《The Vagabond》


 1. Into the Unknown

    Kass ran for her life. She had never run so fast in any of her races even though she always told herself she had given her all. No, now she was giving it her all.


    A tree snapped to her left, crushed by a larger tree that had literally been thrown in her direction. Splinters exploded around her, pelting her in a hundred different places, some digging into flesh and sticking.


    Kass didn¡¯t feel it though. Her heart was pumping as fast as her arms and legs were, adrenaline coursing through her like she had never experienced before. She knew she was hurt, but she also knew if she stopped now she would become human paste soon enough.


    The monster behind her was one out of a fantasy book. A large, one eyed humanoid whose only goal seemed to be eating humans and smashing things.


    How the hell did I get myself into this mess? Kass had no idea what was happening, but she really didn¡¯t have the time to think about it. One lapse in judgement, in calculation, meant faceplanting in the dirt and then dying to the scariest thing she had ever seen.


    She was getting tired though, and knew she could only keep this up for so long. All that training only to die because I couldn¡¯t run long enough? She knew it wasn¡¯t that simple but she couldn¡¯t help but doubt herself.


    Running for the university team was different than running for your actual life. She breathed hard and gritted her teeth, not willing to give up. If her training had taught her one thing it was to not give in when her body begged her to do so.


    She hurdled a fallen log and dashed underneath a thick tangle of branches, coming up quickly only to have to hurdle again, and again. At least this is familiar, right?


    Sunlight peeked through the forest canopy in beams that flashed across her body as she sprinted on. A glint of metal in her left hand caught her attention for a split second and she glanced its way. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    She was surprised to see that she was still holding onto the sword she had discovered earlier, before the ogre. She found it to be quite light, especially with it still in its sheath.


    Kass focused her eyes back on the obstacles in front of her but then realized that maybe the ogre wasn¡¯t after her because it wanted to eat her so badly, but because she had stolen its treasure. Great, just great. Why am I still holding this?


    She looked at the sword again, drawn to the beauty and intricacy of it. It was slim and sleek, colored a glossy pitch black, with an ornate hand guard that twisted and turned around the grip.


    Not sure exactly why, she couldn¡¯t let go of it. She would only be guessing that the ogre would stop chasing her if she did drop it, and she might need something to defend herself with in the future. She was alone in the woods in a place that ogres existed¡­ Who am I kidding? I¡¯m dead anyways.


    Even though that might be true, she wouldn¡¯t let herself die easily. She knew that most living things did everything they could just to survive, and she would do the same.


    Another tree splintered behind her, crashing through multiple others before losing its momentum. Kass knew she was lucky to be running through a forest. The ogre was easily much faster than she was, but with the trees she actually had a chance of escaping. Even if it was a very small chance.


    She did her best to weave through tight gaps between trees and around the large rocks that spiked out from the earth in hopes to slow her pursuer down, but whatever she did she couldn¡¯t shake the thing. It crashed through trees and stone alike, only marginally slowing as it pounded after her.


    Kass¡¯ body began to fail her then, not responding as quickly as she wanted it to. She stumbled and almost fell, using her hands to keep herself upright.


    She still held onto the sword somehow and pushed on, her legs feeling leaden as pain began to seep into her. It was slow at first, like a dull ache that came and went, but soon she was sure she was feeling the full effect of the state of her body.


    She cried out in pain as she stumbled onwards, desperately trying to keep her feet under her. Ahead she could make out a change in the forest and prayed that it wouldn¡¯t be just an open clearing.


    Seconds later she burst from the underbrush into the full sunlight of midday. Momentarily blinded by the light Kass tripped and fell. She tumbled and rolled for a few yards before skidding to a stop, gasping for air and clutching her side in pain.


    It was all too much and she was having trouble focusing. But she didn¡¯t have trouble focusing on the large circular hole in front of her. Almost one hundred feet wide and one hundred feet long, the hole filled most of the clearing she stood in.


    Somehow she hadn¡¯t fallen in after her little tumble, and now lay very close to the edge. Kass stood quickly and peered into the opening. Instantly she felt a little sick at the sight of an incredibly dark hole that seemed to have no bottom.


    She only had a mere three seconds before the trees behind her split and a fuming ogre charged straight for her.

 2. A Life for a Life

    It was the end. She knew it. What she couldn¡¯t believe was how her life had ended. Some of her old friends she knew would die from the common flu or a random heart attack in the years to come, but she had always thought she would have lived a long life.


    She had done all she could to be healthy and fit, staying far away from unhealthy things. But here she was, spinning away into darkness, almost as if dancing with the ogre that tried to grab at her as they fell. They twirled and twisted through the air, the distance between them feeling odd as it seemed they grew nearer and then further away, as if in rhythm to a song.


    Shit shit shit! The sudden moment of shock passed and Kass realized to a fuller extent what was happening. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!¡± She looked around herself desperately as she yelled, trying to see through the hair that whipped in her face.


    Debris fell with them, the chunks of rock, wood, and dirt falling like rain from the clouds. The sun appeared and disappeared with each of her rotations, each time further and further away. A glint caught her eye again and Kass remembered the sword. She was still holding it somehow, having locked it in a death grip as if losing it would spell death for her.


    A sudden urge overcame her then and she unsheathed it from its beautiful scabbard as she fell, not worried in the slightest about cutting or stabbing herself. She stared at it, almost as if lost in a trance, until her eyes snapped up and targeted the ogre.


    It was all this things fault that she was here, dying. A lust for blood entered her that she had never felt before. It felt so unnatural, yet natural at the same time. Either way it didn¡¯t change what she wanted. This ogre would die too, and she would make sure of that.


    Snapping back into focus after only a few seconds of falling, Kass steeled herself, fighting back all the built up emotion inside of her. Don¡¯t cry. Can¡¯t¡­...cry. The ogre was below her, too far away to reach at the moment, still reaching out, trying to snatch her.


    She lost sight of the monster as she spun away from it for a split second, then found it again as she came around. Can I even catch that thing? Trying her best to halt her horizontal movement, Kass pointed her body down and dove towards the ogre, sword arm outstretched.


    She still spun, but this time she never lost sight of the ogre, spinning like a bullet towards its target. Her speed increased and the distance closed between the two. Kass dodged a large clump of dirt, maneuvering herself through the air with surprising skill. What am I doing!?


    Another second passed and Kass fully committed to her course of action. Through gritted teeth and water filled eyes she screamed, something primal escaping from her center. She shot straight for the ogre who was still free falling, arms and legs waving through the air, keeping it facing her.


    It swiped its arm at her as she came in range, and she did her best to dodge it, only her feet getting hit by the wrist of the beast. It still spun her, and she momentarily lost control. She stabbed into the monster¡¯s arm to arrest her motion and was surprised as the blade cut easily into the flesh and then continued to cut as she fell down its forearm.


    Out of the corner of her eye Kass saw the other arm coming towards her quickly, as if to squash the irritating mosquito. With a quick reaction Kass planted her feet against the thing¡¯s arm and pushed off, soaring upside down, over the second arm that smacked into the first with great force. Almost like pole vaulting. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Now past the ogre¡¯s defenses she dove again, this time feet first, holding her sword with both hands above her head and aiming directly at its¡¯ chest. Whether it was plain luck or the cosmos of the world giving back just a little for the injustice of everything that had happened, her feet planted, and her blade drove home.


    As soon as her blade had touched the ogre, they hit the ground. The force traveled through the ogre and into Kass in an instant. Bones snapped and she was instantly pressed hard against the thing¡¯s body. Her vision went black just as fast, fading away into nothingness.


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    The Urun scout shuffled its feet, bored of doing the same thing every single day. The thing stood at the edge of a large, circular lake that marked the outskirts of the Urun clan¡¯s domain.


    Tunnels branched off in many directions in the cavern, which could spell danger of many different kinds coming to the clan. That¡¯s why the scout stood there, day after day. It was a good task, one of the most important, it knew. But it was a boring one. Not much had happened in these parts for many many years.


    The beasts that prowled the areas outside the clan¡¯s reach knew the danger of approaching the Urun settlement and so most generally stayed away. And it had been longer still since the last raid from another clan had come their way, but still, the Urun stood watch.


    It rested its crude spear against the tunnel wall and kicked at a rock, sending it soaring into the lake and creating ripples that lapped at the sides. The Urun loved to watch the ripples, and so it repeated the process, its scaly skin scraping against the rough floor as it kicked another, this time larger stone into the water.


    It smiled a toothy smile as it watched the pattern play out in the water before it. This was something that never got old. The occasional drop of water from above also created these ripples all across the lake and it mesmerized the Urun.


    A loud sound from above broke the Urun¡¯s concentration on the ripples and it snapped its head up quickly, not used to such sounds here. Far above, in the circle of light, the Urun spotted a dark spot enter the usually spotless circle.


    Unsure what could have caused this, and knowing that it was not yet time for the light to disappear, the Urun grabbed for its spear and watched, fully alert. The spot grew quickly as the seconds passed and the Urun instinctively took a step back.


    In moments it could make out the features of a huge monster with arms and legs, flailing about as it fell. Then the Urun made out another shape, similar arms and legs but much much smaller. Its good eyes were one of the reasons it had been chosen for this task, and it picked out information quickly, ready to run and inform the clan when necessary.


    The two beings were headed straight for the lake, and a part of the Urun knew that they would not survive such a fall. It had fallen before, from much less height, and it knew the danger of falling.


    The two shapes came to eye level of the Urun and time seemed to slow as it watched from its perch above the lake. The smaller one had something shiny, a weapon it realized, sharp like its spear was.


    The big one swung its huge arm, strong and fast enough to kill any Urun, but missed the small one, who then stabbed at the arm. A split second later the second arm swung, clapping together hard with the other arm. Yet this one missed too, and the Urun watched in amazement and fear as the small one soared through the air, like a rock towards the lake.


    With what seemed like such grace to the Urun, the small being flipped once and then held its stabby weapon high, arms stretched above its head. The small one¡¯s feet landed on the chest of the large monster and drove its weapon towards it, sinking to a knee as it sunk home.


    Unable to move from where it stood, the Urun watched as the two monsters plunged into the lake. Water exploded everywhere and the Urun saw the biggest ripple it had ever seen in its life. It shrieked and fell back, scrambling to get away from the wall of water headed its way.


    It failed, and the water washed over the Urun who clung on for dear life. In an instant it was over and the water washed back towards the lake, dragging smaller rocks with it.


    It managed to push itself back up to its feet and began to flee. It risked a glance back and was blinded by the brightest light it had ever seen, and within the light, head back and arms limp, the Urun looked upon the smaller being.


    The one that had destroyed the huge monster. The one that had created the largest ripple ever created in the history of the Urun. The one that the Urun knew to be the end of its clan. It turned away and ran as fast as possible to warn the others of the God of Death that had just arrived on their doorstep.

 3. A Lucky Find

    Kass awoke with a start. She was cold, and wet, and thought that this must be the beginning of what it was to be dead. There was no pain, like most people thought it would be like when death came, but she wasn¡¯t expecting the cold, wet, weightlessness.


    A moment passed and Kass gasped for air, not noticing she had been holding her breath. Still have to breathe in the afterlife? Wait¡­ She opened her eyes and saw a halo of light above her. It seemed to move closer to her as she watched, although very slowly. Oh I see, I¡¯m on my way now. She closed her eyes, strangely tired from dying. Tired from dying? Ugh don¡¯t tell me this is what it will always feel like¡­


    Her head bumped into something then, interrupting her reverie and causing her to open her eyes again. She moved her arm naturally to balance herself and was surprised by the splash it made. Huh?  Kass jolted upright in the water and found she could sit up. She looked around quickly, finding her surroundings very dark. The sunlight from above helped a little this far down, and she could at least make out the shapes of things.


    How did I survive that?  A brief memory flashed through her mind, legs buckling unnaturally under an enormous pressure, a wet pop, pain. Unable to understand the situation Kass began breathing heavily, on the verge of losing it. She wanted to cry but found that she couldn¡¯t. The tears wouldn¡¯t come. All the pain she had been in was gone, and now she was at the bottom of some cave sitting in a lake.


    Something bumped against her again as she sat there and she jumped. Literally jumping back and skidding backwards onto the shore. She glanced at what had touched her and saw the limp form of the ogre she had slain. Its arm had brushed up against her as it floated there, unmoving. She couldn¡¯t make out many details at first, but the longer she stared at it the more her eyes pieced together. She saw it then, the sword, sticking out of the chest of the monster, sunk to its hilt. She immediately went for it, not thinking of where it was or even caring, as if it was the only thing that would protect her from dying, again. Which, technically, it would be.


    She waded into the shallow water of the lake and climbed onto the chest of the ogre, slightly sinking the huge body as she did so. Once up, she crawled over his grotesque form towards the blade, still tired from everything that had happened. Something she had done must have shifted the body from the bank and soon it was sinking away, with her atop it. Kass quickly snatched the blade and tried to tug it free. It was stuck fast and didn¡¯t budge. The body of the ogre scraped against the bottom of the lake, which declined into deeper water. She stood and was up to her waist in water. Gripping the blade and planting her feet on the monster¡¯s chest she pulled with everything she had. Still, the blade held fast.


    ¡°Argghhh!¡± she yelled as she pulled. In seconds, the water reached her shoulders and she began to panic. No. No no no!  She wouldn¡¯t let her lifeline go that easily. Taking a deep breath, she plunged under the dark water and used the blade to pull herself down into a deep squat. Once there she pulled again, twisting and tugging. What in the world is this thing stuck on? Come out dammit!


    Just then the blade slipped free a bit, then stuck again, but her momentum broke it free again almost instantly and the blade finally was released. Now quite deep, she pushed off the body and towards the surface, blade in hand. She gasped for air as she broke through the membrane of water, coughing for a bit afterwards.


    Kass hauled herself back up on the rocky shore and collapsed there, having exerted herself too much. The thoughts of what had happened and what she had just done floated around in her mind, but they were pushed away by some unseen force, replaced with fond memories of her past. She made sure she still had the blade, then drifted off into unconsciousness with a weird smile on her face.


    She had no idea how much time had passed when she woke up again, but the sky above was dark, which in turn meant that Kass couldn¡¯t see at all. Instead of standing, Kass decided it was best if she just crawled. She felt much better now, and had more than enough energy to move around. She didn¡¯t really want to, but also wasn¡¯t sure how good it was for her to stay in the same spot. She decided to find something she could put her back to, in case she needed to defend herself again.


    It didn¡¯t take long. After crawling through the pebbles and over a few mossy rocks, her sword scraping against the ground the whole way, she found a big rock formation and leaned her back against it. Now feeling slightly more safe she relaxed a bit. Thinking back on this later she knew that was a mistake. Relaxing allowed her to think, and thinking made her not feel relaxed anymore. Her insides felt like they were tearing her apart as she fought the emotions. Lost in a dark unknown place, alone, cold and hungry, Kass finally wept. It was a quiet cry, as she was too afraid she would attract some other evil monster that wanted to kill her. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    After awhile she calmed down enough and decided she should try and get her bearings. It¡¯s best to at least have some sort of plan, right?  I have no idea where I am, no idea how I got here....and I have no idea what to do. I have a sword though¡­ She looked at the sword in the darkness, but she couldn¡¯t even make out its outline. She held it in her right hand and reached out to touch it with her left. Carefully she ran a finger across the flat of the blade and down onto the hilt. She followed the weaving metal with her finger until it came to an end near the pommel. She was pretty sure that this thing had saved her life. It was the only thing that made sense, even though nothing really made sense. I know I broke at least one of my legs¡­


    She touched both of her legs then, setting the sword to the side and running each hand down each leg. There wasn¡¯t even a scab on her, after all that running through the forest. She knew she wasn¡¯t dead because that made even less sense, since the ogre was dead and death didn¡¯t feel like this. At least I don¡¯t think it does...or should. So she was alive but had no explanation for it. She moved her thoughts along. I need to get out of here, but how? I can¡¯t see so I have to wait for the sun to come up at least. Then I¡¯ll maybe be able to climb out? She doubted that she would ever climb out of this place, even if she would have been a professional rock climber. She was just too far down, and the walls of this cavern bowed towards the hole, so she would basically be climbing the ceiling for forever if she even ever made it to there. Okay so I can¡¯t climb out...maybe there is a tunnel that leads to the surface? She knew she was being optimistic, but she had to stay positive somehow.


    Kass sat there for what seemed like a day, but she knew it had only been a few hours. Her mind tormented her with all sorts of thoughts, taking on a darker and darker tone the longer she sat there. She shifted and stretched occasionally, even curled up on the slightly wet floor, trying to distract herself with other things to keep her mind off the futile situation she was in. Any way she looked at it she couldn¡¯t help but think she would be dead soon. In no way was she prepared for something like this.


    Soon the circle above her began to glow with the morning sunlight. Shapes began to form around her as her eyes soaked in the small amount of light. Kass stretched out both of her legs then, having had them tight against her chest for the most part of the last few hours trying not to freeze. They were stiff and she groaned a bit, stretching her body in her usual routine before a race.


    After she was done, Kass grabbed her sword and stood up. She looked around and found that she could see pretty well here. She saw the lake, which dimly reflected to sunlight above it. She saw lots of jagged rock formations throughout the cavern, both on the ground and above on the ceiling, which she guessed were stalactites or mites or something. To her right, slightly across the lake she saw the dark outline of an opening in the wall, which she really hoped meant it was a tunnel.


    After surveying her surroundings Kass decided she should probably check the ¡®hopefully a tunnel¡¯ she had spotted while she had daylight. She picked her way across the rough landscape and after ten minutes and a short swim later she made it. It was indeed a tunnel, but of course she couldn¡¯t see more than a few feet into it because of the poor light. She shied away from the utter darkness and moved back down towards the lake.


    Unsure what to do now and feeling slightly discouraged she sat down again, back against a large stalag-something. Only now did she realize what she was wearing. She had on her short running shorts and a tight running t-shirt that she liked because it wicked away sweat. She had her trusty running shoes on thankfully. Otherwise that run through the forest would have gone much differently had she been barefoot. Both her shirt and shorts seems to have held up pretty well, though she could see some holes in the side of her shirt and felt at the ones on her back. Just another confirmation I should be hurt¡­


    Kass picked the blade up from the ground next to her and looked at it in the light. It was still so beautiful to her, especially the hilt with its intricate design. I lost the holder for it...the..the scabbard. I didn¡¯t even think about holding onto it at the time¡­ Maybe it is around here somewhere? She glanced around but didn¡¯t see anything, which didn¡¯t surprise her. Looking back at the weapon her eyes suddenly flashed causing her to blink. Opening them again she saw a faint inscription on the flat of the blade. Looking closer she realized the inscription was glowing a dark orange, instead of reflecting light. Amazed by this she tried to read what it said as the light began to thicken on the blade.


    Whisper. The Silent Blade.


    Woah¡­ Kass was frozen there, looking at the words. For starters, she could read it, and then, it was glowing. She doubted it was glowing from a battery either. The glow felt more as though it were alive, fading in and out like breathing.


    A sudden shriek from the other end of the cavern snapped her attention away from the magical blade. There, across the way, a large cat-like animal had pounced on another type of creature. The cat was easily eight feet long and four tall. It thick legs ended in what looked like sharp claws, and it had a long tail that Kass was pretty sure had spikes on the end of it. Its prey was still screaming as the cat bit into it with its large maw, sharp teeth digging in deep and silencing the screams.


    Kass watched in horror and suddenly wished the ogre had come back alive to chase her. At least that way everything else seemed to stay out of the way. She heard a sickening crunch and then flinched as the beast looked up at her, and she knew it could see her there, across the way. Ah shit, not again¡­ She turned tail and sprinted towards the dark tunnel behind her.

 4. Venom

    Running through a forest with a giant ogre throwing trees at you was one thing. Running through dark tunnels, however, was something else entirely and much, much worse.


    Kass would have chosen a thousand times over to be back in the forest rather than deep underground. Sight alone was the biggest reason. The thing chasing behind her was a close second, but what was the difference between a big evil cat thing and a giant man eating ogre? To her, basically nothing.


    In reality, the thing chasing her was much, much more dangerous. Either way she was terrified. At first she ran through the tunnels with reckless abandon, trying to get as much distance between herself and the cat as possible, but the tunnel wasn¡¯t straight. It twisted and turned constantly, and more often than not she was running into things and stumbling over unseen objects. Now bleeding, exhausted, terrified, bruised, blind and helpless she tried to calm herself down a bit.


    She paused for a split second, listening for sounds in either direction, trying to rely on her other senses to get her through this. She heard nothing, save for her own ragged breathing. The lack of sound scaring her more than if she had heard something in the tunnels behind her.


    She was almost certain that the cat was after her, but she had no way of really knowing. An image of a stalking panther flashed through her mind and she instantly began moving again, putting her sword arm out in front of her and the other touching the rough wall of the tunnel.


    She could feel warm blood rushing down her leg from a gash she gained in the first minutes of running in the dark with a sharp sword in her hand, not to mention the dozen or more bruises all over her body. Shit. That¡¯s a lot of blood.


    She felt queasy thinking about it, knowing that she was probably just leaving a thick aromatic trail for the cat to hunt her at its leisure. It didn¡¯t matter how far she went or how fast she was, it would be able to follow the scent easily.


    A choking despair crept up her throat rising like bile, suffocating her, eroding away at her resolve. The walls she¡¯d built to hold back the panic felt paper thin. She had nothing to bind the wound. No band-aid, no gauze wrap, no way to tie it off. Her only option was to run, to keep running, and then to run some more. To get the hell out of this cave. That or wake up from whatever hellish dream she was trapped in with giants and swords and way more blood than she was comfortable with coming out of her body.


    Several minutes passed as she made her way through the maze-like corridors. She did her best to move as quick as possible without injuring herself further. After what seemed like five or six quick switchback turns, Kass made out a small bit of light in the distance. Finally!


    With renewed hope for survival she rushed forward, closing the distance between her and the light. A quick glance behind her revealed nothing and she thought that maybe, just maybe the beast had given up.


    Bursting from the tunnel Kass found herself in what she would describe as a deep crevice. Far above her the sky was visible, bordering the jagged lines of the earth that snaked away from her. Tall walls of dirt rose to either side of her, less than ten feet apart. Ahead she could see that the passage widened a bitbefore narrowing considerably.


    Still very unfamiliar with her surrounding Kass decided to slow down a bit. For all she knew there would be more of those cats around here, or considering her luck it would be something much worse. Like a giant spider or something¡­


    She shuddered at the thought as she carefully picked her way through the new terrain. There wasn¡¯t much plant life this far down, only the occasional spiky thing that looked deadly enough. Probably poisonous too...better not touch them.


    After skirting past one such plant, Kass heard a slight sound behind her. Whipping her headback the wayshe''d come, she watched with horror as the cat slowly stalked out of the dark tunnel, barbed tail lifted above its head and pointing directly at her. Less than fifty feet separated the two.


    From the closer distance it was easier to make out certain details, like the two rows of sharp teeth and the wet matted fur that covered its lithe body. None of these things helped rid her of the paralysis that rooted her in place. Her body seemingly unwilling to move as she stared at the predator. A hiss emanated from the beast, its tail moving back and forth slightly as it paused, as if sizing her up.


    A moment passed, predator looking at prey, neither moving for what seemed like forever to Kass. She screamed at her body to move, but it remained rooted, knowing that as soon as she moved, the monster would move too.


    It was the beast that broke the standoff first, probably realizing she was no more of a threat than a fattened pig. In one quick movement the cat lunged at the wall of the crevice, landing sideways and running across it, slamming its tail into it to add momentum and keep it from falling. It¡¯s running on the wall. Of course it is. You have got to be kidding me.


    The cat had already hit the wall by the time Kass reacted. She pivoted her feet and took off, not caring to dodge the spiky plants anymore as she barreled towards the narrow section of the passage. Even running at full speed it only took a few seconds for the beast to catch up to her, still wallrunning and coming up on her right flank. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    The crevice began to narrow as Kass glanced back at the beast that was hot on her tail. There was nothing she could do though, it was much faster than she was and there was nowhere for her to go. Even the narrow section ahead of her was still plenty wide for this beast to move through. Without any other options she kept running, jumping as best she could over the deadly looking plants while still making sure she maintained her footing.


    A quick movement to her right and before she knew it, the cat was soaring through the air above her. At the last second Kass saw the spiked tail rushing down to skewer her. She pivoted off her left foot and lunged right, narrowly avoiding the strike as it sailed past her left shoulder. To her surprise the cat landed on the opposite wall, not slowing in the slightest as it easily kept pace with her.


    Three strides later and it lunged again, using the same method as last time. Kass was more ready for it this time and positioned herself to dodge at the last second again, once it was fully committed and unable to redirect the tail.


    The plan made it sound easy enough, but the moment the tail moved in to strike, Kass knew she wouldn¡¯t be able to dodge it fully. It came from an awkward angle, mostly out of her line of sight while running forward. She let instinct take over as her body twisted to avoid the strike. The sharp spear-like tip missed her right hip by half an inch, sailing past her and digging deep into the ground. However as it passed, the sharp barbs that surrounded the spear tip nicked her skin, drawing deep lines into her flesh.


    She cried in pain as she fought to regain balance, ultimately failing and crashing to the ground. She tucked and rolled, losing her grip of the sword as she fell.


    Pain seeped into her and Kass knew something was wrong. The cuts on her hip flared sharply and a quick glance showed a white foam collecting on the outside of the wound. ¡°Aghh¡­¡± she groaned, picking herself up to her knees as quick as she could and glancing around.


    She found the cat a few yards away, pacing back and forth, cutting off her escape. Its teeth were bared and its tail flicked side to side. ¡°Stop playing with your food and get it over with already!¡± she yelled through gritted teeth, pain racking her entire body.


    She fought hard to stay on her knees, still not wanting to give up. She knew it was hopeless though. Whatever poison or venom was coursing through her body would probably finish her off soon enough.


    The cat just watched her as it paced, even moving backwards a few feet when she yelled. Confused, Kass looked around her, expecting to find another terrifying beast behind.


    Instead, she found the sword. It was a little off to the right, and it was glowing. It wasn¡¯t a bright glow, but Kass knew it contained power of some sort. At first she hadn¡¯t noticed it, but all around her something pulsed. It was almost tangible, so much so that she could almost taste it, and it created a feeling in the air that Kass had never felt before. Almost like the air felt before a lightning storm. The air...is electrified.


    The venom cut through her again, tensing up all of her muscles at once, like a body wide muscle spasm. She planted both hands on the ground and tried her hardest not to pass out. It felt like her brain was being compressed along with the rest of her. Each muscle flexed uncontrollably and the pain was almost unbearable.


    After a few seconds it passed and Kass retched onto the ground, unable to control herself. She slowly moved back up, to sit slightly on her heels. She glanced at the sword again, judging to see if she could get to it in time before she would be skewered. The cat growled deeply as she did, as if reading her thoughts. The beast had moved slightly closer to her after her last episode with the venom, and Kass could tell that the electric air was growing weaker. It was less noticeable and the glow from the weapon had dimmed considerably.


    Aware that her time was coming to an end Kass became desperate. She gripped a handful of dirt and threw it at the cat while at the same time rolling sideways towards the blade. She reached it and slammed her hand around the grip, power instantly surged through her, numbing her pain and clearing her senses. The sensation surprised her and she almost lost concentration, but something pulled her along and she found herself rolling once more to the side.


    Her arm whipped and the blade slashed out as she came back around and she watched as it tore through the tail of the beast that had smashed into the ground right where she had been a split second before. The beast roared and leapt away, distancing itself from her. Half of its tail remained, twitching in the dirt, yellow blood seeping into the dirt. Fighting another seizure from the venom with the help of the sword, Kass stood and faced the cat. It continued to back slowly away from her, but after a lunge and a yell from Kass the beast scampered off, leaping from wall to wall until it reached a hole above and disappeared inside.


    I really hope it¡¯s not just waiting up there to pounce on me again¡­ She sighed and fell back to her knees, unable to stay on her feet because of the pain.


    She looked at the tail next to her that had finally stopped twitching, slightly proud of herself that she had been able to do that.  What the hell have I turned into? And what the hell is this thing? She stared at the dark sword in her hand and then pulled it in close to her in silent gratitude.


    After a brief moment of consideration and then another moment of intense agony, Kass decided she needed to move. She also decided to take the tail with her, avoiding the barbed end of course, and prayed to whoever was listening that the wet fur wouldn¡¯t be poisonous as well. It wasn¡¯t, to her relief. She figured that either she could use the thing in self defense or at the very least maybe the thing would ward off other predators.


    She looked around her and then down at herself. Her legs were a bloody mess, both of them covered in red grime. Her knees were scuffed to hell as well as her elbows, having caught her falls more than a few times. She was covered in dirt from head to toe, the blood not at all helping by collecting dirt, especially in her wounds.


    Her clothes fared just as bad. Her shirt was now fully torn from her back to her left armpit, hanging loosely around her body. Her shorts had been cut through from the attack of the cat, as well as her spandex underneath. Luckily both were still functional as well as her sports bra that didn¡¯t seem to have any damage to it other than the dirt that clung to it.


    Kass inspected the wound on her hip and wasn¡¯t pleased to see it was oozing a yellow pus that slowly dripped down her shorts and leg.  Shit. Shit shit shit. What am I supposed to do about this? Despair gripped her and after another sharp pain from the venom, she doubted she would survive another day if not another couple hours. Without anything else to do, she slowly walked to a small alcove she spotted in the crevice wall, holding the still glowing sword in her right hand and dragging the tail behind her in her left. When she reached the small opening she ducked inside and sat down hard on her butt. She closed her eyes briefly and they soon filled with tears. After all that and I¡¯m still going to die¡­


    Trying to distract herself Kass looked at the thing¡¯s tail a bit closer. She wasn¡¯t sure why, but for some reason it wasn¡¯t disgusting to her. Maybe it was because of everything she had to go through just to do that much to the beast. Or maybe she had just snapped and become a crazy person in just over a day since arriving here.


    Whatever the reason be, she was instead slightly fascinated with what she held in her hands. She had cut off around four feet of it, and for the most part it was just the matted fur that was covered in a thin slime. The barbed tail was only around six inches long from start to finish. The skin underneath the fur was tough though, she could tell. Just running a finger over it felt like there was some sort of metal underneath. As she was staring at it, suddenly a blue text hovered above the tail, startling her.


    Balmorhea Tail


    Balmor...What the¡­

 5. Pain

    Kass thought for sure that whatever venom had been on the Balmorhea¡¯s tail would fade as time passed. What she didn¡¯t expect was for it to get worse every few minutes. Before she knew it, she was floored, unable to move at all because each movement just made it worse. For several hours she laid there, in the cavity of the wall, sobbing as she experienced full body muscle spasticity.


    In her entire life there had never been any pain comparable to this. After less than an hour all she wanted to do was die, to let the pain fade away into nothingness, but she couldn¡¯t even move to stab herself with the sword if she wanted to. After a time she fell away into oblivion, losing consciousness, her body completely tapped of all energy. When she awoke it was dark again, much like the first time only a day before. The pain was still there, her entire body sore beyond belief, but for the most part the muscle spasms had died down.


    Kass had another problem though. Her lips were chapped and bleeding, her mouth dry and spongy. Dehydration kicked in and her head swam, bringing with it dizziness and a terrible migraine. She was miserable to say the least. Instead of trying to move about and find some water Kass just curled up in the fetal position and cried. No tears fell down her face and it only seemed to make her head hurt even more. Let me go home...please¡­ She begged whatever thing had brought her to this place, to this pain. But it was in vain she knew. Whatever or whoever had done this to her didn¡¯t care. She was alone, utterly alone, and it was dark. So dark¡­


    Laying there she realized she hadn¡¯t eaten for two days either. Luckily she had accidentally swallowed some of the underground lake water when retrieving the sword, or she would have probably already died.


    Time passed for Kass in a haze. She had no idea how long she lay there, unmoving. Some types of creatures passed through during the dark hours, but from the sounds they made Kass realized they steered clear of her. Probably because of the bloody tail I¡¯m laying next to...or the sword.  At some point light reached the crevice and Kass could see again. Feeling a little better from the venom but still very weak from everything else happening to her, Kass tried to sit up. It took more effort than it should have but she made it into a sitting position. Now what?


    She knew she needed water ASAP, but the only water she knew of was in the direction she came from, and in between her and it was a long dark tunnel. I can¡¯t go back there...I wouldn¡¯t even make it, it¡¯s too far. She glanced at the dark opening and dreaded the thought of having to go back to that place. But what choice did she have? There wasn¡¯t any other water around that she knew of, and she didn¡¯t have the time nor the energy to go searching for another source. I don¡¯t have a choice. I have to go back. She sighed. A part of her wanted to give in and die, the thoughts returning from before. But she was in a lot less pain now and her instinct for survival far outweighed that of her desires to die.


    Mustering some inner strength, Kass pushed herself to her feet. Almost instantly she tipped over, losing balance and almost falling on top of the cat tail. She caught herself though, using the wall to steady her swimming head, the disturbed dirt crumbling and falling to the floor. Kass looked down at the Balmorhea tail unsure what to do with it. It was probably the reason other creatures had stayed away. Either that or it was the sword that had been glowing earlier. Glowing! The freaking sword had been glowing!


    She hadn¡¯t been disturbed even once¡­ well, that she knew of at least. Deciding she still needed it Kass bent down slowly, retrieving both the sword and the tail. Once she had both she started to make her way back towards the tunnel entrance. Her muscles and body screamed in torment but she pushed through it. I feel like I got hit by a bus...twice. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Looking at the tunnel ahead, Kass thought that she should be afraid, but at this point it was either go in there and die or die somewhere else. At least she was semi familiar with the tunnel right? I mean, my blood is all over the floor in there¡­ Smirking slightly at her own joke and the ridiculousness of the situation she was in, Kass put one foot in front of the other.


    Soon she had reached the opening and without hesitation walked inside. Once again shrouded in darkness, Kass held the sword out in front of her and held onto the safe end of the tail, dragging the spiked end across the floor as far behind her as she could, not wanting anything to do with the venom it was tipped with. She felt her way along, carefully shuffling her feet along the rough ground. Occasionally she stumbled, but she caught herself and made sure not to injure herself again.  I might just make it! Just keep moving¡­¡­¡­.Just keep moving¡­


    -------------------------------------------------------------* * *-------------------------------------------------------------


    The Urun Commander strode forward into the open cavern with his two best fighters next to him. It had been just over a day since the scout had returned with harrowing news of a Death God that fell from the heavens above, smiting down a giant and exploding into light. Not to mention the ripples. The Urun wouldn¡¯t stop talking about the ripples.... It had taken the commander several hours to organize a troop large enough to fight off such a being, but they had managed to rally quite a force with such an emergency ringing out through the settlement.


    He had run out ahead of the main force with a small first strike team, just in case this terror was already moving towards the clan. He had brought Juruk and Ruren with him, the two fighters that now stood by his side, confident that the three of them could at least distract the monster if they came across it in the tunnels and wait for reinforcements to arrive.


    There hadn¡¯t been any sign of trespassers though, all of their traps remained untouched and intact. He had sighed in relief when they¡¯d reached the tunnel¡¯s end; where their first trap was set. This meant that the main force would probably be able to meet up with them before they engaged in battle, and that only increased the chance of success.


    ¡°Commander Aker,¡± Juruk spoke, pointing at something in the distance. Aker followed the fighter¡¯s finger and saw a large, bloated body floating near the far edge of the lake.


    ¡°Just as Banuk said,¡± he replied, not taking his eyes off of the grotesque form. What demon could have defeated something so large? The Commander had seen his fair share of monsters over the years, but never before had he seen something so large. The bloated form was humanoid he discerned and probably weighed more than a hundred Urun soldiers altogether. He was suddenly less confident of their ability to rid their territory of such a monster that could have defeated this thing.


    Before anything more could be said, noise could be heard coming from one of the side tunnels. The three Urun quietly crouched behind a large rock near their own tunnel entrance, blending in extremely well with their surroundings. Each of them watched the other tunnel intently, the sound growing louder every second. They were a good distance away from it, and Commander Aker felt safe enough to remain there.


    Six Urun eyes watched as a humanoid form emerged from the shadows. To Commander Aker it was his worst nightmare. There walked the Death God that Banuk had run into the town screaming about, covered entirely in blood and grime. In its right hand it carried a dark blade that emanated with raw power, and in the monster¡¯s left hand, to his horror, the thing dragged behind it the severed tail of a Balmorhea, the most feared beast in all of the underworld.


    All three of the Urun fought the urge to flee. This being was the most terrifying thing any of them had ever seen. Luckily, the Death God hadn¡¯t seemed to notice them cowering in fear behind the rock and instead made its way towards the lake. Without pause, and without fear of disease from the rotting corpse that lay within the lake, the being dropped the Balmorhea tail and knelt, scooping handfuls of water to its mouth. It was all too much to take in. Juruk looked at Aker, eyes wide with fear, and he could see Ruren shivering uncontrollably at his side. He tapped both of them on the shoulder and pointed towards their tunnel. It was time to retreat. It was time to ready the troops for war.

 6. Wizlard

    The water tasted exquisite to Kass, rushing through her and filling her with a renewed energy. She resisted the urge to dunk her head into the lake and instead continued feeding water into her mouth with a cupped hand. The water instantly soothed the pain in her head, and she sighed with relief. It felt like the water had entered her bloodstream immediately and rushed to satiate her whole body.


    After a minute Kass felt slightly sick, having drunk a little bit too much too fast, but other than that she was feeling like a new person. With another sigh, she plopped down on her butt and rested there at the lake¡¯s edge, glad that she had made it back.


    She glanced at herself again and remembered the sorry state she was in, aches and pains still causing her grief. It was then that she looked up and across the lake to the floating form of the ogre body. Realizing what she had just done Kass immediately began gagging, turning over on her side as she choked. She threw up on the shore and continued dry heaving for a whole minute.


    Tears filled her eyes this time as she cried, losing the small amount of control she had gained from having a temporary goal and purpose. I hate this place! After retching for a third time Kass rolled back to her butt and hugged her knees close to her chest. She put her head in her hands and continued sobbing, rocking back and forth in an attempt to soothe herself. Nothing could make this worse. I can¡¯t even drink the water now! She had completely forgotten about the ogre¡¯s body in her haste to drink. She needed water but couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine drinking from the lake again.  Just drank water with a dead body in it...a huge dead body¡­can check that one off the list now. Along with all the other shitty things that have happened to me here. Her stomach growled as she sat there, conveniently reminding her that she was also starving. ¡°Somebody just kill me now,¡± she muttered to herself.


    I¡¯ll probably still have to drink out of this lake if I want to survive. Maybe I can drag the body out of the water? No, you idiot, the thing is huge. It¡¯s either die of thirst or of whatever disease I get from drinking the damn water. Kass took a deep breath and wiped her eyes. She could feel that they were puffy and she dabbed at them a bit. She couldn¡¯t decide whether it was a good idea or not to wash her body off in the water she would be drinking out of, but she needed to clean each of the wounds she had before they became infected. Looking at the cuts from the Balmorhea it wasn¡¯t that hard of a decision anymore. The thing already looked infected and she knew she needed to clean it.


    Scooting forward a bit, Kass submerged her legs in the cool water, lightly brushing away the dried blood and dirt that clung to her skin. When she made it to the first couple scuffs on her knees, she carefully scrubbed them, trying to remove all the dirt she could see. She hissed in pain from the stinging this caused. These aren¡¯t even the bad ones yet. After finishing with those she moved on to the cut across her left leg from the sword. It looked like it had been a clean cut and was only a thin slit about five inches across her leg. Already the wound was sealed with a scab that surprisingly didn¡¯t look infected. At least not to her untrained eyes. Unsure of what to do she left it alone, not wanting to open in back up and cause more problems.


    The Balmorhea wound was a different story. All around the cuts the skin was red, swollen, and sore. The cuts themselves were covered by yellowy scabs that leaked pus in many places. Kass pushed herself further into the water until she was sitting in it. The water didn¡¯t quite reach the whole wound and so she carefully scooped water over it, letting it run over the scab without her touching it. I have no idea what to do with this¡­I don¡¯t want to touch it right? She kept running water over it for awhile, the cold seemed to ease the pain she felt a bit. Finally she decided there wasn¡¯t anything else she could do and scooted back out of the water.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Ugh I¡¯m so hungry¡­ and tired. She stood and looked around the cavern, searching for something she could eat. Her eyes caught on the floating body after a second and she just stared at it, then shook her head.  I think I''d rather die than try to eat that.  She gagged a bit then turned away, retrieving tail and sword and walking in search of food.


    Before long she found herself along the wall of the cavern where a thick grey moss was growing. Pulling some off the wall she sniffed it, and was surprised it only smelled like wet dirt. Carefully she placed a piece in her mouth and began chewing. The moss was stringy and bitter, but for the most part edible. Huh. This is actually pretty good! She wasn¡¯t sure if it was just the fact that she was starving or if the moss was actually tasty, but since she wasn¡¯t dying on the floor yet she decided to dig in.


    Half an hour later Kass sat on the floor again with her back against a section of moss-cleared wall. The moss wasn¡¯t the most filling thing, but she felt much better after having eaten something. Tasted kinda like brussel sprouts¡­ She broke out into a large yawn, suddenly feeling very tired. Guess now that I have some food and water it¡¯s time to crash again. Looking around she guessed that this place was as good as any for a quick rest and so she curled up in a ball and was soon fast asleep.


    Kass awoke a short time later to a loud thrum that resounded throughout the cavern. She jolted upright and clutched at the sword that she had been limply holding while sleeping. A groan of pain escaped her as she moved her battered body.


    Realizing this probably meant more danger for her, she scrambled on her hands and knees to a nearby stalagmite. Old wounds reopened and began seeping blood, but Kass didn¡¯t notice. Her attention was fixed on the rows of small figures that began marching out of one of the tunnels. This tunnel was set a bit higher in the cavern and had a decently wide shelf that extended from it before falling away at a steep angle.


    Row upon row appeared until the first line came to a halt at the edge of the rocky shelf, each of them pounding a spear into the floor in unison. Now easier to see, Kass inspected one of them. That thing has got to be what, three feet tall? Some type of reptile¡­ organized and holding spears¡­ Well shit. I knew I somehow got teleported somewhere but this just confirms it, I¡¯m in some sort of damn fantasy. Kass had never really been interested in fantasy, focusing more on sports and world history. She had seen a few movies of course but when it really came down it it, she knew hardly anything at all.


    So giants and magic huh. Yup, I¡¯m screwed. I¡¯m so totally screwed. Near the center of the formation the soldiers broke apart and a slightly larger reptile strode forward. It wore some type of armor that covered its torso and a cape that draped over its left arm and part of its back. In its right hand it held a staff that was decorated with an assortment of bones. It raised both of its arms and the pounding of spears ceased.


    The reptile spoke then, a scratchy, guttural sound escaping from its mouth. It only said a few words before taking its staff in both hands, lifting it high in the air. Kass watched silently as the creature took several deep breaths, closed its eyes, then began glowing faintly, a purple light emanating directly from its skin. Some sort of magic I guess. Wish I knew more about all this¡­what is this thing a wizard lizard? After a few seconds the light collected around the creature¡¯s hands and slowly began snaking up the bone staff. It twisted around and around until finally it reached the top.


