When my eyes regained their focus, I saw something I didn’t expect. A swirling wave of leaves and soft white petals. They swam in the air around my body and were holding the flames at bay. I looked down at my robe and saw it had changed. It was no longer gray and matted but vibrant and covered in plant-like armor. My entire body was now protected by a thick covering of vines, moss and bark which formed itself into a waving cloak.


    [Arcana increased from Level 2 -> 3]


    [Class Level Up!]


    [Grovewarden Druid increased from Level 1 - 2]


    [1 Stat Point acquired]


    [Health Points replenished]


    [Mana Points replenished]


    In a flash of ecstasy, all my pain had disappeared. My body felt new again. My mind was full of energy, and I was no longer tired. It was like waking up from the best sleep I’ve ever had. I was ready for anything now. I was stronger now.


    I bounded to my feet in one swift jump and fell back a few paces till I was out of the fire salamander’s attack. Once I was free of the blaze the creature let it drop away. As the flames cleared, I could see the salamander was confused. He was expecting me to be on the ground dead. Nothing more than a pile of ash and charred bones. What he saw now was a Brighteyes druid standing tall, body engulfed in a vibrant armor of vegetation emanating a soft verdant glow.


    I gave the salamander a confident smile and walked forward. I took my time. I felt unbeatable and this salamander was nothing but a bug to me. The salamander’s head whipped back and forth as if searching for someone to help. Once its eyes caught sight of its master dead on the ground and the other salamander now unconscious thanks to Finn, it decided the fight was over. The salamander bolted for the swamp. Like a slithering ribbon of red. It disappeared under the bulrushes and swaying reeds.


    I couldn’t help but let out a laugh of pure adrenaline. I had leveled up at the craziest time. It must have been when this armor appeared on me. I must have cast my other spell when I was holding my staff up to protect me. I opened my system interface and entered my [Spells & Abilities]. From there I concentrated on opening up the description for Verdant Mantle.


    Verdant Mantle


    Level 1 Druid Spell


    Mana Cost: 13


    Type: Defensive Aura


    You cloak yourself with the very essence of nature. A protective cloak of leaves, moss, and vines surrounds your body and shields you from harm. For a short period of time, you gain minor resistance from magical attacks.


    As I read the spell’s description the protection dissipated and the leaves, moss, and vines faded away into embers of green light. When the spell said for a short time it meant it. I was lucky the salamander got scared off because I don’t think I could have managed to beat it even with all my strength returned. After all, I was now only level 2, and the beast was level 6. Which made me think. How did I level up?


    The power I felt when my class leveled up compared to when my skills leveled up was completely different. The brightness of their respective surges was night and day. The leveling of my class was bright as the high-noon sun while the skill level-up was a soft glow of the moon and stars. I needed to feel it again. I wanted to get stronger now. Not only to find my grandfather but so I could keep chasing this feeling.


    “Miles, you alright?” Finn jumped over to my side, quick as… well a rabbit. He was quick on his feet and just as quiet.


    “Yeah. I’m better than alright. I’m doing amazing. I leveled up my class!” I couldn’t help but jump up and down. An action I had never done in my life but in a way felt natural doing in my new mouse-like body.


    “Let’s celebrate later,” Finn pulled another arrow from his quiver and turned to stand by my side. “We still have one more enemy to face.”


    He was right. Only two Nightflyers were dead. The third was still sitting on the log, his right arm leaning on his knee. He had stuck his pike into the ground so it stood by itself. A strange smile was carved on his face. Toothy, amused, and intrigued all at once. His body was muscular and broad. His wings hung low on his back and moved like venomous snakes ready to strike.


    I looked at Finn and noticed he was breathing heavy. He had a cut across his eyebrow and sweat was beading in his tall ears and across his upper lip. His whiskers twitched in the air as if waiting for something to happen. For a long time no one moved. The three of us each staring. Waiting.


    “Should we attack?” I finally asked.


    “No, not yet. He is waiting for something. I can feel it,” Finn broke his words in between deep breaths. I could tell he wasn’t doing great. How much longer can he fight?


    “This has been an amusing evening after all,” The Nightflyer finally said. His voice was strong and deep. It had a sense of authority to it with an underlying sense of condescension. It reminded me of some of the professors from my school. The ones who thought little of you no matter how well you did. “First, we come across a beautiful specimen in this here horse. Figured we’d sell it to the Blackwings of Crowsong. Of course, they like their meat a little more on the rotten side, but it’s easier to travel with a live mount than a dead one. Next, we come across two adventurers who wandered too far off the path. Why are you here?”


