by J M Hamm
Over the next day, I used my arcane bolts to loosen the web around my hands as much as possible and even managed to level the skill once more. Big Mamma came by twice during that time, and each time greeted me with a spray of venom to the face. I could feel the beginnings of a skill based on her venom forming, like a forgotten name on the tip of my tongue.
The blasts of flesh blistering venom weren’t enough to improve my poison resistance, but the agony of feeling my flesh burn was sufficient to bring my pain tolerance up twice in quick succession. This brought my FP up to four, and I immediately purchased Newbie and Scholar.
Congratulations! You have achieved a new feat(s).
Newbie © - You are a beginning adventurer yet to embark on your first quest! This feat is given for free upon completion of the tutorial but is available for purchase to appease the foolish and the stubborn. +1 Stamina, +1 unallocated stat and +1 unallocated stat point on every level. New feats will open as the Newbie advances.
Scholar © - While others trained their bodies you trained your mind. Long nights spent in the library have taught you that knowledge is the key to all power. +1 to Intellect. Increases your reading speed and comprehension by 50%. New feats become available to those who pursue the path of the scholar.
Nothing game-changing, but still useful. I especially liked the stat gain, and the extra stat per level might be useful down the road. My intellect was starting to look decent, which might help increase the chances of my plan succeeding. I put my extra stat point into Intellect to round it out at eighteen. My thinking became clearer, but I certainly wasn’t twice as smart when I had first seen my stats. It was unclear exactly how much stat gains increased my inherent abilities.
I was close to having the tools I needed to escape, I just needed the opportunity. It would need to be soon. I hadn’t had any food or water for well over a day. It had probably been longer, as I couldn’t account for the time I had spent unconscious. It might have even been two days, judging from the dryness of my throat, stiff limbs, and intense headache.
I used the Analyze skill to confirm that the silk was continuing to degrade, but I was unable to make any headway in my attempts to break the cocoon. The silk was beginning to lose shape, it was now more like goo than the thousands of individual silk strands that it had been before. Just a little more, and I would have my chance.
I didn’t have to wait long before good ol’ Big Mamma came to hose me down once more. This time something clicked, and I immediately grasped how I could use my mana to produce a similar spray of venom. I didn’t even have to flinch from the pain this time, a combination of my increased pain tolerance and the endorphins of seeing a plan finally coming together.
Congratulations! You have learned a new skill(s). Venom Spray © (0/10)
Calculating … Reactive Learning cooldown … 1 day(s), 4 hour(s), 14 minute(s)
She left as quickly as she had come, but I still waited several more minutes before I began experimenting with the new skill.
During this time, I reflected on exactly how the learning had taken place. Obviously, the system was using some trickery to put the knowledge into my head. Despite that, there was more to it. The mana that was a part of me now had its own system of rules and if I could learn to manipulate those rules — then my potential would be unlimited.
Theoretically, I could develop my own spells and skills, possibly even feats. I could feel the mana now, it was a part of me. With a little concentration I could draw it out, manipulate it. I sensed the beginnings of a skill forming, but I soon lost control of my tenuous grasp on my mana and my grasp on the skill slipped away as well.
I would be better served by turning my attention back to the task at hand. I knew how dangerous it was to let your mind wander during moments of crisis. Another lesson drilled into me by my father.
Venom Spray worked by shooting a jet of venom from my hands. This would quickly fill up the gaps between the webbing. The spray would burn at my skin and clothes, and I could feel my feet blister as my shoes filled with acidic venom. The webbing, however, also began to show signs of dissolving. White globules of viscous liquid, tinged green by the faint illumination of the cavern, began dripping down from the cocoon like a melting candle.
The Venom Spray skill had risen by two levels before I was finally able to free myself. I didn’t so much break the silk webbing, it was more like it just sloughed off me. Luckily, my own version of Venom Spray weakened the silk the same way Big Mamma’s had, and I suspected it would be useful in combat as well.
