[Name: Toby Kincaid]

[Race: Variant Human]

[Class: Spellbreaker (Rare)]

[Level: 2]

[Attributes: Dexterity - 5 Wisdom - 1]

[Abilities: Mind over Magic, Acrobatics]

[Skills: Sneak lvl. 2, Small Blades lvl. 2, Meditation lvl. 2]

I let out the breath I’d been holding, as I held my position on the floor. My hands holding steady against the floor as I held my body in a perfect handstand. Something that, just a week ago, I’d only be able to do for half a second before my arms gave out and I smashed my face into the ground.

I’d had my reservations about Acrobatics as an ability even after my talk with May. I’d felt how light my body was with five Dexterity. I could feel how limber and easily I could move. How could Acrobatics improve on something like that when I already felt like an Olympian?

Acrobatics. You have my sincerest apologies.

I let my handstand give way as I rolled onto my back. Springing to my feet and vaulted the kitchen counter with an ease I’d never felt before. Twisting in the air with a massive grin on my face I landed and raised my arms out to my sides as I bowed to an invisible crowd. I looked around the apartment for more stuff to jump over and test my Acrobatics on, before my eyes landed on the thick wood of a chair in the kitchen. I pulled the chair to the middle of the kitchen and reached down, one hand grabbing onto the back of the chair and the other on the edge of the chair’s seat. And with an easy jump I held a handstand on the chair this time. Rather than tip over into the chair and humiliate myself, my arms flexed. One hand one the back of the chair and the other on the chairs seat I held myself in the air. Swinging my legs a bit to rock the chair back to wobble on two of its legs.

Grinning like a mad man I held my position. Not even feeling that tired holding myself up like I was. With my Acrobatics granted grace I let the chair back onto the floor on all its four legs and fell softly back onto my feet. I bounced up and down on the balls of my feet. Still giddy at the rush of moving so freely. Holding my hands above my head in a stretch I bent over and reached for the floor. The palms of my hands flat against the floor as I tested my newfound flexibility again.

Explaining Acrobatics and how it felt was weird. It wasn’t like an attribute point in Dexterity where you felt a physical improvement in your reflexes and natural ability. That was why I hadn’t registered the improvements when I’d picked it up. It was like a combination that felt both physical and mental. Physically, I wasn’t any stronger or flexible, but Acrobatics somehow let me use more of myself. To call upon every reserve of Dexterity I had. Mentally, it was like a Skill, but not a Skill. The vault and handstand I just did were almost automatic. I just wanted to do those things, knew intrinsically that I was capable of them, and then I did it. If I tried to explain how I knew how to do it, it would be like trying to explain to someone how you reach for a glass of water. You don’t need to think. You just do.

Wiping my hands clean on my pants I stood up looked at my status screen again. Picking up Acrobatics had been great but getting the extra level in Meditation last night was just the icing on the cake. I knew that level had come from my new point in Wisdom too. Wisdom and Meditation acting like a weird feedback loop for each other. In a way, it felt like Meditation had the upper hand on my other Skills. Sneak and Small Blades both took advantage of my Dexterity, but weren’t so entwined with it that they could benefit from it in the same way Meditation could with Wisdom.

[You have 5 skill points available]

I smiled at the thought of more skills and upgrades. Wondering what I should focus on first. I looked out the window of Gregor’s apartment, staring out over the city with a newfound senses of optimism. I’d been relying a lot on Gregor and May recently. Even feeling a bit guilty at how much I’d come to depend on them. But now, with me on my own and with them both out of the apartment I finally felt like I was coming into my own in this world. Taking the steps I needed to pick myself up and accept the responsibility of-

Oh shit was it Sunrise already?

I froze like a deer in the headlights as I watched the first rays of sunshine peek over the horizon. An ice cold chill running through my gut as I knew exactly what that meant. “Fuck!” I hissed as I sprinted through the apartment, throwing clothes on like my life depended on it. My mouth was a constant stream of swears and curses as I got my shoes and my cloak. Furiously tying the laces and accidentally putting my head through the wrong hole in my cloak. My panic was entirely justified.

I had a job now. And I absolutely did not want to find out how Grima dealt with tardy employees.

