Available stat points: 10
It turns out that I had done the right thing creating a clan, completing unique pet quests, leading the group through the dungeon and so on. The system took everything into account. Where else would these promising stats have come from otherwise? I bet that Mr. Esco has a very high charisma. That’s why you could practically feel his authority — down to having shaky knees and mind lost in a haze. I had a goal to work toward to now.
Physical defense: 197 (endurance x3 + 95 (armor))
Magic defense: 57 (wisdom x3)
Another change. Wisdom was now also responsible for magic defense. Finally. I was starting to fear that I’d feel naked against some kind of a magic lightning bolt or something... I see, fatigue turned into stamina!
Take care and remember to eat regularly. Hunger slows down HP and energy regeneration.
I was already subconsciously evaluating the fatness of my, no less hungry, pet. That’s how hungry I was. A Direcat doesn’t have to be hunted for its fur only. It’s also a good source of healthy, easily digestible meat… Be gone, thoughts!
As if reading my mind, Fury gazed at me with discontent in her green eyes, and her mouth opened slightly, revealing her sharp fangs. A clear warning for her hungry master. Okay, let’s look at class skills next... Although why are they called “class” now, if the class is free?!
Unarmed Combat
Rank 1 (23/100)
One-handed Weapons (sword and dagger)
Rank 2 (36/200)
Two-handed Weapons (sword)
Rank 2 (86/200)
Shield Mastery (light shield)
Rank 2 (04/200)
I did a good job at the dungeon. I even managed to get my Shield Mastery to rank 2. That was interesting. Using both a shield and a sword leveled One-handed, but using just the sword leveled Two-handed, although the weapon itself didn’t change.
Now for the skills and abilities of the Elemental Warrior spec. Its layout was already decent, but I had time. First of all, the sad news: my passives were maxed out. I couldn’t level them with skill points anymore. I could only let them level passively.
Elemental Precision
Rank 5 (max)
Passive skill
Magically enhanced strikes ignore 10% of target’s resistance.
Elemental Power
Rank 5 (max)
Passive skill
Increases the chance to trigger magic blade buffs by 15%.
What’s more, I had nowhere to invest the three remaining skill points. The skill tree was frozen because of the “free” class thing. I had no idea what to do with it nor would I ever manage to figure it out. Moving on.
Tempest Blade
Rank 2 (18/200)
Combat aura
Weapon blows have a 25% chance to cause Air damage, equal to weapon’s PD[2].
Cost: 30 energy per activation + 5 when triggered
Duration: 1 hour
Wind’s Breath
Rank 1 (86/100)
Protective aura
Increases evasion by 3% and movement speed by 10%.
Activation cost: 30 energy
Duration: 1 hour
Searing Flash
Rank 2 (73/200)
Combat ability
Melee
Inflicts additional Fire damage equal to weapon’s PD. Has a 5% chance to cause Burning. Target receives Fire damage for 5 seconds, equal to weapon PD x2. Grants 1 attack point
Cooldown: 20 seconds
Cost: 10 energy
Flamespear
Rank 1 (92/100)
Combat ability
Ranged
Deals Fire damage for 15 seconds, equal to weapon’s PD x4. Grants 1 attack point.
Cooldown: 30 seconds
Costs: 50 energy points.
Windspear
Rank 1 (89/100)
Block
Interrupts the enemy’s current action and stuns them for 2 seconds. Grants 1 attack point.
Cooldown: 30 seconds.
Cost: 30 energy
Ice Squall
Rank 2 (74/100)
Combat ability (finishing blow)
Deals damage depending on accumulated attack points. Has a 25% chance of inflicting cold damage without using energy.
Cost: 30 energy
Under that was a table explaining the attack point system and a note about my spec.
