Notes
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Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoy.
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“Good. In my tribe it is called Body Strengthening. Beast Men typically cannot cast magic, I am one of the exceptions, and instead we use our Energy to strengthen our bodies or increase our speed. You need to train in this new skill and from now on you will apply Energy to each of your strikes.”
Milo looked up at Otis. “Now stop resting and get some wood for a fire. We stay here for the night.”
…
…
The two settled in for the night, they ate and prepare themselves for sleep. Otis did not waste any time and was asleep before his head hit the ground. Milo glanced at Otis asleep on the floor a dark spark shown in his eyes.
Otis woke in a panic, pain lanced through his arm up to his shoulder. Otis looked to see what caused his pain.
[Black Death Adder Level 6]
[-70HP]
[Status Effect: Venom, lose 3 HP every second for 5 minutes]
A large black and gold snake was firmly attached to his wrist. Otis grabbed the snake with his free hand crushing it just beneath the head.
[-5MP]
[-330]
“Not enough to kill me but I need to be careful.” Otis retrieved his knife and pressed his back to a tree so that he could observe his surroundings until his health had fully recovered. In all the commotion Milo had not even moved an inch just continued to snore without a care in the world.
Otis was attacked throughout the night by several snakes and one rabid raccoon. It seemed that every time he finally fell back to sleep he would be attacked again.
“Die Demon Raccoon!” Otis plunged his knife into the throat of the level 8 critter.
[Level 5]
[Passive Skill: Aura Sense]
[+2 Intellect]
The sun was rising to the east, Otis decided that he would not attempt to sleep any more.
[4:357:07:38:23]
“Hey Milo. Time to wake up.” Otis lightly kicked the lion to wake him.
“Did you sleep OK? No attacks in the middle of the night?” Otis asked.
Milo lazily opened one and stared at Otis. “What do you want? Do you know what time it is?”
“It is time to get up. Or should I throw some snakes at you?”
Milo innocently looked the other direction. “We should get our day started.”
“What are we doing today?”
“More of the same. You kill tasty animals and I will eat them.”
Otis looked suspiciously at Milo. “How many have you eaten already?”
“Not much. Not much.” Milo waved him off dismissively.
Otis looked down at Milo. “Milo. How many?”
Milo sheepishly looked through his backpack. “What do you have in your bag?”
Otis grabbed his backpack as well. “I have 7, no I only have 2! When did you get into my bag?”
“So we have 2 animals left then.” Milo stood up cheerfully rubbing his stomach. Milo noticed the anger in Otis’s eyes. “What? It’s not like you were using them.”
“What kind of excuse is that?!”
“Don’t worry you will be able to collect more over the next few days?”
“Few days? When are we heading back?
Milo shrugged. “When the time is right.”
…
…
[4:356:20:04:23]
“This [Aura Sense] skill is stupid and useless.” Otis complained. There has been many stealth attacks the past day that left Otis wounded. He had noticed that many of the animals that attacked him were able to hide the titles that showed above most animal’s heads.
“I don’t sense the animal until after it has already sunk its teeth in me.”
“Maybe you should not rely on some strange skill but instead you should learn to use your own senses.” Milo walked towards Otis holding a strap of cloth.
Otis’s [Aura Sense] flared as he watched Milo approach him. Otis subconsciously hopped back two steps. “What are you doing?”
“I am helping you.” Milo snatched Otis’s arm before he could flee any further. Milo tied the cloth over Otis’s eyes. “There now you will not be focused on what you see. Use your other senses to feel the environment.”
Otis attempted to pull the cloth from his eyes only to have his hand slapped away. “Milo I don’t think this will work.
“Milo?”
“Milo?” Otis stumbled blindly into the forest to continue his hunt.
In the hour since he was blindfolded he had been attacked several times with each time the animal had been able to wound him before he had been able to dodge. Soon after the hour passed, Otis began to feel changes in his environment; a disturbance in the trees, the sound of crushed grass, an unnatural wind.
His senses quickly moved from the tangible to the intangible. He felt the neutrality and proudness from the trees surrounding him. He felt the poisonous ill intent from the mushrooms at his feet. He felt the hunger of the hunter, the weakness of the prey and the disdain from the beast around him.
Otis swung his arm and his knife flew out into the trees at an astonishing speed.
