*What type of snacks are you bringing me?* Aldrasyl asked excitedly.
The riverbank came into view 50 yards ahead as Garath pushed his four little legs to their limit. *Bigger cats!*
With his Stamina bar showing 13/100, Garath used every remaining point of energy in his body to pick up the pace.
*Pardon?* Aldrasyl asked. Garath thought he heard a note of concern in the Dragon’s voice.
*Bigger cats!* he repeated. Garath could almost feel the breath of the ferocious felines as they closed in on him. Using his smaller size as an advantage once again, he weaved through the forest with as much speed as he could muster. Garath repeated the answer to Aldrasyl’s question almost like a mantra. His leg muscles burned with each earth-churning step. *Bigger cats! Bigger cats!* With the riverbank only 10 yards away and his Stamina bottoming out at 2/100, he continued through the last of the trees, his mantra getting louder over the Party communication channel each time he said it. *Bigger cats! Bigger cats! Bigger cats!*
Finally, he broke the tree line.
And Aldrasyl was nowhere in sight.
Garath’s heart sank as his Stamina hit 0/100 and his legs began to wobble. The pursuing pumas converged around him, fanning out in a hissing circle of claws and fangs. Lightheaded and surrounded by a Mana-infused version of the world’s most vicious killers, Garath panicked. He lived through The Culling only to die here, abandoned by the Dragon that was supposed to be his salvation.
Then, he heard a whoosh from above and felt a torrent of air pressing him, and the pumas, against the ground. Garath looked up and laid eyes on the most magnificent thing he had ever seen.
Aldrasyl descended from on high, his wings spread wide to slow the dive and hammer the creatures below with pressurized air. When the massive reptile was only a few feet above the circled felines, he opened his mouth and expelled a thick, blue slime. It coated everything below, including Garath, instantly freezing the affected creatures in place. Garath’s Healthbar gained a new debuff icon, and he willed more information to appear as Aldrasyl landed on all fours outside Garath’s circle of death.
You are Frozen and you will be unable to move for the next 6 seconds.
*You’re a real dick, you know that?* Garath told the Dragon.
Aldrasyl did not respond. The winged reptile was busy eating his dinner. Garath laughed as he watched the almost-giddy Dragon excitedly prance from puma to puma, crunch the frozen feline into tiny pieces, and then swallow before prancing over to the next. As he thawed out, Garath reviewed the prompts that had been minimized while he was in combat.
Begin combat log:
[you have been awarded 325 Experience Points for slaying Level 11 Puma Cub]
[you have been awarded 305 Experience Points for slaying Level 10 Puma Cub]
[you have been awarded 350 Experience Points for slaying Level 12 Puma Cub]
[you have been awarded 325 Experience Points for slaying Level 11 Puma Cub]
[you have been awarded 305 Experience Points for slaying Level 10 Puma Cub]
[you have been awarded 350 Experience Points for slaying Level 12 Puma Cub]
[you have been awarded 11,650 Experience Points for slaying Level 19 Puma Matriarch]
End combat log.
Congratulations, Garath! You have unlocked the BeastScape form - Puma.
***See the BeastScape partition of your MENU panels for additional information.
And then the big one:
Congratulations, Garath! For reaching Level 25, you are awarded 5 Attribute Points (3 per Level and + 2 per Level due to your status as a Leader of Man) and 2 Skill Points (1 per Level and +1 per Level due to your status as a Leader of Man) to distribute at your discretion. As a Necrologist, you receive +3 Wisdom, +3 Vitality, and +1 Regeneration per Level.
You have one week to distribute the Points before they are assigned for you based on your chosen Class.
Unused Attribute Points: 10
Unused Skill Points: 19
New Skills are now available.
*I like my meals served cold,* said Aldrasyl, his voice now sounding deeply satisfied.
*That’s great,* Garath replied. He looked the wickedly grinning Dragon up and down slowly. *You have a bit of catsicle stuck just there, between your teeth.*
In all, Garath’s little excursion with Aldrasyl had ended up being a massive win for the Necrologist. It netted him enough Experience to Level up for the second time that day, a new BeastScape form that was frankly badass, and his very first non-Class Skill. Before heading back to the Guild Hall, Garath checked out the new Skills that became available at Level 25.
Summon Golem: Bone Golem
Summoned Creature - Golem
Cost: .5x Base Mana
1 second cast
1-minute cooldown
Effect: summon a Bone Golem to fight by your side. Once a Bone Golem has been summoned, you may dismiss it by casting the spell Summon Golem: Bone Golem. The Bone Golem increases your Armor Rating and Magic Resistance, and that of your Summoned Creatures, by +20%.
***Note: You may only have one active Golem at a time.
Cost to Unlock: 3 Skill Points
Unused Skill Points: 19
Summon Golem: Blood Golem
Summoned Creature - Golem
Cost: .25x Base Mana +.25x Base Health
1 second cast
1-minute cooldown
Effect: summon a Blood Golem to fight by your side. Once a Blood Golem has been summoned, you may dismiss it by casting the spell Summon Golem: Blood Golem. When a Blood Golem is active, 20% of the damage dealt to its Summoner is transferred to the Blood Golem.
***Note: You may only have one active Golem at a time.
Cost to Unlock: 3 Skill Points
Unused Skill Points: 19
Summon Golem: Dreadreaver
Summoned Creature - Golem
Cost: .5x Base Mana
1 second cast
1-minute cooldown
Effect: summon a Dreadreaver from hell to fight by your side. Once a Dreadreaver has been summoned, you may dismiss it by casting the spell Summon Golem: Dreadreaver. The Dreadreaver is a demon, and the most dangerous Golem in terms of damage output.
***Note: You may only have one active Golem at a time.
Cost to Unlock: 3 Skill Points
Unused Skill Points: 19
Garath whooped internally, still
