The sun's rays pierced through the tent, Seryn turned to the side hoping to shield her eyes however it proved futile.
*Ding*
[{You are required to kill at the very least ten knights of Caerthalas.}]
[{Prize is 10,000 coins}]
She wanted to dismiss the task with the goal of focusing on her training however ever since the last raid she had done, she was curious as to whether she could take down a human given that her targets have been nothing but ravenous beasts.
'Ten should be enough.' She mused inwardly rising to her feet. The waft of game brush past her nose that drove her stomach crazy, stepping out of her tent, she was met with Dargath cooking the hound she has slain the day prior.
"I thought that we'll need all the energy that we can get for this mission." His tone light as he handed a serving for her. She looked at the meat in her hands, unmoved with it's appetizing look. "How are you able to keep a calm face Dargath? I'm sure that the possibility of being nothing more than toys has crossed your mind."
The air shifted into something far colder, the smile on Dargath's face gone in an instant. "I have thought of that but I don't let it get to me. I would rather choose to think the two are nothing more than arrogant beings and we will be their own undoing."
She paused, a smile flashing on her face but it wasn't that of elation or satisfaction but rather acceptance and ridicule to some extent. 'So it wild seem that this is the lie you tell yourself. It would be better for me to kill you right now Dargath.'The thought of poisoning the hounds during her sleep crossed her mind and yet she couldn't bring herself to do it.
She took a big bite of the meat and in a matter of minutes it was gone. "Now, let's make some humans squeal wishing that those two had never birthed us!" His words exuding confidence as he made his wait to the town without waiting for her response
Twirling his axe over his shoulder, his strides were precise and measured walking without a care.
She glanced back at her own dagger, a singe of regret flashing on her face.
[{Complete the deliverance mission for a better weapon}]
[{Erbong Fangsword, 15,000,000 coins can be rewarded for free upon completion}]
[{The mission entails you breaching the walls of Reuthar and deliver a message to the individual known as Kaelin Morren}]
More people she was unfamiliar with but with time she was sure that she would come to know them all. 'As for Guinevere, it's clear that those two wouldn't make the target someone that we can easily kill.' She posed wondering whether it was the queen or some high elite noble.
'However if so then why would these two bother with us if they can have her dead themselves. Or are they not as simple either?' With the shop having an item comparable to free godhood, it was clear that those pulling the strings were no less than gods this for them to give her such a mission was nothing more than a headache for her.
...
Norrick was about to take his third glass of his wine was bothered with a man of his. "Sir, it would seem that the goblin from a few days ago has made an appearance!" The intoxication in Norrick's system was instantly flushed as he rose to his feet. "Have all men deployed and deal with the situation!"
His tone stern as he marched out of his office.
...
'Would I consider you selfish Seryn?' Jarren posed in her mind as she remained masked in the shadows. As of late he had chosen to up his antics with her. Hoping to see her fall and be another addition to his collection. However her unyielding spirit made the game all the more interesting for him.
'What makes you say so Jarren?' Her response lacking in emotion. 'You want to be free from my will, wouldn't that make you selfish? Why not merely succumb to the abyss and lose yourself?' She watched as Dargath engaged with a horde of elven knights, the air filled with screams and cries of battle.
'For such a view wouldn't that make you the one selfish in this situation. With your will forcefully imposed upon me without room for negotiation?' A pause followed with a deep chuckle that made her skin crawl. "Well if you phrase it like that then yes I would be the selfish one here." She was glad that he hadn't resorted to more extreme tactics with such an offensive comment from her.
"However I couldn't help but wonder your pause when you saw the notification at the time. You could kill that brute and have me wipe your memory of such an atrocity. It'll be like you never did it to begin with." His offer tempting however she remained firm with her stand. "That would be far too cruel for me."
Jarren didn't hesitate. "But killing the lives of other beings isn't? Please do elaborate with your logic here." She knew what kind of response he wanted from her. "...I do admit that it is rather selfish of me." Her chest heaved, her gaze sharpening as she launched her dagger at a knight ending his life in an instant.
"However that is because I have no other choice. My hands are forced into playing this game that you have created." Far above it all Jarren flashed an insidious grin. "Then should I give to you on a silver platter all the strength on this plane, you wouldn't resort to violence or murder of any sort?" Stretching her hand out, her dagger appeared back into her palm.
She glanced at the blade reflecting her contemplative gaze. Her breathes growing shallow as she finally managed to say. "In this world I'll be forced to kill either way should I be a pacifist or not. However should we have a situation where everyone was docile then yes I wouldn't kill."
