Little mouse.
Kendrick’s words followed me long after he had spoken them. Long after I’d left the man far behind if my Blindsense was telling the truth this time. He’d escaped the clutches of the skill only moments earlier. Why now was his aura on display?
Little mouse.
I skidded to a halt in the mud and bent, almost dropping my sword as I clutched my wobbling knees and gasped for breath. My Fatigue was drained now and would take an ungodly long time to replenish with both my Health and Magicka still trying to do the same thing. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d drained them all like that.
Little mouse.
I growled and reached up, scrubbing the heel of my hand against my bald patch, trying to force the damn words out of my head. I didn’t need the taunting to know I was playing this game all wrong. How many times did people stronger than me have to throw it in my face until I let it sink in?
It should be an easy thing to utilize my skills and use that experience to gain levels and skill upgrades. That was what they wanted me to do. It is what I should have been doing this entire time. Yet I clutched to a few specific skills and used them and only them. Being cast into the Shadow Realm for my overuse of the Shadow Rush skill was proof enough of that.
Muttering a string of my best swear words I pressed my fingers to the three lines tattooed on my inner wrist, glaring at the window that flashed up in front of my face. I needed a reminder. One that I would drive into the forefront of my brain if it killed me. My skills were laid out in front of me.
Animal charmer
Animals now find you 10% less offensive. Only effective against noncombative animals.
Magic Resistance (II)
Clearly, you have not improved in your ability to avoid being hit with magic. That is something you should probably work on before it kills you. No seriously, being hit by magic is bad, avoiding magic is good. Do you understand?
Effects: Passive. Magic spells are now 5% less effective
Pickpocket
While unseen the option to view other players' held goods is now available to you. Be cautious though; looking is fine but touching may cause your head to decorate a pike.
Enhanced Shadow Eye
Hiding spots shown as glimmering silver sparkles will now appear to you at a greater range. If you look deeper you’ll see more secrets than just places to hide. Unique or hidden loot will now appear as golden sparkles. Perception increased by 5 points when skill is active.
Golden Tongue (I)
Merchants now offer you better pricing on goods based on the player's charisma skill so long as you don’t piss them off. Be warned Golden Tongue is a temperamental skill and can be lost as easily as it was given.
Gnome Tongue
You have learned an intermediate level of the guttural language the gnomes speak. You can now communicate effectively enough to ask for directions to the library with a dusting of swear words thrown in.
Evasion
Passive skill. Through trial and error, you have gained an otherworldly ability to sense danger. This talent allows the thief to better evade physical attacks. +15% chance to dodge physical attacks. +20% to avoid physical effects such as Knockdown and Stun.
Identify
The Ranger develops the ability to look upon an object or person and see the value they hold hidden within. The amount of information available is dictated by player level and perception.
Poison Resistance (I)
Because you are an idiot and seem to be incapable of avoiding being poisoned on a regular basis, your body has become accustomed to the feeling of your own blood trying to kill you. This is not a reward for your idiocy, this is simply nature trying to preserve your life for some weird reason. Maybe it's performing an unethical experiment on you or something.
15% increase to poison resistance. Effects of active poisoning have been reduced by 10% while health is 25% or greater.
Alchemy (XI)
Nothing brings an Alchemist greater pleasure than mixing together herbs, flowers, minerals, vitriols, and spirits to create valuable potions or deadly poisons. Be warned, without obtaining Alchemy Mastery potions still have a high chance of blowing up in your face should they fail.
80% potion crafting success rate.
Blink
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Move with greater speed when avoiding physical attacks. Boosted if the wielder possesses the Evasion skill.
Speed greatly enhanced for 5 seconds.
Shadow Pulse
A true rogue guides the battle so he always comes out on top. Never let your foes surround you. Let loose a wave of brutal force and push them back, ready for your well-placed backstab.
3-meter knockback on execution.
Grim Kiss
A kiss can make your toes curl and your heart skip a beat. This is not that kind of kiss. The purple glow will consume you. Plant your lips and inject your foes with a heart-stopping poison.
328 points poison damage.
Unrelenting Force
The shadows bow before you and pray for mercy. When activated, the dark spirits that roam the earth will do your bidding. Strength and duration of Unrelenting Force is determined by player level and Perception ability.
Requires the blessing of the Shadow Goddess to activate.
Master of Shadows
Once a day you can bring forth the power of your Goddess and command her followers that lurk in the darkest corners of your world. The Lady’s Force will replace your magicka pool for the duration of the skill effects. Skills that require magicka will become unavailable when Master of Shadows is active.
Requires the blessing of the Shadow Goddess to activate.
Shapeshifter (I)
With little more than a thought, the player can shapeshift into a level 1 creature. Duration of the shift is dictated by the player's Fatigue stat. +10 Endurance +10 Agility when active.
Requires the Ranger class to activate
Before I did anything else I called upon my Master of Shadows skill, reminded again just how powerful it was. My magicka might have been drained but with the shift to Lady’s Force, the bar was refilled. Shadow creatures materialized as Kendrick had, slipping from the shadows all around and awaiting their command.
