Raiya_Starter Zone_A LitRPG Saga

by Russell Wilbinski

  It’s amazing how fast you can black out when you can’t breathe anything but cold water. He struggled weakly as the raging currents tossed him back and forth, slamming into rocks and other unseen obstacles before the world finally winked out.

  The world came rushing back to him as he violently coughed up a lungful of water. He was confused, disoriented. Why did his face hurt so much? Why did breathing hurt so much? As he wretched up more water while gasping for air, his memories came rushing back to him. He had... drowned? He thought for sure he was supposed to be dead. He dug his fingers into the muddy bank and pushed himself onto his back, the burning fire in his lungs and the aching pains all over his body kept him paralyzed. Every movement was agony and even breathing was unbearable.

  He stared up at the sky for a few minutes, the pain slowly receding. Something was missing. The sound of the falls! He sat bolt upright, which was a mistake as the world spun violently causing him to vomit again and his vision to dim. He collapsed back into the sand, more exhausted than he had ever been. Staring up at the sky, pain wracking his body with every breath, he slipped blissfully into unconsciousness.

  He dreamed of his family, of his sister and his parents. He dreamed of his old life, of his desk job and his endless time spent staring at a computer screen. He felt terrified that he had been returned to his old life of spreadsheets and monotonous boredom. As the dream ended, he blearily opened his eyes, the sun drifting by high overhead in the sky.

  Resting lazily in the sun, his more recent memories came flooding back. He had jumped from the temple, nearly drowned and now he was here, wherever here was. Gingerly, he tilted his head side to side, taking in his surroundings. He was on the shore of the river, the calm burbling of the water almost peaceful, except for the sudden memories of drowning that flooded his mind. What a terrible experience that had been, to be so wholly powerless in the face of nature’s fury. What kind of an idiot tries to jump through a raging waterfall? The kind who has seen one to many action movies he supposed.

  With careful movements, he sat up getting his first good look around. He picked out the cliff and the falls a great distance away. So, he had floated down river toward the sea. He must have blacked out and washed up here only a few minutes later or he would be much deader than he was now. Further down the shore he saw his satchel, its contents spilled on the sandy beach. Focusing, he stood nearly swooning again, finally managing to get his bearings. He stumbled for the first few steps, but his balance returned quickly.

  He made it to his satchel, scooped the spilled contents back into the bag, tossing it over his shoulder. He snapped his fingers excitedly.

  “That building that I saw, it should be…” he scanned the area around him and pointed downstream. “That way.” He nodded to himself and following the river he started walking. He checked his status page and was surprised to find that his health was completely refilled. Apparently, a three-hour nap on the riverside does wonders for a drowned man.

  He walked for an hour before he spotted the strange shape again, it was definitely a building of some kind. Excitedly he picked up the pace. When he got close enough to make out the details, he was ecstatic to find a large stone building, mostly obscured by trees and vines. It was the size of a small two-story house, perfect for a young, aspiring hero looking for a place to live. Approaching the building cautiously, he activated stealth, walking around the perimeter and looking through the windows.

  The building contained some rotting furniture, mostly crumbled to nothing more than driftwood. He moved up to the door, and slowly pushed it open a few inches. It moved easily, though it hung loosely from is mountings. He listened for a minute or so then moved into the home. Scanning the area, he was glad to see it was empty. Before he started looking for any fun treasures he knew he needed to clear the building.

  Moving with great care, he crept up the stairs trying to avoid any creaking with each step. When he reached the top, he felt relieved. it was empty. There were several large shutters covering the windows and the ceiling had a few holes that would need to be patched. He deactivated stealth and walked around with some pep in his step. He didn’t know who this place used to belong to, but this was going to be his new base of operations, his first real home in Raiya.

