《The One Born from Stars》 Chapter 1 A lone soldier laid in the cold grasp of the mud with his vision all a blur. The muffled screams of those around him only leading to the faint realisation of what had happened. He gradually patted his chest as the vague sensation of pain coursed through his body. There was a gaping hole of crimson blood that leaked out like a broken faucet from the right side of his chest. He sneered at the sensation as he felt someone grab onto his body. Their knelt figure barely visible by his side through his glossy eyes. ¡°Y-you¡¯ll make it! Just hold on! Just a few more seconds and the healer will be here!¡±, the hoarse and rugged voice made him smile as he grasped for his hand. He didn¡¯t want to die alone, not now. He had so much to live for. He tried to speak to him but his words came off as bloodied cries. The crimson liquid drowned him as he struggled to breath. The only thing similar to words being his unspoken thoughts. ¡®I¡¯ll meet you later¡­ my friend¡­¡¯, the last sight of his friend¡¯s pained expression imprinting itself into his mind. His vision faded away as memories flashed forth. Memories of regret, of pain and suffering- of death. Names with faces to match came through one side and out the other. The muffled laughter of friends long gone left him in tears as they too began to fade. He gave a smile of joy as he eventually lost feeling in his body- his grip on reality. ¡®Finally,¡¯ he thought, ¡®I can relax after so long¡­¡¯. But before he could be laid to rest, be it fate or destiny, he saw it. A faint glimpse of the power that he and his race had waged war for. The answer to the people¡¯s problems. The end to the constant violence and pain. The Cobalt Star. He reached out, intent on grasping onto it, but as quickly as he reached out it faded from sight. Leaving him to once more fade into this endless abyss. It was the last thing he thought he was going to see before being sent to whatever realm it be. Heaven or hell. But in spite of his expectations he instead saw something¡­ different. It was a crimson coloured star. Much like that of the cobalt star. It was beautiful. He once more reached out as it drew closer. His hand faintly touching upon it as it began to ripple. What was once crimson red became a vibrant violet which covered him. The violet soon after dominated by the darkened space that shrouded him. Time flew by as he stood mindlessly and still. It was the end he thought. But in contrast to his expectations, it wasn¡¯t. ***** As he came to, all he saw was the dark and sullen appearance of a cave. Stalactites towered above him as a cold drop of water splashed upon his face. Waking him from his initial shock. Still effectively stunned, he wiped his face whilst his knees were dug into the cold dirt floor. ''Where am I? What happened? Is this¡­ a dungeon? Aren¡¯t I supposed to be dead¡­ at the frontlines of the great war...?'' He stood up as he began to study the surrounding environment. The walls were made of rugged rocks that had lumps of red mana crystals protruding outwards. Tunnels were spread everywhere as mice ran in and out of the many tiny cave systems. The sound of faint groans and screeching echoed throughout the dark tunnels as it greeted his ears. Looking once more his vision came back towards the red mana crystals. Interested, his hand reached out intent on touching the faint crimson jewel. But before he could, he reeled his hand back in disarray. Confused and perplexed at what he saw. ''What is this? What happened to my arm?!'' He paused as he began to study his right hand. It was a dark blue that went all the way up his arm. Afterwards he looked to his left to be met with something similar, the only difference being it¡¯s crimson colour. What came to mind was the colour of the stars that appeared during his stay in that abyss. The purified calm sea of mana which was the Cobalt Star and the unpurified raging flames of mana which was the Crimson Star. And once again he thought, ¡®What am I..?¡¯. Human like hands painted in a glossy dark red and blue greeted him back as he looked them over once more. Then an idea came to mind. Why hadn¡¯t he thought of that before? Status! Within his mind a small screen appeared as information flooded into his head. His physical and mental strengths became numbers as the familiar sensation flooded his senses. Name: Luther StarrThis tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Race: ??? Titles: The One Born from the Stars Class: Unassigned Attributes Strength 10 (+1) Agility 10 (+1) Intelligence 10 (+1) Skills None Shop Unspent Mana: 0 What happened to my stats? My race? My skills?! And this title¡­ does it actually mean those stars had something to do with it? He thought of the title as it explained the effects, but unbelievably, it had no description about what it was. Title: The One Born From Stars Description: ??? Effect: 10% increase to all attributes. ''Ten percent?! That isn¡¯t much right now¡­ but later on¡­ damn... But this description, it still doesn¡¯t give me any clues as to what I am, does it?'' Luther sighed as the status was wiped from his mind, disappearing into the depths of his being. Instead he focused on what he needed to do. He had to gather some mana so he may invest into some new attributes and the growth of those he owned. Maybe then he could perhaps invest into skills from the shop. With a newfound goal, he began to stride throughout the barren and dimly lit space. Be it lucky or not, Luther had managed to stumble upon a faint light that only grew greater and greater in intensity. It made him curious as he kept his back to the walls, steadily walking towards it as he reminded himself that he could meet any dangers at any second. As he came closer to the source of light, there stood multiple figures huddled around it¡¯s warm grasp. ''Well shit, this doesn¡¯t look great for me¡­.'' What stood in the orange light was a group of orcs and goblins. They roared and laughed as they chewed on what little meat they had gathered from today¡¯s hunt. ''Perhaps I could get the Goblins, but those Orcs will be a pain in the ass¡­ One wrong move and I could be killed again...'' Luther observed from afar as he thought of what to do. One thing was to wait for them while they slept and then take them out. Or he could use something small and light, like the rocks littering the floor to create a brief distraction to send some of the orcs away. Relying on his combat experience to deal with the few goblins before dashing away. He went over the two plans before deciding to play it safely for now. The high risk wasn¡¯t going to give him any high rewards if he was dead. So instead time flew by as he waited for them to sleep. And during that time, he began to think. ''Wait, what if it isn¡¯t night here since the dungeon is practically a cave and all¡­.'' Dwelling on the thought Luther decided that it might as well be best to stick to the plan for now, well, at least a few more minutes in case he was onto something. And it was lucky that he did. One by one they fell asleep, but unluckily they had left one Orc to stand guard as it patrolled the area. He quickly readjusted his plan as he reached for a small rock. He threw it opposite of where he knelt near the Orcs direction. The sound of it cracking against the floor made the Orc instinctually raise it¡¯s warhammer as it began to investigate as to what the sound was. Leaving little to no time between the Orc leaving and arriving, Luther quietly ran into place. He knelt along a Goblin¡¯s side as he observed the group once more, returning his vision to the Goblin and it¡¯s blade. As fast as he could he placed his left hand over it¡¯s mouth and reached for the rusty dagger sheathed along it¡¯s loincloth. It woke up with a sudden jolt as it tried to understand what was happening. But before it could, the cold metallic sensation of a blade slashing at it¡¯s neck incited a scream of pure agony. Muffled by the blood and Luther¡¯s hand, it began to violently struggle. Luther endured the sparks of pain from it¡¯s outburst as he finished the job. The active signs of life in its eyes slowly dying down to become lifeless ornaments. Looking up he found that there were around four more Goblins left. He quickly disposed of three of those four Goblins before reaching the fourth. Lifting his blade he was somewhat happy to finally finish this and leave. But as he was close to gaining what little mana he could, he heard a roar enter his ears. He looked up to be met with the enraged eyes of an Orc with a warhammer in hand. He scrambled to his feet as he swore, leaping away from sight and the Orc following his trail. The sound of the group waking from their slumber only fueled his desire to escape as he powered through. Minutes passed as he went through various tunnels and past multiple monsters. Hoping to finally lose track of the large Orc. And after many tries he had finally done it. ''Haaaa, haaaaa¡­ That Orcs stamina¡­ luckily it wasn¡¯t as fast¡­ But for now...'' Luther panted as he looked for somewhere to rest, finally finding himself laid against the wall. He whinged a little as he looked to his forearms adorned with scratches. He sighed before summoning his status. Name: Luther Starr Race: ??? Titles: The One Born from the Stars Class: Unassigned Attributes Strength 10 (+1) Agility 10 (+1) Intelligence 10 (+1) Skills None Shop Unspent Mana: 30 Luther gave a wry smile before looking in the shop. In the shop he could purchase new attributes, increase owned attributes, or buy skills. It was something very familiar to him in his past life and something he could always rely on. He scrolled through as he looked at the various attributes and skills. It cost a minimum of a hundred mana to buy new attributes while skills were placed at a minimum of five hundred. He sighed before he looked towards increasing his owned attributes. Using ten mana to add a point of agility