JUG JUG JUG (chapter 17)

Chapter 17

In the middle of the night, within the labyrinthine alleyways of an ancient kingdom, nestled between weathered and timeworn buildings, a small, grey-skinned rat cautiously emerged from a forgotten basket. The alley was dimly lit by the flickering glow of distant street lamps, casting long shadows that danced eerily on the cobblestone ground. The rat emitted faint, scuttling noises as it navigated the scattered boxes. Suddenly, a pale hand emerged from beneath the boxes, and the rest of Ted's body followed suit, manifesting into the world.

"Shit, something or somewhere hurts," he groaned, the air filled with a phantom pain as he sat up amidst the dark alley. The ancient structures loomed overhead, their architectural details telling tales of a bygone era.

Confused, Ted surveyed his surroundings, realizing that the cave he anticipated wasn't his current location. "Fucking 30%," he cursed under his breath, accompanied by a sharp abdominal pain that made him clutch his stomach. His floating screen displayed the repercussions:

[ Name: Ted ]

[ Spiritual-Force: -20.0/4.41 (Fractured sea of consciousness, spiritual energy is required to fix the fractures) ]

[ Current-Runes:

Invisibility: Expand ]

Pyroblast: Expand ]

Nature's Embrace: Expand ]

Sonic Blast: Expand ]

Interstice: Expand ]

Riftgate: Expand ]

Spectral-Arrow: Expand ]

Morph: Expand ]

Ward: Expand ]

Fortuna's Favor: Expand ]

True-Sight(lower): Expand ]

Crate-Of-Mending(lower): Expand ]

Blood-Control(lowest): Expand ]

Ovum Vitalis(Low): Expand ]

Sharpness(Lower): Expand ]

Seeing the alterations in his status, Ted took a moment to check his spatial pouch, finding it intact and breathing a sigh of relief. However, his focus swiftly shifted to the surroundings. He entered a state of meditation, wary of potential threats.

In his meditative state, Ted found himself within the vast expanse of his sea of consciousness, surrounded by diverse elemental energies. The abundance of magical energy hinted at the presence of a practitioner, raising the stakes of the danger he now faced. Examining the cracks in the sky leaking energy particles, he realized the peril he had landed in.

Exiting his meditative state, he sat with a perturbed expression. "Well, fuck. I did not expect this. Shit," realization struck as the dangers of the teleportation cube became apparent. Staring into the clear night sky, he chuckled wryly, acknowledging the precarious situation. "Well, I know for sure that I am not in Gotham," he mused, fully grasping the magnitude of the trouble he was in.

"This was stupid," he muttered to himself, a hint of regret coloring his tone. Despite his remorse, there was no undoing the teleportation mishap. The only recourse was to mend his fractured sea of consciousness through meditation. "But on the bright side, this is a brand new world, with magic. Who knows, there might be monsters and such, meaning I can probably gather new materials," he tried to infuse enthusiasm into his assessment of the unfamiliar realm. Making sure all his items were securely strapped to him, he stepped out of the dimly lit alleyway.

The buildings that surrounded him were steeped in Victorian-era style, lending an air of antiquity to the atmosphere. The people strolling the streets were equally diverse, featuring individuals with red skin and horns, others with grey skin and pointed ears, and a range of short and very short humans. "A fantasy world, fantastic," he mumbled in a subdued tone, absorbing the surreal sights around him. "Now, I just need to gather some information, but first," he added, reaching for a mask.

Transforming into his alter ego, Enur, he adorned the ward rune, the pyroblast ring, and the nature's embrace pendant. Surveying the surroundings, his gaze was drawn to what appeared to be a tavern. The rhythmic chant of "JUG JUG JUG" emanated from within, guiding him toward it. "Well, I know where to gather some information," he murmured, approaching the lively establishment.

Upon entering, he encountered a humanoid guard dog – not the cute anime variety – and a towering grey-skinned giant with pointed lower canines. Diverse patrons, including a white-haired dwarf woman, added to the fantastical ambiance. "Talk about a fantasy setting; guess my white hair won't be standing out much," he observed, finding a seat. A comment from an elf woman caught his attention: "Hey tavern keep, another round of ale for the legendary Vox Machine, the greatest band of mercenaries in all of the realms."

This prompted a jeering remark from the giant. "Vox Machina, what a joke. I heard you guys couldn't even rescue a cow from a burning barn," he scoffed. Ted raised an intrigued eyebrow. "Alright, guess there are monsters and stuff," Ted mused with a half-smile, quickly realizing he needed a quiet place for meditation. His thoughts were interrupted when one of the giants cut off the hand of another during a brawl, adding a surprising twist to the atmosphere. "Looks like I should try and become a mercenary to earn some changes, or become a hunter if there is a job like that," he contemplated, engrossed in the unfolding spectacle.

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ITS NOT A NERF

well, not the usual one, its just a small seal so that he cant just create a rune for every problem he faces (that is for later), right now, i will make it so that he hones his weapon masteries, which as a runesmith, he needs to known how to use every weapon known to man or alien, as well as other area of expertise, while also gathering magical items, monster parts and such.

SO ITS NOT A NERF NERF,