Jack: Ugh...
(This is one brutal headache!) Slowly getting up from the cold floor, I noticed that I had dried blood on me. A little panicked I used my phone camera and found out it was from my nose and eyes. By the date I was out more than a day and a half (08:25). Washing myself a bit everything looked normal, the only weird feeling was a lingering headache and a great thirst, quenched only afte 3 bottles of water.
After rummaging in the medical supplies found some aspirins, took 2 of those. Sat down on one of the metal chairs, besides the desk in front of the monitors and started eating while looking at the screens. Not the tastiest food I ever had, but they were emergency supplies. God knows for how long they have been stored here.
My relaxed state came to an abrupt end. The time I was out things changed yet again. The creatures were slightly different, nests were build out of everything you could find in the mall. But the most surprising thing was a small stand in the middle of the mall with shining signs "Dungeon Shop" and "Safe Zone"... run by a skeleton.
Jack: Why am I even surprised ?!!(I have to check that place out, but before that I have some unfinished business.)
Calling " Character " again I was greeted by the same window as yesterday, then I touched status points and a new blue winow made its appearance.
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Status WindowName:Jack SilversAlignment:NeutralLevel:3Class:LockedRace:HumanGender:MaleTitlesNoneHealth:99%Psionic energy:100%Stamina:100%Mana:lockedAgility:12Vitality:10Cerebral speed:15Cerebral power:21Mental resistance:25Luck:109 status pointsAbilities:Accel;Growth x 3;Down the Rabbit HoleSkills:Boxing:Level 1Magic:none
Stats will be unlocked by difrent actions the same with skills, magics or abilities.
( So a migraine is 1% of "health"...) Each stat has a short explanation upon accessing it with a simple touch or thought, as I found out yesterday.
I distribute my points equally between cerebral speed, power and mental resistance, bringing them 18, 24 and 28 respectively, with the hope that yesterday episode doesn't repeat itself.
After that I started getting my gear in order for a small trip to the "new shop".
Besides my uniform and boots I had a taser, a pair of cuffs, an expendable baton and a pepper spray. They were effective against a human, hopefully they can at least help out a bit. Nothing really in the direction of a real wapond in the panic room, besides my abilities as I discovered in the experiments yesterday.
I knew that help was probably not coming, so it was up to me to figure things out from here on. I was very tempted to use my new ability to escape the dungeon, by teleporting out, but yesterdays message hunted my mind...worst case scenario I could instantly die or be cursed in the best case scenario. For now this plan of escape was put on hold.
Jack: Slow and steady... No reason to rush, an advantage of the Apocalypse... ahahahaaaa...
Shaking my head and dark thoughts away, I activated "Down the Rabbit Hole". Opening an elongated black circle, which swirled in a hypnotic way, you could see traces of beautiful blue nuances if you looked closely. The other was opened successfully outside the room as a monitor showed. There was no hesitation in exiting this way. I was pretty familiar with how the psionic ability worked, my "accident" that happened yesterday was due to pushing the limits. Fourtunatly my recklessness was rewarded with a lot of ways of how to use the power, but also when to stop. If I followed a few rules I could use this ability without any negative effects on me.
As I exited, now I was pretty close to the shop, in neutral territory, I assumed so because no lair was build in the centre of the mall. Deciding to confront a few creatures on my way there I set my sights on the "outcasts" as I called them, they were mutilated and wounded creatures feeding and fighting over the scraps of yesterdays carnage, they were chased out of the territories most likely.
On this blood stained floor, and breathing this nauseating air that could only be described as the smell of death I started my hunt.
My first target was a giant rat, which was missing half a face and an entire back leg.
Jack: OK here I go!
I took my baton out, with the pepper spray for any eventuality and activated my psionic ability. A hole opened in front of me and at the same time in the distance one opened underneath the rat, sucking him in until he was half between the two positions in space and time. The rat looked at me and I looked at him, before he could do something else I forcefully closed the holes quick. The shrinking black circles divided the creature in two killing it instantly. In the fraction of a few seconds one of the creatures I feared meet its end. The same as the lizard yesterday it dissapired leaving behind 7 coins and...
