Chapter 20: A chance encounter

The wolf began to struggle in Alex's grip, trying desperately to break free of Alex's grasp, but Alex refused to let go, as long as none of its bones broke, he was fine with whatever.

The wolf struggled and squirmed, before coming to rest, letting the healing liquid flow into its throat.

The wolf's veins began to poke out of its injured flesh, moving towards each other like worms, flailing about in the air trying to find a partner, locking in a tight grip when they did.

Once all the veins and arteries had connected, flesh begun to cover over the veins, spreading along and filling up the empty space left behind by the puncture wound.

When the healing was done, the wolf stood up, pawing the earth tentatively with its newly healed leg, before giving Alex a quick nod, and moving back into the pack.

Alex watched as it left, a sense of satisfaction growing in his chest.

[Your relationship with your subjects has improved

All subject's loyalty +2]

Alex waved away the screen with disinterest, he would look at it later when he was leaving the forest.

He gazed turned around to find Blanc's face only inches from his.

"Hey, eyes down here" Nicolas commanded, snapping his fingers impatiently.

"What?" Alex responded, unperturbed by Nicolas's insistence.

"These" Nicolas replied, producing five red marbles, each glowing with a slight crimson light.

"What is 'these'"

"Soul cores"

"Ah" Alex mused in understanding.

"I want to keep the bosses, and two more"

"Sure, I don't have any use for them anyway, so take what you need, but at least keep a few for some funds"

"Yeah, Yeah, well, I'll be creating some monsters, tell me when you are ready to leave"

"Well, I'm ready to leave now"

"Oh, well let us get our things together real quick"

After ten minutes of preparation, they were ready to set off.

"Good-bye" Alex called to the wolves, giving a wave of farewell as he left, "we'll be back in a few days"

"Sorry about the regicide" Nicolas chimed in, Blanc waving gleefully from his shoulders.

"Is it really regicide though?" Alex pondered, his previous train of thought being completely de-railed.

"Well, he was a king"

"Not really"

The two entered a heated debate, completely forgetting about the wolves.

A particularly large wolf, with a scar on its left shoulder watched as the two made their merry way along the forest trail.

The wolf began to slowly walk in a circle, padding the ground as it went, before lying low to ground, its weary head resting in its paws.

The bickering of the two adventures could still be heard despite the distance between the two.

It looked like he would have a lot on his plate without those two around, and he would have to complete the sending ritual for the chief and all the fallen warriors, at least he could enjoy a well-deserved rest, even if it was short.

Some of the cubs came running over to him, running around him in circles and tugging on his ears so he would play with them.

The wolf let out a snort of frustration before rising to his feet, and there went his rest.

Alex and Nicolas had continued their casual stroll for about ten minutes, and they were still arguing heatedly.

"Wouldn't it be something more something like 'lupicide' or something along those lines?" Alex reasoned.

"But he owned land, he was recognised as the owner of land, therefore he could be classed as a noble, making it a form of regicide" Nicolas rebutted.

"Fine" Alex said, throwing his hands up, "it's regicide, you win"

"Hah" Nicolas let out a sharp laugh of success, "I guess my debating skills are simply superior to yours, along with many other qualities"

"Yeah, yeah, your great and all, all hail the mighty and brilliant Nicolas, slayer of wolves, winner of debates, pussy in fights"

"Oi, what do you mean by that"

"I have no idea what mean" Alex said in barley faked innocence.

After that, the conversation dried up, so Alex decided to open up his status.

[Player level 10 (93638/102400)

Str: 31

Dex: 31

Con: 31

Int: 31

Wis: 31

Cha: 31

Skill paths: Basic beast forging (Novice) 34/100

Effects gained:

Basic beast forging (Novice):

21/100: Slightly More materials harvested per summon

22/100: Skill with hands becomes slightly better

23/100: Slightly More materials harvested per summon

24/100: Skill with hands becomes slightly better

25/100: Slightly More materials harvested per summon

26/100: Skill with hands becomes slightly better

27/100: Slightly More materials harvested per summon

28/100: Skill with hands becomes slightly better

29/100: Slightly More materials harvested per summon

30/100: Skill with hands becomes slightly better

31/100: Slightly More materials harvested per summon

32/100: Skill with hands becomes slightly better

33/100: Slightly More materials harvested per summon

34/100: Skill with hands becomes slightly better]

With that out of the way, Alex turned his attention to something he had been meaning to look at for a while, the magic system.

[Welcome to the magic store

would you like a tutorial prompt?

Y/N]

Alex decided to open the tutorial.

[The magic store is where you trade mana trade points in exchange for spell components

Each element of has corresponding trade points, which can be obtained via the use of skill points in the skill path of the corresponding element

Basic mana trade points can be exchanged for any element, however it will cost more basic mana trade points than the trade points of the corresponding element, it can also be used to by connector, condition or form spell components

Trade points can't be refunded]

Alex read the small tutorial with unfaltering concentration, barely noticing Nicolas's warning.

Thud.

Alex walked headfirst into a tree, falling to the forest floor.

"AHHHH", Alex's cries of pain rang out through the forest.

"I tried to warn you" Nicolas said disparagingly, not an ounce of sympathy in his voice.

