Roland first saw snow and ice when he emerged into the dungeon. He was in a forest clearing with grey skies above him the sound of the wind made the ice crack as it passed through the trees. Roland didn’t know what to make of this new world. He felt like he did the night he world changed last ten years ago. That night he had went from a normal high school boy to having to be a man and protect and provide for his brothers. He didn’t blame his brothers for that it was as his father always said “Life isn’t fair or nice Roland, Life is vicious and if you let it, it will beat you down and dig your grave for you.” His father had told him as they sat in the hospital after Roland had tore his ACL in a basketball game.
Roland looked out at the landscape around him and noticed tracks leading into the forest. He bent down to look and they appeared to be some manner of bear walking upright. Deciding to follow he stayed crouched to keep an eye on the tracks as he followed them into the forest. Evergreens were everywhere with leafless trees mixed in as he followed the tracks. Looking ahead above the trees he spotted the white smoke of a fire ahead and to the left as he tracked.
Roland thought back on his brothers while he walked. Shane was the one he worried about the least as he was always the one that followed his own path. Shane would show his emotions sure but ever since that night he stayed somewhat distant and worked on his problems by himself. Roland thought back to Shane’s freshman year in high school when Roland and his grandfather were called up to the school because Shane had gotten into a fight with three seniors. His Grandfather had asked Shane why he got into the fight after they had left the school after Shane had been suspended. Shane had just said that he wasn’t going to tolerate bullies and that he could take the punishment better than the kids that got picked on. Chris had come home that night and explained what happened. Seems the three seniors had decided that they were going to have some fun with this kid in the band. They were in the middle of putting the kid in his own locker when Shane hit them from behind knocking the first one out and holding his own against the last two till a teacher had broken the fight up. Roland had asked Chris why he didn’t help his brother and Chris had just laughed and said Shane had it under control and didn’t need any help it appeared.
Joe was a lot like Roland except were Roland didn’t mind people so much; Joe would rather be outside with nature. Joe and Roland had grown up faster than should have been needed as they helped support their two little brothers. Joe finished high school and decided not to continue to college. He had stated that they didn’t have any fishing or hunting classes so there was no sense in going. Where Shane was mentally strong and independent, Joe was cut from the same cloth except Shane tolerated people a lot more than Joe. Roland had seen Joe stay out on guides for weeks or out by himself that long looking and preparing his tours prior to his customers’ arrivals.
Chris was the one that Roland worried about the most. Not that Chris wasn’t strong mentally he was probably the strongest in that regards to the rest of them. He was the lest athletic and the lest comfortable with himself. He had always been self-conscious about his weight and fitness level. Chris was the most intelligent of them all but had a confidence issue that Roland could only stem from blow back from the loss of their parents. Roland had asked Zeus what happened when they finished their dungeons early. Zeus had responded that the dungeons were set to end in 4 months’ time or when the key element of the dungeon was completed. And that when they finished their parts they could move to one of their brother’s dungeon and help them if they wanted. So Roland planed on trying to finish as fast as possible so that he could reunite with his brothers were they were the strongest together than separate.
Roland was broken out of his train of thought as he picked up movement to his right. Trying to see what was the cause the bushes to his right exploded as a form came rushing out and slammed into him sending him into the snow. Rolling with the contact he came back to his feet and found himself standing before a giant bear standing on its hind legs a claw swipe at him and scored his chest bring with it a burning pain as his blood painted the snow red beneath his feet. Like the snow Roland entire vision turned red and the world seemed to slow down. His hands exploded with a bone shattering pain as he looked at his hands to make sure he hadn’t got injured when the creature had hit him in the chest. The hand on the ends of his arms looked like the claws from that Underworld movie with the hybrid. Roland remembered the skill from his class Claws of the Moon and smiled as the creature swung at him again. Roland let the attack pass over his head as he ducked under the attack and retaliated with a horizontal swipe with his claws just above the creature’s hip. Roland felt the meat of the creature’s stomach part around his claws. Stem spewed forth from the wound in the creature stomach as bluish rope of the creatures entrails spilled forth into the snow stem rising of in clouds. The enraged roar of the beast changed tones to one of pain and disbelief.