and another twenty to increase it once more. Leaving him with a total of 13 agility and no mana. Luther sighed as he dispersed the status from view. The hardships of starting from the bottom of the food chain and working his way up reminded him of past memories before the war. Where he had went to school with his friends and enjoyed the innocence of youth. Back then, he would¡¯ve never thought he would¡¯ve actually killed someone. Hell, he never thought he would ever hurt anyone! Luther looked to his palms as he saw the pulsating veins and glossy skin. But now¡­ now he was not so sure¡­ Perhaps, he was just as he was now¡­ his true self... a monster¡­. He grasped at the sides of his head as he tried to recollect himself. ¡®I can¡¯t stop here¡­ I need to keep on moving forward¡­ not backwards¡­¡¯, Luther repeated this once more as he looked back up with a greater resolve. He wanted to know what happened to his old life and those he cared for. He wanted to know what he was and how he was alive¡­ but only with great strength could you accomplish such great goals¡­. And he would strive towards this goal with what little life he was given. He would live a life where he alone decided his own fate. Chapter 2 Luther hid in the shadows as he stalked a pair of Goblins that fought a Frost Spider. It stood at twice the size of a normal Goblin with matted frosten hairs on its body. He observed as they circled the Spider slowly and carefully. The Spider looked back and forth before deciding to charge one of the Goblins. Whilst this happened however, the other Goblin pierced the spiders abdomen. It released a shrill shriek as it continued towards the second Goblin. Piercing it¡¯s fangs into the Goblin¡¯s torso. ¡®Perfect¡¯ Luther rushed out from the shadows as he leaped onto the large spider¡¯s abdomen. Holding onto it as he gripped onto the little hairs that protruded from it¡¯s back. He hammered down his dagger into the back of it¡¯s head repeatedly as black blood oozed out. It thrashed around as Luther lost his grip on the spider. Falling down as he lost his dagger in the struggle. He tumbled to the ground as he landed into a heap. Lifting himself up as he searched for a weapon. To the left of the spider was the Goblin writhing on the ground as poison coursed through its body. It¡¯s veins were violet as they pulsed immensely. Luther stumbled to a run as he slid past the Spider and first Goblin. Reaching the second Goblin¡¯s body as he grasped onto the dagger. He smoothly pivoted on his foot as he thrusted it into its eye. Twisting the dagger as it¡¯s body came to a sudden stop. Releasing all tension in it¡¯s muscles. Luther quickly tugged the dagger forth as he returned his vision to the Spider and first Goblin. They were probing each other as the Goblin managed to dodge what little strikes it could. It was hard however as it had been wounded on it¡¯s leg where a clean cut was evident. Luther caught his breath as he burst into a sprint. With the spider¡¯s back turned he slashed at its rear legs. Slicing off two from it¡¯s right side. It collapsed to the ground as it shrieked once more. Luther followed up by leaping once more onto it¡¯s back. Piercing at it¡¯s hide as it proceeded to struggle. It¡¯s efforts began to die down as it lost what little life it had to Luther¡¯s blade. He dropped his attention from the Spider to find the last Goblin as it proceeded to crawl for it''s life. He dropped from the spider as the sound of his footsteps grew louder and louder for the Goblin. It screamed and cried as it called for something to help it, something to save it. But reality wasn¡¯t as kind to reply with help and first aid. But more with a dagger to the temple as the Goblin collapsed to the ground. Luther wiped the sweat from his brow as he backed away towards the company of the shadows. Panting strenuously as he rested himself against the cold murky walls. His status appeared before him as he increased his attributes. Name: Luther StarrThe narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Race: ??? Titles: The One Born from the Stars Class: Unassigned Attributes Strength 12 (+1.2) Agility 14 (+1.4) Intelligence 10 (+1) Constitution 14 (+1.4) Skills None Shop Unspent Mana: 10 ¡®A little slow¡­ isn¡¯t it?¡¯ Luther dispersed the status from sight as he dwelled on his performance the past few days. It was hard trying to accustom himself to this weakened body. It just didn¡¯t feel right when he tried to move, it felt as if it wasn¡¯t his own body. He winced as he remembered how he fought the Spider and Goblins. ¡®Well, nothing comes without hard work¡­¡¯, he took a deep breath as he stood back up and returned to the corpses. In this dungeon, there was no source of food to find, well, except for the monsters that was. And it wasn¡¯t exactly a pretty sight nor a great taste for Luther. Even through his time as a war veteran, he couldn¡¯t get used to the idea of actually eating a Goblin. But without food he feared the worst would happen to him in this dungeon. So he suppressed his disgust as he took back the corpse to a small encampment where he would cook the meat. Luckily, he had found a place concealed behind vegetation and jagged rocks. But as Luther walked through the shadows of the dungeon on his way to the camp. He realised that he needed something that could allow him to recover more effectively in this barren dungeon. Perhaps a skill that allowed him to recover from any poisons or fatal wounds. But if he did that, then he would be assigned a class¡­. So he determined that he would get the Vitality stat that would allow him to recover, although slowly for now. Maybe later he could get something more effective in case of real dangers, and an effective class to suit his style. He felt more familiar with agility based classes. But since he was here in a dungeon, he was not so sure it was the right choice due to it being so cramped. Well, he''d leave it for another time, he had more important matters. For now, he had found many monsters within the dungeon. Goblins which gave him around 10 mana and Frost Spiders which gave 30. Kobolds, being another of the many races in the dungeon also gave him a decent amount of 40. And Orcs from memory gave him around 60 mana. It was a long road ahead of him he thought, but it was the only road he could take. But as Luther kept on going further along this road, something just felt.... Off. He didn¡¯t know what, but as he looked deeper and deeper into the dungeon, the familiar monsters, the mana crystals that protruded from the walls¡­. They just seemed off. Well, it was just a feeling, it should be fine he thought. As he arrived at the encampment he picked up a piece of Goblin meat roasted but a few hours ago. He bore his blackened teeth deep into the roasted meat as he shredded it too pieces. Indulging in the vastly different food in comparison to those in his past life. ¡®After this¡­ I should just get straight back to hunting¡­ I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll do any good staying here for any longer¡­¡¯ Luther wiped his mouth with his forearms as he looked towards a small heap of weapons collected from the vast amount of Goblins he had killed. His glossy dark blue and red skin vaguely mirrored along the dew drops that dropped from the stalactites above. ¡®Let¡¯s get to work.¡¯ Chapter 3 Luther scrambled to his feet with a burst of adrenaline as his muscles screamed for rest. A waraxe cleaved towards him as an Orc roared with pure rage. His ears rung as he returned his vision to the Orc through the dust that blurred his vision. It was a battle of endurance as both parties waited for the other to display a hint of hesitation. ¡®Shit.... This has been going for too long¡­ Fuck¡­¡¯ Luther distanced himself from the monster as he took time to catch his breath. Even with his Vitality attribute, it was going to be hard for him against this monstrous behemoth. It was about 3 metres tall as it proceeded to continue with a deadly barrage of attacks. It¡¯s long reach and great strength allowing it to just barely miss Luther by the thin of a hair. He dodged back and forth with great focus as he seemed to dance between the strikes of the Orc. It¡¯s undying rage prominent unlike the strands of life his brethren now held. Luther had slaughtered two Orcs by himself before the battle. However he was too slow as a small party of 4 Orcs spotted him afterwards. He had dashed away as he dealt with the Orcs through dirty methods. He threw them into oncoming monsters as they fought, stealing the kill as they continued on this treacherous path until there was but one left. Luther unbelievably was cornered as he stood backed against a wall, fending for the life he held so dearly. ¡®What to do¡­ What to d-¡¯ Luther watched the Orc as it cleaved it¡¯s axe back and forth. Missing him by the thin of a hair, but he had noticed something the Orc hadn¡¯t. A stalactite that towered above him just a metre away. His mouth curved into a slight crescent as he proceeded to move past the Orc¡¯s reach into his personal space. Causing the Orc to back away as it back stepped war axe in hand. It raised it in an attempt of blowing Luther out of the midst of this world. However, as Luther had planned, it smashed into the stalactite as it split it away from the ceiling. Piercing itself into the depths of the Orc¡¯s shoulder. The stalactite however didn¡¯t leave Luther unharmed as a fragment sped towards him. He realised his mistake as he tried to dodge the stalactite, but was moment¡¯s too late as it shredded through the muscle of his left arm. It left him with a great tear through part of his bicep as strands of muscle barely held the joints together. He released a slight scream as he endured the pain through gritted teeth.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡®Well great fuckin¡¯ job! FUCK!