The sun had barely reached its zenith as Ed, Victoria, Rose, and Alicia converged at the North gate of Wolf's Run. They arrived with the punctuality of seasoned adventurers, each a few minutes shy of the agreed-upon hour. The air was brisk, carrying the promise of the day's potential warmth on the occasional breeze.
"Are we ready, then?" Ed's voice broke the hush. Looking over, he could see his three companions lounging against the wall. At his question, they sprang up and started moving languidly towards the forest in the distance.
Victoria smiled, her expression a blend of serenity and steely resolve. "Let's cleanse those woods and return the forest to its slumbering peace," she replied.
Rose simply nodded, her gaze now fixed on her companions. Alice stood upright, leaning her back against the wall. "Ready as I'll ever be," she said.
Together, they stepped through the gate, their figures gradually swallowed by the morning mist that hung like a guardian at the forest's edge. The city of Wolf's Run stood silent behind them, a bastion of civilization on the edge of the wild and untamed woods that they now sought to liberate from the eight-legged menace that lurked within.
"So, Victoria, what new skills did you get with your race upgrade?" Rose asked, glancing back at her.
Victoria shifted her attention away from a quiet conversation she had been having with Ed, a playful tease still lingering in her tone. "Oh, let's see. First, I got Purge Impurities, which is a basic cleansing skill. I've been thinking about combining it with that other skill I used when healing Ed from the spider poison, but I want to level it up a bit first."
New Skill: Purge Impurities (Common)
Description: A fundamental skill for healers, Purge Impurities channels a stream of purifying energy into wounds, cleansing toxins and accelerating cell regeneration.
Effects:
Cleansing Energy
: Removes toxins, poisons, and minor corruptions from the target
Regenerative Boost
: Heals minor wounds and promotes cell regeneration, restoring 10% of the target's health
"The skill is pretty general and needs some work," she continued. "Next, I got Comrade's Aegis. It lets me heal someone from a distance over time and seems to repair spirit, though I'm not exactly sure what that entails."
New Skill: Comrade's Aegis (Uncommon)
Description: Comrade's Aegis expands the healer's restorative powers to encompass allies, enveloping them in a soothing, radiant light. This skill not only seals physical wounds but also restores vitality to the spirit, making it invaluable during or after intense skirmishes.
Effects:
Group Healing
: Restores 15% of maximum health to all allies within a 20-foot radius
Spirit Renewal
: Provides a temporary +5% resistance to mental effects for 10 seconds
Cooldown: 1 minute
"My third skill is Mantle of Fortitude – a protective dome I can cast on someone, myself included. I figured having multiple forms of protection would be beneficial, so I went down the route of both healer and giving myself some defense just in case," Victoria explained.
New Skill: Mantle of Fortitude (Uncommon)
Description: Mantle of Fortitude envelops a chosen ally in a shimmering, protective barrier, fortifying their defenses against incoming threats.
Effects:
Protective Barrier
: Absorbs damage equal to 15% of the target's maximum health for 10 seconds
Enhanced Resilience
: Grants a temporary +10% boost to physical and magical resistance while active
Cooldown: 45 seconds
"For level 15, I finally got a group heal. I know we usually travel in small teams, but the Orc attack showed the need for multi-target healing. The range isn't specified, but I plan to use it today to test its effects," she added.
New Skill: Circle of Restoration (Rare)
Description: Circle of Restoration summons a radiant circle of glowing runes at a designated location, channeling the life force of the surroundings to heal and rejuvenate all allies within its boundary. This powerful area-of-effect ability mends wounds, restores vigor, and lifts the spirits of those standing within the circle, turning the tide of battle through its restorative energies.
Effects:
Area Healing
: Restores 20% of maximum health to all allies within a 15-foot radius over 10 seconds
Vigorous Renewal
: Grants a temporary +10% increase to stamina regeneration for 10 seconds
Cooldown: 2 minutes
"Level 20 brought me a magic attack – Radiant Assault. It's a light-based attack with a blinding effect, so I thought it could be useful for crowd control," Victoria explained.
New Skill: Radiant Assault (Rare)
Description: Radiant Assault channels the wrath of the heavens, invoking the purifying light of the Aesir to smite darkness and obliterate foes. This searing beam of energy carries the judgment of the gods, a weapon of divine reckoning that burns with the purity of the Nine Realms.
