I lay awake in bed that night, tossing and turning. Why had I done that? When I left this house before, I had no doubt in my mind that I would return with the Crystal, and create the Infinity Potion at last. Now, that dream was lost. I'd used most of the ingredients either for the Resin Bombs or repairing the teleporter. When I saw the Reavers, I just couldn't help myself.

I took a moment to review my character sheet and decide where I wanted to put my newfound skill points.

Name: Tris

Race: Human

Racial Bonuses: +25% base Endurance, +10% base Charisma

Class: Artificer

Sub-Class: Tinker

Level: 11

Health: 54/259

Mana: 22/283

Stamina: 15/264

Strength: 12

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Agility: 17

Dexterity: 16

Constitution: 12

Endurance: 15

Intelligence: 17

Wisdom: 14

Charisma: 12

Luck: 11

Alignment: -0.5

 You have 3 unspent skill points. Allocate now?

[Yes/No]

I decided that after the ordeal at the Festival, I was going to need more endurance. I put one point each into Intelligence and Endurance, then one in Luck. I'd been neglecting that stat because I was never quite sure what it did, but maybe if things had been different...

I shook my head. I did the right thing back there. Didn't I?

I scowled at my alignment rating. What was right, anyway? Sure, I'd taken an unconventional path of progression. I didn't quite agree with the term "evil" on alignment qualifiers. I simply looked out for myself. And after everything that had happened early in life, that's what kept me alive. I had to look out for myself because no one else would. Did that make me "evil", though? I would have liked to think it didn't.

But why did I save them? I thought wearily, slumping back into bed. I thought again about my parents. For what little time I knew them, they always took care of me. They wanted what was best, always. Perhaps being a parent was the most selfless act of all, I considered. And seeing that lost-looking girl separated from her parents...I just couldn't. I was her, once. And if I could make things just a little better for her, well, maybe that was the first step to redeeming myself.

I pulled the worn blanket over me and drifted into an uneasy slumber. Tomorrow would be another day, and I could start again. Maybe do things different this time.

Just another day in the Veil.