"Look, I'm telling you, I'm not a lesbian!"
From the audio link in my ear, I heard Allie chuckle. "I never said you were. And what brought that on?"
Walking down the street, I grumbled. "You can read my search history, so I know that you know-"
"Let's not go all Vizzini on us. Yeah, I can read your search history. And you're bisexual, not a lesbian."
I gritted my teeth as I jogged through the neighborhood. "Not the point. I don't like girls!"
"Incorrect!" Allie crowed. "While we were out shopping, you took the time to look over those gentlemen who were trying on jackets, remember?"
Yes, I did. They'd been a pair of guys maybe a few years older than me, obviously football players. It had been hard not to look when one of them had been wearing a tight muscle shirt… Shaking my head to clear it, I growled back. "Yes. I do."
"Well, your biometric data is quite insightful, and by this point I can guess at your moods based on things like heart rate and hormonal impulses. And the feelings you get when you looked over those two men-"
"Wait, you can read my heartrate?"
"I think the system's there to let me know if you're in pain or Mastered or something." Allie brushed off my concern. "Anyway, the physiological changes you experienced when looking at those boys is the same as those when you were looking at that girl in the pawn shop a few hours later."
I flushed slightly. The girl in question had been in her mid-twenties, and despite the cold had been wearing a very tight pair of shorts. It had been difficult to pull my eyes away from-
My flush deepened. Nope, I was not going there. I did not need to think about those- nope! Settling myself, I let out a huff. "Okay, so? I can appreciate a good looking girl without wanting to date her."
"You don't want to date anyone yet." Allie's voice was much softer now. "Honestly, as far as I can tell, dating someone's the last thing you want. After Emma and Winslow, I think it'll be some time before you're willing to trust someone enough to date them."
I blinked. "Then why bring it up at all?"
"I don't want you ruling out a potential partner because of their gender." Allie stated. "You deserve happiness, Taylor, and rejecting a potential suitor because of some hang-up over decaying social taboos will not help you."
Stopping, I pinched my brow. "Really, Allie? Again with the psychobabble?"
Through the chat function, I heard her shrug. "You were really close to breaking in the locker, Taylor." Her voice grew a little softer. "I don't want you to get near that point ever again. This the only way that I can help, from in here."
I frowned. "I'm fine, Allie. It's not like I'm going to snap on you anytime soon."
Allie was silent for a long moment, as I resumed walking. Finally, she spoke softly. "I'm more worried about you giving up, Taylor. You've got your momentum back, now- but it was a near thing. All it would have taken was you believing no one cared..." Her voice trailed off, and I could hear the discomfort in her tone.
I thought for a long moment as I advanced towards Captain's Hill. "I know better now, Allie. You and Dad both care, and… well, I didn't break in the locker, did I?" Nearing my destination, I reached up, touching the mock Bluetooth earbud in my ear. "Still, thanks for worrying about me. It's nice to know you care." I hesitated at the base of a driveway. "Wait- you're not hitting on me, are you?"
"No." Allie's reply was very quick. "I don't even know what I might be physically attracted to yet, and without hormonal impulses, it's kinda difficult to figure out. Ask me in a few months, and I might be able to tell you who I'm attracted to."
I nodded. "Well, I'm gonna have to cut this short. Heading in now." Yanking the tiny speaker from my ear, I slipped it into my inventory, heading up the drive towards the familiar colonial home. As I trotted forward, I let my thoughts run back over the morning's activities.
I'd woken up at two o'clock again, and had taken a few hours to exercise and do some research. When Dad woke up, I'd pulled up my stats by another couple of levels, and had looked through the dossiers Allie had compiled for me. Besides the Merchants, E88, and the ABB, there were a number of other possible threats I hadn't really thought about. Coil was rumored to be a non-powered gang leader with a force of mercenaries, Circus was an independent thief, Frenetic was a mover who specialized in B&E, and Trainwreck was a monster cape Tinker out in the Trainyards. Then there was the mercenary group led by Faultline, and the New Wave, who made up the other two active parahuman groups. Along with a few independent parahumans who weren't definitively heroes or villains, I'd gotten a pretty good overview of those capes who I might run into on my patrols.
Over breakfast, Dad grilled me over the capacity of my shield to absorb items and generate new abilities. He'd outright ordered me to take our dinky first aid kit and absorb it, though the resulting 'Band-Aid Buckler' only granted the Ability 'Stabilize', no proper healing spells. Still, it also allowed me to use the First Aid skill, so we weren't complaining that much.
Dad's departure coincided with my own. While he went to work, I'd jogged out to a few martial arts 'academies' to find something which could grant the Basic Martial Arts skill.
I'd been less than impressed by the 'Masters' of those academies, though. Most either had E88 or ABB affiliations, two were drunkards, and of the rest, most would report my interest to the PRT if I demonstrated a hint of unusual abilities. Judicious use of Observe allowed me to make it through casing each location without revealing any details, but didn't get me any closer to unlocking the basic martial arts skill.
I'd had to cut my search short to make it to my engagement on time. Reaching the front steps, I ascended up to the door, and gave a gentle knock. It wasn't long before the sound of footsteps reached my ears, and I watched the door open.
Zoe Barnes looked back at me, her face twisting for a moment. "Taylor?" Her voice came out in a quiet whisper. "It's... " She sighed, and as I watched, she shook her head. "I wish we were meeting under better circumstances."
My lips tightened as I read the placement of her shoulders, the tilt of her head. Without thinking, I stepped forward, pulling her into a hug. She seemed startled, for a moment- then wrapped her own arms around me. As she began to sob, I stepped forward, closing the door behind me.
-[0]-
"When we found out what had- what Emma had done to you, I didn't want to believe it at first." Mrs. Barnes spoke softly, her eyes still red with tears. "It seemed impossible that my little girl could do such a thing." She sniffed, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. "Then the school board found those emails, her texts, the plans for the locker-" She stumbled over the last word, glancing up, catching the tightening of my lips.
