RhaegarRRL
patreon
Chapter 11 Execution
🕑 Added 2020-10-03 11:24:15 +0000 UTCAuthor's note: Hey there. Going with one advance chapter compared to RR with this for now. Thanks for the varied and detailed feedback so far.
I do think the pacing in these first 10 chapters is too slow and might cut some stuff out or rewrite it. The fact that he hasn't met anybody yet makes the writing a bit awkward at times but I do like the slow and steady progress.
His character might be annoying to read for many (more so at the start) but know that I don't plan this to be a suffering/grimdark novel. Maybe this chapter already shows some of the progress he's made.
Do keep the comments coming if you're still reading this at all :P. Also I added the 10 first chapters below just in case you missed them somehow.
Chapter 11 Execution
Adrian came to with a start, moving backwards before he hit something hard.
He felt cold and naked.
Again.
He checked his arm and thigh before a shaking hand moved to his brow.
Adrian felt tears roll down his cheeks, the memory of the pain pulsing through his mind as if the jaws were still clenched around his limbs.
He was naked again.
Naked, without a weapon or any armor to protect himself.
That was stupid, he murmured, wiping away the tears. Pain and fear, if I had remained focused.
He stopped himself.
You got overwhelmed. Who could have known there were dogs down there. Now you know.
And you know that dying really isnt the end. It seems.
He looked up and saw one of the golden leaves snap off, slowly swaying in the wind as it was blown away.
Was that?
He stood up and rushed to the side of the terrace, trying to grab the floating leaf before it sailed over the railings.
Adrian caught the thing, looking at it in his hand.
The silver is fading.
Did what does it mean?
Just give up.
He ignored the voice, angry at being shot by an undead soldier. He looked at the leaf and went back to the white tree.
I mean its obvious. But how am I connected to you?
Can you talk? he asked.
Nothing answered him.
Thought as much.
It could just be a coincidence.
No.
There are no leaves on the ground here.
He sighed and lightly punched the bark, falling to his knees.
Get a hold of yourself, he said to himself.
Adrian opened his eyes, taking the leaf and pushing it into the dirt.
This is the second time I die.
And its going to be the last.
He looked inward.
Soulbound:
Essence 16
Level 1
Vitality 11
Endurance 10
Strength 9
Skill 8
Intelligence 12
Wisdom 11
Soul skill Slot 1
My glorious one level is still there but of course no equipment, he murmured to himself.
And I lost one hundred Essence again.
That means its not getting more expensive to die. Or at least not yet.
He snickered to himself.
What a way to look at my life , he murmured, grasping at his throat, his hand moving up to his brow.
He shot me.
Does that mean I can die as many times as there are leaves?
There were hundreds, all shimmering in the remaining light of day.
Get dressed Adrian.
He looked down on himself. Did I lose weight? Already?
Adrian didnt care about being naked, not right now. And still, he made himself go to the royal chamber where he changed into a new set of clothes and armor. This one wasnt as good as the one he had lost but it served its purpose.
He grasped a sword in his hand, feeling it quiver slightly.
Maybe some more training , he thought and walked out onto the terrace.
This time however, something had changed. Not on the terrace itself but beyond.
He ran to the railings and looked out into the town.
Adrian saw something rise up to the sky. Gray smoke. Not a lot but clearly visible. It came from somewhere quite far away, near the walls perhaps.
Someones here?
He debated if he should shout for help but quickly decided against it. If its someone who would help, theyd have to fight through all the monsters to get here. Theres a higher chance of me attracting somethings attention. And its very far away they wouldnt hear it in the first place.
Who knows if theyre friendly. They could be on the side of the monsters.
Could also just be an accident maybe some undead bumped into another and it dropped a torch, he murmured to himself.
Adrian knew how unrealistic that scenario was.
The smoke meant that there was something out there. Someone maybe, that could help him get back.
He took a deep breath and looked at the sword again. He stopped the quivering with his left hand, opening his eyes before he set off towards the stairs.
The door looked the same as it had before. The corpses upstairs had remained, yet to be stripped of their gear.
Your body is going to be out there.
