Chapter Ten: Power Set

Chapter Ten

Outside of the cave the world was still changing. Shifting colors speared across the night sky, violet, emerald, blue, red, and a thousand in between. Virgin snow reflected the light to cast eerie shades upon the trees. A howl rose up and crossed the thin forest, making the hairs on the back of Dane’s next to rise. His knuckles creaked as he tightened his grip on the knife.

Already the stealth proficiency was working hard. He could see where it’d be better to step, where the shadows pooled perfectly to hide him, how the wind blew and would carry his scent. It was easy to slide across the snow, how to balance his steps so that the snow didn’t crunch under his weight.

For an hour he worked his way across the forest, leaning into his new skill. While the [ Warlock ] class wasn’t something he knew how to level, skills were. They had taken extensive classes on how to power level skills, especially proficiency skills. It was fairly simple, he just had to lean into what the skill was telling him. Most of his training as a Shadow had involved being able to move silently, how to track and follow opponents. Whether that was across a city or a wooded area, he had built up a considerable amount of skill. But skill wasn’t System skills.

It’s just telling me things I already know how to do. Master Ke’Von’s stealth skill could let him completely disappear from normal gaze though. And that was only a C-grade skill.

Stealth Proficiency Upgraded F-2

The aurora was fading as the influx of mana finally began to slow down. Wherever his captor’s camp was, they’d be collecting their dead. And putting down those who had been changed by the mana warp. Powerful psionic based natives were going to be a nightmare for the future, if they had survived in any type of large numbers. Elder’s eyes came back to him, the ancient creature’s soulless gaze haunted Dane.

HRMMMMM

A deep growl rolled across the forest and Dane perked up and looked to where the sound had come from. The sun had begun to rise and aurora was still bright enough that the forest hid little. Off to his right a shape was running toward him, throwing snow up into the air in its haste to reach him.

It was the same creature he had first seen when he had arrived on the planet. It had just grown by over fifty percent. Instead of being a waist high monster when running, it was now nearly to his shoulder. It still raced forward with its overly long arms scraping across the ground as it snarled and gnashed its teeth as it closed the distance.

Dane didn’t think he was going to be able to kick this creature to death. Muscle had grown like cancer over it, thick slabs of living armor that would cushion and slow any blow that Dane could lay down. The System’s arrival hadn’t given him a boost in strength, just the class and his abilities.

He thought of his offensive ability, [ Hellfire ], and the knowledge to use it came rushing into his mind. It was as simple and easy as flipping a switch. Heat boiled off of him as he raised his hand, the one without the dagger, and he leveled his hand at it, palm down. Snow began to melt, turning first to slush, then to water and soaking into the rapidly thawing ground.

Flame gathered between his spread fingers, violet-black light that swirled around his fingers. His arm felt molten, like steel overheated, and Dane triggered the spell. A two foot long bolt lashed out from his fingers and headed toward the charging beast. It flashed across the distance in a blink of an eye.

The monster exploded.

Bits of cooked meat landed all around him, chunks of it slapped the ground. Red steam rose up and over the area where the creature had been. Dane’s eyes widened in shock just as exhaustion hit him like a truck. His legs wavered and he staggered a few feet toward where the creature had been.

Ding! Experience Earned. Mana Warped Monster Slain!

Lvl. 2 Carrion Eater

He froze as he stared at the words floating in his vision. His entire life he had been waiting for the words to show up. Almost his entire life he had been cut off from the rest of society. Forced to live in the shadows to become an Imperial Shadow. There was no recognition of his existence besides that of Master Ke’Von. He was connected now in a way that no one could deny him, he was part of the System now. Even if it was a bit strange.

His weakness lasted a moment and then his discipline reasserted itself. His legs firmed and he hurried over to where the blasted apart carrion eater was. Half the creature was simply gone. Its rear legs and haunches were still there and guts piled out of the creatures in steaming piles while the violet-black flames continued to run along the ruins of the beast.

He sank to his knees and pushed the blade toward the beast’s shattered torso. Runes lit up along the edge of the blade, remnants of the hellfire rose off the ruins and flowed into the dagger. What little remained of the corpse shriveled away, skin shrinking as the blood dissolved away. The dagger glowed brighter and brighter until it hurt his eyes.

Class Quest Unlocked

Sacrifice 100 F-Grade Cores to Unlock Next Class Ability

1/100

Dane got up to his feet and looked about the entire area to see if there were any more threats. The carrion eater hadn’t been strong but the weakness in his body was a warning about summoning more hellfire. His arm still burned from channeling the flames had traveled, the skin along his arm bright red. Every passing moment the heat faded away and his skin returned back to its normal color. At the current rate he would be back to normal in a few minutes.

No mana stat, but there is a cooldown to the ability. Maybe that’s why there’s a strength and vitality stat point upgrade instead of something more related to casters.

He wanted to try out his second ability, calling forth the damned spirit, but he looked at the broken apart corpse and wondered if it would be enough to allow the spirit to occupy it.

“Won’t know till I try,” Dane said out loud as he focused on the second ability. The knowledge filled his mind and he leaned down and started to drag the dagger across the ground. He walked in a circle around the dead monster until it was completed. The glowing dagger flashed once and the interior of the circle glowed red. The corpse of the carrion eater dissolved and the smell of sulfur filled the air.

A red phantasm reached up, hands clawing away at the surface as it drug itself up further and further. Dane bit back a curse as he stepped back watching ast the four armed creature made its way into the material world. When it was halfway clear of the ground, Dane felt his connection to it. A System alert confirmed his feeling.

Summoned Spirit lvl. 1

This spirit can earn levels if cores are sacrificed to it rather than your patron

“Yo, you my summoner? Or am I supposed to kick your ass?” a deep baritone voice rumbled across the distance to him. Dane looked at the creature, its four red arms flexing in the cold air. Dane had to admit the creature was physically impressive, muscles bulging from every limb as its three golden eyes swung to look at him. Black hair floated behind it as if it was under water.

“I’m your summoner. Dane.”

“That’s a stupid name. I’m Xerithy’Xeron’Tolic,” the flexing creature said. Dane blinked at it twice.

“I can’t pronounce that,” Dane admitted. There had been a few growls mixed in there that he knew his vocal cords couldn’t match.

“Of course you can’t! My name is as grand as I am! Beyond the capacity of mere mortals to comprehend!”

“If I banish you and summon a new spirit, you won’t come back, will you?” Dane asked.

“Sorry, bud. You’re stuck with me,” all the pretension dropped away and the spirit relaxed its flexed out stance.

“Unfortunate,” Dane muttered under his breath.

“Relax, bro. You can call me Tolic. Listen, I got your sacrifice, but I’m not stuffing myself into that blown up and burned up corpse. It’s beneath me,” Tolic said.

“You can take corpses though?”

“Of course. I’d prefer something fresh and alive. Not charred. Something befitting my station,” Tolic clarified at the end.

“If I tell you to take up that charred, blown up, carrion eater?” Dane asked, voice quiet as anger ran through him.

“I’d do it. But I won’t put in my best work,” Tolic said without hesitation. There was no fear at all in the spirit's voice about being banished back to Hell.

“Let’s go find you a body worthy of you then,” Dane spat, suddenly having the urge to blow something else up.