As Torrent repeated her earlier process, and this time added her intent of fire to the magic, she could feel the light within her mouth intensify. The warmth increased. Fire was an element that was growing familiar to the Lesserwyrm at this point, given the number of skills she'd been learning with it and her constant self-exploding experiments. She felt the power building up inside, then let loose one more attempt and analyzed her developing spell.

You used Magic Analysis II!
---Breath ????---
You seem to have created a focused beam of stimulated light using your magic. Gathering more power has improved its development. Focusing its power into a smaller area has improved its development. Stimulating the energy with higher levels of heat has improved its development. In order to accomplish the desired affect, however, it seems to lack consistent application...

This time, the beam made a distinct sizzling sound. A yellow-white streak left Torrent's mouth and hit the brook passing through their camp, producing a tiny wisp of steam. However, the magic had launched like a singular arrow, leaving her mouth, striking the target, and dissipating. Did "consistent application" mean she would have to hold the output somehow...?

As Ash straightened up to her full height and spread her wings for the first time, she heard an unpleasant ripping sound. The strips of sinew and flesh she had been carrying for a few days now, having dried thoroughly in the sun and, over time, begun to subtly decay, now ripped in their entireity. Her Rawhide Backpack fell to pieces, but at least she hadn't been carrying anything at the moment. But this was of little concern in the face of restoring the energy she had lost in her Transformation--which seemed more severe than the last time she had changed her body for some reason. As she drank from the stream, it took the edge off of her thirst--but the first few gulps didn't restore her entirely. Of course, since the water was right there, it was easy to continue drinking until she was satisfied. The rat meat, too, was still plentiful although it was starting to turn a little dark around the edges. The 26 pounds of it they had originally procured had been reduced to 17 the previous night and this morning, since everyone had gathered around the campfire and had also consumed some throughout the night if they stayed up late to experiment along with eating some of it for breakfast. Ash now devoured it with gusto, and for a relatively small creature compared to a human she could really pack it in. Her body didn't seem to react too negatively to the raw meat, and her newly formed snout and fangs seemed made for it in typical reptile fashion. By the time she was completely full, the provisions had been reduced to 14 pounds.

Current Skills:
Stun Fang II (2.1)
Poison Spit II (2.025)
*Alchemy II (2.875)
Overwork III (3.3125)
*-Charisma I (1.65)
Venom Shot II (2.0)
*Crafting I (1.8)
Lesser Force II (2.225)
*Magic Analysis III (3.2125)
Alert I (1.35)
Lesser Flight I (1.5)
-Muffle I (1.65)
Monster Analysis II (2.825)
*Material Analysis II (2.975)
*Meditate II (2.35)
Poison Glob I (1.2)
*Poison Breath I (1.05)
*Plant Analysis I (1.15)
Tremor Sense I (1.05)
**Mana Orb II (2.55)
*Shield I (1.05)
**Mana Slice I (1.7)
Mana Shape I (1.6)
Analysis (--)
-Rabid Fit I (1.05)
Mental Resistance I (1.75)
*Mana Vision I (1.8)
*Mana Sense II (2.075)
**Minor Heal I (1.2)
Prehensile Tail (--)
**Poison Splash I (1.3)
**Dual Cast I (1.2)
Mana Control I (1.2)
--Stronger I (1.35)
*Intimidate I (1.0)
Memor Eyes I (1.25)
<UNUSUABLE>
Blunt Resistance (0.2)
*Scribe (0.6)
--Faster (0.3)
Acid Volley (0.1)
-Venom Claw (0.4)
*Dragon Affinity (0.45) <CANNOT BE INCREASED WITH SKILL POINTS>
--Slash (0.5)
**Fireball (0.2)
Dextrous (0.8)
**Mana Dart (0.4)
Use Light Equipment (0.7)
**Minor Heal All (0.1)
Iron Gullet (0.9)
**Poison Slash (0.2)
*Mana Drain (0.6)
*Lucid Dream (0.2)
--Skewer (0.4)
**Stone Shot (0.1)
*Dragon Lung (0.1)
*Deception (0.2)
-Stealth Kill (0.1)
Mana Affinity (0.5)
*Focus (0.5)
---

You are Thirsty > Parched > Dry Throat > Hydrated > Well Hydrated
You are Famished > Very Hungry > Hungry > Peckish > Satisfied > Fed > Well Fed
Stamina Recovery is boosted for the next six hours.

--Job System---
Witch: Witches are primitive magic users that have not only begun to harness the energy within themselves, but discovered that various plants and materials also possess this energy. They brew potions, mix poultices, and crush powders with simple tools like mortar and pestle for a variety of effects. As a specialty of the Voodooist Job, their magic is just as strong as that class, but thier utility skills also increase in effectiveness. Skills with * are boosted, while skills with - are instead hindered by this Job (See Skill List).

Equipment Suitability:
*Mana Bone Spear
-Vine Greaves
-Vine Bracers
-Broken Haubergeon

Job Suggestions:
Keeping the limbs and face free or uncovered may often assist with different components of magic.
Magical foci are preferred to direct weapons.
Magical substances used on both enemies and allies can provide a wide array of effects.

Drake Tongue: [Winged] Kobolds are considered inheiritors of Draconic power among others of the species, and are typically treated as a higher caste. Many tribal societies have Shamans who learn ancient lore, for the sake of guiding the tribe as well as keeping its history or rituals alive. The Drake Tongue is a special variant of this. The power they possess increases the split focus of the normal Shaman Job, heightening both its Offensive and Supportive magics. Skills with * are boosted, while skills with - are instead hindered by this Job (See Skill List).

Equipment Suitability:
*Mana Bone Spear
Vine Greaves
Vine Bracers
-Broken Haubergeon

Job Suggestions:
The vitality of dragons keeps these sub-Shamans strong, they aren't dragged down as much by lighter armors.
Magical foci, or channeling objects for a patron's power, are preferred to direct weapons.
As a higher caste of Kobold, this Job may allow one to use their underlings for tasks as well. Good leadership can overcome many individual weaknesses.

After checking in with the System, she turned her attention to watching Torrent. Through her Mana Vision, she could see several yellow particles, along with very light blue ones, collecting on the lizard's skin in layers. Then they would disappear into Torrent's body. When the Lesserwurm released her new spell, the yellow particles had been joined by red ones. All the yellow particles moved in a straight line, but the red ones wrapped around the line like a double helix.

As Oberon forced more Mana out through this "phantom limb," he gave a hard tug. And, for once, the magic behaved exactly as he wished--the pebble suddenly pulled forward, flying to his palm where he easily caught it. While he contemplated this success, he turned to see Ash the newly Winged Kobold approach.

Skill Gain: Lesser Force I (0.8 > 1.0)!
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.

You used Magic Analysis IV! You used Monster Analysis II! You used Magic Analysis IV!
---Ash, (Adolescent) Mystic [Winged] 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. Kobolds on average are more intelligent than goblins, but if goblins lack empathy and impulse control, Kobolds are much more lacking in emotional content and personality. Some individuals have other characteristics--the Winged Kobolds are often said to have Draconic power in their veins, and are often revered in their tribes. Ash has gained the Mystic variance, increasing her affinities for various magical skills. She has many magical skills, some of which you also have, and several of her skills use Poison. Most of her magic is attack oriented, though she has a few defensive and utility spells or magically oriented skills. She is developing Dragon Affinity and Mana Affinity. Kobolds as a whole are somewhat more resistant to Fire, Poison, Wind, Acid, and Water. The vast majority of other elements are normally effective on them. Their major weaknesses are Ice, Metal, and Lightning.
---Analysis Complete!---

LEVEL UP! Your learning experiences have culminated in new power! You are now Level 10! You gain Skill Points to distribute as you please!

Unspent Skill Points: 14 [[OOC: 3 left over from last level up, +5 normal level up, +5 for Christmas/New Year Bonuses/Hiatus Bonuses, +1 for 1500 posts bonus]]

Current Skills:
Minor Heal III (3.0125)
Lesser Flight III (3.1)
Shield IV (4.045)
Magic Analysis IV (4.50625)
Mana Orb II (2.775)
Mana Shape III (3.125)
Lesser Status Heal (1.2)
Mana Dart I (1.6)
Alert II (2.1)
Monster Analysis II (2.825)
Meditation III (3.125)
Light Ring I (1.3)
Gather Light I (1.95)
Fireball I (1.85)
Plant Analysis I (1.025)
Material Analysis I (1.025)
Sacred Ground I (1.0)
Mana Slice I (1.6)
Overwork I (1.8)
Keen Sight (1.1)
Minor Heal All I (1.1)
Spiritual Awareness I (1.0)
Minor Regeneration I (1.05)
Spell Chant I (1.1)
Focus I (1.45)
Mental Resistance II (2.3)
Sensory Resistance I (1.0)
Faster I (1.0)
Aqua Sphere I (1.05)
Wind Break I (1.05)
Wall I (1.0)
Flame Lance I (1.0)
Charisma I (1.0)
Mana Sense I (1.05)
Lesser Force I (1.0)
<UNUSABLE>
Faster (0.5)
Charisma (0.9)
Light Affinity (0.8) <CANNOT INCREASE WITH SKILL POINTS>
Fire Resistance (0.2)
Spell Cancel (0.1)
Mana Puppet (0.5)
Earth Wall (0.1)
Mana Drain (0.3)
Stronger (0.1)
Air Read (0.3)
Mana Control (0.5)
Wind Resistance (0.1)
Ice Spike (0.4)
Gravity Well (0.1)
Blade Wall (0.1)
Muffle (0.1)

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 Sprite (Multiple Chances for Variance) - 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. However, you have not felt compelled to follow all of this behavior due to your unique circumstances. Sprites 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.

• Increase Minor Heal
• Increase Minor Heal All (reduced)
• Increase Light Affinity (reduced)
• Increase Potential

*(Adolescent) Hipixie (Multiple Low Chances for Variance) - 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

-(Adolescent) Imp (Multiple Low Chances for Variance) - 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 Mana Orb
• Increase Lesser Force (reduced)
• Increase Demon Affinity (reduced)

*(Adolescent) Lampad - A fairy associated with the element of fire. Their hair, which only grows from the crown of their heads, seems to spontaneously combust for some reason, hence their nickname of "livin' torch" among country folk. Their skin ranges from coal black to ash gray and various hues of red and orange. Their wings produce a type of powder that causes a "burning" sensation, although this is just itching somewhat like various plant allergens. They are incredibly dangerous, as like pixies they lack any concept of responsibility and find fire to be pretty to look at. Luckily they often stick to caves or other shelters, because strong winds and rains can douse the flames on their heads. This seems to make them extremely lethargic much like a cold-blooded animal in winter, until they can re-ignite themselves.

