World Witout Wizards: Guard

A small circle, about three inches in diameter, was under my skin. The circle was perfectly shaped as if it had been stenciled. I felt something alien in my body, but at the same time, it seemed like this thing had always been with me and wasn't something foreign.

I stayed in bed for a while and realized that I needed to go to the toilet. I hadn't eaten anything, but I'd drunk a lot. If father had been in his forge for three days, that meant that I stayed in bed for that long. Oh, the shame.

Trying not to think about it, I threw the blanket aside and sat down with great difficulty... I was wearing a long shirt down to my knees; it clearly wasn't my father's, because I was much taller than him... So, mom gave me her clothes... Disgrace. I tried to find my pants, but it hurt to turn around and I gave up trying. I was in pain.

I moved slowly clinging to the wall. What's happening to me?

It seemed that I hadn't been just hit with a nail, I felt pain all over my body... I rolled up my shirt and watched in horror as the green stream glowed in the darkness...

Dammit! It looks like the mother did something wrong when she used her natural magic. It was unlikely that she wanted to do this.

Looking at the translucent 'MESSAGES', I carefully studied them and sat down in surprise near the wall.

John Greystle struck with a nail

Critical damage

Maximum bleeding

F.u.c.k. Is it really so bad? The next MESSAGE was even worse.

You died.

How depressing. Where's the afterlife? Surprisingly, this wasn't the last record. It's so stupid to die from my own father's random attack.

Naomi Goldovirel uses blood magic—the transfer of Strength. No effect. The host is dead. Transmission continues. Naomi's exhausted. Critical damage. Error. The host is alive. Error. The ability to breathe is recovering. Health is recovering slowly.

What is the error? It's all right, as it should be. I'm alive, my mother saved me with incredible efforts. Why is it considered to be abnormal?

Received curse—green glowing blood.

All stat points reduced.

Additional Dice Roll for dexterity and strength -2 until the full restoration of stamina

That's bad. I remembered an employee who had a similar problem. I thought he had had a back injury. He looked like a healthy half-orc, but he was so weak that he couldn't even carry wood or water. And if he was doing hard work, he couldn't get up for days. Was there any good news in the last few days?

I didn't want to read about how sick I was. I looked at the MESSAGES for the last three days and was surprised to find the record that alarmed my father.

Congratulations, you have become a man! Object – Lysandra.

Attention object is in the possession of warlock Oulsast Dark.

Property damage is fixed. Information transmitted

The omnipresent magic of the Demons of the HAND in all its glory. Who are you - a child whose parents look after him, or a slave kept on a short leash?

Personal skill 'the Strike of the Sun' is obtained

Belonging to the magic school: unknown

Strength: unknown

Error: the skill is not included in any training class

Contact your nearest warlock for clarification

Information about the skill is reported

To whom? To Oulsast, maybe? F.u.c.k! Whatever you do, you'll be discovered. You'll be found out and punished.

People said that there had been many robberies and murders before the HAND emerging. But I was still against it.

What shall I do now? I'm sure the villagers are talking about my adventures. Unless the chief himself concealed what had happened to avoid embarrassment.

I sat on the floor until my dizziness faded away, then I slowly walked back to my room, leaning against the wall. I thought my mother had returned, but instead, I heard her cursing outside in the forge. I felt bad, but I was wondering about what they were talking about. Were they talking about me? I decided to eavesdrop.

Putting on my wooden sandals, I slowly crossed the yard and went to the open barred window. I guessed right. My mother was just finishing telling my story, though she didn't go into details and said nothing about the mermaid. However, it was very important! I liked her more than damned Lyska. And what a beautiful figure she had...

"He used the magic of Light. Don't you see what that means?"

Father answered quietly to my mother's lamentations and cries. "Naomi, if that little bastard, the local chief, knew what had happened, the Black guard would be at our gate. He's more worried about his concubine now. Let's deceive him. I'll give him a weapon of imperial steel, forged to order, and he'll forget about everything…"

"Do you suggest we wait for the messengers of Baron Riny? We should pack up our belongings and go. We can't go into the Spider Forest or the Golden Forest, but we can go to the coast and hide there... We can always make a living with your work and my magic."

"Look, I've just got settled here and I have a good reputation, we've been in this village for only six years, let's think about other options. Take it easy. I'm too old for this."

"Are you really that old?"

"Well, all the villagers call me OLD John. There's gray hair in my beard!"

"You're almost two hundred years younger than me!"

"You shouldn't talk like that. We don't live a thousand years, only two hundred and fifty. I'm over seventy, so ... It's time for me to retire... I'll do a couple more things and..."

"I don't want to hear about it! Are you going to leave me alone with my son? He is still a baby! Not even twenty!"

"Yeah, and by human standards, he should be working and starting a family."

"People live for fifty winters. Don't compare that!"

The conversation promised to be interesting, and I decided to get comfortable and sit on a log.

Dexterity Check

Base

0

Bonus

- 2 (penalty from injury)

Dice Roll

1

Requirement

1

Complete failure

Today was a bad day. Pulling out the log, I inadvertently brought down a stack of firewood; the logs were falling all over the yard…

"That's great," my father laughed, looking out the window. "Come here, son. Don't worry, I'm not going to beat you."

"That is not good," my mother shook her head, "Not because you're listening in. You lost elven dexterity points. Do you have any idea what we were talking about?"

"You were discussing whether you should run away or stay. You haven't decided yet. It's all my fault."

"All right. You made many mistakes and you keep making them now. I don't know how to get out of this either." John nodded. "Think. You could ruin several lives right now. Your mother and I love you, in spite of everything you did. You took advantage of that girl for nothing. No one needs her now, neither you nor anyone else, she can't become a warlock. My relationship with the chief deteriorated, although I made him an excellent weapon. It was the best order of my life."

"Don't say that," mom frowned. "Go on."

"Don't interrupt me," the blacksmith waved his hand. "We don't have time. And the chief won't give me alchemical powders. Tell me, son, how are you going to redeem yourself?"

"I thought Lyska is not the main problem," I sniffed.

"Heh, I'm glad you're not so stupid after all," father smiled and struck the table so that the hammer jumped. "Why didn't you use your brain before?"

"I didn't mean... I just caught up with her, we were messing around in the water, and then it all happened."

"Who told you to go to the chief's pond?"

"Lyska brought me there," I answered honestly and tried to shrug habitually, but failed. I felt such pain in my backbone that I wish I hadn't moved.

"I thought we were going to the river, but Lyska brought me to the manor."