I practically spring out of bed in the morning as I race to do my chores. I can tell both my parents want to ask about what I am planning today, but the money I brought in is very welcome, so they don’t ask any questions. After eating some breakfast and packing more food away for lunch and dinner I make my way North to the cliffs and caves. The caves are home to the Ice Lizards, which are level seven to fifteen. They are slow, but can easily scale the cliff walls, which makes it easy for them to run away unless you catch then away from the wall. What makes them interesting is their Tarva gland that forms a mana stone. The stone is a crystal that holds a few points of mana that anyone holding it can tap into. If two stones come into contact, they will merge forming a bigger stone. The final stone can be up to ten times bigger than the original stone used as the core. The stones value goes up a lot the larger it is, but of course since anyone can use it they are made into necklaces and added to staffs for wizards, etc… When a stone is at the max size it will no longer merge, but if it meets another stone at that point it can drain the stone of mana, which is the only way to recharge a stone once you use the mana in it.

The lower caves that everyone can reach are a steady source of income for the village and are hunted by groups selected by the Headman of the village. The upper caves are different story, because the cliffs go up another three hundred feet and it is too difficult to safely reach the caves above. That is where I am going today. When I reach the base of the lower cliff I am hailed by Robin and Sam, siblings that come from a farm on the other side of the community. They worked the farm with their parents and older brother Hern, but every family had to contribute to guarding the village. They are skilled hunters and I am happy to see them. Both stood guard dressed in tough leather pants and shirts, bundled up under fur lined cloaks. They held stout wooden spears tipped with bright steal and each had a pair of daggers at their waists, attached to thick leather belts.

When I was younger, I had a crush on Robin before I fell for Sara. She has the most amazing blue eyes that remind me of the deep blue of glacier ice. Sam was always over protective of his sister and would always make sure he was around if I stopped by to see Robin. Sam treated me much more casually ever since it was obvious, I had switched my attention to Sara. I don’t think Robin was ever really aware I was interested in her, which at the time was quite the blow to my ego.

“Frank, what brings you here?”

“Hi, I am planning on climbing to the upper cliffs today.”

They both look at me in surprise and Sam who has the higher level looks at me intently before whistling. “Weren’t you only level four? You are at level seven now.”

“Yes.” I say proudly.

Robin frowns. “Even so, the Ice Lizards are higher level on the upper cliff even if you can get there and level seven isn’t high enough.”

“I think it is.”

Sam suddenly smiles nudging his sister. “He got an ability.”

I smile back. I knew coming here I wouldn’t be able to keep my ability secret and there really is no reason to. However, there is no reason not to keep people guessing about what it is. “Maybe. Well day light is burning, see you both when I get back.”

They both say to be careful and I start jogging up the trail to the base of the upper cliff. They watch me the whole way to make sure I am not going into any of the lower caves which have lizards from levels seven to ten. I make it to the base of the upper cliffs and start quickly climbing using my ability, but I am making it look like I am finding foot and hand holds as I climb. I reach the area were the cliff juts out for about fifty feet of the climb. This is what usually would stop all climbers that did not have a skill or ability to overcome it. I continue without a pause until I reach the top of the jut, which has a small ledge I can safely rest on to regenerate my mana and stamina.

After I am rested, I continue the rest of the way to the top where I startle several lizards eating the ice grass and rock bramble growing around the upper caves. They all climb up on the walls and then turn to eye me hungrily. I just sit and rest waiting to see what they will do while I regenerate mana. I inspect the five lizards in sight, which are levels 12,14,13,12, and 14. As one of the level 14 lizards comes down hissing at me, I stand and pull my spear from by inventory, which makes the lizard start to turn back up the cliff as I rush him. He doesn’t seem worried as he is still ten feet up the cliff, but I hit the cliff wall running and am on him in a moment plunging my spear into his side for 80 points of damage. His skin is giving him a defense of twenty and he only take half of the cold damage. I continue to run opposite his turn, outpacing him as I stab again for another 80 points of damage. I figure he has 400 to 500 hit points as the two wounds bleed. I continue to burn stamina and mana to circle him stabbing him again for another 80 points of damage. He pauses and tries to turn the other way hissing in frustration. I stab him again as I switch directions and after two more stabs he dies and drops from the side of the cliff with a thump on the ground. The other lizards all scatter after that into the caves. I walk down pulling out a dagger to skin the lizard and to remove the mana gland, which has a five-point mana stone. I place the skin, mana stone, and five steaks I carve from the body in my inventory before picking up my spear and entering the closest cave.

