[Stone Minecart] = Stone (Granite+1, 120-150kg) + 4 Wood (Wheel, Hard+2, 0.2-0.25m) 2 Leather (level 16+, 0.6-0.8m) + 2 Wood (Hard+2, 0.8-1.1m) + 2 Wood (Mount, Hard+2, 0.1-0.15m) + 16 Copper (Nails, 0.02-0.025m) + [Knife] (Copper+1) + [Hammer] (Copper+1)
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How had it come to this again?
Snap.
Jay chewed on bloody lips as his body struck the cliff wall, cracks forming in the granite itself. He ducked and [Quickstepped] as another vine lashed by.
The next got deflected with a [Shirk], only for more to slip through. He cried out, skin snapping free where the thorned whips struck.
A sea of pale green eyes tracked his every move, Natura’s army once again doing everything in its power to bring him down for good. The crimson planet glowed bright above, casting this world in a slight tinge of red.
More attacks came, but Jay’s body moved on its own, weaving in and out of the combat as his enemies continued to attack. It was all reaction now. Pure instinct. His life on a razor’s edge, mindlessly cutting down the monsters that would do him harm.
As Jay fought back against the vined alphas and clay hulks and struggled to hold his ground against this unbeatable force, he no longer felt in control, but a mere observer watching him do what was necessary to get through another night. The day’s Rule 5 violations had driven him to this brink.
When did it get like this? All the fighting. The killing. The empty survival. His first moments awake in this world had been driven by shock and fear, but Jay didn’t even have that anymore. Now, this was all so… Natural. Even the pain. The agony. A dance performed in a game of life and death.
Was that really all it boiled down to? A game? Was Jay no more than an avatar of his own creation? A soulless husk propelled by mere survival, set upon this track by higher powers?
Or was it something else? Something lower? Something primal? Even as Jay continued to kill his enemies with reckless abandon, he didn’t see them, but the man he’d murdered earlier in the day. The moment played over and over in his mind’s eye, his sword cleaving through metal in a maneuver as efficient as it was brutal.
And Jay liked that sense. It was the kind of sense that had always been shunned on Earth, only available to be tapped into here. An ability to murder without consequence.
Life. Death. Murder. Repeat. An endless cycle of power redistributed. A circular track with no end. Did Jay amount to nothing more than a prisoner on this loop?
Snap.
The muddy tortoise stood in front, a final bastion of Natura’s hatred, now weathered from their prolonged combat.
It would be another close call. Jay had once again lost most of his armor, his health, and perhaps a chunk of his sanity, but he did not care. The cycle would continue regardless, and he refused to go willing into the night.
The hate-filled roar escaped his lips, and Jay [Leaped] into his enemy. The muddy tortoise spread its mouth to bite, but Jay’s [Power Attack] struck first.
His body tumbled helplessly below, monster ichor raining from above.
Natura’s own puppet fell, and the dance concluded.
* * *
The sun burned bright, an incandescent torch in a cloud-flecked, azure sea. The island basked under its illumination, a tranquil haven for all within. A pocket of stability in an otherwise chaotic universe.
Not to perfection, of course. Corrupted magic flowed into the sky from the cairns scattered throughout, towering canopies shielded underbrush from the sun’s glory, and creatures murdered each other within these hidden grounds.
It was here where Jay once again stalked his prey.
Sets of footprints ran within the jungle mud, a long middle toe, two shorter and splayed outer toes, and a long backward-pointing one behind. They were almost imperceptible to the naked eye, but easy for all to see with the alchemic power coursing through his veins.
This was not the most common beast, but it could serve many purposes if the Guide was to be believed.
Marching Kestrel (Level 31-34) – An oversized predatory bird that prefers to hunt creatures smaller than itself. Unlike most birds, this monster will avoid flying except to escape, using its wings for wind attacks instead.
The information continued to flow from there, detailing everything from its life cycle to the types of materials gained for managing to slay this creature.
And that, more than anything, was what drove Jay onward. Even if this creature had its loop to follow, he had one of his own. The one where he’d kill a monster and butcher the corpse so he’d become stronger still.
His fur boots sunk only slightly in the jungle brush, barely squeaking against the leaves wherever he stepped. He rubbed his sweaty scalp, also hidden under a fur hat.
