The night was passing by slowly, painfully slow. I look down at my new watch, the electric one I had before had died horribly. The new one was an antique powered by winding it up and using the stored energy to push the hands. To pass the time I had been looking down at it through the transparent face, watching the gears mesh together and tick away. I found it calming to see how everything worked together.
Passive skill acquired from special action - Intuitive Adaption Lv1
Note: Gives the user an intuitive understand of complex processes. 5%* increase in comprehension, ability to learn/teach skills from/to other users. (special action skills cannot be taught)
That actually seems fairly useful. I bring up the skills window.
Skills
Imbue Mana Lv1
Intuitive Adaption Lv1
Force Push Lv1
Mana Manipulation Lv1
Second Breath Lv1
Observe Lv1
Mentalling focusing on each one brings up their respective info.
Imbue Mana Lv1 - Allows the user to imbue mana into an object, mana density is lost by initial mana x 0.1* per minute after contact is broken.
Force Push Lv1 - Uses mana to impart kinetic energy into yourself or objects within 0* meters.
Mana Manipulation Lv1 - Allows the use and manipulation of inner energy.
Second breath Lv1 - Stopping for a single breath of time after stamina consumption mitigates 10%* of stamina usage over the last 3* seconds, can only occur once every 10* seconds.
Observe Lv1 - Receive system verified information on the object in question. Level limits access.
I ignored Intuitive Adaption since I just read it a second ago. Choosing instead to focus on imbue mana, looking around I spot a quarter on one of the coffee tables, picking it up I figure it’s best to start small for practice. Feeling for the pocket of mana I search around, surprised I see 3 pockets of energy, one centered in my head, another in my heart and a 3rd in the pit of my stomach.
The one in my stomach feels ethereal and out of touch and I find it next to impossible to do anything with it. The one in my heart seems to have a mind of its own pushing its energy freely through my flesh and blood. The pocket of energy in my mind is peculiar in its own right. It pulls in the energy released from my heart converting it to its own unique type before stockpiling it, the excess is leaking back into my bloodstream. It looks to be acting in a similar way to the energy my heart is giving out, but instead of strengthening and healing it’s just there, using my body as an additional compartment to store itself.
A blue screen flashes into existence.
Intuitive Adaption has reached Lv2 - (5% --> 10%)* increase in comprehension.
A small bonus, I take a glance at the clock, it’s been 2 hours, only 2 more to go. Feeling for the energy once more I take the energy coming from my mind, it feels cool to the touch, calming, refreshing, like jumping into a pool on a hot day. The energy flows through my veins and I will it into the quarter. A small bit of resistance is felt as the mana slides through the outermost layer of skin causing only a trickle of what I summoned to be let out, even that small trickle though makes the quarter shine with iridescent blue light, filled to the brim in an instant.
Looking at it I instinctively know that I can’t put any more into the quarter. I get up and head to the garage, I remember one of the girls saying they saw a bunch of tools in there. Opening the door I’m greeted with a woodworking shop, saws, drills chisels, anything you might need to work with wood was scattered around the shop. I briefly wished it had metalworking stuff instead but knew that would have been the jackpot. A lot of people picked up woodworking as a hobby so it wouldn’t be strange to find house with a woodworking shop.
Grabbing a chisel I set the quarter down on the table beside it I set another quarter. Setting the chisel over the normal coin I pick a hammer up from the table, set the chisel onto the coin and give it a hefty tap. A small indentation forms along where I held the chisel. Adjusting, I set the chisel back down onto the surface of the quarter and give a fair amount of strength to the swing setting it perpendicular to the previous indention.
*pi~ng*
The side of the coin that the bevel was facing shot out like a bullet, disappearing somewhere behind the woodworking table I was using, the rest of the coin, displaced, but still on the table still with the indention in it from the previous strike running through its center. Confident I had the amount of strength somewhat gauged I moved over to the other coin, it looked slightly duller than before, but barely. Lifting the hammer I tried to give the same amount as before when I cut the other coin in half.
