Chapter 7: A Grizzly Threat
As I trudged through the forest, weapons drawn, the sound of sharp scraping sounded a couple yards further up the game trail I was following. I stopped, straining to hear the sound again. What I took for a random ice formation shifted, and a porcupine half my size began to cross the path just a few yards in front of me. Instead of keratin quills, the porcupine had two yard long crystalline spines made of what I assumed was ice. The creature had white fur that made it difficult to spot when motionless.
I inspected the creature as it waddled away from me, having already crossed the game trail.
{Ice spine Porcupine}
HP: 37/37
MP: 65/65
Type: Animal
Level: 6
Lore: Generally non-aggressive if left undisturbed, the Ice spine is a solitary creature, preferring cold, dark areas where it can forage for vegetation. When attacked, an Ice spine uses its crystalline quills to devastating effect.
Noticing its strangely large mana pool, I was too busy pondering if it was a spellcaster to notice the wolf hunched about 10 yards off the trail. The crunch of snow yanked my attention away from my thoughts, and onto the wolf that had presumably been stalking me. Just like my last encounter with a wolf, my whole body broke out into a tremor, though this time the tremor was much stronger.
Wait, what?
After a moment of confusion, I realized that it wasn’t me that was shaking, but rather the ground. The beast began to advance more readily, and when the distance between us was half what it once was, an explosion of snow pushed me backwards off my feet. Seeing only snow in all directions, I heard a strangled cry, and the snap of bone before I panicked and crawled further backwards away from the sound. When the snow cleared, there was no trace of the wolf, and where it disappeared, only a hole that had been filled in by snow remained.
I just stood there for a moment, staring at the newly formed hole, contemplating the decisions that had led me here.
I picked up my fallen swords, and continued along the trail, already regretting my choice of starting area.
System Alert: Vanessa, is the first to find a unique item!
System Alert: Vanessa has claimed the Unique item Issoria. Unique items are dropped on death!
It had been what, half an hour since the game's launch? Did Vanessa just happen to spawn on top of a dungeon or something??
On one hand, I was jealous that someone had already found something of such value that it had prompted a system alert, while I had yet to loot a single item. On the other, I did not envy the kind of attention I knew Vanessa would receive while she possessed such an item. I’d seen a few different games employ the “Drop on death” mechanic, and it often placed a huge marker on the players head until their inevitable death.
I did need to speed up the pace though, if I wanted to have some system alerts of my own.
After a couple more minutes of walking, I could make out the rushing sound of swiftly moving water nearby. Upon investigation, I found a river, about 20 yards in width. While I wasn’t exactly a professional at surviving in the wild back home, I did remember reading something about following rivers downstream to find civilization. So, breaking off the path, I began to follow the river downstream.
It only took a few minutes of walking downstream to notice massive shapes that swam in the depths of the river, probably some terrifying monster. The faint sound of barking and the crunch of splintering wood barely made it to my ears over the crashing current. Curious, I increased my sedate pace to a jog. As I approached the sounds, they grew clearer. The growling was definitely that of a tundra wolf, perhaps even a couple of them. My approach halted as a monstrous roar reverberated through the forest. A wolf flew through the air barely five yards from me, and slammed against a tree with a grisly crunch. It sported a jagged set of bloody lines across its flank, and its health dropped almost to zero as it impacted the tree. Before I could make a more intelligent decision, I sprinted over to it to finish it off. After a single swing of critical damage, it passed.
I turned to face the battle that still raged only twenty yards away, taking note of four tundra wolves circling a massive bear-like creature. Even on all fours, the beast's shoulders would definitely reach well above my head. Its claws and fangs were similar to the porcupine's spines, seemingly shards of ice. Its hide was a glossy platinum, and bore many deep gashes from its current adversaries. I inspected the creature.
{Rimefang Grizzly} (Elite)
HP: 57/135
MP: 13/65
Type: Animal
Level: 5
Lore: A terrifying apex predator of Cairos, the Rimefang is considered a dangerous opponent to adventurers even several levels higher than it.
Unlike the wolves, the bear's health bar was ornamented in silver. After inspecting each wolf, I learned that they were indeed all the same variety I had fought before. Their health mostly hovered around a little under half, with one particularly bloodied specimen near zero.
