Isabelle charged the nearest Oglo, who she decided was Oglo 1.
[Oglo 1 attacks with Basic Punch]
[-12 stm]
The fist connected with Isabelle's jaw, sending a jolt through her head that was immediately replaced by a surge of anger. She stumbled back a half-step, the taste of blood in her mouth. She was fine. Better than fine, she was pissed.
"Big fucking mistake," Isabelle said as she rolled her eyes, spitting a glob of crimson onto the cracked pavement. The hammer in her hands felt impossibly light, a conduit for her rage. "You want to see what happens when you hit me?"
She didn't wait for an answer. She swung with might!
[Using stamina for extra battle focus]
[Stamina 98%]
The world seemed to slow for a moment as she swung. The hammer, a blur of black silver, moved with an unnatural speed, guided by her newfound power and the system's intuitive assistance. She aimed for Oglo 1's chest, intending to turn his ribcage into a fine powder.
[Critical hit]
The impact was thunderous. The air cracked. Oglo 1's chest caved in with a sickening crunch of bone and a wet squelch of displaced organs. He was launched backward, a broken puppet, slamming into Oglo 2 and sending them both sprawling in a heap of tangled limbs and shattered tank tops.
[15 hp damage dealt]
[10 hp damage dealt]
[5 hp damage dealt]
['Oglo' is staggered]
['Oglo' is staggered]
Holy shit. Isabelle's system was telling her the amount of hp Oglo was losing, instead of the damage numerals she'd grown accustomed to that were often far higher than what hp was actually lost.
[Clarification: You can swap damage display from damage numerals to hp loss by thinking 'switch damage display,' if you feel so tempted.]
Wow. Isabelle finally felt like her system was working with her, and not against her as she hacked it to bits. It was kind of a first.
"Jesus Christ," breathed Tahsi Junior, his eyes wide. "That was… that was the most fucking metal thing I've ever seen."
"My son!" shouted Tahsi Senior, spraying a fresh wave of biscuit crumbs. "She is the goddess of hammers!"
"An efficient application of force," Ignis rumbled, a hint of something almost like respect in her draconic tone.
Isabelle stood over the wreckage she'd created, chest heaving. The power thrummed through her, a violent symphony. She looked at the remaining three Oglos, who were staring at her with wide, terrified eyes.
"Who's next?" said Isabelle with a sigh.
The Oglos exchanged panicked glances. Oglo 3, the one on the far left, suddenly bolted, scrambling over rubble and disappearing down a side alley.
[Oglo 3 has fled combat]
"Coward!" Isabelle yelled after him, not really caring. More for her.
Oglo 4 and Oglo 5, however, seemed to realize flight was useless. They came at her from both sides, a clumsy pincer attack.
[Oglo 4 attacks with Basic Punch]
[-12 stm]
[Oglo 5 attacks with Basic Kick]
[-14 stm]
Isabelle saw them coming. It was like watching two glaciers crawl toward her. She twisted her body, the punch grazing her shoulder and the kick sweeping through empty air where her torso had been a split second before.
[Critical hit]
She didn't even need to think. The system, her partner in crime, guided her. A short, brutal swing, an arc of pure destructive intent. The hammer caught Oglo 4 square in the side of the head. There was a sound like a watermelon being dropped from a great height. Oglo 5 stumbled back, his face a mask of pure, unadulterated horror as he stared at the headless corpse of his comrade, which was still twitching on the ground.
[100 hp damage dealt]
"Oh," said Oglo 5, a small, pathetic sound. "Oh, fuck."
['Oglo' is stunned]
"Yeah," said Isabelle, turning her gaze on him. "Fuck is right."
Before she could deliver the final, crushing blow, a searing pain lanced through her back. She cried out, stumbling forward. Oglo 2, whom she'd forgotten about in her glorious rampage, had gotten to his feet and landed a surprisingly solid kick to her kidneys.
[Oglo 2 attacks with Opportunistic Kick]
[Stamina 95%]
[-15 hp]
"Fuck!" Isabelle said with a sigh, the pain blinding her for a second. She spun around, her vision swimming with red. "You sneaky little shit!"
She was about to bring the hammer down on Oglo 2 when a jet of fire roared past her, engulfing him.
[Ignis uses Minor Fire Breath]
[Oglo 2 takes 35 hp fire damage]
[Oglo 2 takes 69 hp fire damage]
Oglo 2 shrieked, a high-pitched, inhuman sound, as the flames licked at his synthetic skin. He staggered around, flailing his arms, a living torch. The smell of melting plastic and burnt chemicals filled the air.
"Stay out of this!" Isabelle yelled at Ignis, a surge of territorial fury washing over her. "He's mine!"
She brought the hammer down, not on the burning Oglo, but on Oglo 5, who was still frozen in terror. The crunch was, if anything, even more satisfying this time. He collapsed in a heap, his tank top now stained with a spreading dark patch.
['Oglo' is dead]
"Suck it, bitch," said Isabelle, smacking the dead kobold with her hammer a few times for emphasis as his ragdoll body jostled around lifelessly. "Yea? You like that? You fucking like that?"
"Isabelle," said Ignis with a huff. "There are still other replicants to slaughter."
"Oh, yea," said Isabelle with a sigh. "I forgot."
She turned her attention back to Oglo 2, who was now nothing more than a smoldering, blackened corpse on the pavement. He had stopped moving.
['Oglo' is dead]
"Wait, what?" said Isabelle with a sigh, looking down at her weapon, then at the dragon. "You killed him? I was saving him."
"My apologies," said Ignis, not sounding sorry at all. "It seemed like the most expedient course of action. You seemed… distracted."
"Distracted? I was having fun," said Isabelle with a sigh. "Whatever. Let's go find the rest of these assholes. I feel like breaking shit."
Isabelle led the way down the alley where Oglo 3 had fled. The narrow passage was littered with debris, the walls scrawled with faded graffiti. The air was thick with the smell of damp concrete and decay. As they turned a corner, they saw him. Oglo 3 was kneeling on the ground, his hands in the air, whimpering.
"Please," he sobbed. "Don't kill me. I don't want to die. I'll do anything."
Isabelle stopped, the hammer resting on her shoulder. She looked down at the pathetic creature at her feet. She sighed and rolled her eyes.
"Oglo, fuck right off. I hate you, you hate me, there's no other way for this to go," said Isabelle.
"Oh really?" said Oglo 3 with a sudden smirk.
