Jason smiled at the five eagerly nodding heads, handing them each a coin.

“Hurry up now,” he told them. “Warn everyone, fast as you can!”

As the kids sprinted away, Jason turned to look at the three shabs that were scurrying alongside the channel in his direction. They had emerged from the water much closer to the mountain than where Jason had landed, placing him comfortably between them and the village.

“Why didn’t you stay in the water?” he wondered. “Did getting belted down here by water give you a complex?”

Their sideways crabwalk was faster than they could manage moving forwards, but their injuries were slowing them down. Jason looked at the potion in his hand, which would slow him down as well. He wasn’t skilled enough that the extra agility would do him any good, so he drank it.

You have used a defence potion, hardening your skin and reducing your [Speed] attribute.

Until the remnant magic fully dissipates, consuming further defence potions will result in toxic side-effects.

He could feel his skin tightening, like he’d left it too long in the dryer. It felt like old leather as he flexed, restrictive but tough. He looked at the approaching creatures, wondering about the range of his spell. He could feel his abilities instinctively, realising that anything he could clearly see was a viable target. He fixed his gaze on each monster, chanting a spell for each.

“Your fate is to suffer.”

The inexorable doom spell would add more and more of any stacking effect on the victim. The shabs didn’t have any on them yet, but Jason would change that as soon as they caught up with him. He drew his dagger, he ran the blade across the back of his forearm, but it didn’t draw blood.

“Huh.”

He realised he should have done it before drinking the potion. He gripped the blade tightly in his fist and yanked it out, this time managing a shallow cut on his palm.

Weapon [Night Fang] has inflicted [Umbral Snake Venom] on [Outworlder].

You have resisted [Umbral Snake Venom].

[Umbral Snake Venom] does not take effect.

You have gained an instance of [Resistant].

Jason, swore, having forgotten that his dagger was poisonous. Luckily, it didn’t take effect. There was now an icon representing the resistant buff next to his mana and stamina bars.

“Not that I want to complain, but why didn’t the poison work?”

Combat Log

You have been afflicted with iron-rank poison [Umbral Snake Venom].

Ability [Sin Eater] gives you increased resistance to all afflictions.

You have resisted [Umbral Snake Venom].

Resisting an affliction has triggered ability [Sin Eater], granting you an instance of [Resistant].