I was now heading back to the dark hallway with almost totally destroyed clothes, and a backpack full of golden coins, and jewels…
After taking the book and weapons, I took my time and my backpack with gold, until it was close to my limit ’money opens many a door’. I headed to the slightly lighted hallway, a while later the hallway seemed to have grown in size, and was suspiciously devoid of life apart from the torch like things, which were like torches but instead of fire had balls of light that looked like sunlight.
Looking around I could see swords, shields, money, and skulls everywhere. They all seemed to have died in different ways, some were against walls with a deteriorated hole on their armor ‘must be those arrow things and acid’, others seemed to be only puddles on the floor, ‘how dangerous’ there were some that looked like they were running to the crypt and others running away from it.
I was having second thoughts, it seemed more of a hallway of death than anything else, ‘and the light seems to come from the torch light things, anyway I don’t see an exit’ ‘but wait, whoever put me here would not make me completely trapped maybe they deactivated the traps and this is the exit’
With a wary but hopeful mind I stepped forward, and in the same instant the hallway seemed to shake, it only lasted a second but I already felt like crying.
‘It’s nothing, it’s nothing’ I was chanting on my head as I took my second step on the hallway.
I heard a sound suspiciously like when you flush the toilet, coming from the ceiling, and I moved the fastest I could to turn, jump and roll out of the hallway.
Some liquid fell on my back and trousers but I avoided the full brunt of it.
A ping accompanied by some light pain.
-you’ve been poisoned with cloth acid rain
Degrades equipment by 1 per second to any leather or cloth every milliliter of acid, does no damage to health, only a little irritation.
Having stood up immediately after my roll I looked back to see that whatever hit me looked more like a drizzle than anything else and whatever acid or poison hit the floor seemed to disappear in a moment’s notice ‘is this place alive or something’ I had to wonder as everything that had happened was weird.
So you could imagine why I would make all due haste to the other hallway instead of the lighted one right?
It became darker and darker, but it did not really matter as my eyes adjusted even though my vision became hues of blue and silver instead of catching all color almost like a dogs.
Ping
Beast Senses
Beast ears has upgraded to beast senses because of your race, your race has an inclination for sharpened senses, for better or worse
I reached what seemed to be a box with a rope and as I got in, which immediately started to move downwards.
It seemed to be some kind of elevator, and as I did not know where else to go I let it go down, 10 minutes later I was moving around the elevator with yoga and other calming moves, because the farther down the more difficult it was to breathe as the oxygen seemed to be thinning down the farther down I went, as I entered a meditative state with a calm mind, I felt my heart beat slow down and my breathing became easier. Just as I calmed myself completely a ‘ping’ sounded and the elevator stopped.
-new characteristics for the skill:
-Meditative state beginner level 2
In this state of complete relaxation you are able to fight react and think while calm and collected.
Effect: Strength, Stamina, Speed, Dexterity rise, helps in places with almost no air to breathe easier and can suppress stamina and hunger problems, us meditative state and uncover the secrets it can give.
Is passive skill cannot be activated by command
Improving was great but when the elevator stopped, the exit to the elevator I expected did not appear and I had a moment of revelation ‘crypts are under ground, if you want to get out you must go up’ I wanted to smack myself in the head but stopped myself as I had to remain calm or die.
I had to drag the elevator all the way up by pulling the rope down.
I took the rope in my hands and pulled with all my strength, but it only moved slightly so I kept doing it.
20 minutes passed and I was soaked in sweat, my hands were bleeding from pulling the rope nonstop every time with all my strength, and my meditative state had already turned off, but I was of mind that not even half of the length to get where I needed to go had been traveled.
I started to look for ways to go faster and more efficiently. I tried jumping up the rope and bringing it down using the force of my weight and the speed of falling, but the second I lost contact with the rope the elevator started to move downwards, next I tried to just climb the rope as it moved by simply weighting down the rope, but this was not enough because it went slower than before and I had to use more strength and stamina.
So I sat there with a hand on the rope thinking of a way for it to move faster, a good foothold would be a good start, and a way to use my weight while pulling.
Concentrating on the foothold idea, I started to look at the floor near the rope and the wall that was most close to it, there must be a reason for it not to be in the middle of the elevator.
