As Aurelius opened the tent, there was one thing that consumed his thoughts more than anything else: the recent experience he had gained from killing the Orc Chosen and many of the possessed. With that thought in mind, Aurelius looked around to find a safe area to sit down. Then, he opened the red blinking notification at the corner of his vision that had been flashing angrily at him for a while now.
You have killed
A Chosen has fallen by your hand. The anguish of an entire race echoes for their lost defender. Yet, you stand as the conqueror. Essence Received: 15,000. (10,000 * 1.5) Teleporting in: 3.. 2.. 1..
Aurelius reappeared and found himself in a familiar location, a location he hadn’t seen for a while now. It was the inky midnight black chamber where he had undergone his evolution and where he had seen Malaki’s body immortalized. Before he got to look around and study some of the changes, a unique prompt appeared before him, a prompt that he had only seen once before.
Upon vanquishing a Chosen, you will gain:
10% of the Chosen's Attributes
1 of the Chosen's skills, at your selection
Aurelius' eyes scanned the prompt once more, making sure he didn't miss anything. Aurelius stood still, absorbing the implications of the prompt. Once again, he marveled at the immense potential for growth and power this chamber offered him. Each Chosen vanquished represented not only a monumental challenge overcome but also a significant step forward in his own evolution.
Soon, He dismissed the prompt, focusing on the task at hand. As before, the chamber was shrouded in darkness, the figures of his evolutionary choices standing eerily still. But now, there was another addition. He approached the new figure cautiously, recognizing the Orc Chosen from the recent battle. The same constellation of blue boxes surrounded it, and a massive blue screen floated above, displaying the words:
Chosen Killed: 2
As he looked around, he saw the figure of the Orc Chosen now added to the chamber, standing alongside Malaki Vel'Umbraeth. The statue of the Orc Chosen stood in a menacing pose, even in death. The Orc's massive form was forever immortalized in the dark emptiness, the details of its stats and abilities floating around it in blue boxes. The sight brought a mixture of satisfaction and a somber reminder of the constant battle Aurelius faced.
Focusing on the prompt, Aurelius began considering which of the Orc Chosen's skills would benefit him the most. As he contemplated his choices, a small window materialized before him, displaying the skills of the Orc Chosen:
==========Stat Screen==========
Name:Grimgor KorgathRace:OrcAge:35Health:0/510
==========Level==========
Overall Level:26Overall Essence:153,790Evolution:The Brutal WarlordSpecialization:The BerserkerAttribute Points:0Unassigned Essence:1,890Next Level Progress:Essence (5,690/17,390)
==========Classes==========
Berserker
Level:26 (Specialized)Progress:0/9,850Description:Embrace the fury within, becoming a whirlwind of destruction and strengthPrimary Ability:Enter a berserk state for 60 seconds, increasing damage dealt by 50% but reducing defense by 30%. No Cost. Cooldown: 1 minuteEvolved Ability:Regenerate 5% of max health per second.Specialized Ability:Gain 50% damage resistance for 30 seconds after exiting berserk state.Attributes:Each level grants +1 to Strength and +1 to Constitution
Great Axe of Kugath
Level:25 (Specialized)Progress:0/9,100Description:A class unique to the Chosen of Kugath, this class allows the user to harness small amounts of the power of KugathPrimary Ability:Wield the great axe forged by Kugath himself. This item is soulbound and can be recalled upon will.Evolved Ability:Gain an additional attack per second when wielding two-handed weapons.Specialized Ability:Gain 30% increased movement speed while in combat.Attributes:Each level grants +2 to Strength and +1 to Agility
==========Attributes==========
Strength:133 (27% increase (Overall Level) of base value: 90)Constitution:108 (27% increase (Overall Level) of base value: 86)Intelligence:19Wisdom:22Agility:114 (52% increase of (Overall Level *2) of base value: 74)Perception:14Luck:14Charisma:8
==========Mana==========
Mana:190/190Mana Regen:2.2/sec
==========Skills==========
Battle FrenzyIncreases attack speed by 20% when below 50% health.Titan HunterIncreases damage dealt to larger foes by 15%.Bloodthirsty StrikeA powerful melee attack that heals you for 50% of the damage dealt. Costs 25 mana.Combat MasteryPermanently increases all physical attack damage by 20%.Pain ToleranceReduces the damage taken from all sources by 15%.Berserker RageTemporarily increases damage dealt by 25% for 15 seconds, but increases damage taken by 15% during this time.