    Once there, the light disappeared and the staff seemed to absorb the energy. A split second later the same purple light exploded out of the staff and a shockwave of energy spread through the room, washing over Kass in an instant. Ahhh! What was that!? Terrified, but not wanting to risk exposing herself by moving, she remained where she was.


    For a moment, nothing seemed to happen and Kass began to relax. She quickly checked over her body to make sure nothing was wrong, and, finding nothing, her gaze returned to the lizard. The wizard lizard? The wizlard she decided, a small grin forming at her lips at the ridiculousness of it all. The creature¡¯s eyes remained closed for nearly a minute, the cavern completely silent. Then the wizlard turned its head and its eyes snapped open, and to Kass¡¯ horror, it was looking directly at her.

 7. Binding

    How many times is this going to happen to me! What am I a homing beacon for trouble and monsters and things that want to eat me!? Hey look at me! I¡¯m young, single and ready to be your lunch! The staff wielding reptile screeched out a command and pointed in her direction. Instantly the groups of warriors began hopping down the steep hill, whooping and shouting as they sprinted towards her.


    This really can¡¯t be happening. Completely flabbergasted by the display, Kass just stood there with her mouth slightly open. She watched as roughly one hundred of the reptiles leapt off the rock shelf and scrambled towards her. Each one carrying a spear and waving it above their heads as they ran.


    By the time Kass snapped out of it the quickest warriors had closed the distance considerably. Unsure what to do she did the first thing that came to her head, the thing she was best at. She ran. The tunnel leading to the deep crevice where she fought the Balmorhea wasn¡¯t an option since she would have to run slightly towards the reptiles. She figured she would be cut off before she reached it.


    Glancing around she spotted a few other openings away from the charging enemy and made her way towards one of those. As soon as she started running the battle cries behind her increased in volume, the creatures seeing weakness in their target. Kass heard some of these high pitched yells coming from the other side of the lake and glanced over. She spotted more of the small reptilian forms running to cut her off, some even jumping into the lake and swimming rapidly towards her. She gripped the sword tight and prayed for its help again.


    ¡°You have to fight human¡­¡± a voice rang out in her head, startling her.


    ¡°What!?¡± she yelled back, raising her voice, confused. ¡°Who are you!?¡±


    ¡°If you run, you die¡­ so it¡¯s simple, you must fight to survive¡­¡± the voice spoke the words so matter of factly, like it should be obvious to Kass.


    ¡°I can¡¯t fight them! I die either way, I¡¯d rather take my chances running.¡± she huffed and puffed the words out, feeling ridiculous talking to herself and still running as fast as she could towards an exit.


    ¡°No.¡± The single word was spoken as a command.  ¡°Bind with me and you might live, trust me.¡± Bind? Might live? What the? I¡¯ve somehow summoned a demon now?


    ¡°Bind? What do you mea¡­.¡± the sword in her right hand suddenly flashed and words appeared in Kass¡¯ vision, making her stumble slightly as she slowed down. She knew she didn¡¯t have much time, the creatures coming up fast from almost every direction. Unable to do anything else she quickly read the words.


    Bind yourself with ¡®Whisper, The Silent Blade¡¯?


    [Yes]


    [No]


    With no other options available to her and with her time running out Kass yelled her answer ¡°Yes!¡±


    Caution. You can only bind yourself with one entity at a time. Are you sure you wish to do this?


    ¡°Yes! Yes I¡¯m sure!¡± she quickly replied, panicking inside. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    As soon as she spoke the words the sword flashed again, and Kass was lifted from the ground with the energy that coursed through her. Information flooded into her mind and overwhelmed her senses. Images began appearing and disappearing rapidly behind her closed eyelids.


    Vast landscapes and great battles filled her vision. She watched the rise of a great empire and the destruction that was left behind as it fell. Then the images zoomed in and focused on a single person. A male elf, she determined. Certain scenes flashed by, as if telling a story. His family. His people. Their rejection. His banishment. His trials. His love. His hatred. All of it she experienced in a split second. Tears of sorrow came to her eyes and then she laughed with joy, emotions ripping through her just as fast as what she was seeing.


    The images slowed and Kass focused on what she was seeing now. It was a certain memory of the elf. The world darkened in the vision, and Kass watched as an intense evil plagued the land. The memory skipped forward and the elf wielded two beautiful golden swords that matched his long hair tied tightly in a ponytail. He was slender and beautiful, clad in silver armor that seemed to brighten the color of anything that came within a few feet of it. His face was covered with a golden mask, eyes glowing a deep blue beneath.


    In front of the masked warrior stood the cause of the darkness. It stood on four legs that supported a large torso and two heads. It was massive in comparison to the size of the elf. Instead of arms, multiple dark tendrils floated around its shrouded body, energy pulsing around them. Dread filled Kass¡¯ heart at the sight of the thing, and she knew then that there had never been a greater evil upon the land such as this... thing.


    The two beings stood there among a desolate plain. The land was cracked and torn, great fissures spewing out molten rock. For miles not a living thing could be seen. Thousands of bodies lay broken across the battlefield, both of beast and man.


    Seeing this, Kass felt as if she were watching the great and eternal battle of Good versus Evil. Something that was talked about often back home. Somehow, what she was seeing now seemed more real to her. Even though it defied all her beliefs. Maybe it was because she could almost reach out and touch it, whereas what she was taught back home was only visible through faith or something.


    Suddenly, the two exploded into motion. The elf dashed forward with incredible speed and then disappeared. He reappeared behind the corruption and slashed down with his golden swords, aiming for its torso. The dark being moved just as fast, leaping away from the blades while its dark tendrils rushed in to spear the elf.


    Eight tendril limbs crashed together and hit nothing, the elf reappeared again, this time above the thing¡¯s head. He slashed out again and this time found purchase on the dark flesh. The beast screeched and flailed its limbs, one of them crashing into the elf and sending him flying away. Before hitting the ground though he teleported again, searching for another opening.


    They fought on fiercely for what seemed like hours, each of them scoring hits against the other. The corruption bled a dark tar-like substance from multiple wounds all over its body, and the elf¡¯s armor was dented and in some areas shattered. His left arm hung limp, the golden sword having fallen to the ground and forgotten.


    Still the two battled on, only slowing slightly from their injuries. The elf managed to sever one of the beasts legs, only losing his helmet to a blow in the process. Losing a leg caused the thing to fall to the side, fighting for its balance. Seeing an opportunity, the elf teleported directly below its head and slashed his sword across its neck. The blade cut deep and he slashed again, seeking to sever the head. He dodged tendril after tendril, floating through the air with his magic, striking again and again at the neck of the beast. It wailed in agony and became desperate, flailing about in every direction.


    With a final swing the elf tore through the remaining flesh of the corruption¡¯s neck, separating head from torso. Just as the elf prepared to teleport away, a new tendril erupted from the beast where it¡¯s head had just been and tore into the chest of the elf, bypassing his battered armor. Blood exploded from the wound, the tendril passing all the way through and out the other side.


    The elf coughed up blood and looked down at the tendril sticking from his chest. Sadness entered his eyes as his strength quickly began to fade. Suddenly, the elf¡¯s body blurred and the tendril began absorbing what Kass then knew to be his soul. Ethereal energy was sucked away from his body that writhed and jerked in the air, trying to escape the torment.


    In a final attempt at freedom, the elven warrior gripped his sword tightly one last time, and instead of cutting off the tendril attaching him to the beast like Kass thought he would, he stabbed himself through the chest. Energy exploded in every direction, rushing across the land, vaporizing anything it touched. It melted away the body of the elf and parts of the dark beast instantly, a crater forming below where the two had been.


    A second passed and to Kass¡¯ surprise the energy blast suddenly stopped and began to reverse. She pinpointed the cause and watched as the golden blade began absorbing the energy at a rapid pace, pulling everything towards it, like the vacuum of space. In an instant the energy was reabsorbed and in place of where the golden sword had been hovered a sleek, dark blade. Her blade, she realized.


    Movement caught her eye and Kass watched as a small portion of what was left of the dark beast crawled away from the sword and the crater. Slowly it drug itself across the barren landscape until it found a deep crack in the earth and disappeared. The sword hung there for a few seconds more and then fell to the ground near the center of the crater, smoking from the heat of the explosion. It lay there motionless then, patiently waiting for the day it would be found.

 8. Battle

    As quickly as it had started, the visions stopped. Time seemed to resume its normal state again and Kass opened her eyes, dropping to the ground from where she had hovered. She put a hand to her head trying to process what just happened. She felt different, but didn¡¯t know what exactly that meant, and that scared her.  A high pitched scream came from behind her and she spun in time to see a spear rushing for her chest. Kass found herself moving then, almost as if on instinct. She moved to the side slightly and flicked her sword arm towards the monster. The spear missed and Kass watched as the sword cleaved the creature in two. She stood there horrified as the body sagged and then collapsed in front of her.  How?


    She only had a second until another was upon her, stabbing at her from a distance. Again she moved around the spear tip, easily dodging the poorly executed attacks. On the fourth stab she batted the spear away and lunged forward, stabbing through the thing¡¯s head quickly. The blade slid free easily and she stepped back, readying herself for the next attack. Tears began streaming down her face, but she didn¡¯t falter.


    ¡°What did you do to me!¡± she screamed at the voice in her head. Feeling as though her very self had split in two, and she was battling the other half for control. One part of her grew cold, not caring about the slaughtering of these creatures, only wanting to live, to survive. The other half couldn¡¯t believe what was happening and wanted to run, to hide and to curl up and cry. But there she found herself, crouched low in a battle stance she didn¡¯t have a clue how she knew, waiting to kill again.


    The voice didn¡¯t respond, and her brief moment of respite came to an end. Three reptiles charged her way, screaming fiercely just as the others had done. They didn¡¯t just come straight on, however. Instead, one moved to the right and another to the left to attack her from different angles. Her alter ego remained unconcerned as she spun right, dodging the first strikes, and slashed out, another body hitting the floor, dead. The other two were finished in short succession and Kass moved away quickly to find a more defensible position.


    She didn¡¯t make it far before becoming completely cut off from any exit. The original Kass fought for control and she stumbled a bit, caught between sobbing and snarling. I¡¯m a complete mess¡­ She choked back another sob and tried to focus.


    Pain lanced through her back suddenly, something sharp digging into her skin. With a cry of surprise she whipped around and saw the crude spear as it clattered to the ground, not having penetrated too deeply. She looked up at the creature that had thrown the spear and Kass gave way to her new violent side. The thing wasn¡¯t alone, but that didn¡¯t bother her as she sprinted at it. She was furious. All the injustice of her world would be felt by these evil creatures attacking her.


    Power emanated from the girl as she twirled and twisted, dodging attack after attack. Now completely lost in the battle she didn¡¯t hesitate as she sliced off limbs and drove her blade through flesh. Blood splattered everywhere, and soon she was covered in it. Some of it was her own. Most of it wasn''t. Ten more bodies now littered the ground around her.


    After this show of power the creatures hesitated to approach. Instead they stalked her from a distance, creating a semicircle as she backed against a wall, spears all pointing in her direction. She breathed heavily, her fit body not anywhere near the level it needed to be to fight like she had for more than a couple minutes. Already her limbs grew heavy and tired, not to mention the new wounds she had sustained.


    She felt disappointed in her weakness. Like she had been given a great opportunity and had failed to reach her potential. Her alter ego suddenly began to fade away, a deep sadness gripped her very soul for a moment, and then it was gone and she was back in full control of her body. She quickly realized what this meant and looked around frantically.


    ¡°Come back! You can¡¯t leave me here!¡± she screamed. Some of the creatures took a step back and hissed from her outburst.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t work. I can¡¯t do anything else.¡± the voice returned to her head. She felt a bit of emotion attached to the words, but couldn¡¯t place it. It wasn¡¯t sadness or even disappointment, but maybe¡­ resignation?  The thought crossed her mind and she knew it to be correct.


    ¡°No! You can¡¯t give up! Please, don¡¯t do this! I don¡¯t want to die!¡± the words came out in a sob, tears running freely down her cheeks. She sunk to her knees, terrified of death and especially the situation she found herself in. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°Your kind is too weak human, I¡¯m sorry. I¡­¡± the voice paused for a moment, as if searching for the right word. ¡°I tried.¡±


    All hope fled from Kass then. She couldn¡¯t run anymore. Couldn¡¯t fight. There was no escaping this time. Too weak¡­ She knew the voice was right. She was weak. It was something that she had always denied throughout her life. She had wanted to be strong, to be seen by others with respect. That¡¯s the main reason she left home and accepted the scholarship to run for the university. But in the end, she would die because of her weakness.


    Some of the creatures parted then, and the wizlard walked into view. He stopped ten feet from her and pounded his staff on the ground. Almost a hundred guttural whispers ceased and the warriors focused on their superior. The thing was only slightly taller than Kass was while on her knees, but it commanded the full attention of everyone. With a wave of its arms it began to speak, gesturing wildly as it did. Kass didn¡¯t understand any of it and could only watch.


    The wizlard seemed to come to some sort of conclusion and it clicked its tongue and nodded rapidly. The other reptiles copied it. With a final nod the creature lifted its staff in the air and began chanting, power emanating from it like before. Kass prepared for the worst, clenching her eyes shut and weeping quietly.


    ¡°Wait,¡± the voice suddenly said, cutting through her depressed mind. ¡°I reviewed moments of your life that were shared with me during the binding process. Does this world you come from have no Coronation? No-¡° the voice cut off suddenly as the wizlard finished its spell. A wave of energy hit Kass hard, blasting her into the wall behind her. She fell limp instantly and crashed to the floor, unmoving. The warriors cheered at their leader¡¯s success and moved towards the prone body of the woman.


    ¡°No status¡­¡± the voice finished slowly, knowing it was far too late for it to save the girl.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª***¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Commander Aker moved through the ranks of soldiers, glancing briefly at the dead piled to the side. To him, it was a good sight. He had expected to lose many more in order to take down the intruder, and was more than willing to sacrifice his fighters to do so. They were all lucky that the ¡®human¡¯, as elder Ulruk called it, had decided not to fight after the first few skirmishes. He had watched as the human destroyed more than three squads effortlessly and at the time had thought they were all doomed. But the human had suddenly stopped to his surprise.


    He remembered the face of the human too, it had seemed to be filled with sadness. Aker knew this feeling, and was confused as to why the human felt this. He looked at the human¡¯s weapon that he carried in his hands then. It was wrapped tight in animal leather and bound in multiple places. He had retrieved it from the ground after the intruder had been bound and carried away. Unsure what else to do with it he had taken it with him, wrapping it so it didn¡¯t draw attention.


    He continued weaving through the crowd of soldiers and other Uruns that had gathered at the center of the settlement to watch the spectacle. Almost a thousand pairs of eyes watched as Ulruk began his ritual. This wasn¡¯t an uncommon gathering, since rituals and sacrifices were common within the settlement, but this was the first time such a beast would be presented for sacrifice. Most of the Urun within the settlement had arrived just to get a glance at the thing.


    Finally, Aker pushed his way to the front of the crowd to where he could see the ritual. The Urun people had formed a full circle around the elder, some watching from ledges and high walls, others on top of shoulders, whispering what was happening to those around them. Ulruk stood in what was considered the center of the clan settlement. It was marked by the large, flat white stone slab that covered the entrance to the abyss. Atop this stone lay the human, its arms and legs bound. Above them all, white crystals illuminated the area with a soft glow.


    The elder had been speaking, and, now able to hear, Aker listened. ¡°...for life, for offspring!¡± he yelled, arms swinging wildly. ¡°This sacrifice a warning to beasties that come. None will pass through Urun alive! Makriael will devour them!¡± As he finished, Ulruk pulled a sharpened stone out from under his cape, and moved towards the human.


    ¡°To one, be done!¡± an Urun yelled from the crowd, and soon more voices joined in, chanting the phrase. They all watched as the elder cut into the soft unscaled skin of the human, blood pouring from it. He continued this process again and again, not cutting deep, but making sure to draw blood each time. Soon the human had cuts all over its body, and blood ran freely onto the white stone, staining it a dark crimson.


    The chanting continued as Ulruk motioned for eight Urun to move the stone. They pushed and shoved, but were unable to move it more than a hands-width. Four more Urun joined the others and together they slowly began moving the slab. An opening beneath the stone was uncovered and large gust of air pushed into the cavern. A powerful energy accompanied the rush of air and spilled into the room, silencing the chanting as every Urun watched the hole widen the further the stone was pushed away. Once it was completely uncovered, eight Urun moved away and back into the crowd, four remained standing to the side.


    The hole wasn¡¯t very large, only two, maybe three times the width of an Urun. It was deep though, and no one ever wanted to venture down it. Ulruk signaled for the remaining four to lift the body. As they did he attached a long sinuous rope to the strand that already bound its hands together. The four Urun then moved to stand before the hole, straining slightly from the weight. Then they began lowering the human slowly into the darkness below. Once the rope finally reached its end it was looped around the large stone slab, remaining taut as the human hung from it a hundred feet down. ¡°To Makriael, let it be given!¡± yelled the elder and the crowd cheered in agreement.


    Many Urun approached the hole then, tossing in offerings to their deity and whispering a few short words. Time passed and most Urun lost interest, only a few stayed to wait for the rope to slacken, signaling the acceptance of the sacrifice. Commander Aker had waited for most to leave and now he stood there, next to the hole, staring into it. In his arms he held the human¡¯s weapon, still wrapped tight. He looked at it for the fiftieth time and then sighed. ¡°For your mercy, human¡± he said, and then dropped the bundle into the abyss.

 9. Coronation

    There were no words to describe the pain she was in. All she knew was agony. She even found herself hallucinating about torture. At first she had screamed and yelled, cried and wept, mumbled and laughed. Now she just waited to die. It was morbidly funny to her that just over a day ago she had been in the same situation, wishing to die from the venom. How petty she had been. She thought she knew pain...hah.


    She awoke to find herself naked with blood dripping down her everywhere, suspended at her wrists by a sinewy cord. Kass had no idea how long she hung there. It was amazing she hadn¡¯t bled out. She had passed out more than a few times though, and she desperately wanted to again. It was the only thing she was allowed the luxury of.


    ¡°Should be dead...now by here soon¡­¡± she mumbled incoherently, and then chuckled slightly.  She began rolling her head from side to side, which gave her a funny feeling that drowned out the pain a bit. She kicked her legs too, unable to feel them at all. She was surprised when they still worked and so she kicked again. Her foot smacked into something solid and she pushed off of it, swinging a bit. Her shoulders cried out at her to stop but she didn¡¯t listen. She kicked again and again until she rammed into the wall in front of her. Old wounds reopened and somehow she felt more pain as it rushed through her.


    Suddenly angry Kass jerked from side to side, using what little energy she had left to throw a tantrum. The movement pulled down hard on the rope supporting her weight and all of a sudden she found herself falling again. It wasn¡¯t something new to her at this point. She didn¡¯t fall far and quickly hit the floor below. She landed like a sack of potatoes. Bones groaned and her right shoulder popped loudly with the impact but somehow she didn¡¯t seem to break anything. There was a lot of pain though.


    Kass groaned as blood rushed back into her arms and legs, the throbbing becoming worse by the second. She blacked out again and when she awoke she was at least able to focus a little. Now more aware, Kass was very careful with how she moved, not wanting to cause any more damage to herself than she already had. She could feel warm blood seeping from a few cuts and was pretty sure if she opened even one more she would die of blood loss. How have I not already bled out? She remembered something about how fast people can die from blood loss and it didn¡¯t make any sense to her that she was still breathing.


    She lay there in the silent darkness, freezing and trying not to think too hard about anything. It worked for a time, but she soon became restless. Kass tried to move her arm to inspect some of the cuts on her body, but the arm only barely moved and caused more pain to shoot through her. She slowly tried the other and was relieved when she was able to move it, even though it was stiff.


    Worried about her arm she ran through a quick process of elimination. I was hanging there for forever. Not paralyzed... Not missing¡­ Dislocated? It made sense, but it didn¡¯t make her feel any better. I have no idea how to fix this¡­ She¡¯d seen a dislocated shoulder before, and had even seen it set, but none of that would help her now. Guess I¡¯ll worry about that later¡­


    After working at it for a few minutes Kass was finally able to move her good arm around enough to check some of the cuts, though it was still bound to the other arm so her movement was limited. She was glad it was her right and dominant arm that wasn¡¯t dislocated, knowing it would have been a disaster if she had to use her derpy left hand to do anything remotely technical.


    She was surprised by the amount of cuts she found on her body. She found them everywhere, from her arms and legs to her stomach and chest. Most were sealed at least, delicate scabs forming over them. Those sick freaks really chopped me up¡­


    After inspecting the damage on her body as best she could, Kass tried sitting up. She knew it probably wasn¡¯t the best idea and that she should just lay there for awhile, but she couldn¡¯t do nothing. It was driving her crazy and she needed to get her mind off the pain.


    Slowly she engaged her abs and lifted herself from the cold ground. It took a second but she made it to a sitting position. She felt a bit dizzy but otherwise was glad to be upright. Probably going to need water again. Soon. She sighed thinking about her empty stomach and dry throat. It was way too much work trying to stay alive. She really had it easy back home. A pang of homesickness hit her then and she reminisced of a grocery store, a toasted bagel, and a warm bed.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    So where am I? She looked around in every direction but couldn¡¯t see anything. She wasn¡¯t surprised at all and after already having freaked out about being alone in the dark a few days ago, it was old news. That didn¡¯t mean she wasn¡¯t still freaked out, but it was easier to calm herself down this time. Okay breathe K¡­ think¡­what do I do what do I do?! Okay I need a plan...or something¡­ I need to do something¡­! Okay okay, step one, untie hands and feet. Step two, get some water. Step three, don¡¯t die. Yeah that¡¯ll work.


    The rope that secured her hands wasn¡¯t terribly thick, but seemed to be quite strong. She found a longer piece attached to the rope binding her hands and figured it was what was left when the line snapped. So it can be broken¡­ but that was my whole body weight¡­ what is this tiny rope made of? Freaking paracord!?! There was no way she could break it she decided, and after maneuvering her lame arm a bit, she went with her next best option.


    Kass gnawed at it, trying to bite through. The taste was terrible, and she gagged at first, but she didn¡¯t give up. The rope had several strands all wrapped together, and by using her teeth she noticed she could separate them slightly. It was enough to allow her to bite through each strand and soon the rope was a frayed, soggy mess.


    Kass was exhausted by the time she finally chewed through the rope. Her left arm flopped limply into her lap with a quick jolt of pain when the last strand of the rope snapped, but other than that she was now able to move her right arm around easier.


    After a short break she felt at the rope binding her ankles and decided she couldn¡¯t use the same method for that one. Instead she began feeling around the rocky ground, searching for something that might be able to help her. She was surprised when she began to find all sorts of things on the ground. She didn¡¯t know what any of it was, but she did find a few small objects with sharp edges on them. She tried a few of them and began to cry when one began to cut through.


    She wiggled her feet once they were free, stretching the ankles to try and reduce the stiffness. With her legs now able to move about as they pleased, Kass became very aware of her nakedness. It felt so wrong to her to be in such a place without any clothing. But there wasn¡¯t any fixing that now so she pushed the thoughts away. Just hope those things didn¡¯t do anything else to me while I was knocked out¡­ what is this place anyway?


    It took some effort but Kass began to crawl around in the darkness. She kept her bad arm tucked in close to her stomach and led with the other, doing her best to stay balanced. She continued to find all sorts of small trinkets which confused her a bit. Some sort of...lucky hole? Realization suddenly dawned on her and she froze, now trying to pay more attention to her surroundings. But she didn¡¯t hear anything, and nothing had happened to her yet. What else could she do besides what she was already doing.


    With her heart beating a little faster she moved in the direction she thought the closest wall would be. She crawled several feet and didn¡¯t find a wall though, and so she second guessed herself and decided to go another direction. After a few feet her hand bumped into something and she stopped. She carefully moved her hand across the object, feeling something smooth and almost...scaly. She flinched a little but by this point knew that whatever she was touching wasn¡¯t living.


    Some sort of animal skin. Whatever it was, there was a lot of it, and it was wrapped around something. Hopefully something I can eat¡­ Using the same sharp trinket she had found earlier she cut through the ties that bound the bundle. It took her awhile to do it one handed but she finally managed to cut the bindings and then unravel the skin. She reached out again and her fingers brushed against cold metal. She hesitantly followed the metal with her fingers, avoiding the sharp edges she felt, until she reached an intersection of metal. The sword! Suddenly realizing what it was she scrambled to find the grip and then hugged the thing close to her bare chest, not cutting herself in the process of course.


    Relief flooded through her. She had her lifeline back. The only thing that had been through just as much as she had in the last couple of days. Kass fought back a sob as she held on tightly to the blade, making damn well sure she didn¡¯t lose it again.


    ¡°You¡¯re alive. Hmm... I did not expect this at all.¡±


    ¡°What are you?¡± she croaked, mouth dry.


    ¡°Not now, you are unchosen. How you are still alive is beyond me. ¡±


    ¡°Unchosen?¡± Kass said, confused. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­---¡±


    ¡° I know, young one. I saw bits and pieces of your world too, you do not know of what I speak.¡±


    ¡°My world¡­.where am I?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re on Arkos now, and I believe we are still within the Brightlands, though things may have changed in my...absence.¡±


    ¡°How¡­¡ª.¡±


    ¡°Wait, no more questions, we haven¡¯t the time, there is much for you to do still. Now listen, I need your help, and the only way you can help me is if you become stronger. I can¡¯t have the only being capable of helping me in over a thousand years die by something as weak as a bunch of Uruns. You need to complete your Coronation so I need you to speak the word ¡®status¡¯ aloud.¡±


    ¡°Status?¡± She gasped as a large glowing book suddenly appeared in front of her, floating through the air. It was unopened and the cover was filled with runes that pulsed with a blue energy. It was the first light Kass had seen for quite some time, but it didn¡¯t seem to bother her eyes. Instead it seemed inviting, a calming sensation washing over her.


    ¡°What...is this?¡± she asked, but the voice did not respond. She carefully set the sword down next to her and opened the book to the first page with her good arm. ¡°What the hell.¡±

 10. Classes

    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Name


    </td>


    <td>


    Kassandra Johnson


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Age


    </td>


    <td>


    21


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Eyes


    </td>


    <td>


    Brown


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Natural Hair


    </td>


    <td>


    Brown


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    It knows my name? My age? What is this? The list went on and Kass continued reading.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Health


    </td>


    <td>


    22/180


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Stamina


    </td>


    <td>


    14/260


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana


    </td>


    <td>


    210/210


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Wait!? Health? Twenty two¡­!!! If this is what I think it is¡­Holy shit I¡¯m almost dead.  She sat there staring at the numbers for a minute, trying to process what it all meant. She wasn¡¯t in just some alternate world with scary monsters and dark tunnels, no, this world was something much different.


    ¡°Feels like a freaking video game¡­¡± she muttered to herself offhandedly, her mind elsewhere. Everything began to feel surreal as she sat there. It was like an out of body experience she always heard about but had never experienced. It was a scary feeling for Kass. She felt like she was trapped inside a dream and unable to wake herself up.


    Breathe K. Breathe. She tried to slow her pounding heart that threatened to burst from her chest. All of this was just insane. Keep reading, stay focused.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    General Level: 42


    Class: None


    Subclass: None


    Tertiary Ability: None


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Strength


    </td>


    <td>


    19


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Dexterity


    </td>


    <td>


    25


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Endurance


    </td>


    <td>


    26


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Fortitude


    </td>


    <td>


    18


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Intelligence


    </td>


    <td>


    21


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Coronation Tier


    </td>


    <td>


    -4


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Unused Stat Points


    </td>


    <td>


    41


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Wow level 42? I¡¯ve got a ton of stat points to use as well. Looks like it¡¯s just one point per level though.  I should probably use them, it might keep me alive. ¡°Hey what should I put these stat points into?¡±


    ¡°It would be wise to choose a class first.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what any of this really means¡­¡± she sighed as she continued to look at the glowing numbers on the page before her.


    ¡°You should¡­.gah...ahh..¡± a new voice cut into Kass¡¯ mind, powerful and hostile, ¡°...KILL. DIE HUMAN WEAKL¡­¡ª I apologize. Ahem, where were we?¡±


    ¡°Umm...what the hell was that?!?¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡°That...would be the demon I have been trapped with for so long...my nemesis really. But do not concern yourself, you must finish, and quickly. Who knows what¡¯s lurking down here, and you need to find sustenance.¡±


    ¡°R...right¡±


    ¡°To answer your question. Each stat pertains to a certain aspect of who you are. Therefore, strength makes you stronger, dexterity for speed and reaction time, intelligence provides mana and manages its regeneration, also reflecting the capacity of the brain to make wise decisions and remember information. There¡¯s endurance, which determines how much stress or strain your body can handle, and then there is fortitude, which makes your body tougher and increases your health. Obviously there is more to each than that, but for now that explanation will have to do.¡±


    ¡°So should I put them all evenly into each stat?¡±


    ¡°You could, yes. But, as I said before, you should first choose a class. Once you have done that you will better understand what to do. ¡±


    ¡°Okay, class first. Now where would that be?¡± Kass flipped the page and found a lot of information listed in the bright letters.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: left">


    *You have defeated Tyclovian Cyclops level 61. Extra experience granted for killing something sixty levels above you.


    *You have reached level 40. 39 stat points have been awarded.


    *Level Milestone Achieved, health fully restored.


    *Title Unlocked: Giant Slayer - Hunt and kill a being 10x larger than you. +2 strength. Status updated.


    *Title Unlocked: Revenant - Death beckoned but you returned to the living, stronger this time. +20% Health Regeneration Rate. Status updated.


    *You have been inflicted with Thrasher Venom.


    *You have been paralyzed.


    *Paralysis has worn off.


    *You have bound yourself to Whisper. The Silent Blade. Lifelink established. +10 to all stats. You can only bind to one entity at a time.


    *Technique Learned: Alanivan Sword Skills 1


    *You have defeated Urun Warrior level 19.


    *¡­¡­..


    *You have defeated Urun Warrior level 22.


    *You have reached level 41. 1 stat point has been awarded.


    *You have defeated Urun Warrior level 24.


    *.........


    *You have defeated Urun Warrior level 22.


    *You have reached level 42. 1 Stat point has been awarded.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Nothing to do with classes on that page, just some type of diary of the last few days.¡± She glanced over all the information, a hundred questions forming in her head. She decided to ask the two she thought were most important. ¡°It says here that a level milestone was achieved and I was healed because of it. What is a level milestone?¡± The memory of her legs breaking flashed through her mind again and she shivered, not sure if she really believed any of that really happened.


    ¡°A good question. Level milestones only occur every twenty-five levels. But they are very powerful. Each milestone will heal you when reached, and, if you¡¯re lucky, it will award a random bonus. Some of these bonuses are widely sought after and very, very rare.¡±


    ¡°So each time I reach a milestone it will heal me from any injury?¡±


    ¡°Of course. But do not think that it is easy to reach these milestones. There are those that have depended on the healing benefits of a milestone and have died due to haste before ever reaching it...that is most unwise.¡±


    So it did happen. My legs¡­ I knew it. But how is it possible? How is any of this possible K? You¡¯ve seen it all for yourself. Unable to come to terms with all of this new information she frustratingly pushed it aside and asked her next question.


    ¡°Okay another question, what does ¡®lifelink established¡¯ mean? It mentions that after binding with you.¡±


    ¡°Lifelink? Ah...I see...hmm...most interesting and¡­yes, very uncommon indeed. Well, It is simple really. It means that your soul is now linked to mine, and I would assume to that of the darkness that is just as much a part of this blade as I. Our life force is now intertwined it seems. Hmm...yes...very unexpected. This is probably why you are still alive young one.¡±


    ¡°So does that mean...if I die...you will die?¡± Kass reeled a bit, not wanting to believe any more of this crazy stuff.


    ¡°Mhm...so it seems.¡±


    ¡°What! Why? I don¡¯t understand.¡± She waited for an answer but none came. And so she sat there for a moment, unsure of what to do. Her mind flicked from one explanation to the next, searching for something that would prove all of this wrong and wake her up from this insane dream. She found nothing. Finally, she decided the only thing she could do instead of freaking out was continue reading. So she did.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Class Options Available


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Peasant


    </td>


    <td>


    Common


    </td>


    <td>


    A large majority of the human race. Not strong but necessary to society, this class requires patience in cultivation.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Fighter


    </td>


    <td>


    Uncommon


    </td>


    <td>


    Strong individuals who are not strangers to battle. A versatile warrior that uses a variety of weapons to defeat their opponents.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Dancer


    </td>


    <td>


    Rare


    </td>


    <td>


    An ancient art that channels energy from one to the other. Dancers were among the most desired for any group in years past. Only those light of foot could achieve this class. The dancer uses mana along with technical movements to buff both herself and those around her.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Soulbound


    </td>


    <td>


    Rare


    </td>


    <td>


    Two is better than one. He who shares his soul with another can acquire great power, but only if the souls are morally aligned. Whether be it power or prison, is up to you. This class combines the power of the body with the power of the soul. Strong physical attacks can be executed to strike down enemies in melee range.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Blood Mage


    </td>


    <td>


    Rare


    </td>


    <td>


    Lifeblood is power. By using their very life essence, blood mages cast devastating spells to injure others while healing themselves. A blood sacrifice is required in all casting.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Wind Runner


    </td>


    <td>


    Rare


    </td>


    <td>


    Quick and agile, the wind runner speeds across the land and even through the air. Applying ancient and difficult techniques, wind runners are able to move through the air for short durations.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Delver


    </td>


    <td>


    Epic


    </td>


    <td>


    With a select skillset built specifically for one thing, the delver thrives within the dungeon environment, reaching depths few others have. Light manipulation, stealth, and prospecting are but a few of these skills.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Hero


    </td>


    <td>


    Unique


    </td>


    <td>


    The path of a hero cannot be decided, only obeyed. Few are chosen as vassals of light, vanquishing the evil of the world. You have been called upon, answer and receive your destiny. A hero can become many things, but is most often a protector of people, using heavy armor and weapons to shrug off powerful attacks while dealing massive damage to their enemies.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Vagabond


    </td>


    <td>


    Unique


    </td>


    <td>


    A true wanderer. One not tied down to any place or person. The vagabond does not specialize in one area of expertise but instead uses a plethora of different skill combinations to accomplish their goals. Never quite as strong as a specialist, but much more versatile.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    More freaking decisions...I hate decisions.

 11. Decisions, Oh Decisions

    ¡°How do I know what class is the best? It hardly gives any information.¡±


    It seemed the sword was back toits normal self because she received a reply this time. ¡°It isn¡¯t so simple child. There is no ¡®best¡¯ class. Each class can offer a wide variety of skills and abilities, and each and every person on Arkos has something different. You have to decide for yourself what it is that you want to become. Now, that isn¡¯t to say that there aren¡¯t weak classes. Take the Peasant class for example. That class doesn¡¯t exist among elves. It is by far one of the weakest classes I have seen, giving minimal bonuses and less than desirable skills. However, I have heard a tale or two of legendary leaders or even warriors that possess the Peasant class. But this is not common.


    ¡°The Hero class is just the opposite. It is very rare, one that I have only seen twice. Those with this class are the ones you hear about in songs and in legend. The mere fact that you have the option to become a Hero is astounding. I would highly recommend taking it. Although, as it says, the Hero must walk a fine line or risk losing the gifts that support them.¡±


    ¡°How could someone like me even get a class like that? There is no way I could be anyone¡¯s hero.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate the powers that determine one¡¯s destiny. Besides, each class, as far as I know, has certain and specific requirements that need to be met. One cannot simply gain a class that does not fit them, to the best of my knowledge.¡±


    ¡°So I should pick the Hero class then?¡±


    ¡°I will not make this decision for you. It is important you choose your own destiny, I have already said too much as it is.¡±


    ¡°Can you at least explain a little bit more about all of this? I mean this is all really new...and very sudden. It¡¯s hard to make a decision when I know basically nothing about anything¡­¡±


    Kass felt a sigh once more through their connection. ¡°There isn¡¯t time for me to teach you more human, we continue to waste precious time and...well...hmmm¡­¡± the blade went quiet for a second.¡°...I may be able spike your memory again to give you the information you seek, but the consequences may not be worth it. The pain will be brief but very intense, and you may or may not lose an arbitrary piece of knowledge or memory¡­¡±


    ¡°Again?¡±


    ¡°Oh... the last time you may have been unconscious¡­¡±


    Shit. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious?! What memories did I lose?!¡±


    ¡°I am unsure what might have been lost, but I am positive you would not have survived had I not intervened. I taught you valuable sword skills that I would consider much more important in the present moment than some random memories.¡± The blade had a point, but she couldn¡¯t help but be angry that some of her memories had randomly been stolen from her. She ran through a quick mental scan to see if she could find out what she was missing but nothing seemed out of place. I guess I wouldn¡¯t remember if it were missing anyways.


    Kass sighed and ran her hand through her tangled hair. The book still floated in front of her, unmoving. ¡°Alright, do it. I can¡¯t see myself surviving much longer without your help.¡±


    ¡°Are you certain?¡±


    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    ¡°Just get it over with already.¡± she mumbled, the suspense causing her some anxiety.


    ¡°Prepare yourself. This should only hurt a bit¡­¡± Power suddenly surged from the blade, blasting over Kass. Bright light erupted into her vision and it felt as if spikes had been driven through her eyes. She opened her mouth to scream but found that no sound came out. A familiar blackness washed over her then and her body sagged, going limp before it smacked into the rough floor with a wet thwack. ¡°Damn. I must have miscalculated.¡±


    ¡°Arise young one! You must awaken!¡± Kass stirred slightly and pain seeped back into her life.


    ¡°Whyyy¡­.¡± she groaned, wanting desperately to fall back asleep. ¡°What did you do to me?¡±


    ¡°I seem to have underestimated the pain tolerance of a human. It was my only conclusion. Unless real damage was caused to your brain, but do not fret, it is very unlikely.¡±


    Kass had other things to deal with at the moment than be mad at the sword again. As soon as she had become coherent again, information began flooding into her. It wasn¡¯t the same sensation as the binding however. Less raw and more controlled.


    She learned the basics of life on Arkos, of history and magic, and a brief overview of common classes and skills. Nothing crazy, just something she figured would be taught to a first grader. It quickly faded away and Kass found herself again.


    ¡°I got knocked out for that? You couldn¡¯t have just quickly summed it up!? How long was I out?¡±


    ¡°A short time, not to worry. Explaining would have taken much longer. Time we do not have. I also did not want to explain such trivial things.¡±


    ¡°Alright alright. I get it. I¡¯ll try to hurry.¡±


    Kass spoke softly in the darkness, ¡°Status.¡± She watched the book appear and float down in front of her, glowing faintly. It didn¡¯t fail to amaze her. Still can¡¯t believe there¡¯s magic here. She flipped to the class page and glanced over the options again.


    So many options. Hmmmmm¡­ She chewed her lower lip in thought, trying to apply the new information she had just gained. Suddenly a vibration travelled through the ground beneath her, interrupting her thoughts. She would have brushed it off as nothing had it not been followed by another a second later. ¡°Uhh, you feel that?¡± she said in a quiet whisper.


    ¡°Something is coming. You must keep me away from it. Kassandra, please, you must escape. Choose quickl¡­ur...ahh¡­¡± the voice of the blade cut away again, replaced by the same dark presence that clouded her mind. ¡°BROTHER... COME¡­¡± the new voice boomed through her head, making it hard to think. Shit. That doesn¡¯t sound good¡­


    Kass pushed at the connection between her and the sword, severing it before the alien voice spoke again. She was on her own again and like always, in danger. Gotta pick one of these and then get the hell out of here.


    Kass knew a hasty decision could come back and bite her in the butt, but she didn¡¯t have time to choose carefully anymore. Who knew what she was going to run into next, and from what happened to the blade, Kass guessed it was probably something she should be worried about.


    Ugh I¡¯m so bad at quick decisions! She glanced from class to class quickly, unable to decide. Okay so no to the peasant class, sounds terrible. Fighter could be a good choice. Umm¡­ Definitely don¡¯t want the soulbound class with this creepy alien thing around. I don¡¯t think dancer would be a good choice for me either, especially since I¡¯m alone.


    The vibrations had grown more intense in the few seconds Kass had wasted with indecision. She felt like a complete moron by staying where she was but she needed to choose and didn¡¯t want to make the wrong one.


    Blood mage sounds absolutely terrifying, so no. Wind runner could be really good but just doesn¡¯t seem like a good choice for survival... I thought Delver might be the choice but according to the information from the sword it gives really bad penalties while above ground...no thank you.  I really really don¡¯t want the hero class either, but the blade seemed to think it was the best...the vagabond sounds...interesting. So that leaves hero and maybe the fighter or vagabond? Those descriptions are similar...although vagabond¡¯s is a lot more cryptic.


    Her heartbeat sped up when she couldn¡¯t just feel the vibrations anymore, but heard the heavy steps too. Gotta decide K. No more time! She knew her time was up and with a final moment of hesitation, chose the Hero class. With a mental command that now felt natural she selected the class option and confirmed her decision.


    New text appeared on the page before her.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Error. Soul is bound to Primal Demon entity. Hero unavailable.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    What!!! No that can¡¯t be! Oh shit. Kass swung her head towards the direction of the sounds and knew she didn¡¯t have long. She quickly refocused on the glowing book, frantically searching for an answer, something telling her what she should do. None came. Pick dammit! Umm...Vagabond! I want Vagabond!

 12. The Vagabond

    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    <table style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Congratulations, you have selected the Vagabond class


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    +5 to Strength, Dexterity, and Endurance.


    +3 to Fortitude and Intelligence.


    +1 to Luck.


    +20% Damage and Defense when fighting alone.


    +50% Bonus to learn a technique or skill when studying alone.


    <table style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Skills Gained


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Illuminate


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 1


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - 2 mana per minute


    Range: 20 yards


    </td>


    <td>


    Create a small sphere of light.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Identify


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 1


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - No cost


    </td>


    <td>


    Allows you to gain more information about identifiable objects.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Dash


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 1


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - 50 Mana per use


    Range: 5 yards


    </td>


    <td>


    When used, allows you to move quickly to a desired location.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Skill Available


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Class Tree Now Available


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    You have joined the Brotherhood of Nomadic Adventurers and have become the 13th member.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Woah that¡¯s a lot. I think that was a good choice. Lots of bonus stats and even some skills. She knew from her quick blackout lesson from the sword that it was pretty rare for a class to assign more than two skills at the beginning. No time to look at the rest!


    Need light. I really hope this works... The spell command came easily to her, like she¡¯d always known it, and soon an orb of light bloomed. To Kass it was glorious, oh so glorious. I might actually make it through this!  She shielded her eyes and looked around. She could make out the rough walls and low ceiling of a tunnel that she found herself in, bathed in the golden light. She also spotted the hole she must have been lowered into. It wasn¡¯t large, but who knew how deep it had brought her.


    Seconds after the light appeared, a loud roar pierced through the tunnel. Oh you dumbass, now you¡¯ve really painted a neon target on yourself! Realizing she made a mistake Kass stood and turned away from the sound in a hurry, commanding the light orb to travel down in the opposite direction the roar came from. She hobbled after it as best she could, the rough terrain difficult to traverse with her injured body.


