《Softly the Apocalypse [LitRPG] [Rewrite]》
1: UFO Kun
The bus trip suddenly changed from uneventful to frightening when a line of fire beelined across the sky, followed by an ominous thundering sound. Chasing away his drowsiness, Rowan yawned and stretched, his eyes chasing the object. At the same time, a grandmotherly lady sitting across the aisle decided he was the perfect target for a chat.
¡°Do you like hiking, young man?¡±
Rowan opened his mouth to say yes, but instead of the word, he gasped loudly. The meteor was drawing near, and its trajectory was too low for comfort. It passed over, and everyone glued their faces to the windows. That was no meteorite. The giant UFO screamed as it went down, disappearing over the hills, and then came the shock. A giant fist of air hit the bus and the forest, making the trees swing wild. A trunk fell on the road just ahead. The vehicle swerved and stopped, brakes screeching mere feet from the obstacle, shaking a few times up and down before it settled in place. Yells and ouch-es erupted when a few people hit their heads on the chairs before them.
¡°Everyone OK? I¡¯m a doctor.¡± That was the old woman¡¯s husband.
People said stuff. Yesses or noes, irrelevant, the booming noise covered all. Then came the light. Rowan dove down; the chair beside him was empty, but there was no heat or aftershock.
¡°That was a nuke?¡± somebody asked.
¡°It was a UFO,¡± someone else said.
The engine and the lights of the bus went off.
¡°I lost power,¡± the driver shouted.
¡°T¡¯was a nuke all right; that was the electromagnetic pulse,¡± the same person from before said.
After checking his phone, Rowan found it working, but there was no signal.
¡°I¡¯ll open the front door manually,¡± the driver yelled. ¡°Don¡¯t rush!¡±
In the next five minutes, the passengers¡ªall retirees except for Rowan¡ªexited more or less orderly, gathering on the grass outside the road. He followed them, taking his backpack as a precaution in case they had to abandon the bus. Behind, a few cars also stopped, and one was, by happenstance, the police. Their lights and engine worked just fine.
¡°Have you seen the UFO?¡± a policewoman yelled, exiting her vehicle.
¡°It¡¯s the Russians,¡± the driver said.
There were so many voices yelling around that Rowan felt dizzy. He instinctively walked away, leaving some space between him and the group, trying to put some order into his mind. Were the US under some kind of alien attack? He had read some articles recently about¡ª
Voices screamed for help in the distance, echoing up the hill. Forgetting his thoughts, Rowan rushed to another police person, a man in his fifties, speaking to the drivers of the cars stuck behind.
¡°Officer! Officer!¡±
¡°What?¡± the man snapped the word like a rubber bullet. ¡°Don¡¯t you see I¡¯m busy?¡±
¡°Someone¡¯s calling for help in the forest,¡± Rowan pointed toward the hill to be more convincing.
The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
The policeman frowned. ¡°Maybe you hit your head. Stay with the group. I have a lot of stuff on my hands.¡±
¡°But¡ª¡±
The policeman growled, and Rowan knew from direct experience that more arguing would lead to nothing or earn him being tased. Did the police ever care about who started the bar fight or that Rowan was in the right? He cursed and ran off into the woods toward the source of the noise. The uphill spurt soon took its toll, and a couple minutes later, he had to rest, panting, hands on his knees. There were no more sounds.
Maybe I heard it wrong¡
He was now a few hundred feet from the road, maybe a fifth of a mile. Then, as he straightened up, he saw the clearing. The gap in the tree allowed a giant plume of smoke from the northwest to filter the dim sun. The crash site, for sure. But that was the least of his worries. Bodies were lying all around, and¡ things feasted on them. A sickening scent of innards reached his nose when a gust of wind blew his way. And the salty metallic smell of blood.
¡°Ugh!¡± Rowan dashed behind a tree, trying not to throw up. Fuck!
The closest comparison that flashed in his mind was of Alien moose, if moose had fangs and claws, walked upright on their hind legs, and gorged on freshly slaughtered bodies. Four monsters munched on mangled human remains, their lower jaw chewing laterally, like herbivores, a rivulet of gore flowing on their chins. A fifth guarded a group of prisoners tied together with a shiny rope, one end held in its hand.
Rowan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. The prisoners were kids, somewhere between five and twelve years old, about nine of them. They called for help again, the same call he heard before, but the moose couldn¡¯t care less. Little by little, their voices lost hope and energy, letting only the chewing sounds be heard.
Rowan squeezed his eyelids shut. Moment of truth¡ Do you have it in you, Rowan?
He wished he had a handgun, but alas, he had not. His only firearm was a budget hunting rifle used once in a blue moon for birds, and it was back in Louisville. That didn¡¯t mean that Rowan was unarmed, though. He rummaged in his backpack for his bush knife, leaving the luggage near a tree afterward. Returning to the forest, Rowan made a detour, approaching the captives from the east as silently as he could.
Step by step, Rowan arrived behind the moose with the noose, so close he could touch it. His fingers tightened around the hilt. At the last moment, he withheld his hand. The monster had shifted its position; there was no way he could attack now without being observed.
Then, his eyes met a kid¡¯s. A cute girl, maybe five or six, with auburn hair and lightly tanned skin. She jerked, then screamed a wild, loud, desperate wail¡ªnothing like he had ever heard. Rowan¡¯s heart stopped. The feeding monsters ignored her, but the overseer pivoted, roaring and raising its arm to strike the girl down.
He dashed ahead and plunged the knife into the monster¡¯s back again and again, in a frenzy, searching for vitals¡ªheart, lungs, anything. A backhand threw Rowan away like a rag doll, making him drop the knife. Dodge-rolling, he tried to avoid the charging creature and its antlers. A sharp point winged his leg, and then the moose hit a tree head first, its aim off, falling, dazed, to the rusted leaves beneath. The bluish rope had disappeared.
¡°Run to the road!¡± Rowan shouted, struggling to get back up on his feet, ignoring the pain in his calf. His blade was nearby, and he grabbed it in a hurry and faced the rest of the moose, preparing to stall them while the kids escaped. To his surprise, the remaining monsters ignored him.
