HC:Pacifist | Ch. 108 - The Garden (Patreon)

“What’s wrong, martyr?”

How could he explain that he was feeling guilty about how things had turned out? He should have known better. He had been tardy in getting this nest help, and now they were no more. He felt in the middle of the guilt a flame being stoked, it came too quickly to control and it was overpowering.

“Aaaaargh!” screamed Roth. He went to the nearest wall and punched it with all his might.

“Martyr! What’s wrong? Calm down?”

Roth couldn’t stop. He kept punching the wall again and again and again. From the side, the pack of ratans looked worryingly. After a few minutes of unbridled shouting and wall-punching Roth was finally able to calm down.

“I’m sorry, guys. I just needed a minute.”

“Uh… awkward,” said one of the ratans.

“I’m sorry. I was just passing by. I’ll come for another visit soon.”

He turned his back and walked away. Once he was far enough he leaned against a wall and sat on the floor. They really were gone. But weren’t they just ones and zeros? They didn’t feel like they were. After all, wasn’t he also just a combination of different molecules, in a specific order? By the same token, couldn’t he say that he was just adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine? It was too much. Seeing the snakes and the ratans today had brought all his guilt back. He decided to make a call.

“Hello, Roth! How is it going, son?”

“Hey, Sarg! Not having the best day, to be honest.”

“Guys! Take five! Sorry. We were just in the middle of our quest to change races.”

“I’m sorry. You guys are busy.”

“No, nonsense. Nonsense. What’s up?”

“Sarg, I’m dealing with a lot of emotions right now. I’ve been stuck in this game for nearly two months, and I’m losing sense of what’s real and what’s not. Because of how I’ve done my quest I’ve accidentally killed all these rats and snakes, and I just found out that their personalities are gone for good. I’m going crazy.”

The sergeant didn’t interrupt.

“I’m just feeling so guilty about this. I shouldn’t have thrown that grenade so carelessly. I killed them. It all feels so real.”

“Son, it’s alright. I understand.”

“You do?”

“Sure. Listen, when I was in the army I saw things… did things that haunt me. Not a day goes by that I don’t remember the face of every colleague I lost in the battlefield, or any enemy whose life I ended. Let me tell you a story. In the 14th there was this guy called Luke. Wonderful chap. He was from sector 5. Used to be a school teacher.” Roth didn’t miss the effort the sergeant was doing not to choke up. “One day, we were surrounded, and finally we found an opening. In order to get the rest of the battalion out, someone had to stay behind and provide cover fire. Luke did it. We left him there.”

“How do you cope?”

“Listen, Roth, you have to understand that it’s impossible to live without death. Think about it. Within your body, there are bacteria and viruses that your body constantly kills without you having control over it. If they didn’t, you would grow sick and die.”

The thought hit Roth like a hammer.

“By the same logic, if someone starts attacking children in front of you, would you at least tackle that person to protect the children?”

“Of course.”

“You see. You have to do some soul-searching, my boy. Decide what’s right or wrong. Then act within your principles. For example, I know that I was right to save 15 souls at the expense of Luke. But don’t let what you feel define what is right. My first impulse was that we wouldn’t leave anyone behind. Feelings are just part of what is right. Really think about it. Otherwise, you are going to be stuck in this pit forever.”

Roth’s mind went to what the magister who’d given him his class had said. She also hinted at it being impossible to be at peace with everyone.

“The way I deal with my bad memories is that I think about why I did what I did at the time. I thought long and hard about what’s right and wrong, and I stick to my guns. Of course, my conscience is my conscience.”

“I don’t think this helps me come to terms with what I’ve done.”

“Roth. It was an accident, man! You said so yourself. This is just a game. What I’m trying to tell you is, don’t be so extreme. You have to find some middle ground between how your traumas make you feel and what’s reasonable. Don’t be so extreme.”

Drake had said the same thing. He paused. They were right. He was very unbalanced. If he had to choose one day between protecting his mother and brothers and standing against a virtual monster, wasn’t the choice obvious?

“I’ll think about this, Sarg.”

“Good. Nice talk. Call me whenever you need. We’re going back to our quest.”

*

Robin stepped out of her capsule. As an elder of the Pegasus Guild, her salary was generous, generous enough to afford this beautiful penthouse with a view over the lake. Even though she was rich in AstroTerra, she was richer here, and she often stepped out of the capsule to remind herself of that.

“Hello, Robin.”

She screeched in panic. There was a man in the apartment. How had he gotten past security? She searched for the voice, and out of the shadows stepped the familiar figure of Zin.

“Zin, what on earth are you doing here?”

“I’m here to talk.”

Robin tried to keep her cool. There could be no way he knew. Right?

“What’s up, Zin?”

“I know that you’re the reason the Phoenixes showed up at our last wild boss hunt, Robin. You cost our guild a lot of money.”

She was doomed.

“I-I…”

“Spare me the excuses. You know Loki would bury you for this, right?”

“Aren’t you going to…”

“No. This is our little secret. But I own you now. Remember, my kindness is why you’ll stay alive. One day, I’ll need your help. When I do, I expect you to remember this moment.”

She nodded. Right before her eyes, when she blinked, Zin was no longer there. She had gone from a devil’s pocket to his executioner’s pocket.

*

Roth sat on the margins of the underground river that ran in the sewers. He let his feet dangle childishly, as he took in the sound of the running water. It was so much more soothing now that the [Plumber Set] canceled bad smells. Turns out that stench is a real mood killer.

