The morning sun rose timidly, its golden and pink hues painting a fragile hope across the sky. It was a deceptive brightness, for within our hearts lay heavy shadows of sorrow. The weight of loss bore down on us as we gathered to honor our fallen comrade, each step a solemn reminder of the fragility of life and the uncertainties ahead.
Standing before the makeshift tombstone, a silence heavy with unspoken grief enveloped us. Amelia's voice, soft yet resolute, broke through the stillness as she led us in a moment of remembrance for Owen. Her words carried a bittersweet melody, weaving memories of his laughter and camaraderie into the somber air, ensuring that his spirit would walk alongside us in our journey forward.
After the final farewell, we gathered our belongings, but the weight of our collective sorrow lingered like a dense fog. The atmosphere was somber, our thoughts swirling with memories of Owen and the challenges we faced.
In an attempt to lighten the mood, Henry broached the topic that weighed on his mind. "So, what powers did you gain?" His voice carried a mix of curiosity and distraction, a fleeting attempt to divert our thoughts from the heavy burden of loss. I mustered a smile, grateful for the brief respite from the sorrow that hung over us like a shroud. "Oh i quite the selection," I began, launching into a detailed explanation of the powers I had acquired, both unlocked and still hidden.
Henry's reaction caught me off guard; he just stared at me with wide eyes, clearly surprised by my newfound abilities.
Ella, always quick with a witty remark, couldn't resist teasing Henry. "Don't worry, Henry, it's not about how many powers you have but how you use them, right?" Her playful tone eased the tension, eliciting a chuckle from Henry. However, beneath his laughter, I sensed a tinge of disappointment. "Yeah, quality over quantity," he agreed, shooting me a playful glare that hinted at his competitive spirit.
Amelia interjected with a wry smile, "I bet having multiple powers can be overwhelming at times." Benjamin, ever the pragmatic voice of reason, posed a challenge. "Well, I guess there's only one way to find out. So, what do you say, Atlas? Want to show us your new abilities?"
The spotlight shifted to me as I stepped forward, feeling a surge of excitement coursing through my veins. "I guess I'll just have to put on a show, then," I replied, determined to demonstrate the extent of my powers.
Turning to Henry, I asked, "So, how do you activate your powers?" His response was less than helpful. "I don't know, I just have a feeling on how to use it," he admitted sheepishly.
Rolling my eyes playfully, I responded, "Wow, that's enlightening." With a sigh, I settled into a moment of deep concentration, searching within myself for the elusive connection to my powers.
Then, like an instinctual pulse, I felt it—an almost involuntary urge, akin to breathing. Focusing on my intent, I channeled my energy, and with a surge of power, I activated my first ability, Lightning Enhancement. An electrifying aura enveloped me, crackling with energy, and the group instinctively took a step back, awe and caution etched onto their faces.
"Wow, this feels weird," I remarked, hopping around, feeling energized. As I unleashed lightning-fast jabs, each punch echoed with a resounding crack of thunder. The sheer velocity of my strikes left the group astounded, struggling to keep up with my motions.
"Whoa, slow down, Atlas!" Emily exclaimed, her eyes widening in amazement.
Amelia nodded in agreement. "Impressive, but let's not accidentally knock each other out."
Having successfully deactivated my skill, I proceeded to the next power with an eager anticipation to explore its capabilities. "Are you ready?" I inquired, getting ready to activate Lightning control. Initially as I activated it, a state of confusion prevailed as nothing happened. However, my attention was soon captured by a subtle buzz and crackle of electricity in the air. With a heightened concentration, a more pronounced form emerged, and unexpectedly, “oh cra..” I shot my head to the side narrowly avoiding a bolt of lightning that shot past my head into the sky
"Ya let's not blow our heads off shall we," cautioned Benjamin, his concern evident.