¡°Are you stupid? Kill it already!¡±
The yell had come from a Black boy, maybe ten. Skinny but with a fierce attitude, he rushed forward, hammering the fallen moose in the head with his fists over and over. Despite the difference in height and weight, the monster, nine feet tall and at least a few hundred pounds heavy, bounced back with each hit, its head banging the tree behind.
¡°The eyes! Aim for the eyes!¡± the boy screamed.
For good measure, Rowan stabbed the monster through an eye, pushing the blade into the brain. He hit true despite the stress and the moose wobbling all around. When the guard reached the socket, he changed grip and pushed the knife deeper with the heel of his palm.
¡°Fuck!¡± Rowan jerked back, surprised. The monster''s body dissolved into specks of light, then grouped into three streams, one flowing into his chest and the rest into the girl and the boy.
The Bleeding Damage Over Time (DOT) has stopped. You are the first Earthlings to have slain a monster: DireDeer, level 20, Epic tier, Mini-Boss (1/5). Rowan Allinder, you have been awakened to Mana and deemed worthy to keep all your stats at their current value. You have gained XP. Level up x6. Menu unlocked. Class Selection unlocked.
!!!Welcome to the System!!!
2: Clearing the Clearing
The little girl rushed and hugged Rowan tightly, throwing her arms around his midriff. He took her in his arms, fondling her hair. The warmth and sweetness of her hug made Rowan smile.
¡°It¡¯s fine, everything is fine,¡± he whispered, ruffling the girl¡¯s hair before looking around. The rest of the kids had surrounded him with expecting eyes, obviously waiting for adult guidance. ¡°Let¡¯s go before they notice their pal¡¯s dead.¡±
¡°We can¡¯t leave,¡± the tough boy objected.
¡°Kid, I¡¯m sorry, but those folks are dead; we can¡¯t save them.¡±
¡°Are you an idiot?¡± The question, asked with a slightly tilted head, didn¡¯t sound like an insult, more like a half-certitude. ¡°We can¡¯t leave the area until we clear it. There¡¯s a barrier.¡±
¡°Thomas is mean,¡± the little girl accused. ¡°I¡¯ll tell your mommy.¡±
Now that Thomas had mentioned it, there was a faint light fifty yards downward on the slope.
¡°It let me through,¡± Rowan said.
¡°It¡¯s one way in, no way out,¡± Thomas said.
¡°We tried to leave as soon as we saw the notification,¡± another child said, but Rowan did not see who.
¡°What noti¡ª¡±
A blue text appeared before he finished his sentence. It was displayed on a widescreen, so transparent that it let the landscape get through fully.
This clearing has been transformed into a mid-tier mini-dungeon: Ominous Grove. Setting: Extreme. Condition for winning: eliminate all 5 Elite mini-bosses: DireDeer. Exit is prohibited until the task is accomplished.
XP rules: Generous. The difference in level between you and the slain adversary is divided among those participating in the fight.
The reward for clearing the mini-dungeon is +1 Lvl. +1 free Attribute Point, loot.
¡°Let¡¯s hide in the woods and hide until help arrives,¡± a girl about eight years old proposed, repeating herself.
Rowan remembered the policeman¡¯s attitude and grimaced. ¡°If it¡¯s a national emergency, it could take days.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry, if we killed one, we can kill them all,¡± Thomas boasted. ¡°Just follow my lead.¡±
¡°Keep your voice low,¡± Rowan hissed.
¡°It¡¯s OK, we¡¯re safe as long as we stay outside their aggro range. I see question marks when I try to Identify you, which means you have no Class yet. Pick something, preferably Rogue. Just think about it. We¡¯ll pull and dispose of them one by one. Lizzie will lure them, I¡¯ll tank, and you go stabby.¡±
¡°S-sorry?¡±
Rowan¡¯s befuddled expression must¡¯ve reinforced Thomas¡¯s impression of him. The boy rolled his eyes but explained, ¡°You saw the UFO, right?¡±
¡°Yeah.¡±
¡°It did something when it crashed. We¡¯re in a System Apocalypse now, LitRPG and stuff. Classes, attributes, the whole deal. Focus your thoughts, think Class Selection and a sort of Game-like Menu will appear. With proper options if you¡¯re lucky.¡±
Following the boy¡¯s instructions, Rowan furrowed his brow, concentrating.
Class Selection is locked until you distribute your free attribute points, as available choices depend on your stats.
¡°What do you mean, if I¡¯m lucky?¡± Rowan asked, dismissing the notification.
¡°We all got classes,¡± Thomas said, ¡°but¡ª"
¡°I¡¯m an actress,¡± Lizzie, the girl Rowan held in his arms, stated proudly.
¡°Ballerina,¡± another girl sighed.
Thomas cleared his voice to make the younger children let him speak. ¡°Classes were assigned automatically depending on hobbies or jobs. Teachers remained teachers¡ª¡±
¡°And they become monster food,¡± Rowan said.
Thomas nodded, a few tears creeping into his eyes, wiped off with his forearm.
¡°Yeah¡ I had a choice because I¡¯m trained in martial arts. I¡¯m a Brawler. It¡¯s an off-tank. You know what an off-tank is, right?¡± Thomas frowned at Rowan as the young man was frowning back, only from befuddlement.
¡°I don¡¯t play games much¡ not the ones people usually play, anyway¡¡±
¡°What games do you play?¡± Lizzie asked.
¡°Err¡ rally driving and bar games¡¡±
¡°Like darts?¡±
¡°Yeah¡ darts too¡¡± Rowan bit his lower lips. His preferred bar game was to beat aggressive drunkards who picked on other patrons or pretty girls, but maybe that was not the best thing to brag about around children.
¡°Dude, just pick a class. Choose a combat-oriented one and ask me for help if you don¡¯t get it. Put your attributes into Strength and Dex.¡±
¡°Give me a moment. Stay with them, sweetie; I¡¯ll be back.¡±
¡°No,¡± Lizzie said, burrowing her face in his shoulder.
¡°Very well, but promise to be quiet,¡± Rowan surrendered.
Taking a few steps deeper into the forest, he chose a stump to sit on and summoned his stats screen. His experience with games was poor, but he had some friends who played MMORPGs and had shown him the ropes.
