ã€ŠMythron Chroniclesã€‹


 Chapter I: Savo

    Before him, a grandiose, natural landscape glimmered, etching its unforgettable image into Savo¡¯s mind. It contained more than just nature, something only the beholder who witnesses the occurrence could possibly draw back upon. As Savo stood to gaze at the stampede of figures unknown to Man, he shivered. That same scenery echoed a memory within him of the day he stood above the spires of concrete and glass. At that time, Savo had finished modifying the transcripts which laid upon his desk and decided to survey the streets before him. Droplets began to form at the window in front, paired with the sound of light pattering. Dense, grey clouds hung aloft, shrouding the city below in their span.

    The rain season must be beginning, Savo thought. He looked down at his wrist, eyeing his watch so intently that his vision began to shift to the intricacies of the small, reflective stones embedded in it. There would only be several more days until the city would reek of rainwater and mud. Savo slipped a hand into his pocket, grabbed his satchel with the other and exited the oval room. Walking past the divided cubicles and solitary rooms, he scanned the several open spaces between them for any employees who would be staying late, likely as any other day.

    The previously gentle drizzle had escalated into a downpour. Savo drove slowly, carefully navigating the urban jungle. That day, the ferocious rain had muffled the usual roar of transit and crowds, which were now but augments to the pattering. As Savo neared the upward slopes, he gripped the wheel of the vehicle which slowly crept up the hill. Nearing the top of the mountain bench, Savo turned onto a winding road, eventually arriving at a large metal gate. He let his window down, initially receiving a gust of water and chilling wind which made him shiver. He extended his hand towards a steel box and pushed several numbers, which opened another smaller box where he then reached. Upon several moments of silence, he withdrew his arm, wiped his hand on his slacks, and reached out again. Finally, the gates slid open, and Savo drove into his residence.

    After ending, Savo removed his suit and tie, hanging them on a rack placed just at the entrance. He wiped his shoes on the rug and continued in, stepping past a dark, near-empty room and a closed washroom. Savo set his satchel down on the tile and opened the refrigerator, surveying the contents carefully before pulling out two plastic bottles filled with brown liquid. He picked up his satchel and continued. The crashing sounds of rain had not yet ceased, and no matter where he was in his house, he could not escape the storm. Savo finally found himself before a large, steel door locked with a five-digit combination lock. He slid through the numbers until there was a click, then proceeded down a broad flight of stairs, shutting the door behind him before he did so. A vibrant, searing violet glow emitted as he neared the floor.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Hung and scattered about each wall of the room, what looked like disassembled firearms, wired devices, and other electronic contraptions presented a somewhat crowded space. Moreover, a solid, rectangular table which was fixed to the ground sat center in the room, leaving only several steps of space to walk. The source of the violet glow laid still upon the center table, where Savo paced about, grabbing tools from cabinets below the walls. Soon, after having assembled an armful of different tools both intricate and general, he settled himself before the table. The source, a crystal no larger than four inches in dimensions, emitted that violet light from its center. It seemed to nearly hum as Savo¡¯s hand reached towards it.

    The stone was something Savo had acquired on a leisure trip out of the country. He had found the stone in a tourist shop, purchasing it solely based on the shape, which was perfectly a cube. At that time, the stone had not glowed as it did now, and he had taken it back to his office as a decoration among many others. Only one day when a subordinate informed him of the strange glow did Savo become curious to its source, for from that day the stone glowed intensely without pause. Having studied science, he believed that there may be a new form of active matter or even an organism which resided in the stone. Yet it was strange, for any attempts to crack the stone proved futile. Savo tried with numerous tools: diamond tipped drills, steel saws, even intense heat didn¡¯t cause a change in the stone¡¯s structure. However, his curiosity forced his hand to keep trying, though he had not shared this particular element of the crystal with anyone else.

    Savo began mixing liquids between several beakers and vials, eventually setting one beside the crystal. As he reached for the flask, the stone hummed again, only louder this time. Rather, the stone crescendoed, and the violet light began to radiate, becoming brighter. Then, there was a crack, like shattered glass, and the humming stopped. The violet glow which was previously being emitted had suddenly ceased. Savo scanned the surface of the crystal, discovering a fissure which ran around the entire cube. He reached a hand out to pick up the stone. A burst of shrill, foreign noise filled Savo¡¯s ears. His skin began to vibrate violently without end. As his fingers grasped ahold of the crystal, his vision was filled with an intense violet. Before he could retract his arm, his body suddenly stopped rumbling, his hearing met silence, and his vision filled with pure darkness. The surface which was beneath him had also ceased to exist. His feet seemed to hover, or rather, his entire body had. His fingers no longer felt the touch of the crystal. The sounds of the beating rain and momentary thunder had disappeared along with the rest of his senses. He was, at that moment, nonexistent.

 Chapter II: Victor

    Victor ruffled the temples of his forehead as he gave a long sigh, slumping his back into the confines of his wooden chair. He had several papers held in his hand, but he couldn''t be bothered to read them any longer. With a quick thrust of his hand, he threw the contents upon his untidy table filled with an assortment of cluttered books and jumbled papers.

    Today was a rainy day, much more so than usual. Droplets began to form at the window in front, paired with the sound of light pattering. His mood was being directly affected by the rain, and he couldn''t help but heave out another sigh. Running through his thoughts, he was trying to figure out what he was going to do before it was time.  A slight knocking sound could be heard nearby. Tap Tap. He turns his head towards the location of the sound, softly uttering a single word.

    "Yes?" Victor replies, prostrating himself upwards on his chair.

    "Senior Magus, may I come in?" A female voice replies quickly.

    Ah, that must be her. Victor stands up, walking towards the intricate wooden door with a flaring insignia etched onto it. All doors within the Sigure Magus Academy had this symbol. It was not only a display of power, but it contained a magical inscription to ward off demons and other unwanted creatures within the academy. Victor opened the door slowly, peering through with only one eye.

    There stood a girl with tall stature, wearing the academy''s female uniform. It was a black and gold-laced uniform, along with a medium-sized skirt coupled with black long socks. At the side of the uniform, an emblem of a blazing phoenix with its majestic wings fully extended could be seen. It looked like she was clutching an object within the palms of her hand with great force, so Victor could only take a meager glance at it.

    "Ah, you''re not the person I was looking for," Victor said, disappointed but slightly relieved at the same time. Today was not a good day for him, because everyone knew it was ''that'' day.

    "Hello, great teacher." The female replied, bowing her head. "I am sorry that I am not the person you wanted to see, but I have something for you."

    "I didn''t mean it like that," Victor said, slightly flustered. Usually, he was much more reserved with his students, but he could not help it, as today was quite a peculiar day for him. "I am glad that one of my finest students has the time to come visit me."

    "I had thought that teacher had maybe forgotten about me." The girl blushed, her hands clutching the unknown object even firmer. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    "Oh, I could never!" Victor exclaimed, "How is your graduation this year? Was it to your liking?"

    "Yes. I very much enjoyed it." She said triumphantly, "I came to pay my respects to all my instructors before I finally set off."

    "That is very kind of you," Victor replied back, filled with a sense of pride for his student.

    "I have this for you." She replied, holding out a clear shining necklace. It was round in shape, but there situated a blue pearl gem in the middle glowing a grand luster.

    "Oh, I simply cannot," Victor replied, his hands declining the blue gem. "You must keep it for yourself, I would feel wrong to take it from you."

    "I insist!" She reaffirmed with great vigor, "I thought you would need it for the summoning you had to perform."

    Victor chuckled, "Ah yes, that."

    He did not want to be reminded, because he was already nervous from the day prior. He had not gotten any sleep, which would presumably explain why he was in such a grouchy mood today. Speaking of the summoning, it was near the allotted time for him to be sent down.

    "Although I thank you for looking out for your mentor, I must respectfully decline."

    "Very well then." She bowed respectfully.

    "I thank you for coming to visit me, however."

    "May I do one last thing before I take my leave?" She inquired.

    "Hm?"

    Before Victor could react, the student spread out her arms, putting him in a warm embrace. Victor was surprised at first for receiving such an unexpected hug, but he did not mind it soon after. The action put him in a better mood than he was in previously, albeit only a little. He gave a soft smile and extended the touch, giving the student a small pat on her back.

    "Thank you so much." The student said, removing her arms around him. "For everything."

    "Likewise." Victor nodded, "It was a pleasure to be your teacher."

    "I will take my leave now." She responded dearly, as she quickly strode towards the door and left the room, her footsteps receding as the door was shutting behind her. The room grew silent, with only the slight pitter-patter of droplets on the windowsill. The rain was surely going to pick up, yet he did not know when.

    Returning to his work studies, he returned to the papers he threw on his desk. Quickly re-reading what he skimmed over previously, he quickly recapped what he had to do. The set of papers detailed of a ritual performed every hundred years, organized by the Magus Association. He was one of the several hundred Magus that were required to assist in the summon. It was tradition to perform this ritual; one that has lasted since the creation of the Magus Association a few thousand years prior.

    Its purpose was to summon a being from another world. Previous summons of the ritual would either fail miserably or summon an ungodly creature. Of course, they would have to terminate such beings, but they had yet to summon a live human in such events. Because the ritual was such a grueling feat to perform requiring many skilled Magecraft magicians, he had to make sure that he would not fail the incantation. It would take only one person to destroy the ritual.

    Going through his manuscripts once again, he caught another knock at his door. Victor''s heart skipped a beat, and his hands were getting clammy. This must be it. He was being called to a meeting, presumably to talk in detail about the said ritual.

    "You may come in," Victor said with a small gulp.