*dink*
The hammer and chisel bounced up, peering closely at the coin I could see that the raised edges around the circumference of the coin were slightly pushed in but the face of the quarter didn’t seem to have a scratch. Taking out another quarter I placed it on the table, setting the chisel I let the weight of the hammer fall onto the metal back of the chisel, adding none of my own energy into the swing.
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*clank* *clank*
Dropping what i was doing I go to the window, my heart rate skyrocketing from the sounds of the noisemakers we put up. They were an early warning that something was coming, hopefully friendly but probably not. Grabbing my glaive I exited through the garage door opposite of the sounds direction, skirting around the house in a half crouch I rounded the first corner and came to rest at the second corner. A few meters in front were the lines of noisemakers we erected.
Caught in one of the lines was a white siberian husky, it looked hurt, blood had matted it’s fur down its left flank. Which also happened to be the leg caught in the winding. It was one of the first few non-mutated animals I had seen. I had seen plenty of birds but never a dog for whatever reason. I got up slowly to keep from startling the animal, making just enough noise for it to be aware of my presence.
The dog tenses up immediately, lowering its head and looking straight at me. Stowing away my glaive I walk up to the dog, kneeling just out of reach. I stretch my hand out slowly, letting the dog get my scent. Not sure why but it seems to calm them, well it either calms them or they decide they don’t like the way you smell and try to bite. Keeping outwardly calm but still ready to bring my hand back if it snaps I wait.
He gingerly sniffs at the back of my hand, the moment of truth, and he licks me. Smiling I slowly move closer, scratching at the side of his chin. I reach back and carefully unwind the noisemakers from his leg, uncannily smart for a dog he pulls his leg straight up and out of the loop. Quickly running off into the night, stopping at the edge of the hill to look back before rushing off into the night.
Feeling good I walk back into the garage and look around, frowning, I can’t remember what I was just doing. Another side effect of old age, a moment of distraction and my thoughts slip through my fingers sand. Stopping in the garage I glance around and see the chisel on the bench, it comes back to me in a flash. “So mana does seem to greatly increase the toughness of whatever it’s put into.” Mumbling to myself I continue testing, infusing different amounts of mana into coins.
Going to the shop I find a board with relatively straight grain, peering at it I try to look for aspects that might give me some clue as to what it is, trying to use the observe skill.
Observe skill has reached Lv2
Maple board - Quality Fine
A high quality board of maple with straight grain and few knots.
I grab a pencil from the wall and mark out lines, I remember making pyramid bows when i was a kid, it was always a fairly simple way to make a bow. It might not make a really strong one but it would make a usable one. I wonder briefly if the buildings generator will hold out if I start using power tools. Shrugging and deciding we’d be out of here tomorrow anyways I started up the bandsaw.
The bandsaw was amazingly quiet, it was definitely high quality, I was expecting it to scream in the quiet of the night but it sounds more like a medium sized fan. Pushing the board into place I start removing the extra material on the board and shaping it. Taking only a few minutes to get the general shape I grab a small block of wood, shape it on the belt sander. I grab the wood glue and slather it on the contact points and then use twine to tightly bind the shaped handle to the body of the bow, not ideal but we don’t have 24 hours for the glue to set.
Making notches into the outside edges of the bow for the string to be placed I smooth the bow out with sandpaper. Grabbing some paracord from my bag I attach a loop to each end of the bow and find a place to balance it. Using a reverse clamp I ratchet the bow open until it starts to bend. The left side is a bit stiffer than the right, it’s not dropping down as much. Taking the sandpaper to it I slowly sand it, watching as it drops millimeter by millimeter. After an hour or so of sanding the bow seems to have evened out nicely.
Grabbing another piece of paracord I loop one end around the bow sizing the string until it seems to be about the right size. Giving it a test string I start to pull, I shake my head realizing the string it a little too long, the bow doesn’t have the right amount of curve to it. Relaxing, I shorten the string a hair. Positioning the edge of the bow in front of my right ankle, the center of the bow going behind my left calf, I pull with my left hand to bend the bow and hook the string into the groove.
