This place is really strange. It looks like a jungle, but I’ve had the chance to glimpse at some animals I never saw yet before.

In the 4 days since we crashed, our number went up to be 10. Most were in bad shape, but thanks to a knowledgeable old man, I have been able to use herbs to cull some infections and bleedings.

And apparently, this feat warranted 8 levels in the First Aid skill. Talking about those skill levels, our common Survivor’s Luck skill is now level 5. This really confirmed my fears: something dangerous lurks in this foreign jungle.

One of the survivors is the pilot, he now leads us together with the attendant and myself. But our role is more one of confirmation for the decision making. With the pilot’s, Kevin, recommendation, we are always on the move, trying to avoid the local fauna.

When the night comes, we decide to rest in turn high on the trees, the one awake looking out for threats. At least, we found a river and are following it so we have no water problems, but for the food…

We have been eating only herbs and such. I know it’s a necessity but I’m starting to miss meat.

I hope there’s some sort of civilization down this river, or maybe we will find the sea, it’ll be a bit safer there.

…

We’ve been attacked by one of those creatures that prowled at night. A panther-like entity, with two other tails going out of its hind legs. It used its tails to whip at two of us. Thanks to another passenger dropping a big stone on its head, we got rid of the threat. He told us after the thing took the hit he received a new message, telling him it was called a Flayguar. He also told us he received something called Aspect, one being Beast and the other being Wind. However, his status didn’t categorize Beast as Aspect but a Form? If I remember well…

Health:

50/50 (+4.53/h)

Stamina:

30/40 (+1.33/min)

Mana:

70/70 (+5.07/h)

Identity

Name:

Samuel Lock

Age:

29

Sex:

Male

Class:

?

Lv?

Human

Stats

Strength

6

Agility

4

Perception

5

Intelligence

7

Control

5

Constitution

5

Endurance

4

Dexterity

5

Concentration

8

Aspects

Form

Skills:

Selflessness (U) Lv1; Survivor’s Luck (R) Lv7; First Aid (C) Lv9

Paths:

“Yes, there was an Aspect and a Form part in our status.” I say out loud, still working on Kevin’s wounds inflicted by the attack.

“Oh right! I have 2.86% Beast and 39 Wind in the related part now.” Reacts the stone dropper, Curtis.

Finishing the bandage, a new message, now common to me, appears.

Congratulations! Your First Aid skill is now Lv10.

Followed by another one, different to the other I got until now.

Congratulations! Due to special actions, you now can advance on the First Aid path.

“Path?” I ask out loud. The rest of the survivors turn to me. But before having the time to explain, a new gray box appears.

You currently have 16 CP.

Choose your path

Basic Human (5)

First Aid (15)

“CP?” I ask, before noticing everyone is still waiting for my explanation. “Yes, sorry about that. I just got a new message I never saw before. It said I can advance a path now. Like what’s written in our Status menu.”

“Now?” Inquire the attendant, Jessica. “What happened before?”

“My First Aid skill reached Lv10, it might be the reason.” I supply. “Now I got a choice between two, one named after the skill, the other named Basic Human, they both got numbers after them.”

“And you mentioned CPs? Maybe Character Points?” Adds Celia, the “gaming expert” as we call her. She was the one that made us discover the Status. “How many you got?”

“Sixteen, why? What are character points supposed to be?”

“Character points are in game things that let you customize your stats and all. But here it looks like it’s somehow linked to our race or skills. And looking at your number, you got 1 CP per skill level over the first one, right?” She returns.

“Oh yes, that’s right, so we get one for each skill level…” I ponder. “I guess I should try the path related to my skill, then.”

“Wait!” Jessica exclaims. “Before that, you said there were numbers right, next to the paths? What are they?”

After answering her question, she adds “Yeah, going for the one with the biggest requirement wouldn’t really be the best since we don’t know they do. But then again, Basic Human doesn’t seem like a really good choice, and your possibility to treat us, even just a bit, has been really useful. If the path somehow helps on that way, that would be really nice.”

First Aid 1/15

You made helping others your purpose, and have done your best to do so when in dire need. First Aid is your weapon, one not to kill and reap lives, but to save ones.

“Heh! Interesting. There’s a small description of the path, but it’s just flavor text, I guess” I announce, after using one CP into the path.

After 5 points, a new message appears:

Congratulations! Your First Aid path is giving you +1 Perception and +1 Intelligence.

“Oh! 5 CP in and I got 2 stat points.” I supply to everyone.

I got the same message with 10 and 15 CP into the path. And with the end of the path, I got this:

Congratulations! Due to following a peculiar path, your First Aid skill have evolved into Healing Touch (Uncommon) Lv10

“And my skill evolved into a new one… But it retained the previous level.” I finish.

“Evolution eh? So is it now Heal or something? That would be nice to have a cleric in our party.” Jessica laughs, the first time I hear her doing so.

“A cleric?” I ask, confused. “But yes, it is Healing Touch.”

Healing Touch: Upon touch, heals target’s health by 5 for 10 Mana.

“I can straight up give back 5 health points for 10 mana. So I can use it 9 times at once but then I’m dry, I guess, not really good.”

“Indeed, but at least, it’s direct, I think. And yes, in games, clerics are the healer type, can heal from afar and lets the rest survive most of what’s going on. So it’s a bit underwhelming it being touch restricted, but maybe some more evolutions and you’ll be able to do so.”

Jessica’s comment didn’t really change much for how I saw the skill, I can still use my knowledge as a Doctor to treat injuries, and in case of a pinch, I can use it. And now that I have a skill using mana, I instinctively know how to use the ressource.

I check back the path screen, seeing I now have only 1 CP and can’t take anything more than the Basic Human path.

“Maybe the requirement for paths depends on the rarity of the skill?” Supply Jessica to my discovery.

“Or maybe since Samuel already evolved it once, the requirements are higher?” Propose Kevin.

“We will see in the future I guess, our Survivor’s Luck skill might pretty much be the next skill to reach one of such requirements, I guess.”