I took a short nap. I wasn’t expecting to fall asleep. I must have been more exhausted than I thought. Fortunately, nothing found me during the night. Thor and Loki made good guard dogs.
I had a thought. I hadn’t fed them in awhile. I hadn’t eaten for awhile. That was weird. I wasn’t even thirsty. Welp, that seemed like a problem for future me so I continued my delve into the dark.
The goblins were getting bigger and more numerous. They continued to fall before us. I was having to become more involved in the fights. Some of the smarter looking goblins started to target me. But I was able to use Loki’s frost shield to deflect attacks.
I began to use my staff in close quarters. It wasn’t ideal in such confined areas, but I could still poke things with it fairly well. The secret is to aim for the soft spots. It won’t kill anything but they won’t be happy. Besides, I didn’t need to kill anything. Thor and Loki were tearing things apart. I just needed to stay alive and pelt the occasional goblin with lightning and keep the health up of Thor and Loki. I backed off causing damage because I wanted to keep my mana pool ready for healing.
I used my lightning as an interrupt on the casters we began to run into. I found a staff that looked pretty cool.
Goblin Magical Staff
Stat Boosts:
+10 to Magic Attack: Enhances the effectiveness of magical attacks.
+5 to Agility: Increases the wielder's speed and reflexes.
+8 to Stamina: Boosts the wielder's endurance, allowing for prolonged combat or travel.
Elemental Surge (Damage Ability): Unleashes a powerful burst of elemental energy (choice of fire, ice, wind, or earth), causing 50-70 damage per second (DPS) to a single target or area, depending on the wielder's proficiency.
Nature's Whisper (Utility Ability): Enables communication with wildlife, potentially revealing hidden paths or information about nearby areas.
Shadowmeld (Stealth Ability): Provides enhanced stealth in low light, increasing evasion chances by 40%.
It was better than the staff I started out with. The hoe I had in hand when all this started didn’t have as many stats. But I didn’t want to get rid of my starting item in case it had any future use. I switched to using the new staff. I decided to name it the Staff of Bonking.
The staff was about five feet in length. It was crafted from some sort of dark, gnarled wood that seemed to absorb the light. Intricate carvings wound along the shaft. It depicted scenes of goblins in various poses and outfits. I wasn’t versed well enough with goblin lore to know what exactly I was looking at. The tip of the staff featured a jagged crystal, pulsating with a soft blue glow.
The staff seemed old. The carvings were eroded and the crystal’s glow slightly dimmed each time I used it. I could channel my own mana into the staff to make my own spells easier and faster to cast. The boost to magic attack was very welcome.
The increase to agility made it easier to dodge and block any goblins got to close to me. The Elemental Surge also came in handy. I learned I could use the wind burst to push projectiles away from me. I finally discovered what Survival Instincts did for me. It increased my situational awareness. It made it much easier to sense the approaching danger of an arrow or rock the little slinger goblins used.
I didn’t see an increase or any effect from Nature’s Whisper. I think it was too closely related to one of my skills I already had. I had kind of hoped it would increase my ability to talk with my puppers. They were such good boys and girls.
I found on the goblin archers packets of beef jerky. I was initially hesitant to eat them because I was worried the meat might have problematic origins. But my system overlay came to the rescue once again.
Goblin Beef Jerky
Health Restoration: Consuming a piece restores 20% of your health over 30 seconds.
Stamina Boost: Provides a +5 boost to stamina for 10 minutes after consumption, aiding in prolonged physical activities.
Temporary Strength Buff: Grants a +3 increase to strength for 5 minutes, useful in combat or heavy lifting.
Prepared by goblin hunters, this jerky is made from the meat of the burlok beast, a creature known for its tough hide and flavorful meat. The goblins use their traditional smoking and curing techniques, infusing it with spices from their native lands.
Hopefully, the burlock beast wasn’t a goblin way of saying tasty human flesh. I still wasn’t hungry but the stat boosts were totally worth it. I nibbled a little piece to make sure it was okay. The jerky was rugged and thick cut. It had a deep, reddish -brown color. The texture was rough and oily and it was covered in spices I didn’t recognize. But it didn’t taste bad and it didn’t kill me so I fed the rest to Thor and Loki. They seemed to like it. Loki whined and begged for more.
“Greedy guts.” I teased her. I patted her head and let her lick my hand. I ruffled the fur on her head and booped her nose. “The next one I find is yours, okay?”
Thor appeared to take offense at my words and bumped my other hand. He was jealous of the attention Loki was getting. I ended up scratching behind their ears. One puppers with each hand.