I walked into the cave, which was dimly lit by the mold that grows in the Ice Lizard’s caves. I let me eyes adapt before walking slowly forward keeping an eye on the ceiling and walls as well as the floors. The cave matches the descriptions I have heard. The floor is covered with gritty glacier sand and small pebbles. The walls and ceilings are rough and covered in numerous claw marks from ice lizards living here. It is even colder in the cave than outside. The cave follows a fairly straight path into the cliffs for about eighty feet before turning to the right.

When I get to the sharp turn, I climb the wall to the ceiling. I surprise the Lizard hanging from the wall, which was expecting to bit me, but at floor level, not on the ceiling. I stabbed it in the head getting a luck hit in its left eye getting a critical for 160 points of damage. It hissed as it snapped at me, but I already moved back before it struck. I stabbed it again in the head missing the right eye getting 80 points of damage. The lizard started to back up as I continued to press it hitting it in the right eye getting another critical hit for 160 damage. Now it started to thrash its head around biting the air and I just had to time my strike to hit the soft flesh in its upper mouth doing another critical for 160 damage, killing it. I could faintly hear more hissing down the corridor. Keeping an eye out I harvest the skin, mana gland, and five more steaks. The mana stone this time is a four-point stone.

I placed everything in my inventory and wait a minute for my mana and stamina to top off before walking slowly down the cave until it gently turns into a wider cavern that has seven lizards. One is an exceptionally large level seventeen bull with the rest level ten through fifteen. The cavern ceiling is thirty feet tall and all the lizards were hanging on the walls and ceiling at least ten feet or more off the floor. They were all eyeing me, no doubt hoping I would walk into the room to meet the bull that is the only one remaining on the floor. They all hissed in surprise as I ran up the wall and stabbed a level fourteen female hanging on the wall twenty feet above the wall. I aggressively attacked stabbing her in the face and neck getting two critical hits before killing her. I watched her body drop to the floor as the bull charged me while I retreated to the narrower part of the cave, while running on the ceiling before turning to face him.

The Bull was outlined in red as he lunged at me from the floor. I let myself drop to my knees on the ceiling and plunged my spear into his neck in a spray of blood. I let him jerk me to my feet as I released by ability only to use it again after I fell on his back. I then plunged my spear two handed into his neck and spine repeatedly. The bull bucked and ran up the wall, but I had no trouble staying on his back. It is amazing that my ability is turning out to be so versatile. With a last stab into his spine the bull dropped, sliding down the wall as I jumped off. I walked down to the floor while watching the other five lizards which now cluster on the far wall of the cavern. I stood by the bull’s body as my mana and stamina regenerated. As my mana and stamina pools filled I calmly walked toward the back of the cavern. As I approached the lizards became more agitated, until I walked to the side and up the wall. So far fighting them one at a time in fine, but I don’t want to back them into a corner were multiple may rush me. I walked up the wall and engaged the only remaining level fifteen.

It only takes me a few minutes to kill it while the remaining lizards continue to hiss at me, but not moving any further away. I realize why while picking out my next target. There is a clutch of ten eggs gathered in a nest below. The remaining Ice Lizards are all females and I engage them one at a time until I finish off the last one. I wait on the floor until my mana and stamina is full and then skin each lizard, extract the glands, and finally the steaks. In total I have nine mana stones with the largest being a six-point stone from the bull. I merge each of the other stones into the six-point stone resulting in a stone with thirty-nine points. I also have nine skins and fifty-six steaks. The skins take up twelve slots, the stone takes up one, and the steaks take up six. I level up to level eight and gain +2 strength, +1 intelligence, +1 wisdom, and +1 agility. This gives me a strength of fifteen now and an inventory size of twenty-five. I thought I was going to have to use a sack to hold the skins, but for now everything fits.

