Chapter 2. Byre Town
1507 Words
The iron-bound gate of Byre loomed before them—a formidable barrier of cold, unyielding metal set into towering, high walls that encircled the town like an ancient bulwark. As Captain Klax Forterr rode to a halt before the gate, his steed’s hooves clattered against the cobbles, and he bellowed with authority, “Open the gate! I am Captain Klax Forterr of the Gorgon Fort Guard!”
The gatekeeper, his gaze fixed upon the uniformed figure astride the horse, wasted no time. “Open the gate,” he commanded, and with practiced efficiency, his colleagues swung aside the heavy doors to admit the approaching duo.
Once within the sanctum of Byre, Captain Klax turned to Jim with a terse directive. “Jim, we are safe for now. Seek out your family and ascertain their well‐being. Once you have done so, return posthaste to report,” he ordered.
“Very well, Klax,” Jim replied, his voice a mixture of relief and lingering disorientation. At the sound of his informal address, the captain’s lips twitched into a wry smile as he admonished him in a playful yet distinctly British tone, “Mind yourself, Jim. Whilst you may be my comrade in arms, do remember: when surrounded by company, address me as ‘Captain’—lest my honour be impugned. Bwahaha!”
“Calm yourself, Klax. I understand perfectly well,” Jim replied, a smile tugging at his lips despite the chaos that still whirled about him.
No sooner had these words faded than a discreet chime signalled a new notification from the system—a curious interface that, to Jim, resembled the mechanics of a video game. The window flashed before his eyes:
[Notice]
Quest: Head East to the Byre Town
Status: Completed
Reward: 100 Gold
10 Point Abilities
*To see the status, say “status”.
*Say “shop” to buy skills or equipment
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[level up 3]
Intrigued, Jim mused to himself, “This system appears once again. It is rather like a game—quite fascinating, indeed.” Without further hesitation, he uttered, “Status,” and a new window unfurled before him, detailing his overall information:
[Status]
Name: Jim Slavn
Level: 3
Age: 25 years
Gender: Male
Race: Resurrected Human
Job: Historian / Fort Guard
Title: –
Gold: 600 G
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[Abilities]
Vitality: 14
Strength: 13
Agility: 12
Intelligence: 17
Luck: 8
Mage: 0
Unallocated Points: 10
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[Skill]
Pastoralists [Unique] [Active] Lvl 1 (0/100)
— Grants knowledge of the status, history, and all information regarding any object held.
Guardian [Passive] Lvl 1 (0/100)
— Increases all ability attributes by 200% when protecting that which is dear.
Jim couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief. “Is this some sort of cheat? In my old world, such an ability could have ruled the realms. Bwahaha!”
Yet, ever the pragmatist, he decided to save his unallocated points for future endeavours. “For now, let me test my skill on this wooden bow,” he murmured, drawing the modest weapon he had carried. With a deliberate tone, he invoked the skill, “Pastoralist!”
A brief flurry of digital runes accompanied the command as an identification window materialised:
[Status]
Name: Wooden Bow
HP: (30/100)
Material: Wood
Level: E
Unique Skill: –
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History: A bow fashioned for the Fort Guard.
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Jim’s eyes widened in astonishment. “Remarkable… I can discern the very essence of any object I hold. This shall prove most useful.” The skill’s experience promptly advanced, now reading [Pastoralists Lvl 1 (50/100)], and his level leapt to 5.
Satisfied with his newfound abilities yet mindful of his familial duty, Jim resolved, “I shall practise these skills further on another occasion. For now, I must find my family.”
With that, he dismounted and made his way towards the refugee camp. Near the towering town gate, an expansive area had been set aside by Byre’s troops for those displaced by the Neiter assault. The camp, a patchwork of temporary shelters and hastily erected tents, bore the scars of recent devastation—a silent testament to the fury that had swept through the land.
At the entrance, two guards sat vigilantly on wooden chairs. Approaching them, Jim inquired politely, “Excuse me, sir, I am seeking my family.”
