****

Part of the old story, make sure to check out the remade Alteration here.

***

Blake slowly strolled through the forest while admiring his surroundings. The first sun rays could be seen and bird chirping could be heard from everywhere. He inspected his surroundings with admiration while walking.

This seems like an entirely different place during the day... The mysterious and eerie beauty is completely replaced by this more familiar, lively beauty.

He smiled bitterly.

It kinda seems unreal when I think that I was a smoking mess just a few hours ago... Well I did fix the pain settings now so it shouldn't be a problem anymore. I hope that I managed to get it right. 100% pain is way too much when you take into consideration that I will fight very oftenly here, but it wouldn't be good if I lower it too much... I don't want to suffer but I need to be aware that this isn't just a game and that I have to be serious.60% will probably be good. I hope...

Blake remembered the pain caused by his failed experiment and shuddered.

I won't ever again be that reckless...

The forest turned brighter and brighter with the Sun rising higher. A smile appeared unconsciously on his face when he saw his surroundings again.

This is truly a beautiful world.

His thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a laud crack that came from somewhere nearby. Blake quickly hid behind a tree and checked his surroundings.

Is it a monster?

A group of three boars stood fifty meters away from him.

Hmm looks like the monsters here are stronger. I should be careful that they don't attack me all at the same time.

He whispered while not letting the boars out of sight.

-''Stat distribution.''

A simplified version of the stat window appeared in front of him.

I shouldn't fight them without spending my Stat points.Now what should I spend my points on? Hmm I still can't say for sure what path I will take so this is quite tricky? Uff...

A few moments passed while he stared at the window and tried to figure something out when his look got stuck at the Natural potential stat.

What did it say again? It boosts power of awoken abilities and strengthens me in the fields I have the most potential... This is something that no regular player has but I don't know if it will be all that useful, also I don't know in which fields I have the most potential so it would be an even greater risk. Hm but the powerboost of the slumbering skills could be really good. Hedgehogs were a a fierce faction a long time ago their power isn't something one should look down upon.

He pondered for a minute.

I'll just risk it.

Blake put all his points into the Natural potential stat.

I hope that I won't regret this decision...

He glanced in the direction of the boars.

And now lets put it to the test.

He readied his Cinder rain staff and the Thick branch and carefully aimed at the boars waiting for the right moment. He released a fire shot from the staff just as they were near to each other so that he can hit more than one. The shot flew towards the boars and hit two which cried out furiously.

Hmph I hoped to hit all three... Ah it doesn't matter.I think that I can do another shot.

The boars ran towards Blake who waited for the recharge time to finish. He quickly released another shot that hit the boar that was the fastest and he swiftly put the staff in the bag and readied the Thick branch.

When the first boar nearly reached him he swung the branch with all his might and the boar was thrown off to the side.

[box border=1 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=3 width=80% bordercolor=#7499c4 bgcolor=#d2e4f2][col colspan=4 valign=top width=100% bordercolor=#7499c4 bgcolor=#d2e4f2][br][/br]Critical hit! The target is stunned. [br][/br][/col][/box]

He quickly hit the other boar that was right behind the previous one but it was a hastily prepared hit so it wasn't nearly as strong. The boar came very near to him and attacked taking 11% of his health. Blake proceeded to carefully attack and guard when necessary, but he still got hit a few times when they charged and slashed upwards with their tusks. The other two boars also charged at Blake and he did his best to guard with the branch and keep them in check. He managed to reflect them most of the time but he couldn't avoid them all and the attacks were quite strong.

-''Lava orb!''

Now swiftly! Feel the new part of yourself, come on feel it and control it!

The lava orb's colour changed to a violent red and he quickly swung it in the direction of the boars.

This drains a lot of mana I should hurry.

He held the branch in one hand and the orb in the other. As he swung his arms he hit the nearest boar with the orb as hard as he could and simultaneously smacked another boar with the branch, but he concentrated much more on the orb so the hit wasn't really effective. The boar stumbled a bit and Blake noticed that the boar which had been hit by the orb wasn't moving.