Getting myself together finally I locked the door to Gregor’s apartment with the Sigmata key May had drawn onto my middle finger. It was honestly pretty neat how it worked. The Sigmata was basically a key ring attached to my finger. There was a thick band of interwoven blue lines on my finger where a ring would normally be that I could rotate as if it were a normal ring instead of a tattoo. Whenever someone wanted to give me a new key, we would shake hands and if they wanted to they could imprint a copy their key onto my new key ring.

It was honestly really neat and something I shouldn’t be thinking about right now.

Moving down the hallway I was a bit surprised to see so many people moving towards the lifts at the end of the hallway. Moving with the crowd I saw the doors of a lift open at the end of the hall. “Hold that door please!” I said over the crowd as I tried moving faster without looking too desperate. But the doors of the lift were already closing. The elevator was pretty packed already and some of the people gave me apologetic looks as the doors shut. “Damnit.” I muttered. Looking at the signs over the lifts that marked what floor they were on made me shudder. They were all on the lower floors, and since Sunrise was basically fantasy rush hour they would probably be there for a while.

My head swiveled from the lifts, to the door in the corner clearly marked as being stairs. Then back again. Then again. “Aw damnit…” I sighed. Knowing exactly what I was going to do to not be late for work.

I opened the door to the stairs and stared down all seventeen flights of stairs for a moment before swearing profusely as I started racing down the stairs. I went down the steps two at a time, with an ease and lightness I wouldn’t have dreamed I could be capable of. But I still wasn’t going fast enough. I kept losing speed turning the corners to go down the next flight of stairs.

I looked at the wall of the landing for a split second as I kept moving, judging the distance in my head. Could I do that? Acrobatics gave me the mental thumbs up. And despite my state of mild panic, I smiled wide. I was going to do that.

As I sped down the next flight of stairs instead of slowing down at the bend I kept my momentum. My feet leaving the floor as I leaped onto the wall, my steps echoing off the interior of the stairwell as I ran along it until I pushed off to hurl myself down the next flight of stairs. With my new trick I practically flew down the stairs. Getting only mildly winded as I raced to the bottom of the stairs.

After just a few minutes I pushed through the door at the bottom and came out into the lobby of the apartment building. My Mind Map buzzing as I traced out the clearest path through the back alleys to Grima’s shop. I made sure put my hood up as I left the building. Trying my best to look calm and collected as I walked through the street to the alley I wanted. After a few seconds of making sure the coast was clear and I was deep enough into the alley I started running.

Yesterday, making my way back to Gregor’s apartment after mopping the floors at Grima’s I’d carefully crept down the alleys trying to increase my Stealth skill but any thoughts of leveling it were dashed in my sprint. The trash and discarded bins and crates proved to be no obstacle to my Acrobatics enhanced Dexterity. I leaped, vaulted, and performed a few unnecessary wall runs as I navigated the alleys. Not even slowing down when a large wall appeared. The dividing line between the Murk district and the others.

It was comparable to the large wall that had kept me from escaping after I’d been taken from the guard station. Only this one didn’t have the small mountain of trash that rose partway to the top. It was just a big wall. A big wall that I knew with absolute certainty I’d be able to clear.

Dashing forward with an extra bit of speed I ran at the wall next to the corner where it connected with the stone of the building on my right. Running into the wall I leaped at it and used my momentum to run up almost half the height of the wall in one go. As my upward momentum stalled, before I could start falling back to the ground I kicked off the wall with one foot and pushed myself towards the side of the building next to me. With my other foot I hit the building and kicked myself back towards the wall. Going back and forth until my hands were hanging off the edge of the top of the wall.

With a bit of vertigo I looked down at the floor of the alley that was much farther below me than I’d thought it was. The part of me that was from Earth was a bit panicked that I was so high in the air, but all my new instincts from Dexterity and the addition of Acrobatics on top of that barely twitched at the sight. I could almost picture exactly how to brace my legs if I were to let go and tuck into a roll that would distribute the impact across my body. I had a flash of memory back to my time at P.E. in high school. Remembering how depressingly average my scores were on the rock wall and how my gym teacher decided that the class needed a proper role model as he climbed the wall to critique my “shameful” form.

Mr. Bernard. I thought with a smug grin. Eat your heart out.

With that happy thought I easily brought myself up and over the wall in one smooth motion. I was just beginning to fall towards the ground when I realized I’d… made a bit of an oopsie. A rather notable… fucky wucky, if you will. The kind that ends with idiots like myself ending up in the forever box.

