Forged Legacy Chapter 8 - Protect and Defend

The four sat in silence for a long mont, listening to the gentle hiss of the lantern burning. So much had happened in a few short hours, and now they had seen firsthand what the second chance at life they had been given really ant. A chance to fight an army of undead that they were hopeless to defeat unless sothing changed fast. They were better equipped, had a horde of monstrous beasts backing them up, and clearly understood the tapestry much better than they did. Harvey felt like he could still hear hamrs beating in the distance, even though the vision proved the army was still hundreds of miles away.

“I should’ve just let that dog tear my throat out. Would’ve been a quicker death than what’s coming.” Gabe lanted.

“It’s not hopeless.” Julian snapped back, annoyance Harvey hadn’t seen from him flashing across his face. “It’s been less than a day, and I’m already level 5. My strength has tripled since I arrived, and I got a notification saying I can create my first skill at a Loom… whatever that ans. Who’s to say how strong we can beco by the ti the army gets here?”

“Good for you, doesn’t change a thing for . I’ve been chased around this god forsaken forest since the minute I got here, and as soon as I thought I had actually found sowhere safe, I had an arrow pointed at my face and zombies pouring out of every broken window.” Gabe began to yell before a harsh stare from Hannah reminded him of what happened the last ti he lost control.

“None of that matters now. We’re alive, and we can help you get stronger.” Harvey began.

“You don’t get it!” Gabe yelled, tears welling up in his eyes. “I’m done. I don’t deserve to make it out of here, and even if I did, there’s no way I’m getting past those spiders.”

Harvey watched as Gabe tucked his head between his knees and began shaking, barely muffled sobs filling the room. He wondered if Gabe was dealing with the sa stain he was. Walking around with 1 willpower made every sight and sound in the forest feel like a snake waiting to strike, but now that he had a few levels and 10 willpower under his belt, it was getting easier to approach things rationally. The workbench groaned as Harvey moved to sit beside him.

“Gabe, I’m going to share sothing with you that I’m embarrassed to admit. I’m here because I killed myself today.” Harvey explained, his voice dwindling to a whisper.

“So what, I don’t care,” Gabe replied, his voice breaking.

“I’m telling you this because that decision showed up as a stain on my legacy. I don’t know exactly how the stats work yet, but that stain lowered my willpower by 5 points and filled with this overwhelming fear that I still can’t explain. I would be long dead by now if Julian hadn’t shown up to save , but with his help, I was able to level high enough to increase my willpower. I went from a single point all the way to ten, and I can honestly say I don’t feel as scared anymore. He can help you, too. You just have to push through the fear you’re feeling right now,” Harvey encouraged.

Gabriel’s angry red eyes looked up at Harvey as he spoke, and softened when he shared the legacy screen showing his Severed Thread Stain. They sat together for a mont, a heavy silence hanging over the room until Gabe let out a sharp exhale.

“Damn it, man, I’m not scared. I’m ashad.” Gabe finally relented.

“About what? Can you tell us what happened?” Julian pushed.

“I had only been here for a few minutes when this dog started chasing after …” He began, choking up as he recounted the experience.

“The sa thing happened to .” Hannah shared, encouraging him to continue

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“Well, I panicked. I turned and ran faster than I’ve ever run before. I’ve been around stray dogs my whole life, but there was sothing different about this thing. No fur, just muscle and fangs. I was weaving through the trees, but the thing was gaining on , and out of nowhere, I ran straight into this woman. She was a little older, probably early 40s…”

The air was thick with anticipation. Harvey could guess what happened next, but nobody wanted to say it out loud.

“I was moving pretty fast, so we both ended up on the ground. We were all tangled up, and I pushed off her to get back to my feet. I kept running until I heard her start screaming behind .” Gabe took a long pause as he struggled to get the words out, tears once again flowing down his dirty cheeks.

“The bloodrunn got her.” Julian sighed

Instead of answering, a blue screen appeared for the group to see.

Legacy

Stain | Faster Than the Next Guy:

You take the saying “You don’t have to be faster than the bear, just faster than the guy next to you” to heart. Choosing to run while leaving others behind has stained your legacy, and will make others who sense your aura less inclined to trust you.

Effect: 3 Dexterity, - 3 Willpower, - 3 Endurance

“I kept running, and she kept screaming. The farther I got, the louder she got. I never looked back. I ran until I found this place, and you guys know the rest.” Gabe finished.

“I’m sorry, Gabe. Nobody should have to experience that. Sadly, I don’t think this forest really cares what happens to us. The best I can say is that we understand your struggle, and we’re here for you.” Julian said.

Gabe said nothing as they all sat around the lantern, putting his head back between his knees and staring at the floor. When it was clear the conversation was over, Julian walked to the other two and signalled to move outside.

“Let’s give him a minute,” Julian said as the door closed with a creak. “I need to tell you guys sothing.”

“What is it?” Hannah asked.

“After the vision. I got two notifications I haven’t seen before. The first one I already ntioned is that after reaching level 5, I can pick a skill the next ti I visit a Loom.” Julian began.

“A loom? Like the machine for making fabric?” Hannah asked.

“I guess. I’m not too sure about it either, but the second one says that the Tapestry has recognized Veil’s End as an unclaid outpost, and since I’m the highest level of anyone here, I can claim it for myself.” Julian continued.

“Do it. That could start answering a lot of questions for us.” Harvey urged.

“Are you sure? I don’t think this should be MY town. I think it should be our town. Where we gather as many people as we can find, and figure out how we’re going to get out of here.” Julian added.

“It’s going to get claid by soone,” Harvey began, “might as well be you. There’s a real possibility that we need an outpost to keep progressing. I don’t really know what a Loom is, but my guess would be that an outpost is the best place to find one.”

Julian looked at Hannah, a raised eyebrow signalling he wanted her opinion.

“I trust you. I think I speak for both of us when I say we’re going to follow your lead either way. Might as well make it official if it ans The System will help us out.” Hannah added.

He hesitated for a mont, looking between them and the town around them.

Harvey gave a reassuring nod. Even if the criteria were sothing other than levels, he was glad Julian would be running things. Wasn’t the saying that the best n to lead are the ones who don’t want to?

They watched as light began radiating from the maze of black lines covering Julian’s body, with a concentration gathering on the back of his right hand. As it receded, a new tattoo depicting a lone tower standing atop a rocky hill appeared.

“Looks like I got another Mark,” Julian said as he revealed the screen.

Legacy

Mark | Defender of Veils End:

Your power and rit have allowed you to claim dominion over an outpost recognized by the tapestry. Ownership grants the resources and respect vital for survival, but there is always soone looking to take your place at the top.

Effect: 3 All Stats