Welcome to Rhamiel, A Civilization Core LitRPG

Warning! Monsters are inside your Settlement! Defend yourself!

Monsters can sense your Core and will work their way towards you. Though most monsters will only get a vague idea of your location, they will eventually find you if not stopped.

Two more prompts quickly followed this.

Your Basic Drone has been destroyed by a monster.

Your Builder Drone has been destroyed by a monster.

A roar echoed through the clearing as Rhamiel moved his perspective to follow Dad.

The Core only took a moment to find Dad since one of his unlisted powers allowed him to see any Citizen. His vision zoomed through the clearing, past it, and into the trees beyond. Dad was not the first thing he noticed; however, it was the creatures he seemed to be fighting, arrows appearing in their backs as Rhamiel appeared.

They were strange creatures Rhamiel had no name for, but they looked alien to anything else he had seen until now. These looked humanoid but hunched over so much that they might as well have been on all fours. Bone spurs jutted out from its spine and joints, and its skin was a mottled gray-brown, sickly and diseased. The bottom of their feet and hands were padded like creatures he had seen, and dirty claws extended from them. Its face was elongated, strange, and deformed, with gross black and curved teeth.

Four were chasing Dad, and all were constantly missing him by a scant inch or whole feet with his ducks and rolls. He quickly drew and fired one to two arrows at a time, serrated and splintering even before impact. Each Arrow tore at the skin of each enemy hit. The damage mostly seemed superficial, except for every fourth or fifth Arrow.

Those arrows seemed to open up more significant wounds that sprayed the air with blood and caused them to finch or stumble.

Rhamiel tried to use his Aspected Analysis Perk to learn anything about these things. To his surprise, He got something.

Name: Lesser Maddened Werewolf.

Species: Aspects: Madness, Woodland, Monster.

Attributes: Unknown

Skills: Pack Mentality Level 3, Enrage Level 2, Natural Weapon Level 4.

Perks: Improved Smell, Improved Hearing, Beastial Vitality.

“Lesser Maddened Werewolf,” Rhamiel said near Dad, trying not to distract him. “Is this a problem, Dad?”

Dad breathed heavily as he ducked past a branch, turned, fired, and spun back to run forward. “A bit,” Dad said with a huff. “Need a few seconds. Switch Arrow,” he said, barely able to speak.

“Oh, I can do that!” Rhamiel said excitedly.

Turning towards the four sprinting monsters, Rhamiel kept his perspective there instead of continuing after Dad. He waited for a few seconds, giving Dad the chance to get ahead and the monsters an opportunity to come up to where his perspective stopped.

Then, when the creatures reached him, Rhamiel shouted, “Wait! I am a whatever kind of thing you eat. Meat? I’m Meat!” Rhamiel announced.

All three Lesser Maddened Werewolves slowed to a stop with a spray of dirt and foliage. Their hackles were raised as they looked around, trying to find the source of the voice that called to them.

Rhamiel looked at their snarling maws as they moved almost directly to where his perspective waited.

“Oh, you guys are ugly. I am glad I don’t have a sense of smell because you look like you smell bad,” Rhamiel continued disgustedly.

The werewolves growled, sniffing at the air as they tried to figure out where his voice was coming from.

“Finally,” Dad grunted, stepping out from behind his cover. He raised his bow and trained his sight down the fresh Arrow she had nocked and drawn—this one was a silverish arrowhead. “Thanks, Rhamiel.”

He let loose, the Arrow catching one of the Lesser Maddened Werewolves in the neck and knocked it tumbling. Dad immediately drew another arrow as all three turned back to him to continue the

chase, the one he had already writhing on the ground, attempting to claw out the Arrow. Dad fired the Arrow, hitting another werewolf in his chest. Then, he turned and ran away from the monsters, allowing the chase to continue.

“Will you be okay?” Rhamiel asked Dad, following after him.

Dad paused, spun around, and fired his next Arrow. “Against these feral dogs? Yes. But there were more. Keep an eye on everyone else and Joselin, please.”

Rhamiel agreed, turning his attention to Graham Tully. His vision zoomed over to the man in question, who was sprinting with a dead look in his golden eyes. Apprentice Keane was running behind him, sword drawn and trying to keep up. Rhamiel looked to where he was heading and was excited about the show.