Acknowledging the mistake, I admitted, "Well, that was unexpected. Although I think I get it now." Refocusing my efforts, I summoned the lightning bolt once again. This time, I concentrated on its controlled movement around me. Soon enough, a mesmerizing display ensued as the lightning bolt danced in graceful circles. With a resolute focus, I directed the surge towards a nearby tree, leaving behind a scorch mark as it slammed into it. Though impressive, it paled in comparison to the devastating power of the Lightning bird's attack, aptly dubbed Voltwing by Ella.
Delving into my third power, Void Creation, I activated it with a mix of excitement and curiosity. But as I triggered the power, I sensed a subtle difference, like it emanated from a deeper source. Before I could dwell on this, a small blob of void materialized before me, capturing my attention.
Examining it closely, I marveled as it morphed and shifted, almost alive in its movements. Intrigued, I began to experiment with its properties. Stretching it, compressing it, molding it into different forms—it was like playing with a strange, dark clay. Eventually, I fashioned it into a knife, its dark presence causing a ripple of unease among my companions.
Testing its flexibility, I found that I could alter its hardness at will, transforming it from a rigid blade to a pliable substance once more. With a flick of intention, it became a sword, then gauntlets, and even took on various imaginative shapes at my whim. However, my attempts at crafting void armor proved futile, eliciting a wry grin from me.
Henry couldn't help but pout, "See, I knew he had both quality and quantity."
The day wore on as we trekked northward, our curiosity driving us beyond the familiar confines of the forest. Hours melted away as we wandered through the dense foliage, pausing intermittently to catch our breath and savor the tranquility of the wilderness. However, our serene journey took an unexpected turn when we stumbled upon a curious sight—a diminutive rocky golem, its rugged exterior adorned with intertwining plants that melded seamlessly with its stony form. Its eyes shimmered with a faint luminescence, hinting at a mysterious inner power.
"Oh, look how cute it is," Ella exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with childlike wonder as she observed the peculiar creature. But our awe was short-lived as the golem, seemingly startled by our presence, sprang into action. Roots erupted from the ground, lashing out in our direction with surprising speed and force.
Instinct kicked in as we scrambled to evade the sudden onslaught. Henry dove to the side, narrowly avoiding a grasping root, while Amelia conjured a stone barrier to shield us from the creature's attack. I leaped backward, my heart racing with adrenaline as I assessed the situation.
"It seems to have stopped attacking," I observed as the creature paused, its hollow eyes studying us warily.
"What's our next move?" Henry's voice cut through the tension.
"Get ready to attack," Amelia replied, her tone firm and resolute.
Ella, however, interjected. "Wait, look at it. It seems scared, like it's just protecting itself."
I considered Ella's words, studying the creature's defensive stance. "Maybe we should back off and give it some space," I suggested, seeking Amelia's opinion.
Amelia nodded in agreement. "Ella's right. It doesn't seem aggressive, just cautious. Let's leave it alone and see if it calms down."
As we slowly backed away, the golem seemed to relax slightly, its tense posture easing. However, in a instant, it shed its rocky exterior and disappeared into the ground, leaving behind it’s rocky exterior. Before we could comprehend what had happened, a green slime shot down from the trees above, landing on the remaining rocks of the golem. The stone hissed and dissolved as the enraged slime writhed in a flurry of tentacles as it missed its target.
"Kill it!" Ella's urgency broke the silence, but hesitation lingered among us.
"What if it doesn't att…” the slime creature lunged at Henry. A stone wall shot up just in time, blocking the creature's attack and causing it to splatter harmlessly against the surface, the sound of stone dissolving filling the air.
"Nvm let's kill it" I shouted.
As Henry reached out to poison the slime, I was too late to warn him. His hand made contact, sizzling instantly as the slime dissolved his skin, eliciting a cry of pain. Yet, amidst the chaos, I noticed something unexpected—the slime began to blacken from the poison. Before we could fully process this, a portion of the infected slime shot off towards Henry, burning his leg before Amelia intervened, smashing it with a slab of rock.
