《World Gone Astray》


 Chapter One: What did you just call me!?

    As I stretched out, I felt the grass spring back underneath me, the thick blades cushioning me like a bed. I breathed in, smelling the scent of dew and fresh rainfall. It was peaceful, and I felt comfortable, my body relaxing as I laid there. I could feel the breeze on my skin, and I smiled as I heard the whistle of it going through the grass. I was comfortable, but for some unknown reason, I got the feeling that it wasn''t trustworthy¡­ Something about this whole situation was off. Deep down, I had this feeling like I had been doing something important. Like there was something I had to remember but¡­ I couldn''t¡­ quite¡­ hmmm¡­ what was I thinking about again? I feel like¡­ ahh, that¡¯s fine.


    How¡­ odd¡­ I took in another deep, long breath, in order to calm myself. I guess if whatever it was that I had been thinking about was that important, I''d remember it eventually, right? I cocked my head to the side and frowned. More importantly, where was I? I slowly opened my eyes, and winced as the sudden brightness of the sun momentarily blinded me. After a moment, I glanced around, taking a long look at my surroundings for the first time.


    At first glance, I could see that I was laying atop a small grassy hill. Below me there stretched a grassy green prairie field, the sun glinting off of the field, just having risen. I continued scanning around, but didn¡¯t see much of interest, just never ending rolling green hills that seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see. I turned, and glanced to my right. There, bordering the grassy plains, was a sea of tall, thin trees. They were unbelievably tall, and their branches reached up far into the sky. Not only that, but it was a deep forest, and even at a glance I could tell that each of the trees were absolutely ancient. I turned to my left, where I saw a small town, awash with activity as people bustled about. The town was built around a wide moat, and behind that there was a small castle. Its walls were glistening in the sun¡¯s rays, its towers and ramparts elegantly and proudly standing out, while at the same time seemingly being immaterial¡­ as if it was made of diamonds.


    Looking around I searched for¡­ Well, I wasn''t sure what exactly. Something made me feel worried, and I knew I had to find it soon. I frantically searched for it, my eyes flicking back and forth. I felt like it was a matter of life or death, and the faster I found what was wrong, the better. As my eyes scanned my surroundings, I heard it, the sound of massive footfalls hitting the earth. Then I heard a thrumming ringing, as the sound of a bell''s toll echoed over the hills. My head whipped around as I looked for the source of noise¡­ but there was nothing. I looked around and around but there was nothing except¡­ Wait¡­ what was that in the forest? I narrowed my eyes and strained to make out more. There was definitely something moving in there, and as it got closer I saw and heard trees getting knocked over. Gods, it must be absolutely massive! Wait¡­ I could make out more now, it looked almost like¡­ eyes?


    Then before I could think another thought, a huge scaled beast exploded out of the forest, tearing out several trees, and digging several deep grooves into the earth. Its head was bigger than a car, and it pounded along the hills on four muscular legs, covered in brown and green scales. Its eyes were filled with rage and hunger as it loped along straight towards the diamond castle, and the town surrounding it. It was then that the gates to the castle opened, and a knight atop an armored horse raced out. He raced over the bridge spanning the moat, rushing through the town and charging straight towards the beast.


    As he got closer my eyes widened as I took him in. He was massive, and intent on the monster in front of him, his gaze unwavering. He had a huge lance, which reflected the sunlight making a halo around him as his horse galloped along. It was enough to make any normal opponent just give up. The only issue was¡­ he wasn''t facing a normal opponent. Even atop the horse, and as massive as he was, he was only a quarter the size of the scaled beast. He was outclassed in every metric, and yet, as he rode closer he lowered his lance and braced himself. The knight sped up even more, the long legs of the warhorse tearing up the ground as even the air itself parted in front of the lance. The beast roared, its mouth glowing red with flames. The hills echoed with the sound of their roars and war cries and then¡­


    A screeching noise ripped through the air and my eyes snapped open, panic racing through my body and heart. I shot up in my bed, smacking my head on the ceiling painfully. I groaned, and sucked in air through my teeth to cut off the string of curses building up inside of me. I rubbed the top of my head and frantically looked around for the source of the noise. My heart felt like it was beating a million miles a minute, and my eyes finally snapped over to my phone which was glowing and shaking. I cursed and reached out, smacking the screen until I finally was able to turn my alarm off.


    I groaned again, and plopped backwards into my hard bed. Ugh, fucking shit, back to reality again, huh? I closed my eyes and smacked my hands on my face, rubbing my eyes until my vision went weird. Every night I swear I was able to get so close to that final fight. I needed to see the end, but I just could never manage to. I go to bed early or even set my alarm later but every time¡­ sigh.


    I rolled over and crawled over to the edge of my bed, careful not to smack my head on the ceiling again. Having two other brothers, two sisters and a small house had meant that my parents had to get creative with bed ideas, hence the invention of the triple bunk bed. As the middle child, it also meant I was ¡®elected¡¯ to sleep on the top bunk. Carefully I clambered down the ladder past the other empty beds my brothers slept in. I had set my alarm later, hoping that I could catch that final fight, but that had ended up being for only one thing, and that was the fact that I was going to be late for school. I eyed my watch and nodded. I had to really rush if I wanted to get ready for school in time, but I could do it. I threw on some shorts and a t-shirt, and then I raced down the stairs, dodging around our old cat at the bottom of the stairs. I slid on the flooring, frantically trying not to slip like usual, and ran straight into the kitchen. I reached on top of the fridge and grabbed some cereal, and grabbed the milk before I made myself a bowl of cereal. I slapped in a spoon and plopped down at the table, digging in ravenously.


    ¡°Slept in late again, have you been staying up all night, or should I be worried cross country is busting your ass too hard?¡± I looked up as my mom walked into the room.


    ¡°Sorry, just been really trying to get rested for that big race this saturday¡­ but I¡¯m okay, I promise. Just a lot has been on my mind lately.¡± My mom smiled and ruffled my hair, before she pulled out a chair and sat down across from me.


    ¡°That¡¯s okay, your brothers and sisters already headed to school on the bus, so no need to wait up for them. I¡¯ll pick them up from middle school, so no need for you to worry about them, okay? I¡¯ll see you after practice today?¡± I forced a smile, and nodded as I finished up the last of the cereal. Of course I''d see her after practice. Not like she didn¡¯t already know that, she saw me after practice every day. What else was I going to do? It¡¯s not like I had very many friends. Not that I could complain of course. It wasn''t like I was rude to anyone though. I just preferred my silence and peace¡­ besides it¡¯s not like I was really itching to be the center of attention like that.


    Well¡­ until it came to running at least. I wasn''t the best runner that the school had, and I didn¡¯t win any races, but I placed high enough to get us some decent wins. That wasn''t the reason why I ran though. It was something where if I worked hard enough, I knew I could get better. If I showed up to practice every day, I could feel myself getting faster, stronger, and better. The only issue was, I just¡­ wasn''t made for it. I was average height, and put on muscle like I was a weightlifter. When I got on that starting line, I was the shortest guy there, but still outweighed everyone by 50 pounds. I sighed and clunked my spoon into my bowl. For an endurance runner, I was built like a sprinter who lifted weights and wrestled in the off season.


    I shook my head and drank the last bit of milk in the bowl, wincing at the taste of the warm milk and powder left over. Disgusting¡­ but oh well, I was hungry. I ran over to the sink and washed off my bowl before placing it in the dishwasher. I gave my mom a hug and a kiss on the forehead, and raced over to the door. I snagged my keys, school bag, and shoes and cracked my neck. Damn it, I still had to finish my homework before class¡­ ugh, at least Mrs. Brawnsburg always collected all the homework last, I should be able to get most of it finished before she collected it.


    I leaned my head back and yelled, ¡°Bye mom! I¡¯ll catch you after practice! Love you!¡± I smiled as I heard her yell that she loves me too, and to be careful¡­ right as I closed the door.


    I raced down the stairs, careful not to trip and fall¡­ again. I still had the bruise from the last time I did that¡­ I swear there was a crack in that last step. I unlocked my car and got in, throwing my stuff in the backseat. Turning it on, I glanced around the empty inside. It wasn¡¯t a very cool car, hence why my siblings never ended up coming with me in the mornings. I couldn¡¯t blame them though, it''s hard to be cool around your friends when you get dropped off in a minivan. I didn¡¯t ever complain though, my mom and dad covered gas and insurance, and I needed to get home in something after practice. Not that I didn¡¯t overhear my teammates'' side comments.


    That was fine, they meant well I think. Despite being on the team for a few years now, that didn¡¯t really make me a popular kid. Well, that was probably because of how awkward I was¡­ Wait, I didn''t need to think about that right now just¡­ drive drive drive, because if I started thinking about all of that, I might not stop, and then I¡¯d end up spending the first class remembering all those times I messed up in the past like when I accidentally¡­


    Before I knew it I had pulled into the parking lot of the school. I grumbled to myself, grabbed my bag and made my way inside. It was a public school in the suburbs, not all that old but definitely not new. It had about eight thousand kids give or take, and if you saw someone in one class it was more than likely you¡¯d never see them again. I made my way to the library and found a quiet corner in the back and pulled out my homework. Alright, first I have to finish these short answers and then I have a bit of calculus¡­


    I finished up the last sentence right as the passing period bell went off, the loud rings dragging me back to reality. Damn it, I¡¯d have to finish the last bit of my calculus during my second period class. I couldn¡¯t do it in the first class unfortunately. It was my AP World History class, and the teacher unfortunately paid attention to the class. I let out a sigh as I cleaned up all of my work. It was my only AP class, but it was pretty easy, and hey free college credits. I usually had to rush my calculus in my English class when the teacher wasn¡¯t looking. Mr. Rutherford usually didn''t even care even if he did catch us on our phones. At least I''d be doing homework this time. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    I dodged around the rest of the kids in the library as I made my way out, giving the librarian a wave. I still had to return some of the books I''d checked out, but thankfully, I still had another week before any late fees started accruing. My world history class was on the other side of the school so I¡¯d make it with a couple minutes to spare if I really rushed. Even though I was a runner I hated running to class though. Everyone always gave me weird looks and laughed at me as I sprinted by. Definitely not worth it.


    As I tried my best to dodge around people in the halls, I did my best to just fade into the background. It worked pretty well, and the only slow spots were when I was forced to slow down around the clicks of popular kids and sports teams. At one particular section, I let my mind wander. I thought about going back to the dream I had this morning, but discarded the idea quickly. Every night, my dreams would always change, without fail. Sometimes I was in rolling fields with a diamond castle like last night. Sometimes, I was in a scorching hot desert, with a great vulture and a wyvern fighting in the sky. There were even other nights where I was watching a troop of men struggle to take down a massive golem on a snow capped mountain range. I never was able to stay asleep long enough to see the end of the dreams, though that wasn''t for lack of trying. In my spare time, I always daydreamed, trying my best to imagine a cool ending to each one. I never could though, and the ones I imagined never felt exactly right. I sighed and wormed my way around the group of kids. If I tried to daydream about any one of those, I''d just be disappointed like always.


    Still, it was worth a try, and hey, maybe I¡¯d get better at it over time? I slipped into the classroom and ran over to my seat. I set down my stuff and closed my eyes, relaxing and letting my mind wander as I tried to go back to that dream¡­ as the knight and beast fought I imagined the slash impacting its side, denting its scales and causing the beast to grunt in pain. It opened its mouth and blew green flames at the knight, whose horse backed up and reared back, throwing the knight off. As he hit the ground and rolled he turned to me, his eyes glinting through the slits in his helmet. He held out his gauntlet, and as I reached out my hand¡­ I was startled back to reality as the final bell rang and my teacher stood up.


    It wasn¡¯t the most important day, and was probably going to just be a lot of reading over the chapter that she had assigned us last night. Thankfully, that meant that I didn¡¯t really need to pay much attention to what was going on. After all, the class was only as important as the AP test which I needed to pass at the end of the year. I was already at a B so as long as I didn¡¯t bomb the final and turned in my homework I¡¯d be fine. I rolled my eyes and snuck a look at my watch. Okay¡­ two more hours of this and then it was off to my off period. I should be able to finish up the last of that calculus homework before my next class¡­ I sighed and lazily looked out the window, half listening as the teacher rambled on about what life was like back in the 1800¡¯s. I stared out the window at the school''s parking lot and beyond considered the football fields and track where we met for practice. I wonder what the workout was today? Probably a 6 mile run like always, it was a wednesday after all.


    I cracked my neck and looked back at all the people in class. It was actually a pretty diverse class unlike what most of my other honors classes were like. There were a couple big kids that were on the varsity football team and were half paying attention as well. Then there were some full on AP and honors kids that were attentive to every word our teacher was saying. In the corner I noticed that the few art kids weren¡¯t even trying to listen, and were just doodling in their notebooks. A couple of the more popular kids were half paying attention, but mostly just whispering to each other and tapping away at their phones.


    I actually recognized most of them from last year. I guess they must have just taken the recommended AP class like I did. I shrugged and turned back to the window. I lazily stared out at the¡­ giant field? I frowned and rubbed my eyes, blinking in surprise. Nope, definitely not going crazy. I leaned back in my chair and widened my eyes at what I saw outside. Where was the parking lot? The hell had happened to the stadium and track? All I saw now where they used to be, was a large grassy field, and what looked like a forest to the side.


    ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± Yelping, I snapped around and looked back at Mrs. Fletcher, my jaw agape. Then I snapped it shut as I yelped again. The fuck was going on!? They were only half visible!


    I swallowed hard and nervously began, ¡°I¡¯m sorry but¡­¡±


    ¡°OH MY GOD WHERE¡¯S THE PARKING LOT!?¡± One of the popular girls, Traci, screamed out before I could finish what I was saying. As the whole class rushed to the window, I shakily stood up and backed away from them. They were all slowly disappearing before my eyes, and they were looking more and more like ghosts. The grassy fields that I¡¯d seen in the parking lot were really shimmering now, switching back and forth between the school parking lot and the football fields.


    I shook my head hard and took in a shaky breath. Okay this can¡¯t be that bad right? I mean this could just be a dream or something right? Maybe I¡¯d actually fallen asleep before class like last week¡­ I quickly turned around and looked back at all of my ghost classmates, my mouth going dry. I saw Mrs. Fletcher as she ran up to the door and open it, before she let out a loud gasp and fell backwards. Oh no¡­ maybe this wasn''t a dream. My mouth went dry as I watched everyone running around screaming and panicking. What the fuck was going on? Why did they all look like ghosts, and why the fuck was I just standing there watching them all slowly disappear?


    *ERROR ERROR, SPECIMEN INFERIOR. CANCELING SUMMON PROTOCOL FOR OBJECT. REJECTION OF BLAND OBJECT WITHIN SUMMONING PARAMETERS. CONTINUE SUMMON PROTOCOL WITH THE OTHER SUBJECTS.*


    I stumbled back as the message flashed in front of me in bold red words. Summon protocol? Inferior? I glared at the words and yelled at them, ¡°Inferior!? Excuse me, what the fuck do you mean by that!? And while you''re at it, what the fuck are you doing to them!?¡±


    I stomped around the message and yelled at it, demanding that it give me back my classmates. I did that for what seemed like hours, but it still just floated there, seemingly mocking me. Then, almost like it was never there in the first place, it suddenly popped out of existence. I frantically looked around, but it was nowhere. I cursed and turned around. Fuck, I needed to tell someone about¡­ whatever the hell just happened¡­ wait¡­ what had happened!?


    I felt my face go pale, and as I went to take another step, but my legs wobbled like jello and I fell to my knees. The hell was I¡­ the hell was I going to do!? My whole class had just fucking vanished! Right in front of my eyes! I crawled towards the door, but yelped as it was suddenly replaced by a new giant message.


    *SUMMON PROTOCOL COMPLETED. SUBJECTS WERE SUCCESSFULLY TRANSPORTED TO NEW WORLD. BEGINNING ERASURE PROTOCOL.*


    I yelped in shock and leaped back. Erasure protocol? Oh gods was it going to blow up or something? I frantically looked for cover, but right as I started running towards my desk, the message turned bright white, and blinded me. I screamed, and covered my eyes, tripping over something and falling, hitting the ground hard. There I laid, curling up into a ball and waiting for the explosion to hit me. I guess I''d die quickly since I was so close to it. Oh well¡­


    ¡°The hell are you doing bro?¡±


    I frowned at the voice, didn''t they know we were all about to die? Jeez, would it kill them to at least try to find cover or something? As a matter of fact, they actually sort of sounded like my younger brother. Same annoying tone of voice, same sense of self importance, same¡­ wait did they just call me bro?


    I shot up and opened my eyes. I was in the classroom again, like nothing had happened. No floating messages talking about protocols and calling me inferior, no classmates frantically running around, no Mrs. Fletcher, just an empty classroom. Well, except for my little brother. I whipped around and grabbed him by his shoulders looking him in the eye.


    ¡°Where is everyone Tucker? What happened to the floating message? Why did it reject me? And most importantly, am I bland?¡±


    Startled, Tucker pushed my hands off his shoulders and stepped back with his hands raised, ¡°Are you tripping or something? I never pegged you for that since you''re in cross country and all, but nice. When you come down, hit me up, I want some.¡± Grinning, he winked and started to turn away before I stopped him.


    ¡°Look, I''m being serious, Tucker. Where''s Mrs. Fletcher? And Sarah, Barry, Kirie, Jeremy, and all the other kids in class?¡±


    Tucker''s grin slowly faded, ¡°Who are they? Are they your cross country buddies or something? And who''s Mrs. Fletcher? Your first period teacher is Mr. Abraham, you forget or something?¡±


    I folded my arms and shot him a glare, ¡°Ha ha very funny, but seriously where¡¯s Mrs. Fletcher and everyone? I know she teaches you second period so don¡¯t even act like you don''t know her name.¡±


    ¡°Dude what''s your problem? If you don''t believe me just wait around a bit, Mr. Abraham is probably just going to the bathroom. You can ask him about these ghost kids damn.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes at him, but took a seat regardless. Even if the others were taken seamlessly, that doesn''t take away people''s memories of them. They were Varsity players, AP students, state gymnasts, and a teacher that had been here for literal decades. She''d literally taught my older brothers, there''s no way that a dude was gonna walk through that door. It was all just a dream and a prank¡­


    At least that¡¯s what I tried to convince myself of at least. I stared at the door, waiting for Mrs. Fletcher to walk back in so I could smack my brother for being a dick. Then I saw someone''s shadow and held my breath. ¡°Please oh please be Mrs. Fletcher,¡± I muttered under my breath, my eyes straining.


    It wasn''t Mrs. Fletcher who walked in. It wasn''t even another student. It was a tall, dark skinned man holding a large stack of books. He was muttering to himself about exams and test scores and as I kept on watching, I felt more and more unnerved. As he walked over to Mrs. Fletcher''s desk my mouth went dry. I knew what was going to happen, but I still wasn¡¯t prepared to watch him pat the seat before sitting down. He set down the books in front of himself and finally looked up, his eyes landing on me. ¡°Young man, what are you still doing here? First period ended ten minutes ago, so you¡¯re late for your second period class. Please don¡¯t make me have to send you to the Dean''s office.¡±


    I wish I could say I was surprised by that and sat there with my mouth wide open, demanding who he was and where the rest of my classmates were, but instead I just leaned back and sighed. Oh who was I kidding, the hell was that going to do? Get me sent to the deans? Sent home? Or worse¡­ a visit to the school psychologist!? The thought made me shiver. No, definitely not the time or place to make a scene. Maybe I could talk to their families? Or try to talk to the cops? Ugh, was there something, anything, that I could do?


    I shook my head. Well, I wasn¡¯t going to be doing anything from here, I guess. I grabbed my stuff from where it was still on the ground and got up. I nodded and said goodbye to Tucker, who was snickering at me as I walked away. Gods that blabbermouth was going to tell everyone about this before I even got home. Knowing them all, they¡¯d probably be waiting for me in our room when I got home. What a real headache. I waved to ¡°Mr. Abraham¡± before walking outside the classroom. I was really starting to get fed up with this bullshit. I had an off period, so I didn¡¯t have to get to class for another hour and a half. The final bell rang and I sighed, putting my hands in my pockets and walking to the doors. It was time to go get something to eat and relax in my car. Maybe things will start to make sense then. Ugh today really was going to be a long one¡­ I wish I could just skip ahead in the future and be at cross country already. At least that was something that made sense. Something that I could zone out and feel free doing again. No more shimmering grass fields, no more giant floating words, just my feet pounding the concrete again. Yeah¡­ that was all I needed¡­ I just needed to get back into the flow again. I¡¯d go drive up to McDonalds, grab myself a quarter pounder with cheese, and relax.


    And yet¡­ that was still a whole class full of people. I¡¯d known some of them for years. I couldn¡¯t just forget about them. How could I just go back to living a normal life? Dammit what was I even going to do? Has this ever even happened before? Maybe I could go to the school''s computers and look that up. Okay, plan it out. First, obviously, quarter pounder with cheese. No¡­ make it a double- quarter pounder. I needed it after today¡¯s nightmare¡­ Damn it¡­ Honestly¡­ was I really bland?

 Chapter Two: Whoops! My bad!

    The rest of the day went by pretty smoothly. I spent my off period looking up anything about world transfers, Summon protocols, and erasure protocols, but I got nothing. It was just isekai after isekai, programming commands, and alien conspiracy theories. It was so frustrating that I even did my calculus homework. I never did my calculus homework! I¡¯d considered skipping out on school, but I¡¯d never done that before, and if I did it was definitely going to end up with my parents getting a call. If they ended up getting called, I doubted that I was going to hear the end of it for the next few months. Ugh, I¡¯d rather risk getting summoned then have that happen.


    The next two periods that I had after that were pretty straightforward, thankfully. Thank god I hadn¡¯t followed through on ditching them¡­ If I¡¯d tried talking to anyone about what happened, I do not think I was prepared for that conversation. It just sounded like such a headache, especially if that class wasn¡¯t dragged into another world either. Then I¡¯d have to try and explain all that to my parents. I didn¡¯t even have to try to imagine how annoying that conversation would be. So I went to each class and kept an eye out. In each of the classes, nothing flickered, vanished, changed, or even shimmered! It was irritating, but at the same time I felt a sense of relief and annoyance. I might not have any idea where they went, but I was spared, and I was safe. It made me feel guilty, but what else was I supposed to feel?


    Though¡­ when I replayed that weird message, I felt my stomach twist with anger. Subject¡­ Inferior? And bland!? What a stupid piece of crap¡­ Like really? I was inferior? To Jeremy!? The guy was 80 pounds sopping wet and jumpier than a crop of freshly hatched grasshoppers. And bland!? What was bland about me!? I loved to read books! And I had a max level warrior in WoW! I just made this cool clay dragon head in art class the other day! Yeah, and then what about cross country? I was a great runner! In a year or so I bet I would be on Varsity even! Yeah¡­ that message didn¡¯t know what it was talking about!


    I harrumphed to myself and nodded my head. Bitch ass floating words didn''t even know what they were talking about¡­ Except¡­ I still felt annoyed. I knew that its opinion didn¡¯t matter, but did it really think I was too inferior to be summoned? Was I really just that¡­ bland?


    I mused to myself during my walk to our meet up spot for cross country. We actually had quite a few good running routes, since we were close to a large forest and a small lake, but we always met there. The school was actually so close to them both that we didn¡¯t even have to drive there! Granted, everyone who had a car still did¡­ Though, if you didn¡¯t, or had a ride, everyone could just warm up on their way to practice, and that''s normally what the coaches expected from us. I set down my bag down in the grass and started taking out my training shoes. They looked sort of rough, but I¡¯d only had them for a season. I guess I¡¯d have to convince mom to take me to Runners Roost soon so I could grab myself a new pair. Oh that was never a fun conversation. I loved my mom, but she never really understood or cared about cross country, just that she had to pay for some things for it. I couldn¡¯t blame her though, no one ever cared that much for it. It was a sport no one ever paid too much attention to. Still, I loved to do it. I wasn¡¯t even gifted with a runner''s body. I was an average height, and about fifty pounds heavier than all of my teammates. I made it work though, and I could confidently say I was the top of JV. I would probably even be on Varsity if a couple of the Varsity kids got sick or injured.


    I sighed and began on my drills, starting to feel my legs warming up. I carefully breathed, trying to get in more and more air. I started smiling, feeling my muscles stretch and pull each other. It was exhilarating, feeling the power in my legs. I started slowly jogging towards the edge of the forest, making sure my legs felt good. I¡¯d been fighting off a cramped muscle for a while now, and it still hurt if I hit the ground wrong. It wasn¡¯t too bad today though, and it was probably going to go away soon enough. It wasn¡¯t a real bad injury, or even as sucky as shin splints¡­ ugh yeah fuck shin splints.


    I slowly started to speed up, stretching my legs out in order to get some good blood flow, and activating all of my muscles. Today was going to be a good one. I had no clue what to do about this morning, but that didn¡¯t matter right now. I was running again, and I was gonna kick today''s workout in the ass! Well¡­ until it kicked mine at least. I shook my head and kept on jogging towards our meet up spot.


    After a while, I finally rounded the last bend and slowed down by the others. They all gave me a wave or a nod as I joined them. I didn¡¯t say too much, but that wasn''t anything new to be fair. I just casually eavesdropped on everyones conversations while we did our team drills and stretched out, waiting for the coaches to show up. I chuckled when something funny happened or was said, chimed in when someone asked me something, but other than that, I just stayed silent. I faded into the background, and enjoyed the warm up.


    Start time hit, and Coach Lane stepped up to give us the workout. The girls team had decided they were going to run the opposite way around the lake, and we''d meet them on the other side at the marina. There were a couple different paths to get there going left, so he wanted the JV kids to take the shorter one and Varsity to take the long path. It wasn''t a race according to him, but he still offhandedly mentioned that the team that got there first would get first dibs on ice cream. At that, everyone cheered and started trash talking to each other, until the coach suddenly blew his whistle, and started running towards the forest.


    Startled, Jake, the team captain turned to us, ¡°Damn, the coaches are getting into this too? It''s gotta be a great prize then! Let''s fuckin go guys!¡±


    Grinning, I ran towards the forest with everyone before hesitating, and then running after Varsity. I was already an alternate for them, so I ended up doing a lot of their practices. I doubted that I''d be able to keep up the whole way, but the Varsity team had the best chance of getting to the meet up spot first. Which means, even though I might get beat by some of the JV kids, I''d still get first dibs on ice cream, and a good workout. Hell yeah!


    Normally for distance runs, your first mile was the slowest, since you naturally were letting your muscles and lungs get into a nice comfortable rhythm. It was nice, and usually full of everyone joking and laughing with each other. At least, that''s what it was like for the Varsity kids. I had to spend the whole first mile struggling to keep up, my lungs screaming for agony as they searched for air. I didn''t have the time or energy to worry about what had happened earlier today. I just had to focus on running, and let my muscles take over.


    If I was being honest, I actually did pretty good today, I was able to keep up until about mile 4, which was when I had to slow down to take a quick breather. It was rough each day of practice, since I had to try so hard to keep up, but I made it work. I only needed a minute¡­ then I''d get back to it, though probably at a bit slower of a pace.


    I stretched out and checked my heart rate before wincing. Hundred and eighty-seven¡­ Yeah I needed to chill out. The race was in two days so I shouldn''t have been going that hard anyways, I just really didn''t want to look like I wasn¡¯t even trying. The coaches never commented on it, but I always felt like they were silently judging me. I let out another long sigh, and checked my heart rate. Hundred and forty, that would have to be good enough for today. I cracked my neck and then turned around, striding out as I began chasing after the Varsity. Damn it, I couldn¡¯t even see them anymore. I hope I was able to start catching up soon, I really didn¡¯t want to be beaten by the JV squads¡­ Yeah, that''d be pretty pathetic.


    I took a step forward, and then froze, frowning. Wait, what the hell was that? I jogged over to the side of the path and stared hard into the forest. I could''ve sworn I saw something move. I narrowed my eyes and looked harder, but I didn''t see anything. Still¡­ I could¡¯ve sworn I saw¡­ I swallowed hard and shook my head.


    ¡°I guess it must''ve been my imagination¡­ Damn it, they¡¯ve gotta be so far away, I really gotta hurry it up now.¡± I turned back to the trail again, taking off now that I could feel my heart rate beginning to slow down. It wouldn''t for long, but oh well. I casually checked out the trees as I ran past. They were actually really nice today, fall was coming up soon, and a few had already started to begin changing colors. I sped up and jumped up to smack at a leaf, but as my hand flew through the air and got closer¡­ I watched as it flew right through the leaf.


    I yelped and landed hard, my hand shaking as my voice squeaked out. ¡°Excuse me what?¡±


    I slowly brought my hand to my face and stared at it. The hell was that? I clapped my hands together, half expecting them to pass through each other, but no dice. How¡­ weird. Looking ahead, I saw that I was getting closer to another branch and raced forward, jumping up and trying to smack the leaf as hard as I could again. It sailed on right through like before, and I hit the ground hard, confused. The hell was going on? I stood back up and looked at the branch again. It wasn''t that I was immaterial, it was definitely the branch. But that didn''t even make sense?


    Then it¡­ shimmered. I flinched, and took a step back cursing out loud. ¡°The hell¡­ Wait¡­ no no no there''s no fucking way.¡± I fearfully stared at the tree, not wanting to admit what a part of me already knew. That thing¡­ had come back for me. It shimmered again and I closed my eyes, cursing my luck. Of course I wasn''t going to be safe, everyone else had forgotten about my classmates, but I still remembered them. That meant that the whole erasure protocol had failed. Which meant I was just a loose end. I whipped around, searching for the message like before, but there was nothing. No trees, no path, no forest. There was just a green field. It stretched out seemingly endlessly, and about fifty feet out, I could see the faintest shimmer in the air. I felt myself pale, and I slowly turned, taking it all in with baited breath. I could see a forest far off to my right, and as I looked behind me, I saw¡­


    My classmates from this morning? They looked the same as I when I had last seen them, and they were definitely just as freaked out as back then. Some of them were panicking and running around, others were curling up into balls, rocking back and forth and murmuring to themselves, and some were even actively arguing with the teacher, their hysterical voices echoing over the fields. That was just crazy though, I''d seen them vanish hours ago. By this time, they should¡¯ve been able to calm down and figure out what to do by that point in the day, but if I didn''t know any better¡­ It looked like I was brought to the exact moment they had all been taken. I gulped hard and looked down. No¡­ I was still in my running gear. I gulped hard, and looked back at the others. I probably should''ve been scared, freaking out over why, and how I was brought here. But I wasn¡¯t. Weirdly enough, I actually felt kind of¡­ relieved.


    I shivered as a strong gust of smacked into me, passing over the fields. I shook my head and turned to look at the trees, but they were still. I frowned, but then I felt a warm presence behind me, comforting and gentle. It looks like my little goddesses summon system had a bit of a hiccup, I guess I¡¯ll step in and help her out¡­ try not to be too boring now¡­ I¡¯m looking forward to what you might do¡­


    I whipped around trying to catch whatever had just said that, but whoever, or whatever it was, was nowhere in sight. I eyed the area again, then let out another long sigh. Yeah, today was going to be a long one. I guess I might as well get with the others. Thankfully, it looks like most of them were finally calming down a bit. The ground felt the same as back home, and I could still breathe the air, so that was a bonus. It really was just open fields the same as back home. This¡­ was just too weird. I rolled my neck as I got closer to my classmates. I might as well go head on over and try to figure out what the hell had happened and where I was. I snuck over to where everyone was gathered around Mrs. Fletcher, and tried my best to blend in with everyone. Currently, it sounded like some of the kids were surrounding her, begging her for answers that she just didn¡¯t seem to have. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Mrs. Fletcher, where are we? What¡¯s going on? What happened to our phones and all our stuff?¡± Traci, one of the more popular girls, sniffled, wiping her sleeve across her eyes, the mascara dripping down her cheeks.


    ¡°I- I¡¯m sorry kids, I really¡­ don¡¯t¡­ know¡­¡± Poor Mrs. Fletcher sputtered out, her eyes flashing everywhere as she tried her best to look strong. She was always so calm and collected in class, but she honestly looked like she was about to faint now. I couldn¡¯t really blame her though, I doubted I would be doing any better in her shoes. As all the other students crowded around, begging her for answers she couldn¡¯t give, I took a step back and frowned. Okay¡­ I wasn¡¯t an expert in this kind of stuff, but this was all eerily similar to something I used to watch all the time back home.


    Shit, was I stuck in an isekai or something like that? What the hell was I supposed to do now? I was in a different world sure, but everything was all wrong. The shows were always so cool, and usually the class would be summoned to a mystical castle or somewhere in an entirely different world, given magical treasures, and some cool legendary abilities or weapons. I used to love watching them in my free time, or during my off periods. This though¡­ all of this was nothing like that! I frowned and looked around again. We were just in some random field, with no castle or king. No one to ask any questions or give legendary quests, and all I could see were just my classmates losing their minds. After all, we were all just a bunch of students, and we didn¡¯t even seem to have gained any abilities or superhuman strength that I could tell. I could see that some of my classmates were thinking the same thing, based on the way their eyes were darting around and they were trying various different poses. I sighed and looked at the ground, frowning. There was no grand magical circle, or even a whole court here to warn us about some demon king or some other thing that was threatening the safety of their world. We were just¡­ kids, standing in the middle of fucking nowhere, confused as hell and worried for our lives.


    Then there was the whole manner of the summon protocol not bringing me here this morning. Those words that had been floating in front of me earlier that day... There was something really fishy about that whole situation. I narrowed my eyes and hummed to myself. So, the whole class was summoned to another world, cool, but then I alone was rejected for being¡­ bland? And then, not only that, but when it started its Erasure protocol, I wasn¡¯t affected by it for some reason? Maybe it was a proximity thing, and I was too close to it or something? But then why did it take all day for it to realize its mistake and take me anyways? Plus, did it really need to take me right in the middle of my workout? I get summoned to another world and I¡¯m all covered in sweat¡­ ugh¡­


    Then there was the whole thing with that cold breeze that had whispered to me¡­ What did it mean by ¡®little goddess¡¯ and ¡®hiccup¡¯? Maybe I really wasn¡¯t supposed to be here, but then that would mean that something else other than the ¡®goddess¡¯ noticed that I¡¯d escaped the Erasure protocol. Then for some unknown reason decided to bring me here anyways? Does that mean I wasn¡¯t brought here by the same protocol that had brought everyone else here? The hell was that supposed to mean for me?


    I shook my head and refocused back on the people in front of me. Some of them were still asking the teacher questions and looking for help, but the vast majority were just standing there confused. No one knew what to do or say, and sure, a couple people had an idea of what might have just happened, but that doesn¡¯t mean they wanted to admit it. How do you even go about admitting that to everyone? ¡®Oh hey, sorry guys, but I think we¡¯re the main characters in an Isekai. Calm down, we¡¯re probably not going to be able to make it back home unless we defeat some evil demon king and his super powerful army using the powers that the goddess of this world is going to bestow upon us. Chillax guys, this¡¯ll be fun!¡¯


    Yeah no, there was no way that was gonna happen. So, I just stood there with everyone else, trying my best to look as surprised and bewildered as my classmates. I was doing a pretty good job, until I started hearing yelling in the distance. Startled, the whole class turned to the source of the noise, just in time to watch James and Barry running full sprint at us. Damn those football players could really move when they wanted too. It looked like they were coming back from where they''d snuck off and had been checking out the trees. They really must have found something absolutely crazy to be running that hard. We all nervously watched as they finally pulled up to the group and stopped, gasping for air.


    We all patiently waited, and after a moment, they finally managed to choke out what they had seen and were freaking out about, ¡°Guys you really gotta check this out! It''s like we have this weird bubble all around us! When we tried to walk past it, we ran into a wall, but there was nothing there except like a shimmer in the air. So we decided to see how far it went right and left and found these weird words floating in the air. We think there¡¯s something that wants to talk to us?¡±


    Startled and curious, we all looked at Mrs. Fletcher, who was seemingly in the midst of having a panic attack. Wow, she really was going to be no help here... We all looked at each other, and after a quick discussion, the rest of us agreed that we should probably go check it out. With  James and Barry in the lead, we all started cautiously making our way over to where they had run from. I had noticed a shimmer in the air when I first was brought here, but I didn¡¯t even think that it could be a barrier. If it was though¡­ Who put it there? And why were we in the middle of it?


    As we all followed behind James and Barry as they led us around the edge of the barrier everyone started whispering to each other. I could hear hope in some of their voices, and fear in others, but everyone was curious what the message might have meant. Then James and Barry suddenly stopped, stepping aside and pointing at the ¡®wall¡¯ triumphantly. Behind them, I could see that right where the shimmer started, there was in fact some writing. The writing seemed to fluctuate, moving from varying different symbols and shapes almost at random. It was weird, and every once in a while I thought I could make out something I recognized, but then before I could pin down what it was, the word would change to some other weird symbol or nonsense. The weirdest part of it all though, was that the symbols and writing seemed to almost make sense, as if a part of me recognized them. Then there was also the weird fact that they seemed to be arranged in the form of¡­ a doorway?


    ¡°What do you think it says? We don¡¯t really recognize anything teach, but we figured out of all of us you would probably be the one that understood any of these, right?¡± Barry tried to nonchalantly ask, but we could all hear the slight worry in his voice. Still, we all turned and looked expectantly at her, she was the World History teacher after all, surely she recognized some of these symbols, right?


    ¡°N-no, I don¡¯t really recogni-,¡± Mrs. Fletcher, who had come after us when we''d all started walking towards the door, started saying. That of course, shattered all of our hope, and we all visibly deflated. I let out a sigh, and turned to look at the ¡®doorway¡¯, when suddenly we were all interrupted by a shrill piercing noise. A couple of us screamed, and we all covered our ears, whipping around to see where the source of this new noise was coming from. All of our eyes landed on the offender at the same time. It was one of the more quiet kids in class, Brett, who guiltily leaped back from the doorway in surprise.


    ¡°S-sorry, I just wondered what it felt like and reached out to touch it¡­ and then the words started feeling like they were almost calling out to me and¡­ and¡­ and¡­¡± I blinked and looked back towards the writing on the barrier. I could¡¯ve sworn they were changing shapes even faster than before¡­ Then they suddenly stopped, flashing bright red. Then, after a brief moment they blinked, before suddenly swirling around, outlining the shape of the doorway in various different blinking colors. It was almost mesmerizing, but I still took a step back. Who knew what was about to happen?


    ¡°Mrs. Fletcher, what the hell is going on!?¡± Jake, one of the smartest kids in class, yelled out in exasperation and¡­ fear? That¡¯s odd, he was always so calm¡­ though I guess in a situation like this I couldn¡¯t really blame him. After all¡­ well¡­ I guess I didn¡¯t know how I felt, it was almost like I was in another one of my dreams. I was sort of just watching from the back like I always did, waiting for the monster to suddenly make an appearance, right before some hero or army stood up or appeared and fought back against it.


    I glanced back at the swirling symbols on the doorway again, and wondered to myself what was gonna happen. Maybe it really was a doorway, and it was summoning something? The issue with that was though, was the problem of who or what was gonna step out? Were they going to answer our questions and help us, or were they going to harm or enslave us. Mrs. Fletcher must have thought the same thing, because she had gotten herself back together and was telling everyone to get away from the doorway. Maybe it was going to explode? Or maybe we''d all get sent back home? At the thought of that, I felt a sinking feeling in my gut. I realized a large part of me really didn''t want to go back home. Not after doing basically nothing here and never seeing the world. When I was brought here, I was actually sort of¡­ excited? That''s right. I was excited about what was happening and what could happen here. I was excited by this new world and doing something other than boring school work and college scouting. I wanted this to be real, and I was excited about who or what could end up walking through that door. It was almost a new feeling, I don¡¯t know the last time I¡¯d felt excited over something? Probably the last time my mom had gotten me a new Bionicle¡­ wow I really am lame. But I still refused to accept that I was bland. Stupid protocol, probably didn¡¯t even know what was cool¡­


    I stopped grumbling to myself and paid attention to the symbols again. The swirling symbols had stopped blinking and changing colors, and had suddenly warped and moved. They began growing and expanding until they had filled out the frame of the doorway, but nothing had actually happened yet. It was like going up the first part of a roller coaster, but without your glasses. Unable to see when the drop was going to happen, just having to hear the click after click of it as you ascended into the sky, your gut sick with tension as you waited for the pause, and then the BOOM of the drop. Everyone was watching the doorway just like that, the air charged with tension. No one dared to even take a breath, and we all just stood there, frozen scared to death, but still wanting to see what was about to happen. Then, like a  synchronized swim team, everyone took a single step back as the door shook. We all kept staring, afraid to look away in fear of missing something. Then, the doorway began to shake, moving back and forth so fast that it looked like it was vibrating. Then, as if it hadn¡¯t been there in the first place, everything vanished, being replaced with a simple wooden door that just simply popped into existence. It just sat there, before suddenly swinging open. My eyes widened, and everyone took in a sharp breath as someone slowly stepped out of the doorway.


    They were absolutely massive, easily over seven feet and covered in armor head to toe. They had a huge greatsword strapped to their back, and looked like they could crush my skull with one of their massive fists. Before I could even fully process that beast of a warrior, or what the hell I was gonna do if they decided to just start killing, they stepped to the side and stood at attention. What followed after was a thin, tall and absolutely ancient looking man. They wore a tall blue hat and had what would have been a gorgeous robe, except for the fact that it was covered in old wine stains. They held onto an over the top looking staff in one hand, and were casually thumbing through a huge tome in the other. He didn¡¯t even look up before he stepped to the other side of the doorway as another man walked through. Although he was shorter than the first armored knight and the tall old man, he was still at least six feet tall. He walked through with a swagger in his step, and had a huge longbow strapped to his back. Just looking at him, I could tell that he was incredibly deadly. His eyes never stopped moving as he strolled over to stand behind the old man, choosing to lean on a nearby tree and whistling to himself. Then, last, but certainly not least, the last person walked through the gate. She was gorgeous, and carried herself with a refined elegance that belied how obviously strong she was. She was absolutely ripped, having muscles that bodybuilders back home would kill for, a warmace swinging from one hip, and a gold bordered book dangling from the other.


    Staring at her, I had no doubt in my mind that she must have been the one in charge. There was something about her that just radiated authority and power. Then, as if to agree with me, the three who had walked through first bowed to her. Hell, even the old man stopped perusing his old tome and did, though with how tall he was, he was still almost her height. Shit¡­ this really was looking like it might be looking up for us all.


    The gorgeous lady looked us up and down, before flashing us all a dazzling smile, ¡°Welcome to the world of Zioln otherworlders, I imagine you all must be unbelievably confused. Don''t worry, everything will be made clear in time, but first, let''s all have some tea and relax, hmm?¡±

 Chapter Three: Want not, have not.

    After saying that, the tall old man stepped forward and began chanting something, the power in the air almost being drawn to him. He took his staff and knocked it down hard three times. Then, out of thin air, a large table and chairs appeared in front of him, complete with tea pot and cups. He had given us all a quick wink before relaxing in one of the chairs with an audible sigh.


    ¡°Just to get the first set of questions out of the way, I am Cylkia, the gentleman with a bow is Halfi, the old foggy over there is Baern, and the cool beauty is Xi. You are currently in the kingdom of Zalsh, and the world of Zioln. You were all brought here from your home world by the great Goddess Malxonus, the ruler of our world and the god queen of all deities we know of-¡±


    Kirie, one of the best gymnasts the school had ever seen, stomped forward and raised her voice, cutting her off mid sentence, ¡°Wait wait wait, what are you even talking about!? We got taken from our world? To do what!? We¡¯re just a bunch of highschoolers¡­ Shit, I haven¡¯t even graduated! I just got accepted into a college! Otherworlders my ass, send us all back now!¡± She yelled wildly and looked around at everyone, her eyes wide. There was a moment of silence as we all hesitated at first, looking at each other uncertainly. Slowly, we all began nodding our heads and muttering our agreements after a moment.


    Cylkia¡¯s smile didn¡¯t even falter for a moment, but there was a look of sadness that passed over her eyes as she continued, ¡°Ah yes, about that¡­ I¡¯m not exactly sure how to say this, but I''m very sorry to say we¡¯re not exactly sure why you¡¯ve been summoned here. That is unfortunately something only the great goddess Malxonus knows, and she very rarely speaks directly to us. Only the speakers of the divine church claim to know her divine will, and to have a direct connection to her.¡± She let out a long sigh and looked at us all with sadness and pity. ¡°You poor kids¡­ We were on our way to an important war meeting with the Queen, but when we saw the signs of summoning magic, we came here as fast as we could. I wasn¡¯t sure of the surroundings here, but I had Baern erect a protection barrier around all of you, just to be safe.¡±


    Cylkia despondently looked down, a single tear tracing its way down her cheek, before wiping it off and looking back up at us with a forced smile. ¡°You all might have been brought here, but we do not intend to leave you to die. We will only have a little less than a week, but we are going to try and get you all back on your feet and help you however we can. We won¡¯t force you to do anything dangerous, but in this world you don''t always get that option. As bad as that may sound, there are so many bright sides and amazing things in this world which I think you all will find quite worthwhile.¡±


    At that, everyone looked among themselves, confusion evident on their faces. Personally, I found it pretty interesting, and I wondered just what Cylkia meant by that. I carefully checked the group out again, looking at each of them surreptitiously. Halfi and Baern seemed like they were very relaxed, and were joking amongst themselves. Cylkia, who, after saying all that, had turned around to face Xi and was now rummaging around in a bag that the armored giant was holding out for her. They all seemed a little¡­ hmm¡­ carefree? Especially considering there was a pretty large group of confused and scared kids that had just randomly appeared in their world. I hummed to myself and rocked back on my heels. I wonder how often that goddess of theirs was just randomly pulling people from other worlds¡­


    Without even looking up from the bag she was rummaging around in, Cylkia began speaking again, her voice only slightly muffled by the bag. ¡°Alright everyone! I know you¡¯re all worried, but first things first, I want to let you know that you¡¯re all incredibly safe right now! The only people that can get through this protection spell are those that Baern allows, he is actually quite the magician, and the strongest wizard in the kingdom. Secondly, as you probably guessed from my previous statement, magic is real here, as I doubt your old world utilized it. At least, that¡¯s what I¡¯ve come to understand from what I¡¯ve read about them¡­¡± Grinning, the old man, or I guess I should call him old wizard, stepped forward, ¡°Now, not just anybody can use magic, and there¡¯s a bit of a process to it, but if you have a talent for it, Baern will happily train you. As for the rest of you, Xi, myself, or Halfi will give you as much training as we can before-¡±


    Melody, one of the choir kids, stepped forward cutting her off yet again, ¡°I¡¯m sorry but what crack are you smoking!? You think we¡¯re just going to take that stupid half- assed explanation you just gave us and just let you train us? We¡¯re 18! Why do we even need to know how to fight anyways? Can¡¯t you just protect us!? That¡¯s like, the least you could do after your stupid goddess snatched us up from our world right!?¡± She exclaimed, stomping her foot down and glaring at Cylkia and the rest of them.


    Quickly, faster than anyone could blink, Halfi flashed in front of her staring down at her, ¡°Look little miss, we don¡¯t know how to send you back to your old world, nobody does. That ¡®stupid goddess,¡¯ if she so chose, could smite you and turn you into a slimy toad forever. Frankly, we don¡¯t even need to be here, you ungrateful little child. When I was 14 I wielded my first pair of daggers and carved out an orcs heart, so you''ll just have to deal. Our lady Cylkia over here happens to have a soft heart whenever things like this happen, and she likes to help out. Mind you, that¡¯s not for free. There are no free rides here in Zalsh, and definitely not on Zioln. I train you when you first get here not because I really want to, but because as soon as you leave this barrier, without any training, you¡¯d all end up dead. You¡¯re going to be fighting against monsters that would gladly chew on your bones, and have to make your own way in this world. You¡¯ll have to figure out what you want to do as your job, find a town, contribute, or die. Take it or leave it, little miss.¡± Growling, Halfi stepped forward eyeing Melody, before being stopped by Cylkia who had finally found what she was looking for.


    ¡°Jeez Halfi, take a breather. She¡¯s just scared, and you always go so far. Look, kids, I¡¯m not going to lie, life is not going to be a cake walk from here on out, but you all haven¡¯t been straight up ignored, the goddess did see fit to leave you all with her gifts. You see, here in this world, everyone is born with the ability to get stronger. Every human, demihuman, monster, and animal here is born at level one, and slowly over the course of their lives they get stronger through learning, fighting, and even eating. Every creature has the ability to learn skills, such as fire bolt or sword slash.¡± She waved her arm, gesturing at Baern and Xi, who both nodded. We all watched as Baern held out his hand and after he muttered something, a bright red fireball suddenly appeared in front of him, floating above his outstretched palm. Likewise, Xi took up a stance and unsheathed their sword, before they suddenly slashed it through the air, slicing a tree cleanly in half.


    ¡°You can increase these skills through hard work, though they are usually something determined by luck and genetics. You¡¯ll find it is easier to improve some skills faster than others, and that is because of your ability, which gives you a bonus and a focus in leveling up certain paths over others. The goddess Malxonus has gifted each of you with relatively high starting skills and even an innate ability, which should help with each of your paths. As for leveling up, that will all be up to you and how much effort you are willing to put in. Though with the abilities Malxonus has given you, that should be easy. Now, I¡¯ll have each of you place your hand on this crystal sphere in my hands. This¡¯ll allow us to be able to see your status and where your strengths may lay.¡± Still smiling, Cylkia offered up her crystal ball. ¡°Perhaps we''ll start with the lady?¡±


    We all turned to look at Mrs. Fletcher. Honestly, it looked like she might just faint right then and there, but she visibly took a deep breath and pulled herself together. Nervously, she walked forward and placed her hand on the ball in Cylkia¡¯s hands, before she let out a loud gasp. In the air above the crystal ball there appeared a 2D square, and written on it were various numbers and words. I couldn¡¯t see exactly what it said from here, but it was apparently quite impressive. Cylkia¡¯s smile grew even wider as she laughed, ¡°Wow! Such amazing skills, Malxonus must have some high expectations of you!¡±


    Mrs. Fletcher glanced back and gave us all a small nod to tell us it was okay, her face relaxing into a relieved smile. Then, she followed where Cylkia was pointing and began walking over to Baern. One by one everyone walked up, placing their hands on the crystal ball before walking over to either Halfi, Xi, Baern, or behind Cylkia. Unsurprisingly, the football kids and a couple others walked over to Xi, the smartest kids in class went to Baern, the quieter and more nervous kids ended up with Halfi, most of the band and arts kids went to Cylkia and as for myself¡­


    ¡°Ummmmm¡­ sorry what does this mean?¡± Frowning, I looked at what should be my stats page. I¡¯d looked over my classmates shoulders when they had gotten their stats, and the numbers had been what I could only assume as being pretty good. Melody had skills and abilities like Melodic Harmony, Sleep, and Pacify which were all classified as¡­ hero? Whatever that meant. Jake had skills and abilities like Mind over Matter, Ice freeze, and Flame which were a little more varied being either Adept or Hero. James had skills and abilities like Barbaric Strength, Sword Swipe, and shield bash which were all Hero as well. That was actually impressive enough that Xi had whistled and stepped forward, clapping him on the shoulder. However, when I walked up and placed my hand on the crystal ball, I looked at my status screen and I saw¡­ nothing.


    Name: ???


    Level: One


    Race: Human


    Abilities:


    Enduring Heart (INCOMPLETE)


    Skills:


    Sprint (Apprentice)


    Confused, I flicked my eyes from my status to see what Cylkia had to say and froze. Her face was a complete mask of disgust and disappointment, it was like she was looking at a dead bug on her shoe, not even something she wanted to wipe off. Then, before I could do anything she suddenly switched back to the sweet smile she had on before. ¡°Oh¡­ I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ve ever seen skills that low before¡­ usually your skills from your old world translate over to similarly powerful skills and abilities here¡­ maybe the goddess didn''t think you were cut out for this¡­¡± Cylkia muttered to herself before looking away dismissively, ¡°I¡¯ll have you work with Xi for now, okay? I guess endurance would be under her purview¡­¡±


    Warily, I took a step back. What was that? Cylkia looked disgusted that I''d even gotten close to her. That was¡­ odd. Why didn''t I have any powerful skills or abilities? I got dragged to this world by a bullshit goddess and now I don''t even get anything good? God it¡¯s like my life back on Earth, always under everyone''s notice, and never good enough or bad enough that I warranted any attention. I was always just¡­ average, or well, I guess in this case I wasn¡¯t even that, I wasn''t even worth the effort. What had that message called me again? Inferior? Seriously? Man fuck this shit.


    I walked over to Xi, seething. Even this world thought I was only good at running. Really? Enduring Heart and Sprint¡­ Ugh so if I ran into any monsters I could just run away? How much lamer could I be? I scowled as I heard my classmates talking about their abilities and skills. Ashton had been given a Rare blade waltz, Barry had lucked out with both a hero Overhead Smash and an Adept Killer Sidestep. Wow, so cool¡­ I snuck to the back of the group, and kept my head down as Xi started leading the group away from the others in the circle.


    ¡°Alright, listen up maggots. This may be the kingdom of Zalsh, but that doesn''t mean that it''s safe outside of this bubble. As soon as you leave, it''s going to be a fight to get to civilization, and we ain''t helping you out there. We¡¯ve got other things to do and frankly I feel like even this is too much help. Lucky for you, Lady Cylkia has a soft heart and wants us to give you a bit of a crash course in order to make sure you don''t end up as some magibeasts dinner.¡± Turning around Xi crossed their massive arms and stared us down. ¡°Now, I saw most of your stats, but frankly I didn''t care enough to remember them. You may have stronger skills and abilities than the average warrior out there, but you''d probably die to even a goblin child. My job the next few days is to teach all of you fledglings how to use your skills. Your abilities are something more passive, and you''ll figure out how to use those on your own. Any questions? No? Good.¡±


    Before anyone could even raise their hand or process anything Xi had just said, they turned around and started marching again, this time towards the bubble. Everyone in the group glanced at each other before rushing along after Xi, after all, we''d already come this far. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    Pausing at the barrier, Xi muttered a few words then suddenly reached out, placing a palm on the barrier, before suddenly passing through. Pulling back their hand, Xi turned and beckoned to the rest of us before stomping through.


    Nervously Ashton nodded at James before slowly walking over to the barrier and passing on through. Then he popped his head back in and called to the rest of us, ¡°Alright I think we''re good, just more grasslands and trees like it looks like from here!¡±


    Raising their chins, James and Barry walked up to the barrier and forced their way through like Ashton, and then the rest of us followed right after them with myself walking through last. I didn''t really feel anything as I pushed through, but as I came through to the other side I shivered. It was windy, and the temperature was well lower than what it had been inside the barrier. Rubbing my arms, I jogged over to the rest of the group who was arranged around Xi in a loose circle.


    ¡°Alright, first things first, a little crash course on life here on Zioln. Yes, there are humans here like you and I, but there are also Orcs, Goblins, Elves, Naga, Kobolds, Dwarves, Dragons, and others I really don''t feel like remembering.  Every single one of these godforsaken shit for brains, and those I didn''t bring up, hate humans like us. They see us as dumb and weak, much like cattle with sticks. Most of the other races here on Zioln are much stronger or smarter than humans, and they very much take advantage of that fact. Thankfully, here in the kingdom of Zalsh, there are not many of the stronger magibeasts or the other denizens of Zioln.¡± Taking out their greatsword, Xi suddenly whipped around towards a tree they''d been standing in front of,  and faster than I could follow, slashed their blade through the air. My mouth went dry as I watched a massive snake drop to the ground, leaking blood through its now bisected skull. Looking up my eyes widened as I realized Xi was staring in my direction. ¡°In this world, the weak die fast, and there is no easy way to come back. You must always watch yourselves lest you end up as one more dead otherworlder.¡±


    Meeting Xi''s gaze, I considered that. If Xi was telling us this, and so many of us died anyways, what was even the point of training us? What did Cylkia and the Kingdom of Zalsh get out of having a bunch of kids get half trained and then sent into the wilderness? It couldn''t just be to get some extra set of hands in the local villages, right? And then there was also that look Cylkia had given me¡­ hmmm¡­


    Turning their helmet away from me,  Xi continued, ¡°Now, as I said before, abilities are a passive effect on your body, allowing one to excel in a certain style of fighting. No ability is like another, and you''ll figure out how they work as you level up and live. You all were selected to come with me because of your more physical based abilities. The goddess even saw fit to reward you with some skills, lucky you. This part is a bit more complicated, though once you figure it out the next steps are much easier. Now that you¡¯ve placed your hand on the ball, it¡¯s unlocked the status window permanently in your mind, in order for you to bring it up, close your eyes and call it to the forefront of your mind. It¡¯s a bit different for everyone, so don¡¯t be surprised if it takes a while.¡±


    Shutting my eyes closed, I concentrated, trying to feel for something like that might look or feel like a status. I didn¡¯t really know what to feel for, I mean, like what is that even supposed to feel like? Besides, could I even call mine up, considering I had no skills or abilities? Groaning, I opened my eyes and looked around. Besides the group of trees and the dead snake, they were all in the middle of a clearing with rolling hills in the distance. I could see my classmates inside the barrier, each arranged around their respective teachers. If I squinted I could almost make out some shapes in the distance, though they vanished over the edge of a hill before I could make out too much. Turning around, I looked at the rest of the group. Ashton looked like he was going to have an aneurysm, he was straining so hard, James was relaxing on a rock that he¡¯d found, and Barry was thoughtfully staring at the snake. Xi was cleaning off the edge of their greatsword, carefully checking the edge and nodding to themselves.


    Sighing, I closed my eyes and thought about how I could possibly pull it up, and if it was even worth it. I mean, it¡¯s not like I had any skills or abilities. What was I even supposed to do? It¡¯s not like any of us knew what they wanted from us, and the only thing I did know was that after we got our little ¡®crash course¡¯, they were just going to leave us to try and find our way back to civilization. What the hell was I supposed to do? I was just a highschool student¡­ hell, I¡¯d never even gotten in a fight before. Ugh, I hated this. As my mind wandered I noticed something in the corner of my mind. It was almost¡­ wait¡­ suddenly my eyes snapped open as I saw my status suddenly pop up. It was still as empty as before, and for some reason my name was still blank¡­ that¡¯s especially odd since my name was Matt. At least, that¡¯s what my parents had named me.


    ¡°Ah, so you were the first one to find their status eh? A pity it¡¯s the reject. Ah well, I guess I can¡¯t show you too much since you don¡¯t have any real abilities or skills, but I guess I¡¯ll have you work on some basic sword swipes.¡± Whipping around, I came face to face with Xi, who had finished cleaning their sword and was now looming over me.


    Glancing at the others, I saw that they hadn''t moved from where I''d last seen them. That was¡­ odd. Motioning for me to follow, Xi turned and started walking over to the trees again. Frowning, I decided to follow Xi, and I jogged over to a tree a bit away from the others. Turning towards me, Xi suddenly pulled a sword seemingly out of nowhere.


    ¡°Now, even though you have no skills or abilities that grant you increased physical strength, that doesn''t mean you can''t learn them like the rest of us born here. While I teach the rest of them how to use their skills, you''ll need to learn a skill. Once you''ve done that, come back to me and I''ll give you a couple tips. Frankly, I''d prefer you all learned like this, but time is not on your side,¡± Handing me the sword, Xi stepped back and motioned for me to swing it at the tree. ¡°Look, imma be honest with you. You''re probably not gonna be able to get a skill before we leave y''all. The best I can offer you is some practice with using a sword. If this ain''t your style, feel free to go see Halfi and he''ll show you how to use a bow, though if I were you I''d just stick to the sword. More respectable than some cowardly tool.¡±


    Turning around, Xi left me and started heading back to the others who seemed to be still concentrating on bringing up their status. Taking a deep breath, I turned back to the tree and looked it up and down. It was big enough that even if I wrapped my arms around it, I wouldn''t be able to hold my hand on the other side. Glancing at my sword again, I smiled. It wasn''t anything special, obviously, Xi probably scavenged it right before they met us, but they''d given it to me. I''d always wanted a sword. Wow, I was such a kid sometimes, but honestly, if I was being honest with myself, I was excited. It was like my dreams, but instead of just sitting still, watching the knight as it fought golems or giant beasts, I was the knight.


    My grin widened, and I looked back at the tree. I wasn''t as big as some of the football guys, but I was pretty big for a guy who ran cross country and track. I always used to joke to myself that the only reason I was half decent was because of pure willpower, always forging ahead no matter how much it hurt.


    Raising the blade, I swung it horizontally at the tree as hard as I could, and as it got closer to the tree I tensed, wanting to let go of the blade when it impacted. As the blade hit the bark of the tree I flinched, yelping as the blade bounced back, not even leaving a dent in the bark. Startled, I almost let go of it, as the whole blade shook and vibrated from the impact. Fuck that actually hurt. Wincing, I shook my hands one at a time as I inspected the tree where I had hit it. Damn, not even a scratch? What was this tree made of, steel?


    Sighing, I rolled my neck and got back into position, holding the blade with two hands like before. Today was really going to be a long one. I grit my teeth, and then swung my blade at the tree again and again, honestly feeling more like a lumberjack than some knight from the stories I used to read. As the minutes turned to hours, I swung that sword over and over tuning everything else out. It was hard work, and my muscles ached and burned, but it was something I could focus on. It was almost like running in that regard, and every time I thought I hit a wall, I just swung the blade one more time. Each time I convinced myself it was the last swing, I found myself swinging one more time. Over and over I hit that tree, sometimes slashing at a diagonal, sometimes spinning, and sometimes with the pommel. Like that I fell into a rhythm, slash, strike, spin, overhead slash, then a brief rest break. Like that, I forgot where I was, what had happened, how fucked I was, and all the emotions I was feeling. I wasn¡¯t in a new world. I wasn¡¯t worried about whether I was going to survive when that barrier fell. I was just working out again. I didn¡¯t have to deal with all the noise of everything happening. My thoughts finally stilled and I took a deep breath. I was¡­ peaceful. It made me miss being home, and being able to race with my teammates after school.


    Then it was over, almost as if it had never happened. As I struck the trunk once more I was stopped by the feeling of a hand on my shoulder. Panting, I looked up dizzy from exertion. It was Xi. They were looming over me, silently staring at the trunk. Before I could say anything, they turned around and walked away. Confused, I looked back at the tree, but I didn''t see anything different. I hadn''t even dented it¡­ gods I was terrible. Looking down, I realized I still had the sword Xi had left with me. Confused, I looked back up at Xi, but they were already leading the rest of the group towards the trees. Hurrying after them, I followed behind them. Gods my arms hurt, I gotta be careful next time, I couldn''t afford to be sore if I came face to face with a monster. Sighing, I followed the group eavesdropping on the rest of their conversations.


    ¡°... figure out how to get your status to show up?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, did you not? It wasn''t even that hard. I just kept on thinking about different ways to call it forward until one worked. The shittiest part of it all was Xi making me practice sword swings on a tree. Like what''s the point of doing that anyways? Not like any monsters are just going to stand still.¡±


    ¡°it was really that easy? Damn, I''ll have try that next time! Though I''m not all that ecstatic about having to swing a sword at a damn tree.¡±


    ¡°Right? Damn bitch didn''t even let me keep it¡­¡±


    That last part made me pause. Xi hadn''t let the super jock, Barry, keep his sword? Why had they let me keep mine?


    I looked down at the sword Xi had left me, confused. It looked the exact same as when they had first given it to me. It wasn''t even dented, even though I''d been swinging it at a tree for a couple hours. Thank god for my enduring heart, otherwise I¡¯d probably be crawling along the forest floor, gasping for air.


    Honestly, I didn''t even want to try letting go yet. I could tell my fingers would be unbelievably sore and ache more than any track workout. Why did Xi let me keep it? I doubted that Cylkia would be all excited that the ¡®reject¡¯ had a leg up on the rest of them.


    Trudging along behind them, I tried my best to keep the sword out of sight. I doubted that everyone else in the group would be happy that I got to keep my sword when they couldn''t. I dodged around the trunk of a tree, before pausing and cocking my head to the side. I could hear¡­ the sound of water rushing over rocks? That was weird¡­ I should''ve been able to hear that a while ago. Following everyone a bit farther, I stumbled into another clearing where Xi stood in front of a river. Quickly, I hid my sword behind a tree before running over to where everyone else was.


    ¡°Alright maggots, we''re sticking with you for a couple nights, and I for one do not want to deal with the smell of sweaty teenagers,¡± Pointing at the river, Xi motioned for us to enter.


    James stepped forward, and raised his eyebrow at the river, before looking over at Xi, ¡°You serious? It''s a random river, in a random forest, in some bullshit world. What happens when we get some alien disease and die huh? What are you going to tell Cylkia when you come back missing a whole group of kids, huh? What¡­ Wait, what the hell are-¡± Before James could even get another word out, Xi picked him up with one arm, almost like he was a sack of potatoes. He kicked and struggled, but Xi didn¡¯t even flinch as they chucked him in the river with only that one arm.


    Slowly and ever so casually, they turned around and looked at the rest of us, their helmet cocked to the side, ¡°Any of the rest of you got something to say?¡±


    We all communally sucked in our breaths and shook our heads rapidly, paling at the sight of how easily Xi had thrown James. Everyone quickly made our way over to the river where James was cursing and spitting out water, shaking himself like a wet dog.


    I couldn¡¯t help but smirk as I heard James struggling. Maybe I should have felt bad, but he¡¯d always been such a loud mouth that I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little guilty pleasure at the sound of him struggling so much. I looked down at the edge of the water and hummed to myself. It looked like a normal enough river, and based on the fact that James was still alive, it couldn¡¯t be that bad, right? I sighed and thought to myself, eh, fuck it, and slowly walked in. I almost yelped as my foot hit the water though because, GOD DAMN THAT WAS COLD. I sucked in air through my teeth and forced myself to walk in farther. I felt something smack into my back and flinched, turning around. It was Xi, who was currently standing at the edge of the river, chucking scrub brushes at each of us.


    ¡°You all stink worse than a zhaarst coup. Scrub yourselves clean. While you¡¯re at it, soak for a bit as well. This is a rejuve river, so it''ll speed up your recovery. Heals up the muscles and any injuries you gain. Not a ton of them here in Zioln, and there¡¯s probably only three other¡¯s here in Zalsh. Though you''ll be able to find them all over Zioln, for a price.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes and eyed them from where I was in the cold river. As much as it sounded like Xi just made the part about the water healing my muscles up, I realized they were right. The water did feel¡­ nice. I let out a long sigh and relaxed into the water, slowing down my breathing as I closed my eyes and tried not to focus too much on my arms. It was almost like an ice bath, I just needed to let my muscles go numb and I¡¯d be fine¡­ But damn, they really did hurt so fucking much. The worst part was, I could tell that as bad as they felt right now, they were definitely going to feel worse in the morning. I groaned and dunked my head underwater, popping up after a moment to gasp for air. Now that I think about it, not only was this river like an ice bath, the cold numbing my aching muscles, but that ache felt like it was actually starting to go away. It was so¡­ nice¡­.

 Chapter Four: Testing Your Mettle

    I don''t know how long I was in the river when I finally awoke. It had been¡­ amazing. Being able to heal¡­ actually heal! From the day''s aches and pains. It had been so mind boggling experiencing that. A slow cool replacing the burning agony my muscles had been in. I don¡¯t know if I actually fell asleep, or really just didn¡¯t even notice the passing of time, but when I opened my eyes, it was dark out. I was really so confused, and then it hit me. Oh.. Oh shit this was not good at all. Panicking, I looked around for everybody, but there was nobody. I couldn¡¯t see James, Barry, Ashton, Diane, Sarah, or even Xi. There was nothing... Oh fuck no. Seriously, where was everyone? Hurriedly, I stood up out of the water, feeling the weight of my soaked clothes dragging me down. Fuck that was still so cold, I can¡¯t believe I hadn¡¯t even noticed. I shivered, before I turned to the shore and rushed out of the water, by breath misting in the night air. As I made it to the gravel shore, I stopped and looked for any sign of my classmates. All I saw was the trees rocking back and forth as the wind blew through the dark forest. It was scarily eerie, and I shivered again as I felt the breeze hit my skin. There was no one around the river, no matter how hard I looked. Still dripping from the cold water, I ran over to the tree where I had hidden my blade. I cautiously reached around the trunk searching for the leather wrapped handle. Thankfully, it was only a moment before I felt the leather grip in my hand. I let out a sigh of relief and grabbed it, pulling it out from its stache. I¡¯d need a way to protect myself before I did anything else. I paused and took the chance to really look around, my hands shakily gripping the sword in front of me.


