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A World of Death Chapter 30 — Some Things Never Change
🕑 Added 2025-11-22 06:30:39 +0000 UTC
It had been a few days and Arthur continued working in the orphanage as he recovered, his hammer ringing against nails as he reinforced a sagging beam that had threatened to collapse under the weight of the roof. His body had recovered well enough to move without constant pain, the stitches in his gut now just a painful pull when he stretched too far. But he wasn't entirely healed; the fever had left him leaner, his strength not fully returned, and the exhaustion lingered, making his swings slower than he liked. Still, he pushed on, the work giving him purpose while he waited for Alys's word on Willem's manse.
The hall was filled with children playing, their laughter filling the space as they darted between his legs or "helped" by holding nails. Jory, the scruffy one who'd watched him train, stood nearby, mimicking Arthur's hammer strikes with a stick, his own. "Like this, Ser Arthur?" Jory asked, swinging wildly and throwing himself to the floor.
Arthur chuckled. "Close, but keep your elbow in, like this." He guided Jory's arm gently, showing the motion. "There now you're a proper warrior."
Jory beamed, swinging again with better form. "When I'm big, I'll have a castle! With a big gate for horses!"
"You'll need two gates," Arthur said, hammering another nail. "One for horses, one for the kids to run through."
The children laughed, a few of the younger ones crowding around, Meggie tugging at his tunic. "Tell us about the knight again! The one who fought the bear!"
Arthur set the hammer down, wiping sweat from his brow. "Alright, one more time. Ser Duncan the Tall, they called him, big as a tree and twice as strong..."
However before he could start the story Cassie appeared in the doorway, a basket of laundry on her hip. She clapped her hands. "Bath time, you lot! Outside now."
Groans rose from the children. Meggie crossed her arms. "Do we have to?"
Cassie pointed firmly. "Yes, you have to. Move, or I'll scrub you myself."
The kids shuffled out, grumbling, Jory dragging his feet last. Cassie glanced at Arthur, her green eyes teasing. "You too, big man. You smell like a stable."
Arthur rolled his eyes. "I'll wash later."
She smirked, turning to follow the children. "Suit yourself. But don't come crying when the little ones hold their noses around you."
Arthur shook his head with a smile and picked up his hammer again, driving another nail into the beam until it felt solid. He stepped back, testing the wood with his weight it held well.
[+1 Carpentry]
He nodded to himself and gathered his tools, before he pulled up the quest to check on his progress.
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[New Quest Received]
A HOME REPAIRED
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Description:
The orphanage has stood through storms, summers, and the weight of too many small feet, but time and Flea Bottom's damp rot have taken their toll. Beams sag, floorboards creak, and the roof leaks when it rains. Alys has done her best with little, but her hands are old and her coin purse empty. You owe her more than thanks, and for once, you have the skills to make a difference. It's time to put hammer and saw to work.
Objectives:
✅ Inspect the entire orphanage for structural damage
✅ Repair the cracked ceiling beam in the main hall
– Reinforce the sagging roof supports in the attic
✅ Replace the rotten floorboards near the hearth
– Patch the broken window frame in the dormitory
– Build new shutters for the kitchen
✅ Re-stabilize the garden fence and gate
– Craft a new bench for the garden
– Sand and oil the warped doorframes throughout the hall
– Repair the crooked staircase leading to the loft
– Seal the leaks in the roof before the next rainfall
Bonus Objectives:
– Use salvaged or recycled materials instead of buying new ones
→ Reward: +50 XP, [Trait Fragment: Craftsman's Instinct]
– Improve on the original structure with creative reinforcements or new designs → Reward: +1 Intelligence
– Finish all repairs before Alys notices and forbids you from overexerting yourself → Reward: +1 Dexterity
Rewards:
– +200 XP
– [Skill Upgrade Token]
– [Otherworld Token]
Failure:
– Roof collapses during the next storm
– The children lose their safe haven
– Alys's trust in your judgment wanes
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He had managed four of them, which wasn't bad, but he hoped to have made more progress. He sighed and stretched, his back popping. It was nice though. This was the first time in a while where he had relaxed. Sure he was doing work but this wasn't what he'd count as work. If he was honest he enjoyed carpentry. He liked doing the little jobs like this around the orphanage.
