Watcher of Fate

Elara looked down the cave with her true sight. The dark world was in shades of gray. She saw the dripping water collecting in a basin. She debated out loud with herself if she should drink from the water.

"I'll die of dehydration long before I starve to death," she reasoned. "And considering my luck, I'm more likely to die from a monster attack than anything in the water."

With a resigned sigh, she knelt and took a few cautious sips from the basin. The water was cool and surprisingly refreshing. Feeling slightly better, she continued moving slowly down the hallway, her eyes darting side to side.

After a while, she saw a touch of soft glowing light down the hall. As she moved closer, she realized the tunnel opened into a larger cavern. The cavern was filled with an underground biome, illuminated by a blue-green glow. Strange, bioluminescent flora covered the cavern walls and floor, casting an eerie yet beautiful light that revealed more details of her surroundings.

Elara marveled at the sight, taking in the alien beauty of the underground landscape. The cavern was vast, with stalactites hanging from the ceiling like the teeth of some enormous beast. The floor was uneven, dotted with pools of crystal-clear water and strange rock formations that seemed to defy gravity. She noticed clusters of mushrooms growing on the walls among the glowing plants. The mushrooms were the source of the blue-green light.

Scattered among the glowing mushrooms were other fascinating plants. She saw delicate ferns with fronds that shimmered like silver in the low light, their tips glowing softly. Small bushes were also covered in tiny, luminescent berries that looked like clusters of stars falling from the sky. A large, tree-like plant stood in the cavern's center, its trunk glowing with an inner light and its branches draped with long, trailing vines that sparkled as if dusted with tiny diamonds.

Elara felt a sense of awe and wonder. The underground biome was like nothing she had ever seen before. The air was cool and slightly damp, filled with the fresh, earthy scent of the plants around her. The gentle sound of dripping water echoed through the cavern, adding to the otherworldly atmosphere.

She knew the most likely source of edible plants was the glowing mushrooms on the walls. She stared at them, debating the risk of eating a mushroom. Some of them were poisonous or hallucinogenic. Moments after staring, a box popped over the mushroom.

[Glowshroom: Consumable]

You have identified a new consumable plant: 1 exp

Elara looked at the box, shrugged, picked up a mushroom, and placed it in her mouth. As she chewed, two thoughts went through her head: one, she hoped that consumable meant it didn't kill humans, and two, the mushroom was bitter and tasted horrible. She grimaced at the taste, but the promise of sustenance was too tempting to ignore.

"Well, here goes nothing," she muttered to herself. "Super smart move, Elara, eating the glowing mushroom. What could go wrong?" She chuckled nervously, trying to distract herself from the unpleasant taste and the uncertainty of what she had just consumed. "I hope this isn't hallucinogenic. The last thing I need is to start seeing things that aren't there."

She paused, considering the possibilities. "Imagine that, tripping on mushrooms in the middle of a dungeon. Brilliant, just brilliant." She sighed, her worry evident in her voice. "Maybe this will give me some kind of weird vision or something. Or maybe I'll just start seeing rainbow-colored monsters. Fantastic."

Elara shook her head, trying to focus on the task at hand. "Alright, stay calm. If I start feeling funny, I'll just... I don't know, deal with it. One problem at a time."

As she continued to explore the cavern, the glow from the Glowshrooms provided a bit of comfort, lighting her way through the dark and unknown path ahead. Despite her worries, she felt a small sense of relief knowing she had at least found something to sustain her, even if it came with a bitter taste and a hint of uncertainty.

Elara looked around the cavern, taking in the glowing flora and strange rock formations. She needed a plan. "Okay, Elara, what's next?" she muttered to herself, trying to stay focused. "First, find something to eat. Second, figure out if there's any way out of here. Third, avoid getting killed by whatever monsters might be lurking around."

Her eyes landed on a small bush with glowing berries. She stepped closer and focused on it.