    Where the hell had everyone gone? It¡¯s not like a massive beast could have just ran in, and then eaten everyone! That definitely would have woken me up, right? Or wait, could there have been one? Did I really know what the beasts in this world were capable of? Or wait, more probably, did they just have left me behind? No, there''s no way. At least one of my classmates would have noticed if I wasn''t there, right? I ran all over the clearing, searching for any trace of my classmates, my breathing becoming more and more erratic as the panic really started to kick in. Still, after I raced back and forth for what felt like hours, I couldn''t find anything. I gasped for air, and stopped, placing my hands on my knees as I tried to recover. As I looked out at the forest, I developed a heavy, sinking feeling in my gut. There was absolutely no way it had been an accident. Xi and my classmates had left me behind for some reason. Someone would have had to have seen me in the water right? I felt my fist grip the handle of my blade tighter as I took a step forward. No, it wasn''t an accident. Xi had definitely left me behind on purpose. I didn¡¯t know if it was either on Cylkia¡¯s orders or for some other sick reason. It might¡¯ve just been for entertainment. Ooh, I wonder how long the level one newbie lasts before they die! I wonder if it¡¯ll be from hunger, cold, or some beast finding itself a free dinner!? I growled and spat on the ground, glaring off into the trees. I guess this world must have some version of Hunger Games too? That must be why they''d left me with the sword. So that I would feel hope for my survival? So that my struggling would be just that much more entertaining? I sighed and shook my head. No¡­ I didn¡¯t know of Xi might be some weird rich person trying to host their own version of hunger games, but I did know that my classmates weren¡¯t. We had all only been here for one day. They couldn¡¯t have all changed that quickly, at least one of them would have made a fuss. That¡¯s what I would have done right? I definitely would have at least raised a ruckus, causing them to wake up. No, it wasn¡¯t some sick game, but the only other option was if it was possibly a test? Did Xi want to see if I could make it back to the barrier without dying? I was the weakest out of everyone, but was I too weak? Did I even think that I could make it back alive? Nah, it couldn''t be a test¡­


    I stopped that train of thought and took a deep breath. No, it was definitely a test. Xi definitely wanted me to make it back to the barrier. Though¡­ at the end of the day, I guess I needed to make it back to that barrier either way. As I was, I was as weak as a baby, there was no way I''d survive if I decided to go off on my own. Though, if I made it back to the barrier, I¡¯d be safe for at least a while. I could get stronger, or at least try to group up with someone else who was. Nodding my head, I slowly walked across the clearing to the trees, my senses on high alert. That snake had been there in the tree the whole time Xi had been talking. That means they must have known it was there before they brought us over. Xi had managed to sense the snake as soon as we left the barrier, so I should be able to as well, right? I strained my eyes, and whipped around at every noise. I began cautiously walking closer to the forest, one step at a time. I didn''t know if I''d be able to take on a monster if I saw one, but I''d be damned if I didn''t go down swinging. This wasn¡¯t a matter of if this was a test, or if this was a training method. This was a matter of if I was going to die here, in this world so far from home, immediately, in a few days once I starved to death, or possibly never. I could see my life line, and it was heading back towards the barrier where my classmates were.


    I walked closer to the forest, and brought my sword around to rest in front of me.  I slowly sighed, and then cautiously sneaked through the forest, making sure to avoid making too much noise. I carefully stepped over and around all the leaves I could see, and forced myself to keep my breathing steady. Thankfully, it looked like whatever god of luck there was here was smiling down on me, because it must''ve rained recently. The ground was slightly damp and muffled most of my footfalls. Unfortunately, that also meant that it would muffle the sound of anything that might¡¯ve been trying to sneak up on me. I needed to be careful, and watch to make sure I didn¡¯t run into anything too dangerous. I peeked around a tree, looking left and right, before nodding my head. It was safe. I slowly walked around the tree, my eyes darting back and forth. I quieted my breathing, letting my Enduring Heart ability start to take effect. I¡¯d noticed while I was swinging the sword earlier, but I definitely had a better cardiovascular system here. I didn¡¯t need to breathe near as much as I should have had to, and my heart rate was nowhere near as high as it would have been back home whenever I checked my watch. Only 140? I would have killed for that during practice! Well, the only thing I can do now is just take advantage of that. I grinned, and carefully checked before I rounded each tree. This was an easy as hell test if I was being honest¡­ we couldn¡¯t have even been that far from the barrier right? I¡¯d be there in a few minutes¡­ max.


    What I hadn¡¯t think of, was that this was a big forest, and even if we weren¡¯t that far in it, there was bound to be a lot of wildlife, and in the case of this new world, monsters. Xi¡¯s presence and the large size of our group had probably scared off a lot of the monsters in the area, but that didn¡¯t mean that they had all been scared off. A fact that I realized too late as I rounded a tree and came face to face with the exact thing I had been trying to avoid this whole time¡­ a monster.


    It had a humanoid figure, but was much shorter than me, its head only about chest height. I could see, even in the sparse light, that its skin was a dark forest green, almost allowing it to blend into its surroundings as it unmovingly stood there. In its hands, it wielded a wooden club, and strapped to its arm was a small bark shield. I held in a strangled gasp and flipped back around to the other side of the trunk. Thankfully, because I¡¯d been so careful and had been holding my breath, it hadn¡¯t even noticed me. In fact, if I had to guess, it looked almost bored as it stood there. It had been leaning on a tree trunk, staring in the distance at¡­ Wait, wasn¡¯t that the same direction as the barrier?


    I felt the blood drain from my face, and I swallowed. I needed to check, but what was I going to do if it saw me? Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck¡­ but¡­ I have to check, don''t I? I ground my teeth together, and steeled my nerves. Yeah¡­ yeah I did need to check. Slowly, I snuck another glance from around the tree I was hiding behind, careful not to make a noise. Fuck me, it was staring in the direction of the barrier. Though¡­ I was right, it did look bored¡­ but its hands were gripping its club and shield as if it was ready to move at any moment. I narrowed my eyes. It was watching the barrier and my classmates, I wasn¡¯t sure why, but what if this was a scout? What if it was mapping out the barrier and my classmates, and would report this to others and then set a trap for us the next time we went out to train? I knew that Xi and all of them were probably strong, but what if the scout reported this to a huge group of other goblins? Xi was still only one Knight, there wad no way they would be able to keep everyone safe¡­ no. I needed to act now. I glanced down at my blade, and tightened my grip. It was me, it had to be me. Test or not, this goblin could be a serious threat¡­ but just because I had a sword, didn¡¯t mean I could do this. It was a living creature any way I looked at it, was I really just going to run out there and kill it?


    My mouth went dry and I pressed my back to the tree, trembling. Oh what was I thinking? The only thing I¡¯d ever killed before was a fly! I couldn¡¯t just run out there and kill it in cold blood! What if it had a family or a child? Do goblins and monsters even have those? I just needed to sneak around it and act like I''d never seen it before. I just had to make it back to the barrier and I could let Xi and Cylkia and all of them know¡­ they¡¯d be way better equipped to handle this, right?


    I nodded my head, more sure of it now. I was a coward sure, but I wasn''t a dead coward. I might have been fucked over when I was brought to this world, but I was going to survive. Hell, maybe I''d be able to get a cool ability or skill through hard work? Cylkia had said that she couldn''t bring us back to Earth, but if we had been summoned here, there must be a way back. I just needed to survive until I found that way.


    I creeped out from behind the tree, and made my way around the goblin, my eyes intently tracking it. I couldn''t just walk straight to the barrier, the goblin was watching it way too intently for that, but if I made my way to the left, I could just circle my way to the other side and walk back from there safe. Maybe I could even try out my Sprint skill? Even though it was my only skill, it was still a pretty high rank, I think. It was a good plan¡­


    That was, it had seemed like a good plan. There were one massive problem with it though. If there was one goblin keeping watch on the barrier, then that probably meant there were more. It was a pretty obvious fact, and as I made my way around to the other side of the circle and started to relax, I regretted not having thought that far.


    Less than six feet in front of me, there was another goblin. I hadn¡¯t been paying that much attention, having thought I had evaded danger, and was in no way being as cautious as I should have been. It was at that moment, I knew it. I had fucked up. It wasn¡¯t a matter of if I was a coward or the ethics of killing it, now. I was face to face with an enemy, and I needed to act¡­ Instead I just froze. I stopped moving and just watched it stand there. It looked about as bored as the other goblin, but suddenly it straightened up from off the tree, its long green nose sniffing the air. Oh no¡­ it had noticed me, hadn¡¯t it? The fuck do I do now? I don''t know what to do, I was just¡­ standing there, watching as it kept on sniffing the air, looking around for me. I still just watched, almost like I was in another one of my dreams. Then its head finally turned in my direction, it''s eyes locking on mine. It bared its teeth at me, two small tusks protruding out of its mouth. It didn''t look bored anymore¡­ It looked excited.


    Screeching, and chanting something in a language I didn''t recognize, it stormed forward raising its club in the air and rushing towards me. The sound of its guttural screeching was enough to break me out of my stupor, but it was too late. The goblin didn''t know or care that I had a sword, and that I was bigger than it. It just wanted me, and as it got closer to me, it swung its club, letting out another loud screech. I yelped and tried to jump back, but I was way too slow and the club crashed down, bashing me in the thigh.


    I screamed in pain, and cursed, leaping back and wildly swinging my sword, causing the goblin to back off for a moment, ¡°OW! FUCK YOU, YOU LITTLE GREEN SHIT!¡± I placed my hand on my leg, feeling how tender it was where the club had hit me. Shit, for how small that goblin was, it really could pack a punch!


    It cackled and swung its club over its head, leering at me and continuing its chant. A small part of me understood it in a weird way, but then I realized what it was chanting. It was chanting ¡®meat¡¯ over and over¡­ Disgusting. I glared back, and spat, bringing my sword back in front of me, pointing the sharp tip at its mad face. I had been on the edge earlier, but I was sure of it now. This goblin needed to die. Not just to save my life, but the others. What if Mrs. Fletcher or Melody ran into one of these? They wouldn''t be able to defend themselves in time, being a mage and a healer. Adrenaline rushed through my body, dulling the sensation of pain in my leg. I glared down at the goblin, and narrowed my eyes. I¡¯d never fought anything before, but fuck it, now was the time to figure this shit out. We both slowly circled each other, feinting and jumping back. I watched as green sweat slowly dripped down the goblins forehead, getting closer to its eye. I barely dodged another club strike, and tensed. Now was the moment I had been waiting for. As the goblin leaned back after striking at me, I watched as its sweat fell into its eye, causing it to shut them for a brief second.


    I had been thinking a lot since Xi had shown us how to access our Status. Why was it something I¡¯d found in my mind, and what was its purpose there? If it had been a way to assess my current strength, then I could have achieved the same result if I had kept around one of those crystals. If it was just to train us, then what was the training for? What did I accomplish by being able to pull that up? No, there was definitely a different reason, and I think I had finally figured it out.


    A feral grin came over my face, and I reached into the same space where I¡¯d first found my status and pulled. At first, nothing happened, but then I felt it. I had activated Sprint, and with that same mad grin, I dashed towards the goblin. I dashed forward too fast, and I let out a yelp as I flew past it. Gods I was fast with that activated, I had underestimated how fast it would make me, and by a lot. I cursed and turned, my eyes flashing over to where the goblin was. Fuck me, now I was behind the goblin, and I was panting, hard. The goblin was discombobulated, wildly looking around for me. I laughed, and hefted my blade, remembering all of the training swings from earlier. Each one was literally burned into my muscles, and I called forth the memory of every single swing, stab, and slash.


    I gripped the handle, and as hard as I could, feeling all my muscles tense, pull, and tighten, I slashed towards the goblins neck. I watched as the blade flashed towards the Goblins neck almost as if I was a bystander. There was no way it could defend itself now, I¡¯d signed its death warrant with this one swing, and it didn¡¯t even know where I was. Then, at the last possible moment, it whipped around towards me, its mouth wide open mid-screech and its eyes staring at me full of hunger and rage. The goblin had started to raise its shield, which was the only thing that saved it from instantly dying. There was so much power and force behind my blade, that as it hit the edge of its shield, it sliced straight through. It was enough to slow down the blade though, and instead of cleanly chopping off the goblins head, the blade instead buried itself halfway through the goblins chest.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    It screamed in pain and jumped away, ripping the sword out of my hands. Panic obvious in its eyes, it dropped its weapons and fell to its knees, staring at the blade stuck in its chest. It looked¡­ scared. In vain it tried to rip the blade out, green blood pouring out of the massive wound in its chest. It frantically grabbed the blade itself, yanking and tugging, while its own blood was being flung everywhere. As it cut its hands on the edge of the blade, it gave out another terrifying screech full of agony and pain. It struggled and pulled, but even I could tell that it was losing its strength as the blood continued to pour down its chest.


    I backpedaled from the goblin only stopping when my back smacked up against something. I grunted, as I felt my back pushed up against a tree. As the adrenaline rush faded, I watched as the goblin weakly stumbled to its feet and cried out in pain. Then, after a moment that felt like eternity, it collapsed to the ground, its blood pooling around it. Its eyes slowly drifted to mine, full of rage, but also¡­ respect?


    I held its eye contact, partially out of fear, and partially out of respect. Until finally, they went lifeless and dull as it died, its head flopping listlessly to the forest floor. Trembling and exhausted, I slowly dropped to the ground and stared at the fresh corpse in front of me. I''d¡­ killed it. This was the first time I''d killed something. What was I supposed to do now? Do I cheer? Do I cry? No, this wasn¡¯t the only goblin scout around here, right? I needed to find and kill the other one before I did anything. I took in a deep breath of air, and looked down at my thigh. It was already starting to bruise, but it didn''t feel like the club had broken anything. Good, now I wonder¡­ Suddenly, I heard a ding and my status popped up in front of my eyes, unbeckoned.


    LEVEL UP


    Name: ???


    Race: Human


    Level: Two (New)


    Title: Goblin slayer (New)


    Abilities:


    Enduring Heart (INCOMPLETE)


    Skills:


    Sprint (Apprentice)


    Sword Slash (New) (Novice)


    I''d leveled up? And it looks like I had even gained a title and¡­ wait, was that a sword skill!? Oh fuck yeah! And wait¡­ my leg didn¡¯t hurt anymore. I looked down at my leg, and I watched as the bruise slowly faded away, my skin turning back to its normal color. I felt all my exhaustion and aches from the fight suddenly disappear, and a grin slowly bloomed over my features. What¡­ What an invigorating sensation! I stood back up and rolled my arms, cracking my neck. I even got healed once I leveled up? I wonder if that was some kind of magic? Maybe I actually did have a chance of surviving here!


    Wait¡­ the best part of killing a monster¡­ loot! Gleefully, I rushed over to the goblin and checked out the corpse in more detail. My sword was still stuck in its chest, and its weapons were still resting a bit away where it had flung them during its final death throes. Okay, I was pretty sure it had died, but I should arm myself before anything else. I carefully placed my foot on its chest and grabbed the handle of my blade and yanked, hard. The blade resisted, but after I wiggled it from side to side, it slid free with a squelching noise. I frowned at the disgusting noise, and looked at the blade which was coated in green blood. I grimaced and wiped the blood off in the grass, a slight shiver running through my body as I did.


    I looked over the dead goblin again. It had died face down, so, using my foot, I nudged the goblin over. It wasn''t wearing much except a small fur kilt, but I did notice a small bag tied to a string around its waist. I gripped my sword, and using the edge of the blade, I cut the string. The bag clunked down to the forest floor, and I reached down and cautiously picked it up. It was heavy, heavier than what I would have expected from a mere scout honestly. Carefully, I opened it up and peered inside. There were a couple copper and silver circles, but nothing else. I had to assume that these were coins or something similar right? I smiled and cinched it shut again. Better bring these with me, in case I ever needed to make a break for it.


    I cracked my neck, and then walked over to the shield it had dropped. I hesitated, before leaning over and picking it up. I would definitely need one once our little boot camp finished up, and the extra protection couldn¡¯t hurt, right? I nodded and then slipped my hand through the leather straps on the back, hefting it up and doing a couple practice blocks with it. It was a rather nice fit, considering it was made for a four foot goblin, and rather lightweight which was a plus. I blushed when I realized how dumb I probably looked and eyed the direction where the barrier was. Cautiously, I started walking towards the barrier again before a thought occured to me.


    Wait¡­ there was another goblin scout on the other side right? I''d killed this goblin sure, but was I really just going to leave the other one? For that matter, was I even ready to fight another one if it came down to it? One wrong move, and that little shit would have clubbed my skull in and dragged me back to do who knows what with me. Hell, my leg was still a bit tender where it had smacked me. Still¡­ I don¡¯t know if it was because I could still feel a bit of that adrenaline rush, or because of the self confidence boost I¡¯d just gotten from killing the goblin, but a part of me was whispering that I could. This really hadn¡¯t even been that hard, even after it had hit me. As long as I just made sure it didn¡¯t hit my head, I¡¯d be okay, right? I could feel myself walking in the direction of the other goblin scout, and I allowed it.


    As I kept on walking, I let my mind wander again. Why did they leave me behind? If it was a test, what were they testing me for? And if they wanted to kill me, wouldn''t it have been easy enough to kill me themselves? It''s not like everyone else would have been able to or willing to stop them. What was even the point?


    As I got closer to where I¡¯d last seen the other scout, I heard something. That was¡­ odd, if I had to say¡­ it was almost like¡­ snoring? I slowly crept around a tree, but paused as the sound suddenly got louder. Nope. That definitely was snoring. Had the scout really fallen asleep? I know it looked like it was bored back then, but really?


    I cautiously made my way closer, but I couldn¡¯t help but roll my eyes when I saw the goblin. I probably could have stomped up and I would have been fine. The goblin scout that I had first ran into, was just laying there, passed out and leaning on the same tree. Its snores weren¡¯t necessarily loud, but to me, they sounded like thunder. I can¡¯t believe this, after I¡¯d gotten my courage up and everything¡­ What am I gonna do now? It''s not like I really wanted to just kill him while he was asleep. That felt a bit too low, even against a monster¡­ but this was also the safest kill I was ever going to run across. I nodded, and crept closer, raising my blade. I¡¯d gotten a skill earlier right? I should be able to activate it¡­ Except Xi hadn¡¯t taught us how yet. No, Xi hadn¡¯t taught me how to use my Sprint ability either, but I¡¯d figured that out on my own. Was I going to be able to access it in the same way? Fuck it, well, I might as well try right? I slowed my breathing and relaxed, reaching into my mind and searching for that void again.


    I considered that space in my mind, and tried to remember what it was like, but I was still searching for something new. But, my mind wasn¡¯t that vast thankfully, and I smiled as I brushed against that cold void again. It was a surprisingly empty void, but as I pushed and pulled on it, I could tell it was all a sham. The void might have seemed empty, but it had substance, and as I pushed and pulled on it, searching for something that would power up my blade, I found that I could access a small part of it. I grinned, and a small part of me sung, knowing exactly what I had to do. Still, even with this knowledge and the potential of an easy kill, I was no coward, not anymore. I dropped my blade to my side and looked around for something to toss at the goblin¡­ There! I walked over to a nearby rock, small enough to fit in my hand, but not big enough that it could cause any serious damage. I tossed it up into the air, and then caught it, my eyes narrowing in determination. I turned and strode over to the sleeping goblin, not even trying to hide my presence anymore. I eyed the distance and nodded, yeah this was good enough. I squeezed the rock and then threw it, smacking the goblin square in the chest.


    It¡¯s snoring suddenly stopped, and the forest went quiet once more. Then, slowly, it opened its eyes, staring down at the rock I had just hit him in the chest with. Rage slowly replaced the look of confusion it had, and its eyes darted around, looking for the source of the disturbance. I smiled as they fell on me, and as it picked up its weapons I raised my sword and newly acquired shield, getting into a fighting stance. As its eyes landed on the shield, I think it noticed that the shield was its buddies. It screeched and stomped its feet, stabbing a bony finger in my direction and saying something that I could only assume were curses directed towards my family and bloodline.


    In response, I laughed, and beckoned it forward with my shield hand, ¡°I can take you on ugly, you ready to die like your buddy? Or are you going to tell me why you¡¯re out here, watching that barrier and my friends?¡± I was clearly goading it, but I doubted that it was going to notice. I wasn¡¯t too sure of the range or how long it would take me to activate the sword slash skill, but I had a feeling it was going to take a second. If I goaded it into charging, I¡¯d probably have a better chance of activating it in time. At least, that had been what I was thinking.


    Instead, the goblin charged forward at me with a wild screech. My eyes widened as it closed the gap, moving much faster than the other one had. It wildly waved its club in the air, and held out its shield held out in front of it to block any strikes from my sword. I panicked as my heart slammed in my chest and I tried to summon that same feeling from before, pulling on that void again, but I was way too slow. The goblin was already right there, and I was forced to wildly swung at it with my blade. It jeered at me, cackling as it blocked the strike and swung its club around in response.


    I tensed up as my body remembered the feeling from being hit the last time, and I cursed, ¡°Oh fuck not this again-¡± As it crashed into my side, I desperately jumped back and gasped for air.


    It didn¡¯t let me catch my breath though, and screamed its victory, lunging after me with its club. I yelpef and desperately tried to fight it off, swinging my sword back around and blocking its wild club swings with my shield, but it was too close now. It leapt on top of me, knocking me back and into a tree, bashing my skull in the process. I saw stars as my vision went black and I screamed in pain. It cackled as I struggled to try and push it off, and it lashed out grabbing my arm and digging its nails into my flesh hard.  I roared in pain as I felt the nails puncture my arm, drawing my blood. I couldn¡¯t think, and I struggled to move right, but I couldn¡¯t¡­ It was almost like I was malfunctioning¡­


    Terrified now, I clawed at the goblin, digging my fingers into its sides and slamming my fists into it, hoping that the pain would force it to let go. Instead, it locked its rage-filled and victorious eyes on mine, and screamed. I flinched back, feeling its spittle land on my face. Fear, panic, and pain raced through me, and my eyes widened as it bit down on my arm. I screamed in agony, trying in vain to rip it off of my arm, but it had latched on, and I felt as its teeth bit through my skin, tearing off a large chunk of my flesh. I saw red, and roared, jamming my fingers into its flesh and throwing it off of me with a massive roar. As it sailed through the air and slammed into a tree, I stared down at the gaping wound in my arm, my face paling. It was almost too surreal to witness. I could see my flesh and bone, and my arm was visibly thumping in tune with my racing heartbeat making it look like it was alive. It was sickening, and I keeled over, throwing up in the grass.


    The goblin, who had been briefly stunned from getting thrown off, screeched again, scrambling forward to where its club was and picking it up. It stood up and began chanting that same fucking word again. Meat. It chewed loudly on the piece of me it had ripped off and swallowed it with a cackle, licking its lips loudly. It screeched again and eyed my arm where it had ripped off a piece of my flesh and eaten it, and it definitely wanted more. I should have been scared. I should have felt fear. Instead I felt pure rage. This little forest shit had ripped off a piece of me, and thought it was just gonna be able to go back for more? NO. Fuck this!


    I stood back up from where I had thrown up, and wiped my mouth, shooting it a withering glare. It grinned a bloody grin back, spitting out a piece of my flesh and mockingly cackled. I was killing it. If it was the last thing I did, I was ripping this little fucks throat out! I was going to wrap my hands around this fucks throat and  little fuck and throttle it until it couldn¡¯t breath breathanymore! I roared and rushed forward, and crashed into the goblin, throwing forth my entire body weight and crushing it into the earth. It had not been expecting that at all, and its rage- filled and victorious eyes were filled with surprise and panic now. It screamed at me, and I screamed back, stunning it. It was dead! Dead! Dead! Dead! I was dimly aware of its nails ripping into my chest, tearing out more of my flesh and causing more blood to run down my skin. I guess this shirt was ruined, huh? I laughed wildly and gripped its throat with my hands and squeezed, watching as the surprise in its eyes turned to rage and then into panic. HAHA! Oh yes! I grinned as it struggled more and more, wildly flailing and punching my chest, struggling to get me off of it. It was foaming at the mouth now, green blood leaking out of the side of its mouth as its fists weakly punched my sides, and its struggles became even more faint underneath. Finally, it stopped moving, and its eyes went dull, but still, I didn¡¯t let go.


    Slowly, its eyes locked onto mine, and I could have sworn I saw respect in them like I had in the other goblins eyes. Then, the last of its wild flails slowed down, and then finally stopped. Its hands fell to the side, and I watched as the life in its eyes faded away, but still I squeezed. I squeezed until I couldn¡¯t anymore, my muscles screaming in agony. I squeezed and squeezed, all until my muscles finally gave out and my arms fell limp to my sides. Only then did I let go and stumble away, crashing into a nearby tree. I heard that same similar ding echo through the air, and my heart raced with excitement. My status window popped up again, and I excitedly looked it over.


    LEVEL UP!


    Name: ???


    Race: Human


    Level: Three (New)


    Title: Goblin slayer


    Abilities:


    Enduring Heart (INCOMPLETE)


    Skills:


    Sprint (Adventurer)


    Sword Slash (Novice)


    ¡°Oh¡­ I leveled up from that¡­ cool¡­¡± My breath was coming faster and faster, and I felt my heart beating a million miles a minute. I felt all of my muscles clench, and I laughed, gasping for air. What was happening? I looked down at my hands, blanching as I saw them covered in green blood. I¡¯d¡­ killed it. With my bare hands I¡¯d choked the life out of a living thing. What¡­ Why¡­ Why did I feel good? I felt better than I ever had before. All my aches and pains had vanished without a trace, and I felt like I could run a marathon. Elation was arcing through my body like electricity, making me want to giggle and laugh. Then I looked back at the corpse and it hit me what I had done all over again, making me feel sick in my stomach. I had throttled that goblin to death, my hands crushing its windpipe until it couldn¡¯t even breathe. I didn¡¯t even feel bad about it either¡­ What was happening to me?

 Chapter Five: We Need To Have A Talk

    I don¡¯t know how long I sat there, listlessly staring at the goblin corpse. Minutes¡­? hours¡­? days¡­? I wasn¡¯t sure. All I was sure of, was that when I finally came back to reality, the sun had just started to begin peeking over the horizon, its rays lighting up the world brightly. I watched the morning dew glisten, and couldn¡¯t help but let out a long sigh. How¡­ gorgeous. As I looked down at my blood covered hands, I considered the corpse near me closely. I think¡­ I had come to terms with what I had done. As odd as that sounded. It was what anyone would have done really, minus the wild laughing as I choked the life out of the goblin. More than that though, I didn¡¯t¡­ couldn¡¯t¡­ regret anything. These two goblins had definitely not been up to anything good, I could tell that just by how quickly they had jumped on the opportunity to attack me. Not only that¡­ I was happy that I could protect my classmates. Even if I had to take this step. I turned and looked at the corpse again. I had no other choice but to accept that I was a killer now. But¡­ in this world, I don¡¯t think that was a problem. Frankly, this would be something that I would always have to live with, even if we were all able to find a way back home one day. But¡­ for now, while I was stuck in this different world, I was going to have to accept this new reality of mine, whether I like it or not.


    I let out a loud sigh again, and I stood up, stretching out my legs. Oh what a depressing thought. Even if I was able to find a way back home. Was that really all I wanted? A way back home? My classmates had all gotten called¡­ summoned, apparently, to this new world by a literal goddess. In contrast to that, I had been left behind, rejected by that very same system. Why had I felt so disappointed back then? It was because I had wanted to go with them. To a new world. With new opportunities. When I had been running, and noticed that my world was shimmering again, I hadn¡¯t felt fear. I had felt¡­ excited. Excited at the thought of being summoned. Excited at the thought of not actually being inferior or bland. I had been excited to come here with my classmates.


    When I had opened my eyes to this new world, I had been happy¡­ for once. No more boring reality. No more boring schoolwork, races, and family dinners with everyone on their phone. I had really felt the opportunities for a moment, and they had all been so glorious. At least, they had been until I had put my hand on the crystal ball. The look Cylkia had given me¡­ That look of disgust and complete disinterest. It was infuriating, painful, and downright humiliating. I was sent back to just being an average guy. An average guy surrounded by classmates who very much weren¡¯t average. What did that make me in comparison? They had all these amazing abilities and skills, and had obviously been smiled down on by the goddess when they had brought them here. That alone was enough to make anyone bitter¡­ except¡­ I wasn¡¯t though. Deep down, I still felt that same excitement filling my entire body. I could still see so many opportunities in front of me. I could actually see a path forward. Most importantly though¡­ I felt like if I really tried here, I would actually receive a reward as thanks for it. I was level 3 now, which if I was being honest, I wasn¡¯t sure exactly what that meant. Still, I could definitely feel the effects even now as I sat on this tree trunk. I was noticeably stronger, and whenever I picked up the sword, it was incredibly easy for me. In comparison, when I had tried to lift it before, it had felt heavy, as if I was lifting a barbell over and over.


    I eyed a nearby tree and swung at it experimentally. My sword flashed through the air and impacted into the trunk with a loud thunk. I winced as I felt the vibrations from the strike recoil up my arm, but I could tell that something had changed. In comparison to the training earlier today, I actually noticed a dent in the tree''s bark¡­ for once. I chuckled, and closed my eyes, really searching for that void again. I hadn¡¯t been able to call upon it during my fight with the goblin, and that was a mistake I just couldn¡¯t repeat again. After a long moment of searching, I found what I was looking for and pulled hard, activating sword slash the same way I had activated sprint. My arms and muscles lit up with energy and unused potential, and with every bit of strength I had, I swung my blade. It flashed through the air and after a moment, it crashed into the tree, slicing through about a foot of it before it finally came to a stop. A smile spread across my face and I let out an ecstatic laugh.


    Last night was a good first step, but even with all the elation I felt right now, I knew I was too weak. If it weren¡¯t for the level up I¡¯d gotten after killing the goblin, I would have probably bled out on the forest floor, concussed by that damn club strike. I needed to get stronger. But first, I needed to wash off at least some of this blood, I looked like a spear of asparagus. I hesitated for a brief second, but reached into the void, pulling on the area that had activated Sprint last time. My vision narrowed and I strided out, catching the ground under my feet, and propelling myself forward as fast as I could. I charged through the forest on an approximate path of where I remembered the river had been. I wasn¡¯t sure if there were any other monsters around, but I was sure that I would be able to easily outrun them at this pace. I knew that this wouldn¡¯t last for long if I was being honest, but it was still such an amazing feeling as I kicked off of trees and spun around trees, running faster than I had ever sprinted before.


    I heard the river before I saw it, and I thankfully dropped out of Sprint, gasping for air, and leaning against a tree. Thankfully, it had been way easier racing through the forest in daylight in comparison to the middle of the night. I hadn¡¯t seen any monsters or other goblins, which was a major plus, but I still checked out the forest that was surrounding the clearing before I made my way to the river. I sighed and looked down at myself again, wincing as I saw how I was covered in green and red like some psychotic christmastime elf. I wasn¡¯t exactly sure how I was going to be able to explain the bloodstains when I went back, and frankly, I was really not looking forward to all of the nicknames everyone was probably going to make up for me. God, and I had thought the cross country kids were ruthless when they had realized I had a reading addiction. I sighed and made my way to the edge of the river, pursing my lips as I remembered how cold it had been. Hopefully it would be worth going in there again, and I could still wash off most of the blood before I made my way back to the others.


    I stripped off my tattered shirt and shorts, and walked over to the larger and smoother rocks near where the river fell down, cascading down a little waterfall. I took my clothes and dunked them in the cold water, getting them wet before I started to scrub them off, pushing them against and in between the rocks and gravel near the edge of the waterfall. It was more effective than I was expecting, and I let out a sigh of relief as I watched as the blood seeped off of my clothes, getting washed away by the river''s currents. I guess goblin blood was water soluble? Or maybe it was the river itself? What had Xi called it again, a rejuve river? Short for rejuvenation river I bet¡­ Hmmm¡­ I¡¯d have to remember this for later.


    After I decided that I had scrubbed off most of the blood, I shook and wrung my clothes off as best as I could. Thankfully, my practice shirt was already green, so the extra green stained into it didn¡¯t stand out too much. My shorts however¡­ oof. They had originally been a light gray, but now, they were a dark greenish brown. I guess my blood and the goblins blood had mixed on my shorts, creating the interesting tie die I had now. Ugh, I hope no one noticed the color change.


    I nodded and eyed the forest again. I was sick of these goddamn trees. I couldn¡¯t wait to be back on flat plains again, where I had all the time in the world to react if someone, or something, showed up nearby. I couldn''t even hear if something was creeping up on me, because all of the wet leaves muffled every single noise! Even if it had helped me to get a jump on the goblins, it had almost cost me my life all the same!


    I started off into the forest again, carefully checking around every tree, and pausing at every noise I heard. I didn¡¯t know if there were more goblins, and the more I thought about it, the more sure I was that they must have been scouts or sentries. I wouldn''t have stood a chance against them if they''d had a skill. Hell, just using the sprint skill against the first goblin had been the only reason I¡¯d managed to kill it. I sighed and thought back to the fight again as I made my way forward. Thinking back on it, even after how it almost ended, I didn''t regret waking up the second goblin, before I fought it. It might be absolutely stupid of me, but I just couldn¡¯t bear the idea of killing a defenseless creature. I did wish that I had figured out how to use sword slash before going into the fight though¡­ Sure I''d found out how to activate it, but using it on the fly and for the first time was obviously not gonna work. I had this feeling that a solid hit by that skill might have ended the fight then and there.


    I grunted and ducked under a low hanging branch. Well, the past was in the past. Right now, I really needed to get back to that barrier and the safety that Xi and the others offered. I''d be safe there, and I figured that if this was a test like I¡¯d assumed already, I''d proven myself by killing two goblins. What did worry me and was a much more important and pressing issue, was that I needed to let Xi and the others know about the Goblins. If they were scouts, that must mean there was another group of goblins or a tribe nearby¡­ I knew that Baern and Halfi had taken their groups out into the forest to train that first day, and if I didn¡¯t get back in time, I didn¡¯t know if they would get caught up in a goblin raid. Even if I was being tested by Xi, I couldn¡¯t just risk them being caught by some goblin raiding party or something. I set my lips in a hard line and nodded. Yeah, I definitely needed to get back and warn them. I picked up the pace, abandoning most of my stealth as I felt like I was getting closer to the barrier.


    After a while, I started to notice the trees thinning out, and I could tell I wasn''t too far away from the barrier¡­ ugh, finally. I stopped and looked back down at the sword and shield. At some point in the night, I¡¯d picked them back up and looted the other goblins'' corpse. It had a small pouch much like the other one, but instead of the coins, it had a blowing horn and a couple crystals. The horn was probably to signal the rest of its party or the other goblin that something had gone wrong, though I was confused why the other goblin hadn''t had one.


    I doubted anything good would come from me showing up armed with weapons, and I could probably get away with saying that I''d just ran away from any monsters I''d encountered. James and Ashton were on the Track team at school, so they knew I was a pretty solid runner.  Yeah, they¡¯d be able to back me up, and especially when I paired it with my sprint skill. I could just say I¡¯d woken up in the morning, and figured out how to use it on my own and sprinted back. That¡¯s when I noticed the goblins as I was on my way to the barrier. I paused, and then nodded my head, yeah¡­ that should be a good excuse. I could even say that they¡¯d run away when they saw me.


    I frowned down at the sword and loot and cocked my head in consideration. Now¡­ What the hell was I going to do with these? After a moment, I decided that I should hide the pouch, sword, and shield close to the barrier. Somewhere that I could grab it quickly if I needed to run from Cylkia and them¡­ Hmmm¡­ I looked around for a moment and then froze. Oh yes¡­ yeah, that¡¯d do perfectly. I climbed up a nearby tree, secreting them in a hollow near the top. I clambered down and looked the tree up and down, committing it to memory. I would be able to find it pretty easily, but I still slashed an S into the bark of the tree by its base. I took a step back and eyed the tree. That should be good enough, and I honestly doubt that any animals would try to snag anything. It¡¯s not like there was any food or things that they could want.


    I started jogging back, my eyes narrowing as I peered around the tree trunks. There¡­ and¡­ there! I grinned as I started to make out the silhouette of my classmates moving around a fire, the sounds of their laughter echoing through the air. I couldn¡¯t believe it¡­ a part of me had felt like I was never going to make it back. I felt my lips twitching as my body relaxed. I''d survived¡­ I¡¯d actually survived! And leveled up twice to boot! Just some nobody with a sprint skill and a useless ability! HAHA!


    I rounded tree after tree, my eyes locking unto the others as I gave up on any remnants of stealth I had left. Out of nowhere, I suddenly felt something slam into my chest, stopping me stone cold. I grunted in surprised pain and folded over it like a chair, all my air getting knocked out of my lungs. The thing vanished from my gut like it was never there, and I fell on my ass, struggling to drag in a breath. Fuck me, was it another goblin? Was I too late? I knew I should''ve brought the sword, I really just didn''t think I would need it! Blearily, I looked up at what had hit me, and I brought my arms up defensively.


    It wasn''t a goblin. It wasn''t even a tree branch I just hadn''t noticed. No, it was an armored behemoth, a great sword strapped to their back and standing well over seven feet tall. It was¡­ Xi¡­? A sense of relief pulsed through my body, but it was short lived. Wait, hadn''t they just left me to die all night? With only a sword as defense? Fuck¡­ what was I going to do now? I finally dragged in a breath of air and coughed, shooting a glare upwards at them, ¡°I¡­ got the¡­ feeling¡­ you didn''t want me¡­ to make it¡­ back to¡­ everyone...¡± My breath wheezed out of my lungs, and I strained to stand up again, pushing off of a tree. ¡°Were you¡­ trying to leave me¡­ to die? Or are you¡­ gonna kill me¡­ now? I guess I can''t¡­ stop you¡­ but make it quick¡­ asshole.¡±


    I gritted my teeth and raised my fists, eyeing Xi''s sword. They hadn''t even unsheathed yet, but I got the feeling that they could take it out and strike me in a matter of moments. I knew it probably wasn¡¯t the smartest thing to say to someone who could lop off my head before I could blink, but fuck it if I cared. They had just left me here to die, not a single warning, note, or anything. I was at least going to go down swinging. Hell, maybe I could flash past them with sprint, and at least warn the others about our psychotic ¡®guardian angels¡¯.


    Silently, Xi cocked their head, helmet looking from my raised fists to my legs. A long moment passed, but still, they didn''t do anything. They just stared at me with their head cocked and their arms folded. The two of us just stood there, the long silence growing more and more awkward as time crawled on by. I felt more and more uncomfortable as they continued to stand there with their head cocked to the side, and I couldn¡¯t help but get even more confused. I still kept my stance, ready for Xi to attack, but what was I to do? If I tried to attack or tried to move, I had no doubt in my mind that they would be able to fend me off or stop me instantly. I gritted my teeth and eyed their massive armored shape and the greatsword strapped to their back. I just needed to wait for them to strike before I did anything, and maybe I could dodge around the attack and sprint off while they were discombobulated. Then it happened, and I tensed as I watched them suddenly start¡­ shaking? What the hell did that mean? Was it like some skill or something? Wow, using a skill on a level three newbie, how impressive! Angrily I gave Xi my fiercest glare, baring my teeth and clenching my fists. ¡°Alright you piece of shit! Fight me already!¡±


    Xi just kept on shaking, which was really starting to annoy me, and right before I was about to charge at them, I was interrupted by the sound of¡­ wait what the fuck, was that laughter? You cannot be serious! My jaw dropped as I watched Xi''s little shakes turn into full body spasms as loud guffaws started ringing through the air. For what felt like forever, Xi laughed at me, their full body shaking as they put their hands on their knees and bent over. Well that was¡­ humiliating. I let out a long sigh and rolled my eyes. Oh whatever. I dropped my fists and my stance and folded them, leaning against a nearby tree.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    I looked down at the massive form of Xi and shook my head. ¡°Am I really not that threatening?¡± I asked dejectedly, kicking my shoe into the dirt.


    Xi just kept on laughing, but after another long moment, they finally began to slow down and then stop, straightening up as they fought for air. As Xi gasped for air, finally taking in a long deep breath, they looked up and finally responded. ¡°Oh gods, it''s been so long since I''ve had a real laugh like that! Look kid, that was about as threatening as a slug saying it was gonna end the world. You got spunk, I''ll give you that! But the thought of you taking on me?¡±


    Xi started laughing again, shaking their helmet after a moment, ¡°No, you wouldn''t stand a chance, little sprite. Especially not with a stance like that! Where''d you even learn that? Not only that, but you''re what, level two now? On top of that, if you take in your lack of literally any fighting skills or abilities, that''s just suicide. I respect it kid, but let''s save that for another day, eh? Now, what happened after I left you? You might¡¯ve fooled the others, but I can tell you fought something, and it didn''t go down easy. Which means you won, or are even weaker than I originally took you for. Besides, it looks like you must have leveled up as well, huh?¡±


    I hesitantly considered how much I should tell Xi for a moment, pursing my lips together hard. Any way I looked at it, I was pretty sure they had left me to die. Sure, I''d leveled up twice and even gained a skill, but  was I sure that was even worth it? What if I had faced something seriously strong? Would they have just been okay with leaving me to die? Would they have been able to save me, even if they wanted? I guess it wasn''t going to help hiding anything at the end of the day but still. I glanced at their massive form again and sighed. No, I might as well just tell them. After all, what good was it going to do for me if I held anything back? Besides, it sounded like Xi had already figured most of what had happened out on their own, and I still needed to let them know about the goblin scouts.


    Still leaning on the tree, I told Xi all that had happened after I had woken up. How I had awoken and realized they had left me behind, the realization that I needed to get back, and then finding the first goblin. I¡¯d realized that it might have been a scout, and I had decided to sneak around to the other side to try and make my way back to the others to warn them. Then, I had discovered another goblin who had noticed me and we had then subsequently fought and I had killed it, before deciding to kill the both of them. I mentioned how I had gained the sword slash skill and also leveled up twice. It was a long talk, and to their credit, they were a very good listener. They nodded along as I told them everything, their helmet locked onto me the whole time. They even grunted approvingly when I told them how I''d fought the goblin, and subsequently killed it and then leveled up. When I told them about how I had woken the second goblin up before fighting it, they had laughed and slapped me on the back, causing me to stumble from where I was leaning.


    ¡°It''s good that you followed your instincts and struck first! If you had gone and tried talking to the goblin, you would have probably died. A lot of newbie¡¯s end up being held back by ¡®morality¡¯, and their standards. The thing is, morality is just going to get you killed out there. Especially from a goblin, they have a nasty attitude towards any other half sentient race. The ones that you fought were probably long range scouts, so there¡¯s no worries about any raiding parties nearby. Frankly, you got lucky that there weren''t others nearby. Goblins almost always travel in packs, which makes them a massive pain in the ass for adventurers to deal with on their own.¡± They slapped me on the back again and nodded, ¡°I approve of you not taking the cowards route with the second goblin. Just because an enemy wouldn''t do the same for you, doesn''t mean that you should just because an inherent monster. Morals and standards hold back adventurers from living, but they are all that gives us knights a reason to keep fighting.¡±


    I listened to Xi, confusion running rampant in my body. I wasn¡¯t exactly sure why they were telling me all this if I was being honest. Still though, I desperately tried to memorize everything they were saying. If I didn¡¯t know better, I could¡¯ve sworn that Xi was¡­ teaching me? Nah, there was no way, didn¡¯t they literally just say that they had left me to die? Or¡­ wait a second, did Xi even admit what they had done? I frowned, and I¡¯d them. No¡­ they definitely hadn¡¯t. Patiently I waited, and then I interjected right as they were about to start talking about the weak spots of a goblin, ¡°Hey, look, I really appreciate the goblin lesson and all, but why did you leave me behind in the first place? And if goblins travel in packs like you said, shouldn¡¯t you be going and killing off the rest of the goblin pack right now? What if the raiding party catches Halfi¡¯s or Baern¡¯s training group off guard? There¡¯s only one of them against all of those other monsters!¡±


    Xi, who had been animatedly moving their arms and hands around, suddenly froze. ¡°Ah¡­ I didn¡¯t say, did I? Look kid, I like you. You have more guts than most of the adventurers who normally start out. Though, if I was going to be honest here, you were almost certainly going to die after we left you all.¡± Xi rubbed the back of their neck, their metal gauntlets grinding against the armor. Then they let out a long, deep breath, ¡°The others might not care that much, but that doesn¡¯t sit right with me. Just leaving you to die that is. At least the other people you were summoned with have some strong skills. However, you¡­? You weren''t so lucky, were you? Still, I don¡¯t believe in handouts. So, I decided to leave it up to fate. If you could survive the forest and defeat one or two of the monsters, I decided that I¡¯d help you out. Get you up to the point that you might stand a pretty good chance of surviving here. If you didn¡¯t¡­ Well, you were probably going to die later anyways! Luckily for you, you survived! And not only that, but you killed two goblin scouts! Cheers to you kid! So, I¡¯ve decided I¡¯m going to get you strong enough to survive by the time we leave! I wasn''t even expecting you to learn a skill, so my job just got even easier!¡±


    I stared at them with my jaw agape, before I shook myself and brought myself back to reality. ¡°Wait, what the fuck!? You¡¯re gonna train me now? To make sure I can survive here? The hell does that mean, aren¡¯t you already supposed to be making sure that we¡¯ll all be able to survive after you leave us? Including me?¡±


    At that Xi froze again, hesitating. Then, after a pause, they shook their head. Xi looked me up and down again, before they finally began again, ¡°Look, Cylkia acts sweet, but she''s still a noble of this kingdom. The nobles here expect their orders to be followed, and they are not against physically enforcing them either. I might be her bodyguard, but Cylkia could beat me to within an inch of my life if she so chooses. We mentioned it before, but otherworlders are not exactly rare here. Definitely not something that happens more than once in a hundred years, but enough that we have a general idea what to do when they are summoned here. It¡¯s one of the reasons that tipped Baern and them off when you all were summoned here. From what Cylkia had been mentioning, they had already been on the lookout for the signs¡­ something about these old tomes and the timing or whatever. I never cared to listen much, but when we had been summoned to the Queen''s war meeting, I could tell that it had really pissed her off something fierce, seeing the summoning signs had really made her day.¡±


    Xi didn¡¯t say anything after that, simply folding their arms and staring into the forest. I narrowed my eyes and carefully spoke up, ¡°So, Cylkia is trying to take advantage of us? I''m not surprised that we''re not getting this help for free, but what are a bunch of kids going to do for a noble like Cylkia? We can¡¯t be that important to her, especially if she¡¯s a noble, right?¡±


    Xi let out a sigh and turned back to me, ¡°Well, the most important part of all this summoning process, is that Malxonus gifted you all skills. Some of them are incredibly powerful or rare, and most of them are of Hero quality, but those aren''t what matter. There are plenty of stronger adventurers and soldiers out there, many of them with much stronger skills. No¡­ what''s particularly important about you otherworlders, are the abilities that the goddess gifted to you. They allow you all to get much stronger than would normally be possible here. Lyla''s Phoenix Flight will allow her to increase her Flame skills exponentially faster than any normal mage. It wouldn''t be surprising if she managed to cast a stronger Fireball than Baern in a few years. Likewise, Barbarians Strength, or Knights Valor, which would allow you to be able to learn physical attack skills and increase their strength and power. Your ability may not be as innately strong as those ones, but your Enduring Heart ability will allow you to train relentlessly. When others fall over from exhaustion, you''ll be able to keep on going! No normal person or even any of your classmates would have been able to swing that sword as much as you had, kid.¡±


    I groaned and slapped my forehead, and gave Xi an exasperated glare, ¡°... So what you''re telling me is that I''m pretty much starting from zero? That instead of being like the others and only having to train for 2 hours in order to get twice as strong, I¡¯m going to have to be training nonstop everyday just to get slightly stronger in a skill?¡±


    Xi laughed and clapped their gauntlets together, rubbing them excitedly. ¡°Exactly! Isn''t that just amazing? If I had an ability like that, I could even be able to make even that old fool take me seriously¡­¡±


    I blinked and cursed under my breath at that. Oh no¡­ this really wasn''t going to be good for my health at all¡­ I schooled my features, despite the sinking feeling that was developing in my gut as I watched Xi rubbing their gauntlets together. If their training was anything like the training this morning¡­


    Xi stopped muttering to themselves and looked up at me, ¡°So! From here on out, you''re under my wing. You know, I was the best trainer back when I was an adventurer? Now, hold your applause! I will break you so intensely, that your body will have no other choice but to get stronger!¡± Xi leaned their helmet back and laughed, pure joy echoing through the air as my face paled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry though! You¡¯ll have the rejuve river nearby, so nothing is permanent! I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll adapt all right! You were able to manage to kill those goblins after all!¡±


    I swallowed hard and nervously spoke up, ¡°I uh¡­ appreciate the¡­ help¡­ but what did you mean by Cylkia knowing how to use us? I feel like that¡¯s pretty important¡­¡±


    Xi cocked their head to the side and let out a loud grunt, ¡°Ah¡­ I didn¡¯t say that did I? Well, I guess you¡¯re not necessarily wrong. As I was saying, the abilities Malxonus granted you are incredibly strong, and in a few years, I¡¯m sure your classmates will be stronger than a large portion of humanity here, save for a few. A force that strong is a boon to anyone who has managed to gain their favor, why do you think Cylkia is taking all of this time to train you all? Not only is it a great benefit to you, and trust me, Cylkia will make sure that fact is made crystal clear to you all, but with the abilities they have been given, once they all level up a few times, they will be strong enough to take on many threats.¡±


    I let out a loud sigh and threw my hands up in the air. ¡°What threats? I know she¡¯s already mentioned that life here isn¡¯t easy, but she has a whole queendom and army! Even if we can become super strong we¡¯re still just weak kids! And we¡¯d get stronger in a couple of years!? Ain¡¯t no one got time for that! There¡¯s no way that we can possibly be worth all of this extra effort.¡±


    Xi nodded their head, ¡°You¡¯d be half correct. Cylkia is a noble for sure, but that is not as powerful of a position as you would assume. Besides a claim to the local towns, a mansion, personal guard and staff, and the right to conscript any adventurers in the nearby guilds, she has no other real power.¡± Xi rubbed their gauntlet on their head and sighed, ¡°Still, with that being said, she, like many other nobles, are constantly vying for power. We might not have much time with you all, but she doesn''t want you to just go free into the world, where other nobles or nations may snap you up. She most likely intends to have you all make the trek to her mansion after these next few days. That way, she will be able to personally train and advocate for your powers. She likely intends to inform the queen of your existence at the coming war meeting in ten days. Cylkia may hope to win her favor, and gain more prestige at the same time. As an added bonus, she would also be able to earn the favor of you all. It¡¯s a gamble, a dangerous one at that, but one she intends to take advantage of. She won''t admit it to you, but she expects all of you otherworlders to help her and to become adventurers for this kingdom which will end up bringing in more money and prestige for her.¡± Sighing, Xi started walking back towards the barrier again, ¡°Frankly, she only sees you otherworlders as gold mines. She had Baern, who is a family friend of her House and loyal to her, set up a spell that alerts her if anyone is summoned to her province. She has been ready to race over to make a good impression on you all and recruit you for her land for a long time now. She¡¯s seen the records of past otherworlders, and has been preparing for your arrival for years. If you can''t help out her goals, she has no problem leaving you behind to die or become someone else''s problem. The weak are culled early in this world, goddesses gifts or not. It''s one of the reasons why we won''t help you get back to town. In your case however, you''re no stronger than a child! Your death was pretty much guaranteed, and Cylkia wouldn¡¯t have cared about it at all! Do you understand now why my aid is such a boon for you?¡±


    I stared at Xi as they started back towards the barrier, that rock in my gut somehow getting heavier. I had the feeling that Cylkia had ulterior motives, but really? What were we, child gold mines? Or just a way to garner favor for the queen? And she was totally okay with us dying? How many ¡®otherworlders¡¯ had died because of this world¡¯s belief in the survival of the fittest? I swallowed hard and shook my head. No, I just needed to take in a deep breath and relax. I could worry about all of that later, for now Xi was right. I needed to get stronger, and fast. I¡¯d passed Xi¡¯s test, so maybe there was hope after all.


    I cracked my neck and then raced after Xi, who had already made quite a bit of distance on me. They nodded at me as I caught up, and as we approached the barrier, Xi hesitated before turning around, ¡°I figure this is common sense, but if you say anything about this, or talk to any of the others about Cylkia, I will kill you, and every single person you told, got that?¡±


    I froze for a brief moment, before I raised my hands placatingly, ¡°No worries here, it''s not like any of them are my friends anyways. Though, I guess I should ask, what happens when we get back to Cylkia¡¯s domain? She isn¡¯t going to make all of us her slaves, right?¡±


    Xi shook their head and sighed, ¡°No, they have no reason to go through all the effort of getting you so strong if that¡¯s what she intended for you. Besides, slavery has been outlawed by the gods and goddesses here for millenia. Unless any of you die of your own stupidity, once your classmates make it back to Cylkia¡¯s domain, they¡¯ll be properly trained and taught by us and the best teachers Cylkia and the queendom can offer. At this war meeting, Cylkia will inform the queen of your arrival, but it is highly unlikely that she will take action. Besides your goddess given abilities, otherworlders are not innately special, and many who have come here in the past have simply died or become simple folk, who lived simple lives. The queen will not edge any bets on the lot of you, which is why this is such a risky move for Cylkia. Though, based on what the crystal showed us, this group of otherworlders are some of the strongest we''ve seen yet¡­ besides you that is.¡± I rolled my eyes and shot them a glare, but they continued on without even pausing. ¡°Who knows what Malxonus had in mind when she blessed them? Even your Enduring Heart, while not uncommon, is quite a solid ability if you are trained correctly. Now, if any of them ask what we were doing, just tell them I was punishing you with a thousand sword swings because you fell asleep yesterday, eh?¡±


    With that, Xi turned and passed through the barrier like before, not even waiting for me or any of my questions. I let out a long sigh and cast one last glance at the forest. A thousand sword sings, huh? And that¡¯s the whole reason I was gone all night? Was anyone really going to believe that? I cracked my neck and then followed Xi, pushing through the barrier and into safety once more. Gods, this was going to be a long training camp¡­ This almost made me wish for the constant drills from track season¡­ almost that is.

 Chapter Six: Everything Hurts and I’m Dying

    It turns out, that excuse had been good enough for everyone. Xi had apparently told them all the same thing last night when the rest of the group had gotten back. It helped that my classmates had also seen me asleep out by the river. Barry and Ashton did give me a couple of pitying looks, but other than that, everyone just smiled and welcomed me back while they were sitting around the fire. Baern had lit it on fire that morning with trees that Xi had cut down. Halfi was still out in the forest foraging for some berries, and Cylkia was warming up some oats in a pot. Cylkia informed us that she was going to make us create our own meals and do this from here on out, but since none of us had learned much yet, she would give us the first day off. Halfi returned shortly, and we all ate our oatmeal with berries and a little honey that Baern had procured. It wasn¡¯t amazing food, but it tasted like heaven to me. I hadn¡¯t eaten since the provisions Xi had given us at training yesterday, and I was absolutely starving.


    After that, Cylkia had us all group up so she could give us all a clearer breakdown than she had given us all yesterday. Xi, Halfi, Baern, and Cylkia only had the time to train us for five more days. She and the other noble houses had been called by the queen for a war meeting, and her presence was very much mandatory. Once she saw the queen, she did intend to bring up our arrival and our current circumstances with her. She had elected that the four of them would give us as much training as they could before leaving.


    As for our training, besides for this morning as she had already said, the mornings would consist of people from Xi''s group gathering firewood and Halfi¡¯s group would find and bring back fresh water to the others. Then people from Baerns group would use magic to light the firewood, along with conjuring bread and then helping to boil the fresh water. Cylkias group would cook breakfast using whatever food Halfi and his group had foraged or hunted the day prior.


    After that, we''d split back up into our respective groups and go through skill drills with Xi, Halfi, Baern, and Cylkia until lunch. We''d then take a break, snacking on the rations that Xi and the others had brought with them, before we all got back to our training. Cylkia had made it sound almost like it would be fun, and that it would be enjoyable all around, almost like a sumer camp I guess. To be fair, she probably wasn¡¯t wrong for the others, but  for me? Well¡­ when she¡¯d said that, I hadn¡¯t failed to notice Xi rubbing their gauntlets together and looking in my direction.


    Everyone took the news differently, but I think the fact that they had gone to sleep in this world, and then woken back up and were still here, helped to really enforce the fact that we were all really stuck here. Still, I didn¡¯t fail to notice the groups beginning to form. Some of my classmates were absolutely ecstatic to hear that they would be getting the ability to travel and adventure here. I overheard James and Ashton whispering to each other about how this was all like a dream come true. That wasn¡¯t too surprising to me, since they¡¯d always been pretty hard on that whole survival of the fittest strength thing. What surprised me more was how many people joined them in that thought process. I¡¯d always enjoyed reading stories about entirely new worlds, but I¡¯d also known they were totally unrealistic. I always thought that no one would really just be okay with just being brought to another world¡­ Though, I guess when the only other option is to go back to a normal boring life back on earth, it was pretty enticing. Here, we all had the potential to be a super strong warrior, badass hunter, an overpowered healer, or a powerful mage, what more could you ask for? Especially when Cylkia was promising you riches and fame.


    Still, there were some of my classmates that hadn¡¯t accepted that they were really stuck here. I overheard some of them murmuring to each other about how theu definitely didn¡¯t want to become adventurers or heroes and risk their lives for the kingdom. Cylkia noticed, but each time they spoke up or against her, she would always pull them aside to have a talk with them. It was¡­ odd, but they didn¡¯t seem to be getting yelled at or anything. After the talk, they still didn¡¯t seem like they loved the idea of being stuck here, but they would stop complaining or speaking up after that. I¡¯d noticed that she had asked Melody to have one of those talks, and I made sure to ask her about it since I knew she couldn¡¯t keep a secret. Still, even with her habit of saying whatever was on her mind it took a bit of prodding. I finally got her to admit that Cylkia had promised her and the others that they¡¯d each get a plot of land, servants, and riches if they were able to become great adventurers. I sighed and cracked my knuckles. Underhanded tactics for sure, but I guess if she actually followed through with them, I couldn¡¯t really argue with that. Besides, if what Xi told me was right, then my classmates were apparently going to be able to become unbelievably strong in only a few years. I guess at the end of the day, it was a minor price to pay for her.


    When we all broke into groups for training, I stuck with Xi. I still wanted to get as strong as I could, even after the bad feeling I had gotten watching them rub their hands excitedly. After Xi stood in front of the others and trained everyone how to properly use their skills and abilities, they turned their attention fully onto me. I was put through the most hellish training regimen Xi could think of.  I had only learned that one skill, sword slash, but Xi didn¡¯t want me focusing on learning any other skills. Instead, Xi had me use sword slash over and over again on that same tree from before. Something about it¡¯s better to have the one strong skill than several useless ones? I still had the sword Xi had left with me hidden in the branches of that one tree on the outskirts of the barrier, but for training Xi lent me a sword like everyone else. I could hear the rest of my classmates laughing and using their skills, cutting down trees and makeshift practice dummies left and right, but I focused on my tasks. First, Xi had me activate sprint and run until I dropped from exhaustion. Then, after a quick dunk in the rejuve river, Xi would have me practice sword slash. I struck over and over, until I couldn''t feel my hands anymore, and my muscles ached as the torn muscle fibers begged for a break. I swung until I was gasping for air, my lungs burning as if I¡¯d just swallowed liquid fire. Xi wasn¡¯t wrong about my ability allowing me to train for much longer before I ended up feeling exhausted. Though, even with the extra endurance boost, Xi made sure to break me past whatever limits I had, and then still made me continue to strike.


    When they finally deemed that a break had been earned, I would stumble and crawl back to the river, my body knowing the way back by instinct at this point. Then I¡¯d fall in and finally get a chance to relax and bathe off the pains of the day, almost as if they never happened. The ice cold river water would slowly start to heal all the aches, torn muscles, bruises, and pains of the day until I could feel my hands and breathe normally once more.


    I groaned at just the memory. Xi was merciless, and they wouldn¡¯t even let me have a break longer than a half hour. They would always be able to find me, and they would force me to race right back to that tree, take the sword up again, and strike it over and over. It was just repeating the process, endlessly. Only once the sun started to set, and the last rays of sunlight would start to vanish, would Xi allow me to head back to the barrier along with my classmates. They, of course, had been allowed to go back several hours prior. Something about their energy reserves or whatever¡­


    Once Xi and I made it back to the others, we would all work together to make dinner. It was a lot like how we had made breakfast, and we split up the tasks between each of the groups and ended up working together in the end. Once dinner was made, we would all sit in a circle around a massive bonfire that had been made from all the wood that Xi¡¯s group had cut down. We would all eat our meals, joke with each other, and laugh after a long hard day.


    After we had all finished eating dinner, we would all pay attention as each of the four of them would take turns teaching us. It almost felt like I was back in school or at an actual summer camp funnily enough. Though, the topics were so far removed from what we would talk about back home. No marshmallow roasting, or scary stories. No, each of them had vital information to tell us, and we all strained our attention to each thing they told us.


    Halfi would teach us all about tips and tricks to surviving in the wild, from what plants and fruits were edible, to how best to find safe sources of water. He showed us how to fillet a fish, tie an unbreakable knot, and then how to break out of said unbreakable knot. I learned a lot from Halfi, though he always seemed like he¡¯d rather be out in the wilds than here.


    Baern would teach us about the history of the world we were now in, such as the goddess Malxonus who was not only the strongest divine being here, but also that she was the queen of gods in this world. He informed us of the various other incredibly strong beings and the demigods that roamed over Zioln. He described, in quite vivid detail, the various species of monsters and demi-human tribes that lived all over Zioln as well. What probably surprised me the most though, was that he was surprisingly spry for such an old man. He would laugh and dance around the fire as he taught us, taking long swigs from a container that he would procur from his robes. When one of my classmates asked him how he was so spry, he told us that it was because of his high level. Apparently, besides allowing for the learning of different skills, it also gave him several health benefits.


    Xi was surprisingly well informed of all manner of spells, abilities, and skills. They shared with us all of their strengths, weaknesses, and even how some of them worked. They told us how most people born here could only hope to become a veteran in a skill by the time they died, and that most people were about level 15, since very few of them ever went out and hunted monsters. They told us that once you reach a certain level, you would also be able to learn special skills, ones that would reflect your ability. Once a skill had become stronger from practice, use, and knowledge, you could also evolve, combine, or consume that skill in order to make it, or yourself, stronger in some way. I made sure to memorize that for the future, especially given my lack of a good ability or any skills.


    Cylkia would teach us about life in Zalsh, explaining what kind of technology was in use, such as the fact that there was (thank the gods) plumbing and civilized society. The farmers here were subject to frequent raids or invasions by monsters and beasts and had to be protected by adventurers or guards. Each town was usually based around a dungeon entrance, which is where certain monsters and beasts would make their homes. Adventurers could delve into them in search of treasures and in order to get stronger. She described some of the intricacies of handling other races, and even what to do if one of them captured you.


    I still wasn¡¯t exactly sure how to feel about her. She would help anyone who had any questions, and always seemed to be full of cheer. She would laugh and always seem concerned whenever one of us was hurt or depressed. It was hard to hold any form of ill will towards her. Still, even though I never saw that disgusted look from her again, I always made sure to be wary of her. In the end though, I guess I didn¡¯t have to worry too much, Cylkia seemed to have forgotten about me entirely.


    Most of my classmates listened with rapt attention, but there were some that would joke and laugh during the whole coaching time. I definitely didn¡¯t miss Halfi and Baern¡¯s glares at the problematic individuals, but they never punished any of us. I still frantically tried to memorize everything I could, even without them looming over us. I wrote all of it down in the soft ground at my feet, and I recited it as well as I could before and after I went to sleep. I knew that my memory wasn¡¯t the best, but I also knew that some of it was life and death considering what Xi had told me that first day.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Xi had never actually discussed what they¡¯d told me that day again, and every time I¡¯d tried to talk to them, they had given me harder or more taxing workouts. I guess I couldn¡¯t complain too much. I hadn¡¯t had the chance to fight another monster since then, but the constant sword slashes and time that I¡¯d spent striking the tree and sprinting had netted me some improvements and in my skill proficiencies. Without even having to think too hard, I brought up my status. I¡¯d trained a lot to be able to bring it up quickly, but I had learned from Xi that only I could see it, so it didn¡¯t actually do that much.


    Name: ???


    Race: Human


    Level: 2


    Title: Goblin Slayer


    Abilities:


    Enduring Heart (INCOMPLETE)


    Skills:


    Sprint (Adventurer)


    Sword slash (initiate)


    Sword slash had leveled up in proficiency to Initiate, which was apparently the second lowest proficiency level. Though based on what Xi had told me, these were the easy proficiency increases, and it would get harder to improve the higher I got the skill. It was pretty infuriating, especially given the fact that my classmates had already learned several different spells and increased them past that point. Nevertheless, my sword slashes had definitely become stronger, and I¡¯d actually been able to start dealing some small damage to the tree. I wasn¡¯t exactly sure why my name was still blank, and whenever I asked anyone about it they either gave me a blank stare or said they didn¡¯t know why. Maybe it was a glitch in the system when I wasn¡¯t able to come here in the first place, but I wasn¡¯t really sure. My parents had named me Matt, and even though it had never felt right to me, I never went by any other names or nicknames. If I was being honest, I missed them and my siblings¡­ I spent the first few nights wishing that I could¡¯ve seen them at least one more time. I sighed and shook my head. According to Cylkia and Baern, there was no record of otherworlders returning back to their worlds. Apparently, all the otherworlders in the past had adapted and lived out the rest of their lives here. No one knew what happened back on their homeworlds once they were taken, and Baern theorized that Malxonus erased their memory from everyone there. Otherwise, there would have had to have been some form of precedent or legend about it in the otherworlders history.


    I sighed and leaned back so that I could look up at the stars. I really did miss my family. I suppose you may hear about it all the time, about how life in a big family was loud and annoying. That¡¯s partially true. I¡¯d never had a room to myself, was always fighting to use the bathroom, and my only clothes had been hand me downs from my older siblings, or christmas and birthday presents. They were all so infuriating, and I remember how often I would get into fights with them. And yet¡­ as I sat there in a different world, surrounded by a magical barrier and feeling stronger than I ever had before, despite having worked myself to the bone the day prior, I realized something. I missed them all¡­ My mother Jane, my father Adam, my brothers Josh and Ethan and even my sisters Mary and Sylvia. I couldn¡¯t help but smirk as I felt tears silently roll down my cheeks as I remembered all the times I¡¯d fought Josh and Ethan, and played with them in our backyard. All the times I had seen my sisters plays and volleyball tournaments. God, I missed them, I missed how they used to poke me over and over and I missed how we would talk to each other late into the night. I missed when my older brothers would come back home and we¡¯d all sneak out to get ice cream. I even missed how loud they were¡­ It was just so silent here and honestly, it was starting to get to me. Sure my classmates were always loudly joking around and fighting, but it wasn¡¯t the same. It was one thing to be fighting a brother, but quite another to listen to them fight while not even knowing you were there. I was¡­ alone. Surrounded by classmates that I knew, but I doubted that even one of them really knew my name. I was just the poor guy who got screwed over by the goddess, and was probably gonna die before making it to town. I sighed and shook my head. No, I couldn¡¯t even blame them too much if I was being honest. Even with my skill, and the personal ¡®training¡¯ Xi was giving me, I didn¡¯t know if I was going to survive. Who''d wanna hang around a bummer like that? It¡¯d just be a pity party for me, and they had their own problems to worry about. Hell, they didn¡¯t even know if they were gonna survive in this world!


    I leaned my head back and I closed my eyes. I didn¡¯t need to worry about that right now. I had a plan, and I needed to focus on that first. Cylkia had mentioned they would be leaving us tomorrow to go to that important war meeting between the barons, baronesses, generals, and the nobility of the kingdom, and that she was required there with her entourage. We also couldn¡¯t go with them because Baerns fast travel spell only worked for the four of them, and once he casted it, he¡¯d be out of range of us all and the barrier he had erected would end up dropping. That night, Cylkia had asked everyone to make our own travel groups, taking at least one person from each of the different teachers. She had emphasized that it was to make sure everyone made it back to town safely. Following that, everyone had rapidly begun breaking off into groups. The first to form, had Traci, Ashton, Keaton, Jake, James, Jeremy, and Kirie, who had been hanging together recently. Making another group there was Melody, Barry, Clark, Cassie, and Sydney. To make another, Alyssa, Charlotte, Brady, Hailey, Bryce, and Lyla  which made the third. Finally Jason, Kenney, Faith, Amanda, and Mrs. Fletcher formed the fourth group. I had watched from the back while everyone had rushed to grab their friends and whoever they thought was the strongest. I knew that no one wanted to team up with me, and I understood why. I was weak, and quite literally a handicap for anyone who had me on their team. That was fine though, because I had a plan.


