FVR
Chapter Twenty.
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Ali entered the quiet dining hall after giving a reassuring nod to Joel, who followed closely behind.
The hall felt spacious, made even more so by how few people there were. Its stone walls were lined with slumbering braziers that slept in the flickering afternoon sunlight - a light that faded bit by bit with each passing cloud. At the far end, a large hearth crackled and spat, sending a much needed warmth against the encroaching chill of the nearby storm, and the savory scent of roasting meats that wafted through the dense air. Outside, light rain began to tap on the roof, causing the hearth to tremble with each delicate patter. Worn wooden tables and benches dotted the room, their scars and colors each as faded as the soldiers who sat at them. Joel noted again how quiet it seemed despite it being lunchtime; only a few scattered conversations broke the otherwise tranquil atmosphere that cooled as the rain began to pour.
A way out, Joel echoed Ali's words. It couldn't be south, or east, so he must want to head north? He reflected on what Aurora had said, regarding a war in the south, dire enough that it had led to the military neglecting some areas, notably, the burnt lands. As for heading east through Hel's Breach, Joel dismissed the idea immediately, believing it to be suicidal. Aurora wants to head south, Ali must want to head north, and both seem to need me in some way. Fuck.
Joel pondered his situation as he moved through the hall. Two paths, he mused inwardly, one north, one south. As his gaze swept over the people sat eating their meals, a third option presented itself. I could stay here, he realized. He looked around the room, to the men and women around him. There were a total of seventeen people, two with blue names, the others with green. Between those here and the few dozen he had seen along the walls and by the gates, he couldn't help but wonder how such a small force managed to safeguard such a large kingdom.
Ali led Joel to a table near the hearth where Cedric sat with the conscripts from yesterday. The others, all unfamiliar to Joel, stood in a line chatting, waiting for their turn to grab some food.
"This is Joel," Ali announced as he guided him to a seat, "he arrived with my batch." He spoke much clearer and slower than usual and with less of an accent.
My batch? Joel echoed glancing at Ali with mild surprise, before turning his attention to Cedric and offering a forced smile and a nod.
Cedric sat at the top of the table, the seats to his right and left both vacant. He extended a hand, opening his palm to show nothing inside, then reached out across the table for a handshake. Joel imitated the action.
"Cedric," he said with a pause. "Not unblessed, I see," he inquired as he squeezed Joel's hand.
Recalling Ali's explanation, Joel understood the reference to unblessed as indicating a scar on the forehead and a small flame, meaning not having much mana capacity. "No," Joel replied, letting go of Cedric's hand and hesitating slightly. "No scar. I'm not from around here."
Cedric chuckled softly, and averted his eyes. "Bad time to be a foreigner in Durnovia," he said with a pensive look.
Joel anxiously smiled as he dreaded the upcoming line of questioning. How did he get here? Was he rich? Where was he from? All questions he couldn't give without potentially fabricating a life ending lie. He glanced down at the worn table and ran his eyes along its grooves; its edges flaked from age and it had so many tiny holes that Joel wondered if it were by design. As he pondered the history of the wood, he prepared for the interrogation that threatened to ostracize him from the group. The silence stretched, and the rhythmic patter of rain and the soothing howl of wind gradually swelled, becoming a white noise in Joel's mind.
At that moment, one of the conscripts Joel hadn't recognized approached the table and placed a plate of food in front of Cedric, then sat in the empty chair to Cedric's right hand side. With a quiet demeanor and soft features, Joel initially took him as a lackey. But his body language spoke of confidence, and his eyes were much too resolved to be a minor subordinate as they stared at Joel with an alertness that mirrored Ali's own. Alert, and full of a look Joel had only seen in people who didn't like him.
"Appreciate it," Cedric said to the man, "oh, this is Joel." He gestured with a free hand while his other hand grabbed some bread from his plate. He took a large bite as he replied. "Joel, my younger brother, Damon." Joel extended a hand, but was ignored. Damon instead chose to grab a piece of bread and echoed his brother's movements with a large bite. "He means well." Cedric added as he chewed.