• Increase Fireball (reduced)
• Increase Fire Affinity (reduced)
• Slight increase to speed stats

(Adolescent) Nephos - A fairy associated with the element of Wind. Their body hair shares many qualities with wool, though it is much lighter and dries faster when wet. It is always white and fluffy, giving them the appearance of wearing clouds. Their skin ranges from various hues of white to pink and yellow. They lose their wings, but through magic maintain their ability to float along the breeze. They are very free spirited, but somewhat lazy, and it's never predictable whether they will be friend or foe.

• Lose Wings
• Increase Levitation (Lesser Flight will Boost)(reduced)
• Increase Wind Break (reduced)
• Increase Wind Affinity (reduced)
• Increase Rank: Air Read

(Adolescent) Nixie - A fairy associated with the element of Water. Their bodies become more dynamic in the water, and while their wings remain functional the fins on their limbs make them faster underwater than they are in the air. In many shades of blue or green, they are surprisingly effective predators compared to other small fey. They are very neutral, sticking mostly to their own groups and only attacking the creatures they hunt.

• Increase Aqua Sphere (reduced)
• Increase Swift Swim (reduced)
• Increase Water Affinity (reduced)

As Digbie analyzed each of his party members, the information he received about most of them was the same as he had gotten at times in the past, or at the least he didn't really learn anything new. He learned a lesser version of the information Oberon received about Ash's new form--minus the information about her magic, her elemental affinities and weaknesses, and some more specific details. Still, the fact that winged kobolds were considered higher ranks in kobold society and the race's general features stuck out.

You used Crafting I!
Leather Strips (Poor) x2 + Dire Rat Pelts (Bad) x2 + Unknown Pelt (Poor)
Your Crafting Method is not especially specific.
Your Materials are low in quality.
You are attempting to use the Fortify skill. Fortify imbues Structures--the Skill is unsuitable for this purpose, but you seem to have accomplished something anyway...

Item Obtained: Fur Satchel (Bad > Poor)!
This bag can hold up to 10 Small Items, or the equivalent combination of items at larger sizes.

All was quiet in the clearing, now that Guze was likely well away with his captives. The group might need to secure some food or other supplies for later at some point, but right now everything seemed calm and quiet.

---

Indeed, it seemed the undead goblin did not care about losing parts of its body. As Asura's hook ripped off its entire lower jaw, letting its tongue roll out like a disgusting tentacle covered in black bile, the zombie continued to take distance. The two Mana Orbs that struck the slime's shell caused the bone to crack and splinter--the Bowhorn Skull wouldn't be able to take much more of this, although for now it was still fully intact despite the breakage. Thanks to its presence, however, Asura had taken very little damage even though it seemed most of the undead had focused on him...it was a little odd, how they seemed intent on hammering away at the tank when their attacks might be more useful against other members of the party. The Skeleblin's blow, as well, bounced off of his Hardened and re-shaped red jello-hide, and Asura attempted to "wield" his own weapon.

The swing was quite clumsy given his lack of true appendages, but the Rank II Smash charged through the bone club made up for that lack of skill with pure power. One of the Skeleblin's legs shattered entirely at the knee and down the shin, dropping it down to "eye level" with the Amorphous Slime. However, Asura's crude weapon had also cracked--how many more hits would it be good for?

Skill Gain: Alert I (0.9 > 1.0)!

Over the pond, Ardur whirled to avoid the two Mana Orbs, and brought his weapon to bear with all the strength he could muster. For a buff pixie, that was much more than your average pixie. One of the Mana Orbs actually hit his weapon directly...and, oddly, the magical projectile was deflected like a baseball, sailing off into the darkness. But instead of re-engaging, the Hipixie wanted to keep negotiating with Undine. Yet maybe this was a wise choice after all...

"Even if your Mana Pool was full to its maximum, you wouldn't have enough to wield me--neither the strength or skill to use me properly. An attempt to pact would likely kill you."

And here, one of the Wisps got too close, as if it planned to tackle Ardur out of the air. A single sphere of water, much like a Mana Orb of liquid, shot out of the pond like a bullet and pierced the creature's sparkling body. As it dropped into the water, a shimmering shape arose and speared it--the tip of Undine's blade.

"But, I might still be able to help. Just now I used as much Mana as I gained--if you can lure these creatures close enough for me to cut them, I may be able to recharge my power!"

Those Wisps Ardur had seen before had reached the other side of the pool's shore--and now they were coming from behind the group, down the passage to the choke point. No doubt other monsters might be moving to come from that end too--if they couldn't break through one way or the other soon they would be trapped, but if they got too far away from the pool they likely wouldn't be able to count on Undine's help...

Back down on the ground, the Fanged Lizard under Trent's feet suddenly opened its eyes again, and they were filled with purple light as the black miasma of undeath suffused its flesh. The boy's sword plunged down through the top of its skull and then jerked from side to side, completely destroying the head and ending that threat before it began. While it seemed just doing heavy damage to the brain, like Asura, didn't stop the zombies like in the movies, completely destroying the nervous system rendered them incapable of continuing to move...at least for a few moments. From alongside him, Steve shot a sticky glob of webbing at one of the new Wisps that had joined the fray, catching it like a net--and, with one string trailing back to the spider, Steve began to whirl the captured enemy just like that makeshift flail she had practiced with Asura. The second wisp was beaten by its own comrade like a bludgeon, knocking it to the ground just as it fired a Mana Orb at Asura.

The Fanged Lizard spat its poison at Asura as well, but Momma Slime took the blow instead. She burbled angrily as the poison burned, but her body remained its typical bright blue color--usually if a creature got poisoned, their complexion changed as well, so she was probably okay at least for now. Using her heavy mass, she jumped right on top of the lizard and slammed it into the earth. They began to wrestle, one trying to escape or to sink its fangs into the other that tried to envelop and consume it.

The Skeleblin that Asura had engaged still intended to fight, and once again swung its heavy club at him. He was in the midst of trying to use his Blood Drain skill--and, as for the first real time since he awakened in this world, he felt his MP dip. A red light somewhere in the center of the Skeleblin's bones began to glow, and then tiny particles of it drifted out to sink into Asura's body. He felt his vitality returning somewhat...but, as he tried to shift the intent of his spell, the red particles only slightly changed to a more orange color. Other than that he felt no change...but there had been a visible change, so did that mean...?

Two small skeletons, still with gossamer wings attached, now joined the rear line of the Zomblin's party. The Zomblin itself was still moving past them, but it soon turned and began to load its spear thrower again. Another pixie, this one still fleshy but also glowing with the Dungeon's purple light, was coming up on the fray...

---

Asteria practiced a wide variety of movements, using her muscular power, her speed, her balance, and her overall coordination in a variety of ways. Afterward she began to meditate to try and unlock the actual "Meditate" skill, and with her Mana Sense she could feel the magic flowing around and through her. It didn't seem like there were any especially magical plants around the immediate vicinity of the barrow, and there wasn't anything that set off any kind of hostility in her senses. Much like Ed, however, she had pushed herself quite far physically, and the soreness was beginning to set in.

Skill Rank Up: Stronger I > Stronger II (1.8 > 2.0)!
Further increase your base strength.

Skill Gain: Meditate I (0.9 > 1.05)!
By concentrating and calming oneself, increase the regeneration of Magic Power and Stamina. This skill cannot be used in battle. Any distractions in the environment will drastically decrease the effectiveness of this skill. This skill cannot be used in conjunction with other Active skills.

You are experiencing a Fast Rate of Skill Progression.
You have no Stamina remaining. You are Tired.
You are Peckish.
Your throat is Dry.

LEVEL UP! Your combined experiences have culminated in new power! You are now level 7! You gain Skill Points to distribute as you please! Your Max Stamina has increased!

Unspent Skill Points: 11[[OOC:+5 level, +5 Xmas/NewYear/Hiatus, +1 1500 posts]]

Current Skills:
Beast Sense III (3.1)
Faster II (2.45)
Monster Analysis II (2.85)
Dextrous II (2.475)
Poison Resistance I (1.0)
Crafting II (2.25)
Muffle II (2.15)
Mana Sense II (2.35)
Mana Drain I (1.75)
Magic Analysis I (1.55)
Stronger II ( 2.0)
Prehensile Tail (--)
Alert I (1.7)
Telepathy I (1.85)
Plant Analysis I (1.7)
Use Light Equipment (--)
Smash I (1.05)
First Aid I (1.0)
Minor Heal I (1.05)
Charisma I (1.15)
Meditate I (1.05)
<UNUSABLE>
Mental Resistance (0.1)
Soil Manipulation (0.9)
Overwork (0.9)
Lesser Status Heal (0.1)
Meditate (0.9)
Strengthen (0.3)
Scribe (0.3)
Spell Chant (0.15)
Lesser Force (0.1)
Stone Shot (0.3)
Lucid Dream (0.4)
Spiritual Awareness (0.5)
Swift Swimmer (0.1)
Suppress Presence (0.6)
Alchemy (0.8)
Tremor Sense (0.2)
Throw Item (0.3)
Stealth Kill (0.1)
Material Analysis (0.4)
Iron Gullet (0.35)
Quicken (0.2)
Skewer (0.7)
Point Strike (0.4)
Warcry (0.1)
Mind Wave (0.2)
Curse Word (0.1)
Rabid Fit (0.2)
Mana Gift (0.2)
Blood Bead (0.1)
Pierce Resistance (0.1)
Counter (0.1)
Slash Resistance (0.1)
Slash (0.7)
Charm (0.1)
Dash Attack (0.3)
Acrobatic (0.2)
Breath Control (0.1)

Ed kept swinging, doing ten repetitions before taking a short break. After three sets of this, he was absolutely exhausted. His forearms, biceps, and shoulders were absolutely on fire, and his chest and back were strained hard. He even had a stitch in his side, and his fur was sticky with sweat to the point he found himself panting like a dog just to cool down a little bit more.

Skill Rank Up: Stronger I > Stronger II (1.95 > 2.0 > 2.725)!
Further increase your base physical strength.

Skill Gain: Use Medium Equipment (0.7 > --)!
Use equipment that, by comparison to your own body, could be considered medium in weight or size. --This skill is unsuited to your Species. You possess the skill Use Light Equipment. You possess the Skill Stronger II. You possess the Skill Dextrous. Skill Synergy negates drawbacks of this skill.--

You are experiencing a Fast Rate of Skill Progression.
You are experiencing a Fast Rate of Skill Progression.

You have no Stamina remaining.
You are Exhausted, natural Stamina recovery is reduced by 25%.
You are Peckish.
Your throat is Dry.

LEVEL UP! Your combined experiences have culminated in new power! You are now Level 7! You gain Skill points to distribute as you see fit! Your base attack stats have increased!

