Chapter 24
It's been 2 days since that incident with the bandits, Indiana still teased me from time to time about how and why they ran away, but I stopped paying attention to it on the first day. And since I had such a convenient skill, we just walked through the forest collecting different herbs, while checking every two hours what we got from my shot. We finished the quest yesterday morning, but decided that before returning, it's worth loading our horse well, which confuses me a little.
I understand. That this island is, to put it mildly, crazy, but why does the damn horse seem to have an unlimited inventory, which in addition I can open whenever I want, the main thing is just to approach it!
Thanks to this, we not only collected boar skins for another quest ahead, but also meat of various animals for 2 tons! Moreover, all this meat was already converted by me into smoked form. And what is much more important, I got level 15.
In the game, level 15 was the first important milestone in leveling up, because it was at this level that it was decided which path to take, the path of a warrior, a mage, a healer or... a whore. It was at this level that mutually exclusive and extremely important features appeared in the game.
Five of them in particular:
1. Weapon Expert - This trait allowed the use of advanced weapons like the halberd, saber, and bow, as well as unique weapons like the two-handed berserker blade and katana .
2. Magic Expert. - the ability to use magic. Without this feature, even putting a staff on Lona would not have worked. Simply put, the most important class for those who want to make Lona a boss that will mow down entire crowds solo.
3. Trap Expert - opened up the ability to set traps and, in combination with stealth, it was entirely possible to complete the entire game using only traps and mines.
4. Acolyte - opens up the ability to heal your allies, but taking this class in the game closed the opportunity to take an expert in magic and weapons, and you also couldn't apply healing to yourself, which is why this class was perhaps the most difficult in the game.
5. Succubus - a perk for a whore and that says it all.
As mentioned earlier, some perks within the game were mutually exclusive, so now that we had finished setting up our camp, I watched with both confusion and anticipation as after choosing a connoisseur of magic and weapons, the options with akalith, as well as the later leveling of the mage by the Sage, were not blocked, as, incidentally, were all the other classes that appeared due to the fact that I had once decided to diversify the game with mods.
Slowly, as if afraid that I would scare away my luck, I added the last 3 skill points received for the level, and exhaled, seeing that the accept button was still available, after which, with a glitching soul, I pressed it.
- ARGH! - I moaned from the pain that shot through my head, which was so unbearable that after a minute of torment, I lost consciousness. I really should have learned from my mistakes.
A variety of events flashed before my eyes, in each of which Lona played the main role.
I saw her, using only a simple wooden bow, single-handedly fight off a squad of orcs, while emerging victorious with astonishing ease, but the next moment, it ended with her being trapped in one of the flesh demon hives and, due to the limited space, being surrounded by the creatures that eventually turned her into an incubator.
I saw her using the Halberd to cut through the same nest on her own, but the next moment, a huge orc uses her as a penis attachment and she has to bite off her own tongue to stop the suffering.
I saw her try to settle down by becoming a priestess, who healed the wounds of others like a saint, but even in the church, darkness awaited her. A fat priest raped her over and over again, teaching her that in this way she helps cleanse men of their sins, and she even learned to love it. However, it all ended with an unstoppable army of orcs attacking the temple, using holy objects with all their might. She healed the warriors, gave them strength and put shields, but even so, it all ended with her first becoming an incubator, and then food for vile creatures.
I saw how she was lucky enough to find a wandering mage and become his apprentice. She gnawed at this opportunity with unprecedented tenacity and soon became a truly formidable sorceress, easily dealing with entire crowds of enemies, successfully advancing in helping to liberate her homeland. But human treachery turned out to be more terrible for her than any army of demons. Once falling asleep in the barracks, the next morning she was already a drugged slave who was sold to an aristocrat who had long had his eye on the famous sorceress.
And so, time after time, her battles, how she used this or that weapon with magic. And also how cruel the world was to her and how a teenage girl, each time she went more and more crazy, until she stopped seeing the difference in who to kill.
- Why... are... you... doing... this? - croaked the goddess, disguised as a slutty fortune teller, whose lower half was missing.
- I WANT TO BE FREE! - they roared back at her, and my gaze was filled with a whole sea of blood.
***
- Boo . - My awakening was abrupt and just as quickly as I woke up, just as quickly I emptied my stomach.
- Lona?! - Indiana immediately jumped up to me, but before my eyes still flashed images of everything that Lona Falldin went through, with only one difference. All of this was related only to the possession of advanced weapons, magic and healing.
I was breathing heavily, still feeling like I was going to vomit. I was panicking. These memories, what I had seen, terrified me and I tried not to think about what I would see if I tried to choose the Blood Knight trait in the future.
- ... Lona, do you hear? Everything is fine. You are safe! Calm down. - Indiana tried to calm his partner, who after the loss of consciousness that worried him, upon awakening turned into this sobbing, frightened thing. Until suddenly he heard something that gave him a clue about what was happening.
- So cruel... time after time... I don't want to...
- Lona! - He suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders and straightened her so that they were face to face.
