“What are you doing?” Mavari asked as we put distance between us and Harkonean.

The morning sun had risen in earnest, bathing the greenwood in its rays. A few villagers worked in open farmlands that lay on both sides of the path. They did so the hard way, tilling the ground with long hoes and rakes.

Despite their visible exertion, they halted upon sight of us to call out in greeting. We returned the favor, as was the elven wont.

“I’m trying to figure out my new ability,” I answered Mavari, returning my attention once more to my status sheet. “This one is called [Fear Aura]. It causes [Dismay].”

Mavari peeped nervously at the sky. “[Fear Aura], huh? That sounds foreboding enough. You can test it out when we encounter weak monsters.”

“Yeah, but what about you? I don’t know if this can be toggled without causing friendly fire.”

Mavari chuckled. “You’re too low-leveled to threaten me with your abilities, Damien. Nevertheless, the same rule applies to all kinds of auras. Just add a mental command upon activation, and select targets for inclusion or exclusion.”

Sounded simple enough. I was more impressed that terms like ‘toggle’ and ‘friendly fire’ retained similar meanings here in Vizhima. Or was that the [System] ensuring nothing was lost in translation?

I glanced at the upper left corner of my vision to confirm the state of my health and stamina meters. VP and MP figures hovered separately on each side of my face. The upper right contained a bunch of faded icons, as well as the [System] log. Notifications minimized in whatever direction I wanted.

Gosh, it was almost too much information to handle at any given point. How did the world’s inhabitants stay focused in a fight?

Mavari led the way in silence, down a bush path that stretched into the forest. Comfy leather boots protected my soles, staving off the worst of the trek.

The Dark Elves had gifted me new clothes for the occasion: a worn leather jerkin, complete with a long-sleeved tunic, snug pants, and sturdy leather gauntlets. I looked like a bloody LARPer. Felt like one too. Which would have been fun were it not for my impending doom.

“Hey, Mavari,” I said. “Mind explaining some of the values in the status window to me? I don’t want to rely on guesswork.”

“That makes sense,” Mavari said. “Which of them do you need help with?”

“All. But, you can start from the top if you don't mind.”

Mavari hummed. She ducked beneath a low-hanging branch and slipped her bow off her shoulder. I followed after her at a brisk pace, conscious of the dwindling timer.

“So,” she said, “I don’t think your name or race needs any explanation. Classes mean nothing to you at the moment; let’s save it for later. VP and MP represent two different kinds of energy. The first is Vital Power, used for the activation of skills. The second represents Mana Points, the equivalent for abilities.”

“And both of these rise each time I level up?”

“Yes. The stronger you become, the greater the amount of Vital Power and Mana Points available to you. You can boost this even further by putting points in Vital Force and Magicka, which is sensible to do for anyone reliant on techniques.”

I focused on my status screen. Of the eight attributes: [V.F] and [MGK] were some of my lowest ones. “What’s the conversion rate?”

“1 point in Vital Force for two in Vital Power. The same applies to Magicka and MP.” She shot me a worried look. “You haven't been messing around with your stat points, have you?”

“Um, I put three in Endurance, but that's about it.”

“Fair enough. You can never go wrong with Endurance or Perception. But, don't assign them thoughtlessly. You gain a finite number of stat points throughout your progress, none of which can be reassigned. Strategic planning is necessary to avoid being stuck with a terrible build upon specialization.”

Without warning, she flicked a dagger into the bushes. A loud squawk emanated in the direction, anguished enough to curdle the blood. A large Dread Fowl tumbled out of the grass, dagger lodged firmly in its throat. It died in a heap at our feet.

Mavari clucked her tongue. “Weak. These wouldn’t help you. We should be looking for bigger monsters, something like an Alpha Dread Tiger.”

I eyed the dead bird. Nothing about its curved beak or claws screamed weakness as far as I was concerned. “I’m not sure I’m strong enough for what you are proposing, Mavari . . .”

“I know,” she said, adjusting the brooch of her cloak. “It’s my job to pace you, but you’d need at least two alpha kills to get anywhere close to your desired level. We’re trying to do the impossible.”

The Dread Fowl disintegrated into ashes. She must have activated a loot prompt that only she could see.

“How,” I started, “am I supposed to kill stronger monsters if I don't distribute stat points?”

“I didn’t say that,” Mavari said, glancing around the bushes. “I’m merely highlighting the importance of forethought. Stat points only increase your attributes by a meager degree anyway—”

“So, they are useless?”

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

“No! Let me finish. Stat points represent tiny improvements in attributes within the same tier. This changes each time you tier up.” She raised her fingers. “All attributes begin at the Lesser tier—the tier of single digits—and evolve per multiple of ten all the way up to fifty. Each tier represents a substantial increase in an attribute’s effectiveness. An eight is not much better than a three. But, a ten eclipses both an eight and a three.”

“A twenty?” she continued. “It blows everything below it out of the water. Effective usage of stat points involves raising your core attributes to the next tier as soon as you’re able. Single them out first, then prioritize.”

She flashed me an easy grin. “It might be wise to turn around, Damien. Dread Fowls often travel in pairs, and you have two racing for your back.”

I yelped and raised the Blackreach dagger, just in time to skewer two birds who tried to usurp the food chain.

“What are the best attributes?” I asked with a wheeze, after butchering my way through dinner with only the slightest loss to my health.