Unspent Skill Points: 11 [[OOC:+5 level up, +5 Christmas/New Year/Hiatus bonuses, +1 1500 post bonuses]]

Current Skills:
Beast Sense II (2.95)
Rabid Fit II (2.1)
Stronger II (2.725)
Muffle II (2.45)
Use Light Equipment (--)
Alert I (1.35)
Faster I (1.1)
Harder I (1.0)
Dynamic Eye I (1.15)
Smash I (1.6)
Dextrous I (1.55)
Monster Analysis I (1.7)
Overwork I (1.55)
Mental Resistance I (1.1)
Magic Analysis I (1.0)
Focus I (1.0)
Warcry I (1.05)
Use Medium Equipment (--)
<UNUSABLE>
Material Analysis (0.6)
Tremor Sense (0.05)
Telepathy (0.2)
Mana Shape (0.8)
Focus (0.9)
Shield (0.5)
Mana Shell (0.5)
Soil Manipulation (0.7)
Crafting (0.8)
First Aid (0.1)
Meditate (0.5)
People Sense (0.4)
Plant Analysis (0.2)
Swift Swimmer (0.4)
Charm (0.05)
Repel (0.025)
Stealth Kill (0.3)
Blunt Resistance (0.1)
Prehensile Tail (0.6)
Mana Strike (0.7)
Minor Heal (0.05)
Iron Gullet (0.4)
Taming (0.2)
Suppress Presence (0.6)
Inspire (0.3)
Point Strike (0.6)
Strengthen (0.6)
Pierce Resistance (0.2)
Double Skill (0.1)
Deception (0.3)
Lucid Dream (0.2)
Stone Shot (0.05)
Mana Sense (0.1)
Flame Aura (0.1)
Guidance (0.2)
Intimidation (0.2)
Charisma (0.3)
Slash (0.1)
Cleave (0.2)
Blood Drain (0.1)
Spiritual Awareness (0.1)
Sensory Resistance (0.1)
Fire Resistance (0.05)
Breath Control (0.8)

It had been about noon when the rats started training, and between their vigorous exercise and the amount of time it took to somewhat recover from that, the sun had moved on into the afternoon. It wasn't quite evening time yet, but it was probably around 2, maybe 3 o'clock at the latest judging from the position of the sun.

---

You are experiencing a Fast Rate of Skill Progression.

Developing Skill: Faster
This skill is a reflection of one's increase in speed. Physical exercise seems to be the key to unlocking it.

Developing Skill: Stronger
This skill reflects one's increase in raw power. Physical exercise seems to be the key to unlocking it.

Developing Skill: Taming
This skill seems to have developed when forming bonds with other creatures like that wild Pixie.

Developing Skill: Point Strike
This skill seems to have developed when accurately striking a target. Is there a special point to aim for?

Nira's next attempt at Aqua Sphere once again created the wet feeling between her palms, and the fog began to condense once more. This time, it got thicker, although the pixie kept her eyes closed. She only noticed the difference when the mists grew thick enough that droplets of water actually touched her hands, breaking her concentration--and once again dispersing the spell. She had condensed water out of the atmosphere into liquid form, but it still wasn't quite shaped right and it wouldn't hold its form. Nor, while it was simply floating suspended between her hands, did it seem like it could really do any damage. Maybe she had to throw it or shoot it like the Mana Orb? What other ways could she think of to make it more effective?

Meanwhile, Femus was a very busy bee--or Wisp, technically. While he thought to himself and chewed on leaves, the plant juice did little to take the edge off his thirst. Maybe if he consumed a larger number of them, but as of now only these two were literally a drop in a bucket. Unperturbed, he continued his experimentation. When he tried to gather his Mana into his eyes, the world seemed to become more vivid and colorful. He could feel his MP decreasing very slowly, bit by bit, as well as his eyes straining. Just before he was about to blink, he thought he saw some multi-colored sparkles all around, though they were predominantly a deep green color...

On a repeat attempt, he tried to see the Great Kao Tree's mana flow. This attempt dyed his entire field of vision green, until he took his eyes away from staring at the tree directly. It was too bright and too unclear to pick out anything specifically helpful, save that the tree had a LOT of Mana of some particular type. When he instead tried this "vision" on the herb patch, he picked up a few other colors. Purple, blue, lighter blue, and a few others. And now, the dancing lights actually seemed to take a shape--small squares, two dimensional, vibrating along some unseen paths. Then he blinked again, and it was gone. He was starting to feel a bit of a headache after concentrating so hard.

He meditated until his energy was topped off, as usual, then came up with a sort of combination attack to try. He used Shock Round in an attempt to alter its charge, then fired it at a distant patch of ground. When it released its power on the target, leaving a circle of singed grass, he immediately repeated his attempt at Static Bolt, using the opposite charge. As he chanted for the spell, he felt a sudden static discharge all over his body, causing the Wisp's thin hairs to stand on end all over.

Like a Tesla coil, a purple-white arc of electricity jumped from Femus's body to the burnt patch of grass with a CRACK! and a millisecond's magnesium-white flash! The grass burst into flames, and the earth had actual burn marks zig-zagging through it for an area roughly one foot in diameter.

After observing this and considering what he had learned from this endeavor, the Wisp tried to use his stealth skills and headed down to the base of the tree. Using his Lesser Force to dig, he planted his Blue Yill. It was rather wilted, but hadn't turned brown or anything...however, the subtle glow of its petals had almost died out completely save at their very, very bottoms. He began to channel Mana, activating his Growth spell almost out of reflex rather than intent, and continuously chanted over the plant...which slowly began to glow the same shade of green as he had seen within the Great Kao Tree. A small circle of this light began to expand as he chanted...

Bit by bit, the Blue Yill seemed like it was recovering. Its stalk perked up, no longer bowed under the weight of its head. Its petals filled out. He could see its base trembling--beneath the earth, it had put out a single, hair-thin root. Then another.

His Mana ran out. He meditated to recover it, then tried again. And the Blue Yill grew a little stronger. Then it got a little bigger. And its blue glow began to return to its petals. Femus ran out of Mana again--and he tried to draw in Mana from other plants, as well as meditating to recover his own. But now the Blue Yill seemed like it had been properly cultivated, as without him holding it up or channeling energy to it, the stalk no longer drooped at all and all the leaves and petals no longer looked wilted. Its colors were vivid once more--and it was a little bit taller than the other blue flowers in the surrounding area.

But that headache from before was coming back, with a vengeance. And Femus began to feel very tired. And he still had not satisfied his thirst, or his hunger--his rumbling stomach hurt in that way only hunger can cause, and his dry throat itched and burned. He shuddered, now feeling altogether not-so-great.

Skill Rank Up: Shock Round I > Shock Round II (1.9 > 2.0)!
Increase Speed. Spell now has a low chance to cause Paralysis. MP Cost slightly increased.

Skill Gain: Plant Analysis I (0.9 > 1.1)!
Gain basic biological information about a Plant or its parts by carefully observing it.

Skill Gain: Static Bolt I (0.8 > 1.0)!
Charge up Lightning Mana and project it to a chosen target area. When the charge is complete, the attack is released at near-instant speed. An opponent who is wary of the glowing target area may still be able to dodge. Has a decently higher MP cost than Shock Round or Mana Orb. The properties of certain objects or environments may interfere with this spell. Casting time is roughly 10 seconds.

Skill Gain: Focus I (0.9 > 1.0)!
By spending at least 30 seconds focusing before using an offensive Skill or Spell, you can increase its damage or range. At this rank it is comparable to increasing the power by one rank (eg Mana Orb I to Mana Orb II) while also increasing the MP cost by half again (spend 1.5x Mana Orb I's cost).

Skill Gain: Mana Drain I (0.9 > 1.0)!
Like siphoning water through a tube, this ability allows the user to draw the energies of others into themselves. By using Stamina, you will drain MP from an opponent and add it to your own. However, certain factors may come into play--you are not guaranteed to restore the exact same amount of MP that you drain. At this rank, in order to use this skill you must be touching the creature or object to be drained. While you are using this skill you cannot use any other spell or skill that is offensive in nature or requires complex movements.

You have no MP remaining!
You have no Stamina remaining!
You are Tired.
You are Very Hungry.
You are Very Thirsty.

LEVEL UP! Your learning experiences have culminated in new power! You are now Level 8! You gain Skill Points to distribute as you please!

Unspent Skill Points: 6[[OOC: +5 Level up, +1 1500 posts Bonus]]

Current Skills:
Monster Analysis I (1.8)
Mana Orb II (2.5)
Lesser Force I (1.7)
Levitation (--)
Meditate II (2.075)
Magic Analysis II (2.275)
Shock Round II (2.0)
Mana Shape I (1.2)
Shield I (1.05)
Mana Control I (1.45)
Alert I (1.1)
Crafting I (1.1)
Suppress Presence I (1.15)
Growth I (1.4)
Mana Sense I (1.1)
Plant Analysis I (1.1)
Static Bolt I (1.0)
Focus I (1.0)
Mana Drain I (1.0)
<UNUSABLE>
Faster (0.3)
Harder (0.1)
Soil Manipulation(0.2)
Muffle (0.4)
Stealth Kill (0.1)
Charisma (0.3)
Mana Drain (0.9)
Iron Gullet (0.1)
Keen Smell (0.2)
Mana Dart (0.2)
Mana Burst (0.1)
Fireball (0.1)
Plant Analysis (0.9)
Keen Sight (0.5)
Wisp Flash (0.2)
Spell Chant (0.7)
Mental Resistance (0.3)
People Sense (0.1)
Rabid Fit (0.2)
Poison Splash (0.1)
Material Analysis (0.2)
Keen Ear (0.2)
Minor Heal (0.1)
Mana Vision (0.3)
Agriculture (0.1)
Mana Gift (0.1)

The hook wrapped around the jawbone he just acquired and launched it at the back of the fleeing zomblins head as his Smash took out the attacking skeletons leg whose own attack bounced off of his Hardened Body. "Trent mind the fleeing one, it's their ranged attacker! It's pretty fucked up but it has armor!" Asura exclaimed as he was 'face' to face with the downed skeleton. It swung its cudgel again, at a very awkward swing considering it was prone, which he just surged around. No point taking more damage than he needed to.

Despite it being full combat he did take note his skull and his jaw club were both getting worn. The club he understood, it was shoddy, but was magic really that strong that it did that much damage to a skull? God he hated magic so fucking much, it was always bullshit like this. Ardur was conversing with the sword, Undine, still. "Can the sword just watch our ground and air rear? The front is pretty covered!" He called out as a pseudopod changed into the shape of a mallet.

The deep red hammer came down as hard as he could without using Smash onto the skeletons face. More enemies were coming, he had to head hunt now. The one thing he tried to avoid when fighting, but skeletons weren't exactly the best things to just blindly swing at. He did notice the red particles, then the orange particles, floating into himself. Probably such an insignificant amount but it was still something.

Mother Slime rolled in now and took a Poison attack meant for him, but she hadn't gotten poisoned thankfully. No one had any cure poison capabilities currently. She lunged, landing on a lizard and started to wrestle with it. "Pin the body and pull up on its hard hard!" He called over, instructing her on a way to snap an animals neck that didn't look up very well. Steve has caught a wisp and used it to bludgeon another, getting it on the ground within melee range. So Asura surged forward to engulf it, crush it within his body, and start digesting as he looked for the next closest target to finish. Don't just attack many at once and deal a little damage, focus and kill completely then move on to the next target.

