Champion of the Goddess Pt. 05

Then went back up partway and then got into the woods and snuck forward some. He sighed and thought, "Reinhardt troops. Almost 50 of them. Yeah, this was a quest designed for 9 first-level characters. We are back to raids but now at first level. Nothing vengeful about this at all. Thank you Myssara for proving my point."

---

Myssara was in her sanctum as Mother appeared, "50 troops?"

She sighed, "Only a problem if he chooses to fight them. Which is likely given his mindset. He may work to unload and prove my point."

Mother shook her head, "He does not have a lot to unload on that many at this level. You are pissing him off and he is pissing you off. Be careful."

---

He went back to the wagon, "Pack everything in the bag of holding and get on horseback. Everyone with me. Paladins on either side of me. Bows at the ready. Double time but do not fire unless I do." They nodded.

They went riding right down the road at double speed until they caught sight of the camp and he pointed the paladins to head directly toward the camp. The Soldiers scrambled to get up. Raven called out, "Who is in charge here?! I know you are Duke's Reinhardt's men and I want to know who is fucking up by the numbers!"

A man came forward, "I am Captain Fulbright. Who are you to be saying we are fucking up by the numbers?!"

Raven growled out, "Did you intercept the package for the Duke?! It was sent down this road 2 days ago on a single scout courier or did they sneak by this 'OH SO OBVIOUS' encampment?"

The Captain looked over, "What do you know of what we are looking for?"

He held up the letter, "We were hired to pursue it after it failed to get picked up by a caravan patrol; this scout took it upon himself to go it alone down the road. The caravan could not keep up with a single rider.

That is why we have twice the number of horses that we do. We had two ponies go lame in pursuit and we are wondering if you have a couple of others, we could trade horses for. Here is my letter with instructions from the Duke!"

The captain came forward and read it, "You sure it went down this road?"

He sighed, "Unless we missed a turnoff and they are taking the extremely long way to get there then yes! You are telling me you missed him!?"

The Captain sighed and silently cursed, "We have no ponies."

Raven looked over, "Alright ladies you will just have to double up with us for now. See if we cannot catch this asshole before he gets too far ahead! My letter!"

The captain handed it back and Raven pointed them past the encampment and had them all ridding double-time away

---

Mother laughed, "He did not unload. He used the resources you gave him."

Myssara growled out, "Fuck. The next group up the road will force a fight."

---

Cresna giggled almost an hour later, "They are going to come after us when the caravan gets there."

Raven nodded, "As they had one horse standing and one badly wounded if they managed to find it. 2-3 days as the guys on foot will likely head back with one of them going for more horses. There was a shortage at the stable remember.

Unless she fixes it and restocks them, which is likely now that we are gone. Else there are a lot of caravans and or parties who are going to die at that starting point as it is an epically fucked up point for any forced to go there."

He knew that would piss Myssara off.

---

Myssara had just finished correcting those things to do just that and sighed, "He knows my every fucking move. Now If I do that I am advertising I need his advice!"

Mother sighed, "He either knew you or advised you. A no-win situation for you. That letter was damning and he used it."

---

4 hours later they switched out horses and continued their 'pursuit.' As it got close to nightfall, they found a cave and took shelter inside. They let those who needed the sleep get it first.

Raven thought, "We making any XP on this road or what?"

He heard her laughing, "You have not fought anything. You ran and talked your way out of two encounters."

He thought back, "We cut off pursuit with the first one and have a captain thinking he is a complete fuck up with the second for missing the scout. We used the resources you gave us. You said you gave them free will. You wanted to prove your persona or something against me. I am waiting for you to start directing their actions next."

She sighed, "Alright they are making level 2 tonight."

He nodded and went out and grabbed some brush and then worked with the ranger to obscure the tracks into the cave and build a fake wall of brush along the entrance. Once the others rested Raven rested and got his new spells. He got up, "Anything went past us?"

The fighter shook his head, "Nothing."

