Fear and Despair
Wren leaves the gate and is caressed by a wild blizzard.
"Aah…" the blizzard is nice filling Wren's body and mind with energy.
[Your 400% bonus has become 500% and is increasing]
"Oh no, there is a blizzard! That damn magic formation is too strong, we should go back in," The female guard grows anxious.
"What do you mean? The cold will never hurt me. I want to stay out even longer." Wren is reluctant to end this high.
"We can't, the beasts grow bolder and stronger in this weather."
*Arrrrwww!*
The sound of a bear growling in hunger and desire sounds from a far distance "I also grow bolder and stronger in this weather, I want to see how they differ from the ones at home".
Wren is expectant of the one versus one battle he'll have in this high but his delusions are cut short by more roars.
*Awooo!* *Woooo!*
[All animals within 20 Kilometres are closing in!]
[You unlocked hidden quest "the true danger to your curse"]
[The true danger of your curse]
Difficulty: ?
This is the most frightening aspect of your curse, I hope you can face it and grow stronger
Quest Completion Conditions: Slay every beast you encounter
Quest Clear Reward: +100% Fear Resistance
Quest Fail Penalty: -100% Fear Resistance
Note 1: Fear resistance is handy; don't underestimate it.
Note 2: Someone else interfering or running away counts as quest failure.
'If it is so useful, why do I see it so early?' Wren wonders as this is another of his Master's designs.
"We have to run! The beasts sound like they are in a frenzy!" The female guard frets.
"This isn't normal?" Wren asks something nagging in his brain.
"No, they sound like a great treasure has appeared."
"What great treasure? She can't mean me can she?" Wren mumbles drawing his sword and ignoring the female guard's ramblings.
"I have to stay and slaughter them alone, I received a mission from…God void!" Wren uses their religion to say 'butt out'.
"What!? This is your personal trial? God void must see a bright future for you. I will find help in case something goes wrong".
She immediately goes back inside the small door with little fanfare.
"Hm, that was surprisingly effective it's either citing God Void is a cheat key or she is a snake".
Wren's thoughts are interrupted by an extremely fast hare rushing at him.
Wren exercises patience standing still waiting for it to come to him.
*Screee!*
The rabbit is so close to the treasure its excitement is boiling over. The treasure moves and everything turns to black.
Wren's sword moves silently decapitating the rabbit in one swift motion. Wren goes back to his previous position completely motionless.
[You have received 30 experience]
[30/100 required for level up]
"That amount feels rather generous considering I one-shot it".
Wren spots his next adversary, a fox… "Its eyes are gentle like my old friends, but the quest".
Wren's vigilance fluctuates as the fox closes in on him with a cute and harmless expression. He extends his hand, holding the sword in the other ready.
[Your bonuses have become 600%]
Something changes, the fox licks its lips in desire lunging at him.
Wren reacts quickly doing an inaccurate hack of its head killing it.
"Again this pattern! The foxes I knew were a lot more patient and nice than this one, why get my hopes up?".
[You have received 50 experience]
[80/100 required for level up]
Wren spots a pack of five ferocious wolves and charges forth as if running from something.
Wren now has spectators; Summer and Eisen are restrained from charging in by Hale. Wren remains oblivious to their presence whilst Hale whispers stern words to them.
Wren does a series of quick stabs wanting to test his new skill on the smallest wolf. His superior speed and reach keep him safe...
[You have dealt 100 damage to the target]
[You have dealt 100 damage to the target]
Wren two-shots the small wolf, feeling more powerful after it.
[You have levelled up, Current level 2]
[You have received Cadence buff for 1 attack]
Wren takes on a stance for wide horizontal attacks wondering if it counts as one attack.
[Critical Hit! * 4]
[You did cumulative 644 Damage in one attack]
The wolves stagger back whimpering in pain, the biggest charging at Wren. Wren follows through his last attack with more horizontal attacks like waves.
[You have slain Normal Wolf * 3]
"Not four?" Wren is confused when the biggest wolf lands a swipe on Wren's leg leaving scratch marks on his hand.