Ardur The Mighty Hipixie

A Deal? > Time to strike /// Adventuring day 5 // Evening / Location - The Shimmering Pool

Ardur paused for a moment as he watched the mana orb trail off into the distance, “Well that’s a handy thing to know.” He thought as undine claimed a wisp that drew to near the water’s surface. The voice spoke again telling him that he still lacked the strength, mana, and skill required to wield the sword, “at least i know you can make a pact with me... what ever that means.”

Glancing over towards the group that was just about to cross the pool he formulated a plan. “Ok im going to go draw those flyers over the water as close as I can. I’ll leave the rest to you. If it doesn’t work I’ll try to drown them.”

A good enough plan, simple, dangerous, and exciting. With a smile on his face he flew towards the group of flyers. “Im going to distract those flanking then return for support.” He called out towards the rest of the party. With the bone club in hand he continued flying toward the enemies.

Aiming for one of the undead in the lead, Ardur swung the bone at them in a drive by attack then banked sharply to the right and down towards the pool. Hoping the rest of the monsters would follow as he attempted to drag them closely along the top of the pool and eventually in a circle. If he was able to he would attempt to strike some of them down into the water itself. He was well aware that this maneuver would use multiple physical skills at the same time. Like his strength, physical conditioning, and faster skills. This could also help out with some sort of agility skill as well if it existed.

@Zeroth
@Kazemitsu

---

"Shoot, not enough." Digbie huffed before he held up the new pack he made. Ah, well, at least he made something better that he could hand off to Ash. Plus, he learned a little more about the crafting skill from that, so he could improve on it.

"Need another bag, Ash?" Digbie asked, gently passing the bag he had just made to her. "This one might be a bit better for you than um... the old one." Sure, it wasn't much for a crafted bag, but it was better than nothing. "... oh! I still have those Mushrooms too! They're yours if you want them!"

Digbie headed back to the bunch of loot and such that he had, and pondered how he could squeeze out that last bit of experience. Then, he had an idea. He fished his Rusty Chipped Arming Sword out of his bag, placing it on the ground a few meters away from him. He placed his hands out in front of him and began to use {Soil Manipulation II} with {Dual Casting}, creating two clumps of loose soil and dirt. Of course, this wouldn't be enough to do much of anything, but Digbie had a plan.

"Alright. System, I'm Crafting _{^{I think}}."

Carefully, as to not hurt the blade itself, Digbie ran the dirt clumps along the blade, attempting to shave off any base level imperfections from the metal and everything. Effectively, Digbie was sanding the blade down with his magic acting as sandpaper. It might not be much to look at now, but hopefully with enough time he could get a sheen on the blade that'd make it look a decent amount better. Once most of the rust and small imperfections were off the blade (or if Digbie ran out of mana), Digbie grabbed his Whetstone and began to tend to his new sword, working out any major imperfections with the Whetstone. Unknowingly, he activated {Overwork} just to slam out some of the more difficult parts of the sword's blemishes.

Digbie grabbed some more of the parts he had, still on this crafting grind, and began to work with things. Using the remaining Leather Strips, Unknown Pelts, and Hex Cat Pelt, alongside four of the Dirty Cloth Strips and the Hard Shell, Digbie began to tie what he could together. The two Leather Strips would work out fairly well for straps to hold over someone's shoulder, and the pelts when sewn together with grass could form into a decent sack. Sure, it wasn't the greatest thing (or decent in many other terms), but he did think for the given situation... this wasn't bad. He took some of the Cloth Strips and worked them into the Hard Shell, attaching it to the back of the new crafted item to see if it'd provide just a little more defense than the rest of the gear.

After the new bag was done, Digbie stood back up from the ground and looked over his work, chomping on a piece of Rat Jerky from the pile as he used Material Analysis on his tempered sword and his newly made pack.

---

While Danny's attempt at healing himself didn't go as well as he had hoped, by stopping his bleeding he had done better then he expected. Curious he decided to see how he was doing health and mana wise. "System display Health and MP". Before he got an answer he noticed the "chicken"dropping dead for seemingly no reason, instantly figuring Jason had to be responsible and hoping that wouldn't bite them in the ass.

As he was trying to go over the possible ramifications he spotted a Goblin walking up to the coup. He got ready to fight, thinking it was a scout for the attack. However the things it said as well as the tone of it's voice made him reconsider, especially since he believed the human they fought said something about a Goblin. Curious he decided to use Monster Analysis III and play along in case it did turn out to be a Reincarnate.

Believing the goblin to be a child whether or not it could be trusted Danny decided to talk to it the way he would to any child, with simple words and a calm tone of voice. "He started it, you know? My friend and I came here to warn you about a Goblin attack and he almost hit me with his ax.

The pebble slapped into the palm of Oberon’s waiting hand, followed almost immediately by multiple system messages for both the completion of the Lesser Force skill and levelling up. Combined, it made for a rather satisfying feeling, especially when the level up was accompanied by a list of evolution options for him to pick from; even if the options available to him were admittedly a little lacklustre. Sprite, Hipixie and Imp remained option from his last evolution, but this time were joined by a variety of elementally aligned pixie-variants, none of which seemed particularly interesting.

Continuing down the Sprite path, further developing his Light Affinity and increasing his ‘potential’, whatever that meant, seemed like the best option at the moment; the system even marked it as the choice that he had the most suitability with, unsurprisingly. Hipixie was also a tempting choice, what with the size increase and the related ability to wield light equipment, but the size increase also came with reduced flight capabilities and also made him a larger target; the ability to use equipment would be useful, but it did come with downsides. Imp was something he had already decided against in the past and nothing had changed there, while the elemental species were interesting but also easily dismissed; the extra affinity for certain types of magic would be nice, but he felt like it would lock him into a single element at the expense of all others. Technically he had already done that by picking Sprite the first time and would be doing it again if he chose Sprite again now… that was an argument he didn’t have a good answer for.

At the end of the day, it was the chance for variance that solidified the choice in his mind. So far he had seen three creatures with variances, two of which were currently in his party, and every one of them seemed to come with an affinity for that element alongside other benefits; Digbie and Ash both had the Mystic variance and both had Mana Affinity, Digbie also had the Earth variance an Earth Affinity as a result. Finally, although it had been a few days since he had last analysed him, the flame-throwing Goblin Crispy from back in the cave was almost certainly a Goblin with a Fire variance. While picking something like Lampad or Nephos might give Oberon an affinity for one element, picking Sprite seemed like it would give him the chance of earning multiple variances and multiple affinities as well; it was a case of taking a gamble in order to potentially have his cake and eat it too. Even if it didn’t work, he didn’t think Sprite was a choice he’d regret.

The Sprite was curious about something however. He had spent the last couple of days learning as much magic as he could, covering as many elements as he could, which apparently played a role in the evolution options he was given; he had learned Fire, Water and Wind based spells and earned the ability to evolve into Lampad, Nixie and Nephos as a result. The fact that he was most suited for the Lampad was probably due to the fact that he had learned more than one Fire spell overall, but did this then mean that if he learned more spells of different elements that he would unlock more evolution options? Would that also mean a greater chance for gaining a variance in those elements?

Oberon tossed the pebble in his hand up and down a few times, catching it and throwing it again each time as he pondered this. At the moment his only Earth spell was Sacred Ground, which was also a Nature spell. If he learned a true Earth spell like Earth Wall or Stone Shot would that affect his evolution options? What about Ice Spike? Oberon caught the pebble again, but this time held onto it as he felt its weight settle in his palm. He began to channel Mana into the stone, much like he had with the water and surrounding air earlier, as he activated Mana Sense and looked at the pebble in his hand.

If he could see the Mana entering the stone and also see the moment it changed colour from non-elemental Mana to Earth Mana, he should be able to create the Stone Shot spell and spells of the same type more easily. He waited until the Mana he was sending into the stone changed colour in his enhanced vision, until he could feel the Mana change within his hand, and then threw the pebble into the ground a foot or so in front of him in his first attempt at a Stone Shot. If that wasn’t enough to complete the spell then he would use Lesser Force to pull the pebble back to him and attempt it again, using more Mana and focusing more on propelling the stone with the magic inside of it.



@Zeroth

---

"I see." Ash rubbed a clawed hand over her chin, thinking as she watched Torrent fail at some skill again. Seemed like she was trying to make some sort of...breath like ability. Red particles swirled around a weak stream of yellow in a double helix fashion. Perhaps the source was too weak? Oddly, the light blue particles weren't present in the attempt...so she was lacking something, still? The desire to see the effects of this were quite strong. "Ah, thanks Digbie. Sorry, lost in thought."

Ash breathed out, glancing at the job system again. Witch seemed interesting. Utility was always good, and it seemed like it would synergize well with her already obtained alchemy ability, even if she had yet to seriously work on anything of note. Getting back to that would be good, but she had such little time to explore it.

"Hmm...for now, choose Witch." Maybe she'd change later. For the moment, she walked over to Torrent. "I think you're missing an Element, Torrent." What could Light blue be? If red was fire, then yellow was likely some sort of light based thing...then what was light blue? She had assumed dark blue was water of some sort, so perhaps light blue was wind? "If that was fire and some form of light, you need to add a bit more to it. Try adding some...hm, more wind?"

Gathering up the equipment Digbie left her, she glanced at the greaves, deciding to simply equip them and the Vine Bracers for now. Glancing at the rest of the loot, Ash snatched up the sharpened piece of glass carefully. How fortuitous. She could easily make a beaker or some other small implement with this...hmm, but it was quite large. Not ideal for moving. Seemed like Digbie had used most of the already useful materials as well, which left her with very little in the way of things to mess with.

For now Ash settled on practicing more magical abilities.

Forming a static version of 'Mana Slice', observing it with her Mana Vision.

---

Not enough. Even adding in the fire, while it helped, wasn't enough to make the skill. The analysis made it sound like it needed more time, but she'd done everything she could to extend the duration.

Ash spoke up, telling her she was missing something. Wind? She wasn't sure how that would help things, wouldn't that just make it blow?

No, until she could both draw in the light and fire off the attack, she didn't think she had the means to produce a proper beam of sorts like this.

Instead she focused on what the system had told her. Condensing was right. Adding fire was right. Drawing everything together was right.

But what if trying the slow release wasn't?

Taking the time to think, she used all of her Analysis skills on Ash, idly hoping to learn more about her new body. If this failed, perhaps it would give her ideas on how to better succeed.

Repeating the process, Torrent focused. If she couldn't make it a beam proper, then she'd release it like a bullet. She gathered the light, condensing it and slowly adding fire to it, and on a whim decided to test what Ash suggested. Mixing in a little of air, compressed into the conglomerate to work alongside the fire, she let the pressure build inside her mouth.

When she felt like she had done all she could with it, she opened her mouth and forcefully ejected the result with as much power as she could, using Magic Analysis on whatever happened.

