Leveling up the World

Chapter 11: Midnight Meeting

Chapter 11: Midnight Meeting

Sneaking out of home, as Dallion found out, was the most difficult challenge he had faced so far. Finding himself in a strange new world with weird magic abilities, one would have expected fending off monsters or exploring dungeons to be the most challenging. Trying to sneak out unnoticed of a two-room house with a squeaky floor, proved to be an even greater feat.

Back in his previous life, this wouldnt have been an issue. With his parents working late most of the time, Dallion could walk out of the front door and nothing would happen. Even if they were there, all it took was to climb out of the window. Here, he had to work for it.

Using the same footwork he had developed through his Guard skills, the boy leapt from spot to spotrepairing the board underneath before it could make a sounduntil he finally reached the door. From there it was a quick pull and twist so he could open the door, then squeeze through the crack before it shut back againunlike the village chief, Dallions family could only afford a bar to keep it locked at night.

Good thing muscle memory is a thing, the boy thought.

Gloria had told him to be at the river at midnight. Thats why Dallion was there two hours earlier. The first half hour he spent seeking out a good ambush spot. Once he did, he hid there and waited. and waited and waited.

Twenty minutes later, the boy bitterly regretted his decision to appear early. Waiting in ambush, unlike the version shown in games and movies, turned out to be an utterly boring process. Dallion didnt have a phone or book to pass the time with. The only things he did have was the skill to tell time by the night sky, something taught to him by his father, and a sky to look at.

No one came at eleven, nor at eleven twenty, nor at eleven forty. Ten minutes to midnight, Dallion was virtually hoping that Gloria would appear with a few people in her household, so the whole thing could be over with at last. She didnt. Instead, the girl arrived at midnight on the dot. Apparently, she had far more common sense.

Dallion? the girl said in semi-whisper, looking around. Dallion?

At this point, the boy could no longer stand it. Throwing all caution to the wind, he left his hiding place and quickly rushed in her direction.

Dallion! Gloria saw him approach. Why are you coming from there?

I got lost, Dallion grumbled. The girls expression suggested that all sarcasm had been lost on her. Anyway, Im here. How do I improve my awakening?

No problem. Dallion smiled back. One question, though. If you were blindfolded when you got here, how did you find it?

My awakening. When I was given the option, I chose to improve my Perception. I remembered the sounds and smells on the way back.

Neat trick.

The cave emerged shortly later, delving in a boulder like a cavity in a tooth. Pitch dark and barely large enough to let a person pass, it continued on for a few dozen steps, ending in a large underground chamber. The entire time Dallion was forced to hold on to Gloria, after all, she was the one with the high perception. The only thing he could do in the situation was make sure he didnt fall or bump into anything.

Upon reaching the chamber, a warm golden glow emerged, covering everything in light.

You can let go now, the girl said, as she continued to the center of the area, where a small altar was located.

There were no words to describe the sight. The altar was dazzling with its simplicity. Unlike anything Dallion had seen in this or his previous life, it was perfectly monolithic shaped like a simplified hex grid. Six pillars of hex shaped crystal rose from the floor, surrounding a seventh. Grey lighta notion Dallion never thought could existshone through them, giving off a faint, but unmistakable sensation of power, like a holy artifact low on batteries.

Whats that? Dallion asked.

An altar of the Seven Moons, the girl replied. It must have been a shrine once, long forgotten and abandoned. Its power remains, though.

Its power?

The Seven Moons are what gave humanity the power of awakening. They can also help us grow. When you improve their altar, you actually improve yourself. Gloria put her left hand on top of the central pillar, then turned around and extended her right in Dallions direction. This is how youll gain your second skill.