The first thing Eliam did as he awoke in the canyon was check his status. He had killed one skeleton before dying but had completely forgotten that he would need to assign the skill point. He was deathly worried he would lose it!
Stat points available: 1
Eliam Edward
Level: 33
HP: 200/200
MP: 50/50
Life: 20
Mind: 10
Endurance: 10
Strength: 3
Dexterity: 24
Intelligence: 3
He sighed in relief as he read that it was still ready to be assigned. He put it in dexterity, but he knew that he didn’t need to assign them right away. If he needed to, he could wait.
He did notice that all of his equipment was gone, which was to be expected. Of course, he had hoped it would stay with him, but it wouldn’t make sense with how everything respawned and seemingly went back in time.
That meant he would have to retrieve the ring from the cave. Considering that bronze statue's weakness, this wasn’t a huge deal, but it was another risk.
He walked toward the cave and stared down at the bronze statue. He wondered how it came to be there. Did someone create it at one point?
He entered, and the statue activated, pointing its sword at him. By then, Eliam was already in the middle of punching its right hand. This time, he shattered it in a single hit. The statue stumbled backward as if it didn’t know how to process being handicapped so quickly. Eliam wasted no time in shattering the other hand and watching it crumble.
He picked the ring back up and headed back toward the cathedral, where he would enter the dungeon. He wasn’t sure how long it would take him to find that spot with the woman again, but he did know that it was possible within ten minutes of sprinting. The main issue was the twists and turns. Also, the entrance was rather hidden.
He entered the cathedral and then the dungeon, where he annihilated the first four skeletons. They had no armor or particularly special abilities, so by then, it was a walk in the park. He had an inkling of a feeling that they were never supposed to be difficult; he was just severely underleveled before.
The next four skeletons weren’t very difficult either, considering he already knew what was coming for each battle. First was the armored skeleton, next was the assassin one, and then the pinch between the armored and the ranger.
Of course, he had also been sure to pick up the assassin skeleton’s gear along the way. After all of that, he was back at the crossroads. He glanced back at the left path, which had been a deathtrap. He groaned just thinking about it.
He dragged himself off to the right, annoyed that his gut instinct had been wrong. Apparently, right really is always right.
As he walked, the hall widened into something a little bit larger. Around him were various coffins, crypts, and other fun things. He braced himself for danger. There was no way that there would just be this long, wide hallway with absolutely no dangers lurking about.
Sure enough, as soon as he took a few more steps, a skeleton at the end of the hall dug itself out of the ground. It wasn’t holding a conventional weapon but a staff. Eliam didn’t know what it was going to do, but whatever it was probably wasn’t for show. It was also wearing robes, ones that gleamed with a slight blue energy. Eliam paled as he realized what it was. A skeleton mage.
He ground his teeth, realizing that he had made a mistake in stopping to see what it was. If he had sprinted at it, he would have been able to stop it before it was able to attack him. Now, he was at a severe disadvantage.
He started sprinting as the skeleton waved the staff in the air and sent a spark of blue his way. He slid to the ground, barely avoiding the sharp spike of energy. It impacted the floor not even a second later. Eliam glanced at the damage it had caused and paled. There was a visible dent in the stone floor. If that had hit him, then it would have been game over.
He focused back on the mage skeleton and continued to rush him. This time, when it waved the staff, a rush of flame sparked at the grounds and then rushed toward Eliam.
He dived out of the way, but it looped back around and rushed toward him from behind. He grasped at the ground to get a better hold and pushed himself up. He started sprinting away from the fire, but it was catching up to him. He was not going to make it to the skeleton.
He knew he had to do something drastic; otherwise, he would die regardless. He pulled out his dagger and chucked it at the skeleton, praying that it would hit.
Thankfully, it struck true, and the skeleton stumbled. This gave Eliam enough time to close the distance between it and pulled his dagger out of its body. He pushed the skeleton to the ground and slammed the dagger into its skull, severely warping it.
It tried to fight back, but it was clearly not meant for close combat. Without the space and time to perform its magic, this skeleton was borderline useless. Eliam finished it off shortly and sighed.
A +900 appeared in his vision. By then, he had multiple level-ups and, therefore, stat points he could assign. It had been tiresome to stop and so before each fight with the rabble, but now that he was in new territory, it was probably better to not be so risky. He opened up his status and looked to see what he could do.
Stat points available: 9
Eliam Edward
Level: 42
HP: 300/300
MP: 50/50
Life: 20 (30)
Mind: 10
Endurance: 10
Strength: 3
Dexterity: 25 (31)
Intelligence: 3
Equipment:
Ring of the True Hero→A ring of a forgotten time. +25% dexterity, +25% intelligence.
Unholy dagger→ 10 damage added with dexterity and +100 bonus damage if target is hit in the back.
