Profile
Name Ikite Level 2 (169 EXP to next level) Race Descended Human Class Scavenger/Diplomat Status Peasant of Hell Family Name Dorau Age 18 (+2) Strengths Diplomacy, Running, Fast Reflexes, Curiosity Weaknesses Thinking, Engineering, Curiosity Perks
Aligned Perception, Extension
Statistics
Strength 5 Intelligence 4 Dexterity 4 Constitution 4 Sense 2 Charisma 9 Comeliness 3 Adaptability 6 Unspent Base Stat Points 5
* * *
A massive, hulking figure with wings the size of a Pegasus loomed over us, blocking out what little light filtered through the clouds in Hell. The creature looked like a devil itself and had large black horns on its face, contrasting its light red skin which stretched between its wings. It wore ripped, grey pants and no shirt, exposing a mangled animal tattoo on its chest.
“What are you staring at, little bugs? Didn’t your mothers tell you that's rude?”
It’s voice was rasp and sounded like it was right next to my ear, even though the actual creature was metres away.
It held a large whip embedded with sharp objects menacingly behind its back, which must have been what it used to inflict the wounds on the Pegasus.
Fortunately for me, my perk Aligned Perception had conveniently created a profile for this creature and I skimmed over it quickly.
Animal Profile
Species Imp Assassin Rarity Rare HP 550/550 (+100) Level 70 Effects Night's Fury Gender Male Skills Torture, ??? Information This massive beast is native to both Hell and Nexus, usually employed by either humanoids or non-humanoids to assassinate someone. It has unnatural stealth for its size and uses poison and sneaky tactics to kill things with a higher level. Being an imp, it gets stronger and larger during the night time. If you see this red, winged creature with horns in the night, just kill yourself. It’ll be less painful.
Well that was informative, except for the unnecessarily snarky bit at the end. Who created these windows anyways?
Back to the task at hand.
The imp was level 70. I was level 2, Bea was level 6, and we had two level 90 plus injured pegasus to protect.
“Well,” I muttered sarcastically, “This is going to be fun.”
The imp drew back its massive whip and slammed it onto the ground, barely missing us.
“Hey, do something!” I whispered frantically to the Alpha Pegasus, hoping some of its level 99 magic powers could save us. Fortunately, it actually could do something, though whether that something was useful or not was debatable.
The Pegasus stood up and neighed to the clouds. It was a loud, echoing sound which filled the forest and spooked the birds. Even the imp seemed to become a little wary of it. The sound continued for what seemed like an eternity, then the Pegasus collapsed into a heap next to the other. Bea used Purge on it once more, but the glowing effect never came.
“It’s too late, kind strangers. I cannot offer you any more help on your quest as my time has run out. I have used the last of my strength to call for help from our half-brothers. Please treat them as nicely as you have treated us.”
With those words, the Pegasus’ body turned to black particles which floated up into the night sky. I would have called it dramatic, if not for the fact that it was an incredibly sad moment and there was a predator standing in front of us.
Suddenly, a black smoke started rising from my and Bea’s bodies.
Surprisingly, Kimi took initiative and informed me of what had just happened.
“You have just received the effect Pegasus’ Last Will. This effect multiplies your strength, intelligence, dexterity and constitution statistics by the amount of levels below the Pegasus you are. In this case, since you’re 97 levels below the Pegasus, your stat points will increase by just under a hundred fold.”
I froze. Did I just hear that correctly?
“Kimi, show me my statistics?”
The screen that popped up in front of me couldn’t have been mine, but it was.
Statistics
Strength 5 (x97) = 485 Intelligence 4 (x97) = 388 Dexterity 4 (x97) = 388 Constitution 4 (x97) = 388 Sense 2 Charisma 9 Comeliness 3 Adaptability 6 Unspent Base Stat Points 5
I almost screamed in excitement as I saw my strength at a whopping 485. I heard Bea next to me having a similar reaction, she had probably never been this strong in her life, but then again, neither had I. Weirdly though, I didn’t feel any stronger, smarter, or agile.
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Too busy looking at my hands, wondering how to use my strength, I failed to notice the imp had crossed the clearing and was now towering over me, barely a metre away.
“That’s more than enough, it’s time for you little bugs to die.”
The huge whip it carried sliced through the air and hit me square in the chest, tearing through my birthday tunic and skin. I cried out in pain, only to realise that, weirdly, it hadn’t been a fatal wound. Remembering my 388 points of constitution, I laughed out loud.
“Wanna try that again?”
I had become a different person in that hour. One that was confident, strong, and most importantly, ruthless.
I dived forward, tackling the massive body in front of me. It’s skin felt unusually rough, but all it did was help me keep a better grip on it. It was taken by surprise and stumbled backward a step, before lashing me across the back with its whip. This time, it hurt a lot more and I thought I felt a rib break from the force. I guess I wasn’t all that durable as I thought I was.
“Bea! Help the female Pegasus!”
She couldn’t waste this opportunity that the Pegasus had left for us. With 93 times more dexterity than normal, I was sure she would do much better delivering the baby than before.
“Aligned Perception!”
The world slowed down and I watched as my aura, now shining as bright as a star, slowly started to dim. The poison! I had forgotten that assassin imps used poison in their weapons.
Cursing, I rolled away from the imp and got into a fighting stance I had been taught in my previous life. As I beckoned it to come closer, it flicked it’s whip yet again and, whether by chance or my increased dexterity, I caught it.
A flicker of confusion passed through its face before I yanked it with all my increased strength. The whip was wrenched straight out of its hands, pulling it off balance. I threw the whip on the ground behind me and looked at my now mutilated hand, making a mental reminder not to grab whips by the opposite end ever again.
