《Transient Soul: Shattered Fate. A Nordic LitRPG Power Fantasy》 BK. 1 - CH. I - Integration Chapter I ¨C Integration. Click¡­ click¡­ click¡­ click. The sharp click of his leather shoes echoed off unseen walls, each step amplifying the emptiness around him. The air felt unnervingly thick, pressing against his skin like a heavy shroud. Every breath seemed to be swallowed by the oppressive darkness, which wrapped itself tighter with every passing moment. He wasn¡¯t sure where he was or how he¡¯d gotten there, but the cold of the stone hall seeped into his bones. His palms were slick with sweat, and terror churned in his gut. Still, he moved forward, step by cautious step. Click¡­ click¡­ click¡­ click. Crack¡­ tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-TACK. His foot struck something solid in the dark, sending it skittering across the floor like a skipping stone on a still lake. The noise echoed back at him, far too loud in the stillness. He froze, his breath catching in his throat, as if the darkness itself was waiting, watching. The sound of something scraping against the floor made his skin crawl. It wasn¡¯t just the stone that echoed. He thought he heard something else¡ªa faint, rhythmic clicking, like tiny claws tapping the hard surface, moving towards him. Reaching out hesitantly, he touched the wall where the object had landed. His fingers met a surface that was cool and smooth, like polished glass¡ªflawless, with no imperfections to break its unnerving perfection. His skin tingled, an unnatural shiver running down his spine. Something about the wall felt wrong, as if it was alive, just waiting for the wrong touch. The air seemed to grow heavier, a suffocating pressure that pressed in from all sides. He could almost hear something shifting just beyond the edges of his perception. He jumped sideways from the wall as a skittering sound approached suddenly from above, like a bunch of knives hitting marble. He tripped over the hard object he¡¯d kicked earlier and fell in a heap to the ground. Grabbing the object from under his body he tried to recover and maneuver himself away from the sound in the dark. Two points of pain exploded from his calves as whatever was approaching impaled him through his lower legs. He rolled over and the offending objects tore from his open wounds. Adrenaline was pumping through his veins, blood pumping in his ears. He couldn¡¯t see, but he could hear the scrabbling of the creature as it tried to right itself; it sounded massive. Jumping on top of it, he found a large, chitinous head, with mandibles snapping furiously, mere centimetres from his fingers as he tried to pin the creature. Rearing up, he brought down the hard object he¡¯d recovered earlier, smashing the monster on the crown of its head. Over and over, he raised it up again to bring it back down with all the strength he could muster, the creature''s screams ripped through his body like they held a physical force, but he kept striking it until the screams had ceased and his arms were leaden. Rolling off the creature, blood pouring freely from his maimed legs, he reached out his arm, touching the pasted remains, pricking his soft palm on shards of hard bone¡­ or exoskeleton? ¡®What the fuck is this?¡¯ A sound like static crackled in his mind, sharp and alien, before a blue panel illuminated in the darkness before his eyes.
User query detected.
Unregistered user detected.
Access requested.
--- --- --- ---
GRANTED.
Authorization: System Administrator ALPHA013022.
Designation: BRYN.
He gawked at the screen as text appeared, one letter at a time, like an ancient MS-DOS interface coming to life. Confusion gripped him, but before he could process it, new text began to scroll rapidly.
Physical contact established.
User query assessed.
--- --- --- --- ---
ERROR.
Unable to supply adequate response without required skill: ¡®Assess.¡¯
SYSTEM OVERRIDE.
Help ticket generated.
ELEVATED. ELEVATED. ELEVATED.
--- --- --- --- ---
System Administrator presence requested for induction of foreign user.
GRANTED.
--- --- --- --- ---
User, standby for induction.
It is advised that you brace yourself, or become seated. IMMEDIATELY.
His eyes widened as the final word flashed in bold red: ¡®brace¡­ IMMEDIATELY.¡¯ Before he could react, searing white light exploded above him, accompanied by a deafening roar. It was as if the world¡¯s largest flashbang had detonated mere feet from his position. He smashed his head against the ground, trying to escape the heat and burning light, curling into a ball and shouting his defiance as the relentless assault overwhelmed his senses. Just as suddenly as it began, the light and sound vanished, leaving him in smothering silence. His head throbbed like a sledgehammer had crashed into the back of his skull. Ringing filled his ears, and the world spun beneath him as bile rose in his throat. Time lost meaning. Five seconds? Five minutes? He couldn¡¯t tell. Then a softness grazed his cheek. His body flinched violently, muscles seizing in a scream of agony. Face pressed into his own sick, he was paralysed, his senses overwhelmed. Burning pain flared in his head¡ªin his eyes, his ears, deep within his skull. The ringing stopped abruptly. Through bleary eyes, he saw a soft blue light. The glow drifted away, and with it, the sense of something nearby¡ªsomething moving, crawling along the walls. His heart thudded in his chest, a low thrum that seemed to echo through the suffocating atmosphere. ''They''re coming, more of them are coming.'' He could feel their eyes in the dark, watching, waiting for the perfect moment. As his hearing returned, the glow receded, revealing a silhouette leaning over him. He heard a faint click-click again, much closer now¡ªnearly imperceptible, but unmistakably there. His muscles tensed as an unnatural, biting cold ran down his spine. ¡®They¡¯re still there, why aren¡¯t they coming?¡¯ A firm voice spoke, sharp and unfamiliar: ¡°Caxan ug whoaxal vo? Epon yeep oyos.¡± A ding sounded, and the blue panel reappeared, this time with a refined, polished interface:
Trait Gained: Gift of The Wyrdscript Tongue (Epic++)
Grants the ability to master languages¡¯ written and verbal components at 1,000% greater speed than normal.
Grants understanding of cultural nuance and slang as mastery progresses.
This trait may only apply to languages of humanoid biology.
Further details available through novel application or research
The blue-white orb of light floated upward, illuminating everything it touched without casting a shadow. His senses, still on edge, tingled as the creatures shifted in the void, moving deliberately in the darkness. He looked over and saw the remains of a large spider, its body must have been the size of a German Shepherd, its head smashed to pieces, shard sticking out on odd angles. ¡®How the fuck did I kill that thing?¡¯ The panel disappeared as he focused back on the figure in front of him¡ªa woman in her mid-twenties, her features softened by the light. She tried speaking again: ¡°Zis wirr be baxal tee slow.¡± Her frustration was evident as his shell-shocked, open-mouth stare made his incomprehension clear. But even as her voice reached him, a snip of something sharp sounded from the dark¡ªsomething large, skittering, just out of sight. His eyes darted to the shadows. He couldn¡¯t see them, but he could feel them¡ªfeel their presence, growing bolder. ¡®It sounds like there¡¯s an even bigger one out there, I need to get out of here.¡¯ He pushed himself upright again, attempting to right his body and flee, the world shifted and spun under his feet, and he tipped drunkenly to the side, finding himself touching the wall once more. His equilibrium was impaired from his previous injuries, even if they now appeared to be healed. He flinched as the woman reached out and pressed two fingers to his forehead.
System Override.
Language Granted: Haven (Archaic) [Written/Verbal].
Language Granted: Haven (Common) [Written/Verbal].
Language Granted: Haven (Noble) [Written/Verbal].
Achievement Earned: Language is Power (Rare)
You have completely mastered the written and verbal components of one language.
+10% to Intelligence
+10% to Wisdom
2 x Language Comprehension Speed
Most would study for years to reach this level of mastery, but you¡¯ve had the privilege of having it forced into your recently healed grey matter by a cosmic entity.
His head cracked back, as though struck, as a torrent of information surged into his mind. The world blurred again, but the pain quickly subsided. His vision cleared, and he found the woman watching him intently. ¡°Can you understand me?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯ve implanted the common tongue into your mind and tossed in the written form for good measure.¡± He chuckled nervously, shaking his head in disbelief. ¡°Hell of an entrance. Pretty sure I¡¯ll need therapy after the nuke you just dropped in my face.¡± She raised a finger, and a blue panel illuminated before her face. ¡°Your vitals appear to be within normal ranges after I healed you. Allow me to assist with this mess, then we can speak.¡± She gestured over his body, murmuring a word in her language, ¡°Cleanse.¡± Warm light flared briefly, and the mess on the floor and his clothes began to glow, disintegrating into fine particles. Even the lingering stench vanished as if it had never existed. Relief mingled with embarrassment as he realised the chaos had left him more soiled than he¡¯d noticed. Still, it was no time to dwell on his dignity. The light faded, leaving him feeling strangely whole. ¡°Who¡­ are you, and why am I here?¡± he asked, his voice breaking, unsteady, constantly aware now of the creatures shifting just out of sight. The woman stood and gestured for him to rise. ¡°I am System Administrator ALPHA013022. You may call me Bryn. My role is to assist in your induction into this world and its system. You are a foreign soul, one that should have gone through the normal process of reincarnation¡ªyour mind and soul scoured clean before being reborn. But something interfered. You were left wandering the space between, changed by the process but not fully erased. My presence is required to register you with the world system and resolve any conflicts. Additionally, you are entitled to compensation for lacking the inherent advantages of native-born individuals. Do you have any questions, or can we begin?¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. His mind reeled from the flood of information. Struggling to cope with everything that was happening, he kept looking into the dark, hoping he wouldn¡¯t see what he knew was there, before focusing back on the woman in front of him. ¡®Focus! She seems to have come to get you out of here. Do whatever she says and get going!¡¯ ¡°Go ahead,¡± he managed to squeak out between gritted teeth, sweat running down his temples. ¡®Does she not care about the monsters all around us¡­ am I imagining them?¡¯ he dared to hope for a second, before looking at the crushed remains, barely more than a meter away. ¡®No, they¡¯re definitely real, I am not going crazy.¡¯ Bryn nodded briskly. ¡°Say the word ¡®Status¡¯ aloud, and you¡¯ll see a summary of your existence. Go on.¡± He hesitated before speaking the word. A massive blue panel flared into existence before him, larger than any he¡¯d seen so far. His eyes widened in mounting dread as he read.
Status
Name N/A (ERROR)
Title N/A
Age N/A (8540 years)
Race Human-Haven (ERROR)
Class Not Selected (ERROR)
Professions (#/2)
N/A (Highschool Teacher.) (ERROR INVALID)
N/A
Stats
Health - N/A (ERROR)
Mana - N/A (ERROR)
Free Stats +17,080 (ERROR)
Strength N/A (ERROR) Vitality N/A (ERROR)
Dexterity N/A
Intelligence N/A (ERROR) [11] Wisdom N/A (ERROR) [11]
Charisma N/A (ERROR)
Traits (#/3)
Breaker of Chains (Unique) (ERROR)
Gift of The Wyrdscript Tongue (EpicERROR)
N/A
Skills 43 invalid entries detected. (ERROR UNKNOWN SKILL PARADIGM)
Active
Passive
The sea of red errors stabbed at his optic nerves, each line a glaring warning that something was fundamentally wrong. His head spun as he struggled to make sense of the symbols, but it was as if his very mind rejected the meaning. He leaned against the wall, his chest tightening. Bryn¡¯s tone softened, though her words came faster now. ¡°It¡¯s a mess, yes, but nothing we can¡¯t resolve. Most of these errors stem from differences between your world and ours. Your listed age reflects the time your soul has existed without proper reincarnation. I¡¯ll reset it to twenty-five to minimize dissonance.¡± As Bryn spoke, he noticed faint vibrations in the air, he was sure that if there was a glass of water here, it would have ripples across the surface. ¡®What the hell, is there a freaking dinosaur coming? How big does it need to be to literally cause vibrations in the air?¡¯ The polished walls reflected the soft light of her glowing orb, but shadows seemed to creep closer at the edges of his vision, almost as though they were alive¡ªstretching, curling, as if drawn to the faint warmth of the light. He glanced around uneasily, his instincts screaming that something was wrong, something beyond the numerous spider abominations waiting in the dark, something far worse was coming. Bryn continued, her voice sharper now, ¡°We must hurry. This place is dark for a reason, and my light is already drawing attention. I¡¯ll keep it brief. You won¡¯t keep your seventeen thousand free stats¡ªit¡¯s an imbalance we cannot allow. Compensation will be discussed later.¡± ¡®She does know! I''m not crazy, she feels them too!¡¯ The air around him felt heavier, squeezing the oxygen from his lungs, and Bryn''s light seemed to be getting dimmer with each passing moment, the shadows and chilling cold creeping in as the light faltered. His heart pounded in his ears, a rapid thump-thump drowned out the scrapes and scuffles steadily closing in on them, it wasn''t enough to cover the unmistakable thud-thud-thud getting closer and shaking the floor as it approached. Bryn¡¯s light seemed to grow brighter, but even that warmth felt like it was struggling to push back the encroaching cold. Her movements became brisk, her words clipped. ¡°Your stats will reset to ten. A clean slate. Your unique trait, ¡®Breaker of Chains¡¯, is a problem. It shouldn¡¯t exist here. I¡¯ll offer substantial compensation for its removal, but refusal is not an option.¡± The air grew even colder, and the growing thud-thud-THUD became unbearable in their ears. He could hear the creatures as the earth shaking beneath his feet intensified, they squealed shrill screams of defiance and fear; some greater creature was coming for their prey, an apex predator, and it would not be denied. The cold intensified, biting against his skin as the shadows pressed harder against the dwindling light. He had to make a decision and he had to do it NOW. ¡°Fine. Remove it,¡± he rasped, his voice trembling despite his best efforts to hold it steady. She gave a slight smile at his response and nodded. ¡°Good choice. It explains why your other trait is enhanced. You¡¯ve gained an excellent adaptation modifier.¡± Bryn glanced over his status screen, tapping her fingers in the air. The blue light around them flickered briefly, but for a moment, the shadows seemed to shift with a purpose. The vibrations in the air grew stronger, as if something deep in the space was waking, shifting towards them. He could hear it now, the sharp skitter of chitinous legs just out of sight. It was as if the very darkness was alive, growing impatient. ¡°Your incompatible skills will also be removed, and I shall provide recompense. Now, let¡¯s finalize this and leave. Time is no ally here and we have drawn the attention of a terrible beast.¡± She flicked her hand dismissively at the panel in front of him, her movements quick and practised, though a flicker of urgency was evident in her eyes. ¡°Please observe the following list of changes I¡¯ve made and the compensation you¡¯ve received,¡± she instructed, her voice just a shade quicker now, ¡°then we¡¯ll discuss the currency exchange. We need to move swiftly.¡±
Total compensation for soul displacement and integration.
--- --- --- --- ---
Total Memory Modification - +25,000
Profession Removed - +9,000
Free Stat Removal - +34,160
Stat Point Reset - +3,200
Trait Removal - +150,000
Skill Removal - +21,500
Disadvantaged Integration Bonus ¨C 10,000
--- --- --- --- ---
Total Compensation ¨C 252,860¡¯
Currency Exchange
--- --- --- --- ---
Free Stat Points Per Race Level ¨C 2,500 (0/2) 10,000 (0/1)
Class Specific Points Per Class Level ¨C 2,500 (0/2) 10,000 (0/1)
Profession Specific Points Per Profession level ¨C 5,000 (0/2) 20,000 (0/1)
Stat Efficiency +10% - 5,000 (0/2) 10,000 (0/2) 15,000 (0/2)
Trait Slot ¨C 10,000 (0/1) 100,000 (01)
Trait Upgrade Token ¨C 15,000 (0/1) 20,000 (0/1) 25,000 (0/1)
Race Upgrade Token ¨C 25,000 (0/1)
Class Upgrade Token ¨C 25,000 (0/1) 50,000 (0/1)
Profession Upgrade Token - 10,000 (0/2) 20,000 (0/2)
Skill Upgrade Token ¨C 5,000 (0/5)
The Hero¡¯s Beginning Integration Pack ¨C 250,000 (0/1)
The Warrior¡¯s Crucible Integration Pack - +50,000 (0/1)
--- --- --- --- ---
Total Compensation ¨C 252,860¡¯
The enormity of his new reality hung over him, but the sudden revelation of his compensation package was an unexpected balm to his turmoil. Despite the bitterness that lingered from the loss of a clearly powerful trait, the rewards before him were significant. However, choosing was hard¡ªhe couldn¡¯t quite understand what some of these rewards meant, and making a wrong choice now could have dire consequences. ¡®I do not have time to mess around, I need to make these choices and go, I definitely don''t want to be here when this big bastard shows up.¡¯ ¡°What is ¡®The Warrior¡¯s Crucible Integration Pack¡¯?¡± he asked, trying to keep his voice from trembling as he looked Bryn in the eyes. She smiled slightly, though her eyes were sharp, calculating, the usual calm of her demeanour tinged with something more¡ªsomething urgent¡­ afraid. ¡°That¡¯s a challenge pack, designed specifically for people like you. It will test your limits, force you to grow faster than most. It will provide starting equipment, but¡­¡± Her words trailed off as she glanced towards the shadowy distance, then quickly refocused. ¡°Choosing it will place you in an area with enemies far stronger than your current level. The world will actively send wave after wave of challenges your way. It¡¯s not for the faint of heart, though¡­ you¡¯ve already proven you can survive creatures well beyond your strength.¡± His pulse quickened. He had the chance to be stronger than anyone else, to become a true warrior in this new world. His chest hardened, his resolve solidifying like molten metal. He couldn¡¯t pass this up. Bryn, noticing his resolve, spoke quickly, more sharply now. ¡°I can see you¡¯ve made your choice. Don¡¯t bother selecting; I can already see it in your mind. Just say the word, and I¡¯ll update your status.¡± Her voice was quick, almost brisk now, urging him on. She had remained outwardly calm until now, but there was an edge to her tone¡ªa feeling of true fear creeping in. The dark air around them felt heavier, pressing against them as time seemed to stretch. The sound was right on top of them now, no longer in the distance, the sound of the creature stepping closer shook their eardrums, THUD-THUD-THUD, the stone of the floor and walls shaking around them, before stopping suddenly. He could feel the frost building on his skin now. A deluge of notifications burst into his vision, overwhelming in both speed and volume. He flinched back, and the flood of information vanished with a resounding ding. Bryn¡¯s gaze flicked to the distance, and for a brief moment, her expression shifted entirely¡ªdread, unmitigated and unrestrained fear of what stood just beyond the light. ¡°If you wish to adjust how your system functions, think about it. There will be a period of adaptation, but soon it will operate according to your preferences.¡± Her voice was clipped now, ragged, with urgency. ¡°Shall we continue?¡± A loud snort echoed down from the shadows in front of them, less than five metres away. It stood there, out of sight. He took a deep breath, and nodded, cracking the thin layer of ice built up around his neck and shoulders, and steeled himself for whatever was coming next. Without warning, Bryn jumped into action, raising her hands and shouting words in an indecipherable language, thrumming with power. A blinding explosion of light and sound overwhelmed him, sending his senses into chaos. The darkness around them seemed to recoil, twisting violently, as a strange scraping noise echoed in the air, followed by a chorus of heavy thuds and gnashing teeth. The light reached a new intensity, pushing back the darkness and revealing an abomination. A wall of scaled flesh, standing bipedal on digitigrade legs, towered over them. Standing in silence, the creature was an imposing sight, it looked upon them with black, dead eyes, peering out from a ridged and plated face; liquid oozed from its mouth in thick ropes, dropping to the ground and hissing like acid on contact. To his horror, a layer of frost appeared on the ground and spread slowly towards them. He was beyond fear now, beyond terror. He knew in that moment that he would die. Something inside him broke and rebelled against the despair building upon him. Something hot and liquid like magma burning inside his veins and shaking the frost from his bones. He got full to his feet, clenching his fists. If he was going to die, he would do it fighting and on his terms. He pushed off the wall and ran at the creature with unnatural speed, shouting his challenge through strained vocal cords. The creature stepped forward, creating one last room-shaking THUD, before lowering its body and bringing its terrible maw forwards and bellowing with a force greater than he''d ever felt. The air warbled and distorted as the sound hit him like a physical force, throwing him bodily past Bryn. The creature righted itself and ran forwards on titanic limbs. Death approached, shadows and frost incarnate. The entire room shook once more as it moved. Bryn¡¯s hand shot out, a barrier of light flaring into existence between them and the approaching abomination. The air crackled, sharp with energy as her voice rang out, urgent, commanding. ¡°Stay back! I acknowledge your bravery, wanderer, but this creature is far beyond either of us, especially in my current state.¡± The barrier shimmered with power, but it flickered as though the weight of the encroaching threat was too much for it to hold for long. The monster¡¯s steps continued to shake the hallway as it approached, screaming its fury at the one who would dare to defy it. Then, with a sudden pulse of energy, Bryn¡¯s expression hardened, and she spoke swiftly, ¡°Begone, wanderer. For you, Death is not to come. Grow strong, fight well for honour and glory in his name.¡± Before he could respond, an immense flash of light enveloped him. His body was jerked from the ground as if the very air beneath him had been torn away. He felt a charge building in the air, light and dizzying colours built from the periphery of his vision and he saw with horror as the creature hit Bryn''s barrier, shattering it in an instant. Unimpeded, it continued to charge, impaling her upon scythe-like claws. Lifting her from the ground as her body started to freeze. Bryn looked back at him, defiance in her eyes, and spoke a phrase with grudging acceptance, ¡°Wings of valour, enfold me in steel!¡± He saw the unassuming woman who had been wearing a simple robe, transform. Liquid metal poured from her skin, solidifying into shining armour, covering her from head to toe. She shouted back to him, ¡°I will hold it back while the transport charges.¡± Liquid metal flowed down her arm and a blade appeared, grasped firmly in her palm, shining with radiant light. As the Valkyrie¡¯s trembling hand gripped the hilt of her blade, the abomination loomed before her, its grotesque form defying the natural order. She whispered a final prayer to the all-father, her voice steady despite the chaos. ¡°With my life...¡± Her blade began to glow, runes igniting across its surface, burning brighter than the stars. ¡°You...¡± She drew the sword close, the energy surging around her, armour shattering as light erupted from every fracture. ¡°Are... unmade!¡± With a roar that echoed like thunder, she drove the blade into her own chest. Her body exploded in a blinding conflagration; the power of countless battles past unleashed in a single, devastating moment. The abomination let out a wail of fury, the sound splitting the air like a dying star. The radiant explosion of the Valkyrie¡¯s sacrifice surged forward, swallowing everything in its path, but before the blinding light could reveal its fate¡ª He was gone. Weightlessness. Disorientation. Then the world twisted, and he was hurtling through the cosmos, far from his would-be saviour, the echo of the beast¡¯s howl still clawing at the edges of his mind. BK. 1 - CH. II - Waiting for Hard Mode Chapter II ¨C Waiting for Hard Mode
Entering Location
Verdant Green
Recommended Level 15+
He arrived in a flaming ball of rainbow light. The grass beneath him was burned to char, a circle of black, meters across, branded an archaic sigil in the ground under his feet. Beyond the impact site, he could see swaying heads of wheat, nodding slowly in the breeze; and beyond that lay densely packed forest, creating a thick green canopy above rough brown trunks. He crouched low, looking to the charred earth at his feet, trembling as the shock of his arrival rippled through his being. Bryn had transformed into some kind of shining, armoured goddess and sacrificed herself to allow him to get away. ''She was a Valkyrie... Like from the old stories. They fetch warriors when they die in battle and transport them to Odin''s halls where they can eat and fight for honour for eternity. She was only in that terrible place because of me and now she''s dead.'' His emotions ran rampant through him, deep wracking sobs shook his frame as he struggled to come to terms with the trauma of all that had happened and the the loss of the first person he''d met in this life. He raised his head once more, looking beyond the golden wheat and dense green canopy, to the open sky above; overhead, birds wheeled lazily, a stark contrast to the chaos that still thundered in his chest. He took a deep breath, in... and out and for a moment, he dared to hope. Perhaps this place was safe. But then a light ping announced another notification as it blinked into existence, shattering that fragile illusion.
WARNING! Location level exceeds your own by 10+
Extreme Danger Present
His stomach sank as he processed the words. Extreme danger? Just my luck. He inhaled deeply, trying to steady his racing heart. ¡°Verdant Green,¡± he murmured, the words strange yet soothing on his tongue. He looked around at the idyllic meadow. Slowly he stood, looking upon the vibrant greens of the canopy and gentle sway of the golden wheat felt like a balm against his frayed nerves. For the first time in what felt like forever, he wasn¡¯t wandering. This place¡ªdangerous or not¡ªwas a respite. And its name resonated with him, a spark of something he couldn¡¯t quite name. He touched his chest reflexively, as though expecting to find a piece of himself missing. The truth was, he didn¡¯t know what was missing. His memories were fractured, fragments without context. ¡®Who was he before this? Did it even matter?¡¯ ¡®No¡¯, he thought firmly. ¡®Who I was doesn¡¯t matter. Who I choose to be does.¡¯ He stood a little straighter, ignoring the way his legs still trembled. ¡°System,¡± he said aloud, his voice firmer than he felt. ¡°Assign name; I am Verdant Green.¡±
Acknowledged¡­ Name Updated.
--- --- --- --- ---
Welcome User. Verdant Green.
A flicker of satisfaction broke through the fear gripping him. ¡®If nothing else, I get to decide who I am.¡¯ The moment of resolve passed quickly as his survival instincts kicked back in. He lowered himself on to the charred earth, scanning the meadow for movement. No swaying stalks, no sounds of rustling leaves. He exhaled shakily. ¡®Alright. First things first. Let¡¯s figure out what I¡¯m working with here.¡¯ As Verdant willed his pending notifications to appear, a new chime sounded, sorrowful tinkling filled his mind before a silver notification appeared before him, twinkling softly like starlight.
Secret Quest Gained (Unique)
Wings of Remembrance (1/3)
Brynhildr: The Guiding Light; Valkyrie in service to the All-Father has fallen in battle. As the only witness it is your duty to tell of her final battle and to find a worthy inheritor of her legacy.
Objective Find a worthy inheritor to take on the mantle of The Guiding Light and protect them until they can grow into their new role.
Rewards Title: Saviour of Legacy +50,000 XPs +Revered status with all living Valkyries.
Time Limit None.
Verdant felt a single tear roll down his cheek as he read the notification. He had been given an opportunity to repay the one who had saved him. ¡®Brynhildr, I will tell your story. I will preserve your legacy and find a worthy inheritor, I swear it.¡¯ He was startled a moment later when he heard a soft thud next to him. Lying amidst the tangled stalks of wheat, the stone seemed almost unremarkable at first glance¡ªa small, smooth object, dull grey against the earth. But as the light shifted, a faint golden glow pulsed from its surface, like the flicker of a heartbeat hidden within. Verdant picked it up by a leather thong threaded through a hole on the top and looked at it more closely; the runes etched across it shifted subtly, their lines reshaping into patterns that seemed alive, faintly whispering words too soft to understand. A strange aura surrounded the stone, the air colder and sharper near it, carrying the faint scent of snow and ancient winds. Though small enough to fit in a palm, it drew the eye, as though the world itself bent toward its quiet, powerful presence. Placing the beautiful necklace around his neck, he could feel a warmth emanating from it, like sitting in front of an open fire. He basked in the feeling for a moment. ''I will remember you.'' Holding his hand against the stone, he resolved to continue with the slew of notifications vying for his attention.
Achievement Earned: Reincarnation-Malfunction (Unique)
Successfully break from the cycle of reincarnation.
+5 to all base stats
+5% to all base stats
+20% resistance to effects targeting your soul
You don¡¯t like following the rules. Fine, be like that!
Achievement Earned: The Void Stares Back (Epic)
You¡¯ve gone somewhere no one was meant to go and you¡¯ve seen things no one was meant to see. That leaves a mark.
+Curse ¨C Enmity of the Void
+10 to Vitality
+10% to Vitality
Hello darkness my old friend.
Achievement Earned: Stepping Between Worlds (Rare)
You¡¯ve died and successfully reincarnated in another world.
Title Gained ¨C Reincarnator
+2 to all stats
Hidden
Once more unto the breach.
Skipping over the damage and status effect notifications, Verdant dismissed the confirmation prompts for Bryn¡¯s preselected purchases. ¡®Would choosing myself have changed the outcome?¡¯ The thought lingered but was quickly pushed aside. He opened his status.
Status
Name Verdant Green
Title NA
Age 25
Race Human level 1 (0/100)
Class Unselected (Level 5 Required)
Professions 0/2
Stats
Health - 30
Mana - 33
Free Stats +60 Free Efficiency +60%
Strength 17 Vitality 27 [31]
Dexterity 17
Intelligence 17 [19] Wisdom 17 [19]
Charisma 17
Traits (1/5)
1. Gift of Myriad Tongues (Epic++)
Skills
Tokens ¨C 7
His stats were much higher than expected¡ªlikely thanks to his achievements. ''Still, how do these compare to a "typical" human?'' Questions for later. He dismissed the status screen, turning to the blinking gold light.
Warrior¡¯s Crucible Package Activated
You¡¯ve elected to forge yourself in fire! The package comes with the following.
Warrior¡¯s Crucible Questline Gained
Achievement Earned: Life¡¯s a bitch and then you die. (Unique) This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
+1 Storage pouch (0/100) (Epic)(Soul-bound)
+1 Iron Seax Blade (Common)
Go forth warrior, for guts and for glory!
A soft thud beside him drew his attention to a small pouch nestled in the ashes by his feet, a light cloud of dust settling around it, having been disturbed by its sudden appearance. Before he could grab it, a new notification appeared.
Achievement Earned: Life¡¯s a bitch and then you die (Unique)
You¡¯ve elected to take on my tra¡ªI mean challenge! Grow stronger and entert¡ªI mean survive!
+Curse ¨C Hubris¡¯ Folly
Bring the pain!
Two curses? Seriously? Verdant fought the urge to groan. He reviewed the Curses tab with a thought.
Curses
Enmity of The Void 1. Void-aligned creatures within 10km are drawn to you.
Hubris¡¯ Folly 1. Increased enemy stats +20%, 2. Reduced stealth efficiency -20%, 3. Increased XP gain +20%.
Fantastic. Let¡¯s see what fresh hell that red light brings.
ERROR. Entity Conflict. Entity ¡®Verdant Green¡¯ is inside Entity ¡®Verdant Green¡¯ RESOLVING¡­
--- --- --- --- ---
SOLUTION. Assign Entity ¡®Verdant Green¡¯ as Sub-Entity of ¡®Verdant Green¡¯ ACKNOWLEDGED. Solution accepted.
--- --- --- --- ---
Provisional Caretaker Status of Entity ¡®Verdant Green¡¯, assigned to Entity ¡®Verdant Green¡¯.
--- --- --- --- ---
Conflict Resolved END.
Verdant stared at the error message as it blinked out of existence, feeling an unrelenting sense of dread. ¡®Fuck me, when does it stop?¡¯ he muttered, closing the panel and pressing his hands into the soft ash beneath him, trying to steady his breath. He shook his head, attempting to absorb the growing heap of revelations. ¡®Apparently, I¡¯m a caretaker now, whatever that means.¡¯ Another notification pulsed insistently at the edge of his vision¡ªa soft blue light that demanded his attention. He focused on it, the system responding immediately.
Quest gained!
Home is where the monsters won¡¯t hurt you (1/3)
Due to an unfortunate naming sense you have been granted temporary caretakership of the location ¨C [Verdant Green]
Objective Find the central node of [Verdant Green] and claim it.
Rewards Permanent Caretaker Status
Time Limit 72 hours
Verdant sighed, closing the screen. His fingers brushed over the soft grass as he sat back on his heels, trying to take stock. His eyes scanned the meadow again, noting its gentle beauty¡ªthe swaying grass, the rustling of trees on the horizon, the rhythmic cries of birds high above. His gaze shifted upward, and his breath caught in his throat. A massive planet filled the sky above him, its sheer scale dwarfing anything he¡¯d ever imagined. Verdant could see its swirling oceans, the intricate outlines of landmasses, and vast weather systems roiling across its atmosphere. He froze, the sight stunning him into silence. ¡®Am I... on a moon?¡¯ The realization hung heavy in his mind, a perfect fusion of awe and unease. Everything about this world was strange, wondrous, and perilous. If he wanted answers, he would need to survive long enough to find them. His grip tightened on the earth beneath him. Whatever this place was, he would figure it out. He had no other choice. He¡¯s pulled from his reverie by a pull in his chest, tugging him into the forest. ¡®Is that the quest? Some kind of objective locator?¡¯ Verdant gets to his feet, grabbing the bag from the ground. ¡®The screen said there was some kind of blade as well, maybe it¡¯s in the bag?¡¯ He reaches into the pouch, flinching when it feels like plunging his bare hand into freezing water. ¡°Well, that¡¯s fucking ominous.¡± Muttering curses about his blade and the gods giving him an empty sack, he gropes around in the cold until something hard and smooth slides into his grasp. Pulling the object out, he finds a bone handle sheathed in worn leather, emerging from a bag far too small to hold it.
Item ¨C Iron Seax Blade (Common)
A pitted iron blade, showing signs of rust. Though it feels unusually sturdy.
Skill Unlocked!
Assess 0 > 1
A crucial skill for all sapient beings, it allows a system panel to be generated for an object or creature at a glance. Higher levels will generate more detailed information.
¡®I guess it¡¯s better than punching shit with my fist.¡¯ Verdant slides the blade halfway from its sheath, examining its edge before returning it. As he moves to place it on his belt, he notices something else: all his clothes have changed. Now he¡¯s wearing a long-sleeved, baggy linen shirt and a flowing, colourful skirt that looks suspiciously like a kilt. A light breeze tickles his nether regions. ¡®Fuck me, my sack is going to end up as lunch for a monster bunny, what a crock.¡¯ Noting the sturdy leather belt cinched around his hips, he ties the seax on one side before bending over and lifting the heavy rock into his pouch, it slipped inside easily before he placed the pouch on his other hip, keeping them both within easy reach. ¡®Seventy-two hours to do this quest¡­ no time like the present, I suppose.¡¯ Stepping through the wheat, moving towards the trees, he glances down and realizes his feet are uncovered¡ªyet another shock in a morning already filled with them. His emotions, barely contained beneath the surface, bubble over. Clenching his fists, he roars at the top of his lungs, like a certain alien mercenary with a busted scouter: ¡°FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!¡± # Verdant had entered the forest several hours ago, unerringly following the pull he felt in his chest. Weaving through the trees, passing down embankments and across streams, he tried to ignore the growing sense of unease creeping around him. The canopy above made for a shady, comfortable environment, with sunlight peeking through the leaves and dappling the forest floor. At first glance, it felt just like a peaceful stroll¡ªyet he remembered the extreme danger warning all too well. He walked carefully, staying alert, but the tranquillity of his surroundings felt almost surreal. He had yet to see a bird in the trees or a rabbit along the ground, let alone anything bigger than that. ¡®It¡¯s too quiet. Like the forest is holding its breath¡­ or maybe I¡¯m just paranoid.¡¯ Every so often, a faint ding echoed in the back of his mind¡ªa system notification, no doubt. He chose to ignore it, refusing to let it divert his focus. Eventually, the insistent flicker at the edge of his vision quieted, as though adapting to his preference. As he continued following the pull, the trees began to change. He started to see old-growth giants towering dozens of meters high, their massive roots bursting from the ground¡ªsome taller than a man¡ªcreating burly, gnarled trunks that blocked much of the forest from view. ¡®On the bright side, if I don¡¯t find this objective before dark, I could hide in a burrow created by one of these roots. I don¡¯t think I have to worry about creatures attacking me in the night¡­ though who knows if I¡¯m right. Still, cover would be nice in case it rains.¡¯ After walking for a couple more hours, he still hadn¡¯t seen any sign of creatures or the objective. The pull in his chest felt like a magnet, guiding him forward with a gentle but unrelenting tug. Now and then, an unseen notification icon blinked in his peripheral vision, trying to catch his attention. With a low growl of annoyance, he dismissed it mentally. ¡®Not now, damn it. Just tell me something important when it actually matters.¡¯ As if sensing his irritation, the blinking paused, then faded into the background. Looking up, Verdant saw the sun was starting to slide behind the planet hanging in the sky. While it made for a beautiful¡ªif unusual¡ªsunset, he felt a sudden pressure to find shelter. A light breeze stirred the leaves, sending a faint chill through the air. He realized that if he was on a moon tidally locked to the planet¡ªwhich it appeared to be¡ªhe could be in darkness for an unknown stretch of time; it could potentially be days or weeks, given that a day night cycle on the moon back home being twenty nine and a half days, with an equal split between night/day hours. ¡®Weird how I know that¡­ but nothing about the old me. Still, I need to find shelter, food, and water. Something to see in the dark would be great, but maybe it won¡¯t matter if there¡¯s enough natural starlight or some other source of illumination here.¡¯ Verdant had seen a suitable tree only half a kilometre back; it wouldn¡¯t take long to backtrack. There had been plenty of berry bushes and what appeared to be potato plants around the base of some of the trees. Water wasn¡¯t an issue either, since a fast-moving stream flowed only metres away from the tree he had in mind. With a plan forming, he set out, heading back toward that spot, his senses on high alert in case the forest¡¯s hush was hiding something more sinister. On his way to make camp and think of a plan, Verdant collected fallen sticks and branches with his pouch. He was amazed by this magical piece of tannery; it didn¡¯t matter what he put in the opening, it seemed willing to accommodate many different shapes and sizes. Each item took up a single slot, though if they were similar enough, they stacked in the same slot with a number denoting volume. Realising he¡¯d become distracted playing with his sack, Verdant forced himself to focus, gathering berries as he moved along. The sound of running water soon reminded him to stop and drink his fill¡ªand see if he could improvise a way to carry some water to the tree. Arriving at the stream, Verdant drank deeply but quickly realized his pouch simply wouldn¡¯t accept uncontained liquids; a barrier at the entrance repelled the water. ¡®I feel like I could force the issue, but maybe it¡¯s there for a good reason. Oh well, it¡¯s not that far. I¡¯m sure I can make the trip from the tree as needed.¡¯ Glancing upward, Verdant saw the sun disappearing at an alarming rate. He guessed he had less than fifteen minutes to reach the tree and find a place to stay at this pace. In a hurry, he grabbed a smooth, palm-sized rock from the river, placing it in his bag, and sprinted away. Feeling the ground fly by under his feet Verdant realised this was the first time he¡¯d really let loose with his new body since arriving in this world. He could feel his muscles flexing, expanding, and contracting with each stride, the wind blowing through his hair as he dashed toward his chosen refuge. Approaching the tree, he noticed it was very wide around but not nearly as tall as its neighbours. Its protruding roots made the perfect surface to run up, and the bark was thick and craggy¡ªideal for climbing. From there, it was only a short scramble to a large fork at the base where the primary branches met the trunk. Climbing over the crest, Verdant saw a large bowl a couple of meters across, with some rough growths but generally quite smooth under his hands. He paused to catch his breath. Looking back over the edge, he realised he was close to twenty metres off the ground. Scaling a near vertical wall like that was incredible. The bark¡¯s rough texture and deep cracks had helped, but still¡­ ¡®Maybe I really will be able to survive this prick¡¯s challenge. My stats are barely above what I started with, and I can already do something like this. Fucking crazy.¡¯ Turning to survey the natural hollow that would be his shelter for the evening, he grinned. ¡®Gotta admit, this is pretty sweet. I could get real comfy here and let the night pass me by.¡¯ He groaned when the world chose this moment to let him know that there would be no getting comfy in his immediate future.
Alert!
Night has arrived on Skuld. Her sister above, blocks the glorious rays of Asgard.
708hrs will pass before light touches her face again.
Be warned. The foulest creatures climb from the earth during this time. The cleansing light no longer present to keep them away. Corruption abounds.
You had to go and piss off the darkness.
''Great, an endless night on an alien moon with ominous warnings of terrible beasts. What else am I missing?'' Verdant closes the panel and feels his stomach drop when a war horn announces the appearance of a golden panel.
Warrior¡¯s Crucible Quest Activated! (1/12)
Due to the coming of night and your Enmity of the Void curse your first trial has begun.
Objective Survive the Voidborn. 0/3 waves.
Rewards Your presence will be masked from the void for 240hrs +1000XPs +1000 Reputation with The Aesir Guardians.
Time Limit None. Survive!
An ear-splitting shriek echoes through the forest, sounding demented¡ªgarbled and wrong, like air escaping from a hole that was never meant to make noise. Verdant feels a cold sweat break out over his body. The monsters from the void, skittering and clicking their mandibles, trying to tear him apart before he was whisked away to this world. ¡®It seems like they¡¯ve followed me. Fuck me dead.¡¯ Another golden panel appeared in front of his eyes, horn blaring in his mind, keeping him apprised of the situation.
