Making our way towards the city gate, I decided to test identify out on various people we encountered along the way. Each time I used the skill, it revealed basic information about the person, such as their name and sometimes their level.
I started with a man selling freshly baked goods, and the skill provided me with the simple fact that his name was Jack. But as I continued using it, a thought crossed my mind. What about those without a core? Does it give a level? Or would it just give the name? I doubt the man selling baked goods was a level 40 powerhouse.
Feeling confident in my reasoning, I tested it from person to person, finding that many people didn't give a level, even some kids, which seemed odd, as if the skill was half finished.
Even when we finally reached the city gate, I noticed something that made me pause. One guard had a level listed beside his name, while the other had nothing. I highly doubted the man was coreless, which meant he was probably twenty or thirty levels above me. But the longer I thought about it, the more uncertain I became. What if one day I ran into someone dangerous in the forest, and all it showed was their name? How was I supposed to tell whether they were just a regular person or someone dangerous?
It was a little disconcerting to say the least. However, my continuous use of the Identify began to take a toll on my head, causing a headache to build steadily. Forcing me to ease up on using it for a while, as I preoccupied myself with tossing my silver stone, which I only now realized I still had.
Once clear of the city and surrounded by open fields and fellow travelers, Emily pulled out the map provided by the guild for the job. Looking over his shoulder, I read the details. Turns out, it really didn't give us an exact location; all it said was to scout an area around a section of forest roughly four hours away.
Deciding to try to get there sooner, so we didn't get back in completely darkness, we set off at a brisk pace, quickly distancing ourselves from the city's borders.
Amelia, Henry, and I occasionally had to slow down to accommodate Benjamin and Emily. Though surprisingly enough, Benjamin, bolstered by his title's additional two points per level, was keeping up better than I expected. It was Emily who needed the most assistance.
However, she soon devised a clever way to close the gap. She used her telekinesis to make herself lighter, allowing her to run faster and for longer. And then, along with her wind powers, she propelled herself forward, effectively granting her an extraordinary burst of speed.
I had to give it to her; it was an impressive use of her power. And before we knew it, we reached the edge of the forest nearly an hour and a half ahead of schedule.
Though it didn't look like much at first, it changed the deeper we went, with the trees shifting from greens to darker tones as the details began to take shape.
Tall pines towered above us, straight and ancient, their trunks like pillars stretching endlessly upward. The canopy was thick, needles laced together so tightly that sunlight filtered through in narrow beams, casting streaks of gold across the forest floor. It wasn't like other woods I'd seen. Here, the undergrowth was sparse, the ground soft beneath our boots, layered with fallen needles, moss, and a thick blanket of pine-scented decay. Shadows played across the ground, and the air had a strange stillness to it, which made everything feel slightly… off.
Gathering together, Emily pulled out the job description for a final review. The instructions were straightforward: investigate the area and report back with any findings. Yet the simplicity of it felt almost misleading, as if we should expect more.
Amelia folded her arms, her gaze sweeping over the treeline. "Sounds pretty simple, but don't let the simplicity of it make you complacent."
I nodded, and for some time I did exactly that, but before long my attention had already drifted. My eyes wandered along the tree line, scanning the soft light and the stillness between the trunks. The forest was… odd. Not hostile, but aware. Like it was holding its breath.
Here and there, I noticed signs of life, small bug-like creatures with chitinous shells darting into holes bored deep into the bark. Faint trails crisscrossed the mossy ground, and once, I spotted something slither away before I could get a proper look.
Minutes bled into more minutes. Time stretched out in that strange way it does when there's no real destination.
I tried to stay alert, but the monotony chipped away at my focus. Every direction looked the same. Every sound repeated itself.
Eventually, my mind started to drift. I kept glancing at my hands, feeling the subtle hum of power beneath my skin like static before a storm. I told myself I was staying sharp, but the truth was simpler than that.
I was bored.
With a sigh, I let the spark slip into my fingers, a flicker of lightning dancing across my knuckles. I twisted it, split it, shaped it, small tricks at first. Harmless. Just something to break the silence. Then came the more intricate tests. What if I tried compressing it tighter? What if I redirected it along the ground? Could I arc it between two points?