Two left.

The boar which was hit at the start by the branch recovered and quickly charged him together with the other one that was a bit more behind. Cold sweat started to appear on Blake's forehead.

Damn, this is not good I have just somewhere around 40% health left.I need to end this quickly.

Blake hit the nearest boar as many times as he could and it finally dropped motionlessly on the floor.

Now for the oth...

He turned in the direction of the last boar and just barely made it in time to guard himself from the charging boar. He managed to deflect the attack but it was so strong that it still knocked him down. The boar was screeching wildly and was trying to attack Blake but he did his best to defend himself with the big branch. Still his health was slowly decreasing.

He suddenly twitched the branch and threw it to the side. The boar did it's best to close the distance and screeched aggressivelly.

An evil smile apeared on Blake's face.

Bon appetit.

He swung the arm that had the lava orb in it and pushed the orb in it's mouth. He slightly adjusted it's size to fit better.

The boar cried out in pain and fell down on the dirt after a second. Blake smirked and relaxed which made his orb disappear.

Hm now this was exciting the Natural potential stat really is something else. I feel a lot stronger, but I'll examine that a bit more closely later. Lets see what the boars dropped.

He waited a few seconds for the bodies to vanish and examined the places where they were before. He collected everything and checked the information windows.

[box border=1 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=3 width=80% bordercolor=#7499c4 bgcolor=#d2e4f2][col colspan=4 valign=top width=100% bordercolor=#7499c4 bgcolor=#d2e4f2][br][/br]4x Boar tusk

Very strong continuously growing canine teeth. They can be used in many ways. [br][/br][/col][/box]

[box border=1 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=3 width=80% bordercolor=#7499c4 bgcolor=#d2e4f2][col colspan=4 valign=top width=100% bordercolor=#7499c4 bgcolor=#d2e4f2][br][/br]2x Boar fur

Fur that can be used in Crafting. [br][/br][/col][/box]

[box border=1 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=3 width=80% bordercolor=#7499c4 bgcolor=#d2e4f2][col colspan=4 valign=top width=100% bordercolor=#7499c4 bgcolor=#d2e4f2][br][/br]4x Raw boar meat

Meat that can be further used in Cooking. Can be sold at a very high price. [br][/br][/col][/box]

Well I'll at least get some gold for this.

He put the items in his bag and continued walking.

I should avoid any beasts from now on, my health is dangerously low.

He continued walking for half an hour and his surroundings changed a bit. The trees weren't as big anymore but much thicker.

Hmm I wonder why the forest's appearance changed so suddenly? I don't really notice so vastly different conditions here...

He turned his head around and still saw the big trees in the distance.

I wonder how much the scenery changes when you travell really far... Teruna did mention something about adventurers going missing when they went too far though... The beasts that the players fight against are nothing compared to the ones that are beyond the explored zones. If Teruna is up to date then next to nothing is actually known about the outer beasts to the general public. Why is that so? They do somehow make progress with establishing settlements but do they fight them off then? Maybe they just retreat once they see an organised attack against them.

He sighed.

It's quite interesting when you think about it, but I won't get the answer any time soon. I have more pressing problems and that issue is quite far out of my reach.Hmm but I do wonder how far from a town the danger zone starts.

*Ding*

[box border=1 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=3 width=80% bordercolor=#7499c4 bgcolor=#d2e4f2][col colspan=4 valign=top width=100% bordercolor=#7499c4 bgcolor=#d2e4f2][br][/br]Good morning. What are you doing? – Rose 08:06[br][/br][/col][/box]

Eight hours already? I am walking for quite some time now, I wasn't aware of that at all...

He extended the window, entered chat mode and started typing.

