Un-Bep’ee – Beta Zone #79 Level 21 – 50
Marching in the center of their loose traveling formation, Un-Bep’ee kept an eye out for potential Magical Herbs or Minerals. Initially it had taken some adjustment to constantly look for such things in the new world’s environment, yet like with all new things, the more he practiced it, the easier such gatherables presented themselves.
The act of gathering however, still proved to be more mentally taxing then he ever thought possible. It wasn’t that he couldn’t understand what was going on when the skill was active, it was just that completing the predetermined motions dictated to him by the skill was almost like an exercise in reverse meditation. In that, he always had to complete the next step and then a following one precisely, lest he impede the process of the gathering and lessen the quality of the targeted material, or worse, ruin it completely.
Calling the group to a halt as he spotted some [Fox Flower] that they could no doubt trade to an Alchemist for potions or Manamotes. Un-Bep’ee quickly set about [Gathering], letting the skill guide his movements whilst his enhanced mind remained ever vigilant, to collect it in the correct way, thus preserving it’s now sought after alchemical properties.
Unlike the Beta Zone #76’s barren terrain on the opposite side of the Outpost, Beta Zone #79’s terrain sloped down and away from the alpha zones titanic jungle canopy and was more akin to a European forest. At least that was according to Svetlana, as he had sadly never had the chance to see one before the world had been changed:
You have successfully gathered 2 x Fox Flower.
Expertly stowing the [Fox Flower] in his [Moderate Bag of Holding] he hefted it onto his back and motioned for the others to resume travelling to their destination. While he marveled at the ease at which he now carried his belongings, Un-Bep’ee still felt a pang of regret at the attribute points Svetlana had recommended he put into Strength and Vitality after the Party’s one, and to date only, defeat.
He had recovered mostly from the feeling of utter helplessness and resultant psychological trauma, when they had been affected by the madman’s spell. Svetlana had bounced back the quickest, followed by Michelle, Yet sadly, Calvin had never truly returned to his once exuberant, gregarious self.
Their Apprentice Knight had holed himself up in his HU for a full week and refused to see or talk to anyone, almost the entire time. Un-Bep’ee didn’t blame him however. Although he was never close to Judy, he too felt the ache of loss and burning fire of anger when he remembered seeing whatever that monster had done to her body.
Calvin had eventually returned to questing, coaxed by an overly jovial Svetlana, but he was never really the same. There was a hollowness to his eyes and an overt ruthlessness when in combat that had previously been absent, in the young and easy going Australian.
Now all that seemed to matter to the man was getting strong enough to defeat Judy’s murderer, thus, other than exchanging essential information on what to do and where to go, he was effectively now a mute.
Oksana’s team had fared even worse by way of comparison, with the timid Satori left in a permanent catatonic state. After the hours Un-Bep’ee had taken to set and heal the broken bones of both Party’s lowest Strength and Vitality attributed members, having returned to check on him, he had discovered the young Japanese to not even respond to a moving finger, let alone others persistent demands or in Oksana’s case, her physical shaking of him.
Those had been the most excruciatingly long hours of his life he could recall, aside from having to wait for his blue mana bar to recover just enough to cast the next [Minor Heal], he also had to contended with the low mana induced headaches.
One of the only two positives from the ordeal was that after the painful few hours were over, the skill had leveled to 10. The second positive, if he could call it that was that, was that both Party’s remaining members received the Survivor title:
Title: Survivor
Description: Do battle with an entity 25 levels or more above that of your own and survive
Effect: Vitality increased by 5%
The benefit of the titles effect was clearly undeniable, yet he could not help but feel that at the same time they were being mocked. If only for the simple fact that the monster in the shape of a man, for some unfathomable reason, had deemed them not worth killing.
Now satori spent all his days in the bed of his HU following the attack. In the year following the incident, no matter how many times Oksana or Svetlana had tried to coax him out of it, he remained unresponsive to the wider world, trapped in his mind where Un-Bep’ee hoped he at least had found some comfort.
Oksana herself had taken to freelancing with other Party’s, to help support her remaining comrades and though she would never admit it, it seemed that she felt responsible for what had happened. She would check in on them every chance she got, giving Kivar Manamotes with little to no compensation in return.
