When I wake up I feel great, I climb out of the hammock and stretch before heading to the river to catch breakfast. After eating I check my gear and then jump across the river, then I tap the amulet.

"Ruby, are you ready to go exploring?"

Ruby zips out of the amulet and takes human form before turning to smile at me. I smile back and hold out the new sword for her.

Ruby asks "What's this?"

"A replacement for that old sword, it matches the other one."

Ruby says "Oh, thank you. I take it you found some good stuff from the armory?"

"Yeah, pretty good, too bad I can't make use of most of it because it's enchanted."

Ruby says "So, we are going exploring again?"

"Yep, we can explore to the north this time. I'm pretty sure that's where the ratmen are coming from."

Ruby says "Yay, a fight! I'm ready, let's go."

I lead the way back out of the main cavern by the nearest exit. This time instead of turning we go straight across into the new hallway, we follow it for thirty feet then it turns to the left and opens up into a room.

We carefully take a look into the room, it is massive, about fifty feet wide and one hundred and fifty feet long. Looking around the room there are strange vats and pipes, I figure it was the empire's version of sewage treatment. At the far side of the room is a camp-like area and we can count ten ratmen gathered around it.

"This looks like the perfect time to test out your fireball."

Ruby says "Really? Yes! Okay, here goes!"

Ruby leans into the room and throws a ball of fire at the campfire, it explodes right in the middle of the ratmen. To the poor ratmen it must have looked like their campfire just suddenly exploded.

Kill Ratmen 18/30

Only three ratmen survive the explosion, and they aren't looking too good so Ruby and I calmly walk into the room and move towards them. The three ratmen, instead of trying to run, charge at us. Ruby and I draw our swords and step apart, one ratman heads for Ruby the other two charge at me.

Ruby eagerly moves towards hers while I wait calmly and let mine come to me. Right as they come within five feet I explode into motion, with a quick lunge I close the distance and slash crosswise with both katanas. As the two ratmen go down I glance over to see Ruby already cleaning and sheathing her swords.

Kill Ratmen 21/30

I clean and sheath my katanas then set about collecting the ten beast cores from the bodies. I find out that burned bodies smell even worse than normal dead bodies but I hold my breath and get the cores. I split them evenly and hand five to Ruby and keep five for myself. We both take a few minutes to absorb the beast cores.

You have absorbed the Lesser Beast Core. HP +5 MP +5

You have absorbed the Lesser Beast Core. HP +5 MP +5

You have absorbed the Lesser Beast Core. HP +5 MP +5

You have absorbed the Lesser Beast Core. HP +5 MP +5

You have absorbed the Lesser Beast Core. HP +5 MP +5

*DING*

Congratulations! Your familiar has reached level 2!!

"Ah, Ruby, did you just level up?"

Ruby says "Yeah, I did! I've got stat points to spend, what should I put them in?"

"Well, Int is best for magic so that would be my suggestion."

Ruby says "Okay, I'll do that!"

"Man, I wish I could level up!"

We then set about searching the room, which takes us two hours just because of all the pipes to climb over and check behind. I don't find anything useful but Ruby does, she proudly walks up to me and holds out a blue stone about the size of my hand, I stare at it intently.

*MAGIC ITEM*

Cleansing Stone

Cleans anything it touches.

"So, they used magic for sewage treatment, impressive."

I reach out to take the stone from Ruby and as I take it Ruby starts laughing. Suddenly I feel all my fur stand on end and puff like I just got blow dried. Ruby is bent over, laughing so hard she is holding her sides. I am just looking at my fur which is all shiny and clean.

"Did you know that was going to happen?"

Ruby laughs and says "I had a pretty good idea, yeah!"

I sigh and tuck the stone into my belt before heading for the only other exit from the room, Ruby follows still giggling. We enter a tunnel which runs east for about eighty feet before hitting a T junction, the right hand leads back to the main cross hall so we continue straight into the smaller hallway.

We follow it for twenty feet before another hallway splits off to the left heading north, straight ahead I can see a doorway further down. I decide to continue straight and check out the doorway then come back for the other hall. Another thirty feet brings us to the doorway, the door is a pile of rotten wood so we look inside.

The room is a mess of broken glass, rotting wood, twisted and broken metal, it is hard to make sense of. I doubt anything of use will be found in here so we turn around and go back to the intersection of the hallways and turn north.

We follow the hallway fifty feet north then turn left and follow it for another hundred feet before it opens into another large room. It is seventy-five feet by one hundred and fifty feet and is split down the middle by a long rectangular pool of brackish water.

