24***The First Floor (Prep) [Part 1]

Angus

*pant* *pant* *pant* *pant*

"Hey Angus, how're you holding up?" Nylon asked me while trying to control his ragged breath. We currently resting in some Tall Grass after defeating a wave of 3 lvl12 Rhino Beetles, 2 lvl14 Flying Beetles, and a lvl15 and lvl16 Giant Lizards. Nylon was now starting up a fire as I tried to slow my breathing.

I took a deep breath myself and opened my Status window.

Status: lvl/14

HP: 15/62

STM: 5/88

HUG: 10

FAQ: 70

Inventory:

Food:

Lizard Meat [Roasted] (7)

Wild Cat Meat [Roasted] (2)

Wolf Meat [Roasted] (3)

Apple (1)

Armor:

Leather Tunic (11%)

Leather Skirt (23%)

Chain Mail (34%)

Leather Gloves (0%)

Leather Boots (0%)

Weapons:

Flint Dagger (1)

Bone Dagger (4)

Belt:

Flint Dagger (hp: 3/15, dg: 10, crit: 7)[crit chance +10%]

Bone Dagger [a] (hp: 4/7, dg: 4, crit: 2)

Bone Dagger [b] (hp: 1/7, dg: 4, crit: 2)

Bone Dagger [c] (hp: 2/7, dg: 4, crit: 2)

Bone Dagger [d] (hp: 1/7, dg: 4, crit: 2)

Money:

103 coppers, 50 silvers

Achievements:

Flight Foot (Catch a DragonFly with your bare hands)

*pant* *pant* *pant* It looks like I'm in pretty bad shape. "My boots and gloves are destroyed and my armor isn't going to hold out, and my health is in the yellow. What about you?"

"My Bone Shield(s) are almost broken, and my gloves are ruined. My boots aren't much better, but my armor is fine for the most part. My health is still in the half mark , but I don't know how many more hits I can tank." He said beside me as he pulled out some Roasted Lizard Meat and started eating it like there was no tomorrow, which there probably won't be at this rate!

"Jeeze, where the sh*t is that thing you saw?" I asked as I took out some Roasted Wolf Meat to eat too. About a quarter of my health and stamina returned after that.

We are still currently running to the place Nylon jumped up and saw, and it is taking forever!!!

"Dammit!!!!! Nylon, jump back up and see if we're still heading in the right direction!" I shouted out in frustration! The Tall Grass expanded for quite some distance in all directions so visibility was at zero right now. Sh*t this is annoying!!!!

"I can't, I'm almost out of Essence, and I don't have any more apples. Can't risk depleting it while we're dealing with these mobs." Nylon replied exhaustedly. And while I know he's right, what with these mobs being up to lvl16+ now and the only thing keeping us alive is that he can use his Improvisation Mastery to make a fire so that we can cook all this meat and eat it without risk of poisoning, it still didn't make me feel any better!

"Ah, man!!! Why did I have to follow you and your stupid....!!!" I started ranting stupid sh*ts out off pure frustration, and Nylon just stood there with the blankest look on his face, making me switch from ranting about this unfair situation to his stupid face and back to this situation in rapid succession! Rationality be damned, I was pissed.

I couldn't rant for long though, because in less than a minute from when we killed the last wave, 3 lvl 17 Giant Lizard tails came shooting out at us from the grass!

I dodged to the side but Nylon wasn't fast enough! He turned to dodge two of them but one of the tails caught him in the back, causing a resounding crack to ensue as the bone shield on his back broke!!!

I quickly used Twin Slash on the tail that hit him with two of my bone daggers, breaking them in the process!!! The other tails retracted and came shooting back but Nylon was ready this time! He ran some Essence into his feet ad hands and dashed forward with his new (well relatively new) shield and deflected the tails with a couple well aimed Shield Bash(es)!

It was then that they finally showed their scaly-*ss heads and I immediately rushed at them. My rush attack was promptly stopped however, when a Flying Beetle bolted from between its legs and rammed into me, knocking me back!

I unconsciously took half a second to admire it's sleek, smooth, round head, its pretty little beads for eyes, its fuzzy legs and the beautiful rainbow colour of the wings before kicking the thing into the air and arcing a slash across its gut, taking off two legs!

New Movement Added to the "Multi-Wield Series"

I ignored the notification and quickly planted a critical hit in-between the beetle's carcass, smashing, not even registering the slight twinge that my heart felt at that. Sorry Angus, but no time for weakness!!!

As soon as I was done, five more Flying Beetles at lvl15 and lvl16 rose up and started bombarding us! My Bone Dagger and Flint Dagger were the only ones I had left and they took damage from that tackle earlier! I came to a shocking realization then as an involuntary smile cracked on my lips...

'I might actually die this time...'

No, no, no!!! Not yet! I can't die yet!!!

"Angus!!!" Nylon shouted to me, "Loot the legs off of those beetles! I'll hold the lizards off for now!!!" He ordered me before charging off, two small, orange, glowing orbs in his hands as his arms shone with Essence! I almost scoffed, but stopped myself midway and started running to slice the legs off of those creepy, crawly, cute little..... stop it!!!

I had taken off a third leg off of the one that flew low to tackle me, when a small explosion went off behind me!

Nylon Was Hit With Recoil

The notification system went off as one of the Giant Lizards teetered and fell on the one beside it, knocking it off balance! The third one jumped backwards a bit and tried to catch him with a slash from its claws, but Nylon went full glow for a bit and dodged the slash with a roll to the side before springing back up and slamming it in the face with his shield!!!

I took my attention from him then to see the beetle I attacked retracting its remaining legs and him and his friends coming for me!

At this, I activated my Multi-Wield Series!!!