Common sense, should have told me to look at where I was planning to drop before I jumped over the wall. But that deadbeat ain’t been around since he left for a gallon of milk and cigarettes. Currently I was falling towards what looked like a mugging in progress. That should have been mostly alright, I’m a fast guy, I can outrun some random street thugs. As long as they weren’t the big walking fluffy type with claws and fangs that could rip me to shreds I’d be fine. Yup, just…fine.

I was totally gonna die in the next few seconds.

There were four of them in total. All Beast folk. Three who were obviously the aggressors, two bears and a panther. And a less intimidating wolf they had pushed against the wall I had just jumped over. In the split second snap shot of the scene I had gotten I recognized the wolf was definitely worse for wear.

In my frantic arm waving as I fell one of the bears who had been about to move towards the wolf looked up. His dark eyes bulging with surprise as I came down.

Now… in my defense. It was absolutely an accident. To call what I did a “kick” would just be a flat out lie. I had zero intention of getting involved in any of what was going on right now. The bear just had the misfortune of being under me as I was falling. Then I saw those big scary teeth as it saw me, one thing led to another and…

I drop kicked the bear in the face.

Filled with a panicked strength and Dexterity enhanced reflexes I slammed into the bear’s face boots first. Pushing off the bear’s head to land in front of the wolf in a crouch as he fell back dazed. His two companions looking at me like I’d fallen out of the sky. There was a blessed moment of calm as we all looked at each other. Me staring out from my hood in fear, my lips working soundlessly in apology, and the thugs frozen in surprise.

The bear had regained a bit of clarity as he rose to his full height and held a paw against the side of his muzzle. Blood trickling out of his nose as he stared at me with a vengeance. Before snarling at his goons “Get him!”

The first to lunge for me was the panther, claws outstretched as he swiped at my chest. And let me tell you, every thought I’d ever had about being the hero in a moment of crisis went out the window as the big cat came for me. An involuntary “Eeep!” left my throat an octave higher than it should have been as I threw myself backwards to avoid the strike. Instead of tearing through me his claws met only empty air. Acrobatics wasn’t the same as a full dodge skill or ability like Uncanny Dodge was but if I wanted to move, combined with my Dexterity, I could do so. Fast.

The panther cursed as he swiped at me a few more times but each time I had already moved out of the way of his attacks. But after his last one my backfoot slipped on a glass bottle as I tried moving away. My leg flying out from under me like I’d stepped on a frickn’ cartoon banana peel. My eyes going wide as I lost my balance for what felt like the first time in forever. The panther pulling his arm back with a grin for another vicious swipe.

Despite being almost vertical to the ground without any feet on the ground to reposition, I pushed hard on my Acrobatics ability. I desperately wanted to move out of the way of the attack and Acrobatics had to show me how to get there. A tuck and roll, a mid air spin, something. That extra bit of desperation pushed on the Ability in a way I’d never done before. In that moment I felt a depth to the ability I’d never even noticed. I realized all the things I’d done with Acrobatics till now were just scratching the surface. The hand stands, the little bits of wall running, all of it was just so… tame.

Acrobatics wasn’t just made for doing stunts and cool tricks. It was an attribute ability. You didn’t think about using an attribute like Dexterity or Strength. It was apart of you. A part of me.

A part that was geared specifically for all kinds of Acrobatics, in every situation and using every part of my body. When I felt the depth of the ability I could tell there was more than just solutions to my problems there. There was the potential for some absolutely ridiculous flippy shit too.

Rather than try to land on my feet I let myself fall backwards as I landed on my hands with my legs still in the air. Bending my elbows to bring myself closer to the ground I twisted my waist as I let the panther’s claws sail by me. I’d never fought anyone before, let alone for my life. Acrobatics was never going to make me a combat master. But it felt like simplicity itself to spin on the ground and whip a leg out to trip the panther.