"He's not unblessed," Damon remarked, his tone tinged with suspicion as the bread churned loudly in his mouth.
"He's a foreigner," Cedric reiterated, swallowing. "That matters not, we don't care about trivial matters of the past." Joel looked up with a hopeful glance to meet his gaze, "so long as you have our backs, we'll have yours. That's how it's done around here."
The other conscripts voiced their agreement as they sat down with their food one by one. Tobias and another man were energetically carrying on a conversation that mixed in with the background noise as Joel continued to speak to Cedric.
"Of course," Joel replied, injecting enthusiasm into his tone over the clamor of hungry men. "Men with nothing must risk everything, right?" He echoed Ali's words as he looked around the table.
"Couldn't have said it better," Cedric replied with a loud chuckle. "Fellas, this is Joel. Joel, meet Zach, Theo, and Gareth," he gestured to each of the men around him.
Zach sat to Cedric's left; a rotund figure with a cropped beard that framed a square jaw and a small scar on his cheek. His broad shoulders and foggy brown eyes spoke of a blind determination. He placed a large shield against the wall as he sat down, taking up enough space on the bench for two men. Theo sat occupying the other end of the table, distracted with his food; his lean frame contrasted the bulk of his comrades, but the way he ate suggested a higher metabolism. His sharp features were softened somewhat by energetic and wide eyes as he dug into his food like a small dog. Finally, Gareth sat beside Tobias; his weathered face bore the marks of a life spent outdoors, with lines etched deeply around his eyes and mouth. He had clearly been in Kyrstil or Hel's Breach for a long time, yet still maintained an element of softness as he jovially laughed at Tobias' panicking voice. He holstered a shield on his back - smaller than that of Zach's - and a mace at his hip.
As Ali rose to join the depleted food line, and the others focused on their meals or carried on their own conversations, Joel caught snippets of the words said between Tobias and Gareth.
"I'm tellin' ya, it was a monster," Tobias insisted.
Gareth's laughter echoed through the hall, tinged with a subtle annoyance. "Just shut it will you. Someone else beat you to it. Accept it."
"Or stop talking shit," Zach said with a distracted tone, watching Ali as he walked to the hearth.
Cedric leaned in slightly, his movements bringing the other conversations to a close. "What's this?"
Zach raised his shoulders and leaned to the side, "you got me."
Gareth cleared his throat and straightened his back. "Tobias here went with the newbies last night to clear the burnt lands, right? But when they got to the southern part, everything was already dead."
"Ain't that a good thing though?" Callum asked, sitting on the other side of Tobias, "stroke of luck is what I called it." Jordan nodded in agreement while he ate, nudging Tobias with his shoulder while smirking.
Tobias shook his head, his expression troubled. "Not when there's something out there killing tier three Lungrul's," he replied, too distraught to eat his food.
"Enough with that," Gareth interjected more firmly than before. "There's no way it was a tier three, and there's no way there's some nice monster out there doing our job for us."
Isn't that where me and Aurora were? Joel thought about speaking up, but anything he thought to say would simply sound like boasting, which felt like the wrong first impression he should make. Afterall, it had been Aurora who killed the Lungrul.
Ali returned with two plates of food, placing one in front of Joel as he sat. "Shit, thanks," Joel said with a pained smile.
He didn't actually need to eat, but the thought meant a lot to him. As he bit down on a small loaf of bread, however, he questioned how long it had been left out, and whether Ali's intentions were completely pure.
"Talking of," Cedric said, looking over at Joel. "You're a tier one, I presume?" Joel cocked his head and furled his eyebrows, tier one? Cedric's gaze lingered on Joel, assessing him with a shrewd eye. "Surely you know what tiers are?"
Joel's chest swelled with a mixture of anxiety and apprehension. While not the question he had expected, it added to the list of things he couldn't answer. Shit, he looked to Ali.
