Emerilia Box Set, page 8
part #1 of Emerilia Series
The wolf collapsed with the creature in its mouth.
Dave moved up to the snake, a new arrow on his string. He put another arrow into it but it didn’t move.
The large wolf made a keening noise in the direction that the small pup had gone in.
Dave moved to go find the creature.
The small wolf was broken; its neck had hit a tree, killing it.
The adult wolf stopped keening.
Dave carried the wolfling back, finding that its mother had died as well. He put the pup down with its mother and pulled out his shovel. A tombstone icon floated above the creatures; it looked like loot. Dave pressed the icons.
Swamp Snake Remains
2x Snake scales
3x snake meat
2x Venom pouches
1 Silver
Take/Take all
Dave highlighted it all and accepted. As soon as he did the snake seemed to burn up from the inside, turning into dust and disappearing.
Dave moved to the Wolves, again taking all of the loot.
Their bodies fell apart like the Snake’s.
He got a Silver from the mother, and some fur, he only got five coppers from the young wolf. Their meat was tainted with venom, making it useless.
He wandered back to his camp and went to his kiln, pulling out his new bricks and putting in clay blocks. He stoked the fire up and sealed it again.
His base floor was coming nicely. His gravel was down, his clay layer was complete, and his bricks were finishing it all off. He put the bricks down, using clay as mortar.
Dave grabbed his axe. He was running low on trees and he was restless after the fight. He moved to a group of trees. He placed his hand on the ground, feeling the area around him. He could sense items in a larger area as time went on. Out of the eight trees around him, three were good and strong; he could already imagine where they would go in his house. The others were dying but good for firewood.
He rolled his shoulders, checked his axe head, and set his feet.
Thump. The blade sank into the tree; with a tilt and twist, it came free. He made a down cut and started to get in the rhythm of things. The world seemed to fall away as he cut one side of the tree, went to the opposite side and cut the other.
“Timber!” Dave grinned as the tree cracked and groaned, coming down in a crash. He moved to the other four. He had plenty of work to do.
Tomorrow, he’d go hunting for some food: the rations were getting dull, and he might need them later. He opened up his Internet browser and watched tutorial videos on archery. He wasn’t impressed with his performance with it.
Chapter 7: Foundation
The sun rose and Deia stretched in her hammock. She’d placed it high in the treeline, hidden from below.
Who the hell is making all that noise?
She got out of her hammock, dropping to another tree limb, swinging to another branch, perching on it and looking at the origin of the noise.
Something looked new about the scene in front of her.
“He’s been cutting down trees. Does he ever sleep?” She heard a cracking noise as a tree disappeared from view.
She looked over the little area that the halfling had created.
There was a quarter of the pad left without brick and clay. Another layer of clay had been added. Several trees lay near their fallen brethren. The man pulled out a rope and disappeared.
Deia ate some dried fruit and other items she’d scavenged on her trip. She sat on the tree limb and leaned against the tree itself.
My, my. A mischievous smile appeared on her face as the man grunted out into the early morning sunlight. He was dragging a tree into the clearing he’d made around his foundations.
She watched him drop off the tree; he pulled the rope off the tree and headed back into the forest. He repeated the process; more trees came out. He was covered in grime and sweat.
He took off his shirt. Dark-brown hair—the color of his small beard and hair. He had a strong build. She must have been imagining things as he seemed to be taller and more muscled than she had seen in previous days.
Once the trees were in the clearing, he pulled out his axe, taking off branches and then bark.
Deia drank from her herbal tea. It was cold but it was still refreshing.
Around mid-morning, the man stopped, sitting on a stump near his kiln and eating his own breakfast as sweat glistened off his body.
Interesting creature.
***
“We’ve got the trees we need and everything else is looking pretty good. A few more loads of bricks in the kiln and we’re well on our way.” Dave looked over what would become his house.
It had been too long since he’d made something. Sure, it wasn’t rocket science, but it felt good to make something with his own hands.
Even if they’re torn to all hell. I really need a healing potion.
He looked over his hands. They had white scars from burning them; using his various tools had left blisters. Thankfully, callouses were starting to form and he couldn’t feel all of the pain.
He glanced to the blinking notification icon. He’d left it alone as he’d worked.
Active Skill: Surveyor
Level: Novice level 6
Effect: 15% chance to see resources within your range sight.
Range: 680 m
Cost: 5 Stamina/second.
Reward: 500 XP
Active Skill: Stealth
Level: Novice level 3
Effect: 9% chance to remain undetected (reduced in direct light).
Cost: 5 Stamina/second
New Active Skill: Sneak Attack
You’re not just another creeper in the shadows. When you strike from the darkness, you aim to kill (Bye-bye, mister snake).
Level: Novice level 3
Effect: When you are undetected in Stealth, attacks will hit with 212% increased damage (Massive increase when hitting Critical area). May your aim be true.
