(Saturday. Date: 20-04-2463)

“Rhys is that you?” I heard Kayla shout from her room.

“Yeah- it’s just me Kay, everything alright?” I could hear the pop music coming rather quietly from her room as her door was ajar. Then I heard two different laughing voices, one Kayla’s, the other Matilda’s. Great! As if I didn’t have enough to deal with. Now my ex is here, I thought with a scowl plastering my face. Removing my shoes and sweaty socks at the front door, I slid into the kitchen and retrieved a bottle of water.

Funny how the hardest thing to acquire in this city was milk and fresh meats. Solely for those who can afford to buy them in bulk. Meaning the people of the inner district.

I squeezed and crushed the recycled plastic as I drained it’s contents. With a burp and a long hissing breath I sighed and slumped against the kitchen worktop. “Man... that was good,” I said breathily, sweat pouring off my face. I heard a low insistent chime in my skull. “Oh yeah shit,” muttering I brought up the completion message for the daily quest.

Quest Rewards

For the first time completion of the [Daily Quest] You’ve earned all three rewards.

Be advised you will not earn all three again. Rewards vary from Level: 15+

Reward 1: +3 Ap. (Attributes points.)

Reward 2: Instant Recovery.

Reward 3: Blue Gateway key. [Dungeon]

Accept: YES/NO.

Selecting yes, I was surprised when my whole body locked up in place, the crushed plastic bottle falling from my hand, as every fibre and muscle in my body spasm intensely and rapidly. A blue film washed over my open eyes, and as soon as it had begun, it ended.

I felt remarkably hale and fresh considering I had been sweaty bucket mere seconds ago. “At least we know how instant the instant recovery is,” pulling up my fatigue window I was surprised to see it at 33% “Thirty-three more daily quests and I’ll be at zero,” I muttered with a slight grimace.

Minimising the window, I brought up my status screen. Just as the screen materialised two smaller windows popped up as well before it. Quickly reading through the notifications I then glanced to my attributes.

+1 Vitality. +1 Agility.

Remaining Points: 3

I saw how next to my Level: 1 there was now a [5%] which I thought to be my experience percentage to the next level. “Thank god I don’t have to deal with EXP notifications. Would just as sooner stab myself in the eye otherwise,” I mumbled along as I read.

The +1 increase to Agility and vitality was gratefully accepted. Though the +1 to my vitality did nothing to my health-stat, “maybe that’ll raise per every two points gained. Since I don’t have any magic yet, I’ll go physical base till I do. I’ll leave Intelligence and Sense alone for now, hmm... luck- I’ll increase that every now and then.”

Nodding I did as I said, pushing the + sign twice on Strength and once on agility. My strength now at a 12 and my agility as well at 12. The increase of my strength by two pushed my health up by 10 points bringing me to 110Hp. The combination of my stat increase with Agility; lowered my Fatigue to 32%.

“This is… Pretty fucking cool,” I said feeling a chilling vibration rolled throughout my body enhancing me. I could just see myself becoming so stupidly overpowered. “A monster,” I said with a sigh, recollecting Annaleigh’s words to me.

Pulling open my Inventory I flipped the tab’s over to Quest, within which I found one of the little view windows; was a small circular disc with a blue gem floating within it’s centre. I hadn’t actually played around with my inventory yet, unsure of how to exactly withdraw the item; I simply tested by reaching through the screen towards the Blue Gateway Key. My fingers and hand vanished through the screen inch by inch; I felt an odd weightless sensation wash over my hand. It reminded me of when I was a kid flying my hand out the window of dad’s car, my hand skimming the wind, like a surfer would a wave.

Then I enclosed my grip around the gate-key and withdrew. The weightlessness slipping off my hand as I removed it from my Inventory.

The gate key thrumming rhythmically as the gem pulsed in concert. It was weighty as well, far more so that I had originally thought. A system screen message materialised as I held it flat on my palm.

Blue Gateway Key [Dungeon]

Class: [Rare] D-rank Item.

Single use item: To activate the dungeon-key, travel to Forrunow Ladder in the outer rings lower levels.

Press the Gate-key against any doorframe or archway structure and a gateway will open.

Making thoughtful noises as I spun the gate-key around in my hand, I contemplated my options. I still had to fulfil my contract to close the green gate. “Wonder why we’re leaving it so late. If we fail on Tuesday, the gate will simply reverse and then either the G.A or the E.N.G will have to send a force in combat it. Taking a deep-breath I popped my neck, grabbed my hoodie and left the apartment to the sound of my name being called. “I’ll deal with them when I come back,” I said. If I come back, was what I actually thought.

~*~*~*~

An hour later I found myself walking the lower districts of the outer ring, after a stunningly expensive taxi ride. “Always is going to the lower levels. High risk of being robbed, shot, stabbed, kidnapped and killed. Sometimes not even in that order,” I mumbled. My gaze constantly shifting about the eerily quiet street of Forrunow’s ladder. Like all lower streets it was dirty and unkempt, trash littered the grounds as rats ran openly and unafraid. I had even heard rumours of monsters escaping from gateways and living throughout the lower levels. Some captured and used as entertainment in underground fighting-pits.

Stepping across the road and towards the archway of a set of steps leading up into a boarded-up building. I glanced skywards and saw that way, way above me was the bright pink glow of neon; outlining a holo-board with a nude animated woman spreading her legs and making a come-hither gesture with her finger. Which she licked and played over the lips of her artistically drawn vagina. Blinking at the oddly obvious display for what was either a brothel or a strip-club, I brought my attention back down to the foundation of, or one of, said buildings above.

