"Amazing..."
"He is keeping up with that speed."
"It is as if he has eyes on his back."
"As expected of the Hero of Qhiion."
The warriors of Osnines muttered with sparkling eyes, watching as Rilden and Audfrey waltzed in a deadly dance, sparks flying everywhere.
From the beginning, Astrid smiled, having complete faith in him. However, Erose was different. She was nervous, as she wasn't sure he could truly fight. But now, she saw he could, so she rexed a bit.
"Rilden, please don't die..." Erose silently prayed.
On Steorus's side, Sigvor and his men were starting to worry.
"Audfrey is..."
"No way..."
"He is pushing her back..."
"That pup has a bite... Hang in there, Audfrey..." Sigvor frowned, clenching his arm.
On the battlefield, Audfrey, who unched scratches, feints, jabs, kicks, parries, stabs, and even used her ponytail as a hidden weapon, couldn't help but feel panicked.
"What kind of instincts are these?! It is as if he can predict my every move! As expected from the Hero of Qhiion! He is a perfect warrior." She thought, having to retract her leg, lest she would get stabbed by Rilden's sharp knife.
For the first time, she felt that her speed and guile were useless against an opponent weaker than her!
But she didn't know that Rilden was more panicked than she was!
"FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! SO FUCKING CLOSE! AAAHHH!!! THAT KICK NEARLY BROKE MY NECK! EEK! DON'T GAUGE MY EYE WITH THAT HAIR WHIP! NOOO! DON'T DISEMBOWEL ME!!! WHY THE GROIN AGAIN?! EASY FIGHT, MY FOOT!!!"
During the fight, Rilden saw himself getting maimed or killed dozens of times thanks to
, and the visions were more than graphic. Reacting to the danger, his
body reacted, taking the appropriate measures. Not only that, but his
But even then, even with a stronger willpower, he felt fear of seeing his death and maiming dozens of times. Since it wasn't unnatural fear,
In actuality, Rilden wrongly accused
Ignoring this, it was truly an easy fight! Almost effortless! And this was against a seasoned duelist!
Suddenly, he saw a vision of that hair whip stabbing his thigh's main artery, so his body instinctively reacted, and he chopped with his axe.
Zip*
With a zipping noise, the stinger was cut off, undoing the braid, and before she could unch a cw attack at his neck, Rilden made a roundhouse kick at her stomach.
THUD*
"GEHO!"
Thud* Roll* Roll* Roll* Crackle*
Audfrey was sent flying, rolling on the ground several times before stabilizing herself with her cws, clutching her stomach. Her brown braid was undone, and her wild hair swayed with the wind as she looked at Rilden as a deadly foe.
"Er... sorry for the hair?" Rilden awkwardly said.
But Audfrey interpreted it as a slight, gnashing her teeth, her pupils narrowing to slits before howling like a giant feline.
"GROWL!!!" She let out a wild warcry, a visible shockwave filling the air.
On both sides, Wolfgang and Sigvor knew what was happening.
"She went berserk..."
"Win or loss, this is it..."
Rilden then saw Audfrey pounce at him on all fours like a wild beast, her fangs extended in bestial fury. He saw himself getting bisected with a single cw sweep before she bit his neck off.
"FUCK THAT SHIT!" Rilden was horrified as his body automatically reacted, dropping his axe.
Instinctively, his legs buckled, his body leaning back into a 90-degree position from his knees, just as Audfrey's furious form passed over him. Their eyes briefly locked as Rilden punched her with his dagger handle right in the sternum, using her momentum against her.
BANG*
"GAH!" Audfrey gasped, her momentum carrying her as her eyes rolled back from the pain.
Thud* Roll* Roll* Roll* Sss*
Thump*
"Oh, fuck... That just happened..." Rilden muttered while on his back and quickly got up to look around.
"Cough* Cough*! Grr*"
He saw Audfrey, her feline mask off, struggling to her feet while having trouble breathing. Her beautiful, heroic face looked at him with defiance and unwillingness.
