Chapter 7
As we ran, I took breaks to ensure the dogs were okay, scanning them to check their stamina. They seemed to be having a great time. During these breaks, I also scanned for monsters and kept an eye out for non-native animals. It was during one of these breaks that I spotted the first non-native monster of the day. It was within range of my scan, but I didn't dare get closer with the dogs in tow.
You have successfully scanned Umber Hulk.
Level: 20
Health: 1523
Mana: 200
Stamina: 800
An abominable horror from deep beneath the earth, an Umber Hulk burrows into cave complexes, dungeons, or small towns in search of food.
"Damn," I thought to myself, realizing that I could have taken down the beast in a war of attrition if I didn't have the dogs with me. I gave up on the hope of encountering it again when I returned. Gathering the dogs, we resumed our journey, and along the way, I checked the notifications waiting for me.
Congratulations on reaching level 3 with the ability Earth Strider.
You have increased the skill scan from level 1 to level 4.
Realizing that I disliked receiving notifications for every incremental skill increase, I adjusted the settings to only show notifications when I gained a level in individual skills, abilities, or spells. This made my notifications more concise and clutter-free.
After some quick calculations, I realized that I could continue traveling with Earth Strider for periods of 13 minutes before needing to stop and allow my MP and stamina to regenerate. It took 8 minutes for my mana and stamina to recover. Traveling at a speed of 10 mph with my dexterity already factored in using Earth Strider, I could reach 30 mph. It seemed like the journey to Los Angeles would take longer than I initially thought. When I reached Fresno, I decided to explore the possibility of acquiring a motorcycle with side or three wheels, depending on Fresno's conditions. If I had to continue on foot, it would take approximately 12 hours of running, accounting for breaks. While it wasn't the most efficient means of travel between cities compared to cars, I didn't have to worry about road conditions, and I could train my skills along the way.
I headed towards Fresno, which was about a 2-hour jog away. Although I didn't expect to encounter any monsters or people on the road, I cast Mage Armor just to be safe. I allocated most of my mana to the armor, leaving only 10% remaining. The prompt confirmed that I had cast Mage Armor for 234 MP, and the armor had 117 HP remaining, with 26 mana reserved. The 26 mana didn't significantly impact my calculations. With my preparations complete, I gathered the dogs and continued our journey to Fresno.
While traveling, I tried to track the progress of Earth Strider, but the XP allocation baffled me. I couldn't discern any relationship to distance. Even when I slowed down to a power walk, there were no significant changes in percentage; it seemed to have a steady climb with random jumps. Pushing that thought aside, I focused on scanning my surroundings, remaining vigilant for potential threats.
After the first time I stopped with depleted mana and experienced a headache, I decided to conserve some mana for emergencies. So, I took extra breaks to study plant life and nature in general. It was during one of these stops that I came across an odd little blue flower. What fascinated me the most was the opalescent light radiating from the flower like a corona.
Enchanted by the glowing petals, I was captivated by the beauty of this simple little flower. Before touching it, I pulled out my phone to identify the flower or find a related species. Within a minute, I discovered it was a Baby Blue Eyes (Nemophila menziesii) and learned how to dig it up for transplanting. Considering how to carry the plant, I realized I might have a spell that could determine if the plant had died after being placed in my ring. I moved down the road a bit to find a California poppy and researched how to harvest it.
Then, I cast Contour Nature on the poppy. The sensation was very different from the door; it was like holding a real puppy rather than a replica doll. There was a distinct sense of life in the plant that was absent from the wood. As I touched the plant, I contemplated moving it to our garden so I could care for it properly. Unexpectedly, the plant extracted itself from the soil, its roots wiggling like little legs.
The plant gathered its roots into a ball and sat there. Completely astonished, I stared at the tiny ball. I could tell it was soft enough to expand into its proper root system when replanted. Nevertheless, I used Contour Nature to create a ball of dirt around the roots. As I lifted the little poppy, a flood of notifications rapidly blinked in the corner of my vision. Deciding to add more plants, I attempted to put the poppy into my storage ring. It disappeared in an energy ripple, and a large flashing prompt filled my vision.
"You have put a plant into your storage ring. As this ring was not made to hold living plants, it will cost 10 times the amount of life held in reserve. This affects your total HP pool and requires confirmation, or the plant will die. Would you like to pay 10% of your maximum life to keep the plants alive? The life paid this way will be returned once the items are no longer within the storage ring."
