《Amateur Adventures》 Chapter 1 The last thing I remember was meeting up with my bros at the local shithole dive bar then proceeding to get shit faced drunk. I was 17 legal and full of worries and ambitions. No class, no status, and no reputation or representation I was a nobody. my father was a adventurer, a thief. He was out looking for a class stone for me. Having not seen his face in almost a year. I was starting to presume him dead, in the back of my head. Class stones were a rare drop. The smartest minds of our generation narrowed it down to a percentage 0.01. Something like one granted every 1000 minster kills or extreme luck. Mini bosses and main event bosses had a higher percentage of drop rates but were difficult requiring a well matched party to an army of lesser combatants. Making the splitting of spoils much more difficult. I slightly recall bumping into Fearless. The leader of local gang my father owed money to. I talked to him last week. I would work hard, give him seventy percent of my wages. Fearless smiled only smiled, eyes smouldering. I thought nothing of it drunk, dancing on the floor with a filly who sauced, uncaring about my straying hands After last call for alcohol, me and friends split ways like a torn piece of paper. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. I stumbling home i was unaware and unprepared for the shadows that followed me. Roughly hemmed up from behind. Hot force shot througg my body when i was used as a battering ram. colliding with the wall of the alleyway leading to my humble abode. Instead of screaming out for help i used every ounce of my drunken strength to fight back, awkwardly accomplishing nill. Face grinding into the side of a two bit clothing store, I couldn''t identify my attacker But when he spoke it became all to clear "Your father owes me a lot of money little man" Breath halted in my lungs. It was Fearless! A one eyed grizzled wolf. Leader of over hundred men. A walking legend. Never defeated in single combat. With a feral grin on his face, Fearless turn to someone behind him "use jump on him" he practically growled to his mage geared subordinate. I hadn''t noticed him. Jump was a spell that was life saver In A dangerous dungeon situation. Otherwise it was a life taker. If used outside of a dungeon, the target was randomly teleported into a dungeon widely believed to be uninfluenced. Right before the spell was cast with me as the target, overwhelming dread swallowed me whole. The mage raised her hand silently regarding me with curiosity more than pity She instanta cast the spell I was swallowed in darkeness Chapter 2 The feeling of flesh against an unyielding and uncaring surface, clued me into the fact that I wasn''t yet monster meal. Rising swiftly to my feet. It didn''t take long to take in my surroundings. I was in a small cavern. Off to the left a miniature placid pool of liquid, breaking the floor of solid rock. In the center a small bonfire burned without fuel. Majestic trees grew in the four corners reaching the ceiling, strange fruits populated it''s branches. And a warm breeze blew softly threw my hair. I was in the safe zone of the dungeon. I felt relief. And the sudden thought that maybe everything would fine. For all I knew I had landed in a level 1 dungeon. My stealth skills would protect me I almost sprinted in my enthusiasm to see myself proven right. I emerged from the grey smoke that appeared if you wondered to far from the safe zone. bursting into the entrance to the dungeon. Catacombs level 1, flashed across my vision.Despair grew jaws and chewed my heart to blood and pulp I knew to give into fear was to accept defeat before you had begun...but man I was in a Raid dungeon. With no class. No equipment, and no means of escape. Also a very potent danger awaited the classless. Monsterization. Without a class to protect the mind and body. The hostile energy produced in dungeons could and would warp the walkers of its bowels. They didn''t call this Dungeon Diving or delving for nothing. Immediately i started to feel immense pressure pressing me down. I could feel the harsh energy, too strong, to primal,trying to unbalance me. I fought for as long as I could, struggling to retain my sense of self. holding out with all that i was. Until it slipped from me. My vision began going from tunnel to pin prick.I lost control and my sight expanded. My body was wandering a desolate plain of red rock as far as the eye could see. The footing was uneven and I appeared to be stumbling like a zombie. I watched from on high for as long I could stomach it, when I had had it. I rushed into my self. Which catapulted me into the horizon. I skidded and landed next to an altar containing dark steaming slushy liquid. I lost all motor control as my hand and face greedily gulped this miasmic bullshit down.it rushed through my blood stream. Reaching my heart. Ba-doom! I felt one major thump in my chest. I thought my heart had exploded. I woke up to searing pain. The likes of which I had never felt. I wonder if any mortal ever felt such and survived. It continued and continued. Years turns into decades. Decades to centuries. I felt the liquid bonding to me, changing me thoroughly and on level I never knew applied to myself. I blacked out when everything including me started to vibrate. I assumed my ego would be destroyed, my shell turned into the most hated thing known to man...A Monster. I awoke to a status message. Something only the enlightened with access to a class would receive prompts and messages from the universe.