Too many close calls had come and gone in the past few days, and after losing so many pieces of armor, it had become difficult to replace his medium set. It didn’t help that Kevin had taken their total supply of iron ore, and the two hadn’t been talking since. Even if they’d managed to fight through the day together, nothing could undo the consequences of his greed.
No, Jay would deal with Kevin later, along with whatever that entailed…
For now, he still had a monster to hunt, and based on all the context cues from the Guide, this was one he’d be able to handle with meager light armor.
It wasn’t the weakest set available. The strength had been greatly fortified with a mix of lower level cores and the last of the owlbear he’d slain as a base, giving it a Hardened+8 modifier that would greatly mitigate damage. Thankfully, he’d managed to save that much from the time before Viktor arrived.
But fur was still fur, and Jay suspected that it would not last half as long as the Copper Age equivalent that he’d never have time to research.
Reeds rustled nearby. His nose wrinkled as he took in a new scent. Like a budding flower, but with a worn aftertaste that he could not place.
He took a step close, and the smell receded. Jay gripped his bow tight. Had this been the monster he’d been stalking, he would have heard it run away.
No, this was something else.
Slowly and cautiously, Jay moved through the jungle, his head on a swivel for any signs of a trap or ambush. He inched through the reeds himself, expecting some danger to come.
Nothing came.
Instead, Jay came across a strange yet familiar sight.
A humanoid stood hunched over a lifeberry bush, scrounging for food. Jay almost thought it was another Expat for a second, with clothing made out of woven reeds, and a backpack fashioned from wood.
But then he realized that its “clothing” was actually part of its body. A web of grass snaked around a wooden chassis, with patches of moss on its chest and arms. Vines tumbled from the scalp in place of hair, flowers blooming in random spots. A pair of stems poked from the sides of its head, almost like ears.
One of them suddenly twitched, and the creature spun around. A pair of jade-like eyes peered into his own, its face otherwise expressionless as it took Jay in.
“Are you what I think you are?” Jay asked.
Its jaw dropped. “Hrm? Interloper no attack Dyrk? Want to converse, yes?” The jaw closed.
Jay rubbed his head. Fuck, not another one. He checked his Guide to confirm his thoughts.
Sprigg Scout (level 82) – A scout for the Spriggs Empire. These creatures are amongst the lowest seeds in the Empire, but may occasionally defy Natura’s will to trade with Expatriates if they are not provoked.
Contains a monster core.
Research is available.
His eyes widened at the level difference. This was the first time he’d seen something beyond the forties while still being able to identify its level.
The sprigg tilted its head and blinked. Sideways, like an insect.
“Back to quiet, hrm?” it asked, still only by opening and closing its jaw without enunciating the words. Unlike Roota, however, this one had a certain tint to its voice, like a teenage boy.
“Sorry,” Jay said. “I’ve only met one of you before, and she looked… Different. What’s your name?”
It paused. “I am Dyrk, yes.”
“What are you doing here, Dyrk?”
“Hrm? Dyrk on mission for Empire, yes! Find and report dangers.”
“What ‘Empire’?”
He nodded. “The Empire, yes.”
Jay took a pause to consider the information. “Are you saying that you spriggs have an entire Empire?”
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His shoulders stiffened. “Grand Blossom must be protected!” He pulled a spear from his back suddenly, with a hilt of green wood, but the edge sharpened enough for light to twinkle on its surface. His eyes narrowed a beat. “Why ask about Empire? You are threat?”
Jay held up his hands. “Hold on, Dyrk. I’m not a threat to your Empire.”
“How can I know, hrm?”
Jay smiled weakly. “Wouldn’t I have attacked you, if I was?”
For a moment, Dyrk stood and stared, spear held close like he was about to attack. But then he lowered it, and a faint sound rolled out, somewhere between a squeal and a grumble.
“Sorry,” Dyrk said. “Much danger on this island. Dyrk even lost pod from big interloper with powerful weapon made of Ignis and Aes. He chase me with ursa companion, yes!”
Ursa companion? “You mean Viktor and Misha?”
“Hrm? Dyrk no ask interloper for name. Too big threat! Ignis would destroy Dyrk, yes.”
Jay felt a chill in his spine. Seeing a creature of this power level tremble gave him even more pause than before.
But Jay considered the opportunity as well. “If you’re on bad terms with Viktor, then maybe we can help each other.”
Dyrk tilted his head. “Hrm?”
