《Ouroborus Online》 Meeting an Online Goddess! As the sleepiness fell away from my eyes, I sat up in bed and looked around my room like I always do when I wake up. The first thing to catch my eye was a slightly small box that was laying on my desk, which I figured was left there by my mom since it was my birthday. Once I was done with my morning ritual, I got up and headed for the bathroom to wash up, glancing at the box on my way past. On the very top was a symbol that looked like a snake or dragon eating its own tail, while being in a mass of flames. Shrugging while thinking, "That''s cool," I kept going and reached the bathroom. I walked in and looked in the mirror. Ah, I haven''t introduced myself yet, have I? My name is Alex Grenlley, nineteen years old as of today. As I looked in the mirror, I pushed my eye level dark-brown hair back and revealed my homeocromatic eyes, which are unique in my family because everyone who has them is said to do great things. My left eye is brown, while my right eye is green, and they both have a golden ring around the outer edge. I am about 5''8", with a slim, lithe body. I sighed as I turned away from the mirror, turned on the shower, and waited for it to warm up before jumping in. After about 15 minutes, I was back in my room, staring at the box and trying to figure out what it was. Deciding to leave it for after college so I could mess with it longer, I got dressed and headed for the kitchen, grabbing my messenger bag along the way. On my way out my door, I almost ran into a red-haired girl who was my age and the daughter of my moms best friend, and just so happened to be staying with us. "Alex, watch where you''re going." She pushed me playfully as she walked by, turning around and sticking her tongue out at me. As she walked backwards, I found my eyes drawn to her like always. She was 5''4", slim, with curves that any man would kill to have for his own. Her red hair was the color of flames, and was about waist length. Her eyes were a reddish brown, like the cinders left over after a fire just dies out. Laughing, I pull a little liquid filled ball out of my bag and throw it at the back of her head as she turned around, and grinned as it bounced off and right back towards me. "I was watching, but you''re just too short to see." I leaned to the side and caught the ball, before spinning around Amber as she tried to playfully shove me again. Still laughing, I got to the stairs, and immediately jumped onto the railing and slid down, expertly keeping my balance and falling to the landing below with a little roll. I grinned as I heard a muttered "showoff..." behind me, then stood up and headed for the kitchen. Walking in, I grabbed the remote and turned the TV on to one of the biggest fantasy gaming networks, called Unicorn Game Casting. I then grabbed two bowls out of the cupboard and filled them both with cereal and set them on the island bar as Amber walked in. As I was sitting down though, I froze as I heard two words that were said by the host of the current program. VIRTUAL REALITY. Turning towards the TV, I quickly turned the volume up, rewound a bit, and listened as Amber watched the TV curiously. "Today, on this fine morning of September 5, 2045, we have a very important announcement. As all of you, the viewers, know, several of the worlds biggest gaming companies joined together to revolutionize gaming as we know it. They have just announced that they have done exactly that. They have made a virtual reality device that they are calling the V-Link, which is short for Virtual Link. at the same time, they have developed an MMO game that automatically comes installed on each device. It is called Ouroborus Online. They have released them to the public at all of their branch gaming shops as of today. In addition, Griffon Gaming Studios has sent out about 20 units to random subscribers to their newsletters, and these units are special in that they are free-to-play on Ouroborus Online for the next two years. But, to all you people that would steal these devices, the company has said that each device can only have one main user, which is connected to the original buyers account, and all secondary users must be approved by the main user." As the host kept talking about other details he knew about the game, a small picture appeared in the corner of the screen. It was a blue box with a picture of a dragon eating its tail while being engulfed in flames. As soon as I saw that picture, I just about inhaled the rest of my cereal and was halfway up the stairs, with Amber right on my heels, her phone already out and speaking into it at the speed of light. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. I sidestepped into my room and pulled my own phone out, which is, for the record, one of the early 2005 model flip phones. Flipping it open, I sent a mass text to all of my college professors, as well as my friends, saying that something came up and I wouldn''t be able to go in today. I then tossed it onto my bed next to my bag and walked over to my desk, where the mystery boss was still laying. Picking it up gingerly, I rolled it over on its side and confirmed it was for me, before I then set it back down and opened it up slowly, afraid I might break something. AS I got it open, I noticed a sharp gleam of metal glinting in the light, just under the packing peanuts. I reverently reached in and pulled it out slowly, savoring the moment. The headset looked like a pair of sunglasses with a slightly enlarged frame, and had a silvery sheen to it. As I inspected it closer, I found a set of three micro USB drives plugged into the three ports that I found there. Curious, I pulled them out and plugged them into my computer tower, waiting a second or so for each of them to install any device info, before opening up the file banks on each of them. The first one was titled Users Manual, and had a list of health warnings, device settings I could change, setup instructions, and a list of alternate applications I could use the headset for, such as augmented reality and a 3d virtual camera/projector. The second drive was labeled Game Data, which had a small description of the races, the