As I came to, I heard the sounds of many people talking, laughing, and having a merry good time. Holding a hand to my head, I was holding back a headache as I opened my eyes groggily. I was met by a number of things cluttering my vision, such as a small compass, a minimap, and text filling up in front of my eyes.
Hello, Master. Your role is the Bandit King of the West! The Bandit King of the West is a brutal figure, who talks roughly. His main weapon is a long Battle Axe. He is also known under the nickname as the Berserk Zombie, due to his unwillingness to die and fighting to the last drop of blood. He commands a troop of 600 of his best raiders/bandits. As theonly form of government, if you can call it that, in the western Nation of Solace. The Demon King resides to the northernmost tip of the Alamur continent. Good luck Master!
“What does any of that even mean?...” I muttered to myself, rubbing at my eyes. My head was aching from the headache, when I heard the pitter patter sound of feet on hard dirt.
“King, are you awake? The men are waiting to hear your morning speech.” A man, thin as a writing implement, poked his head through the tents flaps.
“Eh?... Who are you..?” I barely managed to eke out before my lips shut on me, and my vision started blaring red as the implants voice spoke to me.
BZZT. USER, YOU HAVE BROKEN CHARACTER AND ARE REICEIVING A PENALTY. PENALTY IS BEING DECIDED. PENALTY CONFIRMED. YOU SHALL EXPERIENCE THE TARGET, BANDIT KING OF THE WESTS BLOODIEST MOMENT.
As this unfamiliar, harsh sounding robotic voice spoke, I felt my body lock up on me, as my vision went black, before being replaced by a scene, in which I could not move, speak, or touch of my own accord. All I could hear was a single deep voice speaking.
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15 years ago
The World was Unforgiving. The magistrates of the West were corrupted by money, power, and greed. They started imposing taxes on us, exorbitant taxes that would easily take 3/4ths of our entire harvest as tribute.
The people grew uneasy. There started to be protests, but those got shut down by policing guards. Then came the riots. They were easily stopped once again.
But then, during one Riot, a Guard, for who knows what reason, instead of just locking up the rioters for the night… He had taken out his blade, and decapitated a poor boy of only 10 winters. The boy was there only because his mother passed away due to not being able to earn enough to take care of her sickness. This.. was the start of the Solaceon Civil War.
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I was there as well. I saw the blade be raised, the anger in the Guards eyes as he executed the child, before a fearful look of regret quickly washed over his face, quickly replaced by fear as the mob of peasants rushed the Guards for daring to kill someone, especially someone so young.
The townsfolk had seperated the guard from the rest of the guards. And I watched as they held the Guards arms and legs still. I watched as an older boy walked up to the guard. I watched as a madness seemed to take over him, as he ripped away the chestplate from the guard, then the protective chainmail and leather, ripped away by an inhuman strength.
I watched as, slowly, methodically, the older boy took out a knife, and started to skin the guards chest alive. He started ripping, tearing, cutting into the skin and muscles, finally ripping away the mans chest skin, blood splurting onto the older boys face, as the guard, still alive somehow, could only feebly watched as the boy shoved his arm through the muscles of the guards chest, tearing away the muscle fibers , grasping something, as the guards face turned white, his body quivering, as the boy pulled out his heart, still attached to the vessels of the chest. The guard then passed away violently, as the boy had made a resolution, and bit through the guards heart, the boys face and hair covered in blood.
A man pulled the boy away after that. The thin man from before. Yes… he was the boys’ Uncle, Lu To. He checked the boy over and over, before the boy spoke.
“Uncle.” He said, staring blankly at the man. “I will kill the Nobles and I will kill the King. I will spread his innards upon the land. I will avenge my brother, and those done wrong by this disgusting display of human evil. I will be the the thing that bumps in the night, out for their blood.”
The uncle could only stare at the blood covered boy, before holding his shoulders, taking a deep breath, before speaking. “Then I shall make you into a King of Bandits. And we shall tear down the King and the nobles.”
The boys heart, finally stirring as a look of hatred drew across his face. “Yes, Uncle. Let us do that.”
Of course I know exactly what was going on in the boys heart. After all, that boy who watched his only living member of his immediate family was me. Lu Bu is my name. I made my dream come true. I killed the nobles and the King, strewing their entrails across the grounds, so they could at least fertilize the fields, making them useful for once. I only had 600 men of my original 2400, due to 600 dying,400 Injured, and 800 returning back to normal life,only needing to pay me a total of 1/9ths of their Harvests for the entire year. The 600 men I have left are the best of the best. Take care of them for me, as their lives are now yours, runt. Now wake up, you’ve been punished enough for now.
BZZT. PENALTY OVER AT REQUEST OF ORIGINAL BODYS SPIRIT. MEMORY RECREATION MODE DISENGAGED. RETURNING TO PRESENT TIME. DON’T FORGET YOUR ROLE, USER.
As the harsh voice spoke again, my eyes starting bring the world back to focus, as I regained control of my body before taking a deep breath, and staring at the thin man who poked his head in. That is, Uncle Lu To.
“Yes Uncle, I think its time those brats out there got excited before going on a Hunt.”