The officer regarded him with measured curiosity. “And what is your full identity?” he queried.
“Of course. Their names are Mervis Slavn, Jenny Slavn, and Jill Slavn,” Jim replied, hope threading through his voice.
“Ah, you’re in luck, sir—they are all present,” the officer replied briskly. “You’ll find them in camp number five. Please, come in.”
Heart buoyed by relief, Jim hurried through the camp and soon found himself before a modest gathering. As he entered camp number five, a familiar figure burst forth—a young woman whose eyes shimmered with tears. “Brother Jim! Thank goodness you are alive—I feared I had lost you!” she cried, embracing him fiercely.
“Now, now, Jill, cease your tears. I am well, and the most important thing is that you remain safe,” Jim soothed, stroking her hair with a tender familiarity.
“I feel so relieved,” she whispered, clinging to him as if to anchor him to this newfound reality.
“Where, then, are Mother and Father? Are they well?” he asked, his voice gentle with concern.
“They are safe, though deeply worried by your absence. They await you further within the camp,” Jill assured him.
Jim’s heart swelled as he followed her deeper into the encampment. Soon, he found his mother and father, whose anxious faces lit up at the sight of their long-lost son. His mother’s voice trembled with relief, “Jim? Is it truly you? I was so frightened by the news of the Gorgon fortress’s fall.”
“Do not trouble yourselves, Mother. I am all right. Pray, how are you both faring?” Jim inquired softly.
“We are safe so long as Byre endures,” his father replied, a note of stoic resilience in his tone.
Resolute, Jim placed a hand upon his injured left arm—its wound still oozing blood—and declared, “Fear not. I shall protect you all. Remain here in the camp, and I shall report to Captain Klax forthwith to both update him and tend to this wound.”
Jill’s eyes, brimming with concern, asked, “Brother, are you hurt badly?”
“It is but a minor wound,” Jim reassured her, though his voice betrayed a twinge of discomfort. “I shall see to it promptly.”
His mother’s eyes glistened with unshed tears as she implored, “Please, Jim, stay safe.”
Taking her hand in his, Jim vowed, “I promise, Mother—I shall not let you down.”
With familial reassurances echoing in his heart, Jim set off once more to find Captain Klax. The town of Byre lay in a state of restless chaos; rumours of another impending Neiter assault were rife, and the air was thick with tension. Amidst the clamor of anxious voices and the clatter of armour, Jim met up with Captain Klax and several steadfast guards. Approaching the captain, Jim reported, “Captain, my family is secure. And how fares your own kin?”
“All is well, Jim,” Klax replied curtly. Then, with a firm tone that brooked no dissent, he addressed the assembled troops, “Remain vigilant, for though we stand here in relative calm, the Neiter may yet launch another attack at any moment.”
“Understood, Captain,” came the unified response from the men.
Before long, a familiar chime heralded the appearance of the system window once more. A crisp, electronic voice declared:
[Notice]
Quest: Defend the Byre Town
Category: Main
Difficulty: D
Duration: 5 Days
Reward: 10 Point Abilities, 500 Gold
*Failure shall mean the demise of Byre’s inhabitants
*Neiter shall unleash a Ground Strike
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Jim’s eyes widened in astonishment. “What? An attack in five days? It appears our respite is all too brief.” The system then posed its query:
[Quest]
Defend the Byre Town [Y/N?]
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With grim determination and a fierce protectiveness for his loved ones, Jim replied resolutely, “Yes—I must defend Byre at all costs. Come what may, I shall not fail my family, nor this town.”
Thus, with his heart steeled against the coming storm, Jim accepted the quest. In that moment, amidst the ruins of war and the flicker of a game-like interface, he resolved to stand against the nefarious designs of the Neiter. “Come on, Neiter,” he murmured with a defiant glint in his eye, “prepare to face your reckoning.”
And so, as the twilight deepened over Byre, the stage was set for a battle that would test not only Jim’s newfound abilities but the very mettle of all who called this beleaguered town home.
- Writer
