Looking back at the past few weeks, Ridley had to admit she had changed a lot. For the most part, these changes had benefited her. The confidence seemed to ward off the people who would normally bother her, and it had given her the gumption to socialize with whomever she darn well pleased. On the other hand, her filter seemed to have switched off as well. She said what she wanted to say, when she wanted to say it. The thought that she might be crazy had crossed her mind a few times, and now there was this… a character in her book had decided to start a conversation with her.
“Retort, you unfilial goat turd!”
By conversation, Ridley meant the character was hurling old-Europeanesque insults at her. This blood-covered lady was shouting and swinging her spear around menacingly... from the cover of her book. If she had been six feet tall and three-dimensional, she might have been very imposing. Instead, her threats had Ridley laughing on the floor to the point of tears.
“I shall putteth thee over mine own knee and strap thee!” She pulled her belt off as if to add weight to her threat.
“Look, lady, if you manage to give me a paper cut, I will become your humble follower, but I’m not going to swear fealty to a couple of ink blobs. Then I really would be crazy.”
“Thou hast followed me though thou didst not know it. Thou hast used mine own malevolence. Thou might even be mine own inheritor.”
“Malevolence?” Ridley inquired.
The drawing thought for a second. “Power.”
Now there was a flag if ever Ridley saw one. She had looked over her treasures last night. The Rurouni Kenshin mangas were underwhelming. This explained why the creators didn’t animate them and chose filler episodes instead. The barbarian class and skills list was a major find when she looked at the tabletop guides. This apparition, however, was a big clue to what Ridley suspected might be the equivalent of what’s called a subclass.
“So you are claiming to be my ancient ancestor?” Ridley asked with a raised eyebrow, trying not to roll into another fit of laughter. How on Earth was she meant to take this situation seriously?
“It is known that the dead appeareth to their kin. It is not any mistress that can bear the strength of three men, even if it be true only a short time.” She seemed placated enough to put away her illustrated spear as she attempted to explain what seemed obvious to her. However, it was readily apparent that there were some translation issues with this dub. Ridley’s comprehension was going to be hard-earned.
“So you claim ghosts can appear to their descendants and give them powers?”
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“Aye.”
This sounded oddly familiar to a subclass Ridley had read about. Convenient, really, like someone planned for her to find two books she needed in the same store—one containing a nearly identical description of abilities and the other her dead great-great-great-great-grandmother. She might even need to throw a few more greats on there.
“So, what is your name? Maybe I can look you up in my genealogy. Then I can confirm whether I’m off my rocker or not.”
The drawing wiped blood off her face as she said, “Mine own name is not very much important and not yet earned by thee. What is important is that thou accept mine own protection, which thou hast tasted. Hurly-burly is in thy blood and destiny. Thou art cursed as I was to do battle; this I know to be true.”
This lady was talking nonsense. Hurly-burly? The heck was that? It sounded like some kind of Aussie slang for a burger. The woman tilted her head in concern and looked at Ridley, knowing she wasn’t convinced.
“Didst thou not touch the red haze of battle passion? Did thy modest bosom not thrum with rage at thine enemies? Didst thou not swell with strength?”
“What does my bosom have to do with this!?” Ridley said, subconsciously puffing out her chest.
However, she hit the nail on the head. It seemed Ridley had used her “protection” already. If she was going to keep looking for giants and box monsters to smash and make money, she might need to upgrade from the thirty-day free trial.
“Okay, lady. Why not? I’ll accept your protection. What do I need to do? And what should I call you?”
“Thou mayest call me Victrius. As for thine protection, I bequeath to thee this rune.” Victrius flipped her own book cover over to the first page. All of the book’s pages had been blank when Ridley flipped them over before. Victrius moved onto the blank white page and waved her spear casually before her. Then a golden glow burst out and dimmed slowly into a symbol made up of three spirals that met in the center.
“Cool... so what do I do with this?”
“Tattoo it on thine arm, adorn it on thy robes, etch it in thy weapons—it matters not, but thou must have it about thy person.”
Ridley was too young to get a tattoo. Now she was about to get a third. She jumped out of her Totoro bean bag and went to a plastic bin that had no lid. She dug around a massive pile of used pens and pencils and found a Sharpie. Of course, it was dry. All pens that she first tried ended up being dry; it’s a natural part of the pen-seeking process. So she dropped it back in the bin and found another one. This one, as she suspected, worked. She plopped back down on Totoro, picked Victrius up off the floor, and looked at the symbol. She rolled up her sleeve and drew the symbol on her forearm. When she finished, a new window appeared.
^
New title: Disciple of the Rune Warden
The Rune Warden, Victrius, has decided to teach you a runic symbol. You may now use the basic rune ‘awaken’.
“Looks like I’m your disciple or something now. You’re going to lead me down the path of a hero or something, right?” Ridley smiled as she looked down at Victrius.
“The hero? Nay, I shall lead thee down the path of vengeance.” Her lips curved upward into a crazed smile that didn’t touch her eyes.
Ridley wasn’t too disappointed. The Punisher was still a hero, after all.
“Disciple greets master,” Ridley said, bowing with mock sincerity. “So let me ask you. What does this do?” Ridley inquired, pointing at the arrow rune that was beginning to glow brightly.
Are you more or less invested in Ridley's character now
