The pain in her hand was rising now that the adrenaline was slowly leaving her. They burned something fierce, and it was only worsening. This was a perfect time to try out her new healing skill.
She thought about healing herself, and Vitalize kicked into gear. At once, her pain lessened as the skill took from her Mana. By the time she was fully healed, all that was left on her hands was blackish soot. She shook it off, and underneath her hands were just as they had always been.
Meera beamed. Now, that is fun. Maybe I can incorporate some magic skills into my class. She looked at her stats to see how much the skill had cost to heal this minor injury.
[Health: 250/250]
[Stamina: 249/300]
[Mana: 84/110]
Her eyes popped open. It took that much Mana. She didn't realize healing herself would be that expensive. She decided to talk to the healer in the basement to confirm if Vitalize took that much Mana or if she was just terrible at it. It may get better as I get used to it.
Then she checked her notifications, and there were quite a few.
*ding!*
[You have killed 2 Hounds of Rothedon – Level 25]
*ding!*
[Congratulation. Image Stealer has reached Level 29. You have been awarded 3 stat points]
[Congratulation. Image Stealer has reached Level 30. You have been awarded 3 stat points]
*ding!*
[Congratulations. Chakram of Echoes effect activated. Upon reaching Level 30 in your main class, you have earned a fourth Chakram.]
Meera grinned as her fourth chakram appeared on her left wrist. Now, she had two on each arm. It was nice to have more ammunition.
*ding!*
[Congratulations. Mirror Affinity has reached Level 20. All of your mirror-based attacks will get a 22% boost]
*ding!*
[Congratulations. Ambush Tactics has reached Level 10]
*ding!*
[Congratulations. Nimble Ears has reached Level 4]
[Congratulations. Nimble Ears has reached Level 5]
.
[Congratulations. Nimble Ears has reached Level 7]
*ding!*
[Congratulations. Charred Body has reached Level 2]
[Congratulations. Charred Body has reached Level 3]
*ding!*
[Congratulations. Wolf Speed has reached Level 2]
[Congratulations. Wolf Speed has reached Level 3]
*ding!*
[Congratulations. Wild Instincts has reached Level 2]
*ding!*
[Congratulations. Vitalize has reached Level 2]
[Congratulations. Vitalize has reached Level 3]
*ding!*
[Class Ability Activated. You have stolen the skill Fireplosion. Fireplosion – Type: Active. You can channel your Mana into a fierce explosion of fire and wrath, burning all—friend or foe within a certain radius. Would you like to acquire this skill?]
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Is this what I think this is? It wasn't a fireball or flamethrower, but in a way, it was even better. She could use this to create some distance between her and her enemies. She quickly accepted the skill.
[You do not have any open skill slots. Please decide which skill you would like to forgo to make room for this skill.]
She looked through her skills, and the only one she could think of—Feral Bite. It seemed like a good skill, but biting her enemies didn't seem like an effective way of fighting when she could rip through them with her chakrams. She let go of Feral Bite and accepted Fireplosion.
*ding!*
[You have acquired the skill Fireplosion – Level 1]
*ding!*
[Class Ability Activated. You have stolen the skill Eyes of Your Kin. Eyes of Your Kin – Type: Passive. Your vision becomes a conduit for connection, allowing you to perceive the world through the eyes of your kin. Would you like to acquire this skill?]
Meera stood frozen on the spot. This skill was how the hounds knew where she was. Without howling or roaring or anything, the other hounds always knew where she was. But she could use this skill to figure out where Neel was. After all, he was the only kin she had in this world or worlds. This was the best skill she had ever stolen. She quickly accepted it, but the message about not having any open skill slots popped up again. She looked through her skills and decided to let go of Night Vision. With Eagle Eye and Mirithia providing enough light at night, she could do without that skill. She had a feeling she would come to regret it, but it was either that or give up Tracking Scent. She paused.
Or I can give up Tracking Scent. She paced to and fro, contemplating which one to give up. With Eagle Eye was another vision skill, she didn't need two vision skills. A scent-related skill would be nice to have. But realistically, how often would she be in a situation where she needed to track someone with their scent?
Given this freaky world, it could be many times. In the end, she decided to give up on Night Vision.
*ding!*
[You have acquired the skill Eyes of Your Kin – Level 1]
She also quickly allocated her six stat points, splitting them equally between Focus and Endurance. The bulk of skills were stamina related, so she needed enough to last long enough to finish the fight. Though, she did want to put more points into Constitution as well. Having more health couldn't hurt, but, in her case, with her healing skill. She might be okay for now. In the end, her stats looked like this.
