Darian hopped off the rock and took his first official step into his new life. Digging had consumed a handful of hours, but dawn was still some ways off. It wasn’t enough time to go properly exploring the surrounding wilderness, which was what his heart was yearning for. What to do with the time I have left? He padded to the cave entrance and leaned against the cool stone, pulling his main menu up with a swipe of his right hand.
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Menu
* [Map]
* [Quests]
* [Inventory]
* [Class Sheet]
* [Character Sheet]
* [Mythic Ascension] (Locked. Lv. 100 required)
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[Mythic Ascension] still stuck out to him, the level requirement in particular. He tapped at it with his finger hoping some menu would appear and explain things. When none materialized, he opened up his [Character Sheet] instead.
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Character Sheet
Name: Darian
Race: Lesser Vampire
Total Level: 2
Race Level: 1
Class Level: 1
HP: 80/80
Attributes
* Strength: 16
* Dexterity: 16 (+1)
* Constitution: 16
* Perception: 16
* Fortitude: 12
* Arcane: 10
[Unique Skills]
[Racial Skills]
[Class Skills]
[Triumphs]
[Traits]
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He still hadn’t taken the time to inspect [Triumphs] or [Traits] and decided he might as well now.
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Triumphs
Current Triumphs: None
Triumphs will appear as you accomplish great feats of strength, skill, or cunning.
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Okay, not exactly very descriptive on what these actually do. Guess I’ll just have to wait until I get one.
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Traits
* Disease Immunity
* Poison Immunity
* Instant Death Immunity
* Paralysis Immunity
* Fatigue Immunity
* Dark Vision
* Mind Control Resistance
* Minor Regeneration
* Negative Energy Healing
* Cold Resistance: 50%
* Normal Weapon Resistance: 10%
* Sunlight Damage: 50%
* Weakness to fire: 50%
* Weakness to Holy: 100%
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Weakness to holy 100%!? He supposed it made some sense; he was a vampire after all. But he didn’t feel all that evil. Guess whatever system this world runs on doesn’t see the difference between how I act and what I am. Good to know. Looking at the list over again, fatigue immunity caused him some confusion. I still feel the need to sleep during the day. But come to think of it, I haven’t gotten truly tired from anything I’ve done so far. Including digging those holes. The words Instant Death caused him no small measure of anxiety. What the hell does that even mean? He took comfort in knowing, whatever it was, he was immune from it.
A strange scent prickled Darian’s nose, something between wet fur and mold. He pulled himself from the wall and peered into the darkness. Three hunched shapes shifted in the underbrush, taking off on all fours when they noticed he was watching.
Darian drew the short sword still strapped to his hip and inched forward, scanning the shadows. After several minutes of silence, he sheathed his blade. Whatever the creatures were, they had long since vanished. What if they come back? He glanced at the cave, noting its complete lack of defense. Not much I can do about that right now. Maybe those were just some foxes or something harmless? His gut told him otherwise, but going after the blurred figures didn’t seem like a good idea. Instead, he went back into the cave and watched and waited. If I’m attacked here during the day… He shook his head, dispelling his anxieties. It was late, near sunup, and his eyelids began to droop.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
***
The sound of crackling thunder woke him, but he was no longer in his cave. He was standing in the middle of a ruined battlefield, corpses of men, elves, and other races strewn about him in piles. The earth was blackened as far as he could see, scorched in places and torn in others. A crimson moon hung high in the sky, bathing the abandoned battlefield in an eerie, red glow. Arcs of lightning struck out from an approaching storm, the sound nearly deafening.
Where am I? Darian spun and took a step, his feet splashing in a puddle. Waves undulated out from his feet, and he realized he was standing in a lake of blood. The sight of it made his mouth water, and his fangs emerged. He tried to fight the urge to stoop, to drink his fill, but he was powerless before the succulent meal at his feet. He half fell, half knelt onto the ground and pressed his lips to the pool. Somehow the blood was still hot. It warmed his throat, then his belly, the heat rising inside him.
As he drank, the heat swelled and churned, burning like blazing coals. Darian stumbled back, his fingers clutching at his throat. He felt as though he was somehow choking. Frantically he thrashed about, his insides molten hot.
“This isn’t what I wanted,” a man’s voice said from behind.
Darian turned to see a tall, bearded man in the gilded white armor of a paladin. He held a gleaming blade in one hand and a glowing blue orb in the other. He was frowning at Darian, his face a set of hard lines.
“This isn’t what I wanted.”
Before Darian could ask the stranger what he meant, the pressure inside him swelled, burst, and his body tore itself apart.
