Dante placed a hand upon Jacob and spoke, "Blessing of Zephyr"
Jacob looked confused for a moment then his eyes narrowed like he was reading unseen text.
The wind began to dance and coalesed around Jacob who now began to smile.
"Let's fucking go! +10 Dex that's not bad."
Seeing the enthusiasm Dante spoke a word of warning, "Remember we're catching this guy. Do NOT hurt him!"
Everyone looked at Dante and nodded in agreement.
In the blink of an eye Dante was already 50 feet away with Jacob trailing a bit behind.
Congratulation you have earned the Common active skill, Running Lvl. 1...
Running- Slight decrease to the stamina costs incured by running per level of the skill. Slight increase to running speed per level of the skill.
Running skill has leveled up. Lvl. 2...
Running skill has leveled up. Lvl. 3...
It only took about a minute for Dante to catch up with the grey robed man, while it took Jacob about 2 and a half minutes.
Dante watched as the robed man who seemed already out of breath from his short run fell into the grass next to a tree no sooner had he arrived.
As Dante got close he stopped behind a tree to watch from about 100 feet way. What he saw was the man breathing heavily on the ground.
'This guy has some shitty stamina.' he thought as he looked upon the man and waited for Jacob to arrive.
A moment later when Jacob arrived Dante told him, "If he says anything its probably a skill or spell so hide behind me."
Jacob looked between the man, and Dante several times before saying, "I think I want to test my astral avatar skill out against him.
"Remember..."
"Don't hurt him, I remember."
After the short discussion they slowly began to advance towards the man.
Noticing the rustling of grass the man turned his head and looked upon them in horror. In so doing he revealed a part of his face displaying his pale complexsion.
As the initial shock wore off he raised his hand and proclaimed, "MAGIC MISSLE!"
Immediately five darts of purple arcane force appeared then leapt forth to strike Dante.
Having no way to block the spell he simply stood and hide his face behind his crossed arms bracing himself to tank the hits.
Much to his surprise and relief although the spell hurt when it struck him. It was not as bad as he thought it would have been.
Each dart felt much like a bee sting rather than the punch in the chest he had been expecting.
Taking a moment he looked beneath his robe to see small purple bruises appear on his chest before fading over several seconds.
Looking up and to the left he checked his health and saw that he had only lost about 50 health. Though he suspected the actual damage to have been maybe double that since he had taken a moment to observer his wounds and watched them heal.
Dante looked to the man and asked, "Is that it? Feel free to run your mana dry man."
The man once more looked on in horror before placing his flat palms together side by side and then bringing them apart.
As he did so the air around him began to shimmer before becoming a soft blue.
"Ha!" The man exclaimed with a smile as he sat up and got into the lotus position. "I have enough mana to keep you assholes out and to hold this thing up forever! You can't get me!" He exclaimed seeming confident that he had won.
"Should we break it? I would be glad if you would let me try with the bear!" Jacob asked.
Dante said nothing for a moment as he kept his gaze upon the man under the small dome.
"No..." Dante said simply as he advanced towards the dome.
When he arrived there he simply sat upon the ground and activated meditation. "Ok, let's see how long you can hold that dome up. So you know there are more people coming..." Dante paused for a moment before turning to Jacob, "Go find them and led them back here. Enjoy the buff while you can. I don't know when it will run out."
Jacob sighed as his head and shoulder's dropped, then he leaned forward, "Fine..." He said clearly disapointed by not being able to exercise his abilities.
He took a step away before Dante spoke again. "Don't you have an astral form for the golden rabbit? Why not use that to get around?"
Jacob straightened up as Dante spoke then face palmed, "You're right! Why the fuck didn't I think of that?!" His voice suddenly brightening up as golden light began to eminate from his form.
Jacob was suspended in the air prone as the 1 1/2 meter tall, by 3 meter long rabbit turned its head back towards Dante.
It looked him in the eye which was strange as Jacob was still pointing straight ahead. What really got him curious was when it tilted its head to the side all the while having its eyes locked with his.
The rabbit nodded to him before facing forward once more.
"This is great the Astral form of the Rabbit only costs 15 mana per minute! I guess each form incures a different mana cost." Jacob said as he bounded away.
Dante smiled before shouting after him, "Don't get shot!" he laughed for a moment even as he worried a bit.
