Chapter- 3

"Hey hey hey, look it tha' Griss me boy. In't that a fancy little thing. What you reckon the kiddo 'as there on 'is finger, eh? I think tha' be a special ittle' Ring."

The butchered, slightly British accent he was using made it difficult for me to understand him at first. More than that the primary notice was the massive jiggling thing that was his stomach shaking and wobbling, held tight by a stretched to far leather jerkin.

The one to his right and slightly behind looked more like a rat, some sniveling worm that was probably to weak willed to have a thought of his own. Both were brown haired, likely dark colored eyes.

I moved my gaze back to tubby and observed him as he walked toward me. He was cocky, swaying his body like he was the strongest thing around. Something I could use against him. The rat looking man seemed to move in hesitant steps, whispering something to the fatty who sneered and then spoke louder.

"Now listen 'er, boy. If ya know wha's good fer ya you'll hand over tha' fancy ittle' Ring, eh?" Just listening to the moron was giving me a headache. They were likely both stragglers in terms of looting the battlefield as well, judging by the complete lack of Rings that were on any of the Corpses, though I could be wrong as well. Everyone here but the Noble corpse I'd used may have been slaves. I doubted they gave Rings to slaves.

Alright, time for a little acting perhaps? I'm fairly hurt and fighting either one like I would normally do was more likely to kill me than anything. I flicked my eyes over toward my Death Knight and smiled grimly.

Adopting a pain filled expression, not too difficult there, I started bunching up and looking terrified at the two thieves. "P-please Sers. Please don't hurt me, I'll give you the Ring I swear. Just don't hurt me."

Been awhile since I used my own British accent, a habit i picked up from an ex decades ago. I would get back into the habit if that was indeed the primary dialogue used by the people native to this area of the world.

"Oh, such a good boy! See tha' Giss? I told ya he'd be no trouble, no trouble at all!" The fat blob started walking at a faster pace, more so when the Death Knight lowered her arms. That had been an interesting trick I learned by testing a theory. We shared some kind of mental link, and the Knight knew exactly what I wanted her to do when the fat blob moved past her. The sniveling man behind him wasn't going to be a threat, less so after I dispatched this idiot.

He moved forward with a confidence that no one with that much fat should ever have. I had to actually fight to keep the sneer off my face. Right up until he moved past my Death Knight when I sent a mental command. 'Do it'. A simple command but as soon as I sent it she spun around toward the thief's back and let loose a single slash.

She would need a lot of training, if I could train her, the slash was sloppy but effective. Effective only because the thief had been so foolishly confident in his own 'victory' that he never expected it. "Block the other one, Knight. Don't kill him."

Habit kicked in and I spoke with my normal voice, lacking all inflection or emotion as I got up, wincing in pain, and made my way to the flailing and screaming blob. Pathetic, the slash was deep but he would die no matter what by acting that way after a simple injury.

"Aaaaah! Griss, Griss help! Oh Gods it hurts!" His half sobbed yells of pain were all that could really be heard at the moment. In all his flailing I managed to slide the dagger I'd found for myself against his neck while avoiding his wild thrashing.

I calmly told the man "Shut up, you pathetic little man." He froze, feeling the cold blade against his neck. Some blood had welled up, his thrashing wasn't exactly the easiest for him to calm down. He began to whimper in pain and fear while he looked up at me.

I could see the fear growing in his eyes, the way his pupils contracted and began to widen as he realized just how large a mistake he had made. As for what he saw looking at me, my reflection in those wide pupils said it all. I had no need to see it though, what he saw was a coldness that can only be developed by spending years surrounded by death, fighting, killing. It spoke of his own impending doom if he made a single mistake from this point onward.

"P-please, don' kill me. T'was a mistake, yea? Yo-you won' kill a defenseless man, right?" I could still hear the blubbering whine in his voice. The pathetic man was begging now. My answer was to apply a bit more pressure on his neck while quickly glancing at my Death Knight and the other thief, who was being brought toward us. He was bleeding from the temple. The skin torn in the area was remarkably similar to the shape of the swords pommel my Death Knight wielded.

Good, one worry down. I focused my entire attention on the man beneath me. "Name?" I stated, the coldness of my question made all the more disturbing for coming out the mouth of a child. I could see sweat start forming on the thief's brow, flowing freely in large droplets. He was more scared. His attempts to speak were met with failure though, each movement of his jaw force my blade to dig a little deeper into his neck. I released the pressure somewhat, repeating myself.

"Monster" A hushed whisper, I heard it clearly but decided to ask again. "Name?" The tone, inflection, nothing of my voice changed from the first two times. A technique you learn when interrogating a suspect. Remain calm, consistent, and concise. Losing my temper would do nothing for me. It would only cost me an effective means of information.