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. "You have been transformed through the hostile energy released by the dungeon,through struggle and desperation you have retained an altered form of yourself. You have been granted the class of a monster for that is what you have become, to hide that fact and because you still have access to trace amounts of your humanity you may also access the human class system.Struggle onward! Even death can be defeated!" I had waited all my life to say these next words: "Status!" Name: Cat Race: Lower Umbriel Class: Dept Strider: Level 1 Vitality: 70 Essence: 120 Bio energy: 266 Elemental affinities: fire/ Dark light??? Stats Hardiness:7 Str: 9 Dex:12 Intent : 15 Will: 25 Wisdom: 10 Spirit: 7 Awareness: 5 Intuition: 7 Luck: 38 Person: 8 Mind:1 Soul:1 Body:1 Unlocked stats Tenacity:2 self raising stat Flare: 3 flashy kills might produce random states of existence. Active skills: Drain , Dark ray. Flames of the depths-manipulation. Passive skills: weak regeneration, Cloak. Max Animus accumulation. Max Twilight blade Twin blade: 0 Subsume I wasn''t even human anymore! My glorious moment stagnated before me. Whatever a Lower Umbreal maybe? I had mutated into a fucking menial? I stumbled to the edge of the waters only to see me as my self almost exactly. My hair was now void black, my skin more darker. A chocolate opposed to a dusky brown.My eyes seemed to glitter with a new light. I flexed and clenched my fist. I felt hardly any different maybe this being a monster thing was one big bust. Well dwelling wasn''t going to help me escape. I seemed to be a magical warrior with the ability to stalk the depths of fuck knows what. I assumed I was at least profiecent at stalking based on "Cloak" works in tandem with the stealth skill. Granting a small percentage of blending and comoflague. Cloak burned a trace amount of Bio-energy to keep it active. My skills seemed to respond to my intent. As soon as I focused on the part of my mind associated with the skill itself. Knowledge and insight flooded me. I felt the cloak flow over my body like a second skin. My sounds and smells were supposed to be dampened. I sprinted across the safe zone. I often wondered if there were secret debuffs or if I was just curse by the "Game God''s". My father tried hard to train me in the ways of thieving. But I lacked the affinity. Although great at sneaking I always did something clumsy. I couldn''t steal from a blind bum we tested the thoery... My movement with my new body were fluid efficient and silent. Although I felt that ambushes like the one I suffered at the hands of Fearless and his "Goonies" were Cowardly. Yet It was hard to deny the effectiveness. Plus I was outclassed and out numbered with no provisions in a hostile dungeon situation or "HDS". All children ages 7 to 12 were given survival courses and basical weapons training to deal with the outside world as well a variance of threats.The Conqueror Regis, implemented a state of emergency. Militarising anyone willing to fight as an adventurer or Mercanery. To combat the random hordes of monsters and often whole battlions. Being a "Adve" of sufficient rank granted status . Something many thirsted for. Many died for.I wasn''t going to be one of them The safe zone was bordered in fog, once aftee walking about a meter into the fog of war. I was released into the dungeon proper. Behind me was the sanctuary i''d had abandoned. The water of life could push back hunger and heal the body. But couldn''t stav off hunger indefinitely. The fruits could provide sustenance. But being a monster waiting to be discovered in a dungeon wasnt my idea of a good time or a safe thing to do. Chapter 3 I appeared in a dark tunnel. Indecipherable script crawled across the walls like worms creating strange mind bending symbols. Staring to long made you want to puke. My monster eyes could see in the dark real well. The green shit was also a good source of illumination. Steadily in motion, shadows Waltzed further ahead of me. these were the denizens of this dungeon. I focused on being stealthy, willing myself to blend in with the shadows seemlessly. Well if you looked close enough it rippled like a pool of filthy water when I advanced forth, A spectral horned turtle blocked the entrance to a larger space. It''s eyes were red demonic, watchful. I stutter stepped waiting to see if it''s eyes were following me. It stared straight through