    That was, until I had felt something tugging on my shirt. I had been pretty confused, especially when I had turned around and seen that it was Sarah, one of the sweeter AP students in the class. She had just been nervously standing there. Confused, I¡¯d looked behind her at her group, which also happened to be the largest group. It was made up of Mason, Cyan, Kai, Sylphie, Diane, and Sam. They must¡¯ve been all the people that hadn¡¯t been chosen by the other four groups, or just friends with each other from before. I had raised my eyebrow and looked back at Sarah, ¡°What¡¯s up Sarah?¡±


    Blushing, Sarah looked down and nudged a rock, ¡°Hi uh¡­ I¡¯m sorry, but I never caught your name, what was it again if you don¡¯t mind me asking?¡±


    ¡°My name''s Matt¡­¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ Okay Matt, well I noticed that no one had asked you to join their group, so I and the others wanted to ask if you wanted to join ours? I know you didn¡¯t get the best blessing from Malxonus, but there¡¯s strength in numbers right? So if you joined us, maybe we could help cover for you and help you make it to town safe?¡±


    Shocked, I hadn¡¯t even responded, I just ended up staring at them in confusion as Sarah kept stumbling over her words. Then Diane and Sam had rushed forward laughing, ¡°Oh Sarah, you always get so awkward with this stuff. Look, you don¡¯t have to give us an answer now Matt, but you¡¯re welcome to come with us when the barrier drops. I know you haven¡¯t really wanted to hang out with any of us since we got here, but we should stick together. Strength in numbers like Sarah said. Besides, who knows what happens after we get to the town? Better we all tried to stick together, right? Sarah and Diane are in Xi¡¯s group, so just let them know what you decide on tomorrow.¡±


    After that, Sam and Diane had dragged Sarah back to the rest of their group, and I¡¯d been too bewildered to do or say anything else. After that I¡¯d just walked over to the tree I was in now and crawled up and onto one of the thickest branches. I didn¡¯t really know how to feel about being asked to join Sarah and their group. I mean I should just say yes right? Like they had said, strength in numbers¡­ though¡­ it''s not like I was going to be able to contribute much to their group¡­ Why would they ask me? Was it maybe a trap? No, what would they get out of that? They were still my classmates, and I really doubted that they¡¯d go through all the effort of laying a trap for me. Besides, Sarah had always been nice to me at school, and Diane had always seemed like they had a strong moral code. Plus, we had only been here for five days, it''s not like they could have changed that much.


    I sighed and opened my eyes again, and stared up at the stars. Before I''d been brought to this world, I''d never really cared to learn about the constellations, so I couldn''t call myself an expert. Still, even I could tell I wasn''t looking at the same stars as back on Earth. There were so many, way more than back on Earth, which was probably because there was no pollution here. When I had sprung the question to Cylkia, she didn¡¯t even know what fossil fuels even were.  They''d never had anything like dinosaurs and other kinds of fossils. Plus, they didn¡¯t even have a way to even dig deep enough to utilize them. Though, according to Halfi, there were rumors that the Dwarves of High-peak mountain had discovered a new power source, which might be similar to fossil fuels.


    I slowly tapped on the branch I was laying on and I considered my old plan again. I had originally assumed no one would want me in their group, and had based my entire plan around that. I¡¯d stashed the sword, shield, and pouch that I¡¯d looted from the goblin in the branch above me, and had intended to take them and make my way skirting around the forest to the nearest town. Halfi had told us it was a solid seven day walk north, which was why they couldn¡¯t just take us back themselves. Each of the groups would either have to follow the river that ran through the forest, or skirt around the trees and risk the openness of the grasslands. Both had their drawbacks, but I¡¯d decided on skirting around the forest, even though I¡¯d gotten a lot more used to it through Xi¡¯s training. I figured I could probably cut the seven day walk in half if I jogged for a few hours every day, and activated sprint here and there. Because of the drills Xi had put us through, I¡¯d retained my stamina from cross country thankfully. When I had created my original plan, I had intended to make use of that, in order to make sure I cut as much time as possible where I would be exposed to danger.


    If I decided to go with the others, I doubted I¡¯d be able to keep that same plan though. It was just impractical to expect anyone to be able to keep up with me, even considering my classmates'' newfound strengths. Diane and Sarah could probably keep up for the first few days, since they had also been doing drills with Xi. The issue wasn¡¯t them though. I sighed and glanced in the direction of the others. I doubt Mason or Kai could keep up longer than a day, since they¡¯d been studying all day with Baern and Cylkia and had more of a spell focus¡­ sorta like mages I guess. I thunked my head against the trunk and sighed. Ugh, but on the flip side, the safety that a group offered might just be worth giving that extra speed up, especially with how weak I was.


    I shook my head and rested my back against the bark of the branch, casting my eyes up to the night sky again. As my eyes wandered, I let out a long sigh. I¡¯d have to think about it more tomorrow. I rolled my shoulders and winced. Gods damn it, I swear that sadistic fuck was actually to kill me. Even with all of the healing from the river. I flexed my hands and ground my teeth together, before relaxing and closing my eyes. I could heal back all of my torn muscle fibers in the river, but there was no way for me to recover any lost sleep. I turned over, trying my best to get comfortable on the hard tree trunk. It honestly wasn¡¯t that much harder than my bed back home, but what I missed the most was a blanket. It isn''t cold now, but I really wish that they have beds and blankets at Cylkia¡¯s homestead. I sighed and forced my mind to slow down, and quiet. I needed to just let the sound of the wind blowing through the trees slowly lull me off to sleep. I just needed to let the darkness finally overtake me¡­

 Chapter Seven: Steady Sailing From Here On Out!

    I was shocked at that, and raptly listened to their advice. I didn¡¯t often hear them give it out, but when I did it was always worth memorizing. Which is not to say that they didn¡¯t give it out, but since the only words that Xi had shared with me since I¡¯d killed the goblins had been to train harder, that I needed to fix my stance, or when they were teaching us all at the fire at night, it wasn¡¯t like I could really call them much of a¡­ verbal, teacher. I honestly hadn¡¯t expected them to help me or say anything else to me today, so this was really a present. Especially that last part. It was actually so nice to know that I could mention their name if shit hit the fan.


    I cleared my throat and gave a bow to them, ¡°Thanks Xi, it-¡± I didn¡¯t get to say anything else before their massive gauntlet crashed down on my shoulder and they leaned in close.


    ¡°Now then¡­ Now that that boring conversation is out of the way, let us get on with the day! This is the last day you¡¯ll be able to use the rejuve river, so we¡¯re going to make the most of it, hmm? I expect you to be coughing up blood and crying between sets! DO YOU HEAR ME SPRITE?¡±


    I yelped and stood at attention again, ¡°OF COURSE MASTER XI! I WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!¡± On the inside though, I groaned. Today really wasn¡¯t going to be any different than any other day. In fact, Xi might just try to break me in half themselves, claiming that it would make my muscles and bones stronger. I didn¡¯t even sigh as I accepted my blade from Xi, who definitely noticed and smirked. I just rolled my eyes and began my warm up drills. I relaxed, and allowed my body to smoothly move through each form as they had been ingrained into my very being, forged into my muscles by Xi¡¯s and my constant drills.


    It was one of the few things that I kept on doing from my old world. It was¡­ calming. And it allowed me to stretch out my shoulders, legs, chest, muscles and my neck, which honestly would hurt so much that after just a few hours of swinging the sword blade I felt like dying. After that, I would run for about thirty minutes, laughing as I let my legs stride out and my breathing came stronger and harder until I was able to get it under control. It was¡­ peaceful. I never realized how much noise there was in my old world, but here, all the noises that I could hear were so natural. The chirps of crickets, the burble of the river, the sound of wind blowing through the leaves¡­ I felt, for lack of a better word, right.


    At least, that was until the others started practicing their skills. Then, I was forcibly brought back to reality. A reality filled with my weakness. As I ran closer to the woods, I could hear the thwaps of bowstrings and the smacking of daggers hitting tree trunks. I could hear Halfi¡¯s snide remarks, and the eerily accurate animal calls that they could produce.


    As I turned away, and headed closer to the open grassy plains, I could hear the chanting of Baerns class. There I would hear the deep rumbling of lightning strikes, the thwoom of explosions, the cracking of shattering ice, and the crashing of boulders slamming against each other. Halfi¡¯s class was deadly, and Xi¡¯s class was powerful, but Baern¡¯s class? They were truly the most terrifying, and I always tried to steer clear of the areas they trained, lest they blow me into pieces on accident. Mages were the most powerful members of any successful adventuring group, and were always in high demand.


    As I skirted around the edges of the explosions and rumbles, peace came over the forest and I couldn¡¯t help but smile. Close by was where Cylkia taught her students. She taught them powerful healing and close combat techniques, making them unbelievably strong. Most would not think of healers as battle hardened warriors, but according to Cylkia, that was the best way for an assassin or soldier to end up dead. Healer¡¯s were protected by honor, and if anyone would dare to break that honor, they would earn their ire. As such, a healer was expected to be able to defend themselves, which made them twice as valuable. It was an important fact, and one that any honorable warrior would respect.


    As I turned and began to head back, getting closer and closer to Xi''s practicing classes, I could hear the crashing of trees cut in two, the wild war cries of sparmates charging at each other, and then the subsequent sound of weapons crashing into each other. Xi refused to allow me to join the others or even watch. Claimed that I wasn¡¯t strong enough and that it would just hinder my path seeing such things so early. Instead, it was just back to chopping at that damn tree again. I don¡¯t even know how that was supposed to help me survive out there! I shook my head and turned back into the woods, heading deeper to where I was destined. Oh whatever, I might as well get back to it. At least I could really zone out doing that.


    I finally made it back to that damn tree, slowing down and catching my breath. I didn¡¯t know why, but here, in this world, I really could feel strong. Even knowing that my other classmates and the other people were stronger than me, each stride I took was so right. So perfect. It was like I was made for this world, and it was finally welcoming me back. When I swung that blade, my muscles strained and pulled on each other in such an exact way. I felt like I could swing it all day, that I would never stop. But alas, my muscles would not last for that long. I would have to crawl and drag myself all the way back to the rejuve river once more, arriving at that cold threshold more times each day than I cared to admit. My only saving grace was that everyone else was practicing far enough away from where I was. They couldn¡¯t watch me heave myself into the river, throwing up my breakfast and pouring sweat.


    Every day I worked as hard as I could, because whenever I failed to work that hard, everytime I slowed down or took too long of a break, I swear that Xi just somehow knew. They would appear out of nowhere, and would just slam their gauntlet into my back, scaring the shit out of me and sending me flying each time. Then, after I had drug myself back onto my feet, they would force me to get back to work and do even more practice. They would roar at me, and make sure to remind me of the goblins, and how close I had been to dying. It was humbling to say the least, but I was enraged by it, and would get back up, move forward, and continue to strike and work, coughing up blood and seeing red.


    I sighed as I pulled up to the tree, finally slowing down from my sprint. I walked over to the tree and leaned down, snagging the practice blade from where I had left it. I raised the edge of the blade to my eye and looked it over, giving it another look over. One of the first things Xi had drilled into all of us was proper care of our weapons, even with how cheap they were. Now that I¡¯d had the chance to swing it for several days, I could tell that it was a cheap blade, and fundamentally different from the one that Xi had given me that fateful night.


    It was shoddier, made of worse material and obviously not made as well. The blacksmith probably rushed the creation of the blade, worried more about making a cheap coin than a good weapon. It worked fine for swinging and striking at the tree over and over, but I doubted it would last long in an extended battle. Xi had let us know that they had grabbed these off of an apprentice blacksmith, and that we would have to find our own blades on our own time.


    Xi never did end up bringing up my stash or that I''d never given them the blade back after our conversation. I didn''t mind though, and honestly, it never hurt to have a backup plan. I hesitated and then let out a sigh. Well, I wasn''t too sure if I would bring them with me now that I was going with a group. As far as I was aware, no one else had been tested like I had, and so no one else had any extra items or bags of gold and crystal. I wasn''t sure how my group would react to me having them, but at the same time, I didn''t want to just leave everything behind. I sighed and zoned out, mindlessly honing the edge of the blade as my mind worked on the problem.


    At the end of the process, it ended up deciding that after dinner, I would leave the barrier and grab them from where I had stashed them. They were offering me protection and a spot in the group, it was the least I could do to bring them and offer them to them. Besides, Cylkia had mentioned leaving a small bag of money with each group, and Xi had informed everyone that they were letting us keep the practice blades. Even if they were low quality.


    I swung the blade experimentally and nodded. Time to begin and quit stalling. I did not want to spend the last day of training being scolded by Xi. I turned to the tree and narrowed my eyes. Now¡­ let¡¯s see how much of a dent I can make today, eh?


    As the sound of sword strikes filled the meadow, the sun passed overhead. The light shined down, glinting off of the beads of sweat that were flying through the air, and the chips of wood filled the clearing with a woody scent. But still, I struck, my arms and lungs screaming at me. Still I struck, as my hands were worn bare. Still I struck, as the rumbling of the other groups training shook the air. Still I struck, until Noon came, and I finally stopped, exhausted. I shook my head and made my way back to Xi, groaning as my sore arms cried out at me. Fuck, I hadn''t had the chance to dunk myself in the river, so I was going to be sore the whole time I was eating. What a drag¡­


    I walked up to Xi, who had just finished giving Barry his rations. Oh joy of joys! It was jerky, bread, and a posh (a weird combination of an apple and a peach). I accepted mine from Xi, nodding in appreciation before starting to head back to the tree. It was where I always ate, since I never really got that friendly with the others. I didn''t make it far though, before I heard someone calling my name. I turned around confused, before realizing it was Sarah. She and Diane were waving at me, and patting a spot on the tree trunk that they were sitting on. I hesitated, but shrugged and waved back. Eh, what was the harm?


    I waved back, and started heading their direction. I wonder if they wanted to talk about our strategy? It''s not like there was much I could contribute there though. I figured we''d just walk straight there, which had been similar to what my original plan had been. According to Halfi, the rejuve river was actually a blessed artificially made river, and ended as soon as it met with the main Tribune River. Then, we could follow the Tribune all the way to the Zalsh''s capital. Halfi had warned us that although there were towns along the way, we shouldn''t stop at them if we could help it. As they had said before, otherworlders weren¡¯t exactly a rarity here, but if a local mayor or guard captain caught whiff of their arrival, they would try everything in their power to make us stay.


    ¡°Hey guys, what''s up?¡± I called up as I finally walked up to them.


    Sarah smiled and waved at me again, ¡°Hey Matt! Wanna eat lunch with us? I know you normally don''t eat with the rest of us, but since you were cool joining up with our group I figured you''d finally stop by!¡± She motioned to the spot again and took a bite of her jerky, ¡°By the way, where do you end up going anyways? I noticed that you always come for the rations, but never end up staying.¡±


    I eyed her with surprise, but gave her a shaky smile. Oh, well this wasn''t what I was expecting. Did she really just wanna hang out? That was¡­ really nice of her actually. My smile gained more confidence as I took the seat and thanked her. ¡°Oh, well, I usually just go to the tree that Xi is having me practice on, or I sit by the river.¡± I cast a glance in Xi¡¯s direction before I leaned in and spoke in a whisper, ¡°Thanks for waving me over, Xi might actually let me eat if I''m with you guys. They have this habit of appearing out of nowhere and giving me more drills if I take too long of a lunch. I still have no clue how someone in armor can just move around like that.¡±


    Diane let out a loud groan and shook her head hard, an exasperated look appearing on her face, ¡°Oh my god, right? The other day while I was sparring with Ashton, they appeared out of nowhere and slapped me on the shoulder! It scared the shit out of me, honestly! It would have been one thing if I hadn¡¯t noticed them walking up, but Ashton, who I was in the middle of sparring with, didn''t even notice Xi had walked up either! And then it turns out Xi just wanted me to fix my stance! I guess when I activated my blade dance, my eyes closed, but like, how did they even notice that? I haven¡¯t ever even noticed, and I was the one performing it! It''s crazy that they managed to notice it! I bet Xi has to be some war veteran or something, because they can''t just be a normal guard, no way.¡±


    Sarah laughed and shook her head, ¡°I bet Xi has to be a really high leveled adventurer! According to them, you can only gain personal levels by fighting and killing monsters, beasts, and humanoids. They said that you can increase your skill proficiencies through sparring, but in order to get the experience gains to level up, you have to fight and kill monsters.¡± She nervously looked over at Xi before turning back to us, ¡°It''s why Halfi wants us to be so careful going into towns I bet! Most adventurers we''d run into at towns are probably way higher level than us, even if we have stronger skills.¡±Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    I leaned back and whistled as I thought about that. Sarah might actually be on to something there. Cylkia had praised how gifted the others were with their high skill proficiencies, but Halfi and Xi had still warned us against getting into any fights with other adventurers. All of them had made it very clear that even though they had higher skill proficiencies, those adventurers would absolutely destroy any of us in a fight. I had originally assumed it was because of our lack of combat experience¡­ but maybe it was because of levels? That would explain how I felt so much stronger after only having leveled up twice.


    I hummed and turned to the others, ¡°You know, I think you might be onto something there Sarah. If that''s true, I wonder why Xi stopped? There''s no way being a guard for a noble pays more than all the loot an adventurer can gain in the dungeons and by traveling the world, right?¡±


    A hand slapped down onto my shoulder, scaring the absolute shit out of me. I yelped in surprise and froze, cursing inwardly. Fuck, I had a feeling I knew who it was that was standing behind me, and that little yelp was gonna net me some extra sword swings later.


    I let out a sigh and I looked up at Xi, who was now looming over me. ¡°Hi there Xi. Not that you have to, but would you care to enlighten us? How did you manage to end up as a guard, and temporary teacher, for us?¡±


    Xi folded their arms and cocked their head to the side ¡°... Bold of you to assume I would. Not altogether wrong though, as this will soon apply to you all, I might as well tell you. Now, I''ll let you in on this fact, which is not exactly common knowledge, but is required by the laws here.¡± Xi sighed and looked around at everyone, making sure they had their attention, ¡°There are many benefits to becoming an adventurer for the Kingdom of Zalsh, from prestige, access to dungeons, a guaranteed monetary stipend, and even a place to sleep at any guildhall. However, this does not have its caveats. First and foremost, you are automatically enlisted with the military when you register. As such, when the country is at war, or in a crisis, you are expected to serve and protect. That is why I am here, and why I serve proudly. In order to protect the people of Zalsh, I would gladly pause on my adventure¡¯s.¡±


    Everyone else that had begun crowding around when Xi had started talking, gasped and looked at each other, murmurs breaking out quickly. I whistled and considered that, narrowing my eyes as I looked in the direction of where Cylkia and her group was. Conscripts, huh? No wonder she wanted to get us all trained up.


    After a long moment, Ashton spoke up, his arms folded as he loudly protested, ¡°Wait, so when we get registered as adventurers in Zarish, we''re going to be forced to go to the military!?¡±


    Xi shook their head and let out a long sigh, ¡°No of course not. You''ll be much too green to serve in the army. No, until Zalsh goes into a full war, adventurers are unlikely to end up being drafted. Especially any sprites like you lot, or those who are under level ten. If you were to enter any war, your deaths would be quick and definitely not painless.¡±


    A hush fell over everyone, and Kenney stepped forward, his voice wobbling as he hesitantly asked, ¡°Cylkia had mentioned that you all were going to a war meeting, but who are you going to war against? The Trolls? Or is it the Elves you''d mentioned before?¡±


    Xi didn''t respond to that immediately, which was definitely a bit odd. It couldn''t have been a small kingdom or something¡­ Cylkia had made it very clear that they would much rather have helped us all get closer to the capital. The only reason they hadn''t chosen to stay behind and help us, was because they were urgently needed at this war meeting. She had said that the Queen herself had demanded their presence, which was not a demand she could ignore at all. It was one of the reasons she insisted on training all of us before sending us to her home.


    Xi sighed and turned their helmet to each of us before continuing. ¡°If I''m being honest, I have no clue. We haven''t been fully informed about anything about the enemy, or the purpose of this meeting, besides the fact that it is a war council. As far as I¡¯m aware, those facts are very much on a need to know basis. And frankly, I don''t meet the criteria to be on that need to know basis. All I know is that I have been conscripted to go with Lady Cylkia to the Queen''s castle and help her in any way she deems fit.¡±


    We all frowned at that, and looked at each other. Frankly, I''d never heard such a cop out answer before. Xi wasn''t on a need to know basis? They were actively guarding Cylkia, who treated them like a lifelong friend. When I thought more about it, I doubted that Xi had been conscripted either. They were probably just helping them out because Cylkia had asked them to. Before we could get the chance to ask any more questions, Xi started yelling at us, telling us our break was over and to get back to it. I sighed and gave Sarah and Diane a wave before activating sprint and dashing in the direction of my practice tree. I really couldn''t wait until I never had to see that damn warped bark again.


    Slowing down, I dropped out of my sprint as I got closer to the tree. It really was a nice skill if I was being honest. It allowed me to go roughly four times faster, which put me at about 60 miles per an hour, (I''d timed it before my watch battery had finally died). Normally, I bet most people could only use it for a minute or so, but with the benefit of Enduring Heart, I was able to keep it up for about 30 minutes, which was about 20 miles give or take. Definitely something I had planned to abuse before the invitation from Sarah, but I didn''t mind the change of plans too much. It was still unbelievably exhausting¡­ The last time I had ran that far I''d had to lean against a tree gasping for air for at least minutes. If it wasn''t for the rejuve river I probably wouldn''t have been able to make it back, but thankfully it was only a short distance into the forest from where I¡¯d had to stop. The plus side was that I¡¯d managed to gain a few levels in my Sprint skill. I pulled up my status again, instinctively knowing where it was now since Baern had made us do drills for bringing it up. I sighed at the memory. That old codger even managed to know if we stopped trying or didn''t pull it up.


    Name: ???


    Race: Human


    Level: Three


    Title: Goblin Slayer


    Abilities:


    Enduring Heart (INCOMPLETE)


    Skills:


    Sprint (Veteran)


    Sword Slash (Initiate)


    My eyes locked on my skills and I grinned. Wait, sword slash was Initiate now? Damn right! It was about time! I knew that the ranking of skills got much harder as you got them higher, but I swear I''d been swinging that sword nonstop for the last three days! All without a single rank up! Xi told me that most people got their skills to Beginner proficiency by the time they were in their twenties here, so I still had quite a bit to go before I was even as strong as a poor farmhand. Still, even considering that, I was ecstatic. This was great timing at least, and that would explain why my sword slash had a bit more oomph to it now. I grinned, and I took up my sword again and swung, activating sword slash halfway through the arc of its path like Xi had taught me. That way, the sudden speed up and power boost would surprise my enemy, causing them to miscalculate and protect themselves in time. Xi had told me it was a cheap trick, but that I needed to use all the cheap tricks I could if I wanted to live here.


    Xi had told each of us the second day that every skill had different cool downs and energy costs between uses. As warriors and hunters, we would not have to worry about the very long cooldowns or energy restrictions inherent to mages and healers. However, we, along with hunters, only had a limited number of uses for each skill. Those would change as our base stats and levels increased, but as it was, even though my classmates had unbelievably strong skills, they could only use them a few times. That would change based on the skill obviously, but in my case, I was able to use more strikes because of my higher level and the lower level skills I had. For example, I only had about twenty sword slash uses in me before I had to take a break, I could only use Sprint for about thirty minutes as well, which was largely helped by my Enduring Heart ability.


    I could use both of my skills without even thinking now, and they had both gotten much stronger through Xi''s training. It almost made me thankful¡­ almost. All of my other classmates would get off a little after mid afternoon, once they''d chopped up the wood for dinner. I could hear them as they would all go back to camp laughing and joking with each other. I¡¯d spare them a few glances as Xi would suddenly appear, and begin directing their full attention on me. I couldn¡¯t help but to smile when I had heard Ashton and Sarah both trying to argue with Xi to let me come back early. Unfortunately, Xi hadn¡¯t listened to them at all, and had just brushed them off and told them I had far too much ground to cover to just stop and go now. As the hope had leaked out of me, I could have sworn I felt a single tear trace its way down my cheek.


    Xi was merciless today, just like they had been these last few days. Thankfully, lunch had given me enough time to recover, so Xi¡¯s drills were not as painful. Then, after making me go through each use of my skills, and correcting me and forcing me to repeat different repetitions if I messed up, they''d drag me to the river and toss me in. Then they¡¯d have me do more of their¡­ fun exercises. These would consist of me picking up massive boulders and throwing them at each other, making me throw punches at the trunks of trees until my knuckles bled, and then forcing me to do pull ups, push ups, squats, speed training, and various other ¡®new fun training programs¡¯ that they would think up. Then, once I had entirely used up all of my energy, they would drag me and throw me into the river each time. Since they only allowed me to stop once I couldn¡¯t move anymore, it was far fewer breaks than I would have preferred. I hated every second, but I noticed that I was getting stronger. The rejuve river really was a godsend in that way. I probably got about a full year of harsh training during those few days.


    Unfortunately, according to Cylkia, rejuve rivers were incredibly rare in this world. The only reason that we were near one, was that they were a byproduct of being summoned to this world. That was mostly due to the fact that the goddess possessed just that much power, and in order to tear us from our world and place us in this one, it required unbelievable quantities of divine power. The only other rejuvenation river in Zalsh that Xi knew of was in the capital. Apparently, most of the other humanoid species on Zioln were similarly located around them. The only reason that there wasn''t already a bustling town near this one, was because this part of the river was known to be frequented by a Dire Fwill. A deadly beast the size of a house and known for hunting dire bears and wolves. Though, given enough time, a large civilization was bound to set up nearby. As for now though, thankfully, Cylkia had told us that it was hibernating after it had hunted down a Dire Bear this season. When Cylkia had Halfi check on it, he had told her there was probably another few years before it awoke.


    Xi suddenly spoke up, dragging me out of my thoughts, ¡°So kid, how do you think your chances are now?¡±


    I grunted as I struggled to get one more pull up in, ¡°Oh¡­ I¡­ don¡¯t¡­ know¡­ better¡­ though¡­¡±


    Xi nodded and clapped me on the back, almost causing me to drop from the branch. Thankfully, that wasn¡¯t the first time they¡¯d thrown something or hit me while I was doing one of the workouts they had me doing, so I was able to recover before I fell. It was odd that Xi had checked, but it was definitely welcome. I could never quite get a read on them. That first morning, they had said that they liked me, but given these workouts and the fact that they routinely ignored me more than the others, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they had forgotten that promise. Instead of the personal training I had imagined, I watched as the brightest of my classmates were just pampered. I sighed and smirked, straining as I twisted and threw a rock at my practice tree.


    I couldn¡¯t complain though, because it¡¯s not like they acted pompous about it. Ashton and Barry were absolute powerhouses, and routinely would speak up for us all. They were always front and center at the fire, and they made sure to ask Cylkia and the others questions every night. Almost as if it was an interrogation. Mrs. Fletcher, who had almost entirely given up on being our teacher, or having any form of responsibility for her once students, had become an amazing ice mage. In the mornings, as I could see her massive ice mountains that she would conjure, their glittering peaks piercing the skies. Kai and Sylphie were largely the ones responsible for lighting our fires and preparing safe drinking water, and they were also always sure to give us all a reason to smile. Kirie and Hailey were responsible for most of the trapped animals, and though they were not as outspoken as some, they were pillars that the whole class had begun to lean on. Bryce and Amanda didn¡¯t have to do much healing for the group thanks to us being so close to the rejuve river, but whenever there were arguments, they were always able to calm down all the parties involved.


    Everyone else ended up making friends and following behind the people they believed in. Personally though, I didn¡¯t care too much about all that. Though, if I did have to say, I probably would be considered one of the people that wanted to stay here in Zioln. This world was my first chance at being free and strong, and I didn¡¯t want to just give that up. Back home I hadn¡¯t even chosen a college or career yet, and honestly I probably would have ended up going to community college and then retail or something as a job. I wasn¡¯t a good enough runner to warrant any scholarships, and my parents had already told me that they couldn¡¯t pay for my college, so I would have had to figure something out. Even thinking about it made me depressed again. The goddess had really thrown me a curveball with that blessing though. Sort of like a big reminder that I was normal.


    Xi suddenly spoke up and clapped their gauntlets together. ¡°Alright kid, that¡¯s enough for today. Go wash off in the river and I¡¯ll see you back at the fire. Cylkia and Baern said they had a surprise for you all, so don¡¯t take too long.¡±


    I thankfully let go of the branch and fell, just barely catching myself before I hit the ground. A surprise? It was the last night we¡¯d see them for the foreseeable future, I wonder if it¡¯s some kind of weapon or something? A grin crept onto my face and I activated sprint, dashing towards the river. It was going to be a wild night tonight, wasn¡¯t it?

 Chapter Eight: Things Are Really Looking Up Now!

    I rushed back from the river, shaking myself dry as I dodged around trees and leapt over rocks. It was definitely annoying not being gifted a weapon skill, but being able to get around this quickly was definitely a godsend. I didn''t even need to worry about running into ant monsters because I knew I could outrun them. I paused just outside the barrier and then strolled in, my eyes taking in everyone else around the fire. I went to walk over to my normal spot, but paused when I saw that all the groups were sitting next to each other. I hesitated, but snuck over to Sam, Sarah, Diane, Mason, Cyan, Kai, and Sylphie. I didn¡¯t think I made a noise, but Mason and Cyan gave me a little wave and smile. I guess they were training under Halfi, so I couldn¡¯t be too surprised that they noticed me.


    Smiling, Mason gave me a fistbump and moved aside on the log he was sitting on so I could sit down. ¡°Hey Matt, Xi finally let you off the hook? I know they have to hold you late, to get you more training or whatever, but it¡¯s nice to see you make it out early today.¡±


    I gladly took the offered seat and let out a small chuckle, ¡°Yeah, Xi definitely works me to the bone. I guess the only thing my ability does is literally just gives me more endurance. Xi told me that once I can get a few skills it¡¯ll be great, but for now I just need to work on what I have. They have to give me a separate workout regimen because you guys would all crush me without even trying.¡±


    Kai laughed and turned to me, giving me that dazzling smile he was known for even back in our old world. ¡°Ah don¡¯t worry about it man, it¡¯s not like we even asked to be dragged here. Besides, I¡¯ve seen those running and sword swing drills Xi has been putting you through, and bro that shits wild. How fast do you think you¡¯re running when you activate your skill? I bet you could beat every world record if you ran at even half that speed.¡±


    I blushed and looked away, ¡°Oh I don¡¯t know really, though I did put it to the limits once. Obviously I have no way to know, but I think I got 20 miles in about 30 minutes. I think that ends up being somewhere in the 60 miles per an hour range? I can''t keep that up for long though, and after I ran that hard for that long, I just collapsed and couldn¡¯t really move for an hour. I actually ran past the end of the rejuve river, because when I managed to crawl to the river and slide in, I wasn¡¯t healed at all.¡±


    Sam chimed in, whistling appreciatively and nodded at Cyan, her eyes wide. ¡°20 miles!? Bro what are you made of straight machinery? I don¡¯t think any of us here could even imagine going that far in a whole day. I think Halfi wants us to do what, 20 miles at least, each day right, Cyan?¡±


    Cyan, who had leaned in from where she was originally sitting, started wildly waving her hands as she spoke. It was actually quite eye-catching and I found myself following her hands as she waved them around, mesmerized. ¡°Yeah¡­ Along with me and Mason having to make sure we¡¯re not being followed, we¡¯ll try our best to find everyone food and safe water as we travel. Then, the rest of you can defend us and make camp and so on and so forth. It¡¯s not the worst, but it¡¯s still a pretty cut throat pace.¡± Cyan twirled her hands around and snapped, her eyes widening as if she¡¯d just gotten a sudden idea. ¡°Oh yeah! Halfi also said something about the four of them having to travel that far just to get to the waypoint. Then, when they got there, they could have Baern teleport them all to the capital to meet the Queen.¡±


    Sylphie, who had been drawing in the dirt with a stick, looked up at Cyan, cutting her off mid sentence, ¡°Could you stop waving your hands? It''s really distracting.¡±


    Cyan squeaked and laughed nervously, trying her best to hide her hands behind her back, ¡°Distracting? Sorry Sylphie, it¡¯s just an old habit of mine¡­¡±


    Syplhie sighed and continued stabbing and poking at the ground, ¡°You''re okay Cyan, I''m just drawing a map of the route we have to take and I¡¯m trying to remember the map he¡¯d shown us by memory. Baern taught us a map print skill, so I can make the drawing into a map for us later.¡±


    Cyan¡¯s face brightened up and she scooted closer to Sylphie, peering over her shoulder, ¡°Oh really? I was taking art this semester, maybe I can help you out with some of the details!¡±


    Sylphie started to shake her head, but froze and looked away before she hesitantly asked, ¡°... would you? It''s really hard to draw this part if I¡¯m being honest¡­ I don¡¯t want to be the reason we all get lost, ya know?¡± Cyan clapped her hands together and shuffled even closer to Sylphie, looking down at the drawing she had been working on and whispering with her animatedly.


    I smiled and looked at the others as they went back to their conversations, occasionally chiming in and laughing at their jokes. It was¡­ nice. But I could tell that there was an ominous undercurrent still. Everyone had the same thing on their minds¡­ That this was going to be the last safe dinner we''d have for the foreseeable future. After tonight, we would be on our own. No more Cylkia to heal any serious wounds, no Baern to erect a safe barrier, no Halfi to help us feed ourselves, and no Xi to give us protection from any threats that may show up.


    It was a terrifying future for sure, but secretly, I was all for it. The others had naturally fallen into their groups and had their own feelings on the situation, but I think most of them had truly given up on going back home. I couldn¡¯t blame them for it, especially considering I personally loved it here, but it was surprising nonetheless. I would have expected a bit more complaining or problems, but everyone seemed relatively okay with the last few days. I sighed and looked at everyone. I guess it was hard to go from being a highschool student on the way to a clear and bright future, to stuck in another world with no idea what was going to happen tomorrow, but I was expecting people to be more angry, you know?


    ¡°Alright everyone, listen up.¡± Cylkia¡¯s voice cut through everyone''s chatter, and we all went quiet. It wasn''t a demanding or harsh command, but one that demanded our attention. ¡°Evening everyone, I wanted to begin with a congratulations and a warning. Congratulations on making it through the last few days of training! I already see the markings of greatness in all of you, and given a helpful hand, I know you¡¯ll become even stronger.¡± Everyone whooped and cheered, and Cylkia let them for a while before she raised her hands for silence. ¡°That being said, you are not yet fully ready for the dangers of this world. On your way to my home, I beg of you to avoid any and all strangers. The people of this world are hard and wary, and even given the gifts the goddess has bestowed upon you all, even the lowest ranked adventurer could defeat you.¡±


    She paused, allowing what she had just said to sink in with us. Of course she¡¯d told us all this before, but it was still chilling to hear nonetheless. At least, for all of my classmates. I eyed Xi and thought back to our conversation that we had, and frowned. After my conversation with Xi and what they had said, I had the sneaking suspicion she was warning us more so because she wanted to personally train us, and take the credit, than anything. I shrugged and turned my attention back to Cylkia. I guess I didn¡¯t mind. She obviously had the funds and strength to really help us out, just these last few days had already made us so much stronger, what would a month or a year do for us? I¡¯d just have to slide under her notice like I had been during this camp, and I¡¯d be all okay. I tuned back in as Cylkia began speaking again.


    ¡°Tomorrow morning after we all eat breakfast, which Halfi and myself have agreed to make as a last farewell gift before you leave, we will take off in the direction of the teleport beacon. The barrier will drop once Baern is significantly far enough, but that does not mean you are stuck here. You will not have to wait on him and you can all leave at your own paces. I see you have already begun to break into separate groups, and this is good. As you all know, the larger the size of the group, the more likely you will be to end up encountering an enemy that you won''t be able to defeat. Many of the monsters in this world are aware of the fact that they will get stronger if they kill stronger opponents. It is why every town here actively employs a large adventurer guild.¡± Cylkia shook her head and gave us all a cheerful smile, ¡°Ah forgive me, I''ve told you all this before. When I meet with the Queen I will raise your case with her. She has access to much more knowledge related to the otherworlders who have come in the past, and she may be able to help us find a way to send you all back.¡±


    At that, everyone erupted into whispers and questions. Why hadn¡¯t she told us that there could be a way back before? What did we need to do? When would she be coming back from the meeting with the queen? Did we even want to go back?


    I frowned as I considered that. Frankly, I didn¡¯t know how to feel about this new possibility. It would be nice to go home I guess. Although¡­ I wasn¡¯t sure what I''d even tell my parents. Would they even remember me? When my other classmates had been summoned from the world, no one else had remembered them. Just me. I''d sprung up their names to siblings, friends, and hell, even my own siblings. When I had asked Brody if he remembered May, he''d given me a blank look. They''d been dating for three years. I pursed my lips at the memory. I hadn¡¯t told anyone else about that, but now¡­ If it really was a possibility, should I? What if we all were sent back and no one remembered us?


    I hesitated, nervously bouncing my leg. If I did tell everyone, then I¡¯d have to admit that I hadn''t been summoned originally. Not only that, but I''d have to explain that I hadn''t done anything after they had been dragged away to this world either¡­ Fuck. I sighed and shook my head. No, I wouldn''t worry about that right now. It wouldn''t change anything about how we had all been dragged to this world, and it would just end up putting a lot of unwanted attention on me as well.


    Besides, Cylkia had already mentioned that she didn''t know of a way for us to go back. It wasn''t even guaranteed that the Queen would know of a way. Just that she might. I turned my attention back to Cylkia, and scanned her, waiting to see what she might say next. To her credit, she had stayed silent the whole time, patiently allowing everyone to clamor over her and argue with each other. Only when everyone had finally quieted down did she begin talking again.


    ¡°I understand that you all are angry that I held back that information, and may be quite upset with me, wondering why I would lie to you, and what else I might have lied to you about. So, let me be truly honest with you, as I have strived to be so far. The reason that I withheld that information, was that I did not want to get your hopes up.¡± Everyone started murmuring to each other again, but stopped as she held up a hand, ¡°Earlier, I said that the Queen might know of a way to send you home, but that is not guaranteed. In fact, it is quite a slim possibility. I may only be the Lady of a relatively small domain, but I have always been fascinated by the idea of otherworlders. I would wager that I have one of the largest collections of books concerning your kind, second only to the great Elven libraries of the south, and the Queens own library. Even given all of that, I have not yet read of a ritual to send you back to your home worlds, or even of an instance where that has happened in the past.¡±


    Mrs. Fletcher spoke up, sounding more sure of herself than I had ever heard her before, ¡°Lady Cylkia, I appreciate you speaking to the Queen about our situation and a possible way back home, but if you¡¯re so sure that we really won¡¯t be able to go home, why even bring it up to the Queen? How does that benefit you in any way? If I¡¯m being honest, I¡¯m still not even sure why you¡¯re helping us as we are now? After all, as you said earlier and when we first met, we may be gifted by the goddess, but we are still so weak.¡±


    Cylkia raised her palms and looked at us all apologetically, ¡°I understand how you may be confused, and I have to confess, I am not just doing this out of the goodness of my heart. You may not be very strong now, but your potential is quite unbelievable. The otherworlders of old were always summoned as the world was going into a deep period of strife, and I have a strong hunch that this may be the reason that you were summoned here when you were. There are a plethora of legends about the great strength and power that they wielded, even if people have forgotten where they came from. As I collected more and more books, legends, and stories, there was one thing made clear. The stories of otherworlders in the past have always referred to them as heroes. Some did not rise up to the task, and the world suffered for decades afterwards. However, those otherworlders, no, those heroes, that did, went forth to save the world. History and the books do not lie, the goddess summoned you all here for a reason, one that only all of you may be able to accomplish.¡±


    We all paused, and a long silence stretched through the air, as all of us looked at each other. Save the world? Heroes? We were just kids still, how could we save the world? I let out a long sigh. Seriously, what was up with that? What goddess looked at a bunch of hormonal teenagers on the cusp of adulthood and thought, yup, this is definitely what I want to save my world! It was actually mind boggling. I might have killed a couple of goblins, and I had seen the power of my classmates. I¡¯d seen Lyla swirl her staff and chant, causing a strike of lightning to shake the world around her. I had seen the massive ice pillars, bigger around than I was tall, that Mrs. Fletcher had created. The power that James had wielded when he had subsequently chopped it down. Even the quiet power of Cassie, who had mended a disconnected limb like it was nothing. My classmates could wield a dizzying amount of power¡­ and now, it sounded like there was a lot that had been placed on their shoulders¡­ No, our shoulders. An entire world was possibly at risk, and it was up to us. Still¡­ a part of me also realized how much responsibility that really was. To make it worth it, there had to be some kind of reward, right? The goddess wouldn¡¯t have just brought them all here without giving them some¡­ thing¡­


    My eyes widened and I looked around at everyone, scrutinizing their faces. There it was¡­ the furtive glance away, the whispers between each other, the guilty whistle¡­ that was it. It made a perfect kind of sense in a way. The reason no one had really complained about being brought here. The fact that everyone had happily trained and accepted being brought to this world and dragged from our home one¡­ I should have known that they wouldn¡¯t have just naturally accepted it. The goddess had promised them all something. Something big. I narrowed my eyes at my classmates, and hummed deep down in my throat. If they were promised something, what were the demands? What could the goddess have promised them all if they had just readily accepted staying here? What kind of reward was worth that?


    Sarah¡¯s voice suddenly cut through the air, surprising me out of my thoughts, ¡°Hey Matt, are you doing okay? You''ve been staring at that tree for awhile now¡­?¡±


    I flipped around at the sound of Sarah¡¯s voice, ¡°Oh, sorry about that¡­ I just¡­ was¡­ thinking.¡± My mind was spinning. Somehow, someway, the goddess had promised them something when she had brought them here. Something that was not promised to me¡­ Was it because I wasn¡¯t summoned here like the others? Wait¡­ wasn¡¯t there that voice that had whispered into my ear when I had been summoned? But it hadn¡¯t promised me anything¡­ It had just¡­ whispered to me. What was it that it had said¡­ that the goddesses system had a hiccup? And not to be¡­ too boring? I grit my teeth, grinding them together until my jaw cried out. Only then did I slowly relax my jaw and let out a long breath. Boring¡­ Bland¡­ Inferior¡­ Then I was brought here and all I was given was a stamina ability and a sprint skill. What a fucking joke.


    After that little bombshell, Cylkia and the others had bade us all a good night and left us, heading to their makeshift beds. Everyone else had aggressively whispered to each other, filling the dark night air with the sound of secrecy and crackling fire. I contented myself in the darkness, silently listening in on everyone''s incredibly loud ¡®secret¡¯ conversations. Though it wasn¡¯t for long, as after only a short while, everyone eventually quieted down. All the talk of the chance to go home quickly being replaced by conversations of everyone''s plans for tomorrow. Most of them seemed raring to go, and were going to leave as soon as they had finished breakfast. As for us, we were just going to relax in the morning after they all left. We¡¯d let everyone else go first and wait for the barrier to drop, and then head off into the forest. Of course, we weren''t the only group choosing to go through the forest, but I doubted that we''d run into anyone else who chose to go through the forest. James and his group were going to leave first thing in the morning, and Alyssa¡¯s group was going to skirt the forest the first few days, and then enter the forest towards the last half when their supplies ran low.


    The fire died out, and everyone went quiet, leaving only the singing of kuwaz (a night owl with a flurry of snakes where its tail feathers were), and crickets. I sighed and took in a deep breath of the chill night air. No one wanted to say it, but we all knew that this was the last taste of real safety we would have for a while. I actually wasn¡¯t exactly sure what to say either, but that was fine with me. I was just going to take each day as it came, and try to enjoy the world as best I could.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Diane stood up and stretched, letting out a loud groan. ¡°Alright, I''m gonna go hit the sack guys, I want to get all rested up for tomorrow,¡± she gave us all a wide wave before she headed over to where everyone had been sleeping together. I couldn¡¯t help but smile as I took in all of the blankets and makeshift sleeping bags that Halfi had given each of them. It was sort of like a big slumber party. How cute!


    Some of the other groups had already begun to head off to bed, and with Diane now heading out, the rest of the group was pretty quick to follow. Ah, fuck it, I might as well go too. I stretched and let out a groan turning to go and head off to my tree, but paused as I felt a tug on my shirt. I looked behind me and saw Sam and Sarah, who gave me a little wave.


    I raised an eyebrow at them and sighed, ¡°What''s up guys? The plan didn¡¯t change, right?¡±


    Sam laughed and raised her hands, ¡°Nah, the plan is the same. We¡¯ve just been noticing that you never walk on over to where we all sleep. Matt, why do you always sleep so far away? Like, I know we''re all safe in the barrier, but is there a reason you always head on off? Is one of the other guys bullying you or something? We¡¯ll kick their ass if they are,¡±


    I blinked at her confused, and a little amused. I hadn¡¯t realized that anyone had noticed. ¡°That¡¯s sweet of y¡¯all, but I¡¯m not being bullied or anything. That second night that we came here, I ended up finding this really comfy tree on the outskirts of the barrier and I¡¯ve been sleeping there ever since.¡±


    Sarah frowned at that and looked at Sam, giving her a little shake of her head before turning back to me, ¡°Are you doing okay Matt? I know its fucking crazy that we''re here, but you''re not going to do anything are you?¡±


    Do anything? What does she mean by¡­ Oh my god wait, there''s no way right? I let out a loud laugh and shook my head, ¡°Hey, I appreciate it, but I''m doing okay, alright? No need to worry about me. I''m coping with this whole ¡®summoned to a different world¡¯ thing the same as everyone.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­ see you in the morning?¡± Sarah was looking at her shoes, and Sam had a giant grin on her face.


    I gave them both a smile. It was sweet of them to worry, but I was doing okay, mentally. Sure it sucked that I didn¡¯t get anything good when I came here, but I could still see a path to becoming strong. I still could see my future stretching out before me. Besides, I had come to terms with killing those two goblins, and honestly Xi had been working me so hard that I hadn''t had the chance to really think about my situation too much. I was good, and besides a future full of tired and sore muscles, I was excited for what this world had in store for me.


    ¡°Yeah, I''ll see you guys in the morning! Good night, Sarah, good night Sam!¡± I waved and headed off in the direction of my tree again. Tomorrow was the day. I¡¯d really get to test myself in this new world. No do overs, no restarts, no more rejuve river. It was just going to be me, my classmates, and the forest, for about ten long days.


    I slept well, and had a rather dreamless night thankfully. When I finally woke up, I felt surprisingly well rested and a smile lit up my features. Today was the day! I laughed and reached up, grabbing all of my gear and loot from where I had stashed it in the tree''s upper branches. During one of their training talks, Xi had told us that when we got to be higher level adventurers, the guild would show us how to create and access an inventory where we could store a lot of our items. Apparently it was pretty common knowledge, though it did take a runestone in order to access. When I did manage to, I would be able to store about 50 pounds worth of items before it filled up. I sighed and threw my bag over my shoulder. Unfortunately, Xi and the rest of them had not felt it in our best interests to learn that first thing. Though, I guess, we were also much too low leveled anyways. Instead I¡¯d have to lug everything around¡­ joy¡­


    I stretched and let out a groan before I eyed the ground. Eh, might as well, right? I laughed and leaped down, wincing as I felt my legs scream at me at the impact. Thankfully, I¡¯d already tied everything in my sleeping bag, before I¡¯d flung it over my shoulder and jumped. I stood back up and shook my legs out, wincing at the dull pain pulsing through my shins.


    Thank god for Xi''s training, I don''t know if I would have been able to do that in the past. I hummed and started heading over to the rest of my classmates, who had already started gathering around the fireplace. I hummed a tune to myself and watched the sun rise in the distance, calm flowing through me and quieting down my nerves. It already looked like it was going to be a gorgeous morning. I turned to the fireplace and let my eyes wander over to the fire again. I could see that Halfi and Cylkia were hard at work making breakfast, but¡­ something was off. I cocked my head to the side and narrowed my eyes, peering at them as the heat from the fire wavered around their forms. As I got closer, I felt my jaw drop as I finally made out what it was that they were doing. Xi was slowly turning a massive animal on a spit roast over Baerns massive roaring fire.


    I kept on looking, but then suddenly I was torn out of my thoughts when I suddenly heard someone call my name, ¡°Matt over here!¡±


    I jumped, and looked around for the source of the voice. It took me a moment, but I recognized it as being Kai¡¯s. As I turned towards the fire, I finally saw him standing up by the fire. He was grinning and waving at me near where the rest of my classmates and group were. It looked like about half of them were already here, though¡­ I glanced back at Xi and Cylkia again and shook my head. Yeah, what the hell was that?


    I made my way over to where they were all sitting and gave them all a little wave and smile, ¡°Hey Kai! Good morning everyone. So, uh¡­ What a spectacle for our last day here, huh?¡±


    Cyan laughed from where she was sitting next to Kai, ¡°You can say that again! We all woke up to the sound of Xi hauling in all that firewood! Then Baern set everything on fire! I was looking in that direction unfortunately and was almost blinded! They''ve been going at it all morning¡­ I honestly don''t even know if they actually went to sleep last night honestly!¡±


    I laughed at that, but then I frowned again, ¡°Hey, I sort of noticed on my way over here, but where''s James and his group? I know they''d mentioned leaving early today, but they didn¡¯t leave before breakfast, did they?¡±


    Sam let out a loud sigh, ¡°No, they left before any of us had even woken up. I walked over and asked Cylkia, and she said that they had snuck out in the middle of the night. Didn''t even say goodbye to anyone, though that¡¯s not surprising since we were literally all still asleep¡­ I hope we don¡¯t find those idiots dead on our way to Cylkia¡¯s domain.¡±


    I chuckled light heartedly at that, and then sat down with everyone else, idly listening in on their conversations. Today was the day, no more training from Xi or lessons by Baern at night. It felt ominous almost, but I also knew that we should be okay. It was a long trip to get to Cylkia¡¯s for sure, but with Sylphie''s map and our group, I had no doubts that we should be able to survive okay. I leaned back and watched the fire, its flames flickering along the side of the beast as it turned on the spitroast. I frowned as I took it in. It was unlike anything I had ever seen back home. Though if I had to say, it sort of looked like a mix between a hog and a crocodile. It had the hooves and round barrel body of a hog, but its head and hide were more like crocodile ¡®scales¡¯. Its jaw was more reptile-like, and it had a mouth full of pointy teeth, sporting two tusks on either side.


    Was that what an oglebon looked like? Xi had taught us about them after dinner once, but seeing it up close was way different. They were one of the main food sources of large wildlife here in Zalsh. They were a staple in the diets of the dire wolves and dire bears in the nearby forest, but they were tough to take down. Though, they apparently were still able to take most predators down. They were omnivorous, and it was one of the reasons they had evolved to be so large. Apparently, they would even chase and hunt down humans, and they were a common beast to kill at guilds. According to Xi, one of those could probably take on the whole class as we are now. At the time I¡¯d doubted her, but now I was really beginning to appreciate that.


    I watched as Xi finally took a step back from the roast, and pulled out a large knife from thin air. They whistled and turned to nod at Baern who laughed heartily and began chanting. After a moment, a table suddenly appeared in front of him, and Xi wasted no time getting to work. They took their knife and carefully carved off piece after piece from the carcass, the smell from the exposed meat filling the air. They made sure to set the majority aside on the table, saving a few choice pieces that they secreted away in their inventory. Cylkia, who had been working at a much smaller fire, turned and walked up, a basket hanging from her arm. She procured plates out of thin air and set them on the table with a flourish. Xi finally finished carving and took slices of meat from the pile and added them to each of the plates. Halfi added berries to the side from a basket he had dangling from his arm. Then, Cylkia reached into a basket that she¡¯d brought and started putting down what looked like wait¡­ pancakes?


    Everyone''s whispers started getting louder and louder until, finally, Cylkia looked up with a wide smile. ¡°Alright everyone, food is ready, come dig in!¡±


    We all rushed forward to the table and froze as we looked down at the plates wide eyed. It had looked delicious from where we had all been sitting, but up close? The smell was even better, and the heat from the crackling fires and the sounds of everyone¡¯s mouths watering was audible. Even without seasonings, the meat glistened in the rays of morning light, and to top it all off? Cylkia had even procured a pitcher of what looked like syrup! It was enough to make a grown man cry¡­ and out of the corner of my eye, I could¡¯ve sworn I saw a tear run down Diane''s face before she quickly wiped it away.


    Sam turned and clapped her hands together, ¡°Thank¡­ Thank you so much Cylkia, Xi, Halfi, and Baern. This¡­ looks so amazing. I think I speak for everyone when I say that you made all of our days with this. Best, breakfast, EVER!¡±


    We all followed suit and thanked Cylkia and the others again, who laughed and waved us on towards the food once more. I grinned and sat down with the others after I took a plate and stared at the amazing looking food. I¡¯d managed to grab a leg of the oglebon, and most of the meat was still glistening on it. My hand shook as I grabbed the bone and slowly brought it to my mouth. Then I took my first bite, my mouth watering before I even opened it. As I bit down, my eyes widened. It was¡­ The best thing I had ever eaten. The oglebon meat was tender, juicy, and as I took a bite of it, I could feel tears run down my cheeks. Seasoning¡­ Praise be whatever gods and goddesses were watching, the meat was seasoned. I devoured one of the pancakes and sighed. They were super thick, but still incredibly fluffy and light. The ¡®syrup¡¯ that Cylkia had procured would have put anything back home to shame. The berries were full of delicious juices, somehow being tart and sweet at the same time. I laughed and looked up at the others, seeing the same looks on their faces.


    Sarah stood up, tears running down her face and with a wide smile, she called out to them ¡°Thank you so much Xi, Cylkia, Halfi, and Baern! The table and plates were gorgeous, Baern! The pancakes are so delicious, I could die! The berries you found were so plump and sweet Halfi, thank you! And that oglebon¡­ I''ve never eaten anything like it! What was that seasoning on it? It was so good!¡±


    Halfi rolled his eyes and went back to his carving that he was working on not even deeming to respond. Baern chuckled, and gave a small bow, his eyes flicking up from a large book he was reading. Xi gave a simple nod, their helmet never seeming to leave their head, even when they ate.


    It was Cylkia who finally spoke up, ¡°I¡¯m happy you all liked it! You know, just because we may seem to be less civilized than your old world, we have been here for millenia. While you are making your way in this world, you do not need to be among complete savages. That spice blend is native to Zalsh, and one we trade with our neighboring nations. In return we receive ores, knowledge, and even the nectar that we had with our pancakes. It¡¯s an Elven specialty, and one that I can''t resist but to take with me wherever I go!¡±


    Sylphie, who was normally so quiet, cocked her head at that, and tried to secretly wipe the tears from her face, before asking, ¡°What are the elves like Cylkia?¡±


    Cylkia sighed and rubbed her chin, ¡°Oh¡­ they¡¯re very secretive, and honestly it¡¯s almost like they place themselves higher than others in this world. Though I guess, for good reason I am told, they are given a life of longevity by their goddess. As such, they have grown to know much more of this world than many would ever dare to guess. The only thing that stops them from taking over the entire continent is the Dwarves and Zcycol¡¯s in the north, the greater deserts full of the ravenous Raashids, and the high mountains and the Zyons.¡± She grinned and waved her fork at us all, ¡°When you make it to my home, I will make sure that you are taught by the best scholars available. I¡¯ve already sent a message to them, and they are already making the home ready for your arrival! I¡¯m sure the queen will also agree with that.¡±


    Mason grunted and leaned back in his chair, ¡°That sounds greeeaaaaat¡­ but what about learning how to fight and use our skills better? I know the couple skills and abilities that we have are supposedly unbelievably powerful, but fighting can¡¯t just be about that, right?¡±


    Xi stomped their foot down, which drew everyone''s attention. Then after a moment, they started clapping. ¡°Finally! Someone finally asks the good question. All it took was ten goddamn days. Yes, there is more to this world than just having one or two strong skills. It is more about having the correct usage of many skills working in harmony. A single person does not win a war, and neither does a massive army! Simply just pushing forward until they cannot push forward any longer does not work ever! It takes knowledge, practice, and time. As Cylkia stated earlier, these are all things that you will be taught at Cylkia¡¯s home, along with training that will allow you to become stronger and use your abilities and skills better. So, once again, don¡¯t die before you get there.¡±


    We all exchanged looks, but nodded after a moment, murmuring yes as Xi turned their helmet to look at each of us. I hummed to myself and rubbed my chin. Oh the plot thickened once more¡­ What a wild bit of information to bring up at the last minute. Though, a part of me had gotten the feeling that, as hellish as Xi¡¯s training had been, that this whole situation was all too easy. That there had been too simple an explanation when we had arrived here. While training us, Xi had not shown us many of their own skills, choosing instead to make us all train on using our own. But that wasn¡¯t to say that I hadn¡¯t seen any of our teachers'' abilities in use. In fact, I had seen Baern using so many of his own, and I knew that was but a glimpse into their repertoire. There was the summoning of the table this morning, the procurement of chairs and tea that first day, the creation of the barrier that defended us, and even the ability to transport the four of them. I hummed and leaned back. Hmmm¡­ Actually, that made me wonder what Xi¡¯s skill set looked like even more now.


    The rest of the morning went by smoothly after that. Breakfast really had been amazing, and it made me miss home once again. I sighed just thinking about it. My mom used to make these amazing breakfasts back when I was in middle school, but it had been so long since I had them that I¡¯d almost forgotten them. Then when my older brother graduated and left, she would only make them on the weekends. Then that changed to once a month when my older sister had graduated. Then only for holidays when my other sibling had graduated. I sighed again and leaned back. I don¡¯t know when the last time that I had actually had one was, if I was being honest.


    After breakfast, Baern had snapped, and the table and everything folded up on themselves, vanishing in a blink of light. Cylkia and the others quickly started getting ready then, and it was then that everyone really started to accept that it really was time. That this little shell of safety and security was coming to an end. Ashtons party left soon after, having already been packed and ready to leave before they even came to breakfast. I¡¯d overheard that May¡¯s group was going to leave when Cylkia and the others left. Mrs. Fletcher''s group was ready, but they were going to wait until the barrier dropped like we were. The difference in our plans though, was that they were going to take the plains and skirt around the forest at first, while we were just going to go straight through the forest and follow the river. It was a longer route, but safer for sure.


    Cylkia and them got ready to leave, saying their goodbyes to us all. Then, which was a surprise for us all, they gave us gifts. Baern ended up even giving each of us a small vial, promising us that it would give us a small energy boost and increase the power of our skills for a brief period. Halfi handed us a thing of jerky and some rations. Xi for her part didn¡¯t do much except give us each a handshake or a slap on the back, though, to be fair, they had supplied us all with weapons.


    I expected them to say something to me, especially given all the training and tests they had put me through, but instead they just slapped me on the back and gave me a grunt. ¡°Don¡¯t die kid, I still gotta break you when I get back. You should really look forward to it, I¡¯ve been thinking up some new tor- ahem, training regimens in my free time.¡±


    I held back a groan. I knew that if I did, Xi would make sure that whatever workouts they thought up, would be ten times worse. Damn, they might even decide to skip a few steps and just break my limbs first. To try and make them stronger or denser I guess. Ugh¡­ I shook my head and sighed. At least I didn¡¯t have to worry about that for another few weeks.


    Cylkia gave us all a wave goodbye, slinging her warmace over her shoulder and popping her neck, ¡°Okay little heroes, it¡¯ll probably be about a month before I see you all next. Baern passed along a message to my guard, so they¡¯ll know you¡¯re coming. Just tell them that you¡¯re the otherworlders sent by Cylkia, and they¡¯ll know what to do. I intend to train you all, but I do not intend to take away your lives. I was not lying when I first met you all, this world has much to offer, and I want to show you all that your new lives may not be the end of everything you once enjoyed.¡±


    With that, she and the others left us. Then May¡¯s group left as well, waving to us all and telling us that they¡¯d see us at Cylkia¡¯s literal mansion. We all laughed and waved goodbye, and hung out with each other and waited for the barrier to drop. It was tense, but I was ready. I had the sword from that first test night, the wooden shield I¡¯d looted from the first goblin, the crystal and coins, my homemade sleeping bag, and a few rations that I had put together under Halfi¡¯s watchful eye. It was going to be a long few days, but I was excited for them. It was time for my new life to begin!

 Chapter Nine: Tree after tree after tree after tree…

    We stood there waiting for about twenty minutes before the barrier dropped without a sound. It honestly disappointed me, because I thought it¡¯d make a funny pop noise. I sighed as I watched the slight shimmer in the air slowly dissipate and thought to myself. And so it begins, huh? After the barrier dropped, we all sort of just stood there and awkwardly looked at each other. Then, though it took a moment, Mrs. Fletcher and her group slowly picked up all their meager belongings and left soon after. We all waved goodbye to Mrs. Fletcher''s group, and gave each other hugs and farewells. I did have to admit, while Mrs. Fletcher may have floundered when we were all first brought here, she really did seem to be happy. At least, happier than I ever remember seeing her back home. She gave us all a big hug and made us promise her that we¡¯d be safe, before they finally turned and headed off towards the plains.


    As I watched them slowly disappear into the distance, I sighed and looked out towards the forest. Last night, Cylkia had told us that as one last parting gift, she had Xi and Halfi clear out the forest around us. Supposedly there were no monsters or beasts for about a day''s ride. She had made sure to make it clear that just because they had cleared out the monsters, that didn''t mean we could afford to relax. That made sense of course, but the best benefit of there being mostly no monsters was that it would give all of us a chance to get into a real rhythm.


    I turned and glanced at everyone, curious to see if they were ready to go, but was caught off guard when I noticed we had all frozen in place. I frowned when I realized it was because there was a standoff happening. We were all looking at each other warily, but it was Sam and Kai who were almost staring each other down. I rolled my eyes and sighed, but after a moment, Kai pursed his lips and looked away. Sam turned to the rest of us with a victorious grin on her face and a glimmer in her eyes. I exchanged a look with Sarah who just shrugged, and I shrugged back before turning to the rest of them again. What an enigma the mind of an extrovert was¡­


    Sam, who still had that victorious grin on her face, held out her arm towards the forest and with a flourish, spun her warmace in a circle, ¡°Well, our future adventure isn¡¯t going to just wait on us!¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at that, but shrugged and slung my bag over my shoulder. Eh, I mean that¡¯s not exactly wrong I guess. I eyed Sam, who was now standing in front of everyone giving everyone roles and directing people into their places. Hmm¡­ I guess that must¡¯ve been what the stand off between the two of them was about. I exchanged another look with Sarah, who gave me an amused grin, and rolled her eyes as Sam dropped her into the back of the formation along with me. I smirked and followed everyone as they started to head off into the forest, happy to fall into the back of the group again. Though, it was surprising that Sarah was with me as well this time.


    We headed off into the forest, quiet as we all awkwardly got more of a feel for each other. The fact that this was real life put a damper on small talk, but not for long. It took a surprisingly short amount of time before the forest filled with the sound of laughter and our loud conversations. As I fell into my old habit of tailing behind everyone and eavesdropping, I couldn¡¯t help but smile as I listened to each of them. It was¡­ peaceful, honestly, and it reminded me so much of the times I would tail behind everyone as we all ran back home. Nostalgia rocked through me and I dropped back, relaxing and really enjoying myself for one of the first times since I was dragged here.


    I enjoyed myself, and time flew by quickly. It wasn¡¯t even that long before, after about 4 hours or so of walking, Sam called for a break. We all let out groans of relief, and collapsed onto any rocks or fallen trees we could see. Personally, I wasn¡¯t all that tired, and so I just leaned against a tree trunk, humming to myself. Seeing as how it was still our first day, it wasn¡¯t long before everyone was all rested up, and Sam got to work. Quickly, she organized all of us and gave each of us different tasks. Though, she did insist that we would all take turns running to the river and grabbing water for everyone to drink for when we left.


    When she¡¯d told Sylphie to go first, I had stepped forward and argued that I should be the only one to do it because of my sprint skill, but Sam had shaken her head and stopped me before I said anything else. She insisted that it should be a group responsibility, and it was unfair for just one person to do all of that work. I¡¯d opened my mouth to argue and say that it really wasn¡¯t an issue, but she had raised her hand to cut me off again. She went on to say that since the likelihood of running into a monster was much higher, and would especially be higher in the future, it would pay to be able to fight it off as a group. Hence why I would not be doing it all on my own. I¡¯d sighed and reluctantly agreed, but only if I could do most of the trips instead. Sam had been all too happy to oblige with that request.


    We didn¡¯t stick there for long, and once Mason and Cyan had finished boiling and cleansing the water, we each filled our water bottles and we continued off into the forest again, all of us falling into the formation that we had agreed on earlier. Just like we had discussed earlier, Mason and Cyan wasted no time and dashed off into the forest, their laughter quickly vanishing as they got to work. I obviously couldn¡¯t see what they did, but I knew that they spent most of their time hunting and keeping an eye out for monsters or enemies. As the rest of us continued making our way through the forest, wary even with Mason and Cyan keeping watch, we kept conversations to a minimum. Every once in a while, they would come back from scouting and watch duty, and we¡¯d all let out a sigh of relief as we welcomed them back. They¡¯d laugh and say hi, before offering up whatever food they had found while foraging. Sam would call it, and we¡¯d all take a quick break, using the time to snack on the bounty, supplementing our rations that we had made back at camp.


    The breaks and meals were one of our most vulnerable times, but Sarah, Diane, and I were always on high alert in case a monster came out of nowhere and attacked. Even though none did, especially since it was still the first day, it was still a good precaution and I was glad to help. After we all finished snacking, we¡¯d then continue making our way through the forest, casually talking to each other and keeping an eye out. Until the sun set and it became dark, we worked together like a well oiled machine, which was made even more impressive when you realized we were all just a bunch of teenagers. As the sun got close to setting, and darkened the world, we would all stop and look for a good spot to begin to make camp. Once that was all set up, Sarah, Diane, and I would take turns at night keeping watch, waking each other after a few hours to swap.


    Time passed by quickly and thankfully. I had always thought keeping watch at night would be exhausting, but it wasn¡¯t really that bad. Even with all the walking during the day, and the extra trips to the river to grab water, keeping watch at night surprisingly didn¡¯t mess me up too much. Though, that was probably because I was able to sleep in while Sam, Sylphie and Kai broke down the rest of camp and prepared breakfast. It wasn¡¯t usually much, but it was nice to have something to start us off in the morning.


    As we all made our way through the forest, I amused myself by watching the others and noticing their habits. During the day, Kai, Sylphie, and Sam would mostly just work on their mana exercises, which were incredibly interesting to watch if I was being honest. In fact, if it wasn¡¯t for how focused they got, I bet they would have started making fun of me for watching them so intensely by now. Even though they all had different spells and abilities, they would start their practices the same. They would each hold out one, or both, of their hands and squint their eyes as they focused hard and strained. Then, after only a brief moment, a small ball of multicolored magic would suddenly pop into existence, appearing above their hands. It would stay still for only a moment before it would start pulsating, gyrating, and flying about. Each of them had different habits and things they would focus on, but so far I had seen them make it dodge around their fingers, spin around incredibly quickly, change shape, and even dim or brighten.


    It was incredibly mesmerizing, and I enjoyed watching it the first few days of us traveling. To be fair, it was one of the only things I could do to amuse myself. I was never really good at making conversation, and the other¡¯s were so focused on their ¡®jobs¡¯, and making sure we stayed alive, that I didn¡¯t want to act so carefree. Still, I was itching for something to do besides walking, doing the drills that Xi had taught me, and watching the magical orbs fly around. I had thought it was just me thinking that way, so it really surprised me on the third day, when, after walking for about 4 hours, Sam turned to us all and loudly declared that she was sick of walking and was going to go off and fight something.


    We all stared at her, our expressions ranging from absolute surprise, to worry, before Sarah suddenly spoke up, ¡°Wait, but Sam you don''t have any combat abilities or skills do you?¡± Sarah asked, concern evident in her eyes.


    Sam waved her hand dismissively and gave Sarah a huge grin, ¡°Oh, sure I do! I can cast smite, and Cylkia showed me some pretty cool hand to hand moves when we were training together. Besides, I''m not going to go fight an adventurer or something, just a goblin or something small. Those are supposedly really weak right?¡±


    I frowned, thinking back to my fight with the goblins. I mean, it hadn¡¯t been easy, and at the time I thought I might just die, but they had gone down relatively quickly once I had managed to land a hit. Well, I mean, it was probably about as easy of a fight as it would be for any small human. I frowned and eyed Sam. The thing is though, I also hadn''t had any combat skills or any training. With all the training Sam had received from Cylkia, and the fact that the goddess had given her a combat skill, she could easily kill a goblin or two I bet. The issue wasn¡¯t necessarily having a combat skill though. It was more so what I did remember that Xi had told me about goblins, as a species.


