Hermera
The 22nd of Elaphebolion
The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals
Arche’s hands were drenched in blood. He stared at the unconscious woman in front of him, trying to figure out what to do. He couldn’t carry her, the jostling of forest travel would no doubt kill her. He couldn’t leave her, either. They were in unfamiliar territory and he didn’t know the way back to the village. He had no map, no weapons other than his knife and hers, and no equipment other than the blood-stained pants he wore. The sky was overcast, obscuring any hopes of telling the time of day other than that night had yet to fall. Despite the level-up curing his hangover, Arche still hadn’t had a sip of water and had a horrible case of cottonmouth, which was exacerbated by the metallic taste of blood from the fight with the mantikhoras.
He was also still envenomated.
A glance at his vitals showed that he’d dropped over a hundred health, but he’d also gained back eighty Mana. Paying careful attention, he activated Divine Body for a single second. His Health shot up as his Mana plummeted. Checking his vitals again showed another surprising development.
Health: 364 / 420
87%
Stamina: 280 /280
100%
Mana: 18 / 190
9%
Envenomated: 4:29:16
Using the Divine Body skill during the fight and to regain his Health had shaved over ten minutes off the timer of his Envenomated condition. He seemed to be getting health back at about the same rate he lost Mana while using the skill, but he was still losing Health faster than he was regenerating Mana. He closed his eyes, muttering as he counted.
“Twenty Health a minute. Sixteen Mana a minute. Aw, shit.”
Arche pulled open his profile and dumped all five attribute points into Wisdom.
Health: 359 / 420
85%
Stamina: 280 /280
100%
Mana: 20 / 190
11%
Strength: 29
Dexterity: 22
Agility: 20
Fortitude: 18
Endurance: 19
Intelligence: 19
Wisdom: 21
Willpower: 14
Perception: 16
Charisma: 18
Comeliness: 1
Luck: 11
A twenty in Wisdom would even out his Mana regeneration with his Health loss but there was no reason to take the risk. At twenty-one, he had a safety net. The faster he could activate Divine Body, the sooner the Envenomed condition would wear off.
The adrenaline from the fight dwindled, leaving his limbs cold and tired. Arche sat next to Theresa, Examining her again to reassure himself that she was still stabilized.
“You really know how to fuck up an assassination,” he muttered, chuckling darkly to himself.
She hadn’t regained consciousness. Not for the first time, Arche wished he knew magic. Real magic, not whatever facsimile of a skill he had was. He had no doubt there was magic out there that could heal injuries or cure conditions. His Divine Body skill, though incredible, seemed to only improve his own abilities and regeneration. He wondered, not for the first time, how he had even come to learn such a skill. The vast majority of his skills had been learned by stumbling onto them but each had been rather obvious to what he’d been doing at the time. Divine Body had activated in the middle of a fight and Arche still had no idea how it worked.
The skill was part of the ever-growing list of things for which he needed answers, the top of which was the truth behind his identity before he’d lost his memories. A small, worried part of him wondered if he actually existed. His first glimpse of life, a lightless, empty space where he had been prompted for his name and told he was entering Tartarus, was still fresh on his mind even though several weeks had passed.
The thought of being nothing before that moment was terrifying but he used idioms that no one else seemed to understand and, even though he himself wasn’t always entirely sure of their meanings, it had never felt like he’d come up with it on the spot. It was proof, however tenuous.
Theresa stirred. Her body convulsed, limbs thrashing, then her eyes shot open and she tried to sit up.
“Whoa, whoa, hey, take it easy.”
“What…happened?”
“You got attacked by a monster. I bandaged your wounds but I’m shit at it. Take it easy.”
Theresa grimaced then looked down at herself, taking stock of the state of her body and clothes.
“What happened to my pants?”
“What happened to my shirt?”
Theresa glanced up at him, taking in his bare chest.
“Fair enough.” She coughed, then gasped with pain. “How bad is it?”
“I’m not sure. You got scored pretty deep but I stabilized you. Hopefully you can recover enough to move, soon.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t leave me.”
“What good would that have done me? I don’t know the way back to town.”
“So you’re what? Going to get directions from me and leave me here for trying to kill you?”
