《Hunter's Choice》 Chapter 1 It¡¯d been two weeks since Arheis and his companions had slain the Nepondus Queen¡ªa massive beast, half plant, half cat¡ªthat was terrorizing the small jungle town of Lacerda, and he was already feeling restless. When he¡¯d set Galen to the task of finding more information about the crystals that had caused the Queen to reproduce at an alarming rate, he¡¯d assumed the elven Naturalist might take a few days before coming up with something. But a few days had passed, and he¡¯d only seen the barest glimpse of the harried elf when he surfaced from his room at the Hackleback. For the first week there¡¯d been the matter of cleanup to take care of, at least. While the Nepondus Queen was dead and none of her brood were old enough to take her place, they were still numerous. Accompanied by his friends Amira and Zindar, Arheis had taken care of the problem, leaving enough cubs alive that they would be able to repopulate at a level that wouldn¡¯t completely decimate the surrounding wilderness. By that point the cubs were barely a challenge. With the crystal gone, they seemed weaker and slower, and they rewarded a lot less XP. All told, he¡¯d only ended up with 232 XP¡ªjust barely enough to push him into level 4. Now that the cubs were under control, though, there was barely any action in Lacerda. He¡¯d guessed when he ended up in the middle of the jungle that this was the tutorial zone, and it seemed his gamer¡¯s instinct was right. The quests had dried up. It was time for him to move on. But there were¡­ extenuating factors that kept him in Lacerda. Not just Galen¡¯s research, either. He didn¡¯t know how to approach the matter with his companions, for one. He wasn¡¯t sure he could say they were NPCs anymore, but they didn¡¯t have the same game knowledge he did. For all Arheis knew, they might consider Lacerda their home. Then there was the matter of Higrem. Mayor of Lacerda and the local Guild¡¯s golden boy, he¡¯d been a thorn in Arheis¡¯ side throughout the whole ordeal. To find out he wasn¡¯t an NPC, but a player like Arheis¡­ he was still wrapping his head around that bit of information, along with Higrem¡¯s cryptic remark about some ¡°choice¡± he¡¯d have to make. For now, though, he checked in on his companions. There was a chance Mira or Zindar had something they needed done, and at this point Arheis was willing to collect rat whiskers if it meant having a task; some forward momentum. He walked through the center of the village, side-stepping the construction that was still taking place after the Nepondus Queen¡¯s attack. Galen¡¯s powers had done a lot to help the rebuilding effort, but there was still more to be done. As restless as he was, he knew nothing about construction and none of his abilities seemed useful, so he¡¯d just assumed he would be in the way. The annoyed sound one of the carpenters made when he accidentally knocked over a bucket full of nails¡ªwhich he promptly picked up¡ªtold him everything he needed to know. He was a hunter. That was his place in this world. And if he didn¡¯t find something to hunt soon, his normal life¡ªsuch as it was¡ªwas going to seem a lot more appealing. He made his way to what had once been a large tarp hastily suspended over a number of cots. The tarp was still there, but walls were slowly being built in effort to provide an actual place of healing for residents and travelers alike. Amira Alvaro stood amongst the mostly-empty cots. Her brown skin glistened with a slight sheen of sweat¡ªbecause there wasn¡¯t a moment in the day when Lacerda wasn¡¯t stiflingly hot and humid¡ªand her wavy black hair was pulled back in a loose braid. She hadn¡¯t worn her armor since the fight against the Nepondus Queen, instead opting for the garb he¡¯d first seen her in¡ªa belted tunic, fitted trousers, and suede boots that reached just past her ankles. The closer he came to her, the more his heart sped. It was ridiculous. Not just because she was a collection of pixels in a game world. He was pretty sure she¡ªand everyone else populating Estalia¡ªwas a lot more than that now. But because the last time he¡¯d exchanged more than a few words with her, she¡¯d been kissing him. Not like he¡¯d been against the idea. He was all for it. He wouldn¡¯t have minded more kissing happening in the intervening weeks, but Mira had kept herself busy. He had no idea if she was purposefully avoiding him or not¡ªa shitty thing to do, since she¡¯d been the one to kiss him¡ªbut she always seemed flustered when he talked to her. Now being the exception, of course. When he approached, she was talking to a young man with sandy blond hair. He couldn¡¯t have been more than eighteen, and still hadn¡¯t filled out beyond that gangly teenage stage Arheis remembered with no fondness. ¡°Oh, Arheis,¡± Mira greeted, her words touched by a slight accent he might have placed as Spanish, were he still dealing in Earth¡¯s absolutes, ¡°perfect timing. You can be our patient.¡± He arched a brow at that, looking between Mira and the young man. Whoever the boy was, he blanched at the idea. ¡°A r-real person? Can¡¯t we keep practicing on pigs?¡± Mira¡¯s gaze betrayed irritation for the briefest of moments, but soon settled into the gentle patience that made her such a good healer. ¡°Pigs are no substitute for the real thing, Vellis.¡± She put her hands on his shoulders and squeezed. ¡°We¡¯ve been working together for weeks now. You can do this.¡± ¡°Do I get any say in this?¡± Arheis interjected. If he was going to be treated like a human pin-cushion, he wanted to at least voice some kind of dissent, weak as it was. ¡°Of course,¡± Mira said, her lips curving into a smile that seemed perfectly tailored to distract him, ¡°but I would be grateful for your help.¡± Brown eyes looked up at him pleadingly, and Arheis felt his heart speed even more. There was every chance she could get him to do just about anything with the right persuasion, but he made sure to let her know he was mildly perturbed by it. ¡°I don¡¯t think the purpose of our bond is so that you can convince me to be your guinea pig,¡± he grumbled half-heartedly. ¡°Isn¡¯t it? Funny, it seems to have worked out that way.¡± Her eyes glittered with amusement, and she added, ¡°besides, you and I both know you don¡¯t have anything better to do.¡± She was right about that. He¡¯d come to the encampment to see if she needed help, and if this was the only way he could help, he was going to do it. The alternative was depressingly bleak and involved just wandering around the village until something bad happened, so Arheis would accept this as a step up. She motioned to the nearest cot and he sat on the edge of it, giving the young man she was obviously training a reassuring smile. Of course as soon as he saw the boy¡¯s trembling hands, he was reminded of the time he¡¯d gotten some dental work done at a teaching hospital. The dentist-in-training had been so nervous he¡¯d dropped the little scraper tool inside Arheis¡¯ mouth. It¡¯d taken every ounce of willpower he¡¯d had to remain calm and not freak out about the fact that a dentist¡¯s tool was way too close to his throat for comfort. Not a good day, and not something he needed to remember right now. As if sensing his unease, Mira leaned down and whispered, ¡°he¡¯s not as green as he looks, and I won¡¯t let him hurt you.¡± That did give him some level of comfort, and he sat still and awaited the poking and prodding that was most likely going to commence. ¡°This is Arheis, and he¡¯s just made it to Lacerda. He says he¡¯s having trouble breathing; his throat feels like it¡¯s closing and it¡¯s hard to swallow. His lips are turning blue, as are the tips of his fingers.¡± The young man opened his mouth, confusion written on his features, but Mira cut him off, ¡°I know, there¡¯s nothing wrong with him. We¡¯re pretending, Vellis. Now tell me how you would treat this patient.¡± ¡°Well, I¡­¡± the boy looked at Arheis, drew in a breath, and continued, ¡°I¡¯d start by examining him?¡± ¡°Would you?¡± Mira asked. ¡°Don¡¯t look to me for help. I¡¯m not always going to be here, and you need to be firm and decisive. This could be a matter of life or death.¡± Vellis nodded, flexing his fingers as though he were trying to get feeling back into them. ¡°Um, I¡¯m just going to examine your throat. Tilt your head back, please.¡± Arheis did so, letting Vellis prod around his throat. As Mira narrated what he¡¯d find in this scenario, Arheis found himself fixating on what she¡¯d said. She wouldn¡¯t always be here, which meant she planned on leaving. Either that or she was dying of some incurable disease and hadn¡¯t bothered to tell anyone about it, but Arheis chose to believe it was the former. The very fact that she was training someone to replace her should have tipped him off, but he didn¡¯t dwell on his lack of perception. Instead he focused on the fact that convincing her to leave Lacerda with him might be easier than he thought. In fact, he decided to press his luck while Vellis continued his exam. ¡°Are you going somewhere?¡± ¡°Your throat is nearly swollen shut,¡± she chided him, ¡°you aren¡¯t supposed to talk.¡± After a beat, she added, ¡°you still want to destroy those crystals, don¡¯t you?¡± The crystal he and Zindar found in a cave was only one deposit¡ªArheis was sure of it. If he had to guess, there were probably hundreds of them throughout Estalia, which meant there were countless beasts threatening civilization. While he wasn¡¯t sure where the real world ended and Estalia began, he knew he was here to do something about the crystals. He felt it in his gut. ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Then you have your answer. I¡¯m certainly not going to let you go alone,¡± she said. Despite her words, there was a fondness in her voice and her features that said it was more than duty holding her to it. Maybe he was reading too much into things. Maybe the bond they shared had something to do with it. Even if Estalia was a ¡°real¡± place, it was still governed by game logic. He couldn¡¯t underestimate how much that might contribute.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. But deep down, he hoped it was more than that. Deep down, he hoped that beneath her tough exterior and her teasing barbs she actually did care about his wellbeing, the same way he cared about hers. *** It took over an hour for Vellis to diagnose him. Apparently he¡¯d been bitten by a Faucidi. He¡¯d faced them in a previous game, though the effects of their bite had been negligible since he¡¯d carried antidotes with him. The way Mira described it now¡ªwith the Faucidi¡¯s saliva wreaking havoc on the blood vessels that traveled to and from the lungs, filling the air he breathed with a toxin that would make his throat swell¡ªArheis wasn¡¯t exactly in a hurry to encounter them again. Once the diagnosis was made, he¡¯d then had to sit through treatment, adding another fifteen minutes to his sentence of being a supportive friend and guinea pig. When Vellis had learned everything he was going to learn, Mira dismissed him. The boy¡¯s relief was palpable, and he let out the breath he¡¯d been holding for an inordinate amount of time. ¡°I¡¯m never going to be able to leave this village,¡± Mira muttered once he was out of earshot. ¡°He¡¯ll learn. Some people just need to be thrown into the fire before they really get it.¡± That¡¯s the way his mom had been, and why she¡¯d held out hope that he¡¯d end up following in her footsteps by becoming a nurse. But there was a difference between not being prepared for the pressure of it all, and not being able to stomach the whole process. ¡°And how many people are going to have to pay with their lives while he¡¯s still learning?¡± she asked, her tone sharp. Immediately her features softened, though, and she shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You don¡¯t deserve that.¡± ¡°And you don¡¯t deserve to be tethered to this place for the rest of your life.¡± Instinct took over, and Arheis wasn¡¯t considering the confusing, indeterminate place they¡¯d been in for the last two weeks. He just saw someone in pain and felt the desire to comfort them, so he stepped forward and rested his hands on her shoulders. It wasn¡¯t a full embrace, but it was enough contact to be noticeable, both in the way he¡¯d intended, and in other ways. Those other ways took hold as Mira looked up at him, her dark eyes searching his. While he¡¯d never been the most confident person around girls, he¡¯d at least been confident enough to initiate a kiss back in the real world. That was with girlfriends, though, and Mira wasn¡¯t his girlfriend. At least¡­ as far as he knew. He had no idea what to call this woman he had a bond with; the woman who¡¯d kissed him two weeks ago. And while he was waffling over it, he could feel the spell being broken. She averted her gaze, placed her hands over top his in gentle recognition, then stepped back. ¡°I should¡­ finish up here,¡± she said, gesturing to the rows of empty cots around her. Arheis didn¡¯t question it, though. There was having a backbone and going after what he wanted, and then there was crossing a line his friend didn¡¯t want to cross. If she gave any indication she wanted more from him, he¡¯d gladly give it. Until then, he needed to find something to do. Otherwise he was going to sit in his inn room and spend hours analyzing this not-relationship until the word ¡°relationship¡± ceased to have any meaning. *** As it turned out, that ¡°something to do¡± sent him predictably to the Guild Hall, but not for predictable reasons. The innkeeper at the Hackleback told him Zindar had headed that way, and he knew for a fact the Pruvari was growing as restless as he was. If anyone had found a task, it was likely him. Making his way to Lacerda¡¯s Guild Hall¡ªone of the nicer buildings in the village, and virtually untouched by the Nepondus Queen¡¯s attack¡ªArheis felt a healthy dose of¡­ awareness. That was the best way he could explain it. In past games, he¡¯d reported to the Guild Hall to record his kills and turn in bounties. It¡¯d been such a big part of the gameplay loop that he hadn¡¯t thought about it. It was just part of an endless cycle. Identify beast, track beast, kill beast, skin beast, then report back to the Guild to do it all over again. Now his steps leading up to the Hall had weight and purpose behind them. His mind was focused and filled with skepticism, and as eager as he was to take on some kind of bounty, he was willing to be pickier than he might have been in the past. There wasn¡¯t one thing in particular he could point to as sowing the seeds of distrust when it came to the Guild, but rather a number of small things. Mira had a poor opinion of them, since they¡¯d been partially responsible for the death of her lover Eva. But beyond that, Arheis himself had seen the virtues they seemed to count as crucial to the success of their hunters. Strength and bravery, to the exclusion of intelligence and tactics. Bravado with no real basis behind it. And an ¡°every hunter for himself¡± attitude that rewarded those who were willing to essentially kill steal to get ahead. No one person embodied that more than¡­ Higrem. As soon as Arheis stepped into the Hall, he saw the man. The mayor of Lacerda¡ªelected by a popularity contest, he was sure of it now¡ªHigrem was a tall, broad-shouldered man who could have posed as the generic grizzled male hero of any action game or movie released in the past four decades or so. He was also an arrogant ass who¡¯d nearly gotten everyone Arheis cared about killed, and had caused the death of several of the Guild¡¯s younger hunters. Maybe that was why the crowd gathered around him at the main hall¡¯s feasting table was a lot smaller than it¡¯d been before. ¡°Arheis!¡± he called, his booming voice carrying across the large room. ¡°I was just telling these initiates about the Queen. Care to add your own account?¡± ¡°Maybe next time,¡± he said, biting back what he really wanted to say. He needed to be civil to Higrem. Not just because of the fact that calling him out now would only make him look bad, but also because Higrem wasn¡¯t just a showboating waste of space. He was also a Predator Class Hunter¡ªa player, just like Arheis. Or he had been at one point. The cryptic message he¡¯d imparted when they last spoke for any length of time left Arheis confused on that point. If he ever wanted to find out the rest of the man¡¯s story, though¡ªlike how he had a grown son in a game that was just released¡ªhe¡¯d have to play nice. Besides, he had better ways to spend his time right now. ¡°Have you seen Zindar?¡± Higrem¡¯s expression read as bored, but he jerked his thumb toward a side room before going back to his bragging. Arheis headed that way before he could be pulled into the conversation, weaving past the tables and chairs and ducking underneath the massive tusks of the Nepondus Queen that were mounted just above the doorway. Zindar was inside, just like Higrem said. Arheis¡¯ very first companion in the game¡ªand the person who¡¯d saved his life¡ªwas a Pruvari, a humanoid race with the features of a lynx. Zindar was a spotted silver color, his fur visible in patches beneath his clothing. He was lithe, lean, and a bit on the short side, with his snow leopard-esque tail having nearly the same length as his legs. Tufted ears betrayed the Pruvari¡¯s every emotion, and right now he looked to be in deep concentration, his arm raised, the bracer on his wrist glowing. ¡°Anything else?¡± a short, squat man Arheis recognized as the Guild Curator asked impatiently. ¡°Nothing solid,¡± Zindar said, his ears pinned against the sides of his head. ¡°I told you the information wouldn¡¯t be exhaustive.¡± ¡°Yes, yes,¡± the curator said, waving him off. ¡°That¡¯s fine. It¡¯s more than we started with.¡± The glowing ceased, the futuristic device returning to its normal metallic coloring. Arheis didn¡¯t know much about the Pruvari, but Zindar had told him the bracer was how they communicated with the beast spirits they harnessed, and how they stored generations¡¯ worth of Pruvari knowledge about people, places, and beasts. ¡°Not to be greedy, but¡­¡± Zindar¡¯s ears quirked as he looked at the Curator expectantly. ¡°I can credit you with 15 Guild Points for this information, and¡­¡± he looked over the book where he¡¯d obviously transcribed what Zindar told him, ¡°150 GC.¡± ¡°That seems a little low,¡± Arheis said, announcing his presence all at once. Both Zindar and the Curator turned to face him. The Pruvari gave him a fanged grin, but the Curator seemed less than enthused. ¡°20 points,¡± he countered, ¡°but you¡¯re not getting more than that.