The entire party fuzzed into reality at the same time. Nada was as disoriented as the rest of them, but their party was becoming used to adapting to strange conditions quickly. The first thing that Nada looked to was her party members. As a medic, her group’s health was her first priority. The muscleheads would keep them safe.

So when the party appeared standing except for two members, Nada was on it immediately. Oliver was flat on his face, a nasty wound on the back of his head running blood through his dark hair. Trinket, their little molten sprite, was sprawled out on her back, a glowing line running diagonally across her entire torso.

“Alrighty, we’re in a corridor of some- Nada, what’s the matter? What’s going on?” Cora had taken charge of their defense, but noticed Nada rushing to Oliver immediately. Barton whined and rushed to Oliver as well, but the dog was at least smart enough to stop a few feet short and wait so Nada could work.

“Unclear,” Nada snapped. When dealing with injuries, especially of an unknown nature, Nada went into triage mode. She spoke only when necessary, and only said what needed said in as few words as possible. Right now, she had two team members down, so she was on duty.

She spat out the condition of her patients, as much for her own mental cataloguing as for the others’ benefit. “Oliver has sustained a head wound to the back of the head. He’s still in the Tutorial, so it was not a life-ending strike, but that does not mean it can’t progress to that point. Trinket is also down, and appears to have suffered a laceration to her torso.”

Nada activated her channeled heal on Oliver. It would heal soft tissue, but not bone damage. She had not yet attempted to use it on brain injuries, so she was not sure how effective it would be. At the very least, it would heal the initial wound, reducing swelling, which would only be better for the brain if she was unable to help it directly.

A few seconds after beginning the channeling on Oliver, he began to stir. Nada switched targets to Trinket, also unsure of how her healing would work on a target with no definable ‘soft tissue’. Since, you know, the sprite was made of magma and obsidian.

To her relief, Trinket also roused, though the wound on her chest left a long, narrow scar despite the healing. The tiny sprite had a vaguely female shape, albeit very petite. It was like a sculptor had roughed out a statue of a teen girl and just left the stone as it was, without adding in detail. That smooth, black stone was now marred from hip to opposite shoulder.

As Oliver continued his journey back to consciousness, Trinket realized her situation rapidly. Instead of rushing to her Bond’s side, she lept back, skipping twice through the air to hide behind Cora’s shoulder. She peeked her flaming head over to examine Oliver.

“What’s going on?” Rose finally asked. It was a blessing that the chattering girl had the sense of mind to remain silent while Nada worked.

Oliver finally regained enough of his senses to respond. “Ugh. What... what hit me?”

“Trauma could have wiped the last few minutes of consciousness from your memory, or you didn’t see it coming. What do you remember last?” Nada asked.

“The Ring and I got into it. That Temple you guys used was full, I had to find another. I made it in time, found the Shrine, then... I don’t know.”

Nada nodded. “Sounds like you were close, I’m guessing the blow caught you off guard then. Perhaps an ambush?”

Cora chimed in, “Well, that’s all fine and dandy, but how did he complete the Stage if he was out for the count? Not ta mention, if ne’er-do-wells and rogues laid into him, how’s he still among the breathin’?”

Oliver just shook his head. “I-I don’t know.”

Trinket slowly, tentatively stepped out from behind Cora. She hopped closer to Oliver, pausing to check him over in between jumps. Finally the little sprite was standing on air just inches from his face. She moved around his head, checking him over thoroughly. Leaning in close to peer into an eye, leaning over to look into an ear, even tapping him on the jaw so he’d open his mouth. Trinket nearly climbed inside before she hopped back and gave an enthusiastic nod. She turned to the rest of the party and gave a thumbs-up as if the matter were settled.

Rose laughed. “Guess Trinket’s satisfied.”

Cora clapped her hands and the spell that was over the group disappeared. “All right, weirdness complete. Y’all got upgrades to make, let’s get to it before we get too far ahead of ourselves.”

The group nodded and retreated a few meters away from each other to sit in semi-privacy as they dealt with their menus.

Oliver couldn’t shake the thought that he’d missed something important, but it seemed like Trinket was the only one with a clue about what had happened, and she couldn’t speak.

He found a spot on the stone to sit. As soon as he was comfortable, Barton was behind him, laying his head on Oliver’s shoulder. Oliver leaned into his pup’s affectionate nuzzling while Trinket came to sit on his other shoulder.

Oliver gave the mental commands to bring up his Interface and Stats windows. After allocating his one point and all of the stat boosting treats from the previous Stage, Oliver looked over his Stats.

Oliver S. Grant

Level 6

Human Male; Age - 27

Class:

None

Strength:

11

Agility:

10

Dexterity:

9

Constitution:

10

Intelligence:

9

Perception:

9

Available Stat Points:

0

Likewise, he allocated perks to his gear and gave it a quick once-over.

Spear

[Unerring Throw 2]

Thrown Entity is less impacted by external factors like wind, gravity, and aerodynamics until it travels [Strength] X 2 meters.

[Powerful Throw 2]

When this Entity is thrown, the throw is calculated using [Strength] X 140%.

[Sniper’s Throw 1]

When throwing this Entity, magnify your vision by up to 20%.

[Return to Sender]

Unlocked by having 3 Throwing Perks. Summon this entity back to your hand from up to [Strength] X 2 meters.

[Teleport to Entity]

User Bound to this Entity may teleport to this Entity’s location at will. Only works within 100 meters.

Tunic

[Cut Resistance 2]

This entity is 40% more resistant to being cut.

[Crushing Resistance 2]

Entity transfers 40% less impact force.

[Thermal Resistance 1]

Entity transfers 20% less thermal energy because of external changes in temperature.