“Shouldn’t I?”
The words came out more bitter than Arche intended but he watched her reaction carefully. She was an unknown and this whole business could have been orchestrated. It was unlikely, of course, but he couldn’t rule it out.
Theresa closed her mouth and dropped her eyes. Arche watched her for a moment longer, then stood and let her ruminate while he walked over and nudged the mantikhoras’s body with his foot. It had occurred to him that he hadn’t looted a body since Lyssa had shown him after a fight with wolves, several days earlier. He didn’t necessarily see anything of value on the mantikhoras, but in a world with invisible inventory space, he supposed that he wouldn’t necessarily see what the creature carried with it. The contact made between the two and Arche’s desire to view the creature’s inventory was enough to open up a translucent window with what the monster had on it when it died.
Rakor’s Inventory
3x Kilograms Wolf Meat
(Raw)
6x Liters Mantikhoras Blood
(Requires container)
Mantikhoras Hide
Mantikhoras Tail Stinger
2x Mantikhoras Wing
24x Mantikhoras Claws
Arche’s brows rose. It seemed most of the mantikhoras itself had been flagged as a usable resource. The wolf meat had likely been saved as a meal, which Arche was grateful for as it meant he wouldn’t have to cook and eat the mantikhoras if they couldn’t make it back to the village by a reasonable time. The blood would have to be wasted since he didn’t have anything to carry it in, but the other usable parts were free game. Perhaps someone in the village could turn them into something useful.
Arche hesitated as his eyes landed on the mantikhoras’s slack face.
Harvesting a clearly intelligent creature seemed wrong but to leave it was an utter waste. Maybe some good would come of the encounter. If the gear Arche could make with it saved lives, not the least of which his own, then it would be a worthy sacrifice, his own scruples be damned.
It was a savage world. He had to get used to it. More than that, he needed to take every advantage if he was going to survive. Those with power took what they wanted from those without. That part wasn’t a surprise. What really surprised him was how forthcoming they were about it. It was equal parts refreshing and terrifying. Despite Lyssa’s constant warnings that Tartarus did not look favorably upon the weak or the hesitant, the extent and ease at which people rose to violence was still shocking.
Arche supposed, if he had to be fair, that he also rose quickly to violence and carried it out past what was probably necessary. The monster—Rakor, he reminded himself—lying dead at his feet was proof enough of that. He wasn’t sure if the barbarity of the world was having an influence on him or if this was the way he always was, but it didn’t have to be the way he always would be. When he was strong enough to be different, maybe he could make that choice.
Arche attempted to move the items over to his inventory but was met by a prompt.
Warning!
You are attempting to automatically harvest materials that are too high for your Skinning skill. Harvesting these items in this way will severely degrade the items’ quality and durability.
Do you wish to continue?
Yes
No
“Nope,” Arche said aloud, immediately closing out the prompt and leaving the materials where they were.
Skinning wasn’t a skill he’d learned, yet. He had some skill notifications waiting for him but a quick glance showed none of them helped here. Still, if he was going to collect these items and already had a severe penalty for doing things the easy way, he might as well get his dirty hands dirtier and try to learn something.
Arche pulled out his knife and held it loosely in one hand, trying to decide where to start. The hide was clearly the largest object and would take quite a bit of time. He decided to save it for last, hoping that the other parts would at least get him started in the right direction so he could take a chance at salvaging the hide. That left the tail, the wings, and the claws.
Arche moved to the tail, which had already been nearly severed from the encounter. He took the bulbous stinger of the tail in one hand and stared at it for a while, turning it over to look at it. Finally, he took the knife and finished cutting through the disturbingly fleshy tail, spilling a fresh gout of orange blood onto the ground. He was left holding a fairly heavy chunk of stinger, but he still felt he was missing something. Arche cut around the base of the stinger, rotating the blade around like he was carving fruit. More blood dripping onto his hands, but when he’d finished, he’d exposed a viscous sac at the base of the stinger. Narrowing his eyes, he Examined it.
Mantikhoras Venom Sac
Rarity: Epic
Potency: Strong
Durability: 1/1
Weight: 0.4 kilograms
Traits: ?
Examine has increased to Level 4.