  He threw open the shutters letting the breeze push away the stale air. He breathed deeply, enjoying the subtle sounds of the jungle. Setting his satchel on the ground, he removed his great sword and stretched, his muscles relaxing as the tension faded away. He moved about the second floor, opening every shutter, and letting in the warm sunlight. He bounced downstairs, repeating the process. Sunlight illuminated the first floor and he went to work, picking up bits of wood and leaves that had blown in over the years.

  As he stomped around, he heard a hollow thump from under his foot. He stopped dead in his tracks, then gave a few more test stomps. “What do we have here?” He said. Dropping to a knee, he brushed aside the thick dust and dirt. A rusted iron ring was mounted to the floorboards. He gave it a few strong tugs, the trapdoor coming open with a cloud of dust. Rough hewn stone steps led into the darkness, the stairwell covered in thick cobwebs. “Good, looks like no one has been down there in a long time.”

  He stepped down into the darkness, pushing through the thick webbing. The only light was coming from the trapdoor above. He shouted into the darkness, the sound of his voice echoing in the small space. It looked like there were some crates stacked along the walls, the shapes barely discernible in the darkness. He moved upstairs then outside and started looking for branches that might make a good torch. Within a few moments, he had gathered plenty of fire making supplies. He cleared a small area and started working to get a fire going. His survival skill had gotten a big boost when he selected his Druid class, so he instinctively knew how to make fire from his gathered materials.

  Once the pile of wood was fully blazing, his stomach took the opportunity to remind him he was very hungry. He gathered his Giant Eagle meat from his satchel upstairs and then started cooking the tender flesh. Sizzling grease and wood smoke filled his nostrils, triggering memories of barbecues with his friends during college. Cold beers, warm pools, and good times. Maybe he would find some semblance of good times like those again, but for now, he would settle for a late lunch.

  He pulled the roasted meat from the fire, clearing himself a nice little spot to sit, leaning against a fallen tree. He took his first bite of freshly roasted meat and moaned his delight. It felt so good to just sit and eat something hot. As he happily chomped away, he nearly missed the form creeping out of the underbrush just beyond the clearing. He started to pull his dagger from his belt, but a small growl came from the hidden form.

  “Buddy? Is that you?” Skree watched the animal as it crossed from the shaded undergrowth into the sunlight. There stood his wolf friend from a couple nights ago, looking much healthier. The creature stared at him, panting with twinkling eyes. The wolf moved toward him slowly, no signs of aggression, no hackles raised. “Did you miss me?” Skree asked the furry critter. He tossed a piece of meat toward the animal, who rushed forward and for lack of a better term, wolfed it down.

  Skree chuckled out loud, laughing at his own joke. The wolf looked up, its head tilting sideways at the curious sound. The animal had never heard human laughter before. Skree took another bite, then held out a piece of meat in his extended palm. He watched as the wolf approached carefully, his breath slow and even as he waited for the wild animal to reach him. He dared not to move as the wolf came closer. It sniffed at the offered treat, gently grabbing the meat with its sharp fangs and began tearing at it happily.

  He reached out slowly, repeating “Good boy”. He gently stroked the animals side, carefully and slowly petting it while offering it more meat. After several minutes, the meat was gone and the wolf had relaxed next to him. It rested its head on his leg, while Skree gently scratched at its ears. He used Analyze and seeing that the wolf was at full strength, he felt really good about his choice to heal
this magnificent animal.

  He sat there quietly, enjoying the company for as long as he could. They sat there together for an hour or more, petting the pooch until his hand ached. He eventually fell asleep as the sun was nearing the horizon, a full belly and crackling fire often had that effect a man.

  An explosively loud thunderclap shattered his peaceful slumber. He came awake, heart racing, ears ringing. A nearby tree was ablaze less than a hundred feet away. When he had calmed his racing heart, he searched the clearing for the wolf. With a sigh of relief, he spotted it sitting near the stone house. Hurriedly, he poked around in the fire, removing a long piece of wood that was flaming at one end.