Aurelius stared at the screen, processing the vast array of information. Aurelius took a deep breath in and out through his nose. Looking at the insane attributes Grimgor had, the color started to drain from Aurelius’ face a little.
This guy had some absolutely insanely high attributes. He had three numbers in the hundreds! The hundreds! Granted, they obviously traded off with his other attributes, but still, that was insane. It made Aurelius excited that he would receive 10% of Grimgor’s attributes. It would certainly bump up his Strength, Constitution, and Agility. Even besides the attributes, Grimgor had some insanely strong skills.
In the back of Aurelius’ mind, he couldn’t help but wonder why Malaki, and now this Grimgor, both only had two classes. Was it something you could choose? Aurelius still wasn’t sure but he stored the information in the back of his mind to potentially ask as a question the next time he saw Augustus.
It was now slowly starting to dawn on Aurelius that he had been lucky, really lucky, to be the one to come out of that fight. He shuddered slightly, the weight of his recent victory settling in as he realized the enormity of the foes he had faced and would continue to face. Shaking off the unease, Aurelius turned his attention back to the skills presented on the stat screen. He needed to choose wisely, selecting a skill that would not only complement his current abilities but also enhance his overall combat effectiveness. Just as it had with Malaki, and new screen appeared before Aurelius.
Choose a skill to retain.
Battle Frenzy – Increases attack speed by 20% when below 50% health.
Titan Hunter – Increases damage dealt to larger foes by 15%.
Bloodthirsty Strike – A powerful melee attack that heals you for 50% of the damage dealt. Costs 25 mana.
Combat Mastery — Permanently increases all physical attack damage by 20%
Pain Tolerance — Reduces the damage taken from all sources by 15%.
Berserker Rage - Temporarily increases damage dealt by 25% for 15 seconds, but increases damage taken by 15% during this time.
Aurelius grimaced as he knew this wouldn’t be an easy decision. They were all very powerful and Aurelius could see a scenario where each of them would be perfect. It made Aurelius wonder what Grimgor had done to obtain some of these skills. Had they all come from his evolutions like Aurelius, or had some of these come from the “life-changing” experiences that Augustus had told Aurelius about?
Saving that question for later, Aurelius turned back to the matter at hand: selecting the skill he thought would be the most useful. Mentally, Aurelius went down the list, weighing the pros and cons for each of them.
Battle Frenzy was potent, especially in prolonged battles where he might find himself at the brink of defeat. The increased attack speed could be a game-changer in such critical moments. However, relying on a condition that required him to be at low health was risky, and Aurelius preferred a skill that offered consistent advantages.
Titan Hunter was a strong choice, particularly considering the opponents he frequently faced. The 15% damage increase against larger foes could prove invaluable in many of his encounters. Yet, it was situational and didn't provide a broad enhancement to his combat abilities as some of the other skills did.
Bloodthirsty Strike caught his attention immediately. The ability to heal himself by dealing damage was incredibly versatile, offering both offensive and defensive benefits. This skill could sustain him in prolonged fights and potentially turn the tide in his favor during critical moments.
Combat Mastery was appealing due to its straightforward and universal advantage. A permanent 20% increase in all physical attack damage would bolster his overall combat effectiveness, making every strike more lethal. This consistency was attractive, ensuring he always had an edge in physical confrontations.
Pain Tolerance provided a defensive boost, reducing all incoming damage by 15%. This was a significant reduction and could help Aurelius withstand more punishment in battle, increasing his survivability. It was a pragmatic choice, especially considering the relentless nature of his enemies.
Finally, Berserker's rage would be a skill, like Battle Frenzy, that might be important to turn the tide of a battle during a crucial moment. But, with this skill, there certainly was a trade-off. Although constitution was one of his highest stats, Aurelius wasn’t sure if he wanted to risk taking an extra 15% damage.
After a few moments of deliberation, Aurelius made his decision. He chose Bloodthirsty Strike. The combination of offense and healing was too valuable to pass up. Aurelius also knew that he desperately needed some sort of healing or regenerative ability. He had seen how powerful the regeneration of the Orc Chosen was and he wanted something like that. While Bloodthirsty Strike wouldn’t be as powerful as the Orc’s regeneration, it would certainly go a long way to making sure he stayed 100% throughout the battle.