"Isabelle, watch out!" said Tahsi Junior as he rushed towards her. "He's got a fucking-"
[Oglo cast 'Transport' on Tahsi Junior]
In a flash of red-white light, Tahsi Junior disappeared completely.
"My son!" said Tahsi Senior while eating a thick slice of sourdough.
"WHAT THE FUCK?" said Isabelle with a sigh. "We just got him back!" She turned to glare at the Oglo. "WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO TO HIM? TELL ME NOW BEFORE I FUCKING OBLITERATE YOU!"
"I sent him to see the Cauldron, at the Heart of the Spire," said Oglo 3 with a cackle. "Along with many, many more of my replicants."
Isabelle rolled her eyes in disgust. "You've got to be fucking kidding me," Isabelle said. "There are MORE of you?"
[Clarification: There are an estimated 40,000 replicants of Oglo stationed across the Spire. Many more are being produced daily.]
Isabelle's blood ran cold. Forty thousand? The number was so vast it was almost meaningless, an abstract concept of pure, unadulterated annoyance. She was going to be killing Oglos for the rest of her life.
"Okay," said Isabelle with a sigh. "You know what? Fine." She walked over to the kneeling Oglo and, without ceremony, brought the hammer down on his head.
[Critical hit]
[100 hp damage dealt]
['Oglo' is dead]
"Suck it, bitch," said Isabelle as she nudged the body with her foot.
[Combat mode deactivated]
[Achievement unlocked: be in combat for multiple days]
[Achievement unlocked: wait ten levels before leveling up]
[Achievement unlocked: wait fifteen levels before leveling up]
[Achievement unlocked: wait twenty levels before leveling up]
[Achievement unlocked: bottle phoenixborn ashes]
[Achievement unlocked: get nerfed]
[Achievement unlocked: imbue something with shadow magic]
[Achievement unlocked: open the shadow crafting menu]
[Achievement unlocked: quick equip a weapon without opening your inventory]
[Achievement unlocked: look at everything in your inventory after recovering it from corruption]
[Achievement unlocked: look at your corrupted inventory before recovering it from corruption]
[Achievement unlocked: delete a magic script]
[Achievement unlocked: corrupt a magic script]
[Achievement unlocked: win multiple against the odds fights]
[Achievement unlocked: ride a dragon intentionally]
[Achievement unlocked: have a dragon as a party member]
[Achievement unlocked: clip through the map]
[Achievement unlocked: trap an enemy in the map]
[Achievement unlocked: see hp damage instead of damage numerals]
Wow. Really, wow. It sucked that Tahsi Junior had been lost again, sure, but wow. Isabelle was truly amazed.
[Notice: you're ready to level up]
Then, she was REALLY amazed. Combat mode was finally deactivated, and that meant that Isabelle could level up!
[Notice: you're ready to level up]
Through all of the honey bunches of bullshit. Through the endless onslaught of enemies, from the cultists and cannibals to the jealous Overqueens and invincible ninja warriors, Isabelle had been fighting and winning again and again, with no respite. No rest. And a barely functioning system that kept her bathed in corruption, nearly destroying her and everyone around it. And now, now that Isabelle's system was finally functional, it finally and at once seemed as if the world lay before her in heat.
[Notice: you're ready to level up]
"So... Tahsi Junior is... gone again?" said Tahsi Senior, his voice small and pitiful, as was the charred baguette he was nursing like a cigarette.
[Notice: you're ready to level up]
"What?" said Isabelle, completely confused. She was fixated on one thing, and one thing only, and it wasn't Tahsi's feelings. "Uh, I mean, yea. I think he, um, got teleported or whatever. Sucks."
[Notice: you're ready to level up]
"My son!" said Tahsi with a wail. He was bawling, but he was still eating the baguette. "My son, my son, my beautiful son! Oh my gods! Why couldn't it have been me?"
"Probably because you were busy cowering and eating a large, stale pretzel," said Ignis with a huff and a sigh.
But Isabelle couldn't focus on her party members and their buffoonery any more. No, she couldn't, not for another fuckedy fucking second could she do it. She'd have to act on the one drive, the one impulse in the fucked up world of Beaubinte that always gave her drive and purpose. The one thing that fulfilled her, however fleetingly.
[Notice: you're ready to level up]
Yes, Isabelle WAS ready to level up. So fucking ready.
[Congratulations, you’ve reached level 46]
[Notice: You have attribute and skill points to spend]
[Would you like to spend your points now?]
[Y/N]
Isabelle thought yes, a million, billion, trillion times yes.
Attribute Points to Spend: 35
Hp: 406
H-Regen: 3/5sec
Mana: 238
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 228
S-Regen: 1.5/sec
Nice. Isabelle had some damn good attributes, but she also had some damn good things to do to them. Mostly, blow them the fuck up to be as big as possible. Normally, Isabelle liked to debate inwardly about every time she leveled up. Part of her wondered if that was necessary, since she was leveling up at least twenty times right now, but another, deeper part of her told Isabelle that it was more necessary than ever before, damn it. She had a responsibility to these numbers, and she was gonna pump them the fuck up.
With that, her hp was looking stupid, and she wanted to dump all 35 points into that. But then again, what was the fun of that? She could split it. Then again, was it necessary to split everything this time? With at least 20 level ups to go through, she didn't want to overthink things, but Isabelle also didn't want to pretend like each point was sacred.
Isabelle paused her train of thought. If she had been able to slap herself, she would've. Of course the numbers matter. And of course, she couldn't slap herself, because time in Beaubinte had come to a complete standstill the second she chose to level up. Her system was operating as normal; better than normal, even. And it felt great.
Still, Isabelle had to make up her mind on spending these points, didn't she? Isabelle thought about it some more and realized that her mana was severely lacking for a mage of shadows, and regardless of whether she actually was THE fabled mage of shadows of legendary Beaubintian lore, she really did need to increase that. So, Isabelle dumped all 35 points into her mana and moved on to the next part of her leveling process.
Skill Points to Spend: 35
Str: 140 Int: 137
Dx: 147 Wis: 129
Const: 106 Char: 104
Here they were. Skill points, Isabelle's old friend. She dumped all 35 points into constitution immediately, because Isabelle figured anyone who'd been through all the honey bunches of bullshit that she had deserved the constitution of fifty ironclad horses. At minimum.
[...]
Wait, what? Why was her system processing in such ways? Isabelle had finished leveling up. Hadn't she?
[...]
[...]
[Congratulations, you have defined your class!]