"He was not privy to that lesson," Ali said on Joel's behalf "nor is he aware of how we grade mana in this kingdom."
"That so?" Cedric asked. Joel nodded sheepishly, still worried over how little he knew. "Well, allow me to educate you," Cedric continued with a soft tone, sliding his empty plate aside as he reached over to Joel's untouched loaf of bread, "finished?" He asked rhetorically. He picked it up and broke a small piece off, placing it on the table. It floated in a drop of water, barely larger than a crumb, so small that it would barely feed a mouse. "Tiers are based on the size of one's flame," he pointed to the crumb, "Unblessed, such as ourselves," he gestured to the people on the table, "are tier one." He broke off a bigger piece of bread noticeably larger than the first, roughly twice its size. "Tier twos are called Elemental Movers, as they have an affinity with one of the four basic elements. They have some control but are limited by their flame size, and are often treated not much better than the Unblessed." He gestured over to the two girls sat together in the corner of the room, both with blue names. As Cedric pointed, one of the girls looked over and Joel recognized her from the barracks in the city. They were the ones who hitched a ride with us? Cedric then broke off a third piece approximately four times the size of the initial crumb, now substantial enough to be considered a hearty chunk. "Tier threes are Elemental Masters, with enough mana to fully master their element. They command immediate respect from birth and are usually highborn, or in positions of power." He broke off a final fourth piece, considerably larger than the others, about ten times the size of the original crumb. It resembled a generous slice from the loaf, enough for one half of a sandwich. "And tier fours are Elemental Rulers, they tend to be royals, or disaster-class creatures."
"Or Plateaus," Damon interjected sharply, slicing an apple with a knife.
"Ah, sure." Cedric looked irked at the name, "Pebbles, Rocks, Boulders, Plateaus, Mountains. Other names for the five tiers."
Green names must be tier one; blue is tier two, orange tier three, red tier four... "Five?" Joel queried, waiting for the fifth and mentally noting it all while piecing together a few things he had been curious about.
Cedric picked up the remaining loaf of bread. Compared to the initial crumb, it looked massive; roughly twenty-five times larger and enough to serve as the centerpiece of a meal. "Deities," he answered.
Deities?
"Which don't exist," Damon interjected again, placing a piece of apple into his mouth. Cedric shot him a disapproving glance. "What!? They don't. Even the royals say Plateaus are the peak of human potential."
"Of course they'd say that," Gareth said loudly, "it's a way for them to—"
Damon cut him off, "—to hold their power over us by saying the king is the most powerful being in the kingdom. Is that it?" He narrowed his eyes, and smirked, challenging the notion. "They have complete dominion over us, why lie?"
"That's enough," Cedric said calmly, holding up a hand. He sighed and took a moment as the atmosphere calmed. He then continued what he was saying. "If one cannot control the elements, they're classed as Unblessed, even if they're foreigners." He gestured to Joel's unblemished forehead. "Understand?" He asked with a caring tone, despite his stern eyes.
"Yes, completely. Thank you," Joel forced a smile again, "then I am a tier one," he clarified, wondering where the mana count for a tier two would start, and whether he could increase his mana capacity just enough to not break into it.
Cedric glanced at Damon with a brotherly look, one that screamed of frustration.
"How goes the mana training?" Ali asked.
Joel felt unsure how to respond, not knowing if his accelerated growth would be too suspect. "Good. Yeah," he replied half-heartedly.
"Can you extend mana yet?" Ali prodded with an expectation in his eye.
I really shouldn't lie to him... Joel quickly pondered the benefits of lying, but his intuition told him it would mean more trouble later on than he wanted. "Yes," Joel replied honestly, "but just the one."
"Remarkable, I..." Ali began, before a slight crashing sound interrupted him.
As the main doors opened with a thud, Joel turned to see Beatrice at the door - the leader of Ali's unit, aptly named The Unblessed Infantry.
A chill swept through the room as every conscript snapped to attention; the weapons at their hips rang with a metallic sound against their seats as they moved. Joel rose hastily from his seat, only to bump his leg against the table. Fuck.