Effects:
Searing Beam
: Deals massive radiant damage to a single target, bypassing 20% of their magical resistance
Ablaze Effect
: Leaves enemies scorched, dealing an additional 10% of the initial damage as burn damage over 5 seconds
Blinding Light:
Upon impact, the beam emits a burst of divine radiance, temporarily reducing the accuracy of nearby enemies by 15% for 6 seconds.
"My final race skill is for limb regrowth, which honestly took me by surprise. I always assumed normal healing spells could regrow limbs, but that's not the case." Her revelation was met with startled expressions from the others; the possibility of limb loss in their world had never really crossed their minds.
New Skill: Creator's Mend (Rare)
Description: Channeling the blessings of Eir, the goddess of healing and mercy, Creator's Mend restores life and form to the broken. This transcendent spell harnesses divine restorative energy to regrow limbs, heal grievous wounds, and infuse vitality into the afflicted, embodying the compassion of the gods and their power to renew.
Effects:
Regrowth
: Restores lost limbs or appendages over a brief duration.
Major Restoration
: Heals 30% of the target's maximum health instantly upon cast.
Blessing of Renewal:
Grants the target increased health regeneration by 10% for 5 minutes after casting, symbolizing the enduring mercy of Eir.
Cooldown: 5 minutes
"That's all quite exciting, but what about your Class skills? Those tend to be more intriguing. Mine certainly were," Alice interjected, her voice carrying from the front of the group.
"Well, I got three of those," Victoria responded. "The first one is a group debuff. Rather than choosing another restorative skill, I opted for something that would directly impact the enemy. Loki's Mark generally makes them more vulnerable to damage."
New Skill: Loki's Mark (Rare)
Description: Infused with the malevolent cunning of Loki, the Norse god of mischief and curses, Loki's Mark exposes the frailties of foes, turning their strengths into vulnerabilities. This insidious skill applies crippling debuffs that weaken defenses, amplify damage, and ensure no advantage remains hidden from its caster.
Effects:
Weakened Defense
: Increases all damage received by the target by 15% for 10 seconds
Exposed Weakness
: Reduces the target's resistance to critical hits by 10%
Curse of Fragility:
Amplifies the effectiveness of all debuffs on the target by 20% for the duration, ensuring their vulnerabilities are fully exploited.
Cooldown: 2 minutes
"The second skill I picked is more of a personal defense mechanism," Victoria continued, her voice carrying a note of self-reliance. "It's called Tyr's Aegis and requires a mace and a small shield. It's heavily skewed towards defense, offering no bonuses to offensive capabilities, but it's perfect for situations where I might be low on mana or need to fend for myself."
New Skill: Tyr's Aegis (Rare)
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Description: Tyr's Aegis embodies the unwavering protection of Tyr, the Norse god of justice and guardianship. This skill transforms the wielder into an impenetrable bulwark, capable of absorbing devastating blows and retaliating with measured force. Combining defensive mastery with calculated offense, Tyr's Aegis ensures the wielder remains a steadfast protector on the battlefield, guarding allies and standing firm against overwhelming odds.
Effects:
Shielded Defense:
Reduces damage taken by 15% while the shield is raised, allowing the user to endure sustained attacks.
Judgment Strike:
Successful blocks with the shield empower the next mace attack, increasing its damage by 20% and inflicting a slowing effect for 3 seconds.
Guardian's Resolve:
Passively increases resistance to crowd-control effects (e.g., stuns, knockbacks) by 10%, ensuring the wielder maintains control of the battlefield.
As they continued their journey, the looming forest drew nearer, its dense canopy casting long shadows on the path ahead. Victoria shifted her focus to her final skill, her voice tinged with excitement.
"This last skill is something I think you'll all appreciate. Empowerment Array allows me to enhance one stat for each of you by 10% for an hour. You can choose which stat, or I can make the call. It's limited to our party, though, so I can't distribute it as widely as Sinclair."
New Skill: Runes of Yggdrasil (Epic)
Description: Channeling the ancient power of Yggdrasil, the World Tree, this skill empowers allies by weaving the primal energies of the Nine Realms into their being. Runes of Yggdrasil enhance the capabilities of up to four allies, allowing them to tap into the essence of creation and amplify their potential. This versatile skill adapts to the battlefield's demands, ensuring strength, agility, or intellect is heightened where it is needed most.
Effects:
Runic Infusion
: Imbues up to four allies with the chosen rune of strength, agility, intelligence, or willpower, increasing the selected stat by 25% for 20 seconds.
Harmonized Resonance
: Allies affected by the skill gain an additional 10% boost to group synergy effects, such as shared buffs or teamwork-based abilities, further amplifying their effectiveness.
