Ione's infant days were interspersed with feedings, being brought outside, sleeping and looking at her new stats.
In fact, the highlight of her days were looking at her stats. Like a little gift every time she woke up, her eyes unpackaged and analyzed every skill and resistance that came her way. She made up scenarios in which each skill could be used, how they could be used to fool others, and ways that she could loophole advantages upon advantages.
Although sometimes she didn't get new skills, which normally meant that one of her old skills had upgraded. Her newly-tiered [Peaceful Aura] skill worked overtime to keep her peers quiet, and there was a remarkable difference in the nuns' attitudes when they would arrive for feedings and changings.
At some point, Ione realized that she wasn't acting like how a normal baby would; when a nun asked Coranne why Ione never looked at her surroundings- on the account that she was too busy day-dreaming and looking at her [Status Page]- Coranne mentioned she wasn't sure why, but chalked it up to her elven heritage. While she understood that Coranne was trying to get people to understand that her differences were no fault of her own- although they were- it only highlighted her ‘otherness’ as a result of her heritage, which was evidenced by the disdainful looks the nuns would graciously give upon receiving that answer. While her ‘otherness’ shouldn't be a problem, these people weren't exactly the most open types.
Bless Coranne’s heart, the girl was trying her best and was surprisingly open. Perhaps, a little too open. Which, Ione suspected, was due to Coranne being around 15 or 16.
Due to [Prey Sense Tier 4], a skill she had gained during her many sleeps, there were several times when Ione would wake up to the sound of Coranne speaking to her, deep in a conversation she held with herself while Ione was the unwitting audience. But, once Ione was awake she didn't fall back asleep; she would check her stats and listen while Coranne droned on.
The girl was clearly lonely. If she was willing to sneak into the nursery in the dead of night to complain to Ione about the other nuns while she slept, then clearly Coranne was lacking friends.
Sometimes Ione would wake up to the usual complaints; Coranne, a nervous ball of energy, would quickly lay her frustrations about nun life, the food, or lodging out in the open, but other times she would make observations about Ione's own behavior.
Ione was always intrigued by what Coranne would reveal. It was evident to Ione that Coranne was aware that she was different, remarking that Ione sometimes looked a little too closely at people, and that it seemed as though she understood more than what she should.
One time, Coranne tried to get Ione to reveal herself. She was talking about things a baby shouldn't know, and then asked Ione if she understood what she was saying, and directed the baby to squeeze a finger if she did.
Ione never squeezed her finger.
Eventually, Coranne would be reduced to begging: ‘I won’t tell anyone, please, please just squeeze my finger!’ It reminded Ione of begging her family's cat, Cucumber, to speak with her, promising she wouldn't tell anyone. She internally snorted at the thought. If Coranne was any wiser, she would recognize that it was strange that a baby didn't latch onto a finger.
No, she couldn't do that to Coranne, precisely because Coranne was still a child. Ione was content in being alone, solitude was always a welcome friend and while her heart ached for Coranne, she couldn't place her in danger. It might be possible when they both were older, Ione was thinking about a plan for that, but as of right now, it was too risky. Ione couldn't protect her in her measly state.
The older girl's observations plagued Ione's thoughts for a time. If Coranne recognized that there was something off with Ione, then it stands to reason that other nuns would realize too. Granted, Coranne spent the most time with her so she would see more than most, but Ione wasn't exactly sure how closely the other nuns were looking. There was an internal debate on whether she should act baby-like, or continue how she was.
It was a quick debate on account of [Multitasking Tier 1]. She ultimately decided to continue how she was; her quirks were chalked up to her racial heritage- thanks to Coranne, and she knew she wouldn't be able to keep up the act for long periods of time; Coranne would immediately recognize the difference.
So, life continued. Ione slept, ate, shat, received skills, attributes and resistances until eventually growing into a toddler. Then from a toddler to a child. She went from nursery to shared dorms and very, very quickly, from diapers to magical toilets, powered by interesting black crystals that made the waste disappear. Coranne thankfully supplied information; the black crystals were known as void crystals. They essentially acted as a never-ending garbage can, removing the need for plumbing altogether. The same with fire and water crystals, the latter frequently found above sinks, the former found in lanterns. Ione was told there were also such things as ice crystals, used to store food, and plant crystals, which sped up the growth of crops.
Another completely amazing, utterly spectacular thing that was new was that once Ione’s age group was old enough to be considered self sufficient- which was 4 years old, gone were the days of playing outside.
The boys and girls were separated into two distinct groups; the boys for swordfighting, and the girls for childcare and homemaking. Ione couldn't have been less enthused about the arrangement. She could tell the others were as well. No four year old wanted to be forced into grueling work the whole day- ergo, no adult wanted to either.