Warrior¡¯s Crucible Quest Updated (1/12)
Survive the first wave! (1/3)
A ding sounds softly at the corner of his vision, he glances at it briefly before squeezing his eyes shut and focusing on the fight ahead. He has no time for the system¡¯s incessant meddling. Verdant takes his seax from his hip, using it to pry a piece of bark from the nearest branch. It was heavier than he expected, appearing quite sturdy. He walks back to the edge where he climbed to the crest and carves a groove for the improvised barricade to slot into. ¡®Hopefully this will provide me with some cover and hinder their progress.¡¯ Another ding¡ªhe just snarls under his breath. ¡°Fucking system. I¡¯ll look at you when I¡¯m good and ready.¡± Verdant huddles behind the large barricade, pressing his shoulder hard against it. He¡¯s surprised to feel very little give¡ªadrenaline and a newfound strength seem to steady his arms. The next moment, a sound at the base of the tree brings him back to the present. Something is moving up the bark, fast. Tick-tick-tick-tick-tick The creature scuttles quickly up the tree, and Verdant sees it stick its chitinous mandibles and head over the barricade, exposing the vulnerable underside of its throat. Nearly half a meter of iron enters the underside of the abomination¡¯s gullet. It stiffens before suddenly going limp, ichor pouring from the wound and coating him in thick fluid, reeking of bile and rotten egg. In the quiet that follows, Verdant hears two dings in quick succession¡ªanother ignored update. Twisting the blade and spinning at the hips, he stands with force, throwing the spider off the side of the tree. In the process, he makes the wound larger and spilling foul fluid all over his lovely new home. Verdant spits out a wad of congealed muck from his mouth. ¡°Well, that wasn¡¯t too bad. Just gotta bite the bullet and do it. Nothing to it. It didn¡¯t even touch me, though I could have done without the fucking shower, you monstrous bastard.¡± No sooner does he utter these words than he hears the same shriek from earlier, except this time there is clearly more than one. Daring to look over the edge, past his barrier, he sees three more large bodies, moving at speed through the forest toward his tree. ¡®They¡¯re making directly for the spot where I climbed up earlier, I thought it was just a coincidence that the first spider climbed up that way, but maybe there¡¯s more to it.¡¯ The sounds from below intensify; the spiders seem to be vying for the lead position and knocking each other off target in the process. ¡®I can use this; these fuckers seem to be really stupid. If they do the same thing the last one did, I may be able to kill the first one before the others even realize, then they¡¯ll have to climb over it to get to me.¡¯ At that moment, another ding resonates in his mind. He sees a flicker at the periphery of his vision but slams his eyes shut again, teeth grinding in frustration. ¡°I get it, system! Go away.¡± The noise on the other side of the barricade is almost deafening now. Verdant is ready; and as the lead spider sticks its bulbous head over the barricade, he executes his finishing move once again, sliding his blade directly into the creature¡¯s brain pan and twisting it for good measure. The spider stops screeching immediately, stiffens, and goes still, slumping with its monstrous body halfway over the barricade¡ªcreating a second layer of defence. ¡®I must have missed whatever septic shit sack I tore open last time, note to self, don¡¯t fucking do that again.¡¯ Removing his seax from the spider, he wipes the blade on his shirt, as a small trickle of rancid ichor drips from above and a brief ding informs him of the latest update. Turning to face the front of the spider carcass above him, Verdant sees the body of the second spider as it climbs down from the carcass. He sees his opportunity and moves with grace, diving out from his shelter, making a running jump and slashing the creature¡¯s abdomen from back to front as he lands, rolling up its thorax. Verdant feels a burning pain as his calf is pierced by the foreleg of the third spider, ambushing him as he made his move. He continues rolling, tearing free of the strike and completing his maneuver by bringing his blade down in an overhand strike directly into the top of the creature¡¯s skull. He wills the dings to silence. ¡®The fucking system is trying to kill me.¡¯ Rolling off the front of the now-deceased spider, Verdant attempts to recover. Spinning to locate the last monster as it approaches him, he sees it standing upon the back of its deceased comrade, rearing up with its forelegs in the air. It screeches that soul-rending noise once more. ¡®Your eyes are on the top of your head, dumb arse, how the fuck are you supposed to see me if you rear up like that, you wanker?¡¯ Moving forward to where the spider will come down, Verdant angles his blade so that the force of the spider will pierce it straight through. Once again, the spider¡¯s vital organs are destroyed unerringly by his blade. Like a sixth sense, Verdant seems able to sense the best place to strike for maximum damage. It doesn¡¯t help that they appear to lack basic intelligence and operate only on feral instinct. ¡°I¡¯m not having too much trouble, but that last one managed to do some damage to my leg.¡± He looks down and sees the wound isn¡¯t nearly as deep as he¡¯d thought, and the bleeding has already stopped. ¡®I know what these few stats I¡¯ve gained have done for me; I felt that myself. If I want to get out of here and survive going forwards, I need to spend the rest of my points.¡¯ Looking at his status, he sees he has sixty free points to spend. ¡®I don¡¯t know the first thing about magic, and I doubt these fucking spiders want to have a nice chat. I¡¯ve got to double down and get the most out of my physical stats. I didn¡¯t realize my vitality was so high, that must be why the bleeding stopped so quickly.¡¯ Having decided, Verdant splits his points equally among his physical stats.
Stats Allocated
Strength 17 > 37 [38]
Vitality 27> 47 [54]
Dexterity 17 > 37 [38]
Quickly glancing at his status, seeing that his health had almost doubled, Verdant feels satisfaction¡­ briefly, before feeling disgust at the slimy muck that his right arm, face, and upper torso are covered in. He tries to scrape off as much as possible before moving to throw the carcasses from his position. Just as he¡¯s clearing the last wretched body from his fortress, he hears more screeching in the distance. Verdant grumbles and thinks to himself, ¡®Watch this you sadistic fuck, you want entertainment, I¡¯ll give you a fucking show.¡¯ The spiders reach the base of the tree and beeline up the same path, fighting all the way, as before. ¡®Like fucking robots. Fuck the lot of you.¡¯ He can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s adrenaline, exhaustion, or pure frustration causing his body to surge with energy, but something about within him feels¡­unhinged. In a sudden fit, he runs for the edge, tearing up his barricade and leading toward the incoming horrors. He swings down with both arms, burying the sharp edge of his bark-turned-shield in the face of the lead spider. Time slows as he looks about an intangible pull guiding him to the weak point on his next foe. He moves in a flurry of motion, dancing through the horde, severing limbs at the joint when they dare to block his path, his seax enters each body and exits in a fluid motion leaving behind dead or dying creatures, before kicking off and striking his next target unerringly. Leading from the last spider, he hits the bark of the large roots and slides to the ground. Gore rains down from above as severed limbs and chitinous bodies slam into the soil. Verdant raises his ichor-stained arms and yells his fury to the heavens. ¡°There were too few enemies to slaughter,¡± he spits, out of breath. ¡®They would contain me! Strike me down before I can grow. Fuck that. I will not be controlled!¡¯ A flashing red light follows, yet another ding glimmering in his vision, before he passes out on the loamy soil beneath him, surrounded by the still twitching remains of his slain foes. BK. 1 - CH. III - Mistakes Were Made Chapter III - Mistakes Were Made Groaning loudly, Verdant forced his eyes open once more. He lay on the ground; the acrid stench of the spiders¡¯ insides filled his nostrils. As he jumped to his feet, the sight of several monstrous spiders'' still forms brought back a flood of memories. ¡®What the hell was that? It was like something took over me. I couldn¡¯t control myself, but it felt fucking incredible¡­¡¯ He attempted to scrape off the crusted remains of spider ichor, grimacing as the smell intensified, breaking through the hardened outer layer to the wet ooze beneath. ¡®I don¡¯t know how long I was out, but I haven¡¯t been eaten yet, so that¡¯s a win, right?¡¯ A series of lights blinked impatiently in his vision, prompting a heavy sigh from him before he mentally summoned the blue notifications. Dozens of screens flashed across his eyes, causing him to recoil in shock and pain. Closing his eyes didn¡¯t help; the images were burned into his retinas. In desperation, he yelled, ¡°STOP!¡± The notifications froze, then minimized to the edge of his vision, their presence less invasive but still insistent. ¡®There are too many notifications. What the fuck was I thinking ignoring these for so long? Is there some way to make this easier to access; maybe I can compile them into a summary of some kind?¡¯
Would you like to compile unread notifications as a summary?
¡°Yes, god yes!¡± Verdant exclaimed, feeling overwhelmed. ¡®I think I¡¯ll have an aneurysm if I have to try and filter through all of those notifications again.¡¯ He walked towards the stream to clean up, waiting for the notifications to compile, ready for his perusal. Upon reaching the stream, he walked straight in, up to his waist, sitting down abruptly and gritting his teeth against the shock of cold. ¡®Fuck, I think my beans just shrivelled up and ascended to a higher realm.¡¯ He found a coarse weed, pulling it out roots and all, and used it to start scrubbing the gunk from every inch of his clothes and body. Verdant scrubbed for several minutes before stripping and scrubbing his clothes against the rocks beneath him. ¡®There is no way in hell I¡¯m leaving this stream until every last speck of this rancid muck is off me and my clothes. I never want to smell that crap again as long as I live.¡¯ Briefly remembering his original objective, he mentally opens the now compiled list of notifications for the last nine-ish hours.
Summary of Notifications
Combat Summary First Wave 1 x Voidborn Arachnid (level 16) killed = +160XPs Second Wave 3 x Voidborn Arachnid (level 16) killed = +576XPs Third Wave 6 x Voidborn Arachnid (level 17) killed = +1224XPs 1960 kill XPs +20% Hubris¡¯ Folly bonus. Total XPs = 2352XPs
Skill Summary Pathfinding(C) earned ¨C 0 > 5 Foraging(C) earned ¨C 0 > 3 Improvisation(UC) earned ¨C 0 > 2 Weapon Mastery: Seax(R) earned ¨C 0 > 3 Combat Tactics(UC) earned ¨C 0 > 1 Target Weakness(R) earned ¨C 0 > 4 Acrobatics(UC) earned ¨C 0 > 3 Bloods Wrath(B-U) earned ¨C 0 > 4
Summary completed. Access System log at any time to view old notifications at your leisure.
¡®Right well, that¡¯s a lot. Something around thirty notifications just with that. Yeah, no thanks mate, I won¡¯t be torturing myself by looking at them individually¡­though that might come in handy later.¡¯ Verdant closes out of the summary before going through his remaining notifications.
Achievement Earned: Exceeding Expectations (Uncommon)
You have defeated an enemy whose level exceeded your own by 10+
+2 to all stats
+5% damage against enemies higher level than you
Who needs training wheels.
Achievement Earned: Against All Odds (Rare)
You have defeated 5+ enemies whose level exceeded your own by 10+
+5 to all stats
+10% damage against enemies higher level than you
Running before you can walk.
¡®Okay, what the hell is going on with these notifications? It feels like someone is commenting on every damn thing I do. Why am I getting this much attention? Is this what they meant by ¡®Entertainment¡¯?¡¯ As he pondered, the last notification of his crucible questline update blared before him, horns sounding a triumphant tune.
Warrior¡¯s Crucible Quest Completed (1/12)
You have crushed the void agents sent to kill you and sent a message to their leader that they will have to do better if they wish to see you dead.
Rewards 237hrs and 46mins remain until the void can feel you again. +1000XPs +1000 Reputation with the Aesir Guardians
You have taken the first step on the path.
Verdant dismissed it, his thoughts already racing ahead. ¡®So, I was unconscious for around two hours, huh? What the hell happened? One second I was tearing through enemies, the next I was waking up on my back.¡¯ Verdant glanced at one last blinking red light and willed it open.
Warning! Mana Points depleted 0/57
Gosh, I sure hope you¡¯re in a safe place.
¡®Okay, I¡¯m guessing that caused me to pass out¡­ how did I use my mana? I think I would have remembered throwing fireballs through the air or zapping spiders off the tree with lightning¡­ maybe it was a skill that I unlocked, I didn¡¯t actually look at any of those yet¡­¡¯ He wills his Skills panel to open and notices something odd.
Skills
Active
Assess(C) - 1 Target Weakness(R) - 4
Bloods Wrath(BU) - 4
Passive
Pathfinding(C) - 5 Foraging(C) - 3
Improvised Craft(UC) - 2 Weapon Mastery: Seax(UC) - 3
Combat Tactics(UC) - 1 Acrobatics(UC) - 3
¡®I¡¯ve got active skills. Meaning they have some kind of cost, probably mana right?¡¯ He examined the skills more closely, prompting more panels to appear.
Target Weakness (Rare) - 4
Scan your target and determine their weaknesses.
+8% ease in locating an enemy weak point. Once a target has been located on an enemy, you will have greater ease in locating it again on others of the same species. Cost ¨C 2MP activation
Rank ¨C Beginner (No Further Bonuses)
Bloods Wrath (Bloodline Unique) - 4
Burn your vital essences to break the limits of your physical body. +100% to Physical Stats (STR, VIT, DEX) for the duration. Cost ¨C 5MP activation -5MP/sec and -5HP/sec ongoing cost.
This is a pre-era skill, further information is unavailable at this time.
Rank ¨C Beginner (No Further Bonuses)
¡®Oh¡­yeah, that explains it. These skills seem formidable. What''s with that rarity? All the other skills are ranked as common, uncommon, or rare. There must be other rarities too. Even the colour on this one''s different; what the hell is a bloodline?¡¯ Verdant shuts down the last screen, emerging from the icy stream cradling his clothes, the breeze kissing his freshly scrubbed skin. He winced slightly, ¡®Looks like I¡¯m stuck in damp clothes for a bit, might''ve been a bit zealous with that scrubbing.¡¯ He wrings out as much water as possible from his attire, leveraging his newfound strength, before slipping them back on, now tingling slightly from the effort. Peering down, he spots the stiff-bristled shrubbery he''d used earlier. ¡®What is this thing anyway? It worked wonders on that grime. What was that command again¡­ Assess?¡¯
Item ¨C Muspelheim Bristleweed (Rare)
This river weed is a mutation of its original found in the realm of fire, Muspelheim. Handle with care.
Known Effects
When crushed ¨C Neurotoxin causes debilitating burning sensation, pain, discomfort. No Health damage will be taken from contact. May be used as a primary ingredient in fire resistance applications.
Avoid contact with eyes and genitals. Definitely don¡¯t scrub your body with it. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
Verdant closed the screen slowly. Noting that the discomfort he¡¯d felt earlier had become a full body experience and was quickly increasing in intensity. ¡®Fuck, why didn¡¯t I check this before rubbing my entire body with it?¡¯ He stashed the offending weed in his bag, cursing its existence the whole time. After another agonizing dunk in the stream, he found the cold water only intensified the burning sensation. He yelped in pain and bolted for the safety of his treetop refuge. Darting between the trees, Verdant pushed the limits of his newfound strength as the discomfort escalated into a searing pain, akin to sticking his hand over an open flame. Blood pounded in his ears as he hit the tree roots at speed, climbing the gnarled mass swiftly before reaching the trunk and scaling it, hand over hand, to the protective bowl formed by the tree¡¯s primary branches. As darkness threatened his vision, he recalled his bloodline skill that could double his physical stats. ¡®Maybe it will be enough to overcome the poison, it should put my Vitality over one hundred and maybe the burning in my system will help flush the poison from my body or weaken it enough that my normal Vitality can handle it.¡¯ With that thought, he triggered the Blood¡¯s Wrath, feeling the familiar sensation of his blood burning in his veins.
Bloods Wrath Activated ¨C 100% to physical stats.
At the last second, Verdant remembered what would happen if he ran out of Mana, and as it zeroed out, he welcomed the oblivion it would provide. ¡®Sweet relief.¡¯ # Upon waking, Verdant took in the canopy above, the starlight casting a soft glow on his face. He glanced at the timer on his caretaker quest¡ªjust over eight hours had passed. ¡®I feel like crap, but the burning¡¯s stopped, at least.¡¯ Noticing a persistent blue flash at the edge of his vision, he brought the notification forward.
Poison Resistance(Uncommon) - 3
Exposure to poisonous substances and a high vitality have unlocked this skill. ¡¤ +6% resistance to poisonous substances This skill applies to poison, venom and other toxins.
Rank ¨C Beginner (No Further Bonuses)
¡®Shit, I need to start using that Assess skill. What¡¯s the point if I don¡¯t even check things before using them? At least I got a resistance skill out of it...¡¯ Shifting on the smooth bark, Verdant rose to a sitting position, turning his head to survey the havoc around him¡ªblack viscous fluids and deep gouges marked the wooden sanctuary. ¡®How did I survive that? One moment I was fighting for my life, the next everything was a blur. It was like time had slowed to a crawl and my body moved where it needed to go; from enemy to enemy striking their most vulnerable points. I don''t think I even took an injury in that last wave of enemies. What the hell is going on with me, I might not remember my life before all of this but I''m pretty sure that I wasn''t some kind of kung-fu master.¡¯ He stood and walked to the platform¡¯s edge, gazing down at the twisted bodies below. ¡®Might be something useful on them, especially those leg plates for armour.¡¯ The descent was exceedingly easy, his enhanced physical condition turning a task that would have been daunting for his former self, into something trivial. ¡®Didn¡¯t realize it because of the pain, but damn, this is something else.¡¯ Reaching the ground, the soft earth comforting underfoot, Verdant approached the nearest carcass. Summoning the creature¡¯s data with a thought, he read:
Voidborn Arachnid level 17 (Deceased)
The lowest creature spawned of the void, they invade realms and corrupt with their presence. They share a hivemind with their queen and adapt to their environment to create stronger variants.
We are Borg!
¡®I really don¡¯t like the look of that. Tell me there isn¡¯t a queen out there where these bastards came from. I can¡¯t handle that right now.¡¯ Willing the screen closed, Verdant flinched as horns bellowed in his mind, calling him to battle and victory as a familiar golden screen appeared in his vision once more.
Warrior¡¯s Crucible Quest Activated! (2/12)
A Voidborn Arachnid Queen [Juvenile] has infiltrated this location. Destroy it before it can establish a hive and become a greater threat.
Objective Destroy the queen and her guards before she can establish a hive.
Rewards ¡¤ Trophy ¨C Head of the Spider Queen. ¡¤ Large Aether Crystal ¡¤ +2000 XPs ¡¤ +2000 Rep with The Aesir Guardians
Time Limit 39hrs 33mins remaining
If you fail to complete this quest in time you will have to face a much greater threat in the future. This threat will continue to grow and evolve until it is eradicated.
Closing the screen once more, Verdant stood in silence for a moment as he processed this new information. ¡®Of course there¡¯s a bloody queen. No sooner did I think about it did it suddenly manifest in the world. I¡¯ve already got one timed quest to get to which I have a strange feeling; I don¡¯t want to fail.¡¯ He closes the screen and glances at the mentioned timer briefly.
Quest Timer
Home is where the monsters won¡¯t eat you (1/3)
Timer ¨C 55hrs 14mins remaining
¡®No time to waste. I¡¯ve been on the move for hours and though it feels like I¡¯m getting closer, I¡¯ve no idea how far I am. Can¡¯t afford to wait out the dark¡ªfifty-six days of night isn¡¯t something I can sit through.¡¯ Looking up, he marvelled at the galactic arm visible through a gap in the canopy, stars blinking out intermittently as if something massive shifted across the sky. A chill ran down his spine. ¡®What kind of fucking creature can survive in space, let alone blot out the stars when it moves. I don¡¯t want to know, as long as it stays up there, I DON¡¯T WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IT.¡¯ Shaking off the dread, he focused on the task at hand. ¡®Time to scavenge what I can from these spiders and get moving.¡¯ Verdant crouched next to the spider, rancid ichor covers the twisted form, the odour made him wretch and gag, sliding his seax from its sheath he placed it under a large plate near where the front left leg attaches to its body, he slid the blade through a tough membrane and into soft flesh beneath.
Spatial storage detected. Would you like to designate it as ¡®loot storage¡¯? Yes? No?
¡®Loot storage? Wait, can I get the plates I want from this big bastard without getting covered in this gunk.¡¯ He mentally clicks yes and is ecstatic to see another prompt appear.
Voidborn Arachnid level 17 (Remains)
Would you like to loot this carcass?
Yes? No?
¡°YES!¡± ¡®No digging around in putrid guts for me.¡¯ With great pleasure, he mentally clicks ¡®yes¡¯ and is horrified when the corpse in front of him explodes into a fine particulate, covering him head to toe in a silty powder. ¡°NOOOOOOOOO.¡±
Loot Acquired
1 x Tiny Aether Crystal {Corrupted}(Common) 6 x Arachnid Leg Plates (Common) 1 x Arachnid Cephalothorax Plate (Uncommon)
He sat in shock at the betrayal of the system he had trusted to keep him clean. ¡®What the hell man, you send me errors and warnings about crap I don¡¯t care about, but you couldn¡¯t offer the smallest warning about bodies exploding into a fine mist?¡¯ Verdant recovered quickly and reached into his pouch to inspect some of the loot. ¡®I wonder if I can just will the items to appear, this whole thing has been pretty responsive to mental commands so far, maybe I won¡¯t have to go digging for this crap in my bag.¡¯ Removing his hand from the pouch and placing it against the opening he willed one of the leg plates to appear. No sooner did he think of the item did he feel something hard in his hand, looking down he used Assess to figure out exactly what he¡¯s dealing with. His hands ran across the sleek matt-black material, feeling the hard ridges around the edges.
Item ¨C Arachnid Leg Plate (Common)
A hard, malleable chitinous plate. Good at turning away slashing strikes but poor against crushing blows. Used mainly as a base level crafting material.
Verdant stared at the newly revealed item in his hands, the sharp-edged plate glinting faintly in the dappled light that broke through the canopy above. ¡®Oh, even the screens seem to think this would be decent for armour. Maybe I should tie some pieces together and make arm guards. For some reason, I feel like that''s something I know how to do; or at least I am confident in figuring it out.¡¯ He rotated the chitinous piece, testing its flexibility and durability with a gentle flex of his fingers. ¡®What about these other things?¡¯ He placed the leg plate back in his storage and withdrew a larger, flatter, and much wider plate. The matte-black surface seemed to absorb the light around it, its texture both smooth and alien. With a thought, he triggered his assessment skill.
Item ¨C Arachnid Cephalothorax Plate (Uncommon)
A hard, malleable chitinous plate. Good at turning away slashing strikes but poor against crushing blows. Used mainly as a base level crafting material.
¡®Okay, I wonder if I could shave the edges into a chest plate or a backplate to protect myself from ambush or piercing weapons. Last thing I need is one of these legs punching through my chest if I see any more of these spiders.¡¯ He placed the large plate back in his storage, his mind already ticking with possible crafting ideas. With a faint flicker of light, another object materialized in his hand: a jagged, crystalline shard with a faint, sickly glow. Verdant¡¯s brow furrowed as he examined it. ¡®Assess.¡¯
Item - Tiny Aether Crystal {Corrupted} (Common)
A dark green/black crystal filled with turbid light. Uses unknown.
¡®Mystery loot, wonderful. I don¡¯t know what I was expecting. Some way to gain tremendous amounts of power? Yeah, right¡­¡¯ He sighed, slipping the crystal back into his pouch and taking a moment to glance around at the battlefield surrounding him. The bodies of the spiders, twisted and broken, were scattered like discarded toys around the base of the tree. He frowned, catching a glimpse of his shoulder out of the corner of his eye. Lifting his arms, he realized the fine black dust that had coated him earlier was gone. ¡°What the hell?¡± ¡®I guess the dust dissipates. That makes sense¡ªit¡¯d be pretty weird to see a field full of dust after a major battle. Did it disappear while I was looking at the loot? I need to pay attention next time.¡¯ Determined to test his theory, Verdant approached the nearest spider corpse. The twisted remains oozed ichor, the stench hanging in the air like an unwelcome guest. He crouched down and placed his hand on the cold, chitinous surface. A familiar prompt appeared.
Voidborn Arachnid level 16 (Remains)
Would you like to loot this carcass?
Yes? No?
¡®Wait, what if I get up and move away? Can I activate the prompt from a safe distance?¡¯ Rising to his feet, Verdant moved several meters back before mentally selecting ¡°Yes.¡± He watched in fascination as the body condensed into a single point, no larger than a marble, before exploding outward in a cloud of black, silty powder. ¡®Wow, I¡¯m glad I moved back so far. That stuff seems to have made it close to halfway to me. Really didn¡¯t want to be covered in that crap again, even if it seems to disappear.¡¯ A soft ding pulled his attention back to his notifications. With a small sigh of relief, Verdant dismissed the notification to the periphery of his vision. ¡®I wonder if I can loot all of these at once. It¡¯d save a lot of time in the future if I can.¡¯ He walked to the remaining bodies, touched each one, and then retreated to a safe distance. Ensuring he was clear of any potential blast radius; he mentally accepted the prompts for all eight remaining corpses simultaneously. The results were as spectacular as they were satisfying.
Loot Acquired x 9 Voidborn Arachnid level 16-17 (Remains)
Arachnid Leg Plate: 38 Arachnid Cephalothorax Plate: 4 Tiny Aether Crystal: 8 Skill Crystal: 1 Arachnid Spinneret: 2 Arachnid Fang: 1
¡®I can¡¯t believe that bloody worked. No more dirt baths for me.¡¯ Surveying the area, Verdant noticed that not only had the bodies disappeared, but so had the blood and severed limbs. The piles of black dust shimmered faintly, a dull light pulsing within. Over time, the piles seemed to shrink, as though being absorbed into the forest floor. ¡®Oh, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, I guess. Bodies decompose and nourish the earth in my old world. Maybe it¡¯s the same here, just with magic to speed things up. I wonder how that affects the biodiversity of bacteria and bugs that feed off decomposing flesh.¡¯ The soft ping of a notification broke his train of thought.
Quest Timer
Home is where the monsters won¡¯t eat you (1/3)
Timer ¨C 55hrs remaining
¡®Oh, it seems like my resolve to get this quest done as soon as possible has changed my notifications to inform me when an hour passes¡­ Interesting. I didn¡¯t even actively think about that. It¡¯s just gone off my intent and updated accordingly.¡¯ Turning his attention back to the loot in his pouch, Verdant retrieved a bulbous, chitin-covered organ. It felt unnervingly soft in his hand as he activated his assess skill.
Item - Arachnid Spinneret (Uncommon)
A segmented, silk-producing organ capable of creating mana-infused threads with steel-like strength and remarkable flexibility, prized for crafting and magical enhancements.
Skill Increase ¨C Assess 1 > 2
¡®It seems like this would be useful in making some basic armour. I think I have everything I need now.¡¯ Placing the spinneret back in storage, Verdant next withdrew a razor-sharp fang and activated his skill once more.
Item - Arachnid Fang (Rare)
A razor-sharp fang, dense with venomous residue. Highly durable, it¡¯s sought after for crafting deadly weapons or potent alchemical toxins.
¡®Oh damn, that¡¯s actually way more useful than I was expecting. Maybe I can get a weapon upgrade if I can figure out how to make something out of it.¡¯ Verdant places the fang back in his sack and thinks of the final looted item, anticipation filled him as he willed the item into his closed palm. Opening his fingers and he used his skill one last time. Assess.
Item - Skill Crystal - Slowing Web (Rare)[Active]
A radiant crystal that grants the skill Slowing Web upon use, a magical ability otherwise extremely difficult to master through study alone. Highly prized in crafting, these rare crystals are valued for their versatility and the potency they add to enchantments.
¡®Wait, this is something I can use to isolate targets and take on larger groups without injury.¡¯ Verdant wasted no time, willing the crystal to be consumed. A soft ping signalled the skill¡¯s acquisition.
Skill Unlocked!
Slowing Web (Rare) 0 > 1
Unleash a sticky, magical web to immobilize a target for 3 seconds. After immobilization, the target¡¯s movement and attack speed are reduced by 30% for 5 seconds. Ideal for controlling the battlefield and hindering opponents¡¯ mobility or offensive capabilities. Mana Cost ¨C 5MP
¡®That is game-changing. I could have avoided getting hurt at all in that last fight if I¡¯d had this skill.¡¯ Verdant took a deep breath, in and out, centering himself. ¡®I need to refocus. There¡¯s a lot going on, and I need to get it all sorted and move toward this quest objective.¡¯ Pausing, he felt out the persistent tug that guided him. ¡®Okay, I need to get back up that tree and eat something, then try to craft some makeshift arm guards, maybe a chest plate and back plate if it¡¯s not too difficult to work with.¡¯ Verdant walked back to the tree¡¯s base, climbing effortlessly along the rough bark, his newfound strength, once again, making the ascent trivial. Reaching the ledge, he lifted himself up and over into his tree-basin, ready to prepare for what lay ahead. BK. 1 - CH. IV - Rest. Recover. Refit. Chapter IV ¨C Rest, Recover, Refit. Verdant found a comfortable depression in the bark where he could lean back against the sloping edge and reached into his pack for one of the berries he had found earlier.
Item - Densewood Berry (Common)
A robust, palm-sized berry with mottled purple-brown skin, found in abundance across most regions. Renowned for its exceptional sustenance value, it is often dried and preserved to create long-lasting rations for military forces and adventurers.
¡®Well, it kind of looks like a weird apple¡­ If it¡¯s used for military rations, surely it can¡¯t be that bad.¡¯ He bit into the fruit with an audible crunch. Sweet juices filled his mouth while the flesh had a texture very much like an apple. He finished the fruit, feeling strangely full after a single fruit. ¡®I see why it¡¯s used as rations; I don¡¯t think I could eat another if I wanted to.¡¯ Burping lightly, he scratched his chin when a ding informed him that another notification was available for his perusal.
Modified State ¨C Well fed.
Your belly is satisfied, and you¡¯ve taken rest. For as long as you continue to rest you will retain this benefit. Light activity can be undertaken while in a state of rest. +100% to base Mana Regeneration
He contemplates this latest message as he removes the spider plates and spinneret from his inventory. Holding a couple of leg plates, he notices how they somewhat slide over each other. ¡®If I can figure out how to make some of this webbing, all I have to do is use my seax to punch holes along the edges and I¡¯ll be able to create some makeshift armour for my upper and lower arms. I wonder if I can maintain a rested state while I¡¯m doing this, I really need the mana; I¡¯ll just be slow and methodical, that should be enough.¡¯ Verdant lay out all the arachnid plates he intended to use for the armour and reached over for the spinneret. He squeezed the rough object; it extruded a sticky thread that he pressed between his fingers. It hardened quickly when exposed to the air and in moments he had what resembled dozens of tattered threads between his fingers, individual and unwoven. ¡®It seems that getting the thread isn¡¯t terribly difficult, but whatever mechanism that weaves the threads together to make a singular whole doesn¡¯t appear to be in effect.¡¯ Squeezing the spinneret with one hand, and pulling the extruded material with the other, he twisted the material constantly as it hardened into stretchy thread, that didn¡¯t break even when he applied his full strength to stretch and pull it in any which way he could imagine. ¡®So that¡¯s it, the same as a rope, the individual threads are weak but when they¡¯re twisted and bound together, they make something far stronger than the sum of their parts.¡¯ Several times over an hour he was too impatient, pulling the thread too quickly before it could properly harden and it broke, falling apart into unwound threads. He simply grabbed the loose end from the spinneret once more and continued to pull, more carefully. After he¡¯d been pulling the excretion for a time and spooling the now complete thread around a stick he¡¯d found nearby, he was surprised to find that there was simply nothing else coming from the back of the spinneret anymore. ¡®Have I used it up? I suppose it makes sense; spiders can run out of thread when overtaxed, judging by the amount wrapped around the spool I must have twisted close to a hundred metres of thread.¡¯
Item ¨C Voidborn Arachnid Thread x 86 Metres
This thread has been painstakingly extracted from the spinneret of a Monstrous Arachnid. It is prized for a multitude of crafting applications due to its flexibility and strength.
¡®I guess that wasn¡¯t too far off the mark then. Let¡¯s see if I can punch some holes in these plates and make use of my fancy new thread.¡¯ He placed the sizable spool of spider¡¯s silk down by his side and reaches to grab a couple of the leg plates he¡¯d set up in front of him. Verdant unsheathes his seax, ¡®It seems like the outside of these plates are extremely resistant to piercing and slashing, maybe I can puncture it from the inside.¡¯ He places the tip of his blade against the back of the plate, over one of the spots where he needs a hole to secure the thread, he reaches into his pouch and removes the smooth rock from the riverbed using it as a hammer to smash the handle of his blade, punching the blade cleanly through the plate. ¡®This is going to work.¡¯ Verdant continued this process, punching almost two hundred holes in along the edges of eight leg plates where he wanted to weave them together. At this point, he spooled off several meters of thread, cutting them with significant applied force, and twisting them into a cord of approximately half a centimetre in diameter. He noticed with satisfaction that the ends of cut thread didn''t fray. ''Must have something to do with the chemical process involved when the web hardens. When I look closely, I can see the individual strains that I''ve twisted together, but they clearly appear to be joined as one continuous whole.'' He lay two pieces of leg plate over one another, having lined up the previously punched holes, he now weaved the cord through them to join them and create an armoured plate to protect his upper arm, next he did the same with two of the leg plates for the lower arm and joined the partly completed pieces together at the elbow, creating a webbed over it; this method offered flexibility, though it would likely leave his elbow vulnerable to attack. He was willing to take the risk if it meant he could block blows meant for his body with this new armour on his arms. Next, Verdant repeated this process with the next four plates, before weaving the silken thread back and forth across the open side of the plates to create something of a sheathe for him to slide his arms into and keep the armour in place. When he was done, the flexibility of the makeshift armour allowed it to slide on easily, all the way up to the armpit, with the top of the plate sticking up to offer some protection from slashing strikes against his neck. ¡®Damn, this stuff is actually pretty comfortable, it¡¯s snug and only rubs a little at the joints, I can¡¯t really feel any kind of impairment to my range of motion either. Perfect! Let¡¯s see what I can do with the bigger plates.¡¯ Verdant touched his pouch and withdrew, two of the cephalothorax plates he thought would make great armour for his chest and back. ¡®I just need to carve these into a suitable shape and weave the pieces together to make a lightweight chest piece.¡¯ He quickly realised that punching a hole in these plates was one thing, carving them with a knife was another thing entirely. He put large cracks across these plates just by applying too much pressure in the wrong direction while attempting to carve the shape he wanted. This process so far, successes and failures, had taken close to four hours and Verdant was starting to feel hungry again. He decided to take a break and think about how he would approach the issue. He removed another densewood berry from his pouch and ate it slowly while he considered the problem. As he was pondering, he recalled that glass would do something similar when cut and that it was often far easier to score the surface with something sharp and snap the unwanted piece off with a controlled application of force. ¡®Maybe if I score the approximate shape I need into the back side of the plate with my seax, I¡¯ll be able to apply a swift hit and get the plate to snap in the same way, leaving me with a rough blank of the piece I want.¡¯ Verdant finished up his lunch break, maintaining his well-rested buff, before reaching for his sack to start crafting again when he had a thought. ''I should look at that necklace that I got for Bryn''s quest, maybe it will tell me something about how I can complete it.'' With a small effort, he removed the item from around his neck. Holding it in his hands and turning it over he noticed something he didn''t see the first time, he was greeted by the stoic visage of Bryn, though not as he met her; this Bryn wore a helmet, like the one she''d donned before sacrificing herself while fighting that creature. ''This must be the real Bryn, or Brynhildr; like the quest had called her.'' He squeezed the necklace slightly before willing his skill to show him the information he desired.
Legacy Item - Runestone of Ascent - Brynhildr: The Guiding Light (Unique)
A small rune-etched stone containing the will and essence of Brynhildr, Valkyrie of the All-Father. The runes shift subtly when held, whispering faint guidance and reacting to the presence of a worthy successor.
Enhances perception, allowing the bearer to sense hidden dangers. Resonates in the presence of a suitable candidate for Brynhildr¡¯s legacy. Grants brief insights or warnings through faint whispers.
She was one of the last. I will miss her.
He places it back around his neck and feels it between his collar bones once more, resolving to finish the quest he had been given to find a suitable candidate to carry on Brynhildr''s legacy. "Somehow, I''ll find the right person." He sighed before returning to his task and grabbing out some of the leg plates he had in storage to practice his idea on, he only had two of the larger plates left and didn¡¯t want to risk breaking them while trying a new technique. He positioned one of the leg plates face down on the ground, scoring lines across different angles and snapping them with varying degrees of force to determine the ideal angle, depth and force required to cleanly snap the plates. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Over the next couple of hours Verdant used up twenty-two leg plates before he was confident that he would be able to snap the larger plates as required. He got to his feet and stretched. ¡®I feel like I¡¯m going to be a hoarder of anything that even remotely has any value¡­ But I refuse to fill my bag up with useless crap.¡¯ He grabs his pouch from his belt and tips it over the edge of the tree, willing his sack to empty all the useless mess he¡¯d built up while working with his hands. Chipped and broken plates fell in a rain down the side of the tree. Verdant stretched again, before noticing that he wasn¡¯t stiff or sore in the least. ¡®I¡¯ve been sitting, hunched over for hours, these stat increases are incredible. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a joke to be made here about sweatshops and child labour, but that would be heartless¡­ and has nothing to do with me being unable to think of something on the spot. Not at all.¡¯ He returned to his workspace and sat, removing the large plates from his bag, he placed them on the ground in front of him. He started on one place by scoring a line all the way around the inside of the plate in the shape he desired, before scoring break lines from the original score line to the outer edge, so that the piece would snap across the weak points instead of breaking the plate and this way he could do it in pieces, increasing the chances of success. He was slow and methodical; these were the last large plates he had after all, and he couldn¡¯t risk breaking them if he wanted to make his breastplate. Piece after piece broke away cleanly, he finished the first large plate and continued on to the second one. Finally finished, he came back to himself, breaking out of a fugue state the repetitive work had induced. To him a further two hours had passed in the blink of an eye. Verdant finished the plates, continuing the process, as he had done earlier with his arm plates; punching holes around the edges of the two plates, ensuring the bottom, arms and neck all would have openings once he finished. After spooling off the spider silk and twisting it up into the half centimetre cord, he noted that he¡¯d used close to sixty metres of the valuable thread. ¡®It¡¯s lucky I¡¯ve got what I need to finish right now, but any crafting in future is going to need more thread, which means I¡¯m going to need to hunt down more of these spiders. Good thing I¡¯ve got a quest to go and wipe out a queen¡­ maybe I should let it establish its nest just so I can farm it for parts. This armour won¡¯t last forever, and I¡¯ll need to make more sooner or later.¡¯ Coming out of his musings, Verdant started to weave the cord between the two large plates, crisscrossing, in a tight weave, up the sides and making a flexible and durable join that would minimise the impact on flexibility and range of movement. Three hours and change later, Verdant was satisfied with the breastplate now sitting before him; he was quite pleased with what the screens told him when he used his assess skill.
Item ¨C Chitinous Breastplate (Uncommon)
This armour was crafted by a novice, using superior materials. It provides adequate protection from piercing and slashing attacks on the back, chest and abdomen.
¡®No stats, at least the system confirms it will protect me like I intended.¡¯ Looking at the armour on his left arm he activated the skill again.
Item ¨C Chitinous Rerebrace + Vambrace (Uncommon) [Left]
This armour was crafted by a novice, using superior materials. It provides adequate protection from piercing and slashing damage on the upper and lower arms.
Ding
Skill Increase ¨C Assess 2 > 3
Verdant had spent around ten hours crafting this armour. He needed to refill his health and mana anyway, but he was more than happy with the time he¡¯d spent today. Gaining the assess level was just a nice side bonus to having something to protect himself. He placed his armour in his inventory and noticed that there was a notification waiting for him, blinking a blue light in his periphery. ¡®I must have missed the ding while I was working.''
Skill Increase ¨C Improvised Craft 2 > 9
¡°Seven levels?¡± Verdant exclaimed in shock, he willed the screen away and back again, multiple times, trying to process what he was seeing. ¡®Seven levels is insane¡­I guess ten hours of dedicated crafting, working with new materials is really beneficial for experience gain.¡¯ # After packing up and eating another fruit Verdant donned his crafted armour. The inside of the plates had a soft feel to them, almost like a suede finish. That along with the silky nature of the threads he¡¯d used to join his armour, made it quite comfortable. Given his increased stats, the armour was incredibly light, feeling more like a second skin than heavy plates meant to protect him. ¡®Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I think I did a damn good job. I guess hundreds of hours of yootoob videos paid... off¡­ Wait what?¡¯ Verdant was shaken, that was the first time he¡¯d really learned something about who he used to be, and it was learned through an off-hand comment made to himself with no real urgency or importance. ¡®Maybe that explains it, there¡¯s so much of substance that¡¯s gone from my memory. I know what things are and how they work, but I don¡¯t have any knowledge of myself in relation to these things. Surely, I had previous experience making things, this armour isn¡¯t something you can just sit down and make with no skills or experience. It¡¯s like I¡¯ve retained my muscle memory and I¡¯m rediscovering skills that were taken from me.¡¯ Ding, a soft chime draws Verdant¡¯s attention away from his musings.
Quest Timer
Home is where the monsters won¡¯t eat you (1/3)
Timer ¨C 45hrs remaining
¡®Forty-five hours huh, I feel silly for wasting time here like this, but I needed the armour. It wouldn¡¯t do me any good to get to the objective and find that I must fight off waves of enemies in nothing but the linen shirt and lovely kilt I started with.¡¯ Thinking about the abomination of a lower garment he had been given; he couldn¡¯t help but feel the breeze caressing his low-hanging fruit and shuddered. Shaking himself, Verdant feels for the pull in his chest, leading him to his quest objective. ¡®There it is same direction as before.¡¯ He focusses on the pull and sets off in the direction it indicated. He moved through the forest with purpose, moving faster than ever thanks to his increased stats, as he was moving, he noticed that smaller trees were disappearing, bushes and small growth plants became more frequent, though they were dwarfed on every side by giants. Gargantuan trees with a rough, dark bark, towered around this part of the forest. ¡®They look like the tree I stayed in earlier, but they¡¯re clearly not stunted. They¡¯re freaking huge, I can see the canopy above, but I can only guess how much higher these monsters go.¡¯ Another pull in his chest directed him over to the nearest tree on his right, as large as the other trees were, this one was bigger, half again in diameter at least. Verdant reaches out his hand and wills his assess skill to tell him about the giant before him.