“Apprentice Keane, take care of those two,” Graham Tully ordered, gesturing towards a pair of werewolves to their left. I’ll take these ahead of us,” he gestured to the four werewolves before them.

The monsters noticed them coming and roared at him in threat and bloodlust.

The monsters began sprinting towards Graham Tully, the man roaring at them as he pounded at his chest. With every self-inflicted blow, his fist glowed a brighter and brighter gold, almost beginning to solidify around his knuckles.

Several of them hung back as two separated and attacked from either side of the Holy Fist. One leaped towards him, opening its jaws wide and snarling for a bone-breaking bite, the other swiping at him with its claws. It was terrific to see Graham Tully choose to turn towards the leaping one in an instant, dive and roll under its leap, and then emerge standing from the dodge. He then punched the leaping one’s back as it tried to turn around to claw him, the blow stunning him. The solid holy light shattered upon impact, exploding into the Werewolf’s body and slaying it in a single blow.

He took a pair of claw swipes from the other one as soon as he pulled his fist out of their spine. Graham Tully flinched with each swipe and left bleeding gouges in the man’s skin; Graham Tully ignored the broken skin to dive away from the next swipe. His face looked pained as he stood up straight and threw a left into the body of the other Werewolf. He held the golden light in his other hand, and his punch detonated with golden light, not downing the Werewolf. At this point, the other werewolves tried to join in the fight.

Rhamiel watched in amazement as Graham dodged, blocked, and counter-attacked the werewolves as they tried to kill him. His arms were torn and bloody, his torso was beaten, and he limped with every dodge.

After several minutes of this combat, they were passed with the man still standing despite the vicious assault. Two were slain, their bodies broken; the final three were damaged but attacking him in a frenzy.

Rhamiel cheered as a trio of yellow lightning bolts flew through the air and struck one of the werewolves. Each bolt struck, traveled, grounded through the earth, and the next struck it. Mom walked up behind Graham Tully, then waved her a wand in front of her. Flames spiraled out like a slithering serpent. The fire passed over the other two werewolves in a wave, knocking them back for a long moment.

“Need a hand, Graham?” Mom asked, smiling coyly at the slovenly warrior. “I thought you were the strongest in the town. Did you not need my help, or should I have left you alone?”

Graham reached into his belt and withdrew a small stake-like item from it. It was carved with lines of a magical language and iconography that Rhamiel did not recognize around the top of the stake.

He raised the stake above his head, a little wave above his head, and his body flashed with a golden light. Every wound upon his body healed quickly, easing away as if it had spent a lot of time healing.

Cracking his neck as he turned to look at Mom with a critical look. “You should have left me alone. I was fine,” he told her, turning to the recovering werewolves. He walked up to the nearest Werewolf and killed one of them quickly.

“I don’t know, you didn’t look fine,” she pushed. “You know there is never a problem asking for help from-”

“I was fine,” Graham snapped. “If I die, I die. It would help if you had left me alone,” she shouted, raising a sandaled foot above the final Werewolf. He brought it down with a vicious stomp upon the Werewolf’s neck, snapping it with an angry finality. “I will be fine.”

Mom looked at him with concern, “Graham, seriously, what happened to you? Why are you being so careless with your-”

Graham Tully looked at her with a stern look but said nothing. Growling, he turned away from her, looked around, and found the next few werewolves. A group of three entered the clearing, looking and sniffing around for victims.

Graham charged with similar skill as before but with a recklessness that was previously unseen.

Rhamiel was excited to watch Graham work, fighting against the monsters invading their space. But another prompt caught his attention.

Your System Guide is activating the following Perks: Outer Hope Weapon, Woodland Stride, and Scout’s Rush.

Your System Guide is activating the following Skills: Uncanny Strike and Accurate Shot.

Your System Guide, Joselin Setalla, has been damaged. Your System Guide is your last line of Defense. If you have the means to assist, it is recommended that you do so.

Turning his attention to Joselin, he found himself in a roiling battle between Joselin and two of the werewolves.

The werewolves were cautious in their battle against her; two other bodies littered the ground around them. Their bodies were scorched and devastated, the damage originating from the Arrow and more minor stab wounds.