Kivar had chosen to divide his time between his newly acquired [Cooking] profession and caring for his bedridden Japanese friend. He too had refused to leave the safety of the Outpost like far too many others these days, opting to become a pure crafter, even managing to set up a food stall next to Terrance’s shop in the Outpost’s central hub. When Un-Bep’ee considered how things could have turned out for the two crafters, he took some small solace in the fact, given how cruel the world had now become.
Turning his mind back to the surrounds, he noted that travelling proved a far more relaxed affair than their first few days of Questing.
They encountered little resistance on their journey through the Beta zone, engaging a small pack of brown wolves which he and Michelle held at bay with his [Minor Sanctuary] and her [Minor Mana Barrier]. Allowing Farooq to make short work of the smaller wolves of the pack with [Strafe], before he deployed [Staggering Shot] on the alpha.
The larger beast sufficiently slowed, it enabled Svetlana and Calvin to step in and finished it off. The pair not even having to employ any skills as far as Un-Bep’ee make out:
Your party has slain a Timber Wolf level 39, all experience awarded equally.
...
Your party has slain a Timber Wolf level 41, all experience awarded equally.
….
Your party has slain a Timber Wolf level 37, all experience awarded equally.
…..
Your party has slain a Timber Wolf Alpha level 47, all experience awarded equally.
Unfortunately they didn’t have a Quest for the pack members or its leader, but as he skinned the lesser barely blemished furs of the packs comparatively smaller members, he realized it was more a bonus than a loss.
Chiding himself for his greed as he thought of the easy experience whilst stowing the pelts, fangs and claws in his [Moderate Bag of Holding].
The easier monsters were becoming more scarce in the surrounds of Outpost and he was not sure whether the cause was they were being cleared faster or the system was attempting to encourage them ever outwards from the artificial comfort of their HU’s.
Whatever the case Un-Bep’ee was glad to have found such a trusted group that he called friends to undergo these trials with.
Looking over his Party, he was not ashamed to admit the handsome Farooq was a welcome addition to their team, especial in contrast to the departed Judy. While having been vetted by Oksana before-hand, it had taken the dark haired and bearded, 5 ft 5 Syrian and the rest of the Party, a good two months before they were something close to comfortable with each other.
The tan skinned middle eastern-ite was a relaxed man of few words, but when put into a combat situation, Un-Bep’ee could think of no other ranged attacker, save for the fiery Michelle, he would rather have by his side.
They were still on the lookout for a new sixth member by way of Oksana, but as yet, due to their stringent recruitment guidelines of no (more) hot heads, the spot remained unfilled.
Traveling in comfortably familiar silence for a time, he let the sounds of the woodland wash over his unconscious mind as he tried to notice any sort of threat or resource. Finding none of either, his conscious mind brought to his attention the fact that they were coming up to the Gamma zone.
Looking to Svetlana he voiced his concerns.
“I know we said we would do it no matter how far it took us, but are you certain we should go into the Gamma Zone?”
To which she reassured.
“You know as well as I that these do not stay up for long, but I promise that if it is occupied we will retreat like we agreed yes?”
Nodding he confirmed.
“Very well, I shall trust in your judgment.”
“Always.”
The Latino agreed with a cheeky grin.
“You lead I follow.”
Their Australian front liner added with firm resolve. Before the reserved Farooq supplied.
“My thoughts are in alignment with yours.”
Nodding in grim appreciation she added.
“Thank you for the confidence comrades. Now let us press ahead, before some nochnaja babochka gets to it first, like the many before.”
So in well honed discipline, they made their way once more, with Calvin at the front of the loose defensive formation, crossing over into the Gamma Zone while caution and tension rose in equal measure between them.
As their leader had stated, this was not the first time they had made a concerted effort at closing a Dimensional Siphon.
The first time the guidance arrow winked out when they were barely two kilometers away from the Outpost’s defensive wall.
The second time, they had gotten a few kilometers further but again were denied a chance at even glimpsing its entrance.
The third and last time they had tried, they had arrived at the entrance portal only to receive a message of rebuke:
Dimensional Siphon is currently occupied by another Party, entering is currently impossible.
Seeing this message they came to the snap judgment to retreat, the party almost unanimous in their wish to not even chance a meeting with the grey skinned monster again, until they had attained a much higher level of power. The only exception to this was Farooq, having not experienced the visceral trauma still fresh in the others’ minds.
