Lylas spells all seemed pretty useful to Jack although he did have one question about them.
“You said your aunt taught you all of these spells. Didn’t you get any for having an attunement?
The Scraeling shook her head. “That benefit only comes to those who gain the attunement on their own, not those who are born with it. Nobody knows for sure why that is but scholars theorize it’s meant to make up for the extra training time people like me get.”
That made sense to Jack. After all, someone born with their affinity could begin looking for spells as soon as they got System access. In contrast, someone who got the affinity later in life would be playing catch up them for a while especially if they had no one nearby to teach them spells.
As they continued walking Jack questioned Lyla about the undead they were supposed to be fighting.
“Are these going to be like slow, shambling zombies that we can just snipe from a distance?” he asked hopefully. It would be nice to get some experience without risking his own life or that of his companions. Although now that he thought about it, he felt a strange sense of disappointment at the thought of an easy victory. He had only been in a few fights since coming to this world, but almost every one of them had been a hard-fought battle that pushed him to his limits.
Lyla seemed to find his question amusing. “As much as I might wish it, these undead are no easy prey. I have only fought one myself but after defeating it I saw signs that it had been separated from a larger party. That was when I was offered the Quest to clear them out.”
Jack was about to ask her more questions when she held up a hand to halt the party. “They are nearby. Ready yourselves.”
Jack hefted his spear in one hand while readying a spell with the other.
After a few moments passed and nothing happened he whispered “Are you sure? How can you tell?”
She didn’t answer him verbally but gestured to the nearby vegetation. Now that it was pointed out to him, Jack could see rotting leaves and withered plants, a stark contrast to the vibrant greenery around them. The air felt colder too, a chill that seemed to seep into his bones.
"They drain the life from the area," Lyla explained quietly. "Stay alert."
They moved cautiously through the forest, the oppressive silence weighing heavily on them. Jack's heart pounded in his chest, adrenaline sharpening his senses. Goldeyes walked beside him, hackles raised, and ears perked up, ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice.
Suddenly, a rustling sound broke the silence. Jack spun around, spear at the ready. Emerging from the shadows were several rotting figures, their decayed flesh hanging from skeletal frames. Their eyes glowed with a malevolent purple light, and an eerie moan escaped their lips.
Jack shot off a quick Identify.
[Name: Barrowborn
Level: 9
Health Pool: 250/250
Mana Pool: 50/50
Stamina: 50/50
Skills: Necrotic Claw
Abilities: Deathly Constitution]
"Here they come! Remember, don’t let them claw you!" Lyla’s voice rang out, firm but tense.
Jack gripped his spear tightly, the cool metal a comforting weight in his hand. His pulse quickened as he saw the first Barrowborn emerge from the shadows, its hollow eyes glowing with a malevolent purple light. Its skeletal frame, draped in decaying flesh, moved unnaturally fast, lurching toward them with twisted claws outstretched.
Without hesitation, Jack lunged forward. His spear thrust out in a fluid motion, the sharp point aimed squarely at the creature’s chest. The impact was solid, the spear sinking deep into rotten flesh. For a moment, he thought he had struck a fatal blow, but the Barrowborn barely registered the attack. It snapped its head toward him, eyes glowing brighter as its bony hand shot out with alarming speed.
Jack’s heart raced as he dodged, narrowly avoiding the jagged claws that passed mere inches from his face. He felt the rush of air as they sliced through the space he had just occupied. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he backpedaled, adrenaline surging through his veins.
[You have dealt 23 Piercing Damage to Barrowborn]
[Barrowborn has resisted Frost Damage]
'It’s resisting the enchantment,” Jack muttered under his breath, frustrated by the creature’s resilience.
Lyla’s voice cut through the din of battle. "Go for the head or the spine!" she called out, her staff raised high. From its tip, a barrage of thorns erupted, twisting through the air with lethal precision. They shot toward another Barrowborn, pinning it against a nearby tree. The undead screeched as vines erupted from the ground to secure it to the tree. Despite its thrashing its decayed body couldn’t break free.
Jack adjusted his grip on the spear, taking Lyla’s advice to heart. This time, he aimed higher, locking his gaze on the nearest undead’s skull. With a deep breath, he activated Piercing Flurry, his muscles tensing as he unleashed a flurry of rapid strikes. The first blow landed with a sickening crunch, the spear tip puncturing the creature’s skull. He followed up with two more rapid stabs, each one driving deeper into the undead’s head. Dark, congealed blood oozed from the wounds, but the Barrowborn only staggered back, still standing despite the brutal assault.
