Standing up Marlow took a deep breath, looked at Opal then back at Lilith. Then grabbed Opal, tucking the big bird under one arm, turned, and ran away. Followed by a needle to the back.

Pounding his feet against the cobblestone he ran. Opal’s weird feathers began to numb his side, but he didn’t care if he and Opal could get away; that was all that mattered. Each step sent pain through his body as more needles struck his back.

As the needles flew he headed to the one other location he knew of the other gate that led out of the city. They probably also have another guild posted there which meant people, people that would hopefully save him from the crazy needle thief. Better yet if there were guards there they could arrest her, that if he made it there.

HP 67 / 90

“Well, that’s no good.”

Arching his back as a needle struck a nerve, he pressed forward. Just a few more blocks and he could make it. He was so close. Each step felt so heavy, it was like having a ten pound weight strapped to each foot.

Step after step the needle rapid fire began to dwindle and loud foot falls could be heard as Lilith actually began running to make up the distance.

Dragging his heavy feet he turned the corner, coming face to face with a tall stick of a man. Who was just as surprised to see him along with his back looking like a porcupine.

Catching the porcupine man, The bowmen gently laid him down, looking around for the culprit he spotted some flapping fabric entering an alleyway. Shrugging he got up to go. Only to be stopped by a tugging on the pants leg.

“Please... take... me… With you...”

“Oh? You want to come with us on our expedition? Are you a part of our glorious guild?”

“If... it… means you’ll take me I’d like to join…”

“Ok then, let’s get you patched up then. And I suppose your chicken can come too, love the taste of chicken and fries.” With that the Bowmen bent down and picked up the wounded man. Taking him off to his guild’s cleric. Nodding her head in understanding; she removed a needle and cast a healing spell each time she did so.

Once the Tamer was awake he confirmed the fact that he wanted to leave the city and was willing to join them if that meant he’d get to leave. Getting a shrug from the both of them he was to a person who helped him fill out the needed paperwork.

Then just like that he had signed his life away, not knowing what he had joined, only with the clothes on his back and chicken with his name. It wasn’t until late morning that the guild took off into the desert.

They walked all through the afternoon, if there were any monsters about, he surely didn’t see any. The city a distance peaks on the horizon. Ahead of them is nothing but sand. With a cry from one of the guild leaders they stopped there, pitching their tents for the night. Of course knowing no one in the guild, other than that bowmen who helped him sign on, Marlow opted for sleeping on the ground next to his big bird.

Guards patrolled the camp weaving through the camp, ensuring that there were no snakes, scorpions, or any other wild monsters about.

Standing there in the quiet and calm of morning, the kind you can only find when you are the first on up and the rest of the house is still fast asleep. Marlow embraced it, knowing that it could only last so long.

A slight breeze blew across the desert causing a small dust wave to surf over the small hills, the mountains were nearly visible. Putting his hand on Opal’s sleepy head, he gently woke her up. Soft cooing was all that was heard as Marlow left the safety of the camp wandering out into the desert, followed by a three foot tall chicken. It was time to train his tracking skills.

Deciding that rocks and water were the closest things animals had to survive he went searching for them first. Looking far and wide he could only find a small cluster of boulders a mile out from where they set camp. Heading that way he made good time, the sun had just barely poked its head over the uneven hills of sand.

Upon reaching the sandstone rocks he found that something was off. These rocks were far too smooth, unnaturally so, not to mention that they had begun to move together. Rolling and bouncing together the rocks that had been dormant for so long moved rolling together forming a giant humanoid stone golem, whose body was made up of you guessed it sandstone. The more interesting bit was the thick balls of sand rings around each joint of the golem’s body.

Perception +1, Look at you spotting the small little details, good for you.

You have been challenged by ‘Bea, the Boulder, chosen champion of Ammos’ accepting Bea’s challenge. For trespassing on Ammos’s land, without permission. Do you accept it? [Yes / No]

“I accept your offer, I guess...” He said in a very shaky voice. If they were trespassing they should really have more signs around. Well, better make things better before they get any worse. Looking up an up he saw a giant rocky hand swing back, like a mighty hammer about to strike metal from the forge. He could only hope that after Bea had smashed him into a pulp that it wouldn’t go after the camp.

