Caspain was hit by the status window forming in front of him. Not only did it give a more in-depth feel but it also gave him new insight about the path he was walking.
Lvl 15
Class: Brawler
Subclass: Chaos
* Legacy skills available at Tier upgrade
Blessing: Multiple Patrons listed
Path: Path of Exploration
Base Stats as representative of Tier and Subclass
Toughness: High
Strength: Medium
Dexterity: Low
Charisma: Low
Energy Conductivity: Low
Energy Storage: Low
Skills:
Dark Vision Lvl 6
* See better in the dark
Brawlers Resolve Lvl 7
* Gain a boost to resistance against all that might try and corrupt your will
-Steady forth warrior what you do not fear can not hurt you
Self Heal Lvl 10
* Heal yourself with your own energy
* Dependency is weakness
Fear Resistance Lvl 5
* You have witnessed that which should not be seen by the force of will or stupidity you have stared it down and survived next time it'll take longer for your will to shatter
Poison Resistance Lvl 8
* You have consumed that which should not be consumed by the force of will or stupidity either way next time it'll take longer
Scholar of Entropy Lvl 5
* You have felt life change to death and vice versa either by a master or the passage of time and you have studied its motions
* Bring forth that which has been lost lose that which was brought forth
* You hold the endless cycle in your mind and bend its forces to help you on your journey Ascendant
* Gives bonuses to knowledge especially that which is attuned to the concept of entropy
* Allows you to learn more about your surroundings by interacting with them directly through your energy
Physician Meditation Lvl 10
* You know what you are and your will empowers it
* Focus on a concept to push more energy into it
* Bonus to physical uses of the skill
* Increased effect of all body advancement skills heightened if the skill is used while in a state of meditation
Body Art of Chaos Lvl 7
* You have affixed a rune of power and Chaos to your body either permanently or temporarily and now know the power contained
* Allows the ascendent to apply runes to the body by searing them into their skin with Chaos energy for increased effectiveness or various other means for a reduced effect
Runes:
* Absorption:
* Allows the Ascendent to absorb energy from a target via physical contact refueling energy reserves based on the target's resistance to the effects of entropy
* Take what belongs to the cycle for you are the hand that guides its revolution
* Tribute:
* Causes targets killed by the Ascendent to be automatically gifted as an offering to the relevant Patron this effect does not extend to items above the average rarity of the armor equipped by the Ascendant
* Return what was lost keep that which is given
* Protection:
* Allows Ascendant to limit perception of their nature and status
* Heros look to humble themselves, thieves look to remain unseen, whatever your path you look to remain a mystery from prying eyes
* Either for art or for the art of glory you know power is something that can be painted upon you by your own hand and with that power turn the cycle yourself
Stalwart Legs Lvl 10
* Attempts to resist the forces that move you that are not yours
* Bonus to skill effectiveness based on willpower
* Let the waters before you part at your will, stone may still pose a problem
Bestial Instincts Lvl 7
* You have fought beasts and learned their tricks
* Increases sense of danger and allows the Ascndant to more easily perceive threats in the environment
* Become the beast and let them witness your fury
Basic Fighting Lvl 10
* You have learned basic fighting techniques
* Fight whether or not you have the skills to succeed
Hand of Chaos Lvl 6
* Imbue your hands with chaos energy
* Increases physical damage done without a weapon
* Slightly increases damage done with a weapon
* Reduces targets ability to avoid the effects of Entropy
* A servant of the endless cycle must be able to interact with its power
Scent of Chaos Lvl 8
* Give off a light scent of chaos
* Objects and creatures in your immediate vicinity have a reduced ability to avoid the effects of Entropy
* You have been touched by that which was and will be again either standing a little too close to a master or by experiencing the energy through other repeated means others shall know what your presence means
Offering of Energy Lvl 1
* Gift an offering back to the endless cycle
* Receive an increase in related skills xp gain
* The cycle may be endless but you have found a way to guide it to further your power
Achievements:
Servant of Nature
* Increased speed while in contact with a natural area
* Increased favor gained from Offerings to Earth Mother and Children of Nature
* Not many still honor the Old Ones having forgotten their existence during their slumber but you know their glory is everlasting, let no root disturb your step young ascendant for you herald the Earth Mother’s return and The Children of Nature wish it to be so
Opportunistic
* You have run into the fire asking not how to protect yourself but how to benefit from it. You might not have the knowledge but you can get that later.