Name: Rowan Allinder, Age: 25
Lvl. 6. Class:???
Assessing and assigning stats according to your overall prior experience:
STR: 20 / DEX: 18 / CON: 20 / WIL: 49 / INT: 12 / CHA: 8
You have 6 free points available for distribution.
Yeah, tell me about Charisma. I had higher hopes for my Intelligence, though¡ Never mind¡
If he concentrated just a little, he could see some gauges. HP, Mana, and the XP needed to reach the next level. The latter was a third full. Despite Thomas¡¯s advice, the forty-nine in Will nagged him. It looked¡ imperfect. So he raised it to fifty, and the rest of the points went into Strength, upping it to twenty-five.
Now show me the fucking class selection.
Choose one from the following options:
1: All-Rounded Worker (Uncommon)
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This class is available due to your skills as a Forklift Operator, Truck Driver, and Heavy Equipment Operator.
An All-Rounded Worker earns 25% to 50% more than a regular worker and gains a free +1 increase in Charisma, Dexterity, and Toughness every 10 levels, in addition to the usual free stat point gained at each level.
2: Vampire Rogue (Legendary)
This class is available due to your passive skill: Night Shifter.
Warning: This class will alter your species and may provoke hostility from certain groups. A Vampire Rogue excels at using the darkness of the night to their advantage, gaining unique abilities tied to stealth and nocturnal power.
¡°What the fuck, System! You don¡¯t know what a night shift is?¡± Rowan groaned, scrolling down the text without reading the rest of the Vampire class description. It was quite long.
¡°Problems?¡± Thomas asked.
¡°All good.¡±
¡°Hurry up; they might finish the teachers and come for deserts.¡±
¡°One minute.¡±
Lizzie was now snoring, some saliva dripping on Rowan¡¯s coat.
She¡¯s so sweet! OK, let¡¯s see the last choice.
3: The Indomitable (Legendary, Unique). Unlocked because you fought an Epic monster +20 over your level to save a child, have an uncommon personal history, and reached the second threshold in Will and the first threshold on any other given stat (Strength) within an hour of the System¡¯s apparition. Receives +2 in each stat at every 10 levels, on top of the free stat point acquired at each level. Unique classes are highly customizable and allow you to gain exceptional Perks.
Perks? What the hell is that?
Perks are a higher version of Spells or Skills obtained with every threshold of 25 points reached in any given Stat. Only base values are considered, without buffs or armor enchantments. The System chooses the first and third threshold Perks by evaluating your performance and personality; you choose the second and the fourth Perks yourself from two or more options. Read the FAQ or Class Manual for more information.
Current Perks:
Will Perk, Threshold 1: Will and Wilt: Your Will replaces Strength as your Physical Critical Damage multiplier (1% per every Will point) and inflicts an Unavoidable DOT on Crits. The Critical Chance depends on your Dex (+1% for every Dex point. Enemies'' passive or active abilities to Evade, Dodge, or Block will subtract from your Crit Chance, depending on the situation.
Note: An Unavoidable DOT reduces the enemies'' HPs regardless of their immunities or resistances.
Will Perk, Threshold 2: locked until further evaluation.
Strength Perk, Threshold 1: Miss? What miss? Your strikes have a 25% chance to ignore Physical Resistances, Evades, Dodges, Parries, or Blocks.
Pfff¡ too much nerdish for me¡ Vampire¡¯s a hard no¡ I chose Indomitable.
Choice confirmed. Basic Melee and Ranged Weapon Proficiency are unlocked (Passives). Basic Mana Application unlocked (Passive). This passive is used to enhance your Skills and Perks with Mana. Spellcasting is currently locked. Acquire Mana Manipulation to be able to cast spells.
An influx of energy passed through his body, so strong that he groaned and shivered, making Lizzie wake up.
¡°Mommy?¡± The next second, she screamed very loud. Rowan dropped her, startled, catching her a second before she hit the ground.
¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, sweetie, it¡¯s me.¡± The screams stopped, and a smile replaced the fear on her face.
Thomas, on the other hand, didn¡¯t sound happy. ¡°Fuck, Lizzie aggroed two. I¡¯ll run around, keeping to this side, Rowan, hit them from the back.¡±
¡°How do you know my name?¡±
¡°You have a tag over your head; check your privacy settings. Never mind, here they come.¡±
Bulky and menacing, with their fangs covered in gore, two monsters trudged toward their side of the clearing. Thomas dashed out on an oblique trajectory. Rowan couldn¡¯t help but admire the kid¡¯s acumen; Thomas attracted the moose one by one, arranging them in a line. Grabbing his knife from the ground, Rowan ran and stabbed the second monster in the back. The knife went on almost up to the guard, but somehow, he felt the urge to push it on, and so he did, twisting.
Backstab has inflicted a Lethal Critical Hit on DireDeer¡¯s vitals: Heart. You have inflicted 96% HP damage to DireDeer, Elite Lvl. 20. You have inflicted a 2% HP/sec. DOT on DireDeer.
The moose made a spastic move, trying to claw at Rowan¡¯s face. He dodged underneath, pulling back his knife, and ran forward. Four seconds later, like clockwork, the moose bellowed a desperate dying call, melted into specks of light, and the notification came:
You have slain DireDeer, Elite Lvl.20 (2/5) XP received (divided between you, Thomas, and Lizzie). You have leveled up x 5. 2 points were automatically distributed to each stat, and 5 free APs are available for a later distribution.
That was the good news. The bad one was that the second moose stopped chasing Thomas, turned, and charged at Rowan instead. He froze. All his hits up to now were from the back, and a knife had abysmal reach versus a nine-foot-tall monster with antlers.
Put my points in Dex! Rowan¡¯s mind screamed. The plan was simple: with twenty-five in Dex, he¡¯d be faster, avoiding attacks easier and kiting down the moose little by little.
Request denied. Distributing Points during Combat settings is set to OFF. Activating Automatic Distribution Mode. Prioritizing the closest stat to reach a threshold. +3 AP to CON. 2 AP stored for later.