Cost: (Attack 50 Stamina)
New Active Skill: Archery
So, you can hit the broadside of a barn, bravo!
Level: Novice level 2
Effect: Critical Hit chance increases by 2%.
Cost: 10 Stamina
Active Skill: Builder
Level: Novice level 6
Effect: 19% speed
Required: Tools and Materials
Reward: 500 XP
Active Skill: Maintainer
Level: Novice level 3
Effect: 9% chance to restore durability; at higher levels, possible to increase durability, quality and gain Sharpen bonus to items that have been cared for.
Active Skill: Lumberjack
Level: Novice level 8
Effect: 19% increased speed and damage to cut down trees
Cost: 10 Stamina/second.
Stat Increase
+1 Strength
+1 Intelligence
+1 Agility
+2 Willpower
+1 Endurance
“Looks like your stats increase the more than you use them.” Dave looked at the Endurance modifier, as if the game was mocking him for burning his hands.
The more I go up in points, the slower it is to earn them.
He’d been casting Touch every time he had the Mana for it, but his Intelligence had only gone up a point, while his Willpower had gone up 3.
Level 5
You have reached level 5; you have 10 stat points to use.
The want to put points into his various categories was tempting. He really wanted to try that smithy out. Though, he didn’t have any other magical spells and if he was right, power leveling himself up with points would make it increasingly harder for him to gain levels through work. He already had a respectable character—bit weak on the whole Health thing, but otherwise progressing well.
Character Sheet
Name:
David Grahslagg
Gender:
Male
Level:
3
Class:
-
Race:
Human/Dwarf
Alignment:
-
Unspent points: 10
Health:
1100
Regen:
0.20 /s
Mana:
200
Regen:
0.90 /s
Stamina:
170
Regen:
1.05 /s
Vitality:
11
Endurance:
10
Intelligence:
20
Willpower:
18
Strength:
17
Agility:
21
He tapped his chin in thought. His previous thought to train up his stats instead of just investing the points he got every level won out.
He waved the screen away; it was too tempting to just take the easy route and put the stats directly into his attributes.
His stomach growled. “Well, I can leave that to later, but I need something to eat in the meantime!” He licked his lips, thinking of having something better than his rations. They weren’t bad, but he knew in a few days they’d get old, really fast.
A check on his map showed eels in the river, a few varieties of fish, and then there was a bear wandering around somewhere. A group of elk, Bosal and Fire Foxes. Fire Foxes were feisty but their pelts were a brilliant red and black and their eyes crystalized upon death. Both good items to trade, but apparently, their meat was divine.
Bosal were a badger-like creature which liked to burrow down deep and only exited in the daytime to eat. They had some control over light; their pelts blinded any enemies that they saw. They sometimes had soul gems and their pelts were rare.
Dave put markers on all the locations, numbers appearing on their arrowheads. He checked his bow and quiver. “Time to go huntin’!” Dave said in his best Southern accent.
He pulled on his shirt and headed into the forest further down the hill. Dave went into Stealth, his eyes open to the world as he looked for his meal. He looked around; he was just a bit from where he’d seen the Fire Foxes’ warren. He wished he could know where the darned things were. He would have cast Touch but he couldn’t put his hand down.
Wait a minute there—Touch. It didn’t say nothing about what had to be touching the ground.
Like he had done so many times before, he pushed his consciousness out around him and through the ground. It was a bit odd not using his hand, harder to concentrate, but then he felt a familiar ripple expand around him.
Two targets appeared just a few meters away. Two foxes, eating their prey.
Dave moved slowly to get a clear view. They were on opposite sides, eating what had been a rabbit.
Level 13 Fire Fox
Level 7 Fire Fox
They weren’t paying any attention to their surroundings.
Dave remembered the videos he had watched that night. He rose, breathing in and drawing the arrow back in one smooth motion. He took a second to aim; he released, the arrow taking the level 13 fox in the neck.
The second fox turned as Dave tried to grab another arrow. He found the real reason a Fire Fox was so hard to kill.
The little bastard spat flames.
Dave fell backward, holding his hands out to protect himself.
The Fire Fox was a breathing flamethrower. It burned through the bush that Dave was hiding behind, but it wasn’t making it past Dave’s hands. It seemed to roll away, as if hitting a shield.
Dave felt his energy stores draining. He looked at his stats. His Health wasn’t falling; it was his Mana. He glanced to his notifications.
New Spell: Magical Shield
You can stop spells with enough Mana, levels, and the right kind of Affinities. Now kill the damn Fire Fox before it gets you!
Level: Novice level 1
Effect: Ability to create magical shield.
Range: 1m from body or limb.
Cost: 10 Mana/s
Affinity: Air, Light
He felt the spell that was hitting him. It felt as if he knew it—it was like the heat that had burned his hands, but directed, thrown in a singular direction.
Dave’s grey eyes seemed to shine as a new notification appeared.