  A brilliant flash of lightning temporarily blinding him as the rain began to fall, first a few drops and then, as if someone had pulled a plug on the sky, thick sheets of rain began to fall. Running inside, he beckoned for the wolf to come indoors and out of the storm. It took some coaxing but eventually it stepped under the protective cover of the roof.

  He gave the critter a pat on the head. “Well boy… wait are you a boy?” He took a look and yep, definitely a boy. “Okay, come on boy, we have a basement to check out while we wait out this storm.” Both moved to the trapdoor stairwell. “Here we go…” he paused. “If you are going to be hanging around, I should probably give you a name.” Skree scratched his head, wondering what he should name a wolf.

  “What about Wolfy?” he asked, to which the wolf growled somewhat angrily. “Okay, okay. You’re right it is a bit on the nose.” Skree put a hand on his chin, wrinkling his nose. “What if we call you… Rocket?” Strangely, the wolf growled again, this time baring his fangs.

  “Whoa there, buddy. We’ll find something that works for you.” Skree shook his head in confusion. Could this wolf really understand what he was saying? “I mean obviously you can’t understand English… Can you?” The wolf gave no reaction to his question. Skree rolled his eyes. “Obviously.” He took a knee and looked into the beast’s eyes, and something passed between them. A connection was forged and he just... knew. “Your name is Zuka?”

  The wolf gave a small bark. “Okay then, good to know.” He said with a nod. “Nice to meet you Zuka.” The wolf held a paw out, as if he wanted to shake. Suspiciously, Skree extended his hand, gently grasping Zuka’s paw. There was a rush of energy as they made contact and a prompt appeared with a roaring sound effect. That was new.

  Congratulations, you have forged a bond with a wild creature of Raiya. As a Druid, you have a unique connection with the natural world. As such you can bond with an animal, earning a loyal companion for life. Be aware, your companion is not a simple creature any longer. It will work with you to achieve your goals and as your connection deepens, so will your ability to communicate and coordinate. This bond will last until you or your animal companion end your bond.

  You may now choose to bond with Zuka, level 4 Jungle Wolf. If you accept Zuka’s bond, he will be raised to equal your level, gaining the additional attribute points, along with the requisite companion talent points. If you accept this bond, you cannot accept another animal companion until this bond is broken.

  Will you align your destinies and forge a soul bond with Zuka, Yes or No?

  Skree was momentarily taken aback, as he didn’t even know it was possible to have a companion. Additionally, Zuka would be raised to level 10, gaining 6 levels instantly and gaining all the attribute points as well. Zuka would be a powerful ally, a friend in a world where he was all alone. He didn’t know what companion talent points were, but he was excited, since his talents were incredibly strong and if companion talents were even a shadow of what he earned, Zuka could be real powerhouse.

  He didn’t wait a second longer, he accepted the prompt and his perception of Zuka changed. He could sense Zuka’s presence like a line was tied between them. Stranger still, he could feel something like basic emotions across their bond. Zuka was radiating a sense of pride and acceptance - or at least that what Skree thought he was feeling.

  A series of prompts flooded his vision. His character sheet popped up, now showing a stylized picture of Zuka’s face, along with Health, Mana, and Stamina bars. Next to the wolfs head was a button that said - Companion information. He clicked it and saw the detailed information about his new Companion

  Animal Companion:

  Name:

  Zuka

  Level:

  10

  Health:

  410

  Mana:

  230

  Stamina:

  320

  Strength:

  22

  Dexterity:

  33

  Constitution:

  31

  Intelligence:

  13

  Wisdom:

  13

  Charisma:

  13

  Zuka is your faithful companion. He will follow you into danger and work to accomplish your shared goals. Treat your animal companion well and help them grow as they help you do the same. Be one with nature and embrace your bond to see it thrive. Your companion’s stats have been automatically allocated as part of the bonding process. Future companion levels will allow you to allocate attribute points directly.