Tree: Common Ash (Common)
The Common Ash tree is found all across existence. Some say that they used to be something more. But whatever that was, it¡¯s long gone now.
Look deeper!
Verdant noticed the weird comment at the bottom of the screen. ¡®What does it mean¡­ How would I look deeper?¡¯ He closed the screen and willed his assess skill to activate again, to show him more, somehow. Surprisingly he feels something happening he feels his mana drain, slowly. After a few seconds, war horns sounded, and he felt his blood quickened in response. Verdant blinks hard at the golden screen in front of him.
Great Ash Sapling of Yggdrasil - level 89 [???] (Hidden) {Dormant}
HIDDEN. Find the last. Seek the trickster. HIDDEN.
¡®Level eighty-nine?¡¯ The screen disappeared from his vision suddenly and he looked again at the obviously changed tree before him, the bark was limned in gold while the cracks now seemed to be full of twinkling stars and the blackness of the night sky. Looking up the tree, he briefly noticed how the green leaves of the foliage above was now painted in purest gold, before they and the bark beneath turned back to the unimpressive colours they held previously. ¡®So it¡¯s temporary¡­¡¯ removing his hand from the tree he thought about what that last screen had said. ¡®Find the last. Seek the trickster.¡¯ Rubbing his hand across his chin, he noticed the barest amount of stubble poking through, scratching his palm. ¡®All of this is adding up to something, and I¡¯m not sure I like what that is. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on here, but I know enough about Norse mythology to know there¡¯s something very strange going on.¡¯ Verdant was about to leave when the pull in his chest drew him towards to tree once more. Reaching out, he touched the slumbering giant and drew his blade. ¡®I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing, something is telling me to cut the bark; like an instinct, something inside me.¡¯ With some effort, and a short activation of Bloods Wrath he managed to pierce the surface of the bark, and a thick golden nectar seeped from within, along his blade. Looking at the blade, the instinct drove him once more, telling him to take the nectar and consume it. ¡®My teeth are aching, like something in this sap is a vital nutrient and my body is calling out for it.¡¯ Licking clean his blade he was unsurprised to see a system prompt appear a moment later.
System Prompt!
You have consumed ¡®Fortified Nectar of Yggdrasil¡¯ +5 Vitality
Verdant excitedly went to get more from the wound in the bark, only to find it healed over, as though it had never been. When he tried to cut the bark again to retrieve more nectar he felt a warning of danger throughout his being. The tree above and those around him had begun to groan and sway menacingly, as though caught in a stiff breeze; despite the complete stillness in the air. ¡®Okay, definitely not doing that again.¡¯ He touched the tree once more, mentally thanking it before he decided it was time to move on, finding that pull in his chest again, he left the sleeping giant behind and continued on his way. After a time, Verdant started climbing a hill on a steep incline and looked at his quest timer; he noticed that five hours had passed since he finished crafting and left his tree-top home.
Quest Timer
Home is where the monsters won¡¯t hurt you (1/3)
Timer ¨C 40hrs remaining
¡®I really hope I reach this place soon; I¡¯ve been awake for close to sixteen hours now and I¡¯m starting to get tired. I wish this pull would pulse or give some indication of how close this place is.¡¯ He reached the top of the hill and realised that he was now standing on the top of a large circular basin, that sloped down to a large flat area, surrounded by a decrepit stone wall, with entire sections missing in some places. Along the wall, Verdant noticed some stone towers that appeared to still be in reasonable condition, at least not obviously falling apart; beyond the wall was a series of fields, surrounded by low walls and further beyond all of that, near the very centre of the flat area, was a large stone longhouse with a wooden, steeply pitched, rounded, roof. ''This place is incredible. There''s obvious fields for farming and I can''t see any clear roads from here. I wonder if there are any people down there. Maybe elves, or dwarves? Even humans would be great... I''d love to get some answers about where I am and try to figure out what to do next...'' Verdant stared absentmindedly, contemplating what kind of future might be waiting for him at the centre of the basin before him. BK. 1 - CH. V - The Forgotten Hall. Chapter V - The Forgotten Hall. He stared in awe, as a series of soft dings informed him of a few new notifications ready for his perusal.
Entering ¡®Verdant Green¡¯ Sub-Location
The Forgotten Hall {Safezone}
Recommended Level 15+
Quest Updated!
Home is where the monsters won¡¯t hurt you (1/3)
Objective Find the central node of [Verdant Green] inside [The Forgotten Hall] Sub-Location and claim it.
¡®I guess it¡¯s nice to have confirmation that I¡¯m in the right place.¡¯ Closing the screens in front of him, he starts the slow decline down the slope, feeling the soft tickle of the waste length grass; Verdant is once again reminded of his jewels and their current vulnerable state. ''I can''t see a damn thing through this grass, it''s not that tall but there could be anything in here and I don''t have anything protecting me from the waist down.'' He continued for several minutes down the sloping plain moving slowly and remaining on high alert for any signs of movement, his seax lay ready in his hand to strike any targets that might use this opportunity to ambush him. As he walked and remained whole, he became more comfortable and stopped looking at every piece of grass as though it held the greatest threat to his existence in that moment. Verdant began to enjoy himself, with a large open field of grass and the night sky spread out above him; he felt a moment of peace, something he hadn''t had much of since he arrived, and took a deep breath in. He approached the outer wall of the grounds he''d seen form the distance, it was falling apart, stones were cracked or shattered in some places and the mortar holding it together was crumbling out from between them. Approaching a hole in the wall, which looked as though something massive had struck it from the outside. stones were visible for several meters past the wall, half buried with grass grown over them. He touched the wall as he walked past it, stones were twisted the wrong way, some barely held in place by the crumbling mortar. Verdant continued past the wall, stepping down off a small retaining wall and entering the field. He was shocked by what he saw. While the wall was in a clear state of disrepair and has been attacking by an unknown force in the past, the field he now stood in looked well-kept and unblemished, except for the half-buried rocks from the wrecked wall behind him. The grass was short, and a low wall of white stone circled the field around him. ''What is going on here. That wall is clearly ancient and has been attacked at some point, then left to fall into disrepair. But this field looks like a troupe of warriors are about to step out onto it at any second. It has clearly been maintained and well cared for. Why is there such a difference...is there something different about the land inside the wall?'' He turned away from the wall and kept walking past the fields where the ground was filled with tightly packed gravel under foot. It created several roads around and between fields as well as leading away from the fields, up a steady incline towards the hall in the middle of the basin. Walking along the packed road, Verdant noted once again how well maintained all of the roads and fields were, as though they were ready to be used at a moment''s notice. ''This is so bizarre; it doesn''t make sense with the obviously destroyed wall on the perimeter.'' Looking around again, he noted that, except for the central hall, there wasn''t a single building present anywhere, despite there being open plots that have been clearly prepared for buildings. ''It''s like someone came in, did all the earth works, built all the roads and no one showed up to start building.'' He was approaching the hall now; it was an impressive construction of wood and stone. Around fifty metres long and twenty metres wide, the side walls rounded up meeting at the top with tiered vents; it would have dwarfed a four-story building from earth. It had clearly been built with some of the ancient trees outside as he could not see a single join along the walls. It was an impressive feat of architecture, done with, he can only assume, archaic tools and simple machinery like levers and pulleys. Walking to the front door, he wondered how he would be able to push open solid wooden double doors that stood ten meters or more, rounded at the top; when he looked at a more appropriate height and noticed a standard sized door sitting in the face of the left double door. He knocked loudly against the hard wood of the smaller door, feeling stupid as soon as he''d done it. ''Why would I knock on the door of a building in a place that must have been abandoned for hundreds, if not thousands of years.'' For the first time Verdant was extremely grateful for the lower garment wrapped around his waist as the door opened lightly and without warning, on well-oiled hinges. Jumping back from the door in a very manly way and definitely not making a distinctly feminine squeak, Verdant dropped his position, readying his seax in his right hand and going on high alert for anything about to jump at him from the dark. "You should really seek professional assistance, you know? It''s not normal to jump and shriek in such an undignified manner at the opening of a door." A voice called out to Verdant from the darkness beyond the door. "Quickly, I do not have all day... Actually¡­ I have all ''days'', millennia of them, but that is neither here nor there. Now, come inside or I will take the choice from you, child." Verdant stared at the darkness in apprehension. Struggling to take a step forward and enter the hall or step away and flee. Suddenly, he felt as though he weighed nothing, looking down, his shadow had taken on a life of its own and had wrapped him up before lifting him, bodily, from the ground. Before he could react, it had carried him across the threshold and into the dark room beyond. His eyes adjusted quickly and noted that his shadow was carrying him past dozens of piles of furs on the ground, they looked kind of like bed rolls you would use while camping, except they were clearly made of a soft leather and covered in fur. Soon, he had passed all the bedding and now his shadow was carrying him past large feasting tables, covered in beautiful silverware, stone goblets and wooden plates. ''What is this, it looks like this hall is set up to receive hundreds of men at a moment''s notice and, if I didn''t know better, I''d say the inside of this hall is a great deal larger than it appeared on the outside.'' Continuing past the tables his shadow approached stairs made of fine quarried stone, leading to a platform that housed a large ornate throne, carved with runes and glowing with a dull light. To the side of the throne stood a tall man... man-thing? He would come close to two metres in height, his frame was wide and thick with muscle. Thick, dark hair covered his face, making it difficult to see his features except for one thing, actually two things; two very obvious things that appeared to burst from his temples, curling up and over his head before twisting back on themselves and ending in spikes just below his ears. ''Horns¡­ they look like the bark from the ash trees I saw earlier, what is he?''
B?lvasmier - Level???? {Fragment}
Skill level too low.
Verdant''s eyes went wide as the implications of what stood before him settled into his mind. "Oh shit." He looked back to the bearded face in front of him, green eyes glowing with an ethereal light, were crinkled into a scowl. ¡®Oh damn, I really shit the bed on this one.¡¯ The glowing shards of emerald contained in the face of the strange being before him, stare right through him; as though assessing him and weighing his value. ¡°Are you aware that is considered extremely rude to use identification skills before you¡¯ve even introduced yourself? It is simply not done in polite company. I like to consider myself rather polite, though you¡¯ve done little to enamour me of your presence here.¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Uhh¡­ Sorry?¡± The horned creature before him did not appear to be genuinely bothered by his social faux pas. If he was, Verdant was sure that he could simply have made a fine paste out of him in an instant Raising his hand up, palms out, in surrender. ¡°I am here for a quest I received about claiming the central node of this region.¡± ¡°Oh, I know why you are here Verdant Green, I have been awaiting your arrival for almost two days now. The world informed me when your quest was issued, you should have been here almost a full day ago. I do not appreciate being made to wait like some common house pet.¡± ¡°Uhh¡­ Sorry?¡± Verdant repeated himself dumbly. He hadn¡¯t expected to see anyone in this compound, let alone find something actively waiting for him. ¡°Yes, yes, you¡¯re sorry. I don¡¯t care what took you so long to arrive, save your excuses. I can see that you¡¯ve been awarded quite a deal of experience as well as an available +60% efficiency that you have failed to apply. Dare I ask why you have yet to gain even one level or apply your efficiency yet?¡± During the creature¡¯s tirade, Verdant felt his shadow loosen around him and lower him to the ground, further marking the disparity in height more apparent. ¡®Wait, how tall am I? I¡¯ve just been making assumptions about the size of things based on my assumed height, but I could be completely wrong based on a different perspective. Can I make my system tell me stuff like height?¡¯ He willed something to appear from his status and was surprised when it worked, an unfamiliar blue screen appearing before him.
Physical Characteristics
Height ¨C 188cms
Weight ¨C 104kgs
Hair Colour ¨C Blonde
Eye Colour - Grey
????????? - HIDDEN
¡®He¡¯s huge. With my height, he¡¯s still got to be half again as tall; more than two and a half metres. And the dais he¡¯s on right now makes him look like a bloody giant.¡¯ Verdant stared, open mouthed, in shock for several moments before a firm coughing sound startled him from stupor. ¡°I am still waiting for an answer. While it¡¯s true that there are few places in this location where you might find animals or monsters of any kind; you have clearly found enough of them to gain so much experience so quickly. Why in One-Eye¡¯s name would you leave yourself so vulnerable when you had the means to change in an instant? Who in this forsaken world taught you about your system?¡± ¡°I can see from the stupefaction upon your face, that the answer is likely to be no one. How unfortunate.¡± ¡°Very well, as I am sure you saw. My name is B?lvasmier, or, if you prefer, you may call me Bolva. I am the caretaker of this location that you have usurped from me by claiming the entire region through some trickery I do not fully understand. I am to assist you in any way I can, in order to complete your quest as you are, technically, my superior.¡± Bolva sniffed lightly before continuing. ¡°I will not harm you, I could not do so directly, if I wished to. I am not fully a physical being and am merely an ethereal construct with considerable means of interacting with this world as long as I remain within my designated location. I¡¯m sure you noticed the damage to the wall around my home; as much as I wish to fix it, I cannot. It lay directly on the perimeter of my territory, and I cannot exert my influence there without first increasing my lands. Forgive me, your lands¡­ for now.¡± Crossing his arms, Bolva snorts in agitation; he glowed with a golden light as his size reduced and moments later, he was a similar size to Verdant, though maybe a small bit taller. He sat upon the top step beneath him and exhaled deeply. ¡°Ahh... I have been alone for so long, I forget myself. Truthfully, I would be glad for the company and to have a purpose once more. The ages have been long, and I do not sleep. Sit, we must talk.¡± He waved his hand, and a wooden stool slid smoothly across the flagstone floors to rest behind Verdant¡¯s knees. Feeling much less intimidated, Verdant sat down, offering a small smile towards the now more reasonably sized entity before him. ¡°I just want to find the central node and complete my quest. I have another on a timer and It would be a very bad idea for me to allow the timer to run out; there is a Voidborn Arachnid Queen somewhere in the forest, likely several hours back the way I came and the quest says that if I don¡¯t kill it before the timer runs out then there would be a much greater challenge as a result.¡± ¡°You will not make it to that quest. Claiming the node is only the first part of this quest; once you touch it and confirm you wish to claim it, you will be forced to face all of the restless dead that are imprisoned in the grounds and surrounding forest. My presence and claim on this central location has prevented them from rising so far. Unfortunately, selecting this option from the interface also prevents the habitation of normal creatures and monsters in the entire region. It was necessary to prevent the spread of the corruption to other locations since I did not have the necessary forces to defeat the scourge.¡± He dropped his horned head into his hands, shame apparent in his posture. ¡°Hang on mate. This whole situation isn¡¯t your fault, is it? What actually happened here? I don¡¯t think I want to claim that node if the whole forest out there is going to turn into the set of Resident Evil with hundreds of zombies getting around.¡± Verdant was becoming upset, once again he felt as though he was forced into a dangerous situation that he truly had no say in. Bolva lifted his head, looking at the now standing Verdant, staring him down once more. ¡°You have no choice. You have started this quest and if you do not complete it now then it will happen anyway when the timer runs out; only now there will be no period of rest or structure to their waves, no semblance of a fair challenge that you would otherwise be entitled to. They will simply burst from the grounds and rush this location in an attempt to kill you and take control of the central node and spread their vile corruption through the entire region. you have done this, and you will fix it or I will ensure that you will be trapped here until the creatures arrive to drag you kicking and screaming to the ground before ending your miserable existence.¡± He was standing now too, glowing once more and growing to more than ten metres in height before letting loose with a booming voice. ¡°DO I MAKE MYSELF PERFECTLY CLEAR CHILD?¡± Verdant, felt the floor under his feet and the air around him shake with Bolva¡¯s impassioned declaration. ¡®Fuck me dead, I¡¯ve never been happier to be wearing a brown skirt.¡¯ He quickly sat back down, before looking to Bolva once more. ¡°I am not strong enough to face a horde of undead, in what world would this be seen as a reasonable challenge for someone of my strength?¡± ¡°The challenge will start of easy and grow increasingly difficult. There will be rest periods of 12 hours between waves of enemies where you may sleep, eat your fill and slake your thirst, or you may wish to equip an item or two should you be lucky enough to find something worthy of doing so. I must say, I am quite impressed by this armour you¡¯re wearing currently, did you craft it yourself?¡± Bolva resumes his smaller size, glowing in golden light once more, before stepping from the dais to finger Verdant¡¯s armour. ¡°Magnificent, the workmanship is that of a novice, but true passion and skill have gone into its making. I was unaware you could craft such materials in this way. Simply wonderful.¡± Verdant stood, once more, awkwardly allowing the volatile man before him to probe the seams of his self-made armour, with a not inconsiderable amount of pride welling in his chest. After a couple of minutes bearing the intense scrutiny of the eccentric man, Verdant cleared his throat, speaking once more. ¡°I have been awake for over sixteen hours and I need food and sleep. The quest isn¡¯t going anywhere and if you are right about what will happen next, I want to be at my best. If you have somewhere I may meet those needs, I would appreciate it. I would be happy to discuss your other issues once I wake.¡± Bolva was startled from his investigation of Verdant¡¯s armour. Looking to the man, he grinned sheepishly. ¡°Forgive my intrusion, I so love the crafts and have seen naught like it for an age. I have no food to offer you, though there is a plentiful supply of frigid spring water over there by the main feasting table. Once you have drunk your fill, head back towards the furs you saw on your way in and sleep. I will wake you in exactly ten hours. I cannot delay more than that.¡± ¡°Thank you for your hospitality. I apologise for earlier if I was insensitive or uncaring It has been a very long few days and I am lost. Like a ship adrift at sea with no port to call home.¡± He turned and walked away from the man, going to slake his thirst and rest his aching mind. As he left, he could have sworn he heard a light sniffle from behind him. Before Bolva spoke again, softly, coming through only too clearly to his enhanced senses ¡°This is my only home.¡± Verdant walked across the hall, past the head table to a barrel by the wall. Looking inside he noted there was clear water filling it to the brim. Placing his hands in to the frigid water, he drank¡­ and drank¡­ and drank. Once the water hit his tongue, something took over him and all he could think of was getting more of the sweet, bracingly cold water from the barrel in front of him. Some time later, he lifted his head, rivulets, ran down his chin and soaked into his linen shirt. His thirst was slaked, but his stomach called for sustenance. He pulled one of his fruits from his storage and bit into the crisp flesh; savouring the fruit he eventually ate another and was at last satisfied. Having met his most pressing needs, the only thing on his mind now was the blessed oblivion of sleep. Verdant walked back down the hall, from the direction he entered the building and eventually came upon the bed spaces he¡¯d seen earlier. Looking around he noticed one in close proximity to a fireplace, which was conveniently lit, and crawled into the bundle of leather and furs. No sooner had he closed his eyes than he fell asleep. BK. 1 - CH. VI - Stats and Mysteries. Chapter VI ¨C Stats and Mysteries. Bolva walked down the hall to where its newest resident was curled up in his furs in front of the fireplace. ¡®It has been so long, I never expected to see one of his ilk walk the floors of this hall ever again, I thought them all dead or imprisoned. He doesn¡¯t look like much now, but I can smell the spark inside him. It is thin, but his lineage runs true. I wonder who he takes after¡­ Oh well, time to wake sleeping beauty from her rest.¡¯ # Verdant had been sleeping for several hours now and the time for him to wake was fast approaching. He slept, swaddled in his blankets, truly feeling safe for the first time since he came to this world. Something in this place soothed him, calmed his roiling mind. Unbeknownst to Verdant, the horned demon Bolva was a man of his word and there were only five seconds left before exactly ten hours had passed since he had left Bolva¡¯s company. Five¡­ Bolva raised a bucket from his side, in two hands, filled to the brim with frigid water¡­ Four¡­ Light from the sconces hung above reflected off the ice floating inside¡­ Three¡­ He stood squarely over Verdant¡¯s sleeping form¡­ Two¡­ He took one last look upon his sleeping form¡­ One¡­ Bolva tipped the bucket forwards and emptied it in its entirety; in slow motion, an ungodly amount of water poured from the bucket, hitting Verdant¡¯s sleeping form and soaking him and his furs through. Water flowed off the now rising form of Verdant, his skin practically glowed with heat as his Bloods Wrath ability had activated on instinct, water evaporated off his form in gouts of steam as his clothes quickly dried and he howled in rage. He launched off his left foot, swinging his fist towards his attacked and yelped in surprise as his fist passed straight through Bolva, he tumbled to the ground, his ability deactivated from sheer shock. ¡°So it is true. You are of the Aesir.¡± Verdant was horrified as he saw the large, bearded demon smile for the first time. His smile went from cheek to cheek in an unnatural curve. ¡°Why the fuck are you smiling like that? Good lord, you¡¯d make the cheshire cat uncomfortable. I¡¯m getting chills just looking at you.¡± Bolva looked momentarily startled before the smile fell from his features and his stoic demeanour from the night before returned. He coughed lightly, before turning away and making his way to the back of the hall where they had spoken hours before. ¡°Get up and come with me. We have some things to discuss and several issues to rectify before you begin the next stage of your quest.¡± Verdant slowly rose from the ground, glancing at his quest timer briefly.
Quest Timer
Home is where the monsters won¡¯t eat you (1/3)
Timer ¨C 28hrs remaining
¡®Twenty-eight hours, huh? Not that it matters now; I guess I¡¯m going to find out what the next part is very soon. I know Bolva said something about undead, but I don¡¯t know if that means what I¡¯m thinking or if undead are completely different to what I¡¯m imagining. I should follow him and find out, but I should also ask what the hell he meant about Aesir I know enough about Norse mythology to know that is the term used for their gods, but what the hell does he mean that I am of the Aesir?¡¯ Looking towards where Bolva was walking to the back of the hall, Verdant started to follow at a measured pace, summoning a densewood berry from his storage to break his fast and renew his Well-Rested buff. Now that he had recovered, he looked more closely at the hall around him. The walls still appeared to be made of immeasurably large horizontal planks, stacked upon each other. He couldn¡¯t see any evidence of ties holding the planks together. ¡®Must be some kind of channelled grooves to join the planks into a cohesive whole, maybe with some kind of glue or hidden nails¡­¡¯ As he walked, He noticed many more individual fireplaces along either wall, with a single large fire pit in the middle of the hall between the sleeping quarters and the feasting area. ¡®I couldn¡¯t see those fireplaces from the outside, there must be some kinds of double layered wall to capture the heat of the fires and funnel the smoke out of the vents I saw from outside. That would also provide an incredible amount of heating in the winter months, there must be some kind of fireproofing on the other side of the wall, or the embers would have caught the planks on fire at some point, unless the internal walls are stone also? That would certainly be keeping with the goal of heating and insulation. How freaking cold does it get here in the winter? This seems like a ridiculous level of overkill.¡¯ Shaking his head to clear the thoughts from his mind, Verdant noticed that none of the fireplaces or the main pit were lit, instead all of the light game from iron sconces along either wall, holding some kind of candle. He sniffed lightly. ¡®Likely tallow, from the smell.¡¯ Looking up he noticed that a far greater source of light was hanging above him, antlers were artfully joined into a large chandelier, stacked heavily with more of the tallow candles and glowed with a warm and comforting light. These chandeliers were magnificent, looking around Verdant could see three in all, hanging magnificently above the hall below. Verdant tried to see beyond the chandeliers, no matter how he squinted his eyes or tilted his head, the walls around him seemed to extend infinitely into darkness above, no ceiling in sight. In that moment, he was reminded of the blackness of the void and the creatures waiting just out of sight. He felt a chill run from the base of his neck all the way down to the tip of his tail bone. Verdant had reached the main feasting table from the night before and looked around frantically for the barrel he¡¯d used to slake his thirst. He saw it, against the wall where he¡¯d last used it and run for all his worth. Throwing himself headfirst, up to his shoulders in to the barrel and letting out a barrel shaking scream; releasing all oh his pent up rage and fear. Frigid cold shocked his nervous system, shaking loose the tendrils of fear that had forced their way into his mind. He felt relief as the terror of the void ebbed and fled from his mind. The panic in his chest subsided and he once more felt the comfort of the place he was in. He grabbed the edge of the barrel and threw his head back with force, throwing freezing water droplets in a large arc behind him. ¡®What the hell was that? Did I just have a panic attack over a dark ceiling?¡¯ Shaking his head he turned and looked to where Bolva waited for him. Verdant held his head high and walked towards Bolva, his face flushing scarlet with shame. He arrived before the tall man but could not look him in the face after such a shameful display. ¡°I sensed the fear you felt, abject terror filled your body and clouded your mind. Judging by your reaction I can guess some of what you have been through. Know this. Fear is the shadow that walks beside courage. True bravery is not the absence of fear, but the will to face it head-on. The warrior who stands firm before what chills his blood and grips his soul is the one who earns his place in the halls of the brave. Accept your fear¡ªit is a part of you¡ªbut never let it command you. Stand tall, strike true, and let your deeds echo in the halls of Valhalla.¡± Verdant was taken aback, in his mind he had shamed himself greatly with his display. He did not expect support from the one before him, having met him only several hours before. ¡°Thank you for your kind words, I have seen many things in my new life and I am haunted by the time I spent before coming here. The darkness hunts me and seeks my end as it ended the one who saved me from my purgatory. I am on another quest to seek her inheritor, though I am not sure how I will ever find someone to replace her.¡± He lowered his chin and reached to his neck and grasped the runestone under his shirt. ¡°Her name was Brynhildr, and she died so that I could make it here. I would like to complete the quest I was given for her; I would like to honour her sacrifice in some way.¡± "That is an admirable goal, Verdant, and I am certain you will honour her memory. I cannot speak much of the time before this era, but I knew Brynhildr and her sisters well. She was a brave and valiant soul. For her to act as she did, something extraordinary must have happened. You are not an Einherjar, one of the glorious dead¡ªyou are very much alive, sustained by your own strength and not the will of the old gods. Truly, you must be descended from the Aesir. I do not know why you have been brought here now, after all this time, but someone deemed you important enough to retrieve from the void and place you here. It cost the life of one of the last Valkyries, but she will live on through her inheritor. Brynhildr knew her purpose and took pride in serving the will of the All-Father. Know this: she was at peace with her decision to save you." The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°We will discuss this more over the coming days; for now, we must rectify some holes in your education. I know that you have an understanding of what each of your stats do but we must discuss them to ensure you are not operating under a misunderstanding of their true functions. Ordinarily other can not see your status or system screens, but with your permission I can access your status, and we can go over some things together.¡± Verdant looked to the big man in front of him once more, ¡°There are things on my status that I would prefer people did not see, but I understand that you can not help me unless I show you. I give you permission to access my status, this time; I only ask that you do not share anything you see with anyone else, living or dead.¡± Bolva looked him in the eyes for a moment, weighing his words, before smiling once more. ¡°Of course, I cannot harm you directly and now that I have confirmed who you are, I do not wish to harm you indirectly either. I am at your service. Now look here, we have much to cover before you must begin the next stage of your quest, please feel free to ask any questions as I explain.¡± Pointing at the screen now fully displayed for them both, Bolva began to speak in an even, measured tone. ¡°Look here. Your HP, or ¡®Health Points,¡¯ functions as a reserve of healing¡ªa well of lifeforce that rapidly recovers your physical injuries. It is a combined measure of your Vitality and Strength in a two-to-one ratio, shielding you from lasting harm. However, if your HP should reach zero, you will lose the ability to recover from injuries until you replenish some points. Be warned: the protective effects of your stats will only remain active as long as you have at least one point of HP. Without it, even the weakest monster in the realms could kill you with ease.¡± Bolva glanced away from the screen briefly, pleased to see Verdant paying rapt attention. ¡®Perhaps we will make a warrior of you yet,¡¯ he thought. ¡°Next is MP, or ¡®Mana Points.¡¯ These represent your spiritual and magical reserves¡ªthe energy you can wield to influence the world around you or within yourself to perform supernatural feats. This includes abilities like casting lightning at your enemies, charming creatures, or healing the sick and wounded.¡± ¡°Your mana is determined by a combination of your Intelligence and Wisdom, weighted in a two-to-one ratio. Additionally, skills aligned with your natural affinities will often be easier to cast, are more mana efficient, and often capable of greater force. We¡¯ll learn more about your affinities for the branches of magic as you continue to grow stronger and select a class.¡± Looking back at Verdant, Bolva was surprised to see him still following along with apparent fascination. ¡®We might have a scholar on our hands,¡¯ he mused. ¡®I¡¯m not too surprised, given the quality of the armour he¡¯s wearing.¡¯ ¡°Next are your primary statistics: Vitality, Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. These are the most critical pieces of information for you moving forward. Since you haven¡¯t applied any levels yet, you may not know, you¡¯ll only receive two free points per level to distribute among these statistics and any mistakes will need to wait until your next level to rectify.¡± You need to decide what kind of warrior you wish to become and allocate your stats in a way that best supports your class choice when you reach level five. Alternatively, you can wait until level ten, at the latest, to select your class, which might improve your accomplishments enough to gain a stronger class. The choice is yours.¡± Bolva paused, then continued, ¡°Let¡¯s start with Vitality. This is the primary statistic affecting your HP, but its role goes far beyond that. Vitality strengthens your lifeforce, empowering your body and reducing the damage you take, whether physical or otherwise. If your Vitality is high enough, it can even increase your chances of developing a formal skill for resisting specific types of damage you¡¯ve recently experienced. For example, enduring and overcoming poison purely through the strength of your Vitality might unlock a poison resistance skill. However, keep in mind that any resistances empowered by Vitality will drop to normal levels if you ever run out of HP.¡± ¡°Next is Strength, the cornerstone of physical might. It determines how hard you can hit, how much you can carry, and your ability to shatter defences. Strength directly enhances your melee damage and gives you the raw physicality necessary to wield heavier weapons and armour effectively. Strength may improve the damage caused by a sword overall, but it truly shines when wielding a blunt weapon like a hammer or mace. Never underestimate a warrior wearing heavy armour and carrying a two-handed maul onto the battlefield. It will be the last thing you do¡± Bolva shuddered visibly, as though reminded of something awful before composing himself and continuing. He gestured, once more, toward the screen, drawing attention to the next stat. ¡°Now, let¡¯s talk about Dexterity. This is your measure of agility, precision, and balance. A high Dexterity increases your accuracy with weapons like bows, daggers, and other finesse tools, while imbuing your body with the flexibility and reflexes needed to get out of the way of an oncoming blow. It¡¯s not just about speed¡ªit¡¯s about control. Dexterity also plays a significant role in tasks requiring fine motor skills, such as disarming traps or picking locks. A high dexterity might allow a fighter, with the right skills, to weave between enemies, striking fatal blows one after another, without ever being touched, like a ghost in the breeze.¡± Bolva¡¯s tone shifted slightly as he moved to the next stat, he looked to Verdant once more, giving him the opportunity to speak or question anything he¡¯d said so far; he seemed content to listen so he turned back to the screen, his expression thoughtful. ¡°Intelligence comes next, the foundation of magical knowledge and understanding. This stat is the primary contributor to your MP and determines how much raw magical force you can channel. It also governs your ability to learn and improve magical skills, allowing you to cast more complex and powerful spells. If you want to master magic and perhaps discover more about your innate talents while gaining greater control over them, intelligence will be crucial in that endeavour.¡± Pausing briefly for breath, Bolva exhaled in a gust and continued, ¡°Wisdom complements Intelligence but serves a different purpose. While Intelligence focuses on raw power, Wisdom is about clarity and insight. It enhances your ability to perceive the world around you, detect dangers, and make sound decisions in the heat of battle. Wisdom also governs your magical resilience, improving your defences against hostile spells and supernatural effects impacting the mind and soul. It¡¯s a vital stat for healers, seers, or anyone who relies on intuition and adaptability to interact with the wyrd.¡± Finally, he moved his finger, pointing to the last stat on Verdant¡¯s sheet, his tone becoming slightly lighter, almost amused. ¡°And then we have Charisma. Don¡¯t underestimate it¡ªit¡¯s not just about charm or how good you look. Charisma reflects your ability to influence others, command attention, and inspire loyalty. It enhances your interactions with allies, makes it easier to sway negotiations, and even helps with taming or charming creatures. For leaders and diplomats, this is the most important stat. Even in battle, a high Charisma can make you a force to be reckoned with, rallying allies to your side or intimidating enemies into submission or subduing the masses under your religious fanaticism, tearing down millennia of rituals and tradition. Doing away with those who had defended us since the beginning of time to take their place and pretend to be their equals¡­¡± Bolva choked suddenly, as though a large object had been shoved down his throat. Seconds later, he heaved a deep breath in before doubling over and hacking spit and other fluids on the floor beneath him. He recovered slightly before straightening his back and grumbling to himself, ¡°Wyrd-blasted dung eaters. Fine. I got your thrice-cursed message.¡± Looking back to Verdant, he schooled his features and attempted to pat down his dishevelled beard and garments. ¡°It¡¯s important to remember that no stat should be entirely ignored. Every statistic plays a role in shaping your capabilities, even if it isn¡¯t the focus of your chosen path. That said, greater emphasis should be placed on the stats that align with the vision you hold for your class. These are the attributes that will define your strengths and ensure your growth matches the role you seek to fulfill. Still, don¡¯t despair over any perceived deficiencies. Some of the greatest warriors in the world have overcome such gaps by earning achievements recognized by the world system. These achievements can enhance specific attributes, bringing them to greater heights, even if they were once neglected. The system rewards effort and adaptability, allowing even those with imbalances to carve out their place in history. Ultimately, the path you choose is yours to shape. Balance your priorities carefully, for even the smallest difference between your stats may make all the difference in the class that you can select or whether you come out ahead in a multitude of situations.¡± Verdant reached up and rubbed his hand across the, now more prominent, stubble on his chin; speaking for the first time in what felt like hours but couldn¡¯t have been longer than a half an hour. ¡°I¡¯m such an idiot. I spent all sixty of my free points in physical stats. I was just going off instinct and what I remembered from games I used to play, then I got this new ability that doubles my physical stats anyway. If I had invested more points in my magical stats, I might have been able to use it more effectively with far less points invested¡­ No that wouldn¡¯t have made a difference I¡¯d have just killed myself because it costs HP to use in addition to MP. It seems like that skill wants me to have more of a balance between my physical and magical resources.¡± He looked to Bolva. ¡°You mentioned it before, what do you mean when you call me an Aesir, I know that is a term used for the Norse gods like O¡­¡± Verdant stopped talking and flinched back as Bolva jumped forwards, raising his hand to cover Verdant¡¯s mouth and whispering in a harsh undertone. ¡°No! We do not speak their names, lest the usurpers would hear and eradicate us for colluding with intentionally hidden and forgotten gods.¡± ¡°What I can say is limited. The system is connected to everyone, everywhere to everything in everyplace. The usurpers have calmed over the millennia and do not hunt, as they once did, for remnants of the old ones. But it is taboo to speak the true name of any god, lest they hear us and call down divine retribution on our heads. Or, say tilt the odds of an upcoming quest to heavily out favour a certain individual who is about to be thrown against hordes of the undead.¡± He had placed his hand firmly over Verdant¡¯s mouth in an attempt to stop him speaking and now looked in his eyes for understanding of their situation. ¡°This is not something you can do without consequences, perhaps too great for either of us to bare. Do you understand?¡± Verdant nodded dumbly as the hand was removed from his mouth. ¡°Then what can you tell me? I need something to go off here, there¡¯s this huge mystery sitting in my status screen and unless I know what I¡¯m dealing with I don¡¯t think I can make an informed decision about my future, let alone where I¡¯m going to spend some free stat points.¡± ¡°Take a seat boy, this is a story that requires some telling. But for the love of the old ones and all you hold dear. Do not even think the true name of another god, let alone utter it out loud for all to hear.¡± Two wooden chairs appeared beneath them a moment later and they sat heavily. BK. 1 - CH. VII - Mythical Woe and Quest Begun. Chapter VII ¨C Mythical Woe and Quest Begun. Several minutes had passed while Verdant waited patiently, Bolva seemed to be concentrating. Whatever he was trying to do was causing him pain. He gasped softly when Bolva¡¯s form seemed to lose its original colour, sparking with a golden light, sections of his body flashed between states of transparency and corporeality. Verdant had forgotten once again that Bolva was not a flesh and blood creature. He seemed to be able to touch and phase through objects at will. What was happening in front of him now shattered any previously held notions that Bolva could have simply been using magic to mess with him. Bolva¡¯s shimmering form flickers faintly as he begins to speak, his voice steady and resonant, carrying the weight of millennia of knowledge. ¡°Listen well, Verdant, for the story of the realms and the ?sir is the story of creation, struggle, and inevitable endings; I have disconnected from the system which sustains me and used my own essence to shield you temporarily in order to tell you this. I will only tell you this story once. In the beginning, there was Ginnungagap¡ªthe yawning void. From its vast emptiness, two primal forces emerged: Niflheim, a realm of ice and cold, and Muspelheim, a realm of fire and chaos. Where these forces met, the first being was formed: Ymir, the progenitor of the J?tnar, the giants. Alongside him, the great cow Audhumla emerged, whose milk sustained Ymir. As the ice melted, Audhumla uncovered Buri, the first of the ?sir, from the frost. Buri¡¯s descendants, led by Odin and his brothers Vili and V¨¦, rose against Ymir, slaying him and using his body to craft the Nine Realms. His flesh became the earth, his blood the seas, his bones the mountains, and his skull the heavens. They placed Yggdrasil, the World Tree, at the center of creation¡ªa bridge binding all realms. The ?sir, led by Odin, ruled from Asgard, crafting order from chaos. They were gods of war, wisdom, and destiny. The Vanir, another tribe of deities tied to nature and fertility, clashed with the ?sir in a great war, but peace was forged through an exchange of hostages, binding the two factions. Midgard was created as a sanctuary for humankind, enclosed by the great serpent J?rmungandr, who encircles it still. But the realms were never free of conflict. The J?tnar of J?tunheim, the fire giants of Muspelheim, and the darker forces of Helheim constantly sought to unseat the balance. Odin, ever-seeking knowledge, sacrificed himself to Yggdrasil, hanging for nine days to gain the wisdom of the runes. His thirst for power and foresight drove him to gather all knowledge, even peering into the future to see the fate of the realms¡ªRagnar?k, the end of all things. Ragnar?k, foretold in Odin¡¯s visions: the great wolf Fenrir would break free, the serpent J?rmungandr would rise, and the fire giant Surtr would set the realms aflame. The gods would battle their ancient foes, and though they would fall, their sacrifice would bring renewal. From the ashes, a new world would rise, fertile and unspoiled. This is not what came to pass. The ?sir and the Vanir, along with the allied races of the realms ended Ragnar?k. With the conflict now over and their foes vanquished from the realms, Odin and the other gods returned home to Asgard victorious and celebrated for many days and nights. When the dust had settled and the ?sir had finished their celebrations; they deigned to turn their sights upon the realms once more and what they saw shamed and appalled them. They had won their conflict and ended Ragnar?k, but millions of lives across the races were lost. The races that they had nurtured and given succour, now lay much diminished and destitute from a prolonged campaign. Seeing what they had done and being unable to bare the weight of recrimination from the survivors, the ?sir swore off the affairs of mortal realms and sealed themselves away in Asgard. You see, a gods strength comes from the faith of their followers. If enough followers believe their god is capable of a feat on a certain scale, then they will become capable of it. However, the ?sir had withdrawn from the mortal races and lost a great deal of their power making them vulnerable to attack from this new pantheon. I am sure you are aware of the Christian god that rose to power in Midgard as a result of this. Well, many of the other realms also had new gods rise to power and together they formed their own pantheon and usurped the throne of Asgard taking it away from the now much diminished ?sir. The ?sir were hunted down, imprisoned or had their egos shattered into many pieces; never to be whole again. Then the new gods took the Realms Core that Odin had fashioned eons before and altered it to produce the system you are familiar with today, stripping away many of its original functions. Limiting the paths to power those of mortal descent possessed. Bolva¡¯s glowing eyes fix on Verdant, his tone growing softer but no less firm. ¡°Remember this history, not as mere legend, but as a guide. The world changes, falls, and rises again, but it is those who stand firm in the face of fate who are remembered. ¡°One last thing before my stores are depleted,¡± Bolva said, his tone heavy with significance. ¡°You are of ?sir descent. I do not know who your ultimate sire was, but as you grow in power, you may begin to unlock traits they once possessed. Additionally, you may gain Bloodline-Unique skills tied to their divine powers. These traits and skills are immensely powerful, but you must tread carefully. They were never meant for mortal hands, and you are not yet prepared to awaken your divine blood or claim your birthright. If mishandled, these abilities could destroy you long before you¡¯ve had the chance to explore their potential.¡± Bolva¡¯s glowing form flickered slightly as he continued, his voice lowering. ¡°Now, I will re-establish the local connection to the usurper system and unshield you from its watchful eyes. Do not be alarmed by what follows. I will endure a great deal of pain for this. I have defied the system by severing myself from it, and while it will not discern what I¡¯ve done, it will punish me severely. You, however, remain beneath its notice¡ªfor now.¡± As the last word left his mouth, Bolva shuddered violently. A wave of golden light passed over his body, destabilizing his shimmering form. His mouth locked open in a silent scream, his agony palpable despite the absence of sound. Verdant watched, frozen in place, as Bolva writhed in torment. The golden light strobing through his body pulsed erratically, and for several minutes the mana construct endured unimaginable suffering. Verdant¡¯s chest tightened as he realized he had no way to help¡ªor even intervene. Whatever Bolva was enduring, it was not something Verdant wished to experience for himself. Finally, Bolva¡¯s form solidified. He looked at Verdant, his expression composed once more, though the weight of his ordeal lingered in his glowing eyes. ¡°We will not speak of this again,¡± Bolva said firmly. ¡°Remember what I¡¯ve told you¡ªour lives may well depend on it.¡± Bolva stood from his chair, bringing Verdant¡¯s screen back into focus. He gestured toward it and resumed his lecture. ¡°Now, we must discuss your efficiency. It is quite rare to have such an amount of free efficiency at your disposal. Normally, one would need to achieve several momentous feats to gain even a fraction of what you have. But I digress¡ªI should explain its function rather than marvel at the quantity you¡¯ve earned. Free efficiency is essentially a multiplier for your base stats. For example, if you had 100% efficiency in Strength, you would gain twice as many points for every one point invested. When accumulated over many levels, this becomes a truly significant advantage¡ªespecially once you gain your class, which will provide you with a second regular source of stat points. If I may be candid, Verdant, free efficiency is an unparalleled opportunity. It allows you to either shore up weaknesses or double down on strengths, turning any stat into something truly monstrous. I see you have already invested a great deal into Vitality, and I would advise placing all your remaining free efficiency there as well. This may seem rash, but it could make the difference between survival and death in the coming trials.¡± Bolva¡¯s tone grew more serious as he continued. ¡°You are entering a quest and a third stage after it in a region where you will be woefully outmatched in levels. The more health you have and the greater your resistance to damage, the better your chances of survival. If you focus on Vitality, you might even begin to develop resistances, further reinforcing your survivability.¡± Verdant studied Bolva¡¯s posture and every subtle movement of his expression, searching for any trace of deceit. The mana construct appeared earnest, but Verdant couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he was being subtly guided¡ªperhaps even manipulated¡ªinto every decision. ¡®He¡¯s not wrong.¡¯ Verdant admitted silently. ¡®His logic makes sense. If I¡¯d understood what efficiency was earlier, I probably would have put most of it into Vitality before fighting those spiders anyway. This won¡¯t cripple any build I choose¡ªit¡¯s a bonus beyond what I¡¯ll earn, and it will only enhance whatever class I eventually pick.¡¯ He sighed and refocused on Bolva, silently acknowledging the wisdom of his advice. ¡°Thank you for trusting me,¡± Bolva said, his voice steady yet firm. ¡°But don¡¯t act just yet. Let me explain a plan I¡¯ve devised for your situation in the coming quest. Do not invest your experience points¡ªnot yet. I realize how counterintuitive to your survival this may sound; but hear me out.¡± He gestured toward the screen again, the runes flickering faintly as he spoke. ¡°With your free efficiency focused on Vitality and the substantial number of stats you¡¯ve gained¡ªno doubt through an impressive number of achievements¡ªyou are in a unique position. If you can meet specific milestones while remaining at level zero, the rewards will far outweigh the risks. Bolva nodded solemnly. ¡°Alas, I cannot tell you the prerequisites for unlocking such achievements. The punishment would likely destroy my form and leave you without my aid for months¡ªan outcome we cannot afford. Not now.¡± Verdant looked down, deep in thought. ¡®This is a lot to process. But I don¡¯t have a better plan, and time is running out.¡¯ His gaze flicked toward Bolva. ¡®He keeps referring to both of us, as if our fates are tied. That¡¯s a good sign, right? Genuine, maybe?¡¯ A wry smile tugged at his lips. ¡®If he betrays me, I¡¯ll just figure out how to throw lightning like he mentioned earlier and zap him until he falls apart.¡¯ Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Resolving himself, Verdant rose to his feet and extended his hand. ¡°Thank you for trusting me.¡± Bolva¡¯s eyes flickered with approval as he reached out, clasping Verdant¡¯s forearm. ¡°This is how warriors seal an agreement, little seedling.¡± Verdant mirrored the gesture, gripping Bolva¡¯s forearm and shaking it firmly. The older figure grinned, a chilling smile that carried equal parts amusement and approval. ¡°Come with me,¡± Bolva said, turning sharply and striding toward the far wall opposite the water barrel. Verdant followed, his curiosity piqued. As they approached, Verdant¡¯s eyes widened. Hidden in the shadows were racks of weapons stretching across the wall. Most were shortswords, their gleaming edges betraying diligent care. But among them were other tools of war¡ªaxes, spears, and bows. On one end, a massive greatsword loomed, its dark metal absorbing the sparse light of the hall like a void. Yet it wasn¡¯t the greatsword that captured Verdant¡¯s attention. His eyes drifted to a smaller rack, where several hammers rested alongside a single warpick. His breath caught. ¡®What a magnificent weapon. The perfect combination of brute strength and skull-piercing beauty.¡¯ His mind raced. ¡®If there¡¯s one thing I know about fighting undead, it¡¯s that destroying the head or spine ends them quickly. Unless these are the kind of fantasy undead animated by unholy power, controlled by crystals or runestones embedded in their bodies. Either way, a blunt weapon like this is perfect¡ªsmash or pierce as needed. His excitement surged. I¡¯m taking this. I have to.¡¯ As he moved toward the weapon, a strange pull tugged at his chest, leading him past the exquisite warpick he had set his sights on. ¡®No¡­ no, no, no. I want it. I NEED it. Give me my beautiful weapon of smashy-piercy doom!¡¯ But the pull grew stronger, his blood singing in his veins. Reluctantly, he obeyed, walking past the first row of weapons. His body grew warmer, the sensation intensifying with every step. By the second row, his Blood¡¯s Wrath ability activated. ¡°Perfect. Just what I need right now,¡± Verdant muttered bitterly, forcibly deactivating the ability as he continued. The third row passed, and his blood song reached a crescendo as he reached a small alcove in the wall. Before him lay a warpick, but not the pristine weapon he had admired earlier. This one looked ancient, its surface beaten and worn as though neglected for centuries. Rust streaked the head, and the handle bore cracks from years of exposure. ¡®Why on earth is my blood reacting to this... relic?¡¯ Verdant wondered, his brow furrowing. He hesitated, then reached out, his hand grasping the worn handle as his Assess skill activated.