---

Ed slumped to the ground and let the great club rollout of his tired hands. Sweat pouring out of his pores, causing his fur to mat together into clumps underneath his clothes and armor. His breathes are ragged and short as he finally is forced to drop his focus on breathing as his lungs demanded more air. The telltale signs of a cramp and the fiery pain he felt in his arms telling him that he overexerted himself. Coach Greene would have been disappointed in his performance. But in his defense, a Kanabo is a far cry from a traditional Birchwood Baseball bat.

"Y...yeah...let's rest...until its dark...then we go." Ed wheezed out as he did his best to fulfill the needs his body demanded from him. Then the System came to mind and alerted him that he had leveled up. "Level up...wooo." The exhausted ratman tried to sound enthusiastic and excited but his current state forced him to sound half-hearted. After he felt that his body's oxygen requirement was met, he would go back to focus on his breathing again thinking that it would help alleviate the pain from his tired muscles and cramps. In the meantime, he would think of how to spend his skill points. "System, please allocate three points to [Mana Strike], four points to [Point Strike], and the remaining four points to [Strengthen]." Afterwards he would keep his breathing controlled and relaxing his body until he recovers his stamina or until nightfall.

@Stabby@Zeroth

Femus smiled and rested for a few minutes, letting his stamina recover while he thought. He had achieved great success in a short time. He was actually very happy with his rate of progress. But, he felt like thrice used tripes. There was still food up on the branch but there was no water, unless Nira had found a solution to that problem. The river was sounding like a better idea all the time. If goblins could get there in less than a day to fish then it couldn't be too far. They just had to run the risk of a fight before getting there.

Well, Femus was pretty confident in his ability to handle most common threats at this point. So, he focused on how to use the points from his latest level. He willed his request to the system silently. 'System, please place five points into Growth and one into Monster Analysis.' He quickly meditated back up to full mana as well.

He had not failed to notice that he had gained a level from training his skills up himself. However, that only gave him a level this time because of how many were close to that line already. His preference for earning progress with his own work was rewarded but that kind of optimized training could only be done in certain situations. He was starting to get a subtle feeling... that he didn't like.

Femus had stayed here, in this fairly safe place, for awhile. Perhaps not long in days but it still was starting to feel like he didn't belong here anymore. It felt... like he was pushing things. So, he focused. It was time to go but they needed to solve their water problem a bit before they left or they might not have the strength to get to the river at all. Also, he really wanted Blue Yill seeds. But... forcibly cultivating with Growth was proving very intense and draining. So, he took a close look at the Blue Yill and sought to analyze it. Specifically, he wanted to tell if it was close to bearing seeds or not.

Either way, once he had his answer he headed back up to the branch to check on Nira and grab more food. Though, he made sure to eat no more than half of what he found left up there. Nira would need food too.

"I think we should probably head toward the East once you're ready. I think there's a river that way. But, I'm going to try and find something to quench our thirst over by that thicker herb patch first. There might be something growing there that stores more water inside." He said, wearily. He was pushing himself.

His head was pounding and he was exhausted but, while it looked like Nira was making good progress on a water spell, the thought of drinking from her hands made him... uneasy. A natural source of water would be easier and food was normally easier to find around one as well. So, he gathered his energy and headed to the farther herb patch. He took his time and didn't push himself to avoid adding unnecessary strain but he also kept his eyes open and his senses alert for any danger that could be hiding in the taller plants.

You used Crafting I!
You are attempting to repair an item.
Your crafting process has boosted your efficiency!
You are using the Skill, Soil Manipulation II, to boost crafting efficiency.
Rusty Chipped Arming Sword (Very Poor, Bloody) + Whetstone (Well Made)
Unexpected: The quality (Bloody) has increased your crafting method efficiency.
Your Skill boost has prevented the degredation of the item.
Your Skill boost has prevented the degredation of the item.
You are using the Skill, Overwork I, to boost crafting efficiency.
Your Skill boost has increased the quality of the item.
Your crafting process has increased the quality of the item.
The quality of your material, Whetstone (Well Made) has increased the quality of the item.

Repair completed.
Obtained Item: Steel Arming Sword (Average, Slightly Brittle)!
You used Material Analysis II on the weapon.
A common sword, mass produced for levied soldiers or adventurers by professional smiths. The iron used in its construction is of standard quality and has bonded well to carbon in the forge, producing proper steel. --This item has been repaired, but the wear and tear cannot be fully restored. Its durability is reduced. --This is a Medium Item by most standards. For your Species it is Heavy and requires two hands to use. You possess the Skill, Use Light Equipment. You possess the Skill, Stronger I. This weapon is suitable for your Job, Skirmisher. Negative substat enhancements have been lessened by one stage. --When using this weapon, you feel your physical attacks are much stronger. However, its weight makes it slightly slower.

You used Crafting I!
Leather Strips (Poor) x2 + Unknown Pelt (Poor) + Hex Cat Pelt (Poor) + Hard Shell (Average) + Dirty Cloth Strips (Very Poor) x4 + Long Grass

You have crafted an item of this type before. Effectiveness boosted.
The number of Items you have used boosts the quality of your items.
Obtained Item: Reinforced Fur Bag (Below Average)!
You used Material Analysis II on the item.
This bag, made from various furs, is a little bit stinky and prone to soaking up water. Nonetheless it is fairly sturdy and will suitably hold items. The Hex Cat fur, and the piece of Hard Shell, along with extra strips of cloth to bind it together, has boosted the pack's durability somewhat against both magic and physical damage; items held inside are less likely to break. This item can hold up to 12 Small Items, or the equivalent combination of items at larger sizes.

Skill Rank Up: Crafting I > Crafting II! (1.05 > 1.55 > 2.0)!
Crafting Complexity Increased. Stamina Requirement Decreased.

Your Stamina is Low.
You are Peckish.
Your throat is Dry.

LEVEL UP! Your combined experiences have culminated in new power! You are now Level 10! You gain Skill points to distribute as you please!

Unspent Skill Points: 11 [[OOC:+5 level, +5 Xmas/NY/Hiatus bonus, +1 1500 posts bonus]]

Current Skills:
**Use Light Equipment (--)
Tremor Sense III (3.275)
-Soil Manipulation II (2.9125)
Stone Shot II (2.125)
Taboo I (1.0)
*Stronger I (1.5)
**Sacred Ground II (2.375)
Rock Spire II (2.2)
Earth Affinity I (1.3)
Meditate I (1.5)
Earth Vein II (2.425)
-Spell Chant I (1.2)
Monster Analysis I (1.4)
Material Analysis II (2.65)
Plant Analysis I (1.4)
*Mental Resistance I (1.25)
Fortify I (1.15)
*Mana Orb II (2.175)
**Shield II (2.55)
Overwork I (1.95)
Mana Affinity I (1.1)
Magic Analysis II (2.65)
Analysis (--)
**Earth Wall II (2.2)
*Minor Heal I (1.4)
Guidance I (1.95)
*Dual Cast I (1.25)
Lucid Dream I (1.0)
Crafting II (2.0)
<UNUSABLE>
*Quake (0.5)
*Point Strike (0.7)
*Smash (0.7)
Throw Item (0.4)
Charisma (0.6)
*Mana Strike (0.6)
Focus (0.6)
*Stone Fist (0.6)
*Stone Breaker (0.6)
Intimidate (0.6)
-Scribe (0.2)
*Fire Resistance (0.3)
Demon Affinity (0.25)
Underground Movement (0.5)
**Use Medium Equipment (0.2)
Faster (0.3)
Alert (0.2)
Pacify Animal (0.3)
Inspire (0.3)
Spiritual Awareness (0.3)
Lesser Cleanse (0.2)
Iron Gullet (0.1)
Wall (0.2)
Mana Shape (0.3)
Deception (0.4)
Charm (0.2)
Mana Drain (0.1)
Rabid Fit (0.2)
Mana Surge (0.1)
*Condense Earth (0.1)

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) Demiblin (Stone-Hardened + Mystic = Crystal Variance. Boost previous variances) - Goblins that have been influenced by demonic energies, often committing acts that even make their brethren pause or else being influenced by a greater demonic being. They are roughly the same size as normal goblins but tend towards the taller and more muscular side of the average. Their skin darkens until it becomes almost ink black, and they often develop strange magical sigils on their skin. They show increased aptitudes for magic.

• Slight increase to base stats.
• Increase Demon Affinity (reduced).
• Job:Skirmisher Suitable Skills Boosted (reduced)
• Increase Potential
• Taboo Offering

***(Adolescent) Svartblin (Retain Variances) - An unusual monster that some consider to be on the boundary between the Englightened and Monstrous races. Its height and general proportions are roughly the same as goblins, but Svartblins tend to have broader shoulders and chests, thicker arms and legs, and much greater intelligence. The males tend to be bald, and their skin is a stony gray in color. They favor deep tunnels, often going for long periods without sunlight, and have a disposition for mining.

• Slightly increase all base-stats
• Increase Tremor Sense (reduced)
• Increase Earth Affinity (reduced)
• Gain Access to New Jobs: Miner and Builder

**(Adolescent) Hobgoblin (Retain Variances) - These advanced goblins develop darker skin colors, their former green bodies turning a shade of the forest or changing tint slightly to blues or browns. They are a foot taller than goblins on average, and while their proportions are similar their extra mass shifts towards a more wiry, muscular form. With greater intelligence but about the same level of maturity, if Goblins can be compared to vicious children then Hobgoblins could be mean-spirited teenagers. Their faces become slightly less ugly, and they grow more hair much like various humanoids.

• Increase all base stats
• Gain Medium Equipment Skill (reduced)
• Job:Skirmisher Suitable Skills Boosted (reduced)

*(Adolescent) Bluecap (Stone-Hardened + Mystic = Crystal Variance. Boost previous variances) - These are goblins who have been changed by magical energies. Their skin changes hue to various shades of blue, and their hair grows in more fully thus granting them their namesake. While their defensive stats won't increase as fast, they are still a relatively balanced monster and may have various spells to add to their previous form's versatility. Their increase in intelligence often puts these -blins in a good position to control a tribe or advise a boss.

• Slightly increase base strength-and-speed stats
• Increase Mana Orb (reduced)
• Increase Shield (reduced)

--(Adolescent) Gremlin (Retain Variances) - These lanky-limbed, hunched creatures are often blamed by superstitious villagers for all sorts of mischief. More predatory than normal goblins and preferring solitude to tribes, these creatures often form small groups of two or three in the deepest tunnels, and stalk the darkness for prey. They are quite a bit faster than Goblins, but not much stronger or more durable. Because they have adapted for life in caves they have trouble outdoors.

• Slightly increase base strength-and-defense stats
• Increase speed stats
• Increase Dextrous (reduced)
• Increase Muffle (reduced)
• Gain Sunlight Vulnerability

---(Adolescent) Bugbear (Retain Variances) - 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.