It was then that I saw movement filter out from the corner of my eye, something flickering through the shadows. Prowling and keeping to the corners or under the over-hangs of shelter.

I wasted no further deliberations, pulling the Blue gate-key from my Inventory. The blue gem flashed an intensely vibrant glow, decorating my surroundings in a shimmering blue light. I blinked as spot’s coloured my vision.

Squinting I managed to make out the left pillar of the archway and the small rusted green square with a little smudgy grey figure running down a brown streak towards an exit door. I reached out and quickly slammed the blue key against that same square. I heard a crack as the gate-key sunk into the brittle stone then a whirring noise as an equally blue gateway twisted into existence from nowhere; filling the archway.

Like all gateways’ I couldn’t see through it, but I knew what to expect at least, blues were notoriously dungeon or labyrinth class gates.

Meaning waves of monster and floors either going up or down. According to the awaken and gifted rules, the education we received young in case one our number’s at school became an awakened.

I wouldn’t be deemed high rank enough to enter a blue gate. Usually only D and C-ranks would enter. There were no strict guidelines preventing someone of a lower ranking gift entering a higher-ranking gate. Just the simple truth that if that doing would likely end with them never returning.

I stepped through the churning vortex at the centre of the gate.

This was my first-time soloing a gateway, let alone my first proper dive. I was two parts nervous and frightened, and two parts excited and thrilled to test myself for once.

I felt the cold wash on my body as I passed through.

I came out a upon a small enclosed area, directly ahead of me was a small dented grate with light filtering through from the other side. Then suddenly I heard a clinking sound from behind me, heart thumping in my chest I spun about and watched as the gateway solidified shut. The blue swirling light still decorating the small area I was in. System prompts started to crowd my vision as the low chimes rattled inside my skull for each one.

Warning!

[Player] has entered the Fellbait Dungeon.

Alert!

[Player] cannot exit Fellbait Dungeon till either dungeon boss has been defeated or a Homestone is used.

Frowning as I read the messages, “what the fuck is a Homestone?” I asked nobody, nervousness raising my voice slightly.

Homestone: Single use item.

Homestone can only be employed within a gate-key accessed gateway. The purpose of the item is to deliver the wielder back to a location they’ve set as home. Usage will enact a penalty of fatigue and mana drain. Break’s upon use.

“Well that’s just shitty and helpful; all at the same time,” I sighed and dismissed all the displays. Turning away from the solid gate I marched over and hunkered down by the slim grate about a foot off the floor; embedded in the wall. “Seems I can only go forward’s,” hooking my fingers into the grate, and with a solid tug the grate came away, it’s small bars dented from where my hands had been. Nodding I placed it to one side and shimmied onto my belly and through the tight divide, into the area beyond.

Standing; I dusted myself as best I could and looked out over the sprawling complex of what I could only describe as an underground hive of dilapidated shanty buildings. Nothing more than rusted iron, wood and mud fixtures were the make-up of each structure. Long leaning wooden beams tied and strung together were embedded along the walls of the underground city, the beams holding an unsteady foundation atop which were an enumerable amount of shack-houses.

Torches and braziers lit the narrow streets and pathways to and from between buildings. Looking up I saw that sunlight was faint and peeking through a hugely massive and expose crack in the high domed ceiling. Water droplets cascaded through and several roots hung out from the crack. From there the ceiling domed downwards, directly beneath he crack at the centre of the city was a lake-sized pond.

“I feel as if I’ve been shrunken down, and placed Mother knows where…” I shook my head, looking out at the supposed dungeon. Fellbait Dungeon. Looking directly down from my ledge and squinting, I saw a group of bipedal rat-men marching along below. Dressed in a dirty red scarves, their leader carrying a rusted bronze halberd and an iron edged wooden kite-shield, the rest had crudely edged swords or daggers.

“Oh shit. Am I in a rat warren?” +1 Intelligence. 120Mana, Great. “Guess that confirms that then,” I said sourly and looked back out over the city. Warren. There had to be thousands if not more rat-men out across the expanse and I had to find one. “Just... Look for the biggest or highest building. That’s how usually is, isn’t it?” I scanned for what was probably one minute but felt much longer. At the far-right side of the dome and warren was what looked to a manse sized shack. I caught vague outlines of guards in a constant rotating patrol of the area. “Guess that’s my best bet. Now how to get down?”

~*~*~*~

An agonisingly slow hour later; I managed to hand grip the wall down. Looking back up and sweating buckets I realised there was no possible way for me to escape back this way at any speed. Clenching my hands tightly into fists, I crept along the path I’d seen the patrol take. Now that I was on the ground floor of the city, sound were oddly echoing and continuous. As if the very air was a song of many, many voices. A concert of high squeaky noises filled each alley as if a mischief of rat-men were right there.

“Hate to run into a crowd of rat-men,” I mumbled quietly. “Who knows how many diseases I’d gain from just breathing the air in proximity to them.” I halted as I heard the heavy marching match of stomping feet and grunts.

Pausing; I sidled up against the support beam of a shack above. It wobbled when I rested my weight against it but otherwise remained firmly still. Fatigue 49% I grimaced at the message, the climb down had raised my fatigue by 17% I was a breathy and clammy mess as I sweated through the fright and excitement of being in this situation.

Then I heard the groaning and squeaking of a door hinge from behind me. My shoulders tense as I flinched and stumbled forward’s slightly. Spinning in place I stared with wide eyes as my breaths quickened considerably. From the wide-open door of a dirtied shack; a broad-shouldered rat-man stepped out, pulling at the scrappy and shortcut breech-bottoms it wore.

