Ardur The Pixie

So sleepy >>>> onward to new adventures /// day 8 // Evening / Location - home > Heading for the cave entrance.

Ardur looked on at his friend. The spider was always there for him since the beginning it was definitely strange to see him become consumed in the hard web like cocoon he would occasionally read about when it came to butterflies. Sitting on the floor and looking to his friend he began to catch his breath, casting minor heal I on himself to hopefully speed up the stronger skill. The pixie began to think about where he has been and how far he has come while the small cocoon in front of him shifted and grew slightly.

What exactly would be the outcome of all of them here? Where was he headed and where could he go? This place is strange with only the mere mention of humans from the goblins stories he couldn’t help but think about his Sara. If only he could see her one more time, memorize the curvature of her face and her dazzling smile. The ever subtle glow of a pregnant young lady. He caught himself crying for a moment while he drew the best picture he could have of her in the dirt beneath him. Again he asked himself what would she say if she saw him like this? Would she be stern and serious or soft and warm? Just to feel that women’s embrace one more time would be worth anything in the world.

He knew he had to keep going, maybe just maybe that demon lord guy could make his wish a reality. Hell even having just a picture of her would be worth it. Until then, he would have to keep his end of the bargain, he would have to keep moving and keep growing. Keep the others safe and keep them growing as well. At least then, if he ever saw her again he could be proud of where he has been and how he got there. Look at her with pride and not shame. “One step at a time Travis, one step at a time.” He spoke aloud even referring to himself with his old name from his old life. Just a little something she would tell him when he was feeling overwhelmed.

A thought came to his mind while he sat there with his knees curled up to his chest. “Demon lord im not sure if you can hear my prayer or care really. Once we make it to you I will do whatever you wish as long as I get to see my Sara one last time. I will do whatever it takes, to see to it that I make it too you… that we make it too you... You asked me a question before and I have an answer for you... I’ve seen worse.” Honestly Ardur was unsure if the demon lord could hear him, but he supposed it couldn’t hurt.

Soon he found himself broken from his thoughts and memories by a crack in the cocoon across from him and a system message explaining to him what Steve was and what she could do. The spider quickly came up to him and joyfully rubbed against his legs while seeming to wave at him. The sudden growth spurt and playfulness of the spider reminded him of a dog from back home. Compared to him it was roughly the same size as a small to medium dog as well. The spider seemed to be over joyed as it scuttled around the small chamber seemingly getting used to its new mobility. The damaged legs it had before seemed to have been healed and somehow Ardur knew it was his friend. It was tamed after all.

Soon Ardur could feel his eyes become heavy, and he slowly fell asleep. His trusty companion snuggled up next to him. The cold floor wasn’t anything he hadn’t dealt with before. But the dream was strange. It was dark, he felt cold, but he was still there and still himself. He could feel his wings and that he was standing on something cold and hard. It smelt strange to him, like rot and death. Then off into the distance he could see a speck of light that slowly began to grow. He began to move forward towards the light and when he did he could hear something, feel something breathing down his neck. It felt wrong and predatory, his flight or fight response was flaring, and he tried to run faster and faster toward the light. The air was beginning to get thick and hard to breath. Then before he felt like whatever was behind him would reach out and grab him he made it out. It was green, wet, bright, and he could breathe. The foliage reminded him of home. Before he could make out more about his surroundings, he woke up.

Steve seemed to have sensed his distress and had already woken up. She was waiting patiently next to him. All Ardur could do was smile at the spider and pet its armored skin, “don’t worry friend, I think we have stayed here long enough.” He slowly stood on shaky legs. Really all he seemed to do was achieve a nap of some sort however it seemed like it would be enough to accomplish his next task. “Come friend.” He held out his hand towards her, “let’s go, this cave doesn’t feel as inviting as it once did.” The pixie then stood still while the spider found a comfortable place to hang on to him and his spider silk clothing. effectively wrapping itself around his torso to stay out of the way of his wings.

The spider didn’t seem to weigh him down too much and didn’t seem too bothered by the fact that they were now flying. Ardur had begun to make his trek towards the entrance. His instincts were already gnawing at the back of his mind. The subtle fight or flight response making its return, but he couldn’t help but think that he just might have slept through something important. The energy of the cave seemed to have died down a little but something more eerie had taken its place. Yet he still couldn't help himself but sing while he flew, perhaps it would calm his nerves.

"So here we are
A thousand miles from hope
Endlessly falling from the clutches of a dream
Take my hand
It's bigger than us all
Follow me
To the end of time

So here we are
Tonight our world begins
Tonight it all will end."

@Zeroth

It seemed that finding who he was looking for wasn’t going to be as hard as he though, considering both people came and found him instead. Some creature he had never seen before appeared first; with two forelegs and a long, snake-like body trailing behind it it looked like some kind of evolved lizard. Whatever it was, from the way it spoke it seemed to be human and from the way it, she, responded to Jason he could only assume this was Rain.

Curious as to what she actually was Oberon used Monster Analysis on her; it seemed like a number of people had evolved from that last battle, not just him. While he was reading the results Digbie also approached, thankfully agreeing to leave with them. Oberon used Monster Analysis on him as well for good measure. “Ok, that’s good to hear. We should leave as soon as we can and join the others. Uh, Rain? You’re welcome to come with us.”



@Old Amsterdam@Gardevoiran

As Asura tried to loot Rattleskull, he would find that while he could hold the smaller items besides that ramshackle wooden armor within his membrane he couldn't really "use" them. Rattleskull's weapon had been destroyed, and while his new Limited Shapeshift rank might let him get a better grip on things he just didn't have the type of structure he needed to "wield" these things, much less wear them. Unless he perhaps mimicked Rattleskull's shape...but he didn't have enough mass for that.

So he eventually began to eat the items. He found them especially hard to digest, as they had been crafted meticulously, even though the wooden armor was just rough hewn boards tied together. But Slimes could get the most out of any meal, even giant lumps of cellulose and fiber.

Momma Slime did the same, and soon between the two of them all of Rattleskull's inventory had been devoured. His body was quickly disappearing as well--Asura had taken off one limb for his own, and Momma Slime had eaten both legs and was now working her way up the torso. Both slimes' translucent insides were rather disgusting to look at for the moment.

---

"B-But there's more animals outside da cave than there are monsters INside it!" protested the torchbearer. The one whose shield Orchid helped repair, however, seemed to be taking her words about working together as an epiphany of sorts. He looked at her with eyes that were wide with awe but somewhat confused. "Why not stay in and...and do somethin' to keep 'em away!"

"Like what?" said the other shieldbearer. "Ya tink we can just...get behind da rocks or sumfin'?"

The wide-eyed one's eyes got wider.

"If Crispy is smart, he'll know that too. Especially now. You two with me." Orchid looked to the torchbearer and another shield goblin. To the one who she just mended the shield for, she had an important task for him. "I need you to stay here and tell Crispy I'm back. I'm going to be in the forest with these two so we can gather more wood. I'd like him to meet me so we can talk. It's not safe in this cave. Too much weird things going on." When she asked their names, the three answered in a manner indicative of their personality as if they had suddenly become more distinct.

"Bigs!" said the first shieldbearer. He was actually the second of Orchid's minions, not the one who had created the much better stone spear or the one who had created the worst shield. Both of his crafting attempts had been somewhat mediocre. But as he thumped his chest he indicated that he was at least a typical reliable goblin--not quite as scared as a smarter creature would be, not quite as hesitant as a less brash one. And he was, true to his name, a little bigger than the average goblin, though not nearly as muscular as the brawny one had been.

"Wej!" said the other shieldbearer. He was a little squatter in build, more pudgy around the middle, and he suddenly seemed very excited. "An' I gots an id--"

"I'm Jezee!" piped up the female torchbearer. As the youngest she was also the shortest, and the skinniest, almost appearing to be malnourished. With Orchid's encouragement her timidness had been somewhat abated for the moment, but only for as long as she stayed close to the "mini-boss."