Unholy cloak→ +10 life, -10 damage intake.
Unseen→Temporarily makes the user invisible while out of combat.
MP cost→25
Her boggled his eyes at his progress. Level 42 was an insane jump from where he had been before. He also had 9 more stat points to delegate. He smirked as he added 5 to his health and 4 to his dexterity.
He began to wonder if he should start considering other options in terms of how he delegated his stats. He didn’t want to become a lopsided warrior, as that would probably stunt his progression later on.
Eliam moved forward, encountering more twists and turns. Thankfully, he didn’t manage to end up in a death trap as he did before, but he did encounter some dead ends. Eventually, he found a familiar rotating beam. It was the very same one that had spit fire out at him all that time ago.
He easily jumped over it, ecstatic that he was making progress. He had been sure to memorize the direction he had taken so he would be able to get back. As he walked down the hall, a hand suddenly pulled him out of the ground and held him in place. He easily shattered it to pieces and then froze as if he were forgetting something.
His eyes widened as he threw up his dagger in front of him. Not even a second passed when a boomerang whistled toward him. He blocked it, but not without being pushed back tremendously.
A few giggles sounded in front of him as he watched a shadow dance around with the boomerang in its hand. He charged it without hesitation, but as soon as he got close enough to swing, it simply disappeared.
The whistling of the boomerang could be heard behind him as he whipped around and barely managed to block it in time. If it weren’t for the dagger, he would be dead. He saw the shadow creature once again dancing in the distance, but he knew chasing it down would do nothing.
There had to be something at play. He doubted that the creature was immortal, or at least he wanted to believe it wasn’t. Eliam carefully analyzed the creature dancing around carelessly. It seemed shadowy and almost see-through.
Instead of running toward it, Eliam went in the opposite direction. He heard a slight whine from behind but ignored it.
Suddenly, the creature appeared in front of him, not so playful anymore. It growled as it waved the boomerang around. In a flash, it launched it at him.
Eliam dodged it since he had predicted the attack and charged. The shadow creature disappeared upon impact, but Eliam noticed an essential clue. The boomerang hadn’t returned to where the creature had been but to a dark corner of the hall.
The problem was how the creature moved. Eliam wasn’t sure if it would be able to easily escape him, even if its true form was somewhere in the shadows there. He nearly charged out of a lack of good options. That was until he remembered something about the cloak.
With a smirk, Eliam himself disappeared. In the few moments he had, he sprinted toward the dark corner and stabbed down into it. For once, he felt contact.
Slowly, the form of the shadow creature appeared, except now it was much clearer what it was. His blade was in the back of a dark furred monkey. That also explained how he had been able to kill it in one hit.
As soon as he stabbed the monkey, he also felt his invisibility wear off. He had finally used the Unseen skill his cloak had. For the first time, his MP bar was less than full.
He had also leveled up again, as always. This enabled him to make his dexterity an even 30, satisfying him greatly. He nodded to himself and trudged on.
A few more skeletons popped up, but he quickly took care of them like it was nothing. He had fought them so much at this point that he didn’t see any of them as a threat anymore. At least when they didn’t spawn in hordes.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
The halls he walked were starting to feel familiar. That familiarity soon died out as a large creak emerged from further in front of him. A large skeleton rat sniffed around and then stopped upon seeing him.
Eliam gulped as they stared at each other for a few moments. Second later, the rat screeched out a horrible noise and charged him. He stumbled backward and used his Unseen skill in a panic.
He moved behind the rat and stabbed in as hard as he could. It screeched in a rage as it swiped at him with its paws. One of them managed to graze his shoulder, and an immense pain erupted throughout Eliam.
He growled as he jumped on top of it and stabbed it from above. The rat screeched as it keeled over and died. For as menacing as it was, it sure wasn’t tough to kill.
Eliam glanced over at a small tunnel that was barely wide enough for him to fit. The dungeon continued in other directions, but he knew that this was the place where he had fought the woman.
He walked inside and hopped down the hole that went straight down. Once he landed, he checked his status, preparing himself for the fight ahead.
Stat points available: 2
Eliam Edward
Level: 45
HP: 300/350
MP: 0/50
Life: 25 (35)
Mind: 10
Endurance: 10
Strength: 3
Dexterity: 30 (37)
Intelligence: 3
Equipment:
Ring of the True Hero→A ring of a forgotten time. +25% dexterity, +25% intelligence.
Unholy dagger→ 10 damage added with dexterity and +100 bonus damage if target is hit in the back.
Unholy cloak→ +10 life, -10 damage intake.
Unseen→Temporarily makes the user invisible while out of combat.