    The door unlocked with a slight creak and there stood another tall woman leaning upon it. This time, much older than the previous. Adorned on her was a fine black robe decorated in gold and jewelry and on the side an emblazoned Pheonix emblem. She only glanced at Victor, giving him a quick but steady nod. Victor understood immediately, and he stood up from his workplace, getting ready to depart from his classroom.

 Chapter III: Summoning

    All for the pursuit of knowledge, of the new world yet to be discovered, of the creatures the beings that should not exist, and of the extent to which magic could alter the strings of existence and pluck its own glorious sound. Victor could understand why such a ritual must go perfectly, tradition or not, and furthermore, he understood why so many magicians were required to perform it. The ritual itself required the incantations of old performed by the majority of magicians. These would then be amplified by other magicians channeling mana, the matter which allows for visualization to become magic, directly to those who perform the incantations. Lastly, the set of magicians Victor belonged to this day would be those in charge of keeping the great mana crystal sealed during the performance of the incantations. Victor repeated his incantation of sealing to himself silently in his mind. This stone hovered just several inches off the ground and stood well over seven feet high. Each century, a new crystal would have to be excavated, as a gateway would emerge from the crystal¡¯s center, effectively destroying it. The Magus Association would only appoint the greatest magicians to this task, and Victor reassured himself of his position.

    The Sigure city infantry and even a group of royal guards would stand fast at the site of the summoning. While weaponry was at the ready to respond to any summon that proved malicious, a phasing incantation would be prepared moments before the summoning would be completed as another precaution. Again, Victor reaffirmed himself of his abilities and remembered the grueling nights spent studying the manuscripts for the ideal incantation of sealing.

    From the city gates, the procession of royal guards took front and back, leading the pack of magicians and infantry. Wagons carried supplies in case the summon proved challenging to handle. Music sounded in the cities as the parade departed, though utter silence overtook the group mere minutes later. Victor scanned around him, meeting eyes with several acquaintances who carried the same uneasiness as himself. It would make sense that those in charge of carrying out the summon would experience some level of anxiety, but to Victor, it was nearly overwhelming. His palms were clammy, cold to the touch yet soaked. His body began to shake, and his legs lost more and more stability with each step. The royal guards who took the front stopped and gestured forward. There, a collection of marble ruins stood, and there, the ritual would be carried out.

    Victor held his hands steady, visualizing a magical seal over the crystal, chanting over and over again whilst trying his best to block out the others sounds echoing around him. It was nearly impossible to maintain focus without wanting to speak or break the rhythm, yet this would disrupt the ritual, and the summoning would fail. His knees were close to folding, and he thought about mystery which would emerge from the crystal. It could be a new organism never seen before, or perhaps a concentration of pure mana similar to the relics uncovered before. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    A vortex swirled within the translucent crystal, and slowly, it began expanding. Upon the thoughts, the revelations of the possibilities, a sudden roar, high pitched yet ferocious, sounded and a typhoon emerged from the once fully-enclosed crystal. Before every magician had even gotten to see the occurrence, however, a sudden ripple in the center led the vortex back into the crystal, and soon, the stone had lost its color and the glistening of the crystal faded. The incantations around had ceased. Victor had dropped his hands to his sides.

    *************************

    Savo felt above, around, and beneath himself before trying to open his eyes, attempting to gather his senses. His proprioception was still groggy, and he felt phantom movements from his limbs, despite laying perfectly still atop a patch of yellow grass. Savo eventually managed to restore his vision, and such resulted in his fixed gaze upon a cloudless sky. The edges of his vision were still blurred, and he attempted to rub away the grime, only to find himself paralyzed for the moment. A strong gust of wind swept through the grassland, forcing Savo¡¯s body into a momentary stir, allowing him to wiggle in motion, barely. A bygone shiver later, Savo got up to his feet and stood still, surveying his surroundings. A completely empty grassland, save a few patches of flowers, paid him no ease of mind, though he felt unexplainable tranquillity there.

    Such a moment of peace would be ephemeral, however. Savo felt yet another gust of wind, this time far more antagonizing than the last. It blew in from his backside, which he had yet to turn to. Upon doing so, his vision met a grandiose landscape, with little familiarity to anything remotely earthly. The grassland which extended seemed to abruptly end, encircling a body of water with no end in sight. In the distant waters, an ark of substantial size seemed to drift without course. Savo¡¯s eyes had not yet caught the skies above, but soon he witnessed moving figures of tremendous magnitudes, all in the form of clouds. A serpent of unfathomable length seemed the course through the waters and onto the land, and in front, a lion with a mane of flowing clouds traveled the same direction as the serpent. Following behind, a crane reached aloft with its beak, seemingly able to touch the clouds which coursed upwards. Lastly, an elk, with solid and almost lifelike horns trotted behind.

    Savo blinked hard several times before assuring himself that this vision was a dream, yet a shocking slip of pain from a pinch led Savo into a near panic. Another gust of wind fell upon the solitary man, standing among what seemed like two different worlds, both of which he had no place in. As he witnessed this scene, with such mysterious beauty in it, Savo could only recall the distant day of his past when he was atop his spire, his throne in that oval office, watching, staring at the downpour filling the skies. At this moment, the creatures had suddenly disappeared, and the ark had vanished from the waters, which now stood still. The atmosphere around echoed not a single breeze.

 Chapter IV: Arrival

    Several thoughts were running through Savo¡¯s mind, each more complex than the last. He could not explain the landscape around him, yet that didn¡¯t stop him from being mystified from it to no end. Peering around, the ephemeral beasts that had once roamed the beautiful scenery disappeared as if they were never there in the first place, leaving him only left with a barren grassland and his own intricate thoughts. Pacing around, he was trying to discover where he might¡¯ve landed. A moment of panic surged through him, but it was quickly replaced with the sound of fast breathing and the closure of his eyesight.

    Where was he? Savo thought as he wandered around, causing him to walk over an unknown object. The unexpected force caused him to tumble and fall in agony. As he realized what he had fallen upon, however, it gave him a slight sense of relief. It was a handy item in his laboratory he was always fond of; the familiarity of the object within this unknown world caused him to return to the analytical mind that he was always renowned for.

    The item that he had fallen over was quite large, standing at four feet long and two feet wide. It was his toolbox, rectangular in shape and containing various sets of many mechanical contraptions, tools, and weapons. From large adapters to small transistors to lithium diodes, the toolbox contained mostly all that he would need to build whatever he desired. There were two things that came directly to his mind at that moment. How much can I salvage from the toolbox, and where had my other items disappear to?

    The first question was quite simple to answer. Lifting his large toolbox from the resting position that it was founded upon, he opened the bottom-most compartment. There laid a large knapsack, neatly compressed for him to remove. Going through the rest of the compartments, Savo had filled up the important contents contained in his toolbox directly within in his knapsack. Some of the essential items were obviously his tinkering kit, solar cells for power, light sources such as flashlights, a high-quality industry-grade laptop, and a top of the line military-grade hand pistol that he may or may not have obtained illegally. The only thing that he did not account for was a set of rations, but how could he give the circumstances?

    The second question upon his mind was tougher to answer. After packing his knapsack filled to the brim of all the items he could ever need, Savo explored the surrounding area for the rest of his contraptions. If his toolbox had gone to this mysterious world along with him, then surely his matter reactor should have as well. Retrieval of his matter reactor would solve his many problems, as it could produce a mass amount of constant energy, enough to power the rest of his future endeavors. Before he could figure out his next move, a chilling shockwave pervaded at the back of his neck. He yelped in surprise, extending a hand towards his nape. His fingertips smoothed across what seemed to be a small protruding ridge. It was his Neural Link Chip!A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    The Neural Link Chip connected his mind onto the comprehension of machines, complete with the entire knowledge of the twenty-second century. This allowed him to perform large-scale equations, theoretical experimentation and assisted him in logging new foreign objects and creatures. Tapping the object repeatedly, it seemed like the chip was non-functional, as he could not peer into the mind of the machine. This was unfortunate, as he had lost the most valuable item in his possession with no means of repairing the chip in his current state. Savo could only give a small sigh of disappointment.

    After spreading across the environment, he could not find any of his other contraptions in sight, and that gave him even more disappointment that he could not have anticipated. The only thing left for him to do was admire the tranquil beauty of the land and plot his next course of action. Savo had originally not thought of that far into the equation yet, but he also did not mind enjoying the view a little longer. It was a stark difference from the hustling cities he was always surrounded by.

    Laying upon the grassland, he started collecting his thoughts. He was in another world, that much he could figure out. Savo¡¯s mind raced with ways he could possibly get back to his own reality. The crystal must have been the catalyst for the chain of events that had unfolded around him. He couldn''t afford to stay in this strange land for an extended period of time, however. He was the CEO of one of the most prominent corporations within the country. If he had gone missing, the company¡¯s stocks would plummet by double-digit points, and the loss of a chairman would cause the press to go mayhem. Just the thought of such events gave Savo shivers down to his spine. He had to find a way to return, yet he did not know the course of actions he would take to get back.

    Suddenly, someone, or rather, something called to him directly from his mind. He could feel a tug, an inexplicable feeling that had washed over him, causing him to shake his head in confusion. At first, he presumed it was the Neural chip implanted within his skull had rebooted, but that couldn¡¯t be. This sensation was different from the one he usually knew, almost as if it was pointing him towards a direction, guiding him to an unknown territory. He could not rationally justify his motives, but his instincts told him to venture westward.

    Clearing his head, he uttered a small whisper under his breath; something only he could hear.