"You-yer a Monster!" I narrowed my eyes slowly, looking into his own. They were too wide now, fear and blood loss seemed to have made the moron useless. I sighed audibly, I wanted him to know I was disappointed.

"Foolish man, had you simply answered you'd have lived." I said it conversationally, pressing the blade against his neck tightly as I did so. "Wa.." whatever he was going to say ended in a gurgle of wetness as I slid the knife cleanly along his throat, digging deep enough to cut into his airway and expedite the process.

He was broken by fear and was no longer of use to me. A pity, really. I hated wasting potential resources like this. I looked over at the unconscious man while the fat one cried out weakly in one last vane attempt to cling to life before falling silent.

I snorted, the other one would be unconscious for a while yet, judging by the growing knot on the side of his head. Waking him up would have to wait as well. I wasn't in any condition to keep going as I was. I need food, rest, and a safe place. Sadly I wasn't likely to go anywhere for the time being.

I looked around, focusing on the sniveling thief's waist. He had a coil of rope there, interesting. "Tie him up, make it tight." The Death Knight immediately began working on her task in silence. A quiet one, apparently. I half expected to hear constant M'lords or something along that line of speaking. I was thankful she didn't do that however.

While she went about her silent task, the sound of her rifling around for the rope and manhandling the poor fool into position echoing about our small little camp of death, I went ahead and began searching the fat ones pouches. They were pretty much empty, though a bit of traveling rations, at least I believed that was what it was, were in his forward pouch.

I started eating that without much thought. I needed something for this starved body to keep it going. The flavor of the jerked meat left a lot to be desired, but judging by the sound my stomach made it didn't care. Honestly, I didn't either. Food was food right now.

Continuing my search while I chewed the hard packed meat I found a few other things, another dagger that seemed to be made with metal of a higher quality than my own current weapon and a bag filled with herbs. I eyed the herbs questioningly when information popped into my mind, the same way as a status screen did for Materials.

{Herb of Healing

Grade - F

Condition - Optimal.

Type - Healing - Consumable.}

I frowned at that. So things like this were available. I sniffed the herb, suspiciously, and then took the half consumed meat from my mouth and popped one of the herbs in its place, chewing it slowly before swallowing.

I winced, the medical plant was bitter as hell. It kind of reminded me of garlic though, with the odd aftertaste. When I swallowed it fully, I felt a cool sensation rush through my body and it became a little easier to breath. Not a huge improvement, but it did actually 'heal' me. There were about five more of these little star shaped plants left. Consuming them would heal me, obviously, but I wonder…

I opened the odd interface that I had used to make my Death Knight, who had finished her job and was standing protectively over me. I mentally dragged each herb into a slot, using one as the primary. Apparently I could only use three for this one. One for the primary slot, and two more for additional materials. I'd need to experiment more in regards to how some Rings changed the amount of materials used.

I confirmed the creation, watching it fully this time. Three herbs flew into the air and began rotating. Then the light seemed to actually melt the plants slowly, it looked a lot like dripping metal. The liquefied herbs then started to congeal, twisting and writhing into itself until it formed a circular ring, growing a star shaped symbol to match the Herb itself before falling to the ground in front of me. Picking it up, I tried to see its description.

{Ring of Healing

Grade - G

Durability - 10/10

Type - Growth, Healing - Active Use

0/500}

Active use? 'Heal' I thought, focusing all my intent upon the Ring but nothing seemed to happen. I know that G is a low grade item in this world. Perhaps it can't heal as much as the plant can? I began to slowly consume the remaining herbs that had not been used in the creation. Each one healing my body of its injuries slowly, the added benefit of acting as a form of food an obvious factor.

My Ribs no longer burned and strained with each breath, though they ached still. My arm was still useless but it was a start. I took my dagger and drew it along my forearm, wincing at the pain of moving the limb when I shouldn't. Blood welled in a long line against my paper thin skin before I tried again. 'Heal'.

This time something happened, a small light came from the Ring and moved toward the cut. I felt a warm sensation, an odd drain came with the warmth as well though. It made me feel a little tired, did the healing take from my own stamina reserves to use? I looked at the place I had cut, noticing it was gone now, then I looked at the Ring.

Ring of Healing

Grade - G

Durability - 10/10

Type - Growth, Healing - Active Use

1/500

I see, so using this once increases the counter. I looked at the counter, and then my arm. At its current grade it would be useless for anything truly life threatening. I closed my eyes, coming to a decision and began to cut my arm, activating the Ring after each time.

