NAME: Peacock RACE: Phase Dragon

LEVEL: 40 XP: 2,168 (160,000)

HEALTH: 365 + 8 ESSENCE: 470 + 5

AGILITY: 176 + 26 MANA: 93 + 15

STRENGTH: 94 + 12 FOCUS: 156 + 17

Peacock closed his character sheet, curling a little tighter on top of his glistening hoard. A mix of trepidation and excitement filled him. It had been nearly a year since his flight from Krinios. He’d used the time to full effect, utilizing the training and skills he’d learned to power-level and steal a proper stash of treasure.

Peacock’s eyes slid over his cave. It was only about three of his lengths in any direction, with a dark, domed ceiling far above. Smooth, black rock covered the entire area, and there were no visible entrances or exits. Coins, armor, weapons and jewels took up the center, built up into a mound with a flat spot for Peacock to sleep. On the outer edges sat Peacock’s alchemy equipment and ingredients. The whole place was simple, draconic, and, most importantly, safe.

The artifact skill, Sanctuary, had teleported him here, and once claimed, allowed him to teleport in and out at will. It was all he ever wanted. Yet, something was still missing. Faces surfaced in his memory—Cavua, Oncian, Arianrhod, Alainn, Ferret.

Peacock initiated sleep before his thoughts could solidify.

*****

Peacock admired his new adult self in a tall mirror with gilded edges. He twisted and turned; the mirror’s mere six feet too small for his new size.

A rounded snake-like head peered back at him with large, deep-purple, cat-slit eyes, while long, pointed ears lay against his head. His whip-like body had remained, as did his blue-black scale color, prehensile tail, and four opposable thumbs. However, he’d doubled in length to what Peacock assumed was nearly seventeen feet, yet the top of his head only reached seven.

All in all, it gave him a very reptilian look, and the large dark purple frill which ran the length of his body and tail only added to it.

Purple seemed an odd choice for a stealth build, but Peacock supposed it didn’t really matter when hiding effectiveness relied more on abilities than actual sight. Besides, he wasn’t just a stealthy dragon anymore. Now, he was a Phase Dragon.

Peacock rolled the words around on his tongue as he opened up his abilities tab, eyes sliding over his impressive ability lineup.

ARTIFACT ABILITIES

Grit

When health hits zero, health is healed back to half. All negative status effects are removed. Activates once a rest.

Ubique Sight

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Toggle. Shows all living creatures within 100 meters. Allows a limited view of Rebirths’ UI. Also shows Rebirths’ player handles.

Sanctuary

Randomly teleports Rebirth within 1,000 meters of their original location. Random teleport has a 10-minute cooldown. Can also freely teleport Rebirth in and out of a unique Sanctuary once set. Doesn’t work in combat.

PHASE DRAGON ABILITIES

Phase Step

Rebirth shifts dimensions, allowing them to pass freely anywhere within 20 feet. Isn’t hampered by physical objects or gravity. Lasts five seconds. 5-minute cooldown. Rebirth cannot be targeted while phased and will not be affected by any status effects (negative or positive).

Dark Breath

Pure black flame which feeds on light instead of air. Casts everything within 30 feet into complete darkness for 1 minute. Costs 10 mana. No cooldown.

Shadow Stab

Creates a magical blade. Must be hidden to cast. Deals magical, dark element damage equal to 33% of target’s total health. Immediately reveals user’s location. No cooldown. Uses 25 mana.

As he’d figured, his new abilities built on his previous ones, leaving him to wonder how much came from outside programming, and how much from the learning AIs that ran Rebirth servers. Either way, mainly due to his impressive array of artifact abilities, he’d become far more powerful than his level suggested.

Good. Peacock moved away from the mirror, his eyes hesitating over a pile of shiny equipment made for humanoids of various sizes. He’d found the equipment laying on a road in-between towns—the last vestiges of an adventuring party.

More and more of his hoard had come from the scenes of killings over the past year, and far less from thieving as the number of dragons going on wanton killing sprees increased.

It didn’t surprise him that Zenith Flight was going on murder sprees. It did surprise him that Zenith Flight kept leaving behind all the spoils. Although I suppose if you’re cheating, hoards are pointless.

Zenith Flight’s increased boldness, and sloppiness, was also the reason Peacock had decided to return to the place of his torture. As much as he wished it, he wasn’t returning to kill them all. Instead, Peacock would do what he did best. Steal.

The orbs which hung on every Zenith Flight dragon’s neck told the secret to their cheating. If Peacock got a pile of those, he’d be on equal ground.

With a thought, Peacock teleported out.

The sharp and musty smell of damp plant-life replaced the metallic, astringent smell of his hoard and alchemic gear. Moonlight bathed miles of bright green grassland. Peacock fought the urge to go back to the closed comfort of his sanctuary. Everything was too open outside. It made him vulnerable on all sides, and he hated it, even if his abilities would keep him out of sight.

Peacock stretched his new wings, a powerful flap launching him into the air. His heart pounded harder than necessary from the effort.

It’s just excitement. Peacock ignored the phantom pains down his body. I’m not afraid. I can’t afford to be afraid. This is my chance for revenge for everyone.

He angled toward the wastelands. It would take days before he reached his destination. Peacock brought up his inventory as a chill went down his spine. Better check one more time. Better safe than sorry.

INVENTORY

Tier 5 Attack Up Potion x 10

Tier 5 Defense Up Potion x 10

Tier 5 Magic Attack Up Potion x 10

Tier 5 Magic Defense Up Potion x 10

Tier 5 Moderate Healing Potion x 10

Tier 5 Moderate Mana Potion x 10

Smokescreen Bombs x 5

Tier 5 Poison x 4

Peacock ticked off each item as he read it, trying to remember if he’d forgotten anything. The list wasn’t nearly as long as he’d wanted, nor did it contain powerful stuff. The alchemic level cap, coupled with increasingly rare material requirements, large amounts of basic materials, and inescapable potion type limits in his inventory, had left him disappointed after all the time he’d spent grinding out xp for it. Still, it was better than nothing. Where he was going, even the tiniest of bonuses could be the difference between life and death.

If anything helps at all.

Peacock shoved his growing negativity down and started the long return to the horror of Zenith Flight.