Joselin held a new bow that Rhamiel was unaware she had in her right hand and a knife in the opposite hand. She had a concentrated look on her face as she stood in front of the Architects Library. She carefully palmed the knife as she drew another arrow, nocking it but not drawing back. She watched the wolves and tried not to provoke them into attacking at once.

“Ah, hahaha, so we have a snarling little rabbit,” asked a gravelly male voice.

Rhamiel looked around, taking long moments to find the voice’s origin. And when he did, he found a creature that looked almost exactly like the other werewolves but noticeably different. It was standing on two legs, which did not look like it should be able to hold it upright with its body shape. The bone spurs jutting out of it looked more chaotic, coming out in tangled messes. Hanging in its right hand was a large club that dragged through the dirt as it approached.

Rhamiel used his Aspected Analysis Perk.

Name: Elite Maddened Werewolf.

Species: Aspects: Madness, Woodland, Monster.

Attributes: Unknown

Skills: Pack Leader Level 1, Pack Mentality Level 4, Enrage Level 3, Natural Weapon Level 5. Bashing Weapon Proficiency Level 3.

Perks: Improved Smell, Improved Hearing, WereBeastial Vitality, Wild Intellect.

“Oh no,” Rhamiel muttered. He remembered when Dad and Joselin talked about Elite and Boss monsters, and this was not the worst news, but it was terrible.

“Get back!” it barked at its werewolf packmates, the monsters lowering close to the ground and growling at her as they backed away.

“What… is going on?” Joselin asked, carefully taking a step back.

“Why would I want to leave the juiciest prey for any other in the pack?” it asked her with a feral grin. “Consuming your flesh will make my path to the Core complete. Where is it, little elf? Grant me its location, and I shall let you walk away.”

Rhamiel’s mind raced with several things at once, and I’m glad its Structural Mindset Perk made this easy to organize in its head.

He could use his incorporeal voice to distract them, but that would only buy her a few seconds. He could send his remaining Drone to help her, but that would only buy her a few seconds. Even with its voice distracting it, it probably wouldn’t help. Then there was helping Joselin delay this Elite monster until anyone came to help her.

Joselin scoffed, “Why do I doubt that, Werewolf? Did you seriously expect me to believe that you would-”

“I do indeed,” the Elite chuffed in humor. “Harken these words, little elf; there is more for me to gain by devouring this Deviant Core than to slay and consume you.”

“Deviant Core?” Joselin asked, eyes shooting around her as she approached the Library door. “What does that mean? Ah, stay back!” She ordered, turning her attention towards one of the Lesser Werewolves edging closer to her.

“Verily?” The Elite asked, a lupine smile gracing its face as it exposed its teeth. “Any Core who works against this Age we live in be declared a Deviancy, and its Cosmic power offered to any unenlightened who consumes it.”

“And how many Cores are Deviant?” Joselin asked, slowly drawing back the Arrow on the bow. Her breath hitched a little when she heard something above her. Looking up, she and Rhamiel found another Lesser Maddened Werewolf on the roof of the Architects Library above her.

“Oh,” Joselin muttered, looking back to the Elite Werewolf with a snarl. “So, you just want to know where the Core is?”

“Indeed, give it to me. Then, my allies and I would back away for a day and night. I repeat We have no want to see you eaten or killed when better prey exists for us to take.”

“Allies?” Joselin asked. She became immediately distracted when the Werewolf above her and to her left snarled and snapped at her. “Okay,” she flinched, “never mind then, don’t ask about the other guys.”

The Elite Werewolf snickered and chuffed, “Pray tell me ten, where is the Core.”

Joselin hesitated.

Rhamiel looked around, trying to do anything to help Joselin. He couldn’t think of anything he could do to help her. A quick check found that Dad was running back now but wouldn’t be here for a minute or two. Mom and Graham were engaged with a different, larger werewolf, this one wielding a broad, long sword that looked rusty in the fading daylight.

They were dealing with it; Graham could avoid most of its wide swings and thrusts, with Mom conjuring lightning to assist him. They likely would not be able to help Joselin for a few minutes.

The only other one he knew was Apprentice Keane, and he was fighting, and that young man was pulling his longsword out of the second Werewolf. Rhamiel knew Joselin would only have a few more seconds, so he quickly said to Apprentice Keane, “Joselin is defending the door to Architect’s Library alone with three regular things and an Elite. Please hurry to help.”

