《Herald of Storms》 Chapter 1 - Translocation He slipped to his left; twisting his hips and rolling his left shoulder, before slamming a hook into the thick padding of the heavy bag. Thump. He rolled underneath, coming up the on the right side, and sending a short, tight hook with his other hand crashing in. Followed by a push to gain distance; two straight punches and a finishing hook. Thump, thunk, thump. A snort came heaving from his nose. Short, quick breaths, air rushing in and out as he tried to scramble for much-needed oxygen, preparing to close the distance. "Alex!" The shout broke him from his reverie. He turned his head to see who spoke; Mica, with a bloody forehead, made from what looked like a series of shallow cuts above left eye, with his mouthpiece half hanging from his mouth. "You want a round?" He motioned a gloved hand towards the small ring at the end of the brightly lit gym. Alec looked up towards the small clock, stuck clumsily on the wall next to him, and frowned for a brief moment. "Thanks, but no. I''ve got to shower; need to head off." Mica nodded his head to acknowledge his words, turned around and yelled for another man, who was smashing away at a smaller bag. Alex took a minute to long rip his gloves off, and too long again to unwrap the straps attached to his wrist, he knew he was procrastinating. This stupid dinner. He slipped his shoes on, before shuffling off, uncovered into the rain. Heading towards his beaten-up red Volvo sitting half on the pavement. It was always unpleasant; Easter that is. A conglomeration of his extended family: cousins he hadn''t spoken to properly in years, awkward hugs for aunts he couldn''t remember the name of. He froze, his chest jumped like he''d just had a heart attack. Congratulations, Alexander. What the fuck. A luminescent blue screen, popped out Infront of him, accompanied by a deep male voice, sounding somewhere in his middle age. Due to a combination of your impressive natural baseline, and purely random chance, you have been selected to attend the Tutorial - Difficulty: Extreme. What the actual fuck. He looked around him, expecting to see some giggling little bastard hiding in the bushes, prepared with a recorder pointed directly at him. Nothing but pouring rain and wet concrete. Translocation occurring in 7, 6, 5 ... 2, 1. Thank you for your co-operation. XOX The thud of his legs hitting the ground shook Alex into awareness. His confusion was broken by the shrill chirping of birds. I''m... in a forest? Due to the difficulty of your tutorial you have been awarded: 15 free attribute points. To apply them, and access your information as a whole. Say - Status. Like a game? Some repeat of a childhood dream; full of levels and mana and skills? "Status."
Status
Name: Alexander Aeotos Level: 1 Health: 230/230 Stamina: 250/250
Mana: 240/240 Strength: 24 Agility: 26 Vitality: 23
Intelligence: 24 Wisdom: 18 Charisma: 19
General Skills:
Primary Class: None Primary Class Skills:
Secondary Class: None Secondary Class Skills:
Tertiary Class: None Tertiary Class Skills:
Traits: Titles:
Free Points: 15
Apparently so. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and took another. Fine. Some weird, physics-defying system of not, he would deal with it. Fifteen free points? He had what was likely a high Strength, Vitality, and Agility status, especially so on the last. Or at least he assumed so, considering that he was generally above most others for such considerations on Earth. Am I on another planet now? Decent Intelligence as well, although a slightly lower Wisdom, likely since Wisdom was generally associated in large parts with life experience, and he was still young. For Charisma, he didn''t know, but he wasn''t wont to put points into it, not when he was in a forest, seemingly alone. He decided on instinct in the end, he didn''t know the specifics of each attribute, and he didn''t want to take too long to decide, lest there was some untold time limit, and he would instead lose the free points. Eight in Strength, and seven in Agility. "Status."
Status
Name: Alexander Aeotos Level: 1 Health: 230/230 Stamina: 325/325
Mana: 240/240 Strength: 32 (+8) Agility: 33 (+7) Vitality: 23
Intelligence: 24 Wisdom: 18 Charisma: 19
General Skills:
Primary Class: None Primary Class Skills:
Secondary Class: None Secondary Class Skills:
Tertiary Class: None Tertiary Class Skills:
Traits: Titles:
Free Points: 0
He applied it and noticed very little difference in his actual body. That was until he took a step forward, and tripped over his foot. Fast. Congratulations. For being in the Top 1,000 to apply initial free attributes, you have been given +5 Intelligence. So speed was relevant. You have been inducted into the Extreme Tutorial. It will end when the Dungeon: Tribe of the Lost Orcs, has been completed and exited. Monsters and enhanced Beasts shall be released into your environment in 3 hours. Vanquishing your foes shall reward you with varying levels of experience, especially significant enemies may also release Rewards. Your Tutorial shall, if not completed, expire in 8 Weeks. Good Luck. Well fuck. He checked himself over. He had nothing on him but his exercise clothes, and a knife he kept tucked into the front of his left boot. His phone had disappeared, as had his duffel bag containing his workout equipment. I''ve lost everything except those directly attached to me. Alex''s thoughts froze to a halt, He had three hours before he could die, and some little Swiss army knife would surely not help him. He took through the forest in a quick stride, noting nothing around him but trees, with the occasional rustle due to the wind, or a possible small animal. I need a weapon. He searched for a further twenty minutes, before finding a stick a little over six feet long, with nearly no flexibility, and a few fingers width wider than the size of his grip. He took out his Army knife, and spend the next half an hour whittling the bark of the branch and tapering the end half a foot into a point. A shit spear, but it would have to do. He took off again, picking recognisable berries off of bushes, eating some, and stuffing the rest into the small pockets of his shorts. Thirty minutes left, he estimated. Again he searched, gathering up rocks of a suitable size. If he knew how to make a slingshot, he would, but Alex had spent his childhood Boxing, with the occasional bit of school. He would just need to throw them and hope he hit something. His pockets now full, he retreated back to what he thought was his original starting point and scampered up a nearby tree to hide. It was far easier than it should have been. Your time is up. The wilds have been unleashed. You have 8 weeks. Good luck. He sat and waited. He did not have to wait for long. XOX A fox came first, resting against his tree. It was seemingly normal, but Alex now had little regard for what was once considered normal. He jumped down; spear outstretched beneath him, driving into the muscle on the fox''s lower back. His feet followed, crashing onto the fox''s head, smashing it onto the dirt below them. The fox cried its warble, attempting to throw off the weight on top, but the wounds quickly led to stillness. Congratulations, you have killed a Level 2 Fox. For killing a Beast above your level, you have gained bonus experience. You have levelled up. You are now Level 2. Congratulations, for being within the Top 100 Competitors to gain a level, you have been awarded +8 Agility. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
Status
Name: Alexander Aeotos Level: 2 (+1) Health: 260/260 Stamina: 365/365
Mana: 290/290 Strength: 32 Agility: 41 (+8) Vitality: 26 (+3)
Intelligence: 29 (+5) Wisdom: 18 Charisma: 19
General Skills:
Primary Class: None Primary Class Skills:
Secondary Class: None Secondary Class Skills:
Tertiary Class: None Tertiary Class Skills:
Traits: Titles:
Free Points: 0
He checked his status. Alex had been awarded three free attributes, which seemed a pittance, but he knew with time, and levels, he would grow. This time, he threw them into Vitality. He now knew there was likely no surrounding civilization, and he had to survive whatever the environment threw at him, and common sense told him this was most likely to help with that. A growl sounded behind him. Alex froze, before throwing himself sidewards, seeing a brown blur fly past the spot he was just in. Charging a dozen feet forwards, before skidding to a stop in the dirt. It turned around to him, black, large nostrils flaring angrily, as it reared its front legs, preparing for another charge. Is that a... boar? Not like any he had seen before, up to Alex''s chest, flexing rock-hard muscle as it prepared to charge again. Fuck. He threw himself to the side again, narrowly avoiding its tusks. Smash. It had hit face-first into the tree he had only moments ago been perched atop. Swaying side to side, as it tried to pull its tusks from the wood they were embedded into. It''s stuck. He grabbed his makeshift spear from the dirt he had dropped it into, before thrusting it deep into the side of the boar. It squealed, but kept pulling, so Alex withdrew and pushed forwards again. Again. Again. A dozen strokes later, Alex heard the ding in his ear and stopped. He''d learned his lesson though, and this time quickly climbed up the tree before whispering "Status," in a shaky timber. Congratulations, you have killed a Level 4 Elysian Boar. For killing a Monster above your level, you have gained bonus experience. You have levelled up. You have levelled up. You are now Level 4. Congratulations, for being lucky enough to survive an encounter you had no right to survive, you have been granted the Trait: Fate''s Favour. Fates Favour - Chance-based events are slightly more likely to go in your favour. Whether that be increased Rewards, or a lesser chance to pull the wrong card at a Blackjack table, it matters not. Six more points this time, and he threw them into agility, knowing it was likely the only thing that kept him out of the boars tusks, and thus alive. Alex took a minute to settle his pounding heart, tipped his head backward, and fell asleep, slumped in a recess of the tree. XOX He woke with a scream, and with the sun. The sun was not the surprising part. That honour belonged to the snake, hissing at him only inches from his face, curled up to strike. His hand shot up, catching the beast mid-strike, clutching it just inches beneath its head, and only inches more behind silver fangs, dripping with a luminescent green liquid. Poison. His other hand joined the first, clutching it desperately as he rammed the snake''s head into the tree behind him. Repeatedly. The ding once again allowed him to stop. Congratulations, you have killed a Level 2 Beast. Due to being alerted to, and surviving an attempted sneak attempt or assassination. You have been awarded the Skill: Danger Sense. Danger Sense - Creates a small possibility to detect imminent or possible danger, even when otherwise unknowable. Possibility will both increase and grow more accurate with levels. Alex lay back again. Breathing heavily. How am I still alive? Alex checked his stats, to check his newDanger Sense.