[Luminous Nightshade: Poisonous]

You have identified a new poisonous plant: 1 exp

Elara felt a sense of relief seeing the plant marked as poisonous. "Thank goodness," she muttered to herself. "If the nightshade is labeled as poisonous, then it's less likely the Glowshrooms are toxic. Hallucinogenic is still on the table, but I won't drop dead from eating them." She let out a shaky breath, the tension easing from her shoulders. "One less thing to worry about. I really can't afford to be poisoned right now."

She glanced back at the Glowshrooms she had consumed earlier, feeling more confident in her decision. "Okay, Elara, you're not as doomed as you thought. Small victories," she encouraged herself, maintaining a positive outlook. The reassurance of not having poisoned herself bolstered her spirit, giving her the courage to continue exploring.

"Just need to identify 48 more things to level up to level 10," she said aloud, trying to infuse her voice with false bravado. "No big deal, right? Piece of cake." She laughed nervously, the sound echoing off the cavern walls.

Turning towards the dead-looking tree, she focused harder, and a box popped up over it.

[Enfeebled Spirit Tree]

You have identified a new monster: 1 exp

Elara's heart skipped a beat. "What the heck is a spirit tree?" she wondered aloud. Her earlier bravado faltered as worry crept back into her voice. "Is it dangerous? Why is it enfeebled? Is it some kind of guardian or just another hazard?"

She stayed clear of the tree as she debated what an Enfeebled Spirit Tree might be. "Alright, Elara. Keep it together. Just stay away from the creepy tree, and you'll be fine," she told herself, her voice wavering slightly. She decided to keep her distance and continue exploring the cavern, her senses on high alert for any signs of danger.

Elara looked around the rest of the cavern and found a slim crevice. She debated with herself out loud if heading into the crevice was the right call. "Should I squeeze into this tight space? What if there's no way out on the other side? Or worse, what if something's waiting for me?" She sighed, glancing back at the cavern and the weird spirit tree she wanted to avoid. After thoroughly searching the cavern and finding no other egress beyond the tunnel, she realized she had no better options.

"Alright, before I do something stupid, let's use some of these free points," Elara muttered, opening her status page. She stared at the numbers, considering her options. Her parents' lessons on the importance of stats echoed in her mind. "Strength is my ability to move things," she recalled her father's words. "It was a problem when I tried to kick down that door. Took me two attempts, and it's my lowest stat. Let's fix that." She added points to her strength first, determined to raise it to 30.

She then thought about Dexterity, remembering how her mother had explained it as the ability to move gracefully and efficiently in the world. "I definitely need to be more agile," she thought, allocating points to raise Dexterity to 30.

Next, she focused on Constitution, which she knew dealt with her overall health and hit points. "If I'm going to survive whatever comes next, I need to be tougher," she reasoned, increasing her Constitution to 25.

She considered the importance of Perception, her ability to sense and understand her surroundings. "Being aware of my environment could save my life," she mused, adding a few points to Perception.

Elara then reflected on Intelligence, which dealt with memory and spell damage. "I'm not a mage, and it doesn't look like I will be one, but being smart can still help," she thought, though she decided to hold off on investing too heavily in this stat for now.

Resolve was next, a stat her parents had described as her ability to apply her willpower, affecting her mana pool and resistance to afflictions. "Having a strong will is crucial, especially if I ever need to use magic or resist something nasty," she considered, placing some points here as well.

She nodded to herself, pleased with the balance. "That leaves me with 7 points. I should keep these in reserve in case I need them for something special."

Feeling more prepared, Elara took a deep breath and closed her status page, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

---

Name: Elara Crowhurst

Race: Human(Shattered Soul)

Age: Adult

Class: The Watcher of Fate

Level: 9

Exp: 4,453 of 4500

Resources:

HP: 266 of 270 > 375 of 378(67/hour)

Sta: 369 of 369 > 378 of 378(67/hour)

Attributes:

Strength: 6 > 30

Dexterity: 28 > 30

Constitution: 25(27)

Perception: 54 > 55(66)

Intelligence: 14 > 15

Resolve: 39 > 40(46)

Free Points: 36 > 7

---

"Alright, this looks better. I feel more balanced," she muttered, closing her status page. "Now, let's see what's on the other side of this crevice."