"You didn't know?" I softened the bite in my words. I'd hidden being bullied for over a year, so it wasn't inconceivable that Emma was able to do the same across the mirror.
"No. Not until… not until she broke down." Mrs. Barnes said. "When Sophia was taken away." She frowned. "Until her friend was gone, she'd continued to deny everything, and Alan was throwing everything out there to keep them both out of trouble. But as soon as Sophia was dragged off, and we were told she wasn't going to come back to Winslow, Emma started… cracking. She yelled and screamed, then went quiet." Mrs. Barnes shook her head. "It was like the earth had been pulled from beneath her."
I glanced up at her, across the living room table. "Why was she so fixated on Sophia? Do you know?"
She was silent for a moment, and then spoke softly. "I still don't know the whole story. Alan said he can't talk about some of it. But you deserve an answer." She sighed. "Before your first year in high school, Emma was… attacked. The ABB ambushed Emma and Alan on their way home from a party. He- he said she came very close to being…" She looked down at her hands.
"Shit." It took a few seconds to realize that my voice had spoken. "What happened next?"
"She was saved by a vigilante." Her mouth tensed. "A girl named Shadow Stalker." As I tensed, she continued. "But Emma was… a wreck." She let out a long sigh. "She spent days in her room, wouldn't eat, barely talked to either of us. Then, about a week later, Sophia showed up on our doorstep."
I tried to relax, but was barely able to ease myself down from interjecting as she continued. "Sophia managed to get Emma talking again, drew her out of her shell. It… I didn't want to question it. Didn't want to get her talking about it, when what happened to her hurt her so badly. Then she came home, and told us you didn't want to come around anymore, and I didn't question it. Your father had become withdrawn after…"
"Mom died." My voice was bitter. For a moment I felt content to let the silence hang, but something told me that would end the conversation sooner than I'd like. "Dad's doing better, these days, but… I didn't want to burden him with what happened to me."
Mrs. Barnes sat back. "That doesn't work. A burden shared is a burden lightened." She sighed. "And I thought Sophia would do it. Help Emma rise up, get over what happened to her."
"And instead…"
Mrs. Barnes shook her head. "I don't know what Sophia said to her, what she told Emma to get her back on her feet. And although I can't help but hate what she did to you, and convinced Emma to do with her, I'm still grateful for that." At my startled look, she looked down at her hands. "What she did kept my little girl from wasting away." Her hands clenched. "I just wish she hadn't forced you away in the process." Looking up, she gave a wry smile. "I'm sorry I don't have the answers you want, Taylor."
I slipped into my powers for a moment, letting tricks of the tongue slip into my throat. After a long moment, I spoke softly. "You've told me everything you can. I can't ask for anything more."
After a second, she shook her head. "No. There's one more thing." Mrs. Barnes set her shoulders. "Taylor, I failed you. I was so focused on Emma that I never reached out to your family, even after what happened to Annette." She paused. "Alan told me that you're moving on, heading to Arcadia. Please, Taylor- don't be a stranger. You were family, and I hate that it took this disaster to remind me of that. I can't apologize enough for what happened, and I hope-" She gave a sniff, her resolve shaking "-I hope you'll accept my apology."
Standing, I walked over to her, and drew her into a hug. (Jeez, I'd been huggy lately...) I spoke softly. "I don't have enough family to throw away any of them, Aunt Zoe. It's why I didn't try to get away from Emma for so long. I wanted my sister back."
Zoe tightened her grip on me. "I wish my little girl would come back, too. I don't like the person she's become." She choked out. "Thank you, Taylor."
--[0]--
Dad glanced in the rearview mirror. "I expected a little more indignation from you, Taylor. Seems like you forgave her pretty easily."
I sighed. "I told her the truth, dad. Emma never told Aunt Zoe what happened, and from the sound of things, neither did Mr. Barnes. She never intervened to help me because she never knew anything was wrong, and…"
Dad popped me a grin in the rearview mirror. "I'm just glad you didn't inherit my temper, Taylor."
"I did." My voice hardened. "But… I'm not going to let myself lash out at those who are just trying to help me. And I'm not going to burn any bridges because I'm upset." I shook my head. "I may have been the victim of this whole mess, but it's not as simple as black and white. Emma may have hurt me, Mr. Barnes covered for her- but that doesn't mean Zoe deserves my ire."
Dad paused. "Ire?"
I shrugged. "I've been reading through your DM guides. There's bound to be some vocabulary leak."
Dad nodded, turning down a side street. "Understandable. Your mother was the same way when she was grading papers." He sighed as he pulled into an abandoned gas station. "Alright. Do you have everything you might need?"
I nodded cautiously. Dad had come home after my errands bearing gifts. He'd handed me a motorcycle helmet and a bulletproof vest, with orders to wear them while I was exploring the forge. When I'd asked, he'd admitted to swinging by a secondhand consignment and an army surplus store, and also handed me a wilderness survival and basic self-defense handbook.
Dad had also insisted on driving me to the forge. He'd apologized for not being able to swing me the use of a workshop at the DWU. I'd barely caught his mutterings about mothballed workspaces and bean counters, but that was enough to let me know that office politics and resource management were culpable for the block.
Opening the car door, I slid out onto the street, slipping into the shadows of the alcove. I switched into my cape costume (now integrating my new helmet and vest) and moved around the building. Dad and I had mapped out the best route to the site of the old forge, and he'd dropped me two blocks away, with a route which took me through several discreet alleyways.
As I walked, I heard a quiet ringing, and tapped the icon to accept the call. Dad had been against owning cell phones for years, but he'd pushed through his fears so he could stay connected. As soon as he'd turned on the phone, a new number had appeared in my contacts list.
"Taylor, I'm headed back to my office for the evening. Remember, checkups every hour, on the hour, understood?"
"Got it, Dad." I muttered, moving forward. "I'm almost to the forge, no sign of activity. I should be fine."
"Good. Stay safe, Taylor."
