CLA.S.S NEUTRAL: Stranger Is Coming

Hard training. Kosvereng. Cross-country race.

Half a day later, I walked around the swamp rather confidently: I avoided dangerous monsters, killed some of the smaller ones, and collected herbs.

I also pumped up some of my skills and summoned the elk-sokhr. I pondered on what language this name was. At the same time, I tried to use the Wave of Fear and the Sheaf of Splashes, because I imagined these skills would be useful to me in the near future.

It was rather complicated to level-up, though I used standard methods for advancing a low-levelled character. Anyway, it produced some results.

So, the Choking Lash finally reached the fourth level, as well as Collecting Herbs, Disguise and Athletics. The rest of the Silvan's skills remained at the second level, apart from The Healing, which was still at the first level.

It was getting dark, and it was difficult to see clearly. I thought that it was better to avoid meeting with the night residents of the local swaps, but I didn't have time to leave this swamp. Where is Silvan when I need him?

I decided to cover myself with mud, grass, and twigs in order to hide under a crooked tree, giving me time to make a decision. But in doing so, I warmed up and dozed off. I seem to fall asleep too often in this game…

***

I was awoken by a low rumbling similar to a working diesel engine; someone produced it in the darkness of the night. I opened my eyes and got surprised: I seemed to look through a night vision device.

The surrounding space was painted in dark-gray tones and, despite the murk, I clearly saw the tree contours, islets, and even the rare ripples on the water. Then something else appeared.

There were some spots highlighted with purple color. I realized that the skill 'Search for Death' worked this way. Most of those luminous points were the places where I had killed the mobs.

One spot, however, was too big and bright. It meant that this wasn't my doing. I couldn't help approaching this place.

Having passed through the dense thicket, I went out onto a wide area covered with a forest. It was a dark forest with black trees and gray foliage. There, in the depths, something was waiting for me. The skill 'Good Eye' worked, and a message emerged.

Kosvereng, Mossy Swamps' Bane level 32

What were the developers thinking about when they created this monster? They must have been drunk or drugged! I don't know.

The creature resembled a ten-foot-tall mushroom with jaws on its cap. I didn't know how to explain it any better: its jaw was located on the cap's edge circ.u.mferentially. There were a multitude of eyes all over its cap, and its teeth were palm-sized. Hmm, it's impossible to get to this monster without being noticed.

This monster looked like they'd taken an ordinary mushroom from the 'Mario' game, and then mutated it due to the developers' fantasies. Its stipe was as thick as a couple of a.d.u.l.ts or maybe even thicker, and it had four sharp spikes.

The mushroom seemed to be eating something. I used my Good Eye again. It served me well. I clearly saw a large barkharat and a couple of well-fed swamp wolves. Or rather their remains...

Hmm… So, the darker the purple aura was, the more deaths it indicated. Okay. I had satisfied my curiosity, and now I could go back to the tree and sleep until the morning.

I was wrong.

A nasty and very bad stick suddenly decided to break loudly under my foot, and the mushroom immediately spat out its three teeth towards it. One of them reached their goal. It was so painful that I couldn't help cursing.

The mushroom started approaching me. I wonder how it eats. Does it have an esophagus in its stipe? I've never seen a circular jaw before. There's no need to guess. Looks like I'll find out myself soon enough.

I stooped and put the creature's three teeth in my bag and was very upset when I saw a message informing about poisoning. I should have known! I immediately drank a bottle of the swamp water, sighed with relief, and then rushed away from the place.

It was stupid of me to think that this creature was awkward—the mushroom was jumping very fast and approaching me rapidly. I could only envy its swiftness.

This monster seemed to have the ability 'Search for Life'. I couldn't believe that it saw so well in the almost pitch-black darkness. On the other hand, it had so many eyes that some of them could be solely for watching prey in the darkness.

Kosvereng deals you damage—12 damage points health 43/55

Bastard! Bitch! Oh! It hurts badly! I pulled the mushroom's tooth out of my back and threw it into my bag. I didn't wear a disguise anymore and ran as fast as I could, using 'Choking Lash' and 'Sohranaroh' as I scrambled away.

The kosvereng stumbled and immediately attacked me with its thirty-foot-long thin, spiked tentacle. Screw it! It had taken almost all my health points and poisoned me.

I could drink only one potion per a minute at my level, so I used the 'Silvanus's Healing', which restored ten health points. The evil creature still pursued me.

I managed to escape from the mushroom, using all my skills. Now I was pleased—I had dealt some damage to this monster.

I wish it was a downworlder. I wish it was sorry about its victims. There was no need to attack it with my Fly Agaric. I didn't want it to be eaten; it helped me to see in the dark.

I pumped up my healing skill to the third level, drank the swamp water, and sighed calmly. What an awful night! I hope I'll have the chance to get a little rest.

"I see you are having fun," the Forest Keeper said, suddenly appearing from behind a tree. He made me jump in surprise and apply my skills, one by one. "Not bad, not bad," the salvin said as if nothing had happened. "Excellent reaction; you've improved your skills. That's good."

Quest 'Exploring the Mossy Swamps' is completed.

Reputation with the Keeper increases.

"To become a Keeper, a salvin should master plenty of skills.' He squinted slightly. "You're not a good pathfinder, so your 'Good Eye' still needs pumping up. You had better get back to your cabin by yourself, without any help, and learn a few more skills on the way. And remember—avoid kosverengs by all means. You're too weak to fight them!"

"I've already understood that."

"Avoid kosvereng!" the salvin repeated.

I didn't like his voice.

"I'll wait for you at the end," he added.

The Forest Keeper disappeared again, turning into gray leaves. He clearly possessed some unique ability, not just Disguise. It was a pretentious way to avoid any further questions. Bastard.

I wanted to learn this skill! The salvin was so mysterious that I couldn't understand whether he was good or evil. Anyway, I didn't care right now. It was more important to get home. I wondered how exactly I was going to do that.

My map stopped working. Did high-level NPCs influence the game characters' abilities? I better write it down in my diary. There were too many weird things in this game, and I was still in some kind of wilderness. What would happen when I got to the capital of some kingdom?

Well, there was no time for thinking about all kinds of conspiracies and strangeness, I had to get back as soon as possible. It dawned on me—I had to find my own track and walk along it. My blood ran cold—I'll have to go back near that mushroom. I didn't have a choice anyway. I went back, following my own tracks. I walked even faster than I ran. I have no idea how I managed to do it, but Good Eye helped to see Kosvereng from a large distance. Surprisingly, the mushroom kept eating.

Despite my quick speed and Pathfinder's skill, which had increased by two stat points, I was attacked by the monster's tentacle, and a few of his teeth plunged into my arm. I managed to survive due only to my healing skill and the bottles with the swamp water.

The mushroom didn't pursue me. My Choking Lashes seemed to have bothered the monster. So, I used only one Lash to put if off.

When I had more Strength points, I'd cook mushroom soup out of this bastard and feed it to one of the admins.

I ran away from the swamp wolves and the needlers. However, after an hour of running, I finally got to the swamp border. I left the track to refill the empty bottles with the water and take a little rest.

I couldn't get back on my tracks, even though I saw them, so I had to just run. When the moon disappeared behind the clouds, I reached the finish.

I was tired. Damn Marathon Runner. What a stupid achievement! I used eight bottles of the water and many healing activations, however, the skill had only increased by two stat points.

I wished I had more mana, then I would have achieved much more. Now, I had lack of energy and it was only recovering slowly.

I could hardly move when I got to my bed. A soft blanket was more pleasant than friend's hugs for me.