As I watched the lightning dance across my palm, I formed it into a ball and then observed as it unraveled. It was fascinating to see how it fizzled out every time I stopped the flow of power. Curious, I tried something different.
I condensed the power while continuously adding more to sustain its size, and then I disconnected the power. Instead of fizzling out, it exploded outward across my palm, like a supernova but confined to the size of my arm. Despite its compactness, it illuminated the surrounding area.
"Hey, cut that out!" Amelia chided. "If there's something out here, you're going to give away our location."
"Sorry, I didn't think it was going to do that," I apologized, feeling a bit sheepish.
On the other hand, Henry leaned in, intrigued. "What was that?"
"I'm not sure," I admitted. "I was just experimenting, but I think I found a way to release a ball of lightning."
"Show me," Henry urged, his curiosity piqued.
Quietly, I condensed the energy into a tiny ball in the palm of my hand and released it, causing it to explode outward across my palm before dissipating.
"Hu... that's pretty cool," Henry remarked, then his eyes widened with excitement. "Imagine what you could do with more energy."
"Yeah, that would be something," I agreed, intrigued by the possibilities.
As we tossed ideas back and forth about what my newfound ability could do, Amelia finally raised a hand. "Alright, let's take a break," she called, cutting through the chatter.
Relieved, I rolled my shoulders and sank onto a fallen log. "Feels like we've been walking for hours," I muttered, rubbing at the back of my neck.
"Yeah, it's getting a bit dull," Henry agreed, flopping down onto the ground with a grunt. "I was hoping for some action, honestly."
Emily dug around in her pack before holding something up. "Jerky?" she offered with a small grin. "Not entirely sure what it's made from, but it has a nice flavor."
Benjamin chuckled. "That's reassuring."
"Eh, food's food," I said, taking a strip from Emily and chewing slowly. It was tough and salty, but after the miles we'd covered, it tasted like heaven. For a moment, it was nice, just sitting still, letting the weight ease off my legs, listening to the steady chorus of bugs in the distance.
But then, as the quiet stretched, I noticed something different. A faint haze clung to the edges of the clearing. At first, it seemed harmless, like morning dew that had overstayed its welcome. Yet as the minutes slipped by, it thickened, almost too gradually to notice, until a pale veil blurred the treeline.
I shifted uneasily, the last bite of jerky turning dry in my mouth. That's building too fast.
"Hey, Amelia," I whispered, leaning closer. "I think something here."
Her eyes swept across the fog. For a long second, she said nothing, then gave a slight nod before motioning the others closer, shifting Henry between us, with Benjamin and Emily closing in on the opposite side.
The mist pressed closer with every breath, curling around our legs and dulling the sounds of the forest.
Then a low cackle echoed through the haze, bouncing from every direction at once as the fog thickened, swallowing the last traces of light until the world felt sealed off.
Listening to that Cackle made my skin crawl, every hair standing on end from the feeling of being observed by unseen eyes.
Then Emily's hands clenched at her side, the air around her beginning to stir. With a sharp exhale, she released it in a sudden flood, the wind tearing through the fog and forcing it to scatter.
And just like that, the mist peeled back, allowing us to see what was beyond.
Shapes emerged from where the haze had been moments before, creatures creeping toward us, their forms twisted and wrong. They resembled grotesque hybrids of hyenas and what I would call a wendigo, with strangely elongated limbs and mangy, matted fur. However, what truly sent a shiver down my spine were their pitch-black eyes, devoid of any emotion.
Acting quickly, I used my Identify skill on one of the creatures, revealing its identity. Name: Veilstalker, Level: 26. There were numerous of these eerie creatures, with their levels ranging from 18 to 28, the highest among them.
Despite their menacing appearance, the creatures hesitated to attack without the protective veil of the mist. Then, with disturbing suddenness, their bodies began to twitch and shudder. One by one, they tilted their heads back, mouths gaping unnaturally wide as a grotesque, gagging sound escaped their throats as they hacked up dense plumes of smoke, their entire frames convulsing with the effort. The mist poured out in thick waves, rolling off their tongues and fangs until they were once more cloaked in the oppressive fog.
Emily acted again, dispersing the lingering mist once more. Though before it could fully dissipate, one of the things shot from the fog at insane speeds, aiming straight for Henry.
