The Under-Kingdoms were slower to answer the call, but dwarven greed eventually won over ancient enmity and they flocked to the banner under elven kind. The dragons of the mountains and the sky, understanding the threat the mage-king possessed grudgingly promised aid, though in their pride they would suffer none to command them.
- On the Cataclysm by an unknown Quassian Scholar circa 103 AC.
I awoke to the pleasant aroma of pine and lemon blossoms as I slowly opened my eyes, feeling both fearful and optimistic about what was in store for me. All around me were featureless, flat plains of endless green that met the azure horizon somewhere in the far distance. This would become a problem when I eventually decided to leave my place of relative comfort. However, these were concerns for another day. For now, I had five fish to fry.
The Bibsis were now one level lower than me, making them relatively easy prey. My strategy was a simple one. Distract some of them, take down one of them, and retreat as quickly as possible back up the hill. It was a tactic I had used countless times in my gaming days to clear areas teeming with powerful enemies. The problem was that I had no baseline to work with to gauge my relative strength in this brave new world.
I needed to gain a better understanding of the rules governing this world. It was imperative to uncover how to improve my skills, as this directly impacted my survival in both the immediate and long term. Would focused practice and repetition enable me to advance them? The fact that the Bibsis I had identified were all at level one indicated the possibility of more formidable level two or higher monsters or creatures out there.
Climbing the first branches of the tree, just above my own height, I carefully stood and dropped one large and one small stone. I observed that they both hit the ground simultaneously, unaffected by any differences in weight. Taking one of the stones, I threw it as far as I could, noticing that it fell in a smooth, even arc. It seemed that gravity was indeed applicable to this world. Next, I decided to hold my breath. After around fifty-two heartbeats, I had to take in some air, indicating that I would indeed need oxygen here too.
Like in fiction, I tried shouting “log out,” and “disconnect,” once even yelling “Alexa, log me out,” willing myself out of my newfound world with pure force of will. It quickly became clear, however, that this was not a virtual reality, or at least, there was no way for me to confirm it at present.
Already well acquainted with the pain of this world, I decided that further testing in that aspect was unnecessary. It had convinced me that reaching zero Health would not be a good idea.
With my experiments complete, I resolved to spend the rest of the day working on improving my skills and spells in any way possible. As I walked over to the stone altar, I couldn't help but notice the chunks of meat that had been left there had become putrid and malodorous.
Feeling disgusted, I hurled them as far as I could down the hill, away from the nearby pond. It seemed that I would have to feed both my bodily hunger and my desire to increase in power with the lives of a few more of the fish creatures.
Creeping confidently along the edges of the pond with my newfound Stealth, I channeled my built-up frustration against these low-level creatures that had dared to harm me. Like an animal that had been beaten too many times and had finally snapped, rage filled me as I lured the creatures in small groups toward me. I ambushed the slow and the weak as they retreated back to their side of the water.
My spear felt steadier in my hand, my attacks more calculated and precise, as I struck at them from my hiding place among the rushes. I would violently thrust, pierce, slice, and bludgeon the unsuspecting Bibsis until I received a notification of their demise. Butchering only what I needed for the day, I consumed my morning meal slimy and raw. Half-forcing each piece down my gullet as quickly as I could, I was ever watchful against attack.
On my third ambush, I failed spectacularly. Hit in the face by one of their water balls, I felt nothing, before a second cannoned into me full on the chest, making me drop my half-spear in the shallow waters. I fumbled searching for it in the cool waters, gasping all the while in agonized breaths. Half-blind with pain, my questing hands found the familiar wooden haft, and I beat a hasty retreat.
As I fled, I received another ball of water to my back that took out another chunk of my Health and caused me to scream. Healing myself and determined to reach level three, I ventured back again, albeit more cautiously this time.