"I said, I gots an idea!" spoke up Wej, slapping his chest. "We CANS hide behind da rocks! We can make tings like ya showed us!" he practically shouted as he pointed at Orchid. Then he grabbed a stone from the ground, and put it further in front of the fire at the edge of the light. This was followed by a second, and then a third stone, making a small pyramid with them.

"WE CAN BUILD A WALL!" he crowed triumphantly, pointing up into the air at the height of this imaginary wall between the goblins and the monsters--just as Crispy's party came charging into the camp, kicking over the pile of rocks and shoving Wej out of the way unceremoniously.

"All of yas, listen up!" Crispy shouted, before taking several deep breaths to get air back in his lungs. The entire group looked like they'd been sprinting for their lives. "Rattleskull's dead! T'ain't safe heres no more! Dem udda mobs done ganged up, and dey gonna--"

"We already knows, Mid-boss!" spoke up Bigs. "Mini-boss told us!"

Crispy slapped the goblin upside the head, then turned to look at Orchid. But then he blinked and his glare disappeared.

"Youngling! Ya didn't get gibbed!" He patted Orchid's shoulder, then turned to the others. "Okay den! Ya already knows dat we gots to go?"

"Y-yeah...if everybody keeps sayin' dat, I guess we's gots ta leave..." mumbled Jezee.

"BUT WUT ABOUT DA WALL!?" protested Wej as he sat up on the ground, shaking dirt out of his face.

"Wut?" Crispy turned to Orchid. "Wat plan dey talkin' about? You doin' sumfin' else crazy?"

Skill Gain: Stronger I!
You have grown stronger through tough training! Tear muscles down, and rebuild them anew! Your physical power stats have increased! By gaining at least one rank of Faster, Harder, and Better, Skill Synergy will occurr and you will gain one rank of Physical Conditioning.

Yo! You have reached the Demon King's Prayer Hotline. Please hold, your prayers are NOT important to me.

I kindly request that you STOP IMMEDIATELY. Do not EVER pray to me again. Prayers are for deities and I don't want that kinda fuckin' responsibility. This is an automated response system, do not reply to it or I'll send somebody to fuck you up.

--Beep--

Update: As of [9 days] ago, if you're one of my Damned Heroes, this is for you. If you can prove your strength to me and survive, find my Palace. Protip--it ain't in that shitty cave. Try the Dungeons.
Update: As of [0 days] ago, you Damned Heroes are growing faster than I thought you would even though I went to the effort of making sure none of you had Cheats or unusual natural talents. Watch yourselves--standing out means drawing attention.

If it had not been for his new skill, Ardur likely would have found it impossible to fly with Steve in tow. Gliding for a short distance, possibly, but only that extra boost to his strength stats gave him the power he needed to sustain flight. Even then, though, it was clearly much slower and more tiring than normal. But, at this point how else would he do it? Having Steve follow him on the ground would have been just as slow and exposed his friend to danger.

As a tamed creature, it seemed like Steve responded fairly well to pretty much anything Ardur requested, although she still seemed independent enough she likely wouldn't do anything to threaten her own life or interfere with her basic needs like food. She could probably even still hunt without him. But now they were in it for the long haul, just two buds heading on the road to...somewhere.

As Ardur flew, he soon noticed the gaggle of goblins down below...Would he stop for a moment, or continue towards the entrance?

---

As Torrent slapped the fish out of the air easily, its small size and limited mobility no match for her new form, it lay and flopped on the bank for a bit. By observing it she could see it really was nothing more than a small fish, like one of those mini-piranhas some people got as exotic pets or because they liked throwing other animals into the tank like psychopaths. It could probably have given her a nasty bite, but outside of the water it was no threat. Good thing she hadn't tried to stay in that tunnel. Now that she was back above ground, getting back to the others was easy, although one might have to wonder what she had walked in on with everyone showing off their changes and new abilities...

You used Mana Sense!
You sense a dreadful and sickening energy! This Mana is highly negatively charged and reeks of death and resentment!

You used Mana Sense!
You sense a warm and comforting energy. This Mana is protective and envelops you like a metaphysical coat. You feel like you won't be harmed with this spell.

You used Monster Analysis II!
---Oberon---
This is a new monster to you! This used to be the Pixie you knew as Oberon, but he has transformed! 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. They are aligned with the light element and their wings have scales similar to some types of moths. When these scales fall they sometimes glitter, and the Sprite's body is often covered with them.
---Analysis Complete!---

You used Mana Sense!
The Mana you sense is heavily diluted. What little you feel gives you a momentary feeling of depth, like putting your foot down in the ocean and suddenly realizing the shore is no longer beneath you.

The Skeleblin remains gave Asteria the heebie jeebies when she used Mana Sense on them, but Oberon's Shield spell was far more pleasant. Analysing the former pixie's new form revealed some interesting information, and then...

There was definitely something in the water, wasn't there? Or was the water itself magical in some way? But the feeling was so heavily diluted, it had only been there for a fraction of a second. And now it was gone. As Asteria dammed up the little stream, it began to pool out somewhat at its end. By this point it seemed the water levels had equalized, though, and it flowed no more. Mother Rat, who had warily hissed a warning when Asteria approached, now began to cautiously creep back towards the others. She dipped one paw in the water as if testing it, then huffed in satisfaction.

As Ed checked his lizard skin pouch, he could see that this item clearly would not make another trip. Here in the corner of Jason's cave it would serve for the moment to store the Mana Crystals, but it looked and felt like picking it up would cause it to rip and tear, as would trying to drag it along the rocky ground. But this misfortune might be somewhat leveled out; when he ate the Healing Herb, Ed received a message that his HP was back to full! While his stamina didn't give any indication of increasing, eating the herb also seemed to satisfy his hunger a bit. However, he could still eat, and he still needed to get some real sleep. He had already run too low on stamina once in the past 24-hour period.

You used Monster Analysis I!
---Asteria---
This is a Dire Rat you have come to know as Asteria. 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. You know Asteria is a Reincarnator.
---Jason---
This is a new type of monster to you! This used to be a normal Slime you knew as Jason, but he has Transformed! Stone-Hardened Mage Slime: Slimes are normally of limited intelligence, but every so often one somehow learns magic. With its poor magic stats its casts are limited in number, but few expect a Slime to have such abilities. This one has somehow earned the Stone Hardened Variance, signifying a bond of some sort with the Earth element. You know Jason is a Reincarnator.
---Ed---
This is a Dire Rat you have come to know as Ed. 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. You know Ed is a Reincarnator.
---Digbie---
This is a Goblin you have come to know as Digbie. A semi-intelligent monster with the limb dexterity and mental capacity to use tools. By comparison, usually as large, strong, and intelligent as a human child, but far more vicious. Digbie lacks the usual vicious traits...or at least you thought he did, but now there does seem to be something off about him. Digbie has an unusual level of magic ability for a goblin. You know Digbie is a Reincarnator.
---Wisp---
This is a Wisp whose name you haven't learned yet ((Danny)). More magical manifestation than biological creatures, Wisps nonetheless possess physical bodies. Their ability to cast spells from range makes them a foe that should not be underestimated by the novice. Wisps are magically oriented monsters, normally possessing two spells. This one is unusual.
---Rain---
This is a new type of monster to you! This used to be a normal Fanged Lizard you knew as Rain, but she has transformed! 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. You know Rain is a Reincarnator.
---Analysis Complete!---

You used Magic Analysis III!
---Rock Spire---
A basic Earth-aligned spell that creates a sharp spike of stone by drawing loose or broken fragments of earth out of the ground. The caster possesses two Ranks of this spell. It deals more damage than most level one spells for the same MP cost, but requires that solid earth be within the user’s range of sight or perception. Solid earth can include soils and sands, but if the ground is too solid it increases the MP cost of the spikes as new fragments of stone must be broken off. The spike is created beneath the targeted area, object, or creature. One drawback of this is that the flash of Mana produced as a side effect of driving the energy into the earth might alert the opponent. Does Piercing and Earth Magic damage. Currently this spell is being altered by another magically oriented skill.
---Analysis Complete!---

You are experiencing a Fast Rate of Skill Progression.