As the panther crashed into the ground with a shout his companion charged towards me. The bear wielding a big hunk of wood like it was a baseball bat, and swinging at me like he was going for the fences. Rather than try to kill my momentum after my improvised spin kick on the ground I sped up. Whirling my legs around to move myself over the ground and out of the path of the wood whistling through the air with my name on it. I dodged it once, then three more times after that. The wood splintering against the ground and showering my exposed bits with chunky splinters as I barely dodged the next strike. My pseudo breakdance dodging skills just enough to keep me out of harms way as the bear roared at me.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

“Hold still you little shit!” He said raising his makeshift club up high. With the amount of space I had to move in dwindling as I’d moved closer to the wall I righted myself with an easy move and, seeing an opportunity. Dived between the bear’s legs as the wood smashed into the ground where my head would have been a second ago. Tucking into a roll I popped up behind the bear and found myself right in front of the other bear I’d kicked in the face. Accidently of course. No rational human being would ever kick a bear in the face.

The bear was spitting mad. Literally. Gobs of spittle flew out of his mouth as he roared and threw a massive haymaker at me. Claws extended and ready to tear me open. Dancing back with a hiss through my clenched teeth I managed to dodge the next few strikes but the bear was coming at me like a freight train. And trying to outmaneuver a freight train in an alley didn’t leave too much room to get out of the way. One massive swipe clipped my shoulder, the claws raking through my cloak and through the skin underneath. A cry of pain tore itself out of my throat as the sheer force of the blow, even the little bit that grazed me was enough to spin me around.

By back hit stone, one of the walls of the alley and the bear’s dark eyes glimmered with triumph as he threw another savage blow at me. Without any where to go to duck out of the way of the strike I went they only direction left to me. Up. With a speed that could only have been the product of panic and adrenaline, my feet kicked up and off the wall. Tucking my legs tight to my chest as his claws raked the wall right under me. For a split second in the air, I made eye contact with the bear. His face a mix of fury and the same shock I’d seen before when I’d introduced his face to my boots.

This time. Kicking him in the face wouldn’t be an accident.

With a true acrobat’s grace I shifted in the air. My hands latching onto the thick fur of the bear’s outstretched arm for support as I shot out both legs like they they were spring loaded. For the second time that fight, the bear reeled back as my boots slammed into his face. The bear reeled back, stumbling like a drunk as I fell the to the ground in a crouch. He managed to stay upright for just a second more before his eyes glazed over and he fell backwards to the ground like a felled oak. His two companions had regrouped and were staring at their downed buddy open mouthed as they looked to each other, their buddy again, then finally me. Thankfully, they seemed a lot more hesitant to fight than they had a moment before.

We sized each other up for a few seconds. My thoughts racing between a desire to run, the pain in my shoulder, and pure shock that I had actually knocked out someone in a fight for the first time in my life. Before I could act on any of those thoughts I felt a stab of concern hit me. That wolf earlier that had been mugged! I hadn’t actually meant to help the wolf in the first place, but now that I was involved I couldn’t just leave the poor guy behind. I felt a pang of guilt at wondering if I’d have had the courage to help the wolf in the first place. Would I have helped him out if I hadn’t come over the wall like I had? I was still a quivering ball of nerves on the inside, even with my new abilities. My breaths were quick and shallow as my heart pounded in my chest. I’d never have done anything like this back on Earth.

That thought chilled me. Almost making me flinch with the realization of it. Because I didn’t want it to be true. But it was. I remembered vividly a time I was at the convenience store and someone stole money from the register while the cashier was distracted. How I’d shrunken back behind the aisles as the thief got away and the cashier screamed for help. The only thing that burned through my mind then was a single, shameful thought.

I’m sorry, but I can’t help you.

Every time I’d walk by a beggar on the street pleading for change. My fingers clenching around the couple of bucks I’d saved for groceries. I’m sorry, but I can’t help you.

Staying quiet at work while a coworker got berated by bosses for a mistake they didn’t make. My teeth clenching as I pretended not to hear anything. I couldn’t lose this job. Not after all the others. I’m sorry, but I can’t help you.

I wanted to believe I was a good person. But was I? Was middling through life, and just taking care of yourself what good people did? A good person helped others, stood up for others. They weren’t losers like me. Barely scraping by like I had been ever since I’d left home on my own. I felt a heat in my chest as my fists clenched. Maybe I couldn’t help anyone before. Maybe deep down inside I became a Rogue because I was the kind of guy who only looked out for myself. If that was true, maybe I wasn’t a good person at all.

But I wanted to be.

The wolf had been frozen against the wall in shock. He hadn’t even moved a hair since I’d first fallen in on his mugging. Still quivering as he looked between his attackers and me. “Hey!” The wolf’s gaze snapped to me, eyes wide as they took me in. “Get out of here! Go!” I shouted at him.

