Chapter Thirty-Eight
It took two days to set up. Finding the right location took the longest, as Alex moved through the forest using her scouts to avoid the creatures that roamed through the northern part of the Warped Forest. She had to stick to the edge to avoid the warped animals, sometimes hanging over the cliff until they passed.
Building the contraption using her multitude of ropes took an afternoon, which meant the largest danger of death involved the tree climb without her Boots of Ascending. One slip, and she'd have to make her way back from her respawn point, a delay she couldn't afford.
When Alex finished setting up her trap, she wasted no time, climbing into the harness and sending her minions into the northern woods to pull. While she waited, Alex made last-second examinations of her contraption.
The rope harness hung around her hips and shoulders as if she were going ziplining. Connecting her harness were two sets of ropes that stretched from her in a "V" to the huge oak-like trees with violet and crimson leaves. She'd picked the trees because they had sturdy branches that stretched over the chasm.
Alex glanced behind her at the deep expanse beneath. Her heels were right against the cliff. Looking down at the meandering river, which had to be at least a half-mile below, gave her vertigo. The expanse sucked at her limbs but she focused on the forest ahead to counter the effect.
One at a time, Alex grabbed the two support ropes and leaned back, testing the sliding motion along the branches. As soon as they shifted, Alex lurched forward, returning her center of gravity back over solid ground.
Getting the ropes to slide along the branches had been challenging since the bark tended to grab the fiber, but she wrapped more ropes around the limbs to reduce the friction.
Inky came back first.
Her minion signaled her when she was in range.
"I hope this works."
The rumble of approaching warped animals filled her chest with fluttering anticipation. She felt like a tuning fork struck with every sense and detail coming into focus.
For a long minute, Alex watched the bright forest before her. The colorful undergrowth swayed with the anticipation of the coming stampede. The only warning she had was the faint vibration in the ground and her minion's psychic sense.
When Inky shot over the vermillion grasses, Alex gripped the ropes tight as if she were waiting for the rollercoaster to crest the first hill.
The grasses parted, revealing her first foes, broad-headed muscular beasts covered in brown spots, sporting maniacal smiles.
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Grinning Cheetanoe, Warped Animal, Level 12
Ability: Leaping Bite
The creatures came lopping towards her faster than she anticipated. Alex kicked off hard, sending herself backwards over the cliff.
The rope harness slid back ten feet, then got stuck. Alex guessed the cheetanoes could leap that distance. She started rocking on the rope, yanking herself backwards with jerking motions.
"Come on," she said, focusing on the ropes.
The two sides wouldn't move together, so she had to pull one and then the other.
She managed to scoot another five feet backwards before the first cheetanoes leapt the gap. A single swipe from an outstretched claw would kill her.
Alex gripped the ropes hard, pulling herself up a few inches and tucking her legs beneath herself as the cheetanoe soared beneath her, plummeting to its death. Before the others could go over the edge, Alex hit them with Wind Gust, the only spell she had enough faez to cast. It wouldn't kill them but it would ensure that she received the experience for their deaths.
The gang of cheetanoes leapt one after another. The first ones were trying to reach her, but the rest of the herd merely following the others like lemmings.
Alex's arms trembled from the ache of holding herself up by the ropes when the first XP notices came through.
You have gained experience: 1,500 XP
You have reached level 1!
You have gained experience: 1,500 XP
You have gained experience: 1,500 XP
You have gained experience: 1,500 XP
You have gained experience: 1,500 XP
You have gained experience: 1,500 XP
By the time the last notice went past, she'd regained level 2, which gave her enough faez to cast Cloud Taunt once. Alex didn't have time to unhook her safety rope and pull herself back to land before Pinky announced she was returning.
With the undergrowth trampled into crimson mush, Alex spied the crazed stallionbears from a long way off. They had the body of a bear with the head of a stallion, eyes wild with entropic energy.
Alex hit them with Cloud Taunt from a distance, driving them into a frenzy, which took them over the cliff without a second thought. Their stubby legs failed to leap more than a foot. They poured over the cliff in a brown flood. As the XP filled her screen, she grinned as maniacally as the cheetanoes.
As her minions returned to the forest to collect more foes, Alex untied the safety rope from the support and used it to pull herself back to land. There were some adjustments she could make to improve the setup, but there wasn't going to be time. She needed levels and needed them fast.
Alex pulled out the Acceleration Bar from her Handysack. It looked like a chocolate bar.
Item: Acceleration Bar
Use: Increases Effects
Better late than never...
She hadn't fully decided if she were going to eat it until she felt the rumble of approaching warped animals. When she tucked it past her lips, the slightly bitter chocolate exploded with flavors. An icy warmth went down her spine as her body quivered. It felt like she'd chugged a half dozen energy drinks at once. A prompt appeared in her vision.
What do you wish to increase?
Alex pulled up her character sheet, hovering her finger over the experience bar. When she selected it, she was offered another prompt.
Are you sure [Y/N]?
"More than I've ever been," said Alex as she swiped the YES.
The experience bar gained a golden glow as horned shapes passed the bottleneck of trees ahead.
Alex gripped the ropes as the warped animals thundered towards her, a grin rising to her lips.
