“You know when it said choose wisely I didn’t think it meant for us to be dragging a knocked out bandit,” Pierre reminded Jared for the ninth time.
Jared rolled his eyes, “Well what would you prefer us to do? Sacrifice each other like it probably implied?” He exasperated.
Pierre kept his mouth shut sneaking glances at the unconscious bandit they dragged by the arms.
“It would have been so bad if he didn’t run,” Pierre grumbled, changing the subject.
“Fair,” Jared nodded his head.
“And if he didn’t have to run so far,” Jared added.
“Also fair,” Pierre agreed.
They marched through the woods in complete darkness after looting a few more [Potion of Night Vision] from the dead bandits. They were in a hurry back to the area where Aldrin had slain Gyt in order to complete the Quest they both were offered. Arriving at the still kneeling Aldrin who shook uncontrollably at their presence, specifically the bandit they dragged.
“Hurry,” Aldrin wheezed, weakly reaching out for them.
Jared and Pierre dropped the unconscious bandit in front of Aldrin whose fangs immediately elongated with saliva dripping off of them. Finally able to let loose the slippery control he had over himself he latched onto the wrist of the bandit. He slurped deeply, awakening the bandit into a screaming fear and pain. Aldrin’s ironclad grip held the bandit from running. Each tug from the bandit made the beast inside Aldrin tug back harder.
All it took was one bad tug from the bandit and Aldrin tore the arm off of the bandit cradling it as he sucked the last drops of life from it. The bandit screamed even more, clutching his torn arm. Jared looked away slightly queasy at the sight while Pierre continued to stare stoically at the gruesome sight. Dropping the lifeless limb, Aldrin slowly stalked towards the bandit on all fours unnerving the screaming bandit even more.
Lunging at him Aldrin tore the other arm off and flung it away letting the blood splatter over both their faces. His claws grew to sharpened points before he jabbed them straight through the ribcage of the bandit and tore free his heart. Blood ran down his forearm when he raised the heart over his mouth squeezing it for the lifesource inside. Slowly reverting back to his normal self he looked down at the dead bandit.
“I know this is what I have to do but it doesn’t make it any easier,” Aldrin said to himself.
Pierre heard but chose to say nothing when the Quest completed awarding him 5 Skill Points and 1,000 EXP with the choices of Servant unfolding before him. He closed them out wanting to go over them with Aldrin.
Sighing, “We go back to the camp and get what we need,” Aldrin turned to face them, feeling the tingling on his skin begin.
Ignoring the System Alerts for now they rushed back to the bandit camp to pillage it before others could. They arrived at a free-for-all as the bandits that had returned began to kill each other for the right of leader.
“They already know Gyt’s dead?” Aldrin asked them.
Jared cleared his throat, “Well. . . we kinda let one or two get away,” He sheepishly said.
“Let’s hurry then before a winning side is decided,” Aldrin ran into the chaos.
Pierre and Jared followed soon after trying their best not to draw eyes on them. Fires raged from the burning tents as horses fled with their dead riders dragging behind them. Over the metal clashing against metal and the battle roars of the victorious or dead came a sound that combined a child screaming with a pig squealing silenced the camp. Freezing everyone in their tracks, all eyes turned to a dark patch of the forest.
Streaking out of the first, a pale humanoid shape sprang out landing in a burning tent. It stood on two thin legs that had hooves for feet, it’s arms were gangly and thin that ended in claws that were as long as razor blades that gleamed from the fire, an exposed torso showcased it’s skin as it clung tightly to the ribcage leaving nothing to imagination. The head of it resembled a horse’s skull with jagged antlers adorning the top of it, the mouth of it was serrated bone that had bits of flesh sticking in between them, and worst of all, the empty eye sockets held only the promise of endless hunger and pain.
“Is that what I think it is?” Pierre stared wide eyed at it.
“It is,” Aldrin answered, quickly Identifying it for the basic information.