Status
Name: Alexander Aeotos Level: 4 (+2) Health: 260/260 Stamina: 365/365
Mana: 290/290 Strength: 32 Agility: 41 (+8) Vitality: 26 (+3)
Intelligence: 29 (+5) Wisdom: 18 Charisma: 19
General Skills: Danger Sense 1: Level 1 - Creates a small possibility to detect imminent or possible danger, even when otherwise unknowable. Possibility will both increase and grow more accurate with levels.
Primary Class: None Primary Class Skills:
Secondary Class: None Secondary Class Skills:
Tertiary Class: None Tertiary Class Skills:
Traits: Fates Favour - Chance-based events are slightly more likely to go in your favour. Whether that be increased Rewards, or a lesser chance to pull the wrong card at a Blackjack table, it matters not. Titles:
Free Points: 6
He lent over the branching, throwing up and quickly dry heaving, when all of yesterday''s berries were gone from his stomach; picking up the spear that was jammed into the tree - ensuring he wouldn''t lose it - before climbing down after surveying the surrounding area. No ambush. Not now. Alex found the boar he had killed the day before, spending some time to drag and hoist the carcass up the tree to one of the upper layers. Whilst heavy, his increased strength made it more than possible. He took a while to separate a portion of the tusk from body, before using his knife to whittle away at the blunt end, making it smaller them the circumference of his spear, so he could use it as the head. Next, he sawed the sharp end of the spear itself off, until it became, once again, a mere shaven stick. Alex hollowed out a side barely big enough to fit the sharp tusk spearhead into, squeezing them together tightly, hoping to create enough pressure to keep them together after, before tying it tightly on with some braided rope he had haphazardly crafted from the vines found on another tree. Alex swung it gently at the tree; noticing no displacement, he increased the force applied until he was satisfied the spear wouldn''t break amidst a fight. He spent the rest of the morning picking away at the carcass itself. Attempting to shimmy the skin off the boar whole, before giving in and hacking it into pieces with his knife, in an effort to get to the flesh. Eventually, he retrieved all the meat he could, leaving that which was originally near the internal organs, in an effort to ensure non of the meat would be contaminated. While it was possible that the small, three-point increase in constitution would stop him from being ill due to the consumption of spoiled meat, Alex was not willing to take any chances. He left the prepared meat on the tree, dragging the rest of the unwanted, spoiling body to the edge of a clearing, some hundred feet away, hopefully far enough that he would not be able to smell the decomposition, even as it got worse. He was halfway back to his tree camp before he was gripped by a sudden bout of stillness. It was silent. It was never silent. Whether it be the rustle of the wind in the leaves or the sharp chirping as the birds sang the morning away. There was always something, a sign of life. Now, nothing. Great anxiety filled him, a sudden gust of too-cold air filtering into his lungs. He briefly felt the ding of a notification. Danger Sense. He leapt to the side, for possibly the last time. A great force struck by him. Brown, muddy fur tattered onto an ungodly frame missing him by inches. The snarling face mounted atop a thick neck, a caricature of rage, embedded with big, beady black eyes, and a blooded, ripped nose. Rising to twice Alex''s height. A bear, grown to dwarf what it formerly was. Alex struck out with his spear desperately, managing to leave a superficial cut across the bear''s upper thigh, before launching himself backward to avoid a swipe of the monster''s massive paw. He struck again, a light glancing blow, sliding off its aimed target, the chest, ricocheting upwards to glide into the bear''s already red snout. This time sinking deeper, although again causing the creature no visible pain, if not for the intended murder in the bear''s gaze. He ripped the spear out again, hoping he could retreat before the bear through his own violent riposte. Another swing, strong enough to rip his head straight from his neck. Avoided only by a deep roll underneath, coming out of his duck to the bear''s right, now outside its current reach. Alex ran. There was no chance to beat it. Not when, in its anger, it could shrug off all but immediately killing strikes. With a beast that big he was hard-pressed to get in close enough to make contact at all, let alone with anything significant. His only hope was to run; to hope that with all his recent increases in his agility, he would be fast enough to either tire the giant out, or get far away enough to hide. Little hope,he knew,but it''s the best chance I have. He looked back to see that the initial space he had made; distance created in the bear confusion, had not, unfortunately, grown. He''s closer. A new plan, then. Climb, and hope that the sheer size of such a great beast would leave it unable to follow. He launched himself up the next tree, throwing himself up branch by branch, his spear already thrown upwards, lodged in the tree for him to collect as he made his ascent. He took a half breath to look downwards. Only to see a paw, rising to smash foot to pieces. He jerked it out of the way, splaying out from the tree, as his hand grasped desperately on the next branch, before heaving himself to the top. He ripped the spear from the wood it was lodged in; looked down to see the bear a half second away. No where else to go. Only down. He launched himself down, hoping his spear, with the entirety of his weight behind it, would be strong enough to carve through the skull of the beast chasing him. The spearhead struck perfectly, burying into the left eye, as the rest of of it followed, carving straight into the creature''s brain as the force of his falling body pushed it through. The joint between the wooden shaft and the tusk spearhead snapped, never designed to withstand this much leverage, and Alex was flung of both bear and tree. Smashing into the floor. Fuck. He was alive, somehow. The impact of that floor would have only days ago killed him, now barely ripping the air from his lungs, and causing a sharp, burning pain in his chest. I''m alive. Against all odds, he''s managed it. Congratulations, you have killed a Level 8 Grizzly Bear. For killing a Beast above your level, you have gained bonus experience. You have levelled up. You have levelled up. You are now Level 6. Congratulations, for killing a Monster or Beast Twice your Level. You have been gifted an additional award: Spear of Nature''s Ruin. Spear of Nature''s Ruin: Made for he who wonders the world, and decides what is fit to live, or die. Wielded only by the strong of Will, else they fall prey to their primal nature, and use such a weapon for ill. +5 Strength, +3 Agility when in use. Congratulations, for being within the Top 10 Competitors to slay a creature at least twice your level, you have been awarded the Title: Forerunner. Forerunner: Gained only by those at the epoch of their race, they strive forwards, as masters of their destiny. +3 All Attributes. For the first time - likely ever - Alex cried tears of delirious, righteous joy.
Status
Name: Alexander Aeotos Level: 6 (+2) Health: 290/290 Stamina: 395/395
Mana: 320/290 Strength: 35 (+3) Agility: 44 (+3) Vitality: 29 (+3)
Intelligence: 32 (+3) Wisdom: 21 (+3) Charisma: 22 (+3)
General Skills: Danger Sense 1: Level 2 (+1) - Creates a small possibility to detect imminent or possible danger, even when otherwise unknowable. Possibility will both increase and grow more accurate with levels.
Primary Class: None Primary Class Skills:
Secondary Class: None Secondary Class Skills:
Tertiary Class: None Tertiary Class Skills:
Traits: Fates Favour - Chance-based events are slightly more likely to go in your favour. Whether that be increased Rewards, or a lesser chance to pull the wrong card at a Blackjack table, it matters not. Titles: Forerunner: Gained only by those at the epoch of their race, they strive forwards, as masters of their destiny.+3 All Attributes.