Wait, WHAT? Isabelle's CLASS?
Isabelle could hardly believe her mind's eye as she looked at the system notification.
[Congratulations, you have defined your class!]
She had a class defined? Isabelle had thought it was all but impossible for her to have a class, and in fact that she never would, as a result of having never gotten a tutorial upon originally reincarnating into Beaubinte. Was her system really telling her that she was truly now the owner of her very own class definition?
[Congratulations, you have defined your class!]
That's certainly what it seemed to Isabelle. But, wasn't that impossible? Zirisiem, the blue dragon that had lead her through completing a strange semi-tutorial while she was locked in meditation way back in Thres, had claimed she'd never be able to define a class for herself due to her refusal to accept one of his shitty class suggestions. So, seeing this notification was incredibly gratifying. The Spire had, unintentionally, fixed far more about Isabelle's system than it had taken away, that much was clear. And what it did take from her had been broken, anyway! Isabelle was starting to feel smug as fuck.
[You are now of the class: Shadow Mage]
That checked out. Mage of shadows, shadow mage, same difference. Right? Isabelle figured she'd ask her party members once she leveled up. They'd probably know.
[Congratulations, you’ve finished leveling up!]
Character Status
Name: Isabelle
Gender: Female
Level: 46
Class: Shadow Mage
Race: Human
Alignment: Chaotic-Evil
Attributes
Hp: 406
H-Regen: 3/5sec
Mana: 273
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 228
S-Regen: 1.5/sec
Skill Points
Str: 140 Int: 137
Dx: 147 Wis: 129
Const: 141 Char: 104
Magic Ability Levels
Enchant: 3 Summon: 2
Heal: 3 Destroy: 13
Transmute: 3 Confuse: 3
Shadow: 1
Normal Ability Levels
Crafting: 8 Sneak: 12
Archery: 11 Lockpick: 5
Armed Combat: 18 Melee Combat: 4
Speech: 17 Sleight Of Hand: 6
Nice.
Woah, wait a second. Isabelle's alignment had changed! It had always read as Neutral-Neutral. She wondered if that was part of her system being fully operational now, and what all it meant. She'd have to ask her system for clarification once she finished leveling up.
[Congratulations, you’ve reached level 47]
[Notice: You have attribute and skill points to spend]
[Would you like to spend your points now?]
[Y/N]
Isabelle thought yes.
Attribute Points to Spend: 35
Hp: 406
H-Regen: 3/5sec
Mana: 273
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 228
S-Regen: 1.5/sec
Isabelle still felt her mana was way, way too low for a mage of shadows. Shadow mage. Whatever the fuck she called herself. She put all 35 points into her mana.
Skill Points to Spend: 35
Str: 140 Int: 137
Dx: 147 Wis: 129
Const: 141 Char: 104
Isabelle was, whether she really wanted to admit it to herself or not, sick of having a low charisma score. She went ahead and dumped all 35 points into that. She had a surplus; nobody had to know.
[Congratulations, you've finished leveling up!]
Character Status
Name: Isabelle
Gender: Female
Level: 47
Class: Shadow Mage
Race: Human
Alignment: Chaotic-Evil
Attributes
Hp: 406
H-Regen: 3/5sec
Mana: 308
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 228
S-Regen: 1.5/sec
Skill Points
Str: 140 Int: 137
Dx: 147 Wis: 129
Const: 141 Char: 139
Magic Ability Levels
Enchant: 3 Summon: 2
Heal: 3 Destroy: 13
Transmute: 3 Confuse: 3
Shadow: 1
Normal Ability Levels
Crafting: 8 Sneak: 12
Archery: 11 Lockpick: 5
Armed Combat: 18 Melee Combat: 4
Speech: 17 Sleight Of Hand: 6
Isabelle was thrilled, but she wasn't stopping here. There were more level ups to be had, that much was certain.
[Congratulations, you've reached level 48!]
[Notice: You have attribute and skill points to spend]
[Would you like to spend your points now?]
[Y/N]
Isabelle thought yes.
Attribute Points to Spend: 40
Hp: 406
H-Regen: 3/5sec
Mana: 308
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 228
S-Regen: 1.5/sec
Woah, 40 points this time. Isabelle figured 40 points to mana was the move, so that's what she did.
Skill Points to Spend: 40
Str: 140 Int: 137
Dx: 147 Wis: 129
Const: 141 Char: 139
Isabelle put 40 points into her strength, because she fucking could. After all, she had a bunch more level ups to go through, now didn't she?
[Congratulations, you've finished leveling up!]
Character Status
Name: Isabelle
Gender: Female
Level: 48
Class: Shadow Mage
Race: Human
Alignment: Chaotic-Evil
Attributes
Hp: 406
H-Regen: 3/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 228
S-Regen: 1.5/sec
Skill Points
Str: 180 Int: 137
Dx: 147 Wis: 129
Const: 141 Char: 139
Magic Ability Levels
Enchant: 3 Summon: 2
Heal: 3 Destroy: 13
Transmute: 3 Confuse: 3
Shadow: 1
Normal Ability Levels
Crafting: 8 Sneak: 12
Archery: 11 Lockpick: 5
Armed Combat: 18 Melee Combat: 4
Speech: 17 Sleight Of Hand: 6
Isabelle was ready to keep going. To keep leveling. The rush was exhilarating, she felt more alive than she had in longer than Isabelle thought possible.
Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.
[Congratulations, you've reached level 49!]
[Notice: You have attribute and skill points to spend]
[Would you like to spend your points now?]
[Y/N]
Isabelle thought yes.
Attribute Points to Spend: 40
Hp: 406
H-Regen: 3/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 228
S-Regen: 1.5/sec
Now, Isabelle's stamina was looking a little low. Isabelle hated having her stats feel unbalanced, even if they were high as fuck. So she put all 40 points to stamina this time.
Skill Points to Spend: 40
Str: 180 Int: 137
Dx: 147 Wis: 129
Const: 141 Char: 139
Isabelle liked being really, really buff. Buff as fuck, as she considered it. So she put 40 points into her strength.
[Congratulations, you've finished leveling up!]