“What?!” Apprentice Keane blurted out, swinging his sword around in a circle. “Core?!”

“Hurry to the Library!” Rhamiel ordered, then turned his attention back to Joselin.

They were in a stalemate that Rhamiel could tell was nearing its end. Joselin was getting more nervous by the second, and the Elite Werewolf was getting impatient. It gripped its Club tighter, the claws on its hand digging slightly into the bone. “I suppose we are going to have to go through you.”

Your System Guide is activating the following Perks: Outer Hope Weapon, Woodland Stride, and Scout’s Rush.

Your System Guide is activating the following Skill: Uncanny Strike and Accurate Shot.

The bow and Arrow lit up with that otherworldly golden yellow light, aiming at the Werewolf above her and firing. The Arrow impacted and burned away the flesh around the wound, and the blood masked the light.

She drew and aimed another at the Werewolf to her right, then released quickly. Joselin rushed forward towards where the Werewolf to her right writhed in pain at the Outer Hope weapon, damaging it. She barely managed to avoid the sizeable overhead swing that shook the earth around the impact site.

Joselin barely avoided the blow but moved to aim an arrow at the untouched Lesser Werewolf with an Outer Hope-empowered Arrow. Her Arrow missed as the Werewolf scampered to the side, Joselin barely getting a chance to react before it pounced five meters toward her.

Once on top of her, it raked its claws across the arms as she raised them to defend her torso. It lowered its head and bit at her raised arms, shaking its mouth to rip her wounds up further.

Your System Guide is below half health.

Rhamiel was impressed with Joselin’s resolve; even as it ripped and tore at her arms, she tucked her legs up and underneath the beast. She snarled and cursed at it, drawing her legs back and kicking into its gut with the first kick, then into its chest. Both blows startled it, but the first forced it to release it from its mouth. The second knocked it off of her, and she scampered away from it, dropping its bow and drawing her knife in loose and trembling fingers.

There was one other thing that Rhamiel could do to help Joselin, but they hesitated. Using its Tier One Upgrade that it had just acquired to give Joselin a boost would come with some apparent boosts. It hated being forced to use its upgrade this way, but it would hate it more if Joselin died here. She was his friend, after all.

So, with an effort of will, it applied its Tier One Upgrade to its System Guide Perk.

You have installed the Tier 1 Upgrade into the ‘System Guide Perk.’ The Perk has been improved, and the description has been altered.

System Guide(Active then passive) - The world is a dangerous place, this world especially. A Core’s life begins with terror and confusion, so a helper and guide from the System usually assists them with knowledge, guidance, and company. A Civilization Core is unique in its approach to life; by working directly with the Civilized Races, they form a symbiotic relationship with them to progress. This Perk allows you to designate one person within your Domain as your System Guide, granting the Subclass of the same name.

A System Guide is a companion, scholar, diplomat, defender, and the voice of the Civilization Core that gives it to them. This can grant them several Perks to assist them in this function, including one to allow them to see the Core’s System Screens. Choose carefully who you make your System Guide. You can get one System Guide; if they die, your soul will suffer for the loss.

At Tier 0, Your System Guide gains the following abilities: Perk Spells, System Guide, and Core Guardian.

At Tier 1, Their Core Guardian Perk has upgraded to Core Sentinel.

Your System Guide is Joselin Setalla.

Immediately, Rhamiel looked up and hoped that this was something extraordinary.

Core Sentinel Perk - The main weakness of the Civilization Core is that they cannot casually create Dungeons, Groves, or Hordes full of monsters of their design for Defense. This Tier One Perk grants you the following Buffs when you are actively defending them within its Domain: Regeneration, Heightened Physicality, Increased Vitality 2, Sharpen Wit 2, Empower Will 2, and Outer Hope Weapon.

Rhamiel compared it with its previous iteration and found that almost all the granted Buffs had been upgraded somehow. Watching Joselin, Rhamiel confirmed that he had made a good choice, her wounds healing with the increased Lesser Regeneration to the regular Regeneration. It wouldn’t save her life in a concentrated assault, but it would help her take more hits and recover faster.