'I wonder what would happen if I cast enhance ability on him? Would the spell react to his Totem Master class? I'll have to test that later now that I've thought of it.' he thought as he pulled up the blue box for Enhance ability. One of the spells granted to him by his lady for being her cleric.
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Enhance Ability, 2nd level
You touch a creature and bestow upon it a magical enhancement. Choose one of the following Affects - the target gains the Effect until the spell ends.
Bear's Constitution: (+20% to CON, +half of your caster level) +10% for each level above base.
Donkey’s Endurance: (+20% to END, +half of your caster level) +10% for each level above base.
Bull's Strength: (+20% to STR, +half of your caster level) +10% for each level above base.
Cat's Grace: (+20% to DEX, +half of your caster level) +10% for each level above base.
Eagle's Splendor: (+20% to CHA, +half of your caster level) +10% for each level above base.
Fox's Cunning: (+20% to INT, +half of your caster level) +10% for each level above base.
Owl's Wisdom: (+20% to WIS, +half of your caster level) +10% for each level above base.
Draconic Willpower: (+20% to WIL, +half of your caster level) +10% for each level above base.
Rabbit’s Fortune: (+20% to LUK, +half of your caster level) +10% for each level above base.
Hawk’s Acuity: (+20% to PER, +half of your caster level) +10% for each level above base.
Nature’s Spirit: (+20% to SPI, +half of your caster level) +10% for each level above base.
At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd Level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level above 2nd.
When cast at higher levels you may alternatively add additional effects to the same creature. You may not add the same effect more than once however. You may choose to apply different effects to each creature effected by this spell.
Up to 1 hour, (Fur or a feather from a beast), if you use a part of a beast as the material component of this spell and cast it corresponding effect said effect is boosted. Material component requirement subsidised by holy symbol for clerics.
Mana cost: 215
'I Like how the spell has changed but I wonder if the system has some inverted version of this spell? A Reduce Ability spell sound useful.' After musing over the spell and the posibilities for a moment Dante looked to the man under the dome with a slightly bored expression. "I know you're a Dungeon Master, let's just lay that out right now. I have no intention of hurting you. I simply wished to talk about a mutually benificial relationship between us."
"Why should I fucking believe you!?" The man retorted, the lower portion of his face that was visible becoming a scowl.
"For one I am a cleric and as such have been made unable to lie. That alone should make you consider my words. But to give you a second reason, I actually haven't got another..." Dante said as he scrunched his face, raising his shoulders and hands in a display of, 'Well shit.'
Several second of silence ensued as the man seemed to carefully reguard Dante, looking him up and down, trying to take his measure.
"What would you ask of me?" The man asked reservedly.
"I want to help you set up and level your dungeon. So you let my legion and I run through it. We level, you level, everyone wins...I think." Dante paused for a moment before changing the subject a bit. "How does the dungeon system work? Is it like those manga where the core gets Dp to spend on stuff?"
The man didn't immeditatly respond, and a new moment of silence ensued.
Dante simply sat in the lotus position waiting for the mans reply, as he was not willing to force the issue.
The man took a breath as he reached up and pulled back his hood revealing a younger man, about Dante's age. Though the man's skin was pale as snow his hair was black as night and as messy as a childs bedroom. His eyes were a blue as the sky. "I was told by the system when I got this class that there would be people who would hunt me to abuse this class. When you scanned me, I thought you would be one such person."
"And so you ran, not very far mind you..." Dante remarked as he turned to look at the edge of the zone about 1000 feet away.
"Yeah, yeah, make fun of the guy who doesn't have great stamina." He said whilst crossing his arms with a scowl still reappearing on his face.
"Hey man what's your name?" Dante asked, "My name is Dante by the way." he said, deciding to change tactics.
After a moment he responded, "Nathan. I'm...I'm level 24." He said defeatedly as he rolled his eyes and slouched forward before returning to his previous position.
"I'm level 31, My lady is Rosana. The goddess of Life and Blood."
Nathan smiled and widened his eyes for a moment as he remarked, "Blood for the blood god."
Dante smiled in turn, "Blood for the blood god. Oh yes let me show you something..." as he said this he summoned his Dagger of Sacrifice and using telekenisis he made it levitate.
