As he distanced himself from the point of impact, the physical devastation lessened, but the magical disturbances remained. The air still hummed with power, the aether swirling in strange patterns. He could feel it, like a constant pressure on his skin, and his Veil Sense pulsed faintly, alerting him to the lingering magic that had transformed the forest.
Everywhere he looked, there were aether beasts—creatures that had once been ordinary animals but were now changed beyond recognition. He passed by several, their bodies twisted and reshaped by the magic, their eyes wide with confusion. Even the most aggressive beasts seemed hesitant, uncertain of their new forms. He watched as a massive boar, its tusks now gleaming with faint aetheric light, stumbled awkwardly, trying to adjust to legs that had grown longer and more muscular. It glanced at Thorne briefly, but instead of charging, it snorted and turned away, absorbed in its own disorientation.
They’re all changed, Thorne thought, his eyes scanning the creatures. Not a single animal had been spared from the cataclysm. Everything—beast, tree, even the earth itself—had been touched by the explosion’s magic. But the creatures were too distracted, too focused on their own transformations to even consider attacking him. It was like watching newborns learn to walk, unsure of their bodies and their new strength.
As he continued walking, Thorne accessed his character sheet, his mind flicking through the familiar interface as he distributed his newly earned points.
His level had increased again, a subtle reminder of the battles he had fought, the magic he had shattered, and the power he had gained. He allocated points carefully, balancing his stats, but the sense of unease still gnawed at him. Power was never without cost, and he knew better than anyone that his core was already fragile from the strain.
Character Sheet
Name: Thorne
Level: 37 → 38
Race: Human
Age: 18
Special Trait:
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Elder Race
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Veilbreaker 1/5
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Lunar Champion 1/5
Health Points: 394/950
Aether: 211/540 → 211/570
Stamina: 232/900
Core Attributes
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Strength: 71
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Agility: 88 → 93
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Dexterity: 81
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Endurance: 90
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Vitality: 95
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Spirit: 107 → 112
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Wisdom: 54 → 57
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Intelligence: 50 → 52
Combat Skills
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Daggers: 47 → 48
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Lethal Flurry: 10 → 12
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Backstab: 11
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Bloodletting: 3 → 5
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Unarmed Combat: 27
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Combat Reflexes: 39 → 41
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Sword Mastery: 19
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Charging Strike: 3
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Throwing Knives: 19
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Knife Fan: 6 → 7
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Crossbows: 10
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Critical Eye: 15
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Archery: 24
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Piercing Arrow: 5
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Silent Draw: 7
Stealth & Deception
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Stealth: 49 → 50 → Veil of Light and Shadow: 1
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Shadow Meld: 33
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Sleight of Hand: 23
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Pickpocketing: 20
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Lockpicking: 17
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Stealth Strike: 23 → 24
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Escape Artist: 36
Survival & Miscellaneous Skills
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Tracking: 27
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Foraging: 6
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Acrobatics: 44
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Burst of Speed: 3 → 5
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Herbalism: 6
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Hunter’s Insight: 12
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Cunning Trapper: 16
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Swimming: 2
Mental & Social Skills
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Acting: 39
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Haggling: 10
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Reading: 15
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Arithmetic: 12
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Mindguard: 17
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Echoes of Truth: 31
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Mask of Deceit: 40
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Deception: 36
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Sculpted Persona: 10
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Tactful Deflection: 6
Defensive Skills
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Resilience: 43
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Aetheric Skin: 17 → 18
Stolen story; please report.
Aetheric Abilities
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Primal Aether Manipulation: 24
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Aether Burst: 12
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Aether Surge: 9 → 11
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Aetheric Grip: 5
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Invisible Threads: 3 → 6
Special Abilities
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Veil Sense
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Lunar Regeneration
Satisfied for now, Thorne closed his character sheet and continued moving. The forest began to thin out, the trees becoming less dense, and the shattered landscape slowly returning to something resembling normality.