  “Looks like your stat points were auto distributed, but I don’t think I would have chosen much different.” He said to Zuka. He closed this prompt and reviewed the next prompt.

  Companion Talent Summary:

  Currently, your animal companion has no talents purchased. You have 12 companion points to spend.

  Skree looked over what appeared to be a skill tree, a plane of interconnected orbs, all of which were greyed out, except for the very first orb that was labeled Companion Bond. Each of the lines extending from this first orb were glowing softly, but all the subsequent links were not. Looks like it was a standard affair - You would need to purchase each orb to unlock the next set of branching paths. The real tragedy was that only the next orbs were labeled, the others completely obscured by a dark fog.

  This first orb had three branching paths. When he selected one, it expanded a tooltip offering additional information. He checked the first description.

  Wolf of War - Cost 1 Companion Talent Point. Purchasing this talent will increase the offensive capabilities of Zuka. Increase bite damage by 10 points.

  “Interesting.” he said to Zuka who was waiting patiently by his side. “What else do we have...” He expanded the information on the second orb.

  Wolf of the Jungle - Cost: 1 Companion Talent Point. Purchasing this talent will increase Zuka’s Tracking and Stealth skills and will allow Zuka to perform sneak attacks for bonus damage when attacking an unaware foe.

  Skree considered purchasing this talent immediately. He had visions of Zuka and himself moving silently upon unsuspecting foes and delivering fatal blows from the shadows. Before he did though, he decided to check the last of the first-tier talents. No reason to make a choice without learning more. After all, knowing was half the battle. He selected the third orb.

  Wolf Pack Alpha - Cost: 1 Companion Talent Point. Purchasing this talent will allow Zuka to learn Pack Tactics. Zuka can be ordered to trip a foe that is currently fighting any target other than Zuka.

  “Now that is a talent we gotta have boy!” He said to Zuka excitedly. He purchased the talent and the orb began to glow with a subtle golden light. The two-branching links started glowing and the fog receded from the new orbs, allowing him to see two new talents.

  He inspected them one after the other.

  Maul - Cost: 2 Companion Talent Points. Purchasing this talent will allow Zuka to learn the ability Maul. Zuka can pounce on any target, knocking them prone and ferociously maul them, inflicting bleeding wounds and pinning them to the ground for 5 seconds.

  Fetch - Cost: 2 Companion Talent Points. Purchasing this talent will allow Zuka to learn Fetch. Zuka will recover any object he is commanded to retrieve and return it to you. This includes weapons you have dropped, or anything else he can reasonably carry.<
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  He noticed that the cost for each tier two talent had increased, so he needed to proceed carefully. If the next tier were doubled as well, he would need to invest heavily into a single tree to maximize Zuka’s abilities. He liked Maul, and it paired perfectly with his ability to trip enemies, but it might be pretty situational.

  He frowned at Fetch talent as it seemed like a waste of talent points. Surely, he could teach a wolf to fetch. Granted, he assumed that teaching a wolf to fetch might be harder than it seemed, but for two talent points? He would be passing on this talent for sure. He checked the first two orbs he had not purchased - Wolf of War and Wolf of the Jungle. Both were extremely powerful for single talent point and they seemed better than the new options for now.

  “Grrrr. If only I could see what was after Maul and Fetch, that would make this a lot easier.” He muttered with frustration. Who knew what might be just beyond those skills? Despite his frustration, he decided that the first two options were the best picks with his limited information. He purchased both Wolf of War and Wolf of the Jungle. He had now spent 3 of 12 talent points but had increased Zuka’s bite damage, stealth skills and had gained the ability to trip foes. For just three points, that was pretty good bump in power.

  War Wolf also had two links available. The first one was Savage Fangs and it further increased Zuka’s bite damage by +20 points. The second was called Thick Hide and it gave Zuka 40 more hit points. Each of them costs 2 Talent Points. He liked them both, but he needed to know what was behind door number two!