Name: Saloth, the Endless Devourer Race: Wendigo Level: 66 Relation: Neutral Lore: Forever on the prowl for fresh meat it stalks the forest now free from a Dungeon’s influence. It has been following the trail of bodies leading it here to an all you can eat, and eat it will.
“We have to go now!” Aldrin hissed with no time to decipher why he was able to see the Relation.
No need for further prodding, the three of them dodged and weaved through the camp. Meanwhile, Saloth took to gleefully dismembering anything in its path as it chomped away at any loose limbs. The bandits, being bandits either rushed in an attempt at foolhardy glory or ran from the carnage made flesh. Either way, Saloth proved to be a blessing in disguise for the three.
Pierre was in the lead with Jared in the middle and Aldrin covering their backs snaking their way through the camp towards the now destroyed main hall of the camp. Arriving out of a cloud of dense smoke Pierre and Jared collapsed, their singed lungs trying to recover. At least grateful for no longer needing to breathe, Aldrin stood guard listening to the screams of those being ripped apart by Saloth.
“Ready,” Jared was the first to recover, wiping the soot off of him.
“Do you know what we are looking for?” Adrin asked, ignoring his appearance.
Huffing, “No, it just said that it would begin to shine when I was close,” Jared informed.
“Great,” Aldrin deadpanned.
“Loot everything then and we will sort it out later!” Pierre rose up from his coughing fit.
Piles on top of piles of coins and treasure were still ripe for the taking. Aldrin had only seen this amount of wealth one time and it was from the man who killed his mother and turned his father crazy. Shifting uncomfortably, Aldrin shook off the reticent memory threatening to overcome him.
Thanks to an empty Inventory Aldrin had no issues taking large swathes of treasure as all of it disappeared into the pocket dimension. Jared whistled, gathering everyone’s attention on him. He pointed to a small inert spherical stone that sat atop another pile of treasure. The stone was barely translucent, letting everyone peek at the small flashes of rainbow lightning streaks that bounced around inside.
“I think this is it!” Jared called out.
Pierre and Aldrin rushed to converge on Jared who grabbed it along with the treasures it was sitting on. The fires outside had managed to make their way over along with Saloth as the terrifying roar of it grew closer. Aldrin briefly Inspected it before Jared put it away in his Inventory.
[Gem of the Lost Arcane]
Taking one last look at the left behind loot still Aldrin’s heart sank.
“Don’t get greedy or we will die!” Jared surprised both Aldrin and Pierre, clapping them both on the back as he ran by.
Running past the threshold of the door, Jared was the first to fly off his feet when Saloth charged into him. Standing to it’s full height at 8 feet, the gangly Wendigo roared in triumph with its arms wide. Pierre was the next one to get knocked away and into the side of a tent, barreling through it. Aldrin wasn’t sure if either had survived just from the brief brush with Saloth. Turning towards Aldrin, Saloth dropped down to all fours, menacingly growling and pacing back and forth. Aldrin’s beast inside threatened to surface to challenge Saloth.
System Alert:
Alpha vs. Alpha: Your nature as a Progenitor threatens the very existence of Saloth as it is unsure whether you are higher on the food chain than it. The vie for control and territory has been initiated.
Rewards: Experience, Title, Friendly with Saloth
Penalties: Experience, Unfriendly with Saloth
Notice:
Do you wish to forfeit since your power is not on par with Saloth?
No rewards will be achieved and you can come back to challenge Saloth in a year.
Quickly reading the Alert while keeping an eye on the pacing and slobbering form of Saloth, Aldrin came to the conclusion that everything was meant to kill him since he became a Vampire. Knowing full well he barely survived Gyt and that was including his buffs to himself Aldrin knew for a fact that even with all of that he was not going to survive his encounter with Saloth.
“I forfeit,” Aldrin announced.
System Alert: Challenge forfeited: Saloth will give you one hour to escape the surrounding lands.