“Find Stella and Sasye,” I demanded. “Keep the fox contained until I get there.”
Whether it was shadows speaking or the wind whistling through the trees I was not sure. The sound was gone before I could make much sense of it. It didn’t matter though; the shadows would do as I had commanded.
Next, I cast Unrelenting Force, welcoming back the blob-like shadow creature as he dropped from the shadowy branches above. Boopzy chittered angrily at the creature but it was unbothered as it lifted in my cupped hands, tilting its top half like a dog might tilt its head.
“Do you know Kendrick Nox?” I asked the creature. When it bobbed its head up and down I continued, “I need you to find him and slow him down, whatever it takes. He can’t catch up to me. Do you understand?”
The blob nodded again before slithering from my fingers and dropping to the ground. It rolled over the mud, disappearing into the depths of the swamp that I’d left behind in my mad rush to get here.
I smiled. For the first time, it felt like I had regained some control over this messed-up game within a game we seemed to be playing. I returned to perusing my list of skills. Many of them would be no help in this situation. My language skills and even my resistance were of no direct use. Animal Charmer would have been an advantage if all the animals aside from Boopzy were not frozen in place. I cursed myself for the missed opportunity to Pickpocket Jitta when she was frozen in my arms.
That kind of thing was exactly what Kendrick and even the Witch of Evermore had been talking about. Pickpocketing the woman hadn’t even crossed my mind and yet if I had, I might have gained better equipment and resources to help me succeed. A silly and needlessly sentimental mistake that I would not repeat.
Shadow Pulse, Blink, Evasion, and Enhanced Shadow Eye were immediately useful to me. Evasion was passive and would help me without the need to think about it. Enhanced Shadow Eye offered me places to hide if my shadow blob failed to keep Kendrick at bay or if Jitta escaped from her paralysis. Shapeshifter might have come in very handy as well if I hadn't just completely drained my Fatigue. It was just another example of my acting without thinking.
I navigated back into my inventory window to eye off the equipment I did have. There were more than I thought, many of which I had completely forgotten about. Just another reason to kick my own ass.
Buried deep in my inventory in a forgotten pocket were the Golden Hoops of Piracy I’d received long ago. Ignoring the threat of a phantom haunting me I plucked the pair from my bum bag and screwed up my face. The sting of the tiny rod of metal piercing my once virgin earlobes had my jaw clenched so tight I thought it might crack. With bloodied fingers I withdrew, breathing through the pain with my new ridiculous decorations in place. The fifteen percent bonus to loot drops would make it worth it. Something I should have utilized since the moment I received them.
I know. I’m a dumbass. No need to keep prodding me with that one.
The hoops were not the only item I’d received and done nothing with. I dug back in eyeing each miniature depiction until I found one that stood out; the Rodent Relic.
Much like the Spriggan Wraith Heart this item would enhance another if I placed it in an available upgrade slot. My only options for that right now were my sword, my amulet, and the Obsidian Dagger I rarely used.
I held up my blade, turning it over in my hands. I had already given it a token to make it stronger, would adding another be the right move?
Cursing under my breath I chose the amulet, slotting the relic in place and enhancing the already useful necklace. With the amulet and now the earrings, I was about ready to attend a ball. I navigated back to my amulet and read the latest description.
Amulet of Deepening Shadow
Description: Created by a wizard who simply wanted to disappear from the greedy clutching hands of entitled people seeking his magic, this amulet will allow the wearer to turn invisible. Ability to activate the spell and the duration of it are linked to the wearer's magicka pool. Upgraded with the boon of the Rodent.
Effect: Invisibility, Agility +5, Perception +5, Endurance +2
While I was in my inventory I took out a handful of potions and downed them, coughing and spluttering when the taste grew fouler and fouler until my stomach roiled in rebellion. The upset was worth it as I watched all three of my key resources refilling. Granted, they didn’t make it even halfway back to full but it was better than the small amount I’d had left in each. My potions outside of poisons might not be impressive but they were still helpful regardless.
A rough hand grabbed my throat and yanked me forward. I yelped as my character menu flickered and disappeared, replaced by Kendrick’s furious gaze.
“Get this thing off my foot before I lodge the boot and the thing up your ass,” he snarled, painting my face with an uncomfortable amount of spittle.
My eyes flicked down, spotting the shadow glob yanking at Kendrick’s bootstrings. I smirked, dragging my eyes back up to meet the gaze of my so-called Master.
“What, don’t you like my friend?” I asked.
“Enough of this. I expected so much more from you. Disappointed doesn’t even begin to cover the way I’m feeling right now. Say goodbye to your precious puppy.”
I did it without thinking. I Blinked and the world slowed just enough for me to push forward further into Kendrick’s grip. He wanted me to use every skill I had and so I would. A bright purple haze surrounded me as I planted my lips hard against Kendrick’s warm mouth.