[-3MP]
A bloody roar erupted from a tree limb 10 feet above him. A thud was heard as the beast fell to the forest floor. Otis removed his blindfold and approached the dead animal. He retrieved his knife that was sheathed in the side of the animals head. The knife had shattered and all that was left of it was the hilt.
“Milo, a cousin of yours?” Otis said while looking down at the Black Panther. “Wait. Does this thing have wings? There are some weird animals in this forest. First it’s a bear with flippers and now a cat with wings.”
[Dead Winged Black Panther Level 8]
Milo snorted. “Lucky shot. Let’s see how well you do without your hands.” Milo said as he lifted another strip of cloth.
…
...
[4:353:22:04:23]
“We are just about done here.”
Otis nodded in response he was currently looking at his Status Window. “Yes, I think everything in this forest is too low of a level for me.” Otis glance down at his tattered clothes. “I wish we had a mirror. I feel taller than before and my clothes are too short for me now.”
https%3a%2f%2fyougots.files.wordpress.com%2f2015...r9_mid.png [https://yougots.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/chapter9_mid.png]
“We hunted for a little over 4 days, we will head back to the village in the morning. You can obsess over yourself then. This is what happens when you learn Body Strengthening. It is why Beast Men grow much more quickly than humans. The Energy you send into your body makes it develop more quickly so you can better handle the power.”
Otis was taking a drink of water when he asked. “How old are you Milo?”
“Me? Let’s see I believe I will be 15 in a few weeks.”
Otis coughed and looked at the over 7 foot Shadow Lion. “15? Are you serious?”
Milo brushed the water from his fur. “Yes but I have been studying body strengthening since I was 2.” He looked up to the sky to observe the time. “I had expected to be out here much longer. Little Brother, now that you have become strong enough, there is something I need to teach you.” Milo motioned Otis to follow him.
“Are you going to give me some skills?
“Yes and No. I am not going to beam it to you or whatever it is that this world does. You will learn using my tribe’s traditional way.”
Otis and Milo moved beneath a tree and sat down.
“Close your eyes and listen to me.” Otis did as commanded.
“Use your mind to reach out to the shadow that has been casted by this tree.”
Otis thought about the tree’s shadow, its shape and its length. On and on he thought. He pondered why it was there, how it would change throughout the day, how he may be in the shadow now but by the end of the day it will be on the other side of the tree. He thought about the mysteries held within this shadow, all shadows and how they are connected.
Otis caught a glimmer, a whisper of the shadow. Suddenly new knowledge entered his mind. He knew that shadows are not dark, empty spaces absent of life but instead are proof of the existence of something else. Shadows are not proof of the tree or object blocking the light but something intangible, something distant, something grand and powerful.
Milo watched Otis in his trance state, at first Milo sang his tribes mantra that connects the mind to the shadow realm but after an hour there was no need. An hour into the meditation Otis’s mind had made its connection to the tree’s shadow. The shadow began to warp in odd directions, it lengthened or shortened or appeared on the other side of the tree and sometimes it would do them all at once.
After two hours Milo was satisfied with Otis’s progress, normally it would take one several months to reach the point Otis had reached. As soon as Otis opened his eyes the tree’s shadow reset to its original position.
Otis looked around. “What was that all about? I don’t feel any different.”
“Try to push that shadow over there.” Milo gestured towards the tree that Otis was just sitting under.
“I will try.” Otis doubtfully shrugged.
Otis’s brow furrowed in concentration as he thrusted his hand forward. “Shadow Push!”
Silence.
Milo roared with laughter. “What was that?”
“That was me trying to push the shadow!”
“No, that was you yelling like an idiot. Did you already forget what I just showed you? You must connect with the shadow, feel the shadow's presence.”
“Oh yeah.” Otis closed his eyes and began to feel for the shadow.
As Otis was about to grab ahold of the shadow he was interrupted. “Open your eyes. It is not like you can fight with your eyes closed.”
The shadow receded from his mind as he opened his eyes. He gave Milo an annoyed look and began to make a new connection to the shadow. The shadow trembled as Otis concentrated on it.
“That’s enough.” Milo stated causing Otis to lose his concentration once again. “Practice on your own. Develop your own uses for the shadow but here are some ideas.” Milo brought up his hand covering it in shadow he swiped his hand at the nearest tree. It passed through the tree with no resistance. Contrary to Otis’s expectations the tree still stood there instead of falling over.
“This will negate physical defense to a point.” Then Milo took a step forward and instantly appeared 5 feet in the opposite direction.
