《The Crystal Ring.》Chapter 5: To burn or not to burn that is the question.
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Flying through the air really didn't give me a chance for quiet contemplation, as I was screaming at the useless boxes as a flew towards my death. The breeze on my hair felt quite nice almost to the point that I began to enjoy it, until the ground came up to meet me with a whole body high five.
BAM!
I began to slide through the grass eating all the dirt in my path like some kind of sick all you can eat buffet.
It's not like I had a choice really the velocity that I was launched off of that trap was ridiculous, I wonder what level that spider was. 'Well at least I'm not hungry anymore, but I don't think I can survive on dirt it tastes pretty disgusting.' I think to myself hoping that the system cannot read minds, and bite back with some unwanted criticisms of my intelligence.
Dirt caking the entirety of my front half I almost forgot that I was butt naked. 'Wait how did it take me this long to realize that my dongle was hanging out.' It more than likely had to due with the fact that I was woken up by a giant dinosaur, but thats besides the point. This was all too surreal for me I had a shitty life up until this point, but I wouldn't exactly call this an upgrade. I can at least take solace in the fact that I wont ever have to deal with Blake Carter ever again.
I was taken out of my quiet revery by the rustling of the grass. If I wasn't a battle hardened warrior I would have already been pissing myself. Wait whats that warm feeling on my thigh....Ok maybe I am not a battle hardened warrior, but I need to man up or die. I know the nice goddess told me I was effectively immortal, but I don't think that exactly makes me immune to death, and I am really not one to test that theory out. Try to concentrate on a possible escape if necessary I look around for anything at all I could use as a weapon, but to my avail there is nothing. Not even a damn stick to swing at whatevers coming so I can feel that I at least tried to defend myself before my untimely demise.
Sitting down I accept the fact that I am going to die. 'Weird I go from pissing myself to a calm resolution in the face of death. Something must be wrong with me if I am capable of Switching through emotions so quickly.' The sound of rustling began to pierce my ears as it grew in pace, and closeness. Running out of the edge of the grass was not a big scary monster like I assumed would have to my relief. However I didn't know if I should be scared of not whatever this little guy was supposed to be I am almost certain that it is a velociraptor so I decided to put my appraisal skill to good use.
Baby Verocidon(lvl 5) This baby carnivore is usually heavily guarded when they first hatch from their eggs. A very territorial species normally found in magma marshes. These beasties have a strong natural affinity with fire, and with age will grow to learn to use its affinity. A fully grown verocidon will grow to be 3 meters in length, and 2.5 meters in height.
The little verocidon is black in color with large swatches of red mingling between the upper thighs along its back all the way up to the top of its head where it has a built in crown of bone to protect its skull from bigger predators. This dangerous little guy moved with a rocky yet elegant gate right up to where I was sitting. Looking at me expectantly it makes a mewling screetch like a hurt cat. It's description had put me on edge not only should it not be here, but they are always with an adult.
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"Look little guy I have no way to defend myself if your mother shows up so shoo!" I went to go shoo the animal away, but then my stomach decided to remind me that I was starving to death. With a deafening gurgle my stomach had startled the small creature with its roar of defiance demanding that I eat the infant dinosaur, little did my stomach know I had no such plans I could forage for edible plants if I had to but maybe having a little dino nugget on standby might not be too bad.
Attempting to ignore my angry stomach, and the little dino I try to figure out how to unlock magic like I've read about in the many web novels I had read in my downtime. Concentrating on my inner self I began to meditate, but lets just say it was the most boring thing I had ever had to do, which is sit still and do nothing while pretending to forget that this alien planet eists. After an hour my angst begin to hit its boiling point when out of no where I was greeted by a new box with a relieving tidbit of information.
DING! New skill learned!
New skill obtained: Meditation Meditation allows one to enter a state of ignorant bliss whenever activated no matter the circumstance. This skill increases mana regeneration, and health regeneration to 10 mana a minute, and 35 health a minute respectively.
'Well thats pretty a pretty useful skill too bad my mana, and health regen are hidden stats apparently so I have no idea what my usual regeneration rates are hopefully I can unlock that at some point.' Thinking about the have nots right now won't get me anyway so I suppose that I should try and get Mana manipulation to hopefully manipulate it into fire mana, and learn some neato pyrotechnics.
