《MOUSE-USER DUNGEON: The Druid of Briarfield [80s MUD Inspired LitRPG]》


 01. Enter the Multi-User Dungeon

    In the spring of 1984, I lost my grandfather to a video game. Of course, I didn¡¯t know that when the Middleton police questioned me about his disappearance. Twenty-one days. That¡¯s how long it had been since anyone had seen him. I was away at college finishing my thesis on agricultural development in the Midwest. My schedule was filled with study sessions, group meetings, and library visits. Lots and lots of library visits. The quiet, book-filled walkways made me feel uncomfortable. The silence had become all I knew for those three weeks. A silence that sunk deeper when I realized my grandfather hadn¡¯t checked in on me in some time.


    I¡¯ve lived with my grandfather, Conrad Forester since I was seven years old. Having lost both of my parents in a car accident. They had been driving to visit Mount Blue Sky when an awful rainstorm cut through Colorado. They skid down sixty feet of asphalt before a low stone railing stopped them dead, but their car didn¡¯t get the memo and rolled down the hill another three hundred feet. Paramedics on sight said the initial crash with the blockade was what killed them. Even if it hadn¡¯t, they wouldn¡¯t have survived the latter half of the trip. In a single weekend, they were gone, and I moved to northern Montana the day after the funeral. My grandfather picked me up in his old 71¡¯ Buick Centurion. I distinctly remember its rusty mustard paint job and the missing headlight pulling up on a rainy day. Why does it always rain at funerals? In movies and books, there is always rain on tough days. My mom used to tell me it was God weeping with us. Well, he must have been sad on the day of their funeral because it was down pouring. Since then, I haven¡¯t enjoyed the sound of rain or long drives up the canyon.


    It was raining the day Officer Reynolds had contacted the school office and called me out of class. ¡°Mr.Forester, thank you for coming. Can we have a minute to talk?¡± I nodded and followed him quietly into an adjacent room to the front office. The rain continued to fall the entire time Officer Reynolds told me that my grandfather hadn¡¯t been seen in almost three weeks. It rained when Officer Reynolds finished his questioning, gave me his contact information then left. It rained when I walked out to my car, struggled with the ignition, and turned down Pike Ave. And it rained the whole drive back home. Three hours through the wide fields of Montana. Three hours of endless rain and deep gray clouds. Three hours of dread-filled thoughts.


    Where was he? When did I see him last?He was as healthy as a steer on breeding day, is what he told me let last time we were together. Was that the last time?No don¡¯t think like that. He¡¯s probably still stuck playing games on that new computer of his. My thoughts cycled through every possible scenario I could think of. The voice in my head was so loud it hadn¡¯t occurred to me to turn on the radio. I spent the entire drive home listening to nothing. My only company was endless rain and endless thoughts.


    I arrived back at my teenage home roughly an hour after sunset. The drive into Middleton had been brushed in a light drizzle. The downpour slowed as soon as the lights of the valley came into view. I drove past the town gas station/liquor store, Benny¡¯s. Its bright red open sign continued to flash as if it was on its last legs. Memories of my grandfather buying me a cream soda and chocolate bar while he hefted a twelve-pack and an old hotdog, brought a smile to my face.


    My grandfather returned to the workforce after he took me in. His retirement benefits from the army didn¡¯t exactly help cover the cost of a teenager. He began working at the local lumberyard as a team supervisor. He said he got lucky he didn¡¯t have to be out in the woods cutting down trees because his back would give out in one swing. Instead, he was in charge of hitting weekly quotas, filing distribution records, and all around drinking a cup of coffee in a long metal trailer stationed squarely in the middle of the yard.


    Those he worked with treated him like a father. He always had everyone¡¯s respect, and he respected everyone. His short-trimmed beard and bright blue eyes always caught everyone¡¯s attention and if they didn¡¯t then it was his wide brimmed fedora. People would refer to him as the retired Indiana Jones, but he would insist ¡°young Indy¡± copied it from him.


    Despite the old-styled clothing, the hunched shoulders, and the senior coffee breath, my grandfather had become fascinated with computers. Something about them stirred his imagination. As soon as he could afford one, he purchased his own home computer. From writing his own fantasy novels inspired by Tolkien to playing his role-playing games, Conrad Forester had become obsessed. ¡°A new world to explore!¡± He had shouted when the screen turned on for the first time.


    I wasn¡¯t much of a computer guy let alone someone who would sit for hours playing video games. I enjoyed being out in the woods something I think grew inside of me when I would visit my grandfather at work. I¡¯d get the chance to go out with the deforesting team and witness them cut down the trees. Something about being out in the woods and hearing songbirds and crackling pine always fascinated me. I decided to put that into a career and study agriculture. Logging was diminishing in northern Montana and farmlands were expanding in the 80s. I figured it would be the best of both worlds.


    The front door to my old home was unlocked when I arrived. Officer Reynolds had been initially contacted by Sheriff Springfield about the disappearance. He also told him they had already searched his house for any clues about where he might have gone. With the house cleared he left it unlocked for me and said he would leave the keys on the kitchen counter. I found the keys right where Sheriff Springfield left them, on the stained plastic countertop between the broken coffee maker and an empty sink. I found that strange. The sink was never empty growing up. Neither of us liked to do dishes so they would pile up until finally we would both step up and work to clean the kitchen together. A task that we did to mainly keep the summer flies out. During the colder months, instead of cleaning up, we¡¯d order pizza and watch whatever the latest sci-fi movie was on the TV. He¡¯d fall asleep in his recliner, and I¡¯d quietly throw away our paper plates and napkins, store the pizza in the fridge, and retire to my room. Those nights were the best. I missed those nights.


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    The entire house was quiet and cold. The heat had been shut off and every light in the house was dark. At first, I thought that maybe the power company had turned off his electricity when the kitchen light didn¡¯t turn on. My worries went away when the family room light flickered to life. It gave off its familiar buzzing sound. It was missing something though. The sounds of my grandfather snoring. I went and sat on the flower-patterned couch and clicked the TV on. I wasn¡¯t planning on watching anything, but I didn¡¯t exactly know what I was doing there. Officer Reynolds said the Middleton Sheriff would explain everything to me in the morning down at the station. When I pressed him for further information all I got was the disappearance could be connected to other missing people in the surrounding regions. More than fifty people had disappeared in the last month alone.


    I couldn¡¯t sleep the night I returned home. I found a microwave meal in the freezer; beef and vegetables with a side of brown gravy. I popped it in, grabbed a beer from the fridge and when it was done, I sat on the couch and ate it while flicking through the channels. It was deep into the night when I heard it. A high-pitched sound coming from the basement. It was a noise I didn¡¯t recognize. I had memorized every creaking, groaning, and humming sound of the old house, and this was not one of them. It dinged again.


    I pushed open the basement door and tried the stairs light. Nothing happened. I searched for a flashlight and found one in a drawer in the kitchen and returned to the stairs. Before I switched on the flashlight, I caught sight of something glowing far below. A slowly pulsating green light. Every time the light faded; I could hear the beeping sound. I switched on the flashlight and made my way down.


    My grandfather¡¯s office was very warm compared to the rest of the house. It was stuffy and smelled of dust. There were cardboard boxes scattered everywhere and rolled up newspaper against the far wall. A deep alcoholic scent permeated the air with an underlying tone of rotten food. A strange thought came to me. What if I found my grandfather passed away at his computer desk? No, it was impossible. The police already searched the place. When I made the last step all I saw was an empty chair before a blank screen. I walked over to his desk and heard the beep sound again. It was coming from the computer tower. It was in sleep mode.


    I wiggled the mouse, and the screen came to life. I had to squint against the sudden brightness. I turned off the flashlight and sat down at his desk. I didn¡¯t know what I would find but something told me I could discover something on his computer about what might have happened to him. I pressed enter on the keyboard and the screen turned to show a place to enter login information. My grandfather¡¯s name was present in the center of the screen, and it was only asking for his password. I didn¡¯t know it. I¡¯d never used his computer before now.


    I started to search his desk drawers to see if I could find something when I noticed a sticky note on the side of the monitor. I pulled it off and saw, password: briarfield. I entered it in and the screen flashed to black then slowly expanded out to show his desktop. There was only one icon in the center of the screen. It was some sort of game. It had an icon of a spell book pierced by a sword with the name Phyrelia: MUD.


    I had never heard of the game before let alone why it was called a MUD though I had heard the term before back at college. Some of the other students in my department said something about a new MUD game that had come out recently and they were hoping to try it out. This may have been what they were talking about. Knowing my grandfather he¡¯d probably be one of the first people to try it. I felt a sudden heaviness in my chest as I thought about the stories my grandfather told me of his adventures in other games. I never really paid attention to what he said as I knew none of it was real. It was all fictional. He wasn¡¯t some grand wizard on an epic adventure or an all-powerful druid conjuring lightning from the skies. I should have listened more or even played them with him. Heaven knows he kept inviting me, but I never cared.


    I clicked on the game and was greeted with another login screen. This one was colorful, vibrant and decorated with swinging vines and animals standing like people all dressed in fantastical clothing. There was a raven firing an arrow from a curvy bow. An otter slinging a ball of fire into the sky and a mouse tending to a flower with hands glowing green. Across the center of the screen the title of the game was displayed in a large yellow font. PHYRELIA: Multi-User Dungeon.


    The account name box was filled in with a name I had never read before, Cornelius. That must have been the name my grandfather picked for his fantasy role-playing. I was never as creative as he was. I couldn¡¯t think of a cool name to save my life. He had always been the one with the childlike imagination. Something I figured I lost after the death of my parents. I entered the briarfieldpassword but was greeted with an error message in red letters. Wrong Password. Crap!


    I had no clue what this password could be. I tried looking around the computer and through the desk for any more sticky notes but besides a few empty beer cans, and a soiled paper plate, I found nothing. This was a waste of time. I don¡¯t know why I was even doing this. I stood to leave but caught sight of another set of words popping up under the login credentials. Create Account.I could have sworn the option to make an account wasn¡¯t there before. I sat back down and was about to click when I felt my eyes get heavy and my mind go foggy. I needed to get some sleep and not play some stupid video game. Before I could leave another set of words appeared. Hello Miles, do you want to play?


    All fatigue disappeared as I stared at the blinking words below the account creation option. How did the game know my name? How did it know I was here?Maybe it was a message my grandfather left for me. Maybe he was counting on me coming back home and sitting at his computer. This could be a clue as to where he had disappeared. I had to get the Sheriff here. He would want to know about this. The screen flashed suddenly and then went dark. A single line of text typed itself out on the center of the monitor. Do you want to find your grandfather? Then play the game.


    Someone was messaging me directly. Someone must have taken my grandfather and was taunting me. They had to have been monitoring the computer somehow. They were expecting me to show up. It could all be some kind of weird trap to kidnap me as well. However, if playing this game could give me any more information as to the whereabouts of my grandfather I had to take the chance. Besides what could someone do to me with a simple video game.


    I clicked on the Create Accounttext below the message and then everything went blank. There was no light. Not a single dim glow from the computer screen or tower. No ambient glow coming from the upstairs family room. There was only darkness. No, it wasn¡¯t darkness it was nothing. I couldn¡¯t feel my body, my breathing, my heartbeat. I was floating in a vast abyss of emptiness until the words emerged before me in bright green text.


    [Welcome to Phyrelia Adventurer!]

 02. The Races of Phyrelia

    Please enter the name you wish to go by.


    The words typed themselves across the black view in bright green text. Below the message was a white text box with a flashing underline waiting to be filled in. I had no idea what was going on. Was I in the game now? Was this some new Virtual Reality system without a headset? I heard something about certain advanced VRs being worked on but always thought it was more of a joke than anything. Maybe I was asleep, and this was all a strange dream. That¡¯s what it had to be. I had fallen asleep on the couch and was playing out a bizarre fiction in my head.


    I stared at the empty text box waiting to see if something else would happen. Nothing changed. I had no sense of time or sensation of reality while I floated in the empty void. My body was missing, there were no smells, and I couldn¡¯t even feel the air on my skin. Had I died at some point, and this was heaven? Ridiculous. There¡¯s no way heaven was some text-based role-playing game.


    I tried to reach out and feel for the keyboard I knew was sitting squarely on my grandfather¡¯s desk. Yet, despite my efforts, I felt nothing. An underlying sense of anxiety started to grow in my chest. I felt trapped in a coffin, paralyzed and unable to move. It was terrifying. This wasn¡¯t heaven, this was hell.


    Please enter the name you wish to go by.


    The words rewrote themselves in the black void and the text box flashed three times. I wanted to scream at the words. Ask it how I would enter a name without a keyboard. How did the game expect me to enter a name if I had no way to type it out? I tried to speak and demand some answers, but there was no sound. I didn¡¯t even know if I had a mouth anymore. Was I trapped forever to stare at these words and this abyss of anxiety?


    I closed my eyes and took a moment to focus on my chest. I tried to calm my racing heart and push away the dread flooding my body. It took a moment, but I was finally able to calm down enough to reopen my eyes and try something else. I put my focus on the empty text box and told it my name.


    Welcome Miles Forester! Please choose your race. If you would like to know more about each race, feel free to ask. Please take your time on this decision as you will not be able to change it once you enter the world of Phyrelia.


    A long list of strange names popped up in the air. A total of ten different races and I didn¡¯t recognize any of them. I had never read a fantasy book in my entire life. Most fictional stories and worlds I knew about were the late-night sci-fi shows I occasionally watched with my grandpa. I never paid attention to the different alien species as it seemed they always introduced a new one each week. It was hard to keep track of them all, so I never bothered to remember them. I decided to focus my mind on asking for help. Immediately each of the races expanded with a single paragraph of information and details on skills and lore.


    Blackwings: The people of Crowsong Isles are a strong-willed race known for their distinguished black feathers and sharp beaks. Not the friendliest of folk but what they lack in social skills they make up for with iron bonds and unbreakable oaths. A friendship with a Blackwing is not filled with laughter but trust. If you find yourself lucky to be one¡¯s friend, you will find that friendship to be true to the end. They are proficient in aerial combat and have a keen understanding of others¡¯ real intentions. They have a 10-point increase to Insight and Ranged Combat.


    Racial Passive Selections: Storm Glide or Carrion Feaster.


    Riverpaws: Within the reed homes, built upon the gentle streams of Riverbend, live the Riverpaws. The most social of all the races of Phyrelia, the Riverpaws are charming, light-hearted individuals. With their sleek fur coats and long slender bodies, they are excellent swimmers and sailors. They never stay in one place long and find adventure to be their lifestyle of choice. They have a 10-point increase in Athletics and Persuasion.


    Racial Passive Selections: Deep Breath or Thick Fur.


    Brighteyes: The fieldfolk whose hearts belong to nature can be found playing their self-crafted instruments and singing delightful songs in the wide farmlands of Briarfield. Don¡¯t let their diminutive size, big round ears, and curly whiskers deceive you. What they lack in strength they make up for with courage and a cheerful outlook. They have a 10-point increase in Performance and Crafting.


    Racial Passive Selections: Whisker Sense or Swift Feet.


    Tenderbeaks: The white-feathered communities found hidden in the thick fogs of The Mistvale are considered by some to be prideful and arrogant. However, those who spend time with these elegant flyers come to find out that family and culture are at the center of their hearts. Their deep fervor for history and desire to uncover the hidden secrets of magic have led them to become renowned scholars and teachers. They have a 10-point increase to Arcana and Investigation.


    Racial Passive Selections: Home Bound or Long Memory.


    Darktails: Untrustworthy, devilish, and smiles full of jagged teeth are all common traits to those who serve the Irontail King of Duskspire Keep. Their loyalty is purchased with gold and friendships are won through battle. These skilled fighters, who know not when to quit, are an invaluable asset in any adventurer group as long as you keep one hand on your coin purse. They have a 10-point increase to Melee Combat and Thievery.


    Racial Passive Selections: Iron Teeth or Tail Grip.


    Shellbacks: The wise and ancient people of Brightwater take life one day at a time. Preferring to listen to the calm ocean breeze while eating richly flavored seafood over travel and adventure. They enjoy long peaceful lives in their sheltered communities. Though they aren¡¯t the most agile of warriors, few have ever cracked their thick shells and cut their scaly skin. They have a 10-point increase in Cooking and Foraging.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Racial Passive Selections: Sturdy Shell or Ancient Will.


    Sunscales: The nomadic tribes of the Sunflare Sands are skilled acrobats and potion makers. Famous for using every resource at their disposal to create unique tonics and poisons, as well as being known for their incredible acts of aerial stunts and gymnastics. They have long, scaly bodies and razor-sharp talons. Those who befriend a Suncale find laughter in abundance but may find their unrefined speech irritating over time. They have a 10-point increase to Alchemy and Acrobatics.


    Racial Passive Selections: Capillary Scales or Toxic Aversion.


    Springsteps: Confident to a fault and filled with curious hearts. The soft-furred, long-eared hoppers of The Greentides enjoy wide plains and great stories. The outgoing travelers are known for their extraordinary tales of bravery and cunning. They have a keen sense of direction and find the road to be a more comforting home than a soft bed behind safe doors. They have a 10-point increase in Navigation and History.


    Racial Passive Selections: High Leap or Radar Hearing.


    Bogdwellers: The wise swamp walkers of Elderfen are among the most skilled healers. Their deep understanding of disease, toxins, and medicine is unmatched and so is their strong connection to the wild things of the mires. They believe in being one with nature to the point that they wear vines, mud, and leaves upon their slimy, bumpy skin. Thick strong legs and whiplike tongues help them navigate the bogs with ease. They have a 10-point increase to Medicine and Animal Handling.


    Racial Passive Selections: Living Armor or Poison Glands.


    Nightflyers: Few citizens of the Twilight Hollows ever venture beyond the Greypeak Mountains. These leather-wing mammals prefer isolation and darkness while staying safe within their vast caves. Regardless of their environment, they have become renowned for their hunting and tracking skills. Able to use echolocation to hunt down any prey while also staying hidden in the deepest shadows. They have a 10-point increase in Stealth and Tracking.


    Racial Passive Selections: Blood Consumption or Echolocation.


    I felt a headache begin to rise from all the lore and game terminology suddenly bombarding my vision. I had no idea what half of these things meant or what would be a good choice to select. However, one option did stick out to me. The Brighteyes of Briarfield. Wherever this Briarfield was or is, it had to be important to my grandfather as it was the password he used for his computer. It could be a clue as to why he disappeared. It was the only connection I had between him and this game. Plus, this was just a game. The decision wouldn¡¯t matter much, could it? I wasn¡¯t planning on spending a lot of time delving into something I wasn¡¯t interested in. I only want to know what, if any, connections this Phyrelia: Multi-User Dungeon has with my grandpa going missing. I pushed my consciousness onto the Brighteyes option.


    Are you sure you would like to play as a Brighteyes? There is no going back once selected. This will also determine your starting location of Briarfield and give you increases to your Crafting and Performance skills. You also have the option to choose either Whisker Sense or Swift Feet for your Racial Passive. If you would like more information on any of these topics, please feel free to ask.


    I hesitated a moment. What did it mean there is no going back? That sentence left an ominous feeling in the back of my head. Regardless, I did want to know one thing. What could this system tell me about Briarfield? I pressed my question out to the void and was greeted with a new paragraph of information.


    The peninsula of Briarfield is one of wide farmlands and lush forests. Animalkin from all Phyrelia travel to witness its beautiful wind-swept fields and airy pines. A hub of goodwill, great cooking, and vibrant music. It is known to create a sense of safety and joy to many who call it home and to the various kin who visit. The many towns scattered throughout the area are considered youthful compared to the ancient villas and citadels of other regions. However, rumors of primeval magic and long-lost artifacts continue to invite mystery into the seemingly mundane lives of the Brighteyes of Briarfield.


    The description didn¡¯t give me what I was hoping for. It read like one of those old fantasy books my grandfather would fall asleep to while reading in bed. Despite this, there must be a good reason why my grandfather had it as his password. Maybe this was the region he selected when first playing the game. He could have picked the Brighteyes race and started in Briarfield. It was a good guess and to be honest the description of the area reminded me a bit of Middleton. Long farmlands surrounded with vistas of deep forests. It was the only lead I could follow. I once again pressed my mind on the Brighteyes race and told the system my choice.


