The crowd assembled along the city's southern edge, their gazes fixed on the tree line as vague shapes stirred within the forest's shadow. At first, only a few figures broke through the haze, distant and indistinct. But they kept coming. Dozens emerged, each towering and broad, their silhouettes massive even at a distance. Though still shrouded in the mist of the woods, their sheer scale and presence sent a ripple of tension through the waiting crowd.

General Valthorn, his cloak still dusted from the road, addressed the tense assembly at the southern battlements. "They're a splinter faction of a migrating war tribe," he said, his voice calm but edged with urgency. "Not bright, but savage. They attack on sight—pure instinct. Thankfully, their vision is poor. Right now, we're nothing but shapes in the haze. What's drawing them in is the scent of the city."

A murmur rippled through the gathered defenders, the weight of Valthorn's warning settling over them like a storm cloud. "If we don't deal with them swiftly," he continued, "they'll realize we're more than shadows and call in reinforcements. And trust me—we do not want the main body of the Orcish horde arriving at our gates."

Unease bristled through the crowd. Hands gripped weapons. Eyes tracked the steadily advancing silhouettes.

"What if we hang fresh meat from the walls?" Rose suggested, her tone sharp with inspiration. "Get them riled, make them break formation?"

"A sound tactic," Talgrin replied with a nod. "Blood in the air drives the more reckless ones wild. They'll charge blindly—makes them easier to bait and isolate."

"Get one of those deer carcasses," Dorgran snapped, already tugging a coil of rope from his inventory. "And fetch me a wind mage!"

Within moments, the deer was hauled up the outer wall, lashed tight beneath the battlements. The wind mage arrived, his robes fluttering as he stepped into position.

"Carry the scent straight to them," Dorgran instructed.

With practiced motions, the mage spun, drawing runes in the air with both hands. A steady gust picked up, flowing from the city outward, sending the aroma of fresh blood wafting through the trees.

They watched as the Orcs twitched—snouts lifting, heads turning. Then, as one, the creatures surged forward, thirty to forty strong, snarling and thundering across the open field.

Valthorn's voice rang out sharp and clear. "Centaurs, move through the side gates—wait for the clash, then cut off their retreat. Pike units to the southern wall, now!"

He turned toward Rose. "Be ready to unleash your strongest spells the moment they cluster."

Then to Ed: "Center the wall and prep your taunt. Pull them in close and tight. Rose, once they bunch—level them."

Steel rasped. Boots pounded. The city's defenders fell into motion, every part of the machine locking into place. The trap was set. All that remained was to spring it.

The clamor of war surged through the narrow streets of the outer city as warriors and mages rushed to their assigned positions. Armor clanked and spells shimmered in waiting hands, the air heavy with the scent of sweat, steel, and the raw bite of arcane energy. A nervous murmur ran through the defenders—an unspoken acknowledgment of what was coming. Everyone knew this would be a test unlike the skirmishes that came before.

Ed moved with a noticeable limp, his breath measured and shallow as he approached the wall's midpoint. Victoria stayed at his side, shadowing each step. The pain from their last engagement still gnawed at his muscles, each motion a reminder that rest was a luxury they couldn't afford. Yet there was no hesitation in his stride, no reluctance in his eyes. The horde demanded a response, and Ed would answer.

The first impact was seismic. The wall shuddered under the raw force of the Orcish charge. Stones groaned. Dust cascaded from the mortar joints. The roar of the Orcs was thunderous—rage and bloodlust in their guttural war cries. General Valthorn, perched on a vantage just behind the front, raised a hand and pointed. The signal was given.

Ed exhaled and activated his taunt.

A ripple of magic burst from him, subtle but undeniable. The shift in the enemy was instant. Orcs that had been swinging indiscriminately at stone and steel suddenly froze, their heads turning as one. Eyes wild and rimmed in red, they locked onto Ed. A primal snarl passed down the line. As if controlled by a single, furious will, they surged forward toward him, driven by the compulsion his skill had triggered.

Victoria stood firm beside him, her brows knit with tension. She had fought beside Ed often enough to know what this cost him. She saw the strain in his shoulders, the flicker of pain he tried to hide. Her heart twisted at the thought of the toll this life took on him—on them both. Could they endure this forever? Could any love survive a world where survival came with a body count?