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s where I¡¯m heading, then.¡±

 Chapter V: Adventure

    Despite the ruggedness of the terrain and the now fully-stuffed satchel which Savo carried at his side, the path led onwards at a consistent pace. He was able to take several breaks, scanning each passing environment carefully for any signs of a settlement. As for sustenance, Savo dared not consume the colorful fruit from several collections of shrubbery, thus he continued on with an empty stomach. Slowly inching to what was presumably west, Savo hastened his steps. The night would surely fall upon him, as the skies went from clear to a mellow brightness, signifying the end of the afternoon.

    Before drawing in from his surroundings the new sceneries and landscapes, Savo would contemplate about how the city life had altered his perception of what he considered normal. While he had leisure trips to resorts and exotic lands, he never truly experienced the open wilderness, but rather only the commercialized versions. As Savo trekked past the curves of a dirt path coursing at the edges of a shallow hill, his yearning for home became a bitter motivation. While he knew he wanted to return to his city, his soon-to-be empire, he had no means to begin his journey home. He was trapped in this foreign world, unknowing of what he may encounter at each breathing minute. It was a sort of limbo for him, one he didn¡¯t particularly resent. The repeating scenery soon shaped into another clearing, a valley extending down from the hill. Rivers coursed and collected into dense paddies of evenly spaced plants and vegetation.

    Within the still countryside, a collection of cottages surrounded a grand, unproportional tent, which centered the distant settlement. Savo ran with a near ferocious pace, sliding and slipping through the paddies before he found himself at the mouth of the town, which bustled with an unfamiliar sound. Busy, but rustic, the sounds echoing from the settlement were the bangs and clangs of pots, the scratching and shuffling of dry earth beneath collections of movement, and the nasally yelling of what sounded like English. Savo became restless, presenting himself swiftly by stepping into the town. There was a sudden pause of movement and noise around him, and, as he observed, Savo lost a sense of reality.

    Upright, talking geckos huh. A rumbling grew in his belly, creeping up to his chest and eventually to his head. There was a moment where he tried to speak, though no words came out. His eyes grew groggy, meeting familiar darkness. His legs collapsed beneath him, though as he fell, he finally felt the solid earth crunch beneath his body.

    West, journey west. All I have to do is to keep going west. Then, I can finally go home.

    ***********

    ¡°It¡¯sh a human,¡± a voice slowly drawn out brought Savo back to the brink of consciousness. ¡°What should we do with thish shpeshimen?¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    The word to Savo had a malicious undertone, no matter how he saw it. In particular, this situation was likely even more alarming.

    ¡°What are you planning to do with me, huh?!¡± Savo suddenly snapped up, startling the collection figures surrounding him. Only after he blurted out did he feel the give beneath him; he was swaying to and fro on a hammock. Savo collected himself, sighing deeply, then pronounced his name.

    ¡°Savo. It¡¯s my name. I¡¯ve been wandering westward all day.¡± He hesitated to continue because the grumbling began once more in his gut. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be a rude¡­ guest¡­ but would you all by chance have some spare food and water?¡±

    The initial silence frankly made Savo anxious, for he only could watch the look of slight disturbance remain on the faces of the humanoids. They were, above all, large-eyed, and Savo soon witness the length of their tongues lathering the sides of their scaly faces before retracting back.

    Well, this is it. I¡¯m going to be eaten by reptilian humanoids.

    ¡°Ish you a human from the kingdomsh?¡± One of the figures asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe so, I actually don¡¯t really¡­ remember where I came from.¡± Savo replied, suppressing the flow of intrusive thoughts which followed his statement. By the time he had made himself still on the hammock, two figures pushed aside the crowd, one grasping a large pot and another a bowl.

    ¡°Pleash eat if you are hungry. We can ashk you queshion later.¡± The same figure spoke. Within the pot, a generous pool of water shimmered slightly within the shade, and in the bowl, two handfuls of brown grain sat next to a slice of bread. It was meager, but Savo indulged himself ravenously before onlookers, still bearing the same expressions as initially. After he had finished consuming the offerings, Savo looked back to his saviors. He had likely succumbed to dehydration and overall weakness, having trekked for nearly an entire day. As he gazed into the eyes of the creatures, he no longer reacted with the same surprise, now completely calm.

    ¡°Sho, you sheem to be losht then. You shaid you were going wesht, yesh?¡± A large sac-like structure under its neck pulsated with each enunciation. Amazingly, the tongue only moved slightly as the humanoid spoke, which seemed to fascinate Savo more than their actual ability to speak.

    ¡°I believe so, at least, that¡¯s what I feel is right. To be honest, I¡¯m quite lost. Would you happen to have a map or anything that could give me an idea of where I am?¡±

    ¡°Well, you are shtanding on the groundsh of Mythron!¡± the humanoid replied.

    It still tells me nothing, but it does seem like I¡¯m not on earth anymore.

    ¡°Mythron¡­ Is that the name of this settlement?¡± Savo asked in return.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be shilly!¡± The voice became almost comical. ¡°Mythron ish all the landsh around! Our little village ish the village of Arro, or sho we call it.¡±

    Savo blinked rapidly, then repeated the words to himself again.

    ¡°I am Shunup, you can ashk me all you like!¡± the figure exclaimed.

    It¡¯s not gonna be so easy¡­ He collapsed once more.

    Westward¡­ westward¡­ west...

 Chapter VI: Settlement

    Savo jolted wide awake, his body hitting the hard floor. His body remained restless, but the ringing pain and the urge to venture westward had subsided considerably within his mind. He did not know if that was a good or bad thing, as he could only take a gander at his next direction. Peering around, he realized he had fallen from the hammock once again, unintentionally this time around.

    The creatures were nowhere to be seen, and his surroundings were obscure. He could perceive only a glint of moonlight that pervaded through the tiny windows inside the home. This minute light source illuminated a dim outline of objects, just sufficient enough for him to navigate through. His perceptions started adjusting towards the darkness and while quickly maneuvering around the dwelling, he found the gecko¡¯s retiring place.

    Shunup was the creature¡¯s name, I believe. Savo desired to give great gratitude for the creature which had essentially saved his life, but he did not want to stir everyone up in the process, so he decided to wait for due time. Quickly proceeding outside the home, Savo wanted to explore the settlement. Walking through the divided streets and uneven pavings, a soft blue glow of luminescence saturated the walls and canopies of several cottages.

    Walking to the outskirts of the town, several creatures of the village were collecting the usual grains from the paddies, their webbed feet making a trickling sound on the thin water. Savo had presumed that everyone must¡¯ve gone dormant, however, it appeared that it was not the case. Stepping closer, it seemed like Savo caught the attention of one of the creatures because their large round pupils switched towards his direction.

    ¡°You¡¯re that human, aren''t you?¡± The creature said, ¡°How are you enjoying our shettlement?¡± He was carrying a small wooden bucket, filled close to the brim with wheat grains. Putting it down, it made a nice plopping sound as he extends a greeting towards Savo.

    Savo was reluctant to shake the slimy hands of the gecko, but he didn¡¯t want to seem rude. ¡°Yes, thank you for letting me stay in your settlement,¡± Savo replied, delivering to the gecko a firm, but a slippery handshake.

    ¡°No problem, itsh the leasht we could do.¡±

    ¡°May I ask what you are up to?¡± Savo asked, tilting his head slightly.

    ¡°We are farmersh!¡± The gecko said triumphantly, ¡°We usually shleep in the daytime, but in the nighttime; that ish when we are mosht active.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Savo nodded, ¡°What do you farm?¡±

    ¡°Well, moshtly cropsh for food.¡± The gecko responded, ¡°But shometimesh, on a whole moon like today, the mana blosshoms fully bloom.¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Mana blossoms?¡± Savo frowned, ¡°What are those?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know what mana blosshoms are?¡± The gecko laughed wholeheartedly, ¡°You are a shtrange human! Mana blosshoms are plantsh that contain mana cryshtalsh.¡±

    The creature rummages inside its wooden basket, pulling out a small crystalline object. It was square bipyramidal in shape and contained a glint of dark azure blue. Handing it towards Savo, he readily grasps the object in his fist.

    ¡°What does it do?¡± Savo asked.

    ¡°It letsh you channel the mana inside the crystal sho you can perform magic!¡±

    ¡°Magic?¡± Savo scoffed, peering at the gem on his hand.

    ¡°Itsh true!¡± The lizard exclaimed, ¡°You musht be well vershed in the Magush artsh, however.¡±

    Savo raised an eyebrow, ¡°...and where can I find these Magus arts?¡±

    ¡°Well, you have to head to the capital!¡±

    ¡°Where is the capital, then?¡±

    ¡°Itsh weshtward, but it will take you a few weeksh to get there.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡± Savo said, examining the crystal. He raised his hands up to the moon¡¯s glow and gazed through the glass-like structure. After looking at it for a few moments, he tosses the object back at the gecko. He tries to catch it with his hands however had a difficult time doing so.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t get your name,¡± Savo stated.

    ¡°Ah, yesh!¡± The gecko stood upright, ¡°It ish Shindo, you would be well to remember it!¡±

    ¡°Introduce me to your buddies.¡± Savo chuckled. Standing behind Shindo, there were several other geckos that were collecting crops and grains. Some, however, were fastened with iron protectors, grasping spears and swords. It looked like they were on patrol, maybe scouts or guards that were protecting the settlement.

    ¡°Oh, thoshe are the shcoutsh.¡± Shindo answered. ¡°They keep the mountain wildabeashtsh from attacking our cropsh.¡±

    ¡°Do the beasts attack often then?¡± Savo suggested. The lizard defenders seemed to be over-geared to be challenging only mountain beasts. There were also excessively many, Savo didn¡¯t think that they needed a vast amount of guards for such a manageable job.