“Huff” He’d been tackled and rolled onto something large, soft, and white. Before he could even recover and pull out his spear to attack, he was showered in a tidal wave of sand.

Wiping away the flakes of sand that had rudely covered his face. He has met with an unfortunate sight. The golem had grown, now it towered over them, with much larger sand-like feet supporting it’s unique body shape.

Preparing for the fight, he drew his spear at the ready. Opal sensing her master's intent fluffed her feathers shaking the sand out from them. The golem saw this and twisted its over-sized body for another attack. Swinging its arms and body like an oversized top. Sand blew at them creating a light tornado of pain. As Marlow and Opal closed the gap they reached out to scratch the propellering arms.

You have dealt 1 point of damage to Bea.

Reading the attack log His heart fell. Seeing this the golem played it safe by stopping and swinging its rocky appendage at the annoying attackers. Connecting it’s hand with the duo.

Flying through the air is something we have all dreamed of, but for Marlow it was a sad reality. Skidding and bouncing to a halt on the rough terrain he read over his combat log to see how badly Opal was doing.

Opal has taken 10 points of damage from Bea.

Opal has taken 5 points of fall damage.

Opal has taken 2 points of terrain damage.

Opal has 23 hit points remaining.

“Yikes another hit and we’re both out” Marlow muttered to himself as Opal rolled over and got back up running. Meanwhile the Bea hadn’t been idle during this time, it had begun its slow march towards them. But was now more interested in the white bird charging at it.

Swinging its smooth polished arm at it, the bird moved under the heavy rock hands, heading towards the golem’s legs. Bea, confused why there was no splat, moved its arm seeing where the chicken had gone. However, Bea was too late, as soon as Opal reached the shiny boulder she pecked multiple times.

Opal dealt 5 points of damage to Bea.

Opal has destroyed Bea’s sand tendon 175 points of damage to Bea.

Opal dealt 5 points of damage to Bea.

Opal has destroyed Bea’s sand tendon 175 points of damage to Bea.

Opal dealt 5 points of damage to Bea. ...

Opal in her beautiful bird brain thought that the thick sandy joints of the golem were bird seed. Getting the message Marlow hopped to his feet and charged back into battle.

It was at this point he realized he’d messed up. In a moment everything was fine, they’d had found the achilles heel of the beast, they’d had an opening, but didn’t think what would happen when one of the joints was cut off.

For Opal it was quite a shock, or in her case a rock. As she bit down on the final sandy ball, still thinking it would be a nice tasty snack, the entire joint just disconnected from the body. Stone grinding on stone the boulder slowly fell.

The thundering grind might have been the only warning Opal could have got, she turned to run letting the oversized pebble hit her on her wing and back. Rolling the boulder off of her back she watched as the golem wobbled about until it’s remaining foot. Satisfied Opal quickly retreated, coming to rest behind her ‘brave’ master.

Enraged by this the overgrown rocky toddler slammed its leg down causing a shockwave that most definitely woke up the resting camp including a sleepy archer a few miles away. Bending down it grabbed its foot and threw it at trespassers. Opals in her quick witted bird brained mind stuck her head between her master legs and slided Marlow onto her back and ran for dear life.

The Sudden ride was quite uncomfortable. The constant jiggling as Opal ran across the desert terrain along with her thin legs. Despite the fluffy feathers Marlow's body felt numb around the legs. Which if it wasn’t would make any man roll over in pain from all the jostling.

Kaboom! The boulder struck from a few feet behind us, sending up a waterfall of sand up into the sky. Dashing away they made it a few feet before we were dunked on. As the final grains of sand landed Marlow poked his head out trying to get his bearings. Bea had stumbled forwards almost crawling at this point. Thump, drag, thump, drag, thump, drag. It was no more than thirty feet from his and Opal dimis, it would be a matter of minutes. Flailing his arms he began to unbare the both of them as a thought accrued to him.

It would be a nice day to die, the wind had picked up, the sun had risen above the horizon, people had come to watch the commotion while others had fled in terror, one even had a bow point at the golem.

Ping! An arrow harmlessly bounced off the hard smooth surface of Bea, who didn’t even care about the bowmen. The bowmen undeterred notched another arrow and fired again and again. Ping! Ping! Feeew! Ping! Nearoom! His last arrow missed causing an incoherent moun after which caused the bowmen to slide down the sand hill. He charged while still firing arrows one after another.

