Chapter 8 The Ill-advised dump

Elysia’s core bubbled in revulsion, brightening her veins. She grasped at her core, but as usual, the lightning slipped through her fingers.

Thrazk tried to move in between his smugly smiling sister and Elysia, on the brink of exploding in rage.

Unfortunately for him, he was too slow as a lightning bolt shot from Elysia’s right hand. It crackled toward Thoss only to perform a u turn back to Elysia.

With widening eyes, Elysia tried to dodge, but she was far too slow as the lightning bolt impacted her chest. She cringed for the coming pain, only for none to come as the lightning harmlessly absorbed into her core once more.

“Did you really think using lightning on a far stronger lightning elementalist would work? Sure, your lightning is strangely difficult to control, but nothing too hard. One of the first rules of combat is knowing when you are outmatched.”

Thoss’s words fell onto deaf ears as Elysia readied another smite, this time drawing extra on her core.

Static filled the air. However, this time, Elysia spotted the infiltrating electricity. On instinct her lightning flooded her body, instantly eradicating the invader as she readied the biggest smite she ever tried.

Despite her lightning failing, Thoss smiled, awaiting the young elemental’s retaliation, but before Elysia could release the payload, Thrazk grabbed her from behind. Her lightning fizzled a moment later. Hit by a sudden dizzy spell as her mostly empty core refilled, Elysia collapsed into Thrazk’s arms.

Crisis averted, Thrazk laid Elysia against the wall before turning a glare to Thoss with his massive arms crossed across his wide chest. “Why the hell did you provoke her? You know how violating losing control of your own body is especially for a lightning elemental.”

Unaffected by her brother’s glare, Thoss commented, “She needed to be taught a lesson. She may have talent, but she is still weak.”

“She could have crushed you if you were on the same level. Remember when you tried the same on your master?”

For the first time, Thoss’s smile faltered, flashing back to her beat down by her master for being too cocky. “Yeah, I probably shouldn’t have provoked her. I don’t want to create a cycle.”

Thrazk nodded his head. “I brought you here to teach her, not give her trauma.”

Before Thoss could reply, Elysia recovered. She shot to her feet, giving Thoss a death glare, but Thrazk stood in front of her, blocking her sight of his sister. “Calm down. She made a mistake but don’t retaliate. All you will accomplish is tiring yourself out.” A vision smile formed as Thrazk whispered too quiet for Thoss to hear. “Instead, work to improve so you can get payback.”

Elysia’s face mirrored his as she nodded her head.

Thrazk sent a warning glare at Thoss before stepping back, then spoke to both of them. “Good, now let’s get back on topic.”

After ensuring no further fighting would occur, Thrazk continued. “I agree with Thoss you should focus intelligence and perception, but I would raise dexterity too. Endurance could help early on as it should help with your passive lightning drain, but once you improve your affinity and control, it will lose its importance. It would be a waste to dump too many points into Strength though getting it to tier two wouldn’t be a bad idea. I expect perception, dexterity, and intelligence to be in tier two within the next ten levels.”

Thoss nodded her head in agreement. “For once, my brother sees sense.” She sent a glance at her massive brother before adding, “Not everyone can be a muscle head.”

After squashing her anger at the small Chrotile, Elysia asked, “What are tier two attributes?”

“Every hundred attribute points in an attribute the attribute resets to 1 in the next tier. Each tier up gives an attribute focus bonus achievement, making it worth raising even unfocused attribute to at least tier two.” Explained Thrazk.

Elysia opened her mouth to ask another question, but Thrazk beat her to it. “No, I can’t tell you what your bonus will be, as it depends on the person. For me, I gained a jump in muscle density at tier two strength.” Thrazk shivered from the phantom pain, prompting him to add, “Hope you don’t get that one.” Goosebumps formed from Thrazk’s tone along Elysia’s arms.

They fell silent as Elysia pulled up her status.

Status:

Name: Elysia Arashi

Race: Nascent Lightning Elemental Level 10.

Class: Path of Lightning Level 10.

Charge: 1225/1899.

Attributes:

Available Points: 95

Strength: 42

Dexterity: 42

Endurance: 42

Intelligence: 42

Perception: 42

Proficiencies:

Novice Spear Level 8.

Novice Throwing Knives Level 3.

Affinities:

Tier 2 level 1 Lightning

Resistances:

Death Resistance level 1

Water Resistance Level 1.

Poison Resistance Level 2.

Bonus

+70% Damage with Lightning.

+10% Damage to undead.

+10% Damage to Arthropod.

+15% Damage to Ladybugs.

Skills

Electrify Level 1.

Electrify Self Level 1.

Lightning Bolt Level 1.

Chain Lightning Level 1.

Smite Level 1.

Bonds

Sereia.

Umbra.

Ione.

Before beginning her attribute dump, she laid on the floor, propping her back against the scaly wall. She closed her eyes before spending 28 points in perception. Her senses cut off, causing her body to tense. Time ground to a halt in her black void.

Fortunately, a minute later, her senses restarted. Now used to the jump in her senses, she remained calm, ignoring her sharper hearing and the smooth, scaled floor under her hands.

After taking a minute to adjust, she kept her eyes closed as she moved to the next attribute, dexterity. Elysia swayed as vertigo hit her, but she held on. Like with perception, a minute later, the side effects diminished to nothing, leaving her muscles slightly more responsive.

Saving the most painful attribute for last, she took a deep breath before dumping 28 attributes into intelligence. She braced herself for the coming pain and it didn’t disappoint. A whimper escaped her gritted teeth as a jackhammer had its way with her mind.