It hissed at him, its glowing eyes now locked on Jack with a fierce hunger. Before it could retaliate, Goldeyes, his loyal wolf Companion, bounded into the fray. The wolf’s powerful jaws clamped down on the Barrowborn’s neck with a bone-crushing grip. Goldeyes growled low and deep, muscles rippling beneath his fur as he twisted violently. With a sickening tear, the undead’s head was ripped from its shoulders. The headless body crumpled to the ground in a heap, twitching as it began to disintegrate into dust.
Jack barely had time to catch his breath before two more Barrowborn rushed at them, their claws outstretched. Cael and Monsoon were already on the move. The goblin rogue darted forward, his twin daggers gleaming in the pale light. Cael moved with surprising agility, slipping between the two undead with a dancer’s grace. His blades flashed in the dim forest, slashing across exposed bones and severing tendons with quick, precise strikes. One of the Barrowborn turned on him, clawed hands swiping viciously, but Cael ducked low, evading the attacks with ease.
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Monsoon, the young Wavewolf, howled as he activated Riptide Charge. Water surged around him, swirling in a torrent as he barreled into a group of three Barrowborn clustered together. The force of his charge sent them sprawling to the ground, their brittle bones cracking on impact. Monsoon wasted no time. He pounced on the closest fallen undead, his claws raking through decayed flesh as his powerful jaws tore at its spine. The Barrowborn writhed beneath him, but Monsoon’s strength was too much. With a savage bite, he snapped its backbone, rendering it motionless.
Meanwhile, Cael danced around the second fallen Barrowborn, his daggers a blur as he stabbed it repeatedly in the torso and head. Each strike found its mark, weakening the undead with every blow. The creature let out a guttural growl, but Cael pressed on, driving his blades deeper until it too collapsed into a pile of disintegrating remains.
Goldeyes, not to be outdone, pounced on the third Barrowborn with a fierce growl. His fangs sank into the undead’s neck, and with a swift, brutal twist, he tore the creature’s head off. Black ichor sprayed across the forest floor as the Barrowborn crumbled to dust.
As the last of the undead in that cluster fell, Lyla’s staff flared with a brilliant green light once more. Her lips moved in a soft chant, and a wave of vibrant energy rippled through the battlefield. Thick, twisting vines erupted from the earth, coiling around the legs of the remaining Barrowborn. The undead monsters screeched in fury, clawing at the vines, but they were held fast. The writhing tendrils tightened, slowing the creatures’ movements and preventing them from advancing.
Jack seized the opportunity. With a powerful thrust, he drove his spear into the nearest entangled Barrowborn, the point piercing through its spine. The creature let out a final, gurgling moan before collapsing in a heap. He spun on his heel and dispatched another with a well-placed strike to the skull, the spear shattering bone as the undead fell limp at his feet.
Despite their numbers, the Barrowborn were no match for the combined strength and coordination of the group. Lyla’s magic kept the remaining undead at bay, their struggles growing weaker with every passing moment. Cael and Monsoon darted through the battlefield, cutting down the entangled creatures one by one, their movements swift and deadly. Goldeyes ripped apart any that got too close, his jaws dripping with the remnants of the undead.
Finally, the last Barrowborn fell, its body disintegrating into dust as silence descended on the forest once more. The only sounds that remained were the ragged breaths of the victorious party.
Jack wiped the sweat from his brow, his muscles aching from the intensity of the fight. He glanced around at his companions, all bruised and bloodied but very much alive.
[Congratulations! Spear Mastery has gained a level]
[Congratulations! Piercing Flurry has gained a level]
[Congratulations! You have slain Barrowborn x3]
[1400 Experience earned]
[Congratulations! You have levelled up]
[You have gained + 2 Strength]
[You have gained + 2 Agility]
[You have 2 free points to distribute]
Jack didn’t hesitate to split his points between Wisdom and Intelligence which had been falling behind lately.