With deliberate but sluggish movements, and the long stride of her legs, Beatrice took a single step into the room, commanding the attention of everyone present. Her face remained starved, retaining its sharp features, and her dropping nose cast a shadow over her wearied expression. Without a word, she communicated through sharp gestures with her slender fingers, urging the conscripts on Joel's table forwards.
Joel looked around as the now silent group moved passed by him and stood in two even lines at the center of the room.
Not knowing if he should more or not, Joel remained still, questioning his decision. As Beatrice leaned to the side to get a better look at Joel with her sunken eyes, however, he recalled the words Dalton uttered before being placed into a unit: As recruits, you are above nobody, and shall do as commanded, when commanded, and jumped into line as quickly as he could.
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Beatrice, with a husky voice and a pained smile, uttered three words that sprang the group into action, "Manazite mines. Now." Then turned and left the room, followed closely by the group.
Joel tapped Ali on the shoulder, and spoke with a hushed voice, "what's manazite?"
Ali slowed down slightly as he replied, "it is commonly used for shields. I shall explain later."
They continued along the hall as the others marched; Beatrice and Cedric talked silently at the head of the group. Only now did Joel notice the downpour of rain through the windows. The muted sound of thunder seemed distant, almost soothing, as if the storm were still in its infancy. It wasn't until the doors opened that he grasped the extent of the storm. The gusts of wind and the sharp patter of cold rain against his skin were enough to cloud his vision and shake his body.
Cedric, with his untold years of experience, turned to face the group and spoke the words Beatrice seemed too pained to say. "A large storm is bearing down on us. The manazite mines to the west are on marsh lands and are prone to flooding. Our task is to ensure the retrieval of any mined ore, and the safe return of all personnel in the mines." The older conscripts saluted while standing perfectly still without a drop of rain on them, while the newer recruits braced themselves against the wind and rain, either failing to know the saluting, or not knowing what it meant.
Joel blew the rain from his upper lip as he looked around for Aurora, hoping she'd save him from this kidnapping, but found no luck. Instead, he saw darker clouds loom in the distance, casting an eerie shadow over the mountains, and hinting at the storm's potential intensity.
Fuck...
As the group were led to a readied carriage, driven by a person with a blue name, they climbed into the back and Theo pulled the leather sheet shut behind him, sealing themselves away from the storm's barrage.
***
Beatrice and Cedric were at the far end of the carriage, on the driver's side; they spoke too quietly for Joel to hear, but seemed calm considering the last-minute call to danger. Damon and Gareth sat opposite them with their eyes closed, presumably getting what shut eye they could, while they could. Zach and Theo were sat by the entrance; Zach stared at the floor while Theo continued to eat the food he had grabbed as they left. Finally, the new recruits all sat in the middle, tapping their feet against the ground and shaking at the cold, all except for Ali.
As the carriage bumped and swayed, and the minutes stretched longer and longer, Joel felt the urge to ask where they were headed, or continue talking to Ali. However, with Beatrice riding along with them, he continued to hesitate, unsure whether he had permission to say anything.
Joel glanced over at Ali, but he remained reserved, keeping his eyes closed with his hair tucked behind his ears. I should try and sleep too. I've been up all night and training all day. Joel had intended to shut his eyes when he noticed Beatrice gesture over to him. Cedric said something too hushed to hear, but seemed to give an unsatisfactory response.
"She wants to know why you're not with Rupert," Cedric asked on her behalf, raising his voice loud enough to penetrate the wind and rain.
"I moved units," Joel replied honestly, leaning in slightly. He had to hold onto the edge of the seat for balance, or the general bump and sway of the carriage threatened to upheave him.
Beatrice gave a confused look, said something to Cedric, who in turn relayed it to Joel. "Whose unit have you been sent to?"
"Aurora's," Joel replied, his tone more of a question than an answer.
Beatrice covered her mouth and looked away; Cedric threw Joel a worried glance then returned to Beatrice.
