A little girl by the name of Nammy Tamage, age six, showed up at the Lindain Sheriff’s Office on the Eighth day of the month of Firr. She reported in great hysteria that the four other members of her family had disappeared. After an extensive search of the surrounding area with no clues as to the disappearance, Nammy was probed further for more information. She said, quote, “It came from the basement.” The Tamages have no basement.

– Report #1509 of Missing Peoples Section, Lindain

What the heck was that??? Did that just happen? Did that just happen? Did a freaking fat whale dog just burst through my floor and then turn around and leave without answering any of my questions? Okay, the thing answered a few, but not the important ones! I’m going to sue it! I am so going to sue it! Rude! It didn’t even fix the stinking hole! It totally ruined my home decor! Who wants to live with a hole in their floor. And don’t get me started on that less than ominous warning it said before it left. Nuh uh. Stupid whale dog. See how I’ll chew you out if you ever come back. Maybe put a hole in the floor of your house and see how you like it. Hmph!

…

But seriously, what am I going to do. There’s scary things beneath my floor. This gives a whole new meaning to monsters in the basement. And it’s not like I can just call an exorcist or move houses.

What the heck is an exorcist? Where do these sayings keep coming from, anyway? They keep popping up in my head randomly. Sorry, not important. Not to get distracted at all… especially in a moment of impending doom. Those seem to happen a lot recently. Sigh. I turned to look at the extent of the damage.

Warning: You have created a second entrance to you dungeon that extends well beyond the reach of your domain that encroaches upon a high level area. You must be wary creating additional entrances, it is not well advised as once an entrance has been made, it cannot be closed.

Nonononononononono!! I didn’t make it! Take it back! I didn’t freaking make the stupid hole! Some whale dog burst through my floor. Why can’t you understand that you stupid blue screens! I pull at the ice around the hole to close it, but the ice crumbles away whenever I attempt. Why can’t I close it? Why?

Congratulations! You survived your first encounter. Prepare yourself, for there is a second coming.

What? I’m panicking. I’m officially, wholeheartedly, panicking. Don’t tell me this is not the time to panic, because this is the time to panic. And panic I will. Something’s coming! And the stupid! Blue! Screens! Aren’t helping! What do I do? What do I do? What do I do???? I’m not ready for this! I just got done dealing with a whale dog of all things. I can’t deal with this! I can’t handle whatever’s coming!

And there it is… Slowly rising from that cursed hole in the floor. First eyes, wide and on top like a frog's, then the rest of the head rise up on a long, long slimy green neck. The head itself is thin and elongated with a blotchy coloring of browns and greens. Water dripped down its flaring nostrils. It vaguely looked like a weird, green... horse with feelers drifting around its chin and rugged, torn fins for ears. Nothing too scary. That is, until it flashed its teeth. It was like a death trap. I think I just peed myself. Is that what I hope it’s not?

Rin Khult [Naitaka]: Level (54) – Often described as a carnivorous horse-faced water snake, naitakas are considered stupid but tenacious. Once they latch onto a prey, they will never let go, even going as far as swimming for over a year in pursuit.

Rin Khult in particular is a nasty one of the breed, a rare case where it has a limited access to mana. It has personally wiped out many pods of the fearsome Akhluts, as well as many an adventurer. Is currently in pursuit of Ah’m the Akhlut.

Favorite skill: [Suction] – Creates a small suction force towards its mouth. Rin Khult likes to use it more than is logical… or good for him.

You stupid whale dog! Just kill me now! No, wait, I take that back. I want to live!

The naitaka drew closer.

“Nice horse-snake thingy… Good horse-snake thingy. I promise you I’m not tasty. I promise you Ah’m’s already left. The stupid whale dog went that way, straight back down that hole, so if you could just leave…” I say hesitantly.

It cocked its head, considering me, then opened its mouth wide.

“What are you doing?” I felt a suction force pulling on me. “No! You’ve got to be kidding me! Don’t eat me! Ah’m’s not here! Why are you after me? I’ll give you a toothache!” A pillow rose off the floor and flew down it’s throat. It stopped sucking for a second, seemingly surprised at the pillow, then resumed it’s suction force. I moved an inch forward towards its mouth. In a panic, I threw a projectile at it. The ice pellet glanced off its scales, leaving a dent. A bit of health was chipped off the floating health bar above its head.

It stopped again, regarding me, then apparently deciding I wasn’t particularly dangerous, it resumed once more. I move a few more inches forward, its mouth was now looking very scary with it razor sharp teeth and slug-like black tongue. In a moment or so, those teeth would snap behind me.

I hurriedly formed another ice pellet, only this time, my heart plummeted as I lost control of the projectile. I watched in horror as it sped toward it’s gaping mouth. It’s going to swallow it. My light dimmed.

It happened fast. The ice pellets launched like a bullet as it was caught in the suction force… and it shot straight through the back of the naitaka’s throat, puncturing the wall behind it.