He headed to the stairs, tools in hand, and got to work on the crooked ones, prying loose boards and nailing new ones in place. While he hammered, he thought about how much he liked it here. The kids, Alys, even Cassie they made it feel like a home, rough around the edges but still a home. Mira would like it too, he knew. She had always been good with people. Once he rescued her, maybe they could stay a while, fix the place up together. At least until they found a place of their own.
Cassie appeared at the bottom of the stairs, hands on her hips. "Last chance for a bath, Arthur. We're going past the walls to the Blackwater."
Arthur rolled his eyes. "Heard you the first time. I'll wash later."
She smirked. "Bad idea. You smell worse than the stables."
He poked fun back. "Says the girl who rolls in garden mud every day."
Cassie laughed. "Fair. But seriously, I could use your help. The kids listen to you."
Arthur thought for a moment, then nodded, putting his tools away. "Alright. Lead the way."
Arthur walked with Cassie through the orphanage corridors toward the garden door. "Is Alys coming?" Arthur asked.
Cassie shook her head. "Someone has to stay in case trouble shows up or someone tries to steal from us. That's why we don't bathe often. Takes too many hands away from the place."
Arthur looked at her directly. "I did wonder what that awful smell was."
Cassie smiled and shoved him lightly. "How do you think I felt smelling your bloody wound for days?"
Arthur gave a sarcastic apology. "Sorry about that. Won't happen again."
They stepped outside into the garden. Alys stood in the middle of the yard with all the children gathered around her. She spoke firmly. "Listen to Cassie and Jory. Anyone who misbehaves gets their hide tanned and no dinner."
The children nodded, some looking nervous. When Alys finished, Cassie walked up. "Arthur is coming too."
Alys turned, her brow creasing. "You sure you're up for the walk, lad?"
Arthur chuckled. "I'll be fine. I feel better and I could use a bath myself."
Alys looked unsure but agreed. She faced the children again. "Arthur is going with you. You listen to him same as Cassie and Jory."
The children cheered. Jory puffed his chest out. Meggie jumped up and down. Lena smiled shyly.
Cassie took charge. "Line up. We leave now."
Jory stepped forward first. "I'll be at the front," he said. "No one gets past me."
Meggie grabbed his hand. "I wanna walk with Jory."
Ben pushed between them. "No, me!"
Alys raised her hand. "Quiet. Jory leads. Meggie next. Then Ben, Lena, Thom, Sam. The rest follow Cassie and Arthur. Single file. Hands to yourselves."
The children fell into line. Jory straightened his shoulders. Meggie skipped beside him. Ben grumbled but obeyed. Lena stayed close to Thom. Sam brought up the rear with the little ones. Arthur picked up a bucket Alys handed him. "For the soap," she said. "And mind the road. Gold cloaks patrol near the river sometimes but it can still be dangerous."
Cassie nodded. "We know the way."
Alys watched them go. She called after the group. "Back before dark. And no swimming!"
The children waved. Jory led them through the gate. Arthur walked at the back with Cassie. The line moved down the narrow street. Feet splashed through puddles. Children talked the whole way.
Meggie turned to Arthur. "You ever swim in the river?"
Arthur shook his head. "Not this one."
Ben piped up. "It's very dirty and the Fish bite."
Lena looked worried. "Do they bite hard?"
Thom laughed. "Only if you're bad."
Sam added. "Or if you're Ben."
Arthur walked at the back of the line with Cassie while the children moved ahead in single file through the narrow streets of Flea Bottom. The ground underfoot was packed dirt mixed with mud and shit in places where water had pooled after the last rain. Puddles reflected the grey sky and the smell that rose from them was filled with waste and rot. Buildings crowded close on both sides so that the sun only reached the street in thin slivers.
Many of the houses had boards nailed over broken windows or holes patched with rags. Laundry hung on lines strung from one side to the other and dripped onto passers-by when the wind caught it. People sat in doorways or leaned against walls. Some stared at nothing while others argued over scraps of food or a place to sleep. A man with no legs dragged himself along the ground on a board with wheels. A woman with a baby on her hip begged for coppers and received none. Children younger than the ones Arthur walked with ran barefoot and half-clothed, chasing each other or digging through refuse for anything they could eat or sell.
Arthur kept his eyes moving, taking it all in. He had seen poverty in Harrowfield but nothing like this. The air itself felt disgusting, like it was filled woth the stink of too many bodies in too small a space and no way to wash it away. He noticed a boy no older than Thom trying to steal bread from a cart and the vendor catching him by the ear and beating him with a stick until he cried.
