Headshots pay off. I am referring to loot and monsters, not movies for adults. I got a Wind essence from looting the microraptor. Strategically it was cheap. Tactically it has been expensive. Most of my strongest abilities are on cooldown. I have to admit it. I have no staying power. No need to snicker. I do the job very satisfactorily.
Did I do optimally? No. For example I forgot to use my youngest ability to watch our backs. Am I ready to tear out my hair and wail in desperation? No, mistakes happen.
T: We rest here. Six hours.
Nobody was in a mood to disagree.
T: How long does it take to make use of new abilities?
P: Days, but in this case, they’d rank up. That is useful within hours, but for a few hours they are very much knocked down.
T: Do it, if they agree.
His men are hunting down a few lesser rodent monsters. I take my servant in, in order to switch to Argus#1 as soon as possible. I put up a long halftube made from a spongy and soft version of my building substance with bunks on the walls.
Lidija is ready immediately.
L: Make me that poncho and turn around.
I comply. Did I mention that I have a very wide field of vision now? I think being so close to being killed does bring your blood to boil, as they put it in the folksy way.
I want this done. Maria helps and I use [Eternal Moment] to set up the ritual. Lidija runs to the lagoon we are set up by. She makes it half the way before she starts throwing up. Zora is guarding her.
<table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">Guardian:</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">[Mantle of Frenzy]</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">Special Ability/Spell</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">
Iron 0 (0%)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">Void:</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">[Spike of Void]</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">Special Attack</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">Iron 0 (5%)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">Shield:</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">[Reflective Barrier]</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">Special Ability/Spell</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">
Iron 0 (0%)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">
0%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">
0%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">
(unused)
</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">
0%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">
</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">
Renewal:
</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">
[Regenerate]
</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">Special Ability/Spell</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">
Iron 0 (19%)
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">
(unused)
</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">
0%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">
(unused)
</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">
0%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">
(unused)
</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">
0%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">
(unused)
</td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%"> </td>
<td style="width: 23.4912%">
0%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
M: I envy her anyway.
P: I can imagine. But fear not, for I can provide.
I produce the essence.
M: You are a show off. But thank you.
P: Let me draw a new circle. And then I’ll try to get some sleep.
<table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">Fire:</td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">[Fire Bolt]</td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">Special Attack/Spell</td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">
Iron 0 (31%)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">Wind:</td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">[Watchful Observer]</td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">Perception</td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">Iron 0 (0%)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">Magic:</td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">[Mana Shield]</td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">Special Ability</td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">
Iron 0 (1%)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">
0%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">(unused)</td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">
0%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">
(unused)
</td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">
0%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">
</td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">
Storm:
</td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">
[Scattering Whirlwind]
</td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">Special Attack</td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">
Iron 0 (0%)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">
(unused)
</td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">
0%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">
(unused)
</td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">
0%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">
(unused)
</td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">
0%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">
(unused)
</td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%"> </td>
<td style="width: 24.9506%">
0%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
--
I do sleep. But it is a sleep full of nightmares.
P: Anything while I slept?
Branko: Some kind of land octopus. Two of them. One is still left. We looted the first conventionally.
P: Thanks for letting me sleep.
Four hours is much better than nothing.
T: What about the building?
P: Just let it stand. It will dissolve before this bubble ends, if we depart now.
T: Want some amphetamines?
P: No thank you. We are all iron rank now. They would be wasted on us.
Lidija and Maria really have dark rings under their eyes.
P: Take a spirit coin. You need the energy.
It perks them up, but not really all the way. It is time to break out weapons of mass distraction. I retrieve a tub of vanilla ice cream out of my inventory.
M: Thank you, but this is empty calories.
P: There is no such thing as empty calories for us any longer. We are all at iron rank.
M: There is a god.
P: Drugs and alcohol do not work right on us.
M: Yet it is a cruel god.
--
This land is forested. There is no path to the aperture through open country. And I cannot level that much forest. I could conjure a rocket launcher, were it not on cooldown, but even that lets me blow through kilometers of wooded terrain. Will it when I will have ranked up?
Our leader has changed tactics. My watery eyes and Dalek-3H are leading the way. I’ve also improved my tactics. Using telekinesis directly on monsters is difficult. There is a resistance I first need to overcome. That’s usually not practical. By trying was stupid from me in the first place. I’ve borrowed a kite shield from our allies. It is now floating over our group. With her new perception power Maria has joined the vanguard. For that reason Lidija keeps renewing [Mantle of Frenzy], which she has cast on her.
We meet something like a cross between a beetle and a puma. It dropped from the canopy. It meets me shield and is dazed when I smash it against a tree.
This is going too well.