We had all washed a little, in the waterfall in the cave. Moving slowly as hunger had truly set its mark upon us.
"We have reached the end. Become level 4 aside from you Frey, who got to level 5. Which is apparently the mark where we get our class. We have gotten stronger. But that being said. We are starving. We have no food. And the only option is to go back out trough the portal. But I doubt we can fight in our current state."
We had gathered near the stone chair, where Rolf gave his small speech.
Chioma had awoken some time ago, getting up to speed as we explained what had happened after she passed out.
"That's right Rolf. But that is not all. Frey is still badly wounded and all of us have a high fatigue." She looked at me with concern. "Frey, you have that looter skill. We still have that goblin boss and the chest. You should go for it."
As Rolf remained silent, I went to the goblin boss and touched it.
*Looted 2 Silver, 38 Copper*
*Looted item: Green Staff*
"Woah! I got more than 2 silvers this time! And there is a staff as well!"
That sparked a smile in Rolf. As he loved anything that had to do with casting and spells. And a staff certainly fit the bill.
"Inspect it Frey, tell me about it!"
Green Staff: +4 intellect, +3 spirit. Grants the user the skill: Entangle
I told him the specifics, and before he could even ask, I threw it to him.
He looked like a child on Christmas eve, with sparkling, sobbing eyes and a firm grip around the staff.
"Avv Frey! Have I ever told you that I love you?"
Chioma was having a blast. Wrapping her arms around her stomach and giggled like the girl she was.
I rolled my eyes, "don't be nasty now. Let's have a look at that chest!"
I reached out to it, but Rolf stopped me in my track.
"No. You are still wounded and it might be a trap. Let me do it."
He had already opened it before any of us could object.
Blue light shone from it, before quickly settling, revealing the content of the chest.
"It's a book." Rolf withdrew it and turned to us.
"Let me check it Rolf." I used my skill and inspected the book.
"Tome of Ice Nova: Using the book will grant the skill: Ice nova."
We looked at each other in surprise.
"So, I guess we can even get skills from loot, ey?" Rolf's eyes had turned into big puppy eyes again.
Chioma gave him a puff with her hips, "for gods sake, Rolf. Just use it already!"
We all burst into laughter.
After calming down, I reached for the staff that the goblin boss had been wielding.
"I don't understand it Rolf. How come this staff is just like an ordinary solid branch?"
"Hmm. I don't know exactly. Actually I don't have any idea at all. Maybe that's just how all this works. Your guess is as good as mine."
The book in Rolfs hands suddenly turned into blue light that disappeared into him.
"Oh! So that is how it works!" He had a big smile again. "I was just thinking that I really wanted to gain that skill, and here we go. So simple really!"
Chioma's stomach growled loudly. "Okay that's enough playtime. We really need to figure out how we get food. And while we're at it, we need rest."
We agreed to walk to the portal and rest there.
As we walked Chioma suddenly stumbled a bit, almost falling. Apparently she was more exhausted and starved than she let show. Rolf supported her, with an arm around her waist, as we continued trough the cave tunnels.
I had my status screen open while we walked. To pass the time, and escape my own hunger, I wanted to look further into the skills I had gained.
Skill: Legions Light - Exude a light, covering the immediate surroundings. Mana cost: 200. Channeling duration 10 sec - any disturbance will break the channel. Legion units receive mana and health to a maximum of 50% during the channel. Cooldown: 7 days.
Wauw! I thought to myself. That's pretty impressive. I bet if I used it right now, I would be completely healed! But with such a ridiculous cooldown I should save it as an emergency. And I'm not actually in a life or death situation right now.
I scrolled to my status again. I was sure I had overlooked something from when I had leveled up.
And I was right. In the top right corner of my screen there where a new function that was not there before.
I pushed it, and the Community list appeared.
Shop - Chat - Guilds - Auction House
I tried to access the chat. But it was grayed out like the guilds and auction house features.
*1G to unlock* Was the message prompt.
But the Shop feature was white and I pushed it.
"STOP!"
Chioma and Rolf both jumped in surprise, spinning around with their weapons in hand, ready to fuck something up!
"Relax you two! But listen to this!"
I explained how I had investigated my skills and found the community feature. The Shop was personalized and trough it one was able to purchase all kind of stuffs!
There was an armor section, with all kinds of different gear. Cloth, leather, plate-mail, you name it. There was a weapon section, with weapons from a little wooden sling to two-handed battle axes.
But what really took my interest was the Potion and Food section.
"I can buy minor health and mana potions! There is bread, cheese, ham, water and more!"
Rolf and Chioma gasped.
Chioma went to me. She hugged me. Hard.
"Auch! You are kind of strong Chioma. Mind letting go?"
But Rolf joined, making it a group hug with me sandwiched in the middle.
"You just saved us Frey." He said, as they both let me go.
I smiled and laughed nervously, being rather awkward after the hug. "Well, let me try it out first, before you praise me like that!"
