《Migard: Fires Wrath!》 Prologue In the darkness of night, a small group of men huddled around a campfire to keep warm. The scouts dressed in hard leather and hooded cloaks, the usual armor for a patrol party around their kingdom. The oldest among them, a hardened veteran scarred by a long life out on the field of battle, told of legends and myths as the younger men ate. "A long time ago, Heros of great Virtues used to roam the land, fighting for the early empires and battling the forces of evil and the corrupt forces of the Pantheons. They ranged from mighty paladins of justice to mages of great knowledge and wisdom. They locked the Pantheons away in the heavens, freeing the world from their corrupt influence and plans. Under their guidance, the warring kingdoms united against the darker races that followed the plagued the land. After that, the great Heroes slowly disappeared from the world. No longer needed, they left this world for greater challenges, or so the story goes." The older man looked among the young faces, never having known the power of a great hero before. Most of them were just children, never having seen the actual life of a soldier. "It has been thousands of years since the great heroes have left this plane, but some kings still claim their lineage from these powerful legends. Many great minds have tried to unlock the secrets to their power; all have died without the knowledge they seek." The older man peered out into the dark woods. "Many of the common people think we need those Heroes again, spoiled nobles always waging war like it¡¯s a game, ancient powers returning, creatures made of pure nightmares wandering the lands. We can only hope that the universe hears our prayers." The men went back to eating in silence; the only sound was that of the wind blowing through the trees in the night.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. +++ A monstrous giant of a man sat at a cluttered computer desk. A multitude of screens, the only light shining in the darkness of the small room, illuminating the front of his beautiful face, sculpted to perfection as if manufactured for a mannequin. He sat hunched over at the keyboard built for his large frame, each screen covering something different yet connected. A World Map overview, various monster sheets from a classic tabletop game, character sheets of various nobles and important NPCs. Finally, strangely enough, the latest episode of a popular daytime Spanish novella. This behemoth of a man was busy typing away on line after line of coding full of alien hieroglyphics, getting ready for his next expansion. That last expansion was a real blast; this one was going to continue the story. The date of release was near, and crunch time was always like this. Late nights always wore on his stamina. He reached for another energy drink; the can dwarfed by his massive hand. After draining it, he tossed the empty onto a pile of the many soldiers already laid waste to his gluttonous thirst. Crunch time was always the worst for his waistline; he should go to the gym once this the task at hand was done. He had to make sure nothing went wrong with the story or gameplay. Nothing like a horrible glitch that might cost someone their fun. If these players were anything like the last ones, they might affect all the worlds they touch. Not just their world, so gotta get it right! What''s another twenty or so cans, who needed sleep. Sleep was for those without deadlines! +++ On another plane of existence, powers were already in motion to return heroes to the world. The list for beta players was complete, and the emails had been sent. Soon eight lucky participants will become Heroes or Villains, impacting the world toward peace or destruction, a roll of the dice on what they would become. ¡°Welcome to the world of Midgard!" Closed Beta Ivan was a mid-level associate at an accounting firm; he was 35, average looking, only a little overweight, and was up for a promotion to management at his company. Life was good for Ivan. That was until Jerry arrived, the young 20 something, straight out of college, with that charming smile, Adonis body, and politician personality. He had barely been at the firm a month before being promoted to management. His promotion! A promotion he deserved! Ivan worked there for over ten years and devoted his life to this company. Weekends, Holidays, no vacation all those ten years. He had made the company hundreds of thousands from his work. To get spit on like this, just because a pretty boy fresh out of college with no experience had a charming smile! These are the thoughts that ran through Ivan''s head as he came home, slamming his door open and shut in his rage! He moved through his apartment, the tiny space he called his own. Barely enough room to live really. A bathroom, a bed, and a kitchen, all packed into such a small space. Ivan''s vision flashed a deep red as he continued to fume, slamming his fist into a wall covered with dents and holes from previous episodes. It wasn¡¯t until his fist connected with the stud in the wall did he realize his mistake. Yelling in pain and frustration, he cradled his hand, he now swore at his own stupidity, and he swore at the unfairness of the world. Cradling his now damaged hand, the man moved to his only source of true joy. Ivan''s only addiction in the world was his for the escape his computer provided him. Delving into other worlds that he so longed for. Escape from the unfairness of it all. Where his work always produced grand results! The worlds of fantasy and wonder, where he wasn''t just another faceless drone, he was a titan in this realm of existence. His current flavor of addiction centered around taming dragons and realistic flight simulation, though he had binged that game well past the end game content in under a month and a half. His desire for something new was crawling back up ¡ª that familiar itch for unclaimed chances and territory. Most of his paycheck went to his games, either updating the temple that was his computer or buying the latest subscriptions. That might explain his meager living conditions. As his computer booted up, he used his phone to check his email. His computer was a holy place for him, and he wouldn¡¯t dare defile it with such minor things. Mostly spam, no friends to speak of, and his family were too busy with their own lives. He quickly scrolled through checking patch notes on older conquests and updates on yet to be released content, until something different caught his eye.
