---

The greenskin landed back a fair distance from Rattleskull and his allies, coughing up a little bit of blood onto the ground. He wasn't in good shape, not at all, but he still felt like he could fight, especially with what he just discovered from the system's update on him. What he wanted to do... it worked! He could target body parts with {Stone Shot} and deal incredible damage with it.

Suddenly, he felt like he had a pretty good idea, and his confidence only increased with Ardur's assistance of healing and Shield I.

Digbie darted for his old <Stone Spike^TM>, heaving the large weapon behind him as he darted right towards Rattleskull, his cheeks clenching before he brought the weapon around him in a wide swing, using it as a counterweight to himself. He had two options at this point - try to heave the spike into the massive boss, or javelin it straight towards Rattleskull and lower the risk of dying.

He went with the former, and as soon as he felt like a hit was inevitable with the giant boss, Digbie targeted the Rat as a whole with {Stone Shot}, intent on using the <Stone Spike^TM> as a bat to hit a home run with.

---

---

---

The fight with the trio of goblins was over soon, not at all surprising considering the mishmash group of humans-turned monsters (plus two Mothers) outnumbered them more than 2-to-1 once all the back-up was accounted for. Asteria still had a few pieces of goblin flesh left in her mouth and the taste was the most unappetizing thing one could find inside the cave, possibly even outside of it. She very much doubted that even cooking it could improve the taste, and spat out as much of the goblin blood and tissue as she could. I really want some water right now…But we’re still not finished. Jason and Edward rushed off to another fight, at the centre of which was a large enemy, though Asteria wasn’t immediately worried about it – as far as she could see, there were plenty of her allies already there. There was no rush to join them, though she did indeed intend to do so.

First things first…The Mother Slime once again attempted speech and was becoming more understandable already. “You can eat now, don’t worry,” Asteria told it, echoing Asura’s sentiment. She was rather curious how the slime would react to someone of a different species attempting to communicate with it. Well, the Mother slime would probably ignore her, since Asura had already spoken to it, and since he might be her offspring and as such the most trustworthy source to the larger slime. Out of curiosity, she used Monster Analysis I on the Mother slime to try and see if she could get any information whatsoever on its rather rapidly evolving ability of speech.

Next on Asteria’s agenda was to use her new sneaking skill to try and get closer to the supposedly important fight against the biggest goblin – probably the enemy’s boss, all things considered. Moving quietly towards the big guy and the various human-minded monsters surrounding it, she wondered whether her camouflage added to the sneaking attempt at all. Perhaps crouching low to the ground, moving between rocks and behind the cave-supporting pillars would even add to her newly obtained skill. The system had informed her that her sneaking was focused on reducing the sound of her movements after all, which could already be quite the advantage. Though a big guy like Rattleskull – she had heard Jason shouting its name – could very likely just stomp around and swing that club of his and kill them all.

Once Asteria was close enough to clearly see the fight against the boss goblin and assess the situation, but far enough to not get stomped on or swung at, she stopped and observed. The furry goblin was obviously injured, bleeding, partially blinded and possibly even poisoned, but still he struggled. Still, he managed to get hits in on some of the others. After clobbering Digbie however, a Wisp sliced into its leg with what Asteria guessed was a magic-based attack, and the female Dire rat couldn’t help but focus on the shimmering sharp blade. It was quite the elegant skill and apparently rather useful too. Next thing she knew, Jason’s rock spire stalagmites were sprouting from around the enemy boss, Ed was trying to climb up its back and a lizard up its injured leg, while a Wisp and a Pixie were harassing it by flying around its head. Digbie had also apparently recovered and was attacking the boss once again.

Seeing this honestly confusing jumble of bodies and what to Asteria felt like an over-crowded battle-field, she was slightly reluctant to join in but also thought that it was better to do so despite everything. The only thing she could think of doing right now that might help was to head straight in, darting around both her allies and enemy as well as their attacks, moving swiftly towards the goblin’s unoccupied and injured leg to try and help the lizard in felling it. She was only assuming what Rain wanted to do to the boss enemy, but then again, she had the inkling that her allies’ attack wasn’t a particularly coordinated thing, what with everyone just trying to do something that could work – but could also back-fire rather spectacularly. Yet, the only other option besides biting into their opponent’s undamaged leg as she was attempting to do right now was digging a hole and hiding – and doing the latter certainly wouldn’t help.

In the end Oberon never got an answer as to what the Slime was planning to do with all those crystals as rather than respond he simply swallowed one of the mana-restoring items and dashed, or rolled, away.

It seemed that a lot had happened in the few moments that he had been distracted; the group of rats from earlier had appeared and engaged the female Goblin and a couple more Slimes soon followed them, crushing the larger Goblin in their path. The first Slime, the one with the oddly shaped protrusion on top, latched onto the female Goblin as she was struggling against the larger rat before spearing her on a stalagmite that erupted from the ground. And just like that it was over, what had previously seemed like a desperate struggle was suddenly a victory in their favour; here at least, the battle had been resolved.

But that didn’t mean things were going as well everywhere. Now that the noise in the immediate area had died down Oberon could hear the sounds of fierce fighting happening nearby and looking in that direction it was easy to see the large figure stomping around with many smaller figures swarming him.

That was where Digbie and Mourningstar had gone to earlier; he could see them now, a single point of light flitting around the big guy’s head and a solitary bipedal silhouette running around. It was also where everyone else seemed to be heading to as well as first one then the other smaller Slime headed that direction, followed soon after by the two smaller rats.

With everything settled here and with no more obvious threats heading his way it seemed like Oberon should join the on-going battle as well, but before he did there was something he had been meaning to try for a while now and since he was curious what his progress on the ‘regeneration’ skill was now was as good a time as any.

“Open skills tab.”

He still had a few skill points left over from his last level-up and if there was a useful skill near to completion it might be worth spending them now rather than trying to stockpile them. However, he shouldn’t wait too long before joining the battle in case someone needing healing, so regardless of if his attempt worked Oberon began to fly towards Rattleskull.

Once there he saw a battle in full swing, a badly wounded Rattle and a host of humans-turned-monsters attacking him from multiple avenues. From a cursory sweep of the area it didn’t look like anyone was too badly hurt at the moment, other than the large creature they were trying to kill, so his services weren’t in high demand at the moment; furthermore, he didn’t want to risk firing an attack into the middle of the melee in case he hit someone other than his target, leaving him with few options at the moment.

For now Oberon would just hang back and wait for an opportunity to present itself. In the meantime, he prepared himself to cast Shield III on the first person her saw Rattle take a swing at; judging by how the female Goblin had broken straight through it earlier it might not entirely save whoever the large Goblin attacked, but it was better than nothing.



@Zeroth

Of course Orchid couldn't simply find a friendly lizard, she had to find some sort angry one ready to pounce her. Instinctively she thought about raising her shield, but she remembered the badger. How it attacked her because she tried to act small. And while she was definitely larger than this lizard, if she tried to cover herself now the lizard might just attack. No, Orchid wasn't going to let this happen twice. Nay, instead of cowering, Orchid raised the torch in her hand high, so that the lizard could see her clearly, towering over the creature. She needed to be big, be loud, and put this creature in it's place. And so Orchid roared, roared at the top of her lungs so that maybe even her fellow goblins would hear her, the greenskins warcry.

As the visions from the dream began to grow foggy, fading further away with each grain of her focus that returned to her body like sand in the hourglass, Ash returned to the world of sensation. But she found herself in a situation that seemed familiar, yet so distant. Though it had only been a little over a week, what a long and eventful period that had turned out to be. Much like when she had hatched from her egg, she now felt herself constrained--much more tightly--by the gray, leathery shell around her. Yet there was something new about this situation as well. From her shoulder blades, she could feel the twitch and cramp of new muscles, and the strain of what seemed to be like skin stretched thin, like trying to spread one's fingers too far apart. Speaking of cramps, her neck as well felt constrained. Like sleeping on one's pillow at the wrong angle, the muscles protested any movement, yet the shell around her was even more restricting.

She had grown so used to having a tail by this point, it took longer to notice the changes here compared to the rest of her body. Yet that too was no longer the same--it no longer seemed to drag the ground by default, and rather it felt much more comfortable to curl it upward over her back. And once again the shell was in the way--but at the tip of her tail, she could feel what seemed like an extra claw, and an odd muscle that reminded her of the fangs in her throat. Which, now that she ran her tongue along her teeth, seemed to have shrunk significantly.

But outside the shell, she could hear something...something very LOUD...

TRANSFORMATION COMPLETE!
Fanged Lizard > (Immature) Pygmy Drake
You have Transformed!
All Base Stats Slightly Increased!
You Max MP has Increased!
You have not reached your full Potential. The Skill Mana Orb is reduced to (0.5).
You have not reached your full Potential. The Skill Dragon Affinity is reduced to (0.25). Increase it by deepening your understanding of Dragons.
You have gained the Skill: Lesser Flight I!
This Skill allows for flight over short distances at a "walking" pace. Carrying objects is difficult. This skill relies on one's physical ability to fly with Wings or some other form of propulsion.
Your Skill: Poison Spit (1.9) has been Converted to Poison Spray (1.9)!
This Skill sprays an acidic venom, but despite using the term "spray" it is more like a concentrated stream, compared to spitting water from one's mouth. It has no AoE effect. Its damage, range, and other attributes are virtually identical to Poison Spit, but it is launched from your stinger.
Your Skill: Stun Fang (2.0) has been Converted to Stun Stinger (2.0)!
This Skill releases a paralyzing toxin into the opponent's body through a stinger on one's tail or other body part. Its damage, chance to inflict status, and other attributes are virtually identical to Stun Fang.

Hider [+]

Feel free to use your previous colors, patterns, etc, but this is a general idea of physical appearance for the usual Pygmy Drake.

---

As Orchid raised her torch, causing the firelight to cast a long shadow from her form and create an outline around her body from the lower viewpoint of poor Colchain, the Lizard stepped back a pace. He still hissed and thrashed his tail, but in response Orchid let out a savage scream.

Colchain had been caught by Goblins once, and no one had fed him enough to convince him to stay around for this--and Ash wasn't going to be putting her foot on his neck in the next few moments either. In the face of a much larger predator, relatively bereft of allies, and without much motivation pushing him to remain loyal, Colchain acted on his instincts.

Whirling on all four feet, the Fanged Lizard headed for the hills. Or the rocks. Either way, he was going, going, gone.