I felt just a little more tired after each use of the Ring, a pain growing in my mind that I didn't expect as well. I pushed through all the same, needing to try and heal. I no doubt looked odd though, sitting there over a corpse, eating hard packed meat and cutting myself over and over.

An hour passed like this, an hour of systematically cutting myself over and over to increase that counter and learn more, an hour of growing more weary and my brain hurting more with each use of the Ring. I finally did reach the end though, and the Ring did indeed change after being engulfed in a white light.

{Ring of Healing

Grade - F

Durability - 10/10

Type - Growth, Healing - Active use - Mending Flesh, Broken Bones

0/1000}

The information in the type section increased. That was rather interesting, it apparently would heal my flesh, and help with my bones each use. I tried again, but nothing happened and I felt the pain in my brain sharpen even further. Wincing, I went on a hunch and checked my own status, feeling a connection with the usage of these Rings and my Mana.

{Name: Monster

Gender: Male

Race: Human

Social Standing: Slave laborer

Patron Deity: Hekal, Goddess of War, Fire, and Rebirth

Mana: 2/70

Str: 0

End: 2

Dex: 1

Mind: 5

Injuries - One broken arm, suffering from malnutrition.

Rings -

Soul Forge - Perfection, Devour, Mask of Deceit, Location, Translation

Death Knight - Guardian

Ring of Healing - Mends Flesh, Repairs Broken Bones.}

I see, so Mana is used each time I use a Ring after all. It had to regenerate at a certain pace though, or each use of the lowest Grade Ring took little Mana at the start, because my seventy wouldn't allow the five-hundred uses to increase the Grade. I'd need to pay more attention to that in the future. Whatever the case, the F grade probably needed more mana to be used. I doubted it would instantly repair my body either. I imagined it would require multiple uses to repair my arm.

The headache was probably related to overdoing it and trying to exceed my available Mana. The fever I seemed to have developed may be in direct relation to that as well. I frowned while looking at the star shaped Ring that was on my right middle finger. I would have to be patient.

Nothing more was found on the fat ones body, though I took his belt, boots, and dagger. The belt and dagger were for obvious reasons. The boots because they were made of fine, supple, leather and might be worth something when I reached a town or city.

The other thief was still unconscious, though was moving like he would wake soon. Good, he would be able to answer some of my questions. If not, well...he would join his former boss then. I gazed upon my undead protector after making sure he would remain unconscious for a short time longer.

I needed to name her, I suppose. I'd rather not deal with having to call her something that another called her, like what had apparently happened to me. I'd work on changing that 'Monster' in my name section later.

"Do you wish to be named?" I asked after finishing the meat. She regarded me with those dead eyes in an almost solemn manner before responding, her voice still raspy and dry. A direct contrast to the oddly sensual body she had.

"If that is my Lord's desire, then this one will be named." She had no accent, no real tone, it was just raspy. That might make this easier, and harder. I'd rather actually call the creature something fitting. I thought for a time, questioning each choice I came up with. Finally I settled on something that went against everything she was. Mostly as a joke.

"Rose will be your name." She said nothing to me, but I saw that it had indeed registered. Her name section read as Rose, instead of 'none' now. My own name would change now or I would likely lose my temper at some point and harm someone for calling me 'Monster.

{Name: Crispin

Alias - Monster

Gender: Male

Race: Human

Social Standing: Slave laborer

Patron Deity: Hekal, Goddess of War, Fire, and Rebirth

Mana: 2/70

Str: 0

End: 2

Dex: 1

Mind: 5

Injuries - One broken arm, suffering from malnutrition.

Rings -

Soul Forge - Perfection, Devour, Mask of Deceit, Location, Translation

Death Knight - Guardian

Ring of Healing - Mends Flesh, Repairs Broken Bones.}

I eyed that newly formed alias section and wondered if the Goddess was somehow involved in this. Whether she was or wasn't didn't matter in the end though. I had a name, a real name. Not my own but I knew I had to leave as much of my old life behind as I could if I was going to push forward in this new one.

"You can stop pretending. You've been awake for a while now, haven't you?" I said, looking over at the thief. He was good at pretending, I'll give him that. If not for some movement or other that seemed out of place for an unconscious individual, I'd have believed he was still knocked out. The man flinched in fear causing me to roll my eyes.

I made my way over to his prone form, sending Rose first to make sure the bindings were still tight. Best to be safe right now. Regardless of how he acted originally, he could still be a threat if I underestimated him. Staring at him, his eyes wide in abject fear, I only hoped he wouldn't break like his partner. I needed information and a broken tool was useless.