Loaf of bread: 3C
Jug of water: 4C
Slice of ham: 10C
Small chunk of cheese: 8C
Minor mana potion: 50C
Minor health potion: 50C
I did some quick calculations. If I bought a minor healing potion for each, and 3 of each of the foods, I would still have about 50C left. Not counting the water, as we were close to the portal and the small pond we had been drinking from before.
I purchased it all and it appeared in my inventory.
"It worked! Let's get to the water pond and rest there!" I laughed whole-heartedly as I started running, ignoring the pain from my shoulder and stomach, as it could easily dampen my mood if I let it.
Having made ourselves comfortable by the pond, I quickly divided the spoils.
We drank the potions together, and a faint red glow covered us all.
Then we dug in. Taking huge bites of the ham and cheese, breaking the bread to pieces before throwing it down the hole.
But we all stopped after the first initial food frenzy.
"Can you all taste it?" Chioma spat a bite of ham on the cave floor. "Or rather, can you not taste it? There is no taste to the food! It's just dry ash in my mouth!"
Rolf swallowed his own mouthful before he spoke, "it's truly strange. It must be another mysterious change that the shockwave have made. I can feel the nourishment in my body. It's real food allright. But you're right. It's completely tasteless!"
I nodded, looking down on my own food.
"I don't think I really care at this point. As long as it provides my body with sustenance so I can continue, and someday find Aya. I'll eat shit if that's what it takes."
We ate the rest of our food in silence. Each deeply in our own thoughts.
"Let us rest here for now. Get our fatigue down before we finally go back out through the portal".
Chioma turned around, used her jacket as a pillow again. Cutting off any further conversation.
Rolf and I soundlessly agreed.
I flew through the air. Aya was trying to reach me. A darkness with glowing eyes approaching. I slammed into a basement. Aya screamed in horror!
"Wake up Frey. It's time we left this place."
I opened my eyes. Rolf and Chioma was already up and had washed in the pond of water.
Chioma was putting her jacket back on, "did you sleep well Frey? Your wounds seems to have healed during your sleep."
What kind of weird dream was that? It had mostly vanished from memory already.
I stood up and washed myself as well.
"Yeah. According to my status, and how I feel. I'm completely refreshed."
"That's good news. Looks like we are all back to full vigor!" He stood proudly, leaning on his green staff. "Let's go then. Directly to the portal. Walk trough it and kill the small goblins outside!"
We reached the green barrier that protected the portal from the inside of the cave. As we walked trough something was nagging me in the back of my mind.
"Wait up. I think I should try my skill before we go."
They stopped, wondering what I meant.
"My class skill remember?"
"Ohhh!" They both seemed to finally understand. "How did it work again?" Rolf wanted to know the details.
When I pushed my summon unit skill, a few options appeared. Swordsmen, Spearmen, Archer. And I told them as much.
"They each take 10 seconds channel time and cost 50 mana."
I looked at them. "Here we go!"
I put my arm forward by instinct and blue light appeared around it. The light continued to flow a meter forward before it started to gather.
More and more light gathered, forming a mist that spread into a silhouette with arms, legs and then a head before it started to become more solid. A human male materialized within the mist as the 10 seconds passed.
"What the hell! Did you just make an entire man!" Chioma stood with hand covering her mouth. "And he is naked! What the actual hell, Frey!" Rolf was next to her with a stupid expression on his face.
The man just stood there, completely naked as Chioma had bluntly put it.
But he wasn't completely naked. Only in the sense that he didn't wear any cloths. An iron short-sword was resting neatly in his right hand.
The man was about 180 centimeters tall. Brown hair that reached his eyes, a plain face and very strong physique. His muscles was distinctive and showing all over his body.
My eyes reached his torso, and unwillingly, the area between his legs. Fuck that wasn't fair at all. He was build like a horse!
"Who are you?" Rolf asked the man.
But the man didn't answer. Instead he reacted fast. Positioning himself between me and Rolf.
Standing with one side to Rolf, his legs spread slightly apart. His back was straight and his head tall. The left arm hang down his side while the sword arm was raised, pointing directly at Rolf.
"Woah! Stop that! He is friendly!" I yelled at the man.
He turned to me and fell down on one knee, placed his word on it and bowed his head to me.
"Forgive me Commander!"
Rolf walked to him. Touching his back. The man didn't move a muscle.
"He is a real human allright. As real as any of us. But it seems like he sent too bright. Maybe he is just able to follow simple commands like attack and protect." He scratched his beard as he usually did while deep in thought.
"Anyway, this is a huge boon. You can provide us additional manpower! That is a strong class for sure Frey! In any game, it would rank among the very best!"
Chioma butted in, stopping Rolf from further talk.
"Frey! For crying out loud! Could you buy something in that shop of yours and cover him up! He is so big he would make any woman cry!" She had been starring at the mans private part ever since she had laid eyes on it.
Rolf and I laughed uncontrollably, yet the man didn't flinch. We only stopped when Chioma punched Rolf in the stomach, putting an end to our moment, as he gasped for air.
I quickly scrolled trough the shop and bought some linen pants and a shirt to match.
I threw it to the man. "Wear this, and quickly!"