* Bonuses to new paths
* Bonuses to skill upgrades and fusions
Death Wish
* Lose 99% of your health without dying
* Heal vastly quicker in the future
* Take vastly less damage in the future
* Notice vastly more in your general vicinity
* You have touched death and been held in its embrace you are insane or walk a path untrodden for a reason but you walk none the less let your self-preservation be your will itself
Natural Bastion
* Heal 99% of your health without an outside healing source
* Recover health quicker the lower your health drops
* Convert attacks against your perceived natural body into healing depending on the willpower of the Ascendant
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Caspian wondered about a lot of his status he had not been paying a lot of attention to it because it never seemed to be a problem but he really did have a crazy amount of regen and general health. It had hardly dipped in any fight and when it did the slightest redirection of energy had it right back up. He had a plan and some new strategies as he watched the sun slowly dip below the horizon he had a couple of things to try.
Caspian fired a fist up into the chin of the first wolf as the second latched onto his arm. Spinning he felt its teeth tear flesh and the beast slide down his forearm taking a chunk of flesh with it but inevitably reaching the end of his arm where his clenched fist turned its teeth to chips and it was left flying till it landed 20 feet away and charged at him again. Turning he calmly grabbed the first wold dazed from his punch and threw its mass towards the charging one. They were both sent rolling but no notification. Caspian did not try to close the distance choosing instead to face the two and engage in meditation while letting his Stawart Legs keep him upright.
Ding
You have engaged in mediation during combat
Xp rewards from this fight will be increased
This wasn’t the first time he had received this message today and oh boy were the results worth it. He had gained exponentially more xp from killing these wolves. Each one was listed as a Midnight Stalker Wolf (Hard) but their true greatness came from their speed. Each one led to at least 1 skill up sometimes 2 or 3 when he took on multiple at once or the fight took longer. He had found combat length allowed for 2 things. One was the fact that the longer he fought the greater the xp bonuses of fighting solo increased or at least that seemed to be though he couldn't be completely sure. Stabilizing his stance he felt the telltale presence of the wolves charging in from his Bestial Instincts. Currently, his mediation skill made him almost completely blind though it did give him a great understanding of his energy's inner pathways and how it all flowed together and of course that sweet xp bonus.
The two wolves dove for his encountering a fist each directly to the snout and pumped full of quite a bit of energy that had the two wolves seem to age as they were hit their fur going grey then drying and flaking away as their bones shattered and were blown away moments later.
Ding
Ding
There it was. Caspian didn't look he knew what the notifications meant. But he did not expect the window he saw to appear against his will.
A floating prompt like his status window appeared with a gold aura sparkling across the edge.
Ding
You have killed the strongest of the pack and drawn the ire of the Den Mother (Extreme)
Quest: Survive the Den Mother
Reward: Cape of The Dark Wolf
Dope, an actual quest and it even offered a guaranteed loot. He heard sticks breaking and turned to face his next conquest. A massive wolf the size of a minivan with a coat of all black looked to almost be a solid void, not a textured fur consistency but as if a wolf-shaped shadow was passing across the trees in front of him.
Caspian took up a solid stance bringing his arms in close and solidifying himself with energy locking himself in place as he readied his fists with energy. He could feel the almost tangible gauntlets form around his fists a faint image of spiked greaves appeared over his legs and feet.
As the giant wolf lept towards him, Caspian fired a fist towards it. He could see the sheen of his Scent of Chaos across its fur now as the skill had leveled so had its visibility to him and what it affected. With so many skills at max, he was excited about what the prospect of Legacy Skill options would bring he just had to discover where Tier 2 began and what it held.
His fist collided with the wolf and also passed through it. To be more specific his fist passed through it, but the ghost gauntlet that was around his fist very much did not. This seemed to surprise the wolf. This seemed to surprise the wolf considerably who now had a hole straight through its shadowy form.
“Oh this is cool” laughed Caspian
Punching rapid fire into the beast the effect was repeated but to a lesser state. It seemed to be dependent on the amount of energy wrapping his hands not just that there was energy. He had to constantly push massive amounts towards his fists for the effect to be truly noticeable otherwise his fists just passed through mostly harmlessly but that also meant he could feel his hands breaking down within the overwhelming flow of energy.
“No point holding back I guess”
Caspain pulled as much energy as he could from the ground through his feet pushing it up through his body and out of his fists as he slammed them into the Den Mother every chance he got. She was quicker than her kin leaping in and out ripping off a chunk of flesh before seeming to fall through one shadow and out another leaping at him from a new angle, a new speed, teeth always sharp ready to extract whatever piece of flesh he didn’t protect. Luckily Caspian had no need for the flesh she ripped from his body the missing muscle reweaving and wrapping back around his body each time it was ripped away. Was it unutterably painful to have your body ripped apart as it was rebuilt oh hell yes with extra chocolate on top. But as the fight continued he could feel it becoming more and more worth it. Not only could he feel a pulsing sensation in his head but he knew just what it was from. His Scholar of Entropy was getting power shoved through it from the amount of death and rebirth his body was undergoing. The situation with the pool of vomit and the boar tusk had kick-started this understanding and now it was being nitro-fueled by his dangerous combination of damage and healing. The wolf could try all it wanted but the circle spun ever on, he spun ever on. Just like fall to winter, the wolf would rip his life from him stealing it away as sustenance but as from winter to spring, he would come back healed and stronger.
