《GameWorld: Earth's Apocalypse》 Chapter 1 ¡°In the Year 1 AA (After Assimilation), formerly referred to as Year 2015 AD, the world once known as Earth ended as a new era was marshalled in. The arrival of The System, ushered in without any warning to the inhabitants of Old Earth, heralded a new saga of life and death. This saga began with the arrival of The System, and the Blessing it granted towards all inhabitants of a life bearing world. Yet, its arrival was merely the beginning of the end...¡± Ruha the Wise, Master Seer of Eden, ¡°History of Eden¡±
Jax breathed deep. It was a frantic and haggard thing that pulsed in tune with his fingers. Fingers that danced and stabbed at the keyboard. Eyes, glazed in concentration, stared at the computer screen. He couldn¡¯t lose focus now. He couldn¡¯t lose. ¡°Cmon! Cmon, we¡¯re almost there!¡± Jax huffed into his microphone. He learned forward. Willing his ingame character to move faster. In his headphones, the sounds of acknowledgments echoed. ¡°Chill your tits Jax. We got this.¡± Irritation rose in him at the female voices¡¯ toxic words. ¡°We better Vanessa. This is our third and final shot.¡± He spoke frantically. Nearly as frantically as his hands darted and stabbed at the keyboard. ¡°If we don¡¯t get this, The Crusaders will have their chance to take the lead. Our lead.¡± ¡°Aye, my man. We know dis. We know dis. But...¡± Jax grunted through Edward¡¯s words as he controlled his character, a level 100 Arcane Sorcerer, with impeccable control. ¡°But, it¡¯s just a game. Take it easy. Take it easy. Let the stress fall away. Release the negativity. Release the -¡± ¡°Ed... Now. Is. Not. The. Time.¡± Gnawing on his bottom lip, Jax focused solely on the computer screen. The world around him disappeared. In its place, total and complete focus solidified around him. He couldn¡¯t make a mistake. Not here. Now now. ¡°Almost! Almost! The boss is about to enter ¡®Berserk¡¯ mode.¡± Over the conundrum of sound and shouts, Jax¡¯s voice shone out most of all. ¡°Just like we practiced. The tanks will swap aggro while the party disengages. We only have 10 seconds. We must reach the outcropping of rocks. This is it guys! 5....4....3-¡± Then, disaster. Before he could reach 2, the computer screen before him went black. In the abyss of his computer screen, was displayed the deadly words, ¡°Server Error ...Disconnected.¡± Gasps and curses echoed in his headphones. He was not the only one to be booted from the game. Yet, as his haunted voice rang out, a silence chilled the team-speak. ¡°Are you fucking kidding me...¡± It was all he could say. All that he worked for, weeks of planning and gearing up. Over two years of playing and struggling, competing against the top of the top. And now, finally at the end, with the final boss of the game on death¡¯s doorstep, the game disconnected. The comm¡¯s, as silent as Jax¡¯s hollowed soul, pressed against his ears as he reclined back in the chair. It was over. They lost. ¡°Jaxson,¡± Vanessa¡¯s voice came over the headphones. Hesitant, with a touch of care as subtle as a smack to the head. She was never one for niceties. ¡°It...will be okay?¡± ¡°Breath my friend. Breath. Let the anger fade. Close your eyes. Breath in. Breath out. Breath in. Breath out.¡± In waves, the voices came over the headset. Comforting. Calming. Annoying. Each word raked Jax¡¯s faltering peace. He was so close. So close. The Title was in his reach. The accomplishment. The goal. And now... ¡°I¡¯m taking a break. Talk to you later.¡± With nary a flicker of patience, he took off his headphones. Head raised, he fought to control himself. In the black of his computer screen, his long dirty blonde hair coiled around his face. Molding it a soft form. A soft form with hard and angry eyes. Standing to his full height of 6¡¯3, Jax moved away from the accursed computer. The silence of the house ensnared him. In his mind, the repeated mistakes he made replayed. The half-second too slow click. The faltering aggro change. The lack of mana control. The -This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Just as he began spiraling into the surging anger, a gentle touch wetted his hand. Eyes open, and mouth crinkled, Jax turned to see Duke. Only just one year old, but the tan and black Mastiff-Shepherd mix was bigger than most grown dogs. It was also gentler and more intelligent than most humans. A rare breed. A royal breed. ¡°Hey buddy,¡± sighing Jax crouched down and rubbed his head against Duke¡¯s own. ¡°Sorry I didn¡¯t see you. Let me get you some food. It¡¯s almost noon anyway. Maybe a sweet treat too? How about that?¡± The roaring bark was all it took. A smile hinted on Jax¡¯s tanned California surfer boy features. Standing, he proceeded through the living room. Vacant, save for his desk, a massive TV, and a large leather recliner. To call it spartan would be an understatement. But it was how he liked it. Nothing remained that could possibly remind him of the poor memories that lingered in the house. Through the living room he moved. Grabbing food for Duke before he proceeded to the bathroom. Gone was his smile now. Only an empty feeling. Only a feeling of disappointment in himself. Water splashed against his face as he gripped the bathroom sink. The man-bun of dirty blonde hair slick against his face. His freckles, a burning red, matched his auburn eyes that flared against his mirrored reflection. Look at the man in the mirror. What do you see? Know this, sonny. How you see yourself does not matter. What matters is who....what, you truly are. The man in the mirror isn¡¯t your competition. It is the true measure of your worth. Of what you are, rather than what you want to be. So tell me, do you see the hero of your story? Or do you see someone who isn¡¯t good enough? Jax¡¯s wilted smile formed teeth. Feral and dark, the thin face morphed as he recalled his grandfather''s words. There was nothing gentle in his blonde and carefree face now. ¡°Oh Grandpa...¡± Sighing, Jax faded back to the living room. In it, Duke flounders on his back, belly up, with his tongue flopping around. Tilting his head at an exaggerated angle, he greets Jax. Stifling the laugh that threatens to escape from his pressed lips, Jax¡¯s darkened mood is liftened as he rests next to Duke. Snuggling with the lovable giant of a dog, Jax nestles into Duke¡¯s fur. Hands rubbing and scratching as he gently blows on Duke¡¯s pointed ears. They flicker with the same frenzy that Duke struggles to escape the lovable torture. Finally, with an ear shattering bark that slips from his smiling mouth, Duke springs away. A bolt of fur and sound that rumbles about the house in frenzy. Resting on his haunches, Jax watches it all. The failure of the game dismissed under the antics of Duke¡¯s rambunctious energy. Then, the vibration of his phone brings Jax back. With a quick swipe, the home screen glowed. On it, illuminated a message from Vanessa. You better not be sulking! We kicked ass and took loot. Ain¡¯t no way The Crusaders are gonna take the Title from us. Besides, I bet they were booted too. The official site for New Era is down. So you better not be sulking around! Get me Jax? >:-( A flicker of hope appeared in Jax as his eyes glaze over the message. Afterall, if what she said was true, then they had a chance to re-run. A chance to complete the newest game expansion¡¯s dungeon and take ahold of the Title for The Frostland. Already, the ember of hope in Jax resurges. His imagination runs wild as he scrambles to his feet. The thought of their own city to run and manage in the game. The first ever Mercenary Company to accomplish the feat. And with the city, a chance to finally run rampant in the game as the true terrors they had set out to be. Swiping a quick reply, Jax furiously types in details and questions. He needs answers from Vanessa. Afterall, the game didn¡¯t just shutdown. So did his internet. Yet, just as he hits ¡®Send¡¯ on the text message, a new message appears. No reception. Immediately, Jax¡¯s eyes furrowed together as the first tinge of annoyance wells in his being. ¡°Now this isn¡¯t working?¡± Muttering to himself, Jax prowled across the living room to turn on the TV. Instead of the Gaming News Networking though, a black and blue screen with the words ¡®Lost Connection¡¯ was all that was shown. Then, that too disappeared. In an instant, all the power to the house shut off. From the TV to the lighting, the power disappeared. ¡°What in the hell is going on?¡± Yet, just as the words echoed out in the small home, a vice of divine intervention shattered reality. In the Godly voice, was contained an answer that Jax wasn¡¯t prepared for. Planet X-2287 has been Recognized and Judged... Parameters of Assimilation have been met..... Assimilation of Planet X-2287 initiating.... Words, echoing with an ancient power, reverberated in his skull. With them, a wave of heavily force thrusted itself on his shoulders. Gasping in shock, his body buckled and tears sprang into his eyes as he was nearly rocked to his knees. However just as the words seemed to echo in his ears, a strange text of words appeared as if tangible in his faltering mind. The same words that he heard. Visible, as if concrete, in his mind. Faltering on the edge of oblivion, Jax struggled to right himself. To his right, a low whine from Duke was accompanied by the pups¡¯ wet and drooling tongue on his cheek. It was the last thing Jax felt. Then, the 2nd wave of heavily power descended like a judgement. With it, came the comfortable embrace of unconsciousness. Chapter 2 ¡°With the System¡¯s arrival, came the demise of Humanity. Foreign power, in the form of the universe¡¯s energy known as Essence, altered the genetic code of the fauna and flora of Earth. What was once harmless, gained sentience and hatred. What was once prey, become predator. What was predator, became killer. Yet, these were not the true enemies of Humanity. For with the System¡¯s Blessing, came the arrival of true terrors. Monsters, myths, and creatures of endless origins whose sole purpose rested on the eradication of Earth and her people.¡± Ruha the Wise, Master Seer of Eden, ¡°History of Eden¡±
First came the light. Magical and flowing like a crashing river. A swarm of color dazzled Jax¡¯s awakening mind. Then, the pain. It ebbed beneath his skin. His entire body groaned in discomfort while his head pulsated in tune to his heart. Finally, came life. As if struck by a bolt of electricity, Jax¡¯s groggy mind jumpstarted to life while his lungs gasped for air. As if resurrected from death, he spasmed awake. Choking sobs escaped his mouth. Eyes, tinged with tears, struggled to comprehend. His mind restarted, delivering sentience and life to him. As it did though, a strange text appeared in his mind. Assimilation of Zone X-2287 complete..... Welcome inhabitants of Zone X-2287, formerly known as ¡®Earth¡¯, to The System.... Implementation of The System and all accompanying Laws have been established.... Say ¡®Menu¡¯, ¡®Status¡¯, and ¡®Achievements¡¯ for more information... Further information is available upon discovery and advancement..... Enjoy.... Seconds ticked by. Breath by breath, Jax finally regained control and full consciousness. As he did, so too did he see the words that seemed engraved in his mind. He read it once. Then twice. Then a third. Each time, the reality of what was happening becoming more and more apparent to him. Before he could read the message again however, it disappeared. Then, just as it faded away, a series of flashing lights exploded in his eyes. Hiddens strength surged in his veins. Blood roared in his ears as an euphoric sensation of bliss shot from his feet to his head. The sensation was beyond comfortable. It was exhilarating. Empowering. Power seemed to hum beneath his skin, cackling like electricity. Burning like a flame. Resonating with his very soul. It was all he could do to pray to God and he gorged himself on the stimulus. Then, like a switch for a light was switched, it was cut off. In the absence of the euphoric overload, new ¡®words¡¯ floated in his mind as they pounded his head like a migraine demanding his attention. Name: Jaxson Stratford Age: 24 Race: Human Class: N/A Level: 1 (0.00%) Health (/regen per hour): 195/195 (97.5) Stamina (/regen per min): 198/198 (.99) Mana (/regen per min): 211/211 (1.05) Vitality: 15 Fortitude: 15 Resiliency: 16 Strength: 15 Agility: 16 Intelligence: 17 Wisdom: 16 Perception: 16 Control: 17 Charisma: 16 Tenacity: 15 ______: __ Unspent Attribute Points: +4 Congratulations! You have unlocked the Achievement [ Being of Strength ]! Your beginning Stats are all at or above the Human minimum of 10. You have earned: +1 Attribute Point Congratulations! You have unlocked the Achievement [ Bearer of Strength ]! Your beginning Stats are all at or above the Human average of 15. You have earned: +3 Attribute Points Congratulations! You have unlocked the Achievement [ Newbie ]! You are a newly Blessed inhabitant under The System¡¯s governance. As you are under its protection, you are granted a choice of oneSkill. You can choose: [Mana Bolt], [Empowered Strike], [Regrowth], [Frenzy]. The migraine in his head intensified. Each new message demanding his attention. It wasn¡¯t necessary. As each message appeared in his mind, his eyes grew wider and wider. As he read each word, the wilted smile on his lips bloomed. Never before had it shined so radiantly then in this moment. ¡°Oh...my...god...