“The hell is that thing?” I said, so revolted that I’d forgotten about the link entirely.

Ezzie had guided me across the hills into the northeast corner of the starter area, where the land was bleak and featureless, save for a few stubborn, leafless trees twisting up through the barren earth.

The creature in question was humanoid, about the size of a small child, and it floated about on papery wings. Its stomach was distended, hanging down almost to its knees, and its arms and legs were bony to the point of looking skeletal. Each of its fingers tapered to a long, yellow fingernail that could’ve easily passed for a talon.

I examined the creature.

Imp (Level 6 humanoid)

HP: 250/250

Ezzie said.

I slapped myself in the face, then stared down at my hand; Ezzie had taken control. She hadn’t hit me hard, but it was still a shock to remember that she could do that.

Ezzie said.

I slapped myself in my face with my other hand, twice as hard as Ezzie had.

Ezzie said.

I said, laughing despite the sting.

I rolled my eyes, brought my shield up and charged. The imp whipped around to face me, beating its undersized wings and soaring forward. It zigged and zagged as it closed the distance between us, banking from side to side as if it feared a ranged attack. Which I didn’t have, now that I’d lost my daggers.

Ezzie said.

I raised my shield, and the imp banked hard at the last moment, just as Ezzie had predicted. I smashed my shield into the creature with my full weight behind the blow and drove it down into the ground.

Ezzie said.

I kept the creature pinned as I shifted atop the imp; its arms were too short to reach around my shield. I got a knee atop my shield and grabbed my sword with both hands. The top of the imp’s head was exposed, so I brought the blade down with all the strength I had, once, twice, a third time, black blood spattering my face.

Ezzie said.

The imp panicked beneath me and shifted its efforts to trying to claw its way out from the underneath the shield. I drew back for one last heavy, two-handed blow and split the creature’s skull.

Ezzie said,

I rolled off the creature and flopped onto my back, gasping. The Chainkeeper had given me ten times that amount, and my lungs were already burning so badly that it was hard to breathe.

Ezzie said.

Ezzie laughed.

The Constructor zoomed over to the imp’s dispersing body and gave it a quick scan. We kept the pattern up for a few hours, with me resting as needed, until the Constructor scanned another imp and thankfully, blessedly dinged.

You found an uncommon weapon!

{Bronze Throwing Knife} has been added to your inventory!

{Bronze Throwing Knife (4)}*

Grade: F

Item level: 5

Slot: Ranged weapon

Damage type: Piercing

Quality: Uncommon

Physical attack: 2

Magical attack: 0

Speed: Thrown

Durability: 20/20

*Item may be reclaimed from a dead foe. Reclaiming a single knife will award 4 knives (max stacks 4). If all knives are thrown and none are reclaimed within 30 minutes, this item will be deleted from your inventory.

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

I said, as the Constructor printed the knives one at a time, and I caught each in turn.

Ezzie said brightly,

I said.

Ezzie said.

The Constructor finished the last knife and went back to levitating behind my left shoulder. I examined the daggers in the palm of my right hand. The blades were short—about three inches in length—and the hilts were very light, maybe even hollow.

I said.

Ezzie said.

I held it out. The Constructor came over and lasered a bunch of slits into the copper gauntlet that covered my forearm, creating a pair of holes for each dagger. I stuck the blades in; every single one was a perfect fit. I said.

The slits were handy for sure, but using the knives in combat still seemed like it was going to be a little tricky. I approached the nearest imp, careful not to get so close as to draw its attention. I jammed my sword into the cracked earth and readied my first throw.

I took my time, not wanting to waste the only decent shot I’d have; the image of the first imp zigzagging toward me was still fresh in my mind. I cocked back, waited, waited, threw.

By the time the dagger struck the imp in the back of its head, I already had the second blade singing through the air.

Ezzie said.

My next throw missed as the imp banked hard to the left, but I took my time with the last knife, waiting for the imp to change directions. The pattern was obvious: the imp would approach for about ten feet while gliding to the left, then change directions, bank right for the next ten feet, and so on.

Eight feet, nine feet, throw. The dagger hit home just as the imp was adjusting its path.

I grabbed my sword and readied myself for the fight to come.

Ezzie said.

I shifted to my right, bringing the shield across my body. Right as the imp was about to make contact, I bashed forward, smashing my weight into its small frame.

Ezzie said,

I leapt forward with an overhand strike, putting my full weight into the blow and driving the imp down into the dirt.

I said. And then it hit me.

Ding!

Congratulations, you reached level six!

Your (3) bonus points have been allocated for you!

Additionally, you have (2) stat points to allocate.

Reach level 7 to select a second Class Modifier!

I froze in place, staggered into breathlessness by the sheer, ridiculous joy of the moment. But as quickly as feeling had hit, it vanished, leaving me wanting more. I could’ve sworn that the wave of euphoria that had just swept over me was even stronger than the last.

Ezzie said, moaning the word.

I said.

Ezzie said.

I assigned the two points and pulled up my stat sheet.

{Silas}

Level: 6

Base Class: Brawler

Gear level: 14 > 38

Grade: F

Strength: 20 > 23

Dexterity: 12 > 13

Constitution: 11 > 12

Intelligence: 7

Wisdom: 7 (5)

Charisma: 8

Physical Attack: 11 > 17

Magical Attack: 5 > 7

Health: 210 > 220

Stamina: 110 > 120

Mana: 70 > 80

Armor: 40 > 70 (42% physical mitigation)

Magical Resistance: 0 > 5 (4% magical mitigation)

Frost Resistance: 0 > 20 (15% frost mitigation)

Ezzie said, as I pulled another imp with a throwing knife.

I dumped the last of my knives into the approaching imp and grabbed my sword as I had before.

I said, as I shield bashed the imp into the ground.

Ezzie said.

Ezzie said, her voice taking on a rawness I hadn’t heard before.

We kept at for a few more hours, using the same strategy: I’d soften the imps up with my throwing daggers, bash them when they got close, and finish them off with my sword.

Unfortunately, the poison aspect of my short sword left a little to be desired: none of the imps lived long enough for the damage to amount to much.

We found a couple pieces of common equipment that Ezzie deemed useless and scanned right off the bat, and a necklace that she was particularly excited about.

{Cinderstone Necklace}

Grade: F

Item level: 7

Slot: Neck

Quality: Uncommon

Primaries: +2 Strength, +1 Intelligence

Magical Resistance: 7

Durability: 25/25

I’d thrown that on right away, and the difference was pretty notable.

Ezzie said.

I brought it back up and found that is durability was more than halfway gone. I said.

Ezzie said.

I said. I was already about sixty percent of the way through.

Ezzie said.

Ezzie said.

Ezzie said, She said, shouting through the link.

I threw myself to the dirt just as something dark flew overhead and a gust of sulfur-tainted air washed over me. A black imp dropped out of the sky some ten feet away.

It was maybe three times the size of the other imps, and every inch of its skin was jet black, though its fingernails were glowing a molten shade of red. I examined it:

{Fatwing} (Level 7 humanoid) (Rare)

HP: 600/600