    I stepped forward and spoke up, grabbing her attention quickly since I very rarely brought attention to myself if I could help it, ¡°Just be careful Sarah, remember how Xi told us that they may be one of the weakest races, but the trick is that they are rarely alone. If you find one, there might be another dozen hiding in the woods behind it. Don¡¯t just go in swinging, you could end up getting swarmed before you know it.¡±


    Sam pursed her lips, and nodded slowly, ¡°You know¡­ that¡¯s right, I do remember Xi mentioning that at one of the bonfires¡­ hmmm¡­ fine, I¡¯ll try and find a kobold or something. Mason or Cyan can keep an eye on me if it gets too rough, right?¡±


    Mason rolled his eyes, but smiled anyway, ¡°No, I totally get it. It''s been pretty boring these last few days, and I feel like after all that talking up from Cylkia, we¡¯ve been doing a whole lot of nothing.¡±


    Sam stomped her foot and sighed with exasperation, ¡°Exactly! I¡¯m ready to do something! We¡¯ve just been cooped up in that barrier or under Cylkia and their watchful eyes, this is the first chance we get to experience something in this world! You''ve all played video games before, it''s time for us to level up, right guys?¡±


    We all looked at each other, considering what Sam had just said. She wasn¡¯t wrong, Cylkia and the others had kept all of us cooped up. It was appreciated, but it still felt like we were all still just in the backseat, watching the events play out as if we had no control over anything.


    I sighed and eyed the others. And that was just coming from my perspective. As far as I was aware, I was still the only one that had been given the chance to fight any monsters, and that wasn¡¯t even to say that I¡¯d even fought that many or leveled up that much. Besides that test that Xi had given me, I hadn¡¯t actually been able to test myself against any other beasts, or hell, even the others during the practice sessions. I was just as much out of my league as the rest of them, I just happened to be the weakest of them all. I pursed my lips and looked at Sam again. I wanted to go with her, but when I looked back at Sarah, Diane, Sylphie, and Kai, I noticed that they seemed¡­ reluctant. I mean, I guess I couldn¡¯t really blame them for being tentative about the whole thing, but they had to know that this was pretty much just our future, right? As I glanced back at Sam, I could tell that she had come to the same conclusion.


    She rubbed her hands together and grinned at everyone, ¡°Okay, well that''s settled! I¡¯m gonna go hunt down a kobold or small monster, unless I can¡¯t find any, in which case I¡¯ll just end up coming back I guess. You can all just set up camp and hang out in the meantime. Might as well just cut it short here if I¡¯m gonna be wandering around in the forest ya know?¡± She laughed and turned towards the forest, ¡°Hell, I might even level up! I¡¯ll see you guys at least by dinner tonight? If I don¡¯t come back by then, come find me, though I doubt you¡¯ll have to.¡±


    With that she shouldered the mace that Cylkia had gifted her, and without even looking back, started marching into the forest. We all eyed each other, but shrugged and waved goodbye to her before turning to Mason and Cyan. They rolled their eyes and leaned in towards us and whispered that they¡¯d make sure she came back alive, before they activated their skills and leapt into the trees, dashing from tree to tree until even I couldn''t see them anymore. It still amazed me that they could do that. Made me really wish I had one of those skills, instead of my sprint. But, oh well, good for them, ya know?


    I gave an appreciative whistle, which made Sarah laugh and turn to me, ¡°Pretty cool right? It always blows my mind when they start flying around like that. I wonder if I could learn? I know it''s not necessarily a ¡®warrior skill¡¯, but wouldn''t that be so fun?¡±


    I smiled, and glanced back at her before ducking under a branch and resting on a rock, ¡°Honestly, I was thinking the same thing ya know? The only drawback would probably just be that it could only be used in a forest or jungle. But you know¡­ according to Cylkia, there are quite a few of those in this world, I guess the people here haven¡¯t ravaged the wilderness like back home.¡±


    Sarah grinned and triumphantly raised her arm, ¡°Ha! You¡¯re of course correct! I just wouldn¡¯t have to live in a desert or by the ocean¡¯s and I¡¯d be a lethal machine! I knew it wasn''t a pipe dream!¡± She turned and punched Diane in the arm, smirking as rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue.


    ¡°It might not be a pipe dream, but I doubt that you''re going to be jumping around in the trees in full armor! That just ruins the whole element of surprise ya know!¡±


    Sarah looked away dismissively and waved her hand at her, ¡°Psht, who said I''d be wearing full armor?¡±


    Diane slapped her hand to her face and groaned, ¡°Sarah, girl, your skills and abilities all revolve around being super tanky and using a shield! You''re obviously gonna be a tank! AND TANKS WEAR ARMOR!¡±


    Sarah slyly looked back at Diane and winked at her, ¡°Yeah¡­ but how scary would it be if you got ¡®shield rushed¡¯ from the sky!? I could defeat the enemy before they even knew what was happening!¡±


    Diane rubbed her temples with her thumbs and gave me a long suffering look and sighed. I could see the look of defeat in her eyes, and realized that this was definitely not the first time that they¡¯d had this conversation. And the way the others were just tuning it all out? Yeah, Sarah had definitely mentioned this before. I smirked as Diane turned to Sarah and started arguing with her about how much her idea sucked and bided my time until Diane made the perfect comment.


    She stomped her foot down and hmmphed, cutting Sarah off, ¡°Besides! Anyone with half a brain would see that coming and dodge! You¡¯d be just putting yourself at a disadvantage for no gain!¡±


    I laughed at that and grinned mischievously. ¡°Oh I don¡¯t know¡­ if I was hunting down a group with a heavy duty tank, and then all of the sudden someone dropped out of the sky and crushed me with their shield, I''d be pretty shocked¡­ Hell, I would go so far as to say it was a crushing tactic, and I would never have seen it coming!¡±


    Sarah smacked me on the back and beamed at Diane, who flipped me off. Kai, who had apparently been listening in, started dying, laughing so hard that even Sylphie looked up, confused.


    ¡°What''s wrong guys? Oh no¡­ Is Sarah talking about her tree tactics again?¡±


    That of course made Kai laugh even harder, and Sarah hmpfed at us all, her victorious grin turning into a pout. ¡°I think it''s pretty awesome! And look, Matt even thinks the same! Besides, I''ll be way heavier with the armor, so when I jump down on them it''ll just straight up crush them! It''s just scientific fact!¡±


    Kai managed to take a deep breath and wiped the tears out of his eyes, ¡°Look Sarah, I''ll give you that, but how are they gonna be surprised when you''re loudly clinking around up there? Diane¡¯s sort of right, anyone with half a brain would notice you and just dodge!¡±


    Sarah frowned, and rubbed her chin thoughtfully, ¡°True, very true.. Wait, didn''t Halfi have some kind of silent footfall skill?  And didn¡¯t Cyan mention having a vanish skill? Maybe I could just learn one of those and surprise them like that! I''ll just have to ask Mason and Cyan when they get back for lunch!¡±


    Diane shook her head again and slapped me on the shoulder, ¡°Welcome to team Firestorm, Matt. The group where half the time we''re just trying to stop Sarah from enacting her crazy ideas!¡±


    Sarah gasped and clutched her chest, her eyes wide in mock outrage. ¡°Crazy ideas? What crazy ideas!? I¡¯ll have you know, you just don¡¯t understand my genius!¡±


    Sylphie sighed, ¡°Oh, don''t even get me started Sarah! On our third day here, you were trying to get Xi to throw you at trees while you were using shield bastion! What''d you call it again¡­ a human cannonball?¡±


    Sarah gasped and put her hand to her chest once more, ¡°Woah woah woah! You''re telling me that wasn''t an amazing idea!? What are you gonna do if you saw me flying through the air at you!? The answer is nothing, because I''d be plowing through your defenses instantly! It was pure genius!¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Sylphie glared at her and rolled her eyes, ¡°Yeah, until it doesn''t work! Or, more importantly, they dodge you! What are you going to do then!?¡±


    Sarah laughed maniacally and grinned, ¡°Psht, then I wouldn''t miss!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but what''s to stop me from shooting an arrow through you before you notice?¡± Mason dropped down from above, scaring Sarah and Sylphie, who were so busy arguing that they didn¡¯t realize who it was and let out a short scream.


    ¡°Come on Mason! We were having¡­ a discussion! Would it kill ya to warn us before¡­ wait this is a perfect example of what I was talking about!¡± Sarah said while folding her arms triumphantly. ¡°We had no clue he was there! Now imagine if that was me! We both would have been dead!¡±


    ¡°Wait, what¡¯s going on? And what¡¯s that about you both dying?¡± Cyan¡¯s voice came out of nowhere, her form suddenly materializing out of the shadows.


    Sarah was much too invested now, and didn¡¯t even flinch as she whipped around towards Cyan. ¡°Cyan! Perfect, just who I was looking for! Did Halfi ever tell you about a silent step skill or something like it? Preferably something that could make a fully armored warrior vanish?¡±


    Cyan pursed her lips and hummed to herself as she thought about it, ¡°No, I''m not sure if he ever did, but¡­ wait, this isn''t for your knight ambush tactics is it?¡±


    She averted her eyes and whistled nervously, ¡°Nooooooo¡­¡±


    Cyan laughed, ¡°You''re not fooling anyone ya know?¡±


    Sarah sighed and batted her eyelashes at Cyan, ¡°I know I know¡­ wait, is it dinner time already? I hadn¡¯t even realized the time!¡±


    Cyan shook her head and eyed the forest before turning back to us, ¡°Yeah, I ended up leaving pretty early so I could forage for some berries, but I saw Sam on my way back. It looks like she got caught up with a monster on her way to the river, so it must have gone well. How did the hunt go Mason?¡±


    Mason grinned and laughed loudly, ¡°Oh pretty well if I do say so myself! Sam sort of just ended up wandering around for a couple of hours until  I got bored of watching that. So I went searching around until I found a nearby monster, and gently nudged it towards her.¡±


    We all laughed, then suddenly, there was a loud rustling from the forest. We all went silent and warily eyed it, all our hands edging towards our weapons. We all tensed, but then, after a moment, a very disheveled looking Sam jumped out, ¡°Guys! Oh my god that was so much fun! Alright, so I may have gotten lost for a while, but don¡¯t worry! I found a monster after only a short while! I think Xi called it a zhaarst? Ya know, the ones that are kind of like a really really fat chicken with scales? And then like, a turtle shell on its back? Yeah¡­ I smited it and it just¡­ BLEW UP! Feathers and scales went everywhere! Oh my god, I even leveled up, and wow¡­ I mean¡­ I never did crack, but damn did that feel great!¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at that, but felt a smile creep on my face. It really had been a great feeling hadn¡¯t it? I hadn¡¯t told anyone about Xi¡¯s test of course, since I had no doubts that Xi would follow through on their threats if they ever did catch me telling anyone else. Maybe the next time Sam went out hunting, I could join? I knew my sword slash wasn''t all that strong, but it would be a nice test to see how far I¡¯d come.


    Everyone welcomed Sam back, all of us taking turns clapping her on the back and joking with her about how we¡¯d thought she was gonna come back empty handed. Diane was incredibly curious about the zhaarst, and wouldn''t stop asking questions about what it had looked like when it was alive and how it had moved around and attacked. Though, to be fair, we weren¡¯t all crowding around her. Sylphie didn''t even say much when Sam came back, focusing on her mana skills, and Mason, who had seen it all, just hung back by the fire we had set up and started helping Cyan with dinner.


    Kai gave another one of his boisterous laughs, before asking the question we had all been thinking, ¡°So¡­ you killed the monster and leveled up, but did you actually get anything from it?¡±


    Sam looked at him, a glimmer in her eyes, ¡°Oh yes¡­ I didn¡¯t get any gold or anything, but guys, I got something even better¡­¡± With a flourish, Sam opened up her bag and proudly dumped their contents out on a nearby flat rock. It was¡­


    A gasp escaped my lungs as I took in the glorious loot she had gotten, ¡°Is that fresh meat!?¡±


    Sylphie''s head shot up so fast that she ended up losing focus on her mana shaping causing it to peter out with a loud pop, ¡°Did I hear what I think I just heard!?¡±


    Sam boastfully strutted around the rock, a grin on her face, ¡°That''s right everyone, I may not have received gold or gems, but I managed to get myself some zhaarst meat! No more dry rations and berries, because tonight, we dine like queens!¡±


    We all cheered, and Sam and Diane raced to the woods to chop down and find some more wood. I raced off to find some kindling, before hearing Sam call out to me, ¡°Hey Matt! I don¡¯t think any of us actually know how to break down one of these, did Xi ever teach you?¡±


    I froze and then eyed the meat, realizing why it had seemed sort of familiar. It was sort of just like a whole chicken that you¡¯d be able to get at the grocery store, ¡°Oh! Xi told us it¡¯s just like a fat chicken right? Have y¡¯all never broken one down? I¡¯m sort of surprised Halfi didn''t teach either of you?¡±


    ¡°No? Have you¡­ broken down¡­ a chicken before man?¡± Kai gave me a look, raising his eyebrow and eyeing the zhaarst again.


    I nervously laughed but nodded after a moment, ¡°Yeah, I used to help break down the chickens for dinner back home. It''s not too hard, just a bit messy. Could one of you get me something to throw the guts and giblets into? If we had the time I¡¯d make a killer gravy, but I don''t know if I could do much with that except use it as bait for Cyan and Mason''s traps.¡±


    Everyone stared at me slack jawed, until Sylphie finally sighed and handed me a bowl, ¡°You''re cleaning that out religiously after, I was intending to make a soup or broth with that.¡±


    I grinned and thanked her, turning back to the chicken and cracking my knuckles. Despite what I''d told them all, I hadn¡¯t actually broken down a complete carcass before. However, when I''d taken Biology I had done a deep dive into the anatomy of a chicken for an assignment, and ended up pretty far down that kind of wormhole real late one night. As I stared down at the zhaarst, I smirked. Thank God for the internet. I got to work and started tearing it into pieces, humming as I prepped it to be cooked.


    Honestly, it was pretty weird how the zhaarst apparently got obliterated by Sam¡¯s smite, but still managed to leave behind a whole raw carcass. Huh, weird. The fact that it had scales was actually pretty nice, though I still had to pluck off almost all of the feathers. Thankfully, Cyan handed me a six inch blade which made it way easier. I pursed my lips as I finally managed to remove all of the feathers and got to the real work. I removed the head and hung it upside down so that the blood could drain, and then gutted and skinned it, which I''ll have to admit was a bit harder and messier than what I was expecting. I sighed and looked down at my bloody arms. Damn I''d really need a bath after this.


    I cocked my head to the side and smirked as I heard them setting up and lighting a fire behind me. Then, a thought hit me and I laughed and turned to them and called out, ¡°Hey guys! While I trim off the rest of this and skewer it to roast, would you mind finding some herbs? Maybe we can make it taste a bit better like that oglebon did!¡±


    Sam, who honestly didn''t look much better, laughed and waved at me as she darted into the forest to procure some herbs, throwing this over her shoulder as she ran off, ¡°Great idea Matt! But uh¡­ After you skewer it you should go wash off, you look like you just escaped a horror movie!¡±


    Mason rolled his eyes and followed after her, grumbling half to himself and half to me, ¡°God damn it, he obviously meant that Cyan or I should go find some¡­  You¡¯re never gonna find any herbs!¡± He cast me a look and rolled his eyes, ¡°Don¡¯t worry though, I got you bro. I¡¯ll make sure to find something if all else fails. Though¡­ she wasn¡¯t wrong though, you should go wash all that off man. You''re a bit of a bloody mess dude.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at that but nodded. I must really look pretty bad, which is sort of crazy since I was actually trying to be pretty clean the whole time. Back home, Mason had been in the same biology class as me, so I knew he wasn''t that worried about this kind of thing. Especially after we went to the local university and saw a cadaver. Thankfully, I''d tried to clean the zhaarst away from the others, so the rest of them probably didn¡¯t know how bad I looked right now.


    I blushed and raced around the others who were laughing around the fire, calling out to them as I sneaked by. ¡°Hey guys! The zhaarst is good to go, just gotta skewer it and start roasting it over the fire now! I¡¯m gonna go head on over to the river and clean up, be back in a bit!¡±


    Sarah looked up from where she was tending the fire, and peered into the forest to try and look at me, ¡°Thanks again Matt! We all appreciate it! Where are you go- oh¡­ Heading to the river, right?¡±


    I shook my head but couldn''t resist chuckling, ¡°Yeah, Mason and Sam said I was a bit of a mess¡­ So I figured that while the zhaarst is cooking and Mason and Sam are grabbing the herbs, I could wash up! I''ll be back in a bit!¡±


    I dashed off into the forest, heading straight towards the river as I dodged around trees and hopped over little rock formations. I heard them wish me luck and go back to laughing and talking to each other as I raced behind me. I glanced down at my arms and chuckled. Yeah, I probably wasn¡¯t going to live this one down¡­ But oddly enough, I couldn''t really find it in myself to care all that much. I smiled and ducked around the trees on my way to the river. I don''t know if I¡¯d ever have expected to be this happy and relaxed in a life and death situation, but I wasn''t about to start complaining. These last few days¡­ they had been the most fun I''d had in a long time, hell, if ever. And that was even taking in the trudging through the forest every day.


    I felt a small smile cross over my face as I considered everything that had happened since I had been brought here. Things were still fresh and new every day, and it felt like I was learning and experiencing more than I ever did back home. Hell, even just the environment seemed to change all the time. The trees, the river, the rocks, the grass, and hell, even the little animals that I saw flitting about in the distance. I could spend a day walking under these massive trees, their tops reaching into the sky and their massive leaves providing a lot of needed shade, and then spend the next walking through rocky outcroppings and pine trees, the forest ground covered in pine needles, mushrooms, and clovers. The vegetation made absolutely no sense whatsoever and I bet a biologist would have had a field day studying just the plants alone.


    Even just the little monsters and animals that raced around were so odd and different. Mason and Cyan did an amazing job keeping an eye out for any monsters and the like, but they couldn¡¯t do it all. Instead, they chose to allow any minor monsters, or the animals that we had been taught were non harmful or passive, walk on through their watch. They varied, but the zhaarst was an example of one of those, but not the only ones. There were also the minks, which were sort of like prairie dogs mixed with squirrels. They loved to chitter at us on our way through the forest, hopping around us and keeping watch of us all with their massive eyes trained on our every movement. I personally thought that they were adorable, though Sam thought that they were really creepy and weird. Then there were the wild birds that were so colorful they would put the birds in any rainforest back home to shame. They darted back and forth so quickly that I didn¡¯t even know what they really looked like.


    Even the bugs here seemed to be extremely similar to the ones back home, though with some variation and thankful differences. They weren''t very aggressive, and seemed to be scared of us. They would skitter away from us when we passed nearby, and when we set up camp, I never had to worry about them crawling all over or trying to eat my food.


    The trees changed each day, but so too did the various plants and other minor vegetation. There were flowers that had petals that spiraled, small patches of cacti that grew on the sides of trees and had blue spikes, and vines that wrapped around anything and everything, but didn¡¯t seem to be smothering them. Instead they seemed to be actively helping them grow faster, larger, and stronger. There were branches that stabbed into other trees, plants that grew out of solid stone and rock, and trees that seemed to be growing upside down with their top halves being wider than their bases. The second day of walking, I even saw a huge mushroom uproot itself, and then saunter away on two legs!


    As odd as it all was though, it definitely made me appreciate nature more than I ever had back home. It was peaceful¡­ and as I ducked under a branch and around a tall plant that snapped at me as I got close, I heard the burbling of the river. I smiled, and let out a laugh as I picked up my pace. We had passed the point where the rejuve river and the main river met yesterday, and the difference was notable even now. When I reached in or bathed, it didn''t heal the day''s pains anymore, and it also wasn''t absolutely freezing. Instead, it had a pleasant warmth to it, and I honestly had to make sure I didn¡¯t fall asleep whenever I walked in.


    I looked down at my shirt and pants and whistled. Sam and Mason weren''t joking, I did look like I had gone through a bloodbath. When we had come here ages ago, we had all had to replace our clothes to more accurately help us get accustomed to this new world. I¡¯d even lost my watch, though I didn¡¯t necessarily mind since it didn¡¯t seem to be able to tell time well here. Cylkia had made Baern conjure us all custom clothing replacements, which we had all appreciated. I could really start to understand why Cylkia always had him with her.


    Having a mage like him, even for those few days, had definitely made life easier. Honestly, though they weren¡¯t as strong or knowledgable as Baern had been, even just having Sam, Kai, and Sylphie around had been extremely helpful so far. While Xi and Halfi had been making us train our bodies and skills, pushing us to our limits and forcing us to learn as much as we could about fighting and the harshness of this world, Baern and Cylkia had apparently been training and teaching their students new spells, their effects, and more about the how of using their skills and abilities. When I''d asked Kai, he''d said that they had even learned a couple really useful ones, like a simple water purification spell (which he and Sylphie were still working on), a simple levitate spell, the map making spell Sylphie had been working on before we left, and a few others. As for Cylkia¡¯s group, she had focused more on actual basic first aid, along with a detoxifying spell, and a few minor healing and pain nullification spells.


    It was pretty impressive stuff, and I wondered what Xi would have taught me if I had been stronger? But oh well, I¡¯d just have to make sure I became stronger when they trained us later at Cylkia¡¯s mansion. I hummed to myself, and took off my shirt and pants, gripping them in my fists as I walked into the river, heading towards the rocks. Aggressively, I began by scrubbing them on the rocks to get off most of the gore before I could set them out to dry. Then I let out a sigh and bathed off in the river, watching as the blood and gore slipped off of my skin and drifted down the river, vanishing after a couple of moments.


    I guess I couldn¡¯t act like I had just been left out to dry. Xi had left each of us with a list of exercises, much like how Kai and Sylphie were doing mana shaping exercises, but much more on the physical side. Though I had a feeling Diane and Sarah weren''t keeping up with theirs, I still did. Either while I was on guard duty during my night shift, or after nightfall when we stopped for the day, I would take an hour or so to ruthlessly and efficiently go through them all, pushing myself to my limits and feeling my muscles scream. Though, even then, they were nowhere near as rough on the body as Xi¡¯s bootcamp had been. Granted, that was mostly because I didn¡¯t have access to the rejuvenation river anymore, and so I couldn¡¯t break myself and then heal it all back and then go right back to breaking myself.


    I sighed and looked down at my arms. I definitely could tell that they were doing something to help my physique, though I wasn¡¯t sure how much since it had only been about a week or so. I''d probably do them in the morning for today. I don''t think I''d have enough time to do them now, before dinner was done. I¡¯d just take the time to finish washing off and making sure I didn¡¯t stink before I headed back. Maybe just take a little breather, I deserved one every once in a while, right?


    I sighed and closed my eyes as I relaxed for a moment in the river, smiling as I felt the slow current flow around me. Damn¡­ I really could get used to this. I wonder if the river was this nice all the way till Cylkia¡¯s domain? Wow¡­ yeah that would be so nice actually. I really hope the other groups took the chance to enjoy it. I¡¯d have to rub it into the other¡¯s faces when I saw them. I sighed again and dunked my head under the water. What was I thinking? Of course I wouldn¡¯t do that. I¡¯d never done that before, what if they took it the wrong way and distanced me from them? Yeah, I¡¯d just keep my mouth shut like always.


    I shook my head and then stood up, shivering as the air hit my exposed skin. Fuck that was cold everytime! I shook off and grumbled to myself, heading back to where I had left my clothes and wincing as I put the still damp clothes back on. I don''t think I''d ever appreciated having new sets of clothes back home, but damn would I kill for a simple washer and dryer. I¡¯d just have to lean over the fire when I got back. Ugh, and then I¡¯d smell like smoke for the next day.


    As I dashed through the forest, heading back towards the others and the fire, I took a moment to think about the old world again. I wonder what the system had done with everyone''s belongings? If I were to go back, would I be able to find my old lego and bionicle sets? What about the books I had been hoarding under my bed? Hell, what about my bed!? It''s hard to just¡­ Poof an entire existence, right? And that was just for the kids, what about Mrs. Fletcher? She had a whole family and had been alive for decades longer than us! I know she had never talked about her family or a husband or kids, but what happened to them? To their memories and experiences? She even had siblings and a couple of cats¡­ Did she really just not exist in their memories anymore? I knew everyone¡¯s pictures were wiped from the yearbook and social media, but how strong of a spell was that summoning spell? Fuck, how strong of a goddess was this Malxonus that she could perform it, and from what I could tell, perform it every once in a hundred or so years!?


    I was so lost in my thoughts, that I yelped when I suddenly heard Sam speak up, dragging me out of my thoughts, ¡°Hey Matt! What perfect timing! We just finished cooking the zhaarst! What a weird name right? I wonder if it¡¯s another one of those words that the language barrier can''t translate?¡± Sam, who always managed to notice first whenever anyone came back, waved me over to where she was sitting on a log with the others.


    Cyan spoke up from where she was arranging berries in a line of biggest to smallest, ¡°You know, I was thinking about that too! Like, there''s also oglebon and even filken too! Isn¡¯t it so weird the things that are automatically translated to English, but then there¡¯s other words that just aren''t? I wonder what the languages here actually sound like?¡±


    Sylphie, who had been poking at the edge of the fire, looked up and blinked in surprise at Cyan, almost as if she was surprised that she would wonder that, ¡°Right? I wonder if it''s harsh like Russian or something, or really smooth like french, or quick and expressive like spanish!¡±


    Kai laughed loudly and stabbed the fire with a stick, ¡°Thank the gods that Cylkia is going to give us an actual education of the way things are here¡­ wait¡­ an education¡­ at her mansion¡­ Oh damn it! Guys, she¡¯s just sending us back to school again!¡± We all laughed loudly, smirking at each other and fake groaning before Kai spoked up again, a mischievous grin coming over his face, ¡°But you know what? I think I¡¯m actually happy to go to school here! Haha! What the hell happened to us that made us happy to go to school?¡±


    Sylphie hmmphed and went back to staring at the fire, ¡°Speak for yourself Kai, I¡¯ve always liked going to school¡­¡±


    Everyone laughed at that, and we all settled down, finally digging into the zhaarst that Mason had been portioning out the whole time. Weirdly enough, for how much it looked and resembled a chicken, it didn¡¯t taste anything like it. Though that¡¯s no to say it was bad. It was actually quite the opposite in fact! It was sweet and savory, and in contrast to poorly cooked chicken, it was still so full of flavor and juices!


    I honestly couldn''t get enough of it, and I ravenously attacked the food on the plate that Mason had handed me. Even the berries were plump and tart, the sweetness adding a nice compliment to the herbs and smokiness of the zhaarst. I tore into the drumstick, and laughed as I heard everyone else happily eating as well. The worst part was that it was a pretty small animal, and I let out a loud sigh of disappointment as I ate the last bite. I still didn¡¯t know how to feel about Cylkia and that odd look she had given me, but I also could respect what she had said. This world did have some bright sides, and I was interested in seeing what she meant by that. I was¡­ excited. Yeah, that¡¯s right¡­ I was excited for the future.

 Chapter Ten: Teeth Like Daggers

    Darkness covered my vision, and I shivered as I felt a strong gust of frigid freezing wind crash into my skin. I was cold, so very cold, and my body shook and my teeth chattered as the winds rushed by, stealing all of my warmth. Cautiously, I took a step forward, and frowned as I felt my foot sink deep into the ground before it finally stopped, an ice cold sensation flowing up my leg. Why was I so cold? Where was I? And why did this cold feel so¡­ familiar?


    Confusion rocked through my body, and I opened my eyes to look around at my surroundings. As my eyes opened, glittering white filled my view and a harsh cold wind blew straight into my face, blinding me and forcing me to shut them again, tears forming at the pain. I flinched at the sudden pain and cursed aloud, my confusion not even being slated a little. Ouch, well fuck that! Where the hell was I? And why did it feel like I had been doing something? Why did it feel like I shouldn¡¯t even be here right now? Slowly, and very carefully, I allowed my eyes to open again. I learned my lesson the first time, and made sure to squint as I looked out at my surroundings and gave my eyes time to actually adjust.


    The first thing I noticed, as I had thought before, was that I was knee deep in a sea of snow. As the sun shined down on it all, it glinted and glittered, blinding me¡­ again. I groaned and shook my head, rubbing my eyes and cursing to myself. Why did everything have to be so gods damned bright? Slowly, I opened my eyes again and I turned to the left, cautiously checking for anything new. There, I saw a snow covered forest, full of pine trees with branches covered in white pine needles. There were huge ice boulders, and the light shone through the clear cores, making a gorgeous light display. A white bird flew over the top of the trees, its eyes scanning the forest for its next meal. After a moment it dove, and in its wake a white and blue trail of frost was left behind, sparkling in the morning sun.


    I shook my head in amazement and then I looked to my right. There, only about 10 feet away from me, I saw a huge, terrifying, snow covered cliff edge. It blended in scarily well with the surrounding snow, and if I hadn¡¯t been so close, I doubted that I would have seen it in the first place. I crunched through the snow and got closer to the edge, nervously looking down once I got close enough.


    As I peered down, I couldn¡¯t help but to gulp hard, my throat crushing itself and protesting at the pain. There below me was a dazzling drop into a deep ravine, the sides chock full of jagged rocks and boulders, and the bottom of the ravine full of a glistening sea of icy stalactites. I quickly looked up, the sight sending even more shivers through my body as I scrambled backwards.


    Instead of focusing on the ravine and the drop, I took a moment to scan the rest of my surroundings. There in front of me, I gasped as I saw an absolutely gorgeous view in front of me. There was a bright and clear mountain range stretched out, each of their snow capped peaks piercing upwards into the icy blue sky. I shivered again and my eyes scanned the neverending snowy plains. The snow really was everywhere, and even as the sun beat down on everything I could see, I still couldn¡¯t feel a lick of heat. It was¡­ nostalgic. I laughed and spread my arms out, my body grumbling as it got reaccustomed to the icy cold again. This was just amazing¡­ and it made me feel like I was back home again, hiking up the side of a mountain and camping out with my family. I remembered this¡­ this was what I lived for. What I missed. The joy of exploring a forest. The feeling of my breath coming harder as I hiked up the side of mountains. And the final glorious view once I had finally ascended to the top. Watching the snowy peaks in winter when I was a kid¡­ They were a special kind of memory. A sweet nostalgia, and one that made me smile with my whole soul. I had missed this. More than I could have ever known.


    I turned around, and rubbed my hands together. Maybe I should go check out the forest again? That had been such a cool bird, maybe I could find some other wildlife or a safe place to sleep and set up camp? As I finished turning though, I was startled by what I saw right in front of me.


    All of the trees nearest where I had been were¡­ moving? They swayed back and forth, and snow fell from their branches, thumping with muffled impacts as they crashed into the snow covered ground beneath them. A flock of those same ice white birds exploded from the forest, shooting upwards and flying away, screeching at the gall of the forest to interrupt their nests. Still, the trees shook and shivered, and the icy boulders rumbled and clacked each other as the ground heaved upwards, sending them tumbling and rolling towards the cliffs edge. I cautiously took a step backwards, careful not to get too close to the edge and pursed my lips. Well fuck, what was I going to do now? I swirled around, looking for a place to hide, but groaned when I realized there was nowhere for me to hide. I was straight and simply just screwed!


    I whipped around as I heard the rumbling from the ground get louder, and gasped as the ice expanse suddenly cracked with a roar. Then, a great ice white and blue hand punched out of the snow, its seven fingers curled into a fist. I yelped at the sight, and had to force myself not to take yet another step backwards, remembering the drop off behind me at the last second. The hand really was massive, and almost blended into all the glittering white snow and ice around it. It almost seemed to be made of those same icy boulders that had just tumbled off of the edge of the mountain. The hand grasped in the air, almost as if it was searching for something to grab onto. Then, it suddenly lashed out and latched onto one of the nearby tree trunks. With a loud groan, the tree protested as the great hand pulled. The tree bent and creaked and cracked, but somehow, it held. Then, after only a few moments, it began to straighten itself out. As the tree straightened, almost as if to spite the giant hands attempt to break it, I watched as an utterly massive figure was pulled out of the snow.


    It had a humanoid figure, but much like how the hand wasn¡¯t exactly human, it was very dissimilar. From its shoulders sprouted three other arms, each one different from the other. There was one that was long and thin, its slender fingers gently searching around it. Another was almost like a tree branch, and as the main ¡®branch¡¯ continued on, a multitude of smaller arms and hands sprouted out of either side, almost as if it was a feather. Then, the last arm was thick and muscular, ending in a massive and thick club, it being split into three sections that were each of them covered in rotating spikes. Its body was wide and thick, reminiscent of a mobile brick wall. A brick wall that was studded in boulders and icy spines. It had eight legs, almost as if it was a spider. Though, each of them were short and stout, probably so that they could feasibly support the massive frame of the creature. It had an almost nonexistent head, and it looked as if it had been squished down into the top of its chest. There was no neck, no facial features, and no ears. All it had to replace all of that, was just a lump with two shallow holes dug out of the middle. I had no real idea what those could have been, but as a sharp blue glow shot forth from each one, I couldn¡¯t help but imagine that they might have been eyes.


    It stretched its arms into the sky and a huge crack formed in its chest, the icy chest splitting up and down until it formed a massive deep blue maw. It roared, and a deep grumbling and grating noise issuing forth. It shook the snow and the trees around it, causing an avalanche of snow to fall from the tree¡¯s branches. My eyes widened, and I winced, my hands shooting up to cover my ears at the noise.


    Fuck me! I¡¯m pretty sure that every animal in a fifty mile radius had just made a beeline for safety anywhere but here! As I took in more of the beast, I felt a cold, rock hard feeling develop in my gut. This was by far one of the most terrifying things I¡¯d ever seen, and I had no fucking clue what to do about it! I know that it hadn¡¯t noticed me yet, otherwise I would probably be dead by now. But I had no doubt in my mind that if, and when, it did, I was dead. Hell, my only option would be to jump, and be safe for as long as I sailed through the air, on a first class ticket to the bottom of the ravine. There was something distinctively terrifying about a rock monster with no facial features y''know? I sighed and looked up at the sky. Maybe I should pray to whatever gods and goddesses were watching? What else was I going to do? I eyed the creature and sighed. Oh well, I mean I guess it had been a good run right?


    I was about to close my eyes as it turned its lump head towards me, but then shock screamed through my body as it suddenly staggered back. A gigantic red flame shot out from the trees, impacting the creature straight in the chest with enough force and heat that a huge circle of snow and ice melted around and in the creature''s chest. It rumbled and roared, rage echoing from it as it staggered backwards, its eight legs struggling to keep the creature upright.


    As I watched its arms wildly sway about, I whistled in surprise. I even thought for a moment that it was going to fall, that whole saying about ¡®the bigger they are, the harder they fall,¡¯ echoing through my mind. But I knew that was just hopeful thinking, and I wasn¡¯t surprised when its arms grasped the nearby trees, forcefully stopping its aggressive teetering. Then it turned that lump head towards the forest where the fire beam had come from, and another grating rumbling noise erupting from it, its massive blue maw opening up once more, though this time being lopsided from the first strike.


    The forest didn¡¯t even shake, and instead almost as if to respond, it sent four absolutely massive arrows, each one slamming straight into its icy noggin. Then, just to throw even more salt onto the wound, another massive roar of flame exploded out of the icy forest, crashing into the beast''s shoulder and shearing off the club arm.


    If the other roars had been loud, this next one was absolutely deafening, even with my hands covering my ears. I screamed in pain as I felt my bones rattle and shake in my body, and I¡¯m pretty sure I saw an avalanche form on every single mountain that I could see. The beast turned and dug its three remaining massive hands into the snow, and ice, gathering up a massive amount of snow and ice and hefting it into the air. Each of its many hands quickly got to work, and compressed it all into an icy, dark blue, and deadly ice ball, long sharp shards poking out of the sides. Its arms gripped it, and faster than I would have ever given it credit for, it whipped around, its chest cracking at the force of the turn, and several of its legs breaking off at its hip. It viciously catapulted the ice ball towards the forest, and as it crashed into the first tree I-


    gasped, sitting up so fast I got a blood rush. I groaned as the sudden blood flow made me woozy, and my vision blacked out for a brief moment and gave me a deep sense of nausea. Ah fuck me, those dreams really were getting so realistic. I sighed and shook my head, feeling the rush of blood slowly fade away. Damn, I remember when I used to try and see the end of those dreams. Back when I was stuck in the monotony of my home world that is. But now? It was like I was stuck in my very own dream! Except this one was very real, and I wasn¡¯t just watching from the side lines. Now, I am an active participant, and every single move I did could end up with injury, or my actual death.


    I groaned and flopped backwards. I had been so excited for the future last night too¡­ so excited for my potential. But there was something about having to wake up on the cold hard ground that always managed to bring me back to reality. I stretched out and let out a sigh. Damn, I really did miss having an actual bed. Well, it¡¯s not like I was going to do anything right here. I might as well sit up and get to work. There were traps to check, my workouts from Xi, and then a breakfast of berries and oatmeal again¡­ Oh joy¡­


    I slowly wrapped up my bedroll and placed it with my pack, eyeing the others sleeping figures. I¡¯d really have to make sure not to wake them up, they deserved a bit more sleep this morning. I carefully dodged around the others sleeping figures, a smile creeping up over my features. Well, at least they were able to sleep in. I was always a little grouchy having to wake up so early, but I was happy to do it. Checking traps really wasn¡¯t the worst thing, and I had to do my workouts that Xi had given me anyway. I gave a nod to Diane who had the last shift that night, and made my way into the forest.


    I casually walked to each of the spots that Mason and Cyan had shown me, and kept an eye out for any monsters while I checked each of them. How odd¡­ they were¡­ empty. Each and every one of them. I frowned as I checked the last one, and then hesitantly added it to the bag with the others. It wasn¡¯t necessarily unusual for them to be empty, but every morning I had checked them there had been at least a field mouse or a squam (similar to a chipmunk, but they had wings to fly with). It was always nice to supplement our breakfasts with, but they weren¡¯t necessarily needed. The berries, jerky, and oatmeal that Cylkia had given each of us would be enough to cover our breakfast. Still¡­ the others would be disappointed.


    I sighed, and cracked my knuckles. Again, it wasn¡¯t like any of this was unusual, but I still had this weird but ominous feeling. I eyed the suspiciously quiet forest and pursed my lips. Back home, I remembered learning how animals fled before a storm or natural disaster. I wonder if that was what was happening here? Shit¡­ I¡¯d have to bring it up with Sam¡­ hmm¡­ Maybe after my workout, I would tell the others and make sure we moved on. Let them get a bit more sleep and grab a bite to eat. I wasn¡¯t sure what exactly gave me such a worried feeling, but I couldn¡¯t just stand around and let something happen to my new friends.


    I finished up with the workouts, cutting them short as soon as I heard the others starting to wake up. I raced over to the river and washed off, sighing as the cool water passed over my body. Then I slung the bag of traps over my shoulder and headed back to the others. I sighed with relief as I made my way into the clearing where the others had been sleeping. It looked like the others had just finished getting up, and they were in the middle of making breakfast. The others were half awake, but Sam, as always, noticed me first.


    She grinned and waved at me, ¡°Hey Matt! Any luck with the traps? We still have a bit of leftover zhaarst, so no worries if not!¡±


    I shook my head and sat down on a log across from Sarah. I pursed my lips and thanked her as she handed me a bowl of oatmeal. ¡°No luck this morning unfortunately¡­ but there was something about this morning that really threw me off. There weren¡¯t any animals in the traps, but when I was out doing my workouts, I didn''t even see any animals or birds. It was¡­ Worrying, to say the least. I know I might just be going crazy, but I feel like we should head out right after breakfast.¡±


    Sam frowned at that, and cocked her head to the side. She actually looked like she was considering what I''d said, which was honestly very new to me. She took a moment before she responded, but when she did she looked up at me, pursed her lips, and then gave me a nod. I let out a sigh of relief and nodded back. I know that usually we would all just hang out for an hour or so after we woke up, but that small feeling in my gut had just kept on getting bigger this whole time. I really didn''t want to stick around for too long, and thankfully it seemed Sam agreed with that.


    She warily eyed the forest and tapped her spoon on her empty bowl, ¡°I hadn¡¯t noticed it before, but you''re right. I haven''t heard a single chirp, or even a chitter from a squam all morning. Good call Matt, let''s head out soon. Mason and Cyan already left to do their drills and do some reconnaissance, so we should be good for now. Though, as soon as they check back, I''ll tell everyone to head on out.¡± She leaned back on the log she was sitting on, and then looked around, her eyes finally resting on Sarah, who looked like she was struggling to stay upright on the log she was sitting on, ¡°Hey Sarah! Would you mind helping me kick some dirt over the fire pit? Kai and Sylphie! Could you please start rolling up everyone''s bags? Feel free to eat Matt, you¡¯ve done a lot this morning already.¡±


    I looked from my bowl to Sam, ¡°You sure? I don¡¯t mind helping out with cleaning up camp¡­¡±


    Diane laughed as she walked out of the forest, slinging her axe over her shoulder, ¡°You''re fine Matt, we can clean up camp. Just hurry up and finish your bowl already, so I can go and wash everything off in the river.¡±


    I thanked them all and made sure to eat the rest of the bowl quickly, inhaling it more than tasting it. I had been really worried earlier, especially after checking the traps, but thankfully it seemed that Sam and the others were going to listen to my advice. I quickly took my last bite and handed the bowl to Diane, and gave her a nod of thanks again. She rolled her eyes and gave me a smirk before she grumbled to herself and headed off towards the river. I turned to help the others, but there was nothing left to do. They¡¯d already finished wrapping everything up. I frowned and let out a sigh, which made Sarah laugh. I rolled my eyes at her and headed over to my bag and picked it up. Eh, might as well just be ready at this point.


    A little while after Diane came back, Mason dropped down out of the trees, startling me at the sight. I whipped around to him, and as my eyes locked onto his face, I noticed a concerned look on his face. Oh no¡­ what now?


    Before his feet even hit the ground, Mason began speaking, his voice laced with worry, ¡°Hey everyone, I don''t wanna alarm you, but¡­¡±


    ¡°We should really leave, like now.¡± Cyan finished, appearing out of nowhere. She had a flustered look in her eyes, and her hands were waving around her wildly as she talked.


    Sam laughed and turned towards them, ¡°Two steps ahead of y''all, we were just waiting for you to come back before we did anything.¡± Sam flung her bag over her shoulder, and then turned back to the rest of us, ¡°Okay everyone, let''s head on out! I''m really starting to get a bad feeling about this¡­¡±


    We all nervously looked at each other before nodding and following after Sam. Mason and Cyan gave each other a look, and then vanished to keep up reconnaissance around us. Sam, Kai, and Sylphie nervously shouldered their packs, and kept close together, making sure to walk in between Sarah, Diane, and I. Like that, we forged through the forest, all of our senses on high alert. I wasn¡¯t sure what exactly might have been out there, but it had no chance of escaping our notice now.


    As we travelled through the forest, the rest of the day became incredibly tense. We didn''t stop moving if we could help it, only pausing for quick bathroom breaks and to gather and cleanse water to drink. Every once and a while, Mason and Cyan would check back with us, giving us all updates on any possible monsters and our surroundings, before leaving quickly after, their forms melting into the forest as if they were spirits. We were all on edge, and the joyful talk I had grown accustomed to hearing was entirely squashed, causing silence to reign over the forest. So quiet, that you could¡¯ve heard a pin drop. That was probably how I was able to hear it so quickly when it finally did echo through the forest. Was that¡­


    Sarah whipped around, a massive and relieved smile on her face, ¡°Did you all hear that? I think it was a squam!¡±


    Kai laughed and let out a long sigh, ¡°I never thought I¡¯d be so relieved to hear a squam¡­¡±


    We all laughed at that, and I could see us all visibly relax, a heavy weight being lifted from our soldiers. We were still on edge for sure, and Mason and Cyan kept up the recon around us, but as we heard more and more squam chitters and saw the colorful birds flitting through the forest and singing to each other again, I couldn¡¯t help but smile. That heavy feeling that had been developing in my gut finally, thankfully, lightened, but¡­ it didn¡¯t exactly go away either. It stayed in my gut, slinking to the back and glowering at everything. Everyone else began to laugh and joke with each other again, but my eyes still scanned the forest around me, my eyes narrowing at every last thing. I pursed my lips and gripped the handle of my sword, my knuckles going white after a moment.


    We had ended up skipping lunch, opting to snack throughout the day instead of taking a long break and exposing ourselves to danger again. So when Sam finally called for us to break for dinner, we all let out a sigh of relief at the thought of some real food. We didn''t have much left from the zhaarst yesterday, but there was enough to supplement dinner thankfully. Cyan and Mason appeared out of nowhere, and put together a quick and delicious dinner. At the sight, the rest of us bowed our heads and thanked them with all of our hearts, our mouths watering at the sight.


    Dinner was leftover zhaarst with some root vegetables in a stew. They procured some thick hard bread that Baern had made for each of the groups, and warmed it up in the fire in order to soften it. We all sat down, and relaxed, listening to the sound of the birds and squam¡¯s chirping and chattering in the trees slowly quiet down as the sun began to set. It was unbelievably peaceful, and after we put away the bowls after finishing our food, we all went to our respective areas to sleep.


    Thankfully, Sarah had first guard shift tonight, and I had the second night shift duty, so I made sure to curl up as fast as I could. I closed my eyes and tried to forcefully put my mind to rest like always, trying to quiet down all the extra noises and thoughts but struggling more than usual after the kind of day I had just had. I pursed my lips and let my body relax as I tried to quiet my mind. It helped that I was unbelievably exhausted after a full day of travel and being on edge, but still my mind was full of thoughts. The worries over what could have happened earlier that day rushing through me. I did my best to ignore them, and focused on finally falling asleep, quieting my mind over and over until finally, the darkness overtook me.


    I groaned as I felt a hand on my shoulder, gently shaking me to and fro. I frowned and rolled over, but the shakes increased in frequency and I sighed, rolling onto my back and grunting. What the fuck was going on? Can¡¯t a guy just get some sleep before he has to get up and do his night¡­ shift¡­ Oh, wait¡­


    My eyes fluttered open, and I blushed as I saw that it was Sarah gently shaking me, ¡°Oh fuck me, I¡¯m sorry Sarah. You didn¡¯t have to shake me for long to wake me up, did you?¡±


    She smiled blearily and shook her head, ¡°Hey Matt, no worries¡­ I didn¡¯t have to shake you for long tonight. You should have a pretty easy shift, besides for some little ewins boinging off of some trees. Besides that, it was pretty quiet out there, hell, I didn¡¯t even hear any owls tonight, which was pretty odd,¡± She stretched and stood up, a yawn shaking her body as she blearily shook her head back and forth, ¡°Man, I am so tired actually¡­ I¡¯m gonna go hit the hay, you gonna be okay to do the next shift?¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    I sighed and stood up, groaning as I stretched out. I hadn¡¯t had the best sleep, despite all of my attempts to get comfortable and go to sleep quickly, but that''s okay. Sarah deserved her sleep either way so I wasn¡¯t going to just sit here and complain about it. Though going on the second night shift was by far the worst shift, I didn¡¯t usually mind. Hell, most nights I usually ended up volunteering for it. It was the least I could do since they had been protecting me on the way to Cylkia¡¯s mansion.


    I smiled at Sarah and whispered, mindful of the sleeping forms of the others, ¡°Nah I¡¯ll be good Sarah, don¡¯t worry about it. Thanks for coming and grabbing me, though. Enjoy your rest, hopefully Mason and Cyan¡¯s traps might catch a rabbit or something by the morning!¡±


    She smiled blearily and nodded, giving me a little wave before heading over to where the others were sleeping. I stretched out and rolled my shoulders, picking up my sword. It was going to be a long night tonight, might as well start it off right. I took a drink of water from my canteen, and stared off into the woods, scanning for anything. The world here had two moons, which I had found to my great pleasure when we had started our journey and begun my night guard shifts. It meant that there was always so much light at night, and even though I had to let my eyes adjust at first, I could still see everything clearly all night. I cracked my knuckles and reached into the void, grabbing it tightly and pulling. My legs roared to life, energy exploding through my body as if my engine had just been revved. I had to hold back a laugh as I felt that exhilaration I had come to love, and cracked my neck, dashing off into the forest, as exhilaration raced through my body.


    Using sprint was one of the most amazing feelings I had felt since coming here, and running cross country and track back home just paled in comparison. Honestly, I would even go so far as to say it was the best feeling I had experienced here. Though, that euphoria I had felt when I had killed those goblins put even that to shame if I was being honest.


    As I finally dashed around my friends and made it into the forest, I let out a loud sigh of air. Finally! Haha! As my legs pumped, slamming into the ground and propelling me forward, I couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud. Fuck yes I had missed this! Absolutely amazing! HAHA! I flew forward, dodging trees and bouncing from rock to rock as I made my first few rounds. I made sure to keep an eye on my surroundings and looked around for any new tracks or if any of Cyan and Masons traps had been sprung, but thankfully it seemed as if Sarah was right, this really was going to be a quiet night. As I finally made my way around the clearing that they were all sleeping in, I let out a hard breath of air, my hot breath misting in the cool night air.


    I put my hands on my hips and gasped for air, my eyes wide as I felt my heart racing along at a million miles a minute. I was sort of glad that Sarah had been right when she had woken me up though. I had no clue what I would even be able to do if a monster group really attacked, and I didn¡¯t even know what to look for as a warning sign! I pursed my lips and held my breath until my lungs finally screamed for air. With my enduring heart ability, it took a long time before I needed to breathe, but after about five minutes, my lungs painfully clenched, and I was forced to take in a gasp of air. I blinked hard and grinned, staggering as my breathing came hard and fast. Now this was the best way to start my training regimen!


    I laughed, and gripped my sword, taking a few experimental swings in order to warm up my muscles. This¡­ was really going to hurt. I sighed, and after a moment, I gripped my sword and walked forward, dodging around the branches and trees as I let my eyes roam around. The forest had changed once again, and this time it was all big maple trees, their wide leaves providing bountiful shade, and dampening my foot falls as I made my way around each massive tree trunk. It was perfect, and I hummed to myself as I walked around, attacking trees in the same form and strikes that Xi had drilled into my very soul.


    I dropped down and did a hundred quick push ups, my shoulders, chest, and arms shaking for the last ten. It was better than when I first got here, but not good enough. Xi had insisted that even the weakest adventurers could do 200 before they had to stop. I needed to get stronger, and because of the ability the goddess had fucked me with, I couldn¡¯t just let up early. I needed to just keep moving forward, and fight until I could stand tall with my classmates. I couldn¡¯t just let them leave me behind in the dust, even if it made my sweat blood and throw up! I roared and snatched up my blade, swinging at the tree again, viciously stabbing, slashing, and carving, creating gash after gash in its trunk.


    As I went through my drills, I let my mind wander as it always yearned to. We were about four days into the trip, so I had the feeling that we would start to get close to nearby settlements here soon. Cylkia had warned us from going into any towns, but that didn¡¯t mean that it wouldn¡¯t be safer once we got near them. Each town had its own adventurer guild and quest system right? So any nearby animals would likely be whittled down or decreased just because of that alone. Thank the gods really, because I was getting a little tired by all this high stress stuff. Maybe I could even sneak into one of the towns real early in the day and grab something from a bakery or butcher? That would be a nice treat for everyone¡­ and I did have some money from that first goblin I had killed. Besides, I¡¯d rather spend it on everyone else than keep it for myself anyways,


    I stepped over a branch and paused for a brief moment, cocking my head to the side, my sword freezing at my side for a moment. Hmm¡­ there had definitely been an echo there¡­ I narrowed my eyes after I didn¡¯t hear anything for a moment, and kept on walking forward, letting my sword casually hang by my side as I paused my drills. No¡­ I had definitely heard something. I had been much too busy drilling to really hear it, but this time though, I was more cautious. I made my way through the forest, my heart racing as I made sure to keep a watchful eye and ear out. My eyes darted around, my muscles tensed, and my ears strained, but still, I didn¡¯t hear anything. Just the normal boinging of the ewin¡¯s and a hoot from a night owl, but¡­ No, I definitely had heard something.


    I bared my teeth, and patiently waited, and after a long moment, I was finally awarded. From the dark forest, I heard a crack from a broken twig being stepped on, and my eyes darted towards it. Then a light thud from a footfall echoed from the same direction. There¡­ it was only one of them, thank the gods. Should I go warn the others? Or should I just handle it myself? I pursed my lips and tensed my muscles, my heart racing now that I knew for a fact what was going on.


    I was being followed, and it wasn¡¯t one of the others, it was a beast or a monster. And definitely not a small one. Yeah¡­ it was definitely something big, and something that definitely didn¡¯t want me to know it was there. I squeezed the handle of my sword and strained my eyes, struggling to seem relaxed still and not give away the fact that I had heard the creature or whatever it was that was tailing me. I focused my ears towards the sound, and strained every fiber and sense of my being outwards, trying to pick up that noise again. I knew that it was behind me, to my left, and I could tell it was slowly picking up its pace, but still trying to be discreet.


    I took a deep breath and tried to force myself to relax, at least on the outside. I couldn¡¯t just let the thing know that I knew it was there, I¡¯d need to act like normal. I relaxed my shoulders and whistled to myself, casually holding my blade at my side as I kept on walking, trying to look like I was just on a regular guard shift. The footfalls sped up, slowly getting close, but still, I didn¡¯t stop walking, my whole body screaming as I tried my best to put on a facade of ignorance for the creature. Calmly, patiently, I walked forward, waiting for it to get closer, and in the perfect range for a counterattack. My heart slammed in my chest, beating a million miles a minute as sweat coated my palms. I swallowed hard as they slightly shook as I held onto the blade''s handle, the blade itself rattling back and forth.


    The thuds slowed again, and I narrowed my eyes, grinding my teeth together as I realized it must be getting ready to strike finally. I would strike at it right as it got close, and make sure to activate sword slash halfway through the strike. Just like Xi had taught me to do. I¡¯d have to make sure to swipe diagonally, in order to try and ward it off while still getting the best defense out of the slash. After all, I knew functionally nothing about the beast, besides that it was trying to be stealthy and was relatively large. It was agony waiting, but I knew that it would all be worth it in the end. As Xi had drilled into me those first days, pounding the knowledge into me verbally and physically, the best surprise attack is when you can make the enemy think that you are the unsuspecting victim of their own surprise attack. The beast was good at stalking, whatever the hell it was, but since I had tagged it earlier, I knew it was coming. So when I heard the low growl, and then the crunch of the leaves as it prepared to pounce, I readied myself to strike back.


    I narrowed my eyes, and remembered my fight with the second goblin. I had failed then, taking too long to activate my skill, and because of that, I had almost died. I hadn¡¯t forgotten that, and while training, I had made sure to burn the ability to activate sword slash into my very body. As I heard the snarl of the beast, and the feel of its hot breath smacking into my back, I reached into the void. It hissed and bit at my attempts to take from it, but I growled back, snapping at it and causing it to reluctantly back off for a moment. I dug into the void and tore, demanding that it do what I wanted and gave me the strength to attack. It acquiesced, and my arms burned as if they had been pumped full of electricity, charging me up as I whipped around and brought my sword over and down. It arced around as I slashed horizontally, just like Xi had trained me to do.


    Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as my blade sliced down, cutting through the air until it impacted into the side of a giant furry beast. The darkness cast by the trees cloaked most of its features, but I still could hear it as it let out a loud, surprised yelp as it was knocked to the side. It slammed into the forest floor hard, but that barely seemed to affect it as it wriggled about and crawled to its feet, turning and snapping at me. I leaped backwards, trying to make room while also trying to force it into the moon light in order for me to see it better. It darted forward, snapping and swiping at me, rage rolling off of it as its glowing yellow eyes glared at me, forcing me to gulp as I had to look up to see them eye to eye. I slashed again, forcing it to leap back again, but not before the moonlight finally showed its true form to me.


    It looked like a wolf, but that was a massive understatement. I had seen a wolf before, at a sanctuary, and though I had been amazed by how large it was, it was nothing compared to this beast. It looked like a wolf, sure, but it was much, much larger. It loomed over me, its head easily being a foot or so over my head. Its shoulders were at my shoulder height, but it was much more filled out, its sides being at least a foot wider than my chest. I paled as it bared its long, yellow-white, dagger sharp teeth at me, the moonlight glinting off of them. I couldn¡¯t believe it¡­ it was a dire wolf, one of the ones Xi had warned us all about. The ones that they had told us we should avoid at all costs¡­ FUCK! These were by far one of the most dangerous beasts in the woods here, but it wasn¡¯t even because of their massive size, it was because of how they traveled in packs, just like the ones back home.


    I cursed under my breath, and began to slowly circle the beast, looking for an opening as it did the same to me. It was like we were mirrors of each other, though one side was a massive, calculating beast, and the other was but a small, scared, and young teenager. We both bared our teeth at each other, and eyed each other warily. I really needed to get back to the others quickly, but I had no clue if I was going to survive this. It was huge! And it didn¡¯t even look like it was that phased by my sword slash. Fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK! I needed to tell the others!


    I narrowed my eyes, and let my breath hiss through my teeth as I attacked the problem in my head. I needed it to make an opening for me, and the only way that was going to happen was if I could get it to attack. But not only that, I needed it to rush the attack. To attack without thinking, guided more out of instinct and emotion than that calculating intelligence I could see in its bright yellow eyes. I needed to¡­ haha¡­ yeah that¡¯d work.


    I took in a big, deep breath and then yelled at it, my voice cracking as I tried to taunt it, ¡°Oh come on you overgrown fur ball! What, are you the runt of the litter or something? My dog back home was scarier than you! And gods damn, your breath fucking stinks, you ever heard of mouth wash and dental hygiene!?¡±


    I don¡¯t know if it understood that, or if it just picked up on my tone, but it definitely did not like me yelling. It snarled and shook itself, seemingly gaining another foot as its hackles raised on its neck. I yelped as it crouched, and then pounced at me again, its dagger teeth flashing in the moonlight as it flew through the air. I focused on the void again, and roared at it, surprising it into submission as I stabbed into the dark and pulled, activating sword slash again and calling forth as much strength as I had. I gripped my sword with both hands, planted my feet in the ground, and swung my sword, activating sword slash before I even had started to swing, surprise tactics being thrown to the side in favor of pure, raw, power.


    I roared as I felt my arms alight with a burning flame, and I let my knees buckle, falling to the ground and twisting my slash upwards. As its massive maw snapped shut where my throat had been just a moment before, I couldn¡¯t help but grin as my blade rocketed through the air, biting into the edge of the beast''s neck with so much power I almost thought I¡¯d overestimated. But as the blade''s edge bit through the massive ruff of fur, it slashed into the flesh of the wolf¡¯s neck, and then cut straight through, barely encountering any resistance. As the dire wolf''s body continued forward, impacting into me and crushing me into the ground, red, hot, and wet blood exploded from its neck, coating me from head to toe.


    I gasped at the impact, all of the air in my lungs being knocked out of me as its form crushed me into the ground. It gurgled as it doubtless felt the gaping wound in its neck, but it wasn¡¯t dead yet, and now it had its target pinned. It bit its teeth down, tearing into my shoulder as its paws smacked into my exposed stomach, its sharp nails tearing into my gut. I screamed as I felt them tear through my shirt, and then dig into my skin, tearing across my stomach. My whole body shook, but I still gripped my sword, twisting it towards the wolf¡¯s neck and stabbing again, but without the power of my sword slash, it barely even pierced the wolf¡¯s hide.


    The wolf arced its back, and bit down even harder, shaking itself aggressively. I could feel the muscle fibers and cartilage in my shoulder shiver as the wolf tore, and I almost blacked out from the pain. But, somehow, the darkness rolled away, and I realized my other hand was still somehow holding onto the blade. I roared in pain, but managed to shakily turn it towards the beast again. I screamed, and locked eyes with the wolf, watching as the rage was suddenly replaced by pain and surprise as I drove the blade into the side of its neck, right below its skull. It wheezed, trying to drag in more air through its torn neck, but it all escaped out of the two gashes that I¡¯d just created. The surprise in its eyes slowly turned to respect, and then nothing as it slumped on top of me, its body going limp as the last of its life left it. The weight crushed the last bit of air out of my lungs, and my vision went black as the pain failed to keep me conscious for any longer. Then, my vision lit up with familiar words, and relief surged through me as I felt a wave of healing bliss and euphoria crash over me.


    LEVEL UP


    Name: ???


    Race: Human


    Level: Four (New!)


    Title: Wolf Slayer (New!)


    Abilities:


    Enduring Heart (INCOMPLETE)


    Skills:


    Sprint (Veteran)


    Sword Slash (Trainee)(New!)


    As I felt the rush of a level up I gasped, my vision filling back in for a brief second. I was still covered by that damn wolf, and with a roar, I pushed with every muscle I had, slowly shoving the heavy body off of me. The healing wave continued crashing through me, and I couldn''t help but grin as I felt that amazing sensation rush through my body again. Damn, I had missed that!


    I laughed and slowly got to my feet, stumbling as I did and falling onto a tree for support. I had other things to think about right now, and I needed to get back to the others, like now. I gritted my teeth and turned towards where my blade had fallen out of my hands, and scooped it up, surprised by how light it felt now. That must have been because of the level up¡­ Dam, I wish I could see how much stronger I got each time, but I guess knowing that didn''t matter right now. Right now, I just need to get back to the others. I growled, and reached into that void again, searching for that specific spot, and once I did, I pulled. My body revved as ¡®sprint¡¯ activated again and I stretched out my legs, dashing off into the woods, my eyes locked on where I knew the others were. I needed to get back, and fast. Once the pack really mobilized, I had no idea if the others would even have a chance of surviving, even with their strong skills.


    I dashed through the trees, slamming through the underbrush and knocking aside branch after branch as I flew through the forest. I had decided to ignore using any form of stealth in favor of just pure speed. Even if there were other wolves between me and the others, I¡¯d just have to risk it and try to outrun them.


    Fuck fuck fuck, I needed to go faster! I reached into that void and pulled again, and again, but nothing happened. No no no¡­ I can¡¯t just let you give up on me! I need to get faster! I growled and pulled again, but this time I felt the void rumble. It roiled and growled, and even I could feel that I had pissed it off. It amassed near where I was pulling and growled at me, shooting out and snapping at my attempts to get faster. I pulled back, just narrowly avoiding it and shook my head. Fucking shit, I guess I can¡¯t just rely on a sudden burst of speed from the void this time.


    I focused back on reality, my hearing full of the sound of my footfalls echoing through the forest, and the sound of my ragged breathing as I tried to drag in as much air as I could. Forcefully, I slammed through even the piles of leaves covering the floor, and snapped branch after branch as they smacked into my arms, chest, and even my face. I struggled to move faster and faster, knowing that I needed to get to the others as soon as I possibly could. Blood, sweat, and tears, none of that mattered. Even if my stomach and torn shoulder still screamed in agony, it didn¡¯t fucking matter. I didn¡¯t care, I couldn¡¯t care about any of that! My mind was focused on one thing, and one thing only! And that was getting back to the others in time!


    I headbutted a branch out of the way, and leaped over a boulder, dashing forward as a tear traced its way down my cheek at the impact. They would all still be fast asleep, and literally just sitting ducks if the wolves struck! But¡­ if I could get Kai and Sylphie awake, I knew we would stand a fighting chance. I hadn¡¯t seen them use their strongest spells, but I had seen the after effects of them practicing when I had still been training with Xi and the others. The trees made into a pile of cinders, and the sky full of smoke and ash. But they were also the weakest of us all. I needed to protect them, even if it cost my life!


    Fuck! I cursed and slammed my fist into the trunk of a tree as I was flying by, my eyes glaring in the distance. Of all the fucking things, dire wolves!? Really!? The only thing worse would have been a Dire Bear! And Xi said that it was hibernating for the next year or so, so that wasn¡¯t even a possibility! I shot a glare at the silent forest. No wonder it had been so quiet earlier today, the damn wolves must have scared away all of the wildlife! They must have been hunting us last night, marking out their prey. The animals in that section of the forest had known better than to hang out around us and become casualties, so they had all just evacuated.


    I roared, smacking aside a branch and sailing through the air as I suddenly exploded into a clearing, but¡­ something about it was familiar. My eyes dashed around, and then shock rocketed through me as I realized where I was. I¡¯d finally made it back to the clearing! Fuck yes!I dropped out of sprint, collapsing to me knees as I gasped for air and wildly looked around. Oh thank god! They were all still here!


    I let out a massive sigh and struggled to my feet, turning in a circle and yelling at the top of my voice, ¡°EVERYONE GET UP!!!! DIRE WOLF ATTACK!!!!¡±


    As I collapsed to my knees again, my energy spent, I couldn¡¯t help but smile as I heard everyone start moving. I really couldn¡¯t have asked for a better response. Sam and a couple of the others, who had already been partially awakened by me barging into the clearing, snapped up, blearily looking around and reaching for their weapons from where they laid. After a moment, Kai and Sylphie rushed to the center of the clearing, clutching their staves and scanning the forest around us, their eyes narrowed. Mason and Cyan jumped into the trees, vanishing quickly as they went to scan our immediate surroundings.


    Sam noticed where I was laying, and rushed up to me, her eyes worried, but alert, ¡°Dire wolves, Matt? Are you sure? Xi said that they don¡¯t normally hunt on this path, was it maybe a coy-¡± as she froze as her eyes finally rested on me, the moonlight falling over my features, ¡°Holy shit Matt¡­ Never mind that, did one ambush you? Are you okay? Here, let me heal you, that looks painful!¡±


    I shook my head and glared at the forest, gripping my sword tightly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, I¡¯ll be okay. You should save your spells for the others, I have a feeling we¡¯ll need them.¡±


    She sighed, and wrung out her hands, but nodded after a moment, ¡°... Fine, but when we make it through this, you¡¯re going to let me heal you, either you like it or not! Now, let''s get over to the others, and tell me everything that happened while you were on guard!¡±


    I chuckled weakly, and walked forward, trying to hide my wince as my stomach screamed at me again, ¡°While I was patrolling, I noticed that there was something stalking me, and that I wouldn¡¯t be able to just run away. So I lured it in, and attacked and killed it, though not before it managed to claw me pretty good.¡± Her eyes worriedly darted over to me, and I rushed on, trying to cut her off before she demanded to heal me again, ¡°But the level up from killing it healed me all up, so I¡¯m feeling fine now! After that, I rushed here so I could raise the alarm and wake everyone up! I¡¯m hoping that it was just some lone wolf, but if it was a scout¡­ then that means the rest of the pack is nearby, and we need to get out of here asap.¡±


    Sam cursed, and clenched her warmace tightly, her white knuckles standing out in the moonlight, ¡°Damn it all! Of course it¡¯s dire wolves! It¡¯s probably why the animals were so quiet earlier, the wolves had marked us as their prey! Damn it¡­ We¡¯ll just have to hold out till daylight or until they get tired, because there¡¯s no outrunning a dire wolf pack. Besides, that¡¯d just leave us ripe for the pickings¡­ Ugh, I think I remember Xi telling us that they dislike the sun¡­ maybe we can set the forest around us on fire if we need to.¡± Sam grumbled to herself, her eyes narrowing as she glanced around at the forest, her lips forming into a fine line, ¡°Damn it! Alright everybody, get ready for a long night! Diane, Sarah, and Matt let''s make sure to protect Kai and Sylphie! And you two, just make sure to burn them up if more than three rush us at a time, otherwise let the rest of us deal with them. Everyone, I¡¯m the only healer, so please try to make your wounds minimal!¡±


    We all nodded, all of the others fully awake now that we all knew that it wasn¡¯t a drill. We all formed up, circling around Kai and Sylphie and pointing our weapons out into the woods, silently staring as we white knuckled our weapons. I wasn¡¯t sure how we were all going to make it through this, but I wasn''t about to just roll over and die. I bared my teeth, and looked at the others. Sarah was on my right, Sam on my left, and Diane was behind us. Kai and Sylphie were standing together, and as I locked eyes with Sylphie, I faltered.


    For the first time since I¡¯d met her, I saw real fear in her eyes. She smiled at me, and I tried to confidently smile back at her, but as she took in my scratched up face and shirt and her face paled, I blushed. Damn it, I think I just worried her more than she had been before. Kai, on the other hand, was grinning, staring off into the woods, his eyes flashing about as he spun his staff with two hands. Oh gods¡­ I¡¯d have to keep an eye on him and make sure he didn¡¯t go and get abducted and dragged off by the wolves¡­ jeez.


    I shook my head and turned back to the woods, my hands tightening on my sword handle as I heard a rustle from the trees. That must have been Mason or Cyan. I knew that they were getting ready in the woods, silently setting up traps like Halfi had taught them, and patrolling so they could give us a heads up when the wolves finally got close enough. Though, as a piercing howl ripped through the night, I realized they might not have to warn us at all. As the forest lit up with bright yellow and green eyes, I swallowed hard. They were here.

 Chapter Eleven: Shattered Peace

    The first wolf that creeped into the clearing ended up getting an axe to the skull as Diane leaped forward faster than I could see. She lit up for a brief second afterward, and I smiled as I saw that brief explosion of elation light up her face. Even in the dire situation we were in, Sam laughed and clapped her on the back as she fell back into formation. I eyed the forest and swung my sword experimentally. She must have leveled up there, and that was great, but she must only be level two now, maybe level three. Xi had told us that even the weakest dire wolves usually sat at about level fifteen or so. It made the fact that I had managed to kill even one more impressive, but it also meant we were incredibly out of our league. I sighed and  sidled closer to Sarah. I was so lucky that I had been with them when the wolves had attacked. If I had followed my original plan and tried to storm through the wilderness on my own, I had no doubts in my mind that I¡¯d be dead by now.