Dominated Fanged Lizard: Colchain has left your party!

---

11 Mana Crystals Remain

1st Turn:
As Rain rushed up Rattleskull's leg, he was already trying to shove the Healing Herb into his mouth. His club-arm tried to swipe her off, but he barely missed his own kneecap in the process while failing to catch the fast-moving lizard. Just as he nearly choked himself on the Herb she snapped at his forearm, grazing the furry flesh with her fangs. He drew his free hand back, furiously chewing, but before he could strike her she let loose a cloud of Poison Breath right into his face--he couldn't help but take a nose-full of it as he swallowed the Herb. All over his body his wounds began to rapidly heal, but the Herb couldn't fix status effects by itself and the wounds he was still receiving still stung. As his eyes teared up the goblin boss shook his head with a wailing scream, his nose running and burning thanks to Rain's venom.

Rain once again felt the warm, comforting tingle of a healing spell being used on her, and as Ardur zoomed past the System informed the Fanged Lizard that her HP was once again full. Rattleskull screamed again, this time because the new Wisp in the group had darted down and apparently jabbed him in the eye with its invisible, telekinetic force. Without a way to see the attack coming the big monster couldn't do much to stop it, but it also didn't do much real damage--however, for the moment the enemy was half-blind and distracted!


Upon grabbing the female Goblin and wrestling her down alongside Mother Rat, Jason's psychic scream certainly caused the greenskin to recoil in fear and turn towards him with shocked eyes. At the same moment the rat matriarch tore the [Badly-Made Stone Spear] from the girl's grasp, and then Jason's Rock Spire pierced her from behind. She gurgled and grasped at the rocky blade coming out of her stomach, before vomiting blood down her chest as her eyes rolled back into her head, and her body went limp.

With this the last of the Brawny Team had been slaughtered. In the brief respite, several members of the group took the opportunity to get their bearings or process new information. In Oberon's case, he felt a dull throbbing in his head, but not anything quite at the level of blinding pain from before.

Unspent Skill Points:
4
Current Skills:
Minor Heal I (1.65)
Lesser Flight II (2.25)
Shield III (3.0875)
Magic Analysis III (3.4125)
Mana Orb I (1.3)
Mana Shape I (1.1)
Lesser Status Heal (1.1)
Mana Dart I (1.15)
<UNUSABLE SKILLS>
Meditation (0.4)
Focus (0.5)
Monster Analysis (0.6)
Material Analysis (0.1)
Plant Analysis (0.1)
Mental Resistance (0.3)
Wall (0.1)
Faster (0.4)
Alert (0.2)
Minor Regeneration (0.6)
Charisma (0.8)
Keen Sight (0.1)
<UNUSABLE SKILLS>

As Asteria used her Analysis Skill on Momma Slime, the big blue blob turned its attention with a slight shift of its body mass towards the Dire Rat speaking to it. While her membrane vibrated curiously, the slime crunched on some vaguely recognizable bit of the Brawny Goblin's anatomy, which soon began dissolving into a bloody mess inside the ocean-tinted mass.

You used Monster Analysis I! You are somewhat familiar with this Monster.
---Adult Slime---
Slimes are amorphous creatures more similar to undeveloped egg yolks, yet they are able to move on their own and digest prey. Their bodies are highly resistant to physical damage and malleable. You know that this one is called Momma Slime. She seems stronger than the average Slime.
---Analysis Complete---

Asura and Ed dashed off in the direction of the battle with Rattleskull, with Momma Slime soon following behind. Shortly after Jason and Asteria followed, as did Oberon, and the rolling slimes soon began to outpace the others as the two rats decided to try and be sneaky in their assault...

---

2nd Turn:
As Ardur passed by Digbie, he cast his Minor Heal II on the goblin as well. Like Rain, the System told Digbie that his HP was back to full, and though his teeth didn't grow back, the soft cartilage of his nose snapped back into place painfully before it finished healing. However, the Pixie couldn't cast two spells at once, so while he felt his magic being drained to heal Digbie he would be forced to wait for a moment. While this was going on the Goblin re-equipped the Stone Spike he had taken as his signature weapon, and headed back into the fray.

As Rain let loose another Poison Glob, Rattleskull scrambled to his feet and shoved her off. She didn't have as far to fall this time and was able to land safely, as her Glob burned the boss's hide.

"ARRRRGH! WHY NONE OF YOUSE DIE!?" He tried to swing his club at her, but thanks to Danny's earlier distraction one eye still couldn't see, and as a result his strike was off. The heavy stone blade struck just inches away from Rain, sending up a shower of rock chips and dust, but did her no harm.

At this moment, Asura, Momma Slime, and Jason could be seen rapidly rolling up to the party--but where were the three Dire Rats?

3rd Turn:
Ardur completed his Shield spell on Digbie, then rushed off to find more dirt to throw in the boss's face. The smaller Goblin charged his possible-father-figure and swung with all his might, as his weapon erupted with golden light. Rattleskull tried to block it with his own weapon--and in an almost-explosion, wood splinters and cracked bits of rock flew! Both weapons shattered from the force of impact, leaving both Goblins unarmed! Rattleskull's club had suffered enough damage to significantly weaken it, while Digbie's had never really been "crafted" to stand up to these kinds of impacts, and while it was very hard, that same hardness also made it brittle.

Jason's War Cry rang out, immediately drawing the boss's attention--just in time for Asura to slam into him at full speed! The breath was driven from Rattleskull's lungs as he was pushed backwards, the red ball spinning into his midsection for several seconds. The boss's heels dug furrows into the earth before Asura bounced off back onto the ground. Rattleskull snarled--then he suddenly clutched his stomach, and threw up a stomach-load of bile. Some of the group had probably seen this effect a few times by now on monsters that had been Poisoned--despite his resistances, Rain had been bombarding him with it all this time, and the Healing Herb hadn't helped with this particular form of damage.

Skill Rank Up: Shield I > Shield II!
As an Active Spell Skill, you may choose to cast I or II. From Full MP, you have enough MP to cast the first rank 3 times with little leftover, the second can only be cast twice with some MP left over. You are currently not at Full MP.

LEVEL UP!
Your learning experiences have culminated in new power! You gain Skill Points to use as you please!

Unspent Skill Points: 7
Current Skills:
Shield II (2.0)
Lesser Flight III (3.075)
Minor Heal III (3.45)
Physical Conditioning I (1.0)
Fire Resistance I (1.25)
<UNUSABLE SKILLS>
Keen Sight (0.5)
Keen Ear (0.1)
Muffle (0.6)
Alchemy (0.5)
Crafting (0.5)
Taming (0.6)
Faster (0.3)
Magic Analysis (0.55)
Mana Orb (0.15)
Fireball (0.4)
Focus (0.45)
Throw Voice (0.1)
Mana Strike (0.65)
Point Strike (0.6)
Charisma (0.2)
Soothe Song (0.15)
Stronger (0.6)
Harder (0.1)
Alert (0.2)
Reinforce (0.1)
Throw Item (0.5)
Meditate (0.1)
Stone Shot (0.5)
Inspire (0.4)
Guidance (0.2)
Iron Gullet (0.1)
Soil Manipulation (0.2)
<UNUSABLE SKILLS>

4th Turn:
Having taken longer to arrive due to their stealthy approach, Asteria and Ed both leaped out of the shadows. Ed activated his Rabid Fit, and Asteria joined Rain. The Lizard had returned to her sheer-hate driven attack on Rattleskull's leg, and with Asteria helping her while Ed went berserk on the other one, they managed to effectively hamstring the behemoth goblinoid, drawing yet another scream from him as he went down on both knees. He reached back, however, flailing wildly with both arms and managing to knock the smaller creatures away--however, it was clear he was getting worn down at this point. The three monsters took damage, but what would have likely been a near-killing blow to just one of them proved only moderately damaged split among the three.

Jason retrieved his Source Crystal, for some reason deciding that the very midst of battle was a good time to use it--then again, maybe he had a point, as Rattleskull heaved exhausted breaths...

You used a Source Crystal!
---Target:Rattleskull---
This is Rattleskull. He is a male Bugbear. He is Level 10 and roughly 4 years old. Bugbears are an evolved form of the Goblin. Less suited to the natural cleverness or deftness of their smaller cousins, they more than make up for this with their toughness and strength. Their thick fur allows them to venture out from their caves or huts into many different environments. Their strength allows them to use larger types of equipment, and they'll often bully other goblins around as the leaders of small tribes. They can almost never work together with other Bugbears, as the species is highly aggressive and competitive. Rattleskull possesses the following Skills: Smash II, Poison Resistance II, Use Light Equipment, Use Medium Equipment, Crafting II, Intimidate I, Stronger I, Harder I, Magic Resistance I. Rattleskull is developing the following skills: Blunt Resistance I, Rabid Fit I, Slash Resistance I, Pierce Resistance I, Slash I, Skewer I, Fire Resistance I, Alert I, Keen Sight I, Keen Smell I, Iron Gullet I. Rattleskull has the following items equipped: Wooden Armor (Bad Quality), Woven Cane Headband (Average Quality), Straw Sandles (Average Quality), Vine Belt (Bad Quality). Rattleskull's HP is Low. Rattleskull has a naturally low amount of MP. Rattleskull is at Full MP. Rattleskull has a high amount of Stamina. Rattleskull has used up roughly half his Stamina. Rattleskull is currently Poisoned.

At this point the Source Crystal ran out of Charge, although it would automatically consume 1 of Jason's Mana Crystals from his inventory if he had any left. His head was beginning to throb slightly, and it seemed he had lost track of time. While he had been staring at the Source Crystal, Ardur had done another fly-by to throw dirt in Rattleskull's face, and the Bugbear covered his eyes to keep from being blinded--in the process, of course, blinding himself. Just in time for Momma Slime to lunge forward--she had too much mass to pull off the same kind of maneuver as Asura, but she went for the typical Slime-standby of just walloping the foe with her entire body mass. Rattleskull was actually knocked to the ground by this larger monster's blow, and his roars suddenly became more like...sobs?

5th Turn:
"N-not fair! Dun unnerstan!! How!? Why all youse gangin' up, you alls differ'nt!" the boss wailed, desperately trying to get back on his feet and wobbling in the process. "YOU NOT ACT LIKE MOBS S'POSED TO ACT! WHAT ARE YOUSE?!"

"KNOW DESPAIR RATTLESKULL, FOR YOUR END HAS COME!!!" As Jason shouted, Rattleskull turned towards him and immediately charged, pulling back both hands and grasping them together like a hammer of flesh and bone.