Unable to keep herself upright with the pain, she slid sideways onto the floor, bouncing her head off the hard scaled floor, only exacerbating her pain.

Unlike the previous attribute dumps, the headache lingered. She laid on the floor for over five minutes before mustering the energy to sit up. Her vision spun when she opened her eyes as the bright lights intensified her headache.

With a worried expression, Thrazk commented, “Please tell me you didn’t dump all your attribute points at once.”

A dagger stabbed through her mind at Thrazk’s voice. She looked up at him with tear-filled eyes, saying all he needed to know. “Never dump more than ten points in multiple attributes in quick succession and never over thirty in one attribute at once. At least until you reach tier two. The best way to spend large amounts of points is to do it in groups of ten to avoid too much stress on the body.”

Elysia nodded her head, only to send her vision spinning. She let herself fall back to the floor with her eyes closed, giving up on trying to do anything. Something warm curled into her side, prompting her hand to travel down to the silky soft kitty. A purr vibrated from Ione, soothing Elysia’s pain as she stroked Ione’s fur.

Another five minutes passed before her headache died down enough to return her attention to the outside world. She sat up to find Thoss gone but Thrazk still in the room, watching over his nephew gathering up the whips.

She waited another minute before attempting to stand while bracing herself against the wall. A Dizzy spell sent her swaying for a moment until her body adjusted. Never again. Attribute point dumping wasn’t worth it. She would rather try to wrestle a bear. Attributes were supposed to improve her, not hurt her.

Thrazk turned toward Elysia as she approached the table. “Finally better? I would avoid anything strenuous for another hour, so no more training.”

Elysia let out a yawn. “Yeah, I think I need to take a nap. Is there anything else I need to know?”

After Thrazk’s nephew walked out of the room carrying a stack of whips, Thrazk spoke. “While you were out, Urus told me your order will be ready tomorrow morning. That will give you plenty of time to train before Mezo opens.”

Despite her exhaustion and headache, Elysia’s curiosity won out, prompting her to ask, “So what should I expect in Mezo if I go?”

Expecting the question, Thrazk explained, “We don’t know. It’s a locked island about to open a dozen kilometers west of what humans call Vancouver Island. These types of linked dungeons appeared from time to time back home, but this is the first we know of since the merge. Though our information network is a little limited. The only thing we know is it will be a around level 100 because the highest levels we will send are at the top of the first class evolution.”

“So dungeons scale off the highest level in the dungeon?”

“Only if the highest level enters first. For example, I entered Ucluelet when it was empty, so it scaled to me which put it at around level 180.”

“Huh, that seems pretty exploitable.” Commented Elysia.

“It is. It’s how we get our young power leveled to their first evolution. We avoid power leveling past this as its best for the individual to traverse their path at their own pace.”

She bet this was how they leveled Changed and why they tried to gather them all to that camp. Still, even disregarding the servitude, she would rather earn her levels. She wouldn’t learn anything if someone power leveled her.

“So if I join, will I have to find a team or can I go in solo?”

“Once you enter your name, Urus will assign you to a team of similar level. Being at the low end of the allowed participants, you will be in one of the last waves to enter.”

Elysia fretted for a moment before admitting, “I’ve never worked with a team. I’m not sure how that will work.”

“That’s ok at your level. Most of our young have little experience dungeon diving either, as they are fresh off their power level to the first evolution. You will have three days to practice together before the dungeon opens in five days.”

After taking a moment to decide, Elysia asked, “Where do I sign up?”

Thrazk gave her a smirk as he revealed, “As of a minute ago, you already are. Urus entered your name into the pool.”

“Without asking my permission?” Questioned Elysia with her arms crossed, scowling up at the massive Chrotile.

While nodding as if it was only natural, Thrazk commented, “Urus is never wrong.”

Too tired to question blind devotion, Elysia pinched her brow as she asked, “What about my crew”

“They declined to participate. The one known as Joe Walker declined to protect the maniac known as Eva Thompson. While I can understand the sentiment, no one needs protecting on Urus as she will eject anyone who harms another resident. Though from the reports I’ve heard, I would avoid giving her any more money.”

Elysia groaned as she remembered the mess she would probably find at Umbra. “I think I need to head back to my ship.”

“Probably for the best. Remember to avoid anything strenuous for at least an hour.”

Another long yawn escaped her mouth as Elysia replied, “If I have my way, I’m going to take a long nap, but I have a feeling I won’t get my way.”

Thrazk scanned the exhausted elemental before asking, “Do you need help to get back?”

“Its pretty easy to find my way back, but it wouldn’t hurt to help a guide.” Replied Elysia with a shrug.

“Yes, Urus did a marvelous job of designing her city.” Gushed Thrazk with a fond smile.

Elysia paused for a moment to think over her words. “Well, most of the building look the same other than their scale color, but she laid the streets out nicely.”

Thrazk turned to the table, grabbing the last whip remaining. He handed the gray razor whip to Elysia handle first before waving to his nephew, who had just entered the room.

“You can keep this one for practice. My nephew will lead you back to your ship. I have some business to attend to, but feel free to contact Urus if you need me.” Announced Thrazk with a gesture to the other Chrotile standing near the door.

Past the point of caring about offending Urus with her still throbbing headache, Elysia commented mentally. Who needed cellphones when one had an ever present, ease dropping turtle to connect everyone?

A flutter in the ever present presence was her response as she walked out the door following Thrazk’s nephew.

Five minutes later, she arrived at the pier only for her mild headache to turn into a drumbeat. Even from over a hundred meters away, she could see multiple crates being loaded onto Umbra, supervised by an excited-looking Eva and an exhausted Joe.

“I gave her too much money, didn’t I?”