An orange name highlighted above it’s head as It fiddled with itself. Turaisha’Fell, Rat-Lieutenant. There were no level’s displayed for the sentient monster besides it race, rank and difficulty colour. But I could guestimate that the orange meant it was strong.

It’ll see me in a matter of moments. I need to act now, I screamed at myself internally.

My feet moving before I could even process what I was doing as I sprinted at the ratling. It’s overly large nose twitched as its head snapped up to meet mine, large brown pupils stared widely at me in shock.

Then I barrelled into the lieutenant, enfolding my arms around it’s middle as I picked it up. My back screamed as my final steps became heavier, my arms crushing tightly, then my back popped as the ratling delivered an elbow down onto me. -30Hp

I hissed through it, “damn, your heavy,” I wheezed out and threw us both through the door the lieutenant had stepped out of. Falling within and landing flat on my stomach, I rolled and groaned in an aching pain as my back felt sorely bruised. -5Hp

The ratling tossed about and smacked into the far wall of what I came to quickly understand was a latrine of sorts. Bright green Flies swarmed the entirety of the interior, most converging around the darkly painted and generously smeared hole in the floor. Shit-stains and scuff marks preluded the literal shithole.

Then a message from the system slammed into my face.

Resist Disease in affect: 100%

Thankfully I couldn’t smell a damn thing as the lieutenant was already on me. It’s paw-hands enclosing around my throat as it lifted me bodily into the air. The rat squeaked and gurgled some nonsense that I didn’t understand. Then the resistance counter dropped five percent to 95%

I gripped the greasy fur of it’s arms as it strangled me, trying to keep my weight above my shoulders, hoping the vertebrae in my neck wouldn’t pop. -5Hp 90% Oh fuck this.

Ripping what I could away of it’s fur in the hopes it might drop me; I instead winced as the choke tightened, -10Hp. The squeaking Became a high-pitch squeal of laughter, the ratling’s voice raising an octave in mad delight. A long fleshy pink tongue flicked out of it’s mouth and slid up the length of my face, 80%

Nope. This stop’s now, I thought with a mental yell. My hand shot forward and clasped its tongue firmly, the lieutenant’s eyes widened as I squeezed for all 12 point’s I was worth, then as fluidly I could I flung my arm backwards pulling at the tongue.

It’s paw-hands loosened instantly, it squeaking muffled by pain. Before I could fall to my ass, I enfolded my legs around its waist and rolled backwards bodily forcing all of my weight back and down. Tightening both of my holds on the lieutenant I dropped and rolled, it’s head enfolded over my back. I twisted at the last second as we hit the ground, my elbow coming out to wrapped its neck in strong grip. My legs still wrapped around it’s middle as I jerked back on its tongue and squeezed its neck in a chokehold.

Rigidly tense, I quickly let go of the tongue and snapped with the same hand out to palm strike it’s jaw shut around its protruding tongue. Then I used both arms to secure my chokehold more firmly. I felt its claws sink and scrape at my shoulders, arms and chest -25Hp.

After what felt like forever, I felt and heard it’s last death rattling throes; as it’s legs and arm kicked and thrashed piteously. Then nothing more than a deflatingly long hissing exhale. I still kept at it for another thirty seconds. I couldn’t tell you how many times I had seen an E-rank attack something; wounding it and thinking it’s dead, when it’s either faking or passed-out. Only to return and kill the E-rank and then his friends.

Shakily, I unclenched my arms from around it’s neck, it’s jaw fell open; dismembered tongue fell in ruin’s onto the floor, flinching I struck at it’s head with my fist.

Breathing heavily; I did it again. And again, and again, till there was nothing more left of its head than a cratered brain soup-skull. Disentangling myself I fell onto my ass, inhaling deep-shitty breaths. Placing my head between my knees I counted to five and exhaled, then inhaled and repeated.

+1 Strength. Pulling up my status window to see my health, I quickly glanced at the other prompts: Fatigue 72% Resist disease: 65% “Well, that could’ve gone better,” I muttered tiredly. Trying to gain some semblance of control over my erratic nerves by talking out aloud. A glance at my status window made me wince at the 35/110 Hp. Then more messages bloomed into view.

Congratulations [Player] Level up: x3

“Damn… Three levels from just one fight, that can’t be right- unless the rat lieutenant really was way out of my league,” I mumbled thoughtfully and press the next prompt with a mental command.

Level 2: +4 Ap awarded. Reward: 1-lesser potion of healing.

Level 3: +4 Ap awarded. Reward: 1-lesser potion of healing.

Level 4: +4 Ap awarded. Reward: 1-lesser potion of fatigue.

For defeating your first opponent, [Player] has been awarded the following.

Passive skill:

Perseverance [Lvl: 1] If the [Player] health falls below 30Hp, a 10% increase to Intelligence and Agility is granted for an extended cost of fatigue. Affect: Luck.

Active Skill:

Disabling Strike [Lvl: 1] All attacks against targeted limbs have a 10% chance of critically wounding. Affect: Luck. Agility. Strength.

Accept: YES/NO.

I nodded my head in clear agreement with the awards given, though truthfully; I felt a bit bewildered. As I thought on the rat man I’d killed, I released It hadn’t been that difficult in retrospect, same faults and fragile areas as a Human. “I guess the higher threat level don’t just mean they’re stronger but also more intelligent and experienced or better equipped maybe,” I said thoughtfully.