Remaining seated I began to feel for the energy deep inside of me that is known as mana. I try to mentally twist, and pull on it as if it were a piece of salt water taffy. I began to grow impatient when I had gained nothing for an hour and a half of concentration. Thinking about wasted time has got me on edge as the sun sinks ever farther towards the tree tops. " Well I guess I should some how hunt me up some grub, and try to find a nice spot to bed down for the night." It was at this time that I noticed the little Verocidon curled up next to me purring softly. 'Huh I guess this little guy has nowhere else to go, and decided waiting near me would give him a chance to leave if a bigger predator had showed up. I mean what would you go for the chicken nugget or the stuffed turkey if you were starving. I know what my choice would be, but thats just me I think. Come to think of it why did I think it was a good idea to sit here meditating when I could've been an easy target for this things mother?'
Scolding myself for my own stupidity, and general lack of understanding of my environment had apparently caused this lapse in judgement. Admonishing myself a little further I began to scan for a rock big enough to hit something over the head with. Fifteen minutes later I managed to find what I thought was the perfect rock for clubbing with. 'Next I need to weave some grass fibers, and hopefully find a branch somewhere on the ground before running into something deadly.'
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Turning around to make sure the little dino is still asleep I began to crawl through the tall grass in hopes of finding a stick to use for a primitive axe handle. Hopefully I don't run into some dangerous monster wall I'm on my hands, and knees looking for this stick or it'd be the ultimate irony. Dying in a field unable to defend myself because I couldn't find the tools to allow me to defend myself. It was such a catch-22 that I wasn't willing to argue with myself over it, after all I needed to find a stick so I can get back, and try to weave some grass into primitive rope.
It took me 30 minutes give or take to find a damn stick, and 15 to get back to my little makeshift campsite. Thirty minutes of squirming through the savannah like a grub hoping a giant bird doesn't descend to make me into a meal. Thankfully nothing had happened. It still hurt my pride a little not being able to grasp magic better, but I am sure if I have a safe place to work on it Ill be more capable of figuring it out as of right now I am too stressed. Sitting back down in my now comfortable hidey hole I begin to pull blades of giant grass apart to weave into fibers. I guess all those years that dad had me playing boyscout are finally paying off.
Thinking of my dad had put me off of my game a little bit, as I sat and stared at the grass remembering something I wish that I could forget, like my death. I guess the death of others is harder to get over than your own death. The absurdity of that last thought had made me smirk sourly. 'It's not like you have much to worry about if you are dying, you won't have enough time. I am possibly the only one who came back from death.' I shrug as this isn't really something I want to think about, and go back to trying to make grass rope. My patience is rewarded unlike mana maipulation I gained a new skill.
DING! NEW SKILL LEARNED!
New skill learned: Craft Primitive Technologies
Due to your extreme perseverance you have unlocked the skill branch of crafting known as Primitive technologies. This skill allows you to quickly assemble primitive tech that you have the recipes for at a much faster rate of speed than possible without.
Recipes unlocked:
Primitive Rope: Requires 30 grass fibers, and 25 seconds of time to twine the rope.
'Well alright finally some of my hardwork is being noticed by the system, this will allow me to do so many things, like make my axe, as well as a makeshift hammock.' I can barely contain my excitement as I looked down at my poor attempt at making rope, "Huh maybe the system decided to take pity on me, who knows. At least I can make rope now!"
Using my access to system aided crafting I was able to create a perfect rope in less than a minute. It took alot for me to not yelling out in joy, this made life so much easier, well as easy as it could be on a strange planet surrounded by dinosaurs. Using my new found burst of energy I used my pet rock to dig a groove into my makeshift weapon handle, and begin to strap the newly made rope, rock, and stick together to make a primitive axe. Twenty minutes later I tied off the last of the rope hopefully securing the weapon together. This netted me a new recipe for my Primitive tech skill.
Ding! New recipe learned: Primitive Axe(poor)
Well I can't argue with that it really is a poor excuse for a weapon, but hopefully it will let me at least hit something a few times without falling apart damning me to die. Looking to the little dino I see now that the wee beastie has woken up, and was staring at me intently, almost demanding food.
"I get it, I get it you are hungry, well so am I little buddy. If we're lucky I'll be able to snag us some dinner, and we can find a nice little place to sleep tonight. I hope you're not afraid of heights, because we might be sleeping in the trees tonight."
Prowling foreward, me and Quarky as I've decided to call the little velociraptor-esque beast began to look for some animal we could fill our empty bellies with. Rustling up ahead stops us in our tracks only 50 feet from where we were sitting in a life of lavish safety. The rustling begins to move in the opposite direction than us prompting me to continue foreward or else lose the chance of dinner, and my stomach would never let me live that down. Looking down out Quarky I have to admonish his brazen attitude towards danger by reprimanding him, and asking him to sit there while I try to score us some food. Only 10 meters ahead of us is a large clearing in the grass where our prey is hopefully grazing on some grass or tiny animal.
