As I moved deeper into the fields, more rustling surrounded me. Two more beetles emerged, their glowing yellow eyes fixated on me. They clicked their mandibles, charging together in a coordinated attack.
I jumped to the side by activating Quick Step, narrowly avoiding their pincers. Drawing back my bowstring, I fired a Piercing Shot, the arrow ripping through the legs of both, slowing them down. The other lunged, but a quick Leap Attack gave me the distance I needed to line up a Flaming Arrow, the fire searing through the land, clearing both of them out.
The number of my victims quickly rose. Within the hour I had killed 47 of them. The last beetles were clustered near the edge of the field, feasting on the remains of Brott’s crops. Their mandibles tore through the wheat stalks with ease, too deep into feasting to notice my approach.
I activated Nature’s Howl, a surge of energy coursing through me as my attack speed increased. The first beetle went down in seconds, unable to react to the rapid volley of arrows. One charged at me full speed, but I activated Catapult Legs, soaring through the air, landing just behind the beetle and finishing it off with a critical strike. The final one turned to flee but a Piercing Shot finished the job before it could escape into the brush.
As silence settled over the field, I let out a slow breath, scanning for any signs of movement. The wheat swayed gently in the breeze, but no more beetles emerged.
Farmer Brott was waiting near the edge of the field, his arms crossed as he surveyed the damage. His scowl softened when I approached, holding up a Rock Beetle Carapace as proof.
"Didn’t think you’d manage to kill so much of them!" he admitted, scratching his chin. "This will definitely slow down the damn things. Thank you, adventurer! Here's the document about a job well done, you can turn it in at the association's hall."
Pests in the Fields: 2,000 exp points, 30 silver coins, adventurer's XP: 2
The Iron rank quests gave quite a bit more exp and coins, and even a simple one was worth two adventurer's XP. Killing the 50 beetles also increased my experience bar greatly. I had 17,400 exp out of the 25,000 needed for level 11.
It was just past noon so I decided to have a nice little local meal at the marketplace. The Spring Festival wasn't as extravagant here as it was in Carpa; it was much smaller, but it's size gave it a cozy feeling. I spent 5 silver coins on a liver pie and some lemonade and enjoyed the picturesque view of the village while eating.
I also visited the brook trail the old lady was talking about, and sure enough, so far it might have been the most breathtaking view I have seen in Godsrealm.
It was a tranquil and enchanting path that winded gently alongside the crystal-clear river. The water mirrored the sunlight, giving the whole ambience a golden hue. The water was flowing softly over the rocks, forming tiny ripples whenever a bigger one was in its way. Occasional small waterfalls completed the serene atmosphere, their sound blending noise created by all the small animals around the brook and the rustling of leaves in the breeze.
The trail itself was bordered by wildflowers in colors of yellow, purple, and white and the tall trees formed a natural canopy overhead. Moss-covered rocks and occasional patches of lush green grass added to the natural beauty, inviting people, be them NPCs or players, to pause and take in the scenery. That's what I did before continuing with my quests.
The sun was high when I entered Merrin’s office, a modest room tucked within Riverhear’s town hall. Despite her title as mayor, the furnishings were simple; wooden shelves lined with scrolls and a desk cluttered with maps of the surrounding lands. Merrin, a woman with kind eyes and streaks of gray in her auburn hair, greeted me with a tight smile.
"I’m grateful you’ve taken the time, Orion," she said, her hands folded nervously on her desk. "The medallion I’ve... lost is very dear to me. It belonged to my grandmother. It’s... irreplaceable."
I nodded, accepting the quest scroll she handed me. "You said you lost it near the willow grove?"
She hesitated, her fingers tightening on the desk’s edge. "Actually... Well, Orion, I have to be honest with you. I hadn’t lost the amulet. It was stolen."
She stopped, clearely uneasy to talk about the subject. "By the keeper of the cemetery, Olivier. He’s my...my... uhm..."
I understood the situation despite her babbling. It was stolen by her lover, wasn’t it?
"Please, Orion, recover it quickly. Olivier thinks he can use the medalion against my husband, Theodor. He was convinced there was a dark magic locked inside it, but it’s just a trinket."
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She looked at me with sad eyes. "Still, I don’t want Olivier to do something stupid. My marriage with Theodor was only for the village, but Olivier is dear to my heart. And Theo has ridiculed him in the past for this. He has changed since then, but Olivier still holds a grudge."
"I will do what I can, m’lady," I said.
"Thank you, adventurer," she smiled wearily. "Oh, and if possible, don’t mention this to Theo. I know he has to know, but I want to confess on my own terms."
