Blessings within Pain

I was awoken with a hard kick to my stomach.

"Move yer' ass, ya little fleshbag, or you can kiss your food goodbye."

Moaning in pain, I got up to my feet and headed over to the kitchen, where all the other sacrifices were being lavished upon by the adults.

Hi, it's Seth, I have been living in this new world for about 17 years now.

When I was first born, I still had all the rage from meeting the Thing before I was born. Instead of being able to do anything though, I just screamed and cried and threw tantrums. I was quickly shut-up by my caretakers, and then left to my own devices. Quickly realizing I couldn't do anything, I decided to learn as much as I could about my new world and learn how I could use it against that fake God.

By the way, I've begun calling that sadistic God "the Thing".

I learned to speak and read much quicker than the other sacrifices, and began asking questions as soon as I could. I learned I was essentially a nobody, born of slaves and bred to be sacrificed to the what the people of this world called "The God of Chaos", aka the Thing.

As if I was going to let that happen.

By reading some books, I learned that if I called out "Status", I could read my own status. After reading my own status, I felt my rage against The Thing resurface again. Apparently one of the curses I got prevented me from learning or inventing new skills.

At first I thought that this was okay, as I could still level and gain stats and just overpower the Thing with raw numbers. I would later learn though that your job class effects how many stats you gain per level. So for example, a Knight could gain 2 extra points in strength and defense at very low levels, and that number would increase the higher their level got and the longer they stayed in that class. However, to obtain a class, you apparently need to unlock certain skills. So to get the Knight class, you might have to have the passive skills (Sword Mastery) and (Shield Mastery). But because of my curse, I can't be any class except for Human Sacrifice. The class of Human Sacrifice is special because it had a fixed gain of 1 HP per level, no matter how high the level. The Thing really did want me to suffer.

Even if I could gain skills, the people in this village I'm living at try to make sure the sacrifices are as pampered and docile as possible to avoid them from escaping. Actually, its more of a compulsion caused by the passive skill (Sacrifice Honoring).

However, since I couldn't get it, I can avoid being monitored at all times and move freely around the village. This also has a downside. Apparently the skill prevents the villagers from harming the other sacrifices until the sacrifices turn the age of 18. Because the sacrifices do no work, the villagers despise them as parasites, but recognize they are needed to appease the Thing. Since I am the exception, I am usually beaten as a ways of the village venting and letting out their frustrations.

Apparently, the villagers realized I couldn't gain skills after I tried to chop a small tree down out of boredom and frustration. After beating me, the villagers checked my status by consulting a village Seer with the (Status Observation) skill. She noticed I hadn't gained a skill and they tested me a few times, and concluded that I couldn't gain skills. Because of that, the villagers let me do whatever, knowing I can't overpower them or reclass.

I found it odd that the Seer didn't tell the villagers that I had no skills at all. See, the Human Sacrifice passive skill (Martyr's Blessing) activates when a Human Sacrifice is killed when they are 18 years old. The passive skill blesses the land within a certain area, increasing crop growth, stat growth of those who own the land, and purifies water. Either way, I thanked the Seer quietly, as I would have probably been sacrificed on the spot if I was exposed.

So when I wasn't getting beaten up by the villagers, I would experiment to find ways to increase my other stats besides my HP value. I would do numerous activities, such as exercises, meditation, and studying, but only my HP would increase.

During my experimenting, a village girl would tag along and watch me. Eventually I got the courage to call out to her one day, and braced myself for a beating. Unexpectedly, I was greeted with a soft hi.

Her name was Viola, and she was probably the only one the the village who was nice to me. Her parents were unsuccessful farmers that moved to the village to find a better future. They had eventually passed away from sickness, leaving Viola alone.

Apparently Viola thought I was an orphan too, and tailed me in hopes to talk to me. I would tell Viola I was a sacrifice, but that didn't seem to deter her.

"You've been the only person who didn't act like I was invisible. Thank you!"

Since that day, we grew closer and closer. Viola would try to help me escape from the villagers either successfully or unsuccessfully, and I would try to give Viola as much adventure and attention as I could.

Viola had a hut on the outskirts of the village, and I would try to be with her as much as I could. I would tell her stories as she tended to my wounds, and we would laugh and smile late into the night, forgetting the cruel reality around us.

Speaking of which, that's where I was planning on heading right now.

After quickly finishing my minimal breakfast and stealing portions of the banquet laid in front of the other sacrifices, I quietly creep out of the Sacrifice Hall.

Once I am outside, I bolt towards a wooded area near the village walls as fast as I can without gaining the attention of the villagers.

"Oi ye fucking fleshbag, where ya think you's goin'?"

I'm suddenly stopped by Cameron, son of the Guard Captain.

"Try'na escape now?"

"Oh come on Cameron, even if I wanted to I couldn't get far. Your dad and his goons would catch up to me in a second and beat the soul out of me."

"Oi that's damned right, you are."