Yet, despite the calming of the physical world, the magic remained. The aether was thick in the air, almost clinging to him, and his Veil Sense buzzed faintly, detecting the ebb and flow of the unseen magic around him.
He slowed as he examined his new Lunar Regeneration trait. The healing had been subtle, gradual, but he was feeling better than he should, given the extent of his injuries. However, as he looked down at his arms, noticing how the cuts were healing, something caught his attention. The wounds that had been exposed to the moonlight were fading, but the ones hidden beneath his clothes were unchanged, still raw and bleeding.
So that’s how it works, he thought, frowning. The Lunar Regeneration only worked where the moonlight touched his skin. It was a limitation he hadn’t considered, or even known to care about. But now, it was clear—if the moonlight didn’t reach the wound, it wouldn’t heal.
It was an important discovery, one that could mean the difference between life and death in a fight. He’d have to be more careful in future battles—his enemies wouldn’t always allow him the luxury of stripping down to expose his wounds to the sky.
The thought gnawed at him as he pressed on.
Finally, after what felt like hours, Thorne reached the edge of the Elven Forest. Beyond the tree line, the vast city of Alvar lay spread out before him, its silhouette framed by the fading light of the day. But something was wrong.
The gates were abandoned.
Thorne approached cautiously, his senses alert, his eyes scanning the empty guard posts and the broken remnants of what had once been a formidable gate. The doors were ajar, hanging off their hinges, and there were no signs of life, no watchmen or sentries. It was as if the city had been deserted.
But that wasn’t what disturbed him the most. As he stepped past the gates and into Alvar, something felt… different.
It took him a moment to realize what it was.
In the forest, the concentration of aether had always been much higher. He had been surrounded by it, and while he had noticed the increase, it hadn’t struck him as unusual. But now, in Alvar—where the levels of aether had always been so low that it felt like a wasteland compared to the Elven Forest or Valewind—the contrast was staggering.
For the first time, he felt the city teeming with magic.
Thorne stopped, his eyes widening in disbelief. He relaxed his vision, letting his Aether Vision take over, and his breath caught in his throat. Everywhere he looked, there were aether motes, brilliant, shining motes of magic that floated in dense formations, clustering together in such numbers that it was almost impossible to see the physical world around him.
He blinked, stunned by the sight. It was overwhelming—like walking through a dream where the air itself was alive with magic. The aether was everywhere, swirling around buildings, dancing across the cobblestone streets, even drifting lazily through the open sky. It was a far cry from the barren, empty Alvar he had known.
Thorne walked blindly through the streets, marveling at the spectacle. But as he moved, something registered in the back of his mind, and he blinked away the Aether Vision, letting his normal sight return.
He stopped dead in his tracks.
The street in front of him was destroyed.
Windows were shattered, their glass scattered across the ground like jagged stars, and shutters hung from their hinges, broken and twisted. Wooden beams lay splintered on the cobblestone, and the remains of carts and market stalls were strewn about like toys abandoned by a careless child.
Thorne’s heart sank. The explosion hadn’t just affected the forest. The damage had spread to Alvar as well.
He walked forward, his boots crunching over the rubble as he took in the destruction. It wasn’t as severe as in the forest—the intensity here had been much lower—but it was still enough to cause damage. Enough to send a ripple of fear through the city.
His pace quickened as his thoughts turned to his friends. Were they alright? Had they been caught in the explosion?
Without thinking, Thorne’s feet carried him to the tavern. He pushed through the door, the familiar creak of the hinges grounding him in the present. Inside, the room was nearly empty, but Gilly was there, wiping down the bar as if nothing had happened. She turned as he entered, her face lighting up in a wide smile.
Thorne froze.
Gilly had always been cute, in a way—her round face marked with small scars from a childhood illness, her rusty-colored hair dull and a little wild. But now… now she looked different. The scars were gone, her skin smooth and unblemished. Her hair, once lackluster, shimmered with a vibrant sheen, catching the light in a way it never had before. She looked younger, more radiant.