Un-Bep’ee got the impression that the Syrian thought they were greatly exaggerating the encounter, due to fear or even to haze him a little. However when the rest vehemently urged falling back, his agreement without a word of protest, earned the others’ good will, by way of respecting the Party’s wishes:
You have entered Gamma Zone #25 Level 51 - 79.
As they left the English-esque forest they were met with a verdant green vista of sporadic palm like trees, as reed rimmed sand skirted large bodies of crystal blue water. The only blemish in the breathtaking vista was the punctuation of large termite like mounds every time there was a gap of land large enough to facilitate them, between the miniature lakes.
Venturing further in the Party were hit with a warm breeze that stank of fresh manure and rotten meat. Wrinkling their noses as one, Michelle went so far as to use her robes hood as an improvised face mask.
Pushing on in spite of the corpulent aroma, they navigated the tracts of lowly grassed lands in between the miniature lakes before coming to a large area of land with a scattering of palms. In the middle of the stretch of grassed land was one of the pillar like mounds that appeared consist of hard packed and weathered earth.
When they navigated closer to the mound the unctuous smell intensified to the point where Michelle and Farooq were audibly gagging.
Calvin being the one least affected by the smell, edged closer to the 5 meter high mound to inspect it and try to find the source of the stench.
Reaching just within a feet of the 2 meter wide mound, the earth itself began to tremble as cracks started to appear, whilst bits a pieces of it crumbled away as a result of the tremors.
Retreating quickly, their Apprentice Knight missed being hit by a large slab of earth like substance as it sloughed off the side of the crumbling mound to where he had previously stood.
Having rejoined the rest of the group they tightened their formation with Calvin taking point as they watched with shared trepidation as a giant, pale white tentacle like thing extended from the crumbling mound.
Still unsure of what they faced, they looked on as the tentacle extended close to 8 meters above the ground, swaying too a fro, like a cobra charmed. Then like something out of a horror film, the tentacles tip began to split and peel backwards to reveal rows upon row of razor sharp hooked and curved teeth.
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The monster issued a prolonged hiss as it extended a flesh colored whip like tongue, some meter and a half in length.
Now having a better idea of the foe they faced and having learned not to give the monsters a chance to set the pace of a fight by attacking first, they swiftly engaged the unctuous, swaying nightmare.
Michelle and Farooq opened the Party’s offensive with [Magic Missile] and [Staggering Shot], the melee fighters and Un-Bep’ee opting to not engage just yet, so as to provide cover for their attacking allies from the monsters obvious reach.
Farooq’s [Staggering Shot] was easily dodged but Michelle’s [Magic Missile] struck true, leaving a smoking and bloody wound it its side and causing the pale worm like creature, to issue a pained warble.
In response to their attack, it swept down and out with its long and snake like body as it extended its whip like tongue toward the Party.
Calvin’s mail clad form rushed in a blur, to intercept the warbling creature mid sweep. However upon making contact with the side of its head just shy of its nightmarish maw, his shield’s impact led the monster to instantly contract its tongue around the Apprentice Knight’s legs.
Yanking what Un-Bep’ee assumed to be its head, in a backwards motion while its tongue tightly twined around Calvin’s legs, cinching them tight together and causing him to be brought along with it. This led to the Australian man now helplessly dangling from the lolling beast’s maw as it began to recede him towards its gullet, like a slow motion bungee jumper in reverse.
Wanting no part in the monsters plan Calvin flailed wildly in an attempt to score a [Concussive Strike] on its torso. Unfortunately his attempts at subverting this were a failure, as every time he would swing, it would twist its serpentine body right before contact, further disorientating the Australian.
Clearly not content to let their ally get eaten, Svetlana roared.
“GO FOR THE ZALUPOGLAZAYA MONDAVUSHKA’S BASE!”
Before promptly following her own advice as she charged forward, to where the monsters body emerged from the earth.
Following the Apprentice Spearwoman’s lead Michelle and Farooq refocused their attacks in earnest, with Michelle casting [Fire Ball] whilst Farooq loosed [Strafe] then a [Staggering Shot], drawing another pained warble from the still Calvin fixated monstrosity.