There was no time for answers.

From above, every eye turned toward the battlements where Rose stood like a statue carved of firelight and stone. Her hands rose, each finger glowing with runes of burning energy. Her voice rang out over the chaos—clear, controlled, final.

"Eldvindr."

The world stopped.

Then came the storm.

A vortex of infernal wind ignited into existence, shrieking with elemental fury. Fire and air fused into a cyclone that exploded outward, enveloping the frontline Orcs in its incandescent wrath. The battlefield howled with blistering wind, tongues of flame searing flesh and armor alike. Screams echoed, cut short as the wind carried death.

The scorched air crackled, the heat giving way to biting cold. She layered her magic with precision. Orbs of jagged ice coalesced above her head and shot forward, plunging into the heart of the Orc formation. The impact shattered bones and froze sinew, locking limbs in place, denying any chance of escape. The explosions were dull, muffled beneath the roaring wind, but deadly all the same.

Wind Blades followed—razor-sharp streams of compressed air that sliced down with surgical precision. They tore through anything that still moved—shredding armor, severing arms, splitting torsos. Each arc of wind left ribbons of blood in its wake. Below, the pikemen took up the rhythm of death. They jabbed and thrust with renewed ferocity, spears plunging into weakened enemies now slowed or maimed by Rose's onslaught.

Within minutes, the chaos fell to silence. The front line lay in ruin.

Ed lowered his stance slightly, drawing a deep, painful breath. Victoria hadn't moved from his side.

On the wall above them, Rose finally let her hands fall, her face as unreadable as the flames she had conjured.

The battle—if it even deserved the name—lasted only minutes. Her magic tore through the Orcish lines with brutal efficiency, leaving charred bodies and scorched earth in its wake. Smoke curled from the blackened remains, the stench of burnt flesh mingling with the sharp tang of ozone and blood. Ash drifted across the battlefield like gray snow, settling into the ruined footprints of the fallen.

Beyond the carnage, Elders Talgrin and Dorgran wasted no time. Their voices cut through the haze, shouting commands to clear the gates and begin recovery operations. As the heavy doors groaned open, defenders surged forward, joined by laborers dragging ropes, tools, and makeshift repair supplies. They moved quickly, with urgency at every step. Some of the timber reinforcements had split, and several ropes that once secured the log barriers now hung frayed and useless, casualties of the Orcs' last charge.

General Valthorn stood near the breach, eyes scanning every detail with practiced precision. "We have plans for additional defenses," he said, voice calm but edged with concern, "but we need to prioritize fortifying this wall. If something worse comes before we finish the new one, we're exposed."

Bruce and Amelia stood nearby, already calculating. Bruce scratched his beard, then spoke. "We've got two paths. One—dip into our trade reserves. It'll cost us, and it'll be hard, but it'd be fast. Or we go for Advanced Wooden Defenses. It'll drain the 1,100 logs we've stockpiled and most of the ice crystals Sinclair left us. But the results? The wall gains five feet in height, two in thickness, and a quarter again in density."

Dorgran frowned, considering, but only for a moment. "Timber and cores we can replace," he muttered. "Lives, we can't. Do it."

The gathered leaders exchanged brief nods. No one raised a counter.

"I'll initiate the upgrade," Bruce said. "We'll need everyone off the wall until the process completes. I'll put out the call."

As the message spread, General Valthorn turned his attention to reconnaissance. He assembled a new scouting party, this time relying more heavily on the feline BeastKin. Their stealth and precision made them the perfect choice for slipping through dense woodland without notice.

"I'll take to the air myself," Valthorn added. "We need eyes above the trees. I want a full count of what remains and their direction. We can't afford to be blind."

He didn't wait for acknowledgment. The defenders had little time and less margin for error.

*****

Two Orc scouts crouched in the gloom beyond the treeline, no more than twenty feet into the underbrush. Shrouded by moss-draped branches and the ambient murmur of the forest, they kept silent vigil over the clearing below. Their yellowed eyes tracked the younglings, those reckless warriors eager to earn glory by striking at the settlement ahead. It was not the first time they had observed such scenes—brash youth testing themselves against what looked like easy prey—but something about this particular mission had gnawed at them since it began.