Cassie walked beside him and noticed where his gaze went. She nudged his arm with her elbow. "You look like you've never seen Flea Bottom before."
"I haven't," Arthur said. "Not properly anyway."
She nodded and kept walking. After a moment she spoke again. "Where are you from then? You don't talk like city folk."
"Harrowfield," Arthur answered. "Small village in the Crownlands. Nothing there but fields and sheep."
Cassie glanced at him with a grin on her face. "So what brought a village boy to King's Landing?"
Arthur thought for a second about how much to say. He decided to leave Mira out of the story for now, he didn't want her to make the connection that his wife and sister were the same person. "Wanted something better than breaking my back on my father's farm. Heard the city had chances for people like us if you were willing to take them."
Cassie gave a short laugh. "Chances. That's one way to put it."
Arthur shrugged. "Better than staying there."
She studied him as they walked. "You fight like you've had training before. Where did you learn to swing a sword like that?"
Arthur kept his eyes ahead on the children. "Taught myself. Practised every day after chores. Wanted to squire for a knight, earn my spurs, make a better life for myself and my wife."
She looked away from Arthur with a sad smile on her face. "Must be nice having someone waiting for you."
Arthur's jaw tightened for a moment before he answered. "She's the reason I'm still breathing."
Cassie accepted that and they walked in silence for a while longer. Then Arthur turned the questions back on her. "What about you? How did you end up at the orphanage?"
Cassie shrugged. "Never knew my father. Mother was a whore. Dropped me on the step when I was too small to remember her face. Alys took me in same as the rest."
Arthur looked at her sympathetically. "I'm sorry."
Cassie shook her head. "Nothing to be sorry for. I have a roof, food most days, people who care if I live or die. That's more than plenty round here ever get and it's more than I can ever ask for."
Arthur looked at her. "Ever thought about leaving? Doing something else?"
Cassie gave a short laugh. "With what? I can't read, can't write, don't know my numbers. Got a plain face and my body's not getting any bigger or better. Doubt I could even make coin on my back with how I look now."
Arthur stopped walking for a second and looked at her straight. "That's not true."
Cassie raised an eyebrow. "Which part?"
"All of it," Arthur said. "You have a good singing voice. I heard it when I was sick. People would pay to hear that. And you're not plain. Anyone can see that."
Cassie flushed and shoved his arm. "Stop playing around."
"I'm not," Arthur said. "I mean it.... and listen... anyone can change their fate. You just have to want it bad enough and work for it."
Cassie looked at him for a long moment, something soft in her eyes, then she turned away with a small smile. "Perhaps."
They had reached the Iron Gate by then of the conversation. The children waited in a clump while Cassie counted heads. Arthur helped keep them together as the gate guards waved the group through. Once outside the walls they followed the shore of the Blackwater a short way until they found a bend screened by reeds where the water ran clearer.
"I'm going to take the girls further up, you stay here with the boys," Cassie said as she got the girls in line. Arthur nodded and watched as Cassie left with the girls, her braid swinging as she herded Meggie and Lena further up the shore where the reeds grew thicker and provided more cover. She called back over her shoulder. "Keep the boys in line, Arthur. Make sure there's no fighting or I'll have your hide."
Jory stood beside Arthur and clapped his hands to get the boys' attention. "Alright, strip down and get in the water," he said. Arthur helped by gathering the clothes as they came off. Ben pulled his tunic over his head and kicked off his breeches before jumping into the shallows with a splash. Thom followed more slowly and folded his clothes neatly on a rock. Sam grumbled about the cold but waded in up to his knees. The boys laughed as they splashed each other and Arthur shook his head. "Wash first, play later," he said.
Jory handed out chunks of soap and helped the younger lather up. Arthur undressed down to his smallclothes and then took those off before he stepped into the water. The river was cool against his skin. He scrubbed his arms and chest with the soap. As he washed over his stomach he looked at the healing wounds. The stitches held firm and the red lines had faded to pink scars. He ran his fingers over them and felt how the skin had knit together. He dunked his head under the water and came up rubbing his face. The grime washed away and left him feeling lighter. He stood there for a moment and let the current pull at his legs while he soaped his hair.