The increased stats from the items I found and the food we found made our clearing speed much faster. We finally arrived in a large room. There was a throne on the far side and there was the largest goblin we had seen so far. The goblin king had two guards who were nearly as large as he was. This looked it would be an interesting fight.
The goblin king was larger than any goblin we had seen. His skin was a deeper shade of green, and scars adorned his visage. He was wearing armor that appeared to be crafted from various materials. Including what I suspected were bones of defeated foes.
Flanking the goblin king were his two guards. They stood alert and watchful, their hands gripping crude but lethal looking weapons.
As we stepped into the room, the goblin king’s sharp gaze fell upon us. A guttural growl echoed off the cavern walls. The atmosphere was thick with tension, the air almost vibrating with the anticipation of an impending battle.
I glanced at Thor and Loki, who stood ready at my side. The increased stats from the items and food we had found indeed made us stronger, faster and more resilient. We had become a well-coordinated team, each of us aware of our strengths and how best to complement each other in battle. This fight, however, would test us like never before.
I tightened my grip on my staff, feeling the thrum of Druidic energy coursing through it. Thor’s shadowy form seemed to blend with the dim corners of the room, while Loki’s icy aura added a chill to the air. This battle promised to be epic.
I gathered my mana and prepared to channel my largest lightning bolt. After I cast the first bolt I quickly activated my staff’s power to launch another blast of lightning at them.
I was taken aback at the result. “Oh.” I said as watched the lightning bounce back and forth between the goblin king and his guards. The results were gruesome. The electricity locked them into place while the lightning wrecked havoc upon them. Their eyes exploded in their sockets and smoke rose from every open orifice. A disgusting smell permeated the room.
“They brought metal to a lightning fight.” I finally said as the lightning died away. “I was expecting something more.”
Thor dropped out of the shadows looking disappointed. He was turning into a blood thirsty little fellow.
“Aww.” I said. “Don’t be like that. We all get experience. Doesn’t matter who lands the killing blow.”
Thor whined anyways.
Loki avoided looking at me. She sat down and primly began to lick her paws. I could sense amusement coming through the bond.
“Welp, that was anticlimactic to say the least.” I was expecting more but I wasn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth. And it looked like I had just leveled up.
I began to explore the throne room, curious about the treasures or secrets it might hold. It was time for looting. My favorite part of the day.
I checked the bodies. The bodies were extensively damaged and the metal was bent and warped from the lightning blast.
The first thing I found was an amulet on the goblin king’s body. It was a sturdy stone amulet, hanging from a leather cord. The amulet was etched with goblin runes and glowed with magical potential.
I found more crystal shards. I was hoping something would happen when I collected enough. But I wasn’t holding my breath.
I found a small pouch of small coins. The lightning had fused all the coins together and it was just a lump of metal. I still took them though. Money is money. I was certain I could find a use for them.
There was a crudely drawn map. It was heavily damaged. The parts I could make out seemed to be of a part of the dungeon. There were marks on the map I didn’t recognize. I made a note I should check them out on the way out.
One of the guards had a pair of bracers that were in surprisingly good condition. They increased agility and and physical defense.
I found a bone dagger. The information I received about indicated it added a minor curse on hit. I decided to keep it. You never know when you need to shank someone. As my old pappy used to say, “Better to have a shank and not need it, than need a shank and not have one.”
My old man was a little special that way.
All in all, I thought it was a pretty good haul. I had gained a bunch of levels and it looked like I had cleared this area of the goblins. I wondered what the point was.
Hopefully, the goblins weren’t peaceful and I hadn’t just committed a war crime.
I reminded myself I needed to have these thoughts before I went on a spree.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“I’ll get’em next time.” I said to myself.
Goblin King's Amulet
Magic Resistance: +10%
Mana Regeneration: +5 points per minute
Special Ability: Can cast a minor shielding spell once per day, lasting for 5 minutes.
Crystal Shards
Use: Crafting component for high-level spells or enchantments.
Value: High (due to rarity and potent magical energy).
Rare Herbs and Potions
Healing Potion: Restores 50% of health instantly.
Strength Elixir: +15 to Strength for 10 minutes.
Endurance Brew: Reduces stamina depletion by 30% for 20 minutes.
Goblin Map
Use: Reveals hidden paths and potentially secret areas within the cavern system.
Bonus: +5 to Navigation when used in the caverns.
Reinforced Leather Bracers
Physical Defense: +7
Agility: +3 (due to their lightweight nature).
Mystical Bone Dagger
Damage: 25-30 (higher than average for daggers due to magical enhancement).