MIDGARD AWAITS IT''S HEROES! Welcome to the Closed beta of the new MMORPG Midgard, a world of Epic Heroes and Grand Conquests. You are one of the lucky participants chosen to explore this new world and exciting new challenges. You will experience a new form of gameplay never before seen by others. Graphics so real, you won¡¯t be able to tell the difference. Will you be able to claim the mantel "King of Fate!" or will you be just another player?
Ivan didn''t remember signing up for a new beta. He hadn''t even heard of this Midgard game; a tiny sight about the history of the great world tree from mythology came up, as well as some game lore about how the gods of men had been locked up deep within to protect humanity from their abuses. A download button rested at the bottom. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. He was hesitant to accept something like this, a small voice in the back of his mind screaming it wasn¡¯t real. He couldn¡¯t hear it, something overwhelmed him, that feeling came up again, that feeling of escape into something new, something different from this life he had found himself in. It clawed at him deep down. Ivan had to know more! Scouring the email, he found no more information, just the link to download the game. Running his virus scan multiple times, and making sure his fire wall was updated and secure beyond reason. Ivan knew it was a bad idea, but something inside him pushed him forward as if guiding him to it. He felt pulled to it. He finally decided to start the download ¡ª another prompt shot up interrupting him one last time.
Do you wish to accept an invite to the world of Midgard? Warning, the return might be prohibited. Yes or No
¡®Wow, this game takes itself seriously huh, this might be fun!¡¯ He mused to himself as he clicked yes. Then his screen went black, and his computer started to shut down. Ivan was horrified, beginning to curse at himself for falling for such a scam. That''s when his screen popped back on again.
Welcome to Midgard Ivan! Enjoy your new Life!
Appeared on the screen in golden letters before it flashed pure white. It was bright enough Ivan had to look away from the screen, so bright he had to cover his eyes with his hands. Something was wrong; he couldn''t see anymore, he tried to back away. Something caught the wheel of his chair. Unable to retain his balance, he fell backwards, the man never made it to the ground. +++ When Ivan opened his eyes again, he was no longer in his apartment. He wasn¡¯t even in a city anymore! He found himself in the middle of an ancient forest. The trees looked beyond old; reaching up into the sky, trunks thicker than his apartment building! The ground was covered with underbrush and flowers. He swore he saw a group of deer and other smaller animals rushing through the bush away from him. He couldn''t tell what was going on, everything felt so empty around him. The wind created a haunting melody as it danced between the massive towering columns the trees formed. Ivan slowly pulled himself from the ground, looking for signs of civilization. It all looked untouched, like he was the only person in the world, not even a trail was left from whoever left him here. Had he been abducted from his apartment and dragged out here, where was here, who would do this to him? His mind ran wild with questions spirally deeper and deeper, until he heard the voice behind him. ¡°Welcome, Chosen of Fate. This is the world of Midgard!¡± Sang the mystic voice of a woman. When Ivan turned around, there stood what he only could describe as a miniature Angel surrounded by golden light. Her golden hair hung in a long braid over her shoulder, the same color as her vibrant shining wings of metallic feathers. Her small body covered in what looked to be metal and leather armor. A fabric dress draped over her legs, hiding them from view. ¡°You have been chosen by Fate to be a savior of this world, and all worlds attached to it. Let us venture forth and claim glory in battle!¡± She descended to him, floating gently in the air before him. ¡°Come hero. I have much to teach you of this world and its many wonders!¡± The small woman proclaimed boldly, then she noticed the panicked look on the man''s face. ¡°Chosen? Speak to me Chosen.¡± That was all Ivan saw before his eyes rolled up into his head, fainting for the first time today. As he fell to the ground again, the last thing he heard was the Angels voice. ¡°Great, they sent me a pussy.¡± Wakey Wakey ¡°Great Hero it is time to awaken, we have much to do in little time¡­.. Please Great Hero arise from your rest, I know it¡¯s a shock, but we must move quickly if we are to save the world.¡± The mystical voice of the angel rung in Ivan''s ears as he fought the coming consciousness. It was just a dream; he would wake up soon. Her words turned hard as iron in his ears as something made contact with the top of his skull. ¡°I said WAKE UP YOU BASTARD!