Chapter 7 - A Lost Wanderer

Sprinting down the corridor, Nate took a sharp turn into the alcove, and, avoiding the divot in the floor from his earlier explosion, quickly climbed up into his nook. Catching his breath, he tried to calm down. He’d almost died and this time it had been his own fault. He should’ve spent more time testing it. He had thought the log would take more mana before it exploded. So many little mistakes and it had almost cost him his life. Slowly the panic subsided. He’d been an idiot, but in the end he’d gotten what he was after. Enough food for a week or two, assuming he could somehow make a fire.

Noticing the flashing in the corner of his vision, Nate brought up The System message.

Congratulations! You have gained enough mana to undergo Class Selection.

Options curated based on achievements. Choose carefully.

Walk your Path. Reach your Goal. Become One with Mana.

Offered Class: Wandering Realmwalker (Legendary)
The Wandering Realmwalker is one with an affinity for Space Magic that has set foot in multiple universes. Their search is endless as they seek to tread upon worlds never seen. A Path of exploration lies before them, their magic the key.
Stats/Level: +4 Magic Control, +2 Channelling Speed, +2 Mana Reserve, +1 Magic Power,
+1 Mana Absorption, +5 Free Stats

Offered Class: Wandering Runecrafter (Legendary)
The Wandering Runecrafter searches the multiverse for new runes and runic configurations. Never still, they have set foot in multiple universes and search for ever more esoteric ways to utilise runes.
Stats/Level: +2 Intellect, +2 Creativity, +2 Mana Reserve, +2 Dexterity, +1 Endurance, + 1 Perception, +5 Free Stats

Offered Class: Lone Dungeoneer (Rare)
Dungeons are both a gift and a task set forth by The System. The Lone Dungeoneer seeks out dungeons to defeat alone, trusting in The System to see their sacrifice and reward them.
Stats/Level: +1 Strength, +1 Agility, +1 Endurance, +1 Constitution, +1 Willpower, +1 Perception, +3 Free Stats

Offered Class: Fire Mage (Uncommon)
The Fire Mage is one who uses mana to create fire and explosions. Burn all those who would oppose you. Nothing can stand before your flame.
Stats/Level: +1 Magic Power, +1 Magic Control, +1 Channelling Speed, +1 Mana Reserve,
+2 Free Stats

Offered Class: Ranger (Uncommon)
A Ranger wanders the forests of their world. Often alone they know what it takes to survive in a place where they are not the apex predator. Their awareness and guile let them thrive where others would die.
Stats/Level: +1 Agility, +1 Endurance, +1 Constitution, +1 Perception, +2 Free Stats

Which Class would you like to accept as your Primary Class?

Nate read over the list of Classes, a smile he couldn’t suppress decorating his face. This was a path to surviving this new world, and just maybe, a way to return to his own. The stories he could tell Michael and Jung! They’d never believe him.

Reading over them he quickly noticed a few patterns. Uncommon classes appeared to give six Stats in total, Rare gave nine, and the Legendary classes gave fifteen. That sequence made Nate suspect there was a missing rarity between Rare and Legendary that likely gave twelve. The second pattern was that one third of every Classes Stats were Free Stats. Nate thought about it for a moment. It likely meant that The System wanted to allow some level of variability or adaptability. Just a hypothesis, though.

Digging into the Class options Nate immediately dismissed the Ranger and Fire Mage options. They seemed interesting, but losing so many Stats when compared with the Legendary Classes was just an unacceptable loss. He could almost match the Uncommon Classes with just the Free Stats from the Legendary Classes. Lone Dungeoneer had some promise and sounded like it might help him survive this Dungeon. But was that what Nate wanted? To just survive? That seemed like a low bar. Even on Earth he hadn’t set his sights that low. That left the two Legendary Classes.

Nate read over the Stats and explanation for the Wandering Realmwalker Class again. The description mentioned a Space Magic affinity and the Stats were entirely geared towards the Magic section of his Stats. So, some kind of Space Mage. It was a strong option and was something Arikanvil had even said Nate would need to return to his home, if that is what he wanted. It sounded incredible and Nate almost chose it then and there. A path back to Earth, back to his friends. But there was still one other option.