+2% Examine Speed (+8%)
With excruciating care, Arche used the knife to sever the fleshy connections between the sac and the rest of the stinger. It took nearly twenty minutes, but he managed to extract the sac and a small tube that ran to the end of the stinger, no doubt how the venom was normally injected. He’d had to pause halfway through to use Divine Body, counting on the distance and the sunlight to mask the red glow but also not really caring whether Theresa saw. The assassin didn’t even glance in his direction. As Arche held the sac, he carefully placed it into his inventory where he wouldn’t have to worry about it bursting.
You have learned a Skill.
Skinning — Level 3
There’s more than one way to skin a centaur.
Each level in this skill will improve your ability to harvest materials from slain creatures.
Every 5 levels in this skill improves your Dexterity by 1.
This is a subskill of Wilderness Survival.
+1% Speed of Harvest (+3%)
+2% Quality of Harvest (+6%)
You have learned a Skill.
Wilderness Survival — Level 3
You have taken your first steps toward being a true woodsman.
Each level in this skill helps your overall ability to survive in the great outdoors.
Every 5 levels in this skill improves your Wisdom by 1.
+2% Insulation (+6%)
+2% Durability of constructed shelters (+6%)
+1% Vitals regeneration in camp (+3%)
Two skills he hadn’t been taught and they had started at level three. Lyssa would be proud. More notifications flashed, waiting to be revealed, but Arche ignored them. There would be time enough to go over all his awaiting prompts from the battle, but for now he had skinning to do. He’d also have to build a cooking fire and prepare a shelter if Theresa wasn’t well enough to travel by the time he’d finished.
Arche got to work on the wings of the creature, feeling instinctively where the knife should cut in order to produce the best result. His command over the tool was hesitant but his Dexterity allowed him enough fine control that what few mistakes he made didn’t heavily degrade the quality of the wings. As he worked, he let his mind wander back to Theresa.
She had accepted Callias order to kill him, yes, but she hadn’t really followed through on it. She was capable, clearly. She’d lured him out and strung him up easily enough. The armor she wore wasn’t cheap, whatever it was, though it hadn’t been enough to save her from the Mantikhoras. A simple mercenary would be hard-pressed to have equipment like hers or be as high a level as she was.
Most of the guards that Arche had surreptitiously Examined in the village had averaged about level sixteen. Theresa was a higher level than Gigator and Elpida, and both of them struck Arche as people who’d been in more than their fair share of combat. That being said, it seemed the woman had less experience in the forest than Arche did and that didn’t bode well for either of them if they were forced into an extended stay. If he could make an ally out of her, it would be well worth the effort. Plus, it’d be a kick in the teeth for Callias.
That alone was worth the try.
Arche finished with the wings, each one granting him a level in both Skinning and Wilderness Survival, then started on the claws. He gave one an experimental tug, but it held fast. Separating them was going to take some careful work. His eyes wandered back to Theresa, who frowned at the ground and clutched her side. A myriad of emotions were etched into her face, readable without the need to meet her eyes. Foremost among them was fear.
Arche wouldn’t leave her behind.
She had tried to kill him, sure, and though it was a prospect he was still very much afraid of, he fully believed that if the mantikhoras had simply waited a few more seconds, she would have freed him. That had to count for something. If that made him a fool, so be it, but he couldn’t get back to the village without help. Besides, if he could convince her to go public about what Callias had paid her to do, that might be enough to turn people against the smug bastard.
Arche didn’t want Callias dead, per se, but he wouldn’t be much inclined to douse the man if Callias found himself on fire and the only water Arche had to hand was in his bladder. To kill Callias meant that any allies the man had would be able to come after him publicly and the ensuing power struggle over the village would probably end in the death of several people, potentially including Lyssa and Helwan, if not himself. In order to assure the survival of the village, Callias had to be run out or deposed by the village itself. What happened after wasn’t really Arche’s concern, unless Callias tried to take revenge, which he most likely would.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Arche scowled.
He hadn’t killed a person before. A few named entities, sure, but nothing that hadn’t attacked him first. He wondered if he’d be able to do it if the situation called for it. It was easy to say yes, but he wouldn’t know until the moment came. Arche sincerely hoped it wouldn’t come to that, but Callias wouldn’t take a coup lying down.