We both froze in shock, not sure exactly what happened until the pain hit the naitaka. It screams. And when I say scream, I mean scream. I don’t have ears… I mean, I’m sure I used to and I’m still getting used to that fact, but I could have sworn the scream of that Ren kilt or whatever burst my nonexistent eardrums. It was a harsh, jarring, inhuman screech that will haunt me forever, and it freaking hurt!

I cringe as it flail around my room, slamming its head several times randomly into my walls before falling like a tree and coming to a rest next to me. Blood begins to puddle around its head. I stare at it in trepidation, longing to be able to scoot away as fast as I can. It’s dead, right? No, I guess not. It’s still got health, but crazily enough, it lost more than two thirds of it. It’s knocked out then, right? Please don’t wake up. Please don’t wake up.

Its eye snaps open. I jolt in surprise so hard my body actually rocks. It lunges at me and its teeth brush my side. Pain blossoms. It freaking hurts! I think it took off a chunk of me! Get Away! I am not going to be your dinner!

It rears slightly for another lunge and quickly closes in on me. I scream and throw out my last projectile as fast as I can. I can’t help but look away as I do so, waiting for the teeth to crunch right through me. Is this the end? Is this how I die, as fish food? I had hoped I could live a little longer, figure out why I’m here, what I’m supposed to be doing, maybe even find my lost memories of what I was before. I repeat for the last time my mantra, my little line that helps to keep me sane.

I am Devin, female, with a dad and a mom, and even though I’m not really sure who they are, I’ll find out one day. Only now that day will never come. Goodbye world. I’ll see you around sometime.

…

…

…

…

Man, I never knew death took this long. I’m glad it’s not as painful as I was expecting, but I was expecting, you know, more pain. A whole lot more. And being crunched to death. All I feel is a slight throbbing in my side where the teeth nicked me earlier and… a slight puff of warm air? What is that?

I turn to look and freeze. I’m… not dead… But I came very close to it. Horse-snake thingy’s jaws are literally inches from me, and the warm air I felt? That was it breathing on me… breathing its last few breaths before toppling over with a crash. My hastily shot projectile had gone through the roof of its mouth, puncturing into its brain.

I can’t believe it. I’m alive? I’m alive? Laughter wells up within me. It bursts out in weird little waves. I’m sure if I had a face, I’d be crying at the same time. I’m really alive. But, really world. Can you please stop messing with me. I might go crazy if anything else like this gets thrown at me. I really might.

This sword has always felt smooth in my hands, well-worn, traveling through the years with me. My constant companion. – Old Guardsman at the South Pass

Congratulations! Warriors are not made in a day.

Level [4]!: You have slain your first monster. (+2 health; +2 mana; +2 path points; full restore)

You have earned the achievement: |Powerful!| – Kill something 10 levels higher than your current level. (+2 health; +2 mana; +2 path points) You have earned the achievement: |Dauntless!| – Kill something 25 levels higher than your current level. (+5 health; +5 mana; +5 path points) You have earned the achievement: |Against the Odds!| – Kill something 50 levels higher than your current level. (+10 health; +10 mana; +10 path points; {Valiant I (1/100)} path) You have earned the achievement: |Crack Shot!| – Kill something 25 levels higher than your current level with a single critical hit. (+20% to accuracy, +5% to critical hit chance)

That wasn’t an arrow. That was a twig launched from very, very far away. – Magistar Terret’s on King Julian Vibrants IV’s assassination

Congratulations! Ordinary items become weapons in your hands.

[Natural Projectile II]: Projectiles you launch have greater piercing power (2 cm projectile/ 8 mana; +5 piercing power)

That’s… that’s quite a lot of achievements. I got a huge upgrade to both my mana and my health from it. I guess I deserve it. That was the most harrowing experience of my whole life. I think… I think I’ll got make some more rooms, you know, to get away from this massive hole I apparently can’t do anything with. Yeah, running away’s a good idea…

Status Menu Name: [Locked] Race: Dungeon Level: 4* Attribute: Green Health: 42/42* (5/hr) Mana: 42/42* (0/hr) State: Teleport Cool-down (Mana will not regenerate for 24 hours) Rooms: 2 Floors: 1 Named Monsters: 0 Monsters: 0 Animals: 0 Plants: 0 [Ξ] Path Points: 25* Paths: {Beginner I (0/5)} {Ingenuity I (0/50)} {Valiant I (1/100)}* Skills: [Influence II] [Incorporation II] [Ambient Aura V] [Earth Manipulation I] [Plant Growth I] [Green Thumb I] [Tamer I] [Karma I] [Ice Manipulation IV] [Natural Projectile II]* [Core Teleportation] Achievements: |Ingenuity!| |Powerful!|* |Dauntless!|* |Against the Odds!|* |Crack Shot!|*