    Are you sure you would like to play as a Brighteyes? There is no going back once selected.


    There was that message again. No going back once selected. I sunk the hesitation beginning to itch at the back of my mind and told the system yes.


    You have picked Brighteyes as your chosen race. Please select your Racial Passive from among Whisker Sense or Swift Feet.


    I picked Whisker Sense without asking for more information as I wanted this experience to end and to wake up from this weird dream. If it was a dream.


    You have selected to play as a Brighteyes with the Whisker Sense Racial Passive. You will now be analyzed to calculate your starting statistics and avatar appearance. Please stand by while the system scans your characteristics.


    A bright green line of light appeared in the darkness above me and slowly descended. I felt a strange energy flow over me as the light scanned me. Once it reached where I assumed my feet would be it reversed directions and started to rise. It passed over my invisible body, crossed my eyes, and then disappeared. I heard the same beeping sound my grandfather¡¯s computer was making before and then everything went quiet.


    Characteristics have been analyzed and starting stat totals calculated. Here are your starting stats which will be further refined after Class Selection.


    Strength: 10


    Intelligence: 13


    Agility: 12


    Charisma: 8


    Wisdom: 15


    Constitution: 9


    Based on these statistics you will have a starting life total of 23 and a starting mana total of 33. You will receive stat bonuses based on your Class choice to further customize your avatar¡¯s abilities. Please prepare to select your Class. As with your chosen Race, the choice you make cannot be changed once selected. Are you ready to continue?


    There was no way this could be a dream. My subconscious was not this creative to come up with all these different races and stat breakdowns. I had never played a fantasy game or read a fantasy book so there wasn¡¯t a well of knowledge for me to draw from. The dreadful sense of anxiety started to build inside me again. It crushed my heart and quickened my breathing. I had to end this. I had to escape this nightmare. I pushed my thoughts on asking this system to quit or to shut off, but nothing happened. I tried to run but I couldn¡¯t even feel my legs move, if they were even still attached to me. I had nowhere to go. No way to free myself from the endless darkness stretching before me. What could I do? The green words in the air vanished and then retyped themselves once again.


    Are you ready to continue, Miles?


    I had no choice. I had to keep going. If all of this was real, then I would endure it to find my grandfather.

 03. Choosing My Class

    Excellent! You may now choose what class your avatar will be during your adventure across the lands of Phyrelia: MUD. Similar to the choice you made on which race you will play, the decision you make cannot be undone. So, think carefully adventurer because your class not only determines your playstyle, skills, and abilities but also how the animalkin of Phyrelia will interact with and how they will perceive you. There are a total of six main classes with each one having an additional three subclasses to further customize your experience. That makes for a total of eighteen possible choices with even more options as you progress through your journey.


    You will be given a description of each of the main six classes with a short introduction to the various subclasses. If you would like to know more about a particular class and its various subclasses, please feel free to ask. Are you ready to choose?


    I told the system, yes, and in a flash of green light a massive amount of text wrote itself out in the air. I sighed at all the information the system had thrown at me, but if I could absorb a highly detailed textbook on the Principles and Fundamentals of Agriculture and Natural Resources in a single night and still manage to get a 79% score on my aptitude test, then I could manage this. I let out a deep breath and started to read.


    Ranger


    Those who ascribe to the Farjourney Guild, also known as Rangers, are at the edge of every map and exploring the deepest caverns. These talented cartographers, explorers, and archers are the champions of the wild. They live as one with the beasts of the woods and rarely venture into cities but only to share their discoveries or acquire new bounties. Those who choose to be a Ranger gain a bonus to their Charisma.


    Subclasses


    Beast Master ¨C Considered the most savage members of the Farjourney Guild, these Rangers are never without their animal companion. They utilize a combination of fierce dual-axe attacks and commanding their beast for support. Core Stats: Charisma and Wisdom.


    Wayfinder ¨C Seeing a Wayfinder in town is extremely rare even for a Ranger. They are the most skilled navigators and cartographers of the Guild. They are especially gifted with short bows and have a wide knowledge of survival training. Core Stats: Charisma and Agility.


    Archer ¨C Masters of the longbow and crossbow, the Archers are their deadliest in long-range combat. They attack from elevated positions while scouting out the nearby terrain. The sharpest eyes require the steadiest hands. Core Stats: Charisma and Constitution.


    Druid


    The ancient Order of the Druids dates back farther than anyone can remember. They are nomadic travelers who seek out the wonders of the world, however, their treasures are in the magical aspects of nature rather than its beautiful landscapes. A druid is not only close to the animals and forests they fight to protect but also with the essence of the earth and sky. Those who choose to be a Druid gain a bonus to their Wisdom.


    Subclasses


    Stormcaller ¨C The fierce power of the Stormcallers comes from their passion and rage. They call upon the very energies of the sky and wind to cast incredible spells of destruction. Not only can they summon blinding lightning strikes to destroy their enemies, but they can also instill themselves with the same essence to strengthen their own bodies. Core Stats: Wisdom and Intelligence.


    Grovewarden ¨C The true protectors of the mountains, lakes, and forests. A Grovewarden places the sanctity of nature above all else and in return is granted immeasurable defensive and offensive abilities. They can manipulate the very trees to their whim and transform into a wide array of wonderful creatures. Core Stats: Wisdom and Constitution.


    Spirit Shaman ¨C The old magic of the world flows in the veins of the Spirit Shamans. They devote themselves to studying and listening to the ancient spirits who guard the world from beyond the veil of life. With their connections to these powerful entities, they can summon totems with unique effects and call upon their ancestors to bestow them with amazing feats of strength and agility. Core Stats: Wisdom and Charisma.


    Cleric


    The protectors of divinity and truth, the Clerics of the New Gods are bound by blood to bring light and peace to the world of Phyrelia. They are the servants of life and death. The bearers of the Holy Word. They seek justice either by combat or prayer. Zealous in their devotion to their faith, Clerics will stop at nothing to cleanse the world of evil even if it means succumbing to the darkness themselves. Those who choose to be a Cleric gain a bonus to their Constitution.


    Subclasses


    Gravekeeper ¨C What is considered blasphemous among the Citadels of the New Gods is but a cornerstone of devotion to those who not only protect the dead but control them. Priests of the Tombstone God find joy among the ruins of lost spirits and the quiet peace of the grave. Using the unnatural relics of bone and ash, Gravekeepers can bestow curses on their enemies while commanding a legion of undead servants. Core Stats: Constitution and Intelligence.


    Warpriest ¨C The most aggressive devotees of the New Gods. Warpriests demand repentance and acceptance on behalf of the New Gods by way of battle. With the use of their holy weapons and blessed shields, they bring peace to Phyrelia. Clad in strong armor and stronger faith, the Warpriest will never yield, no matter how many injuries they receive or how many enemies they face. Core stats: Constitution and Strength.


    Lightbearer ¨C The beloved keepers of faith and hope, the Lightbearers will banish all darkness through prayer and patience. The Blessed of the Dawn, prefer to support their allies rather than damage their enemies. They are holy healers, charitable givers, and peaceful friends to all living animalkin. Core Stats: Constitution and Wisdom.


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    Warrior


    The greatest fighters in all the lands come from the Training Halls. These mercenaries and guards can be found in every major city and town. They are craftsmen of war and musicians of battle. Skilled in every weapon and armor, the Warrior has no equal when it comes to hand-to-hand combat. They never back down from a fight and in most cases are the ones instigating the challenge. Those who choose to be a Warrior gain a bonus to their Strength.


    Subclasses


    Berserker ¨C Among all the combatants in the Halls and the Fighting Pits none are as brutal as the Berserker. They wear no armor so their attacks are never restrained. Wielders of great weapons filled with unstoppable rage. If a Berserker ever challenges you to a fight, it is always to the death, and they hardly ever lose. Core Stats: Strength and Charisma.


    Guardian ¨C The Guardians are known as The Walking Castles, as they wear thick armor and carry heavy shields. They are patient in their attacks, cautious of their movements, and prefer to defend against threats than make them. At the forefront of every battle, in the dust of war, the Guardians will always be found. They are beacons of defense and the center of courage for many adventuring parties. Core Stats: Strength and Constitution.


    Champion ¨C Few become experts in every known weapon and armor, however those who do call themselves Champion. These brilliant tacticians and masters of weaponry often find themselves the leaders of their forces. They are unrivaled in their experience with combat and unmatched in their strategies for war. They utilize knowledge and their confidence in their teams to overcome any obstacle, rather than brute force. They can boost their allies to victory through powerful buffs. Core Stats: Strength and Wisdom.


    Rogue


    The Society of Shadows is a myth to the larger population of Phyrelia, but to those who risk it all, it is home. The hidden halls of the Society are filled with cunning thieves, deadly killers, and masters of deception. Rogues find to succeed in life others must fail or die. They are willing to risk everything to achieve their goals. Darkness is their greatest ally and poisons their deadliest weapon. If you know a Rogue is coming for you and you can¡¯t see them, odds are you¡¯re already dead. Those who choose to be a Rogue gain a bonus to their Agility.


    Subclasses


    Assassin ¨C Known as the Blades of the Society, the Assassins are their deadliest weapons. Shadows are their home and the underbelly of civilization is their kinship. When you need someone taken care of look no further than the Assassin. Of course, if the price is right. They are proficient with dual blades and razorwhips as well as escape tactics. Core Stats: Agility and Intelligence.


    Thief ¨C The Masks of the Society and the collectors of their wealth. A thief has no equal when it comes to subterfuge. Whether they are stealing valuable treasures from unsuspecting nobles, or bringing a government down from the inside, the Thief is king. They are savants at pickpocketing, lying, and lock-picking. No valuable is outside their reach and no contract beyond their skills. Core Stats: Agility and Wisdom.


    Swashbuckler ¨C The great leaders of industry and the calvary of the sea are the infamous Swashbucklers. The hidden Hands of the Society, the Swashbucklers search for wealth beyond the safety of the shores. They are often aboard vast ships sailing to distant lands to be the first to claim the wonderous bounties found beyond the map¡¯s edge. They are skilled with rapiers and underhanded tactics when it comes to fighting. Core Stats: Agility and Charisma.


    Wizard


    The knowledge and the power of the Arcana belong to those who pass the treacherous trials of the Obsidian Tower. A wizard studies to master the elements or conjure illusions. There are even those who prefer to inscribe their mystical spells upon the faces of ancient stones. Intelligent spellcasters adept at causing chaos on the battlefield, overcoming challenging situations with unique magic, or uncovering the darkest secrets with the snap of their fingers. Those who choose to be a Wizard gain a bonus to their Intelligence.


    Subclasses


    Elementalist ¨C Summoners of powerful elemental beings, casters of destructive magic, and enchanters of fire and water. Elementalists are experimenters of the bizarre, discoverers of the extraordinary, and seekers of unfathomable power. Able to conjure pillars of lava and torrents of ice. They can enchant weapons with powerful elemental spells or write wards of protection. Core Stats: Intelligence and Wisdom.


    Illusionist ¨C The tricksters of the Obsidian Towers and the magicians of deceit. The Illusionist is a master of disguise with the use of newly discovered magic. They can cast mirages to astound their enemies or perform tricks to delight their audiences. They can shift reality to appear the way they want it to. The only limitation to their power is their imagination. Core Stats: Intelligence and Charisma.


    Runesmith ¨C Several wizards lack the mana to cast powerful spells without permanently damaging their bodies. What is their solution? To inscribe the magic upon runestones. They are the jack-of-all-magic when it comes to their ability to pull out the spells they need at a moment¡¯s notice. But what they lack in mana they can make up for with time and preparations. Core Stats: Intelligence and Constitution.


    I was at a loss. There were more options to choose from than the races. Each one had very distinct abilities even within the same class you could end up with something completely different from someone else. That was a strange thought to consider at the moment. Were there other people going through the same thing I was experiencing? Is this what happened to my grandfather and if so, what did he choose? I shook my head to clear my thoughts. Make a choice Miles. The only way for me to move forward is to make a choice. I read through the options again and decided I would start with the first main class that stood out to me. I chose the Druid.


    Now that I had made the choice of the Druid class the words in the void shifted again to show the three Subclasses of Stormcaller, Grovewarden, and Spirit Shaman. My first thought was on Stormcaller as being able to control lightning sounded cool, but something about it left a bad taste in my mouth. Like a long-lost memory was trying to cut its way up my throat and there was blood on my tongue. I dismissed the idea of the first Subclass and thought about the last option. Spirit Shaman. Again, I had that same strange metallic taste in my mouth. This time it reminded me of my lack of belief in the afterlife. I didn¡¯t believe in the whole heaven or hell concept, and I certainly didn¡¯t believe in ghosts. How would this affect my ability to play a class that was centered around ancient spirits? This left only the Grovewarden.


    Are you sure you would like to play as a Grovewarden Druid? There is no going back once selected.


    There was that sentence again. No going back. No going back¡­ If that¡¯s the case, then I will continue forward.


    You have selected to play as a Grovewarden Druid. This will give you an additional two points to your Wisdom Stat. With your race, class, and subclass now selected here is your avatar¡¯s character sheet.


    Miles Forester


    Level 1 Brighteyes Grovewarden


    HP: 23


    MP: 33


    Strength: 10


    Intelligence: 13


    Agility: 12


    Charisma: 8


    Wisdom: 17


    Constitution: 9


    Congratulations on completing your first steps into the incredible world of Phyrelia: MUD! Soon you will arrive in your starting location of Briarfield near the town of Aurleaf. Are you ready Miles Forester to begin your journey of magic and mystery?


    I told the system yes.


    Are you sure? There is no going back.


    Yes.

 04. Welcome to Phyrelia!

    In a whirlwind of green lines and rapidly growing red lights, I fell. I don¡¯t know how far I fell or for how long, all I knew was I was falling into a new world. The idea popped into my mind like a sudden faucet leak. A drizzling thought had pooled in the base of my skull and rushed to fill my head. A new world was rising to meet me and I raced down to it. Then as quickly as it happened, the falling stopped. I had landed on a platform of white light. The green and red glow still swirled around me.


    A new sensation came to me. A feeling I had never had before. It was strange yet empowering at the same time. This one didn¡¯t start in my head but at the tip of my toes. My toes! I could feel my body again. I looked down and what I expected to see was far from what was there. No longer did I have human feet, instead they were long, slender, and covered in thin brown fur. They suddenly twitched as an involuntary reflex came over me. I felt my new toes spread and wiggle as I moved them around. The strange feeling left my feet and began to race up my legs. It was as if a hot knife was carving up my body.


    Muscular mouse-like legs sprouted out from under me. They curved in a way that was impossible for human legs to turn. Thick brown fur shimmered in the shifting red and green lights. The soft hair laid flat against my thigh and despite the layers of hair now covering my skin, I could see strong sinew flexing underneath as I moved my legs.


    Something whipped around my waist causing me to flinch. I thought a snake had appeared from nowhere and tried to bite me. It wasn¡¯t a snake, rather it was my tail. I had a tail! It curled around me in rippling motions as if suddenly scared. It flicked against me several times and I attempted to calm it down. I don¡¯t know how I did it but once I focused on the tail, as if it was another leg, it came to rest on the glimmering floor. In a burst of curiosity I could only describe as muscle memory, I made it move.


    I couldn¡¯t help but let out a fit of laughter. Now I knew this was a dream. No way any of this was real. It had to be or else I was having the crazy hallucination from eating some spoiled meat. That must be it! The beef I had for dinner. Who knows how long it was sitting in the freezer. I laughed again and something brushed my cheek. I reached up with my hand expecting a spider-web or loose hair. A paw touched my long nose as my newly gained whiskers twitched in surprise. I screamed. My voice was loud. Too loud. Having experienced eternal nothingness to being bombarded by the harshness of my yell took me out of my stupor. I went silent.


    It was all real. The fur, the legs, the swinging tail. It was all a part of me now. They were me. I had been transformed into some kind of animal. Some kind of mouse. A Brighteyes! It was the race I had chosen. A kind of human-mouse hybrid. I had seen something like it in one of those old sci-fi shows. Only it was a lizard combined with a rat, and by the end of the episode, it had turned into a monstrous creature. Was I being turned into a freak of nature? My large ears twitched and I knew I was no longer human. I thought about screaming again or using my strange new legs to run as fast as I could, but a voice spoke to me. It came in low. Like a distant melody echoing down the school hallway. Soon it took over my entire being and calmed me down. It was like an embrace of love and comfort. A familiar embrace.


    ¡°Miles,¡± The voice called. ¡°Miles is that you?¡±


    ¡°Grandpa?¡± I asked. It sounded as if he were standing next to me but when I turned to look, I found myself alone. ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°Miles¡­ Miles why? How?¡± The voice of my grandfather asked.


    ¡°I came looking for you. I¡­ Well¡­ Where are you? I don¡¯t see you,¡± I said.


    ¡°Miles you shouldn¡¯t be here. This is wrong. You shouldn¡¯t have come,¡± he said.


    ¡°What is this place? Why can¡¯t I see you?¡± I started to walk hoping he would appear from behind some dark shape or hidden wall.


    ¡°Miles, you need to go back. Don¡¯t come looking for me. I am fine. I am home.¡±


    ¡°No, Grandpa. This¡­ this¡­ You need to come back with me. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but I will find you.¡± I started to run. I ran until my throat hurt and my heart pounded. Sweat dripped down my round ears and slipped off my whiskers. It was impossible to know how far I had traveled as my environment never changed. All I could see was the platform of energy below me and the swirls of Christmas-colored lights.


    ¡°Miles¡­ Miles¡­¡± My grandfather¡¯s voice began to shrink off into the distance. Growing quieter with each step I took.


    ¡°Where are you? Tell me how I can find you,¡± I yelled.


    ¡°If¡­ find¡­ your¡­ Briarfield,¡± His voice echoed.


    ¡°What? I can¡¯t hear you.¡±


    ¡°Quest¡­ get stronger¡­¡± His voice trailed grew softer until it finally went silent. I let out one final scream hoping wherever he was he understood no matter what, I would find him.


    The world shifted out from underneath me like a rug had been pulled out from beneath my feet. Everything turned in a flash and went dark. The green text appeared again but this time inside my mind rather than typed out before me.


    [World avatar creation complete]


    [Characteristics and Stats allocated]


    [Miles Forest Level 1 Brighteyes Grovewarden materialization initiating]


    [Materialization Process Completed]


    [Welcome to Phyrelia: MUD!]


    I will always remember the first sensation I had when I appeared under the rustling leaves of the Druid¡¯s circle outside the town of Aurleaf. It was the light of the sun. Its gentle hand was upon my whiskers and its touch warmed my cold nose. The second thing I felt was the barrage of notifications appearing in my sight.


    [Feat Complete: First Steps]


    [Reward Received: Starter Loot Chest]


    [Feat Complete: The Druid Circle]


    [Reward Received: Common Loot Chest]


    [Feat Complete: Region Unlock - Briarfield]


    [Reward Received: Uncommon Loot Chest]


    ¡°Hey¡­ You awake? Hello, friend you still alive?¡± Another, harder hit, pushed against my side.


    ¡°What?¡± The word stumbled from my lips. ¡°Where¡­ Who¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, look here. He¡¯s still alive. Hold on. Hold on, friend. Take it slow. No need to be in a hurry and trust me. Hurries in my blood,¡± I felt a hand reach under my shoulder and lift me to my feet. ¡°There you go. Slowly. Sit right here.¡±


    My vision started to come back, and the blackness of the old world started to shift into a blur of greens and blues. The notifications phased away and I found myself sitting on an old stone wall. I reached my hand out and felt its rough, stony surface. My head started to swirl, and I thought I was going to pass out. The stranger next to me was still talking. I didn¡¯t know what he was saying but I knew for sure he was talking way too fast. It felt like I was trying to stave off a hangover. I had a headache; my eyes were unfocused, and I thought I was going to puke. I fell forward. Before I hit the ground, the stranger caught me.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°Careful friend. Woah easy. That¡¯s it, sit down and take a moment to steady yourself,¡± The stranger said as they patted my back. I squeezed my eyes tight and let out a long breath. The haze of my mind began to fade and was replaced by the gentle singing of songbirds somewhere off in the distance. It was beautiful.


