He slipped to his left; twisting his hips and rolling his left shoulder, before slamming a hook into the thick padding of the heavy bag.
Thump.
He rolled underneath, coming up the on the right side, and sending a short, tight hook with his other hand crashing in. Followed by a push to gain distance; two straight punches and a finishing hook.
Thump, thunk, thump.
A snort came heaving from his nose. Short, quick breaths, air rushing in and out as he tried to scramble for much-needed oxygen, preparing to close the distance.
"Alex!" The shout broke him from his reverie. He turned his head to see who spoke; Mica, with a bloody forehead, made from what looked like a series of shallow cuts above left eye, with his mouthpiece half hanging from his mouth. "You want a round?" He motioned a gloved hand towards the small ring at the end of the brightly lit gym.
Alec looked up towards the small clock, stuck clumsily on the wall next to him, and frowned for a brief moment. "Thanks, but no. I've got to shower; need to head off."
Mica nodded his head to acknowledge his words, turned around and yelled for another man, who was smashing away at a smaller bag.
Alex took a minute to long rip his gloves off, and too long again to unwrap the straps attached to his wrist, he knew he was procrastinating.
This stupid dinner. He slipped his shoes on, before shuffling off, uncovered into the rain. Heading towards his beaten-up red Volvo sitting half on the pavement.
It was always unpleasant; Easter that is. A conglomeration of his extended family: cousins he hadn't spoken to properly in years, awkward hugs for aunts he couldn't remember the name of.
He froze, his chest jumped like he'd just had a heart attack.
Congratulations, Alexander.
What the fuck.
A luminescent blue screen, popped out Infront of him, accompanied by a deep male voice, sounding somewhere in his middle age.
Due to a combination of your impressive natural baseline, and purely random chance, you have been selected to attend the Tutorial - Difficulty: Extreme.
What the actual fuck.
He looked around him, expecting to see some giggling little bastard hiding in the bushes, prepared with a recorder pointed directly at him.
Nothing but pouring rain and wet concrete.
Translocation occurring in 7, 6, 5 ... 2, 1.
Thank you for your co-operation.
XOX
The thud of his legs hitting the ground shook Alex into awareness. His confusion was broken by the shrill chirping of birds.
I'm... in a forest?
Due to the difficulty of your tutorial you have been awarded: 15 free attribute points. To apply them, and access your information as a whole. Say - Status.
Like a game? Some repeat of a childhood dream; full of levels and mana and skills?
"Status."
Status Name: Alexander Aeotos Level: 1 Health: 230/230 Stamina: 250/250 Mana: 240/240 Strength: 24 Agility: 26 Vitality: 23 Intelligence: 24 Wisdom: 18 Charisma: 19 General Skills: Primary Class: None Primary Class Skills: Secondary Class: None Secondary Class Skills: Tertiary Class: None Tertiary Class Skills: Traits: Titles: Free Points: 15
Apparently so.
He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and took another. Fine. Some weird, physics-defying system of not, he would deal with it.
Fifteen free points?
He had what was likely a high Strength, Vitality, and Agility status, especially so on the last. Or at least he assumed so, considering that he was generally above most others for such considerations on Earth.
Am I on another planet now?
Decent Intelligence as well, although a slightly lower Wisdom, likely since Wisdom was generally associated in large parts with life experience, and he was still young. For Charisma, he didn't know, but he wasn't wont to put points into it, not when he was in a forest, seemingly alone.
He decided on instinct in the end, he didn't know the specifics of each attribute, and he didn't want to take too long to decide, lest there was some untold time limit, and he would instead lose the free points.
Eight in Strength, and seven in Agility.
"Status."
Status Name: Alexander Aeotos Level: 1 Health: 230/230 Stamina: 325/325 Mana: 240/240 Strength: 32 (+8) Agility: 33 (+7) Vitality: 23 Intelligence: 24 Wisdom: 18 Charisma: 19 General Skills: Primary Class: None Primary Class Skills: Secondary Class: None Secondary Class Skills: Tertiary Class: None Tertiary Class Skills: Traits: Titles: Free Points: 0
He applied it and noticed very little difference in his actual body. That was until he took a step forward, and tripped over his foot.
Fast.
Congratulations. For being in the Top 1,000 to apply initial free attributes, you have been given +5 Intelligence.
So speed was relevant.
