12 Tagsibol, 891 ED
Oraw, 14:02
Gorteau Plains, Empire of Tyrman
Dexterity Save: 8 (+4) = 12 [Failure]
7 Damage
You are critically wounded! (4/11 HP)
Definitely not the best start. As the thunder lion came crashing down, both Gogo and I jumped aside to try and avoid it. The claws missed me by inches, flashing across my field of vision, but when the beast landed, it released a blast of electricity that caught me. It flung me several feet away to land painfully on the hard dry earth. My vision was tinged with red now.
I pushed myself to my feet with a groan, glad that I’d managed, somehow, to hold onto my sword. Not that I was keen to move closer and try to hit the damn lion. It hesitated on the spot for a moment, seeming to decide on a target. I had no idea how Gogo had fared in that attack, as I couldn’t see him.
Initiative Check: 19 (+4) = 23
You have the advantage!
By now, I knew that meant that I was going first in the combat order. I still didn’t want to get close enough to risk getting ripped to shreds by those claws, so instead, I raised my free hand, focusing on the beast, and cast the Strike spell, using my Ki to fuel it. For good measure, I also decided to cast it at a higher level. The bolt of white energy flashed at the enemy.
Attack: 20 (+4) = 24
Critical Hit!
25 Damage
I was so glad I’d rolled a critical hit. Even then, the twenty-five damage barely seemed to hurt the beast. If anything, it just pissed the monster off. It had made its mind up now, and turned sharply toward me, charging forward. Faster than I could blink, it was in my face, swiping those nasty claws.
Attack: 20 (+9) = 20
Critical Hit!
14 Damage
You are out of health! If you fail 3 Death Saving Throws, you will die.
Well, looks like I was about to find out what would happen if I died. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know what was going to happen next. I couldn’t even feel the ground as I hit it. I was only vaguely aware of the combat happening around me, thanks to the information flashing across my screen. Gogo attacked the beast, as did the brother warriors. I faintly heard a roar of anger as the lion turned to confront them all.
“Heile meinen Verbündeten und gib ihm neue Kraft!”
You have been healed!
6 Health Restored
You are automatically stabilized.
The words made no sense to me, as I didn’t understand German or Welsik. But almost at once, I felt new strength rush into my body, allowing me to push myself clear of the range of those murderous claws. Glancing around, I saw that Reiner had one hand pointed in my direction. So he’d healed me, I thought. I was almost disgusted at the thought, but I couldn’t not be grateful to be saved.
Once I was back on my feet, I could see Gogo and the brothers more clearly. They were dancing around the lion, clearly having just attacked. I didn’t have any support magic, sadly, so I couldn’t do much in the way of bolstering them. What I could do, though, was do my best to up the damage. And there was one thing that was perfect for it.
When Alpha Mage Zerial Thunderborn had given me the knowledge of his family’s spell, I’d had no way to cast it, of course. But with the help of the Ancient word Lumaki, I could ignore the lack of Ki. But I only had a moment to warn my allies. I could pick targets, but I wasn’t sure if full control was possible.
“Get out of the way!” I shouted, lifting my free hand. Gogo seemed to sense what I had in mind and threw himself to the side as I cast the spell.
Ancient Word Used!
Spell is increased to its maximum power!
Attack: (20) (+4) = 24 [Success]
Critical Hit!
141 Damage
“Lumaki!”
The sheer force of the spell knocked me back as well, but my fall was gentler than it should have been thanks to the maelstrom of winds that whipped up around me, surging past as it all focused onto a single point, slamming into the thunder lion. The magical beast was sent flying past Anko and Liber with a spray of blood as the winds cut it, and rolled in the dust for nearly three yards.
“Wunderbar!” Reiner exclaimed loudly, once the winds had settled enough that he could be heard. But there was still a lingering strong breeze around me, making my hair dance wildly. “You possess such strong magic?”
Even Gogo looked alarmed at the power of the spell I’d produced. He caught my eye, his own widened in shock. “How did you manage to do that much?”
“I’ll explain it to you later,” I told him, hoping that I could come up with a reasonable explanation. “I just had to do that. Otherwise, it would have killed us. But at least it’s over now.”
But no sooner were the words out of my mouth when I heard a low grunt. Turning, I saw, with a stab of horror, that the lion wasn’t dead at all. It was heavily wounded, with blood pouring out of its flank and spattering the ground, but its shining blue eyes locked on me, the one who had dealt such a painful blow. Combat was still going, and now it was its turn to attack.
“Duck!” Gogo screamed, seeing the beast make its move. Not that I really stood a chance, of course. The lion was already lumbering toward me, electricity sparking off of its body. It wasn’t dead, but it was close, and it was about to do its best to wipe me out before I could do that again. Not that I could, but it didn’t know that.
Attack: 11 (+9) = 20 [Success]
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You are protected by a barrier!