I pressed "accept," and the poppy vanished into the ring. I could sense its delicate life within the ring. I took the poppy out of the ring, watching my life total. The poppy reappeared in my hand, and my life total returned from 211 to 235, with 23 life missing. I cast Healing Hands on myself before returning the poppy to the inventory. Curious about the notifications, I brought them up to see what had happened.
Congratulations! You have learned the skill Herbalism at level 1.
Congratulations! Your herbalism skill has leveled up from level 1 to 3.
Congratulations! You have learned the skill. Commune with Nature.
Commune with Nature: The ability to communicate with nature on an impressionistic level.
Congratulations! Your spell Contour Nature has leveled up to level 7.
Congratulations! You have found a California poppy.
Congratulations! You have successfully communicated with a plant, convincing it to be transplanted. This increases the likelihood of the plant's survival upon transplantation. There is a bonus 30% increase in the success rate of transplantation.
Congratulations! You have received the quest "Cultivation of Harmony: Plant a garden consisting of plants that have consented to be transplanted." This quest will increase resource yields from plants in the garden by up to 50%.
Congratulations! You have completed the hidden quest "Motion to the Motionless." As a reward, you have been granted the class spell Summon Plant Elemental. You have earned 1000 XP.
Class Spell - Summon Plant Elemental: MP 150. Summons a Plant Elemental that fights alongside you. It can take one of three forms: OakenShield, Wisp of the Vines, or Thorn Elemental.
OakenShield - HP: 400, MP: 100, Stamina: 100
Wisp of the Vines - HP: 100, MP: 400, Stamina: 100
Thorn Elemental - HP: 200, MP: 200, Stamina: 300
Level bonus: +1 Summon level per spell level.
My mind whirls with the spell being implanted in my brain, and I can't help but wonder what other hidden quests might be out there. However, before I get caught up in that spiral, I have a beautiful plant to collect and a road to continue on. I open my inventory to check the name of the poppy, but it is simply listed as California poppy. I then head over to pick the Opalescent Baby Blue Eyes.
As I approach the flower, I notice that the area around the Baby Blue Eyes is radiating life. The plants closest to this flower appear malnourished, while those farther away look healthier. I cast Contour Nature and activate the Scan skill, hoping it will provide more information. Unfortunately, it doesn't yield any additional details beyond the name.
I touch the plant while directing my thoughts towards it. I express my desire to take it back to my garden, where I can nourish it and allow it to reach its fullest potential. I sense a feeling of resistance as if the plant is reluctant to leave. I explain that it might be harming the plants around it and that I can provide a place where it can grow even bigger and stronger. After a while, the plant relents and releases its hold on the earth. Its little roots wiggle out of the ground and form a ball. I channel Contour Nature to create a soft dirt ball similar to the one for the poppy. I stow it in my inventory, accepting a 1% drain on my HP.
Congratulations! You have found an Opalescent Baby Blue Eye.
Stats: Unknown
Abilities: Unknown
Uses: Unknown
Congratulations! Your skills Commune with Nature and Herbalism have both gained two levels.
As I gather the dogs and set back out on the road, I think about how much more amazing this world is going to be once it settles down. I am hopeful for the future and excited about the possibilities. The rest of the trip passes without anything of note happening.
While heading down the 41, I spot the first sign of life in a while—a car on the side of the road with its hazard lights on. I slow down to see what happened and check if anybody needs help. I tie up the dogs and approach the car. Within ten feet of the car, I notice blood splattered across the back window. The driver's side door is open, and there appears to be a trail of blood leading from the open door into the field. As I get within 5 feet of the car, I see a shape moving inside. I prepare myself by pulling out my Blackwood naginata and conjuring a Magic Missile, while also ensuring my Mage Armor is fully intact at 117 HP. I approach from the passenger side door and spot an overly muscled hound.
If you were to imagine a thickly muscled Pitbull mixed with a Great Dane, that's how this creature appears. As I take in the sight, a second head rises from the corpse of a middle-aged woman. Startled, I react by releasing a Magic Missile right into the face of the first head. While casting the next Magic Missile, I scan the creature.
Name: Death Dog
A death dog is an ugly two-headed hound that roams plains and deserts. It harbors hatred and has a taste for humanoid flesh, which drives it to attack travelers and explorers.