[You have taken 14 Damage]
[You have taken 1 Cold damage]
[You have healed 4 Health]
Wren angrily uses his sword to skewer it's jaw killing it his hand twitching in pain but quickly healing.
[You have levelled up, current level 3 360/400]
[You have killed an elite Wolf kill 10 more to gain knowledge of this beasts' tracks]
Wren smiles satisfied with himself taking the time to gloat and revel in his victory as the cold surrounds him and continues to heal him and accept him. Wren enjoys the feeling basking in the tumultuous cold and revel
[You are full health]
Wren opens his eyes to see a hoard of beasts; Their gazes dig into Wren's scarce amount of exposed flesh, licking their lips in joy.
[More than 20 beasts in the area you have received 'Fear' debuff]
"The intensity of these stares is a bit much" Wren backs away something boiling up from his stomach lurching over. The beasts see this as a sign of weakness immediately pouncing on him.
The closest of the beasts a small bear rushes to the front salivating as they widely bite at Wren. Wren withholds the contents of his stomach doing a low side kick breaking its nose.
Wren leans in his body placing one foot forwards keeping the other steady. His sword in his left hand, he pierces towards the adolescent bear.
*Ding*
A bigger bear uses its claws and knocks Wren's sword away. Wren goes flying away desperately holding onto his sword his wrist breaking from the impact.
[Your left wrist has been broken -50 Accuracy and -5 HP/s lost when using it]
Wren tumbles in the air reorientating himself to land on his back. His wrist is in the process of healing but the beasts don't give him the chance, they pounce on him.
Wren launches himself up gripping his sword with both hands the pain in his left hand overshadowed by his fear. Wren charges at the bests who broke his wrist but the large bear has a bunch of companions who try to devour Wren a chaotic manner.
Wren slashes his sword maniacally in fear the beasts backing off increases his courage.
[Critical Hit!]
The system is covering for Wren, these notifications pop up occasionally with every attack dealt and taken. The beasts slowly start to lose their fear, Wrens attempts show themselves to be insufficient with his every attack earning a scratch in return.
The battle again feels hopeless to Wren he keeps trying to be more in tune with the cold allowing it to heal and strengthen him asking it for an absolute advantage over his foes.
[Your bonus have become 700%]
Wren's wrist heals and he gains more power but the beasts' ferocity and numbers increase as Wren pushes his advantage.
Wren finds an opportunity to kill one of the more wounded beasts. He bursts out with strength knocking the other beasts away with quick stabs of his sword. Wren weaves through the beasts reaching his target. With old battle scars and new ones, it looks tough but Wren is sure it is the easiest target.
Wren quickly kills the beast with a flurry of attacks but a wolf has an adrenaline burst and increases its speed, Wren is caught off guard as it leaves scratch marks on his face. Wren increases his speed overcoming the wolf's ravenous outburst with another flurry of attacks killing it in rage.
[You have killed an…]
Wren ignores the notification because the scratch stings and sears him with the cold's attempt to heal it. Wren almost laughs at the irony that the healing has hurt him more than the cut, he feels despair instead.
The beasts numbers bolster themselves following the wolf's example they roar and burst out with ferocity and desire.
"I can't win, I need to run". Wren despairs at the surging morale of his enemy having his own Adrenaline burst to run.
He reaches the door but he pulls the lever, turns the knob but it doesn't open.
"So I have to interfere in the end, God Void was harsh and blocked your exit" Wren hears the familiar voice of the wolf fanatic and time freezes.
[You have failed the quest "The true danger of your curse"]
[You now have -100% Fear resistance]
[Attached Message: I trained you better than this]
Wren feels something weaken like he is generally more prone to fear. "Hah…it's over…" Wren touches the scar on his face feeling the line it makes on his face.
"You have caused trouble on your first day, I'll tell the instructors to work you to the bone tomorrow" Hale interrupts Wren's thoughts.
'Perhaps that is for the best I need a purpose, a distraction, considering that the cold creates enemies for me I feel sad about it' Wren thinks this whilst on the outside, he nods with a mopey look.