If Jason had been using the Source Crystal, it would have told him that one of Rattleskull's developing skills had just ticked over--Rabid Fit. The Bugbear began to froth at the mouth as his eyes turned bloodshot and his muscles bulged even more than usual...and then on top of that--!

"SMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASH!"

The red, crackling energy of this Rank II attack was now an even darker, bloodier red thanks to the damage boost from the new skill. The blow came down towards Jason--even with his increased defense, he suddenly felt a spike of instinct in his head screaming "Danger!" at him!

Then Oberon cast Shield III.

Shield III was not a barrier. The spell increased the target's natural defenses. So on a Pixie, which was a physically frail creature, it actually wasn't all that useful in the grand scheme of things, especially if the opponent was not only stronger, but had better equipment. However, casting it on a monster with an already much higher defense than usual...

Rattleskull's fists came down right on top of Jason's pointy hat. As his body was compressed hard enough to even crack the stone underneath him, creating a small crater around the Slime Mage, the Shield gave way, and Jason felt a powerful pressure bearing down on him--then Rattleskull's blow bled out its momentum, and his fists were bounced back from that green, gelatinous body. It even made a distinctive, almost comical sound.

"ROCK SPIRE-- EARTH'S WRATH!!!!"

As Jason added that little flourish to his spell, he suddenly felt an extra surge of magic somewhere within him. The bright glow that opened up beneath Rattleskull's feat seemed bigger, stronger--and now, it actually formed a shape. A geometrically perfect circle? Two rings, in fact, the larger one spinning clock-wise while the smaller spun in the opposite direction. And at the center of this circle was a rapidly panicking Bugbear.

"YOUSE--YOUSE IS ALL--"

Even the rocky spike seemed to have more oomph for some reason, actually leaving the ground and shooting upward this time--

"--MONSTEEEEEEEEERRRRRSSS--HURGHLF--"

Then Rattleskull died. His body, with a stoney spike sticking diagonally through his navel and coming out between his shoulder blades, slumped to the ground.

[[System Rewards Pending due to Post Already Being Really Long]]


With the Wispmother dealt with, Crispy ordered the other Goblins to pull back for the moment. They had captured a great deal of territory, and could now safely camp so long as they put up a guard to make sure none of these odd monsters came into their area. It would be difficult to convince Rattleskull to pull back, but at this point it was almost dawn, and all of their warriors were sure to be exhausted.

"Youse all stay here, maybe one of two of yas go get the fire back at the entrance stoked up again and try to move it closer to here!" Crispy ordered. "I'm gonna give da signal for da udda guys to come back! Once we regroup, if Rattleskull don't show up we'll have to go get him!"

After a few moments of preparation, Crispy fired a Fireball--larger than what he usually managed--straight up into the air. It was visible for quite some distance across the cave, and when it rose high enough it reached its limit and exploded, producing a short lived, but effective flare signal...


Inside the enormous green gem, sticking out of the ground like the horn of some grand beast, a red light had been growing. This object, which now could be identified as a much larger, perhaps much more powerful Source Crystal--an object connected to the root of this new, strange world--now bore a red sphere in its deepest depths. A few minutes ago, another smaller, red sphere--almost like those Wisps out there in the bigger cave--had flicked, coming up from the base of the Source Crystal like a molecule of water being drawn up the roots of a tree. And now, another red flicker appeared. But it was much larger, not a mere molecule but an entire drop. Blood red and shivering, as if filled with terror, it too joined the mass in the crystal's depths.

With a sound like water freezing over, the red light began to solidify...

Well then, that had been exciting. Mourningstar had abstained from adding into the brawl that ensued when everyone teamed up on the massive goblin thing, instead focusing on refilling her mana and passively observing the chaos from a few yards away. After all was said and done, Rattleskull was impaled and experience had been gained. Fun times. "Good job gang. It's no raid boss, but it's definitely a promising start for our merry crew of misfits." She floated past everyone pretty nonchalantly as she began patting down the corpse, checking the vine belt for any goodies and dropping them on the ground first, then just getting to work on removing all of his stuff.

"You can all talk amidst yourselves over loot, however I'm calling dibs on the one thing I can wear." She floated over to his head and untied the headband, retying it on herself. Now to focus on physical needs. Lesser Force was activated on Rattleskull's lifeless body, Mourningstar trying to tear off a hunk of flesh from his belly. It took a little bit of effort, but once a sufficient chunk had been torn out Mourningstar got to chowing down.

"You should all probably eat." A fireball exploded in the sky, with Mourningstar doing a quick Magic Analysis on the spell to try and recreate it for herself. "Judging from the flare they just sent up, they're gonna be regrouping, probably to rest for a second assault." A morbid thought suddenly occurred to the Wisp. She floated back over to the head of Rattleskull and lightly tugged on it, testing out just how attached it was to the body. A full minute was spent Focusing on her Mana Blade, but not in just improving it's overall damage. She wanted to make it sharper than normal, then once it was formed at maximum sharpness she would lightly project it out like a sword, using Mana Shape to try and keep it in a stable form.

If all that was accomplished, Mourningstar would get to work on removing the Bugbear's head from his body. She would ignore any questions directed to her, focusing solely on her new task of removing Rattleskull's head.

Asura rolled as fast as he could, pushing his limits with his rounded body, to get to Rattleskull before he managed to actually kill someone who wasn't just a monster. It didn't take him too long to get there and piledrive into Rattleskull's chest while he was downed. Spinning like Sonic for a moment he eventually popped back onto the ground in time to be covered in goblinoid goo. Lovely. Rolling back he waited to see what would happen, everyone was just assaulting him all at once now before he finally perished in a spike of stone and stuffs.

Dying words said they were monsters, but base monsters just weren't this bright. Neither was a first evolved monster it seemed. The bugbear, not that Asura knew what he was for sure, didn't understand what they were. He should have figured something was off when Jason spoke or the fact that they were all different mobs working together.

Whatever, he was dead now and people would be combing the corpse. He only wanted one thing, rolling over he waited for the wisp to take what it wanted before he Smashed Rattleskull's neck until his head broke off. While he smashed he used Limited Shapeshift to give his slime body more of an edge, making it more of a Slash than a Smash.

@Zeroth @Guy0fV4lor @ReusableSword @Gardevoiran @Kazemitsu @floodtalon @ReusableSword

When the pixie arrived with a mana crystal t Danny wanted to say that he didn't need it thanks to Meditate I, but he quickly realized that he had no idea how long the battle would take and thus used it to top himself off. "Thanks."

He immediately got ready to use his restored to fire off a Mana Orb II but got distracted when the large Goblin started vomiting after a lizard seemingly unleashed a lot of poison on him. For a second he thought it was over but just as he canceled his attack Rattleskull started glowing red and he brought his fist down on the strange looking slime, who was no doubt happy that the Goblinoid's club had been destroyed.

When Rattleskull finally went down Danny couldn't believe the battle was over but when one of the slimes crawled over Rattleskull's body and attacked his neck without the monster in anyway retaliating there was no denying they had won. He floated to the others and turned to the Pixie. "Thanks for the Mana Crystal, but I didn't really need it, I've got a skill that allows me to recover mp out of battle. I'm willing to teach it to you if you'll teach me either that shield or healing spell you guys are known for."

Rattleskull's final moments were a little more disturbing than Oberon had expected. It wasn't the gore, although that was more visceral than he would have liked as well, it was the pleading, the desperation in his voice. He was being ganged up on, slowly beaten down in a way that let him know the end was coming and ultimately died not understanding what was happening; he would have killed them all himself given the chance, but it was hard not to feel some sympathy for the beast.

In the distance a fireball shot up into the sky and much like Mourningstar, Oberon examined it with Magic Analysis as it soared up to its apex before exploding, the Pixie activating the skill almost by habit when confronted with new magic. "They could just be calling it a day. They can't clear out the whole cave in one go."

Oberon turned towards the Wisp hovering over Rattle's body just in time to see her and one of the Slime's begin the process of removing his head. He quickly turned away once he saw the first cuts being made; he could guess what they were doing, and for what purpose, but he didn't know how they could stomach doing something like that. The same went for eating; since there were no plants in the cave other than healing herbs there could only be one thing Mourningstar expected them to eat. This experience was very quickly turning Oberon into a vegetarian.

Eating or not eating, it would be wise to use this respite to recover and prepare for the next stage of the battle. Oberon was just thinking about how to best use his time when another Wisp, one he hadn't seen before, floated over to the group and approached a different Pixie. Although he wasn't the intended target, Oberon was close enough to hear what was said.

"You have a skill that can restore mana? I'd like to learn that; I can teach you a few things in return. I'd like to learn whatever telekinesis ability Wisps have as well."



@Duthguy@ReusableSword

Pain was dulled by the adrenaline rush caused by the berserker rage, but that did not mean that the damage dealt was insignificant. The lumbering goblinoid's wild swing of his arms had done significant damage to his form, yet Ed was still unaware of it. The uneven and shaky stance he had when he recovered from being cast aside was obvious to anyone who cast a gaze upon his direction. Then Rattleskull began gibbering in confusion and fright. "Pathetic." Ed muttered the insult laced with anger and venom. He set his gaze upon the massive figure when he saw Jason end Rattleskull. He could feel his confidence surge as the fiend go limp. His thoughts falling into the darker recesses of his mind, drunk on blood and animalistic rage. 'This is a turning point in the battle. Now they we're on the offensive! No quarter must be given! Track all of them down! SLAUGHTER EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM!' He could feel his control over his body waning and his reasoning teetering into madness.

'That's enough, Ed.' A familiar feminine voice rang through his head.

Skill Deactivated: Rabid Fit I.
It is currently inactive.
Fly into a mindless rage, and destroy the enemy! A sudden burst of fury grants you increased strength and damage, but you’ll become more vulnerable to damage yourself.

As if being struck with a physical blow, he lurched forward as the resistance finally gave way. His breathing was ragged and his eyes were unfocused. 'I can only have full control for so long before the mindless rage does...I need to be more careful.' The young dire rat simply laid on the ground and took a moment to recuperate lost strength and rest a while.

---

---

With their overwhelming numbers and a forceful unending barrage of attacks, they won. Of course, they won. The goblin boss was utterly confused at how such an odd group of monsters had even managed to get together and his lack of understanding made him truly pitiful in Asteria’s eyes. But he just had to die, that was all. Morningstar also made a rather good point of taking whatever they had a need or use for from the dead guy, so Asteria looked over the corpse to see whether it had anything she could use. The only thing that made sense for her to take was the vine belt wrapped around him, so she approached and first tried finding the knot and simply untying it.