“How...How did you do that!?”
“Simple, I just stepped into the shadow.” Milo stated through a toothy grin.
“Let me show you how it’s done.”
“Yes!” Otis pumped his fist in the air.
“First, you make a connection to the shadow and then…”
Otis felt someone approaching, he spun readying himself for an attack. The bushes shook as a man in overalls emerged from the forest.
[Daniel Miller Level 4 (NPC) - Farmer Dan]
“Hey guys we saw your fire and thought we would join you for the night.”
“Oh I guess I will have to show you some other time.” Milo sheepishly whispered. “Hello Dan. You are always welcomed to our fire. We have plenty of food too.”
“Are you sure you haven’t ate it all already?” Otis questioned Milo as he reached for his backpack to check his inventory.
Milo’s shoulders shook from the accusation. “Of course we do. Of course we do.” Milo quickly glanced into his backpack and his posture visibly relaxed.
Otis pulled a warthog out of his bag and handed it over to Milo. “Farmer Dan what brings you out into the forest?”
A striking woman exited the forest where Dan once had. “He is here for collecting herbs for the Alchemist Leslie and I am to protect him from the supposed loads of beast in this forest”
[Michelle Clark Level 24 (NPC) - Hunters Guild]
“Yep what she said what are you guys doing out here? We have all been worried sick since Violam disappeared but since Milo was gone too we figured everything was alright.”
“Yes, I brought him out for training. He has been hunting these beast.” Milo pulled a couple out of animals out of his backpack.
“Oh I see. He’s been what?!! That’s too dangerous! He’s just a little boy!”
“He is fine. Look he had killed all these beast without any problems.” Milo shrugged as he began to clean the animals for supper.
“That is beside the point. All it takes is one mistake and he would die.” Dan stared at Milo but got no response.
“Michelle say something, make him understand that taking Otis out is crazy.” Dan threw up his hands signifying that he gave up.
“Well that explains why I have only seen 1 or 2 beasts and they ran away. Oh well what’s done is done. Let it go mate.” She walked towards the fire.
“Let it go! Let it go! You’re all crazy!” Dan spoke to himself in a whispered yell as he was unloading his bag.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Michelle ignored the distraught Dan. “So Violam are you any stronger now?”
Otis flex his arms in pride and took his best power pose. “Yep killed all the beast myself.”
“Aren’t you cute?” Michelle laughed. “Well that is good. Women like strong men.” She teasingly said with a wink.
Otis looked at her with a raised eyebrow and a grin. “Oh, I would not have expected that a great and beautiful Huntress like yourself would want a strong man to protect her.”
“Protect?” She dismissively laughed. “No. I just don’t want a man who cries when I get a bit rough.”
Milo cleared his throat interrupting the two. “So Dan what plant are you hunting down?”
Dan was still discontent about Otis’s situation but was pulled out of his stupor by Milo’s question. “Un. Oh yes, we are looking for Astragalus. Leslie needs it for Stamina Potions. If I can I would like to get some to plant at my farm too.”
“Stamina. Yes he would need plenty of that too.” Michelle stated through a twisted smile.
Milo ignored her. “I believe I saw some in our travels should only take a few minutes to get there.”
“Really! Let’s go now that way we can head back first thing in the morning. The Mages miss Otis after all.” Dan hopped up to his feet excitedly.
Milo slyly elbowed Otis and signaled with his eyebrows. “Now is your chance little Brother.”
“My chance for what.” Otis whispered back.
Milo snorted then took Dan away from the campsite.
Otis looked back at Michelle. “Oh.” He walked over and sat next to her by the fire.
Otis had been on edge the last few days this was the first time he was able to freely sit down. He closed his eyes and listened to the birds singing in the trees, to the fire burning and to the slow stream that ran next to the camp. He felt the shadows running around the fire, dancing through the trees and playing in Michelle’s brown hair. The week's stress melted away from his shoulders.
As Otis was going to drift off into his own world he felt a sharp point at his stomach and a sweet scent of a girl’s soap washed over him.
A quiet breath and the girl’s fire reached his ear. “Just because I am a woman doesn’t mean you should relax around me.” She leaned in and lightly kissed him on the cheek.
[+1 Wisdom]
Before she could withdraw, Otis held her hand as he leaned forward. The point of the knife bit into his stomach, Michelle attempted to remove the knife but it would not budge against his strength. His eyes were still closed when he whispered in her ear. “The more beautiful, the more deadly.” He then lightly returned the kiss to her cheek.