Dave rolled behind a rock. It took the blast of the Fire Fox as Dave imagined pouring power out of his hands like he had with Touch of the Land, but with the heat he’d felt as he burned his hand.
His Mana was down to 30%. He’d only get one chance. He rolled back out, focusing on the Fire Fox and let loose. Fire came out in a torrent. His stream and the Fox’s halted each other.
Ha-ha! Crossing streams! Try not to die, try not to die. Fuuuuck Fire Foxes! This reminds me of—No, it couldn’t be that simple.
“Come on. Goku did it—this shit has to work!” He pushed his hands together, focusing the flames with his fingers. They turned from two wild streams into a focused torrent.
It seemed to enrage the Fire Fox more than anything. Its health dropping slowly as it charged Dave.
Dave stopped spewing fire as the fox tackled him to the ground. He grabbed its head, keeping its mouth from chewing on him.
The fox’s claws scratched at him, opening up cuts in his stomach and chest.
“You little bastard!” Dave wrenched his hands in opposite directions.
There was an audible snap, like a dry branch, and the Fire Fox stopped moving.
Dave threw it off, panting as he looked at his Health. “Okay, Fire Fox—actually means fire spewing fucking bastards. Got it.” Dave rubbed his forehead. He was feeling pretty drained; his Mana was in the single digits. He was down to twenty percent Health.
He pulled out some food and started to eat; slowly his Health stabilized and started to grow. His Mana was coming back nice and fast, as was his Stamina.
One target at a time and don’t mess with the mobile flamethrowers.
He got to fifty percent Health. He grabbed the Fire Foxes and threw them in his bag. Items that were in his bag seemed to stay in whatever state they were in when he put them there until he retrieved them.
“Who needs a freezer when you’ve got a big ole bag of holding things?”
He went off in the direction of his nearest marker for elk, checking his notifications.
New Spell: Fire Blast
Look at you—a proper mobile flamethrower! You can shoot fire out of your hand. Higher levels might do some damage to enemies bigger than a damn rodent.
Damage: 5 pts/s
Level: Novice level 1
Effect: Ability to project fire.
Range: 15m (Increases with Level and Affinity).
Cost: 15 Mana/s. Higher levels and Affinity can give larger boost. Different levels or Affinities mean greater resistance or weaknesses to different magics)
Affinity: level 10 Fire
Active Skill: Stealth
Level: Novice level 4
Effect: 11% chance to remain undetected (reduced in direct light).
Active Skill: Sneak Attack
Level: Novice level 4
Effect: When you are undetected in Stealth, attacks will hit with 216% increased damage (Massive increase when hitting Critical area).
Cost: (Attack 50 Stamina)
Active Skill: Archery
Level: Novice level 3
Effect: Critical Hit chance increases by 3%.
Cost: 10 Stamina
He dismissed them and looked at his Affinity levels.
Affinity levels
Dark
14
Light
12
Air
12
Water
11
Earth
15
Fire
12
When I have a few minutes, I’m going to check out these Affinity level things.
He dismissed the notifications and looked around, an arrow on his string. The Fire Foxes would fetch a good price but he wanted to try cooking up some other items before he got to the fox meat. If it was half as good as it was supposed to be, he didn’t want to ruin it with bad cooking skills.
His sixth sense tickled the back of his mind as he turned his head, looking for whatever was disturbing him.
I could swear that someone was watching me. Probably just imagining things. There’s no way I could sense that in a game.
Dave felt a presence with his Touch. A smile spread across his face. “Looks like I’ll find out what elk tastes like.”
Dave opened his notifications, which were blinking at him.
New Passive Skill: Tracker
Well, look at you, master elk hunter. It’s not as if they’re as big as a damn ogre and impossible to miss or anything.
Level: Novice level 1
Effect: 5% chance to detect another creature’s path.
Dave waved them away, focusing on his Touch and feeling out toward the elk. He had a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree view of the entire watering hole. Dave found a spot, disappearing into the bushes, and came out under the shade of a tree. He looked around the tree, watching the elk munching away at its lily dinner.
Level 15 Elk
Dave braced himself against a tree. Still in Stealth, he cast Touch of the Land through his feet. It passed through the ground, reaching the creature just over a hundred meters away. He didn’t just see what was in the ground, or the trees around him; he could see inside of the elk: its heart, its lungs, the veins, muscles, nerves and bones.
Dave felt a calm descend as he released a breath; inhaling, he brought his bow up and pulled on the string. He found his target, sensing the beating heart of the creature. He closed his eyes, feeling the air, the sunlight, the earth beneath his toes, the shadows under the trees. He didn’t need to look to see the frozen ripples on the water.
Time paused between heartbeats. The world was just one moment of refined peace before promised violence.
Dave released his arrow. As he opened his eyes; they were like granite. He didn’t need to watch; he’d known as soon as he released the arrow what was about to happen.