I leave the eggs. The Ice Lizards can survive on there own after hatching, which will replenish the caves for future hunting. I move on to the next cave, which has six lizards, but no bull. They didn’t pose me any challenge and I take out twelve skins and put them in a sack to carry. I have time for one more cave, which had seven lizards, but again no bull. Both caves have a nest of eggs, which I leave. I am close to leveling up but want to practice my ability more to make sure I earn enough attribute points when I level up. I use five of the stones to get the large mana stone to sixty points. Then I put the rest in a five-point stone getting it to thirty-seven points. Both my inventory and sack are full and I must keep my spear out. I rest up before climbing down to the trail below.

I make sure I am well rested before walking down to the base of the lower caves because I am guessing there will be trouble. I see Justin and his friend Hank are now guarding caves below. Justin is my current rival for Sara’s affections. His father is one of the wealthiest in town and uses his wealth and influence shamelessly to get what he wants. His son isn’t any better and up to now I haven’t had the levels to do anything about it. I can see Justin has the flashy new sword his father got him for his birthday last month. He is also wearing a Tremar cloak, which is crazy. Even a small Tremar is level forty with claws that can punch holes in enchanted steel. It is obvious from the cloaks size it isn’t from a small one. It’s just another sign of his family’s wealth. I can’t see what he is wearing underneath, but I am sure it will be high grade leather armor. Hank’s family is not near as well off, but Justin has outfitted him in decent leather armor with a sword, though it’s not made with gold and silver like Justin’s. Even though I can probably deal with him and his brown-nosing friend Hank I ignore them and walk to the bottom of the trail. When I turn to continue to the village Justin steps in my way.

“Where do you think you are going” Justin says with his hand on his sword.

“I am going back to the village.”

“Not with the what you took from the caves you are not.”

“I took nothing from the lower caves and the upper caves are open to all.”

“We will be the judge of that.” Justin says as Hank moves up to stand beside him.

“No, you won’t. I am sure Robin and Sam told you they made sure I was hunting the upper caves. Also, I saw you watched as I climbed down.” I dropped my sack and held my spear in front of myself. “If you don’t go back to your posts right now, I am sending you to respawn as you are attempting to rob me.”

Justin laughs and Hank is grinning as they both draw their swords. I stab Hank in the chest before his sword is fully drawn doing 105 points of damage, which means his armor is giving him a fifteen defense. Hank is only a level seven and has about 25 to 30 constitution, which gives him 125 to 150 health. After I stab him he collapses, which means my hit put him under 25% health. His endurance isn’t even close to fifty, which means if either his health or mana gets down to 25% or 50% respectively or lower he will pass out, which is why I went for him first. I turn and see a flicker of fear on Justin’s face as he really looks at my spear. I plant my feet and lunge with my spear, which he ducks and then I block his swing with ease. The bard has always said battle is not just physical it is also a battle of wills and I have put Justin on the defensive. I continue to press him but wait for him to use a skill. He is level ten and has a class and several skills his father taught him.

I see a look cross his face and I fall to the ground and sweep his leg with my spear, not causing any injury, but causing him to stumble and disrupt his skill. I then jump to my feet running to the cave he and Hank were using to stay out of the weather. It is empty of lizards and is used as a place for hunters to shelter. I can hear Justin running after me as I enter and run around the corner and up the wall. Justin rounds the corner swinging at the wall thinking I will be there waiting for him. He just has time to look up as I stab deep into his neck for a critical hit causing 160 damage. He has a defense of forty, which is some great armor. I see a blue outline as he is slowed. This couldn’t get any better as I stab him again as he is to slow to dodge or block doing another 80 points of damage. I run down the wall avoiding his strike as I stab his chest again and he passes out.

Now I have a decision to make. Do I kill them both and make an enemy of their families or leave them alive and may be still make them an enemy? I decide to leave him there and drag Hank into the cave as well. I stop to pick up my sack and then walk to Sam and Robin’s place before going to the Headman to explain what happened. As I walk up to Sam and Robin’s place I see Sam chopping wood.

