A Mother's Touch

Camille Kirchner was a woman of many talents, it was an undeniable fact that she was special. In fact, it wouldn't be much of a stretch to say she was chosen to be great. At the age of sixteen, she was the face of over fifty fashion companies, and her face was seen on the covers of millions of magazines.

She carried an unearthly beauty, with deep luscious brown hair and bright green eyes. She was known all over the world, and yet with all that beauty, there was an even bigger asset to her. She was a multifaceted genius who claimed many titles and positions, between being an actress, singer, and fashion designer, and for a brief period she was a leading scientist in cancer research.

But as the saying goes, "Not all that glitters is gold." Those in her inner circle knew the real her, an utterly abusive, brash, and psychotic woman.

***

"Hmm..." I let out softly, I hadn't even noticed I had fallen asleep in the tub. My skin had pruned up signaling it was time for me to escape the pod of water. Pushing myself out I looked through my status once again now noticing a slight change.

[Name: Shiloh Kirchner]

[Level 2]

[EXP 5/15]

[Health: 103/103]

[Mana: 15/15]

[Setting: Hidden]

{PAGE TWO}

[STR: 7]

[INT: 15]

[DEX: 8]

[COS: 7]

{SKILLS}

[Grim Aura-1]-Emit a powerful aura of death and decay, causing enemies to become weakened or frightened. Cost-2MP/s

[Shadow Step-1]-Move quickly and silently through the shadows, allowing them to ambush enemies or escape from danger. Cost-.5MP/s

[Harvest]-Dissolve and absorb the source of any living being. Passive

[Abyssal Vault]-Storage from the Source Realm of your Patron. Slots Used 1/3

{PATRON}

Nothing.

"Hmm..." I let out slightly. Who would have thought my system would have updated that fast?

I paced around the bedroom several times before flopping myself onto the bed. "Whatever I'll think about it in the morning," I said slowly closing my eyes allowing the warmth of the blanket to cover me, guiding me into the passageway of beautiful sleep.

"My lord!" Those were the words that awoke me. The sun had me in its grasp, its rays reflecting off my eyes. In front of me stood-no kneeling at the side of my bed was none other than Luci.

I looked at her for a moment and then glanced back at the rising sun. "Go away..." I whispered to her.

She quickly sprang up from her kneeling, "What! Get up, you have a mission to do." She stated.

"Nope," I said once more turning my body and pulling my blanket even higher than before. And with that, I had hoped she would turn around and walk out my door... But that wasn't what happened.

***

Linlette City, although it wasn't the capital of the Grishafn Kingdom, it was certainly the largest. Even early in the morning, it was teeming with life and social butterflies. Men boasting freshly killed game, ladies selling fruits, and children running amok.

"This world..." I let out under my breath. Looking at the surrounding environment it really was just like medieval Europe. Most of the homes were built of stone, the roads neatly lined and placed, and even lamps ran parrel to the roads powered by what I could only assume was magic.

Luci continued to lead me throughout the town giving me small pointers like where to find food and clothes if I leave the castle, where to find a blacksmith, and even a magical shop.

"The city was built about four hundred years ago by our ancestor and founder Vlad Grisha. And was named after his late wife Linlette, apparently she was killed by intruders, and so Vlad took it upon himself to raise a kingdom where he could never experience "hurt" again. I know talk about over dramatic." Luci explained letting out a slight scoff.

"I mean imagine creating a kingdom, over a lost one. I mean I understand the pain but jeez."

I looked down at her for a moment. For someone to create a Kingdom, to protect his heart from grief? I could certainly understand that.

"I think it's sweet," I responded softly giving her a slight smile.

Slowing down her stride she looked back at me for a moment with a slight blush on her face, "Y-yeah, I guess. Anyway! The city is roughly forty miles across, with direct access to the Tai River which is straight west." She said pointing in said direction. "All those ports and sea access is why this place is bigger than even the capital, even though the capital is much more upscale."

Nodding we continued walking until another question sprang up. "So Luci why is the castle so far away from everything? I mean it took us a whole day to get here." I asked looking at the rising sun.

She simply shrugged in response. "As I said Vlad liked to be alone, anywho we're here." She said as she stopped in front of a wooden building. The place had no signs nor windows so it was hard to correctly get a grasp on what it was.