***
Darian’s eyes shot open, and he sat up with a scream. He rolled to his side, touched his stomach, then his face. His skin was cool to the touch but damp. The cave walls came into focus and Darian realized it had just been a dream. A nightmare.
The last wisps of sunlight still shaded the pond outside. He sat up and pulled his short sword across his lap as if it could ward away the sinking feeling in his gut. A lake of blood. Despite himself, Darian’s stomach growled. And that man…Something about him seemed distant, but familiar. And the lake. He’d felt something besides hunger wriggling inside him when he thought about it. A deep, but strangely familiar fear.
Sunlight receded outside, and Darian emerged. The air was colder than normal, the moon and stars obscured by dark clouds. I should probably find something to eat. He took a step, a trio of blaring trumpets nearly causing him to leap out of his own skin.
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Quest Added: Explorer’s Call
Objective: Discover at least (2) unknown locations.
* Reward: 10 class XP & Basic Clothing.
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Quest Added: In Search of Power
Objective: Reach Class Level (3).
* Reward: Belt of Minor Constitution
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The floating text hovered for a few moments before disappearing. Darian was almost thankful for the scare the quest notifications caused him, for he found his mind back on the present. He opened his Quest menu and looked over his two new objectives. Seems like I could probably do these at the same time. He’d already planned on doing a bit of exploring, his new quests only further motivated him. He opened his map.
The mountain he’d first been heading to was to the northeast and the patch of trees he originally woke up in was to the south. North and west were unknowns, but Darian had noticed the ground start to slope drastically down behind where his little graveyard was dug. Might find a river or something if I go east, then. He thought about that for a moment. Rivers could mean company, and he wasn’t sure if he was ready to find people yet. What will they think of me? It was a nagging question he kept returning to. And my thirst… His stomach gave another sharp growl. No, better leave scouting for people to another day. He looked up at the mountain, the only discernable landmark he could see over the trees.
Mulling it over for a moment, he decided to head in its direction. He kept his map open for a while during his walk, making sure it accurately recorded where he was going. Can’t afford to get caught out here when the sun comes up. When it was clear the map was accurate, he dismissed it and broke into a light jog through the undergrowth. He thought about sprinting, but then he remembered the hunched shapes he saw the night before and decided he shouldn’t rush blindly through the forest. Hopefully I don’t return to find my caves been infested with giant rats. He smiled for a moment before he realized such a thing wasn’t out of the realm of possibility.
He broke into a wide clearing, the ground gradually rising. Up the side of a hill, he paused. Just over the tops of the trees was the tip of a stone structure. It was cracked and moss covered, most likely abandoned. Darian’s heart sped at the sight, his love of exploring old ruins in games coming to the surface. He raced down the hill and into the thick patch of trees at the clearing’s edge. An archway loomed across a small stream, the darkness beyond beckoning him closer.
Caution. You have no idea what could be inside. He drew his blade and lowered into a crouch, the ground growing marshlike as he approached. Cool mud sucked at his feet, the sound blaring in the silence. Something moved ahead, just inside the arch. It was short but thick bodied, with a long tail that trailed behind it. Closer now, Darian could make out its coarse, brown fur.
The creature sniffed the air, its small, pink nose standing out amidst the bleak structure. It turned, one black eye bulging as it focused on Darian. With a squeal it charged forward, mud flying from its clawed feet.
Darian rose and tried to set his stance, but his right foot slipped. He’d just regained his balance when the creature rammed into him, sending him sprawling onto his back. He rolled away, slashed, felt his blade chop into flesh. Up now, he dodged another charge, cut across the beast's back as it sped past. It hunched, ready to pounce.
Suddenly, Darian remembered something. He lowered, gripping his sword with both hands. When the creature sprang forward Darian summoned the power from within. Using [Determined Strike] his blade rushed forward as if pushed by an unseen force. The blunt blade collided with the creature’s head, the force enough to send it spiraling into the mud. Darian rushed at it, readied another strike, but it was dead.
“I can’t believe it,” he mumbled, smiling. “It’s actually a giant rat.” He almost laughed. Reminds me of playing Oblivion for the first time. The sound of claws scratching upon stone wiped his smile away.
Four shapes crawled from the arch, moving slowly, eyes drowsy from sleep. But they halted in unison when they spotted Darian. The biggest one muscled past the others, rose on its back legs and sniffed. A rat like the others, but its fur was streaked in silvery grey lines. A noise rattled in its throat, and the other beasts sprang forward as if it was a command to charge.
Darian thought about running, but he couldn’t risk slipping in the mud. He cursed and gritted his teeth. There was no choice but to fight.