Yet despite the attack's speed, Henry dodged to the side and struck its neck with a firm palm. Disoriented and staggering from the poison it now was suffering from, the creature lunged desperately once more in a fit of confusion.
Seizing the moment, I quickly summoned a sword and swung in a brutal arch. The blade sliced cleanly through the creature's neck, decapitating it in mid-air without much effort.
With a heavy thud, the lifeless body fell heavily to the ground, confirming my suspicion that they possessed little to no defense, a fact that significantly improved our odds. Activating my Lightning Enhancement, I lunged at the nearest group of Veilstalkers, swiftly dispatching one by kicking it into a tree, causing it to become impaled on a branch, and then another with a swift sword slash to the neck.
Their shock of not being able to attack with the cover of the mist slowly faded, and more and more joined the fight, trying to overwhelm us with numbers.
After taking down a couple more, I spared a glance back to check on the others. Only to be relieved at what I saw.
Amelia had practically built a fortress of stone and magma that kept most of the creatures at bay. From within, Projectiles were unleashed in an unrelenting storm against the approaching beasts.
I don't know what I was worried about. They had it all under control. Smiling, I returned my attention to my opponents. But the little bastards were attempting to surround me while I was distracted. Deciding to try the little trick I was working on earlier, I condensed a massive amount of lighting into a ball in my hand and continued to do so until I had a hard time containing it. And then with a breath, I let go.
The force of the blast was both mesmerizing and horrific as the closest creatures to me were scorched and left writhing on the ground, and further, the rest were in fits of convulsions.
However, it didn't come without its drawbacks. The energy required to pull that off was pretty intense. I doubted I could do that repetitively.
"ok, let's keep that to a minimum." I huffed, staring at the now recovering abominations.
Without wasting a moment more, I shot toward the closest Veilstalkers, cutting them down one by one while they were still reeling from the electric current. But those further back recovered quicker than I'd thought.
Several dazed creatures surged forward in an all-out attack, trying to swarm me. I slipped past the first three, managing to land glancing cuts, but then the fourth leapt high and crashed onto my back.
Its weight drove me forward a step before its jaws clamped down on my shoulder. White-hot pain exploded through me as teeth punched deep, the creature snarling as it wrenched and shook, trying to tear the muscle clean off the bone.
"AHH!" The cry ripped out of me before I could stop it.
I twisted hard, adrenaline blurring pain into fury. My hand caught its leg, and with a violent heave, I tore it free from my back and slammed it into the ground hard. Stabbing it repetitively, over and over again, until the thing went limp beneath me.
Breathing hard, I had to admit that wasn't the cleanest way I could have killed it. Backing away from the approaching creatures, I sent out a lightning bolt that scared them off a bit, allowing me to retreat toward the barricade Amelia had raised. "Benjamin!" I barked, clutching the mangled shoulder.
Seeing my injury, he rushed forward, leaping over rocks and debris before sliding to a stop behind me. His hands glowed with that faint light as he worked, and a familiar warmth spread through my body, stitching torn flesh together and softening the sharp, burning pain into a distant throb.
Yet before he could finish, a Veilstalker burst from behind a stone, lunging straight at us. I tensed, ready to meet it, but the ground moved first. A thick root snapped up from the earth, coiling around the beast and hurling it across the clearing, where it slammed into a stone spike with a sickening crack, going limp on impact.
I froze, blinking at the sight. Wh… what was that?
Catching my expression, Benjamin gave a wry smile. "That'd be my second skill, Nature's Protection." His tone soured as he added, "Though it seems to have a mind of its own. I can't always get it to trigger when I want."
"Well, I can't say I'm surprised," I muttered, still eyeing the impaled corpse. "Considering what creature you got it from… it fits."
Benjamin finished his healing and straightened, wiping his hands off on his cloak. "Careful with getting bit like that again," he warned as he stepped back toward the fortification. "I can't keep patching you up forever."
I gave him a short nod and pushed myself to my feet. Testing my shoulder with a quick roll, I tightened my grip on the sword.
Taking it slower, I monitored their movements closely. Despite their unsteady and hesitant demeanor, I noticed a sly strategy unfolding among them. Several tried slipping out of my direct line of sight, attempting to approach from behind. One particularly audacious creature lunged at me, convinced it could catch me unaware. However, as soon as it jumped, I spun, grabbed it by its neck, and smashed its head into the ground. The sickening sound of crunching bone echoed beneath my hand.
