Age of Ancients (Shattered Kingdoms Book 1) Page 3

  Seeing as Makai wasn’t exactly here to answer that question, nor did Dabu think he would if he were, he decided to read on.

  Attributes: There are five total attributes that govern the overall status. They are Strength, Agility, Constitution, Intelligence, and Wisdom. The average for an adult is 5 points, although there will be some variation depending on the ability type.

  Strength: This measures physical might, as well as the total chi Points for Supers. Supers will naturally develop this attribute faster.

  Agility: This measures speed and dexterity, as well as the speed of chi regeneration for Supers. Supers will naturally develop this attribute faster.

  Constitution: This measures overall health as well as defense. Both Supers and Mages develop this at equal rates.

  Intelligence: This measures mental might, as well as total mana points for Mages. Mages will naturally develop this attribute faster.

  Wisdom: This measures knowledge and critical thinking, as well as the speed of mana regeneration for Mages. Mages will naturally develop this attribute faster.

  This was the most straightforward explanation of everything he’d seen so far, and Dabu was pretty sure he understood this well enough. As with the ranks category, there was no description telling him how to grow his attributes. It was no surprise to him that both his Strength and Agility were low, and he suspected that his lowered Constitution had something to do with his lung illness. He wondered if increasing that attribute would lessen its effects.

  Definitely something to keep an eye on, he thought, before moving on to the last part of his status, which was the one he was most excited to see.

  Skills: Skills are based on one’s ability. For example, if their ability type is Fire, then a skill could be Fireball or Heatwave. There are many applications for skills: attack, defense, utility, etc. Each skill has a cost and can only be activated by paying the CP or MP required to make it work. New skills can be gained over time, but all Supers and Mages are awarded two to start with.

  Ember Blade: Cut your opponents with blades forged from the embers of your soul within your field of influence.

  Cost - 10 MP

  Range - 5 ft

  Spark Field: Create small sparks within your field of influence that will burst upon outside contact.

  Cost - 25 MP

  Range - 5 ft

  Dabu could honestly say that he had no idea how either of these skills worked, but he couldn’t wait to test them out. All his life, he’d been powerless and unable to defend his family. All he had to do now was make it through this Trial, and these amazing abilities would be his to keep. Additionally, it seemed that over time, he might be able to find new skills, though the message had no information on how to go about learning one.

  The status vanished, and another message began to appear before him, this one outlined in bolder writing.

  You have chosen to remain inside Trial #4431: Sandstone 290 - Trial of Ancients. Your time begins now.

  4: Real Danger

  Dabu felt his heart rate quicken as the message vanished, along with the light inside the stone gate standing behind him. He was well and truly committed now, and there was no getting out until his time was up.

  That’s fine, he told himself. You already knew that when you walked through the gate. There’s no need to panic.

  Despite telling himself that, Dabu felt his chest begin to tighten as his ever-present illness threatened to rob him of breath. He subconsciously reached for the rough rope he used as a belt, only to find it missing.

  Right, he remembered, dropping his hand back to his side.

  He’d come here without stopping back home to grab the small leather sack, which, in hindsight, had probably not been a very good idea. Still, it was not a decision he regretted. Had he taken that detour, he might not have had the strength to leave in the first place. Besides, if he couldn’t suffer through a little tightness in his lungs, he’d have no chance of making it through the thirty-day trial.

  It would probably be a good idea to gather the right herbs, just in case, he thought, looking around to try and get his bearings.

  This landscape was unfamiliar to him, so he didn’t know if he would even be able to find the right herbs, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t try.

  He had no idea what the weather around here would be like either or what dangers lurked within those towering trees, but he had to concentrate on one thing at a time. Otherwise, he would end up walking in circles, flitting from one task to another without ever accomplishing anything.

  He inhaled again, feeling the fresh air enter his lungs, and began heading down the hill, toward the line of trees.

  His head was on a constant swivel, simultaneously watching out for danger and searching for any obvious signs of the herbs he needed to create the foul lung-clearing concoction. It was only because of his continual awareness that he saw the creature as it emerged from the line of trees some twenty yards to his left.

  It was bulky, covered in shaggy hair that seemed far too heavy for a warm climate like this one, and at first glance, it didn’t seem all that dangerous. Although his family had never owned any livestock, several families back home did, and this creature looked like a larger and hairier version of the goats owned by the wealthier families in Shukka Basin.

  The creature turned its head and let out a loud snort. Its slotted, rectangular pupils fixed onto him, and Dabu instinctively knew then that this was no ordinary animal. This was a beast. There was a distinct difference between beasts and ordinary animals, and although Dabu had never seen one in person before, he’d heard all about them from the Purus.

  Beasts, unlike regular animals, had abilities. They were aggressive and would attack unprovoked, as they would gain power by devouring humans.

  Sure enough, the goat let out a threatening bleat, then began pawing at the ground in preparation for a charge.