"Thanks." I cut the call, moving out of the shadow of the alleys. Ahead, the historic workshop complex loomed in front of me, multiple buildings cordoned off by a corroded iron fence. Multiple spots were broken down, but that only made it easier to get into the former industrial yard.
As I hopped the fence, however, the world seemed to twist and warp. For an instant, the graffiti covered buildings before me shimmered- only to fade away. In their place were the same buildings, but instead of spray-paint dabbed walls and trash-littered ground, creeping vines and swirling dust met my gaze. Glancing behind, me nearly expecting an attack, I instead staggered forward, away from the sheer drop into endless swirling white which appeared behind me.
As I caught my breath, a harsh chime sounded, and the shimmer of a popup appeared before me. My eyes widened as I beheld the box before me. The comforting green glow of my powers was absent- instead, a harsh crimson light spawned before me.
You have entered a Quest Dungeon
The world bows to the whims of your powers- but it does not bow ubiquitously. It tests, it challenges- and one such challenge faces you now.
This place is now out of sync with reality- a pocket of space accessible to you, those with you, and those with the power to bend space at whim. There are monsters here, spawned in order to challenge you- and to reclaim this place for your use, you must defeat them.
And this is not the only dungeon you shall face.
Quest Dungeons are places where your powers wish to challenge you to complete a quest. Most times, this involves 'clearing' an area or claiming an objective, at which point the dungeon will 'stabilize' until you leave the area.
World Dungeons are wild or abandoned places where the world will produce situationally appropriate monsters for you to face- although you may or may not be able to face them. World Dungeons may fade and return over time, and will slowly restock monsters. Unlike quest dungeons, finding World Dungeons may take time and effort, or appropriate skills.
Crafted Dungeons are dimensional shunts created by Parahuman powers, altered by your presence. Unlike the above dungeons, Crafted dungeons obey the layout and enemy composition of their real-world counterpart, and are only sustained and mapped by your abilities.
Mirror Dungeons are gateways into other worlds, usually wild or untamed areas with monsters, hazards, or both. There are few rules which hold steady from instance to instance of Mirror Dungeons.
All Dungeons may be fled with the appropriate ability; but there may be conditions or specific locations you must reach before you can flee. Using the 'Dungeon Escape' Ability or 'Planar Walk' Ability may allow you to exit a dungeon at any time, although other methods of escape are possible with various dungeons.
In addition to Dungeons, there are three battlegrounds you may encounter as you continue your journey, set in the real world, that are accessible to anyone- but are marked as separate zones to your power.
Wargrounds are places in the midst of major turmoil, where two or more forces clash at the same time. A decisive victory or loss will result in alteration of the area, and your power will remain engaged until the battle has ended. Endbringer battles, the site of gang wars, and traditional battlefields are all Wargrounds of one type or another.
Citadels are places of power for major organizations; as a rule, any activity you commit in a citadel will become known to the faction as a whole unless the utmost stealth is invoked. Citadels are not necessarily warzones, but careless activity within is not wise. The PRT headquarters, the Rig, the Ruby Dreams Casino, and the Red Eagle Bier Hall are all Citadels in Brockton Bay.
Wastelands are places where parahuman activity has destroyed any chance of a normal life. Considered some of the most dangerous locations in the world, Wastelands will automatically invoke a major quest upon entry- one whose clearance will remove the stigma of the Wasteland from existence. These challenges are not for the faint of heart or the weak of body. Ellisburg, Eagleton, Madison, and Moscow are all well-know Wastelands.
Click to shrink...
Quest Dungeon: The Abandoned Forge
Clear: Defeat all Ashwinders, Soot Elementals, and the Forge Spirit
As I dismissed the popup, I set my shoulders. "Allie, could you warn me before something like this next time?"
New Message
Allie: I had no idea this would happen. Be careful, Taylor. I don't know if you'll actually be able to die in here, and I don't want to find out.
I nodded, and then activated my shield, swapping to the Holy Shield to maximize my defense. "Right. Well, I did need some combat practice."
New Message
Allie: I think your dad meant sparring, not fighting mythical creatures.
I hesitated, searching the area. At the edge of the swirling expanse, framed by pillars which should support the old front gates, a swirling gate of light looked out over the street I'd left behind. That would be the exit, then.
Steadying myself, I turned towards the abandoned structures. "Forward, then." Advancing, I stepped into my first dungeon.As I moved forward, I started scanning the area, letting my gaze pass over the ground and walls around me. The forge complex wasn't very big, maybe a hundred yards on one side of the property and fifty on the other, but in this distorted world there was far more empty space. I figured that there were plenty of nooks and crannies for the monsters to hide in, and supposed that my first opponents would come out of the buildings around me.
That lasted until I stepped forward, and one of the whirling clouds of dust darkened, resolving into a massive serpent. With a hiss, the python-sized beast lashed out, open jaw glowing orange with heat.
I yelped, stumbling backward- but [Auto-Defend] kicked in, my shield darting up to block the blow. With a clash, my health dropped by a few points, but no more.
As the creature reared back, I let out a loud breath. What the hell was this thing? "Shit- Observe!"(False) Ashwinder
Level 5 Serpent (Elemental, Manifestation)
HP: 120/120
Attack: 45
Defense: 10
Stats:
Str: 15
End: 12
Agl: 22
Int: 5
Wis: 10
Luk: N/A
Status:
False: (This creature is a manifestation of the dungeon, not a living being. It cannot be tamed, captured, or negotiated with, and cannot persist outside of the dungeon.)
Burning Core (Takes additional damage from cold and water attacks, but no damage from fire)
A serpent born from unchecked flmes, comprised of ash and soot. It has no true venom, but its bite causes severe burns. It will collapse back into the ash it was born from unless it finds new sources of heat or life to feed off of. Its eggs are sterile, unless planted within the coals of a bonfire, but are useful in potion brewing regardless.
Click to shrink...As I scanned through the information, the Ashwinder reared back for another bite. I hopped backward, causing it to overextend, then stepped forward, smashing my shield into its body. With a hiss, it staggered back, sixteen points dropping off its health.