• Slightly increase speed-and-defense stats
• Increase base strength stats (reduced)
• Increase Medium Equipment skill (reduced)
• Increase Stamina

*(Adolescent) Redcap - Goblins that, like the Bugbear, value physical strength but also have enough intelligence they could be considered "tactical" often transform into these red-skinned, larger-than-usual goblinoids. Redcaps are more militaristic than normal goblins and make excellent tribal chieftains, but are also industrious and begin to develop more skill in using tools and equipment. However, their tribes are often very small, as a Redcap's demand for excellence leads to many desertions.

• Increase base strength stats (reduced)
• Increase Weapon Affinity (reduced)
• Gain Medium Equipment Skill

***(Adolescent) Palablin (Retain Variances)(Very Low Chance Variant) - E̷̡͘R̶̮̚R̷̖͘Ỏ̶̙R̷̦̚.̶̩̔ ̷͖̃U̸̺͗N̴̖̅K̶̖̇N̸͇͆Ő̷̜W̷̟̓N̶̨̕ ̵̗͠M̸̞͝Ȯ̵̲N̴̯̐S̵͚̈T̴̎͜E̸͕͌R̷̺̋ ̸͖̈́T̸̹̚Y̷̝͒P̵̥͗Ē̸̱.̸̻̎ ̸̬̎S̵̬̓Ẹ̴͊A̸͇͂R̷̥̋C̴̮̽Ḣ̵̻I̴̗͑N̶͍͋G̵̲̈ ̷̘̇S̸̯͌Y̶͗ͅṠ̴͖T̴̜̚E̵̠̿M̶̬͋ ̸̱̆B̴̜͊A̴͖̅Ṣ̷̋E̸͉̓.̵͈͘.̸̧̈́.̸̦̍
> Insert new {M-Type(Feral[SocialTrue<RetrieveAll.Standard>])}
= PALABLIN
> Input meta {PALABLIN(Desc)}...
̶̠̈́L̵̨͑O̷̟͐A̴̧̚D̶̬́Ḭ̸̒Ń̷̟G̶̣͗.̸͓̀.̷̙̿.̶̘͝
A never-before seen Goblin-subtype, created under circumstances that have not been replicated. It may be impossible for other Goblins to achieve...or is it? If the Demiblin is a Goblin that has garnered the favor of Demons, this Goblin has instead gained the favor of something else. However, even if it is not a Demon, there is always a price for power. Fair trade is the means by which two parties prosper. The Palablin's skin will lighten, from greens to whites or yellows and in between, or a lighter hue of any other pattern such as that of a Blue- or Redcap. They are of a similar size to hobgoblins and demiblins, but their eyes seem to gleam with a greater intelligence.
LOADING...

• Gain Blessings/Offer Prayers
• Job:Skirmisher Suitable Skills Boosted (reduced)
• Slightly Increase All Stats
• Remove Taboo (reduced)

With the loose soil he had collected, and his practiced Soil Manipulation spell, Digbie had a much better control over the sanding process than if he had tried to do things the "proper way," owing to his lack of both "real" and "System-given" blacksmith skills. And, since the blood from the goat was still fresh, it served the purpose of water in helping the dirt to stick and wash off the rust flakes. Unlike water, it wouldn't be damaging to the weapon, and its natural oily, organic properties from the goat's fatty tissues helped to polish the blade. It stuck to the dirt, so by the time Digbie had finished that part he had cleaned all the blood off of the sword as well. Leaving organic oils from one's hand or victims on a sword could be just as damaging as leaving it in the mud. He then took the whetstone to the still-degraded weapon, and began to hone it until his arms were sore. Then he honed it some more. The little goblin went to his "craft" with such gusto he began to work up a sweat, and soon the blade's edges had been re-sharpened and its flat had, for the most part, been cleared of rust...There was still some roughness along its spine, and the cruciform metal bar across the guard still wasn't in the best shape, but it was now once again a fully functional weapon! With all of this grinding, however, a good bit of material had been lost in microscopic scrapes, and the blade looked a little more worn down than it probably had in the weapon's heyday.

He then set to work making another bag, and this one came out a little better. The Hard Shell only covered a single section of the bag's back, but the extra straps and the thick fur seemed much sturdier this time. More material meant the bag could hold more as well, and it looked like these hides had already been cured by time out in the sun thanks to the other goblins. It likely wouldn't rot or degrade as much over time as Ash's rawhide pack had done.

Oberon delayed choosing his next transformation, instead attempting to learn Stone Shot and see if that would affect his options. When he activated his Mana Sense, which for him manifested as glowing fog in his sight, he could only see the faintest glimpse of a metallic gold mist around the pebble in his hand. When he channeled his own mana into the stone, it was a light blue, almost white vapor. It gathered around the stone and then seemed to suffuse into the surface. The golden mana signature did not budge against Oberon's energy, however, as it filled the stone to the brim...and then, when it seemed its physical capacity had been reached, the gold color began to creep out from its edges. If one imagined the mana fog in Oberon's sight like regular fog, made of myriad microscopic droplets of water, then this creeping change in energy was like each of those droplets turning on their head to reveal a new side like the face of a coin. From light blue, to gold, the mana "flipped" outward in straight lines like cracks spreading across glass.

When the pebble had been entirely suffused with golden colored fog, Oberon hurled it as hard as he could at the ground. There was a slight flash as he released it, but the pebble only bounced along the ground as it normally would under the Sprite's somewhat negligible strength. Using Lesser Force, Oberon repeated the process, only this time he held the stone out in his hand and tried to focus on propelling it forward. After several moments of concentration, there was a jerk of sorts, and the stone leaped out of his hand like a jumping bean...though it only flopped to the ground once more. Rather than a constant propulsive force like a rocket, it was as if one marble had smacked into another and sent it rolling in a different direction.

You are experiencing a Rapid Rate of Skill Progression

You have chosen the Job:Witch!
Skill Suitability will now affect Skill progression.
Equipment Suitability will now alter substat enhancements.

You equipped Vine Greaves (Good)! You feel slightly tougher. The weight of these items may interfere with your Job related skills. --You possess the Skill, Stronger I. Negative substat enhancement negated.

You equipped Vine Bracers (Poor, Below Average)! You feel somewhat tougher. The weight of these items may interfere with your job related skills. --You possess the Skill, Stronger I. Negative substat enhancement negated.

You used Mana Vision!
---Mana Slice I---
STRUCTURE: ^#M₃

As Ash offered Torrent her advice, and then turned her glowing eyes on her own magic, she saw the light blue, almost white energy take the familiar crescent moon shape. It was so thin as to be nearly two-dimensional, and she could see three of the square bits along its center line--one at the vertex of each end of the crescent, and one in the center. Those oscillating lines connected all three...but, there were also smaller squares of Mana vibrating all along the spell's length, running in a loop like a chainsaw's namesake. The entire image, in her enhanced sight, looked like it had been pixelated by a computer.

Torrent tried once again with a new method, although as she concentrated and tried to add some form of Wind mana to the compressed and heated light and then tried to release it like a bullet, in one burst, she felt something like a static shock. Only it seemed to be inside her nerves. For a split second it was almost-painful, but then she released the spell.

The "bullet" of light left her mouth with a literal "pew" sound, striking the water and sending up a gout of steam--and with a stutter almost like a sneeze, she released another bullet, and then another rapid fire, until it wasn't bullets but a continuous stream! The beam had a little recoil to it, forcing her head up just a bit, and the stream of now-blinding light arced across the stream and burned a small furrow in the dirt on the other side. As Torrent's mouth shut, flames licked the edges of the singe marks for a moment before they died out.

Skill Gain: Breath Beam I (0.8 > 1.0)!
Condense Light Mana into a single, continuous beam released from the mouth. Unlike many spells like Mana Orb that are condensed and released, consistent application is needed to keep the beam steady. It also does not consume a set amount of MP, but rather a continuous drain as long as the spell is maintained. Given normal atmospheric conditions, it has perhaps the longest range of any basic breath spell, traveling up to 120 feet. However, unless it is focused on the same target for several moments, its damage is not quite as intense and the longer the distance, the more power will be lost before initial contact.

---

The gooey red mallet came down on the Skeleblin's cranium with a crack, knocking a hole in the hollow skull. But still the creature wasn't down for the count yet, although its movements had become even more uncoordinated. Asura was calling out to Mother Slime, advising her on how to break the Fanged Lizard's neck, but in this moment of distraction the Skeleblin struck him with its mace. His Bowhorn Skull shell gave a loud crack, and one of its horns broke off.

Trent, having finished with the Zombie Fanged Lizard, now turned and pointed at one of the Bone Pixies that had joined the battle. "Mana Orb, First Rank!" The crackling magic collected at the tip of his sword and surged forward. With a sound like bowling a strike, the skeletal fairy was blasted apart. "I only have enough Mana for one more First Rank spell, and only one recovery phial!" he announced, just as he raised his shield to deflect yet another javelin from the Zomblin. "What's this about a sword, Asura?"

Steve, having slammed the two Wisps into the ground, now scuttled forward to sink her poisonous fangs deep into another one. It struggled for a moment, then went still.

Mother Slime wasn't sure what Asura was trying to communicate to her, but she latched onto the creature's head with her membrane and rolled backwards. Her enormous weight kept the body pinned, and her smooth circular surface acted like a medieval stretching rack. The reptile's spine and skull gave way with a sickening crack, and the purple lights in its eyes went out. She immediately began digesting the body, and rolled back to the front to face the next wave of enemies.

Asura surged forward, leaving the Skeleblin be for now, and coiled himself around the other Wisp that Steve had trapped. He put pressure on its fragile body, letting his digestive acids burn into it, and with a squelch he felt the Wisp's internals give way.

Skill Gain: Slime Coil I (0.95 > 1.0)!
A more advanced skill that comes naturally to slimes, especially if they survive long enough to become skilled hunters. Like a snake or a tentacled sea creature, they envelop an enemy or object and apply incredible force to it. This Skill can be maintained while using others as well, though it decreases the damage somewhat. An enemy trapped in Slime Coil takes continuous damage over time at the expense of the user's stamina. --You have the Skill, Limited Shapeshift. Slime Coil allows shifted limbs to have better grip. --You have the Skill, Throw Item. Slime Coil allows an item to be pulled more forcefully when throwing. --You have the Skill, Stronger. Slime Coil's damage is increased though it remains at Rank I. --You have the Skill, Cling. Enemies will have a harder time escaping Slime Coil, though it remains at Rank I.

The skeleblin managed to get its remaining foot under it, and launched itself forward. Its rinky-dink shield slammed into Asura from behind, knocking him over due to its leverage. Once again it swung its club at him.

Above the Zombie Fanged Lizard that Trent had decapitated, a small orb flickered into being. The Ghost Wisp fired a single Mana Orb at the closest enemy it could see, which at this point happened to be Steve, and the spider only barely managed to leap out of the way. The Ghost Wisp faded away immediately afterward--for some reason it didn't have as much MP as the others?