  Dabu froze in place, his eyes widening as the goat lowered its head, presenting a pair of short but very sharp-looking horns. If this creature hit him at a full sprint, it would most certainly tear straight through him. His squishy and vulnerable body would put up little resistance against a beast like this one.

  The goat bleated once again and charged, its hooves thumping against the ground as it ran uphill, picking up speed.

  Dabu’s body remained locked in fear. He had never faced anything like this creature before, and its sudden appearance and aggressive behavior had thrown him off.

  Thankfully, he managed to react just in time, throwing himself to the side with the goat nearly on top of him. He winced as one of its horns snagged the side of his shirt, tearing a small patch from the leather but, thankfully, missing the skin.

  He scrambled back to his feet, his heart pounding and lungs tightening as his heart rate sped up. Thankfully, the goat took several seconds to halt its charge and circle back around to attempt a second attack. Dabu turned and ran, dashing downhill for all he was worth and feeling his lungs growing ever-tighter.

  What in the name of the Fifth was I thinking? he thought, cursing himself for a fool.

  Why’d he think that he could handle the Trials when his father and brother had failed? He was going to die within minutes of entering, and all because he’d been so confident he could succeed where his more capable seniors had failed.

  He threw a look over his shoulder, then dove to the side with a yelp as the goat charged past. He hit the ground hard, his momentum and the downward slope of the hill continuing his movement. He picked up several scrapes and bruises on his way down, and when his fall was finally arrested by a friendly tree, Dabu groaned in pain.

  His vision began to fuzz over as he shakily got to his feet. His breaths came in short, wheezing gasps, and he knew that he had maybe a minute before he would pass out. Still, panic and adrenaline kept him from collapsing, his head whipping around for any signs of the goat. An angry bleat echoed through the trees, and Dabu dropped to his stomach. There was no way he was going to be able to take that goat on in his current condition.

  The pain of his wounds made him want to cry out, and his stomach and chest flared as he dropped. Thankfully, there was so little air available that all he managed was a wheeze.

  His heart continued thundering in his ears as nausea crept in and bile rose in his throat. Despite his boisterous heartbeat, he could hear the sound of tromping hooves in the distance.

  He remained where he was, frozen in place, fighting to get more air into his lungs and to stay silent, praying to the gods for the goat to leave. Dying would be horrible enough, but being eaten by a goat, beast or otherwise, would seriously suck.

  Another bleat came, this one from farther away, and Dabu began to relax. His heart rate began to calm down, and although the air didn’t come any easier to him, that was a problem he could deal with.

  He began searching among the undergrowth, still taking care to remain as silent as possible. In an emergency like this, a single herb would be enough to open his lungs, though it would be quite painful. But there was simply no time to gather the herbs for an easier and more comfortable process.

  Dabu searched around the base of the tree, silently praying to find what he was looking for. His fingers scrabbled frantically through the leaves, and when he heard another angry bleat, he froze and felt his heart skip a beat.

  It took him several seconds to realize that the bleat was more muffled than it had been before, which meant that the goat was moving farther away from where he was, not coming closer.

  With one problem down, he still had to find what he was looking for, and thankfully, he found it.

  Dabu felt both a sense of foreboding and relief as his fingers closed around the stem of a tall, straight flower hiding beneath the deadfall. The flower itself wouldn’t
really do anything at all, but it was the stem, which was some four inches long, that held salvation.

  Quickly ripping off the top part of the flower, Dabu revealed the sharpened point of the stem – a defense mechanism the flower had developed against being eaten. A clear liquid beaded at its tip. Pulling his shirt aside, Dabu plunged it directly into the center of his chest.

  The pain, burning and hot, was immediate, and it was all he could do not to scream. He collapsed onto his back, the stem still protruding from his chest. He brought his hand to his mouth and bit down hard to keep himself from making a sound. The goat was still nearby, and he couldn’t risk attracting its attention.

  Slowly, the pain began to fade, and a warm sensation spread across his chest as the sap from the flower seeped into his muscles. Dabu inhaled and felt his lungs begin to loosen.

  He lay there for several minutes, just breathing and feeling the warmth in his chest as the sap emptied from the flower. He’d been lucky this time, but he knew that gathering the herbs was now a necessity.

  Now that he was able to think clearly, Dabu berated himself for being such a coward. He had an ability, with two skills that he could have used against the goat. But instead of standing his ground and fighting like a warrior, he’d turned and fled. He was thankful that no one had been here to witness such a disgraceful retreat, but at the same time, he knew that he would never forget this.

  After fifteen minutes passed, Dabu finally forced himself back to his feet. He pulled the stem from his chest, ignoring the bead of blood left in its wake, and pulled his shirt back into place. He would not be able to use the flower again for a while. It was salvation in an emergency, but the sap would kill him if he were to use it more than absolutely necessary.

  Even now, he could feel the damage it did to his muscles. The sap was highly acidic, and he did his best to ignore the consequential pain. He had more significant problems right now.