I grimaced. I was doing more damage to it than it was to me, but any damage I took would carry to the next fight, and I had no idea how many enemies were hiding in the forge yard. I'd need to fight cautiously.
With a hiss, the serpent dropped down, slithering forward nearly as fast as I could move. With an oath, I slammed the shield down, cutting it off from reaching my legs, causing it to circle towards my limbs. I lashed out with a kick, knocking it back, then raised my free hand. I might as well try this-
"Needle Spray!"
A hail of tiny projectiles erupted from my hand, piercing the hide of the serpent. With a loud hiss, it recoiled, letting me lift my shield. Moving forward, I smashed the shield into the serpent's body, causing it further damage, and pinning it in place. As it struggled, I lifted my foot, smashing down on it and causing into burst into powder.
I sighed as the Ashwinder died. One monster down, and it hadn't taken me much effort to finish it off. As I caught my breath, a small pop up appeared before me.
Combat Completed!
Ashwinder (1): 35 EXP awarded
Unlocked: Combat Statistics (Character Tab)
1/15 Ashwinders defeated
I blanched as I read the text. The battle had only taken four health off my pool, but I'd used a little less than ten percent of my MP to kill it. If there were another fourteen of those snakes running around, or worse, waiting to ambush me, I'd run through what remained of my MP in no time.
However, the EXP gain was tremendous. Seriously, 35 EXP was more than a fifth of what I needed to level. I'd only need to kill two more snakes to level up. And that might up my damage output a little bit.
Dismissing the windows, I hesitated as I glanced across the abandoned yard. I'd passed several ash piles and whirls of dust before I'd triggered the ambush, but I'd rather not walk into another one of the serpents without being able to prepare. I narrowed my gaze and cast Observe on another dust mound.
Mound of Dust
A heap of ash, representing the massive amounts of coal and wood burned in the forge over the decades.I grimaced as my gaze tracked between different mounds of dust. Any of the swirling dust clouds could hold another ambush. I didn't need much information about each one, but even a small hint could put me on guard. I began to rapidly cast observe, my gaze flickering between each pile of dust. Sure, it'd run through my mana, but that was better than an ambush…
*Ding*
Repeated use of the Observe Ability has unlocked a new Skill
Passive Skill: Insight has been unlocked
Insight (Level 1: 0.00% to next level, Level 20 max)
Critical during long fights and interactions, Insight slowly fills a secondary gauge (Hint Meter) as long as you study or watch a target. When the gauge fills, the next level of the target's data profile will be filled in, as though you've Observed the target at a level capable of discerning a few more facts about the subject in question. Insight fills fastest in combat or close study, and it's effectiveness drops the higher the opponent's level relative to Insight's effective level, (your level + Insight's level) and requires more time to unlock each 'level' of information.
Insight also alters your perceptions, allowing you to constantly see any 'basic' unlocked information about nearby creatures, people, and enemies.
Bonuses
Level 5: Insight and Observe now identify weak points on targets
Level 8: unlocks Analysis Focus knowledge skill
Level 12: unlocks the 'Deconstruction Analysis' Active Skill
Level 20: gain the 'Sherlock's Legacy' Title
Click to shrink...
Insight to the Blind Quest Completed!
You can see much more now, with a little effort.
Reward: Another step closer to being ready.
Bonus Reward: [Active Insight]
[Active Insight] (2 SP) (1/5): Boosts the effective level of Observe and Insight by Five
Click to shrink...
I squinted as my vision blurred for a moment, before resolving back to normal. The ash piles I'd looked over now had tiny blue lights hanging above them, and when I focused on them, the Observe Text box popped back up near me. After a few moments I absently dismissed the box, sweeping my gaze across the field.
Most of the piles, upon glancing over them, exposed their names; they consistently appeared as 'Ash Pile' or 'Swirling Ash Cloud.' However, there were a few piles that didn't have a marker. I cast Observe towards the nearest one.
Coiled Ashwinder
An Ashwinder coiled beneath a drift of soot. Will leap out if approached.
Walking towards the pile of ash, I took a combat stance as I approached, advancing as quietly as I could. As I got within a few feet, the pile resolved into another Ashwinder, which hissed as it rose before me. Not giving it a chance to advance, I stepped forward, slamming the bottom of my shield onto the serpent. Stunned, it rocked back, letting me swing forward a second time.
As the snake recovered, I stepped back, then thrust outward with my shield, interposing it between me and the attacking serpent. As it rebounded from the shield, I moved forward, smashing my foot into its hide. As I stomped on it, it dissolved into a cloud of dust, a quiet ding echoing as my hit landed.
Critical Hit! X3 damage inflicted
Combat Completed!
Ashwinder (1): 35 EXP awarded
2/15 Ashwinders defeated
As I stood over the ashes of the serpent, most dissipated. However, this time a few ashes coalesced into a tiny shape. Reaching down, I lifted the marble-sized object, looking it over, then casting Observe.
Fire Essence (Lesser)
A small core of primordial fire energy. Can be used as part of certain spells and rituals, as well as in crafting. Harvested from weak fire monsters.
I arched an eyebrow as I dropped the essence into my inventory. That was interesting. But not really useful right now. Still, if I could collect something like this, maybe there was a reason beyond training to seek out other dungeons.
I paused as I passed my gaze over the mounds of dust which I'd marked. I cast Observe again, focusing on a different patch of ground.
Ash-Covered Object
An unknown object, buried under a drift of soot.
I frowned, walking to the ash-covered mound, then crouched to sift through the dust. As I started to clear the soot away, it blew upward in a swirling cloud. As the dust vanished, a small wooden crate stained grey with age appeared beneath my fingertips. I blinked, then spoke aloud. "Seriously? A chest?" I shook my head. "I mean, I'm not complaining, but isn't this a bit much?"
New Message
Allie: Less talk, more cracking open the goods, Taylor.
I nodded, lifting the lid of the box. "Let's see, then." I blinked. "Allie, am I seeing things?"