    ¡°Thank you, I don¡¯t know what happened. One minute I¡¯m sitting at a computer, the next minute I¡¯m¡­¡± my voice caught in my throat and I had to grind my teeth to keep from yelling. The largest rabbit I had ever seen was standing next to me only, it wasn¡¯t exactly a rabbit. This thing was standing on its hind legs, its arms were folded over its chest, and it was wearing what I can only describe as the clothes of a traveling musician. He had on a green cloak threaded into the shape of layered leaves. On his back was a thick, wooden longbow that looked as if it had been carved directly from an oak tree. Its white bark was engraved with beautiful patterns which ribboned across its body. On his hip was a long quiver of arrows strapped to his leather tunic by a brown belt. Among all this, the strangest thing about him was how expressive his face was. It was entirely like that of a rabbit but with more freedom and expression. Right now, this long-toothed rabbit was giving me a look of concern.


    ¡°You alright friend? Snapper got your tongue?¡± The rabbit chuckled to himself, his eyes flashed with joy then quickly dropped back to concern. ¡°Okay, okay I can see you¡¯re having a rough time right now. Let¡¯s straighten some things out. First, do you know where you are?¡±


    ¡°Umm,¡± I tried to recall what the green words had said to me. I was pretty sure I was in Briarfield, or at least I hoped so as I picked Brighteyes specifically for that reason. However, the system had told me another name. The name of a town. ¡°I¡¯m near Aur¡­ uh Aurtree?¡±


    ¡°You mean Aurleaf? If that¡¯s what you¡¯re saying then you¡¯re dead on the mark. More so you¡¯re in the Druid¡¯s Circle on the outskirts of the region. Figured you to be a Druid and by the looks of you I¡¯d say I¡¯m right. Well?¡± The rabbit scrunched his small circular eyebrows and waited for me to respond.


    ¡°A druid?¡± I asked as I rubbed my head.


    ¡°Of course!¡± The rabbit exclaimed. ¡°I mean you got the robes and the staff of one.¡± He pointed down on the ground a few feet away from me. Lying on a raised stone platform was a simple wooden stick. It looked to be about five and a half feet tall, and its frame was twisted slightly. ¡°Wow, you really are messed up in the old nogging, huh? Let¡¯s get you into town. They got healers there who can grow back an arm and a leg with the snap of their fingers. Well, not really but they¡¯re pretty darn good. Let¡¯s go, buddy.¡±


    The rabbit walked over picked up the stick and then handed it to me. ¡°By the way, the name is Finn Ashburrow, Wayfinder extraordinaire. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°My name is¡­ it¡¯s Miles Forester,¡± I answered.


    ¡°Nice to meet you Miles,¡± Finn gave me a wide smile. I returned it with my best effort. I took the staff from his paws and was greeted with a notification in the air.


    [Druid Level 1 Spells Acquired]


    Nature¡¯s Grasp


    Verdant Mantle


    [Items Acquired]


    Twisted Staff


    Traveler¡¯s Bag


    Wool Robe


    I stood and held the staff in my hands turning it back and forth. It was so strange to see my mouse hands so easily grasp the wooden staff. They were almost human. Looking down at the clothes I was wearing, I had on a simple brown robe with a hanging hood on the back. There were deep pockets on either side and a simple cloth strand around my waist. Over my shoulder, I had a leather bag. It was light which told me it was empty. As I inspected my items the green text faded away. I had a moment of anxiety as I wanted to learn more about the Spells the system said I had acquired. I looked up at the air hoping I could make them reappear.


    ¡°You alright friend?¡± Finn asked.


    I realized I must have looked awkward staring up at the sky. ¡°I¡¯m trying to get the¡­ you know the words to come back.¡±


    ¡°You mean your Avatar Sheet?¡± Finn asked.


    ¡°Uh¡­ yes,¡± I said.


    ¡°Wow, you must have hit your head hard or something. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever met someone who doesn¡¯t know how to use the system. What level are you?¡±


    ¡°Level one.¡±


    Finn jumped in surprise. His eyes lit up and I could tell he was trying to stifle a laugh. ¡°You¡¯re joking, right? There¡¯s no way you can be level one. Here let me inspect you,¡± Finn stared at me intently for a second before his eyes went wide. ¡°You really are level one. How¡¯s that possible? What have you been doing the last three years, hiding under a rock?¡±


    ¡°Three¡­ I haven¡¯t been here for three years. I just got here, like two minutes ago,¡± I said. My answer must have been the last thing Finn expected to hear. His hair stood on end, his tall ears pointed straight up, and he chatted his teeth a few times.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying you only just got here?¡± Finn asked.


    ¡°Yeah. Why¡­ is that weird?¡±


    ¡°Do you remember your life before this?¡±


    What a weird question.


    ¡°Yeah, of course. Do you¡­ Do you not remember? I mean you are from the real world, right?¡± Finn didn¡¯t answer me. He started to thump his foot on the ground while sucking his lower lip with his long teeth.


    ¡°Everyone I know has lived in Phyrelia for almost three years now and no one remembers their old life. Can I ask you a question?¡± Finn hopped a step forward. He stood a whole head taller than me and was looking at me with eager eyes. I nodded. ¡°Is Miles Forester your real name?¡±


    ¡°Yes, why?¡± I asked.


    Finn jumped back in excitement and began to bound around the ancient stonework spread out around me. We were standing in a large circular pattern of stone statues. Many of them resembled various animals such as bears, deer, birds, and other beasts I couldn¡¯t put a name to as their surfaces were worn down and crumbling. To my left near the far end of the circle was a tall archway made of rocks. Each rock had an image carved upon its face. Images of different beasts and animals, the same as the statues surrounding us. However, the images looked to have charring around their edges as if some fire had spread through the linework.


    Finn finally came to a halt in front of me almost knocking me back. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this. This is incredible!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Finn isn¡¯t my real name. The thing is I don¡¯t remember my real name. No one does. No one remembers anything about the old world,¡± Finn¡¯s words ran over each other as he couldn¡¯t hold back his excitement.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± I put my hands up. ¡°I have a question now. Are you saying you¡¯ve lived here for three years?¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± Finn said.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure. There is a celebration fair happening in Aurleaf in two days to commemorate the first avatar created in Phyrelia. There will be food, games, and a special quest with a unique item to obtain for those who complete it. That¡¯s why I¡¯m heading there now. You should come with me. There¡¯s someone you should meet. They¡¯ll be very interested in getting to know you.¡±


    Finn pointed off towards a path leading off from my right. The path cut through a small patch of oak trees and to wide fields of flowing golden grass and tall corn stalks. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry friend, it¡¯s still a long way to Aurleaf. If we hurry and leave now, we can get there before the sun reaches its peak tomorrow. Do you like camping? We¡¯ll be doing some deep forest camping tonight. Don¡¯t look worried. You may be level one but I¡¯m nearing level twenty. I¡¯ll keep you safe.¡±


    Without another word, Finn bounced down from the raised stone flooring and onto the dirt path leading away from the rock archway. I took a few steps after the leaping rabbit before I stopped and looked back at the burnt symbols on the rocks. As I stared at the animal carvings a swift wind picked up and shuffled the treetops. Leaves began to fall, and the trees groaned. It was as if the earth itself was calling me to adventure. Not so much in words but in a rush of confidence and encouragement. Even though I was in a foreign place with a talking rabbit bounding around with a bow strapped on their back, I didn¡¯t feel alone.


    I held the staff firm in my right hand and held the bag strap with my left. I rand to catch up to Finn. I called for him to slow down which he apologized stating he always gets ahead of himself. We both fell into a walking rhythm but his steps were too wide and it forced me to skip every other step to keep up. Finn continued to ramble on about things I didn¡¯t understand or even cared to know about. My thoughts were far away thinking about my grandfather and the last words he told me. ¡°Get stronger.¡± Was it a warning or a suggestion? Did I have to gain more strength and power to find and save him? Finn himself was almost level twenty, and he had been living here for three years. How long would it take me to grow stronger? I had so many questions buzzing around my skull. I needed answers now.


    I spoke up, cutting through Finn¡¯s constant rambling. ¡°Let me ask you something.¡±


    ¡°Sure, what do you want to know?¡± Finn asked.


    ¡°How does someone level up? You know, grow stronger?¡± I asked. Finn gave me an amused smile while also shaking his head in disbelief.


    ¡°Well there are a few ways to level up. You can complete quests and feats. You can fight mobs. Even exploring can give you the experience pointsyou need.¡± As Finn talked he pull out an arrow and twisted it in his hands.


    ¡°Experience points?¡± I asked.


    ¡°No way! There¡¯s no way you don¡¯t know about experience points. Okay¡­ pay attention. When you complete quests or defeat an enemy you are granted experience points and sometimes loot chests. Gain enough experience points and you level up. The higher the level the stronger you are.¡± He ended his sentence by reaching back, pulling out the bow, and firing an arrow at a nearby tree. The arrow stuck deep in the center of the trunk.


    ¡°Got it¡­ and what are loot chests? I received a few after I woke up.¡±


    ¡°Oh, they are rad! You can open them for items like gold, potions, and food. However, the higher-tier loot chests can contain some incredible weapons and armor. In fact, they are giving away loot chests at the First Avatar festival in Aurleaf. One of the reasons why I¡¯m going.¡± Finn jumped off the path and ran up to the tree with his arrow. He bounded ten feet into the air and snatched it from the bark. He landed with a soft thump. He twirled the arrow in his hand then slotted it back in his quiver. With a final flair of his hands, he jumped back onto the path.


    ¡°Who is the First Avatar?¡± I asked as we continued.


    ¡°He was the first person to ever wake up in Phyrelia. Ten years before anyone else. He¡¯s a legend and the most powerful player. The Great Cornelius!¡±


    ¡°Did you say, Cornelius?¡±

 05. Tapping into the System

    ¡°You¡¯re saying that Cornelius is your grandfather?¡± Finn asked, arms folded across his chest. He had picked up a piece of straw from the side of the road and chewed it in the curve of his mouth.


    ¡°Maybe. Or at least he¡¯s connected to my grandpa in some way,¡± I felt like I was coming across as a crazy person. Having explained to Finn about the username, my grandfather¡¯s disappearance, and then hearing his voice in the darkness before I woke up. That last part seemed to really pique Finn¡¯s interest as he commented that no one in Phyrelia knew anything before they first opened their eyes in this world. They only had notions of their previous lives almost like a dream of a fading memory. He shared how most people in Phyrelia knew this was some kind of game or system and they weren¡¯t originally from this world.


    ¡°Has anyone tried to leave?¡± I asked as we stepped under the shifting leaves of a golden oak tree.


    ¡°The Gatefinders tried, and they¡¯re still trying as far as I know,¡± Finn said as he kicked a small rock into the underbrush that folded over the path.


    ¡°Who are the Gatefinders?¡± I asked.


    Finn looked up at the shimmering light pooling through the thin overcast of shaking leaves. The wind had picked up a few minutes prior and had made the trees whistle. It reminded me of the long days trudging through the northern woods of Montana watching the sun turn the forest into a blaze of orange and red. It was a wonderful memory and one I thought of frequently. However, it did bring up a question I never would have thought of before. What would my life be like if I didn¡¯t have any of my memories? Would I even miss something I couldn¡¯t remember? Would I try to seek some unknown treasure no longer significant in my life?


    Finn finally spoke, but his eyes never left the treetops. ¡°The first few weeks after everyone woke up a group of players got together to form a guild known as the Gatefinders. They called themselves that after the leader found the first gate.¡±


    ¡°Gate?¡± I asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s a rumor from the Guild that if we manage to find all the gates hidden throughout the world and activate them, we could return home,¡± Finn hopped over a long root curving down from a small edge of dry grass. He let out a stifled laugh and then continued. ¡°A lot of people joined the Guild hoping to find a way out of here. After not finding anything during the first year¡­ many gave up. They decided they didn¡¯t want to put their lives in danger for a life they no longer remembered. Many of us found life here to be pretty good. If you stay close to the towns or stay away from the higher difficulty areas.¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡± We came across a small stone bridge taking us over a gentle dancing creak. I saw fish swimming in the water and bobbing their heads for low-flying bugs.


    ¡°What about me?¡± Finn asked.


    ¡°Did you ever go looking for these gates?¡±


    Again, Finn hesitated to answer. He reached up and scratched behind his tall ear and then spit the straw from his mouth. ¡°I did. For a while. I used to be a member of the Gatefinders too. Left them a long time ago to go out on my own.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± I felt like a prying student whose questions were starting to annoy their professors, but I had so many running through my mind, and I had to get as many answers as possible.


    ¡°You hungry?¡± Finn hopped over to the edge of the path and sat down on a fallen tree. He reached around and pulled out his pack. He opened the bag but didn¡¯t reach inside. He flipped his paw-like hand in the air and a red apple instantly materialized out of nowhere. The whole action almost made me laugh. It was like the magician pulling a rabbit out of their hat, only this time the magician was a rabbit.


    ¡°How did you do that?¡± I asked as he tossed the apple into my hands.


    ¡°Everyone can do that. Even you can. It¡¯s part of the system,¡± Again he motioned with his hand and this time a thin cut of dried meat appeared. He started chewing it while talking at the same time. ¡°Look¡­ I¡¯ll tell you how to do it. Grab your pack.¡±


    I did as he said and pulled my pack out. He instructed me to open it up by loosening the long strap. Once the bag was opened a line of green text wrote itself out in the air.


    Traveler¡¯s Bag


    Common Loot Chest


    Uncommon Loot Chest


    Starter Loot Chest


    ¡°Woah,¡± I exclaimed in a breathy voice.


    ¡°Pretty cool huh?¡± Finn took another bite of the cured meat. ¡°Let me guess. All it has are a few loot chests?¡± I nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll show you how to open those later. For now, focus on the apple in your hand. Good, now imagine it inside the bag.¡±


    In a flash, the apple vanished. I couldn¡¯t help but smile in excitement. It was really gone.


    ¡°Alright. First try!¡± Finn stood and patted me on the back. ¡°Check your bag in the system.¡±


    Looking at the Traveler¡¯s Bag notification in the air, underneath the loot chests was the apple.


    Red Apple


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Now with the apple in your bag imagine it showing up in your hand. I like to add a little twist of the wrist when I do it. Makes it look more interesting in my opinion,¡± He ripped a piece of meat with his rabbit-like teeth then holding out what remained he twisted his wrist, and it disappeared. I flicked my hand around as if I was performing my own magician¡¯s trick and the apple popped back into my palm.


    ¡°There you go,¡± Finn clapped his hands, then sat back down on the log. He twisted his hand out and instead of an apple or piece of meat, a blade popped into existence. The weapon was as long as his arm and reflected the light of the setting sun. ¡°You can do it with basically anything. If you still have space in your bag that is. Your first bag won¡¯t have much space. You¡¯ll eventually get a better one as you level up but don¡¯t worry about it right now. It will be some time before you¡¯ll need the upgrade.¡± He made the blade disappear.


    I returned my focus to the loot chests in my pack. I had three of them. An uncommon, common and one noted as starter loot chest. I decided to open the starter one first. I imagined the chest appearing in my hand and immediately regretted it. A large wooden chest similar to what I thought a pirate would bury, popped into existence above my palm. The chest dropped and I failed to catch it. It hit the ground hard with a crunch.


    ¡°Woah!¡± Finn exclaimed. ¡°Have some patience. I was getting to the loot chests.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I said,¡± I knelt before the chest and examined it for any damage. It was still intact and I didn¡¯t see any cracks in the wood. The starter loot chest was rather plain besides its golden metal brackets holding it together. The front of the chest had a spot where I thought a keyhole would go but it was blank. I tried to lift the lid but it was sealed shut. ¡°How do I open it?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t open loot chests like normal a normal chest. You see the loot chest is tied to you and only you. No one else can open it so there isn¡¯t a key. You simply need to tell it to open. Go ahead.¡± Finn said, waving to the chest.


    ¡°Open,¡± I said. In a subtle glimmer of light, the chest popped open. It rose with a soft creak and then snapped back. Inside the chest was nothing but a base of bright light. I received a notification upon its completion.


    [Items Received: 5 Gold Coins, 50ft Rope, 3 Traveling Rations, and Fire Pack]


    ¡°Looks like it gave me a rope, food, a fire-making kit, and¡­ five golden coins. Is that a lot?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not, but you should get a week or two at the local taverns and a few good meals. Now take a load off I¡¯ll give you some wolf jerky I smoked myself and you can take some time opening the rest of your loot chests.¡± I went and sat on a rock on the other side of the path under a bent pine tree. It had dusted the rock with dried needles. I brushed them away, adjusted my tail, and sat down. We had only been walking for about an hour and already my feet hurt. I lifted one of my long feet and started to rub it. The fur was smooth and the padding thick but soft to the touch. I realized despite not wearing any boots I hadn¡¯t noticed any pain from sharp rocks or needles. I placed my staff down against the broken bark of the pine tree and retrieved my apple.


    I opened up the common loot chest next. This one was simpler than the starter loot chest. Its metal banding was dull and the polished wood was fading. The chest gave me another two gold coins, a bundle of sticks, and an apple. The last loot chest I had was the uncommon one. It was similar to the common chest but the main difference was the quality of the metal banding and the condition of the wood. It was better kept and looked newer. Inside the uncommon loot chest, I received another five coins, a silver ring worth ten coins, and seven iron arrows. Finn asked if he could have the arrows since I didn¡¯t have a bow. I agreed and took the arrows from my pack and handed them over.


    Finn and I sat and ate for half an hour. It was quiet for the first few minutes as he sat with his head back and was looking up at the sky. Once he finished his own green apple, he started asking me questions about my grandfather. I told him how I lived with him since I was a kid. How he taught me to work hard and study harder. He taught me how to hunt, clean a fish, and carve a pointed stick by cutting away from yourself. Memories of us going camping and of him making me hot chocolate in his work trailer came to mind. I couldn¡¯t help but let all these stories flow out of me. I think it was something about the rustling leaves, the gentle breeze, and the distant sound of the bubbling brook that brought out the nostalgic side of me.


    When the conversation began to die, I thought about asking Finn a few questions about his life in Phyrelia but before I could he stood up and told me we needed to keep going. ¡°We¡¯re about to reach the low fields of the Mireglades. You don¡¯t want to be caught out in the marsh when night comes. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The tall alley of white oaks and verdant pines curved around a high hill to our left reaching up and over a low valley that opened to a bright sky. Large billows of clouds stretched across the horizon like fluffed cotton alight with fire. A deep crimson and tangerine light was beginning to stretch across the long fields dotted with sunburst flowers of white and yellow. Beyond a spread of squat downs, I watched a fluttering flock of birds fly against the building wind. Every few minutes the songs of hidden robins seemed to cut through the buzz of whipping leaves and brushing grass.


    We started down a prolonged decline leading us past a few tumbled stone buildings. Finn mentioned the world was filled with thousands of years of history which could be found in books, tapestries, songs, and the ruins of ancient civilizations. All part of the system Lore. The area used to be part of an old kingdom of Blackwings with towering fortresses stretching higher than the peaks between Riverbend and the Sunflare Sands. Hidden relics could be found among the old ruins for those who were brave enough to venture into their dungeons. Finn said the dungeons were meant to be tackled by a group of at least four or five adventurers. However, even in big groups, they were risky ventures. Death was still a thing in Phyrelia and there were plenty of things looking to kill you.


    As the descent finally flattened, I started to hear in the distance the chirping of crickets and the buzzing of flies. The earthy scent of still waters and shallow mudflats touched my whiskers. The air transitioned from a crisp autumn breeze to a humid, stale draft. I could taste the subtle flavors of spoiled leaves and drifting cattail cotton. All my senses seemed so sharp and well-defined since taking on this new form. The details of the world were being painted before me. I thought it would overwhelm me at first but once I found I could tune it out my senses cleared, and the world sharpened.


