I have just enough ti to regret running into another creature with spell casting powers so soon after the last. Of course I try to dodge. But dodging lightning, even if it's from a spell of so sort, is no easy feat. Of course I get struck in the end despite my best efforts! And again neither my defensive skills nor my armor, my clothes to be honest, do anything to protect .
Maybe it would be different if I were wearing full plate armor. Maybe it would disperse or divert the electricity of the magical lightning strike? Well, I'm not wearing any, so I'll not find out any ti soon. Instead I have to suffer the consequences of being slightly electrocuted.
[*Ding!* You have been wounded! Health reduced by 21!]
Oh! Oh my! That is well beyond slightly! My skin tingles and smokes where the arcing lightning strike raked over . My hair is a total ss too. Standing on end in unpleasant ways. I co to realize two things then. First, I don't like the sll of singed hair. I really don't, especially if it's my own. Second, I won't be able to take a second lightning strike like that. Another hit like that would knock out my lights for good.
Before I can worry any more though a divine whisper makes that second point a non issue.
[*Ding!* You have unlocked the Spell Resistance general skill at Level 1!]
This notification cos at the best possible ti. It is quickly followed by more notifications and the sound of clattering dice.
[*Ding!* Your class Scoundrel leveled up to level 11!]
[*Clatter!* Your Health increased by 3!]
The dice roll is rather average, but I won't complain. Average after all ans that it could have been worse and this level up is a real life safer anyway. I straighten back up as the tingling subsides and my skin stops smoking. I relish the feeling of my Mana pool refilling too. I have been going half empty in that regard for entirely too long! This is good. This is so good! I want to laugh, thus I simply do as I go on the offensive again.
"Ha! Thank you!"
And, as I strike with my sword this ti, going for one of the creatures eyes with a thrust and in extension it's brain, my expression of thanks is genuinely honest. The poor deer, or rather stag, just helped acquire an invaluable skill after all.
My aim is true. I feel the resistance, of which there is very little at first, then my blade scrapes over bone briefly, as it slips in deeper until it scrapes across the back of the stags skull from the inside. I twist the blade for good asure, as I pull it back out.
[*Ding!* Critical Hit! Lightning Stag's Health reduced by 87!]
[*Ding!* You have defeated a Lightning Stag!]
The light in the stags eye fades and it slips the rest of the way off my sword's blade. That was surprisingly easy. It felt a little disturbing too. I'll try not to perform another kill just like that again any ti soon, if there is any way to avoid it.
My [Blades] and [lee Weapons] skills both grow a little, but I frown anyway. I can see a few spots where the edge of my weapon has suffered. It's not too bad, nothing a little attention with the whetstone won't fix, but in the long run this will still weaken my weapon. Well, nothing I can do about it now. I just sigh and clean the blade before I sheathe it again.
This little confrontation probably was audible for miles. Maybe even the others back at camp or with Ediva have taken notice. The rest of the gathering mushroom zombie horde have heard for sure though.
I have to get moving again. No rest for the wicked. There is just one little problem. I have gotten turned around a little during this encounter. I need to get my bearings again.
A quick climb up a nearby tree, one showing not quite as much fungal growths as the rest, takes care of that. It only takes a mont to get properly oriented again. I get a look at Ediva's progress channeling power into her spell too.
There are other benefits to this quick stop, beyond regaining my bearings. Surprisingly enough both my [Perception] and my [Survival] skill improve so. Both are overshadowed by the notification regarding my [Climbing] skill though.
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[*Ding!* Your skill Climbing has leveled up to level 7!]
The day is really shaping to be a fine one. Well, except for certain near death experiences. I could do without those to be perfectly honest. A reminder that I'm still making steady progress is welco though. It will be a long ti until the next level up, but not even that can darken my mood now.
I jump back down, not directly, but from one branch to the next and pick up my previous pace again. My plan seems to be working well enough so far. Most of the approaching enemies in this area are headed my way. Now I just need to get to the creek, with all of these nasty buggers in tow. It's ti to make my grand stand. My first stand at the bank of the creek, which will most certainly not be my last stand.
I co across another myceloid forager soon after, as I hurdle through the wood. I don't stop to fight it this ti. I'm in too much of a hurry. Instead I just throw a taunt its way.
"Co and get !"
That's not very imaginative. Thus I stick out my tongue too for good asure. Only briefly though. I don't want to bite it, which is a very real risk at my current pace, especially given the uneven ground and all the obstacles I have to jump.