You have been inducted into the Extreme Tutorial. It will end when the Dungeon: Tribe of the Lost Orcs, has been completed and exited. Monsters and enhanced Beasts shall be released into your environment in 3 hours. Vanquishing your foes shall reward you with varying levels of experience, especially significant enemies may also release Rewards. Your Tutorial shall, if not completed, expire in 8 Weeks. Good Luck.
Well fuck.
He checked himself over. He had nothing on him but his exercise clothes, and a knife he kept tucked into the front of his left boot. His phone had disappeared, as had his duffel bag containing his workout equipment.
I've lost everything except those directly attached to me.
Alex's thoughts froze to a halt, He had three hours before he could die, and some little Swiss army knife would surely not help him. He took through the forest in a quick stride, noting nothing around him but trees, with the occasional rustle due to the wind, or a possible small animal.
I need a weapon.
He searched for a further twenty minutes, before finding a stick a little over six feet long, with nearly no flexibility, and a few fingers width wider than the size of his grip. He took out his Army knife, and spend the next half an hour whittling the bark of the branch and tapering the end half a foot into a point.
A shit spear, but it would have to do.
He took off again, picking recognisable berries off of bushes, eating some, and stuffing the rest into the small pockets of his shorts.
Thirty minutes left, he estimated.
Again he searched, gathering up rocks of a suitable size. If he knew how to make a slingshot, he would, but Alex had spent his childhood Boxing, with the occasional bit of school. He would just need to throw them and hope he hit something.
His pockets now full, he retreated back to what he thought was his original starting point and scampered up a nearby tree to hide. It was far easier than it should have been.
Your time is up. The wilds have been unleashed. You have 8 weeks. Good luck.
He sat and waited.
He did not have to wait for long.
XOX
A fox came first, resting against his tree. It was seemingly normal, but Alex now had little regard for what was once considered normal.
He jumped down; spear outstretched beneath him, driving into the muscle on the fox's lower back. His feet followed, crashing onto the fox's head, smashing it onto the dirt below them. The fox cried its warble, attempting to throw off the weight on top, but the wounds quickly led to stillness.
Congratulations, you have killed a Level 2 Fox. For killing a Beast above your level, you have gained bonus experience.
You have levelled up.
You are now Level 2.
Congratulations, for being within the Top 100 Competitors to gain a level, you have been awarded +8 Agility.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
Status Name: Alexander Aeotos Level: 2 (+1) Health: 260/260 Stamina: 365/365 Mana: 290/290 Strength: 32 Agility: 41 (+8) Vitality: 26 (+3) Intelligence: 29 (+5) Wisdom: 18 Charisma: 19 General Skills: Primary Class: None Primary Class Skills: Secondary Class: None Secondary Class Skills: Tertiary Class: None Tertiary Class Skills: Traits: Titles: Free Points: 0
He checked his status. Alex had been awarded three free attributes, which seemed a pittance, but he knew with time, and levels, he would grow. This time, he threw them into Vitality. He now knew there was likely no surrounding civilization, and he had to survive whatever the environment threw at him, and common sense told him this was most likely to help with that.
A growl sounded behind him. Alex froze, before throwing himself sidewards, seeing a brown blur fly past the spot he was just in. Charging a dozen feet forwards, before skidding to a stop in the dirt. It turned around to him, black, large nostrils flaring angrily, as it reared its front legs, preparing for another charge.
Is that a... boar?
Not like any he had seen before, up to Alex's chest, flexing rock-hard muscle as it prepared to charge again.
Fuck.
He threw himself to the side again, narrowly avoiding its tusks.
Smash.
It had hit face-first into the tree he had only moments ago been perched atop. Swaying side to side, as it tried to pull its tusks from the wood they were embedded into.
It's stuck.
He grabbed his makeshift spear from the dirt he had dropped it into, before thrusting it deep into the side of the boar. It squealed, but kept pulling, so Alex withdrew and pushed forwards again.
Again.
Again.
A dozen strokes later, Alex heard the ding in his ear and stopped. He'd learned his lesson though, and this time quickly climbed up the tree before whispering "Status," in a shaky timber.
Congratulations, you have killed a Level 4 Elysian Boar. For killing a Monster above your level, you have gained bonus experience.
You have levelled up.
You have levelled up.
You are now Level 4.