    ¡°About another hour before we get past the Mireglades and judging on the light we should get there before it gets dark,¡± Finn said as the dry path softened under our feet. We made it twenty minutes before we heard the singing. A low guttural voice blending into the songs of the mire. Coming around a short bend in the tall reeds we saw him. A stout, frog-like man sitting on a turned-over crate. A large carriage was set off to the side of the road with the back end sunk deep in the earth. The frogman was smoking a long pipe and was twiddling his grey beard. Do frogs grow beards?


    ¡°I forgot about him,¡± Finn said as he came to a stop and started scratching his ear again. He turned to look back at the way we came then with a huff turned to me. ¡°Alright, Miles. The choice is yours. We can either turn around and set camp back up the way we came before the glades, or you can take on your first quest.¡±

 06. The Power of Nature Magic

    ¡°He¡¯s called an NPC or Non-Player Character,¡± Finn said. I nodded along as he explained how the world was filled with avatars and NPCs. Real people, also known as players and digital characters. The NPCs stuck to scripted language and actions though they were extremely extensive according to his experience so far. The most notable scripted actions were repeatable quests or tutorial quests. This old frogman was a standard tutorial quest new players in Briarfield encountered. A way to teach them about their spells and abilities. He also offered some useful items every player should have.


    I asked Finn if we could skip the quest and come back to it at a later time. He mentioned it was possible but it would be a waste of time to backtrack. The bogdweller never left the Mireglades and we would have to travel a way to meet him again. Plus, the items he gave were extremely beneficial for new avatars.


    ¡°If you decide to start the quest it will take some time and we¡¯ll be stuck in the Mireglades at night and will be forced to either travel in the dark or camp among the mosquitos and flies,¡± Finn pulled his bag around and opened it. His eyes went up to the air and I could tell he was reading something I couldn¡¯t see. ¡°I do have a single torch which will last one hour, but we would most likely need to use it during the quest. Traveling at night will be difficult. I have extra flint and steel to start a fire however there isn¡¯t much dry wood to work with here.¡±


    ¡°I got some wood from a loot chest,¡± I said.


    ¡°Good to know,¡± Finn put his hands on his hips and let his foot stomp the ground. His nose twitched as he thought. The sound of his foot tapping the ground irritated me for a reason I couldn¡¯t tell. I didn¡¯t like this standing around. We needed to make a decision now and keep going. If what the bogdweller offered as a quest reward was worth it, then it¡¯s better to get it over with now than later.


    ¡°Finn lets start the quest. You¡¯re a higher level and with your help, we can finish it quick and keep moving, plus if it does take longer than expected I don¡¯t mind having to travel at night,¡± I looked out towards the far sunset and had a moment of nostalgic bliss. It was a beautiful world to be trapped in.


    ¡°Okay, if you say so,¡± Finn hopped forward, and I followed after. The bogdweller paid no attention to us until we were standing in his shadow and smelling the ash of his pipe. With a slow turn of his gaze, the old bogdweller gave us a stretched smile. He rolled his lips from the corners and let a long puff of smoke drift up into the air. I watched as the smoke danced its way higher like a swirling ribbon then suddenly stopped and turned back on itself. Its shape curled and twisted into a hummingbird. The smoke¡¯s wings fluttered quickly into a blur while its bird-like head tilted to the side and looked at me. Then in a quick dash, the bird flew into the amber sky.


    ¡°Two strangers meet on the road, a third they come to see,¡± The old bogdweller said from under his wide-brimmed hat. The gray hat was torn at the edges and bore a long white feather in the folds of a purple ribbon. ¡°Fortuitous our meeting is, for you and for me.¡±


    Finn and I looked at each other, eyebrows raised. The bogdweller gave us a hearty chuckle with a deep sound like a rushing river. When he spoke, his voice was earthy and thoughtful. ¡°Forgive the spontaneous rhyming. I find simple pleasures such as songs and poems help me keep a bright demeanor. Especially when I find myself in a moment of trouble. Would you care to help an old bogdweller?¡±


    [Grebbledel¡¯s Misfortune]


    [Do you accept?]


    ¡°What do I do now? Just tell him yes?¡± I asked Finn.


    Finn took a step back and folded his arms. A smile crossed his face as he materialized another piece of dried meat. He ate as he nodded. I turned to the old bogdweller and told him I would help him.


    ¡°That is good to hear friend. Well, I call you friend but the greatest threshold for strangers to becoming friends is that of names. My name is Grebbledel of the Mireglades. What is your name?¡± The bogdweller returned his pipe to the corner of his long, warty lips.


    ¡°My name is Miles Forester,¡± I said.


    ¡°It¡¯s wonderful to make your acquaintance Miles. Now¡­¡± Grebbledel stood, his movements slow as if he had recently finished working out. ¡°For my predicament. I am traveling to Aurleaf for the festival. I am to tell tall tales to the younglings and would hate to disappoint them. The sorrowful look of a child is one of life¡¯s greatest heartaches.¡± Grebbledel reached down and lifted a white staff, knotted on its end yet straight at the shaft. He used it to walk as if it was a run-of-the-mill hiking stick found on the side of a trail. He made his way over to his cart and tapped the staff against the back wheel.


    ¡°Another of life¡¯s heartaches is of a broken wheel and a scared-off horse. I had the foresight to bring along an iron band and nails for repairs, but I can¡¯t get it out of the mud with my steed missing,¡± Grebbledel let out an exaggerated huff and a low grumble.


    ¡°What happened exactly?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Salamanders. Two at least, came shooting out from the reeds and ran me off the road. They started nipping at my dear Revelas the poor thing. She broke free of her reins. I now have two problems. A stuck cart and a lost horse. Care to help me with either?¡± Grebbledel planted his staff before him resting his long head against the knot and waited.


    ¡°Go on Miles,¡± Finn said. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve got a spell or two that could help with the cart. As for the horse¡­ well we can find her later.¡±


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Have you done this quest before?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Nope, can¡¯t say I have. This is a starter quest for Briarfield. Only Brighteyes encounter it when they start off. I had a similar experience on my first day in the Greentides. But mine involved an imprisoned clown and a bandit of Blackwings.¡± He threw the last piece of his dried meat into his mouth and leaned back with his hands behind his head, despite there being nothing for him to lean against.


    I shrugged and decided to get to work. I walked over to Grebbledel and told him to try and help me push the cart from the mud. ¡°Oh¡­ my dear brighteyes I won¡¯t be much help in pushing the cart. I¡¯ve got a rather bad back, and my legs aren¡¯t what they used to be. You are a druid? Are you not?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said.


    ¡°Then use one of your spells. I think a particularly good one would be Nature¡¯s Grasp. Wouldn¡¯t you say?¡± Grebbledel put his slimy hand on the shoulder of my gray robes and gave me the widest smile I had ever seen. His bulging eyes were closed tight, and he had canyons of crow¡¯s feet slinking back into the shadows of his wide-brimmed hat. Grebbledel patted me on the shoulder one more time then stepped back onto the dirt road and watched with a clear expression of amusement.


    Nature¡¯s Grasp¡­ got it. How do I do that?


    I lifted my twisted staff in the air and held it out like those old bible pictures of Moses parting the Red Sea. I thought about saying a few magic words like abracadabra or something like it but I was already feeling foolish. I concentrated on the cart and focused on trying to cast a spell. Nothing happened.


    ¡°Might want to read the spell first before you try to use it. Helps you visualize it in your mind¡¯s eye when you know what it does,¡± Finn said, eyes shut and nose twitching.


    ¡°And how do I do that exactly?¡± I said in frustration letting my staff drop.


    ¡°What would you do without me?¡± Finn said. He hopped up, stretched his neck, and bounded over to me in two jumps. ¡°Alright Miles, pay attention. Unlike your inventory appearing when you open your traveler¡¯s bag. The system interface will appear when you open your mind. It¡¯s a bit hard to explain. Almost like explaining the muscle memory of a musician playing their favorite instruments. It comes naturally. Focus on yourself and command your interface to open.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, not confusing at all,¡± I said. Growing up I never played any instruments. My grandfather did have an old guitar in his closet, but he never got it out to play. Music was never a cornerstone to my life like it was for some of my friends.


    Regardless, I did have an idea of a muscle memory to draw upon. Canoeing down the Clearwater. It was a yearly activity my grandpa and I did. We¡¯d camp out, tucked away in some hillside forest with long drapes of dry grass leading down to the river. We¡¯d wake up early hop in the canoe and let the current take us. There were a few rough patches but nothing we couldn¡¯t handle. Once you found your groove and allowed your body to go with the flow of the river, then things were easy.


    I let the memory guide me. The flow of the waters, the morning singing of birds, and the slow rise of the warming sun. Then my mind went to my own actions. The way I felt the water pull and guide me. Every strong or soft stroke of the paddle in the clear waters. It was all so natural to me. A memory of comfort that opened the system to my eyes. I couldn¡¯t explain how, but the green text appeared in the air again as if I had summoned it with a silent call.


    [Character] [Spells & Abilities] [Skills]


    Like a muscle memory lost since childhood and found again, I selected my Spells and Abilities.


    Druid Spells


    Level 1


    Nature¡¯s Grasp


    Verdant Mantle


    Brighteyes Passive Abilities


    Whisker Sense


    I forced my attention away from the curiosity suddenly flaring inside me to inspect everything and focused on Nature¡¯s Grasp.


    [Nature¡¯s Grasp]


    Level 1 Druid Spell


    Mana Cost: 7


    Type: Ranged Control


    You command the very roots of the world to spring up and become an extension of your will. These roots can be manipulated to move, hold, or control objects within their vicinity.


    I let the system interface fade away and returned my attention to the broken-down cart. Lifting my staff once again and pictured in my mind how I imagined the spell would be. I felt something begin to grow deep in my chest. A small energy like a budding seed desperate to sprout into a glorious flower. Then in a wave of power, I let the seed free and out into the world. The power flowed through me into the seams of the twisted staff and out towards the wagon. It was both energizing and tiring at the same time like having a sudden rush of adrenaline cut short.


    A rumbling grew in the depths of the mire, curling its way up towards the base of the broken spoke. A sudden rush of green and brown vines broke free of the mud and bound themselves around every inch of the cart. The vines wove their way up, around, and into the wooden panels and overhanging canopy. Then I tightened my hand around the staff and the vines constricted.


    I let out an exhilarated laugh and looked at Finn. He was nodding his head in approval. Grebbledel was still resting his head against his staff and smiling.


    With a slow motion of my staff, I commanded the vines to lift and carry the cart to the road. They didn¡¯t move immediately to my mental command but after a few seconds, the vines groaned against the cart¡¯s weight. I pushed my thoughts harder on my spell and felt as if I was among them helping them to lift and move the cart. I started to sweat against the struggle and even felt myself get a little lightheaded but after a moment the wagon lifted by a few inches and rotated back onto the dirt path.


    I let the cart drop. It landed with a creaking thud as the vines twisted to the floor and dried up. Their once thick bodies now crumbled to ash and dirt. As quickly as they appeared they were gone becoming one with the earth again.


    ¡°Well done young Miles,¡± Grebbledel stepped up to me and rolled his lips with his tongue. He had a pungent, swampy smell to him and his moist skin glistened in the setting light. ¡°It takes a true druid of the Circles to command nature. Couldn¡¯t have done it better myself.¡±


    I looked up at Grebbledel to which I saw a glimmer in his eye. At first, I thought it was a reflection of the sun, but it didn¡¯t match its amber glow. It was green and vibrant. The light had flared up and circled the darkness of his vision before fading to nothing. Had he been looking at the system¡¯s interface as well? If he wasn¡¯t a player, then what was that glow?


    ¡°With my cart back on solid ground I can set about fixing the broken wheel, yet there is another matter at hand,¡± Grebbledel lifted the rim of his hat and looked out towards the reddening horizon. ¡°Night is almost here. Miles, my dear Revelas won¡¯t last long, not with salamanders squirming about. Could you find her for me?¡±

 07. Deep into the Mireglades

    Before I had a chance to answer Grebbledel I received a notification from the system.


    [Arcana increased from Level 0 -> 1]


    ¡°Hey, I gained a level in something called Arcana,¡± I said. Grebbledel was giving me a look giving me a strange sense of childlike pride. A feeling I hadn¡¯t felt since I left for college. Pride turned to guilt as I realized how long it had been since I came home to visit my grandfather.


    ¡°Arcana is the lifeblood of the world of Phyrelia,¡± Grebbledel said. ¡°Your understanding of magic and the power to control it all come from your knowledge and skill within Arcana. The more you use your nature-given magic the better you will be at it.¡±


    ¡°The bogdwellers right,¡± Finn said. ¡°Head back to your system interface and open your skills tab.¡±


    I did as Finn said and focused on calling the green text back into view. From there I turned my attention to the skills section and commanded it to open. My vision flooded with a long table of various skills and their levels along with an indicator of how far I had progressed in them.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 30%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 32.028%; text-align: center" valign="top">


    Skills


    </td>


    <td style="width: 34.0444%; text-align: center" valign="top">


    Level


    </td>


    <td style="width: 33.8469%; text-align: center" valign="top">


    Progress


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 32.028%" valign="top">


    Acrobatics


    </td>


    <td style="width: 34.0444%" valign="top">


    Level 0


    </td>


    <td style="width: 33.8469%" valign="top">


    [¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C] 0%


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 32.028%" valign="top">


    Alchemy


    </td>


    <td style="width: 34.0444%" valign="top">


    Level 0


    </td>


    <td style="width: 33.8469%" valign="top">


    [¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C] 0%


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 32.028%" valign="top">


    Animal Handling


    </td>


    <td style="width: 34.0444%" valign="top">


    Level 0


    </td>


    <td style="width: 33.8469%" valign="top">


    [¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C] 0%


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 32.028%" valign="top">


    Arcana


    </td>


    <td style="width: 34.0444%" valign="top">


    Level 1


    </td>


    <td style="width: 33.8469%" valign="top">


    [¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C] 0%


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 32.028%" valign="top">


    Athletics


    </td>


    <td style="width: 34.0444%" valign="top">


    Level 0


    </td>


    <td style="width: 33.8469%" valign="top">


    [¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C] 0%


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 32.028%" valign="top">


    Cooking


    </td>


    <td style="width: 34.0444%" valign="top">


    Level 0


    </td>


    <td style="width: 33.8469%" valign="top">


    [¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C] 0%


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 32.028%" valign="top">


    Crafting


    </td>


    <td style="width: 34.0444%" valign="top">


    Level 10


    </td>


    <td style="width: 33.8469%" valign="top">


    [¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C] 0%


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 32.028%" valign="top">


    Foraging


    </td>


    <td style="width: 34.0444%" valign="top">


    Level 0


    </td>


    <td style="width: 33.8469%" valign="top">


    [¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C] 0%


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 32.028%" valign="top">


    History


    </td>


    <td style="width: 34.0444%" valign="top">


    Level 0


    </td>


    <td style="width: 33.8469%" valign="top">


    [¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C] 0%


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 32.028%" valign="top">


    Insight


    </td>


    <td style="width: 34.0444%" valign="top">


    Level 0


    </td>


    <td style="width: 33.8469%" valign="top">


    [¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C] 0%


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 32.028%" valign="top">


    Investigation


    </td>


    <td style="width: 34.0444%" valign="top">


    Level 0


    </td>


    <td style="width: 33.8469%" valign="top">


    [¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C] 0%


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 32.028%" valign="top">


    Medicine


    </td>


    <td style="width: 34.0444%" valign="top">


    Level 0


    </td>


    <td style="width: 33.8469%" valign="top">


    [¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C] 0%


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 32.028%" valign="top">


    Melee Combat


    </td>


    <td style="width: 34.0444%" valign="top">


    Level 0


    </td>


    <td style="width: 33.8469%" valign="top">


    [¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C] 0%


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 32.028%" valign="top">


    Navigation


    </td>


    <td style="width: 34.0444%" valign="top">


    Level 0


    </td>


    <td style="width: 33.8469%" valign="top">


    [¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C] 0%


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 32.028%" valign="top">


    Persuasion


    </td>


    <td style="width: 34.0444%" valign="top">


    Level 0


    </td>


    <td style="width: 33.8469%" valign="top">


    [¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C] 0%


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 32.028%" valign="top">


    Performance


    </td>


    <td style="width: 34.0444%" valign="top">


    Level 10


    </td>


    <td style="width: 33.8469%" valign="top">


    [¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C] 0%


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 32.028%" valign="top">


    Ranged Combat


    </td>


    <td style="width: 34.0444%" valign="top">


    Level 0


    </td>


    <td style="width: 33.8469%" valign="top">


    [¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C] 0%


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 32.028%" valign="top">


    Stealth


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    </td>


    <td style="width: 34.0444%" valign="top">


    Level 0


    </td>


    <td style="width: 33.8469%" valign="top">


    [¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C] 0%


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 32.028%" valign="top">


    Thievery


    </td>


    <td style="width: 34.0444%" valign="top">


    Level 0


    </td>


    <td style="width: 33.8469%" valign="top">


    [¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C] 0%


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 32.028%" valign="top">


    Tracking


    </td>


    <td style="width: 34.0444%" valign="top">


    Level 0


    </td>


    <td style="width: 33.8469%" valign="top">


    [¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C] 0%


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Wow, there are a lot of different skills,¡± I said. I turned to Finn and asked, ¡°Do you have the same set?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we all have the same twenty skills. The maximum level you can achieve is 50. My highest right now is Ranged Combat at 25. It gets harder to level the higher they go. I stopped focusing on trying to enhance my skills a long time ago. Most of my advancements now come from simply living.¡± Finn unfolded his arms and turned to Grebbledel. ¡°Which way did your horse run off to?¡±


    The old bogdweller lifted his flat chin and stroked his long gray beard as he thought for a moment. ¡°If memory serves me right, the last I saw of her was down the bend right there.¡± He pointed his long and bulbous finger down the path in the direction we were heading. ¡°She turned south by the dead tree. See it bending over the path? Heard her bound off into the shallow bog from there.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Miles,¡± Finn started down the dusty path without turning around. I closed the interface and gave Grebbledel a quick nod before rushing to catch up to the bounding Springstep.


    The deep blood red of the setting sun now turned into a violet hue of the rising dusk. The light turned as we passed the knotted tree growing from a deep inlet of the mire. Finn had summoned a torch from his bag and took a moment to light it. The torn cloth drenched in oil ignited in a blaze of flickering flame. Holding it out in front of him, Finn lowered himself to the ground and started brushing around the reeds and dry grass.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Tracking. May not be one of my highest skills but it sure beats whatever yours is. Let me take a guess. Level zero?¡± Finn said with a sly smile.


    ¡°Can you show me how to track? I mean I¡¯ve gone hunting before with my grandfather, but he was the one who did all the actual hunting. I say hunting but we mostly sat around and looked out towards whatever open valley we found ourselves in. We¡¯d light a small fire, roast marshmallows, and just¡­ well just talk.¡± I crouched down to get a closer look at what Finn was doing.


    ¡°Sounds like a good time. I don¡¯t remember my family or if I even had one,¡± Finn took a few steps forward and continued to search the ground. ¡°Oh¡­ here we go. Found something.¡± In a rush of motion Finn hopped up and started down a deep thicket of reeds and overgrown rushes. I hopped after him holding my staff out to push the plants away from my face.


    It was tough going as the solid ground of the dirt path gave way to thick mud and murky waters. I almost lost sight of Finn several times in the tall grass but luckily, I was able to keep track of the glow of his burning torch. Despite this, I found myself constantly getting stuck in deep mud patches and getting smacked in the face with stray reeds. My new slender mousefeet sunk far into the earth with every step and my round ears snagged a few times on wandering branches. As I pushed farther into the Mireglades I started to realize that I was shorter than I was back in the real world. The thought ticked me off as I had to constantly pull my leg out from the thick trenches of swampy water. I tumbled out from a wall of wiry brush and hit Finn who was standing with his torch high in the air.