Pulling up the Potions tab in my Inventory, I pulled out both of the lesser health potions and read the small prompt when I examined them. Instant effects: +25 Health points. “On both potions. I guess that’ll mean the fatigue potion restores the same amount. They’re all Lesser rank so the baseline for lesser potions is 25 then.”

They were more akin to vials than potions, a glinting red liquid swirled about within the vial. It was a thick solution and downing both almost made me gag as a result.

They were cherry hinted in flavour but the instant the fluid touched my mouth I could feel a flood of tiny grains within solution that made my tongue numb and tingly on contact. Then I tensed and shivered as a chill ran through me and blue tinted my vision momentarily. A boost of +50Hp, made the pain in my back a dull ache and the heated scrapes from where the ratling had clawed me shift as if they were about to seal and close. But instead they just tingled and then settled the wounds, so they were no longer bleeding.

Health: 85/110. Mana: 100/100. Fatigue 59%

“Now to distribute my 12 stat points...” I said, my voice trailing away as I thought over where to apply them. “Having 12 mean’s I can broaden out more. If I had to guess about how my attributes affected my status it would be...”

Strength is linked to Health and Fatigue. Vitality is linked to Health, Mana and Fatigue. Intelligence is linked to Mana. Agility is linked to Fatigue. Sense is linked to Mana, and Luck is linked to both Fatigue and Mana. I thought, my brows pinching together in concentration.

The rat lieutenants body was still there and still had the identifier above it, but now also had [Dead] notified in grey. I would have to see if I could retrieve anything off it’s corpse. “Okay… I’ll put 1Ap to Strength making the attribute 14, which raises my max Health to 120 and a -2 Fatigue. 3Ap going into Vitality is… a 20-point more boost to Health, 5 points boost to Mana and -1 fatigue. 8-points remaining...” I muttered and rubbed the back of my head in thought.

“3 into my intelligence brings the attribute to the same level as my strength at 14 and raises my Mana by 25 points. 5-points left. Let’s do... 4 points in Agility bringing me a -3 Fatigue.”

I stared at my attributes feeling as if something was amiss about the amount of increases to my stats. They seemed pitiful and I wondered that if once I was pass a certain threshold the increases would be exponential compared to the small sums I was dealing with now.0

The difference between myself and a D or C-rank was still incredible. Matilda was really the only D-rank I had spoken to and gotten along with. Though she was lower D-rank by a small margin as far as I could tell. Pushing my final point into Sense and raising the attribute to 12 gave me a 15-point boost to Mana.

Confirming; I then locked up in place as a spasm ran through me like a high jolt of electricity. Bright yellow light coated my body and filled me with warmth. Then what felt like a crack sounded from my sternum and then an ease of tension and pressure evaporated off me as the yellow light faded.

Health: 85/140

Mana: 145/145

Fatigue: 26%

My fatigue was washed away as the tension eased out of me and my levelling ended. I sat up a little straighter, the reduced baseline of my fatigue was incredibly useful. “I’ll have to start applying more points into Sense also, with that +15 boost to mana,” I muttered under my breath. I felt greatly superhuman with the way I could apply and curve my growth as I wanted.

I wasn’t officially a gifted yet, nor did I have a Gifted License that would allow me to attempt gateways legally without a guild or group. Only those who didn’t have a license joined the underground guilds. Which wouldn’t be that bad of an idea, if the majority of them weren’t basically criminal gangs.

I may just have to keep my gift a secret for some time till I can figure something out. “Alright let’s loot the Lieutenant and then skedaddle out of here and hunt down that Boss rat,” I said and then grunted; getting to my feet my body already feeling lighter.

Moving over to the corpse a small window popped open just beneath it’s identifying title. 50G. 7Mc. I pocketed the currency allowing the system to convert the partial amount of gold to credits though it kept my Mana crystals. Which I saw no sign of in my inventory.

Pulling my status window back up, I saw that just under my name, level and class section was a new section displaying my Credits: 5,836. Gold: 25. Mana Crystals: 7. “Holy shit,” I muttered in disbelief staring at my balance. “How the hell did it do- You know what, I don’t need to know. As long as it works it’s fine with me. I must’ve had 836 credits left,” I said thoughtfully. Closing the window, I saw nothing more on the Rat-Lieutenant.

Walking back to the door I noticed how it was still ajar. “Thank the Mother no-one walked past and needed the privy, it would’ve been hard to explain this away. Considering I don’t actually speak their language.” Looking out and seeing no-one nor hearing anything other more than the flies enjoying their meal, I stepped out.

Then door groaned loudly as I attempted to close it quietly. Realising the futility of doing so I simply knocked the door with my heel and walked back the way I was attempting to previously.

I made my way through the city keeping to the outskirts, not wanting to draw any attention to myself. I deftly avoided several patrols by climbing over the roofs of a few shacks and waiting there till they passed.

Unfortunately, as my goal came into sight my luck ran out when the roof beneath my feet collapsed, slanting at an angle, sending me tumbling out onto the bare streets directly behind a rat patrol I had been avoiding.

They of course heard the noise and turned to sniff me out. Getting to my feet I quickly patted myself down to make sure I wasn’t hurt. With a glance at my health I saw it still read 85/140. Turning about I did a quick scan of their names. They were all grey with a single orange, who identified the same as the Turaisha’Fell Rat-lieutenant, I had managed to kill.

“The only problem is that they’ve all got weapons. I don’t...” Shrugging I sped forward at a smaller ratling whose fur was spiked around his chin like a strange neck-beard.

