Congratulations, Lucas Creo! Due to the successful creation of a low quality healing potion, you have obtained the Talent: Fledgling Alchemist (1/50)! As a bonus for gaining the Talent, applicable stat points have been applied to Dexterity, Intelligence, Attunement, and Insight.

‘Applicable stat points? Status’

Status:

Lucas Creo

Age: 22

Race: Human

Status: Mana Burnt

Level: 2

Exp: 85/220

HP: 150/150 (0.5 HP/min regeneration)

MP: 0/225 (0.75 MP/min regeneration)

Strength: 8

Endurance: 10

Dexterity: 10

Intelligence: 12

Attunement: 15

Willpower: 8

Charisma: 10

Insight: 11

Stat points: 5

‘Looks like it added 1 point to each stat if I remember correctly from before,’ Only slightly unsure. With a flick of the wrist, the status menu disappears, and I look back to my ingredients sitting on the counter.

Inspiration strikes, perhaps from the increase of my Insight stat or the new Talent?

Looking at my supply now, I grab 3 Magetongue sprigs and shred the spiky leaf clusters into small pieces with my hands.

With one more trip to the well and a small wait, I have more water boiling on the stove. Placing the Magetongue shreds in the boiling water, the mixture shifts and a small flash of blue light shines from the liquid.

Taking that as a good sign, I let the mixture cool down a bit, then pour it into another cup, and Inspect it.

Mana Potion

Quality: Low

Traits: Mana restoration

Description: Refined leaves of the magetongue herb, the poison has been neutralized and the mana within the plant has been locked into the mixture. Restores 11 MP. Doses: 2.

Level up! Due to the creation of a new potion type your Talent: Fledgling Alchemist has reached (2/50)!

‘This potion must be good if it made my Talent level up! Its trait is mana restoration? Does this mean it can fix my mana vessels?!’

In my excitement, I immediately take a drink of the deep blue liquid. For a moment, the potion is surprisingly tart and minty, then fire courses through the very fibers of my being as I drop to the floor, spilling out the rest of the mana potion on the ground.

Due to ingestion of consumable: Mana Potion when suffering the condition of Mana Burnt, you have gained the condition Mana Sickness. Mana permeates your body as your burnt vessels cannot contain it.

Without even uttering a word, I feel the world fade to black again as I see a -1 slowly drift past my peripherals. Light is the next experience for me after pain, I wake up with sunlight streaming through the windows of the kitchen directly on to my face.

Squinting, I thought the pain in my head couldn’t get worse, but it has effectively doubled.

“Status” Speaking is easier than thinking right now.

Status:

Lucas Creo

Age: 22

Race: Human

Status: Mana Burnt, Mana sickness

Level: 2

Exp: 85/220

HP: 40/150 (0.5 HP/min regeneration)

MP: 3/225 (0.75 MP/min regeneration)

Strength: 8

Endurance: 10

Dexterity: 10

Intelligence: 12

Attunement: 15

Willpower: 8

Charisma: 10

Insight: 11

Stat points: 5

Adrenaline floods my veins from seeing how low my HP fell as I was unconscious. Clambering to my feet, the world shifts as my head spins, I lean on the counter for support. Grabbing the cup containing my low quality healing potion and downing it one dose at a time, my face contorts slightly at the bitter-sweet taste.

My HP rises up to 60, only to tick down to 59 as I see another -1 from the Mana Sickness.

Taking a cursory glance at my status again, the MP has ticked down to 2, it seems that my body has slowly cleared most of the mana from my system.

Calming down slightly, I stumble down the hall to the stairs and up to my room. Sitting on my floor is the bottle with 1 more dose of red slime paste, I slather the paste on to my body, and it soaks into my skin. A strange awareness indicates that my HP is now at 94.

With that crisis now at least temporarily averted, I realize I’ve used up all of my healing supplies, having dumped all of the mostly-failed potions into the backyard.

Reentering the kitchen, I grab the remaining vitaleaf and set to work separating the stalks from the leaves and setting them aside. The leaves are where the HP-restoring capabilities are concentrated.

However, an idea pops into my head, and I grab the slime paste jar off of the counter and head back up to my room. It’s still covered in the red slime, but it has hardened somewhat overnight.

Breaking off some pieces, I fill the jar as much as I can with chunks of hardened red slime. With a full jar and hopeful spirits, I return to the kitchen and begin my craft once more.

Water is boiling on the stove now, I put some shredded vitaleaf into the pan and drop two pinky-sized chunks of the red slime in as well.

The mixture takes a bit longer than usual to shift colors but begins to after I stir it with a wooden spoon for a moment and the slime chunks homogenize with the other ingredients.

The resultant potion is a brighter red than the last healing potion I made. Another -1 lowers my mood a bit as I wince in pain. The potion has a higher clarity as well, I note as I pour it into a cup. The system prompts my investigation.

Healing Potion

Quality: Low

Traits: Healing item

Description: A refined mixture of the healing herb vitaleaf and red slime, the two ingredients have had a synergistic effect and increased the efficacy of this potion. Restores 17 HP. Doses: 3.