He gulped, his hand resting on the latch.
Adrian ground his teeth and opened the exit as silently as he could.
The courtyard looked the same, undead patrolling around with their weapons drawn.
This time he made sure to check lower, looking for dogs that might be hidden. In the end, there were too many obstacles in the way for him to see.
Adrian opened the door further, as quietly as he could, hearing tearing and growls from ahead. He prepared his sword and sneaked out, his eyes opening wide when he saw the dog biting deep into his own face.
You dare, he growled in a low voice while closing the distance.
The dog looked up, its snout covered in blood, pieces of flesh hanging out.
Adrian didnt give it time to react. His sword dug deep into its skull before it could so much as yelp. The weapon nearly slipped from his hand as he looked down at the body.
It was him. There was no mistake. How is that possible
The noises ahead made him look up. He had attracted the attention of one of the patrols.
Damn monsters. Im not gonna let myself rot out here.
He sheathed his sword and grabbed the corpse under its arms, trying very hard not to look at the mangled face. What was left of it that was. Adrian heaved, nearly buckling under the weight but keeping on anyway.
The undead werent moving particularly quickly, only attracted by the noise so far.
He managed to drag the body back into the stairwell, closing the door and checking for close by undead. None had followed. I was fast enough.
He sighed, his eyes still focused forward and towards the door. The wood looked old but sturdy. Thin lines showed the make of it, a few spiderwebs still clinging onto the uppermost part, ripped now because of his sudden exit.
Turn around.
The latch looked well made. Steel, its form made to be effective more so than aesthetic.
He finally wrenched his gaze from the exit, finding himself staring instead at the corpse he had dragged inside. A wooden bolt still stuck in the persons head, a man, a little bit on the heavier side but not yet overweight. His face had been chewed off near entirely, one glassy eye staring into nothing. He looked like an adventurer, wearing armor made of leather.
What the hell am I supposed to do with this.
Adrian sat down on the stairs next to his own body. I need the gear. Its the best set around and it seems in alright shape. Mostly.
What am I even thinking about, he murmured quietly, sheathing his sword before he cupped his face with both hands. I need to get out of here.
What you need to do is investigate the smoke. And kill more undead.
You cant die anyway, not really. Whats the big deal?
The voice in his head had grown quite annoying in the last half hour.
At least you dont have to listen to that anymore, he said dryly, looking at the body next to him.
I should bury it. Or better, burn it. Maybe I can signal whoever made the smoke with my own.
Id need a lot of wood though and the fire might spread, he said to himself.
Use your momentum. Use your anger.
Im more ashamed really. Two dogs? A crossbow bolt? Really? Im better than that.
So what do I do now. Undress myself? he asked nobody in particular. The answer was yes. He needed the gear, at least everything except for the pants and shirt below, which he was grateful for.
Arms Faenhold Soldier Bracers [Damaged]
Thats a problem, he thought, checking each piece separately. In the end only the bracers and pants had been declared damaged, their magical bonuses now gone.
Adrian simply put on everything else that was still intact, leaving his other gear in the stairwell. He didnt dare go up to his room, lest he remain there.
Instead he carefully opened the door, not giving his corpse another look as he stepped outside.
The nearest patrol had passed this side of the courtyard, now moving with their backs towards him.
Do I make sound and draw their attention?
He sneaked to where he had died and grabbed his shield, glancing at the dog quickly. It had bled out, lying on the stone floor unmoving.
They can run, but theyre not the fastest.
He checked for more patrols but right now he only saw the one close by. Four undead soldiers, one holding a crossbow. I have to get that one first.
Adrian didnt wait any longer, not about to let more enemies sneak up on him while he contemplated his approach. He fastened the shield to his left arm and moved towards the patrol, as silently as he could.
The shuffling steps of the undead monsters were loud enough to shroud his more dexterous approach, in part surely attributed to the Skill he gained from his current gear.
Adrian grabbed his sword with both hands, glad to see the crossbow holder being the last in the small formation. He closed the distance and slammed his weapon in and through the mans neck. He twisted the sword violently on its way out, leaving a deep gash in its throat.
