Dangerous Skies (1/2)

The following day I woke up to a series of *Pings* generated by my System. My personal Jelly expanded, raising my head higher, like it wanted to help me get out of bed. I hadn't spent the night cultivating for more than a few hours as I felt mentally exhausted. The sleep, although not vital for a Core, sure did wonders for my very "human" mentality. In the same room I had created two small beds for Fatna and Sumiré respectively and had put up a curtain to separate them from my view and provide some sense of privacy. The girls were still sleeping and considering they were both early birds, I just knew I had woken up at the crack of dawn. "Great.. it's barely even six am.." I groaned as I checked the time through the System information.

Jumping out of bed I started off with my morning exercise, trying to clear my head of the stress that kept me from enjoying a good night's sleep in the first place. A hundred push-ups, squats and sit ups barely phased my new physique. After ten days worth of work I still hadn't gained an increase in Stats nor a combat oriented skill but I was still hopeful. I felt a sliver stronger everyday and my understanding of swordplay grew as I continued to study, so at least I had that to show for my commitment. Once I was done, I cleaned up, got dressed in my combat attire and headed for my Dungeon's entrance, mentally greeting all my monsters along the way. "Lets see what we got.." I thought and my notifications were displayed for reviewing.

[ Dungeon Editing Skill Rank 1 at 96% to rank up ]

[ You have unlocked the Achievement "Bronze Leader" by inspiring two thinking individuals to join your cause. You will be awarded with your first Dungeon Feat. Choose one amongst the following: 1) Caves of the Strong Lv1. 2) Caves of the Wise Lv1. 3) Mists of Fright Lv1. 4) Kindred Sight Lv1. ]

[ Results of last night's Aether Cultivation. Duration 3 hours, 12 minutes. Mana yield: 42. Aether Point yield: 18 ]

Finally! I remembered there were Core powers, named Feats by the System, but I had no idea on how to get one. Apparently you could only have 1 Feat as a Rank 1 Core but that number scaled to 3 after reaching Rank 2. I would have to come to a beneficial decision here, as this power would greatly amplify one or even multiple aspects of my domain, possibly helping me overcome these new challenges that were arising. Concentrating on my options, the System provided me with a few crucial details on what they would grant me.

[ Caves of the Strong: You have gained access to this Feat by being an example of strength and growth. All your available summons, existing and future, will automatically gain +2 in their Physical attribute and +2 Levels. ]

[ Caves of the Wise: You have gained access to this Feat by focusing on your Magical power and Cultivation ability. All your available summons, existing and future, will automatically gain +1 in their Mental and +2 in their Magic attribute. ]

[ Mists of Fright: You have gained access to this Feat by crushing a superior force in your domain, striking fear in their hearts. Your domain will constantly generate a soft mist that effects all hostile creatures within it. Enemies inside the mists will suffer a -5% movement speed, -5% physical damage output and a -1% drain in their remaining Stamina for every minute they spend within your domain. ]

[ Kindred Sight: You have gained access to this Feat by allowing your summons to roam the outside world as scouts. You can now see and hear through your summons' senses even while they are outside your Dungeon, up to a mile away. At Level 1 this ability will only be available while your Avatar is within your domain. ]

"Aaaw man.. They're all great.." I thought in disappointment as I walked outside the cave's entrance. "Is there anything I could do to help, Master Minoa?" asked Fisher from the ceiling of the Entrance Cave. "I don't know buddy.. I wish I knew more about our enemies. Maybe then I'd know which aspect of our Dungeon needs strengthening..". The Arachnid gave me some troubled vibes. My dear summon honestly wanted to assist me but sadly, as the leader, this burden was something I had to carry alone, at least until our home was secured and I had a better understanding of the world around me.

"Caves of the Strong" seemed like the more obvious choice. My monsters were physical combatants and not only would this make them stronger, it would also raise their Levels by 2! Additionally, all future monsters I summoned would automatically have the +2 in Physical and would start off as level 3, saving me the cost of spending all that Aether to get them into fighting shape.