From their vantage point, the village appeared unimpressive. A low wooden palisade ringed its perimeter, and smoke from cookfires drifted lazily upward into the afternoon sky. At first glance, it seemed a trivial target, the kind of backwater outpost any raiding party could scatter with little effort. Yet the scouts hesitated.

The older of the two shifted, uneasy. The air felt wrong. The younglings below had not been chosen by strength or cunning, but by some other measure—impulse, perhaps. Since the emissary's arrival, little had made sense. That cloaked figure had entered the war chief's tent a week prior and emerged less than an hour later without a word to anyone else. What followed had shaken even the most hardened veterans.

The change in the young was impossible to ignore. Their growth had accelerated, bodies bulging with unnatural muscle. Their eyes held no cunning, only frenzy. They did not strategize. They charged. And when they fell, they did so with the same mindless abandon with which they had lived. Whatever had been whispered to the chief it had reshaped the horde from within, and no one dared question it.

Then came the battle.

The scouts watched as the village erupted in disciplined, lethal defiance. Elemental fire tore through the charging Orcs, scattering limbs and igniting the grasslands at the base of the wall. The defenders did not falter. They held their ground with brutal coordination. Then the Centaurs emerged—hooves pounding against the earth as they swept around the battlefield, cutting off retreat and butchering the stragglers.

What had seemed like an isolated village now revealed itself as something far more dangerous.

The scouts remained just long enough to confirm that none of the younglings had survived. When the last body fell, they slipped backward into the shadows, exchanging a grim look. No words passed between them; none were needed. They turned and melted into the forest, wind whispering through the trees like a warning.

The run back to the Horde took just over an hour. Along the way, they caught glimpses of other scouts darting through the treetops or along animal paths—eyes scanning, ears twitching, searching for ambush or opportunity. Yet even in that brief sprint, something else became apparent. The Horde's direction had shifted.

Originally, the war party had been set to bypass the village entirely, its path veering north. Now the march pulled further east, avoiding the settlement completely. The scouts exchanged another glance, the older one finally muttering a low growl under his breath. No command had been issued aloud, yet the course correction was undeniable.

As they crossed the outer perimeter, the haze of uncertainty thickened. Warriors moved in tight formation, their expressions more hollow than hungry. The drums beat a steady rhythm, but it felt devoid of purpose.

They passed through two sets of guards before reaching the command tent—a leather-draped construct bristling with bone charms and battle-trophies. Inside, torchlight flickered across rough maps and bone tokens marking current deployments.

The lead scout stepped forward and saluted with a clenched fist. "Commander," he said, voice low and measured. "The younglings encountered a village two hours south. The assault failed. None survived."

He did not elaborate. The details could wait until asked.

The Commander let out a slow breath, the tension in his jaw momentarily easing. "How would you assess the village's strength?"

The younger scout responded first. "At first glance, it seemed vulnerable—simple walls, limited movement. But the moment the assault began, their defenses activated like a sprung trap. Hard to give a precise count, but we saw no fewer than thirty defenders. Centaurs among them."

The Commander's lip curled in disdain. "It won't matter. Numbers or tactics, they're not enough to stop us. I'll brief the chieftain. That village will fall soon enough."

He turned away, signaling the end of the meeting. The scouts stepped back, but unease lingered, thick and unspoken. The air between them carried the weight of unanswered questions—questions they'd learned not to voice.

Living among the Horde taught a particular kind of awareness. Patterns emerged. Danger wore familiar shapes. And when something shifted beneath the surface, that one that kept you alive, sounded its silent alarm. The Horde didn't change direction without reason. No one made decisions unless it served them. Every Orc had a plan. The trick was making sure yours didn't get swallowed by someone else's.

Their eyes met briefly—no words, just mutual recognition of shared doubt.

"Understood, Commander," said the senior scout, voice clipped and unreadable. He kept his thoughts buried, but they churned beneath the surface. This decision, like so many others recently, reeked of haste. Of manipulation. The changes within the Horde weren't just strange. They were dangerous.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

The second scout nodded as well. "As you wish, sir." He cast a final glance at the maps spread across the table. The new route veered sharply east, away from the village they had just confirmed as a threat. Why shift direction now, only to return later?

