Chapter 20: Chapter 20: The Cave
Chapter 20: The Cave
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I walked straight towards the pier that Fel had pointed out and then towards the odd structure that sat on it. A structure I realized to be the fishing shack that had warped from age and leaned dangerously towards the water at the end of the pier.
As I approached, I yelled out as loud as I could, "Hey, is anyone there? I'd like to buy a fishing pole and some bait." But nobody replied. I figured maybe they were just ignoring me or couldn't hear me so I went to the front counter and leaned in, scanning around to see if I could catch anyone's attention, but it was useless.
For lack of a better definition, the fishing shack was empty. The interior was completely devoid of any decoration or furniture. I couldn't see any stored goods, or equipment, or signs of life. The only thing I could see, the single thing I could see was a price list for goods that as far as I could tell, didn't exist.
Fishing Shack #4 - Price List
FISHING POLE - 125 SHILLINGS
BIG BAIT - 75 SHILLINGS (Guarantees that everything caught is "big". This helps to faster unlock the ability "Fish Net"
REGULAR BAIT - 25 SHILLINGS (Increases odds of catching a fish to 50%
FiSH ENCLOSURE - 300 SHILLINGS (Used to breed and harvest fish over time)
GLASS GOGGLES - 400 SHILLINGS (Grants true sight when worn)
ANGLER HAT - 350 SHILLINGS (Purely Cosmetic, this serves no function)
"Fel, you said I needed a fishing pole and bait to get this net ability right?" I asked glancing at the menu and wondering how exactly I was going to make that happen with an empty store."
That’s correct, just simply place your order and what you want will appear. Don't overthink it, Fel instructed and I could hear the word of warning in the voice of my Sol guide. For being an ethereal wisp, I did find the word of caution kind of odd but decided to ignore it for now but still filed the concern away for later.
"I want a Fishing Pole and some Big Bait." I shouted looking around to see if maybe somebody was hiding. That wasn't the case at all, rather I watched as gold shillings literally 200 emerged from within the body of the ethereal wisp and disappeared into the air as a plain brown fishing pole and a sad saggy bag of fish appeared in a metal bucket next to it.
!Alert!
Items Purchased - Fishing Pole (125 Shillings, Big Bait 75 Shillings)
You may now fish.
You now possess 150 Shillings and 200 Lumber
Reaching out I grabbed the pole and the bait and went out towards the water, walking down a short ramp I saw and wading. Just like I'd seen with the couple, the water remained flawless with smell fish swimming, darting all around as the roar of the nearby waterfall kept the water churning and cold.
!Alert!
Ability Progress Update
"Underwater breathing 1/6"
This ability will unlock after sufficient time has been spent in the water.
"Fel, is that right? I unlock underwater breathing just by standing around in water? That seems a little too easy. Is there a catch??" I didn't want to complain, but it just didn't seem right. Like a trap or something along those lines, I’d already learned first hand that not everything was as it seemed in Netherland.
Not broken at all, it’s an ability to help you escape and hide, nothing more. Though the name is misleading, it only allows you to temporarily breathe underwater, it is not forever and does have a long cooldown. It will not help you to kill your wolf or slay your enemies. All abilities have their uses, the use on this one is more limited. Fel responded in explanation and something about how Fel described the ability made me pause and think perhaps something more was behind it.
"Hey, how do you know that? This isn't your first time being a guide, right?" I probed, wanting to know what the wisp was hiding and for a moment Fel said nothing as I cast my line into the water and watched the big bait sink beneath the gentle waves.
This is my 2nd time being a Sol guide, and my 4th time competing in this game. I've been like you, aimlessly trying to survive, and just like you likely will be, I was struck down and killed by a madman, someone who sought to curry favor with the one who had become the wolf. I know firsthand the limits to this water breathing.
"Well what else do I need to know if you've already done this?" I asked, practically pleading with the Wisp, as my mind thoughts grew heavy with a memory of the prior night and the curse I now bore. But this time from Fel there would be no response except the tugging on my line as I begin to reel in something that felt impossibly large, and impossibly strong that I couldn't see or rather perceive up onto its body broke the surface of the water. I was pretty sure it was some kind of magic effect because I could still see easily enough once I’d pulled it out. When the fish erupted out of the water, I finally saw what I had caught, aa gigantic crab that disappeared as it was absorbed by my Sol guide.
!Alert!
You have caught a giant crab! It weighs 14 pounds!
You may sell this at any shop by dropping it in the collection booth for 280 shillings
Ability Progress Update
Fishing Net 1/20
This ability will unlock after you have caught an additional 19 big fish.
The rest of what I assumed to be morning was fairly uneventful, the fish did not come easily, but they did come. After almost an entire afternoon of fishing, I managed to unlock water breathing. All it required was standing in the water for an hour and then submerging yourself. All in all, not the biggest deal, I had to assume that everyone else would have randomly unlocked it too.
After my 14th big fish was caught, Fel interrupted what had been a fairly quiet bit of solitude.
I'm full up. You need to get rid of this fish, just think about grabbing them with your mind and placing them in the collection bin when we get back to the fishing shack. I nodded, but didn't respond, II was a bit annoyed with the wisp and for a guide, they certainly weren't being as helpful as I would have been under the circumstances.
The collection bin was a bit obvious, though not quite what I would have gone with if I was the person assigning labels on things. The collection bin was an old rusted looking silver trash can chained to a post on the porch of the fishing shop. If Fel hadn't pointed it out to me once I got close, I never would have figured out why I had begun to feel a burning sensation.
I imagined reaching up and found that even though it was my imagination, I felt resistance as the large fish I caught started to appear on the edges of the wisps body and little by little disappeared into the collection bin until a few seconds later, nothing remained of the 189 pounds of fish I'd caught, nothing except for the 3780 shillings I had collected.
!Alert!
Sale of Goods
You have gained 3780 Shillings from the sale of 189 pounds of fish.
You now possess 3930 Shillings and 200 Lumber
Good, that should be enough. Commented Fel as the Wisp directed me back towards the shore. I’ll go ahead and send the command for the construction of a greenhouse and a workshop, we’ve too many things to do for you to do this task currently. The shillings will pay for the lumberjacks I’ve to hire.
I bristled at the comment, but didn’t think the Wisp had meant to cause offense.
Chris, the night will be on us soon and you need to go to the waterfall. I cannot tell you why only that something will reveal itself that will help you survive. Go now. Fel's voice had an urgency to it that let me know time was of the essence and rather than walk with a quickness, I ran back towards the shore and followed the shoreline before wading back into the water and approached the waterfall, feeling the push of the falling water on my body as I struggled to move closer.
!Alert!
Night is approaching in
5, 4, 3, 2, 1,
The effect was instant as the night turned to day and my body quickly morphed back into Wolf form, though this time, my mind was far clearer, even though it seemed fragmented as I caught a scent on the air, and something else, something more primal. A connection to the people and animals I had killed.
We will get to that Chris. Try to focus, your minions can wait. Simple tell them to feed until dawn and they will take care of themselves against most threats. Fel explained, and I did and immediately felt a tug in my consciousness as those minions obeyed and as they fed and spread the curse, my own ability to control myself increased.
Shortly after and I saw what Fel had been talking about, in the very center of the base of the waterfall I could see a shadowy doorway glimmering and clawed my way forward, and in response, the force of the waterfall did not push me away but rather seemed to open up and let me enter.
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Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone