There had to be some way for me to both dodge the bricks as they fell, and simultaneously cover the distance before the gate got too small for me to pass through it. I didn't even want to know what could happen if I didn't pass — I had spent too long in Odesso to want to spend any more time in this cursed, abandoned, dry place.Between me and the gate was a distance I mentally calculated to be two kilometres, and I started to run even faster, trying to be just as careful with dodging the bricks, but the gate was not waiting and I panicked, my fear and sense of urgency getting the better of me. I started to run, jumping over the bricks until one hit me and made me fall. Refusing to stop, I jumped to my feet and continued, only to get another brick to my face, stunning me with the force it used. I still do not know where the spirit came from — maybe from the sight of the gate becoming smaller, but I started to crawl when one of the bricks going through the sand hit my metallic hand and
My system immediately brought the updates as I lay outside the hole I just got out of, tired but alive. I couldn't die, anyway.Updates to System Dashboard*Name: [Alexander]Level: 1Bronze Coins: 400/500 : +300 Bronze Coins for passing through the lost way of the ancient city of Odesso. 0 used.Experience Points (XP): 7,000/10,000 : + 5,000 XP for passing through the lost way of the ancient city of Odesso. 0 used.Health Points (HP): 7,000/10,000 : + 5,000 HP for passing through the lost way of the ancient city of Odesso. Magic Points (MP): 7,000/10,000 : +5,000 MP for passing through the Narrow Gate of Odesso.Strength: 5/10 : +4 for resilience.Intelligence: 9/10 : +2 for figuring out the way out of Odesso.Agility: 10/10 : +3 after dodging 173,789,537 bricks successfully.*Skill Section*Active Skills: +NEW Fire Breathing. Passive Skills: Night Vision. Skill Cooldowns: 5 hours (Night Vision). 3 hours (Fire Breathing).*Quest and Mission Log*Current Quests: Find the Sword of P
With a gasp, I jumped to my feet.Somehow, it felt as though I was only 3.8km away from coming to the end of Level 1, as though all I had to do was to reach Pella. Excitement spread through my bones, and I got up with determination, even when the hot wind blew in my face.“In what direction does Pella lie?”“North east. Keep your direction straight and you will come to the great city of Pella.”I checked my map, noted the direction, and started to walk without stopping. The feel of the hot wind blew in my face, threatening to scald me as I covered my face with my hood, still travelling. At least, Odesso had one blessing — it had kept me so distracted with its falling bricks that I never realised I was moving.Now I had moved so far that I covered all the distance without knowing. All I wished for now was my camel. I liked the beast while I still had it, as it was sturdy and strong, but now I did not know where it was, and could only hope that it was still alive.The distance to Pella
With my katana in my hand, I jumped and stood on the altar, trying to listen.I could hear it. No… I could hear THEM. Their feet tapped gently on the stone floor, and the growls were low, and predatory. For the first time, I remembered my fire breathing power. Trying to do it just the way Maia had taught me to, I exhaled in the air, and was met with disappointment when all I did was huff into empty space.They felt even closer now, and I gave off two more huffs, before a final one set off a flame that illuminated the whole temple and showed me what I was locked in here with.Lions.Nine lions.For the first time, I got to understand how truly terrifying those animals were. From a distance, it appears majestic, even reminiscent of a cat, but when it comes so close that you can feel its predatory breath close to you, all you think of is how it can kill.Even then, my katana felt like a trivial thing to fight a lion with.One lurched forward, and before I knew what was happening, a might
Quietly, I moved back to the wall while they followed.I could feel all four pairs of eyes on me, and I sat, still waiting with my back to the wall for any of them to come close. However, they were just as wary of me as I was of them, and seemed to wait for me all the same.Overall, I wanted this over with. My broken shoulder hurt, but I held my katana tight in my left hand, deliberating on it. If I could wield enough force with my left hand to cut, then I would get one lion down and be left with three.I soon got up, and they watched, unsure of what I wanted to do. Without wasting another second, I ran forward and held my katana as tight as I could with my left hand, cut into the nearest lion. My weapon would've slipped, but not with my hand being made of metal, which proved to be my saviour.The moment I cut that one, I knew I had only succeeded in wounding it with how weak I cut, so I followed with a slash that put the tip of my katana through the lion's throat. Another lion, deci
I could not explain what I felt at that moment.A mix of relief, joy, and happiness coursed through what remained of my body, what was not metal, and I went to the altar, seeing a cavity beneath it. In the semi-darkness of that small quality was a sword in its scabbard, one of the most beautiful things I could have seen.It was made of gilded gold, with thin, intricate lines done on the body, and a handle made of some red material. I picked it up gently, and drawing the sword out, beheld a magnificent sword — maybe because I had not seen so many of them, but this one had a particular effect on me, one that made my jaw drop and hang open.The metal, which I could guess was made of iron that had somehow not rusted, was still sharp, glinting the lights off of it. It also had some lines etched on it, which I guessed was for beauty, and an inscription in some language that looked like Greek to me.“What does it say, Maia?”“Interesting quote there. It says ‘only the worthy achieve glory’.”
The camel was not the only thing waiting for me.My system dashboard also rang with new notifications.Updates to System Dashboard*Name: [Alexander]Level: 2Bronze Coins: 0/1000. 0 used.Experience Points (XP): 0/10,000 Health Points (HP): 0/10,000 Magic Points (MP): 0/10,000Strength: 10/10Intelligence: 10/10 Agility: 10/10 *Skill Section*Active Skills: Fire Breathing. Passive Skills: Night Vision. Skill Cooldowns: 5 hours (Night Vision). 3 hours (Fire Breathing).*Quest and Mission Log*Current Quests: +NEW: Loot the Ancient Tomb of the Invincible Soldier.Completed Quests: Find the Sword of Pella. *Statistics and Analytics*Kill Count: 0/15Distance Travelled: 0/310 kmResources Gathered: 0/10*Notifications and Alerts*System Messages: Congratulations on reaching Level 2, which will lead you to the Tomb of the Invincible Soldier. More challenges await you.Warning Alerts: NONEEvent Notifications: NONE *Equipment and Inventory*Equipment: 1x Steel Katana, 1x Sword of P
I like to think that surviving the road to Plateaea was only successful for one reason.My camel.We were roaming terrain that had once been buzzing cities now long forgotten and covered in sand, which my camel navigated with patience. I was spare with my water, and tried to preserve it in the best way I could for my camel, but the animal was resilient and needed no water.Also, those are days when loneliness got the better of me.Maia was a companion, but not the best one, especially when it came to fun. I liked her, but I wished she was funnier.We journeyed through the desert for a whole week, riding on my camel as it walked the way. This was when a few funny things happened, which I doubt that I can forget.First was a sandstorm that blew hard on the second night, and without a place to stay to block the storm, I could only stay close to my camel, who appeared to be well adapted to the scenario. I covered my head in my hood and buried myself in the sand where it lay to avoid any i