Chapter 14 Domination

I opened up the avatar lootbox, watching as it materialised out of my inventory and appeared as a physical box before me. It was a simple wooden chest, except there was an exquisitely carved D at the front of it, which I guessed stood for Doomsday.

Lootboxes seemed to come few and far between in these trials. This was only the second one I had received. I frowned for a moment before opening it. It shook a moment as though a geyser was formed under it, applying pressure before it shot open, three items flying upwards like shooting stars before appearing on the ground before me.

The first was a real godsend, real health potions. They were in bottles about the size of my hand with a rounded bottom, a reddish liquid swirling inside. I wondered what it tasted like, but fought the urge to chug one. Something told me these were special.

[Potion of Minor Healing – The blood-red liquid shimmers slightly as it sloshes within. Infused with arcana, this potion will heal for fifty hit points followed by 20 per second for 10 seconds.]

I was able to see three tech levels above my own, and the only additional healing tier I’d seen was a shaman’s poultice, which apparently could heal me for three times the amount, albeit over the same twenty second period a regular poultice did.

The second item appeared to be a conch. I examined it.

[Primitive Distress Beacon – Fashioned from the shell of a magical mollusc. You may use this to alert allies within a one-mile radius, to come to your aid. Three uses. Cannot be repaired and will be removed from your inventory once all charges are gone.]

I gave a mirthless laugh. Probably would’ve been useful to someone who actually had allies. I pocketed it nonetheless, vaguely wondering if I could trade it back at the vandal village for some extra weaponry or something.

The last item was of the greatest interest to me. It appeared like an ethereal wooden stick, that when I touched was faintly cold as though it had been left in the fridge overnight.

[Spear of Midnight – Haft – The object shimmers faintly, emitting an umbral aura. The haft of a once great weapon, forged by the first Warlord. Once combined with its counterparts, allows one crafting of the Spear of Midnight.]

‘Spear of midnight,’ I said aloud. Sounded impressive, but there was no indication as to where the other parts of the spear were, or indeed how many there even were. No stats either, but with lore like that, I doubted it would just be a reskin of the primitive spear.

Now I turned to my hotbar. I hadn’t really messed around with it yet, but now, about to go into my toughest battle yet, it seemed as good a time as any to get this right. I had ten slots available, but just as before it stated I lacked the requirements to unlock more.

I placed my bone spear and bow in slots one and two. I placed the bone arrows in slot ten, so I wouldn’t accidentally select them. The bow automatically used the highest tier of arrow, so I had to be extra careful in selecting primitive arrows.

In slots three and four, I put my abilities: keen eye and shadowstep. In slot five, I placed the dominate ability that I’d received from the king’s mantle and filled the rest with the heals I had.

I closed down the UI and got to my feet, making a move. There was a slight clattering with each step I took, adorned as I was with bone. I fucking loved it. I felt like death incarnate. I was almost ready to assault Adrian’s camp. There was just one more thing I needed to do.

Technically, I could’ve dominated any creature. I had read and re-read the ability, to make sure I wasn’t missing anything, but it was clear. Any savage creature. Any level. That meant for my assault against Adrian, there was only one possible option.

It felt strange being back in the starting zone where I’d landed, at the far end of the jungle. What struck me most was just how unremarkable it was. A cliff edge, some vegetation, nothing to demarcate that this was a starting zone, a place for new players. I thought back to Alpha, and stared up at the sky, where I’d fallen on my first day, almost to my death.

It wasn’t right. After all, what kind of game almost killed you when spawning in? This game, abandoned for centuries. My mind went back to the image of the Earth burning, a future war that was to be. Then I pushed it from my mind, and centred myself. I felt the humid air, sweat beading beneath my bone armour. The bone bow in my hand, as I stepped forwards.

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‘Where are you?!’ I called, as loud as I could. ‘Come out now, king!’

No answer. I shouted again, a primal scream, or at least my approximation of it. I stowed my bow and retrieved my spear, slamming its haft against the ground. I would wake half the jungle this way, but still no answer from the one I had come here for. Minutes passed, but I didn’t relent. This was the domain of the king, and I wouldn’t leave until I’d had an audience.

‘Come out, coward!’ I shouted. I stopped slamming my spear down, and removed my helmet, wiping the sweat from my brow. Damnit. Just as I was considering turning back, finding some lesser creature to enthral, I heard that familiar growl. Deep, booming and royal as the creature stalked from the jungle and regarded me.

I hadn’t really taken it in the last time I was here, on account of fighting for my life, butt naked. Now that I’d been here for some time, I saw that the sabretooth king was at least twice as large as a regular sabretooth, and its mane was identical to the one I currently wore on my back. Scars criss-crossed against its belly, and I saw that the whole of its left skull was slightly flattened.

That definitely had not been there before. Had that come from the fall damage it had taken when falling down the cliff? Interesting. So it respawned, but still retained the scars from its previous battles.

I was just happy that I’d been right. The sabretooth king had respawned, and from the looks of him, he recognised me. He did not look happy.