¡± Ivan quickly sat up, taking hold of his forehead as the throbbing pain in his skull slowly wore away. He looked up at the angel once more, opening his eyes to the golden light. She floated there with a stern look on her face, holding what looked to be a small mace in her hands, tapping the round head against her tiny palm. The woman¡¯s golden braid is flowing behind her in an unfelt wind, framing her robust Scandinavian facial features. A picture of beauty to many men in their dying breaths. Her skin porcelain white, yet her iris shone like polished steel. Now that he was looking, he could make her out better. Her chest covered in what seemed to be an iron breastplate, etched with gold and silver leafing. Her legs were hidden behind a simple white dress, though he could see her feet covered in the same iron boots to match her top. Her arms bare, though they looked to be pure muscle as she held her mace. He found himself lost in her intense beauty, only pulled from his trance once the woman started speaking to him, while soft it still held the edge of iron in her voice. A tone that put Ivan on the defensive. ¡°As I was saying Hero,¡± The Angel cleared her throat. ¡°We must move quickly to overcome the evil taking seed in this land! I am your Valkyrie guide through this realm; my job is to teach you all you need to know in order to move forward!¡± As she spoke, she struck, what most would call, a heroic pose. Pointing her mace toward a small path. ¡°Forward Hero, onto glory!¡± As the tiny woman finished her speech, Ivan started to repeat a mantra in his head, curling up slowly into himself. It¡¯s not real. This isn''t real; I''m just having a nervous breakdown. I need to breathe, relax. It''s not real; ¡°It''s not real.¡± He started to repeat the words out loud, trying to bring himself back to reality. He had curled up in the fetal position underneath the winged hallucination. "Oh, for the love of Freyja! Don''t be pathetic; get up!" The Angel hit the back of his head, shocking him with pain once more. "I have much to teach you, and your sniveling is getting old." Jabbing her mace in front of his face, a small screen appeared, labeled in the left corner as his ¡®Character Screen¡±.
Character Screen
Name: Ivan ???? Race: ?? Subrace: ??? Stats: ??? Class: ????
Ivan looks at his screen in shock; it was like his video games. Why was everything empty? He reaches out to poke at his screen, finding it was solid against his touch. Race highlighted under his finger, a second screen appearing.
Would you like to pick a Race? Yes/No
"But I''m human?" A confused note tints Ivan''s'' voice, concerned by the implications of choosing a race in a world like this. Yet something deep in him felt excited, just like one of his MMO¡¯s. That feeling of excitement was slowly starting to swallow his fear. "Not anymore, you are a figment of yourself. Let me explain." The woman pushed aside his screens. "You are in a land called Midgard. It runs parallel to your Earth. Your soul has been transferred here, leaving your body behind. You have...." "Am I dead!?" Ivan screamed at the woman. Standing up and staring down at her, he focused on the steely eyes as they stared back at him. Fear and panic had once again set into his voice. "No moron, your body is pretty much in a coma. Our counterparts in your land have probably already picked you up and brought you to the facility." The woman pushed him away with her hand, a growl in her voice, showing him she was losing patience with him. Ivan didn''t care; he could already feel himself hyperventilating. The woman¡¯s expression softened "Like I was saying, your soul is was brought here by Fate, leaving your body behind. It is indeed in a coma-like state, but it''s being taken care of by medical personnel." Ivan looked at himself for the first time since he got here. He was not fully there; he could almost see through himself, if only barely. It was another thing on the pile of crazy since he got here, driving him closer to insanity.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "While you are here, Fate has tasked you with being a hero. You will start to gain experience and find the other Fates Chosen. Let us first work out who you are going to be here." The Screens returned to his vision. "We shall start with your race." Ivan looked at the screen, then back to the angel. "Can I go back? I don''t wanna be here." His voice a soft whine. He was desperate; he wanted to go back to his life; this was too much. Despair and fear filled his eyes. "Please?" The angel gently pets his hair with her small hand. A soothing wave washed over him, making him feel as if everything will once again be ok. "You will be able to go back once your work gets finished. Good news, time here flows faster than time in your world. A full lifetime might only take a month or two of your world''s time." Ivan looked back to his screen and clicked accept. His hand was shaking in fear as he fought to touch the button. His screens turned to a classic tome, floating into his open hands. It flipped open quickly by itself and settled on a table of contents.
-Human The shortest-lived, but most prolific. Adaptable to a fault.
-Elf The highest attunement for magic, one of the longer-lived species. Natural historians and mages!
-Dwarf Strong, Hardy, Hairy! They live long and dig deep into the earth. Great warriors and craftsmen
-Orc-Ish Short-lived like humans and their races are versatile. Not the smartest, but some of the strongest. Warning: No Dental Plan Included!
-Gnome Geniuses in their chosen professions. Intellect is highly praised in Gnomes society. Never leave a gnome alone with time to think and a wrench.