Saloth roared at him before turning and bolting off to find new victims to feast on. Aldrin let out a shaky breath, a habit he had when faced with overwhelming odds when he was human. Now as a Vampire it seemed that it didn’t do much to shake the feeling of dread off him. Inside, the beast raged at the cowardly move that ruptured through Aldrin’s body forcing him to fall to his knees and clutch at his chest.
“I'll come back, I promise,” Aldrin wheezed out hoping to appease the monster inside of him.
That seemed to abate some of the searing pain that washed over him allowing him to stand up. He struggled to check on Jared first who had barely regained consciousness when Aldrin began shaking him awake. Aldrin helped Jared drink a [Health Potion] that mended the broken bones slowly. Assuring that Jared was going to be alright, Aldrin went to dig for Pierre in the tent he was swaddled in.
Finding him bleeding from the side of his face, Aldrin stepped back afraid he would rip into him. Surprisingly, the sight made his stomach revolt at the sight and fill with white hot anger instead that was directed at Saloth. Filing that little tidbit away for later, Jared soon came and helped dig out Pierre.
After administering a [Health Potion] Aldrin filled them on the time crunch involving Saloth. Not needing another reason to escape the bandit camp all of them grabbed what they could from where they were at. Assuming the same positions as before with Pierre at the front, Jared in the middle, and Aldrin bringing up the rear, they weaved through the camp. Littered with bodies that were either torn apart by Saloth or simply sliced to death from other bandits it looked more like a battleground than a hidden encampment.
Stopping suddenly, “Wait! We have to grab transportation!” Pierre shouted.
Off in the distance Saloth thrashed through another row of tents, ripping apart more bandits that stood in its path. The three looked in the direction of limbs being thrown in the air.
Dreading the answer, “Which way to get transportation?” Aldrin asked.
Pierre pointed in the opposite direction of Saloth which Aldrin breathed out a sigh of relief. Shifting for another mad sprint to get to the other side before Saloth could rampage through there. They arrived at an area that had a row of carriages from previous ambushes.
Scrambling up to the driver’s seat of a plum colored lowkey carriage, “Jared wrangle us some horses! Aldrin secure the inside!” Pierre commanded, gathering the straps for horses.
Aldrin opened the carriage door looking for any signs of anyone choosing to hide in there. The inside was smeared with dried blood that made him scrunch his face in disgust.
“It’s clear!” Aldrin called out before hopping in.
Jared came back not too long with horses in tow. Hooking them up Pierre hopped in the driver’s with Jared sliding in next to him. “Everyone ready?!” Pierre asked, eyeing the destruction incarnate known as Saloth rampage in their direction next.
Flicking the reins, the hoses brayed and reared up before peeling off on a turn with the carriage leaning on by two wheels. Aldrin rumbled back and forth in the inside of the carriage. Pierre egged on the horses as they sped past more of the burning encampment. Not bothering to move the curtains inside the carriage to get a good look at the passing carnage Aldrin opted to sit back and enjoy as much as he could.
The prickling sensation of Aldrin's skin grew to pins and needles signaling the sun was about to start looming on the horizon. Hoping and praying to whatever deigned to listen that the carriage would be enough to cover him from the sun. Knowing he had managed to survive all the way to this point only to end up barbequed in the back of some unknown carriage that left remnants of a grisly murder only added to those prayers. The distant triumph roar of Saloth reverberated through the forest as they made their escape.
The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Slumping down to relax finally, the adrenaline that coursed through his body dissipated leaving only tiredness in his wake. Sadly, being a Vampire that tiredness only lasted for a few seconds thanks to Undead Body.
Jared opened the slit from the driver’s seat outside and peered in, “How is it back there?” He gave a soft smile minus the bumpy ride.
“It’ll be better when we get to Lor-Vold,” He said.
Chuckling, Jared shook his head and closed the slit leaving Aldrin to his thoughts. Moving the curtain of the carriage window aside he peered out into the looming darkness that retreated from the morning sun. With time to rest and recuperate, Aldrin let the System Alerts unfold before him, letting him see all of his exploits.