    Small rocks dug into her bare feet as she followed the tunnel that curved and turned. After twenty minutes she stopped to rest, body weak and lungs burning. She hated herself for her weakness but knew if she didn¡¯t take a break she¡¯d probably pass out. Another roar sounded behind her, seemingly further away to her ears, but it was hard to tell, especially in a tunnel. The loud footsteps suddenly stopped and Kass breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe it gave up?


    She decided this was as good a place as any to finish her leveling, since she had to rest anyways. She hoped that maybe those stats would help her get out of here alive. ¡°Status.¡± The book materialized into existence once more and she quickly opened it to the first page. She immediately noticed her health and stamina had regenerated slightly, the numbers showing twenty-five and twenty-seven respectively. Her mana was also being drained from the light orb, the number down fifty from the total. I¡¯ll be out of mana in another hour if I don¡¯t get more soon. She also saw some changes to her stats and figured those were from the class bonuses.


    Wanting to ask for the sword¡¯s advice Kass thought to reconnect with the blade. As soon as the connection began, however, a darkness crept into her mind. She instantly knew something was wrong and canceled the connection as fast as she could. Luckily she had been quick enough and the magical tether between her and the sword fell away. ¡°Dammit!¡± she swore quietly to herself. Hope the blade is okay¡­I need its help. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    It was clear to her she still didn¡¯t know what stats would be best for her class, but if she didn¡¯t use them she might never be able to. So Kass decided to distribute evenly, putting eight points into each and the extra point leftover went into fortitude, in hopes it would keep her alive. Once finished she quickly glanced over the information.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Name


    </td>


    <td>


    Kassandra Johnson


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Age


    </td>


    <td>


    21


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Eyes


    </td>


    <td>


    Brown


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Natural Hair


    </td>


    <td>


    Brown


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Health


    </td>


    <td>


    25/300


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Stamina


    </td>


    <td>


    27/390


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana


    </td>


    <td>


    266/320


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    General Level: 42


    Class: Vagabond Level 1


    Subclass: None


    Tertiary Ability: None


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Strength


    </td>


    <td>


    33


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Dexterity


    </td>


    <td>


    38


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Endurance


    </td>


    <td>


    39


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Fortitude


    </td>


    <td>


    30


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Intelligence


    </td>


    <td>


    32


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Coronation Tier


    </td>


    <td>


    -4


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Unused Stat Points


    </td>


    <td>


    0


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Everything looked pretty good except her health and stamina. Damn, thought they¡¯d go up with each stat added. My mana did... Why didn¡¯t they? ...Well I definitely can¡¯t fight. I need to find a place to hide¡­ She waved away the book and it fell into dust, disappearing before it hit the floor. With a mental command the orb of light moved onwards and Kass followed. Another roar pounded through the tight corridor, this time surprisingly close.  What happened to the footsteps?! She sped up her pace, pushing herself to go faster. As long as I keep ahead of it I should be okay, right?


    This thought changed, however, when another roar answered the first, coming from the direction she was heading. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up as the sound echoed through the darkness. It was further away than the first, but it was in front of her. She had no other choice but to keep moving forward, especially since she couldn¡¯t hear where the one behind her was anymore. Something that heavy can¡¯t just walk silently all of the sudden¡­ It was just another thing that didn¡¯t make sense, but not knowing really rattled her.


    She found herself glancing over her shoulder constantly, peering into the darkness behind her. But each time she saw nothing, heard nothing. The tunnel came to an end after another twenty minutes, opening up into a cavern. Kass sent out her orb of light first to scout for danger, expecting the other roaring monster to be waiting out there for her. It wasn¡¯t to her relief. In fact, she didn¡¯t see anything other than more earth in the fairly circular cavern. The light of her orb mostly filled the space, replacing the darkness with its warm light. She decided it was safe enough and moved slowly through the opening, being as silent as she could. The orb continued to circle around with her command, destroying shadows only to create them again.


    The floor of the cavern was surprisingly flat with only a few large boulders lying around the edges. This left a large open space in the middle of the cavern that made Kass a little nervous. She noted two other tunnels leading in different directions and chose one, heading towards it. Not wanting to expose herself more than she had to, she kept to the edges of the cavern as much as she could. The tunnel she had chosen hadn¡¯t been very far away. Maybe two hundred feet if she would have headed straight for it. Although skirting the edge added more distance she thought it was well worth it not to be anywhere near the center. Something just felt off about it.


    She was almost to her destination when she heard a thud from the tunnel she had exited just minutes ago. She stopped dead and turned and watched as a large beast slowly entered the cavern. It walked on six thick, muscular legs that supported a massive torso like that of an ox, but the size of an elephant. Two tusks protruded from the thing¡¯s face, just above its mouth. A mouth that opened to reveal lots of teeth. Lots of sharp teeth¡­


    I¡¯m so dead... Eaten by a damn bull on steroids¡­. the monster huffed loudly and looked about the cavern. It hadn¡¯t seen Kass yet thankfully, but she was pretty sure if she moved she was dead. She noticed her light still floating in the air near the center of the cavern and wondered if she could distract the beast long enough for her to sneak inside the next tunnel.  It¡¯s worth a try.


    She looked back at the bull-like creature that moved towards the center of the room, its head swinging side to side occasionally, searching. Now closer to her light she could make out more details and noticed for the first time the wisps of darkness that flicked off the beast¡¯s hide like fire. What the¡­ Kass squinted her eyes, trying to see better, and was surprised by a sudden window that floated in her vision. Ahh!


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Identify Activated


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Torusinth Wraithling


    Level Unknown


    HealthUnknown


    Weaknesses: Unknown


    Abilities: Unknown


    Aggressive.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Kass took a deep breath as she read over the new information, trying to slow her beating heart that had almost leapt from her chest.  Lucky I didn¡¯t scream...sheesh¡­I had no idea that skill could be used like this. Hopefully when I level it up it will give me more information. Just got a name and... aggressive...wonderful.


    Okay, let¡¯s try this. With a final deep breath she focused on the orb of light floating in the air and commanded it to move in front of the Torusinth slowly. The moment the monster looked at it the light zipped away, heading towards the third tunnel. The ruse worked and the beast roared and then stomped after it.


    Kass followed right behind, trying to keep within range of the light orb and make it to the other tunnel at the same time. The vibrations were back and the earth shook with each step the Torusinth took. I can¡¯t believe that thing can move silently. Terrifying.


    The orb reached its max range and stopped suddenly. The beast chasing it smashed right into it, catching it in its mouth, and chomped down. Darkness returned to the cavern instantly. Luckily Kass had reached the opening of the tunnel just beforehand and stepped inside.


    As soon as she did, however, she heard a deep, feral growl in front of her. She instinctively took a step back and cast illuminate without thinking. Light returned and all Kass saw were teeth... Sharp teeth.

 13. Monsters

    The thing in front of her reminded her of a really big crocodile with a long snout and rows of teeth. It¡¯s body stretched behind it, covered in scales and flickering with the same wisps of darkness as the Torusinth. It roared so loud pieces of rock fell from the ceiling. Kass fell to her butt in fear, momentarily stunned in shock.


    She snapped out of it quickly though, scrambling away just in time. The new monster¡¯s head swept to the side in a flash and its jaws snapped shut where she had just been. The beast didn¡¯t stop there though and lunged at her with its powerful legs, easily covering the distance between them in an instant.


    She did the only thing she could, acting on newly acquired instinct. She used Dash. Mana drained from her and her body immediately accelerated, blasting across the open floor of the cavern. As soon as it had started it stopped and she skidded to a halt, kicking up dust. But it had been enough. Behind her the beast seemed slightly confused, opening and closing its mouth as if wondering where its snack went.


    In the brief moment of respite Kass used Identify. The window entered her vision and she quickly scanned its contents as she turned to run.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Identify Activated


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Jagursaw Wraithling


    Level Unknown


    Health Unknown


    Weaknesses: Unknown


    Abilities: Unknown


    Predator.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    That sure as hell makes me feel better. Shit. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted the Torusinth in the dim light. Without a sound it dipped its head and charged straight at her.  No pounding vibrations? No sound at all¡­an ability? Whatever the answer was, she didn¡¯t have time to find out. It didn¡¯t take long for the monster to cross the distance, even with her running at full speed it was easily catching up.


    Just as Kass was about to cast Dash once more, the Torusinth suddenly swerved to the side. With a glance over her shoulder she watched as the bull-like beast slammed into the Jagursaw, catching the thing midair and driving its tusks into the underbelly. Both monsters crashed to the floor, rolling and thrashing in a tangle of limbs. Kass realized the Jagursaw would have probably caught her with that leap had it not been for the Torusinth.


    Is it protecting me? It didn¡¯t make any sense. Why would this beast protect her? No...they¡¯re fighting over me¡­.


    Kass continued to hightail it away from both creatures as they fought, hoping to escape while they dealt with each other. But her hopes were in vain. Although the two were battling each other, they were only doing so because of her. After slashing the Torusinth with its sharp claws and pushing it away, the Jagursaw leapt at her again. It flew through the air, wobbling like a fish out of water.


    Kass had to dive to the side in order to dodge the big monster. It flopped to the ground hard and bounced slightly, the momentum carrying it further to the side. It didn¡¯t seem too bothered by the impact and spun quickly, looking for her.


    Kass on the other hand had it much harder. The only option had been to roll, and in the heat of the moment she didn¡¯t hesitate to do so. When she impacted the ground and felt the sharp jolt of pain rush through her though, she knew she had made a mistake. Dizzy with pain she grit her teeth and, after popping back up to her feet, continued running in the random direction she found herself running in. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Her dislocated shoulder was now looking much worse. The skin around it was cut deeply and was now oozing a clear liquid as well as blood. Kass was pretty sure she saw bone when she looked at it. She looked at the sword still held in her good hand and then at the glossy blood upon the blade. She felt sick just seeing it, but knew she had to keep moving. Note to self...rolling with a sharp sword is not recommended.


    The two beasts were grappling again, slashing and goring in a vicious combat. They rolled over the ground, smashing into the large rocks at the edge of the cavern, some even breaking into pieces under their weight. A headbutt and a kick with its six powerful legs freed the Torusinth from the other monster, sending it crashing into the wall.


    The big beast rolled to its feet and targeted Kass who was now running towards the tunnel she started in. When the beast charged, she knew she wouldn¡¯t make it and so she stopped and faced the oncoming beast. She was tired of running anyways. Tired of things chasing her. Tired of the pain it all caused.


    To hell with it. She was tired of being tired. If the end came then so be it. She knew the sword asked her to save it or keep it away from whatever these things were, but why was all of this suddenly her responsibility? She was just a random girl from some small town. A random girl. Not a hero. Even the ¡®powers of destiny¡¯ didn¡¯t think she was good enough to be a hero.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Whisper. You put your faith in the wrong person¡­¡± Kass readied herself for what was to come, only having a few seconds.


    The beast was almost upon her when she finally burst into motion. Although she had fought back whatever the blade had created inside of her when she was fighting the Urun, the sword skills still remained. She used them now. Her mind was alive with information, calculating each and every move she made. Even each and every move the beast made.


    She ran directly at the beast, prepared now for battle. In her good hand she held the sword in a relaxed grip she knew to be correct. Her other arm hung loose at her side, bouncing with each step and causing pain and still oozing its bloody mixture, but she didn¡¯t pay it any attention. There wasn¡¯t any more time for pain.


    As soon as the beast lowered its head to either eat or gore her, Kass slid to a stop and pivoted left. The rough ground ripped up her feet and she now left bloody footprints as she ran. The beast ran past, not having predicted her movement. It also skidded to the side, trying to redirect its momentum.


    Even with six legs the Torusinth lost traction and fell to the earth, its legs giving out beneath it. Kass closed in right behind, taking advantage of the prone monster. It too was bleeding from several wounds. Deep gashes from the Jagursaw lined its body, coating its thick hide with blood. The beast scrambled to get up but Kass reached it before it could.


    With a yell of her own Kass jumped and slashed Whisper across the back of one of its legs, high as she could. The blade easily cut through the soft tissue and sunk in deep. Its momentum hardly slowed before it ripped out the other side in a spray of blood. Kass landed and quickly moved back from the frenzied monster. It kicked at her small figure but she danced away.


    The Jagursaw stirred by the wall as the Torusinth struggled to its feet. It finally made it but one of its front legs failed to support any pressure. Now crippled and more than angry the beast turned back to face Kass. The size difference was laughable, but the monster no longer viewed Kass as an easy snack.


    It came at her again, slower this time, but still at an impressive speed. It made next to no sound as it barreled towards her. It was an odd thing to see such a large animal move so quietly. It seemed unnatural. Almost as unnatural as it is to think of myself holding a sword...ha. She grinned slightly and dove out of the way of the large animal.


    As she came up she lashed out again with the blade, scoring a hit on the lower portion of a limb. Not quite as devastating, but it was still something. Again the beast fell, but this time Kass didn¡¯t follow up. She rested her hands on her knees, out of breath. Who knew fighting giant things would always be so exhausting¡­


    She looked up and found that the Jagursaw had made it to its feet now. She stood to ready herself but then sighed with relief as the monster pounced on the bull-like beast. It¡¯s long crocodile snout snapped across the Torusinth¡¯s neck and then it began raking its claws against its back, trying to find purchase.


    Kass began backing away, for the first time feeling forgotten in this fight. She went slowly at first but picked up speed as she went. She kept her eyes on the two monsters as best she could while making sure she wasn¡¯t going to just run into another toothy monster. The Jagursaw still clamped down on the neck of the Torusinth, but the elephant bull was strong. It pushed to its feet and ran at the wall, swinging its head a second before impact.


    The Jagursaw lost hold of the back of the big beast, and its body swung towards the wall, its mouth still locked tight around its enemy''s neck. The body whipped around and with a wack was smashed into the wall with great force. The tusks of the Torusinth followed, bringing with it the rest of the big beast¡¯s momentum.


    A sickening crunch resounded throughout the cavern and a wail escaped the dying beasts mouth. The Torusinth smashed it again into the wall with a roar and then flicked its neck, sending the crushed and broken monster flying. It landed near Kass with a splat, finishing the beast off. Its blood began to pool underneath its body, too much for the ground to soak up.


    The Torusinth looked in the beasts direction and easily spotted Kass, who was doing her best to tiptoe away. It roared again, weirdly sounding somewhat triumphant to Kass¡¯ untrained ears. Oh great. Kill the beast, get the prize...woo look at me a delicious victory meal. She sighed and thought about checking her health and stamina. Feeling pretty low right now.

 14. Life and Death

    Before she spoke the word to bring up the menu, a small window appeared in the corner of her vision. She focused on it and found each of her resources placed next to a bar. The numbers were listed as well as a color for each that reflected the number. Red for health. Yellow for stamina. Blue for mana. She was right about being low.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Health


    </td>


    <td>


    14/300


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Stamina


    </td>


    <td>


    16/390


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana


    </td>


    <td>


    153/320


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Ha. Sounds about right. She looked at her bloody feet and then to her bloody shoulder. I¡¯m pretty sure any human back home would be long dead by now. This life link really is something...or whatever it is keeping me alive.  She dismissed the window and it retracted into the corner of her vision again.


    The Torusinth turned to fully face her, horns and head covered in blood, deep wounds visible even from this distance. Kass looked around and found herself too far from any exit to run. Not like it matters. I¡¯m finished. ¡°I¡¯ll not go down easily beast! Come get me!¡± She laughed at her own words, realizing the conflicting emotions.


    Don¡¯t want the beast to know I¡¯m an easy meal...ha. She smirked and the sword dipped low in her hand, becoming awfully heavy. ¡°Just a little more K...just a little more.¡±


    Kass had always been afraid of death. Her whole life she dreaded even thinking about it. When her mother passed away it had torn her apart, and for many years she kept to herself. Only running had allowed her an escape from the sadness that had plagued her mind.


    It wasn¡¯t until college that she finally felt she could move on. But by then it was too late to rekindle lost relationships. Even her father had distanced himself from her. She found it funny that now, on the verge of death, she wasn¡¯t scared of it anymore.


    Instead, she was having some sort of Mexican standoff with a colossus bull, holding an ancient talking sword while completely naked. Can¡¯t say I didn¡¯t have an interesting death at least. ¡°Just waiting on you, ugly.¡±


    The Torusinth stomped its back foot into the ground and snorted, shaking its head side to side. After another stomp it started forward, quickly picking up speed. ¡°Same as last time K. You¡¯ve got this.¡±


    The head of the beast dipped low as it neared, looking to gore her. In the last moment Kass lunged to the side, much like the last time, sidestepping left. This time, however, the beast was expecting her move and adjusted its head, its tusk headed straight for her.


    With a split second reaction Kass dashed the only direction she could. Up. She bypassed the monsters tusk and leapt with all her might. Her momentum carried her through the air, and in less than a second she landed atop the head of the beast. She stumbled slightly, unsure of her footing, and then slipped on the slick, bloody fur.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    She landed hard and immediately began sliding off the beast, down its neck, the edge coming up fast. Kass twisted as she slid and dug the blade into flesh in an attempt to arrest her momentum. Instead the blade cut clean through and she kept sliding, slowing slightly. The beast yelped in pain and began bucking, trying to throw her off.


    The only thing Kass focused on was her hand on the sword. She knew if she lost hold of it she would fall to her death. The hot blood of the Torusinth splashed over her though as she cut through, compromising her grip. She held on better than she thought she would considering the circumstances. But it couldn¡¯t last.


    Another frantic buck from the beast sent her soaring, her wet fingers pulled from the hilt of the sword. She saw the thin line of the wound she had opened up on the beasts neck, reaching a good halfway down. There the blade stayed, bathing in the lifeblood of the monster that gushed and sprayed.


    The Torusinth sagged, falling to the ground, its strength waning. I did it. It was the last thought Kass had before she slammed into the ground with a crunch. Blood erupted from her mouth as she clung to life, somehow still breathing. She took in the scene one last time and then closed her eyes, feeling oh so tired. A few seconds later the girl¡¯s ragged breathing slowed and her head listed to the side. Her heart stopped.


    Kass died.


    <hr>


    Deep under the earth something stirred. It was sudden, unexpected. Long had it been forgotten. Tossed aside and left to rot. Ages had passed, and still it was ignored. Lost then. Lost.


    It continued in the endless battle. Darkness swirling around the destroyed arena. There. On the far side. There was the enemy. The Primal. Shrouded in crackling shadows. The demon was powerful, growing for some unknown reason. The monster of darkness had even been victorious in the last skirmish. Strong. Powerful.


    But... It too was growing, expanding. Now. Now it was found. Life returned. Power began to replenish. Slow. Very slow. It drank. Quickly. Power surging, controlled. Found. It was found. A human. A girl¡­


    It would not lose this time. Not again. It charged in fury at the Primal Demon.


    Whisper awoke in a sea of red. The world around was dark, but he knew it to be red. He could taste it. Savor it. It drank more, quenching its thirst. How? A pulse of energy left the blade and then it could see. It found itself sunk to the hilt in a dark beast, the source of the power.


    The creature still lived, breathing. Bleeding. The sword drank more. High on the power that coursed through it. How wondrous it was to feel this way again. It had been too long. Far too long. All thanks to that human. That girl. The girl! Clarity. Suddenly it remembered.


    ¡°Kassandra! Are you there?!¡± The blade waited for an answer but none came.


    ¡°Human?¡± Another pulse expanded from the blade and it took in the full scene around it. The cavern, the rocks. The other beast...cold...dead. There! It spotted her body, unmoving. Cold¡­


    ¡°No, it cannot be. The lifelink...I still exist.¡± Confusion spread through the ancient sword, not understanding this turn of events. ¡°Your time isn¡¯t over yet young hero, you must arise.¡± The blade spoke, but nothing listened.


    It didn¡¯t make any sense. This wasn¡¯t supposed to happen. Whisper had thought it destiny that the girl found him, that she possessed the hero class. If it were destiny, then why is the child dead? No. I will not accept this. I am still here. I can do something.


    Yet what could it do? The blade needed a wielder to do anything, to be powerful. I am powerful...I was powerful. What am I now? Soon it would be lost again, it knew, maybe to never be found again.


    ¡°NO!¡±  A shockwave of power burst from the blade, traveling like lightning through the cavern. It crackled as it sped along, arcing from time to time. Whisper watched as it hit the human¡¯s body and suddenly felt ashamed to have damaged it further.


    Anger was not something it was used to. Any emotion really. It was that damned girl. She did this to me. Made me feel. Made me...care. It surprised itself then. Never before had it felt much of anything...except loneliness. But it knew now...It cared for that girl.


    ¡°No! No! No!¡±  It yelled in frustration. ¡°Don¡¯t do this to me! I should not feel!!!¡± Another shockwave exploded from the blade, twice as big as the last. Again the sword felt ashamed, wasting energy wasn¡¯t going to do anything. Even if it could get more. You protected me from these beasts of darkness. I will not forget that human.


    The lightning passed over the body once more, and again, nothing happened. But then¡­the fingers¡­a twitch. Then another. Suddenly the girl¡¯s eyes shot open and she opened her mouth to breathe.


    Kass lived.

 15. One

    Kass watched the lights as she moved through the tunnel. They flickered by in an instant, replaced by the next, and the next. The tunnel continued but the lights changed, becoming more starlike and twinkling.


    She looked then towards the end of the tunnel, far in the distance. Blinding yellow light waited for her there, comforting, like a warm blanket on a cold winter day. This. This is it. Finally.  She welcomed it, finally feeling at peace. Absent of pain.


    The tunnel blurred for a split second suddenly, slightly fracturing. Her speed slowed, almost imperceptibly, then resumed its course. Another second later and it was forgotten, as if it never happened.


    She was closer now and the golden light washed over her completely. She felt its cleansing powers and was lost in the bliss of it all. But then, a piece of the light broke away, revealing darkness below. To her right a star burst, imploding on itself, the destruction causing a chain reaction all around her.


    Like glass the tunnel cracked. Large spider web fractures spreading across its surface. It held its shape for a moment longer and then shattered, falling into pieces.


    Kass¡¯ eyes shot open and she tried to suck in a breath of air but found that she couldn¡¯t. She choked hard for nearly a minute, unable to move her body to turn over on her side. She finally hacked up a black clod of something nasty. It shot out from her throat and she breathed in the cool damp air in short, panicked breaths.


    She thought she remembered most everything that had happened and was confused why she was still here. I...died. She focused on the resource bars in the corner of her vision and read through each of them.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Health


    </td>


    <td>


    1/300


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Stamina


    </td>


    <td>


    1/390


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana


    </td>


    <td>


    82/320


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    One. Ha. She wheezed out a laugh and instantly decided not to do that again, her insides feeling like they were going to rupture if she moved them any more. As she lay there, Kass could make out another noise other than from herself within the cavern. She held her breath. Another monster?


    Wet and ragged breaths came and went in a slow, but constant pattern. Must be the one I injured. Kass joined in the chorus with her own labored breathing. Looks like we both lost.


    ¡°Illuminate,¡± she spoke the word and light entered the cavern. She watched the ball float above for a short time but then dismissed it, not wanting to waste the mana. Can¡¯t see anything anyways¡­ She was stuck lying on her back, unable to move without causing a wave of nausea to overcome her. So she chose to do the only thing she could.


    ¡°Status.¡± The book appeared above her and slowly floated down, coming to a stop a comfortable distance from her. ¡°Shit,¡± she muttered, not being able to move to open it. ¡°Sure didn¡¯t think this one through.¡±


    She stared at the intricately carved and glowing runes that made up the cover, thinking of how she could pull this off. She wiggled a toe and found that she could move it a bit¡­ Hmm¡­ what if I¡­.


    Open. She commanded the book with a thought and was happy to see that it obliged. The book spread open and revealed the first page. With another thought the page turned and she found herself looking at the information of her Vagabond class. She scanned the contents.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Vagabond


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    +5 to Strength, Dexterity, and Endurance. +3 to Fortitude and Intelligence. +1 to Luck.


    +20% Damage and Defense when fighting alone.


    +50% Bonus to learn a technique or skill when studying alone.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Skills


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Illuminate


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 1Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - 2 mana per minute


    Range: 20 yards


    </td>


    <td>


    Create a small sphere of light.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Identify


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 1


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - No cost


    </td>


    <td>


    Allows you to gain more information about identifiable objects.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Dash


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 1


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - 50 Mana per use


    Range: 5 yards


    </td>


    <td>


    When used, allows you to move quickly to a desired location.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Skill Available


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Class Tree Now Available


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Skill available¡­guess I¡¯ve got time now. Class tree too.¡± With another mental command new information appeared on the page, the old information fading away.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    New Skills Available


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Barrier - Level 1 - Absorbs a small amount of physical damage.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Obscure - Level 1 - Become harder to spot for a short duration.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Tribute - Level 1- Sacrifice health to heal others.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Select One


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    She sat there in thought, looking over her options. Seems rather...random¡­I mean what do any of these have to do with the Vagabond class? Or does it not work like that? Tribute sounds awful...what if I would have gotten stuck with a skill like that...ugh...can¡¯t even imagi--


    The book vanished suddenly and Kass was lifted quickly into the air. An explosion of light filled the cavern like rays from the sun, and Kass heard a grinding sound and looked down to see the bone her legs resetting, then her shoulder too. Power arced around her, visible and palpable. Energy rushed into her then, cleansing her mind and erasing any memory of pain. She felt like she¡¯d gotten the best sleep in her life, no longer feeling hungry or even thirsty.


    The light dimmed and Kass floated gently back down to the ground, so many emotions passing through her head all at once. Her toe touched the earth and she was released from whatever held her, gracefully landing on both feet. Both perfectly healed feet.


    For a split second she stood there, unmoving, processing what just happened. ¡°Illuminate,¡± she stuttered out, bringing the orb into existence once more. Golden light bloomed and Kass looked at her body that was now scratch free. She moved from foot to foot, testing her balance. She moved her once disabled arm, finding the movement unhindered. It was a glorious feeling.


    Kass focused on her resource bars in the corner of her vision.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Health


    </td>


    <td>


    300/300


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Stamina


    </td>


    <td>


    390/390


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana


    </td>


    <td>


    320/320


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    She burst into tears when she saw the numbers. The hot tears rolled down her face and she was soon sniffling and trying to calm down. It didn¡¯t take long, her mind moving on to the other questions she had. ¡°It was the level milestone...but...how though? Status.¡± The book reappeared and this time was already open, showing the information she was seeking.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    *You have chosen the Vagabond Class


    *New Skill available


    *Class Tree now available


    *You have successfully Identified ¡®Torusinth Wraithling¡¯


    *You have successfully Identified ¡®Jagursaw Wraithling¡¯


    *You have died.


    End of Log


    Error¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­...


    *You have defeated Torusinth Wraithling level 88. Extra experience awarded.


    *You have reached level 57. 15 stat points have been awarded.


    *Vagabond has reached level 2. 1 Class point has been awarded.


    *Level Milestone Achieved. Resources fully restored.


    *Title Upgraded: Revenant 2 - Dying is never the pathway to become stronger. +40% Health Regeneration Rate.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    The Torusinth...it must have finally bled out¡­ Kass glanced up and looked at her surroundings for the first time since being healed. Don¡¯t be stupid K...got lucky not to have been eaten already. She looked at the hulking body of the bull-like creature that lay crumpled in a giant puddle of its own blood. Its hide was cut and shredded in many areas, exposing the soft flesh beneath.


    It was dead, she knew. Ultimately killed by the sword she could see sticking out from its neck. She moved over to the body, tiptoeing through the blood, until she reached the sword. ¡°Hey Whisper, are you there?¡± she asked as she grabbed the bloody weapon and tore it free.


    ¡°Kassandra. I am sorry I failed you yet again. I am glad to see you are still alive.¡±


    ¡°Failed? What, no, you didn¡¯t fail me. It¡¯s because of you that I was able to kill this thing in the first place. I doubt any regular sword could have even touched it,¡± she spoke the last words and then pounded on the thick skin of the monster for emphasis.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to defeat the demon and I lost control completely. Something that has never happened before. The Primal is changing, ever since you found me. It grows more powerful and I could no longer match its strength. Not until you...we, killed that monster. Then something happened to me that I have never experienced. Power entered my very being and I became stronger, able to once more defeat the demon. It was from the blood I think, that of the Wraithling.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t sound good that the demon is getting stronger, but if the blood helps you do you want me to put you back?¡±


    ¡°I do not believe that will do any more than it already has. If I must guess, I would say that I absorbed some sort of essence from the dark beast...though I can¡¯t be certain.¡±


    Kass looked at the blade for a moment and then decided to try something. She focused her gaze and inspecting it more closely, looking at each different detail she could see.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Identify Activated - Increased success due to Binding.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Whisper. The Silent Blade.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Rarity


    </td>


    <td>


    Legendary


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Damage


    </td>


    <td>


    Tier 4


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Sharpness


    </td>


    <td>


    Tier 5


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Durability


    </td>


    <td>


    Tier 8


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Affinity


    </td>


    <td>


    Tier 3


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Whisper: Sentient, Level 2


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Upgrade Available


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>

 16. Arbitrary

    ¡°Umm it looks like you may have leveled up¡­¡± she said with a bit of surprise in her voice.


    ¡°Level up? What do you mean? What are you seeing?¡±


    ¡°I have a skill that allows me to see more information about you and so I used it. It has some sort of tier system that ranks how sharp or durable you are. But it also says you¡¯re level two, and you have an upgrade available.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that is possible human.¡±


    ¡°I think it is...here let¡¯s try it out.¡± Kass glanced around and remembered she was standing in a puddle of blood in the middle of a cavern next to two dead bodies. ¡°Actually hold on, I¡¯ve got to get us somewhere safer.¡±


    She moved out of the blood and over to a couple rocks near the wall that she thought would at least keep her hidden from sight and give her a little bit of protection if she needed it. ¡°Okay, here we go.¡± She focused on the option to upgrade the sword and a book materialized in front of her. It was a different book she noticed. Not the same rune covered one she was used to seeing. This one was smaller and seemed to be made of pure silver.


    It opened by itself a moment later and revealed a few bits of information. Kass read through it.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Upgrades Available for Whisper


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Weight Adjustment - Allows for a slight change in weight


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Magic Sheath - Summons a sleeve to store and protect the blade


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Annealing - Increases Durability +1


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Select One


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Yeah I was right, you totally have an upgrade available. Let¡¯s see it says we can adjust your weight slightly, or we can summon a magic sheath to put you in, or...annealing? Says it increases your durability.¡±


    ¡°I did not know this was possible. Incredible.¡±


    ¡°So what one do you think we should do?¡±


    ¡°I think the choice is rather obvious. With you wielding me it would take a magic sheath to keep you from injuring yourself.¡± Whisper answered in a completely serious tone.


    ¡°Oh I see how it is. Fine. That¡¯s the one I wanted anyways. But really, you sure about that? These are your upgrades, not mine.¡±


    ¡°Quite sure, thank you. You are my wielder, and without you I am just a piece of metal. Useless really.¡±


    ¡°Well when you put it that way¡­¡± she said. ¡°Alright here goes it.¡±


    Kass mentally selected the magic sheath option and confirmed it. The book slapped shut and spun twice before disappearing into nothingness as soon as she did and soon Whisper was aglow with a purple light. The light traveled up and down the blade, almost as if it were a part of it, and then, the light flashed brightly and then vanished, revealing a beautiful scabbard.


    It was made of the same dark metal the blade was, with a hint of royal purple that seemed to move like a ribbon in the wind down the length of the sleeve. It glimmered in the light of Kass¡¯ orb, reflecting some of the light as she looked at it.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful...and hey, look!¡± she noticed the thin cord that was connected to the sheath at the top and bottom, running her hand down the interlocking pieces of metal. ¡°Now I can carry you better.¡± She swung the sword around her back and placed the cord over her head. It rested neatly upon her right shoulder and held the blade in place. It was perfect.


    She noticed the tight fit and figured the magic of it all knew what size she would be. ¡°I love it! This is amazing! Holding onto you while running in the dark was way too hard, I¡¯m really surprised I didn¡¯t kill myself doing that¡­¡±


    ¡°I believe you almost did¡­¡±


    ¡°Rolling while in battle doesn¡¯t count. I had to get out of the way somehow¡­¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Now tell me, did you choose the hero classification?¡±


    ¡°I did, bu-¡±


    ¡°Excellent choice young warrior.¡±


    ¡°No, no, you got it wrong. I tried to pick it, I really did. But then it said that I couldn¡¯t because of the Primal Demon my soul is bound to¡­¡±


    ¡°You had the option, surely you could accept it when it was available to you. Are you certain?¡±


    ¡°Yeah I tried accepting it a few times but I was in a hurry...and so I chose what I thought was my best option at the time¡­¡±


    ¡°Which was?¡±


    ¡°I chose Vagabond? That¡¯s good right? It seems pretty good from what I¡¯ve seen.¡±


    ¡°Interesting. This class in unknown to me. Did you at least receive a skill? And a few bonuses to stats?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I thought it was really good. I got three skills- oh plus another skill that I still have to choose, and I got a lot of stat bonuses.¡±


    ¡°Four skills. Impressive. Of what quality are they?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Just like with items or classes, skills have rarities too.¡±


    ¡°Oh I don¡¯t know, it doesn¡¯t say.¡±


    ¡°Hmm...the next time you look, focus on wanting to know that information. It should change according to your desires.¡±


    ¡°Yeah okay, I¡¯ll do that right now. Why does it matter anyways?¡±


    ¡°Rarity generally affects the potential power of, well, everything. It determines many things and so is considered very important when making a decision.¡±


    ¡°So basically whatever is behind all of these pages of information is basically making a decision for you? Doesn¡¯t seem right to be given an option and then always choose the rarer one¡­¡±


    ¡°Some may see it like that, but even though you know the potential of something doesn¡¯t always make it the better choice. Every skill can be useful in its own way.¡±A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Yeah I guess you¡¯re right. Still doesn¡¯t make any sense. Then again none of this does.¡± She sat there for a moment and then called for her book to appear. She navigated to the page that listed each of her skills and focused on wanting to know the rarity of each. New text appeared.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Skills


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Illuminate


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 1


    Common


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - 2 mana per minute


    Range: 20 yards


    </td>


    <td>


    Create a small sphere of light.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Identify


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 1


    Rare


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - No cost


    </td>


    <td>


    Allows you to gain more information about identifiable objects.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Dash


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 1


    Uncommon


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - 50 Mana per use


    Range: 5 yards


    </td>


    <td>


    When used, allows you to move quickly to a desired location.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Skill Available


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Class Tree Now Available


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°You were right, it says I have one rare skill, one uncommon, and one listed as common. Is that good?¡±


    ¡°To have a rare skill to start out with is good, yes. As long as it is useful to you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Identify, the one I used to inspect you. It also gave me a little bit of information about those beasts I was fighting. I think it¡¯s pretty good. The other two are illuminate and dash, I think I got pretty lucky to be honest.¡±


    ¡°What of your new skill?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    New Skills Available


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Barrier - Level 1- Uncommon - Absorbs a small amount of physical damage.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Obscure - Level 1 - Uncommon - Become harder to spot for a short duration.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Tribute - Level 1- Rare - Sacrifice health to heal others.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Select One


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°I¡¯ve got another rare option but I don¡¯t think it will help me at all because it¡¯s for healing others...with my own health¡­¡±


    ¡°Probably not a good idea for you.¡±


    ¡°You can say that again¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s probably not a good idea for you.¡±


    ¡°No no, I didn¡¯t mean actually say it...it¡¯s an expression...like an idiom, you know? No? Oh well forget it. So should I choose Barrier or Obscure as my next skill?¡±


    ¡°Often I am reminded that you are from another world Kassandra. You are not like most people. Well, most people a thousand years ago¡­ As before, you should decide for yourself.¡±


    ¡°You said that last time but totally tried to talk me into picking the Hero class, don¡¯t deny it. I could totally tell. You just have a lot more experience with this type of stuff than I do.¡±


    ¡°Knowledge is different than experience, but I understand your hesitation. Both options seem plausible. You decide.¡±


    Kass noticed the sword skip completely over the accusation she made and she just shook her head. It was probably in his best interest, and mine.  She wasn¡¯t mad at Whisper for wanting her to choose what it thought was the best class, she would have done the same in his position.


    ¡°Well I think Barrier would probably be the best since Obscure seems to only give me a chance to be harder to spot, and it says it only lasts for a short time. Do you agree?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Well that was easier than I thought it would be. Why do I feel like I¡¯m signing an important document without thinking it over for a day or two?¡±


    Kass focused on the skill and confirmed her decision, then waited for the new information to appear.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Skills


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Illuminate


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 1


    Common


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - 2 mana per minute


    Range: 20 yards


    </td>


    <td>


    Create a small sphere of light.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Identify


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 1


    Rare


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - No cost


    </td>


    <td>


    Allows you to gain more information about identifiable objects.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Dash


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 1


    Uncommon


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - 50 Mana per use


    Range: 5 yards


    </td>


    <td>


    When used, allows you to move quickly to a desired location.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Barrier


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 1


    Uncommon


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - 100 mana per use


    Range: Self


    </td>


    <td>


    Creates an ablative shield that envelopes your body, protecting you from physical damage.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Skill Available


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Class Tree Now Available


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°It sounds pretty good, but it takes a lot of mana. Hey wait...it says another skill is available? Is that a mistake?¡±


    ¡°I fail to see why this would be a mistake.¡±


    ¡°Well I just figured since I just chose one I shouldn¡¯t have another already.¡±


    ¡°What level are you?¡±


    ¡°Umm 57?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, this could mean a new skill every milestone. Indeed powerful if this is the case.¡±


    ¡°Huh, well let¡¯s check it out I guess.¡±


    The new page appeared and Kass read the options out loud.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    New Skills Available


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Heightened Senses - Level 1 - Uncommon - Passive - Increases awareness with each level.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Overcharge - Level 1 - Rare - Passive - Increase damage done by spells by a static 12.5%. Spell cost increases by a static 25%.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Renewal - Level 1 - Uncommon - Passive - If damaged, heal for a portion of the damage done, in health, after reaching a safe location.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Select One


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°I have a feeling this decision is going to be a lot harder.¡±


    ¡°It seems you have received powerful options, though I do not understand their correlation.¡±


    ¡°I was going to ask you that. What kind of skills are normal?¡±


    ¡°It all depends on the class. Each class generally receives skills that directly affect it. For you, however, it seems you receive an arbitrary set. I do not understand the benefits of this. You will acquire skills that do not complement each other.¡±


    ¡°Well what can I do about it?¡±


    ¡°Choose wisely.¡±


    ¡°Well no shit Sherlock¡­¡± she mumbled to herself.


    Renewal will help me after a fight is over, but won¡¯t do me any good during it...unless I am fighting back to back¡­


    ¡°What does it mean by safe location?¡±


    ¡°I would assume an area devoid of danger.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡±


    Okay so that could come in handy. Overcharge sounds really good for extra damage and all, but I don¡¯t have any spells, unless my light orb can kill something. If I chose that I would be gambling on getting some sort of spell later. Doesn¡¯t seem like the best idea.


    Heightened senses could be pretty good for me, but it doesn¡¯t give very much information. Like by how much? Will I even notice a change at first?


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can make this decision. At least not right now.¡±


    ¡°Having another skill will increase your chances of survival.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know, but I have no idea which one will be the best for me.¡±


    ¡°Consider what will be most helpful in your survival now. If the circumstances were different, I would advise you to think towards the future, but this cannot be. It is difficult to plan for the future when you might not survive the present.¡±


    ¡°That means I shouldn¡¯t take Overcharge, even though it sounds amazing...so now that just leaves more awareness or healing after battle. Any suggestions?¡±


    ¡°One would help you not get hurt as often while the other would heal you when you do get hurt. Both viable options.¡±


    ¡°Yeah you¡¯re no help. I¡¯m leaning more towards awareness I think. But that healing though¡­¡± She remembered all the times she was injured and helpless in the last few days and almost chose Renewal then and there. No. You need to be stronger Kass, and to get stronger you need to fight. You¡¯re done running. Extra awareness will help during the fight. That¡¯s the one.


    She made up her mind and selected Heightened Senses. She checked the new skill.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Skills


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Illuminate


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 1


    Common


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - 2 mana per minute


    Range: 20 yards


    </td>


    <td>


    Create a small sphere of light.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Identify


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 1


    Rare


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - No cost


    </td>


    <td>


    Allows you to gain more information about identifiable objects.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Dash


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 1


    Uncommon


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - 50 Mana per use


    Range: 5 yards


    </td>


    <td>


    When used, allows you to move quickly to a desired location.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Barrier


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 1


    Uncommon


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - 100 mana per use


    Range: Self


    </td>


    <td>


    Creates an ablative shield that envelopes your body, protecting you from physical damage.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Heightened Senses


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 1


    Uncommon


    </td>


    <td>


    Passive - No cost


    </td>


    <td>


    Increases awareness and reaction time.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Class Tree Now Available


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Reaction time too? I totally would have chosen that if it would have told me! Stupid ass explanations¡­


    ¡°I chose the heightened senses. It gave me increased awareness as well as increased reaction time.¡±


    ¡°A sound decision human.¡±


    ¡°Alright let¡¯s check out this class tree.¡±

 17. Rewards

    ¡°Do all classes have a class tree?¡± she had been wondering about this for a while.


    ¡°Yes. Unless my knowledge deceives me.¡±


    ¡°So what¡¯s the difference between skills and a class tree?¡±


    ¡°The class tree generally provides bonuses and traits that affect the skills or abilities as a whole. Certain traits link to others that provide different bonuses, all compounding together. Skills can be strong by themselves, but combined with the class tree even a weak spell can become very powerful. However, from what I have seen of your class, I cannot be certain what to expect. It does not seem to follow the normal rules of class systems.¡±


    ¡°I guess we¡¯ll just have to find out.¡± After glancing around the cavern quickly she decided to extinguish the light orb in order to replenish some of the mana she had used. I really hope that wasn¡¯t a bad idea. She then opened the Vagabond class tree.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Vagabond Level 2


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Class Points Available: 2


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    A Wayward¡¯s Gamble - Cost = 1 Class Point


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Uhh, Whisper? It¡¯s saying I need to use a point to...gamble?¡±


    ¡°I do not know what to say human. I have no experience with this...class.¡±


    ¡°Well should I do it?¡±


    ¡°Learn to make small decisions on your own, girl.¡±


    ¡°Right, I can do this. Okay, here goes nothing.¡± I¡¯ve never gambled in my life¡­


    She selected the option and confirmed that she was prepared. Prepared for what, she didn¡¯t know.


    The page suddenly swirled with color, a dark red and silver dancing on the paper, intertwining but not mixing. It spun and spun, mesmerizing Kass as she watched. The colors suddenly thickened and then lifted off the page, becoming a ball of liquid.


    Still the colors didn¡¯t mix, and Kass watched as the red split into three separate shapes. A small cube, she realized. All of them.


    The silver hung in the air for a second longer, and then split into three blobs. They each rushed to one of the cubes and splashed into it, covering most of the red and solidifying.


    The now silver cubes continued a slow rotation in the air, each one containing a streak of red on each of their six faces. They¡¯re...dice?


    New words appeared on the page below.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Roll to Win. Consumes Class Point Upon Casting.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    No Matches = Common/Uncommon Reward


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Two Matches = Rare/Epic Reward


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Three Matches = Unique/Legendary Reward


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    What kind of a class did I choose¡­? Kass looked at the floating dice and then back to the words below. Guess I¡¯ve got nothing to lose, right?