I had a brilliant idea as I looked at the ceiling.
I started to climb the rope with my feet pushing against the wall, (think rappel) and instead of just letting my weight pull the elevator up I climbed to the ceiling, while keeping up the movement of my hands to the rope, I took my first step on the ceiling, without ever stopping my hands from moving so that I did not fall, I got a good foothold and started pulling as if I were trying to uproot something.
Doing this was a new experience to me in some ways as I never had to do anything like it, but I was trained to never loose consciousness, no matter the situation and had been tied up head down for hours on more than one occasion with punishment for failure, and I knew the trick to staying conscious was not panic, deep breaths and concentrate.
Now I was moving at least 3 times faster than before and a little faster than when going down.
After a minute a ping sounded.
You have entered Meditative state
I had not noticed but it seemed that I do not notice when I turn off the meditative state.
After that announcement my head cleared and it seemed easier to pull the rope upside down.
After about three minute I could see the hallway from where I came but I had no time to rest for if I did, it would most likely make it more difficult to start again.
Two hours later, I was about to give up as all my body was passed the state where it hurt and instead was completely numb, now all my movements were completely mechanical I had stopped feeling the roped and instead just pulled.
The moment I was about to collapse due to fatigue, but saw a small light in front of me, with a final spurt of strength I pulled until the elevator made a ‘click’ sound, and I, as I fell to the floor, for the first time noticed that none of my senses were working and as my vision went black I knew there was nothing I could do to stop death, until only a primal hunger that my meditative state seemed to have been repressing came forth and pushed my consciousness out.
¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬
I expected to open my eyes back in the capsule, but instead when I regained consciousness and opened my eyes I was still playing the game.
This was not what surprised me the most, what surprised me was that I was covered in red liquid everywhere, and was biting some excellent food, also the message that crossed my mind with a ping.
“View messages”
Strength: +1, +1, +1, +1, +1, +1, +1. (+7)
Stamina (1=5): +1, +1, +1, +1, +1, +1. (+6)
Sustenance: +1, +1, +1.(3)
Agility: +1, +1, +1, +1, +1. (5)
New stat: Endurance.
Endurance: +2
New stat: Sustenance
Sustenance: +3
Blood Rage beginner level 1 (87%)
Due to the curse of the gods, blood is more a necessity than water, if you were to starve yourself, all creatures in your vicinity will start looking like the last oasis in a desert, you will become a creature of instinct, just hanging from a few threads of sanity and Elfdom (you know humanity, but for elves, heh ?). This is the skill that made them the enemy of all species, and why they were hunted down. The gods consider it a curse but were you to master this dangerous skill, unlimited power and control would not be far away.
Effect: All stats increase two times whatever they are. Stamina becomes limitless as long as you are in blood rage. All consumed blood has double the effect, but half the fulfillment. Experience gain is halved while skill is active. Master this skill to find its secrets.
-Meditative state beginner level 4 (31%)
In this state of complete relaxation you are able to fight react and think while calm and collected.
Effect: all stats are raised, helps breathing in places with thin air, helps restrain blood rage, less stamina consumption when on this state, use meditative state and uncover the secrets it can give, Regeneration of mana, health, and stamina is enhanced.
Is passive skill cannot be activated by command
Level up
Other pings came but I was distracted by what was going on in my surroundings.
First what I was biting was not food but a neck of a (death) creature, and as I stood up I could see that it was not the only one that met death by my hand, there were about 3 all around me. Some were wrinkled like grapes others had their necks sliced with blood coming out, they all looked gray and lifeless, the culprit was most likely the now red glowing knife on my right hand that seemed to be vibrating slightly ‘purring?, overcharged?’, but the most pressing issue were the 9 creatures that had taken to arms with what looked like iron swords and knives.
They all flinched as I stood up, knife in hand and started to observe my surroundings, while paying attention to the slightest move from the creatures in front of me.
I was in an enormous cave with only one exit, which faced my back ‘Thank God’ the cave was full of piles of mud and holes that looked like poor imitation of homes, there was a small but strong river running through the middle of the cave, which explained how they survived here.
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
What I had all over, and the delicious taste on my mouth was blood, and from what I could see, it was from some of the nasty and dangerous looking creatures that were now either death and dismembered at my feet, or taking arms to fight me.