Jarren scoffed her response as he retorted. "Not just you but a lot of other beings wouldn't go out of their way to bring chaos in such a state however granting you such a blessing would be too much therefore I have to ask, why not kill Dargath? With your presence at the top you could paint this world into your canvas that you so wish."
A defeated laugh escaped her lips as she got off the tree she was nestled in. She admired her dagger, it's jade poison glistening in the light as she began her advances into the town. "There will be variables and I'm sure you know this. Sooner or later the state of things would have to be thwarted and my hand would be forced once more."
She echoed in her mind as her dagger connected with the neck of an unsuspecting knight. His gurgles of pain mixed with the look of shock on his face encapsulated his shock. Seryn didn't dwell on the matter we she began her onslaught, her figure masked with loose dark robes.
The battlefield was turning into a bloodbath, the air dense with the stench of blood and death. "Then what moral lie do you delude yourself into believing that you won't kill Dargath?" Her motions effortless as she danced through the battlefield as if her body was built for one purpose which was ruthless carnage.
"Because that is what makes me different from you. You play games with individuals lesser than you for your own entertainment. You have no morals or guiding philosophy. Only bloodshed and madness." Jarren's laugh suggesting that she was right. "The top where I've grown weary of, do you know what it takes to attain such a league?"
Her motions halted, everyone in her vicinity dead. "That you will do anything for power?" Her response sour as she waved off the dozens of notifications from her system.
*Ding*
[{You have killed 70 mortal elven knights.}]
[{350 coins have been added to your total tally}]
A dent in the ocean that she wished to cross. "It's far more than that but a view to see it would be that. At the top, I say what is law and what is sin. I control the game to my whim, so should I shower reality itself with blessings then it should be celebrated. Should I bring nothing but carnage and agony then I should be praised for it as well."
His viewpoint disgusting her as she made her to the next batch of her victims. "Why do you do this? For your entertainment or your sadistic fantasies? Sooner or later I'm sure that the game dulls rather quickly." A chuckle was her response. "It does therefore I have to switch it up and what is the best way of doing so by being mortal. I've always wondered whether there was more to it than your lies and delusions."
Her frame a walking definition of death as she began to garner attention from the main force that was concentrated on Dargath. Still facing the swarm of hundreds, she stood unyielding as she let her dagger comb through the bodies of her victims. "I may not be a human but I'm sure that there has to be more than just lies you claim."
She knew that she didn't have the proper standing for a lecture but her desperation allowed her to cling to anything. "There are but not much to work with. Most of which I can surmise with a statement. However for a goblin like you, it's interesting how quickly you wish to claim the moral high ground when you've done nothing but claim the lives of those you now impersonate."
His words making her grit her teeth. "I was nothing more than a mindless beast? Now that I'm conscious I wouldn't do the atrocities that I did back then." It was nothing more than guise Jarren saw through with ease. "Your argument for this is that you're forced into doing what you're doing."
"To preserve your life I'm assuming however what I'm offering you is more than just security. It's control of the entire game to turn to your liking." His words akin to the devil whispering in her ear. "At the loss of my will therefore what use would it be? Wouldn't I be nothing more than an extension of you?"
A pause followed, her ears filled with the splatter of blood on the ground. "I'm willing to properly revise my terms. You'll be a decoration for me but this time a pet. Something that can walk as they wish on the board with no repercussions of what you do? Do you accept?"
*Whoosh*
Behind her a glyph began to charge, it's design crude however for her, it would make her pause. Without thinking she threw her dagger which with minimal ease tore through the glyph and brought to an end of the caster.
Those around her exclaimed their shock however their voices were quickly replaces with screams. "I'll make sure to bring an end to your terror goblin!" A voice shouted behind her taking her by surprise. With an arc, she managed to avoid the spear aimed at her back but a sword was already waiting for her.
Utilizing her hands, she pivoted her body away however her cloak wasn't able to stay intact.
*Rip*
The guards around her were in awe of her visage before their bloodlust surged once more.
[{With your identity now exposed. Make sure that there are no witnesses or your bonus of the mission will be nullified}]
'There was a bonus?' She couldn't help but wonder as she now felt more motivated to kill the lot around her. However in her mind a swirl of thoughts claimed her mind. 'To be his pet, I would maintain my autonomy but that isn't certain but at this point regardless of what he does, I can only comply.' Recalling her earlier situation, the proposition of being his pet was far more tolerable.
'Darling it's far better than you think.' A voice echoed in her head, this time being Callista. 'After all that there is room for you to be more than what he views you at the moment. If not then you can choose to be his pawn. ' Still as much as she was urged, safe chose to restrain her decision. 'Should I accept this?' She finally mused in her mind.