Character Status
Name: Isabelle
Gender: Female
Level: 49
Class: Shadow Mage
Race: Human
Alignment: Chaotic-Evil
Attributes
Hp: 406
H-Regen: 3/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 268
S-Regen: 1.5/sec
Skill Points
Str: 220 Int: 137
Dx: 147 Wis: 129
Const: 141 Char: 139
Magic Ability Levels
Enchant: 3 Summon: 2
Heal: 3 Destroy: 13
Transmute: 3 Confuse: 3
Shadow: 1
Normal Ability Levels
Crafting: 8 Sneak: 12
Archery: 11 Lockpick: 5
Armed Combat: 18 Melee Combat: 4
Speech: 17 Sleight Of Hand: 6
Her character sheet was looking better, but Isabelle was nowhere near done. Oh, no, she was just getting started in here.
[Congratulations, you've reached level 50!]
[Notice: You have attribute and skill points to spend]
[Would you like to spend your points now?]
[Y/N]
Isabelle thought yes.
Attribute Points to Spend: 40
Hp: 406
H-Regen: 3/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 268
S-Regen: 1.5/sec
Her stamina still felt low. Low enough that Isabelle put all 40 points into her stamina. Fuck being weak, she figured.
Skill Points to Spend: 40
Str: 220 Int: 137
Dx: 147 Wis: 129
Const: 141 Char: 139
Isabelle was feeling bad about her constitution again, this time. So, she decided it deserved a boost of 40 points.
[Congratulations, you've finished leveling up!]
Character Status
Name: Isabelle
Gender: Female
Level: 50
Class: Shadow Mage
Race: Human
Alignment: Chaotic-Evil
Attributes
Hp: 406
H-Regen: 3/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 308
S-Regen: 1.5/sec
Skill Points
Str: 220 Int: 137
Dx: 147 Wis: 129
Const: 181 Char: 139
Magic Ability Levels
Enchant: 3 Summon: 2
Heal: 3 Destroy: 13
Transmute: 3 Confuse: 3
Shadow: 1
Normal Ability Levels
Crafting: 8 Sneak: 12
Archery: 11 Lockpick: 5
Armed Combat: 18 Melee Combat: 4
Speech: 17 Sleight Of Hand: 6
Nice. Isabelle was feeling good about this, but she would be feeling better after she leveled up again.
[Congratulations, you've reached level 51!]
[Notice: You have attribute and skill points to spend]
[Would you like to spend your points now?]
[Y/N]
Isabelle thought yes.
Attribute Points to Spend: 45
Hp: 406
H-Regen: 3/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 308
S-Regen: 1.5/sec
Isabelle frowned slightly. Things were still uneven. She put points mostly into Hp and Stm, ignoring Mana again.
Skill Points to Spend: 50
Str: 220 Int: 137
Dx: 147 Wis: 129
Const: 181 Char: 139
She distributed the points evenly, keeping charisma lower.
[Congratulations, you've finished leveling up!]
Character Status
Name: Isabelle
Gender: Female
Level: 51
Class: Shadow Mage
Race: Human
Alignment: Chaotic-Evil
Attributes
Hp: 426
H-Regen: 3/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 333
S-Regen: 1.5/sec
Skill Points
Str: 231 Int: 146
Dx: 156 Wis: 138
Const: 192 Char: 140
Magic Ability Levels
Enchant: 3 Summon: 2
Heal: 3 Destroy: 13
Transmute: 3 Confuse: 3
Shadow: 1
Normal Ability Levels
Crafting: 8 Sneak: 12
Archery: 11 Lockpick: 5
Armed Combat: 18 Melee Combat: 4
Speech: 17 Sleight Of Hand: 6
Her stats ticked upward again. Not perfect. Not yet.
[Congratulations, you've reached level 52!]
[Notice: You have attribute and skill points to spend]
[Would you like to spend your points now?]
[Y/N]
Isabelle thought yes.
Attribute Points to Spend: 45
Hp: 426
H-Regen: 3/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 333
S-Regen: 1.5/sec
She pulled a few points out of S-Regen, deciding it was too high for how little she cared.
Skill Points to Spend: 51
Str: 231 Int: 146
Dx: 156 Wis: 138
Const: 192 Char: 140
Even spread again. Charisma stayed low.
[Congratulations, you've finished leveling up!]
Character Status
Name: Isabelle
Gender: Female
Level: 52
Class: Shadow Mage
Race: Human
Alignment: Chaotic-Evil
Attributes
Hp: 446
H-Regen: 3/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 353
S-Regen: 1.3/sec
Skill Points
Str: 242 Int: 155
Dx: 165 Wis: 147
Const: 203 Char: 142
Magic Ability Levels
Enchant: 3 Summon: 2
Heal: 3 Destroy: 13
Transmute: 3 Confuse: 3
Shadow: 1
Normal Ability Levels
Crafting: 8 Sneak: 12
Archery: 11 Lockpick: 5
Armed Combat: 18 Melee Combat: 4
Speech: 17 Sleight Of Hand: 6
Better, but still not enough, Isabelle thought.
[Congratulations, you've reached level 53!]
[Notice: You have attribute and skill points to spend]
[Would you like to spend your points now?]
[Y/N]
Isabelle thought yes.
Attribute Points to Spend: 45
Hp: 446
H-Regen: 3/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 353
S-Regen: 1.3/sec
She kept stacking Hp and Stm. Mana could wait forever.
Skill Points to Spend: 51
Str: 242 Int: 155
Dx: 165 Wis: 147
Const: 203 Char: 142
Balanced again. Fair and balanced, thought Isabelle.
[Congratulations, you've finished leveling up!]
Character Status
Name: Isabelle
Gender: Female
Level: 53
Class: Shadow Mage
Race: Human
Alignment: Chaotic-Evil
Attributes
Hp: 466
H-Regen: 3/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 373
S-Regen: 1.3/sec
Skill Points
Str: 253 Int: 164
Dx: 174 Wis: 156
Const: 214 Char: 144
Magic Ability Levels
Enchant: 3 Summon: 2
Heal: 3 Destroy: 13
Transmute: 3 Confuse: 3
Shadow: 1
Normal Ability Levels
Crafting: 8 Sneak: 12
Archery: 11 Lockpick: 5
Armed Combat: 18 Melee Combat: 4
Speech: 17 Sleight Of Hand: 6
Delicious, another scrumptious level. Isabelle finally felt that her proverbial beak had been wet, although she eagerly awaited further instances of such things.
[Congratulations, you've reached level 54!]
[Notice: You have attribute and skill points to spend]
[Would you like to spend your points now?]
[Y/N]
Isabelle thought yes.
Attribute Points to Spend: 50
Hp: 466
H-Regen: 3/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 373
S-Regen: 1.3/sec
More points. Finally. She evened everything out again, dumping most into Hp and Stm.