The Commander waved them off. "You're dismissed. Be ready to guide the vanguard when the time comes."

They left without another word, but the doubts trailed behind them like shadows. The course change. The feral aggression of the younglings. The war chief's silence after the emissary's visit. Each thread pulled at the edges of something larger, something wrong.

As the Horde marched ever onward, a low current of suspicion coiled through the ranks. And as the scouts moved to rejoin their units, they kept their eyes on the horizon—where a village of unexpected strength waited, wrapped in quiet defiance.

Whether that place would become the Horde's next conquest or its reckoning remained to be seen. But both scouts felt it—deep in their bones—that whatever was coming, it wouldn't be simple. And it wouldn't be clean.

*****

Within the reinforced walls of Wolf's Run, a sharp edge of urgency settled over the village. As Bruce triggered the Advanced Wooden Defenses, a ghostly shimmer crawled across the perimeter—white light pulsing over timber like a frost spreading on glass. For nearly two minutes, the transformation continued. Boards thickened. Joins tightened. The entire structure expanded upward and outward, reshaping itself into something far more formidable.

Bruce watched in silence. The System's precision never failed to impress, though the sight always stirred a bitter taste. What they accomplished in moments could've been done with sweat, time, and skill—resources they had in abundance. Yet here they were, burning precious reserves to force progress in the name of survival. He hated how dependent they'd become.

The rest of the day vanished beneath a blur of coordinated labor. Work crews dug deeper trenches around the village, shaping a crisscrossing pattern designed to trap and confuse intruders. Others drove sharpened stakes into the mud, tips angled to gut anyone unlucky enough to fall in. Along the newly enhanced walls, crates of arrows and bolts were stacked beneath fresh crenellations, ensuring the defenders would never lack for ammunition. This wasn't preparation—it was escalation. War had arrived, and they were racing to meet it head-on.

Amid the clamor of construction, Ed decided it was time.

Still sore, but upright, he approached the center square with Victoria beside him. The worst of his wounds had closed, but the ache lingered. She remained close, guiding him through the process he'd missed while bedridden. Though she wore her usual stoicism, Ed could see the fatigue in her eyes—days of battle had worn on everyone.

As he began the race upgrade, Victoria practiced her Cleanse spell nearby, flicking the energy through her fingers with increasing ease. She had grown tired of the ever-present filth that came from living among timber, wet soil, and the blood-soaked residue of combat. Cleanse had become her favorite minor miracle.

When Ed's transformation began, it was anything but graceful. His body convulsed, expelling blackened sludge through his pores. A sour stench filled the air. He staggered, clutching his stomach as bile rose up his throat.

"Ugh, gods—that's foul," he gagged, doubling over. His body heaved again, and a stream of thick, dark fluid hit the dirt.

Victoria's laughter rang out across the clearing.

"Not funny," Ed groaned, wiping his mouth with the back of a trembling hand. "My shapeshifting boosts my sense of smell. This is actual nightmare fuel."

She raised an eyebrow, clearly unmoved by the complaint. "Should've upgraded sooner."

With a smirk, she stepped forward and cast Cleanse directly on him. The spell took hold instantly, washing away the grime and the stench with a gentle pulse of magic. The air sweetened. Ed inhaled cautiously, then gave her a grateful nod.

"Appreciated," he muttered, still catching his breath. He took a moment to rinse off at a nearby trough, then began reciting his newly updated stats aloud as he scrubbed the last remnants of transformation from his skin.

The village might have been bracing for a siege, but in that brief pause between spells and upgrades, laughter and nausea, Wolf's Run reminded itself that life still pulsed between its walls.

Name: Edward Brashear

Race: Human

Level: 25

Rank: E

Path: Path of the Wildshaper

Class: Primordial Druid (13)

Health: 190

Mana: 140

Stamina: 190

Strength: 108

Agility: 72

Constitution: 98

Intelligence: 72

Willpower: 67

Endurance: 98

Luck: 11

Available Points: 0

With a rare moment of quiet, Ed went to the new upgrade stalls, pulling up the interface that displayed his available race skills. The translucent menu unfolded before him like a map of possibility—each choice a thread that could shape the days to come. He'd planned to wait, to recover fully before making any long-term decisions, but time had run short. The threat pressing against Wolf's Run demanded readiness, not comfort.

