The following morning, I found myself gently prodded by a stick, and as I groggily opened my eyes, I was met with the reassuring sight of Amelia. She offered a wry smile and said, "Good, he's alive." Laughter filled the campsite, hinting that there was a shared joke among everyone present.
Joining in the shared amusement, I chuckled and rubbed my eyes. "Yeah, I'm alive, no worries," I replied with a grin, glad that my companions had a sense of humor… After eating our fill, we packed up and continued our trek through the forest.
Hours passed by, and the forest scenery gradually shifted. Trees became sparse, and rocky terrain emerged. It wasn't long before our tranquility was interrupted by the presence of looming creatures that resembled oversized centipedes, standing around 3 feet high and as long as a bus. Hiding behind some rocks to observe the creatures, Henry took this chance to name the creatures. He dubbed them "Chitinous Titans," a name that didn't quite sit well with Ella, but she let him have this chance to name them.
Henry's hushed voice quivered with uncertainty as he whispered, "Should we attack them? They look pretty sturdy."
Cautiously, I considered our options. "I'm not sure if we should; there are four of them, outnumbering us with powers."
Benjamin, always the voice of reason, chimed in, "I think we should avoid them if possible."
"Yeah, I'm not confident I could break through their armor with my skills," I added.
Amelia, concurred. "I think that's a good idea."
We were in the process of moving away from the Chitinous Titans when suddenly, a piercing screech shattered the silence. It came from ahead, where two mull-like creatures were engaged in a fierce battle over a morsel of food on the ground. We hoped that the Chitinous Titans hadn't heard it. But as I glanced back, my heart sank; they were looking straight at us.
"Damned rodents!" Henry shouted as the giant insects closed in on us with alarming speed.
"Shit, get ready!" Amelia yelled. Benjamin, Emily, and Ella retreated behind us, giving us some space to face the impending threat. The first of the Chitinous Titans reached us, and I acted swiftly, throwing a bolt of lightning that hit its mark, causing the creature to spasm, giving Henry an opening to poison it.
However, the rest of the Chitinous Titans entered our range. One pounced at me, its sharp mandibles snapping dangerously close to my face. Summoning a gauntlet on my right arm, I dodged and let the creature slide past me. When it lunged at me again, I punched it straight in the head. The impact created a sickening cracking sound as the creature spiraled to the ground. Before I could act further, another one sprang at me.
Before I could react, a boulder struck it in the side, providing me with a momentary reprieve. I seized the opportunity to send a lightning bolt at it. Ella called out a warning, but my focus was on the creature before me.
Then, a searing sensation coursed through my body. The creature I had knocked to the ground clamped its mandibles onto my leg. I pivoted and delivered another powerful punch directly to its head, causing its armored shell to crumple and leaving it slumped lifeless on the ground.
Even as pain shot through my leg, I reacted almost instinctively to the Chitinous Titan's sudden leap. With desperation guiding my actions, I conjured another lightning bolt, diverting the creature's trajectory and sending it into convulsions as it narrowly missed me. Despite the throbbing in my leg, I summoned the strength to rise, seizing the creature's leg as it struggled to regain its footing.
A surge of electricity flowed through my grasp, and the creature writhed in agony. Then, it stopped moving and collapsed to the ground, its breathing stilled.
Exhaustion weighed heavily as I glanced around at the aftermath of our battle. Amelia had just finished off the last Chitinous Titan, smashing it with a heavy hammer, while another lay lifeless on the ground with a sharp stone dagger protruding from its head. However, Amelia bore her own injuries, her arm bleeding heavily and multiple stab wounds adorning her body. Benjamin rushed over to tend to our wounds, urging us to sit as he retrieved supplies from his bag.
Henry had come out of the skirmish unscathed, a relief as I took stock of everyone's condition. Luckily, besides Amelia and me, no one else had sustained injuries. Taking a moment to catch my breath, I winced as Benjamin deftly tended to my leg wound.
"You're fortunate the creature didn't hit your bone. It could have been much worse," Benjamin remarked, his tone carrying a hint of admonition. "You need to be more cautious next time."
Agreeing with a nod, I shifted my attention to Henry, who diligently organized our campsite. Ella was deeply engaged in dissecting the creatures, extracting meat and useful materials. Feeling a sense of calm settling in, I accessed my stat screen and noticed that I had leveled up. Curious about how the others fared in the battle, I asked about their level gains. It turned out that Henry had leveled up twice, and Amelia had gained a level too. turning my focus on my stats, I made the decision to allocate all three new points into intelligence.
The immediate effects weren't tangible in terms of feeling smarter. However, the increase seemed to enhance my control over lightning. I could sense a greater finesse and precision in manipulating its currents.
