by Jakob Tanner
What are you doing? We have to chase the hawk.
Gryph flew and landed on the ground at the edge of the forest.
I can’t go beyond here, said Gryph. A magical force won’t let me continue.
A new message popped up in my HUD.
Quest Update: Druid Class Trial
A ranger must enter the black forest alone without companions. To prove himself within the druid’s realm…
I climbed off Gryph and petted him on the neck.
“I guess it’s goodbye for now,” I said.
The legendary bird dipped its head and rubbed it into my chest.
Good luck, Clay, said the bird. Then returning to his typical grumpy self, he said, Now if you wouldn’t mind unsummoning me, I’d like to get back to my nap.
I let the bird return to the spirit realm and turned towards the foreboding forest. I took a deep breath and stepped into the wooded area, my boots sinking into the light surface of mud. A twig cracked between my soles. I peered through the maze of trees. The golden hawk must have left a sign for me to spot, a bread crumb to pick up the trail. I went deeper into the forest, mesmerized by the sheer abundance of trees, going on and on, labyrinthine. Beyond the trees, I hadn’t seen any signs of life. No squirrels, foxes, or rabbits. No trail tracks or marks. It was as if no one had entered this forest in a very long time. Only after I’d been walking for five minutes did I think to turn and look back from where I came. The empty marshland I’d flown over with Gryph was nowhere in sight. I was surrounded by forest now.
I walked another five minutes through the maze of trees. As I went along, a white frost covered the trees and after another few minutes I was trudging through a blanket of snow. I walked and walked and, despite the snow, nothing changed. I was trapped in an endless loop. My stomach grumbled. My throat burned. So far in the game, I’d died from decapitation, heart stabbings, air ship crashes, and being mauled to bits by a bloodthirsty tiger, but never from something so simple and horrible as starvation. It was a possibility though.
I stopped and rubbed my eyes. What the heck was going on? This forest—it must be a puzzle. What did I have to do here? Was I not paying close enough attention to my surroundings? I crouched down and inspected the bark of a birch tree. I peeled some off and turned it over. Nothing but damp wood. I picked up a random stick and scratched the surface of the snow. Again nothing revealed itself.
I got up from my crouch and peered around. Maybe this was a test of my patience and I had to stay still and something would eventually happen.
I stood still. After three minutes I slouched my shoulders and sighed with boredom.
Then I had a thought.
This was a druid class trial. Druid was a tier-2 class, an upgrade from ranger. All of the previous class trials I’d done, involved testing your new skills, but I hadn’t received any, so maybe I needed to utilize the preceding class’ skills to the fullest.
I checked my class menu in the HUD and switched my primary class from summoner to ranger. I materialized my bow and arrows from my inventory. I nocked an arrow into the bow and readjusted my feet, entering hunter’s stance. My skin, body, and clothes went invisible as my avatar fell into stealth mode. I lifted up my bow and pulled back the arrow. I squinted with one eye as I initiated sniper’s eye to get a zoomed in view of my surroundings. I pivoted my feet, slowly moving 180 degrees to the right, taking in the damp branches of trees and tufts of snow. There was something between two branches. My breath quickened. I took a step forward and then another. As I got closer, a shape appeared. It was a bird. The golden hawk. Sitting, waiting on a branch, looking bored. My ranger abilities must have allowed me to see the creature.
I pulled back the string of my bow and aimed it for the tree near the bird. I let go right as the hunter’s stance timer clocked in at 0. The arrow flung across the forest and punctured the tree. A hush echoed across the empty forest. The golden hawk was gone, whether it had flown away from the arrow or simply disappeared due to my hunter’s stance running out, I didn’t know; but I did know one thing: the bird had been exactly where my arrow was now.
I hurried across the snowy forest towards the tree. I jumped over a branch and then over a small creek of water running through the patches of snow. I placed my hand on the arrow lodged in the tree trunk. I was a big believer in picking up one’s used arrows. Reduce, reuse, recycle, you know? But right before I yanked it out, I stopped. This was now a placeholder. I was now 1% less lost, all due to this marker. I let go of the arrow. I materialized a dagger and sliced a line across the tree as an extra precaution.