Taking a deep breath, she started to squeeze into the narrow gap. The rock walls pressed against her from all sides, scraping her arms and legs as she inched forward. The rough stone was cold and unforgiving, tearing at her clothes and skin. Each movement was a struggle, her breath coming in shallow gasps as the tightness constricted her chest. She could feel the jagged edges biting into her flesh, leaving painful scratches and bruises.

Every inch forward felt like an eternity. The claustrophobic space seemed to close in on her, and she had to fight the rising panic that threatened to overwhelm her. Her heart pounded loudly in her ears, the sound magnified by the oppressive silence of the narrow passage. She gritted her teeth, determined to push through despite the discomfort and fear.

Eventually, the rough stone gave way to hewn stone. She looked out of the crack, down each side of the worked stone hall, scanning for any signs of monsters. Her grayscale vision through [True Sight] revealed nothing immediately threatening. Elara cautiously slipped into the hall, moving quietly and staying close to the wall.

Without warning, a giant spider dropped from the ceiling above her. The creature was massive, its hairy legs stretching wide, each as thick as her arm. Its many eyes glinted in the dim light, and its fangs dripped with venom. Elara's heart raced, and a scream caught in her throat. Fear surged through her veins as the spider's weight pinned her to the ground. She felt a sharp, burning pain as its fangs sank into her shoulder.

You have been poisoned with [Giant Spider Venom]: -20hp/min

Panic surged through Elara as pain and dizziness set in. She pushed with her newly improved strength, feeling satisfied when the spider flew away, hissing in anger. Her vision started to blur, and she could feel the venom coursing through her veins. Desperate, she grabbed a loose brick from the cracked wall, her fingers trembling as she lifted it.

The spider lunged at her again, and Elara swung the brick wildly. She had never been in a fight before, and fear clouded her judgment. The spider's leg struck her side, knocking her off balance, but she hit one of its eyes with the brick. The spider screeched, its fangs snapping inches from her face. Elara scrambled back, barely avoiding another venomous bite. She swung the brick again, this time hitting its mandibles, but the impact wasn't enough to stop it.

The spider reared back, preparing for another attack. Elara's heart pounded in her chest, and she felt her strength waning. The venom was taking its toll. "Come on, Elara, you can do this," she muttered through gritted teeth, trying to muster the last of her courage.

Elara ducked and rolled to the side as the spider lunged again, narrowly avoiding its fangs. She seized the opportunity and smashed the brick down on the spider's head with all her might. The spider thrashed wildly, its legs flailing, and Elara struck repeatedly, her desperation giving her strength. Finally, with a sickening crunch, the spider's head caved in and collapsed in a twitching heap.

You have killed a [Giant Spider]: 0 exp

You have seen your first monster death: 100 exp

You have leveled to Lvl 10.+5 PER, +2 DEX, CON, RES, and +4 free points per level.

You gained a new skill, Lvl 1 Poison Resistance (Common).

Elara collapsed to the floor, panting heavily as she watched the spider's body twitch and then go still. She knew she needed to act quickly to counteract the venom, but for a moment, she just lay there, grateful to be alive despite the throbbing pain and blurring vision.

Elara quickly pushed all her extra points into CON. She needed to survive the venom coursing through her veins. Feeling a slight improvement, she turned her attention back to the narrow crevice. Every movement was agony, but she knew she had to get back to the cavern she thought of as her sanctuary.