¡± Breathless, the words escaped his mouth as he leaned against a wall. Vacant and with a stupid grin, he stared into space. Dazed, he tilted his head to watch Duke. The pup, trembling slightly, pawed at Jax¡¯s hand. ¡°Oh...my...god...¡± Lifting one hand to his face, he stared at it. Studied the lines that etched themselves on his palm. Then, he slapped himself in the face. Hard. With a resounding clap, the sting on his check and numbness in his hand pulsated in tune as Jax¡¯s smile grew wider and wider. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°OH! MY! GOD!¡± Then, with a shout of exuberance, the strange atmosphere was shattered. Jumping to his feet, Jax began laughing heartily as he wrapped his thin arms around Duke¡¯s body. In a tumble, the two went down, one dog barking with one man laughing. ¡°Holy shit Duke! Holy shit! It¡¯s like a video game! A freaking video game!¡± Laughing in uncontrollable glee, Jax and Duke tumbled across the floor. Jax¡¯s eyes glazed over. His smile as wide as possible. Finally, his dream was coming true. The ability to level up like a character in a game. To become powerful by simply wiping out monsters. The ability to command devastating powers. The chance to be a Hero. To be a God. It took a few minutes before Jax was finally able to calm down. When he finally did, he found himself recalling the last ¡®message¡¯. Like a voice in the back of his head, the previous ¡®messages¡¯ all lingered just beyond reach. A simple thought and focus was all it took though for one to appear. Focusing on the last message, he willed it forward. At his giddy command, the ¡®message¡¯ appeared as if directly before his eyes. Tangible. Solid. Foreign. With a simple focus, he looked over each of the Skills listed. As if answering a command he had yet to voice, the System message before him transformed. In its place, a new list appeared. A list of Skills. Mana Bolt (Rank 1: 0.00%): Condense your Mana, forming a bolt of energy to shoot. Mana Cost, Range, and Damage is based on Intelligence and Skill¡¯s Rank Empowered Strike (Rank 1: 0.00%): Condense your Stamina, infusing a strike to deal increased damage. Stamina Cost and Damage is based on Strength and Skill¡¯s Rank Regrowth (Rank 1: 0.00%): Channel your Mana to accelerate the body¡¯s recovery to heal wounds. Mana Cost and Ability Effect is based on Intelligence and Skill¡¯s Rank Frenzy (Rank 1: 0.00%): Unleash your Stamina, producing a burst of power which increases your Agility and Strength for a limited time. Stamina Cost and Ability Effect is based on Vitality, Fortitude, and Skill¡¯s Rank. As he pursued the System Message, Jax¡¯s enthusiasm skyrocketed. It was exactly as he thought. The Skills provided were just like beginner skills in any game. Yet instead of choosing a class and gaining a class for that class, in this case the skills came first. The thought was interesting. Afterall, if you gained skills before a class, wouldn¡¯t the class become based on the skills chosen up to that point? Would that mean that everyone could have a unique class? How could you even gain skills without having a class though? It didn¡¯t matter though. Those were thoughts for another time. All that mattered were the Skills before him. Or rather, one Skill. As he looked over the Skill, reading and re-reading the text, his giddy breathing hitched like a rabbit in heat. No other Skill mattered. From this point on, he was going to be all-powerful. He was going to be a mage. ¡°Mana Bolt! Please! I choose Mana Bolt.¡± Mentally demanding as his voice pleaded, Jax longed for the Skill. Then, it as his. As soon as he mentally choose the Ability, it felt as if a piece of him that was missing had returned. As if something that was on the tip of his tongue was firmly grasped in his mind. In his mind, he felt it. The Skill as it lay dormant. Waiting to be called. Waiting to unleash divine power. What came next, was inevitable. Jax planted his feet and assumed a shooter¡¯s stance. In his hand was no gun though. Only his index and middle finger that pointed toward the empty living while his thumb rested on his other two fingers that were closed. The dim room, now without any electricity, did little to damper his mood. Instead, as his voice rang out, a powerful and haughty tone echoed in the quiet house. ¡°Mana Bolt¡± Jaxson activated the Skill. Or rather tried to. Confusion lit up his face as the Mana Bolt never appeared. Nothing at all happened. Julian, standing still, looked at his hands that remained in position with nary a flicker of power in them. His confusion lasted only for a moment before the heated desire throttled through him. His eyes brewed like a raging storm as he yearned for the spell to work. As he commanded it to work. ¡°Mana Bolt¡± And like a match given flame, the Skill ignited. The feeling of something cold, a strange and foreign power, appeared in the center of his chest as it spread out towards his right hand. Then the foreign power was given form. In his right palm, a flash of pale blue light appeared as a pencil sized bolt of a blue plasma-like substance coalesced on the tip of his index and middle finger. The substance seemed alive. A sliver of blue electricity that remained hole. Small, but deadly. Then the bolt of energy was gone. What remained, was a pinky sized hole in the living room wall that was burned slightly black. Exactly where his fingers were pointed. Yet Jax¡¯s smile dimmed as he saw the truth behind the ability. His mana had decreased by 30 just by activating the spell. Quick math told him that he would only be able to cast the spell a total of seven times. It would be enough. ¡°I¡¯m gonna be a mage! Here that Duke? I¡¯m gonna be a mage! Just like in a video game. I¡¯m gonna become a Hero! Hahaha...¡± Grinning like a fool, Jax lost himself in the moment. Already, his imagination was running wild. Images of himself casting fireballs. Of calling the wind and rain in a storm of magical damage. Of flying in the sky as he rained down Skill after Skill on his enemies. He could see it now. The future. His future. There was no fear in him. What had he to be afraid of? This was exactly like a video game. Exactly like all those books he read. Where the world turned into an Apocalypse as God transformed the Earth to allow humanity to advance to the next stage of evolution. Only this was real. Only now, he could finally have the life he wanted. No more looking for a job. Working in the rat race. Marrying. Going through life numbly. Then dying. Now, he had a path. A true path. A purpose. ¡°This is it boy,¡± he babbled to Duke as the dog sat before him. ¡°This is it. This is it...¡± Mumbling to himself, Jaxson scrambled to his feet. Realization at his current predicament hitting him like a slap to the face. He didn¡¯t have time to waste. In a flurry of movement, Jax sprung through the house as Duke followed hot on his trail. Like a tornado, he ran rampant through the house. Doors were locked. Food was removed from the fridge to the bathtub that was filled with ice. Clothes, supplies, weapons, and any thing of use was searched for and located. In only an hour, the house that Jax so religiously kept neat and tidy had become ruined. The results though, were promising. Jax was decked out in his grandfather¡¯s old military attire from Vietnam. Leather boots, shined and oiled to immaculate grace, connected to baggy cargo pants and a matching utility vest. Beneath the vest, was a standard issue bulletproof vest from the Fairview Police Force that his grandfather had served under until his death. Finally, strapped and latched into any available pocket were a variety of tools and knives, with the army¡¯s standard issue KABAR resting in his left hand. Standing in the living room, Jax admired his reflection from the patio screen door. While baggy, his height allowed the equipment to fit his rather tall frame. Coupled with his surfer-boy looks that made him appear 19 instead of 24, Jaxson Stratford looked like a teenage playing war. The fire in his eyes though. The eager smile that barred feral teeth. The opened chest and uplifted chin. Those spoke of desire for battle. ¡°Duke,¡± Jax whispered. His voice, eerily loud in the silent house, caused the unrest in his gut to increase. ¡°Duke, guard the house boy. I need you to stay here and guard the house. Can you do that? I¡¯ll be right back. Just need to see...see what is going on.¡± As he kneeled to pet Duke, his anxiety spiked even as Duke¡¯s tongued licked his check. It had been over an hour since the Apocalypse had descended. But in that time, he had heard nothing. Felt nothing. Saw nothing. Something was going on, and he had to know the truth. Besides, some adventuring would do good for him. A chance to find some monsters and level up. To take the first step on his journey to becoming a legend. Hand pressed against his heart, Jax couldn¡¯t stop the pounding that threatened to burst from his chest. This was it though. This was his moment. With a final glance toward Duke who looked longingly at him, Jax unlatched the front door¡¯s deadbolt. His sweaty hand gripped the knob, and before he could second guess himself, he flung open the door. Light from the evening sun poured in and blinded Jax. Warmth, heavenly and welcoming flooded over his being as Jax involuntary raised his arms to relish in the sensation. Then, as he opened his eyes and his cocky smile widened, the warmth left him. In its place, a haunting chill flooded his senses as all the hair on his body stood up. For on the other side of the door, in the empty cul-de-sac of his neighborhood, stood two monsters. Goblin Scout (Level 3) Goblin Scout (Level 2) The creatures, no taller than four feet, were covered in tribal tattoos that appeared burned into their pale grey skin. The tattoos, maring their lean forms, were highlighted only by the blood. Crimson and dazzling, blood traced over the Goblins¡¯ protruding tusks and painted their elongated nails. Blood that coated the second Goblin Scout¡¯s dagger. It was all Jax could focus on. The blood. The bloody and crazed smiles of the two childish fiends as they turned to look at Jax who towered twice their size. Then, before he could react, the two Goblin Scouts dashed forward and Jax¡¯s imagination met reality. Chapter 3 ¡°In the face of such threats, both native and foreign to Earth, Humanity was placed in a dire situation. It is, afterall, universally agreed that Humanity¡¯s climb to the apex of power, its position as ¡®king of the jungle¡¯, was provided by technological advances. The System¡¯s arrival however nullified all forms of technology beyond the 1st Industrial Revolution. The foundation upon which Humanity built their civilization collapsed the instant the System arrived. But the System is Balance. In the absence of technology, the System¡¯s Blessing gave Earth and her inhabitants something far more powerful. Access to the Essence of the Universe in the form of Mana and Stamina. Access to the true means of power in the Universe, through Skills. Access to true development, with Achievements. The System¡¯s was....is....Darwin¡¯s Law given flesh and form.¡± Ruha the Wise, Master Seer of Eden, ¡°History of Eden¡±