Looking back up, I scanned the surroundings quickly, counting the remaining creatures. I estimated their numbers to be around fiftyish. Rolling my shoulders, I proceeded with calculated precision, as I systematically took them one by one. After slowly thinning them out, Henry had more opportunities to engage. He deftly maneuvered through the dwindling horde, administering his poison to each Veilstalker he encountered. Occasionally, some nimble creatures managed to land a bite or two, but Henry's injuries quickly healed thanks to Benjamin.
Then, something shifted. They hesitated. After the first one ran, it was like a wave. One after another, they scrambled to flee. After that, it became a game of catch.
Determined to cut down as many as I could, I used lightning to my advantage. Each time one came within range, I loosed a bolt, the crackling surge staggering it just long enough for me to close in and finish the job. One by one, they fell.
Chasing one of the last stragglers, I lunged forward and caught its tail, yanking hard. For a second, I thought I had it, but the creature twisted violently, slipping free of my grip.
Gritting my teeth, I sprinted after it. "Come on!" I shouted, frustration clawing at my throat. But it was too fast. The harder I pushed, the more distance it gained until it vanished into the endless tree line.
I slowed to a stop to let my pounding heart come to a rest. There was nothing I could do as their speed outmatched us all.
However, there was still one thing.
Looking down, I searched for their tracks, but my mind stalled for a moment at seeing nothing. I looked again, but it was the same result. For some reason, they didn't leave footprints.
For a moment, I just stood there, staring at the empty forest, my hand curling into a fist. Confusion turning to Frustration.
"Dammit," I muttered. There was nothing I could do. Turning back, I made my way through the forest to rejoin the others.
As I approached, I heard Emily say, "That was terrifying." She admitted her body was still shivering from the encounter.
"No kidding," Henry agreed, acknowledging the nightmarish nature of the Veilstalkers.
"Good thing you were with us, Emily," Benjamin added, the relief clear in his tone. "Without you, that mist would've been a whole different fight."
"True," Henry added.
"I wish we could have gotten the whole group," I huffed as I approached.
"Don't be too hard on yourself," Benjamin reassured, injecting a note of encouragement. "Our job was to scout the area, and I think we did more than just scout out the problem."
Benjamin's words brought a momentary sense of relief, and I nodded in agreement. "I guess you're right."
"Regardless, it's getting late, we should press on before night falls," Amelia suggested, redirecting the focus toward our next steps.
As I prepared to leave, I noticed a fresh hole in my shirt where the creature had bitten me. "Great," I muttered, inspecting the hole. "Guess that's why I packed extra." Shaking it off, I turned to the others, curious about how they'd fared.
It turned out we'd all made significant progress. Despite having difficulty dealing much damage, Benjamin and Emily had played crucial roles, and their experience gains reflected it. Both had leveled up, and Emily, in particular, was thrilled to reveal that she'd earned the title Level Defier.
I checked my own stats, seeing that I'd leveled up four times. Amelia and Henry had each gained three levels, but Benjamin and Emily had surpassed us, leveling up five times each and effectively doubling their levels. Benjamin's skills had even ranked up along the way.
Satisfied, I turned my focus to my own stats, eager to distribute them.
Atlas Mercer
Race: Human
Level:19
Stats:
Strength: 17 + 2Vitality: 16 + 2Agility: 26 + 3Endurance: 17 + 2Intelligence: 15 + 2Dexterity: 12 + 1
Skills:
Lightning Enhancement: Rank 2
Lightning Control: Rank 2
Lightning Resistance: Rank 1
Identify: Rank 1
Unique Skills:
Multilingual: Rank 1
Void Creation: Rank 2
Astraheim's Inheritance:
??????????????????
Titles:
Primordial Inheritance
Apocalypse Slayer: Rank 1
Level Defier: Rank 1
Level Defier: Rank 2
Just as I finished reading through my stat screen, Henry's excited voice echoed throughout the clearing.
"I just leveled up again!"
"What do you mean?" I asked, puzzled.
He grinned wider. "I think my poison is still working. Must've taken out a few more of those creatures."
"Wow, that's pretty useful," Ella commented.