    “We’re here for the horse,” I shouted. “Give her back.”


    “Oh, so it’s her, is it? Blackwings pay extra for female flesh. Maybe they think the meat tastes sweeter,” Veng chuckled.


    “Why are you here?” Finn asked. “You’re far from home. No sense in a couple of Nightflyers traveling this far south.”


    “I see I’m not the only one with a curious mind,” The Nightflyer rested his hand on his knee and then pushed himself up slowly. Once he came to his full height, I realized how tall he really was. A good seven feet at the top of his skull with his ears extending another six inches beyond that. His wings stretched even higher. They were still folded at his back, but the tips peaked at nine feet at the very least. In my new body, I was only half the Nightflyer’s height.


    Fear began to grow inside me as I watched the hulking figure lift up his pike and let it rest on his shoulder. He held the weapon at its base and swung it like it was an ax. His movements were quick and effortless. While everyone else had started fighting he had sat back and watched. He didn’t even bother to help his companions when they were in trouble. How heartless could he be?


    “You didn’t answer my question,” Finn said.


    “Times are changing little Springstep. Can’t you feel it? The New Gods tremble in their temples. The earth sighs in anticipation and the very wind carries whispers of a new future. The old Phyrelia is no more. No more chains. No more prisons. Freedom has come to everyone. I’m just one of the few who caught wind of it first.” Veng Rath let a sharp smile cross his face. His jagged teeth cut out from under his black lips.


    “What does he mean?” I asked.


    “I don’t know,” Finn said. “But whatever it is, can’t be good. If I wasn’t here, you’d be dead already. Thank the New Gods for that.”


    “Thank the New Gods indeed,” Veng Rath laughed. “Been an awful long time since I’ve been so entertained. Tell you what. If you can manage to get past them, I’ll let you take the horse. No strings attached. I am, after all, a humble animalkin of the true god.”


    “Get past who?” I asked motioning to the empty field. “I’ve taken down all of your skeletons and your friends are dead, and their pets done for.” I couldn’t believe what I was saying. I was taunting the Nightflyer. Maybe the rush of confidence I gained from leveling was making me cocky.


    “Oh, naive little Brighteyes. You have so much to learn,” Veng Rath lifted his pike from his shoulder and held the blade out straight. Then slowly he moved it from right to left and he spoke under his breath. As he waved the weapon a chill wind picked up. An unnatural wind cold as ice, and sharp to the touch sank deep under my fur. It started off as a quiet whisper of a breeze then quickly picked up whipping my robes and snapping my hood about. Then the wind twirled, pulled itself together near the firepit then fanned out in all directions. The world went silent. Then the bodies started to move.


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    The two Nightflyers Finn managed to kill started to rise. Their movements were jagged and lazy as if controlled by the strings of a puppet master. Slowly they picked themselves up, weapons in hand, and turned to look at Finn and me.


    “You just had to ask. Didn’t you?” Finn said. Before I could answer Finn was off running to our left. He had shot off several arrows at the former beast master with each one impacting squarely in the dead animalkin’s chest. He didn’t flinch from the attacks. Instead, like a wild animal, he lunged towards Finn. He had his whip cracking in the air as he ran. Finn did his best to keep his distance, but I could tell he was running out of strength.


    I started to run to Finn, thinking if we worked together, we could finish them off one at a time. Before I took a step, I felt the same strange feeling of impending danger. My body reacted in time to dodge an arrow cutting through the air and broke on a nearby rock. I turned to look at the other Nightflyer who was getting ready to knock another arrow.


    I didn’t have the luxury of working with Finn. The undead Nightflyers were working to keep us separated. If I tried to help Finn now, I’d end up with an arrow in the back. Without any hesitation, I ran forward towards the bowman. Luckily his body was slow, and he was unable to fire off another arrow before I was able to catch him in my Nature’s Grasp.


    The roots wound themselves up his feet, trailing up his calves, then shot out towards his arms to prevent him from attacking. The spell had given me enough time to close the gap and launch my first attack. I swung my staff across the Nightflyer’s head, and it landed with a sickening thump. It sounded like smacking a wet volleyball.