Item ¨C Ancient Steel Warpick (UC) {Ragged}
This weapon was once a beautiful piece of equipment. It has been without care for a long time and suffered as a result. It is no longer suitable for combat.
Verdant snorted at the message. ¡®I¡¯m not that easy to fool, system. Show me your secrets.¡¯ Resolving to uncover the truth, he funnelled five more mana into the weapon, forcing reality to yield against his will. His efforts were rewarded as a golden screen materialized before his eyes, accompanied by the soft sound of distant horns. His sarcastic thoughts vanished as he read the message.
System Prompt
Your bloodline has interacted with the target in an unpredicted manner. Your lacking skill bypasses the wards protecting its information with apparent ease.
Item ¨C Ancient Starsteel Warpick (Epic) {Worn}
This warpick was once a tool of great power. A hint of its old strength still flows through it, calling to those with the will to use it.
This weapon looks well worn due to laying idle through the ages. Though in reality it is made of a nigh indestructible composite of heavy metals and iron.
Skill Increase ¨C Assess 3 > 6
Verdant stared, aghast at what was written before his eyes. ¡®What is this¡­ Why is this here now¡­ When I saw that warpick back there I knew that I must have it. Then my blood calls me here to find another warpick. Given everything I¡¯ve learned these past couple of days, I can¡¯t help but feel this was meant for me. It calls to me like a lost lover; like a piece of myself come home.¡¯ He turned around only to find Bolva staring intently between him and the warpick now in his hand. ¡°Bolva, what does this mean?¡± He lowered the worn tool, resting it by his side. Bolva smiled once more. Like a parent watching their child take their first steps. ¡°That, Verdant, is a relic from ages past. I am not sure who once wielded this weapon, but it is clear that it has chosen you now. You may do with it as you wish, it is yours until such a time as you choose to discard it. Though, I am afraid it may not be much good to you in its current condition. We cannot do much to rectify the situation at the current time as we do not possess the proper smithy, tools or craftsmen.¡± Looking at the weapon once more, Bolva hums deeply in contemplation. ¡°There is naught to be done for it now.¡± He turned away from the wall, walking away back through the weapon racks. ¡°Grab one of those shields to your left.¡± He pointed to the nearest rack before continuing, ¡°Then we shall fetch the warpick you saw earlier, we are almost ready to begin.¡± Verdant placed the relic in his storage pouch with a brief flex of his will and hurried to catch up, before grabbing a simple round shield from the weapon rack and hefting the straps over his left arm and continuing after Bolva. They reached the last weapon rack before the feasting area once more, and Verdant stopped quickly, to grab the well maintained and polished warpick he¡¯d seen earlier. He grasped its handle firmly in his right hand and gave it a couple of practice swings before jogging to catch Bolva once more. ¡®It¡¯s weird, I was in love when I saw this weapon the first time, but now it feels like just another weapon. A well-made and maintained weapon that he had no doubt he could crush many undead skulls with, but simply that and nothing more. He followed Bolva across the hall and up the stairs. Then further, past the throne and through a stone doorway he¡¯d not seen before. Coming to a stop in a large square room, fitted with marvellously quarried and polished stone, slotted together so precisely that a sheet of paper wouldn¡¯t fit between them. In the centre of that room, stood Bolva, with his back facing the doorway. Verdant approached his newest companion and noticed, for the first time, that there was a beautiful wooden stand in the very middle of the room, carvings ran up and down its sides, depicting wolves hunting some form of deer in the forest. And seated in the very top of the stand, cradled by a bowl, was a large crystal formation with many interlocking columns of a light blue crystal. ¡°Is that the node? It¡¯s smaller than I expected.¡± Bolva turned his head to look at Verdant. ¡°This is what is left of it, all I could save after the corrupted attacked. It¡¯s not much now, but if you care for it and grow this region it will recover, and perhaps even surpass, its former glory. I can¡¯t say for certain what will happen when you trigger the next stage of your quest but I can offer my best guess. Very likely, it will start with the weakest, most deteriorated creatures of the horde. Likely they will appear by themselves or in groups of no more than two for the first wave. They will be slow and stupid. Do not underestimate them, if they are able to grab you; you will have very little time to get away before they crush you with supernatural strength. I do not know how many will appear in total in the first wave, I anticipate that it will be many, given the sheer amount that I have trapped. We will discuss more after the first wave, but for now you should distribute your efficiency to your vitality and prepare for battle. I do not know how long you will have once the next stage starts before the corrupted begin to appear.¡± Bolva stepped back from the central node. Giving Verdant space to think and harden his resolve. Verdant felt the familiar fear gnawing at the edges of his mind. ¡®Now is not the time! I have work to do and I can¡¯t afford to give in.¡¯ He reached up and slapped himself across the face, hard enough to do a couple of points in HP damage. His mind cleared once more and he willed all of his available efficiency into Vitality, bringing the total up to a +75% bonus. A notification dinged, to notify him of the change. Verdant went to open the notification when another came through, the now familiar golden colour of the Norse system appeared before his eyes, triumphant horns sounding in his mind.
Achievement Earned: J?tunn''s Endurance (Legendary)
This legendary feat is earned by reaching 100 Vitality at level 0, a milestone that only the most exceptional warriors across the realms will ever attain. Such resilience and fortitude mark you as a being of unparalleled potential, standing on the threshold of greatness before even taking your first true step on the path.
+10 to All Stats X2 Vitality Efficiency Passive Effect: Rooted Resilience Damage taken from all sources is reduced by 5%, symbolizing the unyielding endurance of Yggdrasil¡¯s roots. Any effect that would leave you with less than 1 HP is instead mitigated once per week, leaving you at 1 HP and granting temporary 10,000x regeneration for 10 seconds.
Like the giants of old, your body holds strength beyond mortal comprehension. Your vitality surges with the might of Yggdrasil¡¯s roots, unyielding even in the face of annihilation.
Verdant¡¯s head whipped around, looking for his mentor. Bolva stood a couple of metres back, with his trademark grin plastered on his face. ¡°You got it huh? I suspected you¡¯d be able to. This is where the real fun begins my boy.¡± Turning back to the crystal, Verdant Brought up his stat summary after the changes from his latest achievement. His eyes, grew wide, his jaw stood slack as the numbers stared back at him.
Stats
Health - 361/366 (15.5/hr*2) [Well-Rested]
Mana - 112/117 (3.9/hr*2) [Well-Rested]
Free Stats N/A Free Efficiency N/A
Strength 54 [56] Vitality 69 [155]
Dexterity 54 [56]
Intelligence 34 [39] Wisdom 34 [39]
Charisma 34 [35]
Verdant shook himself, laughing out loud. ¡°Fuck yeah! Bring it on!¡± Slapping his hand down on the crystal, he willed the location to become his, finally. ¡®I¡¯m ready to crush skulls and chew bubble gum; and I¡¯m all outta bubble gum.¡¯ BK. 1 - CH. VIII - Old Bones and Ages Past. Chapter VIII ¨C Old Bones and Ages Past. Verdant waited expectantly as several seconds later a prompt appeared, this one was of the typical blue variety.
Would you like to claim this location? Yes? No?
He impatiently confirmed that ¡®Yes¡¯ he would like to claim the objective he had been working towards for the last couple of days. The prompt disappeared and a chiming was heard. A new notification appeared. He had expected this one, to be fair.
Quest Updated!
Home is where the monsters won¡¯t hurt you (1/3) {Corrupted}
You have arrived at [The Forgotten Hall] and initiated a claim of the Central Node of location [Verdant Green]. Objective Updated. Due to the presence of {Corrupted} enemies, you must destroy them before you may claim the Central Node.
Objective Destroy 5 waves of the {Corrupted} undead contained beneath these lands. 0/5 waves cleared.
Rewards Permanent Caretaker Status Other rewards contingent on performance.
A boom resounded from high overhead, shaking the stone room he was currently in. The air felt charged with electricity. Verdant pulled his hand back from the crystal and drew his warpick from his inventory, slinging his shield down and over his left forearm ¡°What the hell was that?¡±
Quest Updated!
Home is where the monsters won¡¯t hurt you (1/3) {Corrupted}
The first wave has arrived. Destroy the {Corrupted} with impunity. 0/50 (1/5 waves)
¡°Oh, so it¡¯s like that is it?¡± Verdant turned and ran from the room, he passed the throne and made his way down the stairs, feasting tables passed on his right. He picked up speed as he approached, then passed the central bonfire and by the time he reached the sleeping area, he felt like the ground was disappearing under his feet, moving inexorably towards his goal. There was no longer any room for fear, only battle and glory. Heat built in his chest as he exited the entrance of the hall and went cold, stopping him in his tracks when he saw what had become of the world outside. The entire area inside the settlement¡¯s walls had filled with a thick, dark fog, sparks of green light shot through intermittently and souls of the damned howled through the night sky; lightning cracked overhead and another boom echoed across the open space, far too loud for his comfort. Some of that fear started to creep in once more. How was he supposed to find anything out there, he couldn¡¯t see more than a meter or two in front of him. ¡®Don¡¯t panic, there was something telling me how to get here when I was looking for the node, maybe, if I concentrate, there will be a pull leading me to my objective here as well.¡¯ Verdant took a deep breath, exhaling in a gust, blowing out a cloud of steam before him. Concentrating, he closed his eyes and sure enough, there were dozens of feelings, pulling him in different directions. He tried to focus more carefully and choose the one closest to him. When he locked onto it, the others faded into the background and Verdant set of once more, this time with much greater care due to the reduced visibility. He jogged a steady pace down the sloping hill for several minutes, suddenly he had an idea. ¡®I wonder if I can make my HP and MP appear in my vision as coloured bars.¡¯ He stopped for a moment and closed his eyes, willing the system to do what he wanted. Then, there they were, a red bar in the top left of his vision and underneath was a blue bar. He was pleased to note that they had refilled since his earlier activation of Bloods Wrath. He focussed back on the pull and found that it was suddenly stronger. Grasping his shield firmly and preparing a backswing with his warpick Verdant inched forward, prepared for anything. A shadow appeared in the mist, and he put on a burst of speed, planting his foot and swinging with all his might. The flat end of his weapon made contact with something solid in the dark. A satisfying crack echoed through the night and a loud screeching howl left the body as a bright wisp of light shot out from within, up into the night sky. Two new notifications appeared for his perusal, and he absently made them appear with a flick of his eyes, causing a flash of blue light to momentarily blind his dark vision. Grumbling now, he squinted at the text, reading it as his vision returned to focus.
Kill Notification
1 x Rattling Dead [Raeskir] Level 15{Corrupted} Slain +180 XPs Gained
Passive Skill Unlocked!
Weapon Mastery: Warpick (Uncommon) 0 > 1
Your affinity for the warpick has awakened, granting you enhanced precision and control over this versatile weapon. With every swing and strike, your understanding grows, honing your ability to wield the warpick with devastating efficiency.
¡¤ Damage Bonus: +5% to all attacks with a warpick. ¡¤ Critical Strike Chance: +3% when targeting vital areas. ¡¤ Improved Handling: Slightly reduces stamina cost for each attack and increases recovery speed after a missed strike.
Every strike hones the edge of skill; every swing bends the will of the storm to your hand.
Quest Updated!
Home is where the monsters won¡¯t hurt you (1/3) {Corrupted}
The first wave has arrived. Destroy the {Corrupted} with impunity. 1/50 (1/5 waves)
Closing out of the notifications, he bent down in the fog to examine the Raeskir undead he had defeated. He touched the collapse skull of the creature with his hand, running his fingers over two bony protrusions; weirdly they had the appearance of a dark wood with rough bark. ¡®They have horns, just like Bolva. Are they his people? What on earth happened to them?¡¯ ¡®I wonder what kind of loot they drop, bones?¡¯ Verdant skipped past the loot confirmation screen and read over the loot list briefly.
Loot Acquired
1 x Tiny Aether Crystal {Corrupted}(Common) 1 x Raeskir Soul Fragment {Corrupted}(Uncommon)
¡®Those soul fragments are new; I¡¯ll have to ask Bolva about them.¡¯ Verdant had held his breath this time, anticipating the explosion of dust when he looted the remains. Standing he shook off the black particulate and focussed in on the next signal in the mist, calling to him. Begging for release from their torment. Or so he¡¯d imagined. He moved quickly, from location to location, many of the were located without a few meters of each other, in what would have been the main street when the buildings here had been standing. It was like they had been killed and buried here only to rise directly from the ground when the quest started. As it turned out, these creatures were laughably easy to put down. Even without striking from ambush with a full powered attack, a single strike from his warpick to the head and they fell to inanimate remains once more; they were painfully slow and had zero survival instincts, most of them didn¡¯t even get to swing their arms at him before they were ended once more. When Verdant looked up, he noticed a whirlpool of souls circling above the encampment. Though the monsters were easy to kill, Verdant felt uneasy; every single kill had resulted in that same screeching wisp flying from the body and into the sky joining the maelstrom of souls swirling above. Strangely, he noted that with each kill he received the same experience point reward and exactly the same loot. Almost two hours after starting his quest began, he pulled his pick from the skull of the final enemy, receiving his quest update and requested a summary of combat since the wave started.
Summary of Notifications
Combat Summary
50 x Rattling Dead [Raeskir] Level 15{Corrupted} Slain 7500 Kill XPs +20% Hubris¡¯ Folly bonus. Total XPs = 9000XPs
Loot Summary
50 x Tiny Aether Crystal {Corrupted}(Common) 50 x Raeskir Soul Fragment {Corrupted}(Uncommon)
Skill Summary
Pathfinding(C) earned ¨C 5 > 6 Combat Tactics(UC) earned ¨C 1 > 2 Target Weakness(R) earned ¨C 5 > 6 Weapon Mastery: Warpick (UC) 1 > 3
Summary Complete
Access System log at any time to view old notifications at your leisure.
¡®Well, the combat wasn¡¯t terribly difficult; honestly the skill gains are more than I deserve considering the level of difficulty and the experience gain is frankly ridiculous. Oh, well. I¡¯m not going to look at gift horse in the mouth. No sir, not this black duck. Not today.¡¯ The ground just in front of Verdant exploded in a wave of dirt and rocks, as a surging bolt of plasma touched down, digging a sizeable crater in the hard road, throwing him several meters backwards. He landed lightly, dipping into a roll before coming to his feet, holding his pick ready in front of him. Luckily, he had stored his shield some time ago, or the angle of the fall may have broken his arm; as things stood, his left arm ached with the force of the landing he¡¯d absorbed before rolling back up. There stood a tall figure in the crater, it wasn¡¯t just another skeleton like all the others; the glowing blue orbs in its eye sockets seemed to stare right through him; something about it called to Verdant. Assess, he used his skill without hesitation.
---{Eirikr Thorsson [Champion of Thunder] Level 25 {Corrupted})---
Eir¨ªkr T¨®rsson was a mortal born son of Thor, who died and became an Einherjar. He died defending a settlement from a {Corrupted} horde of the undead.
Primary Ability
Lightning Aegis ¨C Lightning surrounds Eirikr protecting him from harm. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
Cursed to live in torment until his existence is ended. Like all the others.
KRAA-KOOOOOM!!!! The thunder of Eirikr¡¯s landing reverberated across the open area, shaking the earth and rattling Verdant¡¯s bones. He struck an intimidating figure in the night, especially when, without warning, his bones were wreathed in crackling lightning, forming a second skin over the stark white of Eirikr¡¯s decayed body. The energy seemed alive, shaping the outline of a large, muscular man with long, electric tendrils flowing down his back and from his chin to his waist, mimicking hair braided with glowing beads of light. Eirikr stepped from the crater, his movements jerking unnaturally. It was painful to watch. The once peerless warrior now stumbled forward with all the grace of a broken puppet. Verdant couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of pity for the fallen champion. ¡®A man like this, a warrior celebrated in the halls of Valhalla, deserves better than this grotesque fate. It will be my honour to lay him to rest.¡¯ Gripping his warpick tightly, Verdant braced himself. The weapon had already ended no fewer than fifty restless souls in the last few hours, but it had yet to face a real challenge. ¡°Maybe this one will finally prove worthy,¡± he muttered under his breath, stepping into the fight. Verdant twisted at the hips and unleashed a two-handed underhand strike. The warpick¡¯s iron head found its mark, slamming into the ethereal chin of Eirikr. The lightning-wreathed energy lashed back violently, coursing through the weapon and into Verdant¡¯s body. He gritted his teeth, muscles locking under the electric assault. The leather-wrapped handle dulled some of the shock, but it wasn¡¯t enough to fully protect him. He swung again. And again. Each strike sent another jolt through his arms, burning his muscles and leaving him gasping. Sparks flew with every impact, the weapon glowing faintly as it absorbed and reflected the plasmic energy. But Verdant noticed something worrying: the warpick was failing. Each blow warped the iron head further, faint cracks spreading like spiderwebs. The once-solid tool of destruction glowed a dull red, the metal straining under the repeated collisions with Eirikr¡¯s lightning-infused form. Verdant cursed under his breath. ¡®At this rate, the weapon¡¯s going to shatter before I even scratch him.¡¯ Eirikr remained unmoved, his undead form bearing the blows in eerie silence. His translucent lightning skin rippled and pulsed with every strike, its integrity unaffected. Verdant¡¯s frustration mounted. ¡®I can¡¯t even touch him. He might be slow, but I can¡¯t land a blow that gets through this shield. And when this warpick breaks, I¡¯m dead.¡¯ As if reading his thoughts, Eirikr moved. He raised his own weapon, an electrified warpick that mirrored Verdant¡¯s, though its lightning-wreathed surface made it seem more divine than corrupted. With an almost casual motion, Eirikr brought it down in a crushing two-handed strike. Verdant barely managed to block, holding his warpick horizontally to absorb the blow. The sound of cracking iron filled the air as his weapon¡¯s head glowed white-hot under the immense force. The shaft splintered in his hands, and with a final snap, the head of his warpick was sent flying into the mist. Verdant stumbled back, clutching the useless remains of the shattered weapon. He looked at Eirikr, whose lightning flared brighter, the energy crackling around him in defiance of Verdant¡¯s continued assault. Sweat ran down his head in thin rivulets, his chest heaved like the bellows of a smith¡¯s forge. ¡®I can¡¯t beat him like this. My health is nearly gone, and all I¡¯ve done is wear out my weapon and my body¡¯ Verdant¡¯s eyes darted to the resource bars in his periphery. His health was flashing, dangerously low, barely sitting around fifteen percent. His mana, however, was nearly full. He tightened his jaw. ¡®Didn¡¯t that relic say something about being almost indestructible? As Eirikr wound up for another devastating strike, Verdant activated Blood¡¯s Wrath for a fraction of a second, channelling the ability¡¯s power to his legs. With a surge of explosive force, he launched himself sideways, just barely avoiding the attack. Eirikr¡¯s electrified weapon struck the ground with an earth-splitting crash, sending dirt and rock flying into the air. The crater it left behind was enough to convince Verdant. ¡®That would have killed me outright.¡¯ Rolling to his feet, Verdant glanced at the remains of his broken weapon, then back at Eirikr, whose electric aura only grew fiercer. Fuck me, who the hell decided this was a fair and reasonable challenge? Where is the appropriate skill and level scaling? This is pure insanity.¡¯ He dismissed the shattered tool into his inventory and latched his will onto the only other weapon in his storage¡ªthe ancient relic. His blood surged with anticipation as he summoned it. The relic materialized in his hand, its battered form dull and worn but exuding a faint glow. It vibrated slightly, and he felt the familiar song stirring in his veins. Verdant tightened his grip on the leather-wrapped handle, his resolve hardening. ¡°Alright,¡± he muttered, steadying his stance. ¡°Let¡¯s see what you can do.¡± Regardless of the weapons questionable state, it felt right in his hand, like a natural extension of his arm. He swung it in light arcs across his body, feeling the weight and balance. It looks pitted and worn, but it felt incredible. ¡®I guess there is more to this weapon than what is listed in the Assess results.¡¯ Verdant looked towards Eirikr once more and noted that he had significantly closed the distance between them with his stumbling, broken gait. ¡®He might be slow, but he¡¯s not going to stop until one of us is dead.¡¯ ¡®What have I got that I can use, Bloods Wrath would just as likely kill me as it would him with how much health I¡¯ve got left. What about that web skill I got from the spiders? I haven¡¯t used it yet but what have I go to lose? Maybe I can slow his movement even further and line up the perfect shot on that sparkling dome of his.¡¯ He contemplated his next move while circling around his enemy, maintaining the distance between then and looking for an opening. In a burst of speed, Verdant took off; running in a large circle around his target, throwing Slowing Web before approaching from behind and winding up a double handed overhead swing aiming for the small of his back. In the moment before his attack landed, he triggered Bloods Wrath committed to ending this fight in a single strike. Eirikr had turned slowly attempting to meet the strike, but his ragged undead state was not conducive to quick movements at the best of times, now further hindered by the Slowing Web skill, his movement was downright glacial. Verdant struck true, bursting through the electrical aegis coating his enemy. And was thrown off his feet, flying through the air in a huge discharge of electricity, the sound was deafening, and the light was unbearable; like a bomb had gone off right in his face. He landed heavily, the backlash from his successful strike had torn the skin on his weapon hand. Blood flowed freely from the split skin a long his fingers and palm, coating the handle of his warpick in a sanguine mess. He was blinded and ringing deafened his ears; behind his scorched eyelids he could see the flashing red of his health bar, barely any colour was visible now. ¡®I need to get up and move, this guy is slow, but I¡¯ve been down for minutes by now. I can¡¯t see and I can¡¯t hear past this ringing; I have no way to know how close this guy is to me. He could be lining up a strike right now.¡¯ Panic ran through him, he stumbled to his feet and struggled to regain his equilibrium. Shaking his head and rubbing his eyes to try and recover his senses. In his addled state, he had no chance to react. Electricity kissed his temple in an approximation of cold iron, shattering the skull beneath and exploding half of his skull like a ripe melon. Verdant¡¯s whole existence was agony. Until just as suddenly, it wasn¡¯t.
Achievement Effect Triggered J?tunn''s Endurance
Damage from last strike has been mitigated. HP value set to 1 Health and Mana Regeneration set to 10,000 x base rate for 60 seconds
Verdant rolled over, his ears ringing, and pushed up to his knees, blinking stars out of his eyes. Reaching up to touch the side of his head, he noted that while his face was covered in blood, he was undeniably whole. Glancing to his health bar in his periphery, he was shocked to see it filling rapidly, until he¡¯d reached his maximum in seconds. He looked down, seeing blood covering his form in a layer from his neck down. He was surprised to see his weapon still held firmly in his left hand. Blood now coated the pick in its entirety. ¡®Is it glowing brighter than before? It feels hot in my hand. It¡¯s getting warmer.¡¯ Amidst his contemplation of the strange weapon, he was horrified when he saw the blood across his body begin to move. Sliding in an inevitable wave, across his torso and down his arm, along the handle of his warpick before reaching an engraved divot Verdant hadn¡¯t noticed earlier. The blood entered the divot in the composite steel as the glow around it increased. Slowly, the weapon repaired itself. A flaking of rust fell off in flakes, cracks welded shut seamlessly and the leather handle reformed anew, soft and supple under his rough hand. A horn blared in his mind, announcing the arrival of a familiar golden screen.
System Notification!
Through the stimulation of your lifeforce in an extreme way and the subsequent sacrifice of your imbued blood a bloodline relic related to your ultimate sire has awoken once more. Care for it well and it will help you grow beyond the limits of man.
Item ¨C Hr¨ªmrj¨®er - Frost Breaker (Bloodline-Unique)
Level 0 - Kills 0/10 {Derelict}
This warpick was commissioned by an ?sir as a coming-of-age gift for his youngest mortal son. He placed within it, but a fraction of his true power in hopes that it would resonate with the seed of divinity in his offspring and spark the birth of another true Norse God.
When delivering a solid blow to an enemy, there is a chance that lightning will shoot from the wound, striking a nearby enemy. This item may gain experience by making kills in combat and grow alongside its user. This weapon is nigh indestructible. Only those who forged it know the secrets behind its destruction.
Blood calls to Blood. Connected through the ages; The line remains unbroken.
Looking up once more, the blur had gone from his vision and the howling of the souls above filled his ears in an indescribable cacophony of sound. The force of the earlier strike had thrown him back out of Eirikr¡¯s strike distance and he was again closing the distance. Step by step, inexorable and inevitable; though it appeared that his lightning skin was exhausted for now.
Regeneration 10,000x Boost Time Remaining - 52 seconds
¡®I¡¯ve still got a bit of time on this boost. I can do this, there¡¯s no electricity protecting him anymore and I¡¯m getting something like forty health recovering every second. It¡¯s time to put this guy down.¡¯ Verdant felt his blood burning within him. His lifeforce was running rampant within him and he needed an outlet for all that power. Looking to Eirikr walking towards him, he smirked. ¡®Let¡¯s do it.¡¯ Activating Bloods Wrath without fear, he burned a portion of his overflowing lifeforce before launching towards his enemy. Closing the distance, he wound back his arm and swung his warpick forward. A resounding CLANG echoed around them as the flat of his weapon made contact with Eirikr¡¯s sternum and knocked the skeleton off its feet. ¡®This is it.¡¯ Verdant jumped on top of his fallen enemy. Placing his knees just up from his target¡¯s elbows, he pinned the creature in place and raised his hammer up before bringing it down, again and again. He struck the corrupted warrior in the head with the full measure of his enhanced strength. ¡®I need to hurry my time is running out.¡¯ As the timer reached the final ten seconds, Verdant¡¯s spirits rose once more as he saw Eirikr¡¯s skull start to dent and deform. As the timer ticked over its last second, both hands gripped his weapon bringing it down with the last moment of his enhanced might, spike first, screaming his rage to the skies above. A deep resounding thud echoed as the weapon pierced straight through the skull and buried itself in the ground below. A crackling blue light, howling its rage at the world, shot from the body beneath him, flying up to join the maelstrom above. In the aftermath of the moment Verdant absently remembered to turn his Bloods Wrath skill off when he noticed the first tick down of his health and mana. He willed the loot prompt to appear and confirmed it as he rolled off his slain enemy, staring up into the chaotic sky above before going over the multiple notifications waiting for his attention.
Kill Notification
Eirikr Thorsson - Champion of Thunder {Corrupted} Level 25 [Elite] has been slain. +3,000 XPs Gained
Skill Summary
Assess (C) ¨C 3 > 4 Acrobatics (UC) ¨C 3 > 4 Combat Tactics (UC) earned ¨C 2 > 4 Target Weakness (R) earned ¨C 6 > 7 Weapon Mastery: Warpick (UC) - 3 > 6 Bloods Wrath (BU) ¨C 4 > 5
¡®I can¡¯t help but feel that the experience I am receiving for kills is nowhere near what the creature earned itself. Must be some kind of system tax. They say there are two things in life that you can never avoid, death and taxes. At least the skill gains were good¡­¡¯ Losing the XP notification, he opened the next set waiting for his attention.
Achievement Earned: Over Achiever (Epic)
You have defeated an enemy whose level exceeded your own by 25+
+10 to all stats +15% damage against higher levelled enemies.
Oh, we¡¯re cooking with gasoline now!
Achievement Earned: Kicking Butt¡­ (Epic)
You have defeated an [Elite] named enemy whose level exceeded your own by 10+
+10 free points +20% Free Efficiency Hostile forces feel a sense of unease in your presence.
Oh, Look! A Freebie.
Achievement Earned: ¡­And Taking Names (Legendary)
You have defeated an [Elite] named enemy whose level exceeded your own by 25+
+25 free points +60% Free Efficiency Hostile forces may be intimidated by your presence.
Yes, nasty business that. He was a favourite nephew of mine.
¡®Shit man, more stats are always nice. I wonder if I¡¯ll get more achievements for pushing any other stats over one hundred while still a level zero. Okay what¡¯s next.¡¯
Quest Updated!
Home is where the monsters won¡¯t hurt you (1/3) {Corrupted}
The first wave has arrived. Destroy the {Corrupted} with impunity. 50/50 1/1. (1/3 waves)
Alert! Second wave starts in 11hrs 59mins
¡®I guess I get to have a break now. I¡¯m bloody exhausted. I¡¯m not sure what those skills did to me, but I feel wrung out like to little butter on too much toast.¡¯ He got to his knees once more, opening the last notification he had been anticipating the most. Loot.
Loot Acquired
1 x Large Aether Crystal {Corrupted}(Common) 1 x Eirikr¡¯s Soul Fragment {Corrupted}(Epic)
Closing the loot prompt, Verdant stood and started to walk back towards the hall up on the hill when he was startled by another prompt. This one accompanied by the increasingly common horn, playing a stirring victory call this time.
System Prompt
You have encountered a fragment of divinity aligned with your lineage. Would you like to consume it to enrich your bloodline? YES? NO?
Verdant was dumbstruck. He hadn¡¯t expected to find anything like that. ¡®I can¡¯t choose this right now, I need to talk with Bolva, I can¡¯t make a decision like this on a whim.¡¯ He attempted to increase his pace and stumbled, almost falling. ¡®What is happening¡­ my health and mana are full, but I feel like I¡¯ve just run a marathon. My legs are like jelly and my head is throbbing ¡®I have to figure out what the hell this is and make a plan of attack for the next wave while still finding enough time to sleep.¡¯ He started moving once more, working himself up to an unsteady jog, heading back up the slope towards the hall; he stumbled and fell multiple times before regaining his equilibrium and continuing in earnest. BK. 1 - CH. IX - Growth and Introspection. Chapter IX ¨C Growth and Introspection. Verdant arrived at the hall¡¯s main door, stepping through, he almost fell as his hip clipped the door frame. ¡®Fuck me sideways, what the hell is wrong with me.¡¯ ¡°By the nine realms, lad¡­ What have you done to yourself? I¡¯ve never seen such chaos in a person¡¯s wyrd before. It¡¯s like you poured weeks¡¯ worth of health and mana through your bo¡­ All-father save me. You triggered the passive effect of J?tunn''s Endurance, didn¡¯t you? What could possibly have made you trigger that; tell me you didn¡¯t waste it needlessly.¡± He looked over Verdant¡¯s bedraggled form and was surprised to see no evidence of any blood. ¡°Bolva, I fought a warrior called Eirikr. He outmatched me completely; it didn¡¯t matter what I did I couldn¡¯t break through this lightning barrier skill he had, and every strike seemed to damage my weapon until I had to block a strike and my warpick snapped. I defeated him with Bloods Wrath and the relic I found here earlier, I can¡¯t believe I made it back here in one piece.¡± Verdant looked down at his shaking hands. ¡°That¡¯s bad business, Eirikr was the greatest champion we had on our side. I knew he had died, but for him to be kept here as one of their creatures. You did him an honour by putting him to rest. As for surviving, I told you earlier that it would benefit you to specialise in your Vitality and we¡¯ve seen the result of that now and your bloodline ability will allow you to jump tens of levels if used skilfully.¡± He reached out and grasped Verdant¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Sleep lad, we will speak when you wake. Given the state of your body, I can only imagine the disarray of your mind. Here, water to wash and drink. I don¡¯t have any food for you to eat, But I¡¯m sure you can manage that yourself.¡± Bolva gestured to two wooden buckets on the ground, one of them steaming, before throwing a rough woollen cloth at him and turning and walking away. ¡°Bolva wait, there are other things I need to tell you!¡± Bolva kept walking, he threw his hand in the air, before waving him off dismissively. ¡°Sleep, you are no good to anyone as you are.¡± Verdant exhaled deeply before willing his garments into his inventory, His sheathed seax and pouch hitting the ground with a heavy thud. ¡°Nice, I wasn¡¯t sure it would work.¡± He reached for the cloth and began scrubbing the sweat from his tired body. He didn¡¯t seem to notice the lean and powerful frame, flexing and contracting as he scrubbed the grime from his body. ¡®This feels good, like I¡¯m scrubbing away all the shit I¡¯ve seen and done today. I¡¯ve got to get some sleep, fuck I¡¯m exhausted. I¡¯ve never felt this tired before.¡¯ Once he was finished, he drank his fill from the cold-water bucket provided and ate some fruit. Before finally walking over to his spot by the fireplace, burning low on glowing red coals. ¡®Oh, that¡¯s nice, Bolva must have known I would sleep here again.¡¯ Verdant had just crawled into the pile and lain his head down when sleep took him. # Verdant woke several hours later to a loud notification, dread filled him as he knew what it would say.
Warrior¡¯s Crucible Quest Expired! (2/12)
UPDATED! You have failed to eradicate the Voidborn Arachnid Queen {Juvenile} in the allotted time. She has now established her territory and matured into her adult form and will begin laying eggs.
New Objective Destroy the Voidborn Arachnid Matriarch and her hive before another Voidborn Arachnid Queen {Juvenile} is birthed.
Rewards ¡¤ Trophy ¨C Head of the Arachnid Matriarch. ¡¤ Large Aether Crystal ¡¤ +10,000 XPs ¡¤ +1,500 Rep with The Aesir Guardians
Time Limit 167hrs 59mins
If you fail to complete this quest in time you will have to face a much greater threat in the future. This threat will continue to grow and evolve until it is eradicated.