    ¡°Hold up Miles,¡± Finn held his arm out to stop me. ¡°I think we¡¯re being watched.¡±


    ¡°You think it¡¯s those salamanders Grebbledel mentioned? I don¡¯t expect a couple of amphibians to be dangerous¡­ right?¡± I focused on my surroundings, twitching my ears back and forth hoping to pick up any abnormal sounds. The coming drift of night winds had picked up subtlely as we moved deeper into the Mireglades. They moved swiftly between the tall cattails and distant willows. It made it hard to pinpoint any specific sounds.


    ¡°It could be. My tracking skill set us on their path, but something seems off,¡± Finn handed me the torch then pulled his bow from his back and mounted an arrow to its string. ¡°Do you smell that?¡±


    I lifted my nose in the air and took a few sniffs. All I could make out was the musty smell of the bog. ¡°I don¡¯t. What are you smelling?¡±


    ¡°Smoke. Campfire smoke,¡± Finn said. I took another deep breath but couldn¡¯t make out anything odd and the only smoke I could smell was from our own torch. ¡°Drop the torch.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I exclaimed.


    ¡°Drop the torch in the water. Quick,¡± Finn¡¯s eyes tightened as his ears continued to turn. I plunged the head of the torch into the swamp, and it went out with a fizzle. Everything around us went dark almost as dark as the place before I woke up. The light of the rising moon broke through a narrow gap in the drifting clouds. My eyes adjusted to the dim light quicker than I thought. It would seem my new eyes could see better in the dark than my old ones. That¡¯s nice.


    I watched as the world changed. The static sound of brushing reeds and the dull light of dusk turned to a vision of brilliant clarity. All around me, I could see flickering dots of fireflies, the silvery streaks of fish in the ankle-high water, and the sudden flight of shadowy birds. It was all beautiful and vibrant. A world of magic. Then I saw something else. It was faint at first but as I concentrated a distant glow pooled out from the shifting bulrushes. The distant light of a campfire.


    ¡°Here¡¯s your first lesson in training your skills,¡± Finn said. ¡°Success brings experience. Even the most minor of successes can help you become better. Let¡¯s start with Stealth. We are going to sneak up on the camp. If we¡¯re lucky it¡¯s a traveling merchant and they found the bogdwellers horse for us.¡±


    ¡°And if we¡¯re unlucky?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Then this isn¡¯t your typical beginner¡¯s quest. Which raises a whole host of disturbing questions that I¡¯m not ready to think about,¡± Finn crouched and motioned with his ears. ¡°Stay low and follow me.¡±


    The two of us stepped low through a wide opening in the rushes and reeds. We kept our feet from emerging from the waters to avoid splashing and only moved when the clouds covered the moonlight. It took us a good five minutes, but we managed to wade in behind a fallen birch giving us cover to peer into an open field. As we pulled up and sat in the shadows of the tree I got a notification from the system.


    [Stealth increased from Level 0 -> 1]


    Another skill increase already! Leveling up at the early levels must be incredibly easy. I wonder how long it would take to get to level fifty.


    ¡°This is certainly a surprise,¡± Finn said. ¡°You¡¯re intro quest just became a whole lot more interesting.¡±


    I looked out at what Finn was staring at. Less than fifty feet from where we were hiding was a small earthen firepit with a couple of felled trees placed around it for seating. On the far end of the open dirt area, I could see a white horse tied off to a tall willow tree. To the north and chained to a few set posts were two of the biggest salamanders I had ever seen. They were the size of a fully grown retriever with flat heads, wide mouths, and thick tails. Their red skin was clammy and dotted with black spots. They had hints of smoke brimming from their teeth as they chewed on large bones. Occasionally one of the salamanders would snap at another and they would let out a vile screech.


    Around the firepit were three batlike creatures. They had short yet muscular wings covered in thin patches of black hair. The firelight exposed the veins within the thin membranes of their wings. They each had pointed ears ribbed with cartilage and sharp fangs protruding from their thin lips. Two of them were on the short end of tall with the third, despite being hunched over, would easily stand two feet taller than me.


    This third bat creature had a long, pink scar across his left eye and a notch cut from one of his ears. He was missing his left arm and his wings rose like dark mountain peaks behind his back. He was holding out a long pike letting the spearhead glow red in the fire. After a moment he pulled back the spear and pulled a hunk of black meat that was cooking at its tip. He tore into it with large bites letting the grease from the meat drip down his chin.


    ¡°Nightflyer bandits,¡± Finn whispered. ¡°What are they doing in Briarfield? I¡¯ve never seen them venture farther than the Dead Fields. NPCs don¡¯t travel far from their spawn points.¡±


    Revelas let out a high-pitched whine and kicked at one of the salamanders that had drawn too close.


    ¡°Keep your manders away from my prize Halgred or I¡¯ll slit their throats and drink their blood,¡± One of the nightflyers said. His voice was like the dusty echo of a deep cave. He rolled his tongue as he talked and let out moist huffs from his flat nose. The smallest of the nightflyers, the one named Halgred, stood and pulled a whip from around his waist.


    ¡°Boss only let ya have it cuz you tied it first. It was my manders that hunted the beast down. I say we butcher the thing and give my pets a good dinner,¡± Halgred lifted a blade and started tapping it with a crude, black fingernail.


    ¡°It¡¯s my beast and I¡¯ll do what I want with it,¡± The first nightflyer lifted a blade from his side and sank the tip into the earth. ¡°If you want it, you¡¯ll have to fight me over it. Care to test your mettle against a true fighter?¡±


    Halgred licked his lips and with a snap of his wrist, flung his blade towards the other nightflyer. It pierced the log he was sitting on with a loud thump.


    ¡°You damn fool!¡± The first nightflyer stood and pulled his sword up to his waist. He was about to step forward when something tugged at his boot.


    ¡°Keep your mouths shut, the both of ya. Or else I¡¯ll feed ya to my own pets,¡± The large nightflyer said between grease-bleeding teeth. He then took a hard swallow and then ripped out another piece of blackened meat.


    The two other nightflyers went quiet. Halgred was the first to sit down and started picking at his teeth with his blade. The other one looked down at his leg, then cautiously moved it away from something I couldn¡¯t see. He then apologized to the big one like a child being scorned by a teacher. He sat down and kept his focus on the fire.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me,¡± Finn said. ¡°A Cleric Gravekeeper. Out of everything he could be, he had to be a Gravekeeper.¡±


    Finn pointed out towards the ground near the first nightflyer. I followed his finger and saw something protruding from the earth. It took me a second to realize what it was. A skeletal hand moving by itself. Once I realized what it was, it had turned its claw-like fingers and dug itself into the ground.


    Talking rabbits, wizard frogs, and now bones that move by themselves. What did you get yourself into Miles?

 08. The Gravekeepers Minions

    ¡°This isn¡¯t good. This is not good,¡± Finn was tapping his nose, deep in thought. ¡°We can¡¯t check it either¡­ Maybe there is an issue with the quest. That¡¯s got to be it.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about, Finn?¡± I asked as I shifted my weight from one knee to the other.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have your journal yet I¡¯m guessing,¡± Finn said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I don¡¯t have one in my traveler¡¯s bag,¡± I said.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure after this quest you will get your journal. It marks down the knowledge you obtain in Phyrelia. If you had one, we could take a better look at the quest.¡± Finn sat on his haunches and strung his bow over his knees. His teeth were deep in his lip as he watched the nightflyers chatter, eat and drink.


    ¡°What do you see?¡± Finn asked turning to me.


    I looked back at the campsite expecting there to be some secret or enemy I wasn¡¯t aware of. Something about those bones really freaked out Finn. He had called the big ugly one a Gravekeeper. What did the system say about the subclass? All the information had gone by so fast I didn¡¯t have a chance to really understand anything.


    Finn stuck his furry hand out pointing it at the supposed leader. ¡°Focus on the ugly one. Really focus on it. You¡¯re going to need to level up insight to understand. Go on, focus on him.¡±


    I squinted my eyes, gritted my teeth, and did everything I could to capture every detail of the Gravekeeper. He had finished the last blackened piece of meat and was wiping the head of his weapon in a patch of green grass. There was a detail I didn¡¯t notice before. He had on a strange pendant that hung low from his thick neck. I couldn¡¯t make out what it was from this distance. Then something else flickered to life above the nightflyers head.


    [Veng Rath: Level ??]


    The green text floated about his head as if hung by an invisible string. It bobbed up and down with each sway of the big nightflyers body. As I watched him a system notification popped up.


    [Insight increased from Level 0 -> 1]


    ¡°See anything yet?¡± Finn asked.


    ¡°Yeah. I can see his name, but his level isn¡¯t showing,¡± I said crouching back down into the shadows.


    ¡°Good, at least you leveled up your insight. The higher your level of insight the more information you can obtain about the world. Take your time trying to understand as much as you can. Got it?¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    ¡°Here¡¯s the details you can¡¯t see. That ugly one is level 17. His goons are level 12 each. Now I could probably take all three of them on at once but¡­¡± Finn trailed off. His eyes glistened in the moonlight.


    ¡°But what?¡± I prodded.


    ¡°The ugly one is a Gravekeeper Cleric. They¡¯re nasty to fight against. They¡¯ll try to outnumber you with¡ª¡± A sense shocked through my body and without thinking I shoved Finn down into the mud. A high-pitched whistle sound cut through the air and ended with a loud thud behind us. An arrow was stuck in the twisted rotting wood.


    ¡°Think ya can sneak up on me, eh?¡± A raspy voice called from the campsite. ¡°Get your hides out here now ya cowards and fight us with your faces in the light.¡±


    ¡°Nice reflex, Miles,¡± Finn whispered as he fell in behind an old willow tree bearing no leaves. ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I felt¡­ I felt like a surge of panic came over me. I knew something was coming. That¡¯s as best as I can explain.¡± I said, keeping my head down behind a twisting bush of thorns.


    ¡°Whatever keeps an arrow out of my skull,¡± Finn nocked his own arrow and prepared to fight. ¡°As soon as I fire the battle is on. Keep away from the nightflyers. I¡¯ll handle them. What I need you to do is¡ª¡± Finn turned and released the arrow. It zipped past my ear and clattered hard against a skeleton stumbling behind me. ¡°Keep the skeletons off me. You should be able to handle them. Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Finn hopped out from his hiding spot and started releasing arrow after arrow toward the nightflyers. The shortest of the three ran back and was unlocking the salamanders from their chains. The one closest to Finn had a short bow in his hands and was focused entirely on him. The ugly brute was still seated on the log but had his pike planted firmly on the ground and held his head low. His lips were moving as if in prayer.


    I stayed back and tried to keep my attention on Finn. I carefully moved from tree to tree staying out of sight of the one with the bow. Coming around a cracked boulder I was met with a creeping skeleton. Its body was covered in torn armor and ragged clothes. It had moss and weeds drenched over its shoulders and ribcage. The hollows of its eyes were ignited by blue flames. Behind the skeleton, it dragged a crude sword. It rushed me with a clatter of its teeth while swinging the sword awkwardly above its head.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    I fell back and stumbled on my heel. I came to a hard landing on my elbow. Pain shooting up my arm. Musty water splashed everywhere drenching my robes. A flash of rusted iron came swinging down at me. I braced myself for the inevitable, but it never came. When I opened my eyes, my staff was thrust outward pointed directly at the skeleton. The creature¡¯s entire body was engulfed in writhing vines.


    I had cast the Nature¡¯s Grasp spell without realizing it. Somehow my body reacted on its own to protect me. It was the same feeling I had when I pushed Finn out of the way of the arrow. It was incredible!


    I stood quickly and admired my spell. The roots and vines had dug their way up from the mud and draped down from a shivering tree. The grip was growing tighter around the skeleton with every struggle. A thought came to my mind as I watched the undead creature try to break free. I willed the thought out to the writhing roots and as I had hoped, the vines did as I commanded. The roots constricted quickly breaking the skeleton into scattered bones and rusty armor. It no longer moved. I managed to defeat my first enemy.


    I felt a surging sensation of power flow over my skin as I looked down at the dusty pile of the skeleton. A similar feeling I had when I first used Nature¡¯s Grasp on Grebbledel¡¯s cart. However, I didn¡¯t receive a notification. No level-up message. I pulled up my system interface and jumped to my skills. My arcana skill had gained experience.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 35%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 32.6456%">Arcana</td>


    <td style="width: 32.6456%">Level 1</td>


    <td style="width: 32.6456%">[##########¨C] 85%</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    It wasn¡¯t enough to go up another level, but it was still exciting to see the system start to work. I let the spell fade away and ran from behind the boulder. Finn had managed to pierce the bowman nightflyer in the stomach and he was keeled over, blood pooling over his hairy knuckles. The salamander trainer was now snapping his whip in the air commanding his pets to charge Finn. With a graceful leap, Finn jumped back and let two arrows fly at once. One hit its mark summoning a cry from the closest salamander. The other arrow landed in the mud a foot shy of the other. The attack was enough to get them to stop their slithering.


    It was incredible watching Finn fight these creatures and bandits. He was a very skilled fighter and made me think he really didn¡¯t need my help. That was until I saw three skeletons come tumbling out of the swamp not ten feet behind him. ¡°Finn, look out!¡±


    It was too late. Finn had landed hard from his jump and was now in attacking range of the first skeleton. I reached inside myself to summon the roots once more. I felt power rise, twisting in my stomach, crawl through my arms, and out the top of my Twisted Staff as I commanded the earth once again. A burst of mud and shattered twigs flew all across the open field as strings of clawing vines caught the skeleton¡¯s arm mid-swing.


    Finn was able to catch his footing an inch from the edge of the creature¡¯s sword. His eyes were wide with surprise but then he let out an exuberant laugh. He turned on his long feet and cut through the skeleton with his longbow. The skeleton collapsed on itself. ¡°Good work! Keep at it.¡± Leaving the skeletons to me, Finn returned his attention to the whip master and his red salamanders.


    I started forward but then caught myself on a thick tree branch preventing myself from fainting. A pulse of exhaustion caught me in my step and almost let me fall. I hadn¡¯t realized how tired I was or at least how tired I suddenly felt. I was sure I had plenty of energy left even after traveling most of the day. I couldn¡¯t let the tiredness get to me. I had to keep fighting. There were still two skeletons left to fight.


    A notification popped up telling me that my Arcana skill had now reached level 2.


    [Arcana increased from Level 1 -> 2]


    Then another message popped into view underneath the first.


    [Mana Points increased by 1]


    [Current Mana Points: 13/34]


    For a brief moment the exhaustion had subsided but as quickly as my energy surged it fell away. I was running low on my Mana Points. That must be why I was feeling so tired. What would happen if I ran out of Mana Points? Could I no longer cast spells or would I simply faint from the exertion.


    I had no time to think as the two remaining undead had turned their fiery gazes at me. They were clattering their teeth while their bodies rattled. One of them had a rusty axe in its hand with a half-broken wooden shield in the other. The second skeleton wore a dented helm and carried a tall spear with weeds strung around its tip.


    I focused on the first one and summoned energy from inside me again. I called forth my Nature¡¯s Grasp spell to bind the skeleton. Wriggling from the patches of dry grass and stamped reeds came more roots. Quickly they rose to cover the creature in their binding power. The spell had managed to wrap itself around the skeleton¡¯s entire body leaving the head exposed. Its head continued to snap at me as if trying to bite a chunk from my flesh. It reminded me of an old black and white zombie film being showcased for its tenth anniversary down at a local theater. My college friends dragged me to go see it even though I was more interested in returning to my dorm to study.


    Despite the weight of my body growing and my eyelids beginning to droop, I had a burst of confidence come over me. I looked at the last skeleton and couldn¡¯t help but let out a quiet laugh. Again, I focused my mind on my druid¡¯s staff and called forth the earth to capture the creature and bind it. Nothing happened.


    I tried again but no roots came rising from the ground to stop the creature¡¯s stumbling walk. Panic set in as the thing came within melee range. It jabbed the end of the spear toward my stomach. I was lucky enough to dodge the attack with the tip only cutting a slit in the side of my robes. Before I had time to react the skeleton attacked again. This time it caught me on my right arm. The spear¡¯s rusted blade cut a gash in my forearm and almost caused me to drop my staff.


    With two quick steps, I managed to escape another attack. However, my movements were slow, and I stumbled over my long feet. I was able to catch myself from falling by digging the staff into the earth. I looked up in time to parry the skeletons spear with the edge of my staff letting it streak through the air. Blocking the attack caused the undead creature to fall forward, failing to catch itself on its rickety shin bones. I took this moment to lift my staff high and bring it crashing down on top of the creature¡¯s spine.


    The skeleton crumbled under the impact of my attack. It dropped its spear, the thing¡¯s helm fell with a metallic thud, and its back broke in two. It stopped moving as soon as it hit the ground.


    [Melee Combat increased from Level 0 -> 1]

 09. The Fire Salamanders

    All of the skeletons were gone, and I was left standing over a pile of broken bones and swirling dust. The spear I barely managed to parry had pierced the ground and stood like a lone tree in a barren field. I had done it. I managed to kill the skeletons by myself. I even managed to level up my Melee Combat skill. It was exciting to feel the rush of battle and to grow from my experience. Even if it was a poor excuse for an experience on my part. I was starting to understand why my grandpa loved these games.


    I focused my insight on the pile of bones laid at my feet hoping I could get some details. A simple line of green text popped up out of the scattered remains.


    [Summoned Skeleton Minion: Level 3]


    It wasn¡¯t a lot of information to go off of but at least I could see its level. I must not have been able to see Veng Rath¡¯s level because it was higher than my Insight could detect. I was curious if I could scout out the other two nightflyer¡¯s levels and see if I could fight them. Seeing as there were no more skeletons it would be my best course of action.


    I knocked the spear down to the ground and turned my attention to the campfire. Finn had managed to kill the nightflyer who was using the short bow. His body lay still on the ground like a grassy knoll. The other nightflyer was crouched over the salamander that was hit by Finn¡¯s arrow. He was moving his hands around in a circular pattern above the thing¡¯s head. He was chanting something, but I couldn¡¯t make out what it was. I took a moment to focus on him and the salamander to see if I could get any more info.


    [Halgred: Level ??]


    [Fire Salamander: Level 6]


    The one named Halgred was too high of a level for me to make out anything more, but the salamander¡¯s level was six. According to my own stats, I was still level one. I managed to fend off the skeleton with a single strike, but it already looked like it was going to fall apart with a strong gust of wind. Did I have the strength to fight the salamander? What did the system mean by fire salamander? Was it because it was red?


    I got my answer in a blaze of heat and smoke. The salamander Finn had missed on his first shot had come within fifteen feet of me and let loose a burst of flame. Luckily it wasn¡¯t aimed at me but rather Finn who had hopped out of the way and landed next to me.


    ¡°Good job on those skeletons,¡± Finn said. ¡°Think you can manage the salamander while I go after the beast master?¡±


    ¡°Maybe. I wasn¡¯t able to cast my Nature¡¯s Grasp spell on the last skeleton. Maybe I¡¯m getting too tired or I wasn¡¯t strong enough.¡± I said, looking down at my paws.


    ¡°What¡¯s your mana looking like?¡± Finn asked.


    My mana? Of course! It must have been why I couldn¡¯t cast the Nature¡¯s Grasp. I quickly pulled up my system to which it told me I only had six mana left to use and it cost seven to cast the spell. ¡°I¡¯m low. Not enough for another Nature¡¯s Grasp.¡±


    ¡°Here take this. You¡¯re going to need it more than I will. Take it and then go for the salamander. Quickly,¡± Finn reached around to his bag and materialized a small crystal vial into his hands. He tossed it over to me and then made a mad dash to my left. His path went wide across the field leading him to a better vantage point to attack the Nightflyer beast master.


    The fire salamander shot off another burst of flame. Finn managed to dodge it on his run and was now out of reach of the creature¡¯s attack. The salamander¡¯s wide, flat head suddenly narrowed in towards my direction as a long, black tongue shot out and licked its eyes. I could see smoke rising from between its slimy lips.