"And uh... Where is here?" I asked scratching my chin. Before answering my question Luci walked to the wooden door and knocked three times.

The door slightly creaked as it opened revealing a large man-no, large was an understatement. As I stood 6'4 he was a giant to even me, perhaps even taller than Laurent, and he was much much more muscular. He looked like a bear drew what they believed humans to look like. A massive man-bear.

"Welcome to Dragoons Keep! Greatest bar in the eastern continent!" He let out as he dragged the two of us inside.

To my dism-surprise, the place was also teeming with life, as perhaps thirty people were contained inside the bar. Some were dining, some were dancing to the live band that stood at the back of the bar, yet most obviously were drinking.

Luci nodded in the direction of the giant man bear as she walked off to the other side of the bar.

"Trevor! You're drinking this early in the morning?!" She exclaimed as she walked out of my field of view. With the bar bustling with an orchestra of chaotic yet semi-pleasant sounds the man-bear dragged me to the far corner away from most of the noise.

"So, Luci says ya need to find some things to kill? Is that right Lad?" He asked me slinging his arms over my shoulder and crouching down to my level.

"Yeah, you know where I'd find a place like that?" I asked him, trying not to gag. The mountain of a man reeked of alcohol.

"Hahah! Oi lad, you can find it right here. Follow me." He said standing up straight and removing his arm from my shoulders. I glanced at Luci as she seemed to be having a fun time.

The man bear took me through a door that promptly led to a stairwell. My face twisted slightly, the stairs led down, and that meant one thing. A basement... and nothing good comes from basements.

***

"Come here, baby!" A woman let out as she walked to her child, arms extended. "Oh, aren't you just the cutest little thing?" She asked picking the baby up and quickly pressing their cheeks together.

A few feet from her sat an older woman watching television and sipping coffee. She glanced at the mother and child on the floor before pushing herself up and walking to a bedroom.

Inside the room was quite bare, just a bed, a desk, and a smaller and much older television set.

"Shaun I can't believe you let her keep the damned thing.: The older lady stated as she let out a sigh.

An older man; Shaun was lying down in bed reading a book as he was called for. Glancing over slightly before going back to his reading he too let out a sigh of his own before closing the book.

"Mary, she is her own woman. She wanted a child, and it's our job to support her. And besides it's a cute kid." He said softly.

"Ha, her own woman? She isn't even an adult!" Mary shouted as she began to pace the room.

Both Shaun and Mary were in their late forties, and the "woman" in question was teenager Camille Kirchner, who had recently given birth to a pale white-haired baby boy.

Mary let out a loud huff as she dug through the couple's tiny closet, snatching out a belt.

"Well while you do nothing, I am going to teach our daughter that actions have consequences." She growled, before walking out.

Mary quickly grabbed Camille by the hair and forced her to stand.

"Come here slut." These were the only words Camille heard before being dragged throughout the house and down into the family basement.

"M-mother stop!" Camille could only cry out before Mary ripped the shirt off her daughter's back. She readied her built, pushing Camille into the wall with her hands out.

Clenching her fist she struck. Camille yelped in pain, as the belt left a long red lash on her fair skin.

Mary lashed her back and bottom, occasionally slapping her in the side of the face. "You're a whore Camille! Pregnant at fifteen, a mother by sixteen! Do you know how hard it is to show my face at church?!" Mary shouted as she continued her abuse in silence for almost a minute.

Smacking the back of Camille's head Mary began to shout once more. "Well don't just stand there, apologize!" Mary paused for a moment, and as Camille just sobbed she once began to lash her child. "I said apologize you whore! Apologize for making me look like a fool, for making me a mockery in the church! For making me the mother of a slut! Apologize damn it, apologize!" She screamed before whacking Camille in the face with the belt sending her crashing to the ground.

Camille did not even attempt to stand once more as she only sobbed on the ground, trying to keep her crying to a low sound so as to not upset her mother once more. Seeing this Mary's face quickly softened as she sat beside her weeping daughter.

"Oh, you poor baby. You know I only do this to make you better, you know mommy loves you. I'm only doing what's best for you dear. I love you, baby." She said softly as she pulled Camille into a hug.

"I-I love you too..." Camille sobbed.

Mary continued to rock her back and forth before speaking once more.

"Who's my little girl?"