Free Points: 12
Chapter 2 - Drift of Boars The Boar gently meandered through a clearing in the forest, trotting through broken, trampled greenery as he marched along. Leaving the gentle crackle of broken twigs in his wake, as his hard, cloven hoofs trampled all beneath his steady gait. The huffing of his long snout was the loudest sound for a hundred feet, as stillness filled the air. The Boar poked his head upwards, two brief snorts ripping from its nose as it took in the fresh scents. Behind him, two dozen others trotted along. Always behind him, always lesser. He had built his Drift from nothing. A month of fierce battle, challenging rival males as he sort to take their mates for his own. Ripping through the innards of the few who had resisted, and barely restraining himself from tearing through those who had begrudgingly submitted to his might. A shrill squeal sounded behind him. He twisted his head to look; one of the females he had taken for himself, she''d stepped wrong walking down the slope. He bared his teeth in a savage grin, turning to face her. He lowered his great tusks and charged, piercing through her skull with a great slam of his sharp, wicked instruments. Her blood seeped into the dirt as she crumpled lifelessly to the floor; giving a mournful gasp, puttering out with her last breath. He gave the corpse a cruel, disdainful glance, before moving on, his uncomfortable lessers following, knowing defiance meant only death. He sniffed the warm air again, this time not so very rudely interrupted; he gave a blood-filled grin. Blood was in the air. Prey. XOX Alex sat atop what he now considered his tree. Perched some thirty feet off the floor, balanced over a thick branch as he stared into the clearing below. Some animals passed - a smattering of small prey animals and the occasional hunting fox - but from this morning''s activities he now knew that they carried little experience, and they were not worth the risk of scaring off bigger, worthy foes. His right hand loosely gripped his new weapon. Holding it - even if it likely wouldn''t be needed for some time - made him feel confident. Secure. The added Attributes in both Strength and Agility brought a comfort he had been missing since the last night, after his tussle with the bear. Tussle, he snorted. It had been a little more than that. It was a frightful feeling. The death match, where he knew that one of them would inevitably perish. Especially when he knew that he''d gotten more than a little lucky, and it should have been his carcass; beginning to rot and smell and be riddled with parasites. Frightful more, he knew, that I''d enjoyed it. It was not normal. Not in any way. The duel - more like a gladiator match - had brought a primal love, a thrill, that he knew should never have surfaced. He had been raised as a civil man in a civil world his entire life, and except for boxing (and even that had been organised, and so very painstakingly regulated), he had not been a violent man. Not even aggressive, nor even particularly outspoken. Introverted; known to carefully measure out his words before his lips let slip the thoughts rummaging around his head, he hadn''t expected to enjoy this at all. Never mind to such a degree. Alex never imagined that he would one day ache for combat; breathlessly fidgeting in expectation. Waiting for the adrenaline to wash away his woes, all in preparation for glorious single combat. He hadn''t enjoyed the death - not even of the bear that had wished for his own - though neither had he shied away from it; in truth, he didn''t much care one way nor the other. The thrill, however, was lying next to the dying beast, knowing that it had been him alone to vanquish it... That had been an experience. A moment of divine-fuelled joy. One he knew he would risk something - anything - to return to. A loud snort tickled his consciousness, breaking the monotony that had filled his morning - for there was hardly much to do in a forest - as he saw a boar, just outside his range. He could not attack it, not yet, without alerting it to his presence and responding with what could well be a killing blow from a twist of its head, driving sharply to rip Alex apart. Alex stood - slowly - creeping to ensure he would make no sudden movement, and alert the boar. He shifted his grip on his spear, allowing him to easier traverse down the tree he now knew as home, temporary though it may be. He reached the bottom, took a slow, deep breath to ready himself, and struck. He missed his target by inches. Sliding between two upper rips on the boar''s left slide, rather than sliding straight into the boar''s heart as he would have preferred. The boar had twitched, not much, likely not even knowing of its hunter''s presence. It certainly knew now. Alex ripped the spear back, preparing to throw himself sidewards, to avoid the inevitable retaliation. The boar turned its head towards him, beady eyes glaring, preparing to attack. Alex straightened himself up, ensuring no minute tilt to his body would tell the boar which way he would dive, and result in him getting caught by a prepared turn of the boar''s head, goring him. Alex stood still, tension coiled in his lean muscles as the beautiful adrenaline filled his veins. The boar''s front legs were strained. Alex prepared his spear, wanting to at least graze it in the dodge. The boar released the tension, it moved. It ran. What? This... had never happened before. All the creatures he had faced so far had either died almost immediately from some form of ambush, or had been the aggressor, charging and chasing Alex as prey. He shook himself out of his momentary stupor and ran after the beast. He knew he could not catch it immediately, even with his improved Agility, such a strong, hulking mass would be too fast in a straight line, and have too much momentum. Yet the boar was injured, not immediately fatal, regrettably, but it would not take long before blood- loss forced it to slow, and Alex had the Stamina to maintain a steady pace for more than long enough. It took near-on half-an-hour before the boar began to slow, swerving to the right. Alex was no longer fresh, but he had half his Stamina remaining, and he could fight a battle against a weakened foe; chance a protracted one, even if that wasn''t likely smart. A rush filled him. Not adrenaline, though not entirely dissimilar, but a weight, as if he carried the world on his shoulders. Danger Sense. He threw himself desperately backward, praying he hadn''t walked straight into the jaws of a beast. Quicker than he could perceive, a deadly blur flew into the space he''d occupied only moments before. It had tusks, with brown fur, and glinting black eyes, but they were the only similarities to the boar he''d just been chasing. Taller than Alex himself was, no measly height, with thick, powerful muscles that strained and pulsed under the weight of its huge mass. It weighed at least a half-ton; with dirty fur, corded muscles, and a great tusk. Adrenaline raised his perception to new heights. He itched to fight, to feel the battlejoy enter his veins as he swept aside all earthly concerns in divine-like conquest, but he knew giving into those desires would leave only to an inglorious finish. The likelihood of a boar bringing him to another, and possibly saving its own life by chance was low. Nearly zero. Additionally, the odds of there being only two boars were low as well, for where two walked, it was likely there were many. Yet running is hardly an option. He knew. The speed of that creature. I cannot outrun it. Fear turned to hope, as he realised another, last chance. He had been mistaken with the bear, believing it could not climb, for its size was too large, but its great strength and sharp claws had nevertheless given it the traction to throw itself upwards. The boar would not be the same. It had no hands, no arms. Its limbs were inflexible, meant only for stumbling straight along. Alex raced to the nearest tree and sent his spear flying upwards with a mighty throw, digging in the trunk, awaiting retrieval. He raced desperately, halfway ascended when the tree shook. Nearly ripping him from its trunk as his hands slipped from their precarious handholds, only clutching himself on by his nails, clawing at the brittle bark. He raised himself to a branch, before chancing a look towards the base, where the great boar had already pulled himself away, preparing itself for another demolition. Alex caught its face. Cruel eyes were raised above a bloody snout, a vicious grin somehow stretched within gloating orbs. Alex reached the top, on time by a mere second; leaped to another tree before the beast could swing again, and slipped away under the thick cover of leaves. XOX The wiry prey ran away, and he grew mad. The boar turned towards his subject, wounded from its battle with the Monkey-Who-Ran, took a moment of thought, and lunged forward. Splattering the lesser boar across the dirt. Dead. To lose to prey. Weakling. XOX Alex ran. His half-speed pursuit of the original boar was long gone, now a full-on sprint. Escape. He stopped only when safely secured in his tree. Burying himself in cooked meat and day-old berries to regain what he could of his mostly depleted Stamina. A series of heavy breaths forced themselves through him, as he quickly grasped as much oxygen as he could, ripping it through his lungs and into his body. His heart rate slowly lowered, as a small, unconscious, and uncontrollable smile stretched across his lips. Alex had been saving up free-points, unsure where he would need to place them, unsure where to prioritise. He had twelve now, enough to raise a single stat a more than significant amount. The only question was which. The large boar was fast, faster than he thought possible, faster than the bear he had somehow beaten the day before. Yet, it was giant. Without a significantly raised Strength attribute, it was likely that he would not be able to do significant enough damage, not without irredeemably harming himself. He ignored the other attributes. Mental stats, likely related to magic, would not help him - he did not know any - and any situation where Vitality was the deciding factor meant he was likely already dead. Strength it was.
Status
Name: Alexander Aeotos Level: 6 Health: 272/290 Stamina: 207/455
Mana: 320/320 Strength: 47 (+12) Agility: 44 Vitality: 29
Intelligence: 32 Wisdom: 21 Charisma: 22
General Skills: Danger Sense 1: Level 3 (+1) - Creates a small possibility to detect imminent or possible danger, even when otherwise unknowable. Possibility will both increase and grow more accurate with levels.