[box border=1 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=3 width=80% bordercolor=#7499c4 bgcolor=#d2e4f2][col colspan=4 valign=top width=100% bordercolor=#7499c4 bgcolor=#d2e4f2][br][/br]Good morning. I am exploring right now. The forest still surrounds me, but it looks different so I probably covered a decent distance. [br][/br][/col][/box]

[box border=1 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=3 width=80% bordercolor=#7499c4 bgcolor=#d2e4f2][col colspan=4 valign=top width=100% bordercolor=#7499c4 bgcolor=#d2e4f2][br][/br]You are doing it just for fun or do you have some goal? Did anything interesting happen? [br][/br][/col][/box]

[box border=1 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=3 width=80% bordercolor=#7499c4 bgcolor=#d2e4f2][col colspan=4 valign=top width=100% bordercolor=#7499c4 bgcolor=#d2e4f2][br][/br]Well I don't have a clear goal, but exploring is rewarded in all games, also grinding in one zone is simply too boring I can just explore and still kill beasts. Well something interesting did happen but we'll talk about that later. [br][/br][/col][/box]

[box border=1 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=3 width=80% bordercolor=#7499c4 bgcolor=#d2e4f2][col colspan=4 valign=top width=100% bordercolor=#7499c4 bgcolor=#d2e4f2][br][/br]So a vague feeling combined with you wanting to have fun... It is true that exploring is usually rewarding though. Ok, we will talk about that later, but just tell me a general hint about it. [br][/br][/col][/box]

She is really impatient. Oh well...

[box border=1 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=3 width=80% bordercolor=#7499c4 bgcolor=#d2e4f2][col colspan=4 valign=top width=100% bordercolor=#7499c4 bgcolor=#d2e4f2][br][/br]Lava orb. [br][/br][/col][/box]

[box border=1 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=3 width=80% bordercolor=#7499c4 bgcolor=#d2e4f2][col colspan=4 valign=top width=100% bordercolor=#7499c4 bgcolor=#d2e4f2][br][/br]Hmm nothing really comes to mind. When will you have breakfast? [br][/br][/col][/box]

[box border=1 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=3 width=80% bordercolor=#7499c4 bgcolor=#d2e4f2][col colspan=4 valign=top width=100% bordercolor=#7499c4 bgcolor=#d2e4f2][br][/br]Soon. [br][/br][/col][/box]

[box border=1 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=3 width=80% bordercolor=#7499c4 bgcolor=#d2e4f2][col colspan=4 valign=top width=100% bordercolor=#7499c4 bgcolor=#d2e4f2][br][/br]Then lets have it together in 20 minutes. Then you will tell me all about it. [br][/br][/col][/box]

[box border=1 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=3 width=80% bordercolor=#7499c4 bgcolor=#d2e4f2][col colspan=4 valign=top width=100% bordercolor=#7499c4 bgcolor=#d2e4f2][br][/br]Sure. [br][/br][/col][/box]

A meal sounds quite good actually.

He closed the window and started walking again. A few meters in front of him the trees stopped and a small clearing appeared.

Does the forest end here?

He glanced left and right from the clearing and saw that the forest continues in both directions, just a bit further away.

So it's just a clear spot I suppose. I'll get a bit nearer.

Blake slowly approached the clearing and suddenly hid behind a tree. Slowly peeking out behind it he examined the clearing.

Did something just move?

His look wandered over the whole clearing and stopped on a being with humongous horns. Blake tilted his head.

A bull? The horns look way too big for that body.

He only saw the head and neck of the bull because deep grass covered everything else.

He is probably laying there, relaxing... This is a great chance to get more exp and some useful items. I wonder how it feels to eat meat here? I might just try it out with a bit of beef... These horns also look like they could be sold at a very high price.

An evil smirk spread on his face.

He slowly climbed on a nearby tree and sat on a branch leaning with his back against the tree trunk.

No need to risk my life. A charging bull is quite a lot more dangerous than a charging boar.

His Cinder rain staff was slowly being directed to the place where the bull laid.

This time I will be able to fully make use of this staff. There is a huge distance between me and the bull but I'm still able to precisely attack thanks to it. Once it comes near enough I can also throw a fire orb at it.

He breathed in deeply and concentrated on aiming.

