Second Skin: Unified: A litRPG Adventure (Second Skin Book 3)

by M Damon Baker

  Quest, The Uniter, Advancing

  Sintári Quest, Control, Advancing

  Your actions have Advanced the paths of two quests simultaneously. By forging a link with the Queen, you have not only increased your control, but also furthered the cause of your Empire. Bringing Líann so close to you so quickly was a bold, or possibly unfortunate choice—only time will tell. For your hasty, yet decisive actions, you have been rewarded with 5500 XP and a bonus to your Protector Ability.

  You have gained a level! – You have earned sufficient experience to advance to level 33.

  You have gained three Attribute points. Two of your points have been automatically assigned to DEX and CHA. You may assign the remaining point to any other Attribute as you see fit.

  Well, that certainly qualified as something I shouldn’t let slide. While the Quest reward notification wasn’t incredibly surprising, the increasingly taunting and sarcastic tone of my notifications was a bit annoying. Even more disturbing was that the note was clearly tailored to me, and not some generic quest reward left over from whatever remained of the game messages. I had meant to ask Nentai if she knew anything about the odd content of the notes, but whenever we talked, something more important always seemed to take precedence, and pushed the issue from my mind. This definitely bumped up the priority for me, and I resolved to ask her about it the next time we spoke.

  The level-up menu only took a second for me to deal with, and when I placed my single Attribute point in Strength, it vanished from my sight and nothing else followed. I knew my stats pretty well, but with the notification telling me that I’d received some bonus to my Protector Ability, and the dangerous mission ahead of me that morning, I decided to pull up my personal sheet for a quick review.

  Dreya Dae

  Sintári Female

  Titles: Sintári, Empress

  Level - 33

  463209/491200

  Health - 341/341 Aura - 258/858 Endurance - 341/341

  Sintári – Sintári interact with their surroundings in unusual ways. The effects of these interactions can be unpredictable

  Class – Warden – Wardens gain a 10% bonus to skills associated with nature or which have natural effects

  Specialization – Protector

  Mastery –

  STR - 40 (+4)

  CON - 29 (+2)

  DEX - 26 (+2)

  INT - 25 (+2)

  WIS - 24 (+2)

  CHA - 48 (+4)

  Abilities

  Ignore Armor – Your next arrow will ignore a portion of the target’s armor. Cost – 20 Aura. – 36%

  Stun – Your next arrow has a chance to stun its target on hit. Cost – 20 Aura. – 35%

  Block –You may attempt to use your bow to parry a single melee attack. Cost – 20 Endurance. – 20%

  Swarm – Your next arrow duplicates itself in flight. Cost – 20 Endurance and 20 Aura. – 47%

  Flurry – Perform three rapid strikes with a bladed weapon. Cost – 30 Endurance. – 25%

  Parry – Chance for your blades to block next melee attack targeted at you. Cost – 20 Endurance. – 23%

  Hamstring – The next arrow fired has a chance to cripple your opponent. Cost – 20 Aura. – 32%

  Hilt Bash – Stun your opponent with a successful hilt strike from your bladed weapon. Cost – 30 Endurance. – 23%

  Blood Price – Your arrow inflicts a damage-over-time bleed effect. Cost – 30 Aura. – 37%

  Blind – Your next arrow has a chance to inflict blindness on a successful hit. Cost – 30 Aura.– 37%

  Achilles Strike – Cripple your target with a slash of your bladed weapon. Cost – 30 Endurance. – 25%

  Penetrator – Advanced Ability – Your arrow pierces through armor easily. With increased proficiency it may penetrate through even greater barriers. Modifier – Strength. Cost – 60 Aura. – 20%

  Disable – Advanced Ability – A successful strike of your blade to an extremity renders the affected limb completely useless until healed. Modifier – Strength. Cost – 60 Endurance. – 20%

  Shockwave – Advanced Ability – Your arrow explodes on contact, dealing minimal damage but generating a stunning Shockwave in a radius around its detonation. Size and scope of this effect increase with proficiency. Modifier – Strength. Cost – 120 Aura. – 20%

  Sintári Abilities

  Natural Affinity – The Sintári’s unique connection with the natural world may manifest itself in random ways at times. While these effects are generally beneficial they are also typically outside the direct control of the Sintári. Modifier – Charisma.