Skill Points to Spend: 57
Str: 253 Int: 164
Dx: 174 Wis: 156
Const: 214 Char: 144
Even spread again.
[Congratulations, you've finished leveling up!]
Character Status
Name: Isabelle
Gender: Female
Level: 54
Class: Shadow Mage
Race: Human
Alignment: Chaotic-Evil
Attributes
Hp: 491
H-Regen: 3/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 398
S-Regen: 1.3/sec
Skill Points
Str: 265 Int: 174
Dx: 185 Wis: 166
Const: 226 Char: 146
Magic Ability Levels
Enchant: 3 Summon: 2
Heal: 3 Destroy: 13
Transmute: 3 Confuse: 3
Shadow: 1
Normal Ability Levels
Crafting: 8 Sneak: 12
Archery: 11 Lockpick: 5
Armed Combat: 18 Melee Combat: 4
Speech: 17 Sleight Of Hand: 6
Now that right there was a nicely leveled up character sheet, Isabelle thought. At the same time, she still needed to level up pretty badly at this point. So, Isabelle did.
[Congratulations, you've reached level 55!]
[Notice: You have attribute and skill points to spend]
[Would you like to spend your points now?]
[Y/N]
Isabelle thought yes.
Attribute Points to Spend: 50
Hp: 491
H-Regen: 3/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 398
S-Regen: 1.3/sec
Isabelle hesitated for a fraction of a second before pulling a few points out of H-Regen. It felt too high. Too wasteful. She shoved everything else into Hp and Stm again.
Skill Points to Spend: 57
Str: 265 Int: 174
Dx: 185 Wis: 166
Const: 226 Char: 146
Even spread, as always. Charisma lagged behind, where it belonged.
[Congratulations, you've finished leveling up!]
Character Status
Name: Isabelle
Gender: Female
Level: 55
Class: Shadow Mage
Race: Human
Alignment: Chaotic-Evil
Attributes
Hp: 516
H-Regen: 2.8/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 423
S-Regen: 1.3/sec
Skill Points
Str: 277 Int: 184
Dx: 196 Wis: 176
Const: 238 Char: 148
Magic Ability Levels
Enchant: 3 Summon: 2
Heal: 3 Destroy: 13
Transmute: 3 Confuse: 3
Shadow: 1
Normal Ability Levels
Crafting: 8 Sneak: 12
Archery: 11 Lockpick: 5
Armed Combat: 18 Melee Combat: 4
Speech: 17 Sleight Of Hand: 6
Isabelle stared at the numbers, breathing a little faster. It still wasn’t perfect. It would be soon. She just needed another level.
[Congratulations, you've reached level 56!]
[Notice: You have attribute and skill points to spend]
[Would you like to spend your points now?]
[Y/N]
Isabelle thought yes.
Attribute Points to Spend: 50
Hp: 516
H-Regen: 2.8/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 423
S-Regen: 1.3/sec
She pushed everything back into Hp and Stm again, ignoring Mana completely.
Skill Points to Spend: 57
Str: 277 Int: 184
Dx: 196 Wis: 176
Const: 238 Char: 148
Even spread. Strength still edged higher.
[Congratulations, you've finished leveling up!]
Character Status
Name: Isabelle
Gender: Female
Level: 56
Class: Shadow Mage
Race: Human
Alignment: Chaotic-Evil
Attributes
Hp: 541
H-Regen: 2.8/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 448
S-Regen: 1.3/sec
Skill Points
Str: 289 Int: 194
Dx: 207 Wis: 186
Const: 250 Char: 150
Magic Ability Levels
Enchant: 3 Summon: 2
Heal: 3 Destroy: 13
Transmute: 3 Confuse: 3
Shadow: 1
Normal Ability Levels
Crafting: 8 Sneak: 12
Archery: 11 Lockpick: 5
Armed Combat: 18 Melee Combat: 4
Speech: 17 Sleight Of Hand: 6
The numbers climbed. They always climbed. Isabelle felt a grin tug at her face. One more. Just one more.
[Congratulations, you've reached level 57!]
[Notice: You have attribute and skill points to spend]
[Would you like to spend your points now?]
[Y/N]
Isabelle thought yes.
Attribute Points to Spend: 50
Hp: 541
H-Regen: 2.8/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 448
S-Regen: 1.3/sec
She pulled a few points out of S-Regen again, irritated by it. Then shoved everything else into raw stats.
Skill Points to Spend: 57
Str: 289 Int: 194
Dx: 207 Wis: 186
Const: 250 Char: 150
Balanced again, like a triple beam balance even, Isabelle thought.
[Congratulations, you've finished leveling up!]
Character Status
Name: Isabelle
Gender: Female
Level: 57
Class: Shadow Mage
Race: Human
Alignment: Chaotic-Evil
Attributes
Hp: 566
H-Regen: 2.8/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 473
S-Regen: 1.1/sec
Skill Points
Str: 301 Int: 204
Dx: 218 Wis: 196
Const: 262 Char: 152
Magic Ability Levels
Enchant: 3 Summon: 2
Heal: 3 Destroy: 13
Transmute: 3 Confuse: 3
Shadow: 1
Normal Ability Levels
Crafting: 8 Sneak: 12
Archery: 11 Lockpick: 5
Armed Combat: 18 Melee Combat: 4
Speech: 17 Sleight Of Hand: 6
It still wasn’t enough. It would never be enough. Isabelle exhaled slowly and chose to keep going.
[Congratulations, you've reached level 58!]
[Notice: You have attribute and skill points to spend]
[Would you like to spend your points now?]
[Y/N]
Isabelle thought yes.
Attribute Points to Spend: 55
Hp: 566
H-Regen: 2.8/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 473
S-Regen: 1.1/sec
More points. Isabelle smiled. She spread them mostly into Hp and Stm again.
Skill Points to Spend: 64
Str: 301 Int: 204
Dx: 218 Wis: 196
Const: 262 Char: 152
Even spread. Charisma barely moved.
[Congratulations, you've finished leveling up!]
