As I wake up I am momentarily confused. This room is close enough to my bedroom back on Earth that I thought it was just a dream for a moment. I sit up and stretch. The sunlight is streaming in through the shutters over the window. I decide to grab some breakfast and then head out hunting Horned Rabbits. At my current level the XP received will be less, but I can gather some herbs, while getting familiar with fighting creatures before taking on something harder, all by myself. I hop downstairs and greet the owner as I slide up to the bar for some breakfast. While I am waiting we make small talk about the weather and my plans for the day.

I can tell that he notices my level up as he asks, “How did you manage to get to level 5 without even hunting?”

“I did some quests in town.” I reply with a grin on my face.

“What quests would that be?”

“Sorry I can’t reveal that, it’s part of the quest.”

He looked unconvinced but does not press me anymore. He places a large sandwich in front of me. After finishing my delicious breakfast, I pick up another sandwich for lunch and add it to my inventory before going to the Horned Rabbit area. I greet the guards on my way out and once more I am moving through the lightly wooded area to the south of the village. I ready my spear. I spot my first Horned Rabbit about an hour later. It is about the size of the mother rabbit I fought before. As I inspect it I see.

Mature Horned Rabbit, Level 3, HP: 15, Horn Damage: 3-6

Special Abilities: Lightning Step, can charge 10 feet in an instance for double damage. Must be facing target.

Now that is more like it. Beefing up my Lore is helping my Inspect. I enter stealth as I approach the rabbit until within spear reach and then skewer the rabbit in the side. It jerks and drops dead, which is a little anti-climactic. I check my combat log.

You have stabbed a Mature Horned Rabbit for 14 points of damage +%50 increase for attacking from stealth for 21 points of damage.

You have killed a Mature Horned Rabbit, awarded 1 XP.

Wow, I am not going to get anywhere hunting these guys. I pull out my knife, start butchering the animal, and put the skin and meat in my inventory. I spend the rest of the morning stalking the rabbits, collecting thirty-nine more by lunch time. While hunting I have gathered fifteen of the Fire Thorn for the herbalist quest. I take a break to eat my sandwich, which gives me another 20% boost to mana regeneration for two hours.

I head to the wolf area feeling this may be a little more difficult, but my Stealth has leveled to Basic 9, which should help. The trees get a little thicker and switch over to pine and cypress. Here I should find both the wolves and the two remaining herbs I need, Golden Lily and Sun Blossom. I enter stealth and try to keep my eyes open for a wolf. My approach is perfect, well except for when all the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end and goosebumps walk up my arms. I slowly turn and freeze when I see a pair of blazing golden eyes staring straight at me from the shadows about twenty feet away. A huge grey wolf slowly emerges and I involuntarily gulp as I inspect it.

Lone Alpha Wolf, Level 7, HP: 95

Crap. This wolf looks like it’s been through a lot of fights. There are obvious scars on its face and shoulder from past battles. I stare at the wolf with my mind racing. I take a step to put my back to a large pine tree behind me, bracing the spear butt against the tree when the wolf blurs right at me. Even though I expect it, the impact still startles me. My back slams into the tree. I feel my spear thrum and turn in my hands. The wolf’s jaws seem to fill my vision. My head jerks back so fast, smacking into the tree behind me as the wolf’s jaws slam closed in front of my nose. My spear is now planted about two feet into the wolf’s chest, holding it back just enough to keep it from ripping off my face. I try to keep the spear from moving as I reach into my inventory for a dagger. I see a flash of intelligence in animal’s eyes as it yanks back unexpectantly pulling the spear from my grasp. It turns and runs off into the trees. I feel hope that I may make it out alive, up until it turns again, grips the spear in its jaws, yanks it out of its chest, and looks at me. I hear the spear crack in its jaws. The wound bleeds heavily, but I have a feeling it’s not going to be enough to save my bacon.

I pull my other hand out of my inventory, pour sand in a quick circle around me and push a little less than half my mana into the circle, hoping it’s enough. The mana leaves my body in a cold rush. The wolf once again lunges and slams to a stop a few inches from my face. I grin fiercely as I plunge my dagger into the its right eye with everything I have. The wolf suddenly withdraws while howling and my body freezes up. The wolf jumps on me knocking me down and bites my shoulder and neck. The pain seems to free my locked muscles. I stab my dagger into the wolf’s side as it continues to maul my shoulder and neck. I activate Numbness and the pain suddenly vanishes. A familiar pins and needles feeling courses through my limbs. I stab again and the wolf collapses. I frantically push it off as I watch my health bar drop to an ever-slimmer red slice. I pull bandages out of my inventory in a hurry and bind my wounds to stop my bleeding status, right before Numbness runs out. The pain and exhaustion then hits me like a ton of bricks and I pass out.

I wake up and see trees overhead as I opened my eye, which is a good sign. I look over to my left. The dead wolf’s body is laying boneless were I pushed it off me. I took a glance at my combat logs and whistle as I realize how close I was to dying.

You have stabbed a Lone Alpha Wolf for 12 points of damage. Damage doubled from wolf’s Lunge for 24 points of damage, bleeding status - 8 hit points for the next two minutes.

Lone Alpha Wolf rips spear from chest for 15 points of damage. 8 points of bleeding damage.

Raw Mana Protective Ward Created, 2.2’ diameter, 65 mana invested, Health Points: 7

Lone Alpha Wolf Lunges into Raw Mana Protective Ward for 18 points of damage. Raw Mana Protective Ward collapses.

You have stabbed a Lone Alpha Wolf for a Critical hit, blindness right eye. Damage 12 damage. 8 points of bleeding damage.

Lone Alpha Wolf Howls, you are Stunned.

Lone Alpha Wolf knocked you to the ground and bit you for 18 points of damage, bleeding status - 4 hit points for the next minute.

You have stabbed a Lone Alpha Wolf for 6 points of damage. 8 points of bleeding damage.

You have learned the weapon skill Daggers, Basic 1.

Lone Alpha Wolf mauls you for 20 points of damage, 4 points of bleeding damage, bleeding status - 8 hit points for the next minute.

You have stabbed a Lone Alpha Wolf for 7 points of damage. 8 points of bleeding damage.

You have killed a Lone Alpha Wolf, 210 XP awarded. Awarded 20 Fame.

I wonder as I look at the wolf. I think add to inventory and after a small pause the wolf vanishes. When I open my inventory, I see it is taking up 12 of the 22 squares. I then retrieve my dagger and my broken spear. With a last nervous glace around I leave the wolf area. Looking at my stats I need 39 XP to get to the next level. Since it is still early I decide to return to the rabbits until I get my next level. After spending most of the afternoon into early evening hunting I finally get the notification I have been waiting for.

Congratulations

You have leveled up!!! You have five free stat point to allocate, choose wisely. For your actions during your level progression your reward is: +1 to Constitution, +2 Strength, +1 Agility.

Fame increased by 5.

I have had enough today, so I enter stealth and head back to the village.