Jory splashed water at Ben who tried to dunk Thom. "Stop messing around," Jory said. "Wash proper or Matron'll hear about it." Ben stuck out his tongue but started scrubbing his arms. Sam helped the smallest boy rinse his hair. The bathing went on like that with Jory keeping order while Arthur finished washing and stepped out to dry with a rag from the bucket.
Jory noticed as he wrung out his hair. "How'd your body get like that?" he asked.
Arthur glanced down again. "What do you mean?"
"You look strong," Jory said. "Like a knight or something."
Arthur looked down at his body as he toweled off. His arms had more muscle than he remembered and his chest looked broader. He no longer seemed skinny. He wasn't as big as his brothers or his father had been but he looked pretty strong, he'd even hesitate to say he looked like a warrior.
Arthur thought for a second. "I used to be a farmer, I spent most days doing physical labour and doing hard work," he lied, but he couldn't exactly tell Jory about the system and that he just needed to put stat points into his strength.
"So I need to work on a farm?" Jory asked with a small amount of confusion.
Arthur shook his head. "Just work hard. Chop some wood. Lift heavy stuff. You'll get strong."
Jory nodded with each word. "Chop wood. Lift heavy stuff. Got it."
The boys finished washing and started playing in the shallows. They splashed and chased each other. Arthur let them for a bit then called out. "Time to get out. Dry off before you catch cold."
They grumbled but obeyed. Jory helped the younger ones towel dry. Arthur put his trousers and boots back on. He took a seat next to a nearby tree while he let his body air out. He grabbed onto a large stick near it and sat there as he watched the kids play with each other. The boys ran along the shore and threw pebbles into the water. Jory skipped stones and showed Thom how to do it. Ben chased Sam who held a frog he had caught. The frog jumped free and they all laughed.
Arthur leaned against the tree. The sun warmed his skin. He closed his eyes for a moment and listened to their voices.
The peace lasted only until a scream cut through the shore. Lena came running from the bend in the river, her small feet splashing water, her face red and streaked with tears. She wore only her smallclothes and her wet hair stuck to her shoulders. Arthur's eyes snapped open. He pushed himself to his feet and ran toward her with Jory right behind him. Lena stumbled the last few steps and threw herself against Arthur's legs, her arms wrapping around him as she sobbed.
Arthur knelt and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Lena. Slow down. Talk to me."
She tried to speak but only rapid breaths came out. Arthur rubbed her back, steady and calm. "Look at me. Breathe. You're safe. Tell me what happened."
Lena gulped for air and finally forced the words out. "Bad men... they grabbed Cassie... they tried to take me too."
A notification slid sharply across Arthur's vision.
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[NEW QUEST RECEIVED] – SAVE CASSIE
──────────────────────────
Description:
Cassie has been taken by unknown men near the river. Their intentions are clear enough: if you don't act now, she will not return.
Primary Objective:
– Rescue Cassie from her attackers.
Reward:
– Otherworld Token
Failure:
– Cassie is kidnapped
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Arthur stood at once. He looked at Jory. "Stay here with the others. Keep them together. If anyone comes near you shout and run."
Jory's face went pale but he nodded. "I'll make sure they stay put."
Arthur ran along the shore, his bare feet digging into the wet sand. He followed the clear footprints that led away from the reeds and around the bend. Shouting reached him before he saw anything. He rounded the rocks and spotted two men. One held Cassie from behind, his arm locked across her chest, her smallclothes soaked and clinging to her body. She struggled and kicked while the second man waded into the shallows trying to grab the girls who screamed and backed away.
Arthur shouted across the water. "Let her go. Now!"
The men turned. The one holding Cassie barked a laugh and tightened his grip. His companion, a short man with a pockmarked face and missing teeth, drew a rusty dagger and stepped onto the bank. "Walk away, boy. Go look for your own cunt." Cassie screamed again but the man clamped his hand over her mouth. Arthur didn't answer. He activated Demon Back as he walked forward. His muscles locked and power surged through his arms and back.
The man holding Cassie jerked his chin. "Deal with him."
The pockmarked man grinned and advanced, dagger raised. "Should've kept running now I'm gonna have to ruin that pretty face."
He lunged and stabbed at Arthur's stomach. Arthur stepped aside and brought the thick stick down across the man's wrist. Bone cracked and the dagger flew from his hand. The man screamed and clutched his arm. Arthur grabbed the other end of the stick and thrust it forward into the man's face. The impact snapped the man's head back. Arthur pivoted on his heel and swung the stick in a full circle. It connected with the side of the man's head and the wood broke in half from the force. The man spun and fell hard onto his back.