    She grabbed the dice out of the air and looked at the markings on each side. Each face was different, and each dice contained the same symbols. Sounds simple enough. Without anything else more to do Kass shook the dice in her hand and cast them onto the open book.


    Before connecting with the page the dice landed on an invisible platform. They bounced and rolled, one even hitting a wall of the invisible box that kept them contained. The dice settled and Kass looked at the symbols facing up. There weren¡¯t any matches.


    The dice disappeared and once again the information on the page of the floating book changed. The old ink melting away, replaced with the new.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Reward


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Worn Leather Boots - Perfectly Functional


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Spellbook of Conjure Small Flame - Ages 8+


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Glass Eye - Never Know When You Might Need It


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Select One


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    What? Glass eye? Ages 8+? She looked at the options and didn¡¯t even know how to react. ¡°It¡¯s just some random assortment of...things that I can choose from. I...might have made the wrong class choice Whisper¡­ Then again, those boots could come in handy, probably more so than a class boost right now...hmm.¡±


    ¡°There is no option to spend your class points elsewhere?¡±


    ¡°No, not that I¡¯ve seen. Are you sure there isn¡¯t a class like this that you¡¯ve heard of?¡±


    ¡°I am certain.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯m going to get the boots, unless you think being able to conjure a small flame would be better? The glass eye is ridiculous...who would ever need that?¡±


    ¡°Boots would be most efficient for you.¡±


    ¡°Okay, now how is this going to work....¡± Kass selected the worn leather boots from the list and then waited for something to happen. While she waited she resummoned her orb of light so she could see around her again. After what seemed like forever but was only around half a minute, the small portal opened above her and a pair of boots dropped to the floor.


    ¡°Good thing I didn¡¯t get something breakable...what would have happened to the glass eye?¡± she said as she moved over to her reward. She looked them over and found the description to be adequate. They were indeed a worn pair of leather boots, and they seemed to be around her size. ¡°Hope I don¡¯t get a foot fungus from this¡­¡±


    She slipped them on and was surprised by how well they fit. They weren¡¯t stiff either like a new pair of boots would have been. It felt amazing to be standing on the ground without small rocks and other random things digging into her feet. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Her eyes teared up and she suddenly realized how important these worn leather boots were to her. Never thought I¡¯d cry about getting hand me downs in my life. She figured that was in part because of where she grew up in the world. It gave her a bit of a different perspective on life and she was thankful to have been blessed with what she had back home. Even though it wasn¡¯t much, it was more than many others had.


    She shifted from foot to foot, getting a feel for her new best friends. She looked at herself and couldn¡¯t help but laugh. The boots reached her mid calf and hugged close to her skin, but other than that she was still completely naked. ¡°I look ridiculous¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright sword, I¡¯ve got one more roll. Let¡¯s see what I get this time.¡± She focused and pulled up the class tree screen a moment later. This time, the dice just appeared, floating above the book. She grabbed them, and feeling a little less nervous this time, gave them a little blow for good luck.


    She rolled them between her hands and then cast them into the invisible box. When they finally stopped moving, Kass noticed there were two dice that were matching.


    Three options appeared again within the misty page.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Reward


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Finsel¡¯s Smuggling Coat - Good for...smuggling, and keeping you warm.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Bracelet of Shalren¡¯s Rest - Sleepless. Sleep-less.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Chunk of Trendinite Ore - Used in making things.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Select One


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Kass¡¯ eyes widened at the sight of the smuggling coat. She read through the other options but deep down knew she had already made the decision. What¡¯s with these descriptions though? She was about to make her decision but hesitated, not wanting to overlook anything.


    ¡°Is Trendinite ore something I should pick over a warm coat? Or a bracelet that says I¡¯ll need less sleep?¡±


    ¡°Trendinite ore? Mmm yes, very rare. But without a blacksmith that can forge the metal it would be useless to you. Depending on the size, even carrying it would be...well, impossible for you at the moment. Though it is a shame that you are forced to choose an article of clothing over such a valuable material. The bracelet would be powerful as well, but as you are, you need protection from the elements.¡±


    ¡°Yeah that¡¯s what I was thinking. It¡¯s weird though because the smuggling coat is listed as Epic. How could a coat be more rare than a bracelet that makes you sleep less?¡±


    ¡°Many items possess traits that buff the user, or in this case the wearer. Though they differ greatly in power. The stronger the traits, the rarer the item. If what you say is true, this ¡®smuggling coat¡¯ could prove to be one such item.¡±


    ¡°I hope so,¡± she said, thinking over what the blade had said. She blinked her eyes after a second, realizing she had zoned out, and looked back at the options. She made her selection and then looked up, waiting for the portal to open again, ready to catch the reward this time.


    Another eternity passed, this time longer than the last. A full minute. Then the portal appeared, but this time right in front of Kass. She recoiled in surprise a bit and was then hit in the face with what she assumed was the smuggler¡¯s coat. The portal vanished after a second longer as she wrestled with the coat, trying to untangle herself from it.


    Finally she came free and she looked at what she had just received. She held it up in front of her and it was immediately apparent how big the coat was. Even lifting it above her head the leather still brushed against the ground. That Finsel guy must have been huge...This will sure be interesting...but it¡¯s still clothes. I need clothes.


    As she looked closely at it a window appeared as her skill activated.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Finsel¡¯s Smuggling Coat


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Rarity


    </td>


    <td>


    Epic


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Stab Resistance


    </td>


    <td>


    Unknown


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Blunt Resistance


    </td>


    <td>


    Unknown


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Elemental Resistance


    </td>


    <td>


    Unknown


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Durability


    </td>


    <td>


    Unknown


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Traits


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Unknown


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Special


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Unknown


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Well that sure as hell helps a lot. The identify skill did nothing. It didn¡¯t tell me anything I didn¡¯t already know¡­¡±


    ¡°You must increase its level first if you want to gain more information.¡±


    ¡°I was able to see all the information about you.¡±


    ¡°I am bound to you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right...It just seems a little useless sometimes. Well it¡¯s a coat, that much I know, even though it¡¯s huge. Not sure how I¡¯m going to make this work¡­¡± She placed Whisper on the ground and slipped an arm through one of the sleeves, swinging the coat to the other arm. Once she had it on she pulled it around herself, already feeling its warmth.


    She looked at the rest of the leather pooling at her feet and hanging off her arms and was stumped on what to do with it. I guess I could roll it up and tie it off? She sat there thinking about it for a minute but then saw a faint glow emanating from the coat itself. She was about to take it off when all of a sudden it began to shrink, the leather seemingly folding in on itself.


    In just a few seconds she was wearing a fitted coat that stopped mid thigh, the arms a perfect length. ¡°Amazing,¡± she breathed, looking at it in awe. Even the style had changed slightly, slimming at the waist and shoulders, and eliminating some of the exterior pockets.


    ¡°This is better than any coat I¡¯ve ever owned! It¡¯s so comfortable!¡± Kass instantly fell in love and took back anything bad she had said about her new class. She didn¡¯t care about class trees or any of it anymore.


    ¡°It pleases me to see you this way. Your youth is exuberant.¡±


    She stopped her raving and looked at the sword lying on the ground. ¡°Thanks Whisper, even though that sounded kind of creepy.¡±


    Now that she was more or less focused again, the excitement dying down slightly, she pulled up the last item of business she had left. Stats.


    ¡°So last time when you were stuck fighting that demon I didn¡¯t know what to do and put points into each of my stats. Do you think I should just do that again considering we still don¡¯t know much about this class?¡±


    ¡°I...yes. That would be acceptable.¡±


    ¡°Okay so I¡¯ve got fifteen points, so three each.¡± Kass put the points in and then looked over her status page. ¡°Looks pretty good.¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Name


    </td>


    <td>


    Kassandra Johnson


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Age


    </td>


    <td>


    21


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Eyes


    </td>


    <td>


    Brown


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Natural Hair


    </td>


    <td>


    Brown


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Health


    </td>


    <td>


    330/330


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Stamina


    </td>


    <td>


    420/420


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana


    </td>


    <td>


    313/350


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    General Level: 57


    Class: Vagabond Level 2


    Subclass: None


    Tertiary Ability: None


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Strength


    </td>


    <td>


    36


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Dexterity


    </td>


    <td>


    41


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Endurance


    </td>


    <td>


    42


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Fortitude


    </td>


    <td>


    33


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Intelligence


    </td>


    <td>


    35


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Coronation Tier


    </td>


    <td>


    -4


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Unused Stat Points


    </td>


    <td>


    0


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    So now my health goes up with each point? I guess that makes sense, since I¡¯m perfectly healthy now but wasn¡¯t the last time¡­


    ¡°I think it¡¯s time we got out of this cavern, what do you think?¡± she asked as she picked up the sword and strapped it to her back once more . It was more comfortable having material between her and the cold metal.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± replied the blade. Kass finished buttoning up her new coat and cinched it tight with the belt she found attached to it. Then she stood up straight and put her hands on her hips. She took in a deep breath, slightly smelling something foul, and let it out. She felt ready.


    ¡°Oh, one more thing. Do you think if I stuck you into that other beast that you would be able to absorb its essence or whatever?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I do not believe that will work, but it is worth a try.¡±


    ¡°Okay sure.¡± She walked over to the dead Jagursaw almost in a trance caused by the comfortable boots she wore. They really were amazing, even for something classified as ¡®Common¡¯.


    She reached the body and was glad that it didn¡¯t stink too bad yet. Kass then tried drawing Whisper from over her shoulder and found that she couldn¡¯t. Instead she spent a couple minutes spinning around in circles with her hand above her head. Finally she gave up and resheathed the portion she had pulled out.


    ¡°How do they do that? In all the movies they make it look so easy. Those damn liars.¡±


    ¡°Whom do you refer?


    ¡°Oh just movie actors...forget it. How can I draw you from my back?¡±


    ¡°Practice. A change in the scabbard may be necessary. Or you place me at your hip.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. A change in the scabbard¡­I wonder,¡± she swung the sword around to the front of her and looked at the sheath. ¡°How would I change it.¡±


    ¡°This is not an area I am well informed. Though I would recommend creating an opening in the sleeve to allow you to draw without having to fully extend yourself¡­¡±


    ¡°Brilliant!¡± she exclaimed and then looked around the cavern, worried she had made too much noise. Nothing stirred. She focused back on the sheath and willed it to change, to reform so that she could draw the sword from her back.


    After only a few seconds the sheath began to glow with power and Kass knew that it had worked, somehow. The sheath flashed with light and what she saw that replaced it was incredible. It had become wider in size a little bit, and now had an extension of metal that pulled away from the scabbard a little.


    Upon inspection Kass saw a small slit in the side of the sleeve that would allow her to remove the blade after only pulling it halfway out of the sheath, instead swinging it through the slit. She figured the extra piece of metal was to help her guide the blade back into the sheath when she was done with it.


    ¡°You are one amazing sword, you know that?¡± She didn¡¯t wait for an answer and instead swung the blade around to her back. This time when she tried drawing it, she succeeded without much difficulty. She practiced drawing and sheathing the sword for a minute or two until she felt more confident in the motion.


    ¡°Okay where were we? Oh, right, the body.¡± She grabbed the hilt with one hand and slid the blade from her back in one fluid motion, bringing it in front of her. She felt like a badass. Then she plunged it into the hide of the monster. It penetrated easily and she waited for Whisper to tell her if it worked.


    A minute later the blade spoke, ¡°Negative. I believe we must be the ones to slay the beast in order to gain its power.¡±


    ¡°Well, like you said it was worth a try.¡± She removed the sword and wiped some of the thick blood off using the beasts own skin and then resheathed Whisper. She then turned and headed for the third tunnel at the far side of the cavern.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go. It¡¯s time to get stronger.¡±

 18. Crypt

    The tunnel was much like the other one she had traveled through. Uneven floors and a winding passageway. There was one difference though, and that was that she was heading uphill, if only slightly. She could just barely feel the incline and thought that maybe this meant a way out of the dark underground, but she didn¡¯t get her hopes up too much.


    She also noticed a bit of a change from her new passive ¡®Heightened Senses¡¯. It wasn¡¯t much of a difference, but she did find herself noticing small things about her surroundings that she was pretty sure she never would have paid attention to in the past.


    She let her orb of light travel a good distance ahead of her just in case there was another beast lurking around, but so far she hadn¡¯t come across any trouble. Just the ominous feeling of being underground accompanied her, along with Whisper of course.


    The two kept silent though, thinking there would be better places to carry out their conversations later. Kass still had a lot of questions but they could wait. For now, she stayed focused on her goals. Don¡¯t die, get stronger, get the hell out of the underground.


    After around half an hour of walking, the passageway narrowed, and she found herself having to move her shoulders to the side in order to squeeze through. Kass thought about turning around then, but hesitated since she had already come so far.


    After a few more minutes of shimmying through, she finally spotted another cavern opening. She made it to the edge and sent her light out so she could scout the new area. What she found surprised even her.


    She was standing in a crack in the wall about twenty feet off the ground and from her vantage point she looked upon some sort of ancient ruins. Kass figured this cavern was even bigger than the last one. Pillars and more pillars lined the unnaturally straight walls below, with unlit braziers placed in between them.


    Most of the pillars were cracked and crumbling, others collapsed completely and lay in a pile of rubble. There were buildings too, spread throughout the cavern with a cobblestone road between them. Most looked to be in the same state of disrepair. Every roof caved in, walls missing, and it seemed to Kass that a lot of the stone was blackened from fire. Looks like some sort of creepy village.


    She took it all in quickly, and then her orb of light illuminated another building farther back. This one was much larger than the rest and made of a darker stone. It was built above the others, the floor almost at eye level with Kass, with stone steps leading up to it. It too had pillars that lined its perimeter, holding up the roof that was surprisingly still intact.


    To Kass, it looked like something the ancient Greeks would have built. Although less grandiose and more menacing. She could just make out the creepy looking statues spread out on the roof. It made her shiver and she blinked away the images.


    Movement caught her eye and startled her, still thinking of evil gargoyle statues trying to eat her. What she saw instead was...equally terrifying.


    Within the broken buildings stood what could only be described as a mostly decayed corpse. Bone shone through the torn clothing and in other areas where the skin had sloughed off. Only chunks here and there remained of the darkened flesh.


    The thing turned its head and Kass got a glimpse of its white glowing eyes. Another shiver shot through her and she backed away from the edge and back into the narrow tunnel.


    ¡°Breathe K. Just breathe,¡± she whispered to herself. ¡°It didn¡¯t see you¡­¡± Once she calmed down a bit she thought about what to do next. It was either going down there or going all the way back, and into the other tunnel where the Jagursaw had been.


    You can¡¯t keep running away from everything that scares you...that¡¯s not going to work here like it did back home. You need to get stronger.


    ¡°What do you think Whisper? Think we have a shot?¡±


    ¡°I am uncertain. We do not know the level of this monster, and there may be more.¡±


    ¡°So you saw it too?¡±


    ¡°Through you, yes.¡±


    ¡°Wait you can do that? Why am I always explaining what I¡¯m seeing to you then?¡±


    ¡°I...do not know how. It could be that our connection has grown in our time together. Though that is just a speculation.¡±


    ¡°So like, our binding leveled up? I didn¡¯t see anything that said that.¡±


    ¡°That is what I believe, though I do not know.¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Well either way this is going to be helpful. So what do you think we should do?¡±


    ¡°It is a difficult decision due to how fragile you are. One mistake could lead to our doom.¡±


    ¡°Yeah you¡¯re right. Maybe I should have taken that skill that healed me a bit after battle¡­¡±


    ¡°Do not dwell on the past. Let us move onward. The only way for you to get stronger is to fight. So let us fight.¡±


    ¡°You sure about this, sword?¡±


    ¡°Quite. I believe in you Kassandra.¡±


    The blade¡¯s words penetrated the thick shell of self doubt Kass had built up, compromising her defenses. Like a bubble it popped and vanished, replaced with self worth and a sudden confidence.


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right, we can do this. I don¡¯t know what that thing is down there, but I know we can kill it. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Kass moved back to the edge and scanned once more the floor below. She didn¡¯t see any movement this time though and focused her attention on how she was going to get down there.


    She found a pillar almost directly below her, still mostly intact. She guessed it was about eight feet down. Not bad. That¡¯s doable. From there she could hang from the edge and drop down to the ground. If it holds my weight that is...looks a bit...unsturdy.


    Without any other options available she went for it. She slowly lowered herself down from the crack in the wall and then dropped to the pillar. She landed and was relieved when it took her weight.


    She copied the maneuver and dropped from the pillar to the ground, trying not to make too much noise as well as not break her ankles at the same time. Once on the ground she moved to the nearest brazier to hide behind.


    Nothing seemed to have noticed her, and after waiting a full minute she figured it was safe enough. She stepped out from behind cover and moved quickly to the side of one of the stone buildings, put her back to it and listening for any sounds around her.


    She noticed a faint clacking sound coming from the street to her left along with the occasional scuffle. Sounds like just one. There¡¯s got to be more than one down here, right? She crept quietly to the edge of the building and peered around the corner, her orb of light still floating above to illuminate the area.


    There it stood, unmoving. The clacking noise continued though, but she could tell it was coming from the monster. Now that she was closer she could make out the finer details, like the claws that extended from its fingers. Those don¡¯t look dangerous at all¡­


    It was facing away from her,and Kass looked at its skull that was partially crushed and covered with patches of hair. It was terrifying, but this time she didn¡¯t back down. She had to be strong, had to fight. If anything, she was stubborn, and she wouldn¡¯t let herself run this time.


    Kass used her identify skill.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Crypt Ghoul


    Level Unknown


    Health Unknown


    Weaknesses: Unknown


    Abilities: Unknown


    Undead.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    As if I didn¡¯t already know it was undead¡­ She took a deep breath and as carefully as she could she drew Whisper from its sheath and moved out from behind the building, glancing around her to make sure there weren¡¯t any other ghouls to surprise her. She didn¡¯t see anything and so she continued, sneaking up behind the immobile creature.


    When Kass was just a few feet behind the thing, the clacking suddenly stopped. It was so abrupt that she too paused, staying completely still. The ghoul rotated its upper torso in a wide arc for a second, as if it were hula hooping with its shoulders, and then went still once more.


    Still freaked out by what just happened and still standing in the middle of the street, she stepped closer. Another two steps and she was in striking range. Kass wondered where would be the best place to slash this thing, and decided that a diagonal cut from shoulder to hip would be best. As long as she could cut clean through¡­


    Whisper is sharp enough. It¡¯ll cut. Don¡¯t want to chop off the head only to have the thing¡¯s body still run at me like in every movie ever¡­


    With quick movements Kass brought the sword over her head and drove it down at an angle. The blade connected and sliced through the bone easily, her momentum still carrying it farther. In less than a second the body of the ghoul fell to the ground, bisected.


    She wasn¡¯t too surprised when the body still twitched and moved, especially the half the head was on. The ghoul opened its mouth and began to screech but Kass silenced it with a thrust to the skull. The light disappearing from the monster¡¯s eyes.


    Okay so the head then. I guess I¡¯ve left Jurassic Park and entered the zombie apocalypse. Great.


    Nothing seemed to have been alerted and so she moved back to the building she started at and took a quick at her log.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    *You have entered Saulthron¡¯s Crypt


    *You have successfully identified Crypt Ghoul


    *You have defeated Crypt Ghoul level 64.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Level 64, so not too strong then, that¡¯s good. She didn¡¯t doubt the thing could have torn her to bits, but it was still something that she was close in level to the creature. She didn¡¯t know how much of a difference each level made, especially for monsters, but she was definitely more comfortable fighting something closer to her own level at this point. Although I didn¡¯t get a level up from that...not even bonus experience. Hmm¡­


    She stepped out once again from the building and worked her way down the street, listening for the telltale clacking sounds. It didn¡¯t take long to find another ghoul, this one shuffling back and forth across the road parallel to where the other had been, just a bit further down.


    With a more active target Kass wasn¡¯t sure what to do. She could dash in and slash at the things skull to try and kill it quickly, but she didn¡¯t want to waste mana. At least not yet. Guess I¡¯ll have to move quick while it¡¯s facing away from me.


    She waited for the right time, and when the monster turned to cross to the other side, she moved in behind it. She was almost to where she needed to be when she accidentally kicked a small pebble, sending it rolling across the ground. The ghoul stopped cold and snapped its head back unnaturally to look at her.


    It too began to screech and Kass lunged at it then, driving the sword through its open mouth and out the other side. Sound still escaped it though before the light left its eyes, and Kass knew that couldn¡¯t have been good. She waited a few seconds, unmoving, blade still sticking through the head of the ghoul that had collapsed to the floor.


    Nothing happened. She released the breath she had been holding and slid the blade free, a dark ooze dripping from it. After wiping off the goo she was about to resheath Whisper when a screech cut through the cavern. It came from a few buildings over and Kass looked in that direction, stunned.


    Another screech soon answered the first. Then another, and another. The sounds came from all around her and Kass knew she was in major trouble.


    Nowhere to run¡­ gotta fight.


    ¡°You ready Whisper? I have a feeling this is going to get ugly¡­¡±


    ¡°I am with you. Let us cleanse the world of these foul creatures.¡±

 19. Swordplay

    The first ghoul came around the corner to her left at a dead run, white eyes flaring bright, another one close behind. Kass turned and sprinted back the way she had come, trying to find a position where she wouldn¡¯t get surrounded. Already surprised by the amount of the creatures that were so close by.


    She made it to where she killed the first ghoul and then to the house she had hidden behind and figured this was the best place she was going to get. She turned to find five pairs of eyes rushing straight at her, not twenty feet away. They screeched and snarled as they ran, which would have crippled Kass with fear not five days ago had she not already been through so much.


    With Whisper held in both hands Kass met the first ghoul head on, slicing down at an angle and spinning to the right. The blade passed straight through the monster¡¯s head and half of its torso, killing it instantly.


    The next one was upon her a second later, springing at her with its claws extended. Kass hopped back and the monster missed, landing on the ground in front of her. She took half its head with a quick cleave and instantly had to move, the next ghoul slashing at her from the side.


    This time the claws connected with her shoulder, slicing at her leather coat but not penetrating. It swiped again and she flicked the sword in front of her, taking its arm before it could reach her. The creature fell back and was replaced by two more, both lunging, one with its claws and the other headfirst, aiming for her neck. She ducked and spun again, whipping the sword around her in an arc that took the legs of the headfirst ghoul, sending it crashing to the ground behind her.


    The other raked at her back with its claws and tried to latch on, but Kass dashed away before it could, opening up some space between her and the swarm. There were over ten now, all of them sprinting her way. Except for the one without any legs of course. It crawled at a surprisingly fast pace across the floor, gnashing its teeth as it dragged its torso and two oozing stumps behind it.


    Taking up the sword in both hands once more Kass prepared herself, looking for her best chance at an opening. The distance closed and her time to prepare came to an end. The leading two ghouls came at her from both sides, both leaping at her as if to tackle her to the ground. She dodged to the side again and lashed out, only clipping the side of the creature and cutting a deep line. It didn¡¯t even seem to notice and lunged at her again.


    Kass retreated back, trying to keep all of them in front of her. She neared a broken building and jumped through one of the collapsed walls and into the only room there was. It wasn¡¯t big, but without a roof she had plenty of room to swing the sword. She hoped this would funnel the ghouls so they couldn¡¯t use their numbers to their advantage. Just hope they don¡¯t know to use the open doorway behind me...


    It was a gamble, she knew, but she thought it was worth it if she could take them out one by one. She watched as the ghouls wrestled each other to get through the opening, clawing at each other. The first one burst through and Kass split its skull with a swipe, bringing the sword back up just in time to deflect the claw that came right after, from the second ghoul.


    It was the one with only one arm and she kicked it back and swung the sword horizontal across its neck, sending the head flying away. The body stumbled to the side but stayed standing and Kass worried for a second that it would turn around and come after her again, but it finally collapsed to the ground, twitching.


    Three more had already forced their way inside and Kass retreated again, disappointed that her idea hadn¡¯t worked out the way she planned. She ran through the doorway behind her and came out on a narrow alleyway set between two rows of buildings. The ghouls flew through the door after her, crashing into the wall opposite and collapsing it.


    Not liking her position at all Kass continued to run down the street, heading towards where she thought a bigger road was. Suddenly the wall of the building in front of her and to the left exploded into pieces, the rubble raining down on her. She looked at what had come through and saw a much larger ghoul.


    It wore pieces of battered armor that clung to its decaying skin in random areas, most of it almost fully rusted. In its hand it held a large sword that it dragged behind it, the metal scraping on the ground below.


    Kass skidded to a halt and pivoted to the side, narrowly avoiding the overhand chop that smashed into the ground, digging deep. She continued with the momentum and swung Whisper in her own downward chop at the creature. It reacted quickly and brought an arm up in front of the strike, deflecting the blade to the side with a rusty bracer that broke into pieces right after.


    Dammit. Now a little off balance she rolled away from the bigger monster and kept on running. She glanced back briefly and received a notification that she quickly glanced at.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Crypt Knight


    Level Unknown


    Health Unknown


    Weaknesses: UnknownThe author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Abilities: Unknown


    Undead.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    It didn¡¯t take long for her to reach a wider road and she burst from the alleyway, more than one ghoul hot on her heels. Now with a little bit more room to maneuver Kass faced her pursuers once more. Two smaller crypt ghouls led the charge, the larger knight only a second behind, followed by the rest.


    Whisper pierced through the eye socket of one of the ghouls and Kass punched out at the other, her fist connecting with its face. It scratched at her arm as she spun away, pulling the sword free from the skull and dodging another swipe from the knight.


    It stopped mid swing and redirected the blade towards her and Kass frantically brought up her own sword. Metal met metal as she deflected the blow away from her body, sending it straight into another ghoul. The knight was pulled off balance as its blade sunk deep into the torso of the lunging ghoul and Kass tried to counterattack but was interrupted by yet another ghoul.


    It came from behind and latched itself onto her back, scratching and trying to bite at her neck. She cast Barrier instantly and was spared from any immediate damage to her body as she wrestled with the creature. She felt the large chunk of mana drain away from using the spell and knew she was already running low.


    She managed to throw it off just as another overhand chop came her way. She shoved Whisper up to block again, and the blow rattled her, driving her down to one knee. Another ghoul jumped at her then, forcing her to dash away.


    Like before, the first to arrive were the crypt ghouls, the knight a little slower, coming up behind them. This was good for Kass, allowing her to take out one or two before having to deal with the thing. Amazing I can even fight against something like this.


    She dropped into a Cathavanian battle stance, something that somehow felt natural to her even though she only just learned of it the other day. Crouching low, it allows for powerful strikes and quick back steps, dealing heavy damage while staying at a distance from the opponent.


    Kass swiped left and right quickly, exposing the brain matter of the first ghoul and cutting off both arms at the elbow of the second. She back stepped twice, but then, seeing an opening, lunged forward to finish off another ghoul.


    That left the crypt knight, and two ghouls, one of which didn¡¯t have any arms. Having a split second of time Kass checked her resources.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Health


    </td>


    <td>


    321/330


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Stamina


    </td>


    <td>


    281/420


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana


    </td>


    <td>


    112/350


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Running low on mana, but everything else seems okay. Steady now, you¡¯re almost through this. Back in her low stance Kass deflected two quick thrusts from the knight, sending its massive sword crashing into the ground, dirt and stone flying away from the point of impact. Another opening presented itself and she scored a deep cut to the knight¡¯s bicep, slicing through rotting flesh and partially into bone.


    The knight shrieked and jumped away, making a loud clacking sound as it kept its distance. Kass quickly finished the other two ghouls and then moved back, cautious as to the new behavior of the crypt knight.


    The two combatants circled each other, waiting for the other to make the first move. Kass held her sword out in front of her in a defensive, Alanivan crowned gate, the crossguard just below eye level. She knew that patience was key here, and that if the knight attacked first she would have the advantage. As long as it didn¡¯t overpower her.


    Seconds passed. It felt like an eternity to Kass as she waited, not allowing the heavy sword to dip as she held it out, elbows slightly bent. She kept her feet staggered, ready to move at any moment.


    The knight finally moved, taking two large strides and bringing its sword down at an angle, chest level. Kass caught the sword with her own, rotating her wrists and redirecting the force towards the ground. The blades separated, the knight¡¯s smashing into the ground once again as Whisper came back around, aimed for the thing¡¯s head.


    At the last second the creature ducked away, the blade only taking its ragged ear with it. With a great burst of speed the knight pushed off and shoulder checked Kass in the stomach. Her barrier broke with a pop and she flew through the air, landing hard on the ground where she slid for a few feet, gasping for air.


    The light from her orb suddenly dimmed and Kass looked up to see the knight jumping at her, sword held high. She cast Barrier again and rolled to the side, pushing herself up quickly to her knees. The knight smashed to the ground only a foot away and then spun towards her with a backhand.


    She moved back in time, dodging the strike only to see the sword coming in right behind. She deflected it above her head with only a second to spare and pushed herself to her feet. The knight had already recovered from the swing and attacked again, this time coming in low. She deflected again and countered, aiming for the sword arm. The knight blocked with another rusty piece of armor.


    Blow after blow they traded, searching for an opening. Kass fell into the rhythm of the fight, understanding better and better with every second what the knight was going to do and what it was capable of. She was amazed at the strength and speed of the creature as well as the coordination it possessed to wield such a large sword. It was definitely a skilled swordsman.


    Kass was also impressed with herself. Although she had made some mistakes she still stood, fighting with power and skill of her own. Left. Right. Low. Low. High. A pattern started to show itself and by now she knew she could win this fight. Let¡¯s finish this.


    Predicting where the next strike would be, Kass moved herself into position, readying herself. It came just as she expected, swinging low and then diagonally. If she had been where she was supposed to be, she would have had to deflect the blade up and over herself, or stop it cold, which was difficult for her to do considering the strength of the knight.


    Instead, Kass had moved to the side early, completely out of reach of the blade. The creature continued its sweeping strike, leaving it defenseless. Kass leapt in then, stabbing Whisper straight up through the chin of the knight and out the top of the skull. The light in its eyes died instantly, snuffed out like a candle.


    She ripped the blade free and looked around her as the body sagged and collapsed to the ground. Corpses and limbs lay strewn about the street, leaking their dark ooze, some still twitching. She lowered the blade a bit, resting its tip on the knights body, and breathed in a few deep breaths.


    ¡°Well done Kassandra.¡±


    ¡°Thanks Whisper. Wasn¡¯t sure we¡¯d get through that for a minute.¡±


    ¡°You performed admirably, human.¡±


    ¡°Yeah...I guess I did! Are you-¡± a shriek from behind her cut her off and she turned quickly, blade at the ready. She didn¡¯t see anything though and she carefully moved towards where she heard the sound.


    Another shriek cut through the silence and then she saw it, moving out from behind a building. The creature dragged its body at a fairly rapid pace towards Kass, biting the air and whipping its head back and forth. She almost laughed at the sight of it, almost.


    Had it not been for all the dead things lying about her or the fact that she almost died again, she might have, and one day she hoped she would. But for now she just waited for the crawling creature to reach her and, lifting the blade high into the air like a golf club, split the thing¡¯s skull in two.

 20. Tiers

    ¡°Do you think there are any more of them in here?¡± she asked, looking around for any movement. Her head started to pound and she rubbed at her temples, feeling the beginning of a headache.


    ¡°I would not be surprised.¡±


    ¡°Yeah me neither. There were so many of them that I didn¡¯t even see. That could have turned out a lot different.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but it did not. It feels good to be wielded by a capable being.¡±


    Kass blushed slightly, bashful at such praises. ¡°So did you draw any power from those things since we killed them? Maybe you leveled again.¡±


    ¡°No, these creatures were not tainted by the same darkness. Another darkness, yes, but not the same.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too bad. Would have been good to upgrade you again. Not that I¡¯m saying you aren¡¯t enough without it, but it just would have been nice, you know?¡± she clarified what she meant.


    ¡°Indeed. What of your gains?¡±


    ¡°Yeah I¡¯ll take a look, but let¡¯s maybe find a safer place to do that¡­¡± she glanced around and spotted a pillar off to the side that had broken in half. She moved over to it and, using the rubble to stand on, jumped up to the lip and pulled herself up and over.


    Once up, she sat cross legged and called for her runic book. As it floated down to her she glanced at her resources again.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Health


    </td>


    <td>


    307/330


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Stamina


    </td>


    <td>


    196/420


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana


    </td>


    <td>


    8/350


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Oh that¡¯s probably not good. Wonder if that¡¯s the reason for this headache. Kass looked around her one last time and then dismissed her light orb, plunging the cavern into darkness once more.


    ¡°Whisper, does low mana do anything to the body? I¡¯ve got a massive headache coming on.¡±


    ¡°Mana deficiency is dangerous Kassandra, it should have been explained to you through the mind spike.¡±


    ¡°I...must have missed that piece of information. I don¡¯t remember anything about mana other than ¡®A force of power used for good or evil¡¯ or something like that.¡±


    ¡°Not only will it cause pain to your body, but you will also experience mana fracturing, which means your body will be less able to store and wield mana.¡±


    ¡°I guess we won¡¯t have light for awhile. How long does it take for mana to regenerate usually?¡±


    ¡°It varies. Many classes award bonus regeneration or even allow someone to siphon mana from other creatures or even the world itself. For you, I would estimate it to be around one percent every ten seconds.¡±


    ¡°So that will take like¡­¡± she did some quick math in her head, glad for the first time she had taken calculus. ¡°...like seventeen minutes for my mana to regenerate? That¡¯s not too bad.¡± She had thought it would be a lot slower.


    ¡°It is if you need it in battle.¡±


    ¡°Well yeah, but at least it¡¯s not like an hour to regenerate. That would be terrible.¡±


    ¡°Indeed...human.¡±


    Kass looked at the glowing runes of her status book and wondered what they meant. I¡¯ll ask later, let¡¯s see if we leveled up at all.  She opened the book and read the information on the page before her.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    *You have defeated Crypt Ghoul level 57.


    *You have defeated Crypt Ghoul level 66.


    *You have defeated Crypt Ghoul level 61.


    *You have defeated Crypt Ghoul level 57.


    *You have defeated Crypt Ghoul level 55.


    *You have reached level 58. One stat point has been awarded.


    *You have successfully identified Crypt Knight


    *You have defeated Crypt Ghoul level 63.


    *......


    *You have defeated Crypt Ghoul level 64.


    *You have defeated Crypt Knight level 81. Extra experience awarded.


    *You have reached level 65. Seven stat points have been awarded.


    *Dash has reached level 2.


    *Illuminate has reached level 2.


    *Heightened Senses has reached level 2.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Leveled up eight times from that, and some of my skills leveled up too. The Crypt Knight was level 81, should it have died that easily? I mean, it almost killed me but it did die a lot faster than the Torusinth.¡±


    ¡°You exploited its weakness, and...I am very sharp.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, finding weaknesses. Well good thing I knew about zombies.¡±


    ¡°Zombies?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, old folklore from my world. Voodoo stuff causing the dead to rise and walk again. But it was mostly used to tell scary stories and make movies. The key to killing them was to shoot them in the head.¡±


    ¡°I will refrain from asking more of your world for now, I do not understand many things. Another time perhaps. I wish to know more.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing boss. I¡¯m thinking of putting all eight stat points into intelligence to raise my maximum mana. You okay with that?¡±


    ¡°I do not see why you must wait for my approval.¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°Well I just¡­¡± she paused for a minute, realizing that she was heavily relying on the help of the sword. Had she always relied so much on others? Why can¡¯t I just make a decision by myself? Can¡¯t just wait for someone to make decisions for me. ¡°You¡¯re right, sorry for asking so many questions.¡±


    She dropped the eight points into intelligence and watched her maximum mana rise to four hundred and thirty. She felt better about having more available just in case she needed it. Those eighty points of mana were almost the full cost of another barrier.


    After finishing with that she took a look over her status.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Name


    </td>


    <td>


    Kassandra Johnson


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Age


    </td>


    <td>


    21


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Eyes


    </td>


    <td>


    Brown


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Natural Hair


    </td>


    <td>


    Brown


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Health


    </td>


    <td>


    314/330


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Stamina


    </td>


    <td>


    298/420


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana


    </td>


    <td>


    186/430


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    General Level: 65


    Class: Vagabond Level 2


    Subclass: None


    Tertiary Ability: None


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Strength


    </td>


    <td>


    36


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Dexterity


    </td>


    <td>


    41


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Endurance


    </td>


    <td>


    42


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Fortitude


    </td>


    <td>


    33


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Intelligence


    </td>


    <td>


    43


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Coronation Tier


    </td>


    <td>


    -4


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Unused Stat Points


    </td>


    <td>


    0


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Skills


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Illuminate


    </td>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Level 2


    Common


    </td>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Active - 2 mana per minute


    Range: 25 yards


    </td>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Create a small sphere of light.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Identify


    </td>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Level 1


    Rare


    </td>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Active - No cost


    </td>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Allows you to gain more information about identifiable objects.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Dash


    </td>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Level 2


    Uncommon


    </td>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Active - 50 Mana per use


    Range: 6 yards


    </td>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    When used, allows you to move quickly to a desired location.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Barrier


    </td>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Level 1


    Uncommon


    </td>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Active - 100 mana per use


    Range: Self


    </td>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Creates an ablative shield that envelopes your body, protecting you from physical damage.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Heightened Senses


    </td>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Level 2


    Uncommon


    </td>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Passive - No cost


    </td>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Increases awareness and reaction time.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    The range of illuminate and dash went up, nice. Heightened senses doesn¡¯t seem to have changed though. I wonder if it got stronger. Before closing and dismissing the book she ran through everything once more, checking to see if she¡¯d missed anything. Still have to wait for my mana. At least the headache in mostly gone¡­ Hey, here¡¯s something.


    ¡°What does coronation tier mean? Mine says I¡¯m at negative four. Is that something I should have also learned earlier?¡±


    ¡°Hmm...your brain must be too small to receive the small amount of information I transferred. That is the only explanation.¡±


    ¡°You know that came out really rude, right?¡±


    ¡°I was merely stating an observation human.¡±


    ¡°By saying my brain was too small¡­¡± she replied, and then just shook her head, not really taking offense to the blade¡¯s words. ¡°It¡¯s fine, it doesn¡¯t matter, small brain or not. So tell me, what is this coronation tier?¡±


    ¡°The coronation tiers reflect one¡¯s actual and achievable power. Each tier divides the soul, controlling the amount of active world energy you can safely absorb and harness for yourself. Each tier unlocked allows for more energy to be harnessed, and thus more power.


    ¡°The soul is delicate though, and unlocking a tier comes with a great challenge. It is not an easy path to power in this world.¡±


    ¡°So does that mean I¡¯ll come to a point where I can¡¯t get stronger? Like I can¡¯t level up anymore?¡±


    ¡°Unless you unlock the next tier, yes.¡±


    ¡°What level? And how do I do that?¡±


    ¡°As far as I know, every one hundred levels marks the end of each tier. And I do not know how this is achieved other than satisfying the challenge placed upon you. It is different for everyone.¡±


    ¡°Every hundred levels...damn I¡¯m already more than halfway. I don¡¯t like the sound of these challenges...especially when it has to do with my soul.¡±


    ¡°Some may be simply difficult, others, dangerous indeed.¡±


    Always talking in riddles, I swear. Gonna smack him...it...whatever... against a rock one of these days...a really hard rock.


    ¡°Do animals and monsters have this level cap thingy?¡±


    ¡°No. They adapt to power in a different way.¡±


    ¡°Okay, well let¡¯s just hope I get something easy, if I ever even make it there. Will I just receive a notification of my challenge when I reach level one hundred or something?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Okay one last thing, do you have a gender?¡±


    <hr>


    Whisper of course didn¡¯t have a gender, lacking the necessary sex organs and such, but the blade was fine with Kass refering to it as he and him. It would just make life easier she had told him, and so he agreed. The blade reminded her of a wise old grandfatherly man in the first place so it just made sense in her brain.


    The wait finally came to an end when her mana rose above four hundred, and she lit up the cavern once more before jumping back to the ground. Kass held Whisper in her hand as she walked through the abandoned streets, just in case there were more ghouls hiding about. But the two made it back to where she had finished off the knight without a problem. She couldn¡¯t even hear anything besides her own footfalls and breathing.


    She decided to keep moving through the unexplored parts of the village before moving onto the bigger building above. Getting snuck up on from behind would really ruin her day. Sneaky sword wielding zombie freaks. Ughh. She didn¡¯t like thinking about that and tried to just focus on her surroundings.


    After around half an hour Kass made it back to where she had started. She hadn¡¯t found anything. She had looked through most of the buildings too, but they were completely empty. It was a little odd, but she didn¡¯t question it too much, being in an undead village and all.


    She let her mana recharge a bit and then moved to the stairs leading up. When she got closer she realized each step was nearly as tall as she was. Well, here goes. She sheathed Whisper and began the arduous climb to the top.


    Ten minutes later she crested the last stair and took in her surroundings. It hadn¡¯t taken her as long as she thought it would to get up, and she was impressed by the new strength of her body. I wonder just how strong I am now¡­


    She looked up at the towering building before her and was amazed at the artisanship and time that must have been required to build something like this. It was beautiful and terrifying at the same time, the architecture blending the two feelings into one.


    The building was around five stories tall with dark, marble-like pillars that stretched to the domed reddish-brown roof. Looks like the roof made of solid copper¡­and there¡¯s those creepy statues again...


    Now that she was closer she could make out more details of the statues lining the roof. Each one was different and depicted a humanoid figure dying in one way or another. One held its own head. Another wrestled with a snake-like creature that had bit into its neck. Kass saw another that seemed to be holding its own skin, a monster rose behind it as if ready to feast. Disgusting.


    She turned away from the gruesome sculptures and focused on the door she could just barely make out behind the pillars. It was massive, rising thirty feet up the wall and half that across. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m opening that¡­


    She moved closer anyway, passing the threshold of pillars, wanting to get a closer look. Nothing moved and she heard nothing, so she felt safe enough just looking for a short time. Within the pillars was a smooth walkway that she guessed wrapped all the way around the building. It was covered in a thin layer of dirt, but other than that was spotless. Ahead, the door loomed over her, but at the bottom she spotted an opening, almost the size of a normal door.


    Drawing Whisper she moved closer cautiously. She sent her orb into the opening and nothing happened. Kass waited for a full minute before continuing forward and reaching the door. She peeked her head inside and saw a large open room. There was nothing on the floor except for a row of braziers on each side, a staircase leading down on the far right side, and a box made of the same dark stone as the rest of the building near the center of the room.


    This is totally a trap. I just know it is. Everything about the room had her instincts telling her to get the hell away. She looked back out towards the abandoned village she had just cleared and had a feeling that the only way out of this place was through here, unless she climbed back up to the crack she had come through.


    Maybe that¡¯s not such a bad idea. Could always see what¡¯s down the other tunnel¡­ She thought about it for a minute but decided she would finish what she started in this place, even if that meant going through this building. Gotta get stronger somehow. Running away won¡¯t do it for me.


    ¡°Is this going to get me killed if I go in there?¡± she whispered quietly.


    ¡°It seems most unwise to enter.¡±


    ¡°Well, what else am I supposed to do?¡±


    ¡°I do not know, human. Though I sense something is off about this place.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, me too... should we find out what?¡±


    ¡°I am with you.¡±


    Kass left it at that and stepped slowly inside the giant room. Once she was fully inside the door behind her slammed shut, causing a loud boom to echo through the building. A second later a brazier burst into flame, followed by another, and another. Soon all were lit and the room bristled with light.