Unfortunately for me, the whip hadn’t been the imp’s only weapon as it drew out two daggers, both dripping with a purple liquid. Not surprisingly, it looked annoyed at me.
“Bug, I’m going to make your death painful.”
After a quick check to make sure my aura was still shining brightly, I looked at his. His aura was inflamed with green, which rolled over his body like a mass of shadows. Well darn, I had barely done anything to him.
He came at me hard and fast like a bull, the daggers thrusted out barely missing me. If not for my increased dexterity, it would have impaled my chest.
It looked like time for me to really test my new strength. I pulled back my fist and threw it forward, aiming for it’s crotch. The blow landed, and I felt something explode with the impact. Ouch, that must have hurt.
I didn’t go unscathed through, as one of his daggers stabbed through my lower abdomen. Refusing to give up, the dagger still in me, I grabbed his chest with both hands and squeezed. I heard its ribs crack under my enormous might as it screamed in pain.
Suddenly, my body stopped obeying me and I couldn’t move a muscle. My newfound intelligence linked up all the dots and a daunting realisation came over me.
The purple liquid on the dagger had been paralysis poison.
The imp, clutching its chest, let out a victorious bellow and smiled viciously at me. Frozen, I could do nothing but stare and mentally curse it.
It raised its dagger triumphantly over me and I closed my eyes, wishing that I had run the opposite direction as soon as I heard the cries of the Pegasi.
* * *
Mama, where do people go when they die?”
My mother brushed my long hair to the side of my face, exposing my curious blue eyes, hungry for an answer.
“Well, Ikite. That's an interesting question not many know the answer to.”
She cradled me in her arms and touched my face affectionately.
“Luckily for you, I do. Listen carefully, for I’ll only say this once. You go to a world much, much bigger than we are on now. Jungles, plains, caverns and deserts, this world is filled with all sorts of wondrous places. People like you and I are just one of the hundreds and thousands of types there so we’re very special. ”
I was only four at the time and didn’t understand half of what my mother was talking about.
“I can count to one hundred.”
My mother smiled and continued, glad that I was listening.
“There are worlds beneath the ground and worlds up in the clouds. The most beautiful things you’ve ever seen exist there and no bad things could ever harm you. It is the happiest place you’ll ever go.”
She stopped and looked down at me rubbing my eyes and yawning. I closed my eyes and snuggled closer to my mother.
“What else, mama?”
She pulled the blankets up to my neck and tucked them around me before continuing once more.
“You’ll meet the nicest of people…”
Hopefully I could visit this place if I died here...
* * *
The imp’s head was shaved clean off of its shoulders and fell to the ground, just before it’s dagger could finish me.
“That was a close one.”
The adrenaline stayed for a few seconds, before rushing out of my body along with any strength my legs had left. A quick check of my aura told me that I wasn't in critical condition yet, thanks to the buff Pegasus' Last Will. I had survived. With every advantage, I had only barely managed to survive. What a world this was.
My saviour and the voice belonged to a bare-chested centaur. It dragged a massive broadsword along the ground, which must have been what he used to slay the imp. My perk Aligned Perception had handily created a profile for the creature.
Profile
Name Percy Level 55 Species Centaur Warrior Rarity Uncommon HP 400/400 Gender Male Skills Warrior's Cry, ??? Information A horse with a man’s upper body. Centaurs are one of the only creatures to be native to all layers of The Afterlife. They can be seen hunting in herds during the evening. Centaurs are one of the most honorable and virtuous creatures, similar to the Pegasi. It is rumored that Pegasi are known to call for centaur warriors for assistance in desperate struggles. Centaur warriors are powerful, strong creatures that will fight to the death for what they think is right.
By the time I had finished reading the profile, the centaur was picking me up with his muscular arms.
“What… are you doing?”
“Your friend here asked for your assistance.”
It was only then that I remembered Bea had been dealing with the difficult task of birthing a Pegasus’ child. There she sat, on the floor next to the female Pegasus, blood spurting out from the stomach of the mother. The paralysis effects had just about worn off by the time the centaur had carried me to her. Fortunately, our buffs still remained and the high intelligence allowed for a quick debrief of the situation.
“I used dissection to cut open her stomach and constantly used Purge to give her a little health. I believe the baby is still alive, but I need you to help take it out while I hold her stomach open.”
The mother seemed to breathe a little heavier at this and I saw her HP dropping steadily towards zero. Biting my tongue in nervousness, I nodded.
Bea stuck her hands in the poor creature and lifted both sides of the stomach open to create an opening for the baby. I watched as the centaur gestured for me to do what I needed to do before turning away.
A horrid stench of raw meat filled my nostrils and, looking away, I shoved my hands in.
It was slimy, sticky and it felt utterly disgusting, but I knew I had a job to do, so I continued. I have to say, groping around the inside of a horse isn’t the proudest thing I’ve done.
I felt the baby and pulled it out gently. It came out head first and, to our relief, was breathing. The mother though, was not, and said it’s last words to me before leaving.
“Please, take her up to our homeland, Heaven.”
Quest Notification
Information The Pegasus has asked for your help to bring her child to Heaven! Quest Difficulty Hard Quest Conditions Bring the Pegasus Child to Heaven Quest Rewards 100000XP, ??? Failure to Complete Quest The Pegasus' mother will not be able to rest in piece.
Accept Quest?
Yes No
Kimi started listing our quest rewards and such, but I was too tired to pay attention.
I had done it.
I had helped to save a life.
I had helped to kill something.
I had watched innocent things die.
And I was now, officially, a part of the game.