He had failed the Crucible quest. ¡®Well, there¡¯s no use in crying over spilled milk, I¡¯m awake now, so I may as well get moving.¡¯ Moving out of the sleep area towards the throne at the back of the hall, he appeared some fruit from his storage to munch on while he walked. Glancing to his timer, he noted there was still more than four hours before the next wave would start. Approaching the throne, Verdant called out, ¡°Bolva, are you around?¡± Walking up the five stone steps to the top of the dais, he turned, looking around the hall for any sign of the big man. He was just about to sit in the throne and wait, when Bolva appeared standing behind him. ¡°Yes Verdant, I am here, did you sleep well? I had expected you to sleep awhile longer yet.¡± Verdant jumped away from the throne and almost fell down the stairs before righting himself. ¡®I forgot about the vault room back there. Scared the hell out of me.¡¯ ¡°Hey Bolva, yeah, I woke up because of a quest expiring and updating. It looks like I am going to have to deal with a well-established Arachnid Matriarch, by the time I get out of here now.¡± He tried to cover his startlement, by stretching his arms above his head in a careless manner. Bolva scowled before sighing. ¡°The Voidborn are not creatures you wish to let become entrenched in our realms. Once they have settled in and fortified their homes, they are notoriously difficult to expunge.¡± He pinched the bridge of his nose; frustration was clear on his face. ¡°It matters not. There was no choice, the outcome would have been much worse if we had allowed this undead horde to break free unchecked. They may only be corrupted but they still have a Voidborn commander. He will be your most challenging foe by far.¡± Bolva dropped his hand and shrugged his shoulders, like he was trying to release some tension. Looking to Verdant, Bolva spoke seemed recovered and spoke in a more composed tone. ¡°Tell me what happened yesterday. Leave nothing out child; our lives may depend on it.¡± Verdant walked down the stairs, to where there still sat two wooden chairs. Sitting in one, he indicated for Bolva to be seated in the other. Once he was seated, Verdant began to speak in a slow and even tone. A lot had happened, and he wasn¡¯t sure if he was ready to go over it all in excruciating detail. ¡°At first, I was worried I¡¯d be unable to find them. The mist is so heavy out there that I couldn¡¯t see more than a meter in front of me. There¡¯s a pull I feel in my chest sometimes and I follow it to my objectives, I don¡¯t understand it well, but it always leads me to my quest objectives and one time it led me to a weird tree. I used this to find the skeletons, they were not a challenge at all. They had levels on me but were so slow and barely had time to react before I took them down. All of them had these weird crystals when I looted them too.¡± He took out one of the soul fragments from his inventory and showed it to Bolva. Bolva took the crystal in his hand, it was a rough sphere with crystalline protrusions along its surface. He rolled it in his hand before taking a deep breath and handing it back. Verdant was surprised to see a single tear slide from the big man¡¯s face. ¡°Keep them safe Verdant, they have been trapped here for so long; they deserve their final peace. When you have finished this quest, we will hold a proper ritual and lay them to rest. Please continue.¡± Verdant took the crystal, willing it back to his storage before speaking once more. ¡°I noticed they have the same kind of horns as you Bolva. Did you know them?¡± Bolva clenched his fists on his knees, clenching his teeth. ¡°To my great shame, I can not discuss this right now Verdant, it is a matter of honour; please continue.¡± He chose to respect his mentor¡¯s wishes for now and started to speak again. ¡°I messed up. I was overconfident from defeating the skeletons with such ease, but when they were all gone, suddenly a bolt of lightning came down from the sky and slammed down in front of me. I certainly didn¡¯t expect to see an undead warrior who used to be an Einherjar. One related to the pantheon no less. He was so slow, like the other skeletons. But he had this ability that covered him in electricity. It didn¡¯t matter how many times I struck him I couldn¡¯t break through. When I did eventually break through using all my skills at once the lightning skin protecting him exploded, blinding and deafening me. I tried to get up and get out of the way, but I couldn¡¯t see, and my ears were ringing an impossible tone. By the time I recovered enough to get my feet under me I had no idea how long I had been down. I just got up and tried to run, the next thing I knew I was struck in the head. I could have sworn I had been killed. That my arrogance had killed me. That passive ability from the J?tunn¡¯s Endurance saved me, it brought my sight and hearing back and got me back in the fight. When I looked to see Eirikr again he didn¡¯t have the lightning barrier anymore and I took my chance. I ran and knocked him down, bashing him in the skull with my weapon, my Bloods Wrath burning up the excess regeneration. At the last second, I finally managed to kill him. I thought for sure I was going to die, and I still came out of it almost unscathed. Oh, and there was something else, the relic I got here changed. It said that it resonated with my bloodline, and it became something else. I don¡¯t know what is going on Bolva. These things keep happening to me. I can¡¯t explain them. I can¡¯t help but feel that I¡¯m a puppet on a stage and some unknown enemy is pulling the strings from behind the curtain, you know?¡± Verdant was breathing heavily now, recounting the events of the battle had affected him a great deal more than he expected it to. Bolva cleared his throat, ¡°I do not know anything about anyone controlling or directing you Verdant. What I do know is that you have a significant bloodline within you. We have all but confirmed you to be of the Aesir with your abilities and there ought to be many powerful and unexplainable quirks of your bloodline.¡± ¡°Bolva, there was one more thing. When I slew Eirikr and looted him, I received a golden message. It said that a spark of divinity had been detected and it resonated strongly with my lineage. If Eirikr was a mortal son of Th¡­¡± Verdant cut off abruptly as he remembered Bolva¡¯s warning about saying gods¡¯ names aloud. ¡°If he was the mortal son of the thunder god, and his spark resonated with my bloodline. Does that mean that I am descended from the same god?¡± ¡°Verdant, show me the relic you took from here earlier.¡± Bolva spoke with anticipation in his voice. Verdant was confused but complied, willing his warpick into his hand, he passed it to Bolva. The bearded man took the weapon is his large, calloused hands, turning it over and examining it. He must have used Assess or something like it because his eyes suddenly went wide. ¡°Verdant this was Eirikr¡¯s weapon. It was commissioned for him by his father and crafted by the dwarves of Nidavellir. I had no idea this was here all this time. I simply thought it a relic of ages past, someone has clearly gone to great lengths to hide it from me and others. This all but confirms it my boy. You are also a mortal descendant of that god. This weapon would not have awoken to you like this if you weren¡¯t.¡± ¡°What does that mean Bolva? How does this affect me? Am I going to suddenly be able to shoot lightning from my hands or gain giants¡¯ strength?¡± Verdant was sounding hysterical by the time he had finished. He calmed once more and sat in silence. ¡°Verdant, you can think of nothing that might stem from your bloodline? Nothing has happened to you since you arrived that isn¡¯t explained by your burgeoning abilities or the system itself, nothing at all? I can think of one such example off the top of my head, The mother of your ancestor was a goddess of motherhood and fertility, yes. But she was also well known, for her abilities as a seer and her uncanny ability to simply know things. Does that not sound familiar? You have described something very much like that a couple of times now; and I suspect that may be a trait from your lineage beginning to awaken. If we can stimulate it in the right way, we may be able to bring it all the way out of you blood so you can use it more effectively, you¡¯ve already demonstrated some small ability in using it within its current limitations. I suspect that if you absorb the spark you gathered, it would likely grant you one or two burgeoning traits from your bloodline. While they won¡¯t immediately make a tremendous difference, they will continue to grow as your powers do.¡± Bolva reached across the space between them and placed his hand upon Verdant¡¯s shoulder. Verdant took a deep breath and exhaled, regaining his composure. ¡°I thought that was the quest system telling me where to find objectives, even if sometimes it wasn¡¯t a quest objective¡­ Am I really that dumb? I guess the simplest answer wasn¡¯t the right one. What will happen to me when I take in the spark Bolva? Is it going to change me?¡± He peered at the man before him, seeking reassurance. ¡°Verdant, absorbing this spark will not alter your personality in any way. It will enter your body and join with the divinity already present there to stimulate your bloodline and awaken dormant abilities still locked within you. You will still be Verdant, but as you go down this path, certain aspects will be amplified, and you will unlock new power. It is okay to fear change and I can¡¯t say that you won¡¯t regret making this choice today. But what I can say for certain is that you will regret never taking the chance to find out; maybe not today, but some day in the future, it will come back to haunt you.¡± Bolva stared hard into his student¡¯s eyes, trying to make him understand. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Verdant was still reluctant to trust given his fears of manipulation and the lack of control in his life. But when he investigated Bolva¡¯s eyes, all he saw was an ancient soul that had been through too much, seen too much; there was not a hint of dishonesty to be found there. ¡®Maybe I can trust him. It would be nice to finally have someone I can rely on.¡¯ He hardened his will and clamped down on his discordant thoughts and emotions. ¡®If this crystal will offer me anything like Bloods Wrath I¡¯d be stupid to give it up.¡¯ ¡°Good lad. You¡¯ve made your choice; I can see it in your eyes. We don¡¯t know what you¡¯re going to face out there but leaving any power on the table at this point would be tantamount to suicide. Use this opportunity to invest any free points or efficiency you gained from the last wave, you¡¯re going to need to be at your full strength for what¡¯s ahead. I¡¯m certain of it.¡± Verdant brought up his status, looking at it for a moment to decide where would be the best use of his stats and efficiencies. ¡°Oh and Verdant, do try and get another stat over one hundred will you? There is only a small window of time where you can take advantage of such an opportunity.¡± ¡®Right! I hadn¡¯t forgotten about that or anything.¡¯ He looked once more at his status and focussed on the ¡®Stats¡¯ section.
Stats
Health - 461/461 (19.7/hr)
Mana - 150/150 (5/hr)
Free Stats 35 Free Efficiency 80%
Strength 64 [67] Vitality 79 [197]
Dexterity 64 [67]
Intelligence 44 [50] Wisdom 44 [50]
Charisma 44 [46]
¡°Okay, first thing I¡¯m going to do is raise everything by one. I know it¡¯s a waste, but the numbers are really starting to bug me.¡± He glanced at Bolva for any kind of reaction and saw a smirk through his beard. ¡®Bastard¡¯.
Stats
Health - 467/467 (20/hr)
Mana - 150/150 (5/hr)
Free Stats 29 Free Efficiency 80%
Strength 65 [67] Vitality 80 [200]
Dexterity 65 [67]
Intelligence 45 [50] Wisdom 45 [50]
Charisma 45 [46]
¡°If I am really careful here, I can get two stats over one hundred and get two more achievements. I think, with my combat style right now strength and dexterity would both contribute, but we¡¯ve been talking about me developing more abilities and I just don¡¯t have the wisdom to support that kind of expenditure. It will cost me more, but I think it will be worth investing in my wisdom. I¡¯d rather get mana back faster than have more of it in total anyway.¡± He didn¡¯t waste time seeing what Bolva was doing this time. ¡®He wants me to think this through and make my own decision, I definitely need more sustainability in battle as far as being able to use skills it could mean my survival in the next wave.¡¯ ¡°Okay, I¡¯ve made up my mind. I¡¯m going to put twenty-five points and thirty percent efficiency into wisdom. That will get me over the one-hundred-point threshold; and I¡¯ll also put fifty percent efficiency into strength and that will get me over one hundred there. With the last four points, I¡¯m going to invest in dexterity, maybe I can get it up over one hundred before I must level up.¡± Confirming his choices, Verdant struggled to contain his grin when the familiar war horn of a golden notification went through his mind, not once, but twice.
Achievement Earned: Titan¡¯s Strength (Legendary)
This legendary feat is earned by reaching 100 Strength at level 0, a milestone that only the mightiest warriors across the realms will ever achieve. Such unparalleled physical prowess marks you as a force of nature, capable of shattering all who stand in your way, even before taking your first true step on the path.
+10 to All Stats X2 Strength Efficiency Passive Effect: Colossal Might Physical damage dealt is increased by 5%, representing the unrelenting power of primordial titans. Once per week, an attack that would otherwise miss is converted into a guaranteed critical strike, dealing double damage and unleashing a shockwave that damages all enemies within a 20-meter radius.
"Like the ancient titans, your strength is boundless, a force capable of reshaping the world itself with a single blow."
Achievement Earned: Seer''s Wisdom (Legendary)
This legendary feat is earned by reaching 100 Wisdom at level 0, a milestone that only the wisest beings across the realms will ever accomplish. Such a profound understanding of the arcane and the divine marks you as one who stands on the precipice of true omniscience, before even taking your first true step on the path.
+10 to All Stats X2 Wisdom Efficiency Passive Effect: Timeless Insight Mana recovery is increased by 10% Once per week, you may invoke Foresight, granting you perfect clarity for 10 seconds. During this time, all attacks and spells gain 50% increased effectiveness, and your cooldowns are reset.
"Your mind is an endless font of knowledge, flowing with the ancient wisdom of Yggdrasil and revealing truths beyond mortal comprehension."
¡°Bolva, I got them. One for strength and one for wisdom; they look almost the same as the vitality achievement. I¡¯ve got two more extremely powerful abilities in my arsenal now too. I need to see what kind of effect this has had.¡±
Stats
Health - 678/678 (25/hr)
Mana - 319/319 (17.1/hr)
Free Stats 0 Free Efficiency 0
Strength 85 [178] Vitality 100 [250]
Dexterity 89 [93]
Intelligence 65 [74] Wisdom 90 [171]
Charisma 65 [68]
Verdant¡¯s jaw was gaping slightly. ¡®What the hell, that¡¯s too much.¡¯ ¡°Bolva, what was it you said about the new gods stripping features out of their new system. This seems like too fucking much mate.¡± Bolva looked to Verdant with a wry smile. ¡°I told you that they cut stuff from their new system. Although, I suspected that you would have some level of access to the old system given what you¡¯ve told me about your quests. That Crucible questline you¡¯ve got was a rite of passage for the Aesir in their time. The fact that you have it indicates that you likely have access to other features, like some of the old achievements that were phased out in the new system due to being deemed too powerful for mortals to possess. You might be a mortal Verdant, but you are also much more than that. I am quite excited to see how you will grow over the coming months.¡± Bolva got up from his chair and walked up the stairs, ¡°Come along, I must teach you how to meditate; we have to tame that tangle of wyrd in your body if you¡¯re to have any hope of absorbing that divinity.¡± Verdant got up to follow him. ¡®Tangle of what?¡¯ he moved up the stairs and followed Bolva into the vault room where the central node was. Inside he found Bolva sitting on a pile of furs in the corner, he saw Verdant and indicated for him to sit across from him. ¡°Verdant, I am truly glad that you chose to invest in your wisdom at this stage. While it¡¯s true that it increases your mana and mana regeneration it also improves your ability to sense and manipulate the wyrd.¡± Verdant sat across from him and waited for him to continue. Seeing that Verdant was content to listen he spoke once more. ¡°Wyrd is likely a foreign concept to you, many are unaware of its existence or significance in this modern age. It was made that way for a reason.¡± ¡°Wyrd is the energy of existence, permeating all people, places and things. It holds the secrets of eternity. There are those specialised in reading the wyrd of the world or people to tell their fates and there are those who use it to manipulate the elements and bring them under their control and there are those who reinforce their bodies with it, warding off danger and protecting themselves from harm.¡± ¡°Living creatures interact with wyrd every day, instinctually. You know of two of their components, health and mana, but there is a third component that ties them together, uniting them as something greater and more complete.¡± Bolva clears his throat loudly ¡°Forgive me, that is a lesson for another time, we can not run before we learn to walk, and you my friend have yet to crawl. The first lesson is meditation; to do this, you must close your eyes and calm your mind.¡± He looked pointedly at Verdant, waiting for him to comply. He did so, feeling a little stupid. ¡®When in Rome, I guess¡¯ ¡°Excellent, now try to sense the energy within you. It moves through you in long and circuitous routes, across every inch of your body. Can you feel it?¡± After several minutes of fruitless effort, Verdant became frustrated with the exercise. ¡°This isn¡¯t working! Why are we doing this Bolva, all I see is the back of my eyes and I¡¯m not sensing anything moving inside of me.¡± He was impatient, the need to get stronger pressed heavily on him, there were still two waves of enemies ahead of him and if the last [Elite] enemy was any indication, he didn¡¯t like his chances of surviving. He needed to grow faster and didn¡¯t have time to be messing around trying to sense some kind of mystical energy in his body. ¡°Okay, this was not unexpected. Take your weapon from storage and lay it on your lap. Maybe having something to focus your energy on will help you find it inside you.¡± Verdant saw Bolva hiding a smile in his beard. ¡®You prick, you¡¯re enjoying this aren¡¯t you?¡¯ He found he was reluctant in this moment to call for the weapon. A lot had happened in the last day and this weapon was at the heart of it. Regardless of his mentor Verdant couldn¡¯t help feeling a clawing loneliness within. Then, it was there, as if called by his need. Verdant turned the weapon over in his hands, the faint shimmer of its runes catching the dim light. It was strange, feeling so attached to something he¡¯d barely had for a few hours. But it had saved him. It had cut through Eirikr¡¯s lightning barrier and saved him when nothing else had. That was more than enough to earn his gratitude¡ªmaybe even a strange kind of fondness. "You don¡¯t know what you did, do you?" he murmured, brushing a thumb along the blade. "Not that you¡¯d care, even if you did." The weapon, of course, didn¡¯t respond. It wasn¡¯t alive. It wasn¡¯t Bolva, whose massive form sat across from him, forgotten, no doubt listening but giving him space. Bolva was helpful in his own way¡ªwise, patient¡ªbut he didn¡¯t understand. How could he? Verdant doubted anyone could. And so, he spoke to the weapon. It didn¡¯t matter if it couldn¡¯t hear him. The act of talking was enough. "You saved me," he said softly, his voice trembling just enough to make him wince. He cleared his throat and tightened his grip on the hilt. "So¡­ thanks for that, I guess." The runes glimmered faintly under his touch, like an ember catching in the wind. It was probably just a trick of the light¡ªor maybe some leftover mana. Still, it was easy to imagine it meant something. To pretend the weapon was listening. For a moment, the emptiness inside him felt a little less crushing. "You are better company than most," he muttered, a humourless smile tugging at his lips. "And you¡¯re stuck with me now, so let¡¯s hope we¡¯re a good fit." The silence stretched on, heavy and unbroken except for the faint hum of the weapon in his hands. Verdant let it linger, wishing for some kind of answer. But all he got was the soft echo of his own voice in the forgotten hall, and the faintest flicker of warmth where his fingers touched the haft. ¡®Just you and me then, Frost Breaker, you wanna crush some monsters with me buddy?¡¯ Gratitude and something more¡ªsomething imagined, but maybe not entirely impossible. In that moment, Verdant truly felt peace. Grounded to right now and connected with his weapon. Closing his eyes, he focussed on the warpick held in his hands. The texture of the leather grip in his right hand and the weight of the cool metal in his left. Warmth radiated up his arms, like the fireplace he had slept in front of the last couple of cycles. His blood started to warm and sang to the metal in his hands; sending out energy from his core to meet that of the weapon, like and old friend coming home. They met in the middle and came together, resonating and becoming something else. This new energy was dense and hot, it was hard to keep contained where it was and every now and then some of it would shoot off into his body, outside of his awareness. Sparks crackled through Verdant¡¯s body, like electricity through a circuit. It wasn¡¯t painful, it was invigorating and soothing all at once. All through his body he perceived murky blockages of stagnant energy, the sparks throughout only serving to highlight them and make them more prominent. ¡®This must be what Bolva meant about my wyrd. It looks fucking disgusting if I¡¯m honest.¡¯ He focussed on the energy where his and that of the weapon met, somewhere in his shoulders, and tried to bring it down to his center; where he had seen his energy come from in the first place. It fought and bucked against his mental prodding but ultimately couldn¡¯t resist. ¡®I¡¯m not sure it is really trying to resist, it kind of feels like the wildness is just a part of its nature¡­ like electricity?¡¯ He pushed and prodded the energy along channels within him until he found some kind of opening that was different, like a valve of some sort. He pressed the energy against the seal and, surprisingly, it gave way; the energy rushed in through the opening and bounced around the aperture before pooling into a turbulent lake in the bottom. He wasn¡¯t sure exactly, but it felt like this space was somewhere below his heart. He wasn¡¯t sure what to call this strange new organ and associated channels within his body. They felt kind of like a new circulatory system. ¡®Bolva said this energy inside me is wyrd right? Does that make it a wyrd heart, or something like that?¡¯ He was broken from his thoughts when he felt a terrible lurch in his chest, like that feeling before you go over a vertical drop on a roller coaster or when someone scares the absolute shit out of you. ¡°Bolva, I think I¡¯m having a fucking heart attack.¡± Verdant collapsed a moment later in a dead faint. Black ooze had started to make its way out of his pores, soaking through his clothes and the fur beneath. Bolva stared at the young man in a heap before him for a moment before chuckling out loud. He stood, lifting his pupil from the soiled furs. BK. 1 - CH. X - Ashwood Arisen Chapter X ¨C Awakenings and Revelations. Verdant woke with a start, throwing soft furs from his bare chest. He was back in his bed furs. Had it all been a terrible dream? ¡®Nah I don¡¯t hate myself that much. What the fuck was that?¡¯ He got to his feet, realising that he was, in fact, completely naked. Looking around his furs, he tried to find his clothes, no luck. But he did find his storage pouch and weapons by his bed. The metal of his warpick glowed in the firelight. ¡®No wait, the fire isn¡¯t lit. What the hell.¡¯ Reaching down, he grasped the handle of his new friend and was surprised to feel a sense of warmth, comfort and¡­ welcome? ¡®This is too weird.¡¯ He grabbed his pouch and sheathed seax from the floor before stowing his weapons in his storage space. Verdant was preparing to leave the space when he noticed a pile of cloth on a wooden chair by the hearth he¡¯d slept these last two cycles. He walked over and was pleased to find not only a plain linen shirt, but also pants. Verdant could have wept with joy as he picked the pants up, only to find a pair of soft linen undergarments and what appeared to be leather boots made from a soft and supple hide, the lining a heavenly velvet material. After the past days, in that moment, Verdant felt like the wealthiest man in the world. He donned his new apparel, appreciating for the first time he could remember, a soft nest for his eggs. Keeping them safe from immediate harm. He was still admiring the fit of his new clothes and the softness of his boots, when Bolva approached silently, and cleared his throat loudly. Verdant jumped a couple of meters off the ground from his position, assisted by his greatly enhanced stats, screaming in a manly way. Landing on the ground once more, Verdant rounded on the bigger man. ¡°What the fuck mate, you near scared the shit out of me!¡± Bolva smiled through his beard and chuckled. ¡°I doubt that. Honestly, I doubt there was much left in you to do anything of the sort. It wasn¡¯t the worst I¡¯ve ever seen but you can forget about wearing your old clothes again. It¡¯s a good thing you weren¡¯t wearing that finely crafted armour of yours.¡± ¡°Bolva, I¡¯m going to need you to spell it out for me. The last thing I remember was feeling like I was about to die and passing the hell out. What happened.¡± Verdant was becoming agitated, he didn¡¯t like it when things were out of his control, and he liked it even less when he felt like people were deliberately hiding stuff from him. ¡®Oh damn, I guess I¡¯m that kind of person. Wonderful¡¯ Before his ruminations took him over Bolva interrupted the spiral. ¡°You awoke your wyrd and tempered your heart with a lightning catalyst. Forcing out all of the congealed wyrd, mana and lifeforce you had clogged in your channels. It was really quite a horrific mess.¡± Confusion was plain on Verdant¡¯s face. He wasn¡¯t given a chance to express this fact before Bolva continued. ¡°The goal of that exercise was simply to find your core and awaken it, gathering all the diffuse energies from your body in one place as a result. Your body naturally separates the components of wyrd, but this process is uncontrolled. By awakening your core you can take greater control of your wyrd, weaving it in ways previously impossible for you. You have taken that one step further by not only awakening your core and gathering your energies, but you also used that relic of yours as a catalyst and managed to perform your first tempering: inscribing a rune upon your wyrd heart. It is a representation of a facet of your being, you will need to learn and understand more about this rune and what it means to you in order to progress. A further six temperings are required to advance once more.¡± Verdant was dumbstruck for a moment. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. I thought I was just taking control of my magic and clearing out the mess in my body. What the hell are you talking about? Why wouldn¡¯t you warn me about this or explain something fully before letting me go off and do¡­¡±
Quest Updated!
Home is where the monsters won¡¯t hurt you (1/3) {Corrupted}
The second wave has arrived. Destroy the {Corrupted} with impunity. 0/150 0/3 (2/3 waves)
Pay attention and you might just learn something.
He looked at the quest prompt with horror. ¡°Bolva, I still had four hours left, how the hell was I unconscious for so long?¡± ¡°Verdant, I don¡¯t think you understand the significance of what you have done since you woke up. You have affirmed a key facet of your being and in doing so discovered the first part of your personal wyrd, your fate. This is the first step to power outside the bounds of either system. It is natural that your body would need some time to recover after such a monumental shift in its energies.¡± Verdant jumped as he heard the din of combat from outside, war horns calling in the distance. ¡°I need to deal with this Bolva, but I need you to explain what is happening to me when I get back.¡± He turned and ran from the hall, running to reach the combat before the system decided to throw a curveball at him for ignoring it. He ran, the sounds getting louder from outside. Screams and the clang of weapons against weapons. It was clear that the situation was different to the last wave. Verdant stepped out from the main door and was shocked by what he saw in the settlement below. And it was a settlement now. For whatever reason it was no longer fields of vacant plots but a fully set up settlement with buildings and patrols of soldiers marching through the streets. The fog from the last wave was still present, only enough to obscure sight at large distances and the sky above still swirled in a whirlpool of restless souls. If he squinted, he was certain he could pick out the remnant of Eirikr, sparking off arcs of electricity. Mentally equipping his armour, he felt the snug fit of the arachnid plates over his arms and torso. He stepped out of the safety of the hall behind him and set off down the slope to the nearest street. ¡®According to the quest I have three times as many enemies and elites to deal with. From above it looks like there are patrols between two and six soldiers and towards the wall it looks like there might be larger groups of ten or twenty. If I move through the city, I can clear out all the smaller groups, I have to kill all of them anyway and I don¡¯t want some weird event later on where all of the surviving troops are called to fight me when I encounter an elite¡­ foreshadowing much¡­ fuck, now I definitely need to kill all of them.¡¯ Moving down the hill and approaching the first street, Verdant leans up against the edge of a building, some kind of tannery from the look of it. ¡®Bloody hell, the smell is a dead giveaway.¡¯ Looking more closely at the wood under his palm, Verdant noted that it appeared to have a subtle translucent quality, it was solid and present, not just some kind of illusion. It clearly had weight and substance, but it glowed with the same green ethereal light as the souls above. Verdant willed his warpick into his main hand and remembered to grab his shield as well, equipping it in his left. ¡®There is definitely a greater call for using a shield here, I can¡¯t just run from one enemy to the next without care for my safety. I need to be smarter if I want to survive this. Now focus!¡¯ Feeling for the familiar pull in his chest, he was surprised to feel it very close, he looked in the direction and felt satisfied to see a group of three armed and armoured warriors walking out from a street past the next building, the lead soldier carried a torch burning with green fire, they turned towards him and kept walking light flickering off the ground and buildings. ¡®Wow, these guys mean business. Well, they¡¯ve got armour and weapons, but they still seem to have that same slow shambling gait of the skeletons in the last wave. He fired off his Assess and was pleased to note that he was correct in his assessment.
Rattling Dead [Raeskir] Level 18 {Corrupted} If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
The rank and file soldiers of the old Raeskir settlement ¨C Ashwood. They have been killed and turned to a darker purpose by the corrupted enemy commander. In death they fill the role of defenders of the city as they did in life.
Cursed to live in torment until his existence is ended.
¡®Okay¡­ so these are actual soldiers. I¡¯ll need to be careful and try to ambush them.¡¯ Verdant waited for his enemies to approach his position, where they stopped, before turning as one and continuing back the way they came. He ran from his cover, taking all care to keep his steps light, the lack of metal armour and his new leather boots really helped to dampen his noise while moving. Running up close, he wound back his right arm to strike the right soldier in the back of the trio along the exposed vertebrae above his armour and below the helmet. He¡¯d activated his Sense Weakness skill and it seemed to think this was the weakest point in sight, he was inclined to agree and struck with all his might, bring the flat of his warpick down and shattering the vertebrae, a soft chime informed him that he had, in fact, killed the skeleton that along with the glowing green spirit exiting from the wound and screaming into the sky were all the confirmation he needed. Without taking a moment to think he threw his shield arm forwards, knocking the left skeleton in the back of the formation to the ground, before winding up again and striking the torchbearer across his grinning features. The warpick struck hard against the metal of his targets helm and the side of its horn, deflecting most of the blow. The torchbearer staggered back, before stepping forward, striking clumsily at Verdant with its flaming torch, missing the blow before a downward strike from the spiky end of Verdant¡¯s weapon buried itself in its forehead, between the eyes. Verdant let the undead fall, confirming its death with a chime, then turned to face the third enemy he had bashed to the ground, ignoring the tell-tale scream of the green spirit leaving his fallen foe and joining its brethren in the sky. It appeared that the skeleton had shattered both it¡¯s arms when landing and it was clear that it could not rise from the ground. He approached the downed monster and crushed its helmet and the skull within using a single strike, releasing the tortured soul from shattered remains once more. Not checking the notifications from the fight, Verdant looted the bodies and moved on. From the hill above it looked as though there were several patrols in each street around the ruined settlement. He would have to move quickly and without drawing attention to himself if he wanted to make it out of this quest alive. Verdant realised that he had underestimated the size of the grounds when they had been simply that. But now that there was a sprawling settlement with multiple storied wood and stone buildings, it was far easier to get lost. Looking to the hall on the hill he decided to select the direction facing from the main entrance as north, which coincidentally pointed directly to the gaping hole in the wall he had entered several hours ago. That then made the original path he had walked down from the hall the Northern Road in his mind, and he began following the signal, as he¡¯d come to rely on it, clearing the city in a clockwise fashion, it was essentially a giant circle after all. He simply killed the soldiers, looted the remains and moved on. He was quite lucky so far and couldn¡¯t explain why, but he had yet to see a single group of enemies with more than five soldiers. Even when he encountered a new type of soldier in leathers, using bows. They were also tacked on with the standard soldier patrols and certainly didn¡¯t demonstrate any abilities he¡¯d have expected to see from a lookout or a support person. They just marched along dumbly like the others, essentially free bags of XPs. A couple of times fighting the larger groups, Verdant had been too slow and had suffered minor blows from the horribly slow creatures. It didn¡¯t seem to matter where they struck him, it would only barely draw blood in most cases, though the one time he had not been paying attention and allowed an archer to get off a shot, he had regretted it deeply. The arrow struck him above the knee and had pierced easily through his hardened skin and muscles, lodging deep within the head of his quadricep drawing a great fount of blood, the pain shocked him and he¡¯d shouted out; momentarily triggering his Bloods Wrath, closing the distance in moments and tearing the offending skeletons head from its shoulders with his bare hands. His health points had ticked down by a few percent and the wound stopped bleeding and mostly healed over once Verdant had ripped the arrow from his leg, taking a chunk of flesh with it. He looked around the street, noting a building that looked like an inn, made of an ethereal stone, standing three stories high. Verdant felt an immense danger and threw himself to the ground as an arrow flew through the space where his head had been moments before. It continued its trajectory and punched a hole clean through the stone wall of the inn. He got to his feet, raising his shield. ¡®Not that this will do much against an arrow that can punch through stone. Where the hell did the come from?¡¯ Looking to where the arrow came from, he tried to track its original trajectory, he saw nothing except for a dark street with a thin fog obscuring the finer details from view. The sense of impending doom struck him again as he threw himself to the side once more, narrowly missing the second arrow that had been aimed at striking him in the head. He scrambled across the hard ground and barged through the ruined door of the inn. ¡®I need to get inside, I can¡¯t kill something I can¡¯t see, maybe it will follow me in here.¡¯ Running past wooden tables, Verdant found a doorway at the end of the bar that was covered from the open area of the tavern floor, he waited by doorway for any sound that might indicate someone had followed him. Verdant took deep and even breaths, he couldn¡¯t let this one enemy throw him off his game. ¡®Maybe I should have a look back here for a more suitable ambush point¡­¡¯ He looked behind him, noting that he was standing in the doorway of what appeared to be the inns kitchen. Stepping away from the doorway and into the kitchen, he¡¯d barely started to look around when he heard a scraping from the front area. ¡®Shit!¡¯ He kept his steps light and controlled as he moved back towards the open tavern area. He stopped by the doorway and listened as a scuffing, scraping sound made its way across the floor. Verdant peeked around the corner and activated Assess as soon as he saw his target.
---{Aesgir [Shadow Caller] Level 27 {Corrupted})---
Once a human scout and ranger for an Einherjar contingent defending the Raeskir Settlement, Aesgir has been reduced to a skeletal shadow of his former glory.
Primary Abilities
Phantom Volley: Fires arrows that appear to come from multiple directions, some real, some illusions. Shimmercloak: Asgeir turns invisible while moving and leaves behind false silhouettes to confuse his opponent. Piercing Wyrdshot: A high-damage arrow that pierces through defences.
Cursed to live in torment until his existence is ended. Like all the others.
He was horrified to see a slim, horned skeleton, wearing tattered leathers moving like a mirage across the room. Aesgir disappearing, before flickering into sight once more with his next step; every step left behind an afterimage, that stayed in place for a few seconds before whisping away into shadows. It was an extremely intimidating ability to see up close. ¡®I can only imagine what this ability would have been like when he was alive. I¡¯m guessing the arrows earlier were the piercing shot from his status. I definitely don¡¯t want to see that volley skill. How can I take him down and avoid taking too much damage, I¡¯ve got at least two more [Elite] enemies to take down after this and I don¡¯t even want to guess what kind of abilities they have.¡¯ He waited for his foe to walk closer. Scuff¡­ Scrape¡­ Scuff¡­ Scrape¡­ Scuff¡­ Scrape¡­ The sound of his enemy was a lot more consistent than his appearance made his movement seem. ¡®It must be an illusion, he¡¯s not glitching through space like a fucking videogame, it¡¯s just an effect meant to throw me off. The skeleton is still moving, basically, in a straight line. If that¡¯s the case, maybe I can still ambush it.¡¯ Verdant stowed his shield and prepared a two-handed swing with his warpick. The sounds in the main area were drawing closer and closer, until he saw the flickering shape start to appear past the doorway, he let loose his swing and was horrified to see it pass straight through his target, as it disappeared, his weapon over extending and crashing, full-force into the stone wall behind the bar, adjacent to the door frame. Verdant looked wildly around the room and saw his enemy standing on the far side, bow drawn, arrow knocked; with a dark energy gathering around the tip. ¡®Fuck!¡¯ He dove forwards as the arrow was released, not the brightest idea considering he was putting himself closer to the arrow, rather than away, he ducked his head as the glowing arrow scraped a deep furrow across his scalp. He landed on the flagstone floor and looked around desperately for somewhere to hide, hot blood poured down his face for a moment before his health points dipped, healing the gash and stopping the flow. He¡¯d willingly given up his cover and was now paying the consequence for his rashness. ¡®I can probably reach the bar if I¡¯m quick, but I¡¯ve already seen that arrow punch through stone.¡¯ He made up his mind as another arrow punched through the table blocking Aesgir¡¯s line of sight. It landed a scant few centimeters from his right side. Rolling over the arrow and stumbling to his feet, he launched himself behind the bar and moved with speed, barely dodging normal arrows that punched through the wood of the bar behind him, reaching the end he found another door, leading to the kitchen. ¡®Shit I really hope there¡¯s a back door of some kind out here. I need to get the hell out of here, I can¡¯t fight that thing right now.¡¯ Verdant moved into the kitchen, past a preparation bench and continuing past a cooking fire. On the left was an open door, from the entryway it looked like some kind of larder. ¡®I doubt there¡¯s a way out in there, it gotta be a root cellar or food storage of some kind.¡¯ Having made up his mind, he moved past the doorway, down a hall and small room with a collapsed, wooden bed and a fireplace glowing merrily with the eerie green light of everything else in this place. Past the bed, he found what he was looked for. Not a door, but a window. Wooden blinds sealed shut. He struck the panels with his weapon and was pleased the hear them splinter under the first strike, hinges breaking with the force and panels falling away from the opening. He threw himself out of the window before his pursuer could catch up. ¡®It might have that same shuffling walk, but it proved it can move almost instantaneously across a short distance as required. I need to make some distance between us fast and hunt this guy down later when I can figure out how to deal with his fucking teleportation bullshit.¡¯ Verdant ran away from the inn, moving back to the path he had established before. Moving even faster. ¡®I have to gain some space, I don¡¯t think that undead piece of shit is just going to stop chasing me, but I still need to kill all these other soldiers as well.¡¯ BK. 1 - CH. XI - Death Stalks The Night He continued like this, following his intuition to find the enemy patrols and slowly clearing the quest requirement as he went. After what felt like multiple hours, he looked up to the hill once more and realised he was approaching what would be the Southern Road according to his mental compass. Moving with speed, he approached the corner of a building. ¡®They all seem to be some kind of quarried stone on this side of town, these buildings look bigger and more opulent than those on the other side, maybe this district was for nobles or warriors of rank¡¯ Verdant crouched low against the crumbling corner of a ruined stone building, his breath barely audible beneath the oppressive silence. The Southern Road stretched before him, its cobblestones cracked and choked with frost-tipped weeds. Pale shafts of soul-light from the maelstrom above filtered through the swirling mists that clung to the settlement, casting long, wavering shadows across the street. He peered around the corner¡ªand froze. At the far end of the street, a contingent of undead soldiers marched in a tight, disciplined formation. Their skeletal frames were clad in corroded armour that clinked faintly with each synchronized step, their eyes glowing with a faint blue wyrd light that flickered in the gloom. Six melee fighters carried jagged swords and axes: their movements unnervingly fluid for bodies long dead. Behind them, four ranged attackers stood with decayed bows drawn, their arrowheads glinting like icy fangs. But it was the figure at the center that stole Verdant¡¯s breath.
---{Rimulf [Ragehowl Berserker] Level 26 {Corrupted})---
Once a J?tnar berserker for an Einherjar warband, Rimulf¡¯s unyielding rage made him a terrifying force on the battlefield. Even in death, his massive skeletal form radiates feral power, his bloodcurdling howls driving him into a frenzy that few can withstand.
Primary Abilities
¡¤ Ragehowl: Amplifies Rimulf¡¯s combat stats and makes him immune to pain, but he takes increased damage in this state. ¡¤ Whirling Cleave: A devastating spinning attack that creates shockwaves, damaging everything in a large radius. ¡¤ Bloodrage Resurgence: Rimulf becomes stronger as his health decreases, making him deadliest at low health.
His rage did little to save him from the curse.
Rimulf towered above his subordinates, a skeletal colossus whose presence seemed to radiate malice and cold. His bones, blackened as though charred by some ancient fire, gleamed faintly under the spectral light. Strips of tattered leather armour hung from his massive frame, a mockery of his once-great stature. His ribcage expanded unnaturally, releasing a low, guttural growl that sent a ripple through the air. In his skeletal hands, he gripped an enormous steel axe, its edges etched with jagged runes that pulsed with faint fel-green light, as though feeding on the ambient wyrd. The mist seemed to coil around Rimulf¡¯s feet, drawn to him as if he were its master. His hollow sockets burned with pale wyrdfire, and his jaw opened slightly, releasing a faint, chilling exhalation akin to a death knell. He stood at the head of the contingent, radiating a palpable sense of rage and bloodlust. The group advanced slowly down the road, their formation precise and unyielding. Verdant''s hands tightened on the edge of the wall, his heart pounding. This wasn¡¯t an ordinary patrol¡ªthis was a kill squad, and Rimulf was the greatest threat among them. Throwing Assess at the other soldiers, Verdant was horrified.
Rattling Dead [Ash-Sworn Defender] Level 20 {Corrupted}
The true elites amongst the soldiers of the old Raeskir settlement ¨C Ashwood. They have been killed and turned to a darker purpose by the corrupted enemy commander. Their eyes burn with wyrdfire, denoting their status and strength among the undead.
These are not the rank and file you have faced so far. Be wary.
¡®They might not be marked as [Elite] but I feel like these guys won¡¯t be so slow or easy to take down. Why the hell haven¡¯t I seen these guys before. Wait, if the glowing eyes denote status and strength, does that mean Aesgir was faking his shuffling gait? Fuck.¡¯ Some thing was niggling at the back of his mind. He had missed something, and it was important. His stomach dropped when he realised. ¡®They¡¯ve got classes.¡¯ ¡®Fucking hell¡­ I¡¯ve been fighting classless enemies this whole time. It¡¯s no wonder they¡¯ve been so slow and without any real skills, they don¡¯t have any classes. Is that part of the turning process?¡¯ Verdant was horrified. Then he was excited. ¡®Except for that pansy keep-away archer I fought earlier I haven¡¯t had a single challenging fight out here. I have a huge reserve of health and mana to use, if I take out the archers first, I might be able to cripple this elite force and run away before I get too embroiled in the conflict.¡¯ He was sorely tempted. Growing like he had the past few days and feeling the explosive power in his body; he ached to fight and experience a true challenge. His ache for battle was so strong he could feel it burning in his chest. ¡®Fuck it. I¡¯m in. I can always run away from the big fella if things get hairy.¡¯ He stepped back from the corner of the building, moving down to the opposite corner, so he could wait and observe the patrol as it passed by. Maybe he could get the drop on them and take out the archers before they became a threat. As Verdant was standing by the corner, he noticed his warpick had started to make a noise, a whining hum like the live rail on a train track. It started to tingle and warm up in his hand. Looking at the weapon, he was alarmed to see electricity running back and forth across the weapon. Arcs of electricity passed between it and his side where it sat, it wasn¡¯t an unpleasant feeling. ¡®What is happening?¡¯ When he focussed on it, Verdant could feel that energy from before running from his chest, down to his weapon and back again, in an unbroken circuit. ¡®My wyrd.¡¯ He closed his eyes and imagined his Wyrd Heart, in a moment he was there. He looked around noting that the pool of energy from before was still here, sitting in the basin of his new heart. He lifted his head and saw a glowing blue rune, pulsing with electricity and he knew without thinking; This was Sowelo. A rune of the Elder Futhark he had intuitively engraved upon his wyrd heart. ¡®If what Bolva said is correct, then this rune should be a representation of Lightning. It looks agitated.¡¯ The rune glowed with a pulsing blue light, throwing sparks against his mental avatar and shooting arcs of electricity over the surrounding walls. He sensed anticipation from the rune, an unwillingness to back off or stand down. ¡®This is supposed to be part of me huh? Can¡¯t say I¡¯m mad about it.¡¯ Leaving the mental space, Verdant found himself back in the alley behind the stone building; he glanced around the corner and saw the contingent of soldiers had passed his street and were moving on. ¡®Well, as my old man used to say; I ain¡¯t here to fuck spiders.¡¯ He firmed his grip around his weapon and left the corner with a measured grace, his leather boots moved across the hard ground with the silence of death. Approaching the back line of archers, Verdant brought forward his now radiant weapon, sparking with barely restrained electricity. He willed all the built-up energy out of his core and into his strike, activating Bloods Wrath at the peak of his swing, bringing the weapon down with magnified force. In his periphery he watched as his mana bar dipped deep into the lower ranges, flashing dangerously red. It exploded with all the fury of a summertime electrical storm; his first target was turned to dust immediately; before thick ropes of lightning shot out from the epicentre and jumped from one target to the next. Verdant was in awe as the strike continued, scorching the bones of his enemies until they glowed white hot, conducting through the metal on their bodies before leaping to the next target, leaving a molten, glowing heap behind. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Finally, the streams of lightning all hit Rimulf at once. He roared in agony, bellowing in rage as the electricity caused his charred bones to glow a white hot before he collapsed to the ground. Verdant walked along the remains of enemies he wasn¡¯t sure he could defeat only moments ago, before he had obliterated them in one massive strike. He was pleased to see that the disintegrated foe he had struck first had been automatically looted and began looting the remains of his once foes as he walked, pushing the prompts to the side. He continued to walk, finally reaching the fallen form of Rimulf. Checking his quest progress, he was satisfied to see that with these kills he had reached just over ninety with the latest encounter.