It squeaked and tried to back away as I closed the distance, solely focusing on him/it/her? Whatever. It stumbled towards me as those behind pushed it out at me like a sacrifice. I felt sorry for the little-guy and with my new found agility I felt incredibly flighty. So, as neck beard panicked squeaking it’s revenge and cursing it’s compatriots mothers, for the ugly bloated fur balls they were.

Which as a side note, I had actually stumbled upon a female ratling being speared (not in the die way either) by some soldier rat as it lay there, fat and unfeeling, all giant twelve nipples flopping about as the soldier smacked it’s hips squealing and grunting, back and forth against it.

I had almost thrown up over them at the sight.

Leapfrogging over the stumbling rat I snatched his weapon; a small jagged dagger. Thrusting that same weapon into his sacrifice-ers neck, I sawed through and then twisted; hooking an arm up the back of the tattered top it wore and Lifting the ratling a few inches off the ground. Then I ploughed forward into the other’s using the body as a shield. I knew I couldn’t keep this up for long as I took a few minor cuts from spear tips scrapping along my shoulders and outer thighs, -10Hp. Resist Disease in affect: 95%

With a grimace I threw corpse at a ratling trying to outflank me and cut the arm off another that tried to do the same to me. Then a halberd came sweeping in for legs, time slowed a fraction as a violent vibration of danger shot through my nerves and signalled me to follow my Senses.

Leaping a foot off the ground I twisted my lower half at the waist and followed through with my torso, the scenery spun as I did and when I landed, I had shake the disorientation away. I swayed and then turned it into a dive and rolled as a grunt-ratling moved to tackle me to the ground. I came up just in front of another who then delivered a slash across my back.-10Hp. 85%

Hissing; I reacted by opening it’s Achilles-heel with my dagger, and then back-flipping from where I crouched onto the downed rat-man’s torso, which I promptly drove my dagger repeatedly.

-1 foe, -1 critically wounded.

The system notified me helpfully, spitting to the side with a scowl I scurried off of my kill as the rest advanced. There was something like 4 remaining and the Lieutenant. My previously disarmed foe was off to the side kneeling over its stump of an arm, moaning and whimpering, besides it was a spear I had ruined when I had taken it’s wielder’s hand.

“I need something with longer range, something to help better apply my active skill to.” They spread out as the leader rat squeaked something at them in their language, which was probably not any good for me. Deciding my best bet was to head them off I advanced for my closest target. A dark-brown furred ratling with a scared-up nose that looked as if it had been chewed on.

I ducked beneath its flailing sword swing and tried to slash out at itis knee, but a shield pounded into my side sending me tumbling across the dirty ground. -16Hp. Winded, I crashed down to the ground wheezing and coughing, I caught sight of a shape coming at me; it’s arms blurring forward as something glinted at the end of its thrusting hands. Panic rose in me and I rolled hearing the thud of the spear stabbing the ground. I rolled back and flung a leg out clipping the ratling’s shoulder and sending it crashing down besides me. Hopping to my feet I quickly stomped on it’s neck, it’s paw/hand trying to stop or plead with me, was then crushed into it’s throat beneath my shoe.

The moment cost me though as a swords tip pieced through the skin and flesh just below my right armpit. -30Hp. Bleeding! -1Hp, per 5 second. 65% With a grunting cry I twisted suddenly bringing the impaled sword with me but dislodging it from it’s wielder. -1Hp, I punched out into the offenders snout, hearing the crunch as the bones of it’s jaw broke and cracked under my blow.

The ratling fell back with a cry of agony it’s paws coming up to cover it’s face. -1Hp. Health: 16/140 I didn’t have time to consider my options though as the rest came for me.

Passive Skill activation: Perseverance. My mind sped as my wounds lightened fractionally, though nothing outwardly happened. Skimming through my surrounding with my +10% Intelligence and+10% Agility increase, I caught sight of my remaining opponents. -2 foes, -2 critically wounded, -1Hp.

Then the last two grunts and the lieutenant were within mere feet of me. I snapped up the spear still lodged in the ground from the ratling whose throat I had crushed. The shield bearer moved to block my strike; but I fainted for him and instead activated Disabling strike. Burying the crude spear tip in the other grunts head, through it’s eye and into its brain critically wounding, meaning the entirety of its head exploded around the spear tip.

The strike had been so quick that it actually threatened to throw me off-balance, as my left-arm blurred forward faster than I could make out, only seeing an impression of after-images for my own movement.

-1Hp. I froze for a second. In-fact, we all did as my newly acquired spear founds it’s home in the fleshy brain of the ratling-grunt. I braced my feet, twisting my wrist and used the distraction to my advantage, leaning and heaving on the shaft to slice out and through the rat-man’s head. It did as such, and I used the momentum to knock the spear shaft into the shield bearer. -1Hp.

The clunking sound of my wooden shaft hitting the metal rim of the kite-shield was hollow and rang out loudly. I pulled back and then struck out for the ratling’s knee, but my foot slipped and skidded on the rat blood pooling around my shoes. I missed my target and instead penetrated the upper thigh and clipped its’ femur doing so.

Then with a thought I activated my skill, my arm pulsating and pushing. Then I watched in horror as the rats leg practically exploded around my spear as a wave of intangible force rippled down my weapon length and into the rat.

-3Hp. -3 foes, -3 critically wounded. Fatigue: 94%

Panting, I collapsed to my knees. The sword that had been sticking out of me, must’ve slid out but I couldn’t feel a damn-thing other than how bloody tired I was. I heard calm footsteps approach me, the lieutenant! I thought helplessly. Warning prompts flashing up in my vision telling me what I already knew; I was dead on my knees. Health: 10/140.