"Definitely," Amelia agreed, though her focus was on dissecting a Veilstalker to confirm the quest completion. "But we should get moving. I don't think there's anything left worth scavenging from these things."
On our trek back to StormWatch, I couldn't help but reflect on how much everyone had improved from our encounter with the Veilstalkers. Benjamin, in particular, had made significant progress, so I asked him to share his updated stats.
With a modest smile, he recited:
Strength: 11Vitality: 13Agility: 15Endurance: 20 + 1Intelligence: 31 + 1Dexterity: 12
It was impressive how many stat points he had built up, and I couldn't help but imagine what that kind of power might do for my arm. Still, I held off.
At this point, it had shrunk to just below the wrist. And with one last real healing session, it might just be over…
By the time we slipped into the city and made our way to the library, night had fully settled in, leaving the streets empty save for the occasional wanderer or drunken straggler. Before long, the library rose before us, with its dark stone walls and glass-paned windows glowing with a warm, gentle light against the late hour.
Inside, the silence only deepened. Lamplight flickered across endless shelves, shadows stretching between them. And there she was half-hidden behind a mountain of books, utterly absorbed, as if the world outside simply didn't exist.
A quiet laugh slipped out before I could stop it from the sheer amazement at just how many books she'd managed to gather. I glanced at Amelia, who stared with wide eyes, clearly thinking the same thing.
"Ellaa," I called softly, a smile tugging at my lips.
Ella blinked up, startled. "Oh! You're back already?"
Amelia let out a breath of amused disbelief. "We knew you'd be here, but… I didn't expect this."
Henry chuckled. "You're practically building a fortress out of books."
Ella flushed, her grin widening. "What? I enjoy reading."
"Clearly," Amelia said, her tone warm. "But it is getting late. We should head back soon."
"Late?" Ella echoed, glancing toward the window. The soft glow of the city lights shimmered through the glass, casting long shadows across the shelves. Her eyes widened as reality caught up to her. "Oh. Wow. I guess I got a little lost in the pages."
She looked down at the leaning towers of books surrounding her, fingertips brushing over the spines. "I didn't even realize how much time had passed," she murmured with a sheepish smile.
Ella let out a dramatic sigh but nodded. Clearly, she wasn't ready to abandon her literary kingdom, but she obeyed. With another quiet groan, she began gathering the books she'd scattered across the table, along with Benjamin.
Then she paused and looked to the rest of us just standing around, raising an eyebrow. "Really? It's going to take all night with just the two of us."
Amelia blinked. "Right! Yes. Helping. Of course." She swooped in to grab a stack.
Henry snorted and jumped in as well. "Can't have you and Benjamin rebuilding the whole library yourselves."
Ella rolled her eyes, but the small smile she tried to hide gave her away. "Thank you," she muttered, pretending to be annoyed but clearly pleased.
We fell into motion, shelving book after book, the quiet rustle of pages mixing with the soft shuffle of our footsteps. Once the last stack disappeared into its place, we shared a final look around the library, with its grand halls now fully intact.
"Alright," Ella sighed, stretching her arms above her head. "Let's head back."
After making our way back, we split into our respective rooms, but before I could let myself rest, I approached Benjamin. "Hey, could we do another healing session?"
Benjamin nodded. "Of course," he agreed, stepping into my room with me. "This shouldn't take long."
I sat down on the edge of the bed, rolling up my sleeve. Benjamin raised his hand over my injured arm, and I closed my eyes, bracing for the familiar warmth of his healing power. But this time, it was different. I could feel the energy moving through me, spreading like fire along my skin. When I opened my eyes, I saw my arm visibly regenerating before me.
My wrist formed first, the bones knitting together as new flesh blossomed beneath my skin. Then, my palm, and finally, my fingers, until my whole hand was whole again. The process was quicker than I expected, and I flexed my hand, watching in awe as the movement came back to me.
"Wow…" I whispered, my voice thick with disbelief. "Benjamin, I could kiss you!"
Benjamin smirked, clearly not moved by my dramatic appreciation. "I'll pass on that one."
Henry, watching from his bed, raised an eyebrow. "Wow…That was fast. Imagine what you could do with a rank 3 or 4 healing power. Think you could bring back the dead?"
I grinned, exhilarated by the thought. "Hell yeah! I can already imagine it."
