Commander Veylan gave a curt nod and patted William on the shoulder. “Good speech, young man. You’ve saved lives with your words today.” He looked to the survivors with concern. “There will be time to grieve later, but for now, prepare to march. We leave in three hours.”
The Commander’s orders rippled through the square, and for a moment, there was only silence. Then Brindlecross stirred. Controlled chaos bloomed as though the village itself had exhaled. Soldiers moved to distribute rations from their packs—loaves of dark bread, smoked meat, and water skins—and the survivors fell upon them with a hunger born of more than empty stomachs. The [Archmage’s Last Buff] had taken a heavy toll on everyone’s stamina.
William received another system notification.
[Questline Updated: Escort the Survivors of Brindlecross to Safety]
Will checked his broken interface.
[SYSTEM ERROR: Incomplete Interface]
Character: William Draven
Race: Half-Elf/Human
Class: Holy Paladin of the Fallen Gods
Level: 200
XP: ??/??
Health: ??/??
Mana: 081/140
Strength: 200
Charisma: ??
Agility: 80
Intelligence: 60
Willpower: ??
Luck: ??
Free points: ??
Stamina: 45%
[Skills] Divine Fire (6), Light’s Mercy (6), SYSTEM ERROR
[Professions] SYSTEM ERROR
[Titles] Player Killer, Hero of Brindlecross, SYSTEM ERROR
[Reputation] The Kingdom of Mercia Rep: 13,098, SYSTEM ERROR
[Quests] Clear the Caves of Goblins and Other Threats, Shadows of the Goblin King, There Can Be Only One, Escort the Survivors of Brindlecross to Safety, SYSTEM ERROR
[Oaths] SYSTEM ERROR
[Warning: Moderate Fatigue 45%]
Will analysed the information and made some conclusions. So I can gain reputation, new titles, and new quests, including quest chains. Plenty of quests formed a chain that led to greater rewards in the game.
He tried to view what the new title, [Hero of Brindlecross], granted him, but nothing happened. How am I supposed to know what these do? With most titles, they granted the recipient something beneficial, such as merchants giving a discount or, under certain scenarios, an increased stat.
I really need to recover all my stats. More dungeon bosses. He’d already unlocked his Strength stat by conquering one dungeon boss. First, get these people to safety. He dismissed his interface with a thought and headed towards the smell of food. He’d decided the next quest he should complete was to eat a hearty breakfast to help recover his stamina.
William took a piece of bread in his gauntleted hand and bit into it, though it tasted of ash, he still groaned with relief. Around him, the villagers ate with shaking fingers, passing food to their children first. A mother broke her loaf into three parts for her children and held none back for herself. A soldier noticed and pressed another ration into her hand. She wept as she tried to thank him, but he only shook his head and moved on.
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In the shadow of a burned-out cottage, two boys crouched over a sack of belongings. The younger one, perhaps six years old, pulled out a cracked wooden horse, the toy’s leg missing. He clutched it tight to his chest as though it were a treasure. “Papa made this.” The older boy put a hand on his brother’s shoulder and helped him tie the toy to the sack. Neither spoke of their father, who lay somewhere in the mud beyond the palisade.
An old woman bent over a basket of possessions, pulling out a faded quilt. Her hands lingered on the worn fabric before she tucked it carefully into the pack. A young soldier tried to help her lift the basket onto her back, but she swatted him away with a stubborn glare. “I’ve carried heavier in my day, child.” Though her shoulders shook when she thought no one was looking.
Sibrek planted himself on a half-collapsed wall with a wineskin in hand. He shared it with a pair of lumberjacks who’d fought beside him, their faces still pale with shock. The dwarf grumbled something about soft bellies and sharper axes next time, but his voice softened when he raised the skin in salute to the dead. “To those who fell.” His companions repeated the toast.
Marie moved among the wounded, helping the army healers bind minor wounds so their mana could be spent on serious injuries. She spooned broth into the mouths of those too weak to hold their own bowls. At one point, she paused, watching a father kiss the forehead of his sleeping daughter, the girl safe in his arms at last. William caught the faintest smile tug at her lips before she returned to her work.
Children darted between the adults, their voices high and nervous. Some clutched bread or apples, others searched for parents or siblings with desperate eyes. Each reunion was met with cries of joy, each absence with fresh sobbing. The air was thick with grief and relief tangled together.
William stood at the edge of it all, his sword sheathed, watching Brindlecross live on in the faces of its people. The village would fall to ruin at the hands of goblins when they marched away, but its heart still beat here among the survivors. He could see it in every shared loaf of bread, every trembling embrace, every scrap of memory packed into baskets and sacks.
Fredric was with his family. William watched as the teenager reenacted one of the fights for his younger brother and sisters. Sir Bobby swung his wooden sword along with the story. When it was finished, he ran over to Will.
“Sir William.” The little boy stood tall. “I protected ‘em. Kept ‘em safe from gobbys.” He saluted.
William smiled, stood to attention, and saluted the little boy. He knelt down in the mud. “You performed with great courage, Sir Bobby. The King will hear of your outstanding bravery.” He leaned in to whisper, “But the job is never done, Sir Knight. Your family still needs your protection.”
The little boy nodded and looked towards his family.
“Good man.” Will stood tall and saluted again. “For King and country… And for family.”
Bobby looked confused, but he returned the salute before running back to his family, laughing.
William chuckled. They had lost so much, yet they still had a future to fight for. He watched Sir Bobby salute Fredric and the squire salute back. He’s going to be a handful when he grows up.
Will thought about the real world and how little he interacted with others outside of the game. Damn! I don’t think I’ve met anyone in person for over three months. He spent most of his time in-game or at the gym. He’d made enough credits selling in-game currency and items not to need to work.
These people are so real! In the week he’d spent in Brindlecross, he’d grown to care about them; it no longer felt like a game, and at moments like these, he forgot he was in a simulated world. His mind drifted to how long he’d been unable to log out: he’d never spent more than a few days in-game without logging out. “They must have found me by now. What’s taking them so long?”
Chapter 039 [Questline Failed: Clear the Caves of Goblins and Other Threats]