As Danny observed the Healing Herbs, without the actual Plant Analysis skill being activated yet all he had to rely on were his physical senses. Obviously these things were green, a healthy color even in his old world, except for that one oily black one. He knew they could heal wounds somehow. He knew magic existed in this world, so the herbs themselves were probably magical. Jason had obviously put work into growing them here, so they could be cultivated. He could see the seed pods on the underside of the leaves, but they hadn't filled out yet so this batch still had some growing to do if the group wanted to get more seeds.

The water pool was safe enough to drink from, as at the very least Danny didn't immediately die after drinking from it. It was cold and relatively clear, although there was a little silty taste to it after it had washed through the dirt.

You used Magic Analysis I! This is a Monster, but it has some magical properties. Effectiveness reduced. You have Monster Analysis, Skill Synergy increases Effectiveness. This Monster has some Material properties. You have Material Analysis, Skill Synergy increases Effectiveness. Total effectiveness at 70%.
---Skeleblin Bones---
These are the bones of a Skeleblin, a Skeleton-type Undead-class Monster created from the remains of a Goblin. Magic energy can be detected within them. This magic animates the bones and allows them to move without muscle. They are suffused with energy that feels negative and dangerous. These bones are still naturally hard enough to be used as materials.
---Analysis Complete---

Once again drawing his new 'staff', waving it in slow, steady circles; focusing his magic through it, Jason began his ritual once more. "Souls of the accursed, may I grant thee peace." The green mage-slime could feel his energy beginning to flow, and now that he was intentionally trying to ritualize his magic he could feel the buildup of energy and the changes in directon within that flow. "And as all life doth spring forth from earth, may the power invested in me, as master of this dungeon, allow thee to return to it at ease." The golden rings, glowing brighter now, began to spin. And new symbols were appearing within them. Jason could feel his MP surging! " No more shall ye wander a tormented existence in death, but be born anew in the afterlife." Now, within the innermost ring, a line bisected the odd magical diagram into two halves. "Taint of death that damns these bones I banish thee, relinquish yon vile grasp!" Another line began to form, to turn the bisecting line into a squared X--but halfway through it stopped. The entire circle suddenly made a sound like crackling static. "Let this poor cursed soul move on, and rest in peace at last..." Jason felt his mana beginning to leave his body as he released the spell. "ROCK SPIRE BURIAL RITE--Earth's Mercy!"

You have no MP remaining. Spell cast canceled.
You have overexpended your MP. You are experiencing Mana Burn. MP regeneration is slowed.

You used Magic Analysis! This is your own spell, effectiveness boosted.
---Rock Spire I---
A basic Earth-aligned spell that creates a sharp spike of stone by drawing fragments of earth out of the ground. It deals more damage than most level one spells for the same MP cost, but requires that solid earth be within the user’s range of sight or perception. The spike is created beneath the targeted area, object, or creature. One drawback of this is that the flash of Mana produced as a side effect of driving the energy into the earth might alert the opponent. Does Piercing and Earth Magic damage.
You possess the Focus skill, which may allow you to increaes the base range or power of the spell. Using Focus with this spell does not cost as much MP as Rank II of the spell but costs more MP than Rank I.
You are developing the Spell Chant skill, which may allow you to change certain properties of this spell...
---Analysis Complete---

((Working on logical assumption here, may edit later if needed)) No doubt confused by this, Jason would probably use his usual tactic of restoring his spent MP with one of his two Mana Crystals.

You have recovered MP.
One Mana Crystal in Inventory.

Before he had evolved, using a single crystal always restored him to full MP. Was it just because he had enough MP now that one crystal might not always recover the full amount? Or did it have something to do with the Mana Burn he had just experienced? What was more, how could he heal it? If MP was the fuel for magic, maybe recovering it was like recovering the fuel for the body, Stamina? He was getting low on that due to lack of sleep as well.

As Jason ate the corpse of the nearby Dire Rat, he began to feel a little bit better...but ultimately it was nothing more than the satisfaction of a meal. His Stamina would likely begin to recover, but his magic still didn't feel right...

There were other things to contend with, like Oberon's sudden announcement. While dealing with this, Jason used his Material Analysis on the husk that Rain left behind.

You used Material Analysis I!
---Fanged Lizard Skin---
A large amount of shedded skin and scales left by a Fanged Lizard. This skin is [Average] Quality. The properties of this skin currently make it unsuitable for most types of crafting, as it is too fragile unlike other forms of animal hides. It is only a surface layer, rather than a true hide or pelt. If there were a way to strengthen it or layer it, maybe then it could be used for something.
---Analysis Complete!---

Then, as he touched the Dungeon Core...

WARNING! THE DUNGEON STRUCTURE IS BEING DAMAGED BY AN EXTERNAL ACTION!

WARNING! THE DUNGEON STRUCTURE IS BEING DAMAGED BY AN EXTERNAL ACTION!

SKELEBLIN_001 WAS KILLED BY UNIDENTIFIED_SPRITE!

WARNING! THE DUNGEON STRUCTURE IS BEING DAMAGED BY AN EXTERNAL ACTION!

DUNGEON UPDATES COMPLETED. YOU HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF DUNGEON ACTIVITIES. YOU GAIN 1 SKILL POINT IN THE UNIQUE SKILL: DUNGEON AWARENESS. CURRENT SKILL PROGRESS: 0.2

DUNGEON ASSIMILATION IS AT 3.2%!
ASSIMILATION RATE HAS INCREASED!

SKELEBLIN_003 HAS SPAWNED AT V-26!

DUNGEON MENU ACTIONS ARE NOT YET AVAILABLE. YOU MUST GAIN THE SKILL DUNGEON AWARENESS AND INCREASE THE DUNGEON LEVEL TO GAIN ACCESS TO DUNGEON MENU ACTIONS.

Asura didn't feel any different nor was there a system message about what he was trying to do. Then again the system only really told him when he was tired, when he got a skill, or when he leveled up. Reaching over he touched Momma Slime. Ration it. Don't eat all at once. Hungry later, food later. He thought to her. Since he was finally low on stamina he decided to give Overwork a try.

Abandoning Rattleskull's corpse, by moving roughly ten feet from it, he tried clinging to the wall. He knew Cling would be stamina based, he had specifically gone out of his way to avoid all magic. While he was attempting to stick to the wall he used a pseudo pod to lift up a rather large stone. How would a slime get Stronger? No time like the present to lift heavy rocks to try and somehow work out. Maybe his membrane was just one big muscle?

Well he'd find out. Specifically by 'curling' the pseudopod holding the rock. Considering he had no fingers he just fully enveloped the large stone. Holding it as tight as he could while making it go up and down. Hopefully working twice as fast and Overworking himself just like he had as a human. Always pushing the limit at work.

---

@Zeroth@Duthguy@Searat@King Cosmos@Silverpaw@Gardevoiran@Old Amsterdam

WARNING! THE DUNGEON STRUCTURE IS BEING DAMAGED BY AN EXTERNAL ACTION!

WARNING! THE DUNGEON STRUCTURE IS BEING DAMAGED BY AN EXTERNAL ACTION!

SKELEBLIN_001 WAS KILLED BY UNIDENTIFIED_SPRITE!

WARNING! THE DUNGEON STRUCTURE IS BEING DAMAGED BY AN EXTERNAL ACTION!

DUNGEON UPDATES COMPLETED. YOU HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF DUNGEON ACTIVITIES. YOU GAIN 1 SKILL POINT IN THE UNIQUE SKILL: DUNGEON AWARENESS. CURRENT SKILL PROGRESS: 0.2

DUNGEON ASSIMILATION IS AT 3.2%!
ASSIMILATION RATE HAS INCREASED!

SKELEBLIN_003 HAS SPAWNED AT V-26!

DUNGEON MENU ACTIONS ARE NOT YET AVAILABLE. YOU MUST GAIN THE SKILL DUNGEON AWARENESS AND INCREASE THE DUNGEON LEVEL TO GAIN ACCESS TO DUNGEON MENU ACTIONS.