As soon as I was free, I ripped the green canvas backpack from my back and began scouring its contents. Textbooks fell into the chasm, but I found my prize. I chugged a warm, stale, and half-empty bottle of Coke followed by a few mouthfuls of bread and meat from a days old sandwich. It was the greatest meal of my life.
Content, I turned back to my task. I only had to climb down the web without falling into the yawning abyss and then climb up a cliff of indeterminate height. All without proper rest, equipment, or water. The sooner I started, the sooner I could fall to my inevitable death.
No time like the present.
Chapter Four: From Looming Monarch’s Dread
Making my way to the cliff wall was easier than I had imagined. Rather than having to walk down a single tightrope-like strand, the individual threads of the web were close enough together that it was more like walking down a particularly sticky trampoline.
The cliff itself was nearly vertical, but it did have a slight outward tilt. The blue stone was rough and covered in sharp protrusions just large enough to wedge fingers between. Climbing wouldn’t be easy, but it was possible. With a sigh I began.
I quickly felt the strain in my legs and lower back as I pushed myself up the stone wall. My fingers began to bleed, making my hands slick as they gripped handholds no deeper than my fingertips. Still, I clung down harder and continued my climb upwards.
There was no light at the top of the cliff to bolster my courage with the promise of an end. I climbed into empty darkness, void of hope. It was like scaling the inside of a mountain. The journey was long enough that I began to doubt the direction I was moving in, perhaps I was only moving further into the spider’s den. Was down the way out?
I leaned my head against the cool stone as I tried to shift the weight between my tired legs and arms. I wasn’t sure how long I could last. System readouts taunted me, showing me that my stamina was dwindling faster than it could replenish. I wasn’t sure what would happen when it ran out. Perhaps I would die, or would I merely faint?
Either option would see me plunging into an endless pit.
Something cool and wet trickled over my forehead. I looked up and pressed my fingers against the rock. Water. A thin stream flowed down the side of the cliff. Perhaps if I followed it I would find the way out?
I collected small sips of water in my open palm and greedily drank them down. It was sweet and felt cool on my swollen throat. That simple comfort gave me hope, but more importantly it restored my stamina enough for me to continue my climb. I may have given up completely, given in to the relentless pull downwards, if it weren’t for that small mercy.
With renewed energy, I slowly made my way upwards until I came to a small ledge. It was narrow, but if I pressed my body against the wall and kept low, I would be invisible from below. At the base of the ledge, there was a small cleft in the wall which proved to be the source of the stream of water I had followed.
Below me, I could still see the massive web stretching out into the endless darkness. The cliff wall opposite from me was completely hidden in shadow. The web seemed not to have shrunk at all, as if I had made almost no progress upwards, and yet I knew I had been climbing for hours.
I could feel eyes on me. Far below I could hear hissing and clicks, but nothing scurried up the wall after me. Perhaps they hadn’t discovered my escape or believed me lost to the abyss. I knew Big Momma would return, would she notice my escape? Would I be missed, or just
a single, unnoticed cookie missing from the jar?
My fear was meaningless, I needed rest if I was to continue. Once I stopped climbing, my arms had become weak and sore, refusing to pull me further. The adrenaline drained from my body, and I found myself leaning against the cold stone. Water flowed under my legs and soaked my jeans, but I didn’t have the energy to move.
I must have slept, because I woke to a small, orange pupil staring at me. I jumped in surprise and a small lizard scurried away, disappearing down the cliffside. As it went, I stood up, sending several small pebbles over the ledge. They tumbled down the cliff, each impact seemingly as loud as gongs. I held my breath, but no new horror emerged.
Eventually, I let my breath out. If the small lizards could survive here, perhaps I was safe from the spiders. Or perhaps the tiny reptiles simply weren’t enough of a meal to bother with.
I held myself as still as possible, while deciding what to do. The small lizards began to return, curiously staring at me with glassy eyes. My stomach rumbled, and I grit my teeth together as I regarded my silent audience.