What? Have I said something wrong again? He looked around to Damon and Gareth - the only two who were paying attention - and threw them a questioning look. Damon ignored him, while Gareth shook his head. Shit.
"She didn't know," Cedric said with an apologetic tone, "but we're too far for you to return on foot."
What does that mean? She didn't have authority to take me?
***
The remainder of the journey became a race against nature as they travelled at the very edge of the storm. The uncomfortable silence became a secondary concern for Joel as he focused on the relentless drumming of rain on the carriage roof, the approaching thunder, and the splashes of the wheels as they navigated through newly formed rivers of rainwater.
Joel took the chance to work on his mana extension, but knew he didn't have enough time before the wave started to learn how to create a shield. Between his unpreparedness, and the distance growing between him and his best chance of survival, Aurora, he began to wonder if his luck had run out.
The biting cold wind intensified as the minutes became hours. The escalating fury of the storm, punctuated by brilliant flashes of lightning and the rolling rumble of thunder, enveloped them as their horses tore through the encroaching darkness.
As the storm raged outside and the carriage swayed, any possibility of sleep eluded Joel. The rain that hammered against the carriage, and the relentless howling of the wind, created an unsteady atmosphere. If he were back home, in the real world, such a storm would never have troubled him. Here on the other hand, riding through a storm to an unknown destination where dangerous creatures could be laying in the dark - gave an unrest that Joel found hard to ignore.
With a little over two and a half hours remaining until the next wave, and hours away from Kyrstil, Joel knew he couldn't rely on Aurora for help this time, which sent a shiver down his spine that put the frigid air around him to shame. He studied the people around him with a subtle glance, gauging their strength for the wave that undoubtedly waited for them. Including the driver, there were twelve people: ten tier ones, one tier two, and a single tier three. Regardless of their experience, Joel felt a lot less safe in their company than he had done in Aurora's.
The sound of the storm subsided slightly and darkness enveloped the carriage as they came to a stop.
"Out," Cedric commanded on Beatrice's behalf.
Joel stepped off the carriage and into a pool of water about three inches high. He found himself in a stables, much like the one he had seen the night before.
A carriage sat on its own in one corner of the stables. Beatrice and Cedric exchanged looks. "They're still here," Cedric said. He gestured to the group as they waited for a command. The group formed a line, with Cedric and Beatrice standing side by side, facing them.
Cedric, again, spoke on Beatrice's behalf. He spoke loudly over the roar of the wind, the occasional sound of thunder attempting to silence him. "From here, we are to cross the marsh lands via the Lorenrail. The grounds will be flooded and treacherous, and your footing remote, yet you are to reserve your mana until we are in the mines." He gestured to Beatrice on his left, "Commander Beatrice will use her sense to ensure we are not ambushed in the dark. You are to remain vigilant, but rely on your commander's orders above all else."
The older conscripts saluted again, while the new recruits gave one another a concerned glance.
As they stepped out from the stables, the force of the wind crashed against Joel's body. The air felt thick with the scent of damp earth and pine, mixed with the cold scent of the wind and rain. He looked up and found himself at the edge of the towering mountain range, nestled within a deep woodland. The surrounding trees swayed in the wind, and their thick, protective canopies overhead offered a slight shelter against the rain.
Amidst the tree line stood two large wagons, each one the size of the carriage, and each one undisturbed by the wind and the rain. Their sturdy frames rested peacefully upon rail tracks that disappear into the dense foliage and rising waters beyond.
Joel held his hand over his eyes as he pushed through the winds. He looked back to the carriage as the stable doors shut, and wondered how it had remained so steady.
"The driver used a thin mana shield on the carriage to give it stability," Ali yelled into the wind, as if reading Joel's mind. "That is why she shall remain behind and recuperate her strength."
Joel nodded with a thankful smile, then turned to face the group. Cedric climbed into the first wagon, signaling Joel, Ali, Gareth and Theo forwards, while the other six climbed into the second one at the rear.