Nearing the edge of the clearing it opens up into a 30 meter expanse of mushed down grash, and a tiny stream flowing through the middle. Near the edge of the stream I notice a 1 meter tall giant boar maroon bristle like fur sticking up at all angles like some sort of otherworldly porcupine. I can't see it's face so I have no idea how big its tusks are, but my stomach is screaming at me to kill it by this point, so I guess some allowances have to made in terms of survival. Looking back on it, it was a terrible idea.
Moving at a snails pace I slowly creep towards the drinking pig, stopping everytime the animal gave an odd twitch hoping that this wasn't the time that he noticed me. At 2 meters away the boar finally notices my approach, but seems just as shocked to see me as I am that I had managed to get this close without detection.
Skill Leveld up: Sneak has leveled to Beginner level 5.
'I guess the system forgot to remind me that I had even learned this skill.'
I did no such thing, you're just bad at noticing things! Unlike that Boaradillo there..Oh look hes charging.
Dammit, I had let my self be surprised by the blue boxes self righteous indignation, and had completely forgotten about the Boaradillo in front of me. The beast came quickly, as I jumped out of the way my leg slid across the now pin straight bristles of the boars back Intense stabbing pain had invaded my mind, it felt like a million little needles had been dug into my skin then scraped across my leg. It was almost too much to focus on at once. I had no time to focus on the pain however as the boaradillo had turned around ready to charge again I tried to stand on my leg to defend myself against the attack to no avail. Bracing myself as best as I could on the ground I got ready to smash my axe into its skull.
At the last second Quarky came charging out of the bushes I wanted to yell at him to stay back, but it was too late the stubborn little guy would not give in at this point I could see the determination in his eyes. The boar noticed his new opponent at the last second, and tried to come to a stop stumbling over its own weight, and velocity. Running head long into the boaradillo Quarky seemed to burst into flames at the last second casuing the beast to roar out in pain.
Quarky quickly backed off sensing his opponents rage at being hurt. I felt relief, but at the same time anger he hadn't listned to me and was now in danger. I had to do something fast or I could lose the only thing that hasn't tried to kill me yet since I got to this god foresaken world. Ignoring the pain in my leg I stood up to prepare a charge of my own, a notification popped into my face but I willed it away without looking at it, opting instead to focus on my prey. The boar was now back on its feet I made a headlong charge with my homemade axe in tow, bringing it up over my head I swung down as hard as I could onto the creatures spine making a deep cut, and one big ass bruise.
Now seeing me as its target the beast squealed in rage as he pawed at the ground readying a new attack. The bristles on the boars back flattened down almost appearing to fuse with the monsters back. Focused on this weird behavior I almost didn't notice the giant pig running towards me at full speed. Waiting till the last second I stepped out of the way, and attempted to bring my axe down onto the boaradillos head as resounding CRACK! filled the air. My attack had been futile as the axehead shatterned on the beasts skull.
"Well shit that rules out my axe, and makes me realize why it is called a boaradillo. The damn thing can flatten, and harden its bristles at will making a steel like shell to protect itself."
'What to do the dang this is turning around again, but where is Quarky dammit!"
The boaradillos charge had begun with a new fervor, as Quarky apears of nowhere headbutting the boaradillo in the face with a flaming headbutt. Then he was gone again I guess fire is the creatures weakness. 'That makes me useless in this fight since I can't do magic.' Brought from my internal struggle as Quarky attempts to attack again when the creature turns faster than I thought possible, and kicks Quarky with his hind legs. Quarky flies six meters before rolling to a stop unconscious.
Now I was pissed off I reached for the mana inside me unconsiously willing it to compress, and burn itself like a raging forest fire. I could feel the pressure building in my arm, and not taking the time to think through how I had achieved this little miracle I ran at the beast. Before the boaradillo could even react I launched a fireball at point blank range into it's face. Squealing in rage the monster flew back several feet before taking its final breathe.
Three more notifications sweep my vision as a massie headache ensues causing me to almost black out. 'I have to check on Quarky!'
This is the only thought consuming my brain as I slowly attempt the massive task of walking to my little raptor without losing consciousness.
The world starts to dim as I see Quarky stir from his unwanted slumber, and then nothing as my forehead arrived early for his date with the ground.
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