Bea didn’t care for the flying sticks, it slowly crawled to its fallen prey. Reaching its desired position it raised it’s rocky hand far above its head and swung it down with everything it had. Then Marlow was meant with a pleasant message.

Ranger Le0n, of the guild Thunderdome, has invited you to his party. [Yes / No]

Sand rolled over like a wave completely, as Opal plucked him from his position. Having just dug her way out of her sand grave. Before they were dunked both in a million little itchy particles of pain. Closing his eyes from the sand storm, he threw his flimsy spear in the direction of the stone monster. The sound of flint on stone could barely be heard over the raging wind.

Righting himself on Opal he steered her in the right direction. Charging in the right direction this time pressed the attack. Each time he swung he hoped against hope that the behemoth wouldn’t turn it’s enraged gaze on him. Leaning back he prepared to lunge, just as he leaned forward the sound of steel breaking stone broke the constant scream of the sand storm.

Jumping away from the attack he felt the heavy thump as a boulder fell right where he was standing. Clutching his spear and Opal’s leash tightly in his hand, Marlow's world spun. As the sudden sandstorm stopped its rampage, bathing him in another wave of sand.

“Hey you there, are you okay? I’m sorry if I interrupted something important, but it was getting too close to- oh it’s you.” Le0n explained kicking up plums of sand as he offered a hand.

Sand rolled over like a wave completely, dunking his body in a million little itchy particles of pain. Closing his eyes from the sand storm rain, he swung his flimsy spear at the stone monster. The sound of flint on stone could barely be heard over the raging wind.

Stepping forward he pressed his attack. Each time he swung he hoped against hope that the behemoth wouldn’t turn it’s power gaze on him. Stepping back he prepared to lung, just as he leaned forward the sound of steel breaking stone broke the constant scream of the sand storm.

Jumping into the attack he felt the heavy thump as a boulder fell right where he was standing. Rolling in the sand spear clutch tightly in his hand Marlow’s world spun and he could tumble to a stop.

“Hey you there, are you okay? I’m sorry if I interrupted something important, but it was getting too close to- oh it’s you.” Le0n explained kicking up plums of sand as he offered a hand.

“That thing was crazy strong, what made you think you could take it onYour only level, what?”

“EVERYONE! CALM DOWN!” A voice shouted at the crowd of people watching. They parted, revealing a hunched over old woman. With gray hair and very tan hands. This woman was probably used to gardening.

“LOOK WE UNDERSTAND THAT BEING OUT HERE IS A DANGEROUS! BUT THAT IS THE OPTION YOU CHOSE WHEN YOU SIGNED UP! WE ARE STRIVING FOR, Oh hello Le0n good morning have you had breakfast yet? WE ARE STRIVING FOR A PLACE TO CALL OUR OWN!” The woman yelled at the crowd with nervous expressions. Who shifted their weight from foot to foot. Until one voice spoke up.

“Yeah but, we don’t even know where we're going?”

“OH REALLY! YOU DON’T- Well actually you have a point. We should probably figure that out. Don’t want to be walking in circles now do we?” Her sudden change in attitude shifted the nervous crowd, putting them at ease.

“Very well I, Commander L0le, of the guild Thunderdome issue my first quest. To all members of the adventures unit.”

Quest gained, Homestead (Required): Find a place, town, or large usable space of land for the guild Thunderdome to call home. You have 1 month and 2 days to report your findings. Exp 0. Rewards variable. Failure, loss of pay.

With that the crowd of people murmured amongst themselves, some people even forming groups and began to head out. Le0n meanwhile turned around and asked a question.

“So I suppose you want to go see the world?” Getting a smile, the two of them took off in the opposite direction of L0le, for some reason. Together they circled around the crowd and made it back to camp. Finding a familiar person, dressed in a witch’s costume.

“You!”

“Me?”

“Yes, you, I know you!”

“Um, are you sure? I mean I’d think I remember a man with a giant chicken.”

“Oh well, we’ve seen each other before I got Opal. There was an aggressive sale’s pitch going on, about a joining of a certain guild.”

“OH that was you! THANK YOU!”

“Oh it was no problem that was how I was able to get-”

“Alright you two, keep it down. I want to get out of here before L0le comes back. Jazz, would you like to join us on a quest?”