Yet, Ione rolled with the punches. Not literally, though; not yet. The head nun in charge, Sannie, reserved those for the girls who refused to do what was asked of them. Ione worried for the boys. Sequestered away in their training room while the girls were forced in theirs, neither group able to be kids and having to suffer under emotional and physical abuse.
Ione kept quiet, eager to be under the radar until she was strong enough to do something about it. One girl, Fellis, would routinely get swatted behind closed doors before it was bedtime. She would come back, tears shining in her gold eyes, and crawl into Ione’s bed. Which, Ione wanted to point out, was against her will, but allowed it nonetheless, speculating that the girl wanted some comfort from the only person that was visibly awake.
~~~~~
Life went like that for some time, and four years later, when Ione was eight years old, she decided she had what it took to finally make some change.
On a warm, sunny afternoon, Ione was laying down on the dense grass at the back of the orphanage, surrounded by children using the rest of their lunch break to play.
She looked at the [Status Screen]
Status Screen
HP: 935 | ST: 1,070 | MP: 1,230
Name: Ione G’alatria
Race: Human-Elf Halfling
Birthday: 06/01/700 RY (Renewal Year)
Age: 8.1
Class: locked
Class skills
Passive: locked
Active: locked
Class aptitude skills: Locked
Attributes (0 points available)
Constitution: 187
Wisdom: 246
Stamina: 214
Strength: 259
Dexterity: 278
Intelligence: 369
Status afflictions (none):
General Skills (21):
[Focus to expand]
Arcane perks (2):
[Focus to expand]
Resistances (21):
[Focus to expand]
Quests (3):
[Focus to expand]
Gear (none):
If Ione could whistle, she would. She could already take a punch. Probably several. She laughed at the mental image of her small body flying at high speeds into the sky.
Belan is in for a big surprise.
She couldn't wait for the day to kill that asshole. Although, she realized something: once Belan was dead, who was going to take her place? Someone better? Someone worse? Despite Belan's apparent bias, the orphanage was a well functioning institution. One that churned out soldiers and those who would birth them.
Another problem for another day.
Ione supposed she could take a look at her skills now. Despite her eyes greedily drinking up every notification, it was nice to have it all laid before her every now and again to see her progress.
General Skills (22):
* Davlin Standard Tier 1 LVL 1
* Water Breathing Tier 3 LVL 8
* Peaceful Aura Tier 3 LVL 1
* Multitasking Tier 2 LVL 7
* Prey Sense Tier 4 LVL 2
* Predator Sense Tier 3 LVL 9
* Sun Absorption Tier 2 LVL 7
* Spatial Awareness Tier 3 LVL 2
* Camouflage Tier 2 LVL 1
* Climbing Tier 4 LVL 6
* Running Tier 5 LVL 3
* Escape Tier 2 LVL 4
* Survival Tier 5 LVL 7
* Stealth Tier 2 LVL 3
* Tracking Tier 3 LVL 1
* Homemaker Tier 2 LV 1
* Child Carer Tier 2 LVL 3
* Swimming Tier 4 LVL 7
* Intimidation Tier 3 LVL 5
* Leadership Tier 1 LVL 3
* Jumping Tier 3 LVL 6
* Danger Sense Tier 2 LVL 9
Water Breathing Tier 1: You can breathe underwater for a total of 3 minutes.
Tier 2: You can breathe underwater for 6 minutes
Tier 3: You can breathe underwater for 12 minutes
Peaceful Aura Tier 1: You emit an aura that calms and soothes beings around you in a radius of 15m. This does not affect beings 30 levels above your own.
Tier 2: This does not affect beings 40 levels above your own. Radius increased to 20m
Tier 3: This does not affect beings 50 levels above your own. Radius increased to 25m
Prey Sense Tier 1: You have an innate sense of when you’re being watched.
Tier 2: You can pinpoint the direction of who’s watching you
Tier 3: You can pinpoint an approximate location of who’s watching you
Tier 4: When someone is looking at you, your hearing is heightened
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She both loved and hated prey sense; some things you just couldn't un-hear.
Predator Sense Tier 1: You can stalk your chosen prey with ease. +20 dexterity
Tier 2: You have acute sight, your eyes can follow your prey without distraction.
Tier 3: No movement is wasted, your muscles are maximized for small bursts of power and speed. +10 dexterity
Sun Absorption Tier 1: You are rejuvenated as long as the sun's rays are on you. Mana, stamina, and health are recovered 5% faster.
Tier 2: Mana, stamina, and health are recovered 10% faster
Spatial Awareness Tier 1: In a radius of 15m, you can tell if there are objects, people, beasts or beings around you.
Tier 2: Radius increased to 20m
Tier 3: Radius increased to 25m
Camouflage Tier 1: Whether it be social or environmental, you have the ability to match your surroundings.