He was thinking about what Drake had told him before, and his conversation with the sergeant. They were right. He was being too extreme in some things. It wasn't like he could control it, though. Simply not jumping into the middle of a fight between the game's animals and the players took every bit of willpower he had.

What was right for him? What was wrong? Was it right to terminate those oozing monsters, if only by accident? Yes. It was. Had he not done it, they would keep spreading and killing many others. Even if he hadn't thrown the grenade, Athos would have finished them. He sighed. It was time to come to terms with what happened. It was what it was.

As for the rest, he’d figure it out. One thing was sure. What had been done to him was wrong, and he would fight Loki with all his strength on his own terms. As his mind wrapped itself around his newfound realizations he calmed down and the guilt was gone, just like that, at least for the time being. He had to be productive. His family and friends were counting on him. He stood up.

Corvid Form!

His hair strands grew thicker and turned into feathers. His nose became pointier and harder. His nails became sharper and darker, talon-like. He looked like a Native American Indian with a feathered hat.

Congratulations. Your wisdom has reached 350!

[Agile Mind] has upgraded to [Quick on Your Feet]

Quick on Your Feet (Stat Bonus)

Bonus description: Even when others try to interrupt you and disrupt your train of thought you are able to deal with it like a champion!

Bonus effects:

Channels are completed much faster;

It's much harder to interrupt your skills.

[Strategic Thinking] has been upgraded to [Strategic Foresight].

Strategic Foresight (Stat Bonus)

Bonus description: True wisdom is seen in how you’re able to predict your enemy’s movements and counter them.

Bonus effects: Empowers all active skills.

Roth jumped into the water. Despite losing strength and dexterity, thanks to the [Swimmer] and [Triathlete] title he was able to still fight the current. It was time to complete his map.

Search!

You find a suspicious-looking pipe. Where does it lead?

Bingo! Roth checked his map. The pipe was about 50 meters upstream. Wisdom had really increased the search radius. He tried swimming against the current, but he was progressing at a snail's pace. He deactivated the corvid form.

Human Form!

Congratulations! Your strength has reached 50.

You have gained [Healthy Bones].

Congratulations! Your dexterity has reached 50.

You have gained [Fast Hands].

Congratulations! Your intelligence has reached 50.

You have gained [Inner Calm].

Your wisdom is now under 150.

[Strategic Foresight] has downgraded to [Strategic Thinking].

[Quick on Your Feet] has downgraded to [Agile Mind].

Congratulations! Your endurance has reached 200.

[Cat's Sprint] has been upgraded to [Horse's Gallop].

[Bark Skin] has been upgraded to [Stone Skin].

Congratulations! Your charisma has reached 100.

You have gained [Charm].

With the improvement of his dexterity and strength, he was able to swim upstream more easily and soon made it to the wall. Above him, big pipes unloaded copious amounts of water. He ducked his head and managed to see that many other pipes hidden from view did the same, providing the river with water. He took a deep breath and dove, trying to get a hold of the different pipes. Finally, he found the one that had been highlighted by the [Search] skill. It was a pipe with a small diameter. He’d never be able to make it through as he were.

Miniaturize!

As his form shrank, he managed to squeeze into the pipe and found that the current inside of it wasn’t nearly as strong. He kept swimming and after a few minutes, he finally managed to get his head out of the water.

Congratulations! You’re the first player to discover Solomon’s Garden.

+700,000xp (+350,000xp); +300 reputation with snakes.

In his miniature form, the place that Roth had found seemed humongous. However, he was sure that if he canceled his miniaturized buff, he’d find this space cramped. There was a well, or a tower, or something similar that shot up from where they were, letting him see a sliver of the blue sky above. There was also one single plant in the middle of the chamber. It looked like a tree, to his minuscule form, but it was more of a bush tree. At the very top, there was one single orange fruit. The smell of it was delicious.

“Hello? Is anyone there?” Roth searched the surrounding area and saw nothing. “Hello?” A snake crawled out of a hole that Roth had missed and descended down the wall. It was a black snake with golden eyes. Whereas the snakes he’d met so far were lackluster, the scales of this snake seemed as if they were made of precious stones.

The snake drew closer, and Roth felt like he was facing a monster due to the difference in proportion. The sight of the two giant eyes focused on him, and the tongue tasting the air all around him was the stuff of nightmares.

“Hello, zoomorph,” he heard in his mind.

“You know telepathy?” He answered mentally.

“Of courssse. It is a much-needed skill in diplomasssy.” Right, right. This snake was supposed to be a senator.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Senator Solomon.”

“Please, I’m no senator. Now, I’m just a humble gardener.”

“Right.” Roth scanned the senator.

Solomon, the Garden Snake (Friendly)

Lvl. 35

Description: Solomon used to be a diplomat and an important member of the Snake Senate. He’s retired and now pursues a simpler life of gardening.

Hp: 10,000

Energy: 1000

By examining and meeting many people, your eyes open and you become more perceptive.

+1 insight.

Oh, wow! It was the first time he’d gained a point into his insight like this. From now on, he had to try to scan as many NPCs and mobs as he could!

“I’ve been wanting to meet you, Solomon.”

“How come?”

“I’m a friend of your people. I’m also a friend of the ratans and of Mario. I know that life isn’t easy in the sewers. That’s why I’d like to make a proposition to the snakes.”

“A proposition? What kind of proposition?”

“Peace.”

Ch. 107 - Golden Acorn

INDEX

Ch. 109 - Peace