¡± As soon as the words left the man¡¯s mouth, a system message appeared in Arheis¡¯ vision: > You have learned Haggle. Negotiate with merchants, blacksmiths, and Guild Curators to ¡°adjust¡± the price of items and the amount of credits involved in a transaction. This ability¡¯s success is tied to your Charisma. Arheis had no idea if his new skill had earned the Pruvari a fair number or not, but the Curator seemed inclined to low-ball them when it came to rewards. Zindar didn¡¯t seem to think it was worth haggling any more though, as he extended his hand to shake on the deal. The Curator counted out the credits, recorded the points in his book, then snapped the massive tome shut. He hefted it under one arm, waddling back into the main hall and leaving Arheis and Zindar alone in a room that was lined with shelves, all of them full to bursting with tomes and scrolls. Arheis¡¯ brows lifted in question. ¡°What was that about?¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Zindar gave him a sheepish smile, ¡°sneaking in a few more points. I was hoping to rank up today, but it doesn¡¯t seem like that¡¯s going to happen without a bounty.¡± While Mira was deeply suspicious of the Guild, Zindar still seemed to almost revere the institution, if not the hunters within it. It was incredibly rare for Pruvari to hunt beasts, though, and as far as Zindar knew, he was the only one of his race even on the books. It wasn¡¯t hard to see why he¡¯d want that recognition, for his people as well as his own validation. Arheis certainly wasn¡¯t going to stand in the way of that. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen any of those come in, have you?¡± Zindar shook his head. Things had been slow in Lacerda since the Queen¡¯s defeat. The bounties that had come in were all small things, and he¡¯d felt bad about depriving brand new hunters the opportunity to rank up when it would¡¯ve given he and his friends so little XP comparatively. He strongly considered asking Zindar to venture out into the jungle with him just to see what trouble they could get into, but providence intervened. ¡°I want that thing killed,¡± a man¡¯s voice carried through the Hall, filled with venom, ¡°I don¡¯t care how you do it, just so long as it¡¯s slow and painful. It doesn¡¯t deserve any mercy. Gods know it didn¡¯t show any to my Elsa.¡± Arheis exchanged a look with Zindar, and the two headed out into the main hall to find a man Arheis had seen around the village, but couldn¡¯t put a name to. He seemed to recognize them, as well, because the moment they entered the room, his gaze seized on Arheis. ¡°You killed the Nepondus Queen, didn¡¯t you? You can handle one miserable Morditul.¡± Arheis searched his memory. There were a lot of beasts in this newest version of Apex that were foreign to him, and this was one of them. He had no idea if it was more than his party could handle, or if it would end up being a cakewalk like the bounties they¡¯d passed on. He looked to Zindar for guidance, but the Pruvari was already answering the man¡¯s plea: ¡°We¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°If you want to post a bounty, you¡¯ll have to do it through official¡ª¡± The Curator was all but ignored as the man reached his hand out to shake Zindar¡¯s. ¡°Make sure that beast suffers. That¡¯s all I ask. You bring me its head, and two thousand credits are yours.¡± Despite Zindar being the one to initiate the quest, the window popped up for Arheis, as well: > Guild Bounty: A Father¡¯s Vengeance A local man wants to see a certain Morditul slain. He¡¯s called for the beast¡¯s head as proof. Find and slay it, then return with the head to receive your reward. Quest Level: 7 Reward: 2000GC and 488 XP Hold up. Level 7? Arheis had only just hit level 4 thanks to the stragglers from the Queen¡¯s brood. Apex had never been shy about throwing in special quests that couldn¡¯t easily be completed at a player¡¯s current level, but this was his first time seeing one in Untamed. Pulling Zindar aside, he decided it was better to be safe than sorry. ¡°Can we even take on a Morditul?¡± ¡°It will be difficult,¡± the Pruvari confirmed, though his eyes practically danced with excitement, ¡°but you were looking for a challenge, right?¡± Well, he couldn¡¯t argue with that. And maybe with the three of them¡ªfour if they could find Galen, though it seemed doubtful¡ªit wouldn¡¯t be so bad. Arheis grinned at his friend, clapping him on the shoulder. ¡°Right.¡± It seemed their drought was about to end. Chapter 2 Before he did anything else, Arheis took a private moment to review his Character panel while Zindar was otherwise occupied getting supplies. Menus in Apex weren¡¯t especially abundant, and he¡¯d chosen to hide a lot of system messages, but pulling everything to the forefront of his vision was still just a thought away. As he concentrated on the panel, it appeared in his vision: > Status: Name: Arheis Title: Queenslayer Level: 4 Guild Rank: 6 Class: Guardian Quests Completed: 9 Active Quests: 2 Deaths: 1 Currency: 12,400GC The next page detailed his reputation, but Arheis moved straight to his Character sheet, just to make sure he hadn¡¯t left any points unspent. > Stat Sheet: Health: 120 Stamina: 150 Mana: 110 Morale: 100 Strength: 8 Agility: 13 Constitution: 12 Endurance: 15 Charisma: 8 Intelligence: 11 Fortitude: 15 Bond: Amira Alvaro The system hadn¡¯t alerted him to any unspent skill or ability points. Upon reaching level 4, he¡¯d dumped both of those points into Endurance to make it a solid 15. Strength and Charisma were lagging way behind now, but he hadn¡¯t really found cause to need either beyond the human average. Maybe later down the line, if Apex had a soft cap on skill gains. For now, he was happy with his choices. His build reflected his class and the stats he most needed to defend his companions. That was enough for him. When it came to abilities, though, Arheis¡¯ were wide and varied. He¡¯d even unlocked a new one in the Guild Hall. Though he was certain he¡¯d spent his ability points to rank up, he examined his spread anyway, taking stock of the tools he had at his disposal. It¡¯d been a while since he¡¯d had a proper hunt, after all. He needed to be prepared. > Unlocked Abilities: Sneak Precision Strike - Rank 1 Iron Guard Strike Tracking - Rank 1 Shield Bash - Rank 1 Cooking Hunter¡¯s Perception Counter-Thrust First Aid - Rank 1 Provoke - Rank 1 Preparation Mediate Rend Javelin Dauntless Guard - Rank 1 Supercharged Shield Bash Leadership Haggling > Bond Abilities: Guardian¡¯s Sacrifice (Amira) He¡¯d tried to add a point to Guardian¡¯s Sacrifice, but it was apparently tied to some other ranking system that would likely increase if and when his bond with Mira increased. In the end, he¡¯d decided to put one point into Provoke¡ªallowing him to hold a beast¡¯s attention for longer after using the ability¡ªand one point into Dauntless Guard, reducing the mana cost and cooldown on the ability that let him channel mana into his shield to fully block an otherwise unblockable attack. At this point, the list of abilities was already unwieldy. In the old Apex games, he hadn¡¯t thought much about it. Using abilities had become muscle memory; a series of button pushes and then motion-controlled actions. It was harder in this fully-immersive state, but the more he used them, the more they became second nature. Which was exactly why he needed to get out there and hunt that Morditul. Closing the Character panel, he waded into Lacerda¡¯s bustling marketplace. This time of day, many of the villagers and even those passing through were shopping for food, supplies, and baubles. He scanned the colorful stalls until he saw the flash of silver fur, and moved to approach his friend. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s on the supply list,¡± he said, amusement playing on his features as Zindar exchanged some credits for a meat pie. The Pruvari grinned sheepishly at him, displaying the hint of sharp teeth. ¡°It should be. How can we be expected to fight a Morditul on an empty stomach?¡± Zindar paid for two more pies, wrapping the steaming bundles in cloth to keep them warm. One he handed to Arheis, who tucked it away for now, despite the tantalizing smell of stewed meat and buttery crust. The other two he held onto, one of them presumably for Mira. ¡°Do you think Galen will come with us? Should I get one for him?¡± That was a good question. Arheis had seen neither hide nor hair of the elf in days. He¡¯d considered asking the innkeeper at the Hackleback to check on him, but didn¡¯t want to intrude. Galen¡¯s research into the crystal they¡¯d found¡ªthe one that had caused the Nepondus Queen to act strangely in the first place¡ªwas necessary. Arheis had the gut feeling it was the thread that bound all of this together. ¡°I doubt he¡¯ll join us, but maybe just in case? You can always save it for later if he doesn¡¯t.¡± Zindar¡¯s face lit up at the promise of more pies. The Pruvari hurriedly paid the credits and wrapped the fourth pie just as carefully as he¡¯d wrapped the other three. ¡°Need me to get the other supplies?¡± Arheis asked diplomatically. ¡°Oh, I got them.¡± Zindar carefully tucked the pies away in his satchel, then pulled out two vials Arheis recognized as healing potions, a third vial with a viscous yellow liquid inside, a net, and a spiky thing that almost looked like a petrified sea anemone. ¡°What is that?¡± Arheis asked, uncertain about putting out his hand to receive it. ¡°It¡¯s a shock-rock.¡± The Pruvari grinned at him like a kid on Christmas morning. At Arheis¡¯ eyebrow-raise, he explained. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s a fossilized Petralsa, but everyone calls it a shock-rock. There¡¯s still enough electrical charge that you can use it for a quick burst. You just have to strike it.¡± Interesting. Arheis held out his gloved hand and took the thing, finding it to be much lighter than he expected. The vials and net were tucked into his belt, but the ¡°shock-rock¡± he decided to wrap and place in his pack. Better safe than writhing on the ground as electrical current arced through his body. ¡°Just for general use, or¡­?¡± Zindar shook his head. ¡°Morditul hunt in the water. My spirit can keep it on land by electrifying the surface of the lake, but I¡¯d rather have a backup plan. They can be tough.¡± Sound reasoning. Arheis nodded, then fished out 200GC, offering it to the Pruvari. ¡°This is way more than everything costs,¡± Zindar said. But Arheis was firm, and didn¡¯t relent until his companion took the offered credits. He¡¯d gone through the trouble of braving the market. The least Arheis could do was pay a little extra. ¡°What¡¯s the yellow liquid, anyway?¡± he asked as they headed away from the market and toward the healers¡¯ encampment. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s supposed to give you more energy.¡± He got that faraway look in his eyes that Arheis recognized was Zindar communing with his ¡®spirit¡¯¡ªthe Fulcorn tied to his device. ¡°My spirit says it¡¯s made from Morditul scrotum.¡± Arheis made a face, his stomach instantly souring. Drinking liquefied scrotum really wasn¡¯t his idea of a good time. And just thinking about the process to make it? He shuddered violently. Zindar practically cackled, his tail swishing happily behind him. It took Arheis a moment to realize he¡¯d been played. ¡°Ass,¡± he said, giving his friend a shove. ¡°What?¡± Zindar¡¯s eyes practically glimmered with amusement. ¡°That is exactly what he said.¡± Before they could get into a discussion of whether it was Zindar or his fulcorn spirit in possession of a dodgy sense of humor, they arrived at the encampment. Mira¡ªwho¡¯d had a hard time looking him in the eye earlier¡ªfocused her attention on the Pruvari. ¡°You look pleased with yourself. Find something to do?¡± ¡°And someone to torment with images of pureed Morditul scrotum,¡± Arheis muttered. She wisely chose not to ask, and Zindar filled her in on the bounty. Arheis saw the trepidation that flickered across her brown eyes. The Guild wasn¡¯t exactly her favorite organization, and in the past she¡¯d rejected their credits just on principle. This time she said, ¡°well I suppose someone has to make sure you two come back alive.¡± Arheis felt a fluttering sensation low in his belly when her gaze fell very pointedly on him. Strange, as he was the only one here who couldn¡¯t die. Not in the traditional sense, anyway. The fact that she knew that and was worried about him anyway was touching. Pushing that emotion down as something he could unpack later, Arheis jerked his chin toward the gates, and the three of them set off. *** Zindar led, having mentioned the creature they were looking for would probably be found in a lake. While it was nice to have a walking map, Arheis would be glad for the day he could actually contribute to the navigation. That would probably also be the day all three of them were completely lost in the middle of a beast-infested wasteland, but still. ¡°What are we looking for?¡± he prompted as they trudged through the undergrowth. ¡°In terms of tracks, I mean.¡± ¡°Long, parallel lines,¡± Mira said, motioning with her hands. ¡°Like the kind a cart would make.¡± ¡°Spare teeth stuck in the mud, too,¡± Zindar added. ¡°Spare¡± teeth¡­? Arheis couldn¡¯t help but think of the x-ray he¡¯d seen once in some creepy article about how human adult teeth were always there, growing in the skull, waiting for the baby teeth to get out of the way. He shuddered again. This was just going to be a day of grossing himself out, apparently. As the jungle surrounding Lacerda gave way to what Arheis would have almost described as wetlands, though, he began to see the things his companions had mentioned. ¡°Are these Morditul tracks?¡± He crouched near a series of deep gashes in the ground that were almost perfectly parallel. They¡¯d left divets in the mud that still hadn¡¯t filled in, despite the recent rain. > Discovered: Morditul Tracks Morditul do not move like normal quadrupeds when on land. Instead, they use their forelimbs to drag themselves forward, the razor edge of their under-plates often leaving deep gashes in the earth as they do so. ¡°Good eye,¡± Zindar said. ¡°The marks from the feet have almost filled in.¡± He¡¯d barely noticed the faint impression, but made a sketch of it¡ªand the gashes¡ªin his journal. He could already see the difference in the quality of his drawings. Putting an ability point into Tracking had paid off in that regard, but the greater boon was in the information he¡¯d been given. If Mordituls dragged themselves along the land, it was a fair bet that a.) they moved slower on land than in water, and b.) they had insanely powerful forelimbs. The closer they came to the lake, the wetter the ground beneath their feet. Mud squelched as Arheis moved through it, and he began to doubt his guess about the Morditul¡¯s movement speed. Mud was an absolute slog for him to get through, but the beast in question would probably have an easier time of it. ¡°Do either of you know anything else about this creature, other than the fact that they¡¯re semi-aquatic and can apparently shed their teeth?¡± he asked his companions, suppressing another shudder. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen one before.¡± Zindar¡¯s ear twitched in a fidgety way, and Arheis was unsure if the Pruvari was just listening for sounds, or if he was actually nervous. ¡°They like to drown their prey. Their jaws, legs, even tail are all designed for that.¡± Arheis suddenly imagined a massive alligator using its death roll to bring a cow under the water. He¡¯d seen one once. A live one, not just one of the dead, stuffed ones they had at museums or creepy roadside stands along the Florida interstate. The one he¡¯d seen had only been about three feet from snout to tail, but it¡¯d been enough to convince him to stay far away from that particular lake. Now he was apparently going to hunt a creature that was bigger, stronger, and probably much more deadly. Joy. ¡°You¡¯re letting him hunt a Morditul without knowing what it is?¡± Mira asked, stopping in a way that made the rest of their party halt, as well. ¡°I assumed he would!¡± Zindar said defensively. ¡°They¡¯re common enough in this area. Or the stories of them are, anyway.¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not from this area,¡± Arheis said carefully. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Nothing we can¡¯t handle, right?¡± His optimism faded somewhat as he saw the look Zindar and Mira exchanged. It wasn¡¯t quite pity¡ªnot on Mira¡¯s end, at least¡ªbut it was close enough that Arheis began to wonder what exactly he was dealing with. ¡°Morditul are extremely aggressive,¡± Mira said, starting through the boggy brush again. ¡°They fight their clutchmates hours after birth. The strongest one lives, while the others are torn apart.¡± ¡°Lovely.¡± Not for the first time, Arheis found himself glad he didn¡¯t have any siblings. Maybe he¡¯d just torn them apart and didn¡¯t remember it. That was probably what happened. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. They walked on, the ground beneath Arheis¡¯ feet growing murkier and murkier. The vegetation changed, and instead of the large, glossy plants he¡¯d come to associate with this area he was accosted by long, vine-like tangles that grew in and out of the muck. Mud suctioned around his boot, very nearly pulling it off when he went to take a step. Even the trees seemed to sink down, the trunks becoming off-kilter as they rose up from the bog. He might not have faced a Morditul before, but he already knew this was a terrible place to fight one. ¡°Not much further,¡± Zindar assured them¡ªright as Arheis smacked another one of those massive mosquitoes. The more they trudged, though, the more rank the air became. He thought it was the bog itself, but a generally awful smell slowly revealed itself as the oppressive stench of death when he glimpsed a mostly-eaten corpse half absorbed by the muck. ¡°Looks like a Nepondus,¡± Mira reasoned. Arheis found slightly higher ground and examined the body as closely as he dared. The chest cavity was just gone, as though whatever had killed it had scooped out the insides the way one might scoop out a pumpkin. He almost gagged, but something in him was forced to look. Whether it was that old car crash fixation humans seemed to have or some other instinct, Arheis¡¯ gaze moved over the poor gutted creature¡­ and found something odd. Buried halfway in a rib bone were two large teeth. > Discovered: Morditul Tooth An excess of keratin allows Morditul to grow and lose hundreds of teeth in their lifetime. While the crushing power of their jaws is incredibly strong, each tooth is not socketed especially well. Tissue never rebuilds properly, and excessive force often causes new teeth to dislodge. The socket never stays empty for long, however, and the new tooth that grows in is sharper than the last. Fantastic. And judging from the size of each tooth¡ªroughly half his pointer finger¡ªthe creature that shed it was huge. This wasn¡¯t going to end