Tier 2: You have the ability to adapt to social situations with ease, easing anxiety and fear of judgment
Climbing Tier 1: You have gained the ability to move effortlessly up or down vertical surfaces- utilizing hand-holds no matter how small
Tier 2: Gravity has less of an effect, you are 5% faster when climbing and may give yourself a running start
Tier 3: Gravity has less of an effect, you are 10% faster when climbing
Tier 4: Gravity has less of an effect, you are 15% faster when climbing
Running Tier 1: You have gained the ability to run at speeds that surpass what you normally could. +20% movement speed
Tier 2: +25% movement speed. +20 Stamina points
Tier 3: +30% movement speed. +20 Stamina points
Tier 4: +35% movement speed. +20 Stamina points
Tier 5: +40% movement speed. +20 Stamina points
Escape Tier 1: You have an added 20% chance to escape once caught
Tier 2: This has extended to spatiolocked, temporal locked, isolated, closed or omnilocked locations
Survival Tier 1: You have gained the ability to survive even in extreme odds
Tier 2: You have developed the foresight to prepare for emergencies
Tier 3: You can construct shelters
Tier 4: You can adapt to any environment
Tier 5: Your mind is stronger- tragedies that befall you will only increase your
mental resilience. +30 intelligence points every time a tragedy befalls you.
Stealth Tier 1: You have gained the ability for covert operations. You are 5% harder to spot, and may go unnoticed in a crowd of people
Tier 2: You are 10% harder to spot. You can hide behind things smaller than yourself
Tracking Tier 1: You have gained the ability to track others and objects using your given and enhanced senses
Tier 2: You can trace footprints with ease, even if they are covered by foliage or debris
Tier 3: You can track scents and prints that are 3 days old
Homemaker Tier 1: You have developed the knowledge of all things home related; you have an ability to take care of your family with ease and know all there is to know about the household.
Tier 2: When you are in the house, you know if all house occupants are present
Child Carer Tier 1: You have developed the knowledge of all things child-care-related
Tier 2: You have an innate knowledge of a child’s needs- when they need to be fed, burped, and cleaned.
Swimming Tier 1: You have gained the ability to move effortlessly underwater with precision, control, balance and traction with varying speeds.
Tier 2: Swimming speed increased by 20%
Tier 3: Swimming speed increased by 40%
Tier 4: Swimming speed increased by 60%
Intimidation Tier 1: You have developed the art of intimidation, commandeering respect, fear or awe in those you choose to do so. +30 Strength points
Tier 2: +20 Strength. Intimidation comes intuitively and most effectively to get your desired outcome
Tier 3: You are 50% harder to intimidate
Leadership Tier 1: You are able to use your body language and words to send the right signals that inspire trust, honesty and respect. Radius 20m
Jumping Tier 1: You can now jump higher than you could before- 5m. +20 Dexterity points
Tier 2: Range is increased to 10m. +20 Dexterity points
Tier 3: Range is increased to 15m. +20 Dexterity points
Danger sense Tier 1: You can now sense nearing danger
Tier 2: You can sense if the danger is life-threatening or not
While she could probably escape the orphanage already, she knew that she was not ready. Despite the immense and almost overwhelming upgrades, she still didn't have a class, and she didn't have knowledge. She knew the kids would start school soon, she heard talk of it from the nuns, and she needed to be there. As well as needing an easy roof over her head and free meals for her stomach; she'd rather not become some feral child that lived in the woods and lived off of whatever rabbit and greens she could find…just yet. While the food was far from Michelin star worthy, it did its job. Belan increasingly insisted that she be fed less as her growth spurt caused the hate-filled woman to fall into a state of racist panic. Coranne however, blamed it once again on her Elven biology.
Ione did have to hand it to her, she was putting her neck on the line for one strange elven kid and the little girl knew she had to make it up to her.
Moving on, she looked at her resistances.
Resistances (21):
* Water Magic Resistance Tier 4 LVL 6
* Mind Control Resistance Tier 2 LVL 4
* Fire Magic Resistance Tier 3 LVL 4
* Resistance to Disease, Virus, and Infection Tier 2 LVL 3
* Piercing Resistance Tier 2 LVL 5
* Plant Magic Resistance Tier 4 LVL 6
* Crush Damage Resistance Tier 2 LVL 1
* Sun Resistance Tier 3 LVL 3
* Slashing Resistance Tier 4 LVL 1
* Fear Resistance Tier 3 LVL 7
* Drowning resistance Tier 2 LVL 2
* Mind Reading Resistance Tier 2 LVL 4
* Blast Resistance Tier 1 LVL 9
* Hunger Resistance Tier 2 LVL 8
* Thirst Resistance Tier 2 LVL 1
* Lightning Magic Resistance Tier 1 LVL 3
* Wind Magic Resistance Tier 2 LVL 8
* Ice Magic Resistance Tier 3 LVL 6
* Cold Resistance Tier 2 LVL 5
* Heat Resistance Tier 3 LVL 1
* Pain Resistance Tier 6 LVL 4
Water magic resistance tier 1: Damage from water magic is negated by 20%
Tier 2: Damage is negated by 30%
Tier 3: Damage is negated by 40%. You may deflect a portion of the damage from these attacks to a target of your choice
Tier 4: Damage is negated by 50%
Mind Control Resistance Tier 1: your mind is considerably stronger, the effects of mind control are lessened by 30%
Tier 2: The effects of mind control are lessened by 40%. You may also direct a portion of the control back to the aggressor.
