Otherlife Nightmares: The Selfless Hero Trilogy (56 page)

“Nadine, no. This can’t be happening.”

“But it is, Runner. Ah, halfway there. I need you to promise me you’ll never go down that dark path you were going. You must be the better person in all things. For m-me, if nothing else.”

“Nadine, I—”

She pressed her hand to his lips.

“When the time comes, don’t push the others away. They love you as deeply as I do. You punish yourself too much on that account. Everyone is well aware of the situation and you’re only hurting yourself over it.”

Nadine’s health was in the final percentages.

“I love you, Runner. I know you love me too,” Nadine whispered and then kissed him deeply.

After a few seconds she pulled back and gazed into his eyes. She smiled at him, her green eyes bright with unshed tears.

“Erma guide you and bless you. Run on, Runner. Don’t let this stop you. I love you. Please remember to eat.”

And then her health bar emptied and she collapsed, her corpse slipping right through his arms. Thudding to the floor, she went still.

“No, no, no. Nadine, Rabbit. No. Please, no. Get up. Please. It isn’t supposed to be like this.”

Runner clutched at her body, rolling her over onto her back.

“Ernsta, please. Please do something, Angel,” Runner begged.

“I’m sorry, my precious little lamb. I would do anything for you. I would reverse her death in a heartbeat at your wish. But there is nothing I can actually do. She is already gone. She passed immediately. Without my aid, even.”

“No…no, no. Please,” Runner pleaded. Targeting her corpse, he cast
Revive
. Blue light spun around Nadine in a cocoon as the spell activated. Hoping against hope the code would allow it, he waited, holding his breath.

You use Revive on Merchant

Incorrect Target

Nothing happened.
Revive
only worked on players.

Runner pulled up GMHub and activated it on her corpse. Maybe in a place where death didn’t exist she’d live.

Incorrect Target

Screaming at the ceiling, Runner dug his fingers into Nadine. Runner took another breath and screamed for all the world to hear. Sobbing, he bent his head over the little merchant queen.

“Nadine, please, no. There was so much left unsaid. Please.”

This was the truth of the world though. This wasn’t some happy make believe story where the hero wins. There would be no intervening magical excuse to fix the wrongs.

Bawling, he pressed his face into Nadine’s neck, pulling hard at her. Runner dissolved into hiccupping sobs as he cried into her.

Runner lost track of time as he held her.

“My dearest lamb, she’s about to fade away. I…I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do to stop it,” Ernsta whispered to him.

Runner sniffled and leaned back. His eyes scoured Nadine’s face, her bright green eyes open to the world. She wasn’t there though. The spark of her life was gone. The smallest of smiles marked her face, even in death.

She’d been such a light in his dark world. Capturing her final moment in a screenshot, Runner sniffled.

Then she faded into nothing. Nadine Giselle was no more. All that was left of her was her crossbow.

Runner hung his head.

“Thank you, Ernsta…”

There were things to do. Runner needed to fix this land. Heal it. So the little merchants of the world could be safe. So Nadine would be happy.

Looking up, he found Jacob’s corpse and snarled. Then an idea popped into his head. One that Nadine would condemn him for.

He didn’t care.

“Jacob. Jacob sweetie. Darling. You’ve taken a true light from this world. It was her choice in the end, but you’re the one who forced it.”

Jacob had probably been watching the timer on his corpse count down. When it hit zero he would automatically be deleted and spawned in the graveyard. Wiping his mind and turning him into a living corpse.

Jacob was still alive right now. Still mentally coherent and awake.

Jacob was someone Runner could punish.

Placing his hand on Jacob’s corpse, Runner activated his
GMHub
command.

/GMHub 1

Teleporting…

Active settings only:

Death=On

Food/Water=On

Damage=On

Gravity=100%

Biome=Plane

Day/Night Cycle=On

Runner immediately blinked out of the hole Alexia had dug, leaving Jacob where he lay inside of it.

Targeting Jacob, Runner cast
Revive.
He then typed in two commands into the console as the spell activated.

/GMHub Settings

Death off

Time Differential On 2

Runner felt his awareness change with the settings.

Below him, Jacob was wrapped in blue light as the spell brought him back to life.

Runner smiled darkly as tears fell down his face. Sniffling, he called up the GMHub Palette.

“Settle in, Jacob. We have lots of time to play. I…I have such sights to show you. Forgive me, Nadine. I will do as you asked, but for him, I will be as dark as I can.”

Epilogue - Running On -

8:03 am Sovereign Earth time

12/21/43

Runner took a step back to admire his handiwork. The stone sculpture lacked much of the refinement a true artist could give it. It conveyed his subject appropriately though.

Nadine Giselle, a beacon of light in the darkness. She stood with an open hand outstretched, a warm smile on her lips.

Runner turned from his own creation and rubbed at his eyes. Crying for her didn’t bother him. Even now, weeks later, he still cried for her.

Crying in public in front of his people wasn’t acceptable.

Looking around at North Wood Fort, Runner watched as men and women went about their daily business. The place had become lively in the last week. Refugees, mercenaries, and those seeking a new life had flowed in steadily.

Nearly every soldier who had served under him followed him here as well. He’d have to work out some type of recompense for their loss to their leaders. But that was a problem for another day.

Work continued in every corner to clear out the debris so that they could begin rebuilding.