The creatures, diminutive beings of fury, raced across the street. Their stumpy legs powered along faster than Jax thought possible. Their smiles, crazed and feral, spoke only of evil. Thus, it was with a panic, that Jax reacted. Bellowing out a curse, Jax stumbled back from the door. Hands, wet with sweat, gripped the bronze door handle. Survival instincts kicked in, and he slammed the door shut. Instead of closing and locking though, the door bounced off his boot. The boot that jutted out just enough to block the door from shutting. ¡°Nononononono! Cmon! Cmon you piece of-¡± Words, heated and desperate, stumbled out of his mouth. Then, any semblance of calm was shattered. A weight slammed against the old oaken door. Then a second. Then fantasy became reality. Small, crimson dyed, green hands and arms that were marred with scars and burned in tribal tattoos clawed at Jax. Panicked and driven by fear, Jax shouted and cursed. Throwing himself forward, he drilled his shoulder in the door as he dug deep. One human versus two goblins. The struggle for dominance battled back and forth. Each side driven by the mania of survival. The struggle, seconds that stretched to eternity, leveragedon the smallest margin. It was like a rock battling against a wave. A futile struggle of attrition. Then the paradigm shifted. A crude knife jutted out from the door. Steel, painted red, stabbed at Jax. The first attack missed. The second did not. Steel cut deep into Jax¡¯s forearm. Carving muscle and skin anew. Pain, greater than any he¡¯s experienced in his life, damn near fried his brain. Spasming backwards, Jax staunched the flow of blood with his free hand. His breathing came in panicked gasps. His eyes, dazed and scared, watched as the front door was flung open. Revealed in the doorway, stood the two freaks of nature. Maniac grins and bloodshot eyes greeted him. Serrated teeth and sharpened claws. Pale green skin, marred by scars, and painted in crimson blood. They were unholy creations. Made terrifying by their hysterical laughter that erupted from their mouths. Feral and guttural, high pitched squeaks echoed out as the two Goblin Scouts turned their overly large eyes toward each other, before erupting in a small tribal dance of celebration. Holy shit. They¡¯re...they¡¯re intelligent? The realization of his thoughts hit Jax like a punch to the gut. Fear turned to terror. No longer caring about the burning wound on his forearm, he grasped the KABAR defensively. The action halted the small dance of the Goblin Scouts. The Goblins, seeing the movement, shrieked and cackled in glee as they pointed mockingly at Jax. Then, their games were over as they exploded in movement. It was all Jax to could to raise the KABAR. Then, the wind was knocked out of him and he was on the ground. In a fury of movement, the two Goblins scrambled atop him. Grimy, small hands seeking purchase on his clothes. ¡°Get. The. Fuck. Off!¡± A scream billowed out from Jax as terror ignited with adrenaline. Hands turned to fists as he desperately fought off the Goblin Scout that had perched itself on his chest. Strike for strike, the two brawled as each sent their bony hands toward the others face. Each striking with fist while keeping the other¡¯s knife at bay. Then the second Goblin Scout struck. Boiling pain lanced across his leg as the second Goblin Scout¡¯s claw raked across his shin and calf. A haunting scream escaped Jax¡¯s mouth as tears pooled in his eyes. A sob, choked and dying in his throat, was all he could conjure. Then the Goblin Scout struck again, digging teeth into his upper shin. The scream that followed was cruel and hoarse. Then, in the corner of his tear muddled eyes, a blur of tan and black fur darted forward. Duke! It was all he could think before the weight on his lower body was gone. All that remained was the first Goblin Scout. The Goblin Scout, who finally freed himself from Jax¡¯s entanglement, and drove his crude steel knife into Jax¡¯s shoulder. The steel bit deep, drawing blood but missing bone. Pain flared for the third time. But with the pain, came something primal from Jaxson.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Terror and adrenaline acted like kerosene. The pain became the spark to ignite it all. Rage. Pure and unchained, it burned like ancient power in his veins. Ripping free one hand and placing it against the Goblin¡¯s own head, Jax pulled the Goblin Scout toward him. Sinking the knife in deeper as his mouth screamed a silent roar of hellish fury. Then power surged. ¡°Mana Bolt!¡± He activated his Skill. The surge of energy coursed through him. Arriving at his palm that pressed itself against the Goblin Scout¡¯s head. The maniacal grin on Jax¡¯s face shook uncontrollably as frenzied eyes sought ruin in the creature before him. Then a spark of pale blue light erupted from Jax¡¯s hand and into the head of the Goblin Scout. ¡°Mana Bolt!¡± Then the second one knocked the Goblin away from Jax. ¡°Mana Bolt!¡± Then the third penetrated the Goblin. ¡°Mana Bolt!¡± Then the fourth brought the Goblin to its knees in convulsions. ¡°DIE! DIE! DIE!¡± the scream tore itself from his throat. Hands, shaking and painted in red and green blood, latched onto the KABAR. Scrambling forward, Jax lunged at the Goblin Scout who still remained alive. Small, bony hands batted away at Jax¡¯s KABAR. It¡¯s effort was futile. Unknown strength and primal savagery powered Jax¡¯s arms as he drove the KABAR in and out of the Goblin¡¯s body. By the fifth strike, the Goblin Scout finally stopped breathing. As it died, the painful throbbing in Jax¡¯s own body died. In its place, an ungodly amount of euphoric energy replaced any other sensation. Like ecstasy, the feeling hummed beneath his skin. It was power. It was life. Then, it was gone and Jax¡¯s smile was dashed in the wake of its abrupt exit. On all fours, Jax heaved desperately for air. Struggling to find control. All he found though, was the corpse of the green creature before him. Mauled and butchered and broken. Any semblance of intelligence it once shown, now as dead as its lifeless eyes. One look was all it took for the lingering ecstasy in his veins to turn frigid and the remnants of food in his stomach to empty itself on the floor. Heave after heave racked his body as yearned to end it. End the misery. End this god-forsaken dream and wake up and return to real life. Only, as he crawled away from the creature, a small whimper came from his left. For a moment, his heart froze. Then, a damp tongue licked his bloody cheek, and the fear was replaced by relief. Ignoring the pain from his shoulder, Jax wiped from the tears in his eyes to find Duke before him. His once immaculate coat covered in ichor and gore. His friendly and loving smile, dripping with green blood. Behind Duke, lay a still struggling Goblin Scout. Green blood, pooling out from its ripped throat. Its eyes, hatred and pain, fixated on Jax. It remained tracked on him. Even as he stood and struggled forward in a limp. Hunched and in pain, Jax walked toward the creature with Duke trailing behind him. Then he paused. His bloody and violent hands stilled as he eyed the creature before him. Taking in its every detail. The chipped tusks that hung outside its lips. The pale green skin, leathery and tough, that was engraved with tribal tattoos. The lean muscles that contracted as the creature struggled to free itself. The black eyes of oblivion that contained a hint of intelligence. He saw it all. Then, with numbed thought, he raised his hand one final time. ¡°Mana Bolt. Mana Bolt! MANA BOLT!¡± The words of power needed to activate the Skill ripped free from Jax¡¯s throat in a growing roar. In three flashes of light, the creature was put out of its suffering. What remained, was a surge of euphoric energy that seemed to ignite Jax¡¯s brain in ecstasy. As if rejuvenated, the energy lit up a smile on his face as if it was christmas morning. It was the same as before, if less powerful. It was a flood of power that acted like six espresso shots to a beleaguered mind. Then, just like last time, it died. However unlike last time, as soon as he was done, two notifications appeared in his mind. Pounding in his head as they demanded attention. With deadened thought, he looked inward. What he saw, were two messages from The System. Congratulations! You have unlocked the Achievement [Killer]! You have slain your first enemy! You have earned: +1 Attribute Point Congratulations! You have unlocked the Achievement [Survivor]! You stand among the first generation in a newly Assimilated Zone to overcome and kill a monster. Without guidance or help, you have taken the first step toward Ascendance. You have earned: +1 Attribute Point. The first time he read them, it was mechanical. By the second and third time, realization of what the messages meant finally appeared in his mind. I...I killed them. I killed them and was rewarded. Even the energy, the ecstasy, was a reward. A dose of addiction to make me want to kill. To attack. Holy.... Shit.... This, this can¡¯t be reality? It¡¯s just a dream. Just a dream. Just a dream. That¡¯s all it is. It isn¡¯t real. Just a dream. Back and forth his mind worked. Over and over again, he repeated the same message. It¡¯s just a dream. But how could it be? The pain, the ecstasy, the smell, the touch, the Skill that he attained. None of this could be real. It¡¯s just a dream. Just a dream. Just a dream. Just a- ¡°Noo! Help! Help me! Someone! Dear God someone ple-¡± A plea, desperate and shrill, came from outside the ruined doorway entrance. The scream, from a woman, shattered any delusional thoughts from Jax¡¯s fragile mind. Before his mind can process the situation, he is already up. Unsteady and wounded, he limped to the doorway. KABAR in hand and close to chest, he poked his head outside. What he saw, ended any such illusion of safety. At the end of the cul-de-sac where he lived, patrolled three Goblin Scouts. Two by two, the creatures bounded away. In a pack, they moved, two of the Scouts scanning the area with vicious smiles. As for the other Goblins, in the arms of one pair, laid a unmoving man in his mid 70s. Red blood obscured his face as it poured from a head wound. In the arms of the second pair though, struggled an equally aged woman. Face battered black and blue, she clawed at the air while screaming for help. Yet none came. Her only answer was a swift punch from a Goblin Scout that knocked her unconscious. And it was then, that the truth struck Jax. This was no dream. This was no game. Chapter 4 ¡°I ask you this now... WHAT ARE YOU? Hmmm? Are you free? Are you alive? Are you strong? Kind? Proud? Endless? Infinite? The answer, my dear students, is one simple truth. You are all this and more. Yet, you are also none of this and never will be. The choice lies in your hands. Will you grasp power and rise? Or will you succumb and die unknown and useless? Choose for yourself. Yearn for it, suffer for it, and The System shall deliver. So it is witnessed. So it is known.¡± Da¡¯kuma the Younger, Oracle and Philosopher, ¡°Teachings of Life and Living, Book III.¡±