If untying it with her paws failed, she would simply chew trough the belt and tug both pieces free. That done, she wrapped as much around her hips, belly, and chest as she could, tying the belt off in a simple knot. So equipped, she tried moving around, running a circle or three to see whether her new bulkiness overly affected her speed and maneuverability. If it proved to be the case that she was too heavy with the whole vine belt wrapped around her, she would simply chew through and drop off whatever she deemed too much and wear only as much as she was comfortable with. Once Asteria felt comfortable with the arrangement of the vine belt around her, she notified the others of her intentions, all the while ignoring the barbaric and pointless beheading of the goblin boss. “Guys, I’m going to that lake to wash off a bit, refresh, and hydrate. In case any of you still don’t know, there are poison traps around the goblin bonfire, so if you walk around there, be careful where you step.”

Asteria then headed towards Mother Rat, nudged her slightly and tried to convey to the larger Dire Rat to follow her once again – Asteria rather enjoyed the security of not wandering around alone, because even if the goblins were retreating, it wouldn’t do to assume the cave was suddenly safe. Asteria waited a bit for Mother Rat to follow her, giving her time in case she wanted to eat or check on her and Ed, then made her way towards the lake, ignoring and pushing through the injuries and aches she had accumulated during the fight. She would simply ask a pixie later to heal her, or just sleep it off, but for now, she really wanted a drink – even if only the non-alcoholic variant was available.

And so, in a possibly impetuous decision, Asteria walked to the south-ward lake. Once again, she sacrificed some of her speed to try and get there without notifying any nearby monsters to her presence. She also tried being alert to and aware of the possibility of such an enemy approaching or ambushing her, but her tiredness might have mitigated her efforts. Nonetheless, once Asteria made it to the lake, she shuffled right to the edge of the shore. With a deep sigh, she lowered her muzzle to the clear surface, and happily guzzled down some water. Next, she washed mud off her face, using her paws to do so. Not exactly confident in her ability to swim, she crawled into the lake extremely cautiously, arranging her body so her whole front arms remained on the lake-shore, ready to pull her up and out if she felt her body and fur getting too heavy. After her was done, she got out, furiously shook her fur off as if she were a dog, and curiously looked at the rare herb scattered here or there around the lake. Feeling a bit peaky, Asteria ate one without giving the action much thought. Plants simply seemed more appetizing than goblin flesh. That done, she headed back (presumably with Mother Rat in tow) to where the large group of her allies was probably still gathered around the boss’s corpse.

@Zeroth @Guy0fV4lor @ReusableSword @Gardevoiran @Kazemitsu @floodtalon @ReusableSword

Danny was surprised by the sudden appearance of another Pixie, one who seemed interesting in learning both Meditate I and Lesser Force but he saw no reason not to extend the offer to them as well.

"No problem, I'm willing to teach it to anyone here that might want it. All I ask in return is that if you have a skill you think I can use that you teach it to me. I'm mostly looking for stuff that costs either no mana or less than Mana Orb I"

If he was honest he would really prefer to keep Meditate I totally for himself, but he knew that giving other former humans a MP recovery skill could prove helpful. "Okay, I'll start with Lesser Force since I doubt I can use the other skill when I'm at full mp. In my case I use it by simply using mp and wanting something to move." To demonstrate Danny picked up a nearby pebble and threw it away, in a direction where it wouldn't hit any Goblins. "But using the example I gave someone else not too long, in order to learn the skill it might help to imagine a hand of some kind doing the lifting."

Just like when he taught Ash not too long ago Danny struggled with coming up with a way to explain things properly. "As for the other skill I got after I focused on MP recovery outside of battle though it took me a few times, and I also tried several times to recover MP by absorbing the ambient energy of Crystals rather than draining them, however I can also show it to you since I just used up some MP throwing that rock." The second he was done talking he landed and laid down on the cave floor and used Meditate I.

To be perfectly honest, neither of the Wisp’s explanations seemed like they would be all that helpful in terms of trying to recreate the skills in question. He supposed it was a bit much to expect a detailed explanation or something; it wasn’t like Oberon would be able to give an explanation on how he cast Shield or Minor Heal if asked, he just sort of did it. It was probably the same for all of the starting skills; it was natural, ingrained, and you didn’t have to think about using it the same way you didn’t have to think about breathing.

Luckily the Wisp was also willing to demonstrate, and that was something that the Pixie could work with. As Danny picked up the pebble with his mind Oberon observed him with Magic Analysis; the flows of mana, the way they wrapped around the pebble and the way the mana almost seemed to flex somehow, like a muscle, as the Wisp flung the small rock away. It was only a brief look, but Oberon was sure he could recreate it given some time.

The second skill was a little more unusual, in that it outwardly didn’t look like anything was happening; the Wisp simply floated gently to the ground. With the Wisp’s lack of facial features, or even extremities, to judge by it was hard to tell, but somehow Oberon was reminded of the image of someone sitting cross-legged with their eyes closed. Whatever was happening, the Pixie used Magic Analysis again on Danny just in case.



@Duthguy

---

Digbie fell backwards once the deed was done. Rattleskull was dead, and it made the goblin happy. He felt a bit weird despite the happiness, probably because there was some remorse to be given. He did figure that Rattleskull was related to him in some fashion, though he was definitely unsure of what the relation was. It may have been paternal, it may have been leadership, but it didn't matter to Digbie.

Revenge was sweet enough to outweigh the options.

The greenskin rose from the ground and lugged himself towards his dropped items. He was now without his club, so he had to resort to his old gear. Thankfully, it seemed that Mourningstar didn't pilfer too much from the Ratskin Pack aside from a crystal. That was good enough, he supposed. He grabbed his items and headed back to J11, where he loaded up on his {Stone Shot} ammunition by grabbing four rocks and placing them into his pack. It was something he needed in case of a threat.

After that, he just walked to the closest wall of the cavern with his <Woodland Pick^TM>. What followed was him using his time to relax by digging into the wall. This was how he thought, and it was how he relaxed. Digging.

---

---

@Zeroth@King Cosmos@SilverPaw@Searat@floodtalon@Gardevoiran@ReusableSword@Old Amsterdam@Duthguy



Jason knew his magic; though rather weak, was quite powerful in this setting, but this FAR exceeded his expectations. As a stoney spike now stuck diagonally through the bugbear's navel, and coming out between his shoulder blades.... It would seem that by adding an incantation, a spell could gain new powers and attributes. "Ngamana singalwa kwakhona ebomini obulandelayo" Jason whispered. Back in his tribe, such a phrase meant, 'May we fight again in the next life;' a customary sign of respect after felling a mighty foe. However, it didn't appear things would stay calm for long as a fireball loomed in the distance. Using his last mana crystal, he used [Magic Analysis I] on the fireball before it exploded. Not long after, Mourningstar began to attempt chopping off the goblin boss's head with a glowing crescent blade. Without hesitation, Jason promptly cast [Magic Analysis I] on that as well. However, it appeared that that was not the only thing he could analyze for the time being, as a strangely familiar wisp was demonstrating [Lesser Force I] to Oberon, prompting yet another [Magic Analysis I]. The most intriguing ability however, was an active skill that could regenerate mana... For someone like Jason; who naturally lacked an abundance of mana, such a skill would be an invaluable asset. Casting [Magic Analysis I] once again on the new skill, Jason move closer to the newcomer and reached out a pseudopod, lighty pressing against the wisp's 'head', activating [Telepathy II].

LEVEL UP!
You have overcome a harrowing trial! Your Battle experiences have culminated in new power! You are now Level 4! You gain Skill Points to use as you please!

Unspent Skill Points: 12
Current Skills:
Shield II (2.0)
Lesser Flight III (3.075)
Minor Heal III (3.45)
Physical Conditioning I (1.0)
Fire Resistance I (1.25)
<UNUSABLE SKILLS>
Keen Sight (0.5)
Keen Ear (0.1)
Muffle (0.6)
Alchemy (0.5)
Crafting (0.5)
Taming (0.6)
Faster (0.3)
Magic Analysis (0.55)
Mana Orb (0.15)
Fireball (0.4)
Focus (0.45)
Throw Voice (0.1)
Mana Strike (0.65)
Point Strike (0.6)
Charisma (0.2)
Soothe Song (0.15)
Stronger (0.6)
Harder (0.1)
Alert (0.2)
Reinforce (0.1)
Throw Item (0.5)
Meditate (0.1)
Stone Shot (0.5)
Inspire (0.4)
Guidance (0.2)
Iron Gullet (0.1)
Soil Manipulation (0.2)
<UNUSABLE SKILLS>

You have gained a Unique Equipment: Vine Body Wrap!
Normally Dire Rats cannot use equipment. This item, normally a belt for a humanoid creature, has been wrapped around your entire body. If you can find a way to fasten it, you may be able to use it without an equipment skill. However, due to its unsuitable nature, its bonuses to your stats will not be as great, and in some cases may be negated entirely.

LEVEL UP!
Your learning Experiences have culminated in new power! You are now Level 4! You gain Skill points to distribute as you please! Your base Stamina has increased!

LEVEL UP!
You have overcome a harrowing trial! Your Battle experiences have culminated in new power! You are now Level 5! You gain Skill points to distribute as you please!

Unspent Skill Points: 14 ((2 leftover, 7 bonus, 5 normal level up))
Current Skills:
Beast Sense II (2.3)
Faster I (1.9)
Monster Analysis I (1.8)
Dextrous I (1.4)
Poison Resistance I (1.0)
Crafting I (1.5)
Muffle I (1.1)
<UNUSABLE SKILLS>
Use Light Equipment (0.6) <UNSUITABLE>
Charisma (0.7)
Magic Analysis (0.8)
Mana Sense (0.5)
Telepathy (0.15)
Mental Resistance (0.1)
Stronger (0.2)
Soil Manipulation (0.35)
Overwork (0.1)
Lesser Status Heal (0.05)
Minor Heal (0.05)
Mana Drain (0.15)
Alert (0.5)
Meditate (0.1)
Smash (0.1)
Prehensile Tail (0.1)
<UNUSABLE SKILLS>

YOUR BODY IS BEGINNING TO CHANGE! You are undergoing Transformation! Based on your life experiences, your ability to survive, and the strength of your will, new paths have appeared! Choose carefully--there is no going back! WARNING. THIS PROCESS WILL LEAVE YOU TEMPORARILY VULNERABLE.