At the north end of the pool is a raised area with a throne made of bone and odd metal bits, one ratman sits on the throne with eight others around him. There are also fifty to a hundred giant rats roaming that end of the room, the ratmen ignore them for the most part.

"I'll go in and up the right side of the pool, you take the left."

I wait for Ruby to nod then free the axe from my back and move into the room with purpose. I move quickly to the right side of the room axe gripped in both hands, and start marching up the right side of the pool, matched by Ruby on the left.

It doesn't take the ratmen long to notice us, and as I hoped they split up, four head towards Ruby while the other four come towards me. Ruby rushes forward to meet hers, I stop and set my footing getting ready for a big swing, I plan to kill the first one in one hit.

They come at me two abreast and I let loose a mighty swing, I am not expecting the axe to go through both of the ratmen, but I am quick enough to react and flip the axe and swing it back the other way as the next two come in range. Again the axe cleaves right through them leaving me standing over four dismembered bodies.

*DING*

Congratulations! Skill Axe Basics has progressed to level 2!

Axe Basics

Level 2

Str +4

You do 10% extra damage with axes.

Kill Ratmen 27/30

I look over to see Ruby has already killed two and is working on the other two so I continue towards the king that is still sitting on its throne. The king makes a strange chattering noise and all the giant rats rush to him and form a mass between him and me.

I stop as I look at the horde of giant rats, I don't think my armor will protect me from that many. As they rush at me, acting on pure instinct I take a huge breath and then let out a roar that seems to come from the depths of my being.

*DING*

Congratulations!! You have unlocked Beast Skills!

*DING*

Congratulations! You have acquired the beast skill Lion's Roar!

Lion's Roar

Level 1

Damage 10 Range 20 Feet

Causes Fear in a 50 foot radius.

The roar kills around fifteen rats and sends the rest scurrying for their holes, I stop in surprise not having known I could do that.

Kill Ratmen 29/30

Ruby asks "What was that? It was impressive!"

"I don't know, it just kinda happened!"

Ruby says "Well, these two spun around to face you, it made it really easy to kill them!"

"Well, then all that's left is the king!"

I turn back to face the king who is now cowering in his throne staring at me like I am the devil. I calmly walk up and with a swift chop I take the king's head and end his misery.

*DING*

Congratulations! You have completed a quest!

Kill Ratmen

Objective: Kill Ratmen 30/30

Reward: 10 STAT Points.

*DING*

Congratulations! You have completed a quest!

Kill The Rat King

Objective: Kill Rat King 1/1

Reward: Lionheart Helm

"Finally!"

The helm appears before me, floating in the air waiting for me to take it. I reach out my hand and grab it and smile as I stare at the lion design of the helm.

Ruby says "What?!? It just appeared out of thin air?"

"It's one of the rewards from my quests."

*MAGIC ITEM*

Lionheart Helm

Defense +4 Immune to Fear

Durability 300/300

I lay my axe down on the ground next to the rat king's throne so I can use both hands to put the helm on.

"So, how do I look?"

Ruby says "Regal and intimidating, although your ears sticking out of the helm also make it cute at the same time!"

I pick my axe back up and clean it off before re-sheathing it on my back then I draw Black Razor and cut the beast core out of the king's chest.

*ITEM*

Beast Core

Quality: Average

Would you like to absorb it? Y/N

"No!"

Would you like to evolve Blacksmithing now? Y/N

"Yes!!"

As soon as I say yes the core in my hands turns to dust but this time I don't feel the inrush of power into my body instead it goes elsewhere.

*DING*

Congratulations!! Skill Blacksmithing has evolved into Expert Blacksmithing!

*DING*

Congratulations! Skill Expert Blacksmithing has progressed to level 11!

Expert Blacksmithing

Level 11

Str +12 Fire Resist +12

You can craft expert level metal items.

"Yes! My blacksmithing evolved!"

Ruby says "Congratulations!!"

"Since I used the higher quality core for that you can absorb the eight lessers from the other ratmen."

Ruby says "Are you sure? We can still split them, master."

"Yes, I'm sure. I want you to be stronger."

Ruby goes around collecting and absorbing the cores, meanwhile I am poking around the throne area looking for anything that might be useful. I am not having any luck when suddenly there is an explosion behind me.

I spin around expecting enemies when instead I see Ruby wreathed in flames with a huge smile on her face.

"What happened?"

Ruby says "I just evolved from a lesser spirit to a minor spirit!!"

"Congratulations!!"

Ruby says "This means absorbing cores is even better than I thought! I have more spirit energy now so I can stay out longer!"

"Good, I like having you around."

Ruby smiles and asks "So, what's next, master?"

I point behind the throne and say "We see where that tunnel leads."