***
Joel sat in the wagon as it slowly rumbled along the tracks, faint scratching sounds of metal on metal rang in the wind. As the relentless storm continued to knock against the sides, an occasional jolt sent vibrations through the wooden planks beneath him. The sound of squelching mud mingled with the howling of the wind, and the occasional crack of thunder crashed overhead. Yet, despite the effort of the wind, the wagon remained steadfast.
Joel squinted his eyes and looked at the marshlands which stretched out of sight, curious as to why a mine would be built in such a remote location.
As they continued along the mountain side, distant light broke through the jagged tree line, illuminating the entrance to a cavern that bore into the side of the cliff. Joel's quaking heart shook beneath his chest as he feared what he would soon have to face, and rubbed his cold hands together in a feeble attempt to warm them.
As the wagon approached, it slowed to a halt. A row of steps drew Joel's gaze upwards: carved directly into the rugged stone, leading up the mountain and into the mines above. The chiseled stairway bore the marks of countless scars - testament to the numerous miners who had entered the cave since its creation. The entrance itself had been dug in such a way that it had a natural overhang, providing a protective barrier against the rain which acted as a deluge. At its foot, embedded into the rock face, were a set of sturdy ropes that led directly down from the entrance, to the tracks the wagons sat upon.
As they disembarked from the wagons, Joel followed Cedric as he trudged through the marshy terrain towards the steps. Their boots sunk into the marshy ground with each squelching step, and the water rose up to the knees on the shorter men. Still, the wind continued to shove them from side to side, threatening to knock them off balance in the muddied terrain; and still, the rain continued to flow upwards from the ground.
Cedric led the way up the steps, using a thick rope that had intentionally been pinned into the mountainside to maintain his balance as he climbed. Joel followed his stride closely. With each step on the wet rock Joel felt the wind become a perilous threat as the thought of falling stabbed at his heart and shook his legs. He grabbed hold of the rope with a tight hand, praying with each hand hold and each step that it wouldn't come loose.
Once at the summit, Joel's anxiety became replaced with a sense of relief, and the welcoming embrace of the dry entrance to the mine embraced him like a warm blanket.
The entrance looked far wider than it did tall, with enough space to fit a few dozen men in. The walls were jagged, with faint veins of mineral deposits streaking through the surface of the ceiling. The floor felt worn smooth, and sloped gently into a solitary passageway. Three wagons, laden with ore, were positioned on iron tracks, sheltered from the elements and accompanied by stowed mining equipment and supplies. Cedric immediately took to scouting the area, momentarily leaving Joel on his own.
As Joel waited for the others to climb up, the echoing wind that cried hauntingly against the roughly dug stone walls whispered of a warning he could not understand. He grabbed a rock from the wagon as he waited, noting its small, shiny, reddish-brown crystals embedded in to it, which seemed to react to Joel's touch.
"Where are they?" Beatrice asked, louder than Joel had heard her speak before and sudden enough to make him drop the rock.
"Unsure," Cedric replied, "it looks like they have everything here ready to leave," he gestured over to Theo, and Gareth, "flank the walls, head into the mine but remain in earshot. Damon, go with them. Return if you see signs." He received a nod from Beatrice who gestured to the ore. "Recruits," Cedric continued, "help fix the wagons to the hoisting mechanism to lower the wagons. Our first priority is the retrieval of the ore. We don't know what's around here so stay vigilant." Ali and the other recruits moved over to the ore with Zach who showed them how to operate the mechanisms. Joel, on the other hand, knowing that a wave was imminent, already had his hand ready to draw his blade.
Cedric walked over to Beatrice and whispered, but the wind carried his voice to Joel, who stood by the sloping entrance of a mine shaft, watching the three men vanish into darkness. "What do we do about the personnel?" Cedric asked Beatrice.
"The ore comes first," Beatrice replied with a raspy voice, each word scratched the air like chalk on a board. "We split up. You and your team take the ore to the edge of the marsh, do not wait for us. I'll go with the others to search for the miners."