world, and various other things which I didn''t bother to check in my haste. And finally, the third drive was labeled Goddess Introduction, But when I tried to access it, an error message appeared and told me to connect the drive to the V-Link before accessing. Shrugging, I copied the data from the first two over to my tower, then plugged all three back into theirs ports, before finally slipping the V-Link on. As soon as it was settled on my face, I felt an electric tingle flow over me, before a female voice rang in my ears, along with a small window that popped up in front of me, Both of which said the same thing: New user detected. Would you like to set yourself as the main user and access your account? YES? NO? Surprised, It took me several seconds to respond, but before I could, another female voice sounded in my ear. "You may want to lay down before you say yes. The V-Link system works by intercepting your active brainwaves, so if you say yes now, you''ll be standing the entire time you play." I looked around the room , alarmed by the unfamiliar voice in my ear, before going bug-eyed as a girl came into my vision. She was a bit taller than Amber, with long black hair that reached her lower back and gold colored eyes. On top of her head was a pair of black wolf ears with white tips, and she had a matching tail wagging behind her. She was wearing a simple black dress that went down to her knees, and a pair of black, knee-length boots adorned her feet. What surprised me even more than her appearance though, was the fact that she was sitting on her knees... In MIDAIR! "Who are you?!?" I quickly removed the V-Link, then looked around in surprise, since the girl had vanished without a trace. Slightly confused, I put the headset back on, and she was back, only this time she was sitting on the edge of my bed, one leg draped over her knee and looking slightly annoyed. "Are you quite done yet with being surprised? Me and you both have better things to do than tally around here." "Who are you though?" I looked at her, slightly suspicious as I remember the third USB drives data files and error message. "Well, I would have introduced myself already, But someone took the V-Link off." She sighed in exasperation as she leveled a mild glare at me, Causing me to blush a little from embarassment. As I fidgeted, she stood up and twirled around. "My name is Luna Lovecraft, and I am an artificial intelligence formerly in charge of running Ouroborus Online, and I am also the in-game patron goddess of Werebeasts!" Explanations As I stared at the ''goddess'', She continued her explanation. "Before you start asking questions, I shall go ahead and answer some for you. First thing on your mind might be, ''Why is one of the in-game goddesses on the USB drive that came with the V-Link?'' Well, that is simple enough to answer. My sisters and I, all of whom are the patron goddess of one of the race categories, have been temporarily removed as the AI system administrators. The first generation AI''s have been put in charge of running the game, while the second generation has been put as the first and second tier gods based on personality, such as the elemental gods and the aspects, war, death, etc. As for why I am here, all twenty patron goddesses have been tasked with helping the special V-Link owners with their adventures. We will help you make your characters, choose any blessings you might qualify for, and help you out any wya you might wish, besides giving you specific info and and helping you cheat. As an added bonus, you can also plug my micro USB into your computer, and from there transfer me to a phone, tablet, or anything along those lines, and I can act as a secondary or primary AI system, depending on whether you have one already." She smiled sweetly as she started moving around the room, casually looking around. As she did that, I, on the other hand, felt my brain starting to overheat from Information Overload. Shaking my head lightly, I went and sat down on the bed, looking at Luna. "So, for the time being, you are going to be my personal AI?" "Yes, I am, but first you should probably..." As she was talking, she stopped suddenly, staring down at the bed nesxt to me. Looking down, I saw that she was looking at my cellphone. As I looked back up, I saw she was pointing right at it. "What is that supposed to be?" If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "Thats my phone... Why do you ask?" I stared at her, confused, once again as she walked up to it and reached down, then shocked me as she actually picked it up! But after a second look, I noticed that she had only picked up a mirror image, only visible through the V-Link. As I listened, I heard her muttering under her breath. "I am not going to be downloaded into an outdated device such as this one. But there isn''t much else I could do... I could always call Great Grandfather and ask for a favor, but I''m not sure he would like it..." After about half a minute, Luna frowned more, then tapped the air next to her, making a game-like window pop up before she started typing very fast and finally pressing a button, making both it and the phone image disappear. I looked at her curiously, for what felt like the nth time today, before shrugging to myself. "What was that about?" She turned and looked at me with a triumphant smile. "Oh, you''ll find out tomorrow. For now, how about we get you into the game?" Luna grinned, and then disappeared, as her voice popped up in my ear. "Lets get going; if you have any questions, you can ask me in the character creation screen." Sighing from how bossy Luna seemed to be, I double-tapped the air, bringing the log-in screen back up, before I layed down and pressed the YES button with a grin on my face. For the next few seconds, I thought I missed a step, before my vision faded out to black. Character Creation Thank you to everyone that has read up to this point! yes, I know, its only the third chapter, but who cares! it still means you''ve read this far in the revamped story. and for that I thank you. BTW, the first person who can accurately tell me what the MC''s character name and user nickname gets to name a character of their own.