Congratulations!!! You have reached Level 6!
(So this guy was higher level than the lizard from yesterday.)
This kill attracted a lot of unwanted attention from the creatures. Quickly I distributed my points between cerebral speed, power and mental resistance.
Jack: Come on!!!
The yell was not my best idea, triggered by a mix of adrenaline and fear. To my surprise half of the outcasts ran away while half ran towards me responding to my provocation. The second target was the largest one, a centipede, the third and fourth were snakes, their forms made it easy to use my ability on them. Eliminating next an beetle, two lizards and a one legged frog, I was left with an annoying jumping spider that got closer and closer. The creepy creature had some way of avoiding my ability with extreme precision and I had no desire to turn this into close combat, but things don't always go as smoothly as you want them.
Jack: Fuck!!! If it dosen't work on you...
Opening a hole at my back I teleported in the opposed direction, by walking backwards. After turning around I saw the outcast confused, but I noticed something else. Didn't take long for it to find me, but by that time I used the psionic ability teleporting above the spider and dropping on its already cracked exoskeleton. A disgusting sound reverberated in the area, at the same time the creature twitched a few times before dissapiring leaving behind some coins, a sword and some gooey substance on my boots. That was a stupid way to teleport.( Walking backwards?!) I had a much better way, but the pressure exerted by those 8 eyes caused me to make an error.
Congratulations!!! You have reached level 14!
"Class" has been unlocked!
No Classes avaible
Truthfully I was amazed. What levels did these creatures have?!
I tried checking, but no luck so far the same with the coins and the loot I received a short sword, a knife and an orb. Quite easy to collect using my ability, truly versatile. For the moment I decided to save my stat points and got back to the original task at hand.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
I looked around and no signs of any creatures, thus I proceed walking to the dungeon shop.
All in all, I felt pleased with myself for coming out of this without a scratch.
The shop seemed like any other, a bit on the small side to be more precise. The standing skeleton with glowing blue eyes was extremely surreal. On guard I approached slowly, this was a big risk, but one I was willing to take given my options so far. In all honesty he looked less scary thant those mutated animals, still weirder by far. (How do those bones stick to one another ?!)
As I got in arm distance of the shop I was greeted by a message.
You have entered a safe zone.
Before another torrent of questions assaulted my mind the silence was broken, by the skeleton.
Skeleton: Welcome.. to Star Mall Grand Dungeon Shop..for being the first to visit you have a 50% discount.. my name is Granzutzs'oghr Balgorin Azustefu'ions the fifth...With what can I help you .. today?
The greeting took me of guard also his weird way of speaking, plus... that name ...(How the Fuck!!! do you expect me to pronounce it?!?!?) Currently I'm trying to not piss of the walking skeleton, but he isn't making this any easier.
Jack: Hello I'm Jack. Currently I have a difficulty pronouncing your name can I address you in a different way?
Skeleton:......You can call me Mr. Bones, that is my nickname...
( What a poker face!!! Having no actual face and that weird voice made him difficult to read. Was he angry?! Did he say Mr. Bones, in a sarcastic way?! I can't fucking tell! )
Jack: Thank you Mr. Bones! I hope you don't mind the inconvenience.
Mr. Bones: No problem..happens all the time..
(Then why the long silence before?!)No good I'm getting off track here.
Jack: So what do you sell here Mr Bones?
Mr. Bones: Look to your left...that is the current stock.
A list appeared on the wall, in English, with different things including their pictures and prices, also my discount was showed. It was long and I could move it up and down by touching two arrows. There were to many unknowns, but some were like in classic RPGs like: mana potions, swords, scrolls, while others had a sci-fi fell to them like: laser pistols, space suit.
To many choices, not enough money probably also...
Jack: Can you tell me about the new currency?
