The Land: Predators

by Aleron Kong

  Had he just gotten sexier and more dangerous? With a shit-eating grin on his face, Richter answered himself. I think so! He just couldn’t wait to “Crush his enemies” and all that other stuff!

  CHAPTER 8 – Day 141 – Kuborn 31, 0 AoC

  Richter made his choice.

  Total Chaos Points Remaining: 121

  A dinner plate-sized rent appeared in front of Richter. The hole in reality had ragged edges that wavered and fluctuated. As soon as it was opened, a voice like a distant hiss of steam echoed around the room. “Claim your possession, Chaos Seed.”

  He looked at the swirling grey portal hovering in the air, hoping against hope that his purchase would just shoot out of it. Nothing happened. Reserving the right to be completely pissed if some chaos demon ate his hand, Richter reached inside. His hand disappeared into the small portal, but there was no pain. After a second, he felt parchment, and his hand closed around a scroll. As quickly as he could, he pulled his hand back out and the rip in reality disappeared.

  You have found:

  Scroll of Summon Weak Chaotic Spirit

  Durability: 13/13

  Item Class: Unusual

  Quality: Superb

  Weight: 0.2 kg

  Traits: Summons a level 20 Chaotic Evil Spirit for one hour. Immune to physical harm. 17% chance the spirit will attack you. This is decreased by 5% for every point of evil alignment or chaotic alignment you possess

  The scroll was tied shut with a shimmering grey ribbon. The paper was a lighter grey, and as he stared at it the patterns on the paper shifted slightly. Richter looked at it in amazement. It was his first direct access to a Higher Energy spell. Reading the traits of the scroll, he realized that using it was not without peril. There was a chance that the spirit he summoned might turn on him. With his two points of Chaotic alignment though, that risk was less than 10%. He wouldn’t use the item lightly, but it might not be a bad idea to have a high-level spirit in his back pocket.

  After seeing the power of the first stratum, he didn’t plan to stop. Richter accessed the Sea of Chaos again. It was a bit of a relief that the price to reenter the various levels hadn’t gone up. Pay to play was always a pain in the ass, but it would be so much worse if the price increased each time he accessed the Sea. Richter eyeballed the second level for a sec, but then decided to get the pudding. He’d already eaten the meat, after all.

  Before he spent the five Chaos Points needed to get to the third stratum, he stopped a moment and reached for his Bag of Holding. Sticking his hand inside, he accessed his inventory. After locating the item he was looking for, a regretful sigh escaped his lips. Only five Potions of Selak’s Luck remained. It was imperative that he get Tabia to make more soon. They had enough shiverleaf frond to create more of the silver solution, but it still took three to four days to make and had a relatively high fail rate. If she failed, it meant starting over. More time lost and the possible loss of valuable and finite resources.

  Since the potion was worth more than its weight in gold though, Richter wasn’t one to pinch pennies… Well, not often… Well, not all the time, and when he did, it was so that in moments like this he still had resources to expend. It appeared that using Chaos required a measure of Luck, which was probably why he’d been driven to invest in the stat ever since coming to The Land. He’d never quite understood the compulsion, despite having always enjoyed a good hand of Texas Hold’em. One more mystery solved, he took a finger-length vial out of his bag and downed it all at once. Licking his lips appreciatively -- the potion didn’t taste like ass, unlike some of the others -- he accessed his Chaos Points again.

  Total Chaos Points Remaining: 116.

  3rdt STRATUM OFFEREINGS

  Offering

  Chaotic Cost

  Traits

  Ring of Health Siphon

  16 points

  Provides a Ring that will provide the user +32 Health for every enemy killed. Cannot exceed max Health. Decreases Mana by -31 while being worn.

  Race Change

  25 points

  You may change your race. Your new race will be randomly selected from among three races you pick and a fourth choice you have not selected. You can only pick races which you have met.

  Spell: Akaton Evolution

  23 points

  Provides the spell: Akaton Evolution. Casting this spell upon a summoned creature or pet will trigger a random evolution. It will also lengthen the spell duration of your summoning. This spell may not be cast upon sapient beings. This is a spell of Chaos Magic, level 1.

  Richter’s eyes widened. This was some serious shit! The ring could be worth hundreds if not thousands of gold. A Warrior would do almost anything to heal while he killed. It could make someone in good armor almost unstoppable. The loss of mana might not even be noticed by a pure melee fighter. Hell, even he could put the ring to good use since he was a combination fighter. The other options were even more tempting though.

  The Race Change was definitely interesting. He hadn’t even thought that something like that was possible. It seemed like his own race, human, was at a disadvantage in The Land. Every other race received five points per level and most humans only received four. The trade-off, if you could call it that, was that humans could choose to allocate those points to any stat. In contrast, nonhumans typically had one or more stats that increased without their control every time. Aside from that, they only had three points to freely distribute. More stat points were still more stat points in Richter’s opinion though.

  Humans were also supposedly less restricted in their ability to learn various skills. Richter’s Limitless ability made that a moot point, as every one of his skills was already maxed to a 100% affinity. Still, other races also had perks, like elves’ hearing and kobolds’ darkvision.