As my vision came back, I found myself standing on a metal platform that seemed to be floating in midair over a planet, which could be seen through a series of glass plates that were embedded in the floor. Looking around, I saw Luna standing next to a small data hub with a grin on her face. "Enjoying the view?" "As a matter of fact, yes I am." I grinned back at her as I walked over to her and mindlessly fiddled with the hub, looking at Luna. "So, now what do we do?" "Well first off, you have to choose your race." As she talked, a screen was projected from the data hub, which had a list of races on it and the current one was a golem. An avatar of the race was standing right next to the window. It had a vividly brown rocky skin, long and crystalline green hair that was tied back into a ponytail, and glowing green eyes from which lines of the same color extended out across the whole body. He had on a reddish gold martial artist outfit, along with a darker shoulder protector and arm-length glove, and a badass bandanna. At his waist hung a longsword shaped like a fox tail, and on his back was a red leather-and-wood shield that had a flame colored gem mounted in the middle. As I turned to Luna, I saw movement out of the corner of my eye, and snapped my head back towards the golem. Weird... I could have sworn he was just dancing the Macarena... Turning back to Luna, I raised an eyebrow as I started flipping through the races and looking at the corresponding avatars. "So I remember you saying something about blessings?" She looked at me in surprise for several seconds, then grinned as she manipulated a window, crumpling it into a ball that she threw between her hands. "Yes I did. The blessings a player can receive depend on their race, gender, actions, and location, among other things. They can be temporary or permanent. Then you have racial traits, which every player of a race has. And finally, you have personal traits, which are unique from person to person. Oh, by the way, players are restricted to 2 characters and their own gender, to prevent scamming." I nodded as she finished talking, then looked back at the screen as the werewolf race of the beastman category slid into focus. Looking at the avatar, it seemed to be a more muscularly toned me, with longer ears than Luna and a flatter tail, both of which matched my hair color. He had on a set of black leather armor, with a pair of daggers following his waistline and a longsword hung from his hip. Grinning, I pressed the accept button, then blinked as a set of sliders popped up on the menu. "You can describe your character to me and we''ll go from there." Luna smiled as she hovered behind me. I started tweaking the sliders bit by bit, till my avatar was half a foot taller, with wider shoulders and a leaner body. His hair was a deep brown that was almost black, tied back in a samurai-style ponytail, with two bangs, one on either side of his face framing it. His eyes were the same homeocromatic as mine, with a deeper shade of colors and a slightly thicker ring of gold running around the iris. Satisfied with my character, I pressed the accept button again, and was engulfed in a nimbus of dazzling light. When it disappeared, I looked down and found myself in my characters body, the only difference now being that I was wearing a set of white silk clothes. "Now this... This is cool." I reached up and touched my throat as it was a deeper tone that my normal voice, which was slightly squeaky. Grinning yet again, I looked back towards the hub, where a list of traits and blessings had popped up.
RACIAL TRAITS RECIEVED
Wolf Senses
You can smell, hear, and see better in all conditions. Grants Scent Tracking skill(passive/active) Grants Mild Poison Detection (active)
Wolven Body
You can go longer and stronger than anyone else. Grants Vitality boost(10%) Grants Strength boost(10%) Defense boosted by 50%
Wolf Bond
You are related to wolves and wolfkin. All wolf based creatures that aren''t mentally affected will not harm you until provoked.