“You said you’re looking for dangers for your Empire, and then you found one. What happens if the rest of the Empire finds out about Viktor?”
“Interloper threats must be stopped. Stronger seeds sent to stop danger, yes.”
Jay stroked his chin. “So, if I manage to help you get off this island, then that sounds like it would be both good for you as well as your Empire. They’ll know about how dangerous Viktor is, and you won’t forget about how I helped you? Maybe give me and everyone else a pass?”
Dyrk stood in place a moment, his wooden face unreadable as he took in Jay’s words.
The sprigg nodded. “I speak to Consular on return, yes. Seeds dispatched for violent interloper only. Others will be allowed to relocate.” Then he took a step closer. “You can bring me Vitus for this escape, yes?”
“You’re talking about the essence, right?”
“Yes! Need Vitus to survive in Evershadow. Too much danger to make new pod.” He looked from side to side. “I trade with strong Anima, yes.”
“Anima?” It took a second for Jay to remember what that meant. “Are you talking about souls?”
Dyrk leaned in, like he was about to share a secret. “Dyrk collect much Anima, yes. Will trade for Vitus. Become friend to Empire, hrm?”
He reached into his backpack next and held out his palm. Jay’s jaw dropped as he took in a handful of monster cores, with the purple magical essence glowing brighter than he’d seen before.
But before he could touch them, Dyrk snapped his hand back. “Trade Vitus first, yes.”
“What level are those?” Jay asked.
“Hrm? Oh! Interloper use level metric? Yes.” He scratched his head. “Dyrk not sure.”
“How do you not know? Just look it up.”
“There is nothing to look up. Only interlopers use Guide on Annwyn. Guide breaks Annwyn creatures into unnatural categories. No care for the Anima beneath, yes.”
“If I don’t know what level those cores are, then how can I know if the trade is fair?” Jay pointed out.
“Because all Anima important! Numbers not good way to form definition, yes. Each cycle is unique and must be treated with respect!”
“Regardless, we’re looking to trade right now, Dyrk, which gives those cores value. If I can’t judge that value, then I can’t trade you the Vitus essence you need.”
He scoffed. “You are shrewd interloper, yes. Will give you chance to examine.” He raised a finger. “But don’t try to cheat Dyrk?”
“I won’t.”
The appraisal went on from there, and Jay was completely blown away. Dyrk had a dozen cores that ranged from the mid twenties to the high forties, with the latter supposedly the best that the island had to offer, short of the leviathan in the center.
The chance to speak to an Annwyn local was few and far between, especially since almost none were intelligent and friendly. Jay used the opportunity to learn as much about as he could.
It was difficult to make out with Dyrk’s broken English, but Jay was able to piece enough of his story together. After scouting around for the Spriggs Empire in search of possible threats on the outer rim of their territory, he got within range of their island, only for Viktor to spray his machine gun and destroy Dyrk’s “pod,” though it sounded like a boat. Dyrk had barely managed to escape from there, scavenging for days in the hopes of collecting enough supplies to move through the underground world that defined Annwyn’s core. But with the scarcity of mats and Expats of a Rank he couldn’t handle, he’d been struggling to get what he needed.
Regardless of how Jay felt about helping this alien creature whose civilization he’d knew very little about, he still had struggles of his own: the primary one being upgrades for his weapons and armor to keep from being bullied into submission. Hunting had been more difficult thanks to Amadi’s banditry, and his own gear was now more difficult to maintain as a result.
Yes, trading for cores was exactly the lifeline he needed right now.
So trading, he did. Jay pawned off his health potions first, correctly assessing that they would have the most value because of the high Vitus quantity. That had earned him his share of mid-tier cores. He’d also surrendered his lifeberry tea soon after, along with his fur gloves and helmet. As it turned out, those had enough Vitus within to be valuable.
But the real trade came from his pemmican. Because of the D-Rank leviathan meat infused within, Dyrk treated it as if it was made of gold. Jay squeezed every inch of life from him, netting those coveted cores he’d been missing. For all the utility his pemmican gave him and the dwindling supply, getting a chance to level up without combat would more than compensate.
Besides, Jay had nothing to fear. He still had piles of it back home.
“What happens next?” Jay asked when their trades were concluded.
He scratched his head. “Dyrk go for caves, yes. Find way to Evershadow, then seek out roots to Empire.” His cheeks twitched, almost like a smile. “Thank you for help, interloper!”