[Name: Jack
Race: Direborn
Exp: 742/10000
Level: 11
Class: Warrior
Profession: Wargear Crafter
Path: N/A
Strength: 35
Agility: 33(+1)
Dexterity: 22
Wisdom: 7
Intelligence: 6
Charisma: 2
Constitution: 17
Endurance: 15
Free Points: 0
Health pool: 170/170
Mana pool: 50/50
Stamina: 150/150
Attunements: Water,
Skills: Identify (Level 8), Awareness (Level 1), Skinning (Level 3), Woodcarving (Level 1), Weapon Crafting (Level 1), Alchemy (Level 2), Tracking (Level 5), Water Magic (Level 5), Swimming (Level 3), Leatherworking (Level 3), Armor Crafting (Level 2), Spear Mastery (Level 4), Night Vision (Level 1), Light Armor (Level 1)
Class Skills: Berserk (Level 1), Piercing Flurry (Level 2)
Profession Skills: Bone Recipe (Level 1), Mix and Match (Level 1)
Spells: Fluid Grace, Ice Dagger, Conjure Water, Aqua Barrier, Underwater Breathing
Titles: Favored of the Alpha
Resistances: Water (15%), (Light (3%))
Abilities: Savage Roar, One with the Elements, Empathic Shielding, Mental Link]
Jack looked around at his companions, none of whom seemed to be seriously injured. Even Monsoon seemed unscathed by his first battle, though his fur was stained with bits of rotting meat. Jack ended up using Conjure water to give the young Wavewolf an impromptu bath, which he seemed to enjoy greatly (though that actually made sense given his new race).
Jack turned to Lyla “Is that it? Did we complete the quest?”
The Scraeling shook her head “If we had I would have gotten a notification. There must be more of them deeper in the forest. Fortunately, they are not particularly hard to track.”
Jack nodded, determination settling in. "Alright. Let's find the rest and finish this."
The group moved deeper into the forest, the eerie silence amplifying every rustle and snap of twigs beneath their feet. Even the faintest sound seemed to echo unnaturally in the dense woods. Jack kept his spear ready, his senses on high alert, his gaze sweeping the shadows between the trees. The signs of the Barrowborn's presence became increasingly obvious as they advanced. Patches of withered vegetation dotted the forest floor like blight, a faint but unmistakable odor of decay lingering in the air. A growing chill wrapped around them, colder than any natural breeze, sending a shiver down Jack's spine.
Lyla led the way, her eyes scanning their surroundings with a practiced vigilance that made it clear she was no stranger to these woods. Goldeyes trotted beside her, his keen nose twitching as he sniffed the air, occasionally letting out low growls of unease. Cael and Monsoon brought up the rear. The young Wavewolf's wide eyes darted nervously from tree to tree, his every muscle tense, ready to spring into action. By contrast, Cael’s calm demeanor remained unshaken, though his grip on his weapons had subtly tightened.
After what felt like hours, the forest opened up to reveal a small clearing. In the center stood an ancient, crumbling stone structure, half-buried in the earth and overgrown with moss and ivy. The sight of it made the air feel heavier. It was a relic of a long-forgotten time, its massive stone blocks weathered and cracked with age, the decay of centuries evident in every groove. Vines coiled like serpents along its surface, obscuring the intricate carvings that adorned the stone.
As they neared, Jack realized the structure resembled some kind of mausoleum, its purpose unmistakably tied to death. The entrance was marked by a large archway, its keystone carved with an ominous symbol. The design was strange, yet hauntingly familiar—an intricate pattern resembling a flaming skull surrounded by a swirling, shadowy sea. Jack felt a chill that wasn’t just from the cold as he stared at it. He couldn't place where he'd seen the symbol before, but something deep inside him recoiled at the sight.
The door, a massive stone slab, was slightly ajar, the gap revealing nothing but a yawning darkness beyond. A sense of foreboding washed over them as the smell of decay intensified, becoming almost unbearable. Jack’s heart pounded in his chest, a steady rhythm of fear and anticipation that seemed to echo in the stillness. His palms felt slick with sweat as he tightened his grip on the spear. They were close now. Too close to turn back.
Lyla raised a hand, signaling the group to halt just before the entrance. Her voice dropped to a whisper, barely audible over the pounding in Jack's ears. "This is it," she murmured, her gaze fixed on the dark entrance. "The Barrowborn are likely inside. Be prepared for anything." Her words hung in the air, heavy with warning. Each of them readied their weapons, knowing that whatever awaited them in the darkness was far from human.