After a few more hours filled with pain and death, I was granted the much-anticipated notification;
You have reached level 3
3 unassigned attribute points
1 unassigned skill pointt
In the bottom right corner of my vision, the writhing shadowy tendril returned, obscuring a few of the numbers before blossoming into a cascade of indecipherable digits. A short countdown appeared, and the numbers began dropping rapidly with each beat of my heart.
NINE… EIGHT… SEVEN…
Panicked, I willed all of my unassigned attributes into Constitution.
SIX... FIVE...
A surge of energy rose from my stomach to all of my extremities, leaving a feeling of exhilaration. My breath came a little easier, and the chill of the cold waters through my sodden robes seemed more distant. I felt more able, whole, and robust.
THREE... TWO...
With scant seconds to think and choose, I quickly looked within myself; searching for the presence of Heal and focusing on it. The countdown ended, but in my haste, at the same time I had selected it for improvement, I had also foolishly cast Heal, despite already being at full Health. I did not fully know what would happen if I did not allocate my points before the countdown ended, but I felt the price for learning such knowledge would be too steep.
“A waste...” I cursed silently, as I checked my Status confirming the changes to my character.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
STATUS
Calling: $%^& Level 3 Acolyte of Avaria
Strength: 9
Dexterity: 10
Constitution: 15
Intelligence: 10
Wisdom: 9
Charisma: 8
Luck: 11
SKILLS & PROFICIENCIES
Pain Nullification (lvl.1)
Power Strike (lvl.1)
Endure (lvl.1)
Stealth (lvl.1)
Rest (lvl.1)
Backstab (lvl.1)
Dodge (lvl.1)
Polearms (lvl.1)
SPELLS & MAGIC
Heal (lvl.2)
Rust (lvl.1)
Identify (lvl.1)
GIFTS
Curse of Entropy: -20% all starting attributes.
Experience to next level 220/364
Health: 29/29
Stamina: 24/24
Mana: 5/7
My Health had risen to a staggering twenty-nine points and my Stamina by another few to twenty-four, with no change to my Mana. Also, I could now increase the power of my spells and abilities by leveling up. I whooped for joy, the sense of accomplishment banishing my recent brushes with death and unbridled, unceasing violence. I posited that I would gain increased Health at each level, regardless of my Constitution score. Giddy at the prospect, I vowed to test this theory on my next level promotion.
Bolstered with renewed confidence and seeking more gains, I cast Identify on the large flowering tree in front of me.
Aeyory Tree
???
The result was less remarkable than I had expected. Apart from identifying the name of the tree, I realized that magic was no substitute for basic human observation. With four Mana points left, I decided to identify another object close to me. Glancing down, I cast Identify at the fallen statuette lying at the feet of the stone altar. The now familiar, yet still uncomfortable, sensation of Mana flowed first around, and then out of my body towards the object.
Statuette of Avaria
???
Again, the spell gave me little that I could not have deduced on my own. Growling in frustration, I cast the spell again in my mind, focusing now on the blazing sun high in the sky. The name of a star roared across my vision like an exploding supernova…
Sahel (Star)
#$d...Dur......Ma..1110011100
This was followed by an infinite stream of numbers and raw data that flooded the hollows of my mind, threatening to tear it asunder with its scope. Clutching my head in agony, I screamed once more to the heavens in a primal, bestial shout of the purest pain.
When it was finally over, I found myself on the ground, rocking back and forth while clutching my knees to my chest. Somewhere amidst the pain and shock, the thought, "Why didn't Pain Nullification work?" repeated itself in rhythm with to my rocking. Despite the foolishness of it, I decided to cast the spell once more at the stone half-spear to my left. What did a little more pain matter anyway?
Broken Half of an Ancestor Spear
Durability 27/53
I smiled a crazy grin of the mad and the broken, as a notification briefly flashed across my vision before the pain and exhaustion took me once again.
You have gained 1 Intelligence.
You have learned Identify (lvl.2)
I grinned at my bitter triumph. I had succeeded in increasing the level of a spell.