Talax spat out a gob of congealed gnoll blood from his mouth and drew his knife with a wet sound from the lifeless body beneath him. His features were grim as he used his soiled shirt to clean up the blood that had splattered all over his face.
As he walked over to his companions, his troubled thoughts swarmed his mind. The interrogation had yielded mixed results. While some of the information he had gained was useful, he had also been forced to use his health potion earlier than he had planned. His intention to use it as a bargaining chip had gone out the window.
Despite being awakened, the gnoll was in such a disoriented state after its head bashing, that it was incapable of cooperation even if it had wished to. Its eyes were unfocused, and it continued to drool while mumbling incomprehensibly. Even after using the potion, there was no significant improvement in its condition.
Without much choice he went to the other gnoll. It was decidedly less cooperative, and without having witnessed his previous loss of sanity, it held little fear for the human. Talax had to resort to repeatedly use his dagger until the gnoll finally began to speak.
He felt unclean... on a deep level. Although he knew that the blood that drenched him was not to blame. Still the musings about the morality of his actions took a backseat when he thought about the information he had gathered. The information he had obtained was both confusing and troubling. He was uncertain how Franny would react when he found out.
While walking, he noticed Franny staring at him with a sense of weariness in his eyes, almost as if he was frightened of Talax. The sight caused Talax to stumble momentarily, but he quickly reassured himself that it was only because of the blood that coated him, that made Franny uneasy. As he approached, he felt something different coming from the young man and his eyes furrowed in confusion.
"What's going on?" Talax scrutinized Franny, searching for the reason behind his friend's sudden change.
"I've finally ascended to Tier 2. I'm now Level 10," Franny announced, a small smile appearing on his face. Talax nodded, congratulating him on his achievement.
"So, what did you discover from those creatures?" Talax dropped onto the ground, giving his battered body a moment to recover. Beside him, Qalo was snoring quietly, his healthy greenish color having returned to his face.
"I'll tell you once Qalo wakes up. Right now, I need to clean up and assess my new skills and abilities," Talax replied with a sigh. He groaned as he stood up, leaving a troubled and perplexed Franny behind, wondering what Talax had learned from the creatures.
After scouring the area for a few minutes, Talax stumbled upon a narrow stream that was perfect for bathing. He removed his weapons and clothes and dunked them into the chilly water, determined to rid them of the bloodstains. Despite the stains' stubborn resistance, he managed to scrub them away with a series of vigorous rinses.
Talax then plunged into the shallow stream, which barely rose above his hips, and relaxed for a few minutes, seeking to calm and center himself after the grueling battle that had left him feeling depleted. He finally emerged from the water and reclined on the grassy slope next to the stream, his eyes shut in blissful relaxation.
With a deep sigh, he focused his energy and opened another gate, unlocking a new level. The euphoric sensation surged through his body, alleviating some of his fatigue and pain.
He had reached level 9!
Talax smacked himself mentally as he remembered he had the perfect spell for when he felt like crap after a long fight. He grudgingly stood up and cast Rejuvenating Water. Ahh, that felt good he thought. The cool water worked its magic, soothing his aching muscles and giving him a burst of energy.
He plopped back down and checked out his gains from the battle. His eyes popped open in shock as he saw how much progress he'd made. His mind was racing with all the new information flooding in, and he eagerly checked out his skills to see what he could do now.
Short blades skill, level 6
6% to attack, 6% blade penetration
Evasion skill, level 4
4% to reflexes, 4% to agility
Stealth skill, level 5
5% to noise reduction, 5% to hiding
Swordsmanship skill, level 5
5% to aim, 5% to damage
Tracking skill, level 3
3% to observation, 3% to clue detection
Archery skill, level 6
6% to damage, 6% to aim
Athletics skill, level 4
4% to physical prowess, 4% to mobility
Interrogation skill, level 4
4% to assessing information, 4% to detecting deception
Almost all of Talax's combat skills had undergone significant improvement, with the addition of a new skill. Though he wasn't quite sure how he felt about the interrogation skill, he could see the usefulness it provided. If he understood it correctly, the skill allowed him to detect lies and deceptions without resorting to torture, which was a relief since he wasn’t keen on reliving the experience. The thought of a torture skill made him shudder, he couldn't imagine what kind of messed up abilities that would come with.
Talax's stealth, swordsmanship, archery, tracking and athletics skills had all increased by one level, with his short-blades skill gaining two levels, though he suspected most of the experience came after the battle was over... Despite the challenges faced during the encounter, it proved to be the most rewarding experience for him so far.
Four of his skills had reached level 5 or beyond, expanding from saplings into skill trees, with new abilities represented by small branches. Talax felt a sense of excitement and anticipation as he explored the new opportunities that had become available to him. He only had four tokens from his previous level ups, so he needed to be careful and thoughtful about his choices. Starting with his swordsmanship skill tree, he examined his options.