    I uncorked the vial and looked inside. I saw a swirl of silver and blue liquid letting off a faint glow. Searching the vial with my insight gave me a name.


    [Minor Mana Potion]


    I drank the entire thing and twisted my hand to let the empty vial disappear into my bag. The liquid had an electric taste, reminding me of batteries mixed with watermelon. As I gulped the last of the potion a cresting wave of power crossed around my fur. It made my whiskers stand up, my ears perk, and my nose twitch. It was intoxicating. A sensation I could only describe as an energy drink that kicked in immediately and left you in a heightened sense.


    Checking my character stats, I saw my mana was now at its maximum of 34. I had enough mana now to cast Nature¡¯s Grasp four more times. Would it be enough to take down the salamander? Only one way to find out.


    I summoned my inner power, pushed it through my staff, and once again called forth the earth to capture the salamander in its tendrils. The ground shook as reeds fell to the side. A writhing line of knotted roots coiled its way from underneath the mud and wrapped itself around the salamander¡¯s body. The creature shook its head violently in surprise. Its black eyes darted left and right. Once I was sure it couldn¡¯t move anymore, I started to focus my mind on constricting the vines, hoping I could deal enough damage to knock it out or something.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    The roots began to tighten and twist about the salamander. It let out a high-pitched screech causing me to wince as a headache started to form behind my eyes. I didn¡¯t let its call break my concentration and continued to wrap Nature¡¯s Grasp tighter.


    The fire salamander started to shake uncontrollably as it struggled to break free. When it realized its body wasn¡¯t slimy or strong enough to release it from the vines it started to bite at the closest root. It sank its short teeth deep into the murky growth and started to pull. I could hear the plants beginning to snap as they tore at their flesh.


    I pushed my consciousness as hard as I could, forcing my muscles to contract, my ears to curve back and my upper lip to twitch. I could feel beads of sweat dripping down my back and wicking off my tail. It was an odd feeling wresting with something a good fifteen feet away from me as though I had it between my arms. It was a sense I couldn¡¯t quite describe only that it was draining, and I didn¡¯t know how much longer I could hold out.


    With a desperate cry, I tried to finish off the salamander. In a violent motion, the vines of my spell started to crush the creature. It gave out another helpless yelp and let go of the vines with its teeth. I had him. There was no way he was going to get out of my spell now. He was in too much pain and the roots had tightened enough that he couldn¡¯t get a good enough angle to bite them anymore. Now it was a matter of who would hold out the longest. Or so I thought.


    The salamander took in a deep breath and let loose a ball of fire at the base of my Nature¡¯s Grasp. The heat was intense, and I had to close my eyes against the sudden brightness. My hold on the creature fell away as I could feel my roots and vines begin to burn and crumble to ash. It felt like my body had gone limp and my arms were cut from my shoulders. I could no longer control the plants. They had died in the salamander¡¯s spontaneous inferno.


    As the fire died away it left a scar of black earth mingled with flickers of cinders floating in the air. I could see the roots of my spell start to crumble away and disintegrate from off the salamander¡¯s body. The creature took a cautious step forward and when it realized it was no longer imprisoned, it shook its body like a dog and let the remainder of the roots turn to ash. Then it turned its attention on me.


    In a split second, the salamander had curled its way on the ground like a darting snake and was now mere feet in front of me. It had moved so fast it became a crimson blur among the charred ground. I had no time to react. The salamander was going to roast me alive, and I doubt my staff could parry a fireball. I waited for the searing heat to come but it didn¡¯t. There was a different pain. A shocking pain crushed my leg and caused me to scream.


    The salamander had dug its teeth into my ankle and was shaking it around like a dog toy. I could see blood beginning to spit from between the creature¡¯s teeth as the pain raced up my leg. I tried to kick it away by flicking my foot out, but it had me too tight in its jaws. Again, the salamander violently wrenched at my leg and I almost fell down. I managed to keep my balance, but the pain was starting to make me feel dizzy.


    I had never felt so much pain before in my life. Growing up I had never broken a bone or gotten stitches. I was never in any fights in school and the greatest injury I got playing sports was a concussion from baseball but even then, I couldn¡¯t remember it. This, however, I would remember. It was hot, sharp, and ceaseless. Like a hot iron had been placed against my skin and was eating my flesh. I couldn¡¯t take it. It was too terrible.


    I took my staff in both hands and started to hit the top of the salamander¡¯s head trying to break free of its bite. Over and over, I swung with all my might. I could feel the impact of my swing with each hit. It felt like smacking a sandbag with a golfclub. The hard impact gave way to the softer body underneath the thick exterior. With every attack the salamander tightened its jaws and the pain grew worse.


    We had each other in a battle of will. Who could outlast the other? Whichever one of us gave up first would be the one to die. A possibility I would never allow. I kept swinging and the salamander kept biting. Hit after hit I rammed my staff into the beast¡¯s head. My vision grew blurry as tears started to well up and fall down my cheeks. Then a growing circle of darkness began to creep from the edges of my sight. I was beginning to faint. I knew it was coming. Soon I was going to fall down, and this thing would eat me alive. There was nothing I could do. The salamander was too strong for me.


    I let one more strike of my staff fall before I fell to my side. The blunt end of my staff had landed squarely in the creature¡¯s eye and for a moment it let go. The salamander took a few steps back. Its long, black tongue darted in and out as it licked its wounded eye. I raised myself to my elbow and watched as the salamander whimpered like a defeated dog.


    Somewhere to my left, I heard a squealing noise cut through the quiet night sky. I didn¡¯t know what made the sound but if I had to guess the beast master had been killed by Finn. At least I hoped so. I turned over onto my stomach and looked over to where I last saw Finn. My assumption was correct. The nightflyer had taken an arrow to the back and was now lying flat on its face. However, the beast master¡¯s salamander was sending out streaks of flame trying to push Finn away.


    I started to crawl forward. I knew I wasn¡¯t any help in fighting the salamander in my current condition but if I could manage to get behind a rock or fallen stump maybe I could cast Nature¡¯s Grasp and hold it off long enough for Finn to finish the job. I moved forward no more than a foot before I heard a vile hissing sound send shivers up my spine. Turning around I came face to face with an angry salamander and smoke was rising from its lips again. I knew the fire was coming this time. I knew I was done for.


    I held my staff up in front of my face hoping that somehow it would protect me. Like a magical shield that would push the fire to the side, splitting it in half so I would come out unscathed. I put all my willpower into praying it would come true. Then as I laid there a fierce light fell upon me. A light as bright and hot as the sun. It forced me to shut my eyes against my coming death. The fire salamander had engulfed me in its flames. I could feel the heat ripple over me and the flames lick against my fur. Yet. I wasn¡¯t in pain. I could definitely feel the intensity of the attack as if I was standing before a massive bonfire lit with too much gas, but I wasn¡¯t getting hurt. I wasn¡¯t dying.

 10. Fighting the Undead

    When my eyes regained their focus, I saw something I didn¡¯t expect. A swirling wave of leaves and soft white petals. They swam in the air around my body and were holding the flames at bay. I looked down at my robe and saw it had changed. It was no longer gray and matted but vibrant and covered in plant-like armor. My entire body was now protected by a thick covering of vines, moss and bark which formed itself into a waving cloak.


    [Arcana increased from Level 2 -> 3]


    [Class Level Up!]


    [Grovewarden Druid increased from Level 1 - 2]


    [1 Stat Point acquired]


    [Health Points replenished]


    [Mana Points replenished]


    In a flash of ecstasy, all my pain had disappeared. My body felt new again. My mind was full of energy, and I was no longer tired. It was like waking up from the best sleep I¡¯ve ever had. I was ready for anything now. I was stronger now.


    I bounded to my feet in one swift jump and fell back a few paces till I was out of the fire salamander¡¯s attack. Once I was free of the blaze the creature let it drop away. As the flames cleared, I could see the salamander was confused. He was expecting me to be on the ground dead. Nothing more than a pile of ash and charred bones. What he saw now was a Brighteyes druid standing tall, body engulfed in a vibrant armor of vegetation emanating a soft verdant glow.


    I gave the salamander a confident smile and walked forward. I took my time. I felt unbeatable and this salamander was nothing but a bug to me. The salamander¡¯s head whipped back and forth as if searching for someone to help. Once its eyes caught sight of its master dead on the ground and the other salamander now unconscious thanks to Finn, it decided the fight was over. The salamander bolted for the swamp. Like a slithering ribbon of red. It disappeared under the bulrushes and swaying reeds.


    I couldn¡¯t help but let out a laugh of pure adrenaline. I had leveled up at the craziest time. It must have been when this armor appeared on me. I must have cast my other spell when I was holding my staff up to protect me. I opened my system interface and entered my [Spells & Abilities]. From there I concentrated on opening up the description for Verdant Mantle.


    Verdant Mantle


    Level 1 Druid Spell


    Mana Cost: 13


    Type: Defensive Aura


    You cloak yourself with the very essence of nature. A protective cloak of leaves, moss, and vines surrounds your body and shields you from harm. For a short period of time, you gain minor resistance from magical attacks.


    As I read the spell¡¯s description the protection dissipated and the leaves, moss, and vines faded away into embers of green light. When the spell said for a short time it meant it. I was lucky the salamander got scared off because I don¡¯t think I could have managed to beat it even with all my strength returned. After all, I was now only level 2, and the beast was level 6. Which made me think. How did I level up?


    The power I felt when my class leveled up compared to when my skills leveled up was completely different. The brightness of their respective surges was night and day. The leveling of my class was bright as the high-noon sun while the skill level-up was a soft glow of the moon and stars. I needed to feel it again. I wanted to get stronger now. Not only to find my grandfather but so I could keep chasing this feeling.


    ¡°Miles, you alright?¡± Finn jumped over to my side, quick as¡­ well a rabbit. He was quick on his feet and just as quiet.


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m better than alright. I¡¯m doing amazing. I leveled up my class!¡± I couldn¡¯t help but jump up and down. An action I had never done in my life but in a way felt natural doing in my new mouse-like body.


    ¡°Let¡¯s celebrate later,¡± Finn pulled another arrow from his quiver and turned to stand by my side. ¡°We still have one more enemy to face.¡±


    He was right. Only two Nightflyers were dead. The third was still sitting on the log, his right arm leaning on his knee. He had stuck his pike into the ground so it stood by itself. A strange smile was carved on his face. Toothy, amused, and intrigued all at once. His body was muscular and broad. His wings hung low on his back and moved like venomous snakes ready to strike.


    I looked at Finn and noticed he was breathing heavy. He had a cut across his eyebrow and sweat was beading in his tall ears and across his upper lip. His whiskers twitched in the air as if waiting for something to happen. For a long time no one moved. The three of us each staring. Waiting.


    ¡°Should we attack?¡± I finally asked.


    ¡°No, not yet. He is waiting for something. I can feel it,¡± Finn broke his words in between deep breaths. I could tell he wasn¡¯t doing great. How much longer can he fight?


    ¡°This has been an amusing evening after all,¡± The Nightflyer finally said. His voice was strong and deep. It had a sense of authority to it with an underlying sense of condescension. It reminded me of some of the professors from my school. The ones who thought little of you no matter how well you did. ¡°First, we come across a beautiful specimen in this here horse. Figured we¡¯d sell it to the Blackwings of Crowsong. Of course, they like their meat a little more on the rotten side, but it¡¯s easier to travel with a live mount than a dead one. Next, we come across two adventurers who wandered too far off the path. Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re here for the horse,¡± I shouted. ¡°Give her back.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s her, is it? Blackwings pay extra for female flesh. Maybe they think the meat tastes sweeter,¡± Veng chuckled.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Finn asked. ¡°You¡¯re far from home. No sense in a couple of Nightflyers traveling this far south.¡±


    ¡°I see I¡¯m not the only one with a curious mind,¡± The Nightflyer rested his hand on his knee and then pushed himself up slowly. Once he came to his full height, I realized how tall he really was. A good seven feet at the top of his skull with his ears extending another six inches beyond that. His wings stretched even higher. They were still folded at his back, but the tips peaked at nine feet at the very least. In my new body, I was only half the Nightflyer¡¯s height.


    Fear began to grow inside me as I watched the hulking figure lift up his pike and let it rest on his shoulder. He held the weapon at its base and swung it like it was an ax. His movements were quick and effortless. While everyone else had started fighting he had sat back and watched. He didn¡¯t even bother to help his companions when they were in trouble. How heartless could he be?


    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question,¡± Finn said.


    ¡°Times are changing little Springstep. Can¡¯t you feel it? The New Gods tremble in their temples. The earth sighs in anticipation and the very wind carries whispers of a new future. The old Phyrelia is no more. No more chains. No more prisons. Freedom has come to everyone. I¡¯m just one of the few who caught wind of it first.¡± Veng Rath let a sharp smile cross his face. His jagged teeth cut out from under his black lips.


    ¡°What does he mean?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Finn said. ¡°But whatever it is, can¡¯t be good. If I wasn¡¯t here, you¡¯d be dead already. Thank the New Gods for that.¡±


    ¡°Thank the New Gods indeed,¡± Veng Rath laughed. ¡°Been an awful long time since I¡¯ve been so entertained. Tell you what. If you can manage to get past them, I¡¯ll let you take the horse. No strings attached. I am, after all, a humble animalkin of the true god.¡±


    ¡°Get past who?¡± I asked motioning to the empty field. ¡°I¡¯ve taken down all of your skeletons and your friends are dead, and their pets done for.¡± I couldn¡¯t believe what I was saying. I was taunting the Nightflyer. Maybe the rush of confidence I gained from leveling was making me cocky.


    ¡°Oh, naive little Brighteyes. You have so much to learn,¡± Veng Rath lifted his pike from his shoulder and held the blade out straight. Then slowly he moved it from right to left and he spoke under his breath. As he waved the weapon a chill wind picked up. An unnatural wind cold as ice, and sharp to the touch sank deep under my fur. It started off as a quiet whisper of a breeze then quickly picked up whipping my robes and snapping my hood about. Then the wind twirled, pulled itself together near the firepit then fanned out in all directions. The world went silent. Then the bodies started to move.


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    The two Nightflyers Finn managed to kill started to rise. Their movements were jagged and lazy as if controlled by the strings of a puppet master. Slowly they picked themselves up, weapons in hand, and turned to look at Finn and me.


    ¡°You just had to ask. Didn¡¯t you?¡± Finn said. Before I could answer Finn was off running to our left. He had shot off several arrows at the former beast master with each one impacting squarely in the dead animalkin¡¯s chest. He didn¡¯t flinch from the attacks. Instead, like a wild animal, he lunged towards Finn. He had his whip cracking in the air as he ran. Finn did his best to keep his distance, but I could tell he was running out of strength.


    I started to run to Finn, thinking if we worked together, we could finish them off one at a time. Before I took a step, I felt the same strange feeling of impending danger. My body reacted in time to dodge an arrow cutting through the air and broke on a nearby rock. I turned to look at the other Nightflyer who was getting ready to knock another arrow.


    I didn¡¯t have the luxury of working with Finn. The undead Nightflyers were working to keep us separated. If I tried to help Finn now, I¡¯d end up with an arrow in the back. Without any hesitation, I ran forward towards the bowman. Luckily his body was slow, and he was unable to fire off another arrow before I was able to catch him in my Nature¡¯s Grasp.


    The roots wound themselves up his feet, trailing up his calves, then shot out towards his arms to prevent him from attacking. The spell had given me enough time to close the gap and launch my first attack. I swung my staff across the Nightflyer¡¯s head, and it landed with a sickening thump. It sounded like smacking a wet volleyball.


    The Nightflyer didn¡¯t respond to the attack. His eyes were dull as they stared at nothing. It was almost like I hadn¡¯t even hit him. I swung again and this time hit him square in the jaw. There was a loud tearing sound as his lower jaw ripped away from the rest of his face. It hung low almost touching his chest and it swung around like an empty swing. The sight made my stomach flip, and I had to swallow hard from throwing up.


    I brought my staff up again, this time holding up the thin tip thinking I could use it to pierce him through the chest. I pressed the staff forward as if I was using was spear and it sank into his stomach and out his back. Despite the terrible damage I had clearly done, the newly created undead didn¡¯t react. His eyes never blinked, and his body never shuddered.


    I pulled my weapon free of his stomach. A hissing of gas escaped through the hole as did black blood. The smell of decay singed my nose and made me gag. I had to take a step back or potentially faint from the horrible stench. A notification flashed across the screen.


    [Melee Combat increased from Level 1 -> 2]


    I dismissed the message and took a few steps back. As I did I heard Finn cry out in pain. Turning to look I saw him hold his hand up to his face. He had blood on the palm of his light brown fur and it was beginning to seep down his arm. I didn¡¯t know how much longer he was going to be able to hold out. He had fought three enemies so far and now had to fight them again. This time they didn¡¯t feel pain and from what I could tell, arrows were ineffective against them.


    The cracking of wood and vine caused me to return my attention to the undead nightflyer I was fighting. He was starting to break free of my spell and unlike the salamander, he was succeeding on strength alone. At any moment he could break free and start attacking me again. I had to think of a way I could defeat him. I pulled up my Insight to see if I could learn anything more.


    [Reincarnated Ghoul Minion Level: ??]


    Great¡­ that gave me nothing. In fact, it made me feel worse. This thing was of such a high level I couldn¡¯t even see what level it was. I don¡¯t think my Twisted Staff was going to be able to deal enough damage to kill it. Even my Nature¡¯s Grasp wouldn¡¯t be able to hurt him enough to stop him.


    The undead Nightflyer tore his left arm free of the vines reached over and started to pull free his right. He was almost out, and I was sure I wasn¡¯t going to be able to keep dodging arrows all night. I looked for anything that could help me win the fight. A weapon or something I could use to defend myself. All around me, the ground was free of grass and water with patches simmering into ash. I looked over to the first skeletons I fought and saw their weapons still lying on the ground. A sword, an ax, and a shield. I could potentially use those to fight but how much damage could they really do.


    I couldn¡¯t hesitate any longer as the final vine snapped away from the Nightflyers rotting arm and he was free to attack me again. I decided to make a run for the shield. With the shield, I could protect myself from his arrows. I started to run then fell flat on my face. My foot was caught on something. I looked to see what it was and saw a skeleton hand grabbing me. Veng Rath had summoned a skeleton to stop me from running. Something about him doing so really pissed me off. He was cheating and I¡¯d make him pay.


    An awful pain struck me in my thigh. I screamed. My hand reached for my leg and grabbed the arrow now sticking out of me. The pain of the arrow had superseded the pain of the salamander¡¯s bite. The feeling was excruciating. It was worse than the most terrible pain I could possibly imagine. My leg started shaking in agony and with every motion the arrow seemed to dig deeper into my flesh. I let out another scream as I touched it.


    ¡°Miles!¡± I heard Finn call out to me. He had gotten up and close with the other undead Nightflyer and now had a dagger in his hand. ¡°Hold on. I¡¯m coming!¡±


    Something in me knew Finn wouldn¡¯t be able to reach me in time. There was no way he could outrun an arrow. The undead bowman had nocked another arrow and was starting to pull it back. He had it squarely aimed at my head. I was about ten feet away and I knew this next shot wouldn¡¯t miss. If I was going to do something it would have to be now. Then I got an idea. It was risky and I wasn¡¯t sure it would work but I had to try it.


    I summoned for my Nature¡¯s Grasp one more time. This time I focused on it positioning itself underneath the arms and thighs of the undead Nightflyer. He was about to fire his arrow when one of the roots was able to push it off course. The arrow flew high over my head and thumped against a distant tree. It wasn¡¯t exactly what I was going for, but it was a good start.


    Pushing the pain away, I concentrated on what I wanted the roots and vines to do. Struggling with every ounce of my being I pressed my will into the spell to lift and toss the undead Nightflyer into the fire pit. With an awful groan, the plants moved slowly then shot out fast as they launched the creature into the large fire. It landed in a cloud of embers and flames which died down for a second before engulfing him in a wave of fire.


    The undead nightflyer never screamed. He never ran. He lay there and burned as if nothing was happening. Then before I knew it, he went limp and stayed that way.


