Goats And Heroes

I was created to be a sacrifice to the world, and anytime I tried to take something for myself, the world punished me. My life started on a farm where I worked myself to the bone for my father and sister. All because I had a special talent. Anything I cultivated could miraculously make anyone stronger, faster, or heal horrible injuries. But not me; nothing I made could benefit me in any way. The only way I could improve myself was through hard work.

The day my world changed started like any other. I awoke hours before sunrise when it was still cool. Out my window, I watched the farm under the moonlight. Frost covered the lush green grass shining like strings of silver. Rows upon rows of tall crops stood firm in the distance vines of potatoes, tall stalks of asparagus, corn, and wheat. My sweat and blood made the soil fertile, and the crops I grew were always hardy. A row of pineapple trees grew high in our orchard, bearing fat fruit even when it snowed.

From the moment I could walk, my earliest memories were of the grass growing up to my ankles with my every step. That was before I learned how to keep my power contained. Then, a flash on the moonlit pond in the distance caught my attention. A massive silver-scaled catfish leaped out of the water and turned its attention to me before falling back inside.

A small smile fought the resentment bubbling in my chest. If I could make one of them my familiar, then maybe I could become strong too. My curse won’t apply if I’m connected to a familiar, or I hoped it wouldn’t. Unfortunately, a familiar bond could only be made with something weaker than myself. And even the weakest fish in our pond is stronger than me. The newborn goats have higher stats than me.

I could see our goat pins in the distance and the white coats of the many dogs running around the farm. My sister’s familiar, a massive shaggy dog with crimson fur named Fred, ran down a lvl20 goblin before it could sneak into a pin. The dog bit down on the poor green creature and shook its head from side to side, and I looked away. Eating just one of our goats would make a tribe of goblins much more powerful.

I sucked in a breath of cool air and rolled out of bed onto the floor. Parts of the floor where my skin touched as I struggled almost glowed with a healthy luster.

The world was governed by the great gods Da, Nim, Istra, and Rot, and through them, the great system functioned. Those who fought hard against monsters and gained levels were given points. Everyone was born with a special skill tree and could gain other skill trees. By using skills, they would level up and become better. For the good of my family, my points were spent on improving my skills. And unlike the rest of my family, points were hard to come by for me. I couldn’t gain points by eating the food I made, and neither my father nor sister had any levels in cooking. But I wouldn’t let that get to me. I still wanted to make something of my life. So, I pressed my hands against the lustrous wooden floor and pushed up.

My routine took an hour, but I managed to push up 300 times.

+1STR

STR 20

I thought I was getting close, but to think I was close enough to leap over the edge. Pure happiness flooded my body at the prompt. Finally, I managed to break out of the teens. My muscles felt just a little bigger, even if it was my imagination. Last year before my father showed me the exorcise, I had only had 10STR. Maybe he could teach me something new, and I could gain even more STR.

Most would call it stupid, but I had a dream. I wanted to be the strongest person in all of Noma County. Unfortunately, I’m not even as strong as one of our kids; on average, their STR was 50. If they didn’t listen to me, I wouldn’t be able to work the farm. Our donkey had an STR of 800, and our father had an STR of 5k. I was weak now, but everything would get easier once my STR hit 50.

That would make me strong enough to wear armor, a sword, and a shield. Then, I could become an adventurer like my father did when he was younger than me.

A banging on the door rattled me out of my thoughts.

“Big brother, get up. I’m hungry. I know your awake I cans see your level through the door.” That was my little sister Violet; she’s 13 and always hungry. I thought about feigning sleep so I could do another set, but I didn’t want to ruin my stamina before the day began.

I knew if I capitulated, she would do it again, but my sister was cute. “Fine, let me get dressed.”

Our kitchen was well furnished; our father spared no expense. This was where he and my sister had the most gains, and I cooked. I think he really wanted the experience to be enjoyable for me. Cast iron pans hung on hooks above the rare pipe system called a sink recently washed with scented soap. I could twist a lever, and water poured out; I didn’t need to go to the pond with a bucket anymore. A powerful wood stove sat in the middle of the kitchen, enchanted by the local enchanter’s guild to start with the turn of a nob. Knives of all kinds sharp enough to cut through the toughest hide were in easy reach. Even with my low strength, I could wield them. He made sure that I could easily cook for them despite my low stats. We even had a cold storage box to keep ingredients longer called an icebox.