Special Ability: Inflicts a minor curse on hit, reducing enemy's defense by 5% for 30 seconds.
Goblin Coins
Value: Mostly sentimental or historical, but potentially high to the right collector.
Use: Damaged beyond use. Can only use for salvage
Elemental Resistance Potion
Effect Duration: 30 minutes.
Resistance Increase: +25% resistance to all elemental damage.
Goblin Crafting Materials
Use: Can be used to craft or repair a wide range of items.
Bonus: Items crafted with these materials have a +10% durability.
I decided to give the Goblin King’s Amulet to Loki. She was using a lot of mana with with her ice shields and the icicle darts. The amulet gave her a regal look. Well, she was already regal, it made it her more regal.
I decided to take a break and review my gains. I had been in this rift for what seemed like hours and had passed through the goblins like a whirlwind.
I pulled up my status sheet and realized it was getting out of control. I fiddled with the settings to get a reduced view. I only really wanted to see my gains and what skills I had. I wondered if I was missing out on skills or if there was a skill or class trainer somewhere.
Name: Gavrin
Level: 10
Experience Points (XP): 2500/3000
Health: 100%
Mana: 95%
Strength: 22 (↑6)
Agility: 24 (↑6)
Stamina: 23 (↑6)
Intelligence: 18 (↑5)
Skills:
Basic Combat: Level 5 (↑2) - Enhanced proficiency in melee and ranged combat.
Survival Instincts: Level 4 (↑2) - Improved ability to detect danger and navigate harsh environments.
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: Enhanced - Greater range and influence over wildlife.
Druidic Healing: Level 3 (↑2) - Increased healing capabilities, now able to heal moderate wounds and ailments.
Elemental Mastery: New - Ability to harness and manipulate basic elements (earth, wind, fire, water) for various effects.
I was pleased with my progress. I was especially curious about my elemental mastery. Seemed like something I should explore some more, but right now I wanted to review all my gains.
I checked Thor and Loki’s status sheet. They were looking extremely healthy at this point. And they seemed to be getting bigger. I could almost swear they weren’t this big before. I checked myself to make sure the same thing wasn’t happening to me. I was happy with how I looked. I then realized I didn’t have a way to measure myself so I put that to the side for now.
Name: Thor
Species: Labrador
Familiar Type: Shadow Magic
Level: 10
Health: 100%
Strength: 28 (↑8)
Agility: 25 (↑8)
Intelligence: 16 (↑4)
Shadow Magic Abilities:
Shadow Blend: Mastery level - Thor can now become invisible in even the slightest shadows, making detection almost impossible.
Darkness Veil: Enhanced - Can create a significantly larger area of darkness, effectively disorienting a greater number of enemies.
Shadow Sense: Further improved - Thor's senses in low light are now incredibly sharp, allowing for better tracking and awareness of hidden threats.
Night Stalker: Upgraded - Thor's movement and attack in darkness are now completely silent and much faster, making him a deadly assailant in the dark.
Umbral Assault: New ability - Thor can launch a surprise attack from the shadows, dealing significant damage and causing temporary blindness in his target.
I was very please with how Thor was shaping up. He was well on his way to being a true voidling. I loved the way he looked in the shadows. His golden glowing eyes were often the only part of him I could see. It was very intimidating looking. I loved it.
The Night Stalker upgrade and the Umbral Assault were impressive. I had thought Thor was getting better at hiding in the shadows and I was glad I received feedback on it. I wasn’t imagining things.
I could also feel the bond between us growing. We had an intuitive understanding of each other and had impeccable coordination in battle. I could also channel a greater amount of Thor’s shadow magic. I could fade into the background but my stealth wasn’t as complete as Thor’s. It was a good thing to have. The outside world was a dangerous place and I didn’t like being so exposed all the time.
Now it was Loki’s turn. She was turning into a frost tank. It was hilarious watching her play with her ice abilities. She was like a walking snowstorm. I could tell she was happy to have the cold at her beck and call.
“Now Loki.” I said. “Its important to use your new powers responsibly okay?”
Loki whined in agreement. But I could tell through the bond she was going to prank the hell out of Thor whenever she got the chance.
Name: Loki
Species: Husky Mix
Familiar Type: Ice Magic
Level: 10
Health: 100%
Strength: 26 (↑8)
Agility: 27 (↑8)
Intelligence: 18 (↑5)
Ice Magic Abilities:
Frost Breath: Now at mastery level, Loki can exhale an extremely cold mist that can freeze enemies and objects over a large area.
