“We are back for the last ti tonight, my friends! This is the Voice of the People, coming at you live here on K-RAD LA! I hope y’all enjoyed the show tonight, because I am gonna hand over the mic to our phenonal late-night host, DJ Eveline, the Lady of Spin!
"I’m out, my loyal listeners – it’s ti for so delectable, heavenly nectar! You know it’s gotta be the one and only Wasted Gold from BMF! Let drop one last gem on y’all, the sequel to Three Empty Leashes – it’s Four Miles to Go!”
- DJ Demophon Kerner, on K-RAD LA, April 1st, System Year 453
“PAST,” I sighed, “how the fuck do I get out of here?”
[YOU HAVE NOW GAINED THE REQUIRED AMOUNT OF EXPERIENCE TO BE PROMOTED TO LEVEL 3! CONGRATULATIONS, CITIZEN! WHEN YOU ARE READY TO PROCEED, SIMPLY SAY ‘LEVEL UP’!
TO COMPLETE THE TUTORIAL YOU MUST FINISH YOUR LEVEL UP, ACCEPT YOUR REWARD, AND SELECT YOUR BONUS SKILL! THEN I WILL OPEN THE EXIT PORTAL!]
“Reset user settings,” I stated hopefully.
[NO CAN DO, CITIZEN! YOU MUST COMPLETE THE TUTORIAL BEFORE CUSTOMIZING YOUR P.A.S.T. INTERFACE!]
“Fuck it, fine,” I grumbled, moving to sit on the dirt and lean on the boulder. “Level up.”
[WELCO TO LEVEL 3! YOUR ADVANCED CLASS GIVES YOU 8 CLASS STAT POINTS AND 4 FREE POINTS PER LEVEL!]
“Stop.” PAST cut off, and I used Inspect.
I feel… way worse than those numbers show! Hard to believe my health is that high. It must be because when my max health went up from 28 to 31, I got three more to my current health. So I was at 11 before. Sa with everything else. Too bad there’s no stat for ntalhealth, because that would be funny to see right now. It’s hard to trust this is really over, I want to get out of here as soon as possible!
I contemplated my free point for a mont before deciding I was too tired and hungry to co up with a different idea than putting it into Barrier again, so I told PAST my decision and rode out the results for – hopefully – the last ti. As I lay there panting, PAST spoke again.
[YOU HAVE ALSO ACCUMULATED ENOUGH ESSENCE FOR AN ITEM! DO YOU WANT TO RECEIVE YOUR ITEM NOW?!]
“Do I have to?” I wanted it, but I wanted out right away even more.
[YOU DO NOT!]
So of course I decided I needed to keep lying down for a few more minutes. Once I’d recovered, I stood and walked over to my newly-manifested System chest with the number ‘3’ inscribed on the top.
It’s crazy that I got three Levels today! I know Tier 0 is supposed to go by fast, but the Standard Tutorial only gives one. I guess that’s the real reward for almost dying a bunch of tis! More Levels, more loot. And more monster guts all over …
Inside the chest I found a glowing object about the sa size as a mod, but instead of a smooth ball, it was faceted like a gem. The mont my hand touched it, the gem lted into and a rush of knowledge tumbled into my brain. It was a Spell gem, I realized, and it contained the Tier 0 rune Force. The rune was more complex than any of the Cantrips I knew, several swooping lines contained within a perfect circle.
I was montarily dazzled by the idea of having magic, real magic, not just the stupid Cantrips that literally almost everyone could do. Then I realized that I didn’t have a focus to impart a modifier rune, so I probably couldn’t do shit right now.
I should be able to infuse it into my gun, though, I can’t wait to find out what that does! I might have tried it right then but that killjoy PAST butted in again.
[BY REACHING LEVEL 3, YOU HAVE EARNED A NEW SKILL! YOU HAVE ALSO EARNED A BONUS SKILL AS A QUEST REWARD! YOU MUST SELECT YOUR BONUS SKILL BEFORE EXITING THE TUTORIAL!]
