<
LOCATION: A DUSTY CROSSROADS
AREA: ???
DATE: ??? | TIME: ???
After a long and enlightening night with General Cho Joon, Vanessa agreed to work the fields with him until he could arrange her exfiltration.
Just as she was about to begin early that morning, she was pulled out of the vision.
She felt the uneasy effect of rushing through time and space, and when the sensation stopped, she was standing at a dusty crossroads.
The sky was dark, as wherever this was, dusk had set over the land. The natural colors of the daytime gave way to muted grays and blues. And shadows became harder to distinguish from ground.
The perfect time for a rogue to go hunting.
A simple signpost showed two options for her to choose.
To the left, the sign read: WESTWIND VILLAGE
To the right: EASTROCK HAMLET
---
System Message
Name: Vanessa Cho-Sirova
Race: Human – Augmented
Class: Spectral Huntress
Level: 50
Profession: Gadgeteer – Weapons Development
Level: 46
The first trial showed you how your life might go if you had taken a crucial decision in a different direction. This test was for calibration, but should have been educational for you.
The second trial tested your decisions in a number of morally gray scenarios. Your performance in this test was exemplary. Your internal compass, while flexible when it needs to be, remains firm amidst changing circumstances.
The third trial evaluated your ability to operate in stealth and achieve a mission goal with a zero body count.
Welcome to The Crossroads.
The fourth and final trial will present you with a choice.
You will explore both options before making your final decision.
Good luck, Spectral Huntress.
---
Vanessa shrugged, and without overthinking it, she followed the left path toward Westwind Village.
As she began walking, she crested a hill, and a small village appeared in the distance. It was sparsely lit, but some of the homes and buildings had torches burning on stands.
Another notification appeared.
---
System Message
Your stats make you stronger, faster, wiser. How well could you fight and achieve your objectives if they were doubled?
---
Vanessa felt a blast of power rush over her.
She actually stumbled and fell to one knee, it was so overwhelming.
She checked her status.
---
Character Status
Name: Vanessa Cho-Sirova
Race: Human – Augmented
Class: Spectral Huntress
Level: 50
Profession: Gadgeteer – Weapons Development
Level: 46
Health: 2,265 / 2,265 [Boosted to 4,530]
Stamina: 1,510 / 1,510 [Boosted to 3,020]
Mana: 1,056 / 1,056 [Boosted to 1,112]
Core Attributes (Stats):
Strength: 94 [Boosted to 188]
Dexterity: 209 [Boosted to 418]
Endurance: 151 [Boosted to 302]
Vitality: 151 [Boosted to 302]
Intelligence: 94 [Boosted to 188]
Wisdom: 88 [Boosted to 176]
Charisma: 88 [Boosted to 176]
Perception: 216 [Boosted to 432]
---
"432 Perception? Whoa…"
Vanessa looked at her hands. She could see the individual hair follicles dancing in the light breeze.
She looked down the road toward Westwind Village. Now she could make out individual stones on each building. She could even see the color of the mortar from here.
She noticed that the mortar on the third building had an extra dab on the second stone from the top, where the mason had done a poor job of wiping it away.
She began running toward the village, unsure of what her objective might be there. The speed at which she could run with 418 Dexterity shocked her, and running full out for a half mile only took 10 Stamina points away, which were instantly topped off as soon as she slowed.
Vanessa hid behind a tree, assessing the situation.
She quickly heard an argument going on at the center of the village, and stuck to the shadows as she moved quickly toward the noise.
A huge man was swaying back and forth, clearly deep in his cups. He held a battle axe in his right hand, and was swinging at anyone who tried to get close to him.
In his left, he had a young woman in a chokehold. Every time he swung his axe, his grip around her neck would tighten, causing her to whimper and cry.
Vanessa could see the captive's face beginning to turn a shade of light blue, indicating a lack of oxygen.
"No!" the giant shouted, stumbling backward and yanking the woman with him. "She's mine and nobody can have her! Now bugger off and leave us be!"
Another brave soul tried to sneak up behind the seven-foot tall menace. He grabbed the handle of the axe up near the blade.
The giant spun around faster than a drunk man should be capable of, and slammed the butt of the axe into the man's face.
Vanessa heard the crush of all the bones in the man's nose, and knew he would never breathe easily again. If he survived.
It was time to take action.
Vanessa drew her bow Nightweaver, nocked a spectral arrow, and let it loose on the giant's hand holding the axe.
He yelled out, dropping the axe and the girl, and looked at his hand.
A hole had opened up, but there was no trace of how or why.
He looked around, spinning to see who had attacked him.
Blood dripped down his hand into a small pool on the ground.
"Who dares to attack the great—"
Thhwip!
Another hole opened up in his thigh and he fell to one knee.
One man from the gathered crowd snatched the axe away, and two ran forward, lifting the girl away from the angry man.
Vanessa was about to release one more arrow, when he fell to the ground, asleep.
It took three men to drag him toward the holding cells, where he'd sleep it off.
He would survive.
Vanessa faded back into the shadows and ran back out of the village.
Nobody even knew she was there. Her spectral arrows were invisible to all but her.
Nyssara kept up with her as she ran.
"These stats feel incredible," Nyssara said.
"Hell yes, they do."
---
System Message
You have completed this half of the Fourth Trial.
You will be returned to The Crossroads.
---
Vanessa felt the disorientation for a moment, and she was standing atop the small hill looking at the two signs again.
The feeling of her stats going back to previous levels was deflating, and she rested for a few minutes as she got used to her normal level of power again.
After resting, Vanessa turned in the other direction and began walking toward Eastrock Hamlet.
After ten minutes of walking, she entered a forest and another notification appeared.
---
System Message
Your path is one of fighting from the shadows.
Sometimes cover isn't available. Sometimes walls are insurmountable.
If you can't get inside, how can you accomplish your mission? If you can't escape once you did, how can you live to fight another day?
In exchange for half your stat points, you have been granted a new form.
Shadewalker:
Take on an incorporeal form that allows you to travel through the Aether Plane undetected by others, and undeterred by physical obstacles.
Beware. Spending time in the Aether Plane has various effects.
Test out your new form.
Is it worth giving up half of your stats?
---
"Shadewalker? Holy shit…"