Damon was in shock.

Sat with his back to this very uncomfortable, wet tree. Eyes closed, listening to the sounds of the forest around him. Well, either it was a forest, or there were some very tall, wooden golems standing extremely still. The leaves remaining on the branches rustled softly in the cool wind. He was furtively trying to figure out what had just happened. One moment he was reading a description for a rusty dagger. The next, a fur ball with teeth was trying to eat him for breakfast. He’d reacted on total instinct, trying to kill the animal as quickly as possible. He was way too reckless, just throwing himself into an attack without even thinking. He wouldn’t have even survived if it hadn’t been for dumb luck. Who’d have thought a tree could be so useful. Or was it a wood golem. He was so confused now.

Trying to calm himself down, Damon took several deep breaths. Breathing in the cold air through his nose and back out through his mouth. He kept this up for quite some time, focusing entirely on his breathing and forgetting for a moment the world around him. After what must have been quite a long time, Damon opened his eyes again allowing all the sounds of the forest to wash over him again.

New Skill!

Focus Breathing (Beginner 1 - 10%)

Having gone through a traumatic event, you have discovered breathing in a calm and precise rhythm can help steady yourself and regain control of your nerves.

5% bonus to mental resistance

25% increase to stress relief when using this skill.

Cost: 0.5 SP per second

Huh. I guess that’ll come in handy. Damon absently thought. Oh, I almost forgot... Status!

Another blue window appeared.

Personal Details Attributes Other Information Name Damon Khaul Name Value Level 1 Race Human STR 10 Class N/A Sex Male END 10 Guild N/A Age 21 years AGI 10 Spawn Point N/A Health 83/100 (+0.1/sec) DEX 10 Resistances Expand Stamina 71/100 (+0.1/sec) INT 10 Skills Expand Mana Points N/A WIS 10 Spells N/A Fame 0 CHR 10 Relationships Expand Titles N/A LCK 10 Status Effects Expand

OK, basic spread of stats and I’m guessing my regeneration will increase with one of the stats. Damn, I should have asked Billy about that stuff. Damon chided himself and dismissed both windows. His gaze wondered to the dead wolf by his feet and he idly wondered if he could loot it somehow.

Do you wish to loot Forest Wolf (Level 5)

x1 Forest Wolf pelt (average)

x1 Forest Wolf meat (average)

Yes, that's rather convenient.

Damon put the paper and flask into his inventory, as well as the loot which had automatically been put into the space. The wolf's body had disappeared and Damon kept the dagger out and began munching on his bread.

Bread eaten. +20HP

Instantly Damon could feel his leg as it began knitting itself back together and the numb pain he had been feeling began to drift away. He sighed with relief and thanked the system that eating regained health.

After a time, Damon stood. His leg was now fully mended and he was trying to figure out which way he should start walking, still slightly paranoid about another surprise attack. He decided to just pick a direction at random and start walking, he couldn’t be that far from a town or village otherwise this would be a poor starting location.

…

Boy was he wrong. Either he’d picked the complete wrong direction to walk in, or there wasn’t in fact a nearby settlement. He could have sworn he’d been walking for hours without hearing a single sign of civilisation. He would hear the occasional howl which at first made him jump, but after realising the noise was far of, he’d relax quite quickly and continued. Faint rustling of branches and falling of snow signalled small creatures running from tree to tree. However, after a while with no attack forthcoming, Damon had dismissed the creatures as squirrels and the like, paying them little attention. He instead put much of his focus into not walking into any of the many tall trees or roots that seemed to insist on attempting to cripple him once again.

Thankfully it wasn’t wasted walking, he’d managed to gain a new skill and even slightly progress it.

New Skill!

Forest Walker (Beginner 1 - 67%)

Your stumbling and tripping in the woods has actually taught you a thing or two about crossing wooded terrain.

10% increase to movement speed in forested areas.

Damon was beginning to lose hope entirely that he’d ever meet anyone ever again in this game, when he heard a faint noise slightly off to his right. The noise was new in these peaceful woods. It sounded like shouting, voices of panic and cries of anger. Speeding up as much as he dared, Damon rushed to the noises he could hear, dodging and tripping through the many trees and roots in his path. Jeez this snow really isn’t helping me. He thought as he tripped over a particularly large root that had been completely covered by white snow, almost falling over again.

You have received 1 physical damage from Tree Root.

Really? Damon almost said aloud as he grunted and carried on towards the increasingly loud shouts. He could vaguely make out larger shapes in front of him as the trees seemed to thin and he suddenly realised he could see structures of what must have been wood, based on the colour he could see. This must be the village. He thought, running a little easier now that there were fewer obstacles in his way.

He made his way to one of the structures he could see and when he reached it he confirmed his suspicion of wood as he put his hand to it. He began to make his way around the side of the structure to where he could hear the now very loud shouts and what he recognised as growls belonging to wolves.

As Damon rounded the corner of the building, he could just make out a large open area with a small structure in the centre. There appeared to be several figures nestled up against it. Slightly in front were two tall figures that seemed to be facing off against four distinctive shapes that Damon recognised immediately as wolves. They were slightly smaller than the one Damon had fought before, but one seemed much bigger than the other three. Damon could smell blood in the air, several bodies were spewed across the open ground. Two dead wolves were also lying among the silent dead.