“Jay,” he said. “You can call me Jay.”
“Thank you, Jay. Dyrk will go straight to Consular when return, yes. Deal will be made to defeat interloper before he can threaten Empire.”
He started to walk away.
“Wait!” Jay called out.
“Hrm?”
“You said before that spriggs don’t use levels or any information from the Guide, yet your world follows a distinct leveling system with clear, linear patterns. If you don’t use levels when assessing threats, then what do you do?”
Dyrk grimaced. “Levels are unnatural construct, yes. Wyrms wish to quantify all Vitus, all Anima, all Natura. They use dark, evil knowledge to make their Guide, manipulating the essence of all life so interlopers can craft their weapons. But all creatures of Annwyn have unique cycle, yes? Is Dyrk just monster with level, or is something more, hrm?”
“I see what you’re saying, but that still doesn’t explain how you’re able to define power.”
“Power is power, life is life. The strength of Anima cannot be defined by numbers. It is in the journey of every creature’s cycle.”
“Cycle?”
“I am Dyrk. I was born from seed, I live, I die. Then, I am born again. Same seed, different cycle. Each cycle creates more power, more life, even if I no remember cycles lost.” He folded his arms. “But Wyrms seek to break all cycles. Instead of let us live in peace, they want to infect cycle with their own will, corrupting all they touch. There is no Dyrk in their world, hrm? Only levels to be harvested and absorbed.”
Jay stared at the monster cores, now somehow heavier in hand. “You’re telling me that all these creatures would be reincarnated if I didn’t infuse them into my gear?”
“Yes.”
“And yet, you’ll still give them to me, knowing what I’ll do. Why?”
To that, Dyrk’s brow twitched. He stared at the monster cores he’d traded off. A moan slipped through the thin line of his mouth, almost longingly.
“Because Dyrk’s cycle matters too, yes?”
Name: Jay Reis (Copper Age)
Vitality – 99/99
Hunger – 68/72
Thirst – 22/24
Fatigue – 44/48
Sanity – 91/100
Main Crafts: Alchemy 2, Armor Crafting 2, Base Building 3, Cooking 2, Jewelry 2, Medicine 2, Tailoring 2, Tool Crafting 3, Vehicles 1, Weapon Crafting 2.
Weapon Crafts: Axes 5, Bows 6, Clubs 5, Daggers 5, Spears 5, Swords 9.
Armor Crafts: Heavy Armor 5, Light Armor 5, Medium Armor 8, Shields 6.
Sub-Crafts: Curved Swords 3.
Character Skills:
[Forbidden Knowledge]
Armor Skills:
Heavy Armor: [Push], [Stampede]
Medium Armor: [Recover], [Leap], [Waterform], [Quickstep]
Light Armor: [Dash], [Feather Fall]
Shield: [Brace], [Track], [Break]
Weapon Skills:
Axes: [Chop], [Whirlwind]
Bows: [Sharpshooter], [Longshot], [Scattershot Arrow]
Clubs: [Bash], [Paralyze]
Daggers: [Slice], [Flourish]
Spears: [Thrust], [Sweep]
Swords: [Power Attack], [Slash], [Rend], [Shirk]
Armor:
[Fur Chestpiece+3] (Hardened+8), (Reinforced+2)
[Fur Leggings+2] (Hardened+8), (Reinforced+2)
[Fur Boots+1] (Hardened+8), (Reinforced+2)
[Silver Amulet]: Socketed with [Chipped Tourmaline] (Tempus)
[Silver Ring]: Socketed with [Chipped Ruby] (Ignis)
[Silver Ring]: Socketed with [Chipped Ruby] (Ignis)
Weapons:
[Pig Iron Scimitar+3] (Affinity+5), (Hardened+2), (Reinforced+2), (Stable+4)
[Treated Bow]: Socketed with [Chipped Ruby] (Ignis)
[Basic Leather Quiver]: Contains 17 [Silver-tipped Arrows] (Elemental+2), (Stability+4) and 3 [Scattershot Arrows] (Elemental+2), (Stability+4)
Tools:
[Copper Knife+3]
[Copper Axe+3]
[Copper Hammer+3]
[Copper Pickaxe+3]
[Copper Shovel+3]
Boons:
[Minor (Speed)] (x3)