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Those Blessed with Talent

Reader mode
I like writing omake!

I also apparently like sending boss monster encounters at low level characters.

It will be just fine! I doubt Darkened will adopt it as canon.
 
redaeth said:
It will be just fine! I doubt Darkened will adopt it as canon.
Click to expand...
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hmmm

Choose 1:
  • +2 to stamina
  • The forest boss changes
  • Your chance of encountering a boss class mob in the forest doubles
  • The next plant enemy you encounter is guaranteed to give you enough experience to level, provided it would normally give more than 5.
 
(Did this on my phone, pardon any formatting/spelling errors)

Another Mother

She was a powerful warrior. She was feared and respected in equal measure. She was capable of feats few others even knew were possible.

And she was in trouble.

Spin. Strike. Dodge. Retreat. Repeat.

The rhythm of her battle was everlasting and exhausting. The lack of appreciable moonlight under the thick forest canopy didn't hinder the warrior as much as unsettle her. When one took into account the utter lack of sound framing the desperate battle, the unsettling feeling made more sense. She retreated again and took an increasingly brief opportunity to catch her breath.

Nightmares approached. To take out a single beast of its ilk was a claim of the highest magnitude. She'd claimed the "lives" of four. The joy and pride she normally would have felt were smothered by the sight of 10 more.

One twitched and she moved instinctively, blocking it with a burst of speed and strength. Quickly she threw it back before retreating to her previous position. Sparing a quick glance behind her nearly cost her a life before she blocked another set of attacks aimed at her exposed back. Instead of letting despair set in, the lone defender felt a cold anger guide her blows.

They had been five, once. Five healthy children, growing happily under her care. Five beautiful personalities, all disgruntled when she overwhelmed them with affection. Five pieces of her heart, each one inspiring more pride than any task she'd endured before or sense.

Only two yet survived.

Unwilling to let another of the demonic creatures steal a light from her life, she channeled her newfound anger into a powerful wave of energy which pinned every shadow in the area to the ground before spinning, snatching up her remaining children, and speeding away as quickly as possible. Knowing that the effect would fade soon, she got as close to the edge of the forest as she could before abruptly leaping into a tree and twisting the light around her and her packages, making them blend into the background. In between keeping an eye out for the unholy spawn, she examined her charges.

It wasn't looking good. Nightmares hunted by draining something essential from victims; nobody was sure if it was a soul, spirit, pure magic, or what, but it left the victim alive yet...broken. That's how three of her...anyway, the two little ones caught the edge of the draining effect and weren't strong enough to just shrug it off. As it stood, they were sick and would get worse if she couldn't get them somewhere safe soon. There was a modest city nearby that-

No sound alerted her. No smell either. That's how she was caught off guard the first time. The sense of something being fundamentally wrong was what caused her focus to pinpoint a location in the distance. Heading away from the city. Perfect.

Lifting her charges once again, she bounded forward in a magnificent show of strength, hitting the ground without stirring a single leaf. She shot forward again, but she made the mistake of looking towards the slaughter of Nightmares. She saw the group turn towards her. She saw them part for a leader to come to the fore. She saw...a man riding a Nightmare. Leading them, even. This impossible, profane sight jarred her so much that her landing was ungainly and caused one of the children to fall from her grasp. Even as she turned and reached out, a humbling blast of energy met her, annihilating her child and arm.

No thoughts spared for another fallen. Focus on saving one. No thoughts spared for the insane amounts of pain. Focus on saving one. No thoughts spared for the blasphemy of the Nightmare allowing a rider of any race. Focus on saving one.

With quickly flagging strength, she released another burst of paralysis while hurling herself recklessly across the remaining forest, across the flat plain, and into a small street within the city boundaries.

She smiled lopsidedly while hiding him underneath a cardboard box. With a final expenditure of magic, she wrapped him in cloaks of stealth and invisibility before collapsing with a paw on the head of the child that would grow to be named Autumn Shade.

"Be safe...mommy loves you."
 
Wait, so that was from a shadow leopards perspective?
 
Autumn Shade was found alone and barely surviving. No caretaker, no siblings, no parents.

I thought I would take a stab at how he ended up that way, seeing as he appears to be a rare and powerful species.

Canon might have a better explanation, but for now, this is Autumn Shade's mother.
 
Pandemonious Ivy said:
Another Mother
Click to expand...
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I'll call this semi-canon. It's not quite accurate, but it won't be terribly far off either.

??? in Autumn's skill tree has become ???