“I would love to.”

“Jazz?”

“Short for Jazmine.”

“Now has anyone seen a cart?” Le0n interrupted again, cutting them off. Getting an answer from Jazz they followed her to a cart mostly full of bottles, plants, and boxes. With the majority of them being empty.

“Sorry I was organizing, before I found you two. Also anyone interested in trying this new healing potion. Just barely made it, hopefully no-”

“Sure I’ll try it.” Marlow said eagerly with his flashing health bar. Holding open his hand he took it and popped the cap. Downing it in one gulp. Falling to his knees before anyone could catch him.

Waking up in eternium works differently than in real life. In reality you slowly come to eventually shake off the blanket of sleepiness. However the programmers of eternium hadn’t been so kind.

Waking up abruptly Marlow was met with a face full of clinking glass bottles filled with all manners of liquids. The sudden recoil was hardly noticed. It was the small ‘Oof’ and sudden rising of the cart that alerted Le0n and Jazz that Marlow was finally up.

“Good morning, sleepy head. Maybe next time you let me finish talking before you down a mysterious bottle like a shot?”

“Ow... Yay I’d listen if you maybe labeled the dangers before the benefits. Hhuu, aw. I don't suppose you have a healing potion, Jazz?”

“I only have a few minor heals, but with your kind suggestion. I will gladly label the ‘dangers’ of drinking such a concoction. Users may experience the sudden loss of money, twisting of bone, rapid recovery in blood loss, and even mending of-“

“Ok, ok, I get it.” Marlow chuckled from his procured position on the rough rugged terrain. Glancing around he found himself in a somewhat familiar area.

“Where? Are-“

“Why, we are on route to meet up with my guild.” Le0n smoothie entered the conversation as he gently brought the cart to a stop.

“Marlow, what is your strength at?”

“It’s at twelve?”

“Good enough, Jazz. I believe it’s time that our sleepy friend finally learned about stat training! I do believe that you have the highest skill in teaching.” Le0n joyfully said, hopping away from the cart.

“Why yes, yes I do have a fairly high skill in teaching.”

The grins on their faces could be considered lethal. Five grueling pain hours later Marlow learned a few interviews about training his stats and his new teammates.

The training was fairly straight forward. Want to get stronger, lift heavy things for an hour, become more flexible, do more flexible workouts for an hour, become smarter, do complex math for an hour, become more hardy and let yourself be beat on for an hour. If you sense a pattern, good you learn the fundamentals of basic stat training.

However the only exception from this was karmic luck. The only way to get that up was to do good things or do dark deeds. That was the only way to move it. The more stats mixed together it took to increase said stats.

His teammates had interesting stories. Jazz or should I say Jasmine was from New Korea, but had moved to Canada around four. After her parents divorce, she grew up to be a professor in chemistry. When she had the chance to play eternium she took it. Of course taking both the alchemist class and profession, she plans on becoming the most ‘evil’ witch.

But judging that she had been using polite manners, chipping in extra for the cart, and had generously shared her small bag of healing potions with the group told a different story.

Le0n on the other hand was talkative, blunt, and cunning. Before coming to eternium was an up and coming Olympic archer, he’d often skip school to get better at archery. He had gotten in the guild because he had sniped one too many kills from the current guild leader, on launch day.

They were playing a mix of eye sky, making small talk, while flipping a coin, where guesses correctly got to pick the spy. This was meant to train perception, charisma, and luck simultaneously. It was supposed to last three hours since it was three stats, but since Marlow was pulling the cart it lasted a bit longer. Jazz was in the middle of a lecture about her time as an alchemist when.

Strength +1

Constitution +1

Perception +1

Charisma +1

Luck +1

After another half an hour of pulling the cart, since Le0n claimed to pull it during the entire time He was ‘napping’ Marlow felt it was his duty to pull the cart for the rest of the day. For repentance of his laxness.

Skill gain, Haul (Novie I): look at you going dragging the cart for 5 whole hours, way to show your dedication. Gain 1n% weight loss when hauling, wheren =s skill level.

“Hey guys” He wheezed.

“Is it possible to delete skills?”

“Yes it is possible to get rid of a skill, though you will forget how you got the skill. Why do you ask?” Le0n questioned from his streaked position on the cart.