"Understood," Cedric replied with a whisper. "Listen up," he turned to the group, speaking louder. "Joel, you and the recruits are to come with Zach and me..."
"No," Beatrice interjected quietly, her voice being picked up by the wind again. "Aurora's recruit comes with me." She glanced at Cedric who gave a thoughtful nod.
"Joel, you hear that?" Cedric said as he approached. "You're to go with Commander Beatrice and the other three to look for the personnel who were meant to be here."
〘Wave Five. Locate The Missing Miners〙
"...Sure," Joel replied reluctantly.
As Beatrice approached Joel with slow, sluggish steps, Damon returned from the mine shaft with a purposeful stride, his voice tinged with urgency. "Signs of a struggle," he announced, holding up a bloodied cloth, "something attacked. It's likely that whatever it was has forced them to retreat into the mines."
"The plan remains unchanged," Beatrice commanded firmly. "Joel, Damon. With me." With a withered resolve, she ventured into the dark depths of the mine. Damon trailed closely behind her.
"May Lumas light your path," Cedric said as he turned.
Joel glanced at Cedric as he left. There it is again, that name... Lumas.
Ali walked over quickly, scuffing his feet against the floor. Joel caught Ali's eyes, who approached with a calming smile. "Here," Ali said, handing Joel a rock from the wagon. "Channel your one mana into it. Think protect, and the shield shall activate." Ali placed a reassuring hand on Joel's shoulder, "this is not the time to risk it all, my friend." He said with his piercing gaze, then nodded, and returned to the wagon.
Fuck... Joel turned away, and watched as Beatrice and Damon descended into the dark. With subtle movements, Joel checked his character page as he made his descent. His time with Aurora had shown just how strong people could be, but it also showed him a Lungrul - a creature with control over the elements that moved too quick for Joel to dodge. If there's another Lungrul in here... The thought made him consider Beatrice's strength, and whether being at her side was truly the safest place to be. Would be stupid to die with thirty-two unspent points. Shit. Wish I had given this more thought. With no full skills ready to be levelled, Joel put all of his points into his stats, and continued his long descent into the mine.
《Joel Bailey》《Level: 28. XP: 666/12777》《Class: Runner》《Skill points: 0》
《Title: Friend of Vulpine Felis》
《Mana Capacity: 50/50》
《Strength: 30+6》
《Magic Power: 0》
《Agility: 52+8》
《Perception: 10》
《Physical Defence: 30+15》
《Elemental Defence: 20》
《Critical Chance: 3%》
《Critical Damage: 50%》
《Status Resistance: 0%》
《Equipment Loadout 1: with Dozrak'een longsword》
《Equipment Loadout 2: with Kyrstil training short sword》《Equipped》
《Equipment Loadout 3: [+]》
《Active Skills:》
《Dash: Beginner. Level 1. XP: 500/500. Push forwards up to 10 meters at double your agility. Cooldown: 10 seconds》
《Dash: Novice. Level 2. XP: 560/2500. Push backwards up to 10 meters at double your agility. Cooldown: 10 seconds》
《Passive Skills:》
《Endurance: Beginner. Proficiency: 9.8/100》
《Shield of Resolve: Max Level. The first strike from an enemy is negated》
《Unyielding Pace: Max Level. So long as you are in combat, you will be able to run indefinitely》
《Sword Wielder: Novice. Level 2. XP: 710/1250. Gain 20% strength and 3% critical chance when equipped with a sword》
《Insight: Beginner. Proficiency: 6.9/100. Can perceive small details about a person》
《Quick Reflexes: Beginner. Proficiency: 8.2/100. Slightly heightens reaction times, enabling the user to react faster》
《Shield Wielder. Novice. Level 1. XP: 225/250. Gain 10% physical defence when equipped with a shield》
《Mana Sense. Novice. Proficiency: 11/100. The ability to detect internal mana》
《Mana Expansion. Beginner. Proficiency: 0.4/100. Extend your mana outside of your vessel to react with the world》