But because he got too chilly.
"No," he growled, or tried to. It came out as a shaky whisper, but his eyes narrowed in anger. He refused to give up.
Pulling his arms and legs into the fetal position, he tried to marshal what remaining heat he had left. The sun-warmed rock helped, but a light breeze started up and chilled his skin even more. Felix grunted and tried to focus. How could he get out of this? He didn't know how to start a fire, and none of his Skills would be any help. He only had his tattered jeans and sneakers, and they were still damp and bitingly cold. He huddled there, fighting just to breathe without gasping.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Wait.
Something. Something was...there! He felt it. A flash of heat, dim and buried in a mountain of cold. The burning in his chest! He focused, trying to find it, visualizing a flickering flame right above his navel. Lower than he anticipated, but it was there. A candle flame he could cup with his hand, protecting it from the frigid wind. Yet Felix realized it was slowly dwindling, even as he felt his limbs shake harder. He doubled down, thinking warm thoughts; bonfires and sunlight and standing before a heater after walking a mile in the cold.
Did the flame grow? He wasn't sure but he kept on feeding it.
Red electric stove-tops, pizza pockets that were molten hot inside, hot soup that burned your back as you swallowed it. The flickering fire grew this time, he was sure of it. His core felt warm, nearly hot, burning with a brightening fire that Felix could almost see. It made no sense, but he persisted.
Limbs shivering, Felix pushed that heat from his core, moving it outward in big loops into his arms and legs, desperately trying to warm himself up.
You Have Learned A New Skill!
Fire Within (Rare), Level 1!
You have discovered the fire that burns within, animating the cold clay of your body and filling it with strength.
Felix could feel the warmth surge into his limbs, suddenly moving much more freely as the Skill activated. In twenty seconds, his limbs were awash in pins and needles as feeling and mobility returned.
"Ow ow ow ow." Felix gritted his teeth against the discomfort, but it was a small price to pay to see the blue snowflake disappear from his vision. He kept circulating the heat inside of him another thirty seconds before his Mana guttered out. A faint headache pounded at his temples, and the light was still a little too bright. Probably from the concussion.
Felix struggled to his feet, muscles tight and sore from the swim, the cold, and all the rest. Slowly stretching and practicing measured breathing, he had time to check his stored notifications.
You Have Learned A New Skill!
Swimming (Common), Level 1!
Swim like a fish, or sink like a stone. Wise choice.
Swimming is level 2!
Swimming is level 3!
Breath Control is level 2!
Breath Control is level 3!
...
Breath Control is level 8!
+1 STR
+1 END
+4 INT
+6 WIL
This time, the burning sensation didn't return, but he could feel that internal fire grow just a bit brighter. Strengthening.
"Intelligence? Willpower?" Felix was surprised at the sudden stat bump. Whatever the reason, he was grateful for anything that increased his chances at surviving this place.
You Have Earned A New Title!
Daredevil I (Uncommon)!
You've proven your bravery! Or was it stupidity? Survived a fall of 50 feet. +1 STR +1 VIT +1 AGL
You Have Earned A New Title!
Daredevil II (Uncommon)!
You're a madman! Survived a fall of at least 200 feet. +1 STR +2 VIT +1 AGL
He shook his head in disbelief, mouth flattening in a grim line. He kept earning Titles for not dying.
He felt dizzy for a moment, but it passed quickly.
Notifications through, Felix looked around at where he found himself. The lake before him was huge, easily miles across at the far end, and blue as the sky above. The forest surrounded it all, the same type of trees as the other parts he'd navigated. The shore was wide and empty of trees or even much undergrowth. He stood on a series of large rocks, but much of the shore was bare, sandy earth. Three hundred feet to his left, the waterfall pounded away at the lake, pouring its frigid waters from far above him.
I fell down THAT? Felix couldn't believe it. How was he not a bloody smear in the water? Did his enhanced Endurance and Strength allow him to survive? He glanced at his Health.
Health:
23/115
Stamina:
10/136
Mana:
3/199
Health almost gone, Mana nearly gone, Stamina bottoming out. It was a miracle he could even stand. His head pounded, temples throbbing, Felix leaned his arms against his knees and tried not to throw up. This was no good. He immediately began Analyzing the surrounding flora.
After a few minutes, he found a decent collection of yarrow, flitweed, two new herbs and a dozen strange fruit trees. The herbs were called bellock and aram leaf, and neither had straightforward lore entries.
Name: Bellock