Quest Updated!
Home is where the monsters won¡¯t hurt you (1/3) {Corrupted}
The second wave has arrived. Destroy the {Corrupted} with impunity. 93/150 0/3 (2/3 waves)
Pay attention and you might just learn something.
Looking closer at the prompt, he realised that the number denoting elite enemies hadn¡¯t changed. ¡®Oh, so he¡¯s still alive? Well, we can fix that right now.¡¯ He lifted his weapon high over the head of his fallen foe and prepared to bring the strike down and finish him. With a sudden clang his weapon was knocked off its arc, slamming into the ground next to Rimulf¡¯s head. An arrow had struck his weapon, knocking it off course at the last second. Before Verdant could react, another arrow slammed into his shoulder, his arm hanging limp. ¡®Fuck. I have to get out of here.¡¯ Running in a zig zag pattern, Verdant tried to escape his dogged pursuer as arrows flew past his weaving form. Entering the streets on the far side of South Road Verdant dove into the first alley he could find and tried, once more, to lose his pursuer between the buildings. He continued running between the walls around him, making snap changes in direction down one alley or another, swiftly ending any groups of enemies, he came across. Eventually, he slowed and stopped. ¡®It looks like I¡¯m moving away from the wealthy area now, these buildings are going back to the same rough stone and wood.¡¯ He took a moment to glance at his quest progress; pleased with the result. ¡®Well, things aren¡¯t all doom and gloom, I¡¯ve been out her for about four hours now and I¡¯m most of the way through the basic enemies.¡¯ Verdant focussed on his instincts and where they were leading him, ¡®Weird there are two clear pings in the south-east that it seems to be pushing me away from, could that be Aesgir and Rimulf?¡¯ He continued to sense around himself, becoming agitated when he noticed that all of the signals around him were converging on a location, back towards the north. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me the other [Elite] is there.¡¯ ¡®If they¡¯re all moving to one point, I need to find somewhere safe to hole up and recover my mana, I can¡¯t face the entire force like this.¡¯ He moved west, away from the hall and towards the south-western side of the wall. ¡®All of the training grounds were out near the wall when I came in, maybe I can find some old barracks or fortification to hole up in.¡¯ Moving without delay, Verdant found a straight enough road and ran down it as fast as he could manage. ¡®There wasn¡¯t a timer indicated on the quest, but from what I¡¯ve seen, the forces seem to be somewhat dynamic and move around. It feels weird, so far, it seems like I¡¯ve only fought undead who used to be defenders of the settlement, where are the enemies?¡¯ He dreaded to think what the answer to that question would be as he continued to move at a loping pace down the hard road. All around him, the buildings glowed with the same sickly green light, like they were diseased and not fully corporeal. The sight set his nerves on edge, but it was nothing compared to the gargantuan, spinning death spiral overhead. It had only grown with his recent kills, and the howls of the damned souls had become unbearable, pounding in his ears. He did his best to ignore the noise. If he let the sights and sounds get to him, he would break; he knew it. Time passed quickly in this hellscape, and he soon reached the western training fields, without encountering a single undead soldier. ¡®I don¡¯t trust this; something is going on. I can feel it in my bones.¡¯ Ghostly apparitions with weapons in their arms sparred in the fields, some macabre display serving an unknown purpose. ¡®I don¡¯t really see a defensible building¡­ wait! When I entered from the breach in the wall I saw towers on the wall that looked to be in good shape, I bet one of those would be pretty defensible.¡¯ He looked past the fields and along the wall to the north before spotting one of the towers he¡¯d seen earlier, several hundred meters along from his position. ¡®That¡¯s it!¡¯ Verdant ran past the remnant soldiers training in the fields, making it to the wall and running along it before reaching the tower he had spotted. He couldn¡¯t help but notice the same green ethereal light glowing out from the wall next to him as he ran, and it looked to be in pristine condition, as though it had been maintained regularly. ¡®Looks like whatever is happening to the other buildings in the settlement has happened here too, I need to get inside and consolidate my gains before making a plan. I don¡¯t know how much time I have but I can¡¯t afford to waste it.¡¯ He reached the tower and opened the door at the base. He jumped back in a start when a rusted blade split the air in front of him as he dodged a cross swing targeting his midsection. The blade continued its wide arc and landed with a thunk in the ghostly wooden doorframe. It was one of the superior undead he had killed earlier, level twenty with a warrior class. He lunged forward bringing his warpick down over its head before it could recover its weapon, a notification chimed, bringing his basic kills to ninety-four. ¡®The bastard almost got me, I was careless. What¡¯s the point in having this skill if I don¡¯t use it when it matters?¡¯ Before entering the doorway, he stepped to one side, kneeling to loot the skeleton and pushing the notification away before falling back against the outside wall and feeling with his internal sense. ¡®I can¡¯t feel anything else inside, I wonder what it was doing here. There aren¡¯t any other soldiers anywhere in range¡­ wait¡­ please don¡¯t tell me there¡¯s going to be one of these in every single tower¡­ surely not.¡¯ He thought about it for a moment, before deciding. ¡®No, that¡¯s not possible, there can¡¯t be that many or I¡¯d go well over my one hundred and fifty basic enemy target. It¡¯s got to be a fluke.¡¯ He entered the room carefully, treading lightly, just in case his skill wasn¡¯t as reliable as it wanted him to believe. ¡®Trust but verify Verdant. Trust but verify.¡¯ Verdant moved around the room, clearing it of targets to confirm there was really only what he could see within. Two glowing beds and a table and two chairs with that same glow against the far wall as well as clear handholds carved into the wall, leading higher into the tower, it looked to be close to ten meters from the bottom up to a trap door barring his entry to the next floor. Climbing the stone ladder, Verdant reached out, touching the glowing wood above his head he pushed with his not inconsiderable might and heard a loud bang as the trapdoor slammed back against the floor behind him. Climbing a couple more rungs, he stuck his head up and pleased to note that his sense hadn¡¯t steered him wrong and there were not, in fact, any enemies on this floor. He climbed out of the hole and closed the trap door once more, before moving a large water barrel, filled with ghostly water, from across the room, on top of it. Now that he had barred his entry point, he observed the room in greater detail. It was spartan and without much in the way of decoration. Truthfully, it wasn¡¯t too different to what he had expected from a guards¡¯ room. The whole room glowed with the same ethereal light of the buildings outside, the walls look strong and well maintained with no signs of the damage he had seen when he¡¯d first entered the settlement. ¡®There has to be more to this, the buildings and apparitions look like what I¡¯d expect a typical ghost to look like, but the buildings are solid while the villagers are not. I need to figure this out, so far it appears that I¡¯ve only fought undead that used to be defenders, but why?¡¯ He walked to the only door in the room and opened it, outside he saw a wraparound balcony where defenders could take positions, or a lookout could report incoming forces. ¡®I couldn¡¯t see a way up from the outside, I¡¯ll take a look and make sure first.¡¯ Verdant stepped out and broke his pace immediately. It had only been, glancing at his timer, five-ish hours, but the settlement had changed significantly. Fel green lights flared high beyond the northern wall; a blue barrier blocked them from entering the city. He broke his eyes away from the sight and did a quick lap of the walkway to confirm there was no point of entry outside, before returning inside. Closing the door behind him, he sat down with his back against it, blocking it from being opened before, finally, willing a summary for the last several hours of combat.
Summary of Notifications
Combat Summary
83 x Rattling Dead [Raeskir] Level 18{Corrupted} Slain 17,928 2 x Rattling Dead [Ash-Sworn Defender] level 20{Corrupted} Slain 480 5 x Rattling Dead [Horned Assaulter] level 20{Corrupted} Slain 1200 4 x Rattling Dead [Ashen Marksman] level 20{Corrupted} Slain 960 20,568XPS +20% Hubris¡¯ Folly bonus. Total XPs = 24,681XPS
Loot Summary
83 x Tiny Aether Crystal {Corrupted}(Common) 11 x Small Aether Crystal {Corrupted}(Common) 94 x Raeskir Soul Fragment {Corrupted}(Uncommon) As this is an active quest scenario, currency rewards will be assigned upon its successful completion.
Skill Summary
Assess(C) 5 > 6 Target Weakness(R) 6 > 7 Bloods Wrath(B-U) 5 > 6 Pathfinding(C) 6 > 8 Combat Tactics(UC) 4 > 6 Acrobatics(UC) 4 > 5 Weapon Mastery: Warpick (UC) 6 > 9
Summary Complete
Access System log at any time to view old notifications at your leisure.
¡®I wonder what happens when a skill reaches level ten. It¡¯s got to be significant, right? Some of kind of qualitative change maybe¡­¡¯ Verdant closes out of his system screen after admiring his hard-earned gains. ¡®What now? Just based on the quest updates, there¡¯s got to be another fifty-seven basic enemies and the two elites I saw earlier, as well as one other elite I haven¡¯t seen any sign of. Even if I¡¯m really tanky with lots of life, I can still get overwhelmed by sheer numbers AND I¡¯m almost completely out of mana. It¡¯ll take hours to get all of it back.¡¯ He willed his resource stats into a full-sized screen in front of him. As they popped up from his periphery, he was shocked by what he saw.
Stats
Health - 422/678 (25/hr)
Mana - 46/319 (17.1/hr)
¡®I know I¡¯ve taken some scrapes from enemies over the last few hours and that archer elite got some damage on me, but I didn¡¯t realise my health had fallen that far. I even have the bars up there. Maybe I should make it flash yellow when it reaches a certain amount, I¡¯m almost down to half and I didn¡¯t have a clue.¡¯ His skin paled a ghastly white when he noticed how close he¡¯d come to emptying his mana pool. ¡®It¡¯s been almost two hours since I encountered the berserker and used up most of my mana, just how close was I to empty if I¡¯ve only got this much after a couple of hours. I could have passed out and been completely vulnerable to enemies, I¡¯d have been done for.¡¯ ¡®I need to be more careful, especially when I¡¯m playing with shit I barely understand. I have to fill my resources and get over to whatever is happening where the troops are gathering.¡¯ Willing fruit from his inventory to his hand, he ate two before feeling a familiar satisfied feeling. BK. 1 - Ch. XII - The Evolution of Man. The familiar prompt informing him that his mana regeneration had doubled appeared before he swiped it away. ¡®I have to look at this wyrd heart thing, maybe I can use it to speed up my regeneration even more if I try to take an active role in gathering the energy in my body.¡¯ Verdant slid to the floor, his back against the hard, glowing, door behind him. He crossed his legs, placing his weapon over his knees before closing his eyes. Calling out for the mental space used for his wyrd heart he suddenly felt Frost Breaker warm up and hum in his lap. Grasping either end of the weapon in his hands, he inspected it closely, listening for any sign it was trying to communicate with him. Assess.
Item ¨C Hr¨ªmrj¨®er - Frost Breaker (Bloodline-Unique)
Level 0 - Kills 103/10 [Levels Pending] {Derelict}
This warpick was commissioned by an ?sir as a coming-of-age gift for his youngest mortal son. He placed within it, but a fraction of his true power in hopes that it would resonate with the seed of divinity in his offspring and spark the birth of another true Norse God.
¡¤ When delivering a solid blow to an enemy, there is a chance that lightning will shoot from the wound, striking a nearby enemy. ¡¤ This item may gain experience by making kills in combat and grow alongside its user. ¡¤ This weapon is nigh indestructible. Only those who forged it know the secrets behind its destruction.
Blood calls to Blood. Connected through the ages; The line remains unbroken.
¡®Wait, I forgot you can level up. What does that even mean¡­ Well, no time like the present to find out¡­¡¯ Verdant mentally willed the pending levels to be assigned.
Your bonded weapon ¡®Frost Breaker¡¯ has levelled up!
You will gain free points in line with your own racial gains. These can be increased retroactively upon racial evolution or other bonuses increasing racial gains. Level 0 > Level 4 + 20 Free Points {Derelict} status has been removed. Proper flow of wyrd restored.
¡®Wait, twenty points? It¡¯s based on my racial gains¡­ Bolva said I¡¯d only get two free points per level.¡¯ Verdant sat for a moment, confused. ¡®Wait¡­ The currency exchange. There were three free points on there. That must be one of the purchases Bryn made. Shit¡­ I really need to look at those. I wasn¡¯t in the right mind set back then and I¡¯d forgotten about it until now. Fuck. I don¡¯t want to scroll all the fucking way back there in the logs.¡¯ He contemplated, in silence, for several moments: clearly frustrated by the decision. ¡®There might be other stuff there that I need to know about. It could screw me over later.¡¯ Mustering all his determination, Verdant mentally opened his system log and scrolled all the way back to his earliest notifications. He had avoided thinking about his beginnings until now, the creatures he had seen, and the loss of his one-time saviour still haunted him. But he needed to know. ¡®I found it.¡¯
Currency Exchange Purchase Summary
Free Stat Points Per Race Level - +3 Class Specific Points Per Class Level - +3 Profession Specific Points Per Level - +3 Free Stat Efficiency - +60% Trait Slot - +2 Trait Upgrade Token - +1 Race Upgrade Token - +1 Skill Upgrade Token - +5 The Warrior¡¯s Crucible Integration Pack [Activated] (+50,000) Total Cost ¨C 295, 000 Currency Remaining 7,860 Exchange for Local Currency?
¡®So that¡¯s what happened, I should have looked at this a while ago. There¡¯s not too much affecting me right now, but it¡¯s good to know what I can expect.¡¯ He had reached the bottom of the screen and was surprised to see a prompt waiting for his approval. ¡®Convert to local currency? I mean¡­ I had a lot of points left, I haven¡¯t seen any shops or anywhere to spend money; I guess it doesn¡¯t hurt to have some on hand.¡¯ Verdant mentally approved the prompt and wasn¡¯t surprised to see another pop up in its place.
Currency Exchange Conversion
7,860 Exchange points remain. Converting to local currency ¡®?sir Standard¡¯. Currency exchange incurs a 10% tax. 7,860 Exchange Points converted to 7,074 ?re post tax deduction.
Verdant jumped in fright as the freshly minted ?re clattered against the stone floor, scattering into a loose pile at his feet. The soft chime of metal on stone echoed around him, far too delicate for the sheer number of coins the System had decided to reward him with. He stared at them, expression blank. Then, with a slow breath, he crouched down, picking one up between his fingers, looking at it closely. Assess.
System Minted Currency - ?sir Standard ¡®?re¡¯
The ?re is the base unit of ?sir-standard currency, minted directly by the World System. Forged from purified copper and stamped with the runic seal of Asgard, this coin bears the mark of the System, ensuring its authenticity. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. A small, square hole at its center allows it to be strung onto twine or wire for easy carrying. Though it holds little value individually, enough of these can be traded for higher denominations at any System Bank.
A shiny new coin you can spend to acquire goods at non-existent shops. Clever.
The coin was pristine, untouched by age or wear. The rune-etched copper caught the dim light, its square center hole cut with almost unnatural precision. He turned it over, rubbing his thumb along the fresh engraving before flicking it absently back onto the pile. ¡®That¡¯s¡­ a lot of coins.¡¯ He scooped up a handful, letting them spill from one palm to the other, the rhythmic clinking somehow both satisfying and infuriating. The weight wasn¡¯t an issue¡ªhis inventory handled that effortlessly¡ªbut practicality? That was another matter entirely. ¡®How am I supposed to pay for anything with these? Just start chucking handfuls at people and hope it covers the cost?¡¯ His jaw twitched as he exhaled sharply through his nose. The System, in all its wisdom, had apparently decided that instead of something convenient¡ªsomething useful¡ªhe should be awarded an obnoxious flood of the smallest possible denomination. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, watching the pile settle before letting the coins blink into his inventory. ¡®First chance I get, I¡¯m finding a System Bank before I start pegging these at people out of spite.¡¯
Currency Exchange
It has been noted that the user does not have access to a system bank within ¡®824,401kms¡¯ Due to extenuating circumstances. User has been granted a one-time opportunity to access the ¡®System Currency Exchange¡¯ for free. Would you like to use this opportunity now?
¡®YES!¡¯ Verdant immediately selected to convert his mountain of copper to something more substantial.
System Currency Exchange
7074 ?sir Standard ?re detected. Currencies available. 10 Ore (?re) to 1 Shield (Skjald) 25 Shield (Skjald) to 1 Mark (Mark) 50 Mark (Mark) to 1 Crown (Krona) 100 Crown (Krona) to 1 King (Konungr) Keeping the minimum amount of each denomination while converting to the highest. Result ¨C 28 Mark 4 Skjald 4 ?re
Verdant remained seated, watching as the mountain of ?re flickered and vanished, the System¡¯s rune pulsing along their surface. The sharp chime of shifting metal faded into silence, leaving behind silver, bronze, and only a handful of copper where there had once been an overwhelming flood. He reached forward, picking up one of the newly exchanged coins. The Mark was larger than the other two denominations before him, its silver surface cool to the touch. An engraving of an Ash tree spanned its face, the carved branches woven into the metal with deliberate precision. ¡®I¡¯d be willing to bet that¡¯s supposed to be Yggdrasil.¡¯ He ran his thumb along the coin¡¯s edge, feeling the fine, angular etchings¡ªrunes inscribed with perfect symmetry. Freshly minted, the surface was unblemished by time or wear. Holding the Mark in one hand, he plucked a coin from the next pile with his other¡ªa Shield, or Skjald. Bronze, noticeably lighter than the Mark, its face bore an embossed Valknut, the three interlocking triangles forming a subtle yet unmistakable symbol of the ?sir. Unlike the Mark, which carried a certain weight of permanence, the Skjald felt better suited for daily transactions¡ªa coin meant to be exchanged rather than hoarded. Finally, he glanced at the remaining ?re¡ªa mere four coins, their copper gleam a faint echo of the previous pile. He turned the Mark and Skjald over in his palm, feeling the contrast in weight before setting them back down. A quick count confirmed 28 Mark, 4 Skjald, and 4 ?re¡ªthe sum of his newly exchanged currency. Verdant exhaled, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. The unwieldy heap of ?re was gone, replaced with something far more manageable. He cast a final glance at the now-empty space where the scattered copper pile had once sat before reaching out and willing the remaining coins to blink into his inventory. ¡®Fuck me, I can finally get back to figuring out my freakin¡¯ wyrd heart and mana recovery issues.¡¯ He closed his eyes and prepared to enter a meditative state. ¡®WAIT!¡¯ His eyes opened wide in realisation. ¡®I have twenty free points to allocate, if I do it now, I should be able to get my intelligence to the one-hundred-point threshold and unlock the achievement, doubling my mana in the process.¡¯ Opening his status, Verdant realised immediately that he would fall short of his goal. ¡®Where else can I put the points to get another achievement¡­ Dexterity? That would round out my physical stats.¡¯ He placed six points in dexterity and smiled when the expected horns followed by a golden notification appeared.
Achievement Earned: Phantom¡¯s Grace (Legendary)
This legendary feat is earned by reaching 100 Dexterity at Level 0, a milestone that only the most agile and untouchable warriors across the realms will ever achieve. Such fluidity and precision mark you as one who moves beyond mortal constraints, a shadow in motion before even taking your first true step on the path.
+10 to All Stats ¡Á2 Dexterity Efficiency Passive Effect: Untouchable Form
  • Evasion and reaction speed are increased by 5%, reflecting the uncatchable grace of the wind.
  • Any attack that would strike you while in motion has a 5% chance to be negated outright, as if it had never landed.
Like whispers on the wind, your presence is fleeting, and your movements are beyond the grasp of those who seek to strike you.
¡®Another legendary ¡®chievo for the bank. I wish I could have got the Intelligence one; it would have made a massive difference. Am I missing anything?¡¯ Verdant sat in quiet contemplation for several minutes, reading through his status and scanning his inventory for anything that would get him what he needed. He reached the bottom of his status and realised that he had tokens sitting there, unused and completely forgotten. ¡®They were from the currency exchange as well! Why the hell haven¡¯t I used these yet?¡¯ He mentally selected to [CONSUME] the race token and was surprised to see a system notification in the gold script of his ?sir system achievements. Like the Old system was talking directly to him.
? System Notification ?
Race Evolution Token Detected: [Divine]
Ordinarily, race evolution is restricted to individuals who have reached Level 100, where the body and soul have fully stabilized, allowing for ascension beyond your base form However, due to the presence of a dormant ?sir bloodline, this restriction is bypassed if it is done while at level 0. The divine essence within your lineage resonates with the [Divine] quality of the token, allowing for immediate evolution to a superior race of your hidden bloodline. Would you like to [CONSUME] Race Token [Divine] and evolve your race from Human ¡ú Asgardian? Warning! This process is irreversible.
Like whispers on the wind, your presence is fleeting, and your movements are beyond the grasp of those who seek to strike you.
Verdant took a deep breath, ¡®In for a penny¡­ I guess.¡¯
? System Notification ?
Race Evolution Initiated¡­
Your mortal frame trembles as long-dormant divine pathways awaken within you. The resonance of your ?sir heritage surges through your core, unravelling the limits imposed upon lesser beings.
Base Attributes Adjusted Free Attribute Points Per Level Increased: From: 2 Base + 3 (Currency Exchange Bonus) = 5 To: 7 Base + 3 (Currency Exchange Bonus) = 10 Retroactive Adjustment from Weapon Levels: +20 Free Attribute Points have been granted as compensation for past levels earned through your weapon¡¯s resonance. Physiological and System Adjustments Base racial limitations removed. Divine Affinity awakened. Increased natural Wyrd alignment. Enhanced compatibility with ?sir-tier skills and abilities.
Your evolution has been noted within the Wyrd, though the Usurper System remains unaware. For now.
Verdant shifted as energy coursed through his body. It was warm and only getting hotter. Spreading to every inch of his body, the power of his evolution tingled along his being. ¡®Oh, it¡¯s not so bad, I kind of expected unbearable ago¡­¡¯ His thoughts were cut off as pain ripped through his body. His wyrd channels opened wide and a vortex formed around in the air above him, greedily sucking energy from the environment fueling his transformation. Power poured through his channels, running to his wyrd heart. A deep thrum echoed from within before releasing a wave of scorching energy. It flowed out of his wyrd heart, burning through his channels with excruciating pain. Verdant threw back his head and screamed as the transformation began in earnest. Skin ruptured across his body, spewing forth gouts of steam. The pain was indescribable, but somehow, he managed to retain his awareness. Until¡­ his bones started to groan and creak, when the first breaks started, his mind was lost to darkness. BK1. CH. XIII - A Race Reborn Verdant slowly came back to himself. He was unsure how much time had passed and didn¡¯t particularly care. But a glance at his health and mana seemed to indicate that he had only been unconscious for a scant few minutes as neither had regenerated more than a dozen points. A gold notification from the ?sir system blinked its light in his peripheral vision. It opened with a brief flex of will and showed Verdant just how much he had changed.
? System Notification ?
Race Evolution Complete
You have evolved beyond the limits of Mankind.
New Race: Asgardian Your foundation has been reforged in the image of the divine, aligning you with the forgotten legacy of those who once stood at the pinnacle of existence. Status Adjustments Free Attribute Points per Level: 10 Retroactive Free Points Awarded: +20 Increased System Resistance: Effects of System-imposed restrictions are further diminished. The path before you lay uncharted¡ªbut the echoes of the past whisper of what you are meant to become.
The Usurper System does not yet recognize your true nature. Speak carefully. Move wisely.
He noted that he now had thirty-four free points. ¡®I should be able to get the last couple now.¡¯ He did some math in his head, a high intelligence stat is good for more than just mana, but it doesn¡¯t help you if you fail to apply it properly. His lips pulled into a grimace as he realised. ¡®I had enough points to get the damn thing before my evolution.¡¯ A sigh escaped his lips as he realised his own limitations. Then, he placed ten and fifteen points into Intelligence and Charisma respectively. It was more than either one needed to unlock the achievements, but the odd numbers would have bugged Verdant until he deigned to fix it.¡®May as well do it now, I¡¯ve got the points.¡¯ Verdant smiled, a feeling of pride filled him as he confirmed the changes to his status, leaving a further nine points in reserve. The glorious horns he had expected howled through his mind a moment later, not once, or twice, but three times. He was stunned and mentally deafened by the cacophony. ¡®What the fuck is going on?¡¯ He willed the notifications to appear, noting the two he had expected and one he had not. ¡®Fucking hell¡­¡¯
Achievement Earned: Arcane Mind (Legendary)
This legendary feat is earned by reaching 100 Intelligence at Level 0, a milestone that only the most enlightened minds across the realms will ever attain. Such insight and clarity mark you as one whose thoughts transcend mortal comprehension, poised to unravel the mysteries of existence before even taking your first true step on the path.
+10 to All Stats ¡Á2 Intelligence Efficiency Passive Effect: Font of Knowledge Base Mana is increased by 10% Once per day, upon dropping below 10% mana, instantly regain 25% of your maximum mana and gain 20% casting speed for 60 seconds.
Your mind, a boundless wellspring, dances along the currents of the unknown, grasping truths unseen by lesser beings.
Achievement Earned: Voice of Kings (Legendary)
This legendary feat is earned by reaching 100 Charisma at Level 0, a milestone that only the most captivating and commanding figures across the realms will ever achieve. Such presence and influence mark you as one whose words shape the world itself, a force of will incarnate before even taking your first true step on the path.
+10 to All Stats ¡Á2 Charisma Efficiency Passive Effect: Sovereign¡¯s Command Influence over those of lower level or weaker willpower is passively increased, making persuasion and leadership more effective. Once per day, resist any mental influence or charm effect, shattering external control through sheer force of self.
Your voice carries the weight of kings and the whispers of gods, bending fate itself with the force of your presence.
Achievement Earned: Beyond the Bounds of Mortality (Mythic)
The path of the ?sir was never meant for mortals, yet you have walked it nonetheless. Reaching 100 points in all six primary stats before reaching Level 1 was once the foundation for those seeking divinity among the Asgardians, a feat no living being has achieved since the fall of the true ?sir System. This milestone stands beyond the reach of the Usurper System, a forgotten standard of divine ascension. The world does not yet understand what you are becoming¡ªbut the Wyrd remembers.
Title Earned: Aspirant ?sir +20 to All Stats ¡Á2 Overall Stat Efficiency Passive Effect: ?sir¡¯s Mandate The shackles of the Usurper System weaken. Stat-based restrictions imposed by the System become lessened or nullified over time. Your actions leave an imprint on the Wyrd. All achievements recognized by the ?sir System grant enhanced influence over fate and the world around you.
There is no greater threshold at this stage. The ?sir knew this, and so shall you.
Verdant sat stock still, a silent scream escaped his mouth. His tortured body cried out, it was being subjected to a degree of turmoil magnitudes more than the evolution he had just gone through. It seemed trivial in comparison to the excruciating symphony of torment he now experienced. Unable to cope with the changes occurring within him; his body collapsed in a dead faint once more, electricity shot from his form in uncontrolled arcs, scorching the floor and walls around him. &&& Verdant¡¯s awareness returned moments later, only to find that he was no longer in the watch tower. He looked around, noting that he was a mental projection within his wyrd heart once more. ¡®I guess I got what I wanted in the end. What the fuck just happened; I thought I was going to die.¡¯ He willed his status open and was surprised to find it working in this space. ¡®Right, let¡¯s take a look.¡¯ He noted an issue with his status that he was sick of seeing. The way the stats lined up triggered the perfectionist in him and he willed it to change. Pleased to see the result as he¡¯d wished it.
Stats
Health - 1,432/1,688 (62/hr+100%WR = 124/hr) The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
Mana - 693/966 (44.6/hr+100%WR = 81.2/hr)
Free Stats 9 Free Efficiency N/A
Strength 140 [448] Intelligence 130 [208]
Vitality 155 [620] Wisdom 145 [406]
Dexterity 150 [180] Charisma 135 [162]
¡®What the actual fuck. I know I put some stats in, and the achievements gave me bonuses. But my totals have increased by more than double in every single stat. It¡¯s no fucking wonder why the pain was bad enough to make me faint.¡¯ Verdant stared in shock at his status page for several minutes before remembering why he had wanted to come here in the first place. ¡®My regenerations are much higher now and they are doubled with the well-rested buff but I¡¯m willing to bet that there¡¯s some kind of skill for pulling in more energies to my wyrd heart actively, rather than allowing it to recover passively.¡¯ He willed his mental projection to move, spreading its awareness across his body. The veins his energies had travelled across before appeared to be more numerous and complex than before, they seemed to radiate a dull golden light. ¡®Is this from my racial evolution, I¡¯m sure it mentioned something about this.¡¯ Dismissing the peculiarity of his wyrd based circulatory system, he returned his focus to increasing his regeneration rate. Trying to visualise his entire network, he sought out the energy in his body, where it was entering, how it was moving and, ultimately, where it was going. ¡®I¡¯m pretty sure about most of this, but I need to know for sure.¡¯ Under closer scrutiny, he managed to determine distinct points across his body where energy entered and flowed towards his wyrd heart. ¡®Both hands and feet, mouth, base of the skull and¡­ my genitals? So, what¡­ seven points of entry then? I can work with that. Just as I thought, they all lead directly to my wyrd heart too.¡¯ He mentally followed all of the channels back to his heart, noting for the first time that as the silvery energy entered his core, whisps of blue and red pulled away from it and exited his core through a different part of his wyrd veins that hadn¡¯t been used in transporting the energy to his heart. ¡®That must be my mana and health leaving my core and entering my body after being processed.¡¯ Verdant investigated the basin of his wyrd heart and realised that the liquid energy here was actually the remnant of the wyrd energy that had entered his body. ¡®What is this, I don¡¯t seem to use it in my body, but it¡¯s got to have a purpose.¡¯ He got closer, probing the liquid with the finger of his manifestation. Warmth radiated up his finger. On contact the liquid coated his finger until he removed it, and the liquid returned to the pool once more. ¡®Everything is based on will¡­ I wonder if I could will this liquid to start spinning in a whirlpool. Enough force generated by the rotating energy might create a suction in my body and cause more to be sucked in from outside at once.¡¯ Floating above the pool, he placed both his hands above the liquid and willed it to spin. Not much happened at first. But slowly, ripples appeared in the surface of the thick energy beneath him. He focused. Willing the pool to spin with all of his not inconsiderable will power. It gained speed slowly, ripples deepening and a vortex started to become visible in its surface.
Skill Unlocked! Circulation (Rare)
This is the basic skill required to circulate energy in your body increasing Health and Mana Regeneration. +5% per level at Beginner Proficiency
Verdant shouted with joy, vindicated in his efforts by unlocking the skill. ¡®I fucking knew it!¡¯ He lost his focus for a moment, causing the whirlpool beneath him to quiver and slow; before recovering and willing the pool to rotate once more. ¡®Ah, shit I was afraid of that, It¡¯s definitely an active process.¡¯ He lost control completely a moment later when the familiar warhorn of the ?sir system informed him of a new notification.
? System Notification ?
Racial Synergy Detected
Basic skill ¡®Circulation (Rare)¡¯ has a superior upgrade available for those of the Asgardian race. You may choose to upgrade this skill to ¡®Asgardian Circulation (Epic)¡¯ at no additional cost. [Yes] [No]
Additional Bloodline Synergy Detected
Basic skill ¡®Circulation (Rare)¡¯ has a superior upgrade available for those of ?sir Descent. You may choose to upgrade this skill to ¡®?sir Circulation (Legendary)¡¯ at the cost of one skill token (Legendary) [Yes] [No]
This is an essential skill if you wish to continue down the path. Choose wisely.
The pool stilled entirely as he examined the screen in front of him. ¡®I could do the racial skill upgrade for no cost¡­ but I have five of those tokens. Wait, they¡¯re (Divine) quality. Is that the grade above Mythic? Fuck¡­ am I just going to miss out on two tiers of upgrade potential if I use it now¡­¡¯ Verdant clenched jaw, balling his hands into fists. ¡®I¡¯ll do it, using one to find out is worth the waste if it means I get a significant upgrade. Besides, that message seems to think this upgrade is important too.¡¯
? System Notification ?
Cost to upgrade ¡®Circulation (Rare)¡¯ to ¡®?sir Circulation (Legendary)¡¯ is 1x skill token (Legendary) No tokens of appropriate quality found. Use (Divine) quality skill token? [Yes] [No]
Fear not. Nothing is ever wasted.
He willed the token to be used. Reassured by the message on the bottom of the notification. ¡®I guess I¡¯m about to find out what it means¡­¡¯
? System Notification ?
Skill Upgraded.
Circulation (Rare) > ?sir Circulation (Legendary) Excess Token Potency worth four tiers of rarity applied to skill level. ?sir Circulation (Legendary) 0 > 20 ?sir is now a Tier 2 skill!
His eyebrows raised in shock; mouth opened wide in a slack expression. ¡®Fuck me sideways. It looks like I was right about level ten being some kind of threshold¡­ seems like level twenty is too.¡¯ Willing his new skill to appear before him, he scrutinised it closely.
?sir Circulation (Legendary)
This is the legendary skill associated with the ?sir themselves. Provides an exceptional boost to Health and Regeneration rates while actively used. Tier 0 - Beginner Proficiency Bonus (0-10) ¡¤ (Active) +20% to base regeneration per level * 10 = +200% base regeneration ¡¤ Tier Completion Bonus +20 to Vitality and Wisdom Tier 1 ¨C Apprentice? Proficiency Bonus (11-20) ¡¤ (Passive) +10% to base Health and Mana per level *10 = +100% base Health and Mana ¡¤ Tier Completion Bonus +20 to Strength and Intelligence Tier 2 ¨C Journeyman Proficiency Bonus (21-30) ¡¤ (Passive) +5% to Physical and Magic damage per lvl *0 = +0% Physical and Magic damage
If you unlock too many of these too quickly, I won¡¯t be able to keep intercepting the reports.
He suddenly felt energy coursing in through his wyrd gates, flowing through his body until finally arriving at his wyrd heart. Pouring through the membrane and filling the basin by a significant margin. In the next moment the liquid beneath him also began to move, out through the network to his body. He felt it reaching out across his being and, in that moment, he knew. ¡®This is how my stats increase permanently. Whatever the third component of the wyrd energy is, it¡¯s not just used to increase regeneration through the circulation skill it is also depleted to imbue my body and mind with permanent improvements.¡¯ ¡®Yep, that¡¯ll fucking do it mate. Regen problems? Never heard of ¡®em.¡¯ Verdant began rotating the liquid beneath him again eager to see the result on his status screen.
Stats
Health - 3,568 / 3,824 (70/hr+100%WR+200%AC = 280/hr)
Mana - 1,799 / 2,072 (46.2/hr+10%AW+100%WR+200%AC = 189.4/hr)
Free Stats 9 Free Efficiency N/A
Strength 160 [512] Intelligence 150 [240]
Vitality 175 [700] Wisdom 165 [462]
Dexterity 150 [180] Charisma 135 [162]
¡®In just over two hours my health and mana will both be full and I can get the hell out of here. I¡¯m not feeling good about all those troops moving to the North.¡¯ He closed his eyes and focussed on maintaining his circulation. ¡®This might end up being laughably easy with my new stats, but I¡¯m not going to risk being overwhelmed by sheer numbers when having full resources could have saved me.¡¯ BK. I CH. XIV - Breaking The Siege Verdant¡¯s resources were finally full, he stopped rotating the vortex in his wyrd heart. It had gotten fuller since he had started. It seems that the regeneration components of wyrd goes straight to the body while the remainder is left behind here until it is required for a permanent modification. ¡®I¡¯m going to need to ask Bolva about this.¡¯ He looked up to the wall of his heart where his first rune was engraved, glowing a deep electric blue and throwing out arcs of electricity. Where the arcs reached down and touched the liquid below, it changed, seeming to absorb the electricity and take on its properties for a short period, before returning to normal. ¡®Interesting¡­ I don¡¯t have time to investigate it right now.¡¯ Verdant willed his mind back to his physical body and stood from the floor where he had fallen earlier. Placing his warpick in storage he crossed the room and touched the barrel of ethereal water he had placed earlier to block the door. No matter how he willed it or physically tried to put it in the pouch, it refused to register as a storable item, assess didn¡¯t even return any results. ¡®That¡¯s inconvenient, I¡¯d have liked to experiment on something like this when I had the time.¡¯ He moved the barrel out of the way and opened the trapdoor before climbing down and leaving through the entrance he¡¯d come through earlier. Stepping through the door, he was immediately assaulted by the sounds of the howling souls in the sky above. The air around him had begun to blow with a harsh breeze and the smell of rot and decay invaded his nostrils. Feeling within himself, he couldn¡¯t sense any undead nearby, in fact, he could only very faintly feel a pull to the north. Where his self-dubbed North Road lay. ¡®I feel like days have passed since I walked into that tower but, logically, I know it has only been a few hours. All my stats have more than doubled and my health and mana are five times what they were before.¡¯ He took a deep breath, feeling his chest expand. Clenching his fists, power rippled through his entire body. Verdant looked to the north, a brighter green glow illuminated the sky above the buildings over there. ¡®That does not look good.¡¯ He took off across the fields, making a beeline for the light in the north. He noticed immediately that he was running at an incredible pace into the wind, he felt a noticeable drag on his body but still moved much faster than before. Though, the wind blowing in his face filled his ears with noise, almost drowning out the howling vortex far above. Within minutes he cleared the fields and reached the edge of the city. Approaching the western road, he stepped onto quarried stone and continued up the wide street. He looked around, much like the buildings surrounding the southern road, these were larger and more ostentatious than those he¡¯d seen in the north and the east. ¡®There was clearly some kind of hierarchy in place here at some point. I don¡¯t know if they were separated by wealth or social standing, but the difference is pretty damn clear.¡¯ Verdant stayed on the Western Road, all the way to the central hill. Not once did he see a single skeletal soldier or life of any kind. ¡®It certainly seems like they all went North. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to like what I see when I get over there.¡¯ He circled the hill before reaching the Northern Road and starting off again. The light in the distance had only become brighter and more visible. The souls continued to screech in the vortex above, the wind had abated as his pace slowed; but the cacophony of souls had returned and kept him company in the otherwise dead silent surrounds. Even the sound of his feet against the road beneath him was oddly muted. ¡®It¡¯s like the whole world is holding its breath, waiting for¡­ something.¡¯ He reached near the end of the road and hopped behind a low wall in front of the last building before the fields started. Peering over the top of the wall, Verdant was horrified to see many more undead present than what was listed on his quest progress.
Quest.
Home is where the monsters won¡¯t hurt you (1/3) {Corrupted}
The second wave has arrived. Destroy the {Corrupted} with impunity. 93/150 0/3 (2/3 waves)
Pay attention and you may learn something.
¡®What the hell? It says one hundred and fifty, just like earlier. There is clearly more than that out there!!¡¯
Alert!
Quest Updated!
Due to external influences, this quest has become [Dynamic] and may change at any time to accommodate the challenger¡¯s rising strength.
