Chapter 9 - The Step beyond the First Floor, Camping on the Second.

Floor 1: Cave of the Goblin Warrior

Threat Level: H

Letting out a breath as I recover, "Woo look at that two drops perfect." 'Sized for me already too. Nice' Remembering my sword I look down at it 'You served me so well in the last few hours. Thankfully the room won't spawn any more until I leave hopefully. Thank you for serving me well.' Stabbing the broken sword into the floor next the bone throne. I look to my old sword then my new gear.

[BROKEN] Worn Iron Sword

Description: A pair of worn iron sword that has been passed down for generations, its use, repair, and misuse has left it degraded.

Grade: Broken

Attack: 1

Durability: 0/100

Sharpness: 0

Iron War Axe

Description: An iron war axe dropped from the Goblin Warrior on Floor 1 of the Tower of Alabaster.

Grade: Common

Attack: 15

Durability: 100/100

Sharpness: 10

Iron Chestplate

Description: An iron chest plate dropped from the Goblin Warrior on Floor 1 of the Tower of Alabaster.

Grade: Common

Defense: 15

Durability: 100/100

I sigh, "Too bad the iron gauntlets didn't drop too, though.. I could farm the room a couple of times more." putting my hand to my chin in thought. I shake off the idea. 'No reason to stop now, especially on something so early.' unhooking the leather jerkin from my chest and dropping it to the ground. I slip into the Iron Chestplate, the cool metal feeling coming through my shirt as it lays on top, i sinch it down snuggly. Tilting side to side, scooping up the war axe from the ground in the process. I spin it freely around my hand twice. 'Nice balance for a axe.' The axe was so big on the goblin warrior it was forced to use two hands, however with me it only requires one, the axe itself being almost 4' 5" long. Testing the weight, 5 pounds maybe 6. Giving it a couple swings brings a smile to my face. One one handed swing, another two handed. 'Should learn some form of energy manipulation to just have nuclear options. Personally like the range options most.' I stop, feeling something looking at me, I turn with my axe near my chest.

Standing there is Myra, "Oh.." escapes her mouth as she stares at me. "The respawn should be in 10 minutes or so if you want to try your luck." I call to her. She shakes her head walking past the corpses and me heading for what looks to be stairs in the back corner of the cavernous room, hidden just behind the bone throne. 'If that leads to the next floor, might as well get a move on.' Following after her, I do a quick check of my Defense stat from my [Iron Chestplate], [Worn Leather Leggings], and [Worn Leather Boots]. Nice starting defense.

Physical Defense: 17

'Well hopefully I can keep up the not getting hit, but incase something exceeds my ability to see, and react got a nice buffer.' Keeping a respectable distance from Myra as I follow her to the stairs. I see her eye the goblins as we pass by. Looks like when she isn't stressed out from being nearly enslaved she is calm and analytical. After a few seconds of walking she reaches the stairs heading down them smoothly. I stop at the stairs turning an eye back to the cavern room entrance. 'Still something seems off..' after that errant thought I head down the stairs myself. My footfalls creating muffled echoes, just barely heard. Myra whips around at that, barely down a few more steps of stairs, "Wha-?" she looks at me in surprise. "How are you so quiet?!", shrugging my shoulders I proceed past her easily as the stairs down is a easily two men across standing side by side. Seeing a frown on her face as i walk by. 'Fun to tease at least. Fun being able to tease. To speak...' I get lost in my own melancholy for some time as we descend the stairs in silence, except for her footfalls being prevalent. I can tell she is trying to mimic me and how I am walking. There is a off rhythm to the footsteps, but she is still missing a key part. 'Though since I can use the first level of [Ancient Steps of the Dark].. instinctive use of energy.. no... something else... I know that the original use was Darkness itself.. but am I using that' As I walk I lean deeper into the memories, trying to peel back the seal just a bit to see and feel. Pain Explodes across my eyes, as i miss the last two steps on the stairs leading to the second floor. A hand snakes out quickly grabbing me by the back of my Iron Chestplate. "Careful!" her voice pulls me back to the present. Mumbling a thank you, I take in the second floor.

Floor 2: Goblin Infested Plains

Threat Level: H - H+

To advance to the next floor, defeat a tribe and use their totem in the Chieftains Hut to advance to the next floor.