The last of Rakor’s claws came free with a small, sucking plop.
Skinning has increased to Level 6.
+1% Speed of Harvest (+6%)
+2% Quality of Harvest (+12%)
Wilderness Survival has increased to Level 6.
+2% Insulation (+12%)
+2% Durability of Constructed Shelters (+12%)
+1% Vitals Regeneration in Camp (+6%)
Arche looked down at the claw in his hand. It seemed odd that despite having the body of what resembled an ape-like lion, the mantikhoras had six claws on each hand. Was it a birth defect or the number of digits the species normally had? Endless questions.
Arche closed his eyes and used Divine Body, letting the skill go as his Mana dipped below twenty. He opened his eyes and glanced toward Theresa, but she was still staring at the ground in front of her, hands holding her side. There was no way he was going to be able to hide from her view every seven minutes for the next couple hours as he burned through his Envenomated condition. It was a bizarre feeling, having his blood coagulate inside his body, only to be purged by his skill every few minutes. It was as though his joints were constantly growing stiff and painful, but instead of his joints it was all of his internal organs.
At any rate, it was time to begin on the hide. As the most complicated and potentially most valuable material to harvest—next to, perhaps, the venom sac, which he really should have saved until later for risk of damaging it—Arche had left the hide for last so his skill would be greatest and his chances of ruining the pelt would be lowest. He gave it all of his focus for the next half hour, only pausing to use Divine Body to regenerate his Health. The knife still felt a little unsure in his hand, but he was able to hold it steady and the few mistakes he did make were easily fixed. By the time he was done, his Skinning and Survival skills had raised all the way to level eight. He deposited the mantikhoras’s hide safely into his inventory and returned to Theresa, who was, thankfully, still conscious and had pulled herself into a sitting position with her back braced against a tree.
“How are you feeling?” Arche asked, his voice flat and tired even to his own ears.
Theresa didn’t meet his eye. She raised her hand and pointed off into the forest.
“West.”
“Beg pardon?”
“West,” she repeated. “The village is west.”
“…And?”
Theresa let her hand fall back to the ground and closed her eyes. The wounds made her voice raspy and strained.
“You’re right. I tried to kill you and you saved my life. You saved me from that monster and treated my wounds, none of which you were obligated to do. You have every right to kill me now or leave me behind. It’s no less than I deserve.”
Arche cocked his head, his scowl deepening. Silence spread between them until finally Theresa met his eyes. Only then did he speak.
“Nothing you just said answered my question.”
Theresa blinked in confusion. “What?”
“How. Are. You. Feeling?”
“…Better?”
“Good. I’m going to get a fire going and cook some meat. Don’t worry, it’s wolf, not mantikhoras.”
Arche began gathering up dry wood from the forest floor as Theresa watched on, confused and speechless. Within a minute, Arche had gathered a large bundle of kindling and tinder. He brought it back to near where Theresa was sitting and dropped it in a pile. He was about to light it when he remembered that they were in the Sylv. A fire could attract attention, even in daylight, and Theresa was in no position to fight or run. A small risk, perhaps, but still one they couldn’t afford.
Following an instinct he couldn’t quite put a voice to, Arche began digging a hole. He lacked a shovel, a lack he greatly mourned, but his relatively high skill-level in Digging proved its usefulness as the ground seemed to mold itself around his hands and intent. Within five minutes, he had managed a hole that was an arm’s length deep and had made a second hole, almost as deep and about as far away with an underground tunnel connecting the two holes.
“What are you doing?” Theresa asked, utterly confused.
Arche paused while aligning his kindling in the deeper hole.
“I’ll tell you in a minute,” he said, then added under his breath, “when I figure it out.”
Arche dumped leaves into the hole for tinder, then paused, turning back toward Theresa.
“You don’t happen to have fire magic, do you?”
“Do I look like a mage?”
Arche shrugged and tried to think about what he could use to start a fire. He had a knife and there were plenty of dead leaves all around. He just needed some way of making a spark. His gaze alighted on the rocks scattered about near them. He picked up a couple and Examined them, but eventually put them back. He kept a couple that identified as containing pyrite and put them with the dry leaves until he came across one that identified itself as flintstone.