Thinking that the conversation was over, I turned to continue into the woods and meet Viola.

"Oi wait up."

I try turning to face Cameron's voice, but before I could fully finishing turning I feel knuckles connecting with my jaw.

I fall flat on the ground, groaning. I'm too dizzy to support myself correctly, and stay on the ground as Cameron approaches me.

"Don't forget you's the punchin' bag, eh, fleshbag?"

Two of Cameron's goons appeared from the woods and walk towards me. Suddenly a rain of kicks fly out against me, and I curl up, waiting for the assault to end. I hear a crack from my arms and ribs, but the kicks keep coming. Powerless, all I could do was wait it out.

By the time Cameron and his goons were done, the sun was touching the horizon. They walked away, laughing and enjoying themselves as I slowly and weakly got to my feet. I was battered and bruised, covered in dirt, piss, blood, and grass. Hunched over and holding my side, I slowly limped into the woods, and eventually made it to a small clearing. In the center was Viola's hut.

The moment I stepped into the clearing, Viola rushed over to me as I collapsed on my knees.

"Seth! Was it the butcher again? Who did this to you?"

Viola began casting healing magic on my cracked ribs, eyes full of worry and concern.

"Nah, this time it was Cameron and his guys. He must have gotten rejected again."

My ribs began to fully mend as Viola's magic ran out. Quickly, she made a makeshift cast and wrapped my injured arm in it.

"Oh, that damned idiot! Can't he stop hurting you and face his failures instead of taking it out on you I swear to Durna that if he doesn't learn soon I'll-"

Viola continued to curse at Cameron in the name of the Goddess Durna, Witch Goddess of Healing, who was apparently powerful but not as strong as the Thing. I smiled as Viola continued to curse, but cut her off in the middle of her rant.

"Hey. Thanks."

Viola fell silent and looked up to me with teary eyes.

"Do we really have to run? Why can't we just tell them to leave us alone? Can't we tell them you don't have the Martyr's blessing?"

I fell silent as well. The plan was to run away from the village tomorrow night after we finished stockpiling water and rations, as the Grand Sacrifice was to be held the day after. On that night, the villagers would drug the Sacrifices into a deep sleep so they wouldn't run, and then the villagers would have a night long festival. As the village guards would be more focused on maintaining public order than usual, less guards would be reinforcing the walls. Since I knew about the drug, I knew how to avoid it. I would then meet up with Viola, and we would run away, as far as we could. It would be difficult, but it was our only choice.

"Viola, you know they would just kill me right then and there the moment I told them. You mean well, but running is my only choice. You don't have to come with, the outside of the village is dangerous and besides-"

"No! I'm coming with you! I'm going to keep having adventures with you! And we'll find a cure for your curses!"

As Viola yelled, her face got closer and closer to mine. Though we were both dirty and ragged, Viola and been increasingly more attractive to me in the recent days. Eventually her face was so close I could faintly feel her breath against my face.

"Er, Viola, you're really clo-"

Viola strikes! Leaning in quickly, our lips meet briefly, then separate.

"Seth, I won't abandon you. I will be with you. Always."

We sit there silently, staring into each other's eyes. We then lean in slowly, our lips meeting, our tongues dancing, then we separate.

"Okay. Thanks Viola."

We move to the hut door, sitting next to each other, and look at the stars. For the night we cuddle, stargazing.

The Thing wanted me to suffer, but it looks like he completely failed.

I wrap my arm around Viola, and hug her against my chest.

This is more than anything I could have asked for in my previous life.

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status page:

[Name: none, nicknames "fleshbag" and "Seth"

titles: none

class: Human Sacrifice

Hp: 20/20

Mp: n/a

Lvl: 10

age: 17

Str: 5

Def: 5

Res: 0

Mag: 0

Wis: 10

Luck: -99

skills: none

status conditions:

Curse, Eternal Suffering (rank: DEUS)

[Description locked until prerequisites are met]

Curse, The Powerless (rank: DEUS)

[Description: A curse inflicted by the Supreme Deity, the inflicted is unable to learn or invent new skills. However, if a skill will transform into a curse, then the curse will apply.]

Curse, Extreme Misfortune (rank: DEUS)

[Seeking death but unable to die, this curse reflects the severe misfortune of the inflicted, setting their base luck to -99]]

[Name: Cameron

titles: Guard Captain's Son

effect: Grants +2 Str and +2 Def when in combat with the protected area

Class: Rookie Guard

Hp: 40/40

Mp: n/a

age:17

Lvl 8

Str: 21

Def: 15

Res: 4

Mag: 0

Wis: 5

Luck: 5]

[Name: Viola

titles: none

Class: Rookie Healer

Hp: 22/22

Mp: 10

Lvl: 6

age: 17

Str: 5

Def: 5

Res: 10

Mag: 12

Wis: 8

Luck: 12

Skills:

Light Heal (active): cost 2mp, Able to heal scratches and very minor fractures completely, restores 3hp]