As I looked closer at them, I saw that they looked like humanoid beings, and could pass as humans except for some mayor flaws. They had eyes that were completely white without any pupil, and holes in the face where there was supposed to be a nose, they were extremely skinny and completely hairless everywhere, but what set them the most apart was their death grey pallor and claws, I could see no difference between male and female.
A ‘ping’ sounded.
“Open message”
Cave Dwellers
The failed experiments to create an army by the blood elves. Because of their lost reason, and war they were cursed to darkness by the gods. This specific ones are no more than level 3 because there is nothing to hunt or do but fish in the cave.
For being the first to discover the cave dwellers, Fame +100, Wisdom +1
I heard another ‘ping’
Cave of the Refugee
Elves were not the only ones trying to escape the god’s wrath; these groups of humans have lived here centuries, and were cursed by the gods as well but to live in darkness instead of blood. Seems your brethren kept them as handy snacks for emergency.
Because you are the first o discover this dungeon experience x2.
They look so damn pitiful, I guess I should kill them, but no, who am I to decide their death, they haven’t done anything to me, but well, if they attack I’ll kill them.
It took me a moment, but when I stood up I felt a little different. Not only was I not tired but I felt stronger and more alert, it must be from the stats increase.
While preparing to turn my back on the cave dwellers, I took out my sword and kept the dagger on my right. With my senses on high alert I started walking out of the cave.
The moment I turned my back on them I felt the air stir, they were trying to be quiet and attack my back but I was prepared for them.
When a sword was about to cut my neck I dodged and stabbed with my knife at the monsters chest, and without any pause ran the next monster through the throat with the sword, this was possible because of their low level and their lack of any defensive equipment.
Critical Hit: 150% damage
Critical Hit: 200% damage
But I did not stop there and neither did they. Because there were a lot of them I attacked all of their joints. Knees, elbows, neck and spinal cord were the most damaged, and effective.
That does not mean they did not hit me at all, were there only 5 and a larger space it would have been easier. The best I could do was avoid serious and crippling wounds, and take advantage of any opening I found, parry slash, dodge, jump, roll, stab, slash, slash, parry, dodge, it was like a dance of movement without stop.
As the battle raged on I could faintly see a black cloud coming out of my body. Whatever enemy it touched felt terror and tried to escape only to result in a deadly blow to the nape of the neck, or something similar.
Critical Hit: 150% damage
Critical Hit: 125% damage stunned for 3 seconds.
Critical Hit. Crippled, bleeding effect.
Critical Hit. Crippled, bleeding effect…
It came from nowhere but what helped me survive was that my skin which was already glowing black, got thicker and was now tinged with traces of red, it somehow made the cave dwellers slower.
It took about an hour to kill most of them and incapacitate the rest to the point they could not fight, it was only after the fact that I noticed the sound and messages.
“Open messages.”
Bing sounded and some messages appeared.
Level Up
New skill - Aura Manipulation - Acquired
Killing Intent: +7
Dexterity: +1, +1
Agility: +1
Strength: +1
Endurance +1
They looked pitiful. Writhing on the ground, with blood coming from their wounds. It was an unsightly sight with a tempting smell.
I did not feel pity for the creatures for they were living in terrible conditions, and I was attacked when trying to escape, I did not feel either pity or excitement at killing them, but I did love the fight itself.
‘Can’t let them just stay this way’ as to finish my business I sheathed my sword took my dagger and started to kill the remaining monsters that lay dying by slashing their necks.
Level Up
When only one was left alive I was feeling the result of the fight, so forcing the creature to stand on its one remaining leg, back shown to me and disregarding its weak struggle, I bit its neck at the jugular and drank.
Health points recovered
Stamina Recovered
Satiety recovered
It did not have a strong gush of blood because it already had lost most of it before, so a few second later it died on my grasp and went limp.
I let him go and looked around me there were 12 in total all death.
Ping
You have killed all Cave Dwellers in the Cave of Refugee.
New title acquired
The Dweller hunter
Hunter of the starved, destroyer of the hidden, Cave dwellers everywhere now hate and fear you.