  Control – Effect varies, applies to all Sintári Abilities. – 57%

  Protector Abilities

  See Truth – Twice per day, the spoken words of your target become visible to you, allowing you to see the truth held within them. Strength and duration of this effect increase with proficiency. Cost – 60 Aura. Modifier – Wisdom. – 39%

  Spells

  Enhanced Sight – May be cast on self or ally. Improves visual acuity of the recipient in dark or obscured conditions. Cost – 20 Aura. – 50%

  Create Trap – Place a magical trap upon an area. Size, type, and trigger of traps is determined by your proficiency. Cost – 40 Aura. – 53%

  Elemental Arrow – Your next arrow is imbued with elemental energy and causes additional elemental damage accordingly. Cost – 30 Aura. – 28%

  Spike – Launch Ice Spike(s), delivering bonus cold damage on a successful hit. Cost – 40 Aura. – 20%

  Bolt – Release a Bolt of pure Lightning at your target(s). Cost – 40 Aura. – 26%

  Find Weakness – Highlights vulnerable points on the target. Modifier – Intelligence. Cost – 80 Aura. – 20%

  Summon Elemental – Summons an Elemental creature. If you succeed in binding it to your will, the creature will serve you faithfully until the spell’s expiration. Modifier – Charisma. Cost 100 Aura. – 40%

  Shield – May be cast on self only. Manifests a forward-facing barrier against incoming projectile attacks. Duration and resistance of the barrier are based on proficiency and modifier value. Modifier – Constitution. Cost – 80 Aura. – 20%

  Skills

  Bow – 54%

  Critical Hit – 42%

  Blades – 34%

  Long Sword – 37%

  Short Sword – 29%

  Dagger – 26%

  Critical Hit – 29%

  Two-Handed – 30%

  Pole Arms – 14%

  Spear – 23%

  Armor – 35%

  Medium Armor – 39%

  Perception – 49%

  Environmental – 52%

  Identify Enemy – 48%

  Identify Person – 49%

  Combat Dodge – 25%

  Subterfuge – 30%

  Stealth – 35%

  Find Trap – 11%

  Disarm Trap – 8%

  Set Trap – 10%

  Manipulation – 51%

  Persuade – 62%

  Barter – 37%

  Survival – 24%

  Tracking – 26%

  Identify Creature (Beasts) – 19%

  Skinning – 16%

  Field Dress – 15%

  Alchemy – 19%

  Herbalism – 31%

  Potion Craft – 27%

  Lore – 7%

  Identify Magical Item – 12%

  I had spent so much time governing that there was virtually no chance for me to advance any of my talents over the last few months. The little I had gained was mostly in See Truth, and the slow trickle of my Manipulation tree. So, I was overjoyed to not only gain a level, but also with the boon I’d received in See Truth.

  The ability to cast it twice a day would be really useful, as I’d often hesitated to use the Spell. Only having it available once a day made me reluctant to spend it too hastily. With its frequency doubled, however, I would feel free to cast the magic much more often.

  The quick review of my sheet also reminded me that I had
a slew of useful bow talents that I simply couldn’t use with my new Quiver. As powerful as its God-forged arrows were, they would not let me apply my skills to them, and limited me to using only their powers. Admittedly, those powers were quite awesome, but were mostly restricted to dealing direct and almost exclusively deadly damage. So, after closing my UI, I pulled my old Never Ending Quiver of Arrows out and strapped it across my shoulders next to the Quiver of The Elements. Between the two sources of ammunition, I felt that I was ready to handle any situation we might come across.