Were they edible? It didn’t matter, I needed to eat something, or I wouldn’t have the energy to continue. Only half my stamina had returned during my sleep, and it stubbornly refused to regenerate further.
The lizards were small and brown, with red crested necks. They were also fast and nimble, and scurried over the rock wall like darts. Catching them would be difficult. They kept a distance from me, and I would never be able to climb fast enough to reach them.
I doubt I would have even climbed as far as I did without aid from the system. I had gained the climbing skill and leveled it to its second rank during my ascent. Hopefully, it would be enough to get me to the top. The sleep and water had done me good, perhaps with some food I’d be able to continue upwards.
Before I did anything else, I had to inventory what resources were still available to me. My bag was mostly empty, only containing a single paperback, an empty bottle, and an extra shirt. My main resource was more immaterial. I had four FP, including the two gained during my climb. I could buy another feat, but it was difficult to know which could aid me.
The Warrior feat seemed useless to my present situation, but Acrobat seemed almost tailor-made. There were also new feats available that hadn’t been there before, perhaps either gaining or using my feats had unlocked them.
Novice (0/4), Cantrip Trained (0/3), Warrior (0/3), Autodidact (0/4), Acrobat (0/3), Inspiration (0/25)
I read the list carefully, but no new information appeared. Inspiration immediately caught my eye, but I would need to save up quite a few points before it was reasonable to invest in it. Novice and Autodidact were probably improved versions or evolutions of the feats I had bought earlier. That, plus the slight increase in cost, told me they were probably marginally better than the common tiered feats.
I was starting to see familiar patterns in how the system worked. There were certainly clues as to which abilities were best, but it was impossible to know without spending my minimal FP.
Autodidact sounded useful, and the name suggested it would fit with my intellect-based build, but it was far too expensive to be immediately useful. What I really needed was something that would help me to find food, or at least make climbing easier.
I turned back to the lizards. Several were still carefully watching me, unwilling to get too close. I activated analyze and found that they were indeed edible but were also mildly poisonous. I would have to be careful which parts I ate. I was also willing to gamble that if I was resistant to Big Mamma’s venom, I could take whatever these guys could dish out.
I fired off a few experimental Arcane Bolts, but the creatures quickly scattered. Even if I had been able to hit one, I doubt I would have been able to catch it before its corpse tumbled down the cliff. I was more likely to run out of mana than I was to catch anything.
I sighed and opened the Feat Store one more time. Without giving myself time to think about it, I choose the option my instincts told me would be the most useful.
Congratulations! Your journey began in darkness, but you have begun to see the light! You have earned a new feat(s).
Cantrip Trained - You are a neophyte trained in the simplest of arcane magics. Through countless hours of study, you have learned the spells Mage Hand © (0/10) , Arcane Missile © (0/10), and Arcane Shield (Minor) © (0/10). + 4 to mana. All common © level spells cost one less mana to cast.
Spells! My eyes lit up with greed. A single feat had given me three spells, which would make it easier to earn more FP. Investing in Cantrips would quickly pay for itself. My glee subsided as I realized I still had to get out of here alive.
Time to look at spell descriptions and see if anything was useful. I fought a smile, but it eventually won out as a toothy grin appeared on my face. I was climbing for my life, hunted by giant spiders and I had no idea where I was. For just a moment, I didn’t care about any of that. I could do actual magic.
I cackled quietly to myself, alone save for the darkness and the countless unseen eyes.
Now to see what I could do. Anything had to be better than Arcane Bolt. Mage Hand and Arcane Shield seemed to do what it said on the tin, move stuff, and create a shield of mana. Mage Hand could also turn small objects, such as a pebble, into a projectile.
Sounded like the perfect tool for lizard hunting.
I attempted to use mage hand to capture one of the small lizards, but the spell couldn’t grip the slippery critter. It squirmed and twisted, easily breaking free and disappearing into a shadowy crevice.