With one final mightly thrust, Caspian shot a fist from tip to tail of the beast driving his will and intent through the beast in front of him till he arrived on the other side.
Ding
Ding
Ding
…
Ding
Ding
You have killed Midnight Stalker Wolf (Medium) 10
You have killed Champion Stalker Wolf (Hard) 5
You have killed Area Boss Den Mother (Extreme) 1
You have gained xp
You have gained additional xp from various sources
Your xp gained has been multiplied by Physician Meditation
You have reached Lvl 20
Your Max Skills can be upgraded
You have reached Tier 2
Your Class has Evolved
Additional xp passed skill max requirements has led to greater skill upgrade potential
Quest Complete!
Reward Cape of The Dark Wolf Obtained
Cape of The Dark Wolf
* Increased strength while it is the only armor equipped to the upper body
Certainly a welcome upgrade equipping it Caspian looked at the rest of his upgrades. He entered meditation and found he was presented with various orbs now placed in rows. This must mean he had options for more than just his class stuff. It looked like there were countless paths to go down and differing numbers of options based on the path. Well, the only real option was to pick the best option at each turn he was floating atop them all right now but he knew with a thought he would be given the first set of options. He floated down greeted by 3 pillars. There were no longer orbs atop them but instead, pillars that looked to each have a green sphere built into the base but be built of vastly different materials. The first pillar was a brilliant white with what looked like veins of green crystal spiraling throughout.
Pillar of the Priest Balanced
* Increases to Mana conductivity and storage
* Reduced need for physical contact with a target
* Reduced Toughness and Strength
* The path of the priest is balanced and smooth where they walk the cycle is steadied, where they trod no enemy dares to approach, release your chains and reach a higher state touch the circle and it spins see a mistake and write it from existence
The second pillar was a matte green that seemed to sizzle in the air. Vines and vibrant flowers wrapped the pillar seeming to draw energy from it rather than sunlight as they gave off a greenish vapor that was sickly sweet and yet burned the nostrils.
Pillar of the Juggernaut Unwavering
* Increases to Mana conductivity reduced storage
* Aura skills now count towards physical contact with a target
* Increased Toughness and Strength
* Reduced pain sense
* The path of the juggernaut is unrelenting and raught with strife, where they stand the cycle is halted where they tough the cycle spins to new speeds, your will, your fist, your place none shall resist, stand your ground, and turn the cycle yourself for you are Chaos incarnate.
The final pillar looked to be a writhing claw digging into a mirror image of itself the two both trying to tear the other apart while supporting their side of the pillar the green sphere balanced between the two as they raged.
Pillar of the Beast Instinctual
* Reduced Mana conductivity and storage
* Physical contact with a target increases physical stats
* Increased Toughness and Strength
* Reduced pain sense
* Replaces Legacy of Chaos skills with Legacy of Man skill options
* The path of the beast is clear and instinctual, fight, devour, grow, fight, This is all the beast needs and is all the beast knows, the weak fear of what they cannot slay the strong fear of what may slay them you shall devour them regardless, let your instincts be your eyes for eyes will only cloud your vision
These were certainly some options and Caspian knew he should weigh the pros of each. The first was well not his style. He could tell where it came from though. Chaos energy certainly seemed to be weighted towards debuffing an enemy and he could see how having someone who didn't need to make physical contact with an enemy and have its body peel apart at the seems could be not only gruesomely effective but also the kind of thing where an empire that had a wave of such individuals would cause one to make them into evil boogie men. That wasn’t Caspian though. He wanted to fight not stand and cast magic through some funky staff. The third option certainly seemed OP but was it actually? The lines about your eyes clouding your vision and devouring the weak made it sound a lot closer to an uncontrolled monster just killing and eating whatever than a class evolution he wanted to take on. Also, it said it would replace his Legacy options which sounded like a big course change. The clear option was the Pillar of the Juggernaut Unrelenting.
Caspian felt the energy rush from his core out through his body drenching him in new power and throwing him forward through the pillar in his mind till he reached a field of new options.
Lvl 20
Class: Juggernaut of The Cycle
Subclass: Chaos
Blessing: Multiple Patrons vying for Tier upgrade bonus
Path: Path of ...