Arche grinned and brought his supplies over near the fire hole he had dug. He placed the leaves into a pile next to the hole and sprinkled the pyrite chunks onto it. Then he took the knife in one hand and held the palm-sized flintstone in the other. Holding both above the pile, he struck the steel pommel of the knife against the flintstone with a small shower of sparks. Arche grinned. He struck the rock again and again until one of the sparks successfully caught the leaves on fire.
Blowing gentle breaths, he fanned the flame until it was burning healthily, then carefully scooped up the burning leaves and placed them inside the fire hole, where it could attempt to light the kindling. Arche put his head down the secondary hole and blew through the tunnel he had dug, feeding oxygen to the flame. Within the minute, he had a fire burning, fed with air through the secondary tunnel and with flames completely concealed by the earthen sides of the hole. What was more, practically no smoke came out of the fire.
“Hah!”
You have discovered an Advanced Survival Technique well above your Wilderness Survival level without guidance. For your efforts, you gain bonus Wilderness Survival experience.
You have learned an Advanced Survival Technique.
Fire Hole
For the hunted, a fire can be both savior and executioner. This technique helps give that choice back to the fire starter.
+90% to Stealth of Fire
-50% Dispersal of Heat from Fire
Wilderness Survival has increased to Level 11.
+2% Insulation (+22%)
+2% Durability of Constructed Shelters (+22%)
+1% Vitals Regeneration in Camp (+11%)
+1 Wisdom
You have reached the rank of Novice in Wilderness Survival.
You receive 100 experience.
Arche laid a long, flat rock across the hole above the flames, which were now burning strongly. Then he laid out the meat. The juice sizzled on the hot rock and he used the knife to flip the meat every couple minutes until it looked nice and ready. At one point he had to activate his Divine Body skill to regenerate lost health, but if Theresa noticed, she didn’t say anything. When the gurgle in his stomach grew too loud to be ignored, he tested one of the steaks by cutting into it. It had a little more pink on the inside than was preferable, but it was good enough. Arche lifted the stone carefully and placed it to the side to cool, then used a couple sticks to spear the meat. He glanced up to see Theresa was looking at him suspiciously.
“What?”
“What do you mean, ‘what?’” she demanded. “I’ve never seen someone build a fire like that.”
“I didn’t want monsters to lock in on the light or the smoke. Taking a big enough risk with the smell as it is. Do you want some or not?”
Theresa was quiet for a while, giving Arche enough time to prepare the steaks for transport.
You have learned a Skill.
Cooking — Level 3
Food comes in an endless variety, limited only by the creativity of those who consume it.
Each level in this skill will improve the taste and ease at which you prepare food.
Every 5 levels in this skill improves your Wisdom by 1.
+2% Quality of Food Prepared (+6%)
+2% Chance to Discern Ingredients by Taste (+6%)
You have learned a Recipe.
Seared Wolf Steaks (Unseasoned)
Arche suppressed a grin at the new skills. As it turned out, being kidnapped and nearly assassinated was doing wonders for his skill accumulation and progression. If it hadn’t come with mortal danger to his wellbeing, he might have considered making it a regular thing.
He held out an impaled steak to Theresa. He had one for himself while the last, still piping hot, had gone into his inventory for later. Theresa looked at the steak for a few moments, then stared up at Arche.
“I don’t understand.”
“Yeah, that seems to be a popular trend among people I know.”
“Why are you helping me?”
Arche shrugged.
“So you tried to kill me. You changed your mind. You got in a bad situation and were asked to do something you clearly didn’t want to do. What was I supposed to do when the tables were turned, just let you die?”
“Yes.”
“No,” Arche replied, a touch of annoyance creeping into his voice. “Look, if you try to kill me again, it’ll be different, but I’m not gonna let you die here in the woods alone.”
“Why not?”
“Holy fuck.” Arche had to fight the urge to break something. “Is everyone here so goddamn sadistic that they just kill people or let them die with no fucks given? What the fuck is wrong with you people?”