MP cost→25
His status was looking much different than it was when he first started. He still didn’t think he stood a chance against the blue-haired woman, but he didn’t have a choice. He needed answers and a way to get out of this canyon. She was the only other sentient person he had seen in this place.
He tried waiting a little to see if his MP or HP regenerated. Neither did, prompting him to sigh. It seemed that he would have to rest somehow for that to happen.
He decided to put two points into health since he might need to tank some hits. Although, he wasn’t sure if even a hundred more points would help him here.
He looked toward the large room in front of him and walked inside. The magnificent blue katana was inside the altar, the same as it was the last time he came.
He glanced around, wondering where that woman even came from. There was nowhere she could have hidden.
He shrugged his shoulders as he walked to the door, except he ensured he kept an eye out. As soon as he neared the doors, a woman jumped from above, which had to have been a fatal fall. Furthermore, she made no noise when doing so.
“Hmm, you aren’t going to try to take it?” a curious feminine voice sounded.
Eliam turned to face the blue-haired woman, her yellow eyes staring at him curiously.
“No, but that’s not going to stop you from killing me, is it?” Eliam asked.
She smiled, a little too widely. “Ah, of course not… but I must say, you intrigue me. You have come down here… to simply leave?”
Eliam shook his head. “No, actually, I’ve come down here to see you.”
The woman narrowed her eyes. “What?”
“I have questions… many of them. Would you entertain me for a brief moment?” Eliam asked.
“Entertain you? I suppose there is no harm, but why did you mention me specifically? How would you know I am down here? My presence was never known to the world.” The woman frowned.
“Have you never left?” Eliam asked.
“I have not.”
Elaim sighed. “That is miserable… I am sorry.”
The woman snarled. “Miserable? This duty is of the greatest honor! To guard the hero, Sagmin’s sword is a responsibility many would have begged to have.”
Eliam’s sad look didn’t fade away but only deepened. If that’s what she believed, then there was likely nothing he could do to change her mind.
“My apologies. I meant no disrespect. This… Sagmin… who was he?”
The women relaxed slightly. “One of the heroes… who defeated the demon fiend Quarlak long ago. He may have perished in his battle, but his legacy will forever live on in this sword.”
“What of Quarlak?” Eliam asked.
“Banished…” The woman sighed. “But not dead.”
“Why does no one finish him off?” Eliam wondered aloud.
“Because such a task is impossible!” the woman screeched. “Evil incarnate can not be defeated so easily.”
“And you guard the sword… why do you not try to create a group to defeat the fiend once and for all?” Eliam said.
The woman hissed. “As if it were that simple. His influence has tainted this world, and none can be trusted.”
“And you believe I am tainted as well… that I wish to inform this Quarlak of the position of the weapon?” Eliam said.
The woman thought for a moment and nodded. “Yes, if Quarlak were to find out and the weapon destroyed, then all would be lost. I cannot allow that to happen… and that is why…” She walked toward the sword and pulled it out. “You must die.”
“Your name?” Eliam asked quietly. “What is it?”
She looked at him sharply and pointed the sword at him. “I am Nemina Novak, descendent of Sagmin the hero!”
In a flash, she was next to him, but this time, Eliam was ready. He dodged her strike and swung his dagger at her.
She jumped back from him with a look of slight shock on her face. However, she did not let that stop her. She sheathed the katana, but her hand never left the handle. Instead, she crept forward, seemingly ready for anything.
Eliam knew that getting anywhere near her in this state would probably be suicide. So, he did the unpredictable. He chucked his dagger at her, and she moved. In a mere second, the dagger was cut into two halves, her swing leaving only a blue arc behind it.
Unfortunately for her, Eliam was already on top of her. He tackled her and was about to punch her when he felt his body stiffen. It was almost getting colder.
He tried to jump back but his legs didn’t listen to him. Instead, he fell over, leaving him wide open.
“How?” Eliam croaked.
Nemina frowned. “I don’t like relying on my aura, but it seems that was the case. No matter, you fought decently. Goodbye.”
“Wait!” Eliam shouted, desperate for more answers. What the hell was an aura?
Nemina took a step forward and stabbed Eliam in the heart. He croaked as he collapsed and died.
***
A sigh escaped Eliam’s lips as he awoke in his car. He was hardly even thinking about his most recent death, just about what Nemina had revealed. Supposedly, she was protecting the hero’s sword from some evil supervillain that was bound to return.
He kind of understood why she was so protective. It was true that if the wrong person left there alive, then everything could be compromised. The one caveat was that he hated that he was included.
Despite this, he still needed to find a way out of the hellhole, and honestly, fighting Nemina seemed like a superior alternative to the nun thing. Whatever it was still creeped him out tremendously. Eliam could still remember the shriek it rang out and how it busted his ear drums.