The other undead were slow to respond, turning towards the sound with confused moaning.
Adrian already closed in on the second one, his sword stabbing into its face with a powerful thrust. At this stage he had plenty of confidence in his stabbing abilities. Neither was anything more truly needed.
He ripped the blade out and turned tail, running away until he closed the door behind himself. The man slid down on the door, his sword clattering to the side as he tried to get his lungs and heart under control.
Come on. Two more.
His hands were shaking but he focused on the bloodied sword next to him, wiping away at his eyes as his vision blurred. A moment later he managed to push himself up, focusing on his breathing.
My exhaustion from before its gone.
Pounding and scratching on the door made him turn around. He prepared his sword and pushed the entrance open with as much strength as he could muster.
One of the soldiers stumbled back, letting go of its weapon. The other one was slightly stunned.
It was enough for Adrian to stab its throat. He wrenched out the weapon and rushed to the second monster, stabbing its side as it tried to get back the sword it had dropped.
He stabbed another five times with increasing violence and decreasing accuracy. The result was the same.
Thats what you get, he said in a tired and raspy voice, glancing around to see if anything had heard him. The small courtyard had quieted down, his breathing loud and his heart pounding away.
Focus. One chunk of the mountain down, more to come.
He moved as silently as he could, crossing through the yard in a crouch until he reached the two undead soldiers he had killed first. The Crossbow was loaded and intact. Adrian sheathed his sword and grabbed the weapon.
2h Weapon Faenhold Crossbow [Adequate]
Skill +1
Less skill. Fuck it, he thought and grabbed the corpses shoulder before he turned it onto its back.
He found four additional bolts inside a small quiver like container fastened to the undeads belt. Carefully putting down the crossbow, he checked his surroundings before he started to loosen the straps.
Adrian saw another patrol round a corner a few dozen meters ahead, a dog walking next to four soldiers. None of them held a ranged weapon.
Im in luck, he thought, taking the small quiver before he sneaked back to the door with both his new weapon and bolts in hand.
It took him a few minutes to strap the thing to his belt but in the end it was barely more annoying than the sheath for his sword. The quiver didnt show in his list of equipment, nor did it provide any additional bonuses.
I wonder if its the same with an arrow quiver slung behind my back, he thought and breathed in deeply. Get the dog, go back and reload. You can do it.
Adrian slowly pushed open the door, peeking out to find the patrol rather close.
The dog walked a little ahead of the group, turning its rotten head towards the slight noise.
He didnt wait for the thing to discover him, instead aiming at the close target and firing a moment later.
The bolt struck true, hitting the dog in its side and sending the small critter skidding a few meters back, dead before it hit the ground.
I love this thing, he thought and closed the door before the soldiers even turned towards him. His back to the wood, he focused entirely on reloading. The motion felt familiar to him now and he found his hands barely shaking.
The first undead slammed into the door behind him. The gate however remained shut, more sturdy than the feeble room doors above.
He looked at his own corpse on the stairs, glaring at the bolt sticking out of his head before he turned with a frown on his face. Adrian opened the door slightly before he shoved as hard as he could. The tactic had worked before and now too, the undead stumbled back stunned and confused.
He aimed at the closest one and sent a bolt right into its ugly grimace. The soldier slammed to the ground from the powerful impact.
Right back at you.
Two of the others had regained their composure, rushing to the open door right before it shut before them.
Adrian turned around again, reloading once more. See, not that hard, is it? he said to his cold dead body. If anything he was angry that he had died to dumb monsters like these.
Id be the dumb idiot that dies to the slow zombies in the first week of infections.
The soldiers uselessly stabbed and crashed against the heavy door, letting him take a little longer to catch his breath.
When he felt ready, Adrian pushed the door open. This time, one of the three soldiers had stood too far away to get hit, running at him with sword in hand.
The bolt slammed into its stomach, slowing it down a little.
Adrian raised his shield, letting go of the crossbow before he unsheathed his sword. He slammed away the fumbling undeads weapon with the wooden tool before stabbing his sword through the weak protection on its stomach, right next to where the bolt had entered deeply.