  I had also forgotten about the many traps I’d placed around my residence, but seeing my depleted Aura pool reminded me of all the power I’d been holding in reserve. With the guards that would be stationed in every room while I was gone, I felt confident enough to dismiss nearly all of them, leaving only the one that I’d laid across the grand entrance in place. That one in particular I felt was most important, as it would snare anyone who sought to enter by subterfuge and truly intended to do harm. Once all that I’d forgotten was attended to, I left to have a quick breakfast before conducting my morning interview—after that, I’d finally head off to seek out whatever had slain my people.

  My appetite was rather meager, so I only took a few bites before leaving the antechamber and entering my old office, where Talína had been relocated once Rhia had finished hauling all the necessary furniture up the stairs. I smiled as I looked around at the four heavy desks she had to drag in due to her inability to keep her mouth shut. Rhia had become one of my favorites, and I wasn’t sure whether it was because she was unable to contain her thoughts or despite that fact, but I looked forward to the days that she was assigned to my guard detail since I never knew what I might hear slip past her lips.

  “Good morning, Empress. Rhone is here for his interview, if you are ready,” Talína greeted me.

  She’d already had the dwarf seated at what would apparently be his desk once he’d passed my test, so I went over to greet him and began the process. He didn’t hesitate for a second to echo Talína’s oath and answered all the same questions I’d put forth to her truthfully. While I was curious as to why he’d chosen to join me, I skipped over that line of inquiry and welcomed him into my service once the issue of his loyalty was addressed.

  “I’d like to spend some more time with you, but I have a rather urgent issue to attend to,” I told him as I shook his hand. “Talína can help you get oriented and see that everything is in order.”

  “Thank you, Empress,” he replied earnestly. “I’m honored to be in your service.”

  With my lone obligation handled, I left immediately for the Garrison to seek out whatever had killed our patrol the day before. I was somewhat surprised as I set off that my only company was my normal guard detail. None of the others, not even Tási, had been waiting for me as they’d promised—I should have known better.

  As soon as I left my residence and descended to the barracks level, all of them were there waiting for me. In addition, a full second detail of my personal guard was with them, and I noticed for the first time that the uniforms they wore were slightly different that day. While the half-capes they had on were still emerald green, the silver trim and white embroidery of their rank and insignia were all done in black.

  “What’s with this?” I asked Ella as I fingered the altered trim of her cape.

  “Something Birt added,” she smiled grimly. “For days when we truly mean business.”

  It was an interesting touch, and the deep black accents lent a certain menacing air that the more formal and reserved colors of their typical uniforms lacked.

  “I assume that you’re coming too?” I asked her next.

  “The entire unit wanted to come with you today,” she smiled again, more pleasantly this time. “I had to order the rest to stay behind.”

  “Well then, let’s get started,” I said as I led them down the stairs.

  The procession that ensued was quite impressive, as twelve of my personal guard quickly moved to encircle me as we made our way down. I addition, all of my companions in their own God-forged armor walked along with us, each with their own detail of three personal guards. In all, 33 of us, the least well-equipped of whom were clad in Dwarven Steel chain under Khelduin plates, marched down the stairs together. Stel’s armor, while not God-forged, was particularly well-made. Hilgreth and Georl had seen that he received their best work and given him his own set of Khelduin plates and chain. Combined with Bastion’s Reckoning, his shield, it made for a most impressive display.

  We marched at a brisk pace towards the Garrison gate, where Evans himself awaited us with his own squad of troops to add to our burgeoning numbers. The red-caped soldiers fell in line with my green-clad guards and the blue-clad soldiers of my companions’ protectors as we strode on through the gates—a smaller group followed closely behind, pulling a wagon to retrieve our dead.

  The lone survivor had been unable to relate what had happed to his compatriots or even where their slaughter had taken place, so all we could do was follow the road towards the Outpost and see what we could discover for ourselves.

  I can see little beneath the trees, Sintári, Bane’s voice came to me from high above.

  ‘Be careful, Bane. This is a dangerous mission were on,’ I cautioned him.