Wandering Runecrafter. Like the Wandering Realmwalker Class, it was a Legendary Class. But where the Wandering Realmwalker Class focused on the Magic Stats, the Runecrafter seemed to focus on the Mental Stats, with a smattering in the Physical and Magical. The name alone made it clear that the Class likely assisted in creating runes. At first glance, the class didn’t sound like it would offer any direct survival benefits. But Nate could see beyond the thin veneer. Even with the small amount of knowledge Nate already had of runes, he knew that they were versatile. With them he might stand a chance in this Dungeon, if he had time to plan and prepare for his enemies.

The thought shocked him. Enemies. Nate had never really thought of anyone as an enemy before. Not even his bullies when he was younger. Even his aunt wasn’t an enemy so much as an ambivalent asshole. Exploring the thought, Nate realised he did consider that cat his enemy. Maybe the crab of the lake too. He was guessing it was a crab but who knew in this world?

He was getting sidetracked. The class options. A Wandering Runecrafter or Wandering Realmwalker. Nate hadn’t missed the reference to The Wanderer. Seemed The System knew a little of what he had gone through. Nate kept going back and forth between the two options. They both seemed strong and interesting. Nate focused on the present application of the Classes and the future possibilities. Even with the Realmwalker Class, Nate wasn’t confident he could find his way home. An improbability. That was what Arikanvil had called the likelihood of finding the Dead Realm he came from, and then finding his planet in it.

Besides, Nate thought, Arikanvil had achieved the portal using runes. So could he. In the end, the final nail in the coffin of the Realmwalker Class was his art. Nate could express himself through runes. They were complex and beautiful, and that spoke to him on a deeper level. With that thought he focused on Wandering Runecrafter Class and thought, ‘accept’.

As soon as Nate accepted the class a series of messages started displaying.

Congratulations on gaining the Primary Class: Wandering Runecrafter (Legendary)

Accrued Mana applied to Primary Class.

Level up…
Level up…
Level up…

Stats adjusted: +6 Dexterity, +3 Endurance, +6 Intellect, +6 Creativity, +3 Perception, +6 Mana Reserve, +15 Free Stats

Skills Available! Please Select 3* Skills.
Class Skill Options:

Runic Knowledge (Epic)
As a Runecrafter, knowledge of runes is not just important, it’s everything. This skill will impart knowledge to the recipient about runes, their construction, and interactions with mana. Information quality based on users Intellect and Skill Level.

Runic Replication (Rare)
Runecrafter’s need to create tens of thousands of runes in their lifetime. The easiest way to do this is copy a rune you’ve already created. Runic Replication allows the user to spend mana to replicate an already created rune. Time and mana cost is based on Intellect, Skill Level, and the quality of the rune being replicated.

Improve Material (Legendary)
Stronger runes require more mana, and more mana requires better mana storage. That means you need better materials with higher mana thresholds. Improve Material lets the user apply mana to improve the mana threshold of any material. Time and mana cost based on Intellect, Creativity, and Skill Level.

Runic Modification (Epic)
Sometimes you create your rune and its structure is not fit for purpose. Happens to the very best. This skill allows the user to spend mana to make modifications to a completed rune. Changes made cost mana with the cost based on Intellect, Creativity, Skill Level, and the extent of the modifications desired.

Identification - Runic (Rare)
Identify reveals information about anything the user chooses to focus on. This identify offers additional information when identifying runes based on the user's runic Knowledge. Information displayed based on Intellect, Skill Level, and current Runic Knowledge.

The series of messages was overwhelming, and Nate had to sit down. With his back against the statue, he started trying to process all the various messages and what they meant. The first was obviously that mana was not only used for magic. It was apparently also the energy that advanced classes. Nate was incredibly confident in this without any reservations. He’d felt it as he had accepted the class. It was like the mana had flowed into a small ball or cavity in his chest. Even now, he could feel the slow flow of mana pouring into that empty space through his skin. Apparently the mana of the Dungeon was enough to advance him just via the density gradient between his mana and the environmental mana.