-Fae Creatures of nature, live all-around life. Promoting the cycle of Life and Death. Naturally mischievous.
-Djinn Creatures of the elements. They burn of fire, stand sturdy like stone, flow like water, float like air. Cunning tricksters, be wary of making deals with Djinn.
-Giant Lords of Land and Sea. Some are the longest-lived beings on this plane of existence. Many ancient Giants have taken to slumbering until called upon for battle or their wisdom.
-Cursed Banished from the higher forms of life by gods of light. Blessed with savagery by the Lords of Darkness. Always be cautious around the Cursed Life.
-Angel Beings of the Higher plane. Lords of Virtues. Alignments of these creatures lean towards Good
-Devil Beings of the Lower plane. Princes of Sin. Alignments of these creatures lean towards Evil.
-Undead Those that death could not hold back, whether, through magic or pure emotional will, they have returned to this world.
The last four had been grayed out. Ivan looked up to his angel guide, with a look of confusion in his eye. Before he could even ask his question, she interrupted. "Those are unattainable; not even Fate can give you those. Angels and Devils are of a different plane of existence, so you cannot be those. Cursed are lacking the real intelligence or structure of society to raise heroes. If you wish to be undead, though, I can think of a few ways we might accommodate that!" She flicked her mace around in front of him, a severe expression on her face. ¡°Though Odin does frown on the undead races and their odorous magics.¡± Ivan went back to his list, looking each over. In his past, he had always played the dwarf race. So he went with something familiar. It helped that in his real life, he looked like a dwarf, short and hairy all over. Choosing the Dwarf button, the book rapidly turned its pages once more. Settling open, Ivan looked over the new page. He felt a bit of excitement in his chest.
-Dwarf Dwarves are a hardy race. They gain +1 to Strength, Constitution, and Endurance. Plus ,two more points to spread around as they please per level. All Dwarven Society is based on your lineage, and where your family hails and how far you can trace it back. Clanless Dwarves are rarely seen. A traditional Dwarven game is to see how far back you can drink into your lineage. SubRaces Mountain Dwarves=Residents of the mountains, digging down into the deep earth for its gems and irons. Forging Weapons and Armor is a specialty. Hill Dwarves= Dwarves of the surface, they spend their days carving stones, cutting down trees, and building mighty fortresses upon the land. Deep Dwarves= A darker dwarf, residing deep in the earth where no light can be found. Not often seen on the surface for it damages their health to be in the sun. They specialize in Dark Magic and Crafts.
Elemental Dwarf= A dwarf that lives for stone and metal, often being made of living metal. They are held in high regard in dwarven society. Not born ,these dwarves are made! Mithril Dwarf= A dwarf of high stature, having completed great tasks. They have ascended to a higher level. Whether through craft or battlefield glory!
This time it was just the last two that were grayed out. He could guess why. Ivan couldn''t see a personal connection to any of the other races. Even when he was human, he didn''t feel human. Something inside him reacted to the dwarf species. He looks up to the angel. "What happens if I die in this world?" "Don¡¯t fear! You will respawn, it is a feature of being a hero. The only way you can die is if another hero takes your life and captures your soul. Even then, that requires preparations and the help of a celestial being with tremendous power. You are linked to Fate, and as long as you are nothing can stop you permanently." The angel motioned with her hand over the book as she explained to him. "Have you made your choice, we have much to cover and little time to do it." Ivan nodded slowly, turning back to the screen. He made his decision, He couldn¡¯t see himself living underground, living in a cave. He did that in his old life enough. He chose Hill Dwarf. As soon as he accepted his choice, flames engulfed his body! New You Ivan''s body was covered in a bright blue flame; the pain coursing through his veins was unbearable. His mind was shattering from the torment he went through as his soul reformed to fit his new body. Never had he been in this much pain, he could barely hear the angel woman talking to him over his tormented screams. "Ivan, you need to focus, push the pain away! Don''t lose yourself to it. Remember, you are a hero, and heroes are strong!" The Valkyrie was trying to guide him out of his fracturing self. Her words seemed to soothe his tormented mind, golden light washing over his burning flesh! "First, the fainting, now the screaming. Sometimes I wonder if this job is worth it, should just let you shatter, and Fate will find a new one." The Angel¡¯s voice turned stern once more like she didn''t care one way or the other if he lived or died. "You were a nobody in his first life; you¡¯re going to be a nobody here." The words echoed in Ivan''s mind. A nobody? Who was this tiny freak with wings calling him a nobody! Rage took over his body once more, pushing the pain away. Ivan focused on the angel before him. He was starting to take teetering steps toward the woman, his hands reaching out. He was going to strangle the life out of this little bitch! The pain slowly drained from him as he gained a focus on the floating glowlight. "Who are you calling a nobody you Tinkerbell wanna-be!?" As Ivan spoke, his voice changed, from that of a meek man to the grizzled voice of a dwarf. ¡°I am going to snap your neck like a twig and then eat your wings with barbecue sauce!