With that thought in mind, Aurelius selected the Bloodthirsty Strike skill from the options before him. As soon as Aurelius confirmed his choice, a familiar surge of energy coursed through him. It was as if the skill imprinted itself onto his very essence, aligning with his other abilities. The momentary rush left him feeling both invigorated and slightly disoriented, but the sensation quickly subsided.
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Soon enough, the chamber began to fade, and Aurelius found himself back in the real world. Immediately, Aurelius shifted his attention to the next thing on his agenda: distributing the essence he had received from the battle.
Right as Aurelius reappeared sitting in the central plaza, he decided to open his status screen to see what he was dealing with in terms of essence and attribute allocation.
==========Stat Screen==========
Name:Aurelius LusamRace:High ElfAge:18Health:670/670
==========Level==========
Overall Level:23Overall Essence:109,105Evolution:The Fractured ChosenAttribute Points:8Unassigned Essence:47,830Next Level Progress:Essence (5,835/13,770)
==========Classes==========
Chronomage
Level:17 (Evolved)Progress:0/4,180Description:Harness the power of time and spacePrimary Ability:You can teleport yourself 25 feet away for 15 manaEvolved Ability:At level 17, you can open a spatial storage with the dimensions of 15x15x15 (in feet) for 20 manaAttributes:Each level grants +1 to Intelligence and +1 to Wisdom
Arcane Artificer
Level:16 (Evolved)Progress:0/3,700Description:Carve mystic symbols into objects, granting the objects enhanced abilities and elemental effectsPrimary Ability:At level 15, you can expertly carve and empower common, uncommon, rare, epic, and legendary level runes onto objectsEvolved Ability (Passive):See the way mana moves through enchantments, runes, and objects. Makes it easier to both detect magical objects and to create themAttributes:Each level grants +1 to Constitution and +1 to Perception
Blade Dancer
Level:17 (Evolved)Progress:0/4,180Description:Develop an innate aptitude for wielding bladed weapons and gain Blade Dancer’s Intuition, allowing for precise strikes and heightened combat proficiencyPrimary Ability:Bladed weapon strikes possess a 20% chance of landing critical hits, inflicting double damageEvolved Ability:Infuse the Blade Dancer's weapon with the user's mana, enhancing its effectiveness against magical barriers and targets. The infused blade also deals an additional (Intelligence + Wisdom)% of damageAttributes:Each level grants +1 to Strength and +1 to Agility
==========Attributes==========
Strength:39Constitution:67 (46% increase (Overall Level * 2) of base value: 46)Intelligence:58 (46% increase (Overall Level * 2) of base value: 40)Wisdom:43Agility:42Perception:34Luck:37 (46% increase (Overall Level * 2) of base value: 25)Charisma:19
==========Mana==========
Mana:580/580Mana Regen:4.3/sec
==========Skills==========
Adaptive ResiliencePermanently increases experience gain by 50%Mental Manipulation ResistanceGranting you innate defense against all forms of mental assaultTemporal SurgeFor 30 mana, focus your time-wielding abilities into a concentrated blast, unleashing a wave of temporal energy that damages and slows enemies on impactBloodthirsty StrikeA powerful melee attack that heals you for 50% of the damage dealt. Costs 25 mana
As Aurelius had expected, the 10% of stats he had received from Grimgor had an enormous impact on his own attributes. Coupled with a 4 level increase, which was absolutely massive, some of his stats, such as constitution, were really starting to add up. Surprisingly, with the new changes, his constitution was now the highest stat, leading the group of attributes by a pretty significant margin.
While he was focused on the attribute section, he decided to assign the 8 attribute points he had received from his 4 level-ups. Unlike Grimgor, Aurelius had always liked a fairly level progression, however, he did recognize the need for certain attributes above others. Still, Aurelius decided to hold out on putting more points into constitution and intelligence. Instead, he decided to evenly distribute the 8 attribute points among his Strength, Wisdom, Agility, and Perception, placing two points in each attribute.