1 point = weapon PD + 100%
2 points = weapon PD + 150%
3 points = weapon PD + 200%
Additional damage for skill points allocated to Elemental Warrior specialization: 10%
Available skill points: 3
I still had no clue whether or not I should rejoice at the fact that my current base spell damage was tied to my weapon damage. On one hand, the Uniq would level with me, and I won’t have to look for a new weapon each time I level up. On the other, should someone knock it out of my hands during battle, my spells wouldn’t save me. We’ll see how things go.
Flame’s current damage output was 75-90, which was very good considering that weapon damage was significantly influenced by both main and additional stats.
Yesterday, on my way up the mountain slope, Mashta enlightened me on how the ranks worked. First rank was most often “empty”, with a 1% possibility of something useful happening, and only served as a stepping stone for the next rank. It easy to level it as every action, any physical strike or use of a skill, helped it grow. Starting from the second, each new rank added + 5% to the ability’s power, but they were also harder to improve. To get to the second rank, you needed to perform five actions to get one point. It got worse from there and the amount of actions needed for one point jumped from 25 to a 1000. The fifth rank of active skills and abilities seemed unattainable. That’s why racial bonuses were particularly meaningful at the beginning, as they added up with the total rank bonus. This could prove to be useful at a later date too.
I quickly ran through my additional skills, stopping only for a second to take a look at resistance.
Conditioned
Rank 2 (15/200)
Cold resistance
Race bonus: + 5% (total: 11%)
That’s why I started feeling less cold at the end of the journey to the Cradle and back — it leveled along the way. That’s also why I was feeling dead tired. My body was continuously restructuring itself. How did this work in practice anyway? Let’s suppose that it’s below zero outside. If my resistance is 11%, then… Would I feel just a couple of degrees less cold? That wasn’t much. Warm clothes were still relevant.
Recalling the nuances yesterday’s conversation, I involuntarily grinned and mechanically ran my hand over my shaved head. According to Mashta, a hairless head was the hallmark of the Okhtan military class, and they were extremely proud of it. For them, a stranger like me was a caricature of a warrior. A mockery. That’s why the yellow-faced crowd gave me so many scornful looks when I appeared in the hall. I should change my features for two very valid reasons: one, it’s chilly without hair in winter, to put it mildly; and two, I didn’t want any extra trouble with the Okhtans. The girl assured me that this could be easily solved in the Fortress service center.
And now, special abilities, as my consolation prize.
Assassin’s Gambit
Rank 1 (34/100)
Unique skill
A calculated hit to the enemy’s vulnerable points has a 5% chance of inflicting critical damage, insta-killing the enemy!
Soulcatcher
Rank 1 (0/100)
A unique skill that allows restoring HP by absorbing the vital energy of creatures (Chaos). Ability development: variable
Inactive
So, let’s Soulcatcher and test it as soon as possible. I won’t get a detailed description of it otherwise, even though I knew my way around it. Wait! Something was clearly missing. An empty line in the text seemed to be staring at me in defiance. Damn it! Where was Lash of Pain?!
Chapter 9
I sto
pped pacing around the room and crossly inspected my right palm. The silver web that covered it, the sign of the dark one’s patronage, was still there. What the hell?! I felt no joy from the fact that Alan the Dark became my patron against my will. Did that mean that the player’s abilities were granted by their deity? Where was the Lash of Pain that Pops, a cleric, used on his enemies and friends? Or maybe, as a player who destroyed his former adept, I wasn’t considered worthy and had to somehow earn Alan’s favor? The only thing that I knew about him was that he was the God of Pain and Deceit. Too bad that I had no inclination toward sadism or masochism and had nothing to please him with. I’ll deal with this problem later… If one could consider it a problem at all. Maybe it would be better if kept our distance.
It could be that Pops got his first divine ability precisely because he was a damn cleric and underwent the divine initiation at the Temple of the Reborn. If I ever want to get acquainted with this dark person, my guess is that I won’t be able to do so without the pipe. In life, circumstances often arise when it’s important to have any sort of advantage over your enemies. Even if that advantage was a morally questionable one.
Ok, let’s not get ahead of ourselves and get done with the interface.