Alex got up from the ground and patted himself off, rubbing his skull and finding, to his horror, that it had been chipped slightly by the impact.

"Don't worry" Nicolas said in a reassuring tone as Alex looked down in anguish at the chip of skull in his hand, "I'm sure that this game has magic superglue"

This did little to comfort Alex however, if anything, it made him feel worse.

Suddenly, the bushes began to rustle, causing the pair to drop the conversation and become alert.

Nicolas readied his crossbow, Alex drew his dagger from his inventory, but both knew that if it was a serious threat, the probably wouldn't make it out; Alex was currently nursing injured kneecaps, even just a gentle jog caused severe pain, and while Nicolas could fight at his peak condition, he wasn't that useful without a defender.

Alex was putting all of his faith in Blanc if things got bad.

"I think it came from over here" a high pitch female voice came from behind the bush.

"I think your right" a deep and gruff male voice responded.

Alex and Nicolas let out a sigh of relief and lowered their weapons, at least it wasn't a monster.

From behind the foliage, a tall, armoured lizard-human hybrid, and a female elf in leather armour.

The two parties stared each other down for a few seconds, before the lizard-human hybrid let a high-pitched shriek.

"What is that" they screamed, pointing at Alex.

"Do I really look that bad?" He asked Nicolas.

"My friend," Nicolas replied in a confident tone, "you look like you were dragged up from the pits of hell, and then left to rot for a few years"

"It talks" the lizard hybrid shrieked in horror.

"Now, now" the elf comforted the lizard hybrid in a gruff tone, "it's fine, they mean no harm, they are both players like us"

"Are you sure?" the lizard hybrid said with uncertainty.

"Do not worry," Nicolas said in a casual tone, "we do not bite, so there is no reason to be afraid"

"Are you sure it doesn't" the lizard hybrid asked tentatively, "it may give me whatever it has"

At this, Nicolas let out an audible howl of laughter.

Alex pushed past Nicolas, who was paralyzed with laughter, and stretched out his hand in a friendly gesture.

"I can assure you, I am in no way diseased, and I am most certainly not some kind of patient zero" Alex said in a polite tone.

"Uhhh" The Lizard hybrid groaned in uncertainty before grasping Alex's hand and giving it a quick shake, rubbing the armoured glove on their armour once they had finished shaking hands, "I'm Dovahkiin, it's a... pleasure?"

"Don't mind her" the elf butted in, trying to push Dovahkiin out the way, but failing due to her large frame, "she has always been slightly squeamish, always complaining about monsters, can't tell why she insisted on being a tanker"

"H-hey, that's not true" Dovahkiin stuttered in a flustered tone, "and why would you tell them that Felicity, we just met them"

"Nothing wrong with a little small talk to break the ice"

Alex and Nicolas watched with intrigue as the two broke down into a heated row, pointing out each other's flaws in what Alex could only assume was an attempt to make the other look worse in his eyes, though they only pointed out surface level things, never digging too deep into the other.

After a few minutes, the two stopped arguing, Dovahkiin becoming slightly flushed after realising she had had an outburst Infront of two strangers.

Seeing... his? His, friends' embarrassment, Felicity immediately diverted the conversation elsewhere.

"So" he started, "that's some neat looking gear you got there, you must be pretty high level to get that gear"

"Oh no," Alex started, "it's just that I have a production job, so I can make them pretty easily"

"Fascinating" Felicity murmured, "Well, me and Dovahkiin have been looking for some new equipment, and it certainly looks flashy enough, can I have a look"

"Let me just consult my compatriot quickly" Alex suggested in a friendly tone, pulling Nicolas close to him so there conversation wouldn't be heard.

"What do you think" Alex whispered to Nicolas.

"I say, let them have a look," Nicolas replied at a normal volume, before switching to a whisper, "Besides, ego weapons pick their master, so yours may have a sense of loyalty"

Alex nodded, before producing his dagger with a flourish.

"Your free to take a look, but this one is not for sale"

"Understandable," Felicity said nodding in agreement.

The moment Alex's hand left the blade, Felicity froze in place, a look of shock etched in his face.

As soon as Alex realized something had gone wrong, a massive force struck him in the chest and pinned him to a tree.

Dovahkiin pinned Alex to the tree with her shield, and raised her blade to his throat.

"Tell me what you did right now you son of a bitch or I swear to god I will rip you limb from limb and hang you with your own entrails" She blurted out in a low growl.

"I don't know" Alex gasped desperately, all the air leaving his lungs and his ribs threatening to collapse, "I really don't know"

"Wait," Felicity said in a solemn tone, "put him down Dovahkiin"

Dovahkiin obliged, letting Alex drop to the floor and start gulping in air like it was water, giving him a quick scowl and keeping her weapons drawn.

"Where did you get this?" Felicity asked Alex in a low, menacing tone, that an interrogator would use.

"I told you" Alex panted, "I made it"

"Do you honestly expect me to believe that?"

"Well there isn't another explanation I can give"

"Is all your equipment like this?"

"Yes"

Felicity stared down at Alex for a second, and then reached out his hand.

"Well then" He said in a matter of act tone, "then we would like a commission"