Constitution Perk, Threshold 1 obtained: Tough Cookie. Your body has become denser. +25% all physical resistances, +25% to Natural Regeneration (HP)
Rowan became dizzy and clumsy from the influx of stats, and the moose hit him like a truck. It had accelerated at the last moment, head first, crushing Rowan¡¯s hopes to dodge, throwing the young man twenty feet back. Everything hurt. And that was good news; hurting meant he was alive. The monster¡¯s head was so big that the antlers¡¯ spikes missed Rowan¡¯s body, only grazing his arms.
You have suffered two Debuffs (Daze, Concussion, for 10 seconds) and Minor Bleeding (DOT, -0.25% HP/seconds. Your HP is at 80%.
You have inflicted a Critical Hit and a Critical Unavoidable DOT on DireDeer. -25% HP, -8% HP per second.
What?
The moose had stopped in his tracks, trashing around. Its awkward arms, more like an animal¡¯s, were flailing, trying¡ªand failing¡ªto reach its neck, where Rowan¡¯s knife was stuck deep. That was another lucky strike. Then Thomas arrived from the back, throwing down the DireDeer, which stuck the blade deeper.
It must be a skill. No way a scrawny kid could topple that monster on his own.
You have slain DireDeer, Elite Lvl.20 (3/5) XP received (divided between you, Thomas, and Lizzie). You have leveled up x 3. 3 free APs are available for later distribution. Correction: Activating Automatic Distribution Mode. Prioritizing the closest stat to reach a threshold. +5 points to Dex. Dexterity Perk, Threshold 1 obtained: Subconscious Fighting. Even if you¡¯re CC¡¯d, as long you''re not knocked out cold, your body can move independently, striking the enemy.
Neat!
¡°Dude, wake up; we aggroed the rest,¡± Thomas screamed, offering a hand.
Rowan sighed, shaking his head to chase off the last vestiges of dizziness. ¡°How the f¡ª sorry, do we aggroed the rest?¡±
¡°Our levels increased, and we¡¯re more noticeable. Duh!¡±
At the far end of the expanse, the two remaining monsters bellowed to each other, staring at the man and the boy.
¡°Let¡¯s do the same thing; we separate them and take them one by one.¡± Rowan¡¯s prophetic words took shape differently than he had hoped. One moose dashed at them, and the other headed toward the western tree line, where the kids were. To cull the weak, take them hostage, or exact revenge, it didn¡¯t matter.
¡°You have to take one on your own. Sorry, kid.¡± Rowan picked the knife from the ground, threw it at the incoming monster, then ran back to the tree line as fast as he could.
You have inflicted a Critical Hit and an Unavoidable DOT on DireDeer, -15% HP, -2% HP per second.
Detected Skill: Throwing Knife (Passive), advanced.
That was terrific news. Praying that Thomas could cope with the injured moose while he dealt with the other, Rowan jumped on the last DireDeer¡¯s back. Grabbing the antlers and wrapping his legs around the monster¡¯s torso, Rowan tried to wrestle its head backward, hoping to break the neck. It didn¡¯t work. The moose fell backward, pinning Rowman under a colossal weight and clawing at his thighs simultaneously.
You are suffering from multiple Bleeds. Total: 2%HP/second. Estimated time to existence termination: 59 seconds (DOTs -Natural Regeneration)
No. Fuck YOU! I won¡¯t allow you to hurt the kids.
Rowan moved his left hand around the DireDeer¡¯s neck in a choke, and with his right, he gouged out one eye, then another. The popping noises were disgusting yet delightful. He growled, drunken by the joy, the desire to kill anything that represented a threat to the kids and himself. The animal screamed in pain. Music to his ears. Rowan shoved his right hand into its mouth, pulling on the lower jaw until something broke. He laughed hysterically and managed to read only three words before he lost consciousness.
You have slain¡ª
3: Emotes OFF
His head hurt like hell.
¡°He¡¯s awake!¡± a voice yelled.
Groaning, Rowan opened his eyes, then closed them back as the whole world whirled in a maelstrom of colors, the blue of the sky mixing with the green and the yellow of the leaves.
¡°C¡¯mon, sleeping beauty, rise and shine. We don¡¯t have all day.¡±
Someone patted his cheek. When he opened his eyes, Rowan gasped. A striking woman leaned above him, exposing to his view an enticing decolletage through a beige shirt opened at the two upper buttons. Tall, blonde, tanned, sexy, with gray-blue eyes, full lips, and that type of severe expression that makes men try to soften it with declarations of love and boxes of chocolate. Or at least, that was what he thought he would do.
¡°Ouch!¡± Rowan blurted.
Thomas has inflicted you with a Kick to the Ribs. Stunned for 1 second. Internal Bleeding: 0.5 HP/second.
¡°Don¡¯t stare at my mom¡¯s boobs, you pervert!¡±
¡°You idiot, I just finished healing him!¡± a girl in her early teens yelled, kneeling near Rowan. Slowly, he began to feel better.
An unknown Apprentice Healer is applying Minor Healing to you.
¡°Turn your Emotes off. You had a ton of hearts emojis erupting over your head,¡± the woman said, offering a hand.
¡°What happened?¡± Rowan mumbled, trying to get his wits together and raising on his buttocks after accepting her help. Which was the best moment for Lizzie to jump on him, hugging him awkwardly over the throat. He returned the hug. ¡°Hi, sweetie, I¡¯m happy you¡¯re all right!¡± Lizzie was about to climb into his arms again, but he pushed her away gently, ruffling her hair, intending to concentrate on the story.
¡°Short story: I heard Lizzie screaming, then my partner¡ªa total idiot¡ªtold me a passenger also pretended to hear screams, and,¡± the woman¡¯s voice choked for a second, ¡°I remembered Thomas had a school field trip scheduled here. I rushed up and found him running in circles while an alien chased him.¡±
¡°I was waiting for the DOT to finish it,¡± Thomas explained.
¡°I shot the monster and gave you first aid. You were almost gone, but that kid,¡± the woman continued, pointing to the Apprentice Healer, ¡°did some mumbo-jumbo over you and raised you back to life. Thomas explained everything to me¡¡± She shook her head, her shoulders sagging. ¡°Magic¡ who would have imagined¡¡±
Enforcer, level 17. That was the tag floating over the woman¡¯s head. Only then did Rowan recognize her. It was the policewoman from the road, the one dealing with the bus¡¯s passengers.