The other Bone Pixie dived down at Trent. While it was in flight, the assimilated living Pixie extended its hand and cast the familiar Shield spell around its ally. The Bone Pixie, once within range, tried to claw out Trent's eyes. The apprentice knight lifted his shield, and when the pixie crashed into its rim he used the defensive implement like a big circular swatter. The undead fairy was dashed against the ground, one half of its frame crushed and mangled, and Trent stepped on what was left mercilessly in order to grind the bones to dust. At that moment, however, a Mana Orb from yet another assimilated Wisp--having now taken up position a little further ahead of the Zomblin--slammed into Trent's chest. He stumbled back, almost fell, and barely regained his feet. He was breathing harder now, but seemed okay.

A bright green blob suddenly dropped from the ceiling, right on top of Steve. The Spider hissed, clacking her mouth parts as she bucked and eventually threw the core-controlled Slime off, but the chitin along her back had been damaged by its acid. She spat a gooey glob of webbing that bound the Slime in place, but the creature began to rapidly eat through it...

A sudden shift in the earth below Momma Slime gave way to a Dire Rat with that sinister light in its eyes, and it ripped at a piece of her membrane with claws and fangs. She gave a loud rumble of pain and tried to 'mash it, but the beast disappeared back into its tunnel only to pop back up and attack again as soon as the great blue slime had withdrawn her pseudopod.

There were more monsters coming now, so thick that the ground fairly crawled with them and sometimes the walls and ceiling too. Four Wisps could be seen coming up and over like a fleet of miniature bombers. Three Zombified Lizards were moving up another row ahead of the Zomblin its nearby Wisp, like artillery prepared to launch another battery. They were joined by another trio of living lizards, working in concert. And, in the distance, three more shambling corpses of Goblins were getting closer with that strange, frantic slowness of a zombie that makes them all the more inevitable and terrifying. Beyond them, more and more shadows were gathering. That red light was pulsating in a different rhythm now...somehow, it almost seemed like laughter.

Meanwhile, Ardur's wings beat like a hummingbird's as he flew past the oncoming crowd of Wisps. He swung his bone club, driving all the momentum he could muster into the first tinkling ball of light he passed. His powerful muscles, and the speed he had built up, allowed him to smash right into the magical monster and leave it falling towards the ground with a trail of blood spatter.

But there were still at least a dozen of the monsters left. And as Ardur banked hard to one side, they followed him like a flock of angry bells and lightning bugs. An entire barrage of Mana Orbs were launched after him--he had only moments to think of what he would do to try and evade them all. But, it seemed like his plan was working--there were still monsters on the shore moving to try and flank his friends, but he had drawn the Wisps away so that they were no longer pinned in the chokepoint passage.

Up ahead, he could just barely see Undine floating on top of the water, waiting for him to deliver the goods--if he could survive long enough to make it...

---

Nira realized that in order for the fog vapor to become liquid, it would need to cool. And she imagined that in order to hold its shape, it would need to condence. Though momentarily distraced by Femus's new electrical spell, she visualized a tiny droplet forming, growing bigger and bigger as the air around it grew colder. She felt the air around her hands chill, and recalled the sensation of water, willing the mist between her hands to coalesce tightly into one sphere, stable and ready to go.

Skill Gain: Aqua Sphere I (0.7 > 1.0)!
By charging a small amount of water with mana, create a sphere of pressurized liquid to be launched at the target. While it does not require ammunition so to speak, this spell works better if there is water in the environment or in heavy humidity. Its range, damage, and MP cost are virtually identical to Mana Orb, but its nature as a Water spell varies its power based on elemental properties of the target.

There, floating between her hands as if suspended in zero gravity, was a ball of rippling water the size of a baseball. The leaves around her had lost all of their dew, and some of them even looked a little wilted--had the spell drawn water vapor out of the environment?

Femus's small flame created by Static Bolt had gone out, having not quite caught onto nearby plants thanks to a lack of wind. As he meditated to restore his mana, he mulled over his options until the System let him know that his MP was full. He took a close look at his Blue Yill and used Plant Analysis in the hopes that it would tell him how long it would take the flower to bear seeds.

You used Plant Analysis I! You have used Magic Analysis on this plant before, effectiveness boosted by 25%.
---Blue Yill Flower---
The Yill species of flowering plants are adaptable and conducive to magic, so depending on where they grow and what kind of ambient energy is present they often change forms. The Blue Yill has absorbed a great deal of raw mana. This plant is fully grown and flowered, and will soon enter the seeding phase. The Blue Yill can be used to restore one's mana if eaten raw, and if mixed with various other ingredients is often used to boost magical potency of potions.

Afterward he ate one and a half of the remaining Kele shoots, leaving the same amount left for Nira. The System informed him that his cravings had changed from Very Hungry to just...Hungry. While the Kele tasted quite similar to scallions and were probably nutritious, there just weren't a lot of them and by themselves they might not have enough energy producing carbohydrates or sugars.

But now, while he noticed Nira was still practicing her spell, he headed back down to the herb patch in search of a plant that might have more water in its stalks. He found here several bright green herbs that had a minty, but also slightly antiseptic smell, as well as the flowers and colored ferns that Nira had found earlier. But before he could set about analyzing or picking them, a sudden shiver went down his spine.

Alert I has activated! There is a presence moving towards you from the trees at rapid speed!

Almost on reflex he jerked in the direction of his rising hairs, just in time to see something vaguely humanoid break through the bushes in a dead run at him! It looked about the same size and shape as the adult goblin warriors--no, wait! It was closer to that leader of theirs, the Hobgoblin Lansa! But it was wrapped in a tattered black cloak of some kind, and its head was similarly wrapped--but over its face, it wore the scalped upper plate of a Goblin skull, scraped free of gristle and left to bleach in the sun.

Though the creature had tried to sneak up on Femus, and was running at full tilt, the fact that his Alert skill had triggered meant he had a moment to react. And he had been watching, over the past few days even before he "awakened," that Hobgoblin and Redcap constantly dueling, so he had a good idea of a Hobgoblin's arm reach. He saw his attacker's shoulder rotating, so he knew a strike was coming...

But its range was all wrong.

An arm, twice as long as a Hobgoblin's should be, with too many joints, wrapped in black down to the second elbow, extended towards Femus. Its ulna and radius were white...bleached white bone, just like the plate on its face. And tipped with savage claws.

---

When Danny asked the system to show his HP and MP, he actually got the same answer as before. It seemed stopping the bleeding from his chest had simply kept the wound from getting any worse--as of yet he hadn't recovered any health. When poor little Miiba yelled at him, he used his Monster Analysis skill. She certainly didn't sound or act like a normal goblin...

You used Monster Analysis III!
Goblins stand between three and three-and-a-half feet tall on average, and they are much like human children. However, their natural cunning and viciousness is far more vile, and they especially despise all non-goblinoid creatures. They tend to form savage tribes with little in common save for the constant drive to survive, and a lack of emotional control that causes them to do whatever they feel necessary to satisfy any primal craving they happen to feel at any given moment. They are capable of learning, however, but most will never use this in a constructive fashion. They aren't typically capable of long-term planning and have difficulty with abstract concepts. This Goblin is unusual, like you...

The Cluckel at Miiba's feet turned out to not be dead, only unconscious. It stirred, but as it struggled to raise its head it wobbled drunkenly, then sat back down. Right now, it seemed like the goblinette and the bad glow ball were going to have a negotiation of sorts...

Meanwhile, as Jason continued to meditate, soon his MP was out of dangerous levels, though he still had not received a notice that it reached its usual "full" state. And when he had the opportunity to "look out of one eye," despite not really having ocular organs, he would be able to see that the two large sources of Mana--Mirabelle and Geir--had collected themselves and were heading towards the monster's location...

"Miiba! Where are you?" came Mira's call--and it sounded like Geir started to yell something, but either the magus hit him or he wasn't fully recovered, as the sound was cut off. As always, he sounded very angry.

Asura's skull shell took a hit from the skeleblin that wasn't redead yet. It actually somehow snapped an antler, given how weak and low leveled it was he was genuinely surprised considering deer locked horns repeatedly and twisted and thrust and wrestled. Whatever, it just made it more manageable. He slurped up the antler, it could make a decent makeshift weapon later when the jawbone broke.

Trent fired off more magic, making Asura mentally wince. "Don't blow all your mana so quick! We need to conserve our resources!" He exclaimed, why did it feel like he was the most experienced fighter here? But Trent asked about the sword. "Pond dwelling sword, sentient, helpful. Lure some of the enemies to the water so it can actually help as well. I'll handle the brunt." He growled out.

He talked of conserving resources and energy but he was getting annoyed. He had taken notice of undead wisps coming out of nowhere, the living turned dead turned undead, they were fighting things multiple times damn it! "Completely destroy the heads so they don't get back up! I'd rather not fight triple the enemies!" He called out so the whole group could hear him.

He watched Mother Slime practically rip off her enemies head when she rolled back then started to each the corpse. That was one of the methods of getting rid of potential enemies. But the pair would have to literally be gorged and that would slow them down. Not that the enemies coming were particularly fast. Okay, time for some tactics for the human since Steve, Ardur, and Mother Slime were already under some form of order.

"Trent, focus on defense! Block the javelins coming in, hell use them as well since they have more reach!" He said as he decided to go on full offense after this wisp. Him crushing it within his body earned him a skill, apparently a disabling damaging ability! It was like Bind from those poke'mon games, a truly bullshit ability. When he got hit from behind he growled loudly. Rabid Fit activating as he changed his form from his normal goo puddle. He took on the humanoid torso, except his 'hands' were a pair of large bludgeons.

The skeleblin swung its club at him, which he swept underneath before bringing that wide, Hardened, bludgeon of a fist to bear and slammed it into the skeletons center of mass. "Smash I! The red slime exclaimed, having heard Trent actually say a rank after his spell. bowling the one-legged skeleton back as more enemies swarmed to the group. He was genuinely getting pissed off now at how many of the creatures there were! Stupid death cave!

Asura heard Mother Slime having difficulties, so he flowed over to her with his anger boiling. When she attempted to 'mash' it, it just ducked back into its hole like a gopher. We are not playing whack-a-mole! He flooded down into the hole when the rat retracted. Assuming the rat went in for an attack it'd collide with a wall of Hardened spikes. "Skewer! He hollered as he shoved himself forward to impale the Dire Rats face.

---

---

The ping of a level up disturbed her, and Asteria blinked her eyes open groggily. “Ugh…I need a nap,” she muttered. She heard Ed’s tired reply, nodded, and retreated inside. She cooked some meat, and ate it till she was full. She also offered some of the cooked meat as a snack to Mother Rat, sending a pleasant mental reassurance as she set the pieces in front of her. Asteria wasn’t sure if the animal had ever had the occasion to eat cooked food before; the goblins in the cave did use fire, but the lone dire rat likely hadn’t risked stealing anything from them, not even a good smelling delicacy.

