ll make arrangements with the innkeeper to give you a place to stay while you’re here. My house is too small. Go make friends with the locals. I think Kyrwin and Bartram could use some help.”

  You have been given a quest: Helping the Elderly II

  Helping the Elderly II: Nana Rasner has instructed you to speak with Kyrwin the Smith and Bartram the Innkeeper to see if they could use some help.

  Suggested level: 2

  Reward: Instruction from Nana Rasner

  Penalty for failure or refusal: Nana Rasner will stop teaching you

  James was just about to leave when Nana Rasner pulled a sword out from under the table and handed it to him.

  Steel Sword:

  Rank: Common

  Forged from steel, this sword is slightly stronger than the same weapon made from iron.

  “You don’t want to spend the rest of your life fighting huge beasts with that tiny dagger. Tomorrow morning, go to the barracks and ask for Cairn. Tell him to train you, and that his favor is due.”

  You have been given a quest: Help the Helpless I

  Help the Helpless I: You. You’re the helpless. Talk to Cairn at the Barracks and tell him Nana wants him to teach you swordsmanship.

  Suggested level: 1-5

  Reward: Improved Swordsmanship

  Penalty for failure or refusal: Probably a painful death

  “Thank you. For everything,” James said, turning to leave.

  Nana spoke, her voice heavy with sadness. “I don’t want to see any more young people die.” She looked like she wanted to say something else, but then her expression steeled. “Come to me when you’re done helping Kyrwin and Bartram and we can talk about your character progression.”

  James nodded. “Of course.”

  There was a knock on the door. She got up and opened the door to reveal Ferko. “Ferko!” She exclaimed, wrapping the farmer with a hug. “What brings you here? How’s Ian?”

  “Hi Nana,” he said warmly, stepping inside. “Ian’s good. He’s 14 now. Just left for Fallmire to start his initiation.”

  Initiation? He filed away the question to ask Nana later, then wondered when she’d teach him magic. He wanted to cast lightning spells — they were his favorites.

  James had zoned out and missed part of the conversation, but tuned back in when he heard his name. “—ready in about a month. I’ll send James here over with them.”

  James looked at her. “Huh?”

  She ignored his question and continued talking to Ferko. “Does that work?”

  Ferko nodded and got up to leave. “Thank you for the tea. And the help.” He turned to James. “See you in a month.” He winked and left.

  “What was that about?” James asked.

  “Don’t worry about it. Focus on your training now.” She made a shooing motion. “It’s getting late. Head to the inn and get settled in. Let Bartram know that I sent you.”

  As he turned to leave, she left him with a few words of parting advice. “A little advice. Don’t tell anyone about that,” she said, gesturing at his calf.

  Chapter 8

  James woke up in a superb mood. It was his first time sleeping on an actual bed in almost a week, and he’d had an amazing dinner last night. Initially, the innkeeper had been wary of James, but when he’d explained that Nana Rasner sent him, his attitude had changed completely, offering free dinner with a proclamation that any friend of Nana’s was a friend of his. It was a good thing too, because he didn’t have any money.

  James came to realize that Nana’s name carried a lot of weight in Riverside. It wasn’t surprising—a high-level healer like her would be a godsend in an out-of-the-way area like this.

  James stayed in bed for a few more minutes before the delicious smells seeping through the floorboards caused his stomach to rumble. He hopped out of bed and head down the stairs to the main room of the inn.

  When he arrived downstairs, the innkeeper smiled and waved to him.

  Name: Bartram Inov

  Race: Human

  Level: 51

  Class: Innkeeper

  He gestured for James to sit down at a table, then disappeared into a side-room.

  The inn was packed with mid-level adventurers sitting around in groups, joking in front of plates piled high with food.

  A short while later, while James was lost in thought, the innkeeper returned with a heaping plate of eggs and meat. “Hey, Bartram?” James asked as the innkeeper turned to leave.

  “How can I help you?”

  “Nana sent me here to help you out. Can I do anything for you?” James asked him.

  Bartram thought for a second before replying. “I could use some help making cider.” He said, scratching the side of his face. “I go out and collect the fruit every year, but I’m not a spry young man anymore.”

  You have been given a quest: Friendship Fruit

  Friendship Fruit: Collect 1,000 Bleufruit.

  Suggested level: 0

  Reward: 3 bottles of Bleufruit cider.

  Penalty for failure or refusal: Decreased reputation with Bartram.

  James promptly agreed an
d let the innkeeper know that he would come back after morning sword classes. Bartram smiled and bade him farewell, letting him get back to his food.

  After a delicious breakfast and a few wrong turns, James found himself in the shadow of an enormous white-marble building that radiated power. A notification appeared as he stepped over the threshold.

  Debuff added: Stronghold

  - 15% to all stats for non-Legionnaires

  Carefully navigating through hallways crowded with soldiers, all going in different directions, James approached the first person who didn’t seem to be in a hurry. The teenager sported a different uniform than the rest of the guards. His uniform was made from brown cloth and didn’t seem to have any armor whatsoever. The kid looked almost as lost as James felt. If James had to guess, he’d say the kid was probably fourteen or fifteen years old.

  Name: Veryn Elsforth

  Race: Human

  Level: n/a

  Class: n/a

  “Hey, Veryn?” James asked, startling the teen out of his reverie.

  “Huh? Sir!” The guard snapped to attention, but after a second his eyes focused and he realized that James wasn’t one of his superior officers. He dropped his arm and quirked an eyebrow at James in confusion, his mouth slightly ajar in a way that told James exactly why he was lost. “How… how do you know my name?” He stammered. “Did Lamia send you? Tell her I’m sorry. I’m trying to find it, I really am.”