We stand at the entrance to the second floor, a mist like barrier standing between me and the second floor, or exiting the Tower. I push through the mist thinking of heading to the next floor. I step out overlooking windswept plains with forests covering the edges of the plains a river splitting the plains in two, a vast open area with what looks to be villages cropping up here and there along the river or close to the forest edge. Looking back I see that the entrance to the second floor comes out of a rock outcropping. The mist barrier is still there incase whoever comes here either decides to head back to Floor 1, or leave the Tower. Quite like the first floor, this floor contains mostly goblins, however unlike before these goblins have a enough intelligence to work most together, building up villages advancing themselves. If any single village is left alone long enough it can grow to be more advanced and raise the threat level of the floor itself. Goblin Warriors, Scouts, Shamans, Chieftains are some of the variants that start showing up on this floor. This floor usually has a group clear it every so often so it doesn't get to that point though. 'I need to start thinking about long term, last time I ate was hours ago, Water, none, resources can be gained from the Tower around me as needed.' Staring to the forest spotting some wild game closeby, I decide that setting up camp should be a good plan. I tilt my head back to the mist, 'Guess she left the Tower, hopefully that incident doesn't stop her from climbing, some have broken from less.' Making my way down a worn path off the outcropping of rocks, to the forest edge, I trail the edge for a while staying low and out of sight from any wandering goblin. 'Don't want to catch any attention yet. Get camp setup, get food, get water. Sleep and then we can continue on.'

Finding a nice inlet from where the river branches off from the main source running through the floor, that isn't near any goblin villages, and close to the forest. I stop crouching low waiting to see any activity in the area. -SNAP- Last second I hear a branch snap across from me as a bear stumbles out of the overgrowth next to the little inlet of water. Its' grissely hide shakes as it stumbles to the water lapping it up. Maybe 10 to 20 feet away. Keeping my breath low, not moving a muscle. Focusing on the Bear. Something pings across my vision, 'Finally!'

Skill Acquired: Inspect(LVL: 01)

Description: Through continuous use of your perception and analyzing your Foes and Items you have wielded you have unlocked a basic Inspection Skill.

Growth of this skill dependant on Perception, Usage, and Knowledge.

'Took long enough i got enough information from wielding items, but now I don't have to touch everything..' staring at the bear activating [Inspect] mentally, brings up the bears rough information that I've either read or found out, or System provided.

Inspect: [Bear(Lvl:02)]

Description: A common brown forest bear, that lives on Floor 2 of the Tower of Alabaster.

Name: N/A

Tier: H

Race: Bear

Level: 2

Age: 0

Health: 59

Gender: Male

Energy: N/A

Strength: 20

Endurance: 15

Dexterity: 7

Agility: 8

Perception: 6

Intelligence: 4

Wisdom: 2

Charisma: 0

Luck: 2

'Yep, not using [inspect] any more on it wouldn't get much more information, doubt a simple bear has any skills, besides trying to charge and maul somethings' face off. Now the real question is do I let this pass or-' my thought dies as the bear snorts into the water, raising its large head to look right at me. Slowly bringing myself to full height from a crouch, gripping my new war axe sunlight shining off the iron head, I glare back at the bear. The bear seemingly undisturbed snorts, taking another long drink from the river inlet, it looks at me one last time before turning around and trudging back through the tree line and overgrowth. Tension leaves my body as its hulking form disappears. Sure I can win, but a slugging match between me and that bear would have left me exhausted. Using my axe and finding the right branches with just the right thickness I break them off, cutting them down my forearm in length and shaving the ends into points. Time to catch myself some dinner, maybe there is fish in that river. Walking over to the river as i work on the little pointy sticks, I eye a nice few small fish in the inlet. 'Just enough, fantastic. Good thing I got that skill earlier.' Keeping one of the sticks just long enough to use as a spear, finishing the point on it as I set down my axe on the ground beside me just within reach. I begin to eye the tasty little morsel that is swimming around without a care in the world. Standing at the edge of the water I activate [Ancient Steps of the Dark] my presence dissolving into the forest, standing stock still with the the spear point poised to strike I wait for a Fish to line up with my lead. A couple minutes pass, my body starts to shake from the extended use of the skill. Mentally pushing my body on, my patience pays off, as I lunge forward spearing a fish through its' gills.

'DINNER!' I shout mentally, as the other fish scatter to the opposite side of the inlet, pulling my hard earned fish from the water. 'Now to cook this tasty morsel. These sticks should do for kindling..' grabbing some dry brush as I pass by back to my little campsite, I feed it into a small spot that was dug out with the end of one the pointy sticks made earlier, layering the edge with rocks to keep stray flames in the firepit. 'And these are my firestarters..' grabbing the bowstring I snatched back on the first floor wrapping it around one of my sharpened pointy sticks, and another that had been shaved flat, making a firestarter. After a few minutes of fiddling with it and the dry brush it catches fire with a slow burn as I start to feed it more sticks.

"Going to taste so good." my stomach growls in anticipation of the cooked food to come. The sky above darkening as the false sun on this floor dips below the floor horizon, giving an orange hue to the world around me, the light casting an orange blaze of color along the treetops.