- mighty blow: you land a powerful blow that has a chance to knock down your opponent.
Active, Duration: single hit, Cooldown: 1 minute
- clarity of the wrath: you enter in in a heightened state dealing 40% additional damage. Your awareness is reduced during the duration of the skill.
Active, Duration: 10 seconds, Cooldown: 20 minutes
- surgical strike: you wield your sword with surgical precision, landing a single critical hit.
Active, Duration: single hit, Cooldown: 5 minutes
With a sense of surprise, he noticed that one of the abilities was already unlocked. The Clarity of Wrath branch was already glowing with vibrant mana. Perplexed, he checked his tokens, only to find that all four of them still remaining at their respective gates. With a flash of inspiration, he realized the ability was unlocked when he had fought the gnoll that had clawed Franny. Although he was uncertain how it happened, he was pleased to find that he had already unlocked the ability, with his tokens still intact.
The other two abilities in the swordsmanship skill tree appeared to be quite useful, particularly the Mighty Blow that could help him in creating distance during dangerous situations. Nevertheless, he decided to inspect the archery skill tree before making any final decision.
- first blood: If your target is at full health, your first strike deals 20% more damage.
Passive
- explosive arrow: upon your arrow reaching your target a wave of mana force expands in a radius of 3 meters.
Active, Duration: single hit, Cooldown: 10 seconds
- critical eye: increases the chance of landing critical hits.
Active, Duration: single hit, Cooldown: 5 minutes
- piercing shot: your arrow ignores any armor landing a critical hit.
Active, Duration: single hit, Cooldown 10 seconds
With a smile he read the information about each ability. He was already sure one token was going to archery no matter what. Unless his last skill tree had a number of world-ending abilities he was certainly buying explosive arrow.
Critical eye was another stand-out, but its long cooldown period made him pause. Overall, most of his new abilities seemed awesome, if he had enough tokens, he would be snatching them all up. Alas, he had to act with restrain and wait patiently for another level up. Patience and restrain weren’t virtues that would best describe him, he wanted them all now! With reluctance he turned to his next skill tree, stealth.
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- ambush: your first attack after leaving stealth deals 50% additional damage
Passive
- creeping steps: your movement speed increases by 5% while stealth is active.
Passive
- stalker: your attacks deal 10% additional damage while stealth is active
Passive
- deadly aim: you can detect your target’s vulnerable spots landing critical hits more easily.
Active, duration: 1 minute, Cooldown: 10 minutes
Stealth had been his favorite skill so far. It was by far the most used, letting him traverse the dangerous forest with impunity. In a short while, the shadows had become his friends, a way to keep himself safe from the roaming beasts and enemies that wanted to hurt him.
Seeing so many abilities that could help him stay undetected, while offering him a chance to cause damage made him want to use all his tokens in an instance. Still, he gritted his teeth and counted to ten, so that he wouldn’t give in to the impulse.
As he looked at his last skill tree, which focused on short blades, he felt conflicted. On one hand, he was eager to see what new abilities he could unlock, but on the other hand, he already had so many great options to choose from. The fact that he had limited tokens to spend made him feel frustrated and angry, like a boiling teakettle.
- swift cuts: you are able to perform a series of rapid strikes, dealing shallow cuts on your opponent. 5% chance of dealing the confusion effect.
Active, Duration: single hit, Cooldown: 30 seconds
- pinpoint strike: you are able to strike with deadly accuracy, dealing extra damage to weakened enemies.
Active, Duration: single hit, Cooldown: 1 minute
- flurry: you become a whirlwind of blades dealing damage on multiple opponents.
Active, Duration: single hit, Cooldown: 5 minutes
Restriction: dual wielding short blades
None of the offered abilities really caught his eye, except for maybe the swift cuts ability which had a chance of confusing his opponents. It would be awesome to leave his enemies in a daze after his attack, but the probability of the enchantment working was pretty low.
He was left feeling unsure of which direction to take. With so many options and so few tokens, he had to think carefully about which skills he used most often and which ones aligned with his goals. Did he want to become an archer, picking off his foes from afar? Or a sneaky rogue, waiting for the perfect moment to strike from the shadows? Perhaps a fearsome warrior, charging into battle with his sword swinging?
Each proposal had its own merits. At present, the rogue's approach appealed to him the most, primarily because his current situation demanded stealth. Furthermore, he felt too weak to face creatures like the gnolls head-on. As he pondered how to make the most of his tokens, he reached a conclusion: he despised being confined to a single path. Rather than adopting a singular role, he wanted to master as many skills as possible. Although this might not have been the most efficient approach, he decided to act according to his own desires for the time being.