HP: 400 Mana: 100 Stamina: 300
Level: 10
Scanning reveals that I've depleted 10% of its HP with one bolt. Encouraged by this, I let the second missile fly, hitting the second head and inflicting a total of 25% damage. Realizing that I won't have enough mana to defeat it at range, I make a decision. I run the last 5 feet and thrust my weapon into the car's window, striking the side of the beast as it turns to leave the car, shaving off an additional 5% of its HP. I begin casting Earth Spike in an attempt to trap the hound inside the car.
Keeping my eyes on the Hound, I wait for the opportune moment to unleash Earth Spike as soon as the monster attempts to leave the car. A rocky spike of earth lances from the ground, striking the beast's first leg to leave the car. I see a significant drop in its health; it's now down to 56%. It seems like I must have broken something for it to sustain that much damage. Checking my mana, I notice it has depleted by 65%. With Earth Spike on cooldown, I cast another Magic Missile, catching the creature while it's trying to free itself from the spike. The attack hits its center mass, providing enough force to dislodge the Hound. Without missing a beat, the dog lunges at me.
Doing my best to defend myself, I put my naginata between us as it clamps down on the wood. Foolishly, I hold onto the Blackwood naginata as the Death Dog jerks its head with considerable weight to the side. In that moment, the other head bites into my arm. The pain is so intense it feels surreal, a mixture of stabbing pain, burning acid, and cooling mint.
Instinctively, I let go of the naginata as the beast jerks me to the side, my arm firmly in its grip. Luckily, it's my off-hand and not my dominant arm. As it whips me back and forth, bringing me closer to its head, I reach into my storage to retrieve a short sword into my available hand. As it pulls me closer to its head, I drive the blade up under its chin and into its brain. But as I complete the action, I feel a tremendous stabbing pain in my arm. It's at that moment I realize I'm pinned to the hound by my own hand. The first head howls as it staggers, dragging the flopping head and me in tandem. Desperately, I reach for the sword beneath the head. After being slapped around 1 or 2 times, I manage to grasp the handle of the sword. Planting my feet, I haul on the blade until it finally pops free, feeling it slide through my arm. I then pull my arm out of the beast's mouth and stumble a couple of feet away from the monster. Both of us being on our last legs, I start my final cast of Earth Spike, aiming for the creature's chest. It looks at me right as I finish casting the spell. All I can see in its eyes is pure hatred. Then, a spike of earth erupts, impaling its chest, draining away the last bit of its HP. I stand there, waiting for the level-up, but nothing comes. Checking my XP, I realize I'm 150 short, and I look up to the heavens, shaking my head and muttering, "Fuck you too, I guess."
Congratulations! You have killed a Death Dog and gained 1501 XP.
I pull some water bottles out of my ring and clean the wound. After cleaning the area, I notice black lines spreading out from the wound site. I cast Healing Hands on myself and channel it to maintain a continuous stream of healing. As I examine the wound, I notice that healing is not taking as well in the arm as it is in the rest of my body. So, I stop the healing and use Cleanse. Only then do I receive the notification that I have been diseased?
You have cleansed one stack of Death's Bite.
Death's Bite: Deals 2 necrotic damage a second until disease is cured.
Holy shit, that was close. Looking up at my health, I see that I only have 20% left. If I didn't have the Cleanse spell, the disease would have surely killed me. I need to quickly loot the car and collect the dogs. There might be a second Death Dog lurking around. I open the passenger door and find the body of a middle-aged woman in the back, her chest ripped open. I look past her and discover a purse on the ground behind the driver's seat. I open it up, search for the keys, and find them at the bottom of the purse where keys usually reside. I grab them and toss the purse into my inventory. Reaching over, I attempt to start the car but find that it has no gas. That must have been the reason they stopped, what a way to go.
I take the keys out of the ignition and make my way to the trunk. Popping it open, I find an assortment of things, from blankets to food and a change of clothes. Among the items, I spot a Desert Eagle handgun with 25 rounds. I decide to take the handgun, the food, and a box of keepsakes and documents. It feels necessary to inform someone about how these people died. I stash the box in my inventory, and a notification pops up, blinking in the corner of my vision. As I finish up, I hear a howl in the distance. Realizing I don't have any more time to waste and lacking the opportunity to fully heal, I dash over to collect the dogs and then activate Earth Strider, quickly putting distance between us and the hound. Once we reach 300 yards, I switch to a Sprint, pushing it for three minutes and consuming 90 MP over that time. I just need to create enough distance to stay safe. When the three minutes are up, I relax the pace until we come to a stop, allowing me to heal and regain some stamina. I start healing myself while checking on the dogs. They are scared and unhappy, but I can't blame them. I tend to the dogs as I regain my mana and stamina, gather everyone up, and head off to Fresno.