Adaptive Reach
: The runic empowerment can be applied to any combination of allies within a 50-foot radius, ensuring strategic flexibility.
Guardian's Blessing
: Each empowered ally gains a protective aura, reducing incoming damage by 10% for the duration of the skill, symbolizing Yggdrasil's role as a guardian of balance.
The group fell into contemplative silence, each member mentally cataloging Victoria's new abilities. Alice broke the silence, saying, "That's quite impressive. Your skills not only heal but also enable us to deal more damage and keep us safer."
"Agreed," Ed chimed in, nodding appreciatively. "Having a skilled healer like you is definitely an asset to our team. Although I am not sure it is fair to just call you a healer. You sound like you have some fairly good assault skills, too."
Rose, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke up with a specific request. "Could you boost my Willpower? I could use more mana regeneration."
Ed quickly requested an Endurance boost, while Alice opted for Agility. "Sounds like a plan," Victoria replied, a smile in her voice. "I'll cast it as we get closer to the forest to maximize its duration."
As the quartet approached the forest edge, the morning light struggled to penetrate the dense canopy, casting an eerie gloom over the underbrush. The trees, with their gnarled branches and sickly leaves, stood like silent sentinels guarding a dark secret.
Victoria, following through on her earlier promise, began enhancing her companions' abilities. Concentrating deeply, she channeled her energy into Runes of Yggdrasil. A soft glow enveloped her hands as she reached out to each member in turn. Ed's frame seemed to solidify as his endurance was augmented, Alice's movements would become more fluid with the boost to her agility, and Rose's aura shimmered slightly, reflecting the increase in her willpower.
With their enhanced stats, the group felt a surge of confidence. Ed, embodying the role of the vanguard, led the way into the forest, his steps deliberate and cautious. Alice moved just a step behind and beside him, her eyes scanning the surroundings with practiced vigilance. Rose followed, her senses attuned to the way the forest felt around them, while Victoria, their guardian angel, brought up the rear, her focus divided between the path ahead and the well-being of her companions.
The deeper they ventured into the forest, the more apparent the blight became. The trees bore scars of corruption, their bark blackened, and leaves mottled with rot. It was a stark contrast to the natural beauty they remembered, a corruption that seemed to seep from the very soil.
"This corruption wasn't here last time, was it?" Rose asked the group.
"Not that I can remember, it was dark and creepy, but it didn't feel like this," Victoria responded.
Suddenly, without warning, a group of spiders emerged from their concealment. Their appearance was even more grotesque than before, their bodies swollen and discolored with infection. The ambush was swift, but Ed, bolstered by Victoria's enhancement, was ready. He parried and struck with his large cudgel, but in the chaos, one spider managed to land a bite on his arm.
Ed grunted in pain, but his natural resistance quickly neutralized the poison. However, the wound itself was troubling; it festered unnaturally, not healing as it should. Victoria sprang into action, her hands glowing with healing energy as she cast a spell to close the wound and cleanse the infection. The skill she used, Purge Impurities, was perfect for this situation, targeting the unnatural infection that the spiders now carried.
"That is kind of unnerving," Victoria said.
"As long as we've got you, it will be fine." Ed winked at her.
These spiders were not only venomous but also carriers of a festering disease. The group exchanged wary glances, realizing the stakes had been raised. With renewed caution and determination, they pressed on, deeper into the heart of the corrupted forest.
As the group ventured deeper into the heart of the corrupted forest, they encountered small patrols of spiders, their numbers ranging from eight to fourteen. Each hideous creature bore levels 22 to 27 like a badge of their growing threat. Ed led the charge with his trusty cudgel, swinging with a force that belied its simple appearance, each hit reverberating through the dense forest air.
Ed loved the weapon Sinclair had gotten for him, but wanted an upgrade soon. He noticed that when he swung his weapon, it had a tendency to creak, and it just felt more fragile than it used to.
Alice, with her armored hands and feet, moved like a dancer in a deadly ballet, her strikes precise and powerful. Her agility, enhanced by Victoria's skill, allowed her to weave through the spiders with fluid grace, delivering crushing blows with her gauntleted fists and booted feet. She would flank the spiders as soon as they oriented on Ed, letting her get in at least one or two attacks before responding. For the lower-level monsters, this was too late, as they died before responding.
Rose, her mastery over the elements ever-present, unleashed a torrent of alternating fire, lightning, and ice skills. Flames engulfed spider after spider, turning them to ash, while bolts of electricity and shards of ice cut through others, leaving behind a trail of elemental fury. At her insistence, each fallen spider was incinerated, ensuring that the blight they carried would spread no further.