Werewolf transformation
You change form, from a wolf demihuman to a wolf and back again, or to a werewolf. Grants Wolf Transformation
Silver Allergy
Your race is allergic to silver. Werewolves take double damage from silver weapons. Werewolves take damage over time when touching or wearing silver items.(silver coins excluded)
BLESSINGS AVAILABLE
Blessing of the Moon
You are blessed by the Goddess of the Moon, Luna, Patron of werebeasts, wolves, and all wolf or moon based creatures. You gain 5% more experience from all werewolf, wolf, or moon related quest givers You gain 5% more familiarity with all werewolf, wolf, or moon related factions.
I stared at the traits and blessings window that popped up on the screen for several seconds, before I turned to Luna. "Is this number of traits normal?" I watched her as she inspected the window. "No, this seems about right. Each race gets 4 positive and 1 negative traits. You get one which increases your senses, one that affects your body, one for language and relations with races close to your own, and a trait that grants an ability that would be extremely hard to get without being a part of that trait. For example, the werewolf race gets the Wolf Senses traits, which increases the senses of smell, sight, and hearing by about 5 times. Then they get the Wolven Body, which increases strength and vitality by 10%. Thirdly, they get the Wolf Bond, which lets you communicate with wolves and wolfkin, while also giving the Wolf Howl ability, which lets you howl to the sky to summon a number of wolves depending on how loud the howl is, the users howls, and how many wolves are nearby." I scratched my chin gently as I thought about what Luna said, than smiled. "Seems cool, if a slight bit complicated. So, Luna, What now? Picking a name? Getting my class? or something else?" Luna grinned as she gestured to the screen, where a new window had just popped up. "Why don''t you see for yourself." When I took a closer look at the screen, my grin widened.
Please type your name here.
FirstMarrok
SurnameHemming
NicknameBertulf
Do you accept this name?
YESNO
Luna, who was watching the screen over my shoulder, giggled slightly. "Every part of that name has something to do with wolves." I grinned over my shoulder at her as I pressed the YES button. "Well, I AM part wolf." I flashed a wolfish grin at her as I turned back to the newly popped-up screen.
Please choose your main resource.
MANARAGEENERGYCHI
After reading the window, I looked over at Luna with an uplifted eyebrow. "So, what are all of these resources? Can you explain them for me?" Luna smiled as she settled down on her feet, then pulled out a pair of glasses out of nowhere that she then perched on the bridge of her nose. "Well, first of all, let''s start with chi(pronounced KEY). It is a mystical energy that is created internally by almost all things in the world, and is used by martial artists to strengthen their body or to use short to mid-ranged attacks. Then you have energy which is produced internally by all living things, which is used for rapid-movement or quick-attack skills. An example would be the Dash skill, Iron Body, or the Flurry Blow skill. Rage is produced mostly by melee classes by taking or dealing damage, and the more rage you have, the more your stats increase. The only downside to it though, is that it starts at 0 and depletes back to zero slowly the longer you are out of combat. And finally, we have mana. It is produced by all living things, in addition to being produced by the planets core, and can be absorbed from the environment. It is used by mages and magical warriors to fuel their spells. Do you have any questions?" Luna looked at me with a smug look on her face. During her little lecture, I had crouched on the floor and looked up at her. After I confirmed she was finished, I straightened back up with a thoughtful look. "Will I be able to acquire many of the resources, or only one?" The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. She looked at me with a confused look for a second, before a little light bulb lit up over her head. Yes, a literal light bulb. "Yes, you should be able to learn how to use most, if not all, of the resources over the course of your adventure. The main place to learn them is from a class trainer that has a class that specializes in that particular resource. For example, warrior or berserker for rage, and mage for mana, monk for chi, and rouge or archer for energy. Now, is there anything else for now?" I shook my head no as I pressed the energy button, and watched the screen fade out then back in, and was confused by the new message for several seconds.
Please choose your starting equipment from those behind you.
Limit of one weapon/ weapon set. Only chest, undershirt, pants, boots, belt, and gloves can be chosen, in addition to 5 pounds of equipment of your choice.
Please note, each player starts out with 5 loaves of stale bread and a magic water skin/canteen of your chosen design that can hold up to 5 liters of water. Image will be determined ingame.