Stepping out of the bow, I give it a quick once over. I look around the shop, looking for some type of finish to protect the bow. Seeing some boiled linseed oil I give a wry smile, not the best weather protection but it’ll dry fast. Dabbing a generous amount onto a rag I finish the bow with the oil, giving it a dull sheen. ‘Hopefully that’ll protect it from the weather.’ Giving it a quick pull I guess it’s around a 30kg or 65-70 pound draw weight. Not bad, paracord for a bowstring isn’t ideal but there isn’t much else to use. I grab a candle and rub it along with string, I actually have no idea if the paracord really needs wax but I was taught to do it with my old bow so I didn’t think it’d hurt.
I set the bow down, admiring my work. It took almost 3 hours to do, meaning my shift should be done soon. Looking it over one more time I carve a small capital A into the handle.
Maple Bow - Mediocre
Bow made by an aspiring crafter. Simple yet effective, this bow is held back by the makeshift parts that were substituted when suitable materials were not readily available.
“Huh, figures,” I nearly growl out. Shitty system thinks I made a shitty bow because I didn’t have the right stuff to make it.
Due to your attention to detail and the quality of the crafted item being higher than its materials a reward has been given.
Profession gained - Crafter
Profession gained, synergistic skills search.
Mana Manipulation found.
Imbue Mana found.
Profession specialization eligible - Enchanter
Would you like to use a specialization slot on Enchanter? (1/1 slots available)
Yes / No
I take a step back, nearly overwhelmed by the amount of information that just popped up. Reading through each piece carefully I mull over the decision. So I had one specialization slot, to use it or not? I’m not sure how often we’ll get slots or if we will. We could get them every 5 or 10 levels, we could get them when we accomplish special objectives. Either way I currently only had a single one.
Looking at the bow I made, I knew it would only just barely be able to take down a mutt and that’s if the person shooting had good aim. With a sigh, and a bit of hope I set down the bow. Hector trods out of the house as I’m mulling over my options. “Whats up man? You look constipated.” Clenching my jaw I try not to chuckle at the poor joke, he uses it every time I’m trying to think. “Just unlocked the crafter profession whenever I made my shitty pyramid bow.” I say while tossing the bow to Hector.
Catching the bow expertly in his hands he straightens his left aim and gives the bow a test pull. “Feels a little light for us, you’d probably have to make something out of metal with how high our strength is. Maybe grind down a leaf spring from a truck?” He says noncommittally. Shrugging I take the bow back. I slowly push a bit of mana into it, string first, then I move to the bow itself.
Pushing small amounts of mana into it while giving it test pulls every second or so. Satisfied I hand the bow back. Hector looks down at bow, glowing slightly blue in the dark of night. Lifting it up he pulls back leisurely, 2 inches. With a look of surprise he pulls back harder, the bow bends to a perfect arc. Slowly letting the bow move back to the rest position he pulls again after about a half a minute. He hands the bow back to me. The edge of his lips are turned up into an almost smile, “nice, how longs it last? I felt just a little bit less resistance the second time I pulled.”
“Ten minutes roughly, getting progressively weaker as time goes along. That’s actually what I’ve been thinking about. When I made it I got the crafter profession and since I already had a skill for imbuing weapons with mana it says I can add a specialization as an enchanter. The only problem is I only have one slot and I don’t know when I’ll get more.”
“Whoa man, take a breath.” Hector says with a wry smile. “If you could give the bow that kind of power permanently, or at least have it pull mana from it’s wielder. Not sure how that works actually, anyways. If you can make that permanent, it would be a boon to us all. You could also probably do the same with clothes or armor. Plus it should be just like most games right? Enchanters should also be able to give some pretty special effects too.”
“Alright, I’ll give it a bit more thought, didn’t think about there possibly being special effects. I’d love some extra movement speed on my boots.” With a wave I let hector take over the watch, heading back to the room. Going over likely scenarios of how the profession might manifest. Finally not able to keep the curiosity back I summon back the floating text.
Would you like to use a specialization slot on Enchanter? (1/1 slots available)
Yes / No
“Yes”