Chapter 4: Tally

There was an extremely long wait for the line through the gates.

It was two caravans.

Jackson let out a big sigh.

Well, at least I have time to think. What magical school should I learn to help with adventuring? Obviously can't get one one with a prerequisite. Don't have enough school's to actually learn one of those. Let's see what I'm working with.

 

Yeah I got nothing.

 

If you wanted a healer, sure Jackson would qualify. As a complete novice. Point is, nothing that would immediately help him learn a new school, although Invigoration could definitely help his supportive role, letting him buff allies. Something to look into.

He definitely liked the idea of being a supportive role, it helps make friends after all. Point is, he also needs to defend himself. He also couldn't deny that offensive spells excited him. A fireball is a fireball after all.

But what would I do? Fire is cool, and I like it, but it's not necessarily practical. Even if the fire hero uses it, and I love the fire hero, earth, air, or water would be better for me. But...

It's just so cool!

Could you imagine, me of all people, launching explosive fireballs at monsters. Just the word explosive riles me up.

But it's also not viable and takes a while to learn...

...but... Big boom?

Jackson, as compulsive as ever, indulged a happier side of himself.

Big boom.

     

His turn was next, and his legs were killing him. War time makes these lines so long because every caravan needs to be checked. For people it was easier, especially when leaving. Just a quick check, and if you look a bit suspicious, a pat down.

Finally he could get through the gate, and then he realized.

I have to walk to a stream with all this stuff on me don't I? Frick.

He let out a big sigh as he walked down the road. "On the road again..."

     

He'd been walking for hours. He gave into the desire to use his healing spell on his legs. It was so nice. He was already well into the nearby forest, and if his skills with a map were correct, he'd come across a river soon enough.

    

Night was falling.

Jackson just set up camp, earning himself a new skill.

 

 

Jackson felt strangely cathartic.

I haven't gotten the happiness I promised myself yet. But happiness isn't promised to someone. Happiness is earned. He shook his head. Guess it's time to earn it.

Tomorrow is a new day.

    

The day started off normally. Jackson went through a normal morning routine of food, hygiene, and contemplating existence.

Not having a phone was scary.

Alright, water source? Check. Food? Working on it. Shelter? He looked towards his 300 obol tent. Good enough. He rubbed at his sore back.

I hate it here. He said semi sarcastically. Wait does that count as...

He sighed and pulled out a notebook from a bag. He scribbled a quick tally mark on his growing page of marks. It was a page of how many "inner insults" he'd said to himself today. He already had three.

Dumb brain making me hate myself. Wait...

He put down another tally. Then decided to get on his patrol through the woods.

Alright, onto more productive thoughts. This bow better prove it's worth for how much it cost. Worst case, I'll forage for food. Herbalism and Foraging sound like fun skills at least, then that book'll prove it's worth. Maybe I could...

He shook his head. That train of thought will keep me here forever. I need to prepare a place to dismantle animal carcasses, not stand still and think about reading books all day. The river'd be Ideal, bears might come, but I'll be careful enough. Probably. At least bears are cute?

Not having a phone caused interesting inner conversations with yourself.

At least the scenery was nice, it was... Comforting? A bit therapeutic? It reminded him of happier times.

Dang, the last time I went camping I was 8 and I went with dad and Michael...

WOAH, calm down there inner monologue! It's sad enough already to be alone in the middle of the woods. No use in making myself mopey.

Should I? Eh, why not.

He added another tally.

Besides his brain sabotaging itself. The walk itself was rather uneventful.

     

Jackson was immensely grateful he took all the precautions he could when prepping for camping in the woods. His legs were killing him, but at least he had all the things he needed.

He hung a rope on a tree in a suspicious looking noose.

He shook his head.

Anyway.

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He had a tarp prepared and staked into relatively flat ground. That, uh, noose, would be useful in draining animals blood at least. A table would be really nice to have, but would it be worth the time to make? Eh, food for thought. 

I'll need to go catch some food for today and, dissect... It... Right, not looking forward to that. Then I'll exercise, bleh, and then work on magic!  That's the only thing keeping me going now isn't it.

Another tally.

     

"Dark shades of berries more often than not, are perfectly fine to eat. More vibrant berries, like red, white, or orange are most likely toxic, and should not be ingested. While having many medical uses, they are a risk that should be taken seriously. Here is what to look out for."