However, the sharp-eyed Wolfgang and Sigvor knew that the match was over. Wolfgang meaningfully gnced at Sigvor, and Sigvor knew he had to forfeit, willing or not.
"AUDFREY! ENOUGH! Don't bring shame to our ancestors!" Sigvor yelled from the wall.
Those words sobered Audfrey. Her pupils returned to normal and knelt, lowering her head in resignation, knowing she had thoroughly lost against a weaker opponent.
"I yield," Audfrey said, convinced of Rilden's strength.
Now, she pced her fate at his mercy. Whether he spared or killed her, she was willing to accept it. That was the victor's right.
"Er... Does that mean I win?" Rilden muttered, a bit dazed.
Just then, he heard Astrid yell from the distance.
"My Hero! You are now to decide whether to kill or spare Audfrey! It is your right!" Astrid reminded him.
"Ah... Right." Rilden remembered he was in a life-and-death duel.
Rilden sheathed his dagger, picked up his axe with his left hand, and walked to Audfrey, who stared at him with clear brown eyes.
And then, against her expectations, Rilden reached out an open hand and gave the friendliest grin he could muster.
"Get up, you fought well," Rilden said.
Audfrey blinked in disbelief, but still took his hand, her face blushing for an unknown reason.
"takka tér fyrir, vere ek tín kona héean í frá," Audfrey muttered, giving him a small, shy smile.
"I don't know what that means, but you're welcome." Rilden smiled back, a bit more sincerely this time.
And then, he heard the cheering noises from both sides.
"Rilden! Rilden! Rilden! Rilden! Rilden! Rilden! Rilden! Rilden! Rilden! Rilden! Rilden! Rilden!"
"Rilden! Rilden! Rilden! Rilden! Rilden! Rilden! Rilden! Rilden! Rilden! Rilden! Rilden! Rilden!"
"Sigvor! Are you going to honor our agreement?!" Wolfgang yelled with a toothy grin.
Sigvor looked at the legendary warrior. If he still didn't agree, not only would he shame his ancestors and anger Qhiion, but Wolfgang would have justifiable reason to rip his head off, and no one would stop him. His people already supported the Hero of Qhiion.
Looking at the remaining tier 4 warriors beside him, and then at Audfrey, who was spared, Sigvor didn't have a choice. They lost, fair and square. The Hero of Qhiion showed he was not some weak dog puppy, but a young wolf deserving his power, and was even magnanimous enough to spare his opponent. He couldn't ask for more from a young hero.
"We surrender! Steorus shall now serve the Hero of Qhiion, Rilden!" Sigvor announced.
Both sides, victor and loser, cheered. Things ended peacefully, and they were now under an honorable Hero. They were naturally happy.
Just then-
"Hey! Look! The clouds!"
Everyone looked up and saw that red clouds gathered right above them, covering the clear blue sky. No, right above Rilden.
"Qhiion is blessing our Hero! Everyone, kneel!" Astrid yelled and was the first to kneel.
Everyone else followed. Whether they were hard believers, casual believers, or even those who merely acknowledged his existence, they knelt.
With Audfrey kneeling beside him, Rilden looked at the sky, knowing this would happen.
"Here we go..." Rilden warily thought.
Then, a bloody light shone from the heavens, right over him, as a helmet materialized.
It was a blood-red helmet with a domineering face mask and three intimidating spikes, striking awe and fear into anyone who saw it.
Qhiion said no words to him, but Rilden knew the old god expected him to wear it.
Picking it up, Rilden used
Name: Conquerer's Helm(Qhiion's Relic)Tier: 3(Divine, Growth)Requirement: Hero of QhiionEffect: When worn, you will strike fear and awe in all who see you, making them more willing to surrender to you. When activated, you will yell a shout that will raise your soldiers' morale while reducing that of the enemies, and those of weak will would immediately surrender to you. It will grow along with you.Evaluation: A powerful relic for any warring conqueror that would grow together with you on your journey.
At first gnce, the helmet is a powerful relic for any ruler or conqueror. Accepting it here and now would make dominating his popution much easier.