New Message
Allie: Nope. Five 'Grape-flavored' Energy Tonics, and three 'Nut-and-Fruit' Health Bars.
Lifting one of the energy shots up, I frowned. "Did the game just provide me with mana potions and healthpacks?" Shaking my head, I pocketed the loot. "Whatever. Might be useful, I guess."
As I dropped the consumables into my inventory, I walked towards the nearest ash pile, raising my shield. The Ashwinder's leap from the dust was deflected backward, and I trotted forward, slamming the Holy Shield into its prone form. Then, without warning, the Shield swung around without my input, shuddering slightly as forty pounds of snake crashed into it.
I flinched as a second ashwinder was sent spinning into the dust. As I'd advanced, I'd missed that my movement had taken me into range of a second ash pile, allowing a second Ashwinder to ambush me. Only [Auto-Defend] had prevented me from taking a full blow from the leaping bite. As I stumbled backward, the serpent recovered from the deflection, coiling upwards into position for another bite.
As I set my feet to guard against the new serpent, the first ashwinder slithered towards me. I frowned, then slammed the shield down, firing off a Pushback.
Both serpents took minor damage and were sent backwards, landing several yards from me. I took the opportunity to send a Needle Spray at the first serpent, tiny metal shards sinking into the spirit's flesh. As it recovered, I ran over, and stomped down on its skull, dealing more damage, before slamming the bottom edge of my shield into its form. The last hit was too much of it, and it crumpled- but as I began to rise, fire burned through me as something bit into the back of my calf.
Spinning awkwardly, I confronted the second Ashwinder. The bite had bled off nearly a fourth of my heath. And worse-
Status Effect
Fiery Venom- Lesser: deals 2 points of fire damage per second, over 30 seconds. Increases vulnerability to fire damage by 25%.
It had also inflicted me with a status effect. One which would bring me down to near half HP. The serpent slithered backwards out of range of my retaliation strike, but it gave me the breathing room I needed to recover.
I quickly switched to the Band-Aid Buckler, and cast Stabilize on myself. Stabilize didn't actually remove status effects or heal me, but did apply a buff which prevented damage-over-time health loss due to status effects (up to 10 hp at first level). That saved me from burning to death, and staunched the pain, but it wouldn't do more than keep me alive.
As I finished, I swapped back to the Holy Shield. The Ashwinder had come upright again, and lashed out with another bite. I caught the bite on my shield, but as soon as it finished the bite, it reared back and spat a thin tongue of flame at me. Yipping, I scrambled backward to avoid the fire shot at my eyes. As it finished breathing at me, it paused, giving me the chance to push forward. Coiled as high as it was, I was able to easily smash its face with my shield.
The serpent hissed as it recoiled, and I took the opportunity to rush in, pummeling it with the Holy Shield. As I struck, it finally broke apart, scattering ash across that already present on the ground.
As it died, I relaxed, setting myself back on my heels. A few seconds later, several familiar green boxes appeared before me.
Combat Completed!
Ashwinder (2): 70 EXP awarded
4/15 Ashwinders defeated
Congratulations! You're now Level 4!
Mastery Bleed applied to 'Holy Shield' and 'Band-Aid Buckler'
'Holy Shield' Mastered
You've gained two points of END
You've gained 5 Stat points. Spend them wisely.
You've gained 1 SP.
Click to shrink...
For leveling up, The Gamer's Body has increased by 1
The Holy Shield Quest Complete
As the Holy Shield grows in power, new functions can be unlocked, and more secrets shall be revealed.
Rewards: 200 EXP, 'The Holy Weapons' Lore Unlocked, 'Holy Shield' Lore Unlocked, 'The Gamer' Lore Unlocked, Medium Shield Promotion now available
Click to shrink...
Leaps and Bounds Quest Complete
You're getting stronger and stronger, but right now you're only up to par. Let's see just how much further you shall someday go…
Rewards: {Muscle Surge}
Bonus Reward: Agility is above 20! Gained Ability{Combat Roll}
Click to shrink...
Practice Makes Perfect Quest Complete
You've figured out the basics. Now you just need gear and experience, and you're on your way to becoming a credible threat.
Reward: {Raise the Barrier}, Alternate Loadout Slot Unlocked
Click to shrink...
As I glance over the windows, my gaze darted up to my health bar, which had refilled as soon as I'd leveled. So leveling up gave me a full refill to my health and mana? That might be useful at some point, but I did note that I couldn't level up in-combat. I set my shoulders. "Right. Well, on to the next fight, I guess…"
--[0]--
I sighed as I leaned up against a brick wall, The courtyard had taken some time to clear out, but I'd eventually fallen into an effective rhythm. Ambushing each Ashwinder one at a time had quickly cut down the number of waiting enemies, while the two remaining chests I'd found had contained a selection of metal ingots and a small bag of tiny, semi-precious stones. In the process, I'd gained another level, so once I finished the courtyard, I paused to check my status… and call dad to let him know about what I was doing.
Dad had been miffed that it wouldn't just be a simple in-and-out, but he'd been far more agreeable when he heard all that I was facing was a few weird snakes. I'd let him know that i was fine, and that I'd back off if anything too dangerous happened. He'd responded that he expected me to know my limits, and asked that if I was out too late, that I bring doughnuts back for keeping him up all night.
Shaking my head, I tapped through the menu, taking a look at my stats list.
Taylor Hebert (Heraldry, Rookie Cape)
Level 5 Chosen of the Shield (365/600 EXP) (5)
Race: Human (Parahuman)
Health: 200/200
MP: 220/220
Stats:
Str: 16
End: 20
Agl: 21
Int: 22
Wis: 16 (18 - 2 Debuff)
Luk: ?
Stat Points: 20
Perk Points: 1 (Standard)
Status Effects:
Slight Depression: (Wis -2, negative mental buffs erode at half speed)
Betrayed: (Positive Relationship gains reduced by 50%, negative relationship gains increased by 50%)
Power Anxiety (Suppressed): (No effects yet)
Click to shrink...