¡± His fingers were growing thicker, rougher. Though he couldn''t see, Ivan¡¯s body was quickly changing shape while becoming more stable. He left behind his human form for the stocky form of a dwarf, beard and all. "Good job Ivan!" The angel interrupted Ivan¡¯s wrath by hitting him atop the head with her mace again!. "You have pushed past the pain and retained your sanity! As you can see pain is quite real here, it is something you will have to deal with as you go." Her voice was back to that angelic harp. The rage slowly vanished from the small blow to the head and her soothing tones. "You have also finished your transformation into your new body. You are now a Hill Dwarf, see!" The woman waved her tiny hand, creating a mirror in front of him. Staring back was an unfamiliar face and body. Before Ivan stood a man, who couldn''t be taller than four and a half feet tall. His face was hidden behind a beard of fiery red hair, though he could see lines tattooed onto his skin from head to toe. He looked at the angel with a raised brow. ¡°Why do I look like some bikers reject?¡± "You have been given a lineage to belong to; those markings are so other dwarves can know your family. If we check your status page, we can see who you are now." The angel circles Ivan while she explains. "Just focus your mind on the status page, that should bring it up." As Ivan focused his rage slowly subsided. Taking a few deep breaths, he found himself again, and his status page sprung up from his vision, along with a few other prompts.
You have become a Dwarf Subrace Hill Dwarf. You have earned the Class: Novice You have unlocked: Stats Abilities Skills Alliances LineageStolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
Name: Ivan Pyrebeard Age: 48 (16 approximate) Level: 1 0% Hp: 120 Mp: 100 Stamina: 110 Race: Dwarf Subrace: Hill Dwarf Stats: Strength: 11 Constitution: 11 Endurance: 11 Agility: 10 Dexterity: 10 Intelligence: 10 Wisdom: 10 Perception: 9 Charisma: 9 Luck: 10 Class: Novice Profession: Locked LVL5 Abilities Linguist Gifted with the capacity to speak and write in all Common tongues. Linked to Fate Your soul is linked to fate and will be reborn after death. Natural Gatherer Your Subrace: Hill Dwarves have a natural affinity for gathering and build craft. 5% extra in gathering crafting materials. 1% better durability to Built Places. Skills None Alliances/Factions Pyra Clan. Lineage Pyra ClanHidden/Family): A Dwarven lineage of fire wielders and mighty warriors. Recently turmoil in the Dwarven kingdoms has caused this Lineage into Hiding. Explore your family lineage to learn secrets and unlock more.
Now that Ivan had a chance to calm down. He took notice of how close to a video game this was. Though there were a lot of stats, he guessed it was pretty realistic. His eyes scanned over his stats, causing a small pop up describing each one. Strength, Physical attack damage, and how much he could carry. Constitution, the amount of health, and physical resistances. Endurance was linked directly to Stamina. Agility was his speed, and Dexterity was his reflexes. Intelligence was how much he knew, and Wisdom was how well he used that knowledge. They both affected his amount of mana and how fast it regenerated. Perception was how sharp his senses were. Charisma was how well he got along with others. It seemed that he brought that over from his real life. He never got along well with people. Finally, Luck didn''t have an explanation. It did seem self-explanatory. "Pyrebeard," Ivan whispered to himself, testing it on his tongue. It felt natural, and with the hair hanging from his face, it fits well. He turned to the angel. "What is a Novice, and why do I have abilities but no skills?" "A Novice is what you are; it is the beginner level job everyone starts with. Once you reach level 10, you can choose a new job, or Fate might choose one for you if you fit the conditions." The tiny woman explained as if reading from a prepared speech, her response mechanical and emotionless. "You are also born with those abilities, you might gain more with changes in Class and Profession, or if you meet other requirements. Skills come with practice and hard work; you just got here, so you haven''t earned any yet." "Now that we got all that done, we can move onto my favorite portion of this intro. First, let us get you some gear." The valkyrie pulled out a bag from beneath a bush and pointed to it with her mace. "Your equipment is in here; it should fit your new body. Fate is funny like that. Now hurry up and put it on." Ivan looked at her with a raised brow before he went to the bag and started to rummage through it. The new dwarf pulled out what he could only describe as a padded leather shirt and a pair of pants that looked to be made of a scratch pad. As he put on the gear on, he thanked any god listening that his underwear still fit him. The boots looked good, solid leather boots. The only thing left in the bag was his weapon. Only three feet in length, a wooden handle that ended in a metal head. Ivan looked at it, confused as he pulled it from the bag. On one side, a hammer, the other a spike. As he looked at the weapon, another prompt appeared next to the handle.