“Well I just got the ‘Haul’ skill and I don’t really see it being useful.”

“Oh! Well I’d personally keep it.” Chimed in Jazz head down filing through her potion bag. Easily keeping up with the sluggish cart.

“When you trash a skill you get five skill points plus half of whatever level the skill was, but you’ll have to spend five skill points to relearn it. So keep it up and when we eventually meet up with the guild you can trash it and put it in another area you specialize in.” Jazz said without missing a beat.

“Wait... you mean to tell me that throwing away skills is good! I thought throwing away skills was permanent!” Le0n mock shouted, now fully awake from his cat nap.

“Urn ya, why do you think I've been reorganizing my bag this entire trip? I've been getting a skill point every other hour. I would recommend grinding a minor skill related to your class so that way you get a learning bonus and get it faster. I thought they taught you or is that something unique to the alchemist class?” Jazz pondered, this was followed by Le0n grumbling pointing and picking at a menu that only he could see. This lasted only a few fleeting seconds.

“Oh Lee smokes! I just got twenty eight points!”

“Wow, what skills did you trash?”

“Sewing, climbing, unarmed combat, bladed mastery, tanning, pick pocket, but it mostly came from Intimidation. I’m going to throw it all in Bow mastery” Le0n excitedly exclaimed. A second later Le0n leaped from the cart and began dancing around, in the otherwise barren desert.

“Woo hoo! I just got Bowmen mastery to journeyman rank, and I just got so many benefits, let’s go kill some monster team!”

“Wait!” Jazz shouted at the overjoyed Ranger, grabbing his attention.

“You may have skill at the journeyman rank but that doesn’t mean you're a professional at that skill. It’s like being a master jumper while only ever jumping once. So let’s practice with it before diving headlong into combat.” Jazz calmly stated. Having popped the balloon of joy she tried to offer a sweet alternative.

“Hey, isn't that the mountain range?”

Surely enough there was a mountain range fading into view. The gang lapsed back into silence. Only talking to ask for water or to trade off the cart which no one offered because it was far easier for Marlow to do so because he had a skill in that area of expertise.

Hiking up the mountain in any other circumstance would have been beautiful. Seeing the sea of white reaching across the horizon, the still dunes rising up and down. Dotted by the occasional plateau.

Of course Marlow didn’t see anything, he was more focused on putting on foot in front of the other.

“And soon I’ll be walking out the door,” he heaved. At this point they were just about halfway up the mountain barren, wastless, dead mountain. He had raised his haul skill up to beginner two. Not taking breaks was really showing. So what if the system’s messages were getting a tid bit, worrisome, he could just rest up when they set up camp tonight.

So what if Le0n and Jazz were conspiring when they found out that his shoes were on their last twenty points of durability. Oh, last fifteen points now. Did his feet look a little cracked and swollen, yes but he'd be earning six whole skill points when we finally met up with Le0n’s Guild.

“Hey, Marlow, are you thirsty?” Jazz suspiciously strolled up to the overhauling Tamer. Holding up a faintly glowing glass bottle filled with ‘water’. ‘Water’ had a single yellow leaf floating in it.

“Or how about some special Crocodile juice.” puncturing her point holding up another bottle in her other hand, that was filled with a thick yellow liquid.

“Na I’ll have some when, WE oof- stop for the night.” I said pulling the cart over an unsuspecting pebble. This was met with a not too happy grin.

“How about we stop for the night when we reach that ledge up there ok, ok.” Le0n started pointing towards the flat, green, plain just a few dozen feet from our location. After some bickering and put to a vote we decided to stay the night at the oddly open area. Pitching our tents Marlow went to go ‘rest his eyes’, which fooled no one.

“About time he went down, if I didn’t know if he’s Beast Tamer I would have guessed he was an up and coming tank.” Le0n commented, unpack his bow before inspecting it.

“At least one of us does.” Jazz sat and watched as Le0n fired arrow after arrow into a nearby blooming tree. Leaning back she stretched her hands through the soft, cool, silky grass. Falling back she rested her head, she could also fall asleep. Blink, it had been a hot day.

Blink, I wonder if I could set up an alchemist shop at the guild.

Blink, had those trees always been there.

Blink, I’m sure there was only one tree.

Blink, was that fog always there.

Blink, a distinct voice seemed to break to sleepy silence.