I took a few moments to look over my new abilities. {Muscle Surge} allowed me to burn 20 Mana to increase one of my physical stats by four for five minutes, allowing me to quickly buff my own stats in a pinch. {Combat Roll} taught me how to tumble and come to my feet without pause, while it's activated effect burned MP to provide me with a defensive boost while tumbling, as well as increasing the speed of my roll. {Raise the Barriers} burned MP to create a temporary shield all around me, based off the defensive bonus provided my my shield. All told, the new abilities increased my by combat capabilities, but none of them were real powerhouses on their own; each seemed like they would mesh well with other abilities or powers that I had yet to unlock.
Moving back into my inventory, I pulled up my character sheet. Apparently, 'Alternate Loadout' allowed me to set a preset outfit, allowing me to instantly switch between two outfits outside of combat. That would make getting my Cape outfit and armor on much easier.
Finally, I flicked my way over to the 'Arsenal' tab. As I did so, a new tutorial popped up.
Shield Mastery and Sizes
While some shields (particularly those derived from civilian or unorthodox sources) cannot be upgraded past their base state, most combat shields can be upgraded to increase their stats. Once an appropriate shield has been mastered at its Small size, you can choose to 'Promote' a shield, increasing its size and stats. Promoting a shield does trigger the same cooldown timer as unlocking a new one, so you shouldn't just jump to upgrade the first available shield.
Shields come in four sizes, and shields with multiple sizes can freely swap between them in the same manner as swapping distinct shields.
Small Shields: simple bucklers and shields which provide little protection relative to others. There are, however, multiple perks and abilities which function better with small shields, but that may or may not make up for the lack of power. However, some of these shields can be 'side-promoted' to become caster-type shields, meant for mages.
Medium Shields: heater and kite shields which provide decent protection. These are considered 'standard' combat shields, and have a good balance of weight and defense. These shields often come with bonuses to offensive actions, particularly with paired weapons, or special abilities.
Large Shields: large and heavy shields which were intended for frontline fighters. Aspis and large heater shields make up the majority of these heavy defensive options. While these shields were still meant to be wielded by warriors, their size and weight often causes lowered mobility and attack power, in return for hefty defense boosts.
Tower Shields: massive shields which cover the entire body, such as the modern riot shield and scutum. These shields always come with a mobility cost and some come with offensiver and casting restriction.
Click to shrink...
I raised an eyebrow, sliding back the new help menu and tapping the Holy Shield. A new icon appeared beside the shield, one that showed an upward pointing arrow. I tapped it, curious as to the new stats for my first shield.
Seconds later, my shield shifted into the Holy Shield, then grew, becoming a much larger kite-shaped barrier two feet long. There was a familiar ding, and a pair of new boxes appeared before me.
Holy Shield (Medium) Upgraded
Mastery Level reset
Defense: 50
[Auto-Defend] Unchanged
[Defense Up (Small)] Rank Increased
[Lesser Pain Resistance] Rank Increased
New Quest!
Bigger and Better
You've unlocked the Medium shield upgrade. Unlocking Large Shields will be a little trickier.
Task: unlock and master several Medium shields to grant access to Large shields.
*Upgrade two additional shields to Medium size
*Master three Medium Shields
*Use a medium shield in 10 separate combats without switching to a different shield
Rewards: Large Shield Upgrades enabled, 2000 EXP
Click to shrink...
Nodding, I shifted the Holy Shield on my arm. The upgrade would be useful, especially since the it'd take longer to gain levels as I advanced. The amount of EXP I'd needed to advance from level two to three had been tripled from the EXP I'd needed to get from one to two, and it had doubled each time I'd leveled since then. At this point, I'd have to slay seventeen or more ashwinders to level up once, and that would double again with the next level. That would mean much less frequent restoration to my HP and MP, so the defensive bonuses offered by the new shield would be useful.
I took a few more minutes to look over my new combat stats.
Combat Statistics
Combat Level: 5
Equipment Scale: 1.15
Attack: 20 (16 + 0 + 4)
Defense: 82 (11 + 15 + 6 + 50)
Parry Reduction: 50%
I frowned, tapping three of the names, allowing Halp boxes to appear.
Halp: Combat Level
The current 'fighting level' of the assessed character. Normally simply the level of the user, some effects can impact this level, affecting the amount of EXP earned. Some exceptions include 'No-Class' individuals, who are always treated as being at level one, or individuals fighting with grossly overpowered or underpowered equipment (See Equipment Scale)
Halp: Equipment Scale
All weapons and equipment have a hidden 'effectiveness value' which differs from person to person. This indicates the expected level of the character who would wield such a weapon given that character's build. Equipping items with too high or low effectiveness value relative to the user's will result in alterations to the wielder's combat level. Equipment Scale levels range from 0 to 3, while any value between 0.5 and 1.5 is considered normal.
The Holy Shield, other Holy weapons, and similar 'soulbound' equipment are not considered when evaluating Equipment Scale.
Parry Reduction
The amount taken damage is reduced when blocked by a shield or parried by a weapon, before defense reduction.
Click to shrink...
I nodded, closing the screens. There was one last thing left to do before I headed inside. I tapped into the Character tab. This time, instead of a short list of perks, I was presented with several drop-down menus. Apparently, 'normal' perks were divided into categories: Combat, Utility, Crafting, Advancement, Spellcraft, and Miscellaneous.
I could see a wide range of available perks (some of which looked very useful) but many were locked despite being visible. Many had prerequisites I hadn't achieved. There were also a lot of perks which were hidden from inspection altogether. Of the perks which were available, their usefulness ranged from 'very useful' to 'situational at best'. I wasn't certain why I'd ever want to force an opponent into a disco-themed dance-off, or why someone would want to waste a perk to make their armor constantly shiny.
In the end, only three perks seemed like good choices for me, given my options; one from the Combat section, one from the Utility section, and one from the Advancement section.
*Untapped Potential: Gain an additional Stat Point every odd level.