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Roland attacked with is left hand claw towards the creatures face to try and blind the beast. The beast leaned back and allowed Roland’s attack pass by in front of him. The Beast right handed claw descended toward Roland’s head ducking and stepping forward and to the left under the attack Roland attacked with his right hand cutting the attacking arm. He felt the muscle of the arm part as Rolands attack destroyed the tricep muscle and the beast arm fell dead at its side. Roland attacked before the beast could react and turn the attack deflected off the beast jaw and ad tore the throat out of the beast. A gurgling sound filled the path that they stood in as the beast drowned in his own blood as the beast fell face first into the red snow Roland reached down and drove his claws into the base of the beast skull. When Roland withdrew his claws the skin of the beast ripped free from the beast. Roland was confused when he saw that the skin was a Bear skin cloak with the head fully intact.
[You have slain Vendo Warrior lvl 3]
Roland tried to remember where he had seen the name Vendo before. Then he remembered that older movie based on the book Eaters of the Dead. Well this will be fun he thought to himself. Roland also realized that multiverse had shifted the thought of him and maybe everyone in the multiverse due to the lack of emotion problems with just having killed a human for the first time. Sure it had attacked him first but it still should of held more weight in his mind than it did. He would have to think on that and see if this was an isolated issue or had multiple impacts.
Roland moved away from the scene of the attack and continued following the tracks when he spotted more movement to his left. Looking over he saw four wolves loping beside him about 30 yards to his left. Roland stopped and looked at them. The wolves stopped and sat in the snow then laid down and placed their muzzles on the ground looking at Roland. That is when he remembered the Leader of the Pack skill and it also triggered him remembering the first class skill he had he searched his mind for the skill and found it. Working through the thought pattern needed to activate the skill Roland activated Shape of Loki and felt his bones break and remold themselves as he took the shape of a large Wolf.
The other Wolves moved closer in a non-threating manner. After the pain subsided Roland moved to the tracks and picked up the scent of rotted meat and blood. Knowing that was what he was looking for Roland moved out and followed the tracks while the other wolves flanked him on both side off in the forest ranging and scouting in the manner of the hunting pack.
All of a sudden Roland’s vision flashed white and a flashing icon appeared in the upper portion of his field of view. Mentally clicking on it brought up the quest screen before his field of view.
[Roland’s quests.
Stop the invasion of the Vendo horde
Kill the 4 War Leaders of the horde 0/4
Kill the Great Bear 0/1
Kill the Mother of the Vendo 0/1
Hidden events are available in area.]
Roland looked over the quest screen and wondered how in the hell was he going to stop a horde. It was at that moment he caught the scent of fresh blood on the wind. Following the scent to the source he found a village with 4 vendo around the same side as the first he killed and one slightly larger than the others. Moving in stealth Roland saw that the shape change skill had other forms he could take and with a running charge he activated the part of the skill that allowed him to take a half wolf half human shape. With a slash to the spine he activated the Essence of Thor ability and electricity arc around his hands and claws. As his claws punched into the back of the Vendo causing the beast to cry out in pain as he convulsed from the electrical interference with its nervous system. The vendo arched his back and head from the pain and the lightning. Exposing its throat, Roland on instinct born of his new abilities drove his head forward and ripped the throat of the beast out with his teeth in what Roland had to admit the most savage thing he had ever done in his life. It brought on a rush of savage glee and he raise his face to the sky and gave a howl of victory that froze the other vendo as they had been charge to help there leader. At that time the four wolves ran out of the trees and with attacks that had been perfected through a millennium of evolution neatly hamstringed the vendo.
As the last four vendo rolled in pain in the snow the wolves locked onto their throats and Roland walked up to each and sliced each of the vendo’s faces ending their pain and lives in one swipe of his electric claws.
[You have slain Vendo pack leader lvl 5]
[Ding you have reached lvl 2]
[You have slain Vendo Warrior lvl 3]
[You have slain Vendo Warrior lvl 3]
[You have slain Vendo Warrior lvl 3]
[You have slain Vendo Warrior lvl 3]
[Ding you have reached lvl 3]