Nick awoke with the rising sun, filled with a visceral wave of excitement when he realized that it hadn’t all been just a dream. He had survived his insane plan to go toe-to-toe against the lurk, acquired his first ability, and unlocked the magic inside him.
He was filled with such a heady surge of triumph, of wonder and delight, that he simply couldn’t help it. Nick rose to his feet, drew in a deep breath of crisp dawn air, and screamed for all he was worth.
After letting loose a victory cry that reverberated across the foam-capped waves, he walked back to the obelisk and activated the display, only to realize that it was still too dark to read. Instead of going through the trouble of lighting a fire, Nick stretched out his aching muscles, watching the resplendent glory of the sunrise reflecting off the face of the sea until it was light enough to make out the words on the screen. His joy only magnified when he began to read.
Congratulations. You have accumulated enough experience to reach Level [7].
You have one free attribute point awaiting allocation at your discretion.
Through rigorous training, you have conditioned your body and improved the following baseline attributes:
Dexterity has increased from [6] to [7].
As Nick had hoped, the notification he had skipped last night in favor of making his big decision was from leveling up, giving him another free attribute point to spend at his discretion. Better still, all the running, throwing, and dodging he had done the day before had solidified his training, netting him another point of Dexterity.
Wanting to give his first spell a bit more oomph, he decided to use his free point to raise his Magic from 2 to 3. Nick signaled his intentions and then quickly sat down, curious to discover what sensations would accompany the allotment. Before long, a familiar point of heat began buzzing within his chest. The energetic core that he had ignited the night before.
The sensation wasn’t nearly as overwhelming as when the System had jumpstarted Nick’s mana pool. He took advantage of the opportunity and paid close attention to the feeling, hoping to one day be able to sense the mana within his core as easily as he could the air in his lungs.
As he focused on the changes taking place inside his body, he felt something shift subtly. He thought that his core was expanding. Its boundaries spreading a minute fraction wider, the energy inside just a tiny bit hotter. Then, for just a second, he could feel something moving within his body—tiny threads that connected to his core and led… somewhere else.
One of them entwined up and around his spine before passing into his head, which had to be the link between Nick’s energetic core and his brand-new spell, but the rest of the ghostly tendrils were a mystery. Some of the channels led to other places in his body, some into his brain, and yet others seemed to travel outside of himself; to places beyond his ability to perceive or comprehend.
Inspired by the mere existence of fey forces far beyond his understanding, Nick sat there until the sensations receded before fading away like the memory of yesterday’s dream. He would have meditated if he had time to spare, savoring the experience for hours, but necessity was a harsh mistress.
Against the odds, he had managed to exhaust the lurk, perhaps even injure it, and he needed to take advantage of the opportunity before the window swung shut. With only three days, eight hours, and fifteen minutes on the clock, he needed to explore the highlands and then finalize his preparations for the tutorial’s final phase.
That was when he realized that all three gems on his wand were glowing. Either opening the gold chest or the System jumpstarting his mana pool had refilled the fickle device. Icing on the cake.
With his decision made and his new spell gained, it was time for Nick to take a look at his profile and check out the rest of the growth he had undergone.
Contestant Profile: Nicholas “Nick” Henry.
Level: 7.
Tier: 1.
Species: Human of Earth (E).
Class: Survivor (Basic).
Base attribute points per level: 0. Free points per level: 1.
Attributes
Strength: 7 Dexterity: 7 (9) Toughness: 6 (10) Mind: 7 (9) Creativity: 6 Charisma: 5 Magic: 2 (3) ??? ???
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Abilities
Ability slots: 2 active, 1 passive, 1 free.
Active abilities: Mana Dart (spell).
No passive abilities have been acquired.
Class Traits
Survivor: You require 25% less food, water, oxygen, and sleep.
Geneline Traits
Gift of Tongues: You can understand and speak the languages of all intelligent creatures.
Awakened to Magic: +1 to Magic.
Versatile: +1 to all attributes. +1 free ability slot.
Bloodline Traits
None.
Skills
Wand: 4
Size Up: 9
Foraging: 7
Inventory (Common and above)
Explorer’s Boots (Common).
Kastillan Dagger (Common).
Adventurer’s Toolbelt (Uncommon). Modifications: Self-maintenance.
Charm of Muffling (Uncommon).
Pugilist’s Gloves (Uncommon). Modifications: Durable.
Adventurer’s Coat (Uncommon). Modifications: Durable. Self-maintenance.