He sent his raven out and looked up and down the road. "Alright, the 50 men are on the move and a good distance away. We should get going. Double time as they are not moving that fast."

He got mounted up and they took off out of the cave, "Raven scout road." He sent his raven off.

The raven came back 3 hours later, "12 men on horse left side of the road."

He got everyone into the woods and obscured the tracks. He took them deeper into the woods and away from the road on the left side. Myssara asked, "What are you doing?"

He thought back, "Stumping your brain dead free will personas."

They traveled off into the woods for a couple of hours before turning back north and he kept the raven flying. He thought back, "Getting off the too obvious road and going around the problem. Our mission is to get from A to B, nothing said we had to travel in a straight line."

He heard her groan, "You are trying to get to the second inn without having to fight again."

He thought back, "We were supposed to fight. Sorry did not get that memo."

He heard her growl in his head. The raven came back, "12 men on horses coming toward you."

He nodded and took them further from the road.

He got to a small stream and took them across and then hid the horses. He had everyone get down with bows at the ready. "I am looking through my raven. Mercenaries. 2 casters in the group, 3 in full plate, 5 in the chain, and the last 2 in leather. All longbows on the casters first. Crossbows into the horse of the full plated riders. Wait until they are at mid-stream."

They watched the 12 coming across where they crossed. They had a ranger upfront. The casters in the back and signaled them all to hold until the casters were mid-stream and then they unloaded. The first volley killed off both casters and injured 3 horses, He called out, "Horses on those in the stream." They launched on four in the stream still on horses and they fell over and pinned the riders underwater. He pointed, "Hunting time, Fighter paladins, Tonya team with Ox. Cresna, please team with Jeremiah. Vina, you stay with me and we fire on any that manage to get to the surface in the water. Frema, you provide range support to them." She nodded and they went off to play war.

Vina and Raven took down 2 who managed to surface and then moved in to help with magic missiles on a couple that remained. He handed a wand to Julia, "Help to start healing. Raise a hand if you are injured. Tonya, you want to start searching the bodies."

He thought back, "Took the reins and sent them after us to force the fight. So much for not being able to control them once we were on the road. I predicted that move."

He found himself in the sanctum She was livid, "You were avoiding every fight so I had to do something. I could not let you get to level 5 again without combat."

He sighed, "There you go making it you against me. Exactly what I said you would do. You moved them. You could have done that with the double party mash-up you forced onto us last life. Cut out some of your night time encounters by having them move off-road and away but you did not. You misled what you could do and Mother said you could not modify it once we were on it. She had always been honest before. What changed?"

Mother showed up, "I modified it to send them after you."

He nodded, "You could have solved it then last life but you wanted to see what I would do. Another yet proof of concept if you will. Challenging champions in the world."

Mother sighed, "Alright, I did want that last life. You crushed her mine quested."

He nodded, "Also her 50-man army quest this life, at least so far. She gave us the letters to get around them. Again resources. That is what is missing, the interrogation room!"

Mother sighed, "Alright those should have been in the group you just took down instead of the group pursuing you."

He sighed, "No. they were right where they were supposed to be. We were not expected to live through the encounter. She is working to run this as a raid from level 1-20. We had all of the free will of a damned raindrop falling from the sky on getting a caravan. She stuck a bunch out there but none wanted or had guards.

What the fuck!? Then she has one of her personas stab me in the back in an inn. I should have just killed him. Instead, I made it harder for them to follow us. So, she changed it up and sent others to follow us."

Myssara shook her head, "No they would have followed the caravan you selected."

He nodded, "They would have known we had it how?"

She sighed, "Spies at the palace watched you enter and leave and talked about a package to the guards."

He nodded, "So the Queen's guards are in on this crime as well. Next life, full up ranger favored enemy royalty. See if we cannot thin the herd of corruption down properly in your personas. Send the world into chaos by killing off all the royalty."

She growled again and Mother sighed, "Stop it. Both of you."

