As I made my way through the dense forest, the sounds of nature were all around me, the rustling of leaves, the distant call of birds. But above all that, a loud, persistent buzzing sound caught my attention. It was different from the one back at my house, more rhythmic and less chaotic. Curiosity piqued, I decided to investigate. Danger and opportunity were two sides of the same coin. You can’t get one without the other.

Moving cautiously, I followed the sound. Thor and Loki alert and by my side. The buzzing grew louder and more distinct with each step. As we ventured deeper into the forest, I noticed a strange phenomenon; a floating rift suspended between two trees. It shimmered with an ethereal blue light, pulsating gently, mesmerizing in its appearance.

Approaching the rift, I could feel a tingling sensation in the air, the hairs on my arms standing on end. The rift seemed to hum with energy, a portal to somewhere unknown. My mind raced with possibilities. Was it a gateway to another place, another world, or something else entirely?

I picked up a small rock from the ground. I figured if I tossed it into the rift, I might learn something about its nature. Holding my breath, I threw the rock into the shimmering void. Instead of passing through or falling back to the ground, the rock was met with a zipping sound and a bright flash. In an instant, it vanished, as if it had never been there.

“Alright, This is happening.” I said. The rift wasn’t just an illusion. It was a portal of some kind but to where? Or when? The potential implications were enormous. It could be a gateway to undiscovered places, perhaps even to the sources of the new magic that had enveloped our world.

After a few moments of thought. “Fuck it.” I said. I knew what I had to do. This was a chance for discovery, for understanding more about the magic that had transformed our world, and I couldn’t let it pass. With a determined look, I prepared to step into the unknown. Thor and Loki sensed my resolve and stood ready. Their unwavering loyalty pulsed in our link.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward and into the shimmering rift. With Thor and Loki at my heels, we crossed the threshold together, bracing for whatever adventure awaited us.

Lights stretched into infinity. I felt incredibly thinned out. It felt like a roller coaster ride. The bottom fell out from my stomach. Then everything stopped. I was not prepared for that. I fell to the floor gasping. Thor and Loki were both down with me. Thor whined and licked my hand while Loki licked my face.

I quickly got back to feet and looked around. I found myself in a cavern. The walls had glowing mushrooms otherwise, I would have been in darkness.

“Now this is a proper adventure.” I said.

I moved forward. I used my staff to probe the ground in front of me. I moved into the second cavern. I found little foot prints in the second cavern. At first, I mistook them for little kids but then I realized there were little claw marks at the tip of the toes. This put me on edge. I wondered what it could it be.

I had my answer in the next chamber of the cavern. It was a little greenskin, about three feet tall. I initially tried to befriend the little guy. It was so cute and adorable. Then it opened its mouth. It was an enormous maw for such a little guy. Thor rumbled a growl deep in his throat and disappeared into the shadows. The growl continued to rumble as Thor raced through the shadows.

Loki stood her ground and howled. The echoed in the enclosed space and hurt my ears. It had a much bigger effect on the little goblin. I decided it was a goblin and it seemed aggressive. I decided to go along with my buddies and attack.

My hand glowed with electricity and bolt leaped from my hand to the goblin. Thor was there in the next moment and pounced. It was all over.

[25 xp]

“Oh neat.” I said. “An experience prompt. That is nice. Did I get these earlier?” I couldn’t remember.

I checked the goblin’s body, ensuring it was no longer a threat. It lay still, a reminder of the dangers lurking in this cavern. I felt a twinge of regret; in another world, maybe we could have communicated, but here, survival often dictated harsh choices.

Turning my attention away, I surveyed the cavern. The bioluminescent mushrooms cast an eerie glow, providing just enough light to navigate. I wondered what other secrets this place held. The existence of the goblin suggested there could be more, maybe even a whole ecosystem unknown to the surface world.

Thor emerged from the shadows, his coat blending back into the visible spectrum. Loki, still alert, kept her stance, her eyes scanning the surroundings. I patted them both, grateful for their swift actions. “Good job, both of you,” I said, feeling a sense of camaraderie. I yelled out “Wolfpack." As a form of encouragement.

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I decided to continue exploring the cavern. With each step, I used my staff to check the ground, aware that traps or hidden creatures could be anywhere. Thor and Loki moved with me, their senses tuned to detect any signs of danger.

The cavern twisted and turned, leading us deeper into its depths. The air was cool and damp, and the sound of dripping water echoed off the stone walls. It was both haunting and mesmerizing, a stark contrast to the world I had known.