*Mercenary's Benediction: Increases the chance to receive drop items, and adds an additional chance to receive fungibles upon defeating an enemy.
*Wax On...: all unarmed combat skills level 50% faster, and unarmed abilities deal 10% more damage
Click to shrink...
Untapped Potential seemed really useful, since it increased the number of Stat points I recieved by ten percent. But it didn't offer me much in the way of immediate benefits, and I wouldn't receive any benefit until level 7. I was, however, curious about the two perks whose ??? symbols blinked when I hovered over the 'Acquire Perk' button. I suspected those perks would only become available once I unlocked Untapped Potential.
Mercenary's Benediction seemed very useful. Dad and I had limited funds, and getting more loot would mean I wouldn't need to strain our finances to fund my future heroic career. However, considering that I wasn't certain how common future dungeons would be, I wasn't sure I should grab something which would never see use. Wax On wouldn't improve the damage I inflicted with my shield, but it would improve the damage done with punches or kicks.
After a few moments thought, I tapped 'Untapped Potential'. It would have long-run benefits, and the extra skill point I'd get at level seven would be worth putting off getting [Wax On].
With that accomplished, I turned towards the door to the first building in the forge complex. Hopefully, things would remain straightforward, but moving into the confines of the building promised to be trouble. Trying the handle, I found it latched. I popped the lock using my lockpicking skill, and pulled open the heavy wooden door. Moving into the building, swore under my breath as Insight passed over drifts of soot and sheet-covered equipment. This was going to be tricky.
As I stepped forward, I reached over and peered beneath one of the sheets. A low trough stained black with soot peered back at me. Removing the next cloth revealed a stack of rusted iron lengths, fused together by time and the elements. As I advanced, a clattering came from above.
Dodging backwards, I watched as one of the few steel barrels suspended from chains came loose, dumping what appeared to be a pile of charred wood and broken iron bits before me. As I hesitated, the pile rose up, sparks lighting a sputtering glow in the middle of a loose humanoid form. I quickly cast Observe.
(False) Soot Elemental
Level 6 Elemental (Humanoid, Manifestation)
HP: 100
MP: 150
Attack: 25
Defense: 20
Stats:
Str: 12
End: 10
Agl: 30
Int: 15
Wis: 13
Luk: N/A
Status:
False: (This creature is a manifestation of the dungeon, not a living being. It cannot be tamed, captured, or negotiated with, and cannot persist outside of the dungeon.)
Burning Core+ (Takes additional damage from cold and water attacks, but heals from fire damage)
Once an elemental of wood, it became one of fire with its transition into coal and ash. Now long cold, it seeks life energy or clean fire to restore itself. It is capable of casting spells to restore itself or burn opponents.
Click to shrink...
As I watched, the elemental moaned, swinging an arm up to gesture at me, long claws comprised of charred wood and scraps of iron wrapped in flickering flames. It gestured forward, and a small shot of fire roared from its fingers, splashing off my hastily raised shield. Stepping forward, I hammered my fist into it, knocking it back.
As I started forward, however, crackling noises around me caused me to pause. I glanced to my left, then hurriedly interposed my shield between a second bolt of flames flying from another elemental on my left. Measured, irregular footsteps behind me warned me of the approach of a third monster, and the hiss of rising flames warned me of imminent attack.
I rolled backward, executing a combat roll to clear the small fireball which had threatened to slam into me. As I came up into a crouch, one of the new arrivals smashed the wounded elemental with a fireball, causing the cracks in its hide to harden and vanish. Coming upright, my eyes narrowed as the three elementals fanned out, each summoning a fresh fireball.
I grimaced, checking my opponents' mana regeneration. It wasn't huge, but they would be able to keep blasting each other to restore their health for some time.. If this turned into a war of attrition, I would be at a distinct disadvantage. I needed to push forward, and take at least one of them out.
I charged forward, bracing behind my shield, knocking through and then over the first elemental I'd encountered. Raising my boot, I brought it down upon the prone figure, smashing off chunks of its health with each blow. After two stomps, I leapt to the side and rolled away from the fallen figure, dodging two fire blasts, then came up in a crouch, raising my hand and sending a Needle Spray into the fallen enemy. I winced as the needles barely pricked at the health of my foe- Needle Spray wasn't nearly as effective against enemies with any noticeable armor.
I dodged again as one of the elementals leapt forward, flaming claws scything through the space I'd occupied moments before. I moved towards the rising elemental, and grimaced, leaping over it, and interposing my shield between it and the fireball sent by the one elemental hanging back. I then spun, slamming the shield into the rising enemy, shattering it into a hail of broken wood and firey pieces.
Taking the opportunity to defeat one foe left me open. One of the elementals took the opportunity to mash my back with a flaming claw. Pain raced through me, and I staggered forward, barely interposing my shield to intercept a second swing from in front. I rolled to the side a third time, leaving the two unharmed elementals to swing towards me, raising their claws to swing. I slammed forward, knocking one back and driving my shield upward, cracking it's jaw shut, then following up with a strike to its torso. I kept my shield held high, and drove forward, forcing it back several steps and carrying it out of range of the third elemental's swipes.
Reaching upward, I grappled the elemental's claws with my free hand. For a few seconds, I held still, one hand occupied holding my foe, the other bracing my shield, uncertain of what to do. Finally I reared my head back and slammed the crown of my helmet into the spot the monster's nose should have been.
Ow. Apparently, I took a few points of damage doing that. I did a lot more, but headbutting someone hurts, I guess. As the elemental collapsed, I hopped over it's sprawled form, raising my shield in time to intercept yet another fireball arching my way. As I deflected the incoming fireball, I brought my boot down on the prone elemental, smashing it repeatedly beneath my boot.
As the second elemental finally died, I spun, fixing my gaze upon the third. It lurched forward, swinging its claw at me. I moved forward, intercepting its swipe with my shield, then lashed out with a punch, only to jerk my fist back and stumbled backward at sudden, oppressive heat.