    Almost as if to agree with me, another howl pierced through the air, sending a shiver down my spine, and reviving that ache in my shoulder and stomach. That must have been the command to attack, because I watched as more and more wolves walked out from the trees, slowly circling the clearing that we were in. I pursed my lips and eyed Sam, who gave me a confident nod. Well, at least she wasn¡¯t scared, because I was absolutely terrified! I¡¯d barely survived against one, what the hell was I going to do against all of these!? Fuuuuck!


    By the time they finally stopped funneling in, there were at least ten of them, slowly pacing around the edge of the clearing, their eyes all locked on us. We all nervously looked at each other, our hands shaking as we gripped our weapons tightly in our hands. This was definitely not good, if this was the first wave, then who knew how many were still in the forest waiting? I frowned and glanced at the forest. I could still see more eyes in there, and the sense of danger that emanated from it made my gut turn and twist. Fucking hell¡­ I eyed the wolves, waiting for the faintest sign that they were going to pounce. Then, I noticed it. A flick of the tail here, a shake of the head there, and a narrowing of the eyes. That had to be it, they had to be attacking soon! I turned to yell as Sam, but then the howl sounded again sending a heavy shiver racing down my back.


    Sam screamed behind me, shocking me from my stupor, ¡°They''re attacking! Kai, Sylphie, now!¡± Before I could even react, she grabbed me and Sarah and dropped to the ground, slamming us both down along with her. I tried to shrug her arm off, but froze as I heard a roar, and a wave of scalding heat scorched my back. Damn was that hot! Fuck me, no wonder Sam had throw us down! Though, it had definitely worked thank the gods! The smell of burnt flesh and fur slammed into my nostrils, and then loud yelps and whimpers rang across the clearing.


    Sam offered us both a hand and helped us to our feet, giving us both an apologetic smile, ¡° Sorry about that y¡¯all, but great job!¡± She turned to the others and clapped her hands together, ¡°Alright, let''s clean up the rest and then drop back into formation again!¡±


    We all cheered, and I flashed a grin at Sarah, who gave me one of her own. The four of us raced forward, charging the wolves, who were limping or blinded by the flames. I felt bad for the surprise attack, but I knew it was my life or theirs, and so, I readied my sword and reached into the void, grasping for that familiar source of power and demanding that it heed my call. My arms filled with strength, and I roared, bringing down the sword in an overhead strike. The wolf turned at the last moment, but it was far too late, and my blade crashed through its burned skin, and then through its neck, causing an explosion of blood. It fell over, its muscles clenching in its death throes, and I whipped around to attack the next one.


    This one had been able to shake off most of the effects of the fire wall that Kai had cast, and it growled as it turned towards me, its eyes locking on me and burning with white hot rage. I swallowed hard, but focused as much as I could, racing forward and watching for it to make its first move. I didn¡¯t even have to wait for long though, as the wolf roared, and charged straight at me as soon as its blinded eyes landed on me. Holy shit, the flame wave must have really pissed it off. I paled, but Xi had beaten into me exactly what I needed to do in a situation like this so many times, that I didn¡¯t even have to think about it as my body dropped, braced, and stabbed my blade forward. The wolf didn¡¯t even have the mind or time to slow down or stop, and it impaled itself on the sword, blood exploding and covering me. Its heavy body slammed into mine, and I grunted as I was knocked backwards. The wolf howled in pain and bit down, but the bite lacked any real power as the sudden blood loss caused it to black out, and then die, flopping on top of me.


    My breathing became heavy, and my heart raced at how close that had been to being another close call. Especially right after I had almost died in the exact same way because of the scout! I grunted, and slowly moved my hands underneath the beast and strained, trying to move the body off of me at all, but it was way too heavy. I groaned and took in a deep breath, and then shimmied to the side, slowly wriggling out from underneath it. I yelped as for a moment I felt its full weight rest on my back legs, but then I squirmed free. I crawled forward and my eyes  flashed around to check on the others. I could hear the sound of the others fighting, and the thump of arrows landing into the remaining wolves.


    I sighed and scooped up my sword, looking it up and down. It was still coated and covered by blood and guts. Damn, if Xi saw this I¡¯d hear such an earful from them¡­ ugh, I wiped off the edge on my shirt and then swung the blade around in my hands. I needed to go help the others, though I doubted that they¡¯d really need it. I turned to start walking back, but froze as I heard another howl. What the hell¡­ wait, no! My eyes widened and I whipped around, wildly slashing through the air with the blade, but before I could do anything I was flung back to the ground as a heavy body smashed into me.


    I grunted as I hit the ground, my sword being knocked from my hands. I struggled underneath the dire wolf that had pinned me to the ground, fear roiling through me as I felt its claws dig into my stomach. I screamed and desperately punched, kicked, and struggled, but it did nothing to the massive wolf as its maw drew closer and closer to my throat, and that same part of me as earlier belatedly wondered if this was really just the end. I heard the screams and cries of the others in the background, and as the superior weight and wild thrashing of the dire wolf brought its teeth closer to my face, I heard Sarah¡¯s scream cut through the night. Anger and worry pulsed through me, and I flexed my muscles, bringing up my legs and calling for every last bit of strength I had ever gained from running, and heaved one last time, kicking up and into the wolf''s stomach. The wolf yelped as I knocked the air out of it and it was flung off of me.


    I didn¡¯t waste a moment, and as adrenaline rushed through my body, I dashed to my blade, snatching it up and spinning around. As I turned, I gripped the handle with both of my hands strained, sending it flying through the air at the charging wolf. I screamed, and activated sword slash, slashing off the wolf''s paw as it leaped through the air at me. It howled in pain, falling to the side and limping a short distance away, rage in its eyes as they locked on me. It howled, and then leapt at me again, but I was too spent from calling up all of that strength, and it slammed into me, digging its teeth into my shoulder and biting down. I roared in pain, before I slammed into the tree that was behind me, and pain blossomed across my entire back. It ripped and tore at my shoulder, but it had made the fatal mistake of attacking my left shoulder. I laughed wildly, tears and blood coursing down my face, and I flipped my blade, pointing at its stomach and upwards, aiming for where I knew where its heart had to be. Darkness swarmed my vision, and I prayed to whatever gods or beings that were listening, and stabbed.


    It screamed in pain as the blade entered, thankfully letting go of my ruined shoulder and falling down. I fell with it, and with my twitching left arm, I weakly gripped the handle with my other hand, and screamed, stabbing it farther into its stomach. The wolves pained howls became louder and louder as it continued upwards, ripping through organ after organ in its search for the heart. The wolf weakly struggled, its peaks weakly scratching at me, and its howl became higher pitched, until it suddenly was cut off, as its lungs filled with blood.


    It went limp, the life leaving its body, and I fell to the side, my entire body screaming in agony. I don¡¯t know how long I laid there, gasping for air, but when I finally dragged myself to my feet, all I could think of was the others. I staggered to the side, and turned to the others, desperate to know if they were alive. My eyes darted to where we had decided our fallback position was, and I couldn¡¯t help but let out a long sigh of relief.


    They all looked to be okay, but they were still fighting off what seemed to be another wave of wolves that had attacked. Sarah and Diane were standing in front of Kai, fending off three dire wolves. They were taking turns darting forth and snapping at them, and Sarah and Diane responded in kind, slashing their axe and sword across to fend them off. I dropped to my knees and scrabbled in the dirt with my working arm. I grasped a rock, and staggered to my feet, stumbling closer and chucking the rocks at them from behind, my voice going ragged as I screamed. Damn it all, was this all I can do!? Just throw rocks at them and hope that it distracts them!? Fuck! I fell to my knees again and grasped for another rock, flinging it at each one at them, hoping that I would distract them, if even for a moment. Hoping that maybe I could give the others the chance to take down one of these overgrown hounds, but the wolves barely even reacted. They didn¡¯t even need to glance at me to know that I was easy prey now. That the real threat was in front of them.


    I desperately threw another rock and staggered to my feet. Kai must be close to running out of mana, otherwise he would have thrown out a spell, but as it was, he was just desperately stabbing with his staff. Sylphie was behind them, and was standing with Sam and Cyan, who had abandoned her stealth in order to fight melee with everyone. I sent a rock in the direction of the wolf that was attacking Sam, and smirked as it staggered in surprise, its eyes flashing around for a moment, which gave Cyan all the time she needed to flash forward and dig her dagger into its throat. Sam gave me a little wave before charging over to help Sarah and Diane, who had managed to kill one of the wolves and were just working on the other two.


    I staggered over to Sylphie and Cyan to check on them, but as they saw my arm,they both shook their heads and pointed at Sam. I sighed and rolled my eyes, but nodded and started stumbling over towards them. I couldn¡¯t see Mason, but I wasn¡¯t too worried about him. Every once in a while, an arrow would streak out of the trees and impact into a wolf, causing the ones that were stalking at the edge of the clearing to keep their distance. Good, good¡­ there was nothing any of us could have done if they decided to attack now. I staggered over to Sam, gritting my teeth and holding my shoulder. Thankfully it wasn''t my dominant arm, but it still pulsed in agony every step I took.


    Step after step was agony, but I ignored it until I finally made it back to the others, watching as Sam dashed forward and brought down her mace, braining the wolf in front of her. Cyan suddenly vanished, and then reappeared on top of the other wolf, driving her dagger into the side of its head, and twisting. The wolf let out a surprised yelp, and shook hard, sending Cyan flying through the air, but she landed on her heels nimbly, like a cat. It let out a choked grumble and staggered to the side before dropping to the floor, its death spasms sending blood everywhere. I gave them all a grim nod and turned to Sarah and Diane, readying my sword. It was for nothing though, as I realized that they were all dead by this point.


    ¡°Matt¡­ Matt! Oh my god is that blood? Are you okay!?¡± I grunted as I turned back around, watching as Sam ran up to me, shaking off the gore from her mace. Though as her eyes took in the absolute mess that was my shoulder, she dropped her mace to the side. Her eyebrows scrunched together, and she looked me up and down, before giving me a quick nod and darting forward, gently grasping my arm and looking it up and down. She carefully reached for my shirt, and pulled it to the side, so that she could see my shoulder and torn up stomach better. Her pursed lips and darting worried eyes were all I needed to see, and I let out a long sigh as the adrenaline wore off and the pain rushed forward instead. Made me almost wish that I was still fighting¡­ almost.


    Sarah jogged over and gasped, her hands going up to her face, ¡°Oh god! What happened to your shoulder!? Are you okay Matt?¡±


    I chuckled, and then winced as Sam started cleaning the area, pouring water on it and muttering under her breath, ¡°Ah I¡¯m fine, I just wasn¡¯t expecting that second rush from the wolves. Really caught me off guard, and had a bit of a close call with one of them. Damn thing bit my shoulder after I cut off its paw. Really wanted to eat me, eh? Though I made sure to repay the favor.¡±


    Sam slapped me lightly in the side and rolled her eyes, ¡°Oh shut up and stop moving! With how ridiculous this wound is, you¡¯re lucky that you¡¯re still conscious! You¡¯re a real idiot, you know that?¡± She let out a long sigh and rubbed her forehead, ¡°... but I¡¯m glad you¡¯re still with us. When the wolves attacked again, I wasn¡¯t sure where you went, but thank god you lived. Alright, I used one on Diane already, but I should have one or two more uses of heal left. No more hits like that okay? Stick with the rest of us.¡±


    I nodded and closed my eyes as I heard her start chanting under her breath. My skin shivered and shifted, and I felt as the pain suddenly spiked and twisted. I ground my teeth together and grunted, receiving another little smack from Sam, who didn¡¯t even look up at me. I sighed and let my eyes wander to the side. It was a really odd feeling, but not one that I hated necessarily. If I had to say, after the first spike of pain, it was almost¡­ itchy. I smirked and knocked my head back. Yeah, that was it. My skin felt itchy, and as I felt the fibers of my muscles stretching and pulling towards each other, I had to stop myself from squirming. I bit the inside of my mouth, and groaned as I felt my skin and muscles finally stitch themselves back together.


    Sam finished her chant, and took a step back, letting out a loud sigh. ¡°Sorry Matt, but you just gotta take it man. Better for me to heal it up with my magic now than for the wolves to come back and you have to try fending them off without an arm!¡±


    I nodded and flexed the arm, amazed at how good it felt now. I sighed and shook it, that was even better than a level up! Not even an ache or pain! I picked up my sword and turned towards the forest again. The others had just finished doing a quick check of the trees, and we all huddled up again, nodding at each other. Damn this was really going to be a long night.


    I made my way over to my original spot and gave a nod to Sarah, who flashed me a worried look. I gave her a smile and looked down at my shoulder again, seeing the flesh peek through the bloody opening in the shirt. I couldn¡¯t help but whistle at the scar that had been left. I guess it might not have been better than a level up heal, though I did feel better weirdly enough¡­ minus the euphoria. The wolf hadn¡¯t been able to rip off much flesh, but it looked like it had still ripped out a large bit of my flesh, leaving a large scar on my. I flexed my arm again as I went back to scanning the sea of wolf eyes in the forest. Cylkia had told us all that heal spells were not a cure all, but it was still really weird to see how much it could heal, but still be unable to fully heal¡­ I honestly wasn¡¯t exactly sure if I was ever going to be able to really understand magic.


    I spun my sword in my hand and grinned. Good thing I was more of a melee kind of guy, eh? Though¡­ As I looked out into the woods again, I narrowed my eyes at the eyes that were flashing about in the darkness. Something about these attacks was throwing me off. If they were just trying to kill all of us, then why hadn¡¯t they attacked yet? And even earlier, why had that scout attacked me? The way that it had silently snuck up on me, it could have easily picked off one of the others and ran off with the prize. Something about how the wolves were hunting¡­ Something about it just wasn¡¯t quite¡­ right. It seemed¡­ Familiar in a way, though I wasn''t sure why exactly.


    I sighed and shook my head, trying to bring myself out of my thoughts. I¡¯d have to think about that later, because right about now I bet¡­ another howl tore through the night and I smirked. Yeah, I had a feeling, but gods damn it! How many of these damn overgrown dogs were there? I swung my sword through the air and dropped into my stance. It was time to head into the frey again, though this time I¡¯d make sure to keep with the others. That last attack had been way too close for comfort¡­ though, hopefully, this would be the last attack we¡¯d need to weather before they decided that we weren¡¯t worth the spilled blood.


    I jogged in place, warming up my muscles and eyeing the others. They all looked unbelievably exhausted, and were warily eyeing the forest, and gripping their weapons. Even Diane, who had just been healed the same as me, looked like she was about to pass out. Each of them only gave me a brief nod before swinging their weapons and staring out into the forest, their eyes darting back and forth.


    A low growl shook the air, and one that I could feel even in my bones. I paled as this time, five wolves walked out, in contrast to the ten from earlier.  But these wolves were much larger than the first ones, and I had to crane my head up to see their entire head. They had to have been at least eight feet tall, and their paws were almost bigger than my chest. When they bared their teeth, they glinted in the moonlight, looking like chef knives. I grumbled underneath my breath and gripped my sword tighter. Oh fuck me, what was I going to do against that? They could just bite my head off if they wanted! Almost as if they could read my thoughts, they paced back and forth in front of us, their growls still rumbling through the air. Their eyes were full of intelligence, and as they looked each of us up and down, it was almost as if they were looking for something, conducting a test that none of us knew the questions or the answers for. The wolves began darting at us, snapping in the air before suddenly pulling back, their eyes still scanning us. I frowned and eyed them again. Something about it just seemed so¡­


    Sam cut off that train of thought, whispering out the side of her mouth as she stood behind Kai and Sylphie, watching our back, ¡°Kai, Sylphie, how many spells do you have left?¡±


    Kai swung his staff back and forth, his eyes locked on the wolves, ¡°I have one more flame wave, but I don''t know if that''s going to really be able to hurt any of them.¡±


    Sylphie''s eyes darted nervously between the wolves, and she nervously whispered, ¡°I have a firestrike and a flame flash left, they take a bit of time to activate though¡­¡±


    Sam curtly nodded and scanned the wolves, threateningly swinging her warmace, ¡°Alright, on the count of three I want you and Kai to start to cast your spells at the wolves. Sylphie, start chanting both of your casts, one after the other at the wolves on the right. Sarah, Diane, and Matt rush the wolves on the left after Kai¡¯s flame wave. I will guard Kai and Sylphie, and Cyan, just keep doing your vanishing act and helping out wherever you can see. Mason and I will back you both up out there. Just call for me if you need me to back you up, or if the wolves get too close. Got that?¡±


    We all nodded in agreement, and I took a deep breath and glared at the wolves as Sam began to slowly count down. Then, as she screamed now, we all dropped to the ground, right as Kai screamed and slashed his arm in an arc, sending out a wave of red and yellow searing hot flames. As the sound of the wolf¡¯s pained yelps rang through the air, Sarah, Diane, and I jumped up as fast as we could, dashing forward, and swinging our blades at the startled and blinded wolves. They were too busy dealing with the flame scorching their hides and blinding them that, like the first pack, we were able to pretty much run right up to them before they even noticed us.


    As Sarah and Diane dashed forward to attack the middle two wolves, I locked my eyes with the leftmost wolf, and then activated ¡®sprint¡¯ and dashed behind it, my breathing coming hard at the sudden exertion. Just like I had done with the goblin, I whipped around and planted my feet in a wide stance to strike. Thankfully, the massive wolf had bowed its head and was pawing at its eyes, and didn¡¯t even realize the danger it was in. I couldn¡¯t help but grin as I swung my sword, realizing that its neck was at the perfect height for me. I roared, and used all of the momentum from the movement, and then, just to add even more oomph to the strike, I dug into the void, and pulled. It grudgingly gave me the strength I was looking for, and sword slash was activated as I struck down, igniting my muscles with power as my sword sliced through the air like it was nothing. It was the perfect cut, and it would probably have killed most other beasts or monsters in that same situation. Unfortunately for me, this massive dire wolf wasn¡¯t like other monsters and beasts. Its ears perked at the noise, and as my sword flashed through the air, the wolf suddenly lunged. Not towards me, but to the side, just barely dodging my blade and causing me to yelp in surprise as I slashed through thin air. With all of the force that I had put into it, it sank into the earth, almost slicing off my foot as I yelped and fell to the side, thankfully ripping the blade out at the same time, as I rolled in the dirt, scraping my elbow.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    The wolf stumbled and growled, turning its head slowly around, its nose sniffing the air wildly. I paled as I realized that it looked like it was searching for me, but then I cocked my head to the side in confusion. But I was right here, why would it be looking¡­ Oh. I held my breath, but an inner sigh of relief rocked me when I saw its eyes. It had been blinded by Kai¡¯s flame wave, and its entire head and face had been scorched to hell. It really had no idea where I was, at least for right now. I just needed to just stay quiet and out of range while I caught my breath, and then get ready to strike again. It must have dodged out of pure instinct, which was fucking impressive as all hell¡­ Unfortunately for me, I still needed it dead though. I slowly paced behind it, dodging it as it snapped at the air, and trying my best to stay out of its line of ¡®sight¡¯. I swallowed hard, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Sylphie''s flamestrike crash down, lighting one of the other wolves that was stumbling on the right on fire. I shakily smiled as its howls ripped through the dark night air. Good, the others seemed okay too, and the wolves were going down one at a time¡­ but¡­ where was Mason? I hadn¡¯t seen one of his arrows flash through the air in a long time¡­


    I shook my head and crept on my feet, carefully stepping to the side of the wolf. I couldn¡¯t worry about Mason right now, I had to deal with this massive fuck, and then I¡¯d make sure to ask Cyan to go and check on him when we all fell back. I pursed my lips and eyed the massive Dire wolf again. Its hide was covered in past scars, and it had a deep set of scars gashed into its side, glinting silver in the moonlight. The wolf had stopped turning its head around, and was now just standing dead still, its head cocked to the side. Its nose flared, and its ears twitched as it tried to find some sound or scent to work with. Unfortunately for it, I was covered in dirt and grime, and the growling, roaring, and screams of the others covered all of the little noises I was making. And now that it was standing still, I could just stand still as I calmed my breathing and heart rate. Though, now that I had, I was free to sneak around, albeit carefully. I slowly tiptoed around to the wolf¡¯s other side, careful not to make any noise. As my eyes scanned for any weaknesses, I couldn¡¯t help but smile as I noticed it had a slight limp in one of its paws. I snuck closer, and patiently waited for the perfect moment to strike, my hands sweaty on my swords¡¯ handle.


    Then, as its foot crumpled as it stepped in an old rabbit hole, I dashed forward, getting as close as I dared before I reached into the unwilling void and activated sword slash again. Xi had taught me to use it halfway through the slash in order to throw off my opponent, but I didn¡¯t need to do that here. I activated it early, in order to gather more force before it impacted and to catch the wolf before it managed to dodge like last time. I couldn¡¯t help but laugh as it worked, and although it whipped around at the sound of me running forward, I still managed to catch it off guard, my blade arcing through the air and slicing into the side of its head. The wolf violently shook its head, and howled in pain as my blade was knocked to the side. Its blind half melted eyes turned to me and it roared, before it leaped at me now that it knew where I was for sure. I yelped and leaped to the side, just barely being grazed by its claws. I paled and slowly backed up, wincing as I felt the hot wetness of blood drip down my chest again. My eyes locked on it as I watched as it froze again, its head lifting into the air and its nose twitching again. I swallowed hard and tried to calm my nerves. It was fine, this was fine, everything was fine. All I had to do now was slowly circle around it again, and when the opportunity showed itself, I¡¯d just dash forward and slash its neck¡­ again¡­


    Almost in spite of the thought, the wolf''s head flashed around, and its scorched face locked on where I was backing away. With a loud howl, it dropped its head charged at me, its massive teeth gnashing the air. My heart stopped beating as I saw my life flash before my eyes. Oh fuck! How did it know¡­ where¡­ I was¡­ My face paled even more as I glanced down at my chest, and watched the stream of blood flow from the claw marks that had torn into my chest. Fuck me, it must have smelled the god damn blood! I glanced at the rapidly approaching wolf and screamed, reaching into the void and grasping, pulling on it to activate ¡®sprint¡¯ to give me whatever burst of speed I could get. I desperately tried to run to the side, but the wolf had locked on to me and the smell of my blood, and as I stumbled to the right, it followed me with almost pinpoint precision. Its massive body crashed into my side, and its jaws clamping down hard onto my wrist, slicing through flesh and sinew almost as if it was butter. I screamed and I wildly tried to stab it in the side with my free hand, but it was for nothing. The wolf didn¡¯t seem to care, and bit down harder, slashing through my tendons and then cracking into my bones. My hand exploded in pain, but I couldn¡¯t even try to move it as I heard the crunch of the wolves maw crushing down on my wrist. My body was wracked with screams as agony filled me, washing out every other sensation. Almost on autopilot, I desperately begged the void for help, and it amusedly responded, activating sword slash and filling my sword arm with power once more. My vision came back for a moment, and I roared, twisting my blade around and sending it flying through the air again towards the wolf''s skull, impacting with a wet squelch and punching right on through.


    It howled in pain, and shot back, releasing my mangled hand and ripping my sword out of my hand, cracking my shoulder at the sudden movement. I fell backwards, my head cracking into the earth as I screamed at the pain that was ripping through my body. I had thought being bitten by the wolf earlier had hurt, but this was ten times worse. Pain lanced up my arm, pulsing in time with my heartbeat, and I almost blacked out from the pain. I blearily cradled my hand to my chest as tears poured down my cheeks. What kind of rotten luck did I have? I was summoned to some world, rejected, and then dragged back again. I was given a useless set of skills and ability, and then when I finally felt like I had a chance to have a future, we got hounded by wolves and the damned mutts just didn¡¯t stop coming! The system didn¡¯t even recognize that I had a name! Gods, what the hell!


    LEVEL UP!


    Name: ???


    Race: Human


    Level: Five (NEW)


    Title: Wolf Slayer


    Abilities:


    Enduring Heart (INCOMPLETE)


    Skills:


    Sprint (Veteran)


    Sword Slash (Initiate)(New!)


    I gasped in surprise as the elation raced through my body, and sat up, looking down at myself as my chest and wrist were inundated with an amazingly warm and pleasant sensation. The pain was chased away, and I watched as the level up began healing up most of the injuries I had endured, but¡­ they weren¡¯t fixed. Or at least, not all of the way. I carefully flexed my wrist, and winced as I sat up. It still hurts like a bitch¡­ but¡­ It was attached, and I was alive at least. My eyes darted to the side as I looked at the others to see how they were doing, just in time to get slammed into by Sarah as she bear hugged me, lifting me up and swinging me around, tears running down her cheeks.


    I laughed as she set me down and pulled away from me after a moment, her eyes flashing over me worriedly, ¡°Matt! What the fuck, don¡¯t scare me like that! All I heard was you screaming, and when I turned to you, I saw a huge ass wolf backing off of your bloody body on the ground! The whole reason you came with us was so that you didn¡¯t go and get yourself killed! Agh!!!¡±


    She slapped at my now unharmed shoulder, and I couldn¡¯t help but weakly laugh, the elation still rocking through my body, ¡°Ow ow ow, you know both of these damned wolves have bitten at that exact same shoulder? Makes you wonder if it smells like candy to them or something¡­¡±


    Sarah shook her head and playfully shoved me, standing up and walking to the side as Cyan walked up and slapped me on my other shoulder, an amused look flashing through her eyes, ¡°Good shit racer, I saw the way you flipped the sword around and stabbed it into that wolf''s head.¡± She winked at me as Sarah huffed and looked at the forest, grumbling under her breath, Cyan laughed and leaned closer, ¡°Ya know, you should probably hang out by Kai and Sylphie for now though. Isn¡¯t that the second time you¡¯ve almost died to these damned mutts?¡±


    I sighed and rubbed my sore wrist, wincing as pain lanced through it, ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re probably right. I just¡­ I¡¯m just sick of being a burden to y¡¯all ya know? I know that I don¡¯t have any super strong abilities or skills, but I¡¯m still going to try to do my level best to help y¡¯all out ya know?¡±


    Sam sighed as she walked up to me and placed a hand on my shoulder, ¡°Matt, you¡¯ve already done so much, and besides, if it wasn¡¯t for you, we¡¯d all be dog chow right now. We just want us all to make it out of this alive, okay? Here, I¡¯ll fill in for your spot okay? Just make sure to keep an eye out for any of the bastards trying to flank us, I had to smite one that had snuck up earlier while you all were fighting off those five.¡± She sighed and shook her head, ¡°Alright, you should go and grab your weapon real quick before the wolves decide to attack again. Sarah, you go and back him up, the rest of you, take a swig of that potion that Baern gave each of us. We¡¯ll need as much strength, mana, and energy pools as we can get tonight.


    I frowned, but nodded, turning to watch as Sylphies flame flash burned a large hole into the side of the last wolf, and Diane dashed forward and slammed her axe into the beast''s skull. As elation flashed through her as she leveled up, I smiled. Oh thank the gods, at least everyone else looked okay at least. I grabbed my potion out of my bag and took a quick swig, grunting as I felt a hot rush of warmth explode through me, instantly waking me up. It was surprisingly similar to that one time that I¡¯d snuck a drink of my dad¡¯s whiskey, though I¡¯m pretty sure this shit burned more, and definitely didn¡¯t make me feel as good.


    I giggled to myself and shook my head, wobbling a little as I stood there. Holy shit, yeah no, this was wayyyyy better than some whisky. I giggled again, and slowly walked over to the wolf and picked up my sword from where it had fallen out in the wolf¡¯s death throes, forgetting to switch hands in my sudden happy dizziness. As my hand closed around the handle, pain shot up my arm and I let out a loud yelp as it twitched in agony. Fuck me! It might have been healed, but the pain was still there. What an absolute load of bullshit honestly.


    I carefully picked it up and turned, yelping again as Sarah dashed forward, placing her hands on either side of my shoulders and worriedly looking me up and down, again, ¡°Matt! Are you okay!? Oh god what is wrong with you! Are you sure that level up healed everything?¡±


    I winced as I felt my ribs creak as she gave me another bear hug. Damn she was fucking strong, ¡°I¡¯m alright Sarah, honestly. The level up heals the worst of the injuries, but it doesn¡¯t fix everything. My wrist just hurts is all. Once we get out of this mess, I¡¯ll ask Sam if she can use heal on it alright?¡±


    She released me and took a step back, looking me up and down, unbelief written all across her face, ¡°Matt, you¡¯re covered in blood, you really think I believe that you¡¯re okay? I can¡¯t believe you went and fought after you almost died from that first wolf, Sam¡¯s right you know? Either we all come out of this alive, or its not worth it.¡±


    I let out a long sigh, and forced a smile onto my face, brushing off her worries, ¡°It¡¯s fine Sarah¡­ but thank you for caring. More importantly, where¡¯s Mason? I feel like I haven¡¯t seen or heard from him in a while, during this last attack, I don¡¯t think I even saw an arrow or anything?¡±


    Sarah shook her head and glanced at Sam who was staring at the trees, worry evident on her face. I pursed my lips and made my way over to her as worry blossomed through my chest. That was not good¡­ and what the hell were the wolves doing now? Besides that last howl, the woods had been completely silent this whole time. I cast a worried look at the forest again, and even more worrying¡­ where was Mason? He hadn¡¯t come to check in like Cyan had, and hadn¡¯t even joined in the last fight.


    I sighed and eyed the forest again. Mason, where the hell were you? Kai and Sylphie were almost fundamentally useless now, since they had used all their spells and mana. They had maybe one or two casts left after they drank each of their energy potions. Sam was guzzling hers like it was water, while holding her hands over Sylphie, using one of her last healing spells. I guess I couldn¡¯t blame her, she was sporting a pretty nasty slash across her arm. I sighed and eyed Diane and Sarah, I¡¯m pretty sure both of them were down to maybe one or two more uses of their skills. Damn, I wish I could just transfer over all of my energy¡­ it''s not like I needed it more than them. And who knows how many more waves of wolves  we were going to have to deal with? We could last maybe one or two more waves, but I had my doubts that we would last the entire night if they decided to kill us all.


    I frowned and rubbed my wrist. Something about all of this still felt wrong. We couldn¡¯t be worth all of the dead wolves that they had suffered, right? We might have been injured a few times, but we had still managed to kill all of the wolves that had attacked each of these waves. Sure we were a bounty of fresh meat, but¡­ still! We had killed or scared off about sixteen of them now, there was no way in hell that they were okay with that much of a loss in their numbers! No, there had to be a reason we were being hunted. I frowned, and wracked my brains. I mean, they had been behaving a lot like the wolves back home, right? Maybe they were hunting like that too? I thought back to the wolves of earth, trying to remember anything that stood out to me. Back home, they also hunted much larger prey but¡­ they didn¡¯t go after the whole herd, or the healthiest, or even the strongest. They went after¡­ the weakest. The weakest link.


    Wait¡­ the weakest link¡­ My eyes widened as I heard the howl rip through the night air again. Everyone whipped towards the woods again, instantly falling back into position, but I was frozen as the realization rocked my entire existence. Slowly, I turned towards the woods, and watched as the woods lit up, the double moon''s light suddenly getting much stronger, shining down as I saw one of the shadows begin to walk closer and closer. My eyes widened as I realized there was something¡­ no, someone hanging from its mouth. My heart thudded in my chest, and as a wolf even larger than the others padded into the clearing, the light from the double moon lighting up what it had in its jaws, my heart felt like it was going to beat so hard that it was going to rip out of my chest. It was¡­


    ¡°MASON!!!¡± Sam took a step forward, slamming her foot down and snapping us all out of our shocked silence. Her rage oozed off of her in tangible waves, and even the massive dire wolf took a step backwards, probably not expecting the weak humans to be this strong. I bared my teeth and lifted my weapon, ready to run forward and kill the goddamn thing, but I was stopped as a flash of light exploded outwards from Sam, briefly blinding me and forcing me to take a step back.


    As the flash of light finally left, rage exploded in my chest as the wolf opened its jaws and dropped Mason''s limp body to the ground. I roared in rage as it placed a paw on Mason¡¯s chest, and then kicked him at us. The others around me yelled in protest, and Sylphie dropped to her knees, screaming as angry tears ran down her face. Its eyes scanned each of us, its tail flicking dismissively at each person. Then its eyes landed on me, a sick, twisted, pantomime of a smile stretching its lips. It cocked its head, and its eyes locked on mine, and I paled as I saw the twisted intelligence that was dancing there. It knew what it was doing, and it hadn¡¯t just come here for no reason. No, it was passing along an obvious message. All the rage, pain, and agony that had been flowing through me shriveled out as everything suddenly clicked. I knew what the wolves wanted at that moment, however brief it was. Wolves hunted in packs and would stalk and test their prey to figure out the weakest member of the pack. Then, they¡¯d push it out of the herd and pick it off at their pleasure. Hollow horror filled me, and amusement danced in the wolf¡¯s eyes as it saw the realization hit me. Out of all of us here¡­ the weakest member¡­ was me¡­


    Rage and sorrow filled me as I looked away from the wolf, indecision warring within my heart. I looked down at Mason¡¯s body, and gripped my sword tightly. I might not want to die, but Mason¡­ He didn¡¯t need to die¡­ He was just a casualty, all because I had ran back to the others, trying to warn them. They hadn¡¯t been marking us as a group, they had been marking me! When I killed the scout and ran back to the others, I had put them all in danger¡­ I¡¯d risked all of their lives because I was too weak. Always because I was too weak¡­ I should never have accepted Sarah¡¯s invitation to join them. If I hadn¡¯t, Mason would probably still be alive, and the others would be safe. The wolves would never have chosen to hunt them all down! Without me, everything would just be better for everyone.


    The massive wolf howled, and then turned and vanished into the shadows, its eyes never leaving mine. My eyes were locked on its retreating form, and I felt a boulder form in my stomach, crushing and leaving me feeling cold and weighed down. Then my eyes went down and realized that it had left Mason behind, probably as a message. A message not just to me, but to the others as well. If you kill ours, we kill yours, and I had no doubt in my mind that they were going to follow through with that threat. Even if they had to pick each of us off, one by one. They didn¡¯t even need to eat Mason now, they had all the time in the world.


    But the others didn¡¯t care about that, hell, I don¡¯t even think they had even realized it. All they cared about was Mason, and helping him. They didn¡¯t care about why the wolf had done that, or why we were all stuck in this situation. When they all saw that the wolf had left Mason¡¯s body behind, all of them rushed forward. Sylphie, Kai, Sarah, Diane, Cyan, and Sam, even though she still had an odd halo of light still shining around her. I followed behind them, numb with rage and despair, eyeing the forest as we all gathered around Mason¡¯s fallen body.


    Sam got there first, and dropped down, tears running down her cheeks as she placed her hands over his body and some of the light around her suffused around him. Diane took a look and turned to the forest, her face red with rage, and slashed her axe through the air viciously, leaving behind a red trail. Kai groaned and leaned on me, his eyes locked on Mason¡¯s still body. Sylphie dropped to her knees and took Mason¡¯s limp hand, tears streaming down her cheeks as she shook with silent sobs. Cyan, even though she was always so full of life, simply stared off into the forest, her eyes emotionless. I just lifelessly stood there, as if I was watching the events unfold from afar. It was all just my¡­ fault. My eyes darted over to where Sam was, and I belatedly watched as she started chanting, that same glow around her seeming to get brighter. Her hands passed over his body, and I sighed. Well, at least she was still trying, as little as she was going to be able to do. Cylkia had made it incredibly clear that healing spells could not revive the dead, even if you used the highest ranked one. I doubted any of us were really equipped to deal with burying a dead¡­ body. I guess we could bury him, though I doubted he would really want to be buried here, so far from home.


    I sighed and watched on, depression arcing through my body. Well, I guess that might have just been me talking for myself. I knew what I had to do, though I hated that I would have to. Man, fuck this¡­ I don¡¯t even know why I was complaining or thinking it over. Mason was dead, and it was all my fault. The wolf had just come to leave his body and show me that.


    Sara stumbled over to me and fell on my shoulder, knocking me out of my thoughts, ¡°Matt¡­ Mason is going to be okay right? He can¡¯t be dead, right? It¡¯s Mason, he can¡¯t be dead¡­ He was just laughing with us earlier today! He wanted to go to the beach with all of us¡­ He wanted to be a hero!¡±


    I hesitated, but wrapped my arm around her along with Kai, ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t think so Sarah¡­¡±


    I frowned and looked up at Sam, who¡¯s muttering had suddenly gotten louder, drowning me out. My jaw dropped as my eyes landed at her, and that glowing aura started shining even brighter. Thick beams of light began to shoot out from her body, lighting up the forest and the wolves stalking back and forth in it. We had all taken a step back, looking away from him as we all grieved, but as Sam¡¯s muttering turned into loud chanting, and the light show began, we all couldn¡¯t help but take a step forward and stare in amazement. Mason¡¯s blood soaked limp body began to twitch, and the pale skin began to slowly gain more and more color. I held my breath, hope passing through my body. The light that had been beaming from Sam, flowed from her to Mason, coalescing in a thick veil over his body. Sam, tears streaking down her face, finally stopped her chants, and fell backwards into Cyan¡¯s arms, who had real hope and joy in her eyes now. She gasped for air as she went limp, her eyes locked on the slowly dimming Mason. My eyes flicked back to Mason, and I watched him like a hawk, waiting for what I could only barely hope to happen. Then, I almost passed out as the light went away and I saw him awaken.


    Mason¡¯s eyes twitched, his foot spasmed, and then his hands clenched, before he shot up, shaking his head and choking and spitting out blood, ¡°Ah what¡­ What are you all doing? It looks like you¡¯ve all seen a ghost!¡±

 Chapter Twelve: Sacrifice Play

    As everyone rushed Mason, crowding around him and giving him hugs and slaps on the back, I cried. Oh thank the gods¡­ He hadn¡¯t died. Wait¡­ No. Mason had died. There was no way around that, I¡¯d seen the wound that massive Dire Wolf had left. There was no healing from that¡­ Unless¡­ I looked at Sam, who had an exhausted, but elated grin on her face.


    Ah¡­ I forgot the kind of world we were in. It was so similar to the video games I played back home. And just like in video games¡­ Sam must have been given a revival spell when she was brought here¡­ Haha, that lucky girl¡­ I wonder how rare that was¡­ I bet she¡¯d be incredibly rich if she could make use of that and show it off at the capital. I turned to Mason and sorrowfully smiled. He really did seem okay, and was already grumbling about how he had lost his bow in the forest.


    Good, good¡­ Mason didn¡¯t deserve to die for my mistakes. I pursed my lips, and shook my head hard, feeling the tears running down my cheeks. I mournfully stared out into the forest again. I knew what I needed to do, but I still wasn¡¯t sure if I was ready. To just¡­ throw away my life. It was a hard call for anyone to make, let alone a highschooler. I¡­ didn¡¯t know how I was going to be able to do it. I just knew that I had to. No one else deserved to die because of me.


    I wiped my arm across my face and chuckled. Oh what was I doing crying? At least I could do one good thing for them all. I thought back to home and sighed. I missed my brothers and sisters. I missed my mom. I missed my dad. Haha¡­ I never really thought that I¡¯d say that¡­ though, if I was being honest, I didn¡¯t really miss my old world. Even if I died here, at least I¡¯d had the most fun I¡¯d ever had. I smiled at Sarah, and everyone. I¡¯d even made some¡­ friends. Ha¡­ never thought I¡¯d say that either! I always played solo back home, and preferred to stay in my room and read if I got the chance.


    All those dreams of being the hero, all those dreams of soldiers fighting golems¡­ I¡¯d always tried to stay asleep so that I could be in a different world for as long as I possibly could be. But¡­ That¡¯s all they were ever going to be for me¡­ Dreams. I sighed, and glanced at Sarah, Diane, Kai, Sylphie, Cyan, Sam, and finally Mason. Mason¡­ he almost died because of me. Because I didn''t let them take me while I was on guard duty. No wonder the dire wolf had been stalking me back then, it must have been waiting for me to go on guard duty the whole time, it just didn¡¯t expect me to fight back!


    I sighed and glared at the forest. What good that had done for the others¡­ maybe it would have just been better if I let it kill me and take me away. That way, Mason wouldn¡¯t have had to go through the trauma of almost dying for real. I ground my teeth and gripped my sword tightly. I might not want to go die, but I needed to. I wasn¡¯t any special healer that could revive people, I couldn¡¯t vanish without a trace, or pin a bee to a tree with an arrow. I couldn¡¯t even cut a tree in half, or break a boulder with my bare fists. All I was really good at was running, and swinging a sword over and over. I laughed bitterly and cracked my knuckles. Yeah, I was good at running huh? No wonder this was happening¡­ It was like I was made for this choice. Just to run away and act as a distraction¡­ Fuck the gods, fuck the piece of shit that brought me here, and fuck these stupid fucking dire wolves! Agh, Fuck everything!


    I glared at the forest, my knuckles white around my sword. I might be an overgrown bait piece, but I was not about to just accept this. I wasn¡¯t just going to fucking die. I was going to go out like a firework, and I was taking down as many of those fucks as I could. I was going to be such a pain in their sides, that every single one of them was going to have to run after me, and all of my friends would be able to escape. Fuck that damn wolf, its eyes held a promise, that if it got me, it¡¯d leave everyone else alone. But I wasn¡¯t going to just accept that promise at face value! I was going to kill that fur ball if it was the last thing I did! That overgrown fuck had killed Mason! And the fact that it was going to kill me either way¡­ well I couldn¡¯t really try to argue with that. If I was going to be a bait, then I¡¯d have to be the best bait ever, and bait always ended up getting eaten at the end of the day.


    I turned and looked at Sam, who had managed to stand up finally, leaning on Cyan for support. It was a hard call I was making, but I got the feeling she would understand it. Of all the people here, she would know that I had to do it. That it was the one and only chance that we¡¯d have. I just knew that she¡¯d have noticed that look the wolf had sent my way, there¡¯s just no way that she hadn¡¯t. I waited until she finally managed to push off of Cyan and stand on her own two feet, but I should have known better. She was a natural leader, and as soon as she checked on Mason, she started giving out orders for everyone.


    She started telling everyone where they should stand, putting Mason and Cyan on the backburners to guard Sylphie and Kai along with me, and putting Diane and Sarah on the front lines. I chuckled and shook my head. Well, at least I could rest easy knowing they¡¯d be safe after I did this. Sam would keep them safe, I knew it.


    I beckoned to her, taking a few steps farther back as everyone erupted in a flurry of motion. She turned to me, her lips pursed in a thin line and her eyes still flashing over the forest. Though, when her eyes landed on my wrecked shoulder, and the way I was holding onto my wrist, a worried look came over her face, replacing the focused one. She hobbled over to me, her steps becoming more sure as she got closer. As she opened her mouth, probably to ask me if I was okay, I cut her off.


    ¡°Sam, look, both of us know we don''t have any choice. You saw that look the wolf gave me, you know how they hunt. They just want me, I should have done this earlier¡­ gods, Mason didn¡¯t deserve to die, hell, he shouldn¡¯t have even had to! ¡±I laughed and shook my head, ¡°No, thank you for letting me join the group, and I¡¯m sorry that I put you all in danger¡­¡±


    Sam stumbled forward and slapped her hands on my shoulder, ¡°Matt, what are you saying? Shut up, look, we are all getting out of this! Together! We almost just lost Mason, I am not losing you too!¡±


    I pursed my lips and glanced at the others, who were starting to give us looks now. Thankfully we must have been out of hearing range or I bet they would have been running over already. I let out a long sigh and took a long look at the forest before turning to Sam, a grim smile on my lips.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m not asking you Sam. I¡¯m doing this whether you like it or not, and even if the wolves didn¡¯t purposefully give that look, I¡¯ll at least be able to drag enough of them away that you all can make a break for it.¡± Sam opened her mouth to protest again, but I forged on, cutting her off, ¡°I¡¯d rather die than have any of you die because I was too much of a coward to accept the truth¡­ And besides, I have sprint, maybe I''ll be able to outrun them, eh?¡±


    Sam looked absolutely pissed by now, and I let out a yelp and jumped back as she swung her fist at me, ¡°What the fuck are you on Matt!? We are not sacrificing you! Get that through your thick brain, or I swear to god, I¡¯ll knock you out and defend you myself!¡±


    I dodged another punch and sighed as I noticed the others were running over now, ¡°Ah¡­ I had been hoping to avoid worrying everyone, but I guess I don¡¯t have much of a choice now¡­ Sam, look, I¡¯m sorry that it took me this long to tell you all, but in my bag, there¡¯s some col and gems. I¡­ I got them from some goblins I had killed the first night.¡± I let out a bitter laugh and shook my head as I continued to back up, ¡°Take them. You¡¯ll need them more than me anyways. And¡­ if you manage to get back home, let my family know that I loved them, huh?¡±


    I cracked my neck and reached into the void and activated sprint. Power surged through my legs and I dashed backwards, far out of Sam¡¯s reach. She screamed and yelled at me to come back, but I just laughed and eyed the forest before turning to her. Her eyes were such a nice blue, I wonder why I never noticed that? I looked to the others, and my eyes darted from Kai, Sylphie, Cyan, Diane, Mason, and then finally, on Sarah. Everyone else looked confused, worried and were screaming questions into the air, but she¡­ she just looked angry. She must have known what I had said to Sam, and as her eyes locked on mine, the rage in them shattered. She looked¡­ sad. Really, truly sad. It almost made me stop, but instead I just shook my head and gave her a final smile before I turned and dashed into the woods, the sound of their screams echoing behind me.


    Tears raced down my face and I angrily wiped them away, and roared into the night sky, ¡°Come and get me you fucking bunch of hounds!¡±


    I dodged around a tree, and grunted as I felt the branches tear across my skin and leave angry red marks. As my blood pooled from the cuts and began to leak down my body, I laughed crazily and ran even harder. I was glad that the smell of my blood was arcing through the air. I hoped that the smell would cause them to notice me even more, and as I leapt over another tree trunk, the sound I was hoping for ripped through the air. That same damned howl that had been tearing through the night this whole time, finally ringing again.


    I laughed, and screamed into the air again, turning it up one more time and feeling my legs slam into the ground as I flashed through the forest. I ducked branches and clambered over the rocks, My eyes flashing towards every shadow I could see. And then¡­ I watched as the shadows all around me shifted, I slammed my fist into a tree and swung the blade across a branch that got in my way. Good. My hunch was correct at least. They really were after me, but I had to make sure I got as far away as possible. So I could really give everyone a real chance to get away.


    I flew around another tree, and heard another howl nearby, closer than it should have been. Answering howls and barks came from behind me and to the sides, and I cursed. Fuck me, I should have known they were fast, but a part of me had still been hoping that I could maybe outrun them. Actually pull off that wild escape that I had been lying about to Sam¡­ Ha, now how funny would that have been? Actually tracking them down and showing up after they had realized I was as good as dead, or maybe even better, meeting them back at Cylkia¡¯s when they showed up in a month?


    I laughed as I raced through the forest, and slammed my fist into a tree trunk. Well what the fuck was I expecting anyways? I knew where this road led as soon as I saw the look that wolf had given me. I was just bait, right? Haha¡­ and what happens to bait?


    I roared into the night as I heard more howls echo through the air, ¡°Bait gets fucking eaten!¡±


    I giggled and laughed as I ran around. I ducked under branches, leaped over small creeks, dodged around tree after tree after tree, but¡­ still. Still I heard them. As I flashed over a creek, still I heard that piercing howl. As I raced into another part of the forest, still I felt their hot breath on my neck, hungering for my flesh. Stil, still, still¡­ I just couldn¡¯t get away fast enough¡­


    I raced faster and faster, my breath coming out in huge clouds of hot air, my legs on fire and my lungs on the verge of collapsing. I ran and ran, pushing myself harder every time I thought I couldn''t push any more. Malxonus¡­ that was the name of the one that had fucked me and my classmates over. That damn goddess. I don''t know if there was an Afterlife here or not, but I was flashing towards it at record time. And when I got there? I was going to find that damned goddess and throttle her! Sprint? Enduring Heart? Really!? That''s the best she could do? And then this happens? A pack of Die wolves that wanted specifically me!? Fucking shit goddess!


    I roared and kicked a rock, sending it flying through the air so fast that it snapped a branch off of a tree. Then a chilling thought that had been eating at the corner of my mind suddenly became colder and colder, until it pierced my heart. This is what Malxonus wanted. The sacrifice. The first to die. The one that pushed the¡­ heroes to be better and fight stronger. It was me. Fuck it was me. The wolves weren¡¯t hunting like back home, I was just getting in my head. They weren¡¯t tracking me because I was the weakest. They weren¡¯t following me right now because I was the weakest. They didn''t want to kill Mason and leave his body at our feet because I was the weakest. They were doing this because the goddess had ordered them to kill me.


    I felt tears race down my face and I laughed, feeling my legs finally starting to shake and give out. I fell to my knees and laughed as I heard the wolves howling shake the forest trees. That was it huh? I laughed even harder, my entire body being shaken as I got up on one knee and turned my head up to the double moon with a wide grin on my face. My story ends here. Nothing I could do about that huh? Might as well just roll over and die¡­ I wonder if they''d remember me when they were saving this god forsaken world? I shook my head and chuckled. Nah¡­ I was just a footnote in their stories. Just the first to die, right? A side character. I laughed wildly and stumbled to my feet, before slowly turning around. I could still hear those damned wolves, and I knew what I wanted to do before I went out. I¡¯d made a promise after all huh?


    I gripped my sword in my working hand, and slashed it at the forest, which was alight with green eyes, ¡°Alright you damn fucking hounds, where¡¯s the big guy!?¡±


    A deep, but still loud growl rumbled through the air, and vibrated my very bones, making me pause. I swallowed hard and watched as massive Dire wolf after massive Dire wolf stepped out of the forest. Ha¡­ Haha! I laughed and shook my head. I was surrounded¡­ though I guess I hadn¡¯t expected anything otherwise, I was still pretty surprised by how many had come after me. Though that did make me happy knowing that they weren¡¯t chasing after the others. I tightly gripped my sword blade and glared at them all. Either way, I was getting my blood payment. I bared my teeth at the wolves around me, and laughed again.


    An answering growl came from the forest, and that same wolf that had dropped Mason walked into view. It had that same cold, rage filled gaze, and there was still that same burning intelligence there. It walked between the wolves that were circling me, and bared its teeth at me, making a huffing noise in its throat. Fucking bitch was laughing at me¡­ I grinned at that, and then began laughing as well. I mean, why wouldn''t it? I would laugh too if a chicken pointed a stick at me. I was just its next meal, nothing more nothing less.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    I cracked my neck and dropped into a fighting stance, grinning as widely as I could, ¡°Fight me you tool! I bet the goddess wants you to rip me to shreds eh? WELL THEN COME ON AND FIGHT ME!¡±


    With that, I charged forward and swung my sword, activating sword slash halfway through. It sliced through the air, and I poured in every bit of strength I could, straining every single one of my muscles, my torn shoulder screaming in agony. As I watched it crash into the unmoving wolf''s hide it¡­ ricocheted, bouncing off of it. I stumbled back, shocked and horrified as I looked down at my trembling hands. No¡­ no way¡­ I couldn¡¯t even slash this damn hound!?


    It made that same huffing noise again, laughing at my attempt. It shook itself and mockingly eyed my sword before it stalked forward and almost contemptuously paced around me. I turned with it, and dashed forward and slashed at its neck, but the wolf didn¡¯t even try to dodge. It just casually took it and  slashed its paw across my chest, its nails slashing through my skin like it was butter. I grunted in shock and stumbled back as I felt blood pour down my chest. As I looked down and saw my chest covered in red, something cracked in me and I roared jumped forward, activating sword slash and striking the dire wolf, over, and over, and over again. Each one bounced off of its hide, and I screamed in rage, my vision turning red as I poured all of my strength into each strike. The wolf just kept slicing me, slashing me, and glaring at me with cold contempt.


    I coughed up blood, and stumbled, dropping my blade and feeling dizzy as the blood loss finally up to me. The wolf contemptuously walked forward and picked up the blade and shook its head twice before letting go and sending it flying through the air. It was comical watching it go flying into the forest, and I let out a choked giggle. The wolf made the same huffing noise as it glanced back at me, slowly pacing around me. Haha¡­ it was hilarious wasn¡¯t it? I was dying¡­ and all that damn wolf could do was laugh at me and my suffering. Haha¡­ I started laughing, having to pause as I coughed up blood, but still chuckling. I couldn''t stop myself. I laughed even harder as I fell to my knees, pain and agony ripping through my body. I tried to move, even a little bit, but my body screamed in protest. Pain rocketed through my body, which made me laugh even more, and I fell backwards onto my back. I wish I could just pass out from the pain already, but damn was this hilarious.


    Belatedly, I looked up in the trees, and blinked in surprise. Wait¡­ Halfi? I stared harder at the trees, wondering if I was going insane. He had left with Cylkia and them that last day¡­ I''d watched him leave. There was no way. Was he here the whole time? My eyes were stuck on his shadow, hope beginning to blossom in my chest. Maybe Cylkia was nearby? Could she heal me? Halfi could defeat all these wolves, he''d told us all that he was unbelievably strong¡­ I had a chance! I was saved right?


    I locked eyes with him finally, and mouthed to him, ¡®help me¡­ please¡­¡¯. As his eyes met mine, surprise flashed across his face, and then he grinned. I grunted and slowly, agonizingly, raised my hand towards him. That grin only widened, and he cocked his head to the side, before he slowly raised his finger to his lips. Desperation and confusion pulsed through me, and I struggled to move again, but he just shook his head side to side. What¡­ What was he doing?


    As I still struggled to move, I watched as Halfi stood up from the branch he was balancing on, and after cracking his neck from side to side, dropped down. He flashed through the air, but somehow still silently touched down next to me. Instantly, every single wolf nearby switched their attention to him and began growling. Even that same super massive wolf took a step backwards and lashed its tail from side to side. Halfi didn''t even move, but suddenly I felt a massive force of pressure crash down on me. I gasped, feeling my ribs crack under the intense pressure. I couldn¡¯t even scream, and I cast a glare at Halfi. Fucking shit this hurts! Tears rolled down my face unbidden, and I saw that even that massive dire wolf was struggling to move, though it had somehow not fallen to the ground yet. Halfi chuckled and turned to me, looking me up and down.


    He pulled a cigar out of nowhere and lit a match on his stubble, using that to light it before taking a long drag and crouching down and blowing a ring of smoke in my face, ¡°Ah, I see¡­ The wolves singled you out, but you must have been with the others. So instead of risking their lives, you ran away and sacrificed yourself in the hopes of dragging them away, eh?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t even respond, as my lungs were slowly being squeezed of every last bit of air. I struggled to move, but I just felt my bones creak and my blood boil. Holy fucking shit¡­ the least he could do was let up on the pressure somewhat¡­ I looked up at him, my eyes pleading with him. He just pulled in another drag and shook his head. He straightened out and let out a sigh, before reaching into his jacket and procuring a knife, which he used to clean under his fingernails disinterestedly.


    He flicked the cigar end and sliced off the very end with an effortless flick of the same knife, ¡°Good for you kid. You know, I¡¯m sure the goddess appreciates it and all. After all, she obviously had some plans in mind for those kids. I mean, that girl''s shadow walk? The boy''s archery skills? And from what Cylkia tells me, your leader, hmmm¡­ What was her name? Ah Sam. That''s right. She has a revival spell. Countries would pay her a fortune just for her to be a healer for them! Not even taking into account the heads she¡¯ll make roll as a paladin¡­ Ha! You though? Ha!¡± Halfi leaned his head back and laughed boisterously, slapping his knee and looking back at me. ¡°No. You don''t have a future here kid. Cylkia thinks the same thing , and you know, I bet the goddess thinks the same thing! Cylkia actually sent me out here to keep an eye on you kids. Snuck off after we parted ways and have been keeping an eye on each of your groups. I was busy chasing off a war troll that was attacking Ashtons team, so I didn¡¯t even catch the dire wolf pack stalking you all until now. Though to be fair, I never would have thought that you would attract the attention of the entire Dire wolf pack! Haha¡­ what rotten luck you have eh? Though, I guess I should thank you for sacrificing yourself¡­ Hmm¡­ How about this? I''ll leave you with a knife so you can end your suffering on your own terms eh? Cylkia made it very clear to me that I wasn''t allowed to help you out. Waste of energy, you know?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t say anything, my confusion slowly turning to rage as my vision started to darken. That¡­ that fucking bitch! With the last of my breath I forced out what were probably my last words on this godforsaken planet, ¡°Go¡­ Fuck¡­ Yourself¡­¡±


    Halfi laughed and spun the knife in his hand, before tossing it by my hand, ¡°Oh I like your spunk kid. Real shame that you¡¯re a reject, I bet you could¡¯ve been a great squire lugging around all their shit. Oh well, I¡¯ll let the others know you died valiantly, eh?¡±


    With that, he snapped his fingers and suddenly vanished into thin air, leaving behind only the sound of his mocking laughter in the cold night air. After a moment, I felt the crushing pressure vanish and I drug in a deep, gasping breath, coughing up more blood. That damned bitch! I screamed into the forest and forced myself to stand, my rage fueling my moments. My chest was alight with pain, my shoulder felt like it was holding on by shreds, and I had lord knows how many broken bones. My body had been torn to shreds, I had no sword, and I was surrounded by a pack of very angry Dire Wolves that had just been freed from Halfi¡¯s tyrannical pressure. Was there even a way I was going to be able to get free of this? What point was there in getting free of this clearing, the rest of the pack had already shown that they could track me down. What else could I do but die? I eyed the dagger and pursed my lips. Was that really the only option I had left?


    I turned and glared at that massive Dire Wolf. It was still just standing there, its head cocked as it tried to decide if they were safe or not. I shook my head and cracked my knuckles. No, it wasn¡¯t necessarily the only option I had left. I definitely wasn¡¯t going to get out of this. I obviously wasn''t going to see my family or classmates again. I was never going to see the ending to my dreams, and I wasn''t even going to ever get stronger! But¡­ I smirked at the wolves and picked up the knife Halfi had left me. I definitely wasn¡¯t going to die without a bang.


    I raised my shaking arm, and pointed the dagger at the forest, screaming out at the world, ¡°You just going to wait all day? FIGHT ME YOU COWARDS!¡±


    The lead wolf paused in its scanning and glared at me, rage roiling in its eyes. It let out a loud howl and charged forward, moving so fast that I could barely see it. It ducked its head and crashed into my side, but I was ready. I roared and wrapped my arms around its neck and squeezed. It didn¡¯t budge, and I squeezed even harder, rage fueling my movements. I crushed and strained and struggled, but all I felt was the wolf''s teeth digging into me, biting down and tearing through my flesh like it was paper mache.


    I screamed, feeling agony and pain once again rip through every cell of my body. The wolf bit me again and again, ripping into my chest, and I laughed. I had no idea how I was still aware, or conscious, but I was glad. I had a promise to keep after all¡­ I squeezed, and with my free arm I raised the knife over the wolf''s head. It was so focused on tearing into me that it didn¡¯t even notice, and I drug up all my strength once again, a grin coming over my face. Enduring Heart really was doing some real work keeping me moving and alive¡­ ha¡­ I guess it was good for something in the end, huh? I brought the knife down, and stabbed it into the back of the wolf¡¯s skull. It didn¡¯t even break the skin, but I saw the wolf flinch from the impact. Good¡­ good! I stabbed down over and over as the wolf buckled and squirmed, trying to throw me off of it. I squeezed even harder, feeling my muscles rip and scream, but demanding more strength from them. Mercilessly, I struck. Mercilessly I pierced. Mercilessly, I fought!


    Skill learned!


    Pierce (Initiate)


    I smirked as the image popped in front of my eyes. Pierce, huh? Well it was about damn time! I roared and reached into the void, which eagerly twined around my demand. Without even asking, it gave me the strength that I wanted, and my arm filled with strength. The wolf bucked and kicked, perhaps sensing what was coming, but I was latched on much too hard now. As the muscles in my arms and shoulders screamed for mercy, I pushed them even harder, and slowly, I raised the knife over the back of its neck and allowed the power to take over.


    Faster than I could have ever expected, the knife stabbed down, propelled by my screaming muscles and finally slashing through that damned hide of its. It howled and bucked and ran around the clearing, but I didn¡¯t stop. I screamed and reached into the void and it eagerly supplied my demand, and my arms filled with power as the knife flashed down again. And then again. And again, and again, and again. I stabbed the blade down, over and over. My face locked in a feral grin as blood spun through the air.


    As I laughed and stabbed, I lost track of the time. It could have been seconds, it could have been days. I didn¡¯t know, and I didn¡¯t care. All I cared about was just that one part of the wolf¡¯s neck as it bucked and bashed me around in the clearing. All I cared about was piercing through it, and tearing into the flesh and bone behind. Part of me realized that pretty much every bone in my body was broken, minus my arms and head. Part of me wondered how I was still alive. However, both those little parts were drowned out by the overwhelming rage that was filling every fiber of my being. It lit my senses on fire, and dulled every other thing that was screaming for my attention. I was locked into that one spot on the damn wolf¡¯s neck, and I brought down that dagger again, my rage fueling me and giving me the energy to keep on going. I was sure of just one thing. This wolf was going to die.


    Then, almost as if it never happened, almost as if all I knew was a dream, I felt the bucking slow down. The howls that were ringing in the background went silent. I frowned as I realized I wasn¡¯t even moving anymore. I felt the great beast stop, stagger and then fall over, crushing me under its massive body. I coughed up more of my blood, and stabbed the knife down one more time, really twisting it around in the wound I had created at its neck. Damn wolf¡­ damn dead wolf¡­


    I flinched as I felt all my senses come alive as a bright light lit up in front of me, blinding me. I shut my eyes and growled, but nothing happened immediately. After a moment, I slowly opened my eyes and grunted in surprise when I saw that my status window had appeared.


    LEVEL UP!!!


    LEVEL UP!!!


    ABILITY COMPLETE!


    WOULD USER LIKE TO EVOLVE?


    Name: ???


    Race: Human


    Level: Seven (NEW)


    Title: Wolf Slayer


    Abilities:


    Enduring Heart (COMPLETE!)


    Skills:


    Sprint (Veteran)


    Sword Slash (Initiate)


    Pierce (Initiate)(New!)


    I frowned and stared at the window, considering it for a moment as I fell to the side of the wolf. What the hell? Why didn¡¯t I feel any of the healing euphoria if- All of that was cut off as I heard a loud crack, and with a wild swirl of pain, agony, and euphoria, suddenly I felt my body explode with sensations. As I screamed and blacked out, a dim part of me realized that my spine must have snapped, and cut off all my feeling below my waist¡­ No wonder I hadn¡¯t felt any of the euphoria, and the healing energy, putting my broken body together¡­


    My eyes shot open, and I gasped, sitting up so fast that my vision blacked out for a brief moment. Then the pain screamed through my body and I groaned and fell backwards. I must not have been out for long if my body was still regenerating from some of the damage I had incurred. I sighed and shakily looked down at my legs, not knowing what to expect, but prepared for the worst. As my eyes landed on them, my face paled as all I saw was a bloody red mess. Oh gods¡­ Even with the two level ups, I was barely being held together. The damn wolf must have been grinding me along the ground for hours¡­


    I groaned and looked around at the woods, listening to the growls of the other dire wolves as the shadows stretched longer as they got closer. I had killed their pack leader after all, they probably wanted revenge. I ground my teeth together and looked back down at my bloody body. Well¡­ I guess there was nothing better to do. The level ups had saved my life, but I could still feel every shattered bone in my body. My lungs were full of glass, my legs were so broken I was pretty sure I was never going to walk again, and that was if I ever was going to be able to feel them again! The wolf had shattered my spinal cord, back then, and as I struggled to move my legs, I watched as they just stayed still and frowned. I could feel down to my waist now, which was why I was currently in agonizing pain, but below that was still dead numb.


    I groaned and spat a wad of blood to the side. Frankly that was probably the only reason I was able to think¡­ Haha¡­ lucky me, eh? I let out a long sigh, and reached into the void again and searched for my status again. Hadn¡¯t it said something about evolving? At this point, I had no other options¡­ Might as well see what that does, right? A howl echoed through the night air, and I desperately pushed on the status screen, feeling and saying yes to its question. As I felt the void rumble and roar, I swallowed hard. It was expanding from where it was inside of me, and as it grew, it consumed everything that it came into contact with. It devoured and took in everything until all that was left was my mind, and my rapidly darkening vision. Fear roiled through what was left of me, and I screamed into the cold, night air as the darkness took over.

 Chapter Thirteen: Unending Vitality

    The void swirled and groaned around me, and I yelped as I was thrown back and forth, upside down, in a spiral, and then spun like a top. My stomach dropped and I may or may not have thrown up several times, though I would deny it if any one ever asked. The only plus side of it all was that for some reason, all my injuries had interestingly been healed up, and I found that I could use my arms and legs normally. Though, it didn¡¯t really do me any good in the mass expanse of nothingness that I was being tossed around in. I groaned as I was spun for the fifth time, and glared at the dark void that had surrounded me. I opened my mouth to say something, but then I felt a force suddenly impact into my gut, and I coughed up blood. What the fuck!?


    I got my breathing back to control and screamed at the top of my lungs, ¡°Would ya fucking stop, for FIVE MINUTES!?¡±


    Almost in reply, all the void around me slowly faded into a blur, and I felt that dark expanse in my mind return, coiling up like a sleeping python. My dazed eyes finally took in my surroundings and I watched as that fading darkness was slowly replaced by a world of greens and browns. I groaned and sat up, confused as all the pain from getting tossed around by the void suddenly vanished and I found that I could still move my hands and legs. I frowned and focused on the blurry browns and greens, which suddenly popped into focus. I was standing in what looked like the exact same forest that I had just been in, but there were no wolves, and the sun shined brightly above me. I frowned and reached out my hand to brush up against a nearby tree¡¯s trunk, but suddenly a massive shudder shook everything around me and I was thrown to the right. I yelped and struggled onto my feet, but right as I managed to get up, my entire surroundings suddenly twisted and warped again.


    My jaw dropped as a series of ginormous trees exploded through the ground near me, crashing through the small and thin forest trees that had been there and replacing them powerfully. I stumbled back, but the hard earth that had been below my feet suddenly became soft and cushioned, with thick dark green grass sprouting from seemingly nowhere and covering everything in sight. Vines crept out of seemingly nowhere, and they grew and wrapped themselves around the trees, rocks, and most of the vegetation. I watched in amazement at the new wilderness that was suddenly coming to life around me, and whistled in shock as I heard a loud cry and watched as a massive fiery red bird flashed overhead, a trail of cinders and flames being left behind it.


    The trees bent and bowed, and I watched as an absolutely massive beast walked forward, its head reaching up into the upper branches and devouring the uppermost leaves. It had a wide body, and it had five rings of limbs running down its necks, each of them made of hardened bone spines that arched backwards and gripped at each nearby tree. To my left, a six eyed and armed beast exploded out of the ground, its massive shovel-like limbs lifting it up out of the ground as its maw gnashed the air. It roared, and a pitch black oil exploded from its mouth and crashed into a tree, hissing and dissolving all that it came into contact with. Another beast roared, its massive maw splitting into six different jaws, and breathing dark green flames that caused the surroundings to suddenly explode with life and grow. Its entire self was covered in dark green scales, and there were ten pairs of scaled tendrils that stabbed into its surroundings and drug it along. A massive dark purple and blue spider-like creature materialized out of thin air, and faster than I could see, created a huge spider web that it rested on, each of its legs twitching in the air as it waved them around, a miasma spreading through the air and dragging into invisibility once more. I shivered in fear, swallowing hard as I realized that I could see more and more monsters and beasts moving in the distance. Fuck¡­ I hope none of them notice me¡­ I started to edge away, my eyes nervously flashing between where I had last seen the spider, and the other beasts, but I was forced to look away as the wilderness shook and rumbled again.


    A loud thwoom pierced through the rumbles and shaking, and I turned just in time to see a wall of water roar through the new forest, carving its way across the verdant ground, and separating me from where the other beasts still wandered. I sighed in relief as a loud thrum echoed through the air, and a great tree rose from the forest floor, its massive trunk and limbs dwarfing the other trees. My mouth dropped as I leaned my head back and took it in. Its limbs arched over everything, and provided a great deal of shade underneath it, even the beasts on the other side of the river. I was cast in sudden darkness and my eyes struggled to adjust as the world rumbled once more. Out of the branches, there came a groan, and then a white hot crack of lightning struck from the top branches and split the darkness with light, briefly blinding me once more. The lightning arced through the air and crashed into its base, cracking and singing the bark and even the core of the tree itself, igniting it with angry hot flames. The flames raged within the crack, and slowly it was widened, spreading itself wide open. Slowly it revealed something that was inside, its form indistinct because of the still raging fire and smoke. But as I watched, the flames petered out and died, revealing a creature, lounging on what looked like a throne made of vines, tree branches, bright flowers, leaves, and¡­ bones.