You may choose one of the following:
  • Autumn Shade's stamina increases by 5
  • Little Bee obtains Shadowy Claw at level 5 instead of at ???
  • Autumn Shade will develop the studied skill Hunter of Shadows on his own
  • Autumn Shade gains the event skill Sole Survivor
 
Darkened said:
I'll call this semi-canon. It's not quite accurate, but it won't be terribly far off either.

??? in Autumn's skill tree has become ???

You may choose one of the following:
  • Autumn Shade's stamina increases by 5
  • Little Bee obtains Shadowy Claw at level 5 instead of at ???
  • Autumn Shade will develop the studied skill Hunter of Shadows on his own
  • Autumn Shade gains the event skill Sole Survivor
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Thanks for confirmation.

Sole Survivor, please.

The rest are easier to gain, this is unique and more rare as an event skill. C
 
Pandemonious Ivy said:
Thanks for confirmation.

Sole Survivor, please.

The rest are easier to gain, this is unique and more rare as an event skill. C
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Soul Survivor Obtained:


Sole Survivor: Through luck Autumn survived when others did not. Allows Autumn to evade the next attack after being reduced to critical condition. Refreshes whenever HP is filled completely.
 
Bleeding Out
  • Threadmarks
    • [X] 11 Accept her offer: (drake_azathoth, PineTreeq, Xicree, Jiven, wayne82444, Raron, Glasbowl14, Frakir's brother, redaeth, Sirrocco, fitzgerald)
    -[X] 7 Flirt jokingly about being the love interest not the rival.: (PineTreeq, wayne82444, Raron, Glasbowl14, redaeth, Sirrocco, fitzgerald, Xicree)
    -[X] 1 Yell at her that she is the rival, not you: (Frakir's brother)
    [X] 1 Tell her you'll go back on your own, then blow the magic whistle as soon as you're clear.: (hunter09)


    [X] 6 Buy Analyze 2: (drake_azathoth, PineTreeq, wayne82444, Glasbowl14, redaeth, Sirrocco)
    [X] 7 Buy Cat's Eye: (drake_azathoth, PineTreeq, wayne82444, Raron, Glasbowl14, redaeth, Sirrocco)


    "Fine," you do your best to make your acceptance sound magnanimous, but the fact that you're swaying unsteadily on your feet takes away from the effect. That or the treant was poisoned, "but, I'm not your rival!"

    Peach Blossom sticks her tongue out at you, out of either genuine spite or some unseen playful side, "Are too!"

    You take her arm, leaning on her abruptly as you start to move forward. The treant must have been at least a little poisonous, "Nope!" you giggle a bit, "I'm more the love interest type."

    Definitely poisoned. There's no other explanation for why you'd say that. None whatsoever. You're going to blot it from your mind now.

    Stumbling forward a bit, you grab Peach Blossom's sleeve and pull her with you. Autumn limps by your side.

    "I-I'm I'm err. That's, I'm, bwah?"

    "It was a joke." You pour every inch of personality you can muster with your wounds into making the words as flat and self-evident as obvious. It seems to work.

    "R-right! A joke, of course. Hah, yeah. I'm not into girls at all! Nope, zero interest! Especially not midgets like you!"

    You've seen how older people get a bit crazy and stupid whenever the opposite sex comes up, but there's no need to go that far saying she's not, wait, midget?!

    "I'm perfectly average sized for my age!" at your feet Autumn gives a pained yip of agreement.

    "I didn't know you could could have a class before 10..."

    "!" only anger keeps your mouth from dropping open. Instead you take a deep breath and give her your best cold stare, "Yes, we all know you're awful at that whole thinking or noticing things thing."

    Peach Blossom frowns, "So are you saying that I should have known you weren't ten yet or that ten year olds are that tiny...."

    You... you don't have any way to respond to that. The conversation lapses to an awkward silence as you return to the inn.

    --------------

    Peach Blossom refuses to let you go alone until you've reunited with the Mu Clan's staff. Winter Breeze is quick to treat Autumn's injuries, and only slightly less quick to tend to yours, though Peach Blossom insists on staring at all of you suspiciously the whole time. Finally after you've recovered she gives you a quick smile, then dashes back outside.

    As eager as you are to go back outside, since you've exhausted your MP that leaves you the rest of the afternoon and evening to recover and eat all the wonderful food at the inn. Not that you're getting soft or anything! You'd totally be fine going back out there and squeaking out another level, but it'd be bad form to outdo everyone else so much, after Peach Blossom helped you, so you won't go pass them just yet. That's all.

    Still, the young master pulls you aside after you've told the details of your encounter, dumping a few small glass vials in your hands and small bundle of sticks.

    "Here!" he grins cheerfully, "Three health potions and some torches!"