Nathan look on in awe as he asked, "What kind of skill is that?"
Dante decided it was best to show the man the difference between them in terms of power. With a flick of his hand the dagger flew into and through the dome protecting Nathan and hitting him the the chest.
Immediately Nathan began screaming before quickly quieting down as he looked down at the dagger sticking out of his chest. Looking up to Dante he asked, "Why don't I feel any pain? What the fuck is this?"
Dante stood and walked the few steps over to Nathan before leaning down to grab the dagger and twisting it. "This dagger has 3 settings that can be turned off and on at will. It can siphon health, mana, and stamina. If you turn off health it can't hurt really any living creature." Dante said as he pulled the dagger from Nathan's chest only to pull back his sleeve and run the dagger across his arm. The man recoiled in horror.
No sooner had Dante removed the blade from the wound did the blood start to flow fromt he wound.
Nathan then leaned forward in awe watching as the wound healed in a matter of seconds and the blood dissappeared as if it had never been there.
Skill, Dagger of Sacrifice has leveled up! Lvl. 4...
Skill, Pool of Sacrifice has leveled up! Lvl. 2...
"I did that to show you that your barrier wasn't going to stop shit." Dante said as he pointed his flattened palm towards Nathan before continuing.
"Please note I didn't physically hurt you. I may have inflicted mild phycological trauma but let's move past that..." Dante paused for a moment as he heard people pushing through the trees at the edge of the clearing. Turning back he saw it was the rest of the legion. He waved for a moment before turning back to Nathan. "Look man, you need to level up to be safe in this new world. Why don't you come dungeon diving with us and earn some levels. Maybe we can get you another core or upgrade the one you already have? What do you say?" Dante asked as he extended a hand out for Nathan to grasp.
For a long moment Nathan looked up at Dante before he took his hand and got helped up.
Nathan however had something else to say it seemed, "Is your lady nice? What does she look like?"
Dante smiled at the questions happy to answer, "My lady Rosana is kind, and she appears fairly human as far as I have seen though that might just be something she does to help me accept her. I'm not too sure..." Dante paused as a message rolled across his vision.
I was human, Dante...
"She says she was human before she became a goddess so let's say she's human for simplicity." He said with an expression of, 'I guess'.
"How do I..." Nathan attempted to ask only for his voice to faulter. It didn't take Dante much time to see what he was trying to ask. Another notice rolled across his vision.
You will be needing these...
You have recieved 10 Holy symbols of Rosana...
Dante closed his palm and a second later he opened it to reveal a holy symbol of Rosana. He considered for a moment warning Nathan about what had happened to the last person he gave one of these to. However, he decided it was best not to mention that as he believed it unlikely to happen in this instance.
He held out the holy symbol to Nathan who without hesitation took it and began to examine it. Dante waited a moment to see if anything strange might happen but nothing seemed to. "Get any notices?" He asked curiously.
"Just one it says, "Your trial has begun". What does that mean? What trial? You didn't tell me there was a test!" Nathan exclaimed concerned that he might have been tricked.
"I think she means that she is going to see if you are worthy. Worthy of entering her clergy. As for what that trial entails, I think it just you come with us and see how it goes. I'm certainly not the guy whose going to fight you..." Dante paused lowering his head and looking around waiting to see if he would recieve a notice. He did.
Yep, live trial by fire is how I will test his worth...
What better place to test him then to throw him into the Lion's Den...
"Well she is agreeing with that assessment and even confirmed which dungeon we will be going to." Dante said as James stepped forward.
"OK where too Dante?"
"The L..." Dante paused as his right arm began to move on its own. It raised and began pointing back towards the edge of the Zone and as they followed where his finger pointed they saw the dungeon labled, "Lion's Den" Dante scrunched his face for a moment before accepting the assistance from his lady.
A second later he regained control of his arm. 'I'm still not very comfortable with her doig that but in cases like this I'll manage.' He thought before he spoke again. "There it is. Ready Nathan?"
Nathan nodded.
"Ready guys?"
The rest of the legion laughed and cheered their agreement.
Dante turned to Nathan once more as they began walking towards the dungeon enterance, "So how do dungeons work?"
Nathan laughed and smiled, "I'll tell you what I know of the inner workings but so you guys know there is a dungeon tutorial when you enter one for the first time."