"What!", Alicia asked as she was befuddled.
" You heard me, run for your life girl".
The man revealed sternly, as everyone's attention snapped to them, the bustling hall turned dead silent.
The young girl graced all the eyes on her, looking back to him, she wasshook in his presence, all this was interrupted as boriath was called away from the grand mess hall by servants of the matriarch.
He didn't struggle, and excused himself from the girl's presence.
Alicia was more befuddled as she didn't understand what was happening, she was clueless.
What did he mean by asking her to run for her life?, what was she running from?.
A deep suspicion seeped into her, as she graced her instructor, latia, who then told her to retire back to the dingy room she woke up in, and come out to the dungeon hall every morning to learn combat, even threatening to kill her if she ever strays to the dungeon cells ever again, making the grey haired girl shiver in fear.
The girl heeded her teacher's words and retired to bed, thinking about the string of strange events that occured in the veil that housed her.
Her mind then wandered to her system, curious about it, she summoned the tab and it read.
Name: Alicia
Title: Deathforged Wanderer
Level: 1
---
Abilities:
*Corrosive Touch (level 1): Infuse melee attacks with necrotic energy, causing decay.
---
Attributes:
*Soul Affinity:* Ancient(---)
*Health Points (HP): (53/100) (earned from basic exercise, and doubled from eating enemies)
*Regeneration: Slow passive regeneration consuming (HP) due to the Death System.
*Energy Points (EP):* (25/50) (earned from absorbing enemy soul).
*Memento Drain:* Consumes EP for heightened effects during intense moments.
*Vitality: 3.
*Endurance (Increased stamina and resistance to fatigue): 1.
*Strength: 1.
*Muscle Mastery (Enhanced physical strength for combat maneuvers): 0.
*Psychic Resilience( Increased mental fortitude against psychological attacks):2.
Survival Score: 1/3.
*Resourcefulness:0.
*Experience Points (XP):50.
*Evolution Potential: Unlocked after defeating 15 high-grade fleshfiends.
Fleshfiends killed (0/15)].
*Inventory (locked, can be opened at the fifteenth level)
*Tasks
*Skills.
She noticed that some stats had increased, this made her wonder how they did so, she didn't eat any enemies, she wouldn't do that, it was disgusting.
Cannibalism was a whole other activity she never wanted to pertain in, ever in her life.
Eating food helped but would it increase that much, she would check later.
Everything was just so sketchy, that she couldn't help but notice. Was it a fluke in the system or something?.
The girl held her thoughts for the day and pondered on everything that happened, not knowing when her eyes shut close.
***
A figure could be spotted standing on the top of the veil building looking into the Highlands flooded with fleshfiends.
He seemed troubled and deep in thought, leaning on his glaive, he wore a brown tunic with white pants, his hair was in a ponytail, his lanky frame and sunken cheeks like a starved troll.
"You have taken the brute I killed, I presume?" Lance inquired as he turned to face someone standing behind him.
"How long were you standing there" he continued, still receiving no reply from the hooded figure that stood in front of him, they stared each other for a while before Lance broke the silence.
"Well since you wouldn't answer me, then go, I'll take care of things here... You're lucky I'm this quite unique". He finished and turned back to his original position staring not at the fleshfiends but instead into nothingness.
***
The atmosphere was charged with anticipation as Latia and Alicia faced off, each wielding their chosen weapon with precision. Alicia, now a decent user of the Kord, her strange choice of weapon held the curved blade with a steady grip, her eyes focused and as determined as ever.
Latia, the ever the stalwart mentor, brandished her katana with a sense of seasoned expertise, her movements fluid and calculated. The two warriors circled each other, the tension visible as they prepared to engage in combat.
With a swift motion, Alicia lunged forward, her Kord slicing through the air with deadly grace. Sensei Rei met her attack head-on, her katana flashing in a blur of steel as she countered with precision.
The spar erupted into a flurry of strikes and parries, the sound of clashing blades reverberating through the dojo. Alicia moved with agility and finesse, with her small lithe form,her mastery of the Kord evident in every fluid movement.
But Latia was a formidable opponent, her experience evident in the way she effortlessly deflected Alicia's blows and countered with calculated strikes of her own. Each clash of their blades echoed with the intensity of their determination, neither willing to yield an inch.
As the spar wore on, Alicia found herself pushed to her limits, her muscles burning with exertion as she fought to keep up with her sensei's relentless assault. Latia's s attacks were relentless, her katana a blur of motion as she tested Alicia's skill and resolve.
Despite her best efforts, the death forged wanderer found herself gradually being pushed back, her defenses weakening under the relentless barrage of Latia's strikes. With a final, decisive blow, Latia disarmed the grey haired girl, her katana coming to rest at her pupil's throat in a symbolic gesture of victory.
Breathing heavily, Alicia lowered her gaze in defeat, but there was no shame in her eyes, only a deep sense of respect and gratitude for the blue woman's guidance. Latia offered her a hand, pulling her to her feet with an unreadable face.
"You're getting better, little girl," she praised, her voice filled with hidden admiration. "You have shown great skill. Do remember, defeat is merely a step on the path to mastery. Learn from this experience." The swollen headed woman finished before leaving the hall.
Three months had passed since Alicia found herself in the sanctuary and safety of the matriarch and the outcasts.
She was now much more adept at combat than ever before, she had grown so much in a short amount of time.
Pulling a grimacing face as she summoned her tab. It read.
Name: Alicia
Title: Deathforged Wanderer
Level: 2
---
Abilities:
*Corrosive balls (level 2): Create balls of necrotic energy, causing decay to whatever it touches.
*Spectral Insight(level 1): Enhanced Vision to detect hidden threats and vulnerabilities on a meagre scale.
---
Attributes:
*Soul Affinity:* Ancient(---)
*Health Points (HP): (89/100) (earned from basic exercise, and doubled from eating enemies)
*Regeneration: Slow passive regeneration consuming (HP) due to the Death System.
*Energy Points (EP):* (25/50) (earned from absorbing enemy soul).
*Memento Drain:* Consumes EP for heightened effects during intense moments.
*Vitality: 6.
*Endurance (Increased stamina and resistance to fatigue): 5.
*Strength: 6.
*Muscle Mastery (Enhanced physical strength for combat maneuvers): 10.
*Psychic Resilience( Increased mental fortitude against psychological attacks):3.
Survival Score: 1/3.
*Resourcefulness:2.
*Experience Points (XP):70.
*Evolution Potential: Unlocked after defeating 15 high-grade fleshfiends.
Fleshfiends killed (0/15)].
*Inventory (locked, can be opened at the fifteenth level)
*Tasks
*Skills.
She was now in level 2 for some reason, probably from the training.
The stat which had read corrosive touch had leveled up to necrotic balls.
The melee infusion the former level talked about was any projectile.
she could channel necrotic energy through any projectile she could launch.
This worked better on open wounds, which was why arrows were a perfect candidate, the system allowed her to use the skill by consuming EP, so if she followed the rules she would consume less EP than delving into the next levels power.
This led her her to learn archery to some extent, but since she had leveled up it was of no more use.
The second skill called spectral insight was new and it allowed her to faintly see a faint outline of the soul of others. Her combat skill, strength, endurance and vitality had increased too and so had her skills.