As we enter Fresno, it becomes apparent that the city is in a state of war. There are cars, debris, and destruction everywhere. However, at first glance, I don't see piles of bodies accompanying the destruction. This gives me hope that the city might not be completely dead. I cautiously make my way through Fresno, realizing that I want to stop by a couple of friends' houses, which happen to be on the way. I keep a vigilant eye on my surroundings and notice that while the streets may resemble a war zone, most of the houses are mostly intact. Only one out of four houses has severe damage that would make it uninhabitable for a family. As I approach my friend's house, I begin to see signs of blood. Rounding the final corner, I witness the horrifying sight that will haunt my nightmares for the next month.
It looks as though someone took a tree mulcher to the bodies of hundreds of monsters and people. The street is literally painted with blood, with brush strokes visible on every surface. I try to navigate through the debris and bodies, making my way toward my friend's house, situated in the center of the mess. Their house is located on a corner, surrounded by a thick concrete wall that now has steel plates bolted to the front, with piles of monster corpses at the base.
Approaching the house, I sense that someone is watching me, and it appears to be coming from within. So I shout, "Hello Lynx, are you home? It's Spike!" I hear the bolts on the door being thrown back, and as the door swings open, I see Lynx standing there in their entire 5'5" glory, with side-buzzed, long neon purple hair, and holding a rifle almost as big as them. It's a massive Barrett 50-caliber sniper rifle. Lynx waves me in, and as I open the gate, I notice that the yard is spotless, adorned with native California plants and a lava rock path leading to the house. I walk up to Lynx with my arms open, ready for a hug, while scanning their appearance.
Lynx's Class: Marksman, Level 10, 175 HP, 200 MP, 95 Stamina. Diseases: Fibro and Epilepsy.
"Hello, old friend. Welcome to my home," they say. "Do you like what you see?" They comment on the fact that I was scanning them.
"You know I always do, except I can see that you have diseases. Have you not seen anyone about those?" I inquire, embracing them with the comfort of a long-time friend.
"I thought about taking Minor Cleanse, but I need something to add to my survival. I was at the farmer's market when the monsters started to appear. It was a bloodbath, as people were too stunned and shocked by the notifications that appeared. They didn't react in time to save themselves. We can discuss this inside," they reply, turning around to head indoors.
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"Indeed, then we can help each other out," I say, stepping into the house. As we make our way to the living room, I take a look around and notice that all the windows have metal plates with about 10 inches of space for a rifle to poke through.
"I can see that you've been doing some remodeling. Is that why there are corpses lining the base of the wall? Have you been taking out any heads that poke up, I assume?" I ask, settling down on the couch.
Lynx joins me on the couch and lets out a sigh. "I'm surprised to see you without Valerie. Is she okay?" they inquire.
"She's fine, I hope. I don't really know. She was fine when she left for the city of Urza earlier today at noon," I respond. They look at me with confusion, so I proceed to inform them about the people being taken to the city of Urza and everything else that has happened to me since yesterday.
"If it wasn't bad enough that they flooded the world with mana, now they're abducting people to a different world. Who knows how long this will continue?" Lynx hisses, jaw clenched.
"Yeah, I don't like it either, but I understand. They're trying to ensure that those with the highest potential are safer and equipped with the tools to gain massive power, so they can fight The Sower. But they might be disappointed when the people of Earth resist being taken away from their families," I respond with a frustrated sigh. "So I have a favor to ask of you. It's not a massive task, but can you take care of these dogs and keep them here until I return from LA? I promised Olivia, a coworker of Valerie's, that I would ensure their safety, and you're a higher level than me. Plus, it looks like you're not going anywhere, right? What do you say?"
Lynx looks at me, contemplating whether or not to agree, before finally speaking. "Why not? I'm not going anywhere for a while. The children are safe, and there's no easy way to reach them. So my husband and I decided to stay where we are until order is restored."
"Thank you so much. I have food and their beds with me, so it should be enough until I return," I say with relief. "Oh, before we forget, come closer. Let me heal you." As I heal them, I inquire, "So what spells did you choose, and what class spells did you acquire?"