Then she set to wandering around the barrow, seeking a water source. She tried to scent out something concrete, but was too tired to go far, and ended up just chewing on some of the known plants to get whatever moisture she could out of that. She then headed back into the barrow once again, and curled up to rest. She closed her eyes, though did not fall asleep, rather simply laying down to relax. She took the time to consider her stats and invested some of her points in new skills.

System, allocate 3 points to Slash and 4 to Suppress presence.

Then she meditated, occasionally drowsing, until she was fully rested and her stamina and mana were at full levels. Asteria then stood up, sighed, and stretched. “Alright, then, let’s go.” She nudged Mother Rat to get her moving, and rewarded her with another positive mental affirmation once she got to following them. She let Ed lead them, as he was the one who had the position of the bandit shack best memorized. Asteria was attentive, and cautious, keeping note of their surroundings as they moved. She focused on the auditory part of her beastly senses, trying to discern any sounds that weren’t just an innocuous part of the environment while keeping her eyes forward on their path.

Turned out that Danny was right, the Goblin was another Reincarnate, good thing he didn't attack her. The fact that his health hadn't gone up was less good but at least he had stopped the bleeding and when the "chicken" turned out to be alive he was relieved even more, that would make any negations easier. His relief didn't last long when he heard a voice yelling for Miiba, presumably the Goblin and he visibly tensed up when Geir was also saying something before shutting up. He wondered if it would be smarter to stay quiet and let Miiba answer or to yell something back. Eventually he decided that if he wanted to win the humans' trust he would have to show he was worthy of it and despite the fact that a strange voice would probably set them on edge responded. "The Goblin and I are at the animal pens!" He made sure not to mention Jason just in case a fight did break out, not that he thought the two of them stood a chance.

Ardur The Mighty Hipixie

Time to strike > Dodge, Dive, Duck, Dip, and Dodge /// Adventuring day 5 // Evening / Location - The Shimmering Pool

The swing through the lead undead was satisfying, carrying his momentum through to aid in his flying speed. The mob was definitely following him now. He could almost feel the sheer volume of incoming fire at him. These things really didn’t like any of them.

The only thing he could think to do to avoid the shots coming in at him was to dart and spin to the left and right while still going forward. He was trying to copy how the planes in the old war movies moved when they were in dog fights. To add to this he was still holding his bone club. While twirling and twisting he attempted to keep the bone covering his weak spots and to deflect incoming fire.

Ardur did his best to keep all course corrections on target and on point all to get to his lake friend. “Incoming.” He called out to her for her to ready herself. Maybe she might even be able to absorb some of the magic shots that where bound to hit the water.

@Zeroth
@Kazemitsu

Skill Gain: Breath Control I (0.8 > 1.0)!
Through cardiovascular exercise and breathing techniques, the efficiency of your lungs has increased. You can hold your breath for longer, and breathe more steadily even under great effort or stress. Stamina usage for most physical Skills is reduced for one minute after this Skill is used. If this skill is used after a battle, Stamina restoration is sped up for one minute.

Skill Gain: Mana Strike I (0.7 > 1.0)!
Infuse a physical attack with non-elemental Magic to increase its damage. The attack's physical type of damage is unaffected, but Magic damage is simply added. Thus a creature with Slash Resistance would still take the Magic Damage if this Skill were used with a sword. Like Mana Orb, this technique is malleable and often a starting point for other forms of enchanting skills.

Skill Gain: Point Strike I (0.6 > 1.0)!
With a discerning eye, take aim at an oppenent's weak point and concentrate your own power into a single point of attack. Slightly increase the power of any attack, and gain an increased chance for a Critical Hit. Using this Skill in conjunction with other attack Skills, however, may cause it to lose effectiveness.

Skill Gain: Strengthen I (0.6 > 1.0)!
Using magical energy channeled through your muscles, temporarily increase your base physical strength! Though it consumes more mana than many other beginner spells, its boost is equivalent to the passive skill Stronger I. At this Rank, this skill lasts roughly one minute.

You are experiencing a Fast Rate in Experience Growth.

Skill Gain: Slash I (0.7 > 1.0)!
Expend Stamina to increase the power of a Slashing physical attack.

Skill Gain: Suppress Presence I (0.6 > 1.0)!
Using your magical power, you subtly mask your presence from the senses of others around you. By comparison, it's a similar ability to those shy people who seem to disappear at the corner of the crowd's vision as they hover in the corner.

The rats rested, from mid-afternoon until the evening sun set. At one point, just as the stars were beginning to peek out, the creak of wagon wheels drifted on the air and a distant light appeared from the direction of the lakeside town. Ed lay in the tall grass, the dark robe he had stolen from the dead kobold helping to conceal his body in the shadows. Asteria and Mother Rat were back inside the barrow at this point, but they could see out the entry way.

A black wagon, drawn by a brace of gray mules, stopped along the road. A tall figure, in a coat with long black tails and a deep hood, stood from the driver's seat. From the build, it seemed to be a male. A sword with a broad scabbard and a hilt that looked like it had been made from black, twisted wood, hung from his hip. He pulled on two white, velvet gloves, immaculately clean, then picked up a cane with a red, crystalline sphere atop its head. Hopping down from the cart, he walked over to the side of the road and looked in the ditch, not too far from where Ed lay...

He tapped one of the human bandit's bodies with the butt of his walking stick. A shimmering white mist seemed to roll over the corpses...and suddenly they didn't seem to smell so badly, despite laying out in the sun for most of the day. The hooded figure seemed to be muttering something, one hand held near his head. A prayer? Then he used his cane to gesture at the ground, and mounds of earth rose up beneath the bodies. Moving his strange wand like a conductor's baton, he bade the rolling soil to carry the bodies up out of the ditch, about thirty feet away from the road. Then, holding the stick, he began to gesture with his free hand instead. In moments the ground had swallowed up the bodies, and the earth packed itself down.

Then he turned to the bodies of the remaining hobgoblin and the kobold. These he did not pray over. Instead, he reached down with one hand and grabbed the hobgoblin by the arm. With a grunt, and only that one arm, he tossed the body all the way across the ditch into the back of his cart. One of the mules brayed in irritation as the weight thumped across the wooden floorboards. The hooded figure paid his animal no mind. Off sailed the kobold as well.

There were just a few spots of blood on those immaculate white gloves. The black clad man pulled them off, first one hand and then the other, in such a way that his pale skin never touched the blood and the gloves were rolled into a sort of pouch. He returned them to his pocket. Then he climbed up onto the wagon, clicked his tongue at the mules, and turned back towards Laketown. The orange glow of the little lantern, held on a shepherd's crook fastened to one corner of the cart, tilted this way and that as it slowly disappeared into the night...

By the time the rats re-grouped and planned to put their Bandit Hunting plan into action, Asteria and Mother Rat had eaten some of the hobgoblin meat remaining in the shelter. Asteria had also suckled on the juices of several tall stalks of grass out in the field. If she had been any thirstier, such little sustenance would have been of no help, but it slaked her Dry Throat. And she was now Well Fed, according to the system. Her stamina recovered much faster and was full again sooner than Ed's. He had neglected to eat or seek out anything to drink, in favor of just focusing on his breathing and trying to stretch or massage the soreness out of his muscles. His stamina did eventually recover, and it seemed he had gained several new skills...but his lips were still a little dry, and he felt the slow burn of hunger in his gut.

As they began their journey, with Asteria scouting ahead and using her Beast Senses to try and stay abreast of any threat, the night fell proper with a chill breeze. Asteria soon heard a familiar shuffling and clicking, and the rustle of the grass, quite some distance away. Now knowing what direction to look in, she would be able to see, poking its head up out of the ground, a Myrminor Scout. It didn't seem to have any awareness of the rodent trio's presence, and it was far enough away that even if it found them and tried to pursue them it probably couldn't ever catch them. They could avoid it at their leisure, or attempt to sneak up on it and end the fight quickly...

Over the hill in the distance, as the wind changed direction, the rats could smell a hint of smoke...

@Zeroth@Stabby

Femus was pleased by the fact that the Blue Yill was almost ready to produce seeds. He was also glad that there were a variety of interesting plants to examine, though none of them immediately struck him as being thirst quenching. He was especially glad of his Alert skill.

He was less glad of the sudden... company.

His first impression was simple and non-verbally processed. However, its essence can be summarized as the simultaneous realization that the target in question was either undead or wielding a long weapon made of bone. It was also shrouded from sight and would be difficult to analyze. Troublesome.

There was only a moment to decide what to do and get it done. So, Femus did what came naturally. He dove toward the ground at an angle toward his attacker and stopped his glow. He also cast Shock Round 2 with a target lock on the enemy's rear knee, knowing that its gait would reverse the leg's position too quickly for it to evade the strike. Then, he used Lesser Force to push off the ground and dart past the enemy's legs before casting Static Bolt 1 where the enemy stopped.

His next move, if the enemy was down but still alive, would be to attach himself to the middle of his enemy's back with Lesser Force and cast Shield 1 on himself before using Mana Drain on the enemy.

---

As Ed recuperated his stamina, he could not help but observe the strange hooded figure that seemed to take an interest to the bandits they had helped kill. The figure showed some sense of respect for the human bandits but little to none for the kobold and hobgoblin corpses when the tossed them into the wagon with surprising strength from such a seemingly frail form. As quickly as he had appeared, the figure and his mule driven cart were gone. That was weird. The ratman thought to himself as he laid his head back down.

The System had alerted him of the new skills he had obtained and that he was experiencing a fast rate in experience growth. After a while of controlled breathing and stretching out sore muscles, his body had now fully restored his vigor and stamina. He was ready to conduct their scouting mission and, if fate favored them, begin taking the bandits out with unconventional tactics used by guerilla forces when faced against an overwhelming force.

Though as the sun bid its farewell to the land and the moon having just started its jaunt across the sky, the temperature dropped. Though this time he is more prepared than last night. His cloak and breastplate added layers had helped insulate his body and keep the warmth in, but still felt a little chilly. So he began to repeat the process he did last night where he visualized himself absorbing the surrounding heat and keep the cold at bay. Though he couldn't say the same for Asteria. Ed leaned a little forward and whispered to her. "How you holding up, Asteria?" Ed whispered to her. He waited for a short moment for her reply, but he was only met with silence. "Asteria?" Ed asked again. Moving forward slightly, concerned for his companion's wellbeing, before finally understanding the lack of reply. She was looking straight at a Myrminor scout who had popped its head out of the ground. "Ah, shit. Those bugs again." Ed cursed under his breath before lowering himself to make it harder for him to get detected.

He gestured to Mother Rat to keep low as well before turning his head back to Asteria. "What do you want to do about our buggy friend over there? We can sneak by well enough without any issue; I can practically smell the smoke from over the hill over there. Or if you like, we sneak up to it and finish it off quickly before we make a ruckus." Ed was good to go for both plans. If they decided to kill it, Ed would sneak up on the bug and try to finish it off if Asteria's attack failed. Giving them more food and material for future use and consumption. If they decided to ignore it, Ed would follow Asteria's lead past the Myrminor and keep going to their original objective.