¡¯ Luther distanced himself once more as he calmed himself for battle. Mistakes happened, and he wouldn¡¯t let this one end him. He lunged towards the Orc as he slashed with a greater ignited rage. Ripping through it¡¯s forearm with the dagger in his free hand as it blocked the blow. Luther followed through with a quick kick to the back of the Orc¡¯s calf. It fell to the ground knees first as it grunted in dismay, it roared as it tried to lift itself, but this was the final move. Luther¡¯s blade surfed through the air as if water as it came into contact with the cranium of the Orc¡¯s head. It pierced through as blood and viscera bursted out with a quick pull and twist from the dagger. The Orc collapsed to the ground as Luther followed, holding his chest with his free hand as he rested on the ground. Perhaps due to the blood loss or sight, his face began to pale as he looked back to his left hand. It hang together by a few various strands of flesh and muscle. Violet like blood poured out as if a slow fountain as it slid along his glossy skin. He swore internally as he opened the shop in search for some aid. If he lost his arm, he would die within a matter of days. Either by a monster, an infection, or the inevitable blood loss, he didn¡¯t have many options. ¡®Fuck man¡­. Fuck- Come on, not yet, not yet!¡¯ He scrolled through with great fervor as he searched for a type of skill that allowed him to heal himself. He had around 540 mana from the troubles he had gone through. Anything would help, he didn¡¯t care if he got a shit class. He just wanted a way to survive, to live in this barren cave thriving with monsters! He just needed something¡­ Skill: Lesser Healing (active) Description: Heals minor wounds. Mana required for use:65 Mana required for purchase: 500 Requirements: 13 Intelligence ¡®Shit! Nevermind Luther, it¡¯ll work out, come on come on!¡¯ He bought two points of intelligence as he purchased the skill. He was bathed in a radiant golden light as he moved his palm aimed towards his left arm. ¡®Heal! Heal! Heal! Please!¡¯ Light flashed forth numerously as it bathed his arm. It spread across as muscle began to barely form between the empty space. Luther managed to cast it 2 times before his vision began to fade. Strength left him as he began to lose feeling once more from his body. He cried out before he entered the dark abyss. Dropped into its cold and lifeless grasp. He didn¡¯t want to die again he thought. He wanted to live a life with no regrets, with a purpose and will of his own. He didn¡¯t want to die, but he wasn¡¯t sure if he was going to make it out of this ordeal as a whole either. He whispered a name silently beneath the muffled sound of his breathing as he fell deep into this sleep. He reminisced over times similar to this as he found one person he could always look to. Someone he could believe in and trust. ¡°Damon¡­¡± Chapter 4 ¡°Hahahaha! Bet you can¡¯t find me Luther! Try your best!¡±, shouted a high pitched voice throughout the crowded streets. Pedestrians observed from the side as the children rushed by. They unconsciously released smiles at the cute sight before they strode on. ¡°Just you wait! 10, 9, 8¡­¡±, a small child around 100 centimetres tall with short ragged black hair counted enthusiastically as he closed his eyes by the side of the road. He had a slim figure and behind those cupped hands two shining blue eyes that shouted out pure joy. ¡°3, 2, 1! Be ready or not, here I come Damon!¡±, Luther sprinted as his small frame supported him in his search. He passed streets abundant with markets that sold anything that ranged from fish of the outer parts of Asteria and bread specially cultivated from the farmers of the town. He looked back and forth in a hurried mess as he tried to find Damon. Gradually coming to a halt as he found another friend of his, Mason. He was older than Luther by two or three years, but had a nice and caring personality. ¡°Hey Mason! Have you seen where Damon went?¡± ¡°Playing hide and seek again are you Luther?¡± ¡°Mmmhhhhhmmmmmm.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this cheating¡­?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m just being smart!¡± Mason sighed, he was rather mature for his age, but he still found joy in the little games that kids played. ¡°I think he went¡­ that way. Near his dad¡¯s where he makes equipment for the adventurers. Want me to come with you?¡± ¡°Yes! Let¡¯s go!¡± They sped off as dust was left in their tracks. Damon¡¯s dad was the town¡¯s blacksmith and usually stayed hidden within his workshop. This however never diminished his reputation for being a great man who earned the respect of the town. Because of him, many people frequented the town to maintain their weapons or buy new ones. And following his steps, Damon believed to become a great blacksmith himself. Luther¡¯s dad however was a farmer who also frequented the blacksmith to acquire equipment. This lead to Luther meeting Damon, where they created the first part of an everlasting friendship, or so they believed.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. As Luther came to a halt, before him stood a massive black stoned building around 3 metres tall. Smoke emptied into the skies as it left through the chimney. Farewelled by the sound of hammers beating against metal in a metallic rhythm. ¡®Where is he¡­. Where is he¡­.¡¯, Luther studied the outskirts of the blacksmithery as he searched for Damon. ¡®Is he cheating¡­? Could he b-¡¯ Luther¡¯s thoughts were cut off as screams split the serene comfort of peace that the town held. They echoed forth from the west side as raging flames burst into action. Lighting the streets with despair and fear. It ignited the mass of people to run as adventurers and guards willing to fight ran to the frontlines and those driven by fear ran away. ¡°Wh-what?¡±, Luther stood confused and awe struck as he listened to the pained and deathly wails of the town. Orcs, Kobolds, and Goblins had entered the streets. Releasing their long suppressed thirst for blood as people fell to their bombardment of knives and clubs. Ending their long but fragile lives. It all happened so suddenly, Luther was in distraught as he watched what could only be called traumatising for a child his age. Blood, gore, death, it was pure carnage. Mason stood nearby Luther as his mind raced with thoughts. But one thought in particular drove him to move, the fear of death. He dashed away as he left Luther to fend for himself, he was just going to slow him down he thought. Better alive than dead! But if it were karma or fate, he tripped as the crowd of people trampled over him. Monsters soon began to converge towards his way as he screamed and shouted. Only ending by the quick and sudden incision to his jugular. **** Luther had already taken in enough of the site as he steadily backed away, realising that Mason was nowhere to be seen. Tears slid from the rims of his eyes as his slow pace picked up into a sprint. He raced for the blacksmithery as he circled towards the other side. Finding a small hole present in its structure. He climbed within as he entered the dark and empty space beneath the blacksmithery. Fear coursing throughout his very being as tears streamed down his face along with his constant whimpers. ¡®Wh-what¡¯s happening.... Where¡¯s mom, dad¡­..¡¯ But as Luther sat there in the darkness, he felt a slight warmth behind him inciting him to turn. There he saw Damon, cowering in fear as he himself jumped back in fright. ¡°D-Damon¡­¡± He released a small sigh as he shuffled back into place. Unlike Luther, Damon seemed more composed as he stayed silent and focused. ¡°W-what¡¯s happening?¡±, Damon asked, he likely knew what it was, but he just wished, if only slightly, for it to not be true. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I think, m-monsters are here¡­¡± Damon looked up from the ground to Luther as he settled his eyes back into place. ¡°W-what about our parents? What about them¡­?¡± Luther stayed silent as he dwelled on the thought. His fear of death slowly converted into a pain of loss as tears streamed forth once more. He began to whimper as he brought his knees closed to him. ¡°Wh-why¡­ why did this have to happen¡­¡±, he mumbled between his muffled cries. Damon shuffled next to him as he placed his arm around Luther. His green eyes and distraught face comforting him as he too dealt with the pain. ¡°It¡¯ll be alright¡­ it¡¯ll be alright¡­.¡± They sat there, distraught and driven by fear in the company of the darkness and themselves. Waiting for the pain and suffering to end, and as they finally went outside, a sight heartbreaking met them. One they would never forget. One that would forever engrave itself into their numb and fragile minds. Chapter 5 As Luther came back from the brink of consciousness, he reached for the side of his head with his right arm. Stroking his temple as he tried to sooth the numbing pain in his head. He sat up as he tried to move his arms. Dismayed at how his left arm laid motionless by his side. He looked to the ground as he swore. Bashing his right arm into the ground as it caved to his will. ¡®This is fucking bad¡­¡¯ Luther sat there as he took in the fact that he likely lost his left arm as it laid immobile. He stood up minutes later as he supported himself with his only good arm. Grimacing as he looked at the Orc¡¯s body beneath him. Even after death, Luther glared at it with malice as he continued to move towards his small encampment. Upon arrival, he sat down on the ground near a small campfire made of the few sticks and vines found on the caves walls. Summoning his status as he prepared himself for what he feared to be the worst. Name: Luther Starr Race: ??? Titles: The One Born from the Stars Class: Healer Purified Mana: 132/132 Unpurified Mana: 132/132 Mana Regen. Rate: 1 per minute Attributes Strength 12 (+1.2) Agility 16 (+1.6) Intelligence 12 (+1.2) Constitution 14 (+1.4) Vitality 11 (+1.1) Skills Lesser Healing (Active) Shop Unspent Mana: 10 ¡®A healer¡­. Well, fuck I guess¡­¡¯ Luther looked over his status as he tried to think on how he could fix this predicament he had gotten into. But nothing came to mind. A class defined someone¡¯s combat style, and a healer was not exactly a class related to combat. Something that Luther specialised in. He originally planned to become a ¡®Thief¡¯ and take advantage of it¡¯s skills and bonuses. Later evolving his class to become a ¡®Speed Demon¡¯, one of the highly regarded classes of Asteria. But as of now, it looked like that was not going to be possible. ¡®What am I supposed to do with this? Well, I guess I could try to make it work¡­¡¯ Luther clicked the class as a screen appeared before him. It asked him to choose a passive and active skill within the set price of 500 mana. He scrolled through the various choices as he went deep into detail regarding each choice.