I ran toward the scream, heart pounding. In front of me, a woman with her back turned was facing two hideous goblins armed with rusty axes. She stumbled and fell to the ground. I recognized her immediately: Laura Wattson, the last name on the list. The goblins didn't seem intent on killing her… They tore at her clothes, and she screamed in terror.
"Aaaah! Please, stop!"
Rage flooded through me. I charged, fist first, and smashed the first goblin's face with a sharp blow. It staggered back, growling, greenish blood dripping from its maw.
Laura looked up at me, trembling.
"Owen? *Sniff* Thank you…"
"Get up! Grab a stick and help me!"
She nodded, grabbed a sturdy branch, and rushed at the second goblin. At the same time, a message flashed in my mind through the communication: Mike was writing to me, "I'm here too."
[System message to all: One of you has discovered the Communication feature through the System. This person will soon be rewarded.]
I was the first? An achievement notification appeared, but the goblins were still charging. I shifted into a boxing stance, stepped forward, and drove a straight punch into the goblin. It stumbled, swung its axe, but I dodged, swept its legs, and pummelled it with blows. Out of breath, I backed off to catch some air when—
"OWEN! Help me, quick!"
Laura was on the ground, the goblin on top of her, ready to pounce.
[Reward: A piece of advice, Owen. This world is not built solely on physical abilities. Try something else.]
I didn't have time to read. Seeing that creature on Laura made me see red. An intense heat surged inside me, as if my body were reacting on instinct.
POV Laura
He's going to… No, not that. Owen, I'm sorry…
I opened my eyes. Owen stood in front of the goblin, the right half of its face charred. My savior's fist was wreathed in flames, his eyes bloodshot, his face twisted in inhuman fury.
Back to Owen's POV
The remaining goblin growled and raised its axe. I lifted my arms—they were on fire!—and took aim. The creature screamed in panic, tried to flee, but I struck it head-on. It flew backward, hit the ground in flames, writhing in agony. No mercy even crossed my mind. I kept hitting until it stopped moving, its body reduced to a smoldering heap.
The other goblin charged to avenge its companion. My fist punched straight through it, and it ignited from the inside, burning to ash in a matter of seconds.
"Owen… please, stop."
Laura's trembling voice snapped me out of my trance. She was crying, shaken by the slaughter.
I straightened up, the flames dying out, my fists covered in blood and soot. System messages scrolled past, pulling me back to reality.
[The first new arrival mage has appeared. The reward will be given once all groups have completed the tutorial.]
[The SOUTH group is the first to complete the tutorial. The reward will be granted shortly.]
"Laura, where are you?"
I had no clear memory of what had just happened. I turned and saw her curled up, in tears. I approached slowly.
"What happened? Where are the goblins?"
Between sobs, she explained: my flaming arms, the charred goblins, my uncontrollable rage.
Magic? In this world…
[System message for the SOUTH group: Reward calculation complete. Owen receives 30 shop points and 5 stat points. Laura receives 10 shop points and 2 stat points.]
"System?"
[Status]
[Communication]
"Status."
[Class: Mage]
[Level 1]
Health: 37 Mana: 10
Defense (physical/magical): 13 Physical Attack: 17
Speed: 16 Magic Attack: 21
Intelligence: 19 Luck: 5
Stat points: 5
Shop points: 30
Affinities (current): Fire
Affinities (possible): Water, Earth, Stone…
(1 point = +10 Health and +10 Mana; or +1 to all stats.)
I added 2 points to Mana, 2 to Luck, and 1 to Speed. A surge of power rushed through me, but along with it came a lingering unease. This magic… did it have a price?