I used ingredients grown by my own hands or fed by me. High-level animals or plants yielded high-level food. Combining that food into a dish boosted the effects even more.

Our icebox still had a solid piece in it left by our father. Not only was he a mighty warrior, but he knew magic too. I couldn’t wait to go on my own adventure and become as strong as him. So, after I organized my ingredients, lit the woodstove, and scooped out a chunk of lard, it was time to check my stats.

I visualized what I wanted to do and performed the holy rite. “Status,” I said and summoned a blue screen.

Red lvl10

Titles: N/A

Familiars: N/A

Rank: I – No Modifiers

Enhancements: N/A

Breakthroughs: N/A

Perks: Goat Whisperer, Cultivator, Family Chef

HP: 90

Stamina: 5%

VIT 9

STR 20

AGL 12

INT 8

WIS 8

CHA 5

LUK 5

Curse: Rot’s Revenge – No Cultivation skill or skill tree can directly benefit the user.

Skills:

Cultivation Tree 274 of 2000Points

Cultivation lvl50

Potion Craft lvl60

Pill Making lvl1

Spirit Cooking lvl76

Spirit Cuisine lvl5

Animal Care lvl79

Spirit Beast Care lvl3

Farming Tree 365 of 1300Points

Farming lvl70

Planting lvl80

Harvesting lvl10

Rearing lvl70

Slaughtering lvl8

Watering lvl60

Irrigation lvl5

Feeding lvl60

Grazing lvl2

Training Tree 20-1300Points

Training lvl20

According to father, there was a legend once a skill tree is finished, half the points are refunded, and a special perk is awarded. But no one in living memory has been able to complete a skill tree. Getting even one skill to 100 is difficult, and it would be impossible unless someone gave every level to it. But what if I could get some levels and devote them to cultivation. That would give me plenty of points. I could really become strong enough to fight monsters and level up.

I shook my head at my head and focused on cooking. Daydreaming could wait until I’m done with morning chores.

“Hey, what are you thinking about?”

Violet twirled one of her long blond braids as I focused on the eggs, putting a little bit of cultivation into each one. Small wisps of energy that would never come back to me filled the eggs before I cracked them in the pan. I did the same with the cheese, and milk violet had for her morning eggs, then I put on some ogre sausage and goat sirloin. Both ingredients happily drained away at the wispy green energy flowing out of my body. I gently funneled the right amount of power into the ingredients to ensure they would give the maximum effects.

“I was thinking about what I should cook for lunch,” I said.

“Don’t bother. I’m bringing food home and cooking it myself; don’t touch anything.”

I didn’t have the heart to tell her no. Even if she found something rare, she didn’t have the cooking skill. 90% of positive effects would be diminished. Violet might never get the cooking skill. I’ve swung my practice sword for ages but never gained a sword skill or a hint of a sword tree. The first time she picked up a sword, she gained the powerful Phoenix Sword skill tree. Father taught her our family spells even though we aren’t noble-born. Father was disinherited for marrying our mother.

Stamina: 8%

Eating wouldn’t heal my stamina like it would Violet, and since I was the only one cooking, it was a finite amount. I grabbed a slice of bread and tried to restrain my energy, but small bits of it still flowed into the bread, locking all its stat benefits from me. After toasting the bread, I plated and made a separate plate for father for whenever he woke up.

Spirit Breakfast – A heaven-defying meal of eggs, meat, and toast filled with the powerful energies of the Red. Every bite is guaranteed to be delicious and beneficial to anyone wishing to advance.

Cultivation Bonus

x10 Health Boost 6hrs

x10 Stamina Boost 6hrs

+500 Physical Stat Boost 6hrs

+500% Health Recover 6hrs

+500% Stamina recovery 6hrs

x10 Exp Gain 6hrs

x10 Skill Gain 6hrs

x10 Stat Gain 6hrs

+10 VIT Permanent

+10 STR Permanent

+10 AGL Permanent

+10 INT Permanent

+10 WIS Permanent

+10 CHA Permanent

+10 LUK Permanent

Yet I could never benefit from it. The stupid curse I was born with barred me from benefiting from my own power. My father made me invest all my points in my skills, and my sister coddled me. This life I lived was better than most people could dream of, and I shouldn’t feel resentful. My power helped my family; it helped us survive and thrive here. Outside, our farm people barely made it off this land. I should feel happy and content with this life.

