Herald managed to hail a taxi over after we walked a ways away from the warehouse. Inside the taxi there wasn't enough room for four people in it. There was enough room for three but Samuel said he'd stay behind with me and the two of them could go on ahead. Me, limping slightly, and Samuel continued walking around the border between Nortown and Westown and he started talking.
“That was a damn impressive fight. I didn't know that Rude Roundhouse guy had been doing so well in The Arenas, otherwise I'd have warned you.” He rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.
“You’ve been spacing out lately, just staring off into space at nothing. You okay? Remember any more of your past?” He was genuinely worried for me, and I was tired of telling him nothing. I may not be lying, but not telling the truth to the man who had helped me so much was more painful than the kicks from earlier.
“I remember everything. I always have. I just wish I didn't.” I looked at Samuel, searching his face for any sign of disappointment or anger, but none ever came.
“Hey, it's okay. I told you before I wouldn't pry and yet I keep asking if you remembered stuff. I'm just a nosy old man.” He chuckled and then sighed.
“New people can start over here, in this place. It's corrupt and the new start may be just as bad or worse than wherever you were before, but that's why we gotta protect each other. Without others to have your back you'll be tricked, hurt or killed in this place faster than you'd think.” I had learned to trust his word, he was right more often than not so far. He reminded me of my uncle in that way, always making the right decision, always picking the right path—right until he didn’t and it got him killed. I was about to thank Samuel for everything he had done for me when I saw a familiar figure ahead. Ollie and his thugs turned the corner up ahead in a vehicle with the top down, the tall man driving. They seemed to be searching for something, or someone, and they found that someone when their eyes landed on me. Ollie smiled and he pulled out a phone and made a call while the other two, the tall man and short woman, stayed next to him in the vehicle and watched me.
“Get going Samuel. Find a taxi or something. I'll find my way back to Westown.” I never took my eyes off the thugs.
“What? No, you don't know this town at all! You've been held up in the apartment or working out in the park basically since day one!” I looked down and Samuel and smiled, though I'm sure he saw the worry through it.
“I will be okay. I don't want you to get hurt.” Samuel reached into his pocket and pulled out his own phone.
“Take this then. I'll get to Jim and Herald and we'll call you and find you.” I took the phone and stepped away from Samuel and ran down the street in the opposite direction. Samuel started moving down an alleyway nearby as the Ollie gang started after me in their car. They caught up with me quickly so I turned sharply down an alleyway coming up ahead. They slammed on the breaks, and the one other car on the street did the same. I ran to the end of the alleyway, my knee was killing me but I couldn’t rest. I heard the car they were driving from behind as I rushed out the end of the alley and turned left, sprinting down the street. I hadn't realized how little people and traffic there was in this area. The borders of the city sections weren't traveled much it seemed. Their car slammed out into the road behind me as I ran, and I heard their wheels tearing after me. I was trying hard to keep my breathing steady, to not flag or fall behind. Flashes of being chased by the Void insects echoed in my mind and I felt my knee getting worse with each footfall. I turned down another alley just in time as the car flew past, and I heard the tires screeching to a stop. I kept going down the new alley but it was then that I felt my knee give out and I collapsed to the pavement.
“Symptoms have fully subsided. Integration commencing. Integration complete. Awakening.” A blue square appeared in front of me as I looked down the alley, their vehicle pulling up and revving. Another box appeared.
Status:
Name: Kara of Lathea
Affinities: Nature, Fighting, Lightning
Species: Human (Variant) (G Tier)
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Class: None (Choice Available)
Profession: None (Choice Available)
Level: 0
Attributes:
Might 24
Agility 18
Vitality 17
Endurance 18
Cunning 16
Willpower 19
Perception 14
Presence 13
Skills:
Spear Fighting (F Tier)
Brawler (F Tier)
Survival Instincts (E Tier)
Traits & Abilities:
Might Of Lathea. Gain a bonus of 10 points to your Might attribute upon reaching adulthood. Your overall body size is larger than an average human.
Sense Of The Void (Rudimentary). You have a rudimentary sense for the presence of Void entities in your immediate vicinity.
Quests: (None)
I had no idea what all this information meant, it just cluttered my vision as the Ollie mobile sped its way toward me. I tried to think of some way to survive, but getting run down by a car was either going to hurt me badly enough to be finished off or kill me outright. I looked at the two ‘Choice Available’ sections and they were flashing green on and off. I mentally decided to just go with it and make whatever choice these blue squares of insanity wanted me to make and as I will it everything seemed to turn gray around me. The car ahead slowed to a stop and all sound died as I just sat there in the alley. I tried to move but I couldn’t, just stuck there waiting for time to speed up again and get run over. Another damn box appeared in front of me, covering the ‘Status’ one.