I took a deep breath. My sigh was a foggy puff in the cold air before it dissipated and faded away. I readjusted my feet and entered hunter’s stance once more. My body fell into stealth mode. I lifted my bow and nocked an arrow. I triggered sniper’s eye and zoomed through the forest. I peered at the branches and their peeling barks. The crystal snow sat in tufts and mounds on the trees. I pivoted my feet, first doing 180, without spotting the golden hawk. Then another 180, doing a full 360, and still no hawk.
I readjusted and tried again. This time I angled my line of sight upward to catch the top part of the trees. Flickering bright flakes fell through the branches, illuminating a specific area. The bird must have been perched at the very top of the tree. I released an arrow and marked the spot. The trees rustled and the golden dust of the hawk faded away as it moved further on.
I ran towards the marked tree. As I got close, I jumped in the air. I transferred mana flowing through my body to the surface of my feet, creating an invisible platform in the air and then jumped even higher. I did this four more times until I was standing on the highest branch of the tree, looking over the entire forest and the blanket of snowy treetops. The forest simply went on and on. A pit formed in my stomach. I had people to save, friends to look after, a town to upgrade and build upon. What if I could never get back?
A tiny golden speck appeared in the sky. It was flying further and further away. I jerked forward, then held myself back. Give it a second. I adjusted my feet on the tree branch and fell into hunter’s stance. I lifted my bow and initiated sniper’s eye. My vision zoomed towards the hawk. I saw it perfectly: the feathers ruffling its back, the dirt marks in its claws. It flew towards a black mark in the distance.
I unequipped my bow and jumped into the air. I ran across the treetops, creating light mana puddles to keep me afloat. My MP decreased at a steady clip as I chased after the bird. The black mark in the distance got closer. A cold dark rushing river poured off a cliff.
I materialized an MP potion in my hand. I guzzled it back as I leapt across the treetops. The bird dipped from the sky back into the woods. I let myself fall and created new mana platforms to break my descent to the ground. I landed in a patch of melting snow. My boots sank in the sludge of mud. I tromped in the direction of the bird. Rushing water echoed through the woods. I ran towards the sound. The trees lessened. The snow faded away. I arrived at a campsite. A stone fire pit laid in the middle. Ahead was the bottom of the waterfall. The rushing river crashed into the rocks and seeped into a calmer pond.
The golden hawk was nowhere in sight. A feeling in my gut told me, the bird was gone. This was where it had been leading me too.
The sky above darkened. Night approached.
A message chimed in my HUD.
Quest Update: Druid Class Trial
You have successfully trailed the golden hawk to the grounds of the druid trial. They say the woods here are haunted by horrifying monsters and creatures that only appear in the dark. Night soon approaches. Survive until morning.
4
My whole body tensed. A timer appeared in my HUD, seconds ticking away. The clock said I had to survive for eight hours. I assessed the campsite. There was space to create a fort or shelter. I crouched down and inspected the fire pit—there were coals and everything I needed to cook food, which left one question in mind: was there anything to hunt? I stood up and observed the forest. It was q
uiet. No sign of life. I turned to the waterfall and riverbed. I squinted through the water. Fish squiggled above the pebbled ground beneath the water’s surface.
Something didn’t feel right. Eight hours was short for a survival test to grade me on fort building and hunting skills. No. This campsite was a red herring. It was a point on the map. I considered the words of the quest update: the woods are haunted by horrifying monsters and creatures. This campsite was a destination for the monsters. It was where they’d head to with a mindless abandon, wave after wave until the trial was over. I grinned. I knew their end location. I now had a strong opening advantage.
I walked to the edge of the campsite, looking for chokeholds and trap points to set up, when I fell to my knees with a massive throbbing headache. I clenched my fists and squirmed on the dirty ground. The numbing pain evaporated after a second and I was left with a new message in my HUD.
Temporary class unlocked: Druid
Druids are the masterful protectors of the natural realm. They wield the power of nature in all of its many forms.
Effect 1: Access to druid skill tree
Effect 2: You have gained the ability, Solar Energy.
Effect 3: You have gained the ability, Astral Energy.