    Yup...called it.

 21. Guardian

    Kass waited for something to happen but, to her surprise, nothing did. That¡¯s odd. She looked around the room and didn¡¯t spot any changes. ¡°Well, I knew it was a trap. Just thought it would be a little bit different¡­¡±


    ¡°Is it considered a trap if you know of it prior?¡±


    ¡°What? That doesn¡¯t even make sense. A trap is a trap.¡±


    ¡°As you say human. As you say.¡±


    She second guessed herself and thought about what the sword had said, but it only made her more confused. ¡°A trap still is a trap because either way it goes off...I don¡¯t have a small brain¡­¡± she muttered under her breath.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to walk over to that cube thing over there. Any reason why I shouldn¡¯t?¡± She pointed to the dark stoned cube as she spoke. The thing probably rose to her waist and was missing its top, but she couldn¡¯t see inside from where she stood.


    ¡°It might be a trap.¡±  The sword replied in a completely serious tone.


    ¡°You don¡¯t say.¡± She just rolled her eyes and carefully began making her way to the center of the room.


    She had only moved a few feet when a gust of wind buffeted Kass and the braziers in the room dimmed, her orb becoming the main source of light in an instant. She fought against the wind that threatened to lift her off her feet, leaning into it and driving forward.


    From out of the box rose a large humanoid figure, its white glowing eyes locked on Kass. The creature was nearly seven feet tall and was clad fully in armor that had pitted and rusted with time. It held onto some sort of weapon, a handle connected to a chain, but she couldn¡¯t see any more of it to tell what it was.  Another Crypt Knight? How the hell did it fit in there?


    She quickly used Identify to see what she was up against.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Crypt Guardian


    Level Unknown


    Health Unknown


    Weaknesses: Unknown


    Abilities: Unknown


    Undead.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    So not a knight but a guardian...hope it isn¡¯t too much stronger. The wind died down as the armored creature stepped through the stone cube, collapsing one of its walls. It took two steps and then rushed at Kass without warning. Shit.


    She barely had any time to react before it reached her, swinging its weapon around from behind. She rolled backwards over her head and came back up with Whisper at the ready. She noticed the blade was sheathed and was confused for a split second, but then watched it melt away to reveal the sharpened edge once more. That¡¯s new.


    The crypt guardian finished its rotation, smashing two spiked balls of metal into the ground where she had been, sending pieces of stone flying and leaving behind two craters. Kass covered her face to protect it from the shrapnel as she moved to the side, hoping to find an opening before the creature could swing again.


    The guardian was quick to recover though and rushed at her a second time, sweeping its weapon across at chest level. Kass dove to the ground, sliding on her stomach as the balls of death passed overhead.


    She scrambled to her feet but was too slow, another blow already on its way. She dashed, moving to the far side of the room and away from the guardian that smashed another two craters into the stone floor.


    ¡°What is that weapon? I don¡¯t know how to fight against it.¡±


    ¡°A flail. Powerful and difficult to defend against. You must not attempt to parry. It is weak in close quarters.¡± the blade answered quickly.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she huffed, readying herself for another charge. The guardian had turned and was walking towards her again, flail dragging behind it. Once it was in range the undead creature rushed forward again and, just like last time, slammed the spiked balls into the ground. Must be some sort of ability, it did the same thing.


    Kass was already on the move when the flail struck the ground, dodging to the side and then sprinting to get close to the guardian. It moved back, lifting its weapon, but it was too late, Kass was in range and already swinging, aiming for the neck.


    She was inches away when a sudden gust of wind caught her, sending her tumbling through the air. She cast barrier just before she hit the ground, landing hard on her shoulder and bouncing a few times before coming to a stop.


    Her barrier still held and Kass found herself unharmed. ¡°What was that?¡± she asked as she pushed herself back up to her feet.


    ¡°It seems that this creature has some sort of air manipulation ability. It should have a cooldown period between casting, or at the very least only be able to cast it a few times.¡±The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Great. This place keeps getting better and better.¡± She remembered the Torusinth and its ability to move silently, figuring that it was the same type of thing. ¡°How many¡­¡± she jumped to the side, avoiding yet another strike, ¡°...abilities do¡­¡± she lashed out at the arm of the creature, bypassing the rusty armor easily and cutting a deep wound, ¡°...creatures generally have?¡± Kass finished her question as she leapt back, disengaging from the guardian that hissed at her from under its armored helm.


    ¡°It varies. I know of strong monsters that don¡¯t possess any skills or abilities, but I also know of others that possess many, five being the most I have come across.¡±


    Identify is definitely going to come in handy later if I can ever level it up. She ducked the spiked balls and sprung towards the armored undead the instant they passed overhead. She flicked the blade across the armored knee of the creature and then again as she passed behind it, cutting deep into the hamstring.


    Kass had no idea if this would do anything, but she soon found herself flying again from a burst of air and guessed that she must have done some damage. More in control of her fall this time Kass landed in a roll and came up to her feet. The impact still popped her barrier and she felt some of the residual damage pass through, but all in all, she was okay.


    Dodge the flail, force the wind, then go in. The guardian reached her and smashed the ground, missing the girl who ran by, slicing deep wounds across its body. The creature hissed in pain and air burst from its body. Kass dashed away at the last second, avoiding the wind attack and then dashed right back in, before the creature recovered.


    Casting barrier around herself once more, she charged in, slicing and dicing. She tried to reach the guardian¡¯s head to strike at its weak spot, but it did everything it could to keep her away. The creature swung its flail and punched out with its other arm, even resorted to kicking in an attempt to stop her rampage, but Kass danced away, too fast for the creature at this distance.


    She noticed it was slowing down as well, each swing coming a bit later and each punch a bit weaker. Again it sent out a burst of air, but Kass was underneath the monster, unaffected by the wave of power.


    A deep slash to the hamstring brought the guardian down to one knee, its armor protesting at the movement. It let go of the flail and focused on trying to grab Kass, keeping her from reaching its head. She jumped away from a grab and brought Whisper down hard, shearing the entire hand off at the wrist.


    The guardian screeched in pain as Kass backed away, waiting for the next gust of wind. A few seconds passed but it never came, so she waded back in, confident in her success. She removed the other arm a moment later and the creature toppled over, unable to balance itself.


    Finally. Should have just chopped the arms off earlier¡­ Kass finished off the creature with two jabs to the head, the light fading from its eyes. The braziers around the room brightened slightly as the creature died.


    ¡°That took¡­longer than it should have.¡± she huffed out the words, bending over as she caught her breath. ¡°I think we could have-¡±


    ¡°Behind you!¡±


    Kass whipped around and watched as another guardian stepped from the same box at the center of the room. It looked almost identical except for the twin swords that it carried in its hands. It walked


    ¡°You have got to be kidding me¡­¡± she said as she quickly checked her resources.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Health


    </td>


    <td>


    298/330


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Stamina


    </td>


    <td>


    312/420


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana


    </td>


    <td>


    141/430


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Used a lot of mana...damn...at least barrier is still active. Kass identified the undead, looking for any extra information.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Crypt Guardian


    Level Unknown


    Health Unknown


    Weaknesses: Unknown


    Abilities: Unknown


    Undead.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Any ideas on the abilities of this one?¡± she asked as she backed away, trying to stall as much as she could.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I have a feeling this is going to suck.¡± The guardian stalked after her, white eyes locked with hers. For a full minute the two circled the room, allowing Kass some much needed mana regeneration, until finally, the guardian sprinted her way.


    The undead closed the distance in three strides, coming in quick with its swords. Kass sidestepped and parried, matching the speed of the creature and lashed out with her own weapon. The creature dodged her blade and spun away, swinging its sword around as it went, forcing her to duck and halting her counterattack.


    Having a better feel for her opponent, Kass moved into a Trestfall stance, blade held at an angle in front of her, both hands on the grip. The two circled for a moment before the guardian rushed back in, swinging high and low in a purely offensive maneuver.


    Kass slapped the blades down and moved in close, negating the guardian¡¯s attack as she reversed the grip on her blade and stabbed to the side. Whisper penetrated the breastplate and sunk in deep, drawing a loud hiss from the creature.


    It punched out at Kass but she dove away, removing the blade as she tumbled. She came back up to find the monster hot on her heels. She spun and deflected another double sweep to the side, only to have to dive away again to avoid another two strikes.


    It got faster. That must be one of its abilities. Again she came up only to be pressed on the defensive, moving as quickly as she could to either avoid or deflect the hail of blades that rained down upon her.


    The guardian executed a vicious combo, slicing down simultaneously at the end of it. Kass knew she had no chance to fully dodge the blow the instant it came. She blocked one strike and twisted as far away from the other as she could but it still connected, popping her barrier and slicing through the back of her coat just above her waist.


    She felt the sting of pain and cried out, dashing away and casting barrier upon herself once more. The mana drained away and left her feeling slightly lightheaded, but she was glad to have her armor active again. She checked her resources, wanting to know how bad she had been hurt.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Health


    </td>


    <td>


    243/330


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Stamina


    </td>


    <td>


    196/420


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana


    </td>


    <td>


    31/430


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Must not be that deep...good. She sucked in a breath of air as she watched the guardian stalk her way. There has got to be something else I can do...it¡¯s too fast when it uses that ability. Think K, what else can you do? Think.


    An idea popped into her head just as the undead swordsman charged. A second later blades clashed, the sound of metal on metal returning to the large room. The guardian was slower again, no longer using whatever ability it had to speed itself up.


    Kass pushed on the offensive while she could, issuing combo after combo and looking for an opening. After four sets she managed to knock both blades to the side and step in close. With a quick mental command, Kass executed her plan.


    Like a bullet shot from heaven the little orb plummeted down, passing straight through the hole in the guardian¡¯s visor and exploding with light. The creature reeled back, caught by surprise and unable to handle the brightness.


    Without hesitating Kass stabbed out with Whisper, sliding it underneath the helm and into the neck of the beast. It screeched in pain and to Kass¡¯ surprise, still remained standing. It even tried to swing at her blindly, coming close enough for her to have to pull away.


    Not wanting to miss her only opportunity to finish the creature off she jumped right back in, deflecting a sword and then stabbing again, this time through the same eye socket the orb had entered. The blade sunk in deep and the undead swordsman crumpled to the ground as even more light filled the room, the braziers now fully lit.


    Kass removed the sword quickly and turned to face the center of the room, breathing heavily. Please not another one. I can¡¯t take another one. Her chest tightened as she saw the form of yet another guardian rise above the stone box. This one held a massive hammer to its chest as it stepped out and onto the floor.


    ¡°I hate this world¡­¡±

 22. Rhythm

    ¡°Illuminate,¡± she spoke quickly, summoning the orb of light once more. Just do the same thing as last time. Make an opening and then blind it with the orb. You can do this K.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Crypt Guardian


    Level Unknown


    Health Unknown


    Weaknesses: Unknown


    Abilities: Unknown


    Undead.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Kass backed away from her new opponent just like the last time, buying time for her regen to make a difference. The hammer guardian didn¡¯t seem to care and continued to follow after her at the same steady pace. It still held its weapon to its chest, and to Kass, the thing looked as though it were marching, which was definitely an odd sight considering it was going to try and kill her at any moment.


    She knew her time was up as soon as the monster lowered the hammer, readying itself to charge. With one final deep breath she steeled herself and fell into a defensive stance. The guardian¡¯s powerful legs pushed off the ground and it closed the distance between them.


    As soon as the creature neared Kass, it lifted the hammer over its head and hurled it straight at her. Taken completely by surprise she managed to get her body mostly out of the way of the giant weapon, but it still clipped her leg that she hadn¡¯t managed to get out of the way. The force of the blow popped her barrier and sent her spinning backwards, rolling on the ground. Other than a slightly sore leg, however, she seemed to be okay. Got lucky...


    She caught herself after a second and used the momentum to push herself back to her feet, still sliding as she stood. A split second later the undead was upon her, punching and kicking. She managed to avoid the first series of attacks, getting a strike of her own in each time the monster overextended.


    It didn¡¯t slow, raining punch after punch, kick after kick, down upon her. A full twenty seconds passed as Kass frantically stayed out of the way, using more energy than she had wanted to without being able to get her own attacks in.


    She didn¡¯t have time to focus on commanding her orb of light either, fearing that a lapse in her reaction time would end up killing her. She felt especially vulnerable without her barrier active, but without the mana to cast it again there was nothing she could do.


    Kass sidestepped a left jab and ducked under the subsequent right hook that threatened to take her head, and then jumped back, expecting another kick, but it didn¡¯t come. Instead the monster had finally stopped its onslaught and stood with its arm outstretched. Before she could question what it was doing, let alone move forward on the offensive, its hammer slammed back into its hand with an audible ¡®thunk¡¯.


    Thinking just how unfair that was, Kass jumped to the side as the hammer came down, only a foot to the left. She lashed out at the limbs of the guardian as it lifted the hammer again, but found little purchase, only cutting slightly into its armor.


    The hammer smashed down again, barely missing the girl who dove away. This time Kass had enough time to command the orb to move, directing it towards the gap in the visor of the undead¡¯s helmet. It connected, and a split second later a bright light erupted from the armor that looked like a focused beam of energy as it shot out, blinding the creature.


    Kass waded in as the guardian screeched and hissed, stepping backwards heavily. Unable to reach its head, she slashed at its legs, hoping to topple it like she had the flail guardian. She got in three quick swipes before the creature swung an arm her way, but each one barely penetrated the rusty armor.


    What is this thing made of? Kass circled around and kept up her attacks, slowly whittling away at the monster as she tried to find a weak spot in its armor. She soon ran out of time as the monster recovered, however, focusing its eyes back on her.


    Kass disengaged, not wanting to be anywhere near the hammer, and cast illuminate for a third time. The light blinked into existence just as the guardian brought its hammer back for another throw. More prepared for it this time Kass was able to dodge the flying hammer completely and re enter a defensive stance before it began its fury of blows all over again.


    Left jab. Dodge. Right jab. Dodge. Left hook. Duck. Kick. Sidestep. Counterattack. Repeat.


    Kass fell into the rhythm of the fight, fully focused on the attack sequences of the guardian and occasionally scoring her own hits. She noticed her strikes were digging deeper than they had before, and this puzzled her. I¡¯m not doing anything different¡­


    The undead recalled its hammer once more, and the fight changed tempo. Kass was able to get more hits in since the guardian moved a bit slower, but again, she could barely penetrate through its armor. It must gain some sort of defense when it has its hammer, that¡¯s the only thing that makes sense.


    She confirmed her suspicion by repeating a strike she had made earlier against the unarmed guardian, slicing hard at its thigh. Whisper cut through the metal, but only just. Last time she had managed to hit flesh, causing the monster to hiss in pain.


    Better understanding what she was up against, Kass prepared for another attempt at blinding the guardian. Just have to get it to throw this damn hammer¡­ She rolled to the left just as the hammer crunched into the ground, cracking it.


    Instead of advancing on the offensive while the guardian reset, she instead ran away from it, hoping she could get it to throw its weapon again. The ruse worked, and she watched as it drew the hammer back and then whipped it forward rapidly. The hammer flew true, and if she hadn¡¯t been expecting it she was sure she would have been flattened by the throw.


    She rolled out of the way and came up quickly as the hammer skipped past and embedded itself in the wall. She was just in time to bat a fist away and dodge another, rolling again to avoid a vicious kick. Kass only waited for one rotation before she commanded the orb to descend once more, ready for this fight to be over. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    The orb rushed down without hesitation, heading straight at the guardian. Instead of continuing its attack like it had before, the creature noticed the ball of light and stopped attacking Kass in order to swat at the flying thing.


    Unlike the orb, Kass hesitated, not expecting this turn of events. But then she shook her head and charged in, trying her best to control the orb and run at the same time. She commanded it to fly in random directions above the creature¡¯s head and then quickly got to work attacking the distracted opponent.


    Again, she started with the legs, trying to bring the creature down. With a wicked two handed strike, Whisper bit deep into its hamstring. It screeched in pain and swiped at Kass with an arm while the other still tried to destroy the orb. Content to continue, she slashed again and again at both hamstrings, cutting in deeper and deeper with each attack.


    Finally, the guardian gave up trying to smack the orb and instead reached out to call for its hammer, still punching out at Kass to keep her at bay.


    ¡°Oh no you don¡¯t!¡± she yelled, sending the orb diving down at its max speed. It bypassed the guardian¡¯s sweeping hand and smacked into an eye beneath the helmet. The expected explosion of light that followed set the monster on its heels as it clawed at its helmet, unable to see.


    What Kass didn¡¯t expect was the hammer that flew past her, narrowly missing her head, only to smack directly into the guardian¡¯s face. The blow lifted the creature off its feet and knocked it flat on its back, the hammer falling to the side.


    Kass dashed in, seizing the opportunity that arose, and skewered the monster through the visor of the helmet. She felt the blade punch through bone, and with a wet and final screech, the guardian died.


    Kass was instantly lifted into the air as golden light enveloped her body. She felt the familiar soothing touch and healing properties of the light, and sighed as all the pain she had been suffering washed away like dirt in a hot shower. Each of her resources returned to maximum and even the grime on her hands vanished, revealing once more the pale skin beneath.


    I¡¯m never going to stop leveling uppppp¡­.. This feels amazing!  The light slowly faded and Kass floated down to stand upon the ground once more. Her eyes suddenly shot open as she remembered where she was, no longer distracted by the sensation of ecstasy. She quickly looked towards the center of the room and was relieved when she didn¡¯t see another guardian.


    Even the braziers had died down, each giving off a small amount of light that dimly illuminated the room. Feeling more comfortable with her own light at the ready she cast illuminate for a fourth time. ¡°That thing sure came in handy even though I¡¯m pretty sure it was never meant to be used like that. I¡¯m totally adding that to my list of possible attacks.¡±


    ¡°There are no rules for spells. They can be used in every possible way to aide the caster.¡±


    ¡°Way to make it sound obvious... Either way it was a good idea. There¡¯s no way I could have defeated that double sword guardian.¡±


    ¡°The dual wielding guardian. Yes, I agree. The defense of the third guardian was also impressive.¡±


    ¡°Yeah...that had me worried. You¡¯ve never had a problem cutting into anything.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± replied the blade.


    ¡°We should probably go back out before checking my status, just in case another guardian decides it wants to kill us.¡±


    Kass lifted Whisper over her head and then slid him back into the sheath at her back. I¡¯m getting better at that too. She smiled, proud of herself that she had survived in this messed up world. Just a little more and maybe I¡¯ll be able to get back home. Just a little more.


    She walked to the small door that blocked the entrance she had come through and tried to open it. It didn¡¯t budge. She pulled again, harder. Still nothing. She pushed and pulled but try as she might the door wouldn¡¯t open.


    ¡°Well that could be a problem¡­¡±


    ¡°It seems we are not yet finished here.¡±


    ¡°Alright, guess I¡¯ll just have to level up now. Warn me if you sense anything, okay?¡±


    Kass summoned her status book and flipped it open to the log.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    *You have successfully identified Crypt Guardian.


    *You have defeated Crypt Guardian level 90. Extra experience awarded.


    *You have reached level 70. 5 stat points have been awarded.


    *You have successfully identified Crypt Guardian


    *You have defeated Crypt Guardian level 90. Extra experience awarded.


    *You have reached level 74. 4 stat points have been awarded.


    *Barrier has reached level 2.


    *Vagabond has reached level 3. 1 Class point has been awarded.


    *You have successfully identified Crypt Guardian.


    *You have defeated Crypt Guardian level 90. Extra experience awarded.


    *You have reached level 77. 3 stat points have been awarded.


    *Level Milestone Achieved. Resources fully restored.


    *New Skill now available.


    *Illuminate has reached level 3.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    I gained a lot from fighting those things. Definitely worth it. She flipped over to look at her stats and was tempted to dump her twelve points into intelligence again for more mana, but she didn¡¯t. Barrier saved my life, I¡¯m sure of it, but so did my ability to avoid all of those attacks. Dexterity is a must.


    My stamina was low by the end of all that but I think my endurance is pretty good for now¡­ Same with strength, I think speed is more important than more strength right now, especially with how I¡¯m fighting. I could always use more health...but I think having barrier up more often is more important right now.


    She decided on putting half into dexterity and the other half into intelligence. Kass put the points in and confirmed.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Name


    </td>


    <td>


    Kassandra Johnson


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Age


    </td>


    <td>


    21


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Eyes


    </td>


    <td>


    Brown


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Natural Hair


    </td>


    <td>


    Brown


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Health


    </td>


    <td>


    330/330


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Stamina


    </td>


    <td>


    420/420


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana


    </td>


    <td>


    489/490


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    General Level: 77


    Class: Vagabond Level 3


    Subclass: None


    Tertiary Ability: None


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Strength


    </td>


    <td>


    36


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Dexterity


    </td>


    <td>


    47


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Endurance


    </td>


    <td>


    42


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Fortitude


    </td>


    <td>


    33


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Intelligence


    </td>


    <td>


    49


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Coronation Tier


    </td>


    <td>


    -4


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Unused Stat Points


    </td>


    <td>


    0


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Skills


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Illuminate


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 3


    Common


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - 2 mana per minute


    Range: 30 yards


    </td>


    <td>


    Create a small sphere of light.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Identify


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 1


    Rare


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - No cost


    </td>


    <td>


    Allows you to gain more information about identifiable objects.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Dash


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 2


    Uncommon


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - 50 Mana per use


    Range: 6 yards


    </td>


    <td>


    When used, allows you to move quickly to a desired location.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Barrier


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 2


    Uncommon


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - 100 mana per use


    Range: Self


    </td>


    <td>


    Creates an ablative shield that envelopes your body, protecting you from physical damage.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Heightened Senses


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 2


    Uncommon


    </td>


    <td>


    Passive - No cost


    </td>


    <td>


    Increases awareness and reaction time.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Skill Available


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Class Point Available


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Another skill and another class point. I wonder what I¡¯ll get this time...

 23. The Gamblers Way

    The new skills available faded into view on the page in front of Kass and she took in the information.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Haste - Level 1 - Uncommon - Active - Slightly increases movement and reaction speed.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Project Self - Level 1 - Rare - Active - Creates an image of the caster that cannot move.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Multishot - Level 1 - Rare - Active - Fire multiple arrows at a time.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Select One


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Do you know anything about the skill, project self? It says it¡¯s rare but the description doesn¡¯t make it sound like it¡¯s very good.¡±


    ¡°I believe at later levels it can be quite useful. It still remains an image that cannot deal damage, but it becomes an exact replica of the caster that can be used in many different ways.¡±


    ¡°How much later? What¡¯s the highest level for skills anyways?¡±


    ¡°The projection won¡¯t be able to move until level twenty or twenty-five, which could take a considerable amount of time to reach. Also, I do not know the highest level that can be achieved. I know of some skills that cease at level ten, while others have climbed well above forty or even fifty.¡±


    ¡°Hmm...so when skills level up do they always get stronger? My barrier leveled up but nothing changed in the description.¡±


    ¡°According to my knowledge, yes. Skill descriptions will change based on your personal knowledge and lore.¡±


    ¡°Ha,¡± she laughed, ¡°is that another way of saying I have a small brain?¡±


    ¡°You seem self conscious to the size of your brain, I did not intend to offend you with my statement earlier.¡± Kass was surprised to hear something close to an apology from the blade.


    ¡°Oh that was meant to be a joke. I¡¯m over it, I wasn¡¯t really upset in the first place.¡± she dropped the subject and moved back to a more important topic.


    ¡°So I¡¯m thinking Haste would probably be my best choice right now. Fighting that dual wielding guardian was almost too much, but maybe with a little extra speed it would have been easier.¡±


    ¡°Haste is a strong choice. I¡¯ve known of great warriors that possessed this skill.¡±


    She double checked her options before deciding. Multishot would be pretty awesome if I had a bow, but I don¡¯t. Might never see one. Project image could be really strong but that might take time. Time that I might not have. Haste seems like it could be pretty powerful and is something that can help me now.


    She nodded her head and decided to go with that. ¡°Haste it is.¡± She mentally selected and confirmed the option.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Skills


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Illuminate


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 3


    Common


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - 2 mana per minute


    Range: 30 yards


    </td>


    <td>


    Create a small sphere of light.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Identify


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 1


    Rare


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - No cost


    </td>


    <td>


    Allows you to gain more information about identifiable objects.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Dash


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 2


    Uncommon


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - 50 Mana per use


    Range: 6 yards


    </td>


    <td>


    When used, allows you to move quickly to a desired location.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Barrier


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 2


    Uncommon


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - 100 mana per use


    Range: Self


    </td>


    <td>


    Creates an ablative shield that envelopes your body, protecting you from physical damage.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Heightened Senses


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 2


    Uncommon


    </td>


    <td>


    Passive - No cost


    </td>


    <td>


    Increases awareness and reaction time.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Haste


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 1


    Uncommon


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - 50 mana per use


    Range: Self


    Duration: 2 Minutes


    </td>


    <td>


    Increases reaction and movement speed by 10%.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Ten percent, it actually tells me how much this time. Ten percent is pretty good for level one.


    ¡°Now to gamble¡­¡± Kass navigated to the correct screen and spent the available class point. She watched the red and silver colors form into dice once more and then collected all three in her hand. ¡°Come on luck, I really need you on my side right now,¡± she whispered.


    She cast the dice and watched as they tumbled around. When they settled she found no matches. Damn. The cubes melted away and were replaced by words.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Class Skill Awarded for rolling King¡¯s Ransom


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Wait, what? King¡¯s Ransom?¡± There weren¡¯t any matches though¡­


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Reward


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Gambler¡¯s Way


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t understand. I didn¡¯t roll any matches. I don¡¯t even remember what I rolled, but I know they weren¡¯t matching.¡±


    ¡°You seem to have rolled a correct set special to your class.¡±


    ¡°I guess I did. Wish I could remember what symbols¡­¡±


    ¡°The broken crown, the hidden skull, the bloody axe.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes I forget you are a wealth of information. Next time you and I are going to have a chat about those symbols, okay?¡± Broken crown, hidden skull, bloody axe. Got it. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see. Gambler¡¯s Way. No description...¡± Kass flipped the page to reveal her overview and found the reward listed under her skills. She quickly read the information.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Gambler¡¯s Way


    </td>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Level 1


    Unique


    Class Skill


    </td>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Active - 25 mana per use


    Range: Self


    Duration: Specified


    </td>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Roll the dice to gain a random buff or debuff.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Hmm, buff or debuff. So like something that makes me stronger or weaker? I should probably test this a lot before I use it during a fight... ¡°We might be having that conversation right now actually. I think it might be important for this new skill.¡±


    ¡°This class is very peculiar. It strays far from what is considered normal. How much information about these dice do you desire? My knowledge is outdated, but it seems to still be relevant. ¡±


    ¡°Enough to understand what¡¯s going on when I roll them?¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± the blade spoke and then paused for a second. ¡°The game was called Skant. It was a simple yet popular way of gambling. There are three dice, each with the same six faces. The broken crown, the harvest moon, the fool¡¯s hand, the knight¡¯s vow, the bloody axe, and the hidden skull.


    ¡°Each player would roll at the same time and then compare. The one with the strongest roll wins. Three matches beat two, and two beat no matches, unless a certain combination set was rolled like King¡¯s Ransom or Deadman¡¯s Wish. These were considered stronger than most rolls, only beat by three skulls or three crowns.¡±


    ¡°So each set of three were worth a different amount of points?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Skulls beat all, then crowns. If no combination was rolled, knights were next, then moons, axes, and lastly, fool¡¯s hand.¡±


    ¡°How many combo sets are there?¡±


    ¡°Three. King¡¯s Ransom, Deadman¡¯s Wish, and Liar¡¯s Folly,¡±


    ¡°Do you think these same rules affect what I roll?¡±


    ¡°It seems to follow them considering you rolled King¡¯s Ransom.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I think I understand. Thanks Whisper. There would be so many things I wouldn¡¯t know how to do without you here.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for saving me, Kassandra.¡±


    ¡°Well we aren¡¯t out of here yet, haha,¡± she laughed awkwardly, not sure what else to say. When no reply from the blade came, she decided to try out this new skill of hers.


    Mana drained away at the mental command to cast the spell and three dice instantly fell to the ground in front of her.


    Axe, moon, moon. She noticed.


    A window popped up in the corner of her vision by her resources and she focused on it.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Buff Gained: Intelligence +2, Cast speed increased by 15% - Duration: 10 Minutes


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Interesting¡­¡± she mumbled. ¡°Now what if I cast it again?¡± She did, and watched the dice fall again.


    Knight, crown, axe.


    She looked at the same window and saw the information had changed.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Buff Gained: +5% Stamina Regen - Duration: 4 Minutes


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    So they don¡¯t stack. Guess that would¡¯ve been too strong.  She checked her stats, just to be sure of her assumption, and found that her intelligence was back to its normal amount. ¡°This is going to be interesting to use during combat... Do you think it¡¯s worth it even with the chance of getting a debuff?¡±


    ¡°I do not know,¡± replied the sword.


    ¡°I wonder if I can clear a debuff by casting it again¡­¡±


    Kass spent the next several minutes casting the skill over and over again. With it only costing twenty-five mana, it wasn¡¯t too much of a drain, and she thought it was worth it to test her theory.


    Finally after thirteen tries, she found her debuff.


    Fool¡¯s, skull, fool¡¯s.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Debuff Gained: -18% movement speed, Drains 12 mana per minute - Duration: 5 minutes


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Yeah that could easily get me killed. Hmm,¡± she slowly put a hand to her chin, thinking over the different possibilities. I just hardly know anything about this skill. Like what is the best buff or what is the worst? How long will it take me to figure that out? What if it decided to drain my health by twelve every minute for ten minutes, or twenty!


    ¡°Ugh,¡± she sighed, slapping her face into her hand. The movement felt slightly off and then she remembered she was now almost twenty percent slower. ¡°This sucks.¡±


    She tried casting Gambler¡¯s Way again, but nothing happened. She tried again, twice, and then gave up, now aware that she could not remove a debuff as easily as she had hoped.


    Kass used the remaining time to test her movements with the debuff active, shadow boxing and running side to side. It was a weird sensation to be moving her body the same as she always did, but then have it arrive later than she expected. After the full five minutes had passed, she watched the debuff disappear and instantly felt the difference in speed. I do not like that at all¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to use that skill sparingly for awhile, I think. Until I understand it better.¡±


    ¡°I agree with your decision.¡±


    ¡°Think we can get out of here now?¡± she asked as she moved back towards the door. She pushed and pulled again, but it still didn¡¯t move. It didn¡¯t even shudder from her attempts. ¡°Guess that¡¯s a no.¡±


    She looked around the room for any other options. She saw a few chunks of stone missing from the walls where the hammer had struck, but other than that the only way out that she could see were the stairs in the far corner.


    Unless I can use whatever the guardian¡¯s were using. Kass walked over to the half destroyed box in the center of the room but only found a solid piece of stone floor at the bottom. Hmm. She walked over to the body of the hammer guardian and tried lifting the weapon that lay by its side.


    After struggling a little, she hoisted it up to her waist and pinned it there. She was able to walk, albeit slowly, with the weapon held like this, and so she moved back over to the box. When she made it there she was breathing hard and sweat dripped down her face.


    With a final heave, she dropped the heavy hammer onto the stone in the center of the cube. Nothing happened. Dammittttt. Did that all for nothing. She stayed there stooped over for a minute, waiting for her breath to come back and the blood in her arms to settle. They were feeling all tingly.


    When she finally caught her breath, she stood and shook out her arms, which helped stop the tingles. ¡°Guess there¡¯s only one way to go. Down wherever those lead.¡± she pointed to the stairs and then felt silly, realizing she probably didn¡¯t need to point for Whisper to know what she meant.


    With a shrug, she checked to make sure her mana was back to full and that she hadn¡¯t used too much stamina to move the heavy hammer. Satisfied, she moved towards the stairs.


    ¡°Yeah going down there won¡¯t be creepy at all¡­¡± she looked into the darkness for a second and then sent her orb to investigate. The steps were large and uneven, built by hand for someone that was much taller than Kass. And they kept going, straight down and not curving in the slightest.


    Her orb reached its max distance and stopped moving. ¡°Still can¡¯t see the bottom¡­¡± she moved away from the stairs a bit, feeling dizzy just looking into the seemingly endless hole. ¡°It¡¯s the only way, you¡¯ve gotta go down there. You got yourself into this mess. Nobody told you to enter this damn building.¡±


    Taking a deep breath, she started down, having to stretch her legs to reach each step. Some of the steps were worn smooth, making them a little slippery and causing Kass to move even slower, not wanting to fall. She may or may not have a history of falling down stairs.


    I¡¯m not going to fall. I¡¯m not going to fall. I¡¯ve got this. She almost resorted to scooting on her butt down each of them but talked herself out of it, reasoning it would take even longer to get down, and she really wanted to get down, just not by falling.


    She kept moving, not knowing how much time had passed. Soon the light from the braziers above was just a small square above her, and still she couldn¡¯t see the bottom. This would have been my worst nightmare a week ago...it¡¯s still a close second.


    More time passed and finally she spotted the bottom. The stairs ended abruptly and the ground leveled out, revealing a small passageway. She moved faster now, able to see the bottom. When she stepped off the last stair, Kass refrained from bending down and kissing the blessed floor. She probably would have had she not been even deeper underground in a random, let alone dangerous, crypt.


    A short rest later, she drew Whisper from her back, and began to make her way through the tunnel. It curved in a complete U before coming to a closed stone doorway that blocked the way.


    Kass took one look at the door and was instantly mad. ¡°No, uh-uh. Nope. I¡¯m not doing that.¡±


    Set in the stone of the closed door were four slots, each one in the form of a weapon. Four specific weapons. Two large swords, a flail, and a big, big hammer.

 24. Calculated

    The trek back up the stairs took a long time. Kass had to crawl up each step and after only forty or so her arms and legs felt like jello. At first she counted how many breaks she was taking, but by the fifteenth she stopped counting, more focused on making it up the stairs and not falling back down them.


    She finally crested the last stair after two hours and collapsed onto the floor, exhausted. Then she cried. They weren¡¯t sad tears that fell down onto the floor though, they were happy tears. She let out a laugh that came out as a half-sob and it just made her laugh even more.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m going to take a nap. I¡¯m so tired.¡±


    ¡°I would not advise sleeping where you are.¡±


    ¡°Well you weren¡¯t the one that had to climb all those stairs, now were you?¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°Alright, you¡¯re right...just give me a minute, okay?¡± The blade didn¡¯t respond, so she just laid there, feeling sore. Wish I had a bed to sleep in¡­


    It took her awhile to finally feel like she was rested enough, and even when she pushed herself up she felt the fatigue in her arms and legs. Now I have to move all those weapons¡­


    Kass started with the swords, which were the lightest by far. She moved them one by one, and set them next to the stairs leading down. Then she grabbed the flail. She was able to move it by holding onto the handle and dragging the two spiked balls on the floor behind her. It took more effort than the swords, but was still manageable.


    Breathing heavy she walked over to the hammer and sat down on the ground next to the broken stone cube. Kass just stared at the weapon and pouted, not wanting to think about having to move it. Hmm...maybe I can roll a strength buff and then move it? She thought it was worth a try and so she cast Gambler¡¯s Way.


    The dice fell. Fool¡¯s, Fool¡¯s, Knight.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Debuff Gained: -2 Strength, Shortness of Breath - Duration: 2 minutes


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Are you kidding me!?¡± she threw her hands up in the air in protest. What the hell is that garbage? She huffed from the movement, feeling the affects of the debuff already.


    ¡°Two fool¡¯s hands again and I get a debuff...huh. That¡¯s the only time it has happened so far. I wonder¡­¡± Kass waited the full two minutes and then began casting the skill over and over again, watching for another debuff and watching what she rolled.


    After ten rolls she rolled her first set of three and was quite surprised by the buff received.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Buff Gained: +20% increase to damage, +7% increase to maximum health, +10% increase to overall defense - Duration: 20 minutes


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Wow, that is really, really strong. So three knights gave me a boost to damage, health, and defense¡­ wish I had a piece of paper or something¡­¡± She tried scratching her findings into the floor with a sharp chunk of stone that she found lying nearby, but it didn¡¯t work very well. She even tried finding a burnt stick from one of the braziers but was surprised to see that they all functioned without fuel. Huh, magic?


    After looking around for another minute, she gave up and asked Whisper to help her remember what she discovered, then got back to work.


    An hour later Kass had compiled a good amount of information about her new skill. She even managed to scratch most of it onto a piece of metal she had pried off one of the guardians. It wasn¡¯t very big and she figured she could carry it around with her for awhile until she memorized what she had found.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go over this again,¡± she said to the sword as she looked over her crude tablet of information. ¡°If I don¡¯t roll any matches, rolling a single skull gives a stronger buff than any of the other singles, as far as we know. But that follows the same idea of the gambling game you told me about.


    ¡°We also didn¡¯t come across any debuffs from rolling singles, which makes me think that it has to do with rolling more than one fool¡¯s hand, though I didn¡¯t roll three fool¡¯s hands, which is probably a good thing now that I think about it. There weren¡¯t any debuffs from rolling doubles of anything else either, and of the two triples that I rolled, which were three knights and three moons, we just saw stronger buffs. Did you notice anything else?¡±


    ¡°It appears that each double, and consequently triple, rewards a buff similar in nature. For example, when you rolled three knights you received a buff concerning damage, health, and defense. Later, when you rolled two knights, you received a buff to your defense. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°The same thing occurred when rolling three moons and two moons. Both coincided with intelligence and other things that would be quite useful to a magic wielder.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right.¡± she jotted down a few words about the similarities. ¡°Okay time for some math. Is math something you can help me with as well or am I stuck doing this alone?¡±


    ¡°I do not believe I understand what ¡®math¡¯ is. You are speaking a word from the language of your people.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    A dumbfounded look spread across Kass¡¯ face. She tried to speak a few times but only managed to open and close her mouth.


    ¡°Ah, I see¡­ You must understand, communication between us was paramount to your survival. Memory of your old language may have been replaced or forgotten due to the transference of the language of Arkos.¡±


    ¡°A whole other language¡­? How? How did I not notice I was speaking another language? I would have noticed¡­¡± Her mind was turning over a hundred times, trying to wrap itself around the fact that she had been speaking another language and didn¡¯t even realize it.


    ¡°I speak English, and some...some Spanish...I know words from both of them...¡± she tried to speak them, but the words didn¡¯t come, they felt sluggish inside her head, moving too slow to form a complete sentence. Like the time she told someone she spoke Spanish and they went off on a long sentence in the language and all she understood were certain simple words.


    Kass sat there for a long time, trying to get a grasp of her old life back. She remembered her family and friends, school and running, part-time work, her first car, first date, the day her mom died...but it all seemed so far away, like a dream. I¡¯ll never make it back home¡­


    The realization was so jarring that it seemed to snap her out of the mental state she was in. Her resolve broke and her eyes teared up. What am I doing? Why did I ever think I could survive this? I¡¯m just a stupid girl, and I¡¯m never going home. I¡¯ll be dead before I ever make it.


    But you aren¡¯t dead yet. The thought entered her mind and she pushed against it, not wanting to acknowledge the fact. I¡¯ve been so reckless...like this is all just going to end and I¡¯ll wake up at home again. That¡¯s not what¡¯s going to happen, you know that K...what are you doing walking into obvious traps? Like there won¡¯t be any repercussions.


    Dammit. The pain was already telling enough. I¡¯m never going back home. This isn¡¯t a dream. This isn¡¯t fake. This is my life now. I¡¯ve got to be smarter if I¡¯m going to survive. I¡¯ve been lucky up to this point, but soon that luck is going to run out.


    ¡°How am I still alive?¡± she asked to no one in particular. ¡°This is ridiculous. I¡¯ve been so reckless...¡±


    ¡°You did what you must to survive, did you not?¡± the sword¡¯s voice was clear and calm.


    ¡°I guess so, but I¡¯ve just been going through the motions it feels. I haven¡¯t even been looking for food or water or anything. How am I going to live another day if I don¡¯t level up to the next milestone? I can¡¯t just keep relying on levels to keep me alive. I¡¯ve been so stupid!¡± She pounded her fist on her forehead, mad at herself for being so careless.


    ¡°You will survive Kassandra. You are strong and capable. Look at what you have accomplished already. Look around you. This is not weakness, it is strength. I do not disagree that you have been reckless, but with more awareness and a will to survive, the monsters of this world have something to fear.¡±


    ¡°You believe in me too much, but thank you...I¡¯m okay now...sorry. Guess I just needed to get through that.¡± Kass wiped away the tears from her eyes and pushed herself up to her feet. ¡°What were we talking about before?¡±


    ¡°You were going to use some ¡®math¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Oh right, that just means to make calculations like adding and subtracting, that exists here, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes indeed, the word for that would be ¡®mathematics¡¯,¡± the blade used a different word that sounded familiar to Kass and she tried to commit it to memory.


    ¡°Got it, thanks. Okay,¡± she took a deep breath to fully calm herself down and tried to clear her mind. ¡°Mathematics, right,¡± she spoke the new word and then continued, ¡°each dice has six sides, which means that for one dice you would have a one in six chances to roll a knight. To roll a knight with two dice decreases your chances by¡­six times six...so a one in thirty-six chance to roll a double.


    ¡°That means to roll three of the same would be¡­¡± she did the calculation as quick as she could in her head, ¡°one in two hundred and sixteen. Wow.¡± The number surprised her, being a lot higher than she had imagined before.  ¡°I rolled two threes in an hour. I wonder what the chances of that were.¡±


    ¡°I believe your luck may slightly affect that number.¡±


    ¡°Luck? Oh, right, I got plus one to luck when I chose the Vagabond class. Why doesn¡¯t that show up on my status?¡±


    ¡°It is a hidden stat, something that has an effect on the world but is not easily understood. It has not appeared on any status that I know of.¡±


    ¡°Hmm...is there a way to get more luck?¡±


    ¡°I do not know of one.¡±


    ¡°Well let¡¯s just hope that plus one will be enough,¡± she paused to stretch, feeling the soreness that already tightened up her muscles. ¡°Okay,¡± she said as she straightened back out, ¡°the game plan has changed. I need to get stronger, that much is clear, but I also need to be smart. You might survive down here without any food or water, but I won¡¯t, so we need to make finding either of those a priority. Which I know won¡¯t be easy¡­and there are a ton of other things to worry about like shelter, and fire, and diseases, and... Sorry, just trying not to freak out.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°Right, let¡¯s get this door opened then so we can get out of here.¡± She looked down at the hammer and then at the metal tablet she held in her hand. Still wanting to keep the thing she felt around for a pocket of some sort that she could stick it in and found one on the inside of her jacket. It was the perfect size opening and Kass slipped it in.