Jax stumbled. Pain lanced from toe to top as his stride faltered. His left leg struggled. It didn¡¯t matter though. He didn¡¯t have time to worry about pain. He didn¡¯t have the luxury to sit and relax. His mind was eerily calm. Focused on the task at hand. Moving as quietly as possible, Jax and Duke shuffle-jogged after the pack of Goblin Scouts. They kept close to the affluent yet dated homes that marked the area Jax lived in. The East side of FairView City. It was were the wealthy went to die. At least, Jax joked that it was. No one younger than 60 lived here. All of them, retired residents that were happy to retreat from the rest of the city through the natural barrier which FairView Forest provided that separated a few cul-de-sacs from the rest of civilization. Only now, it seemed that no one lived here. As Jax moved, keeping out of the line of sight of the Goblin Scouts while staying back hundreds of feet, reality haunted his every sight. Doors busted down. Windows shattered. Blood painted on the streets. Yet, no bodies. Not a single person, living or otherwise could be found by Jax. Okay. Think. Think. Use your head. It¡¯s noon, so that means many of them are out, probably shopping or on the golf course. But not all. Where are the rest? At least two dozen people should still be here. They couldn¡¯t have all been...kidnapped? That¡¯d be impossible! It was only an hour since the change happened and- His mind halted. His feet planted in the ground. A spike of pain lanced up his foot and tears burned in the corner of his eyes. It was a small price to pay considering. Crouching low, Jax pressed his back against the side of a Victorian style house. His heart thumped in his throat while his hand caressed Duke. Soothing the pup as he lightly growled and bore his canine fangs. ¡°Shhhh. Shhh. Shhhh. DukeDukeDukeDuke. Duke! Hush now boy! Please! Shhh..... Shhh...¡± Jax¡¯s words, whispered in fear, were mumbled together as he gripped Duke tightly against his chest. In sync, their hearts beat. One in anxiety. One in aggression. It consumed Jaxson. The noise. Pounding, pulsing, throbbing beats of his heart that drowned out any thoughts. Then another sound, distant at first, began resounding louder and louder in his ears. Footsteps. The sound of bare feet on burning asphalt. A guttural growl followed by child-like squawks. Each step that Jax heard, closer and closer to him, sent spikes of pain jolting into his heart. Each throaty growl, turning his own throat baren and dry. Then, as death¡¯s bony hand crept just around Jax¡¯s neck, the footsteps stopped, paused, and then padded away. Then one was joined by many. Like a herd, the pack of Goblins charged off. As they did, Jax violently exhaled the breath he was holding in. Between heaving coughs, he greedily sucked in air. Duke, eyes filled with worry in almost human-like concern, whimpered quietly as he nudged his snout against Jax¡¯s check. When that didn¡¯t work, Duke head-butted Jax. Startled awake from his despair, Jax peered in confusion at Duke. A number of wet licks was the only response he received. Then Duke trotted forward and peered around the corner. Jax copied his human-like dog. What he saw, was a pack of Goblins rushing out of the cul-de-sac. Seven Goblin Scouts, carrying a total of three adults and one child, down the middle of the street before turning left. At the back of the pack though, lazily jogged a final figure. Goblin Archer (Level 6) Taller than the rest of the Goblins by a full head, the Goblin Archer carried a shortbow at the ready. It was the only thing he could see, before the creature and its pack filtered out of view. Leaving Jax and Duke alone. Instead of moving to follow though, Jax remained paralyzed. Eyes, distant and hazy, remained trained on the now gone pack of Goblins. Involuntary, he moved one step forward. Then nothing. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. What am I doing? This isn¡¯t me. This isn¡¯t me! I can¡¯t...I can¡¯t do this. This isn¡¯t a game. This isn¡¯t a dream. I¡¯m not a hero. I¡¯m just...just some regular guy. Jax drowned on his thoughts. His knees buckled, and he fell to the ground. Panic set in. I¡¯m only a normal person. And those...those are monsters! What the hell is going on? What is going on? How is it like this? Confidence left him. All that remained was truth. Truth in his situation. Truth, that he was not the hero in this story. Oh dear god.... Oh dear god... Huddled against the house, Jax¡¯s eyes wandered. Devastation was all that greeted him. Blood tainted sidewalks that dyed grey concrete to crimson stone. A house with claw and slash marks on the dark, oak wood door frame. A worn and old truck, dead and lifeless with an arrow piercing the front window and driver door. Over the forest canopy, plums of black smoke rose and wafted to darken the scenic California sun. The same sun, that now glowered with a bizarre green hue. This isn¡¯t normal! This...this isn¡¯t what is supposed to be happening! Jax¡¯s sunk low. Back pressed against the wall as he rocked. Panic and fear drowned him. Gripping him and pulling him out toward a perilous depth. Across the pavement, a dead dog laid still. A house begins to burn as smoke pours out. A haunting scream, far and distant, rings in the air. A doll...This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. I.....I.... A doll lays crumpled in front of him. Homemade and worn. The stitching is loose and unwoven. The baby blue cloth, stained bloody. Discarded and wet in the gutter of the street. One, black button eye missing. It is insignificant. A doll. Yet it burns itself into Jax¡¯s mind. All around him, the world burns. As if not real. But the doll, worn and bloody and ripped, bears the facts. The world Jax knew is gone. Now, here, he resides in the world of his new reality. The same world he once wished to enter. The world he imaged and dreamt of. Conqueror. King. Ruler. Lover. Hero. Invincible. He dreamt to be these things. And now... Look at the man in the mirror. What do you see? Know this, sonny. How you see yourself does not matter. What matters is who....what, you truly are. The man in the mirror isn¡¯t your competition. It is the true measure of your worth. Of what you are, rather than what you want to be. So tell me, do you see the hero of your story? Or do you see someone who isn¡¯t good enough? Resolution took ahold of Jax. His grandfather was right. He is not those things. He is just a scared man, a boy really, in over his head. But he could be more. As the thought entered his mind, it was like he was reborn. His feral smile formed something primal on his lips once more. Legs moved. His back straightened. Fear receded. Congratulations! You have pushed the boundary of your limits and grown stronger. You have earned: +1 Tenacity The System message doesn¡¯t startle Jax. It strengthens him. Unknown power seems to well up within his chest. It eletrifries him. A gentle hum of adrenaline settles into his body before it subsides. The newfound strength only energizes him. He will not be like his father. He will not be weak. He will be the hero of his story. Of the story of those around him. So, with adrenaline coursing through him, Jax stooped down and grabbed the ragged and bloody doll. Missing his backpack, he kept it in hand. One hand gripping the KABAR. One hand grasping the doll. He couldn¡¯t say which one was giving him more strength. Rising fully with renewed vigor, Jax shot a quick look to Duke. He was ready. Waiting for Jax to move. So he did. Subtly, but with a quick pace, the duo moved. No longer did Jax look around. The chaos did not need to be witnessed. It needed to be prevented. So they ran after the danger. Their feet padded against pavement. Lungs huffed for air. Through the cul-de-sac they moved, turning the same corner of the Goblin Pack. Before them, lay the sole road that connected his cul-de-sac to the rest of civilization. FairView Forest encased both sides of the road. Behind him, the road continued on as a dirt path. Before him, it stretched and connected to four other cul-de-sacs of the ¡®Elder Community¡¯. At the end of the road though, lay the true prize. The Goblin Pack. It numbered fifteen now. Thirteen smallish green hell-spawn that speedily wobbled away with their ¡®loot¡¯. Guarding them, stood two taller Goblins. One with a bow. One with a spear. Then, under the throaty chant of the spear-wielding Goblin, the pack darted away. Dirt and sand kicked up. They were racing through the woods, on one of the side-access roads that cut through FairView Forest. ¡°Well boy,¡± Jax squatted next to Duke, ¡°It¡¯s time to be a hero. Eh?¡± There was no confidence in his voice. Yet still his feet moved. Stride opening. From a walk, to a jog, to a sprint. Wind, salty and boundless, wiped across his face. It pressed against his back. Forward and faster he moved. Before him, the Goblins raced. Bobbing and weaving among the fallen trees and ripped ground. Toward the billowing flames and clouds of ash. For minutes they raced. Closer and closer to the town they moved. Closer to the screams that sent the Goblins into giddy laughter. Screams that gnawed at Jax and turned the ancient anger in his bones alive. Minutes stretched onward. Away from the ¡®Elder Community¡¯ and into FairView City. Away from what little grasp of reality Jax had, and into the truth. As Jax sprinted after the pack, hidden among the trees and shrouded in the shrubbery, the concept of what was real quickly left Jax. Trees, once brown and vibrant, towered taller than possible as their ash grey trunks stretched and grew at a snail¡¯s pace, albeit still visible to Jax¡¯s eyes. Piercing the air like skyscrapers, they climbed into the sky. A sky, once crystal blue, that seemed to warp and split as streaks of deadly colors arced through the air. The very ground shifted beneath Jax¡¯s feet. Rising and falling like an earthquake was in the distance. To his right, nearly out of sight, the ground rose like a wakening giant. With its movement, came the rumbling wail of the Earth as it reformed anew. ¡°We¡¯re....not....in California....anymore....Duke...¡± The pun was in poor taste. Huffed between laboring breathes as he trudged forward toward the pack of Goblins that were slowing down. All the same, it was true. Before Jax, lay the Fairview City Park. Or rather, the remains of it. The once immaculate park grounds, dotted with football and baseball fields, lay in ruin. Weed and roots and the life of the world sprouted endlessly. Like a paradise, the land was a vibrant oasis in the destruction that burned and charred the world around it. Trees rose like awakening giants from the earth, stabbing tall into the sky. Beneath them, bountiful harvests stretched far and wide. Flowers and plants, unknown and foreign, basked in the pulsating green glow of the Sun. Gone was the FairView City Park. Arising, was a jungle. But it was not the scenery which sent Jax stumbling to a halt. It was the horde of Goblins that did it. Dozens of their fiendish forms, moving like ants at work, streamed in and out of a small hill which stood proudly in the middle of a field. The very same hill that the pack of Goblins that Jax had been following strolled up to and then entered. As they did, Jax scooted closer, trying to see where there disappeared to. His answer came not with his sight, but with The System Congratulations! You have unlocked the Achievement [ Apprentice Tracker Mastery ]! You have tracked five enemies to their final destination without being seen. You are no hunter, but the shadow which views from afar. You have stalked and tracked your prey with the guile of a true practitioner. Yet this is but the first step in the journey of a true master. You have earned: +1 Agility Congratulations! You have found the [ Goblin Monster Den ]! For further information, enter the Monster Den. The information is easy to understand. By now, Jax has gotten somewhat accustomed to The System and its actions. Instead, it is the shock of power which startles Jaxson. Like before, when he acquired a point in Tenacity, power bolts through his body, pouring from his chest to the edge of his being. It is uncomfortable at first. Like when your foot falls asleep before coming back all tingly and slightly numb. His entire body contained that feeling. It was maddening to Jax. Then, it settled. The power still present, yet no longer foreign. With the power, comes something more. Confidence. Before Jax, scrambling and moving, rove dozens of Goblin Scouts with Goblin Archers and Goblin Warriors in their midst. Jaxson¡¯s blood boils at the sight. The ancient anger in his veins rears its head. In merely hours, the world has been flipped upside down and on its head. It has changed. So too has Jaxson Stratford. Excitement. Anger. Need. Hunger. They burn in him. He is alive now. No longer a dying ember. He is the whole fucking fire. ¡°Come boy,¡± he mutters to Duke. Eyes scanning the surrounding. ¡°We need to hide. We need to hide, and we need to find our target.