He already started retreating, giving the collapsing undead another look before he rushed up the stairs.
Two more, he thought and kept on running, through the hallway littered with corpses, pots, and pans. Finally he rushed up the small circular staircase before he stepped into the guard room and closed the door.
His weight would be enough to stop them, even if they followed all the way up here.
Adrian found that despite the whole ordeal of the last ten minutes, he wasnt absolutely out of breath. Just mostly. He still had the presence of mind to hold his sword and check the straps that kept his shield fastened to his arm.
Theyre just stupid undead.
And youre human.
He didnt make a noise for the next five minutes, letting his stamina recover slightly as he twirled the sword in his hands nervously.
Are they not coming?
Another five minutes passed before he heard a scraping sound from beyond the door. There you are.
He turned around and prepared himself, listening intently. Only one.
When the undead scratched at the door, Adrian opened it and kicked the wood as hard as he could. He both heard and felt the impact, rushing out to find the undead had hit the wall and toppled over, dropping its sword in the process.
It tried to grab the weapon but not before cold steel dug into its unprotected neck with a powerful thrust.
One to go. Dont get cocky now.
Adrian didnt hear the fourth member of the patrol. He slowly crept down the stairs, sword and shield in hand as he focused on his breathing.
At the end of the hall, he saw the soldier. It had turned around, currently shuffling back towards the stairwell leading down.
Do take your time, he thought and waited.
A few minutes later, the creature was gone and he followed. He grabbed and loaded his first Crossbow, the one providing two in Skill before he sneaked down the stairs.
The undead hadnt gotten far, just now reaching the door out into the courtyard.
Adrian aimed from above and fired a bolt right into its back.
He mustve hit something vital because the creature slumped down a few moments later.
And thats number four, and enough for the bloody day, he thought, and walked down the stairs. Another thrust into their necks made sure the undead were truly gone.
He dragged a few of the corpses inside the stairwell, their bodies in the way of shutting the door.
The last thing he did was rip out the bolt still sticking in his own bodys head and dragging the corpse up and to the terrace.
Its okay. Youre still you. Probably.
It took a while and by the time he was halfway there, his body felt sore and entirely spent. The adrenaline had worn off and the impressions from his encounters came back to him as he kept on pulling the heavy corpse towards the terrace.
Soulbound:
Essence 140
Level 1
Vitality 11 [16]
Endurance 10
Strength 9 [13]
Skill 8 [13]
Intelligence 12
Wisdom 11
Soul skill Slot 1
Equipment:
Helmet Faenhold Soldier Helmet [Adequate]
Vitality +1
Chest Faenhold Soldier Leather Armor [Adequate]
Vitality +2
Arms Faenhold Soldier Bracers [Adequate]
Magic Projectile Speed +1%
Hands Royal Faenhold Silk Gloves [High]
Skill +4
Rogue Soul Skill Damage +3
Belt Faenhold Soldier Belt [High]
Strength +4
Warrior Soul Skill Cost -2%
Legs Faenhold Soldier Pants [Common]
Boots Faenhold Soldier Boots [Adequate]
Skill +1
1h Weapon Faenhold Shortsword [Adequate]
Vitality +2
Off hand Wooden Shield [Common]
Comments
Mundane
Just wanted to weigh in and say that I absolutely love this story. This has been by far the most realistic and interesting reaction by a protagonist at the start of a story in this genre. It was very brave of you to write in this style and when you compare your writing skill here to when you started your growth is spectacular. Thank you for sharing this with us!
fbt
btw, I really love the cover of leaves, it makes me LOL every time I see it. Yeah, it's probably not what you really need LT, but I think it's awesome. :)
Nate
Ugh, way to be trash you shitty phone browser. Okay so, the mechanics are almost exactly dark souls which is... fine. It's fine. (Though no currency regained for recovering your body, which is a bummer. What's he supposed to do with all the corpses he's no doubt going to collect? Pose them under his tree, I suppose. :P) AH didn't exactly pioneer anything with *it's* LitRPG system and I still enjoy that. And in 11 chapters we have a start of MC growth, which is pretty solid. The chapters are a bit slow paced so far, but if you choices are laze around in bed or fight for your life against zombies I understand why your average Joe would choose the former. So... it works, is I guess what I'm saying? Thing that's not really getting me excited is the protagonist - a depressed fat guy. That's not escapism, I play one of those in real life! (Kidding.. mostly.) He's not really interested in exploring, or fighting, or even really surviving - just doing all three because he doesn't know what else to do. And that's... again, fine. It's just not really grabbing me so far, you know?
