If only I had a good skill... Dad, Mom, I'm sorry. I just wanted to make you proud," Deon said, lying at the foot of the mountain. Blood was streaming from his head where he'd been smashed against the rock.
Broken leg, cracked rib, several wounds here and there. The amount of damage his body had sustained was astounding. Only God knew why he wasn't dead yet. But one thing was certain: if he wasn't treated in the next few hours, he definitely would be.
"Why me? Why do I have such a lousy skill? My power is ridiculous. If I had a practical power and a combat skill, no, not even a support skill, I wouldn't suffer this much. I even tried to improve it, though... Shit, am I really going to die like this? I think it might be better this way."
"I pray that in my next life, I'll be born with every advantage: a family, a good power... What the hell am I talking about? Mom, Dad, I don't want to die," Déon muttered as his voice began to fade and his consciousness faded.
"Life is so unfair sometimes, if only..." These were the last words Déon spoke before darkness consumed his consciousness.
[ In a forest ]
A desperate woman was looking for her child, trying to locate him using the charm he had given her. It had been about an hour since she had left the house in search of her child, but still nothing.
"Maybe I should have waited until Nox arrived. No, the more time passes, the less chance we have of finding him. It's the right decision. Nox will find us", she repeated to herself to justify her decision.
Finally, her search led her to a mountain. After taking half an hour to reach the top, he could see on the other side the silhouette of a 12-year-old boy lying on the ground next to a boulder, slipping into a lake of blood. No one told her, maybe it was maternal instinct, but she knew it was her boy.
"Déon, Déon" she cried, on the verge of tears, and without further ado began to look for a way down. Then she heard a familiar voice calling her.
He'd been tracking his wife for fifteen minutes already. Nox was a very skilled hunter, so even if his wife and son had been kidnapped and were on the other side of the continent, he'd find them. But he had to find them before nightfall. Highly confident and, above all, forcing himself to remain calm and rational, Nox couldn't help but wonder what had happened. Alone, imagining scenarios in his head, he continued to follow his wife's trail until he spotted her at the top of a mountain.
"TILDA!" he shouted aloud. In three movements, he was already at the top of the mountain. And there was his wife, her eyes watering.
"Déon, Déon," she said, panting and pointing to where he was.
"Calm down, it's going to be okay, it's okay, I'm here," Nox said to reassure his wife.
Then he picked her up and jumped down the mountain to where his son was. Once at the bottom, Nox let his wife descend. At the same time, she rushed over to check on her son.
"Nox, he smashed his head and his limbs are fractured. Plus, his pulse is weak, I don't know if my healing power will be enough... What the hell happened?" Tilda said with teary eyes as Nox told her to do what was necessary.
Nox, for her part, watched the scene and more or less guessed what had happened. After the treatment was finished, Nox took Déon and, with his wife, headed towards their house. It was already dark; neither of them spoke; a dead silence hung as they walked in the moonlight.
[ 4 hours ago ]
Behind the courtyard of his house, there was a 12-year-old boy who couldn't fit into his environment due to his lack of talent. Always looking for ways to train and strengthen his talent, which he described as useless, this time he was doing a few push-ups while keeping his senses sharp.
Outside, a group of three boys the same age as Déon was passing by his house. "Do you think that useless guy is here? I haven't seen him in a while. Have you heard from him?" he asked his second. "Jack, leave me alone. What do I care if that useless guy disappears or not?
The only reason he can afford to take it easy is because his father is the village chief. But that won't last," he continued with a mischievous smile. "Huh? What are you talking about, Théo?" retorted the third, surprised. "The title of the strongest man at the end of this year will be awarded to me or my father...
Haha my father told me that he had a hero's relic in the forest by the mountain and that if anyone found it they could receive his inheritance. And let me tell you, I intend to look for it. "I have ambitions, just like you imagine," said Theo, his face full of amusement and boastfulness.
"Maybe it's just a rumor. My grandfather told me a similar story when I was a kid..." replied Jack. This remark didn't please Theo at all, who ignored it.
Deon had unwittingly overheard this conversation since his skill was activated.
Ding!
[Your "Enhanced Senses" skill has increased by 0.5%].
"Damn status window," he said, squeezing his fists so hard that a crack was heard. Cursing the status window, it appeared, and he took the opportunity to take a stab at it. As usual, nothing had really changed.
[Name:] Déon
[Species:] Human
[Rank:] F
[Experience Value:] 0 / 100
[Strength:] 5
[Agility:] 4
[Mana:] 10
[Endurance:] 5
[Status:] Normal
[Intelligence:] 10
[Luck:] 10
[Attributes:] Neutral (None)
[Skill Tree: Innate Skill]
1 - [Sense Enhancements (19 + 0.5%):] E
[Title:] [Profession / Class:]
Mage Déon shook his head when he saw his stat window. Only his luck ranked higher.
"Perhaps while visiting the surroundings of the mountain I will come across the inheritance. Father and mother will be surprised." Déon murmured these words to himself with a bitter face.
Then he looked at his stat window one last time.
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained," he said before returning to his room to prepare for the expedition.