I nodded. I didn’t want to get involved with the love lives of locals and it seemed like Merrin honestly regretted her actions. From now on, it’s up to Theodor and her.
"So, where could I find this Olivier?" I asked.
"He went out to the Willow Grove to complete a ritual of sorts. To awaken the spirit, or so he said. I’m not sure how he wants to use an amulet to get revenge on my husband, but it would be best for all of us if you handled the matter delicately. He might be..."
The sadness in her voice became deeper as she spoke.
"He might be losing his mind," she finished as tears started flowing from her right eye.
I nodded and I was on my way in no time.
The Willow Grove was quiet and still, the trees around it casting long shadows across the forest floor. Following the trail Merrin described, I quickly found my way there.
I spotted Olivier, the cemetery keeper. He was a gaunt figure, his pale skin almost translucent, with long black hair framing his sharp features. He could be a Potions teacher in a very famous movie, I thought.
His icy blue eyes flicked toward me as I approached.
"Adventurer," he said, his voice soft but dripping with disdain. "What brings you here?"
I crossed my arms, leveling a steady gaze at him. "Merrin’s medallion. I think you know where it is."
He stiffened, his thin lips pressing into a line. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."
I stepped closer. "I know everything, Olivier. Stop lying."
For a moment, he said nothing, but then he laughed; a bitter, hollow sound. "You think you’re clever, don’t you? Fine. I have it. But you don’t understand the truth of it."
He took out the medallion from his cloak. The emerald in its center glinted with an unnatural light, faint runes etched along its silver edges.
Olivier’s voice grew venomous as he spoke. "Merrin’s fool of a husband, Theodor, has ridiculed me for years, flaunting her like some prize while I’ve been cast aside. But this medallion... it’s more than a trinket. It holds a seal, locking away something ancient and powerful. Something I can use to make Theodor pay."
"Olivier," I said, my voice firm as I was taking a look at the amulet. It did indeed glow with a strange aura. Maybe he’s actually right? "You don’t know what you’re tampering with. You’ll only hurt yourself, and maybe everyone else in Riverhear.”
But his eyes burned with desperation as he clutched the medallion. "No one ever listened to me. But they’ll remember my name now."
He spoke a word in a language I didn’t understand, and the runes on the medallion flared to life. A deafening roar echoed through the cemetery as green light engulfed Olivier. He screamed, his body twisting and contorting as the spirit within the medallion took hold.
Before my eyes, he transformed into something else, a monstrous figure of shadow and crimson energy, eyes glowing red its form towering and grotesque, with antlers and claws like scythes.
I started running. One glance at the monster was enough. I had no chance on my own. As I started to move towards the Riverhear I could still hear the monster’s voice mixed with Olivier’s painful growls:
“Theodor... kill...”
The boss will head to the village, I thought while hurrying towards the association's office. I had to notify the residents and gather all the players to try and stop it. I looked back to take another glance at the enemy.
The ground trembled beneath my feet as the Woe of Riverhear let out its first unearthly roar, a sound that etched into my memory so much I had never quite forgotten it. The creature stood at least three times the size of Olivier’s human form, its massive, shadowy body pulsing with unnatural magic. Its claws extended from its weirdly long arms, their form everchanging. The monster was radiating pure malice. The twisted remnants of the medallion’s chain hung around its neck.
I reached the village grounds in no time and headed straight to the association’s office. I barely entered the building when I started shouting.
"Sound the bells! A monster is coming!"
Fortunately, the association’s workers knew what to do. They ran to all of the alarms simultaneously, without hesitation or questions, and soon enough the residents of Riverhear started to find safe haven in the village hall.
The chaos lured in most of the players who were currently in the village as well. To my biggest delight, I spotted a familiar face.
"Stone!" the Guardian turned to me.
"A level 15 Field Boss is coming straight to the village," I looked at the ranger who was standing next to him. "Both of you go and gather all the players you meet and bring them to the south entrance."
"Got it! Let’s go, Sylph!" Stone said.
He wasted no time with questions. He only met me once but from that encounter both of us knew to trust each other enough not to doubt the other. He also seemed to understand my biggest worry when he glanced over at the village hall. NPCs in this game didn’t respawn.
They had lives, memories, dreams, problems to solve and things to look forward to.
Sure, in the end they were only masses of data, and the death of an NPC couldn’t compare to the death of a real person, but the way they acted and lived wasn’t different from us at all. One day in Godsrealm was enough for thousands of players to befriend them, to have fun with them and to understand them, and even the most skeptical ones were starting to treat them as close to real people as possible. Them dying would not just be a blow to the flow of the game, but also a tragedy that should be avoided.
Wait, Sylph?