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Quest Completed: Advanced Tutorial
Required Objectives: Survive the Tutorial
Rewards: Bonus Skill, Exit Portal
“Do I have to select both Skills now?”
[YOU DO NOT, CITIZEN! ONLY THE BONUS SKILL MUST BE SELECTED AT THIS TI!]
That was good. Selecting a Skill was a big deal, and big deals should get proper consideration. I didn’t think I had a lot of consideration left in at that mont.
“What are my bonus Skill options?”
Class Skill Selection – Bonus Skill:
Tactical Reposition: During combat, recover a small amount of your mana every ti you move into new cover
Type: Triggered
Cooldown: 1 minute
Instant Replenishnt: Imdiately refills your bandolier to full capacity
Type: Active
Cost: Sa as standard replenishnt
Cooldown: 5 minutes
Quick Step: Take a step that covers twice the usual distance
Type: Active
Cost: 1 stamina
Cooldown: 10 seconds
I wandered back towards the entrance of the final chamber to retrieve my gun while I thought. The only one I’d heard of before was Quick Step. It was a pretty common Skill, and even though it didn’t sound great, it would beco useful when Leveled up. I’d be able to cover more distance with each use and the cooldown would get even shorter. It was a useful, generic Skill. I could see where it might have helped a bit during the Tutorial, but I didn’t feel like it would have made a huge difference.
Instant Replenishnt looked even less useful at first glance. My bandolier refilled reasonably fast and it didn’t take a lot of concentration to do it. The Skill would get better as it leveled, maybe saving mana compared to doing it the normal way.
If it refilled my magazine instead of my bandolier, or even both, then it would be amazing. Maybe it could get there eventually.
The first Skill, Tactical Reposition, was definitely the most complex, and I needed so clarification.
“PAST, what does ‘moving into new cover’ an?”
[TAKING OR MOVING INTO COVER ANS TACTICALLY HIDING FROM THE ENEMY BEHIND SOTHING STURDY! NEW COVER ANS HIDING BEHIND A DIFFERENT OBJECT THAN YOU WERE BEFORE!]
That wasn’t super helpful. “Does it have to be a natural object like a rock or can it be man-made?”
[WHERE THE OBJECT COS FROM DOES NOT MATTER!]
I gathered my remaining wits and considered it. Running out of mana was a big concern, as my fight with the flying bugs had shown earlier.
If I’d had this Skill earlier when I fought those flying monsters, I would have had plenty of mana left when I fought evil . I wouldn’t have been able to use it in all of my fights, but it probably would have worked with the rocks in the tunnels where I fought the goblins and the spiders. The spiders just sward , but once I get out of here hopefully I won’t be fighting alone very often!
I spent a ton of ti today sitting around waiting to absorb more mana, even with a couple of safe rooms to help. I was lucky I didn’t get killed the one ti I ca into a fight running low. I know for Spell-based Classes it’s really important to take Skills that help conserve mana or recover it more quickly. I’m not a caster but I’m still mostly relying on mana instead of stamina.
“I’ll take Tactical Reposition.”
[BONUS SKILL SELECTION CONFIRD! OPENING THE EXIT PORTAL NOW! YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE ADVANCED TUTORIAL!]
A tiny point of bright light appeared a few yards in front of , quickly expanding into an oval shape maybe seven feet tall and three wide in the middle. As it grew, it dimd into a smokey grey color. In fact, it looked a bit like a dark cloud might if you stuck it behind a piece of perfectly clear glass. Eagerly, I reached out and touched it. In the mont before I was teleported back to Sunland, I realized I’d made a huge mistake.
[CONGRATULATIONS ON PROVING THAT YOU ARE A REAL ARICAN HERO! USER SETTINGS NOW CONFIRD!]
NOOOOOO………
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