VIP System

Chapter 13 - The Weight of the Memories

Amanda ran as fast as she could, her feet barely touching the ground as she sped through the forest. In a matter of seconds, she was already trailing through the dense foliage. Upon getting closer to her destination, she began to hear the distant sound of murmuring voices. Most of them belonged to people from the farm who had decided to investigate the explosion. She breezed past them, her focus unwavering as she approached the area.

To her relief and surprise, the ominous aura that had been so threatening the past years was nowhere to be found. The entrance of the cave was intact but the rare area where the lord's chamber had been housed was now burst open. The scene triggered memories, taking her back to the first time she met Claire and Samuel.

They had been so young back then, just starting out on their adventuring careers, much like herself. It was her first time leaving their village. Amanda's clan of elves was the oldest and most reclusive in the world. But she had always been different, stone-set on how she wanted her life to be. She craved adventure and despised the thought of secluding herself in their kingdom.

She left at the young age of 100; young for an elf, but already proven strong among her kin. Despite attempts to stop her, Amanda ventured out, traveling through forests and lands until she reached the edge of another kingdom.

By evening, she found herself in a forest just behind the kingdom's city. The environment was peaceful and quiet, a stark contrast to the lively noises she could hear even from outside the kingdom walls. Feeling accomplished, she decided to enter the city, but something unexpected happened.

A group of bandits had been trailing her, and they captured her. Proud of her power, she prepared to fight back but was devastated to find that her ancient rune was not activating. For the first time, she felt true fear. Overwhelmed by their numbers, the bandits brought her to their camp, where they decided to abuse her, claiming that it would be a waste to sell her without "tasting" her first. Powerless and terrified, she cried and wailed as they began to strip her, destroying her clothing.

Just when Amanda thought she was lost, a man attacked the bandits with nothing but his trusted shield. It was Samuel. Even though he wielded only his shield, he overpowered the bandits, forcing them to scatter. Balls of fire then darted towards the remaining bandits, destroying their camp and sending them fleeing in all directions. Amanda was stunned and unable to move, but Samuel saw her and smiled reassuringly. He was about to approach her when she flinched away, still scared. Respecting her space, Samuel retreated and returned with a woman—Claire.

Claire had black, silky hair and dark eyes that sparkled in the firelight. She ran to Amanda and laid down her long staff, tending to her immediately. She offered Amanda her shirt to cover her exposed body. Meanwhile, Samuel, visibly shocked, removed his own shirt and handed it to Claire while covering his eyes. The two began to argue playfully, Samuel insisting Claire take his shirt while Claire refused, both trying to maintain some form of modesty.

Their bickering stopped abruptly when they heard Amanda laugh for the first time. That laughter broke the tension and solidified the beginning of their unexpected friendship.

Amanda became the third member of their party. They helped her understand the outside world and the life of an adventurer. Claire and Samuel offered her a home, and under their guidance, she became a fully-fledged adventurer, choosing to be a priest. As a priest, she mastered numerous support skills like Heal, Cure, Minor Shield, and buffs such as Enhance Strength and Haste. Although she had once wanted to wield swords, her traumatic experience made her avoid them. Claire and Samuel sensed something was amiss but chose to support her path, knowing she needed to become strong in her own way.

Years passed, and their party grew stronger. Neto, a silent but powerful swordsman, joined them, becoming an integral part of their team. Their party became one of the kingdom's most formidable, regularly participating in extermination quests. When Claire gave birth to Leo, she and Samuel decided to take on fewer dangerous quests. Amanda supported their decision, and Neto chose to stay with the party until they retired.

Neto, about 20 years old at the time, had a promising future. He was the strongest in terms of raw power, and his loyalty to the party was unwavering. However, their idyllic life was shattered on a tragic day, when they faced the Orc Dominion.

Back in the present, Amanda stood before the remnants of the Lord's chamber. She whispered a silent prayer to her late friends, hoping they had found peace now that the Orc Dominion was no more. The people of the area could live peacefully once again. She spoke to Claire and Samuel in her mind, telling them their son, Leo, had grown strong like them. A tear rolled down her cheek as she wished she could one day meet the person who defeated the Orc Lord and offer her gratitude.

An adventurer approached Amanda, breaking her reverie. "You saved a lot of gold coins, you know. An unknown adventurer took care of your extermination request," he said, his tone casual.

Amanda looked at him, surprised. Extermination quests were worth anywhere between 10,000 to 50,000 gold coins, requiring at least ten parties to tackle. She didn't have that kind of money and had offered herself to anyone who would take the quest. Many adventurers had tried to take advantage of her situation, but Amanda had grown stronger. Though she couldn't defeat the Orc Lord, she could protect herself. Despite numerous encounters, she continued to seek help at the guild center, but no one had ever taken the quest.

As soldiers began to flock around Amanda, Kurea appeared, her presence commanding immediate respect. She scolded the soldiers, her voice sharp and disdainful. "Cease this despicable behavior at once, ye knaves!" she snapped. "Hast thou no honor?"

The soldiers, chastised and embarrassed, shuffled away, their heads bowed.

Turning to Amanda, Kurea softened her tone. "Forgive these fools, dear one. Hast thou wondered why strong adventurers are not available despite the Orc Dominion problem? They are oft engaged in these urgent system quests!"

Kurea continued to explain that System quests were directed to system users and had a time limit for acceptance. So most system users accepted them without a thought, for the rewards could range from coins to legendary equipment.

Amanda thanked Kurea, bowing slightly to her and her owl. "If thou seekest the adventurer who did this, there's naught to see here," Kurea said. "But I too desire to meet this soul. Given the magnitude of destruction, it might be another system user unknown to me."