Icicle Formation: Enhanced - Loki can now create and launch multiple icicles simultaneously with pinpoint accuracy.
Ice Shield: Further improved - Loki's ice barriers are now larger, more resilient, and can be maintained for longer durations.
Frostbite Touch: Upgraded - Loki's ability to freeze objects or enemies on contact is now more potent, with a longer-lasting effect.
Glacial Surge: New ability - Loki can summon a wave of ice and snow that spreads from her position, slowing and damaging all in its path.
Effects of the Goblin King's Amulet on Loki:
Magic Resistance: +15% (additional to the existing resistance)
Mana Regeneration: +10 points per minute (enhancing Loki's ability to use her ice magic more frequently)
Special Ability Activation: Once per day, Loki can use the amulet to cast a powerful ice-based spell or enhance her existing ice abilities.
I was curious when I looked at her status. The amulet had a greater effect on Loki than the tooltip indicated when I first looked at it. After some thought, my working theory was there was some sort of magical synergy going on. I was planning on keeping track.
After I was done looking at my stats, I was at a loss what do next. I felt like there should be something more to this place. Maybe a crystal or a stone. I really didn’t want to walk pass the carnage I had unleashed. I mean, I was there when it happened but I didn’t want to see it again.
Loki had frozen quiet a few in frozen statues and then Thor had shattered them. I wasn’t looking forward to see that defrosted.
I was going ever the throne when I decided to sit down and think about what I missed. And that was it. Sitting in the throne was what I had missed. I received a prompt.
Would you like to claim this dimensional shard?
What was this? Yes, please. I didn’t know what this was or what would happen, but having more was always better than having less. My inner loot pig was snuffling for more loot.
As soon as I indicated yes, a wave of energy began coursing through my body, intense and powerful. I felt a sharp, burning sensation on my chest, like the touch of a searing brand.
I quickly removed my shirt to see what was happening. There, on my chest, a tattoo was forming, burning itself into existence on my skin. The process was both mesmerizing and startling. The tattoo’s design was intricate, composed of swirling patterns and symbols that seemed to pulsate with the same energy as the portal I used to arrive here.
The tattoo reminded me of ancient runes or glyphs, but it was nothing that I recognized. It felt ancient and pulsed with power. The process was not as painful as I expected, it was just unexpected. A feeling of power flowed into me and began to fill me with a growing warmth. The feeling was akin to good swig of whiskey. That nice deep burn that hits and slowly relaxes your whole body.
As soon as the process finished, I found myself sitting on my ass back in the woods where I started. I received a new prompt.
[NEW POWER ACQUIRED: DIMENSIONAL SHARD ANCHOR]
Congratulations, Gavrin! You have successfully claimed the Dimensional Shard and are now its Anchor. This rare and powerful artifact has granted you unique abilities:
Dimensional Haven: You are now the keeper of a secret, interdimensional space accessible only to you. This sanctuary is a safe haven, a place for rest, planning, and storing your treasures.
Instant Access: At will, you can enter or exit this dimensional shard. To enter, simply focus on your tattoo and envision the space. To exit, envision your desired location in the world.
Customization: Over time, you can shape and expand this space according to your needs and desires. It can be a simple room, a vast hall, or even mimic natural environments.
Safety and Privacy: The Dimensional Shard is impervious to outside detection and intrusion. It exists outside of normal time and space, ensuring complete privacy and security.
Restorative Properties: Time spent in the shard accelerates healing and mana regeneration. A night's rest in the shard is equivalent to several days of rest in the outside world.
Storage: The shard can store an unlimited amount of items without affecting its spatial dimensions. Items stored here are preserved in their current state.
Note: The Dimensional Shard is bound to you. It cannot be stolen, lost, or destroyed. However, use this power wisely, as frequent or prolonged use may have unforeseen effects on your physical and magical essence.
“Cool.” I said. I quickly accessed my new power and went back and forth a couple of times to verify my new power was working. I quickly became light headed and realized I was using an enormous amount of mana each time I went back and forth.
“Okay.” I thought. “I need to be more careful while using this.” I could see this being an issue. Not something to use while fighting.
I sat down and began to meditate to regain my mana. That was a nice little adventure. I felt strong enough that I should probably check in back in town and see what was happening.
It was also time to rest and regroup. Maybe see what my other abilities could do. I should stop seeking more fighting and get a handle on my abilities. I didn’t want to get caught and die because I didn’t know what I was doing. Also, I needed a new set of clothes. I had been inside that realm for what felt like several days. I was filthy and grimy. A bath wouldn’t be out of the question.