This skill was best described as a get out of jail free card. The only downside was that if you suffer an attack that would deal more than half of your HP as damage, the invulnerable state ends instantly, but other than bosses and elite mobs, nothing else close to my level would deal that much in a single attack.

  This was an incredible skill for anyone, but especially a Ranger like me.

  I had the ultimate advantage when the distance between me and my opponent was big enough, and with Woe's Last Gasp, even if someone caught up to me I could still counter them effectively.

  The huge AoE damage at the end of the skill was also great. It dealt as much damage as the initial hit of my Flaming Arrow, but to the whole area around me, and it even pushed back enemies to create more distance.

  If I had to estimate the market value of all of the drops, the rare items were probably worth around five gold each; top of the line level 15 equipment for sure. The sword and the shield could be worth up to 20 gold each if I had to guess, although I was almost certain nobody could pay such a price for them.

  I couldn't say anything about the Woe's Echo as I had no idea what it did. I might have overpayed for it with the 3 gold and 30 silver, or I might have made a massive deal in my favor; only the future knew which one was the truth.

  This skill rune however was undeniably the best piece of loot from the boss. Equipment gets outgrown, and at this stage of the game it gets outgrown fast. Skills, however, will stay with us for the rest of the ride.

  And to get an Epic rated skill this early in the game, in just two days of playtime... this would elevate me high above most other players.

  I knew this was mostly due to luck.

  The system should randomize the order in which it reveals the loot. The fact that this time it pretty much went from least the most valuable was purely accidental, but as long as I was the one here with the most money remaining, the wheels of fortune favored me greatly.

  The bidding had begun, and it was fiercer than ever before, despite some of us already spending quite a lot of money.

  As the price was climbing, I started to get worried. How did some of these players aquire so much money?, I thought.

  This was once again a humbling experience that reminded me that although I might consider myself an expert, this world was full of opportunities and potential, and even if I felt like a one-of-a-kind player with what had happened to me so far, hundreds of other players have had similar or maybe different, but still rewarding experiences as well.

  The bidding started slowing down when it hit five gold.

  My confidence rose as I raised the price to six gold coins, however one of the lower level players had instantly bid 6 gold and fifty silver.

  This was the moment I panicked. After getting the Woe's Echo, I only had 6 gold and 66 silver coins total.

  My heart raced. I shouldn't have gotten the Echo, I thought as I raised the price once again, bidding all of my money.

  It looked like my luck was finally setting in, but in the last remaining moment, the player had raised the bid to 6 gold and 91 silver coins. A random enough number that made me believe it was all he had, but still, I was out of options.

  Yes...?

  Stone had put one gold coin in the trade window with blazing fast reflexes, and accepted the deal. I glanced over and he winked. I accepted the transaction and had raised the bet to 7 gold and 66 silver coins just as it was about to expire.

  The timer refreshed, and there was no other bid coming in.

  I was overjoyed. I couldn't wait to hit level 15 and unlock my new skill.

  As I was pondering the possibilities that had been revealed in front of me, I started to wonder about one thing, though.

  We didn't get a first clear reward, did we?

  The air was still thick with the energy of battle as I took a step away from the graveyard, the scent of battle still lingering in the air.

  The auction had come and gone, and while I had spent all of my gold, the rewards were well worth it. I turned to Stone.

  "Thanks for helping me out," I said. "I will pay you back as soon as I can."

  "Take your time!" he smiled. "You were a splendid leader out there, Orion."

  "Couldn't have done it without you," I answered, nodding to Sylph as well. "Are you two a group?"

  "Yes," Sylph said. "We have been playing MMOs together for quite a while at this point. I also started in the Tidemark county, but currently I'm located in Dryhollow, the village just north of here." He pointed towards the mountains.

  "I did go to Carpa yesterday, because I heard about the archery competition," he continued. "Dryhollow was hosting a duel tournament instead. Only the two of us from our group are in the vicinity so we decided to meet up in Riverhear today."

  "Speaking of a group..." Stone hijacked the topic. "Would you like to join us, Orion? There are quite a few of us, we have been part of guilds before as well. Our leader is also in Silverwing, albeit in a different county, but as soon as guilds are able to be formed, we want to be amongst the first ones."

  "Thanks for the invitation, guys, but for now I only plan on playing solo."

  I haven't even contacted Ace about deciding to play the game, yet, and although playing in a talented group like this would help me grow fast, I was still enjoying the solo experience.

  "You know where to find us if you change your mind!" Stone sighed.

  "Definitely," I said. "I'll be heading back to Carpa now, there are still some things I would like to check out."

  "Have a safe travel! We'll be sticking around Riverhear for a while, we heard there were some interesting ruins in the vicinity."

  "Let me know if a boss appears!" I smiled before saying my goodbyes.