Congratulations, for being lucky enough to survive an encounter you had no right to survive, you have been granted the Trait: Fate's Favour.
Fates Favour - Chance-based events are slightly more likely to go in your favour. Whether that be increased Rewards, or a lesser chance to pull the wrong card at a Blackjack table, it matters not.
Six more points this time, and he threw them into agility, knowing it was likely the only thing that kept him out of the boars tusks, and thus alive.
Alex took a minute to settle his pounding heart, tipped his head backward, and fell asleep, slumped in a recess of the tree.
XOX
He woke with a scream, and with the sun.
The sun was not the surprising part. That honour belonged to the snake, hissing at him only inches from his face, curled up to strike.
His hand shot up, catching the beast mid-strike, clutching it just inches beneath its head, and only inches more behind silver fangs, dripping with a luminescent green liquid.
Poison.
His other hand joined the first, clutching it desperately as he rammed the snake's head into the tree behind him. Repeatedly.
The ding once again allowed him to stop.
Congratulations, you have killed a Level 2 Beast.
Due to being alerted to, and surviving an attempted sneak attempt or assassination. You have been awarded the Skill: Danger Sense.
Danger Sense - Creates a small possibility to detect imminent or possible danger, even when otherwise unknowable. Possibility will both increase and grow more accurate with levels.
Alex lay back again. Breathing heavily.
How am I still alive?
Alex checked his stats, to check his new Danger Sense.
Status Name: Alexander Aeotos Level: 4 (+2) Health: 260/260 Stamina: 365/365 Mana: 290/290 Strength: 32 Agility: 41 (+8) Vitality: 26 (+3) Intelligence: 29 (+5) Wisdom: 18 Charisma: 19 General Skills: Danger Sense 1: Level 1 - Creates a small possibility to detect imminent or possible danger, even when otherwise unknowable. Possibility will both increase and grow more accurate with levels. Primary Class: None Primary Class Skills: Secondary Class: None Secondary Class Skills: Tertiary Class: None Tertiary Class Skills: Traits: Fates Favour - Chance-based events are slightly more likely to go in your favour. Whether that be increased Rewards, or a lesser chance to pull the wrong card at a Blackjack table, it matters not. Titles: Free Points: 6
He lent over the branching, throwing up and quickly dry heaving, when all of yesterday's berries were gone from his stomach; picking up the spear that was jammed into the tree - ensuring he wouldn't lose it - before climbing down after surveying the surrounding area.
No ambush. Not now.
Alex found the boar he had killed the day before, spending some time to drag and hoist the carcass up the tree to one of the upper layers. Whilst heavy, his increased strength made it more than possible.
He took a while to separate a portion of the tusk from body, before using his knife to whittle away at the blunt end, making it smaller them the circumference of his spear, so he could use it as the head. Next, he sawed the sharp end of the spear itself off, until it became, once again, a mere shaven stick. Alex hollowed out a side barely big enough to fit the sharp tusk spearhead into, squeezing them together tightly, hoping to create enough pressure to keep them together after, before tying it tightly on with some braided rope he had haphazardly crafted from the vines found on another tree.
Alex swung it gently at the tree; noticing no displacement, he increased the force applied until he was satisfied the spear wouldn't break amidst a fight.
He spent the rest of the morning picking away at the carcass itself. Attempting to shimmy the skin off the boar whole, before giving in and hacking it into pieces with his knife, in an effort to get to the flesh. Eventually, he retrieved all the meat he could, leaving that which was originally near the internal organs, in an effort to ensure non of the meat would be contaminated.
While it was possible that the small, three-point increase in constitution would stop him from being ill due to the consumption of spoiled meat, Alex was not willing to take any chances.
He left the prepared meat on the tree, dragging the rest of the unwanted, spoiling body to the edge of a clearing, some hundred feet away, hopefully far enough that he would not be able to smell the decomposition, even as it got worse.
He was halfway back to his tree camp before he was gripped by a sudden bout of stillness. It was silent.
It was never silent.
Whether it be the rustle of the wind in the leaves or the sharp chirping as the birds sang the morning away. There was always something, a sign of life. Now, nothing.
Great anxiety filled him, a sudden gust of too-cold air filtering into his lungs. He briefly felt the ding of a notification.
Danger Sense.
He leapt to the side, for possibly the last time.