The sun began its slow march to crest the hill and make my day enjoyable. When the sun shines bright, I always feel much better. I can still reach for my dream under the sun despite my flaws.

I leaned through the window and looked out over the farm. One of the roosters started crowing, and for a second, I let myself enjoy the moment and look away from my sister. This was my farm, and with my power, it was beautiful. Even my sister seemed to glow like the sun itself.

Maybe it was time to accept that all I could do was support others. Even if I was weak, I could make others strong.

Something flickered on the edge of my vision, far across our field. Near the woods where Violet goes to grind experience, I saw a black shape vanish. I blinked for a second, thinking I had imagined the whole thing. Maybe it was another goblin off in the distance; I couldn’t know for sure.

“Yummy, this is even better than it was yesterday. You’re the best. I will kill extra trolls to keep you safe while you work.” Violet said.

A small smile spread across my face because she was right. I needed her, or else even the weakest mob in the woods outside our farm could kill me. Even the goats would fair better against even the weakest goblin than I would.

“Thank you, that means the world to me.” She quickly finished her meal and put her plate in the dirty pile. I would do it later. But unfortunately, Violet had more important things to do than clean her plate.

I stepped outside and felt better. Then, when the sun hit me.

Stamina 5%

Some of the exhaustion from my morning workout and cooking vanished; unlike food or water, sunlight leaked through the green stuff surrounding my body and made me feel better. But, I had work to do, and it was going to be a nice sunny day.

I turned to Violet. She was strapping on a steel breastplate and belting her sword. Father made the small steel blade and had it enchanted a year ago for her birthday. He gave me a book on familiars that I read cover to cover but couldn’t use. Even the skill-familiar bond was beyond me without a potential familiar.

“Look after yourself out there, and don’t take any big risks.”

“Don’t worry, I’m stronger than anything the forest can dish out. No troll, ogre, or Oni is tougher than me.” Violet said and smiled brightly. My head felt like it was made of cotton, as it often did when she smiled. It was her charisma.

I used to think it was also a sign I was something special. Besides their father, everyone Violet talks to became a stuttering mess or openly worshiped her as a goddess. She only makes me feel a little lightheaded. But when a noble came to call upon her, I learned that wasn’t the case. Being related gave me some immunity to her Charisma stat, nothing more. My only specialty has always been to make others stronger.

Unaware of my thoughts Violet tossed her pigtails back and put on the shiny helmet I bought for her last time we went into town. Then, after she slipped her boots and leather gloves on, she was ready to head out.

A year ago, her STR had been 2k and rising quickly. I wondered if she had already reached the level cap and ranked up. Only those destined to be heroes ranked up before age 15, but it would be Violet if anyone could. I would like to say it was all me, but my father was a hero. All my role had amounted to was helping her raise her stats a little higher. Maybe she would be the first person to max out a skill tree.

I walked out and made my way through the thick grass to release the goats for the day. Slim, a big three-horned brute ready to be slaughtered, glared at me with its three eyes. Goats were forbidden by the church of the four gods to rank up. They were rumored to have demonic branches in their evolutionary path, so we slaughtered them before one could reach lvl100.

Slim lvl99

It was his time, and I had been putting it off. I was forbidden to kill him, not to keep me weak but to keep the goats from suffering. Even with the sharpest knife, I couldn’t kill one at such a high level. The goats would only feel pain as I slashed its throat repeatedly. Not like I ever tried; I didn’t want to kill them. I only reached my current level from killing bugs. Still, they no longer gave enough experience to level up, so back to the drawing board.

“Come on, Slim, it's your time.” The goat cocked its head to the side, letting its long ears flap about. Baah! It said in response and followed me. While the others grazed, Slime obediently followed behind me to a separate barn. He refused to go in, and I wasn’t strong enough to force him. I smiled and told him to stay. The goat cocked its head to the side and then nudged me back towards the field.

