The crowing of a cockerel dragged William from a restless sleep. For a moment, he lay still, blinking at the low-beamed ceiling above him, the smell of woodsmoke and bread drifting through the house. I’m still here. “Log out. Menu.” Still nothing. A thin wool blanket slid from his chest as he sat up, the ache in his leg flaring. A young woman had woken him in the night to clean and bandage the wound.

  Will checked his interface.

  [SYSTEM ERROR: Incomplete Interface]

  Character: William Draven

  Race: Half-Elf/Human

  Class: Holy Paladin of the Fallen Gods

  Level: 200

  XP: ??/??

  Health: ??/??

  Mana: ??/??

  Strength: 200

  Charisma: ??

  Agility: ??

  Intelligence: ??

  Willpower: ??

  Luck: ??

  Free points: ??

  Stamina: 96%

  [Skills] SYSTEM ERROR

  [Professions] SYSTEM ERROR

  [Titles] SYSTEM ERROR

  [Reputation] SYSTEM ERROR

  [Quests] Clear the Caves of Goblins and Other Threats, SYSTEM ERROR

  [Oaths] SYSTEM ERROR

  [Warning: Moderate Injury ??]

  “No major changes.” He tugged on the shirt the elder’s wife had left folded on a stool. His own clothes lay torn and bloodstained in a heap by the door. “I’ll have to fix and clean them,” he groaned. “Or I could pay.”

  Will grabbed his coin purse; he hadn’t bothered to check how much coin he had. Tipping it on the bed, he counted the pile of coins. “Only 50 gold and 50 silver.” He scratched the back of his neck. “I had over a million in gold. Damn!” He put his money in his spatial storage. “Well, at least I won’t starve to death.”

  The economy in Realm of the Fallen Gods Online was lopsided. A loaf of bread might cost 10 coppers, a tankard of ale 20 coppers, but a high-end sword like the one William carried was worth tens of thousands of gold. Even his reinforced boots cost him thousands of gold.

  The murmur of voices and the clink of crockery guided him towards the kitchen. The elder was already seated at the sturdy oak table, while his wife moved between hearth and cutting board, setting out bowls of porridge, a small plate of cured ham, and a basket of dark bread.

  “Ah, our fallen knight wakes.” The elder gestured for William to sit. “I trust you slept well, my lord?”

  “Well enough.” William lowered himself to the bench with care. “Your hospitality is more than I deserve.”

  The elder chuckled. “All who bleed in the King’s service deserve at least a warm bed and a full belly.”

  William inclined his head, hiding a faint smile as the elder’s wife set a steaming bowl before him. He murmured his thanks, then tore a piece of warm bread to dip in honey. The taste was simple but wholesome, and for a moment he let himself savour it.

  “You mentioned the King’s service.” William tore off another piece of bread. “Which King would that be? Forgive my ignorance, I’ve… been long away.”

  The elder stroked his beard, weighing the words. “King Aldric of Mercia, of course. It’s a human Kingdom.” He frowned while looking at Will’s half-elf features. “Mostly human, at least, my lord. The elves keep to their forests to the east, the dwarves to their mountains in the north. Beyond that… other people are less friendly and more unpredictable.” He leaned closer, lowering his voice. “These are dangerous times, Sir Knight. We are at war. Skirmishes to the south with the beastkin tribes, and goblin raids from the Western Wastes… and I fear worse to come.”

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  Sir Knight? I guess I do look like one, and it’s better than being called a fallen god. William didn’t correct the elder as he spooned porridge into his mouth, concealing the rush of recognition. Mercia. Aldric. Beastkin to the south, goblin raiders to the west. Exactly as it all began in the game. He let his gaze drop to the table. “The people seem hardy. I pray the Kingdom endures and prospers, Elder.”

  The elder’s eyes narrowed. “We’ve endured much already, my lord. Three hundred years ago, the Cataclysm broke the world. The old gods abandoned us. Or so it seemed. Before then, they walked among men and elves, gave counsel and power. Now. Now, my lord, we are left to fend for ourselves.” The old man clenched his fists. “The land never recovered, the balance never restored.”

  The Cataclysm. William’s fingers tightened around his spoon. That was the start of the game. The starting lore. It all lines up. The gods vanish, the world declines, and every update after that was just another hammer blow. He nodded. “I have heard tales of such times. Is this why some believe I’m a fallen god?”

  “Superstitious nonsense, my lord.” The elder shook his head. “There is a prophecy that a fallen god will save us from a great catastrophe.”

  Will scratched his chin. Hmm… Did he have a change of heart overnight? It had been fewer than twelve hours since the elder referred to him as a fallen god.

  The elder’s wife set a cup of watered ale before him, her expression kind. “Do not fret over old wounds, husband. The knight needs strength, not stories.” She bowed.

  Prophesy? That’s new. William smiled at the old woman. “Thank you.”

  The elder gave a weary smile. “Aye, perhaps. Yet a man should know the lay of the land he fights for.” He looked back at William. “You’ve seen enough to know, Sir Knight. There will be no peace soon. We fight with one hand bound, while enemies circle like wolves.”

  And the wolves never stop coming, William nodded. The next expansion brought famine and plague. Then the Dragon Wars. It was ten years of disasters, one after another. And here I am, at the start of it all. He broke another piece of bread and dipped it in honey. If the game’s timeline held true, he had time to prepare, but not much. “Please, let the villagers know that I’m no fallen god. I’m just a Holy Paladin passing through.”

  “A Holy Paladin,” the elder echoed before nodding. “I’ll let the others know, but some will still believe.”

  I shouldn’t be here too long. Will nodded. It was the starter village where new players completed easy quests before moving on to more challenging game content. I think I’ll run that dungeon again. After I heal. He shuddered at the thought of fighting the lizard on his own again. I wonder if there are adventurers nearby?

  “Is there an adventurers’ guild nearby, where I can pick up new quests?” Will was half expecting a quest to pop up at any moment with the way the elder was dropping game lore.

  “Quests, Sir Paladin?” The elder looked confused. “The nearest adventurers’ guild is in Thrymwall. You can pick up jobs there.”

  They don’t have quests. He scratched the back of his neck. “Do…” he hesitated. “Do people have access to a System that offers experience?”

  The elder again looked confused. “I’m not familiar with any System, Sir Paladin. Craftsmen will take on apprentices to offer them experience?”

  They don’t have a System or XP. What a weird update. William nodded. “Good to know.”

  He lingered at the table a while after breakfast, letting the ache in his leg fade before rising and heading outside to sit in the morning sun. The elder had gone out to speak with some villagers, leaving only the faint crackle of the hearth and the clatter of crockery as the elder’s wife cleared away.

  The boy—his new squire—approached with a hesitant step. “M’lord? I-I cleaned your armour. Took it to Master Grukk at the forge, too. He said… he said he’d do what he could.”

  William jolted upright. “You did what!?”

  Blood Mage Assassin.

  Chapter 008 [Game Notification: Blacksmith Questline Unlocked]