As we ventured further, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of excitement. This was uncharted territory, a place very few, if any, from my world had ever stepped foot. Every corner held potential discoveries, and despite the dangers, I felt alive with the thrill of exploration.

I made a mental note to keep track of my path, marking the cavern walls with small scratches from my staff. It was important to maintain a sense of direction, getting lost in this labyrinthine underworld was a risk I couldn’t afford.

With Thor and Loki at my side, I pressed on, ready to uncover the mysteries of this subterranean and face whatever challenges lay ahead.

The further I delved into the caverns, the more apparent it became that this underground labyrinth was a goblin stronghold. Each encounter with the goblins honed my combat skills and the teamwork with Thor and Loki. The rhythm of our battles became almost second nature. A bolt of lightning to stun and weaken, followed by the decisive blow from one of my loyal companions.

Among the spoils from these skirmishes, the small crystal chips caught my attention. They were intriguing, each one shimmering with an inner light that suggested they were more than mere trinkets. I pocketed them, wondering if they might be valuable or useful in some way. The larger goblins, presumably higher in rank or strength, often carried these chips, leading me to believe they held some significance in goblin society or were perhaps a source of power.

As I accumulated these chips, my inventory began to reflect on the peculiar nature of this underground realm. Alongside the crystals, I also collected samples of the glowing mushrooms. Their luminescent properties were fascinating, and as a Druid, I was keen to discover if they held any medicinal or magical properties. I carefully stored them in my inventory, ensuring they remained intact for later examination.

The constant battles, though taxing were a practical means of gaining experience. I could feel myself growing stronger, more attuned to the magical energies coursing through me. Thor and Loki, too, seemed to thrive in this environment, their abilities complementing mine perfectly.

As we ventured deeper, the caverns began to change. The passages narrowed and then widened into larger chambers, some filled with primitive goblin tools and makeshift dwellings. It was a glimpse into a world so different from my own, a reminder of the diversity of life that the new magic had brought forth.

Despite the dangers, there was an exhilarating sense of discovery. Each step took me further into the unknown, each battle a test of my resolve and abilities. With a growing collection of crystal chips and mushrooms samples, I pressed on, eager to uncover the secrets of these caverns and purpose behind the items I had gathered. The journey was far from over, and I was ready for whatever lay ahead.

But first, I checked my status to see my progress.

Name: Gavrin

Level: 5

Experience Points (XP): 1200/1500

Health: 95%

Mana: 90%

Strength: 16 (↑4)

Agility: 18 (↑4)

Stamina: 17 (↑4)

Intelligence: 13 (↑3)

Skills:

Basic Combat: Level 3 (↑1)

Survival Instincts: Level 2 (↑1)

Lightning: Deals significant electrical damage, can stun or incapacitate weaker enemies. The intensity of the spell grows with Gavrin's mastery of Druidic magic. [channeled]

Nature's Call: New ability to communicate and influence natural wildlife.

Druidic Healing: Level 1 (New), allows for basic healing of minor wounds and ailments.

Active Effects:

Enhanced Reflexes: Improved reaction time in combat situations.

Recent Achievements:

Goblin Slayer: Defeated multiple goblins in the caverns.

Cavern Explorer: Explored and mapped significant portions of the underground caverns.

Inventory:

Enhanced Druidic Staff: Infused with Druidic energy, improves spellcasting.

Crystal Chips: Quantity increased, potential magical use or value.

Glowing Mushroom Samples: Collected for potential alchemical or magical use.

I gained three levels and increased my stats. If I was doing the math right, I gained five stat points per level. I wasn’t too upset about not being able to assign my stats. Whatever was assigning the stats seemed to be doing a good job. Left to my own devices I would probably overload on of my stats.

Basic Combat and Survival Instincts increased. Basic Combat seemed to be self explanatory. I wasn’t sure what Survival Instincts was doing. I assume it was doing something because it increased. I promised myself I would keep an eye out to see if I felt anything.

“Oh, a healing spell.” I immediately tried. I channeled energy and my body glowed green. I looked over at Thor and Loki and tried to cast it on them. They both briefly flared green and returned to a pristine condition. Their fur gleaned in the dim light.

After looking through Thor’s status sheet, I was pleasantly surprised. He was almost as strong as me. I was glad. He and Loki were doing a good job of protecting me. I hadn’t been hit even once. And now I could heal. Things were about to get out of hand.

Loki’s new Frostbite Touch looked like a cool ability. Loki was already fast, but now she was even faster. I was looking forward to testing out the new abilities.

I decided to take a break and recover from the stress of exploring. I was physically fine but my mind was over taxed from all the fighting.