Like flipping a switch the wolf flinched, nodded at me and booked it out of the alley like a bat outa hell. I felt a bit of pride in my chest as I saw the wolf escape. I’d actually helped someone in need. I actually did something good today. I felt a smile tug at my mouth at the thought. Being so indebted to Gregor and May had been weighing me down for a while. They’d done so much for me. I didn’t even want to think about where I’d be if I’d had to stay on my own. But I couldn’t help but feel like a burden at times.

This may not have been anything special in the grand scheme of things but it gave me hope I could pay back Gregor and May with interest.

Hey, uh. I can tell you’re having a moment. My brain broke in. But why aren’t we running?

The bear I’d knocked down was getting roused by his companions and I only had to see a glimpse of the hatred in his eyes to know that he wanted to pay back what I’d done to him a hundred fold. He was glaring at me like he could reach out and strangle me with his eyeballs. I’d always thought that flinching at someone’s glare was just an expression but no. Turns out, if someone truly despises you, flinching is an appropriate response.

Without even a cool one liner, I turned around and sprinted down the alley. Taking a different path than the wolf I’d seen. Even if it did put me further away from Grima’s shop. I heard the thugs curse and scramble after me as I ran. I practically flew down the alley. Maneuvering over any obstacle like I was a parkour pro. Mind Map laid out a path for me to follow but that path was growing short. I had only mapped the areas that led to and from Grima’s shop and I was almost at the edge of my Mind Map’s awareness.

I turned a right, a sharp left, vaulted a mess of crates. I’d cut line of sight from my pursuers but they weren’t going to let me go so easily. That panther especially had outpaced his buddies and was keeping pace with me. Almost gaining on me. My mind raced as I ran. Did I just keep running? No, I’d eventually make a mistake at some point. Running into a dead end or something once I’d left the known area on my Mind Map. Did I hide? My sneak skill was level two now. And I’d been able to hide from the Shield Guard right after I’d awakened. But I hadn’t taken any extra levels in any of its skills yet. I had skill points but I didn’t want to fall into a habit of panic spending my points. That may help me out of a situation at the moment but it was bound to screw me down the line.

But I was running out of time. So I made my choice. Swiping a thick glass bottle on the ground as I turned a corner, I ran and turned. Judging the panther's speed in my head and bringing my arm back to throw, the pain from my wound making me flinch as I aimed. The moment I saw the panther round the corner I hurled the bottle at his face. It didn’t break into a thousand pieces like the movies told me it would though. It bounced off the panther’s skull with a resounding Ding! The panther stumbling as he clutched his head with a cry and crashed to the ground.

I rounded another corner as I heard the panther swear. And made my choice. There were two diverging alleys the path I was on forked into. There was also a pile of garbage bags to my right that Quick Cover lit up like a beacon in my mind. Before I went any further, I listened to the split second plan my Distraction skill cobbled together. Without giving myself a chance to hesitate I picked up a rock and threw it down towards the end of one of the alleys and ran for the garbage pile. In one quick move I pressed myself against the pile and pulled a bag down on top of me, forcing myself to press into the pile of rotting squishy garbage. I heard the muted sound of the rock I’d thrown hitting some trash container or cans and making a bit of a racket.

Then I caught a whiff of my hiding place and instantly regretted my decision.

My hand desperately wanted to fly up to my nose to cover it but I kept perfectly still as my whole face scrunched up in agony. I didn’t dare move or make a sound. I could hear movement just outside my hiding spot as I tried keeping my breathing light and shallow. “There! He just turned that corner!” I’d heard one of the thugs say outside. Way too close to my hiding spot for my liking. I had the feeling he’d been pointing towards the end of the alley I’d thrown my rock at.

“Did you see him?”

“Of course I didn’t! The bastard brained me with a fucking bottle!”

“What if he went a different way?” One of the bears said. “Orin, your nose is better than mine which way did he go?”

“The fucker smashed my face remember? Sniff him out yourselves you useless shitheads!”

I felt a wave of fresh panic fill my heart as I heard that. Of course the fantasy beast people had great senses of smell. I could only hope that all the pieces of garbage around my body was enough to cover myself. I felt an unfamiliar spike of anger in my chest at the whole situation. I’d been running ever since I’d gotten here. From the Shield guard, the Syndicate, now whoever these bastards were. I felt my hand grip the knife I’d forgotten to draw during the fight. I hadn’t even remembered reaching for it, but that anger in my chest was burning hotter with every passing second.