I knelt down beside his head, keeping my feet under me, and placed the dagger just beside his carotid artery. "Stop faking, I have questions. Answer them to the best of your ability and you get to live." I used the dagger to force his face toward the fat blob who was currently at that stage of death were he finishes voided his bowels. "Don't, and you join your friend. We certainly don't want that, now do we?"

The recently dead corpse let out a surprisingly loud fffrrrtt as the remaining air left his body after I finished speaking. I personally never took my eyes from the horror filled gaze of the timid little man. Slowly he turned toward me, his pupils wide but still showing some cognitive ability. "What, who, are you?"

It came out as barely a whisper, something that seemed he had to have answered before he could continue. I noted with mild interest his voice seemed more cultured, the British accent not butchered like the fat one had done. I sighed at the man, debated on killing him and looting his corpse anyway, then got rid of the idea. "I'm a child, thief. Who I am will only matter if you begin answering my questions. Understood?"

The man took an audible gulp before nodding his head slowly. Good, good. "First, what were you both doing here?" He looked at me, taking a moment to comprehend my question.

"You, d-don't sound like us…" I pressed the knife to his throat, hard, cutting him off. "Answer" I said simply, allowing my eyes to fill with the fact his very life depended on him answering me as quickly as he could. "I-I mean, Beck, my partner...former partner. We came in to try for some Rings, he saw the light that came from here and thought it would be the best chance...I tried to stop him, I swear!"

Alright, fear was taking root now, the fact he kept moving his eyes to the corpse of his former friend probably wasn't helping matters. I tapped the dagger against his neck lightly. "Focus on me, Griss right? Griss, focus on me and ignore the dead. Next, where are we?"

He focused on me, focused like only a man who knew he was drowning might. "W-we are on the outskirts of Castletown. Furthest outpost of the...Um, Grenadia Kingdom. Barbarians from the South were marching on the place so the King sent his forces…" I cut him off again, he was starting to go off tangent. The frustration involved in this was growing for me as well. He had given me some to think about, at least I knew enough about my location right now.

"Only answer what I ask. Now, how large is Castletown?" he gulped, again, and started to speak a bit calmer. He must have figured out I needed him alive for the moment. "It's a growing town, only a few hundred people right now."

Perfect, concise answers. I nodded slowly, thinking about that. Small border town, few numbers, enemy attacks either being often, or common enough for this Kingdom to station a reactionary force near enough the border that towns are not overrun before arrival. "You mention Rings, I've been here a bit but not a single person has a Ring. I'll check your friend for one later."

He nodded, slowly, deliberately not looking at the corpse of his friend. "Aye, young Master" - "Don't call me that." - "Ok! Please!" I had cut him off and slid the dagger into his neck enough to cause pain and part some skin. I eased up a bit, and he haltingly continued. "We were on the tail end of the first...the first cleaning crew. We knew it unlikely, but had hoped."

Cleaning crew? Whatever they chose to call themselves didn't matter. Thieves were thieves. I wasn't much better, of course, but I chose items beyond their magical Rings. "How do you remove the 'Slave' social standing?" That question was asked more as a thought said aloud than an actual question. He answered regardless.

"Um, you would...would need a woman to adopt you above a certain standing, or call you hers somehow. Men, we can't do it." I see, so only women could remove a Slave status? He must have seen the question because he continued. "Only on children below thirteen!" Ah, then I would be fine if I could locate a woman to do just that.

"Where can I go and find a woman like that then, Griss?" He paused then, looking incredibly afraid. Difficult then? Perhaps their were penalties?

"We, I mean, that is...You could find one in town, if you were lucky. If you are found to be lying by the Guard or a Truth Seeker though, then you would both be killed. Taking a Slave from the Kingdom is a death penalty."

I see, to curtail the motherly instinct of any good woman wanting to save children they probably instilled that to prevent an abuse of this worlds odd System. Understandable. "I bet you know where I might find one though, don't you Griss?" I pushed the dagger in just a hair for emphasis. He gulped and nodded once, slowly.

I smiled then, and from the look on Griss's face it was not a pleasant sight. It shouldn't be either, I had to begin setting my foundation, and poor little Griss here would be the first of my blocks. I realized I made a minor error in my earlier looting, I needed to search the fat man for any Rings, I'd keep them and test out the Devour ability on anything I felt was useless.

"You work for me now, Griss. You get to be untied, attempt to escape and I will ensure Rose eats you alive. I'm fairly sure as an Undead she would enjoy that." Rose, as if by magic, made a groaning sound of pleasure as she ran her red, dry, tongue along the back of his neck, making him squeal in fear momentarily. "Yes! I'll work for you! Oh God, keep her away from me please!