That was only the first of the changes he felt. Just as mana was now flowing into the cavity or, whatever it was, in his chest, so had he felt mana flow out of it when the level ups had happened. It was like whatever was inside him was guiding the mana through his body. He felt the lions share rush to his head, but some had gone to his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Some had gone to his hands and fingers. Some had flowed throughout his body, kind of like one of those euphoric waves you had when you had finally relieved yourself after holding it in for way too long. That last thought made him smirk in amusement. Nate had noticed that the space in his chest had also grown slightly when the rest of the mana rushed out.

Just thinking about them, Nate could notice the changes. He was thinking faster and more calmly than he should’ve been, his advanced Intellect assisting in handling not only the onslaught of information he was sensing, but also the emotions he was feeling. It was a beautiful thought to him. Between his art and advancing in levels he might be able to deal with his past trauma better.

Now was not the time to dwell on that, though. He’d have plenty of time to review his feelings and future plans later. He had better deal with the latter part of the messages.

Three skills. He didn’t know if that was a little or a lot, but he would go through them systematically. He could make the best choice for his future survival and growth. The Skills seemed to be labelled with rarities, the same as his Class. Rare, Epic, Legendary. Epic, that explained the missing rarity in between Rare and Legendary. Surprisingly, there was only one Legendary Skill in the list. Nate wasn’t sure if that was because he was just at such a low level, or all Classes functioned like that, but it wasn’t like he could do much about it. Starting at the top, the first skill was Runic Knowledge. An Epic Skill and one that purported to impart knowledge on Runes, their construction and interaction with mana.

That seemed like a no-brainer to Nate, given his entire class was about runes and his knowledge was somewhere between lacking and non-existent. After quickly scanning the rest of the Skills he selected it without waiting to review the rest of them more deeply. The rush of knowledge made him dizzy as he felt the Skill settle within the cavity he sensed in his chest.

Runic Knowledge felt like having a web browser in his head. He could focus on it and feel it waiting for further instructions. I wonder why the Runes I drew exploded when they did Nate thought at the Skill. Instantly, information flowed back along the connection and Nate understood his mistake. Runic structures were natural pathways for mana. Certain shapes allowed for the accumulation of mana and, to some extent, the release of mana. These could occur naturally, or artificially in the case of runes.

Nate’s attempts to replicate the rune from the research station had allowed the mana of the Dungeon to start being absorbed into the runic structure he had created. The released mana, however, was dispersed in three dimensions. That meant that a large amount of it had been dispersed into the medium he had used, the vine. The vine’s mana capacity could only handle so much before it exploded. That was why the first one hadn’t exploded in his face. The mana had needed time to build up. Knowledge continued to flow into his mind as he thought about the runes on the log in the forest. Living things had a higher mana capacity. So, the vine could take more mana before exploding because it was still alive. The log on the valley floor had been dead, which was why it had overloaded so quickly with the extra mana he had pushed into it.

That begged the question of why living things had better mana capacity. Nate thought the question at the Skill but got no response. Sighing in irritation, he supposed such knowledge didn’t fall under Runic Knowledge’s purview. He’d figure it out on his own later then. Surely, someone on this planet had studied such phenomena. What else could he ask the Skill, he wondered? Focusing his thoughts, he imagined the rune for fire. Again, Runic Knowledge failed to respond to his question. It seemed that it would give general knowledge about runes but nothing specific, at least with his current knowledge and Skill Level.

Returning his thoughts to the basic structure of runes, he finally understood why the geometric shapes of the Runes worked. Any naturally occurring geometric shape would draw mana passively from the environment. That wasn’t what made the Runes work. It was the dispersion pattern of the mana that was important. It dispersed in three dimensions which meant by overlaying specific shapes you could alter the dispersion patterns to affect how much mana was released through, and around, each of the pictographs.

