Most of Ash’s teammates made quick decisions, as one of the spells appealed to them, but he didn’t see an obvious choice for himself. He tapped into his dormant Crown chakra to help him logic through the options. His Crown chakra produced almost no energy, but the only way it would improve was by using it.
Summoning a creature sounded kind of awesome, but Ash already had to worry about nineteen other people and didn’t want to add another thing to manage right away. The mirror spell and stone skin would help mitigate or avoid damage, but with his fighting skills, he shouldn’t ever get hit to begin with.
Ash had no use for the tool mending spell, and both medics already took the healing one. If he did have a weakness, it would be ranged damage. He could throw a knife, and he had his pistol, but they weren’t a normal part of his fighting style, and he didn't want to spend a spell point on the projectile spell.
Really, Ash’s choices were the two ranged spells that would give him some reach or taking the healing spell as a backup to the medics.
The ice spell and necrotic spell were very similar. Each had a sixty-foot range and the same max damage. They both had a recharge of fifteen minutes, so the biggest difference was in their effect.
What was more valuable to Ash: slowing the target by ten percent or stopping a target’s Health Regeneration for thirty seconds?
Part of the problem was that Ash had no idea what types of creatures they’d encounter here. He could save his spell point, but both his Root and Third Eye resisted that. Neither reacted when he concentrated on the two ranged spells, so he guessed it really didn't matter much.
For many years, Ash had believed nothing could match his speed and skills. Grandmaster Echo had proven how ignorant he'd been. He should assume there were things in the Pit that would be faster, stronger, and maybe even more lethal. In that case, slowing such creatures would provide a huge benefit.
On the other hand, the Spirit Touch spell had a higher minimum damage, and stopping a tough opponent from regenerating their Health might be the difference between winning the fight and everyone dying.
Nomad got everyone under control in chat and asked them to reveal their spell choice to help the team make informed decisions.
Ash was last, and no one had taken Spirit Touch, so he placed his spell point there.
Bing!
You have learned a new spell!
Name: Spirit Touch
Description: Conjures a ghostly skeletal hand to drain the life from a target.
Max Charges: 4
Recharge Rate: 15 minutes per charge
Range: 60 feet
Damage: 8-12 necrotic damage
Effect: Target cannot regenerate health for 30 seconds.
The base of Ash’s neck grew cold for a moment, but nothing else happened. He didn't feel any different, but if the notifications could be trusted, he'd become an honest-to-God mage. Although, considering the necrotic damage, this probably made him more of a necromancer or some type of darker caster.
Ash wondered how to cast his new spell. Did he need to shout it out like they did on TV?
No one knew what to do with their attribute point since they couldn't even see their attributes, so collectively, everyone banked it.
Ash took a quick glance at his Stats as the Titles had changed the values significantly.
Physical Attributes
Constitution: 24
Strength: 22
Nimbleness: 25
Charisma: 13
Mental Attributes
Intelligence: 17
Wisdom: 22
Awareness: 27
Willpower: 19
Available Attribute Points: 1
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Armor Class
Physical: 55
Spiritual: 10
Pools
Health: 100%
Health Regeneration: 2% per second
Mental Energy: 100%
Mental Energy Regeneration: 0.3% per second
Physical Energy: 100%
Physical Energy Regeneration: 0.5% per second
Resistances
Physical: 35%
Mental: 10%
Spiritual: 13%
Boon
Unassigned
Class
Unassigned
Subclass
Unassigned
Specialization
Unassigned
Focus
Unassigned
Path
Unassigned
Spells
Spirit Touch - Conjures a ghostly skeletal hand to drain the life from a target.
Chakra Abilities
Third Eye: Lesser Ripple - Extend your Third Eye to view the Universe more clearly.
Effects
Swan Lake—once per day walk on water for 2 seconds per Class level.
Slowfall - Once per day, control the speed of any fall for 1 second per level.
Sevenfold Curse - Once per day, reflect 7 times the damage taken for 7 seconds.
Restless Wanderer - Curse the earth in a spherical area.
Weaknesses
5% additional damage from Dark, Death, and Chaos-aligned creatures.
Suffer 50% additional damage from blunt weapons.
Bonuses
5% additional damage to all physical attacks on Dark, Death, and Chaos-aligned creatures.
Unarmed attacks are considered magical damage.
Dungeon Currency award +10% per level.
Alignment
Hostile Disposition to all Dark, Death, and Chaos alignments.
Chakras
Dormant: Sacral, Heart, Crown, and Divine
Activated: Solar Plexus, Throat
Awakened: Root, Third Eye
Alignment: 2%
Sifting Effectiveness: 1%
Aura
Purity: 4%
Density: 5%
Power: 0%
Titles
Chakra Knight
Perception Oracle
Foolhardy
Mark of Eiru
Chosen
Legacy
Nomad’s voice appeared in Ash’s mind. Status?
Ash closed the summary display, shocked at all the changes. He’d always had an athletic build, but his shirt felt a little tighter now, and his muscles seemed harder. Probably just his imagination.
Give me a minute, Ash responded.
Ash quickly opened his quest display and glanced at the three quests his titles had unlocked.
Ting!
You have received the quest…
Helping Hand (1 of 5) - Restoration
Description: Restore Eiru's upper temple to working order.
Task: The upper temple is in ruins, filled with corrupted energy and ancient traps. Clear the corruption and repair the altar.
Restriction: Hand of Eiru
Reward: Suffocation Bracer of Time
That Suffocation Bracer of Time might be the most valuable thing in the Pit, but Ash didn’t plan on going out of his way to find this temple. Trying to locate extra treasure seemed like an invitation to die. Plus, who named their rewards “Suffocation?”
Ash glanced at the next quest.
Ting!
You have received the quest…
Qhapaq (1 of 11) - Ancestral Root
Description: Unlock the memories of your ancestors.
Task: Meditate at a Root Sanctum within the Underworld and awaken the ancient oath.
Restriction: Qhapaq Amauta Sicu
Reward: Ancestral Root chakra ability.
This sounded great, but once again, Ash had no plans on searching for one of these sanctums.
Ash moved on to the last quest.
Ting!
You have received the quest…
Brother’s Keeper (1 of 5) - Echoes of the Past
Description: Follow the cries of the innocent to the forbidden ruins.
Task: Piece together ancient fragments to glimpse a tragic betrayal.
Restriction: Sinner’s Blood
Reward: Keeper’s Fragment
Ash didn't like this quest at all. He didn't understand what Sinner’s Blood was and certainly didn't want to hear the cries of the innocent. He hoped that statement was metaphorical, and he could ignore this quest completely.
Closing the quest display, Ash glanced around the tunnel and confirmed that Bruja had disappeared.
Touching the strap of his pack, Ash willed it into his belt. The pack would consume the third slot of his inventory, but not wearing it drastically increased his mobility. While he was alone and not near the group, he planned to keep his pack stowed away.
Out of curiosity Ash tried to retrieve an item out of his bug-out-bag, but the entire pack appeared in his hand instead, and he quickly returned it to the dimensional storage of the belt.
Lir had told Ash the Belt of Swans was highly restricted. At least he could place the pack in there with all its contents. It only used around six cubic feet of the twenty-seven he had access to. He needed to look for a bigger bag.
Ash reached out mentally to Nomad using chat. I’m on the move.
Divine Apostasy Series by AFK