I opened the quest log and carefully went over it.
Quest: The Shriek Citadel
Quest type: epic
Objective: Confirm that the Phoenix Shriek legend is true.
Description: The Shriek Citadel, located in the northern part of the valley, is still the most mysterious place in this world. No one has yet managed to overcome the magic barrier erected by the ancient mage and get inside to find the key evidence behind what happened there hundreds of years ago.
Reward: 100% of current level XP; 1 save
Mashta assured me that the system gave this quest to everyone immediately upon binding to the Cradle. But she didn’t go any further and promised to tell more in the morning.
My thoughts were interrupted by a loud moan that swept through the fortress hall like a lazy ocean wave. The sound of a horn. How the...? I looked at the timer. Well, I’ll be damned. A whole hour had gone by completely unnoticed! I didn’t even start sorting out my pet’s problems!
Okay, what should I do to get out of this inhospitable location and to somewhere where someone, or something, resembling me lives? First of all, I have to survive, and survival is definitely tied to this epic quest. Having in mind the suspiciously large reward, it’s safe to assume that things are about to get very difficult. But before I could tackle that, first I had to get to know my new neighbors better, their abilities and mentality, so as not to cause conflict where it could be avoided. Second, I had to find out what I could do in order to level myself, and my pets, as quickly as possible.
So, it was time to hurry up. With a mental click I turned off the quest log, thereby clearing the right side of the interface, picked up the belt, weighted by the dagger, and the flask from the floor. Putting the belt on, I shook off dust and dirt off the fur cloak and threw it over my shoulders, and picked up Flame and my backpack.
The horn’s mournful moan filled the Fortress again, penetrating the “guest rooms”.
Delay was no longer an option. According to Mashta, missing the second, and last wake-up signal, could have negative consequences on one’s health. I wasn’t going to check if that was true or not. An intelligent man does not go looking for trouble where he can avoid it.
Yeah... A man. The only huMAN in this Fortress. It couldn’t hurt to find out why that was the case.
“Fury, come with me.”
Stepping into the hall, I mentally cursed as I was almost late. The dwellers had already gathered in a line along the wall where my little room was located. As mentioned before, the inhabitants of the Fortress called themselves outcasts. The natives, the Rakshasa and the Centaurs, also knew them by this name. It was an amazing coincidence, but the creature we encountered really turned out to be a Rakshasa, though the Centaurs were called Dionyssites in this place. I’m getting distracted again. There’s lot of new information that I have to digest on the go.
I came out just behind this formation and joined the right flank, together with a group of five Lowlings — three shaggy boys and two no less shaggy girls. They were dressed in full leather gear and fur cloaks, hoods thrown back, and armed with long daggers and slings. Their former class was most likely rogue. I nodded in greeting to Mashta, and she immediately shoved her neighbors in the ribs. There was the chef from yesterday named Phage who was level 25, and the guide, Colin, who was level 28. The second girl was named Chula and she was level 23 and was almost indistinguishable from Mashta in both body size and appearance. The last guy, Arkoosh, was level 22.
They looked at me with interest and saw the Fairy riding the Direcat and immediately turned their attention to her. Realizing what they’ve done, they huddled together and started whispering among themselves. Where they talking about Tinnie? Well, let them. Whether I liked it or not, the Lowlings were pleasant folk in comparison to everyone else. I felt safer standing by them. Also, it’s Lowlings not Littlelings as I mistakenly blurted out yesterday. Despite being rather light-hearted, Mashta really didn’t like it.
I followed the line toward the left flank with interest. It became clear that the Okhtans stayed in close-knit groups of five to ten players. But the gray-faced Bruisers, Dalrokts, that is, as they called them here, were nowhere to be seen. Only one of their kind was present — Initox, who commanded the local parade and the local... Almost said “gang” there. Let it be called a “squad” for now even though there was probably no difference. Apparently, the Dalrokts were the privileged ones and didn’t appear for the parade. Also, no one had any pets. I couldn’t believe that in such a large group of people, none had tamed any animal. I somehow missed this yesterday. Maybe they couldn’t feed them. Maybe pets simply couldn’t survive here, and everyone gave up on resurrecting them. I looked at my girls, my sisters, fearing that I would soon have to part with them. No. I couldn’t imagine traveling without them. Losing them would be like losing a part of me. I would fight the harsh conditions for their sake.
