Chapter 17 (1/2)

When Shal kicked him awake, Randidly was happy to see that he had some impressive gains during the fight. Physical fitness rose 3 levels to 20, Heavy Blow rose 1, Dodge rose 2 to 24, Spear Mastery rose 1 to 34, and Phantom Thrust rose 3 to 30.

Throwing all these points into his path earned him two stat points, which he put into Intelligence to increase his maximum mana.

Then he followed Shal through the forest, and out onto the plains.

This area was dominated by orcs who wielded stone axes and road a strange ram creature the size of a small car, which Randidly abruptly realized must have been what had hit him to start this adventure.

Shal ripped through these enemies with ease, calmly speaking over his shoulder.

“Unlike that spider, resistances cannot save you from these enemies. You may shoot your magic if you wish, but try not to catch their attention. I will not save you.”

At first, Randidly dutifully stood around and did nothing. But then a strange itch began to take hold of him. He wanted to fight.

Finally, he spotted an enemy that had been heavily wounded by Shal’s thrust, but was staggering to his feet. Randidly cast Entangling Roots, which gratefully leveled up. Then, with a combination of Mana Bolts, Heavy Blows, and Phantom Thrusts, Randidly killed the orc, watching as the light in its eyes dimmed.

Inwardly, he felt nothing, and that disturbed him somehow. Unlike the howler monkeys or the spiders, this creature was obviously intelligent, and yet he took its life. But then Randidly shook his head. These were just… spawns. He couldn’t look any more deeply than that. They would kill him otherwise.

“Pupil, prepare, it is time to show your usefulness.” And just like that, Randidly looked up to see an enemy, named Orc Shaman, with a blue name, throwing a skull made of smoke at Shal.

Feeling dubious, Randidly stepped forward and blocked it with his spear, but it passed right through. Immediately afterwards, Randidly froze as strange thoughts flooded his brain.

‘Kill.’

‘kill now’

‘Worthless’

‘kill, self’

‘Dead, worthless’

‘Kill now, blood…’

Randidly stared at the blade of his own spear, fascinated.

Maybe…

But then a slap on his back woke him from his stupor. “Good, you did not succumb. I was worried. You have the same Willpower as me, yet you are so puny and weak. Let us continue.”

Feeling more than a little disturbed, Randidly followed woodenly after Shal, noticing that he had learned both the skills Mental Strength and Curse Resistance. Mental strength had even increased to 2.

As it happened this got him to 90 in Pathless X, giving him another stat point, which Randidly surreptitiously placed into Willpower.

“Better safe than sorry,” He muttered.

****

Time passed strangely, the sunlight until you drop climate throwing off Randidly’s perception. He supposed that was part of the point, to keep you pushing if you could go further. To extend your boundaries, and make you forget about your former limits.