[Name: Meera Singh]
[Age: 24]
[Race: Unnatural Human]
[Class: Image Stealer – Level 30]
[Class Ability: Reflection – Level 11]
Stats
[Health: 250/250]
[Stamina: 249/330]
[Mana: 84/140]
Attributes
[Constitution: 25]
[Power: 15]
[Dexterity: 27]
[Endurance: 33]
[Focus: 14]
[Agility: 30]
[Perception: 27]
Skills
[Ambush Tactics – Level 10]
[Monkey Fist - Level 12]
[Eagle Eye - Level 7]
[Eyes of Your Kin - Level 1]
[Primal Power - Level 10]
[Nimble Ears - Level 7]
[Tracking Scent - Level 1]
[Fireplosion - Level 1]
[Wolf Speed - Level 3]
[Vitalize - Level 3]
General Skills
[Identify – Level 2]
[Mirror Affinity – Level 20]
[Climbing – Level 16]
[Tree Walker - Level 15]
[Potion Making - Level 1]
[Alpha Aura - Level 1]
[Wild Instincts - Level 2]
[Charred Body - Level 3]
Meera smiled at her progress. Finally, she had collected enough skills to fill all her skill spots and gained quite a few general skills. Now, she had to focus on leveling up attributes to use her newly acquired skills.
"Are they dead?" Said a voice from behind her, making her jump.
She placed a hand on her beating heart. "Y-Yes, all gone. There were only three, right?"
"Yes, only left three of them." Oril spat on the ground. "Fucking monsters tore apart the entire village. Didn't even spare the children."
Meera had seen the charred bodies and could understand the man's pain. She was about to ask him who had done this, but her curiosity and need to find Neel won.
"Hey, do you mind watching over me?" Meera said, walking inside the house. "I need to try something, and I'm not sure what it will do?"
He frowned. "Huh?"
"Just shake me or something if there is trouble."
With that, she sat down, closed her eyes, and activated the Eyes of Your Kin.
At first, there was nothing but a warm sensation in her eyes, which grew warmer and warmer until it became unbearable.
Then, her eyes lit on fire. Meera screamed as her eyes snapped open.
She screamed, but there was no sound. She looked around, and the world was on fire, covered with an orange-red hue. It took her a moment to realize she was no longer in the healer's hut. Although the world was still on fire, everything remained as it was. The tapestry on the walls did not burn to a crisp.
Is it me or Neel that is on fire?
That thought was so disturbing that she almost cried. She looked down and realized that her or rather Neel's face was too close to the ground, and he had claws. Dark claws that seemed to be made to rip into her foes.
"We must find this, Neel?" Said a deep, rumbling voice.
Meera snapped her attention to it. It belonged to a big man who wore dark armor that glowed red in between through its various cracks, like a charred, burnt-out, smoldering piece of wood. He wore a skull-shaped helmet, and his eyes glowed red underneath. Two others were standing beside him.
Maybe it's because I am so low to the ground or that these people are enormous.
With a start, Meera realized that she was looking through the eyes of a hound, and these people were the ones who had burned Ebonton to ashes. The skill Eyes of Your Kin meant that quite literally, but this skill must've been made specifically for Hounds of Rothedon.
Meera was relieved for one that it was not Neel who was burning but also saddened that she hadn't found him. She tried using Identify, but it wouldn't work.
"My lord Rothedon, we will find him. I assure you. I have my best dogs searching for him." The man standing to Rothedon's right spoke. He had a broad chest and wore the same charred armor as Rothedon. He wore a bull-shaped helmet with real bull horns attached to his helmet.
The third also wore a similar armor, though he had some feathers along his neck, and his helmet had no holes for eyes. He held a staff with a small hexagonal mirror attached to its top.
"Your assurances are useless, Warnorinth," Rothedon replied.
Meera's heart skipped a beat when she realized that this man was Rothedon, who had an entire forest named after him, let alone the Fist that marked the demon territory.
"I will not disappoint you, father," said the third man.
"You better not if you know what is good for you. Your mother can only buy so many favors for you. Fail me again, and you will know firsthand why I am feared. Do you understand, Mirageiros?"
The man with the staff stiffened. "Yes, Father."
Rothedon stood. "If this Neel Singh is indeed the Champion, then I will find him, take his power into me, and finally be free of these chains."
Meera didn't see any chains. Maybe somebody cursed him. She wouldn't be surprised if he was cursed. He looked like someone who should have been cursed.
Then something cold fell on her, distorting her vision, and she was snapped back into her body. All her clothes were wet. But something was seriously wrong. Everything was dark. There was an intense pain in her eyes. She brought her hands to her face and would have wept if she could've.
She had empty holes where her eyes used to be.