Svetlana reached the monsters body and began to move her spear in a surgical, mesmerizing blur, slicing, jabbing and rending its flesh asunder.
Whilst red gouts of its blood painted her and the surrounding ground Michelle finished her [Fire Ball]’s cast, bellowing in warning.
“PULL BACK!”
Darting away as the ball of fire careened toward its torn and arrow embedded mid-section Svetlana took a moment to recover her stamina by way of controlled, yet strained breaths. Meanwhile Farooq continued to pelt the wounded section as fast as he could summon and sight his arrows, unrelenting in his efforts.
By this time the trussed up Calvin’s journey toward the maw was reaching its deadly climax as he screamed with panic evident in his voice, to the Party.
“FUCKING DO SOMETHING!”
About a second after his hysterical demand, Michelle’s [Fire Ball] diligently obliged his strident plea and the resulting explosion was truly a sight to behold.
The blast radius completely obscured the beast as it wailed in agony. Slowly, inexorably, teetering toward the recovering Svetlana, she looked up in horror as Calvin and monster alike began to descend in a ponderous arc toward her in earnest.
“Stupid Niegadzai Zmei Gorinich!”
She cried out as she dove to the side to avoid her teammate and the behemoths, freshly cooked exterior, to skid on the ground for several feet. Though after having expended such effort to get clear, the Russian woman could only look on as its body made thudding contact with the ground, issuing a seismic *RUMBLE* along with a sizeable cloud of dust from the corpses collapse:
Your party has slain an Adult Corpse Worm level 56, all experience awarded equally.
You have leveled up.
Covering is mouth and nose with the crook of his shield arm, Un-Bep’ee ran toward the still tongue tied and struggling Calvin in earnest. However, having reached their tank, he worried for the man’s state of mind as he noticed that the man had blood and spittle dribbling from his mouth as he viciously laid into the remains of the beast’s tied tongue.
Getting ready to heal their Apprentice Knight, he said in the most reassuring tone he could muster with his elbow covering his face.
“It is ok my friend you are free now, let me heal you up.”
To which the maddened Australian turned with a red face and began point in an angry fashion at the Adult Corpse Worm’s body and screamed.
“FHAT FWUCKING FING ADE E BWITE MWY FWUKING TUNG! OW IM FWUKING POITHENED ATH WEWL!”
Before resumption of exacting his brutal revenge on the remains of its once restrictive tongue. Though once said tongue was sufficiently vanquished, apparently his ire remained unquenched as he then proceeded to lay into its odorous and now audibly squelching head.
Laughing into his elbow come gas mask at his friend’s monster induced lisp, Un-Bep’ee cast [Minor Heal] followed by [Minor Cure Poison] and was rewarded for his efforts with a notification:
Minor Cure Poison has reached level 8.
Willing away the welcome blue box, the Botswanan elected to stay with his friend till he got his anger and frustration out of his system and looted the elongated corpse, lest he injure himself on its worryingly multitudinous teeth during his narrow minded venting. He pointed to the rest of the party that had taken up residence at the edge of one of the small lakes when the heavily breathing Calvin looked at him wearily for guidance.
As the two approached the rest of the Party, Michelle and Farooq began to back away with over exaggerated consternation on their half covered faces, as a smiling Svetlana barked out a laugh and instructed.
“Hah! This might be the first time I have complained about smell these days, but for the good of all, I suggest that you, big man, need to take quick bath.”
Helpfully indicating the body of water behind her with an over the shoulder thumb.
Grumbling something about being the first to go and last to know, Calvin acquiesced and quickly set about cleaning himself and his equipment, as best he was able, without venturing too deep in the unknown waters.
While he was busy, Michelle and Farooq came back over to the others and she inquired of their healer in a guarded fashion.
“Please don’t tell me you intend to harvest materials from that…that thing…”
“Heh! no not this time…you would have to pay even me, a great deal to do this thing…”
He replied whilst smiling good naturedly to her reference at his newfound willingness to skin just about anything.
The rest of the Party continued to exchange small talk whilst taking turns at look out, while Calvin finished up washing, but unfortunately now he was dripping wet. Seeing this, Michelle took pity on him and made a makeshift clothes stand out of the palm like fronds, instructing him to hang his damp clothing on it while she began casting [Fire Ball] and stopping right before release to help dry his clothes.