me as I hugged the wall and slithered by Carapice covered it''s top half. It looked tough. I couldn''t fight that thing unarmed. Sneak level up ¡Á3 I mentally dismissed the notification Hatefully yet grateful This was definitely not somewhere to just lurk. I had to be clear and consice in my decisions if I wanted to survive and reach freedom. My first area of the dungeon was filled with four more of the spectral turtles but in the middle of the room a chest sat hauntily inviting me to risk life and limb to Open and receive it''s contents Call it a character flaw but fuck it I was curious. The training was to inspire a sense of free thinking and vigilance from a young age. Common dungeon sense would assume That even stealthed opening that chest would trigger aggro or aggressive behavior from the monsters now surrounding me as I hovered over the chest in indesicion. Wariness warring with avarice. Pulse thumping so hard the adrenaline was making me high. My perception of time seemed to be disturting. The monsters seemed more still then just a second ago. It kept receding and progressing till It stuck for a second to long. SKILL UNLOCKED: slightly altered time perception In small windows of opportunity your perception of time may be slowed down radically or completely altered Allowing reactions to be speed up Performing feat that may seem impossible to the unadvanced eye Once that flashed acrossed my vision I hurriedly opened the chest. Grabbed the contents with out looking and performed a text book leap-roll and none to soon. Smoke combined with black tar erupted from the bottom of the chest. It would have destroyed even my cloak. Standard stealth techniques would be foiled completely. The turtles roared in unison instead of charging and head butting like I assumed they might The monsters opened up their mouths jointly and let lose a spectral fire in unison scorching and cracking the expanse of dungeon I had just inhabited seconds ago. Instead of shaking and breathing in relief I beat feet like the bandit I was. Pushing into the next corridor and around a bend before allowing myself to feel any sense of relief. I was in another corridor. It appeared empty. I took the moment to take a breather and examine what I had risked my life for. I willed up the inventory. Which is something only people with classes could use! I stuck my tongue out. I guess I was feeling a little smug. No one back home believed in me. They thought my highest asperation should be the servant of someone great. Not some one great in my own right. I would spit in their faces with my achievements if and maybe when I escaped this place. Only thing occupying my inventory was a simple sword. Inspected it before retrieving it It''s information popped into my retinal. Simple double edged long sword-fire enchanted. Atk 120 STR mod 1.2 Dex mod 2.0 Special damage: fire dmg based on int A normal sword enchanted standard flame magic, highly effective against undead, ethereal beings, plant life, hell anything not resistant to flames. After doing everything short of having a battle priest field consecrate it on the spot, I was shorthanded on one of those at the moment. I equipped it. It naturally appeared in my dominate hand, my left. I had basic combat training. I could defend my well at least half hassardly. I was a neophyte in blade work. I gripped the blade with two hands and will it to ignite. Red flames swallowed the whole blade like a greedy mouth. But instantly I knew something was wrong. Terribly wrong! enchantments work with either charges or if an active enchantment then off my essence reservoir. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!This pulled deeper. I almost felt like it came from so far inside of me that I feared it was feeding on my soul to power this flame. The flames had shift intensity and color Turning black as night with no stars and no moon to guide you home. No lamps or lights to shine, flames the very anti-thesis to light. Something vibrated hard. Before a steady thump like a heart beat formed inside of me. I felt pulsation from the sword trying to match the wavelength I was emmiting from deep inside of me. I felt the connection lock in place creating a feed back loop. Energy and information traversing through my body as such extreme speeds I felt myself almost start to break apart. I wasn''t the only one transforming tho The darkness in the flame had leeched into the blade staining fiery iron to nightmare black. A jewel fit perfectly between hilt and blade. It was once a deep red reminiscent of blood, now it was cracking before my eyes. the red essence of flames started to leak like it might rupture at any time I felt the blade going critical I didn''t want to die like this , not like this. I will it to stop. All of this to stop. I felt something restrain hard against my applied pressure before bursting. The leaking halted completely then reversed course, the cracks, the welts healed before my eyes but the jewel was forever