The Tree of Ascension: A LitRPG Apocalypse (Peril's Prodigy Book 2) by Craig Kobayashi (ebook reader 7 inch TXT) 📕

said Garath via Party communication. He indicated the man’s position with his beak, then he and Auto banked slightly to meet Irwin near where Garath was sure the parking lot had been.

Garath was in awe at how many of man's structures and miracles of technology had already been reclaimed by nature. He figured that Rum’bah, or another emissary for that matter, may have had something to do with that. The landscape of vines and moss among several unrecognizable plants growing over everything mankind had forged over its thousands of years was both beautifully gratifying, and also a stabbing reminder that the world would never again be how it once was. Before making it to ground level, Garath triggered Inspect on both the zookeeper and his tortoise.

Irwin

Human

Health: 910/910

Level: 23

Class: Tamer

Mana: 240/240

Darwin

Beast

Health: 1,100/1,100

Level: 23

Tamed Beast

Mana: 0/0

Garath and Auto shimmered into their natural forms upon landing a few feet from Irwin and his massive tortoise. Garath smiled, hoping the greeting would help alleviate any bad vibes given off by his slightly demonic features.

“Irwin,” Garath said brightly. “It’s nice to meet you.” After his verbal beatdown from the Hawkies a few days before, the Necrologist stopped introducing himself by name. As those little asshats pointed out, the nameplate always visible above his head did the job for him.

“Ay, Garath. Who’s this?” the man asked, his Australian heritage clear in his voice.

“This is Auto, he's a friend of mine. He’s a Chimerist, so for him, getting new forms to combine is like getting a Tamer getting a new pet,” Garath explained.

“Chimerist, huh? I guess that explains the fuzzy bird thing.” Irwin looked curiously at Auto. “I think I’d really like to see what someone like you can do with that BeastScape Ability!”

Auto smiled widely. “I’ve come up with some pretty cool things, but meeting the animals you have here is like Christmas in July,” Auto responded. Then, unable to contain himself even long enough for a proper introduction, eyes wide, he asked, “Do you have a rhino?”

“Yeah, we do," Irwin replied, laughing. "Just the one though. She’s grown quite a bit since the whole magic-world takeova, but she’s just as sweet and gentle as she’s ever been. Harriet’s my wife’s companion.”

“Can we…” Auto stammered. "May I please have the pleasure of meeting Harriet?"

Garath was taken aback. He'd never once seen Auto so polite.

Irwin grinned. "Yes, you certainly may. Before that, I was hoping you would help me out with something too, Garath. And since you’ve brought your friend, I’m sure the three of us could handle it without too much trouble.”

“Anything,” Auto readily agreed. “Whatcha need?”

Garath just smiled at the exchange and nodded his agreement to Irwin’s questioning look in his direction.

“There’ve been a couple attacks down the south side of the compound. Nothing serious yet. The animals’ve grown strong and can hold their own for the most part, but it’s been getting worse. The elephants have been the target each time, poor things. At first, I didn’t know what was going on, just seen the blood on their legs and undersides. Whatever attacked ‘em was gone before I got there to check it out. Anyway, yesterday, it left the Matriarch with a nasty poisoned condition. I found a Naturist in the forums who was willing to heal and cleanse the old girl, but I’m worried to think what’ll happen if I don’t do something . If you’re willing, will you come with me to check it out?” asked Irwin.

Garath was surprised to receive a prompt.

You have been issued the Quest: Trouble at the Zoo

Irwin has made it clear that something has been attacking the elephant enclosure on the south side of the compound. Go with him to investigate and, if necessary, quell the threat.

Do you accept this Quest?

Yes or No

Success Rewards: Unknown

Failure Rewards: Unknown

He quickly chose yes. Garath was chomping at the bit to get to Level 30. In this new world, quests seemed harder to come by than a good joke about the Church of Immaculate Conception.

“Dude! You just gave me a quest,” Garath exclaimed.

“Me too!” Auto cheered.

“How did you do that?” Garath asked. If he could figure out how the process of issuing quests worked, it would open a whole new world of possibilities.

“Wish I could tell yeh,” Irwin said, the surprise and confusion clear on his rugged features. “I didn’t even know I’d done it ‘til I got a message sayin’ that you two accepted my quest.”

Garath figured since they were going together, he may as well send the zookeeper a Party invitation. Irwin accepted. “Well, let’s go check it out. I unlocked a non-Class Skill called Tracking that may help us figure out what's been going on."

Irwin was intrigued by Garath’s Skill. The zookeeper asked the Necrologist questions about it as they made their way around the perimeter of the zoo through dense foliage to the south side. Considering Irwin’s obvious interest in the non-Class Skill, Garath said he’d try to help the zookeeper unlock it as well, but cautioned non-Class Skills can be difficult to unlock.

Irwin’s tortoise, Darwin, lagged behind as they went, but the Tamer didn’t seem concerned, so Garath and Auto kept pace with him. As they rounded the final turn, bringing them directly south of the elephant’s habitat, a purple glow came into view. Garath pointed in that direction.

“Right there,” he said. “There’s a Lair just past those thick bushes. Can’t be positive, but I’d say it’s a good bet that whatever’s populating the Lair is your problem.”

Irwin and Auto both looked in the direction Garath was pointing, then at Garath and back to the forest ahead.

“I’ll have to take your word for it, mate.”

“I don’t see anything either,” Auto agreed.

Garath rubbed his chin as he recounted his own experience unlocking the Tracking Skill. “I didn’t see the glow until I was standing in it the first time,” he remembered aloud. “Though, honestly I can’t recommend learning it that way. Right after I got Tracking, I was pounced on by a freaking pride