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Skill: Lesser Healer¡¯s Aura (passive) Description: After using heal on oneself or another. The person healed will be given a %5 increase in attributes. Mana required for use: 0 Mana required for purchase: 500 Requirements: 12 Intelligence Skill: Lesser Divine Health (active) Description: Gives oneself or another an increase of +5 to constitution and vitality for 3 minutes. Mana required for use: 40 Mana required for purchase: 500 Requirements: 13 Intelligence Luther purchased the two skills as he looked over his status screen again. ¡®Wait, what the fuck is this?¡¯ He glossed over the two values ¡®Purified Mana¡¯ and Unpurified Mana¡¯ as he tried to understand as to why he had two pools of mana. Well, he would look into it later he thought. Instead he would focus on his build. First he thought of becoming an agility based build. But then he thought about his class in more depth. What about one that complemented his ability to restore his health and buff himself? What if he went for a build based around constitution, intelligence, wisdom, strength, and vitality. He could be a living fortress he thought. But he wasn¡¯t really used to their slow and long battles. Well nevermind, he would make do. Luther now needed to think about what to prioritise. Either regeneration or the pure increase in strength, constitution, or his mana pool. He stretched as he went over the thought. Glancing over more his left arm. He dismissed his thoughts as he casted heal, futilely completing nothing. Luther sighed as he moved towards a small rockpool near the corner of the encampment. He washed the darkened blood from his body as he observed the ripples in the water. Mirroring him was a large bipedal monster. It¡¯s veins pumped underneath it¡¯s crimson and dark blue glossy skin. It had defined muscles and broad shoulders. Two horns protruded from it¡¯s head as it looked through Luther with it¡¯s two narrow blue eyes. A slightly sunken jaw and deathly gaze accompanying it. Luther looked back to his cleansed arm as he stood up. Observing it from several angles. ¡®I¡¯m not a monster¡­ I am me¡­ I am Luther...¡¯ He grasped a dagger from the small pile nearby as he prepared himself for hunting. He couldn¡¯t waste his time needlessly with a broken arm. He needed to become something that monsters would fear and be terrorised from. He needed to be able to thrive where others would likely fail. He moved the vines from his path as he looked deep into the cave. Returning his vision back to his frail arm. ¡®I can do this¡­¡¯ He took his first steps into the dim lit cavern as the sounds of Goblins roaring with laughter echoed throughout the halls. Inviting him to their location as he distanced himself from the Goblins among the shadows. The abrupt halt of their laughter marked the night of the Dungeon¡¯s inevitable slaughter. **** ¡°What?! What do you mean there is an overload of unpurified mana? How¡¯s that supposed to be possible?¡±, an aged man worn by time shouted. His face expressed confusion and fear as he motioned for the knight before him to reply. ¡°Oh great king, Dungeons, sources of unpurified mana usually convert that mana into a more stable source. Purified mana, but due to something unforeseen, the balance between purified and unpurified mana has been broken. Monsters have been sighted appearing from thin air more than usual. Dungeons have begun to grow or release the monsters within. I believe we are at the brink of this world¡¯s destruction.¡± ¡°Oh dear god¡­. And the good news?¡± ¡°Purified Mana has entered a more condensed form, resulting in the people growing stronger. Some rumors have spread that children have had growth in their attributes unparalleled to those seen before at a wild pace. And a rare few have been said to have classes at their young age.¡± The man pondered over this news as he stood up from his throne. Striding to the window as he placed his palm against its surface. ¡°This peaceful land¡­ will soon be ridden with bloodshed and death¡­. Won¡¯t it?¡±, he turned towards the knight as he spoke to him in a serious and calm manner. ¡°Recruit soldiers from the townsfolk and warn the other countries. Although some have prepared for war against us, there may be some use for them and their soldiers even after centuries of conflict¡­ We need to prepare greatly¡­¡±, the king gestured for the knight to leave as he left through the two towering doors of the chamber. It¡¯s rich wood like structure lined along stone like walls as the deep historic paintings that adorned it accompanied the king and his thoughts. He mumbled to himself about the future dangers that he and his kingdom may come across. Fearing that his kingdom was but one of the few that would be lost in this danger. A sigh released itself from his lips as he said one last prayer. Hoping to be guided in the many decisions he would be faced to confront. ¡°May the Cobalt Star light I and my kingdom¡¯s path...¡± Chapter 6 Luther tugged his dagger forth from the Orc¡¯s corpse. His body glistened as sweat escaped from his pores. A week had passed since the loss of his arm, and it¡¯s empty presence ascertained his difficulty to fight. Without it, he felt he needed to work harder to achieve his goals. To carve a place for himself in this godforsaken world. Summoning his status, he looked over his gains this past week, revelling in the hard work and effort put into the countless lives taken to get this far. Name: Luther Starr Race: ??? Titles: The One Born from the Stars Class: Healer Purified Mana: 165/165 Unpurified Mana: 165/165 Mana Regen. Rate: 1.3 per minute Attributes Strength 14 (+1.4) Agility 16 (+1.6) Intelligence 15 (+1.5) Constitution 17 (+1.7) Vitality 11 (+1.1) Wisdom 13 (+1.3) Skills Lesser Healing (active) Lesser Healer¡¯s Aura (passive) Lesser Divine Health (active) Shop Unspent Mana: 150 ¡®Definitely some progress¡­ But the monsters have became rather¡­ weak¡­even with my arm...¡¯ Luther stood from the Orc¡¯s corpse as he walked down the dungeon¡¯s various tunnels. By this time he had grown accustomed to his stay in the dungeon. But at what cost however? He hadn¡¯t interacted with people for a long time, and this placed a toll on Luther¡¯s mind. He believed to be human deep inside, but what about the outside? He wanted to know whether he was truly human. Even now he¡¯d come to doubt himself, believing he was nothing but a monster himself. Killing for self-preservation and growth, but didn¡¯t humanity do that as well? He was confused and irritated as he concluded he should try leaving the dungeon. He needed an escape. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Based on his little investigations, he found himself stuck between the first and second floors. The dungeon¡¯s core was usually housed on the third floor or below whilst the exit was positioned on the first. Luther wandered his way through the many tunnels that twined and turned. Finding himself lost after hours of repetition. Usually adventurers had maps whilst navigating themselves through dungeon¡¯s. But unlike them, Luther didn¡¯t know where he was, not to mention what he was. Luther sighed as he turned to find his way back to camp to rest for the next day. Well, before he heard the sudden and abrupt vibrations that coursed through the dungeon¡¯s walls and floors. ¡®What in the fuc-¡¯ He braced himself as monsters all around howled and roared with bloodlust. They raced down the tunnels in unison as dust lifted into the air. The mana crystals in the walls grew radiant as the monsters decreased the distance between themselves and Luther. He instinctually hid himself within the shadow¡¯s and behind cover of some protruded rocks as he observed from afar. Monsters such as Kobolds, Goblins, Orcs, and much larger monsters came out in waves. But what truly scared Luther was that he finally understood why he felt this dungeon to be so familiar. That he understood where he was and the inevitable bloodbath that would occur. ¡®No no no no no no. This can¡¯t be¡­. This is not real¡­. This is impossible¡­. How!?¡¯ Luther scrambled to his feet as he followed the monsters trail. Keeping hidden from the various creatures as they continued to climb through the levels of the dungeon. Luther trailed behind as he watched the monsters leave the safety of the dungeon. They rushed through the grasslands before them as they trampled and rammed through the obstructions in their way. On those grasslands were farms, crops, and a small town, positioned just a few kilometres from the dungeon. The monsters ran rampant as Luther viewed poor farmers slaughtered in the blink of an eye. Their destination being the town as it was set in their sights. ¡®.... No fuckin¡¯ way¡­. Isn¡¯t this¡­ Mesilla? My home town¡­?