Congratulations! Various enemies were defeated! Total EXP Awarded: 8,379
Levels Gained: x4 in Race and Class; x1 in Profession
New Level: Vampire Progenitor Level 15, Night Reaver Level 15, Lore Seeker Level 25
Total Level: 55
Skill Points Earned from level ups: 33
Title Earned:
Indomitable: Vampires have been proven to be hard to kill but you have proven to be unconquerable for slaying multiple enemies both above your level and your Class Tier.
Effect: Those that are stronger than you feel the effects of your indomitable spirit and are more wary to engage in combat with you.
Profession:
Lore Seeker Update:
Anatomy
Level 1: 5% exp gained for killing beasts, monsters, and humanoids(250 needed)(Granted)
Level 2: 10% exp gained for killing beasts, monsters, and humanoids(394/500 needed)
Facing the choice once again to either embrace his inherent Racial skills or his Class skills. Knowing full well and basing it off the idea that he more than likely will have to interact with people he would need to see what Racial skills will help him in the endeavor of finding a cure. With that in mind, he began to peruse his options.
Vampire Skill Tree:
Thirst-Passive Ability
Level 1: Vampires lust for blood especially the newly turned vampires as they are slaves to their thirst. (Granted)
Level 2: As vampires transition from newborns to adolescent and mature vampires their bloodlust lessens.(4 SP)(Prerequisite: Juvenile)
Bite-Passive Ability(Damage grows with Strength and Willpower)(Strength + Willpower = Damage)
Level 1: Returns 25% damage as health or mana(Granted)
Level 2: Returns 50% damage as health or mana(4 SP)
Claws-Passive Ability(Damage grows with strength and Dexterity)(Strength + Dexterity = Damage)
Level 1: Your claws are now able to rend light armors such as those made from cloth and leather(Granted)
Level 2: Your claws are now able to rend medium armors and below such as chainmail and hardened leather(4 SP)
Charming Gaze(Success of the same Tier equates to Charisma + Willpower stat divided by 2)
Level 1: Subtly influence sentients and creatures minds with minor one commands(Granted)
Level 2: Greatly influence sentients and creatures minds that can understand instructions (4 sp)
Undead Body-Improved by Willpower and Vitality(Willpower + Vitality adds to natural Defense Value)
Level 1: Bodily functions are turned off i.e. hunger, sleep, and the need to breathe no longer affect you(Granted).
Level 2: Resistant to slashing, bludgeoning, and pierce from non magical weapons as your body continues to adapt to its change(Granted)
Level 3: Your body is now resistant to magical weapons(6 SP)
Regeneration-Passive only out of combat
Level 1: A newborn vampire is able to heal small cuts and bruises since their body is still considered mostly mortal(Granted)
Level 2: Small appendages now grow back as the vampire ages into adolescents(4 SP)
Supernatural Reflexes(Increases with Dexterity divided by 2)
Level 1: 2 second time freeze if you are about to be killed instantly(Granted)
Level 2: 4 second time freeze(4 SP)
Vampiric Awareness
Level 1: Night vision is granted; hearing and smell is improved(Granted).
Level 2: Able to feel minor shifts in the air 10 feet around you(Granted)
Level 3: Blood vision is now granted enabling you to see, hear, and smell prey you mark even if they are through walls and if you are tracking them(6 SP)
Blood Curse
Level 1: Create Zombie(2 SP)(10 Health, 10 Magic)
Vampiric Agility
Level 1: Ability to jump further than your pinnacle human(Granted)
Level 2: You are now able to stick to any surface(4 SP)
Master of the Night
Level 1: Grants communication with creatures of the night(2 SP)
Vampire Progenitor Skill Tree:
Daywalker
Level 1: skills and buffs return to you during the night but you are still killed instantly during the day(Granted)
Level 2: skills and buffs increased by 25% during the night however sunlight harms your stats by 75% if you are active during the day(4 SP)
Humanity
Level 1: You have a reflection(4 SP)
Trace Your Roots
Level 1: Able to create specialized vampires(2 SP)
Vampiric Ascension
Level 1: The living instantly treat you like nobility(Higher Rank Required)
He chose to rank up Thirst to level 2 as that was a no brainer, Charming Gaze to level 2 in case anyone got a little too close to comfort he was hoping the Skill would be able to wipe memories of him, and Daywalker to level 2 if the Skill implied he would be able to walk in the sun. With that bringing the remaining Skill Points from 33 down to 21 he decided to max out the Humanity skill leaving him with 3 remaining that went directly into Charisma bringing it to 28.