    My mouth went dry as I took in the creature upon the throne. Its form shifted and changed, the entirety of it never exactly settling on one shape for long. One second it was a thick snake, its bright green eyes flashing through the smoke as it coiled around the throne. Then it shifted into a great bear, its massive arms covered in razor sharp spines. and its jaw made of an alligator''s maw. Then the next moment it turned into a delicate but proud avian, its four pairs of colorful wings elegantly outstretched, and its eyes piercing through my soul, seeing everything. The avian arched their back, and leaned its head back, letting out an ear splitting screech. I yelped and covered my ears, wincing as I watched it shift and mold once more, finally settling on the form of a great black wolf, beautiful shifting flames spiraled upwards through the air, running down its spine. It was even larger than the massive dire wolf that had killed me, and coal black claws casually clacked together, sending waves of heat outwards, warming me even from where I was standing right now.


    I murmured to myself and shifted from side to side as I watched the shifts happen. My mind told me that I should run and get out of there as fast as possible, but for some reason, my whole body was relaxed. Almost as if there was not a worry in the world, even with the massive beasts that roamed the forest being so close, and this massive flaming wolf standing right in front of me. I nervously cracked my knuckles and shifted back and forth again. A fitting beast I guess, given what my last situation had been. The wolf locked eyes with me, and its lips peeled back in the approximation of a smile, its unbelievably sharp teeth glinting red in the glow of the embers falling down from the flames dancing on its back. I winced as I heard a voice in my head, startling me.


    It was light, melodic, and calming, like a breeze through the trees or water running down a river, ¡°Hello there little one, I had not been expecting to see you so soon, but I must say, what a pleasant surprise to meet you finally!¡±


    I frowned¡­ their voice sounded¡­ familiar. I couldn¡¯t quite place it, but I had heard it before. But where would I have¡­ I shook my head and pursed my lips. No, that didn¡¯t matter right now. What mattered was why and how the hell I had managed to get here. I flexed my jaw, and then took a deep breath. I had literally just been about to die, with a pack of wolves howling from the surrounding trees. I¡¯d selected yes when that screen popped up, the void had swirled and consumed me, and then¡­ I was here. I stared at the wolf, who was casually curled up on the throne, eyeing me. I licked my lips and opened my mouth, pausing for a moment as I mulled over how best to ask. Ahh¡­ well what the hell was I to do? Might as well.


    I nervously cracked my knuckles before I cautiously began, ¡°Um¡­ hello? Wh- where am I? The last thing I remember, I was in a forest with a pack of dire wolves surrounding me, intent on killing me since I had just killed their leader¡­¡±


    The wolf knocked their head back and laughed, their melodic voice calming me, ¡°Oh, little one, you have nothing to worry about! You are safe here now! Well, at least your spirit is¡­ Your physical body however¡­ ha! Not so much! It is actively being torn into by my children, but that doesn¡¯t exactly matter.¡± The wolf chuckled and looked off into the distance for a moment, ¡°Right about now, little Jeremiah is devouring your liver. Oh how precious! You know wolves have a certain pecking order in which the pack will devour a corpse? How interesting, no? Of course, you messed it up when you ended up killing one of the sons of the alpha, good work by the way, quite amusing to watch. All beasts should know not to play with their food, because even the smallest can become their undoing¡­ Hmm¡­ It seems they¡¯ve managed to work out the new pecking order between themselves rather quickly¡­ how amusing¡­¡±


    I frowned, and looked down at myself. The hell were they talking about? I mean, I remembered learning about how wolves would take turns eating from a kill in my old world, but did that really matter to me right now? If I was being ripped apart, which was definitely gonna happen before I had selected yes. Was this all just some kind of dream? Was I in some form of afterlife now? I carefully pinched myself, nodding along and half paying attention as the wolf continued on about the wolves and their intricacies. Pain lanced up from my arm at the sensation and I sighed. No, this definitely was real, though what the wolf had mentioned about my soul and physical body did give me pause. How would I be able to tell if this was my soul? And, how would they know that? Wait, didn''t they mention something about this being their own realm? The hell did that mean?


    I looked up at the wolf and nervously cocked my head to the side, ¡°So, umm¡­ sorry to interrupt, but who are you, if you don¡¯t mind me asking? And also, where am I?¡±


    They paused and slowly looked at me before laughing again, their body stretching out languidly on the throne once more, ¡°Ah, a fair question, little one. I''m known by many names¡­ but¡­ Hmm¡­ You can call me Verdant! I''ve always enjoyed the word. I''m the goddess of the Wilderness here in this world! The forests, deserts, oceans, and all the creatures within them bow to me and my will, though I do try to not intervene too often. As to the answer to your second question, you are here in my own realm, a land of pure wilderness and true beasts. You were asked if you wanted to evolve a new ability, isn¡¯t that so? I happened to be watching your last stand, and gladly offered to be the one that gave you a new one, I hope you don¡¯t mind, hmm?¡±


    Verdant¡¯s eyes twinkled with amusement, and they twined their tail around their front paws. I swallowed hard, and went to say yes, but hesitated. What did that even mean? To evolve an ability? Would it even do anything? Would it even save me from the wolves? Wouldn¡¯t I probably just get sent back to the real world where I was getting torn apart after this? I sighed and shook my head. Well, I guess if that was the case, it''s not like I had any other option, right?


    I cast my eyes up again and locked eyes with Verdant, throwing them a smile of my own, ¡°Yes, well¡­ I would love to take you up on your offer, Goddess of the Wilderness, Verdant.¡±


    Verdant giggled and sat up in their throne, cocking their head to the side, ¡°How polite of you¡­ very well. I accept you as worthy of my attention, little one. Now, there are four options that will be available for you. In order to choose one, you must merely place your hand upon the stone. I¡¯ll do the rest, just make sure you don¡¯t remove it before I am done, hmm?¡±


    As they finished speaking, they leaned their head back and howled, the noise echoing through the air, swirling around and around until a wild tornado suddenly appeared, stabbing into the earth. Thunder rumbled in the distance, the tree shook, and then another crash of lightning exploded into the ground. The ground rumbled and shook where the strike happened, and then split open, lava spitting and reaching into the air. Then, it came into contact with the swirling tornado and cooled, becoming an expanse of black volcanic rock. Three stone pillars cracked through the rock, pushing up higher and higher, only stopping once they were waist height. Atop each pillar was a crystal, each glowing a different color. One was Green, another Blue, and the last was Red.


    My eyes widened as I took them all in, and I took a small step forward before I stopped, hesitating before I even raised my hand. ¡°How¡­ how do I know which one to choose?¡±


    The wolf laughed again, slowly stepping down from their throne, their piercing green and blue eyes looking deep into mine. They arched their back and cocked their head to the side, their eyes passing between each pillar. Slowly, they walked up and began to pace back and forth behind each of the pillars, before they finally began, ¡°You don''t! Isn''t that the funniest thing? Oh I love listening to you already, little one! Are you so sure you have to choose? To return back to that world, where you are already but a pile of gore and bones?¡± They giggled and shook their pelt, ¡°Oh how I love when you little mortals get to this point, always so confused! Always so quick to make their choice¡­¡±


    I frowned at that, but looked down at the pillars again. I guess it didn''t matter too much. I really just needed to choose one, right? So that I could leave before the wolves had killed me¡­ and then I could spend a few moments fighting them off before¡­ well, before they had managed to kill me. Which, according to Verdant, they had already done¡­ Ugh.


    I looked the pillars up and down, and reached out to the green one before hesitating. No¡­ that wasn¡¯t right. I turned towards the Blue pillar and stretched out my hand, before freezing. No¡­ not that one. It just felt¡­ wrong. I reached towards the red pillar, but¡­ that felt wrong too! Frustration growing in my heart now, I turned back towards the green pillar but froze once more. No no no¡­ that was wrong. Each of them just wasn¡¯t right! But I had to choose one before¡­ wait¡­


    I turned to Verdant and folded my arms, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say there were four choices for me? Where is the fourth choice, Verdant?¡±


    Verdant finally stopped pacing, and sat, their tail curling up around their massive paws. ¡°I did say that, didn''t I? Four choices¡­ Are you so sure that you want the fourth choice? Why not just choose one of the ones right here¡­? Wouldn¡¯t that just be easier, hmm?¡±


    I glared at Verdant, annoyed at all the back and forth, ¡°None of these are right! They aren¡¯t what I need in order to survive when you send me back, are they? Where is the fourth option? That is my only and last chance, isn¡¯t it? Please, show me the fourth pillar, Verdant. I know that I need to choose it.¡±


    Verdant laughed again, and shook their pelt before standing up, ¡°Very well, little one. But you see, I am not so sure you will be able to reach where the fourth pillar lies. It is not a place that many can reach, and it is quite likely you will die before you manage to get to it. Are you so sure that you want me to show you?¡±


    I frowned and considered that for a brief moment, taking another glance at the pillars again. No¡­ those definitely weren¡¯t the right ones. I wasn¡¯t sure if the fourth option would be correct, but those three definitely weren¡¯t. I let out a sigh and cracked my neck. I would have to risk it, death be damned. I locked eyes with Verdant and nodded. ¡°Yes. I would like to be shown where the fourth pillar is Verdant¡­ please?¡±


    Verdant shook their pelt again and started off into the forest, ¡°... Please¡­ I must say, I¡¯m not very used to the polite customs of humans, but I do find them quite refreshing. In the wild, there is no politeness. There is no such thing as the word ¡®please¡¯ or ¡®thank you¡¯, it is simply to be stronger than any others, and then take what you want or need. You respect those that are stronger than you, but respect is not the same thing as being polite¡­ An interesting point don¡¯t you think?¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    I followed behind Verdant, confused by the change of conversation as I dodged around trees and stepped over the creeping vines. I winced as a branch struck my head and ducked the vine that snapped up at me from a tree. It was unlike any forest I¡¯d been in before, and that was saying something considering the last several days that I had spent literally just trekking through wilderness that had changed day by day, ¡°I think¡­ It is a very human thing. Something that we created for no other reason than civility. Back on my¡­¡± I hesitated, pursing my lips together. Does this goddess know I was summoned from another world? Should I let them know that? Would they still offer to help me if they knew? I sighed and shook my head. Ah¡­ what does it matter anyways.


    I looked back at Verdant, who was still casually walking forward and began again, a small hesitation in my voice, ¡°... World, humanity was at the top of the food chain. Sure, we couldn¡¯t defeat every animal barehanded, but we made tools and instruments that could decimate entire islands and every life form there. How do you treat others who could kill you at the drop of a hat? Someone that could have been smaller, weaker, older, less clever, and in any natural situation, below you in the food chain? Civility, kindness, and simply just being polite¡­ It is something that helped the day to day keep on moving forward. It ensured that everyone didn¡¯t end up shooting or blowing each other up by the end of the day.¡± I chuckled and shook my head once more, ¡°Besides¡­ a good deed or even receiving a simple thank you¡­ well, it just makes one feel good. I¡¯m not sure why exactly humans evolved that way, but do you not feel that same joy? Or something similar?¡±


    Verdant considered that, briefly pausing as they walked forward for a moment, before continuing onwards, ¡°An otherworlder¡­ I had suspicions when you first arrived, but ignored them when I had peered into your status. Only having the Enduring Heart Ability, sword slash skill, and sprint skill¡­ When the goddess took you from your old world, she did not treat you very well, did she?¡±


    I sighed and jumped over a rock, yelping as it suddenly got up and started moving, growing a series of limbs and tails, ¡°Are¡­ are you allowed to say that? Isn¡¯t Malxonus the strongest goddess here in this world? The one in charge and all that?¡±


    ¡°Haha! Oh¡­ She is strong, of that I know for a fact¡­¡± Verdant bared her teeth and snapped the air, gnashing them together, ¡°But she cannot hear me here, this is my personal domain after all. I do not fear her, I have fought her before but she could not contain me. The wilderness here in this world is much too strong even for that one to completely defeat. I agreed to coexist with her, but the day she shows weakness is the same day I will strike.¡±


    I cocked my head, curiosity blossoming in my chest. So¡­ the other gods and goddesses here weren¡¯t all just under Malxonus¡¯s thumb¡­ Interesting. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ interesting to say the least. Thank you for talking with me, but if I may ask, why are you? Aren¡¯t I just a simple man in the grand scheme of the forest? A being not worthy of the goddess of the wilderness¡¯s attention.¡±


    Verdant laughed again, and dashed around the trees, climbing up the side of a massive rock wall that we had been nearing, ¡°Oh little one, every life matters in the wilderness, within the endless cycle of life and death. Svenkal, Lysan¡¯s, all of them matter. Even if it is a new pup or babe that is hunted by a circling Loongdom.¡± Verdant sighed as their tail twined around their massive paws, their eyes scanning the deep forest, ¡°But that is not the answer that you are looking for. You see, the evolution of abilities in this world are overseen by varying different powers. Sure, I swooped in and gave you the option of choosing one of mine, but there are other gods and goddesses that can offer you other options. Malxonus is as strong as she is partly because the abilities she oversees are so physically powerful. When she gifts them to others, she does not do it for free however. She asks them to become her champion, to spread her influence and power throughout the world. A rather boorish thing to do¡­ but I can see the appeal. However, the wild does not ask for champions. The wild only asks that one survive.¡±


    I hesitated at that and considered the implications of what Verdant had just told me. Other options¡­ Did that mea, if I didn¡¯t want this fourth option, I could ask to see another god or goddess? I eyed Verdant¡¯s looming shape, and sighed. No, Verdant, the literal goddess of the wilderness, had chosen to give me an ability. What more could someone like me ask for? This was exactly what I needed, exactly the step up I¡¯d need in order to make my way in this world.


    I laughed and began climbing up the rock wall, carefully pulling myself up rock by rock. I ignored the burn of my muscles, the screaming of my lungs, until I finally slid over the edge of the top, where Verdant was sitting. I groaned, and rolled onto my back, taking a second to catch my breath. We had to be close to the fourth option if Verdant was still sitting there, thank the gods. I sat up, and looked down, a loud gasp coming unbidden to my lips. Below me, there was a massive crystal clear lake, so deep that I couldn¡¯t see the bottom, and stretching out almost as far as I could see.


    I shook my head and closed my gaping mouth, turning and looking at Verdant, ¡°Oh my¡­ this¡­ this is gorgeous, Verdant! Why have we stopped? Is this where the fourth pillar lies?¡±


    Verdant didn¡¯t even glance at me, simply continuing to stare out into the lake, ¡°The fourth option lies at the bottom of the center of this lake, little one. Not even I truly know how deeply it lies, but you will not be able to miss it, it will call out to you as you get closer. You¡­ are not the first child to search for the fourth, but you will most certainly be the last¡­¡± She turned to me and locked her piercing blue and green eyes on me once more, ¡°First, a warning. I have had many children search for it in this lake, but only a few have managed to survive. Of those few, the ones that have survived have had to sacrifice much in order to claim the power. The sacrifice changes from person to person, but there is one thing that does not. You will forget much, and will be reborn anew after taking this power for your own. Do not disappoint me little one, you have piqued my interest.¡±


    With a flick of their tail, Verdant leaped from the rock wall and silently fell, vanishing into the trees. I leaned back on the hard cold rocks and sighed, watching them disappear. Oh man¡­ this really was going to be such a pain in the ass wasn¡¯t it? I stood up and stretched, looking down at the edge of the lake, which was about 3 feet below me. I could still see the bottom here, but as my eyes followed it, I watched as it slowly vanished into the depths. I cracked my neck and stretched my arms and legs out. I eyed the lake again and shrugged, taking off my shirt and clothes. They¡¯d only slow me down, and if Verdant was correct, I had to swim a long way to reach the bottom of this lake. Ugh¡­


    I made my way down the rock wall, and slowly stepped into the water. I was expecting it to be freezing, but it was surprisingly rather warm. Huh¡­ Well, I needed to get to the middle of the lake at least, before I started diving. Something deep inside me told me that was where it would be¡­ Ha, I guess Verdant was right about that. Cautiously, I started out into the water, paddling once my feet could no longer touch the bottom. I swam for who knows how long, but thankfully I could tell my Enduring Heart and the few level ups I had gained before coming here were doing some real work, and it was pretty manageable.


    I made it to where I guessed the middle was, and paused, bobbing up and down as I slowly kicked to keep afloat. I had no other choice but to dive here¡­ Damn it. What a long way I had come¡­ I used to just wonder what mom was going to make for dinner. Now, I wondered if my spiritual self was going to drown before I reached the bottom of a lake and chose a pillar that would save my dead self.


    I took a long, deep breath and shook my head. Well, now was as good a time as any, right? I dived, kicking my legs behind me and stabbing both my hands and pulling them through the water, propelling me further down. I had figured the lake was deep, but¡­ this was just ridiculous! I glanced back to the surface and rolled my eyes after about 15 minutes of swimming. I could just barely see the light glimmering through the clear water, but when I looked down again, it was just pitch black darkness. How deep was this damn lake?


    I pushed down again, pulling forth more and more, until I finally felt like I was running out of breath. Probably only a few more minutes¡­ damn it, was that gonna be enough? I bared my teeth in frustration, and pushed forward more, dragging myself closer to where that feeling deep inside me was calling out to. I dove and dove, and then¡­ I saw it. There, a little to my right, I saw a glimmer in the darkness. I grinned, and pushed even further, my lungs screaming at me to hurry it up. If I didn¡¯t turn around now¡­ I might not actually make it to the surface¡­ I narrowed my eyes and cursed inwardly. No, I had come this far hadn¡¯t I? I just needed to make it to the pillar and then I could go back to the real world. There, hopefully, I could make some sort of stand and make it out. Hell, maybe the others would come back and save me?


    I swam harder and harder pulling myself closer to the glimmering light in the unending dark waters. As I got closer though, a dense object formed into my gut and I had to stop myself from screaming. The place that I had swum for, the glimmer in the dark? There was nothing there, just sand and more sand along the floor of the lake. I bared my teeth and got ready to push off so that I could make it back to the surface when my hand passed through an opening. As I paused in the water, my eyes widened, and I screamed curse after curse in my mind. In front of me, there was an opening in the water, a tunnel, that I could not even see how deep it went. Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck! I glanced back up at the faint faint glimmer from the surface and groaned internally. If I went back to the top, I could probably make it back safely, but if I followed the tunnel? How did I know if I was going to make it to the end in time? Sure the light was coming from it, but the walls of the tunnel were shimmering, which meant that it could be reflecting the light from somewhere far inside. Damn it! I punched the side of the tunnel, my fist going in slow motion as I rolled my eyes. Ugh. No, I was this far, I might as well risk it. This was the only chance I could survive when I woke back up in the real world! This was my last chance, I couldn¡¯t just give up now.


    I grabbed the rocks at the side of the tunnel and pulled myself forward, reaching out and pulling over and over. The good news was this was much faster than just diving deeper and deeper through dark water. The bad news was that I could feel my lungs being crushed by the weight of the water, and I was running out of air. Oh gods¡­ was I going to die in an underwater tunnel in a lake? In another reality¡­ while my body was being ripped apart in another world¡­ with my friends all thinking that I had sacrificed myself for them¡­ and my family probably didn¡¯t even remember my name? Oh man¡­


    I pulled forward more and more, focusing on my task. I blocked out the feeling of my lungs screaming for air, and I blocked out the burning in my limbs. I just needed to make it to that pillar! Who knows? Maybe there was a tunnel at the other side with an air pocket I could use? I laughed inwardly and winced as my hands scraped along a rock. Now wouldn¡¯t that be nice? Ah¡­ probably not. I shook my head and kept on pulling, fully committed. I was either getting to that pillar, or dying here.


    I could feel my lungs finally begin to shrivel up, and my mind screamed at me for air. I felt every cell in my body wither and cry, but I ignored them. Even though I could feel them all slowly dying, and my vision starting to go dark, I couldn¡¯t care. I had no other choice! But they didn¡¯t care either, and screamed back at me, begging for air. Rage crashed through me, and I roared at them. KEEP ON PULLING DAMN IT! I wasn¡¯t giving up now! I wasn¡¯t dying here! Fuck this, and fuck you all! I wasn¡¯t just going to just be one more corpse at the bottom of this gods damned crystal lake!


    My eyes went dark, and my arms finally stopped moving as quickly, unable to fuel my movement forward any more. Still though¡­ still my legs kicked. Ha¡­ at least my legs could still¡­ Wait! Desperately, I pulled on that dark place and activated it. Sprint¡­! My final chance¡­ I pulled and tore at the darkness, screaming at it and demanding that it give me what I wanted¡­ no, needed. At first, nothing happened, but then my body slowly began to wake up. It screamed at me, and I screamed back. I am not dying here! I was getting back to that damn world, and I would sacrifice all I had to! I roared into the dark void. CYLKIA!!! HALFI!!! I am coming for YOU!!!


    The void, the same one that had given me the strength to use sword slash before¡­ the same one that had empowered my limbs to continue moving, long past when they would have been able to in the past¡­ and the same one that had quietly, patiently waited in the back corner of my mind this whole time¡­ it uncoiled and hungrily pulsed. A hungry, consuming pulse that ignited my entire core. Flame¡­ white hot, incinerating, and destructive¡­ flaming, burning, and raging¡­ it burned and consumed, carving a path throughout my whole body, and as it raged, so did the anger. So too did the fury. And as the red hot rage pulsed through my body once more, power flooded my weakened, dead cells. Strength filled my core, and I felt my legs begin to move. I ground my teeth together, until I felt them crack, and screamed. I screamed and screamed, pulling and pushing them harder, demanding more. Demanding that they move quicker and quicker. Demanded that they just did what I wanted! And slowly at first, my legs began to kick. They kicked and pushed and moved, and then the slow kicks became stronger. They became faster. And then, it was like they were propellers, and my body tore through the dark water, moving towards that damn pillar. The one that even now, tugged at my core.


    Without my arms, I had no real way to really swim upwards, so I pushed and scraped along the ground instead. But still the flame raged inside. I ground along, my body being torn and sliced up as I continued forward. But still the flame raged inside. Blood poured from my body as I could feel my body grating and burning along the jagged rocks on the floor of the tunnel, layers of skin being scrubbed and burned away. But still the flame raged inside. As the friction tore my skin off and my blood filled the water, I felt my lungs slowly begin to shrivel up, the last of my air having escaped me¡­ but still the flame raged inside. I laughed and screamed, tore and raged, begged and pleaded, but still, the flame raged inside.


    I strained harder, but my body wouldn¡¯t move much anymore. And the rage fluttered. My legs turned from little propellers to spasming sticks. And the flame sputtered. The cold water warmed by the blood pouring from my skinned body. And the flame flickered. I grinned as I felt tears vanishing into the cold water, unable to even stream down my cheeks. And then the rage¡­ died¡­ and I let out a long internal sigh. Ah¡­ after all of that too¡­ I guess I''m dead now¡­? Haha¡­ Bitch ass goddess in a dumbass world¡­ Haha¡­


    Pain raced through my skull, startling me awake. I hadn¡¯t even realized I had almost passed out, but the lack of air in my lungs would do that to you¡­ Good thing the pain that just exploded from my skull woke me up. I must have run into¡­ Wait, what was I doing again? My whole body floated in what was like zero gravity, and numbly I allowed my mind to wander. Oh yeah¡­ I was diving down a massive crystal lake. Hmm¡­ Why would I do that? I didn¡¯t even like swimming that much¡­ I was a runner after all! Well, until I got pulled into this weird world¡­ and then I was put through bootcamp hell¡­ and then I had fun traveling with¡­ people? before I got attacked by wolves and¡­ Wait, what was I doing again? Where was I? Wasn¡¯t I doing something incredibly important?


    My eyes shot open and I glanced around frantically, searching for anything that might give me any idea of what I had been doing. Didn¡¯t I just run into something? Where was that? Whatever in fuck had I run into? My eyes scanned the darkness, and I struggled to make my limbs move, but they protested, screaming back at me. Hmm¡­ The fuck was going on? My eyes finally landed on a glowing pillar, and my whole body went electric, being reenergized somehow. Aha! I finally fucking found you! It was exactly like the other ones from before! I frowned and cocked my head to the side. Wait, before? Oh yeah¡­ I was doing a trial right? I had to find the fourth pillar! Verdant had said it was at the bottom of the lake, right? I looked around at the water streaked with red. Isn¡¯t this the bottom of the lake? Hey¡­ that looked a lot like blood too¡­! Oh yeah¡­ that was mine right? Almost as if it had been waiting for that exact moment, I finally became aware of the pain from my chest and screamed. Fuck me! That fucking hurts! I pulled myself together and glared at the pillar. Well¡­ I mean I was sent here for this pillar right? I might as well go to it.


    I forced my screaming limbs to move, and slowly I managed to turn towards the pillar and bared my teeth. Damn it! Why the hell did everything have to hurt so fucking much!? My chest, my arms, my lungs, and even my legs! Also, I had this odd feeling that I probably shouldn¡¯t be able to move too! I shook my head and pushed through the water. This was fine though¡­ I¡¯d be dead if I couldn¡¯t, right? This deep in the lake, I had no other option. I pushed forward until I finally was floating in front of the pillar. I hummed to myself, looking it up and down. What now?


    The pillar was glowing a bright white, the light shining off of the rocks around it. That¡¯s how I had managed to find it, right? This is the whole reason I had descended down here¡­ haha. Almost died for this shit, might as well thank the gods¡­ Or wait, actually, scratch that. There is only one god¡­ goddess really, that I should thank. I closed my eyes and raised my head. Thank you, Verdant! I may not remember my name or why I was down here, but I knew one thing. You were the reason I had a second chance at life, and I was suffering because of three things. Halfi, Cylkia, and Malxonus¡­ They were going to pay. I opened my eyes and looked at the pillar. This, whatever it was, was going to be the chance I needed. The chance to get stronger and one day, get my revenge.


    I growled and struggled to move forward. Oh man¡­ I was pretty much dead at this point. I just needed to get to that damn pillar! I ground my teeth together, and slammed my head forward, crashing into the pillar. Pain raced through me, overriding all that I had been experiencing before. What screaming lungs? What burning limbs? The water was nice and chill, not warm with my blood at all! The only thing I knew was pain and agony. I groaned, but instead of stopping I crushed my head against the pillar again. My blood ran through the water once more, and as the pillar turned a dark purple, I reached for that place in my mind. It had been calling to me louder as I got closer to the pillar, and I had the feeling that I needed to call on it in order to access the gift that the pillar offered. I roared and dug in, gripping the void and tearing until¡­ A snap happened, and I felt a connection blossom between myself and the pillar. I could sense a sentience from it, and it hummed in surprise as it felt my mind come into contact with it. It grasped my mind, sending out tendrils that dug deep into everything I was. It wasn¡¯t a painful experience per say, but I felt as if it had taken a microscope and examined all that I was¡­ by force. It went through memories that I couldn¡¯t even recall experiencing, It scanned emotions I could not remember feeling, and by the end of it, I felt like it knew me better than I knew myself. The pillar, or well, whatever possessed it, was incredibly ancient, powerful, and curious. It was not inherently malevolent however. When it finally finished its examination, a simple question emanated from it. I got the feeling that I had been asked this question before, but it had not felt¡­ right. I had chosen to wait, and finally, the question felt right. I smiled, and pushed towards the yes option, closing my eyes.


    New Ability Evolved!


    Unending Vitality (Incomplete)


    Oh, Little One¡­ I was not sure if you would make it there, but I am quite happy you did! It was a fun little time that we had together, I did quite enjoy it! Now what was it you said¡­ ah yes! Thank you for the little entertainment! Now, a brief bit of information about this particular evolution of your ability. The Wilderness and Life is always in a constant cycle of growth, decay, death, and then rebirth. It is infinite in this manner, and nothing in this, or any world can really escape its clutches. Even the ¡®immortals¡¯ must one day end, and when they do, another ¡®immortal¡¯ will take their place. Such is the beauty of the cycle! It winds and snakes, but it always continues. It is¡­ Unending. Make sure you do not regret the choice you have made. For I hope the sacrifice was worth it.

 Chapter Fourteen: Live, Die, Repeat.

    I gasped and sat up, my eyes flashing around me, seeing nothing in the darkness. Where was I? What happened? What the fuck was going on? I narrowed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. Okay, what was the last thing I remembered? What was I doing last? I strained at my memory, but all I could really remember was¡­ Oh fuck! I put my hands over my mouth in horror as I remembered I was¡­ underwater¡­? Wait, no. I frowned, and slowly took in a long breath. Air¡­ This was fresh air! The last thing I remembered was pushing on the yes option when I crashed into that pillar, and then¡­ My eyes widened. I was back! I was back in reality! I reached into the void that was coiled up inside me and pulled open my status window, trembling in anticipation. Where where where¡­ Aha there!


    Name: ???


    Race: Human


    Level: Seven


    Title: Wolf Slayer


    Abilities:


    Undying Will


    Unending Vitality (Incomplete)(NEW!)


    Skills:


    Sprint (Veteran)


    Sword Slash (Initiate)


    Pierce (Initiate)


    Unending¡­ Vitality? That was the name of my new ability? And my Enduring Heart¡­ It was now Undying Will? I grinned and flexed my hands. Sounded pretty badass if I did say so myself! But wait¡­ what does that even mean? I frowned, and considered it again. Huh¡­ well¡­ uhhh¡­ shit. I guess I had no goddamn idea! I groaned and flopped backwards, landing on something soft, warm, and comfy. I swear I was always getting the short end of the stick!


    I frowned, and cocked my head to the side. Short end of the stick? Why would I think that? It felt right, but what did that mean? I cocked my head to the side and hummed. Hmm¡­ wait, why was I here again? I¡¯d met Verdant and we¡¯d talked about¡­ huh. What had we talked about? My memories just felt like they were¡­ elusive. Each time I reached out to them, they avoided my grasping attempts, vanishing into blurs. I narrowed my eyes. What had Verdang last whispered to me again? When I had selected yes after crashing my head into the pillar? Ah yes¡­ that I may live to regret the choice made¡­ right? Hmm¡­ hadn¡¯t there been something about sacrifice too? Or at least, something like that I guess.


    I frowned and cocked my head. But I had been going through all the trouble of finding the fourth option for some reason. Hmm¡­ it was before I met Verdant¡­ before I awoke in that realm¡­ What was I¡­ I felt all the blood drain from my face as a terrible feeling suddenly developed in my gut. If I wasn¡¯t underwater anymore, that must mean¡­ I held my breath and slowly reached behind me. I couldn¡¯t remember anything from before Verdant¡­ but there was one last memory I could see¡­ and that was the sight of¡­ yes¡­ that¡¯s right¡­ the fangs¡­ my blood flying through the air¡­ I had been fighting the wolves¡­ and I wasn¡¯t going to be able to win, hadn¡¯t won. Halfi¡­ that bastard¡­ he had made sure of that. I ground my teeth together, rage pulsing through me as my hand continued to move backwards. That bastard¡­ he¡¯d left me to be eaten alive by the wolves¡­ Hadn¡¯t Verdant even mentioned something about them ripping into my organs¡­ right?


    I bit the edge of my cheek, tasting the iron of my own blood as if filled my mouth. What was I doing in this pitch black situation now? If Verdant had told me that I was being ripped apart back then, why would I just be lying on a soft cushion¡­ Or¡­ wait¡­ this¡­ Oh no¡­ My gut dropped as my hand finally touched what I feared. It was soft fur¡­ behind me, it was moving up and down rhythmically, almost as if it was¡­ breathing. I swallowed and slowly turned around, finally realizing where I was. I wasn¡¯t in the forest anymore¡­ I wasn¡¯t even being torn apart right now¡­ No, I was in the wolves¡­ I almost blacked out when it hit me. I was in the wolves goddamn den! FUCK.


    I snapped back to reality as I heard a low growl from below my hand. If I was really in the wolves den¡­ then¡­ the rhythmically moving fur behind me¡­ wasn¡¯t moving rhythmically anymore. Fear blossomed in my chest, and I activated ¡®sprint¡¯ and jumped up, trying to flash out of the den as fast as I could. I managed to make it a few steps forward, but I was too late. Pain lanced through my leg as I felt the wolf¡¯s teeth clamp down on my ankle. Pain blossomed from my leg and I let out a short yelp, before it yanked me hard, sending me toppling to the ground. I grunted as I smacked down hard, feeling the dirt and rocks of the floor dig into my palms and flesh. I roared in pain as I felt the wolf''s teeth slice and tear, the tips of them grinding and gnashing on the very bones of my shin. I writhed around in the dark, screaming in pain as I blindly punched down, trying my hardest to rip my leg out of the wolf¡¯s mouth. Even as I writhed about and struck, it held on, and somehow, it managed to bite down even harder than before.


    I let out a small whimper, struggling to stab my fingers into its eyes. The wolf sensed my attempts and growled, biting down even harder and shaking its head. I screamed once more as I felt my bone shift, and then crack. In the pure darkness of the cave I wildly slapped my hands around, searching for something, anything, that I could use. I pleaded with any gods or goddesses that were listening. Please¡­ I didn¡¯t want to die here again!


    I grasped out once more, desperately feeling around for something that could help me. And then¡­ I finally felt my hands brush against a rough surface. I desperately gripped it and lifted, a part of me realizing that it was¡­ a rock. In my great time of need¡­ I groaned, but still, I grasped it, my hands shaking as the pain roared through my body. I summoned as much strength as I could, turned and smashed it down on where I felt the wolf¡¯s head was still clamped on my leg. I felt as the rock cracked down into its skull, and I heard a slight yelp as the wolf finally lightened up on my leg, if only a bit. I thanked the gods¡­ well, I guess Verdant, and brought down the rock again, crushing it down into the wolf¡¯s skull again. I could feel its blood splash over my fingers, the cracked and shattered bone stabbing into my skin. The wolf let out a full yelp this time, and snapped its teeth at my wrists, slashing in deep. It hurt, but the adrenaline rush helped as I brought down the rock again and again on its skull. I smashed it down again and again, until the wolf finally went limp, its body falling against my own.


    I let out a sigh of relief, and shoved off of its corpse, wincing as I felt the sharp pain in my wrists. I held them close and applied pressure to the areas, struggling to stem the blood flow. Ah fuck¡­ If I could just get out and run through the forest, then I could hopefully find a way to stem the blood flow. I crawled onto my knees and then my feet, carefully beginning to make my way forward. I had screamed pretty loudly when that wolf had bitten me, but I hadn¡¯t noticed the sound of any other wolves awakening or anything similar. Maybe¡­ maybe I could make it out?


    I went to take another step forward, when suddenly, I heard a low grumble that shook the very air all around me. I cursed and groaned. Oh fuck me¡­ I whipped around, and threw my rock outwards, hoping to distract the nearest wolf. Instead, I felt the impact of my hand as it crashed into the head of a nearby wolf that had just woken up. My face paled and I felt despair again, as if it was a cold, heavy rock in my gut. Damn it! I had just gotten a second chance! I roared back at their howls, and stumbled forward, desperately lashing out with my fists as I felt their teeth and claws on my skin. I fought desperately, but there was no way I was surviving all of them¡­ I couldn¡¯t even see for fucks sake! I screamed as I felt their teeth ripping into my legs, tripping me up and causing me to fall to the ground once more. I roared in agony as they sliced and tore my skin into ribbons and ripped off massive chunks of my flesh.


    I groaned, and fell to my knees, feeling dizzy at the sudden massive loss of blood. I felt them rip into my thighs, tear open my stomach and spill out my guts, slash open my throat, and begin tugging on my arms, ripping me apart as they began playing a sick game of tug of war. My entire being screamed out, and at the same time, I finally, thankfully, blacked out.


    I awoke suddenly, my eyes snapping open and confusion, fear, and surprise pulsing through me. My entire body was screaming at me about its newfound existence, and I had to bite my lip not to scream out in pain. In shock, I almost shot up again like I had the last time, but something deep inside me stopped me right before I did. Wait¡­ the last time? I held my hands up to my mouth to stop the yelp that almost exploded out of me. Wait¡­ that¡¯s right, I should be dead! I gulped hard and held up my hands, confusion rioting through me once more as I saw them again in the dim morning light. I¡¯d felt the wolves literally eating me alive¡­ Tearing me apart, ripping out my intestines, and playing tug of war with my arms. I had¡­ died? Slowly, I blinked my eyes, counted to five, and took my hands down from my face. I squeezed my hands, and looked around me, fear roiling through my body. I had been eaten alive by a den full of wolves¡­ so if that was true, if I looked around I should see¡­ oh¡­ fuck¡­ all the blood drained from my face as I saw body after body of sleeping wolf, the sound of their snuffles and sleeping grunts filling the air. My heart stopped in my chest, and I almost blacked out from the horror.


    It must have been night when I had woken up last, but now, the sun had finally risen. It had risen, and in its morning rays, it had lit up the wolves den, giving me a front row seat to a literal blood bath. My eyes darted back and forth, taking it all in with muted horror. There was my leg¡­ my arm¡­ and even my ribcage, strewn all over the cave. My ribcage was currently being nibbled on by a trio of wolf pups, the three of them snapping at each other as they fought for the most prime pieces. I felt myself wobble, my head going numb from the lack of blood as it rushed from my head once more. It was¡­ that was¡­ I was¡­ I couldn¡¯t be¡­  my breathing came harder and harder the more I saw, and I almost passed out again, the darkness creeping up at the edges of my vision. I shivered, and turned my head away from the carnage, a tear slowly tracing its way down my cheek. That¡­ didn¡¯t matter. I was alive, that was a fact. I needed to keep it that way. I shook my head, and focused instead on the cave, and then my immediate surroundings.


    It was a massive den, and I would have been surprised if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that it was full of Dire wolves. The ground was dark dirt, and piles of fur and strewn bones. The dark brown rock walls stretched upward, creating a dome overhead almost twenty feet in the air. It allowed even the largest of the dire wolves to be able to move about freely if they so choose. As I peered around, careful not to move too much, I saw that I was in fact, absolutely surrounded by Dire Wolves. Most of them were still asleep, but there were some that had woken up early, like the trio of wolf pups that were still gnawing on my rib cage, growling and snapping at each other. All in total, there were about twenty of the fucking bastards, and they hadn¡¯t even realized I was awake yet. The only other awakened wolves looked to be too busy playing tug of war with¡­ wait, was that my leg?


    I looked down at my body, trembling with fear, rage, and honestly¡­ straight up confusion. I was all here, perfectly intact¡­ but the wolves¡­ they definitely were tearing into my guts over there¡­ and not only that, but my blood was still everywhere. It covered literally everything, and the fact that I couldn¡¯t tell where my blood ended, and the old blood began. They were¡­ vicious. I¡­ hadn¡¯t stood a chance when I had tried to fight them off. I don¡¯t know if there was even an ability out there that could have given me a chance¡­ so why had I felt like that fourth option had? That it was the only choice I had to survive against these beasts¡­ My eyes landed on two wolves that had been fighting over what looked like my leg in the corner of the room, and ripped it in two, sending blood flying through the air. I went dizzy again and almost threw up. What was going on?


    I didn¡¯t get the chance to think too much else though, as one of the nearby wolves noticed I was awake. I yelped as they let out a loud howl, making the others around the cave drop what they were doing and lock their eyes on me. They didn¡¯t even look surprised that I wasn¡¯t dead, just excited for an easy meal. Something about that really pissed me off and I narrowed my eyes at them. An easy meal eh? Oh fuck this, and fuck that! I wasn¡¯t going to just fucking die, I was going to kill at least one of these rat bastards!


    I let out a loud laugh and stood up, cracking my neck and clenching my fists. ¡°Oh alright you rat bastards, let¡¯s see how many of you it takes to kill me this time, eh?¡±


    The pack raced forward, and I threw out my fist, smacking the first wolf in the face and knocking it to the side. I jumped to the left, dodging another wolf that had been coming from around me, and let out a laugh. The pack howled as they started to surround me and I lashed out again as another stepped forward and snapped at me. It jumped back, and I took the opportunity to jump over the little gap it had created in the circle. The wolves growled and dashed forward, rushing to intercept me, but it was a little too late as I leaped over another smaller wolf that was diving for my legs.


    I grinned, and turned towards the opening to the den, and activated ¡®sprint¡¯. I made it two steps before I felt the wolf''s teeth bite into my side, and yank me back. I screamed in pain, and slammed my fist down onto the wolf¡¯s head, but then I felt my other arm get yanked to the side as another wolf latched on, dragging me to my knees. I screamed in agony, and glared at the ceiling. Really? This was it already!? I just made it back from that goddamn water filled hell and I was already about to die again!?The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    I felt the impact of two more wolves jumping onto my back, and felt their jaws close around my neck, their teeth piercing into my skin like a knife in butter. My vision went dark, as I felt myself getting dragged to the ground, pain arcing through every last bit of my body. Shame on me for thinking that trial was going to be able to save me¡­


    I gasped and sat up, my eyes darting around. Wh- where was I? Everything was so dark, and it smelled like damp earth. I frowned, and thought back to the last thing I had remembered. Last thing I was doing¡­ I had just completed Verdant¡¯s trial, and¡­ oh yeah¡­ the wolves.


    But¡­ They had literally been tearing me apart, hadn''t they? I ran my hands over my arms and then my neck but¡­ Nothing. Wait hadn¡¯t that happened when I awoke the first time too? Before I had chosen to evolve my ability and met Verdant, I couldn''t even feel my legs. Verdant had also mentioned something about one of them devouring my¡­


    Another howl echoed through the cave, and my gut dropped as I watched the wolves wake up and lock their eyes on me. Oh fuck¡­ I was still in the wolves cave! Wait¡­ why was I here again? I struggled to remember why I was there as I stood up, but all I remembered was¡­ yes! That fight with the massive Dire Wolf, and then Halfi¡­ THAT BASTARD!


    I roared into the den again, and glared at the wolves so hard that they paused, they¡¯re heads cocked to the side as they considered their prey. Of course, it wasn¡¯t for long and they loosely formed a ring around me, their mouths slavering over the thought of a free dinner. I bitterly laughed and clenched my fists. That bastard Halfi¡­ he had left me to die! He hadn¡¯t even seen fit to kill me himself! He¡¯d just left me with a spare knife that he¡¯d used to clean underneath his fingernails! All because of¡­ Cylkia. That fucker! She¡¯d told him that he wasn¡¯t even allowed to help me! Argh! I gave the wolves a rage filled glare, not even caring as I watched as they all slowly started walking forward again snapping and darting at me one at a time.


    I took in a deep breath and turned to the wolves, and screamed with all of my might, ¡°CYLKIA! HALFI! ONCE I GET OUT OF HERE, I AM GOING TO RIP YOU APART WITH MY BARE HANDS!!!¡±


    By now the wolves didn¡¯t care about that. After all, I was just another weak prey animal to them. But I refused to go down like some coward. I clenched my fists and charged forward, meeting the wolves head on as they charged at me, their jaws open wide and the morning light glinting off of their yellowing fangs. I screamed and slammed my fist into the open mouth of one, pain lancing up my arm as it was ripped apart by the wolves fangs. I roared and shoved it as far in as I could, grinning as I heard the sound of the wolf choking on it. I glared down at its panicked face, and raised my fist to pummel the side of its head, but I wasn¡¯t fighting just one wolf. I grunted as I felt a sudden weight appear on my back, and crashed to the ground as it dragged me down. I could feel the teeth, claws and tearing from the other wolves that were attacking me, but they didn¡¯t matter to me right now. I narrowed my eyes at the fist wolf, and grinned a bloody grin, slowly shoving my fist farther down its throat. At least¡­ one. I was killing at least¡­ one!


    This time when I awoke, I wasn¡¯t in nearly as good of shape as last I awoke. I screamed and writhed wildly as pain and agony exploded from every part of my body. It felt like it was arcing through my very soul, but¡­ there was something missing. Pain screamed through me, but not all of me. What¡­ what the fuck!? Horror slammed through me as I looked down at my armless, legless self. My breath caught, my heart froze, and I felt tears stream down my bloody cheeks. I started hyperventilating and as my heart hurt from the slamming beats, I looked to the left and screamed. One of the damned wolves was lying right next to me happily gnawing on my hand. Their muzzle was coated in blood¡­ my blood. I could feel the blood drain from my face when I realized that it didn¡¯t even care that I was awake. I swallowed hard and wriggled myself so that I could look to the right, groaning as the pain lanced through me once more. I wasn¡¯t even surprised this time when I saw two of them fighting over my femur. But when I heard the wet crack as the legs ripped in half, I heaved so hard that I blacked out.


    When I awoke this time, I held my breath, careful not to move a muscle. I could feel all my limbs, that was good. Hell, I didn¡¯t even feel that bad, which was a little worrying if I was being honest. I peeked out of the corner of my eye, and groaned internally. I was surrounded by at least ten of them, but thankfully for me, they were all passed out sleeping. I looked at my arm and frowned. It was¡­ still there? I slowly brought it to my face and looked it over. It was¡­ the same. It didn¡¯t have any cuts, bite wounds, or injuries.


    Slowly, I sat up and looked down at my legs. Yup¡­ still there. My arms were still attached¡­ My guts were still inside of me¡­ The hell was going on? Was this a nightmare or something? But why did I just keep waking up stuck in this shitty hell hole? I winced as I felt pain lance up from my arm. No¡­ this was reality, and somehow, I was still alive, even though I had felt myself getting ripped apart several times now. Seen myself strewn across this damned cave¡­ But every time I woke up, it was like I was back to normal, almost entirely healed or somehow still able to breath. But that made no sense! I shook my head and growled. That was¡­ Unless¡­


    Hesitantly I looked around myself for¡­ Aha! There! I carefully crawled around the other sleeping wolves, and snatched up the sharp rock I had seen. I crawled over to the wall, and narrowed my eyes at it. If my hunch was right, I really did have a strong ability, and this was going to be safe. If not¡­ eh it didn''t matter, I''d be dead soon.


    I took the sharp edge of the blade and rested it on my wrist. Okay¡­ don¡¯t even think about it, just¡­ cut! I took a deep breath and slashed the rock against my skin quickly. I had to hold back a gasp as I watched the rock easily slash through my skin. Pain raced from my arm, but that wasn''t too hard to manage considering what my last few days had been like. I stared at the wound, watching as blood poured forth. Damn it, was I wrong? Did I just cut myself for nothing? I blanched as the blood kept on pouring out. Fuck, fuck fuck! I didn¡¯t want to just die or some shit!


    I snatched up a nearby piece of torn clothing and started to quickly wrap it around the wound, when I felt the pain suddenly lessen. I hesitated, but slowly unwrapped the bandage. Tentatively I looked down, and my eyes widened as I watched as the blood that had been oozing from the blood slowly stopped. Then, the edges of the gash grew nearer to each other and then sealed shut, the only sign that there had been a cut there in the past being my still bloody wrist. The shock gave way to amusement, and I grinned, and stood up again cracking my fingers with a sigh. No wonder I was still alive, I had a regeneration ability!


    A howl tore through the den, and I turned the now waking wolves and cracked my neck. Cool cool¡­ regeneration ability. Considering how bad I had been torn apart, I probably wasn¡¯t at any risk of dying, but I wasn¡¯t invincible. I still could feel pain, and I would still blackout if I suffered way too much damage. I clenched my fists and glared at the nearby wolves who had gotten up. I was stuck in this den for who knows how long, but these wolves were also stuck here with me. I picked up the rock again, and charged towards the nearest wolf, a feral grin spreading over my face. It was about damn time that I took control of my life, and with this ability, I was pretty sure I could even win eventually! As I slashed the rock towards the wolf, I couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    ¡°WHAT AN AMAZING DAY TO BE ALIVE!¡±


    Roughly a year later


    ¡°Ha ha ha¡­ oh come on Jeremiah, you little sneak. The others haven''t even woken up yet, how you gonna come over here and start gnawing on my leg first thing. You can at least have some decorum, we''re not savages!¡± I chided one of the wolf pups, who upon waking before any of the others, had rushed over and started ripping into my leg. He was a cute one, and I''d taken to naming him Jeremiah. The other wolves that I had named Whisper, Jag, Rangi, Clark, Mistletoe, and Hyon were all still peacefully sleeping with the rest of the pack.


    I sighed and leaned my head back. I guess I wasn¡¯t actually able to do anything about anything that Jeremiah wanted to do. After all, my arms hadn¡¯t even grown back yet! I chuckled and shook my head. Thankfully though, during last night''s little feast, starring yours truly, the wolves had ripped out my lower spine early! So I didn¡¯t feel a thing! Haha! I laughed and grinned again. Oh today was going to be a great day! I hummed to myself as I looked around at all the other sleeping wolves, shaking my head in amusement at their sleeping forms. I wasn¡¯t even a threat to them, just a free meal! Hahahaha!


    That was basically my existence for almost an entire year. Days like this were rather rare, and normally I would wake up, and then usually scream in unbelievable agony as I became aware of all of my wounds. That would alert and annoy the pack, which would then come over and try to kill me for their meal. Well, I say try, but they always succeeded, every day, and every night. At least, until my neverending vitality would kick in, and my body would slowly recover. I would fight back against the pack of course, but inevitably I would lose. After all, it was one against an entire pack. Eventually, they would start to tear me apart¡­ while I was still alive¡­


    Because unfortunately¡­ predators don¡¯t kill their prey before eating them. No, they start mowing down as soon as they get a hold of them, tearing off as much meat as they could as quickly as they could. For normal prey of course. Unfortunately for me¡­ I wasn¡¯t normal. The wolves had figured out by the tenth or so day that I was just not going to die. Because of that, they usually tried to knock me out or just straight up kill me, either through blood loss or by ripping off each of my limbs, since I did have the nasty habit of trying to kill them even while they were tearing into my intestines. It had even managed to allow me to kill quite a few of their number that first few months, but eventually they figured out how I worked, and they just set a solid schedule of when to incapacitate me. Quite ruthless of them, truly. I laughed and shook my head. It made me so proud. I wonder if they were going to slice my throat, rip off my leg, blind me, crush my skull, or just fetch the teen pups on me today¡­


    How fun! I sighed and shook my head. I didn¡¯t really remember why I was there¡­ Honestly, whenever I tried to think back before this last hell like year, my memories always seemed so foggy. I couldn¡¯t even remember who I was, or even my name! I had forgotten pretty much everything besides this cave, these wolves, and being eaten alive every day¡­ Getting torn apart every day tends to do that to a person y¡¯know? I loosely kept track of the days from the sun filtering into the den, and had even tried to keep a tally mark of how many times I had ¡®died¡¯. In this cave, I experienced my first fall, winter, and spring here in this world. It was a bit of a stretch to call it an ¡®experience¡¯, but it was the best one I could get, ya know? The wolves had eventually gotten used to my presence, and had enjoyed having a free meal everyday. Honestly, I couldn''t even blame them.


    My Neverending Vitality ability, as I''d come to realize a long time ago, was fundamentally a Regeneration Ability. It took its time, and certain parts of my body healed themselves much faster than the others, but it was what allowed me to still be alive even after the wolves ripped me apart. I barely remembered Verdant, and parts of that final dream before I had awoken into the real world. I remembered the name Malxonus¡­ That she was the reason I was forced to endure this torture.


    Also I remembered the names¡­ Cylkia¡­ Halfi and¡­ Malxonus. I gritted my teeth, grinding them together so hard I felt some of them crack. Damn¡­that was going to take a bit to heal. Oh well, that wasn¡¯t the worst. I searched through my murky mind, struggling to remember what little I could of those two. I remembered watching a man walk away from me. The name Halfi was called to my mind when I saw that man, and I watched as he left me to die. He was saying that¡­ Cylkia¡­ had told him to. That he was under orders to not help me or save my life. I gritted my teeth again, half noticing the pain from my half healed teeth. What a load of bullshit¡­ I glared at the opening near the front of the den. I don¡¯t remember exactly why I hated Malxonnus, but every time I thought of the name, rage would pour through me. One of these days¡­ I was getting out of here. And when I did? I was tracking them both down, and ripping them apart, piece by piece. I was going to force them to watch as I fed them to the wolves, and I would feel the greatest pleasure the whole time I was doing it.


    Pain raced up my legs as I felt my spine finally heal, cracking back in place. Oh shit no-  I roared in agony as all the feelings in the rest of my body suddenly rushed back. I startled poor little Jeremiah who had been gnawing on my shin. I shook my head and took a deep breath, coming back to terms with the pain. I had felt worse, this was just temporary anyways. I glanced at the retreating figure of Jeremiah and sighed. The poor guy, maybe I would try and sneak him one of my eyeballs next time. I knew how much he loved them. I stretched, feeling the extent of the rips and tears in my legs, which were quickly regenerating. Just a little while longer and I''d be able to stand up again¡­ Good.


    I watched the dire wolves start to get up and stretch, little Jeremiah¡¯s retreating form waking them all up, one by one. I had about ten minutes before they ripped me apart for breakfast. I stretched my neck, and eyed the approaching pack. A bloody grin spread on my lips as I started laughing, the sound echoing around the cavern. Oh man¡­ Today was going to be a great day!


    I snapped awake, looking down at where my chest should have been, and groaned internally. Damn it, I''d almost managed to choke out that first eager wolf too¡­ I''d played dead, hoping to surprise it, and when it had come too close¡­ BAM! Lightning quick, I had snapped up and started strangling it, hanging on as it bucked and struggled. It had scratched and torn me pretty good, but finally, I had watched as the light was starting to fade from its eyes. Unfortunately, that had really pissed off his mate. Barking angrily, she had raced forward and proceeded to rip off my head and toss it through the air. It hadn''t even hurt all that much before I blacked out¡­ thankfully.


    However¡­ That also meant that it was going to take a long long time before I managed to regenerate. I had never been decapitated before, well, at least while I was still semi aware. What an experience! I would have to try it again, though I wasn¡¯t sure how I was going to replicate that again. I let out a long sigh in my head, and strained my eyes around my little nook, curious where I had ended up. There was a little twig nest, and the broken shells of a hatched egg nearby. Huh, I guess they must have left a long time ago, I had never noticed any birds flit into the den. I groaned, and rolled my eyes. Of course I''d gone and gotten myself decapitated. This was really going to be such a pain in the¡­ Well I guess in the neck. I chuckled a little, and watched as the wolves below really started tearing into me.


    As far as I was aware, there were several other wolf packs outside, where I bet they guarded the den entrance. This seemed to be where they raised their pups, which is why I was here. A never ending food source¡­ I bet Verdant was laughing it up in their realm, but I couldn''t be too mad. At least I was still alive, even if I couldn''t remember anything past Halfi leaving me to die, and Verdants realm. Every time I tried to think back it was just¡­ blank. I strained harder and harder but¡­ I couldn''t even remember my name! I even thought I had lucked out when I managed to pull up this odd screen, but all it had were question marks where my name was supposed to be!


    I sighed internally again, but then flinched as the pain near my neck became unbearable. Fuck me¡­ The nerves must be starting to grow back. I closed my eyes as the waves of pain started crashing through me. Whenever I regenerated, the limb, body part, or organ seemed to be in perfect shape, which was nice. It meant that my head, as bodiless as it may be, was in perfect condition. Unfortunately, that did not do that much for me, since I still lacked the rest of my body. Oddly enough, even though I had no lungs or much else as I was now, I was still able to retain consciousness and think to myself. I wasn¡¯t exactly sure why, but at this point I wasn¡¯t really sure of anything¡­


    I flinched again as the pain in my neck really started to get serious, sending waves of roaring agony throughout my skull. I opened my mouth in a silent scream, my eyes squeezing shut as I felt faint. This was pure agony¡­ Cylkia¡­ Halfi¡­ Malxonus¡­ I would make you pay for this. All of this¡­ never ending agony. Every moment I felt nothing but just pain pain pain¡­ and it was all your fault! I screamed and cried, until the darkness finally took me, blessing me with its sweet dark death. Soon¡­ Soon¡­

 Chapter Fifteen: Big Kid On The Block

    I was startled awake as I heard and felt an absolutely massive roar rip through the air. It reverberated off the walls of the cavern and caused dust to fill the air. All of the wolves shot up, growls and grumbles resounding as they all started pacing worriedly. Confusion rocked through me and I looked around quickly, taking stock of my situation now that I had woken up. It looks like I had finally regrown back my body, but unfortunately, when I tried to wriggle my leg, I realized they were stuck. Fuck, those same damned massive dire wolves that had been fucking me up this whole time were scared, and I was stuck in this little crevasse that my head had been tossed into! I cursed and tried to wiggle about, but fuck me my leg was absolutely smashed into the crack. I should have known better! I shouldn¡¯t have passed out! I should have just muscled through the pain! Fuck!


    I struggled to move, tearing and yanking at the leg with my free hands. I desperately tried to at least shift something, even if that meant ripping my newly healed skin off. That roar¡­ I had never heard anything like it. Not the wolves, and not even any of the prey that they sometimes brought back, still living. No¡­ It was something much, much larger. As I struggled, I desperately watched as the wolves below mobilized. A few of the adults raced in after a few moments, barking at the pups and pregnant mothers and lashing out in their hurry. It was obviously something really bad, because I swear that was the fastest I¡¯d ever seen any of the pups and teenagers move. In only a few moments, I watched as the adults corralled all of the pups out of the den, and every mother wolf and teenager raced out right behind them, Fear roiled through the air behind them, and I groaned again.


    Fuck, fuck, fuck! I finally managed to get an empty cave, ripe for an escape opportunity, and I was fucking stuck! I frowned down at the empty cave again. It really was an odd sight to say the least. For the whole year I had been there, the den had always been so full of noise. So full of things. So full of life. Even during the winter, when the pack didn¡¯t go out as often, there were little pups running around their mothers legs, and teenagers wrestling with each other. Somehow, it always seemed like there were always at least one or two expectant mother pups, and even when I was being ripped apart, it was a nice space for the other wolves and adults to hang out and rest in.


    Now though¡­ there was nothing. No little pups. No tired mothers. No wrestling teenagers. Not even a single slacking hunter. Just the remnants of my last regeneration, half eaten and strewn everywhere and¡­ silence. I felt pale as all the blood rushed from my head. Nope, there was no way this was good news. I needed to do something fast, like now. The wolves would never have evacuated that quickly, this was their home. Their territory. I¡¯d seen them rip apart a massive moose with fangs and horns dripping with acid. They¡¯d never leave unless there was an unbelievably good reason. I yanked hard, and then froze again as another massive roar permeated the building, moving the rock that surrounded me and crushing my limbs even more. Fuuuuck! I screamed at the sudden increase in pressure and coughed up blood. A good reason¡­ just like that¡­ Fuck me!


    I tore, pulled, and yanked, struggling to move even a little bit. I felt my skin rip and tear, and I cursed as I felt blood flow from the new wound in my legs. Fuck me, maybe it could lubricate the rock crushing my thighs and I could try to wriggle even more. I growled and winced as the tear in my leg ripped even wider. Damn this runner¡¯s body and its massive calves¡­ wait¡­ what was that about runner¡¯s body? My eyes widened and I frantically tried to grasp onto that memory, but¡­ damn it, it was gone. Damned memories, fuck!


    I sighed and stared down at my legs again. Well¡­ I guess there was no other choice. Hopefully I could regenerate the lost limb before whatever beast that was out there found me. I growled and pulled at the edge of the rock, scraping my fingers so hard that they bled. I growled and punched the rock, before narrowing my eyes and focusing on the area that was stuck again. My thigh was able to move, just slightly, but right at my shin¡­ there! I pursed my lips together and thought it over. I needed to break my leg at that joint¡­ and then, maybe, just maybe¡­ I could try to push my chest off the edge and the extra weight on the joint would just¡­ rip it off¡­ Fucking damn it, this was going to be a real bitch of an experience.


    I narrowed my eyes and stared at the entrance to the den. My freedom was finally in reach¡­ All I needed to do was this one last thing. Just a little casual dismemberment, how hard was that? Haha¡­ I¡¯ve had to deal with that for the last year every single goddamn day¡­ this wasn¡¯t going to be anything new really. I ground my teeth together so hard that my jaw hurt, and quickly twisted to the side, wrenching as hard as I could. I could feel my skin rub against the rough rock, and the roughness grated off the top layer instantly, widening the tear that I had already made in my skin. Blood didn¡¯t even get the chance to start pooling before I felt the skin struggle to regenerate, but for a wound that large, it was sluggish. I wrenched again, and ripped off even more skin, causing me to curse loudly again. I squeezed my eyes shut and panted, but now I could feel that I was in the right position, with my heel in one direction and my knee in the other. A little while longer of wriggling, and I took a deep inhale. Okay, perfect positioning now, all I had to do now was¡­ the last part. I took in a deep breath and punched the side of the rock again. Alright¡­ don¡¯t even think about it, just do it right¡­ now! With a wild scream, I gripped the edge of the rock and heaved myself fully over the edge.


    It wasn¡¯t like I had just taken a simple jump off of an edge, and was sailing towards the water, but still, for a brief moment, I felt weightless. Peaceful. Blissful. For a short moment at least. Then I felt my free leg slide out of the rock as well, and the rest of my body slid out, before suddenly being yanked back as my ankle and shin screamed at me as they took the full brunt of my body. I roared in agony, and my vision went red as I felt the bones and joints in my leg crack, and then with a sickening snap, I was free. For another inch, and then I was screaming once more. I could feel the shattered bones of my femur slicing and stabbing into each other and they carved up the inside of my leg until it was mincemeat. I had definitely broken my leg but¡­ I was still stuck. Still stuck in this damned crevice, argh! Tears raced down my cheeks as I almost blacked out from the agonizing pain, but I forced myself to stay awake. No, I had to be aware for this. I needed to get out of this god''s damned shit hole!


    But the rage swelled up inside of me, and my vision went red with anger, ¡°Oh gods¡­ why in the name of¡­ Ahhhh!¡±


    I screamed again, and slammed my forehead into the side of the rock wall. I felt my skull crack, but I didn¡¯t care. Again¡­ this shit was happening again! I roared and slammed my fists into the wall, feeling the skin split and the blood begin to pour out. I punched again and again, my vision going red. FUCK!!! AHHHH!!! I WAS JUST STUCK IN THIS STUPID SHITHOLE!!! FOREVER!!! FUCK, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK, FUUUUUUUUUCK!!!!


    I roared and slammed my fists, and my forehead, and even my foot into the rock. My skin split, blood ran down the wall, and pain ruled supreme. Then¡­ within my writhing and rage fueled tantrums, I felt it. The bones that had been in my shin, stabbing and slicing and carving, they finally broke through the skin, ripping it just enough that¡­ I fell. I finally fell, sailing through the air in a shower of blood and gore, a dark red grin lighting up my face. I watched as the ground raced up towards me, but right before I slammed into it, I thankfully blacked out.


    When I awoke, I could feel my leg pulsing in pain, but¡­ I was free. I grinned and glanced at my knuckles. All healed, good. I must have only been out for a while. I sat up and cracked my neck. Oh it was going to be a good day! I felt another feral grin come over my face and I looked down at my leg. It was covered in blood, so I could see how far my leg had regenerated. I had about¡­ ten minutes until my foot could grow back. Then I¡¯d activate ¡®sprint¡¯ and get out of this hellhole, once and for all. Then¡­ well¡­ I guess¡­


    I frowned, and rubbed my chin. Wait, what was I going to do? I had been in this cave for so long¡­ but what was I doing before? I remember the names of Halfi¡­ and Cylkia¡­ my rage still burned whenever I thought of them, but was there anything else? What was I doing before this? Was I with someone? Hmm¡­


    A sudden roar shot through the air again and I paled. Oh¡­ that was right. I was in the middle of trying to escape from whatever had made that noise and scared off the dire wolves. I glared down at my slowly regenerating foot, willing it to heal faster. Ah¡­ This was taking a ridiculous amount of time, I really needed to get moving before¡­


    A loud thud thrummed through the air, and I felt it shake my bones. Oh no¡­ There was another loud thud, and then another and I realized those weren¡¯t thuds from something falling, they were footsteps. My face paled and I looked around for somewhere I could hide. Whatever that thing was¡­ I was not in any shape to face it right now. I noticed a large boulder on the side of the den, and scrambled over to it, squeezing myself behind it and poking my head out of the other side so I could see whatever it was when it came closer.


    I was prepared for something massive, but when I saw the absolutely ridiculously large form that began to block the opening of the den, darkening the whole room, I couldn¡¯t help but gasp. It was as much a bear as a garter snake was an anaconda. It¡¯s humongous form blotted out the entryway, and its loud footfalls reverberated through the den as it walked farther inside. It was easily the size of a large shed, and it moved slowly, but in a way that made it clear it could move much, much faster. Its fur was a dark, matted brown, and sported many silver white scars. Upon its back I saw the broken off hafts of spears and arrows, and I swear I even saw an axe handle in one of its shoulders. The fact that it was able to move at all would normally have baffled me, but I don¡¯t even think it noticed the weapons stuck in its hide.


    It sniffed the air as it walked farther in, growling at the leftover remains of the wolves den. It snuffled at one of my leftover limbs from this morning, before opening its massive maw and swallowing it whole, bone and all. I shivered, and wiggled a little farther behind the boulder, trying to calm my wildly beating heart. That¡­ that was not something I could just beat. I needed to get the hell out of here as quickly as I fucking could. I took a deep breath and willed my foot to finally regenerate already, focusing all of my energy on the area instead of my splintered bones and torn skin. I could heal that later, this took priority.


    I peered around the side of the boulder again, and sighed in relief. The bear was still sniffing on the far side of the cavern, and I looked from it to the entrance. I wasn¡¯t sure how fast it could move, but I doubted it was as fast as the wolves, who had chased me down everytime I had managed to get close to breaking out of the cavern. I glared down at my foot, and patiently watched as the heel and fore of it healed, making sure to also keep an eye on where the massive bear was. Okay¡­ just the little toes now and I was good. Oh¡­ where to go first? Maybe I¡¯d try and find some water or food? I don¡¯t think I had even eaten anything this last year¡­ huh, weird.


    As the rest of my foot healed up, I looked from the bear to the entrance again. Now. Now was the chance I had been waiting for this whole time. I carefully and silently wriggled out from behind the boulder again, and looked towards the opening. I really couldn''t believe my luck, I had figured that I was going to be stuck in this fucking shithole for at least another year or so until I could get strong enough to fight off and kill enough wolves that they¡¯d think of me as more trouble than I was worth! A smile came over my face, and I reached deep inside and pulled on the void, activating ¡®sprint¡¯ and charging towards the opening.


    Freedom! Freedom was finally mine! I grinned and laughed as I pushed as hard as I could off of one leg, sailing through the air as quickly as I could, when I heard a loud roar echo through the cavern. Oh no¡­ it had noticed me! I laughed crazily and picked up my pace, racing even harder towards the opening, abandoning all hope at silence. I¡¯d figured that it would hear me racing towards the entrance, but I had no doubts I could beat it in a race, after all, that thing was fucking massive! The roar came again, and then I heard the sound of its loud footfalls as the beast charged through the den, the walls and ceiling shaking and raining down dust and rubble. I was so so so close, just a little bit farther and I¡¯d be¡­


    FREE!!! I broke out of the mouth of the den for the first time in a year, and tripped over a rock, faceplanting hard into the ground. I groaned, and quickly managed to sit up, wiping off the dirt and rocks that were still embedded in my face. Groggily, I looked around at my surroundings, wincing at the sunlight that was shining down from above. So¡­ this was it? The world outside of that damn den? I sighed and got up, shaking my legs off. It was a pretty big let down if I was being honest.


    To my left and right were two more large caves, which I figured were the other wolf dens that I had always assumed were somewhere nearby. I whistled in surprise as I saw that in the middle of the clearing there were several wolf corpses, literally torn in half and strewn around. I felt my face pale at the sight as I remembered what I had just been running from. I needed to get out of here¡­ now! I activated ¡®sprint¡¯ and charged off in the direction of the wilderness, not even caring about where exactly I was going to charge off to. Something told me that I would be safe there, if I could get far enough away.


    That massive roar raged through the air again, and I glanced behind me just as the massive bear exploded out of the opening of the cave, sending rock and rubble flying everywhere. I groaned inwardly and cursed as it slammed its paws down. Fuck me for thinking that it was going to be slow! Its rage was evident as it gnashed its teeth in the air and looked around itself. I shook my head and poured on the speed, taking another glance behind me to see if it was still chasing me. Weren¡¯t bears supposed to have terrible eyesight? I should be fine, right? The bear''s eyes scanned around until they finally landed on me, and my heart stopped for a second. What the fuck was that bullshit!


    I groaned and looked back at the trees, stretching out my sore and screaming legs. Could I get there in time? For how big the bear was, I probably could evade it if I made it there right? I raced forward, hearing the thuds of its footfalls as it chased after me, fully locked on to me. Oh shit! I dashed over a fallen boulder and dodged around tree after tree as I finally reached the edge of the forest. A relieved smile came over my face as I heard that enraged roar again. Okay, that bear was way too big to try and chase me through the woods, I just needed to get far enough away that the wolves couldn¡¯t track me down again. I was NOT becoming their free meal again! At least, not if I had anything to say about it!


    I heard a loud tearing noise, and I frowned. What¡­ what was that? I looked behind me, and paled again. The bear had been forced to stop at the edge of the forest, but it hadn¡¯t even lasted a moment before it just smashed the offending trees out of its way, cracking them in half or just straight up ripping them out of the ground. It roared again and bulldozed forward, its massive claws tearing up large chunks of earth as it ignored every obstacle in its way, intent on getting to me. I felt my stomach drop, and turned around, picking up the pace and jumping over a small creek.


