Chapter 28: A New Direction
Drake walked back towards Oakhaven under the light of the moon, his mind buzzing with the information Corvus had shared and the sudden influx of stat points. He decided to stop just outside the city gates, finding a quiet spot beneath a large oak tree. He leaned against the rough bark and opened the Codex.
* Level: 3
* Strength: 13
* Dexterity: 14
* Constitution: 9
* Intelligence: 12
* Wisdom: 7
* Charisma: 14
* Luck: 5
* Health: 72/100
* Available points: 3
*Skills:*
* Observe (Level 2)
* Sense Magic (Level 2)
* Street Fighting (Level 3)
* Harvest (Level 1)
* Seal Analysis (Basic)
* Shadow Cloak (Level 1)
He considered his options. His Strength had improved significantly after allocating the initial stat points, but it was still far from impressive. His Constitution was still a glaring weakness, leaving him vulnerable to physical damage. His Wisdom was… well, let's just say he wasn't known for his wise decisions.
"Strength or Constitution…" he muttered to himself. "Tough choice. More Strength means I can hit harder, but more Constitution means I can take more hits. Considering I almost got myself killed by a bunch of goblins, maybe Constitution is the smarter choice."
He decided to allocate two points to Constitution and one to Strength.
*Notification: "Stat Points Allocated: Constitution +2. Current Constitution: 11."*
*Notification: "Stat Points Allocated: Strength +1. Current Strength: 14."*
He felt a slight increase in his physical resilience and a small boost to his strength. It wasn't a dramatic change, but it was noticeable.
"Alright," he said, closing the Codex. "Now that I'm slightly less of a glass cannon, what's next?"
He thought about his options. He could stay in Oakhaven, take on more quests from the Merchant's Guild, and continue to improve his skills and stats. Or he could venture out into the wider world, explore new locations, and face new challenges.
The thought of staying in one place for too long made him restless. He had always been a traveler, a wanderer. He craved new experiences, new adventures.
He also remembered Corvus's words: *"You have a natural aptitude for this. It seems that for every beast you slay and every challenge you overcome, the system rewards you. This is a rare and powerful gift, use it wisely."*
Drake took this as a sign that he should continue to push himself, to seek out new challenges and continue to grow stronger. He decided to leave Oakhaven and explore the surrounding region. He would follow the whispers of adventure, wherever they might lead him.
He reentered Oakhaven, heading towards the stables near the east gate. He needed a horse, or some kind of mount, to make his travels easier.
At the stables, he found a grizzled old stable hand tending to a group of horses.
"Looking for a ride, friend?" the stable hand asked, wiping his hands on a rag.
"Yeah," Drake replied. "Something sturdy, reliable. And preferably not too expensive."
The stable hand chuckled. "Sturdy and reliable usually means expensive," he said. "But I might have just the thing for you."
He led Drake to a pen containing a sturdy-looking brown horse. "This one's a bit older," the stable hand said, "but she's got a good heart and a strong back. She'll get you where you need to go."
Drake examined the horse. She looked healthy and well-cared for. He decided she would do nicely.
"How much?" he asked.
"50 gold coins," the stable hand replied.
Drake winced. That was a significant chunk of his earnings. But he knew a mount would be invaluable for his travels.
"Alright," he said. "I'll take her."
After purchasing the horse and some basic riding supplies, Drake left Oakhaven through the east gate, the setting sun casting long shadows ahead of him. He rode slowly at first, getting used to the feel of the horse beneath him.
As he rode, he thought about his future. He had no idea where he was going or what he would find, but he felt a sense of excitement, a sense of anticipation. He was ready for whatever Atheria had in store for him. He was ready for adventure.