  Mano Roja, the rogue from Los Asesinos who were still around, clapped his hands together. "Well, amigo, if you ever need a group to run with, you know where to find us as well."

  It looked like there were no hard feelings about trying to haggle with them.

  "I’ll keep that in mind," I shook hands with the rogue.

  With a few more quick farewells and friend requests, I finally left Riverhear behind, making my way down the well-worn path leading back to Carpa.

  Looking around I saw that the afternoon sun painted the sky with streaks of orange and blue.

  The world of Godsrealm truly was something else; the sheer depth of its environment, the immersive attention to detail was hard to take in.

  Even now, with the battle behind me, I still couldn’t shake the sense of wonder.

  Traveling alone gave me time to think. About the battle and the auction, but mostly about what awaited me in Carpa.

  The Glowing Shadow.

  I remembered the conversation I’d overheard in the tavern. The older man’s cautious tone. The younger man’s shaken voice.

  It was in the woods, past the northern ridge. A shadow, big as a barn, moving through the trees. But it didn’t make a sound, not even a twig snapping.

  At first, it had sounded like flair. Just another rumor tossed around by superstitious villagers. But there was something about the way they spoke. The fear. The hesitation.

  Bears don’t glow.

  A bluish light. And the Adventurer’s Association acting like nothing was wrong.

  I had a weird feeling about all of it. I needed to see it for myself.

  The road was quiet, save for the occasional rustling of leaves as the wind swept through the trees.

  There was a rustic wooden bridge up ahead, arched over a narrow stream.

  It was the kind of place that would be beautiful at night, with lanterns glowing softly in the darkness. Maybe even a good place for a date.

  A brief thought crossed my mind. I'd love to return here once.

  As I walked, I let my fingers brush against the Windstrider Necklace resting against my collarbone.

  The small charm was light, barely noticeable, but the stat boost it gave me was a reminder that every little advantage counted.

  Even if I had been a little weaker, or if there were one less of us when facing the Woe, we might not have lived to tell the tale.

  Figuratively, of course. We would have respawned. But still.

  The road from Riverhead to Carpa stretched ahead of me, winding through thick forest and rocky terrain.

  The journey was supposed to be uneventful, but I knew better than to lower my guard. The wilds of Ravenloft weren’t just scenic landscapes, they were hunting grounds, and I wasn’t the only predator here.

  A Rock Beetle scuttled across the path ahead, its shell blending seamlessly with the gravel.

  The creature was massive, easily the size of a large dog, its jagged carapace covered in hardened layers that looked tough enough to withstand a direct hit.

  I nocked an arrow and activated Flaming Arrow, watching as the tip of my projectile ignited with magical fire. The moment I let go, the arrow streaked toward the beetle, striking just below its shell.

  The flames licked at the hardened carapace, and despite it's tough, armor-like skin, the beetle collapsed instantly.

  Three more beetles began rolling toward me, picking up speed as it spun across the ground. I activated Quick Step to get out of the way before they crashed into the spot where I had just stood, sending dust and pebbles flying into the air.

  I adjusted my aim and started shooting, this time targeting the gaps between their plates.

  I fired off two quick shots, both arrows finding their mark in the exposed flesh beneath its shell. The first beetle screeched in pain, its defensive form breaking apart as it uncurled, dead.

  Leap Attack!

  I jumped backward while simultaneously firing a shot straight at the second one. The arrow punched through the soft tissue between the joints and the beetle spasmed before collapsing onto its back, twitching violently before going still.

  The last beetle didn't give me much of a fight, either.

  The deeper I moved into the forest, the more of them I found. Rock Beetles were slow but relentless, their ability to curl into an armored ball making them frustrating to deal with.

  Still, I quickly disposed of them, without paying much attention of my moves. At level 12 and with my equipment, level 9 normal monsters didn't require me to concentrate at all.

  As I ventured deeper into the winding trail, the terrain shifted. The dirt road gave way to patches of exposed stone, jagged cracks running along the ground. As I was walking I suddenly felt a steady, humming feeling from below my feet.

  A chittering hiss echoed from below, and before I could react, something erupted from the dirt just a few feet in front of me, its segmented body writhing as it lunged forward.

  I immediately jumped back, barely avoiding the creature’s snapping mandibles. It was fast. Faster than the Rock Beetles, and twice as aggressive.

  I fired an arrow, aiming for its eyes, but the centipede jerked its head to the side at the last second, the arrow burrowing into its side.

  The creature hissed and lunged again, its many legs skittering as it tried to close the distance.

  I used Leap Attack, firing an arrow right through the centipede's skull. This time I hit the mark perfectly, and the critical strike left the creature heavily wounded.

  Before I could fire again, it burrowed into the ground, vanishing from sight.

  I froze.

  Where is it?

  The forest went silent for a moment, the only sound my own breathing. I scanned the area, bow drawn, heart pounding in my chest. Then...

  CRACK.