Wow¡ She¡¯s gorgeous! How come I didn¡¯t notice?
¡°Last warning: Turn your emojis settings on private,¡± the blonde woman frowned and accompanied her words with a mild squeeze on his shoulder. ¡°We can all see them. Now, it¡¯s widened eyes and a salivating tongue. You¡¯re this close I charge you with obstruction,¡± she showed him her index and thumb, only an inch apart.
¡°Not my fault you¡¯re pretty,¡± Rowan mumbled, more to himself. The woman snorted but, at the same time, repressed a half-smile.
Putting the emotes off was simple; thinking about it popped up the option with Yes or No beside it. Notification flooded him afterward, and he proceeded to read them, ignoring the agitation around him¡ªmainly kids asking Thomas questions about their classes and stats.
You have Cleared the Ominous Grove mini-dungeon, the first Dungeon to be completed on Earth. +1 Free Attribute Point, +1 Level. You have reached level 21. Reward: Your contribution was judged the most important, and as such, a Core (Mythical Artifact) has been transferred to your Inventory. The default setting has been applied: the Dungeon Core has evolved into a Town Core.
Overall, he had eight free points to invest. He put one in Strength and, on a whim, one in Charisma. The rest went into Will, his strongest stat, and then Rowan inspected the numbers.
Name: Rowan Allinder. Class: The Indomitable, Unique, Level 21
STR: 30 / DEX: 27 / CON: 27 / INT: 16 / WIL: 60 / CHA: 13
Will Perk, Threshold 1: Will and Wilt: Your Will replaces Strength as your Physical Critical Damage multiplier (1% per every Will point) and inflicts an Unavoidable DOT every 2 seconds. The Critical Chance depends on your Dex (+1% for every Dex point).
Will Perk, Threshold 2: Locked.
Strength Perk, Threshold 1: Miss? What miss? Your strikes have a 25% chance to ignore Evade, Dodges, Parries, or Blocks.
Constitution Perk, Threshold 1: Tough Cookie. +25% all physical resistances, +25% to Natural Regeneration (HP)
Dexterity Perk, Threshold 1: Subconscious Fighting. Even if you¡¯re CC¡¯d, your body can move independently, striking the enemy.HP regen: 1.25%/minute MP regen:1%/minute
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
HP = CON x 10 / MP = WIL x 10
Health Pool= Lvl.+CONx10. Current HP: 400/480
Mana Pool = Level+Main Class Stat (WIL)x10. Current HP=560/810
¡°Is this normal? I mean, gaining so many levels in one shot?¡± Rowan asked. He was a bit flummoxed by his considerable gain in levels.
¡°Check your detailed logs. This System favors challenges,¡± Thomas said. ¡°The bigger the difference in level between you and the foes you kill, the bigger the reward¡ You¡¯re following, right? You look a little st¡ confused.¡±
Rowan¡¯s head was hurting from all that nerdish thrown around, but he wouldn¡¯t let himself be insulted by a kid. ¡°Because you broke me a rib or something, you little punk!¡±
¡°Thomas uses bad words when you¡¯re not around, Isla,¡± Lizzie reported, obviously siding with Rowan.
The boy sketched a move to catch her, but she hid behind Rowan. ¡°You little rat!¡±
¡°Enough!¡± Thomas¡¯s mother clapped her hands. ¡°We need to return to the road. Kids, you know the drill. Hold hands, two by two, like the ants are marching on. I¡¯ll be in the front, Thomas with me, and¡ err¡ what was your name again?"
"Rowan."
"Rowan, you cover the back. Yell if you need help. Now, let¡¯s go. Left, right, left, right, left, right!¡± She offered her hand to Rowan, helping him rise to his feet, then started stepping in a cadence, showing the way, followed by the orderly column of kids.
¡°She¡¯s great at organizing things,¡± Rowan noticed.
¡°Yeah. Inhale, exhale, left, right, those are her favorites,¡± Thomas sighed.
¡°Err¡ What happened to the remains?¡± Rowan asked in a whisper. There was no sign of the teachers¡¯ bodies.
¡°The earth swallowed them,¡± Thomas said, pointing to a mound resembling a grave. ¡°The beasts disintegrated. Have to go in front, or Isla will make me run five miles before dinner,¡± he said in a hurry and scampered forward.
Tiger mama, obviously. Rowan smiled and started marching in line with the last kid, Lizzie, and she took him by the hand. On the way, he picked up his backpack and facepalmed using his free hand. Fuck, there was a trail! Clear enough now, the path waved through the trees. If he¡¯d taken the time to inspect the surroundings, that would have eased his climb the first time. When passing the blue line of the forcefield, a notification showed:
You are leaving a High Mana Density Area, tier A (Glade, Place of Power, former Mini-Dungeon) for a Minimal Mana Density Area, tier F. Warning: Your stats and skills will remain the same, but your HP and MP will regenerate 60 times slower, at 1% / hour instead of 1% / minute.
¡°Noooo,¡± Thomas wailed. ¡°Mana isn¡¯t everywhere?¡±
¡°Is this bad?¡± Rowan heard Isla ask.
¡°For my skills, yes, they are Mana-based. You know, Dash, Stun, Off-Tank stuff.¡±
I wonder if I have Mana skills¡ But before Rowan could inspect his Character Menu, they reached the road. The fallen tree had been removed, and all cars were gone except for the bus and the police vehicle. That meant engines worked again.
¡°You can¡¯t go until my partner comes back,¡± the policemen argued with the bus driver and some vociferous elderly ladies. ¡°There''s a passenger lost in the woods; she''s gone after him. Oh, here she is. Hi Isla. Oh¡ What happened?¡± the man asked when his eyes met the group.
Pretty name for a pretty lady, Rowan thought. She has the weirdest kid, though.
¡°A bunch of aliens attacked the school trip,¡± Isla said. There were a lot of gasps and incredulous looks around, but she didn¡¯t bother to explain further. ¡°Kids, go on the bus. You, the tourists, make some place for them,¡± Isla ordered.
