Darkest Ground Online The Lost Ones

Chapter 2

Some time passed since Eren left the old women's cabin.

The forest was quiet, too quiet thinking he would have run into some enemies by now or other players but he hasn't yet come into contact with anyone.

In the distance, he noticed a dim light, as he drew closer he found an old farm that looked abandoned.

The ground clogged with mud, rotting corpses of what seem to be regular farm animals now covered with bloated flies and maggots. The stench was so foul that it made Eren vomit a little. Everything felt real he thought to himself, covering his mouth and nose with his shirt from the strong smell he examined each of the corpses.

Large gaping wounds, it showed them on most of the animals, bite and claw marks but whatever did this was big and hungry.

He heard a noise, sounding like it coming from the fields. Eren went towards the noise as it sounded like someone was in danger, turning off the light from his lantern he crouched between two large haystacks and saw a young girl.

"Help Me! Please get them off me!"

She screamed while three men were grabbing and pulling on her. The men looked sick, their skin covered in sores and torn pieces of flesh. One of them started attacking the woman scratching at her and stomping on her stomach.

"Please... Stop!" The women cried out in pain now coughing up blood on the muddy ground.

Eren didn't hold back, readying his rifle and firing at the one stomping on the women.

A perfect headshot, now just a hanging jaw the man dropped to the ground. The two other men then looked at their fallen comrade, their eyes turned red as blood and so did their face and skin, as they let out a horrific scream. Distracted the young girl took this chance and ran hiding in an old shed.

(Bell Noise)

Tainted Farmers Grade 0. These men were once farmers but now tainted by the beast, their minds lost and driven by madness. Such is the fate of fools of the flesh.

Eren saw the farmers heading his way, aiming his rifle, something tackled him from behind, dropping his gun in the muddy water. Another tainted farmer drooled blood from its horrid lips and tried to bite Eren with its jagged teeth.

Thinking fast, he reached for his dagger and stab through its face as it fell limp and died. Eren pushed the monster's corpse off him quickly, as the other two were heading his way.

The next farmer swung at Eren but trip a little from the mud which he dodges and slashed at it cutting off its hand and running behind it stabbing it in the back of the head killing it instantly. Eren had only one enemy left, but they tired him, as he tried to catch his breath, noticing that the creature wasn't attacking him but looking at its fallen brethren.

The tainted farmer screamed at him, blood dripped from its mouth, as something strange started happening. The dead bodies of those two farmers began to melt, a greenish slime-like mold, started moving and merging with the remaining farmer. Growing in size, becoming something more beastly.

(Bell Noise)

Tainted Maneater Grade 0, Who would've thought such a beast exist, a great maw with claws of nightmare and a human face embedded in its chest there is only death in its wake.

Eren took a few steps back staring at the hulking beast, it's large arm was twisted in bone and muscle and large claws that it dragged across the mud. The maneater roared charging at him, with just enough time he dodged, striking at it. Eren damaged the Maneater a little but it was just a craze, as the monster swung its large arm back at him. Eren's arm was cut but just a little, he needed to get to his gun to take this beast down but after being tackled, he lost it in the mud.

The Maneater charged again, Eren knew he couldn't keep dodging forever since he felt himself getting tired, using the mud beneath him, sliding under its large arm and striking at its body with all his might.

The dagger cut deep, damaging the monster greatly, as a large piece of its flesh tore open from its side revealing its heart. Eren wasted no time and used the last bit of his stamina striking at its heart until he retreated back inside its horrid body. The Maneater reached for him, catching his breath he couldn't get out of the way. Grabbed by his legs the creature lifted him up and slammed him to the muddy ground.

Eren felt great pain, his vision blurred showing red, coughing up some blood. Thinking of a way to free himself, he remembers the items that the old women gave him. Eren in his quick thinking reached in his belt, grabbing a couple of knives, throwing it at the creature's eyes.

The Maneater, now blind let go of Eren's leg, he landed on the muddy ground and rolled away to safety, using a greenish herb and flash so he recovered some of his lost health and stamina. Eren then searched for his gun, pulling the knives from its eyes, it started regenerating. Eren checked the hay spot he was thrown out of, finding his gun.