Exal
I would have zero problem if the story was fresh and interresting. But the MC is clearly in something like darksouls, so not really fresh even if i love darksouls. Interresting? finding magical socks in drawer interresting?
I think a lot of people's problems stem from the fact that this is taking chapters of AH away from them. I get that, but don't agree with it. AH's quality has been dropping recently, don't get me wrong I still enjoy it, but its starting to get repetitive. Right now I'm enjoying Leaves more than AH because its new and the protagonist isn't crazy strong. Illea's story is great and she deserves the power she's achieved, but I'm getting tired of her interactions with people. She's so strong now that nearly all of her interactions with sapiens are repetitive. There either arrogant or scared and she acts accordingly by taking them down a peg or acting her usual carefree self. AH in my opinion is at its best when Illea is actually challenged and is having fun. I do understand that it makes a certain amount of senses for people to react as they do, but at this point its happened so many times that its not fun to read. Most of what I'm trying to say is directed at the down time in-between big arcs. The story always appears to stagnate during these chapters causing them to feel very similar and frankly boring. But, looks like another big adventure is on the horizon with people that can actually keep up with Illea. Honestly I get why people are upset, but I cant see this as anything other than a good thing. A fresh interesting story and a way for the author to take a break and get creative with a new thing.
A lot of people seem to dislike the pacing, personally I enjoy it. I'm enjoying reading about how Adrian Is growing as a person. He started off as a pitiably human being thrown into a horrible situation with no way out. Despite all of this he's still finding ways to be proactive and doing his best to deal with the trauma of his situation. Sure he's leveled up once, but that shouldn't matter growth comes in more forms than numbers on a fucking stat block. A few chapters ago he was terrified to fight even one zombie and now he just took on 8 in a day. He's improving slowly and its gratifying to read.
Endoria
Yep, the MC is so unlikeable I too wish he would just die.
Chopper
Alright, fresh meat!
Exal
Man, i just read the first 5 chapters and fuuuck. The MC is not just anoying, he has nothing for him. He is in denial, fat, unfit, not clever... I mean there must be something, anything. Because it would be more reallistic to have him just crumble and die. Shit, i'am ranting ... And im sorry that's not really contructive critisism but man. It's ultra slow for something that is segmented in chapters, and if that weak little shit of adrian is stealing Illea time, that's hard :(
mpop
Ok 2 things. First in this chapter there was no + by his level even though he has more than 100 essence. Is it up to 200 now? Second one of the royal clothes gave +2 to cost. Shouldn’t it be -2?
The other DB
Thanks for the chapter its nice to see some progression and hints of other characters. These chapters have been slow but the world building is nice but the ratio of plot progression to release rate makes it hard to keep reading it. Even with chapters like this one, a once a week release rate might not be enough progression to keep my interest without some other plot device keeping my interest. You mentioned that this is supposed to be slice of life, I liked SOL stories, so I'm not expecting large plot lines but for SOL stories there's a cast of charterers that I like and at this point there's only one character and although he's relatable I don't care about him. AH was already popular when I discovered it so it's hard for me to say when I started to care about the Ilea but 11 chapters in and I still don't care about Adrian. I think that part of it is that we got to see part of Ilea's life and goals before coming to Elos where with Adrian we didn't get that and from the few insights into his life before it wasn't that great but it could have been improving. Ilea also has a now positive personality making her more likeable. Right now, the main thing keeping me reading this story are the possibilities I see in it and your credibility as the author of AH. This might be a story that I let simmer for a while before coming back to in a few months.
Andre Washington
^_^
Zarik0
Gonna try this new storie :P
Alexander Dupree
Thanks for the chapter