Cloak of Thermal Regulation (Uncommon). Modifications: Self-maintenance.
Bag of Molding (Uncommon).
Wand of Force (Uncommon). Modifications: Soulbound. Skill activation (Wand).
??? Sword.
Before he climbed the foothills leading to the highlands, there was one other objective that Nick wanted to accomplish first. Something that he could take care of on the way. In short, it was time to take his new spell for a test drive and see what it could do.
Thus, he rose to his feet and put on his pack, ready to face the day and see what adventures it would bring. He was certain that before long, he would have a chance to try out Mana Dart in battle for the first time. Deciding to forgo the rest of his exercises, he left the obelisk behind with a wave in parting and then crossed the sandbar leading back to the island. As he needed to find something to fill his stomach, Nick foraged his way across the forest while heading toward his cave, stopping every now and then to engage in a bit of skills training, although he was barely able to focus.
Two words kept repeating over and over in his head, increasing his anticipation with every cycle. Mana Dart. Mana Dart. Mana Dart! Nick laughed out loud as he internalized that he now had mana inside him; that he could cast a spell like the characters in the games he had played all his life. This awareness filled him with a perennial sense of wonder. The realization of his childhood dream made him deeply happy for the first time since being thrust into his new reality.
He wanted to summon another dart and begin experimenting with his new spell immediately. But with unknown limits on its uses and recharge time, he couldn’t afford to be wasteful. Nor would it be wise to take unnecessary risks in the process. Thus, Nick needed to test out Mana Dart in a fight that he knew he could win, even if his magic failed him. The only creatures that fit the bill were a solitary swordclaw or komo. He forced himself to be patient. He knew that he would run into one eventually as he made his way across the southern forest.
In the meantime, his brain was hard at work, compiling a list of questions regarding Mana Dart as well as magic in general and its relationship to various attributes. Some of them wouldn’t be possible to cross off until he had more knowledge points to spend. For now, Nick would focus on testing out four primary aspects of his spell.
How many Mana Darts can I cast back-to-back? How long does it take for my mana to refill after casting each spell? Finding the answer to his first two questions would provide him with a rough measure of his mana pool and his rate of regeneration. His other inquiries involved the dart’s behavior and utility in battle.
Can I cast the darts effectively mid-melee, or do I need to prepare their use beforehand? And most importantly, how much does the spell hurt? He wasn’t as concerned with how much damage it did relative to a creature’s maximum health, although Nick was curious about that as well. Rather, did the spell inflict pain, and if so, how much?
Two hours, one small mushroom, and four half-ripe berries later, it finally happened. As he finished the final bite of his freshly foraged lunch, he heard a familiar hiss emanating from somewhere nearby. Practically dancing from one foot to the next, he crept toward the noise, stopping behind a wide trunk after arriving at the edge of a narrow clearing.
Within the sunny glade sat the second-largest lizard that Nick had ever seen, a bulky specimen that was almost as big as Komo Alpha. The beefy lizard was in the middle of enthusiastically devouring what appeared to be a shaggy brown rabbit with stripes like a tiger.
On spotting his soon-to-be research associate, his heart started racing in anticipation. His palms grew slick with sweat as he prepared to conduct his first live trial of his new spell. Before he jumped the gun, Nick stopped to make sure that his impatience wasn’t goading him into making a dangerous mistake. Such as failing to properly identify the threat that the beast posed before rousing its ire.
He spent the next five minutes watching the lizard eat, sizing the creature up while analyzing its appearance. The beast did seem to be a bit more dangerous than the average komo, but Size Up was sure that he could handle the challenge. Nick’s mundane analysis came back clean as well. Although it was burly, the reptile in question looked exactly like the others. It didn’t appear to be a different species or a special variant.
Certain that the komo would be busy for a few more minutes as it methodically tore the rabbit’s carcass into bite-sized pieces, Nick forced himself to make a careful circuit of the clearing, seeking out any sign that other dangerous creatures were lurking in the area. After finishing his second lap around the tree line and sensing nothing out of the ordinary, it was finally time for his experiment to begin.
Although most of the parameters of his spell were still unknown, the System had told him that its current reach was fifteen feet. A span of two and a half times his height. Thus, Nick’s first order of business was to creep within range. Thanks to his daily training, his attempt at stealth went well, and he arrived at the edge of the clearing just as the final bite of rabbit disappeared down the komo’s throat.
Before the beast decided to leave, Nick climbed into the branches and locked his gaze on his opponent, whispering the words, “Mana Dart.”