OPTIONS (* Indicates Suitability):
*(Adult) Dire Rat - Dire Rats are quite large and strong for rodents, with sharp senses. They are predator scavengers, and because their teeth constantly grow they forage and gnaw constantly. Their forepaws are somewhat capable of gripping and manipulating, but they aren’t very skilled. Rats often hunt in packs, composed of family units, but the mothers will often drive off the fathers as they will behave aggressively towards the young.

• Slight Increase to all Base Stats
• Increase HP
• Increase Potential

(Immature) Giant Rat - Giant Rats are rodents of such unusually large size, many people don't believe they exist. Their behaviors are virtually the same as the Dire Rat, but they often shed many of the usual "prey" animal behaviors of rats due to their much greater size and strength rendering them difficult for predators to bring down. As a result they can often be quite calm, and some humans even keep them as pets.

• Increase to base defense-stats
• Increase HP
• Increase Beast Sense (reduced)

**(Immature) Rat-Man - Through some magical quirk of evolution, these rodents have gained primate features. Roughly the same size as Goblins, though tending towards much thinner and more agile bodies and often still running on all fours, Rat-Men are capable of using tools and weapons. They often gather into large hordes, and seek hidden places near other groups of creatures--such as humans--in order to steal food and valuables from them. Their sharp senses of smell and dextrous fingers make them proficient crafters and alchemists, though they also show addictive tendencies with their own products.

• Increase to base power-stats.
• Increase to Use Light Equipment (reduced)
• Increase Beast Sense (reduced)

**(Immature) Mongrel - It is hard to define this creature as a rodent, a feline, or a canine, though it possesses traits of all three. Some speculate it is some kind of primitive, common ancestor to many carnivorous monsters today such as the Dire Wolf, but that raises the question of how it continues to exist? As a Beast-type monster in the truest sense, it has low levels of intelligence and is so aggressive it can barely form mating pairs with its own species. However, its strong jaws and claws are not to be underestimated, and it is much faster than it appears.

• Increase to power-stats
• Increase to speed-stats
• Increase Beast Sense (reduced)

LEVEL UP!
Your learning experiences have culminated in new power! You are now Level 4! You gain Skill points to distribute as you please!

LEVEL UP!
You have overcome a harrowing trial! Your battle experiences have culminated in new power! You are now Level 5! You gain Skill points to distribute as you please!

Unspent Skill Points: 12
Current Skills:
Physical Damage Resistance I (1.86)
Overwork I (1.05)
Blunt Resistance I (1.15)
Limited Shapeshift II (2.425)
Smash I (1.4)
Pierce Resistance I (1.05)
Faster I (1.1)
Magic Resistance I (1.0)
<UNUSABLE SKILLS>
Earth Resistance (0.7)
Mental Resistance (0.3)
Monster Analysis (0.3)
Slime Shell (0.3)
Cling (0.4)
Charisma (0.5)
Counter (0.5)
Slime Whip (0.3)
Dextrous (0.1)
Soil Manipulation (0.3)
Stone Shot (0.1)
Slime Coil (0.1)
Iron Gullet (0.1)
Magic Analysis (0.1)
Harder (0.3)
Bounce (0.4)
Muffle (0.1)
Poison Resistance (0.1)
Dash Attack (0.3)
<UNUSABLE SKILLS>

YOUR BODY IS BEGINNING TO CHANGE! You are undergoing Transformation! Based on your life experiences, your ability to survive, and the strength of your will, new paths have appeared! Choose carefully--there is no going back! WARNING. THIS PROCESS WILL LEAVE YOU TEMPORARILY VULNERABLE.

OPTIONS (* Indicates Suitability):
*(Adult) Slime - Slimes are amorphous creatures more similar to undeveloped egg yolks, yet they are able to move on their own and digest prey. Their bodies are highly resistant to physical damage and malleable.

• Slight increase to all base stats
• Increase HP
• Increase Potential

*(Immature) Giant Slime - Giant Slimes have simply grown bigger, and their membranes have increased in strength so as to hold more mass without causing their bodies to split. Their digestive fluids also become stronger, but as a result of these advantages they require more food.

• Increase Rank: Physical Damage Resistance
• Increase HP (reduced)
• Increase base defense-stats (reduced)
• Very Slightly increase non-defensive base stats

*(Immature) Amorphous Slime - Slimes that have a preference for shape shifting sometimes develop a weakened membrane. Their defensive abilities stop increasing so quickly compared to normal slime types, but their shapeshifting and movement skills rise more quickly. These slimes avoid water, as it has a much stronger diluting effect on them.

• Increase speed-stats (reduced)
• Increase Rank: Limited Shapeshifting
• Very Slightly increase non-defensive base stats

*(Immature) Metallic Slime - Absorbing nutrients from the ground underneath them, such as molecules of carbon and iron, has allowed this slime to form a metallic shell over its membrane. Unlike a Block Slime it has no tie to the Earth element, or any other magical properties. While its damage resistance rises much higher, its movement abilities suffer and its offensive strength doesn't increase much. This is just a slime that has become very, very good at what slimes usually do. This type is somewhat rare and humans often attempt to capture it for market.

• Better Increase to defensive-stats
• Increase Poison Resistance (reduced)
• Increase Disease Resistance (reduced)

LEVEL UP!
Your learning experiences have culminated in new power! You are now Level 3! You gain Skill points to distribute as you please!

LEVEL UP!
You have overcome a harrowing trial! Your battle experiences have culminated in new power! You are now Level 4! You gain Skill points to distribute as you please! Your Max MP has increased!

Unspent Skill Points: 12
Current Skills:
Mana Orb II (2.05)
Lesser Force I (1.55)
Levitation (--)
Monster Analysis I (1.55)
Meditate I (1.05)
<UNUSABLE SKILLS>
Magic Analysis (0.4)
Plant Analysis (0.7)
Blunt Resistance (0.4)
Mana Strike (0.5)
Focus (0.3)
Faster (0.5)
Point Strike (0.2)
Mana Dart (0.2)
Mana Shape (0.3)
Suppress Presence (0.2)
Muffle (0.2)
<UNUSABLE SKILLS>

LEVEL UP!
Your learning experiences have culminated in new power! You are now Level 3! You gain Skill points to distribute as you please!

LEVEL UP!
You have overcome a harrowing trial! Your battle experiences have culminated in new power! You are now Level 4! You gain Skill points to distribute as you please! Your Max HP has increased!

Unspent Skill Points: 12
Current Skills:
Use Light Equipment (--)
Tremor Sense II (2.35)
Soil Manipulation I (1.25)
Stone Shot I (1.4)
<UNUSABLE SKILLS>
Quake (0.5)
Rock Spire (0.5)
Stronger (0.9)
Crafting (0.1)
Fortify (0.3)
Point Strike (0.6)
Smash (0.6)
Throw Item (0.2)
Monster Analysis (0.2)
Charisma (0.1)
Taboo (0.1)
Guidance (0.1)
Mental Resistance (0.3)
Mana Strike (0.3)
Focus (0.1)
Stone Fist (0.6)
Stone Breaker (0.2)

LEVEL UP!
Your learning Experiences have culminated in new power! You are now Level 4! You gain Skill points to distribute as you please! Your base HP has increased!

LEVEL UP!
You have overcome a harrowing trial! Your Battle experiences have culminated in new power! You are now Level 5! You gain Skill points to distribute as you please!

Skill Gain: Muffle I!
This skill grants you the ability to be just a little bit better at being stealthy, with a focus on reducing the sound of your movements.

Unspent Skill Points: 12
Current Skills:
Beast Sense I (1.6)
Rabid Fit I (1.2)
Stronger I (1.05)
Muffle I (1.0)
<UNUSABLE SKILLS>
SKILL PROGRESS:
Material Analysis (0.2)
Magic Analysis (0.6)
Monster Analysis (0.6)
Faster (0.4)
Warcry (0.1)
Alert (0.3)
Dextrous (0.6)
Tremor Sense (0.025)
Mental Resistance (0.9)
Telepathy (0.075)
Mana Shape (0.6)
Focus (0.6)
Shield (0.5)
Mana Shell (0.3)
Soil Manipulation (0.45)
Overwork (0.5)
Harder (0.2)
Crafting (0.25)
First Aid (0.1)
Meditate (0.3)
<UNUSABLE SKILLS>

YOUR BODY IS BEGINNING TO CHANGE! You are undergoing Transformation! Based on your life experiences, your ability to survive, and the strength of your will, new paths have appeared! Choose carefully--there is no going back! WARNING. THIS PROCESS WILL LEAVE YOU TEMPORARILY VULNERABLE.

OPTIONS (* Indicates Suitability):
*(Adult) Dire Rat - Dire Rats are quite large and strong for rodents, with sharp senses. They are predator scavengers, and because their teeth constantly grow they forage and gnaw constantly. Their forepaws are somewhat capable of gripping and manipulating, but they aren’t very skilled. Rats often hunt in packs, composed of family units, but the mothers will often drive off the fathers as they will behave aggressively towards the young.

• Slight Increase to all Base Stats
• Increase HP
• Increase Potential

*(Immature) Giant Rat - Giant Rats are rodents of such unusually large size, many people don't believe they exist. Their behaviors are virtually the same as the Dire Rat, but they often shed many of the usual "prey" animal behaviors of rats due to their much greater size and strength rendering them difficult for predators to bring down. As a result they can often be quite calm, and some humans even keep them as pets.

• Increase to base defense-stats
• Increase HP
• Increase Beast Sense (reduced)

**(Immature) Rat-Man - Through some magical quirk of evolution, these rodents have gained primate features. Roughly the same size as Goblins, though tending towards much thinner and more agile bodies and often still running on all fours, Rat-Men are capable of using tools and weapons. They often gather into large hordes, and seek hidden places near other groups of creatures--such as humans--in order to steal food and valuables from them. Their sharp senses of smell and dextrous fingers make them proficient crafters and alchemists, though they also show addictive tendencies with their own products.

• Increase to base power-stats.
• Increase to Use Light Equipment (reduced)
• Increase Beast Sense (reduced)

(Immature) Mongrel - It is hard to define this creature as a rodent, a feline, or a canine, though it possesses traits of all three. Some speculate it is some kind of primitive, common ancestor to many carnivorous monsters today such as the Dire Wolf, but that raises the question of how it continues to exist? As a Beast-type monster in the truest sense, it has low levels of intelligence and is so aggressive it can barely form mating pairs with its own species. However, its strong jaws and claws are not to be underestimated, and it is much faster than it appears.