¡± With those words, he and Duke depart. Melding back into the forest edge. One hand gripping the KABAR. One hand gripping the childrens doll. Chapter 5 ¡°The failure of newly Assimilated Zones comes in many forms. Most notably, in the paradigm shift of cultural and societal eradication. When one species, dominant in its standing of its Zone, is faced with numerous entities of equal and superior strength and development, there are only two reactions as seen across the endless spectrum of Zones and Realms that have undergone Assimilation. Solidification of a species under the threat of extinction, or disintegration of a species¡¯s collectivity. More times than not, as recorded in the Annals of Assimilation, the latter choice stands dominant. The result, is the eradication of a species, and the paved path toward Calamity.¡± Galtur olt¡¯ Trek, Head Architect of The Council, taken from a speech to The Council
On the edge of the [Goblin Monster Den]¡¯s forest, Jaxson waited. Head lowered. Eyes alight. Even as he laid completely still, his muscles ached and moaned. He has been lying in wait for the past 20 minutes, holding Duke, and covered in foliage. Waiting for his moment. Finally, just as doubt crept into his mind, it arrived. Around the corner of the street, three Goblin Scouts appeared. The tinted green and orange sun was pale now. A melting hue on pale grey skin of the Goblin Scouts. Through the forest they moved. Three hellspawn midgets. With them though, were two larger beings. A tied and gagged adult male, old but thin with a bald head connected to a white and neatly groomed beard. Alongside him was a younger looking woman in her early forties who¡¯s tanned face was marred by a mixed tangle of blonde hair and tears which streaked through her makeup. ¡°Hold still boy,¡± Jax whispered as he ever so slowly moved his hand toward the makeshift vine rope. ¡°Hold still boy. Let them come closer. Closer...¡± Beneath his arm, Duke rumbled his understanding. Feeling Duke¡¯s hair stand up in aggression Jax diverted his attention to spy the pup with a sidelong glance. Outwardly nothing was different. Duke was still Duke. But Jaxson couldn¡¯t help but think something was off. For over a year he had spent nearly every waking hour with Duke. He knew him. Now though, it seemed as if his lovably pup had undergone some change. He was smarter. Faster. Stronger. Deadlier. These thoughts ran through Jax¡¯s head as the seed of anxiety buried itself in his mind. Yet, as worry about Duke¡¯s health assaulted Jax, Duke himself seemed to sense Jax¡¯s discomfort and turned to address him. Eyes of intelligence shined at Jax. Lips drew back to reveal deadly canines. Then, a pink tongue wagged out lopsidedly from Duke¡¯s mouth as he leaned forward to bump his snout against Jax¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Heh! That¡¯s my boy...¡± The two shared a smile. Then a tree branch snapping pulled Jax¡¯s attention back to the task before him. He nestled back into the ground. Hand on the vine rope. Closer the Goblin Scouts approached, struggling to carry their prey just as Jax struggled to breath evenly. Heart in his throat. Mind buzzing with doubt. Still though, his hand remained steady. He knew what he needed to do. Thus, when the Goblins finally reached the trap, Jax acted. Foliage scattered as Jax rose. In his hands, the makeshift vine rope drew taunt as Jax threw himself backward. Then resistance met the rope and he lost control of the vine. Sky met earth as Jax¡¯s vision swam. He had forcefully headbutted the ground from the external force. Dazed and shocked, he rose with the KABAR in hand. He rose, ready to face any foe. Instead though, he was greeted with the fruits of his efforts and labour. The three Goblin Scouts and their two prey had been successfully tripped and fell directly into the small ditch. The very ditch that Jax quietly dug earlier. The very ditch that Jax layered with tree ichor and sap. Sap so strong, that even after fifteen minutes, his fingers remained stuck together and attached like concrete to the KABAR knife. Such was not a concern for Jaxson at the moment though. With utmost speed, he sprinted across the forest floor. At the edge of the still growing forest, hundreds of feet from the [Goblin Monster Den] and far out of sight, there was little need to stealth. There was none. Like a bull, Jax charged. At his heels raced Duke. In seconds, they closed the thirty foot gap separating them from the Goblin Scouts. As Jax came upon his trap, he saw both humans firmly stuck in the tree sap covered ditch. Merely a foot deep and three feet wide, the ditch spanned one of the only openings in the forest tree line for hundreds of feet around. It was a perfect ambush. Made more perfect by the state of the Goblin Scouts. Of the three Scouts, two were still in fighting condition with their weapons still out and hands still free. Only their feet and legs were stuck in the sap, unable to escape. The same could not be said for the third. Unluckiest of them all, the third Goblin Scout remained face down, entrapped in the sap and suffocating. It would be a slow death. But a less painful one compared to its two brethren. With rage, Jax and Duke struck. Two [Mana Bolt]¡¯s flew out from Jaxson. One missed. The second struck a [Goblin Scout LVL 2] directly in the neck. Forward, Duke charged and pounced. Over 100 pounds of muscle rammed into the convulsing Goblin Scout, sending the creature fully into the sap. Fangs met flesh as the two became entangled and trapped. Yet the Goblin was helpless. Unprepared. Off-guard. Weakened. He was like a sheep sent to the slaughter before Duke¡¯s animalistic instincts and ability. Low, aiming to cripple, Duke raked and attacked the Goblin¡¯s lower body as it struggled to escape the tree sap that now coated its entire body. It¡¯s efforts were futile. With frenzy, Jax descended. There was no finesse in his actions. No beauty. No grace. No skill. Only raw aggression. Only a need for release in the ancient anger that hummed with burning desire in his blood. Two more [Mana Bolt]¡¯s launched themselves from his palm. Nearly on top of the Goblin Scout, the bolts impaled themselves into the creature¡¯s upper chest. As they did, the crack of a ribs breaking and the gurgling of fluids in the Goblin Scouts mouth echoed in Jaxson¡¯s ears. Then, the sound of his KABAR cutting deep was all he heard. It was all he saw. Green blood that spurted as his KABAR stabbed deeply in the Goblin Scout¡¯s chest. Directly where its heart would be. Lost in the violence, any semblance of the shy and nerdy SoCal surfer was gone. Only a phantom of rage and violence remained. ¡°Ha....ha....ha...¡± Jax gasped for breath as he rose. At his feet, the [Goblin Scout LVL 2] remained still. Its blood seeping out, mixing with the brown sap of the tree. Flowing and pooling toward its kin. The remaining [Goblin Scout LVL 1] who desperately struggled to free itself. Breathing deep, Jax watched the creature. Short legs that furiously pumped to free itself from the sap. Canine mouth opened as raw emotion poured out into the sky. Beady black eyes that mimicked an animal backed into a corner. It knew its fate. So too did Jax.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. He approached slowly. Careful in the face of a cornered and desperate animal. Duke charged from the right. The Goblin scrambled to react. A crude metal axe cut through air to ward off Duke. With a side-step, the pup backed off. It was a feint. Jax¡¯s attack was not. ¡° [Mana Bolt]! [Mana Bolt]! [Mana Bolt]!¡± Three bolts took the Goblin Scout in the head. It slumped to the side. Dazed, seemingly groggy and tired as if waking from sleep. It batted at Jax with a taloned hand. Jax¡¯s KABAR struck to the bone. The second stab took it clean in the shoulder. The third ended its vengeful cry. The fourth ended its life. Pulling his knife free, Jaxson scrambled away from the corpse and away from the sap covered ditch. His breathes came ragged now. Eyes unfocused. Hands trembling. The stench of blood from the [Goblin Scout LVL 1] assaulted his nose. Nausea threatened to empty whatever remained in his stomach. He held. Rising, his deadened feet trudged forward. Before him, struggling feebly in the muck and mire, remained the sole Goblin Scout. Eyes trained on the creature, Jaxson advanced. He never saw the looks on the faces of the two people. The terror in their eyes as he acted as death¡¯s messenger. Kneeling in the dirt, he brought his KABAR to bear. Numb hands drove cold steel forward. Weak now, without adrenaline, Jax struggled to finish the fight. Struggled to cull the last of the monsters. It was almost serene, he decided in the odd quiet of the moment. Around him the world stilled and waited. Waited for him. It was silent, in a world of chaos. Then, as Jax sliced through the back of the Goblin Scout¡¯s neck, his world ignited. Just as before, a sense of euphoric energy seemed to swell within his body. Three pulses of warmth and energy. Each weaker than the last, but together enough to bring Jax¡¯s senses in slight overload. In seconds the feeling left him. What remained however, where messages from The System. Pulsating in his head as they called for his attention. Congratulations! You have unlocked the Achievement [Apprentice Trapper]! You have entrapped and dispatched three enemies. It is your mind, and not your might, which grants you strength to slay your foes. Where others sees an obstacle, you see an opportunity. You have earned: +1 Intelligence Congratulations! You have unlocked the Achievement [Apprentice Dagger Mastery]! You have slain five foes with a dagger. Keen and deadly, the dagger is a weapon for masters. Now, you have embarked on the journey to becoming one with the blade. Grasp firmly, for the hand that cuts can so easily be cut. You have earned the right to select one of the following Skills: [Honed Edge], [Ambidextrous], and [Hemorrhage] Congratulations! You have unlocked the Achievement [Apprentice Hunter]! You have slain five foes with the aid and assistance of a friendly creature! To claim the title of a Hunter is to share burden and bounty. Together, a Master and Companion are strong. Apart, you are but one piece of a whole. You have earned the skill: [Bond] Congratulations! You have unlocked the Achievement [Savior]! You have rescued one person in danger! Few, among any race or people, sacrifice for the salvation of another. You bleed so that others may not. You suffer so that others may not. To you, this is no sacrifice. It is your duty. You have earned: +1 Distributable Attribute The four messages appeared in Jax¡¯s mind. Almost tangible. Like a memory or vivid dream which he could recall in perfect accuracy. The truth though, was that it was far better than a dream for Jax. This is what he sought. Strength. Growth. Power. For his goals, he would sacrifice anything and everything. It was what made him great at everything he set his mind to. It was also what made him hard to get along with. The whole-hearted pursuit toward his goal. The willingness to burn like Icarus. Smiling, adjusting to the new strength in his body, Jax kneeled in the ground. The familiar padding of four paws on the ground came from his left. Warm and panting breathe. Cracking an eye open, Jax regarded Duke with a tired, near delirious smile. Already, the thought of his actions, of killing, far out of mind. Only the strength. Only the achievement. Only the euphoria. That was all that remained. ¡°God job Duke,¡± he whispered while nuzzling his head against Duke¡¯s fur and resting his eyes. ¡°Good job boy. Such a good boy. Your such a good boy. I love you buddy. Hmh? I love -¡± Rapid movement sounded. Panicked mutters of a man who scrambled away. Jax, interrupted in his attention to Duke, raised his head to spy the sound. He was greeted by the aged older man. No longer was the man stuck in the pit of sap. Now he stood outside of it, back hugging a tree. Sweat dripped down his face, splashing on his grey button down shirt, and falling to the ground where one foot was missing a shoe. In his hand was a crude steel dagger. One similar to the weapon the third Goblin Scout previously held. ¡°Sir... Please, put down the weapon. Sir, can -¡± ¡°FREAK! You freak! Stay back! Do you hear me? Stay back. Back I said!