  The idea of being a different race had crossed Richter’s mind from time to time because of the bonuses. If he was being honest though, he probably wouldn’t have been able to accomplish all that he had if he wasn’t human. At least not in this part of the world, as the Kingdom of Yves was blatantly xenophobic. Only humans could move around freely in the capital city of Law. Without that freedom, he never would have met Terrod. Without that introduction, he never would have found so many capable people to move to his village or been able to build the infrastructure he now took for granted. He most certainly wouldn’t have been able to raid the goblin encampment, and the green-skinned bastards would still have the Bloodstone.

  While the Race Change was certainly intriguing, the terms of the offering weren’t something he was willing to risk. Richter could happily change into a wood elf, high elf or dwarf, but he had met other repugnant races including demons, goblins and draught. He had seen a great many things since coming to The Land, but not many had been uglier than a troll’s face. Being a kobold or a bugbear wouldn’t be his idea of fun either. The chaos seed decided to pass on the Race Change offering for the moment. It just wasn’t worth the risk.

  It was the third offering that really caught his attention. He had honestly known that that was what he was going to buy as soon as the prompts appeared. With a pleasant tingle of anticipation, he obtained his first Higher Energy spell!

  Total Chaos Points Remaining: 93

  Another small rent in reality appeared in front of him. This one was too small to easily reach his hand through. He had time to look at it quizzically, but before he could do anything else, a beam of grey light shot out of the small hole. It forked as it exited the raw Chaos. One beam touched his head and the other his heart. Richter’s pupils dilated and his breath sucked in. He knew!

  Congratulations! You have learned the spell: Akaton Evolution. Casting this spell upon a summoned creature or pet will trigger a random evolution. In the case of summoned creatures, it will also lengthen the spell duration of your summoning by 50%. This spell will not work on sapient beings. This is a spell of Chaos Magic, level 1. Cost: 146 (base 183) mana. Duration: 50 minutes. Range: 5 feet. Cast Time: 4 seconds. Cooldown: N/A<
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  Arcane calculations, equations and metaphysical concepts unlocked in Richter’s brain. His breath came fast and short as he mastered complex mental formulations in seconds.

  Know This! You have learned your first Chaotic spell! As a Chaos Seed, you are perfectly suited to this branch of magic. Spell costs of Chaos Magic are reduced by -10% per level of Chaos Alignment. All other adverse effects negated. Continued use of Chaotic magic may have a beneficial effect.

  Congratulations! You have learned the skill: Chaos Magic. The raw stuff of the Universe is now yours to command. A true master of this magic can create worlds… or destroy realities. What have you unleashed upon The Land, O Chaos Seed?

  Know This! You have learned your first Higher Energy spell. Your pursuit of power will change the very nature of The Land. Do not use primordial forces without reason. It will not go unnoticed.

  Despite the ominous tag line at the end, a faint smile made its way onto Richter’s face. He had Higher Energy magic! He had Higher Energy magic! Even better than that, the fact that he was a Chaos Seed made him immune to any ill effects! He had honestly been worried about that. In terms of intensity, it seemed like the progression was Basic Elements, like Life, Death and Water magic, followed by Deep Magic and then Higher Energies.

  Richter hadn’t suffered any ill effects from using the Basic Elements, but even low-level spells of Deep Magic, like Blood and Spirit magic, could take a terrible toll. He had been dreading what the price of a Higher Energy spell would be. Now it looked like he got a free pass! Between that and the 20% reduction in spell cost, it was like Chaos magic had been specifically tailored for him. One hundred and eighty-three points was a ridiculously high cost for a level one spell, and even the discounted cost of one hundred and forty-six mana was nothing to sneeze at, but he would pay it gladly.

  He was about to stand and summon a creature so he could cast his Chaos spell for the first time when he heard footsteps in the corridor outside of his room. A few moments later, Randolphus entered with a guard trailing him. The chamberlain bowed upon seeing him, and the guard clapped a fist to his chest. The sentry waited outside the entrance and the chamberlain closed the door, giving the two of them privacy. Pulling a chair close, he sat beside Richter’s bedside. It had taken months for the chaos seed to get his proper and decorous chamberlain to sit down without permission. Still, he rarely did so.

  Between that, and the slightly sorrowful look on the man’s face, Richter knew that bad news was coming. Randolphus held his ever-present clipboard and papers in his hands, but on closer inspection, the chaos seed could see that they were gripped a bit tighter than necessary to keep them secure. The chamberlain looked at his liege for a moment, not in discomfort, but more to ease himself into the discussion.

  When he spoke, his voice was soft, but strong. He was not eager to share this news, but neither did he shy away from the conversation. Richter’s already high respect for the man went up another notch. Though he wasn’t aware of it, a prompt had appeared in Randolphus’ vision, indicating Richter’s increased regard. The man dismissed it without reaction, though it made what he was saying that much harder, “If this is a good time, my lord, I have a final tally of the dead.”

  CHAPTER 9 – Day 141 – Kuborn 31, 0 AoC

  Of the four hundred and fifteen souls that had comprised the allied army, only three hundred and eight had returned. Forty-six Mist Village guards had died along with fifty-two of Hisako’s sprites. Nine meidon sprites had died as well. With a heavy sigh, Randolphus told him that the death of the bonded sprites had led to even further tragedy. Each death of a meidon sprite had harmed the pixie they were bonded to, something that the chamberlain called sakeru.