Arthur dropped the broken piece and picked up the fallen dagger. He drove it down into the man's chest once, then again, and again,m. Blood sprayed across the sand. The man gurgled and tried to push Arthur away but his arms went limp. Arthur stabbed one final time into the man's forehead and left the blade there. He rose and turned to the second man. The man's eyes went wide. He shoved Cassie to the ground and turned to run. Arthur pulled the dagger free and threw it. The hilt struck the man square between the shoulders and he stumbled but kept running.
Arthur started after him but stopped. Cassie was still on the ground, shaking. The girls were still in the water, crying. He had to prioritise their safety over that piece of scum, he could always find him later. He ran to Cassie and knelt beside her. "Cassie. Talk to me. Did they hurt you?"
Cassie shook her head and pushed herself up on her elbows. "Lena? The others?"
"They're safe. Jory's with them."
Cassie's face crumpled. She threw her arms around Arthur's neck and cried against his shoulder. Arthur held her close and rubbed her back until the shaking eased.
A notification pulsed softly behind his eyes.
──────────────────────────
[QUEST COMPLETED] – SAVE CASSIE
──────────────────────────
Description:
Cassie has been taken by unknown men near the river. Their intentions are clear enough: if you don't act now, she will not return.
Primary Objective:
– Rescue Cassie from her attackers ✅
Reward:
– Otherworld Token✅
Failure:
– Cassie is kidnapped
──────────────────────────
Arthur kept his arms around her as the girls came out of the water, gathered their clothes, and huddled closely together.
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The man who had fled ran through the twisting alleys of Flea Bottom with his breath coming in ragged gasps and his boots slipping on the wet stones. He pushed past people who cursed him and ducked under low-hanging laundry lines until he reached a narrow door set into a crumbling wall. He knocked three times fast, paused, then twice more. The door opened a crack and a scarred face peered out before the door swung wide. The man stumbled inside and slammed it shut behind him.
Inside the room sat a dozen men around a table littered with dice and half-empty cups. Most of them wore patched clothes and carried knives at their belts. Their faces showed old cuts and broken noses. Smoke from cheap tallow candles hung in the air. In the corner stood a taller man who kept his tunic clean and his boots polished. His hair was cut short and his arms showed muscle from years of work. Everyone called him Rudge and no one argued when he spoke.
Rudge looked up from cleaning his nails with a small blade. "Garry," he said. "Where's Wat?"
Garry leaned against the wall and wiped sweat from his hands on his shirt. "Wat's dead."
The room went quiet. Rudge set the blade down. "Tell me what happened."
Garry took a breath. "We did like you said. Went to the river where the orphanage brats bathe. Grabbed the older girl with the black hair, the one you wanted. Wat got greedy and went after some of the younger ones still in the water. That's when the boy showed up."
Rudge leaned forward. "What boy?"
Garry swallowed. "Some kid, barely grown. Came running when the little girl screamed. No armour, no sword, just a stick in his hand."
Men around the table started to laugh. One of them slapped the table. "A stick?"
Garry waited until they quieted. "He took the stick and hit Wat's wrist so hard the dagger flew out. Then he stabbed Wat over and over with it. I ran. He nearly killed me too! When he threw the dagger at me but it hit hilt-first."
Rudge sat still for a long moment while the others kept chuckling and making jokes about sticks and dead men. He raised his hand and the room fell silent. "Enough," he said. "Tomas, Dickon, Harry go fetch Wat's body. Then pay a visit to that old bitch at the orphanage. Tell her the price just doubled because she lied."
Tomas grinned and cracked his knuckles. Dickon picked up a club from the table. Harry was already at the door. "We'll bring the coin," Tomas said. The three men left and the door shut behind them.
Rudge turned back to Garry. "Now tell me everything you remember about the boy who killed Wat."
(AN: Damn this city really is just a piece of shit huh? I wonder if Arthur will survive long enough to realise that. Anyway hope you enjoyed.)
Comments
IsekaiMePlease
I knew that it would get even worse by letting the guy leave. he doesn’t understand that he has to finish the job!!!
Alfie
🤷🏻♂️
Jonathan M
Did Alys give Cassie away? Or am I interpreting it wrong when he said she lied?