They look at me in wonder as the spell cleanses their illnesses. Feeling the absence of pain, they explain their spells. "I chose Healing Hands, Ice Blast, and Mage Armor. For my class abilities, I have Double Shot and Explosive Shot. Double Shot doubles the number of bullets or arrows that leave my weapon, while Explosive Shot deals moderate AOE damage."
"Those sound impressive. I bet they pack a punch. Can I acquire that Ice Blast spell? I can trade you the Cleanse spell or another one if you prefer," I ask, mentioning my own spells.
"Wait, what is this about trading spells? I haven't had any personal encounters with friendly faces since all this started," they ask. I proceed to fill them in on all the system mechanics and information we've figured out. Their eyes lose focus as they enter their menus.
"Thanks for that information. I was getting tired of the pop-ups. It felt like the early 2000s before pop-up blockers were invented," they remark, examining the options. "Looking at the choices, I think Minor Cleanse would be the best. It cures poison and disease, which is a clutch power when fighting unknown monsters. Alright, how do we do this?" they ask. I guide them through the process, and we trade spells.
Then they ask, "So, the Earth Strider spell, how does it work? I can't acquire it, but it sounds like it makes you fast."
"I managed to travel from the North Fork to here in just two hours using Earth Strider. With higher levels of skill, I'm hoping to move even faster than a car. What I don't understand is why I received two nature spells and a quest for one arcane spell," I explain.
"Hmm, I think it might have to do with your skills and titles. Maybe your arcane skills weren't up to snuff," they jab at me.
"Haha, oh no, you got me." I laugh.
We sit there in silence for a bit, and then they curl up next to me, resting their head against my chest. "All of this just sucks so much. Thanks for coming to check on me," they whisper into my chest.
"I know it sucks, but we're fighting back. I think we can adjust and grow as a people. But fuck, does this suck in every single way," I say with an explosive sigh. We sit there for a long minute, seeking comfort from each other. As we relax, a red light starts flashing. Lynx sighs and says, "Come with me and watch me work. It's going to be a blast," with a wink.
"So, I've been meaning to ask, where did you get that massive gun? I didn't expect you to be the .50 cal sniper type," I ask.
"I've been shooting, but it was never really my thing. I was on my roof watching for monsters when I saw the military fighting monsters four blocks over. I watched a guy who was sniping on a roof get dived on by a truly massive bird that picked him up and flew off. Within five seconds, he was gone. I tried to track the bird, but it climbed so fast that I lost sight of it within seconds. Then I heard a boom right over my head, and out of nowhere, the bird and the guy dropped into my backyard. The guy was dead on impact, but the bird was still alive, so I took the massive gun and shot it in the head. Its whole head exploded. I gained a bunch of experience points, some titles, this gun, and the sniper's body had a ring that contained a skill book for the Marksman skill at the Student level. It said it could be used to upgrade the skill. I think the poor guy was waiting until he reached a specific skill level. So, I used it and stored his body on his own ring after looting his radio. Now, I snipe for the military when they are in the area. That's what the blinking light means, a monster in sight," they explain.
This conversation continues as we walk to the roof. It's located at the peak of the house, about 6 feet wide and 10 feet long, covered by a retractable shade. At one end, there's a bench placed on a table. As we approach that end, Lynx unstraps the rifle and lies down on the bench. They pull out a radio and turn it on, immediately hearing someone speaking. "Roger that, repeat. Leading target into Lynx's range, heading east on Lynx road. Respond when you have an eye on the target," the military guy says. Lynx responds, "This is Lynx. I have eyes on the target. Run it into the kill box."
I hear something large and heavy pounding down the road. On the left, I see a truck speeding down the road, with a monster resembling a Triceratops. Instead of a fan around its neck, it has tentacles, and its horns are made of rigid, dented bone.
As we wait, I throw a Gift of Focus on Lynx, hoping to gain some experience from the kill. I'm only 149 XP away from leveling up, and that Triceratops looks like a hefty challenge. Then the truck is in front of the house and gone. The Triceratops enters the area, and I see the barrel and chamber light up with rings as Lynx casts their buffs. Then they pull the trigger. Even with my fingers in my ears, the sound leaves them ringing. The Triceratops simply explodes; the rounds are too fast to see. One second it was running, and the next, its head is flying through the air, the body turning into a blood-red mist that splatters all over the street.
"Holy shit, that was so cool and terrifying. I don't know what I was expecting, but a full detonation was not one of them. It's terrible to think about what we can do with this power," I say excitedly as energy pours into my body.
"Congratulations, you have reached level 7. You have 4 attribute points to spend."
