If I had a fist, it would pump in victory. So instead I compensated by a Tremor Stomp to the cave ceiling nearby.
I could not believe how I kept my composure throughout that exchange. The display of power was so forceful that the system took notice, and granted me the fuel for the second half.
Skill: Command has risen to level 3. Can now assign monsters as allies.
The bluff about having any zombies to call off, the foot-in-the-door practice with the slime ally, and now the fuel to test out infusion weapons. Despite having a clear explanation of how I worked, I had no explanation of my new spells. And of course was hoping that Drain Blood didn't kill my new... test subject.
Above all of those, however, was Dark Deal. As it only cost one mana, on par with a basic attack or a placing a block, I knew it couldn't be too harmful. But instead of doing anything directly, it opened a dark trade window. I used to see these all the time in MMO's, and this barebones one fit the bill.
When she accepted, I felt my mind shift. Felt a nagging, tugging, wrenching desire to satisfy conditions of the deal. Just as her behavior changed from this tandem mind control. I only had a quarter of the mana I needed for a thirst rune, so decided to stretch my observation upwards to the tunnel
My field moved first quickly, then slowly, as if drawn by a rubber band. It swooped past the mole-tunnel up, past several smaller tunnels, and into the wider cave mouth. Diagonal light flowed in from an unknown sun, casting actual brightness on... moles and mushrooms. I strained to hold myself in the position, using this improvised nature for documentary as a distraction One was eating the other, and no prizes for guessing which. And as I watched them for a while, I felt a sudden loosening of the tension.
Skill: Observation has risen to level 4.
I dragged my field of perception back, seeing I had timed my mana delay perfectly. Twenty was just enough, and I went to inscribing.
It was like carving with a sentient chisel. I couldn't tell you what the rune looked like from the beginning, but I could tell you where to stab next. every focus of my will on the slatestone was marked. Guided. Preordained.
Skill: Inscription has risen to level 1.
...Yet still looked shoddy. It was literally my first rune so I couldn't expect much, but I knew I could make something that a rune that looked halfway between a stickfigure black hole and a metal album cover. When I had more mana I'd try again, but something else caught my attention. Specifically, the dark slime happily hopping beside my first warlock. I focused on it, converging the edges of my vision to extract information
Dark Slime Abyssal sludge 10/10 HP 10/10 MP
Attack: E
Defense: E
Equipment
None
Speed: F
Mind: D+
Effects
None
Spells: None
Owner
Rose Terryn
Special: None
Dungeon
Scarlet Brimstone
This was just insulting to the poor slime. No special properties and a description that sounded like what an angry nerd would call anyone he didn't like. As I looked, two new fields caught my eye. Spells and owner. Assuming this was honest, I sent her another Dark Deal.
Trade offer You receive I receive A greeting from me (Hi Rose! Just checking if this works) A wave of the arm
Rose jolted upright and waved her arm, saying something I seemed to lack the ability to hear. She said something to her dark slime soon after and started to get going, so I knew I had to move fast. To analyze her sword and shield.
Iron short sword Attack damage 1d6 Durability 210/250 Attack speed 20
Skill: Selection has risen to level 3. Can now identify runes on Selected items.
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
Iron Shield Defense value 2 Durability 52/250 Weight 3 Runes None
This was... somewhat helpful. Attack damage, attack speed, defense value, and weight had no units, but those values were suspiciously familiar. The runes however caught most of my attention. Were runes that important to the system they'd be showed alongside the damage, speed, and literal hit points of a piece of gear? Or were they the only important secondary effect the system was letting me see?
The reasons didn't matter as much as what I could do. I didn't think I could stall her for an hour, so reluctantly had to let her leave.
But not before hurling one final Dark Deal at her from below. It arced through the air, striking the back of Rose's mind with unerring accuracy
Trade offer You receive I receive The bound equipment tomorrow Silence about our deals
I could feel Rose's acceptance run back through the mental harpoon-connection, and was satisfied.
Skill: Patronage has risen to level 2.
Rose's shadow flickered into view, leaving for a second time as she want back to wherever she lived. A place with more humans, and also defenses. I had killed one them via zombie not even two hours ago, and I needed to buy myself time to raise my defenses. If a short sword would do 3 or 4 damage every time it hit me, plus any sort of bonus from strength, then I'd fall down in an estimated ten hits. Even if I could kill them in one hit, it would take only four or five guys with basic blades to empty my life force.
Of course, they could only hit me if they could reach me.
For a while, I rested. Built up mana. And of course, planned out how to best defend my fragile core.
My status window:
Scarlet Brimstone, Blood altar. Core Attributes Skills Actions Life force 60 / 60 Observation 4/10 Infuse equipment 50 mana Spawn Monster 20 mana Mana 20 / 200 Patience 3/10 Conjure block 5-10 mana Break block 1-5 mana Mana gain 55 / Hour Command 3/10 Corrosive shot 3 mana EXP 0 / 55 Selection 3/10 Cantrips (1 mana) Runes 1/8 Level 1 / 9 Patronage 2/10 Place block Drain blood Thirst rune x1 20 mana Perk Points 0 Inscription 1/10 Poison Spray Tremor Stomp Range rune x0 10 mana Dark deal Summon Monsters Conjure Blocks Spawn: Imp (30), Zombie (20), Dark slime (10) Stone brick (2), Cobweb (5), mossy cobblestone (10) Monsters: None Inventory: empty Perks: Well-armed (monster), Blackening magic (zombie), Arcane tutor (magic) Expand Status Window by trial and error