Theresa shrank back against the tree, hissing in pain. Arche grit his teeth and tossed the steak at her. He’d taken it a step too far, perhaps. He sat down next to the fire to eat his own. Despite the lack of seasoning, it was tender and juicy and exactly what he was craving. In less than five bites, he finished it.
“You are, without a doubt, the strangest person I have ever met. But, please, don’t mistake my confusion for ingratitude.”
“Cool, be grateful. Eat your dinner.”
Arche stood and paced around the area while Theresa ate. It gave him another chance to use his Divine Body skill with minimal risk of her seeing it. Rather than ask her how she was doing, Arche Examined her, taking care not to stare too openly as he checked her vitals.
Theresa Eliades
Level: 23
Race: Human
Age: ?
Height: ?
Weight: ?
Profession: ?
Trade: ?
Traits: ?
Companions: ?
Adventuring Party: ?
Health: 45 / 420
15%
Stamina: 375 / 375
100%
Mana: 260 / 260
100%
“How did you know my name?” Theresa asked suddenly, making Arche jump. “I don’t give anyone my real name.”
“I have a way of figuring out most people’s names. Call it a talent.”
Lord Cypress’s warning about people reacting negatively to knowledge of the Examine skill was still fresh in his mind. Theresa shifted uncomfortably.
“I didn’t know such a thing existed,” she admitted.
Arche nodded, looking to change the subject. “How are your wounds? I’m afraid I don’t have anything to change the bandages with.”
“They’ve begun the healing process. I still can’t walk, but soon, with any luck. We likely won’t make it back to the village before dark, but we should be able to avoid a night under the stars as long as we aren’t attacked by monsters.”
“That’s a big ‘if.’”
“I know. Also, I’m not much use in a fight in my current state.”
“You don’t have any of my old gear, do you?”
Theresa shook her head. “No, left that all in the tent.”
Arche grimaced.
“Would you mind…walking me through exactly what happened?”
Theresa snorted, then coughed painfully.
“We left the party together, went back to my tent. You took two steps inside and passed out. I waited until the sounds outside quieted, then carried you out of the village. I figured by the time anyone missed you, you’d be dead. I reckon I’ll have a few questions to answer when we get back.”
“That’s likely,” Arche agreed, grateful he hadn’t done too bad. Still, it was surprising she was strong enough to carry him all the way out here. “We’ll see if you can answer those questions before an arrow gets lodged into you.”
“Your wood elf friend?”
“Yeah, she’s a bit protective. She might very well be looking for us now. I just hope she hasn’t gotten herself into trouble.”
“You’re foolish indeed, then, for throwing devotion like that away for a chance with a stranger.”
Arche let out an actual laugh.
“First, You suck at compliments. Second, it’s not like that. She doesn’t really think highly of humans.”
Theresa raised an eyebrow. “And yet she’s protective of you?”
“Long story. Not all mine to tell. Just take it for what it is.”
“If you insist.”
Arche stiffened, not comfortable with where the conversation was heading. Theresa must have noticed the movement because she changed the subject.
“Are you going to kill Callias?”
Arche paused, gathering his thoughts.
“Do you want me to?”
“He won’t suffer a voice of opposition, nor will he suffer a failed tool. His ire will be directed at us both. He will have us killed if he can.”
“I’d rather avoid murder if I can help it.”
“And if you can’t? You’ve seen him ‘lead.’ He doesn’t care about anyone’s safety but his own. That’s why he keeps all the guards in his own vicinity instead of sending some of them out to form watches or even build defenses for the village. If he remains in power, there will be casualties. Heavy casualties.”
“I don’t disagree, but I don’t like the thought of killing someone for being a dick. If the village itself can rise up against him, I think we’ll have a better chance of making some positive change.”
“That’s a lot to ask for,” Theresa pointed out.
“If people want a change, they will strive for it. All they need is the opportunity. That’s what I’m planning on giving them. I actually think you can help with that.”
“Me?”
“Yeah. If you share with them what he asked you to do. If you tell them what he demanded of you, it might stir them into action.”
Theresa gave him an unconvinced stare.
“And what if he calls me a liar? I don’t exactly have proof.”
“Then we go with Plan B.”
“What’s Plan B?”
“I ask my satyr friend to incite riot.”
