Chapter 2: Grave Danger
Marvin remembered the darkness. The nothingness. The absolute lack of stimuli.
Then, like someone turned on every sense he had, he woke up.
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*Why is it so loud and so bright? What is this soft feeling? Is that.....grass?*
(muffled screaming)
*What is that noise, why does my head hurt so much? Mommy? Is that you?*
"Mmaaavvvnn-!!!!!!!!! MAR-VIN!!!!!!!!!!!! MARVIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WAKE UP BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!"
*It is mommy....MOMMY....YAY!!!!!*
"BABY! YOU NEED TO RUN AWAY!!! GO!!!! RUN!!!!"
"Mommy? Why do I need to run away?"
"There is a bad man coming for you, just run baby, okay? For mommy."
"Okay, mommy...but where do I run?"
"Baby, anywhere, just start running!!! Please baby!!!"
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Marvin did what his mother asked of him and began running in the direction he woke up in.
This world is not as forgiving as others, as Marvin was just reborn in a Graveyard. But it is not just any Graveyard, it is known as "Terror Beyond the Graves". It is actually a beginner level combat zone, just outside of Dimmer Castle. The local nobility is Baron Jacobs, but nobody takes it that seriously. Mr. Jacobs, is a very easy going man and he gained his title through outstanding service to the Crown. But that was 40 years ago....
Anyways, this humble little abode is a place where people don't visit often. Mostly because of the smell of the zombies.
You see, most magical creatures are created out of pure mana, but zombies are a special case, as they do not require much mana to begin living....well...unliving?
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[Marvin was running faster than he ever had. He looked straight ahead, but his ears caught everything he needed to know. Moans and groans, shuffling, a terrible smell that could knock someone out cold.]
"Mommy....are these zombies...why are there zombies?????"
"Baby, they are just robots that look like zombies, like that game you used to play, 5 nights at something, remember?"
"Mommy, I don't think they are fake, they smell really, really, really bad."
-"Baby, just keep running okay."
"Okay mommy,"
*Just keep swimming
Just keep swimming
Just keep swimming
Just keep swimming swimming swimming.*
[Marvin ran while humming until he tripped on a....root...sticking out of the ground. Oh, wait, no, the root is moving?]
"MOMMY!!! IT GRABBED ME!!! HELP MOMMY!!!!!"
"BABY!! PULL AS HARD AS YOU CAN, YOU NEED TO GET YOUR LEG FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"MOMMY! I CAN'T GET IT FREE, IT HURTS REAL BAD MOMMY!!!!"
"BABY, I need you to use your other foot and try to hold the hand with your foot while you pull....LIKE WHEN YOU TAKE YOUR SHOES OFF."
"Okay mommy, i'll try...."
(grunting and struggling)
"Mommy, I can't do it, it won't..."
"Baby, it's okay, mommy is here, I need you to think really hard for me, please. I need you to wish that the hand let go of your foot."
[Marvin closed his eyes and gave it everything he had. Suddenly, the grasp was released.]
"MOMMY!!! I DID IT!!!!! THE HAND LET GO OF ME!!!!!!!!"
"T....thats good...baby..."
*B...but Marvin didn't use his power yet, why did it let go?*
"BABY, KEEP RUNNING!!"
"Okay!"
"Wait, Mommy, they are all here...I can't get around them."
"Baby, just wish that you were someplace else really hard okay?"
*Marvin has to escape, I can't lose my baby boy again, not this early, please, no...*
[Marvin closed his eyes and began thinking of his home]
"AHHHHHHHH!!!!!! MOMMY!!!!!!!! THEY ARE GRABBING MY ARMS!!!!!!!!!"
"BABBYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!! JUST CLOSE YOUR EYES OKAY, EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE OKAY. JUST REMEMBER THAT MOMMY LOVES YOU!!!!!!!!!"
"MOMMY!!!!!!!!!! I DON'T WANNA LOSE YOU!!!!!"
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(BOOM)
(A shockwave blew by and uprooted every tree within a 50-yard radius...It appeared as if a bomb had gone off.)
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Marvin stood amongst the zombies, as they kneeled around him. He remained crying and sobbing uncontrollably before listening to his mother's voice.
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"BABY, BABY, LOOK AROUND YOU!!!!"
"Wh....what? Mommy, am I okay?"
"Yes, baby, just look around you!"
"The zombies are..sitting?"
"No, baby, they are kneeling to you..."
"Oh...um, mommy, does that mean I am okay?"
"Yes baby, I think it means you are okay."
*DING* TITLE ACQUIRED *DING*
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Name: Marvin
Age: 7
Race: Demi-human;???
HP: 80 MP: 700
Rank:0
Level: 1 Experience: 0/100
Class: N/A
Stats: (Adult Male Average is 10)
Vitality: 8
Strength:5
Endurance:5
Dexterity: 6
Intelligence: 7
Wisdom: *LOCKED*
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Status Effects: Blessing of the World (2x Experience gained), Gift of Knowledge (Effect of Intelligence is increased 400%, and Gift of Wisdom (Wisdom cannot be accessed, instead, passive regeneration of 1% mana per minute).
Titles: *True King of the Undead*
Affiliations:
Companions: Zombies x 37 (Natural spawn following their king; No Upkeep, Decay rate 7 days without mana infusion).