Effect 4: Your tracking skills have improved by 15%
Effect 5: Your hunting skills have improved by 15%
Effect 6: Your gathering skills have improved by 15%
I blinked from the explosion of knowledge in my brain. The druid skill tree quickly appeared in front of my eyes.
I looked over the information in my HUD. Here we go. Druid abilities. The class trial really was only beginning. I reviewed each ability on the skill tree in my HUD.
Elemental Skills
Solar Energy: Harness the power of the sun. Cost: 5 MP per second of use.
Astral Energy: Harness the power of the moon. Cost: 5 MP per second of use.
Solar Blast: A powerful blast of sun energy. MTKP 200-400 + Solar Damage. Cost: 50 MP.
Moon Blast: A powerful blast of moon energy. MTKP 200-400 + Astral Damage. Cost: 50 MP.
Sun Beam: Unleash a beam of powerful solar energy. Horizontal AoE. MTKP 500-700 + Solar Damage. Cost: 60 MP.
Moonskin: Stealth mode. Go invisible. Move around secretly. Invisibility ends after two minutes or your attack. Cost: 55 MP.
Solar Bomb: Massive AoE blast of Solar Energy. 1200 MTKP + Solar Damage. Cost: 150 MP.
Star Storm: Massive AoE blast of Lunar Energy. 1400 MTKP + Lunar Damage. Cost: 150 MP.
Nature Guardian Skills
Rejuvenation: Heals MP over time. 1 MP per second. Duration: 2 minutes. Cost: Can be used only once per 3 hours with a maximum of 4 times within a single day.
Nature’s Gift: Heals HP over time. 2 HP per second. Duration: 2 minutes. Cost: 40 MP.
Nature’s Cure: Cure elemental debuffs and ailments. 40 MP required.
Barkskin: Increases toughness by 15%. Cost: 50 MP.
Steelbark (upgrade of Barkskin): Increase toughness by 20%.
Nature’s Revival: Revive a fallen ally. Cost: 300 MP.
Regrowth: Heals HP over time. 6 HP per second. Duration: 2 minutes. Cost: 60 MP.
Blossom Seed: Spiritual Flower Petal creates protective energy shield for 60 seconds. Cost: 150 MP.
Orb of Life: Revive all fallen comrades and enemies within a ten meter radius. Cost: 400 MP.
Feral Skills
Feral Mode: Transform into a barbaric force of destruction. +200 ATKP +200 TGH. Duration 5 minutes. Cost: 100 MP, 100 HP, Potential Loss of Cognitive Control and Memory.
Claw (Only available in Feral Mode): Rip through your enemy’s armor with your bare hands.
Bite (Only available in Feral Mode): When your hands are occupied and you got nothing to lose. It’s time to let your molars dictate the outcome of the fight.
Shred (Only available in Feral Mode): Increase ATKP, muscles, strength, and size of hand in powerful slash attack.
Primal Fangs (Only available in Feral Mode): Teeth grow and sharped in strength, etc. etc.
Berserk (Only available in Feral mode): +700 ATKP, +500 TGH. Cost: 80% of HP. 95% Loss of Cognitive Control. 70% Chance of Short Term Memory Loss.
Whoah. Druid was a cool class. It was interesting too, because its elemental and nature guardian abilities wouldn’t be accommodating for someone with only the ranger class, the MP requirements would be too high. Not a problem for me, though. Although feral mode looked incredibly powerful, it came with severe costs to one’s physical and mental health. It offered a strong risk-reward style of play. All the abilities were quite useful—though I did feel like there was overlap with my apprentice mage abilities, which was disappointing. Nature’s cure felt like another version of status cure. Meanwhile, barkskin and steelskin were variations on my stone skin ability, but I was being nitpicky. Rejuvenation offered me an ability to replenish my MP outside of overstocking on MP potions and guzzling down the blue liquid all the time. Plus, nature’s revival would allow me to raise fallen allies; not as effectively and efficiently as a pure healer like Kari, but a good back-up nonetheless. The elemental abilities were good too, as the solar and astral powers would work well against any enemies with the traditional four elemental attunements.