changed. burnt a true black. Like the crisp on over-cooked meat. Truly a smokey gem. The blade had also morphed to completely jet black. It looked more like a blade of luminese dark crystal. Only thing to survive almost unscathed was the hilt I gripped for dear life. It slightly smoked. moving to put it in the sheath it came with. I noticed an inscription. Trying to read it made my head hurt! The script stay illegible But I was eventually rewarded with a promt. "Watch out you have release the dark flames of the depths on earth! This is not a flame natural to this plane of existence. Because your race has been subjugating this fire for time untold. Stopping it from being released into the inner planes of existence. It is your birth right use it wisely and with great caution! It''s almost sentient and will devour everything! Those you love and care for including yourself! Even a small wisp which is all you have is more than enough to rage with the highest arcane might...Tame this fire if you wish to continue to exist." Well that wasn''t ominous Flames of the depths-manipulation gained! A pounding and scattering of loose stone alerted me to danger. My agonizing screames must have drawn company because one of the ghost turtles was bearing down on me at a gallop. I''ve been explaining them as ghost turtles in reality they were bi-hornes monstrosities, that lumbered on four large clawed feet. Armored rigdes cover it top side, only resembling a shell. They were so ferocious that if turtles were the starting point..then these things had evolved to the point of retracting into a shell for protection had become obsolete. They had the glow of non-corporeal or ethereal beings. Out of reflex I rose into a crouch ready to attack or dodge around the corner. To turn my back completely and expect to flee was to invite death. I had to at least wound it. Observing it''s body motions I was successful in dodging it''s rush Adrenaline pumping through me I hadn''t felt time slow down but it must have the side step was to crisp the counter attack on point but the result? shocking! Narrowly avoiding the horns I executed a cross slash across it''s face Slicing into tender eyes and the less tough flesh of it face Immediately ebony flame flashed across the slashes incinerating the turtles flesh completely. It died squirming as the flame ate into the brain cavity through the eyeholes and nose. Before I could sigh in relief or marvel at my new strength or examine the new prompts awaiting. I felt the flame I release into the corpse responding. Seeking to grow and devour. It whispered carnage. I blocked it out of my mind or at least I tried to. I willed it to stop but nothing happened the whispers became screams. In a panic I held the blade out pleeing for the flame to go whence it came. With great resistance it fled back into the black blade. Releasing a pent up sigh, I sheathed the blade with shaky and clammy fingers. That was scary. I walked up to the carcass expecting all the surprises to be over, checking for loot as trained. Good loot could save your life or make a excellent profit. When I got I guess close enough radioactive energy in spectrums visible to the naked eyes crawled all over me leaking into my pours with out my consent, it feels tingly, kind of pleasant As the transfer completely the body disappeared only leaving behind a single piece of loot. "Higher level monster subsumed. Empowered State Activated" I looked at my status under my conditions i had a new one displayed besides healthy. Empowered. I had to use my mind to navigate my status or shout out loud, something along the lines of "details on empowered state!" Causing another screen to display all the details available. Empowered state: Experience points double Drop rates tripled All Aps doubled Skill 1.5 magnitudes Attribute points doubled Wild elation flushed through my system with only two words to express my feeling: "over powered" You gain ability points from putting your skills to use, gaining levels from use them. My attributes had been doubled It seemed my skills would also deal inflated damage. I pumped my first forceful at the sky. I, MIGHT STILL HAVE A FIGHTING CHANCE Chapter 4 I checked my status Black cat Age 23 Race: Lower umbriel Class: depth strider Stats Hardiness:7 Str: 9 Dex:12 Intent : 15 Will: 25 Wisdom: 10 Spirit: 7 Awareness: 5 Intuition: 7 Luck:38 Personality: 20 Mind:1 Body:1 Soul:1 Unallocated points:3 Earlier i took this all for granted. If i was honest though my page didnt make a lick of sense. I didnt have the standard stats a fresh mented adventurer would have. I was literally forced for my own good to learn what those statistics did on a real life basis. What was this mind,body and soul? I stared deeper into the page lost in thought A small circle took over my vision Three percect almost triagular segments each corresponding to of the themes. Body was red, the mind was blue, the soul was green. I pick the red tab. Hungry to explore my possibilities Would