Who the hell were these people to make me run away like a coward? Like some pathetic beaten dog? It wasn’t right. I didn’t deserve this. I deserved so much more.

I’ll carve them up. The thought came to me as I gripped the handle of my knife. I could almost see it in my mind as a pressure built behind my eyes. Opening them up in all the right places so they were stained red by their own blood. I was smiling wide with gritted teeth as I fought the urge to leap out of my hiding place right then and there. It would be so sweet. I could take my time now, not like before. All the killing I’d done in the thieves’ hideout had been too quick. It had simply been a means to an end. I wanted more, but there was something… something wrong… something that…

Something that wasn’t me.

In my mind the part of me that was truly me reeled from the realization. I’d thought I’d be able to catch the thing in my head before it tried taking control again. Be able to force it down before it grew too intense. I’d barely felt any effort on its part to take over my mind again, I’d spent days hoping it had been weakened somehow. But I could feel instantly that hadn’t been the case at all. It had just been waiting. Testing the limits of its cage so it could slip out during a moment of crisis. It was so subtle I hadn’t even noticed it had been influencing me.

Now it had a hand on the wheel and the pressure behind my eyes mounted as I tried to keep myself present. But it was strong. Too strong.

No! I thought in panic as my free hand clamped down on my other wrist. I couldn’t make it let go of the knife. It had only gripped it harder. My knuckles turning white as it tried to draw the blade.

Yes… The voice was distinct now, no longer trying to weave its words between my thoughts to make me think they were my own. It sounded raw and hungry. Like a starving beast salivating at the sight of a fresh kill. Carve them up… Rip and tear… Blood for blood until the world runs red…

My fingernails were digging into my own wrist with the strain of holding it still but it felt weak, there was a savage strength in my other arm that wasn’t my own. I could feel it with a certainty now. If I lost control now it would happen again. Another slaughter, another massacre. Wrought by my own hands.

My teeth clenched hard as I trembled with strain as I fought to stay in control. To push it back down into the darkened part of my mind but it was only growing louder. Chanting in my head with a mad glee as its voice grew louder and louder.

Carve ‘em up, carve ‘em up, carve ‘em up, carve ‘em up, carve ‘em up carve ‘em up carve ‘em up! CARVE ‘EM UP!

It wasn’t working. Even with the point in my Wisdom stat that just wasn’t enough to brute force the monster back down. Fear clutched at my heart as I desperately searched for another way to save myself. To save the people that would surely die if I lost this fight.

[You have 5 skill points available]

[Deceitful Mind Skill Tree]

[Active Sub-skills: 3]

[Distraction: Level 1]

[Rogue's Eye: Level 1]

[Mind Map: Level 2]

My panicked mind stumbled upon my active sub skills for the skill tree linked to Meditation and I leaped at it. I didn’t need more sneak skills right now I needed something else.

[Combat Clarity Skill Tree]

[Active Sub-skills: 0]

Combat Clarity was the skill tree that was the union of my Mediation Skill and Small Blades Skill. Just like how Deceitful Mind was a union of Sneak and Meditation. Without hesitation I delved into the Skill tree and searched through the skills. Combat Clarity dealt primarily with skills that focused on aiding a person in combat. There were Skills for trance like combat states, enemy pattern recognition, and attack anticipation. But I went straight for the skills that dealt with the mind alone.

[Intangible Aegis: Create a mental barrier of sheer willpower, blocking psychic attacks and mental intrusions. Effectiveness increases with strength of mental image.]

[Psychosomatic Shell: A passive psychosomatic mental shell that prevents mental intrusions from immediately having an effect on the body. Higher levels offer increased effects and triggered effects for shell ruptures.]

[Thought Acceleration: Increases the speed of neural impulses required for thought processing. Effect is dependent on mana usage and the user’s ability to remain in a meditative state to remain active.]

As I read the description on the three skills I knew I had to have them, and I didn’t have time to be picky. I dropped a Skill point into each skill to pick them all up at first level. Immediately I felt Psychosomatic Shell activate and lessen the force my uncontrolled hand had as it’s grip slackened on the knife, but it didn’t let go. The level one skill not nearly enough to stop it completely. I triggered Thought Acceleration and felt my panicked breaths slow down as my mana sped up my thoughts for an instant before I snapped back to real time. It was no good, I couldn’t concentrate, couldn’t meditate with my head so scrambled.