He looked at Mother, "NO. When she starts using me as 'cargo' to bypass my free will, yes go fuck the human princess fertile. No choice, you are the package. I have every right to be upset with this gift I gave her. To lead the party myself for a change.

She turned it into another you against me scenario with you even aided her to try and 'put me in my place. Fuck free will.' I will deliver the package, it works...great. If not, so sad. That is the mission for point B. Not me fucking her unless I choose too."

Mother sent him back.

He looked at Cresna, "You try and talk with her, all her and Mother are doing right now is pissing me off. We can camp here for now. Raven camp watch. Cold camp, no fires."

He walked off and unsaddled horses and started brushing them down. Tonya came up and hugged him, "Pulled all the bodies in and gathered the extra horses. Got some new full plate for our tank types according to Vina."

He nodded but did not otherwise respond. She sighed, "What is wrong?"

He pointed, "Talk with Myssara and you will get answers. I am being turned into a side of beef again. Myssara is playing me against her again and now Mother is helping her to do it. They are working to squash my free will. Yet I do not have a right to be upset with the way this quest has gone. This will be the last quest I lead."

She sighed, "Why?"

He looked at her, "Because if I lead it Myssara feels obligated to take me on one-on-one. That is not fair to the party. That was not what this was about."

He finished brushing down the horses. He went to the party, "Let us talk about today. Questions?"

Julia looked at him, "Why did you take us so far off-trail?"

He nodded, "We had a group of 50 pursuing us and a group of 12 in front of us. We pulled the 12 to the ground where we had the advantage. They moved off the trail to follow us 'somehow.' Even though we had evaded them.

We did not want to be between 2 groups with 62 against 9. Now we will take one of the 12, one in leather, and wrap up and store his body. He just became the elusive scout that we managed to hunt down. In case we run into that military patrol again. We will head back to the road in the morning."

Frank looked at him, "You seemed awfully upset earlier."

He nodded, "Not relevant to the discussion. It dealt with game mechanics and what I had been told happens versus what can actually happen. Something that pisses me off but is between the champion and the goddess to figure out how to deal with having an honest relationship.

One that is not confrontational as it appears to keep getting more confrontational at the moment and that is not fair to the rest of you. You are here to learn, live, and love. To have fun. Right now, it is time to get some rest so we can try and finish this first leg of the quest in the next couple of days.

I'll stand first watch with Frank. Cresna and Ox, you have the second watch. We will put Julia and Frema and Vina on the third watch. Tonya and Frema can begin scouting back toward the road come morning."

They all nodded and headed off to sleep. He had the raven watching and he read through the rest of the correspondence before it got too dark. He sighed and thought, "This is what you wanted. Another round of royal intrigue, so much for giving me 20 lives before dragging me back into it. I was supposed to just deliver a package from my backstory and you turned it into this pile of shit."

She did not reply. He woke Cresna for her shift and she sighed, "She is pissed at you right now." He nodded and laid out the letters to her.

She sighed, "Dragging you back into royal court intrigue again and so soon?"

He nodded, "Not a royal life but a royal life as I would be putting heirs into the human Kings royal line IF I do it myself. I ask you, who has the right to be pissed off?"

She sighed and he took her warm bedroll and went to sleep. He was in the sanctum and naked. He sighed and walked away from her in the water. To the far side of her sanctum and sat down in the grass. Mother showed up, "We need to resolve this matter."

He nodded and aimed his eyes at the computer device.

Mother sighed, "Would that resolve the issue or just be changing it to suit your needs?"

He looked at Mother and Myssara who approached from behind her, "Is that not what you continue to do with me in this life? With my last life? You changed it today to suit your needs. You pulled them to chase us for no other reason than you could.

Wow, the double standards you bear the weight of maintaining. Once again proving that men are second class citizens in your world Mother. We wandered outside of your 'planned path.' Last life, you did not expect that last party to get past the dragon.

When I refused to take your brick paladin you did not want to fix it for being a single party on that road. When we did without losing anyone it shocked you. I never even unloaded on it. You did not want me to know you could change the events down that road to make it successful for a single party.