"You poor things¡ Attacked by aliens? Come inside and tell us all!" The same talkative old lady from before said, and Rowan would have bet that her interest was more about gossip than for the kids.
¡°Thomas, go in the back of the car," Isla said. ¡°And no, you can¡¯t ride in front; it¡¯s illegal. Don''t mess with the door locks like the last time, or I''ll handcuff you.¡±
¡°Police brutality!¡± the boy shouted but obeyed.
¡°We¡¯re heading for Elkins to let off the kids; what you do after that is your own business,¡± Isla informed the bus driver before returning to the police car and taking the lead again.
For the next half hour, Rowan dozed on and off, his mind spinning wild about the monsters and the magic. Lizzie had climbed in his arms, sitting quietly and looking at the landscape: rolling hills, the valley, a still sunny sky, and the usual sheep-shaped clouds. There was a permanent buzz in the bus and a vibe of creeping anxiety: people chatting, the elderly asking the kids about the attack.
¡°Good news, as soon the children are safe, we can continue to the resort,¡± the driver announced in the speakers as they entered the town. ¡°CB Radios are working. This was an isolated incident, not an invasion. The Internet is on. Phone networks are still off, but there is hope of restoring them soon.¡±
The bus stopped in a parking lot, with its asphalt starting to look dilapidated. The late August offered a warm summer light, an hour or two until sunset. There was a brick church to the Northwest. And another, smaller, to the Southeast. Across the street, a coffee shop and many cars parked in front of it. Overall, it was the typical small town with a rural vibe.
When the bus¡¯s doors opened, adults ran forward, screaming names, almost in a stampede.
¡°Calm down, everybody¡¯s safe!¡± a bullhorn roared with Isla¡¯s voice.
She must¡¯ve called the parents in advance, somehow, Rowan realized.
¡°Kids, come out. IN ORDER! Don¡¯t push each other,¡± the blonde ordered.
Lizzie hugged Rowan, tears filling her eyes, and went out last.
¡°Mommy!¡±
¡°Honey!¡±
The girl jumped off the bus like a released spring, the woman barely catching her in time. Lizzie started to chat vividly, pointing at the bus, her words swamped by the surrounding noise of people moving again to other chairs and discussions. People were eager to finally visit the resort and check on their loved ones using the internet. There were a few words Rowan did catch, though.
¡°But Mommy, he¡¯s so nice! Let¡¯s take him home! He¡¯s daddy material.¡± Rowan repressed a laugh. Then Lizzie screamed. ¡°Rowan, please stay!¡±
You are affected by debuff: Scream for Attention. Your WIL check failed. Unable to control your actions for the next 10 seconds, and compulsion to follow the Taunter¡¯s orders.
Fuck!
His feet were dashing on the aisle without any control. At the last moment, he grabbed his backpack and then started to bang his boot on the middle door.
¡°Calm down, moron!¡± the driver yelled, opening the door.
¡°Such a weirdo,¡± Rowan heard the old lady who tried to make conversation earlier. The debuff ceased only when he was out, panting in front of the girl and her mother. Meanwhile, the bus had departed in a hurry, tires screeching. For sure, to escape the madman: him.
¡°I¡¯m so happy you stayed!¡± Lizzie screamed, jumping up like a blissful whack-a-mole character. ¡°You can live with us. Mommy has a hotel.¡±
¡°Bed and breakfast. I¡¯m Grace, Lizzie¡¯s mother,¡± the woman offered a hand.
¡°Rowan Allinder.¡± Her handshake felt frail, somehow like her. Three to four inches shorter than Rowan, cute, as graceful as her name suggested, with hair flowing down to her shoulders, between straight and curly, light brown and auburn. The most striking detail was her skin, living porcelain; its white and rose color surreally delicate. Her light green eyes looked tired, adding a sense of normalcy.
¡°Thank you¡ I don¡¯t know all the details, but Isla told me the kids were in danger, and you helped. Oh, sorry. Of course, you can spend the night at our place.¡±
¡°I¡¯m good. Drop me off near the next bus station. Worst case, I¡¯ll hitchhike.¡±
¡°No!¡± Lizzie stomped her feet, but this time, Rowan¡¯s will resisted, and he frowned back, putting his fists on his hips and trying to adopt a grandmotherly tone.
¡°Look, young lady. Using your magic on friends is a big no. Do we understand each other?¡±
¡°M-magic?¡± Grace stuttered.
4: The Core of the City
Grace slanted her head, staring at him, and Rowan was sure she thought he was crazy. Isla¡¯s voice startled them both.
¡°Ah, good, you¡¯re still here. Go to the church; there will be a short debrief about the alien encounter. Fed shrinks will take care things go smoothly.¡±
¡°What alien encounter, Isla?¡± Grace hissed with her voice''s tone up a notch.
¡°Monsters tried to eat us, but Rowan killed them all! Thomas helped, but just a little,¡± Lizzie stated. "And he swears, and he''s mean."
Grace began shouting at the blonde, but Rowan¡¯s mind skimmed off their talk like a surfer a wave. His senses were tingling with alarm. All the cars were still there¡ªexcept the bus¡ª and all the parents and children, but a few black 4x4s had also appeared. People in black suits, half a dozen, guarded both ends of the road. He hated that kind of people.
!!! Alert !!!
The System decrypted the US government communication channels. The feds plan to transfer all participants in the Ominous Grove mini-dungeon event to a secret government facility for further examination. You, Thomas, and Lizzie have a 99% chance to be dissected.
Quest: Survive
Option 1: Run. Follow the river downstream and lose yourself in the mountains.
Reward: Continued existence. Unlocks the Will Perk, threshold 2: Cold Soul. You will be able to control your emotions to perfection. Letting Lizzie be dissected will be no biggie. Hell, for a buck, you could dissect her yourself.
Option 2: Stand Your Ground. Transform Elkins into a Fortress-style Mana Awakened City. Hostiles will be teleported out of its boundaries and denied further access. Accepting this path will consume the Core you looted. The process will be self-explanatory.
Reward: Continued existence. Unlocks the Will Perk, threshold 2: High-Tier Artifact User. Able to use high-tier Artifacts.