Mavari chuckled. “The [System] has existed since before the time of elves, and that question still manages to trigger month-long debates. To put it succinctly, different classes have different opinions, rankers and specialists both.”

“But, I’m currently classless.”

“You are, and we do not have the time to go down that wormhole. Share your stats, and I would try to nudge you in the right direction.”

I did as she asked.

STR 4, PER 2, END 7, DEX 7

INT 5, WIL 3, V.F 2, MGK 3

Free stat points: 3

Mavari continued our sojourn into the forest, scrunching her nose in thought.

I occupied myself with swiping at the mosquitoes that were out in full force in this region.

“I think,” Mavari said after a while, “that your current distribution supports certain classes in caster or rogue, assuming you intend to be a ranker. Failing that, your head start in Dexterity and Endurance should provide an easier time at several jobs.”

“I’m hoping an [INT] of five doesn’t mean I’m dumb.”

Mavari laughed. “Intellect has little to do with natural intelligence. Specialists use it to boost job expertise, sure, but for rankers, it assumes the role of Magic Intellect. Consider it to be magic attack and potency, rolled up in one. If you want to be smarter, go read a book.”

“The attributes work differently for specialists and rankers?

“They work differently for specialists, period. Everyone else uses the same template, so I’ll stick to explaining it in those terms.”

I was already moving on to the next question. “What's up with Strength and Endurance? What do they modify? Attack and defense?”

“Yes. Strength moderates attack, physical resistance, and one-half of speed. Endurance is considered crucial because it bolsters the trifecta of health, stamina, and defense.

“Vital Force and Magicka cause respective increases in VP and MP, as I said. But they also reduce the casting cost of techniques, which is the collective name for skills and abilities.”

“And Dexterity?”

Mavari paused to inspect the trees, probably to confirm our location. “[DEX] functions as a damage multiplier for [DEX]-based weapons. It also raises agility and the second half of speed. Knives and daggers classify as [DEX] weapons. Likewise bows and many others.”

I glanced at Nana’s dagger, which bore a slight similarity to the wooden stakes from yesterday. I didn’t fancy close-range fighting, but I couldn’t deny having a knack for it. “The last two attributes mean Willpower and Perception, yeah? What do those do?”

Mavari stopped beside a large swordfruit tree and ran her fingers across a marking on its bark. “Willpower moderates concentration and mental rotundity. It's a must-have for anyone reliant on sustains. It’s also the primary defense against mental attacks, which include [Fear Aura].

“Perception, on the other hand, modifies awareness and reflexes. If Strength and Dexterity bolster movement speed, then Perception alters reaction time. You shouldn’t neglect its impact; high-ranked combat is notorious for progressing at insane speeds.”

I let out a whistle. None of the attributes sounded weaker than the others. Sure, a case could be made for choosing between Vital Force and Magicka, but I didn’t have enough information to conclude. Abilities seemed reliant on the nature of one's affinity. But, skills were no less important, considering I owed my survival to [Identify].

Mavari raised a hand to halt me. Our tireless trek had brought us to a slope that rolled downhill into wild country. Tall green grasses grew thick, waving in the breeze.

“We're here,” Mavari said.

“Here,” I answered. “Where is here again?”

“Azeron”—and the [System] didn't translate—“That’s Corpse Valley in the old tongue. The hunters warn that it has been occupied by a tribe of Dread Tigers. That never happens, unless an alpha is with them.”

“Um, correct me if I’m wrong, but I'm pretty sure the operative name for a collection of tigers is an ambush or a streak.”

Mavari paused. “Where did you hear that? That makes no sense.”

She had a point. Everything about the game of venery made no sense. I steeled my nerves. “So, how do we go about this? You charge in, and I support from behind?”

Mavari raised an eyebrow. “The [System] awards XP based on participation. It is not unusual for regulars to purchase the help of rankers, but I can’t contribute here. Not if you intend to beat the deadline.”

A cold hand gripped my heart.

Mavari dipped her hand into her Inventory and withdrew a stinking pouch. It dripped with . . . oh my god, was that blood?

“Dread Tiger bait,” she said. “They can smell this a mile away. I’d help out if it gets too much for you to handle. But for the most part, you are on your own.”

She handed me the bait and another pouch that jangled in my palm. “Monster cores. Can serve as momentary distractions. Don’t expect them to inflict much damage, but Dread Tigers hate loud noises.”

“Y-yeah . . .” I was familiar with this much, having used the exploit in my last fight.

Mavari met my eyes. “This feat you intend to pull off, Damien? I have never seen it done. Nobody rises from low regular to the threshold in a matter of hours. Sure, I have heard stories. But to pull it off, you’d need astronomical luck.”

You'd need to survive the odds.

I shoved the pouch of monster cores into my pocket and held the blood bait in my free hand. The Blackreach dagger thrummed, ready to be used.

“Mavari,” I said, “I think I know where to put my free points now.”

She regarded me with a soft smile. “Dexterity?”

“Yeah.”

“If you are certain. High [DEX] builds have a variety of applications.”

I summoned my status sheet and tossed three points into [DEX]. A new notification appeared.

You have upgraded an attribute. Yay!

[DEX] has changed from [Lesser] to [Common].

Dazzle your enemies with improved evasion.

Deal 2x more base damage using [DEX]-based weapons.

Had I made the right choice? Too late to rescind now.

I fastened my belt and ventured down the slope.