Amateurs War Pick, 8-10 damage (6-8 base damage)/10-14 damage two-handed (8-11 base damage) Blunt/Pierce damage
With a nod, he pulled the bag over his shoulder and looked to the waiting angel. "So, what is your favorite portion of this?" A creepy smile crept across the woman''s face as she flew at Ivan, stopping inches from him. "I''m going to teach you how to kick some ass!" Kill the Whambit! Kill the Whambit. Ivan walked along the path, looking out for what the Angel had sent him to find. He adjusted his grip on the war pick. It was hefty and quite awkward in his hands. He was unsure if he could ever get used to holding it. Could he even fight with it? Could he bring himself to kill something? He had never attacked anything, outside of the occasional fly or spider. Could he kill any living, thinking thing? His mind whirled with questions. "Remember," The voice made Ivan jump in shock as the Angel spoke, breaking him from his mental torment "You are looking for a small white ball of fluff with long ears. Probably the easiest thing around here to kill. Other than yourself." The Angel added that last part under her breath before continuing. "Shouldn''t be that hard to find; they travel in packs." The woman seemed to float effortlessly through the air beside him. "I''m not sure about this, do we have to kill something? Can''t we move on to something less murdery?" Ivan sounded nervous as he almost slipped on wet leaves, stumbling forward. "I mean, it didn''t do anything to me, did it?" "Don''t fret Chosen; you shall be glorious in battle once we find our enemy! Look, there''s what we need." The Angel pointed regally with her mace to what looked like a bunch of fat little bunnies. Fluffy little orbs with long ears. "First, I am going to teach you a skill, the only one I can. It''s called Analyze." The tiny winged woman reached for Ivans'' head, making him lean away with a caution. The second she touched his forehead, Ivan suddenly learned what she knew. The information burned into his mind, causing a mild headache, but nothing damaging.
You have discovered the skill(s): Analyze: Learn the Name, Level, and HP of a creature within 10 levels of you.
"Now, just focus on the enemy, and you should be able to get a read on it." The Angel kept pushing Ivan forward, toward the group of rabbit slimes. There were about ten of them bouncing around, all of them stopping at bushes and small plant life. Ivan focused on one of the rabbits, deeply missing the auto-targeting from his other games. A red line formed around the rabbit as words formed above it.
Whambit Lvl 3 Health 50
Ivan started to focus on the others, seeing each one pop up. All the same for each creature, all of them level three. He looked up to the Valkyrie with a confused stare. "They are all level three; how do you expect me to take them all? I''m only level one!" Ivans'' voice raised an octave as he spoke, looking at the group of Whambits back to the floating woman. "I would be overrun!" "Maybe, maybe not. You won''t know until you try and find out, so get in there and kill one." The woman''s tone was impatient, motioning Ivan forward like a child. "Go, go, go." Ivan took one last look at the flying nuisance before turning back to the group of little fluff balls, slowly making his way over to them, trying to be stealthy. They didn''t even seem to care, bouncing from plant to plant. He couldn''t see how they ate, but plants quickly disappeared where they stopped. Ivan made his way up to one a bit further from the others, shaking a little as he held the hammer-like weapon in both hands. Trying to think of a way out of destroying something so innocent looking. With a deep sigh, Ivan steadied himself. "Sorry little bunny, I hope you can forgive me." He brought the hammer up above his head and brought the blunt hammer down on the Whambit! Next to the creature, a number appeared, letting him know his damage.
Critical Hit! 20 Damage against Whambit!
Ivan slowly brought the weapon back up from the Whambit; it was like he tried to crush a water balloon. It seemed to have formed around his blunt hammer. As he looked over his damage prompt, he almost grinned. A critical on his first strike that felt a little good!The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. As he turned back to look at his celestial companion, something slammed into his chest! Knocking him backward a few steps. A new prompt appeared in the corner of his eye.
10 damage taken from Whambit!
Ivan quickly looked back at his enemy; it was already leaping at him again! He lunged to the side to try and avoid it with a yelp! It was trying to kill him! It was going to kill him! As Ivan tried to regain his footing, it hit him again, this time from behind!
15 damage taken from Whambit!
"Come on, you overgrown child, kill it! Don''t just swing the Pick around wildly! Plant your feet, choke up on the grip! Just don''t let it kill you, I would never hear the end of it!" The winged woman was yelling at him like a parent from the sidelines. Ivan steadied himself like his characters in a video game, holding the hammer in both hands as he looks at the small rabbit-like slime before him. It was bouncing toward him once more, before leaping into the air at him. The tiny woman''s voice roared at him from the sidelines "Keep your eye on the murderball you bastard!" Ivan was never good at sports, not having the temperament or build for athletic endeavors. Though putting your life on the line does strange things to a person. He swung the hammer, his new stats making this more straightforward as he connected with the Whambit in midair. The slime got knocked aside, though it didn''t look that hurt.