Instinctively, Rowan forwarded his hand in front of him, palm up. A ball of light appeared above it, hovering in the air.
¡°Hey, what¡¯s that? Put it back immediately. Don¡¯t make me tase you!¡± Isla touched her holster.
¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Rowan said, but before he could continue, time stopped. The policewoman¡¯s eyes, her hand, frozen in motion. Lizzie pouting, Grace screaming, the same.
You have ten seconds to decide. Do you choose 1 or 2?
Two¡ I won¡¯t let some asshole feds dissect kids¡
The light grew. A shock wave akin to a gust of wind and a flash erupted from the sphere, going up the sky and then losing itself in the distance, briefly bathing the mountains in its light. Then, time resumed. Rowan''s ears buzzed, and discomfort started from his shoulder, a hard tingle making his arm twitch. His eyes were barely able to see because of the afterimage. There were faint noises of people panicking and cars leaving. Parents and kids fleeing. The black cars and suits had vanished, and the shadows of the sunset had more depth.
"Hey! That''s not cool!" Rowan yelled, noticing the Taser darts stuck in his jacket, still delivering the discharge. ¡°This is my fav jacket!¡±
"Isla! Are you mad?" Grace yelled. "Lizzie, get back; don''t touch those wires!"
¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Isla screamed, taking her finger off the trigger. ¡°He startled me. I thought it was a grenade or something.¡±
¡°Are you hurt?¡± Grace asked Rowan, eyes widened.
¡°He¡¯s OK,¡± Lizzie yelled. ¡°He''s a hero!¡±
Rowan shook his head, then pulled out the dart from his shoulder. The skin underneath felt sour, but he had barely registered the electric shock.
[Elkins Town¡¯s Core AI to Rowan]: Hi. I¡¯m¡ err¡ the Awakened Town¡¯s AI, at your service. As per default settings, you hear my voice and see a text simultaneously. Your Tough Cookie Perk is enhanced within Elkins¡¯s boundaries. Your body is more resistant to pain and mild electric shocks. It also counters small and medium-caliber bullets by spreading the energy over a larger surface. In short, your skin acts like a bulletproof vest.
¡°What about my favorite jacket?¡± Rowan wailed. ¡°It¡¯s an Enzo Car Coat. I paid a thousand bucks for it.¡±
¡°Your fault!¡± Isla yelled, rewinding the Taser wire. ¡°What the heck was that shit?¡±
[Elkins Town¡¯s Core AI to Rowan]: Your jacket is now considered a Light Leather Armor and bound to you. If you keep it inside the town¡¯s boundaries, it will be repaired within twenty-four hours. The T-shirt, on the other hand, needs to be stitched manually. Thank you for keeping calm after hearing my voice in your head. Statistics show that most people behave hysterically during an Awakening.
Rowan ignored the message and addressed the blonde. ¡°I just saved our lives. Those feds were going to dissect us. By using an¡ artifact, I teleported them out of town. That was that shit.¡±
¡°This is crazy,¡± Grace mumbled.
¡°And I''m supposed to believe it just because you say so?¡± the policewoman sneered.
¡°Isla, and¡ err¡ please, just calm down!¡± Grace put her hands up in a stopping gesture.
¡°Rowan, his name is Rowan,¡± Lizzie reminded her. "A HERO! And daddy material," she whispered the last words to Grace, hiding her mouth behind her hand.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Some loud bangs attracted their attention. It was Thomas, hitting the police car¡¯s rear door glass with his fists from the inside. The other policeman was nowhere to be seen.
¡°Oh, my God, I forgot my child was locked into the car,¡± Isla panicked, rushing to the vehicle.
¡°Hi, Miss Grace,¡± Thomas said once freed. ¡°Mom, Rowan¡¯s right. I got the quest as well. I''ll forward you the notification as proof. You did great, man. I expected you¡¯d run.¡±
[Elkins Town¡¯s Core AI to Rowan]: Thomas was going to take over the Stand Your Ground quest if you¡¯d refused. We need to select different Perks and settings for the town. Please do so as soon as possible.
Shut up! ¡°I need a drink¡¡± Rowan massaged his forehead. First, fighting monsters, now a voice speaking into his mind¡ it was a lot to cope with.
¡°Let¡¯s go home,¡± Grace proposed. ¡°I certainly need one too.¡±
"At least come to the department to give a statement," Isla said to Rowan, kneading her hands.
"No, Isla," Graced stated bluntly, stepping in front of Rowan. "We¡¯re going home. You''ll have your statement when he''s ready for it."
¡°Fine!¡± The policewoman sulked visibly. ¡°Don¡¯t leave town before you give your statement!¡±
¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Rowan promised. ¡°Scout¡¯s honor.¡± He never had been a scout, but who cared. ¡°Err¡ how are we going to your place?¡± he asked. The only car still hanging around was the police vehicle.
¡°We live around the corner, we¡¯ll walk,¡± Grace said.
¡°Bye, Isla, bye, Thomas the swear machine,¡± Lizzie pulled her tongue on the boy.
Isla replied by flickering her fingers. Just go. This is too much for me, her gesture conveyed.
Five minutes later, after turning around the park¡ªa detour Rowan explained to the ballerina shoes Grace wore¡ªthey arrived five hundred feet across from where they started. Grace¡¯s house was a two-story charming Arts and Crafts brick building with a porch and a small garden behind. A gray sedan that had seen better days was parked on the street.
¡°Come, let¡¯s go inside, I¡¯ll prepare dinner. You¡¯ll stay with us for the night; that goes without saying.¡±
Rowan nodded. It was early evening, and the situation looked crazy enough to take a day off to figure out things. He followed the woman. The front door was opened, and after passing through a small mud room, they arrived at a large open space with a dining zone and a sitting area. One could tell some effort had been invested in the decorations and overall design.
¡°Lizzie, thank God you¡¯re safe!¡±
A man in his late fifties rose from a leather couch and came forward, hugging the girl. His house robe, silky and luxurious, thrown over an elegant house suit, was striking in itself, but the man¡¯s mustache was even more shocking. Strong and thick, its tips curved upward. Once the hug finished, he offered a handshake. ¡°Hello, young man. I¡¯m Dmitri.¡±
¡°Rowan Allinder. Sorry to be so direct, but that¡¯s the most impressive facial hair I''ve ever seen,¡± Rowan said.
