I was finding it a bit unnerving how easily I was adjusting to dying. It wasn't as though I liked it but more that I was worried about how routine it was starting to feel. One would think it would be the monsters that killed me more often. But no! it was structural integrity. After id been rudely stabbed id decided to get a bit more creative. grabbing the small creatures that are now forever dubbed 'Goblins' since the system clearly doesn't care enough to name them. I used the first one as a human meat shield when that failed because they don't exactly make great shields. A mad dash for some stairs I'd noticed had been in order. To my horror, the stairs had fallen from underneath me leading to my impalement ala Vlad style.
That was just the first. The second had been when a wall I had decided to lean on broke from my weight and dropped me right into the waiting jaws of another Reider. I still shivered even days, or at least I assumed days time was kinda hard to keep track of, after that nightmarish death. Things hadn't gotten easier, on the bright side I had learned a few things. 1st this place wasn't truly infested, a few Rieder in the terraces outside and some goblins scattered about. 2nd The goblins were definitely some kinda tribe if the flags and colored loin clothes weren't deceiving me. 3rd this place was massive with dusty crumbling hallways lighted only by cracks in the ceiling, as you got further down things got so dark you needed a torch to see your way around. Murals half-torn depicted nobles some human... some not.
In other words. I needed a better plan than wandering around until I died and reset. I'd put some points into memory and the rest in strength which had helped. Oddly it wasn't as if strength had made me buffer, my arms were still the thin cute arms that were considered socially acceptable. It was more that what little muscle I did have, had become more efficient. It took less effort and energy to lift heavy objects for example. Still, my pondering at the moment was nothing more than a distraction. The real reason I was still at the starting point was that I didn't want to take the next step. I had to go outside, and I did not want to. The first death made me shiver even now and trying to face more Rieders felt like suicide.
Yet everything I had found out suggested that going down and trying to find an exit that way was not gonna work. The way things got darker suggested that below this floor was in some kind of cave or underground at least. Yet I still needed too because there was no way a flimsy stick id found in some rubble was gonna take down a rieder without some serious luck. I wish my skill had worked with daggers but the things were too difficult for me to wield. I needed a two-handed weapon. which meant searching around the upper floors.
From what I knew the floors were guarded by at least 5 goblins not counting the one I had killed the moment I reset. A bit of cleverness on my part had me taking the things... rags and using them to fashion its dagger to my stick. It wasn't a perfect fit but some trial and error had proven the knife would stay snug if stuck into something, even hardwood. With the shittiest spear in the world now in hand I made my way toward the door. I waited. for one second. Two seconds. Three seconds. BAM! I launched the door with as much force as I could muster hitting one the goblins into the other as it passed right by the door. With a moment of hesitation, I charged my spear at them hands shaking and the moment of hesitation had saved one of them who hurriedly pushed its friend away. With a yipping sound, the thing charged at me while the screaming body of its friend was stuck to my spear. I accidentally dropped the spear in my panic as it charged me. I kicked franticly at the charging goblin knocking the knife out of its hand with a lucky strike but it just jumped on me biting and clawing as I struggled in vain to get the damn beast off me.
Memories flooded of being stuck, trapped, alone. With a burst of rage, I channeled the void into my next punch, It wasn't as if I did more damage than a fist should do. It was more that my strike seemed to treat its natural defenses as non-existent doing damage would it should have barely dented the goblin. It yelped in pain and its moment of weakness was enough for me to pull it off me, biting back a scream as parts of my cheek came with it. Snarling I hurled it to the ground with a sickening crunch and stomped on its head. Then stomped again. Again. And again. And again. And again. eventually the memories faded my rage going with it as I looked toward the creature I had stabbed with the spear. The thing was as dead as its friend. Blood dripped from its pointed ears and slitted eyes. So the knives were poisoned. Good to know.
After some careful tugging being especially careful not to accidentally knick myself on the blade, The spear came free and I made my way from room to room trying to be as quiet as I could. The rooms were filled with odd things, some had what looked like pentagons painted to the floor while others had ancient-looking lab equipment. Finally after what like hours of tense searching I found my prize next to a dead soldier. Unfortunately, two goblins were lazing about the decrepit armored skeleton. They weren't facing the door so they hadn't seen me. Still, I was going to have to take them out if I wanted the spear. So I did the only thing I could think of. I charged. Running and screaming I slammed my spear as hard as I could into the nearest goblin who let out a pained scream of surprise before tripping as my momentum came to a sudden halt. The other goblin tried to stab at me with its dagger but I rolled out of the way grabbing the soldier's spear awkardly in one hand. Placing my other hand on the spear made it feel right somehow. Like the world had become balanced when at first it had been lopsided. With an unskilled and uncoordinated but solid firm thrust of the spear, I gored the goblin through its stomach before kicking off the spear.