    Okay¡­ That was absolutely ridiculous! What had I even done to piss off the bear? I had just been running out of the cave! It hadn¡¯t even chased the wolves, why was it coming after me now!? I heard the rampaging bear behind me get even louder, and I cursed, my eyes darting around, looking for somewhere to hide or escape the bear. There was nothing I could see and I let out a sigh. That thing, even though it was forced to slow down as it knocked aside trees, was rapidly catching up to me. I could almost feel its breath on my neck, even as I poured on more and more speed. I roared and slammed my fist into a tree trunk. Oh man¡­ I really was fucked! FUCK! Alright¡­ well I guess if I couldn¡¯t just escape the bastard, I might as well face it, right? It didn¡¯t know about my regeneration, as long as it ate most of me and left enough for me to regenerate, I should be okay, right?


    I changed my direction, and started looking for a good spot to make a good stand. No, not the river¡­ hmm probably not that clearing either¡­ Maybe the large rock formation over there? Yeah¡­ that¡¯ll do. I dashed over to it, only briefly pausing as I started looking for something to fight with. It wasn¡¯t going to do anything of course, but maybe I could get at least a couple solid scratches in before it ate me. I swallowed hard and shook my head as I remembered how it had eaten my old arm whole. Oh damn it¡­ would I even be able to regenerate from that? A massive roar exploded through the air and I whipped around as the Dire Bear exploded into the small clearing, foaming at the mouth. Damn it¡­ well now wasn¡¯t really the time to worry too much about that at least. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    I bared my teeth at the bear and laughed at it, ¡°Ha! You really like the taste of me that much!? Unfortunately for you, I¡¯m sick and tired of being somethings neverending buffet, FUCK YOU!¡±


    I roared and charged forward, shocking the bear slightly. Not much though, and it quickly acted, batting its huge paw at me. I fell to the ground, narrowly dodging it. One of its claws grazed my back though, and I felt a long gash open up in my back. I laughed and rolled forward, getting up on my feet and darting around it to the left. It turned its head as it followed me, its eyes watching my every move, almost as if it was trying to map out my patterns. Fucking creepy! I spat at it, which pissed it off just like I was hoping, and I smirked as it roared and charged forward, smashing its paw around, uprooting a tree and slowing it for a brief moment. I grinned and turned around, charging it straight on, just barely dodging the uprooted tree and its massive paw. The bear opened its massive jaws and snapped them at me, but I wasn¡¯t aiming for its head. I dropped and rolled again, Gripping the sharp rock I had found and slashing around, activating sword slash. It was about as effective as I was expecting, but I saw a few of its hairs fall to the ground as the Dire bear jumped back and snapped at me again.


    I activated ¡®sprint¡¯ again and dashed around the bears left. This time it was really pissed, and it swung its massive paws at me, forcing me to stay wide so that I wasn¡¯t hit. I reached down and grabbed anything I could, whipping it through the air at the beast. It obviously wasn¡¯t going to hurt it, but I wanted it pissed. There was only one way I was winning this, and as I felt my back finish healing I spat at the bear again. It raged forward, ripping out several trees, but its eyes never left me, even as its paws tore up massive patches of the ground. I laughed and threw another rock at it. Good, I needed it to be only focused on me. I turned and raced towards the massive rock wall, not even having to check behind me as I heard it roaring and crashing through the forest, snapping and breaking everything in its way.


    I ran as hard as I could, signing in relief as I saw the rock wall around the next few trees. I continued at my dead sprint, running as hard as I could, feeling my muscle fibers exploding and tearing apart at the immense amount of power that I was demanding from them. I couldn¡¯t, no, wouldn¡¯t slow down at all, and I begged my regeneration ability to do its best to hold me together, even if it was only for a few more moments.


    My Unending Vitality grudgingly acquiesced, and as I flew forward, I laughed as I jumped forward, running head first into the rock wall that I had been aiming for. I could feel my skull shatter along with half the bones in my chest, and I slumped to the ground screaming and coughing up blood. Agony and pain reigned supreme as I felt my body slowly begin the healing process, my Unending Vitality struggling with where and how to even start. I could feel the effects of the severe brain injury I had just given myself, and as my vision went to static and alternative black and red flashes, I had no idea how I was actually still able to think. Still, I needed to see what happened next, even if I could barely see. I wriggled around, wincing at the feeling of shards of bones ripping apart my innards. Still, I tried my best to turn around to see the bear.


    I hadn¡¯t even realized how close the bear had gotten to me, and just as I managed to turn myself backwards to see if my plan had worked, I watched as it barreled into the rock wall, just like I had. The dire bear''s raging, furious roars that had been shaking the very air, were suddenly cut short and I watched as a massive cloud of dust and rock exploded outward from the impact. I heard the sound of a loud crack and then half of the rock wall bent and fell down, slamming down on top of the bear with a resounding thud. I smirked as I watched its form go limp, and dusted the dirt off of me. Good, good¡­ that should give me just enough time to get the fuck out of here.


    I groaned and struggled to stand up, my vision going double and blurring. I had this feeling that even with a thousand pounds of rubble and rock on top of that thing, it wouldn''t be enough to stop the bear permanently. I really needed to get the hell out of here, before the damned thing woke up and realized what I had done. I hobbled forward, agony sparking through my head and chest with each step. Fuck me¡­ Hopefully my body would be able to heal soon, I could already feel my bones struggling to rearrange themselves and put themselves together. I had purposefully run head first into the rockwall in order to protect my legs, so that I could get out of here as quickly as possible. I just needed to activate ¡®sprint¡¯ and then I could get the hell out of here¡­


    I groaned and took another agonizing step forward, when I heard an even louder rage filled roar explode through the air, freezing me and my heart. I screamed in anger and despair and glared behind me. There was no fucking way that thing was still fine! Did the couple thousand pounds of rock even do anything at all to that damned thing!? I staggered forth a few more steps, and looked behind me, expecting the bear to still be near the rock wall, probably still trying to figure out where I was.


    Unfortunately, I was not that lucky. All I saw was a huge mass of pissed off fur, claws, and roaring, slavering fangs and rage barreling straight at me, knocking aside trees like they were nothing. I didn¡¯t even get the chance to really curse before its massive paws lashed out, and slammed into my side, pulverizing me like wet paper. I roared in agony as I felt my barely healed bones shatter again, and was sent flying through the air, spinning wildly like a boneless ragdoll. I slammed into the side of a tree trunk and gasped as all of my air was knocked out of my lungs, and for a brief moment all I saw was darkness. I flopped to the ground again and rolled over, groaning. What the hell did that thing eat that it could move around like that? I needed to figure out its workout routine because damn¡­


    I laughed and took account of my body. Yeah¡­ everything was broken, I couldn''t feel my legs because my spine was snapped, and I¡¯m pretty sure I was currently full of blood from all of my punctured organs. A small part of me wondered how I was still conscious, but a larger part of me just groaned in agony. I struggled to move my hands, or even just a single finger, but nothing even budged. I coughed up a wad of blood and groaned. I wonder how much time I have left? I peered in the direction of the loud crashes, and saw the bear ripping up every single tree and boulder in its area, throwing them around and destroying the nearby wilderness. Poor thing¡­ I guess I couldn¡¯t blame it, that had probably hurt a shit ton, even for a beast like that. I looked to where the rock wall was¡­ well had¡­ been, and felt my eyes widen in surprise.


    The entire top half of it had toppled and fallen down, which is probably what that massive thud from earlier meant. There was a large crack running through what was left of the wall, and the bear itself was bleeding, flinging blood everywhere as it rampaged in the middle of the clearing. I let out a low groan as I felt my skull finally heal, and the huge headache vanished. Alright¡­ I still had a chance, however slim, to get out of here. I knew I wasn¡¯t going to be able to outrun the dire bear, but maybe I could sneak away while it was rampaging? It didn¡¯t seem to even know where I had been flung, which was a massive plus. I closed my eyes and focused on the sensation of my body healing. I could feel it working on my shoulders and chest, but I needed my legs in order to be able to move. I redirected the healing flow, first focusing it all on healing my spine. The sounds of my spine cracking and creaking reverberated through the air, and I gasped as it was forcefully realigned. Pain exploded up my back again, and I gasped in surprise, but joy. Good, good¡­ alright just needed to heal the viciously bleeding wounds, and my legs, and I¡¯d be okay.


    I opened my eyes, and glanced over in the direction of the still rampaging bear. Damn, I really had pissed off the poor thing. I couldn¡¯t really blame it though¡­ That was a huge ass boulder that had fallen down on its head. I sighed as I felt my bones and muscles slowly begin to pop back into place, and fix themselves. Hopefully I can get out of here safely, and then¡­ Well, I guess I didn¡¯t exactly know what I was going to do. Make myself a little hut and live out here? No¡­ that didn¡¯t sit right. Maybe I could track down the pieces of shit that had just left me to die? No¡­ I had this feeling that I was nowhere near strong enough to face them. I needed to get stronger first¡­ I glanced at the dire bear, and narrowed my eyes. Yes¡­ stronger.


    A smile came over my face as a crazy thought occurred to me. I needed to kill that damn bear. I laughed and flexed my fingers, amusement at the crazy idea coursing through me. The higher the leveled creature, the more experience I¡¯d get right? I bet that was the highest level kid on the block, if not the entire forest. If I killed that bastard, I¡¯d get a shitload of experience and levels! I grinned and cracked my knuckles, finally standing up again, pain still coursing through my legs. Sure I would be able to survive if I ran now, but what was the point in doing that if I was always doing that? How was I ever going to get my vengeance if I was always just running away? I laughed and twisted around, feeling my muscles stretch and groan. It was time to really put myself to the test¡­ I chuckled and jogged over towards the rampaging bear, keeping my footfalls light as I kept an eye out for anything I could use for a¡­ weapon. Damn, what I wouldn¡¯t do for a¡­ blade¡­ wait a second¡­ I looked at its back again and grinned. Why the hell was I throwing rocks at a beast that had a sea of weapons strewn all over its back? All I had to do¡­ was get up there, and tear one out.


    I frowned, and slowed down to a stop. How the hell was I going to get up there? I doubted I could just jump onto its back while it was¡­ wait why couldn¡¯t I? I felt that same feral grin come over my face. The beast was able to knock aside trees, but those trees were taller than it still. All I had to do was just crawl up the trunk of one, and then when its rampage brought it close, I just needed to jump off and onto its back! Grab a blade, rip it out, and then kill it! Boom bada bam!


    I chuckled and then took a deep breath, carefully making my way forward. I doubted that it was able to even hear anything over the sound of its raging tantrum, but I still didn¡¯t want to risk it. I¡¯d already made that mistake with its eyesight after all. I held my breath as I pulled myself up branch by branch, higher into a nearby tree. It was taller and thicker than its surrounding brothers and sisters, but I still had no doubt that the bear could easily tear it apart. I kept an eye out of the corner of my eye, and chuckled as I saw it knock down three trees in one massive swipe. I couldn¡¯t believe that much rage could even exist in a living being, but it was impressive to say the least. It ripped up tree after tree, and its vicious claws carved out huge furrows in the earth. It had even seemingly forgotten about me, which confused me to no end. How did something that was so obviously incensed by what I had done to it, just forget about that same existence? It wasn¡¯t even trying to smell or look for me¡­


    I sighed and shook my head. Oh well, I would just have to take advantage of it I guess! I perched on the edge of a branch, carefully shuffling to the side as I watched the bear''s rampage slowly get closer and closer. Not now¡­ no not yet¡­ I watched as it roared and ripped up a nearby tree and a grin spread over my face. NOW! I leaped from the branch, aiming for the haft of a spear stuck in the beast''s shoulder, and for a moment as I sailed through the air, I felt free and confident for the first time.


    I laughed as my body slammed into the backside of the beast, and I gripped the handle as the dire bear reared back and roared, somehow sounding even more pissed off than before! I laughed as the bear bucked and jumped up and down, trying to dislodge me. It slammed me into trees and then the same broken rock wall it had run into earlier, but I just kept on holding on, feeling my back and legs being shredded and torn apart. Damn!


    This was going to take a while to say the least, but I knew I could outlast the damned thing. All I had to do was just hold on for dear life! I squeezed my eyes shut and locked my hands on the haft of the spear, choosing to ignore and sacrifice my legs in the hopes of seeming like an inanimate object to the damned massive furball. That couldn¡¯t take that long, right?


    It did in fact, take that long. And by that long, I meant an entire day, night, and then only when the sun had been setting on the second day, had the damned beast finally began to make its way back. I hadn¡¯t really expected it to take the rest of the night and into the next day before the bear finally slowed down, but if I had, I would have just waited around for a while! My arms screamed at me as my body struggled to heal the constant muscle tears in my arms, and somehow they were the best feeling part of my whole body.


    Throughout the course of its rampage, I had lost consciousness a few times, but still had managed to hold on tight, even when the bear had suddenly decided that trying to dash me against the rock wall was the best plan of action, and when it had proven not to be¡­ It had decided that it was time for more¡­ serious measures. It had taken to rolling over onto its back, which had smashed me into the forest floor, crushing my entire body under its massive body weight. Honestly, I could handle the feeling of my bones being smashed into paste, but the weight of the bear on top of me? Crushing and smothering me, causing every last bit of air out of my lungs to be squeezed out? Yeah¡­ that was a bit different. For a moment there, I¡¯d even been worried that I might actually let go and the bear would be able to get its free dinner.


    Thankfully for me though, the bear didn¡¯t know how close I was to letting go, and ended up rolling over just as I started to black out. Unfortunately, it realized I was still there, and rolled back over and crushed my broken, battered body again. It was brutal, and after the fourth time of the bear doing that, I had gone effectively limp as my bloody, broken body struggled to heal itself, only my upper chest, arms, and head being still intact. I¡¯d thanked all the gods that it had seemed to stop, but I was terrified as it just stood there, for a long, silent moment. No more roars, no more tantrums, and not even any more attempts at killing me happened as it stared at the setting sun, the bear¡¯s unbelievable rage having finally cooled down. At least, slightly. It had huffed, wandering off in the direction of the wolves den once more, not even caring about the extra weight that was dangling behind itself.


    Relief had poured through my body, and I had just hung on, a smile slowly dawning on my face. Good gods! Finally, the damned thing had forgotten I existed! HAHA!!! All I had to do now was just wait for it to settle down a little and I could try to tear out a weapon and kill the damn thing! I glanced at the plethora of rusted, and old weapons, sending out a thank you to the poor fools that had come before me. They may not have been able to kill the thing, but they had left behind quite the beautiful gift for me! I¡¯d have to kill this damned bear for them too.


    I eyed the axe handle nearby, and flexed my muscles carefully, taking a quick once over of how they felt. I¡¯d been dangling off of the bear for about a whole day now, and it felt like I was almost fully healed¡­ though my legs still seemed a bit too brittle to put too much weight on. I sighed and rubbed my head. Maybe later that night? Ah¡­ I shouldn¡¯t rush something like this. If I did, I might end up just getting myself torn into pieces over and over again, or worse, eaten entirely. I shuddered and shook my head. Even with the wolves tearing me apart and using me as a free meal ticket this last year, I still don¡¯t think that I had been entirely eaten at any point. There had always been at least a solid part of me left behind to grow from, like my head, torso, or even just an arm. But being entirely eaten? No¡­ Not yet.


    I shook my head and hummed a little song to myself, letting the noise soothe me. The bear rumbled at me, but it had stopped caring about me a bit ago. It just kept on plodding along towards the wolves old den and I whistled as I looked at all the wanton destruction it had caused while it was chasing me. Damn¡­ I can¡¯t believe it had wanted to eat me that bad, did I really taste that good?


    I frowned as I considered that, as the bear finally arrived at the wolves old den. Hmmm¡­ maybe I did taste good or something? The wolves hadn¡¯t had to use me as an endless buffet, even if it was the smart thing to do. Huh, I¡¯d have to look into that at some point. The bear sniffed at the corpses out front, but huffed and went inside instead. I guess it didn¡¯t like the taste of wolf? How odd. I simply just waited, humming and thinking to myself as the bear settled down. I even considered taking a nap but¡­ no, I shouldn¡¯t do that. Just because the bear had stopped caring I was on its back, didn¡¯t mean that it wouldn''t jump at the chance to eat me if I gave it one. Especially since it didn¡¯t seem to like the taste of the wolf carcasses, I bet it really was hungry¡­


    I decided against letting my guard down in any way. Instead, I simply just hung there as the bear clawed and tore at the ground, making itself a nice soft bed. It curled up and after a short while I heard and felt it slowly fall asleep, its chest rising and falling in a nice steady rhythm. I slowly pulled myself farther up on the pole and eyed the axe handle. Just a little hop, though I wasn¡¯t sure how deep it was in its shoulder. After all, it had remained there for who knows how long, and the whole time the bear was rolling on its back, attempting to crush me into a fine paste. I slowly swung back and forth, trying not to wriggle too much lest I wake the bear up too early. After all, I needed to rip out the axe and then somehow cut off its head or paw or something. Hmm¡­ well actually I didn¡¯t even know where I was going to cut, but the axe had to be pretty damn sharp right? It had managed to stay in the bear all this time after all.


    I finally figured out the right swinging motion, and I swung one last time, letting go at the very last moment and flying through the air towards the axe¡¯s handle. I grinned as I felt my palms smack into the handle, and I gripped as tightly as I could, feeling my weight yank down hard on it, causing it to budge, even if it was just a little bit. Of course, that just pissed off the bear and woke it up, which I had been expecting as well.


    It roared in pain and annoyance and got up, shaking its pelt. Which of course, was exactly what I needed it to do. I laughed as the shaking caused me to get flung back and forth, causing my weight to yank on the handle of the axe again, and again, budging it even more. I laughed as the bear roared again in annoyance, but I was excited now that I could feel a slight wiggle in the handle. How nice of it! Helping me out in such a way, gosh, I¡¯d really have to put it out of its misery quickly or something!


    I didn¡¯t even have to do anything but hold on as the bear just kept on flinging me too and fro, causing the axe to wriggle about in its shoulder and cut up the bear even more, the beats pained and annoyed roars reverberating through the den. It took a while, but then, with a satisfying sucking noise and a roar from the bear that caused the ceiling of the den to shake, I was sent flying through the air, my prize tightly gripped in my hands. I laughed as the bear kept on roaring, and for a moment, I actually felt like everything was going perfectly fine!


    Until I crashed into the rock wall, breaking my back again, and losing all the feeling in my finally healed legs. Oh you have got to be fucking kidding me! I screamed in agony and cursed, coughing up wads of my own blood. I groaned as I lay on the ground limp, faintly watching as the bear reared up on its hind legs and roared again. Then, just to really rub salt into the wound, I watched as the bear turned towards me, its eyes locking on me, before it started digging at the ground, waves of rage roiling off of it. It didn¡¯t even roar this time, but even I knew what was coming next.


    I let out a long sigh, and I struggled to at least sit up, using the handle of the axe to help me. Oh well¡­ at least I had given it a damn hard try, hadn¡¯t I? I glanced down at my hands, and the bloody axe and smirked. I had done all that work for this damned thing, I might as well check it out eh? My eyes scanned the length of it, and though it wasn¡¯t that spectacular of a looking weapon, and I could see that it was caked with rust, blood, and fur, I couldn¡¯t help but not in appreciation. What I could see told me it must have been magnificent once, and if I had any knowledge or knew of a way to restore it, I felt like it would be an amazing axe. I narrowed my eyes at something I could barely even see carved into the handle. It took me a second to realize, but there was a signature carved there¡­ Huh, if I survived this, maybe I could go find someone who could read it, huh?


    Then the bear roared again, this time not in anger or rage, but in triumph, and I was torn from my short reprieve. I smiled, and gripped the handle again, propping myself up on one arm and glaring at the beast, ¡°Oh you poor thing, finally caught your prey eh? I¡¯m not going to just let you eat me ya know, ya filthy, fat, fucker! If you wanna have a bite of me, then you better fucking come on then!¡±


    I could¡¯ve sworn I saw the bear grin, and then it wasted no time, charging forward, its bloody maw wide open. I laughed wildly and cracked my neck. I didn¡¯t really have much room or balance to get a good swing in, but I still whipped the axe around, impacting the side of its jaw as I felt the bears maw close over my head, biting down. I let out one last laugh, and then that was it. Just wet darkness and pain as it bit down, crunching through my bones and sending me to the sweet darkness again.

 Chapter Sixteen: A Little Meeting With Death

    I awoke, but as I stretched out, I realized that I didn¡¯t feel dirt or rock below me. I frowned and let my hands run over what felt like sand. This time, I wasn¡¯t in the den like I had been in the past. I frowned and looked around at my surroundings, confusion running rampant. Wasn''t I just in the middle of getting eaten by that damn bear? I was half expecting to wake up digesting in its stomach, where the hell was this? I sighed and looked around at my surroundings.


    I was in a massive cavern, and before me was a field full of hundreds of thousands of bones, stretching out as far as I could see. As I allowed what I thought was sand to run through my fingers, I realized that it was bone powder, darkened by time. Dividing the ¡®sand¡¯, there was a wide, dark, and peaceful river that winded its way across the landscape, disappearing into the distance. Stretched across the beach, I saw the skulls of wolves, squirrels, rabbits, oglebons, zhaarsts, and many more that I had no clue what they had once belonged to. The edges of it silently lapped at the grey shores, every once in a while washing up another skull.


    As my eyes scanned around, I hummed to myself as I noticed a tall, thin figure, draped in a black robe. They were lounging on a simple bone throne, tapping on a scroll absentmindedly as it stared at the river. Maybe they had brought me here? If nothing else, maybe they could tell me where I was. I started walking over to them, pasting a smile on my face.


    As I got closer to the figure, my stomach started developing a deep cold feeling. Almost as if it was freezing from the inside. I shivered and went to take another step, but I struggled to even lift my foot. I frowned, and looked down at my feet, but there was nothing on them or in the way. Which was odd, because it was almost like I was walking through molasses, each step taking ten times the effort that it needed to. How did that make any sense? I hesitated but shrugged. Eh, what was the harm? I needed answers either way, and the figure looked like the only one who could give me any. I started walking forward again, each step taking an agonizingly long time as I made my way forward. I carefully made my way to the edge of the river, stopping about ten feet away from the throne. Now that I could look at it more clearly, I saw that there were various bones that made up the frame of it, but it was also decorated and made of white roses, vines, and silver. It was¡­ beautiful. Not in a way like Verdant¡¯s throne and realm, but a more ethereal, peaceful one.


    I sighed and shuffled closer, but the figure still didn¡¯t even look up. Instead, the figure just continued to mutter to itself and tap on the scroll in its bony hands. Hmm¡­ Wait¡­ Bony hands? I peered closer, but nope, I was right in the first place. How¡­ interesting. I sighed again and shrugged. Well, I better announce myself, right? Doesn¡¯t really matter if they have bones for hands as long as they didn¡¯t try to kill me. I cleared my throat, and raised my hand to wave to the robed figure, but this time, they noticed my presence. They shot up from where they had been standing, and I froze in that same position as it slowly turned and looked in my direction. The figure seemed to be startled, which was odd since I was pretty sure they were the one that had summoned me¡­ or wait, maybe they hadn¡¯t? Maybe this wasn¡¯t like it had been with Verdant. Huh, oh well, maybe they knew who had at least? Though¡­ based on the surprised feeling I was getting from them, I wasn¡¯t even sure of that.


    I cleared my throat again and gave the robed figure a smile, ¡°Why hello there! I am not exactly sure where I am right now, so I was wondering if you may have any idea? Could you please-¡±


    Then, before I could say anything else, I felt a crushing pressure descend on me suddenly, slamming into me like I¡¯d just gotten hit by an avalanche. I gasped in surprise, all of the air being knocked from my lungs as I was forced to my knees. I groaned and drug in a hard gasp of air, cursing inwardly. I tried to bring up a knee, but the pressure suddenly increased even more, and I fell flat, groaning.


    As I was smashed into the bone shore, I grumbled to myself. Of course you had to go say hello, the hell was wrong with you? Odd figure sitting on a throne made of bones and skulls, yeah, just go and say hello! As if that was going to go well at all! I wiggled forward a little bit, but the pressure was unbelievably intense, and it made me tear up. It really reminded me of that damn tunnel at the bottom of Verdants realm¡­ Ugh, I really hated that place. I preferred the wolves and their nonstop slaughters over it, and this. I could feel my bones and joints creaking and cracking, and then a startled thought occurred to me. I might actually die for good if this kept up. My Unending Vitality was strong, and it had kept me alive all this time, but there had to be limits. After all, how could I regenerate from becoming a human pancake!? I cursed again as the pressure somehow increased again. The tunnel in Verdants'' realm had been overpowering, but that pressure was nothing compared to this. I honestly wondered if I really was just going to become a human pancake, never even knowing why I was there.


    Then, right as I gave up on any hope of possibly surviving, hoping that the figure at least had some good syrup around, the pressure vanished. Almost as if it had never been there in the first place, and I gasped gratefully. Finally! Sweet sweet air! I rolled onto my back, and grinned. Oh my¡­ now that had been intense! I stared at the darkness above me where the ceiling should have been, trying to recover for a moment. I absently allowed my eyes to wander, dully wondering what was going on, but I didn¡¯t have to wait for long.


    An incredibly rich and deep voice sang through the cavern, finally breaking the silence. It was soothing, peaceful, and unbelievably calming, and my wildly beating heart calmed down in moments. It almost seemed like it was promising me¡­ peace, and tranquility.


    I smiled and listened to it, still recovering from being crushed, ¡°Ah¡­ sorry little one, I am not used to many living visitors here in my realm. Especially ones unannounced, and bearing the mark of that one¡­ what a troublesome goddess they are¡­ I depend on their subjects you see? Everyone knows it, but not a single one of them ever seems to realize how much they depend on me¡­ but ah, I ramble on. Welcome, new traveler, to the realm of Death.¡±


    I sighed, and sat up, groaning as my body began to heal itself. I looked in the direction of the figure on the throne warily. They had stood up, leaning on a great scythe that had just appeared out of nowhere. It was a simple thing, with a pitch black shaft leading up to a simple curved blade, but a part of me realized that it was unbelievably dangerous and powerful. Something that could do great damage, but only if the user willed it so, and this user¡­ was simply regarding me with curiosity. I sighed and rolled my shoulders. Well¡­ I guess I might as well try this again, since they didn''t seem like they wanted to crush me into a paste right now.


    I spoke up, having to clear my throat when it cracked at first, ¡°Hello there¡­ ummm¡­ ah I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m afraid I don''t know your name¡­ well¡­ hello there kind sir, thank you for the welcome, and thank you for not turning me into a pancake. Very much appreciated. If I may ask, why am I here? Last thing I remember, I was being devoured by a dire bear? I didn¡¯t just die, did I? I thought I could definitely regenerate and survive that¡­ damn, I was going to try stabbing the bastard from the inside once I got the chance!¡±


    The figure''s hood cocked to the side, and then I heard a deep rich laugh boom forth. ¡°Ah, you didn''t realize it from the scythe? You may call me¡­ hmmm¡­ lets see¡­ Ah yes! You may call me Grim. little one. I am in charge of ferrying the souls of the living to the Afterlife they have earned. Your body is in fact back on the world of Zioln, in the  stomach of the dire bear, slowly being digested. Though¡­ hmm¡­ your soul has been brought here, but your body has not given up yet. Now why¡­¡± The hooded figure peered in my direction, before straightening and slamming their scythe into the ground, causing the bones nearby to rattle and rumble, splitting the ground apart and creating a massive crevasse. ¡°Neverending Vitality? Earlier, you said that you thought you were going to be able to regenerate? From being eaten whole by the dire bear? That troublesome goddess¡­ bah! They gift you this ability and don''t even think to inform me!¡±


    Grim roared and slashed their scythe through the air, causing it vibrate and tear, before they agitatedly waved their hand, causing it to close once more, ¡°Little one, I see this is not the first time that you have been on the edge of death. In fact, I can tell that you have been there on many different occasions. How often have you been forced to regenerate on such a massive scale? Can you even remember that many?¡±


    My face paled, and I swallowed hard at their rage and annoyance. This¡­ was not going how I thought it would. Shit, was I not supposed to be able to survive being torn apart? How fucked was I? This was probably some Death god, so if they weren''t happy with my regeneration¡­ Damn it¡­ Was this really just the end for me? I sighed and shook my head, trying to clear my mind. I guess I couldn¡¯t do much about any of that. It was better that I just told Death the truth now, I had a feeling that lies would just piss them off¡­


    I took a deep breath, and put on a nervous smile, ¡°Oh¡­ I¡¯ve probably been doing that for somewhere in the range of¡­ a year¡­?¡±


    Grim slammed their scythe down, waves of cold power exploding out from them, but when they spoke, they were calm, ¡°By all rights your soul should have been mine ages ago. Just as all souls become mine as they die. But¡­¡± Grim slammed their staff down again, and when they spoke again, their voice was a roar, ¡°AN ENTIRE¡­ AN ENTIRE YEAR!? WHAT IN THE NAME OF¡­ WHERE WERE MY SERVANTS DOING THAT THEY DID NOT NOTICE YOU ON THE EDGE OF DEATH FOR SO LONG!?¡±


    I kicked a bone, and averted my eyes. ¡°Oh, I''m sorry Lord¡­ Grim¡­ but I¡¯ve been in this cycle for almost as long as I can remember¡­ I''m not quite sure why they wouldn''t have noticed, but isn''t that just part of my ability?¡±


    ¡°YOU¡¯VE BEEN STUCK IN THIS STATE FOR AN ENTIRE¡­!¡± Death radiated waves of darkness, and the whole cavern managed to get even darker somehow. Without even realizing it, I had taken a step forward. I stared at the waves of darkness in amazement, and I watched the way they curled off of Death. It was¡­ perfect¡­ ¡°To answer your question little one, THIS is not normal, and my servant should have noticed this ages ago! SYSTINE! I DEMAND YOUR PRESENCE, NOW!!!¡±


    The crack that Death had created earlier, rumbled and shook, tearing open even wider than before. Mist exploded out of the center of it, pooling over the bones on the floor. It began gathering them and dragging them up into a semi human shape, tendrils of darkness whipping about. Upon its torso there grew about twenty arms, lashing about wildly, their claws grasping at the air, and then the bones, rearranging and placing them into different areas, until there was a massive frame. The still pooling mist moved upwards and then coalesced upon the messy bone frame that had been gathered, until it was almost like there was flesh and skin there. The new being shook and rumbled, and finally two glowing eyes appeared in the skull of what looked to be¡­ a dragon?


    The eyes turned towards Grim, and the figure that stood so unbelievably tall, bowed so low that their head rested on the ground, and then they spoke, their voice so silky smooth that I almost fell asleep on the spot, ¡°Lord Death¡­ You called for me?¡±


    ¡°DON¡¯T YOU LORD DEATH ME!¡± The robed figure roared, slamming their scythe down once again. ¡°YOU ALLOWED THIS POOR SOUL TO BE STUCK IN THE LIMBO BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH FOR AN ENTIRE¡­ YEAR!?!?¡±


    Despite the creature, who I assumed was Systine, being at least four times larger than Death, I watched as they flinched from its verbal tirade, and finally noticed little ol¡¯ me, on the other side of the river. It shook itself in displeasure, the bones within its frame spiraling and peaking out of the ¡®flesh¡¯ for brief moments. I could tell that they were upset, but not about my presence. No, they were sad.


    Systine turned back to Grim again, and spoke, their voice filled with sorrow, ¡°Oh Lord Death¡­ I¡¯m sorry this one took so long for me to notice, but the ability that the Goddess of the Wilderness bestowed to him was quite troublesome. Every time I noticed his soul come near to the realm of death, it would suddenly be ripped from our grasp, and it would explode with life¡­ I''ve only recently been able to  collect it, but I¡­ lost¡­ it. As soon as I grabbed hold, it just exploded and vanished. I was searching for it until you called me a moment ago, but it seems¡­ that it ended up going to where it belonged.¡±


    Grim turned to me, and to my surprise, suddenly bowed, their hood slamming into the bone floor, causing the skull mountain nearby to fall apart, and Systine in turn also fell to the ground, groveling before me. ¡°Oh little one¡­ allow me, the god of Death and the Afterlife, to offer you my sincerest apologies. Because of Systine and my own failures, you have been forced to stay alive in that world, suffering needlessly and terribly. As the guardian of Death and the Afterlife, it is my duty and pleasure to take the souls of those who are on the brink of death, and ferry them to a kinder alternative. No soul deserves to go through that intense of a pain once in a lifetime, and you¡­ have gone through it countless times.¡±


    That surprised me even more than the whole tirade from before. I figured my ability was a little too broken, but the fact that Death itself would bow to me? How much had Verdant fucked with me? Though, it was sorta cool if I was being honest¡­ Death itself bowing to me? Though¡­ Did that mean that this was going to be the end of my life? Ugh¡­


    I hummed to myself and then sighed, before responding, ¡°Oh, don¡¯t even worry about it Grim! I mean¡­ I still had¡­ have¡­ stuff to do, ya know? I wasn¡¯t necessarily ready to die yet, the ability that Verdant granted me has been incredibly helpful in that regard.¡±


    Death and Systine straightened up, and then in sync, cocked their heads, looking at me like I was crazy. ¡°Little one¡­ You''ve been literally torn apart and eaten alive for the last year. Forced to regenerate and survive, only to go through that whole cycle once again. Even now, your body is actively being digested by a Dire Bear, and is merely a pile of bones as of now. Even if you were to return to life, you¡¯d be forced to experience another slow, agonizing, painful death. The pain that you''ve been forced to go through¡­ No mortal has experienced something like that. I offer you peace, tranquility, and comfort. No more agony, no more suffering.¡±


    I laughed boisterously and grinned at Death, ¡°I thank you for the offer, Grim! But if it¡¯s all the same to you, I am not yet ready to move on from that world. There is still so much I want to experience and discover there! Sure, I might not be in the best situation now¡­ but I do plan to get out of there eventually. The bear can''t be invincible everywhere after all. And besides¡­ I still have a score to settle.¡±


    Death brought their skeletal hand up to their hood, and considered that, ¡°A score to settle¡­ Ha¡­ I confess, this is quite an interesting experience for me, little one. There are so many that reject my offer of course, an almost innumerable amount over the course of the ages, truly. However¡­ none of those souls have ever been stuck in a cycle like yours for so long. The last one who had been given such an ability as yours said something similar, when they eventually met with me. But when they had experienced the sensation of being ripped apart, devoured, and murdered over and over again, they had gone mad. When we had met again, they had gladly accepted my offer. Normally I would simply just take you by force¡­ hmm¡­ But you seem to be fine after a far worse experience¡­ Hmm¡­¡±


    Systine craned her neck down towards Death, and after a brief glance at me again, they started whispering to each other. I sighed and rubbed my temples, confusion and worry running rampant within me. This was a¡­ problematic situation to be in, to say the least. I had seen what Grim could do when they were angry, and I had no doubt in my mind that they could kill me at any point they wanted to. Fuck¡­ how badly had I messed up by taking on that Dire Bear? Fuck me¡­The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Death knocked their staff on the floor, grabbing my attention and snapping me out of my musings, ¡°Little one¡­ Systine and I have conversed regarding your¡­ Troublesome¡­ Situation. We have but one question though. Do you really not possess any desire to move on?¡±


    I shook my head and faced them both straight on, giving each a bow. ¡°I know you do not have to listen to the requests of a lowly mortal such as myself, but I would rather live on longer. I enjoy your offer, and it does mean a lot, but I do wish to travel in the other world and experience it more. I don''t remember much, but¡­ what I do remember is that my life was cut very short once already. Before I met my current circumstances, I get the sense¡­ that I was happy. There were those that took that away from me, used me, and then discarded me like a useless tool. One day, I¡¯ll make sure they pay, but not only that, I want to live. To experience this world and all it has to offer.¡±


    Grim let out a long sigh and their hand went to their skull again. ¡°Ah¡­ You are an interesting one, you know that? Any other mortal I would just send on, even considering the unfortunate ability the goddess of the Wild has gifted you. However, you truly do not seem ready to die just yet. Systine shared with me how each of your¡­ cycles¡­ ended. It gave me a touch of perspective considering you, and your life. I must admit, it was very impressive to watch, especially considering that you seemed to always try and defeat at least one of them before they killed you once more.¡± Grim sighed and rubbed the back of their hood, ¡°Neverending Vitality is definitely a strong skill, but it relies on a large amount of energy. Past users would devour very large amounts of food, mana, or health potions just to be able to heal from a sword wound or a lost limb. In your case though¡­ you are not like the other past users. In this last year since you gained your ability, you have not actually eaten or imbibed anything. Especially not in the quantities needed in order to regenerate from such vital wounds. It seems that the energy the ability needs in order to work, has been acquired purely from the quality of your will, and from the wilds that surround you. That troublesome goddess¡­ They must have changed the way that your ability operates. This is very much¡­ uncommon to say the least. Very well, I do not decide this lightly, but I will give you the chance to go back to the land of the living.¡±


    I let out a long sigh of relief at that, and opened my mouth to thank them, but Grim raised their hand, cutting me off, ¡°I do not offer free passage back to the world of the living however. Much as how you needed to go through a trial to evolve in the goddess of the Wilderness''s realm, I require you to complete a trial in order to escape mine.¡±


    I smiled, and bowed to Grim and Systine once more, ¡°I thank you for even giving me the opportunity. What would you ask of me?¡±


    ¡°Here in this, my realm of Death, there are very few creatures that can reside here. I normally take souls such as yourself to their next afterlife quickly, but it is not just because I care for them. In fact, I don''t have much of a choice. If they were to remain here for too long, their very existence would be torn asunder. The death energies that I emit are much too strong even for Systine to reside here for long. It is a testament to your last year in the cycle that you and I are still conversing. This is not to say that there are no beings that can exist in this realm without passing on.¡± Grim sighed and lightly drummed their bony fingers on their scythe, ¡°The creatures that reside here are similar in that regard. In life they were once powerful, destructive, and full of life. When they moved on to my realm, their souls, that were brimming with energy, twisted and morphed with my realm''s energies, turning them into a new kind of creature. One such¡­ creature¡­ has been especially troublesome for me recently. I have tried to find and capture it, but whenever I try to approach it, the beast senses me and narrowly escapes, vanishing into the dark corners of my realm and hiding itself away. My very existence bends and affects this realm, alerting it, but a little soul such as yourself¡­ it would not even notice, let alone think to flee. If you wish to return to the realm of the Living, I require the¡­ end¡­ of this beast. The one called¡­ The Boneknapper.¡±


    I bowed once more to them, ¡°Of course Lord Grim. I will accomplish this task, no matter how long it takes me. If I may ask though¡­ where will I find this¡­ Boneknapper?¡±


    Grim chuckled and waved their hand in the air, and I felt a sudden weight appear around my neck, ¡°That amulet will pull in the direction of the Boneknapper. All you have to do is allow it to drag you there. I must make this very clear however, despite what I said, I do not expect you to defeat this beast. Even with your ability, you do not stand a chance. In fact, it is entirely likely that it would quite literally steal your bones where you stood, and even if you were able to regrow them, it would just do that over and over again. All that I need you to do is find it, and then call me. Merely, press on the amulet and call out draskonari, and I will appear to handle the beast.¡±


    I cocked my head to the side and hummed, mulling it over quickly. Eh, seemed like a fair deal. Nice and easy job really, especially since I didn¡¯t even have to fight the damned thing. Just let the amulet drag me to wherever the Boneknapper was, press it, say draskonari, and then I got to go back to the land of the living. Sounded like an easy vacation compared to last year in the wolves den, or even the last fight with that damned bear.


    I bowed once more to Grim, which was probably a little bit of overkill, but I didn''t want to get on their bad side now, ¡°Thank you, I will not let you down Lord Grim.  I¡¯ll begin the search now, if that is alright with you?¡±


    Grim nodded, and knocked their staff down three times, ¡°Very well, you go with my blessing, little one. I have casted a concealment spell over you, there are other denizens here in my realm that you may encounter. Do not tell them anything, do not promise them anything, and be careful at all times. I have made an investment in you now. Make sure that you do not let me down.¡±


    With that, Grim waved their hand and vanished with a flourish, taking Systine and the throne with them. I gave a little wave, and then turned out towards the dark, bone filled landscape before me. How exciting! A quest issued by a god, an unending realm of Death and despair, the chance to go back to the realm of the living, and I got to find and fight some mysterious entity! What a fun time this was going to be! I smiled and activated ¡®sprint¡¯, dashing off into the Death realm. After all, I doubted the Boneknapper would stay anywhere near a being as powerful as Grim. I¡¯d have to travel a long, long way away.


    As I raced through the wastelands, I couldn¡¯t help but admire everything. Sure it was mostly just bones and darkness, but there was an interesting beauty to it. The bones that had been around Grim had seemed to be just randomly thrown around, but the farther that the amulet pulled me, the more that changed. The fields upon fields of bones were arranged in various different shapes and forms. There were glorious spires, explosive archways, massive towers, ancient and beautiful walls, and even more architecture that I could never have imagined. At one point, I saw a cathedral hanging upside down from a stalactite made of pure shadow, the bones that made it slowly shuffling and rearranging themselves. There was a moving Castle, its spires and walls constantly folding in on themselves, and then revealing massive bone legs that stabbed into the bone ground and dragged itself forward. I saw a statue of a great falcon, though it possessed 4 pairs of wings, each of them seeming to be from a different mammal, insect, and reptile. Of course there was also every manner of mind defying skull, and as I ran by some of them I realized that they were easily larger than the wolves'' den.


    It was amazing, and I laughed as I dodged around each magnificent creation. This was¡­ not something meant for living eyes. I leaped over another massive femur bone and shook my head. No, this wasn¡¯t something for mortal eyes. I couldn''t believe Death would just let me run around freely, with fundamentally no holds attached. This Boneknapper¡­ it must have been a huge pain in the ass for Grim. Still¡­ Even if they wanted me to discover the Boneknapper, there was no way I would just be allowed to see all of this. But¡­ here I was anyways, racing through this crazy realm, witnessing castles that seemed to slowly phase out of existence, upside down floating spires, and cathedrals that split in half, revealing another, more amazing cathedral within.


    I didn¡¯t even know how long I had been running, just examining and bearing witness to this glorious realm. It was seemingly endless, and as I pushed further into the darkness, I just kept on unveiling more and more of it. After I had left Grim, it had also become extremely apparent how much this realm was not made for the living. It was bitterly cold, the frigid temperatures seeming to get colder and colder with each step I took. As the cold would bite through myself, I was forced to push harder and harder in order to create some little bit of warmth, my whole self recognizing that if I didn¡¯t, I¡¯d die within moments. For real this time. Running was the only thing I could try to keep myself warm and still moving, and the steam from my heavy breaths puffed in front of me. The whole time, that amulet pulled me along, dragging me further and further into this truly ethereal landscape.


    Grim hadn¡¯t been wrong when they had mentioned there were very few creatures that could exist here, but every once and a while I would catch the faintest little bit of movement out of the corner of my eye. Each time I would try to catch it, but by the time I would turn my head, it was too late. Whatever it was would have vanished, leaving behind no trace.


    I let out a sigh and shivered. I hadn¡¯t even noticed, but I¡¯d slowed down a little, and that ever present cold had crept up, chilling me to my core. I needed to keep on moving, freezing to death wasn¡¯t going to help anyone. Still¡­ I know that Death had mentioned that I should avoid all of the creatures that existed here, but I was just so curious. What kind of being could exist in a realm such as this? A realm where the very god¡¯s existence that was in charge of it, demanded that you move on to the next life? Damn it¡­ I just wanted to see one!


    Honestly though, I was sort of amazed that I was still able to move. I know that those other beasts were incredibly strong and powerful, but I was like a bug to them. I guess I should thank my Undying Will for that. It was like a never ending source of energy and endurance. Every time I felt like my ¡®sprint¡¯ would run out, I just had to reach into the void, and it would grant me another burst of energy. It was intoxicating, and gave me a little more pep in my step, another wave of fresh air in my lungs, and a refresher, making it so my legs and lungs would stop burning, even if it was only for a few moments. I was glad for the gift Verdant had left me¡­ I knew without a doubt that I would have been dead a long time ago if it hadn¡¯t been for it, but sometimes I wondered where I had gained my Enduring Heart ability. Since I had a growing suspicion that it wasn¡¯t that damned goddess Malxonus.


    Though, I guess I could worry about that later. Right now, I had other problems to worry about. I scanned the dark horizon, a heavy feeling developing in my gut. Something was off, and as I heard a screech in the distance, I realized I was very right. In the distance, there was an absolutely massive dark shape, looming larger than even the dire bear, which had been the size of a small house. It was the first creature that I had seen since coming here, and curiosity ran rampant within me.


    It was moving over there¡­ which was not that far away really. The cloak also seemed to be working, and it hadn¡¯t seemed to have noticed me or turned in my direction. I glanced down at my amulet,  and frowned. It didn''t want me to go in that direction¡­ But what could that be? Was it finally one of those elusive creatures that could live here in spite of Death¡¯s presence? What if this was my only chance to see something like that?


    I felt a smile come over my face as I really slowed down for the first time since I first activated ¡®sprint¡¯. I could feel the chill creep up inside me, and I glanced in the dark figures direction and narrowed my eyes. Oh alright¡­ Just a little detour! I would just take a peek and then finish Grim''s quest. I didn''t have a time limit right? Grim hadn¡¯t mentioned anything like that, just that I needed to find the beast. Yeah, that¡¯s right, I just needed to find the creature to stay alive, but they hadn¡¯t mentioned any other constraints¡­ As long as this creature''s presence didn¡¯t wipe my soul from reality, I would be fine¡­ The Boneknapper and other creatures could exist here right? I should be fine, hadn''t I been in the god of Death''s direct presence already and been all good?


    I cracked my neck and activated ¡®sprint¡¯ again, charging in the direction of that dark figure. Alrighty, let¡¯s fucking go! I stopped paying attention to my surroundings and zeroed in, bobbing and weaving around black and white pillars, until finally, I started to catch glimpses of the creature. I felt deep rumbles pulsing through the ground as I got closer to the massive figure, slowly being able to make out more and more of it. Then, as I rounded a spiraling staircase, my jaw dropped. There before me, was an absolutely baffling creature, and as I hid behind a spectacular watchtower, rings of bone encircling it in layer after layer of rings, I examined it.


    The creature was absolutely massive, and it towered over even the spires and cathedrals around it. Its head was lost in an impossibly deep hood, the edges of it sprouting from its very flesh. I couldn¡¯t even see any of its features, but there were eight tusks that sprouted from the darkness. Its wide barrel chest was clear, showing a large amount of colorful skulls within, floating about and pulsing with light. It was balanced on top of six towering legs, and as it took a step forward, there was a massive explosion of color, the vibrant hues and fireworks of light brightening up the dull bone white and dark landscape. Its whole body rippled and morphed, creating tendrils that reached out around itself, grazing the pillars and architecture. Wherever the tendrils touched, the very material exploded into light and color. It was like a beautiful flower blooming, creating a glorious mosaic that came into existence around it. It was¡­ beautiful.


    ¡°Couldn''t help yourself, could you?¡±


    I jumped at the voice, whipping around to see Grim standing behind me, leaning on their scythe. Their hood was turned towards the great creature, seemingly watching it with great interest, just like I was. As it took another step forward, causing another explosion of color and light, they tapped on their scythe, curiosity seeming to emanate from them.


    I cleared my throat and turned from Grim to the beautiful beast, ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m sorry, I just couldn''t help myself. I heard its screech and I was curious what could have made the noise. This might be the only chance I have to see your realm after all¡­¡±


    A deep, warm chuckle emanated from the robed figure. ¡°Calm yourself little one. I am not angry with you, if that was what you were worried about. I would have done the same thing in your place. Have you enjoyed my realm so far? I don¡¯t get the chance to ask many others that question you see? So I¡¯m rather intrigued by your response.¡±


    I nodded, and turned back towards the glorious creature. ¡°Yes¡­ I guess that my response would be rather interesting in that regard then. Well, I must say that ever since I left you, it has been a truly amazing experience. Once in a lifeti- well, I guess I can¡¯t call it that eh?¡± I laughed and watched another explosion of color from the beast, humming to myself and the wonderful beauty of it. ¡°How long have I been running anyways? I feel like I¡¯ve been here forever!¡±


    Grim didn¡¯t reply to that for a while, their hood continuing to silently watch the massive creature. I¡¯d almost given up on a response, and was just enjoying the warmth that they provided. I hadn¡¯t seemed to feel cold when I met them, which was actually quite nice. I had been worried about freezing to death when I had stopped to observe the creature.


    Then, finally, Grim rustled, tapping their scythe on the ground. The bones around them rustled and shifted, spinning and moving until they started flying through the air. They formed a small cyclone, before the ground cracked below it. From that crack, dark mist spewed forth, and I watched as a new bone spire erupted from the ground. It started growing upwards, wildly spiraling into the air towards that dark ceiling overhead. As it grew taller and taller, it split at the top, and half of it kept on splitting, branching into more and more tendrils, black darkness and bone combining and weaving themselves together until another great structure was formed. The other half just seemed to continue to spiral ever upwards. The newly created structure was made of elegantly intertwined bone platform after bone platform, each of them connected to each other in a spiderweb of thin pathways. After a moment it almost seemed to glow, and then with a shudder, the new structure suddenly settled.


    Grim spoke up, breaking the silence as they tapped their scythe again, ¡°Time¡­ it is not something I often consider here in this realm of mine. You see, in the grand scheme of an eternity of endless nothingness, what is a year, a decade, a century, or even a millennia? This realm is seemingly just a never ending stream of soul after soul on their way to their great afterlives. All as I am left here to watch. To bear witness. As each little soul leaves me behind in this lifeless world.¡±


    I hummed and watched as the creature turned towards the new structure and screeched, its roar causing the air to vibrate. The structure quaked, and then color began to blossom across it, somehow making it even more glorious. As I watched the color spread and cover the whole structure, something occurred to me.


    I turned to Grim and cleared my throat, speaking up after a moment, ¡°Lord Grim, just because you may be eternal, does not mean you have to be alone. Each of the souls you have transported and ferried have lived their lives in their own unique ways, haven¡¯t they? Well, why can¡¯t you? You may be a god, but you are still something that carries your own feelings and emotions. Don¡¯t you have your own hopes, dreams, and desires? See, even this great creature is trying to do what it wants, creating color and light in a colorless realm such as this. Why can''t an all-powerful god of Death do the same?¡±


    Grim tapped their scythe and cocked their hood to the side, looking the new colorful architecture up and down. ¡°I can see why that troublesome goddess of the wilds gave you such a strong gift. You are a¡­ special soul. You know, they have said much the same to me before? As such, I¡¯ll give you the same response that I gave to them back then. I must always be true to this, my realm of Death. I cannot just abandon this place, and all of the souls that rely on me to ensure their journey to their respective afterlives are a smooth one. The land of the living is full of hopes and desires, but also pain and misery. I must be able to provide the peace and tranquility those poor souls need. As such, I must always remain here.¡±


    I sighed and looked back at the creature, ¡°I can''t even begin to hold an argument against a literal god, but try to see this. Try to see how even here in this cold land, there are still creatures that can exist. Creatures that even though they are not some form of god, are able to do amazing, beautiful things here. These creatures are not only able to live here, but are able to bring their own desires, hopes, and dreams to this land of the dead.¡±


    Grim chuckled, but didn''t say anything more. Merely tapping on their scythe as they observed the beautiful creature. I stood there for a little while longer, watching the creature in silence with them while I considered our conversation. What a thankless existence that Grim had¡­ The god of Death had to be unbelievably powerful, but at the same time, they were chained to this realm, unable to leave or do anything else. It made me wonder what I would do in a similar situation. Forever forced to carry out my duty, perpetually standing watch over everything and everyone''s souls as I was left behind in a dark and cold land.


    I let out a sigh as the beast roared once more, dousing its entire surroundings in color and light once more, ¡°What an interesting existence¡­ I will complete your quest Grim, Lord and God of Death. I eagerly await the next day that I meet you.¡±


    I bowed once more to Grim, and then tapped the amulet again. It had stopped pulling as hard while I had been conversing with Grim, but it still seemed to be pulling far into the wasteland, just like before. I clenched my teeth and glared into the distance. This Boneknapper¡­ it was making Grim''s existence worse. An existence that was literally just them helping other souls move on to their afterlives. An existence that didn¡¯t even allow them to be by themselves. I couldn''t just sit here and let it keep on happening, right? I took a deep breath and reached into the void once more, calling upon it and activating sprint again. Power surged through my legs, and I dashed off into the cold wastelands again, leaving behind the lonely god and mosaic beast.

 Chapter Seventeen: The Boneknapper

    I ran for hours, days, and hell, probably even weeks. After a while I felt like I had lost track, my attention focusing so much on moving forward, that I didn¡¯t even try to track the passing of time. I couldn¡¯t stop long enough to sleep, because if I did, I would freeze to death. The most I was able to get was a quick break here and there. So instead, my legs pounded along the white bone sand, each step blasting me forward to where the amulet kept on pulling me. I was just a small speck of a man, charging through the unending wastelands. It almost felt like it just never ended, but thankfully, the landscape did continue to change. Amazing architecture and buildings seemingly appearing at random, blowing my mind, and giving me a reason to pause, even if it was for a moment. Even though I knew I needed to keep on searching for the Boneknapper, I just couldn''t help myself. Every time I would see a particularly cool building in my path, I would detour slightly and check out the interior, mindful not to spend too long either way. After all, most of them were empty, and the cold would quickly start to catch up to me and start to freeze me if I stood there for too long ogling the magnificent architecture. Still¡­ they were all just so cool! Next time I saw Grim, I was gonna have to take them through a couple. I bet they''d love them!


    That being said, I did have a couple of close calls, which really made me appreciative of Grim''s shroud. I had a feeling that if it weren¡¯t for it, I would have been turned into paste ages ago. There were so many different creatures that existed here, and though they didn¡¯t cover the landscape, they did seem to enjoy hanging out around the buildings. Near one, there was this massive reptile that was wrapped around a dark spire that seemed to have been upside down. Where the reptile''s head should have been, it split into a never ending stream of goat heads, their beady eyes full of a dark fire, and their odd howls scorching the air with black roiling flames. Then there was that really odd¡­ Fish? I think? It was jumping through this river that had been winding through the air of one of the buildings. Instead of a tail, these explosions of dark water would shoot out of tentacles that would fly around, slapping into anything nearby, and every once in a while, a mass of hands would appear on one of the tentacles and rip out anything that it could. It was particularly odd considering it still had a dark scaled fish head. I even saw one weird creature that was just a mass of shining scales that spun around incredibly quickly and sliced through everything they touched. It was almost like a moving tornado, and as it had approached one of the buildings, a swirling scale arm reached out and pounded into it, demolishing it in moments. Not one of them noticed me, but I enjoyed seeing each of them. Even the slug that vomited up these weird fields of smoky white flowers¡­ Well, maybe not that one, but the rest were pretty cool!


    I wonder why Grim allowed each of them to hang out here? I''d have to ask them about each one of the creatures that I had seen later¡­ well, unless they just zapped me back to reality as soon as I was done finding the Boneknapper¡­ Ah, that was a problem I could worry about in the future! I hummed another little tune to myself as I kept on racing through the bone wastelands. The wonderful structures were seemingly everywhere, but I could tell that they were starting to thin out, and begin to become less complex, and less amazing, almost as if they were in their early stages of growth. I stopped seeing creatures inside them, and soon, I stopped even noticing new buildings. The solid bone ground became uneven, and then these massive grooves started to appear in the ground. They were leading off into the distance, in the same direction that the amulet was pulling me. That¡­ was weird, maybe it was something the Boneknapper was responsible for?


    I charged forward, picking up the pace so much that I could feel the tears in my leg begin to make themselves faster than my body could heal them. My breath came harder and faster and my lungs ached as I dragged in more freezing air. The grooves in the ground were everywhere now, and I had to watch my step as I flew forward. Then the grooves depend even more, and I started having to jump from groove to groove as the gashes in the bone became small valleys. I laughed and leaped across a divide, a mad grin spreading across my face. This could only mean one thing. I was close, I had to be right? I poured on even more speed, ignoring the pain as I tore through the wastes with a mad grin on my face, until I was suddenly forced to stop.


    I dug in my heels and slammed each foot into the ground to slow me down, managing to stop about a foot away from the edge. In front of me there was a massive drop, straight into an enormous crater. I whistled as I came to the edge and looked in. The crater was unbelievably deep, ridged by the same gashes that I had been leaping over this whole time. I placed my hands on my knees and dragged in a breath, a smile growing on my face. My amulet was pulling unbelievably roughly on my neck, pointing straight at the very center of the crater. Not just the center though, but straight at an incredibly massive shape. I considered the edge for a second and frowned. Well I guess I had to get near there before summoning Grim, but that was a pretty steep drop. I walked closer, and then an idea occurred to me. I could just jump in, right? This was my end goal, I just needed to get close and then call Grim. Besides, it''s not like I wouldn¡¯t just regenerate the damage anyway. I shrugged before jumping in, laughing as the freezing cold air whipped past me, almost cutting up my cheeks. It was a pretty far drop, and I had the feeling that as soon as I hit, that I probably wasn''t going to be able to move for a while. That was fine though, I just had to call Grim, and then this would all be over.


    As the bone floor rushed up towards me, I was expecting my legs to shatter from the impact. I was okay with that of course, I figured that it would take a bit to heal, but better that than the slow descent that would take who knows how long. From there I would just hang out while my body slowly healed, recovering from the fall. I¡¯d prepared for that as I fell through the sky, but what I hadn''t been expecting was to sink up to my waist when I slammed into the bone floor. I groaned and struggled to move, but I was stuck fast.


    I cursed under my breath and wriggled around, trying to get out of this weird quicksand. I leaned my head back and groaned. It was just my fucking luck of course. I twisted, pushed, and shoved at the ground as I struggled to move, but I had no such luck. Frankly, in the process of doing that, I was pretty sure that I had just managed to get even more stuck. I sighed and leaned back, staring up at the mass of swirling darkness that was the ceiling. If I stared for too long, I could make out dashes of sparkling light that flashed through. I stared at them, amused by their randomness as I felt myself relaxing again. I couldn¡¯t get out of this¡­ quicksand, using just pure strength, and not only that, I could feel myself getting colder and colder the longer I was stuck. I shivered and cast another look at the massive beast that was only twenty feet away. Regeneration wasn''t going to break me out of being frozen solid. I frowned and looked down at my hands, an idea suddenly occurring to me. They weren''t in the ground or stuck yet, and when I pushed on the ground they didn''t sink immediately. There was just enough resistance that it was like solid ground still.


    Hmmm¡­ I laughed and closed my eyes, before letting out a long breath. All I needed to do was slowly relax, and that''s what I was already trying to do in the first place, right? I took in another deep breath, and leaned backwards, a smile spreading across my face. Slowly, ever so slowly, I felt myself begin to rise up, until I was floating on the malleable ground. I eyed the shape in the middle of the crater and slowly began to roll towards it. It was not a quick process and I had to be careful I wasn''t going to be noticed by it. I kept it quiet, and as I focused hard on each movement, I realized that I wasn¡¯t exactly sure how long I had been rolling. But I couldn¡¯t stop until I finally got close enough to the object in the center that I could make out more details.


    After a long time, I finally stopped, and glanced up, my eyes instantly landing on the massive beast, which was only about ten feet away now. It was curled up, probably so that it wouldn¡¯t sink into this odd floor, so I couldn¡¯t make out much. From what I could see though, its main body had two thick limbs sprouting from both of its sides, with even more limbs sprouting from them at random intervals. Even while it laid there, curled up, the limbs kept on moving, almost as if they had a mind of their own. They reached out, grasping, clawing, gripping, and digging furrows more and more deep furrows into the ground. The bone floors were crushed and ground down until it was a fine powder, which was absorbed into a hundred little beaks that were around its body. The creature was covered entirely in vibrant feathers, and the little beaks absorbed the fine bone powder, a personal vortex was created around it. It swirled and tore at the surroundings, but it was close enough to the body that I still couldn¡¯t feel it, even being this close. That wasn¡¯t exactly what worried me though, what did was¡­ that there were no eyes that I could see. Of course, they might have been under the feathers, but¡­ I felt like that couldn¡¯t be. No¡­ I shouldn¡¯t even be surprised honestly. The creatures in this place? Totally feasible honestly.


    I just needed to call Grim, but¡­ I pursed my lips, and rolled a little closer, mindful of the still moving massive appendages. I narrowed my eyes and looked down at my pendant. Was this really the same creature that had evaded Grim? I looked up at the curled up beast, and cocked my head to the side. Then I glanced down at my pendant again and frowned. Well¡­ I guess it was pulling towards it, but¡­ something wasn''t quite right. I looked a bit closer and cocked my head to the side. Wait¡­ no, that wasn¡¯t totally correct. The pendant wasn''t pulling exactly towards the massive creature. No, it was¡­


    Suddenly, a massive cracking noise filled the air, shattering the silence. I groaned and glanced around, cursing to myself. Ah shit¡­ What the hell was happening? The walls of the crater shook and rumbled, and I yelped as the pendant suddenly yanked hard on my neck, dragging me back towards the ground. The creature that had been curled up in the center of the crater froze as the whole crater rumbled, finally waking up. Its arms that had been swinging around almost as if they each had their own minds, started to work as one in order to frantically paw at the ground around it. Panic rolled off of the beast in waves, and it trumpeted once more struggling to stand up, but the ground cracked even more causing it to fall back onto its knees. It trumpeted again as the cracks became visible, rapidly growing larger and larger, until it was a massive spider web that spread across the entire crater.


    I just rolled my eyes and sighed. Well of course this whole place would break and fall apart. Perfect for me, right? I laid back down and felt myself sink into the ground a little. The beast next to me continued struggling, but I just laughed. There really was no reason to worry about anything, we were stuck in this crater. There was no getting out of this place at this rate.


    I turned to the stampeding beast and chuckled, ¡°Oh I wonder where we''re going now, eh?¡±


    The beast didn''t listen of course, but that didn¡¯t matter much as the cracking noise became even louder, shaking the entire crater. Then there was a loud shattering noise that drowned out even the cracking. The ground beneath us vanished, and then we were both in free fall, tumbling through the air.  My laughter and the beast''s trumpeting intertwined with each other, becoming louder and louder the longer we fell until¡­ Boom¡­ impact. Dark liquid and bone exploded everywhere, and I screamed as it felt like every bone in my body shattered. The beast''s screaming trumpets echoed through the air as I faded out of consciousness, pain and agony overwhelming my entire self. As it finally overtook me, blacking out my entire existence, the last thing I heard was a screeching noise that echoed throughout the pitch darkness that I had found myself in now.


    I awoke with a gasp, letting out a scream as all the pain suddenly rushed through my entire body once more. I cursed to myself and slammed my fist into the ground. Ah fuck me! I fucking hated this part, with my entire soul and being! I winced as I felt my bones shift, then let out a long sigh and let my eyes wander. This place truly was weird¡­ I could see the ground above me, almost as if I was looking at it from the other side of a mirror. Though, it wasn¡¯t like I was just stuck in the ground. My hands and arms were healed enough to move freely, and at the same time I felt like I was still resting on something. It was soft and mushy like jello, and even with all my weight resting on it it didn¡¯t pop. There was also light streaming in from somewhere, giving the whole area an odd gray glow. It wasn¡¯t much, but it did allow me to see relatively well. From the ¡®ceiling¡¯ there descended hundreds of pillars that looked like strands of twined hair that had been braided together, almost like cables. Solid black obsidian like material rose from the ground beneath me, to the braided hair cables above me, connecting the two.


    I winced as I felt my knee pop back into place, damn it, I wish I could¡¯ve just stayed knocked out for this annoying part. I wouldn¡¯t even be able to move for a while, I was just stuck here writhing in agony. A wail echoed through the air, shocking me out of my thoughts suddenly. I glanced to my left, curious if it had come from that same beast from earlier, but as I eyed it, I realized that it couldn¡¯t be that same beast I had fallen with. It was still curled up in the same spot where it had fallen, its many limbs struggling to drag it along. I had shattered my whole body during the fall, but that poor thing was strong enough that it had only broken both of its legs. It wasn¡¯t dead, but it was definitely crippled.


    I sighed and looked away from it, checking the surrounding darkness. There wasn¡¯t much to see, since the light coming from the hole above was pretty dim, and whatever seemed to be lighting this place up was pretty dim in the first place. Besides the weird braided hair rope pillars, I couldn¡¯t see much besides that beast, everything seemingly just dissolving into the gray murkiness. I knew there was something else down here though. Namely the whole reason I had ended up down here in the first place! I glanced down at my amulet, which was still hard pulling off to the left. It was the same direction as the beast, but now I could tell it wasn¡¯t actually the beast. When we had fallen, I¡¯d watched as it had pulled away from it and towards the murky grayness. It was also the same direction that the wail had come from¡­ I sighed and flexed my hands again, eyeing the shifting graynes. No wonder Grim couldn¡¯t even find the Boneknapper, the damn thing was literally hiding under the floor!


    I grinned as the wail echoed through the air again, this time closer than before. How easy was this? I didn¡¯t even need to find or trap the beast, I just had to wait for it to come for its meal! I glanced down at my still healing body, and did a quick inventory. Most of the main organs, bones, and wounds had healed up at this point. Just a large portion of my legs was left, which could heal up pretty quick if I focused on them entirely. The ability that Verdant had gifted me was unbelievable¡­ especially when I remembered the literal paste that most of my body used to be. I raised my arm and flexed it experimentally. Good, pretty much all good now. I just needed to grab the amulet and call Grim. What was it that I had to say again? It was something really odd, right? I pursed my lips and wracked my brain. Was it rigor naan? No¡­ Drake? No¡­ Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    I sighed and rolled my eyes. Figures, of course I¡¯d forget it. I groaned as another wail pierced the silence. I was almost healed, I could sit up now, but I stayed still. I was so fucking close to being free! I¡¯d found the damned thing and everything! Fuck¡­ Well at this point I would probably just have to kill the damn creature myself. I laughed and got up on my elbows. Not sure how I was gonna do that, but hey, maybe even unbelievably strong and powerful beasts could choke eh? I suddenly heard a loud slithering noise come from the darkness, and I froze, except for my heart which was beating a million miles a minute. It must be here¡­


    I peered into the grayness, readying myself for whatever it might look like, but when it appeared, I realized there was no way I could have prepared myself for it. It had to have been the most unbelievable creature I had seen yet, and not only that, but it was absolutely massive, dwarfing the other creature I had fallen in with. It was stretched out on the ground just like a snake, and even as close as it was, I still couldn¡¯t see all of it, the rest of its massive body vanishing into the grayness. The parts that I could see were entirely covered in scales, but on top of each and every scale there was a different beast''s maw, all of their teeth gnashing in the air, creating a cacophony of teeth smacking into each other. It had twenty, thick, and hairy tarantula legs sticking out of its back, keeping the front half of its body aloft. From there, a strong humanoid-like chest rose up, sporting three muscular arms out of both sides. Each was chaotic, and instead of hands they had serrated bird talons which grasped and sliced through the air. Upon its shoulders, it bore an avian head, with a toothed beak reminding me of a mix between an alligator and a vulture. It had long dreads, with a sickly green ooze dripping from them, which sizzled as it hit the ground. Another wail came from its throat, and it slither- skittered closer to the poor beast, which had finally noticed it. The poor creature screeched and trumpeted, the various limbs sticking out of the sides of its broken legs struggling to drag it farther away. My amulet was burning and tearing into my neck now, biting into my skin as it desperately tried to get closer to what I now knew was the Boneknapper.


    I paled as I looked upon it, wincing at the quickly fading thought of trying to kill it by myself. Oh hell nah, there was no way in a fucking thousand afterlives I was fighting that thing and even getting the glimmer of a victory. What the fuck had Grim said that I needed to say? Drama? Drag? Inari? Naan? Drake?


    I frantically struggled to remember as the Boneknapper slither- skittered closer to the struggling beast. The Boneknapper loomed over it, turned its head up, and then wailed again, the wretched noise filling the air before it pounced on the beast faster than I could follow. Its six arms clawed at the beast, ripping its frantically struggling limbs off, each of them in a different, and more gruesome manner than the last. Then it peeled the skin and flesh off of each one, and crunched on the sparkling white bone, slurping it down and tossing the bloody, pulped flesh to the gnashing scales all over its body. As it tore off the last limb, it wailed again, drowning out the pitiful cries of the creature.  Then it started tearing into the body of the poor beast, its bloody beak and arms creating a bloody massacre. I shivered, unable to look away from the horrifying scene. The wolves had ripped me apart and devoured me in every possible way, but this¡­ This somehow just felt unbelievably wrong.


