[15:28]
[15:27]
The time in Williams's head gradually ticks away as his mind comes out of his paralysis-induced slumber. As he slowly starts to recover his sense of hearing it allows him to heed some jumbled mumblings and shouting a short distance from him. However, he's unable to pinpoint where the voices are coming from and who or what they are. Still unable to move his body he forces his mind to focus on the noises in an attempt to understand what's transpiring inside the cavern.
"Shut up you stupid brats keep moving or ill break your legs and drag you by your chains!" shouts an indistinct voice. Muffled sobbing echoes within the cavern and gradually becomes louder and more clear as time passes.
[5:13]
Hurry up and where off you stupid fucking poison I don't have time for this! There are other people and I'm very vulnerable and unconscious here! cries William in his head.
[2:35]
William suddenly feels himself being dragged by his ankle. The rubbing of his paralyzed torso agents the cold jagged cavern floor causing mild annoyance and discomfort. Focusing on the sounds around him Williams is finally capable of understanding what the people are saying as the timer ticks slowly to freedom.
"Holy crap this guy's light, how the hell did he find this place. Oh damn, look at my new dagger. Thanks for the gift bud! May your life be short and painful!" Laughter breaks out between the men as the dagger thief grips his new toy and pokes one of the children making them suddenly scream as the blade effortlessly penetrates their flesh causing them to excessively bleed from the small wound. The two men laugh some more before finally continuing their trek within the cavern.
[1:30]
As the timer Finally gets close to his release, He abruptly opens his eyes as his vision returns. The poison still renders him crippled only allowing his eyes to move around. Seeing a brown-cloaked man dragging him deeper into the cavern William is filled with a sense of dread. Looking to the left he locates a similarly clothed man who holds a familiar blade in one hand and the chains of the children in the other. Dragging them behind him starts to speak. "Umm dude it looks like the guys starting to wake up we should hurry and get them into the room!" Looking back and dropping Williams's leg from his grasp the other man speaks. "The door rests about 10 feet in front of us. Unlock the door and toss the kids in first I want it to feed first. hopefully, it will play with him when he comes around. His screams will sound so wonderful to my ears." Chuckles fill the cave again as the two men unlock the metal door to the feeding grounds.
[Poison loses effect in 30 seconds]
As William is left powerless on the floor the men suddenly open the dark gate releasing the stagnant air from within and shoving the children inside before pounding on the door to get the inhabitant's attention.
[25]
The men quickly swing the door closed as gut-wrenching screams are heard from the children in the room. The splatter of blood and the crunch of bones can be heard for a short time before only faint scratching is heard from within.
[5]
Walking from the door the two men grab Williams's arms and legs quickly dragging him close to the now scarcely open door.
[1]
As William is about to be free from the poison the men suddenly toss his limp body into the room and quickly slam the door shut and lock him inside.
Entering the room William is met with a nauseating scent with a dreadful view of several diced corpses of the children as severed limbs are scattered around the blood-soaked floor. The vague figure of a 5ft crawling woman can be seen scratching at a small crevice in the back of the darkroom.
[Paralysis poison effect lost].
Quietly rising to his feet William quickly analyzes his surroundings locating a short spear piercing the rocky floor. Swiftly and silently sneaking to retrieve the spear he suddenly trips on the uneven stone floor landing with a splat into a fresh pool of blood. William freezes as his skin crawls alerting him of a near-death situation. Diving forward to grasp the spear William hears a loud thud as he attempts to pull the weapon from the rock but to no avail. Glancing back he sees a blood-red spike penetrating the hard ground just behind him. Formulating a last-second backup plan William tries to cast his first spell. Turning around his gaze lands on the monster as his observation skill activates
[Afflicted Mother Shredder, Level: 9] (Health:600/600 Mana:50/60)
That skill she used must consume ten mana in an attack. William concluded as his arm extends out in an attempt to activate a spell. As William thinks the spell [Corruption] black and blue energy rushes to his fingertips creating a mass of power that rushes away towards the Shredder. As the mass of energy collides, it explodes and rushes inside its target leaving a dull blue glow on the shredder's flesh. With the shredder now illuminated and rolling on the floor in agony from the spell, William can unwillingly fully see the beast as its view is unrestricted from the darkness previously shrouding its figure. His eyes are met with an unpleasant view of a hairless woman with blistered sagging flesh, sharp talons, and a bony bottom jaw. A dripping tapered tongue droops from it's mouth slithering like a snake towards a nearby carcass penetrating it easily and quickly draining it of all fluids turning it into a shriveled husk.
[Afflicted Mother Shredder, Level: 9] (Health 570/600 Mana: 55/60)
William quickly casts his [Drainlife] spell. The shredder screeches as blue and red energy wreaks havoc on her body creating a tether of energy to William as he continues to channel the spell. Suddenly a loud screech escapes her mouth causing him to lose his balance and his sight turns blurry. The monster then races towards William striking him full force sending him crashing to the cave wall. The crunch of bones and a cracked wall leaves him knowingly injured as blood leaks from his nose and mouth. Approaching William the Shredder extends its tongue. As the shredder is about to penetrate his plump torso a loud crash and a defining blast sound behind the door alerting the shredder causing it to stop drawing attention toward the door. Taking the chance William then slowly extends his arm as tether forms once again healing Williams's wounds slightly. The shredder is enraged by his spell and just as it's about to pounce on him the door to the room suddenly rips from its hinges and tumbles before striking the monster and crushing it to a bloody pulp.The door comes to rest inside the cave wall on the opposite end of the room.
Notifications assault William as his adrenaline wears off leaving him in agony from the wounds. William quickly retrieves one healing potion from his inventory. Popping the cork from the vial and downing the dark red substance William is quickly healed and no longer in pain. William then takes note of the notifications he had received.
[+800 exp]
[Level up]
[Name_William_Grimshaw]
Race: (95% High Human) (5% Unknown)
Gender: Male
Level: (6) Experience: (300/600)
Health: (225/225)
Mana: (470/500)
Classes(1/2): (Warlock)
[Quest Activated: Lie about your origins in this world.] *Failure might result in death*(Unknown reward upon completion.)
As William starts to read the quest objective he is interrupted by a small sobbing child." Is it safe now?" Looking up he notices one of the children had crawled inside a small opening to hide from the monster. Suddenly a gray-robed man enters the room with a disappointed expression. "Is anyone still alive in here or did I take way too long to kill them..." Just as he finishes his sentence the child comes rushing out towards the man drenched in blood and crying. "You killed the bad monster right?." The child sobs into the robed man soiling his clothing with blood and tears. William suddenly speaks up "Umm thanks for saving me I would be dead if you didn't arrive when you did." The robed man and the child then slowly turn to look at William shocked that he was not the mangled corpse they thought he was. "My name is Arith I'm a warrior for the blade council who might you be?" asked the robed man politely. "Mister is a dark mage I saw his spells." The child blurts out as he jerks on the robes of the warrior. "My name is William I'm just a mage that happened to take shelter in here without knowing about the monsters within. After killing a shredder outside this room its blood poisoned me and those men took my weapon tossing me into this room," he explained, "What are you doing outside the boundary if you're so weak? There are many more powerful and sinister monsters deeper within this forest." Asked Arith with a confused expression. "Well actually I was traveling with some people but we were slowly picked off one at a time till I was the only one left alive. We were all that was left of a small clan from within the forest now I'm the only surviving member." lied William "I have never heard of a clan within the forest how did you survive deep in the forest if you're this weak?" Arith asked confused by his statement. "Our elders used wards and magic to keep beasts away from the village However I was too young to learn any of them. William lies using knowledge of shows and books he's seen in his old life. "Interesting I did not know of any clans outside the walls. Nonetheless, I don't have time to talk about this I need to take this child back home I'm late and will most likely get my ass chewed for only saving this one..." Arith says disappointingly patting the child's head. Suddenly tossing the kid over his shoulder he looks at William and tosses him a small pouch. "It's a little sum of money because if not for you fighting this boy would be dead too." Arith speaks before nodding towards William and vanishing from sight."Thank you!" William hollered into the cave after him. Getting nothing but his echo William is now alone within the cavern. A notification abruptly chimes in his head alerting him of the completed quest.
[Quest completed please claim reward]
William enthusiastically goes to claim the reward Seconds after his mind is assaulted with information about his magic and how to utilize it properly as well as a new offensive spell.
[Siphon soul]
(Assaults the target's soul taking a portion of their life essence ravaging 100-175 health and healing for 100% of the damage done over 2 seconds. [Cooldown of 45 seconds.] Upon a successful cast, the target gets the debuff (Torn Soul) causing them to heal 50% less and deal 10% less damage for 15 seconds.)
After the notification William opens his status screen to view his changes as the hope for ideas of what to do next infiltrate his mind.
[Name_William_Grimshaw]
Race: (95% High Human) (5% Unknown)
Gender: Male
Level: (6) Experience: (300/600)
Health: 225/225
Mana: 500/500
Classes(1/2): (Warlock)
Skills:
[S-](Summon lesser demon)
[C+](Corruption)
[D-](Drainlife)
[B+](Siphon soul)
Passives:
[A+](Touch of Death)
[F+](Lesser health regeneration)
[A+](Demonic tongue)
Satisfied with the little growth he's made William promptly puts himself in his place by the thought of how powerful Arith was. Realizing how effortlessly the door was kicked off its hinges abruptly killing the monster that he wrestled with for his life. The thought of the type of beasts he must have needed to slay to gain that type of power and the beasts that cause him to strive for that power makes William shiver as he tries to imagine what awaits him outside. Slowly shuffling outside the door William gets a glimpse of what once was two horrible men... maybe... All that's left is a blood-soaked corridor peppered with some small chunks of flesh. Looking around William spots a familiar blade sticking out partially submerged in the fresh pooling blood. Upon retrieving the Hallowed Dagger by the blade from the blood pool he finds the severed hand of the thief still clinging to its hilt. Holding back the vomit William attempts to pry the hand from his blade. Unable to remove the hand William becomes angry and finds a loose rock to smash the clinging severed hand with. After several loud crutches of bone, the hand of the thief finally let go. Aggravated with his wasted time William stomps on the hand a few more times for good measure before briskly walking towards the entrance in search of water to drink and to clean himself along with his precious dagger...