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"MOMMY, WHAT IS ON MY EYES, IT WON'T GO AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Baby, it's okay, it's okay. It is how this world is, it is fantasy."
:O "AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!But mommy, why are the men still kneeling?"
"Baby, I'm not sure...try telling them to stand up.."
"Okay, [Stand] up guys.."
*creaking, popping, and cracking of bones*
"Ewwwwwwwww.....Mommy, they need a shower...."
"Yes, baby, they stink really bad don't they."
"Yup, who farted? Hehehehe, Mommy? What do we do now?"
"Baby, ask these men to protect you and help you find a city."
"Ca...can one of you guys [protect me]..."
*Marching begins in unison as they fall in line*
"Uh, mommy....why are they all coming..."
"Don't worry baby, just let the men protect you."
"Okay mommy, but where are we going?"
"That's.....a good question, baby, just walk forward until you see something."
*This is a graveyard so we should be close to civilization, right?*
"Okay, let's go everyone [follow] me."
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"Hey mommy, this world is pretty cool, right?"
"Yes, baby, this world is very nice. It is where we will be staying for a while."
"I love adventure stories, when I grow up, I wanna have tons of adventure!"
"I know baby, I like adventure too, but you need to be safe okay, people are not always nice."
"I know mommy, I just wanna help people..."
"That's a good thing sweetie, but don't let anyone hurt you okay?"
"I won't mommy."
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"Hey mommy, I see a house over there, do you think there is someone home?"
"There could be someone there sweetie, knock on the door and see if they are home."
"Okay, mommy."
*Knock, Knock, Knock*
"HELLO! Is anyone home."
*Shuffling is heard from behind the door while metal latches are being clanked together.*
*The door creaks loudly as it opens*
"Hello??????"
"Hello, mister, can you help me find a town?"
*Blink, Blink*
"What are you doing out here kid, where are your parents, it's late you know..."
"Mister, I woke up in the woods and I need to find a town so I can contact my mom and dad."
"Kid, you shouldn't be out here this late, Zombies and all kinds of things come out at night."
"I know mister, please, help me.."
"Wellllllllllll, come on inside and let's see what's goin' on."
The 18-year old man opens the door to his home, inviting Marvin in for the night.
Derek is not usually accommodating but he has been wanting to perform the ritual to rank up. He was needing a human sacrifice, until one knocked on his door.
See, Derek was always a mean and wicked child, he always bullied and hurt the other kids for the fun of it. He even killed his older brother for the inheritance, but when a magical investigator was hired, they found that it was Derek's mana that caused the curse. This of course made Derek very angry as his father disowned him, but he waited and bided his time. He just needed the chance to get his revenge and he would take it.
Derek's quest for revenge took him to a very dark place, literally, the Graveyard at night. He needs to perform his level 50 ritual, to rank up and finally become a fully-fledged Warlock. As Derek has been an affliction apprentice for the past 8 years, and the Dark Hood is pressuring him to become of use. The Dark Hood members work as disease propagators for anyone that requires a culling, mostly kingdoms and local nobility.
Derek stood there, looking at Marvin, thinking about how wonderful it is to be lucky for once. It felt really good to get what you desire after 8 hard years of living in a trash heap of a cabin. Let's get started.
"So kid, did your parents send you out to the forest for something, or are you just stupid?"
"My mom and papa sent me here I guess..."
"Ah, well, no matter, kids go missing all the time..."
"..."
"Kid, mind helping me with something very important?"
"Um, sure mister. What do you need my help with.."
"I just need an assistant for a ritual I am performing tonight, it is the perfect time."
*Sweetie, you need to leave this place, okay, but be calm. Don't run, just walk to the door and walk outside, then run okay?
"Okay mommy..."
"Uh kid? Did you call me your mommy?"
As Marvin walked to the door, Derek felt something was off and went to stop him.
"Hey, little man, where are you going, aren't you helping me with my ritual tonight?"
"My mommy told me to go outside mister, she said I need to get fresh air or bad things happen. Can I go outside?"
"It's okay little buddy, we can stay in here, I'll open a window for you okay?"
"Mommy, says that's okay."
As Derek walked to the window, Marvin unlocked the door by following his mother's instructions and quickly ran outside. Then, as Marvin was running, he was tripped by something that looked like blackness wrapped around his ankle.
"Oh, clever, ain't ya. It was a decent distraction, but I am a mage after all, so you had almost no chance. Oh, little boy, what shall I do with you."
As Derek was stroking is own ego about how masterful he was with his shadow magic, he completely neglected the fact that [Shadow Bind] was a skill that constituted combat, as an attack.
Derek was laughing at the boy's foolish behavior and could not believe that the peasant could be so STUPID. How stupid do you have to be to knock on the door of a future warlock, idiot kid.
Suddenly, Derek felt something grab his shoulder and as he turned to look, he realized that he was swarmed with a horde of zombies.
Normally a zombie horde would not be a big deal because they don't really respond as a group, but this horde appeared to have one goal, and that was Derek Pie.
*"Close your eyes sweetie, you don't need to see this!"*
"Okay mommy."
As, Derek was consumed by the zombies, Marvin was lying on the ground with his eye shut tightly, humming "just keep swimming...."
*Ding* A subordinate has slain Derek Morgan Lvl. 50 Affliction apprentice *Ding*