    The Nightflyer didn’t respond to the attack. His eyes were dull as they stared at nothing. It was almost like I hadn’t even hit him. I swung again and this time hit him square in the jaw. There was a loud tearing sound as his lower jaw ripped away from the rest of his face. It hung low almost touching his chest and it swung around like an empty swing. The sight made my stomach flip, and I had to swallow hard from throwing up.


    I brought my staff up again, this time holding up the thin tip thinking I could use it to pierce him through the chest. I pressed the staff forward as if I was using was spear and it sank into his stomach and out his back. Despite the terrible damage I had clearly done, the newly created undead didn’t react. His eyes never blinked, and his body never shuddered.


    I pulled my weapon free of his stomach. A hissing of gas escaped through the hole as did black blood. The smell of decay singed my nose and made me gag. I had to take a step back or potentially faint from the horrible stench. A notification flashed across the screen.


    [Melee Combat increased from Level 1 -> 2]


    I dismissed the message and took a few steps back. As I did I heard Finn cry out in pain. Turning to look I saw him hold his hand up to his face. He had blood on the palm of his light brown fur and it was beginning to seep down his arm. I didn’t know how much longer he was going to be able to hold out. He had fought three enemies so far and now had to fight them again. This time they didn’t feel pain and from what I could tell, arrows were ineffective against them.


    The cracking of wood and vine caused me to return my attention to the undead nightflyer I was fighting. He was starting to break free of my spell and unlike the salamander, he was succeeding on strength alone. At any moment he could break free and start attacking me again. I had to think of a way I could defeat him. I pulled up my Insight to see if I could learn anything more.


    [Reincarnated Ghoul Minion Level: ??]


    Great… that gave me nothing. In fact, it made me feel worse. This thing was of such a high level I couldn’t even see what level it was. I don’t think my Twisted Staff was going to be able to deal enough damage to kill it. Even my Nature’s Grasp wouldn’t be able to hurt him enough to stop him.


    The undead Nightflyer tore his left arm free of the vines reached over and started to pull free his right. He was almost out, and I was sure I wasn’t going to be able to keep dodging arrows all night. I looked for anything that could help me win the fight. A weapon or something I could use to defend myself. All around me, the ground was free of grass and water with patches simmering into ash. I looked over to the first skeletons I fought and saw their weapons still lying on the ground. A sword, an ax, and a shield. I could potentially use those to fight but how much damage could they really do.


    I couldn’t hesitate any longer as the final vine snapped away from the Nightflyers rotting arm and he was free to attack me again. I decided to make a run for the shield. With the shield, I could protect myself from his arrows. I started to run then fell flat on my face. My foot was caught on something. I looked to see what it was and saw a skeleton hand grabbing me. Veng Rath had summoned a skeleton to stop me from running. Something about him doing so really pissed me off. He was cheating and I’d make him pay.


    An awful pain struck me in my thigh. I screamed. My hand reached for my leg and grabbed the arrow now sticking out of me. The pain of the arrow had superseded the pain of the salamander’s bite. The feeling was excruciating. It was worse than the most terrible pain I could possibly imagine. My leg started shaking in agony and with every motion the arrow seemed to dig deeper into my flesh. I let out another scream as I touched it.


    “Miles!” I heard Finn call out to me. He had gotten up and close with the other undead Nightflyer and now had a dagger in his hand. “Hold on. I’m coming!”


    Something in me knew Finn wouldn’t be able to reach me in time. There was no way he could outrun an arrow. The undead bowman had nocked another arrow and was starting to pull it back. He had it squarely aimed at my head. I was about ten feet away and I knew this next shot wouldn’t miss. If I was going to do something it would have to be now. Then I got an idea. It was risky and I wasn’t sure it would work but I had to try it.


    I summoned for my Nature’s Grasp one more time. This time I focused on it positioning itself underneath the arms and thighs of the undead Nightflyer. He was about to fire his arrow when one of the roots was able to push it off course. The arrow flew high over my head and thumped against a distant tree. It wasn’t exactly what I was going for, but it was a good start.


    Pushing the pain away, I concentrated on what I wanted the roots and vines to do. Struggling with every ounce of my being I pressed my will into the spell to lift and toss the undead Nightflyer into the fire pit. With an awful groan, the plants moved slowly then shot out fast as they launched the creature into the large fire. It landed in a cloud of embers and flames which died down for a second before engulfing him in a wave of fire.


    The undead nightflyer never screamed. He never ran. He lay there and burned as if nothing was happening. Then before I knew it, he went limp and stayed that way.