• Increase to power-stats
• Increase to speed-stats
• Increase Beast Sense (reduced)

You used Magic Analysis I!
--Fireball II--
A ball of fire conjured in a manner similar to a Mana Orb. At this rank it is stronger but costs more MP. It can inflict a burn on an enemy.
--Mana Slice I--
A blade of magical energy made by shaping a normal Mana Orb to have an edge. It uses more MP but does Slashing damage and is generally faster.
--Lesser Force I--
A conversion of Mana into physical force. It has a short range and is relatively weak at this rank, but allows one to pick up small objects without using a limb.
--Meditation I--
A skill that allows one to recover MP and Stamina. It can't be used in battle or while moving. Restoring Stamina is less efficient without proper rest and nourishment.
--Analysis Complete--

LEVEL UP!
You have overcome a dangerous trial! Your battle and learning experiences have culminated in new power! You are now Level 6! You gain Skill points to distribute as you please! Your Max MP has increased!

Unspent Skill Points: 7
Current Skills:
Physical Damage Resistance I (1.0)
Warcry I (1.7)
Stone Shot II (2.5)
Rock Spire I (1.8)
Tremor Sense II (2.375)
Soil Manipulation I (1.15)
Telepathy II (2.3425)
Material Analysis I (1.05)
Magic Analysis I (1.4)
Monster Analysis I (1.3)
Mental Resistance I (1.05)
Charisma I (1.0)
Focus I (1.15)
Limited Shapeshift I (1.1)
<UNUSABLE SKILLS>
Earth Affinity (0.6) <CANNOT BE INCREASED WITH SKILL POINTS>
Faster (0.4)
Wave Shock (0.1)
Swift Swimmer (0.1)
Aqua Sphere (0.7)
Alert (0.1)
Smash (0.5)
Cleave (0.3) <UNUSABLE WITH CURRENT ABILITIES>
Blood Drain (0.6)
Taboo (0.3)
Muffle (0.1)
Crafting (0.3)
Magic Resistance (0.4)
Agriculture (0.2)
Plant Analysis (0.1)
Acid Spit (0.5)
Bounce (0.2)
Fire Resistance (0.3)
Fortify (0.2)
Sensory Resistance (0.1)
Mana Orb (0.5)
Shield (0.5)
Alchemy (0.4)
Meditate (0.3)
Air Read (0.2)
Mind Wave (0.6)
Keen Sight (0.2)
Point Strike (0.2)
Doze (0.1)
Blunt Resistance (0.5)
Spell Chant (0.3)

You gained a Unique Equipment: Woven Cane Body Wrap!
Wisps normally cannot use equipment. This item, normally a headband for a humanoid creature, has been wrapped around your entire body. If you can find a way to fasten it, you may be able to use it without an equipment skill. However, due to its unsuitable nature, its bonuses to your stats will not be as great, and in some cases may be negated entirely.

You used Magic Analysis II!
--Fireball II--
A ball of fire conjured in a manner similar to a Mana Orb. At this rank, the skill can not only burn an enemy, but produces a small explosion. It does not create an AoE effect, but may prove more effective in certain circumstances. At this rank its MP cost and attack power are proportionally increased.
--Analysis Complete--

LEVEL UP!
You have survived a harrowing trial! Your learning and battle experiences have cultivated in new power! You are now Level 4! You gain Skill points to distribute as you please! Your Max MP Increases! Special Note: You have experienced Rapid Progression towards your next Level.

Unspent Skill Points: 7
Current Skills:
Mana Orb II (2.2)
Lesser Force II (2.0)
Levitation (--)
Magic Analysis II (2.25)
Mana Shape I (1.5)
Mana Slice I (1.4)
Monster Analysis II (2.1)
Focus I (1.05)
<UNUSABLE SKILLS>
Muffle (0.2)
Smash (0.2)
Defender (0.2)
Deception (0.3)
Charisma (0.35)
Blunt Resistance (0.2)
Mental Resistance (0.1)
Point Strike (0.1)
Fire Resistance (0.2)
Rabid Fit (0.1)
Dexterous (0.1)
Suppress Presence (0.1)
Meditation (0.1)

You used Magic Analysis III!
--Fireball II--
A ball of fire conjured in a manner similar to a Mana Orb. At this rank, the skill can not only burn an enemy, but produces a small explosion. It does not create an AoE effect, but may prove more effective in certain circumstances. At this rank its MP cost and attack power are proportionally increased. The Burn status effect causes damage-over-time, but is easily cured unlike most other status infliction by putting out the flame. The explosion effect is more likely to stun an opponent, or may cause discomfort to enemies sensitive to bright lights. The range of this spell is roughly equivalent to that of Mana Orb. It uses Fire element Mana, of course.
--Lesser Force I--
A translation of one's force of will through Mana, creating a telekinetic force that can move objects. At this rank the distance is short and its strength is rather low, but with intense focus one could use it to grapple or strike an opponent. Its MP cost is very low, and has a short recovery time even without recovery focused skills or items. Can be used by many magical creatures with both Energy type and Psionic types of Mana.
--Meditation I--
Through calming the mind and stimulating the soul, one clears their thoughts to form an unblocked conduit with ambient Mana in the environment. This increases the recovery speed of MP and Stamina, but it is highly vulnerable to disturbances and cannot be used in the midst of battle or other movements. Using this skill in and of itself does not consume any form of MP, Stamina, or other resources. The recovery of Stamina in particular is not as effective as normal sleep or rest, and is reduced when in need of food or water.
--Analysis Complete--

LEVEL UP!
You have overcome a harrowing trial! Your learning and battle experiences have culminated in new power! You are now Level 5! You gain Skill points to distribute as you please!

Unspent Skill Points: 11 ((4 left over, 7 bonus))
Current Skills:
Minor Heal I (1.65)
Lesser Flight II (2.25)
Shield III (3.3))
Magic Analysis III (3.45)
Mana Orb I (1.3)
Mana Shape I (1.1)
Lesser Status Heal I (1.1)
Mana Dart I (1.2)
<UNUSABLE SKILLS>
Meditation (0.4)
Focus (0.5)
Monster Analysis (0.6)
Material Analysis (0.1)
Plant Analysis (0.1)
Mental Resistance (0.3)
Wall (0.1)
Faster (0.4)
Alert (0.2)
Minor Regeneration (0.6)
Charisma (0.8)
Keen Sight (0.1)
<UNUSABLE SKILLS>

YOUR BODY IS BEGINNING TO CHANGE! You are undergoing Transformation! Based on your life experiences, your ability to survive, and the strength of your will, new paths have appeared! Choose carefully--there is no going back! WARNING. THIS PROCESS WILL LEAVE YOU TEMPORARILY VULNERABLE.

OPTIONS (* Indicates Suitability):
*(Adult) Pixie - A tiny humanoid Fey-type Monster. While somewhat intelligent, they lack empathy towards one another even compared to beasts like Goblins. Capable of flight and healing magic, but not physically strong or skilled enough to fight or use weapons well.

• Slightly increase all base stats
• Increase HP
• Increase Potential

(Immature) Imp - The smallest and most pitiful of Demon-type monsters. Though relatively strong for their size, they are still mostly specialized in magic. However they lack the finesse and technique of other Demons, using plain and often brute-force style spells. Their cunning and absolute refusal to ever admit that they are lesser to any other being, however, can make them dastardly plotters.

• Increase base power-stats
• Increase Rank: Mana Orb
• Increase Lesser Force (reduced)
• Increase Demon Affinity (reduced)

(Immature) Sprite - A highly territorial, but otherwise relatively friendly type of creature. Quite similar to Pixies at first glance, they are much more empathetic and even altruistic than other types of Fey. Unless an enemy presents a threat to their homes and families, they often prefer to flee rather than fight, but if something enters their nesting area they are known to swarm much like wasps.

• Increase Max MP
• Increase Rank: Minor Heal
• Increase Minor Heal All (reduced)
• Increase Light Affinity (reduced)

(Immature) Hipixie - A larger, stronger, and more sophisticated variety of Pixie, very similar to the commonly known relationship between a Goblin and a Hobgoblin. Growing almost as large as a goblin themselves, their ability to fly becomes more difficult to use but their size now allows them to use many forms of lightweight tools and weapons. Considered to be some of the first True Fey, species of Fey-type monsters capable of forming societies and cultures rather than simply flitting about on any whim or reacting to any emotion that comes into their tiny heads.

• Increase all base stats
• Increase Use Light Equipment (reduced)
• Slightly increase HP

LEVEL UP!
Though you fled, in the end you survived dangerous trials! Your learning and battle experiences have culminated in new power! You are now Level 4! You gain Skill points to distribute as you please!

Unspent Skill Points: 7
Current Skills:
Use Light Equipment (--)
Pacify Animal I (1.1)
Stronger I (1.4)
Crafting IV (4.1)
Material Analysis I (1.6)
Monster Analysis I (1.25)
Smash I (1.2)
Charisma I (1.05)
<UNUSABLE SKILLS>
Muffle (0.8)
Deception (0.6)
Charm (0.3)
Alert (0.2)
Stone Shot (0.3)
Slash (0.3)
Warcry (0.4)
Pierce Resistance (0.4)
Blunt Resistance (0.1)
Blood Drain (0.3)
Taboo (0.6)
Skewer (0.3)
Mental Resistance (0.1)
Fireball (0.2)
Mana Orb (0.2)
Focus (0.2)
Magic Analysis (0.1)
Faster (0.4)
Overwork (0.1)
Intercept (0.2)
Defender (0.2)
Rabid Fit (0.2)
First Aid (0.1)
Intimidate (0.1)
Counter (0.1)
Shield Slam (0.1)

LEVEL UP!
Your learning and battle experiences have culminated in new power! You are now Level 4! You gain Skill points to distribute as you please!

LEVEL UP!
You have overcome a harrowing trial! Your battle experience has culminated in new power! You are now Level 5! You gain Skill points to distribute as you please! Your Max HP increases!