[Resist-All]

Unlocked by having 3 Resistance Perks. Wearing this Entity adds 20% to your [Constitution]

Satchel

[Weight Reduction 2]

Items carried in this entity have their weight reduced by 40%.

[Preservation 1]

Items carried in this entity degrade 20% slower.

[It’s Bigger on the Inside 2]

This entity has its internal dimensions tripled.

Leather Boots

[Quick Step 2]

Maximum movement speed on land increased by 40%.

[Sure Footed 1]

You are less likely to lose your footing on surfaces.

[Leap 1]

Jump range increased by 20%.

Pants

[Cut Resistance 1]

This entity is 20% more resistant to being cut.

[Thermal Resistance 1]

Entity transfers 20% less thermal energy because of external changes in temperature.

Simple Bracer

[Dampening 1]

Attacks blocked with this armor lose 20% of their inertia.

Oliver noticed that the names of some of his items had been changed after assigning them another Perk. For example, his Simple Spear was now just a Spear. He examined the weapon and immediately picked up on the changes. The spear’s shaft was now made from a dark, well-oiled wood that was wrapped in dark leather in a few places. The butt of the staff had a more substantial steel cap that really looked like it would do plenty of damage all on its own. The spearhead was now longer, resembling a long dagger or very short sword. Oliver wondered if it was because of all of his melee training in the last Stage. He tended to sweep the spear as often as he stabbed with it.

Oliver’s tunic was now made from a very comfortable fabric, and was a deep grey color. His entire wardrobe, in fact, was a bit monochromatic, skewing towards darker greys. Nice dark grey boots, sturdy fitted pants, a thick but soft tunic wrapped with wide belt that matched the boots, a well-oiled leather back slung crossbody from one shoulder, and a metal bracer on his left forearm.

Turning his attention to his two companions, Oliver allocated their upgrades as well. He noticed the physical changes to the two immediately. Trinket shed some flakes of obsidian from her body as she became slightly more defined, like a sculptor was slowly refining their work. The angry red line across her torso remained, however.

Barton was growing. His shoulders were now halfway up Oliver’s thigh. Everything about him also seemed just a bit sleeker, more refined.

Barton (English Setter)

[Deepened Bond 2]

Allows the Bond companion to better sense and understand its master.

[Cry of Strength]

Entity makes a loud cry, increasing [Strength] of allies by 20%. Duration: 300s

[Hunter’s Senses]

Gains bonus perception equal to 20% of its master’s perception.

[Fleet Footed]

Entity howls, increasing [Agility] of allies by 20%. Duration: 300s

[Tracker 1]

20% boost to Perception when tracking a target that has already been identified.

Trinket (Lesser Sprite: Magma)

[Stone’s Body]

Calculations involving [Strength] also add [Constitution] X 20%.

Calculations involving [Constitution] also add [Strength] X 20%.

*These effects do not stack with each other.

[Magic: Beginner Earth]

Allows use of [Stone Armor] and [Stone Shot].

[Stone Armor] Coats the user in shards of stone.

[Stone Shot] Conjures a stone projectile and launches it at a target.

[Avalanche Strikes]

Physical blows from this entity are calculated using [Strength] X 120%.

[Sage’s Strength]

Calculations involving [Strength] also add [Intelligence] X 20%

The Ring explained that because of Trinket’s Stone Elemental phase, her Strength and Constitution would continue to grow at above average rates, and that now she was a Sprite, so would her Intelligence. With [Sage’s Strength] and [Stone’s Body] the Ring was trying to see if it was possible to build a Sprite with the physical power of a dragon. After marvelling at her newly refined body, Trinket dashed a few meters away to the wall of the corridor the group was in. As she neared the surface, Trinket pulled back a tiny fist and slammed it into the stone wall.

There was an audible thump and crack at the same time. Trinket hopped back to examine her handiwork. A sizable chunk of rock had fragmented into shards and exploded out from the point of impact, creating a shallow crater in the rock nearly a meter wide. Rose approached from behind, her eyes wide.

“Dang, Trinket, that’s a mean cross. Guess I’ve got some competition.”

The smug sprite crossed her arms and smiled maniacally.

Oliver turned around to give his group a once over.

Rose now looked like a cross between a professional boxer and wandering martial artist. Her tunic had stayed red, but retreated until it was now more akin to a sports top that tapered up to a high neck and hugged her torso down to her ribs. Pants that she’d picked up in the last stage were now flowy and loose, cinched around her narrow hips with a cloth belt. The shoes that she’d also found in a dungeon were now long strips of cloth wrapped tightly around her feet.

The gloves that the Ring had suggested she choose as her Stage 5 reward now looked a bit dangerous. They were long, ending halfway between her wrist and forearm, but only covered her fingers to the second knuckle. The thick leather was embedded with metal plates on the back of the fingers and back of the hand.

Cora’s transition to a blend of pirate captain and rogue archeologist was nearly complete. Her green tunic was now a green button-down shirt over a pair of loose black pants tucked into a pair of high leather boots. The bandana wrapped around her forehead was now the same black as the pants. Her shields were improved as well. The body was still wood, but it now appeared to be a single, uncut slab. The edges were wrapped with a thick, riveted steel band. Additional strips of steel criss-crossed the face of the shield, creating a geometric pattern of reinforcement.

Oliver turned to Nada and did a double-take. Their healer now floated a few inches off the ground. Her wrap-sandals peeked out beneath a long, loose skirt of deep blue with golden details. The full length skirt ended at her hips and transitioned to a wrap-style top in the same deep blue and gold design. The golden arm cuff was now set with a single gemstone in the middle, and her staff now ended at a circular, ring-like head that held a golden disc floating in its center.

Oliver noticed that Nada couldn’t help but smirk as she bobbed softly in the air.

“Well,” he announced. “Time to see what we’re up against.”