Primary Class: None Primary Class Skills:
Secondary Class: None Secondary Class Skills:
Tertiary Class: None Tertiary Class Skills:
Traits: Fates Favour - Chance-based events are slightly more likely to go in your favour. Whether that be increased Rewards, or a lesser chance to pull the wrong card at a Blackjack table, it matters not. Titles: Forerunner: Gained only by those at the epoch of their race, they strive forwards, as masters of their destiny. +3 All Attributes.
Free Points: 0
He considered hunting other creatures, pursuing levels and greater attributes before taking the creature on, but decided that he did not feel comfortable or in any way prepared to roam the forest whilst the boar was still alive. It had proven it was somewhat stealthy, managing a surprise attack he had only just survived due to his Danger Sense. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. No. It dies today. Else I wake up on a fallen, broken tree, dead. The great boar was not alone. He had seen at least a dozen more - though all smaller - in his tree-top flight, and Alex knew he would not be able to dedicate his full attention to their battle if distracted. Considering the likely attribute disparity shown already, that would undoubtedly be certain death. So he would pick them off. A series of skirmish attacks. He could not afford a full-scale encounter, not when it would limit his maneuverability; slow his escape, give time for the large boar to engage, and create the scenario Alex wanted to avoid. XOX They were not as difficult to find as Alex feared. They could be stealthy when they wanted to be, but for large, Drift-sized movements they stumbled along together, the large boar at the lead. Trampling through the greenery in the way. Not so loud as Alex would suppose that animals as large as those should be, but messy nevertheless. He positioned himself to the side of what seemed their route, a straight line to god-knows-where. Hidden amid the canopy of the thickest tree, he began to wait. Wait. Wait. He shot down from the tree, his increased Strength flinging him close enough to engage with the backmost boar immediately. Sinking his spear into a single rear leg, to disable its movements, before unleashing a series of deep, merciless attacks at the boar''s chest, stepping away from the boar''s tusks as it tried to turn and gouge him. The sound of the notification alerted him to its death, as he ripped his spear out a final time; launching himself up the closest tree and once again retreating. He did not return to his camp tree. He knew - from last time''s experience - that they would not bother to pursue him. He went only some two hundred feet, perching beneath the leaves for cover. This time he positioned himself on the opposite side. It would not do for the boars to begin to expect - and prepare for - an ambush from a specific direction. He began to wait for the Drift to once again move on, so he could launch another offensive. Congratulations, you have killed a Level 5 Elysian Boar. You have gained experience. XOX Alex began his guerrilla campaign in earnest. Though clever - for beasts - the boars had neither the coordination nor the individual vigour to resist him. They could not stop him from picking off enemies at his carefully calculated whim, and by the end of the next half-day, the only boars left were the formidable leader, and another, final, lesser creature. Congratulations, you have killed a Level 4 Elysian Boar (X4). You have gained experience. Congratulations, you have killed a Level 5 Elysian Boar (X9). You have gained experience. Congratulations, you have killed a Level 6 Elysian Boar (X7). You have gained experience. You have levelled up. You have levelled up. You are now Level 8. He dumped all of his free-points into Agility and checked his status to see if he had missed any significant status changes. Apart from his levels, and Agility, nothing had changed. He was ready.
Status
Name: Alexander Aeotos Level: 8 (+2) Health: 290/290 Stamina: 382/455
Mana: 320/320 Strength: 47 Agility: 50 (+6) Vitality: 29
Intelligence: 32 Wisdom: 21 Charisma: 22
General Skills: Danger Sense 1: Level 3 - Creates a small possibility to detect imminent or possible danger, even when otherwise unknowable. Possibility will both increase and grow more accurate with levels.
Primary Class: None Primary Class Skills:
Secondary Class: None Secondary Class Skills:
Tertiary Class: None Tertiary Class Skills:
Traits: Fates Favour - Chance-based events are slightly more likely to go in your favour. Whether that be increased Rewards, or a lesser chance to pull the wrong card at a Blackjack table, it matters not. Titles: Forerunner: Gained only by those at the epoch of their race, they strive forwards, as masters of their destiny. +3 All Attributes.
Free Points: 0
He gripped his Rare spear in tightly wound hands; pale and slightly shaking as adrenaline rushed into him. Preparing for what he knew would likely be the final confrontation, if he were not able to gain a simple escape. It had been progressively harder as he continued his ambush''. The huge boar had been able to keep an ever greater eye on his Drift - now of only two - as it had shrunk. Now positioned behind the only other remaining boar. Female, Alex guessed, A Sow. He would not be able to attack it from behind, the greater boar would strike him down, so a frontal attack seemed his only possibility. Hope the leader would care enough for its final subject to not trample her for vengeance over him. He launched himself down. Swinging his spear over his head, in hopes that he would be able to splatter her dead across the grass, and not see a drawn-out encounter that would allow the boar behind to throw a riposte back. It was perfect. Perfect. Sliding behind the thick, dense skull and slipping through the muscle of her neck. Dead on impact. When he yanked his spear free, rolling backward to avoid the other boar''s inevitable backlash, the tugging nearly tore her head from its body. A notification rang in his ear, confirming what Alex already knew. The sow was dead. The boar was not. His desperate backward roll was enough to avoid the mere twist of the boar''s head, but it did nothing to dodge the charge that followed. He stumbled to the side, catching a tusk to the chest, that slashed through and opened a long, shallow wound. Quickly soaking his thin t-shirt, till it was so drenched in red it could not hold any more of the scarlet liquid and began to drip to the floor. His attention was drawn back to the boar; quickly swinging around to meet Alex, attempting to catch his head, shearing it clean off. Alex ducked underneath. Twisting outwards and straightening up, before racing his spear, not towards the creature''s chest, holding all the major organs that Alex would need to pierce eventually, but rather its left hind leg. He''d thought - hours before engaging the beast - about a strategy for engagement. It was far stronger than him, far tougher, and in a war of attrition the creature would win every time. So Alex had, in all his marvellous wisdom, decided to cheat. Target its mobility, cripple it such that, even if it were to beat Alex, it would never walk again. Then, poke it full of holes from behind and watch it bleed into the dirt. Not the most complicated of plans, but then again, complications only made things worse. He cut to the bone. The boar''s leg was the only part not covered in a hideous amount of tough, strong muscle. As the boar squealed and turned to follow him, it stumbled, its leg giving out as Alex prepared for another below behind. He lashed out at the other back leg. Carving through muscle and bone alike as the bottom half came off at the joint. He managed two deep blows into the fatty rear before he was forced to dance away. The boar somehow managing to drag itself around with only its two front legs. Alex danced around in a wide circle; just out of range for a retaliatory blow, before once again entering the fray, this time thudding his spear into the beast''s chest. It glanced off the boar''s ribs. The power of the deflection nearly jolted the spear out of Alex''s hand as he fought to remain in possession of it. The distraction cost him precious seconds. Forcing him to retreat rather than try for a second blow, in order to avoid the boar''s still mighty tusks. This time he approached from underneath. Coming in crouched; avoiding another sideward swing of the boar, before exploding upwards, driving his spear beneath the ribs with a powerful thrust. The spearhead entered, before quickly disappearing into the guts of the animal. The shaft followed until eventually, nearly three-feet had lodged in. Alex rotated the spear in his hand; ripping outwards at a slight angle, attempting to cause a killing blow, or sufficient blood loss to behave as such anyway. The boar froze. Stunned by pain to perfect stillness. The ding of the notification sounded and Alex knew he had done it. Congratulations, you have killed a Level 15 Elysian Slaughter Boar. For killing a Beast above your level, you have gained bonus experience. You have levelled up. You are now Level 9. Congratulations, for being within the Top 10 Competitors to vanquish an enemy at least Level 15. You have been awarded the Title: Forerunner 2 - Gained only by those at the epoch of their race, they strive forwards, as masters of their destiny. +5 All Attributes. This Title has overridden Title - Forerunner. Congratulations, for defeating a significant enemy, you have been granted the Reward: Cloak of the Warlord - Uncommon. Cloak of the Warlord - Uncommon: Stitched from the furs of defeated foes, only the Warlord is so bold as to show his conquests. +3 Vitality. +2 Charisma. Alex returned to his camp, and gorged on flesh.