What Jason had learned from the core was interesting to say the least, but right now fixing this so-called 'Mana Burn' took priority. Perhaps there was more than just a dungeon menu, was there a status and skill progression screen as well? Probably. "Display status.... Open Skill progression...." he mumbled as he rolled out of his cave and approached the others once more, Jason reached out with [Telepathy II], 'Alright everyone, I've just learned some pretty interesting information.... From the looks of it, the core has been spawning the Skeleblins in response to what it perceives as an attack. Now what it's most likely referring to is Digbie's tunneling endeavor-- and thus is probably targeting him. So far, three Skeleblins have been spawned and one has been killed by Oberon. While you guys are on your way out I'm going to see what I can do to make the dungeon stop targeting you... One more thing- would any of you happen to know how to fix something called Mana Burn?'

As he waited for a response, Jason scanned the newly evolved Rain and Oberon with [Magic Analysis I] and [Monster Analysis I]

As Ed consumed the leaf, his body reacted positively to the plant. He could feel some sort of healing done as the leaf did a faction of what the whole plant could do. Bruises ached significantly less, his cuts and burns were mending slowly, and all in all, he felt better than before. The young dire rat then consumed the whole plant and felt his injuries heal rapidly. At the end of the brief moment the strange magics of the healing herb, Ed nodded in understanding. The herb has potent healing properties and when consumed, activates the said healing properties. Though it did heal his body, it did not restore the fatigue he was feeling from the lack of rest. 'I can rest later.' Ed told himself as he readied himself to escort his comrades to the cave entrance.

It wasn't an actual necessity that they be escorted through the cave; as the trio could probably handle any monsters the cave had to throw at them, Ed assumed. Though the gesture enough would hopefully be perceived as a display of good faith to them. Strengthening existing relations, as well as opening possibilities for future cooperation. Giving himself one last stretch to limber up his body for the task at hand, he waits for a signal from the group he is accompanying to notify him that they were ready to go. Jason then spoke to them telepathically. "Interesting, but I have no idea what mana burn is. Though I'll protect them to the best of my ability."

Ardur The Pixie

onward to new adventures >>>> just a quick break /// day 8 // Evening / Location - Heading for the cave entrance. > hanging out above some gobo's

The pixie continued to flutter through the air. He could probly say it was his small and relatively well hidden body that made him a bit harder to spot, or he was just lucky that nothing in the area wanted to attack him. Steve seemed to be enjoying the ride. She was admittedly heavier then he first thought but due to his recent skill increase he was doing alright. Struggling slightly but alright. The new muscle growth did boost his confidence a little as well. He wasn’t a body builder but he was stronger than where he had started.

Noticing the small group of goblins coming into view, Ardur quickly fluttered to a cluster of spires hanging from the ceiling of the cave. He let Steve crawl off him and waited for a brief moment to catch his breath. Looking at the spider he whispered, “Alright Steve, we are going to do a little spying on the goblins down there so stay close but out of sight. Watch out for other dangers, if you see something just tap on me and we will try to move on.”

He was glad he stopped too, that spider was heavy. He didn’t want to say anything either as to not upset her. While slowly climbing between the spires with his trusty companion right behind him. Ardur crept forward as slow and quietly as he could to hear what was going on. Finding a suitable spot, the pixie stopped once he was within hearing distance to them. Holding onto whatever ledge he could to support himself and rest.

This did give him a chance to think about what he had heard from that prayer. So he knew that prayer worked but the demon guy wouldn’t have anything to do with it. Maybe it was like a skill that needed to be obtained before it could be used like many other things in this world. He tried to remember his skill list and what he had on it. Most of what he could remember didn’t help much but maybe guidance? “This would be a lot easier if the system brought up my skill list.” He whispered to himself. But then quieted himself as to not arouse suspicion of his location.

Steve seemed to have situated herself rather nicely on a nearby spire, her many eyes seemed to continually scan the environment for movement. Well at least all he had to do now was work on the harder, faster, and better skills for another physical conditioning rank. Just trying for the conditioning rank itself would eventually get those other ranks up as well but this path seemed to be a bit more fun. Well if the demon guy wasn’t going to help then maybe someone would still at least listen, even if he has made a similar prayer before.

“This prayer is for the god of the sun and/or fire. If you can hear me, I know I don’t look like much now but I have great potential. Witness my deeds and see me to be just in my own right. All I ask for is a name and I shall worship you with your guidance in my own way.” He didn’t say this out loud as to not give away his position. Now the pixie would stay on his perch and try his best to focus on what was being said nearby while Steve focused on watching their surroundings.

@Zeroth

Orchid heard the complaints, but she'd have to work around them and hopefully they could make due with what they could. But before Orchid could leave, Crispy and his gang had arrived. He seemed surprised but not angry that Orchid was alive, which was a good thing. Since he didn't start off throwing fireballs at her, Orchid would take that as Crispy being thankful she's here. She also kept note of the other goblin names. It'll help keep them alive. One of the goblins, Wej, wanted to build a wall, which Crispy reacted with surprise and wanted to know what exactly Orchid had planned. This was getting a bit tiresome however, so she pointed outside. "I'll explain as we go. First we need to go out of here." One thing was for sure, staying in the cave right now was dangerous. But Orchid had an idea how to make it. She just needed everyone's cooperation.

The goblins were simply creatures, for better or for worse. Trying to sway them with sophistry wasn't going to work, and frankly Orchid wasn't good at being all fancy talk either. She needed to be like her father; straightforward but understandable. He didn't sugar coat things but he was honest. And honesty would be the best policy. As they left the cave Orchid would explain the situation and her plan. "First, just let me say I saw how Rattleskull died." A lie, but one that she'll use to get the goblins on her side. "He got cocky. Thought because he was the biggest goblin here, no one could beat him. Maybe that's true, if he fought them one-on-one. But the monsters ganged up on him. Separated him from the others so they could all jump him. He died because he didn't work with all of us, just did what he wanted to do. And that got him and a lot of others killed for it." Orchid didn't really know how the others felt about Rattleskull. She imagined a few did look up to him, if only because he was the strongest of them. But now he's dead. Onto the next point.

"Ain't none of us as strong as Rattleskull. If we try to fight the monsters again, they'll just kill us one-by-one, and they'll have a much easier time at it. That's why we gotta work together. And more importantly, use their own tactic against them. We can work with other monsters too." This point Orchid was sure she was going to get some resistance, so she'll speak up. "I've had dreams about these things before. About monsters who work together to fight a bigger monster... But soon, the monsters start fighting each other too. They only worked together because Rattleskull made us try and kill all of them, so they all had to come and fight back. We can't keep fighting. We got to learnt to work together. Because if we don't, we'll just be food." Hopefully this would help convince the goblins to accept the help of Ashe and the others once they reveal themselves. If nothing else, Orchid will be there to make sure they don't attack them and try to make some sort of connection between the two tribes of goblins and reincarnates.

"As for my plan, Wej has the right idea. We could build a wall inside of the cave. It'll take all of us to make sure it'll work, and I need to be there to talk to the other monsters too." Orchid then looked to Crispy. He would be key to her plan. "I don't know where you went, but I need to see whoever leads the cave now. I'm going to talk to them and see about working alongside them... If only until we set up the walls in the cave. And for that to work we need wood. A lot of wood." Orchid pointed out into the forest. A bounty of materials, but also untold dangers. "There's one thing that cave doesn't have, and it's wood. Wood is important to build stuff. Stones are strong, but I can't make spears or shield out of stone. So first, we need to rest and eat. Crispy, I need a few goblins to come with me so we can get food for the gobs. I need you to make a safe place for us to rest. Also... I want to show you all some friends who can help us. Be nice to them. They're smart and strong."

Once the goblins were outside of the cave she wanted to try Ashe and the others and make introductions. This would be the point were hopefully Orchid could broker some sort of peace deal between the goblins and the reincarnates.

It seemed like his new skill not only gave information about the different monster species in a general sense, but in the case of creatures that were a little more… unique and had a developed personality then that information was also provided. It would also come in handy should he ever forget someone’s name. It didn’t give information about their magical abilities, such as what skills they had, like his magical analysis skill did; he supposed for the best results he would need to use both on whatever monster he was observing.