He recalled the discussions from the last strategy meeting—brief moments of insight between defensive plans and supply counts. Those talks helped clarify what his team needed from him, and more importantly, what he needed to become. Every skill now carried a weight greater than raw numbers—it had to serve a purpose in the broader fight to survive.

Ed's fingers hovered over each entry as he scrolled, parsing the benefits with slow deliberation. He wasn't after brute strength alone. His path required balance—something resilient, adaptable. He had to be more than just another body in the fray.

Victoria stood nearby, arms crossed, observing with quiet interest. She stepped closer when he paused too long on a choice, giving him a look that urged decisiveness.

He began reading the skill names aloud, more to organize his thoughts than to inform her. "Nature's Grasp… Adaptive Physiology… Wildstride…" He frowned, tapping the air beside one option before moving on. "This one gives better regeneration when in animal form, but the stamina costs high. Might not be worth it without a cooldown reduction."

Victoria remained silent, letting him work through the options without interference. She knew better than to interrupt. Ed needed to think his way through it. He always did.

His eyes scanned the next cluster of abilities. He took a slow breath and kept reading. The decisions ahead weren't just about strength but about who he was becoming.

Race Level 1 Skill Selections:

Rush:

A sudden burst of speed that allows the user to close gaps or escape danger quickly, ideal for swift repositioning in battle.

Piercing Strike:

A precision attack designed to bypass armor, dealing high damage to weak points.

Steady Hand:

Improves accuracy and control with ranged weapons or precision tools, ensuring steady aim and precision.

"Seems like to me I need mobility skills so that I can be more versatile, especially in bear form." He selected Rush.

New Skill: Rush (Uncommon)

Description: Channel explosive energy into your movements, enabling rapid bursts of speed to close gaps or evade danger with precision.

Effects:

Swift Advance:

Increases movement speed by 50% for 3 seconds, allowing the user to cover significant ground or reposition effectively.

Momentum Boost:

Grants a 10% increase in attack speed or dodge rate for 5 seconds after the skill is used, enhancing follow-up actions.

Cooldown: 20 seconds

At level 5, he only read out the new one, Crushing Blow.

Race Level 5 Skill Selections:

Crushing Blow:

A powerful melee attack that delivers massive damage, capable of breaking through armor and staggering foes.

"Piercing Strike and Steady Hand still aren't really cutting it for me. Crushing Blow it is."

"Yeah, I wondered why you got those two as they don't seem to fit your style so far," Victoria said while digesting his latest skill.

New Skill: Crushing Blow (Uncommon)

Description: Deliver a devastating melee attack with overwhelming force, shattering defenses and disrupting your foes.

Effects:

Armor Break:

Deals 150% base damage and reduces the target's physical armor by 20% for 8 seconds.

Staggering Impact:

Causes enemies struck to stagger, briefly interrupting their actions and reducing their movement speed by 15% for 3 seconds.

Cooldown: 10 seconds

"I get three new skills at this stage." He said

Race Level 10 Skill Selections:

Stone Wall:

Temporarily increases the user's physical defense when struck, providing resilience in prolonged combat.

Battle Momentum:

Grants a stacking buff to attack speed or movement speed with each consecutive attack landed.

Awareness:

Heightens the user's senses, improving their ability to detect hidden enemies, traps, or resources in the environment.

"That Stone Wall skill sounds good. You have a movement skill, and while the Awareness doesn't sound bad, I think making you harder to hurt is a good idea." Victoria said with some hesitation. She didn't want to influence his choice, but she also wanted him to survive.

"You're not wrong." He smiled back at her, taking no offence at her suggestion.

New Skill: Stone Wall (Rare)

Description: Fortify your body with the unyielding strength of stone, enhancing physical defenses and resilience to withstand even the most relentless assaults.

Effects:

Immovable Fortitude:

Increases physical defense by 25% for the duration, reducing damage from melee and ranged attacks.

Reinforced Resolve:

Grants immunity to knockback effects while active, allowing the user to maintain their position in combat.