He shuddered at the thought and pushed it out of his mind. He would find a way to beat Nemina, and then, he would find a way out of the canyon. Those were his main goals for the time being.
Unfortunately, he was not sure how long they would take. There was no doubt in his mind that Nemina had many tricks up her sleeve. Before this last fight, he had never heard or seen anything about an aura. He wasn’t too surprised since he largely had to figure everything out on his own, but it was still something else to look out for.
He wondered if he could get one as well. Having such a boon as to be able to freeze people who neared was overpowered.
Eliam dragged himself out of the car and to the gas station, which was conveniently right next to him. He walked inside and waved at Josh.
After a quick conversation, he was left alone for the start of his shift. He had been here for a while now, and he had saved up quite a bit of money. He was still nowhere near how much he had owned before he left, but it was something.
Since he left, he hadn’t spoken to any of his family members much. He tried to call Max back a few more times since the one time they had spoken, but the call was always ended before it even rang. It was likely that his parents had forced Max to change his number.
Eliam sighed, saddened that he had lost contact. He sometimes wondered if made the right choice, running out like that. He still believed he did, but if he could change anything, it would be to somehow help Max out.
After thinking about it a little more, something similar happened with his sister. One day, she just left. When Eliam tried to ask where she went, his mother had told him she abandoned them and that she was never coming back.
Eliam felt himself spiraling into rage before forcing himself to calm down. If that was true, and his sister was still willing to see him again, then he could probably find her.
The door to the station rang as a customer walked in. To Eliam’s surprise, it was that creepy old woman from before.
Once again, she rubbed her hands all over all of the merchandise, prompting Eliam to ask, “Do you need something?”
She turned to him, feigning surprise. “Oh, no. Just an old woman looking for some comfort.”
Eliam’s face warped into disgust. The way she had said it was off. Hell, her entire person was off.
“Well, I am going to have to ask that you stop touching the items,” Elaim demanded.
The woman frowned. “Am I not allowed to see what you have to offer?”
Eliam wanted to rebute but ultimately sighed. There was no point in arguing with someone mentally ill.
After the pause, she went back to molesting the merchandise, which was beginning to annoy Eliam.
“Listen, if you don’t leave, I am going to call the police,” Eliam said.
The woman froze and slowly turned around. “What?”
She took a few steps toward him in a very unsettling way Eliam couldn’t quite explain. His hand moved to the panic button, readying himself to press it. The woman’s hand entered her pockets, and he prepared for the worse.
She moved her hand out, and he tensed up, but all she brought out was a wrinkly ten dollar bill.
“I would like a lottery ticket, please.” She grinned at him.
He wanted to snap at her but ultimately got her the ticket. She glanced at it and then left without saying another word. She was gone, but Eliam had a bad feeling this would not be the last time he saw her. He wondered if Josh could do anything about it.
A sigh escaped his lips as he finally relaxed. How could some people go on living like that?
***
Eliam returned to the cathedral after getting the ring from the bronze statue; however, he was not going to travel to the dungeon quite yet. He was actually on the second floor, staring at the armor set on the skeleton. The last time he had put it on, he instantly died. He was hoping that this time, he was not so unfortunate.
He shakily grabbed the helmet and laid it on his head. This time, he had his status pulled up so he could see everything that happened.
The equipment section soon filled with details of the armor. He also noticed something else substantial. His health was draining.
Stat points available: 0
Eliam Edward
Level: 45
HP: 370/390
MP: 110/110
Life: 27 (39)
Mind: 10 (22)
Endurance: 10
Strength: 3
Dexterity: 30 (37)
Intelligence: 3
Equipment:
Ring of the True Hero→A ring of a forgotten time. +25% dexterity, +25% intelligence.
NovaFrost Armor Level 1→ Only those worthy of being called heroes can wear this armor. Continuously drains life force to function. Leveling can improve its function. → +50 Life, +50 mind, +10 dexterity, +10 intelligence -50 damage intake
Frost Aura→ Freezes anyone who dares to come near you.
Eliam frowned as he noticed how fast the armor drained from his HP. It was no wonder that he died so fast when he was still level one. He quickly took off the helmet and set it back down on the skeleton.
He wouldn’t be able to touch this armor for a long time. As he was, Eliam would probably only last a minute maximum with the full set. He sighed as he turned away from the armor and left the room. He was hoping that it would have been helpful in his battle against Nemina, but it seems he was wrong.
That was not to say that it was not powerful. It certainly was. The armor boosted almost all of his essential stats and provided him with an aura. Furthermore, it was only level 1. He didn’t know equipment could level up.
Still, using it was beyond his scope at this point. He needed to get stronger.
He walked back down to the dungeon and began his battle against the skeletons, only to slip while doing so. Two of the skeletons jumped on him, and he promptly died.