Character Status
Name: Isabelle
Gender: Female
Level: 58
Class: Shadow Mage
Race: Human
Alignment: Chaotic-Evil
Attributes
Hp: 593
H-Regen: 2.8/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 500
S-Regen: 1.1/sec
Skill Points
Str: 315 Int: 215
Dx: 230 Wis: 207
Const: 276 Char: 154
Magic Ability Levels
Enchant: 3 Summon: 2
Heal: 3 Destroy: 13
Transmute: 3 Confuse: 3
Shadow: 1
Normal Ability Levels
Crafting: 8 Sneak: 12
Archery: 11 Lockpick: 5
Armed Combat: 18 Melee Combat: 4
Speech: 17 Sleight Of Hand: 6
Her pulse quickened. The numbers were getting big now. Really big. Isabelle licked her lips. Again.
[Congratulations, you've reached level 59!]
[Notice: You have attribute and skill points to spend]
[Would you like to spend your points now?]
[Y/N]
Isabelle thought yes.
Attribute Points to Spend: 55
Hp: 593
H-Regen: 2.8/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 500
S-Regen: 1.1/sec
She trimmed a little off H-Regen again, annoyed by inefficiency. Everything else went straight into Hp and Stm.
Skill Points to Spend: 64
Str: 315 Int: 215
Dx: 230 Wis: 207
Const: 276 Char: 154
Even spread again.
[Congratulations, you've finished leveling up!]
Character Status
Name: Isabelle
Gender: Female
Level: 59
Class: Shadow Mage
Race: Human
Alignment: Chaotic-Evil
Attributes
Hp: 620
H-Regen: 2.6/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 527
S-Regen: 1.1/sec
Skill Points
Str: 329 Int: 226
Dx: 242 Wis: 218
Const: 290 Char: 156
Magic Ability Levels
Enchant: 3 Summon: 2
Heal: 3 Destroy: 13
Transmute: 3 Confuse: 3
Shadow: 1
Normal Ability Levels
Crafting: 8 Sneak: 12
Archery: 11 Lockpick: 5
Armed Combat: 18 Melee Combat: 4
Speech: 17 Sleight Of Hand: 6
Still climbing. Still not done. Isabelle’s smile widened slightly. Just a few more levels.
[Congratulations, you've reached level 60!]
[Notice: You have attribute and skill points to spend]
[Would you like to spend your points now?]
[Y/N]
Isabelle thought yes.
Attribute Points to Spend: 55
Hp: 620
H-Regen: 2.6/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 527
S-Regen: 1.1/sec
She dumped everything into Hp and Stm again without hesitation.
Skill Points to Spend: 64
Str: 329 Int: 226
Dx: 242 Wis: 218
Const: 290 Char: 156
Even spread. Strength still led.
[Congratulations, you've finished leveling up!]
Character Status
Name: Isabelle
Gender: Female
Level: 60
Class: Shadow Mage
Race: Human
Alignment: Chaotic-Evil
Attributes
Hp: 647
H-Regen: 2.6/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 554
S-Regen: 1.1/sec
Skill Points
Str: 343 Int: 237
Dx: 254 Wis: 229
Const: 304 Char: 158
Magic Ability Levels
Enchant: 3 Summon: 2
Heal: 3 Destroy: 13
Transmute: 3 Confuse: 3
Shadow: 1
Normal Ability Levels
Crafting: 8 Sneak: 12
Archery: 11 Lockpick: 5
Armed Combat: 18 Melee Combat: 4
Speech: 17 Sleight Of Hand: 6
Sixty. Isabelle exhaled slowly, then smiled. That was nice. But she wasn’t stopping. Not even close.
[Congratulations, you've reached level 61!]
[Notice: You have attribute and skill points to spend]
[Would you like to spend your points now?]
[Y/N]
Isabelle thought yes.
Attribute Points to Spend: 60
Hp: 647
H-Regen: 2.6/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 554
S-Regen: 1.1/sec
More points. Isabelle’s grin widened. She pushed almost everything into Hp and Stm again, barely even glancing at Mana.
Skill Points to Spend: 69
Str: 343 Int: 237
Dx: 254 Wis: 229
Const: 304 Char: 158
She spread them out evenly, keeping Charisma trailing behind like it deserved.
[Congratulations, you've finished leveling up!]
Character Status
Name: Isabelle
Gender: Female
Level: 61
Class: Shadow Mage
Race: Human
Alignment: Chaotic-Evil
Attributes
Hp: 677
H-Regen: 2.6/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 584
S-Regen: 1.1/sec
Skill Points
Str: 358 Int: 249
Dx: 267 Wis: 241
Const: 319 Char: 160
Magic Ability Levels
Enchant: 3 Summon: 2
Heal: 3 Destroy: 13
Transmute: 3 Confuse: 3
Shadow: 1
Normal Ability Levels
Crafting: 8 Sneak: 12
Archery: 11 Lockpick: 5
Armed Combat: 18 Melee Combat: 4
Speech: 17 Sleight Of Hand: 6
The numbers were getting ridiculous now. Isabelle could feel it. She wasn’t even close to done. She wanted more.
[Congratulations, you've reached level 62!]
[Notice: You have attribute and skill points to spend]
[Would you like to spend your points now?]
[Y/N]
Isabelle thought yes.
Attribute Points to Spend: 60
Hp: 677
H-Regen: 2.6/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 584
S-Regen: 1.1/sec
She shaved a little off S-Regen again. It annoyed her. Wasteful. Everything else went straight into raw stats.
Skill Points to Spend: 69
Str: 358 Int: 249
Dx: 267 Wis: 241
Const: 319 Char: 160
Even spread again. Strength climbed highest.
[Congratulations, you've finished leveling up!]
Character Status
Name: Isabelle
Gender: Female
Level: 62
Class: Shadow Mage
Race: Human
Alignment: Chaotic-Evil
Attributes
Hp: 707
H-Regen: 2.6/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 614
S-Regen: 0.9/sec
Skill Points
Str: 373 Int: 261
Dx: 280 Wis: 253
Const: 334 Char: 162
Magic Ability Levels
Enchant: 3 Summon: 2
Heal: 3 Destroy: 13
Transmute: 3 Confuse: 3
Shadow: 1
Normal Ability Levels
Crafting: 8 Sneak: 12
Archery: 11 Lockpick: 5
Armed Combat: 18 Melee Combat: 4
Speech: 17 Sleight Of Hand: 6
Still climbing. Still perfecting. Isabelle felt a quiet satisfaction settle in her chest. Then she crushed it. Not enough.
[Congratulations, you've reached level 63!]
[Notice: You have attribute and skill points to spend]
[Would you like to spend your points now?]
[Y/N]
Isabelle thought yes.
Attribute Points to Spend: 60
Hp: 707
H-Regen: 2.6/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 614
S-Regen: 0.9/sec
She pushed everything into Hp and Stm again, ignoring everything else like it didn’t exist.