“Thank you, Rhamiel,” Joselin whispered.

“You welcome, “Rhamiel said as he watched her go to work. She sprinted towards the One who had just mauled her, her knife flashing with harsh gold light, the weapon swinging wide, and the Werewolf dodged the first slash with a crouch. She flipped the blade around, reversing the grip and bringing it down on the Werewolf’s shoulder.

The monster roared in pain, flinching away from Joselin even as the wound continued to burn hiss with that damage for several seconds.

Joselin turned and backed several steps away from the Werewolf she had just injured. All four of them were still alive; the three lesser werewolves were damaged, likely heavily, if their labored movements were any indication.

The Elite forced itself past its lessers and swung its weapon left to right. Joselin dodged into the swing, only to be caught by a clawed foot driving into her gut. She tumbled back several feet, quickly coming to her feet and grabbing her stomach with her free hand.

Taking a step away from the Elite, Joselin froze as she heard rushing footsteps approaching her. She kept facing forward, trying to keep the wolves from rushing her as soon as she turned her back.

Apprentice Keane stopped before Joselin, his knight’s sword held up before him.

“Oh, for War’s sake,” Apprentice Keane groaned. “Of course, it was telling the truth.”

“Morris?” Joselin asked the man. “What are you doing here?”

“Your blasted Core sent me here!” he shouted. “Who cares? You needed the help.”

“Obviously?!” she shouted. “Obvious to who?”

“Me, do you see anyone else here who cares to help you?” He smirked.

Joselin groaned, “You know they would be here if they weren’t busy. Maybe you arrived first because you were waiting for your dramatic entrance.”

“Silence!” the Elite ordered, his bark sending out sound and force. One or four, it matters not. You will die all the same.” It clenched its Club, moving its grip from one hand to both hands. “Attack!” it ordered the Lessers.

“Thanks, Morris,” Joselin smiled, her arms a little more steady. “I feel better now.”

“Wait, how?” Apprentice Keane asked, dropping to a knee and holding the sword handle with one hand and its blade by the flat with the other. The three injured ones surged forward, two of which attacked Morris Keane. His sword took the first quick blows from the attacking Lesser Werewolves, with his forearms and biceps taking some glancing hits.

Joselin had no time to watch him attack the Lessers. She managed to avoid the first heavy bite and moved in to cut at its face. Her second hit caused it to flinch, perhaps hitting a nerve, but Joselin moved in to take advantage of the opportunity. Moving in, knife held ahead of her, she plunged it past the monster’s ribcage and into its chest. The Werewolf howled, and Joselin withdrew it and backstepped away before it could counter.

Blood oozed out of the wound, and it looked at Joselin with rage in its eyes. It crouched, preparing to try again, when the Elite’s Club smacked into it and rushed towards Joselin. The Lesser died with the blow, and Joselin was within its range within a few seconds. It swung powerfully left to right, then right to left. She barely dodged each swing as they left heavy gouges in the earth.

It thrust the Club forward, the force pushing her back a few steps. Off-balance and in pain, she did not have time to react before it swung its heavy Club at her again.

She could not dodge, so Joselin did what Rhamiel did not expect.

“Summon Drone!” she announced. A shimmer of light and a semi-invisible entity appeared before her. The Drone intercepted the swing, and the damage from the Elite diffused through it. Joselin moved in to attack.

Her quick-cutting attacks left cuts on the Elite’s skin that burned with its Outer Hope damage. It lifted its foot to kick at her again with its clawed foot, but Joselin managed to move out of the way and began to continue cutting away at its flesh.

From here, it seemed that Joselin had figured it out, each swing cutting away at the Elite.

“Stop moving!” the Elite shouted, slamming its Club into the ground. Joseling dodged the attack with a roll, moving behind it and continuing with her attacks.

It roared and lifted the Club high over its head, preparing for some stronger attack. But the Club slipped out of its hands with one last slash into its flank.

The Elite Maddened Werewolf released the Club it held, and it crashed into the ground with a crunch. It let out one last pained breath as Joselin stepped back to avoid its falling Club, but Joselin relaxed as it went limp and fell to the floor.

You have Survived a Raid set up by a Field Boss and headed by an Elite that was a higher level than your System Guide! Congratulations! You and everyone who participated in the battle have gained an EXP bonus to the final EXP gain.