I read the message twice, before scratching my head and turning around. "What equipment behind m- Never mind, I stand corrected." I had finished turning, and found myself looking at row upon row of weapon racks and armor stands, along with tables piled with gear of all kinds. Seeing the sheer amount of gear available almost made me start drooling, before I caught myself and started walking towards the armor first. Out of curiosity, I looked around for Luna, and saw her off to the side, sitting at a small table that had a pitcher each of tea and lemonade, and a small plate tree like you''d see at an English tea party that was piled high with snack foods and sweets. Turning back to the task at hand with a smile, I inspected the armor stands, and saw that there were a lot of repeated materials, just in a different style. Looking closer at the leather racks, I finally pulled a supple leather Undershirt, a dark leather belt, a pair of matching leather breeches, and a pair of traveling boots that wouldn''t look amiss on a pirate and set them aside, before I turned towards the gear for several seconds. Spotting something of interest on the tables, I grinned, before turning back and also snagging a hardened leather plate-shirt, which had the same protection as a leather breastplate while being as flexible as my undershirt, and added it to the growing pile. Turning back to the tables, I grabbed the item that had caught my eye, which happened to be a leather trenchcoat that would come down to about right above my knee, and set it on the pile with the rest of my gear, before I also grabbed a coil of rope, a belt pouch that looked like a leather camera case that folded down from the top, a leather satchel that had multiple pockets on the inside in addition to the big main compartment, a small metal mess kit with 2 sets of plates and silverware, and a seven inch long skinning dagger that had the image of a howling wolf emblazoned on the blade. Chuckling, I turned towards the weapons, and grinned as I saw them all sorted by nationality. I saw katanas and glaives from Japan, katars and a weird sword that had a gauntlet instead of a handle that I believe is called a pata that were both from Persia, a kopesh from Egypt, and a set of European style swords, while beyond that I saw a set of antique firearms of all sizes. Walking towards the swords, I passed a rack that had the words DUELING WEAPONS printed on a sheet of paper. Curious, I stopped and looked. In the rack, I saw rapiers, gloves, and several small, single shot pistols. Picking up one set of gloves, I noticed that it had three sets of ridges that ran the length of the glove, while three, inch-long spikes extended out from the knuckles. Holding it against my arm, I saw that it covered up to my elbow, and the main part of the glove acted as a bracer. Grinning, I tucked the two under my arm before turning to the pile of gear I had. Picking it all up piece by piece, I staggered over to the table that Luna was at, and set the entire pile down on op. Snagging a glass and taking a drink, I realized that the tea was peach flavored, before I turned back to the pile and started sorting it all out as the wolf-eared goddess looked on. "So, is there anything else that I need to do?" As I talked, I grabbed the breeches and walked behind a tall Japanese-style curtain that popped up out of nowhere, and stripped down to my undies before pulling the breeches on. "Well, first off, I''ll assume you would like to talk about how combat works, along with something more personal to me." She fidgeted in her chair a bit as I walked out from behind the curtain, still shirtless, and sat down and took a drink before pulling the undershirt on. I grinned at her as I took another sip of tea. "Well, I hate to admit this, but I almost geeked out when I saw all the weapons." I grinned as Luna laughed, and I snagged a small cookie from the tea stand. While I munched on it, I pulled on my new boots and started lacing and strapping them up using the three buckles and straps on the outer edges. While I did that, Luna looked over the rest of my gear before she glanced at me. "You made some really good choices here, you know. So, I''m going to explain some things about equipping items and your inventory right now." I glanced up at her as I finished strapping up my boot, and started pulling on the plateshirt. "Go ahead, I''ll listen while I get all of this on." I gestured to the pile of gear with my free hand. "Alrighty then. Now, First of all, to equip anything, you must meet any requirements for it, such as level or proficiency level. Next, you have to physically pull it on. You can''t equip it from a window, but a window will tell you what all you are wearing. This means that you can have as much as you want on at any time, but you also take a penalty for each extra layer you have on." She stopped for a second to raise an eyebrow at me in question, and I nodded for her to continue. "Now, the inventory system works differently than in other games. You can only store items into an external bag, which has a limited capacity. Items stack up to 20 times per item and 50 times for crafting items, while