Anya knelt in the muck, sifting through the refuse heap that was her home, the Underbelly of Aethel. The stench of decay hung thick in the air, a constant reminder of their wretched existence. At 16, Anya was already hardened by the unforgiving streets. Her calloused fingers brushed against a worn leather pouch, a meager prize from a day of scavenging. Inside, a single, shimmering shard caught the dying sunlight. It pulsed faintly, an anomaly in the filth.
Unbeknownst to Anya, the shard was a fragment of the Ascended Core, a mythical artifact shattered millennia ago. Legends whispered of its power to elevate those worthy to godhood, a flicker of hope in a world perpetually shrouded in despair.
Level 0 - Scavenger
Strength: 3
Dexterity: 5
Constitution: 4
Mana: 1
Anya grasped the shard tightly, a surge of warmth flooding through her. Suddenly, a translucent screen materialized before her eyes. It displayed her stats, a concept she'd only heard about in hushed tavern tales - a leveling system.
A gasp escaped her lips. The world seemed sharper, her senses heightened. A thrill coursed through her. Was this the power of the shard?
The day darkened, shadows growing long. As Anya emerged from the Underbelly, a commotion erupted from the main market square. A towering Ogre, escaped from the fighting pits, rampaged through the crowd, its roar echoing off the cobblestone streets.
Panic seized the city. Anya, however, felt a newfound sense of purpose. The shard pulsed with warmth, urging her forward. This wasn't fear, it was…excitement?