you like to allocate 1 point to Body? Y/N I choose affirmatively. I felt my body undergo a small boost, stronger, tougher yet still as agile? I checked my stats. Body apparently governs my physical stats. It graced me with a whole five points in 3 different catagories! That was like spending 15 stat points at once! What the fuck. No wonder monsters were so strong. Delighted i decided to keep my ratio even for now distributing a stat point in each category respectively. The only down side i could see would be that i seemed to only gain a single point per level, which about evened out adventurers were given about 5 points per class level. I scratched my head, that monster was way stronger than me! What gives? I only gained three levels. My class must require alot of exp which was strange there wasnt a number next to my level? basically stating the experience required to advance. I just did. Ill watch closer the next monster im forced to kill. I could go back to kill the monsters i left behind, i''d love to no have hostiles at my back. Although stronger, with the deadliness of that shadow flame at my call. This was a self staged rescue mission not a dungeon crawl. Escape came first. Adventure second. I absent mindedly picked up the loot i had almost forgotten. I was more aware of my surroundings this time, crouching down to grabb it with my head on swivel instead of bending all the way down exposing my back and ass cheecks to danger. It was a ring. Somewhat traumatised by my previous experience. You could understand my hesitence right? But i bit the the bullet and put it on My body felt weird then return to normal. "Out of phase ring equiped" Flashed by and was gone. That sounded sweet. I wonder if i was like a ghost. I punched the wall at full strength like an igiot. It hurt like sex with a pineapple. My nuckles were valcano red. I blew on them. Definitely not a ghost. I laugh at myself keeping it as quit as possible instead of the explosion of sound i was known for. Another reason i sucked at thievery. I couldnt stop giggling when sneaking up on people. It was something that carried over from my childhood days. I moved deeper still into the Corridors of shadows. Hoping to find a way out. ++++++++++++++ A pale figure stood blocking my way. It was some kind of knight. Armor worn and mostly destroyed. He looked half dead while undead. "Halt" I did. I guess cloak didnt work on this guy. His ghostly eyes followed me perfectly. "If you tread ahead you will breach the territory of the wraths, you shant survive long on your on." I tapped my foot in exasperation So did he want to fight or join my company? If so what guarantee did i have that this wasnt a trap? or that He wouldnt stabbed me in the back at an unfortunate time? I just asked him flat out. Eyes searching for inconsistency, stance close to hostile. "I offer to form a bound" "Truthfully now, what do you get out of this?" "An anchor, otherwise ill fade. Rage can only sustain ones soul for so long." The ghostly figure jestured at itself. "Im already fading." "What do i get out of this?" I said after scratching my head in thought "A immortal protector, immune to mundane weaponry, only weak to fire and holy magic. What say you?" Bond with Fallen warrior? Y/N A bond was a serious thing. I could only bond once. I was hoping for dragon or a rare unseen species. But i was a monster, alone, with few prospects at the moment. An immortal meat shield was the ultimate selling point. I accepted. Gottfried level 1 Well weak was the word. "So Gottfried? What did you mean when you said immortal? your really weak. Do i have to protect you?" "Um...no." he scratched head. Now that i looked at him, his face actually had features,before he lacked definition he looked like an actual man maybe, 25 at best. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation."Think it more like im haunting you instead of this dungeon now, so if you get killed im dead for sure. If i get killed ill return. Slowly if i must use my own energy. Quicker like instantly if you expend the bio-energy to reanimate me." He was eloquent, ill give him that. that explination while usefull was a little freaky to process and just go along with. Id fucked around and turned my body into a haunted house? What next demonic possesion? Fuuuuuuuck! Gothfried was scouting ahead We made a deal if he triggered any traps deadly or otherwise. I''d make kills, if he played Tank. I couldnt call him a Meatshield anymore He didnt have a lick of fat on him, let alone a body. Lets just call it ghost-booty sacrifice, ''cause it was his ass on the line. Not mine. As soon as shit hit the fan, i was gonna kick rocks. Ah, the joys of team work. Shit was looking up. I chuckled into my hand somewhat maniacally. The subject of my chuckles Swooped into view "Run into anything worth mentioning?" A potion case slide the distance between us. "A four way intersection is up a head, I explored two directions triggering traps, make it safe for ye to