New Skill Updates:
Thirst-Passive Ability
Level 1: Vampires lust for blood especially the newly turned vampires as they are slaves to their thirst. (Granted)
Level 2: As vampires transition from newborns to Juvenile and Mature vampires their bloodlust lessens.(Prerequisite Rank: Juvenile)(Granted)
Level 3: (Prerequisite Rank: Elder)
Charming Gaze(Success of the same Tier equates to Charisma + Willpower stat divided by 2)
Level 1: Subtly influence sentients and creatures minds with minor one commands(Granted)
Level 2: Greatly influence sentients and creatures minds that can understand instructions (Granted)
Level 3: (Prerequisite Rank: Mature)
Daywalker
Level 1: skills and buffs return to you during the night but you are still killed instantly during the day(Granted)
Level 2: skills and buffs increased by 25% during the night however sunlight harms your stats by 75% if you are active during the day(Granted)
Level 3: (Prerequisite Rank: Mature)
Humanity
Level 1: You have a reflection(Granted)
Level 2: You no longer feel cold to the touch as faux warmth floods the surface of your skin(Granted)
Level 3: No invitations are needed to enter the homes of the living(Granted)
With everything settled regarding himself he felt a little more comfortable with entering the city of Lor-Vold. Hopefully no one would stare too long at him and if push came to shove he could at least ask Jared or Pierre to inquire about a cure. However, in the back of his mind lingered the fear of seeing his sister before he could acquire a cure. As devout as she was to the Order he worried if he ever came into contact with her how would he explain things. The other side of that is if Adeline would straight up try to kill him thinking he would be a Feral Vampire.
System Alert: Alpha vs. Alpha: You have escaped to an acceptable distance; Saloth no longer sees you as a threat to his domain.
Aldrin knocked on the slit to get the attention of the two in the driver’s seat. Jared slid it open, peering in, “We are clear from Saloth he won’t be chasing us anymore,” Aldrin informed.
Jared nodded before closing the slit. Soon after the carriage eased into a comfortable ride now that they were out of the danger zone Saloth presented. Without the threat of life or death hanging over him anymore, Aldrin decided to close his eyes for a bit to let the events so far wash over him, letting himself drift off to sleep with the way of the carriage helping him along.
In the deep recesses of his mind Aldrin picked up more thunderous hooves further down the road rumbling in their direction. Immediately bolting up, he was greeted with a System Alert.
System Alert:
Daywalker Active!
All Stats reduced by 75% of their actual value!
No time to figure out the limits of the Skill he urgently knocked on the slit again. Pierre was the one to answer this time as they both had swapped seats. The little light that peered in along with Pierre touched Aldrin. Scrambling away quickly before realizing he wasn’t burning he slowly inched his way back to the little stream of sunlight. Choosing to sacrifice a finger if need be, he grazed along the sunlight finding out that it stung like a bad sunburn instead of the instinctual threat of death looming over it. Relieved that the Skill works like he thought he focused on the other important matter.
“Hey! We have horses coming towards us!” Aldrin spilled out retracting his hand back as he saw the way Pierre gaped at him.
Pierre didn’t let the shock go from his face, he nodded and told Jared of the incoming horses as well as the new development with Aldrin. The carriage slowed down to draw less suspicion towards them all. It didn’t take long for the riders of the horses to come upon them either.
“Halt!” Aldrin heard a deep commanding voice order.