Instead, you wanted us in conflict Mother. You wanted to try and show me that I should listen to Myssara blindly because she knows better. She is the Goddess in this relationship. I proved there is always room to learn. I did it to you again in that last level 20 end fight and now you have a loose cannon view of me, which caused this fiasco of a life.

Giving me options with no options on caravans. Show me where in these other 20 plus quests you got going on that you have a party of 9 first level characters facing off against 50 members of a military or mercenary company? You are telling me that is the new normal for all players on this world Mother?

Not you Myssara, you can mislead. You like fucking lying to me. She has to be honest with me. Misleading me is all you appear to want to do these days. You cannot give me the appearance of free will. I either have it or I don't. It is just that simple."

Mother sighed, "What do you want to do? It is not like that across her world. Just where you are going and this was a reaction to you unloading on her last level 20 fight and getting them all through."

He sighed, "You have natural obstacles to direct a given path, going off-road is slower and that fucks with your abilities to deal with the rate of birth. It takes a party 24 days to walk from the first to the second inn on the road...and you have mothers dropping children on the road instead. Correct?"

She nodded, "That is a concern and has happened before."

He looked at her, "You have never asked me my advice on these simple issues because you had people playing like lemmings before. Myssara does not know that term likely, so you can fill her in on lemmings including the video game."

Myssara finally cracked a smile and sat down, "Alright so our quest design needs work."

He sighed, "I gave you a simple package delivery starting point from A to B and you turned me into the damned package. What would Eve have done or felt about that Mother?"

She groaned, "Alright I get it. You want a say in who you have sex with and it should not be an objective to a quest but a potential happy side effect if it occurs."

Raven nodded, "Exactly. I gave her the chance to do that with the caravan driver's wife. Instead, I get attempted murder. That would have succeeded if not linked to Cresna by the way. Then what would you have done? Yes, I killed him in-game, I am victorious?

But I did it before he even left the first inn. A rather hollow victory. You cannot say you did not control that persona because you did, your actions for this whole quest shows your anger at me unloading on that level 20 quest.

You have them set to free-will malicious intent. I never told you to show it to your graduating class, you chose to show it to them. I explained we were working on the mechanics and getting things worked out with this new structure.

I was not critical of you; it was growing pains of switching from one form of gaming to another. You take your level 15 quests and ramp them up for level 20 quests in difficulty then you have proper level 20 quests. Not a level 20 raid quest. You want level 20 quests to be epic.

Choose, frost giants mages or ancient white dragon, not fucking both of them. Those are RAIDS! You want to do raid quests then do them as graduation quests. Those that have the 5 Class A lives. Set them up to run a raid as you had it designed. Those that succeed graduate out.

Those that fall back get a couple more lives and then are put back into the meatgrinder of whichever raid you create to see if they are ready to move on or if you can slaughter them to hold them back, even longer, as you take control to kill any who piss you off.

The roads are the roads for a reason. Wildlife, orc tribes, rogue bandit camps, those are off the road contingencies you can set for them to run amuck if they go off the beaten path. Things to drive them back toward their destination or they might just tackle it and surprise you.

Like I did with the 3 separate dragons, the epic necromancer, and the lich and his horde of undead followers. You give me a challenge and I step up to it. I give you one and you throw a fit about it...instead of trying to learn from it. You brought me in to help fix one quest this entire time.

You never asked me how to fix your level 20 quests. I am not designing them for you, just giving you the benefits of my knowledge of the game. Using my knowledge of the game until YOU are ready to have that discussion.

The only thing you will do is 'take it under advisement or look at that next life.' You incorporated some of those ideas for other groups and have probably had much better luck with those groups since doing so, correct? You can answer that one Myssara."

Myssara sighed, "I have and yes, it is cut down on the deaths without pulling punches on the survivors while still getting them a sense of accomplishment. It has helped with overall morale. You already addressed why you did not do that after the last quest."