We both laughed, caught up in the absurdity of the idea, when a muffled voice from the next room interrupted us.
"Keep it down!"
I chuckled softly. "Guess we're a little too loud," I muttered, giving Benjamin an apologetic smile. We lowered our voices and settled into a more comfortable silence.
After a moment, I moved to the bed, pulling the covers back and stretching out. But sleep didn't come immediately. I lay there, flexing my hand again and again, marveling at the smoothness of its movement. I couldent help but admit, this world had its share of horrors and challenges, yet with these powers all else seemed secondary as if I had been given a gift, offering countless possibilities beyond anything I'd ever known.
I thought of the journey ahead, the uncertain road, and the endless questions swirling in my mind. But a heavier question lingered too, one that I couldn't shake: If we ever found a way back… would I even want to go?
The thought was weighty, something that deserved more time than I could give it. But for now, I decided to let it go. I was here in this moment. And that was enough.
In the morning, we made our way to the Guild to report on the mission. Once we submitted the details, we were rewarded with a payment of 12 silver, which is a decent amount, though not extravagant. Still, it felt satisfying to have completed our first official job.
The Guild hall was alive with activity, buzzing with the energy of adventurers recounting their exploits, laughter echoing from every corner. The scent of freshly cooked food drifted through the air, mingling with the sounds of clinking mugs and animated chatter. The atmosphere was both warm and electric, a hub of camaraderie where every member shared stories of trials and triumphs.
We decided to have breakfast there, settling around a sturdy wooden table with plates of steaming food. As we ate, I leaned over to Ella, curious about what she read. "So, what were you reading about yesterday?"
Ella's face lit up, and she launched into her explanation, eyes gleaming with enthusiasm. "This world we're in, it's huge! We're currently in a kingdom called the Realm of Eldoria, one of the major territories up north. To the west, you've got the Land of Ironhelm, a rugged place full of warring city-states. South of here is the Kingdom of Valeria, more politically stable, but kind of... uptight."
She pointed her fork eastward, as if sketching out a map in her mind. "And to the east is the Dominion of Dragon's Reach, which is where we are now. It's massive. Kind of like an adventurer's paradise, but also a death trap. Tons of monster nests, ancient ruins, and the strange Protectors guarding certain areas."
She took a bite, "Oh, and way up past the northern ranges? There's this colossal ice wall. No one really knows how far it stretches, just that it goes on and on. Few have dared to cross it, and even fewer returned."
"Protectors?" I echoed, intrigued.
"Yeah, they're ancient constructs from a super-advanced civilization that existed long before any of the current kingdoms," Ella explained. "They're ranked from 1 to 11, with power levels ranging from 1 to 500. And," she added, her eyes gleaming, "But there are rumors about unique-class protectors, ones with abilities that are completely outside the scale."
"That's... intense," Henry muttered, brow furrowed. "Are these protectors still around? You'd think they'd have broken down by now."
Ella shook her head. "You'd think so, but they were designed with self-sustaining systems. There's even one near the capital, an enormous class 10 protector. However, it's dormant at the moment. But apparently, the nobles claim they have the means to control it."
She went on and on about all sorts of things, from gaps in the history spanning thousands of years after the great collapse of the ancient civilization, to more modern things like the churches that formed to worship the cores and the so-called greater will that resided over them.
The sheer scale of this world's history was mind-blowing; it honestly sounded pretty easy to get lost in all the questions. Amelia leaned in, interrupting my thoughts with a pressing question. "Ella, I know it's a weird question since you were in the library all day, but did you hear anything about a strange group like the Colony, or something about Earth?"
Ella's face fell slightly as she shook her head. "No, I didn't find anything about them, unfortunately. But I'll keep looking."
Sensing the disappointment in the air, Ella quickly changed the subject. "So, tell me about the mission! How'd it go?"
Emily leaned forward, her expression thoughtful. "It was more of a scouting mission than anything else. We went out to explore a specific area and report back with whatever we found."
"So, gathering information?" Ella prompted.
Emily nodded. "Exactly. But what we encountered out there… it was beyond anything I expected."
Ella's curiosity was fully piqued now as Emily Wove a tale that even attracted some onlookers as she told of the grotesque creatures we faced and how we eventually managed to vanquish them.