  Despite all that, his anger kept him from falling into a ball of self-pity. He was angry with what he’d done and what it would have cost his family. It was an important reminder that he wasn’t doing this for himself, but rather so that his family could live their lives not dictated by the brutal and merciless Puru gang.

  Next time, I won’t run, he thought, solidifying the thought in his mind.

  He winced as he took his first step and looked down to see a long scrape on the side of his leg. Now that he was out of danger, all of the aches and pains from his tumble down the hill let themselves be known. More than that, Dabu felt an all-consuming thirst, not that it was a surprise.

  The last time he’d put anything in his stomach had been by dinner last night, and he’d thrown most of it up back home. Judging by the sun’s position, it was now mid-morning, so his body was punishing him for not taking proper care of its needs.

  Thankfully, he knew that there were several streams nearby, and although he could no longer see them, he’d gotten a pretty good lay of the land from his vantage point atop the hill. There was still plenty of downward travel to go, as the hill sloped down for another several hundred yards, but the trees did a good job of hampering his view.

  Several of the plants he was looking for grew near water sources, so finding a stream was now a top priority.

  With that thought in mind, Dabu set off walking. This time, it was with a lot more care and a healthy fear of goats.

  5: Terror

  By the time Dabu reached the stream, it was already well into the afternoon. Standing on that tall hill, he’d misjudged the distance to the first stream, and it had taken him far longer to find it than he’d have liked. Thankfully, the devil-goat didn’t make another appearance, and despite his fears, he managed to make it to the stream without encountering anything more deadly than a songbird.

  Dropping to his knees, Dabu dunked his head straight into the water, feeling a shock of cold as it washed over him.

  He gasped, pulling his head from the stream and shivering as the water trickled down his back. He had not been expecting it to be this cold. In a warm climate like this, the water should have been lukewarm at best, especially seeing as the water was maybe a foot deep. Still, he was in a Trial, so maybe things just worked differently here.

  Being as hot and sweaty as he was, Dabu wasn’t about to complain. After satiating his thirst, he stripped out of his clothing and proceeded to wash himself off. He’d collected several scrapes and cuts in his fall and didn’t want to risk infection. While the water wasn’t exactly the best antiseptic, it was better than nothing.

  He let out a satisfied sigh as he rose, pulling his clothes back onto his still-damp body, feeling refreshed and awake, despite having been up half the night. He’d had plenty of time to think about the way he’d reacted upon first seeing the goat during his trek, and now that he could look at it objectively, he didn’t really see any other way he could have reacted.

  He’d never used his skills before, nor had he taken the time to try and inspect the goat to get any more information on it. For all he knew, it was much more powerful than he was, and he would never have stood a chance.

  As soon as I find the right herbs, I’m going to see what my skills can do.

  With that thought in mind, Dabu began following the stream, looking for the herbs in question. This forest was nothing like back home. For one, the trees were different, with wide and narrow leaves that spread out like a canopy overhead. There were also no real branches, and the trunks were smooth, containing a series of rings instead of the rough bark he was used to.

  The undergrowth was quite different as well. It was greener, denser, and more annoying.

  Shukka Basin – according to the Purus – was one of the lushest and greenest places in the old Sandstone Kingdom – the westernmost part of the continent – but this place made it look dry and washed out by comparison. The very dirt beneath his feet was better, a deep black-brown that smelled incredible. It was soft and moist, which was so very unlike the dry, crumbly earth they used to grow their meager crops back home.

  If only Mother and Kahi could live here…

  Dabu shook himself, dismissing the thought. Shukka Basin might be a harsher place to live, but at least the goats who inhabited it didn’t try to kill you.

  He paused for a moment as the stem of a short blue and green flower caught his eye, poking from the undergrowth on the other side of the stream. Hopping across, Dabu crouched, sniffing at the flower before plucking it. It was only once he’d picked it that he realized he had nowhere to put it.

  I really didn’t think this through, he thought, feeling annoyed with himself as he began casting around for a sharp stone.

  It didn’t take long for him to find one and cut a ragged strip from the bottom of his shirt. It pained him to damage his clothing, as they weren’t easy to make, but right now, this was his only option. To tie the small makeshift bag, he pulled a cord from the rope around his waist, tying off the mouth of the sack, then placing it in his shirt for safekeeping. If he had to run or dive again, he didn’t want to risk it coming loose or snagging on something.

  Dabu followed the stream for the next hour, occasionally finding one of the herbs he was hunting. He needed to find six in total. Once picked, they would last for about a week before needing to be replaced. Well, they usually lasted a week, but in an environment this damp, they might actually last a bit longer.

  While he usually didn’t sweat all that much, Dabu soon found himself running his arm across his forehead. The damp air, while better for his lungs, was making the pleasant temperature feel near-stifling. Still, he wasn’t about to complain about something he couldn’t control, as it would do him little good.

  Dabu was just crouching to pick the last item he needed – a yellow-stemmed plant with wide leaves – when he heard a light crunching from within the forest.