Chapter 11: Arrival

Chapter 11: Arrival

After that encounter with the Nymph, I felt pretty on-edge as I fled from the scene. But I eventually got far enough away that I was confident I’d left its territory. From there, it was just a matter of finding civilization.

It was frustrating to do, but I had to leave the river behind. Even if civilization was much more common near bodies of water, I knew monsters were even more common. I could only spend so much time near one before because I had the Nymph's aura of empathy to keep me safe, but now I wouldn't have that. If I saw a monster, it'd kill me. Plus, other Nymphs would also make their homes near the rivers, and those Nymphs I wouldn't know the locations of, so I could easily walk right into one of them and get myself killed easily. In the worst case, I could just backtrack to find this river if I ever got low on water again.

So, I had to abandon the river and find civilization another way. It would only be a matter of time before I stumbled across something, so if I went for long enough, I was bound to find salvation.

As I walked, I continued practicing Noxious Grasp, as usual. The Spell had become so much second nature to me at that point that I was confused as to how I even found it uncomfortable – and even painful – before. Sure, there was a mental exertion happening, but it was... pleasant. Like a nice, spicy plate of food. Sure, it would technically hurt your tongue to eat, but that pain was part of the experience.

Why had I never heard of this benefit of Magic-Type Classes before? It seemed that most of the texts I’d read on them would talk about how it could take a lot out of a person if they cast too many Spells in a short period, or went without breaks for too long, but none of them mentioned how Spellcasting became so easy after a good bit of practice. Maybe Noxious Grasp was weird, somehow?

Oh well. I’d figure it out later.

Many hours of just walking passed by. I was glad I’d filled up my waterskin, since the heat was dehydrating me quickly. At the very least, I was keeping track of where I’d need to go if I ever wanted to backtrack to the river. I hoped it wouldn’t come to that, though. Ideally, I’d get to some semblance of a city or village before I ran out of my day-or-two’s worth of water.

Over the hours of traveling, I killed a few smaller animals like I’d usually do, earning myself a bit of extra XP. Combined with what I earned during my sporadic hunts over the last few days, it brought my XP total up to 51/150. It was past noon by now for sure, and I was hot and tired, but I kept moving.

Many more hours passed. I was beginning to be reminded of my time searching for water back when I first got lost, but it was obviously not as bad as then. Sure, my legs were killing me again, and my ankles were sore from all the footfalls, but at least I still had water, and the Spellcasting practice was a source of comfort instead of suffering. During my journey, I got a notification as I cast a routine puff of Noxious Grasp.

Threshold reached. Noxious Grasp XP has reached 30.

Noxious Grasp Rank has increased to 5.

Due to Noxious Grasp Rank reaching 5, it has undergone the following changes:

Mana Cost: From 3.32 to 3.40

Health Drain: From 12.2 to 12.8

Stamina Drain: From 6.08 to 6.38

That had happened a while ago, though, and by now, my Spell XP was up to 8/45. The sun was setting in the distance, and I was beginning to consider finding a place to camp out and wait for the next day to come.

But, just then, I found it.

A road!

Not a big one, or one that even seemed very well-traveled, but it was an actual road! Something built by Human beings! I could taste it, the feeling of civilization – of other people! I grinned wide as I rushed up to the messy dirt path and began to follow it; if I followed the road for long enough, it’d eventually take me somewhere populated! Probably nowhere incredibly busy, judging by the size and quality of the trail, but something was better than nothing.

I decided to try and stay up walking through the night. If I could avoid sleeping in another hut made of sticks and leaves, I would.

Another few more uninteresting hours passed, and my enthusiasm faded relatively quickly; ultimately, I was still doing what I had been doing all day – walking. And walk I did, continuing on as the moon rose over the canopy and my eyes adjusted to the darkness. My thighs and calves begged me to stop, my toes warned that they were about to fall off, and my eyelids threatened to fall. However, I marched on.

As the night grew later and later, I began to have doubts about the whole ‘keep walking without rest until you find someplace civilized’ thing.

Maybe I needed to just suck it up and find a place nearby to sleep? I was so tired, I felt like I could see shadows moving through the trees.

Just as I started to look around for a clearing I could camp in, though, something burst out of the treeline, heading straight for me!

Shit!

I tried to dash off, but I was so tired and caught off-guard, that I stumbled, catching myself as I fell to the ground. I tried to scramble to my feet, but just as I did...

You have been pierced by a stinger. 103 damage.

Your Health is 17.