¡°Thank you,¡± the man bowed. He was obviously very proud of his mustache.
¡°Dmitri is a retired art teacher,¡± Grace said. ¡°He rents for the year and worked for the college until recently.¡±
¡°It''s cheaper to live here, and I like to live near other artists.¡±
¡°Mommy is a singer and plays the uptight piano,¡± Lizzie advertised, pointing to the musical instrument.
¡°Upright piano, sweetheart. Dmitri, please help me make some food.¡± Grabbing the retiree¡¯s arm, Grace pulled him into the kitchen. She closed the sliding doors behind her, but Rowan¡¯s hearing, enhanced by the new stats, caught everything.
¡°Don¡¯t stare at him like that, Dmitri. I forbid you to make a pass at our guest.¡±
¡°No problem, you call dibs. I get it.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not calling anything. He saved Lizzie¡¯s life. I don¡¯t want him to leave with a bad experience. Promise to behave?¡±
¡°C¡¯mon! You know me better, Gracie-dear. I would never hit on a kid. Even if he¡¯s smitten with my mustache.¡±
I¡¯m twenty-five, you prick! And not interested anyway.
¡°You want to play hide and seek in the garden?¡± Lizzie asked, and the kitchen conversation disintegrated from his focus.
¡°Of course!¡± Rowan exclaimed. ¡°I love hide and seek.¡±
Playing with Lizzie proved to be a blast. Often, her cute little feet were showing from behind bushes, giving her away, and some old basket, put on the head, was enough to make her invisible in her mind. Lizzie was a funny kid, and Rowan enjoyed playing together. Still, he wasn¡¯t the type to lie or lose on purpose¡ªtoo much¡ªand after a while, they started throwing a ball at each other. Thirty minutes later, Grace called them inside.
Eating and chatting took two hours. The food was awesome: buckwheat pancakes with different fillings that melted in the mouth. An amazing wine to go with the food and a fantastic whiskey from a decanter to accompany the desserts.
¡°This must be the high rye, ten-year small batch,¡± Rowan said softly. Lizzie had fallen asleep on the nearby couch.
¡°No idea, Dmitri bought it,¡± Grace half-shrugged.
¡°It is. You¡¯re a connoisseur?¡± Dmitri toasted.
¡°Sort of. I work in the Bourbon business.¡±
¡°Interesting. Tell me more.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a short story. I love Bourbon and decided to work in the industry. That was a few years ago. Now, I¡¯m an assistant production manager in a small distillery.¡±
¡°Nice,¡± Dmitri nodded. ¡°What brought you around here? Except Karma, of course.¡±
¡°I sold my car to a guy in Virginia and brought it to him. He invited me to a Bluegrass concert, and I spent the night in a guest room. He arranged for a tourist bus to give me a ride and¡ I think we should continue our chat tomorrow,¡± Rowan looked at Lizzie, who was snoring softly.
¡°I¡¯ll put Lizzie to bed and show you your room,¡± Grace said. The woman took the dozing child in her arms and climbed the stairs.
¡°Good night,¡± Dmitri exited the room in his turn.
Five minutes later, Grace returned, letting herself fall on the couch, her arms limp and eyes resting on the ceiling. An image of exhaustion, if any. ¡°She woke up, needed her plush, and I searched everywhere. Found it under her bed, eventually.¡±
¡°She¡¯s so sweet,¡± Rowan smiled. ¡°And a strong personality.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me.¡± Grace giggled, covering her face with her hands.
¡°A last glass?¡± he offered a refill.
¡°So be it.¡±
Grace took a large sip, then searched his eyes. ¡°Was it as bad as she told us?¡±
¡°It was worse. Just being honest.¡±
A shiver passed through Grace¡¯s body.
¡°I¡¯m no hero. It... just happened.¡±
Grace nodded, smiling a bitter smile. For a good minute, she stared into nothingness, glass in hand, and then she took another large sip, finishing it. ¡°Lizzie too¡ just happened. She wasn¡¯t¡ planned¡¡±
Rowan replied with silence, letting her continue.
¡°I¡ took the morning-after pill¡ but she was there, hanging on. Then¡¡± she diverted her eyes.
¡°You wanted an abortion?¡±
¡°Yes. And changed my mind at the last minute¡ I had¡ a dreadful feeling. A panic attack, maybe? I like to call it a premonition. I knew she was destined to be. My boyfriend and I broke up. He¡ we¡ were too young. Last college year.¡±
Rowan nodded, with tears filling his eyes.
¡°Today, when she left with the school bus, I felt the same. The dread. I wanted to stop her and keep her home, but I forced myself to let her go. I thought it would do her good. Teach her to be more independent... Thank you..."
Shaking her head, she wiped her tears and rose, letting the glass down on the coffee table. He followed her up another row of stairs to the farthest corner of the house.
¡°It¡¯s the quietest room I have.¡±
They both entered the room simultaneously, and it was small. She tripped on a crease in the carpet, and as they bumped into each other, Grace¡¯s arms enveloped his neck, which may have been a support against falling, but maybe not. For a few long seconds, they stood there, immobile. Her breasts were generous, even if she was thin and petite. He kissed her, at first a nibble, but as she replied with passion, he answered in kind.
Her mouth tasted like the Bourbon, and that one was one of his favorites. Clothes went away, and the ''just in case'' pack of condoms he carried around in his backpack finally found its usefulness. She mounted him, moaning softly, moving slowly, then faster. He interpreted the position as the need to control things and feel safe.
It was fantastic sex, one of the best he had ever had, yet somehow, he was torn in two. One part enjoyed it, the second¡ The second thought about too many things. Could he hurt her with his enhanced body? That made Rowan extra gentle. At times, his thoughts erred into lewd territories. What if it were Isla in Grace¡¯s place? He dismissed the thought¡ªGrace was wonderful enough to merit his undivided attention¡ªbut it crept back at least twice.
In the end, Grace rested near him, her head on his shoulder, breathing heavily, then softly, falling asleep in his arms. He let his thoughts err freely for a while, then fell asleep as well.