Theresa stared at him for a few moments, then she began to laugh. It was short-lived and quickly devolved into gasps of pain, but it was a sweet sound while it lasted. The first sweet sound he’d heard all day. Arche grinned at her.
“You ask some very intense questions, you know.”
“I like to know who I work with. That way future actions are easier to predict. You’ve told me what you intend, misguided as it may be. And, for once, I respect what you’re trying to do.”
“Thanks, I think.” Arche scratched his head.
“I told everyone my name was Tessalyn, by the way. If you could call me Tess when we get back, I would appreciate it.”
“Are you an outlaw or something?” he asked, more teasing than serious.
“Not in these woods, but there are a few who would wish harm upon me and those I’m with. My real name getting out is just more trouble than it’s worth.”
“Wait, isn’t Tess normally short for Theresa?”
“Most people just accept that my name is Tessalyn and let it go at that.”
“Tess it is, then. I’m Arche, though I guess you already knew that.”
Tess gave a small, tired smile.
“It’s nice to meet you properly. I don’t think I said it before but thank you for saving me.”
“Don’t worry about it. Thanks for not killing me.”
They fell into silence and Arche took the time to go over the notifications awaiting him from the fight.
You have learned a Skill.
Daggermanship — Level 2
Large blades look pretty, but often the most dangerous are the ones you never saw coming.
Each level in this skill improves your ability with small blades.
+3% Damage with Small Blades (+6%)
+1% Sneak Attack Chance (+2%)
+1% Sneak Attack Damage (+2%)
You have learned a Skill.
Anatomy — Level 2
Knowing the makeup of creatures can lead to many scientific discoveries, but most settle for killing them more effectively.
Each level in this skill will improve your ability to assess the physical structure of living creatures.
Every 5 levels in this skill improves your Intelligence and Perception by 1.
+1% Critical Strike Chance (+2%)
+1% Critical Strike Damage (+2%)
+1% Chance to Spot Enemy Weaknesses (+2%)
Unarmed Combat has increased to Level 4.
+2% Damage while unarmed (+8%)
+0.5% Natural armor (+2%)
Divine Body has increased to Level 9.
Arche frowned at the last skill notification, annoyed that Divine Body still didn’t give him any hint as to what the skill actually did. He had a feeling there was more than what he’d observed so far.
“You were being honest when you said you didn’t have any of my stuff, right?” he asked.
Tess nodded. “It’s all back at the village.”
“Well, that sucks. A better blade may have come in handy. I’d have settled for my bow. Don’t suppose you have a spare?”
Tess extended her hand and a bow appeared.
“I have a shortbow and a quiver of twenty arrows. It’s not much, I’m more of a dagger woman.”
She offered it to Arche, who took it without hesitation. He could tell just by holding it that it wasn’t as good as his, but it could have been a lot worse.
Oak Shortbow
Rarity: Common
Quality: Average
Durability: 10 / 10
Weight: 1.4 kilograms
It lacked the craftsmanship of his elven bow, but it would get the job done well enough.
“This’ll be better than trying to stab a monster to death if we get attacked on the way back,” he said.
“I’m still shocked that you managed to kill the mantikhoras. What happened?”
Arche shrugged.
“I got lucky. I had an opening and went for the throat.”
“I fully believe you got lucky but I’m still shocked you killed it. There’s a reason those beasts are called Crimson Terrors. A single mantikhoras can take out an entire squad of soldiers and barely break a sweat. That you killed one while injured, unarmored, and with nothing but a shoddy knife…it’s downright unbelievable.”
Arche gestured lazily toward the body of the mantikhoras about forty paces away, mutilated from the harvesting he’d done. “Nonetheless, it’s dead and we’re not. Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”
“Don’t…horse? What?”
“Fuck’s sake,” he muttered. “Don’t overanalyze it. Be grateful for the situation at hand.”
Tess nodded, then slowly eased herself onto her feet. Arche rose as well, ready to catch her if it seemed she would fall.
“I don’t think we should wait here for more predators to be attracted. As it is, we likely won’t return until after dark.”
Arche nodded and kicked the mound of dirt he’d excavated back over the fire, dousing it.
“Let’s head back, then.”