With gritted teeth, she squeezed into the tight space once more. The rough stone pressed against her from all sides, scraping her arms and legs anew as she inched forward. Each movement sent waves of pain through her already battered body. Her breath came in ragged gasps, the constricting walls making breathing difficult.

The sharp edges of the rock bit into her skin, leaving more scratches and bruises. Her progress was painfully slow, and she sometimes felt like she might get stuck. Panic bubbled up inside her, but she forced herself to stay calm, to keep moving. The cold, unforgiving stone seemed to close in on her, and she had to fight the rising terror of being trapped.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she emerged back into the cavern. She collapsed onto the floor, gasping for air. The cavern felt like a vast, open space compared to the claustrophobic crevice. She witnessed a spirit-like entity fly over her head towards the tree as she lay there. The ethereal form glided silently through the air, drawn to the Enfeebled Spirit Tree. As it reached the tree, the spirit was sucked into it and disappeared. Elara could only watch in dazed fascination.

She crawled to one of the water-filled holes, feeling increasingly horrible. Every part of her body screamed in pain. Reaching the water, she drank deeply, hoping it would help flush the venom from her system.

You have taken damage from [Giant Spider Venom]: -20 HP

Skill Poison Resistance (Common) level increased.

You have taken damage from [Giant Spider Venom]: -20 HP

You have taken damage from [Giant Spider Venom]: -20 HP

Skill Poison Resistance (Common) level increased.

You have taken damage from [Giant Spider Venom]: -20 HP

[Giant Spider Venom] has worn off.

Elara relaxed, curling up on the ground. The pain from the spider attack and venom was almost unbearable. She lay there, trembling, trying to focus on calming herself. "It's over now," she whispered, her voice shaky. "You're okay. You survived. Just breathe."

She took slow, deep breaths, feeling the cool air fill her lungs and trying to steady her racing heart. "Just breathe, Elara. In and out. In and out." She closed her eyes, letting the tension slowly drain from her muscles. The cavern floor felt cold and hard against her skin, but knowing she was still alive was a small comfort.

"I did it," she murmured, a faint smile forming. "I actually did it. I killed that spider." The realization brought a mix of relief and disbelief. "I can do this. I can survive down here." She repeated these affirmations, trying to bolster her spirit and keep the fear at bay.

Eventually, her curiosity and the need for distraction led her to pull up her notifications. She wanted to see if any changes or new abilities could help her in this dangerous new life. Adjusting to this new reality meant relying on every possible advantage.

You gained a new skill, Lvl 1 Hidden (Uncommon). It has been assigned to an empty class slot._**

Shattered Soul has activated...

The skill [Hidden (Uncommon)] has been affected by a [Shattered Soul]'s depression, converting it to skill [Forgettable (Rare)]

Forgettable (Rare): It is like being constantly in stealth, except people still see you. You're just so dull that people soon forget you're even there.

Elara couldn't help but smile through the pain. She had overcome her first trial. Despite the agony, she felt a sense of accomplishment. She had survived the attack and gained new skills. With renewed determination, she pulled up her status display.

---

Name: Elara Crowhurst

Race: Human(Shattered Soul)

Age: Adult

Class: The Watcher of Fate

Level: 10

Exp: 4,553 of 5500

Resources:

HP: 266 of 270 > 456 of 560 (102/hour)

Sta: 369 of 369 > 380 of 570 (109/hour)

Attributes:

Strength: 30

Dexterity: 30 > 32

Constitution: 25 > 38 (41)

Perception: 55 > 60 (72)

Intelligence: 15

Resolve: 40 > 42 (48)

Free Points: 0

Class Skills:

Memory Shelf (Uncommon): 1

Thread of Fate (Legendary): 1

True Sight (Legendary): 1

Forgettable (Rare): 1

General Skills:

Calligraphy (Uncommon): 10

Gift of Gab (Common): 4

Cooking (Common): 3

Parkour (Uncommon): 10

Poison Resistance (Common): 3

Blunt Weapons (Common): 1

---