This is fucked! So, fucking stupid, running at them all like that. I thought angrily at myself. Then my head was violently yanked back as a paw/hand gripped my hair. I stared up blearily at the big dark pools of the Lieutenants pupils. It spoke softly, it’s squeaky chittering voice slow and awed but determined to still see me dead.

I activate Disabling Strike as I held the spear tip pointed up just beneath it’s chin, the now familiar pulsation shook my arm and I loosen my grip on the shaft.

One minute the blurry impression of the lieutenants’ face was there, the next it was replaced by vertical crater. Brains and bones, and the fleshy interior of it’s head was all that remained. The front half of it’s face exploded upwards into a showering of chunks.

-1Hp. -4 foes, -3 critically wounded. Resist Disease: 56%

I fell backwards as the lieutenants’ body fell upside down beside me. I slipped into the nothingness, then slipped out as a low insistent chime rattled my skull. But I was so very tired, maybe too much so. Then in my haze the prompts spilled through.

-1Hp. Health: 8/140. Mana: 145/145. Fatigue: 98% +1 Strength, +1 Vitality, +1 Agility, +1 Sense.

Congratulations [Player] Level up: x4.

My eyes drew to the two instant recovery rewards I’d gained, and I immediately smashed the prompt to use one. Just in time as well, as I felt myself drifting away into the grey murkiness. Then a blue filmy light coated everything, and I came back to full awareness by slow degrees.

For a while I watched the narrow rays of light filtering down upon the rat-city through the cracked ceiling. I was certain I was going to die, and yet here I was, where I had fallen. I rolled over onto my hands and knees and clambered unsteadily to my feet. I took in my surroundings; my sudden movement heralding a screech of surprise. Looking towards the sound, I saw the back of the neck-beard rat scurrying away.

“Oh well,” I shook my head. “I’m not mentally stable enough yet to even consider giving chase.” The rat bodies hissed, gurgled and expunged fluids out their orifices as their bodies slowly began to self -digest. Walking around I started by retrieving what weapons I could, at least those intact enough to be useful. “To think my first set of weapons are crude iron and bronze made.”

[Item: Turaisha’Fell, Crude Iron Spear. Type: Polearm. Mod: +5 Attack.]

[Item: Turaisha’Fell Lieutenant, Bronze Halberd. Type: Polearm. Mod: +10 Attack.]

[Item: Turaisha’Fell, Crude Rusted Dagger. Type: Small Arms. Mod: +3 Attack]

Shoving the weapons in my inventory I looked at the shield by my feet and frowned, I couldn’t remember the shield-bearers shield actually breaking when we fought. A glance around showed that all the rat-men were now dead. I mentally checked that my level had indeed increased by four and with a mental thought I willed my resistance status to the surface, Resist Disease: 100% Breathing a sigh of relief, I was thankful that the system worked this way. I imagined that when the counter hit zero, then I would likely become inflicted with whatever disease the rats were carrying.

“Let’s loot their bodies. I’ll leave increasing my stats till I’m closer to the manse-thing,” I said wiping at my face then a siren went up over the city. “I guess neck-beard was faster than I thought, or the rat ran into another patrol. Yeah… Time to hurry up,” I said and got to work looting their bodies of a hefty bounty; in terms of currency. They had nothing else on their persons, no valuables other than their Mana-crystals and Gold.

I looted: 140G and 25Mc.

Bringing my total of gold up to 165G, which was all immediately converted and I now had sum of 40,836-Credits. “What in the... Mothers tits is happening? This is - this is just too... Incredible. Wait- did I lose money?” I said; frowning thoughtfully at the display, the conversion seemed wrong.

I heard a collective cry go up from one of the many narrow pathways of the city, retrieving the rusted dagger from my inventory I set off at a jog towards in the direction of the manse. Keeping to the outskirts of the city. I weaved through the shadows as I avoided swarms of patrols. Worrying about being cornered or herded. So, I kept on a constant move always heading towards the right side of the dome’s wall.

But the number of guards and the spread of their routes drew me to the realisation that they were most probably sniffing me out. I stopped by a parted sideboard on a shack, it was slanted enough that I could get a foot on and leap to up to the roof. There I spider crawled along getting low and spreading my weight. Then I froze as two rat-men came around the corner at the turn off ahead in the street. They both sniffed the air for several seconds, and then were stepping cautiously forward as if they were about to enter the proverbial lion’s den.

I stayed motionless as they inch further and closer to my position. The rat-men started to chitter quietly back and forth. I was getting twitchy at the thought that they could simply track my scent to where it was strongest; then send a runner for reinforcements. I’ll wait till they’re closer, then act. I thought with a nod. They shifted warily the closer they got, when they were less than three meters from where I perched. I tensed and rose slightly from my position, as a gong sounded off in the distance. The noise rebounded off the walls of the shack buildings.

The rat-men heads swivelled off towards the noise, they chittered at each other heatedly in what seemed like an argument. Then they moved off and towards the deep thrumming sound.

“Did they find something?” I asked myself in a whisper, thinking furiously. “If they did find something, some form of evidence they could use it better track me by- Or... They’ve just found the Lieutenant I killed in the shithouse and are collecting there where they’ll backtrack the scent all the way to poor old me.”

Huffing and groaning quietly I resumed my Spidey-crawl, imagining I look like some dumb low-budget imitation of the super-heroes comic from Old Earth.