I’d closed my eyes as the lion closed the last few feet, prepared to be shredded into ribbons. But instead, I heard a loud bell-like ring, and I was only knocked back a foot or two, even keeping my feet. When I opened my eyes, I saw the monster’s claws stopped by a faint golden barrier of energy. Reiner again, I thought.
With a roar of fury, the lion swiped at the barrier again, this time shattering it. The energy fizzed into nothing in the warm air, leaving me with no protection.
You may reactivate the spell [Rushing Tempest]!
I did just that. With the same strength as the original, albeit with less damage, I channeled as much force as I could into the spell as I willed it back into power. The winds around me, which were nothing more than a strong breeze, quickly regained their old fury, and the last of the winds surged toward the thunder lion.
Attack: (20) (+4) = 20 [Success]
Critical Hit!
77 Damage
There was no way my luck was so good that I could roll three natural twenties in a row. I could only assume that it was a byproduct of Ancient magic that spells or attacks were always guaranteed to hit. Except, of course, when it was blocked or countered by more Ancient Magicks. Either way, that was the telling blow, and I knew it. The beast’s eyes were extinguished before it was launched back again. And when it stopped rolling, it didn’t get up.
You have leveled up!
You gain one additional Mana, Ki, and Aura!
You have leveled up!
You gain one additional Mana, Ki, and Aura!
You have leveled up!
You gain one additional Mana, Ki, and Aura!
You gain one additional Ancient Mana!
You have (2) unassigned stat points!
You have leveled up!
You gain one additional Mana, Ki, and Aura!
The shock of that spree of notifications rooted me to the spot for a moment, almost stunning me more effectively than the lion could have. But after the shock had faded, the exhaustion of the battle made itself apparent, and I felt my knees give out from under me. I sat down hard on the dry grass, my chest heaving. It was only after the danger had passed that the reality of the combat hit me.
“Are you alright?” Gogo asked, rushing over. They looked concerned, but they were still grinning. “That was a good showing, Tuck. I didn’t think you’d be using that spell so soon.”
“I didn’t really have a choice,” I muttered weakly. “That’s the nastiest beast to exist in the area.”
“I’m surprised you knew what it was. But after seeing it take that first blast of magic you hit it with, I’m not surprised to hear that it’s the strongest.”
“Well,” I said, still weak,” It’s not the strongest. But the biggest threat of the area won’t be anywhere near us.”
Gogo looked as though they were about to ask me more, but before she could, Anko and Liber appeared in my vision, with Reiner between them. The Welsik was grinning broadly as he looked down at me.
“I’m pleased to see that I hired some strong companions,” he said, inclining his head. “I may just hire you on for more work after our business is concluded in Milagre.”
He reached down with one hand and muttered the healing phrase from before. The wounds that still existed on my skin healed completely, leaving behind nothing but the weakness of the lost blood. The system notified me that I was back at full health, and I pushed myself to my feet again, deliberately ignoring Reiner’s comment.
“It’s getting about time for us to take a break,” Gogo said. She seemed to have noticed my dislike of Reiner bubbling to the surface again, for she put a cautionary hand on my shoulder. “I’ll make us a fire. Rest while you can, Tuck. I’ll be depending on you to cook us lunch.”
I could only grin at that, but I shook my head. “I have to tend to the lion first.”
Judging by their expressions, the others didn’t know what I meant. But when I drew the short knife that was part of my general supplies, they understood. Again, Reiner looked annoyed that I was going to take the prime loot, but he made no argument against me.
Once I was a fair distance away from the others, I knelt in the grass beside the beast and took a deep breath, willing the system to appear before me. My character sheet materialized at once. There were indeed two points I could assign to my stats. Since my Dexterity and Intelligence were already at fifteen, I added one point to each, increasing them to sixteen and increasing my bonus. The revised character sheet appeared at once before my eyes.
Tuck
Initiate
Primordial Fledgling
Fighter
5th Level
STR
+1
12
DEX
+3
16
CON
+1
12
INT
+3
16
WIS
+0
11
CHA
+0
10
Skills
Health
40 / 40
Armor Class
12
Speed
30
Acrobatics (dex)
+6
Arcana (int)
+6
Animal Handling (wis)
+0
Mana
10/10
Ki
8/8
Aura
6/6
Athletics (str)
+4
Deception (cha)
+0
History (int)
+3
Insight (wis)
+3
Intimidation (cha)
+0
Saving Throws
Longsword
To hit: +4
Damage: 1d6+1
Range: Melee
Weapon 2:
To hit:
Damage:
Range:
Investigation (int)
+3
STR
+1
Medicine (wis)
+0
DEX
+4
Nature (int)
+3
CON
+1
Perception (wis)
+2
INT
+4
Performance (cha)
+0
WIS
+0
Persuasion (cha)
+0
CHA
+0
Religion (int)
+3
Heal per Hour
1d10+1
Sleight of Hand (dex)
+3
Stealth (dex)
+3
Survival (wis)
+0
Unused
4