I look over the experience I gained. "You have gained 250 experience from your contribution in killing the Triceratops. All right, not too bad for doing nothing."
"So, that's it? They just let you keep the sniper rifle as long as you shoot some big monsters when they run by your house. What happens to the monster parts? Do they pay you for this work?" I ask, as an idea forms.
"Um, yes, yes, yes, and no. It has been only one whole day. I am tracking the monsters that I kill for them. They keep track, and they agreed on $1,000 per kill. They have dropped off more ammo and food. Other than that, I have just been piling what remains in the backyard. If I can't clean it with a hose or carry it, I leave it."
"Oh, how would you like to make money on the side doing research?" I ask.
They give me a weary look and ask, "What kind of 'research' did you have in mind?"
"I have this buddy in North Fork, a blacksmith, who made this out of a staff and an elemental bull's horn," I say, pulling out the Blackwood naginata. "Look," I hand over the polearm.
"Really, he made this out of parts from monsters? That is an interesting proposal. Would he come down and pick up the parts, or would I have to deliver them?" Lynx says.
"He should probably be able to come down and pick them up twice a week or something. I can give him your number and text him right now." I do just that. Jake responds with, "Sounds great, have her text me to work out a price. I'll come down a couple of times a week. Good looking out, brother." - Jake
"I get a finder's fee of a new weapon. I found out that having two good weapons is better than one," I respond. I send Jake's info to Lynx. "Now I have to check that skull. Do you want to come?" I ask.
"Nah, I'll cover you," Lynx says.
"You just want to watch my ass," I say, grinning.
"Well, is that a sin?" Lynx retorts.
"Nope, but you have permission to take photos. They last longer," I say, and with that, I head down. The skull is a massive block of what I think might be stone. Upon closer inspection, I realize it is a really hard bone. I have no hope of moving it, so I give up. Checking around, I see corpses all around. I better talk to Lynx about moving these bodies. I notice some damage to the wall, so I shout, "I am going to fix your wall. Then I want to move some corpses out of the way. Is that okay?" Lynx shouts down, "Okay, and eww, fine."
I inspect the walls, noticing mostly impact damage and some bullet holes. As I start patching over the holes and fixing the cracks with my Contour Nature ability, I work my way around the wall. However, I keep getting this feeling that something is out of place. The first couple of times, I brush it off, but the third time the feeling is different, almost greasy. I stop on the spot and turn around, looking down to see nothing but plants. I turn off my spell, close my eyes, and activate my Commune with Nature skill.
The area around me starts to pulse with energy, and I can feel all the plants around me as if they're calling out to me. It becomes clear that they are close to something, but I can't determine what. So, as I scan the area near my feet, I spot a blood-red daisy growing out of a shard of bone with tiny roots attaching it to the ground. I squat down to get a better look while recasting Contour Nature. I send the flower impressions of a garden where it can have all the bones, and as I touch it, its roots wrap around the bone. I pick it up, put it in my inventory, and retrieve a poppy. Using Contour Nature, I dig a little hole for the poppy and infuse it with mana. It responds by unfurling its roots and spreading them out in the ground.
Congratulations, you have found Bloodroot Daisy with unknown characteristics.
I continue this process all around the yard, finding areas that have been disturbed, poisoned, or damaged, affecting the plants around them. In the backyard, I find piles of monster corpses in a covered patio section, but they are on the concrete slab and not really affecting the plants in the area. It isn't until I reach the side of the house that I find something that takes me a bit of time to clean and remove. It's a piece of metal, about 5 inches round and 2 feet long. However, it poses a challenge as touching it directly would cause necrotic damage, and it refuses to budge when I try to move the dirt around it. I have to focus on affecting a deeper area rather than a wider area. Sacrificing two feet horizontally and vertically allows me to gain one foot of depth. This approach enables me to go underneath the block of metal and push it out.
When I finally remove it, I endure the damage long enough to throw it into my ring. Looking at my life, it did 95 damage in 2 seconds. What the hell is this stuff? As I reach the last area, I feel the land and plants light up, like a hundred little suns showering me with thanks. Something has changed. The whole yard feels different, overwhelming me with the sensation of every plant and inch of soil. I try to block out the noise but to no avail. Thinking about reducing the intensity of my Commune with Nature skill eases the pain a bit. I look at the prompts I have.
Congratulations, you have completed the quest "One with Nature." You have been awarded the class ability "Nature's Bounty." The area you have affected has gained the boon of Balance.