weapons only stack if they are throwing weapons or arrows." While she was finishing talking, I started investigating the satchel and belt pouch. "So, I''ll assume that these little pockets in the satchel are meant for quick use items? Same with the belt pouch, I suppose." Looking towards Luna, I saw her start nodding. "Thats corrects. Additionally, you can get special storage items that can only store specific items, but lets you use them without the delay of opening a bag and searching." A bandolier, a quiver, and a brace of throwing knives appeared in her hands. "These are three examples." As the items disappeared, Luna took another sip of tea, before looking back at me. "Now that that''s out of the way, I think its time to discuss something personal. How would you like me to help or accompany you in the game?" Looking at her, I thought silently while I strapped on my belt and hunting knife, positioning it along the back of my waist, laying sideways. "Well, I figure you don''t want to be cooped up here while I go out and have fun, right?" She nodded as I scratched my chin in thought. "Well then, that leaves out you staying here." Looking around for an idea, I caught sight of her ears and tail, and grinned mischievously. "Well, what way would you like to help me out in?" I kept grinning as Luna fell deep into thought. "Well, there are several things I could do. I could be an npc companion, or a passive pet, or anything really, so long as it isn''t overpowered." She looked over at me for my advice on the issue. Grinning, I looked at the hub window, which was still blank. "How about a battle pet that grows in size with experience and has a personality to use for when you ''aren''t home.'' That way if you have stuff to do, I won''t be out of a companion. And you could make it a quest reward for me, since you do have permission for that, I believe. At a higher level, it could be ''blessed'' with a humanoid form and be able to switch back and forth as needed." As I talked, I pulled on the overcoat and clawed gloves, before attaching the belt pouch and slinging the satchel over my shoulders. Luna''s eyes widened in surprise at my idea, before she started grinning and laughing. "That''s a very good idea!" She kept grinning as she walked over to the hub and touched it, and a window with a wolf pup on it popped up at the same time as a blue window appeared in front of me.
Would you like to log in?
YESNO
"You can go ahead and log in while I work on this. If you need my help, you can send me a message. I''m on your friends list." She waved goodbye while smiling as I pressed the ''yes'' button, and my vision was back in black. Arrival on Glendora As I opened my eyes and looked around, I found myself standing on the edge of a clearing. Looking behind me I saw what appeared to be a small village, with a 10-foot tall wooden palisade, and on the side closest to me, there was a gate that was swung wide open. Turning around, I looked out over the clearing, and saw rabbits, squirrels, a couple types of birds, and further back were several foxes, one of whom just caught a rabbit for lunch. Running through one side was a stream, with a small copse of trees running along the far bank before turning into a forest. I grinned while watching a pair of rabbits, one white with black splotches and the other black with white splotches, run around playfully, then turned my focus to my HUD/UI. (heads up display/ users interface.) Absentmindedly, I inspected what I could see. In the top left-hand corner, I saw a red bar which I assumed to be health and a yellow bar that seem to be filled with electricity that were both side by side. Below them, there was a green bar that was probably stamina, and at the very bottom of my vision there was a greyish bar that seemed to be empty that was probably an experience bar. on the far left was a pink bar that I think may have been my hunger bar. As I thought about how to open my options menu, a window appeared in front of me.
To open the options screen, please wave your left hand in an infinity symbol.
Following the screens directions, I waved my hand, and a small list of options appeared.
Character
Equipment
Inventory
Skills
Friends
Options
Looking over it, I pressed the character button.
- - Status Window - -
Name: Marrok Hemming - Alignment: Neutral
Level: 1 - Class: Drifter
Race: Werebeast(werewolf) - Gender: Male
Money: P:0, G:0, S:0, C:10 - Satiety: 100/100
Titles
- - NONE - -
Fame: 0 - Infamy- 0
Health: 110/110 - Helth Regen: 1/sec
Energy: 100/100 - Energy Regen: 5/sec
Stamina: 110/110 - Stamina Regen .5/sec
- - Experience: 0/500 -
Strength 11 - Agility 10
Vitality 11 - Charisma 10
Intelligence 10 - Wisdom 10
Leadership 0 - Luck 5
Attack 14-15 - Defence 32
- - Physical Resistances - -
Slashing 2% Piercing 2%
- - Crushing 2% -
Heat Resistance 0% - Cold Resistance 30%
- - Elemental Resistances - -
Fire 0% - Water 0%
Wind 0% - Earth 0%
Light 0% - Dark 0%
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. As I looked over the stat screen, a grin appeared on my face that just kept on getting wider and wider. Exiting out of it, I pressed the skill button to see what all I had available.