Without hesitation, he invested his tokens in acquiring the Deadly Aim ability. Mana surged through his gate and infused the skill tree, bringing it to life in a brilliant purple-black flash. Almost instantly, knowledge of the ability flowed into his mind.
He was itching to use the new ability, but its long cooldown made him reconsider. Besides, he was sure that sooner rather than later he would have the opportunity to use it.
He was ready to unlock the next stealth ability, stalker, but then he stopped to think, dumping his enthusiasm. Stealth was an incredibly valuable skill, and it had proved its usefulness time and again. However, he didn’t want to turn into a one trick pony. It was made adamantly clear, that certain situations couldn’t be dealt with stealth,at least not at his level.
His most glaring shortcoming was his inability to fight head on in close quarters. He had managed to fight against the gnoll, but that was feasible because it was already wounded by his arrows and distracted by Franny. If he and Franny had switched places and he was the one to fight against the gnoll at full health, he would have surely lost.
He went back to the Swordsmanship skill tree and unlocked the ability mighty blow. With this new ability in his arsenal, he hoped to have a better chance of escaping danger by creating some distance and strategizing his next move.
Lasty, he unlocked the ability explosive arrow from the archery skill tree. He was sorely lacking in an ability that would harm multiple opponents. This ability was especially useful since he would be able to cause distraction from afar, hidden in his lovely shadows.
He decided to forego using his last token in case he needed a specific ability in the heat of battle. His fingers twitched with anticipation as he contemplated unlocking the Stalkerability, but with great effort, he managed to rein in his impulses and resist the temptation.
Closing his eyes, he savored the peacefulness of the early morning. The dew-drenched grass tickled his bare feet, and a gentle breeze carried the sweet scent of blooming flowers to his nostrils. The melodious chirping of the birds provided a soothing soundtrack to his thoughts, while the rustling of the leaves added a soft layer of white noise, helping him let go of the tension from the previous fight.
Lighter and feeling rejuvenated after his short break, Talax walked back to the small clearing. However, as soon as he arrived, the pungent smell of spilled blood and death assailed his senses, quickly shattering his good mood.
Fortunately, Qalo had recovered during his absence and was speaking softly with Franny. Upon noticing Talax's return, Qalo stood up and greeted him with a broad smile.
"My friend, thank you. Franny told me that if it weren’t for you, we would probably both be dead."
Talax shook his head in frustration. "No need for thanks. If someone deserves recognition, it's Franny. He jumped in front of the gnoll without hesitation, saving your life. He was amazing."
Franny blushed and tried to protest, but Talax interrupted him.
"I'm relieved to see you both alive and well. You really scared us," Talax said, turning to Qalo.
Qalo nodded, lowering his head as if embarrassed. "I underestimated those creatures. I don't know what happened. Once I laid eyes on them, all I wanted to do was pummel them until they were dead."
Talax smirked at his friend's candor. "Let's sit down and talk."
Franny set out some refreshments, and his two companions sat in a circle, snacking before they began their discussion.
"I found out why the gnolls have come to the forest," he said. "Their leader is after a treasure hidden inside a temple that is located within the dungeon you and your uncle were planning to enter." Franny looked bewildered, while Qalo mumbled in agreement with his mouth full. "It makes sense."
"But how did they discover the entrance? It was only revealed recently!" Talax shrugged, indicating he didn't know the answer. He didn't care how the gnolls had learned about the dungeon. The point was they were in trouble.
"It gets worse. The gnoll leader and most of his elites are already inside the dungeon," Talax said gravely.
"What? No!" Franny exclaimed, and Talax shot him a look.
"But wait, there's more," Talax continued.
"More?" Franny asked, his voice shaking.
"Your uncle and what's left of his men are also inside," Talax said. "They managed to enter before the gnolls caught up to them, but most of them were killed in an earlier skirmish."
Franny was silent, taking in the implications. "What about Bryan?" he asked suddenly, surprising Talax.
"Who's Bryan?" Talax asked, confused.
"My best friend since childhood. We used to play with our swords all the time," Franny explained, and Talax stifled a laugh at the poor choice of words. Qalo, however, burst out laughing, earning him a vicious look from the distraught noble.
"I have no idea where Bryan is. Let's focus on what's important," Talax said. "Your uncle and his men are two to three days west of here, inside the dungeon. The forest is crawling with gnolls because they're searching for someone from your uncle's company who escaped at the last moment. They think he went looking for reinforcements."
Franny and Qalo were silent, processing the information. Then Qalo asked, "Is the entrance to the dungeon guarded?"
Talax nodded. "Most of their forces are out searching for the human they think escaped. The small valley we saw on the first night must be the center of their operations. They've left a small contingent of guards to defend the entrance while the rest have joined their leader."
