Asunder [litRPG] Chapter 5 (Patreon)

Thane glanced down at his own spoon. He slowly picked it up, holding it in his fist like it was a dagger, and copied Lacy. She hid a laugh behind her hand and gave him an encouraging nod.

“This seems like it slows things down,” Thane said, a small frown flickering across his face. “What’s the point?”

“Are you in a rush?” Lacy asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I suppose not,” Thane admitted.

Lacy took her piece of bread. She tore a part off and dipped it in the warm honey before popping it into her mouth and chewing with a blissful expression. Thane mimicked her. His eyebrows rose and he swallowed quickly, setting the spoon down and quickly polishing off the rest of the bread.

“This is good,” Thane announced through a mouthful of food. He swallowed, glancing regretfully at the crumbs of bread left on the table, then returned his attention to the stew.

“Maggie’s one of the best cooks in the kingdom,” Lacy said proudly.

“Have you traveled a lot?”

“Well… no. I’ve never left Sunflower Ridge,” Lacy said, her cheeks reddening. “I’m not strong enough yet. But I’m almost level 15! When I reach it, I’m going to go to Alvon.”

“Sunflower Ridge is this town?” Thane guessed.

Lacy nodded. “Yeah. And Alvon is the nearest city. I’ve never seen it, but I’ve heard that the monsters there can drop some rare items. Some people even get to join guilds! You’ve got to be really strong to get invited, but wouldn’t that be amazing?”

Thane shrugged. “I suppose? It seems like a lot of effort. What does a guild provide?”

“It’s like, the main way adventurers can get famous!” Lacy exclaimed. “Red Thunder? The Hawk? Adamant Wall? Don’t you recognize any of them?”

“No.”

“What, have you been living under a rock or something? They’re all way over level five hundred. I’ve heard that they’re about to explore the Great North! I’d give anything to be that strong. They can go wherever they want and do anything…”

Thane didn’t answer immediately. He swirled the last spoonful of soup around in the bowl, a pensive frown on his face.

“Being strong is good,” Thane said, polishing off the rest of his soup and setting the bowl aside. “It can get tiring, though. People start to expect things from you, and then you don’t get time to eat food like this.”

“You talk as if you’re strong,” Lacy said, giggling. “You’re wearing rags, Thane. You can’t be more than level five.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Thane said, chuckling. “Thank you for the meal, Lacy. It’s been a long time since I’ve eaten.”

“No problem,” she said. “It’s the least I can do after you bailed me out. Are you going to stay the night at the inn?”

“Hm,” Thane said. “Probably not. I’ve got a lot left to do today.”

“Are you sure? It’s almost afternoon,” Lacy warned him. “Monsters get a lot stronger at night. It’s not safe to travel if you’re a low level.”

“I appreciate the concern,” Thane replied. “I’ll keep that in mind. Please take care in the future. Getting impaled by a rabbit is not a good way to die.”

Lacy blushed and nodded. “It won’t happen again, Thane.”

Thane rose from the table, inclining his head slightly. “Until next time, Lacy.”

He left the tavern, slipping by the other patrons with considerably less grace than Vaya. The sun had almost set once he got outside. Thane glanced around the town, but he had no desire to sit around until nighttime.

His infuriatingly weak body was already getting on his nerves. Thane sighed. It had taken him countless millennia to get his old body to the level it had been at. It felt like he was moving through the world in slow motion, which was hardly his idea of a vacation.

If he had to endure a few thousand more years of this, the first order of business was to get this body to the point where it didn’t feel like it was lagging seconds behind his brain. He needed gear as well, but Thane suspected that the Father wouldn’t approve much if he went out and bought a new spear.

Thane sighed again. He shook his head and glanced around the town. His eyes landed on the stone building with the pillar of smoke rising up from its chimney and he walked over to it, stepping inside.

It was several degrees hotter than outside. A large man with a bushy black beard sat at the counter, polishing a blade. He set the sword down and looked up at Thane.

“Can I help you?” The man asked in a slight accent.

“How much would some armor cost?” Thane asked. “Something on the cheaper end.”

The blacksmith rubbed his beard and cocked his head. “Depends. What class are you, lad?”

“Dawn Guard.”

“Hm. Can’t say I’ve heard of it. Is it a caster class?”

“It’s got magic.”

“Probably not heavy armor then,” the blacksmith said. “You don’t want to be putting points into strength if you’re a caster. Unless you’re one of them hybrids?”

“Not as far as I’m aware,” Thane said, sighing. He missed the simplicity of his spear. “Something lighter, then?”

“I could get you a set of reinforced leather armor for around one gold and eighty silver,” the blacksmith said. “I can’t go much lower than that. Armor isn’t cheap to make.”

“I see,” Thane said. He held up the UniBunny horn. “How much is this worth?”

“Five silver. Normally I’d offer less, but it’s a big horn. UniBunnies aren’t very rare, lad. Sorry.”

“That’s fine,” Thane said, sighing. “Thanks for your time.”

He walked out of the shop. Thane wasn’t sure how vacations were normally meant to go, but he suspect that this wasn’t it. He strode out of the town, nodding slightly at the guard as he left.

“Hey, kid. It’s not safe to go out at night,” the guard warned him.

“I know,” Thane said, not stopping. “Thanks for your concern,”

Human lives felt so… pointless. They struggled for wealth and power, spending all their energy in a constant struggle of fear and battle. And, for what? They all ended up in one of the heavens, and their strength didn’t even play a role in it.