Class Choices Available:
Initiate Fighter
Main Attributes: Might, Agility, Endurance
Tier: F
Tags: Physical, Martial
You have moved beyond meer brawling to become a fighter, a person dedicated to their mastery of weapon based combat.
Initiate Spear of Lighting
Main Attributes: Might, Agility, Endurance
Tier: F
Tags: Physical, Martial, Lightning
Wielding a weapon of lightning affinity before integration has led you to have a natural affinity for lightning, and your might with a spear is notable for your tier. Wield them both as you journey towards your future.
Initiate Nature Attendant
Main Attributes: Willpower, Vitality, Presence
Tier: F
Tags: Nature, Spiritual
Your love and care for the natural beauty and life on any world is admirable and Nature has taken notice. Wield the power of the natural world as you help worlds grow healthy and wild.
Initiate Nature's Fury
Main Attributes: Might, Agility, Endurance, Presence
Tier: F
Tags: Physical, Martial, Nature, Lightning
You are the harbinger of nature's wrath. The storm that tears free and the root that digs deep. Use the powers of nature to bring all before you to their knees.
As I read through the choices and time didn't unfreeze all of a sudden I became more interested, seeing they weren’t related to the Void. I sat and calmed myself before going through them all again. I wasn't sure what it meant by ‘Classes’ but either way, these choices could help me here. All four of the choices seemed good, though their simplicity was higher from first to last choice it seemed. I liked the idea of Initiate Fighter, but it seemed too weak compared to the others, especially since the next one down seemed to just be a better version of it. Initiate Spear of Lightning was just the first one but spear focused and with lighting. It was interesting as well, definitely a contender for most interesting. Second to last was some kind of nature related nurturer, someone who helps a world grow. I liked the idea of being someone who helps the world directly. Maybe I could have done something for Lathea if I had the power to strengthen her… The final choice, and the one I felt most meshed with me overall, was Nature's Fury. I was furious at the Void for what those monsters had done to my world. I was furious at myself for being so powerless. I was furious at my uncle for leaving me too soon. I was furious at Ollie and his thugs for coming after me again. I didn't hesitate, I willed my choice to be Initiate Nature's Fury and I felt a surge of something course through me. My body glowed with a green aura and lightning crackled around my body as I felt an intense feeling of pleasure wash over me. When it was done I was still sitting on the ground, time frozen around me, but I felt no pain. My knee felt fine, and my bruised body no longer ached.
“Congratulations! You have successfully evolved to (F) Tier! 5 attribute points awarded! Your attribute threshold has risen to 30. Ability gained: Verdant Surge.”
I felt amazing, like a whole new person. It was beyond just recovering what I once had, healthy and strong. I was fundamentally different now and I could feel it. The Status square popped up again and I saw that I had five Attribute points to spend, as well as a new ability.
Verdant Surge. Slam your hand or weapon down upon a target or surface. Vines coursing with electricity sprout forth and envelop your foes, crushing and electrocuting them. Cooldown 40 seconds.
Could this be real? Could I really do something like that now? I noticed time started to speed back up and I panicked. I quickly willed my attribute points that I had available to increase my Endurance.
Endurance 18 to 23
Threshold reached! Endurance now provides a higher increased physical protection per point.
Time began moving normally again and I was ready. I shot up to my feet and readied myself for the impact, and punched down on the pavement as the car came towards me. I mentally activated my Verdant Surge ability and instantly vines crackling with electricity shot out of the pavement and wrapped around the wheels and underside of the car. I could feel my fist aching after the strike but the car had come to a stop just before hitting me. The three thugs inside the car convulsed as they were electrocuted, the electricity coursing through the car and up into them. I mentally ended the ability and watched as the vines sank back into the ground.
“Shit…” Was all I could say as I stared at the three unmoving people in their unmoving car. Three boxes appeared in front of me.
Level 0 Human (G), Slain.
Level 0 Human (G), Slain.
Level 0 Human (G), Slain.
Less Experience Gained due to tier difference
I killed them, though I believed they deserved it I hadn't meant to do it. I looked down at my hands, power coursing through my body, and then back up to the electrocuted humans and destroyed car. Could I stand up to the Void if I got stronger? It said I was level zero, same with these three—could I grow stronger? I snapped out of my trance and ran down the alleyway, down the street and just kept going until I felt a buzzing from my pocket, Samuel's phone.