Level up! Due to continued experimentation, your Talent: Fledgling Alchemist has reached (3/50)!

‘I leveled up again? These early levels must be easy to get.’ I feel a bit more knowledgeable about potions in general and realize that if I had broken up the chunks of slime into smaller pieces, the efficacy of the potion would have increased in turn.

‘How do I know that? Do levels in Fledgling Alchemist actually make me better at alchemy?’

Somewhat perturbed, I return to my alchemy. With the rest of the morning spent boiling more water and making more health potions, I manage to make 3 more with my remaining vitaleaf, I left some in the garden in hopes that more will grow.

The resulting potions came out to be 13 HP and 4 doses, 17 HP and 3 doses again, and the crowning achievement of my morning: A low quality healing potion that restores 20 HP and is 3 doses.

The ratio of vitaleaf to red slime is actually very important I’ve found. There can’t be too much red slime in the potion or the mixture becomes viscous and hard to drink as well as restoring less HP, but the dose quantity increases. In addition, I tried my hand at one more mana potion, which came out to restore 13 mana and has 2 doses.

I give the mana potion the stink eye. I don’t trust it anymore.

Fledgling Alchemist leveled up once more during the morning after I made the 20 HP 3 dose healing potion, I perfected the ratios much more in that one.

In bittersweet news, after finishing the final potion one more -1 appears in my peripherals and I receive a glorious system message.

Mana vessels have fully recovered and both conditions: Mana Burnt and Mana Sickness have resolved. Mana regeneration will begin once more. Some good has come of your suffering! The ambient mana in your system from Mana Sickness has paved way for new branches of mana vessels to grow, granting you the Perk: Branching Mana. The Perk section of your Menu has been unlocked!

‘Perks.’ Pleased to see the new menu appear, I grin. In the list, I see nothing except for the entry I just received: Branching Mana. With a tap, an info box appears with a description of the perk.

Perks:

Branching Mana

Description: Mana has burned you, but you survived this ordeal and are stronger for it. MP pool increased by 10, +10 total mana per level up.

If I pay attention to it, I can feel a small trickle of energy flowing into the vessels I did not have before yesterday morning. The branches also feel as if they’re spreading, and becoming more.

It should take a little over 300 minutes for my MP to fully restore to the new total of 235. Taking a glance back at the counter, something tells me I’m not ready to make stamina potions, so I leave the fleetchute alone for now. Besides, I’m hungry and tired of making potions right now.

The warmer than usual temperature bothers me when I open the fridge. Not trusting anything else in there, I only take out an apple as a snack.

“When was the last time I ate? That bowl of Cheerios yesterday morning?” In a quest to find more food, I walk to the pantry and open it. There’s a loaf of somewhat fresh bread and some crackers in there, I haven’t gone grocery shopping in a while.

Returning to the kitchen I find some peanut butter and make myself a sandwich, which I scarf down in seconds. Still hungry, I make one more, eating it slower, I decide that’s enough for now, I may need to ration food later on.

Stretching my arms out over my head, I step out into the backyard for some fresh air. Walking across the lawn, I finally notice that something is… off… about what used to be maple trees surrounding my house.

The bark is a richer brown color. I hadn’t noticed before. The leaves are a deeper green with what looks like red veins running through them. Picking a leaf off the tree, I turn it over in my hand and a system message shows up.

Ironwood Maple Leaf

Quality: Low

Traits: Photosynthesis

Description: The leaf of an Ironwood Maple.

‘Aside from the name that’s not very helpful’ Approaching the trunk of the tree, I tap it with my knuckles, the bark feels like I’m knocking on metal plates, but still looks normal.

When I attempt to pry a piece of bark off, I cannot get it to budge and cut my finger on it instead. -1 “Ow! Won’t be trying that with my bare hands again.”

Satisfied with my inspection, for now, I move on. With the relative calm of today versus yesterday, I’m able to meander around my yard and explore what The Construct has changed.

My wonder grows as I spot various bugs such as a sapphire blue butterfly that leaves a shimmering trail behind it high in the sky, a pill bug that has grown spikes, and a row of ants that shift through the colors of the rainbow. I distinctly avoid imagining what spiders must be like in this world.

After simply relaxing for several hours and stopping to water my herb garden quickly, I’m feeling significantly happier. My HP and MP have regenerated to full, and I’m feeling positive about life. ‘Today has gone better than yesterday so far at least.’

The universe decides to immediately correct that thought.

A rock propels out from the treeline surrounding my house, cracking into my skull. -50 A trail of blood leaks down from the side of my head and the world spins as my heartbeat becomes a thunderous roar.

The door back inside is only about 15 feet away, I sprint to it as fast as I can, my footing unsure as my head swims, taking another rock to the side as I do. -14

A quick mental check of my HP as I slam the door tells me that I have 86 left. My healing potions are sitting on the counter still, I grab the 13 HP 4 dose and take 3 doses quickly, disgusted at the consistency which is closer to jello than water.

With my HP back up to 125, the wound on my head stops bleeding and reduces to a small ache while the pain in my side is gone. Taking no chances, I pinch my nose and take the final dose, bringing me to a grand total of 138 HP.