¡± The man¡¯s voice tore through the forest as Jaxson rose and tried to approach the man. Back against the looming and gargantuan tree, the aged but healthy man shook like a leaf in wind. Jaxson, weary but out of his depth, backed away as he raised his hands. Next to him, Duke¡¯s throaty growl of aggression built slowly. ¡°Sir! Please stop this. I¡¯m trying to help you and,¡± he looked towards the woman who had stopped crying, ¡°and the woman. Now calm down. Your voice is too loud and will-¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± the man screamed at Jax. Duke barked and put himself between Jax and the man. ¡°And shut up your damn mutt! You hear me freak? I told you to-¡± ¡°Enough.¡± There was no patience in his voice anymore. Only anger. Only steel. He had saved the man. Albeit not with direct purpose, but all the same, he had saved him. Yet instead of thanks, or happiness, or gratefulness, the man was beyond reason. So he took a step forward. ¡°BACK! I SAID BACK!¡± Desperate, the man¡¯s face twisted left and right rapidly. Reason had fled him. Only survival mattered. His survival. Jaxson understood this. Just a second too late, because before he could do anything, the aged but healthy man darted off to the right and sprinted away from the forest and back to the ruins of society. As his form fled back to the ruins, a desperate escape back toward death, Jax, Duke, and the woman all watched quietly. For moments, nothing was said as Jax absorbed himself in the man¡¯s actions. He only came to when a feminine voice to his left called out. ¡°He is a coward.¡± The voice sounded haunted. Empty of emotion. It was a voice Jax was familiar from his mother. ¡°I just never knew....no....no I knew. I knew....¡± Facing her, Jax watched as realization set in for the woman. Maybe not about the reality of the world. But the reality of the current situation she was in. Yet, before him, he watched her transform. She didn¡¯t fold. She didn¡¯t quit. She rose. Her feet slipped out of her shoes. Step by step, she approached Jax and Duke. A hesitant smile on her face as she graced Duke with a friendly look while gingerly stepping around the turmoil of the forest around her. ¡°I....I know this is a lot to ask,¡± the woman spoke in halting words. Her hands scrunched and fiddled with her dress. ¡°But can you help me? My daughter....Madison, she....she....she was taken by those....things. Please. Please. Please. Can you help me?¡± The words hung in the air. The desperate plea asked in a lost voice that drowned Jax¡¯s soul. But in the sea of sorrow that threatened to take him down, he was a rock in the tides of a storm. He would not falter. He would not break. Congratulations! You have pushed the boundaries of your limits and grown stronger. You have earned: +1 Tenacity ¡°I promise you.¡± His voice was unwavering. Standing, he grabbed the few weapons on the ground. ¡°We¡¯ll save her. We¡¯ll save all of them. First though, we need a plan. Then, we need more people.¡± Chapter 6 ¡°...On the topic of Monsters, comes the question, where do they originate from? The reality of this answer varies by Zone and Realm, but for Earth, it came in five such forms. Materialization, Evolution, Reproduction, Dens, and Dungeons.... Dens, formerly known as Monster Dens, are produced from dense pockets of Essence which are generally formed in every 1.2 Hector (1 Mile) square area of land. Dens, unlike their Dungean counterparts, are open world constructs which allow a ¡®home¡¯ of sorts for the Monsters who are formed from it. Similar to Dungeons, Dens can evolve and advance, the same as any Settlement. The difference being, that Dens require expansion through outer energy. Conquest and capture of energy sources, materials, fuel, food, and more, is required for a Den and its inhabitants to survive.¡± Ruha the Wise, Master Seer of Eden, ¡°History of Eden¡±
Outside the [Goblin Monster Den] stood a group of eighteen men, women, and children. In the dying light of the Sun, they loomed a haggard group. Bloodied. Battered. Tired. Yet, there was an electricity among them. A vengeance which cloaked their forms as much as the blood that covered them. ` In their midst, among the front fighters of the group, kneeled Jax. At his side, sat Duke. The duo were the center of attention. Eyes, yearning and scared, looked to Jax. He felt them. The burden they carried. They were too much. ¡°Are we ready?¡± From his left, Jax heard the hearty voice of Mitch. Sole survivor of his entire family, the man was immense and deadly. A bear of a man with hair covering every part of his exposed body, save for his head. In the four short hours of vicious fighting that had occured, he had become a pillar of support for the group through his vicious nature. He was one of the first Jax had helped saved after the woman, Linda, was rescued. One of the first, among a total of twenty-seven others who were rescued from a total of forty-three Goblin Scouts and one Goblin Archer. [Mitch Douglass, LVL 1 Newbie] Yet Jax knew the man was not asking the people around them. He was asking him. Waiting for him to stand. To lead the group as he had done thus far. Into the [Goblin Monster Den]. But Jax was not ready. Head down, he stared at his hands. Green ichor coated them now. Seemingly burned into his skin from the ceaseless use of [Mana Bolt]s. He was not ready. The thought irritated Jax to no end. Because it was true. It hadn¡¯t even been a day, yet here they were. Standing outside a spawn of sorts for monsters. Monsters that he had killed. Monsters that had killed eight of their number already even through overwhelming numbers and ambushes. He was not ready. No one was. Still he rose. Heart in his throat. Unable to swallow, Jax turned to the one pillar of support he had. The stream of messages from The System and the resulting change in him. Standing before the maw of the [Goblin Monster Den], Jax closed his eyes and looked inward. To his damnation and salvation. Congratulations! You have unlocked the Achievement [Hunter]! You have slain ten enemies! You have earned: +2 Distributable Attributes Congratulations! You have pushed the boundaries of your limits and grown stronger. You have earned: +1 Fortitude Congratulations! You have unlocked the Achievement [Apprentice Arcane Mastery]! You have slain twenty-five enemies through the use of Arcane Skills! Mystic and alive, the Essence of power flows through you. Like a tool, you grasp it with steady hands for your will to be done. Yet be wary young Apprentice. To command the Arcane is to command the ocean. A feat in frutality...You have earned the choice of one Skill: [Lock], [Guide], [Trail]. Congratulations! You have unlocked the Achievement [Saint]! You have rescued ten people in danger! Beyond duty, you struggle for the salvation of your people. You transcend yourself and transcend duty in the name of destiny. You have earned: +2 Distributable Attributes Congratulations! You have pushed the boundaries of your limits and grown stronger. You have earned: +1 Strength Congratulations! You have unlocked the Achievement [Apprentice Leadership]! You command and lead a group of ten or more people! To lead is to shoulder the burdens of those beneath you. Many may walk this path, but few ever reach the end. For the road is far, and paved with crowns of ruination and the blood of good intention. You have earned: +1 Charisma Congratulations! You have unlocked the Achievement [Intermediate Trapper]! You have entrapped and dispatched twenty-five enemies. Your mind is sharp and eyes clear. Now you see the path for which you stride. One where power beyond self is but a crutch to impede upon the true conquest of prey versus predator. You have earned: +2 Intelligence Congratulations! You have unlocked the Achievement [Apprentice Devastator]! You have dealt over 1000 points of damage to foes! You have earned: +1 Distributable Attribute Congratulations! You have pushed the boundaries of your limits and grown stronger. You have earned: +1 Tenacity Congratulations! You have reached Level Two! You have earned: +1 to all Attributes. Health, Stamina, and Mana are refilled by 50% of base total Name: Jaxson Stratford Age: 24 Race: Human Class: N/A Level: 2 (4.71%) Health (/regen per hour): 208 / 208 (104) Stamina (/regen per min): 198 / 211 (1.06) Mana (/regen per min): 264 / 272 (1.36) Attributes Vitality: 16 Fortitude: 17 Resiliency: 17 Strength: 17 Agility: 18 Intelligence: 33 Wisdom: 17 Perception: 17 Control: 18 Charisma: 18 Tenacity: 19 SkillsThe author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. [Mana Bolt] Rank 2, [Bond] Rank 1, [Ambidextrous] Rank 1, [Guide] Rank 1 Jax looked it over. He felt the power hum in his bones. Every distributable attribute, pooled into Intelligence as a means to truly combat what lay ahead. To specialize is to live. The ¡®Jack of all¡¯ approach is the means to mediocrity. Already he could feel it. The boost to his thinking, processing, and understanding. The seemingly electric feeling on the tips of his finger tips. He was alive with power. Yet... Fists clenched, he wondered if it would be enough. There was more to strength and power than just Attributes. He had no offensive Skill other than [Mana Bolt]. The Skills he did had were pitifully ranked. All four Skills were judged as Common among the lowest rank. He had no potions for Mana or Stamina. No bandages or HP Pots to restore himself. No equipment to give him bonuses for Attributes or increase his damage. He was but a man, going against monsters. ¡°Jaxson,¡± from his side, Mitch¡¯s smokers voice caught his attention. He smelled the man before he heard him. ¡°Are you ready? You need to lead us, young Jaxson.¡± Hands shaking, Jax¡¯s head shook in agreement. He failed to speak, for fear of the uncertainty and anxiety in his voice being heard. So he rose. A head taller than the crowd, he rose. Shoulders straight. Head forward. Chest up. As a leader should be seen. Or at least that is what he told himself as his hand continued to shake out of control in his cargo pants pocket. Turning to address the crowd, he saw in them what so captured him. The fear in their eyes that he shared. ¡°Remember,¡± the words came like dust from his empty mouth. He cleared his throat and spoke again. ¡°Remember who you fight for. Fight for your loved ones.¡± ¡°Fight for vengeance...¡± The hunger for battle came beneath Mitch¡¯s breath. ¡°Fight for the Lord, for he watches us now.¡± A third voice, louder than Mitch¡¯s ¡°Fight to live.... Fight to live...¡± The chant from a fourth. ¡°Fight your loved ones. O-okay? Fight for them.