“What’s the problem?” Pierre asked.
“We are from the Holy Order on an investigation. I am Commander Ingram, is it ok if you answer some of our questions?” Ingram said, shifting his horse forward.
Inside, Aldrin felt his already cold undead body drop to an uncomfortable degree.
“Alright sure,” Pierre looked at Jared quickly.
Ingram narrowed his eyes, “Have you seen anything out of the ordinary?” He questioned.
“Yes actually, we were running from a Wendigo when you came upon us,” Pierre half lied, gesturing to his disheveled appearance.
Ingram nodded at one of the men who then raced off back in the direction they came from. Then he signaled two more of his men to race down the road the carriage was coming from. Ingram shifted his eyes back to the duo on the carriage driver’s seat.
“What is your business traveling down this road? This road is often hounded by bandits and the like?” Ingram asked, narrowing his eyes.
“Our Lord had family to visit and we were already running late to get him back home to Lor-Vold so we decided to take the shortcut through the forest here,” Pierre half lied again.
“Is your Lord available for questions?”
“No, the recent encounter with the Wendigo has left him a bit. . . traumatized,” Pierre grappled with the word.
Ingram noted it as recent shock, “I understand, nevertheless an encounter with a Wendigo is terrifying enough not to mention escaping it takes a toll on the less mentally fortified,”
Subtly Inspecting them, “I’m also assuming that the rest of the guard wasn’t so lucky to escape the Wendigo then?” Ingram inquired.
“No, we were tasked with getting our Lord to safety while the rest did their best to hold it back,” Jared spoke up this time, feeling Ingram’s gaze piercing every word for inconsistencies.
Ingram grunted in response to that, “My condolences for your losses.”
“May we ask what the Order is doing out here? A usual clean up of the Undead I presume?” Pierre changed the subject.
“We are on a search and rescue mission actually however there haven’t been any Undead roaming around which is peculiar. Do you two know anything about a missing party or the recent missing Undead in the area?”
“Sadly we do not but we may think the recent missing Undead may have something to do with the Wendigo loose?” Jared offered.
Grim faced Ingram thought about it more, “Probably but something here feels different, ancient even like something has been awakened," Shifting his horse Ingram looked down the road to where he sent the other two riders.
“My apologies for keeping you, may your journey be safe,” Ingram bowed his head slightly.
Jared and Pierre returned the gesture before setting off again. Ingram stared at them for a while before turning to one of his men. “Follow them at a distance, just to make sure they get somewhere safe,” He ordered but in the back of his mind something felt off about them.
Meanwhile in the carriage if Aldrin could sweat he would be dropping rivulets of it. Pierre slid the opening again letting him know that they were in the clear.
“Did you know him?” Pierre asked, looking at the pale faced Aldrin.
“He is my sister’s right hand man,” Aldrin whispered out.
“Do you think he or she would help you?” Pierre gently asked.
"I honestly don’t know,” Aldrin slumped back into the seat.
“I mean it’s your sister I think she would, right?” Jared chimed in.
“Not until I at least have some evidence that there is a cure for me otherwise who knows what she would do,” Aldrin admitted.
Grunting in agreement, “Well, we should be hopefully arriving at Lor-Vold in about a week give or take if nothing decides we are easy pickings,” Pierre said.
“Then in the meantime I will see the loot I gathered and see if anything can be of use to you guys that I swiped,” Aldrin said.
“We will do the same,” Pierre agreed, moving to close the slit.
“And Pierre,” Aldrin started.
“Hm?” Pierre stopped himself from closing the slit to look at Aldrin again.
“Thanks. . . for everything,” Aldrin rubbed the back of his neck.
Pierre smiled and gave a slight nod before closing the slit. Pierre’s System Alert chimed again letting him know about the choice he still had to go over with Aldrin but that could wait until they had a more concrete place to discuss things. For now they were all on the road again heading to something that may be real or fake. Regardless of it all, he was just happy to do something other than be aimless in this world.