    The piece of metal easily sunk in, and then, to her surprise, disappeared. What the¡­  She reached into the pocket and found that it was completely empty, no metal anywhere. ¡°Uhh Whisper, I think my jacket just ate that piece of metal¡­ I just put it in this pocket and now it¡¯s gone.¡±


    ¡°Gone? Are the pockets deep?¡±


    ¡°No, not really. But I¡¯m serious, I dropped it in there and now it¡¯s gone. I would be able to feel that spiky piece of metal through a mattress, it has completely disappeared.¡±


    ¡°Then the coat that you are wearing is more valuable than we first thought. It seems that it possesses the ability to store items elsewhere.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean elsewhere?¡±


    ¡°Most likely a pocket dimension, but it could connect to some unknown location. Basically it allows you to store things that would otherwise be difficult to carry long distances. Very rare indeed.¡±


    ¡°Good for smuggling...huh, if what you are saying is true that makes a lot more sense. Can I get the things out that I put into it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it should be possible. You should just have to visualize the item.¡±


    Kass tried it, thinking of the metal tablet. It appeared in her hand almost instantly and she couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°I...uh...I don¡¯t even know how to talk about how amazing that is. I...it...just, wow. This thing is amazing! How does something like this even exist?¡± she talked quickly, filled with excitement.


    ¡°You must be very lucky indeed to have come across such an item. By accident, I might add.¡±


    ¡°I just might actually survive with something like this. I can put food and water in there. I can put¡­¡± she stopped what she was saying and looked back down at the hammer at her feet. ¡°Oh hell yes, do you think this thing will fit in there?!¡±

 25. Sanctum

    After a few minutes of trial and error, the hammer disappeared into the smuggler¡¯s coat. At first she had tried to lift the thing up and then, pinning it to her knees and chest, try to fit it in the pocket.


    Realizing how ridiculous this was she stripped off the coat and after laying it down tried to fit it in, handle first. Of course the head of the handle was too large to fit, but she figured it would just disappear once she got a portion of it in there. It didn¡¯t work.


    Kass put her coat back on and stared at the hammer, stumped.


    ¡°Perhaps it is much more simple than you think.¡± said the blade.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked incredulously.


    ¡°Consider how you retrieve an item.¡±


    ¡°By visualizing it, then willing it to appear, right?¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°Wait, so it¡¯s the same with putting something in? Are you telling me you knew this the whole time?¡±


    ¡°It is beneficial for you to learn things on your own. To use your brain in different ways. For your survival of course.¡±


    She was a little mad but figured the sword had a point. She definitely needed to change up the way she thought about things in this world.


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s fine. Thank you for the help. Let¡¯s try this out.¡±


    She bent down and laid a hand on the head of the hammer, willing it to enter the magical space. The idea was still unnatural to her, feeling so against all of the things she had ever experienced or learned about.


    She struggled against the old ideologies, pushing them away to make room for new, seemingly impossible ones.


    The hammer vanished.


    Kass stood with a smile on her face. I can move it as easy as that. The coat doesn¡¯t even weigh more! She was more than excited about this new discovery, her spirits lifting. I¡¯m gonna make it through this. Then I¡¯ll find a way home.


    She moved over to the other weapons and repeated the process, each one taking less time than the last. When they were all stored away she decided to test what it would be like taking them out again.


    Closing her eyes she focused, visualizing her desire. Sword in hand. She felt as the sword materialized in her hand, a smile reaching her lips again. Then a slight sting made her eyes snap open.


    ¡°Dammit.¡± she swore after seeing she was holding the blade of the weapon, a shallow cut on her hand drew a small amount of blood. She willed the blade to disappear again and it vanished.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got this,¡± she said to herself, closing her eyes a second time.


    ¡°Oww, shit... Why am I practicing this with a sword?¡± She dropped the weapon to the ground. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll do this later when I have something else to use. Unless you want to take a trip into the unknown?¡±


    ¡°I would rather stay where I am, thank you.¡±


    ¡°As you wish,¡± she bent down and stored the guardian¡¯s sword once more into her coat. That is so nifty. Just need to practice with it more.


    ¡°So do you think there is another way out of here?¡±


    ¡°I believe this place was meant to keep those that entered, in.¡±


    ¡°Back down the stairs then. I¡¯m going to need water soon, and then some sleep. I¡¯m not hungry yet but I imagine that¡¯s coming. If you sense water or something I might need, please tell me.¡±


    ¡°As you wish,¡± the blade mimicked her response from earlier, making her laugh.


    ¡°Haha, thanks.¡±


    Kass started down the stairs again, being careful like she had the first time, but more confident and aware of what she was up against. Her orb of light floated a ways in front of her just in case something decided to pop out in the time it took her to return.


    Although she was moving faster, the journey still took awhile.


    ¡°What do you think of the Vagabond class compared to other classes? Be honest.¡±


    ¡°I cannot fully state an opinion with the information that I have. From what I have witnessed, the class could reward strong items, and you also receive more general skills than normal, but with it being randomized as it is, I can¡¯t help but see the weaknesses attributed.


    ¡°Other classes receive bonuses that are tied directly to strengthening skills, and each skill complements the others in turn. Your¡¯s does nothing of the sort and I fail to see the strength in such a class. This brings me to believe there is something more, something we are missing, but what, I do not know.¡±


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re right. This coat and some of the skills I have are wonderful, but you make it sound like I really missed out on something powerful. Especially if I would have been able to choose the hero class¡­¡±


    ¡°It is still too early to tell what this class has to offer, do not fret.¡±


    ¡°When will I be able to get a second class? Maybe that will help out?¡±


    ¡°It depends, for some it becomes available quite early, even as early as where you are right now. But for the majority, it doesn¡¯t happen until after reaching coronation tier negative two.¡±


    ¡°So like, level two hundred?¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°Alright, guess we can¡¯t rely on that happening anytime soon.¡± She hopped down the the next stair and then the next. ¡°One last question, if a skill doesn¡¯t have a duration listed will it last forever?¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t last forever, but it will be some time before it dissipates. Magic of any kind needs a source of power. The mana that is consumed when you use a spell or skill is what charges them. If there is no duration specified, then the spell will only last as long as the mana used can power it.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense. I should have done this earlier.¡± she said as she cast barrier, the shield forming around her. ¡°This way if I fall it will stop some of the damage, I should probably always have this active just in case something happens I¡¯m not ready for.¡±


    ¡°A wise decision.¡±


    It took another twenty minutes of stair hopping until Kass made it to the bottom once more. Nothing seemed to have changed and she walked the U-shape pathway until she came to the stone door. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    ¡°Think there is a specific order I should put these in?¡± she asked.


    ¡°You could try in the order that you defeated the guardians above.¡±


    ¡°Good idea,¡± she focused on the flail¡¯s handle and willed the weapon to appear. It did, and she was happy to be holding the grip and not the spiked ball. The weight transferred and the weapon sagged, but with two hands she was able to lift it and place it within the slot in the door.


    She did the same with the two swords, not cutting herself on either of them as they appeared, hilt in hand. Luckily the hammer slot was lower to the ground, and with a bit of effort she lifted it and pushed it in place.


    ¡°Got it,¡± she breathed out, tired from the exertion.


    The door shook suddenly, dust and dirt falling to the ground around it. Kass moved back and drew Whisper from his sheath. The orb of light remained, illuminating the vibrating door. A few seconds passed and then the sound of grinding stone filled the space and the door lifted from the ground slowly.


    ¡°Here we go,¡± she whispered as she readied herself for whatever was behind the door.


    When it reached a few feet off the ground, Kass commanded the orb to move underneath, wanting to be able to see anything that might be coming towards her. She didn¡¯t see any immediate movement though and even when the door opened fully, nothing stirred.


    She stepped closer, only able to see a small walkway that led to what she guessed was some sort of platform, with stairs leading away from it on both sides. Only open space was visible beyond, her light not able to penetrate through the darkness of the room.


    ¡°What is this place?¡± she asked, whispering again.


    ¡°I do not know, but be careful, it is likely there will be more undead here.¡±


    Kass nodded her head and slowly crept through the door, doing her best to maintain the silence that blanketed the area. She glanced back at the opening and sighed. Forgot to grab something to make sure that doesn¡¯t close behind me...great. You¡¯re such an idiot K. Figuring there was nothing she could do that wouldn¡¯t take her another few hours, Kass continued.


    Once she made it to where the floor opened up to the platform, she stopped and looked around. She peeked her head out quickly to glance down the stairs but didn¡¯t spot anything, only more darkness beyond.


    Feeling a bit apprehensive she took a few breaths and checked to make sure her barrier was still active, then moved out onto the platform. She moved the orb deeper into the room as she reached the edge and looked out. She almost gasped at the sight.


    Below her, over a hundred coffins lay spread out on the floor. Some were worn and cracked, others completely collapsed. She even spotted a few that looked untouched by time, still sealed shut. The stale stench of rot reached her nose, noticeable but not strong.


    Kass couldn¡¯t see the other end of the large open room, her light not able to travel any further unless she too moved deeper in. She could see both side walls though, the room much longer than it was wide. So far she hadn¡¯t seen any movement, but she remained cautious, remembering what had happened the last time with the ghouls.


    ¡°What is this place? Some sort of catacombs?¡±


    ¡°It appears to be a mass burial site. It is known that certain beings have sacrificed hundreds to gain power or to extend life. I am not certain that is what we have stumbled upon, but be ready.¡±


    ¡°And we have to go through this place to get out? There isn¡¯t another way?¡±


    ¡°We could try breaking through the walls above, but that could take hours, or days. I am not sure which to be the better choice.¡±


    ¡°Well, no point standing around I guess. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Kass had only taken two steps towards the stairs when light flared to life on one of the walls. Another brazier.  It was followed by another, and another. One by one they continued, on both walls, illuminating the large catacombs with their dull light.


    ¡°This can¡¯t be good¡­¡± she moved back towards the doorway quickly, in case it started closing, and was relieved when she reached the still open door. ¡°Now what do we do?¡±


    ¡°To continue forward we must leave the safety of the door I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    ¡°What if we got something to put under it so that when it closes it will stop it?¡±


    ¡°With the weight of this door, I doubt we could find anything strong enough to do such a thing.¡±


    ¡°So my option is to either get stuck down here or hope the door doesn¡¯t close like the last one did? Sounds like shitty options to me¡­¡±


    ¡°Indeed, shitty, as you have stated.¡±


    Kass just shook her head, thinking of something they could do. But the sword was right, there wasn¡¯t anything upstairs that could support the weight of the door. Unless the bodies could, but that was only a ¡®maybe¡¯.


    ¡°Sorry I got us into this mess. Guess it¡¯s time to go kill some more zombies.¡± she shrugged.


    Kass moved back to the edge of the raised platform and looked out at the newly lit area. It wasn¡¯t surprising when she spotted a few ghouls down below, most unmoving. What did surprise her was what she could now see at the far end.


    Strung between two pillars was the body of a man, naked to the waist, with some sort of red cords that wrapped around his arms and body, connecting him to the pillars. His head hung limp, face covered by the long white hair that hung down in front. Not creepy at all...


    ¡°I¡¯m going to take a wild guess and say that that¡¯s probably the evil dude that created all of this.¡±


    ¡°I would agree with you on such a statement.¡±


    ¡°So what am I up against? A super fast vampire that sparkles in the sunlight? Or are we talking some sort of magic wielding sorcerer that¡¯s going to turn me into a pile of goo?¡±


    ¡°Considering the undead it would be safe to assume this enemy is a necromancer. While necromancers generally rely on their subjects to deal and take damage, some do possess spells of their own that can become very powerful at higher levels. Most focus on death magic. Try to stay far away from such spells as death magic can be quite, well, necrotic.¡±


    ¡°Have any id-¡± she stopped mid-sentence as a clacking sound came from behind her. Kass crouched low and turned, watching as a ghoul finished climbing the stairs and stepped onto the platform. It made no sound other than the customary clack...clack clack. It hadn¡¯t seemed to notice Kass yet but her heart was still pounding in her chest.


    The creature moved forward and stopped in front of the passageway leading towards the stairs. It¡¯s head snapped to the side to look down the hallway and it seemed to sniff the air. It made a different noise, quiet but different, and Kass froze, waiting to hear replies from below.


    Instead, the ghoul moved into the dark hallway, shaking its head back and forth. Not going to say no to this opportunity. Kass followed silently behind, and then, deciding it was safe enough, stabbed out, penetrating the skull easily. The ghoul fell to the ground with a quiet thunk and Kass nodded at her handiwork.


    She checked her log.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    *You have unlocked door to Saulthron¡¯s inner sanctum.


    *You have entered Saulthron¡¯s inner sanctum.


    *You have defeated Crypt Ghoul level 65.


    *You have successfully learned the skill Sneak, level one. You have spent enough time within the shadows and understand the importance of being hidden. With more practice, you may one day become a shadow yourself.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Hey Whisper...I just learned the skill sneak...is that normal?¡±


    ¡°... It is...highly unlikely, skills should only be attainable through gaining a class and each subsequent skill point awarded.¡±


    She glanced down the hallway, and, seeing nothing, flipped to her skills page.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Skills


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Illuminate


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 3


    Common


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - 2 mana per minute


    Range: 30 yards


    </td>


    <td>


    Create a small sphere of light.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Identify


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 1


    Rare


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - No cost


    </td>


    <td>


    Allows you to gain more information about identifiable objects.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Dash


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 2


    Uncommon


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - 50 Mana per use


    Range: 6 yards


    </td>


    <td>


    When used, allows you to move quickly to a desired location.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Barrier


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 2


    Uncommon


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - 100 mana per use


    Range: Self


    </td>


    <td>


    Creates an ablative shield that envelopes your body, protecting you from physical damage.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Heightened Senses


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 2


    Uncommon


    </td>


    <td>


    Passive - No cost


    </td>


    <td>


    Increases awareness and reaction time.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Haste


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 1


    Uncommon


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - 50 mana per use


    Range: Self


    Duration: 2 Minutes


    </td>


    <td>


    Increases reaction and movement speed by 10%.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Gambler¡¯s Way


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 1


    Unique


    Class Skill


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - 25 mana per use


    Range: Self


    Duration: Specified


    </td>


    <td>


    Roll the dice to gain a random buff or debuff.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Sneak


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 1


    Common


    </td>


    <td>


    Passive - No cost


    </td>


    <td>


    Increase chance to remain undetected by 5%.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°It¡¯s listed as one of my skills now. I definitely got it. How is this possible?¡±


    ¡°The only explanation would be your class. Maybe even the missing piece to solving what your class is.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± she paused for a second, trying to remember something, ¡°I did see something about learning skills faster if I was alone or something when I first got the Vagabond class...but I didn¡¯t pay any attention to it and I haven¡¯t seen it since...why did that disappear?¡±


    ¡°Try refocusing on your entire class, what you see in your status is specifically tailored to how you want to see it. You can make changes at any time just by willing it to happen.¡±


    Kass did what the sword said, willing her status to show her everything about her class. The glowing words on the page in front of her washed away, quickly replaced with new ones.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Name


    </td>


    <td>


    Kassandra Johnson


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Age


    </td>


    <td>


    21


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Eyes


    </td>


    <td>


    Brown


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Natural Hair


    </td>


    <td>


    Brown


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Health


    </td>


    <td>


    330/330


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Stamina


    </td>


    <td>


    391/420


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana


    </td>


    <td>


    488/490


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    General Level: 77


    Class: Vagabond Level 3


    Subclass: None


    Tertiary Ability: None


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Strength


    </td>


    <td>


    36


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Dexterity


    </td>


    <td>


    47


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Endurance


    </td>


    <td>


    42


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Fortitude


    </td>


    <td>


    33


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Intelligence


    </td>


    <td>


    49


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Coronation Tier


    </td>


    <td>


    -4


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Unused Stat Points


    </td>


    <td>


    0


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Vagabond


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    +5 to Strength, Dexterity, and Endurance. +3 to Fortitude and Intelligence. +1 to Luck.


    +20% Damage and Defense when fighting alone.


    +50% Bonus to learn a technique or skill when studying alone.


    You have joined the Brotherhood of Nomadic Adventurers and have become the 13th member.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°There it is¡­a fifty percent bonus to learn a technique or skill when studying alone...not to mention the twenty percent damage boost¡­ So does that mean I can learn other skills too?¡±


    ¡°That is...impossible...¡±

 26. Sneaking

    ¡°If this is true, you could potentially learn abilities and spells from all manner of classes.¡±


    ¡°That sounds amazing. But we should probably get out of this crypt first, then we can test it.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± replied the blade.


    Kass waved away the floating book and quietly returned to the raised platform. The braziers still burned bright and other than the dead ghoul behind her, nothing seemed to have changed. Now how do I do this?


    She counted twelve moving forms below, unable to tell if they were all the weaker ghoul archetype or one of the stronger knights. She doubted any of them were guardians, lacking armor and massive weapons. There could be more though...every one of those coffins could be filled with more of the things¡­


    ¡°Okay, kill as many as possible silently, then if they become alerted, run back here and then to the stairs behind if necessary. Do I have any other options?¡±


    ¡°You could alert them now and fight somewhere you are familiar with. This way you don¡¯t potentially get stuck down below.¡±


    ¡°I thought of that, but there could be a lot more of these things somewhere. I think picking them off one by one would be better so that if I do have to fight, there¡¯s less of a chance I¡¯ll be overwhelmed.¡±


    ¡°It could work, though killing multiple without alerting the others will be difficult.¡±


    ¡°Guess we¡¯ll just have to try¡­¡±


    Taking one last look over the scene below, Kass planned her route. Ghoul on the left is alone and isn¡¯t moving. Him first. Then move along the wall to the next one, another unmoving. Stay away from that pacing one¡­


    She finished mapping it out and figured that she would be able to at least kill seven of the ghouls below without alerting the rest, as long as she killed them fast enough they couldn¡¯t make a noise. There were nine unmoving that she could see, the other three were acting irregular, pacing and twitching.


    With a final readying breath, Kass started down the stairs on the left, heading for her first target. The ghoul wasn¡¯t far from the bottom of the stairs, she guessed around twenty feet away. It stood completely still, facing the wall.


    She neared the closest coffin to the stairs and peeked inside. Empty. She released the breath she had been holding and continued to the next, slowly moving closer to her target. The next coffin was empty as well, and she moved on.


    When she made it to the third coffin, she was less than ten feet from the ghoul. She peeked inside the open coffin, and to her dismay, saw the prone and rotting body within. Shit. What now? She paused, thinking of her next move.


    Standing one first, then this one. After deciding, she left the cover of the coffin and moved in behind target number one. With Whisper held in both hands, Kass thrust out quickly, punching the blade through the skull and sliding it out in one fluid motion. The ghoul collapsed and she caught the falling corpse under the arms, slowly lowering it to the ground, hardly making a sound.


    Kass checked her surroundings, but nothing seemed to have noticed. Phew...one down¡­ She moved back to the third coffin and as quietly as she could, stabbed through the eye socket of the body inside. The blade easily pushed through and she pulled it out a second later. ¡°Status,¡± she whispered.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    *You have defeated Crypt Ghoul level 61.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Just one kill. So this wasn¡¯t a ghoul? Hmm...I¡¯ll still have to check as many as I can, just to be sure.


    Kass moved towards the next target, sneaking along the wall. She checked four more coffins on her way, all were empty. Once she was within ten feet of the ghoul, she stopped. This one clacked occasionally and stood facing the center of the room. With every clack the ghoul turned its head slightly, as if scanning for intruders.


    Good one to take out if that¡¯s the case, she thought. She crept closer. Out went her blade, and another ghoul fell, caught once more. The pacing ghoul suddenly stopped and looked in her direction. Oh shit. She ducked low, hiding behind the closest coffin, the body of the ghoul pulled next to her.


    The ghoul swung its head in an unnatural way and clacked. Then it began walking towards Kass. Ah hell, already? She looked around her, trying to come up with an idea to get her out of this. Her eyes stopped on the body of the ghoul beside her. Disgusting¡­


    She looked back up and saw the ghoul, not fifteen feet away. Without another thought she lifted the body up and hugged it close to her chest. She waited for the head of the patrolling ghoul to snap to the side again and then dove inside the empty coffin she was next to, pulling the body over the top of her.


    She waited, breathing shallow, unsure if she had been seen. She heard the ghoul stop next to the coffin, could see the back of its shoulder, the side of its head. It didn¡¯t move. Two full minutes passed. Kass didn¡¯t know how long she could stay like this. Another minute passed.


    Finally the ghoul shifted, snapping its head to the side, away from her. She was about to move, to stab out with Whisper, when the ghoul snapped its head in her direction. The thing turned and placed a clawed hand on the rim of the coffin she lay in. Its jaw moving up and down as it clacked, white glowing eyes searching.


    A sound from across the room caught the attention of the ghoul and Kass stabbed up quickly, punching through the half decayed ear of the ghoul. The body sagged and, trying to retract the blade, Kass pulled the body into the coffin with her. The monster¡¯s head slid down the length of her blade and oozed a dark substance that dripped onto her neck.


    She gagged silently, unable to handle the two dead and decaying bodies on top of her any longer. Get me out get me out get me out! She shifted to the side in the small space and both bodies slid down. She untangled herself from an arm and pulled Whisper from the head of the creature, the blade now fully covered in the black goop. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Kass popped her head out above the coffin and checked her surroundings. Not discovered yet...thank goodness...that was pretty sloppy. Feeling a little sick, she extracted herself from the coffin and breathed in the fresher air. It still smelled disgusting, but it was loads better than what she had been breathing for the last few minutes.


    After taking a short break, she searched for her next target, spotting him on the other side of the room. Following the same tactics, Kass was able to take out four more ghouls. She came across a few more bodies inside coffins, but after stabbing them she didn¡¯t get any notifications. Not until the last one.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    *You have defeated Crypt Knight level 81.


    *You have reached level 78. 1 stat point has been awarded.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    She crouched in front of the half open coffin and stared at the body inside. Armor covered it in random areas and a long sword was held against its chest. So some of them are undead. Glad I checked as many as I could...really would suck to get surrounded here.


    Kass put the free stat point into intelligence, rounding it off at fifty. Five hundred mana...hope it¡¯s enough.


    ¡°Looks like only one more I can reasonably take down. After that we should probably try to take out all of those we can inside the coffins.¡± She moved into position, crouch walking from coffin to coffin. She checked each of them as she went, finding another couple bodies. Both were dead.


    This ghoul was only partially unmoving. It swung an arm front to back once every few seconds and twisted its torso. Kass had no idea why it would be doing that, but then again, none of this really made any sense to her. Why is that the thing I find odd about this whole situation?


    She shook her head and refocused, moving in close for the kill. The arm went forward, then came back. Forward, back, forward, back, forward, stab. The body fell silently, caught and lowered to the ground.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    *You have defeated Crypt Ghoul level 58.


    *You have successfully learned the skill Backstab, level one. Stabbing things in the back has become more of a job or maybe even a hobby. Instead of the customary use of small blades to accomplish this task, you have chosen to use a sword. Whatever the reason may be, you are good at it.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Just learned another skill. Backstab.¡± What¡¯s up with that description though?


    ¡°Truly remarkable.¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Backstab


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 1


    Uncommon


    </td>


    <td>


    Active - 10 stamina per use


    Requirements: Small blade


    </td>


    <td>


    Backstab damage increased by 20%.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°This could come in handy. Uses stamina and I guess I don¡¯t need a small blade to use it anymore.¡±


    ¡°The skill adapted, yes¡­ I¡¯ve seen this before, but not often.¡±


    ¡°I want to know more about that later, but for now, I¡¯ve got some more undead to take care of.¡±


    Unable to approach any closer to the suspended man because of the irregular ghouls patrolling the area, Kass instead worked her way through the coffins. She worked from side to side, stabbing body after body, not taking any chances.


    She started finding more and more Knights the closer she came to both the center of the room and to the necromancer. She noticed the coffins were slightly more decorated with designs etched into the stone than the others as well. Some sort of hierarchy or something.


    Kass went as far as she dared, coming within just a few rows of one of the ghouls. That left four full rows that she was unable to reach. Looking at her log, she didn¡¯t like what that entailed.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    *You have defeated Crypt Ghoul level 61.


    *You have defeated Crypt Ghoul level 55.


    *You have defeated Crypt Ghoul level 58.


    *You have defeated Crypt Knight level 83.


    *You have defeated Crypt Knight level 81.


    *You have defeated Crypt Ghoul level 60.


    *You have defeated Crypt Knight level 87.


    *You have reached level 79. 1 stat point has been awarded.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    All of those, just waiting to pop out¡­ seems like the closer I get to the necromancer, the more of them there are. Dammit¡­


    Kass quickly put the new stat point into dexterity, bringing it to forty eight, and then moved back a safe distance from the remaining ghouls to ask a question, ¡°so what do you think? Try and sneak up on the others or get their attention at the top of the stairs?¡±


    ¡°You have been quite successful so far, perhaps we can dispatch of more of them without battle.¡±


    ¡°I agree. Just not sure how those ghouls are going to react. They¡¯re so much different than the others even though they are classified as the same.¡±


    She looked at her two options. There were still a few unmoving ghouls closer to the necromancer that she couldn¡¯t get to without killing the irregulars first, but they could still spot her if she wasn¡¯t careful.


    Right or Left. The right side had two stationary ghouls nearby, with the irregular that turned around every ten or so seconds, by her count. The left wasn¡¯t much better. There was only one immobile ghoul, but it was facing the irregular that paced side to side. Maybe if I can take out the stationary one beforehand¡­


    She decided it was worth a try, not seeing a better option open to her. I might have to dash for this one. Wonder how much noise that will make¡­ She moved to the left side, hugging the wall and staying as far away from the irregular as she could.


    Three, four, five, turn. One, two, three, turn. She studied the moving ghoul, trying to find a pattern in its movements. After a few minutes it still wasn¡¯t clear if there was a pattern, but she did find that the thing never turned around before two seconds or more had passed.


    Worse case scenario I¡¯ll have two seconds to cross in front. She looked at the open space between her and the next row of coffins. This section was set a greater distance than the rest, but still was only fifteen feet apart. It¡¯ll be close.


    Kass waited for two more rotations and then, once the ghoul turned away from her, she rushed out towards the other side. One, two, three.  She made it, the ghoul turning a second later to resume its seemingly endless patrol.


    The immobile proved easy to take care of. Kass moved in from the side and stabbed out, killing the creature instantly. It hardly made a sound as she lowered the body to the ground. Now the irregular.


    She got as close as she could without being seen, waiting for the right moment. Having already watched the ghoul she was confident with her assessment. Two seconds or more. I can get there.


    The creature turned and Kass sprang out once more, moving in quickly behind it. One.  The ghoul kept moving. Two. It turned. It wasn¡¯t fully unexpected, but it still took her off guard. She was close enough though, and knowing she needed to kill it before the creature could screech she plunged her blade through its head. A soft croak left the creature before it died.


    Kass spun to the side and rolled behind another coffin, worried the sound had been enough. The body fell to the ground with a thunk and she tensed even more at the sound. Seconds passed.


    Nothing. Another couple seconds. Still nothing. Lucky¡­ She peered out from the side of the coffin and watched the other irregular turn towards her and then turn away. Phew¡­ She closed her eyes briefly to let some of the stress fade away.


    Opening them again, she focused on the coffin in front of her. The lid was still partially covering the opening, but there was a gap large enough for her to peer into. The corpse inside was different from the others. Different from the knights as well as the guardians.


    Instead of armor and weapons, Kass could make out scraps of colorful clothing. She even spotted a necklace around its neck. Sorry to disturb you, she thought as she stabbed the sword through the thing''s head.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    *You have defeated Crypt Ghoul level 61.


    *You have defeated Crypt Ghoul level 57.


    *You have defeated Crypt Noble level 88.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Noble? High level too.


    A screech suddenly filled the room and Kass¡¯ heart nearly stopped. It was loud and terrifying, filling the whole room. She fought back the fear that gripped her and looked to where the sound came from. The necromancer¡­


    She watched as the suspended body began thrashing about, ripping away the cords that bound him. He screeched again, the sound inhuman. Kass had to cover her ears to avoid pain it was so loud.


    She stood, knowing she had somehow been discovered, and saw the irregular, and both of the once unmoving ghouls, rushing her way. They zigzagged through the coffins at full speed, screeching and gnashing their teeth.


    Kass also watched as multiple lids slid to the side and other creatures stood, knights and nobles alike, all facing her. She stepped out into the more open area and dropped into a battle stance. Whisper held in front of her with both hands.


    ¡°Shitty.¡±


    ¡°Ha,¡± she laughed, ¡°Indeed my friend, shitty indeed.¡±

 27. Fireball

    The dice fell.


    Axe, axe, moon.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Buff gained: +3% lifesteal, +11% reaction speed - Duration: 8 minutes.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Kass activated haste a split second before the first ghoul leapt at her, claws extended. She stepped left and took its head as it soared past. The other two came in right behind at full speed, barreling straight for her.


    She spun to the side at the last second, claws scraping against her barrier as she whipped her blade around, severing another head from shoulders and digging deep in the torso of the other. She wrenched the blade free, backing away from the wild swipes as fast as she could. Duck. Sidestep. Back step. Back step. She stabbed out and the ghoul fell to the floor, dead.


    Just as she pulled her blade free, a knight was upon her. She barely managed to deflect the first strike, already off balance. The blow pushed her back and she smacked into the side of a coffin. An overhead chop came in quick, and Kass slid to the side, the knight¡¯s sword biting deep into the stone.


    She stabbed out towards the vulnerable undead, seeking the quick kill, but immediately had to change directions and dive away. Her only warning being the near white light flying at her before an explosion of fire blew apart the coffin she had been next to, a wave of heat washing over her.


    What the¡­ Kass pushed herself back to her feet, mostly unscathed. Luckily, the knight hadn¡¯t fared as well, it too was getting back to its feet. One of its arms was missing and the top half of its body was in flames. Fireballs?


    Another knight charged at her from the side, blade rushing down to cleave her in half. Kass batted the strike away and followed with a wicked slice to the creature¡¯s leg. Whisper cut clean through and the knight tumbled to the ground in a heap.


    A white light shot her way, forcing her to take cover once more. The explosion that followed sent debri flying in all directions, chunks of stone raining down on her. Of course they have fireballs.


    So the nobles are mages...need to kill them quick. These fireballs are way too powerful. The armless, and still burning knight came at her again, releasing a frenzy of attacks. Kass dodged and deflected, moving faster than she ever had before, her mind racing to keep up with her movements.


    Two ghouls jumped at her as she parried another wild strike, forcing her to disengage. Light gathered once more in front of one of the Crypt Nobles, swelling to the size of a basketball. The noble looked up at her as she weaved through stone coffin after stone coffin, and Kass knew it would be headed her way soon.


    A quick command sent her orb of light hurtling towards the mage, and Kass hoped it would be enough to at least distract it. The result was better than expected.


    The orb crashed into the undead¡¯s face and burst just as it released its spell. The fireball flew wide, missing Kass and detonated into a ghoul chasing behind her. The blast obliterated the upper half of the ghoul and staggered the other undead around it.


    Two legs flopped to the floor, steaming.


    Now¡¯s my opening.


    Kass used dash and sped up, leaving behind her pursuers and rushing at the three noble mages that still stood in each of their coffins. Two were already preparing another fireball, and the third was still recovering from the orb.


    Her dash brought her just past the disoriented noble and she activated backstab as she plunged her sword through the back of the thing¡¯s skull. Whisper exploded out the forehead before being ripped right back out. The noble collapsed back into its coffin as Kass moved onto the next.


    The second noble barely had any time to react before its head separated from its shoulders. The built up energy from its spell fizzled into the air with a crackle.


    She didn¡¯t stop, wanting to take out all three of the casters while she could. Another dash brought her in range of the third and she slashed out.


    The undead cancelled its offensive spell immediately, however, and quickly erected a visible shield that wrapped around its form just as she arrived.


    Kass followed through with the swing, unable to stop her momentum and unsure if she even wanted to. The blade connected with the shield an instant later, bursting it and releasing a wave of frigid air that blasted into her, ignoring her barrier and slowing her movements.


    The force of the blow still carried the sword halfway through the neck of the noble, severing the spinal cord and causing the body to fall limp, its strings cut. Whatever magic animated it disappearing into the darkness, along with the light of its eyes.


    Sweat fell as ice from her body and she tried to shake off the coldness that gripped her. Keep moving... She shivered uncontrollably and stumbled forward, focusing only on moving and keeping hold of Whisper.


    She didn¡¯t make it far before two ghouls caught up to her and moved in to attack. She swung out at them, but they easily dodged her slow strikes, one of them jumping up onto her back while the other struck at her with long, gruesome claws. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Her barrier held for a second longer before bursting, sparing her from the first of the brutal attacks. As soon as the protective shield washed away though, jagged teeth sank into her neck and claws raked across her body, some penetrating the coat and reaching the skin beneath.


    Kass screamed in pain and tried to dash away, but found that she couldn¡¯t. She knew the mana was there but the skill refused to work. Holding back the panic welling up inside of her, she cast barrier instead, and was relieved when it activated, draining her mana away. Blood still poured from the wound on her neck, but for the moment, it pushed away the damage of the savage creatures.


    The ghoul latched onto her screeched loudly and continued to try and bite her over and over again with little success. The other circled, lashing out and then jumping back. She saw more moving in, surrounding her in a circle of death.


    The slowing effect from the ice blast suddenly wore off and Kass could move normally once more. Alright, c¡¯mon K, gotta move.


    Knowing her time was short, Kass grabbed at the ghoul atop her and wrenched it off, throwing it into two others and knocking them down.


    She dashed. Mana drained away as Kass sped past the clustered group and back towards the stairs. She cast haste again as she ran and quickly checked her resources.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Health


    </td>


    <td>


    212/330*


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Stamina


    </td>


    <td>


    290/420


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana


    </td>


    <td>


    186/490


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Shit, more than a hundred health...gone.  She noticed a symbol near her health and focused on it for a half second, her brain somehow able to focus on running and processing the information at the same time.


    Another window popped up.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You are bleeding. -2 health/sec - Duration: Unknown


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Kass put a hand to her neck immediately after reading the information, trying to stop the rapid bleeding as she ran. It didn¡¯t help that her heart was beating so fast, pumping the blood from her. I can¡¯t stop running...how do I stop the blood? Maybe¡­


    She reached the stairs and started up them as quick as she could, trying to ignore the screeches and yells that followed right behind. She glanced at another window of information tucked away in the corner of her vision and it expanded.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Buff gained: +3% lifesteal, +11% reaction speed - Duration: 5 minutes 12 seconds.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ...Lifesteal. There. Five minutes.


    Kass reached the top of the stairs breathing hard, hand still pressed against her neck as she sucked in deep breaths. Blood pulsed from the wound with every heartbeat, dripping to the ground below as she waited.


    She moved to the edge of the stairs and watched as the ghouls below scrambled up. She spotted three knights in the mess below. One was charred and missing an arm, and another was crawling behind the group, missing a leg. Eight Crypt Ghouls and three Knights. I can do this... I can do this.


    The necromancer still thrashed around at the back of the room, fighting against the red cords that bound it. Some of the cords had turned black and had fallen away, but others remained, holding the creature in the air.


    Kass¡¯ rest came to an end seconds later when a ghoul reached a few stairs below her. Keep the high ground. That¡¯s my advantage. Don¡¯t let them up¡­


    As soon as the ghoul came within reach she thrust Whisper at its head. The creature moved at the last second and the blade dug into its collar. It screeched at her and Kass swore, ripping the sword free and driving it forward again.


    This time it connected, piercing through the nasal cavity and ending the ghouls life. Seven.


    Another moved within range.


    Kass took out four more in quick succession, not allowing any of them to make it up the stairs. Each of the bodies tumbled down and slowed the remaining ghouls, giving her some extra time to rest.


    After the third kill, the bleeding from her neck stopped. She felt at the wound and was surprised to find a fresh scab covering it. It was still tender and painful, but she didn¡¯t care, the bleeding had stopped.


    The next one to reach her was the knight with both its arms and legs. It held its blade out in front of it as it climbed, ruining any chance she had to take it out without a fight. She tried anyway and stabbed out when she saw an opening.


    The knight¡¯s sword came up quick and sent her attack wide. The undead then slashed out at her, forcing her to jump back and away from the perch she had taken.


    The knight mounted the last stair and moved up to face her, sword once again at the ready. Kass staggered her stance and brought Whisper up at an angle across her body and, instead of waiting like she normally did, she leapt forward on the offensive.


    She swung the blade hard with both hands, driving it horizontally. The knight deflected it and she spun around with the momentum, bringing another horizontal and powerful strike in fast. It too was deflected, but she didn¡¯t stop, redirecting the blade right back in.


    In less than five seconds, four blows rang out into the room as metal met metal. Kass doubted she could get through the knight¡¯s quick defenses with powerful attacks such as these, but that didn¡¯t matter. With each strike she drove the creature back half a step, and only a few more steps and they¡¯d reach the edge of the platform. She just needed to keep it on the defensive.


    Another ghoul made it to the top after the short exchange, and Kass growled in frustration. No! I¡¯m so close!


    She worked harder, locking blades with the undead and pushed as hard as she could. The knight pushed right back, though, and brought it to a stalemate. No matter how hard she drove forward she couldn¡¯t move the larger knights.


    The ghoul jumped at her and she broke the exchange with the knight and skipped back, keeping her distance from them both. She sighed and watched as yet another ghoul reached the top. Soon they¡¯ll all be up here.


    The knight still stood near the edge, slowly moving forward, its blade at the ready. Both the other ghouls worked their way towards her left flank, waiting for an opportunity to jump on her. What are they waiting for?


    Not wanting to find out the answer, and knowing time was short, Kass dashed again, except this time instead of running away, she ran directly at the knight.


    She shot forward at high speed and a second later, after dodging the extended sword, slammed into the undead. Her barrier popped and her bones ached in protest, but it had been enough.


    The knight was lifted off its feet and blasted backwards, easily clearing the edge and flying through the air. She lost sight of it before it hit the ground, but she heard the crash as she turned to face the now three ghouls behind her.


    She doubted she killed the knight, but for now it was out of the way and she could deal with these things. She brought Whisper up once more, and rolled out her sore shoulder.


    Just before she charged at them, another loud screech pierced the room. She looked to the necromancer just as it burst from the now blackened cords and floated through the air. Its head lifted and white eyes locked with hers. This can¡¯t be good.


    It lifted an arm and pointed towards her, and she readied herself. Four purple beams extended from the thing¡¯s fingers and shot towards her. She dove to the ground an rolled to the side, but the beams weren¡¯t meant for her. Instead, they connected with the four ghouls behind her.


    Each one shriveled up, one by one, as the necromancer drained the very essence from them. Bones cracked and caved in on themselves as any remaining flesh wilted away. In seconds, all four fell to the ground and shattered into dust.


    A purple aura appeared around the necromancer, extending a few feet out, and its eyes seemed to grow brighter. It lifted its other hand and this time three beams shot out, aimed towards the bottom of the stairs. Metal clanged against the floor as the swords and pieces of armor fell from each of the knights that were now only dust.


    Once it had finished, the necromancer turned its attention to Kass once more, who pushed herself back to her feet. She gripped Whisper nervously and pointed the blade towards the man creature, fighting the urge to run away. It¡¯s too strong. You saw what it did to the undead. Get out of here K!


    Before she could fully talk herself into running, the being spoke suddenly.


    ¡°Whyyyy dost thou disturbbbb this place of resssst?¡±

 28. Necromancer

    Kass opened her mouth to respond to the necromancer, but nothing came out. She was completely taken by surprise. It didn¡¯t matter though, the being spoke again after a short pause, not waiting for an answer.


    ¡°Thou hast defeated mine guardianssss, and destroyed those of nobilityyyy. Thy reasons be thine ownnnn, but be it death that now awaits theeee.¡±


    The necromancer flung its arms out at her and three beams of purple light shot forth from each hand. Kass was already on the move though, and the beams smashed into the wall and floor where she had been. Each of them digging into the stone and leaving scorch marks behind.


    She shot through the open stone doorway and took the horseshoe curved path at a dead run. When she reached the stairs she threw herself up them.


    ¡°How do I fight against magic like that?!¡± she asked frantically.


    ¡°With your skill set, I do not see you winning this fight...mages generally rely on range to fight, and this one can levitate.¡±


    ¡°Levitate, yeah¡­¡± she stopped and looked back over her shoulder. A purple glow entered the passageway, faintly illuminating the walls. ¡°One more question, what do you think the aura does?¡±


    ¡°Based on my knowledge, I would assume some sort of curse magic. Whatever you are thinking, be careful. Each curse is different, and depending on the power of the caster, usually very dangerous.¡±


    ¡°I think the only way we win this is to get you in close and go for a quick kill. I don¡¯t doubt your ability to kill this thing, just my own to get you there.¡±


    ¡°Sounds risky, just be careful.¡±


    Kass took a deep breath, readying herself. The necromancer still hadn¡¯t rounded the corner, but the light from its aura was growing brighter by the second as it neared. It knows I¡¯m stuck. I¡¯ve only got one shot at this...mana is running low. Barrier does nothing against magic. Gah¡­


    Her confidence faltered for a second, but she pushed the feelings away. I¡¯ve got this. Come on. Come on K. She sucked in another breath and let it go, the nervous tension falling away. She resummoned her orb and sent it down the pathway, lying in wait.


    Kass dropped down the few steps she had climbed and readied Whisper in her hands. She debated whether or not to cast Gambler¡¯s Way, finally deciding it was worth chancing it. With its low mana cost and potentially high buffs, it could make the difference between a loss and victory.


    She cast the dice, holding her breath.


    Moon, axe, knight.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Buff Gained: +3 Strength, +3 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, +2% Damage Reduction - Duration: 5 Minutes 22 Seconds


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    No debuff. Phew.


    Uh oh, looks like my time¡¯s up.


    Kass took off at a full sprint towards the curving path ahead just as the necromancer floated around the corner. She recast haste on herself as she ran, wanting the full two minute duration, just in case.


    The undead raised its arm in her direction just like before, and she knew what was coming. She dashed, feeling the mana drain away as her body sped up even more, each footfall kicking up dirt behind her.


    The beams shot out, lighting up the tunnel with its purple light and blasting into the stone stairs. It tried to follow her quick approach, dragging the beams to the side and scorching the walls, but Kass was too fast.


    In just over a second she came within range of the necromancer, easily dodging its death beams and commanding the orb to drop. In that split second, Kass felt confident, her tried tactics seeming to work again, just like they had before.


    However, just as she sliced down in a powerful arc, and her orb exploded with light, the necromancer¡¯s curse activated.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You have been cursed by Hallucinogenic Aura: -30% Sanity, -30% Perception, 60% Chance of Hallucinations, 10% Chance of Confusion - Duration: Until Spell End


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Kass¡¯ vision blurred almost instantly, but she still felt her attack connect. She heard the necromancer¡¯s high pitched screech, it was one of pain, but it sounded far away. She took a step to the side, trying to rebalance herself, bringing her blade back up in front of her in a defensive posture.


    Her vision refocused slightly and she found herself looking at Whisper....except it wasn¡¯t Whisper. Instead, she held the body of a black serpent that coiled around her arm, its head raised in the air in front of her, poised to strike.


    She screamed and tried to fling the creature away from her, but it gripped tighter around her arm, hissing loudly. She slammed it into the wall of the cavern as hard as she could and felt a painful vibration travel through her arm. The snake struck at her then, snapping back away from the wall and digging its teeth deep into her shoulder.


    She screamed again, this time in pain as well as fear, as she wrenched the serpent free of her arm and spun it away from her.


    She turned around, only to find herself face to face with an even greater nightmare.


    She could only describe it as the face of death itself. Pale white skin. Pitch black eyes. It screamed, its face elongating and mouth expanding, showing row upon row of razor sharp teeth. Spiders and other horrors skittered across its body, coming from the tears in its skin.