Out of curiosity, I activated Arcane Shield but quickly dispelled it when a shimmering shield of blue arcane energy formed around my body. If I used the spell I might as well be lighting a bonfire, alerting every creepy crawly around that there was a meal nearby. I was still impressed though; the spell had the potential to save my life if used sparingly.
The only spell left unseen was Arcane Missile, which seemed little more than an upgraded Arcane Bolt.
Arcane Missile © - 8 mana. Arcane Missile has been a staple of every wizard’s offense since time immemorial. Every young acolyte has been drilled in its use endlessly, and now you join those ranks. Creates a sphere of arcane energy that unerringly strikes a single target at a range of up to fifty meters per skill level. Creates an additional missile for every three skill levels above the first.
Unerringly? Let’s hope the actual effect lived up to the hype. Those lizards were slippery little buggers, but I was already salivating over the thought of roasting them over an open fire. Of course, I still had no way to make fire, and even if I did, it would draw too much attention.
Raw reptile sounded like it carried a high risk of food poisoning. Maybe these creatures even carried diseases. Would Venom Spray make them safe to eat? It seemed like a long shot, but anything was worth trying by that point.
“Unerring” turned out to mean, “will curve slightly.” The process took me several tries, but I quickly hit my target. As it began to fall, I reached out with Mage Hand and slowly drew the falling corpse towards my ledge.
“Yes,” I mumbled through clenched teeth. I’d never been prouder of any accomplishment than I was of killing a harmless, six-inch lizard. The system shared in my jubilation by awarding me a skill level in Arcane Missile. It also awarded me something else.
Calculating … Experience Points awarded (1) … calculating update … (899) XP until next level.
XP? This system really was based on a video game. It was almost enough for me to fall back into contemplation. This couldn’t be real. I shook my head and turned back to my newly gained prize.
Eating a raw lizard doused with acidic venom hardly seems pleasant. It wasn’t. The meat was cold and slimy, and I nearly spit it back up several times. I washed it down with a few handfuls of water and began to use the creature’s own bones to pick scales out of my teeth.
I must admit, they were at least filling.
I decided to catch another of the f
rilled lizards and fill an empty soda bottle with water, before continuing my climb. My stamina was back to full, and at least for a short time it was regenerating as quickly as I used it. I could keep this pace up for hours, especially if I found another ledge to rest on.
I’m not sure how long I climbed for, but I had gained another level in climb and my stamina had reached the point where it was no longer regenerating when I finally found another ledge. The spider web had finally disappeared into the darkness, but I still felt as if arachnid eyes watched me from the shadows.
The second ledge seemed to mark a decrease in the steepness of the cliff. I looked up to find that the cliff was sloping outwards and becoming increasingly less steep as it went up. I sighed in relief, I was finally starting to believe I would see the top.
I rested for a few hours and ate the second lizard before spending the better part of a day climbing. Eventually, a tiny speck of white light broke through the darkness above me. A single pinprick of hope in a void of darkness.
At the same time, an unholy screech ripped through the darkness beneath me.
Chapter Five: Exitus
The rough stone bit into my palms and my calves burned from exertion. My heartbeat echoed in my ears as I scrambled up the cliff with fading strength. I leaped and pulled, my fingers biting into nearly invisible outcroppings. I didn’t spare a moment to glance down. I pushed away my terror, focusing only on the stone wall. Nothing else mattered.
Nothing else was real.
Far below me, an angry roar was progressively getting louder. The steady tempo of claws shattering rock echoed through the cavern and I could feel a faint vibration when I pressed my palms against the cool rock. I closed my eyes and let out a long breath, before looking up and continuing my climb.
I could see light far above me. It was still distant, no more than a faint white glow, but it was growing brighter. It was impossible to know how much further I would have to climb, nor when my pursuer would arrive. The only thing I knew was that I had to climb until I either reached safety or became lunch for something higher up the food chain.
