Chapter 3 - Cardio

Wait! Fuck! I forgot my bag! Frey you fuckin twat! 

Frey turned back into the house only having made it a few steps. He went to grab his backpack from his wardrobe, while he was at it, he stocked it with a box of Chicken Crimpys from the cupboard and his freshly filled two litre water bottle.

Once again Frey swung his door open wide and began his journey.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

Frey had been walking for about an hour, he had already eaten his entire box of Crimpys, realising it wasn't enough to satiate his hunger seeing as he hadn't eaten for more than twenty four hours prior.

He was headed to Mount Tamborine's town centre. He could only hope he'd find some more food there.

Following the winding roads of the mountain. Frey was subject to many steep inclines which took a toll on his lungs and body.

Tamborine wasn't very developed, the majority of housing existing in the one area. Large swathes of the mountain were still considered National Park land.

Alluring for Australians and tourists alike, Tamborine was a beautiful natural landscape.

*Huff**HUFF**Huff*

Frey struggled, his wounds still apparent, although now they had scabbed over, beginning to heal.

He made a mental note. It seemed the update had altered his fundamental biology, his healing now taking place at unnatural speeds, although seemingly limited in nature. Another question to find the answer to.

Frey opened his status.

_________________

Status 

Name: Frey

Race: Human

Faction: None

Classes: Druid [LVL 1] (1/3)

Professions: 0/10

Level: 1

Experience Points: 5/200

Health Points: 83/100

Mana Points: 120/120

Stamina: 105/150

__________________

He had seen an increase in his health, a good sign for him. Taking note of the new information further confirming his theory.

"Hhhmmm"

Prior to this realisation Frey had been gathering as much information as possible, opening every tab available to him and questioning the system.

A primary concern lying in the definition of "awakened" provided by the interface.

________________

< AWAKENED >

The [Awakened] are life forms deemed to be of a superior stock relative to the species by the [System]. These lifeforms have been assessed as suitable for the integration of [Mana]. In order for [Mana] to be successfully integrated a life form must reach a minimum standard. Those who do not have been eliminated via the [Update].

________________

Frey could only wonder what the mind or minds of the people behind this must be thinking.

Looks like they've read "On the Origin of Species", and they've taken it to bloody heart. 

Frey could only start to look at the system as a negative more so than a positive. Sure he gained abilities belonging to a video-game but at what cost?

If the system was to be believed eighty percent of all living beings on Earth had been wiped out. He shuttered at the thought of it. Billions of people, going through what he had gone through two days ago only for the majority to not make it out the other side of it.

Frey could only imagine what it'd meant for the endangered species around the world. Dwindling populations, complete ecosystem collapse. It wasn't just Humanity facing a hardship, it was all of life itself.

Gathering his thoughts Frey continued to browse through the system. Although his pace slowed he remained vigilant, his anxieties amplifying every sound that could be heard.

Remarkably though the forest skirting each side of the road only echoed an eerie silence.

___________________

< SKILLS >

< +1 Skill Point remaining >

< SPIN THE WHEEL >

< Copper Grade >

< Cost: 1 Skill Point >

Chances: Copper (91.2%),Silver (5%), Gold (2.5%), Platinum (1.3%)

< Silver Grade >

< Cost: 3 Skill Points >

Chances: Copper (10%), Silver (81.2%), Gold (5%), Platinum (2.5%), Heroic (1.3%)

< Gold Grade >

< Cost: 5 Skill Points >

Chances: Silver (15%), Gold (76.2%), Platinum (5%), Heroic (2.5%), Mythic (1.3%)

< Platinum Grade >

< Cost: 10 Skill Points >

Chances: Gold (20%), Platinum (71.2%), Heroic (5%), Mythic (2.5%), Legendary (1.3%)

_____________________

Huh? Gambling? Man, about half of Australia is gonna have shit for skills.

Frey hated it, but Australia was a country with a strong gambling culture. Dozens of people living off of welfare could be seen at the local pokies as early as mid-day.

He couldn't really blame them though, who would want to work when you can get money for free and live an ok-ish life.

The only thing between Frey and that life may have been another twenty years in a dead end job, life had a way of chipping away at you.

Although, remembering his Spirit Stat, maybe his pride would have prevented him from ever walking that path.

I don't need a skill right now anyways, I handled that Orthopteran. He thought while glancing down at his shovel.

I should just wait for a chance at higher grade skills.

Frey was skeptical about wasting his one point only to get a Copper grade skill.

Mid thought Frey was rounding a bend when he saw the Guard rail, meant to prevent cars from falling down a daunting drop, had been torn through.

He had assumed he hadn't seen any cars due to the current apocalyptic circumstances but he failed to ask himself what had happened to those already driving.

In his curiosity Frey closed the System interface and walked to where the guard rail separated.

"Fuck me! I would not want to be in there." He said aloud as he looked over the crumpled mess of a car below him.

I need to check for survivors. Freys curiosity tugged at him.

He looked for a way to get down safely, where he stood it was nothing but a sheer five metre drop.

Ten metres to the right of him the sheer drop met with a steep incline, though not so steep as to warrant a fall to his death.

Sparsely dispersed with trees, leading down towards where the car had landed. Frey decided to make his move.

He jogged over to where the incline met the road, he put his shovel into his bag, head first and zipped it up to secure it in place. He then started downwards. The moment he did, his sense amplified, he could hear better, see better, smell better, the world became marginally clearer.