Maybe he could combine the skills somehow?

The Slime, Jason, spoke up again. The fact that the skeletal goblins were being spawned by something was not new to him, he’d already assumed it had something to do with the cave becoming a dungeon, but it was good to hear confirmation nonetheless. The fact that the undead were apparently targeting Digbie due to his digging habits was a concern though and all the more reason to leave as soon as possible. “I’ve never heard of mana burn, but it it’s some kind of status effect I think I can help.”

Raising a hand out towards the Slime Oberon cast Lesser Status Heal on him, following up by observing him with magic analysis just in case it gave him any information. With that done he turned towards the others who would be leaving the cave with him and once again urged them on towards leaving. “If Digbie’s being targeting then we should get moving as soon as possible. Digbie, Rain, grab whatever you want to take with you and let’s go; we’ll avoid the old bonfire pit and head towards the cave wall before following it to the entrance.” His plan was essentially to return the way he had come back to where he had run into Ash and the others before heading to the entrance from there; the others should be gone by now but maybe if they’d been delayed they could catch up with them.

He wasn’t used to being in charge as such, it wasn’t something he had much experience with in his old life, so taking the lead like this was a bit out of character for him; but he knew how to take the initiative when need be and liaise with other people to get things done. He knew Digbie would follow his lead whatever the case, he just hoped Rain would as well. One of the Dire Rat’s was apparently going to be escorting them out of the cave, so Oberon turned in his direction as well. “Ed, you don’t need to follow us if you don’t want to; it’ll just end up with you needing to cross the cave again by yourself once we’re gone. I won’t stop you from coming though.”

Once the others were ready Oberon took off into the air and began flying away from the cave, making sure to keep his pace slow to allow them to keep up, trusting the others to be able to see him and follow him.

---

@Zeroth@Duthguy@Searat@King Cosmos@Silverpaw@Gardevoiran@Old Amsterdam

'Much appreciated Oberon.... I wish you guys the best of luck on your way out.' Jason responded with [Telepathy II] as he scanned his ally's spell with [Magic Analysis I], 'Now, let's give this another shot shall we?'

Thinking back, there were only two differences between the first three rituals and the ritual that just failed; chant length, and intent. Though intent seemed to play an important part in this world's magic-- allowing for Jason to REALLY feel the flow of his MP during the ritual, what sabotaged his ritual this time was most likely due to the especially prolonged chant... So this time-- he was going to cut the ritual a liiitle bit shorter. Consuming his last mana crystal (topping off his mana), he drew his 'staff' as he approached the bones once more, waving it in slow, steady circles; focusing his magic through it; just like last time. "Souls of the accursed, may I grant thee peace. And as all life doth spring forth from earth, may the power invested in me, as master of this dungeon- allow thee to return to it at ease. No more shall ye wander a tormented existence in death, but be born anew in the afterlife... ROCK SPIRE BURIAL RITE--Earth's Mercy!" he chanted as he released the [Rock Spire I].

This time, Jason had made sure to stop at the line of the chant that caused the center bisecting line to form. With that finally taken care of (Assuming it actually worked this time), the slime mage consumed two crystals from the sack Ed had brought from the bonfire before telepathically contacting the dire rat, 'Ed, if you do end up escorting them out-- stay safe, and get back as fast as you can. I don't want you dying on me out there... The longer you're alone, the more dangerous it is.'

Having said his piece, Jason rolled into his cave and began his newest experiment; one involving the core itself. Waving his staff once more in slow, steady circles, he channeled [Telepathy II] through [Focus I] before beginning his chant, "From now to eternity, I command this domain-- heed my call and accept my claim. May this bond of mind, between master and core-- open new possibilities, like never before! Telepathic Bond--Enhanced Dungeon Link!" as he released the spell, Jason planted the butt of his 'staff' into the ground and thrust a psuedopod forward to make physical contact with the core.

In that instant, Jason felt nearly all his MP rush from his body and into the core (May change at GM's Discretion). Whether or not it worked, Jason couldn't tell.... He was exhausted regardless, and felt like a nap was in order. But he couldn't sleep just yet-- he had offered to take first watch. Leaning his weight against the core, Jason relaxed his body. He could feel his resonance with the dungeon's heart as he took long, deep, breaths, relaxing in both body and mind; regaining whatever strength he could. After a few minutes of this; regardless of it's success, Jason would move to the mouth of his cave to see if the others had left yet.

---

Reoth was right. From the looks of things there wasn't going to be an immediate fight. Even so, Ash didn't move until she was certain. She couldn't make out much of what was being said in her tired condition. Thankfully it seemed like he was keen on also following the general plan of leaving the cave. For now then, it seemed as though there was a general consensus.

"Alright, everything looks clear." Ash said quietly to those around her, pushing herself to her feet and beginning to move swiftly and as quietly as possible. What was that skill she got? Muffle? Was it worth the risk? A brief rest would hopefully have done her some good, even if it wasn't a very long one. The HP drain she was experiencing didn't seem to be too fast.

"Quietly. Ahead of the goblins, move to the cave entrance. We still don't know how they'd react to us." Activating Muffle I, Ash headed for the entrance of the cave. They'd need to be in a position to either flee or ambush should things go awry. "So be careful, and don't take any chances and keep your wits about you. The Goblins seem to respect strength, so whatever you do don't appear weak."

Danny wasn't so focused on the plants that he didn't notice Torrent show up but the black plant definitely had his attention, his first though was to pull it out and destroy it with Mana orb in case it was dangerous but he also knew that they might find an use for it later so he ended up leaving it alone.

Jason started talking about skelebins spawning and mentioned something about mana burn. It also seemed that there was talk of a group heading out and doubt whether or not a Dire Rat would accompany them. Danny was sure he had heard that name before and decided to use Monster Analysis II on the rodent to both test the skill out and see if he was right.

' The longer you're alone, the more dangerous it is.' When the mage slime said that Danny reached a decision and told the others. " I don't know who is else staying but I'm not gonna leave Jason alone, especially since we don't know what Mana Burn does. Though I am curious as to what is outside this cave."

Danny was about to ask Jason about to explain some of his spells when he noticed the green slime against the core. "Maybe you should let me take first watch." He wasn't in great shape either but at least he wasn't suffering from a status effect yet.

---

Torrent watched on curiously, content to just rest during all this talking and observe everyone.

All too soon, however, it was time to go. As she pulled herself up again, she made one final call to those they were leaving behind. "Water got angry fish with big, sharp teeth. Don't recommend the stream or lake."

With that she started moving, speaking to her two allies. "Going by Torrent now. Evolved form, new name. I'm tired, but I can use Fireball and ranged attacks if needed. And assassinate stuff. I'm good at that."

---

---

The lake and stream did not overflow as Asteria had feared, and even Mother Rat gave her approval to the dam. “Safe journey, guys,” she said to the leaving trio, then added her own warning to Ed. “Just as Oberon said, you’d be in more danger returning by yourself than the three of them would be leaving. But if you insist,” she shrugged her shoulders, an action that seemed a bit awkward and odd on a rat.

Asteria then moved into Jason’s tunnel, and settled right next to Mother Rat. Before going to sleep however, she wanted to try something she’d been inspired to do at seeing Jason’s chant-type of magic (even if it had been a failed attempt). She was relatively safe and still had just enough energy for an experiment or two. Asteria was curious to find out how best to focus intent when working with mana, as her attempts to direct magic with pure thought, intent, and will had not yet been successful. It was true that she might have been too vague or had not done enough repetitions, but for now, she’d test something new. So, she set carefully to work, and used her right forefinger to draw a circle into the earth. Even with the dextrous skill and giving herself plenty of time to make a circle, it obviously wasn’t perfect, but maybe it didn’t need to be. Then, she drew three lines inside of the circle in what amounted to an (approximation of an) equilateral triangle. That done, she moved a pace or two away, dug out a medium-sized rock, and put the rock into the centre of the drawn triangle. Before trying anything with the rock, she decided she would write the “spell” on the ground. She switched on her mana sense, and while focusing on the rock flying exactly two feet off the ground and staying there, wrote the letters L-E-V-I-T-A-T-E around the circle so that the letters were arranged starting with L at the top of the circle, and ran clock-wise around the circle, the spacing between each letter roughly equal.