¡± Jax couldn¡¯t stop the anxiety from showing in his voice. He couldn¡¯t stop the fear from building on his face. Who was he to fight for? What loved ones did he have? What God would deliver such chaos? What vengeance or life was needed when he could run? Then his hand gripped the doll. Torn and ragged. Blood splattered and muddied. It remained attached at his belt. The doll belonging to some small child. An unknown child captured and no doubt within the Den. Helpless. Scared. He could almost picture her in his mind. The tears that stained her eyes as she huddled with the rest of the people inside. At the mercy of monsters. As he envisioned it, something primal in him grew. Something that yearned to release as it clawed at his throat to be roared. For her....he would fight. For everyone helpless....he would fight. Congratulations! You have pushed the boundaries of your limits and grown stronger. You have earned: +1 Tenacity ¡°Together now.¡± And with those words, Jax stepped forward. The head of a motley crew of normal people thrust into an extraordinary circumstance. He had dreamt of this moment for years. To command and lead people as his character in games did. Now he had it. What he wouldn¡¯t give to go back to another time. Congratulations! You have entered the [Goblin Monster Den]! Home to a budding tribe of young It¡¯kali Goblins, the Den is host to opportunities for those strong enough to grasp them. Status and Skill experience within the Den is increased by 10%. Complete eradication of a Den¡¯s inhabitants will result in a distribution of additional Experience based on individual merit. Destruction of a Den and its inhabitants will result in a special reward. He expected the message as soon as he saw it. Increased reward for increased risk. The bonuses though.... The hint at additional rewards... Nothing came without a cost. But the only way was forward. Standing within the maw of the Den¡¯s cave-like entrance, Jax moved forward. Around him, forming the first line of attack were the melee fighters. Men and women equipped with stolen swords, axes, and shields from the Goblin Scouts they killed. Boosted by confidence of fresh kills and the power of their Skills, [Frenzy] and [Heavy Strike]. Behind him, the rest of the group moved in pace. Most carrying whatever weapon they could as they stayed focused and ready to cast a [Mana Bolt] or [Regrowth]. They all stood ready to strike. Instead of a foe though, the group was met without challenge. The once steady flow of Goblins had dwindled throughout the day until the sun fully declined and the Goblins failed to emerge from their Den. Yet no guard, or wondering Goblin Scouts greeted them. Instead, they found themselves in a new world Tribal drawings and runes were carved into the stone walls that jutted from the earth. Light, in the form of pale green crystals in the ceiling and floor of the Den, weaved a path that they followed. Toward the earth it sloped downward in a narrow and curving lightway. A dazzling and lovely path to hell. One the motley group walked. Steps shaky. Bodies jumping at every sound. Hands clenched tight on weapons. Down to hell they traveled. No Goblin in sight. Around corners they moved. Walls painted crimson murals of a foreign civilization¡¯s history and historical battles. Down they traveled. The beat of their hearts the only sound. Then another came. A second beating. A deep and heavy rhythm of drumming that rumbled beneath the ground. ¡°What the hell?¡± ¡°Anyone else hear that shit?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Devil! It¡¯s the Devil. Satan is here and we go to his arms like lambs to the slaughter. Flee! We need to -¡± ¡°Shut it Pastor Wallace.¡± Mitch commanded. His threat silenced all. ¡°We continue down. Til we find this Devil, or the devil spawn Goblins. Then we kill them all.¡± His voice fell as he marched forward. At his side, four others, hunched with the weight of vengeance, followed after him. Jaxson, stuck between the departing group and the remainder, felt the weight of eyes on his back. The yearning. The answer to the question on what they should do. He didn¡¯t have an answer though. Only a path. ¡°Remember why you fight. Why you have come this far already.¡± With those words, Jaxson marched forward as well. Unable to face the eyes of the group. Better to face an unknown enemy than the known concerns those around him. So he moved. At first alone. Then the padding of feet behind him rang out. In ones and twos. Before the group all moved in unison. He knew they would. Pack mentality is one hell of a drug. So down the earth they moved. The ceiling above them fully aglow. The walls around them swam in fresh blood. The ground beneath them roared and shook. Soon, the twist and turns of the cavern ended. Mystical glowing crystals replaced with fires atop tiki poles carved in Goblin faces and foreign runes. The narrow pathway expanded wider. Toward an opening of light a hundred feet down. Where light pulsed in tune with the thundering reign of drums and chants. Around Jaxson, the group stumbled and paused. Mitch and his gang of four rushed forward. From his spot, Jaxson¡¯s brain went dead. Then the animal part of it lit up. ¡°W-Wait! Wait!¡± They didn¡¯t listen. The plea fell on deaf ears as hurried feet darted toward the circular opening at the end of the path. Cursing underneath his breath, Jax had no choice. He chased after them. As he ran, so too did the remaining group. Lambs turned lions under the lead of Jaxson and the five attackers. False bravado fueled by adrenaline and the euphoric drive from The System that lingered in the veins of all the attackers. The near tangible taste of power that came with the death of another. How easily man could kill when all they desired could be fulfilled. How easily savagery descended on the civilized. Like a pack of hounds, Jaxson and his motley crew raced toward the hole. Feet pounding faster than the rapid drumming. Toward the pagan light. Taller than a man an four times as wide, the hole was the entrance to another world. One that swallowed whole the five berserkers. Then Jaxson and his pack. Before them, opened up Hell. A deep sloping hill cut through open air to meet with the ground. Easily three football fields long long and wide, the expanse of earth was alit with pyres of flame and fire. Smoke, dark and deathly, clung with the domed ceiling of the area like a foreboding cloud. Beneath the clouds, humans and Goblins alike milled about. Makeshift wooden pens contained tens and tens of humans. Easily over two hundred men, women, and children huddled together under the watchful eyes of Goblin Warriors, Archers, and Thieves. Cattle ready for the slaughter. The rest of the Goblins, an equally large number of Goblin Scouts per Humans, nestled asleep in small coves and holes in the walls. Yet that was not what captured Jaxson¡¯s attention. Instead, on an outcropping of rock that jutted tall in the middle of the expanse, stood three beings. A Goblin Warrior, taller and bigger than its kin with armour of bones covering its bodies and dual spears in hand, stood at attention. It was guarding a second Goblin that was draped in a robe of mismatching material. Tall, even as it stood hunched and crooked, the cloaked Goblin prostrated itself in worship before the third being. A writhing mass of flame given form. [Goblin Warrior, LVL 8] [Goblin Shaman, LVL 7] [Fire Elemental, 44%] The horror though was not in the figures or their levels. It was of the Humans before them. One by one, a line of Humans were lead up to the outcropping of rock that jutted like a knife from the earth. One by one, they were lead before the Goblin Shaman. Til they were killed. Their life snuffed out by the hands of the Goblin Warrior. Their blood drained by a slice across the neck. Then, as they succumbed to death, the Goblin Shaman¡¯s hands weaved and hollowed words rang out. Particles of light, green and blue, materialized and arose from the human who laid dying on the ground. Like fireflies, the particles of light moved and flowed in conjunction with the movements of the Goblin Shaman¡¯s hands. As the Shaman¡¯s hands rose, so too did the particles. Rising toward the being of fire that greedily consumed them all. ¡°Oh my god!¡± ¡°It is Satan. As I witness it, Satan arises from fire to flesh!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a ritual. A sacrifice...¡± The words left Jaxson¡¯s mouth before he even realized it. ¡°It¡¯s....it¡¯s like a summoning. Summoning a creature. Just....just like in a video game.¡± It was all Jaxson could say. Then hell met the heathens. With a roar, Mitch and his four warrior went berserk. With a scream of battle, they charged. Down the sloping hill. Toward the caged humans. Toward the Goblin horde. Chapter 7 ¡°...and for two hundred and thirteen years I fought. Endless slaughter on the Frontier against those Corrupted. A knight in shining armour. My like, the heroes of old which we sang of long ago. How quickly childish dreams are drowned in the bloody mire of war. There is no honour here. There is no glory. All the songs, the hymns, the poems....words of beauty. Where? Where is the beauty is slaying another being of the Realmverse? I see the truth now. What lies beyond it all. The System. The Calamity. What a farce it is. Even now, I see that the only truth is Balance. How fitting. My sacred duty mere sins before Balance. The souls I put to rest were the lucky ones. For my own soul is gone now.¡± Belfor the DuskBorn, rogue practitioner of the dark arts, unknown
Sarah O¡¯Hara huddled low. Bloody arms restraining the shivering form of her four year old son. He shook and cried in fear. She was more scared then him. Still, she had to remain strong. Without Dillon... Dillion. Her fiance. Things had been going so well. She finally found an honest and good man who took care of her son, Max, as if he was his own child. She knew he was the one after the first date. He made it official just last month. Ready to be wed til the day they died. How could she have expected that day was today? Hidden, buried beneath the bodies of tens of others, her fiance was dead. Him and eleven others who tried to break free from the Goblin¡¯s encampment and turn their newfound power on their captures. They were like moths sent to the flame. The sound of bones breaks. The crackle of living fire. The gleeful shouts from the Goblins. Sarah cupped her hands to her head. Praying for peace. For salvation and freedom. For a miracle to end this existence so she could meet Dillion in heaven with the rest of her family. What a pitiful thought. She knew it was. She only hoped Max could live. Maybe find another mother to watch her child as she stood up to go to the altar and flame? Yet before thought could bear fruit, she was interrupted. Beings materialized as if from thin in from the entrance of the cavern. Over a dozen. Armed and alive as they gazed out like lofty kings over their denizens. She thought she had truly lost it at first. Witnessing angels materialize in her moment of need like her prayers were answered. What a frivolous thought surely? Then another man to her left pointed. Then a third. Then the ripple turned to a wave. Soon the entire group of hundreds stood. Watching as their angels descended. Then they screamed. Primal. Raw and vengeance fury that shook the very air like they were Gods of Battle. It was a banshee''s cry for blood. One that echoed far across the entire area. One that was picked up. Slowly at first. It spread slowly, a spark which ignited to an ember. Voices all around Sarah erupted. Then the ember turned to a blaze. Around her, people rose as their voices rang raw in the air. Then it caught her. Sarah rose. Her voice shattered the sky as she rallied with the scream. Bloodied eyes staring death into the Goblins around her. Red-rimmed as tears fell to grace the soil in worship. Then mayhem reigned.