Status
Name: Alexander Aeotos Level: 9 (+1) Health: 178/310 Stamina: 136/505
Mana: 340/340 Strength: 49 (+2) Agility: 52 (+2) Vitality: 31 (+2)
Intelligence: 34 (+2) Wisdom: 23 (+2) Charisma: 24 (+2)
General Skills: Danger Sense 1: Level 3 - Creates a small possibility to detect imminent or possible danger, even when otherwise unknowable. Possibility will both increase and grow more accurate with levels.
Primary Class: None Primary Class Skills:
Secondary Class: None Secondary Class Skills:
Tertiary Class: None Tertiary Class Skills:
Traits: Fates Favour - Chance-based events are slightly more likely to go in your favour. Whether that be increased Rewards, or a lesser chance to pull the wrong card at a Blackjack table, it matters not. Titles: Forerunner 2: Gained only by those at the epoch of their race, they strive forwards, as masters of their destiny. +5 All Attributes.
Free Points: 3
Chapter 3 - A Possibility of Magic That night was spent in restful slumber. Wrapped up in his new hide cloak, warm. Warm. He''d not slept well before. Sure, his Vitality meant he was not physiologically affected by the mild temperate. Neither had it yet rained, but there was something, something, about curling up into a warm coat and drifting off to Morpheus. Some phycological impulse - a feeling of home - stopping his rest from merely being the result of a broken, overworked body. He woke that morning not to the fearsome image of a coiled snake, nor the fear of any other deadly, malicious beast, but to peace. He woke to sunlight, to joy, and the twitter of birds announcing that day had finally come. Fear, he knew, gripped him no more. His spear slipped into his grip; the cloak draped across his back. His now natural observations saw nothing - not of interest, at least - before he leveraged himself to the floor, and trudged off to a yet unexplored distance. The system - as he had quickly taken to calling it - had given him very little information at all. Vague murmurings of a tutorial he knew he likely now existed in, followed by ominously threatening descriptions of oblivion, should he not fulfil their cryptic requirements. The Tribe of the Lost Orcs. Frustratingly vague. Giving neither direction nor description of what exactly it was that he was meant to pursue. Dungeon he understood, childhood memories of brief gaming stints quickly given up on, never really scratching the itch he felt buried in his mind. Dungeon. Would it be a location defined by an official boundary and recognised as such by the system? The use of capitalisation in the original notification suggested as such, but in truth, Alex held no confidence in his understanding of this new agent of destiny. He pattered along, following trails he did not recognise from earlier travels for a better part of the morning. He had not encountered much at all, the occasional foolish woodland animal, barely capable of withstanding a single, light strike before crumpling in defeat. As the sun raised above his head, gentle beams of light shining upon the vegetation surrounding him, he knew he had gone further from his camp - his original placement - than ever before. He gave a rue smile; prepared himself. Karma, after all, dictated that such a thus far pleasant day could only go astray. Nothing. He stood there, spear shaft gripped tightly as his eyes dug into the greenery, searching for what he knew would be there. Lurking in the bushes, ready to lunge at any shown weakness Nothing. He relaxed, tension leaving strained shoulders as his pale knuckles gained back their colour, softening his grip around the wooden shaft. He took two steps forward, and a series of dings lit up in his mind, one far more prevalent than the others. Danger Sense, once again saving him from what had been an inevitable death. He threw himself to the ground, dirt flying around him as his violent descent ended in a sudden, flailing stop. A figure threw itself over him; the size of a large dog, launching itself from the greenery that Alex had - only moments ago - been sure contained some nefarious presence, yet had not bothered to check. Lazy. Arrogant. All manners of stupidity, but he hadn''t the time to berate himself, not yet. He lunged forwards, only one hand gripping the spear, thrusting it forward as he sought to unbowel his assailant; his left hand flailing outwards, desperately seeking the balance needed for a killing blow. His spear was barely halfway to his foe before the weight on his back sent him crashing to the floor, vicious claws attempting to rip through his innards, only turned away by the Warlord''s Cloak now adorning his back. Fuck. There were two adversaries - at least -and Alex had little hope if they managed to keep him between them, dividing his attention and exploiting whatever blind spots would inevitably appear. Alex twisted away, sweeping his spear against the newest creature, not in hopes to kill, nor even injure it, but instead pushing himself away, framing his body to the side, desperately seeking to place both beasts in his line of sight. He took this brief moment - as the creatures re-adjusted their position, shifting their weight forward to prepare for another attack - to evaluate the new threats, and quickly skim through the notifications he had been ignoring in favour of survival. You have entered the Dungeon: Den of Wolves. Due to the average level of inhabiting combatants, it is suggested that you immediately seek exit. Great. I''m in over my head. A second thought quickly followed. This isn''t even the right Dungeon, either. Congratulations, for a series of astute observations, you have gained the Skill: Identify 1. Identify 1 - Commonly earnt by children, in pursuit of edible perishables, this skill allows you to Identify basic fauna; the basic descriptions of most encountered combatants, and the levels of any under your own. Hunting Wolf - Level 11. Bringing back the majority of food needed for the sustenance of the larger pack, the Hunting Wolf plays a necessary part in the larger ecosystem. Hunting Wolf - Level 12. Bringing back the majority of food needed for the sustenance of the larger pack, the Hunting Wolf plays a necessary part in the larger ecosystem. They were higher levelled than he was, but both wolves were significantly weaker than the wolf he had faced just the day before. The issue then, lay in their multiplicity. Being unable to focus on one foe without intervention from the other would decrease the number of significant strikes he could land, for many of them required commitment, which he could not afford to spend without presenting his back to the jaws of the other wolf. Fast strikes, shallow and quick, never committing to a blow that could throw off his balance or hamper his mobility. Alex would play a game of attrition and hope he could land enough blood-letting strikes before they could catch him with a significantly larger one, tying him down. He snapped his spear forward - again one-handed - catching the frontmost wolf mid-air, leaving a shallow slice that, were this to be the only wound the wolf was to receive the entire battle, would leave no permanent impact but a slight scar on its cheek. What it successfully managed, however, was to throw the wolf''s head upwards, diverging a fearsome lunge into an ineffective leap. Alex struck again, two shallow blows onto the apparent stomach of the now belly-up beast before he was forced to disengage, tip-toeing away as its partner unleashed its attack. This time alerted by a short, deep growl, Alex braced himself, digging the spear shaft into the dirt till it would go no further in, and allowing the wolf and his already determined flight path to skewer itself upon a foot of spear. The notification rang, and Alex was forced to push the wolf''s warm, bloody carcass of the spearhead before throwing himself forward. Straight beneath the wounded, airborne creature still alive. Carving his spear through the wolf''s intestines, and ripping from its stomach lining. Allowing organs to slip through the wide wound. Alex withdrew his spear, pushed into relaxed, gentle breath by the notification - announcing his dead foe''s departure - and cleaned his blood-covered spear off in the leaves of a nearby tree. He checked the surrounding bushes - after all, it would not do to be ambushed again - before ascending the tallest tree in the local vicinity; crouching in the shade of its wide, flat leaves. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Congratulations, you have killed a Level 11 Hunting Wolf. For killing a Beast above your level, you have gained bonus experience. Congratulations, you have killed a Level 12 Hunting Wolf. For killing a Beast above your level, you have gained bonus experience. You have levelled up. You are now Level 10. Congratulations, for reaching Level 10, you have gained the ability to start developing your Core. Consisting of condensed Mana, your core allows you to perform free-form magic, not needing the pre-made structures provided in the acquisition of Skills. Dependent on your control, this may be far more inefficient than simply channelling your Mana through officially formulated spells. To begin the development of your Core, you must align condensed Mana in your foundation to an Identity. The closer the match your Core''s Identity is to your internal alignment, the greater your Affinities for relevant Elements become. Good luck, Alex. He shoved all free-points into Agility and raced back to his base tree. He would not take the risk of beginning what was very likely to be a long, arduous and possibly dangerous procedure whilst in the middle of hostile territory, barely covered, and easily revealed should he make the slightest of noises in the presence of another wolf. You have left the Dungeon: Den of Wolves. He scampered to the top of his tree, gave his usual perfunctory look for danger and settled in to think.
Status
Name: Alexander Aeotos Level: 10 (+1) Health: 242/310 Stamina: 198/535
Mana: 340/340 Strength: 49 Agility: 58 (+6) Vitality: 31
Intelligence: 34 Wisdom: 23 Charisma: 24
General Skills: Danger Sense 1: Level 4 (+1) - Creates a small possibility to detect imminent or possible danger, even when otherwise unknowable. Possibility will both increase and grow more accurate with levels.