well. Arheis could feel it in his bones. Bones that were probably going to look a lot like that Nepondus¡¯. ¡°It has to be in the lake,¡± Zindar said as he got a look at the mostly-eaten corpse. And so they continued on, Arheis pulling his spear from his back and holding it in both hands, preparing to take the more offensive route if they were ambushed. Hunkering down behind his shield didn¡¯t seem like an effective option given everything Zindar and Mira had told him. The lake became visible through the hazy, almost mist-like atmosphere of the jungle, and his fingers curled even tighter around the haft. He used his Hunter¡¯s Perception ability to search for any sign of the beast and found only another set of tracks leading directly into the lake. ¡°How do we¡ª¡± Zindar held up a hand to quiet him, using the other to reach into his pack. He pulled out one of the meat pies, then gave Mira a sheepish smile. ¡°I have one of these for you, too. Just not this one. It was Galen¡¯s, but since he¡¯s not here¡­¡± The Pruvari scooped out a handful, then hurled the pie like a Frisbee. It flew a good fifteen feet, losing some crust and filling along the way before it landed with a smack, dipping beneath the water, then buoying to the top thanks to the container it was in. Arheis held his breath and gripped his spear as he waited. He expected a ripple. A few bubbles. Some indication that the creature was coming. But the water was still and silent¡­ until it wasn¡¯t. Something burst through the surface of the lake, sending a spray of water flying to either side. Hundreds of teeth flashed in the midday sun, a long, wide jaw opening and then snapping shut to completely surround the pie. The creature and the pie disappeared underwater, and aside from the initial ripples, the lake was eerily still again. ¡°I think I¡¯ll pass,¡± Mira said, sounding a little ill. ¡°Oh, good. I can use yours as bait, too.¡± Zindar pulled out the other pie, dumping what he¡¯d scooped out onto the top of it. Arheis just watched as the creature once again burst through the water, grabbed the bits of food that had fallen from the throw, and disappeared. ¡°Get ready,¡± Mira said, stepping a good distance away from the water¡¯s edge. The Pruvari moved right to it, placing the pie down. Arheis was sure he was about to see his friend lose a hand. Or half his body. But Zindar¡¯s bracer glowed with yellow energy and he jumped backwards with unmatched speed and agility¡ªjust a few scant seconds before the Morditul burst from the water a third time. ¡°Get its attention before it goes back underwater!¡± Zindar called, and already Arheis could smell the distinct odor of ozone as the Pruvari connected with his Fulcorn spirit. Arheis didn¡¯t have time to process what he was seeing. He had to act, and quickly. ¡°Why don¡¯t you stop going for easy meals, you lazy asshole!¡± Well. That was one way to use his Provoke ability. He could feel the moment the creature¡¯s attention turned toward him. It was a prickling sensation that had the hairs on his arms and neck standing on end, his stomach tying into knots. If given the choice, he wasn¡¯t sure he would have tangled with this beast. The Nepondus Queen had been massive and imposing, but this thing was just gluttonously large. Its body was bloated to the point where its rough, scaly hide looked like it was about to burst open. The forelimbs were as meaty and powerful as he¡¯d thought, the feet built almost like shovels with a ridge of hard chitin that extended beneath the claws. The tail was thick, too, and proportionate to the huge body, the ridges that ran down the beast¡¯s back continuing all the way down the tail, too. But by far the most revolting part of the Morditul was its face. It was some strange cross between an alligator and a frog. The snout was long, but the underside of it ballooned out, the skin almost appearing like rubbery jowls. Its eyes were large and positioned near the top of its head rather than the sides, both eyeballs looking particularly wet and sunken into their sockets. And the entirety of the beast was covered in a thick, translucent mucus¡ªhead to toe, with more of it seeming to flow as the creature opened its giant maw and showed off two rows of newly-grown teeth. Because it had worked on the Nepondus Queen¡ªand because why not¡ªArheis thrust the tip of his spear into the Morditul¡¯s mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t¡ª¡± Zindar¡¯s warning came too late. The beast¡¯s jaws closed with a sudden snap, forced down with such power that Arheis was sure the haft was snapped in two. It wasn¡¯t, but the alternative didn¡¯t seem much better. The Morditul thrashed its massive head to the side, yanking the spear out of Arheis¡¯ hand. > You have been disarmed! No kidding. The disgusting frog-gator spat his spear out in a shower of thick, sticky mucus¡ªand a few teeth for good measure. It swung its head to face him again, a deep, guttural growl vibrating its¡­ throat? Chin? Arheis didn¡¯t know, but he did know he only had seconds to get his shield back into position to block the blow. Instead of fending off the snapping jaw, though, he was broadsided by the creature when it suddenly used its shovel-feet to pull its body around, bludgeoning him with its bulk. > Morditul slams you for 10 points of damage. (29 deflected) > You are afflicted with Sluggishness. Reaction speed slowed by 25%. 25%?! That was a massive penalty! And how had he even¡ª Arheis felt a thick, goopy substance coating his shield arm. The mucus. Of course. It was seeping through his armor and covering his skin almost like a quick-drying plaster. How did something that powerful also have access to such a debilitating status effect? ¡°I can clear the sludge, but it¡¯s going to take a moment,¡± Mira called, and out of the corner of his eye he saw her tamping a crossbow bolt into a mixture of herbs. ¡°I¡¯ll distract it in the meantime. Get your spear back!¡± Zindar pushed off of the swampy ground, gaining just enough height to leap over the Morditul. He landed with a squelch on the other side of it, lightning arcing from his bracer into the edge of one of his hand-blades. He lashed out in a flurry, the blade without the glow seeming to barely faze the beast while the lightning-infused metal caused it to whirl on him, its meaty tail swinging like a club. Arheis put his shield on his back and moved to fetch his spear, every motion feeling like he was dragging his entire body through neck-deep sludge. Considering his spear was covered in the stuff, he didn¡¯t know how good of an idea it was to pick it up, but what choice did he have? Closing his fingers around it, he waited for another system message. It never came. At least status effects don¡¯t stack¡­ Right after the thought crossed his mind, he felt something smack against his arm, sending a bruising shock of pain through him. It was the same sensation as getting hit by a paintball, from what he remembered, and he glanced down to see a bright yellow substance spreading rapidly over his arm, eating through the mucus. Putting the spear in its path, he was rewarded by whatever it was clearing away the gobs of goo on his weapon, too. > You are no longer afflicted with Sluggishness. Reaction speed returned to normal. ¡°I only have a limited amount of this one,¡± Mira said, ¡°so try to avoid getting slimed.¡± Easier said than done, though Zindar was managing it like a pro. He vaulted over the tail swipe and dodged away from the body slam, making Arheis wish he¡¯d put more of his points into Agility. The Morditul barely lost any ground. It slid through the muck with a strange sort of grace, twisting and rolling and aiming jaws, body, and tail at the Pruvari as he leapt about. That was until Zindar lost his footing. His large, lynx-like feet kept him on the surface of the mud for the most part, but he must have hesitated a second too long. He started to sink, and when he went to leap away from the beast, the momentum just wasn¡¯t there. He fell backward, the bracer he wore held in front of him like his own personal shield. Arheis couldn¡¯t rely on the fulcorn to save his friend. That was his role, and he needed to stop screwing around and do it. Pulling a rock from the bog, Arheis flung it right at the creature¡¯s face, aiming for one of its eyes. It didn¡¯t hit exactly where he¡¯d wanted, but the blow of the rock to the beast¡¯s temple was enough for it to swing its massive head his way. ¡°Remember me?¡± Arheis taunted, using his Provoke ability again. It must have worked, because the Morditul used its big forelimbs to pull itself around and its shovel-guarded feet to propel it through the mud. The gluttonous creature sped toward him, and for a second Arheis wondered just how fast it must be underwater if this was its speed on land. Best not to find out. Instead he concentrated on what he was doing, convincing himself he¡¯d had some kind of plan all along. He held his ground, spear clutched in both hands, and waited until the last second to dodge. The beast stopped in front of him and planted its front feet in the ground, swinging its body to ram into him again. But Arheis was ready this time. He leapt into the air, avoiding the slam, and drove downward with his spear leading him. The tip of his weapon scraped against the beast¡¯s protective plates, and for a second Arheis thought he was just going to lose his grip on his spear yet again. But finally the tip slid between the plates and he pushed as hard as he could with the few remaining seconds he had, driving it in deep, then yanking it back out in a spray of blood as he finally landed on his feet. > You have learned Plunging Strike. Gain a height advantage over your enemies to use this ability. The greater the height, the more damage done. > Your Plunging Strike pierces Morditul for 56 points of damage. ¡°Nice moves!