The enemy has organised. Enemy forces have increased and Superior Undead now comprise their entirety. Fight! 93/300 0/3 (2/3 waves)
¡®FUCK.¡¯ Verdant lightly punched the glowing stone wall he was peering over and was shocked when his strike caused a section of the wall to collapse. He looked up and made eye contact with the glowing sockets of a small patrol passing by. Clearly armed and armoured, he threw off assess and noted he was dealing with the classed superior undead soldiers he had encountered earlier, except this time, he didn¡¯t have the advantage of ambushing or charging up an attack with more than ninety percent of his mana reserves. He sighed heavily, before standing and moving back along the North Road. ¡®If I¡¯m going to fight these things, I¡¯m not going to risk drawing more of them over, hopefully they¡¯re stupid enough to not notice this group disappearing.¡¯ The patrol entered the road and continued to follow him as he moved along the road. Verdant stopped, some hundred meters from the end of the road and waited for the soldiers to reach him. He called Frost Breaker from his inventory into his right hand, the soft leather under his palm was comforting. The patrol moved out, forming a half circle with the bowmen behind the melee attackers. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡®They¡¯re all classed, it¡¯s pretty fucking clear they¡¯re not hampered in the same way as the weaker undead from earlier. Was Eirikr limited in some way? Why was he slow and clumsy like the unclassed undead I saw earlier?¡¯ Verdant threw out his assess skill across the front row. ¡®Three with spears and three dual wielding swords, [Horned Assaulter] huh? Same class as the ones from earlier. Then the two with the shields will be the [Ash-Sworn Defender] class I saw¡­ yep¡­ that¡¯s them. I¡¯d be willing to bet my worthless money those four in the back have the [Ashen Marksmen] class then.¡¯ He tried to see pass the front row and get a clear view of the archers, failing; he tried to use assess anyway. ¡®Can¡¯t seem to get a response with assess on them, must need a clear line of sight for it to kick in.¡¯ He tried once more with no success. ¡®Oh well, I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s what they are.¡¯ Verdant snapped from his ruminations as four arrows flew over the formation. Too slow to react he roared in pain as one of the arrows took him below the collar bone on his right side. The others missed him, clattering against the road behind him. ¡®Fuuuuuuck. Why did I just stand here when I knew there was archers back there. And why the hell didn¡¯t my stats protect me? I¡¯m supposed to have over three thousand health points now, doesn¡¯t that come with some kind of damage res¡­¡¯ He was already moving as the next volley of arrows interrupted his thoughts. Sailing past his dodging form and clattering against the road once more. ¡®Damage resist. Wait¡­ I got a Poison Resist skill. Don¡¯t tell me that I have to get resistance skills to be protected from attacks. When I think of it like that, it seems really friggin¡¯ obvious. I¡¯ve got a shield, but I never use the damn thing, of course I¡¯m going to take damage if I¡¯m not blocking it in some way¡­ I just thought that these stats would protect me more¡­¡¯ Verdant kept moving and had changed directions so that he was veering towards the right side of the formation. ¡®I think I¡¯d rather hit the sword users first, maybe I can get past them to the archers if I¡¯m quick.¡¯ On approach, he wound back Frost Breaker for an upper cut on the rightmost soldier. The soldier had its weapon ready and was moving a shield across its body to block the blow. Verdant changed the trajectory of his weapon, lifting the head of the weapon and putting it in a side swing instead. The blow landed and shattered the shield, the arm beneath and impacted against the soldier¡¯s breastplate, lifting it of the ground and throwing it against the formation next to it. Downing three further skeletons. ¡®There wasn¡¯t any resistance at all¡­ they¡¯re like paper.¡¯ He stepped forward, over the downed soldiers and stomped down on the nearest skull. It collapsed with a satisfying crunch and a notification informed Verdant of its demise. He looked towards the other downed skeletons, a predatory grin spreading across his face. ¡°You are so screwed.¡± He laughed as he stomped on another slowly turning skull, and another. Before winding up a kick and sending the white orb off the rising defender¡¯s shoulders and tens of meters down the road. ¡°FUCK!¡± Verdant hopped on one foot as a light glowed briefly from the boot he held between his hands. ¡®Did I just break my fucking toe? Right¡­ super strong but vulnerable to damage. A real glass tank. Fuck me.¡¯ Turning to look at the bowmen, he realised he still had an arrow poking out of his chest. Reaching up, he grabbed the shaft of the arrow as close to the wound as possible and tugged, removing it from his body with a horrid squelch. The wound glowed before closing without a trace. ¡®Of course, the arrow would hit centimetres above the armour I designed specifically to block shit. Great.¡¯ He looked to the resource bars in his periphery and was pleased to note that his health had hardly moved from full. If he had to guess he¡¯d say neither resource was down even a full percent yet. ¡®Oh right¡­ I haven¡¯t used any mana yet¡­ I don¡¯t really need to, but should I practice some skills? I don¡¯t want to waste the mana in case I need it later¡­¡¯ Verdant argued with himself for a moment until an arrow deflected off the hard chitin of his breastplate. ¡®FUCK! You¡¯re not immortal you dumb fuck. Think later, move now!¡¯ He reacted in time to move back from the formation, dodging the other three arrows by a narrow margin and moving out of range of a sword strike that would have caught him across the hand. The remaining [Ash-Sworn Defender] and the [Horned Assaulter]¡¯s had recovered and were moving to attack him. Side-stepping a second sword strike from the defender moved him closer to the marksmen. Turning on his heel, Verdant activated Bloods Wrath, giving him an effective strength over eleven hundred. Power coursed through him, and he felt a red haze fall over his mind. He launched himself, moving the ten steps between him and the bowmen in a couple of seconds. The whole world seemed to slow down when he moved like this. His physical stats were so high with this skill activated; his mental stats struggled to keep up. He moved on instinct more than anything, swinging his weapon with all his might, staving in armour and turning bones to powder. In a moment all four bowmen were unrecognisable heaps of bone and twisted metal on the ground. Deactivating Bloods Wrath Verdant noted his resources had indeed gone down, though the bars indicated that very little of either resource had been used. ¡®If I get creative with the timing, I could use this skill in small bursts without losing myself to it and without using too much health or mana.¡¯ He turned to face the remainder of the patrol, willing his shield into his left hand. ¡®Time to crack some skulls.¡¯ Verdant approached at a more sedate pace than before, suddenly, he launched off his left leg, slamming his shield against an assaulter¡¯s chest, lifting it off the ground, and bringing his warpick across to crush the shield and chest cavity of the remaining defender. Two dings informed him of their demise as he swung his weapon once more turning one of the assaulters to powder with his swing and catching the other in the head on the back swing. Souls escaped the defeated soldiers, shooting off to join the brethren in the sky above. He was rather pleased with himself, he had used a fraction of the resources and taken out a larger patrol than was with the [Elite] earlier. ¡®Maybe I really can do this¡­ These soldiers were pretty intimidating before. Now they¡¯re like fighting a bunch of angry toddlers¡­¡¯ Reaching down, he looted the remains in front of him and walked around to loot the rest before pushing the notifications to the side and walking back to the fields. ¡®If I can pull them one patrol at a time, I can whittle them down before attacking the main force. It doesn¡¯t matter how strong I am if I¡¯m not smart about this, I could still die.¡¯ Verdant reached the end of the road and crouched behind a section of the wall he hadn¡¯t already collapsed with his newly monstrous strength. He felt within himself, trying to feel out the enemies with his intuition. ¡®The two elites I fought earlier are definitely at the wall, this feeling inside me recognises them like a familiar scent to my nose.¡¯ Looking over the low wall to see with his physical sight, he noted that their signals came from the area where he had entered the settlement the first time. ¡®Of course, the wall is in perfect condition, still got that green glow here though. Could all of this be some kind of facsimile of the battle that occurred here, some kind of siege?¡¯ He observed the movements of the troops more closely. They moved between training fields in platoons of twelve and they all appeared to follow the same route. Waiting for another patrol to come close to his hiding spot, he rose from his position, spectral stone from the wall in hand. Throwing the glowing rock, with considerable force, it sailed through the air in a smooth arc before connecting with the head of the lead defender, knocking it to the ground in a heap. The patrol turned to look at him with the same wyrd-lit sockets and closed the distance at their top undead speed. Their assaulted defender trailing behind them after rising from its shame. Verdant stepped back, moving quickly to a side street a couple of blocks back and waiting for the patrol to reach his position. The heavy thud of armoured feet approached his hiding spot, looking up he observed the front-line pass by and waited thirty seconds longer before seeing four bowmen following the front line, maintaining an unhurried pace. He stepped from the shadow of the street and focussed on that core of power in his chest. Feeling around mentally, he probed the rune engraved on his wyrd heart and willed it to do something. The familiar energy of his body responded, racing from all over his body and into his core, before leaving once more, touched by the rune held within. His energy was transformed, without his weapon as a catalyst, it felt different. Wilder, more his own. Verdant laughed out loud, firing thin ropes of electricity into the air. ¡°By the power of Greyskull!!¡± ¡®Oh shit, dude, don¡¯t waste that stuff¡¯ Sharpening his focus, he willed the escaped lightning to shoot down from above, thickening with power and raining down on the slowly turning patrol in front of him. Several bolts struck at once, jumping between undead, conducting through all their metal equipment as a deafening boom roared through the street. Their armour and weapons glowed red hot as their bones began to smoke. With a resounding crack, twelve glowing spirits burst from their charred prisons howling into the night as they flew away. BK. I CH. XV - Of The Storm Notifications chimed, informing Verdant that he had succeeded in killed twelve more classed undead¡­ and one more. This one he opened.
Skill Unlocked! Electro-kinesis (Rare)
This skill grants direct control over electrical currents, allowing manipulation and discharge of lightning at will.
Tier 0 ¨C Beginner Proficiency Bonus (0-10) ¡¤ (Active) Generates controlled arcs of electricity, capable of stunning, shocking, or disrupting enemies. ¡¤ Mana Cost: 25 Mana for initial cast, 5 Mana per additional simultaneous bolt. ¡¤ Chain Lightning: 10% chance per level to arc to another target. (At Level 10, each bolt
Verdant flinched as the new skill notification was violently pushed out of the way. The war horns called through his mind as the golden notifications of the Aesir system appeared before him, one after the other.
? System Notification ?
Synergy Detected! Skill Rarity Upgraded!
Electro-kinesis (Rare) > Stormbound Spark (Bloodline-Unique) Due to inherent synergy in your Bloodline and your Wyrd Heart, this skill has been upgraded. Further awakening of either may lead to greater synergy.
? System Notification ?
Synergy Detected! Skill Proficiency Increased!
Stormbound Spark (Bloodline-Unique) 1 > 11 Lightning is an inherent component of your ascension. It feels like an old friend to you and more readily comes to your aid.
? System Notification ?
Skill Updated! Stormbound Spark (Bloodline-Unique) 11
A power awakened through bloodline resonance, this skill grants an innate affinity for lightning, allowing basic control over electrical currents and the ability to discharge and direct lightning at will. While still in its early stages, this ability shows the potential for far greater mastery, hinting at a future where storms might answer your call. For now, each bolt is guided by instinct and training, its power limited only by your understanding and refinement.
Mana Cost: 50 Mana for initial cast, 9.5 Mana and 10 Health per additional simultaneous bolt.
Tier 0 ¨C Beginner Proficiency Bonus (0-10) ¡¤ (Active) Generates controlled arcs of electricity, capable of stunning, shocking, or disrupting enemies. ¡¤ Chain Lightning: 10% chance per Beginner level to arc to two additional targets. 25% damage reduction per additional target chained. ¡¤ Tier Completion Bonus: +15 Intelligence +15 Wisdom +15 Dexterity Tier 1 ¨C Apprentice Proficiency Bonus (11-20) ¡¤ Chain Lightning: 10% chance per Apprentice level to arc to an additional target. ¡¤ Additional Bolt Cost Reduction: Every odd Apprentice level reduce cost by .5 ¡¤ Damage Reduction: Every even Apprentice level, damage reduction -1%.
? System Notification ?
Bloodline Stimulated! Trait Unlocked!
Stormborn Instincts (Bloodline-Unique) Your inherent bloodline has been further stimulated by your attunement to and active use of lightning, awakening a passive trait. [Stormborn Instincts] (Passive)
  • Natural Resistance: Reduces all electric-based damage by 25%.
  • Reflexive Conductivity: When struck by hostile lightning, you may redirect or absorb a portion of the energy to restore Mana or Wyrd
  • Combat Awareness: Your body automatically reacts to electrical threats, increasing reaction speed against lightning-based attacks.
¡®Fuck! Why does it always need to be so fucking violent. What the hell man.¡¯ He scrutinised the new notifications before smiling, a smug grin that would put Bolva to shame. ¡®A new Bloodline skill and a Trait. That¡¯s so fucking awesome.¡¯ Closing the screens, Verdant walked over, looting the still glowing remains. Noting for the first time that all these new soldiers were now level twenty-five. ¡®Wait, was the last patrol like that too? How did I miss that¡­¡¯ Verdant looked back through his log and found that the previous patrol was also comprised of level twenty-five soldiers. ¡®So, it didn¡¯t just upgrade the number of them, it upped their levels too. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s helped them much though¡­¡¯ He turned and started to walk back to his vantage point by the low wall at the end of the street. When, an idea struck him; much like the lightning he had wielded so recently. ¡®That cost me eighty mana and no health because the basic skill hadn¡¯t evolved yet, even with the increased mana cost and the health cost I could output over a hundred lightning bolts simultaneously and wear the cost in resources without too much trouble. I¡¯ve already seen that the damage in the attack is enough to kill these guys in one hit, at least with the primary strike¡­¡¯ The center of the training fields was far enough away that he could escape notice of the elites he was sure were posted by the wall, doing fuck knows what. ¡®I¡¯ve been here for too long. I know it¡¯s risky, But I¡¯m sure I can do it. I need to use this power if I¡¯m ever going to master it. Into the fire, I guess?¡¯ Verdant felt a nervous energy filling his body. A need to prove himself and find the new limits of his power. He jumped the low wall that had served as his cover until now and set off down the slope, picking up speed. In moment he¡¯d hit the fields at full speed. In a moment of inspiration, he circulated energy to his throat and shouted with all his might. ¡°COME AND GET IT YOU FUCKS!¡± His voice echoed over the fields like a megaphone set to full volume, throat raw from the effort. A feeling of dread came over him, intensifying, as no less than fourteen full patrols turned glowing sockets his way. Verdant ran, aiming for a spot at the center of the fields where all the soldiers would converge. Too late did he remember that among the one hundred and sixty-eight skeletal warriors, fifty-six of them were likely to be archers. He called forth his shield, holding its circular form above his head as the first wave of arrows rained down from every direction. While some of the arrows landed on the shield, others came in at just the right angle, striking him in the hands, legs and feet. Thankfully being crouched over protected the majority of his abdomen from the falling projectiles, while others tinked harmlessly off his back and arm plates. All things considered, he¡¯d got off lightly, his major organs were protected and nothing important was struck in his limbs. He quickly removed several arrows from his body, twisting at the base of the shaft and tugging. The damage healed quickly with a burst of life force. Glancing to his health bar he saw that he¡¯d lost over five percent in that one defence. He waited for the next volley to take flight before swiftly moving several meters and readying his shield over his head once more. This time, two arrows struck the ground near him, while none had marked him at all. Verdant continued this style of defence until the soldiers surrounded him on all sides. He stood from his crouch, eyeing the boney forms around him. ¡°You stupid mother fuckers. Suck my fat coin-pouch.¡± Verdant raised Frost Breaker in a two-handed grip above his head and flooded more than a thousand mana through his channels, burning the whole way. Reaching the weapon, it began to screech with an electrical hum. He reigned in the wild mana, forcing it all to the very tip of his war pick. With a deafening boom the whole world was turned bright as though under the midday sun; as a colossal bolt of lightning erupted from the head of his weapon, branching and streaking through the air before blowing apart the clouds of the vortex above and disappearing. Verdant was extremely sore after his efforts in channelling so much mana. Now he was surrounded on all sides and diminished in strength. The warriors approached and he stood to meet them, shield in one hand, Frost Breaker in the other. ¡®At least I had fun¡­¡¯ A deep rumbling was heard from above as the patrols stopped, looking to the sky. Verdant realised, he could feel the mana. ¡®It¡¯s still up there, it¡¯s building up to something.¡¯ If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Electricity shot through the sky-spanning vortex above, the souls howled with rage and joy. Their brothers would join them soon. A blue spot appeared directly above verdant, an anomaly against the black and green sky. It expanded until it had become a blue ring dozens of meters across. It slowly built in power, runes appeared around the circle, forming a complex sigil, humming loudly with charging electricity. The colour intensified as runes continued to appear before making a complete circle and in the space left in the centre a single gigantic rune appeared, the very same as the one engraved on his wyrd heart. Sowelo glowed with all the power of a thousand lightning strikes gathered in one place. It was at that moment Verdant realised; it was time for him to be somewhere else. Lowering his head and placing his shoulder behind his shield, he activated Bloods Wrath and charged with all his might. He connected with a gap between the ranks of warriors and punched through, knocking them to the ground. Verdant had underestimated the difference between a (Rare) skill and a (Bloodline Unique) given to him through synergy with his Aesir heritage. The time had come for him to pay for that gross miscalculation. The sky came alive, the ring of runes began to turn at an unimaginable speed, he could feel the charge in the air and the smell of ozone permeated everything. Hairs rose on the back of his neck, impending doom hung over his head as Bloods Wrath burned hot in his veins, pushing his body to the limits. Lightning fell from the sky in blinding and deafening streaks. Even looking away, the light shocked his sensitive retinas. With a world-shaking explosion of force, he felt himself thrown from the ground, blasted more than fifty meters through the air before coming to a stop a scant few meters from the wall he had hidden behind earlier. Verdant was blinded and the howls of the souls above were blessedly silent as his ears filled with a high-pitched ringing. He rolled over and came to a seated position, blinking hard to clear the light branded into his retinas he stuck a finger into his ear, wriggling it and vocalising a repetitive mah-mah. ¡®Ah tinnitus, you¡¯re a cruel mistress.¡¯ He was displeased to note that his health had dropped a further two hundred points, though it was short-lived as a burst of life force, restored his hearing and sight. He was not ready for what he saw in the fields beyond. A glowing crater filled a large portion of the fields, it was catastrophic, like hell had come to this world and it was all contained in the circumference. Smoke poured from the earth and the air reeked of char. ¡®Surely, they¡¯re all dead. There¡¯s no fucking way any of them survived that.¡¯ Sure enough, seconds later a flood of souls tore from the ground, howling their rage and joining the vortex above. He glanced at the vortex and noticed that it had more than doubled in intensity. The movement of the twisting clouds and the souls made him nauseous, and he had to look away. Glancing at his notifications Verdant was pleased to note that each skeleton was accounted for, xp messages and loot for every, last, one. ¡®Summary!¡¯ He willed all the notifications he¡¯d been ignoring until now to appear in a summary before him.
Summary of Notifications
Combat Summary
32 x Rattling Dead [Ash-Sworn Defender] level 25{Corrupted} Slain 9,600 96 x Rattling Dead [Horned Assaulter] level 25{Corrupted} Slain 28,800 64 x Rattling Dead [Ashen Marksman] level 25{Corrupted} Slain 19,200 57,600XPs +20% Hubris¡¯ Folly bonus. Total XPs = 69,120XPs
Loot Summary
192 x Small Aether Crystal {Corrupted}(Common) 192 x Raeskir Soul Fragment {Corrupted}(Uncommon) As this is an active quest scenario, currency rewards will be assigned upon its successful completion.
Skill Summary
Assess(C) 6 > 7 Bloods Wrath(B-U) 6 > 7 Stormbound Spark (B-U) 11 > 15 Pathfinding(C) 8 > 9 Combat Tactics(UC) 6 > 7 Piercing Resistance(C) 0 > 1
Attention: Bonded Weapon Level-Up Available.
Summary Complete
Access System log at any time to view old notifications at your leisure.
Verdant read over the summary before continuing to the other notifications, still waiting for his attention. ¡®Got to be achievements, right?¡¯
Achievement Earned: Against All Odds II (Epic)
You have defeated 15+ enemies in a single combat instance whose level exceeded your own by 10+
+7 to all stats
+15% damage against enemies higher level than you +5% resistance to damage from higher-level enemies
It¡¯s not just luck anymore.
¡®Nice, almost every enemy I fight is a higher level than me, so that great.¡¯ He smiled as he opened the next waiting panel.
Achievement Earned: Against All Odds III (Legendary)
You have defeated 25+ enemies in a single combat instance whose level exceeded your own by 15+
+10 to all stats
+20% damage against enemies higher level than you +10% resistance to damage from higher-level enemies Momentum Stacking - For every enemy defeated in combat, you gain +2% movement speed and attack speed for 5 seconds, stacking up to 25 times.
If it bleeds, you can kill it.
¡®Wait¡­ how many enemies did I kill? Over a hundred¡­ How many of these things are coming?¡¯ Apprehension sat in his gut as he thought about the possible implications for himself, gaining this many stats at once. Already he could feel his muscles twisting and contracting and a headache built behind his eyes. The feeling only grew with the next panel.
Achievement Earned: Against All Odds IV (Mythic)
You have defeated 50+ enemies in a single combat instance whose level exceeded your own by 20+
+15 to all stats
+25% damage against enemies higher level than you +15% resistance to damage from higher-level enemies Lesser Fear Immunity - Enemies higher level than you can no longer inflict fear-based debuffs. (Exclude [Boss] tiered enemies) Battlefield Executioner - Killing blows restore 2% of fatigue and 2% of max health
Surrounded on all sides, you laugh in the face of death.
His muscles cramped with the addition, almost doubling his gains so far. A thread of anxiety weaved through his mind as he realised there was one more notification, and it glowed the telltale gold of the Aesir system.
Achievement Earned: Against All Odds V (Ascendant)
You have defeated 100+ enemies in a single combat instance whose level exceeded your own by 25+ while at level 0.
+25 to all stats
+30% damage against enemies higher level than you +20% resistance to damage from higher-level enemies Greater Fear Immunity ¨C Only [Boss] class enemies may inflict Fear upon you and at 50% effectiveness. Apex Defiance - While fighting enemies higher level than you, status effects and debuffs from them have their duration halved. Not effective against status effects or debuffs without a duration.
They call you impossible. You Enough! By the nine, are you trying to get yourself killed? Do you have any idea how absurd it is that I¡ªof all beings¡ªhave to step in and hijack the blasted tagline to this degree? Unbelievable. You couldn¡¯t take things slowly, no, that would be too sensible. You just had to go and shatter multiple thresholds at once, stacking powerful achievements like a reckless fool. And for what, exactly? A fleeting sense of accomplishment?
Verdant collapsed to the ground as new strength flowed through him. Every single stat had just risen by fifty-five points in less than a minute and his mind and body were having trouble coping with the changes. Sweat poured from his body as he endured the changes. Slowly, the contractions of his muscles and shoots of pain through his mind subsided and stopped. ¡®Fuck¡­ it¡¯s done. Finally¡­ I guess whoever is commenting on my notifications didn¡¯t like that. Gotta be honest, I¡¯m not a fan of it either. Shit.¡¯ Verdant glanced at Frost Breaker, still held firmly in his hand. ¡®What have you got for me buddy? Be gentle.¡¯
Item ¨C Hr¨ªmrj¨®er - Frost Breaker (Bloodline-Unique)
Level 4 - Kills 195/50 +40 Free Stat Points (9 Unused)
He willed the weapon to apply its kill experience making it level seven and gaining an additional thirty free points. Verdant was in pain and feeling extremely depleted. ¡®Thank fuck. Free points don¡¯t hurt.¡¯ Lifting his head, he looked to the north once more, where he suspected the [Elite] enemies would be waiting. ¡®It¡¯s time to fall back, what¡¯s the worse they could do in a couple of hours.¡¯ He stood, setting off back down the North Road, looking for an inn, it was his hope to barricade himself in a larder or pantry and recover. He had gone no more than a half kilometre along the road before he found what he was looking for. Entering through the glowing entryway, he continued past the bar and back into the kitchen where he found a door, behind which was a staircase leading down, into the earth. Verdant reached the bottom of the stairs and turned to walked around them, positioning himself in the corner underneath the entry. ¡®This way I¡¯ll have time to hear and react if something comes down the stairs after me¡­ I hope.¡¯ He quickly ate a couple of fruits from his storage and settled in to meditate. He needed to recover his resources if he had any hope of facing the [Elite] warriors that were still out there. In that moment, Verdant remembered the free points he had gained from increasing the level of Frost Breaker. Willing his stats to appear, he thought about for a moment, before electing to place all thirty-nine free points in Vitality. ¡®I gotta know if something happens at one thousand points while I¡¯m still level zero.¡¯ Visualising his wyrd heart, he found himself within the core once more. ¡®Fuck, how much of that shit did I use?¡¯ He was shocked to find that the pool of liquid beneath him was extremely depleted. ¡®How did I use that, it¡¯s not mana or health and I had very few permanent upgrades since the last time I was here.¡¯ ¡®Wait! The new trait and the bloodline skill? Could they have used up all of this¡­ stuff? The stats too¡­ shit¡¯ Mentally shaking himself, he tried to refocus. ¡®This isn¡¯t something that affects me now. I could sit here all day and stress but right now I need to recover.¡¯ Focussing his will, Verdant started to turn the energy in the basin below, actively using his Aesir Circulation. As before, it was slow to start but quickly built-up speed. Raw wyrd flowed into his core and split into its constituent parts, filling the basin beneath and exiting the heart to reinvigorate his body. ¡®Whatever else is going on, I need to focus right now. I can face the rest of this crap when I recover and ask Bolva as many questions as I like.¡¯ He calmed himself and focussed once more, bringing up his status panel to see the changes that had occurred after the last fight.
Stats
Health - 3,242 / 5,724 Regen ¨C 433.6/hr (108.4/hr+100%WR+200%AC)
Mana - 245 / 2,883 Regen ¨C 271.8/hr (66.3/hr+10%AW+100%WR+200% AC)
Free Stats 0 Free Efficiency N/A
Strength 217 [694] Intelligence 222 [355]
Vitality 271 [1084] Wisdom 237 [663]
Dexterity 222 [266] Charisma 197 [230]
BK. I CH. XVI - Shackled Souls and Shattered Fates Verdant exhaled, coming back to himself. Opening his eyes, he saw the underside of the staircase he¡¯d come down earlier. ¡®Damn, I feel like I¡¯ve slept for twelve hours. What the heck¡­ Is this circulation skill a replacement for sleep?¡¯ He briefly examined the skill panel for Aesir Circulation to check and noted that it didn¡¯t mention anything about sleep replacement. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s a hidden effect¡­ it didn¡¯t get a level either¡­ oh well¡¯ Closing the panel he glanced at his crucible quest timer, noting that it had been almost sixteen hours since he¡¯d begun this wave. ¡®I¡¯m almost done, I need to get back out there and take care of this so I can get back to Bolva, I¡¯ve got more questions than I¡¯m comfortable with right now.¡¯ He got to his feet, dusting off the ectoplasmic material of the floor he¡¯d been seated on. Climbing the stairs and exiting the building once more, Verdant looked to the North and felt a pit open in his stomach. The barrier he had noticed earlier was bigger, more complete. But he could see from here that it had begun to crack with pieces falling out and beyond; the glowing green light seemed more erratic than before. Like it was anticipating the failure of the barrier protecting the perimeter wall. The street was quiet, there were no soldiers or apparitions. The only sound was the ever-present howling of the souls in the vortex above. Verdant looked up, feeling apprehension. The sky had become even darker, and the vortex twisted in an ever tighter spiral. The extra souls appeared to have agitated it further. ¡®I need to go; my resources are topped off now and the exhaustion I felt from channelling so much mana at once seems to have faded. I need to be mindful in future that a bloodline unique version of a skill is worlds beyond its normal counterpart.¡¯ He stepped off the stoop of the glowing inn and set off towards the most challenging fight he¡¯d had to date. He approached the field he¡¯d destroyed the soldiers in earlier and was awed by the sheer destruction his magic had called down upon the earth. The crater he¡¯d created had stopped burning now, though he spotted some glowing coals smouldering at the epicentre. ¡®Fucking hell, that¡¯s insane. I need to try harder to understand what I¡¯m capable of. I haven¡¯t just gained an incomprehensible number of stats. My skills and magic have grown in ways I don¡¯t fully understand, and I don¡¯t feel good about that.¡¯ Verdant skirted the edge of the crater and continued towards the wall. He was at some of the closest fields to the settlement right now and it would take several minutes to close the distance to the wall and figure out what¡¯s going on. ¡®I¡¯m just happy there hasn¡¯t been any more quest updates since my break.¡¯ He felt within himself, for the feeling he had come to associate with his intuition. The pull came shortly after, dragging him directly north. ¡®Yeah, just like I thought, they¡¯re all right by the hole I walked in through¡¯ He could see them now. Eighteen figures, facing away from him, split up in groups of six. It appeared that the [Elite] enemies he¡¯d encountered earlier flanked either side of a central figure. ¡®Yep, there it is, the last [Elite]¡¯ Verdant approached, prepared to attack if they became hostile. ¡®They¡¯re not even looking at me. What is that?¡¯ Beyond the wall, he spotted smooth bone-white domes reflecting the light of the glowing barrier. Siege towers stood further back, and he could see a forest of spearheads. ¡®There has to be an entire legion out there. They¡¯re not just fighting me; they¡¯re fending off an invasion. All that stands between me and that legion is the barrier created by the [Elite] undead. Why are they trying to keep out the undead? They¡¯re allies, aren¡¯t they?¡¯ In that moment, Verdant made a realisation. ¡®This whole thing is some macabre reenactment of the battle that destroyed this settlement. This is how they died.¡¯ The figures stood with their arms raised, a blue energy leaving their hands in streams, connecting to the barrier and reinforcing it. While the new [Elite] spoke in a commanding tone, in a familiar language that he didn¡¯t recall hearing before. ¡®Wait is that the (Archaic) version of the common tongue I was given? Shit, I¡¯d almost forgotten that was a thing.¡¯ Assess.
---{Freyja [Stormflame Magi] Level 32 {Corrupted})---
She was once a candidate to join the ranks of the Aesir. A prodigious mage, renowned for creating the ¡®Stormflame¡¯ elemental combination and obtaining a Unique class for her efforts.
Primary Abilities
Stormveil: Creates a barrier of crackling flames and lightning around her, damaging anyone who gets too close. Flame Surge: A wave of fire fired in a single direction across the ground. Lightning Chain: A lightning bolt that arcs between multiple targets.
She has long awaited your arrival. Release her Verdant.
¡®Of course, the [Elite] levels have gone up too, I can¡¯t say I¡¯m too surprised.¡¯ Verdant threw off a couple more assesses and confirmed that Aesgir and Rimulf had both increased in level as well. ¡®Oh, that¡¯s interesting. First time I¡¯ve seen these mage class soldiers. I guess it makes sense if they¡¯re all here doing something with the barrier.¡¯ The mage classed undead formed triangular formations around each elite. ¡®Well¡­ If you guys are going to give me a free shot at your back, I¡¯m going to take it. One each should be enough, right?¡¯ Verdant closed his eyes and reached within his wyrd heart prodding Sowelo, willing it to activate. Mana began to move, through his channels and into his wyrd heart before exiting once more and coming to pool in his hands. ¡®Now that I can do this without urgency, it feels more natural than before, like the energy wants to follow my will. It feels wild, but it wants to be used.¡¯ He opened his eyes and raised his hands in front of him. Electricity arced between his fingers, ready to be used. Reaching down, Verdant grabbed Frost Breaker from his hip and raising it to eye level. The energy in his hands ran up the handle and found a home in the head of the weapon. Energy sparked across the face of his warpick. ¡®It feels less erratic, more focussed than before. So, it can help me to channel the power of my attacks. It¡¯s nice to know for sure, I guess.¡¯ He smiled as he pointed the head of his weapon towards his enemies. ¡®Go.¡¯ Electricity shot across the intervening space before branching out, on course to strike dead on each target. An instant before hitting home, bright blue barriers sprung up around Freyja, her mages and the other two elites; But their supporting mages remained unprotected. Verdant wasn¡¯t sure how to feel as half of his attack was deflected into the dirt, turning streaks of the sandy earth, red hot and molten, stopping it dead. He found some measure of comfort in the fact that the unprotected mages exploded in a brilliant light, lightning arcing between them. Tinkling chimes rang through Verdant¡¯s mind as he confirmed their deaths. ¡®Huh, I guess I didn¡¯t use enough this time, there¡¯s still bodies over there¡­ Damn, now I still have to loot them.¡¯ He watched as Rimulf lowered his hands and turned towards him. The skeletal Jotnar¡¯s bones still looked charred from their earlier encounter. ¡®Oh look, the big boy is grumpy.¡¯ The charred giant in front of him bellowed to the sky before running towards him, his feet thudding heavily across the ground, leaving indentations in the soil behind him. Verdant braced his stance and waited for the [Elite] to close the distance. He swung in a two-handed overhead strike, contacting the barrier around Rimulf before rebounding off. ¡®Shit!¡¯ Diving to the side, the warrior barrelled past him. ¡®So that barrier blocks physical damage too, Do I need more power?¡¯ Verdant got to his feet and sprinted after the juggernaut careening across the fields. Activating Bloods Wrath he closed the distance just as the warrior was coming to a stop. He leaped through the air, a familiar force guided his hand lining up to a point in the shield that was slightly darker in colour, a fault in the framework of the spell. In an instant he twisted Frost breaker, lining up the wicked spike with the darker patch of shield. He felt within himself and called on his power once more imbuing fifty points of mana into his weapon. ¡®I think he¡¯s using a berserking skill, he should be vulnerable to damage now if I can just get through that barrier.¡¯ Electricity screamed on the spike, striking down and piercing the barrier before discharging against the warrior inside. Lightning exploded from within him, it tried to chain to another target, striking the barrier and returning to strike Rimulf once more, and again. Verdant looked on as the creature became locked in place, howling an unearthly cry as electricity ravaged its form. The barrier exploded in a shower of sparks and glowing shards and Rimulf fell to his knees howling his rage to the sky above. He stood back, watching the berserker. He hadn¡¯t made any move to get off the ground. ¡®Wait. His bones are still black, that can¡¯t just be cosmetic, I almost killed him last time. Is his health depleted? Mana exhaustion causes you to lose consciousness, maybe health depletion causes your body to lock up.¡¯ ¡®Alright then, let¡¯s make damn sure you don¡¯t cause me a problem later.¡¯ Verdant raised his warpick and swung towards Rimulf¡¯s roaring face shattering the orbital bone into a thousand pieces before reaching out and touching his shoulder to loot the remains. ¡®That¡¯s right, your prick of a friend didn¡¯t interrupt me this t¡­¡¯ ¡°AH FUCK!!¡± Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. He dove to the ground, trying to escape the agony radiating between his shoulder blades, transitioning into a roll and turning to face the attack. Verdant¡¯s eyes widened as he spotted a second arrow flying towards him, across the field. He flared the power of Bloods Wrath increasing his physical stats by one hundred and seventy-five percent. The arrow slowed in his perception, moving like molasses through the air. Approaching within centimetres of his face, his hand snatched the wooden shaft from the air. ¡®Too slow you prick.¡¯ Launching off his left foot, he accelerated towards the bowman. Closing the distance, Verdant dodged past several more projectiles as they passed sluggishly through the air. ¡®It doesn¡¯t look like he¡¯s got a barrier up¡­ guess they don¡¯t want a repeat of what I did to Rimulf. Ha!¡¯ He prepared his warpick, wound by his side ready for a side strike. ¡®I¡¯ve got you now you prick, you fucked with me earlier. I¡¯m not the same as I was before. You¡¯re mine!¡¯ Verdant¡¯s swing passed through Aesgir¡­ He stood in shock for a moment as the image of the crafty assassin disappeared in a whisp of dark magic. ¡®Shit¡­ he baited me into a kill zone.¡¯ All around him, He heard a howling cry. In a circle around him, arrows floated in the air, twisting and throwing off a fel light. ¡®FUCK he¡¯s got abilities, how the hell did I forget about that?¡¯ He didn¡¯t have time to think. How he reacted now making the difference between life and death. Reaching for his wyrd heart, he willed it to act, to do something. ¡®If I eat this hit, I¡¯ll be in a fucking bad way.¡¯ Power flooded out of his core, racing through his body and lighting up every inch of his being. Electricity arced across his body in a sparking skin. The arrows flew and slammed into his body. Or rather, they slammed into the barrier of crackling energy created by the fulmination of power, expelled from his channels. Verdant glanced at his resource bars as the power left his skin and returned to his body and noted he¡¯d lost ten percent of his health in that single strike which cost him around fifty points of mana, it was hard to say exactly how much was used as he had recovered some after the attack. ¡®It¡¯s not great, but that could have been so much worse.¡¯ Looking around, he failed to locate the archer. ¡°AHH.¡± He shouted in pain as another arrow sprouted from his shoulder. Spinning in place, he couldn¡¯t see the enemy. A shaft grazed his ear as he spun once more. ¡®The prick is just going to hide and whittle me down.¡¯ Calling on his wyrd heart once more, he pulled a further two hundred mana through his channels and gathered it to his chest. ¡®Fuck I hope this works¡¯ He willed the mana the form a barrier over his skin again. ¡®I¡¯ve used four times as much as before; I hope it doesn¡¯t blow up or anything.¡¯ Flinging his arms out to the sides he willed all of the gathered power to radiate in a wave from his body. Electricity shot out searing lines in the dirt. Power wrapped around a camouflaged figure, shocking it and ripping away the illusion. Verdant moved quickly, flaring Bloods Wrath once more and swinging his pick back like a bat. Aesgir lifted his arms, using his bow as a shield to deflect the strike. With a crunch, Verdant¡¯s warpick continued unimpeded, breaking through the ancient bow and connecting with the side of Aesgir¡¯s skull. Throwing shards of bone against the glowing wall. Verdant heard a chime as a soul glowing with the darkest light, erupted from the remains and flew, screaming into the vortex above. He bent over to loot Aesgir and snorted derisively. ¡®Not so clever with a lightning bolt running through you, huh?¡¯ In the next moment, he remembered that this man was once a defender of this settlement and he felt a deep shame settle within him. He bowed his head and offered his apologies to the warrior before him. ¡°Sorry mate, rest now. I¡¯ll take it from here.¡± He took a moment to straighten up the remains, laying it flat and crossing its arms across its chest before stepping back and selecting yes on the loot prompt. ¡®One to go. Then I¡¯ll lay you all to rest.¡¯ Verdant turned to look at the last [Elite]. Freyja stood facing the barrier protecting the wall, her minions supported her from the sides all of them had their arms up pouring their energy into the protective spell. He began approaching Freyja, looking to the wall as he moved. If he listened closely, he could hear the clattering of an unknown number of undead as they prepared to rush the wall, all they needed was an opening. As he drew closer, the support mages dropped their arms and started to throw elemental bolts at him. Flexing his will Verdant willed his lightning aegis to appear, coating him and protecting him from the projectiles. They struck his barrier, one after the other. ¡®Seems like only physical attacks are partially blocked. This is really effective at blocking magic strikes¡­¡¯ The initial fifty mana to activate the barrier was bearable, but the cost began to rise as each strike absorbed an additional five mana. Calling his shield to his left hand he raised it to mitigate some of the cost. The mages fired at a rapid pace; ice, water, earth, fire and electricity. Each one struck his wooden shield or arcing barrier to similar effect. Though, the mages seemed to have some level of control over their elemental bolts, because only a quarter of them hit his upraised shield, while the rest struck the barrier, consuming a further five mana. By the time Verdant approached the mages he had absorbed more than thirty strikes costing him a further hundred and fifty mana in all. ¡®Seems like Bloods Wrath would have cost me less if I¡¯d approached at speed. Whatever, it¡¯s good to get a feel for new abilities.¡¯ Just beyond striking distance, the mages stopped and tried to close and attack Verdant in melee range. ¡®What, why would they close like that, have they run out of mana? Wait, that explains why they didn¡¯t use any more powerful spells.¡¯ Compared to Aesgir and Rimulf, there mages were laughably easy to dispatch. He¡¯d simply wait for a clumsy strike, step out of reach and swing Frost Breaker around to crush them. The souls escaped the fallen remains as he looted them. He looked up at the vortex, feeling a deep sadness for all the souls trapped within. ¡®I¡¯m almost done, then I¡¯ll find some way to help you move on. Whatever it takes.¡¯ Verdant took a deep breath and exhaled before turning to face Freyja, she was still focussed on reinforcing the barrier and didn¡¯t acknowledge him as he approached. He stepped up next to her when she spoke. ¡°If you step any closer, I¡¯ll be compelled to attack you. Stay there.¡± He was shocked. None of the other undead had said a single word, let alone spoken to him directly in a complete sentence. ¡°Why can you speak? None of the others even tried. What makes you so special.¡± ¡°I was on the cusp of becoming something more¡ªour people¡¯s first real hope of an Aesir ascension since the fall. But my life was cut short before I could take that final step. My stats are well above the threshold needed to resist this foul magic, though not enough to break free. I can still be forced to act against my will, but as long as I am careful, I can bend the rules a little.¡± She turned her head and looked him in the eyes. Verdant was shocked to see fire and electricity burning in her sockets. ¡°How can I save you Freyja, how do I save them?¡± He gestured vaguely at the vortex above them. ¡°One of the Aesir could do something, but they were long gone, even in my time. I am unsure how long has passed but I am certain that they have not made a resurgence. I am sure I would feel it.¡± ¡®I can¡¯t tell her about my bloodline, she could be connected to the incursion leader. You don¡¯t just make a phone call to the enemy leader and spill your secrets, right?¡¯ ¡°How do we handle this then; I¡¯m guessing you can¡¯t just lay down and die?¡± Freyja made what Verdant would guess was a smile or as close as a bare skull could get to a smile and lowered her arms. ¡°I¡¯ve got exactly one point of mana left. I couldn¡¯t put up a fight against you if I wanted to.¡± ¡°So, what, you want me to just kill you? I feel kind of weird about doing that to someone who¡¯s talking calmy to me and hasn¡¯t tried to kill me.¡± She laughed, a beautiful sound combined with the jarring clack of her teeth as her jaws cracked together. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to kill me yet. I need you to promise to do something for me.¡± Freyja reached into her ribcage and pulled out a desiccated sphere. ¡°This is my wyrd heart, the vessel for my cultivation. I can sense that you tread a similar path to my own. Take it, perhaps it can help you in some small way¡­ perhaps a small part of me will be able to live on through you¡­¡± Verdant took the object from her skeletal hand, cool bone brushed against his skin as he willed the orb into his storage. ¡°Thank you Freyja, I will use it well.¡± Awkward silence stretched out between them as he tried to decide what to do next. ¡°Now what do we do?¡± He saw something in her stance, resembling¡­ sadness. ¡°Yes¡­ forgive me. Even after all these years I fear the oblivion beyond. While at the same time, I long for release from this cursed existence. I am going to use the last of my mana now, at which point I will become inert. Please¡­ finish this, set me free.¡± She placed a boney hand to her lips and blew out a whisp of blue light in a kiss, the light in her eyes turned dull, before she collapsed in a heap. Verdant struggled with himself. Until now he had fought monsters and what he had assumed were unthinking undead. To kill something that could clearly think, and talk crossed a line for him, one he wasn¡¯t sure he could come back from. ¡®She wanted this, she has been imprisoned for millennia in that horrific form. Do it. Give her peace.¡¯ He knelt down before the fallen mage. Verdant cradled Freyja¡¯s skeletal form across his knees, holding her as gently as he would a wounded friend. Her body had long since turned to bone, yet in this moment, she felt no less real than any living soul. "You were meant for more than this." His voice was quiet, raw with something unspoken. "You walked the same path I do now. You should have stood among the Aesir, not fallen to this... this mockery." Freyja¡¯s skull rested against his chest, hollow sockets staring at something only she could see. "This could have been me." The thought struck harder than he expected, sinking into his bones like ice. "If I fail, if I fall, will I end up like you? Trapped. Twisted. Forced to fight against everything I once stood for?" The weight of it settled over him, an iron truth pressing against his ribs. "I don''t know if there''s an afterlife, but if there is, I hope you find your place there. No more chains. No more duty. No more war." He swallowed, his grip tightening ever so slightly. "Rest well, Freyja. I will remember you." With a final breath, he reached behind her head and, as gently as he could, severed her spine at the base of the skull. Verdant stood, allowing the dust to dissipate on its own. He glanced at his quest, pleased to see that it was now marked as complete.