Primary Class: None Primary Class Skills:
Secondary Class: None Secondary Class Skills:
Tertiary Class: None Tertiary Class Skills:
Traits: Fates Favour - Chance-based events are slightly more likely to go in your favour. Whether that be increased Rewards, or a lesser chance to pull the wrong card at a Blackjack table, it matters not. Titles: Forerunner 2: Gained only by those at the epoch of their race, they strive forwards, as masters of their destiny. +5 All Attributes.
Free Points: 0 Core: Unformed
Actual magic then. He had hoped - assumed even - that something along the lines of magic existed. The existence of Mana in his Status suggested as such. Yet to hear it aloud, to know that his access to the arcane was only a matter of time and effort away. That was different. He''s hoped once - in the way all children not-so-secretly do - that magic would one day come to him. He''d spent years reading badly-written fantasy books; daydreaming of it being him, but he''d known that in truth, it was never to be. That had now changed. Core: Unformed. The system had spoken of an Identity. What that was, he had no idea. What he did notice however, as he sat - cross-legged, eyes closed - trying to feel for whatever Mana it was that he needed to condense, was a series of strange, almost unnoticeable twitches across his body. Tingles of what he could only assume - and desperately hope - was Mana. He spent the next few hours, as morning settled to noon, attempting to awkwardly grab such tingles. Haphazardly pull them together and force them to his stomach. Congratulations, through long, concentrated effort, you have learnt to affect the Mana possessing your body. You have gained the Skill: Mana Manipulation. Mana Manipulation: Improves your ability to control internally control Mana. Speed and precision will improve with Levels. Alex smiled softly. He knew he was, at the very least, making strides in the right direction. XOX He now knew how - if barely - to force the Mana together, entwining the strands into one, and slipping them downwards to his stomach. Next, assigning an Identity. Identity. An object? An idea? Or even just a concept? He began with what was the most common idea in all of magical literature. Fire. An hour was spent sitting, desperately holding entwined Mana strings as he dwelled on its concept. Repeating everything he knew of it, from physics to chemistry and all in between. Heat. Combustion. The consumption of oxygen. Another hour of fruitless time passed, before he thought of something else. Philosophical Ideas. Poetry. Symbolism. Legends. He thought of fire, brought to man as a gift. Clever, gentle Prometheus, who brought them a chance at life in the darkest of times, at the expense of himself. He thought of sacrifice and pain. Alex thought of hope. Congratulations. You have grasped the Identity of Fire. Alignment: Mediocre. Do you wish to accept this Identity? Warning - Once an Identity is selected, it cannot be changed. Alex frowned. If such as thing was permanent, as the prompt suggested then he did not want to settle for what the system itself described as a mediocre alignment. It was likely that magic would be a major source of his strength, and he did not want to lessen his chances of survival with a bad match. He turned it down. XOX The day passed, and he''d tried nearly everything. From the basic physical elements to the philosophical abstractions of light and dark. The best match he''d had thus far was Air - Strong, and something about that just seemed... lacking. It was close, but just not quite enough. So, Alex thought, perhaps an abstraction. A sidewards shift, rather than a whole new idea. He tried Gas - Low, and Mist - Mediocre. Before trying every gaseous element from the periodic table, and constantly coming up short. He frowned, he was beginning to slow, he knew less and less about every abstraction, and they constantly took longer to materialise; before inevitably showing failure. He stood, muscles aching from a long period of sedentary, leaning from his shelter, swaying in the warm summer wind. Wind. He sat immediately. Ignoring aching bones as his drop made a loud, sudden thud as he slammed against the wood. Wind. Ever moving, never stationary. The constant transference of energy as it constantly shifter position and temperature. Fluidity. Change. Congratulations. You have grasped the Identity of the Wind. Alignment: Very Strong. Do you wish to accept this Identity? Warning - Once an Identity is selected, it cannot be changed. Alex sighed. Closer. Yet even now he felt like he held in his hands, only half of the greater whole. He lay down, after all, tomorrow was another day. XOX He woke to rain. The first time since his miraculous arrival, and it was no gentle event. Soaking everything for a hundred miles, as fierce winds bellowed through the trees, and distant thunder struck the ground, ravaging all it touched. A storm of epic proportions, brutalising all it touched. Fierce and erratic, always in a state of flux, never stagnant. Existing in a constant war with all it touched. A force of nature, never to be touched, but merely gazed at from afar. It was creation and death; change and an ever eternal beauty. It was lightning, wind, and wrath. Congratulations. You have grasped the Identity of the Storm. Alignment: Perfect. Do you wish to accept this Identity? Warning - Once an Identity is selected, it cannot be changed. The notification shocked Alex from his distant awe. He read the notification. Read it again; gave a rue smile. Lightning and Wind and Wrath. The Storm. He accepted, and all else was but dust in the wind.
Status
Name: Alexander Aeotos Level: 10 Health: 310/310 Stamina: 530/535
Mana: 82/340 Strength: 49 Agility: 58 Vitality: 31
Intelligence: 34 Wisdom: 23 Charisma: 24
General Skills: Danger Sense I: Level 4 - Creates a small possibility to detect imminent or possible danger, even when otherwise unknowable. Possibility will both increase and grow more accurate with levels. Mana Manipulation: Level 4 (+4) - Improves your ability to control internally control Mana. Speed and precision will improve with Levels.
Primary Class: None Primary Class Skills:
Secondary Class: None Secondary Class Skills:
Tertiary Class: None Tertiary Class Skills:
Traits: Fates Favour - Chance-based events are slightly more likely to go in your favour. Whether that be increased Rewards, or a lesser chance to pull the wrong card at a Blackjack table, it matters not. Titles: Forerunner II: Gained only by those at the epoch of their race, they strive forwards, as masters of their destiny. +5 All Attributes.
Free Points: 0 Core Identity: Storm Core Stage: Formation I
Elemental Alignments: Lightning - 97
Chapter 4 - Den of Wolves Congratulations. For being in the Top 10 to successfully develop a Core, you have been given +5 Intelligence and +5 Wisdom. His core was a finicky little thing. Nothing more than a whisper of wind and the occasional spark of lightning, barely noticeable when paying careful attention, let alone the raging storm he knew possible. He couldn''t use any magic at all, try as he might, although that may also be due to a lack of technique. After all, the system had hinted at how to build a core, he got no such suggestion for magic. All he could do was keep funnelling the motes of light deep below, slowly adding them to his Core, watching as it grew minutely by the minute, each barely noticeable difference eventually combining to make a significant increase in its size. Some strands fizzled out. His clumsy, rough control forced him to watch as the light dimmed and eventually perished. Each time a Mana lost on his Status. Eventually, as the morning faded away in a blur of strobe lights and his Mana count ran to zero, he was forced to admit that he would achieve a raging storm no time soon. He had to wait - seconds each time - for a new light to appear, randomly dotted in his body. It took too long to make significant progress, and without challenge - only monotony - he quickly grew bored. He would return to such practice when his Mana had refreshed in full, and he could get far more work done in far less time. For now, though, he knew where a Dungeon was. Not quite the correct one, but now he knew that the Dungeons had a difficulty - likely adjusted by level - he knew the actual Dungeon he needed to beat, The Tribe of Lost Orcs, would be far beyond him. The system had given him eight weeks, after all, and he hadn''t yet used even one. In the end, he needed levels, and this wolfen dungeon seemed fit to give him some. The trip back was quick. A straight line, rather than the vague wonderings that allowed him to discover the Dungeon in the first place. He arrived at the presence of two corpses, messily hidden in a nearby bush, which was all he had the time to do after their deaths. He began to creep through the vegetation. Crouched to the ground, head kept low in the best amalgamation of stealth he could manage. He appeared at the edge of a clearing, the presence of intelligent life announced by the dramatic sniffing of what he assumed were more wolves. He poked his head from the bush he was currently occupying, taking a slight glance towards the origin of the noise. Three wolves this time, quickly Identified. Hunting Wolf - Level 12. Bringing back the majority of food needed for the sustenance of the larger pack, the Hunting Wolf plays a necessary part in the larger ecosystem. Hunting Wolf - Level 12. Bringing back the majority of food needed for the sustenance of the larger pack, the Hunting Wolf plays a necessary part in the larger ecosystem. Hunting Wolf - Level 13. Bringing back the majority of food needed for the sustenance of the larger pack, the Hunting Wolf plays a necessary part in the larger ecosystem. Theoretically, a far more dangerous encounter than the one he had barely escaped with his life. The reality, however, disagreed. Before he''d been ambushed, and the most danger came in those first moments, where punchers'' chance dictated that surprise could take him for dead. This time, he was the ambusher. His spear came striking the second the wolf wondered only inches closer. Piercing through its left eye before it had the slightest chance to react. The second did no better. The first hadn''t the time to warble, and it noticed nothing, not paying attention to its now dead pack-mate. The spear dug into the wolf''s thick neck, a yelp of shock and pain ripping from its throat before another strike came, and Alex''s stronger thrust went straight through its neck, emerging the other side. Only one left, now thoroughly alerted, but to Alex it mattered not. One he could do; easily kept at range, or quickly taken out with a single debilitating blow. Alex did not need to keep his balance to defend against a second beast''s revenge strike, after all. The wolf launched itself towards him, and Alex merely leant forwards, gently thrusting his spear underneath its chin, piercing through into the brains. The notification rang. Instant death. Congratulations, you have killed a Level 12 Hunting Wolf. For killing a Beast above your level, you have gained bonus experience. Congratulations, you have killed a Level 12 Hunting Wolf. For killing a Beast above your level, you have gained bonus experience. Congratulations, you have killed a Level 13 Hunting Wolf. For killing a Beast above your level, you have gained bonus experience. You have levelled up. You are now Level 11. He put his free attributes straight into Wisdom. From what he could tell, Intelligence affected his Mana capacity, which meant it was likely Wisdom that affected his regeneration rate, and for the process of building up his core, he deemed the latter more important, for now.