Balance: Plants grow 2 times faster and have an increased yield of 50% more resources. It repels harmful insects and vermin and lasts for 6 months.
Nature's Bounty: 20 MP, CT: 0, CD: 0. The Gifts of Nature can be taken in a rush or harvested for maximum reward. This looting ability can produce augments, rare ingredients, and even items. The chance of finding these items increases based on the duration of the harvest. If used on a person, it will put everything equipped and in their storage into your bag unsorted. It cannot be used to loot soul-bound items or bags.
Passive: Balance: Plants grow 2 times faster and have an increased yield of 50% more resources. It repels harmful insects and vermin and lasts for 6 months.
Level bonus: 1% chance to find better items from non-sentient monsters.
Your skill "Commune with Nature" has increased by 3 levels.
Your skill "Contour Nature" has increased by 3 levels.
Congratulations, you've been awarded the quest "One with the Storm."
Quest Name: One with the Storm
Difficulty: Uncommon
Quest Description: Restore the balance from the epicenter of an unnatural storm.
Type: Class
Rewards: Class spell - Storm's Horizon
I hear shouting coming from the roof, and I see a purple-haired head pop over the edge, yelling at me. "What the hell did you do to me? And why can I now feel my garden? Better yet, why is my garden glowing?" I look at the frustrated purple-haired person upstairs and can't help but laugh. So, I shout back at them from downstairs, informing them about my quest and marveling at the increased yield they will be able to get from fruits and magical herbs.
I tell them, "I have an idea for what this other quest requires me to do, but it might take a while. Do you want to come downstairs and check out this looting ability with me?"
"Hahaha, yes, of course, I do," they say, packing up their rifle. I see them coming out to the front, marveling at how vibrant their plants look. I explain to them that by caring for the plants, they have already made significant progress towards achieving balance, but there are still some things, like the Bloodroot Daisy. I pull it out of my inventory to show them. "I don't think you would have been able to find it if you didn't have the ability to commune with nature. I think you might even get a class related to Druid as an option when you specialize." We walk outside the fence to loot some corpses.
As I walk up to the first corpse, which appears to be the back half of a bear, I touch it and receive a prompt saying, "You cannot loot this corpse with your ability because it was not killed by you. You need permission to loot this corpse." I inform Lynx about this, and they give me permission to loot the corpse. As I hit accept on the prompt asking if I would like to loot the corpse, it begins to liquefy from the top down, resembling a sandcastle being eroded by the ocean. It turns into a gelatinous blob that slowly spreads out from the corpse, sinking into the ground. In its place, moss rapidly grows.
You have gained the following items from looting the monster: 4 bear claws, half a pelt.
"Okay, so that's how the quick looting works. Now let's try the long version on the triceratops skull," I say as I move over to the corpse. I use the ability Nature's Bounty, focusing on channeling the ability as I touch the head. The monster's skin starts to turn into liquid as my hand passes through it. My hand sinks into the corpse as I start to move it around, searching for something to grab. After a couple of seconds of moving my hand around, I feel it touch the base of a horn. I pull on the horn, and with a pop, it comes off. I repeat this process for the other horns, pulling them into my ring. I continue to explore the inside of the skull with my hand and spot a small glimmer near the base where it would have met the body. I move my hand to the spot I saw and reach down, my hand covering a hard piece of stone. I pull it out, revealing a fragment of a larger crystal. Once the last bit of loot is harvested, the corpse simply plops into the clear liquid. Fresh blood that covered the walls from its body exploding turns into moss on the concrete, causing plants to grow twice in size. The plants appear to be flourishing under the "Life Jelly."
You have found the following items: Bone Armor Augment, 3 hardened bone horns.
"Wow, that looks really grotesque. The quick option looks bad enough, but the long version is truly horrifying. It's like watching a time-lapse of something rotting away," Lynx comments.
I laugh and respond, "As long as I get loot from the ability, I don't really care. Yes, it's gross and it feels gross when my hand passes through it. Alright, I'll quickly loot these guys in the front, and then we can head to the back if you want."
"Sounds great. I'm going to go back upstairs, and we can talk about everything later. I don't want to see this ability more than I have to," they say with a queasy look on their face.
"Oh yeah, I forgot to ask, is it okay if I just crash here tonight? It would be easier to leave from here than to find somewhere else," I inquire.
"Of course, no problem. I have a spare room you can crash in," they respond.