Something the size of a spear burst through my chest, breaking ribs and piercing lungs as it skewered me straight through and lifted me into the air, twitching and bleeding.

You have been poisoned. 78 damage.

Your Health is 0.

Venom is coursing through your veins. You will lose 15 Health every hour for a number of days equal to 31 minus your Endurance (18 days).

You have died.

I spasmed to consciousness in the in-between place, trying to grab at my chest before realizing I didn’t currently have a body. Presented with three options – 1 minute back, 2 minutes back, and 3 minutes back – I only just then realized that I had died, the act so quick that I barely noticed it.

Gods fucking damn it!I’d been killed without even realizing it!

My lungs burned as I kept running, every breath ripping at my throat.

The woman threw another Firebolt. “That was my last one!”

I groaned and poured more power that I didn’t have into my legs, trying to at least match the monster’s speed.

But as my steps pounded away, it became obvious I didn’t have the strength to keep going like this. I glanced around frantically, trying to find a way out of the situation.

“You’re sure you don’t have another in you?!” I asked the woman.

“No! Mana’s empty!”

Shit, shit, shit...

I looked over at her, and my eye was caught on something on her belt glimmering in the moonlight. Her knife! It stuck out of a sheath in her waist, glaring at me with an expensive-looking sheen. Without a second thought, I reached down and grasped it out of its sheath, taking aim and throwing it at the beast.

The knife flew true, and stabbed right into the monster’s eye! It didn’t pierce all the way through, bouncing off and landing in the dirt, but it obviously hurt the giant scorpion, as it stumbled and hissed, giving us the few more moments needed to get a good lead.

You have struck Level 31 Banestinger for 27 damage using Knife.

Level 31?!

“That’s my knife!” The woman shouted at me. “It was Royal Steel!”

“I just saved our lives!” I responded without looking, trying to focus on running straight ahead as I could feel my legs threaten to give out on me. “I’ll help you get it later or something, just run!”

Soon, we turned a corner and I saw it. Walls! Sweet, glorious, man-made walls! With people on top, guarding the ramparts!

“Help!” I hoarsely screamed up at them, “Giant scorpion!”

I dashed forward with renewed vigor as I watched guards gather to see what was the matter. After a few seconds, the monster rounded the same corner, coming into view, chasing after us in what seemed now to be anger, rather than hunger.

Now, though, it didn’t have the advantage. Spells and projectiles rained down on the angry monster from the ramparts, explosions blasting out onto its carapace, hunks of stone knocking it down, and magically-enhanced arrows piercing into its flesh. But it kept running at us – specifically, at me. It seemed to hold a grudge about the whole knife-in-the-eye thing.

Unable to run another step, I dove backwards to the ground, surprising the monster as it continued to charge forward and sliding right underneath its massive body, where it couldn’t reach. I activated Noxious Grasp and grabbed on tight to its exoskeletal underbelly.The beast roared, dragging me around and trying to fling me out from under it, but I held strong, draining its Health and Stamina as the rest of the Spells continued to rain down on the monster.

Eventually, it took a hard turn, and I lost my grip, sliding across the ground and skidding to a halt a few paces away from it.

You have struck Level 31 Banestinger for 104 damage and drained 52 Stamina over the course of 8.1 seconds using Noxious Grasp.

26.9 Mana Cost. Your Mana is 132.

But despite my wide-open defenses, the monster seemed to decide to cut its losses there, no doubt feeling the pain of the attacks raining down upon it. It turned and began scuttling away, but just then, a gigantic spear of light stormed down from the heavens, thundering through the sky and crunching straight through the monster’s thick shell as though it were nothing.

You have offered minor contribution toward the slaying of Level 31 Banestinger.

You have earned 117 XP. Your XP is 168.

Threshold reached. 150 XP.

Your Level has increased to 3.

Due to achieving Level 3 in the Minute Mage Class, you have been granted the following benefits:

-You have gained 1 Endurance.

-You have gained 2 Conjuration.

-You have gained 1 Intelligence.

-You have gained 3 Stat Points.

-Time Loop Talent Rank has increased to 3.

-You may choose a Spell to learn.

I lay on the ground, gasping so heavily I felt like I was going to die. My legs were in so much pain, I could feel the rest of my body numb in comparison. I could feel every drop of blood rush through my body, tingling through my veins as they brought nutrients to all of the strained areas.

As I lay, gasping for breath, a harsh voice shouted out, “What in the thirteenth layer of Hell were you thinking?!”