¡¯ Great walls housed the small town as guards above took positions along it¡¯s great stone barriers. Horns sounded as screams ensued shortly after, mages and archers piled along the walls as the few knights and adventurers mounted themselves behind the walls. The doors closed as seconds later a bombardment of magic and arrows fell upon the monsters. But it did nothing but dwindle their numbers as they continued to ram into the walls. They caved in the gate to be greeted by the towns screams as they grew in intensity. ¡®But¡­. Wh-what in the hell is this?!¡¯ Luther burst into a sprint as he rushed towards the town. ¡®Am I back in the past? How? Why? Why is this happening?!¡¯ Minutes later he passed through the town¡¯s gate as he saw the carnage and destruction left in the monsters trail. ¡®Wait, Mom and Dad¡­. Couldn¡¯t I save them?! And Damon and his parents¡­ What happened to them?¡¯ At his sudden thoughts, he grew worried as the town plagued by death only increased his fear for the worst. He rushed past the corpses of both monsters and people alike as he continued towards the center of town. Screams continued on as they grew louder for Luther. It fueled his desire for redemption as he grew in speed, hoping, praying he wasn¡¯t late. The center of town greeted him with bodies laid strewn among the pavement. Monsters feasted upon the dead as those who still lived fought back in fear or hope. Around here was the blacksmithery thought Luther, he used whatever fragments of memories buried deep within to navigate his way there. Gradually finding himself before it. He came among the small hole in it as he looked through. He used healing magic to act as a light source as the darkness withdrew. But to his dismay, no one was there. He was confused as he looked more thoroughly. Being met with the same result. Damon was gone. Luther stood back up as he gave the blacksmithery a quick check. He found nothing but a pair of metal short swords left on the shelves. He grabbed them as he equipped them to his sides with the help of a sheath found nearby. ¡®It¡¯s ok¡­ He should be fine¡­ Shouldn¡¯t he? Let¡¯s instead try and find mom and dad¡­..¡¯ As he began to leave, finding himself out the door, before him stood a massive behemoth the size of around four metres. It held a huge club and bulk figure covered in muscle and fat. It had crimson like skin as poorly made armor of rusted iron adorned it¡¯s figure. It emitted a roar that instilled fear into those that heard it as Luther was left speechless and overwhelmed. Before him stood an Ogre. Chapter 7 Luther stood there, petrified by the Ogres bloodlust as it towered over him. It raised it¡¯s club to the air as it raced towards him. Luther barely recollected himself as he dodged the slow yet strong attack, leaving a quake of destruction in its aftermath. He returned his vision to the Ogre as he focused on the battle at hand. If he was going to make it out of this alive, he needed to make use of what little advantages he had. And one of them was his speed. He moved into a sprint as he dodged another blow directed to his figure. The energy of the shock transferred throughout the ground as it caused Luther to stumble. Losing his pace as he began to slow. The Ogre left no time for Luther to regain his composure as he continued with the assault. Sending barrage after barrage of swings towards him, leaving the terrain a jumbled mess. Luther took his time during those strikes to get in quick jabs at the Ogres legs with his good hand as it lifted it¡¯s massive club. Slowly he chipped away at the ankles of the Ogre as it slowly continued. But reality was not kind to allow Luther this easy victory. Flames burst forth from behind Luther as he barely evaded the attack, giving minor burns to his back as he fixed his eyes onto the source. ¡®Kobolds¡­..¡¯ A group of creatures with lustrous silver fur and characteristics similar to a wolf had swords, shields, and staffs in hand. They released silent whimpers as they created a wall between him and the Kobold Mage. ¡®Well shit¡­.¡¯ Luther grasped onto his short sword with a stronger grip as he moved into a more defensive stance. He cast lesser divine health as he felt a burst of vitality abruptly surround him. He ran into a bee-line as he closed in on the Kobolds. ¡®Get rid of the distractions first¡­.¡¯ He moved his center of gravity towards the ground as he pivoted on his foot. Sweeping the feet of three of the four Kobolds with iron weapons to the ground. They looked confused as they tried to gather their footing. But an iron shortsword was soon slashed along one¡¯s neck and plunged into the other. Luther left it pierced into the ground as he fluidly reached for the second shortsword, thrusting it towards the Kobold Mage as it cast a quick fireball. Startled, Luther backed away as he nearly lost his own footing. He swore as he fixed himself, the Kobold Mage once more began to cast as the remaining Kobold began to position itself before the Mage. Luther took his chances as he picked a rock from the floor, using a flick of the wrist to hit the Mage in the head. It stopped preparing it¡¯s chant as it tried to continue. But before it could, to Luther and the Kobolds¡¯ surprise, a massive club smashed into the pavement before them. It came into contact with the Kobold with a shield as it was left splattered amongst the pavement, metres away from Luther.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. He back stepped in surprise as he eyed the two monsters. ¡®The mage¡­.¡¯ He moved once more into a sprint as he neared the mage. It backed away as it held no time to cast any decent sized spells. Instead it used quick casts as spells small but still effectively useful burst forth from it¡¯s hand. They sped towards Luther as he leaned to the side. Missing it by the length of a hair as he thrusted once more with his shortsword towards it¡¯s chest. He needed to aim for a big target in case he missed he thought. And as he had hoped, it came into contact with the Kobold as his sword twisted upon contact. It released a shrill cry before coughing up blood and lying lifeless on his sword. Luther returned his vision to the Ogre as he stared wide eyed. He lost grip of his sword as he leaped for safety as the club left a metre sized quake in it¡¯s trail. ¡®Fuckin¡¯ close¡­.¡¯ He grasped onto a small rusted shortsword held by one of the Kobolds as he lifted himself from the ground. ¡®Now for the big guy¡­.¡¯ Luther released a breath of anticipation as he edged towards the behemoth. Blood trickled down his forehead along his cheek whilst his forearms were covered in violet splotches of blood. He released a pained smile of satisfaction and relief as he began to enter a stride. It roared to him as if acknowledging his will to fight as it charged towards him. Luther cast lesser divine health once more as he too picked up his pace. They soon came upon each other as Luther looked over the Ogre. His view came upon it¡¯s ankles as he released a smirk as he riskily slid beneath the Ogre. With his only hand he thrusted the rusted shortsword deep into the back of the Ogre¡¯s knee. It released a cry of pain as it fell onto the pavement. It struggled to lift its body as it persisted, leaving itself knelt against the pavement as it began to reach for the shortsword. Plucking it from it¡¯s leg as it released a slight groan. In this time, the Ogre had lost sight of Luther as it searched for him. It began to turn its head backwards before a sharp pain erupted from the nape of its neck. It tried to cry out as blood flooded into the back of it¡¯s throat. It gasped for breath as life slowly began to be sucked forth through the blade. And with a quick thrust to the blade, the Ogre fell limp against the sword. Luther released his grip as the Ogre plummeted to the ground. He sighed as he wiped the sweat from his brow. Casting minor heal as the slight cuts on his forearms and chest melded back together as it was shrouded in a yellow light. ¡®Now, le-¡¯ Luther¡¯s thoughts were cut off as the sound of an arrow splitting the air towards him attracted his attention. WIth what little speed he could muster, he brought his forearm forth to block the projectile. But it was futile as it began to glow, he realised his mistake as he leant to the side. And once again, he was too slow as it shredded through his left arm. Separating it from his body in a flash of gore and blood. ¡®FUCKKKKKK!!!¡¯ In rage and agony, he turned to view the source, enduring the pain lessened by the adrenaline that coursed through him. But he was instead astounded and confused as he saw a small group of adventurers and guards eyeing him. ¡°KIll it! Kill the monster!¡± Chapter 8 A group of 17 adventurers and guards fought defiantly against a group of Orcs and Goblins. Their sharp blades pierced through their hides as they fell to their blades. ¡°Sir! Monsters in the town square!¡±, a small youth with a shortsword gripped in hand yelled from afar. He had eyes stricken with fear as he gasped for breath, darkened blood coated his hands as he slashed at the throat of a charging Goblin. ¡°What?!¡±, the leading guardsman shouted back, ¡®How could they have gotten there so fast?!¡¯ ¡°You two and you, let¡¯s move!¡±, he gestured towards a pair of adventurers and guard as he followed the youth¡¯s trail. Monsters obstructed their path as they too fell to their blades. An orchestra produced from the series of deaths and pained screams continued forth as arrows and swords fought back against the horde. ¡°We are nearly there! Just near th-¡±, the young guardsmans words were cut off as his eyes grew dim. ¡°Well?! What is it!¡±, the leader of the guardsman approached the sole guardsman as he too came to a gradual halt. ¡®What is that?