< [Nature Sense] NOW ACTIVE >

Mmm.. So it's applied as soon as I enter the forest, the road must be classed as a different kind of terrain despite being surrounded by plant life. Trippy.. but ok.

*Rustle**Rustle*

He could now make out the slightest sounds coming from the wreckage.

In a panic Frey refocused on the matter at hand, he needed to get to the car quickly. Any time wasted could mean someone dies.

If he were to make the wrong step, he wouldn't be plummeting but he would be rolling.

There'd be no doubt bones would be broken in the fall.

With this in mind Frey made every step with hurried caution, grabbing any trees in his path for support. His gait awkward due to the steep drops with every step.

After a couple minutes of awkward shuffling and cautious steps, he reached the bottom.

He dashed towards the car that was on its side. He circled around to the windscreen to inspect the driver and passenger seats.

*Chit* *Chit* *Chit*

He didn't see what he expected to see. He had expected a human, wounded or otherwise.

What he saw instead through a smashed windscreen were two creatures he had only just become familiar with that morning. Two Orthopterans, they were crouched over the corpse of a young man, appearing to be no more than twenty years of age.

Their claws tearing pieces of flesh off the young mans frozen body.

"Hnnngh" Frey vomited, the Chicken Crimpys from earlier coming back up, christening the ground.

The two monsters turned to him, then back to each other as if to communicate something.

*Chit* *Chit* *Chit*

They stood, cleaning their claws, running them between their mandibles.

Frey couldn't tell what they had been saying to each other, but he sure as shit knew they were preparing to fight.

Wiping the vomit from his mouth with his forearm Frey reached for the handle of his shovel. He pulled to no avail, the head of the shovel getting caught on the zipper of his backpack.

"Shit!" Frey let out.

The two monsters looked at each other, their faces contorting. That along with their dome like eyes made them look as if they were both smiling.

Frey turned in panic and began to sprint.

The terrain flat and heavily planted with trees, although they were thin. None suited to take cover behind.

As he ran he glanced behind him to see if the monsters had given chase. His eyes failed to see them, his ears though, they told him they were close.

He looked up, he saw the creatures using their hind legs to rocket from tree to tree.

They were chasing and they were gaining fast.

Frey slid his right arm out of the bag strap, he then slung it off his back, holding it in his left hand.

With his right, he then began to unzip the bag.

In that same moment one of the Orthopterans launched itself from the tree tops, unveiling fluttering wings to control its fall towards him.

Frey hearing the crackling sound of the wings and the brush of wind against his neck, dove to his side.

He gripped the shovel tightly and flailed it, in the midst of his fall, towards where he had been moments before.

*Clang* *Crack* The shovel made contact with the Orthopterans skull. The force of its own jump working against it.

Frey hit the ground with a thump, accompanied by the thump of the Orthopterans limp body. Without a moments hesitation he stumbled back to his feet, in preparation of his next foe.

The first Orthopteran lay there twitching on the ground, dazed. The second still in the trees, springing between them.

As Frey made eye contact the second monster instantaneously launched toward him. This time, Frey was ready.

With the shovel held in both hands, he cocked his arms back like you would with a baseball bat. He had made sure this time it wasn't the flat he was using. The edge of the shovel faced out.

As the Orthopteran glided towards him, he swung. The sharp of the shovel smashing into the side of its face, crumpling the exoskeleton on impact.

< Orthopteran (Level 1) has been slain >

< 30 EXPERIENCE POINTS GAINED >

The monsters corpse lye there sprawled out, twitching hind legs, green blood oozing from its face.

Frey still didn't understand if these life forms were Grasshoppers that were already on earth or if they were something new entirely.

For them to be level one, the same level as Frey. He hadn't gone through any physiological changes so why would they have?

"Grrgh" The first Orthopteran that Frey had stunned began to rise from its stupor.

In an instant Frey moved, stepping towards the creature.

It stood on uneven footing preparing to defend itself, wings flitting in anticipation.

Frey no longer afraid of the dazed creature, seeing its weakness, strode forward. Not even the slightest hesitation could be seen as he drew his shovel back over his head.

With an exaggerated swing as if he were wielding a katana, he split the humanoid grasshoppers skull in half with the edge of the shovel.

The shovel lodged deep inside its skull, blood began to pour like a waterfall, splattering the rocky terrain underfoot.

< Orthopteran (Level 1) has been slain >

< 30 EXPERIENCE POINTS GAINED >

< YOU HAVE UNLOCKED [BESTIARY] >

< New entry added [Orthopteran] >

"Fuck ME!"

Theres too much information, two days and there's too much. Frey thought to himself, his resolve in the face of the situation beginning to crumble.

Frey ignored the new notifications, he pulled at the shovel, placing his foot against the monster corpse to use as leverage.

After freeing his weapon, freshly coated in more blood, he picked up his bag and began to walk back towards the wreckage.

He had made considerable distance during the fight, although not so much as to be completely lost.

Frey always had a good sense of direction so finding his way back was no problem.

As Frey approached the wreckage his arms slumped, shovel in one hand and bag in the other, the dragged across the ground. Finally he dropped each onto the ground.

He stood for a moment in silence, looking over the corpse.

Not fair… is it?

Frey walked back towards his shovel. He picked it up, surveying, looking for an area of loamy soil.

Sighting a desirable location, Frey began to dig.