I looked over the goats and noticed one wasn’t accounted for. Then it hit me Phoebe was about due. I jogged across the field to the barn where Phoebe lay on the ground. Two newborn kids stumbled on the ground, and something amazing happened.

I saw a notification.

Would you like to make a familiar bond?

Y/N

The black baby goat on the ground looked sickly compared to its twin. She was a runt and so much smaller than her sibling. Father would tell me to take her to the execution barn. But this was my chance, and I could help her. If I could form a bond with her, then as she grows, I will improve as well. This could be my only chance to do something great.

She fought to stand but couldn’t make it. Phoebe tried to nudge her, but the newborn doe wasn’t strong enough. As I watched it struggle, I felt like an utter jerk for being happy. Seeing her so weak had made me feel overjoyed, and I had to question if I had done this on purpose. Had I held back my green energy subconsciously and hoped this would happen.

Having a familiar that I could use to tweak my nose at the curse was everything I wanted.

I was an idiot, a fool, and a buffoon. But, even if those words were all similes, I felt that only one description of my next action was insufficient. I eased the little goat on her hooves, and she lunged to drink. Suddenly the will to live became overpowering within her. Maybe I felt a kinship with the little doe when she started coughing and spluttered. Her health dipped as she stumbled back down. The runt tried to rise again but was having trouble.

Even if she was weak, I still wanted her. So I tapped yes on the bond.

Familiar Name?

The tiny doe reminded me of myself. And made me feel stupid for feeling bitter. But, a familiar wouldn’t change my weakness.

New Skill

Familiar Bond lvl1 – A bond shared between humans and animals that can last beyond a lifetime. Each familiar bond is unique, from dragons to ants, and can give the user unique perks. For now, your familiar bond is too weak to gain any special perks. +1 Point for every 10 familiar stats. 

I racked my mind for a name until one came to me out of them either. I entered it in Kara, and a title appeared over Kara’s black-furred head.

Kara gained a title

Title: Familiar +10%Exp +10 to all stats.

In an instant, the little runt struggled to her hooves and pushed itself to drink, almost knocking its sibling aside. I brushed the mother while the two kids fed, filling her with more concentrated energy as I took the strands of power and wound them like strings.

For the first time, I had a chance, thanks to the little goat nursing with its twin.

Points 9

I had 9 points to spend on anything I wanted for the first time in forever. It was enough to bring me to tears, and the little goat would only get stronger if I had anything to do with it. When our familiar bond reached a certain level, we would both get bonuses.

The best part was it really pissed in Rot’s eye. If I ever met one of that god’s followers, I would probably send my sister after him because I’m still weak.

With just a little hope, everything changed. I couldn’t believe how good it felt to finally have a chance to make something of myself. Hay, the doe, needed hay and maybe one of my potions to help her heal from the birth. Of course, no one would bat an eye if I mixed one for one of our does.

Slim helped me. I stopped at that thought. The old goat knew I felt troubled and did what it could to help. That or it was telling me to check on one of the does. But, of course, it could have also been trying to mess with me. But, really, I had no way of knowing.

There was some dust flying in the distance. I blocked the sun out of my eyes and peered into the distance to see a fancy carriage. Another noble was coming to call on my sister and eat my food. I should feed them slim the old goat would be tough to chew on, and it would probably get a kick out of choking a noble.

I shook my head. A noble ride into a farm to call upon the farm’s daughter sits down to have dinner and chokes to death on a tough old goat. Trying to explain that to the lord count Macbeth of Noma wouldn’t go over well. I’m sure it would end with our farm burning down and father killing the knights.

The sun had barely risen, and the carriage wasn’t much closer after I changed out the hay for all the goats. I even put some out for Slim because he looked hungry. For Kara, I added a little extra power to her dame’s hay.

By the time I finished changing the hay, the pigs were squealing, and the chickens needed their feed. Even if they got most of what they needed from the fat green worms poking out of the ground. After living in a land bathed in my power, they were considered second rank mobs, but I couldn’t gain Exp from them. They were technically directly filled with my power.

