January 5th 2019

...skills can be anything. If it requires effort it can become a skill be it running and jumping or deep-sea diving. Once enough running and jumping skills are acquired they may combine into a new skill such as Athletics. Some skills require more effort such as Acrobatics or One-Handed Blades. These require a knowledge of how to move your body in a particular fashion to achieve the required results. Then there are magic skills. These are rare because of the knowledge required. It takes both an effort of will and a knowledge of using internal mana stores to be able to channel mana into a magical skill. This knowledge is guarded by guilds across the multiverse who wish to keep the secrets of Unique or Legendary skills. Some people are born with access to mana. Some gain it through the System and some find skill books or crystals in Dungeons across the multiverse. Still, only one in 100 will naturally gain the knowledge and skill to use Mana as it is meant to be used.

I put the book down on the desk in my office. I'd been reading and rereading several passages from them. The basic skills book had been just that. A way to acquire common basic skills like running sprinting jumping tumbling and so on. They seemed useful so I figured why not, who doesn't love more skills? When I'd been active the powers that be had us taking classes in all kinds of weird shit. From learning meditation to fire walking. Some of it had been fun. Like kayaking. We'd learned how to flip a kayak right side up if it ever flipped with us in it. Useful in everyday life? Probably not. Useful in combat? Definitely not. But it had been fun.

The System was going to make school ridiculously simple for kids. I mean once you could do basic addition and subtracting multiplication and division you could do math right? Once you had the Math skill all you had to do was keep using it and it would advance on it's own. I wasn't sure where advanced math like calculus and trigonometry came into it, if they were advanced skills or what. But I was looking forward to finding out.

I'd finally gotten around to slotting all the skills I had room for. With 30 skill slots that was a lot of skills. But I wanted more. So I used half my link points and bought ten more base link slots. That gave me forty base slots to play with allowing me to put all of my magical manipulation skills as well as nearly all of my crafting skills in a slot. I left out a few like Blacksmithing and Tailoring. Cause really? I had an entire shop and no desire to swing a hammer. Sure I might experiment later but for every day use? I planned to keep my first list.

The cool thing about active skill slots was that you could switch them out once a day. So If I happened to run into Gimli and he had some mining or Smithing tips I could pop it in and level it.

The thing I didn't account for once I hit the yes to choose my skills was the massive influx of knowledge and headache-inducing pain I got.

Each magic skill had it's own basic knowledge. Each crafting had it's own basic knowledge. You get the idea.

Once I had my skills though I used my skill points. Each legendary skill got a new rank causing even more knowledge to download into my overheated mind.

The only non-legendary skill I upgraded was Analysis. I did buy the Weapon: Ranged Energy skill with a skill point though. I had this nifty plasma rifle to try out and all. I debated using one on the Glaive but honestly, I didn't figure I needed it. I had both my AR-15 and the new plasma rifle as well as my K-bar.

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Buck Stevens:

Titles: None

Class: Technic (Beginner)

Level: 10

Exp: 743/10,000 to next level

Hp: 1420/ 1420

Mp: 1650/1650

Psy: 450/450

Stam: 320/320

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Power (Spell): +65

Power (Physical): +42

Power (Ranged) +34

Resistance (Mental): +32.5

Resistance (Physical): +16

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Health(/R per hour): +16

Mana(/R per hour): +32.5

Stam(/R per min): +1.5

Psy (/R per hour): +22.5

Stats: +5 (+5 mental) [0/0]

Str: 42

Dex: 34

Vit: 32

End: 32

Int: 65

Wis: 45

Will: 45

Cha: 35

Link Slot Index: 40

Link Points [Human]: +20 per level.

Link Point Total: 100

Skill Points: 0

Skills-

Slotted Skills:

Aether Infusion [L](2/1000) Aether Manipulation [L] (2/1000) Aether Control [L] (2/1000) Aether Engraving [L] (2/1000) Air Manipulation [R] (1/1000) Alchemy [R] (1/1000) Analysis [U] (2/1000) Core Coding [L] (2/1000) Core Engraving [L] (1/1000) Core Smithing [L] (2/1000) Core Enchanting [L] (1/1000) Earth Manipulation [R] (1/1000) Fire Manipulation [R] (1/1000) Force Manipulation [R] (1/1000) Gravity Manipulation [R] (1/1000) Hand to Hand [C] (1/1000) Heat Manipulation [R] (1/5000) Harvesting [Inorganic] (1/1000) Harvesting [Organic] (1/1000) Ice Manipulation [R] (1/5000) Life Manipulation [L] (2/1000) Lightning Manipulation [R] (1/5000) Mana Engraving [E] (1/1000) Mana Channeling [R] (1/1000) Mana Control [R] (1/1000) Mechanic[C] (1/1000) Metal Manipulation [R] (1/5000) Pick Locks [C] (1/1000) Runic Coding [E] (1/1000) Runic Enchanting [L] (2/1000) Runic Magic [E] (1/1000) Rune Smithing [L] (1/1000) Space Manipulation [R] (1/1000) Stealth [C] (1/1000) Trap Detection [Un] (1/1000) Trap Making [Un] (1/1000) Water Manipulation [R] (1/1000) Weapon: Grenades [C] (1/1000) Weapon: Ranged Energy [C] (1/1000) Weapon: Ranged Kinetic [C] (1/1000)

Passive: Engineering [Un] (1/1000)

Manatech Engineering [L] (2/1000)

Aethertech Engineering [L] (2/1000)

Robotics [E] (1/1000)

Physics [Un] (1/1000)

Chemistry [Un] (1/1000)

Thermodynamics [R] (1/1000)

Architecture [C] (1/1000)

Art Theory[C] (1/1000)

Magic Theory [R] (1/1000)

Math [C] (1/1000)

Runes [E] (1/1000),

Active:

Stealth [C] (1/1000)

Weapon: Ranged Kinetic [C] (1/1000)

Weapon: Grenades [C] (1/1000)

Hand to Hand [C] (1/1000)

Trap Making [U] (1/1000)

Trap Detection [Un] (1/1000)

Pick Locks [C] (1/1000)

Analysis [U] (1/1000)

Fire Manipulation [R] (1/1000)

Heat Manipulation [R] (1/5000)

Earth Manipulation [R] (1/1000)

Metal Manipulation [R] (1/5000)

Air Manipulation [R] (1/1000)

Lightning Manipulation [R] (1/5000)

Gravity Manipulation [R] (1/1000)

Force Manipulation [R] (1/1000)

Space Manipulation [R] (1/1000)

Core Coding [L] (1/1000)

Core Engraving [L] (1/1000)

Core Smithing [L] (1/1000)

Core Enchanting [L] (1/1000)

Runic Coding [E] (1/1000)

Coding [C] (1/1000)

Blacksmithing [C] (1/1000)

Mechanic[C] (1/1000)

Leather Working [C] (1/1000)

Tailoring [C] (1/1000)

Alchemy [R] (1/1000)

Chemistry [Un] (1/1000)

Harvesting [Organic] (1/1000)

Harvesting [Inorganic] (1/1000)

Mining [C] (1/1000)

Mana Channeling [R] (1/1000)

Mana Engraving [E] (1/1000)

Mana Control [R] (1/1000)

Aether Infusion [L](1/1000)

Aether Manipulation [L] (1/1000)

Aether Control [L] (1/1000)

Aether Engraving [L] (1/1000)

Runic Magic [E] (1/1000)

Runic Enchanting [L] (1/1000)

Rune Smithing [L] (1/1000)

Water Manipulation [R] (1/1000)

Ice Manipulation [R] (1/5000)

Life Manipulation [L] (1/1000)

Affinities: Fire, Heat, Earth, Metal, Air, Lightning, Gravity, Space, Force, Water, Ice, Life,

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I spent another couple of hours reading. Then I went to find Meg. We needed to hit some stores and I wasn't about to leave her here alone.

It took about an hour to get packed up. I dumped my ruck out and repacked it with reduced space and weight in mind. I took two MRE's a blanket a change of clothes and two hundred round reloads for my AR. I also upgraded my AR with a Bipod and a Suppressor. I kept my standard vest kit. Once I had my AR slung I grabbed the plasma rifle. I seemed to instinctively know how to hold it as well as charge it. It had an amazing sight built-in. It was a holographic interface with an ammo count and thermal and low light vision modes. All in all a nice weapon.

Once I was all set I had Meg climb in the ruck. She sat looking out from under the flap which I had half strapped. When she had climbed in she had wrinkled her little nose and complained about the smell.

"I'll wash it when I can kiddo. Sorry but it's all we have at the moment and I need to keep you out of sight for now. I don't want some random asshole taking potshots at you cause you don't look human. Just hang out and watch my back. Let me know if you see something I can't or don't. Ok?"

"Ok."