Recovering its lost sight, seeing that it was now at gunpoint. Eren fired his rifle damaging the creature greatly blinding it again, blowing a chunk of its face away. While the Maneater tries to heal its wounds, it protected itself using one hand to cover it and swinging its other arm madly trying to prevent any more attacks from Eren. But that couldn't stop what Eren had stored for it, as he fired two shots at its limbs crippling the creature as it dropped to the ground. Trying to use its large arms to hold itself up, its heart bursting from its back.

Eren took this chance leaping forward onto the monster's back, pulling out his dagger, and striking its twisted heart. Eren using up all his stamina struck again and again until its heart burst. Blood went everywhere, Eren backflip off its back, as it dropped dead head first in the mud. Putting his hands on his knees, catching his breath, realizing how real combat is in this game and that he could feel actual pain he knew that this game was going to push him to the max and he liked it.

(Bell Noise)

Well done Hunter, on your kills. Make sure to loot your enemies and take any piece of their body as a trophy for proof of the kill. Eren glowed again as he felt something warm surrounding him.

New Skills

Carve- Increase dagger damage by 3%.

Fast Hands- Reload speed increase by 3%.

Exhale- Stamina Recovery increase by 3%

You only can choose 1 skill.

Skills are only offered when you push yourself to the limit. The more you push yourself the more skills you can learn. Choose wisely, hunter.

Eren stood thinking for a moment, he wanted the extra damage as it would help out in killing enemies faster, but the reload speed would help out in tight situations, and the stamina recovery would be a lifesaver. Thinking a little bit more, Eren finally decided on the skill he wanted.

Skill learned: Exhale- Stamina Recovery increase by 3%

Well done. You have proven yourself a true Strider. for making the right choice you will receive this skill. Eren glowed again.

Skill learned: Fast Hands- Increase Reload speed by 3%.

This is only a one-time thing. All skills must be earned the right way. Now go and hunt. The voice in his head went silent.

Shocking, he couldn't believe that by just choosing a more life-saving skill that he will get an extra skill. Eren then started looting the dead Maneater, pulling out a piece of its hearts for a trophy.

Items looted: Hulking Heart Piece Trophy can be turned in for rewards, gunpowder x15 use for making ammo, Throwing Knives x2, weapon parts x7 use for crafting, upgrading weapons or making traps and grenades, Stained Cloak +2 Dex and Bone Shards x5 and tainted hide x5 use for crafting or upgrading armor.

Eren then tried to use his lantern, now cracked and broken he had no source of light to lead his path. He looked around and saw light coming from the shed. Remembering the women, Eren headed towards to check and see if the woman was ok, reaching the door Eren knocked calmly.

"Is...it safe? How do I know you're not one of them?" The woman replied.

"Wait you in the light? Then you must not be one of them." Eren stood silent.

"You killed them? Then you must be a hunter." The woman's tone changed as she then unlocked the door.

Eren had a good look at the girl, very young and beautiful, having long blonde hair and pale white skin. Looking more like his age. The young girl's torn dress revealed some of her womanly parts that really took his mind somewhere else for a moment, focusing more on the real issue, he saw tears run down her face.

"I can't thank you enough hunter." The girl holding her hands together close to her chest.

"They have been chasing me since they attacked my village. I ran away leaving my family and friends to find someone to help us and now you're here you can kill those things and make our village safe again. Would you please, good hunter?"

(Bell Noise)

Side Quest: A woman of the village has asked you to help save her home from the taint. To do this you must kill all infected with the taint and cleanse the source. Do you accept?

Eren nodded to the woman's request.

"Thank you, good hunter! Thank you." She then points to the back of the shed, revealing some more supplies and a workbench.

"If you need to make supplies or work on your weapons please use this. It will help you." The women then closed the door and sat down next to the wall.

"Please talk to me when you're ready." Eren nodded and went to pick up the items he saw lying on the floor.