    ¡°It ushed to be not often,¡± Shindo pointed out, ¡°They have been coming more and more frequently theshe nightsh, sho we can¡¯t be too lazy. They alsho shmell the mana blosshoms, sho they like to attack in the nighttime.¡±

    ¡°I get it. Is there any way for me to help you people? I must return the favor.¡±

    ¡°Oh, we couldn¡¯t!¡± Shindo exclaimed.

    ¡°I insist.¡± Savo pressed, he couldn¡¯t afford to owe anyone any favors.

    ¡°Well, our sholdiersh are planning a raid on the mountains in a few daysh. I don¡¯t know how much you will be able to help, but you can ashk them for the detailsh.¡±

    ¡°Very well then.¡±

    Savo gave a quick bow and returned to the settlement. He had a clear goal in mind now, and it didn¡¯t take long for Savo to accomplish his goals. He would assist the soldiers in their raid and would prepare to venture further westward.

    Memorizing the layout of the village, he promptly returned to the house he previously sojourned in. The twilight was still calm, and the moon shone more brightly than usual. Wandering back to the hammock that he had unknowingly grown accustomed to, he ordered his eyes to rest, yearning for the next daylight.

 Chapter VII: Opportunity

    Savo jerked awake, nearly falling out of the hammock. Suddenly, he was surprised by his own feeling of rejuvenation. His body yearned for movement above all else, something which was not too familiar to him in his home world. His home world¡­ Savo stood and stared blankly for a minute reflecting on the single day which had passed him. His memories omitted the exact encounters he¡¯s had, but he vividly recalled the feeling of nothingness, which nearly sent him shivering. Yet above all, those mystical phantasms of clouds failed to escape his thought; as Savo stared blankly, pondering, his thoughts abruptly halted.

    Ah shit¡­ where¡¯s my satchel¡­  Savo jolted out of his holding onto the streets which bustled with the geckos, all of them either working at various stations or carrying baskets out to the fields. He eyed about, only meeting the intimidating gaze of each passerby. By the end of one cascade of geckos heading to the paddies, another moved to join in the procession. Savo took the moment to slip past and looked to the towering tent at the village¡¯s center. As he paced through the crowds, he could smell all the rolled grains and earthy flour. The sounds of plopping feet on dry earth paired with the rolling of grain on mills. It was new, refreshing even, but Savo could not help but panic slightly at the absence of his satchel, which held the several last connections he had with his homeworld.

    As he arrived at the mouth of the tent, he saw several geckos shuffling about with crates. On the containers, black labelled them as ¡°Arro¡±. He scanned the interior, soon landing upon a lizard with parchment and feather in hand.

    ¡°Excuse me, would you happen to know where Shunup would be?¡± Savo asked.

    ¡°Ah, you are awake!¡± The gecko affably exclaimed. ¡°Do you not remember me?¡±

    Savo, embarrassingly, shook his head before replying.

    ¡°Oh my apologies, I can¡¯t really tell the difference¡­ between you all too well. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen your kind, frankly.¡±

    Shunup¡¯s tone of voice changed slightly, noting surprise, though his expressions remained static, intimidating. ¡°I guesh you are from far away ash shome of ush shushpected.¡±

    Savo questioned his own identity for the moment. I guess I am a foreign vagabond in this world. Again, his mind would return to the source of his unrelenting anxiety.

    ¡°Oh, I wanted to thank you for all you¡¯ve done. You practically saved my life yesterday.¡± Savo poured. Shunup simply grinned widely, somewhat frighteningly, and glanced about briefly. ¡°Also, I was wondering if you had seen my satchel anywhere. I had it on me when I abruptly lost consciousness.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, I have not my friend. Perhapsh one of the villagersh hash it,¡± the gecko replied.

    ¡°I will go to find it then, thank you once more, Shunup!¡± Savo stated before gently dashing out of the tent and out again into the parade of geckos, all still marching into the fields. It seemed that some were also returning with baskets atop their heads filled to the brim with short stalks of green. He stopped.

    Where do I even start looking for it¡­ Savo suddenly recalled that he had forgotten to look when he had awoken. I suppose that I rely too much on this, huh? He tapped the back of his head, feeling the small chip still residing, dormant. Savo returned to his holding for the previous night, meeting Shindo just at the door of the residence.

    ¡°Ah you have been awake for long friend?¡± the gecko asked.

    ¡°Not long. Say, have you seen my satchel around? I must¡¯ve had it on me when I collapsed.¡±

    ¡°No, but perhapsh one of the villagersh picked it up and hash it in holding for you. I would check the merchantsh acrosh from the trade tent.¡± Shino suggested.

    ¡°Very well, thank you.¡± Savo ran back to the village center, passing the same sight of mills and hustling geckos with baskets hoisted above their heads. He stepped between the lines and ended up before a collection of slightly larger cottages. He walked up to the door of one with a sign depicting a singular coin and knocked. He was met by yet another familiar gecko who stared at him with the same, intruding gaze.

    ¡°Ish there shomething we can help you with, outshider?¡± the gecko asked, nearly hostile.

    ¡°Yes¡­ I was wondering if you had seen my satchel. I must¡¯ve misplaced it when I collapsed.¡± He received a look of suppressed disdain, which he noted calmly. ¡°I was suggested by Shunup and Shindo to ask around.¡±

    Upon hearing the names of villagers, the gecko grumbled quietly before speaking to Savo.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Wait here.¡±

    The door was shut on Savo, and he waited. Just over a minute later, the same gecko opened the door with the satchel in one of his hands.

    ¡°Here, you take.¡± the gecko handed Savo the satchel before closing the door loudly.

    Savo sat down upon the earth and began rummaging through his satchel. His laptop was still there, though it seemed to have been moved. His solar cells were still intact and looking through his tools, he noticed only a screwdriver missing. Among those, there were also the flashlights, of which none were left. I¡¯ve been robbed, haven¡¯t I. Savo stood and knocked on the door.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be rude, but I believe my satchel is missing a few¡­¡±

    The door opened slightly, but only a voice answered him.

    ¡°You no come back!¡±

    Savo stepped back with a sense of surprise as the door shut once again on him, this time more violently. Suddenly, it had occurred to him. His pistol¡­

    ¡°Hey!! Hey!! You can¡¯t just rob a stranger blind!!!¡± He pounded at the door. No answer arrived.

    There was a sudden burst of anger within him, which escaped all reason his mind tried to provide. Yet in all, he felt lost, unable to fix the situation. He didn¡¯t want to anger the villagers who saved him, and frankly, he would have no means to protect himself now. Yet it was indeed ridiculous that his personal belongings were treated with such little respect. It would be unwise to anger any of the locals by starting a conflict. Savo¡¯s analytical temperament had returned to him.

    Under the tent, shuffling boxes and chatting geckos filled the interior. Savo walked to the same figure he had seen prior.

    ¡°Ah, I shee you¡¯ve found your shatchel.¡± Shunup greeted Savo with a wave.

    ¡°Yes, it was with the merchants.¡± Savo couldn¡¯t help but have his tone drop when he stated this. ¡°I heard your village has a raid being planned, and I would gladly lend a hand with preparations or anything.

    ¡°Well¡­ it ishn¡¯t the mosht glamoroush of work, but if you wish to¡­¡± Shunup paused, then continued after scanning Savo¡¯s figure. ¡°Jusht¡­ I believe you may find it tedioush.¡±

    ¡°Frankly, I need some physical work right now. At least, my body feels it. I can¡¯t explain why, but I do.¡± Savo clenched his hands into fists before relaxing again.

    ¡°Then very well, there are shome containersh in here that do not have our town¡¯sh name on them. Thoshe go to the barracksh, at the edge of town. Onesh with Arro on them you can jusht ignore.¡± Shunup¡¯s tongue stretched up to lick his eyes, something Savo had almost forgotten geckos do. He bowed and made his way into the crowds of geckos, picking up an unlabeled box.

    The work was indeed tedious, and blisters had formed on his hands, but Savo yearned for movement, without reason why. At midday, the geckos gathered around and what looked like crickets and a variety of worms were passed around. Shunup himself handed Savo a large bowl of rice and jug of water.

    ¡°We¡¯ve had human vishiters before, and let ush shay that we did not know at firsht that they did not like our foodsh.¡± A chuckle between the geckos followed Shunup¡¯s half-joking statement.

    Savo began to feel the aches of physical labor towards the evening when the sun had begun to set. The tent was nearly emptied, but as he walked past the mills, he saw several crates being filled with grains and other products. It was truly a commercial village, or at least it seemed to Savo. Shunup then seemed to be a taskmaster of sorts or at least some superior. Savo had delivered the final crate before letting himself back to Shindo¡¯s cottage. The gecko listened to his tenant¡¯s plans of helping prepare for the raid and learning a bit more about the geography of the land before departing. Shindo was more than willing to help, a surprising contrast to the merchants. Savo was barely able to keep himself from complaining about them but managed anyways.

    The night had crept in as Savo rested in the hammock, in a daze of half-consciousness. Perhaps he could become accustomed and build some form of a home in this world. It was a laughable thought to Savo, as he valued his position too highly in his old world, yet some part of him couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he would even return home soon enough to retain his position. It was unlikely that he would return unpunished. His mind wandered around the idea before drifting into sleep.

    Rumbling and an unpleasant vibration shook the hammock and rocked Savo awake. Outside, the sky was still dark. The rumbling continued, coming in waves of individual moments. Before he could stand up from the hammock, another shake stirred him to jolt up and run to find Shindo. In waking his landlord, the two immediately bolted for the outdoors, looking for the source. Before them, a beast as large as the trade tent towered over the paddies. Its eyes glowed with a smoky red, and it seemed that actual smoke rose up from its jaws.

    It¡¯s¡­ some sort of a¡­ a boar.