~*~*~*~

The Manse was actually a lot larger than I first realised—as I came upon it—when seeing it from the ledge where the gateway is situated. Then a question clocked me in the brain as I thought of that location, “could they follow my scent to the gateway?” My stomach churning at the thought; that for some strange unexplainable reason; the gateway would actually open for the rat-men.

I walked the perimeter of the compound around the Manse. It was more akin to a giant shack-like castle. Built like every other building within Fellbait dungeon; but just bigger. The moment my foot past over and on the actual grounds of the Manse though, I received a quest prompt.

Quest Objectives:

Kill the Grey-Abomination of the Turaisha’Fell: 0/1.

Desecrate the Turaisha’Fell Throne: 0/1.

(Warning!) Quest is mandatory and cannot be denied. Penalty for failure is DEATH.

“Well, that’s lovely!” I said with false cheer and a sigh. I dismissed the window and then crouch-ran across the grounds to the eastern wall of the Manse. Their were fewer and fewer guards by the minute and I imagined they were spreading themselves out more to watch for intruders. “Either that; or they’ve retreated inside,” I muttered, scowling at how shitty my luck could get.

Which was stupid when considering that I could actually raise my Luck.

Creeping along I kept close to the wall. There really wasn’t anywhere I could hide and conceal myself, as the grounds around the Manse were fairly open and unobstructed. “Just have to hope that nobody looks my way,” mumbling I stepped around the corner of the eastern wall; intending to make a beeline for the entrance. When my head smacked into the torso of a Turaisha’Fell Rat Lieutenant. “Uhhh.... Sorry?” I tried, wishing that my luck could be replaced with something useful like charisma.

A chime rebounded off the inside of my skull. Ignoring it; I duck beneath a shoulder sweeping Halberd. Retrieving my trusty dagger, I skewered the ratlings genitals through his breeches in two quick; speedy thrusts. The lieutenant unhesitatingly dropped its halberd, clutching at the wounded area. Before it could scream, I dashed forward; driving my dagger into it’s chest where the heart is, at least where I thought their hearts were.

Thinking rapidly; I withdrew my dagger only to drive it in again, striking and penetrating the same spot. I jumped up, leaping at the ratling, my free hand gripping it’s snout to shut it up as I spun about it. Then I sliced into its throat, blood gushing out spilling over my hand and blade. Then my dagger was through and out the other side of its neck. In three fast movements. It was dead.

+1 Agility. I breathed a sigh of relief and grimaced at the sight of my arm. “Kayla is gonna kill me,” I said; looking up from my gruesome hand to a stunned mansion patrol of six rat lieutenants. “Well fuck...” I whined exasperatedly.

Knowing that if I ran now; they would just as likely follow. And not knowing the inside layout of the Manse I could easily end up cornered or worse; find the boss and have to face both it and my pursuers.

So instead, I waited and moved further back along the eastern wall. Wanting something at my back so I couldn’t be flanked.

I felt mildly better about my odds now, no sunshine and rainbows of unicorn shit, but more like a cool breeze on a shitty day. Inside an underground domed city. Infested with a population of bipedal squeaking Rat-men. They of course rushed me; my heart literally jumped at the sight of six of those fuckers coming at me all at once.

My throat dried, and convulsed. But then, I suddenly realised I was moving. With a literal spring in my step I started killing. And killing I did.

Their orange names suddenly faded to grey and three solid chimes bounced off the inside of my skull. I ducked a thrusting halberd spike and kicked out; hitting the inner knee of one lieutenant. The knee popped under my blow and collapsed inwards sending the ratling screaming and tumbling to the ground. I stabbed it through the throat. +1 Strength.

Then I flicked out with my dagger, throwing the weapon over-head to my three o’clock and remarkably found purchase it the eye of another. +1 Agility.

“Two down, four to go,” I said cheerily. Then swept my arms out like I would swinging an axe or something similar. I wasn’t 100% sure about what I was doing, but just flowing through with what felt right. With a thought the bronze halberd materialised into my hands, as the axe-head swept across the shoulders, separating the head of my third lieutenant. +1 Sense.

I followed the momentum that my swing brought me and spun; bringing the halberd spinning around my shoulders where I caught and blocked a strike. +1 Luck.

I kicked forward against the flat of the axe head sending it sailing up and unbalancing the overreaching rat lieutenant. As it stumbled forward, I caught the shaft of my halberd spun it in my hand and drove the spike tipping the weapon through its chest. “Four!” I yelled triumphantly.

Leaving the weapon there I turned and saw one of the remaining lieutenants running away. “Well that’s just rude. Showed up and didn’t even bring any gifts. I’ll just take your soul instead then,” I mumbled darkly. Stepping backwards slightly; I stretched out my left hand before me aiming at the fleeing ratling. My right hand out behind me as the crude iron spear materialised there. Then I blurred forward, throwing my whole body into the throw, I grunted as the spear left my hand sailing straight and true. Nailing the escapee in it’s back and sending the ratling skidding several feet before stopping dead.

+1 Strength. +1Agility. +1 Sense.

Looking around I walked over to the corpse with my dagger buried in it’s eye socket. Retrieving it after having wiped it clean on the fur of the ratling. I turned to the last two as they drop their weapons, falling to their knees; jabbering on at me, their demeanour one of pleading.

I made my way calmly and patiently over to the lieutenants as they kept up their begging. It grew more frantic the closer I got.

“You won’t suffer any longer,” I said soft and quietly. Driving my dagger through one and the other’s temple before they could react.