Noticing Henry's subdued demeanor, I couldn't help but ask if everything was alright. After a moment of contemplation, he confessed, "I just feel like I'm not making much progress with my powers. It's frustrating to feel limited, especially when I know I could be doing more."
I offered reassurance, "I'm sure you don't feel like your power helped a lot, but it really did. It slows down the creatures considerably, and in longer battles, your poison would have a substantial impact. You're right; in quick battles, your power might not seem as effective, but you have to understand that your ability is an incredible asset. In lengthy engagements, your powers shine. You make it so our enemies can't retreat and heal, giving us a huge advantage."
My words seemed to bring some cheer to Henry, although a hint of disappointment lingered.
Over the next few hours, we gradually regained our strength, allowing us to rise and resume our journey. As we pressed on through the rocky landscape, we noticed a subtle transformation taking place. The rugged terrain began to give way to a flatter expanse, one that bore a resemblance to constructed ground. Ella offered the idea that it might still be a natural occurrence, a reminder of our unfamiliarity with this world. However, our skepticism about its natural origins disappeared as we approached the remnants of an ancient wall.
Chasing after Ella, we practically sprinted to the wall, her enthusiasm infectious. As we neared, I scrutinized the structure, noticing the telltale signs of skilled craftsmanship on its eroded and crumbling surface. My hand reached out to touch the weathered material, feeling the texture reminiscent of aged concrete. Clearly, this had once been a formidable construction, but the unyielding march of time had reduced it to a mere relic of its former self.
Intrigued by our surroundings, we delved deeper into the area around the ancient, crumbling wall. Its presence hinted at a bygone civilization's efforts, a testament to their labor across time. Emily's observation about the farmland-like terrain added to the mystery.
As we continued our exploration for another hour, the twin suns began their descent, painting the horizon with vibrant hues. We collectively agreed that this location was suitable for our night's rest. Gathering around the campfire, we watched Amelia skillfully fashion stone skewers for the Chitinous Titan meat that Ella had gathered earlier. The aroma of grilling kabobs filled the air as we cooked our meal over the crackling flames.
As the suns shifted from a mesmerizing orange to a deep purple, casting long shadows across the land and painting the mountains in shades of twilight, the atmosphere around us shifted with the changing light.
Lounging in a meticulously crafted stone chair courtesy of Amelia's skilled control, my attention shifted to Benjamin, engrossed in transforming the scenery into a work of art. "That looks amazing," I complimented, strolling over to take a closer look.
"Thanks, but it's nothing. Although I do wish I had more graphite; I'm running low, especially with Ella devouring my supply for her journals," Benjamin sighed.
"The journals are important," Ella defended.
"While I agree, I just wish you wouldn't press so hard on my pencils. I've had to sharpen them repeatedly; it's exhausting," Benjamin argued.
"Whatever, old man," Ella retorted.
"Old man? Benjamin, are you going to let her smack talk you like that?" I teased.
"I don't mind, but I have to say, your drawing needs some work," Benjamin teased, a mischievous grin playing on his lips as he reached for a page from his bag. "Let me show you a drawing she made."
Her reaction was priceless; she practically spat out her water, eyes widening in alarm. “Wait, no, you can't show that!”
"Oh, now I've got to see," I chimed in, curiosity piqued by her sudden embarrassment.
As he unveiled the drawing, I burst into laughter at the sight of an elongated potato creature with oddly proportioned arms labeled "QuadraSimian" above it. "Is that a QuadraSimian?" I exclaimed, turning to Ella, whose face had turned a tomato shade as she averted her eyes.
"Come on, man, it's good," Henry chimed in, inspecting the drawing.
"Well, damn, I guess you don't call Benjamin 'old man.' Noted," I chuckled…
The next Day, we made the decision to leave the ancient ruins behind as the new day dawned. Ella had been eager to examine them more closely, but the group agreed to push onward, swayed by Benjamin's suggestion that we might discover more ruins or perhaps even an entire city.
As we ventured through the landscape, a surprising development occurred. Henry suddenly came to a halt, his gaze locked onto something imperceptible, sparking concern among the group. However, his explanation left us all awestruck.
Henry revealed that he had been conducting experiments with his poison control ability on various plants as we walked. To his amazement, he received a notification that his poison rank had increased. We listened intently as he continued, explaining that he wasn't precisely sure what had changed. The real revelation came when he demonstrated his newfound skill.
Henry picked up a nearby plant, activating his poison control ability, We watched in astonishment as it withered and turned black at an accelerated rate, far more rapidly than it should have. It was a significant advancement in his powers, and we all shared a sense of anticipation about the potential upgrades awaiting our own abilities.
I couldn't contain my excitement and curiosity as I pondered the potential enhancements awaiting my powers. With a surge of determination, I delved into my void creation ability, eager to see what new capabilities awaited me on our journey through the landscape.
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