Skill Points to Spend: 69
Str: 373 Int: 261
Dx: 280 Wis: 253
Const: 334 Char: 162
Even spread.
[Congratulations, you've finished leveling up!]
Character Status
Name: Isabelle
Gender: Female
Level: 63
Class: Shadow Mage
Race: Human
Alignment: Chaotic-Evil
Attributes
Hp: 737
H-Regen: 2.6/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 644
S-Regen: 0.9/sec
Skill Points
Str: 388 Int: 273
Dx: 293 Wis: 265
Const: 349 Char: 164
Magic Ability Levels
Enchant: 3 Summon: 2
Heal: 3 Destroy: 13
Transmute: 3 Confuse: 3
Shadow: 1
Normal Ability Levels
Crafting: 8 Sneak: 12
Archery: 11 Lockpick: 5
Armed Combat: 18 Melee Combat: 4
Speech: 17 Sleight Of Hand: 6
Sixty-three. Isabelle exhaled slowly, eyes locked on the numbers. They looked good. They looked right. But they could look better.
[Congratulations, you've reached level 64!]
[Notice: You have attribute and skill points to spend]
[Would you like to spend your points now?]
[Y/N]
Isabelle thought yes.
Attribute Points to Spend: 65
Hp: 737
H-Regen: 2.6/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 644
S-Regen: 0.9/sec
More points again. Isabelle felt a flicker of excitement. She distributed heavily into Hp and Stm.
Skill Points to Spend: 74
Str: 388 Int: 273
Dx: 293 Wis: 265
Const: 349 Char: 164
Even spread.
[Congratulations, you've finished leveling up!]
Character Status
Name: Isabelle
Gender: Female
Level: 64
Class: Shadow Mage
Race: Human
Alignment: Chaotic-Evil
Attributes
Hp: 769
H-Regen: 2.6/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 676
S-Regen: 0.9/sec
Skill Points
Str: 404 Int: 286
Dx: 307 Wis: 278
Const: 365 Char: 166
Magic Ability Levels
Enchant: 3 Summon: 2
Heal: 3 Destroy: 13
Transmute: 3 Confuse: 3
Shadow: 1
Normal Ability Levels
Crafting: 8 Sneak: 12
Archery: 11 Lockpick: 5
Armed Combat: 18 Melee Combat: 4
Speech: 17 Sleight Of Hand: 6
Her heartbeat was steady now. Calm. Controlled. The numbers obeyed her. They always would. She just had to keep going.
[Congratulations, you've reached level 65!]
[Notice: You have attribute and skill points to spend]
[Would you like to spend your points now?]
[Y/N]
Isabelle thought yes.
Attribute Points to Spend: 65
Hp: 769
H-Regen: 2.6/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 676
S-Regen: 0.9/sec
She pulled a bit from H-Regen again. Still too high. Everything else went straight into Hp and Stm.
Skill Points to Spend: 74
Str: 404 Int: 286
Dx: 307 Wis: 278
Const: 365 Char: 166
Even spread again.
[Congratulations, you've finished leveling up!]
Character Status
Name: Isabelle
Gender: Female
Level: 65
Class: Shadow Mage
Race: Human
Alignment: Chaotic-Evil
Attributes
Hp: 801
H-Regen: 2.4/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 708
S-Regen: 0.9/sec
Skill Points
Str: 420 Int: 299
Dx: 321 Wis: 291
Const: 381 Char: 168
Magic Ability Levels
Enchant: 3 Summon: 2
Heal: 3 Destroy: 13
Transmute: 3 Confuse: 3
Shadow: 1
Normal Ability Levels
Crafting: 8 Sneak: 12
Archery: 11 Lockpick: 5
Armed Combat: 18 Melee Combat: 4
Speech: 17 Sleight Of Hand: 6
Isabelle stared at the numbers for a long second. They were getting absurd. She loved it. She needed more.
[Congratulations, you've reached level 66!]
[Notice: You have attribute and skill points to spend]
[Would you like to spend your points now?]
[Y/N]
Isabelle thought yes.
Attribute Points to Spend: 65
Hp: 801
H-Regen: 2.4/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 708
S-Regen: 0.9/sec
She dumped everything into Hp and Stm again without hesitation.
Skill Points to Spend: 74
Str: 420 Int: 299
Dx: 321 Wis: 291
Const: 381 Char: 168
Even spread.
[Congratulations, you've finished leveling up!]
Character Status
Name: Isabelle
Gender: Female
Level: 66
Class: Shadow Mage
Race: Human
Alignment: Chaotic-Evil
Attributes
Hp: 833
H-Regen: 2.4/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 740
S-Regen: 0.9/sec
Skill Points
Str: 436 Int: 312
Dx: 335 Wis: 304
Const: 397 Char: 170
Magic Ability Levels
Enchant: 3 Summon: 2
Heal: 3 Destroy: 13
Transmute: 3 Confuse: 3
Shadow: 1
Normal Ability Levels
Crafting: 8 Sneak: 12
Archery: 11 Lockpick: 5
Armed Combat: 18 Melee Combat: 4
Speech: 17 Sleight Of Hand: 6
Sixty-six. Isabelle let out a quiet breath. Almost there. Not done. Never done.
[Congratulations, you've reached level 67!]
[Notice: You have attribute and skill points to spend]
[Would you like to spend your points now?]
[Y/N]
Isabelle thought yes.
Attribute Points to Spend: 70
Hp: 833
H-Regen: 2.4/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 740
S-Regen: 0.9/sec
More points again. Isabelle smiled wider. She shoved them into Hp and Stm almost greedily.
Skill Points to Spend: 79
Str: 436 Int: 312
Dx: 335 Wis: 304
Const: 397 Char: 170
Even spread.
[Congratulations, you've finished leveling up!]
Character Status
Name: Isabelle
Gender: Female
Level: 67
Class: Shadow Mage
Race: Human
Alignment: Chaotic-Evil
Attributes
Hp: 868
H-Regen: 2.4/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 775
S-Regen: 0.9/sec
Skill Points
Str: 453 Int: 326
Dx: 350 Wis: 318
Const: 414 Char: 172
Magic Ability Levels
Enchant: 3 Summon: 2
Heal: 3 Destroy: 13
Transmute: 3 Confuse: 3
Shadow: 1
Normal Ability Levels
Crafting: 8 Sneak: 12
Archery: 11 Lockpick: 5
Armed Combat: 18 Melee Combat: 4
Speech: 17 Sleight Of Hand: 6
Isabelle's grin was impossible to suppress now. The numbers were huge. Beautiful. But not finished. Never finished.