¡°[Mana Bolt]! [Mana Bolt]!¡± Power surged from Jax¡¯s hands as adrenaline throttled at his throat. What little preparation or concept of battle he envisioned was wiped away with Mitch¡¯s charge down the slope. He was left with no choice but to join the suicidal charge or abandon everyone below. So his hand gripped the doll tight. Then he charged. Like a pack they descended. Nineteen ragged figures towards true monsters. Behind it all, the trapped humans rose and shouted in surging emotion. The sound echoed and multiplied in the domed cave, thrumming in Jaxson¡¯s ears as his breathing hitched faster and faster. It must¡¯ve been comical for the Goblins. They didn¡¯t attack. They didn¡¯t move. They merely watched. As a human would to some small insect or animal. How quickly one forgets the fangs when all they¡¯ve known is strength. Behind Jax, arcanic power surged as a dozen or so [Mana Bolt]s wizzed like darts through the air. They scorched the air as they burned bright in the hollowed cave. A thin blue trail of particles left in their wake as they soared over Mitch¡¯s and the other¡¯s heads. Then the world became blue and fragmented. Like erupting fireworks, the [Mana Bolt]s exploded upon contact with a sole [Goblin Warrior: LVL 6] who banged his sword against his chest at the base of the slope and unleashed a scream to greet the impending Skills. Eight missed. Five struck. In a surge of prismatic fragments, the Goblin was sent tumbling to the floor. A tangled mess of limbs and moans that wriggled in painful movement. Foot over foot, Jax sprinted uncontrollably down the slope. No longer able to aim, he instead utilized his newest Skill, [Guide]. He fired off a [Mana Bolt] in the creature¡¯s general direction. It was a good shot, but off target. Instead of preparing for a new shot though, he kept his hand raised. His fingers changing from a handgun to appear to grip some invisible object in his hands. At first nothing happened. But in his mind, he felt a tugging sensation. Two presences he could track the location of without seeing. One was next to him. Yet the other was where the [Mana Bolt] was currently flying. Then he titled and turned his hand to the left. Move and more he moved as he kept his eyes wide to see the [Mana Bolt] zip through the air. Then it moved. A nudge to the left. A second nudge to the bottom left. Then it arrived. A shower of mana to the [Goblin Warrior: LVL 6]¡¯s face that blinded it. It was only for a few seconds. But it was enough time. The next chance the Goblin had to open it¡¯s bloody eyes, it was greeted by the vicious sight of Mitch and his squad. They pounced like wolves. Starved and ravenous, they ripped through the already weakened Goblin. Even as a level 6 monster against level 1¡¯s, it held no chance against the onslaught of attacks rendered its pitiful defense useless. In a flash the creature was buried into the ground. Beyond its corpse, a flat of open spread out. A direct path to the pens housing the trapped humans. ¡°MITCH!¡± Jax clamoured to Mitch¡¯s attention. ¡°MITCH!! WE NEED TO STOP-¡± Without fail though, the maniac charged. With him the rest of the group. Humans turned predators with crazed and glossed over eyes that hungered for more. As Jax saw it, he knew. They were being affected by the surge of energy one gained with killing an enemy. The dead [Goblin Warrior: LVL 6] the cause of the sensation. Only there were two issues. One, the larger the level disparity between two creatures meant the larger the rush of euphoric energy they would get. Two, at level 2, Jax found that he no longer gained that shot of energy and wasn¡¯t lost in a battle craze. The same craze that sent the once feeble pack of people in a headlong rush toward two [Goblin Warriors: LVL 5] and one [Goblin Thief: LVL 7]. Emotion overcame reason. The inner and primal hunger to kill devoured the need for survival. Eighteen people crashed like a wave on the three lone Goblins.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. In one¡¯s and two¡¯s the group charged to meet the three Goblins. Spying the easy killing, two of the three Goblins moved forward. One Warrior with a twirling spear of black iron and dark wood and the second Warrior with a mace in one hand and spiked-knuckles covering another. Behind them, the Goblin Thief, twirling a grey short sword in hand, prowled as it awaited an opening. Together, the three moved. Into the circling mass of humans. They slaughtered them. With ease, the three Goblins batted away the forefront of the charging group. One man was missing his right arm as he fell helpless to the ground. The second man, a young boy really, merely fell to the ground. Unmoving and vacant eyes all that remained. An aged woman jumping through the air to latch onto a Warrior was batted away by the Thief¡¯s fist. A fourth was pinned to the ground by the Warrior¡¯s spear which pierced the person¡¯s shoulder. Then the melee transformed. Skills rang out at the mob took to frenzy. Stolen swords, knives, and axes glowed a pale green as they chipped and hacked at the three Goblin¡¯s. To call it a brawl would be an overstatement. It was mania. Howls and screams. The hum of heavenly power as Skills lit up the area. Blue and green flashed its killing might. Blood dyed the earth. At the back of it all, Jaxson watched with growing anxiety. This couldn¡¯t be sustained. Already the surrounding Goblins were converging. Let alone the tens of Goblins that remained, facing these three was already trying the group. It was expected of course. There was only one way for a level 1 creature to defeat a level 5 one. By throwing bodies into the meat grinder. Heated, Jax barreled through. He had to hurry or they would all die in this god forsaken cave. Weaving through the shifting press of bodies, Jax forced his way to the front. As he did, the fighters around him all receded. He soon saw why. Both Goblin Warrior¡¯s were heavily wounded and on their last legs. One was kneeling in the dirt as it struggled to hold its spear. The second towered over it in protection as it fought as a herculean Mitch and another male. The true threat lay in the Thief though. Holding its short sword and a new dagger, it bared it fangs in aggression at the humans before it. Stepping forward as the people around Jax stepped back in fear. No one wanted to be its next victim. No one would be. Stepping forward as the crowd stepped back, Jaxson moved into the space separating the two groups. His action drew the ire of the [Goblin Thief: LVL 7]. Limping and crippled from dozens of wounds, the Goblin still cut a fierce figure. Facing Jaxson, it hissed and hunched low in preparation to dodge whatever attack may come its way. It never had the chance. ¡°[Mana Bolt]! [Mana Bolt]! [Mana Bolt]! [Mana Bolt]!¡± Four [Mana Bolt]s, slightly larger than those cast by the others in the group, blitzed through the air like stars. Each trailed the other. Each drilled through the upper chest of the Goblin. Screaming in pain, the Thief struggled backwards with one hands raised to its eyes as another wildly swung the sword in defense. Like a ghost though, Jax swept forward. A sword sword that he acquired deflected one strike. Then he was within its reach. Brutality became Jax as he ripped his sword straight through the creature¡¯s body. Then a blurred form appeared as if from thin in. Duke, low and deadly, clawed and bit at the Goblin¡¯s calves. Then others appeared, slashing at the mortally wounded Goblin which fell backwards. It was dead before its body hit the ground. Congratulations! You have earned the Achievement [Conqueror]! You have slain an opponent five levels higher than you! You surmount fear and charge forth to conquer any foe which may be in your way. To challenge another beyond your reach is the only true path to power. You have earned: +2 Distributable Attribute Jax swiped away the screen, immediately pulling up his Status and distributing the two points into Intelligence. He would need every advantage he could get. The first was his Attributes. The second though.. Ripping past the dying battle of the final Warrior, Jax stormed forth. Before him, battling against the wooden pen that kept them trapped, were the hundreds of humans. They clamoured and pounded against the eight foot tall wooden trees that imprisoned them like cattle. Strangled cries called out for Jax to save them. He couldn¡¯t. Only they could save themselves. So he gave them that chance. Surging with strength, his sword struck the thick rope that kept the pen¡¯s gate closed. It bounced off like a stone on stick. So he struck again. And again. And again. Around him, others of his group gathered as they all hacked and slashed at the rope. Curses bellowed from their lips. Desperation roared from the penned humans. A final hack and the rope broke. The people surged forward. Busting open the gate as frenzied and bloodshot eyes glared at Jax and the others. As he saw it, Jax knew that they were waiting for them. How could they not? Afterall, they had descended in their most desperate time of need. They killed the very creatures that so easily trapped them. Of course they would bow before their might. So Jax used it. Raising his sword high over head, he strutted forward. Eyes raking the field of humans before him. Watching as they turned their frenzied gaze to his sole form. Anticipation tangible in the air as they watched Jax. Before them, Jax felt their gaze and their need. It was the same need everyone held. The desire to be lead. To be shown the path. So he gave it to them. ¡°KILL THEM ALL!¡± His voice howled high as he turned and slashed his sword down. Pointing the tip toward the tens of Goblin Warriors, Thieves, and Archers that raced across the cavern floor. Behind him, the deafening roar for blood drowned out even the beating of his heart. With it came the wave of humans who surged around Jax. They trampled the earth. Armed with bear fists and the assistance of The System. Over three hundred people against no more than thirty mature Goblins. It was terror. In their midst, Jax and Duke become one with the crowd. The main horde running over each other as they impacted with the grouped Goblins. On the sides though, groups of people, led by a few sane individuals from the original eighteen, roamed on the edges of the cavern as they became entangled with the awakening Goblin Scouts. Amongst their pack, Jax¡¯s howls for order commanded attention. Around him, tens of people grouped as they began moving like a kill team. Tens of [Mana Bolt]s erupted from their hands and into one or two adult Goblins in a barrage. [Regrowth]s illuminated the few frontliners that flung their bodies against each Goblin as their arms glowed a pale green from [Empowered Strike]s or their entire bodies seemed to shine from the use of [Frenzy]. Thirty humans against one and two Goblins. Each attack like a small cut from a knife. Yet it was enough. In moments, the first of the Goblins had succumbed to over one hundred wounds. With it came the flood of euphoric energy that swept through the ranks. With it, came the end of the reason or rational thinking. As if possessed, the people threw themselves against the Goblins in a frenzy that outshined the Goblin¡¯s own. Their enthusiasm more than making up for their lack of weapons or teamwork. In the center of it all, Jax watched. Mana low. Stamina drained. But satisfied. They could do it. They would suffer and many would not leave the cavern, but others would. With their numbers, they would soon turn the tide. Already he was seeing it. Once they did, then the greater the advantage they would have. Soon enough it would be fifty people against one Goblin. Soon they would all be free and safe. Just a bit more. He just needed to suffer a bit longer. Then.. Yet, it was not to be. From the skies, fire reigned. Two streams of orange and yellow flames that poured out from the [Goblin Shaman: LVL 5] hand¡¯s. With a roar, it raised its hands and the flames converged and melded together to form a ball of flame that loomed in the air. With a slash of its hand, the stream of fire was cut. The fireball dropped. When it touched the ground, it burst. Like liquid, it flowed quick and of its own mind. Flames scorched the earth as human and Goblin alike were burned. But that was a mere inconvenience to the true purpose of the flames. Pooled into thick grooves in the earth, the fire acted as a barrier. Trapping friend and foe. It was no longer thirty versus one. The tables were turned. Now Jaxson and the others were trapped.