Unspent Skill Points: 12
Current Skills:
Stun Fang II (2.225)
Poison Spit I (1.6)
Muffle II (2.75)
Poison Glob I (1.35)
Poison Breath I (1.3)
<UNUSABLE SKILLS>
Crafting (0.2)
Alchemy (0.4)
Alert (0.4)
Stealth Kill (0.5)
Fireball (0.325)
Warcry (0.3)
Poison Fang (0.1)
Blunt Resistance (0.5)
Smash (0.1)
Rabid Fit (0.9)
Scale Shift (0.2)
Magic Break (0.1)
Suppress Presence (0.2)
Overwork (0.2)
Curse Word (0.6)
<UNUSABLE SKILLS>

YOUR BODY IS BEGINNING TO CHANGE! You are undergoing Transformation! Based on your life experiences, your ability to survive, and the strength of your will, new paths have appeared! Choose carefully--there is no going back! WARNING. THIS PROCESS WILL LEAVE YOU TEMPORARILY VULNERABLE.

OPTIONS (* Indicates Suitability):
**(Adult) Fanged Lizard - Fanged Lizards are a reptilian monster with potent venom. When injected via a bite, it acts as a neurotoxin to paralyze the prey. When exposed to the air, it becomes a highly acidic liquid. The lizard can spit at a distance. Lizards will sometimes roam in packs of family units, but only until the young can hunt on their own, compared to Dire Rats often found in the same ecosystem. They are normally various shades of gray, blue, and purple, darkening towards black with the lighter colors being speckled across their backs.

• Slight increase to all base stats
• Increase HP
• Increase Potential

(Immature) Kobold - Small, reptilian creatures with odd primate characteristics like upright spines and grasping limbs. Quite similar to Goblins, often competing with them for the same territories and resources.

• Slight increase to base speed-stats
• Increase Use Light Equipment (reduced)
• Gain Access to Job System: 0th Tier

(Immature) Pygmy Drake - Stunted, pesky cousins of greater drake species, this creature has a poisonous stinger on its tail rather than a breath weapon and glides more than it flies. Nonetheless it is somewhat clever, and mages sometimes keep it the way someone might keep a pet bird.

• Very Slight Increase to all base stats
• Increase MP
• Increase Lesser Flight
• Increase Mana Orb and Dragon Affinity (reduced)

**(Immature) Lesserwurm - Related to dragons, but still a cold-blooded reptile, this creature burrows through the earth and fills the enclosed spaces around its prey with poisonous fumes. Its lengthy body is quite fast and deceptively strong, and its ability to shed its skin somehow allows it to heal more quickly.

• Lose hind limbs
• Increase to base speed-stats
• Slight increase to base power-stats
• Increase Minor Recovery (reduced)
• Increase Poison Breath (reduced)

EVENTS HAVE ALTERED THE COURSE OF NATURE. SHIFT IN AMBIENT MANA DETECTED. MANA CONCENTRATION LEVELS TEMPORARILY RISING. ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENTS HAVE BEEN ALTERED.

A DUNGEON CORE HAS FORMED. ASSIMILATION RATE INCREASED TO 0.1%. DUNGEON PRIMARY ELEMENT: EARTH. DUNGEON SECONDARY ELEMENT:DEATH.. OTHER PRESENT ELEMENTS IN ORDER OF CONCENTRATION: NATURE.ENERGY. WATER.

DUE TO THE ALTERATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENTS, INHABITANTS OF THE DUNGEON MAY EXPERIENCE VARIOUS EFFECTS.

DUNGEON FORMATION COMPLETED: THE OTHERWORLDLY CAVERN

---

As everyone's heads buzzed, some with so much information that it became painful, there was a sudden...shift. It was as if thunder had rolled directly overhead, but there was no sound. It was as if a tremor passed through the earth, but there was no shaking nor shifting of rock. It was as if the darkness around them--for indeed, the moon was only beginning to go down outside--suddenly became part of the very stones themselves.

As if someone had layered their eyes over with tinted sunglasses, everyone would suddenly see and feel this...oppressive...new aura coating the ground around them. Gray, granite-colored stone, brown dirt...now it seemed to carry a darker tinge, blacks and violets somewhere deeper than the surface.

Jason suddenly felt extremely compelled to revisit his cave.

Crispy's head jerked around, his eyes wide as if he had sensed something that demanded his utmost attention. He looked in the direction of the pool, past the bonfire, and for some reason he felt drawn to go there even though he knew he shouldn't. He bit his lip. It took sheer force of will to turn back to the other goblins, who were currently working on turning their torches and what was left of the fire from the entranceway into a campfire they could use as their new base of operations. They, too, seemed to feel the shift in the air, and dropped what they were doing to look around in terror.

"Wut just happen!?" came their cries, until Crispy shut them all up with the bright burst of light from a fireball in his hand. He clenched his fist to dissipate it once he had silenced them.

"Somethin' big, dat's wat. And I gots a feelin'...that Rattleskull fucked up." He growled, looking in the direction he had last seen the Boss. Then he turned and pointed. The best equipped of Orchid's shieldboys, his two remaining minions, and the male youngling torchbearer.

"Youse all, wif me! We're gonna go check somethin' out!"

Meanwhile, somewhere near the pool, a pixie hunched over a gory meal of some poor creature. But this pixie was missing one of its limbs, and its body bore a number of wounds that it should not have been able to survive. With sightless eyes the creature suddenly looked around it. It felt...stronger. And also...hungrier...

In a few places around the cave, the soil began to shiver. Somewhere, something sharp and slender and colored a sickly, yellowish-white, poked through the dirt...followed by several more structures just like it, revealing themselves to have joints, and a base made of several more plate-like structures of the same material...

---

@Zeroth@King Cosmos@SilverPaw@Searat@floodtalon@Gardevoiran@ReusableSword@Old Amsterdam@Duthguy

You used Magic Analysis I!
--Fireball II--
A ball of fire conjured in a manner similar to a Mana Orb. At this rank it is stronger but costs more MP. It can inflict a burn on an enemy.
--Mana Slice I--
A blade of magical energy made by shaping a normal Mana Orb to have an edge. It uses more MP but does Slashing damage and is generally faster.
--Lesser Force I--
A conversion of Mana into physical force. It has a short range and is relatively weak at this rank, but allows one to pick up small objects without using a limb.
--Meditation I--
A skill that allows one to recover MP and Stamina. It can't be used in battle or while moving. Restoring Stamina is less efficient without proper rest and nourishment.
--Analysis Complete--

LEVEL UP!
You have overcome a dangerous trial! Your battle and learning experiences have culminated in new power! You are now Level 6! You gain Skill points to distribute as you please! Your Max MP has increased!

Unspent Skill Points: 7
Current Skills:
Physical Damage Resistance I (1.0)
Warcry I (1.7)
Stone Shot II (2.5)
Rock Spire I (1.8)
Tremor Sense II (2.375)
Soil Manipulation I (1.15)
Telepathy II (2.3425)
Material Analysis I (1.05)
Magic Analysis I (1.4)
Monster Analysis I (1.3)
Mental Resistance I (1.05)
Charisma I (1.0)
Focus I (1.15)
Limited Shapeshift I (1.1)
<UNUSABLE SKILLS>
Earth Affinity (0.6) <CANNOT BE INCREASED WITH SKILL POINTS>
Faster (0.4)
Wave Shock (0.1)
Swift Swimmer (0.1)
Aqua Sphere (0.7)
Alert (0.1)
Smash (0.5)
Cleave (0.3) <UNUSABLE WITH CURRENT ABILITIES>
Blood Drain (0.6)
Taboo (0.3)
Muffle (0.1)
Crafting (0.3)
Magic Resistance (0.4)
Agriculture (0.2)
Plant Analysis (0.1)
Acid Spit (0.5)
Bounce (0.2)
Fire Resistance (0.3)
Fortify (0.2)
Sensory Resistance (0.1)
Mana Orb (0.5)
Shield (0.5)
Alchemy (0.4)
Meditate (0.3)
Air Read (0.2)
Mind Wave (0.6)
Keen Sight (0.2)
Point Strike (0.2)
Doze (0.1)
Blunt Resistance (0.5)
Spell Chant (0.3)

The amount of choices this new level up presented some interesting new abilities..... Humming with contempt as he read through his options, Jason gleefully added 4 points to mind wave, 2 points into rock spire, and a final point into the incredibly curious spell chant skill.

But when could pleasant moments ever last?

EVENTS HAVE ALTERED THE COURSE OF NATURE. SHIFT IN AMBIENT MANA DETECTED. MANA CONCENTRATION LEVELS TEMPORARILY RISING. ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENTS HAVE BEEN ALTERED.

A DUNGEON CORE HAS FORMED. ASSIMILATION RATE INCREASED TO 0.1%. DUNGEON PRIMARY ELEMENT: EARTH. DUNGEON SECONDARY ELEMENT:DEATH.. OTHER PRESENT ELEMENTS IN ORDER OF CONCENTRATION: NATURE.ENERGY. WATER.

DUE TO THE ALTERATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENTS, INHABITANTS OF THE DUNGEON MAY EXPERIENCE VARIOUS EFFECTS.

DUNGEON FORMATION COMPLETED: THE OTHERWORLDLY CAVERN

Dungeon core?!!?!??! The fuck was that?

As everyone's heads buzzed, some with so much information that it became painful, there was a sudden...shift. It was as if thunder had rolled directly overhead, but there was no sound. It was as if a tremor passed through the earth, but there was no shaking nor shifting of rock. It was as if the darkness around them--for indeed, the moon was only beginning to go down outside--suddenly became part of the very stones themselves.

As if someone had layered their eyes over with tinted sunglasses, everyone would suddenly see and feel this...oppressive...new aura coating the ground around them. Gray, granite-colored stone, brown dirt...now it seemed to carry a darker tinge, blacks and violets somewhere deeper than the surface.

As an otherworldly compulsion washed over Jason, calling him to his cave-- it all began to make sense.... The massive source crystal he'd discovered... THAT WAS THE DUNGEON CORE!!!! Something similar to instinct screamed for him to race there as fast as possible... No doubt others in the cave would be met with the same sensation...

With a mighty [Warcry I], Jason grabbed his comrades' attention, "EVERYONE, THERE'S NO TIME TO EXPLAIN BUT YOU NEED TO FOLLOW ME RIGHT. NOW. THERES NO TIME TO WASTE!!!!! ARDUR! I NEED YOU ESPECIALLY TO HEAL ME!!!" he exclaimed in a loud, yet deeply concerned tone; one that anyone had yet to hear up to this point. Curling into a ball with [Lesser Shapeshift I], Jason made a mad dash straight for his cave.