The elemental was no longer a charred figure- instead, it roared with flames, waves of heat rolling off its body as it advanced. I backed off, my breathing coming faster and faster. How was I supposed to beat it now?
Ding.
New Message
Allie: Taylor, stay calm and check its stats.
I hesitated, then looked again, my panic turning to confusion. The Elemental's MP was dropping rapidly- the new technique must burn energy rapidly. As I watched, the elemental's MP hit zero; and then it's HP began to slowly drop. I sighed, backing off, only to yelp as it suddenly charged at me, trying to draw me into a burning bear hug. Rolling to one side, I watched it slide to a halt, furiously lashing out with its claws.
I dodged backward, deflecting one claw off my shield. It charged a second time, forcing me to pull off another combat roll. As I came to my feet, however, I watched as the last of the elemental's MP fizzle out. The creature screamed as the flamed that it had kindled went out, leaving it a simple charred husk. As it staggered, I rushed forward, slamming my fist into its torso. It crumbled as my hit landed.
Breathing hard, I waited a few moments. As my breathing calmed, the quiet was disrupted by a cheerful 'ding.'
Combat Completed!
Soot Elemental (3): 120 EXP rewarded
18$ Awarded
3/10 Soot Elementals Defeated
I blinked. "Wait, what?"
Checking my inventory, I found that the previously flat 'money' readout of my inventory now read as having 18 US Dollars stored. Now that I thought about it, what was in my wallet had never registered in my inventory, whenever I'd bothered to drop the money in.
Now beside the cash button was a small green dollar sign with a red arrow beside it. Tapping it, I hesitantly pulled out a crisp 10$ bill. Could my power make money from thin air?
I shook my head, putting the money back. I'd worry about that later, once I'd finished clearing the forge. Moving forward, I slowed as a message popped up.
New Message
Allie: Taylor,could we break for a moment? You need to recover your MP, and I want to ask you a couple of questions.
I checked my MP gauge, blanching as I read how low it'd gotten. Using Combat roll had saved my butt from being roasted, but I was down to the dregs of my MP. I was also feeling rather tired- a little time off my feet would be good for me.
Sweeping over the room with Insight, I started moving to pull the cloth off each piece of swaddled machinery. "Sure, I guess. Let me check the room for any stragglers first, though."
New Message
Okay. Ring me up when you're done.
I nodded absently, moving through the room. I paused to scoop up a couple of pieces of 'Elemental Ashes' from the corpses of the monsters (though I had no idea where the tiny grey bags came from as I reached to spoon the ashes into my inventory. I was writing it off as 'power bullshit' and moving on, at this point.) and uncovered a chest containing a 'Comprehensive Medical Kit', which I stashed in my inventory. While I was scouting the room, I also found a hidden lever, which appeared to lead to a hidden door- but I deferred opening it until I talked with Allie.
Finally, I yanked a crate into the middle of the room and pulled a bottle of water out of my storage. "Alright, Allie, what's up?"
The phone box popped up seconds later. "First of all, I'm sorry for not being more… responsive while you've been in here. I've got a limited capacity to multitask, and interacting with people takes up a lot of bandwidth." She sighed. "Data is easy. Analysis is relatively easy. People are hard."
I nodded. "Right. So you've been crunching some data for me? Whatcha got?"
Allie fell silent. "...look, hear me out, okay?"
"Allie, what did you do?"
"Nothing too bad, I swear! It's just… I wanted to practice my new hacking skills, you know? And get something done in the meantime. So I established a PHO account, and started trying to figure out who some of the people in the Brockton Bay forums were." She paused. "Apparently Clockblocker has multiple PHO accounts. And argues with himself. For some reason. I really don't get it."
I frowned. "Allie, did you hack the PRT?"
"No, he uses his personal laptop for both his main and sub accounts. Don't worry, I still don't know his actual name." She sounded nervous as she continued. "But that's… not the point. The thing is, while I was out and searching, I dived into the Winslow servers. There are quite a few people at Winslow who use PHO in their spare time, including someone I'm fairly certain is Rune of the E88. I also found out that Greg Veder is on PHO… as is Madison Clements."
SHe paused. After a few moments, I shook my head. "So? I mean, unless you're looking for permission to block her account, I can't see why it matters." Before she could continue, gave a small cough. "The answer's no, by the way."
Allie let the silence hang for a moment. "That's… not what I was thinking, Taylor. We still need answers as to why Emma turned on you, and-"
"And you think Madison might have what we're looking for?" My words came out louder than I intended, and I had to take a moment to calm my breath. "I never want to see her face again, Allie. And I'm definitely not going to go begging for answers from one of the trio."
"...I don't think you'd have to beg, Taylor." Allie said softly. "I did some digging. Madison didn't know about the locker… and as soon as she figured out there was an investigation, she tried to take everything she had to Blackwell." At my startled look, Allie pulled up a selection of emails. "Before Blackwell got canned, she tried to confiscate Madison's evidence, but the girl then took what she had to the police. I haven't hacked their servers yet- they've got way better security than Winslow- but it's why Mr. Barnes wasn't able to pin everything on Sophia and keep Emma out of the blast radius."
I swallowed. "Why would she do that?"
"Guilt? Trying to save her own skin?" Allie sounded as confused as I was. "No clue. She's only shown up on PHO a few times since then, but I've checked her computer. She's searched how to get to the DWU offices and looked up bus schedules. Looks like she's trying to meet with you- or your dad."
I stared at the search history showing up on-screen. "...I need to think about this."
"Take your time." Allie replied. "No rush; you've still got a few weeks left on the quest." She hesitated. "Do you want to bail this evening, and come back another night? After that last fight, you seem pretty tired."
I shook my head, standing. "No. Let's finish this tonight. I don't want these things to respawn on me if I leave. Best to clear it in one go." I moved towards the hidden door. "If it gets too bad, I'll slug an energy potion and keep going. No need to slow down."
Allie chuckled. "Spoken like a real gamer. Alright then, Taylor. Let's roll."