Divine Awakening - Chapter 36

[Author's Note: I'm sorry about not getting this chapter out on time. I also regret not getting any book 11 chapters out this weekend. You would think I'd know by now to keep track of things as I go, but I didn't with Ash and so it took me a long time to build the character sheet with all the changes. In addition, some important quests get unlocked in this chapter and I needed to plan all those out. For book 11 I literally spent four solid days working through some issues. They are solved enough to allow me to continue. I know from the amount of chapters it doesn't seem like much is happening, but I can assure you, I'm working very hard. I hope to get on track in the next couple of weeks and consistently get three chapters out for each story. Thanks for your patience!]

Most of Ash’s teammates had made their decisions easily, as one of the spells appealed to them, but he didn’t see an obvious choice for himself.

Summoning a creature sounded kind of awesome, but Ash already had to worry about nineteen other people and didn’t want to add another thing to manage right away. The mirror spell and stone skin would help mitigate or avoid damage, but with his fighting skills, he shouldn’t ever get hit to begin with.

Ash had no use for the tool mending spell, and both medics had already taken the healing one. If he did have a weakness, it would be ranged damage. He could throw a knife, and he had his pistol, but they weren’t a normal part of his fighting style, and he didn't want to spend a spell point on the projectile spell.

Really, Ash’s choices were the two ranged spells that would give him some reach or taking the healing spell as a backup to the medics.

The ice spell and necrotic spell were very similar. Each had a sixty-foot range and the same max damage. They both had a recharge rate of fifteen minutes, which left the biggest difference in their effect.

What was more valuable to Ash: slowing the target by ten percent or stopping a target’s Health Regeneration for thirty seconds?

Part of the problem was that Ash had no idea what types of creatures they’d encounter here. He could save his spell point, but both his Root and Third Eye resisted that. Neither one reacted when he concentrated on the two ranged spells, so he guessed it really didn't matter much.

For many years, Ash had believed nothing could match his speed and skills. Grandmaster Echo had proven how ignorant he'd been. He should assume there were things inside this Pit that might be faster, stronger, and maybe even better at fighting. In that case, slowing such creatures would provide a huge benefit.

On the other hand, the Spirit Touch spell had a higher minimum damage, and stopping a tough opponent from regenerating their Health might be the difference between winning the fight or everyone dying.

Nomad got everyone under control in chat and asked them to reveal their spell choice to help the team make informed decisions.

Ash was last, and no one had taken the Spirit Touch spell, so he placed his spell point there.

Bing!
You have learned a new spell!
Name: Spirit Touch
Description: Conjures a ghostly skeletal hand to drain the life from a target.
Max Charges: 4
Recharge Rate: 15 minutes per charge
Range: 60 feet
Damage: 8-12 necrotic damage
Effect: Target cannot regenerate health for 30 seconds.

The base of Ash’s neck grew cold for a moment, but nothing else happened. He didn't feel any different, but if the notifications could be trusted, he'd become an honest-to-God mage. Although, considering the necrotic damage, this probably made him more of a necromancer or other type of darker caster.

Ash wondered how to cast his new spell. Did he need to shout it out like they did on TV?

No one knew what to do with their attribute point since they couldn't even see their attributes, so collectively, everyone banked it.

Ash took a quick glance at his Stats as the Titles had changed the values significantly.

Physical Attributes
Constitution: 24
Strength: 22
Nimbleness: 25
Charisma: 13

Mental Attributes
Intelligence: 17
Wisdom: 22
Awareness: 27
Willpower: 19

Available Attribute Points: 1

Armor Class
Physical: 50
Spiritual: 10

Pools
Health: 100%
Health Regeneration: 2% per second
Mental Energy: 100%
Mental Energy Regeneration: 0.3% per second
Physical Energy: 100%
Physical Energy Regeneration: 0.5% per second

Resistances
Physical: 35%
Mental: 10%
Spiritual: 13%

Boon
Unassigned

Class
Unassigned

Subclass
Unassigned

Specialization
Unassigned

Focus
Unassigned

Path
Unassigned

Spells and Abilities
Spirit Touch - Conjures a ghostly skeletal hand to drain the life from a target.
Third Eye: Lesser Ripple - Extend your Third Eye to view the Universe more clearly.

Effects
Slowfall - Once per day, control the speed of any fall for 1 second per level.
Sevenfold Curse - Once per day, reflect 7 times the damage taken for 7 seconds.

Weaknesses

- 5% additional damage from Dark, Death, and Chaos-aligned creatures.

- Suffer 50% additional damage from blunt weapons.

- Restless Wanderer - Curse the earth in a spherical area.

Bonuses

- 5% additional damage to all physical attacks on Dark, Death, and Chaos-aligned creatures.

- Unarmed attacks are considered magical damage.

- Dungeon Token award +10% per level.

Alignment

- Hostile Disposition to all Dark, Death, and Chaos alignments.

Chakras
Dormant: Sacral, Heart, Crown, and Divine
Activated: Solar Plexus, Throat
Awakened: Root, Third Eye

Alignment: 2%
Sifting Effectiveness: 1%

Aura
Purity: 4%
Density: 5%
Power: 0%

Titles
Chakra Knight
Perception Oracle
Foolhardy
Mark of Eiru
Chosen
Legacy

Nomad’s voice appeared in Ash’s mind. Status?

Ash closed the summary display, shocked at all the changes he’d undergone. He’d always had an athletic build, but his shirt felt a little tighter now, and his muscles seemed harder. Probably just his imagination.

Give me a minute, Ash responded.

Ash quickly opened his quest display and glanced at the three quests his titles had unlocked.

Ting!
You have received the quest…
Helping Hand (1 of 5) - Restoration
Description: Restore Eiru's upper temple to working order.
Task: The upper temple is in ruins, filled with corrupted energy and ancient traps. Clear the corruption and repair the altar.
Restriction: Hand of Eiru
Reward: Suffocation Bracer of Time

That Suffocation Bracer of Time might be the most valuable thing in the Pit, but Ash didn’t plan on going out of his way to find this temple. Trying to locate extra treasure seemed like an invitation to die. Plus, who named their rewards “Suffocation?”

Ash glanced at the next quest.

Ting!
You have received the quest…
Qhapaq (1 of 11) - Ancestral Root
Description: Unlock the memories of your ancestors.
Task: Meditate at a Root Sanctum within the Underworld and awaken the ancient oath.
Restriction: Qhapaq Amauta Sicu
Reward: Ancestral Root chakra ability.

This sounded great, but once again, Ash had no plans on searching for one of these sanctums.

Ash moved on to the last quest.

Ting!
You have received the quest…
Brother’s Keeper (1 of 5) - Echoes of the Past
Description: Follow the cries of the innocent to the forbidden ruins.
Task: Piece together ancient fragments to glimpse a tragic betrayal.
Restriction: Sinner’s Blood
Reward: Keeper’s Fragment

Ash didn't like this quest at all. He didn't understand what Sinner’s Blood was and certainly didn't wish to hear the cries of the innocent. Hopefully, that statement was metaphorical, and he could ignore this quest completely.

Closing the quest display, Ash glanced around the tunnel and confirmed that Bruja had disappeared.

Touching the strap of his pack, Ash willed it into his belt. The pack would consume the third slot of his inventory, but not wearing it drastically increased his mobility. While he was alone and not near the group, he planned to keep his pack stowed away.

Ash reached out mentally to Nomad using chat. I’m on the move.