I checked the timer. I didn’t have much time to dawdle on this stuff. The first wave was bound to come soon. I spent a collection of my class skill points hoarded over by all the ranger levels to unlock: solar blast, moon blast, rejuvenation, nature’s gift, and feral mode. I wasn’t sure how good feral mode would be without claw or bite, but those moves weren’t unlockable until I hit level 24 with druid.
It didn’t matter. I also unlocked the other ranger trap ability I had yet to unlock: steel trap.
The gray clouds darkened. Night was coming soon and so were the creatures sent to kill me. I made a ring of traps around the perimeter. Then, a second ring at the fire pit. I gathered wood and set a fire there. The fire blazed and a long billowing trail of smoke swirled into the clouds. I’d let the bastards know exactly where I was.
The darkening sky cleared and for a moment, the stars twinkled and the two moons of Illyria shone across the night. Then a cloud swept them away, leaving a pitch black curtain overhead. The light of my fire burned brighter in the shadowy forest. I power jumped to a high branch and crouched between the leaves. I nocked an arrow in my bow and waited.
A rustling of leaves echoed through the woods. The sounds got louder at a quickening pace. The creatures coming were fast. My heart beat rapidly as the rush of footsteps got closer and closer. I held my eye, refusing to blink, watching the blackness until out of the shroud of darkness came my attackers. At first I didn’t even see who or what they were. I heard the swish and rip of my net traps, scooping up the first wave. Then came the screams. A cascade of blood drenched the camp site and dampened the blaze of the fire pit. Pale blue limbs flew across the area. Dismembered legs and feet. The attacking creatures were humanoid. Their legs were chopped off by the steel traps, yet they continued moving forward unfazed, dragging their upper bodies across the dirt. They looked like humans, but with pale blue skin and white eyes without pupils. They were bald and had pointed ears and teeth. They dragged themselves towards the fire pit as blood and guts fell out of them, until they collapsed dead in the middle of the campsite.
My heart was beating like a jackhammer. The first ring of traps had stopped the attack wave, but I was pale with shock. The monsters. Those creatures. Their frantic hungry nature. It reminded me of my last hours on Earth, before I entered A.K.O. and left my real body to fend for itself, to wither and die away in a containment pod. The drool, the frenzy. This was the fate of those suffering from the ZERO virus who didn’t have a video game to escape to. It was most likely the fate of my brother and my parents. My stomach lurched. I wanted to puke.
“Screee!”
The pale cannibalistic monster squirmed within the net trap, pulling at the string.
I aimed my bow and went int
o hunter’s stance. I released a sniper’s eye arrow right through the creature’s neck. The creature stopped squirming.
There were two remaining in my other net traps and they struggled all the more viciously after seeing their comrade assassinated from up above.
I quickly pivoted towards them. Sniper’s eye was still recharging so I did long range shot. With all the buffs from height advantage, stealth, accurate aim and distance there was enough power to destroy the creature in one shot.
I made quick work of the last one.
With all my attackers dead for the moment, I jumped back down to the campsite and took sight of everything.
I went over to one of the dismembered cannibal monsters and scanned it for loot. My HUD informed me the half-bodied creature lying before me was officially titled [Cannibal]. Well at least I knew these monsters’ end goals then. To eat me alive. Was I breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
The creature didn’t have much available loot outside a few loose teeth. Easy items to ignore, but my ranger mentor had shown me how crafting items with the remains of your enemy often created arrows with extra strength against those same hostile mobs. After a couple of minutes, I had a good fifty teeth dangling in my inventory.
I then threw the remaining corpses into the pit of fire roasting their remains. I figured it would be an attractive scent to the cannibals. Surely, if worst came to worst, they had appetites for each other?
I replanted the net and steel traps in the first ring.
I closed my eyes, listening to the forest. Silence beyond the crackling fire pit. The next wave hadn’t spawned yet. I coughed as the smoke of the fuming cannibal bodies billowed upward into the sky. The smell was atrocious. I wasn’t going to stay in the overwhelming stench. The traps near the water and to the west hadn’t set off. So the creatures were coming from the northeastern stretch of woods.