¡± Zindar said, using the brief window of opportunity Arheis had created to get in a few slices, his blades forced to saw through the thick, rubbery hide of the beast¡¯s jowls. ¡°Damn, I can¡¯t get through. We¡¯ll have to let it go back underwater.¡± The Morditul roared, murder in its wet, black eyes as it looked at Zindar. For a second Arheis was sure he¡¯d lost aggro, but the creature fixated on him again, this time bracing its forearms in the ground and swinging its tail over its head like a loosed catapult. Another new move. Or an alteration of a previous move. Weren¡¯t enemies in Apex supposed to have patterns you could learn to predict¡­? Arheis wasn¡¯t able to get far enough out of the way before the club-like tail smashed into the left side of his body, with only his shoulder there to ¡°soften¡± the blow. The blunt force of it slammed through him, and he instantly felt something shatter in his arm¡ªalong with his shoulder popping out of its socket. The sharp plates that covered the Morditul¡¯s tail made the hit doubly punishing, raking gashes through his arm that his armor barely seemed to slow. > Morditul smashes you for 45 points of damage. > You are disoriented! ¡°Arheis!¡± Mira called as he staggered backward. His ears were ringing, his stomach churned, and he couldn¡¯t keep his footing in the muck. The only good thing about his current stupor was that he couldn¡¯t feel that pain anymore. Adrenaline coursed through his veins, a more effective painkiller than any drugs on the market. Until it wears off. For now it gave him just enough mobility to dodge the follow-up slam as the Morditul threw its body toward him, and just enough strength that he somehow managed to hold onto his spear despite the fact that his left arm was practically useless now. Adrenaline couldn¡¯t fend the beast off forever, though it might just buy enough time for¡ª Arheis felt a thunk against his left arm that cut through the blissful, pain-free haze his body had put him under. Agony splintered along his shoulder, radiating outward through every cell in his body. A warmth spread through him from the site of what he eventually realized was one of Mira¡¯s sachets. It grew hotter and hotter until it was almost unbearable, and then a sudden cooling sensation washed over his body, and with it a sense of ease. > You have been healed for 37 points of damage. > You are no longer disoriented. It was a good thing, too. The Morditul was relentless, charging toward him with a single-minded fury. Arheis had no choice but to leap out of the way this time, landing with his spear in the muck only a few feet away from the beast as it wheeled around to come at him again. Arheis grabbed for his shield to at least protect some part of his body, but the pain in his left shoulder persisted. Mira¡¯s healing could apparently take care of standard wounds, but it hadn¡¯t helped the dislocation. And since he barely had a moment to breathe, let alone try and get the shoulder back in its socket, Arheis had to come to terms with the fact that his shield arm was all but useless. Which was probably the worst possible thing to realize when he was moments away from having his insides torn out like that Nepondus. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± he heard Zindar yell over the sudden clap of thunder. Lightning struck the ground alarmingly close to Arheis, and with the amount of mud readily available to transmit the current, he was sure he was done for. But every bolt that hit coalesced into a solid form he could just barely make out beneath the muck. The Fulcorn. It burst through the ground, meeting the Morditul head-on just before it could reach Arheis, its shining horn drawing bolt after bolt to its barely corporeal form. The Morditul was struck, electricity arcing through its body as it writhed in agony. Not about to waste his moment to get the hell out of there, Arheis used his good arm to push himself up, discarding his shield in the muck and holding his spear close against his body, almost like a lance. He charged the Morditul and ran his spear straight through the thin membrane that protected the inside of the creature¡¯s mouth, managing to avoid most of its rubbery hide. > You pierce Morditul for 39 points of damage. Still not a critical hit? Seriously? ¡°We¡¯re barely touching this thing,¡± Arheis called to his companions, wracking his brain to come up with something before the Morditul recovered from the Fulcorn¡¯s attack. ¡°It¡¯s the mud,¡± Mira said, taking up a defensive stance beside him, her crossbow leveled at the beast¡¯s face. ¡°It hardens on the body, like a second coat of armor. We¡¯ll have to find a way to break through it.¡± Easier said than done. There were only a couple of places on the creature¡¯s hide that now seemed vulnerable to attack. But he supposed that was what happened when you took a quest five levels higher than you. It became a war of attrition until a weakness was exposed. They¡¯d just have to somehow stay alive until enough mud was knocked off to make a dent in the creature¡¯s health. Spear still tucked at his side, Arheis wrapped his hand around the haft, closer to the tip. As the Morditul broke out of its near-stasis, Mira loosed the bolt she¡¯d readied, then followed it up with another. Both hit their mark, slicing into the corner of the beast¡¯s mouth that Arheis had already opened up. She leapt backward, disengaging from the front lines of the fight, and Arheis could finally feel a rhythm. He was there when the beast tried to pursue her, thrusting his spear just beneath the Morditul¡¯s jaw, yanking it out quickly, and dodging out of the way just before the beast¡¯s jaws tried to close down on his arm. Zindar was ready to punish the miss, a flurry of slashes sending mud, scales, mucus, and blood flying in every direction. It felt good to fight like this. To work alongside his companions and anticipate their every move, filling in the gaps in their formation so they gained a tactical advantage over their foe. And if this were like any other battle he¡¯d fought alongside them, it would¡¯ve been a turning point where they came back from certain defeat to win against all odds. But that wasn¡¯t what was happening. The Morditul was still moving way too fast, its speed barely hindered by what they¡¯d done. All three of them were forced to stay dangerously close just to pinpoint their strikes, and they all paid for it. The Morditul¡¯s tail slammed into Zindar, catching his back as he tried to leap out of the way. Arheis lunged, putting himself between the beast and his friend, but without a shield he only had his spear to protect them both. Gritting his teeth, he held onto it with both arms and stayed steady, letting the Morditul all but impale itself until Arheis could see the tip of his spear poking out behind the beast¡¯s shoulder. And still it kept coming. It roared in fury, steam billowing from beneath the mud that just covered up whatever progress they¡¯d made as soon as the Morditul moved. Arheis barely had time¡ªor strength¡ªto get his spear back, having to gamble with his legs by dodging and then planting both boots against the creature¡¯s side so he had enough leverage to yank the weapon free. It was Zindar who pulled him backwards this time before the Morditul could whip around and snap the bones in his legs like twigs. ¡°Thanks,¡± he panted, getting a pained smile in return. Mira hit him with one of the healing bolts, too, but it was obvious the Pruvari wasn¡¯t moving at 100%. Maybe not even 70%. ¡°We can¡¯t win this,¡± Mira said, firing off another bolt that practically bounced off the Morditul¡¯s hide. ¡°We need to retreat.¡± There was no way they could get through this swamp safely. Arheis was certain of that. As relentlessly as the beast pursued them, it would follow until the mud eventually slowed them all down. Zindar¡¯s Fulcorn bought him another few precious seconds to think, the stag-like creature manifesting lightning in its wake and charging into the Morditul¡¯s side. One glance at Zindar told him that wasn¡¯t a long-term solution. Every collision seemed to be taking more out of the Pruvari, as if the spirit¡¯s corporeal form was somehow linked to his. His gaze flew to Mira next as she readied another bolt. When he focused, he could feel¡­ fear. Her fear, he thought, though maybe some of his own. She caught his gaze and held it, her countenance almost pleading. She was right. If they didn¡¯t do something, they were all going to die here. Or¡­ Mira and Zindar would die. Arheis would eventually reawaken, probably right beside the mutilated corpses of his two friends. And he sure as hell wasn¡¯t going to let that happen. ¡°I have an idea,¡± he called to them, even as that idea formed in his mind, shaky as a newborn fawn. ¡°I¡¯m going to draw it back into the lake.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Mira exclaimed, her voice breaking on the word. ¡°Are you insane? We can¡¯t fight it there!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the quickest way to get the mud off.