This place would be a home. A city. A fort. Here is where Runner would live and rule.

Now that Tirtius was free that was. Basile Aubin had agreed to Runner’s instructions readily. Amelia now was the prime for the Human nation. A king sat its throne once more, and the underground king Justinian stuck to his word.

The three heads of state had agreed to a mutual talk to be held at a location of their choosing in six months. Runner had been asked to attend as well.

Nodding his head, he looked back to his creation. He’d taken up sculpting since returning. His plan was to create a new Nadine every time he gained two levels in the skill.

Here he would place them. On the boulevard all people would have to cross on their way into North Wood for the first time. Nadine would welcome all. As many Nadines as he could fit.

Completing the statue, he sighed as it misted over to finish. A small tinkling noise signified it was complete.

At this level he couldn’t instill any effects or make it grant any bonuses. He still felt better looking at her.

It. Looking at it.

Runner swallowed past the lump in his throat and walked down the street towards the entrance. Srit would be returning soon. In the next thirty minutes or so by his calculations after watching her speed. He’d be waiting for her. She deserved a warm welcome home.

Runner passed by Barbarians, Sunless, and Humans on his way to the gate. There were also many other races present but much fewer in number.

Many of those moving about the area carried lumber or other goods to construction sites or silos. All of the immediate surrounding wood was in the process of being cleared to provide a clear line of sight in every direction.

Defense would be a must. Vix would be a fortress. A bastion.

In fact he had organized a team of people to retrieve Bastion, the tree that saved him when he first arrived.

Now planted in the center of the town square, Bastion had already become a place that people visited regularly.

Runner swore it had already started to grow larger since the transport. He was curious to see what would happen.

Everyone he crossed recognized him immediately and bowed their head to him. Runner brushed if off politely and nodded his head in return. He hoped they’d grow used to him soon enough. He didn’t plan to rule from on high.

Runner briefly saluted his gate guards as he left the fort, walking down the road a ways.

Coming to rest a good distance from the newly erected wall, but not far enough to panic Sophia’s guards who trailed him everywhere, Runner waited.

“Ah. My lord,” spoke a voice to one side.

Runner turned his head and found Isabelle walking towards him.

She’d asked to be returned to her Elven heritage the moment they had freed Basile from the dungeon.

He hadn’t commented on it, but he’d noticed right off the bat she’d clearly adjusted her body sliders a little in the race reset screen.

Well, a lot more than a little, really.

Her bust had become very impressive for an Elf. Not quite as large as say Thana’s, but definitely up there. Not to mention she actually had a waist and hips now.

She really went for an hourglass figure.

“Morning, Belle. Out wandering my wood?”

“Indeed. They’re quite beautiful. Massive and old. I look forward to spending many years amongst them. Leading and teaching recruits and children alike.”

“You want children?” Runner asked. He hadn’t thought about that. Though if Naturals would eventually age and die, it certainly would make sense for them to be able to reproduce.

“I do indeed. Let me know when you’re ready to start trying. I hear Thana and Katarina are already putting you through your paces without any luck yet,” she said, grinning at him.

“Belle, we talked—”

“No, we didn’t. You didn’t want to. I’ve made my choice. You let me know when. Until then, I’ll bide my time. Elves live a very long time and I’m patient. Alright, I’m off to the other side of the wood now. We’ve got a very large population of animals in these woods and I’m trying to map their game trails.”

Isabelle waved at him and jogged off.

Runner shook his head, grumbling to himself.

“Stupid, deaf Elf. As if Thana would even allow her to join the harem council. Doesn’t she know it won’t work?” Runner grumbled.

“Not stupid!” she called over her shoulder.

Runner felt his face burn at the fact she’d heard him.

I swear to god. Why do they get a bonus to hearing? That doesn’t even make sense.

Especially concerning to him was the lack of response about Thana’s little harem council. Which meant she probably knew about it. And didn’t care in the least.

Amelia popped into being, sitting on the grass nearby. Her tunic had been removed and her red undershirt had the top three buttons undone. She was leaning forward as if enjoying the sun. And providing him a great view at the same time.

“She’s about as likely to stop as I am. Have fun with that.”

Runner ignored her comment and smiled at her instead.

“Good morning, Minxy. You look lovely.”

“You really know how to make a lady feel great.”

“Not hard to make beautiful ladies feel great. Like complimenting the sun for being bright.”

“Gods, I love you. Let me show you how much, lovey.”

“Down, Minxy. To what do I owe the pleasure? And yes, it really is a pleasure. Even if I’m constantly fending off your sexual attentions.”

Smiling, Amelia tilted her head to one side as she considered him.

“You’re perfect. I can’t wait to take you as mine. I’ll make you so happy. I’m here because my sisters and I wanted to officially thank you for all that you’ve done. All around Tirtius, temples and churches spring up like weeds. We don’t believe it’ll be long before worship of primes will simply become worship of the Triumvirate. We’ve gotten ahead of that and already made a binding agreement to pool our power pool together into one. Doesn’t matter who they pray to, it benefits us all now.”

“Good. That was my goal. You three will be much stronger as a unified pantheon.”

“Anyone ever tell you it’s damn sexy that you planned for a bunch of women to be in an extreme power position over you?”

“I’m not afraid of powerful women. Honestly, I tend to prefer them.”

“Suffice it to say, we’re gaining speed and strength,” Amelia said, lying down in the grass.