    You eye the vials carefully. You don't know much about potions because they're the kind of thing you couldn't even hope to see in your life until a few months ago. Hesitantly you pull the cap out of one and take a sniff, wincing as the smell of potent alcohol washes over you and the room spins a bit.

    "Oh right," the Idiot nods thoughtfully, smirking like he was waiting for just that reaction, "The most common class that can easily make potions is a disti.. disti...." he drums his fingers along his chair, takes a swig of whatever he's drinking and perks up, "Right! alcohol-maker thing! So cheaper health potions can usually get you pretty drunk if you're not careful. You probably shouldn't take them too quickly if you don't want to pass out, and they won't work quite instantly either."

    "So, if I take them I'd be as bad as you for a while?" the question slips out despite yourself. Autumn bats his nose with his paws as if trying to push out the smell while you re-cork the potion.

    "Well, you'd be drunk, so you'd expect to make pretty bad decisions, act erratically and emotionally, fall asleep in random places and have really awful reflexes," he considers for a few moments, "And I have pretty good reflexes!"

    You're tempted to follow up, but Winter Breeze takes that moment to step into sight and you're not stupid enough to say something rude to the boss that where she can hear, no matter how much she deserves it.

    "Oh, and the torches should be good for any plant type monsters and scaring away some others," so wonderful he gave you those before you got attacked by a giant bush is the response you don't say out-loud.

    ------

    HP and MP restored, belly stuffed and only a little bit pained from Autumn's wake-up call, you're ready to face the new day!

    You glare at the predawn light for a little bit, then buy Cat's Eye and upgrade Analyze. No surprise attacks today! The world stings for a moment and the shadows around you brighten visibly, though they're still oddly drained of color compared to the well lit inn behind you.

    "Come out fox... Please? I just want to be friends... Come on... Nice and easy," There's no reply, no matter how much of the forest you run through. You really hope you find one before you're 80.

    Autumn continues to investigate bushes, often batting them to check for movement before 'bravely' jumping in this time around, and you just use your best enhanced vision to look for anything that's moving or unusually white.

    Abruptly Autumn tenses, crouching and growling angrily at a solitary shrub. You hesitate for a few moments before realizing that those thorns look very familiar.

    After a quick analyze to verify that it's another treant, you step far back, light a torch and toss it in. For a few moments the plant seethes, vines lashing out in every direction, desperately trying to grasp the torch and throw it out, only to come up more and more burned in the process. It's... pitiful actually, and a bit sad. But you don't think the plant's really smart enough to qualify for pity, and you need the XP.

    +8XP​

    Sadly, it's not quite enough to level. Perhaps you earn less when you use a surprise attack like this. Autumn waits a few moments, then jumps into the plant's ashes, hopping up and down before dancing back toward your feet, purring contentedly while smearing ashes all over your legs.

    Once more in the early evening, the cat spots a treant in advance, his tracker skill having given him more than enough warning to identify the monsters before triggering them to wake up. You only hesitate a little bit before lighting a torch and lobbing it in. If you don't level you won't be able to protect anything, and this is an easy way.

    +8XP

    LEVEL UP
    Level 4
    Stamina +3
    Strength +1
    Agility+2
    Affinity+2
    Perception+2
    Luck+2
    Charisma+3

    Battlefield Awareness 1 was learned
    ​
    The rush of power, of clarity, flowing through you fills you with sweet bliss. Daylight's long gone, so you march back to the inn. This isn't so bad! The forest should be scared of you! Little Bee the mighty tamer of beasts, terror of living shrubs, err... moving shrubs!

    --------

    Another day, another adventure. You great the adventurers as you depart, smiling despite yourself as Owl compliments you on the level, and march out into the dark woods, loyal cat at your side, spear in hand and nothing that can scare you.

    Sitting in the tree to enjoy your lunch and ignore Autumn devouring whatever small animal he's caught on his own, you can't help but sigh sleepily. You could definitely get used to this.

    It really is relaxing. You run a hand through the soft vine hanging down from the tree, smelling the crimson flowers slowly spreading out across its length. It really is soft, even if the sap that's leaking out wherever it brushes your skin is sticky and oddly red almost like it's blood—you shove yourself to your feet and try to push away, tearing at the long snakelike tendril that you only now realize is wrapped around your neck and slowly pulling out your blood.

    It's hard to move, and the vine's thoroughly resilient, turning almost to stone whenever Autumn sinks his teeth or his claws in. Okay, think carefully, don't panic. Don't drift off and let the sweet painless darkness take you either, no matter how tired you feel. First thing's first.

    You twist your neck, embracing the pain that moving vine seeps up more blood and put the flowers firmly in view.