A great force struck by him. Brown, muddy fur tattered onto an ungodly frame missing him by inches. The snarling face mounted atop a thick neck, a caricature of rage, embedded with big, beady black eyes, and a blooded, ripped nose. Rising to twice Alex's height.
A bear, grown to dwarf what it formerly was.
Alex struck out with his spear desperately, managing to leave a superficial cut across the bear's upper thigh, before launching himself backward to avoid a swipe of the monster's massive paw.
He struck again, a light glancing blow, sliding off its aimed target, the chest, ricocheting upwards to glide into the bear's already red snout. This time sinking deeper, although again causing the creature no visible pain, if not for the intended murder in the bear's gaze.
He ripped the spear out again, hoping he could retreat before the bear through his own violent riposte. Another swing, strong enough to rip his head straight from his neck. Avoided only by a deep roll underneath, coming out of his duck to the bear's right, now outside its current reach.
Alex ran.
There was no chance to beat it. Not when, in its anger, it could shrug off all but immediately killing strikes. With a beast that big he was hard-pressed to get in close enough to make contact at all, let alone with anything significant. His only hope was to run; to hope that with all his recent increases in his agility, he would be fast enough to either tire the giant out, or get far away enough to hide.
Little hope, he knew, but it's the best chance I have.
He looked back to see that the initial space he had made; distance created in the bear confusion, had not, unfortunately, grown.
He's closer.
A new plan, then. Climb, and hope that the sheer size of such a great beast would leave it unable to follow. He launched himself up the next tree, throwing himself up branch by branch, his spear already thrown upwards, lodged in the tree for him to collect as he made his ascent. He took a half breath to look downwards.
Only to see a paw, rising to smash foot to pieces. He jerked it out of the way, splaying out from the tree, as his hand grasped desperately on the next branch, before heaving himself to the top. He ripped the spear from the wood it was lodged in; looked down to see the bear a half second away.
No where else to go.
Only down.
He launched himself down, hoping his spear, with the entirety of his weight behind it, would be strong enough to carve through the skull of the beast chasing him.
The spearhead struck perfectly, burying into the left eye, as the rest of of it followed, carving straight into the creature's brain as the force of his falling body pushed it through. The joint between the wooden shaft and the tusk spearhead snapped, never designed to withstand this much leverage, and Alex was flung of both bear and tree. Smashing into the floor.
Fuck.
He was alive, somehow. The impact of that floor would have only days ago killed him, now barely ripping the air from his lungs, and causing a sharp, burning pain in his chest.
I'm alive.
Against all odds, he's managed it.
Congratulations, you have killed a Level 8 Grizzly Bear. For killing a Beast above your level, you have gained bonus experience.
You have levelled up.
You have levelled up.
You are now Level 6.
Congratulations, for killing a Monster or Beast Twice your Level. You have been gifted an additional award: Spear of Nature's Ruin.
Spear of Nature's Ruin: Made for he who wonders the world, and decides what is fit to live, or die. Wielded only by the strong of Will, else they fall prey to their primal nature, and use such a weapon for ill.
+5 Strength, +3 Agility when in use.
Congratulations, for being within the Top 10 Competitors to slay a creature at least twice your level, you have been awarded the Title: Forerunner.
Forerunner: Gained only by those at the epoch of their race, they strive forwards, as masters of their destiny.
+3 All Attributes.
For the first time - likely ever - Alex cried tears of delirious, righteous joy.
Status Name: Alexander Aeotos Level: 6 (+2) Health: 290/290 Stamina: 395/395 Mana: 320/290 Strength: 35 (+3) Agility: 44 (+3) Vitality: 29 (+3) Intelligence: 32 (+3) Wisdom: 21 (+3) Charisma: 22 (+3) General Skills: Danger Sense 1: Level 2 (+1) - Creates a small possibility to detect imminent or possible danger, even when otherwise unknowable. Possibility will both increase and grow more accurate with levels. Primary Class: None Primary Class Skills: Secondary Class: None Secondary Class Skills: Tertiary Class: None Tertiary Class Skills: Traits: Fates Favour - Chance-based events are slightly more likely to go in your favour. Whether that be increased Rewards, or a lesser chance to pull the wrong card at a Blackjack table, it matters not. Titles: Forerunner: Gained only by those at the epoch of their race, they strive forwards, as masters of their destiny. +3 All Attributes. Free Points: 12