10 damage against Whambit!
Only ten this time? That''s not enough! Ivan took another wild swing at the Whambit; he had to kill it before it killed him. This time he didn''t connect, the slimeball just bounced away. It was infuriating, that dumb little ball, stand still! Ivan was growing angry again, his strikes becoming wilder, his vision blurring with a red outline. He chased after the Whambit, always one bounce ahead of him. It kept bouncing away until it came at him with no warning. No rhythm to the attack, no pattern!
Taken 10 damage from Whambit!
Ivan roared in rage as he received another attack from the stupid little fuzzball! In a fit of raw fury, he swung his hammer in a wild backhand swing. He was furious at everything. At his current and previous situations, at the woman bossing him around, but mostly at his own weakness! It was only after the prompt invaded his vision once more did he realize what he had done. Stuck on the spike of his War Pick, the little fuzzball sat leaking purple fluid from the puncture wound.
20 damage to Whambit! Whambit Slain! 45 EXP gained! (15 x3 Level difference)
As Ivan read the words, a silly smile spread over his face. He did it, he won! He killed the monster before him. He gained experience and survived! The new dwarf felt giddy and did a little dance in his head before the mighty voice of the small Angel brought him back to reality. "Good work, Hero! You have the makings of a champion in you, I can tell! Your strategy to lure your enemy into a sense of superiority only to fall to your daring counterattack was inspirational! You must have realized during the fight that a gelatinous monster would have a higher resistance to blunt attacks, so you switched to piercing. You must have the mindset of a legendary warrior in the making." She turned to look at her charge, having stared off into the distance, imagining the glory the dwarf would bring her. That was until her hopes and dreams crumbled under the dumbfounded stare on Ivans'' blank face. "Unless that was plain luck, and you accidentally killed it." As the woman realized what happened, her entire body seemed to drain of energy, her wings drooping, and her face falling. "Odin, help me!" Ivan looked back at the little ball of puff stuck on the end of his weapon. The man''s rough fingers slid along the soft fur. He whispered under his breath to the dead creature as the Angel kept cursing at him. "Sorry, little buddy, don''t hate me, ok?" As he caressed the soft fur, another prompt appeared.
Items Obtained: 1x Scrap Fur 1x Whambit Foot
As the prompt appeared, the small body on the end of his War Pick dissolved into a rainbow-like glitter. Two objects fell to the floor in front of him. A tattered piece of white fur, and a small rabbit''s foot of the same color. Staring dumbly at the small items, Ivan turned to the guide. In a confused tone, he asked the only question in his mind. "These things have feet?" Ding! Ivan collected the pair of items from the dirt, shoving the ruined patch of fur in his bag. He held the small foot in his hand, studying it. In his hand was an ordinary rabbit''s foot, but there was no point for the foot to attach to the body.
Whambit''s foot: Who? What? How? Rarity: Rare
He looked to the miniature Angel, holding it up to her. "Seriously, do they have feet or no?" The raging little woman was looking down at him with stern eyes. "Do you think this is funny, shorty? That thing was kicking your ass until you got that lucky swing in!" She looked furious, moving in close to his face once more. "This is unacceptable! For Odin''s sake, it''s the bottom of the food chain. Look at what it did to you!" As she spoke, his status screen materialized before him, reduced down to show his current state.