    [Arcana increased from Level 3 -> 4]


    I had gained another level in my arcana, but I couldn¡¯t think about that now. I had to help Finn in whatever way I could. I sat up on my thigh and lifted my staff to point over to Finn. I was about ready to cast another Nature¡¯s Grasp spell and toss the undead Nightflyer into the fire but before I could Finn let out a triumphant cry as he sliced the thing¡¯s head off.


    The Nightflyer¡¯s head rolled on the ground until its eyes were looking toward me. They blinked unnaturally offbeat of each other before finally closing. The remainder of its body crumpled to its knees and then keeled over to the side. Finn was left standing there breathing heavy, black blood on his furry cheek and tan arms. His quiver of arrows was empty, and his bow was slung over his back.


    ¡°Bravo¡­ Bravo,¡± Veng Rath clapped. ¡°Very impressive. Very impressive indeed. Especially you Brighteyes. Tossing him into the fire. Never would have thought of it myself. And you, Springstep, it takes a lot of melee damage to cut one of my ghouls down.¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± Finn said between clenched teeth. ¡°Tell me why you are in Briarfield?¡±


    ¡°All in good time. All in good time,¡± Veng Rath lifted his pike over his shoulder and latched it to his back. It stuck itself on him like a magnet. ¡°As promised you are welcome to take the horse. I on the other hand must be going. No sense in fighting the two of you now. I have hardly any mana left. Farewell. We will see each other soon.¡±


    Veng Rath let his massive wings spread out on either side of him. They stretched out so fast that a heavy wind picked up almost putting out the burning ghoul. With a strong beat, the wings slammed the ground launching Veng Rath several feet in the air. He continued to flap his leather wings until he was high enough in the sky that he towered over the nearby willows. I watched him fly far off to the east. Like a demon gliding among the stars, until he disappeared beyond the distant mountains.


    Finn hobbled over to me then fell to his knees. He started to examine the arrow stuck in my leg. ¡°You¡¯ll live. But I¡¯m out of health potions so I can¡¯t heal you right away. But I can do something to stop the bleeding.¡± Finn pulled his bag around and with a flick of his wrist, a rolled ball of bandages appeared. ¡°This is going to hurt. Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Get it over with,¡± I said.


    ¡°On three. Ready? One, two¡ª¡± Finn pulled the arrow hard. I let out a muffled yell between my clenched teeth. When I managed to relax my jaw, I gave him a hard stare. ¡°It feels better when you don¡¯t know it¡¯s coming.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure. That¡¯s the same thing my grandpa would say. Said it when he pulled out one of my teeth. Only this,¡± I pointed intently at my leg. ¡°is a lot worse.¡±


    Finn didn¡¯t say anything more. He simply wrapped the bandages around my leg and tightened it in a knot around my knee. I did feel better once he was finished but my leg was killing me. It would be a while before I could walk normally.


    ¡°There, should stop the bleeding, so you don¡¯t lose any more hit points. Where are your hit points at?¡± Finn asked as he sat on the ground next to me. I opened up my character stats and saw I had dropped down to 10 hit points. That single arrow attack had taken more than half my life points away. The next one would have killed me for sure.


    ¡°Low,¡± I said. ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I just need to rest a little bit and I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Finn laid his head down on the grass and passed out. I was about to wake him up and tell him to check on the horse and make sure it wouldn¡¯t run away, but he didn¡¯t budge when I tried. I was about to try and hop over to Revelas when I noticed she was still tied to a tree. She would be fine for a few more hours.


    I pulled my traveler¡¯s bag from behind my back and laid it underneath my head. I tried to get some sleep but the pain in my leg made it difficult. Instead, I looked up at the stars and the moon. There were so many of them. More than what I¡¯ve seen back home in Montana. Even in the wide, empty fields far away from any big city, there weren¡¯t this many stars.


    It was a peaceful night now that the fighting had ended. A night I could almost happily fall asleep to. The sound of the crackling fire. The music of the insects among the weeds. Even the soft kiss of the wind carrying with it the earthy scent of the Mireglades.


    As I lay there trying to fall asleep a new pain rose up in my heart. Not a physical pain but one which hurt worse than my leg. I missed home. I missed falling asleep on the couch and eating leftover pizza. I missed the hikes in the woods and the hot chocolate. Most of all I missed my grandpa. That was the pain I felt. A pain that didn¡¯t come from being in this world, but from guilt. I could have done more to reach out when I was away. I could have come home more often. I could have been a better grandson. I hope I can be a better one now.

 11. The Song of Grebbledel

    First, I woke up to the smell of crackling bacon and freshly cooked eggs. Hidden below the decadent scent was an underlying touch of ash and charred meat. My mouth started to water, and my stomach groaned. Second, I felt stiff muscles, an aching back, and a sharp pain in my thigh. I rolled from my side and to my back. It was a slow turn that caused me to grit my teeth against the strain. I was sore all over and I could feel a headache tapping against the back of my skull. I let my body relax and felt the stiff pain spread to my hands and feet.


    Something soft brushed against my face. I waved my hand to scare away whatever fly or mosquito was bugging me. It came back, touching my cheek, and made my face twitch in surprise. I swatted again, this time with more frustration. Yet, it still came back. I opened my eyes and sat up. I swatted in the air, my arms flailing around me. My hand came in contact with something soft above my head. I flinched in pain. It wasn¡¯t a pain in my hand causing me to flinch but¡­ It was a pain in my ear.


    All the memories of the day before hit me like a tidal wave. The rabbit archer, the bat-like summoner of the dead, and the fire-breathing salamanders the size of a large dog. I opened my eyes to a wide clearing under a sapphire sky stretching far beyond the wall of sage-colored willows and reeds.


    The Springstep archer, Finn, was sitting on a log before a simple fire. He had a wooden cup in his hand and was sipping it slowly. On the other side, lying on the ground with his back against a large stone was Grebbledel. The bogdweller still had on his strange hat and thick robes. He was watching the fire with a slim smile stretching to each side of his head. The sharp morning light reflected like diamonds in his marble-black eyes.


    Revelas was lying on the ground behind Grebbledel and was curled like a sleeping dog. She no longer had a rope tied around her neck and there was a small pile of red apples nearby. Half of them had been eaten.


    A shock of pain crawled up my leg. I instinctively placed my hand on my thigh to stifle the agony flaring like a burning heart. Hot and beating. I pressed down and gasped as I saw my mouse-like hand. I had forgotten I was no longer a normal human, but something called a Brighteyes. A mouse that walked on two legs, stood almost five feet tall, and summoned plants from the earth to stop the living dead.


    The memory of fighting the dead Nightflyers came fresh to my mind. Searching the surrounding area I didn¡¯t see their bodies. I did see the bones from the skeletons I fought still lying in the matted grass, however the Nightflyers were gone.


    ¡°Good morning my new friend,¡± Grebbledel said, he wobbled over to stand before me. In his hands were a wooden plate and cup. On the plate were two cooked eggs and several strips of steaming bacon. ¡°I trust your sleep served you well. As well as you served me. I cannot thank you enough for saving my Revelas. She is also grateful, in her own way, to have been rescued from those foul bandits.¡±


    ¡°Yeah of course. You¡¯re welcome,¡± I said, my furrowed brows scrunched tight in confusion. ¡°What time is it?¡±


    ¡°Almost time for us to keep traveling,¡± Finn shouted with a full mouth. ¡°Take your rewards from the old Bogdweller and let¡¯s get going. If we¡¯re quick, we can make it to Aurleaf before nightfall. They have healers there who can take care of your leg.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re traveling to Aurleaf please allow Revelas and I to pay forward your kindness by letting you ride our cart. It would certainly be much quicker than hobbling along on your hurt leg,¡± Grebbledel said with a wide smile that reminded me of my grandfather in a way. It was a kind and patient smile.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Finn asked. He had put down his cup and skipped over to us.


    ¡°I was offering Revelas and me as couriers to our new friends,¡± Grebbledel said.


    ¡°But you never leave the Mireglades,¡± Finn said, more as a question than a statement.


    ¡°Never left the glades? Absurd. There is so much world to explore. I can¡¯t very well gather wonderful stories from the comfort of my home. I could invite other tellers to visit and gather their tales, but the best stories are the ones we experience ourselves. I¡¯m sure you have a good many stories of your own, Finn Ashburrow.¡± At the mention of his name, Finn folded his arms and gave the Bogdweller a suspicious look.


    ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± Grebbledel asked. He still had his wide grin and was now stroking his beard between his plump frog-like fingers.


    ¡°Not sure. Miles can I talk to you for a second,¡± Finn walked away from Grebbledel and stood in the shadow of a nearby willow. I shrugged my shoulders and told Grebbledel to give us a minute. I pushed myself up to balance on my uninjured leg. Using my staff as a crutch I walked over to meet Finn.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Something doesn¡¯t feel right,¡± Finn said keeping his voice low.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never done this quest before so I can¡¯t be sure, but from what I¡¯ve been told the Bogdweller wizard stays in the Mireglades. Also, NPCs don¡¯t say your name unless you are the main quest receiver.¡±


    ¡°When we met him, he said he was going to Aurleaf,¡± I said.


    ¡°That¡¯s NPC talk. Background dialogue to make them feel more¡­ more real. NPCs aren¡¯t real people. They stay within their designated areas. Grebbledel shouldn¡¯t be responding to your injury in this way. Especially not offering us a ride.¡± Finn looked back at Grebbledel. The Bogdweller had moved over to his horse and was gently waking her with a fresh apple.


    ¡°What are you saying? This is all a game, right? Maybe he¡¯s glitched or broken? I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m not really a gamer, I wouldn¡¯t know. I¡¯m just guessing.¡± I said.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been living in Phyrelia for three years and I¡¯ve never heard of any glitches or broken NPCs. Though¡­ if it was some kind of system issue then why were those Nightflyers here last night? Those types of NPCs don¡¯t travel this far into starter locations. They¡¯re found north beyond the Crowsong Isles. It¡¯s even rare to see Nightflyer players running around beyond the Twilight Hollows.¡± As Finn was contemplating the Bogdweller¡¯s strange behavior his leg was thumping the ground fast.


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    ¡°What do you suggest then? I¡¯d really appreciate a ride. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m gonna get far on an injured leg,¡± I said as I shuffled my weight.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. It would be best to get a ride. We¡¯ll get your leg healed quicker as well. Plus, we¡¯d make it to the festival earlier than planned,¡± Finn¡¯s foot thumped faster as his whiskers twitched. His ears pointed high and then he called over to the wizard. ¡°Hey Grebbledel. We¡¯ll come with you. Don¡¯t forget to give this guy his quest rewards.¡±


    ¡°Of course. He¡¯s earned his reward twice over,¡± Grebbledel finished tightening Revelas¡¯ reins then wobbled over to me. ¡°Miles Forester thank you for saving my dear friend and companion. As a reward for completing this quest, I offer you these.¡±


    [Quest Completed: Grebbledel¡¯s Misfortune]


    [Feat Complete: First Quest]


    [Reward Received: Title - Novice Adventurer]


    As Grebbledel held out his hands a rolled scroll sitting on top of a black-leather journal popped into existence. I reached forward to accept them, and as I did the scroll and journal vanished.


    [Rewards Received: Map of Phyrelia, Adventurer¡¯s Journal, Common Loot Chest]


    After taking the items from Grebbledel I took my pack off my shoulder and opened my Inventory. The only new item I had was the Uncommon Loot Chest. The Map and Journal were gone.


    ¡°Where did the map and journal go?¡± I asked Finn.


    ¡°Open your system interface. They¡¯ll be integrated there.¡±


    I did as he said and saw that my system had been updated with new options.


    [Character] [Spells & Abilities] [Skills] [Journal] [Map]


    I couldn¡¯t help but open up the map first. I was keen on seeing what this world looked like and how its geography differed from Earth. As I pressed my consciousness on the map section a bright image burst to life in front of my eyes. The entirety of my vision was engulfed with a vibrant painting of a massive fantasy world. It was dotted with numerous towns and cities. There were wide deserts, vast oceans, and large forests.


    I caught a few familiar names on the map from the character creation process back in the void. Places like the Greentides far to the west, the Sunflare Sands to the south, and directly north of the region of Briarfield I saw the grey isles of the Crowsong.


    I could see at the center of the map a distinct red dot flashing. I put my mind on the dot and the entire image zoomed in to show the region of Briarfield. There were so many more details and locations it suddenly made the world feel enormous. To the northeast, I could see the town of Aurleaf. From what I could tell we were close but still several hours away. Directly south was a town called the Shadeway. Far to the north and at the tip of the Briarfield region was a place called the Waterdeep Cave.


    Looking over the map gave me a deep desire to explore everything. The entire region was covered in dense forests and wide marshes. There were lots of rivers, harbors, and tall mountains. I¡¯ve always had a fascination with biomes and their environments. I was a bit disappointed when I found out my agriculture study didn¡¯t involve more geographical studies of climates, weather patterns, and natural resources. It mainly focused on farmland cultivation and the impact of the human touch on the environment.


    I shut down the map and opened up the journal tab. There wasn¡¯t a lot of information displayed in this section except for current and completed quests, and an area called archives. Focusing on the archives opened to show a wide variety of different tabs for what I assumed was collected knowledge. A tab for weapons and armor along with accessories, and another for resources for things like crafting, alchemy, medicine, etc. Digging deeper into these displayed hundreds of empty tiles with question marks waiting for things to be discovered.


    As I inspected the system update I received a few notifications.


    [Feat Complete: System Integration - Map]


    [Reward Received: Simple Compass]


    [Feat Complete: System Integration - Journal]


    [Reward Received: Avatar Parchment & Quill]


    I started getting a headache from all the information rushing across my vision. I had to close my eyes for a second before I continued to inspect the rest of my rewards. After I finished looking into the Journal section I pulled out my bag again and read the descriptions of the Simple Compass and the Parchment & Quill.


    Simple Compass: An adventurer¡¯s basic navigational tool. Points towards the north. Upon upgrading the compass can be used to point to specific targets such as quest givers, mobs, or designated locations.


    Parchment & Quill: An enchanted piece of paper is used to gather one¡¯s thoughts, write down important information to save for later, or simply catalog the events of the day. The parchment resets daily with all notes being stored inside the journal. The quill is also enchanted so it does not require ink to be used.


    The parchment and quill seemed incredibly useful. Especially to someone like me. Despite my strong focus in class, half the things the teachers said would go right over my head and I¡¯d immediately forget. So I took notes. Lots of notes. As well, the compass was a godsend. I couldn¡¯t count how many times I got lost walking around the university or even driving through Middleton.


    After inspecting my new tools I summoned the Common Loot Chest. The plain chest appeared on the ground before me and I commanded it to open.


    [Item Received: Minor Experience Potion]


    I summoned the potion into my hand. It was a clear glass vial filled with swirling copper liquid. I wasn¡¯t sure what an experience potion did or how to use it. If it gave experience similar to completing quests or defeating enemies then I wanted to make sure I used it correctly. So I decided to ask Finn about it.


    ¡°The most common reward you will find in Phyrelia are experience potions. When you drink it, it will apply a certain amount of experience to whichever skill you choose. Quite helpful for leveling up certain abilities you don¡¯t have time to train, or you find tedious to use. I¡¯ve used them mainly to level up the skills I feel with help my class specifically.¡± Finn watched as Grebbledel turned and walked over to the fire. He started kicking dirt to help it die down. ¡°Let¡¯s get you to Aurleaf and I can explain more. There are supposed to be events during the festival to help level up some skills. A great place for someone like you to catch up with everyone else. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Grebbledel was gracious enough to let me ride Revelas out of the Mireglades and back to his cart on the road. Finn helped me into the back of the Bogdweller¡¯s cart then worked with Grebbledel to hitch the horse. After another half an hour of helping Grebbledel pack up some supplies and making sure the cart was in good standing, we continued our journey to Aurleaf.


    It was relaxing to sit back in the shade of the carts covering while listening to the gentle breeze in the leaves above as the wide sky of the marshes changed to the low-hanging branches of the forests. Songbirds were singing, dragonflies buzzed across the dirt path, and among all these peaceful sounds there was Grebbledel singing.


    A maiden, swift and fair as rain


    A dress that curls and dances


    Along a path of either love or pain


    She sings her song and prances


    His voice sounded like the deep rushing of a river over cold stones. It rolled and tumbled through the air. It patted my eyes into a soft lull and turned my mind into an empty stage. Before I knew it a play had begun.


    Dancing alone on the stage was a single female Riverpaw. She stood on her back legs and held her arms high. She wore a flowing dress of a deep emerald hue that floated in the air around her. Her body was slender and moved like a serpent. She held ribbons in each hand and in between her teeth. I watched for a long time as Grebbledel¡¯s song fell in line with her dancing. Before I knew it, I had drifted into a gentle sleep.

 12. The Path to Aurleaf

    A hot spring light drew itself across my eyes, waking me from a light slumber. There was a cool breeze carrying a subtle scent of a distant ocean. It twinged my nose as a hitch in the ride caused me to bump my head against the carts low wall. My body ached and my neck was stiff from my awkward sleeping position. As I stretched the pain in my leg flared up again. I was looking forward to having it healed. I felt restless not being able to walk around.


    I sat up to better cover my eyes in the shade of the cart covering. The thick forests brimming with singing birds and strumming insects were gone, in its place were long fields of breeze-swept grass dotted with dark patches of farmland. I could see animalkin working the distant fields, tilling the earth, carrying bags of seeds, and clearing out weeds. It reminded me of Montana.


    The road ahead was clear and the path flat. The cart rolled easily and Revelas strolled along at a gentle pace. I took the time to become acquainted with the system interface and the few items I had. Before I did, I pulled out my traveler¡¯s bag and summoned the apple Finn had given me. I was starving. I hadn¡¯t realized at the time I didn¡¯t have breakfast. We started traveling before I got a chance to try the eggs and bacon Grebbledel had prepared. The moment reminded me of most of my mornings back at the university. Skipping breakfast because I had to run to class. After eating the apple down to its core, I tossed it off the road and summoned the Minor Experience Potion I got from completing my quest. Finn said it was a common item and would help me grow stronger. I figured it wouldn¡¯t hurt to use it now. I uncorked the vial and drank the silvery liquid. A notification popped up asking me where I wanted to spend my points. Seeing as Arcana had done me a lot of good so far I chose to place the experience there.


    The experience potion hadn¡¯t given me enough experience to level up Arcana. I was five percent away from reaching the next level. After drinking the potion I was left with an empty vial. I considered throwing it off the cart but I wasn¡¯t one to litter. Even if it was inside a video game. So I dropped it back in my inventory. From there I read the descriptions for the rope, Fire Pack, and rations. The rope was exactly as I expected it to be, nothing special. The rations were three small knapsacks filled with dried food and a small cantina of water. They were good for a single day¡¯s travel. And the Fire Pack was two items in one. It contained both flint and steel for starting fires. Everything I needed to start a journey of adventuring out in the wilderness.


    As I sealed my bag and placed it down to use as a pillow I noticed I had a small red dot notification above my [Character] section of the system interface. I willed it to open and I got a good breakdown of my overall strengths and weaknesses. It also showed I had earned a point to place into one of my core six stats. Strength, Intelligence, Agility, Charisma, Wisdom and Constitution. From what I remembered during my class selection, the Grovewarden Druid¡¯s main stats were Wisdom and Constitution. I didn¡¯t know how the whole stat system worked or which of the two I should choose from. If only I had paid attention to when my grandpa talked about his video games.


    I concentrated on the Wisdom stat and mentally asked if I could learn more. I was genuinely surprised when the system flashed green then showed me a quick breakdown of the stat.


    Wisdom: The wisdom stat indicates the overall perceptiveness and pragmatic reasoning one has with the world around them. Those who have a high stat in wisdom will come to better understand their place in Phyrelia and the status of the things around them. It helps in decision-making and in one¡¯s attunement to natural powers. The wisdom stat is particularly important to Druids who rely on having a strong connection with the forces of nature.