SKILL LIST
Triple Strike
Wolf Transformation
Scent Tracking
Poison Detection
Looking at the skills, my grin evolved into a cheshire cat smile, and I exited out before opening up the satchel and looking inside. I saw 5 loaves of what looked to be wheat bread and a small canteen that had an image of a wolf etched in the side in brass, and next to it, coiled into a far smaller loop than humanly possibly, was the coil of rope I had chosen. Pulling out the canteen, I walked over to the stream and knelt down, dipping it into the water to fill it up. After doing that, I sat on the edge of the stream and watched the rabbits from earlier running around and playing, then decided to open up my options to check what all I could change.
Options
Audio
Visual
Data Capture
Logout
Looking at the last option in confusion, I finally opened my friends list and messaged the only person on it.
Bertulf Luna, you got a minute?
Luna Yes I do. Whats up?
Bertulf Well... I was just checking my options to see what all I could change or do, and saw the log out button...
Luna Crossed out and unclickable, wasnt it?
Bertulf >///< How do I log out?
Luna You can''t for now.
Bertulf Why would you do this to me... -_-
Luna Because you need to be logged in when I finish this little project of ours up so I can make some last adjustments to the data as well as give you a final say.
Bertulf Oh... I see now. Well, let me know when you get close to done, ok? I have a feeling you''ll be dragging me back up there with you to observe...
Luna You know me so well. ^_^ Have fun adventuring!
- Luna has exited the chat window!
Exiting the chat window myself, I sighed and leaned back, before straightening back up fast as something poked into my shoulders. Turning around, I found a short, crooked branch, with a big knot on one end and smaller ones running the entire length, that seemed to be washed up from the stream. As I picked it up, I was surprised as a window popped up and almost smacked me in the face.
CONGRATULATIONS! You have found your first crafting material!
You have found a Knotted Oak Branch.
This is a branch from an oak tree that has become severely knotted all along its length.
Stupefied, I just stared at the window for several seconds before looking back at the branch and grinning, before I slid it into my satchel. Sliding the bag back behind me, I sighed and stood up, looking around. There were finally people showing up, which was kind of strange seeing as I was in the character hub for about half an hour at the least, and I took a closer look at them. A good majority of the players seemed to be in mismatched outfits while wielding random weapons. I saw one guy that was wearing an iron breastplate, cloth shoes, and had leather everywhere else that was wielding a small dagger. They were all chasing the rabbits, foxes, and other creaturs, trying to bash, slash, incinerate, or freeze them to death. Looking a bit closer, I noticed one person standing off to one side who seemed different from the rest. It was a girl, maybe a year older than me, who had blazing, shoulder length hair and hazel eyes that would ignite passion in any man, and many women too. Her ears were short and pointed, and she had a face that would put several models to shame. She had a set of leather armor on, with a pair of long daggers strapped along the base of her back. I walked over and stood next to her while I watched the carnage sadly. As I turned to talk to her, I heard a series of squeaks coming from behind me, and turned around to find the two rabbits from earlier jumping up into my arms, with a pair of goblin players running along after them. Inspecting the two, I noticed that the goblin on the left was about a foot and a half shorter than me, with greenish grey skin, and was wearing a set of mismatched leather armor, none of which was thicker than a quarter inch. He had a longsword, which was way to big for him, held in both hands. The other one was wearing a set of robes that seemed to be made from burlap, and was holding a plain staff that had a red gem mounted on the top. There was a small flame orbiting the gem as the two goblins stopped and bent over, panting. As the two players straightened up and saw the two fluffballs shivering in my arms, they grinned wickedly, before walking over with a slight hint of menace. "Thanks for catching those two rabbits for us. We were getting a bit mad from how they kept seeming to evade us. Just hand them over and we''ll leave you alone." Frowning, I handed the rabbits off to the redhead next to me, who looked almost as surprised as the rabbits that I had handed them over, and then crossed my arms. "And what if I didn''t want to?" As soon as those words left my mouth, the faces of the goblins darkened while the wicked grins widened, and they gripped their weapons tighter. "Then we''ll just have to make you." And with that, the two pea-brains charged me. First Fight and First Friend My frown deepened as I leaned back, the warrior goblins sword barely scraping my plateshirt, and I turned that lean into a backwards somersault as the ''mage'' came in swinging his staff straight down. In midair, I kicked the staff right at the top, knocking it back with my momentum enough that it hit its owner in the head. Landing in a crouch, I rolled to the side as the warrior swung his sword down at an angle, and I sprang up and kicked my leg out, catching him upside the head. Using