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Congratulations! For defeating all 5 goblins on the first floor and obtaining an old soldiers spear you have gained 1 point in all physical stats. You have gained [Void thrust] for your valor in combat.
For your quick thinking and cleverness you have been rewarded with the skill [ Enhanced timing basic].
Hidden quest completed! Gear up! is now completed 1 level rewarded.
2 physical points obtained, 1 mental mental point.
...
Name: Maria Stiller.
Attribute: Void
Race: human
Class: [undying]
Ranking: -1000
Physical:
strength: 7
Dexterity: 3
Agility: 4
Endurance: 2
Free points: 2
Mental:
Wisdom: 2
Memory: 4
Skill: 1
Free points: 1
Metaphysical:
Luck: 13
Magic: 9
Nature: 5
Free points: 0
Attribute:
[Void] you gain power from the impossible. Your magic is that of an endless paradox.
Spells:
[Void thrust]
You can imbue a thrust with void energy cuasing reality to warp around it making all things closer then they actually are, This may be used as many times as you have the void energy to spend.
Class: [Undying]
Through your connection to the Void you have gained the legendary class of [undying]
[Undying]
Rank: F-
Rarity: Legendary
Skills:
[Path of the undying]: You walk the path of torture for ever growing might. Whenever you die your soul overwrites your previous selves body reversing time to a set point. You lose all points gained upon death. But do not lose stat gains or skills.
[Basic Two handed weapons] Proper form can decide life or death in the heat of battle.
You now instinctively now how to properly wield and move around with two handed weapons.
[Enhanced timing basic] You have a instictual sense for timing. Once you have repeated an event at least 3 times timing becomes signifcantly easier.
Hidden quest!? there were quests? This was really starting to sound like those DnD games my brother played especially that dark souls thing. I really was beginning to regret zoning out whenever he went on one of his tangents. A pang of sadness overcame me as I realized that I might not ever get to see him again but I shoved that deep into my subconscious. It wasn't something I could deal with right now. The hidden quest really made me wish that there was some manual or something to explain everything to me.
A quick glance at the solider confirmed that most of the armor wouldn't fit me, what people often didn't think about when it came to medieval armor was that women had... assets and those assets meant that armor not forged with women in mind could actually keep said women from being able to breathe. Still, the broken helmet fit loosely, a terrible fit but better than nothing I hoped. It was time to head outside.
Still even as I reached and pryed my way through the broken wall where the Reiders corpse lay I hesitated. I really didn't want to go outside. Deep down I was still afraid of the rieders. The death the first had dealt me had not been pretty and I tried everything I could to shove down the anxiety I felt as I took one shakey step outward. Then with a shakey breath, I breathed in the fresh unpolluted air of the courtyard that lay before me. The courtyard was filled with weeds and long-dead remains of flowers. To my surprise and horror the Reider was the size of a house with a large brown furred torso and two enormous hind legs. I shivered as I realized just how lucky I was that the thing kept trapping itself every time I reset. Purposely looking away I glanced around trying to find some kind of an exit. Hope filled every inch of my soul as I noticed a crack in the large mile long walls that protected the court yard. To my east, a crack in one of the walls showed me a way out. I just climb a weird hill made of black grass. Jogging I made my way through the terrain until a child went down my spine.
What I thought was a hill was in fact a very large Rieder with black fur instead of brown. This one the size of two or three buildings and my jogging appeared to have woken the thing up. Its glowing red eyes glanced at me with hunger and malice as it let out a bestial roar of such power it actually sent me a few feet back. Grasping the spear shakily I prepared for it to attack. Becuase it turned out this dead wasteland of a courtyard had a king. That king was very very hungry.
Too make matters worse this king had subjects as goblins spewed forth carrying daggers I now knew to be poisoned. All in all it was me vs at least 20 goblins and one very pissed off gaint ass monster. I did the only sensible thing and fled as if hell was on my heels. God damn world! it couldnt just be the giant monster, no! It had to add a small army to really screw me over.
As I fled I let out an angry roar as the goblins caught up to me "FUCK YOU SYSTEM!!!!!" before a thousand stabbing pains ended my life.