ELDRITCH NIGHT (Rough Draft)

Chapter Four: From Looming Monarch's Dread

Nothing was guaranteed, yet only one feat looked like it might give me what I needed. Without thinking about it further I clicked on my choice.

Congratulations! Your journey began in darkness, but you can begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel! You have earned a new feat(s).

Prestidigitator- You are a neophyte trained in the simplest of arcane magics. You learn the skills mage hand, arcane missile, and arcane shield. + 8 to mana. All common © level spells cost one less mana to cast!

New skills meant I could earn more feat points, so seeing that this feat had given me three immediately made me excited. The system seemed to hold little distinction between a skill and a spell, the only difference seeming to be modifiers that specifically targeted spells, like prestidigitator's decrease in mana cost.

The descriptions for mage hand and arcane shield held no surprises, but each skill would be incredible useful. Mage hand could telekinetically lift lightweight objects and move them short distances- useful in the right situation.

Arcane shield might just save my life, however. It created a shimmering shield of blue arcane energy around my body that would block any incoming attacks at a cost of trading health damage for mana on a one-to-one basis while also slowly draining mana for as long as it was activated. It would be best used by activating it only right before an attack, rather than leaving it up for a full fight.

It wasn't the most efficient use of mana, but the efficiency improved as the skill level went up. It would also let me focus on improving my mental stats, without having to worry as much about survivability.

Arcane missile at first glance didn't seem much different than arcane bolt, but upon reading the description I found that it was exactly what I needed.

Arcane Missile © - 8 mana. Arcane missile has been a staple of every wizard's offense going back nearly to the founding of the Hegemony of World's. Every young acolyte has been drilled in its use endlessly, and now you have been as well. Creates a sphere of arcane energy that unerringly strikes a single target at a range of up to fifty meters per skill level. As the skill level improves additional missiles are created.

I would need to experiment, but if I was right the projectiles created by the skill had a tracking effect that would improve my aim. I was already salivating at the thought of roasted lizard. Of course, I still didn't have a way to make fire.

The process took me longer than I expected. It turned out that "unerringly" meant that the projectile would curve slightly to hit the target. Even with this assistance it was incredible hard to hit one of the frill-necked lizards. After about twenty minutes I managed to claim my first kill and earned my first rank in arcane missile as well.

Calculating...

Experience Points awarded- 1. 899 XP until next level.

While I was marveling at my hunting prowess, and momentarily distracted by the notification, my prey tumbled down the cliff face until it was no longer visible. Its fall left behind only faint echoes.

It took me a few more tries, but I was eventually successful. This time the XP notification didn't take me by surprise, and I was able to use mage hand to catch the lizard before it fell out of range. This also earned me a skill level in mage hand. This brought me back up to three FP, but I decided to hold off before purchasing more feats.

Eating a lizard raw does not sound like a pleasant experience, but my hunger was so intense at that moment that the tough gamey meat seemed like the best meal I had ever eaten. I washed it down with some fresh spring water courtesy of the small stream originating at the back of my shelter. I sat back against the cliff wall, satisfied and picking scales out of my teeth.

I physically felt all of the tension leave my body in that moment. I hadn't stopped to think about it, but until that point I don't think I really believed I might survive. The flood of relief also brought with it an intense feeling of fatigue.

I have no idea how long I slept for, I awoke to the same greenish blue glow that marked both day and night in this subterranean hell. My muscles ached and stiffened from the previous days exertions.

I decided to stretch for a bit and then wait long enough catch another lizard before leaving. It only took me two tries to succeed, and soon I was climbing the cliff once more. This time with a full belly, a night's sleep, and at least one more meal waiting in the pocket of my jacket. I had also gained another level in arcane missile and mage hand.

This quick leveling confirmed my theory that skills leveled easily until three, after which they seemed to slow down. My best option was to acquire as many skills as possible and level them all to three, thereby picking the low hanging fruit and gaining FP which I could use to improve my stats and even learn new skills. It was a potentially endless circlular path of power. I had yet to find a reliable way to level, and I suspected any monsters I ran into would be far above my level and probably above my ability to kill as well. At least for the moment.

I had briefly considered using guerilla tactics to kill a few spiders, but it was too dangerous. They had the advantage in numbers, levels, and terrain. If I was going to go after a monster I didn't want it to be on its home turf.

Leveling was not the only way to gain strength under this system. I would simply have to continue being careful until I had the power and resources with which to battle these monsters from a position of safety. Surviving was the first step, but I really needed a home-base: a place to shelter and a bolt hole to retreat to.

I imagine I climbed for hours, though it was hard to say for sure. I had no watch, and my phone was lost back in the crash. I did level climbing again, bringing it to three and earning another FP. Eventually the top of the cliff was in sight, and I sped up my efforts to reach it.

The climb grew easier towards the top. The cliff had become progressively less steep, and the outcroppings were larger and more frequent. The blue rock was also becoming more gray and had lost its unusual coldness. The lack of numbness in my fingers dramatically improved my climbing speed.

By the time I was about fifty meters from the top I could hear an unholy shriek. My hearing was drowned out by overwhelming tinnitus that left me momentarily shaken. It was possibly a skill; I could not move, and my mind was paralyzed by dread and a feeling of devastating hopelessness.

Below me I could see a large shape moving through the shadows. Big Momma had found me, and she was angry. The climb that had taken me the better part of a day, she was completing in seconds.

I could do nothing but watch as she reached me, taloned arms reached for my throat as crushing limbs wrapped around my legs.