I shook my head as a massive worm poked out of the ground, glowing green, opened a fang-filled mouth, and spat a stream of acid on the ground. My boot was more than large enough to stomp it into paste, but it must have looked like a terrible threat to the roosters. Several roosters banded together using old pot lids for shields and rusty kitchen knives like swords. Their feathers moved by some mystical force to grip the lid handles. While I gathered the corn, I watched them fight the worm until one of the roosters dealt a lethal blow. One of the roosters held its kitchen knife high, glowing green. The same power that constantly flowed out of me surrounded the blade. I could even feel a considerable amount of my energy flow into the weapon. The rooster slashed down with a mighty crow, unleashing a crescent slash of green energy. The mighty slash tore open the worm’s body spilling green blood on the ground. Then the roosters dog piled the worm and ripped it apart. A few even gained several levels from the fight.

Burgundy lvl90

Title: Protector

Rank: 1

A kid grows up on a farm dreaming of being strong all his life, and just as he finally gains something, was upstaged by a rooster. For some reason, those thoughts didn’t bring me down. I finally had a road forward, even if it was long. I opened my status to stare at the 9 points that were mine.

Points 11

I stared at the points that didn’t come from leveling up. So, I didn’t have to invest them into my skill tree. Half of me wanted to reinvest them into Familiar Bond, but I was tired of giving all my points to skills. I spent my life gaining levels using my few level-ups to boost my skills. This was my time.

But what to spend them on. I wanted to invest them all into strength. With more strength, I would be closer to my goal. But father would notice. I’ve been working on strength the old fashion way for years. What would I say to my father if I suddenly increased my STR by 50%? It was the pushups. I just believed in the pushups and gained 11 points in strength all in 1 day. That wasn’t going to work.

Father knew I couldn’t gain from anything I touched. The familiar bond was a massive loophole and not even a good one.

Percentages were where the real gains happened. I knew that for a fact. Violet had numerous skills that boosted some of her stats by high percentages. Until I gained something like that, catching up was just a pipe dream. Maybe what I really needed was to get lucky.

At least the luck stat didn’t have any obvious effects, unlike nearly every other stat. Intelligence and wisdom would be noticed. A change in my magical potential or regeneration would be obvious. If my power suddenly extended far beyond this farm, father would know. But what would he do about it?

“Hello, son; how has your morning been?” I turned my attention to a man who stepped out of legend. From his chiseled features, youthful, almost boyish appearance, and aura of absolute power, my father stood like the God-Emperor of legend over the very Kings of light themselves. I once saw him pluck a barn up from its foundation and throw it hundreds of feet over the forest. His luck changed fate itself; a rank 4 Oni once entered the fence only trip and skewer itself and inflict 5 stacks of bleed on itself before dying. He can run from our farm to the county's edge in minutes. He was the hero who rouge diabolists and even ani-forms feared Baldr.

“Nothing,” I said out of habit.

Father laughed, “Yea, it’s been one of those mornings. Have you kept up your exercise? A little bit of mischief is fine. I’m not going to punish you for playing a little. You know I heard the neighbor girl is a looker.”

“Yes, I did 300 this morning and gained a point. I have 20STR now. And Suzie doesn’t like me; she says I’m too weak for her.” I wanted to be strong.

“She’ll change her mind soon; you’ll be able to swing a sword, and I’ll take you into the forest for some grinding.” I tried to keep smiling as my father beamed. The sun had crested the hill to be at his back and drown me in his shadow. I told him before that I wanted to leave and become an adventurer, and he told me only if I could beat him.

“Will I have to still put my points in the cultivation skill tree?”

Father fidgeted not for the first time when this topic was brought up. This time I hoped for a different answer.”

“How about every 4 out of 5 you put in cultivation and the last one you can put in whatever stat you want. Have you decided which skills you will put your points into? I’m glad I caught them before you wasted them.” Father said and held up a device that showed my point count of 11. So now that you finally have a familiar, you can finally take advantage of your skills. I bet you’re excited.”

That decided it; at my first opportunity, when I was strong enough, I would get away from this place and strike out on my own. I was going to take Kara with me and find a way to get stronger.

I stared through traitorously blurry eyes at my screen. “Pills, I guess; I will invest in pill making.”