  Yes, I know, he replied with some amusement. Tási was kind enough to inform me of what has happened.

  I was grateful for her consideration, but it should have been me who thought to invite him along. In my haste and with my mind preoccupied with so many other things, I’d simply forgotten. Part of me still overlooked him when it came to such things. I still had the image of Bane as my tiny Rhastoren companion who perched on my shoulder stuck in my head, but those days were long gone, and the transformation that I’d initiated had caused him to grow into a massive and powerful creature, more than capable of taking care of himself.

  ‘I’m sorry about that, Bane,’ I sent him. ‘I should have told you myself.’

  She told me you were a bit… distracted, Sintári. I understand.

  I imagined that Tási had probably described my mood in somewhat more colorful terms, but I didn’t press Bane any further, and let him continue with his scouting. Aside from my silent communication with Bane, there was little discussion among us, and considering the unknown nature of the threat we faced, the lack of conversation was understandable.

  It was nearly two hours before we came upon the scattered corpses of our dead. As we came around a slight bend in the road, the bodies of eleven fallen soldiers lay strewn across the packed earth of the trail.

  Their bodies had been cruelly hacked to pieces, rendering them beyond the power of resurrection magic, even if we’d arrived in time to try. Too much time had passed for even the power of Death’s Embrace to restore one of them, as its magic, like all resurrection magic, had to be invoked within the first few hours after death. After that, the essence of the fallen had been separated from the material world for too long, and reuniting it with the body was impossible.

  Despite their gruesome state, we began to examine the corpses for any clues about what had taken their lives. It seemed apparent that whatever had killed them had attacked viciously, and little could be determined from the jagged rents that were torn in their flesh until I noticed something suspicious.

  “Tell me if you see what I see,” I said as I waved over Tási and Ella.

  When they joined me, I pointed at the severed leg of the soldier I’d been examining.

  “I’m not sure what you’re looking at,” Tási remarked.

  “The wound was not caused by a blade or other slashing means,” I explained. “At least not until after her death.”

  As I spoke, I withdrew one of the Khelduin arrows from my Quiver and lined it up with the narrow channel I had noticed in the middle of the severed limb; the arrow and its shaft matched almost perfectly with the deep, penetrating wound that the slashing damage had intended to conceal.

  “They were shot, an
d then hacked apart to hide who had done this,” I concluded. “This attack was not perpetrated by some monster or bandit gang—this was done by an enemy who felt the need to hide its identity from us.”

  “Sounds like someone we already know,” Ella commented.

  “Gilfri,” Tási added, unnecessarily.

  “How did you know to look for this?” Ella questioned me.

  “Because I’ve done the same thing myself,” I replied to her flatly as they both looked at me in surprise.

  We informed everyone else of what we’d found, and tried to decide how we would proceed while a few of the guards and soldiers searched the area for any signs of a trail left by Gilfri’s killers.

  “It’s not likely that we face a large force,” Stel mused. “Not only would it be difficult to hide from us, but the fact that one of the soldiers escaped what appears to be a well-planned ambush seems to indicate that our foes are small in number as well.”

  “Or perhaps only a small number of our foes took part in this ambush,” Broda countered.

  “That is a rather excellent point,” Stel conceded.

  “Tási,” I turned to her as I remembered her spells. “Considering the fact that we’re facing at least several archers, perhaps you should cast your reflect Spell on as many of us as possible.”

  She nodded and immediately began casting her magic, and I wasn’t surprised when the icon appeared in my UI indicating that she had shielded me first. My own Shield Spell only worked against projectiles that came straight on, but I cast it on myself anyway for the added protection it would provide. Unfortunately the Spell was self-cast only, or I would have placed it on Tási as well.

  While the assailants had attempted to mask their trail, their efforts were not entirely successful, and the guards were able to pick it up after a bit of searching. From the road, it appeared that they had headed due east, back towards Olóra, and we began tracking them cautiously into the forest while the small group of soldiers we left behind started placing the remains in the cart they’d brought.