10 White Crystals

Reacting to my touch, the crystal disappeared. My hand was in pain, like being burnt, but at weaker scale. While the pain was altering my focus I looked in front of me.

*****

Points:1

+Strength

+Endurance

+Vitality

+Intelligence

+Wisdom

+Physical Resistance

+Magical Resistance

*****

My calmness was surprising, probably due to the blizzard changes that had already happened.

After pondering for some time I decided on my decision. What was most important to me was Vitality, faster regeneration.

Spending one point, by clicking '+', the window disappeared. I didn't feel any difference. Looking down, my hand was still in pain, but I didn't focus on that. Some sort of black symbol was widening. Soon, as the pain went away so did the symbol.

Focusing on the spot where 'tattoo' was, an image entered my mind.

Seemingly infinite space, filled with darkness, however, even if it did seem infinite, feeling I got didn't say so, it had limits. Somehow I knew how big it was, down to the centimetre, exactly meter by meter.

Having an idea of what use it had I crunched down.

"Huh? Luke, what did you do?" Emma questioned at the sudden disappearance of a corpse.

Not answering her question, I closed my eyes, as it was easier to focus. Corpse reappeared. Before I said anything I had one more thing I wanted to try. 

'Status' And it happened. My original stats came up.

****

Strength:10

Endurance:9

Vitality:7

Intelligence:0

Wisdom:0

Physical Resistance:7

Magical Resistance:0

****

It wasn't anything fancy, like showing my name or ability, it was bland and plain, though, still served its purpose. Now I knew the weight of 1 point. Also, this confirmed that Intelligence and Wisdom were stats for Mages. I guess having zero magical resistance made sense. 

But, I was wondering about something else. What would have happened if I added one point to magic-related stats? After pondering for a while I gave up, nothing could be done now anyway.

"There are a few things. One of them is a new way to strengthen ourselves..." Chances of there being more of stones were higher than not. "When the stone disappears, a hologram appears instead, on it you have a few options.

"Options?" Emma asked me confused.

"Yes, options, you can choose between Physical and Magic related... stats."

"So it's like a game?" asked Leon.

"I guess so. You also get one point, which you can assign to one of them." 

"What about the others?" Emma asked me. 

"Well, there's something... ah... basically, a storage. At wish I can put and pull out things from it, I still have to experiment though."

"Inventory?" Leon asked me, still on it about it being a game.

"More like a pocket dimension." Difference between pocket dimension and inventory was in slots, at least one Leon talked about. Pocket dimension wasn't limited like that, rather by 'walls'.

Anyway, receiving portable storage that didn't limit movement was amazing, what made it better was that whatever was in it lost weight, testing with a corpse. This will be essential for the future.

I still wasn't sure whether everyone will get one, after making contact with the stone, or maybe if it was something rare...

"This might work, think of word Status."

"Wow." Leon was the first one, Noah had the same reaction. So they had this for a long time, just didn't get notified.

"It doesn't work for me." Aria nodded, not seeing anything, same as Emma.

"... That doesn't make sense." At this point, I started thinking about what could be the reason. 

"Are you sure you are doin-"

"I know!.. sorry Leon... but seriously, I think I know what to do." I got closer to Emma.

"Emma, you to Aria, try imagining your strength in numbers. Come on, close your eyes." 

"It works!" 

"Good, now remember what you see. And associate any word you like with it. So that when you say that word, that same hologram appears."

"Alright."

After a few seconds, she looked at me again. 

"Thanks, Luke." It worked out for Emma, and so did for Aria. This showed that there weren't any fixed commands. The only reason why us three saw it when we said 'status' was because we expected to see it like that.

I asked all of them their stats. Everyone had zero magical resistance, Leon tried to reinforce it but nothing happened, I figured it's probably because it's zero. Noah had the highest strength of 19, not even Leon could go that high.

"That's about all that happened." 

"I killed it." Noah looked at me, and it was true, he killed it, and I took it, of course, I didn't think it would disappear. 

"You are right, sorry. Next one I kill is yours." I didn't really hold anything against him, it was his effort. I knew Noah needed it because of Emma, to protect her, he really cared for her, which showed earlier.

After resting for a while we decided to keep going. Not many words were spoken, everyone was thinking about stones, gaining a new goal, to find more of them.

We had already been going on it for some time now. Accomplishing no goals. But as we were getting depressed, we saw another group, with Abnormal one at that. That's how we decided to call them. 

Spotting us, few started running, including Abnormal. This was always favourable. First in the line would be Runners, as you finish with them Enforcers were next, which would leave Mages alone behind.

This is how we decided to split them.

Runners were those that had stronger legs, using the ground and making low jumps forward which made them faster. Enforcers, which had strengthen arms. Abnormlas which were ones with white spots and lastly, Specials, which had rare abilities. Not everything was perfect but at least it helped.

Identifying that Abnormal was a Runner, instead of a Special, I made a theory. Every zombie would become one eventually, probably when their abilities reached a certain point, this was most logical, however, It might be completely wrong. 

'If I'm right, guess Abnormals doesn't really fit them? Well, I don't know... hmm... stop, focus on enemies in front.' As always I was lost in thought. Bad habit if it happens during battle.

What confirmed my theory, even more, was that... eh... Evolved one was faster than others, implying that his ability was stronger.

Since I was first in the line my opponent would be Evolved. As usual, I layered tip of my plastic stick and stabbed forward. However, an unexpected thing happened, as it saw my movement it made a sudden step to the left, which in a normal world, wouldn't be possible, considering speed it generated. 

In just a second it was already on my right side. Layering my head just half a second before it grabbed it, with both hands, escaping death. It's disgusting face looked like it made a surprised expression, not sure how. Morphing the layer around its hands I trapped it. Now looking mad, zombie tried to kick me. But I was already experienced, predicting where a strike would hit I layered it. With perfect timing, I trapped the leg before it moved back.

Letting go of my spear, holding its head with my right, and completely layered knife in my left, I made a quick stab. Soon after I did it was laying on the ground. It was a seriously closed one, and only because of me. I was expecting everything to go as I planned, distanced myself from the group and even underestimated my opponent, all grave mistakes.

Other zombies, that weren't as intelligent or strong as first, fell down without much difficulty. We came back to the Evolved one, its chest sunken down revealing the crystal everyone wanted to see. Since I was the one that killed it I gave it to Noah

"Noah, you take this one. Also, ones that have the stone we will call Evolved. One that kills it will get the crystal, we will do it like this from now on." Hopefully, when more people are involved, there wouldn't be any problems.

As Noah took the stone same scene happened, it disappeared. The symbol was being made on Noah's hand, which was a good sign, more storage they collectively had the better.

"Pretty much the same." He said after a few seconds of pondering over something.

"So, which stat did you choose?" I asked, I didn't recommend him what to take since he might choose something else just because I told him otherwise.

"Endurance."

"Smart choice." His stamina couldn't support his strengthen arms if he was to increase his endurance than he would be able to fight longer at full strength.

Before we went home, since it was already getting dark, we decided to check for the other goal.

"Is anyone there!"

*

Two pairs of eyes looked at everything that had happened from a nearby house.

"Should we come out?" said a girl.

"Too much of a risk." 

Woman, a military soldier and mother to the girl said. Having many years of experience behind her belt and being one of the higher-ranking members in command at recently destroyed evacuation center.