"Caves of the Wise" was awesome, especially if it ment my monsters would develop magical properties and become more intelligent. But that would take time and Aether in order to rank up the Feat, as these powers could be empowered at the expense of great amounts of Aether Points. "Mists of Fright" was in the same category. Great if I had time to rank it up and could only benefit me if we were fighting within my domain. Surely something to pick up later but maybe not yet. Lastly there was "Kindred Sight" which really tore me apart. There was surely a lot of value in being able to spy on my enemies from a safe distance. I ruffled my hair in frustration as I started my hike up the Plateau. I wasn't a strategist or a general, I had no idea how to best take advantage of the abilities presented to me. All I knew was that there was a fight coming up sooner or later and being stronger in a fight couldn't hurt. I made the easiest choice and selected "Caves of the Strong" as my first Feat. Maybe I would regret this later down the line but for now, if it helped me survive what was coming, I'd be content.

Scaling the Plateau I was able to admire the surrounding Dunes from a vantage point. It was truly a sight to behold. The shades of gold in the sands, the scale of it all.. The sun scorched these lands and yet I felt comfortable. A small icon popped up in the corner of my vision, almost as if responding to my thought. After a moment I realized it represented my Fire Resistance trait as an Arsani, flaring up to protect me. No wonder the heat and direct sunlight didn't bother me. After an hour of hiking, I started observing the cliffs and edges of the Plateau more carefully, trying to spot the beast's nest. All I had were the descriptions and directions of Fatna so I knew it wouldn't have been easy to find. My subordinates and monsters of course offered to escort me here but I refused. Fiona and the girls were tired, Fisher and his kin didn't do so well in sunlight, then there were the Slimes who had not developed Cores yet so I didn't risk bringing any of them along for the trek.

By the time I got to the top, the sun had risen significantly in the sky. I had lost my ability to tell time innately as I had moved far from my Core. It must have been close to 2 hours since I began my hike. The Elgolar Plateau was truly "Great", both in size and grandeur. I could see all the surrounding area. Small oases could be spotted scattered throughout the Elgolar dunes, as well as some rocky formations such as smaller plateaus. Suddenly a loud squaking noise drew my attention. I lowered my entire body and cursed through clenched teeth. There was no cover here, the entirety of the Plateau's top was flat. I tried looking at the sky in order to spot any giant bird, that may had decided on eating me just now, but no luck. My eyes watered quickly in the direct sunlight and I could see spots for the next few seconds. I heard the squak again and I started to panic, drawing my scimitar and preparing for anything. But.. nothing happened. The skies above seemed clear and there was no one around. *SQUAK*

I began investigating the sides of the Plateau, keeping a safe distance from the edge. All I could see were great falls, the sheer height gave me a dizzying sensation and I backed away. After a few minutes of investigating, I finally found my target. An eagle-like nest the size of two sedans, carefully constructed on a protruding platform on the cliff's side, just 1,5 meters lower than where I was standing. I tried to restrain my reaction but a gasp simply slipped out the moment I realized what I was looking at. Awestruck by the magnitude of the nest I didn't even notice its resident, hiding amongst a pile of discarded feathers and filth. With an powerful leap, a creature launched itself in the air, flinging feathers and scrap all over the place. It spread, what looked to be a set of tiny wings and landed in front of where I stood, tackling me to the ground. The creature shrieked so loudly I had to cover my ears. I tried crawling backwards but a strong avian foot, complete with sharp talons, kept stomping on my legs, trying to pin me in place.

I delivered a sharp upwards kick to the creature's stomach and sent it stumbling backwards. Using this opportunity, I jumped to my feet and regained my composure. I was looking at a bald headed, 1.4 meters tall chick! The bird looked worse for wear but its sheer size was still off-putting. I had seen an ostrich in a zoo once but this was different. This was still a baby!