Looted Items: Weapon Parts x10, Gunpowder x10, and Broken Rifle

After looting around in the shed, Eren went to the workbench, and a menu screen spawn.

(Bell Noise)

When using the workbench you can craft any items or weapons if you have the required resources to make it. The more items you find the more you can survive please use your resources wisely.

At the workbench, a menu screen came up and a list of items as well.

Craftable Gear: Rawhide hood +1 Dex, Rawhide gloves +1 Str, Rawhide protector +1 End, Rawhide Cuisses +1 Agi. Each cost 1 Monster Hide.

Craftable Weapon: Bone Dagger 4 Atk +1 Str cost 3 Bone shards.

Ammo Resupply: Cost 3 gunpowder to make a bullet.

Repair Weapon: Broken Rifle cost 5 weapon parts to repair.

Upgrade weapon: Rusted Rifle +1 cost 5 weapon parts to increase attack by 2 points and magazine by 5.

Resources are scarce. Take your time in choosing what you want to do before going out on any hunts. Being unprepared will affect you greatly and lead you to death.

Looking over more at his options, he knew that making a full set of armor will help out greatly in surviving. Selecting all the pieces, crafting his full rawhide set, then making some rifle rounds for his gun, but the toughest choice was to choose between upgrading his current gun or making a new one. Eren wanted to see what this broken rifle would be but he also wanted to upgrade his gun, but he only had enough resources for one. With his mind made up, he finally decided, select the broken rifle and repair it.

(Bell Noise)

Item received: Rawhide hood +1 Dex, Rawhide gloves +1 Str, Rawhide protector +1 End, Rawhide Cuisses +1 Agi. Each cost 1 Monster Hide, Rifle Ammo x5, and New Weapon: Long Rifle 5 Atk 26 magazine. Eren then pulled down his menu and equipped his gear.

Name: Eren

Vocation: Strider

Rank: 0

Gear

Weapon 1: Bone dagger 4 Atk +1 Str

Weapon 2: Long Rifle 5 Atk 26 magazine

Armor: hunter clothing 2 armor 3 resistance

Head: Rawhide Hood +1 Dex

Chest: Rawhide Protector +1 End

Arm: Rawhide Gloves +1 Str

Leg: Rawhide Cuisses +1 Agi

Back: Stained Cloak +1 Dex

Base Stats

HP: 124

ST:120

Strength 3 - increase melee weapon damage.

Intellect 1 – increase traps and Elemental damage.

Dexterity 5 – increase Gun weapon damage.

Endurance 2– Increase resistance to damage and status effects.

Agility 3 – Increase Stamina and reload speed.

Skills

Fast Hands- Reload Guns 3% faster.

Exhale- Recover Stamina 3% faster.

Items

Cabin Key

Bone Shards x2

Rifle ammo x10

Weapon Parts x2

Hulking Heart Piece Trophy

Greenish Herbs x4 restore 10 HP

Water Flask x3 restore 20 ST

Bandages x5 heals 20 HP for 6 seconds and stops bleeding.

Throwing Knives x5 deals 10 damage and has a chance to bleed the enemy.

Cracked Lantern

Now finished upgrading himself, stepping away from the workbench checking out his new gear. The rifle he repaired had a bayonet, which can be useful for close combat. Eren looked at the young girl, she stood and smiled, checking him out.

"You look like an amazing hunter. Good enough to have a b-" Catching herself, as Eren looked at her strangely she then turned her back to him out of embarrassment.

Eren walked up to her, putting his hands on her shoulder nodding his head letting her know that he was ready to depart to her village.

"Well then follow me, good hunter." Reaching for the door she turned back around.

"I'm so rude. Forgive me, hunter. My name is Sara."

Eren looked and smiled as he was about to tell her his name, but she turned back around quickly heading towards the door.

Sarah opened the shed door, as they walked outside Eren saw another lantern and took it from the shed, since his first one was damaged from the fight, he would need it for their travels to Sarah's village.

"This way hunter. Let's make haste."

As the two ran off into the deep dark woods, someone else hid in the shadows watching them.

"Hmm. Interesting."