Victoria, armed with her mace and shield, stood ready to defend herself and her companions. Her true strength, however, lay in her magical abilities. She continuously wove healing spells, buffs, and debuffs, a symphony of support that kept the team standing through the onslaught. Her healing magic closed wounds as fast as they opened, and her strategic debuffs ensured that every enemy they faced was weakened and vulnerable.
They fought as a team like this for over two hours as they worked their way into the center of the forest, always heading into the thicker groups of spiders. That seemed to work last time when they were trying to find their way to the center.
As they neared the center of the forest, the sense of dread grew. This was where they had previously encountered the elite guardians, formidable opponents who had tested their limits, almost killing Ed. But now, new guardians stood in their place, radiating an ominous miasma that seemed to corrupt the very air around them. There were five of them this time. They looked smaller than the last ones, but the miasma coming off them made it even worse.
Crouched just outside the clearing ahead, they prepared for the coming battle. With a mighty roar and leap, Ed transformed into his bear form, launching himself into the clearing, his body expanding and contorting into the fearsome beast. The transformation was a spectacle of raw power, a clear signal that they were bracing for a formidable fight. His bear form brought an added ferocity and resilience, necessary traits to confront the new guardians.
As the group converged on the elite spider cohort, Ed barreled towards the enemy with the unstoppable momentum of a living siege weapon. The ground beneath him trembled as he unleashed a roar that shook the leaves of the trees around him. It was a sound that resonated with the primal forces of the earth, drawing the spiders' attention and setting birds to flight in a panic.
Amidst the roar's echo, spectral forms emerged from the forest's edge—Ed's wolf companions, summoned by his call. "Argenta, lead your brothers and attack from the sides. Go back to Victoria if you need healing," he commanded. His wolves fanned out in a practiced maneuver, their forms a spectral blur as they heeded his command.
Alice, in sync with the wolves, became a whirlwind of destruction. Her technique, Serpent Strike, was a flurry of kicks and punches that rendered her a veritable tempest in combat. Coupled with her Mountain's Embrace, each strike landed with amplified force, her movements a choreographed dance of devastation.
Meanwhile, Victoria, her focus unwavering, extended her hands to cast the debuff Loki's Mark. A darkened aura emanated from her, seeping into the ranks of the spider guardians, sapping their resilience and amplifying the damage they received. Her spell wove into the fabric of the fray, an invisible yet pivotal force that tilted the scales further in their favor.
At the rear, Rose stood grounded and serene amidst the maelstrom of violence. Her eyes were closed, her incantation a whisper against the clamor of battle. The air around her crackled with gathering power, the temperature dropping precipitously as she channeled her magic. And then, at the height of the conflict, as her companions heeded her signal to pull back, she spoke a single word that seemed to halt the world on its axis: "Kaldljos."
The silence that followed was pregnant with anticipation. Suddenly, the forest erupted into a tempest of wind and fire. Rose's Infernal Gale skill was unleashed, a blinding maelstrom of supporting energies that swept through the ranks of elite spiders. Fear crystallized on their grotesque forms even as flames engulfed them, the elemental storm consuming them in its fury.
As the last vestiges of her spell dissipated, leaving behind the charred remnants of their foes, the team regrouped, each member panting from exertion but alive with the thrill of victory. They had faced the darkness of the forest and emerged not just unscathed, but triumphant.
"Did that feel easy to anyone else?" Rose inquired, her gaze sweeping over the smoldering remains of their foes and the charred scars etching the earth.
Alice surveyed the aftermath, a faint sense of relief mingling with her surprise. "Yeah, I think we might've gone a bit overboard with that entrance. It was nice not taking hits, but I used more mana than I'd have liked. Not ideal if we've got another scrap coming up soon."
"Let me apply my group heal for any minor injuries. It's a good chance to test it out, and we could all use a moment for our resources to replenish," Victoria interjected. As she invoked the healing spell, a ring of intricate symbols materialized, encircling the group in a twelve-foot diameter. Observing the symbols' reach, Victoria made a mental note to enhance the spell's range and potency with future leveling.
They were just bracing to move toward the next cluster of enemies when a loud, piercing scream rent the air. The sound was reminiscent of a distressed animal's cry, amplified to a chilling volume that set their nerves on edge.
Instinctively, they turned toward the source, noting how the distant trees shuddered violently as if something immense was barreling through them. Whatever was coming their way was doing so with incredible force and speed.
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