“Hi, Sam.”

“Hi, Frank, you finish hunting in the caves?”

“Yes, but I had some trouble with Justin and Hank. Did you tell them I only went to the upper cave?”

He looked at me for a minute and said. “Let me get Robin.” He stored the axe I his inventory and went inside. It was only a few minutes before he and Robin came out.

“Hi, Robin.”

“Hi, Frank, what happened.”

“Hank and Justin drew their swords on me so I put them down.”

“You killed both of them?” She said in disbelief.

“Against my better judgement I left them unconscious, but alive in the sheltering cave. I am getting ready to go to the Headman, but want to ask if you told them I was hunting in the upper caves?”

They look at each other and Robin said with a serious expression. “I swear by the System that we told them you had not hunted in the lower caves and we watched you scale the cliff all the way to the upper caves and you had been there four hours by the time we left.”

“Thanks, that’s what I thought. I had better go to the Headman now before Justin and Hank wake up.”

“We are going with you.” Sam said with Robin nodding vigorously.

“Thanks, I appreciate it, let’s go then.”

It only takes twenty minutes to get to the Headman’s house and I knock on the door twice before the Headman opens it.

“Hmmm, this doesn’t look good, all of you come in and get out of the cold.”

We follow the headman into his main room. His house isn’t any bigger than the other’s in the village, which is one of the reasons everyone voted him in as Headsman. He was an adventurer who left the village for over a decade before returning. He gained both great levels and wealth, but used both to help the village grow and prosper. It was largely his work that lead to the trade route to the south that brings in parties of adventurers through the village along with caravans. I find myself looking him over and if you hadn’t grown up in the village hearing stories about his adventures you wouldn’t think he was a fierce warrior just to look at him. He is middle age, though fit looking with long braided hair and hazel eyes. His homespun clothes are worn and comfortable looking, but he takes on a commanding presence at odds with his look when we take our seats around the main room.

“Out with it then.”

I explained my hunting on the upper caves with Sam and Robin chiming in. I tried to repeat the encounter with Hank and Justin word for word with the Headman asking detailed questions at some points. At the end he asked. “Do you swear everything you said is true by the System?”

I said. “I swear by the System everything I told you is true.”

He nods in satisfaction. “Thanks, now just some other questions. Where did you get the spear?”

“I got it from the Ice Torn Harvest quest.”

“Jessica says you saved Sara the other day.”

“That’s right.”

“The Tavern is getting ready for a feast and I hear you are the source of the fish.”

“Yes.”

“And now you finish both the Ice Thorn quest and are hunting in the upper caves.”

I just nod. During the discussion both Robin and Sam are looking at me in astonishment.

“Nothing else?”

“Nothing I feel like discussing.” I don’t want to tell him everything I have done and can do, especially with Sam and Robin still here.

“Ok, I judge Justin and Hank were in the wrong and they will be pulled from the Hunters for one year and be ban from carrying weapons openly for the same time period.”

“Thanks.” I say as I stand. “I need to get over to the tanner and then head home before it gets dark.”

“Very well, however could you please come back mid-morning tomorrow? I have something I want to discuss with you. Robin and Sam, can you stay for a minute?”

“I will be here.” I say as I leave and walk to the other side of the village to the tanner knocking on his workshop before entering. He looks up from the skin he is working on as I walk in.

“Hi Frank, got something for me?”

“Yes, I have a bunch of skins for you.” I say taking the skins from my inventory and the sack putting them on a workbench.

“Wow, where did you get these?”

“I got them from the upper caves.”

“No kidding. What deal you looking for?”

“Well we both know you can’t afford to buy this many and there is no where I could spend the money if you did. You treat the skins and turn them into leather. I get half and you get half after you are done.”

“Hmmm.” He says while he looks through the skins. “That sounds reasonable, but it will take two months for me to finish this many and do my other work.”

“That’s fine.” I say holding out my hand and we shake.

“All right get out of here and see you in two months.”

I wave and head back home. When the house comes into sight I sigh in relief. I go in and help my mother finish dinner before going to my room and practicing some more climbing to build my endurance before falling to sleep.