Infamy +100
With all done, I went to wash myself a little in the water of the river, looking at my reflection was terrifying not a spot on my face was untouched by blood and coupled with my red eyes it made me look like a demonic fiend or something, the only difference was that my eyes were glowing a contented green. (blue and red.)
“Status window” I checked my stats while washing the blood off.
Character Name: Athanasius Nassanguise Alignment: Chaotic
Level: 3 Class: none
Title: The Apprentice of Blood Fullness: 100
Health:1740 Mana:130
Fame: 750 Infamy:100
Strength:19 Agility: 17
Dexterity: 21 Wisdom: 12
Intelligence: 10 Killing Intent: 1
Endurance: 28 Sustenance: 13
Killing Intent: 8 Vitality: 10
Luck: 1 Stamina: 13
Defense: 7 Attack:35-45 (knife and sword)
Unused Stat Points: 10
Magic Resistance:
Poison: 10% Dark magic: 50%
Demonic: 50% Blood: 75%
Holy: -35%
Because of your Race, you have Blood magic resistance raised by 25 % and Poison resistance by 10%
Holy magic resistance -50%. Damages if used aggressively. If negative, cures whatever percentage it is.
Thanks to your Race Skill Masteries, and Basic Stats are two times easier to raise.
Because of your race leveling up requires 50% more experience.
Skill: Blood thirst, is included.
If Npc’s discover your race they may become hostile.
Only Blood satiates you, but you can still eat, and taste to keep up appearances.
You have instinctive Killing intent at all times. (Cannot have fighting spirit.)
Health +500 (Grows with time)
Different blood gives different effects. Some are permanent.
If users kill you there will be half the normal penalty and no bounty except if you have high fame, you will be treated harsher for any crime if people know of your race.
“No what I want is to see are my skills”
“Skills!”
Athanasius – Skill Window
Blood Rage Effect: All stats increase two times whatever they are, stamina replenishes itself and become 4 times what it was as long as you are in blood rage, all consumed blood have double the effect, but half the fulfillment. Master this skill to find its secrets.
- Aura Manipulation Beginner level 1 (3%) Passive
Making known your desires through your aura, has the effect of showing your emotions to others, master, and experiment with this skill to learn of its many secret. Your aura color is affected by your soul bond with the book.
Effect: Depending on what you feel the enemy, ally or comrade will take it differently.
-Meditative state beginner level 3 (31%)
In this state of complete relaxation you are able to fight react and think while calm and collected.
Effect: all stats are raised, helps breathing in places with thin air, helps restrain blood rage, less stamina consumption when on this state, use meditative state and uncover the secrets it can give, Regeneration of mana, health, and stamina is enhanced.
Beast Senses beginner level 1 All your senses are enhanced, control comes with concentration.
I smiled. I was satisfied with my skills, but felt that there were too many skills that worked unconsciously and would set me apart from anyone else.
I walked out of the cave. It seemed that the elevator I first came through wasn’t there anymore, only a wall remained. On the other end of the hallway was another elevator.
I ran to the elevator because I wanted to leave as fast as possible. I got in and quickly grabbed the rope started to climb and pull the same way as I had done with the other elevator, it all seemed easier and faster since I had already done it before.
While upside down I calmed my breath to enter meditative skill, without it I would most likely not survive.
You have entered meditative state.
When this skill was activated I did not mind being upside down as much, and the strength needed seemed to be less, the only sound was of my controlled breathing and the occasional ‘ping’
Two hours passed and I loosed any sensation on my arms.
Every time I heard a small ‘ping’ pulling became a little easier.
After two more hours of pulling, I felt my arms trying to fall off my back legs and head were no far from following behind. Another two hours and a small alarm rang, but thanks to my meditative state I could keep going.
Thanks to the stats upgrades on the way I could get to my destination. It was about 5 hours and 20 minutes until I saw light, which gave me the energy for a final burst of energy until the elevator clicked in place.
Using the ropes I jumped and landed in a crouch while heaving breaths, what was in front of me were leaves and vines from a tree, and sunlight pouring in through small gaps.
Even through my exhaustion I got excited and started to glow, my eyes went a excited silvery yellow red and the rest a black aura tinged with golden, but not because of danger but because of happiness and excitement.
I walked out of the elevator while wondering what kind of adventures I would face once I was outside.
Do point ou mistakes, plz.