New Quest!

Save the Villagers!

This small village in the middle of nowhere is being attacked by a pack of very hungry Forest Wolves. Will you do anything to help them?

Rewards:

Base 100 Exp

Exp bonus for each wolf killed

Relationship points with attacked villagers

That all but confirmed to Damon what was happening and he quickly swiped the blue window away, before charging towards the closest wolf shape.

The wolf he was aiming for, must have been far too preoccupied with the smell of fear and despair from the people in front of it to notice Damon running through the snow behind it. His footsteps were muffled by the soft terrain and his light clothing released little noise to the wind that was blowing into his face as he moved.

With a small grunt, Damon slammed into the side of the wolf and plunged his knife into what he guessed was its neck, completely slicing open its throat, as he bowled the creature over.

(Stealth Attack)

(Critical Hit)

You have dealt 33 physical damage to Forest Wolf

You have dealt 2 physical damage to Forest Wolf

Blood gushed out of the wound and stained the white snow red around the creature. Before it had time to recover, Damon began stabbing at its thrashing head, using his body to keep the beast down and immobile.

You have dealt 5 physical damage to Forest Wolf.

(Critical Hit)

You have dealt 16 physical damage to Forest Wolf.

You have dealt 3 physical damage to Forest Wolf.

(Critical Hit)

You have dealt 12 physical damage to Forest Wolf.

Congratulations you have slain Forest Wolf (Level 4) +65 Exp Level Up!

Congratulations, you have gained an additional level!

You are now level 2

Please allocate any free stat points.

Snarling, Damon really wished these notifications wouldn't pop up while he was fighting. Suddenly they disappeared and a small blinking icon appeared at the bottom right of his vision.

A scream pierced the air and Damon jerked his head upwards to find the other three wolves had moved in to attack the two figures standing further out. By what he could tell in the miasma of shapes before him, the two were putting up a good fight. However, he could hear tearing flesh and the cries of pain that accompanied them.

Damon’s heart pumped adrenaline round his body as he pushed himself of the dead wolf and began running to the fighting shapes. One of the men, at least by the sounds of his pitiful crying, fell to the ground as a wolf form leaped on top of him, tearing his throat with its teeth, as the man released a final gargled splutter. Damon angled himself towards him, but his running skills weren’t amazing and he almost tripped as he made his way over to the dying man. The wolf was so focused on eating its prey that it never knew what hit it as Damon plunged, knife first, into it’s side.

(Stealth Attack)

(Critical Hit)

You have dealt 35 physical damage to Forest Wolf.

Damon let out a roar as the wolf whimpered from the pain, but it didn’t fall over like the last one. It had managed to dig its claws into the man below it as it tried to feast. The sound of rendered flesh could be heard as the wolf shifted slightly from the impact. The wolf’s head snapped round and its teeth clamped down on Damon’s left shoulder.

You have received 9 physical damage from Forest Wolf.

Damon cried in pain, spittle spewing from his mouth before he rammed his blade into the wolf’s gullet.

(Critical Hit)

You have dealt 16 physical damage to Forest Wolf.

The wolf’s mouth clamped down harder and the pain increased tenfold for Damon.

You have received 5 physical damage from Forest Wolf.

Left Arm Crippled.

Gritting his teeth, Damon once again plunged his dagger into the wolf, simply trying to stop the damn creature from chewing his arm off.

You have dealt 12 physical damage to Forest Wolf.

You have dealt 12 physical damage to Forest Wolf.

Forest Wolf has died.

The wolf finally let go, the wet sucking noise was sickening to Damon and he almost threw up from the combination of pain and disgust. He fell to the ground hoping for some rest, but an angry cry from behind him reminded him there was at least one more wolf to deal with. We whirled around, his destroyed shoulder screaming at him from the injustice. The arm below it swung uselessly with the motion.

He tried to take in the vague scene before him but honestly, he couldn't tell the difference between the shapes moving in front of him. He closed his eyes and focused on the sound instead, trusting sound more than his sight at that moment. He could hear the wolf growling. It was low and full of a menacing promise that sent a shiver down his spine.

You are intimidated.

Letting out a frustrated growl of his own, Damon focused on his breathing, letting it calm him enough to deal with the situation before him.

You are no longer under the effects of intimidation.

Damon ignored the prompt, his attention instead on what was before him. That single growl confirmed that the other wolf was either dead or at least out of action. The grunts from the man left standing confirmed he was still fighting, although he sounded haggard and his breath was coming out in short, struggling pants.

Damon began moving forwards, when his foot stubbed against something wooden. He opened his eyes and looked down. A long, dark axe lay at his feet. The man he had just saved must have been using this as a weapon. It was probably a lot sturdier than the rusted dagger he currently wielded and the damage had to be much higher. He bent down, putting the knife into his boots. Suddenly he realised a problem... He only had one arm. The other was dangling uselessly next to him. He wasn’t even sure how he could wield this new weapon. Desperation won out as he heard a muffled cry from the fighting pair and the impact as bodies hit the ground.

Quickly coming to a decision, Damon grabbed the axe half way up the shaft and began running to aid the now fallen fighter. As he reached the two grappling forms on the ground, Damon made a mad gamble and swung the axe high overhead, his muscles screaming at him, and let gravity pull it back down, right onto the neck of the figure below him.