However, Rilden knew that if he accepted it, he would doom himself to become the tyrant that his ancestors were.
"Do I want to become a tyrant?" Rilden idly thought as he raised the divine helmet.
And then, he did something that shocked and horrified everyone present.
Woosh* Cng* Cng* Cng* Roll*
Rilden threw the helmet far away, throwing away a god's gift, right in front of his watching eyes. The bloody clouds in the sky suddenly froze, as if in disbelief or stunned anger.
And, as if adding insult to injury, Rilden pointed at the sky and shouted words that made Astrid, who understood him, almost faint.
"FUCK BEING A CONQUERER! WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD WANT TO BE ONE?! I REJECT YOUR GIFT!!! AND FUCK YOU FOR TRYING TO MAKE ME ANOTHER TYRANT!" Rilden shouted to the high heavens, giving the middle finger, a widely known symbol, to the literal god of Violence and Sughter.
The more he said, the angrier he got.
"Yeah! Who wants to be a fucking conqueror, to be feared and awed by all?! I prefer people liking and loving me than isoting myself! FUCK YOU!"
RUMBLE*
Angered by Rilden's btant disrespect, the clouds rumbled and brewed in anger, reflecting the anger Qhiion was experiencing. Red lightning brewed as the red of the clouds grew deeper.
"OH YEAH?! YOU ANGRY?! I AM ANGRY TOO! COME ON, YOU ANCIENT FUCK! SMITE ME! PUNISH THE ONLY CHANCE FOR YOU TO BECOME THE VENERATED GOD OF HOPE YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO BE! I DARE YOU! I DOUBLE DARE YOU!!! DO IT!!!" Rilden roared in mortal anger and righteous indignation.
He was so angry that he forgot the lines he initially prepared. Now, he was throwing his emotions as a mortal at a mighty and ancient god that existed before the beginning of human history. With a whim, Rilden, and even his soul, would be smited to dust. No, even if he reached tier 7, he would still be smited to dust.
And yet, Rilden's words seemed to have a sobering effect on the old god. The clouds paused again, as if stunned.
Astrid, who saw this, visibly saw her god's stunned shock, his anger vanishing. It was repced by pondering. Listening.
"Qhiion, the most violent ancient god, he... is listening?" Astrid was stunned, having a new understanding of the divine.
"Hah... Hah... Hah... Well?! What do you choose?! To remain an obsolete and hated relic of the past?! Or to become loved by humanity once more, and lead it to prosperity?!" Rilden asked while panting, staring at the clouds in defiance.
These words struck hard. The clouds rumbled in agitation, showing the ancient god's desire.
"Then take that gift back! If you want people to like you, don't just pilge and take their loyalty like a brute! How is that any better than shackling them into sves and being a bloody tyrant?! Why not earn it through merit? Give them something instead! Give them safety! Give them love! Give them comfort and unity! Earn their trust, and they will eagerly give you their loyalty! At least I know I would!" Rilden preached to the god, forgetting he was truly speaking to a god.
For the first time since ancient times, someone dared express his opinion to Qhiion, the scariest god in the human pantheon. And in such a btant and disrespectful way.
If it were anyone else, the old god would ignore them. But this was his chosen Hero, the one he selected as a gamble for this reason.
And so- The old god decided to give it a shot!
A light shone on the helmet thrown far away, taking away the gift.
And in its stead, Qhiion shone another red light at Rilden. And somehow, the light carried a tint of gold.
"What... is that?" Astrid widened her eyes as she felt something change in her.
The mark of loyalty she received when she swore allegiance to Rilden was changing. In its stead, she felt-
"I feel comfortable, safe, and a sense of belonging," Erose put a hand over her heart.
The two girls were not the only ones. Everyone else felt this. Their loyalty was not taken anymore. Instead, they received positive feelings, and they knew it came from Rilden.
And Rilden, who was receiving this gift, saw an astonishing change to one of his abilities.
[Due to a decision of your patron god, your Hero Ability,