If the rock wasn’t yet levitating at this point, Asteria would put her paws down right next to the drawing, stare at the rock, and quietly mutter “Levitate, levitate, levitate,” trying out different intonations and tempos, occasionally moving her paws around the circle just as a fortune-teller might with a crystal ball, to see if any of the variations had any notable effect besides the simple one-minded focus on the rock and it levitating. All the while, she’d keep mana sense on just in case the skill gave her any pointers regarding the spell. She’d keep this up until she either succeeded or ran out of mana.

After that, Asteria dedicated the rest of her time before going to sleep to physical training exercise. For this, she simply wrapped her tail around the rock and did the weight-lifting again. After all, it was that simple exercise that had prompted the system to give Asteria a progress notification. In fact, as far as she remembered, the only other thing that gave her an obvious sign of advancing was trying to stand up on her hind legs back when. After several weight-lifting repetitions and unless she was already too tired to do so, Asteria dropped the rock, then tried the whole bipedal thing again, disregarding the fact that she could get that if she picked what to her wasn’t the most desirable evolution option. Cautiously, she pushed herself to her back two legs, leaning on her tail for support, trying not to flail too much with her front two paws that were left in the air. Perhaps she’d even notice an improvement in her ability to stand from the last time she’d tried it.

Utterly tired after all of these activities, Asteria cuddled up next to Mother Rat, curled into a ball, and did one last thing before letting herself sleep. “System, I want to review my evolution options,” she muttered. She didn’t know if she’d get to see all the info again or not, but she tried this only because she was curious if there was any more information that there had been initially. If she didn’t receive any other options or new information, she’d settle on the most boring, risk-free, but what she still considered a worthwhile option… “Alright then, grow me up to Adult Dire Rat.”

Momma Slime nodded, her entire body wobbling back and forth after Asura gave her advice. She finished eating Rattleskull up to the chest, then mimicked Asura's more precise shape shifting to dissolve only a part of his remaining arm and wrapped it up in her membrane pocket. Afterward she rolled over to where Asura was doing something near the wall, and for the moment seemed content to watch.

When Asura tried to use the as-yet-undeveloped Cling skill, he found he could really only "stick" to a surface at ground level--if he tried to actually climb higher, the force of gravity seemed to simply peel him off. It wasn't just because he couldn't stick well enough either--his weight, his ability to balance, the ability of his pseudopods to adapt to the surface of the wall, all of these things factored into his inability to stay fixed in place, not just the adhesiveness of his goo-body. As he pumped his membrane to lift rocks, and manipulated his other pseudopod to get a grip on the stones, he would now notice that when he thought about having fingers, several small protrusions had appeared on the tip of his pseudopod. As he "curled," as well, he would notice that his pseudopod had grown something of a rough bicep, apparently from his own subconscious thoughts about his former human body.

Wait a moment, hadn't the recent upgrade for Limited Shapeshift told him that his mimicry would be more detailed now? Maybe he could have fingers!

You are out of Stamina. You are experiencing HP Drain.

---

"I'll explain as we go. First we need to go out of here." When Orchid started to walk away, the other goblins looked first at her, then at Crispy. The fire touched goblin glanced around at them, then sneered before he quickly moved up ahead of Orchid.

"Dat's just wat I was gonna say, Youngling! I gots a plan, once we gets out da cave. Come on, youse lot!"

The others now followed obediently, none of them any the wiser that, at a distance, the other monsters were stealthily following them...

"First, just let me say I saw how Rattleskull died." Orchid continued. Some of the others gulped audibly. "He got cocky. Thought because he was the biggest goblin here, no one could beat him. Maybe that's true, if he fought them one-on-one. But the monsters ganged up on him. Separated him from the others so they could all jump him."

"Yeah, dem ain't no normal mobs." Crispy broke in, raising his voice to get the others to pay attention to him. "Some of 'em can even talk!"

"He died because he didn't work with all of us, just did what he wanted to do. And that got him and a lot of others killed for it."

"Oi, Youngling, you did dat too! Just ran off in da middle!"

Orchid either pointedly ignored Crispy or was too caught up in her tale at this point to slow down, but at the least it seemed she had all of the goblins' attention.

"Ain't none of us as strong as Rattleskull. If we try to fight the monsters again, they'll just kill us one-by-one, and they'll have a much easier time at it. That's why we gotta work together. And more importantly, use their own tactic against them. We can work with other monsters too."

"Hold on dere youngling--"

"Da Mid...I mean, da Boss already did dat!" spoke up Orchid's third minion, the one with the better spear who hadn't yet introduced himself by name. "He tricked dem udda Mobs good, turned uh, turned der shoes on der feet!"

Some of the others started to say things as well, but this was the point Orchid was prepared for resistance on. So she spoke up louder, even over Crispy, and plowed through. By this point, they had reached the entrance of the cave, and the goblins covered their eyes against the sunlight until they could adjust.

"I've had dreams about these things before. About monsters who work together to fight a bigger monster... But soon, the monsters start fighting each other too. They only worked together because Rattleskull made us try and kill all of them, so they all had to come and fight back. We can't keep fighting. We got to learnt to work together. Because if we don't, we'll just be food."

"Youngling, you talkin' too much aga--wait. Dreams?" Crispy's expression suddenly changed. If Orchid was watching, she might notice that he wasn't exactly looking at her with surprise, or anger. It was something more...thoughtful. The way he had been glancing at her before the raid on the cave had begun. He gripped his chin and bit his lip as if he were thinking hard about something.

"Hey, I knows! I saw two gobs make a lizzy work for dem one time!" spoke up one of Crispy's minions. "Ya just gotta get sumfin' to tie round dey necks!"

"If we works togedda, we can BUILD DA WALL!"

"--Wej has the right idea. We could build a wall inside of the cave. It'll take all of us to make sure it'll work, and I need to be there to talk to the other monsters too." Orchid then looked to Crispy. "I don't know where you went, but I need to see whoever leads the cave now. I'm going to talk to them and see about working alongside them... If only until we set up the walls in the cave. And for that to work we need wood. A lot of wood."

"Wait, waitaminute." Crispy held up his hands and shook his head, but he was too slow.

Orchid pointed out into the forest. A bounty of materials, but also untold dangers. "There's one thing that cave doesn't have, and it's wood. Wood is important to build stuff. Stones are strong, but I can't make spears or shield out of stone. So first, we need to rest and eat. Crispy, I need a few goblins to come with me so we can get food for the gobs. I need you to make a safe place for us to rest. Also... I want to show you all some friends who can help us. Be nice to them. They're smart and strong."

"Oi! Okay, all yas!" Crispy shouted now, holding up his hand to get everyone's attention. "Da younglin' right about one ting, we needs stuff! You tree!" he pointed at Bigs, Wej, and the as yet unknown shieldbearer. "Each of yas on one team! Da rest of ya--" he gestured to Jezee the torchbearer, the unnamed male torchbearer, and the two minions of his own, "split up and go wif one a'dem! Look on da ground first where da sticks fall out da trees! Youngling!"

As the others scrambled to follow Crispy's orders, the tattooed goblin walked up to Orchid and looked her in the eye.

"We gots ta talk." He held up a finger as if to point at her forehead. "When dese dreams started?"

Meanwhile, two groups watched them unseen--on the ground, Ash and the others hid among the rocks and shadows. Up above, Ardur and Steve listened in...

---

((Guy, read my message in the Discord, may need to double check your skill values))
Current Status:
Stone-Hardened - Earth elemental Variance. Increase defenses, gain earth affinities.
Boss Monster - Linked to Dungeon Core for The Otherworldly Cavern.
Mana Burn - MP recovery slowed via natural recovery and item usage.