traverse. Unfortunately a group of wraith blocked me from going forth. Should i lure one down for us to feast on?" I nodded. If i could defeat a few of these lesser creatures. My shield would grow fangs. If i couldnt sneak past id have to divide and conquer. I was scared shitless of the Balefire, id start calling it that for lack of better. That left me with few choices. I had two active attack skills at my disposal. More like spells, i also had sword training. Drain was a instanta-cast. The description was rather vague, i had to be touching my target to active Dark flare was a spell. Focus on it caused knowledge to flow into my mind. Right on time. Two literal shadows chased my ghost. They ran like mad Horredous screeches echoing as they raced in hot pursuit. I thought you said you''d lure in one? "We werent so lucky, little Lord. Prepare for battle!" Fuck! Golded light reathed my left hand like circlets. A orb of dark light shot out of my hand and engulfed the second shadow. The first somehow flowed around the spell like liquid. intent on striking me as i drew it''s aggression. You ever seen that sheen on something so black? Almost like a glow. This substance seemed to eat the light emiting a light of its own. The phenomena defied wording almost. I thought at first the attack had no effect. Then altered light burst from it''s body in a wave, engulfing it entirely. Down one, i think. I focused on the last one right as it ran up on me. I excuted my slash technique. My strongest blade skill. A red mouth appeared as it batted my beginner skill aside. Sir Gareth wasnt idle. He violently thurst his sword deep into its back. The shadowman barely acknolwdge the pain, offering a brutal back hand in retribution. Not even wasting a glance, as my support sailed across the corridor. His lifeforce points flashed red from one strike. Shadowmen were level twenty creatures of the darkness attribute. Weak to light magic and enchanted weapons. I didnt know any fucking light magic! Darkflare had a short cast time but a huge cool down rate. It wouldnt be available for another minute and a half. It cost about 100 bio-energy. Battle wouldn''t last that long. It would be dead or I would. That was the fierce struggle of life. The wrath could turn its arms into blades. Its attacks were rapid but predictable. No feints or real technique. It kind of bashed on my defenses trying to wear me down. My neophyte skill in sword work was able to keep up if not outfight this opponent outright. It was used to ambushes tactics with greater numbers behind it. My stamina wasn''t infinite. I couldnt play with my food anymore. Time slowed in between strikes. Its sharp arms slashed at my chest at an angle. I deflected the strike and kicked it in the chest. it started to fly backwards (I must be moving faster than i thought) I was able to intercept the hurdling body. Cutting deeply into shoulder. Time resumed normal speed. It wasnt dead yet, i could see it try to recover. I jumped on top of it booted feet first. Instantly i used drain. It was like ecstasy. Something flowed from it to me. It was sweet like necture, like the first kiss. Like seeing your best friend after two years of absence. It felt like sexual attention from someone you deeply desired, extremely satisfying. I didnt even feel the shadowman expire. I just knew when it was over. If i had to use one word? Intense I came back to myself. My lifeforce was topped off. Drained didnt use essense so i wanst sure it did anything for that, But i felt great bursting with stamina. It dropped a shadowy substance convienlty contained in a clear stoppered vial, along with two silver Yubree. "Hey Got,fried, do you know what this shite is shadowmen drop?" His head swiveled around while his body faced the wrong direction. He nodded with a sad look in his eyes. "Aye, Tis a highly sought after alchemical agent, it could create a potion, a unique one. It grants temporary immunity to shadow based magic...more unsavory types might use it for foul rituals" I was tempted to ask how he knew so much about it, but i left the subject alone. I comensed to pocketed the loot into my inventory Also stopping to retrieve the other shadowmans drop. My stats were starting to look good Name: Cat Race: Lower Umbriel Class: depth strider: Level 6 Vitality: 440/220 Essence: 598/299 Bio energy: 416 Elemental affinities: fire/ Dark light??? Stats Hardiness: 22 (+22*) Str: 24 (+24*) Dex: 29 (+29*) Intent : 25 (+20*) Will: 39 (+30*) Wisdom: 15 (+15*) Spirit: 13 (+13*) Awareness: 10 (+10*) Intuition: 12 (+12*) Luck: 38 (+38*) Person: 8 (+8*) Mind:3 Soul:2 Body:4 88+52 (sword of bale) Def: 44 (+44) Unlocked stats Tenacity: 3 self raising stat Flare: 3 flashy kills might produce random states of existence Equipment: Sword of bale +9 will, +5 int Cheap shirt dress shirt +0 Leather pants +10 def Worn Combat boots +2 def, 2 dex *Empowered stat I thrust bale the sword out, growing excited by the way the blade accelerated While my now level 20 phantasm looked