him as a springboard, I jumped towards the mage, who was just starting to get his bearings, and crashed into him feet first, sending him rolling down the little hill that led up to the stream. Let me tell you, if you''ve never seen a goblin rolling head over heels down a hill, you should. Its VERY funny. Ducking down, I grabbed the bottom portion of the mage''s staff, which he dropped when I kicked him, and swung it around in a full circle, smacking the warrior straight on the other side of the head, effectively giving him a concussion. Dropping the staff, I took a step towards the girl holding the rabbits, when I saw her start to mouth a warning. Stepping to the side, I barely sidestepped the sword thrust that was headed for my back, and spun around and slammed my fist into his chest. Hearing a ''shing'' sound and three squelches, I looked down, and saw that three blades had extended from the gauntlets knuckles, stabbing right through the warriors chest. After a second or two, the goblin fell limp, and burst into a cloud of bubbles and sparkles as I pulled my fist back. Looking at this display with curiosity, I glanced down the hill, and saw the mage wanabe sitting down there, his head resting against a slate boulder that had a dent in it, before he did his own little light show. Sighing, I turned around and watched as the blades slid back into the ridges on the back of the gauntlet, and then I walked back towards the redhead, whos mouth was wide open while she stared at me. I stepped close and gently took the rabbits from her, scratching behind their ears gently before setting them down and nudging them towards a nearby bush that was right next to the copse of trees. Straightening back up, I glanced at the girl, who still appeared to be in a state of shock. Grinning, I steeped forward, putting a finger on the tip of her chin and pushed up, closing her mouth. "Keep your mouth open too long, and a bird''ll make a nest in there." Laughing at the look on her face, I stepped back and held my hand out to her. "My name''s Marrok Hemming. I''m a level 1 Drifter. Its a pleasure." Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. As she slowly took my hand, I noticed she was blushing, so I decided to tease her a bit more and turned her hand over, gently kissing the back of it like a knight would to his lady liege. As she started sputtering, I couldn''t help laughing. "Sorry, after seeing the look on your face, I couldn''t resist doing that." I leaned backwards to dodge a slap and laughed lightly, before bowing. "I apologize for my rude behavior. I glanced up and saw a pained grin cross her face, before replacing it with a smile of amusement. "It''s fine, There''s no need to apologize. Although please, refrain from doing such jokes in the future." Still smiling, she took my hand again and shook it. "It is an honor and a pleasure to meet you as well, Ser Marrok." She stepped back and curtsied slightly, which made me raise an eyebrow slightly. "My name is Pr- Er, I mean My name is Aroura Pyre, a level 3 rouge. I believe that is how you ''visitors'' introduce yourselves?" I applauded softly, to which she beamed a smile at me. Sitting down on the top of the hill and looking out over the forest, I motioned for her to sit down next to me. As she did, I gestured out towards the forest."Tell me, Aurora, what do you see out there?" She looked at me for a moment, puzzled, before looking out at the view. "I see a beautiful forest, full of life." I smiled as I heard that. "I see the same thing, but also so much more. I see an adventure behind a tree, a journey in every hole. I want to find them all, and discover places no one else has, or rediscover ruins and places like that that no one has seen for thousands of years!" At this point, I noticed that I had stood up, and stretched my arms out like I was trying to hug the horizon. Blushing a little, I sat back down, accompanied by giggles from Aroura. "I want to put my mark on this world, so that everyone will say my name with at least a hint of respect, and kids will think of my and say, '' I want to be like him when I grow up!'' Or at the very least, thats what I want to do. What about you? What would you like to do?" I watched as she started to fidget a bit, before looking away with a slight blush. "Well, to tell the truth... I would like to go out into the world and make a name for myself as an adventurer, one that isn''t influenced by who my parents are or what they do." I looked at her, confused for a second, before scratching my head lightly. "Well, I would ask who they are, but I will respect your privacy. For now, would you like to be friends?" I grinned as I manipulated my friends menu, and a small window appeared in front of the young fire-headed woman. She was surprised for several seconds, then read the message and smiled at me before happily pressing the YES button.
The NPC Auroura Pyre has accepted your friend request!
I looked at her with a smile before a loud growl echoed through the evening air, and I spun around, watching the surroundings as a second growl echoed. I then turned to Aroura, who had been fidgeting since the first growl with a blush on her face, and I laughed as her stomach growled making the same noise as the first two times. "Hungry huh?" She nodded her head shyly, the blush deepening, as I stood and helped her to her feet, then grinned wolfishly. "Time for dinner, then."