From within the forest, a buck steps out whose antlers have scoop shapes at the ends. The buck lowers its head to the ground and I see a section of earth compact and rise into one of the scoops on its antler.

‘Inspect.’ The Construct gives some information on the creature that’s about to murder me.

Volley Stag

Traits: Quick throw

Description: This deer’s scooped antlers allow it to throw rocks it forms with geokinesis at high speed.

The volley stag makes eye contact with me and brays aggressively. Its teeth are more akin to a shark’s than a deer’s. Its head snaps forward and another rock hurtles towards me, shattering the kitchen window.

The shattering of glass breaks my frozen panic and I sprint through the house. In the distance, I hear the distinct sound of shattering glass and wood accompanied by more braying. “Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck”

Reaching to my belt for my knife the moment I enter the living room, I realize my hand is empty, so I go for the first thing that even resembles a weapon. A decorative metal anchor, the symbolic shape one sees more often than a real anchor, is laying against the fireplace.

This one was a gift from my grandmother, knowing my mom’s penchant for nautically themed pieces, and it’s proudly displayed in the living room for all to see.

Now, it’s my ticket to surviving until tomorrow. Hefting the anchor into my hands, I give it one good practice swing, it feels somewhere between 20 to 25 pounds, hopefully enough to crack open a volley stag’s skull.

A hole opens up in the living room door as another rock is slung by the buck. The rest of the door breaks down as the volley stag charges through.

He rears his antlers back up and I see what appears to be my tile floor condensed into a projectile sitting in his antler scoop. With another snap of his head, I’m forced to dodge to the side.

A sickening crack and pop, followed by a thunk, indicates that my TV is now broken. Not something I can care about at the moment, so I heft the anchor to my side and swing with all of my might. The point of the anchor glances off of the deer’s side, only serving to anger it further.

The deer charges me and I jump to the side, avoiding most of the damage but still being hit from the tips of his antlers. -35

My side is screaming and I grunt as I think a rib may be broken. Breathing becomes more labored as every breath sends pain lancing through my torso.

The deer turns to me again, lowers his head near the fireplace, and a brick compacts into a ball and settles into his antler. Once again I dodge to the side as he throws, but the projectile catches me in the thigh and I cry out and fall to the ground. -46

A small crack is audible in my leg, I can feel my femur wavering.

Tears welling up in my eyes, I stagger to my feet as the buck charges me one last time. ‘It’s all or nothing.’

In my desperation, as I swing overhead, I feel a tug on my mana pool and the universe responds to my pleas for once.

A phrase echoes in my mind. “HEAVY BLOW!” -35 The surge of mana rushes up my arms and spreads into the anchor, a white light shining out the limbs of my weapon. The hit connects and the deer bleats and rears back, it’s been blinded by my direct blow to its head.

Not taking any chances, I limp as quickly as possible, running on adrenaline and fear. “HEAVY BLOW!” -35

A loud crunch emits from below the anchor and the deer falls to the floor. Sobbing, I continue to bludgeon the volley stag’s head with Heavy Blows until it’s paste and I’m out of mana for the skill.

You have acquired the conditions: Internal Bleeding, Partial Femoral Fracture, and Fractured Rib.

My lungs heaving both in pain and exhaustion, I stumble back to the kitchen. One of my health potions is spilled onto the floor, but the other remains upright.

Praying, I approach, but to my dismay, only the 17 health 3 dose potion is left. My best potion, the fruits of my labor, is running across the floor, the red color dimming as it mixes with dirt and debris from the attack.

All 3 doses of my only potion are down my throat in an instant. My 57 HP rises back up to 108.

The relief is instant as I feel the unsteadiness in my thigh cease, my breathing becomes easier, and my rib snaps back into place.

In the aftermath of this event, I slide down the counter and sit on the floor and give myself a good minute to cry. The Construct has other ideas for me as a stream of messages floods my consciousness.

Conditions cured! You no longer suffer from the conditions: Internal Bleeding, Partial Femoral Fracture, Fractured rib.

Congratulations, Lucas Creo! Due to the use of the weapon: steel anchor, you have obtained the Talent: Fledgling Anchorist (3/50)! As a bonus for gaining the Talent, applicable stat points have been applied to Strength, Endurance, Dexterity, and Willpower. 2 additional levels were acquired before viewing of this message.

Congratulations, Lucas Creo! Through desperation and will, you have acquired the Skill: Heavy Blow! Further info is present in your skills menu.

Volley stag defeated! 326 XP awarded.

Level up! You have achieved level 3, you are rewarded 5 unallocated stat points and +10 MP.

191/352 XP remaining to level 4.

Volley stag dropped common item: Volley stag steak x5

My mood is considerably brightened. ‘Status’

Status:

Lucas Creo

Age: 22

Race: Human

Status: None

Level: 3

Exp: 191/352

HP: 108/165 (0.55 HP/min regeneration)

MP: 12/245 (0.75 MP/min regeneration)

Strength: 9

Endurance: 11

Dexterity: 11

Intelligence: 12

Attunement: 15

Willpower: 9

Charisma: 10

Insight: 11

Stat points: 10