Unspent Skill Points: 0
Current Skills:
Physical Damage Resistance I (1.0)
Warcry I (1.85)
Stone Shot II (2.5)
Rock Spire II (2.05)
Tremor Sense II (2.375)
Soil Manipulation I (1.15)
Telepathy II (2.45)
Material Analysis I (1.15)
Magic Analysis I (1.5)
Monster Analysis I (1.4)
Mental Resistance I (1.25)
Charisma I (1.125)
Focus I (1.2)
Limited Shapeshift I (1.15)
Mind Wave I (1.05)
<UNUSABLE SKILLS>
Earth Affinity (0.6) <CANNOT BE INCREASED BY 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 (0.2)
Acid Spit (0.5)
Bounce (0.2)
Fire Resistance (0.4)
Fortify (0.2)
Sensory Resistance (0.2)
Mana Orb (0.5)
Shield (0.5)
Alchemy (0.4)
Meditate (0.3)
Air Read (0.2)
Keen Sight (0.2)
Point Strike (0.2)
Doze (0.1)
Blunt Resistance (0.5)
Spell Chant (0.8)
Rabid Fit (0.1)
Pierce Resistance (0.1)
Lesser Cleanse (0.2)
Dextrous (0.2)

You used Magic Analysis I! You used Monster Analysis I! Skill Synergy grants boosted effectiveness!
---Rain?---
This is a new type of monster to you! This used to be a normal Fanged Lizard you knew as Rain, but she has transformed! 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. You know Rain is a Reincarnator.

Rain has lower MP than you do. She has developed one magical skill but has not yet activated several others. Lesserwurms can use magic but are not particularly talented at it at lower levels.
---Oberon---
This is a new monster to you! This used to be the Pixie you knew as Oberon, but he has transformed! 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. They are aligned with the light element and their wings have scales similar to some types of moths. When these scales fall they sometimes glitter, and the Sprite's body is often covered with them.

Oberon has higher MP than you do. He has 8 magically oriented skills and spells, and is developing several more. Sprites are very talented with magic, especially that of the Light element.
---Analysis Complete!---

Jason's requests were answered this time, though the strain of not only looking at the system, but also speaking a great deal of information to everyone via telepathy while analyzing Rain and Oberon was beginning to make his head hurt. When Oberon cast his Lesser Status Heal spell, the slime would wait for several moments only to realize that it didn't seem like he felt any different. Why had that not worked on the Mana Burn status effect?

You used Magic Analysis I!
---Lesser Status Heal---
A Nature-element spell that boosts the target's natural immune systems. Physically this boost allows the body to fight off weaker toxins, diseases, etc, even if they are caused by magic. Certain magical status effects may not be affected, or only temporarily alleviated, such as a Curse that weakens one's normal abilities.
---Analysis Complete!---

Still, despite all this, Jason was determined to try again. He gave it some careful thought and came to the conclusion that the length of his chant might have something to do with using too much of his MP.

"Souls of the accursed, may I grant thee peace." The green mage-slime could once again feel his energy beginning to flow, and now that he was intentionally trying to ritualize his magic he could feel the buildup of energy and the changes in directon within that flow. "And as all life doth spring forth from earth, may the power invested in me, as master of this dungeon--" Once more Jason felt his MP surging! "--allow thee to return to it at ease. No more shall ye wander a tormented existence in death..." Now, within the innermost ring, a line bisected the odd magical diagram into two halves for the second time. "...but be born anew in the afterlife..." The diagram began to glow more brightly! "ROCK SPIRE BURIAL RITE--Earth's Mercy!"

This time, the earth did as he desired, swallowing up the Skeleblin's remains. Somehow, the air around the "grave" felt fresher now, and everyone nearby would feel a sort of unseen tension rolling off their shoulders.

You have no MP remaining.
You are still suffering from Mana Burn.

When Jason consumed two of Ed's stored Mana Crystals, he received another message telling him that his MP had been fully restored, but the Mana Burn status was still in effect. What would he have to do to get rid of it? After using Telepathy to contact Ed, he now attempted another spell. This time he used Focus, so the power took another thirty seconds than usual to begin flowing, and he was using his higher rank of Telepathy on the core itself.

"From now to eternity, I command this domain--" His energy had been gathered and focused, and now began to flow. The air directly in front of him began to ripple like hot asphalt in summer. "--heed my call and accept my claim. May this bond of mind, between master and core--" Twin rings of soft violet light took form, as if Jason were looking through the sigil at the core, a two-dimensional object forming in three-dimensional space. "--open new possibilities, like never before!" The words of the still not-understood language appeared within the rings. "Telepathic Bond--Enhanced Dungeon Link!" Just as a wavy line bisected the diagram, Jason released the spell.

ONE (1) ALTERNATE BOSS CANDIDATE IS LEAVING THE DUNGEON. FIVE (5) POTENTIAL BOSS CANDIDATES REMAIN BUT DO NOT CURRENTLY MEET ALL REQUIREMENTS. DO YOU WISH TO ABANDON THE SUB-OBJECTIVES AND REGISTER THE QUEST AS COMPLETE?

DUNGEON ASSIMILATION IS AT 4%.

GHOST_WISP_001 HAS SPAWNED AT H-7.

DUNGEON UPDATES COMPLETE. DUNGEON AWARENESS INCREASED TO 0.3.

YOU HAVE ALREADY ESTABLISHED A DUNGEON LINK. WITH THE TELEKINESIS SKILL CURRENTLY AT RANK II, YOU MAY ACCESS THE DUNGEON CORE WITHIN A RANGE OF 5 FEET. THE DUNGEON WILL NOW SEND CONTINUAL UPDATES AT THIS RANGE. DUNGEON AWARENESS INCREASED TO 0.4.

You have no MP remaining.
You are still suffering from Mana Burn.
You have no Stamina remaining. You are experiencing HP Drain.

Skill Gain: Spell Chant I!
Magic is the unison of Nature, Spirit, and Will. Language is the expression of Will. Using personalized language as an aid in manipulating one's energy is the first step to conceptualization and understanding of what Magic truly is. Using a previously existing Spell Skill as the Base, you may enact one (1) alteration of the spell's typical qualities. You possess the skill Focus, which allows a spell to increase either its power or range in return for increased MP cost of 50% of its initial value and delayed casting time of 30 seconds. Spell Chants will also delay casting time by a default of 10 seconds, as any chant shorter than this will be ineffective. Skill Synergy between this skill and Focus will allow you to alter Power/Range + One (1) other spell quality, which may include Power or Range a second time. The more complex the chant, the greater the alteration, but also the greater the increase to MP cost; by default the spell's cost is increased by a further 50% of its initial value.

As Jason headed for the mouth of his cave to observe the others who were leaving, he would now see a distant figure approaching as the others moved away. It was another Skeleblin, though the bones of this one looked much older. It soon came close enough that there was no doubt it could see Jason, and possibly some of the others who were leaving...but it never screeched any kind of battle cry, and it didn't suddenly rush towards them. It just continued its slow, mechanical walk towards the cave...

You used Monster Analysis II!
---Ed---
This is a Dire Rat you have come to know as Ed. 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. You know Ed is a Reincarnator. Ed is ready to Transform, and has been developing skills that are unusual for Dire Rats.
---Analysis Complete!---

As Danny kept watch, he too would see the approaching Skeleblin as Jason approached...

Meanwhile, Asteria was conducting an experiment of her own. Trying to feel her magic flow while she drew the circle created an odd sort of sensation--if she had ever tried using a Ouji board back in her old world, it might be similar to the experience many people described when playing that game, that the viewing lense--or in this case the claw she was using to draw--was being "guided" by an unseen force.

Once she had completed her diagram and placed her stone, she began trying to move the rock by sheer force of will, chanting in a similar way to what she had seen Jason do. And when she used Mana Sense...

You used Mana Sense!
It's your own Mana you're feeling. You are channeling Mana into the symbol you have drawn. Your Mana is acting on the rock in an attempt to push it, using your MP to generate a physical force. It's not strong enough yet...

You are experiencing a Fast Rate of Skill Progression.

You are out of Stamina. You are experiencing HP Drain.

Luckily it was right as she was beginning to experience the HP Drain that she settled down next to Mother Rat and began to rest...although, just before she began to drift off, she declared her intent to transform...