With that out of the way, Aurelius couldn’t help but look at the essence required for the next level. He grimaced. The levels that he had so far gained relatively easily were now starting to become more and more expensive. It was a staggering 13,000 experience for the next level. That was like, killing a whole Chosen worth of experience! Granted, Aurelius had the adaptive resilience skill which made it much easier to gain experience and he had been constantly plunged into scenarios where he could earn large amounts of experience, but still. Aurelius now understood how some Chosen could go months or years without earning a single level.
Now it was time for the important part of the night — distributing his unassigned essence amongst his classes.
Aurelius had noticed that both of Grimgor’s classes had been specialized and the Orc itself had undergone a specialization as well. Given the levels of Grimgor’s classes, Aurelius had deduced that, to specialize a class, you needed to level it to level 25, contrary to the level 20 he had believed the specialization occurred at before. Furthermore, if specialization was anything like the evolution process, Aurelius needed to specialize all three of his classes or level them to 25, before he could undergo his own specialization.
With this strategy in mind, Aurelius understood that his primary goal was to elevate all three of his classes to level 25, enabling him to pursue specialization. However, he was uncertain whether his total essence accumulation would suffice for this ambitious plan. At least, not immediately. Consequently, Aurelius opted to take a cautious approach by initially distributing essence across his classes and assessing the remaining balance.
He prioritized his Chronomage and Blade Dancer classes, recognizing their critical importance for his survival in the coming months. The abilities from these classes had been instrumental in saving his life on numerous occasions, highlighting their value.
Resolute in his plan, Aurelius decided to elevate both the Chronomage and Blade Dancer classes to level 20 before evaluating his remaining essence.
As he allocated the essence, he watched his Chronomage and Blade Dancer classes progress to level 20. However, upon examining the essence left, he couldn't help but grimace. He had expended a substantial 28,200 essence, leaving him with just 19,630 essence to distribute further. This realization brought a wave of concern. The journey to specialization was proving more resource-intensive than he had anticipated.
Considering his options, Aurelius realized he could advance both the Chronomage and Blade Dancer classes to level 21. Yet, the increased cost of 5,800 essence for each class at this stage gave him pause. Each level required significantly more essence, and he needed to be strategic in his allocations. He also had to consider his third class, Arcane Artificer, which was still sitting around a measly level 16.
Although Arcane Artificer hadn’t really played a hand in the last battle against the Orc Chosen, there was no denying the class’ usefulness. In fact, the only reason the class hadn’t played a larger role in the battle was because Aurelius was too much of a bonehead to realize that he should have created more mana bombs before he went back into battle. Aurelius made a mental note to make more mana bombs before he tried to recapture Silverhaven with the Fourth Army. He had no doubt that they would be extremely effective against the large clumps of the possessed.
Also, as Aurelius had mentioned earlier, he liked a more balanced approach where one part of his character wasn’t severely lacking behind the others. If he were to do that, he would have to level Arcane Artificer at some point. Even still, Aurelius had a hard time placing the essence into the class over the obvious benefits of doing so into the crucial classes of Chronomage and Blade Dancer. Coming to a compromise, Aurelius decided to level his Arcane Artificer class to level 18, which shouldn’t be too expensive. If he had unassigned essence left over, he would place that into his Chronomage and Blade Dancer classes.
As Aurelius assigned the essence to the Arcane Artificer class, he watched his remaining essence very closely. Leveling Arcane Artificer to level 18 had cost 7,800 essence, dropping his remaining unassigned essence to 11,830. Aurelius let out a whoop as he realized that he had just enough essence to level both his Chronomage and Blade Dancer classes one more time.
Without any hesitation, Aurelius did just that, bringing the levels of his Chronomage and Blade Dancer classes to 21. Before he could do anything, a new status screen appeared in front of him.
Upon reaching level 21, you gain a random skill as part of your
Rolling…
Aurelius watched with bated breath as the system calculated the new skill he would gain. The familiar sensation of anticipation mingled with excitement as he envisioned the potential advantages this new skill could bring to his repertoire. The screen flickered momentarily before settling on the result:
Chrono-Phantom: Create a time-based illusion that mimics your movements for 30 seconds. The phantom deals 50% of your physical and magical damage. Costs 40 mana. Cooldown: 2 minutes.