    Kass shied away from the creature, falling to the ground and scooting back until she reached the wall. Tears fell freely down her face as she sobbed, completely overcome by fear.


    The thing stalked after her, fire blooming in one of its hands as it held onto the severed head with a familiar face with the other. Her face.


    The demon shuddered, dropping hundreds of spiders onto the ground that began crawling all over her. She shrieked, kicking and rolling to get them off of her.


    Suddenly, the illusion fell away, and Kass found herself writhing on the tunnel floor, no spiders anywhere. Then it returned, and more nightmares pushed up out of the ground around her. Earwigs, centipedes, bigger spiders¡­


    But the short interruption had been enough and Kass fought against the visions plaguing her mind. They dimmed slightly, and she was able to focus.


    The demon-like necromancer finished casting its spell, a bright ball of green fire floating above its hand. It vanished suddenly, reappearing thirty feet away, next to the stairs, and then pushed the ball towards her.


    It lobbed through the air like a tossed softball, giving Kass only a short amount of time to dive out of the way. Her enhanced body moved though, and she dove just before the ball landed. The following explosion thrust her even farther through the air and sent her tumbling over the rough ground.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    A third of her health fell away, as if sucked from her, and she lay there, coat smoking from the heat. She pushed herself back to her feet, gritting her teeth from the pain. Other than the massive health loss and the slight burns though, her body seemed to be okay.


    She resummoned light into the darkened tunnel.


    The necromancer came around the corner and she entered the range of the purple aura again, but this time she resisted the hallucination effects and looked upon the real form of the creature. She was surprised to see that its head was completely split in two, all the way down to the chest cavity. A dark liquid oozed from the wound and dripped to the dry ground below.


    My first attack did that? How is it not dead?


    The creature hissed in anger, somehow still able to make the sound with its head split. Kass sneered back, no longer afraid. In fact, she was angry too. Pissed even.


    It began charging another death ball.


    Kass looked at the shallow wound on her shoulder and remembered the pain from the snake bite. ¡°From you?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, you...lost control. Luckily I was able to sheath myself before you sheared your arm off¡­¡±


    ¡°Heh,¡± she laughed. ¡°Thanks. Ready to kill this son of a bitch?¡±


    ¡°I thirst for it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, me too¡­¡±


    The necromancer finished its spell and teleported again, this time behind her, sending the ball hurtling her way an instant later. You¡¯re dead shithead.


    She dashed, using almost all of the remaining mana that she had and instantly felt the headache as consequence. The burst of speed sent her directly at the projectile, quickly closing the distance between them.


    Just before colliding with the fiery ball, Kass dropped to her knees and slid underneath it, feeling the heat emanating from it as it shot overhead. Her hair melted and her skin cracked from the heat and power of the spell, but Kass was past it now and her momentum still carried her towards the undead mage.


    She pushed herself back to her feet, still sliding, and then leapt into the air. She wasn¡¯t far now, and time seemed to slow as she neared her target. She felt the sword in her hand, the pain in her knees, and smelled the burnt hair and flesh that filled the tunnel.


    The ball of death exploded behind her and a shockwave of heat pushed her from behind, but it didn¡¯t alter her direction. Kass felt the curse latch on again, sending images through her brain, but it was too late. She was already right where she needed to be.


    Whisper slashed through the air at high speed and connectected with the split neck of the undead. It ripped through flesh and bone easily and sent each half of the head spinning away in different directions. Kass redirected the blade right back in, slashing through the torso a split second later.


    She landed in a crouch, four pieces of the necromancer¡¯s body flopping to the floor around her. Its aura fell away and the light disappeared from its eyes.


    Kass stayed there for more than a minute, her body exhausted in more than one way from the fight. She checked her resources.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Health


    </td>


    <td>


    97/330


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Stamina


    </td>


    <td>


    164/420


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana


    </td>


    <td>


    13/500 +20*


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    She sighed. That was close¡­ ¡°You were right about that aura, I really need something to protect me from magic like that¡­¡±


    ¡°You most definitely need defensive measures against magic. You are very vulnerable.¡±


    ¡°Yeah I¡¯ll keep my eye out, that¡¯s at the top of my list.¡± She looked down at her torn and bloody knees and just shook her head. ¡°I also had a small hope I¡¯d hit one hundred from that kill...kinda went a little reckless again¡­¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    *You have defeated Crypt Ghoul level 58.


    *You have defeated Crypt Ghoul level 63.


    *You have defeated Crypt Ghoul level 67.


    *You have defeated Crypt Noble level 91. Bonus experience awarded.


    *You have reached level 80. 1 stat point has been awarded.


    *You have defeated Crypt Noble level 89.


    *You have defeated Crypt Noble level 86.


    *You have defeated Crypt Ghoul level 63.


    *You have defeated Crypt Ghoul level 61.


    *You have defeated Crypt Ghoul level 61.


    *You have reached level 81. 1 stat point has been awarded.


    *You have defeated Crypt Ghoul level 65.


    *You have defeated Crypt Ghoul level 59.


    *You have successfully learned Evade Level 1 - You are either really hated or like to get yourself into situations where things are thrown at you. This skill might help.


    *You have defeated Husk of Saulthron level 112. Bonus experience awarded.


    *You have reached level 91. 10 stat points have been awarded.


    *Vagabond has reached level 4. 1 Class point has been awarded.


    *Barrier has reached level 3.


    *Illuminate has reached level 4.


    *Dash has reached level 3.


    *Dash has reached level 4.


    *Heightened Senses has reached level 3.


    *Heightened Senses has reached level 4.


    *Haste has reached level 2.


    *Gambler¡¯s Way has reached level 2.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Evade


    </td>


    <td>


    Level 1


    Common


    </td>


    <td>


    Passive - No Cost


    </td>


    <td>


    Increase chance to dodge by 5%


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Wow, still quite a bit of level ups and all of my skills leveled at least once. Even got a new one. Evade. That¡¯s definitely going to help. And Vagabond leveled again!


    She was quite happy with the results of the battle, even though she didn¡¯t get to level one hundred. She understood that was just wishful thinking, hoping that it would take her pain away again. Can¡¯t rely on that K. It¡¯s only going to get harder from here to reach each milestone.


    Twelve stat points. Hmm...She looked over her status.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    General Level: 91


    Class: Vagabond Level 4


    Subclass: None


    Tertiary Ability: None


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Strength


    </td>


    <td>


    36


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Dexterity


    </td>


    <td>


    48


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Endurance


    </td>


    <td>


    42


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Fortitude


    </td>


    <td>


    33


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Intelligence


    </td>


    <td>


    50


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Coronation Tier


    </td>


    <td>


    -4


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Unused Stat Points


    </td>


    <td>


    12


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Class Point Available


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    I think my most important stats right now are probably intelligence, fortitude, and dexterity. If I¡¯m fast enough it will make up for the lack of strength, and my endurance is pretty high already. I¡¯m always running out of mana and more health can¡¯t hurt¡­


    She put two points into dexterity, rounding it off at fifty, and then three more into fortitude, increasing her maximum health by thirty. The other seven points went into intelligence, bringing her total mana up to five hundred and seventy.


    She took one last look over her totals and nodded, content with her decisions.


    Not feeling like her luck was particularly high at the moment, Kass decided to forgo spending her class point for a minute and instead loot the body of the necromancer. He¡¯s got to have something on him.


    She started with the largest portion of the body that was left. It was a bit gruesome and the smell wasn¡¯t particularly a good one, but she didn¡¯t shy away from it and instead, dug around in the pockets of the pants he had been wearing.


    She pulled a ring from one of the pockets and identified it.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Gold Ring


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Huh, fair enough. She stored the ring in her slightly scorched coat. Doing so brought up a question.


    ¡°Hey Whisper, what happens to the items if my coat gets destroyed? I didn¡¯t even think of that before¡­¡±


    ¡°Most storage items are very durable, making them hard to destroy in the first place. They also draw upon the mana signature of the owner, using this power to protect them from damage or repair them over a period of time. As long as you maintain a suitable amount of mana, your coat shouldn¡¯t be destroyed in an encounter.


    ¡° I¡¯ve also heard of others that are bound to the lifeforce of the user, expiring only when the owner dies, but these are even more rare.¡±


    ¡°Huh, I guess that makes sense. So these scorch marks and scuffs will be repaired?¡±


    ¡°As far as I know, yes.¡±


    ¡°Good to know, thanks.¡±


    She finished searching the body, not finding anything else, and so she moved on, making her way carefully back into the large crypt. It was dark inside now, the braziers having extinguished with the death of the necromancer.


    Her orb lit the way and she picked her way along the trail of bodies that she had left behind. She made sure to stab each and every one of them that she passed, just for good measure.


    None of the normal ghouls had anything of value on them, and neither did the knights, but this wasn¡¯t the case for the nobles. She found the necklace on the first one she had come across and took it. This time her identify skill revealed something.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Scholar¡¯s Necklace: +2 Intelligence


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Score! The find made her forget about her pain temporarily, and put her in a better mood. Two intelligence was a great bonus. It was a simple necklace, a slim gold chain with a white stone pendant the size of her thumbnail. She put it around her neck and tucked it inside her coat.


    Now quite excited after actually having found something, Kass moved on to the other nobles. She found other simple jewelry, and a few baubles stored within the coffins, but none of it gave any bonuses as far as she could tell. She stored it all in the smuggler¡¯s coat. Seven rings, three bracelets, two golden armbands, three small golden statuettes, and a small box of gems in all.


    Kass looked around the room in search for anything she might have missed, and noticed a door at the back, behind where the necromancer had hung. She moved over to it cautiously, and put an ear to it once she reached it, listening for any sound. She didn¡¯t hear anything though.


    After a quick debate in her head, she decided she wanted to open it instead of waiting for however long it would take for her health to regenerate more. Her mana was almost full at this point, and she thought that it was safe enough. I hope¡­


    She pushed it open slowly, the door creaking with protest as it swung inward. She sent her orb inside to investigate, and it illuminated a small room. Ten feet wide and ten feet long.


    Inside was an old desk stacked with dust covered papers and multiple dry inkwells. A few stacks of coins lined one side of the desk, ten high.


    A bed sat in the opposite corner of the room, and at the foot of it lay a chest with a large lock that hung down in front of it.


    Other than those few things, the room was barren.


    ¡°Ooo please be some good treasure!¡±

 29. New Things

    Kass went directly for the chest, a feeling of giddy excitement overcoming her. This feels amazing! Now I totally understand why dad always went metal detecting. Once you find something, it makes it all worth it.


    Not like I really had a choice in being here, but still, treasure makes everything better!


    She bent down and brushed off the dust that piled on top of the wooden box, accumulating for who knows how many years. The wood below was smooth and looked expensive, even to her earthly eyes.


    It wasn¡¯t large, about the size of two shoe boxes stacked on top of each other. The lock was big though, almost touching the floor as it hung there, most of it covered in a light rust from age.


    Kass tugged on it, thinking that maybe it was ancient enough that it would just break apart. It didn¡¯t, instead feeling quite solid.


    ¡°I would advise you not handle a locked chest in such a manner. One that keeps valuables stored away generally likes to make sure they don¡¯t get stolen. It is likely trapped.¡±


    She backed her hands off the lock. ¡°What? Why didn¡¯t you say something earlier?¡±


    ¡°Though you are intelligent, you lack wisdom, especially in the ways of this world. Sometimes I forget that.¡±


    ¡°Yeah... intelligent might be a stretch too...thanks for always having my back, I really owe you.¡± she shook her head in thought.


    ¡°So how do we find out if it¡¯s trapped?¡±


    ¡°I imagine that would be something the owner wouldn¡¯t want you to be able to find out. It is beyond me to even begin to teach you the skills you need to find such things. Things more suited to a thief, though I do suppose you could learn them one day with your class.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I guess I¡¯ll leave the chest for last, just in case¡­ let¡¯s see what else we can find.¡±


    She moved over to the desk, and reached for one of the coins. She hesitated, thinking of all the deadly things that could be on them and then just shrugged.  Wouldn¡¯t ever get anywhere worrying that much. Reminds me of aunt Steph...germaphobes¡­


    Kass picked up one of the coins on top and rubbed her thumb over it, wiping the dust away. It was silver in color, and from the weight of it, she figured it was probably solid silver and not the cheap stuff they use as a substitute in coins back home. It¡¯s beautiful.


    ¡°How much is this worth Whisper? Do you know?¡± she asked curiously.


    ¡°It would be wrong to believe that these things are still the same as they were, but if I recall correctly, one silver was enough to buy a new pair of boots, or feed you for a week.


    ¡°Copper coins, which I imagine you will find as well, are worth less than a silver coin. It takes ten coppers to equal the amount of one silver, and ten silvers equal the amount of one gold coin.¡±


    ¡°Easy enough, that¡¯s kind of similar to how money works back home. I wonder how much is here¡­¡±


    She picked up another coin. Copper. And then another. Copper again.


    ¡°If I store these, is there a way I can see how many there are in there?¡±


    ¡°As far as I know, storage items do provide, in some manner, information regarding its contents to the owner. But I don¡¯t know how you would access that. I would suggest through mental command.¡±


    ¡°Yet another thing I¡¯m clueless about. Okay let¡¯s try this.¡±


    She focused on her smuggler¡¯s coat in the same way she would if she were going to access it, but this time she only thought of a list or log of the items inside.


    After a minute of trying, a new screen appeared in front of her.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Finsel¡¯s Smuggling Coat


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Aged Wheel of Cheese x 1 </li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Barrel of Vacala Juice x 1</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Bedroll x 1</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Jeweled Bracelet x 3</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Silver Ring x 7</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Copper coin x 83</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Flawed Emerald x 2</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Flawed Ruby x 2</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Flawed Topaz x 3</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Galanthus Root x 12</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Gold Band x 2</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Golden Statuette x 3</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Iburseum Ingot x 1</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Map of Halkarty x 1</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Nutrient Bar x 3</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Pickled Eel x 2</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Rough Diamond x 1</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Severed Finger x 7</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Silk x 6</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Silver Coin x 4</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Vandabeast Hide x 22</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Vial of Banaaluk Mucus x 1</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Waterskin (empty) x 1</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Wool x 4</li>


    </ul>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Hey, there¡¯s other stuff in here. Aged cheese, Vacala juice..., a bedroll, and¡­¡± she stopped talking and just read through the rest, pausing at a few in confusion.


    Severed fingers? What? She shook her head. That waterskin will come in handy though, and nutrient bars, hmm.


    Kass summoned one of the bars and it materialized in her hand. She was surprised by the weight of it. It wasn¡¯t any bigger than the average smartphone, but it weighed at least a pound.


    ¡°Know anything about these?¡±


    ¡°Mhm, a common meal for those traveling on the road. Expensive, but half a bar provides a day''s worth of sustenance. Most every traveler packs a few of those away.¡±


    ¡°Wow...that¡¯s amazing. I think we have something like this back home in like emergency kits, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s recommended to live off them.¡±


    Kass was a little hungry, but her mouth was so dry she didn¡¯t think she could eat it. Let¡¯s check out the juice first. She put the bar back and summoned the barrel of the Vacala Juice. She wasn¡¯t sure what to expect from a barrel materializing in her hands, so she spread her legs a bit and lowered into a squat with her hands extended out.


    The barrel appeared on the floor in front of her. It was smaller than she thought it would be, around the size of a five gallon bucket. Oh¡­ She just shrugged and bent down to inspect it. It looked just like a miniature version of the barrels she had seen in her life. It even had a faucet screwed into the side of it.


    ¡°Before I try this, have anything to tell me about it?¡±


    ¡°The juice is unknown to me.¡±


    ¡°Okay, well, here goes,¡± she pulled the waterskin from storage, planning on filling it with the juice, but then thought better of it. Don¡¯t know what the juice is yet, and I still need this for when I find water. She put it back and instead cupped a hand in front of the faucet.


    She turned the lever and a blue liquid slowly poured out. It was thicker than she thought it would be, not to mention the odd color. She let it fill her palm and then stopped the flow. She brought her hand up to her face carefully, trying not to spill, and then sniffed the blue juice. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Huh,¡± it didn¡¯t have much of a smell at all, as far as she could tell. Just a light hint of what reminded her of the smell of stone at the beginning of a rainstorm. Please please please be good¡­ Kass took a breath, and then sipped a bit of the juice from her palm.


    Instantly her eyes lit up. Flavor sparked through her mouth, different than anything she had ever tasted before. It danced and changed, bringing in new sensations. It didn¡¯t stop there, however, and when she swallowed it, she could feel energy pumping into her body that soothed and dampened her pain.


    Kass immediately took another sip, finishing what she had cupped in her hands. She savored it, relishing in the feeling that overtook her. She found herself pouring more and downing another handful, and then another.


    She noticed a window appear in the corner of her vision.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Buff Gained: Energized*, +1 to all stats - Duration: 6 hours


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    *Energized: Increased Health and Stamina Regeneration by 30%, Decreases Stamina loss by 10%


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Her actual thirst was satiated but she still wanted more, craved more. After yet another handful she forced herself to stop, wiping her lips with the back of her hand.


    ¡°Woah. What is this stuff? I feel...amazing!¡± It was the truth, her whole body felt refreshed and full of energy and in a lot less pain. Does this... She put a hand to the burnt skin on her face, but only felt soft, tender skin instead of dry and cracked like it had been before. ...It healed me.  She looked to her resource bars.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Health


    </td>


    <td>


    185/360


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Stamina


    </td>


    <td>


    331/420


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana


    </td>


    <td>


    512/590


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°I...definitely need to save as much of that as I can... I can¡¯t believe that just happened...from juice!¡± She smiled, more than happy with her discovery. ¡°Thank you Finsel, whoever you are¡­¡±


    Kass replaced the barrel and pulled out a nutrient bar. She tried biting into it but immediately found that to be impossible, and settled with gnawing at a corner. She took another look at the list of things stored, and decided she¡¯d ask about the rest of the things later.


    Instead, she refocused on the stacked and dusty coins. Having an idea, she clamped down on the nutrient bar with her teeth to hold it and then grabbed a handful of coins and dumped them into the inside pocket of her coat.


    She looked back at the list and was pleased to see eight more copper coins and three silvers had been added to the other amounts. This coat is so useful!


    She grabbed the rest of the coins in her hand and slid them into the pocket. All in all she added thirty coppers, nine silvers, and two gold coins to her stash of wealth. She had no idea how to measure how much that really was, but it felt like a lot.


    Finished with the coins, Kass picked up one of the dusty pages on the desk and was startled when it broke apart, falling into pieces. Not wanting to destroy another one, she resorted to reading them without touching them. Although she could read most of what was written, they still didn¡¯t make any sense to her.


    Some had the same sentence written over and over again, others had charts made entirely of symbols. The few paragraphs that didn¡¯t repeat themselves talked about all sorts of things, from blood to grinding garlic. To her, it seemed the thoughts were scattered, written at the same time but by someone whose mind jumped from topic to topic rapidly.


    When she finished browsing over them, instead of trying to move them, she decided to just store the pages away, hoping that the displacement wouldn¡¯t cause them to turn to dust. She sucked them into the coat one by one, content when they appeared on the list, neatly stacked.


    Thirty one pages later, Kass uncovered a leather bound book that had been hidden from sight. She gingerly lifted it from the table and cracked it open to a bookmarked page near the middle. A key fell out from among the pages and clattered to the table.


    It can¡¯t be that easy, can it? Guess I¡¯ll find out soon. Let¡¯s see what this says first.


    She looked back to the page and read the words that were scrawled onto it.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    ¡®Day 178


    The decline in foodstuffs has worried the council. Though the villagers are, as of yet, unaware, they fear panic will soon spread.


    None of the scouts that were sent to the surface have returned, its conditions still unknown. Another group volunteered today. Amros and Deren to lead it. It is a risk to send two of our strongest, but I see it as necessary. We must find a way to reach the surface.


    Emelia, of family Wolrend, has fallen ill. It is still too early to discern her symptoms, other than intense sweating and, as she described, pain under her skin. The others seem healthy enough, bar their hunger.


    May Taliah bless us that we may escape this place.¡¯


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Kass lowered the book, and blinked a few times. All of them were people at one point...you knew that K. Then they turned into monsters at some point, and tried to kill you. She nodded to herself, knowing she was right. This world was just a lot different than back home, but she¡¯d already made up her mind long ago that she was going to survive, and to survive in this world she would have to adapt.


    She lifted the book back up and flipped the page.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    ¡®Day 191


    Emelia passed away this morning, succumbing to the symptoms of the infection. Eight more have contracted the disease this week, totaling thirteen.


    Most are still in the early stages, not yet showing signs of the oozing pustules. Altur believes he has found a concoction to reduce the severity of the illness and has been given access to any resource in order to continue his research.


    Still no word from Amros or Deren after nearly a fortnight. I am confident they are alive, yet it seems something must be slowing their journey.


    We can only hope and wait.¡¯


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Some sort of disease spread amongst them. Sounds awful¡­¡± Not wanting to read through all of the entries right now, Kass skipped to the last one in the journal. The handwriting on the page seemed rushed, and some of it at the bottom was smeared and unreadable.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    ¡®Day 242


    Alone. All of them, gone. Altur was here, but the stress... He began yelling, and weeping. Something had to be done. So I helped him. He doesn¡¯t weep anymore.


    The tests are working. I have felt the power entering them. I know that this is my calling. My purpose. The reason I am the last.


    I will bring them back. All of them. And we will be together again. Reunited.


    A tunn__. Disc______ ___ing c__struc___ of our sacred and fin__ resting place. I com___ded my villagers to ____r it, for w_ ___ not leaving. The vill___ Anders__ne ___ pla___ wit____ _he wall to protect us, and ____ it shall r__ain. The alta_ __aws from its power a__ _ __om it. The two s__ close to__her. I go no_ __ m_ __st, my ___k finally complete.¡¯


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    The last bit seemed to have been written some time later, and the book must have been closed before the ink dried. She struggled to read what it said. A tunnel? ¡°I think they found a tunnel somewhere down here, but then they did something to it because they didn¡¯t want to leave¡­¡± Hmm¡­


    ¡°Do you know what an Andersane? Andersco...Ander...-¡±


    ¡°Anderstone. Yes, a powerful artifact that draws ambient power from its surroundings and stores it. They are used to strengthen stationary wards and defensive shields, like those of a town or city, and to keep them running for extended periods of time. They are rare, and expensive, generally only the wealthiest of people or cities own them.


    ¡°Their draw on the energy of the world is generally slow, and requires one to fill it manually using mana slivers or power crystals in order to keep it running under heavy use. Just another expense that only the rich can afford. If there is one here, we should look for it.¡±


    ¡°If we found it, could I use it to make my barrier stronger? That counts as a shield, right?¡±


    ¡°I...do not know, I have not heard of that ever being tried. The cost alone¡­¡± Whisper trailed off, leaving it at that. Kass just shrugged. Anything to make me stronger at this point, money doesn¡¯t mean anything when you¡¯re stuck underground by yourself forever.


    ¡°Well it sounds like they do have one here, at least I think. It says it was placed, in the wall, to protect them. I think they put it wherever the tunnel was found.¡±


    ¡°That would make sense.¡±


    ¡°The alta...altar? draws from its power...the two close together. I think it¡¯s by the altar, if I¡¯m reading this right...it¡¯s hard to make out what these splotches are supposed to be.¡±


    I go now to my rest, my... work finally complete. She finished the last sentence in her head. Yeah nice work ya did there...killed everybody off and brought them back as undead¡­you know what, I¡¯m glad I killed you.


    Kass closed the book and stored it, then clapped her hands together, ¡°alright! I think that¡¯s everything,¡± she double checked to make sure she hadn¡¯t missed anything, even checking under the bed. But, other than the empty inkwells, the chest, and the key, she didn¡¯t see anything.


    Chest time.


    She lifted the key from the table and moved back in front of the wooden chest. ¡°If I have the key, will the trap still go off?¡±


    ¡°It might. It might not.¡±


    ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is you have no idea?¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°Ha, I guess we¡¯ll just have to find out. Or¡­ well... I guess I could store the chest until we find someone that can check?¡± She thought about it for a second. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the best option, it could have something I might need inside. Besides, I haven¡¯t seen a single non undead person since I arrived here. Who knows how long it would take to find someone to open this for us, let alone someone we could trust¡­¡±


    She made up her mind. It might be stupid, but she thought the possible rewards might be worth the risk. Her health was steadily coming back, already at two hundred and two, and she doubted the necromancer would have trapped the chest, especially since all of the undead villagers were under his control.


    She kept reminding herself that she had no idea though, and it was better to be aware and wary of the possible dangers. Just because she had survived this far didn¡¯t mean that a well placed trap in a chest couldn¡¯t kill her in a second. Alright, enough waiting, just do it already.


    She moved to the side of the chest and cast barrier, just in case. She made sure the door was still open if she needed to quickly make an escape, and, seeing that it was, inserted the key into the lock. It clicked as she turned the key, and she jumped slightly, but nothing else happened. Another small twist later and the lock fell open and Kass removed it, storing both the key and the lock. Might come in handy later.


    She slowly opened the box until the lid rested fully on its hinges. No traps activated and she let out her breath.


    Kass took a look inside, and then reached an arm in, pulling out the first item.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Book of Astral Walking - Requires Necromancy


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Huh, I wonder if I can still learn it. She stored it for now and moved onto the next item, another book.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Book of Shadow Bolt - Requires Necromancy


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Shadow bolt, a ranged spell? I could really use something like that. ¡°Are skill books like this common?¡±


    ¡°Skill books of lower level spells are common, though they are expensive. Each level of rarity increases the price of the book. Though it becomes harder and harder to find such books, since those that have rare and powerful skills are few, and most don¡¯t want to share their secrets. These individuals either keep their knowledge hidden away, or choose to train apprentices instead.¡±


    ¡°So how does a skill book work? Do I have to study everything written and take some sort of mental exam?¡±


    ¡°No, the methods and techniques of each skill are bound with mana inside the book. These will be transferred over to you almost instantaneously should you meet the requirements of the mana signature.¡±


    ¡°Wait, really? That¡¯s incredible, but...what¡¯s the point of the book then?¡±


    ¡°It is but the medium between master and student, though actual words and runes are written within. Each of them is tied to a strand of mana that feeds the information into the reader.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± she looked at the book in her hand and shrugged. Worth a try, right? She focused on the book as she opened it to the first page. The runes that circled the page started to glow, dimly at first, then brightened, one by one.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Do you wish to learn the skill Shadow Bolt?


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>

 30. Skill Books

    ¡°Yes!¡± she practically jumped in the air as she said it. ¡°I can get skills that have other classes as requirements, this is amazing!¡±


    Light flared within the small room and the runes on the page started to burn like a lit fuse, disappearing one by one. Another flash and the book lifted from her hands, spinning slowly in midair.


    But then it began to melt, a purple substance eating through its pages and dripping down the cover, sizzling. It started spinning faster and faster, and in seconds the book was completely gone, only a dark purple sphere of goo remaining.


    Kass could only watch, everything happening too fast for her to comprehend. In the blink of an eye, the spinning sphere shot out at her and slammed into her chest. She tensed, ready for the pain, but it never came. She opened her eyes and saw a window waiting for her.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You have learned the skill Shadow Bolt


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Shadow Bolt


    </td>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Level 1


    Rare


    </td>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Active - 75 mana per cast


    Range: 30 feet


    </td>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Create an orb of pure darkness that launches at your enemies at high speed.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    She stood there for a second, still trying to catch up with everything that had just happened, her heart pounding. I really want to try it out. Hmm... I¡¯ll wait till later. Still need to learn the other spell and finish up in here.


    She summoned the book of Astral Walking and placed it in front of her like she had with the last one. After a second of focus the window appeared and Kass accepted that she wanted to learn the skill.


    The book lifted from her hands again and began spinning. This time, however, it didn¡¯t start to melt. Instead, it looked like an enormous pressure was placed on it, and the book began to bend and crumple in on itself.


    With a final pop, it crunched fully and then disappeared. A split second later an explosion erupted from where it had been, energy washing over her and the room. This time when she opened her eyes, Kass found herself standing on a transparent platform surrounded by small motes of purple and white light, within a sea of darkness.


    Her first sensation was one of vertigo. Like she was standing on the edge of a skyscraper without anything to hold onto to steady herself. Her body swayed, and she stiffened with fear, then she windmilled her arms, trying to keep balance.


    She took a forced step forward and was relieved when she didn¡¯t fall, she could just barely make out the platform that had expanded to where her foot was. She took another step forward, and it moved again.


    The fear fell away a little and she was able to look around, strangely feeling like she was within the planetarium dome looking at the projection of all the stars in the galaxy. Eighth grade field trip...ha, that feels like it was a lifetime ago¡­


    She was pulled from her memory as the motes of light suddenly shot towards her. They came from every direction, absorbing into her. Now feeling like she was traveling at warp speed like in all the movies, the lights elongating before smashing into her.


    An instant later she found herself back in the small underground room, standing by the head of the bed and facing the wall. Kass jumped up slightly and shook out her body, trying to get over the vertigo, then looked at the new window of information.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Astral Walking


    </td>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Level 1


    Rare


    </td>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Active - 50 mana per cast


    Duration: 30 seconds


    </td>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    Partially enter the Astral realm, reducing all damage taken by 10%.


    While Active- Grants the ability: Speak with Dead


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Damage reduction and speak with dead...that just might come in handy. Might as well try to be friends with dead things while I¡¯m at it¡­


    ¡°Have you ever heard of the skill Astral Walking? It reduces damage by partially entering into the Astral realm but it also says it grants the ability to speak with the dead.¡±


    ¡°An interesting skill. I haven¡¯t come across that skill in my time, but there are others that are similar in nature, regarding the ability to speak with the dead. Many religious sects use this ability to commune with those stuck between this world and the afterlife. I am not informed on the dangers of such things, and I also do not know the danger of partially entering another realm. Be cautious when using that spell.¡±


    ¡°Okay, good to know. And yeah I think I¡¯ll test it out a few times before using it in battle. If it¡¯s anything like what I experienced to gain the skill, I¡¯m never using that in a fight,¡± Just thinking about it almost made the vertigo return.


    There were still a few more items within the chest and Kass moved back over to it, reaching an arm in.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Ring of Mana Regeneration - Increase Mana Regeneration by 5%The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Ooo, how pretty...I like that color. The whole ring was colored a light blue, made from some unknown type of metal. She slid the ring onto her finger, and, just as her coat had done, it resized until it was a perfect fit.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that will ever get old...magic is amazing¡­¡± she looked at the ring in her finger for another second before pulling out the next item.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Crohulian Dagger of Blood Sacrifice


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    The dagger was sheathed in a plain metal scabbard. It showed signs of wear, but for the most part seemed to have weathered the time pretty well.


    The blade itself was around eight or nine inches long and curved slightly towards its point. It had a false edge on one side, and when she carefully pressed a finger to the other side, she could tell that it was pretty sharp. Not anywhere near the level of Whisper, but still sharp enough to probably cut through anything she¡¯d come across so far. Maybe not the Torusinth now that I think about it. That thing was tough...


    Overall, to Kass, the dagger didn¡¯t look like anything special. She used her identity skill to find out more.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Crohulian Dagger of Blood Sacrifice


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Rarity


    </td>


    <td>


    Rare


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Damage


    </td>


    <td>


    Unknown


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Sharpness


    </td>


    <td>


    Unknown


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Durability


    </td>


    <td>


    Unknown


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Affinity


    </td>


    <td>


    Unknown


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Upon drinking sufficient blood, grants +2 intelligence and restores 2 mana every 10 seconds for 60 seconds. Stacks 3 times.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    This is actually really good. She tossed the dagger from hand to hand, deep in thought. I just don¡¯t know if I could change my fighting style to fight with a second weapon¡­but I do know some techniques already from my Alanivan sword skills, so it is possible¡­ just another thing to test of I guess.


    Also...identify actually revealed that information...I wonder why, it hasn¡¯t leveled up or anything... I probably should keep a better eye on what it can and can¡¯t do.


    She stored the dagger and took out the last thing from the chest. It was a small leather pouch that was tied shut with a leather cord. She undid the knot and it slid open. Inside were four small crystals, each around two inches long and a quarter of an inch thick.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana Sliver


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    No other information was given. She even tried using identify, but nothing happened. ¡°So these are the mana slivers you were talking about earlier? Why can¡¯t I see any more information about them?¡±


    ¡°It is precisely what it says, a sliver of mana, though in crystalized form. Each sliver contains an amount of stored mana that can be used in many different ways. Powering an Anderstone is only one function. Many types of magical items, wards, and defensive shields must be charged with mana constantly. Mana slivers make this possible.


    ¡°You can also crush one to instantly restore some of your own mana, but a lot of the stored mana is lost in doing this. Swallowing one has proven an effective method. As your body slowly breaks it down, that energy then flows through you. I have heard of many mages that do this before a large battle.


    ¡°Among their many other uses, mana slivers are also used as a form of currency. Each was worth roughly... six or seven silvers back in my time, which meant that using them could get expensive quite rapidly.¡±


    Kass filed away as much of the information as she could, quickly finding that what she was holding was a whole lot more useful and valuable than she had first thought.


    ¡°They sound really important to have, is there a way to get more of them? Like, can I make them?¡±


    ¡°They can not be made, no, but it is possible to get more. Certain monsters drop them upon death, generally the elemental types, though other types do as well. Extremely powerful monsters are known to drop many at a time, with a chance to drop the stronger variation, the mana stone. Mana stones are the same in function, but much more potent.¡±


    ¡°Guess I¡¯ll have to start hunting elementals if I need more of these later.¡± She recognized the monster type from her quick lesson Whisper had shot into her brain. From what she knew, she didn¡¯t want to get anywhere near an elemental at her current level.


    ¡°Well, looks like that¡¯s everything. Guess I¡¯ll take this too,¡± she said as she touched the chest and stored it away. I wonder how much room I have left¡­maybe it would let me put things into the chest and then store it? I¡¯ll do that later if I need to. It really does need some organizing though, just looking at that messy list gets on my nerves, even if it is alphabetized.


    Kass took one last look around the room and her eyes settled on the deteriorating bed. A quick nap would probably be a good idea. ¡°Hey Whisper, I think I¡¯m going to try and get a little bit of sleep if that¡¯s okay. This place seems as safe as any, and I am pretty tired.¡±


    ¡°I will alert you if something approaches, get some rest.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said, yawning right after. Just the thought of sleep made her feel even more exhausted.


    Not wanting to sleep on the dangerous looking bed, she pulled out the bedroll from storage to check it out. The size of it surprised her when it appeared on the ground, even though it was rolled up tightly it still reached her waist.


    The exterior was made of a material that felt like a burlap sack to Kass, which wasn¡¯t anything like the comfortable blow up mattress and warm sleeping bag she had hoped for. At least you have something. It¡¯s probably better than sleeping on the cold floor. She flipped it over and found an opening slit into one side of it. When she stuck a hand in to feel inside, she was surprised to find it lined with soft animal furs. Yeah, much better than the floor.


    She unrolled it in front of the door, deciding she would lay against the wooden door to try and keep anything from opening it without her knowing. That was the plan at least.


    Once fully extended, the bedroll was around eight feet long and three wide. Guess it makes sense that this is huge since it was owned by the same guy as this coat¡­ She remembered the giant jacket she had received before it shrunk to better fit her. I wonder if this Finsel guy is still alive... would be interesting to meet him.


    She rethought over that again and instantly changed her mind. Yeah nevermind, the guy is probably pissed I stole his jacket and all the stuff inside...he¡¯d probably want to kill me¡­


    Kass really hoped that she would never have to deal with that situation, she was in enough trouble as it was. A giant smuggler trying to kill her was not something she wanted to add to her list.


    She sniffed the inside of the bedroll. Other than smelling a little greasy and a little like garlic, it wasn¡¯t too bad. She shrugged and swung Whisper in front of her. It¡¯s not like I smell any better. She removed her boots and let her toes air out for a second and stretch. Even my feet smell....ugh.


    She was about to store her boots but then stopped, a question forming in her mind.


    ¡°If I store something, does time affect it the same way as it does here? Like if I were to store a hot bowl of soup, would it stay hot until I pulled it out? Or would it cool down?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, storage items are known to have different effects on the things stored within. My guess would be that yours would only see changes after a very long time. So to answer your question, I believe the bowl of soup would remain hot for...one hundred years, give or take.¡±


    ¡°One hundred years?! Are you serious? The coat wouldn¡¯t even last that long.¡±


    ¡°As long as it is connected to some form of mana signature I imagine that it would. Though that doesn¡¯t mean it can¡¯t be destroyed.¡±


    ¡°Well those definitely aren¡¯t going in there,¡± she pointed at the hot and smelly boots, and then decided to move them further away from where she would be sleeping. Worried about my own stinky boots when I¡¯m literally about to sleep in a super old, and now dead, necromancer¡¯s room and inside a greasy giant man¡¯s old bed¡­ she sighed, some things you do just don¡¯t make sense K¡­ ¡°Pfft, like I have a choice,¡± she muttered to herself.


    Kass sat down on the bedroll and brushed off her feet before tucking them inside and sliding into the pocket of animal fur. She had to admit that although it wasn¡¯t hers and smelled like a man that ate too much garlic, it was pretty comfortable.


    She hugged Whisper against her chest, cast barrier for good measure, and dismissed her orb. Within minutes she drifted off into a deep sleep.

 31. Ghost

    A ghoul clawed at her throat and she barely dodged the attack, skidding backwards on her back before rolling to her feet. The ghoul came at her again and she ducked another vicious swipe.


    She reached for her sword, confident in her ability to cleave the life from this monster, but it wasn¡¯t there. She hesitated in confusion for a split second, disbelief spread across her face. A clawed hand raked across her back and sent her sprawling forward.


    She caught herself and sprinted away from the undead, searching for her precious sword. The floor was cluttered though, rubble and all sorts of broken armor and weapons strewn about. And no matter where she looked, she couldn¡¯t find it. No. It doesn¡¯t make sense...he was right here¡­


    ¡°Whisper! Where are you!?¡± she screamed, her voice echoing around her.


    The ghoul caught up and sliced down again with wicked claws. She blasted it in the face with a bolt of shadow that sent it reeling back, buying her more time. She whipped her head side to side. A glint caught her eye. ¡°There!¡±


    Kass rushed to the piece of black metal peeking out from beneath the rubble and tried to pry it free. She tugged as hard as she could but it wouldn¡¯t budge, the weight on top too much. She clawed at the crumbled stone and broken pieces of armor, ripping it away and tossing it to the side.


    She cleared half of it, exposing the hilt of the sword, and went back to trying to pry it free. She gripped the handle as hard as she could and pulled with all her strength. With a snap, Kass flew back and landed hard on another pile of rubble.


    Confused, she looked at the broken sword in her hand. No...it can¡¯t be...wait a second¡­ she looked at the scratched blade and saw silver peeking out from underneath its black color. Paint? A fake...not Whisper.


    She threw it to the side in frustration.


    By now, the ghoul had mostly recovered and was stumbling in her direction again. Half of its face was missing and it was moving a lot slower than before, obviously injured. ¡°Come on then! I¡¯ll kill you with my bare hands!¡± she screamed at the ugly thing, angry that she couldn¡¯t find her friend.


    The ghoul screeched and then ran at her, its movements grotesque and unnatural. Kass charged as well, readying another point blank shadow bolt. Just before she released her spell, the ground suddenly fell away and she plunged into the darkness below.


    She tumbled in the air, end over end and she fell at great speed. Every rotation she caught a glimpse of light above. A halo. Wait a minute¡­ It all looked and felt oddly...familiar.


    Kass smashed into the ground, feeling her body snap and break, pain exploding through her. She just looked up at the light above, trying to place where she had seen it before¡­


    A hand grabbed onto her arm and the light disappeared. More hands grabbed her and pulled her down, into the ground, closing her off from the world above.


    ¡°Kassandra.¡± Whisper¡¯s voice called out. He was close. If only she could get to him, wherever he was. Then they could kill these things and escape this place. Together. If only they had been together, this would never have happened. Why weren¡¯t they together¡­?


    She felt the hands pulling her deeper and deeper into the darkness below, hundreds of them. Some tore into her skin with sharp claws, but the pain was nothing...she hardly felt it¡­ What is pain? A hand clasped over her mouth snapping her from her thoughts. She tried to scream, but she couldn¡¯t, the hand was too strong.


    Tears came to her eyes as she slowly suffocated. Unable to breathe like her body begged her to. Help!  She yelled, but no sound came out. Help!  She tried again but to the same result. Just let me go home! Please! Why am I he-


    ¡°Kassandra!¡±


    She sat up with a start, clutching the hilt of the sword tightly and summoning her orb of light into the room.


    ¡°What?! What is it?!¡± she asked, breathing heavily, her heart pounding in her chest. Sweat dripped down her face and her coat was wet with it.


    ¡°I...do not know. Some sort of nightmare. You were yelling and your body temperature spiked. I tried waking you many times. I almost resorted to shocking you.¡±


    ¡°A nightmare...ugh¡­¡± she sighed. She felt like she wanted to cry, but she didn¡¯t let herself. ¡°Thanks for waking me...that was terrible.¡±


    Kass stood up and wiped the beaded sweat from her face with the sleeve of her coat. A nightmare...just what I needed¡­ She moved over and slid her feet back into her boots.


    ¡°How long was I asleep?¡±


    ¡°Approximately five hours and twenty two minutes.:


    ¡°I feel horrible...like I only slept an hour...and I¡¯m so thirsty.¡± She summoned the barrel of juice, not having another option, and poured some of the blue liquid into her palm. She downed it, and poured another as she relished in the taste. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    She noticed her headache slowly fade away as she finished her second handful and her body started to relax. She stopped herself from taking more and put the barrel away. That stuff is amazing...I mean I feel so much better already.


    She glanced at her resources and was happy to see that they were all topped off, even her health. Some more good news. Her stomach rumbled slightly and she summoned the partially gnawed on nutrient bar and started back at it, slowly slobbering on it enough to break it down. The taste was less than desirable, especially after the blue juice, but it was food, and she really needed food.


    She stretched as she ate, trying to limber up the sore muscles and tight ligaments. Funny that I¡¯m at full health but still sore¡­ Even the juice didn¡¯t take away the achiness.


    ¡°Alright what¡¯s on the list for today...or whatever it is...tonight? It doesn¡¯t matter¡­ Let¡¯s see, I wanted to try out both my new skills, and we need to find that tunnel as well as the Anderstone if we can, those are a must. Oh! And I wanted to ask you a few more questions...if that¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°I will gladly help in any way I can,¡± replied the blade.


    ¡°Thanks! I think I¡¯ll start with the skills.¡±


    She packed up her new bedroll after letting it air out for another couple minutes while she ate, and then stored both her nutrient brick, as she started calling it, and the bedroll back into her coat.


    Once she felt ready, she gripped Whisper in one hand and slowly opened the door with the other. She sent in her orb as soon as there was enough room and peeked outside. After a full minute of watching and waiting, and sending her orb flying in all directions, she decided it was safe enough.


    She opened the door and stepped through, almost expecting something to jump out at her considering her luck, but still, nothing happened. Huh, isn¡¯t that the first. Kass swung Whisper over her head and pressed him against her back. In an instant a metal cord materialized around her and secured the blade to her.