Alert!
Quest Updated!
Home is where the monsters won¡¯t hurt you (2/3) [Dynamic] {Corrupted}
The enemy has organised. Enemy forces have increased and Superior Undead now comprise their entirety. Fight! 300/300 3/3 (2/3 waves) -Complete-
Alert!
Home is where the monsters won¡¯t hurt you (2/3) [Dynamic] {Corrupted}
The anchor powering the barrier around the settlement has been destroyed. With it¡¯s imminent collapse, the third wave will begin.
Alert! Third Wave starts in 27 Seconds.
Verdant noted that there were dozens of other notifications waiting for him before willing them aside. ¡®I need to get out of here. I don¡¯t know how many undead are beyond the wall, but I really don¡¯t want to find out from this position.¡¯ He turned from the wall and began to run, activating Bloods Wrath. He made it back to the crater he¡¯d carved into the earth just as the timer hit zero. A resounding crack split the air, rattling through the fields like the first strike of a war drum. A deep, rhythmic impact. A pause. Again. Then another. Each strike sent a tremor through the ground, a relentless cadence of destruction. Then the fortification gave way¡ªnot in an instant, but in a slow, crumbling collapse. Shards of glowing brick fractured and splintered outward, scattered like the broken ribs of a corpse. Dust billowed into the night air, thick and heavy with the death of something ancient. Verdant slowed, heart pounding as two grotesque behemoths forced their way through the breach. Their bodies sagged with bloated, unnatural flesh, each step a sickening quiver of bulk barely restrained by bone. Behind them, the horde followed, spilling through the opening in an unbroken tide. Humans and Raeskir clad in rusted, timeworn armour marched forward, their movements too orderly, too deliberate for mindless undead. Then came the J?tnar, towering figures wreathed in the same corrupted glow as the souls above. A deep chill settled in Verdant¡¯s gut. ¡®So this is how it happened. The beginning of the end.¡¯ His mind raced. He could run back into the streets, lose himself in the winding alleys of the settlement. But it wouldn¡¯t matter. They would find him. He exhaled sharply, gripping Frost Breaker until his knuckles ached. His breath misted in the air, and for the first time since arriving in this cursed place¡ª He felt hunted. ¡®How the hell am I going to get out of this?¡¯ BK. I CH. XVII - Breaker of Chains, Defier of Fate Verdant felt anger building within him, that past days had told a story of villagers and warrior fighting to save their home. All of it was leading to this moment. ¡®I know they¡¯re gone, I killed them myself. It still feels wrong seeing these monsters breach the walls and flood in like some kind of plague.¡¯ A warmth in his chest grows, searing throughout his channels. ¡®My wyrd heart is responding.¡¯ He clenched his fists and felt the sparks between his fingers. ¡®Well, if they¡¯re going to give me such a wonderful target¡­ who am I to refuse.¡¯ Verdant gathered his mana, more than half of what he had remaining. He felt it moving through his body to his core before travelling to his fingertips. A tinny resonance began as the power hit his warpick and started to build in the head. The sound grew as the power did and soon it was loud enough to drown out the sound of the maelstrom above. Lightning sparked off the blue glowing metal of his warpick. Pointing at the flesh abominations with his weapon; Verdant let go. A single brilliant blue streak of lightning flashed out before splitting into more than a hundred branches and striking the approaching force. Verdant was annoyed when he saw ghostly shields appear seconds after the strike, cutting off the majority. The power continued to flow, striking against the barrier. ¡®Well, some made it through, but those shields are going to be a problem¡¯ Cracks began to appear in the wall as Verdant maintained the stream of electricity. He had received several kill notifications, but he wouldn¡¯t get any more until he could break through the barriers protecting the enemy force. He doubled down, releasing more lightning across the field. Just as a tinkling shatter was heard, Verdant felt searing pain hit his side. Glancing over, he saw a dark flaming ball, glowing with a green light, as it slammed into his side. The spell took him under the ribs and threw him across the field. He hit the ground heavily, rolling several times before coming to a stop. Verdant looked to his resources and saw that one attack had reduced his health from around seventy-five percent to less than thirty and his mana sat deep in the red, no more than fifteen percent. ¡®Guess I got a bit focussed for a minute there. I had no idea that fire ball was coming at me. I didn¡¯t even see which one did it. It had to be the commander Bolva was talking about, right?¡¯ He tried to move and was horrified to find that his body wouldn¡¯t respond. ¡®What the fuck! I should be able to move, is it some kind of impairment or debuff from the spell? It must be¡­¡¯ Verdant took a moment and looked to his notifications. ¡®Maybe something here will help me.¡¯ There it was. The most recent notification.
? ALERT! ?
You have been affected by a debilitating Curse.
Soul Seizure Corruptive death magic has invaded your body and seized control of your Wyrd System! If you fail to break free, your soul will be forcibly converted, and you will rise as one of the undead. Wyrd and mana circulation severely impaired. Gradual corruption of stats and skills.
Time Remaining - 14 minutes 41 seconds
¡®FUCK! I need to figure this out.¡¯ In the distance Verdant heard the formation come to a halt. ¡®What are they doing, come and kill me you bastards!¡¯ He struggled for a couple of minutes, willing his body to move. No matter how hard he tried, his body simply wouldn¡¯t respond. ¡®It¡¯s taken over my wyrd system¡­ what about circulation?¡¯ Closing his eyes, Verdant saw the state of his channels. They were clogged with thick, black energy, pooling in places and preventing the natural flow of his own energy. Looking further to his wyrd heart, he found that it was sealed tight. No energy was coming in or going out. He entered inside and found a gaseous mass above the familiar liquid in his basin. ¡®I can¡¯t let any new stuff in, but maybe I can condense this energy and treat it with my lightning before pushing it out into my body and trying to cleanse the filth from my channels.¡¯ Willing the external valves to shut tight, Verdant started to rotate the liquid in his wyrd heart. The vapour above twisted, pulling down to the liquid in a funnel before dripping on top, like oil on water. One drop after another, the pool grew and when all the vapour was condensed, he had a pool of liquid no bigger than the palm of his hand. He stopped circulating and the new liquid lifted off and floated before him. It started to whisp, not wanting to retain this liquid state without the force of the vortex to keep it there. Verdant placed his mental fingers around the liquid, compressing it into a ball before raising a hand and calling forth his innate lightning energy from the rune on the wall of his heart. Electricity shot forth in a stream, striking his fingertips and gathering there. He placed this hand back upon the contained liquid and watched as it changed. The liquid took on a silvery sheen like mercury, with an electric blue glow. The energy shot through the changed mana discharged arcs of electricity from the surface. He will the liquid up to the exit valve of his wyrd heart and willed it through the membrane and into his body. Immediately he felt a jolt as it left. Like pins and needles. It grew and grew as the energy spread out from his chest. He looked with his mental sight and saw how his power seemed to attack the invasive energy, striking it and breaking it down into mana which fed his own power. As it progressed, the lightning began to darken. It struck less frequently and moved slower through his body until it came to a dead stop. ¡®Ah shit, it didn¡¯t even reach my limbs and half of my torso is still infected. I don¡¯t have anything left to do that again and I can¡¯t circulate any external wyrd into my heart without dragging the death energy with it.¡¯ Verdant sat his mental avatar within his wyrd heart. ¡®I guess that¡¯s it then. I failed to clear the energy away and now I¡¯ll either become undead or the actual undead will kill me. Maybe if I stay here, I won¡¯t feel it.¡¯ He felt a kind of peace come over him as he accepted his fate. ¡®I was living on borrowed time anyway. Maybe there¡¯s some way I can explode my wyrd heart. Maybe I can kill myself before they get the chance¡­¡¯ Looking to the rune engraved on the wall of the core, he sighed. ¡®I guess this was as far as I could go this time.¡¯ Verdant wasn¡¯t sure how to do what he had in mind, but he figured the energy in the bottom of the basin should be enough to do something if he tried to use it. He willed all the liquid up into a single mass When the last of it left the bottom of his wyrd heart, he started trying to condense it all down with his will. Slowly it shrank as he mentally squeezed the dense liquid. Smaller and smaller, the liquid condensed further, becoming thicker until a core was formed, as large as his head. In that moment he felt something else. Something familiar. He had felt it before but couldn¡¯t quite remember where. He¡¯d felt it every time he¡¯d come into this space, just now that the liquid was condensed, he felt it much stronger than ever before.
System Prompt
You have condensed a fragment of divinity aligned with your lineage and combined it with the Hugr of your Wyrd Heart. Altering it in an unpredictable manner. Would you like to consume this fragment to empower you Bloodline? YES? NO?
¡®Wait¡­ I never absorbed it. I never decided with the prompt; I got caught up with Bolva and forgot about it! Is this where it was stored? In this ¡®Hugr¡¯?¡¯ He reached out and touched the glowing orb. Electricity jumped from his fingers to its surface as he caressed the orb. ¡®Yes.¡¯ Verdant watched as the orb left his reach, losing its shape before exiting through the membrane of his core. He felt it the instant the power touched his channels. Agony ripped through every aspect of his being as the power seared through all his channels. Then, he felt it through his physical circulatory system, running from the veins in his flesh, back through his body and to his heart. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. He felt a small explosion as the energy entered his primary vascular organ. Then it began. His core glowed with a golden light, the walls began to spin, the rune engraved their speeding up until it became a continuous line of blue around the edge. Black, corrupted energy entered his core, pouring through the membrane. Before it could damage his core, golden light fell from the walls and entered the liquid. Black energy disintegrated, leaving behind untainted golden liquid, slowly filling his basin once more. Blue and red vapour poured from the liquid as it swirled and out into his body kicking up his regeneration and pulling more corruption from his body. Within seconds all of the putrid, stagnant energy had been scoured from his channels and his wyrd heart was more full than ever before. The glorious horns of the Aesir sound and golden screens before him, one after another.
System Prompt
Through the partial absorption of a divine spark aligned with your blood line and infused with your personal Hugr your lineage has been stimulated and restored your resources and cleansed all contaminants in your body. Other changes may occur as your body continues to absorb the spark within you.
Skill Unlocked!
Corruption Resistance (Bloodline Unique) 0 > 10
Your bloodline has awakened in defiance of decay. The impurities within you have been forcibly expelled, reinforcing your soul¡¯s natural resilience against all that would taint it.
Tier 0 ¨C Beginner Proficiency Bonus (0-10) Beginner Tier Complete: +15 Vitality +15 Wisdom.
  • (Passive) Resistance to Corrupting Forces ¨C Reduces the effectiveness of corruption-based effects by 5% per level. (Current 50% at Tier 0 Completion).
  • (Passive) Purging Resilience ¨C If afflicted by Corruption, your body will instinctively attempt to cleanse itself, increasing Wyrd Circulation speed by 25% while resisting.
  • (Passive) Touched but Untainted ¨C Reduces lingering effects of soul corruption and prevents permanent degradation at resistance 50% or higher.
Your Aesir Heritage resists the influence of Corruption Magics. Continued exposure may lead to further awakenings¡­
Skill Unlocked!
Death Resistance (Bloodline Unique) 0 > 10
Your soul does not yield. Death¡¯s grip has tried and failed to claim you. Through sheer will and divine bloodline resonance, you have denied the creeping grasp of annihilation.
Tier 0 ¨C Beginner Proficiency Bonus (0-10) Beginner Tier Complete: +15 Vitality +15 Strength.
  • (Passive) Defiance of the Grave ¨C Reduces the effectiveness of death-based abilities, necrotic energy, and soul-draining effects by 5% per level. (Current 50%).
  • (Passive) Soul Integrity ¨C Your Wyrd Core now instinctively fights back against soul-seizing effects, reducing their duration and potency. If resistance is high enough, some effects may be outright negated.
  • (Passive) Echo of the Fallen ¨C If struck by a fatal soul-reaping effect, you may delay its full impact for 1 second per level. (Potential survival window: 10 seconds).
Your Aesir Heritage resists the influence of Death Magics. Continued exposure may lead to further awakenings¡­
Verdant smiled, ¡®Looks like Eirikr is still looking out for me, huh? I¡¯m bloody happy I didn¡¯t use this thing earlier.¡¯ He willed his consciousness back to his fallen form in the real world and was pleased to find that his body would respond to his commands once more. Rolling over, he got to his feet and looked at the approaching army. ¡®Huh, they actually did stop.¡¯ Looking to the frontline, he saw the fleshy trolls standing in the front, blocking his sight of most of the army. ¡®I might have my energy back, but that doesn¡¯t change the fact that I just used almost everything I had and only killed a few of the lesser undead over there¡­ How am I going to beat them? And where the hell is the prick that threw that fireball at me?¡¯ ¡°So, you are still among the living. That is unfortunate.¡± Verdant looked toward the voice and shook as an instinctive terror ripped through his body. The rotting trolls parted and from between them came a figure wrapped in robes woven from shadow, their tattered edges dissolving into the air like mist. Its skeletal hands, blackened by void energy, burned with violet fire. A deep, slow pulse of magic radiated from it, like the world itself was resisting its very presence.
? Reithr [Void Lich] (Boss) ¨C Level ??? {Voidborn}?
Skill level too low. Information Unavailable.
Primary Abilities
  • Voidflame Surge ¨C Hurls a condensed sphere of voidfire, consuming mana and vitality alike. Burns beyond the physical, searing the soul itself.
  • Shackles of the Unmade ¨C Unleashes spectral chains that latch onto the wyrd of its prey, suppressing abilities and draining resistance over time.
  • ???
  • ???
  • ???
A creature like this should not be. You stand at the threshold of oblivion.
¡®Ah¡­ there it is. Great, a friggin¡¯ boss.¡¯ Unease niggled at his resolve. ¡°You would defy me? The great and powerful Reithr? I have been freed after millennia and all that stands between me and my quest is you, flesh bag. You stand alone. There are none who fight with you and yet you would face me and my horde. Are you dull, or has madness taken your mind?¡± Verdant was shaken from his ruminations when the Lich spoke. Looking at the creature he felt despair, but he could not help but feel a measure of determination. ¡°Yeah. I am alone, and I will probably die here to your monsters. But you can be damn sure that I will give everything I have to send your boney arse back to whatever rotting pic your crawled out of. Count on it!¡¯ Grasping his weapon with both hands, Verdant charged across the field. Summing his shield to his left arm he protected his body from attack. The lich simply looked on, watching him approach. When Verdant got within thirty metres of the horde Reithr raised his hands, dark flames condensed in a ball between them. He stopped in place, preparing for an attack, flaring his electricity out to create a protective barrier. The fireball left the lich¡¯s hands and approached at a blinding pace. Verdant barely had time to get his head behind the shield when the spell impacted, exploding in a conflagration of oily black flame. He was thrown from his feet, flying through the air for several meters before landing on his back. Gasping for air, he struggled to his feet. ¡®I can¡¯t block those spells head on, let¡¯s be honest, the lich¡¯s level has to be well above my own, why else would it have returned question marks?¡¯ ¡®Use us oh lord. We await your call. Use us!¡¯ A legion of voices spoke in unison in his mind. ¡®What the fuck is that?¡¯ ¡®Use us! You have freed us from servitude, now we will fight for you.¡¯ Verdant felt the pouch on his hip begin to vibrate. He touched it and a pile of crystals fell out onto the ground. ¡®The soul fragments? Why have they come out?¡¯ Looking to the maelstrom of souls above him, and finally, he understood. ¡®YES! USE US!¡¯ While Verdant now understood what was being asked of him, he had no idea where to begin. He felt for that feeling within him, that guided his journey and told him things sometimes. He focussed intently trying to feel anything, begging it for help.
? System Notification ?
Bloodline Stimulation Detected! Divine Resonance Active... Parsing Lineage... Validating Connection...
? New Trait Unlocked! ?
Frigga¡¯s Insight (Bloodline-Unique)
The all-seeing, all-knowing mother of the Aesir watches over her own. A fragment of her wisdom flows through your blood, manifesting as instinct beyond mere thought.
Trait Effects: ¡¤ The Guiding Hand ¨C Your intuition sharpens, leading you toward hidden truths, lost relics, and the unseen paths forward. ¡¤ Fate''s Subtle Whispers ¨C Grants an innate sense of danger, opportunity, and deception, even beyond conscious awareness.
The threads of wyrd weave ever onward. You are both bound and weaver alike.
¡®So this is what has been guiding me, It¡¯s nice to know it¡¯s a part of me and not some external influence messing with me.¡¯ Verdant was alarmed as his body moved by itself. Raising his left hand, he felt power well up within him. It was different to his usual energy somehow, almost primordial. A resonant sound echoed from his throat creating words that were strange and unfamiliar to him. R¨ªs, ¨® v¨ªkingar, bundnir af ?rl?g, Rentr fr¨¢ l¨ªfi, en innsiglaeir ¨ª hatr. Keejur harmar, b?ndur meinans, Brokkie n¨² ¡ª standie enn ¨¢ ny!
Skill Unlocked! 0 > Undefined
Call of The Valorous [???] (Bloodline- ?????)
A skill reserved for the ???? alone, granting the right to summon the fallen warriors of ages past. The ???? ?????heed your call, [REDACTED]
Alert!
This skill is beyond your state of being. Can not pay required energy cost. Searching for alternative. Alternative found. Pay the cost with partially integrated Divine Spark(87%)? YES? NO?
Yes Verdant. Pay the cost. There will be other opportunities.
He mentally confirmed the prompt and felt a terrible pain in his body and soul as something that had recently become a fundamental part of him was ripped away before it could fully settle. Golden light poured from his mouth and eyes, forming a familiar orb, it floated in place for a moment before ascending at great speed and disappearing into the maelstrom above. The vortex stilled and the howling stopped. Golden light peeked through the clouds above. Then it began. Souls fell by the hundreds like rain from the sky above. The crystals at his feet rose up into the air before meeting the souls halfway. There the crystals took on the glowing masses and changed, they became clear and lustrous like the finest cut diamonds before glowing forms erupted from their surfaces and fell the rest of the way to the ground. Before him stood three hundred and fifty glowing forms. They were once shambling skeletons draped in tattered armour, wielding rusted weapons. No longer corrupted, they now stood whole once more. Proud Raeskir, all standing at least two meters tall. Armour and weapons gleamed with a polished shine, glowing with an ethereal golden light. Four souls were the last to fall as the twisting vortex above dissipated. Eirikr and Rimulf the champion and the berserker formed by his left side. Freyja and Aesgir the mage and the assassin stood by his right. The legion before him turned, as one, facing the enemy and slammed their fists against their chests bellowing a cry. One filled with pent up emotion, rage at their imprisonment and joy at finally being freed. BK. I CH. XVIII - The Dead Rain Verdant was shocked to see hundreds of semi-corporeal soldiers solidifying before him. Whatever power had awoken inside him, he had never expected it to do anything close to this. ¡®I am still outnumbered, but maybe with these soldiers, I¡¯ll stand a chance.¡¯ He looked to the elites on either side of him and grinned. ¡®Now these guys are real warriors.¡¯ Turning to face the champion of thunder, Verdant assessed the big man, giving him a once over. He was tall and exceedingly well built, faintly glowing flesh now sheathed his skeleton, with messy braids falling over his shoulders. His bearded face hinted at a man in the prime of his life. He was intimidating, the very model of authority. ¡°Eirikr, I am not a leader, these are your men. What I need is a distraction, force their mages on the defensive and waste their mana. I need to do something about those trolls before they can destroy our front line.¡± The big man nodded his agreement, ¡°Very well, descendant. Do what you must, I will give you the time you need.¡¯ Looking to the berserker next, Verdant gaped at the towering humanoid. Rimulf was a Jotnar, towering well over any present. If Eirikr was built like a powerlifter from Earth, then Rimulf made him look like a child in size and stature. Black ink swirled across his body, marking him in a way that made Verdant¡¯s blood sing. ¡°You¡¯re with me supporting the troops until we can get in close to deal with those trolls.¡± Not waiting for a response, he turned to the right looking for Freyja next. Only to find her deeply within his personal space. ¡°Boo!¡± Verdant jumped back in shock, reaching for his weapon. Freyja laughed out loud, ¡°Excellent, you¡¯ve got good reflexes.¡± She stepped closer to Verdant, too close for polite company, mirth etched clearly on her face. ¡°Don¡¯t take life so seriously! Nobody makes it out alive!¡± Her blonde hair fell across her elfin features, winking playfully, as she pushed him lightly. ¡°Thanks for the save there, I didn¡¯t know how much longer I could hold out against that bastard.¡± A light blush warmed her cheeks, fingers placed lightly on his forearm. She continued in a softer tone. ¡°Thank you for what you said Verdant, I was afraid. I can¡¯t say how much it meant to me that you treated me with such respect in my passing.¡± Verdant was shocked. He had been in turmoil over killing this woman, even though it had been her wish. Her words now were a balm to his aching soul. ¡°You are welcome, I just tried to do for you what I hope someone would do for my daughter or sister in their passing.¡± Freyja¡¯s soft smile hardened somewhat; the tender moment had passed. ¡°Okay, where do you want me? I can¡¯t do much wide area stuff while their mages are still using shields, but neither can they as long as I¡¯m here.¡± Recovering from the unexpected interaction with Freyja, Verdant refocussed back on his plan. ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d be able to protect our men from the lich and their mages. That seems to be within your skill set at least. When we take out their mages, I need you to drop everything you have. Take them all out, then support us with the boss.¡± Taking a breath, he prepared to address the assassin next. Looking to the spot where he was, he was surprised to see a whisp of darkness fading on the air. Freyja sighed before speaking, ¡°Aesgir doesn¡¯t talk much. But he will have listened. Don¡¯t be surprised if you see some of those mages dropping very shortly or if suddenly your target is already dead. He was a well-known kill stealer in our cohort.¡± She raised her hand and pointed toward a volley of oncoming magic. In a flash of blue light, a series of runic sigils ignited, forming a shimmering wall of energy in front of their force. Enemy spells slammed into it, scattering like waves against a cliff. Freyja chuckled darkly. ¡°My, we are impatient.¡± Lowering her arm, she turned to Verdant with a knowing smile. ¡°Are you ready to go, then? We¡¯ve got a plan¡ªjust say the word.¡± Then, glancing toward her old teammates, her grin turned wicked. ¡°Last one to land a hit on the lich pays for drinks.¡± Eirikr and Rimulf tensed. They weren¡¯t laughing. They were taking the proposition seriously. The champion of thunder huffed, rolling his shoulders before quipping back at the cheeky mage. ¡°If you even land a hit on that bastard, I¡¯ll buy your drinks for a year. You know as well as I do¡ªhis mana barrier eats magic for breakfast.¡± Verdant watched them, fascinated. Even in the face of overwhelming odds, these warriors bantered like old friends at a tavern. ¡®They must have been close.¡¯ Grasping Frost Breaker, Verdant exhaled slowly, grounding himself. He looked toward the enemy line. The lich stared back at him; its eye sockets glowed with an unnatural light. Raising his weapon above his head he called out. ¡°Move forward in formation, stay on¡­¡± A gruff voice interjected from his left side. ¡°Hold men.¡± Eirikr approached raising his hands in apology. ¡°Before we engage, descendant. If you have any outstanding notifications, you should accept them all now. Skill levels and achievements will not apply until you accept them. We should go into this as strong as possible.¡± Verdant dismissed his first instinct to be upset with Eirikr for interrupting him and silently acknowledged the man¡¯s suggestion by nodding his head. Lowering his arm, he willed his notifications to appear as a summary.
Summary of Notifications
Combat Summary
15 x Rattling Dead [Ash-born Elementalist] level 25{Corrupted} Slain Rimulf [Ragehowl Berserker] Level 32 [Elite]{Corrupted} Slain Aesgir [Shadowcaller Assassin] Level 32 [Elite]{Corrupted} Slain Freyja [Stormflame Magi] Level 32 [Elite] {Corrupted} Slain 14,740XPs +20% Hubris¡¯ Folly bonus. Total XPs = 17,688XPs
Loot Summary
15 x Small Aether Crystal {Corrupted}(Common) 15 x Raeskir Soul Fragment {Corrupted}(Uncommon) 3 x Large Aether Crystal {Corrupted}(Rare) 1 x Rimulf¡¯s Soul Fragment {Corrupted}(Epic) 1 x Aesgir¡¯s Soul Fragment {Corrupted}(Epic) 1 x Freyja¡¯s Soul Fragment {Corrupted}(Epic) As this is an active quest scenario, currency rewards will be assigned upon its successful completion.
Skill Summary
Assess(C) ¨C 7 > 8 Target Weakness(R) ¨C 7 > 9 Bloods Wrath(B-U) ¨C 7 > 8 Stormbound Spark (B-U) ¨C 15 > 19 Weapon Mastery: Warpick(UC) ¨C 9 > 11 Piercing Resistance(C) ¨C 1 > 2
Summary Complete
Access System log at any time to view old notifications at your leisure.
¡®It seems like the items that have been used since I got these notifications are indicated with a line through them, nice to know.¡¯ He opened the next notification and whispered a silent prayer to the dead gods that it wasn¡¯t another fifty points to all attributes.
Achievement Earned: Hero Slayer III (Mythic)
You have defeated 3 [Elite] named enemies whose level exceeded your own by 30+
+40 Free Attribute Points +70% Free Efficiency Enemies of equal level or lower cannot inflict Fear upon you. [Elite]¡¯s hesitate in their attacks when facing you (5% chance per hit to slow their reaction time).
Some call it fate. Others call it a mistake. Either way, you¡¯re still standing.
¡®Okay, I can work with that.¡¯ Looked to his status screen and did some math quickly. ¡®I¡¯ll bring wisdom and intelligence up to fifty percent efficiency and put the remaining thirty percent in dexterity¡­ then I¡¯ll put all forty free points in intelligence.¡¯ He still held hope that there would be achievements for reaching one thousand points in a stat while at level zero. ¡®Gained almost two thousand mana on my cap but it won¡¯t do me any good now. Fuck.¡¯ He dismissed his status screen after confirming the changes and opened the last notification.
Weapon Mastery: Warpick (Uncommon) 11 Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.
Your affinity for the warpick has awakened, granting you enhanced precision and control over this versatile weapon. With every swing and strike, your understanding grows, honing your ability to wield the warpick with devastating efficiency.
Tier Zero 1-10 (Completion Bonus - +10 Dexterity) ¡¤ Damage Bonus: +5% per level to all attacks with a warpick. (Max +50%) ¡¤ Improved Handling: Slightly reduces stamina cost for each attack and increases recovery speed after a missed strike. Tier One 11-20 ¡¤ Critical Strike Chance: +3% per level when targeting vital areas. ¡¤ Dextrous Handling: Moderately reduces stamina cost for each attack and increases recovery speed after a missed strike.
Every strike hones the edge of skill; every swing bends the will of the storm to your hand.
There were no more notifications for Verdant to accept and he looked back Eirikr. He raised his eyebrows at the big man, seeking approval to command the men now. In return he received a slight nod. Verdant, raised Frost Breaker and cleared his throat. ¡°Move forward in formation, stay on Eirikr and hold their line steady.¡± A battle cry rose from the three hundred troops, the front row made up of villagers began to move in, their shield wall supported by the more experienced soldiers in the second row while the archers loosed a volley from the third. In the rear were fifteen mages who all moved to form on Freyja and follow her commands. Eirikr took up a position directly behind the spear wielding shield wall calling commands to the formation as they moved. Verdant looked to Freyja, ¡°Just support them where you can, if you see an opening drop hell on their heads.¡± She nodded before walking forwards with her mages, supporting the melee fighters. The bowmen approached at a slower pace, take aim and firing mana projectiles into the enemy troops. Most deflected ineffectually off the barriers, but some made it through, striking the undead. He strode forwards, shield in his left hand, Frost Breaker in his right. ¡°Rimulf, let¡¯s show these bastards what a real warrior can do.¡± &&& The formation moved across the field. Closing the distance between the two sides. Mana projectiles rained down on either side continuing to be deflected by mage barriers. As the two sides met, Eirikr threw his warpick striking the enemy barrier with a physical force, limned with electricity as lightning surged out from it. The barrier cracked, before swiftly repairing as the weapon returned to him. Verdant approached with Rimulf, the formation split on either side of them, allowing them through. He activated Bloods Wrath and felt within for his power before seizing it and charging up Frost Breaker with screaming plasma, using near twenty percent of his mana reserves. The barrier deformed as he, Rimulf and Eirikr all struck at the same time. A sound like shattering glass sounded through the field and Verdant was suddenly overwhelmed by the rotting stench and howls of the undead horde. ¡®What the hell? That shield broke a lot easier than I thought it would, with all the mana I used earlier I didn¡¯t even break through it, now this attack breaks through like it was made of glass¡­ Eirikr and Rimulf aren¡¯t that strong¡­ What is going on?¡¯ Deactivating Bloods Wrath he and Rimulf, broke a hole in the front line, crushing superior skeletons of various races under their weapons. They moved through the enemy formation, their targets stood towering over the rest. Like a beacon for their attacks. Verdant was startled a moment later as a howling sounded behind him, glancing over his shoulder, he saw dozens of flaming missiles making an arc over both formations heading towards his intended targets. One after another they struck home, blowing chunks of putrid flesh from the rotting trolls. They bellowed as each landed. Flames engulfed their figures from head to toe. Looking to the west, he searched for the mages he thought would be shielding the trolls and was surprised to see Aesgir bouncing between them, striking out with kicks and the hilts of his knives. ¡®Fuck me. They¡¯re not playing around, huh?¡¯ Verdant continued to fend off the ineffectual strikes of the superior undead as he turned back to the trolls, just as the last flaming projectile struck the larger of the two in the head. It snapped back with astounding force before flying from the creature¡¯s shoulders and bouncing across the crater around it, still smoking. He watched on as the enormous body continued flailing its enormous limbs in long sweeping motions, sending more than a few of its allies flying in all directions. ¡®Why isn¡¯t it dying¡­ it even looks like it¡¯s healing. What the fuck are we dealing with here?¡¯ ¡°Rimulf! Why is the troll still alive, its bloody head is gone!¡± Between swings of his axe, Rimulf barked out a laugh, his voice a deep baritone laced with barely contained rage. ¡°Abominations are different. The lich empowers them. Focus crystal. Somewhere inside.¡± Verdant sidestepped a heavy blow from an undead swordsman, retaliating with a quick arc of Frost Breaker. ¡°A crystal? Freyja blew its head clean off! Where the fuck else would it be?¡± Rimulf grunted, hurling his axe into a hulking undead before ripping another in half with his bare hands. He bellowed his rage into the storm above, then turned and drove his fist straight through another enemy¡¯s skull. ¡°Use your fucking head,¡± he growled. ¡°Did you see the skull itself get destroyed?¡± Verdant¡¯s breath caught. His gaze flickered to the scorched mound of flesh, smouldering in the grass beyond the battlefield. ¡®Wait¡­ The severed head. It¡¯s still intact.¡¯ Breaking from the melee, he ran over to the grotesque lump on the ground. Milky eyes swivelled to look at him as its maw chomped at open air, trying to get to the warm flesh within arm¡¯s reach. Unfortunately¡­ it had no arms to reach with. Jumping from a distance, Verdant brought his warpick down in an overhead swing, splitting the troll¡¯s head like an overripe melon. Grey matter, riddled with maggots exploded from the impact. He landed and gagged as the scent of putrid flesh hit his nostrils; keeling over with his hands on his knees, he emptied the contents of his stomach on the ground. He recovered moments later, looking back to the troll¡¯s skull; flesh and gore slid across the grass, like leeches drawn to a warm body. ¡®Fuck, it¡¯s still healing!¡¯ Stepping over to the ruined mess, Verdant looked for any sign of a crystal in the exposed brain cavity. ¡®Where is it? It¡¯s got to be here!¡¯ Frost Breaker warmed in his hand as electricity shot up his right arm, it seemed impatient. For just a moment, he forgot what kind of world he was in and what kind of power he had at his disposal. Grabbing the now familiar power within him, he channelled his energy down his arm and focussed it through his weapon, discharging a bolt into the opening at point blank range. He smiled as a notification informed him of his kill. A ground-shaking thud echoed from behind him as he turned to see the, now fallen, body of the properly deceased troll. Looting the creature, it exploded in a massive cloud of black dust. Verdant spat some of the dust from his mouth and searched for the second troll. He saw it at the other end of the formation trying stop Aesgir from killing the undead mages. ¡®Wait where is the lich, I don¡¯t see it anywhere. Did it leave?¡¯ He ran towards the back of the enemy formation. ¡°Rimulf, the crystal is in the head. I¡¯m going to take the other one down. Help Eirikr with the rabble.¡± Keeping his distance, Verdant ran past dozens of undead before he came to a sudden stop. Not one of the enemy soldiers had turned to face him. ¡®The mages are busy with Aesgir, Freyja already proved that. What if I let loose right here.¡¯ He felt for his power within, his resource bar indicated that he still had around¡­ fifty percent of his mana remaining. ¡®Right yeah, a bunch of my mana hasn¡¯t recovered because of the new cap.¡¯ He circulated the energy, running it through his heart and directing it to his weapon. Then, he remembered the destruction he had wrought with his lightning. The massive crater in the field. ¡®I would kill my own soldiers, not just undead puppets but true resurrected individuals. Eirikr and Rimulf would get caught up in it, Aesgir could probably get away¡­ I can¡¯t throw them away like that. That¡¯s not who I am.¡¯ Letting go of his power, it settled back into his body, ready to be called on at a more appropriate time. ¡®You gave them all targets for a reason, now do what you said you would and take out that troll.¡¯ He swore under his breath before continuing towards the monstrosity. He was sorely tempted to strike out at the exposed backs of the undead, but knew that in doing so, he would be dragged back into the melee and had no way of knowing how long it would take to fight his way out again. As he drew closer to the troll, Verdant saw several robed undead scattered across the area, standing in place. He could hear muttered words from them and saw evidence of their spell casting in flashes of light or magical projectiles leaving their hands. These were a target he could engage without risk of being drawn in and he did so with pleasure. Activating Bloods Wrath, he felt his muscles swell and his speed almost triple as he moved in a whirlwind of motion from one mage to the next, striking out with Frost Breaker over and over. Each strike was followed by a welcome chime, confirming the death of the undead nuisance. ¡®Why wait for them to run out of mana when I can crush their skulls into powder.¡¯ The enemies were so vulnerable he didn¡¯t need to use any skills to support his attacks, they simply fell under his blows. Moments later he was surrounded by a fine cloud of black dust as he looted the remains of his fallen foes. As the dust cleared, he looked to the troll, Aesgir was there, assaulting the troll launching a series of attacks inflicting damage before flipping away or disappearing into shadows. He had done well in keeping its attention until now. But it was clear that he lacked the stopping power required to overcome the monstrous regeneration of the creature. Verdant sprinted towards the fighters, unhindered by combat, now that the undead had been cleared from the vicinity. Activating Target Weakness, it clearly marked the crystal within the troll¡¯s head as a reddish halo around the target. ¡®Huh, I guess it remembers where the last one was¡­ How am I going to get up that high though? I don¡¯t have the same level of mobility as Aesgir¡­¡¯ He thought through his options as he got closer, when he was struck with a realisation. ¡®If I can¡¯t climb the fucker, then I¡¯ll just have to chop it down to a more manageable height.¡¯ As he entered striking distance, Verdant waited for the creature to turn away from him, following Aesgir, before lunging and striking the beast in the knee with the flat of his weapon, Bloods Wrath empowered his strike as a resounding crack was heard and bone splintered, protruding from the corpulent flesh. The beast howled, not in pain but in outrage that one so small would dare strike him so effectively. It spun its long arms in a wide arc, sweeping low and connecting with Verdant¡¯s side. As the blow landed, he braced against it. The troll¡¯s clubbed hand smashed into his ribs with brutal force. Verdant felt bones creak as he was hurled backward, the wind torn from his lungs. He crashed into the skeletal horde like a wrecking ball, pulverizing several before skidding to a painful stop. He rolled off the crushed forms of the skeletons beneath him and got to his feet. Looking over to the troll, it appeared that Aesgir had re-engaged the beast, preventing it from pursuing him while he was in such a vulnerable state. His assessment of the taciturn hero increased by several notches in that moment. Striking down a couple of opportunistic enemies that had moved to attack him, he broke from the formation once more and closed the distance between them. ¡®Damn, that one hit took almost a thousand health out of my pool. I can¡¯t afford to tank hits like that.¡¯ He looked away from his depleted health bar and continued towards the battle. He noted that the troll¡¯s leg was still broken, though as he looked on, the protruding bones sunk beneath rotting flesh as its regeneration demonstrated its famed qualities. ¡®That regen¡¯s insane. Freyja¡¯s fire slowed it down before¡­ Maybe lightning will, too.¡¯ He called on the power in his wyrd heart, eager to find out. Channelling ten percent of his remaining mana to Frost Breaker, he felt it as it began to hum with power; electricity arced across the surface. Verdant called out to Aesgir, ¡°Get it to turn away, I¡¯ve got a plan!¡± Aesgir landed out of a backflip after his latest strike, looking to Verdant he nodded, before disappearing in a puff of dark smoke, only to appear a moment later on the back of the trolls neck, a wicked foot-long blade in each hand, before plunging them to the hilt into either side of the troll¡¯s head; retrieving them from their rotting holsters, Aesgir flicked fetid blood and gore from his blades. He jumped off the creature¡¯s shoulders, landing lightly on the ground, before running away activating the glitching movement technique he had used against Verdant so many hours ago. The troll followed in a great lumbering gait, incensed by the assassin¡¯s brazen attack against its sensory organs. Verdant watched as Aesgir fled, blades slick with gore. The assassin didn¡¯t look back; he didn¡¯t need to. He¡¯d done his part. Now it was Verdant¡¯s turn. Feeling the mana in his weapon reach a crescendo, Verdant launched towards the troll. His Bloods Wrath skill coursed through his body in preparation for his strike. Closing the gap in a bare few moments, he heaved Frost Breaker in a two-handed swing, aiming to strike the recently healed knee he¡¯d crippled earlier. On impact Verdant released all his pent-up mana amplifying the already considerable force of his strike. A deep resounding crack sounded out from the tower of rotting flesh as it gave way under the power of the strike, separating flesh and shattering the bones beyond all recognition. He looked on in satisfaction as the beast continued in its pursuit of Aesgir, lifting the damaged leg and placing it down before it gave way and the creature, weighing several tonnes, fell to the ground with a thunderous quake. Running to the fallen troll, Verdant noted that his magic had burnt deep glowing gouges in the flesh of its leg, and it did indeed appear to be slowing his foe¡¯s natural healing. Seizing the opportunity, he mounted the fallen abomination, running along its body before raising the spiked side of his pick. Frost Breaker hovered mid-air, mana thrumming along its length, when the troll¡¯s eye swiveled toward him; just in time to see the spike plunge down. The skull split like wet bark, lightning pouring into the cavity. Black smoke billowed and its eyes popped as electricity arced from every orifice; unearthly shrieks left its rotting maw for a time, like nails hammering into his hears, then¡­ silence. A moment later a chime sounded and Verdant confirmed the death of the second troll. ¡°DOWN NOW!¡±