¡± He was already running toward the lake, his spear tucked against his side once more, hand reaching into his pack as the plan solidified. There wasn¡¯t any time to hesitate. He needed to get the Morditul into the water, and then he needed to keep it there long enough for their attacks to matter. Which meant he was going to have to go in himself. ¡°Arheis!¡± he could hear Mira¡¯s panic, could feel it through the bond they shared. It was almost enough to make him reconsider. But the Morditul was coming out of its stasis again, and they didn¡¯t have a Plan B. ¡°Just trust me.¡± He looked for the Pruvari, finding Zindar running only a few steps behind him. ¡°Get ready.¡± Zindar nodded, his expression grave. Arheis wished there was time to better communicate the plan, but the Morditul was already charging through the muck, heading for him with all the speed and power of a freight train. He just had to hope his companions would fall in sync with him like they had in the past. Drawing in a big gulp of air, Arheis flung himself off the bank, going for as much distance as he could get before he hit the surface of the water and dove under. His arms and legs worked as he fought against the dislocated shoulder, pain practically blinding him as tears sprang to his eyes beneath the murky lake. He struggled through, diving down until he reached the bottom, then pushing off against it with his feet to turn himself around. The Morditul was already in the water, a current that hadn¡¯t existed before being pulled around the creature as it shot straight toward him. Arheis¡¯ fingers closed around the object he¡¯d pulled out of his pack. He had one shot to do this. One very long shot that had a snowball¡¯s chance in hell of actually working the way he wanted it to. But it was the only chance he had, and when the Morditul was close enough, he thrust the item forward, pulling his hand back seconds before the Morditul¡¯s jaws snapped closed. It was enough. The pressure of the beast¡¯s teeth did what he¡¯d hoped they would do. The shock-rock was activated, and a burst of electrical current lit up the creature from the inside out, shining through skin membranes that were no longer protected by mud. Gripping his spear with both hands, Arheis thrust it as hard as he could through the bulbous sack below the beast¡¯s jaw, pushing the haft until he felt the tip shatter bone, then using his whole body to wrench it further. > You critically pierce Morditul for 106 points of damage. > Morditul is stunned! There wasn¡¯t any time to celebrate that actually working. Pushing off the bottom of the lake again, Arheis made a mad dash for the water¡¯s surface. His lungs burned as he finally broke it, gasping and then choking as he bobbed back under for a few seconds. His gaze scanned the bank, finding Zindar and Mira both there. ¡°Be ready!¡± His spear was still lodged inside the creature. He couldn¡¯t do anything until he got that back, and trying for it now was a death sentence. Arheis swam for the shore in frantic bursts of energy, adrenaline keeping him going despite the pain. Mira crouched down, fury and terror in her eyes as she waited to pull him out. But the shock-rock didn¡¯t last as long as the Fulcorn¡¯s attack, and he began to feel a sudden current swirling around him, pulling him in. The shore was further and further away, his paddling more and more useless as he tried to fight against it. Hundreds of teeth clamped down on his leg, piercing the flesh and wrenching free from their sockets. Arheis tried to use that to kick out and get some distance, but it was no use. He was pulled under, wrapped up in that swirling current. Fatigue clawed bone-deep at his insides, making the Morditul¡¯s role in all of this that much easier. Arheis felt his bones breaking, being crushed into near dust. Pain lanced through every inch of his body. And then there was nothing. Only blackness and a strange sense of serenity. > Morditul bites you for 45 points of damage. > Morditul bites you for 45 points of damage. > Morditul bites you for 45 points of damage. > You are bleeding! > You are drowning! > You have been slain by Morditul! Chapter 3 The last time this happened, Arheis awoke to find Mira standing over him, tending to his many wounds. It wasn¡¯t like that this time. When consciousness came back to him, it was almost like it had been forced into his body kicking and screaming. He couldn¡¯t feel anything physically, but emotionally he was overwhelmed by a cascade of emotions that hit him all at once. Horror. Sorrow. Anger. Each pierced him straight through, opening up holes in his consciousness that let the light in, as though a shroud had suddenly been removed from his eyes. The edges of his vision were hazy, but he saw the lake, clear as day. He saw the Morditul rolling, thrashing, an incomprehensible tangle of limbs trapped in its maw. He heard Zindar¡¯s voice, somewhere to the right. ¡°He¡¯ll come back! We have to finish this.¡± That son of a bitch¡­ Mira. The words were shaky, but he heard them inside his head like they were his own. The sound of a crossbow bolt clicking into place was nearly as close, and he finally realized he wasn¡¯t seeing through his own eyes right now. He was seeing through hers. She steeled herself, resolve firming as she settled the stock of the crossbow against her shoulder and readied herself to fire. The Morditul thrashed out of the water, a leg hanging out of its mouth with the boot still on. His leg, he realized. And while he couldn¡¯t really feel his own sense of disgust, he felt the pain of it all within Mira. Her arms were shaking, her crossbow moving unsteadily. He tried to do something, to lend her some kind of strength through their bond, but it didn¡¯t seem to work. ¡°I¡¯m going to draw it back out of the water,¡± Zindar said, the words distant and hazy. Mira¡¯s gaze was unfocused, and Arheis could feel the sudden wash of nausea as though it were his own. ¡°Mira!¡± the Pruvari called again. ¡°I need your help with this. We¡¯ll only have a few moments before the mud hardens.¡± ¡°Right,¡± she finally said, letting out a breath. Lightning arced through the air as the Fulcorn raced along the edge of the lake. It ducked its head and every bolt merged before hitting its horn and being directed into the water. Electricity skittered across the surface, and the Morditul¡ªnot directly impacted like it had been by the shock-rock¡ªlooked for the nearest exit. Zindar was waiting there, and when the beast finally emerged, Arheis saw his own handy work. The spear was still lodged inside the Morditul, and every time the creature moved, it wrenched it even deeper. Blood and viscera colored the creature¡¯s skin, staining the water red. Zindar pushed off from the bank and twisted his body in midair to come down on the back of the beast, his blades finally able to open it up in earnest. He sliced from the shoulders down the back, and Arheis heard Mira¡¯s crossbow fire as she shot bolt after bolt directly into the jagged wounds the Pruvari opened up. It thrashed, spinning and rolling, trying to toss Zindar from its back. By the time it finally succeeded, the damage was done. It was weakening, growing slower and slower until it finally stopped, its body heaving with convulsions. Mira walked closer, and Arheis was granted a prime view of Zindar¡¯s sudden, rage-filled flurry as he turned the beast over and drove his blades into it again and again. He yelled while he did it, and Mira¡¯s free hand clenched at her side, anger rising in her as well. Arheis got the distinct impression hers wasn¡¯t directed at the Morditul. ¡°You don¡¯t want to see this,¡± Zindar grunted as his blades opened the Morditul¡¯s belly, exposing its organs. ¡°I saw it plenty with Brahdek,¡± she said tersely, her voice wavering. Zindar looked up at her, his yellow eyes softening along with the rest of his expression. ¡°This is different, Mira. You didn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Just get it over with.¡± The words came out in a rush, followed by a ¡°please¡± that even Arheis barely heard. It took Arheis a moment to realize what was happening as Zindar sliced open the beast¡¯s stomach. Digestive juices gushed out, but so did a partially-eaten limb. Then another. Then parts of a body that didn¡¯t look even remotely recognizable aside from the armor. His armor. He was seeing his lifeless body pulled piece by piece from the Morditul¡¯s stomach.He couldn¡¯t look away because Mira¡¯s eyes were his eyes right now, and she held steady until the very last moment despite the fact that she was shaking. Her gaze fixated on the glowing Destiny¡¯s Eye, the amulet that marked a player from NPCs¡ªthe item that allowed Arheis to essentially respawn. And slowly¡ªso very, very slowly¡ªit did its job. Just¡­ not in the way Arheis expected. Instead of something game-y happening like his body disintegrating and then respawning whole and unharmed, Arheis had to watch as his bones fused, his muscles reformed, his skin repaired itself, and his body was almost stitched back together piece by tiny piece. Destiny¡¯s Eye continued to glow throughout the whole process, and when it stopped, he felt relief coursing through Amira. And then he felt nothing. The blackness returned, taking his cognitive awareness with it as he was transferred back to his very unconscious body. *** The next time Arheis awoke, he was greeted by the sight he¡¯d been expecting. Mira was looking down at him, brown eyes shimmering with unshed tears, brow furrowed in concern. He could see the canvas roof of the encampment beyond her and felt one of the hard cots underneath him. The smell of freshly-pressed herbs filled his nose, and he could hear the bustle of Lacerda in the distance. He was alive and whole, which was definitely an improvement over watching his dismembered body piece itself back together. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Arheis tried to move, but his joints were stiff and his muscles tight. He let out a soft groan and tried again to sit up, only for Mira to place a hand on his chest and hold him down. ¡°Staying put is the least you can do right now,¡± she said tersely. Arheis thought he caught sight of a tear falling before she turned her head to call over her shoulder. ¡°Vellis! Come here.¡± The boy from earlier hurried over, and Mira instructed him in what to do to ease the pain and promote healing. Arheis had assumed Destiny¡¯s Eye would take care of that, but it hadn¡¯t put him at 100% after the Nepondus Queen killed him, either. This was part of the punishment for death. That and the serious cold shoulder he was getting from the woman who felt incredibly closed off compared to the things he¡¯d glimpsed just moments ago. ¡°You killed the Morditul,¡± Arheis managed, his gaze still on Mira even as she walked away from the cot; away from him. ¡°I saw it. After I was¡ª¡± ¡°After you were ripped apart, limb from limb?¡± she grated out, her back still to him, shoulders bunched together. When she finally turned, he saw she was trying very hard not to cry. ¡°After you were devoured right in front of us, all because you refused to run?¡± ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have made it¡ª¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know that!¡± her voice was raised, and Vellis jumped in the middle of packing one of Arheis¡¯ wounds. ¡°You saw the way it was moving through that mud,¡± he fought back, feeling the sudden need to defend himself. The herbs Vellis haphazardly stuffed into his open gashes burned, but he ignored them. ¡°I had to do something.¡± He¡¯d acted under pressure. He¡¯d done what needed to be done. In any other game, he would have been rewarded for taking such a bold, decisive action. It bothered Arheis that he was being derided for it here, when they both knew he had a lot less to lose than either Mira or Zindar. ¡°So you what? You throw your life away?¡± Her arms started to fold over her chest, then wrapped around her instead. ¡°Because this,¡± he gripped Destiny¡¯s Eye with one hand, ¡°means my ¡®life¡¯ is expendable. Yours isn¡¯t. Zindar¡¯s isn¡¯t. I saved both of you by doing what I did. Why am I being raked over the coals for it?¡± Arheis hadn¡¯t even realized he was yelling until the skittish man who was working on him stood back, well out of reach. People passing by stopped in the streets, too intrigued by the outburst to keep moving. Mira¡¯s jaw was held tightly, and she stalked back toward him with fury in her eyes. Fury and pain and something that only hit him once she got close enough for him to see it; once she let down her guard enough that he could feel it. She was hurt. Deeply. It was there in her eyes, in the way she was still shaking, and not just with anger. Arheis remembered what he¡¯d felt from her as she¡¯d watched him die, and the weight of it settled like lead in his stomach. ¡°You asked us to trust you,¡± she hissed out, the words breaking on a sob that she barely got under control, ¡°asked me to trust you, and I did. I trusted you enough to watch you die, Arheis. To realize that you and I may be bonded, but it¡¯s obvious that trust doesn¡¯t go both ways.¡± Her words hit him harder than the Morditul had, cracking something deep inside of him. He never thought he¡¯d lacked for empathy, but in the heat of the moment, he¡¯d been careless. He¡¯d looked at the outcome, the fact that he was still here instead of what it took to get here. He¡¯d done what needed to be done, and even now he wasn¡¯t sure he would have done it any differently. But this cost was¡­ not what he¡¯d expected. Mira shook her head, swiped at her eyes with the heels of her hands, and turned to Vellis. ¡°Finish packing his wounds, bandage him up, and give him something for the pain.¡± ¡°O-okay,¡± Vellis stammered, ¡°but you¡¯re¡­ you¡¯re going to be here, right¡­?¡± Arheis realized right around the time the young healer did. She was leaving. ¡°Mira, wait.¡± He tried to push himself up, get to his feet and go after her, but pain shot through his battered body. A system message appeared shortly after¡ªthe game¡¯s version of kicking him while he was already down. > Your relationship with Amira has worsened. Bond abilities may not function as intended. That was the last thing he needed to hear, and his anger came back as he minimized the message¡ªand any others that might try to follow it¡ªin his mind. Mira was already out of the encampment and heading for the Hackleback, though, and Arheis was left with her apprentice whose hands were shaking so badly he could barely hold the bundles of herbs. *** It took Vellis at least an hour to pack and dress all of his wounds, and that was only because Arheis relied on his First Aid ability to help. The apprentice had tried to pick at his curiosities, asking what happened with the Morditul, but Arheis¡¯ near silence stopped him from continuing that line of questioning. By the time the apprentice was finished and Arheis was blissfully under the influence of a pain-killing potion, all those feelings he didn¡¯t know how to even categorize had gnawed a hole through his stomach. It was frustration most of all. Helplessness. There was something about all of it that felt like it should be in his reach, but it wasn¡¯t. Mira was hurt enough that it was upsetting their bond. He hadn¡¯t even seen Zindar yet, but could assume the Pruvari wasn¡¯t exactly his biggest fan right now, either. And the only person besides Vellis who was even still around was¡­ Higrem. He¡¯d been in earshot when the disagreement over Arheis¡¯ actions turned into a shouting match. He must have been, because after Mira left he¡¯d come over with a smirk on his face and sat himself down on the edge of a nearby cot. All the glowering in the world hadn¡¯t gotten the man to leave, and when Vellis asked, he¡¯d just said he was ¡°doing his mayoral duty and checking in.¡± That had made the apprentice¡¯s hands shake all the more, which was the point when Arheis had taken over. Now that everything was done and Vellis was free to go throw up or whatever he intended to do after this, Arheis was left alone with the only other player he¡¯d met in Apex so far, that smug expression still on his face. ¡°Trouble in paradise?¡± he asked. Arheis felt all of that helplessness fuse into anger. His fingers curled into his palm, his fingernails digging crescent shaped gashes into his skin. ¡°You sat there this whole time, and all you have is a lame-ass one-liner?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve got more, if you want to hear ¡®em,¡± he taunted, ¡°but I figured you¡¯d want to cut right to the chase.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood, Higrem,¡± Arheis said through gritted teeth, finally pushing himself up. He wobbled a little, his head feeling lighter than he expected. Searching around, he was able to find his shirt draped over a chair and he pulled it on over his head, thankful his shoulder at least had full range of motion back. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s a raw deal not being able to use game logic with them, isn¡¯t it?¡± Arheis had been prepared to walk away, but that made him stop and turn back to the man. So far Higrem had given him nothing but vague nonsense to go on. If he hadn¡¯t seen the amulet around his neck, Arheis would have thought the man was just screwing with him. ¡°They¡¯re never going to understand it,¡± Higrem continued, his look of smug satisfaction changing into¡­ something else. Something Arheis couldn¡¯t place. ¡°This world doesn¡¯t run on that kind of logic. The sooner you get that through your head, the better off you¡¯ll be.¡± The man¡¯s eyes looked almost haunted, and some part of Arheis was tempted to ask. He still had no idea how Higrem had managed to be in this world long enough to have an adult child, and he wasn¡¯t any closer to understanding what the man had meant by the ¡°choice¡± he was going to have to make. But right now, he wasn¡¯t exactly in the mood to untangle the web Higrem had woven around his secrets. ¡°Spare me the cryptic bullshit,¡± Arheis muttered. ¡°Just for today.¡± Higrem shrugged, pushing himself up from the cot. ¡°Suit yourself. Not like you won¡¯t learn it the hard way eventually.¡± And then he left, just like everyone else, leaving Arheis alone to try and figure out how he was going to fix this mess he¡¯d apparently made. Thanks for reading! As of February 18th, 2019, I''ve taken down all but the first three chapters of Hunter''s Choice to comply with Amazon''s Kindle Unlimited terms of service. If you''re just finding this book, I want to thank you for reading! The full version is now available on Amazon! If you''re interested in supporting me, the book is $4.99 or free to borrow if you''re a Kindle Unlimited member.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. https://amzn.to/2DZltmN Stay tuned for Apex Chronicles Book 3 coming late 2019!