Book 1: Chapter 4: Growth

Book 1: Chapter 4: Growth

When facing a manticore it is prudent to note that the beast has little to no blind spots. The scaly hide is dense and thick and will repel most non-magical weapons, though across the belly one’s weapon may find purchase. One must also observe that despite being a beast it has some capability with the arcane, with an ability to cast elemental magics from the fire and ice domains. I would recommend a party of a least five highly skilled adventurers to best one of these fearsome creatures.

- Monsters of the Mortal Realms by K. D. Fidditch

Groggily I woke to the night. Above, stars shone in the sky like a sparkling beautiful tapestry gilt with shining pearls. My eyes wandered to the heavens and I saw a single oversized blue moon through the boughs of the tree. Squinting, I fancied I could perceive great craters on the large moon’s surface. Its light bathed the world with a soft ethereal glow in blues and silver, and the grass rustled to the chilly night breeze.

I pulled my thoughts from the stunning beauty that surrounded me. Slowly I hugged my knees to my chest, trying to draw some warmth from the bitter cold. Shivering, I forced myself to look across my notifications, confirming the changes to my character. I noticed that despite gaining one Wisdom my maximum Mana had not changed yet. Still, I was standing now at the full six points of Mana. Perhaps the Wisdom attribute affected Mana regeneration? More importantly, I breathed a sigh of relief as I noticed my Health had climbed to an eight after my indeterminable rest and the painful healing spell. I had also gained a mystery skill ‘Endure’ in my sleep which was at level one.

STATUS

Calling$%^& Level 2 Acolyte of Avaria Strength8 Dexterity8 Constitution9 Intelligence9 Wisdom9 Charisma8 Luck10 This chapter was first shared on the Ñøv€lß1n platform.

SKILLS & PROFICIENCIES

Pain Nullification (lvl.1) Power Strike (lvl.1) Endure (lvl.1)

SPELLS & MAGIC

Heal (lvl.1) Rust (lvl.1)

GIFTS

Curse of Entropy -20% all starting attributes.

Experience to next level 100/220

Health8/13 Stamina14/16 Mana6/6

Finally a success in this inscrutable new world. I dared not cast this new spell, memories of my previous agony still haunting me. I decided to wait until I reached full Mana once again.

Giving myself a mental pat on the back, I began humming the victory tune from my favorite game. Though I knew my night was far from over. I needed to explore my surroundings more.

Walking behind the altar I saw a sight that brought relief to my weary soul. At the foot of the hill, I saw a small pond glistening silver. "Water," I thought as I licked dry and parched lips, before noticing small shapes moving around the shore and moonlit waters.

I clutched both halves of the broken spear to my chest as I cautiously moved down the hill at a half-crouch. My heart beating in my chest, I stopped perhaps forty paces before the pond. There I saw dark fish-like shapes about half a meter high and two meters long with high crested dorsal fins. On the far side, some were swimming lazily in the pond, while others basked in the moonlit glow making odd yet undeniably musical gurgling mating calls. The creatures reminded me of mudskippers that I once saw in a nature documentary.

So alien was the scene in front of me that I took pause. As quietly and as silently as I could, I lowered myself to the ground. Crawling along the soft moist grass I edged ever closer to the pond. Thirst drove my actions as I finally reached its edge. From earth and grass, my hands quested forwards and found fine-grained sand before the water.

Resisting the all-conquering thirst for a moment, I peered at my reflection in the water, hazy in the moonlight. Wild frazzled short hair framed a gaunt clean-shaven face. It was hard to see, yet everything felt even more real than my old world. It was as if everything was set to a higher resolution. Gingerly I touched my face before a small wave disturbed my crystalline reflection.

Snapping out from my reverie, hands cupped I drank from the silvery water. Slurping quickly, uncaring to the world, sweet blessed relief as I slaked my thirst. I continued to drink heavily as another small wave lapped against the shore of the pond, this time one not of my own making.

A few paces away from me two googly eyes on miniature stalks rose up from the water. Bubbles formed where its mouth would be before a ball of water shot with great speed towards me. I flinched and ducked down to the ground, making myself as small as possible as the solid ball of liquid passed over me. A moment later I heard its splash as it landed somewhere behind me. Adrenaline flooded my system, my fingers gripping my scavenged weapons.

This close to the creature I felt an equal mixture of sudden surprise, wonder, and fear, which was soon overridden by a another scathing hot emotion. Perhaps it was the constant agony that I had been suffering, or possibly the frustration against an uncaring universe, but in that moment I felt a rage I had never felt before. Hot anger boiled within me screaming for an outlet as I scrambled to my feet, launching myself at the oversized fish. My eyes rapidly scanned over the piscine form, the size of large hound, looking for places to attack. I loudly splashed into the waters, breaking the serene tranquillity of the night as I struck, stabbing with the half-spear in my left and swinging the broken haft like a club with my right. As I engaged the strange creatures I noticed new bubbles had formed again just below the surface.

A part of me registered the surprise drawn infinitesimally slowly on the fish’s face as my twin blows hit it with a force filled with all of my desperation. The fish creature made a gurgling scream as it reactively launched another ball at my midsection. At this range, the creature could not miss and it felt like a cricket ball had impacted my chest. The pain only spurred my frenzy to greater heights as I repeatedly stabbed and clobbered the creature with both halves of my scavenged spear. A dark purplish film stained the roiling waters as the creature turned tail to flee as I gave a last savage twist with the spearhead.

Panting heavily I noticed more of the foul creatures making their way towards me, entering the pond and swimming with considerable speed. I ran with desperation from the water, drawing rapid panicked breaths. My robes were cold, sodden and heavy. I heard splashes on the ground to my left and right, before one of the water balls clipped me on the left shoulder, almost making me drop the half-spear. I doubled my pace as I struggled up the hill, sparing a glance at my status within my inner eye. My Stamina was around half and my Health stood at just under two thirds. A final dash led me to hide behind the tree as I peered down at the ugly fish creatures below.

I gave silent thanks that they moved slowly on land. They seemed to have stopped near the bottom of the hill, a scant few meters from the shore. Panting I continued to look at them, willing them to withdraw. After what seemed like an eternity, but what could have been mere minutes, they turned back as one towards the pond, slipping once again into its silvery waters.

I cried, breathing a long sigh of relief before new notifications flashed before me, bringing a sly grimace to my lips;

You have slain ??? 10 experience gained You have gained 1 Dexterity You have gained 1 Strength You have learned Stealth (lvl.1)

It seemed that today I did get the one that got away.