  “They died?” Richter asked in a leaden voice. Hearing about exactly how many families had been ripped asunder had been like a dagger to his heart. Knowing that the deaths of his men had also caused the literal decimation of an entire species that was under his protection was a hammer blow to the hilt of that dagger. He didn’t know how he could face his people. How he could face Elora.

  Randolphus sighed and put his papers down, “Some did die, but others… changed. Queen Elora was so distraught that she could not fully explain the concept to me. She has kept all of her children close to the Quickening since this sakeru began. Which is honestly for the best. They began to sing and their racial ability, Celestial Pixie Song, activated. Their lament made a horrible melody, and anyone who heard it was struck with a debuff, Severe Depression. Some of our people sank right to the ground, unable to even muster the strength to move, while others just started to weep uncontrollably. We had to evacuate anyone that was within a hundred yards of the Quickening. Some of the men and women are still abed. I believe the singing has stopped and the debuff has slowly worn off, but some of those afflicted are still inconsolable.”

  Richter nodded, knowing this was something he would have to deal with personally and soon. In the meantime, there were other considerations, “Have all the arrangements been made to put our dead to rest?”

  “Yes, my lord. The various races have their own funeral rites and some families have requested certain conditions be met, but none object to the burial. They understand the necessity of laying the dead to rest quickly after a battle. Many would not even expect such treatment from a lord. Lady Hisako has already enspelled the bodies to ensure they cannot rise again. Unfortunately,” he paused for a moment as if he was about to mention something delicate, “the size of the grave prohibits us from burying them inside the walls. I have had hunters and guards sweeping the area however, and the immediate forest appears to be free of monsters and predators. The entire contingent of guards will also be well armed to ensure the safety of the villagers. I have had more mist lights from inside the village taken outside the walls to ensure that hostile beasts cannot attack without being seen. Even with these precautions, we should not tarry outside long, however.”

  “Why don’t we just bury them within the walls?” Richter asked. “We have enough space.”

  “Yes, we do, my lord,” Randolphus acceded slowly. “and if you order it, it will be so. I would suggest that we look to the future as well as heed the present. While there is more than enough room today, it is my hope, and I know yours as well, that the village will continue to grow. We could one day be faced with the choice of building over a gravesite as the space within the village becomes precious. I do not wish to be indelicate, my lord, but I do not believe this will be the last large grave we dig. It seemed prudent to take such harsh realities into account.”

  Randolphus’s words were painful, but Richter couldn’t disagree with a single point. Instead, he just clapped his chamberlain on the shoulder, “Great job as always, man. I want a list of all who died before the funeral,” Randolphus handed him an already prepared document. The man truly was a wizard. “My weapons and armor?” the chaos seed asked.

  “They are being repaired now, my lord. I will have them brought to you as soon as possible.”

  Richter nodded, “Thank you, Randy. I mean it. I couldn’t do this without you.”

  The chamberlain bowed his head, “It is my honor to serve, my lord.”

  “Is there anything else?”

  “Yes, my lord. While you were sleeping, I organized a search of the hill that has appeared outside of the village gates. No one seems to want to approach the cave that is shaped like a snake’s head for some reason…” He paused to see if Richter had anything to add about that particular topic, but the chaos seed didn’t want to derail the conversation by sharing info about the Dungeon yet.

  The chamberlain continued when Richter didn’t proffer any information, “In addition to the cave however, several buildings were transported with the hill. Most had collapsed, but two remained standing. They are damaged, but should be salvageable. One of the village builders examined them and told me that both are specific to the goblin race; a Bat Roost and a Goblinhold.”

  Randolphus shuffled his papers, “A Bat Roost ap
parently attracts bats over time that can be easily domesticated. The type of bat would depend on what is available in the region and the level of the building. A Goblinhold functions much like a Townhall for humans. It gives various perks to the goblins in an encampment or village. I wanted to know what you would like to have done with the buildings. We cannot benefit from the settlement bonuses that they provide as we are not goblins. We could salvage raw materials from them, however. The builders suggested we deconstruct them, but the decision is, of course, yours to make, my lord.” A moment later, he repeated, “My lord?”

  Richter nodded absently. He had actually only been half-listening to his chamberlain for the past minute or so. His attention was pretty fairly focused on the death report. It did not go unnoticed that Randy was trying to redirect him though, so he decided to go along with it. There would be more than enough focus on death as soon as the funeral started. For the first time in a while, he accessed the Building section of his village interface.

  The first buildings in the village had been built without any specific blueprints. In The Land, anything could be built by anyone, but just like in any other world, if you didn’t know what you were doing, the structure would most likely be garbage. The Land took it a step further though. Buildings could reach levels that gave bonuses to the building or maybe even the settlement as a whole. To build such structures, whomever was constructing it had to have either memorized a blueprint or have it in front of him. Otherwise, they were the same as any building on Earth. The ones that had been made without blueprints were deemed “level zero.”