“Go ahead and invest them. I was worried you would put them into something you don’t need. You don’t have to worry about a thing; if your Vi and I are around, no monster will get close to you.” I felt an impossibly strong hand clutch my shoulder. His words were almost hypnotic when he spoke. “I understand you think I’m being cruel. But we need you and your power to be successful. Someday I won’t be around, and you’ll only have your sister.” With Father’s vitality, he could live for millennia. I would be lucky with my current numbers to live to 35. “Your sister is the only one of us who can open the door to nobility, and with her help, so many doors will be open for you. Take care of your familiar, and she’ll grow strong, and with your sister's backing, you, not even the church, would dare call for its execution. So, dry your tears and try to make a good impression on the count’s son if he ever arrives.” Father said.

“I will try,” I said before raising Pill Making to 12.

A child of an all-knowing and powerful hero tries to hide their familiar from their father. No surprise, it was never a secret he knew what I was doing before I did. Maybe he planned or saw it coming. I wiped the tears from my eyes and cursed myself.

Father vanished for the grinding woods but would be back if I had any ideas for investing my points into anything other than skills. The road out of this became longer; I didn’t know if I would make it.

I made my way over to the shed, where a simple pill furnace sat along with numerous ingredients. Spirit grass was one of the main ingredients for the pill I wanted to make, and it grew exclusively around our house and in the pond. It boosted the wisdom stat and increased magic regeneration when used as an ingredient. Almost as a rule, if it had the word spirit in its wisdom, intelligence, or charisma was raised. According to the ingredient book father bought from an eastern trader, spirit grass was the base. Slices of cold spirit pineapple would boost vitality and wisdom even more. I added some cuttings from yellow god grass, an eye from the inner eye snails my sister collected for me, and some olive oil.

Once the ground-up ingredients were in their capsule, I slowly invested my power into the pill until black smoke billowed out of the furnace. After I tossed the scraps of burnt pills into the burn pile, I tried again. I would begin to harvest some of the fruit and vegetables in a few hours and hope I get more points in STR.

After dozens of tries, I started to get a feel for when the concoction in my furnace would go horribly wrong. I had altered the mixture several times and even stopped using olive oil, but the pills always burned at a certain point. That was ok. With my current pill-making level, my success rate for this kind of pill was 30%. Combine that with my inexperience, and I might not ever get it right. My recipe book didn’t have a guide on how to get better. It only gave percentages. So, I worked longer than I should have, and the noble’s carriage arrived before my father and sister returned.

I pulled out my tray of pills and saw three with the correct coloration and no blackening.

Pill making lvl15

New Skill

Qi Control lvl1

I stared at one of the missing skills in the cultivation skill tree. Maybe with this, I could start to keep my qi in. When one door closes, another one opens. I made my way back to the goat pin and found Kara. She was sleeping with her sibling when the mother started sniffing the air. The doe knew the smell of pills. Took a step closer, and she turned towards me. Baah! The doe yelled before charging me. I barely dodged as she stretched out her tongue to grab the pills from my pocket.

She headbutted me, and I flew off my feet. I tossed the pills in my mouth and faked a swallow.

Then Phoebe turned her head to the side as other goats neared. I got up, and Phoebe let me pass this time as she struggled to keep the others away. I went to Kara and knew the pills were too big for her. After I chewed them up, I opened her mouth and let the mess fall out of mine. While a few of them fell out, most made it. Immediately the pills began their work.

Kara

VIT +10

INT+10

WIS +20

Red lvl10

Titles: N/A

Familiars: N/A

Rank: I – No Modifiers

Enhancements: N/A

Breakthroughs: N/A

Perks: Goat Whisperer, Cultivator, Family Chef

HP: 90

Stamina: 5%

VIT 9

STR 20

AGL 12

INT 8

WIS 8

CHA 5

LUK 5

Points: 4

Curse: Rot’s Revenge – No Cultivation skill or skill tree can directly benefit the user.

Skills:

Cultivation Tree 2881

2 of 2000Points

Cultivation lvl50

Potion Craft lvl60

Pill Making lvl15

Spirit Cooking lvl76

Spirit Cuisine lvl5

Animal Care lvl79

Spirit Beast Care lvl3

Farming Tree 365 of 1300Points

Farming lvl70

Planting lvl80

Harvesting lvl10

Rearing lvl70

Slaughtering lvl8

Watering lvl60

Irrigation lvl5

Feeding lvl60

Grazing lvl2

Training Tree 20-1300Points

Training lvl20