Enduring Presence:

Reduces stamina consumption by 10% for all physical actions, promoting sustained performance in prolonged battles.

Duration: 20 minutes

Quickly moving on to his next set, he read off the new skill that replaced Stone Wall.

Race Level 20 Skill Selections:

Thunder Strike:

Calls down a bolt of lightning on a target, dealing significant electrical damage and stunning the enemy briefly.

"I really don't have to ask which one you are going to choose do I?" She asked him and the only thing she got was a smile before he read the new skill out.

New Skill: Thunder Strike (Rare)

Description: Harness the fury of the storm to unleash a devastating bolt of lightning upon your target. Thunder Strike delivers a powerful surge of electrical energy, crippling foes and leaving them reeling from the storm's wrath.

Effects:

Lightning Impact:

Strikes a single target with a bolt of lightning, dealing 200% base magical damage.

Electrified Stun:

Stuns the target for 2 seconds, interrupting their current action and leaving them vulnerable.

Residual Charge:

Leaves an electrical charge on the target, dealing 50% of the initial damage over 5 seconds as residual shock.

Cooldown: 2 minutes

"Race level 25 next," He said before reading the list off.

Race Level 25 Skill Selections:

Shockwave:

Unleashes a powerful ground strike, creating a shockwave that damages and destabilizes enemies within a radius.

Hardened Skin:

Passively reduces incoming damage by increasing the user's natural armor rating.

Mend Wounds:

A simple healing skill that closes minor wounds and alleviates pain, ideal for basic recovery.

"Hmmm. What do you think?" Ed said, scratching the stubble on his face.

"I think you have resistance and offense under control. Having that Shockwave might be beneficial to crowd control." Victoria surmised that keeping the enemy locked down like that would be beneficial.

Shrugging his head, he selected it.

New Skill: Shockwave (Rare)

Description: Harness overwhelming strength to deliver a ground-shaking strike, unleashing a shockwave that reverberates through the battlefield. This devastating force not only inflicts significant damage but also disrupts and weakens enemies, leaving them vulnerable to further attacks.

Effects:

Seismic Impact:

Deals 120% base physical damage to all enemies within a 12-meter radius, disrupting their balance and reducing their accuracy by 10% for 5 seconds.

Tremor Pulse:

Creates a secondary shockwave that deals 50% of the initial damage to enemies in a larger 15-meter radius, spreading the effect further.

Destabilizing Force:

Reduces the attack speed of affected enemies by 15% for 6 seconds, weakening their offensive capabilities.

Cooldown: 30 seconds

Fully committed to his new skill set, Ed felt a surge of anticipation. Each choice was a strategic building block, bringing him one step closer to becoming the formidable force he aimed to be. All that remained was to put these skills into action, a prospect that seemed increasingly likely given the looming threats facing Wolf's Run.

After navigating through his racial options, Ed had the opportunity to select from the more potent class skills. These choices promised to significantly elevate his capabilities, and he felt a sense of excitement looking at the menu before him.

Class Level 1 Skill Selections:

Raven's Sight:

Project your vision through a summoned raven familiar, scouting areas and marking enemies or resources for allies.

Stone Skin:

Encase your body in a layer of rock, reducing incoming physical damage by 30% and reflecting 10% back at attackers for 15 seconds.

For his first Class skill, he selected Raven's Flight. Being able to scout like that sounded pretty awesome.

New Skill: Raven's Sight (Rare)

Description: Channel your vision through a summoned raven familiar, gaining a bird's-eye view of the battlefield. This skill allows precise scouting, enemy tracking, and resource marking, providing invaluable support to allies.

Effects:

Ethereal Vision:

Grants the user a wide field of vision through the raven familiar, revealing hidden enemies, traps, and environmental hazards within a 30-meter radius.

Mark of the Raven:

Allows the raven to mark up to three targets or resources, highlighting them for allies and reducing marked enemies' evasion by 10% for 10 seconds.

Skyborne Agility:

The raven moves swiftly and silently, unaffected by terrain or obstacles, ensuring uninterrupted reconnaissance for up to 1 minute.

Cooldown: 2 minutes

Next, he pulled up the new skill that come with Level 5.