¡¯ Before them stood a view of carnage and destruction. Craters caved the floor whilst bodies were splattered in their place in a variety of blood and gore. Buildings were turned to rubble as both the sight of people and monsters laid against the floor greeted them. Before them, a sole person stood atop of an Ogre¡¯s corpse. No- a sole monster. It was bathed in darkened blood and shrouded in a vague yellow light as it went over the destruction and death that plagued the town. It was as if it were inspecting its own piece of art as it seemed to be emerged in the spectacle. Taking in every little detail, taking in every soul that was taken by it¡¯s blade. ¡°Ru-¡±, before the leading guardsman could speak, an arrow supported by wind magic flew in a beeline towards the monster. It reacted without a moment of hesitation before having it¡¯s arm shredded. Becoming but minced meat as it fell to the floor. It released a fit of rage as an inexplicable scream parted from it¡¯s mouth. It turned towards them with what seemed to be eyes of hatred as it stood stunned. It looked them over as it seemed to consider what they were- what they were doing. The battlecries of the group followed through as they charged towards the monster. The leading guardsman being the only one to stand back and watch. He hesitated before deciding to enter the fight. To only have a change of mind instantaneously at the sight that flashed forth.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. The monster was covered once more in a vague light as it bursted into a sprint. The guardsmen who had sword and shield in hand, assumedly a Shieldbearer or Paladin, parried the monster¡¯s blade as it was parried with his shield. The force of the blow pushed him back as arrows flew from behind him. The archer who was a guardsman himself continued to fire as the sole adventurer of the group moved next to the Paladin. His claymore cleaved through the air as it swept towards the monster, slashing it along the chest. It was once again shrouded in a light as it stared daggers into the group. It backed away as it kept it¡¯s distance from the group. Eyeing the two melee users before laying it¡¯s sights on the archer. It dashed towards the two melee users as their weapons closed the distance towards the monster. The leading guardsman became wide eyed as he observed the footwork of the monster. It replicated those of the soldiers in the capital almost perfectly and flawlessly with such attributes. It was vaguely similar, but likely different due to the vast difference in attributes to the royal guardsman. The monster slowed down in speed as it began to pivot on it¡¯s foot, simultaneously sweeping the legs under the two men. It used the body of one of the two to direct itself as it leapt towards the archer. Blood splashed forth as he too joined the result of the monsters deathly dance. ¡®What in the hell?! How? A monster? With that kind of technique and skill?! Impossible!¡¯ The leading guardsman began to back away as it yelled for the other two to run. Not leaving a second of hesitation to run himself as he backed towards the main group. There he knew he would be safe. The pair of abandoned men were confused and somewhat terrified at the look of such a veteran retreating in fear. So they themselves tried to run, but were only met with the monster¡¯s blade. No screams were uttered, no struggle was made. Just a sudden and quick thrust of a sword that erased their fragile lives was made. **** (Luther PoV) Luther swore as his chest rose rapidly and his heart raced with adrenaline and blood. It did not help as blood dripped from his mangled arm. He rushed towards a small clothing store that lined the main streets of Mesilla. It seemed to be fine for the most part in contrast to the death and destruction around him. He smashed the door down as he entered through the front of store, stumbling towards the back. He rummaged through the entirety of clothes and cloth as he came to rest along the interior of the store behind the counter. In his hands he held a leather belt and shirt which he used to cover his mangled arm. Pain stung him constantly as he applied a makeshift bandage on the spot. It came as second thought to him as he cut the circulation to the stump. Tightening the badges with the belt as he remembered all he learnt from his time as a soldier. He groaned as his mind screamed for rest. Shortly after he finished applying the bandages as he casted his healing spells. Waiting patiently for the pain to numb. He was however surprised as a radiant violet light was instead emitted from his palm. ¡®What the¡­¡¯ The pain intensified greatly as his body began to tremble and sweat. He gritted his teeth as he tried to suppress the waves of pain that assaulted him. But it was futile as he screamed for minutes on end. Gradually, with just the bare bits of consciousness left from the ordeal. He slumped back against the counter as his breathing continued in a rapid unorderly pattern. He looked to his arm as he realised the bloodloss had stopped. He considered taking off the bandage too look, but decided it¡¯d be safer to leave it for now. ¡®What in the hell happened¡­¡¯ His mind felt uneasy and weak as he was left bordered between the line of reality and dream. ¡®Wait, could it be¡­.¡¯ He was about to check his status as a high pitched whimper was released from nearby. He raised his head as he looked over the counter towards the source. His eyes met those of a small girl who stood barely metres away behind the cover of some clothes. Her face was ridden with tears and blood as she trembled in fear, petrified by Luther¡¯s stare. Chapter 9 Small high pitched whimpers echoed throughout the war ridden town as Luther glared at the child before him. She was covered in what rags of cloth were left of her clothes as tears instilled through fear ran down her cheeks. Her body trembled as she backed into a corner, frozen into place by Luther as he continued to give her an inquisitive gaze. ¡®Who is she? A daughter of a merchant? I don¡¯t remember her¡­.¡¯ Puzzled, Luther tried to comfort her as he crouched down, calming her as he tried to speak to her. But that only scared the child more as she cried out. She backed farther into the corner as she mumbled beneath her rapid breaths, tears creeping their way down her cheeks. ¡°I-I don¡¯t wa-want to die¡­.. Ple-please don¡¯t kill m-me¡­.. I don- don¡¯t want to d-die¡­. Mo-mom¡­. Dad¡­¡± She proceeded to bury her head between her chest and knees as she huddled against the wall. Luther himself became confused as he tried to speak before he realised once more- he was not human. If he were not human, how could he speak the human language? How could he even interact with them? Much less so, how would they interact with him. They would be like those guards and adventurers, he thought, intent on killing him. And if not as battle hardened, scared. Scared for their lives, scared of the monster he had become. He distanced himself from the child as he tried to think of what to do. Should he leave her he thought? Or should he try and get her to safety before that? He returned his vision to the girl before finally deciding to help her. She reminded Luther of him as a child, alone and terrified by the onslaught that occured around him. It was traumatising, something one shouldn¡¯t go through alone, much less her. But before he could begin to decide on what action to take after, he heard a small group enter the store. A group of Kobolds and Goblins arrived as they rummaged through the store, laying their eyes upon Luther as they began to release battle hardened screams. With no time to waste, Luther swore as he took the child into his embrace, sprinting past clothes and furniture alike as he maneuvered throughout the packed store. The Goblins and Kobolds held mostly knives and a few staffs as they lashed out in surprise at the sudden danger. Spells were cast as tendrils of lightning and fire birthed crimson raging flames that spewed cloudy smoke.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. The store began to become ash whilst the air became ridden with heat as fear began to drive the Goblins back to the entrance of the store. Luther with the girl on his way towards the very same entrance, kicked a stand full of clothing towards the Goblins. Shrouding their vision with the smoke and clothing as they brashly waved their arms. An attempt to rid themselves of the clothes and smoke as their vision was cleared, only to see Luther was gone. The few that could still see him backed away towards the interior of the shop despite the encroaching fire as Luther approached from behind. He used a Goblin Mage as a springboard as he kicked off from it out of the shop. Leaving it to the insatiable crimson flames as it too became the very ash that it created. It writhed in agony and terror as it slammed it¡¯s body against the nearby furniture and objects in a futile attempt of silencing the flames. Instead, it only allowed for the flames to spread as it ate away at the rest of the store and it¡¯s flesh. Luther, satisfied with his work, left the Goblin¡¯s to their fate as he rushed towards his home on his way out of town. He could do no more than that he thought. Not with what little power he had, not with what losses he had taken. Instead it¡¯d be more dangerous to stay, being in the company of both human and monsters. A battle where he stood alone¡­ and he knew what strength there were in allies- in friends he thought. *Girl¡¯s PoV* It¡¯s darkened blue eyes returned to her as she vainly struggled- despite being in its monstrous grasp. She was confused and scared by the large monster as it towered over her. But most notably, hidden behind those emotions, she was both curious and interested. Why wasn¡¯t she dead she thought? Why didn¡¯t it kill her? What was it? She had heard all about these monsters in fairy tales, but had never seen them with her own eyes. They slaughtered and killed mercilessly for no noticeable reason, that¡¯s what she had been taught to believe. This attack only reassured her opinion about the monsters being nothing more than harbingers of death and destruction. But this monstrous- no, almost human like creature that held her in it¡¯s only arm. It felt so natural, so familiar, as if it were someone close to her. Why was that? She tilted her head towards the almost infatuating blue and red face that looked down on her. She inevitably trembled, despite knowing that it was not like the others. But it was hard to change one¡¯s outlook on life- one¡¯s view on others. Abruptly, it came to a halt, throwing the girl back into it¡¯s chest as she gripped onto it¡¯s forearm. ¡®Wha¡­. what?