For a brief moment, relief washed over us until the slime started to reform, signaling that the danger wasn't over. Reacting quickly, I surged forward, unleashing a bolt of lightning at the main body of the creature. The impact caused it to explode in all directions, coating everyone nearby in its burning remnants.
The sensation of searing heat enveloped my body, but my concern shifted to Henry, who was closest to the blast. His screams of agony pierced the air, sending a chill down my spine. Frantically wiping off the sludge from my body, I turned towards him, only to see Benjamin attempting to brush off the debris with a handful of leaves, his tone harsh as he scolded Henry.
"Stop screaming like a child, you're fine!" Benjamin's words echoed in the aftermath of the chaos.
Surveying the area, a sense of closure settled in as the remnants of the slime lay inert. The notification of my level-up popped up, but I brushed it aside for the moment, more concerned about checking on everyone's well-being. Thankfully, only a small amount of slime had splattered onto the rest of the group, except for poor Henry, who now sported a rather comical polka dot pattern across his clothes.
“Does this look funny to you?” Henry's voice carried a mix of irritation and humor, his frustration evident as he tried to wipe off the slimy spots. “That stuff stings!”
Chuckling lightly, I couldn't resist teasing him a bit. “You're rocking the polka dot look, Henry. Maybe we should call you Polka Dot Man from now on.”
With a twitch of his eye, he brought his fingers together, narrowing his eyes as he exclaimed, "I'm this close to strangling you!" he quipped, his tone laced with mock seriousness.
“Careful now, Polka Dot Man. You might just give me a good reason to start calling you Strangler.”
Shaking my head with a grin, I reassured him, “Relax, it's just a bit of harmless teasing.”
I centered my attention back on myself, the recent skirmish still fresh in my mind. The unexpected revelation of gaining two levels from that encounter was puzzling, but I set aside my confusion to focus on the six attribute points now available to me. It was time to make strategic decisions that would shape my abilities for the challenges ahead.
After some deliberation, I opted to enhance my strength with one point, boost my speed with two points, allocate two points to stamina, and add one point to dexterity. As I made these choices, I also considered the primordial inheritance, which promised a 10% enhancement across all attributes, though it fell short of rounding up to a full point—a minor disappointment, but not enough to dampen my spirits.
The effects of my decisions were immediate and remarkable. I felt a lightness in my movements, a newfound flexibility, and a subtle but palpable increase in strength. It wasn't a physical change in size; rather, it was as if I had tapped into a wellspring of inner power, becoming denser and more capable.
As I mulled over the transformations brewing within me, my attention snagged on another intriguing metamorphosis—Henry who seemingly forgot about recent events, now moving with a newfound nimbleness, appeared to have shed some weight. Intrigued by this change, I couldn't resist delving deeper into its origin.
"Hey Henry, you're looking lighter on your feet. What did you do?" I quipped, unable to contain my curiosity.
Henry's face lit up with pride, his grin radiating a newfound sense of vigor. "Check this out," he exclaimed, a glint of excitement dancing in his eyes. "All I did was toss a couple of points into stamina and one into strength. And then voila! It's like I shed a layer of lead!"
His revelation sparked a lively discussion among us, each of us eager to share our own experiences with attribute allocation.
"Speaking of attribute allocation," I interjected, turning to Amelia, "did you level up? If so How did you decide on your distribution?"
Amelia nodded, her expression thoughtful as she explained, "I focused on bolstering my intelligence with four points, aiming to amplify my powers. Additionally, I allocated one point each into stamina and health to fortify my physical resilience. It's all about maintaining a balance between mental acuity and physical endurance."
Her meticulous approach garnered nods of approval from the group, each of us taking mental notes on how to fine-tune our own attribute allocations. As the conversation ebbed and flowed, we found ourselves delving deeper into the intricacies of our newfound powers.
Comments (0)
See all