Class Level 5 Skill Selections:

Primordial Bond:

Establish a lifelong connection with your destined familiar, a creature drawn from the depths of nature to share your journey. This permanent companion grows stronger alongside you, offering unique abilities and unwavering support in battle and beyond.

Ed turned and glanced at Victoria, one eyebrow raised.

She stared back and sighed. "We both know that you are going to pick the companion over the Stone Skin. Don't even act like this was a hard decision."

He just chuckled to himself as he did so. She apparently knew him better than he thought, which made him feel some sort of way inside.

New Skill: Primordial Bond (Epic)

Description: Reach into the primal depths of nature to summon the companion destined to share your path. The summoned familiar forms a permanent bond with the caster, growing alongside them and offering unique abilities that complement their druidic powers.

Effects:

Call of the Wild:

Initiates a summoning ritual to call forth the animal spirit destined to become the caster's familiar. The summoned creature reflects the caster's essence, abilities, and connection to nature.

Shared Growth:

The familiar grows stronger as the caster advances, gaining enhanced stats, new abilities, and deeper synergy with the caster's skills.

Eternal Bond:

The connection between caster and familiar is unbreakable, allowing the two to communicate telepathically and share a portion of each other's health and stamina in times of need.

Cooldown: One-time use for the summoning ritual; the familiar remains permanently bonded. Can be recast once per day to summon familiar to the caster's side.

Once that was done, he promptly employed the skill as well. A light built up around him, and then, without a notice, he raced off into the sky, destination unknown.

They both stood there waiting to see what happened. After a minute or two, Ed shrugged his shoulders and returned to his last class skill selection.

Class Level 1 Skill Selections:

Beast Form: Dire Wolf:

Transform into a dire wolf, gaining increased speed, enhanced melee damage, and an agility boost for the duration.

Elemental Wrath:

Summon a storm of fire, ice, and lightning that rains destruction in a target area, dealing heavy damage over time to enemies within the zone.

Ed stared at the skill screen, torn between two enticing choices: Beast Form and Elemental Wrath. Both were strong options, and each offered its own unique benefits. Victoria sat on the bench outside the stall, listening to him as he washed the gunk off his skin.

"Beast Form gives you speed and agility," she said thoughtfully, "but Elemental Wrath seems like a direct upgrade to the spells you already have. They're both excellent choices, so what do you think?"

Ed frowned, weighing his options. "I already have my bear form, and Elemental Wrath would definitely add more firepower. But Beast Form seems... versatile. It's faster and more agile than the bear, which opens up a lot of possibilities."

Victoria nodded, but after a moment of contemplation, she shrugged and smiled. "This one's your call. They're both great, so pick what feels right."

Ed sighed, his finger hovering over the screen before finally selecting Beast Form. "The variability sold me," he admitted. "I'll pick up Elemental Wrath next time if I still like its look. For now, I think this form gives me more options."

New Skill: Beast Form: Dire Wolf (Epic)

Description: Transform into a Dire Wolf, an apex predator of the wilds. This powerful form enhances your speed, agility, and ferocity, allowing you to dominate the battlefield with primal strength and cunning. The Dire Wolf embodies the relentless instincts and lethal precision of nature's finest hunter.

Effects:

Predator's Grace:

Enhances movement speed by 40% and agility by 25% while in Dire Wolf form, allowing for swift and precise attacks or evasive maneuvers.

Feral Savagery:

Grants a bleed effect to melee attacks, causing 15% additional damage over 5 seconds and stacking up to three times.

Pack Leader's Aura:

Allies within a 10-meter radius gain a 10% boost to movement speed and attack power, inspired by the Dire Wolf's commanding presence.

Cooldown: 10 minutes.

Once the decision was made, Ed stepped out of the bath area. He felt a profound change in his body. It wasn't just the aches and stiffness of before—it was as if he'd been completely revitalized. Energy coursed through him, leaving him feeling lighter, sharper, and ready for anything.

Although he hadn't yet tested his new abilities, Ed felt confident in his choice. Whatever challenges lay ahead in Wolf's Run, he was far better prepared now. In a world filled with danger, every advantage mattered, and he was ready to put his to the test.

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