True Hero

Samantha Hollins

My grandfather had been preparing me for this test for as long as I could remember. I had access to all of the best schools, the best tutors, trial immersions, and training simulators. I had thought I was ready even for the previous games, but my grandfather only allowed me to register this time.

At first, everything went just fine with the well-thought-out sequence of actions to ensure the economic well-being of my village. The model was a simple one, with everything taken into account, and an accident was impossible. Then, after an hour had passed, the first footman began his training. It seemed simple, but it was necessary to arrange for a full cycle of work in the smithy in order to produce the needed weapons and armor. I also had to implement the cycle for the training of people who had just been peasants until recently. I did not doubt my success, but everything was turning out even better than I'd planned.

Each of my warriors had almost fifty health points and steel weapons. By the end of the day, I would have had about forty of them.

I could have taken two detachments and gone hunting in the surrounding lands. While my forces were preparing, I spent time thinking over the potential for development in this area. I could put all of my production facilities downstream and make the residential sector just upstream from the production facilities, reducing any dangerous pollution.

I should build a reserve, the number of my homagers should only increase. Homagers? There was a reason I had been called Princess when I had been a child.

However, as soon as I was distracted for a second, everything went to hell, all at once. A terrible roar came from the forest, heading in our direction. I stood still, puzzled, wondering what it could be. There shouldn't be any attacks from wild animals in the first week. That meant it must've been a player. Given that they had had to get here from their own settlement, there would be one or, at best, two warriors in their squad. They had no chance, but I didn't want to take any risks and marshaled all my forces. In the distance, I gathered peasants; they wouldn't be much use in a battle, but the effect of the crowd would give a buff, plus two or even three points to each attribute.

I could hear the roar approaching. At the last moment, the thought came to my mind that I should hide. Of course, it was heroic to stand in front of my little army under the red banner, but I had a completely different task. I had to prove that I could manage any team; from a few people to armies of thousands. I had to prove that I could achieve success at the head of any sized group.

When two dust clouds appeared out of the forest, I spotted the faint outline of a troll. I froze for a second, confused, and not knowing what to do. Where had a player, in such a short time, gotten a servant of such high level? Where did the troll come from? Did he carry out an experiment on the villagers that turned them into such a monster? After all, I had read about something similar, but who could predict that such sheer stupidity would actually work.

My soldiers were already dead, and it was no surprise, because neither they, nor I were ready for such a clash. My peasants were, of course, useless. However, I still had a trump card, since 'Pantheon' gave players special bonuses for unique achievements in the real world. From the very beginning, I had had a spell of the second circle: heavenly lightning that hits a whole area. The dust cloud in the air would not prevent me from punishing this man for his impudent behavior. One hundred damage for one attack—most likely, it would be enough to end him.

I cast the spell, and the debris in the air around him dropped to the ground in a heap of ashes, but he continued to stand there as if nothing had happened. I wondered why it only did seventy points of damage to him. How did he get even those seventy points, if he needed to invest so much into strength to be able to kill my footmen in one blow? Why was he not doubled over in pain, when his shoulder and half of his arm had been burnt that badly? At that moment, I recognized him—this was the guy I had seen in the corridor. Cheap clothes, an admiring glance, it had been a miserable sight. I had always wondered why these people were even allowed to enter the Game. Who knew that, in the end, it would turn out this way? Was this an accident? I should check who among our political opponents could play this kind of game.

The cooldown for my lightning was over, but the player had already disappeared into the forest and I could not reach him. However, he did not hide, but instead stood on the forest border. Maybe I could try to kill him, but what if this was a trap? When fighting such a foe, one could expect anything. At that moment, the troll rushed to the side of the house where I was hiding. How had he guessed? I tried to jump to another roof and was knocked down by a blow from the troll's club.

You died

Would you like to resurrect on the altar?

Yes

Resurrection will be finished in 10 minutes

I thought we could negotiate. Or, to be more specific, I would first pay, and then we would talk. Whatever the case, I planned to get some answers.

Your altar is destroyed

This was outrageous. What was the point of this? Why did he destroy the altar of the player, without even having attempted to get the ransom? Was he really that rich?

Do you want to use the "second chance?"

Yes

The second chance was an opportunity for any player to start their game in the Empire from scratch. In a couple of days, it would not make much sense; it would be impossible to catch up to other players. However, if you were to make a critical mistake at the very beginning, with its help everything could be fixed. Or, like in my case, if you got destroyed, early on...

Dan, I'll remember you.