Once more back into some semblance of comfortable fighting order, the party recommenced their journey toward the Dimensional Siphon, which appeared to still be active if the persistent translucent green arrow was any judge.
After traveling again for some time without incident, thanks largely in part to steering well clear of the pillar like mounds and the water’s edge. Un-Bep’ee took the first munch on his travel lunch of [Wolf Shish kebab], courtesy of the now skilled Kivar, that gave a temporary 20% boost to mana regeneration for 4 hours. Predictably, the Apprentice Cleric was not alone as the others took turns following suit, and by 15 minutes of travel eating, the Party was in a combined state of magically enhanced, but more importantly satiated preparedness.
After about an hour more traveling Svetlana signaled them to come to a halt, as he noticed his guidance arrow had disappeared. Un-Bep’ee and the others visibly tensed up, their newest member Farooq even went so far as to summon an arrow and knock it, whilst they collectively edged closer to their intended destination.
It had been almost a year since any of them had had the courage to even think of mentioning a Dimension Siphon in the presence of Calvin, for fear of causing undue distress to the man. Svetlana however had taken the others aside and made her case that he would never find a way towards healing his scars if he avoided anything associated with them entirely.
The fact that they were all mid to high level 40’s now was another reason to revisit the attempt at a Dimensional Siphon, with Farooq being the lowest at a level 46 Apprentice Archer. Svetlana and Michelle were tied for even first, both sitting at 49 while Un-Bep’ee and Calvin were tied at level 48. With their rise in levels they had regained some of the lost confidence as they completed quest after quest without fail, since that monster usurped their fledgling sense of safety.
“Ready check!”
Their leader announced in a commanding fashion, causing everyone to do a last second inventory, to make sure they had not forgotten anything important.
Pulling up his ‘status’ and distributing his newly acquired attribute points, Un-Bep’ee couldn’t help but smile in childish delight as all that he had spent the last year and a half becoming was laid bare before his eyes:
STATUS
Name: Un-Bep’ee
Age: 20
Titles: Survivor
Class 1: Apprentice Cleric Level : 49
Class 2: N/A
Profession: Gatherer
HP: 127/107 + 22 (129) MP: 457/295 + 162(457)
Status Effects: N/A
Vitality: 30 + 13 x 1.05 (45)
Strength: 35 Dexterity: 20
Intelligence: 98 + 17 x 1.05 (121) Wisdom: 99 + 8 (107)
Charisma: 6 Luck: 6
Undistributed Attribute points: 0
Passives –
Human: + 5 attribute points per level
Lingua System: Able to communicate verbally with any system integrated entity and be understood.
Quick witted: + 5% to Intelligence
Survivor: + 5% to Vitality
One With The Crowd: + 10% to damage dealt and -15% damage taken when fighting alongside others, -10% damage dealt and + 10% damage taken when fighting alone.
Skills – Apprentice Cleric
1) Cure Light Wounds (LvL 10): Cast a minor holy light on a single target and heal minor wounds instantly whilst restoring + 30 HP(Amount healed, cooldown and mana cost scales with skill level). Cost: 15 Mana, Cast time: 5 seconds, Cooldown: 5 seconds.
2) Minor Cure Poison (LvL 8): Infuse a single target with holy light and cure any common poison present (Cooldown and mana cost scales with skill level). Cost: 18 Mana, Cast time: 5 seconds, Cooldown: 10 seconds.
3) Blinding Light (LvL 10): Cast forth a brilliant holy light from your main hand in all directions around you, causing those looking directly at the light to become temporarily blinded (Cooldown and mana cost scales with skill level). Cost: 20 Mana, Cast time: 1 second, Cooldown: 30 seconds.
4) Minor Cure Disease (LvL 7): Infuse a single target with holy light and cure any common disease present (Cooldown and mana cost scales with skill level). Cost: 17 Mana, Cast time: 5 seconds, Cooldown: 12.5 seconds.
5) Minor Heal (LvL 10): Cast a minor holy light on a single target and heal moderate wounds over a duration of 10 seconds restoring 10 HP per second (Amount healed, cooldown and mana cost scale with skill level). Cost: 5 Mana per second, Cast time: 10 seconds, Cooldown: 15 seconds.