At this point, it was a race against the clock.

Ardur The Pixie

Don't mess with the white mage >>>> PROMOTED! /// day 8 // Evening / Location - J11

Ardur was breathing heavily while he watched. Too tired to do anything the pixie sat down and tried to calm his beating heart. This fight was in the hands of the others now, and he surrendered to the fact that he would just get in the way. While resting, he was able to go over his skill points with his new level increase. He must have been close because Rattleskull wasn’t even dead yet before he got his new level.

Looking down the list while the fighting continued in the back ground. He had 7 points to distribute for his third level. The selection this time had also increased which was nice as well as noticing the new shield spell and the fact that he was almost half-way to a new healing spell made him smile. Ardur continued to ponder the other skills, they would surely take some time to level some more than others. Considering this and the direction of the cave reborn currently.

Ardur placed 4 of the 7 points into taming to bring it up to a usable skill and put the remaining 3 points into fireball bringing it up to 0.7. He could only hope that this would help him out in the long run.

His attention turned back to the fight at hand while he continued to rest. Rattleskull was going down quickly in a state of near confusion. Obviously he had never faced such opposition with so many foes. It was easy to understand that having so many creatures working together would be strange to anyone. Even then, such information was useful. It meant that any other creature that would oppose them would be caught off guard at least momentarily by their team work. Even if, it was a bit sloppy.

Finally, the boss monster fell and it took all their might and tricks to finally win. The creature died in anguish and fear. Their kill was not clean by any means. Ardur could only hope that the next things they fought would go quicker. He never really minded death or gore, but he didn’t particularly like suffering. It just isn’t what he is into.

Then he received another notification, “You have overcome a harrowing trial! Your Battle experiences have culminated in new power! You are now Level 4! You gain Skill Points to use as you please!”

“Another level up and 5 more skill points?” well then this was definitely a strange occurrence. Ardur quickly put 3 of the 5 skill points into Fireball giving him Fireball I. the last two points into Stronger making it go from 0.6 to 0.8.

The others seemed to finally take a break and rest, the slow realization of what just happened slowly seemed to dawn on them. Ardur sighed making his way to the goblin leader. Stepping up to the lifeless former foe he watched as the others began to start processing the loot from this kill. Ardur stayed out of their way for the most part, he was only interested in one thing. Food. Something he found easy to get to near the neck. The others had already started to behead the corpse and pulling a few strands of muscle fiber off between their cuts seemed to satisfy him.

It didn’t taste good, it never did. Still, he nonetheless ate the large goblins flesh while standing away from the others. The wisp that he gave the mana crystal too earlier approached him thanking him for the crystal and tried to ask about teaching him some magical skills. Before he could answer another pixie came into the picture and began to converse with him. They spoke of spells and ability’s he didn’t know of before demonstrating them.

Ardur would try to remember what they said about their own abilities before speaking his peace. “I would love to train with you in spells but later.” A bright fiery flash could be seen in the distant cave. “As you can see the goblins are still pressing towards us, and they don’t know their leader has fallen. I don’t know about the rest of you reborn, but I don’t really want to kill any more of them.” He paused for a moment to consider his thoughts. “I mean we killed their leader, their strongest. All that’s left is crispy, but he seems smarter than Rattleskull and could be reasoned with to live in harmony with one another. Or at the very least in peace.” He wiped the goblins blood from his mouth and looked towards the others. “The least we could do is try. However, if the rest of you choose to continue this killing spree I won’t get in your way.”

Ardur was interrupted by a sudden shift and froze in place. something seemed off yet enchanting about their home. that with the new information about their world and this new dungeon could be a problem. hopefully it doesn't draw in more powerful creatures. they needed to rest and regroup before facing a new threat.

Jason seemed to have other plans. As everything seemed to settle and the others looked to be lost in their own thoughts and feelings, the slime called out to him for a heal. Ardur was close by him and thought the yelling after the headache he just received was a bit much but ok. The pixie was able to cast Minor Heal II on Jason before he sped off. Whatever it was he was doing made him quite curious so the pixie followed suit keeping pace with the slime and flying just above him.

@Zeroth
@Old Amsterdam
@Duthguy
@Gardevoiran
@Guy0fV4lor

---

Consciousness slowly returned to Ash as the foggy visions of the dream faded. Whatever she dreamed it had gone in nearly an instant. She had never been good at remembering dreams in the first place, even when she was human so she didn't think too much of it. Merely finding a way to try and break out of this annoying shell once more! Ugh, what was this? It was even tighter when she originally broke out of her first egg, wasn't it? Urgh, either it had gotten smaller or she had gotten larger. Judging from things, it was probably the latter.

With each waking second, focused returned and she could feel her new body. A twitch of new muscles from her shoulder blades, cramping painfully as she tried to move them. Her neck felt it too, like a bad night of sleeping. She almost didn't even notice her new tail. And just who was making that annoying racket?! Clawing her way out of this shell once more, she jabbed at it with her tail and claws as best she could, and finally her vision returned.

"Urgh, somehow that wasn't restful at all..." She wearily shook her head, shaking the sleepiness from her eyes as she crawled out of this new shell, stretching her body, blinking and gaining vision back just in time to see...Colchain running for the hills? And a goblin...? Almost immediately Ash assumed a defensive stance. It seemed like whatever this evolution thing had done both increased her stats as well as hopefully refilled her stats, so she could...wait.

"...The goblin from earlier?" Ash lowered her new wings, flapping them experimentally. "...well, this is not quite how I imagined our second meeting to go. Allow me to formally introduce myself. Ash, former human and if my hunch is correct, so are you."

Dominated Fanged Lizard: Colchain has left your party!

How very helpful. Sometimes, system, stating the obvious was mildly infuriating.

"I'm a little upset you scared off my friend, but I suppose that's not really a issue in the grand scheme of things." Ash sighed, exhaling and shaking her head as she decided to take a seat much like a cat might, front legs holding her body up and tail curling around her body. "I am glad to see you are alright. I was concerned when I heard those fools decided to attack the goblins. I suppose I shouldn't expect anything less from former humans, resorting to violence the first chance they get." Blinking Ash cleared her throat. "...look at me rambling like the old woman I formerly was." Before she could continue however, something peculiar happened. Another system message, and a fairly important one from the looks of things.

EVENTS HAVE ALTERED THE COURSE OF NATURE. SHIFT IN AMBIENT MANA DETECTED. MANA CONCENTRATION LEVELS TEMPORARILY RISING. ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENTS HAVE BEEN ALTERED.

A DUNGEON CORE HAS FORMED. ASSIMILATION RATE INCREASED TO 0.1%. DUNGEON PRIMARY ELEMENT: EARTH. DUNGEON SECONDARY ELEMENT:DEATH.. OTHER PRESENT ELEMENTS IN ORDER OF CONCENTRATION: NATURE.ENERGY. WATER.

DUE TO THE ALTERATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENTS, INHABITANTS OF THE DUNGEON MAY EXPERIENCE VARIOUS EFFECTS.

DUNGEON FORMATION COMPLETED: THE OTHERWORLDLY CAVERN
SYSTEM

Ash frowned. Well, she hadn't really a clue as to what any of this was but she was wholly uninterested at the moment. Perhaps she was a little curious as to what it all meant, but doing so would likely mean she had to interact with the other former humans and to be quite honest, she had no desire to do anything of the sort. In fact...what was she going to be doing from now? Violence wasn't something she liked. She wanted to avoid it. She wasn't the same as them. Like always. Always the outcast. Even the two pixies and other lizard seemed to have left her.

She could continue her original plan of finding other lizards, trying to make something with them. She'd just need to find Colchain again whilst looking out for others, especially with all this confusion going on perhaps it could be easy.

"...Hmm, I'm considering leaving this cave." Ash continued after a second of thought, mostly disregarding the system message and giving Orchid a curious head tilt, as if wanting her opinion. "I grow tired of the other humans already, aside from you and I have no desire to particularly contend or deal with them."

---

LEVEL UP!
Your learning experiences have culminated in new power! You are now Level 3! You gain Skill points to distribute as you please!

LEVEL UP!
You have overcome a harrowing trial! Your battle experiences have culminated in new power! You are now Level 4! You gain Skill points to distribute as you please! Your Max HP has increased!

Unspent Skill Points: 12
Current Skills:
Use Light Equipment (--)
Tremor Sense II (2.35)
Soil Manipulation I (1.25)
Stone Shot I (1.4)
<UNUSABLE SKILLS>
Quake (0.5)
Rock Spire (0.5)
Stronger (0.9)
Crafting (0.1)
Fortify (0.3)
Point Strike (0.6)
Smash (0.6)
Throw Item (0.2)
Monster Analysis (0.2)
Charisma (0.1)
Taboo (0.1)
Guidance (0.1)
Mental Resistance (0.3)
Mana Strike (0.3)
Focus (0.1)
Stone Fist (0.6)
Stone Breaker (0.2)

Ah heck yeah! New level ups!

EVENTS HAVE ALTERED THE COURSE OF NATURE. SHIFT IN AMBIENT MANA DETECTED. MANA CONCENTRATION LEVELS TEMPORARILY RISING. ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENTS HAVE BEEN ALTERED.

A DUNGEON CORE HAS FORMED. ASSIMILATION RATE INCREASED TO 0.1%. DUNGEON PRIMARY ELEMENT: EARTH. DUNGEON SECONDARY ELEMENT:DEATH.. OTHER PRESENT ELEMENTS IN ORDER OF CONCENTRATION: NATURE.ENERGY. WATER.

DUE TO THE ALTERATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENTS, INHABITANTS OF THE DUNGEON MAY EXPERIENCE VARIOUS EFFECTS.

DUNGEON FORMATION COMPLETED: THE OTHERWORLDLY CAVERN

... oh, that's not so good.

Jason grabbed the goblin's attention as he thought about what to put his stats into. There was an ability that... confused him. It was {Taboo}. What exactly did that mean? It piqued his interest as he grabbed up all of his things and ran towards Jason, dragging his pack along behind him. Whatever that message meant, Jason was probably the safest bet to be with at the moment.

"9 into Taboo, 1 into Stronger, and 2 into Rock Spire!"

He hoped that whatever was happening would result in something good occurring for him.

As the goblin ran, he couldn't help but satisfy his curiosity as he used {Tremor Sense II} to see what exactly was changing around the cave. He wouldn't get too much to see, but he could hopefully sense what was going on at that time.

---