[+3 Wisdom]
Otis let go of the knife, Michelle quickly receded away from him. Her face dyed pink as she stammered. “That should apply for everything not just women.”
[+5 Wisdom]
“True but just because I relaxed does not mean I was not ready for an attack.”
Michelle looked down on Otis. “For all the good your readiness did, you still got stabbed.”
Otis shrugged his shoulders and put on an innocent look. “Sometimes I like a little pain with my pleasure.”
Michelle touched the cheek he kissed as her face flushed even more brightly.
“Interrupting something?” Milo stated as he poked his head out of the trees.
Michelle spun around towards the voice. “OH. No! Of course not.”
Otis flashed a winning grin. “Brother you find the plants you needed?”
Milo stood proudly. “Of course. Who do you think you are talking to?”
Michelle looked behind Milo’s back. “Where is Dan?”
“The Farmer is still walking through the forest. He should be here in half an hour. That is if he is heading the right direction.”
“You left him behind?!!! You were supposed to protect him!”
“What? That is your job I was just asked to show him where the plants are. No one said anything about protection or showing him the way back.” Milo grinned.
Otis palmed his forehead and Michelle flew into the forest at breakneck speed.
…
…
After the two returned from the forest, Dan was a bit disheveled but uninjured, the group was silently sitting around the fire. From time to time Michelle would grumble about how irresponsible Milo was and Dan would display his I told you so look. Milo just sat at the fire happily eating and completely ignorant to the atmosphere.
The farmer broke the gloomy silence “So since we are sitting around a campfire shouldn’t we be telling campfire stories or something?”
Otis thought hard, many of his memories from his childhood were blank. “I don’t really know any stories. At least I don’t remember any.”
The girl spoke up. “I know a story it's been my favorite since I was a child.”
“Ok Michelle you go first then.” Dan responded.
“I am not certain of all the details of the legend but the story goes something like this.”
---------------------
In the land of immortals there was a beautiful servant girl, Laylah, she works in the Emperor’s Palace. Unfortunately right now she stands before the Emperor, she has been accused of breaking a sacred porcelain urn.
The Jade Emperor looked down on the girl from on high. “Child. Did you break this Sacred Urn?”
The girl kowtowed as she answered. “Your Majesty, this servant has no recollection of breaking the sacred urn.”
Anger rose in the Jade Emperor’s eyes. “Girl, do you call the witness, our head servant who has been with us for over a millennia, a liar?”
The girl shook as tears ran down her cheeks to the floor. “No, your Majesty. This lowly servant would never accuse one as high as the head servant.”
The Emperor’s shoulders visibly relaxed. “Then it is settled. You, Laylah, are found guilty. You will be banished from the Immortal plane. You will live on Earth as a mere mortal.” The Emperor paused and thought for a moment. “When your life is complete if you are deemed worthy you will be allowed to return to us as an Immortal once again.”
The Emperor gently waved his hand. Laylah felt a great pull on her body and she was swallowed by darkness.
The girl awoke in a straw bed. She looked at her yourself she appeared to be a few years younger than she had been just moments ago.
A woman entered the small hut. “Laylah, you’re finally awake! Good go help your father in the barn.”
A few years passed. The girl once again aged into a beautiful young woman. She enjoyed the poor life she lived with her family on the farm. She believed her banishment had truly become a blessing.
In her happiness she fell in love with a boy from another village. Daniel was an accomplished archer and he loved her dearly. The two were married under the Cassia Tree that stood in her family's garden. Its yellow flowers bloomed beautifully that day.
Every day that passed their marital bliss grew stronger until the day the world changed. One morning humanity woke to find not one but ten suns in the sky. The heat scorched the earth, it burnt the forest and boiled the seas.
Humanity gathered in their great halls to decide what is was that they could do avoid this apocalypse.
A senator spoke up. “We need to evacuate the citizens and move below ground!”
At the statement arguments erupted from the council. “No we can’t leave everything behind!”
“That is preposterous! You can’t expect us to leave our homes.” Another man shouted.
“Excuse me. Excuse me.” A youth, mid-twenties spoke. He was considered a great warrior who had been garnering favor with the commoners. It was Daniel. “Quiet!” He sternly yelled.
The Senate settled down and look at the young man with the great bow strapped over his shoulder.
