Balance
Glancing at it's shimmering golden horn reveals a severed leg still pierced on it, Zach assumes it's from the soldier that got away.
The deer bows it's head towards Zach respectfully letting the leg gruesomely slide off onto the grass below.
.Hello?.
It tilts it's head sideways like it's trying to understand him.
He tries to communicate with it hoping to gain something from this encounter, he tries to get information from the system.
.Can it understand me?.
[Likely]
Hearing the response Zach looks towards the deer and asks,
.Can i do something for you?.
It's eyes concentrate as Zach says this, opening it's mouth a peculiar voice comes from it.
"Please... Leave... Gem...."
Confused, Zach fumbles around his pockets and pulls out the triangular gem that Paco had handed to him.
.You mean this?.
The deer nods and replies,
"Without... Cannot... Protect"
As it says this a young fawn walks out from behind it, it's pitch black fur matches it's parent, it looks up expectantly at Zach.
He thinks about it for a moment, if Zach decides to leave the gem the forest will flourish and the creatures will mutate into Fae guardians. If Zach decides to take the gem and ignore the request the deer will turn back into ordinary animals, the forest will probably be excavated by humans.
.I can always come back for it, if it's an emergency i wouldn't call Paco anyway.
With determination Zach gouges the floor with his fist and places the gem underground, he swiftly covers it with dirt.
He marks a tree nearby tree with Paco's name and looks at the deer.
"Thank...."
It walks backwards a short distance before bracing itself to run, confused Zach takes a step back and prepares for a charge.
The deer dashes towards a nearby boulder, it headbutts it as hard as it can at an awkward angle breaking the golden horn on it's head.
The sword length horn falls to the ground as black blood comes from the remaining horn on it's head.
It looks back at Zach, bowing it's head it takes the fawn away and heads into the forest.
Zach who almost peed himself recovers quickly and takes hold of the horn.
[Horn of Majestic Stag] : Curses wounds caused by inhibiting healing.
The golden horn is about a metre long, it hasn't got any sharp edges apart from the point which feels like it can pierce anything.
Zach is confused to how it broke on the rock as it feels harder than stone.
The horn almost reminds him of the rapiers he found in games.
.Would it be funny to just take the gem back now?.
After thinking this a huge acorn the size of a coconut lands on his head almost knocking him out.
.Ok, Ok... I won't take it! It's a joke!.
He manages to put the horn into his inventory with the horseshoe after attempting it.
After thinking that divine retribution has it out for Zach he leaves, he notes down the location in his head making sure to mark the entrance when he exits the forest.
.I have enough exp to level don't i? I better get that done before Kido calls me.
He starts jogging home, after Paco sprinkled him with that healing powder Zach feels like he could run forever.
He eventually gets home, he never noticed before but his mother literally doesn't move from that couch...
Zach checks her pulse and finds she is still alive, breathing a sigh of relief he heads upstairs to level up.
Checking the egg and finding no changes, he sits on the bed and talks to the system.
.Can i level?.
[Level up! 5 allocated stat points and a spin available.]
.Put two points into intelligence and three into agility.
He spins the dreidel on the table and crosses his fingers.
Shua Shua,
The dreidel finally lands on its side and reveals a globe,
[Congratulations on winning the Elemental bundle!]
[Please choose one]
[Fire manifestation] : Ability belonging to Fire spirits and demons, makes host immune to fire as long as it doesn't eclipse hosts ability. Allows host to manipulate fire based on spirit stat.
[Water manifestation] : Ability belonging to Water spirits and nymphs, makes host immune to water as long as it doesn't eclipse hosts ability. Allows host to manipulate water based on spirit stat.
[Earth manifestation] : Ability belonging to Earth spirits, makes host highly resistant to physical attacks. Allows host to manipulate earth based on spirit stat.
[Lightning manifestation] : Ability belonging to Lightning spirits and Angels, Makes host immune to lightning as long as it doesn't completely eclipse hosts ability. Allows host to manipulate lightning based on spirit stat.
...
.Lightning belongs to angels?.
[Elements inherently belong to certain alignments, earth is neutral, fire is generally evil and lightning is generally good. Although it isn't always the case, people effected by these elements will lean towards these alignments.]
.So if i choose lightning i will become a good person?.
[Morality is based on what the host believes is moral, the element will only push host in the correct direction.]
.Is it the same as fire? Will i become a worse person?.
[Likely]
.Does this allow me to cast magic?.
[Magic requires mana, elemental manifestation makes your body able to control elements but not magic. Think of it like the hosts phase ability.]
...
.I will choose lightning.
As he says this, the lights in his room blow up... He can see out of his window that all of the lights in the street are also out, the lights are exploding like a wave heading outwards.
Zach doesn't know how much damage he just caused but he doesn't have time to care as he feels static shocks all over his body.
Pricks, stings and shocks happen on his body millions of times per second. He almost passes out due to the stimuli caused by this but his whole body goes numb after a few seconds.
After half an hour he begins to gain his sense of touch back.
He checks his body for changes and finds black marks that cover his shoulders and back. The marks look like the glass statues that lightning makes when it hits sand.
.Atleast Kev can't give me my first tattoo anymore...
What Zach failed to see was that his eye colour had changed from brown to a vibrant blue.
[Due to the absorption of nearby electricity during transformation host gained +5 spirit, +5 stamina]
.Show me the status.
[Zachary Miller - Yin-Yang Dragon Kin - Male
Achievements - Mysterious stranger, Famous face, Feared, Familiar Fighter
Condition - Perfect
Strength - 27
Intelligence - 10 > 12
Agility - 11 > 14
Stamina - 18 > 23
Spirit - 16 > 21
Luck - 10+5
Skill: Quick retreat, lv6 Pain resistance, Unveiling eye, Language comprehension, Phase, LV2 Poison resistance, Contract(Zoey Foster), Lightning immunity, Enchant Lightning
Body mods : Prehensile tail, Hydra Gills, Undying, Lightning manifestation,
LV7 Exp: 43/160]
[Souls = 4]
[Inventory : Prometheus's chains,Majestic Stags horn, Lucky Horseshoe]