After a second he released a fire shot and it hit the bull right in the head. He readied the staff so that he can charge it up again after two seconds, but the sight he saw confused him.

The bull which was hit slowly seemed to stand up. Blake expected that much obviously but what confused him was that the bull wasn't really standing up but appearing or coming into view. His head rose out of the grass higher and higher carried by the huge brown body that slowly started to come into view.

Blake watched this scene unfold with terror in his eyes an a mind blank from shock. Another question also slowly started to form.

...Is he simultaneously getting bigger as he is standing up? Wait, in the first place there's no way that he laid in the grass in a way that hid his entire body.

The bull was now standing up, but he still continued to grow bigger like before, actually more so. Blake's mind was in a state of total confusion but he suddenly saw something that quickly replaced all his confusion with true terror. He quickly started to put his Cinder rain staff and Thick branch into the bag while throwing the whole time glances at the growing bull. His arms were shaking so he needed a bit more time than usual.

M-M-MI-MINOTAUR! No wonder it had those huge horns. I need to disappear as quickly as I can, it is running towards me!

A ridiculously huge and muscular body appeared finally and the minotaur could be seen in his whole height that was probably bigger than any of the trees in this forest.

Blake quickly climbed down from the tree and started running.

The minotaur is as big as a tree he will surely have trouble coming through.

He ran a bit deeper into the forest and than headed to the right part where it continued.

The monster is coming from the left so I don't have many options except this or go back the exact way I came.

He glanced for a moment in the direction of the charging minotaur and began to run even faster.

Oh damn, he is fast! Now there's just somewhere around fifteen meters between us.

The minotaur reached the first trees but didn't stop at all. He just lowered his head and charged straight at Blake leaving a trail of splinters and fallen tree trunks. Every time a new tree came in his way a extremely loud crashing and cracking sounds were heard and Bleak felt the ground tremble... Although the minotaur was so close that even his steps made tremors that Blake could feel.

*CRASH*crackcrackcrack*CRASH*crackcrackcrack*

What can I do? The minotaur is unstoppable!

*CRASH*crackcrackcrack*CRASH*crackcrackcrack*

Even the new Lava orb is useless against this colossal beast. Wait... The old one could be effective.

*CRASH*crackcrackcrack*CRASH*crackcrackcrack*

Blake concentrated as much as he could,while running, and started to make normal Lava orbs.

*CRASH*crackcrackcrack*CRASH*crackcrackcrack*

He glanced again at the minotaur and saw that the distance between them was already halved.

Blake threw the lava orb just as the beast rammed another tree.

*CRASH*crackcrack*

-''RHAAAAAA!''

The orb dispersed right in front of his face blinding him with his bright shine moments before his impact with the tree.

This just made him angrier, didn't it? Ah but I think that he got a bit slower. If he finds this to annoying or if he loses his momentum the minotaur might give up.

*CRASH*crackcrackcrack*CRASH*crackcrackcrack*

Blake quickly formed another Lava orb and threw it when the minotaur approached another tree.

*CRASH*crackcrack*

-''RHOAAAAAAAA!''

He continued doing this for, what seemed to him, a small eternity and the gap between him and the minotaur grew bigger. Finally the minotaur stopped and with a final roar full of anger and irritation turned and went to the clearing where he previously was.

When Blake saw that he collapsed onto the ground and caught his breath. He had a huge smile on his face and soon got up.

I can't believe I pulled this off. Now where am I?

He scanned his surroundings and saw that he was near the last part of the right forest branch that he saw from the beginning of the clearing. He now also saw the back side of the clearing and understood why the Minotaur seemed to stand up.

A small canyon begins in the middle of the clearing... He must have come up the slope and that's why I only saw his head and neck in the beginning. I need to take a closer look. But this is so weird, it doesn't feel normal... Not like a simple hole or anything natural, this gives off a really bad feeling, like a scar in the earth.

****

Thanks for reading:)

Here's the forum thread where you can see my progress, ETAs (most of the time) and other updates.

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