A completely different person.
Thorne’s mouth fell open, unable to speak, his mind scrambling to understand what he was seeing. And then his Veil Sense flared.
Level 11.
His eyes widened in shock. Gilly had always been a common barmaid, no combat skills to speak of, and yet, here she was, transformed before his eyes. The realization hit him hard—the explosion had changed more than just the forest.
Gilly beamed at him, rushing forward to wrap him in a hug. “Thorne! Where’ve you been? Are you alright? Are you injured? So many people got hurt during that explosion, I was so worried about you!”
Thorne blinked, still processing the changes. He stammered, “Gilly… what… what happened?”
The woman blushed, a rosy flush spreading across her newly radiant cheeks as she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “When the explosion hit, everyone was terrified. Everything turned bright, the whole city shook. People who were outside got knocked off their feet. At first, we didn’t know what had happened… but then, the notifications came.”
“Notifications?” Thorne echoed, his voice barely a whisper.
Gilly nodded enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling. “Everyone got a new skill! Almost everyone in the city! It was like something out of a dream. And I got one too!” She leaned in close, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “After years of nothing, I finally got a new skill.”
Thorne stared at her, his mind reeling. “What… what skill?”
Gilly blushed deeper, glancing around the empty tavern before whispering in his ear. “Enchanting Hospitality. It… it makes me more attractive. Can you believe it?”
Thorne could only stare, wide-eyed. Gilly straightened up, beaming. “Almost everyone got something. It’s like the whole city’s changed overnight!”
Thorne didn’t have words. The explosion had done more than damage the city. It had given the people of Alvar new skills, new power. And the implications of that were terrifying.
Thorne's mind raced, his concern for his friends growing heavier with each passing moment. “What about Jonah and Ben?” he asked Gilly, his voice tight with worry.
Gilly tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Jonah was here earlier. He was talking to some supplier, arguing about… something. When the wave of aether hit, they both kind of froze. Jonah lingered with the man for a bit, but then, out of nowhere, he rushed outside. I think he’s probably upstairs now.”
Thorne let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “Thanks, Gilly,” he said, nodding. “I’ll go check on them.”
Gilly smiled warmly, still glowing with that newfound vibrancy that left Thorne both amazed and uneasy. “You do that! Let me know if you need anything, okay?”
With a quick wave, Thorne sprinted up the stairs, his boots thudding against the wooden steps. His heart pounded—not just from the exertion, but from the uncertainty gnawing at him. The city had changed. Gilly had changed. What about Jonah and Ben?
He reached the top of the stairs, hesitating for a moment before pushing the door open. As he stepped inside, his Veil Sense flared again, giving him a quick read on his friends.
Jonah—Level 9.
Ben—Level 7.
Thorne exhaled in relief. They were both here, alive, and stronger than before, but as he took in the scene, he immediately noticed how different the two men looked.
Ben was deeply immersed in his work, standing by the open window where a makeshift potion station had been set up. His fingers moved with practiced precision as he chopped roots, herbs, and other ingredients, his movements fluid and focused. A small cauldron bubbled beside him, the steam wafting out through the open window in soft spirals.
He was completely absorbed in the process of brewing. His eyes were distant, his hands steady as they stirred the potion, almost as if he were part of the very alchemy he practiced.
Thorne stepped closer, but Ben didn’t even glance his way. The intensity of Ben’s focus, the complete disconnect from the outside world, was unnerving. It was as if Ben was lost in another plane of existence, one where only the art of potion-brewing existed. The magical energy around him was palpable, the air thick with the scent of herbs and the soft hum of his efforts.
On the other side of the room, Jonah sat slumped in a chair, arms crossed tightly over his chest, his brow furrowed as he stared blankly at the wall. His jaw was clenched, tension radiating off him in waves. Thorne frowned, taking in the stark contrast between the two men. Jonah looked… off.
“Jonah? Ben?” Thorne called, his voice cutting through the stillness. “Are you alright?”