Aurelius smiled, his eyes rapidly digesting the information. Internally, Aurelius felt conflicted about his new skill. On the one hand, he could see scenarios where this would be an insanely powerful addition to his arsenal, blending his abilities from both the Chronomage and Blade Dancer classes. The illusion would serve as both an offensive tool and a distraction, potentially turning the tide of battles in his favor. However, on the other hand, these conditions would have to be just right for it to work in a fight. In other words, this wouldn’t be a skill or ability that he could use often like his teleportation.
Despite the downsides, Aurelius was still happy with his new skill and Aurelius opened his status screen, looking over all the new changes.
==========Stat Screen==========
Name:Aurelius LusamRace:High ElfAge:18Health:670/670
==========Level==========
Overall Level:23Overall Essence:109,105Evolution:The Fractured ChosenAttribute Points:0Unassigned Essence:230Next Level Progress:Essence (5,835/13,770)
==========Classes==========
Chronomage
Level:21 (Evolved)Progress:0/6,400Description:Harness the power of time and spacePrimary Ability:You can teleport yourself 25 feet away for 15 manaEvolved Ability:At level 21, you can open a spatial storage with the dimensions of 20x20x20 (in feet) for 10 manaAttributes:Each level grants +1 to Intelligence and +1 to Wisdom
Arcane Artificer
Level:18 (Evolved)Progress:0/4,690Description:Carve mystic symbols into objects, granting the objects enhanced abilities and elemental effectsPrimary Ability:At level 18, you can expertly carve and empower common, uncommon, rare, epic, and legendary level runes onto objectsEvolved Ability (Passive):See the way mana moves through enchantments, runes, and objects. Makes it easier to both detect magical objects and to create themAttributes:Each level grants +1 to Constitution and +1 to Perception
Blade Dancer
Level:21 (Evolved)Progress:0/6,400Description:Develop an innate aptitude for wielding bladed weapons and gain Blade Dancer’s Intuition, allowing for precise strikes and heightened combat proficiencyPrimary Ability:Bladed weapon strikes possess a 20% chance of landing critical hits, inflicting double damageEvolved Ability:Infuse the Blade Dancer's weapon with the user's mana, enhancing its effectiveness against magical barriers and targets. The infused blade also deals an additional (Intelligence + Wisdom)% of damageAttributes:Each level grants +1 to Strength and +1 to Agility
==========Attributes==========
Strength:45Constitution:70 (46% increase (Overall Level * 2) of base value: 48)Intelligence:64 (46% increase (Overall Level * 2) of base value: 44)Wisdom:49Agility:48Perception:38Luck:37 (46% increase (Overall Level * 2) of base value: 25)Charisma:19
==========Mana==========
Mana:580/580Mana Regen:4.3/sec
==========Skills==========
Adaptive ResiliencePermanently increases experience gain by 50%Mental Manipulation ResistanceGranting you innate defense against all forms of mental assaultTemporal SurgeFor 30 mana, focus your time-wielding abilities into a concentrated blast, unleashing a wave of temporal energy that damages and slows enemies on impactBloodthirsty StrikeA powerful melee attack that heals you for 50% of the damage dealt. Costs 25 manaChrono-PhantomCreate a time-based illusion that mimics your movements for 30 seconds. The phantom deals 50% of your physical and magical damage. Costs 40 mana. Cooldown: 2 minutes
As Aurelius marveled at his new status, he felt a surge of confidence. The enhancements in his abilities and attributes were significant, and he knew they would prove invaluable in the battles ahead. The thrill of progress was only slightly tempered by the realization of the challenges he would have to face, but he was ready.
With his essence and attribute points allocated, Aurelius looked around at the High Elven makeshift camp, the dim glow of the lanterns providing heat and light serving as a shield against the darkness of the night. Slowly, the exhaustion of the day Aurelius had so far constantly pushed back finally caught up to him, and he realized just how weary he was. His muscles ached from the day's exertions, and his mind buzzed with thoughts of the past, present, and future.
Finding a quiet spot near the edge of the camp, Aurelius laid out a bed roll, settling himself against a sturdy wall. Soon, his eyelids began to grow heavy with fatigue. As he closed his eyes, he let out a long, slow breath, allowing the tension to seep from his body.
Despite the chaos and uncertainty that surrounded him, Aurelius found a moment of peace in the stillness of the night. In the quiet darkness, Aurelius allowed himself to drift, his thoughts slowly unraveling as sleep claimed him.