*Bing* William was startled awake by a soft sound rattling through his mind, accompanied by a window filling his vision.
Skill 'System's Influence' second stage fully integrated.
Effects: Less sleep, as well as nourishment necessary to sustain body. Significantly increases users resistence to mind altering effects, as well as increases resistence to poisons and movement impairing effects by 50%. Due to high Vitality, impurities within the body have been purged.
So that's what the smell is, William thought to himself as he looked around at his improvised bed. The luminescent webs were damp with a strange, yellowish liquid that William could only assume were the 'Impurities' mentioned in the window.
Come to think of it, I do feel a lot better, like a new person really. Little did William know, his body previous to the purge was rife with impurities from his long time spent impoverished. Sleeping in the dirt, as it turned out, did not do wonders for mosts' health.
William stood up and looked out of the tunnel towards the entrance of the cave, seeing daylight shining through it. He then picked up his loot from near the mass of webs he called a bed, and put most of it in his backpack, placing the sword on his twine like belt.
"Skills.", he said calmly aloud.
Skills:
Status(P) LVL: N/A, Level-Up(P) LVL: 3, Identify(A) LVL: 1, Help(A) LVL: N/A, Eyes of the Hypnotic Hunter(P) LVL: 1, Ignition(A) LVL: 1, Earth Shaping(A) LVL: 1
Perks:
Second Wind(P) LVL: 1
"Earth Shaping", he muttered, pointing his fingers toward the ground in a claw like fashion. Nothing happened. Oh come on, he thought, kicking the ground in frustration. Just as his foot connected with the ground, a wave of rock rushed up from the point of contact, flying toward the wall he was facing, piercing it and then solidifying.
Wow! That felt like moving through water. I wonder how much mana that took, he thought silently, contemplating the wave like structure he had created.
Focusing hard on mana, he felt something give and could feel the remaining amount without the need to call up the status window.
Mana: 25/32
Only seven mana... He found himself slack jawed in disbelief. That seemed a bit much. Sitting down he began focusing on the skills activation and sunk his arms into the rock in front of himself, and began slowly pulling it up, focusing hard on the thought of a wall.
Mana: 25/32
It's not even draining..., he thought as he created a small meter high wall infront of himself. It seemed as though he could essentially mold with earth passively with what little mana regeneration he had. It only took mana if he created something larger, and therefore more draining, in a short amount of time.
He stood up and focused hard on something, an attack. His hand shook slightly, and with a stomp he achieved marginal success. A meter long spike shot out of the ground a few feet away.
Mana: 26/32
Subskill gained: Earth Manipulation - Earth Spike
Seems there's subskills too, but for some reason this one didn't come with a window.
"Earth Spike!", he said confidently, shoving his will into the stone infront of him, another spike jutted forward from where he desired, in the direction he desired.
Mana: 20/32
Hmm either the mana cost went down by one or I regenerated enough mana to skew the display there. Well I suppose we'll find out with Ignition.
Ignition was slightly different, William could feel the difference in the skills. Despite them both being actives, Ignition worked on a different premise, it did only two thing, ignite stuff, or explode stuff.
"Ignition!", William shouted feeling a hot fury in the word, as he focused on the bottom of his first spike.
*Blow* A light blast resounded in the cavern and the spike was instantly snapped at it's base.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
Mana: 5/32
Subskill gained: Ignition - Explosion
That one had cost him quite a lot of mana, but also showed quite a lot of instantaneous destructive force in return for it.
William decided that he'd eat a bit of bread, regenerate his mana, and then head out. Chomping into the bread he was surprised by a small alert.
Consumable Activated: 1 additional health regeneration per minute.
Seems as though there will always be a reason for nourishment then I guess, he nodded to himself. William did not like the thought of not eating. Not after worrying about the next time he'd get to for so many years. Now he had a skill, and one that seemed like it had near infinite potential. At least it'll never be a life or death issue again. He resigned to himself.
----------------------------------------
20 minutes later William stood, made sure he had all of his belongings.
"Status.", he said quietly.
[Status]
Level:3 Health: 52/52(1% per hour) Mana:32/32(1% per hour) Stamina:11/52(1% per hour)
(0) points distributable
Strength: 7 Vitality: 10 Agility: 7 Dexterity: 5 Endurance: 10 Perception: 4
Wisdom: 4 Fortune: 3 Intelligence: 7 Willpower: 6 Charm: 7 Fate: 7
Skills and Perks: (Tap to Open)
Nice to see full health and stamina, William thought with a smile, and walked out of the cave entrance, into the morning sun.