    ¡°Quickly, go to the barracks and get the militia, I will inform as many nearby as I can!¡± Shindo commanded.

    Savo turned and ran for the barracks. As the two departed the scene, the rumbling had grown closer, now in nonstop, violent vibrating. Savo darted to the entrance and pounded on the door louder than he did the merchants. As the door creaked open, he shouted.

    ¡°There¡¯s a giant beast heading towards the village!¡±

    The door swung open, revealing a singular gecko, who immediately ran back into the barracks upon hearing this. Not long after, a shattering bell rung above Savo. The same gecko rushed out, now followed by several others armed with swords, axes, and shields. Several carried bows and one carried a torch.

    ¡°I will warn the townshpeople. Outshider, if you cannot ushe magic, I shuggesht you leave with our people.¡± The torch-bearer said before running into the village. By now, a stream of geckos had begun to appear from the streets, marching the opposite way of the beast. Savo paused to organize his thoughts, then in a burst of speed, ran for the merchant houses.

    ¡°Hey! Give me one of my tools back! Your village is under attack and I can help you!!¡± Savo yelled as he pounded on the doors.

    A familiar voice answered.

    ¡°It sho late, what are you doing?!¡± The voice spoke, annoyed. But another set of vibrations sent the door flying open and the same gecko previously ran out to witness the beast, which had reached the mouth of the village. ¡°On one of the tablesh. We sheperated two things of one of your toolsh.¡±

    Savo immediately rushed into the house, ignoring all but the tables scattered in the main room. There, upon a table near a stairway, his pistol sat, with the magazine removed and no bullets in it. Savo checked the chamber, which to his relief held one singular bullet with a hollow, rib-like tip. As he picked up his handgun, smashing wood and crumbling stone sounded just behind him. He slipped both at his waist and ran about the house, demanding for the whereabouts of the bullets. Soon, several geckos ran down the stairs along with the original one.

    ¡°Where are the rest of these?!¡± Savo showed the gecko the bullet. The latter pointed up towards the stairs.

    ¡°Each of ush took shome.¡± The gecko followed in the escape with the rest.

    Savo bolted up the stairway, which lead to five different rooms. He rummaged through the first, finding none. By now, the stomps of the beast became shattering, and a roar followed which curdled his blood. He hurried through the second and third, managing to pick up five more bullets. Banging and shouting sounded the outdoors, likely from the militia. How could those gecko fight off something like that?! Savo dug through the fourth room and found nothing. In the last room, he spotted a singular bullet sitting atop a table. He reached and loaded it into the magazine and popped the latter into the gun.

    Seven shots... Lucky me.

    He ran down the stairway and out into the battlefield, stirring with the shrill cries of geckos. Another roar bellowed in the night, and Savo stood before its source.

 Chapter VIII: Battle

    Get back!¡± One of the gecko¡¯s yelled at Savo, directing his finger as if to tell him to run away and hide. It was a guard, clad in armor equipped with a long and sharp spear directly within his hands. The other gecko¡¯s mobilized quickly, already surrounding the beast. Several geckoes held a sword and shield at the ready, while others had bows and arrows.

    ¡°It¡¯s a tushk boar!¡± One of the gecko¡¯s pointed out. He was in a battle stance, ready to jab his spear into the beast¡¯s body at a moments notice. ¡°Shurround it!¡±

    The gecko speaking looked to be a captain of some sorts because he had an exquisite helm with red feathery fairings at the top. He was rallying the rest of the geckos to get into formation. In front of him, the tusk boar was snorting profusely, hot steam billowing out from its nostrils. The beast lowered its body, eyeing each of the gecko soldiers intensely while kicking the ground with its rear legs. It looked like it was about to charge at any moment.

    Savo readied his pistol, ready to blast the pig as soon as it made any rash movements. The gecko¡¯s had the same idea, as there stood several bowmen positioned in key locations encompassing the swine, nocking their crossbows.

    Bam!

    A loud gunshot sounded, igniting the dark twilight with an ear-splitting bang. The boar shrieked in pain as a result, thrashing around and knocking over several crates and boxes scattered nearby. The geckoes were also surprised by the deafening noise, however, they quickly regained their posture.

    ¡°Go, go, go!¡± The commander yelled, charging headfirst into the battle. The remaining lizards followed suit, screaming profanity as they assaulted the beast. The bullet had only penetrated the outer skin of the boar, leaving its innards untouched. Since the bullet didn¡¯t kill the monster, it was quickly getting enraged.

    ¡°Oh, come on!¡± Savo yelled in frustration. If a bullet can¡¯t penetrate the skin, then what use will the spears and swords do?

    Each one of the geckos stuck their weapons into the boar¡¯s skin. As was expected, the weapons barely were able to penetrate the menace. The boar twirled around, sweeping his large horns and destroying the structures close to him. A few of the gecko¡¯s got knocked back far away, while some were holding onto their weapons; now stuck protruding from the animal, for dear life.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    ¡°It¡¯sh shkin is too thick!¡± One of the archers nearby shouted, sending a flurry of arrows at the boar. Each one of the arrows bounced off like nothing, the creature remained unfazed.

    ¡°Shtart ushing magic!¡± The commander shouted. His sharp-pointed spear started glowing a bright blue color.

    The boar¡¯s attention switched from the archers and onto the commander, almost as if his weapon¡¯s blue hue had attracted it. With its dark red eyes glaring at the gecko, it charged itself in his direction, it¡¯s horns directly pointed at eye-level of the lizard. The commander jumped out of the way, using his tail as a propeller to dodge the incoming assault. The boar overshot its target by a small hair''s breadth and crashed into a nearby home, it¡¯s horns digging into the stone walls.

    Using that chance, the commander countered with an attack of his own. Charging at the boar which was now stuck to a wall, he pile drives his spear into the hogs abdomen. The spear penetrated the dense skin this time around, embedding itself completely inside the creature.

    The boar screeched in pain, desperately trying to remove its tusks from the building. The other geckos recognized the opportunity and charged at the beast as well, their weapons also radiating a blue tint. Savo stood in the back, pondering how he could be any more valuable.

    In a desperate attempt to escape, the boar whipped its body in a 180-degree turn, completely collapsing the building it was fastened to and knocking the remaining gecko¡¯s still attacking him backward. Several weapons were stuck firmly inside the body of the beast; a large amount of blood spilling out from it. The tusk boar swayed back and forth, trying to maintain a balance. It was losing consciousness quickly, but in the last attempt, the boar revved up its rear legs once again, ready to charge one final time.

    The tusk boars target: Savo, with his hand pistol, clutched tightly in his palms.

    A moment of panic welled up inside Savo but was quickly overcame with a feeling of clarity. Savo, with his hands shaking raised his hand pistol directly in front of the boar. The tusk boars eyes narrow onto Savo, and with the last snort of his nostril, he charges directly at him.

    Savo took a deep breath, steadying his hands and slowing his breathing. With the tusked boar charging at him, he closed one of his eyes and...

    Bam! Bam! Bam!

    Savo fired three clean shots at the face of the boar. The first one grazed it¡¯s forehead, bouncing off the boar and causing it to shuffle its head. The second shot missed, as a result, whirled through the air at a peculiar angle. The third one, however¡­

    The third one undeviatingly attained its mark, catching the boar straight through one of the eyeballs. The bullet splintered inside the charging boar, transforming its brain matter into a battered pulp. A satisfying vibration could be overheard through the air, along with a large crack of fresh bones. The boar tripped on itself, toppling over, and its body slid directly towards Savo at breakneck speed. Savo couldn¡¯t dodge out of the way, there was no time.

 Chapter IX: Magic

    Savo braced his arms and legs for an impact. The mass of the fallen boar slid over the blood-slick mud, unearthing stones and clumps of dirt. Savo thought at that moment that he had closed his eyes and that perhaps, he had died at the moment of the impact, for his body now felt nothing, purely. However, it was familiar, space he seemed to have been to before. In the instant, he envisioned himself out of the world of Mythron and back in his homeland. It was unmistakably a ridiculous thought, for he knew himself to be truly misplaced in this alternate world, yet for just a moment, Savo imagined himself again atop the spires of concrete and glass.

    Is this really how I''m gonna go out? Damn. Unlucky me.

    Then, Savo blinked.

    A second passed. Savo opened his eyes. Around him, the geckos circled, looking around; some chased after the corpse of the boar, which seemed to have fallen stationary behind him. He slowly regained his senses beyond his vision. Then, the earth laid flat beneath him again, and his feet met its surface. The eyes which seemed to stare past him had suddenly fixed themselves all onto him.

    ¡°There he ish!¡± One of the geckos exclaimed.

    I¡¯m¡­ not dead? Or am I? Savo reached out as if to grab ahold of something, but his palms clasped only empty air. Then, as if he had just awoken from slumber, Savo was there, standing before the geckos which began to encircle him. He was evidently confused, wearing a facade of open uneasiness as to what had just occurred. The geckos seemed to hesitate as they approached him, but eventually, the gecko wearing the red-feathered headdress presented himself in front of Savo.

    ¡°Are you hurt?¡± The captain asked, taking off his headdress. The feathers bounced as it was removed and held at the gecko¡¯s side.