¡¯ Right before her stood a house laid to ruins against the cold hard ground. Bloodstains were laid bare against the concrete as it trickled down into the depths of the ruins. Becoming nothing more than a forgotten memory. It incited a scream of utter despair- fueled by the anguish and sorrow of that moment. Right before her laid her house, and beneath them scattered among these ruins- crimson blood. Chapter 10 ¡®Looks like nothing¡¯s changed¡­¡¯ Luther gazed at the destruction before him, a mountain of memories all now but a mound of concrete and dirt. It wasn¡¯t as bad when he had first saw his home laid to ruins many years ago. But still, it held a deep place in his heart, and it hurt to see it in such a state. It clawed at the depths of his being once more, making it once more apparent of the loss that he had taken this day; his home, friends, town- family. He subtly lowered his gaze to the bloodstains that were painted among the concrete in a darkened crimson colour. It had minor points where the colour had taken a violet colour, perhaps he thought, they weren¡¯t dead? If what he thought was true¡­ that time had truly reverted and he was back in the past, couldn¡¯t there be a possibility they were alive? This can¡¯t be their blood, he knew it- he wished for it. It wasn¡¯t a clear or pure crimson colour, so it had to be a monster¡­ shouldn¡¯t it? But despite what little hope he held, he couldn¡¯t deny the pain that burdened him deep in his chest. Imprinted from that very day- this very day... Seconds later, a small scream reminiscent of the one¡¯s from within town greeted his ears. He looked to his chest as the small girl he had carried in his arm forced her way from his grasp. She landed to the ground as she fell to her knees, sunken in her own despair. It caught Luther by surprise as he towered over her. She looked distraught as she looked over the ruined homes cast under the dusky night sky. Her body casted in his shadow as the flames raged behind them, eating away at the last fragments of her and Luther¡¯s hometown. Luther overlooked the town for what he believed to be for the last time. Seeing someone¡¯s hometown destroyed right before their eyes would inevitably invite such a reaction from her he thought- from him. ¡°Mother, father, everyone¡­.¡±, his voice grew hoarse as his sole hand formed a clenched fist by his side. A solid determination hidden beneath the raging flames that were reflected off his eyes. It was time to leave he thought, he could no longer bear the pain that this place brought. And his left shoulder- it still stung from the separation of the bicep below, he needed to rest for the time being. Luther stepped onto the ashen path as monsters ran rampant in the background, distracted by the guardsmen. He looked back once more to the girl, an emotional wreck torn apart by loss and pain. He sighed as he returned to her, taking her into his arms as he sprinted out of the ashen city. * 3 days after* Grand oak trees towered over the wildlife and vegetation that covered the base of their stumps. Lines of bushes waist high covered the majority of the forest. Ferns and rock outcrops accompanied them around every corner. The wind carried the sounds of wildlife that hid between the shadows as the sun began to leave for dusk. Predators of the night would soon come out to hunt as the first pair of hunters came out to play. Specifically, a pair of wolves with their ravenous hunger observed a deer that fed in an open space. Their mouths were salivated in anticipation of the begin of their night¡¯s long hunt. As they prepared to pounce, the sudden sound of air being parted above them marked the end of their lives.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Shortsword readied in his hand, Luther had leapt off from a branch above. He slammed his shortsword into the side of a wolf¡¯s neck as he swiftly pulled it out in a smooth motion. Slashing it against the second wolves neck as crimson blood gushed forth from the gaping wound. They collapsed to the ground as Luther knelt between the two. With his one hand, he wiped his shortsword against the fur coats before placing it in the sheath he had taken from the blacksmithery. He waited to see if he could pick up any other sounds before taking the two carcasses to a temporary camp a few minutes walk away. *Girl¡¯s PoV* Beneath the cover of an oak tree a campfire raged between the safety of the oaks stump and roots. On the root to it¡¯s right sat a little girl no older than the age of 10. Left deep in thought, she was nestled safely against the warmth of the fire. She wore clothes, now mere pieces of dirtied red cloth as her hazel coloured hair was left unkempt and ragged. Beneath her chestnut eyes were dark circles that were the testaments of her lack of sleep. Fur coats acted as makeshift beds that were laid separated upon both sides of the campfire. The sound of bodies dropped to the ground awoke her from deep thought as she looked up to see a bipedal monster. It proceeded to mechanically separate the fur from the meat as she observed. The girl glanced to the carcass as she gave a look of disgust, she still couldn¡¯t get used to the blood and idea of eating such meat. She knew that it was the same thing as eating beef or any type of meat for that matter, but seeing it skinned and gutted before her? That was a whole different matter, she stomached the feeling of disgust as she focused on the one gutting the creature. She had spent the past three days with it, hunting, eating, and having what little bits of sleep in its company. It provided her with food, a bed, and even healed the small scratches and burns that she had. It looked up and gestured towards her, pointing at the base of her feet. She looked down as a bundle of sticks came to view. She handed some to the monster as meat was impaled onto them, afterwards being rested nearby the campfire. The smell of fresh roasted meat, albeit wolf meat, left the girl feeling slightly better as she anticipated the food before her. The monster sat opposite of her as it placed multiple pieces of meat next to the original skewer and waited for them to roast. It left the girl to reflect other the past week once more as she remembered what she had to endure. One of the major problems was communication and trust. First she had thought the language barrier between the two would have been challenging, but after realising that it understood the human language, the majority of her worries were dispelled. It could not speak it however, but gestures worked fine as a substitute. She looked into it¡¯s menacing gaze as she quickly turned away, terrified by it¡¯s empty eyes. But as for trust? She held only the faintest hints of trust, was it perhaps due to the fear of the unknown? She doubted herself for being so horrible, to being unable to accept the unknown- it. Eyeing the monster, thoughts ran rampant through her mind as the very same excuses to doubt that trust surfaced... ¡®Still¡­ I need to be careful¡­ Even if it is kind now, would it be kind in the future? Tonight? Tomorrow? How will I know it won¡¯t kill me then?¡¯ She turned back towards it as it went over the roasted meat, looking it over before taking in a deep bite. It tore away at the skewered meat as it seemed to release a growl in satisfaction. ¡®It should be safe¡­ it should be fine¡­¡¯ She grabbed a skewer near the fire as she indulged herself, the sweet meat leaving a tangy taste in her mouth. ¡®Well, we¡¯ve been moving towards the town of Maple¡­ It¡¯s about what? An hours walk? Could it be taking me there¡­? Well, that doesn¡¯t matter¡­ I¡¯ll get there one way or another¡­ with or without it...¡¯ Night soon fell upon the two as the fire was laid to rest, the girl was the first to fall asleep as the monster laid awake. It watched over her as she slowly drifted into the cold night, and soon after, it would follow as it soon was taken under control of the darkened skies. Chapter 11 The pitch black sky accompanied the light blue moon as it showered light upon the myriad of trees below. Darkened shadows seemingly hid the wildlife amongst the forest as everything was set still and silent. Trees swayed and brushed against one another as Luther stood beneath them. He awoke from his dazed state as he gazed amongst the vegetation. ¡®Where am I?¡¯ He looked around as he tried to find something apart from the countless trees that obstructed his view. Darkened shadows hid everything from sight as his vision only stretched to a few metres before him. Within moment¡¯s notice, he heard an inserene voice that scratched at his ears. It was inaudible and incomprehensible. But yet it sounded as if it called for him, beckoned for him. The voice soon was enveloped by countless others just as similar which stretched amongst the forest. In greater intensity and speed they assaulted Luther from the shadows. Confused and terrified, he could only stand frozen as he futilely covered his ears. But they just kept on going as they spoke within his mind, driving him into the depths of madness. As he closed his eyes, he yelled with all the breath present within his lung¡¯s. He just wished for a brief moment of peace, an end to the voices which would inevitably drive any normal man insane. As he yelled to the last of his breath, it stopped. Silence ensued as he had his moment of peace. Opening his eyes, he was met with a darkened creature¡¯s gaze. He fell backwards as he began to tremble before the figure. It¡¯s glossy black skin was accompanied by two dark blue eyes that felt as if they pierced deep into his soul. It stood frozen as the air around it seemed to distort, and along with it, the figure too began to be distorted and turned to particles. **** Luther¡¯s body jumped up as he sat in a makeshift bed, the morning sun and it¡¯s orange flare woke him from his stupor as he massaged his head. It ached profusely as he finally recovered from the shock of tonight¡¯s dream. ¡®What was that?