    Increasing my wisdom seemed like the smart choice. The system itself was practically telling me to put my stat there. I decided to ask the system more information on the Constitution stat as I had no idea what it would be referring to or how it would help me get stronger.


    Constitution: The constitution stat indicates the overall fortitude and endurance of an adventurer. Increasing constitution improves a player¡¯s health points and resistance to poisons, damage, and curses. It helps one in trials of perseverance and willpower. The constitution stat is particularly important to Clerics who not only have to rely on faith but also their bodies to conduct the powers of their gods.


    The constitution stat would be good to increase as well. I was very close to dying in our fight with the Nightflyers. One more arrow and I was a goner. As well, the constitution stat was my second lowest stat next to charisma. It would be nice to be more resistant to damage and to last longer in a fight. The last thing I wanted to be was dead weight. I decided to increase my constitution stat and dropped the point there. The number ticked up from nine to ten and I felt a pulse of strength flow through my body as if my very bones suddenly tensed up. My breathing became a bit easier, my mind was more focused and even the pain in my leg had lessened somewhat.


    [Maximum Health Points increased from 23 -> 25]


    [Current HP: 14/25]


    My current health had gone up somewhat as well from the stat increase. However, the math didn¡¯t add up. The last time I saw my stats I was sitting at ten health points back when we finished the fight. If my overall stat increased by two then they should be at twelve. I must have recovered some health while I rested. It made sense. Pretty neat system the game had going for it.


    I closed down my interface and turned my attention to Finn who was sitting on the carts front seat with Grebbledel. They were chatting like a student and a professor with Finn drilling the Bogdweller with all sorts of questions.


    ¡°Tell me about your family,¡± Finn said. ¡°Where are they from? Where were you born?¡±


    ¡°I was raised in the deep waters of Elderfen, in a small town called Dremming Pond. I had seven brothers and sisters. Most are now gone the way of the earth. I only have a brother left, though I do not know where he currently resides. A traveler at heart, Bwimlee is.¡± Grebbledel spoke slowly with his eyes kept forward.


    ¡°Fascinating,¡± Finn said as he rubbed his chin. ¡°You are classified as a wizard. Did you study in the Obsidian Towers?¡±


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    ¡°Of course. To be called a true wizard you must gain the knowledge of those who came before. The Predecessors are the most valuable asset to those of us who become one with the arcane arts. I studied for fifteen years under a master of the seventh floor. A great Tenderbeak of global renown. She was a wonderful teacher.¡± Grebbledel let his head tilt up towards the cloudy sky, as he let past memories come to light.


    ¡°What are the teachings of the seventh floor?¡± Finn asked. Grebbledel let his head drift down then turned towards me.


    ¡°Seems your mind has perfect timing to wake you from your rest, Miles Forester. We are within sight of Aurleaf,¡± Grebbledel waved for me to come to the front of the cart. I shuffled forward between the various chests and cloth bags and leaned against the rest of the cart¡¯s front seat. I looked out across a long, narrow road leading down a wide hill and into a cozy town.


    The town of Aurleaf was surrounded by vibrant groves of apple and cherry trees and patches of farms brimming with corn, watermelons, and cabbages. At the center of town was the bluest lake I had ever seen. It was as perfect as a water painting where each stroke was loving placed by its creator. Its shimmering waters reflected soft lights from the early afternoon sun. Several small boats could be seen drifting atop the glassy water.


    The buildings were made of rough-hewn rock with red roofs placed upon their stonework. None stood higher than two stories and each had their own lush gardens of sunflowers, tulips, and dandelions. There were no paved roads in Aurleaf. Every path was a matted road of soft golden dirt that swirled through the town like a flittering ribbon.


    Speaking of ribbons, tied to the end of tall poles stuck deep on either side of the road, were colorful strings and flags. They were numerous in their designs. Shades of reds, blues and greens all dancing together with the swift sway of the breeze. Somewhere in the distance I could hear the faint whistling of a flute and the soft plucking of stringed instruments.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything so¡­ so¡­ colorful.¡±


    ¡°The First Avatar Fair is set to begin tomorrow,¡± Grebbledel said. ¡°The locals are preparing for a day filled with food, fun, and community. I have a standing room at the Little Acorn every year. Of course, I promised the innkeeper free stories and songs in exchange. I¡¯ll be performing a story tonight after sundown. You are welcome to accompany me to the tavern to see if there is room but seeing as it¡¯s the day before the festival, she may be booked full.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be staying at the Gatefinders Hall,¡± Finn said as he waved to a group of small Springstep and Brighteyes children come bounding down the path.


    ¡°You may find that a difficult task to complete,¡± Grebbledel said pulling on Revelas¡¯ reins to slow her to a soft trot as we approached a small open gateway. A low stone wall curved far to the left and right of the path, cutting its way through the silver-green fields. The wall came to an ancient arch that had crumbled away long ago. A single unlit torch was placed in a black iron sconce on the taller pillar to the left of the path. There sat a lone and large figure with a dried grass hat set low on its face.


    ¡°Why is that?¡± Finn asked.


    ¡°The hall closed down three months ago. They had to move to an old windmill north of the lake,¡± Grebbledel pulled Revelas to a stop. We came to a halt right next to the round animalkin. I figured the person to be a Shellback considering the large turtle-like shell they rested their fat body against. The Shellback was wearing a tailored leather cuirass seemingly integrated into its natural chest plate. A pair of saggy brown trousers met the Shellback¡¯s bare, leathery feet. He had a single spear in his hand, which he rested against his chest.


    Grebbledel wrapped his arms over his knees and waited for the guardsman to greet him. When the Shellback started snoring, Grebbledel let out a loud cough.


    ¡°Huh? What¡­ who goes there?¡± The shellback grunted as he lifted his hat. His turtle-like face was long and wrinkled. The animalkin¡¯s neck sagged farther than his neck and his mouth was dry and crusted. ¡°Pass on through. Pass on. City gates open today for the festival. Move along.¡±


    ¡°Carroway,¡± Grebbledel said as he leaned forward. ¡°Is this how the great Ironback spends his time? Asleep on guard duty? For all you know, we could be troublemakers come to make unpleasantries.¡±


    Carroway blinked several times, licked his dry mouth, then spat on the dirt. He took in a wet breath, then let out an even wetter cough. ¡°If my old eyes deceive me, whether what I see is true or not, will I never forget the tricks of Grebbledel. It is good to see you. Anaia will be pleased to have you visiting. So will the children.¡±


    ¡°And does my old friend find my presence to be a welcoming present?¡± Grebbledel quipped.


    Carroway let his mouth curve slowly in a sort of half smile. Then without warning, the old shellback stood quicker than I thought and let out the loudest laugh I had ever heard. It was the sound of sawdust blown through the spinning blades of a chainsaw. Rough, loud, and wheezing. Grebbledel joined in the laughter as he reached his hand down to shake Carroways. ¡°The only present I look forward to is the peace that comes from the children fawning over your stories while I rest my tired shell and drink pine ale.¡±


    ¡°I see that your tired shell still carries the weight of the town, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Grebbledel let go of his hand as Carroway nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Who have you brought to Aurleaf? I recognize the sharp eyes of Finn Ashburrow. Been a while since I¡¯ve seen you around and who is this? A Brighteyes I¡¯ve never met before. Welcome young master, what is your name?¡± Carroway asked between continued licks of the corner of his mouth.


    ¡°My name is Miles Forester and I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m new in town,¡± I didn¡¯t exactly want to start reiterating my entire back story to every new animalkin I met on the road. I was a stranger in this world, and I was three years behind everyone else in terms of learning what to expect.


    ¡°Glad to meet you, Miles,¡± Carroway said with a wave. ¡°I hope you find your stay in Aurleaf pleasant and peaceful. Though if you plan to make your arrangements with this trickster of a wizard then you may find your stay to be more than eventful.¡±


    ¡°If you are referring to the incident with the crawler, at least the adults knew it wasn¡¯t real,¡± Grebbledel stroked his beard, and he held back a smile.


    ¡°Tell that to the Gatefinders. If there are any left that is.¡± Carroway began to wave for Grebbledel to move forward when Finn spoke up.


    ¡°Where are the Gatefinders if not in Aurleaf?¡± Finn asked.


    ¡°Their numbers are few and far between, Master Ashburrow. Not many still believe in returning to their old worlds. A futile thing or not. Life has been peaceful in Aurleaf as of late. No need for adventurers and heroes when the greatest dangers we face are that of full bellies and broken fishing strings.¡± Carroway said.


    ¡°Is Dravek still the Hallkeeper?¡±


    ¡°Dravek¡­ Hmm Dravek, is he that Riverpaw fella with the golden eyes? Strong as a horse and just as broad?¡± Carroway asked as he demonstrated with his hands how tall the Riverpaw was.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s him,¡± Finn said.


    ¡°Hard to say. Haven¡¯t seen him since they left the old hall and moved to the edge of town. Three months or so ago. If he is there, well I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll enjoy the company. A lonely heart is not an ideal life to live. As for you Master Forester. Do try to enjoy the festivities. Adventurers come from all around to participate, learn, and grow. Please enjoy your stay in Aurleaf.¡± Carroway motioned us forward. As we traveled down the last hundred feet or so to the first homestead, I turned to watch as Carroway waved us goodbye. He then proceeded to sit back down, let his head rest on his chest, and dropped his hat over his eyes. The subtle motions he made astounded me. These were NPCs? They were so lifelike.

 13. A Friend called Petal

    Grebbledel brought the cart to a rolling stop underneath the falling petals of a spring-budding tree. Its growing pink flowers danced gently in the breeze. The tall tree was growing in a shaded alcove half-mooned by a low rock wall. A stone fountain was built in the wall¡¯s center, letting a peaceful flow of water run down and encircle the tree¡¯s roots.


    The old Bogdweller hopped down, unleashed Revelas and led her to the fountain. ¡°Rest now my dear Revelas. I will call for Sunflower to bring you some nice oats and a fresh apple. Miles, Finn. I must leave you now. Come to the inn at sundown if you wish to listen to my stories and relax to a wonderful song. Let your paws rest and your hearts warm by the hearth. I¡¯ll even have a meal paid for you. Another act of kindness in return for your own. Enjoy the festivities.¡±


    Grebbledel gave Revelas a head-to-head embrace then bounded down a pebble-stone pathway towards a tall wooden structure with a triangular roof. Above its blue door was a carved acorn sign that squeaked in the wind.


    ¡°Miles, I¡¯ll have you stay here while I go get a healer. No sense in making you hobble about.¡± With a joyful wave and a few good hops to stretch his legs, Finn Ashburrow hopped away towards the center of town. I was left alone, sitting on the back of the cart listening to Revelas quench her thirst.


    The town of Aurleaf was built upon the rolling grass hills east of Goldmirror Lake, named for its metallic shine of the auburn leaves come fall. History I learned from listening to Grebbledel as we entered town. Though the weather was more akin to early spring, the lake did shine in the late afternoon light. Its surface did not reflect gold or bronze as Grebbledel described, but rather of blue sky with a ring of emeralds from the surrounding forest.


    At the center of town, in the Lore Keeper¡¯s Square, I was told I would find a statue of the First Avatar. A gray statue carved from a single piece of limestone, mined from the Waterdeep Cave dungeon. The avatar who crafted it was said to have the highest-ranked crafting skill. A mastery he had obtained in the first three months of waking up in Phyrelia. The day after the statue was erected, he had left Aurleaf. Not a single animalkin had seen him since.


    The statue was the first place I wanted to visit in Aurleaf. Finn told me the name of the First Avatar was Cornelius. The same name my grandfather used as his account name for the game. It couldn¡¯t be a coincidence. My grandfather was a very purposeful man. Everything he did in life had a goal and purpose. A mindset I had hoped to emulate in my own life when I left for college.


    As I sat and watched all the different animalkin walking around the square. I knew the names of several of the species I saw. A Riverpaw couple was holding hands while strolling down a nearby street. A family of Brighteyes, two parents and three children, were looking through a window of a bakery shop. A tough looking Shellback, with strong arms, and stout head, and a giant sword strapped to their back. There was an animalkin I hadn¡¯t recognized. I pulled up my Insight and tried to inspect them but they were too far away. It looked like a six-foot-tall bird with white feathers dotted in gray. If I had to guess they were a Tenderbeak.


    After about ten minutes of enjoying the cool breeze, I got itchy to move. I felt like a little kid sitting on the back of the cart. My leg still hurt but since entering into town I had gained a few more hitpoints putting me at 16/25. Even my mana points had been recovering as well. I was sitting at a comfortable 24/34. I wasn¡¯t entirely sure how the recovery process worked. The best I could tell was I received a few health points and mana points when I rested in some form. It didn¡¯t seem to be attached to time or I hadn¡¯t been resting long enough for an added bonus. Also, despite my health points recovering I still had an injury in my leg. Would the injury go away if I hit max health points? Questions I should have asked Finn before he bounded off.


    I decided I didn¡¯t want to sit on the back of the cart anymore and I was getting pretty thirsty. I could use some of my rations but the sound of the fountain made my throat dry. I lifted my pack tight on my shoulder, gripped my staff and leapt from my seated position in the back of the cart. I landed on the ground harder then I intended and felt a shock of pain ride up my side. After it settled I walked around to sit by Revelas when a small Brighteyes girl skipped over to us. She had a little knapsack in her arms and a bright yellow flower tucked behind her round ears.


    ¡°Revvy, I¡¯m so happy you¡¯re safe,¡± The little girl said. ¡°Grebbledel told me all about those awful Nightflyers. You must have been so scared.¡± As if in response to the little Brighteyes'' worrying tone, Revelas dropped her head low and shook it. Looking at the horse, it almost seemed as if she blinked her eyes and frowned. ¡°There, there you poor thing. Old Greb said you could have a treat. Here.¡±


    She reached inside her small pack and pulled out a carrot, orange, a bag of dried oats, and a clean green apple that shined against the setting sun. Revelas ate it with a nip and a whinny. The small Brighteyes wiped her hands on her short apron and then gave me a wide-eyed look.


    ¡°Oh¡­ I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t see you there. Wait! You must be Miles! You¡¯re the one who saved Revvy! Thank you, thank you!¡± The Brighteyes girl jumped up and down while clapping her hands. In a final graceful leap, she landed squarely in front of me and wrapped her tiny arms around my waist.


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    ¡°Uh¡­ You¡¯re welcome,¡± I put my arms on her shoulders and gently pushed her back. I was never one for physical contact, especially from a stranger. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re Sunflower, right?¡±


    ¡°Yep! But my friends call me Petal. If you¡¯ll be my friend, I¡¯ll let you call me Petal too,¡± Sunflower said with a bright smile.


    ¡°Grebbledel doesn¡¯t call you Petal?¡± I asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s old fashioned. Says names are given for a reason and we should stick to them,¡± Sunflower waved her right-hand pointer finger in the air while she put her other hand on her hip. She scrunched her pink nose and puffed out her cheeks. She laughed at her own joke then looked me square in the eyes. ¡°So, Mister Miles, you going to be my friend?¡±


    I simply nodded at her stern expression. She opened her eyes wide and put both hands on her hips while standing on the tips of her toes then asked me if I would be her friend again. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be your friend.¡±


    Petal twirled on her backfoot. Her apron blossomed like her namesake. She stopped fast and held out her hand for me to shake it. ¡°Nice to meet you, Miles! We¡¯re gonna be great friends and what do friends do? They help each other out and since you¡¯re new here I can be your guide. Sound good? Yes? Perfect! Give me one minute to let my sister know. I¡¯ll be right back,¡± Petal ran off around the edge of the fountain garden and into the Little Acorn.


    While I waited for her to come back, I helped Revelas finish the bag of oats Petal left by pouring them into my hand and letting her eat. I took a handful of the fountain water myself and drank. It was cool, refreshing and even seemed to feel me with a bit of energy when I finished. I looked at my stats to see if anything had changed. My health and mana points were still the same but I had a new notification. I clicked on it and was greeted with an updated Avatar Sheet.


    [Feat Complete: Buffs & Debuffs]


    [Reward Received: Character Effects]


    Below my title as a Novice Adventurer, and my health points and mana points was a new section to my interface. It showed effects applied to me. There was a section for Buffs and Debuffs. I had no idea what those meant. Never even heard about the term besides buffing out a dent in a car. There was a single line of text next to both of them. The one beside Buff said [Refreshing Drink]. I pressed on the text and was greeted with a simple description.


    Refreshing Drink: HP and MP recovery increased by 10% for one hour.


    After reading the text it was fairly easy for me to realize that having a Buff was a good thing. The refreshing drink buff didn¡¯t seem to be very powerful but could be handy for people on the go. The buff made me curious about something. I took another handful of water and drank. Looking at the buff, it still said the same amount and time. So the buff couldn¡¯t be stacked. I let the buff interface fade and brought up the debuff.


    Arrow to the Knee: Movement hindered by 25%


    So the debuff came from my injured leg and the arrow I took. Looking down at my leg again, I noticed where the salamander had bitten me was almost fully recovered. It must be healing from my basic recovery, but the injury to my leg wasn¡¯t going to go away with a little bit of time. Maybe a few weeks of resting in bed could do it, but having a healer right now would be best.


    Petal returned a few minutes later and was no longer wearing her white apron. She was also not alone. Next to her was Finn and another Brighteyes female. The new Brighteyes was a few inches shorter than I was, with slick fur and a vibrant pink nose. She had on a robin-egg-blue dress stitched with white frills. Around her neck was a simple necklace with a sunflower charm.


    ¡°Hey pal!¡± Finn said. ¡°Managed to hop down huh? How¡¯s the leg?¡±


    ¡°Not as bad as yesterday but still hurts,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Well I¡¯ve got good news. Found us a healer. Anaia here is the best one in Aurleaf.¡± Finn motioned at the Brighteyes female.


    ¡°I¡¯m the only healer in Aurleaf,¡± Anaia said. ¡°Which means I¡¯m usually very busy. What running the Little Acorn and taking care of reckless adventurers who get in fights way over their heads.¡± She gave me a hard stare, folded her arms and seemed to be waiting for an explanation. When I didn¡¯t answer she continued. ¡°A level two avatar huh? So Finn wasn¡¯t lying. What¡¯s your name.¡±


    ¡°His name is Miles!¡± Petal broke into the conversation. ¡°He calls me Petal because were friends now. I¡¯m going to show him around Aurleaf. I¡¯m his official guide.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re guide?¡± Finn said with amusement. ¡°Well then you won¡¯t be needing me. Works for me. I¡¯ve got some business with the Hallkeeper. Miles, I¡¯ll see you tonight at the inn. Have fun!¡± Without another word, Finn bounded down the street.


    ¡°Let me take a look at your leg,¡± Anaia said. She walked over to me and lifted part of the bandage. It hurt when she lifted it and I had to turn away. Never been fond of seeing my own blood. ¡°A minor injury. I¡¯ll be able to take care of it quickly. But it will cost you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna charge me?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Normally I wouldn¡¯t, but with how busy the inn is during the festival and the complete lack of self-awareness you and Finn share, it¡¯s only best to do so. Think of it not as a charge for healing you but more so a tax on the stupidity of your actions. Let¡¯s say fifteen gold.¡± She raised her eyebrows and smiled.


    ¡°Seriously?¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t have fifteen gold. Also considering I¡¯ve only been here a day. I think I¡¯m doing pretty good so far.¡±


    ¡°Oh sure,¡± Anaia said. ¡°A level 1 druid thinks its smart to take on a bunch of fire salamanders and Nightflyers. What level did Finn say they were again?¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­ but I had Finn. He¡¯s a higher level than those guys were.¡± I retorted.


    Anaia looked down at my leg again as she spoke. ¡°Even with Finn¡¯s higher level it was a stupid match up and he knows that.¡± I was about to argue back but her hands started to glow. A soft emerald green light extended from her palms and fell upon my injured. In a matter of seconds my leg was healed. The pain was gone, the blood disappeared, except for on the bandages, and checking my interface I was at max health again. ¡°How about this Miles. Since Petal here considers you her friend you can pay me back later.¡± With a wave of her hand, Anaia had walked away without another word.