on. Chapter 5 We were making good time, The wraths seemed to attack in packs, appearing out of alcoves in the corridors. Gottfried was now level 35. I was level 8. After a few close encounters i made the executive dicision to retreat back to the safe zone. It was easy to back track, sneaking past the same creatures i left behind raised my sneak to level twelve, i might have had more gains if using sneak with out cloak which maxed out at level 1. i might also make a fatal mistake, no telling how aware these things really were. Awareness was basically perception, the more aware one is the more able one is to perceive all events and even essense. Wanna see a insect crawling on a tree from ten feet away? Tired of being sneaked up on and ganked for every posession? Wanna know when your being watched? Wanna know when people may in fact mean you harm? (Extreme awareness) You need high awareness. The best combination to beat high awareness, was obfuscate+sneak. obfuscate was a spell from the dark magic skill tree, basically creating shadows for the user to hide in. Being bonded with gothfried was starting to have benefits. I was granted a sword skill when he reached level 25. Phantom strike. It was actually a poweful attack. A second sword, a ghostly blade would follow right after my sword. Basically striking twice. The ghost blade ignored defence, it couldnt be parried or blocked. Resulting in intention based damage. It cost 37 essence. At level 35 he granted me Afterimage. It was a maneuvering skill. Creating after images when i dodged. Sitting in front of the bonefire staring deeply into the inorganic flames lost in thought. I was trying my own hand behind by not spending ability points. I''ve been saving them since childhood. I hope my dream of spending them on a real class didnt kill me My thoughts center on that dreadful fire. Calling on that was a last resort. Just thinking about it too hard made me anxious. My monster abilities had command over fire. I figured if i could stop that beast. A lesser flame should be easier to tame. Reaching out my hand i beseched the flames. I willed them to come forth. I called them my bitch. I sat my had in the flames and i wasnt burned...nor could i make them dance topless for me either. So i tried something different. I never had much essence, different from lifeforce, essence was a byproduct of life. Those who knew how could grasp it to do magnificent, dare i say terrifying things. I wasnt one of them. I tried to figure where it stemed from. Figuring it had to come from me. I looked within. Trying to see inside my own body was difficult. Sitting in a meditative pose breathing slowly, lost in the slow steady thumping of my heart beat. I ignored susceptiblethe part of my mind screaming i was a fool. I knew this had to work somehow. I scan through my body head to foot searching for anything that felt out of the ordinary it took a while before i felt it, rearing throughout whole body a crisp energy flooded me, i felt topped off. I unsheathed my sword and executed phantom strike! I was shocked to find the essence flowed from my gut and not the stream whiched i had tapped into. Instead of focusing on where i found essense origined. I tried to trace the stream. I followed it to my chest. Opposed in direction to my heart a second energetic one seemed to regulate that energy. Stabilizing the flow. Acting on instinct i dragged a line of that energy pushing it through my shoulder and down my left arm into my open fist. A yellow orb floated above my palm. I channeled the flame to me. This time there was a reaction. A piece of the fire tore off from the bonfire. Gravitating towards my hand. It circled as if unsure. It rotated a few times before sinking into the orb of energy seamlessly. The reaction was instant. The orb turned cherry red before bursting into a small deluge of Ignus. I only felt a nice sense of warmth. Instead of letting it rage until it burnt out. I crushed it in my fist. What remained was a fistful of red energy i sucked back through my arm and into my bio-capacitor. At first i felt bloated. Like i would puke the energy up, forcible ejecting it somehow.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The capacitor stutter a little-then seemed to work fine with the added difference of the energy flowing outward now took on a red hue. I had success, which was hard to believe. Now i just had to figure out what i was doing. Grand Fire mastery unlocked! Apparently i was on the right track. breathe coming deep, mind clear of obstructions or bullshit. I felt for that hot spark circulating through me I willed it in my hands, asking for intensity, strength, I needa fire deadly enough to ensure i would live. I need a fire that will eat away at any deterrent, that would shatter anything foolish enough to nay say me! I unleased what i had gathered, A beam of scorching heat flew from betwixt my fingers. NEW SPELL CREATED! Heatray! Lvl.1 I was juiced. My first spell. I had all this essense for