Thirty minutes into walking back toward Endural, William decided that it would be better to jog back. With any luck at a decent jog he could make it back faster than the ox drawn cart had made it to the cave the previous day.
So for an hour William jogged.
Stamina: 15/52
Almost there... C'monnnn. He wanted to test his limits.
15 minutes later he checked again.
Stamina: 8/52
So closseeee... He was beginning to get sickeningly tired.
5 minutes later he finally got what he wanted.
Second Wind Engaged
Focusing on his stamina regneration he was able to pull it up, much like his Mana or Stamina.
Stamina Regeneration: (1% per hour + 5% per minute)
This was it. This was what he had waited for, instantly he began sprinting with everything he had, and quickly found that he could sustain a sprint for what seemed like indefinetly. What this said about his ability to continue in combat, in exercise, or anything for that matter, he did not know.
William continued sprinting for another two hours, he was already a little over halfway back, in only a third of the time it had taken before.
Willpower +1
Awesome!, he thought ecstatically. This was his proof of concept, he could grind his stats using his perks, this opened avenues for so many different exploits he could hardly contain himself.
It was in the state of awe and excitement that William suddenly found himself sprawled out flat on the ground. He had tripped over something, and tumbled a few times, banging his arms and legs on the hard-packed ground.
He slowly stood and turned to see a small, humanoid figure stalk out of the bush he had passed as he tripped.
"HYEHYEHYEHYEhhhhh. Stupid human trips and now it diesssss.", the small creature spat smugly. It was a greenish figure, with sharp squinted eyes, and a long straight nose. Most noticably it had knife-like sharp ears, and lanky appendages.
Suddenly William felt something overcome him.
"Identify.", he mumbled, a cold fire raging in his stomach, his muscles burning from his run and determination.
Race: Goblin (Elf Variant)
Leaning: Rogue
Traits: Prideful, Quick, Ignorant, Greedy
Estimated Health: 80
"I, Ripstomper, the Quick, will slaughter you and take alll your shinieessss!", the Goblin screamed as it laughed and began charging toward William with a dagger that was too big for it.
"Ignorant is right you fucking monster. Rogues are supposed to kill from stealth dumbass! Now die! Earth Spike, Earth Spike, Earth Spike!", William shouted as he stomped the ground beneath him and drew the Hungering Sword from its sheath at his waist.
Three needle like spike pierced from the ground around the Goblin in quick succession, the first missing as the monster spun around it, the second piercing through the goblin's leg and opposite thigh, and the last thrusting through its mid section, stopping it in its tracks.
It began screaming, screeching really, as blood flowed from it's wounds and it coughed it up out of it's mouth. Dropping it's dagger it began flailing against the earth spikes that it had no hope of breaking.
William walked up to the goblin he had effectively disabled, and looked into its eyes, seeing his own glowing blue eyes in it's pupils. As he approached the goblin stopped struggling and began to shudder.
"Please no. Ripstomp is sorry. So sorry... Please. Was only hungry...", it begged.
"That's too bad Ripstomp. Explode.", he detonated the space within the goblin's slobbering mouth. Splitting it's head into halves.
Can't allow you to orphan any children now can I... William thought dismally as he felt his stomach sink after the fight ended. Thoughts of puking swimming in his head. He knew he should feel the need to, but he didn't, and that was off-putting.
[Level-Up]
Due to obtaining enough soul-energy through slain foes you have leveled up.
Now level: 4
Skill Levels gained!:
Identify(A) LVL: 1 -> 2
Earth Shaping(A) LVL: 1 -> 3
Ignition(A) LVL: 1 -> 2
Eyes of the Hypnotic Hunter(P) LVL: 1 -> 2
After adding the goblin's dagger, wrapped in the sword's wrappings, to his pack, William continued sprinting toward Endural.
Note to self, play to your strengths... And pay attention to where your going... He thought to himself with a small grin.
Two hours later he crested a hill to see the beginnings of the soulless district of Endural, only around 10 minutes away. Pausing to wipe the sweat from his brow, he nodded slightly and continued running forward.