As the seed of a plan began to form in my mind, the Rimefang lunged with surprising agility at the most wounded wolf, claws raking the immobile wolfs hide, the poor animal let out a shuddering gasp, and crumpled.
Not confident in my ability to down the intimidating creature -even weakened as it was - I needed to play the fight very carefully in order to take advantage of the shaky alliance the wolves were unknowingly taking part in.
As two of the three remaining wolves engaged the bear in tandem, I focused on the lone wolf. With its back turned to me, It did not notice my approach until I was only a few yards from it. Its ears twitched, and whirled to face a new threat, too late. I slashed with both blades parallel to each other, and the wolf's attempt at a dodge was not quite successful, grazing the wolf, I swayed out of its retaliatory bite. A foreign low beat began to thump in the back of my mind.
Feinting a slash, I stepped close into the space vacated by the creature's dodge, and lunged point first. One sword embedded in the wolf's side, the other fending off its gnashing jaws, I yanked my blade free and leaped backwards, narrowly evading the wolf's dying attempt at my life. As it collapsed, health near zero, I stepped forward to administer a mercy kill.
The rhythm had increased in intensity to a low roar in the back of my head, like a distant waterfall, guiding my every step. Almost without thinking, and with no time to second guess my plan, I advanced towards the bear without making a sound.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
The bear was down to less than a fifth of its maximum health, but only one of the wolves still lived, snarling in hopeless defiance. The bear still had not noticed me as I drove both swords into its undefended back. Faster than I could have ever hoped to move on earth, I withdrew my swords and took several graceful hops backwards, avoiding the Rimefang's retaliatory backhand swipe. As the bear turned to face me, the wolf lunged forward, biting down hard on the bear's hind leg. Distracted once again by the wolf, I engaged the bear, slashing its snout. Releasing a deafening roar, the blood soaked monstrosity whirled on the wolf, a paw launching the weakened predator at a tree. Bones shattered as the wolf died on impact, and it was just the Elite and I.
I took a cautionary hop backwards, creating space from the Grizzly, who had now turned back around to face me. The creature's eyes burned with rage, cold blue spheres with no defined iris, pupil, or sclera. I quickly inspected the beast, once more.
{Rimefang Grizzly} (Elite)
HP: 14/135
MP: 21/65
Type: Animal
Level: 5
Lore: A terrifying apex predator of Cairos, the Rimefang is considered a dangerous enemy to adventurers even several levels higher than it.
Possessing two bleeding debuffs, its health ticked down further as it approached me. Before I could close the inspect window, the beast's mana dropped from 21 to near empty.
I cautiously watched the grizzly, as an icy mist sprang from nowhere to surround the beast. Ice began to fill into its wounds, Filling in the gaps made by the wolves claws. The two bleeding debuffs winked out, and the ice forming the monster's claws and teeth swelled, doubling in size.
I was ripped from my awe as my body noticeably slowed, and the thumping rhythm dulled slightly. I glanced at the icon for Peerless Rhythm, and a 4 was displayed, rather than a 5.
Before I could slow down any more, I charged the beast, albeit with slightly more caution than I had used with the wolves. Before I could take two steps, the Rimefang swiped a paw at me, and sent a volley of frozen needles launching at me.
I threw myself to the ground, feeling a sharp pain lance through my shoulder. Gasping, I dropped a sword and grabbed my wounded shoulder. Grittinging my teeth, I ripped the embedded ice spike free. Recovering, the shaking of the ground was my only warning as the Rimefang tried to crush my prone form. I rolled to the side, flailing my remaining sword at the beast's front legs. Feeling the rhythm back to full intensity in my mind, I braced myself to evade the creature's next crushing blow. Reared back to deliver a powerful blow, the bear had left itself vulnerable if only for an instant. I sprung to my feet, barely darting between its falling paws, and drove my sword towards the creature's falling head. One hand on driving the sword up, the other on its pommel, I drove the blade up through the bear's lower jaw. With a surprised grunt, the bear collapsed on top of me. Freeing myself from the colossal creature, I gasped in lungfuls of air, barely avoiding suffocation underneath the heavy corpse.