While looking for prey, Jackson would scavenge for food. He didn't expect any meat on the first day, most hunters didn't find anything easily if they didn't have tracking skills. Even if they stayed where they were, which was more effective than wandering blindly. So, he found many berries. Berries are everywhere in the forest. Well, not really, but common enough. Most aren't poisonous but he didn't want to take the chance of pulling a "high on berries alone in the woods" movie trope. 

He wasn't really having the best luck of finding prey, when he heard something. Jackson had tried his best to stay quiet, but it caught him off guard. He heard a loud *snap!* and saw something scutter away. A rabbit, the best and most convenient prey he could get around here.

"Damnit!"

Also, what made the snap? Oh well.

     

Hunting wasn't successful but exercise was simple at least. Run, squat, jog, heal, repeat. Two and a half hours later and...

 

 

"Woo! Woooooo..."

He was weak. So weak that just two and a half hours of physical activity netted him a point in strength. Even worse, he knew he was at least twenty five percent of the way to his next point. A whole seventy five percent in two and a half hours. It may sound nice, but the growth wouldn't last long, and it only proved how weak he was. At least he got it applied to his body faster with his healing. But he was hungry, and tired. Healing repaired muscles as normal, giving him strength, but he was still tired. Increase Metabolism was incorporated into his healing spell, so it also partially restored stamina. But was Tired. With the way resource pools worked, it made sense, but it didn't make him happy.

Resource pools are like metaphysical barriers around your body that "protect" you. The more health you have the less damage you take, and the faster you recover. Stamina makes you feel stronger and full of energy the more topped up you are, Obviously. Mana... Mana is weird. The number shown on he status screen is like extra mana. People start out with a 0 in mana capacity, with their own natural capacity, it's the same with the other stats, from birth they are all zero, and you have your own natural capacity for other resources as well. You can gain the other stats relatively easily, but magic is hard. Back on track though, Mana Capacity as a stat is basically another layer to your actual mana capacity.

Essentially, the more you have the less you lose, and flip flopped at least for health and stamina. 

You would think restoring stamina would make you feel well rested. Sadly, that's only half true. When you regenerate too much, nothing bad happens to you, especially if it's natural regeneration. But, your body still needs to rest and rebuild, which his spell was a perfect counter for. He got sore every thirty minutes and used his spell to soothe his muscles. It only worked well for a short while.

Regeneration Overload is what people call it, too much of a good thing is bad, which is why you can only take a potion at max every 3 hours or so. Your body and mind get overtaxed, and you might die. You can outright have a heart attack from Stamina Overload.

He wasn't having too much Stamina Overload though, he just sucked.

He shook his head out from those rude thoughts.

Another tally later, he looked at the new notification he got.

 

 

Oh, great! That skill sure levels quick when you suck at exercising.

And there goes another tally.

Anyway, what abilities do I have available? I've had this skill for years but haven't really done anything extravagant enough for an ability

 

 

Jackson had heard about Pack Mule and was very delighted to see it. It made carrying things easier, and, at higher tiers gave a percentage increase in Strength.

Jackson decided to get both, but held off on Pack Mule for now, as it could hinder development of physical stats early on.

He then bought A Mile Endured in These Shoes

 

 

It was a good ability, at least at higher tiers. At Rank one each stat listed would increase max stamina based off 15% of the stat, which would be nice, but not better than a few points in endurance.

As he picked the ability he felt... Off. He had a headache for about 5 minutes and a stomachache that lasted for 10. He shook his head out trying to limber himself up a bit.

He pulled up his resources to see what changes there were, if any at all, the system only displayed whole numbers and rounded down after all.

 

I... Nevermind.

He honestly didn't expect much. It was still disheartening though. If his math was correct. he was extremely close to another point, but the system rounded down. He decided to get some food and check his other skills and abilities to get his mind off it.

 

 

Oh yikes, this is giving me a headache. I need to sleep after I finish eating. Speaking of... 

He was extremely hungry, that healing spell was basically a weight loss treatment, he wasn't that skinny or muscly, but might be a bit of both by the end of the month.

Probably more so skinny though. Heh, Doctors hate me. 

...It makes me feel weird with how much my body changes.

He snacked on the various berries, nuts, and fruits he found on his way back to camp.

"Right, not the most healthy, but... Eh, at least the nuts give protein."

Jackson got ready for bed and he felt... Good, like he had actually made personal progress on himself. He didn't work on magic, but it was nice to feel proud of yourself.

 

At least for a short while.

 

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