    ¡°Umm¡­ I think¡­ I¡¯m¡­¡± Savo stumbled slightly but was fairly coherent. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    The captain scanned Savo¡¯s body, seemingly looking for injuries, then nodded. ¡°Very well. Let ush shpeak for a moment.¡± He turned to another gecko and spoke in a commanding voice. ¡°Lasho! Go eshcort the villagersh back here!¡±

    Savo took the moment to move his limbs and body, stretching slightly. The atmosphere of the night went from chaotic to a sudden calm, wrung in with the dust of rubble and scattered wheat. As a large portion of the militia left for the mountain slopes, Savo and the captain took the unearthed road back to the barracks. At that time, Savo felt the pinch at his waist, where his handgun was holstered. His satchel swung lightly at his side. He was, beyond all else, out-of-place in appearance, and though the geckos ignored it, now these qualities became ever more apparent. What the captain wanted to discuss, Savo had no idea, but he felt welcomed to the village. More importantly, he had just saved them as well. They sat at a small, round table, where two mugs and two bowls were brought, containing water and rice for Savo. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Sho, I trusht my eyesh that I shaw you dishapear jusht a few momentsh ago.¡± The captain began, plucking several worms from his bowl and dropping them into his mouth.

    ¡°Frankly, I have no clue what I did, it just seemed like I was in a dream for one moment, and the next I was back.¡± Savo looked down, managing to pick up a few pinches of rice and swallow them nearly without chewing. He suddenly felt ill.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Perhapsh you remember what you shaw? In your mind, that ish.¡± the captain spoke in a nearly intellectual tone.

    Savo paused for a moment, having trouble recollecting his thoughts. What did I think of exactly? I think I was in space maybe, or perhaps¡­ He started to become frustrated, going into silence in an attempt to recall. It was¡­ It¡­ was home¡­ Savo began envisioning the same bygone memory which had intruded his mind as the boar tumbled towards him. Yes. Home. His empire: his city of concrete spires. Savo had gone into a sort of reverie as the captain watched.

    And then, there was nothing.

    The captain, in shock, reached his hand out to the empty space where Savo had sat. Nothing. Plainly air. He retracted, unable to speak or move any further.

    I want to go home¡­ how? West¡­ I have to travel westward.

    Savo opened his eyes, and before him, the captain had risen from his chair, only he seemed to distance himself from Savo.

    ¡°Wh¡­ what? Are you alright?¡± Savo questioned, picking up more rice to put in his mouth.

    ¡°You¡­ you jusht dishapeared!¡± the captain seemed to wail in disbelief.

    ¡°What?!¡± Savo let the rice fall from his fingertips. ¡°What do you mean? I was just¡­¡± Suddenly, a belch shot from Savo¡¯s gut through his throat. He ran outdoors and let out a quick stream of vomit. The captain had followed him outside.

    ¡°You¡­ sheemed to have jusht vanished, jusht a few shecondsh ago.¡± The captain watched as Savo stretched his neck.

    ¡°I think I thought of my home, it was almost like I was there.¡± Savo had pushed back the nausea and retained his enunciation.

    ¡°Thish ish very very intereshting¡­¡± The captain folded his arms and waited for Savo to speak or move. The latter leaned on the barracks wall with all his weight.

    ¡°Do you have an idea as to what I did?¡± Savo questioned the puzzled gecko.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The captain looked around, then eventually fixed his gaze onto Savo. Nearly uncomfortably, Savo stood straight again and awaited a response.

    ¡°Magic.¡± The captain said, sternly.

    Haha... Just one thing after the other.

 Chapter X: Before the Raid

    The carcass of the boar had been turned into an assortment of items, from salted meats to crude hides, all of which were boxed and loaded onto wagons. The villagers had returned to fix the damages done by the beast. A little less than half the village was in rubble, with buildings toppled and mills completely trampled. Some of the fields had also been razed, but overall the damages were manageable. There were more geckos that had traveled to the village to aid the repairing process, so the settlement was recovering at a quick pace. Savo gazed about, surveying the remaining mills which were now running in double-time. He sighed, then proceeded into the barracks.

    ¡°Kilik, how are you today?¡± Savo asked, addressing the gecko captain.

    ¡°I am alright, shure enough.¡± the captain responded. ¡°How ish the magic going?¡±

    Savo brought to memory the futile attempts to replicate the glow onto the blade as Kilik had done. It seemed simple enough in explanation, but perhaps he had missed some part of it.

    ¡°Not so well. I haven¡¯t been able to do anything yet.¡± Savo admitted.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± the captain raised his hands to his head. ¡°Perhapsh it ish your ushe of mana.¡±

    Savo recalled Kilik¡¯s advice: envision the sword which you held grow sharper, envision it being able to pierce the thickest barriers, then draw your focus into your body center. This was supposed to draw mana into your body, then siphon it to the blade, finally amplifying its impact. Yet in all his attempts. Savo had not even managed to draw in mana. It seemed that there should have been a surge of energy almost like a strong gust of wind sweeping internally when this occurred, but Savo had experienced no such thing. This was, as Kilik had added, the most basic form of magic.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve even been able to draw in mana,¡± Savo spoke, defeated.

    ¡°I guessh it cannot be helped.¡± Kilik lamented, ¡°It may be better then, for you to train in shome bashic combat shkillsh if you want to join our raid on the mountain.¡± He pointed to the armory where several blades, shields, and bows hung. Savo marched over and scanned all of the armaments. None appealed to him too greatly, and as he went to grasp the hilt of the blade, he immediately felt the weight sink his arm. While he managed to swing with a damaging force, Savo could only sustain a few minutes of combat before becoming exhausted. Holding both a shield and blade was something that was more physically taxing than anything he¡¯d previously done. Savo noticed that the shields were only slightly smaller than the gecko¡¯s torsos, and the blades were equally as large. They were unwieldy for him, and eventually, he opted to try his aim with the bow.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°Not bad,¡± Kilik addressed Savo, watching as the latter made a penetrating shot to the inner ring of the target.

    ¡°I have some experience with these things, but still, I¡¯m not exactly versed in combat.¡± Savo hated to admit that he may be a liability during the raid, but he wanted to now, at least, provide some contribution if anything to learn more about this world.

    ¡°You can take point with the archersh we will have with ush.¡± Kilik stated at last.

    Savo nodded and drew another arrow from his quiver. By the time it was empty, he had made a fair amount of shots with only several missing. Guess random archery classes and days at the range weren¡¯t all for waste.

    Although the village needed heavy focus on the repairs, the raid still had to happen soon. This was because of the beasts¡¯ breeding season: once it began, they became far more fierce and aggressive. Thus it was decided that the best time to hunt and control the population would be before the breeding began. Kilik began to route and organize scouts, marking new territories on the center map in the barracks. Savo had helped with the positioning, giving slight suggestions with the distribution of troops and supplies. If anything, Kilik had taken note of this as a strength.

    Savo still continued with several attempts at using magic: he was also taught an incantation which would help to lighten the armaments. His attempts still bore no fruit. The final day before the raid had drawn in, and Savo had only managed to polish his aim with a bow. He still had his handgun holstered at his waist but convinced himself to only use it as a last resort. Savo questioned himself at times in his failures to use magic: Why am I joining this raid with these geckos? Why am I still in this village? Don¡¯t I need to go somewhere? While he could choose to leave, it seemed that the village would be too busy to escort him anywhere, despite his reputation now being helpful leverage. Savo planned then, to gain some knowledge about Mythron from Kilik and the villagers, helping them with the raid in return, then find a way to efficiently travel Westward.

    Savo was finishing his meal when he overheard Kilik discussing the route of the raid. It seemed that the goal was to find packs of beasts which were aggressive and eliminate them. Doing so would control the population and secure the safety of the village for the season. Attacks were frequent if this was not done. Savo envisioned the expedition: he would have to act rationally and simply play his role. And¡­ If worse comes to worst, he still had his own little trump card: his handgun which now only held three shots. So long as the beasts were not the size of the boar, the bullets were likely to be enough to put them down.

    This will be an experience to help me¡­ I can¡¯t just avoid all combat it seems.

    Savo shifted his gaze to the outdoors, where torchlight illuminated the entrance to the barracks. Past this brightness, dusk shrouded the landscape. It was dark all over Mythron, in the forests and the mountains, in the villages and across the farmlands. Night fell over the half-repaired village of Arro. Savo didn¡¯t know his place in this world, but at the very least, he knew that he had to keep going, to keep chasing his light which led through this darkness, home-bound.

 Chapter XI: Before the Raid (II)

    Savo swung back and forth in his cozy hammock, his arms rested comfortably behind his back. Maybe I really did get too accustomed to this world, Savo thought. The brilliant stars still hung over the night sky, but the settlement was more bustling than the daytime. Although Savo insisted on helping on the repairs of the village, Kilik forced Savo to take it easy, declaring that he had given enough contribution towards the townspeople and needed a good night¡¯s rest.

    So there he was, unsure of how to spend his time. Savo was unable to go to sleep, no matter how much he tossed and turned in his hammock. Heaving a sigh, he promptly jumped up out of his swing. His knapsack was perched nicely at a nearby corner, so he eyed it briefly.

    Heading over to pick it up, his arms were aching from the short training he had done prior. Savo didn¡¯t realize it, but the knapsack seemed to weigh more heavily in his arms. He was a fairly built person, but he only opted working out his muscles a few days a week, and couldn¡¯t maintain the schedule very well.

    This was due to the fact he had other obligations in his life, but a part of him does regret not toning his body into a finer condition. He couldn¡¯t accomplish everything, so Savo tried to prioritize things that were important. Personal health was certainly not his first preference, however.

    Opening his knapsack, he quickly retrieved his laptop and set it on a nearby table. The laptop was his own companies creation, and his personal laptop was a state-of-the-art piece of work. Turning the machine on, the laptop whirred quietly, creating a slight buzzing sound.

    The room was showered in the dim flicker as the laptop sprung up, and the sound of the tactile mechanical keyboard was something that provided him great comfort. Since he was in another world, it was expected that his laptop would provide no internet, however, there were still many things he could accomplish without the use of such a thing.