"That's a lot of gnolls, almost a whole pack," Qalo remarked.
Talax nodded again and turned to Franny. He saw the uncertainty etched on Franny's face and the unfocused look in his eyes.
"I don't understand," Franny said, his voice trembling. "Why didn't my uncle look for me? If he returned home without me, my father would have him executed!"
Talax looked at him sympathetically and tried to break the news as gently as possible. "From what I can tell, your uncle entered the dungeon at least three days ago. Which means..." He trailed off, hoping Franny would come to the same conclusion.
But Franny just looked at him blankly, so Talax continued, "It means that your uncle may not have even tried to find you. He could have easily found the bandit's camp, which was just a few minutes away from the road..."
Franny interrupted him, his face twisted with anger. "No! I refuse to believe that my uncle left me for dead! We're family! He would never dare disregard my father like that."
Talax didn't argue. Instead, Qalo spoke up in his high-pitched voice. "It doesn't matter now. We're alone, and we have to find your uncle. We'll keep going as before."
Franny appeared uncertain, his expression resembling that of a lost child. However, Qalo was right in saying that they had no choice but to press on and locate his uncle. Not only would this bring the family members back together, but it would also ensure their safety. Judging by the way the gnoll spoke about Franny's uncle, he was likely a formidable warrior. The gnoll's voice had trembled with fear as it recounted a previous battle that had resulted in the deaths of many of its kin.
Franny had mentioned that his uncle was almost tier 3, but Talax didn't put too much stock in this information. After all, the young man had a tendency to exaggerate when speaking about his family.
"So, shall we continue?" Talax asked, receiving nods of agreement from his companions. He rose to his feet and brushed off his trousers.
“Let’s go then.” He said. Qalo looked at him with a chicken bone stuck on his tusk and with pleading eyes he said.
"We should eat more. I'm still weak from almost dying," Qalo said theatrically as he touched his stomach wound, which had already healed. He gave Talax a pleading look, and though Talax gave him a cutting look in return, he ultimately relented.
"Fine, but hurry up. The stench of those gnolls is nauseating," Talax replied.
They ended up spending most of the morning near the dead gnolls. Each of them took a short nap to recover from the traumatic night before continuing their journey, guided by the pulsing orb.
Franny was uncharacteristically quiet, not engaging in his usual pastime of tormenting Qalo with ridiculous demands. He didn't even bother to change his clothes, not even once!
Talax gave Franny space and didn't intrude, allowing him to be lost in his thoughts. Talax had a lot to think about himself. The noble’s actions during the previous battle had put everyone in danger and almost resulted in Qalo's death. Additionally, he had just discovered that his beloved uncle had abandoned him in search of treasure. Leaving Franny with much to contemplate.
Qalo appeared to be in inner turmoil, as if contemplating something too. His typically vacant expression was replaced with a frown, which eventually disappeared once he decided to look for food. He wandered around in search of a type of mushroom that a shaman from his tribe had told him grew beneath mucous maple trees, claiming they offered virility. He muttered under his breath about someone named Brumsha and how he would show her what an orc was really capable of.
When Talax asked whether Qalo knew what the tree looked like, the half-orc simply shrugged and dug a hole in the ground, from which countless cockroach-like insects flew out. Qalo whooped with delight and started snatching them from the air, swallowing them whole to the disgust of the two humans.
They walked for most of the day without incident and as the sun began to set, they decided to set up camp in a shallow cave they had discovered earlier. Now that they knew Franny's uncle had already entered the dungeon, they felt no need to hurry.
Talax was itching to go explore and potentially use his new abilities if he found a worthy target, but he felt he had enough excitement for one day and decided to stay at the small camp. He gazed out at the surrounding forest, taking in the verdant hues of the leaves and the occasional flutter of a bird's wings as they flew by. The scent of pine and damp earth filled his nostrils, a welcome respite from the stench of the gnolls they had encountered earlier.
Franny didn’t have the same hesitation and had Talax perform his exercises. The young noble paced back and forth, his eyes fixed on Talax's movements as he hacked and slashed at the small tree near their camp. The tree swayed dangerously with his every hit, its leaves rustling in protest as if ready to be uprooted. The sound of wood cracking echoed through the forest as Talax delivered a particularly brutal blow, causing a nearby bird to take flight in alarm.
After hours of harsh treatment, he left the maimed tree and rejoined his companions for a light dinner. They saw a small flock of majestic birds fly over their heads, trailing behind them glittering dust that caught the rays of the setting sun. With wonder in his eyes, he followed their trail as they flew through the crowns of the trees, their melodious chirping a soothing balm to his ears. His eyes felt heavy and before he registered what had just happened, he was fast asleep.