So we went hunting. The local Malwart was about a mile away. I figured the food and what not had probably been raided but I doubted anyone had raided lawn and garden.

The sun was high in the sky as we walked. I tried to keep to the sides of buildings or as close to cover as possible as we moved along. My urban Digicam BDUs helped with blending in with the sides of most buildings. Most of the gunfire had died down last night, but every once in a while you'd hear a pop pop pop of gunfire. I'd seen shit like this before but I'd never expected to see it in the states.

Everywhere I looked there was carnage. Blood on the sidewalk in pools. A half-eaten woman in an intersection. It was like being back in the worst parts of the middle east. At least there they just lined you up and shot you they didn't eat you alive.

Once we got a block from the Malwart I started looking for some high ground. Creeping through a couple of back yards I saw a nice three-story house with a flat roof and door access. So I pried a few boards off the fence as quietly as I could and crawled inside the yard.

Once through I placed the boards back over the hole to keep it camouflaged. It wasn't great but I didn't have a hammer and nails, and that would be too loud if I had.

As I turned back around to look at the house I thought I saw movement in the window. Instantly my rifle was on my shoulder and pointed at the house. At a fast crouching run, I moved to the back door. I checked to see if it was open and it was locked. I did a fast peek through the window on my left from the door and didn't see anyone. So I set my plasma rifle down and opened the best pouch with my lock picking tools.

Taking deep shallow breaths to calm down I began using the picks to open the door. After the longest thirty seconds of my life, the lock clicked. Then I got a notification.

+1 Lock Picking.

I grinned. It looked like slotting my skills was already paying off.

Putting the picks away I grabbed my plasma rifle and opened the door. It swung outwards towards me slowly. I went through the door fast checking left then right swinging my rifle both ways and keeping it aimed where I was looking. Nothing. Clearing the room I went back and closed the door.

Turning back around I looked slowly around the room. It was a nice house. Flat-screen on the wall with a couch and a coffee table in front. An entertainment center with a playbox and an X-Station side by side. Small DVD collection. Music and so on. There was a family picture on the shelves used to hold knick nacks off to the right. A man and a woman holding each other while two kids between 8 and 14 looked up at then smiling. It was a snow picture. If I had to guess it was probably taken somewhere up near Vail. The place was mostly clean. I didn't see any blood or anything. Across the living room was a door to the dining room with a nice island separating it from the kitchen.

I continued to clear the bottom floor. I didn't find anything of interest. When I checked the fridge where was a small bag of baby carrots that I opened and slid into my pack. Everything else was spoiled. Shortly I heard wet crunching noises from inside.

"Shhh, keep it down I need to be able to hear," I said.

"Ok."

The crunching got much quieter and I grinned. There was nothing on the second floor. A couple of kids rooms a huge bathroom and an office. The man had been a lawyer apparently.

As I was heading up the stairs to the third floor I heard a creaking sound from below. I slowly crept down the stairs.

As I came down the stairs I heard a clatter of noise. Moving fast I caught a glimpse of someone going out a side door I hadn't noticed before. Taking it slow in case it was a trap I cleared the door sweeping the sides and saw a garage. In the floor was a well-concealed trap door. Whoever had built it had really known what they were doing.

I ran over and yanked it open aiming my weapon down at an angle and keeping myself behind the door as much as possible.

What I saw had me pause. A woman holding a massive kitchen knife stood between me and a couple of kids in their teens. They all had fear on their faces.

"Drop the knife and come out. Bring anyone else down there with you. If I find out you didn't I'll put a bullet in them." I said.

Shaking with fear the woman dropped the knife and climbed out slowly bringing the kids. As they came up something weird happened. I'd been watching the woman closely trying to determine if she had hidden weapons when a weird box popped up over her head.

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Name: Jennifer Hale

Age: 38

Sex: Female

Class: none

Level: 0

Hp: 200

Mp: 200

Psy: 200

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That had to be my Analysis skill at work. No one I'd looked at before had given me anything like this. I was suddenly looking forward to seeing what else I could do with it.

Once everyone had climbed out I had them sit against the garage door as far from me as possible. They all had dejected looks on their faces as well as fear.

Once I had them seated I kicked the door open letting it hit the ground flat on its back. They all flinched. Then I got on my knees and looked down in the tiny basement.

It wasn't very big. Mostly used for storage if I had to guess. There was a cot, a small table, and a bunch of canned and freeze-dried food. in a corner were a few cases of bottled water. Other than that were a few blankets and pillows.

Getting up I had them all go into the living room for a chat.