The one-armed, stick-bearing zombie shambled around the room, devoid of enrichment. At the end of its walks it turned in random directions as if lost in thought, never dropping it's stick, so loyally grasped...
"Break that block" I ordered, lining up a selection. The zombie turned on a dime and began bashing uncoordinatedly at the cyan square outline on the wall, cracks slowly beginning to form. Lacking the mana to help it at this point, I instead turned my attention smaller, sharper. first to the 2x2x2 cube that contained both zombie and stone, then to the zombie's head and torso, then smaller still. As I did, an orb? cube? solidified into view in the zombie's torso. My focus shook from tightness, like a muscle at full power. Though seemed to relax as I heard the oh so wonderful chime.
Skill: Selection has risen to level 2.
The orb became clearer and more stable. Enough to focus on, and conjure another status window for my efforts.
Zombie Hungry dead, animated by magic. 20/20 HP 3/3 MP
Attack: C
Defense: D
Equipment
Stick
Speed: E
Mind: F
Effects:
One arm
Special: Endurance, zombie curse
Dungeon
Scarlet Brimstone
The status window was rotten-meat grey, and I could have sworn it stank. Which was weird, I thought, considering it was the first smell I had smelled since my arrival.
A few minutes later, the cobblestone lay broken, vanished without a trace. The zombie worked quickly for real life standards but slow for game ones, but pointing it around and watching it work was better than staring at my mana count like a hawk. It had ticked up to five, still at 26 an hour, when I focused.
My will thinned. Sharpened. Poked towards the mossy stone. It cycled. Sharpened again. Dug bit by bit. My will against the cube of rock mirrored me against the world. Under-armed to deal with the problem yet too stubborn to let that stop me. I was going to-
tiktiktiktiktik-kohh.
Over the past half-minute, all my mana disassembled the block into a small spinning cube, drawn towards my core and absorbed. My status window grew, new line near the bottom showing me I in fact still had this mossy cobblestone, but another change caught my eye.
Mana gain 25 / hour
"Am I leaking?" I thought. I wasn't leaking very fast, and was still getting a zombie-traversable view into the world.
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Until something in my mind fell into place.
"Extend this tunnel." I ordered the single-armed zombie. It turned with duty, and shambled towards the hole in the stone I made. It raised it's stick, slamming the end of it down like an icepick. I turned my attention elsewhere, Observation stretching just past my own edges as my zombie worked. My mana ticked up as the minutes blurred together, tunnel three blocks long when I heard the notification.
Skill: Observation has risen to level 2.
I felt a vibrating sensation like overly loud bass from ahead, along the walls leading to where my zombie dug. Twinge of panic rising, I reached out to order it back to where i could at least see. It stumble-ran in, look of fear mistakable on it's face. I somehow felt a draft, knowing I wasn't alone in here. A large pink nose poked it's way into my field of observation, plan forming when I remembered how blind they were.
"Hold it back I'm doing something smart" I ordered. The zombie who really needed a name threw itself forward, stick locking with the mouth of the mole like a dog playing tug of war.
Skill Acquired: Command
Yeah thanks system chime.
I focused my own will, with more difficulty this time, on digging out the cobblestone block right behind the zombie to make a crude tripping hazard. And as if on cue, the mole wrenched it's way past, knocking the zombie to the wall with a crack. I focused my Observation on it, seeing the push alone knocked off a fifth of it's life and the staggered condition explain the sudden pause in movement.
"Right here ya big bastard!" I yelled at the mole, hoping it would fall for my trap. It's nose seemed to straighten, path moving for me when it slipped, teetering on the edge of the improvised pit.
"Bash it." I ordered the zombie. It was already advancing on the mole, and raised its arm and a half up in a comedic gesture of imminent violence. The mole regained it's footing, only to be thudded from behind by the zombie's forearm. The mole officially lost balance, slamming to the side of the floor and trying to turn around when it took a stick stab from the side. The mole lashed out with it's large, metallic claws, twisting it's body and striking my zombie down his stomach and one leg with a triple-row slash. The zombie, undeterred, fell in a plunging stab towards the mole, stick striking in deep enough for me to want to close my eyes.
A single bite finished off the mole, as my zombie slowly pulled itself from the pit i dug.
Your zombie has slain: Giant mole. +16 EXP.
Level has risen to 2. New block available for selection.
Level has risen to 3. Perk point gained.
I shouted in victory at the jump in power.
My status window:
Scarlet Brimstone, Monster room Core Attributes Skills Actions Level 3 / 4 Observation 2/10 Spawn Zombie 20 mana EXP 16 / 27 Patience 2/10 Conjure block 10-10 mana Mana 5 / 120 Selection 2/10 Break block 1-5 mana Mana gain 25 / hour Command 1/10 Place block 1 mana Perk Points 1 Perks: Well-armed. Inventory: 1x mossy cobblestone Expand Status Window by trial and error Monsters: 1x one-armed zombie