6) Minor Sanctuary (LvL 10): cast a barrier of holy light around your location with a diameter of 10 meters absorbing up to 100 points of incoming damage (Diameter, damage absorbed and mana cost scale with skill level). Cost: 30 Mana, Cast time: 5 seconds, Cooldown 30 seconds.
Taking in the screen, he was proud of how far he advanced his skills level, every level a testament to those he had healed or protected. The only ones left somewhat lacking were [Minor Cure Poison] or [Minor Cure Disease].
Almost every human being that had survived the past year and a half had increased their Vitality to some degree, rendering most of the known diseases less effective, and thankful a majority of the monsters they had run into did not seem to possess or employ poisons.
He reminded himself of the saying his villages medicine woman frequently used to employ before she had passed away; ‘not having to heal people is not a problem’. Smiling as he reminisced about sitting on her knee and pestering her with inane questions, yet as his mind absently scanned his ‘status’ it faltered as his eyes found the Survivor title. Feeling the now all too familiar guilt begin to bloom, he dismissed his ‘status’ and double checked his item’s durability:
Wo’Dan Shaman’s Oak Shield of Insight
Level Requirement: 46
Attributes: Increase in Physical and Magical Defense by 8%, +3 Vitality +4 Intellect, Block Value +460
Durability: 122/131
Description: A mana infused shield of oak and poorly tempered arcanite. Inscribed with intermediate defensive runes and basic empowerment runes. An uncommon magical item forged and imbued by a pair of unknown yet adequately skill Wo’Dan craftsmen.
Elevant Aspirant’s Deep Iron Mace (1 handed)
Level Requirement: 40
Attributes: Melee Damage + 20 – 35, Magic Power + 40 – 50, + 25% boost to all healing abilities.
Durability: 87/100
Description: A mana imbued deep iron mace inscribed with intermediate support runes. A necessary yet uncommon magical item generated for phase 1 worlds.
Dark Sal'Eir Druid Initiate’s Robe
Level Requirement: 43
Attributes: Increase Physical and magical defense by 11%, +13 Intelligence, +8 Wisdom +22 Maximum Health, + 162 Maximum Mana, +15% Boost to all healing abilities.
Durability: 108/112
Description: Intricately woven mana enriched druid initiate’s robe, embroidered with basic defensive runes, intermediate enhancement and empowerment runes. An uncommon magical item crafted by a master druid and gifted to his favored pupil.
Confirming with their leader that everything was in order, he briefly got caught in the joyous memory of when he had finally been able to afford his [Elevant Aspirant’s Deep Iron Mace] from the Outposts Terminal.
The council of their Outpost had been raising the Manamote entrance fee at the gates of late, causing a lot of ire in the general populace. While apparently it did pay for the upgrade said Outpost, enabling the purchase of higher level item’s and available profession halls, these would be no good to him if he couldn’t afford them at all.
It had cost him 500 Manamote’s alone, and if his Party didn’t have him as a gatherer and a scant five members in its roster, he was not sure if that, plus the 750 Manamote’s for the [Moderate Bag of Holding] would have been achievable at all. He could have asked his friends, but he was never one to ask for a handout if he thought he could achieve it through sacrifice himself.
Shoving away his memories of currency concerns, the Party edged closer to their target after confirming their unanimous state of readiness.
The Dimensional Siphon this time was situated in the reeds by the shore of a lake, almost completely obscured from view and if Farooq had not pointed it out, he was uncertain if they would have found it so quickly.
Not wasting any more time they kept on eye on their surrounds as they came to it’s surface. Almost as if wanting to prove himself Calvin was the first to enter the rippling gateway, his form disappearing completely after he had taken a deep breath and stepped through.
Sharing looks of silent relief, one by one the others followed suit until it was finally Un-Bep’ee’s turn. Taking a steadying breath, he closed his eyes and took a step into what his brain was insisting was a perpendicular puddle of water. Trying to ignore the icy sensation that washed over him, he braced himself in anticipation of the unknown whilst his perception warped, hanging suspended in midair for what felt like an eternity.
Unsure of how much time had passed his left foot, then right foot found solid ground, almost instantly accompanied by a blue boxed notification:
You have entered Dimensional Siphon#3924 –
To leave you must cleanse this subspace pocket of all hostile entities. You will be rewarded accordingly for your efforts.