Status
Name: Alexander Aeotos Level: 11 (+1) Health: 310/310 Stamina: 328/535
Mana: 390/390 Strength: 49 Agility: 58 Vitality: 31
Intelligence: 39 (+5) Wisdom: 31 (+8) Charisma: 24
General Skills: Danger Sense I: Level 4 - Creates a small possibility to detect imminent or possible danger, even when otherwise unknowable. Possibility will both increase and grow more accurate with levels. Mana Manipulation: Level 5 (+1) - Improves your ability to control internally control Mana. Speed and precision will improve with Levels.
Primary Class: None Primary Class Skills:
Secondary Class: None Secondary Class Skills:
Tertiary Class: None Tertiary Class Skills:
Traits: Fates Favour - Chance-based events are slightly more likely to go in your favour. Whether that be increased Rewards, or a lesser chance to pull the wrong card at a Blackjack table, it matters not. Titles: Forerunner II: Gained only by those at the epoch of their race, they strive forwards, as masters of their destiny. +5 All Attributes.
Free Points: 0 Core Identity: Storm Core Stage: Formation I
It had now been some two hours since he last attempted his self-prescribed exercise, and he quickly climbed up the nearest tree - sat down - and began twisting his free Mana into his Core. The process of imbuing his core with more and more mana grew quicker the longer he went, as his skill with Mana Manipulation increased. The only limit was the amount of Mana he had available at any time, as when scarce it took a moment to isolate the strings of light. Making the process far easier with full Mana reserves. He''d emptied his tank within two hours, rising as he decided to not bother waiting for the motes to regenerate, and instead carry on within the Dungeon until his reserves were once again full. Knees still half-bent, a notification rose to his awareness, and he gave a slight smile. Congratulations, for condensing over 50% of your available mana reserves, your core has advanced to Stage: Formulation II. Now stable, your Core allows for the slight draw of Mana without adverse, regressive effects on your progress. Thank the Gods I couldn''t manage it before, if it brought my progress only backwards. He didn''t dwell on the idea. Magic would likely take time for Alex to be able to quickly, subconsciously use in battle, and in fights against the higher levelled foes he would inevitably encounter, he could not afford the distraction of half-formed ideas. It was time to move on. Alex decided to traverse the treetops, wolves could not climb, and they had no natural predators that would cause them to incessantly look skywards in fear of death. He thought it his best chance to remain undetected. XOX He encountered four more brief patrols of strength similar to the first, each encounter separated by a period of Alex throwing as much Mana into his core as possible within an hour stint. Three wolves a piece, each with about a dozen levels. Quickly falling prey to his erratic ambushes as he began to refine his tactics. You have levelled up. You have levelled up. You are now Level 13.
Status
Name: Alexander Aeotos Level: 13 (+2) Health: 310/310 Stamina: 322/550
Mana: 420/420 Strength: 49 Agility: 61 (+3) Vitality: 31
Intelligence: 42 (+3) Wisdom: 31 Charisma: 24
General Skills: Danger Sense I: Level 4 - Creates a small possibility to detect imminent or possible danger, even when otherwise unknowable. Possibility will both increase and grow more accurate with levels. Mana Manipulation: Level 7 (+2) - Improves your ability to control internally control Mana. Speed and precision will improve with Levels.
Primary Class: None Primary Class Skills:
Secondary Class: None Secondary Class Skills:
Tertiary Class: None Tertiary Class Skills:
Traits: Fates Favour - Chance-based events are slightly more likely to go in your favour. Whether that be increased Rewards, or a lesser chance to pull the wrong card at a Blackjack table, it matters not. Titles: Forerunner II: Gained only by those at the epoch of their race, they strive forwards, as masters of their destiny. +5 All Attributes.
Free Points: 0 Core Identity: Storm Core Stage: Formation II
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. The gained points were evenly split between Agility and Intelligence. Whilst he had noticed an increase in his Mana regeneration, slight though it may have been, from his increased Wisdom. His sporadic meditation meant it was more efficient for him to grow his core through an increased reserve, rather than increased recovery. The Agility of course, for if he encountered something far too big for him to take head-on. Which - knowing his luck - was a very likely possibility. Alex took a moment to marvel at his speed. He was fast. Far faster than any mere mortal had the right to be. It took only a matter of days for him to far outstrip any Olympian Athlete, and with time the disparity would grow exponentially. This was not how man was designed to be; in only a short time they had seemingly outstripped their former selves by a scale unimaginable. Not the slow, slogging progress that had served humanity so well, but a breathless race to the future. Where frontrunners were awarded above all else. He was more than what he was ever meant to be. So were his enemies. XOX His fifth encounter began as all the others had. An ambush followed his sighting of the furry beasts, a lethal strike into the eye of the first creature. Slicing through the brain. The second put up a greater resistance than any he had encountered so far. Ignoring grievous wounds as it launched its claws towards his throat. Only stopped once a series of savage blows ruptured its stomach. The third was different. Not taken by any sort of surprise, with a calculated aggression that suggested an intelligence that it simply couldn''t have. It avoided obvious baits, pulling out of attacks on pretend, and obvious vulnerabilities. Oh, it was no genius. Possessed no tactics beyond the standard charge and bite, but the creature took its chances carefully. Caught him twice, targeting not the available neck, a trap Alex set, preparing for a spear beneath the jaw on the chance it grew aggressive; rather, it went for his legs. Targeting the joint on his knee, hampering his mobility. Still, it died eventually. A hard-fought battle, leaving a bloody and bruised, but nevertheless victorious Alex standing next to three wolfen carcasses''. Congratulations, you have killed a Level 15 Hunting Wolf. For killing a Beast above your level, you have gained bonus experience. Congratulations, you have killed a Level 17 Hunting Wolf. For killing a Beast above your level, you have gained bonus experience. Congratulations, you have killed a Level 18 Pack Mother. For killing a Beast above your level, you have gained bonus experience. You have levelled up. You are now Level 14. Pack Mother? He knew the beast had been stronger, but he had not expected an entirely different creature. Level 18 had also been significantly stronger than any of the other parties he had faced thus far; in fact, all three had levels beyond the others he had so far encountered. He knew it was likely he was approaching the centre, the difficulty increases a sign he was getting closer to the true goal, but if their strength spiked much further, he did not know if he would be able to keep on winning. It was a question of managing risk. Did he move further, hoping he could continue defeating such beasts, and earning the increased experience they granted him? Or rather, did he retreat, gaining strength against lower levelled enemies, and returning to an easier fight? Alex decided to continue. Even if he couldn''t defeat the next set of wolves, he believed he would still manage an escape. It was worth risking some danger for the high experience he was receiving. First, however. He needed to recover from his wounds if only a little. Increased Vitality meant wounds that would have once left him tied to a hospital bed for a week, now only took hours to heal. This was no such wound, and would not take long before he recovered most of its mobility; he could always take the time to once again grow his Core. XOX With a slightly bigger Core and a still-bloodied left leg, Alex once again raced off through the trees, in pursuit of a new catch. He caught sight of two parties fairly quickly. Waiting for them to be separated such that any noises made amid their confrontation would not be heard by the other group, possibly forcing Alex to face unbeatable odds. Once Alex deemed they would likely be separated by a sufficient distance, he dived into the midst with his usual erratic spear work. Lightning-fast jabs as he danced around the edge of the wolves'' gathering, before taking advantage of momentary vulnerabilities to strike a series of significant blows, leading to an inevitable death. Such commitment mean inevitably leaving openings, but careful timing allowed him to reduce much of the risk, only striking when all beasts were otherwise occupied. He won with only minor wounds; they wouldn''t even leave minor scarring. Alex quickly tracked down the other pack he had seen. Following broken foliage till he sighted the dirt-crusted fur of his prey. He once again launched himself from the bushes, cutting down one creature before they noticed him, and following up with his strange, jagged dance. Keeping