    The first thing that came to his mind was building an interactive map. Since he was in an unexplored world, his laptop was a prime way for him to collect information. He would collect profiles of the memorable people he met, and build the landscape of the world digitally.

    He had all the tools needed. Kilik had given him a map of the surrounding area, so that gave him a good idea of the scale and scope of the village. All he had to do was replicate the map on his laptop.

    Opening up several programs, he used his pre-made assets to form a rough design of a map and started working on building profiles on several characters. This map was going to help him drastically in preparation of the raid, and let him start creating his own personal world map. He didn¡¯t take any photos of the world, but since he always had his smartphone on him, Savo just needs only remind himself the next time he discovered something of interest. Quickly engulfing himself in his work, the seconds turned into minutes, and the minutes turned in to hours.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Occasionally, burning torchlights could be seen illuminating past the shutters as the villagers shuffled around to sort out the adjustments of the village. Savo didn¡¯t pay any mind to the cluttering sonance of gecko¡¯s conversing, because once he was invested in something, he would employ multiple hours fully engaged in his work.

    Just like that, several hours past within the blink of an eye and the sun rose in the distance steadily, an orange hue that encompassed the azure skies. Savo only realized how much time had passed when Kilik entered his living quarters and questioned about his activities.

    ¡°We are shtarting the raid in two hoursh.¡± Kilik said, ¡°I jusht wanted to remind you.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the heads up,¡± Savo replied, returning to his devices.

    ¡°What might you be doing?¡± Kilik questioned, taking a quick glance at the unknown objects that surrounded Savo.

    ¡°I¡¯m making a map.¡±

    ¡°A map?¡± Kilik frowned, approaching closer to Savo. ¡°Surely not on that stone! There¡¯s nothing to draw on!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a special type of map.¡±

    ¡°A shpecial type of map?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a three-dimensional map. I spent a few hours making it.¡±

    Kilik peered at the translucent screen, his head tilting slightly. Kilik couldn¡¯t imagine how Savo was going to make a map with something as bizarre as the object in front of him lay. He also did not know what a three-dimensional map is, so his interest was piqued even more than it already was.

    ¡°See, you can move the image around, and look at it through different angles,¡± Sao said, as he clutched his computer mouse.

    ¡°Sho you do know magic!¡± Kilik exclaimed as he saw the sight before his eyes. How could the images move in that way without the use of magic?

    ¡°Magic?¡± Savo gave a slight laugh, ¡°This is technology! Anyone can do this, want to give it a try?¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± Kilik pointed at himself in surprise, ¡°No, I mushn¡¯t touch magic that I cannot control. It is very rishky.¡±

    ¡°Im telling you, it¡¯s not magic!¡± Savo reassured, handing over the mouse to Kilik, ¡°Here, just give it a try.¡±

    Kilik was nervous at first, acting like he was just given a very dangerous object. With a little more reassurance and further probing of the matter, it only took a matter of seconds before Kilik started fiddling with the object, directly affecting what was happening on the screen.

    ¡°I shee.¡± Kilik responded, ¡°This is quite intereshting.¡±

    The mouse was getting doused in a slime with the continued touch of Kilik¡¯s webbed hands. Savo was getting nervous that Kilik would make his computer mouse unusable, but he completely forgot about the stature of the person he was talking to, so it couldn¡¯t be helped.

    ¡°Commander!¡± Someone yelled in the distance, his voice considerably louder than the rest of the gecko¡¯s.

    ¡°I guessh thatsh my calling,¡± Kilik responded, setting the mouse down. ¡°I hope to shee you prepared for the raid.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will.¡± Savo approved, ¡°Break a leg.¡±

    ¡°Break a leg?¡± Kilik frowned, ¡°What doesh that mean?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a saying from where I come from. It means good luck.¡±

    ¡°You humansh are weird.¡±

    ¡°Haha, I guess so,¡± Savo shrugged.

 Chapter XII: A Beastly Encounter

    The bellow of a horn sounded, marking the final moments before the raid would commence. Savo unplugged the cable which connected his smartphone with his laptop and coiled it. He closed the laptop, grazing his hands over the solar cells to make sure none were damaged. Carrying the laptop and cord to his knapsack, Savo had just realized how long he was seated for. Even in his past work, he disliked being seated all the time, and now the faint cramps which trembled through his legs reminded him of the sleepless nights in the office, much like this day.

    It might not have been the best idea to stay up¡­ Savo hid away the technology and made a stride for the outdoors. Near the gates, small huddles of geckos sounded with conversation paired with crunching and chewing. Savo found Kilik amongst the crowds, who directed him to the rations officer. Rice, water, but this time also a small, red apple: these were seemingly saved specifically for Savo. As Savo bit into the apple, Kilik had slid through the crowds towards him.

    ¡°Tashty, no?¡± Kilik finished the last bit of insects in his bowl. ¡°We¡¯ve heard that humansh like thoshe.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s sweet. Very sweet.¡± Savo tried to recall the last time he had eaten fresh fruit over the usual grab-n-go meals he had.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be shetting out shortly.¡± Kilik marked, marching away towards the bulk of geckos.

    Savo finished the apple and scarfed down the rice, filling himself with a renewed energy. As he heard one final blow from the horn and the forming of soldiers in the discussed positions, Savo took his place in the collection. A steady but efficient march began, up towards the mountain

    A pained squeal sounded as the arrows penetrated the hide of the boar. Another slash ended the noise. Savo¡¯s hand relaxed soon after, having been responsible for one of those arrows. He felt a strange sense of achievement watching his arrow hit, unlike much of what he had felt in his past endeavours. Savo had realized: it felt as though he was building himself back up again from what was nearly the bottom of the barrel. While he pondered, a gecko had made a mark on a map.

    Savo¡¯s eyes scanned the surrounding bushes and thickets as the party continued trekking upwards. A sudden, sharp gasp sounded from Savo¡¯s lips. When several geckos turned to look, Savo was picking himself up from the dirt. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    Damn, guess I really should¡¯ve gotten some sleep.

    Savo and the geckos managed to score a few more game before the trail mellowed into a curved path of varying elevation with a dense surrounding of trees and shrubbery that shrouded the mountain overhangs. Kilik signalled several soldiers to move towards the forestry and the archers to ready their aim. After the arrows had been drawn and the foot soldiers positioned, Kilik took his sword and shield and made a loud bang in colliding the two. He repeated swiftly one blow after the other, then stopped abruptly.

    All of the shrubberies which was visible began rustling. A faint gust swept through the forestry, and with it, a dozen or so boars were revealed from the darkness. They were large, definitely larger than what Savo had seen of in his world, but they did not surpass the height of the geckos, who stood just below him. The beasts circled the party slowly, several huffing with stone-cold stares. Kilik finally shouted.

    ¡°Fire!¡±

    A stream of arrows sailed through the air and fell towards the boars. They began to move more sporadically in response to the shout, and once the first few arrows landed, piercing their hides, they charged towards the shield-bearing geckos. The initial impact of tusks to wood was followed by the squeals of wounded beasts. Slashes marked many of the boars, and several had fallen still. Savo aimed for the stragglers, largely because he did not trust his aim completely.

    As another few boars were put down to the earth, the geckos rallied closer towards the forestry. Kilik motioned the advance of the foot soldiers and archers, who now stood just slightly higher in elevation to the shield-bearers. Blood trickled from the furs of the remaining boars. They moved in a noticeable backstep. One perhaps had managed to retreat into the darkness of the shrubbery.

    Savo clung to his bow with a sense of pride. He looked about, suddenly picking up the stench of blood and mangled hides. He drew another arrow, readying it for any other signs of movement from the forestry. The last few boars withdrew into the shrubbery as the geckos swung at them. While one or two swords dug into the earth, there suddenly came a familiar rumble, quaking the very foundations of the mountain. The noon sun had risen to its peak. Below that, the highest trees struggled to stay upright. Any others fell like dominos, crunching against the earth. Squeals could be heard echoing in the forestry. Then, from the columns of trees and thicket bushes, a behemoth of rugged, black fur emerged into the daylight. The geckos at the front had fallen back to the slopes along with the archers. Kilik had signalled the retreat moments before the final trees had toppled, revealing a giant of a beast, similar to the boar.

    Oh... shit¡­ In a panic, Savo felt for his handgun.

    The beast was a bear of monstrous appearance, and it was barrelling towards the hunting party. As Kilik shouted, the geckos had already begun running.

    ¡°Run!!¡± His voice was responded by an earth-shattering roar.

    Savo had no plans of standing his ground either.

 Chapter XIII: Raid

    ¡°Fuck me,¡± Savo swore as he put his hands on his knees, panting.

    He peered around, unknowing of where his location was. All of the chaos of the encounter had separated the hunting party, and he was left on his own as he was the only one unable to climb up the vertical walls. Savo felt a bit disdained that the hunting party had suddenly left him, but there was nothing they could¡¯ve done given the circumstances. How was I supposed to know that geckoes could outright climb vertical mountains?

    Savo rested himself on a large nearby boulder, clutching his bow tightly. His pistol was still available at the side, but he hoped to utilize it only as a last resort. He had managed to narrowly escape the ferocious bear-like behemoth by weaving through the thicket of trees, finally discovering himself in a small forest clearing.

    Taking a moment to catch his breath, Savo had only hoped that the scent of fresh blood and mangled flesh of the hunted corpses would give him enough time to prepare himself for a counter-attack, but his options were slim. Several gashes and small scratches were scattered around his whole body: fresh blood trickling across his skin. It was only a matter of time before the bear could sniff him out.

    Savo took several deep breaths, surveying the area around him. His breathing rhythm had become disjointed, but the pounding footsteps in the distance, growing closer, jumped his thoughts into overdrive.