    As she moved farther into the room, she did notice a change, however. She noticed the bodies of the nobles first, but then looked at all of them that were strewn about and found the same thing occurring. They¡¯re...disintegrating. Only a few pieces of each noble remained, along with the tattered clothing that they wore.


    ¡°The mana binding them to this world has ceased, their ancient bodies no longer able to maintain cohesion.¡±


    ¡°I hope these poor people are resting now...what that necromancer did to them...and the disease. They didn¡¯t deserve it.¡±


    ¡°Few would deserve such a fate.¡±


    Kass turned away from the scene and tried to distract herself by channeling her mana in an attempt to cast her new spell. She started with shadow bolt, which sounded easier and less scary for her to test. I already used it in my dream¡­somehow... She wasn¡¯t sure how her subconscious already knew what the spell did. She added it to the growing list of questions she needed to ask.


    For now, she focused on the spell, letting instinct take over as the mana coursed through her. When she was ready, she extended her arm and released the spell. A bolt of dark energy shot out from her fingertips and sped across the room until it smashed into a wall, creating a small explosion and leaving behind a crater the size of a baseball.


    A lot of things had happened to her since she arrived in Arkos. All of them fantastical and crazy enough that if she were to tell anyone from back home about it, they would probably lock her up in the insane asylum.


    Of all the things she¡¯d experienced so far, Kass would rank casting that spell near the top of the list. She felt powerful, mana still coursing through her veins and filling her with its energy, and she felt capable of actually having an impact on the world for the first time in her life. Like the small crater the spell had left behind on the rocky earth, she too wished to make an impact.


    But most of all, she cast magic. It was something that every child wished they could do, but the real world crushed those dreams in cruel ways. She had given up years ago on trying to be something that she could never be, battered by the reality of life on Earth. But now, now it wasn¡¯t impossible to reach greater heights. With magic, new avenues opened up all around her, the possibilities seemingly endless.


    She had cast magic. Chills ran through her body as she thought about it and looked at the damage done to the wall. Maybe I can make a difference here¡­ I mean, just saving Whisper was a bigger difference than anything I¡¯d ever done before¡­


    ¡°Well done.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, that felt amazing.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, your heart rate increased dramatically.¡±


    ¡°Ha,¡± she laughed, ¡°I guess that¡¯s one way to put it¡­¡±


    ¡°And what of the other spell?¡±


    ¡°I was just about to try it out. I¡¯m a little nervous though, learning the spell was kinda freaky. But it¡¯s okay, I¡¯m mostly over it. Let¡¯s see what this does.¡±


    She focused on the spell she wanted to cast and activated it. The world changed slightly, but Kass could still see everything around her just fine. She looked down at her own body and found that it was hazy, like looking at a computer screen with missing pixels. This is weird, but I¡¯m glad I¡¯m not on top of that invisible platform again¡­


    Kass returned her gaze to her surroundings, trying to see if anything about them changed. She turned around, and then screamed as she came face to face with a ghostly form.


    ¡°Ahh!¡± the sound came out instinctively and she brought her hands up in front of her face.


    ¡°Do not fear me, child. My name is Emelia. Long have I waited for this day.¡± spoke the semi-transparent figure, the voice sounding otherworldly yet definitely feminine at the same time. This woman...Emelia, from the diary.


    ¡°I can understand you...and speak to you¡­¡± the ghost nodded, ¡°I...know you...err.. about you¡­ You died here, from disease, and then the necromancer¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, a tragic story to the end of my people. The man you speak of was named Saulthron, but he wasn¡¯t an evil man. His intentions were always to help those that-¡±


    The voice suddenly stopped talking and the ghost disappeared from view. Oh, right¡­ She cast the spell again and Emelia returned, still speaking.


    ¡°-though watching those that he cared about die around him one by one proved to much for his soul. Once he discovered that he had caused this disease to enter the village, he blamed himself for the deaths of everyone. It broke him.


    ¡°I do not blame him though. He could not have known that he was a Carrier.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean that he could have spread it to me?¡± Kass asked, thinking about the written word ¡®pustules¡¯ and really starting to worry. A look of consternation passed over the woman¡¯s face for a second and a white pulse emanated from her. After a second, she smiled.


    ¡°No, as long as you-¡±


    The spell fell again, but Kass was ready this time and cast it again almost immediately.


    ¡°-you will be okay,¡± finished the ghost.


    ¡°Can you say that again? I¡¯m sorry, I missed it because of the timer on this spell¡­¡±


    ¡°To tell you more of our story is not why I am here, however,¡± the spirit continued on, not pausing to repeat what Kass had missed. ¡°I chose to stay behind in hopes to offer a gift to the one that freed us from our torment. Those that have already left for the afterlife gave unto me a portion of their power. Now I grant this power unto you, Champion of Morund.¡±


    The ghost floated closer to Kass and lightly placed a thumb on her forehead. Not knowing what was happening, Kass just let it happen, feeling like this spirit didn¡¯t mean her any harm. Energy pulsed out from the ghostly woman and flowed into her, slowly at first, but picking up speed.


    Kass stood there unmoving, both arms held awkwardly to the side as she tried not to interrupt the process. She found the situation she was in a little funny, and imagined she probably looked like an idiot to anyone that couldn¡¯t see the spirit in front of her.


    She just smiled at the thought, just trying to enjoy the moment, but when the ghost woman smiled back at her she couldn¡¯t help but giggle, and then she started laughing fully, unable to stop herself. The spirit laughed with her, or maybe at her, and soon finished the transfer of energy.


    Kass made sure to cast Astral Walking again before it ended this time and watched as the smiling ghost floated up and away from her.


    ¡°Good luck, and thank you for saving us,¡± Emelia said before disappearing from sight.


    ¡°Woah,¡± she breathed out a breath, ¡°can¡¯t say I¡¯ve ever experienced that before¡­¡±


    ¡°What? Talking to yourself while standing perfectly still? I¡¯m beginning to worry about you.¡±

 32. Blasting

    ¡°Hey! I wasn¡¯t talking to myself! I used that new skill and there was a spirit lady that wanted to talk to me!¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°Wait...did you just make a joke?! You did, didn¡¯t you?! Ha, I can¡¯t believe it!¡±


    ¡°You are wrong, human.¡±


    ¡°No, I think I¡¯m right. And I think that you think you¡¯re funny! No matter what you say I know the truth.¡±


    The blade didn¡¯t respond and Kass just laughed even more. A blinking screen in the corner of her vision caught her attention, distracting her from the topic. ¡°Alright we¡¯ll resume this conversation later,¡± she said as she pulled up the screen, still smiling.


    Her smile grew even wider as she read through the contents.


    <table style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Title Unlocked: Champion of Morund - You have been crowned the champion of the town of Morund, its people will forever shout your praises - +5% Overall Damage, +3 Charisma. Status Updated.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Emelia¡¯s Blessing: +5 to all stats


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Wow, she gave me plus five to all my stats and a title that increases my damage by five percent and gives plus three to charisma. That¡¯s huge!¡±


    ¡°A great gift indeed.¡±


    ¡°What is charisma anyways? Is it another one of those hidden stats like luck?¡±


    ¡°It is.¡±


    ¡°Why even mention it then? If nobody can see it or measure it.¡±


    ¡°A question that many have had. In truth, nobody knows the answer.¡±


    ¡°Seems kind of dumb in my opinion, but I¡¯m happy to have the plus three whatever it does.¡±


    ¡°I believe that such stats are just as important as the others, but are harder to gauge their effects as they change.¡±


    ¡°Yeah that makes sense, I guess. So do you think that the plus five bonus to all stats includes those hidden stats?¡±


    ¡°I do not know,¡± the blade answered honestly.


    ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s a dead question.¡±


    ¡°A what?¡±


    ¡°A dead question. Oh right, it¡¯s just a saying from where I¡¯m from...it means something that you will have to find out when you¡¯re dead.¡±


    ¡°Why would that be important when you¡¯re dead?¡±


    ¡°I....¡± she sighed, ¡°I guess it wouldn¡¯t be, but there might be other questions that are important when you die? Like why do you even exist, or where do you go kind of a thing?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I find your people very strange, yet also very intriguing.¡±


    ¡°Says a talking sword, yeah, okay.¡± She laughed and then closed the window screen in front of her. ¡°What do you say we find this tunnel?¡±


    ¡°A good plan.¡±


    ¡°Glad you approve. Okay, where¡¯s that altar¡­¡± She looked around the room but didn¡¯t spot anything that fit the image in her mind. Hmm¡­


    She walked a full circle around the room and then stopped back where she started. ¡°That¡¯s weird, I thought for sure it would be in here. Where else could it be?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it-¡±


    ¡°Hold on a sec, what¡¯s this?¡± she pointed to the small grooves etched into the floor beneath her feet. Kass dropped to her knees and began brushing away the dirt and dust all around her, finding other grooves similar to the first cut into the ground.


    It took nearly twenty minutes to clear the entire area that made up the altar, or at least what she thought was the altar. Once she finished, Kass stood up and dusted off her knees and then moved back towards the coffins. She jumped up on top of one and looked back at her handiwork.


    There it is¡­ Large runes were visible on the floor, their designs intricately carved into the stone. ¡°Definitely not what I had in mind when I thought of an altar. I was thinking more of a bloody pedestal with a knife resting on it or something¡­ I¡¯m actually kind of glad this is what I found.¡±


    The blade didn¡¯t bother answering her, but she didn¡¯t mind, she was more or less just talking out loud. ¡°Alright, so behind the altar would be right there,¡± she said, closing one eye and making two L¡¯s with her fingers and then putting them together to make a rectangle to look through. ¡°Any ideas how we blast through that wall?¡±


    ¡°If the Anderstone is still active, it would be difficult to do. Perhaps with your shadow bolt it would be possible?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s worth a try,¡± she said, getting herself into position and preparing to cast the spell.


    ¡°It might be beneficial to try and search the wall first for any clues as to where the mouth of the tunnel would be. Also, I would advise you not to hit the Anderstone, if at all possible.¡±This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°Yeah good idea, let¡¯s go take a look. And if I hit the Anderstone will it blow up or something?¡±


    ¡°Most likely, yes.¡±


    ¡°Oh...that would probably be bad¡­¡± She looked up at the ceiling above her and imagined it collapsing down on her. Really really bad¡­


    She moved over to the wall and pulled out the Crohulian dagger from her spatial inventory, using it to tap on the stone and listening for any sounds of hollowness. She started on the left side and slowly worked her way to the right. In her mind, she had imagined the tunnel to be near the dead center of the wall, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized how silly that had been.


    They randomly found the tunnel, not built it, so it could be anywhere. She just hoped it wasn¡¯t twenty feet in the air.


    Kass made it to the other end of the wall and took a step back. What are we missing¡­ She leaned against the doorframe to the necromancer¡¯s room as she stared at the wall in thought. Wait a minute, what did it say again?


    She pulled out the diary and carefully flipped to the last entry and read it again.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    ¡®A tunn__. Disc______ ___ing c__struc___ of our sacred and fin__ resting place. I com___ded my villagers to ____r it, for w_ ___ not leaving. The vill___ Anders__ne ___ pla___ wit____ _he wall to protect us, and ____ it shall r__ain. The alta_ __aws from its power a__ _ __om it. The two s__ close to__her. I go no_ __ m_ __st, my ___k finally complete.¡¯


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°The altar draws from its power and...I from it. The two... sit?...close together¡­ Huh, so I did have it wrong, it doesn¡¯t say anything about being behind the altar, just near it¡­¡± She brushed a hand through her hair, deep in thought, and it got tangled more than a few times. She pulled hard at a particularly stubborn knot and it finally slipped free, the sudden release of resistance sending her hand punching out and it smacked into the wooden door.


    ¡°Oww! Stupid door,¡± she said, kicking it with her foot and sending a boom throughout the the cavern, a softer boom echoed from within the hollow room. The sound curbed her frustration immediately and she focused intently on it.


    ¡°Wait a second...of course! How could I have been so stupid! The tunnel, it¡¯s in the room! It is the room! Of course the necromancer wouldn¡¯t want the Anderstone to be far away from him, and it¡¯s still close enough to the altar to make sense.¡± She opened the door to the room and strode inside.


    ¡°He must have made this room from part of the tunnel or something.¡± she said as she looked around, seeing if she could spot any differences in the rock. She glanced back at the door and looked at the stone around it. Now that she paid more attention to it, most of it seemed to have been chiseled out away from the door.


    She drew a mental line from the door to the back wall and then walked over to the spot she had marked. She put a hand to the stone and felt for any differences. Finding none, she began tapping with the pommel of the dagger, soft at first, but increasing in force with each try.


    On her forth strike, a piece of the wall chipped away and she continued pounding away at the point where it fell. More and more chunks broke away until she had created a small crater of her own in the wall.


    Kass paused and drew in a deep breath. A bead of sweat falling to the floor. She looked at the pommel of the dagger and saw that she had dented it a bit, but for the most part it was still intact. Strong dagger, wonder what it¡¯s made of.


    ¡°I still think we¡¯re in the right spot, I don¡¯t think I would have chipped away as much if the wall was actually solid stone.¡±


    ¡°You were hitting it with a lot of force. Perhaps if you had the guardian¡¯s hammer¡­¡±


    ¡°I actually thought about that, but I don¡¯t know how to get it back. It¡¯s kind of attached to the door that sucked up into the ceiling, remember?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunate.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I agree, that would have made this a lot easier...if I could have even lifted it....¡± I did just gain some strength...I wonder how much of a difference those five points would have made¡­ ¡°I think I¡¯ll try using shadow bolt and see if I can dig in deeper. If that doesn¡¯t work then we¡¯ll try something else.¡±


    She moved away from the wall and through the doorway, moving back until she felt safe enough. She lifted her arm and channeled the spell, eyes focused on the spot she had chipped away.


    Kass released the bolt of magic and it zipped from her fingertips, impacting the wall a second later. The small explosion of energy that followed ripped out a fist sized portion from the wall and blew chunks of rock across the room. One of the inkwells on the desk shattered, and Kass watched as another flew from the table and broke into a hundred pieces as it hit the ground.


    ¡°It might take awhile, but I think it¡¯ll work.¡± She fired another and then another, the hole continuing to grow wider and wider with each bolt.


    Two hours passed as Kass slowly dug away at the rock wall. She had to stop multiple times to let her mana recharge, but blast by blast she penetrated deeper into the rock. More than a few times she second guessed herself, worried that she had made a mistake once again and was just wasting her time.


    She had decided to stick with it for a little longer, the practice she was getting from casting shadow bolt over and over was probably a good thing.


    During her breaks, Kass read through more of the necromancer¡¯s journal. Starting at the beginning, it was easy to see what Emelia had meant about this man. Almost every entry was detailed with plans and ideas to improve the village that he himself had founded.


    From what she read, the village seemed to thrive almost from the start. The earliest settlers were mainly from a mining community that had traveled for weeks to get there. When they¡¯d heard word that a wealthy nobleman had discovered a rich Dalenium vein only a day''s journey from the prominent city of Remeric, and was offering premium wages for those he employed, they packed up all of their belongings as quick as they could, leaving their old employer and traveling far to the North in hopes of a better life.


    The miners arrived in high spirits and were even happier to find the rumors were true. A few others had arrived before them, but they were by far the largest group. Saulthron was more than pleased, and hired them immediately.


    Soon, Dalenium ore began to pour from the mine and the wealth of the small village skyrocketed. This attracted the attention of all sorts of people, including other noble families seeking to invest. Before long, a tavern was built by a wealthy businessman, stocked with enough food and drink to feed an army.


    The stonemasons and carpenters that built the tavern ended up staying, hired on to build better housing for Saulthron and his family, and also the miners. The nobleman ordered them to start with those of the miners first, which surprised Kass.  This guy was amazing...and look what happened to him...


    She shook her head and then glanced at her resources. Mana¡¯s back. She closed the diary, sending it back into storage before standing up. She cracked her neck and stretched out her slightly stiff back and then moved over to her position facing the doorway to the room.


    ¡°Have you ever heard of a city called Remeric?¡± she asked as she launched a bolt from her fingertips.


    ¡°Remeric was a large city, yes. Well known throughout the Brightlands. I have traveled there, though only a few times.¡±


    ¡°In his journal, the necromancer said that their village was only a day''s journey from that city. Do you think that means we are close to Remeric?¡±


    ¡°Possibly, unless they traveled a long distance to wherever we are now. Though if we are near Remeric, we are further away from the coast than I thought...hmm¡±


    ¡°Why? What¡¯s near the coast?¡± Another blast struck the wall, breaking off a good sized portion.


    ¡°A place where we can find help. At least, it was years ago. But we should try to reach Remeric if we can, there might be someone there that can do something about this demon soul.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try to find out more about where we are from the journal. It¡¯s been pretty detailed so far and might contain something else useful.¡±


    The fourth shadow bolt left her fingertips and zipped into the wall, creating a small purple explosion that ripped into the wall. Suddenly, another explosion erupted from the wall, sending a wave of energy through the room that instantly blew the wooden door from its hinges and knocked Kass off her feet.


    The door splintered against the opposite wall as she struggled back to her feet, dazed from the hit. ¡°Ugh,¡± she groaned, ¡°what was that?¡±


    ¡°That, I believe, was the Anderstone you were not supposed to hit.¡±


    She regained focus and looked back to the wall, but instead she found herself looking at the opening to a dark tunnel beyond. Hovering in the dead center of the passageway was an orange, triangular shaped gem the size of her palm. It pulsed with light like a heartbeat, making her feel as if it were alive. Woah, that¡¯s an Anderstone?


    ¡°Is it safe to go near that thing?¡±


    ¡°As long as you don¡¯t shoot it again¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah yeah, I¡¯ll be careful. You sure?¡±


    ¡°I believe that whatever enchantment it powered is no longer active, so it should be safe enough.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± she replied, picking her way closer to the hovering gem. ¡°I hope you¡¯re right about this¡­¡±


    She slowly crept up to it, the whole time feeling like it was going to explode again. Luckily it didn¡¯t, and she stood in front of it.  It¡¯s beautiful. I¡¯ve never seen anything like it¡­ The stone was as thin as a piece of cardboard and when she looked at its surface, different shades of orange swirled around like wisps, leaving trails behind.


    Unsure of what else to do, she carefully reached out towards the flat gem. As soon as her fingers touched it, whatever magic was causing it to float there disappeared and it fell. Kass scrambled to catch it, feeling like she had just dropped her new smartphone, and snatched it out of the air with both hands.


    ¡°Phew¡­¡± she breathed with relief. ¡°That was close.¡±


    The stone was warm in her hands, and it felt abnormally smooth, like there wasn¡¯t any resistance at all when sliding a finger across it. What are you?


    A window appeared above it.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Anderstone - Inactive


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>

 33. Onward

    Kass was captivated by the stone she held, unable to take her eyes off of it. She figured it was probably the most expensive thing she had ever held, not including Whisper of course, but he didn¡¯t count. She continued to rub her thumb over its smooth surface, deep in thought.


    After a few minutes, she spoke. ¡°Are you sure I can¡¯t use this for my own shields?¡±


    ¡°It is not something anyone has achieved, according to my knowledge. Not only would it cost a fortune and prove difficult to keep active, but the stone would also become very unstable and possibly volatile.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­maybe when I get stronger I¡¯ll find a way to do it.¡± she closed her hand around the triangular stone one last time, and then stored it away. She focused her gaze on the tunnel in front of her, looking at its rough, natural walls.


    It wasn¡¯t very big, just wide enough for her to be able to walk without having to turn to the side. The ceiling was low, however, and she would have to crouch slightly to get through.


    ¡°Good thing I¡¯m not claustrophobic...I think¡­¡± She wasn¡¯t, as far as she knew, but just looking into the small tunnel made her nervous. The image of getting stuck with creepy crawlies all around her wasn¡¯t a pleasant one.


    ¡°I should probably use my class point before we go in there. Give me a second.¡±


    She summoned the runed book and opened it to her class page, confirming she wanted to spend her free point. The dice materialized above the book like they always did and she grabbed them, preparing to cast them. Before she did, she paused, however, an idea coming to mind.


    ¡°What if I tried to get a luck bonus before I rolled these? Do you think it would have any effect on the results?¡±


    ¡°I see no harm in testing the idea.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right, we have time, and if it helps us get through this then it will be worth it.¡±


    Kass canceled the use of her class point and instead began casting Gambler¡¯s Way. With the new stats added from Emelia¡¯s Blessing as well as the bonus two points from her Scholar¡¯s Necklace, her intelligence was sitting at fifty nine. With five hundred and ninety mana and a cost of only twenty-five mana per cast, she figured she could try around twenty times before risking a headache.


    Probably not a good idea to have my mana that low anyways. Maybe fifteen or something.


    The dice bounced off the sides of the invisible box and then settled. Knight, axe, fool¡¯s.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Buff Gained: +1 Strength and Dexterity - Duration: 55 seconds.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    The next three casts netted similar results, and Kass just skipped over them and moved onto the next.


    Axe, axe, moon.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Buff Gained: +12% mana drain with physical attacks, +21% Attack speed - Duration: 14 minutes 12 seconds


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    That could come in handy in a fight. She mentally filed away the information, still looking for patterns in each of the buffs she received with specific rolls, and then continued on her search for more luck.


    She came across a few other interesting buffs, like increased body weight and even underwater breathing, but after twelve tries she still hadn¡¯t seen anything that had to do with luck. Well, thirteenth time¡¯s a charm.


    Moon, fool¡¯s, fool¡¯s. Shit.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Debuff Gained: -14 Intelligence, Chance of Temporary Paralysis 4% - Duration: 11 minutes


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Wow that¡¯s terrible. Chance of paralysis...that¡¯s messed up.  She waited out the eleven minutes unable to override the debuff. She had expected to become paralyzed at some point, but nothing ended up happening. The short wait did recoup a few of her missing mana points that she quickly used again once the window disappeared.


    She reached fifteen tries without any luck stat bonuses showing up, and decided she¡¯d try a few more times since she had some extra mana from waiting.


    The seventeenth surprised her.


    Crown, crown, crown.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Buff Gained: +23% Chance to Find Rare Items, +12% Chance of Persuasion, +3 Charisma - Duration: 4 hours 12 minutes


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Holy. This buff is incredible. ¡°I think this is as close as we¡¯re going to get to extra luck today. Besides, I don¡¯t want to overwrite this one.¡±


    Kass brought up her class page again and respent the point, bringing the dice back into existence. This time she didn¡¯t hesitate and cast them into the invisible dice tower.


    Skull, moon, moon.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Reward


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mage¡¯s Staff: Decrease Cast Time and Increase Spell Power, Slightly


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Slime in a Jar: Not a Pet


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Artificer¡¯s Gloves: Makes You...Better With Your HandsThis content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Select One


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Mage¡¯s staff could come in handy, but I imagine it would have to be in my hands to work, and I doubt switching to it during battle would be easy. Slime in a Jar¡­? No idea. And lastly, artificer¡¯s gloves, which might be good too, if I were an inventor¡­


    ¡°What does it mean by Slime in a Jar? The description just says ¡®Not a Pet¡¯...why would slime be mistaken for a pet?¡±


    ¡°Ah, you misunderstand. It is referring to the monster archetype of Slime.¡±


    ¡°Oh...right, now that makes more sense,¡± she said as she remembered the general information that was uploaded into her brain. ¡°Why would anyone want to put one of those in a jar?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, some slimes can be useful for cleaning up certain things like blood, metals, and even carcasses. There are other types as well that could possibly be dangerous, given the right situation.¡±


    ¡°So what do you think would be better to get, the slime in a jar of the artificer¡¯s gloves? I already decided it was a no on the mage¡¯s staff.¡±


    ¡°Are you planning on becoming a crafter of any type in the near future?¡±


    ¡°Umm...no?¡±


    ¡°The gloves could fetch a decent price if you are looking for value, though the slime could come in handy. If only we knew the type contained within the jar. Are you sure about the staff?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about anything right now...I hate all of these decisions...I feel like I¡¯m always going to make the wrong choice and it''s going to get me killed because of it.¡±


    The blade didn¡¯t respond to her complaining. After another minute of stewing over her options, she finally made a decision.


    ¡°I¡¯m going with the slime. If you think it could be useful then that¡¯s our best shot. The gloves are probably the better choice in the long run, but I need things that can help me now.¡±


    She selected the slime in a jar option and confirmed her decision. The jar materialized on the floor in front of her just as a new window popped up.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Jar of Black Slime - An enchanted jar that imprisons a black slime. The slime can be recalled to the jar if within 50 yards.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Jar of black slime...what does black do? I only know about acid, blood, and the variations of metal slimes.¡± she asked as she picked up the small jar. It was only half the length of her hand tall and even less than that wide.


    ¡°How fortunate, black slimes are simply stronger versions of the acid slime, increasing their corrosiveness as well as their mobility. ¡±


    ¡°Huh, should we try it out?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, a dangerous idea, but since you plan on using this slime at some point, it would be wise to understand it better.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, probably¡­¡± she wasn¡¯t sure if she wanted to anymore. Kass looked at the tiny jar in her hands again, and then shrugged. It¡¯s so small. What¡¯s the worst that could happen?


    She began unscrewing the lid slowly and pointed it away from herself, remembering the firearm safety class her dad made her take. She definitely didn¡¯t want the slime popping out onto her. After only a few turns, she felt the pressure pushing on the lid and doubted she could have held it back without her newfound strength.


    Straining slightly to hold it on, Kass took a few steps back and aimed across the room. She took a deep breath, and then mentally counted to three.


    One...two...three!


    She lifted her hand from the jar, taking the lid with it, and watched as a mass of black goo the size of a baseball shot out of the small container, making a loud slurping sound as it went. It only flew around twenty feet before smacking against the floor with a wet slap.


    Kass gasped as the goo suddenly doubled in size, and then tripled. It swelled rapidly to the size of a basketball and still it kept growing. The ground beneath it sizzled slightly, and she just watched until it finally stopped expanding. Holy shit¡­


    The slime now rose up to her knees in height and was nearly the same in width, having easily grown over ten times its original size. She watched as it inched forward towards her, moving at a snail''s pace, and leaving behind it a trail of ooze that etched into the stone.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not very fast, but that was pretty impressive to watch it grow.¡±


    ¡°Do not be fooled, this type of slime can move faster than that.¡±


    The blade was right, she realized. When she looked away from the thing it sped up considerably, and then slowed down again when her gaze returned. Well that¡¯s not creepy¡­ She took a step back, away from the slime as it slid towards her.


    It sped up suddenly, moving with rapid speed towards her. She stumbled backwards away from it, but it closed the distance and then leapt at her, springing off the ground and flying at her face. She dodged to the side, at the last second, and the slime flew past her, smacking into the ground once more.


    Not a second later it lunged again, forcing Kass to sidestep so she wouldn¡¯t get hit. What is this thing, the description was right, definitely not a pet¡­  She ducked a third attack, watching it soar over her head. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough,¡± she said, pointing the jar at the black ooze and willing it to return.


    She had no idea if that was the right thing to do, but it felt right, and she definitely wanted to get rid of the thing for now. The slime halted its movements almost immediately, and Kass watched as a chunk of it broke off and floated towards the opening of the jar.


    Soon more pieces broke off and began filling the small container in her hands that somehow had enough space to fit the thing into. Not like I should be surprised by that considering I¡¯m carrying everything I own inside a magical coat.


    In just a few seconds the slime was back inside the jar and she screwed the lid back on tight. ¡°Thanks for the heads up, that thing really can move,¡± she said as she shook the jar. ¡°Oh hey, can I store this thing or will being in a pocket dimension kill the slime off?¡±


    ¡°A good question. The slime will survive due to the nature of the enchantments placed on the jar, but you are correct in your thinking that living things should not, and in most cases, cannot be placed within a pocket dimension.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by cannot?¡±


    ¡°The life essence within each living creature would prevent you from doing so. This is the way the universe protects the living from those that can manipulate certain magics or, like you, open a rift between dimensions. This way, another being cannot simply will you into their own pocket dimension without your consent. Which I highly advise against doing, ever. This is also true for those that control things such as blood or water, making it difficult for them to control that which belongs to you, though for some very strong mages, it would still be possible.¡±


    ¡°That sounds awful¡­¡±


    ¡°Indeed, though the stronger you become the greater your resistance to such things becomes as well.¡±


    ¡°At least there¡¯s that, which is how this entire world seems to run. A place where only the strong survive¡­¡±


    She stored the jar of slime away and summoned her partially chewed nutrient brick. My jaw is going to be huge if I keep eating these things. Ha¡­  She laughed at the thought and then sighed, ¡°think it¡¯s about time we leave this place? I kind of like not having to run for my life every second of the day¡­¡±


    ¡°It is time, you must continue to grow stronger, and we must leave this place behind to seek the assistance of others.¡±


    ¡°Yeah...I know...easier said than done.¡± Kass took one last look around at the crypt that had temporarily become her home. It was an awful place, truly, but somehow she felt a connection to it, and it would be hard to leave it behind knowing only more danger awaited her through the tunnel.


    I¡¯m as ready as I¡¯ll ever be...let¡¯s go K, can¡¯t stay here forever. She stepped into the necromancer¡¯s room and then ducked into the small tunnel, pushing her orb of light ahead of her to light the way. Off to another adventure I guess. Get stronger, help Whisper, get home. She sighed again, If only it were that easy.


    Soon the crypt disappeared behind her and she focused on the path that lay ahead. The tunnel narrowed slightly as she moved deeper in, but her frame was still small enough for her to move through without having to turn to the side. She held Whisper out in front of her, having realized earlier that it would be almost impossible to draw the blade in such tight quarters if she needed to.


    ¡°Whisper? What are people like here on Arkos?¡± she asked quietly as she crept along.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± replied the blade.


    ¡°Well, I know there are different races here that don¡¯t exist where I¡¯m from...but, I guess what I mean is are people friendly here? Do elves and the other races get along with humans?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, it has been many hundreds of years since I have spoken to or interacted with another person, but I imagine that people act in similar ways here as they did in your world. There will always be those that are good and kind, and there will always be those that are wicked and cruel, of any race. Though I believe the good almost always outweigh the cruel. As for your second question, many wars have waged between the races throughout the history of Arkos, and for many different reasons. As far back as I can remember, before the...darkness arrived, there existed a time of peace and prosperity.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, where I¡¯m from there are plenty of wars too, but for the most part the world is at peace, even though it always seemed like that could change in an instant.¡± She said, stepping over a rock that jutted up from the floor. ¡°Are there more humans than any other race? I think that¡¯s how most fantasy stories were told from back home.¡±


    ¡°Yes, humans are prolific breeders that expand rapidly. Though the Brightlands were once only a home to elves, thousands of years ago, until humans discovered the land by accident. Then came the explorers, looking for wealth and treasure throughout the new land. This caused many wars between the two races, lasting for a hundred years before the humans were able to push back the elves through sheer numbers.


    ¡°The dwarves came later, brought by the humans as slaves. They are a people of talented craftsmen and powerful warriors, though they too were defeated by the humans in the past. The Brigh...urh...aghh¡­-¡± the blade cut off mid sentence and Kass immediately stopped her movements.


    ¡°The darkness, I sense it...close¡­¡± strained Whisper, but she had already guessed the reasoning and was preparing to cast her buffs.


    ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s time to get back to work¡­¡±

 34. Puddles

    Kass¡¯ pulse quickened in anticipation, adrenaline beginning to pump through her veins. She gripped Whisper in both hands as she slowly made her way through the tight corridor.


    ¡°Really hope this tunnel opens up...fighting in this is a death trap¡­¡± she whispered out of the corner of her mouth, but the sword didn¡¯t reply. Still struggling to fight back his demon roommate I guess. ¡°Hang in there Whisper, I need you with me.¡±


    The tunnel ahead hooked to the left, and Kass slowed her pace even more, inching along the wall. A strange odor permeated her senses, and she fought back a cough. Chemicals? What is that? She peered around the bend as best she could as she moved, ready for anything. Nothing jumped out at her though as she rounded the corner, coming into another relatively straight corridor.


    She immediately noticed the faint green glow illuminating the far end of the tunnel, still far enough away that the light from her orb didn¡¯t drown it out.  Well that¡¯s not ominous at all¡­ why do I feel like I¡¯m always walking into something worse than what came before? She shook her head at the thought and pushed on.


    The closer she got to it, the easier it was to make out what she was looking at. From what she could tell, it was coming through a crack on the left side wall, the light outlining the jagged stone opening. The tunnel continued on for only a few feet past the crack, ending abruptly with a solid wall. Before she reached it, Kass came across another tunnel that branched off, almost perpendicular to the one she was in.


    Hmm, she paused at the mouth of the new tunnel leading away. I should probably take a peek at least at whatever is causing the green light. Just in case.


    She moved past the other tunnel and reached the large crack in the wall, the chemical-like smell only increasing in potency. This can¡¯t be good for my health¡­ she thought as she carefully peered through the opening and into the room beyond. What the¡­


    A large cavern greeted her, its floor pockmarked with pools of a bubbling green liquid that illuminated most of the large space.  Acid? Why are there pools of acid? Bah. She let out a puff of air from her nose. Why am I even surprised? I can shoot bolts of shadow from my fingertips now, remember? She shook her head as she thought about all the crazy things she herself could do.


    Movement to the side caught her eye, partially blocked by the jagged stone of the crack. Refocusing, she slowly poked her head further in to get a better look. What she saw made chills run down her spine.


    The Balmorhea lazily swung its tail as it prowled back and forth in front of one of the larger green puddles, which was more of a pond now that she thought about it. The feline-like creature looked similar to the last one she had seen, but she spotted one major difference.


    Wisps of darkness danced off its sleek coat, licking out like the flames of a bonfire, and disappearing into nothingness. A Wraithling¡­ Her eyes flicked to Whisper momentarily, worried for the blade. She still hadn¡¯t heard from him and could only imagine what he was going through. She looked back at the beast and used identify.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Balmorhea Wraithling


    Level Unknown


    Health Unknown


    Weaknesses: Unknown


    Abilities: Unknown


    ...


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    No information? Not even a small description this time...huh.


    Well, if I can kill it, maybe that will free Whisper from the demon¡¯s hold again, or at least make him stronger? She contemplated the risks involved. It doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m here, and there is a tunnel leading away from this place right behind me¡­ I could easily just leave...well, as far as I know...and not put myself in any more danger¡­


    She let out a silent breath. Getting far enough away might work as well...but this thing is part of the darkness. Whisper would want me to kill it, wouldn¡¯t he? Maybe I could hit it with the slime...no, probably not¡­ Ideas started popping up in her head as she thought of the best way to take this beast down. Most of them were terrible ideas, or ideas that she was sure would get her killed, but a few of them actually seemed like they could work.


    ¡°No, that would take too long¡­¡± she muttered, thinking of building some sort of trap. The cat would probably be long gone by then, or hear me and come to investigate. Can¡¯t have that. Hmm. She looked through her inventory of stored items, searching for something she could use. Her eye caught on one of the listed items. What if¡­ The idea began forming in her mind, sounding like something that might just work.


    Alright, it¡¯s worth a shot. Just don¡¯t screw this up K. Don¡¯t screw up. Before doing anything else, Kass checked to make sure her barrier was still active and that her resource levels were topped off. Both were, to her satisfaction, and she also noticed the buff from her skill still had three hours left.  Is that even worth keeping at this point? Twenty-three percent increase to finding rare items sounds amazing...but that¡¯s not going to help me if I die before getting to any loot¡­


    She decided it was probably best to reroll another buff that gave combat specific bonuses while she had the time. Please give me something good. I¡¯m gonna need all the help I can get to take this thing down¡­ She cast the spell and the dice fell, tumbling silently on the ground around her.


    Axe, moon, fool¡¯s hand.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Buff Gained: +3% Weapon Damage, +3% Spell Damage - Duration: 1 minute 42 secondsIf you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Not good enough...actually, that¡¯s a terrible roll...less than two minutes?! She huffed and cast the spell again, but to her dismay, another worthless buff appeared. She had to try four more times before she got something anywhere near good enough, by her strict standards.


    Axe, axe, crown.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Buff Gained: +12% Lifesteal, +4% Chance to Stun, +5% Critical Strike Chance - Duration: 18 minutes 19 seconds


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Yeah, that¡¯s better. Kass moved back to the opening to make sure the beast was still there, finding the right buff had taken longer than she had expected. Probably was a dumb idea to not be watching the damn thing this whole time...ugh K, be smarter. She silently berated herself.


    Luckily the Balmorhea was still there, though it was now feasting on some sort of yellow glowing fish that was the length of her arm and the width of her thigh. Two scaly tails flipped and flopped as the dark beast sunk its maw into the soft flesh, one of its paws pinning the still living fish to the ground.


    Where did that even come from? The acid? She tore her gaze from the feasting cat, reminding herself that the clock was now ticking and figured that now was her best chance to finish her preparations while the thing was busy.


    ¡°Okay okay,¡± she shook the nervousness out of her hands as she collected her thoughts. ¡°One more buff, then set the bait.¡± Kass sheathed Whisper and pulled the barrel of blue juice from storage, carefully lifting it above her head. It was heavy, but with her strengthened body she easily managed to lift it with one hand, and, using the wall to help her balance it, she turned the lever and the blue liquid poured freely into her mouth.


    She drank until the message popped up in the corner of her vision notifying her that she gained the desired buff. She looked at it.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Buff Gained: Energized*, +1 to all stats - Duration: 6 hours


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    *Energized: Increased Health and Stamina Regeneration by 30%, Decreases Stamina loss by 10%


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Perfect. Now the bait. She returned the barrel and a second later, two slimy eels appeared in her hands. Her face scrunched up at the texture and smell of the things that instantly overwhelmed her senses. Disgusting¡­ She held them as far away from herself as possible, trying not to get any more of the gelatinous goop that covered them on herself. Who would even eat one of those things? Yeah I¡¯d like some pickled eel...ugh. I just hope they¡¯re not magical eels that cure cancer or something...because right now...they¡¯re bait.


    She took one last look at the nasty things and then shrugged. Oh well, too late to worry about that now. She crouched and lightly tossed one of them into the crack, keeping her eye on the cat to make sure she hadn¡¯t been discovered. One of its ears twitched, which scared her for a second, but other than that it seemed none the wiser.


    She placed the second one just inside the tunnel, so the cat would have to enter in order to eat it. Double checking to make sure everything was ready, and wiping her hands off as best she could on the rough walls, she finally nodded, unable to think of anything else at the moment.


    Kass pulled the jar of slime from storage and, taking in a deep breath, pointed it towards the dead end wall of the tunnel that was on the other side of the crack from her. I really hope this works¡­  From her position, she could make out the front half of the Balmorhea¡¯s body. She kept her eyes locked on it and then released her breath, pulling off the lid from the jar at the same time. A loud ¡°pop¡± tore through the silence, reverberating off the tunnel walls, and the head of the beast instantly snapped up in her direction.


    She instinctively hugged the wall even more as she watched the lithe cat quickly move towards her position. With her trap now set, Kass moved a couple yards back from the crack in the wall and drew Whisper from her back, quickly casting haste and readying herself.


    She stole a quick glance at the slime that was now expanding at a rapid pace, already more than ten times its original size, and smiled. So far so good.


    The Balmorhea stalked slowly into the tunnel, ignoring the eel on the ground and hissing menacingly at her, teeth bared. Its tail swayed side to side as its body prepared to pounce, its muscles bunching.


    A split second before it leaped, a bolt of shadow erupted from Kass¡¯ fingertips, streaking towards the beast. It dove to the side, narrowly dodging the ball of dark energy that impacted the floor and exploded, sending bits of stone flying everywhere, ricocheting off the walls of the tight space, accompanied by the sound waves that made her ears ring.


    The cat stalked towards her, more wary this time, but still aggressive. She waved her blade at it, warding it off as best she could. In the small corridor it seemed to work, and the beast took a few steps back, away from the sharp weapon. This was a mistake.


    Kass watched as the slime leapt from the ground behind the unsuspecting cat, it¡¯s movements almost completely silent. It soared towards the torso of the beast, directly on target.


    At the last second, the hairs on the back of the cat stiffened and its tail whipped towards the slime, intercepting it. No!


    The barbed tail slammed into the black slime, splitting it in two, straight down the middle. Kass¡¯ heart dropped as her plan fell apart around her. But before she could do anything else, the body of the slime snapped back together like two attracting magnets, its form bouncing around from the impact.


    The cat turned its head in what she imagined to be confusion as the slime landed on its body. In an instant the upper torso was full enveloped, and the beast wailed in pain, it¡¯s coat sizzling beneath the gelatinous goo. Then it freaked out.


    In a flurry of movement the cat spun in circles and smashed itself into the walls, trying to get the thing off. Even its own tail smashed into its back, trying to sever the hold that the slime had on it.


    Suddenly, a cloud of darkness shot from the cat and plunged Kass into darkness, her orb of light unable to penetrate into the thick fog. She fought back her own panic and slowly continued backing away, trying not to draw any attention to herself as well as try not to get smacked by the stray swinging tail. She heard snarls and growls, yells and hisses coming from inside.


    She held Whisper in front of herself with both hands, and after only a few seconds the darkness began to lighten, her orb weakly pushing away at the magical darkness.


    When the cat came into view again, Kass could tell it wasn¡¯t happy. It staggered about, still trying to beat the slime from off of itself with its tail, the barbed ends digging deep into its flesh. She smelled the burnt flesh she knew the slime was causing, and saw the splatters of yellow blood that covered the floor.


    She hesitated for only a split second, then moved back into range to deal her own damage to the beast. She dodged and ducked the wildly swinging tail and managed to score a hit on the beast¡¯s left flank, drawing blood. The cat hissed and focused its tail swings on Kass, but they came in slower now, the beast obviously weakened by the slime.


    With a flick of her sword she severed the tail from the beast, who growled loudly in pain. Another quick swipe cut a deep gash across one side of its throat, and blood began pouring freely from the wound.


    The dying cat tried to claw at her, but she easily dodged the attack and stabbed Whisper through the thing¡¯s chest. It sagged, and then died.


    Kass huffed in relief, more than happy with the outcome of the fight. The sudden slime flying at her face broke her out of her thoughts of victory and forced her to jump back. It slapped against the floor in front of her and then bunched up, ready to leap again.


    She quickly pulled the jar from storage and opened it just as the slime dove at her again. Whatever magic was placed on the thing instantly took hold of it and it stopped midair. It slowly pulled apart into smaller globs of goo before being shoved back into the tiny jar that she held.


    As the slime began filling the container, Kass took a quick look at the information waiting to be read.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    *Sneak has reached level 2


    *You have defeated Balmorhea Wraithling level 122. Bonus experience awarded.


    *You have reached level 98. 7 stat points have been awarded.


    *Dark Essence absorbed by Whisper. The Silent Blade.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Woah, not bad. I¡¯m getting really close to level one hundred and that level cap or whatever. And good, Whisper got the essence. I wonder when he¡¯ll level next.


    The jar finished filling with the compact slime and Kass put the lid back on tight and stored it once more. Then she sighed in relief, releasing some of the built up stress she was feeling.


    Well, that wasn¡¯t so bad! The slime worked perfectly! She reached down carefully and retrieved the severed tail of the Balmorhea, storing it away. Ha, won¡¯t lose the tail this time. She chuckled to herself.


    Whisper¡¯s voice suddenly cut in, loud and filled with pain. ¡°More...coming¡­ Run!¡±