Writer's Note: Trouble comes at last and new changes come. Changed the title as the 10,030 (minus those who died) get a second, more powerful, profession at level 30. Also, the highest affinity for all Beta Players determines their path and sets them apart. Four chapter random release today. Enjoy the chapter(s).
Chapter 4: The Ancient Ruins
"Keep up! Not much father to the barrier!" Lajakel said as three elves followed behind him. One was Jin and the other two were twins at level 9. Their names were Aerolas and Aerogan. Both were warriors, using two shorts swords like Lajakel. Lajakel and Jin only ran into those two on the way to the ruins. For some reason, Jin had been feeling a vibe since the party headed further south. Suddenly, his fears were confirmed.
*Ping*
First Quest UnlockedRank E: Heart Flame
You have finally exited your starting area. For some reason, the Gold Flame Crystal fused into your body, forming a rune tattoo. You have been discovered to use <
*Ping*
Quest Data Updated
Quests are given only when unlocked after certain actions or lack thereof. Quests are ranked from E, D, C, B, A, S, and SS. Quest rank only represents difficulties, not level requirements. Some quests Rank SS quests can be completed by a level 1 player, and some Rank E quests are too difficult for level 70 players if it involved enemies above level 80. never assume the level requirement is around your level or lower.
"That's some scary info," Jin muttered as Lajakel motioned everyone to stop.
"This place looks ancient, old," Aerogan shivered as they followed a river down to the bottom of a waterfall, a barrier shining over an opening behind it was they followed the ledge around the waterfall.
"This writing is elvish! Uzako loran mizaca. Cast your healing and enter," Aerolas read. "No wonder! The Grand Elder has to stay at the city to maintain the health of the Green Wind Lotus, but no one else has learned any healing magic since the Cataclysm. Now, Jin has come and you brought him here because of this!"
"Precisely. Jin, get ready to cast your magic and be sure to keep that sword of yours ready. You got a torch, right? We might need it for light. No need to use your hunting bow indoors either. You twins, get your swords at the ready. We don't know what's in there," Lajakel said, the twins drawing their swords as Jin put his hunting bow in the ring and held a torch in his left hand.
Jin raised his right hand, blue light particles appearing as he said, "<
The gold barrier with a rune circle in the center shined as it glowed blue. Cracks formed on the barrier made of light and it shattered, air gushing inside as if the very air was also sealed from entering the cave. The four elves coughed as they felt the air sucked all around them, sighing with relief as nothing happened yet.
"Okay, I'll take point. We might need light so Jin will stay in the middle. Aerolas and Aerogan, you two take the rear behind his left and right. I'll need you to be able to rush forward in case their is too many and some slip through. We might need Jin's healing magic later on, or even to exit," Lajakel said.
"Wait!" a girl said and Lajakel's eyes nearly burst from their sockets as he saw Maybelle.
"I told you to go inform the Grand Elder!" he roared as she hid behind Aerolas.
"The others will. I wanna go in too!" Maybelle said and the barrier formed behind them.
"So fast!" Lajakel said as not even he was fast enough to react. The barrier somehow extended and they were now within it. "It's too late now. Aerolas, you're in charge of Maybelle now. Jin, you'll take the right flank as your sword is in your right hand. When we get back, I'm grounding you inside your room for a year! Not even your parents or the Grand Elder would dispute this! We're not here to explore ruins and play games! We're here to verify whether the ruin is a threat to our village or not. This ruin could be very dangerous. We might not escape with our lives!"
"So scary?" Maybelle paled and shivered behind Aerolas.
"It's okay. I'll protect you. Just be sure to not touch anything. It could be a trap, no matter how pretty or harmless it looks," Aerolas said, Maybelle nodding many times as she knew she had done something very wrong.
Lajakel sighed and turned to Jin and Aerogan. "Let's move. Stay alert and let nothing past you."
"Here's another inscription," Aerolas said as he pointed above the cave opening of the ruin. Two broken statues were sprawled over the ground as he read the elvish inscription above. "Koilawa quora fosa xena. Jentos raka mula ira. The healer makes the choices. All will enter the illusion to face each door's test."
"I read about those. Moon elves are those especially able to use illusion magic. Moon elves were the first of our kind, but the high elves always claimed they were the first. The knowledge and magic of the moon elves were closely guarded. Not even the nine elf kings and queens know where the moon elves live," Lajakel said.
"Moon elves were one of the choices of the character creation," Jin thought as they entered the cave.
"There's three paths here!" Aerogan said as they arrived inside the cave to see an empty clearing, three tunnels in the distance. They paused as they a ghost of an elf rise from the center of the clearing. He was almost transparent, but they recognized the silver hair and gold eyes of a moon elf. The elf ghost wore lavish white silver armor and held a spear in his hand.
"Mithril," Lajakel gasped as the elf ghost turned its head towards Jin.
"Blood elf come forth," the ghost rasped.
"Blood elf?" the four said, seeing Jin smile awkwardly.
"My mother is a wood elf. My father was a dragon, but was killed," Jin said and approached the ghost.
The ghost snapped its fingers and Jin's hair turned pale blue, extending to the center of his back. His irises also changed color, turning into the color of sand. The ghost nodded as it approved Jin's new colors.
"What did you do to me?" Jin asked.
*Ping*
Jin Learned Hunter Skill: Tamer
Tamer Skill
A skill used to tame magical beasts. Costs 1 spirit and stamina, or 10 mana and 10 stamina points. Allows the Hunter to possess an additional pet besides the one he starts with. When pet dies, respawns after twenty four hours after death for 4 spirit and stamina or 40 mana and 40 stamina points.