    Couldn¡¯t I just collapse a tree on him?

    Savo scanned the area, looking for any means available to damage the beast. There laid several small wooden sticks coupled with rotten logs and small boulders, but nothing significant enough to halt the progress of such a monster.

    Why hadn¡¯t I brought a sword with me!? The sudden realization came to Savo at the worst moment. Savo had contemplated that bringing a sword would be unnecessary for the raid because he would be in a party of his own, but he had truly not accounted for this unfortunate situation. Savo could only curse at himself quietly.

    Hearing the footsteps become more powerful, he unholstered his hand pistol from his waist, abandoning the bow and instead grasping the gun tightly.

    ¡°Looks like I really have to use my last resort,¡± Savo muttered to himself, irritated. He had thought of what Kilik had said to him in the last moments they were together. ¡®Find a way to get up the mountain, we¡¯ll mount a defense close to the top.¡¯

    Fortunately for him, the small forest clearing had led to a winding dirt road. Others had walked up these steps multiple times, and Savo didn¡¯t intend to give himself up to be a meal quite so easily. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Hastily getting up from the ground, he was bolstered with energy. In a burst of speed, Savo quickly dashed up the winding road, hoping it would lead him to the top of the mountain.

    His legs were crippled with a searing sensation, but he ignored his instincts telling him to halt and trekked onwards. It was either this or death, and Savo didn¡¯t hesitate to choose the former option.

    Treading up the mountain at a steady pace, something caught Savo¡¯s attention at the corner of his eye. There was an object in the dirt, glowing a tinge of blue as the small rays of sunlight reflected off its delicate surface. Savo squinted his eyes, wondering what the object might be. Savo hesitated to pick up the item at first, fearing that he might''ve not had enough time, but he quickly grabbed it regardless and continued forward. Maybe it was something that the geckos had dropped while heading up the mountain. Perhaps it was a magical item they had lost.

    Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be a necklace of some sorts. It had three glass vials in the shape of fangs, but only one of them contained a bright azure liquid inside. The other two glass vials were empty and shattered. Savo had no notion of what the purpose of the liquid was, but he presumed that the geckoes may have used it to strengthen the growth of their crops. It could also be a separate matter entirely, but since he had it with him already, there was no point to discard the object now.

    Several patches of rugged terrain had faltered Savo¡¯s steps, but that wasn¡¯t enough to suspend him completely. A distant roar could be heard within the forest, along with a great snap which joined with a low-pitched, resounding thump. This caused Savo to hasten his steps, taking less time in-between breaks to catch his breath. The bear must¡¯ve grown impatient.

    If he wasn¡¯t being chased by a colossal figure, Savo would¡¯ve most definitely enjoyed the scenery around him. Lush verdure grew among the rocks, and the aged trees brought a pulpy rich smell. Several nuts, mushrooms, and other various plants could be seen growing under the combs of feathery moss.

    The umber-brown forest had brought many small forest critters together, and the shady glades would send occasionally give a cool breeze to ease the tension of Savo. Briars, brambles, and berry trees flanked the trail. The fruits of the forest coupled with the simpering wind that carried a fragrance to it caused Savo¡¯s hunger and tiredness to well up inside him.

    Maybe I really should''ve gotten more sleep before the raid. Savo thought. Vowing never to be unprepared in these types of situations again, Savo was able to find another clearing upon the mountain, this one much larger this time. The Clearing had a small body of spring water, which Savo was able to douse his face on. There was time, he had believed, but echoes of the beast had managed to pierce the veil of forestry.

    Despite this, Savo felt a bit more refreshed. In that sudden moment, he heard a sound in the nearby distance. At first, Savo¡¯s worst visions got the better of him, but he quickly gave a sigh of relief upon seeing the source.

    ¡°We found him!¡± A gecko scout clad in leather armor exclaimed. Savo would¡¯ve never imagined a slimy gecko creature would give him this much joy in his life.

 Chapter XIV: Impact

    Savo stood amongst the party of geckos, where Kilik was at the center, plotting. He had overheard the chattering of the troops: ¡®If the bear were to be ignored, the village would likely be a target due to the heavy noise of mills¡¯. This was do or die now.  As Savo fiddled around with the necklace in his hands, his eyes met Kilik¡¯s, which drew him towards the small huddle in the center of the brigade.

    ¡°Shavo, we have a plan to shuggesht.¡± Kilik¡¯s statement was followed by the glances of several militia soldiers.

    ¡°I can see what I can do to help,¡± Savo replied, awaiting the details of the scheme.

    Kilik nodded, then explained. ¡°You sheem to be fashter on thoshe hillsh and ground. We could ushe that¡­¡±

    Savo¡¯s heart sunk. A silence fell upon the huddle for a brief moment as Savo coughed up the words for a response.

    ¡°Wh¡­ what do you mean by that, exactly?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Kilik signaled Savo to follow. The two stepped over several linings of stone and eventually arrived at the steep ledge. Two boulders blocked the view of the cliff. As they finally passed the restriction of the boulders, their sights both fixed upon the narrow clearing below this ledge they were positioned upon. Kilik pointed down at the roads which eventually led to this clearing. At the moment, Savo seemed to know what Kilik was suggesting as the other geckos began tapping and scanning the two boulders.

    ¡°We have two shotsh, shince thish clearing ish wide enough.¡± Kilik spoke with a chilling calmness. ¡°It¡¯sh a tough shot, but we think we can roll theshe off. We jusht need shomeone to lead the beasht there.¡±

    When all things added up, Savo shook his head plainly, not in refusal but more in shock of the fact that he was doing to go through with it. It was true: while he wasn¡¯t the most athletic or fastest person by any means, among the geckos, he was indeed more capable of this plan. Savo surveyed the land which stretched past the clearing. More thin forests which led to winding paths and ascending hills. It was viable for him to escape if things went awry then. Or at least, if he also didn¡¯t mess anything up.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Savo felt for his handgun in an almost habitual tick, then nodded at the geckos before him. It was a plan which required perfect coordination on both ends without any communication during. Yes, it was possibly stupid, but realistically, there would be no other way to put down a beast that size without dire costs. Savo¡¯s breathing seemed to skip several times as he marched through the crowds of geckos, who were now collected behind the boulders.

    Savo retraced the path which winded down and back through the small clearing of dirt plain where he had found the necklace and eventually down to the dense forestry. Momentarily, Savo¡¯s ears met only silence, when his own breathing had even become shallow enough to not disturb the earth around him. Yet slowly, deep breathing seemed to bellow and echo through the trees, and the unnatural sound of snapping wood and crunching earth laid a distance in front of him. More noticeably, the black-fur coat of the beast glistened slightly with the permeating sunlight. It had not seen Savo yet, amidst its thrashing through the trees. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    Savo crunched his body lower, shifting from tree to tree, edging closer and closer. According to the path, all he had to do was run slow enough to not lose the beast, then lead it straight across, into the clearing where their trap was laid. The bear¡¯s legs were swollen and seemingly immobile, but likely, Savo thought, that was where the strength came from. It would be unlikely for a bullet to do actual harm to the movement of the bear. Furthermore, the fur seemed to be thick enough to even repel arrows. It had to be this, then.

    Savo increased his pace, until he was in a light jog. He kept himself among the solid trunks where he would not be spotted openly, then, as he finally reached an ample distance, he slid to the back of the oblivious creature. The beast continued to trash about the trees, seemingly unmoving, and had seemed to mellow from previously. Yet it was still a threat, Savo believed. He gave himself a minute to move lightly and recover his full stamina, for this would be a run to test himself in all too many ways. The beast was still. Then a sniff sounded, then the turning of the beast¡¯s body followed. Face to face with the behemoth, Savo took out his handgun and aimed, stepping back slowly as he did so. Once he felt a root at his heel, he stopped, then with a sharp exhale, he fired once, straight towards the beast¡¯s head. A second passes, then the familiar, deafening roar marked the moment Savo turned his back to the beast and ran.

    Several times, Savo looked back, each time catching a glimpse of the beast barrelling through the forestry with little care to any obstacles. Savo however, had to maneuver through the logs and stones scattered about. The bear was slowed by the trees which refused to fall, but nevertheless, the beast kept pace with Savo. It even seemed to have been inching its way closer to Savo. The latter turned again, noticing that he would emerge in the clearing soon. His legs burned once more, only now it was shrouded by the heavy thump, thump, thump in his chest. It was tightening, and he felt the acid roll and fold in his stomach each time the beast stomped and left its imprint in the earth. The roars continued, each growing sharper than the last. In hot pursuit, Savo slipped at the ledge where the opening was visible. As he picked himself up, he immediately set to foot again, but now the beast was close enough to take a swing. It lunged, losing its own balance as it dived towards Savo, landing just behind him. It too crawled back up on all fours and set towards Savo, barging into the clearing.

    There, Savo had reached the point where the geckos could see him, and the hunting party had begun to push the boulder. Smaller stones trickled down the ledge, dropping right in front of the beast. In a blink, the first boulder fell. It was the larger of the pair, and though it seemed to be heading straight atop the beast, it missed by a narrow margin. The sudden slam caught the attention of the beast, which now turned towards the geckos. Savo took aim once more, again for the head of the behemoth.

    Bang!

    A bullet pierced the fur of the bear, which now redirected its attention to the source. Savo glimpsed backward, walking at the same time. Just as the beast seemed to ready itself to charge Savo, Kilik¡¯s voice sounded.

    ¡°Now!¡±

    The second boulder dropped, making an earth-shattering contact with the head of the beast. There was a loud crack, followed by a thud. Then there was silence. Savo stood still, trying to stare through the swirling dust.