Tinkling with the metal parts of his gear, Initox leisurely walked front of the formation. In a low, but very confident, voice that resembled a restrained roar, the Dalrokt began giving orders to the party leaders.
“Marwek, take the first point. Gnomel — the second. Vrubesh….”
Each of these commanders immediately led his group out. No objections, no grumbling. They silently obeyed the order and went outside onto the fresh air of the Fortress courtyard, not forgetting to close the door behind them in order to keep the heat inside. One of the rooms had been turned into a giant fireplace, where coal continuously burned, and from where tangible waves of heat spread throughout the Fortress. As Initox moved on, the formation quickly shrunk, until only the Lowlings and I remained. The leader of the outcasts finally stopped in front of us; that is, me, to be more precise. Despite his height and build, the Dalrokt moved with dangerous, bestial grace, exuding primal, elemental power.
Player name: Initox
Level 28
Race: Dalrokt
Class: free
Damn it, what is this “free class” thing?!
His dark hair, tightly braided on his nape, stirred when he turned his head and looked at us. Eyes with bright pupils stared imperiously. Leather clothes creaked as his things moved, strapped to the vest right under the cuirass — two sheathed daggers, a mighty sword, and a flask.
“Mashta, your group will be hunters,” he ordered. “The rookie’s on you, too. You are responsible for all of his actions. Tell him about our rules. Report in the evening.” Initox fixed his gaze on me. “Remember, human, not knowing the rules is no excuse. Unruliness will be punished. Listen to Mashta, until you figure things out, and you’ll keep out of trouble. Is that clear?”
I nodded. What was there to understand? As the moment he spoke it became clear that he wasn’t to be messed wi
th. He didn’t talk much either. People like him you listen attentively, with all due respect, and then run to carry out their orders and assignments at lightning speed. The feeling of authority flowing from him was so overwhelming that all thoughts of disobedience were immediately gone. Rather, they should have been gone, but I realized that I could resist his aura quite successfully. I also had a stat that had such an impact on others, and even undeveloped, it already served as a sort of a shield. A weak and frail one, but a shield nonetheless. The Lowlings weren’t as lucky — I saw how they looked at him with servile eyes, without a shadow of doubt that the Dalrokt had the right to command them.
Having finished the extremely short briefing, the head of the outcasts went to the courtyard. A couple of giants — Drahub, level 30, and Kerix, 29 — joined him along the way. I had no time to notice where had they came from, but it they arrived immediately after the orders were issued.
Catching my thoughtful stare, Mashta gave me her explanation of events.
“Do you think that the Dalrokts sit around all day and do nothing just because they are in charge? There are only four of them. But, as long as they live, Madogost will be under reliable protection. Especially when everyone else doing their daily assignments.”
“What kind of dailies do you have here?” My curiosity never failed me.
“Lairs, sort of. We call them “pockets”. Scattered throughout the valley… All sorts of…creatures dwell there. Most teams will have enough work for the whole day. First they get there and then they clear it. The luckiest ones return by noon, the rest in the evening,” Mashta turned to her group and gave an order. “Okay, Colin, lead our blockheads to the hunting camp, and I’ll figure it out with the rookie. I’ll show him around the place.”
For some reason, the four Lowlings exchanged glances and laughed, flashing white-toothed smiles.
”Do you like him, Mashta?” Chula slyly asked.
“And how did you come to that conclusion, my dear friend?”–– Mashta chuckled, not at all discouraged by the question. “We always mess around with rookies, as I am sure you know. As the leader of our company, I must look after him...”
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