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"It's the first skill I have that costs both stamina and spirit! <
"There are three battles you must fight. One is a fight against saber tooth tigers. The second is a battle against hydras. The third is a battle against the saurian. Choose a path and tame one of the young magical beasts," the ghost said and vanished, a smile on its face and looked upon Jin with gratitude. Jin knew he really was meant to come here. He learned a Hunter class skill!
"No wonder you never spoke of your father. He was a dragon and you feared persecution. Give us a little credit. Only the high elves dislike blood elves," Lajakel said, punching Jin's shoulder.
"Learn any dragon magic?" Aerolas said, obviously excited.
"No. Not yet, I think," Jin said. "I have to make the choice, but I don't know what."
"Not hydra. Eww!" Maybelle said and Lajakel agreed.
"Hydra start out weak. We need something strong, offense of defense, for the trials ahead. You must also consider your own trials in the future. I never heard about the first and second choices," Lajakel said.
"Saurian........dinosaurs!" Jin cried. "I'll pick the third option."
As Jin said the words, the left and center passages vanished as if they never existed. The four wood elves wondered what a saurian was and nervously tightened their grips on their weapons. The light from the right passage shined upon them. They appeared in the midst of a great jungle. That was they saw the saurian.
It had four legs and had dark brown scales all over its body and limbs. It had a tail with three spikes sticking out the color of bones. It had a head similar to a lizard, but its head and face seemed to be covered in red carapace. Its mouth actually had a beak, but did not look like a bird. It had dragon teeth and its eyes were slit and the color of gold. The carapace also extended to the back of its neck leading to the body. This was a real life protoceratops. Several glared at the elves, as if seeing new cattle for the first time.
"Dinosaurs. Armored and cool dinosaurs," Jin said in a low voice, awe in his voice.
"Ready yourselves! They're charging! Aim for the legs! We don't know how hard that carapace on their head is," Lajakel ordered, The saurian charged, wary of Jin as he held a torch. Like all animals, they were afraid of fire until they discovered the threat level. Aerogan shouted as he pointed to a saurian at the back. It was over seven feet tall and actually had magic runes on its carapace.
"That must be the leader! I'll kill it. You three fight the others and keep Maybelle safe. Jin, you must find one of the young ones and bind it. Try to pick one with a least one rune on it. If the parent has runes on its carapace, I believe the child will too," Lajakel roared, the others nodding as he rushed into the charge. Saurian flew left and right as Lajakel slashed and kicked his way to the boss.
"Their carapaces are hard!" Aerogan grunted as he had to strike the same place multiple times to cut their heads. Jin was busy using his torch as a ward, burning any saurian that tread too close and stabbing his sword through the roof inside their mouths. When people or creatures are scared, their mouths usually open and they take a step back. That was when they had openings and was the perfect chance to strike.
Only the leader was seven feet tall while the others were six feet tall. They were about to charge, but Jin and Aerogan nodded and used <
"Jin!" Aerogan cried as Jin was smashed by one of the saurian, his body going destroying some bark of a tree he crashed into. Jin coughed blood as he fell to the ground.
-12HP
"That's about 1 vitality," Jin said, dazed as he reached for his sword. Maybelle ran forward, grabbing the torch.
"Hold the torch for now! Aerolas, let's switch!" Jin said as he sheathed his sword and took out his bow. "I'll aim for their feet. Strike them on their flanks as they fall!"
"Right!" Aerolas said and rushed forward. With the twins together, their teamwork was much more efficient. At the rear, Jin was more calm and shot arrow after arrow. He was immensely happy that he had an endless amount of arrows. It only looked like one arrow as he had an endless amount of that arrow. If he had a new arrow, two arrows would appear in the quiver. The saurian decided they had enough when they saw Lajakel throw a head into the sky, recognizing the rune carapace on the head's face.
"I need that carapace!" Jin cried and took out his dagger, carving out the carapace over the head and placing it in his Black Heart Ring. He now had runes to study and further increase his rune enchanting. Lajakel returned with three baby saurian and placed them before Jin. All three had runes on their carapace.
"Which one should I pick," Jin muttered as he stared at the three tiny reptilian dinosaurs. He noticed one only had three talons on each foot, instead of five. However, the middle talon was larger and shaped like a sickle. Its carapace also seemed harder but did not restrict the neck as much as the other saurian. More importantly, the rune circles on its carapace were orange and seemed as vibrant as fire. With his high affinity to fire, it would be best to have a pet with affinity to fire as well.
"I choose you," Jin said as he picked up a sleeping saurian. He used the <
"It's cute!" Maybelle said and hugged the saurian, the wood elves sighing with relief as it was over. The system sent a message, saying the saurian's name was Proto, out of its dinosaur name. Its tail ended with a bone spike and had two smaller spikes facing left and right a little before the end of the tail.
Jin tamed Proto
You have acquired a new pet which resembles a protoceratops. Unlike its ancestors, it is a magical beast and is omnivorous. You will be taken back to the temple ruins shortly. Congratulations. You lived....this round.
"Temple ruins?" Jin said as Proto slept in Maybelle's arms. The scene around them turned black and the wood elves cried out as they appeared in another clearing identical to where they had been previously. The right passage was directly in front of them. This time, they could go through.
"It was real," Aerolas said silently as he stared at Proto. "Uh, master, you taught us how to fight against magic as well as the sword. Were we in an illusion?"
"i...don't know. This is beyond my experience," Lajakel said. "We can't go back. We can only move forward. Stay close. Stay close."