[Congratulations, you've reached level 68!]
[Notice: You have attribute and skill points to spend]
[Would you like to spend your points now?]
[Y/N]
Isabelle thought yes.
Attribute Points to Spend: 70
Hp: 868
H-Regen: 2.4/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 775
S-Regen: 0.9/sec
She trimmed S-Regen again. It annoyed her. Everything else went into raw stats.
Skill Points to Spend: 79
Str: 453 Int: 326
Dx: 350 Wis: 318
Const: 414 Char: 172
Even spread again.
[Congratulations, you've finished leveling up!]
Character Status
Name: Isabelle
Gender: Female
Level: 68
Class: Shadow Mage
Race: Human
Alignment: Chaotic-Evil
Attributes
Hp: 903
H-Regen: 2.4/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 810
S-Regen: 0.7/sec
Skill Points
Str: 470 Int: 340
Dx: 365 Wis: 332
Const: 431 Char: 174
Magic Ability Levels
Enchant: 3 Summon: 2
Heal: 3 Destroy: 13
Transmute: 3 Confuse: 3
Shadow: 1
Normal Ability Levels
Crafting: 8 Sneak: 12
Archery: 11 Lockpick: 5
Armed Combat: 18 Melee Combat: 4
Speech: 17 Sleight Of Hand: 6
So close. Isabelle could feel it now. One more. Just one more level.
[Congratulations, you've reached level 69!]
[Notice: You have attribute and skill points to spend]
[Would you like to spend your points now?]
[Y/N]
Isabelle thought yes.
Attribute Points to Spend: 70
Hp: 903
H-Regen: 2.4/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 810
S-Regen: 0.7/sec
She didn’t hesitate this time. Everything went into Hp and Stm. No regrets. No balance. Just more.
Skill Points to Spend: 79
Str: 470 Int: 340
Dx: 365 Wis: 332
Const: 431 Char: 174
Even spread. Strength still dominated.
[Congratulations, you've finished leveling up!]
Character Status
Name: Isabelle
Gender: Female
Level: 69
Class: Shadow Mage
Race: Human
Alignment: Chaotic-Evil
Attributes
Hp: 938
H-Regen: 2.4/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 845
S-Regen: 0.7/sec
Skill Points
Str: 487 Int: 354
Dx: 380 Wis: 346
Const: 448 Char: 176
Magic Ability Levels
Enchant: 3 Summon: 2
Heal: 3 Destroy: 13
Transmute: 3 Confuse: 3
Shadow: 1
Normal Ability Levels
Crafting: 8 Sneak: 12
Archery: 11 Lockpick: 5
Armed Combat: 18 Melee Combat: 4
Speech: 17 Sleight Of Hand: 6
Isabelle stared at the final numbers, breathing slowly. Sixty-nine. Nice. She could keep going. She wanted to keep going.
Isabelle waited.
No, actually, she couldn't keep going. That had been it. She had leveled up. It was final. Wonderful. Glorious, even.
Wait a second. Isabelle needed to see something.
She looked at her character sheet again.
Character Status
Name: Isabelle
Gender: Female
Level: 69
Class: Shadow Mage
Race: Human
Alignment: Chaotic-Evil
Attributes
Hp: 938
H-Regen: 2.4/5sec
Mana: 348
M-Regen: 2/10sec
Stm: 845
S-Regen: 0.7/sec
Skill Points
Str: 487 Int: 354
Dx: 380 Wis: 346
Const: 448 Char: 176
Magic Ability Levels
Enchant: 3 Summon: 2
Heal: 3 Destroy: 13
Transmute: 3 Confuse: 3
Shadow: 1
Normal Ability Levels
Crafting: 8 Sneak: 12
Archery: 11 Lockpick: 5
Armed Combat: 18 Melee Combat: 4
Speech: 17 Sleight Of Hand: 6
Oh, what in the fuckedy fuck had she done? This was a fucking travesty. Isabelle wanted to burn fifty Oglos alive she was so pissed. Why the fuckedy fuck had she dumped all those points into her stamina and s-regen? She was a fucking shadow mage who'd just learned how to use world-ending shadow magic. Who cared that it meant she'd be effectively able to fight around in slow motion at all times due to upgraded battle focus, or that her massively high stamina would render stamina percentages near imperceptible unless she literally chained breath weapons together, making her a true force of nature and a damned dragon of a human in her own right? Sure, all that shit sounded cool, but Isabelle could easily have leveled her mana up to an insane degree instead, and that really fucking pissed her off. Isabelle could only imagine what crazy bullshit she'd be able to do if her mana was higher.
"I'm so sorry, my son! I'm so sorry that evil Oglo teleported you away from me! Boo hoo!" said Tahsi Senior as he ate slices of garlic bread in rapid succession.
"Jesus Christ Tahsi, get over yourself," said Isabelle as she sighed and rolled her eyes. "We'll get him back. We always do."
"But what if we can't?" said Tahsi through mouthfuls of pumpernickel bagels.
"Hey," said Ignis, nudging the kobold with her snout. "We will. That little pest is tougher than he looks. Besides, I doubt this 'Cauldron' is a place one can easily be destroyed in. It's probably more of a... containment area."
"Yea," said Isabelle with a sigh, not entirely convinced. Or convinced at all. She knew what the Overlords used Cauldrons for. Draining people like power cells. Creepy as shit, and in Isabelle's case, completely un-fucking-necessary because she was the goddamned mage of shadows and she could just hit someone with a frying pan to steal their powers now. With her shadow magic. Because she was a mage of shadows. "Now, come on. We've got a fucking healer to find," Isabelle said.
Isabelle started walking, not really sure where she was going, just needing to move. The others followed in silence, the somber mood a stark contrast to their earlier triumph. They walked for what felt like hours, through winding streets and crumbling plazas, the oppressive atmosphere of the Spire weighing down on them. The occasional distant scream or explosion was the only sound that broke the silence.
Finally, they arrived at a large, circular plaza. In the center of the plaza stood a massive, intricately carved stone archway, covered in glowing runes that pulsed with a faint, otherworldly light. It hummed with a power that made Isabelle's teeth ache.
[Combat mode activated]
"What the fuck is this?" said Isabelle with a sigh.