Fire Magic Resistance Tier 1: Damage from fire magic is negated by 20%
Tier 2: Damage is negated by 30%
Tier 3: Damage is negated by 40%. You may deflect a portion of the damage from these attacks to a target of your choice.
Resistance to Disease, Virus, and Infection Tier 1: Damage from any of these afflictions is negated by 20%
Tier 2: Damage is negated by 30%
Piercing Resistance Tier 1: Damage from Piercing attacks is negated by 20%
Tier 2: Damage is negated by 30%
Plant Magic Resistance Tier 1: Damage from plant magic is negated by 20%
Tier 2: Damage is negated by 30%
Tier 3: Damage is negated by 40%. You may deflect a portion of the damage from these attacks to a target of your choice
Tier 4: Damage is negated by 50%
Crush Damage Resistance Tier 1: Damage from crush attacks is negated by 20%
Tier 2: Damage is negated by 30%
Sun Resistance Tier 1: Damage from the sun or sun-based attacks is negated by 20%
Tier 2: Damage is negated by 30%
Tier 3: Damage is negated by 40%. You may deflect a portion of the damage from these attacks to a target of your choice
Slashing Resistance Tier 1: Damage from slashing-based attacks is negated by 20%
Tier 2: Damage is negated by 30%
Tier 3: Damage is negated by 40%. You may deflect a portion of the damage from these attacks to a target of your choice
Tier 4: Damage is negated by 50%
Fear Resistance Tier 1: The feeling of fear is lessened by 20%.
Tier 2: Fear is lessened by 30%
Tier 3: Fear is lessened by 40%. You can make a target of your choice feel your fear
Drowning Resistance Tier 1: Damage from drowning is negated by 20%
Tier 2: Damage is negated by 30%
Mind Reading Resistance Tier 1: Resistance to mind reading is increased to 20%
Tier 2: Resistance increased to 30%
Blast Resistance Tier 1: Blast damage is negated by 20%
Hunger Resistance Tier 1: You feel the need to eat less and your body functions on less nutrients. The time between required eating has significantly increased (every 4 days)
Tier 2: The time between required eating has significantly increased (every 12 days)
Thirst Resistance Tier 1: You feel the need to drink less and your body functions on less liquids (every 4 days)
Tier 2: The time between drinking has significantly increased (every 12 days)
Lightning Magic Resistance Tier 1: Damage from lightning-based attacks is negated by 20%
Wind Magic Resistance Tier 1: Damage from wind-based attacks is negated by 20%
Tier 2: Damage is negated by 30%
Ice Magic resistance Tier 1: Damage from ice-based attacks is negated by 20%
Tier 2: Damage is negated by 30%
Tier 3: Damage is negated by 40%. You may deflect a portion of the damage from these attacks to a target of your choice
Cold Resistance Tier 1: You have developed a resistance to cold, it takes you longer to feel the effects of frostbite and other such afflictions
Tier 2: You can live in colder environments for 1 month without feeling cold effects
Heat Resistance Tier 1: You have developed a resistance to heat, it takes you longer to feel the effects of heatstroke or other such afflictions
Tier 2: You can live in hotter environments for 1 month without feeling heat effects
Tier 3: You can live in hotter environments for 2 months without feeling heat effects
Pain Resistance Tier 1: You have developed a resistance to pain. When you are injured it takes 10 minutes for you to feel the pain receptors respond. Has a cool down rate of 3 minutes. May shut off at will, but then the timer resets.
Tier 2: The time is increased to 20 minutes
Tier 3: The time is increased to 30 minutes. It is now toggleable, there are no more timer resets. You may turn it on and off, repeatedly, in this and other time frames.
Tier 4: The time is increased to 40 minutes
Tier 5: You are completely immune to pain and may extend this to others for a brief period of time (10 minutes).
Tier 6: For a brief moment, you can make the pain you’re supposed to feel transpose onto the one attempting to inflict pain onto you. Cannot bypass pain resistances or skills.
Yeah, this is gonna be good.