“I have a plan.” He held his bow high. “I have created this bow. It is considered to be the greatest bow ever crafted. I dare say its arrows could even puncture the immortal plane! In two days my arrows will be complete and I will end this nightmare!”
The great hall was silent as the broad shouldered man and his beautiful wife left the building.
“You did not tell me that is why you created that abomination! You will draw the ire of the heavens if your plans succeed!” Laylah yelled through clenched teeth when they arrived at home.
“What do you know? What does it matter if the heavens come down? If I don’t do this we will all die anyway.” He stated only half paying attention to his wife. He sat down to finish crafting his nine arrows.
“What do I know? What do I know!!?” Her voice increasing in volume. “I know that if he looks at you nothing good will come of it.”
“If who looks at me?” Daniel passively questioned.
Laylah seethed in anger. “See! You do not even know of your enemy. The Immortal Emperor that is who!”
The two days quickly passed and the young man became a hero. His nine arrows flew true striking down nine of the ten suns. Daniel quickly rose to prominence and took the kingdom’s throne for himself.
In power Laylah’s husband changed. A dark hunger grow in his belly. No one dared stand before him for he was the man who could slay the sun, a killer of gods. He was not satisfied with his accomplishments, he lusted for more power and he waged war on rest of humanity. He committed atrocious acts to his enemies and enslaved the survivors.
One day he finally had what he warred and killed for, the ingredients to create the elixir of Immortality. He quickly summoned the Great Immortal Pharmacist.
“Laylah, I finally have it! With this we can be together forever!” Daniel handed her a pill.
“This is a pill of Immortality! This is what you slaughtered for? You still dare to defy the heavens!” She desperately cried.
Angered Daniel responded. “Heavens? What could they do to me? I will rise to the Immortal Plane and conquer it as well.”
“You fool. Can you not see you have already lost? Under the Jade Emperor’s eyes you were deemed unworthy. You have been twisted and turned cruel.” A dagger that had been meant for her husband appeared from her sleeve. She turned and plunged the dagger into the Pharmacist who had been standing behind her.
She swallowed the pill. Tears ran down her face as she watched her beloved husband fall to his knees.
“What have you done? Don’t you know who he was? He was the Great Immortal Pharmacist, he was the only one who knew how to create the elixir of Immortality.”
Laylah reached out to caress her husband’s cheek. “I know who he was my dear husband but the Jade Emperor will not allow your rage in the Immortal Plane. You would only bring death and ruin to all of humanity.”
Hatred burned in Daniel’s eyes as he looked up to his wife. “YOU! I WILL KILL YOU!”
Daniel reached out to grab his wife but it was too late, Laylah had already leapt from the throne room window.
Laylah’s descent to the ground slowed until she stopped completely and began to rise into the sky. She was high in the sky by the time Daniel had retrieved his great bow. He fired at her without success.
“Laylah! I will hunt you down for all eternity!” Daniel yelled in vain.
Laylah floated in the sky towards the Immortal Plane but she was not allowed in. She was still banished instead her flight came to a stop as she landed on the moon.
-------------------
“Rumors say that the jerk of a husband ascended to the sun to chase his wife for all eternity but I would like to believe he died poor and alone and probably covered in his own filth.” Michelle concluded her story.
“That poor woman, so she’s up there all alone?” Otis pointed to the sky.
“You’re not supposed to point at her it’s bad luck!” Michelle pushed Otis’s hand down and continued. “Well legend also says that there were two other inhabitants that were imprisoned on the moon. One was the rabbit who sold humanity the recipe for the elixir of immortality and the other was a man who failed at becoming an Immortal and was sentenced to chop down some immortal tree.”
“Why could they not just allow her into heaven again? She only broke a stupid jar. I have broken hundreds of things.” Milo asked as he wiped the tears from his furry cheeks.
Michelle just shrugged in response.
“Man your story is totally better than mine.” Dan complained.
End of Chapter Stats and Skill Updates.
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Shadow Affinity (20/100)
Ability to use Shadow Magic
- Increased Affinity will increase efficiency and knowledge of Shadow Magic
- Increases Shadow Resistance
Aura Sense (39/100)
- Increased Sense of Animals, Humanoids and Monsters with Malicious Intent
- Acute Awareness of Location, Distance and Species will increase as Aura Sense is improved
Author's Note
I will also be releasing a side story soon. It will consist of Dan's Campfire story. This way people can skip it if they would like to but who knows it might be relevant to the story as a whole.