    "Analyze"


    Level: 7
    Race: Plant
    Species: ????
    Element: Life, ????
    Rank: B

    Condition: Starving
    ​

    You put the rank and level out of mind for a second. Even if you're doomed you won't go down without a fight, "Autumn! Torches" you can't get free enough to reach your bag, but the cat dashes to it, biting a strap and throwing it to you. You fumble the catch, your hands are already going a bit shaky, and pull out a torch. You just have to... to... You bite down on the inside of your cheek, faint pain bringing consciousness back, right. Light the torch and burn it off you even if it hurts.

    [ ] Do it.
    [ ] No, you can feel something pulling to you, a faint sense of connection. Your blood mingles with its sap, you might be able to bind whatever this is.
    [ ] Write-in
     
    Last edited:
  • Threadmarks
    • [X] No, you can feel something pulling to you, a faint sense of connection. Your blood mingles with its sap, you might be able to bind whatever this is.
     
    Don't we need it to be hurt first? Though I guess we could feed it Peach Blossom to establish friendship....
     
    Last edited:
    Well, in that case... clearly that we are feeding and nurturing it means it will be willing!

    [X] No, you can feel something pulling to you, a faint sense of connection. Your blood mingles with its sap, you might be able to bind whatever this is.
    Darkened said:
    Edit: Though the prime requirement for blood bond is willingness. It's Friendship bond that usually requires beating into submission.
    Click to expand...
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    Also, MGLN much?
     
    [X] No, you can feel something pulling to you, a faint sense of connection. Your blood mingles with its sap, you might be able to bind whatever this is.

    So another B-Rank? Nice.
     
    [X] No, you can feel something pulling to you, a faint sense of connection. Your blood mingles with its sap, you might be able to bind whatever this is.
     
    Thinking about it a whip is a pretty good weapon for Little Bee. She can use it to entangle, bind and harass enemies. Perfect for someone with low strength. It'll probably help that her whip will be living thing that can move on its own. Pity about the fire weakness though.
     
    redaeth said:
    Thinking about it a whip is a pretty good weapon for Little Bee. She can use it to entangle, bind and harass enemies. Perfect for someone with low strength. It'll probably help that her whip will be living thing that can move on its own. Pity about the fire weakness though.
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    Also a whip that would have Status Effects (Little Bee looks charmed/sleepy, and she is also being blood-drained) which neatly bypasses Little' Bee damage issues.
     
    [X] Do it.

    We have limited pet spots and I can't think of a cat-plant combo which would work. I'm guessing the plant would unlock Life magic, which would sync badly with our shadow powers from Autumn Shade(if we decide to buy them). Think how would Autumn Shade feel if his first brother was cactus. All those missed hugs. I'm just making up stuff on the spot. Honestly don't want the plant due to RP reasons.

    Also,B+ pets or higher all the way :D
    Except maybe we could get a life power which would make our strenght increase, and make our rank jump to A. Maybe...
     
    Raron said:
    Also,B+ pets or higher all the way :D
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    I know you are mostly joking, but we are already stupidly lucky to have managed to get one B-rank monster, much less 2. The former was Darkened feeling super generous omake rewards (bad Darkened!) and this one is apparently the result of, well, scoring a nat 100 on our encounter chart.

    A-ranks beasts are basically "one in a million" anomalies like human ones, and we can't rely on getting one.
    Also, we were flat out told that waiting for a top-rank beast is not the way to go, efficiency-wise.
     
    Honestly having two B-Ranks at level 4 is extremely good. The plant also comes with 2 elements to develop and is an indirect damage type compared to Autumn's more direct attacks. Given Bee's reactions this thing doesn't even cause pain when it leeches blood.

    Plus I bet if we work it we can share its life drain ability. There is nothing worse then a super tough opponent that also heals.

    Darkened said:
    B ranked monsters are 'bosses' or rare and powerful beasts that can threaten entire parties of adventurers easily.
    Click to expand...
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    This is what a B rank means for monsters. The fact we have the chance at obtaining a second one? Is a very, very good thing. Little Bee was not exaggerating when she thought she would probably die. Not only is she under-leveled but she is facing something that can take an entire party of people her own level to face.


    Darkened said:
    A ranked monsters are unique and terrifying creatures that can menace entire regions
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    We'd be dead if we were facing an A rank monster solo. If the vine had been A-Rank Little Bee probably would have drifted off to sleep and never woken up.


    Little Bee has some advantage at being A ranked herself. But she is a command-type, without anything to command but a kitten who is even lower level then she is. When Little Bee has some more monsters under her, when we are a higher level ourselves, then we can think about trying to bind A rank and greater. But first we need those monsters so we can even think of hunting an A-Rank.
     
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