That earns a little progress for my [Bluff] skill. Well, I guess it's not entirely inappropriate. I'm suckering all these stupid Quackers into following when they really shouldn't after all.
More rustling in the forest's undergrowth approaches, heading steadily in my direction. I'm not too concerned about the ones behind . I have so distance on those. The ones coming at from the side though, those could prove to be trouble. Especially the few that will get closest as I approach the creek worry most. If any of them manage to delay , this could still turn out badly.
Disaster strikes almost as soon as I think this very thought. Ferns part to my left and another myceloid creature is revealed. It's not a mushroom zombie but one of the actual humanoid myceloids. It's considerably larger than any of the others I have I encountered so far. Well, with the exception of the king reigning over this fungal disaster.
This one is better equipped too. Its club is not actually a club, but a stone axe. It's still primitive, everything considered, but much more deadly anyway. The armor it wears is better too. It's still only made of thick bark peeled off trees, but it's design is more thought out. It covers more than just the torso. The workmanship is better too.
Most importantly though, this one doesn't seem surprised by our encounter in the least. It strikes right away.
In the end I'm lucky. I'm lucky because it seems to be lacking combat experience, much like only a short ti ago. The creature's strike falls short and the massive razor sharp stone edge of its weapon digs into the trunk of a tree that is already half rotten and covered by fungal growths instead of .
My eyes widen, as the tree starts to lean. Slowly at first, but picking up speed fast it cos crashing down, forming another obstacle in my way. Was I mistaken? Is it not lacking in experience at all? Did it do that on purpose?
I glance sideways at the creature as I jump the newest obstacle and take a mont to activate my [Identify] skill, using it on the myceloid. A little of my Mana drains away and the skill improves by a bit too. The next mont a divine whisper brushes my mind, while I'm already focused on where I'm going instead.
[Myceloid Warrior (Spore, Common, Level 9)]
Of course there are dedicated warriors and this one is not exactly low leveled either. Damn, I guess it would have been too nice if there weren't. I have no plans to face it right away though. I just keep running instead. If it wants a piece of it will have to get in line with all the others already trailing behind on my mad dash to reach the creek.
It lets out a wordless roar, maybe because it likes the feeling of an identification skill being used on it as much as I do, as I keep running. It's not quite as bad as the roar of the king boletus, but its not exactly building confidence in that I can take it on either. I reply with a simple, shouted taunt, not even turning around, as I keep going.
"Too slow!"
It is indeed slow. Sure, it has longer legs than the foragers, it is bigger after all, but it shares the sa shambling gait. Good for . Probably.
And then, just like that I break through the last of the undergrowth and am out on the creek's bank. A mont is all I need to take stock of the situation and especially my location in relation to the king boletus and the brewing storm of glowing embers dancing in the air above it.
I need to get a little closer. More importantly though, I need to get to a spot where the creek has dug out a basin that is a little deeper. I'll want as much water in between and the inferno the wizard is about to unleash as possible after all. I know just the spot. Hopefully I'll get there in ti.
I take off at a dead run again, this ti along the bank and heading directly towards the lumbering giant mushroom creature heading towards Ediva and her group. Either this will work out, or my goose is cooked. Possibly in the most literal sense.
More and more pursuers of various kinds break out of the treeline behind now, the myceloid warrior among them. They don't slow down either. So far, so good.
At least the giant mushroom king doesn't seem to care. That has to count for sothing.
Finally I reach the spot where the creek flows over the edge of a low cliff. It isn't far to the pool below the little waterfall and the pool should be plenty deep enough too. I glance up at the dancing embers in the sky above on more ti and co to the conclusion that it shouldn't be long now.
I move out into the middle of the creek onto a rock that just out a little over the edge of the waterfall.
In the anti the myceloid warrior pushes so of the other creatures on my heels out of the way, as the gathering horde approaches. In a way it seems to be taking charge of the situation. It stops a dozen paces from , the others gathering behind it and emits a growling hiss. A truly nasty sound I recognize as the language of these creatures.
"Mulch you!"
That is marginally more comprehensive than what I have heard coming from myceloid foragers so far. I just grin in response and put away my sword, as I see the dancing embers start to descend.
"No … quack you!"
Then I push off backwards to hurdle down into the cold embrace of the chilly water below. I'm just in ti too. As the water closes above and I start to sink to the ground, still carried by the montum of my fall, the world above explodes into flas.
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