After calming my rampaging nerves, I allowed the many piled up notifications to stream in.
Your skill in One handed Swords has increased to Novice: 3.
Your skill in One handed Swords has increased to Novice: 4.
Your skill in Evasion has increased to Novice: 3.
Your skill in Evasion has increased to Novice: 4.
Your skill in Leather Armor has increased to Novice: 2.
Your ability Peerless Rhythm has increased to Novice: 2.
You have gained 96 experience.
You have Leveled up to level 2!
You have gained 8 free skill points!
Welcome to level 2!
You have Leveled up to level 3!
You have gained 8 free skill points!
Welcome to level 3, please select one of three abilities.
Eager to fill out my characters' lacking repertoire, I continued to the skill selection menu.
{Paired Parry}(Active)
Description: Ward off a melee strike with two weapons, and return two strikes each dealing weapon damage and stunning the target for .5 seconds.
Type: Martial
Scaling: Weapon damage
Cooldown: 15
Cast time: 0
Cost: None
{Deadly Elegance}(Active)
Description: After evading damage, you may activate this ability. Take advantage of a failed offensive from an opponent, lunging several yards past them. Strikes during this lunge ignore 50% of the enemies armor, and cannot be evaded.
Type: Martial
Scaling: Weapon Damage
Cooldown: 10 Seconds
Cast time: 0
Cost: 0
{Blade Manifestation}(Active)
Description: : Gather mana into your bladed weapon, then launch an arc of cutting force from a strike up to 30 yards before dispersing.
Type: Martial, Spell
Scaling: Weapon damage, Spellpower
Cooldown: 6 Seconds
Cast time: 1.25 Seconds
Cost: 30
I groaned internally at the fact that I would need to give up two of the three options. They all seemed like extremely useful tools. Sighing, I thought over my choices. Peerless Rhythm already gave me some mobility, so I thought I could safely rule out Deadly Elegance, as much as it pained me to give up a source of armor penetration. The two remaining options were difficult to choose between, on one hand, Paired Parry would give me two stacks of Peerless Rhythm if both effects of the ability landed. On the other hand, Blade Manifestation gave me access to my first ranged skill, which would be extremely helpful. If I had Blade Manifestation in the fight against the Rimefang, I could have used it each time I had created space.
Also, Blade Manifestation just sounds like more fun to use, who doesn't want to shoot shockwaves from their swords? I thought, smiling to myself like an idiot.
Mind made up, I selected Blade Manifestation .
Opening my chat window, I shot Sera a question. “Hey Sera, how's it going? I was wondering if the skill choices I don’t select on level up will be available further down the road?” I asked.
Closing the window, I looked up at the corpse. To my surprise, near two of the fallen wolves, lay small leather bags tied with a white bow. The bags possessed a hazy white aura. Walking over to them, I touched one of the bags and a window popped up.
You have received:
{Copper Coin} x13
{Tundra Wolf Flank Steak}x2
I thought about looting the items, and the bag disappeared. Walking over to the other wolf, it had a similar amount of copper coins, as well as one prime steak.
“Why does a wolf even have copper coins on it?" I mumbled to myself.
Curious, I walked over to the other wolves to make sure I hadn’t missed any bags, unfortunately there were no more loot bags to be found. Getting ready to continue my path down the river, I walked past the bear, noticing a green shimmer nearly hidden by its immense bulk. Starting, I jogged over to the corpse. Laying next to the body, a leather bag with a green bow rested, green aura flickering like fire around it.
You have received:
{Copper Coin}x39
{Rimefang Scythe}x1
Looting the items, I inspected the weaponlike fang.
{Rimefang Scythe}
Physical Damage: 4-9
Spellpower: 0
Rarity: Uncommon
Type: One handed sword
Weight Category: Very fast
Damage type: Slashing, Piercing
Traits: +3 Dexterity, Frostbite: Successful attacks with this weapon have a 15% chance to afflict the opponent with Frostbitten for 5 seconds.
Requirements: Level 5, One handed Swords Novice: 5
While I was bummed that I couldn’t even equip the weapon yet, I was still excited to have already acquired an upgrade for my weapon.