Jonah flinched, his body jerking upright as if he’d been startled awake. His blank expression shifted, and for a moment, he seemed dazed, his eyes unfocused. Then, slowly, a grin spread across his face, bright and wide.
“Oh, we’re more than alright!” Jonah’s voice came alive with sudden enthusiasm, his arms uncrossing as he leaned forward in his chair. “Thorne, you wouldn’t believe it.”
Thorne’s heart slowed, relief settling over him as he walked farther into the room. “Good. I was worried for a second,” he said, glancing back at Ben, who was still completely engrossed in his work. “What happened to you two?”
Jonah chuckled, running a hand through his hair. “You wouldn’t believe it if I told you. That wave—it was like everything stopped for a moment. Bright light, the whole world just... froze. Then, the notifications came in. And Thorne, you won’t believe what I got.”
Thorne raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “A new skill?”
“Yeah!” Jonah exclaimed, his grin widening. “You know how most people have mundane skills? I always thought I’d be stuck with that, but after the wave hit, I got something useful. It saved me from a disaster, too.”
Thorne crossed his arms, curious. “Saved you how?”
“I was in the middle of arguing with a supplier downstairs,” Jonah began, his grin fading slightly. “Guy was pushing this batch of goods, swearing it was top quality. I was about to cave in when the wave hit. And then I got it—Gold’s Whisper. It’s like I can hear money now. Know when something’s worth it or not.”
Thorne blinked. “What does it do?”
Jonah leaned back, laughing softly. “It’s like I can sense profit. As soon as the skill kicked in, I knew that man was full of shit. The goods weren’t worth a copper, let alone what he was asking for. Saved me from throwing our money down the drain.”
Thorne couldn’t help but smile at Jonah’s excitement. “That’s… actually impressive.”
“Tell me about it! I can practically smell where the money is now,” Jonah said, his eyes gleaming. “It’s going to change everything.”
Thorne glanced back at Ben, who was still silently brewing by the window, utterly absorbed in his task. The small cauldron bubbled gently, steam rising as Ben’s hands moved with precision. He hadn’t acknowledged Thorne’s presence at all, completely focused on his work.
“He’s got something new too,” Jonah said, noticing Thorne’s gaze. “Alchemical Trance, I think it’s called. Gets him into this deep, meditative state when he’s brewing. Makes his potions better, faster… but if you interrupt him…” Jonah winced. “Let’s just say, don’t do that.”
Thorne nodded, watching Ben’s meticulous movements. The air around him seemed to hum with energy, the potion brewing with a glow that hinted at its heightened potency. Whatever Ben was creating, it would be more powerful than usual—if he succeeded.
“He’s been like that since the wave hit,” Jonah continued, lowering his voice. “Just started brewing, hasn’t said a word. Honestly, I’m not sure how long he’s been at it, but… it’s working.”
Thorne nodded again, more to himself than to Jonah. The changes in Alvar, in his friends, were becoming clearer. Everyone had gained something from the explosion, but their transformations weren’t just magical—they were practical, grounded in who they already were. Jonah’s skill played into his knack for sniffing out opportunities, and Ben’s alchemical prowess had reached a new level.
Still, something gnawed at the back of Thorne’s mind. Power like this didn’t come without consequence. The wave of aether that had hit Alvar had changed everything—and everyone.
His Veil Sense still buzzed in the background, alerting him to the thick aetheric presence that clung to the air. The world had shifted, and while his friends had gained valuable abilities, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was a price yet to be paid.
“Well,” Jonah said, breaking the silence with a grin, “looks like you’ve got some catching up to do, huh? Maybe you’ll find a new skill in that forest of yours.”
Thorne chuckled lightly, but his mind was elsewhere. The explosion had touched the city, giving everyone new potential. But beneath that excitement, he had an unsettling feeling that there was a price to be paid.
For now, though, Thorne was just grateful that his friends were safe—and stronger than ever.
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