I felt a trickle of blood flow from my nose as I brute forced the skill. Dumping mana into it like I was trying to waterboard the skill to death. With the extra seconds of increased time I was able to pry from the skill I turned to the next Skill in my arsenal. Gathering Intangible Aegis into a barely cohesive whole I desperately hurled the shield at the monster in my head. Even as a broken and quickly forged mental image it was enough to get it to stumble in its assault as I hit it with a skill instead of my meager willpower alone. But I knew it wasn’t enough, I only had enough skill points to upgrade one of my new skills or pick up two more skills instead.

[You have 2 skill points available]

[Meditation Skill Tree]

[Active Sub-skills: 0]

[Thought Sculptor: You can better shape and craft mental images, thoughtforms, and constructs with heightened clarity. Detail increases with time spent in Meditation focusing on the desired outcome.]

[Synaptic Surge: Temporarily boosts all cognitive-related stats. Resulting in a surge of mental acuity and focus.]

Using the last of my Skill points I picked up the two skills. And slammed down on Synaptic Surge. Instantly the world was clearer, brighter even. My own thoughts more tangible. The monster was more tangible too. I could almost see it in my mind. A faceless human shaped thing without detail aside from a gaping maw, trying to tear into the parts of my mind that were me. My only defenses the subconscious constructs that held my very identity. It was a violation so personal I felt an anger at the thing like I’d never felt before.

With the heightened clarity of Synaptic Surge still active I managed to hold Thought Acceleration and keep it active amidst the turmoil in my mind. With the precious seconds it granted me I brought Intangible Aegis to the fore. With Thought Sculptor guiding my mental hands I remade the paltry barrier anew with concrete detail. It was huge and thick. With spikes and thorns on the outside. It was still pretty rushed but it was big. Far bigger than a regular shield or even a tower shield but I wasn’t content with just putting the thing between myself and the monster.

Chew on this! I roared as I hurled the shield a the beast as fast as I mentally could. The shield rocketed through my mind space and slammed into the beast. It roared in pain, spitting curses as I pressed the shield into it harder. I felt an echo of its senses and thoughts flow out of it as I pushed it away. The sheer unbridled hatred it had for me leaking out into my mind. The indignation of knowing that it could not break me just yet. With one more push on the shield I threw the beast back. Forcing it away from my conscious mind as it glared at me without eyes, before slinking back into the dark without another word.

I waited, tense and readying my Intangible Aegis for the next attack but it never came. It was over. I won.

Barely.

Snapping back to my body as my Synaptic Surge timed out and Thought Acceleration collapsed, I gasped and panted like I’d run back to back marathons. I didn’t hear the beast men outside anymore. And I was almost beyond the point of caring. With leaden arms I pushed off the trash and pulled myself out of the pile only to collapse to the cool ground with relief. I rested like that for a while. My cheek against the ground as my eyes roamed the area around me. It took a few minutes of repeatedly blinking at the length of the shadows of the alley to look up at the sky.

The sun wasn’t visible with the buildings surrounding me but I could tell by the rich blue in the sky that it wasn’t anywhere close to sunrise anymore. I groaned. Shakily rising to my knees as I held my head. The lingering effects of my struggle for sanity still leaving it throbbing with phantom pains and sensations.

With one hand on the wall to support me I focused on the winding path I’d taken in my Mind Map and started walking towards Grima’s shop. That had been close, too close. I needed to find a cure for this, or at the very least build up my mental defenses. I couldn’t let the beast free again. Not after what happened last time.

I shook my head as I remembered the form of the thing again. Faceless and raw. It felt like a beast, acted like one too. But I knew that it wasn’t. It had been human once.

Rykas.

The name stuck in my head. That was its name. Or at least the name it had when it was alive. I held a hand to my head as I kept moving forward. Mentally feeling out the damage it had done trying to force its way through my own identity and sense of self.

That would be like dying I realized. Losing that innate part of me. Toby Kincaid would be as dead as can be while my body would go on without me. Serving my own killer.

What a happy thought that was.

“Well…” I mused tiredly. Trying to lighten my mood. “Maybe Grima will kill me first? That will solve at least one of my problems.”