Rewind: A Grimdark LitRPG Series (Pyresouls Apocalypse, Book 1) by James Callum (reading tree .txt) 📕

in the process. It was painful knowing that his dramatically lower [Mace] would be superior to his [Longsword’s] damage.

[Equipment Reinforcement]

Mace [Weapon] +1

Physical Damage: 100 -> 109

Type: Blunt

Scaling: STR [B] -> STR [B+]

Light Attack: 15 -> 13 Stamina

Heavy Attack: 40 -> 35 Stamina

Magical Damage: 0 -> 0

Arcane: 0 -> 0

Fire: 0 -> 0

Water: 0 -> 0

Earth: 0 -> 0

Harmony: 0 -> 0

Chaos: 0 -> 0

Status Infliction

Bleed: 10 -> 12

Poison: 0 -> 0

 Curse: 0 -> 0

Stagger: 50 -> 55

Break: 30 -> 35

Durability: 400/400 -> 450/450

Guilt: 1 -> 1

Just like that, 15,000 Souls were spent. He easily felt the physical effects of more Health, in the sturdiness of his body and the sensation of calm that came over him. His higher END and AGI made every motion both faster and less tiring.

He was now within striking distance of the Level he was at when he quit Pyresouls.

Folding his arms, Jacob nodded off to sleep, confident that things were going to be different this time.

18

“Where did you learn to do that?” the Fire Oppa asked when Jacob awoke. “Kindling, I mean.”

Jacob thought back to the dream or… whatever it was. Even now, thinking back on it he couldn’t be sure what it was all about. Was that actually Kim? If he was technically dead for a short period, had she found some way of contacting him?

They had been close. It was one of those silly pacts that some people made. Post-Collapse most people swapped pacts of contacting the other person from the beyond for the practical promise of making sure they wouldn’t return.

After all, everybody knew that the dead didn’t stay dead for long. And the whole concept of contacting somebody after death took on a much darker tone Post-Collapse.

But not Kim. She was fascinated with the beyond. Always into mystical junk that worked about as much as it failed.

Not surprisingly, Kim was gifted in the Clemency arts which required FTH. He shouldn’t have been surprised when she said she’d find a way to talk to him from beyond the grave, but only if he kept an open mind about it.

Where Kim was concerned, Jacob would always try. He owed everything to her but as the years went on and there was no sign, he eventually gave up.

“The living owe it to the dead to continue living,” was her favorite saying. Unsure about the dream, or the talk with Kim… whatever it was, Jacob recounted the events to the Fire Oppa.

He lapsed into a contemplative quiet afterward. All he could think about was how he agreed with her. If only we had more time.

“Very interesting,” the Fire Oppa said. “It sounds like you had a brush with death.”

“And you’re going to tell me that it was just wishful thinking? Random synapses in my brain firing as it begins to die?”

“Do you want me to?”

Jacob looked down at his hands and shook his head.

“I would be lying to you anyway,” the Fire Oppa said, crossing his paws beneath his muzzle and resting his head upon them. “I can’t tell you what precisely, but there is more than just this one life you have. Or, in your case the two lives you have.”

There were so many questions he wanted to ask but Jacob held them in check. What little the Fire Oppa shared with him made him feel better even if it wasn’t true. It felt good to believe it anyway.

“You wanted me to light all the Pyres I could, didn’t you?” Jacob said, getting to his feet.

“That would be nice, but I only require six to be relit.”

“How many more do I have to go?”

“Three,” the Fire Oppa said around a yawn. “There are, however, nine Pyres in total that you could light. That’s a pretty strong number around here.”

“You said you could give me more information if I reignited more Pyres,” Jacob said, looking at the exit to the room then back at the Pyre. “Was that part of your hint about the treasure down below?”

He wasn’t sure but it looked like the Fire Oppa nodded.

“Can you tell me where the next Pyre is?”

“Every major area has one but there are specific Pyres, those with particularly strong roots. The next closest one? There’s one on the Ashen Flood in the middle of the lake.”

“How do I get to that? I can’t exactly swim in heavy armor and I doubt the lake is friendly besides.”

“Quite. You might want to go looking in the Drowned Halls for a pretty pearl ring. It could come in handy.”

“You’re not going to give me more than that, are you?” Jacob shook his head.

“My paws are tied,” the Fire Oppa said. “I’ve given as much as I can. But I’ll have a treat for you if you can reignite the Pyre in the Drowned Halls.” He winked at Jacob then shut his eyes and took a nap.

He knew he was stalling. What mattered right then was getting into the catacombs and making it to the very depths of its dark heart where the Gnawing Hunger resided. Considering the caginess of the Fire Oppa he doubted the creature could give him directions to his objective.

Which meant he would need to search and flounder on his own. The prospect wasn’t particularly appealing. Though he did have a Pyre close to the upper levels of the Desecrated Catacombs, his treasure was at the deepest levels.

Isn’t it always? he thought to himself with a snort.

No treasure or goal was ever on the ground floor. It was always at the tallest peak or the lowest valley. No in-betweens.

Swapping his [Longsword] for his [Mace +1], Jacob left the Pyre behind and ventured down into the catacomb, his heart hammering in his chest.

Camilla’s absence was a keen loss he couldn’t help but lament. Every so often he looked over his shoulder, hoping he might spot the raven-haired woman but knowing at the same time that it was an impossible hope.

He might as well turn around to find Kim, alive and well. She was alive too,