¡¯Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. When he remembered the creature¡¯s face, it bore a deep resemblance to his own. The only difference being it¡¯s whole body which was pitch black. ¡®Was it really just a dream?¡¯ Luther looked to his palm as he tried to make sense of it. It had felt so real and vivid that he could not remember any difference between the dream and reality. When it stood before him, he could feel the breath touch against his face. He remembered the smallest details of the background and creature. Minutes passed as he recollected himself, getting to his feet. First he had noticed the girl that was no longer here. At her courtesy however, she had managed to leave a note drawn into the ground with a couple of sticks. It said ¡®Maple¡¯ as his eyes followed a small trail of footsteps on the forest floor. ¡®Seems she understood¡­¡¯ He didn¡¯t question as to whether why she had left him. During their stay together, he saw how she felt uncomfortable around him. It was no wonder as he looked the way he did. But considering what happened in Misella, he could relate to her feelings of loss and anger towards him. Anyways, it seemed the girl had left hours before, so there was no point to wait here anymore he thought. Having packed his short sword, he longed for a backpack where he could store his foods. Maybe he would find one along his way to the Northern territory. The Demon¡¯s territory. During the beginning of what Luther and many others came to call ¡®The End¡¯. He remembered outbreaks had occurred frequently and that it was linked to the Demons and their innate magic abilities. Luther planned to go there in order to try and warn them. Before the outbreaks, they had lived peacefully in the Northern territory, but as outbreaks continued they were soon targeted for discrimination. Due to their appearance being associated to monsters and their abilities with magic, they were believed to have caused the outbreaks. It relaxed the tension for the other territories and races. Perhaps because they had thought they had found the source to the ongoing monster threat. But as time grew on and the amount of monsters increased. No matter how many Demons had fallen, the monsters only grew and grew. The other territories and races had realised there mistake. It was not the demons, but something that had long been forgotten by the people of this world, something that had faded into history. The origin of the system, only a small few had heard of it and the rumors regarding it. Luther, being one of the royal guards proclaimed such by the last of the races was given an in-depth explanation. The system was powered by the crimson and cobalt stars, the twin stars. The crimson star birthed monsters which grew and produced unpurified mana themselves. The main races however were birthed through the cobalt star. They purified the unpurified mana through the death of monsters and consumed their mana. It powered the system itself through transactions in the shop to strengthen themselves. However, due to a new reign of peace having taken place for centuries. The amount of monsters had steadily grown. This resulted in dungeon outbreaks due to the built up energy. And as the population declined due to the unprecedented attacks, the amount of monsters being birthed and slain grew unbalanced. Hence, the gradual but massive decrease in the world¡¯s population as the surface was soon populated by them. It was known to the rest of the world and Luther as ¡®The End¡¯. Chapter 12 *4 days after* A bipedal creature, similar in appearance to that of a demon or monster, trudged up along a mountains side. It¡¯s feet bore deep into the ground as it neared the peak. Steadily it had reached the top as a deep breath emptied from it¡¯s mouth. It stretched itself as it¡¯s muscles ached from the treacherous hike, a yellow light bathed it as it looked over the landscape below. The rising sun marked the start of the creature¡¯s day with a scene of beauty. Nature and wildlife screamed out in tune with the rising sun as it looked below, compelled and awed by the sight. ¡®I can¡¯t remember seeing something as beautiful¡­. It¡¯s quite the sight¡­¡¯ Luther had began his journey towards the Northern Territory close to a week ago. Monsters of all kinds had grown more frequent, appearing nearly hourly in his travels. They were however usually strays left behind by the outbreaks that occurred days ago. So to be greeted with an open blade was the natural assumption once they met Luther. It had allowed him to test out some new skills and ¡®racial traits¡¯ he had discovered. He summoned his status as he went over the gains from the outbreak last week and his travels. It gave him confidence and hope, he felt he could make a change to the future. If he couldn¡¯t save his parents, perhaps this newfound strength could help him save something else¡­ or destroy something else¡­. Name: Luther Starr Race: ??? Titles: The One Born from the Stars Class: Healer Purified Mana: 187/187 Unpurified Mana: 187/187 Mana Regen. Rate: 1.3 per minute Attributes Strength 15 (+1.5) Agility 16 (+1.6) Intelligence 17 (+1.7) Constitution 21 (+2.1) Vitality 14 (+1.4) Wisdom 13 (+1.3) Skills Lesser Healing (active) Lesser Healer¡¯s Aura (passive)The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Lesser Divine Health (active) Shop Unspent Mana: 430 Luther over the past week had focused on the improvement of his attributes. He had increased strength by 1, intelligence by 2, constitution by 4, and vitality by 3. Meaning he had gained over 2000 mana during the past week. Luther based this upon the fact that the condensation of mana in the atmosphere had grown. Along with this, the monsters had grown in strength and in mana given as well. He remembered hearing of it, but had paid not much thought to it in his past life. Luther browsed through the store as he brought up a skill he aimed to purchase. Skill: Lesser Guardian¡¯s Blessing (active) Description: %10 damage reduction and %15 increase of healing effects. Mana required for use: 90 Mana required for purchase: 700 Requirements: 16 Intelligence Luther remembered hearing of this skill from one of the Cleric¡¯s he had met. It was rather pricey, but it would be a nice addition to his skill list. It had great utility for what he was going for, but with this, he had no offense related skills. He had heard of decent offense skills for healers, but they were far and few. Luther sighed as the status dispersed from view, approaching a rock nearby he laid back against it¡¯s coarse and cold surface. He decided to try browsing the shop for a while, perhaps he¡¯d find something worthwhile. But a moment before he brought it up, the churning smell of charcoal and ash cut it¡¯s way into his nose. The distinct smell of burnt wood lifted Luther from the ground as he looked down the mountain. What greeted his eyes were the crimson coloured scales that reflected the raging flames of a town kilometres away. As he came too, an arise of dread befell him as fear grabbed him by the throat, catching his breath. The dragon roared into the valley as houses crumbled to its strength. What few people were left turned to mere ribbons of flesh and gore by it¡¯s crude claws as a great terror betook them before death. It towered over the buildings as a cone of flames hit the town, bathing it once more in searing heat as the orchestra of screams ensued. Luther stood agape at the spectacle, dragons weren¡¯t new to him, it was something he had seen before and even slain in his past life. But to be before it in this state, he could only hope to run and pray that it would not search for survivors. Instead of wasting his time browsing through the shop, he needed to increase his pace. He descended down the mountain as he struggled with his only arm to hasten his speed. Luther was sweating and breathing ecstatically, likely due to the dragon¡¯s skill ¡®Fear Aura¡¯, which was one of it¡¯s largest traits. He felt he needed to get away at all costs, the immense fear that coursed through his veins told him so. The distance between him and the dragon soon became large enough for the aura¡¯s effect to disperse. He soon steadily lost his stamina as he came to an abrupt halt, freed from the chains of fear, he was now free to take in what he had seen. ¡®Dragons so soon¡­. Wait¡­ Could it be¡­ No¡­ The crimson death?¡¯ Luther remembered the crimson death as one of the dangers at the beginning of the outbreaks. It had slaughtered countless towns and cities before even the second month had started. It roamed throughout the Western Territory and along its borders. Lives were lost in the thousands, a calamity beset by the system- the demons they thought¡­ he thought... ¡®Nevermind that¡­ I¡¯m close to the Northern Territory, if I could perhaps decrease the casualties of the demon race¡­ maybe we would have had a chance¡­.¡¯ Luther collected his breath as he used his regained stamina to continue his travels. As he closed the distance between himself and the Territory, he started to realise that he needed better equipment. His sword became dull and rusted by the blood and monsters that caught him in his travels. And the need for clothing and armour was set upon him within the back of his mind. He had held off of it for too long now. He tried to remember any famous towns for their blacksmiths nearby. But all that he remembered was the guilt from the crusades he had partook in during his younger years. He shook it off as night fell upon him, looking to his right a cave came to view. It was perfect for a temporary camp.