And Asteria's world went dark as she drifted into a restful sleep...

---

You used Lesser Status Heal!
Lesser Status Heal Failed.

You used Magic Analysis III! This is a Monster, albeit a magical one by nature. This is a Monster you have analyzed before. You have the skill Monster Analysis I, allowing Skill Synergy to boost effectiveness.
---Jason---
Jason, as a Stone-Hardened variant of a Slime Mage, has an affinity for Earth magic and higher MP than normal for a Slime. He has developed a number of spells, several of them related to the Earth Element. You have seen him use Tremor Sense, Stone Shot, Rock Spire, and Telepathy. He is currently not full on MP, and has less overall than yourself. He is experiencing Mana Burn. He is trying to develop a skill that seems to involve chanting a spell.
---Analysis Complete!---

As the four headed back to where they had last seen Mourningstar, Ash, and the others they would indeed find that the other group had moved on without them. But after all, there was only one entrance to the cave, right? However, as they passed by the pool, they would suddenly hear a loud splash, as if something had dived into the water, or maybe a fish had jumped.

The place where Torrent had dug her way back up out of the channel she had inadvertently created looked like it had gotten bigger.

And suddenly, in the distance, the group could see an eerie, unhealthy looking green light...

---

Asura trained himself more in the only ways he really knew how. He took note that he couldn't quite stick to walls yet but that was why he was trying to gain the skill Cling, so he could stick to things. Unpolished stone and trees would be ideal starting points given how many unseen handholds they had for something like him. His whole body was essentially one massive finger that could fill in the empty spaces to climb up things with supposed ease and he was trying to make his body do just that to gain the skill.

His pseudopods gaining little 'fingers' was interesting and was probably a subconscious change on his part with his Shapeshifting. Same with the pseudopod gaining what amounted to a bicep and forearm. When that system message popped up however he let the stone drop and he sloshed down to the ground. Momma Slime had been watching him work, which wasn't an unfamiliar thing. She seemed curious half the time.

"Time to rest...I'm out of energy. Do you have any skills to work on?" He asked while letting himself relax and recover. Sleep would come eventually but relaxing before sleep should help regain his stamina. Like relaxing on a couch or chair to watch television or play a game before going to bed.

“This was where I left the others; I guess they’ve moved on already.” It wasn’t like he had expected any different, since he’d watched them begin moving towards the exit even before he’d left to find the others, but he still felt the need to say something to break the silence that the group had been under since leaving the cave behind. “We’ll keep heading towards the wall, like I said, then follow it to the exit. We should avoid running into the other Goblin’s like that.”

Turning around to see whether the rest of the group, Digbie, Rain and Ed, were ok with that plan of action, Oberon was distracted when he heard the splashing of water coming from the pool. Looking in that direction he couldn’t see anything untoward, perhaps just one of those fish he had seen earlier breaching the surface? No noises followed in the few seconds he was waiting, nor could he see anything by the shore, so whatever it was probably wasn’t a threat.

However, as he was looking out across the water he could see something in the distance beyond the pool. An eerie, green light could be seen shining from that direction. The only creatures in the cave who gave out light were the Wisps, but none of the Wisps he had seen had this kind of sickly tint to them; was it another undead variant of an existing creature, like the skeletal Goblin he had killed?

Rising up using his flight to get a better angle, Oberon peered in that direction, squinting and trying to see as far as he could. If he could see the creature in question, even a little, he would attempt to use both Monster and Magic analysis on them.

“We should keep moving. Digbie, can you take the lead? I’ll stay at the back and keep an eye on whatever that light is.”



@Old Amsterdam@Searat@Gardevoiran

“That would be wise. Sticking to the wall would significantly minimize our chances of encountering anything undesirable.” Ed replied just as he heard the splash emanating from the small pool of water. He knew that it was likely that aquatic creatures lived in the pond, but he had never seen something like this before. There was a faint glowing thing across the pool, faintly glowing with an unsettling green light. Ed glances to the side and sees that Oberon had took notice of the creature and flying slightly higher to get a better vantage of the thing. “That sounds good, I'll accompany Digbie up front. I have sharper senses than most. Though, can we leave soon? That...thing is making me uneasy just by looking at it.” The young dire rat comments as the mere sight of the unnaturally green thing had tied knots in the pit of his stomach.

It was a similar feeling of fear and disgust when he saw the goblin skeleton near Jason's hideout. A raw and instinctual fear of something that was not supposed to be. Causing Ed to use [Muffle I] to better stick to the shadows and closing his body inward so to blend better in the low light conditions of the cave; anything just to hide himself away from the unnatural thing's line of sight. Moving to the front of the group he lets [Beast Sense I] do its job. He perks his ears up to pick up on the faintest of changes from the surroundings as well as intermittently sniffing the air for scents that even remotely smelled different. Making sure to alert Digbie if something was off while they moved forward.





@Old Amsterdam@King Cosmos@Gardevoiran

---

@Zeroth@Duthguy@Silverpaw

Now that the others had already headed off, and having finished developing [Spell Chant I], Jason had one more situation to handle before he could get some rest. The approaching skeleblin looked to be far older than the one the others had slain, but oddly- though it obviously was aware of Jason and Danny, it showed no sign of aggression thus far... Was this due to Jason's connection to the dungeon? If so, Could Jason control it? Regardless of the answer, this was still going to be a problem. "Danny." he whispered quietly, "Don't attack the skeleblin. Just hang back, stay calm, and don't provoke it.... I'll handle this."

Moving back inside the cave, Jason picked three mana crystals from Ed's pack; consuming one in the process. As he looked around, he saw that Asteria had dammed the stream Torrent made, and had even been working on an experiment before curling up alongside mama rat to rest. Somewhat of a soft smile formed across Jason's 'face' as he moved within the core's remote access range; having people like Asteria and Ed alongside him was truly a blessing in this cruel new world. Rather than continuing to reflect on his fortune, Jason returned his focus to the task at hand and reached through the newly strengthened link to command his dungeon, 'Core, register quest as completed and suppress the spawning of all undead-class monsters for the next two hours...' After receiving whatever reward was in store for completing this so-called 'quest', he exited his tunnel once more and settled back down next to Danny and activated [Telepathy II], 'Alright, now let it come to us. While it approaches I'm going to try meditating to regain some mana and stamina... Once it starts to get too close, tap me. Don't try to fight it, I need you to let me try to handle this.'

With that said, Jason deactivated his sight and relaxed his being as he focused on the magic in the air around him; how it ebbed and flowed, gathered and dispersed, before finally trying to pull it within him. Once he felt Danny tap him, Jason would come out of his meditation and use another mana crystal to finish the replenishment of his mana. Then using both [Monster Analysis I] and [Magic Analysis I] on the skeleblin, the ambitious slime mage would attempt communicating with the monster; watching for any signs of aggression from the undead creature. "Poor cursed soul that wanders the earth... Do you seek freedom from your terrible fate? Or do you perhaps seek purpose instead?" he beckoned, once again banking on the power of [Charisma I].

---

"Uh... I guess I can lead. Tremor Sense is pretty useful for leading a charge anyway." Digbie noted as he moved to the front of the group, pickaxe in hand, ready to strike at any foes that dared to come towards his small party. "Everyone here looks so cool with their evolutions and stuff. I wish I had that... instead I decided investing 9 Skill Points into whatever Taboo was happened to be a good idea." Digbie sighed. "I just don't feel... useful."

It was true, he didn't feel particularly strong as any sort of role. He was good at one thing, digging, and while that normally made him good, it was different this time. He needed combat skills soon, or he'd be toast. He'd hopefully achieve that with an evolution, but with how things were going right now, it wasn't so great. Quite the opposite, actually. Maybe he could gain some cool moves by observing things and such.

There wasn't much time for gaining new skills, though, as Digbie channeled his {Tremor Sense} into a fully blown {Tremor Sense II}, trying to detect what the heck that splashy creature was. It certainly wasn't a goblin, that was for certain. "Dunno how good Tremor Sense would be to detect the water thingy."

---