- These are not your memories! Do you hear? - for a moment he saw a flash of realization in her eyes, which was immediately suppressed by the surging emotions.
"cotton"
The slap I received was as sobering as it was searing.
"I'll probably turn half my face purple from something like this," I thought, holding my cheek and, as if I'd been doing this my whole life, I sent mana into my hand, which was covered in a soft golden light.
"Have you calmed down?" the archaeologist asked.
- With such a slap you could knock down a horse, - I muttered.
- But it worked, - the man chuckled, looking at my cheek with interest. - And how long have you been able to heal?
"From now on," I replied, noting that the treatment actually felt too natural for me.
- Now excuse me, but I need to rinse my mouth. - I got up from the ground and moved a little to the side to clear my mouth of the remains of vomit.
- So, what happened anyway? What caused this attack? - Indiana continued asking.
-…- I was in no hurry to answer, but the man was in no hurry either.
It was a little difficult to admit that I was to blame for what happened, it would seem that the consequences of how I threw a lot of points into my physique last time should have taught me that it is worth distributing everything gradually, but I still decided to use everything at once, which is why I was unable to quickly move away from Lona's memories.
After thoroughly rinsing my mouth and spitting out the water, I finally turned to the archaeologist, who was looking at me expectantly.
- Do you remember, I told you, that Lona started her path again and again after death? - I began uncertainly.
- Yes, - the man nodded. - And you remembered something about her, right?
"Yes," I confirmed before sighing heavily.
- You know, in my past life, I understood that her life was terrible, but this... - my voice involuntarily began to tremble, and my eyes began to tear up. - when this became reality and, what's even worse, my memories...
- It's terrible. Her skills with weapons, magic, healing. She achieved all this with incredible effort. It was as if they specially showed me her most terrible moments, made me feel her horror, so that I would remember at what price the power that was given to me was obtained. - I did not want him to see how tears were flowing, so I turned away and sat down in front of the fire.
"Then you must survive so that her suffering will not be in vain," the man said, patting me on the shoulder.
- Uh-huh, - I nodded, barely holding back my tears.
- Cry, there is nothing wrong with tears. - He stroked my head comfortingly.
"Men don't cry, and I was a man in my past life," I answered stubbornly.
- Men too, it can hurt. And if it's so important to you. Now you're a little girl, you don't need to keep everything inside. - He sat down next to me.
- Come here. - Indiana opened his arms invitingly. And that was the last straw. Like a little child, I buried my face in his chest and burst into tears. Lamenting about everything that was bothering me, about how in my first minutes in this world I had to fight a mutant rat, what an animal horror I feel about the tight fog inherited from Lona. How much I am afraid that at any moment slave traders can attack me and sell me into sexual slavery. And even things that I usually try not to think about, like the fact that my mind was interfered with. With just a snap of my fingers, rewriting my personality so that I immediately began to think of myself as a girl. Only thanks to magic and the system can I think positively about what awaits me and even so, most of my hope for the future is still based on the fact that perhaps I will be able to leave this world or at least become strong enough to cope with everything. And Lona's memories became the last straw in the piggy bank of experiences, especially when she was able to become a powerful sorceress and still it did not save her from betrayal. It is especially sad how she was brought to the point that she even began to hunt gods in the hope of ending it all.
I don't know how long I complained like that, but the tears had already dried up long ago, and Indiana listened to me calmly without interrupting. Until I finally fell silent. And a couple of minutes later Indiana spoke up.
- I have a daughter. Sophie. I hardly saw her. But I think I could have grandchildren your age by now...
- You know, back then in the tavern I really thought I was going to die of hunger. Just think about it. I lived through two world wars and got out of situations where others died by the dozens, or even hundreds. And in the end I couldn't get simple food. And then a girl who could be my granddaughter saved me... - Indiana laughed dryly.
- If. No, not like that. When I can get off this island, I'll find Sophie and settle down. Babysit my grandchildren, teach the kids at school. I think that would be a good end to my adventures.
-… Yes. Good plan. – I said quietly, moving away from him. His words reminded me that he would not always have my back and sooner or later we would separate.
- You know, you could also leave this island. - the man correctly understood the reason why I became quiet.
"I could," I agreed.
- But do I have the right to do this? The fate of this island depends on Lona Falldin. She went through hell to obtain the power that is now being passed on to me as an inheritance. And what is more important.
- Can I really leave this island? Lona also ended up starting over, even when she managed to sail away on a ship.
- So you just need to get stronger, right? - Indiana chuckled. - You said that you get stronger when you complete tasks. So let's complete so many tasks that even the gods won't be a problem for you. I think I'll show this island how I survived where others couldn't. So get up, Lona, let's move forward. And remember? You promised to show me some interesting ancient ruins.
- Yes, I remember. - I smiled before freezing, remembering something.
- Indiana, how many days have passed since we went hunting? - I asked, hoping that I was simply mistaken.
- If you count the day we killed the first boar, then four.
- Marymi will kill me...