I continue to explore how the ability works. I touch multiple monsters at the same time, leaving the prompts hanging, asking if I want to loot them until I have touched all the bodies on the street in front of the house. Then, I repeatedly hit "yes" until I have looted all the bodies.
You have found 10 rounds of 50 caliber ammunition, 2 longswords, 10 patches of pelts, 2 unknown augments, two sacks of venom, Constrictor Snake fangs, and Kenku beak and 4 talons.
As everything is piled into my inventory, I receive a prompt saying that my inventory is almost full. I decide to go around to the back of the house and drop off the items from the bodies in the living room. I also unload some of the other stuff that was cluttering my inventory.
Once that is done, I walk around the area again, attempting to disrupt the magical balance of the area as I did before. However, this time I cannot sense how the magic is out of balance or how it needs to be balanced. I struggle to get a feeling for it, so I eventually give up after about an hour. I head upstairs to hang out with Lynx until they go to sleep. Later, I decide to take a look at my character sheet to see what has changed in the last day. As I explore my character sheet, I notice that the tab for the Stream of Creation is blinking. I realize that I had gotten distracted with the news the other night and forgot to check out the second basin items. Curious, I open it up and am greeted with a message.
Congratulations! Your title "First of the Basin" has gained you +1 Basin rank. You now have access to the second tier, and you have 55 available stream points to spend.
As I open up the screen, I see a familiar sight—a myriad of colors spilling into vortexes that pull a small amount of the stream into the cosmic purple basins. I select the second basin, and it asks me if I would like to spend 4 SP to enter. The window zooms in on the second basin, and I spend the spirit points. I examine the options available to me:
Philter of Love: The next time you see a creature within 10 minutes after drinking this philter, you become charmed by that creature for 1 hour. If the creature is of a species and gender you are normally attracted to, you regard it as your true love while you are charmed. This potion's rose-hued, effervescent liquid contains one easy-to-miss bubble shaped like a heart.
Potion of Strong Healing: Heals the drinker for 200 HP over 10 seconds.
Alchemy Cauldron of the Fallen Nymph: A cauldron often used by a community of nymphs, this cauldron was used by a fallen nymph. Used as a way to harm and taint the land, this item gives the following bonuses: poisons and acids are 25% more potent and have a 10% chance to be upgraded by one rank.
Tome of Understanding: Grant +5 to wisdom and Perception
Hmm, interesting choices. The first one is nothing I want any part of; turning somebody or something like that feels too close to slavery for my tastes. While the second option is tempting, the third option would give me the ability to make more potions. So I spend 20 SP to obtain the cauldron. The basin appears in front of me, and I reach in to pull out the item. Then I dive back into the second basin.
I select the second basin again, and it asks me if I would like to spend 4 SP to enter. The window zooms in on the second basin, and I spend the spirit points. I examine the options available to me:
Folding Boat: once per day can unfold this boat into a 30-foot pontoon boat. Lasts For 24 hours.
Skill Book: Teaches the skill "Inverse Ingredients" at a student level 30.
Throwing Daggers of Returning. Daggers that once thrown can be summoned to the holster that is bound to them.
Skill book: Teaches the spell "Warcry of the Treants" at a student level 30.
These options are even better than the last set. A folding boat would be useful in the right environment. The skill book has me very interested, as does the idea of daggers that return magically, saving me time and effort in retrieving failed throws. However, having chosen the cauldron previously, I feel that having even more knowledge would be for the best. So I pick up the skill book for 20 points, and only then am I able to read what the skill does.
Inverse Ingredients: Gaining knowledge through the experimentation of how ingredients work on the body—your body, that is. By ingesting an ingredient, you can find new uses for it.
Novice Rank: Increases uses found by 1.
Student Rank: Chance to learn ingredients from ingesting finished products, including potions, poisons, and everything in between.
Now it's time to go through the purse of the woman from the car on the way into town, while also taking out the box of personal belongings that was in the trunk. The information I find is not what I was expecting. The family originally hails from LA and had only recently moved to Fresno. I can only assume that they were on their way back down to LA when they were attacked by the Death Dog. As I dig through the box and purse, I discover that they live relatively close to my wife's family—they appear to be from Glendale, which is about a 10-minute drive from my parents-in-law's house. Looking back over the quest details, I can't help but feel responsible for giving some closure to this family. With that in mind, I put the purse into the box and slip it back into my storage ring, resolved to make a difference, even if it's just for a small group of people.