Name: Ivan Pyrebeard Age: 48 Level: 1 90% EXP: 45 Hp: 95 Mp: 100 Stamina: 110
"It took a fifth of your Health cause you turned away from it in the midst of battle and then ran around like a pansy the rest of the time!" The Angel pulled her mace from her belt once more and swung it at Ivan. He quickly scurried away, dodging her blows. "But I won in the end, and I got almost a level!" He exclaimed while fleeing from the attacking Angel. "Stop trying to hit me!" He put his hands up to ward off the woman. "Plus, it was my first time in a fight outside of grade school. What did you expect from me." This appeared to ; he the small woman, gathering herself and taking deep breaths. "Fine, it was a shameful first time, but we will build from there. Next time, don''t look away from your foe until you put him down!" She aimed her mace at his face to emphasize her statement. "Yes, Ma''am, I will keep my eye on the murderball from now on!" Ivan let out a breath he had been holding, seeming to have weathered her fury. Looking out at the small clearing, he noticed a lack of furry white balls. "Where did they go?" "They ran away, cowardly creatures that they are. When one is attacked, the others flee, maybe one will stay to fight if they have a substantial connection to their ally. Though that rarely happens unless the herd is more massive. We will have to go hunting again." The Angel flew forward, leading Ivan along. "This time, do try to keep quiet. We will have a better time finding our prey." The dwarf nods, putting the foot into his bag with the fur and squatting down to sneak forward. He wondered if there was a stealth icon somewhere, looking around for it, not paying attention to much as his thoughts strayed. "What in the name of Odin are you doing?" The Angel''s voice cut through his thoughts, bringing him back to reality. "Do you have to take a Shit?" "I''m sneaking, what does it look like?" A trace of anger in Ivan''s voice as he continued forward past the annoying sprite. Walking along until he heard her start to laugh uproariously. He spun on her to see the woman on the ground laughing and kicking her legs up.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. "You think that''s sneaking! You moron!" She finally let out as Ivan scowled down at her. "What do you think this is? Some shitty video game!" Her howling laughter eventually dying down as Ivan let out a growl and stomped off. "Hey, don''t be like that; it''s just so funny!" Ivan ignored her as he marched forward, pushing through the brush while she flew to catch up to him. Stupid winged bitch! Making fun of me like that! I don''t know anything about this place, what else am I supposed to think! Ivan''s vision tinted red around the edges once more, ignoring the small woman''s cries. As he turned to confront the woman in his rage, he noticed what she was yelling about. A giant tusked beast was bearing down on him quickly. It looked like a giant boar but had far too many tusks! Tusks it would use to gore him to death once it ran him down. A small voice in Ivan''s head screamed for him to dodge, to run, to climb a tree! Anything other than stand in this monster''s way. Another voice was drowning it out with its screaming rage. First, the rabbits, now this bitch wants a piece of me! His inner voice screamed as the creature''s charge brought it closer! The dwarf had his Warpick in his grasp, he let out a roar of fury! "BRING IT ON YOU FUCK!" As the boar was within feet of him, the raging man brought the hammer end down with all his might on top of the pig''s skull before it drove into him!
Critical Hit! 89 damage against Gore Boar! You have fractured the skull of your enemy! 75 damage taken from Gore Boar. You are Bleeding, -5 health a minute. You have broken your left leg.
The Gore Boar knocked Ivan aside like a bowling pin, throwing him aside as it drove past him before dropping to the ground itself. Ivan struggled to his feet, leaning on his uninjured leg. He couldn''t feel the pain yet, adrenaline coursed through him. His rage still in control. The boar was struggling to get back on its feet, unbalanced and dizzy from the impact of the hammer. Ivan limped forward, "You are going to make so much bacon, you fat fuck!"
-5 health from Bleed
The dwarf ignored the notice as he neared his downed enemy. The boar found it''s feet before Ivan got to it, though that didn''t matter. It was still stumbling about as Ivan brought his weapon down on the boar''s head once more, this time with the pick side. The impact fell upon the boar''s already fractured skull, piercing through it into the brain with a revolting crunch.
25 Damage to Gore Boar! Goar Boar Slain! 250 EXP Gained! (50 x 5 Level difference) Congratulations! You have gained 3 levels! You are no longer bleeding.
As Ivan read this screen, he felt a warmth spread from his core. It was the feeling of a hearth fire, a gentle hug from a cherished family member, the mug of hot chocolate after a time spent in the cold. It encased his body, making him feel pure and peaceful. The man left out a deep sigh of relief and happiness for the first time in a long time. He held onto it until the pain in his leg came barging in, causing him to fall over with a pained yell! "FUCK! It hurts. My leg!" He yelled out, gripping his leg. He didn''t see a bone, but he was covered in so much blood. Reality came back to him like a hammer to the skull. He had just taken down a monster 5 levels higher than him; he just stood there and took its charge like a moron! He could have died! "That was fucking awesome!" The voice of the Angel drew Ivan''s attention away from his leg. She flew over next to him, her golden light soothing abit of the injury to his leg. "I tried to warn you, but then you turned around and went all badass! You smashed that things skull, then you both rolled for like 10 feet! Did that stop you? No, you got up and finished the fucking job!" Ivan fell into shock, hearing the woman''s telling of his battle. She was so animated about it, waving her hands about wildly. "That thing was level 5, and you took it down like a BOSS! You had to get like 4 levels from that!" "Hey, what''s your name?" Ivan interrupted the woman, trying to keep her from fangirling anymore. His leg was throbbing, though not as painful as it had been! "My name? My name is Hildegund! I am one of the mighty Valkyrie! War and Battle!" She yelled out into the woods, raising her mace once more into a very heroic stance. "I am a guide for those mighty warriors who fall in glorious battle!" Ivan let out a tormented groan as she went on, the pain putting him on edge. "Ok, Now shut the fuck up, Hilde!"