Nate stopped himself before he started asking the Skill about the pictographs. He knew if he kept this up he’d be here for hours. He still had two more Skills to choose, and if he wanted to survive this Dungeon he needed to apply his Intellect to the task. The second Skill option was Runic Replication. Nate laughed at the description. It was basically just a printer. A Skill purely meant for efficiency. If it took half an hour to make a single Rune by carving it into a vine, and making plenty of mistakes, Nate figured it would probably take an hour or three to do it properly. Maybe more if the material was harder to work with.

So that’s where this Skill looked like it would help. Trade mana for time. He could see the value. You could painstakingly create extremely high-quality runes, then use this skill to replicate them onto other materials. So not only could it save time, but it could also retain quality, if he was reading it right. That was worth consideration.

Nate moved to the next Skill in the list. Improve Material, his only Legendary Skill on offer. He only had to glance over to the wall where the vine had exploded to see the value in this Skill. Certain materials could only handle so much mana and every rune would disperse mana. That was the entire purpose of the rune, dispersing mana to create density fields of mana that would then initiate specific effects based on the pictographs.

That meant to create those effects, the material needed to be able to handle the mana. Unless, of course, the goal was the explosion, Nate thought. It made him laugh, seeing as how that had been his goal just a little earlier. Either way, Nate could see how this would be an important Skill for him, but he wasn’t yet convinced it was needed now. Still, he had two more Skills to review.

Runic Modification seemed relatively straightforward as Skills went. It would let him modify runes using mana, changing the positions of sigils and the geometric lines. The interactions between all the Skills was pretty obvious. Runic Knowledge helped him understand the basic functions of runes and gave a starting point for designing them. Runic Modification would then let him modify a completed rune to perfect it. Then Runic Replication would let him copy his perfected runes onto other surfaces. Finally, his Improve Material Skill would let him make sure the materials he used could handle the necessary mana density.

It was a complete skill set and would let Nate enact almost any sort of rune array he could dream up. Shame he could only take three Skills. Hopefully, he’d get access to more Skills later. Runic Modification seemed useful but the note of repairing runes that weren’t his own led him to the final skill. Identification – Runic.

The ability to identify anything in his environment was a game changer as far Nate was concerned. Sure, it sounded like the standard identify ability was pretty generic, but at this point anything was better than nothing. He knew almost nothing about this world, this environment, these creatures. Even the hope of Identification - Runic assisting him in understanding the world better was a worthwhile risk.

He debated reading back through the Skills but knew he’d already decided on one of them. With a thought he focused on the Identification – Runic Skill and moments later felt it settle in the ball in his chest. Nate thought about the Skill and focused on the remains of the vine that had exploded.

A vine. Mana Tolerance: Very Low.

Nate snorted in amusement. He probably deserved that. He’d try it later on another of the boars and see if it would actually tell him their name. Hopefully, he hadn’t just wasted one of his Skills. That still left him with one last choice. Using his Runic Knowledge Skill, he knew that the better the quality of rune, the more mana it would need to power its functions and therefore the better the material needed to be. With that in mind there was not much of a point to taking Runic Modification or Runic Replication first. If he did, even if he spent days making the perfect rune by repairing his attempts so he could use it for replication, he wouldn’t have the material to put the rune onto.

That train of thought made the decision for him, and Nate focused on the Improve Material Skill. It settled into his chest and Nate got a sense of how to use the Skill to guide his mana into another material. There was more to the Skill than just that, though. If that was all it was, he’d probably just end up blowing up more vines. No, the Skill itself imposed some effects on the material, expending the mana to fundamentally change something in the substance. Nate didn’t understand what or how, but he knew through the Skill that that was what it would do.

With his Skills done, there was only one thing left for Nate to do. That was to invest his Free Stats. He’d promised himself that if he survived the monster cat, he’d try and raise his Endurance and Constitution. With his Class already advancing his Endurance slightly, he focused on what he wanted and felt a wave of relief wash through his body as he raised his Endurance by another five and Constitution by eight. The final two Free Stats needed to go somewhere, and Nate decided to double down on his art, slotting the points into Dexterity. With that done it was time to plan his next steps.