After showing him the two types of coins I have, he gave me an explanation. Long story short:
* Copper coins- lowest form of currency
* Silver coin=10 copper coins
* Gold coin=10 silver coins
* Mithril coin=100 gold coins
* Orichalcum coin=10 mithril coins
* Adamantium coin=10 orichalcum coins- highest form of currecy
By the way I had 3 gold coins and 59 silver coins and 0 copper ones. Surprising fact Grand Dungeons are to high level to drop copper coins I don't know if I should be happy or sad about this...
Finding this well of information I started a session of Q&A. Some were answered without a problem while the majority were: "I'm not allowed to answer.", " I can't answer.","I'm forbidden to answer.", these were extremely fishy. While a small amount of questions were given even weirder answers: "To early of a stage to answer.","Not the minimum required level to answer.","You can't comprehend yet."... simply put the last one was an insult. Most of the answers he could give was about his stock, safety zones and the best about the creatures on the first floor. For now I kinda run out of questions and his answers, mostly zero, were kind of depressing.
Jack: Do you have any advice for me?
This was the last question and hopefully I would get something good. I left one gold coin on the counter. This was risk, but a calculated one that was rewarded most of the time in games and unfortunately also in reality. I put my hopes on Mr.Bones greed...hook, line and sinker. He took it without an ounce of hesitation and pulled out a bag. Taking a few objects out he lined them on the counter, not one of those were on the list as I looked to my left.
Mr. Bones: Every shop has a few special items.. they are extremely rare drops ..and even harder to find them in other shops.. if not impossible.. the shop owner can disclose them only if he wants.
( JackPot!!!)
Mr. Bones: From your left to right.. :
1. "unlocking potin"-grade epic-can unlock mana, psionic ability or an advance form of physical energy.. If you have a minimum.. latent talent ..takes usually a day. 2 gold coins
2. " Arzaudian dagger"-grade rare- catalyst for casting magic and short ranged weapond.. can auto-repair by inserting mana. 5 gold coins
3. " Arzaudian Mage Tome"-grade rare- basic magic guide to get familiar to magic and mana. 10 gold coins
4. " Arzaudian Battle Mage Tome"-grade epic- pure mana spells used by the elite magic squad of the Arzaudian Empire. 25 gold coins
5. " Geraso Divination Compass"-grade rare- can show positions of anything it's master wishes.. needs to be constantly infused with mana during the use, .. doesn't work in strongly warded areas. 10 gold coins
(Magic...Hell Yeah!!!)
Jack: For now I'll take the unlocking potion, two medium health regeneration potions and can you please appraise these 3 items.
Mr.Bones: 2 gold coins.. and 43 silvers.. verify the products..
He touched the items then showed me 3 windows, then another 3 for the items I bought.
Steel Short SwordRarity:CommonState:Perfectly NewA simple, sturdy steel short-sword. Nothing in particular special.
Fang knifeRarityUncommonState:NewKnife made from the fang of a danger beast lighter than iron, but it's slashing, piercing and durability dosen't fall behind iron.
Swordsmanship Skill OrbRarity:CommonGrants the basic knowledge of swordsmanship.
Medium Regeneration PotionRarity:CommonQuality:HighCan regenerate light internal damage, fractures and also external wounds.
Medium Regeneration PotionRarity:CommonQuality:HighCan regenerate light internal damage, fractures and also external wounds.
Unlocking PotionRarity:EpicQuality:Extremely HighItem which unlocks latent potential. Different effects for each subject. No negative effect can occur when consuming this potion. Needs around 24 hours to take effect.
Jack: Thanks ! How do I use the orb?
Mr Bones: Just break it ..in your hand..
After that I said my farewells and teleported back to the panic room. I planed to hunt a little, but the outcasts were in hiding and I wasn't ready to face the creatures... yet. Seeing I didn't have anything else better to do I decided to train. Took the unlocking potion, tasted a bit fruity and broke the orb.
You have acquired Swordsmanship Level 1
Instantly forms and moves entered my mind. The rest of the day I spend training with the short-sword together with "Accel". But my mind was on magic...even with all the bad news I got today this simple thought filled me with energy. ( Being in this dungeon may be a blessing in disguise, considering what I heard from Mr.Bones today.)
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