    [Arcana increased from Level 3 -> 4]


    I had gained another level in my arcana, but I couldn’t think about that now. I had to help Finn in whatever way I could. I sat up on my thigh and lifted my staff to point over to Finn. I was about ready to cast another Nature’s Grasp spell and toss the undead Nightflyer into the fire but before I could Finn let out a triumphant cry as he sliced the thing’s head off.


    The Nightflyer’s head rolled on the ground until its eyes were looking toward me. They blinked unnaturally offbeat of each other before finally closing. The remainder of its body crumpled to its knees and then keeled over to the side. Finn was left standing there breathing heavy, black blood on his furry cheek and tan arms. His quiver of arrows was empty, and his bow was slung over his back.


    “Bravo… Bravo,” Veng Rath clapped. “Very impressive. Very impressive indeed. Especially you Brighteyes. Tossing him into the fire. Never would have thought of it myself. And you, Springstep, it takes a lot of melee damage to cut one of my ghouls down.”


    “Enough,” Finn said between clenched teeth. “Tell me why you are in Briarfield?”


    “All in good time. All in good time,” Veng Rath lifted his pike over his shoulder and latched it to his back. It stuck itself on him like a magnet. “As promised you are welcome to take the horse. I on the other hand must be going. No sense in fighting the two of you now. I have hardly any mana left. Farewell. We will see each other soon.”


    Veng Rath let his massive wings spread out on either side of him. They stretched out so fast that a heavy wind picked up almost putting out the burning ghoul. With a strong beat, the wings slammed the ground launching Veng Rath several feet in the air. He continued to flap his leather wings until he was high enough in the sky that he towered over the nearby willows. I watched him fly far off to the east. Like a demon gliding among the stars, until he disappeared beyond the distant mountains.


    Finn hobbled over to me then fell to his knees. He started to examine the arrow stuck in my leg. “You’ll live. But I’m out of health potions so I can’t heal you right away. But I can do something to stop the bleeding.” Finn pulled his bag around and with a flick of his wrist, a rolled ball of bandages appeared. “This is going to hurt. Are you ready?”


    “Yeah. Get it over with,” I said.


    “On three. Ready? One, two—” Finn pulled the arrow hard. I let out a muffled yell between my clenched teeth. When I managed to relax my jaw, I gave him a hard stare. “It feels better when you don’t know it’s coming.”


    “Yeah, sure. That’s the same thing my grandpa would say. Said it when he pulled out one of my teeth. Only this,” I pointed intently at my leg. “is a lot worse.”


    Finn didn’t say anything more. He simply wrapped the bandages around my leg and tightened it in a knot around my knee. I did feel better once he was finished but my leg was killing me. It would be a while before I could walk normally.


    “There, should stop the bleeding, so you don’t lose any more hit points. Where are your hit points at?” Finn asked as he sat on the ground next to me. I opened up my character stats and saw I had dropped down to 10 hit points. That single arrow attack had taken more than half my life points away. The next one would have killed me for sure.


    “Low,” I said. “What about you?”


    “Don’t worry about me. I just need to rest a little bit and I’ll be fine.” Finn laid his head down on the grass and passed out. I was about to wake him up and tell him to check on the horse and make sure it wouldn’t run away, but he didn’t budge when I tried. I was about to try and hop over to Revelas when I noticed she was still tied to a tree. She would be fine for a few more hours.


    I pulled my traveler’s bag from behind my back and laid it underneath my head. I tried to get some sleep but the pain in my leg made it difficult. Instead, I looked up at the stars and the moon. There were so many of them. More than what I’ve seen back home in Montana. Even in the wide, empty fields far away from any big city, there weren’t this many stars.


    It was a peaceful night now that the fighting had ended. A night I could almost happily fall asleep to. The sound of the crackling fire. The music of the insects among the weeds. Even the soft kiss of the wind carrying with it the earthy scent of the Mireglades.


    As I lay there trying to fall asleep a new pain rose up in my heart. Not a physical pain but one which hurt worse than my leg. I missed home. I missed falling asleep on the couch and eating leftover pizza. I missed the hikes in the woods and the hot chocolate. Most of all I missed my grandpa. That was the pain I felt. A pain that didn’t come from being in this world, but from guilt. I could have done more to reach out when I was away. I could have come home more often. I could have been a better grandson. I hope I can be a better one now.