A single chime reverberated at the base of my brow. I went about looting their bodies as well as the first lieutenant whose throat I’d opened and retrieving all of their bronze halberds. [Item: x7. Turaisha’Fell Lieutenant Bronze Halberd. Type: Polearm. Mod:+10 Attack.] I quickly swept them into my inventory, and I had an idea, but I would need to find a secure place to fully explore it.

That meant going home.

The most amazing thing I got from their corpse’s was the gold they each had on them, bringing the collective sum to a total of 50G per a body. Meaning I had just looted 350Gold, converted to credits it was 70.000Cs. That added with my present account, I now had a sum I’d never made before nor thought I would see outside of daydreams.

Credits: 110,836. Gold:00. I also got a sum of 49MC, bringing my total to Mana-crystals: 81.

“Do I even bother checking my notifications, my head’s already spinning from the money I’ve made off a few rats,” I thought aloud; rubbing at my eyes. “Though I could be facing the Boss possibly any minute now.” Fuck it, I thought bringing up my previous notifications; I read through them.

“With the added levels I’ve received during this fight. I’m at about: [Lvl: 12] and I have 32 points to spend,” I nodded thoughtfully looking at my new prompts. I walked back to the eastern wall and leaned against it as I sorted through them. “I am generating way too many levels, so quickly that it’s worrying,” I sighed. My reasoning that because it made me suspect that there were far greater opponents out there. That I would need this kind of early boost to simply go up against.

“Considering that their names changed from orange to grey after I killed the lieutenant here,” I continued; glancing over at the ratling whose hairy scrote had gotten friendly with my trusty dagger. “I’m now at a point where instead of three levels per lieutenant and one per six ratling grunts. It’s 1 for 6 lieutenants and possibly double that for the grunts?” Then I looked to my level up window message, dismissing the window that immediately showed Levels five to eight.

Congratulations [Player] Level up: x4.

Level 9: +4 Ap awarded. Reward: 1-Lesser potion of healing.

Level 10: +4 Ap awarded. Reward: 1-Lesser potion of healing.

Level 11: +4 Ap awarded. Reward: 1-Lesser potion of fatigue.

Level 12: +4 Ap awarded. Reward: 1-Lesser potion of fatigue.

Reward 1: x1 Instant Recovery.

Accept: YES/NO.

(Alert)

Congratulations [Player] You’ve discovered the Attribute: Charisma.

Charisma: With this Attribute [Player] can compel, inspire, attract and induce fear in other’s.

This Attribute is systematically linked with Vitality, Intelligence and Luck. Due to the combined association, and the discovery of a new Attribute. A new passive has been acquired.

Passive Skills:

Incite [Lvl: 4] [Player] can manifest strong emotional responses such as: Bloodlust, Fear, Charm, Slowness and Paralysis. This Attribute works as both a Buff and Debuff depending on target. Affect: Charisma. Vitality. Sense.

“Alright... Charisma isn’t totally useless. I can basically Debuff bad guys now. Though I imagine it’ll depend on whether or not they’re a lower level than me. Alright. Okay... let’s bring forth the dreaded Status Window,” I said dramatically.

Fighting had actually increased my attributes, which was a boon. Though I couldn’t imagine it to be anything permanent going forward. “Just when I’m stupidly overpowering sentient rat-men,” I said with a smirk. Looking over my increased gains before submitting my attributes points.

Lvl: 12.

Health: 150.

Mana: 160.

Fatigue: 21%

Strength: 17.

Vitality: 15.

Intelligence: 14.

Agility: 20.

Sense: 15.

Luck:11.

Charisma: 34.

“Uh-huh. Does that say something about me? That my Charisma Attribute is so big?” I muttered with a frown. “My Intelligence and Vitality are the lowest of useful stats and with 32Ap I can definitely raise them both, highly even. Then it’s the problem of balancing all my attributes. I have skills but no magic, so intelligence isn’t so much a priority as of yet... Wait. What if I’m awarded magic from increasing my Intelligence,” I wondered aloud, rubbing at my chin in thought.

+1 Intelligence.

Sighing, I gave my forehead a light slap. Whereas I mentally gave the system and Mother the middle finger.

“So, increasing attributes, has the chance of gaining skills; and or magic. Just don’t know how much I need to increase them by.”

Making my decision, I went about finalising my attributes, then paused when I had 12Ap remaining. I thought for a moment, I knew being strong and having strength wasn’t the be all and end all of life. But in New Eden City only those who’re wealthy and strong in either supporters or power. Or in power and money, can live better lives. “And I need all of these things,” I said in quiet introspection.

Then an idea started to form in my mind. One that spoke to a place I wanted more than anything. A place where I could belong, as cheesy as it sounds. Where I would find a home not haunted by the mercurial ghosts of memories. But one that I would build myself, for me, for my sister and any others who were not accepted. I would take them and make them something to be reckoned with.

I pushed the last of my points into Strength and Agility dividing them equally.

(Alert)

Due to dramatic increase in Strength and Agility Attributes. A new skill has been awarded.

Active Skill:

Haste [Lvl: 1] Speed is exponentially increased, for an extended cost of fatigue in 15 second intervals.

Blowing out an explosive breath, I shook my head at how the system could simply change up my shit. “Lets go poke the bear.” Getting to feet, my body felt tighter and leaner than previously. I had to sit after increasing my Attributes. Now I was ready and raring to go up against that, that could possibly kill me.

It was the challenge I was excited for now.

This novel is the work of Rhys Thomas. If you are reading this and it has not been published by Rhys Thomas, then this work has been stolen. Please report this to Amazon and me at email: [email protected]