his range before enclosing upon weaknesses. This fight ended very much like the last. The pack mothers had been an even greater challenge than before. Strong and clever, ignoring his prodding, aggravating strikes and searching for their tactical victories. In the end, though, Alex had managed to figure out their timing and arrange his manoeuvring such that he needed only to place his spear in an easily accessible target. Congratulations, you have killed a Level 15 Hunting Wolf. For killing a Beast above your level, you have gained bonus experience. Congratulations, you have killed a Level 17 Hunting Wolf. For killing a Beast above your level, you have gained bonus experience. Congratulations, you have killed a Level 18 Pack Mother. For killing a Beast above your level, you have gained bonus experience. Congratulations, you have killed a Level 18 Hunting Wolf. For killing a Beast above your level, you have gained bonus experience. Congratulations, you have killed a Level 17 Hunting Wolf. For killing a Beast above your level, you have gained bonus experience. Congratulations, you have killed a Level 19 Pack Mother. For killing a Beast above your level, you have gained bonus experience. You have levelled up. You have levelled up. You are now Level 16. If nothing else, he had been quite correct in that they provided very good experience. He spent an hour in recovery. No major injuries this time, but he needed to regain some of the much-used Stamina from his fast-paced engagements. With another Level in Mana Manipulation and very little else. He continued on his journey. Some two hundred feet away, he found a pack with a rather odd arrangement. Five wolves strong, with two that were clearly pack mothers. Nearly the equivalent of two of the former patrols combined. Previously, he had focused his ambush on one of the lesser wolves, before isolating the pack-mother at the end and engaging in single combat. Wearing her away before the lethal blow came. That would no longer work. If he left two pack mothers to face in a straight-on confrontation, they would quickly overwhelm him. One would have to go first. Risky even. For their sheer size meant it would be extremely difficult to take them down in the one blow necessary to reduce the overall size of the pack to a manageable size, before he became overwhelmed by the sheer mass of the bodies thrown at him. Nevertheless, it was his only chance. He shot from the bushes. He would not go for their eyes, their speed made such nearly impossible as he currently was, but if he could slide his spearpoint into the soft flesh underneath the chin, it would stake right into the wolf''s brain. Nothing could survive that. He got lucky, incredibly, impossibly lucky. The beast looked upwards just as Alex slid into the fray, slipping his bear between the bones connecting the jaw. Perfect timing. Perfect placement. An instant death. Alex did not go unnoticed for long. Sharp eyes bearing into him, glancing at the carcass beside him before they let loose a deep growl. Saliva dripping from an open mouth, entwining sharp, yellow fangs, bared at him in a grimace. One lunged straight at him. Alex''s spear smashed down between its ribcage, gouging out intestines that sloppily slid out into a heap beneath it. Two eyes dulled, and a notification told Alex he had only three foes left. The difficult part was done. He''d been fighting replicas of this three-wolf band for hours now, and he was more than perfunctory at it. Ten minutes later more carcasses littered the floor. Alex knew he had done it. Congratulations, you have killed a Level 19 Pack Mother. For killing a Beast above your level, you have gained bonus experience. Congratulations, you have killed a Level 18 Hunting Wolf. For killing a Beast above your level, you have gained bonus experience. Congratulations, you have killed a Level 18 Hunting Wolf. For killing a Beast above your level, you have gained bonus experience. Congratulations, you have killed a Level 17 Hunting Wolf. For killing a Beast above your level, you have gained bonus experience. Congratulations, you have killed a Level 19 Pack Mother. For killing a Beast above your level, you have gained bonus experience. You have levelled up. You are now Level 17. He also knew he was far over his head. That had been risky, far more risky than he should have chanced. Alex had been caught up in the adrenaline of the chase. The hunt. Such that all sense had seemingly left him. It was time to disengage, not to chase experience. Alex''s thoughts disappeared, as a deep, rumbling growl sounded behind him. In front of him. All around him. He''d been surrounded, and too stupid to figure it out before. Alex had flown too close to the sun, and his wings had melted. He couldn''t win here, not an outright fight. Without the element of surprise he had previously possessed, his chances approached zero. Escape was his only option, and even that was seemingly closed off to him. He sprinted towards the first wolf in sight. Thankfully not a Pack-Mother; if he could kill it with sufficient haste, then perhaps he could exploit a hole in their encirclement, and run. Here, he thought to survive. Not for a victory. His spear shot into the wolf''s neck, piercing thick muscle as he tried to reduce the beast''s capabilities. Its jaws were its greatest weapon, and without the sturdy neck to support them, the creature could do little but flail uselessly, even if were not yet dead. A second wolf shot towards him, Alex hadn''t time to withdraw his spear from the first creature''s neck, and desperately turned the end of the spear''s wooden shaft into the airborne wolf''s head. Smashing into its cranium. It would not kill it, nor even particularly injure it, but it granted Alex the space he desperately needed for retreat. Alex took off in a run. Only taking half a dozen steps before a larger wolf appeared in front of him. turning his won force against him, flipping Alex to his back as his legs slid out from beneath him. A Pack-Mother. Alex''s spear fell to his side. The force of his collision ripped away his grip, sending the wooden shaft to his side, laying in the dirt, some three feet away. The Pack-Mother jumped on top of him. Her full mass forced the air out of his lungs as he desperately gasped for much-needed oxygen. Her claws ripped lines into his stomach, a burning pain only conquered by the presence of her strong jaws, aiming directly at his throat. His left hand rose, desperately pushing at her neck. Alex''s right hand reached blindly at his side, seeking the spear he would hope to rip through the wolf straddling him. He couldn''t find it. Surrounding growls told him he had only seconds until more wolves joined in, on their quest for his demise. He would not be able to withstand them, not on his back, not able to keep them at range when incapable of even mobility. He would die. ''Congratulations, for condensing over 50% of your available mana reserves, your core has advanced to Stage: Formulation II. Now stable, your Core allows for the slight draw of Mana without adverse, regressive effects on your progress.'' The only chance he had left. Alex reached down within him, finding the carefully cultivated, intertwined motes of glowing Mana. Finding all the vicious sparks he could, before throwing them down his left arm. Straight into the beast. The Pack-Mother yelped. Not dead - his clumsy magic was yet too pitiful, and most was dissipated on her fur - but a shock of running electricity left her burnt nevertheless, and it was no pleasant feeling. She jumped momentarily, before Alex quickly rolled from beneath her, lunging for his spear. He desperately grasped it from the dirt; ran, for his life depended on it. Congratulations, for your unguided use of external Lightning Mana, you have been awarded the Skill: Lightning Manipulation. Lightning Manipulation - Quantifying your proficiency in the manipulation of Lightning, this skill allows for greater skill, and less wasted Mana when using such without the structure of an individually guided skill.
Status
Name: Alexander Aeotos Level: 17 (+4) Health: 207/310 Stamina: 134/550
Mana: 420/420 Strength: 49 Agility: 61 Vitality: 31
Intelligence: 42 Wisdom: 31 Charisma: 24
General Skills: Danger Sense I: Level 4 - Creates a small possibility to detect imminent or possible danger, even when otherwise unknowable. Possibility will both increase and grow more accurate with levels. Mana Manipulation: Level 9 (+2) - Improves your ability to control internally control Mana. Speed and precision will improve with Levels. Lightning Manipulation: Level 1 - Quantifying your proficiency in the manipulation of Lightning, this skill allows for greater skill, and less wasted Mana when using such without the structure of any individually guided skill.
Primary Class: None Primary Class Skills:
Secondary Class: None Secondary Class Skills:
Tertiary Class: None Tertiary Class Skills:
Traits: Fates Favour - Chance-based events are slightly more likely to go in your favour. Whether that be increased Rewards, or a lesser chance to pull the wrong card at a Blackjack table, it matters not. Titles: Forerunner II: Gained only by those at the epoch of their race, they strive forwards, as masters of their destiny. +5 All Attributes.
Free Points: 12 Core Identity: Storm Core Stage: Formation II