what!? With basically no outlet. Instead of struggling i would win on my terms. I was eager to test out my new stregth, Gottfried gathered fruit for me. So i wouldn''t have to climb no trees. I drunk my fill of the delicious lake water. It taste like necture, capable of restoring a little essence. I curled up next to the bonfire and closed my eyes. Although i swore i wasnt tired, it took me fast. +++++++++++++++ The corridors of shadows was living up to its name. Alcoves lined the walls. Sometimes nothing more than empty depression in the wall, other times containing monsters or treasures, mostly loose coin, i also found a dagger. I was waiting on a big find. Every so often we passed doors , doors i was to afraid to open half the time. Gottfried begged me often to just stick his head in a few. But i refused, paranoid beyond belief. It was my ass on the line not his. In the back of my mind riches beyond belief goaded me into action. I ignore the impetuous. I chose our path at random often times figuring one direction was as good as another. The corridors intersected with one another. Ive taken to burning large patches of the glowing green shit to mark my way so i wouldnt get lost. The wraths must have infared vision. They were impossible for "me" to sneak up on. Gottfried had no problem. A large group of them hissed and screeched rushing me with wild abandon. I cupped my hand as if in supplication. Taking a deep breath. I focused. It wasnt as difficult to center myself. Essence lined with a thin sheet of crimson Bio-energy swirled into my hand as fast as thought. A beam of heat was formed. It shot forth bursting into the chest of one. It didnt die outright but it wad knocked down, unmoving. I formed and shot another paying close attention to the fuel of my flames, this one i tried to aim better. it was almost ineffective, eating through the peripheral of the shadowy skull and some of its eye. I was more mostly sure that was a kill. I didnt have enough time to summon another Heatray. They were on me, luckily Gottfried gained a few new skills of his own. A short range teleport skill, shield bash, a stronger copy of the Sword-techique we shared. He used those skills to our advantage. Appearing in the midst of the shadow people right as they were to collide with me. Instantly using shield bash to bowl two over, he cruelly triggered Phantasmal strike making one head roll, before he turned and curved stumped the other. Shadowy substances plat the ground. I threaded through his carnage. I swept my sword forward in an over head cut as soon as the shadow set up to disembowel me. I adjusted my grip stepped forward, turning the slight of blade into a thrust. Simultaneously activating I felt both strikes pierce cleanly through. Trying to be cool, i dramatically ran at the last shadowman. Contorting at the last second to add some torque before i pounced blade first, like spinning like a corkscrew Toward its unprepared kneck, culminating in me taking its head. But falling flat afterward, to the unconcealed laughter of Gottfried. I looked to towards the source of the heckles. Only to see him poking the skulls of my spell recipients. Green streams of light flowed into me and Gottfried. It felt tingly. Once i asked my ghost what he thought this was. He told me outright monsters didnt level through experience. They level through killing of other monsters claiming dominance, eating adventurers (bleh) and age. The bodies disappeared as they gave all they had to offer. Leaving behind the loot. I panted on the ground for a second. Id come along way in a short time. I know alot of it was thanks to the empowered states i was constantly experiencing. I was about even footing with shadowpeople now. Raid dungeons were dangerous because a monsters level was deceptive here. They were basically twice as powerful. A regular level 10 bunny was a meal. A level ten bunny in a raid dungeon was something a level 15 Adventurer might need a partner for. The stats were uneven. great actual skill, not what was on the status screen was needed to preserve your life in battle. I practiced swordplay on first breath. I was well beyond what my skill on paper would suggest. I stared into the crystalized dark blade lost in thought. Highten state triggered: Greater sword awareness granted! Still lost in thought i became entranced instantly My sword became center focus my body felt like its extension. In great slowness i delivered a strike. I tried three maybe four times. Making small adjustments to my stance and the way i held my blade. On the final attempt one slash turn into two lead into three and completed onto the fourth strike. Highten state ceased: lesser sword awareness retained. Skill sword onslought Developed! That was incrediple. I jumped for joy and almost flopped like a fish out of water on the ground. Mouth open and all. Every muscle in my body ached like molten lava. I screamed. It felt like hours of practice squeezed into maybe ten minutes. I need a break. 1666