You have Survived a Raid without any defensive structures in place to assist in your Defense. Congratulations! You and everyone who participated in the battle have gained an EXP bonus to the final EXP gain.

Congratulations! Your System Guide has slain an Elite Maddened Werewolf, and your Citizens have slain over a dozen Lesser Maddened Werewolfs. You assisted with several of these kills, even though you could not deal damage. For these reasons, you have gained enough personal EXP to level up three times to level 9. You have gained 9 Attribute Points towards your Progression!

Achievement Unlocked! Raid: Shadow Sagas 1! You have successfully used ten or less Citizens to defeat a Raid on your Settlement that at least one Elite led. Their Boss will eventually come, but you will be ready. Or Else. Tier 2 Upgrade gained.

Achievement Unlocked! Elitist 1! Your System Guide or another Citizen killed an Elite Monster. This victory can only elevate your people to higher power and prepare you to slay even more. Huzzah! Tier 1 Upgrade gained.

Your System Guide has Leveled up the Subclass to Level 2. They have gained the Perk: Basic Channel Spell.

Rhamiel cheered to himself. This battle had been dangerous, and the fact that everyone had survived was a great thing. Joselin’s increase in System Guide Tier and its level was a big step forward in her Progression. Then there was, of course, his Progression. Three levels, Nine Attribute Points, A Tier one and Tier two Uprade points.

And then there was that Warning that came with the Raid: Shadow Sagas 1 Achievement. ‘Their Boss will eventually come, but you will be ready. Or Else.’

Rhamiel gave Joselin a moment to catch her breath; she was panting heavily as she slumped against the large corpse.

A minute passed in silence as she caught her breath and stood. “Rhamiel?”

He decided to surprise her with his most interesting trick, the Core connected to the Communication Crystal in her pocket. It rang, and she flinched, her knife pointed down at her feet. It only took a moment for her to determine the sound’s location.

Tentatively, Joselin grabbed the Crystal, pressed a part of it, and put it to her face. “Uh, hello?”

“That was awesome!” Rhamiel cheered. “The way you fought that Elite near the end, once you learned how to fight, it was like pow, zoom, and stab!” the Core engaged through the Crystal. “You did awesome in killing it before it got inside the Library.”

Joselin blinked several times. “Wait, Rhamiel?” she asked. “How did you… How is this possible? How did you get a Communication Crystal?”

The Core told her, trying hard to keep its voice neutral, “I am a Communication Crystal.”

Joselin grinned and let out a small chuckle, “Yeah, kind of, I guess.” She took a moment to take a deep breath and prepare herself. “I- I just wanted to say… thank you for that boost. I take it you got a Tier One Upgrade when I was sulking?”

Rhamiel beamed, “Yes, i did.”

She nodded, then stared into space as she looked through the system information. “Huh, that’s quite a boost. Do you have any idea how you are going to do all of this?”

“Oh, I have some ideas,” Rhamiel said, pulling up his Character Sheet to reaffirm his thoughts.

Name: Rhamiel

Species: Spirit Core (Civilization)

Age: 1 week old

Level: 9 ( 17.79% to level 10)

Civilization Level: 0 Isolated Dwellings

Number of Civilians: 39

Core Durability

90

Core Mana

90

Statistics: Nine points to spend

Core Strength

002

Core Structure

001

Core Presence

001

Core Mana Supply

001

Core Mana Recovery

006

Core Karma

004

Skills:

Domain

Level 1 (99.52%)

Absorb Essence

Level 1 (48.823%)

Mana Processing

Level 1 (81.671%)

Structured Mindset

Level 2 (15.98%)

Perks:

Blueprint Manipulation

Blueprint Generation

Summon Drone Tier 1

System Guide Tier 1

Beacon of Hope

Population Growth

“Alright,” Rhamiel said to Joselin. “I was thinking-”

Your Architects Library has generated a Blueprint. You have gained a Tier 2 Breeding Chalet Blueprint.

“Oooooh,” Rhamiel cheered loudly into the Crystal. “I got a new Blueprint! Yes!” But then the Core paused and kept looking at the Prompt it had just received.

“Hey, Joselin, What is Breeding?”