    I glared at the Boneknapper¡¯s back, and slowly sat up, testing out how my body was feeling. It was almost entirely healed up¡­ good, I just had a few fractures left. I diverted the rest of my attention to fully healing my arms and closed my eyes, feeling the rush again. Okay, so I definitely wasn''t going to win any real fight against it, and honestly I had no clue what I was supposed to say to summon Grim¡­ But the medallion had to be connected to me in some way right? This was their realm after all, so if I managed to get killed here¡­ it should summon them¡­ right?


    I grinned and cracked my neck, letting out a nervous laugh. Alright, now that''s a plan! Just go and get myself killed! Should be easy enough¡­ haha¡­ I shook my head charged forward, circling around as it continued to hungrily tear into the poor beast. I charged around the massive tail, searching for a solid handhold. Maybe if I shoved some of the bone shards in the mouth scales I could just clamber up that way? I poured on the speed, and dashed up and on top of the beast. It didn''t even shake or flinch as I clambered up the side of it, which was good. I wasn''t a hundred percent sure how the hell I was going to get to its head without it noticing me, but hopefully it was going to be way too busy digging into that other beast for it to do anything. I made my way up, carefully clambering over its massive body as it wailed and munched on bones. It was pretty sickening if I was being honest, and if I wasn¡¯t so used to it by now I probably would have thrown up ages ago.


    As I reached up for the next scale, it suddenly roared, and shook itself, causing me to latch onto its side so I didn¡¯t get sent flying. It groaned and wailed, before starting to slither- skitter away. I yelped in surprise and frantically looked around for any solid hand and footholds, but I couldn¡¯t see any. I cursed under my breath and gripped the scales on the back of the beast''s torso. It was the only option I had, but obviously the beast still noticed the new weight on its back now that it wasn¡¯t tearing into the creature. It wailed and shook itself, its arms twisting and clawing at itself as they tried to grab and tear at me. I yelped as I felt one of its fingers graze my leg. Well, this was as good a time as any I guess! I reached up and started pulling myself even faster up its back, mindful of the gnashing maws.


    The Boneknapper wailed again, and each of its six talons started smashing down on itself, crushing anything that was below them. I was able to dodge each one barely, but it was only a matter of time. Until finally it managed to catch me, crushing my left foot, pulverizing it into a red mist. I roared in pain, and pulled away, feeling my demolished foot get ripped off. I screamed and drug myself upwards, narrowly avoiding being crushed again as all of its hands slammed into its back right where I had been. I drug myself upwards, wildly flailing out with my hands and working leg, sending my blood everywhere.


    As my blood flew everywhere, coating the entire backside of scaled maws, the talons suddenly stopped coming down. Then, the beast began rotating and shaking its body, a deep thrumming noise filling the air, and shaking me. I latched on, bracing myself for the sudden wild thrashing. Was the beast trying to throw me off? No, wait¡­ it was laughing at me! It was literally shaking with pleasure as my blood poured down its back! I growled back at it, and spat a wad of blood, causing the Boneknapper to laugh even more. I slammed my fist into its side and then stabbed the piece of bone into its maw, beginning my cursed climb upwards again. The time of games was over, and it could sense that I wasn¡¯t playing around anymore. The taloned fists came down once more, and I narrowly dodged one right after the other as I flew upwards, calling on every last bit of strength that I could. Then, somehow, I was at the top, my hands resting on its shoulder blades. The head thrashed around, still struggling to eat me, but I gripped its neck, staying behind the danger zone. I laughed and grinned, humming to myself. All I had to do was swing around to the other side, and the head had no other choice but to bite my whole body up in one go!


    I laughed and loosened my grip, swinging over and onto its shoulder, a mad grin on my face. Finally within reach of its head, the Boneknapper didn¡¯t waste its opportunity, and snaked its head around and bit down on my top half, cleanly snapping me in two. I roared in pain as I felt blood explode out of my torso and arms where they had been severed. Agony was all I knew, pain filling my entire existence, making me wish that I was still back with the wolves. My vision started to go dark, answering the question of if dying in this realm was even possible, but then the beast started to chew, grinding my bones and flesh into pulp. My vision went from black to pure red, and I screamed, amusement coursing through my entire body. Haha! I wasn¡¯t just seeing red¡­ Hahaha! That was just my blood! Haha¡­ nice¡­ I really hope this plan works¡­


    The agony and sea of red blood overwhelmed the darkness, pushing it back, but it wasn¡¯t long before the darkness began pushing back. I blacked out to the sound of wailing and crunches, and every single one of my nerves being awash in white hot agony. As the darkness rushed up to take me, I felt a pulse flash out from around my neck, and a part of me felt satisfied. I wasn¡¯t sure about what exactly, but eh, I guess I¡¯d figure that out when I woke up¡­


    ¡°Oh you damn idiot! I thought I was going to have to drag you back from some random afterlife! What were you thinking!?¡±


    I groaned and stretched out, awareness and life flooding my limbs for the first time in what felt like ages, ¡°Oh come on, it all worked out in the end, didn''t it?¡±


    I glanced up at the seething figure of Grim, waves of power flowing off of them. They stood there, much like how I had first seen them, wearing a simple dark robe and with a simple scythe held in one hand. A powerful being, whose waves of power could probably cause whole legions to bow¡­ and as I sat up, I flashed them a grand smile. The being cocked their hooded head to the side, and then let out a long sigh.


    Their voice rang out through the deep grayness of the underground, dispersing it in moments, ¡°You forgot the phrase didn''t you?¡±


    I coughed, and looked away, trying to put on a casual air, ¡°Ah well, I should''ve known better if I''m being honest. My memory hasn''t been in the best shape for a while. The plan worked though, right? After all, you are here! How long have I been out by the way?¡±


    Grim sighed even louder and leaned on their scythe, which was dripping a strange ichor. ¡°I don''t know if I would say it worked¡­ The Boneknapper ate you and the amulet like I imagine that you wanted. Thereafter your body was instantly pulverized, but the amulet I created stayed whole. The amulet absorbed your soul into itself and sent out the pulse to summon me. However, that pulse also made the Boneknapper realize its mistake, and as soon as the pulse went out, it proceeded to try to escape to the best of its ability. It took me quite a long time to catch the creature, though thanks in no small part to the amulet, I was finally able to track it down and destroy it.¡±


    Grim gestured in the direction of the deep grayness, and I sat up to see. My eyes followed where they were pointing at, finally noticing a smoking pile of flesh, bone, and scales. I couldn¡¯t help but whistle at the massacre, growing to appreciate the power that Grim truly must wield. Whatever that was, it might have once been the Boneknapper, but it was so mangled and wrecked that even if it had possessed my ability, I doubted it could have regenerated from that.


    I turned to Grim and cocked my head to the side, ¡°So my soul was inside the amulet, but what about the rest of myself? How were you able to construct me?¡±


    Grim shook their head and laughed, ¡°You really think that I couldn¡¯t reconstruct you from nothing but your soul? Ha! You do know who I am, right?¡± Grim chuckled again and tapped on their scythe. ¡°By the time that I did finally catch up to you, you had been fundamentally reduced to nothing but flesh within its stomach. The reason that the Boneknapper eats primarily bones is because it cannot actually digest flesh and blood. Too much life within them for a creature of this realm you see. I was able to reconstruct you of course¡­ but you are not the same as you once were.¡±


    I cocked my head to the side and looked down at my body. I didn¡¯t feel that much different or anything. My fingers moved the same, my flesh looked the same, and when I pinched myself, I felt the pain just like before. Though, as I ran my hands over my chest, I frowned. There did seem to be something there, though I couldn¡¯t seem to sense it. I didn¡¯t doubt what Grim had said, but¡­ Hmm¡­ I wonder if I¡¯ll be that different when I go back to the land of the living?


    I eyed Grim and flashed them a quick smile. ¡°Hey, so no pressure or anything, but I fulfilled my side of the bargain, right? You¡¯re totally cool with me going back to the land of the living now? I feel like there has to be some other little catch, or is it really that easy? Besides, won¡¯t that damned goddess Malxonus be angry with you for letting me return?¡±


    Grim let out another long sigh and stared at the Boneknapper¡¯s corpse, ¡°I AM the god of Death ya know, even that annoying goddess Malxonus cannot interfere with me or my decisions here. If I decide not to keep you, that is my decision to make. You did as I asked, albeit in a rather roundabout manner, and have fulfilled your side of the bargain. I shall fulfill my side, as I said I would. I also doubt that you are even remotely affected by this, based on your track record, but I should warn you, this is an unbelievably agonizing process. In order to leave this place, I have to reconstruct your entire being, starting with your soul. Part of the reason I had you find me the Boneknapper was because it was a particularly elusive and problematic pest, but also because I will need its remains and the powerful energies within them in order to return you to the land of the living.¡±


    I looked back at the smoking corpse and raised an eyebrow, ¡°So wait¡­ You¡¯re going to recreate my body and soul using another corpse? Didn¡¯t you say that you were able to retrieve my soul from the amulet? I don¡¯t mind of course, but how is that going to affect me?¡±


    Grim tapped their scythe and sighed, ¡°It''s true that I was able to snag some of your soul, but there was some that was lost, and some that wasn¡¯t even there in the first place. In other words, you were incomplete, and even with that ability of yours, you would not be able to make the journey back to the land of the living. In order to insure that you can make it back, I unfortunately have no other choice but to reconstruct you out of one of the creatures that are able to exist on this plane without being able to be destroyed. In this case, the Boneknapper. Don¡¯t worry though, physically you may be different, but mentally and spiritually you will be the same as before you were sent here, the soul of this creature has already gone on to its afterlife.¡± Grim chuckled and tapped their scythe once more, ¡°After I send you back, I won¡¯t have much say in your fate, so do try not to end up back here too soon little one.¡±


    I flashed Grim another smile and walked closer to the beast, ¡°Sweet, sounds fair enough to me! By the way, I found some really cool creatures in the buildings near where the Boneknapper was. I don¡¯t know how often you go inside, but they love the buildings. Maybe you could figure out a way to allow some of the lost souls that pass through here a place to stay, even for a short while? I find this place to be so quiet, especially for how truly beautiful and magnificent it is.¡±


    Grim hummed at that, and tapped on their scythe, but didn¡¯t respond to me. I shrugged and stood there for a while as he and I considered the smoking corpse. ¡°Was there anything else you needed from me? I don¡¯t mind sticking around and helping you out with some other little chores if you¡¯d like me to.¡±


    Grim sighed and turned their hood to me, straightening out and smacking their scythe into the ground again. ¡°You are such an interesting soul, did you know that? I have seen so many souls pass by through my realm, so many souls that were struggling, lost, desperate, peaceful, frightened, rage filled, or just happy. So many souls that I had not been even interested in your arrival at first, the monotony of it all boring me. However¡­ none have interested me as much as you have. With such an interesting soul, an unknown and complicated past, and still able to smile¡­¡± Grim laughed again, their deep voice booming through the gray, ¡°No¡­ I do not need you to stay here for longer, though I do appreciate your offer. I will reconstruct your existence now, close your eyes, small one, and when you awaken, know that you are one of my favored. Until you truly wish for death, I will not accept your soul. You will be a creature born and created of this realm, but bear a soul much like one of those that still live. You have intrigued me little one, I eagerly await the day that I may meet you again.¡±


    With that, Grim waved their robed hand, and darkness swept over my vision in a flow, my body going weak as all of the energy left it. I fell to my knees and then the ground, my head still somehow pointed at Grim. I locked my eyes on them, fighting back the darkness as I saw them go to sweep the hood off. They were¡­ gorgeous. Their skin was pale white like bones, but flashes of beautiful darkness swirled over it, somehow still full of color. Where there the eye sockets were, a fire burned, glowing a bloody crimson red. They had black, pierced lips, and silver and black hair. Someone might have said that they seemed terrifying, but there was a kind and peaceful look in their flaming eyes. They gave me one last smile, and turned towards the Boneknapper¡¯s corpse, raising their bone hand towards it as the darkness finally won and washed over me.

 Chapter Eighteen: Round Two!

    When I awoke, I wasn¡¯t exactly sure what I was expecting, but I for sure wasn¡¯t ready for the wave of agony and pain that washed over me. The world around me was dark, so I couldn¡¯t see anything, but I could feel that I was floating in a slimy acidic liquid. As I thrashed and struggled, I could feel a tough, fleshy membrane around me, constricting and crushing me and my bones. I opened my mouth to scream as I felt a new wave of mind numbing pain, but I just ended up inhaling more of the burning acid. I writhed and struggled to not breathe in any more, my lungs crying out for air as the acid burned inside and outside now, causing my Unending Vitality to go into overdrive.


    I wildly clawed at my surroundings in a panic, my mind going into overdrive as it tried to figure out what the hell was going on. Where the hell was I!? What the fuck was happening!? The last thing I remembered was Grim knocking me out before they¡­ sent me back¡­ to the land of the living¡­ where I was originally being eaten by a Dire Bear¡­ Ah¡­


    I stopped struggling for a moment and couldn¡¯t help but feel a smile spread across my face. As annoying as my current situation was, I was back. I was alive! Haha¡­ This was the start of my second chance¡­ or well, my third chance if I was being honest. I winced as another wave of acid dissolved my just healed skin. Alright, it was about damn time that I got out of here.


    I pushed on my surroundings, recognizing them as the stomach lining of the Dire Bear now. If I was inside¡­ I should be able to tear my way out right? I should even be able to kill this damn Bear that way too¡­ I growled and squirmed, struggling to claw my way closer to the stomach lining.


    It took me only a moment until I found a spot that seemed a little tighter than the surrounding area, and got to work, ripping and tearing at it. There was a thick layer of mucus, so it was slow going, but I knew that there had to be an actual stomach lining beneath that. As long as I could pierce through that, this was going to be all worth it. I could feel my flesh burning, smoldering, and disintegrating, but I just ignored it, working on my task with a single minded focus. In a weird way, it was actually a good thing that my flesh was burning off. The bony tips of my fingers could tear and cut the stomach lining way better. Oddly enough as I went to work, I could even swear they weren¡¯t even rounded¡­


    At some point, I started feeling and hearing the rumbles and roars of the bear, and I could tell that I was moving now. The stomach lining squeezed and pressed on my body, crushing me more and more, but I just grinned and continued clawing. I couldn''t stop now, I could finally feel some of the top layer getting torn off piece by piece. Good good, as long as I could rip through this goddamn mucus¡­ fuck me as long as I could rip through it, how much mucus could something have! Ughhhhh¡­


    I growled and kept at the work, digging in and clawing at the lining, humming happily to myself. I couldn¡¯t help but feel happy, everything was just going so well! Oh today was going to be a great day! I was back in my body, I had a good standing with Grim, the literal god of Death, Verdant, the goddess of the Wild, and I was in the prime spot to kill this goddamn bear! I wouldn''t have to deal with those shitty wolves either, because the bear had scared them off ages ago! Life was really starting to look up!


    I tore and tore, and it wasn¡¯t long until the bear¡¯s roars increased in power and annoyance, and it started moving around and shaking itself even more. I grunted as I felt myself getting tossed around, and struggled to drag myself closer to the spot I was working on. I winced as some of the acid got in my eye, blinding me for a moment, and cursed to myself. The hell was this damn fucking bear doing? I groaned as I felt the bones of some other poor animal get jammed into my side and stab into my leg, piercing straight through. The pain from my dissolving skin and flesh renewed as the Unending Vitality focused on the new wound, and I roared in pain. Fuck me, I needed to get out of here, now.


    I scrambled forward, wildly struggling to get back to the same spot I was at before as panic raced through me. The bear must have been doing acrobatics or something, because I was getting tossed up, down, to the side, and somehow even diagonally, but still I clawed my way forward. I clenched my teeth shut, but I could feel the stomach acid eating through my lips and the skin on my jaw, making its way into my throat where it burned. I couldn''t even growl or scream anymore, but that didn¡¯t matter. I had finally made my way back to where I was, and I wasn¡¯t getting torn away again! I bit down on the side of the wound I had created, anchoring myself as I started on my grim task once more.


    At this point, the Bear had definitely realized something was wrong in its stomach. It wasn¡¯t exactly sure what was wrong, but it wanted it, and by ¡®it¡¯ I meant me, out. Unfortunately for it, I was not so easily unlodged, and as I felt my bones creak and crack, my skin screamed out as the acid ate through it again, renewing the agony once more. I clenched my jaw down even harder, focusing on letting the regeneration heal my jaw and arm muscles first. It was agony, and as the screams racked my body I felt my jaw lock down even harder, carving through some of the flesh around the wound. I clawed harder, feeling the not exactly rounded tips of my fingers slide down the side of the stomach lining. It pissed me off, and I wildly dragged my fingers down over and over again, a sudden realization occurring to me. I didn¡¯t need them to slide¡­ I needed them to cut, to slice and tear through this. That¡¯s right¡­ I didn¡¯t need fingers, I needed claws.


    I focused on the tips of my fingers, diverting the healing flow there specifically. I sacrificed the flow to some of my organs and my lower half, but that was fine¡­ I needed this change much more seriously than any organ. I ground my teeth together and focused on the bones themselves. If I could heal back entire organs, limbs, and flesh, why couldn¡¯t I change the shape of the tips of my fingers?


    I strained and stretched them out, imagining the shape I wanted. Demanding that my Unending Vitality listen to my demands, and form into that same shape. My ability struggled and pushed back, but after a long moment, it grudgingly began to listen. My bones shifted and cracked, but ever so lightly, I could tell that they were changing. Granted, it wasn¡¯t exactly a fast change, but slowly, ever so slowly I could feel them becoming what I needed.


    It wasn¡¯t so much that I was growing claws, but more so that every time the acid burned off the top layer of my bones, and I quickly regenerated each layer, a little bit at a time, they were becoming more angled. Slightly more pointed, and slightly more serrated. The Bears'' roars became more ragged, more¡­ panicked. If I still had my lips and face, I probably would have been smiling. As it was, I just felt a little pulse of contentment in the sea of pain. This was actually working¡­ ha!


    New Skill Learned!


    Claw (Novice)


    I continued digging, using my newfound sharp claws as much as I could. I pulled into the void and activated claw over and over again, and as that began to rip and tear the mucus away finally, another realization hit me. I grinned and stabbed my fingers into the stomach lining, reaching into the void once more and activating pierce. I activated it over and over, the growing success of the motion drowning out the unbearable pain caused by the acid. My skin melted, regrew, melted and regrew, and at the same time, I stabbed, clawed, pierced, and struggled. My mind went numb to it all, as time drug on, and I ignored the growing burn that I was feeling in my lungs. My Unending Vitality was brought to the limits as it attempted to keep me alive, but that all changed as I finally saw a status window appear, and the searing acid calmed down in its intensity.


    New Skill Learned!


    Acid Resistance (Initiate)


    I had to stop myself from laughing as my Unending Vitality suddenly was able to catch up and heal some of the damage. Exhilaration flowed through me, and I struck again, activating pierce once more, but as my claws flew forth I suddenly felt a rip, and everything exploded into motion. I flew forward as all of the acid in the stomach poured into the bears surrounding innards, the immediate flesh and tissue being instantly dissolved.


    I was yanked backwards since my jaw was still dug into the flesh of the bear''s stomach, but hope sang in my heart as more of the stomach acid raced past me. The Bear roared in agony, for the first time that I could remember since the damn thing had first crashed into the wolves den. Funny, that I had to literally rip open its stomach in order to actually cause it some level of pain. Fucking ridiculous beast, no wonder it hadn¡¯t even flinched when the rock wall had fallen on top of it.


    Now that the stomach was ripped open, the rushing acid that had been burning past me quickly diluted with the rest of the bear''s blood. I dug my teeth in and focused on allowing my Unending Vitality to get to work, now that I really had a chance to finally really regenerate. Though I was still getting thrown around from the bear''s death throes, I could finally feel my missing limbs return.


    It took quite a long time, even with the split stomach and corrosive acid eating through it entirely, but finally, the bear¡¯s thrashing slowed and then stopped, a loud thump shaking the whole thing. The tensed and twitching muscles went lax, and I groaned as all of the weight of the creature collapsed on top of me, crushing me once more. I groaned and struggled to move, but a sudden rush of euphoria crashed through me. I struggled not to laugh with joy as what little of me that hadn''t healed, was suddenly regrown. A message popped in front of me for the first time in what felt like ages, and I grinned as I read it.


    LEVEL UP!!!


    LEVEL UP!!!


    LEVEL UP!!!


    LEVEL UP!!!


    LEVEL UP!!!


    LEVEL UP!!!


    Name: ???


    Race: Chimera (NEW!)


    Level: Fifteen (NEW!)


    Title: Dire Slayer (NEW!)


    Abilities:


    Undying WillSupport the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    Unending Vitality (Incomplete


    Death''s Favoured (Incomplete)(NEW!)


    Skills:


    Sprint (Veteran)


    Sword Slash (Initiate)


    Pierce (Initiate)(NEW!)


    Acid Resistance (Initiate)


    Claw (Novice)(NEW!)


    Of course I couldn''t really ¡®see¡¯ anything, but I could still feel what was there and what they each meant. I cracked my neck and winced as my lungs once again reminded me that I hadn¡¯t had a breath of air in¡­ well, I guess since I first woke up. I inwardly sighed and made my way to the side of the bear, flexing my new claws. I wasn''t exactly sure what ¡®Death''s Favoured¡¯ meant, but the fact that I had gained the claw skill and the acid resistance was nothing but good news really. With all the level ups I just got as well, I had the feeling that I was going to be able to get out of here no problem! Today really was going to be a good day!


    Unfortunately, that was before I had attempted to make my way out of it. Even without the damn thing tossing and turning and moving about, it really took me longer than I wanted to admit to actually get out of the Dire Bear carcass. Even on the inside, its skin was so durable and tough that even with the claw skill, and my pierce skill, I couldn''t even really piece it. Honestly, I had no clue how long it was going to take, but I was definitely going to have to carve myself something to wear once I could.


    ped, though it meant I probably wasn¡¯t going to be able to stay here for long. Even in the midst of winter, it would attract unwanted scavengers and make the cave possibly disease ridden.


    The stomach acid even while it was diluted was constantly melting my skin off even with my new acid resistance skill. It was unbelievably annoying, causing me to have to divert a lot of my attention and focus on regenerating before I could really start to tear in. Figuring out how to use my new claws wasn''t even that hard either, and frankly it was immensely satisfying as well feeling the skin tear and rip apart, bit by bit. Watching the tear in the Dire Bears side slowly light up red as it got deeper and deeper, and then feeling my claws finally puncture through¡­ Ah, it was glorious.


    In much the same way as earlier when I had torn open the stomach, when the skin ripped apart, I was sent flying along with the diluted blood and acid, and the innards of the Dire Bear. I laid there for a long time, laughing and choking on the sweet cool perfection of the air for the first time. Granted, I was still a bit melted and covered in the entrails and blood of the Dire Bear, but I couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    My eyes wandered over the once den of the Dire wolves, and I couldn''t help but whistle in appreciation when I saw the rampant destruction the Bear had caused during its death throes. Since it had taken it over, it looked like it had entirely taken over the wolves'' old den, and its claw marks in the stone walls were everywhere, marring the once beautiful stone. The leftover bones and what I assume was the bedding where the Bear once slept was flung all over the den, the drifting dust and shards covering the walls and floor.


    As for the bear itself¡­ The bear''s body was splayed out on the floor behind me, its face frozen in one last look of rage and pain. I frowned as I noticed that its body was actually rather slim. Definitely nowhere near as filled out when I had last seen and fought it. It was incredibly confusing, but when I glanced at the entrance to the den, I saw that there was glittering snow filtering in, painting the ground white. I sighed and laid back. It was winter¡­ that damn bear must have been in the middle of hibernating, huh?


    I frowned at that thought, and tapped my claws on the ground. I might have to adjust my plans to venture out into the world if it was winter. I wasn¡¯t sure how much the snow would slow me down, but I didn¡¯t want to have to trudge through that if I could help it.


    I let out a sigh and turned towards the carcass once more, looking it up and down more intensely. As I had assumed earlier, it had obviously been hibernating based on how shriveled its body looked. Lucky me¡­ no wonder it had taken so long for it to react when I had been carving up its stomach at first. I looked its side up and down, and shrugged. I guess I had some time if it really was winter. I doubted any predators were going to be doing any real foraging now, and none of them would really want to try and encroach on a damn Dire Bear¡¯s territory. I groaned and rolled over and got to my feet, stretching out as I stood up. I could carve myself a pelt later, but for now I was going to do something I hadn¡¯t done in much, much too long. I was going to eat!


    I skipped around the cave, gleefully collecting sticks and fur and tossing them into a pile. It was winter sure, but the cave was somehow still dry, which was probably why the den had been so sought out in the first place. I laughed as I scooped up more wood, amazed at the fact that the bear had never gotten rid of all the teething wood the wolves had collected. That was going to be unbelievably useful for the fire. I hummed to myself and happily skipped over to the Bear and stopped by its side setting down the firewood.


    It had been hibernating, which meant it must have eaten a ton and saved up at least some fat reserves. Those would be great for the fire hopefully. I frowned down at the pooling blood, before tapping my chin thoughtfully. Well, I guess that couldn¡¯t be helped, though it meant I probably wasn¡¯t going to be able to stay here for long. Even in the midst of winter, it would attract unwanted scavengers and make the cave possibly disease ridden.


    I glanced down at my blood red arms and sighed. I needed to wash up as well, I hadn¡¯t been able to really be ¡®clean¡¯ in so long¡­ The wolves were always ripping my skin and limbs off. I had been far too busy fighting and evading the Dire Bear to even look down at myself, let alone worry about being clean, and even in Grim¡¯s realm, I had been covered in bone dust and black sand the whole time. I laughed and stretched out. It was about damn time that I took the time to wash up, eat something, and finally start moving forward.


    Speaking of next steps and moving forward¡­ I narrowed my eyes and started looking around. Where¡­ hmm¡­ not there¡­ or there¡­ I paced around, kicking piles of leaves and old bones aside until I came upon a massive boulder. I grinned, and cracked my neck. Oh yeah, I remember you, boulder. I foraged around the base until finally, I found what I had been looking for. I gripped the wooden handle and lifted it out from under the pile of leaves I''d found it in. I couldn¡¯t help but whistle again as the gorgeous blade caught the glittering light that was reflecting off of nearby snow.


    The axe was still somehow all in one piece, and to my surprise it still didn''t even have a speck of rust or any wear and tear. I wasn''t sure if it was going to be here or not when I first awoke, but I had the feeling that it would have been. I doubted that the bear would have purposefully flung it from the cave, though since it was jammed under the rock, I doubted that it had even known that it was even there.


    I looked it over and cocked my head to the side. It obviously wasn''t a normal axe, though that didn¡¯t surprise me. Even from that one swing that I had gotten in before I died, I could tell that it possessed a power all its own. I still would need to go out into the world at some point¡­ And I would need this when I did. I looked it over again, and noticed that there was something written on the handle. I looked closer, but the only thing I could really make out was just the word¡­ Xian¡­?


    I tapped my chin and considered it for a moment longer, but ended up just shrugging and hefting it casually. You know¡­ if it was sharp enough to bite into the bear''s shoulder, maybe it was sharp enough to cut through its fur and flesh? I made my way back to the bear after I found some rocks that I figured would be good enough to use to try and light a fire with. I got to work, smashing the rocks together in order to create a spark, and¡­ failed each time. It was frustrating, but I had nothing but time right now, this cold was nothing compared to Grim''s realm. Thankfully, it probably even kept the bear''s flesh from spoiling.


    It took me longer than I cared to mention to light the fire, but once I did the dry kindling caught fire quickly. I sighed as the heat pulsed through my body, and taking the axe I sauntered up to the bear''s carcass again, eyeing it. I''d need to carve off a healthy chunk of its pelt to clean and cure so that I could wear it, and I''d need to make jerky out of most of the meat and set aside the fat for the fire. I could probably wrap the meat in the bear''s fur and dig a hole to stash it outside, though I wasn''t looking forward to digging through the cold ground. I laughed and casually swung the axe around. No time like night time to skin and cook a bear carcass the size of a shed!


    I got to work, humming to myself as I carved and hacked away at the carcass. It would be an understatement to say that it was an easy time of course, but the axe definitely helped make it go easier. It wasn¡¯t until the lights first rays started shining into the den that I had finally finished my bloody task. The pelts were scrubbed clean in the snow, the flesh was cut into strips for jerky, the fat was left in piles for the fire, the bear¡¯s bones were set aside for later potential uses, and finally, oh so finally, I skewered some of the better cuts and carefully set them over the fire, carefully turning them. I let out a deep sigh as the scents of the cooked meat wafted through the air, and finally took a step back, staring at the dripping meat in front of me. When the wolves had been tearing me apart, I hadn¡¯t even had the chance to feel hungry, and when I was running and fighting the Bear, I was much too stressed out. Even in Death¡¯s realm I hadn¡¯t taken a bite, though to be fair, I hadn¡¯t ever seemed to feel hungry. Much like cleaning up, I couldn¡¯t even remember the last time I had been, ¡®hungry¡¯. Now though, as I stared at the juicy skewer in my hands, I was content. This is what I had needed, some goddamn grub!


    I licked my lips, and took a massive bite of the meat, tearing off a huge chunk of it. It was still unbelievably hot, and my entire mouth protested in agony as I felt my tongue, gums, and the roof of my mouth sear. I didn¡¯t care at all, and chewed and swallowed another piece, feeling my intestines rumble with the excess heat. It was just so fucking delicious, and even without my tastebuds, I was in euphoric heaven. My mouth healed soon, and I tasted the meat for the first real time now that it had cooled down some. It really was unbelievable. I chewed and swallowed, letting out a loud sigh after. I grinned at the skewer and dug in, searing my mouth again, but I just couldn¡¯t stop smiling.


    Finally, I was here. A deep part of me still screamed for vengeance, but I still couldn¡¯t help but smile. I was alive, and I wasn¡¯t done fighting either, I still had a chance to really see this world and live my life. I tore off the last piece of bear meat, and sighed, stretching out and eying the opening of the cave once more. I was full now, so all that was left was a good ol¡¯ wash off, and a look around the surrounding area. I didn¡¯t want to walk too far away, lest some beast try and sneak away some of my kill. Though, when I was racing away from the Bear, I feel like I did remember there being a river, somewhere nearby. If I was lucky, it might even be thawed out enough for me to wash off in it.


    I cracked my neck and knuckles and made my way out of the cave for the first real time since coming back. I was instantly blinded by the glittering white of a sea of snow, but after a brief moment, I slowly opened my eyes to my surroundings. Everything was just as I remembered it from before, but now it was covered in a deep layer of snow. It was cold, and I could see my breath in the air, but it was nowhere near as cold as Grim¡¯s realm had been. I glanced at the untouched snow and hummed to myself. Based on the lack of footprints or marks in the snow, I don¡¯t think that any animal had left, or been near the cave all winter. Even after the Bear¡¯s death throes and all my cleaning and cooking, nothing had dared to investigate the cave either¡­


    I whistled to myself and made my way around to the other two dens, curiously checking out each of them. The one on the right still had the remnants of where the pack of wolves had slept and made their beds, though it looked like the bear had rummaged through them. The one on the left though¡­ It was way more intriguing. It was absolutely full of piles and piles of items and things. I whistled again as I walked into the cave, slowly pacing around the massive hoard. There were glittering coins, rusted weapons, broken shields, vials filled with liquid, and weird metal pieces scattered all over the floor.


    I nudged a couple of them, but couldn¡¯t really see anything of interest, so I just shrugged and walked out. I had that axe anyways, I didn¡¯t need or have the ability to drag all of that with me if I decided to leave. I made my way out and ran my hands along the markings that the Bear had left behind. There were so many, and I frowned as I wandered around the clearing and looked at each. So many¡­ how long had I been there? How long was I in Grim¡¯s realm of Death? I had originally thought it was only a couple seasons, but looking at all these¡­ There was no way. Some of these were at least a few years old¡­


    I groaned and smacked my head. I can¡¯t believe I forgot, hadn¡¯t Grim told me something about time not working normally there? I sighed and slammed my fist into the rock wall. Well, I guess I couldn¡¯t really change that¡­ but damn it! How much time had I spent dead, suffering, or on the edge of death since waking up in Verdant¡¯s realm? I sighed and glanced back at the den. This wasn¡¯t what I needed to do. I needed to fucking do something. I looked back out into the snow covered and narrowed my eyes. Out there¡­ That was where I was going to find it. I glanced back at the den as the last of the smoke escaped the den. I could come back for the axe at a later date, and I didn¡¯t really need the jerky. I hesitated for a second at the thought of leaving behind the Bear hide, but I shook my head. No, I didn¡¯t even know what to do with all of that. Even if I tried to do something, I had no idea if it was actually going to work at all anyways.


    I grinned and straightened up once more. Ah fuck this, who cares how long I was in Grim¡¯s realm? Who cares how long I was in the wolves den? I was free now. I was fucking free now! I laughed loudly and spun around in the snow. I was finally fucking free!


    I jogged back into the cave, and cleaned up all the rest of the bear''s carcass. Pile by pile I brought it all out and set it next to the holes I intended to dig. I set the hides up in the den, where my head had landed that one time. After that I tied up and buried the meat and hides, slinging all of the items I had intended to bring with me over my shoulder.


    I grabbed the axe and turned towards the wilderness again. It was about damn time I made my own way. I glanced back at the dens and smirked. Hell, I might even come back one day. I looked back at the glittering snow, and started humming again. One day, but for now, my journey was starting. I walked forward, each step through the deep snow freezing my bare skin. I was finally happy again, knowing that from here on out I was finally free, and the snow echoed with the sound of my joyous laughter.

 Chapter Nineteen: Old Enemies

    I opened my eyes with a frown, and glanced down at my hand, pain lancing from it. There was a brightly colored lizard latched onto my fingers, each of its three heads ravenously gnawing on a different one. I raised my hand and looked the lizard over curiously. It had thin curved spines running down its back, which each seemed to be connected to the other with a membrane, creating a sort of sail. It had three pairs of limbs, each of them ending in a hand with six claws that stabbed into my flesh, giving it a hold on my arm. It had a pair of small incandescent wings sprouting from its back, which was probably how it managed to get this high in the tree where I had been resting. At the base of its neck sprouted two more heads, which were taking turns chewing on my hand viciously and hissing at me, a frilled hood puffing up around their sails, seeming to make them look bigger than they were.


    I raised an eyebrow at the display and shrugged, casually flexing my hand and watching the odd creature squirm. I guess I could shake it off, or kill the damn thing, but¡­ Eh, it wasn''t worth the bother really. Besides, it didn¡¯t even hurt that much. I carefully set my hand down, mindful not to crush the little guy. The lizard''s heads stopped chewing for a moment to hiss at me in unison, and then got back to work on my arm, tearing out a chunk of my flesh and making me wince. I watched its antics for a bit longer, and then smirked and closed my eyes once more.


    I''d been traveling around for a week or so now, checking out the surroundings around the wolves'' old den and investigating anything that particularly caught my attention. It had been peaceful, and the snow hadn''t even been that deep at first, before it gradually started to melt in the sun''s rays. There were still patches of snow here and there, but for the most part, it felt like the forest was really starting to wake up. I saw small little critters and colorful birds flitting through the trees, and some were even especially interesting. Just like the lizard currently chewing on my forearm, or even like the mirrored spider, that seemed to have sixteen legs, and just as many eyes.


    I sighed and stretched out, running my free hand along the wood of the branch I was lying on. I truly felt at peace for the first time in a long time, and I found myself taking my time whenever I strolled through the forest recently. It had only been about a week since I had killed the bear, so I didn''t really need to hunt yet, since I still had quite a lot of jerky in my bag. Though, that didn¡¯t mean that I turned down free food when the opportunity arose.


    Over the last couple days I had hunted and caught a couple animals, like this massive venomous snake, or this weird monkey that had serrated claws and a barbed tail that had been using to swing about in the trees. There was even a large chicken with a shell that I''d had the displeasure of trying to kill. It had been incredibly annoying with its hard shell, and it had this infuriating habit of pecking straight through my feet. The others I killed for survival, and I didn¡¯t feel any particular sadness. That one though¡­ that damn chicken¡­ I''d taken pleasure when I''d been devouring it.


    The odd lizard bit down especially hard, and I sighed again and opened my eyes. I was high up in a tree, where I had climbed up before I''d closed my eyes and attempted to take a quick nap. I''d figured I was high enough that the only thing that was going to bother me was the birds flitting around, but I guess I should account for random vicious lizards from now on, eh? I whistled at the ravenous little lizard again and shook it lightly, trying to casually let it know it was time to let go. It hissed at me again, but it seemed to take the hint and unlatched, crawling onto the tree''s trunk and glaring at me.


    I raised an eyebrow at that, but stood up all the same, cracking my neck. My hand was already healing from the little chunks it had ripped out, so I jumped up and snagged the edge of the axe, which I had decided to bring with me whenever I went out, along with a small bag of bear jerky and other rations I had put together. Before I had gone to sleep, I''d hooked the axe into the base of the tree and hung my bag on the handle for when I woke up. After I had woken to the lizard gnawing on my hand, I''d half expected to see the colorful birds on top of it, or trying to poke through to get to my rations, but there was nothing there. Except¡­ there seemed to be a couple feathers lightly resting on top. I looked at the lizard again, but it just hissed at me and coughed up a bunch of feathers.


    I laughed and shook my head, ¡°Well, thanks for guarding my bag little guy. Mind if I leave you some jerky? I know you¡¯re full, but I hope you don¡¯t mind?¡±


    It hissed again, shaking its whole body, but it did cock its head to the side. I frowned at that, and hummed to myself. Did that mean that it didn''t want the jerky? I guess it could have eaten it if it wanted to earlier¡­ Hmm¡­ I eyed the little lizard, who was flaring its hood again, and shrugged. The head on the left and center glared me right in the eye, but the head on the right was staring at my arm hungrily. Ah, so that''s how it was.


    I hefted the axe blade and swung at my arm, chopping it off at the elbow. Pain lanced through my body, and I winced as my arm fell to the branch. Never got any less painful, but oh well. My arm quickly started the healing process, pausing the blood flow as my skin flowed over the end of my arm. I set the axe into the side of the tree again and squatted down, grabbing my arm from where it had fallen and offering it to the little guy. It hissed at me, but this time it was more out of confusion than rage. It quickly darted forward, and latched onto my arm, yanking backwards. I laughed and let go, watching it scurry away with it, one head keeping an eye on me as it vanished into the leaves.


    I swung my bag back over my shoulder and set the axe in the strap I''d made a couple days ago. I took one last look around, and then stepped off the branch, feeling the wind fly by as I shot towards the ground. I braced myself as I slammed into the earth, feeling my bones crack from the impact, sending pain lancing through my body. I straightened up with a groan and rolled my shoulders. Today I was gonna try and find where that river led, I didn''t really trust the look of those plains, and I got this foreboding feeling whenever I went too deep into the forest, like there were a hundred pairs of eyes watching my every move. That just left the river for me to explore.


    After I felt my bones mend again, I activated sprint and charged off into the forest, laughing at the freeing experience. I ducked branches and leaped over fallen trees, feeling the branches and leaves slap and slash at my skin as I dashed through the forest. Sprint had improved over the last seven days, along with my own stamina and levels, but even with that, I couldn''t keep using it for too long. Especially with the bag of meat and the axe strapped on my back, which while not being exceptionally heavy, did slow me down a bit. Still though, I was able to make some good progress through the woods, and once I couldn''t sprint anymore, I would just casually stroll and take a breather, making sure to avoid the other massive monsters that wandered through.


    The river was about a day''s walk away from the dens, though, with sprint activated, I''d probably get there by the end of the day. After that, I could just follow it wherever it led, and hope that this time I would end up somewhere interesting. I let out a loud laugh as I leaped up a large rock outcropping, and rested for a moment at the top, my eyes scanning the surrounding forest for any other monsters. It was peaceful though, and with another laugh, I jumped from the top, sailing through the air for a moment before I slammed back into the earth, my legs and knees complaining at the impact. I had loved the cold beauty of Grim¡¯s realm, but at the end of the day, I preferred the unplanned and chaotic wonder that the wilds offered up as well.


    I shook myself off and flew forward, dodging around the trees and rock outcroppings once more. After a moment, they began to thin out and then, I came upon a clearing. It wasn¡¯t the first clearing that I had encountered, and I usually raced through most of them, but something about this one¡­ screamed out to me. I was forced to stop in my tracks, and I slowly looked around.


    I narrowed my eyes, and gripped my axe, squeezing it in both of my hands. Cautiously, I scanned the trees around the clearing, looking for any signs of danger, but¡­ there was nothing there. I hummed to myself and slowly walked into the clearing, curiosity flowing through me. I didn''t look like there should be anything special about this clearing, but as I looked around a deep part of me filled with white hot rage. I pursed my lips and took another step forward, pausing as I heard a crack. I frowned and looked down, seeing a broken white stick¡­ or wait, no, was that a bone?


    I crouched low and lifted the cracked bone up, frowning at it. It was similar to a femur bone, but it was absolutely massive, easily being as long as my whole arm. I eyed the grass and moved aside some of it, revealing more massively sized bones. I frowned and moved aside more, uncovering a great wolf skull. I leaned back on my heels as I lifted it to the sun, considering it curiously. It was absolutely massive, just like the other bones were, but obviously it had been out here for a long time. All of the meat had been cleaned off, and it was quite weathered. Still though, something about it tickled the back of my mind, igniting that same rage from earlier. I slowly examined it, but after I couldn¡¯t find anything particularly interesting, I shrugged and tossed it aside. Eh, I wasn¡¯t going to really find anything out from that damn thing anyways.


    I hummed to myself and wandered around the clearing, kicking aside the grass and vegetation as I searched for anything else. There was another pile of wolf bones, this one being much smaller than the other massive one, a broken and rusted sword, and even a knife that I found buried in the wolf''s skeleton. Other than that, I didn¡¯t really see much else. Just an empty clearing with a couple old skeletons and a broken sword. It irked me how much I felt like this was important, but there was nothing I could really do about it. I shook myself one last time and set the small knife in my pack. It was still in pretty good condition, and I figured there was no reason to just leave it behind if I could help it.


    I cracked my neck and let out a sigh. Well, I guess I wasn¡¯t that far away from the river now, I might as well head on over. I slang my bag over my shoulder and headed towards the edge of the clearing, turning and giving the clearing one last look before walking out. What a weird feeling it had given me¡­


    Once I made it to the river, I sighed and set my load aside. I had been thinking so much about taking a shower when I first awoke, but I still hadn¡¯t really had the chance to actually take one over this last week or so. I laughed and jumped off the rocks lining the river, slamming into the water with a massive surge of water. I sank deep into it, closing my eyes as I finally hit the river bottom. After a moment, I opened my eyes and looked up at the watery world around  me.


    The sun''s rays glinted through the water, making the clear water glitter as the bubbles from my descent floated upwards. I watched as curious fish swam around me, flitting through the water, as they darted up and around me. I blew out, and grinned as I watched as the bubbles from my breath flitted upwards through the water. It was¡­ familiar being down here, though I guess that was probably because of the lake that I had almost drowned in within Verdant¡¯s realm. I could feel the river water flowing around me and the air in my lungs slowly running out, but still I laid at the bottom, calmly running my hands through the water. The fish played around me, and I could even see a spiked turtle swimming through the water, its little flippers slicing through the water.


    I sighed, and let out more air, watching it as it ascended through the water, following after its smaller cousins. I still had a bit of air left, so I figured I had at least a few more minutes down here to relax. After that¡­ I guess it was time to start looking for someone who could understand what was written on that axe. Everything alive needed water, so if I followed the river¡­ I¡¯d have to find someone eventually, right? Well¡­ that was the hope I guess. If that didn¡¯t work¡­ I could just randomly choose a direction and walk¡­ right? Though, I¡¯d also have to leave behind the den and all the stuff I had buried in it¡­ Ugh¡­


    I sighed again and pushed off the river bed, breaching the surface of the water after a moment. I wiped off the water in my eyes, and paddled over to the edge of the bank. My stuff was still where I had left it, and I let out a loud sigh, stepping out of the water, and glanced down at my now clean self. I had been covered in dirt and mud for so long, so I hadn¡¯t actually had the chance to really check myself out.


    My eyes scanned my flesh, and I froze as where I expected to be pale flesh, there was instead a large dark green tree, little flashes of color surrounding the base and dotted within the leaves emblazoned on my right chest. There was a large black bear to the side, a boar with a pair of mantis claws, a toad with fifty tongues, and even a spider with a snake head. The tree''s roots darted out from the base of it, snaking around my chest and intertwined with glittering black ones. I followed them around my front half, trying to see where they led, but they all seemed to head towards my back. I backed up to the edge of the water and looked over my shoulder, trying to see where they led. I gasped as I saw it, a gorgeous black structure, ethereal and as unrealistically built as anything in Grim¡¯s realm. The base of the black structure split into black spines, which were wrapped around a skull. The skull wasn''t human or similar to anything I recognized, and it had great horns branching off of its head. It''s jaw was filled with sharp teeth and fangs, and its base branched off as well, intertwining with the other vines all over my body.


    I whistled in appreciation at the designs and took some time to admire them both. I wasn''t sure exactly how or when I got them, but I had a feeling Verdant and Grim must have at least something to do with it. Perhaps they were linked to my abilities in some way? I sighed and shook my head. Eh, there wasn''t really much I could do about that. I stretched out in the last of the sun''s rays, and sighed. It wasn''t long till sunset, so I probably wasn''t going to be able to get far down the river. I might as well just hang out in one of the nearby trees and try to get some rest. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    I had been enjoying that a lot recently actually. It felt a bit overstated, even to myself, but I really hadn''t been able to rest and truly sleep until recently. A real chance to just¡­ live. Whenever I passed out from the pain of the wolves ripping me apart, or blacked out in Grim''s realm, I just woke up in the next moment, not having dreamt or rested at all. So I was really starting to love that¡­ the living that is. Just laying out in the sun, or listening to the nightlife late at night. I still wanted to find Xian, or whoever the axe might really belong to, but I didn''t mind this either. Hell, I might even head back to that old den one day, clear out whatever had taken up residence there, and make it my home. Now though, I was going to find civilization, one way or another, and I wasn¡¯t going back until I did.


    I stretched out again and picked up my gear, heading over to the trees lining the river bank. I eyed each of them casually, looking for one that was tall enough and thick enough that I could rest on for the night. When I finally did find one, I shouldered my pack and leaped up, snatching the lowest branch with my free hand. I slowly pulled myself up, swinging my body over and on top of it, cautiously standing up. Then I sprang upwards again, catching the next branch and repeating the same actions. When I had finally made it to the top, I unsheathed my axe and set it into the trunk, hanging my bag off the handle like before. With that all handled, I laid out on the branch, watching the sky as it slowly began to darken. The sun still set early, even as winter seemed to be ending. I watched as the sky continued to darken, and the stars blinked into existence.


    I enjoyed sketching out shapes and images of creatures using them, though I always did end up forgetting them by the next night. The stars didn''t necessarily change their position, but I still felt like every night I looked up into the sky, it was like I was seeing them for the first time. I let out a sigh and closed my eyes, savoring the cool night breeze as it blew over my exposed skin. The night crickets chirped, and I heard the singing of the weird crablike toads that came out only at night. As I felt sleep begin to overtake me, I allowed it, slowly sinking into the darkness as my mind wandered.


    I let out a long sigh as I heard the screeching of the morning creatures. They were quite odd looking, and rather annoying certainlyI wasn''t exactly sure what to call it, but it was covered in spiky spines and ran around on eight legs. It loved to screech in the morning though, which wasn''t the worst way to wake up I guess, but ended up giving me a headache after only a few moments. I cracked my neck and leaped down from the tree, bracing myself as I crashed into the earth.


    I searched around the nearby wilderness for anything to eat with my jerky, but I didn''t really find anything immediately, and sighed. I guess I¡¯ll just have to look around in the forest¡­ I frowned up at where I left my axe and pack, but decided to just leave them behind. I didn''t really need them if I was just searching for some berries and easy food. I hummed a little tune to myself as I headed off into the forest, glancing around for anything that really stood out to me.


    I paused as I saw something blue shining in the distance. I grinned and headed off in that direction, dodging around the barbed trees and small cacti that were prevalent in this part of the forest. Finally, after I accidentally stepped on two cacti, and sliced myself on a couple of the trees, I managed to make it to the shiny blue object that I had seen. From what it looked like, the shining object that I had seen were these bright blue berries dangling off of this particularly large and spiked tree.


    I leaped up and plucked a couple of them off of one of the branches, and popped them in my mouth, chewing after only a moment. They were¡­ sour? But also unbelievably salty¡­ Then they turned bitter, and finally they turned incredibly sweet, ending with a nice hit. They were an experience for sure, but I enjoyed the flavor, and I sighed and leaned my head back. Oh yeah¡­ this was worth stepping on a cactus or two.


    I chewed on another two, but then suddenly flinched as I felt a stabbing sensation in my throat, which quickly turned into a searing white hot burn. I gasped for air, and then started coughing, forced to take a knee as the convulsions racked my body. My vision blurred for a moment, and I blacked out for a moment as I kept on coughing. I groaned and shook my head, blinking rapidly and trying to rub my eyes, but as they touched my face, I just felt a wet sensation on my hands.


    I groaned and shivered, but after a while the coughing started to finally subside and my vision slowly returned. I groaned and fell backwards, splaying out on the undergrowth. I didn''t even care that I could feel the cacti spines stabbing into my skin. I just laid there and recovered for a moment, reawakening from whatever the hell that had been. I let out a sigh and sat up, wincing as I felt the cactus spines rip out of my skin.


    I eyed the berries again for a moment, before shrugging and grabbing a bunch of them. Eh, they tasted good at least. And besides, I could already feel my body healing up from the effects, my torn lungs feeling brand new. I sprang up, and pushed out of the clearing, wrapping the berries up in my bear hide. I''d probably eat them for dinner and breakfast tomorrow, though maybe after I tried cooking them¡­ Maybe that would kill the negative side effects?


    I jogged over to where the tree and my stuff was, and clambered up, hanging the bear hide with the berries next to my bag. I dropped down and rolled my shoulders, eyeing the forest once more. Alright, I might as well look around for any wildlife. It¡¯d save me a day''s worth of rations if I could catch something and cook it. I straightened out and eyed the river, before shrugging. No real use trying to catch those fish, I wasn''t sure if I was going to be able to hold on even if I could snag one if I was being honest. They had darted so quickly around me yesterday, and they didn''t seem to mind me. Same thing with those spiked turtles and the toad-like crabs. None of them had ever seemed especially scared of me, but that was probably more so because of their confidence in their ability to escape than any real fear of me.


    I sighed and eyed the forest again. I guess it was off to hunt again. Maybe I could find one of those weird chickens with a shell? They had tasted delicious, and I still had a grudge against them after the total pain in the ass that the other one had been. Yeah¡­ I¡¯d enjoy killing and eating another one. I hummed to myself and started off into the forest, carefully making my way.


    I had started off confident, but it still took me a while to find any game markings, but finally, almost as soon as I gave up, I lucked out. I was checking out this odd hoof print, when I suddenly heard a squealing noise. I cocked my head to the side and looked around, checking to see where the noise was coming from. I realized that whatever had made the noise must have been a bit farther into the bush¡­ maybe it was the cause for the hooved footprint? I narrowed my eyes and stood up from my crouch. I made my way towards the noise, creeping through the undergrowth cautiously. I followed it as best I could, dodging around a couple of the trees, and made my way over a rock outcropping, stopping at the edge of a clearing.


    I pursed my lips together, and looked around the clearing, fully expecting to see a herd of pigs or something given all the squealing, but there were only a few things in the clearing. There were rocks and those same barbed cacti everywhere, and in the very center there was a tall tree. It was twisted and warped, and each of its dark branches looked sickly. Almost in spite of that, the tree spiraled up into the air. Near the apex, a particularly thick branch stuck out, and dangling from it was a rope with a squealing boar, its sides covered in quills.


    I frowned and slowly made my way in a circle around the clearing, checking for anything that would say it was a trap, but I couldn''t find anything. Not even on the second circle around. I sighed again and rolled back on my heels considering. On one hand, free breakfast and food for a few days, on the other, it was almost definitely a trap. I narrowed my eyes and chewed on my lip, considering. The trap was already sprung, which was probably why the boars tracks led to this clearing. I didn¡¯t really have anything besides that dagger I had found to kill it, so this was probably my best chance at finding any game for awhile.


    I let out another sigh and straightened up. I wasn''t going to just swoop in and steal that poor hunter''s meal. Besides, I had no idea if they were friendly or not. What if they tracked me down and killed me, or worse, imprisoned me? I''d just have to subsist on the jerky and berries for now¡­ ugh. I turned and started walking back, ducking under a branch and hopping over another little rock. As I landed on the ground, I cocked my head as I heard a slight noise. I didn¡¯t recognize the noise, but¡­ it seemed somehow familiar as well, and I frowned. What the¡­


    I grunted as I felt something slam into my shoulder, forcing me to take a step forward. I whipped around and looked for the source, dropping down into a crouch. My eyes flicked back and forth, scanning for anything that stood out, but I didn''t see anything. I growled, and slowly started shifting away, keeping an eye on everything until I heard that noise again. My ears were pricked for the slightest ounce of change, and then I heard it, and I dropped to the earth just as I felt the wind whoosh by above me, and then felt a thunk of pain as it still managed to hit me. I growled again and reached for my shoulder, grasping the haft and ripping it out. I grunted as I felt it tear out, taking a chunk out of my shoulder. Gods that fucking hurt. I glared down at what had hit me, which was a simple long arrow. It was obviously not the highest of qualities, probably but I didn''t care. Some bitch had just fucking shot me! With a hunters arrow!


    I roared and activated sprint, charging into the forest. I wasn''t going to just try to run away, I wanted this bastard! The last arrow had come from behind me, but I knew they wouldn''t still be there. They had to be somewhere over¡­ there! I leaned back and threw the arrow I had ripped out of my shoulder, but just as I was about to let go, I grunted as I felt another heavy impact in my gut. Then another in my shoulder, and then in each leg, knocking me back and pinning me to the tree behind me.


    I growled and spat in front of me, straining at the arrows with all I could. Pain lanced from each spot, but I still struggled against the bindings, because I could feel it. Just a bit of¡­ movement! I laughed and strained again, pushing with my whole body, and just as I felt my leg begin to slide a bit forward¡­ three more arrows flew forth and slammed into me. The air hissed out of my lungs as one of the arrows slammed into my chest, piercing through me and knocking me all the way back into the tree. I gasped for air, as I felt my body frantically try to heal and fail as it was blocked by the shafts of arrows. It struggled to repair what it could, but it was an uphill fight the entire time, and the air was fast flowing. I blacked out for a brief moment because of the oxygen deprivation, and when I finally came to, I wasn''t alone anymore.


    Striding out of the forest came a tall, muscular, and gorgeous warrior. She wielded a huge warmace, and walked with grace, even in the forest. I spat blood at her and roared, right before another arrow slammed into my throat, turning my ferocious roar into a wet gargle as my body went into overtime trying to keep me alive. The lady raised an eyebrow at the display and looked away disinterestedly, as an old man and another armored warrior came out of the forest behind her. I didn''t even look at them though, as rage flowed through me like a viscous river at the sight of the lay. I didn''t know who the hell this lady was, but I hated her, and everything she was. My vision turned red, my heart slammed into my chest, and I felt my blood roaring in my veins. My hands and fists clenched and shook, and my whole body vibrated with rage as it strained to throttle this damned warrior.


    I struggled against the arrows, tearing even larger wounds in me, but still I was held fast, and two more arrows thunking into me made sure of that. I strained harder and harder, only stopping when I saw a cloaked figure materialize out of the woods, a large greatbow in his hands. This one¡­ I hated him almost as much as the lady. I cocked my head to the side and frowned. How had I known that the cloaked figure was a he? How¡­ odd. Still though, fuck them both! I bared my bloody teeth at them, and spat in their direction, unfortunately falling short.


    He stared at me for a moment, and then started laughing. He clapped his hand on the old man''s shoulder, who had somehow procured a pipe out of nowhere. He snapped his fingers, and suddenly a flame appeared in his fingers, which he used to light the pipe. The cloaked figure leaned closer to the old man and whispered to him, saying something which evidently shocked him. The old man raised an eyebrow and looked me up and down, narrowing his eyes intently for a moment. Then he leaned back and started laughing as well, holding his stomach as his guffaws resounded through the clearing. I just continued glaring at them, making sure to spit in the old man''s direction the next time I got the chance.


    I roared and struggled to move once more, but the man with the bow casually flicked a knife at me, impaling my arm. The blood started to run down and I gave him a bloody grin, sticking out my tongue and then coughing up a wad of blood. The old man merely stepped around the bloody spittle and bowed to the lady, who had been reading off of a scroll she had pulled out of her satchel.


    After a moment of him whispering, the lady let out a long sigh and turned towards the others, ¡°Okay, so is it the spy or not?¡±


    The old man straightened out and took a step backwards, shaking his head slightly, a small smile coming onto his face, ¡°No it is not my lady, but it is someone you may be very interested in seeing again.¡± He took a step to the side and motioned to me with a flourish, ¡°Right here, we have the reject from the summoned, you remember, the useless one?¡±


    The lady frowned and looked at me, really looked at me, for the first time. Her eyes narrowed, and after a brief moment she pursed her lips and turned to the man with the great bow, ¡°I thought you told me he was dead?¡±


    I frowned at that, glaring at the back of their heads, but the cloaked man just shrugged, ¡°I don''t know what to say Lady, I left him behind in a clearing surrounded by Dire wolves. Hell, I heard his screams myself. There''s no way it could be him.¡±


    The lady frowned and turned to me, looking me up and down once more, ¡°Even so¡­ the resemblance is rather uncanny. That, and there¡¯s the whole manner of their name still being¡­ Hmm¡­ Easily fixed in the end. Baern, Xi, ensure the proper end of this one. We''ll search for a while longer for that damn aelir before continuing.¡±


    With that she turned and strode out into the woods again, not even casting a last look over her shoulder. The old man bowed, before saying, ¡°Of course my Lady Cylkia, I''ll make sure to fix Halfi¡¯s transgressions indefinitely.¡±


    My eyes widened as he said those names, and I realized why I had felt so much rage when I saw them. These were the ones who had screwed me over, these were the ones that had fucked me over in the first place. And they were just about to leave me to die again! I growled, and strained at my bindings frantically, but there wasn''t even a shiver of movement. I roared and spit blood, but still, the only thing I was able to achieve was ripping open my just healed wounds. As I felt my blood pouring down my body once more, I watched as the old man took one last inhale of his pipe. The great warrior unsheathed an absolutely massive war sword, but stopped as the old man held out an arm towards them. He slowly turned to me, still inhaling, and gave me a wink. I bared my bloody teeth at him, and he slowly finished taking his long drag, a wide grin on his face.


    He blew out, but instead of smoke, a swirling spiral of dark red flames exploded from his mouth, racing towards me. I didn''t have time to scream as they slammed into me, incinerating layer after layer of my flesh and body. My already overworked regeneration was really put to the test as I roared in agony as my body burned easier than a pile of dried out leaves. As the old man, Baern, and the bowman, Halfi¡­ Laughed at my screams, the armored warrior took a step closer to me. Just as I felt my eyes begin to sear, boil, and then pop out of their sockets, I felt a cold metal slice through my neck, cleanly cutting my head off.


    I tumbled from my body''s still impaled shoulders, burning and aflame. The world was nothing, only the sensation of burning. Only pain and agony. The darkness took longer than I was expecting to take me, but when it did, it had to take a pause when it encountered the unrelenting rage flowing through me. I spat, kicked, and screamed for blood. ¡®Bring me the fucking heart of that bitch or don''t fucking come near me you fuck!!!¡¯


    The darkness recoiled from me, and slunk away. I growled, screamed, and roared, rolling around on the ground as the fire burned and incinerated more and more. I could feel the Unending Vitality slowly begin to fail, and the retreating darkness came back,  circling around me. It hissed and whispered, promising me sweet relief and peace, but I didn''t want that. I wanted that goddamn fucks heart! I roared at it again, snapping at its heels. It trickled away, but not far. It could sense my life fading, and it was ready for when I faltered.


    I growled and hissed, the healing keeping me from dying, but also keeping my nerves alive and raging. The darkness edged closer and closer, and my roars and snaps became less and less frequent. I struggled, and strained, but I was failing. I was running out of rage faster than I could heal from the intense flame engulfing me. The darkness slithered forth, and snapped forward trying to engulf me, but I spat at it and strained, causing it to back off for a moment. However, it knew that I was too weak now. Once it sensed the first sign of weakness, it shot forward and wrapped around me, swallowing me up.

 Chapter Twenty: Tooth and Claw

    My eyes snapped open, and I sighed in relief as I realized they were whole and not aflame. I was laying in the darkness, and my body was whole again, though for some odd reason I couldn¡¯t feel anything. I wasn¡¯t cold, or hot, and I had no clue what was up or down. All I could tell was that I was slowly sinking deeper into the sea of comforting darkness.


    I tried to flex my hands, but nothing even budged. I tried to cock my head to the side, but again, nothing happened. Each attempt at moving my limbs was just met with failure, and I frowned as I began struggling as hard as I could, straining to make my way upwards or just to flex a damned pinky! And yet¡­ My body wouldn''t move, no matter how hard I tried. The once comforting darkness coiled tighter and tighter around me, laughing at me, cushioning me, and promising me sweet nothings.


    I had seen its lies by now though, and I spat at it and strained again, causing it to retreat for a brief moment. However, the darkness wasn¡¯t so easily dissuaded and just squeezed me even harder, crushing my body and squeezing every little bit of air and life out of me. It squeezed and squeezed until I felt like I was about to pop, and then it suddenly exploded away from me, screaming in pain and shock.


    I groaned, and shook my head, confusion running through me as I realized that I could finally move my body. I slowly sat up, and looked around, realizing that I now found myself sitting on a white sand island. I looked around at the quickly retreating darkness, and cocked an eyebrow. How¡­ odd.


    I staggered to my feet and looked down, freezing as I saw my chest. The green tree on my chest was shining brightly, chasing away the darkness nearby and giving me a strong light to see by, but I knew that wasn¡¯t what had truly scared away the darkness. My back burned icy cold, and I could tell that a silver white glow was suffusing the entire island, snaking into the roiling darkness and demanding its respect.


    The dark green and white vines that were wrapped around my body were slowly starting to rise, ethereally drifting all around me. They reached around me, looping around me once, then twice, before they all suddenly dove down, feeding into the sand at my feet. The sand and the very island twisted and roiled, crashing around me and shifting into various different shapes. I backed up and looked around myself at the shifting sand, watched as it slowly but surely began shaping itself into a great skull.


    A familiar voice, gentle as a breeze through trees and peaceful as water running over a rivers edge, sang through the air, making me feel calm, but also revitalized and lively again, ¡°Didn¡¯t I just say not to get yourself killed not that long ago?¡±


    I glanced away from the skull that was rapidly forming, but just as I did, another familiar voice rang through the air, rich and deep, promising me peace and tranquility, ¡°Ah little one, I had left you with my gift as a reward, but I was not expecting to see the results so quickly. How are you always finding yourself so close to death?¡±


    I turned around and saw a sprout of green rupture out of the edge of the white land nearby. It spiraled and grew, growing branches and leaves, and then thickening at the base. Branches and sprouts exploded from it, thickening and widening out until it cast a shadow over the whole island. It continued growing and spreading until it was no longer the little sapling from before, but a grand, ancient oak. Its trunk split at the base and opened up, revealing a throne made of vines. Upon the throne, there was a large brown bear lounging upon it, its lower half covered in scales and ending in a large, thick fishtail.


    Just as the bear turned and gave me a wink, I felt a deep rumble from behind me. I snapped around, pausing as I saw the massive white skull crack behind me. It rumbled and then split open, revealing a great white skeletal hand that erupted out of its skull, its long, white finger bones curled into a fist. Those clenched fingers opened up, revealing a lavish black and white throne. A long loud horn blew across the darkness of the void, causing the darkness that had retreated earlier to shiver and roil. It suddenly shot forward, curling and amassing itself in the skeletons'' palm, spinning in a chaotic circle, before it suddenly retreated once more. Where it had just been amassing and circling around, it had left behind a familiar robed figure.


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile as I eyed them both, before I took a deep breath and bowed in each of their directions. Verdant tittered in pleasure at the display, shifting forms several times before resting on a great burning bird. Grim gave a small nod in return, extending their arm out in a semicircle towards me, and tapping their scythe against the ground.Silence reigned for a moment as Verdant eyed Grim, and Grim stared at Verdant, as if they had just realized the other was there.


    Verdant rose out of their chair, shifting again into a great tiger, a pair of peacock colored wings spreading out of its back and several cobra heads sprouting along its back and tail, ¡°So when did you decide to get out of that little black fog of yours? Every time I see you is only in the dead of winter! Ice and snow all over the place¡­ HA! Honestly, what a boring time of year¡­¡±


    Grim slammed their scythe down, and stood up from their throne, spluttering, ¡°B-BORING TIME OF THE YEAR!? Every gods damned time I see you I have to explain this! Winter is a gorgeous and glorious time of year! Cold winds, silence, peace, frozen rivers, it''s all quite so perfect! Unlike the noisiness and burning heat of Summer¡­ Bah!¡±


    Verdant rolled their eyes and cleaned their paws, tsking, ¡°No, no, no¡­ Can you not hear yourself, you old bag of bones? It really is such a boring season! Half the wildlife is hibernating, and the other half is barely even living! Now, Summer and spring, those are exciting seasons! Blooming life, rampant growth, and welcoming warmth!¡±


    Grim sighed and grumbled to themself, turning to me and shaking their head, ¡°I apologize little one. Myself and this one¡­ have had a bit of a running¡­ Disagreement¡­ In this manner. But that is not the reason we are here. How did you already die? It is not such an easy task to accomplish with the gifts you have received.¡±


    Verdant stopped cleaning their paw for a moment and assessed me, ¡°Yes¡­ The first time your soul truly died, this one''s followers snagged you before I could do anything. Quite annoying really. This time though¡­ I can tell¡­ That was no ordinary death.¡±


    I ground my teeth together as I began to remember little bits and pieces of why I was here. The sound of Halfi and Baerns laughing as they walked away¡­ and that fuck¡­ Cylkia¡­ She didn¡¯t even have the audacity to kill me herself! I flexed my fingers and trembled. Those bastards¡­


    I looked up at them both, and took a long, deep breath, cracking my knuckles, ¡°I met the ones who had betrayed me before, and they left me with a little¡­ gift.¡±


    Grim tapped their scythe and chuckled, ¡°You made some strong enemies, little one. That was not a normal fire spell, rather one that only a strong wizard would know. Thankfully, when I crafted your new body, I used some nearby Drake bones. The base of your body should be entirely resistant to fire. It should be easy enough to regrow easily, once the fire has died down.¡±


    Verdant stretched out, having shifted into the shape of a wolf-like animal, with a reptilian head and a whip tail covered in spines. ¡°Oh you little sneak, you know you¡¯re not supposed to just be letting people come back with new bodies¡­¡±


    Death turned to them and stabbed their scythe in their direction, ¡°Is that so? Because you see¡­ That was my decision to make, as the god of death. Though it bears mentioning, that you are one to talk! You know that you¡¯re not supposed to be allowing people that particular gift ever since the last time, and you didn''t even have half a mind to warn me!¡±


    Verdant morphed into a small bird, covered entirely in spikes instead of feathers. ¡°I did not gift him that ability, he managed to earn it with his own strength of will! Rather impressive feat if I¡¯m being honest, they are only the third person I have ever seen that was able to acquire it. Though, I see the marker you left on him! He intrigues you as well, doesn''t he?¡±


    Grim didn''t respond to that, which caused Verdant to titter with amusement. I had been following their back and forth a bit, but something about my status had intrigued me.


    I cleared my throat and blushed as they both instantly turned towards me, ¡°Sorry to interrupt, but I did have a minor question¡­ Grim.¡±


    Grim turned to me, and motioned for me to continue, lounging back on their makeshift throne. Verdant for their part was casually nuzzling the ground, breathing out and causing various different plants to sprout.


    I cleared my throat again and spoke up, ¡°The last time I had checked my status since coming back from your realm, a few things had changed. Most notably, I had a new ability, Death''s Favoured, and my race had changed to Chimera, what does that mean?¡±


    Verdant froze where they were, before slowly turning to me, their eyes locking with mine, ¡°What¡­ did you just say¡­?¡±


    I met their gaze steadily, before sighing and responding, ¡°My status changed after I was reborn. I awoke, killed the Dire Bear, and I leveled up and saw my status. Upon it there were several new items, such as an ability and a new race. I don¡¯t really mind that I changed of course. I just figured that since Grim is right here, and all I might as well ask, ya know?¡±


    Verdant shook themself viciously before turning to Grim, ¡°GRIM, I can''t believe you, what did you do to this one!?¡±


    Grim turned their hood away and sighed, ¡°Well, didn''t I say? When I remade his body before sending him to the land of the living, I gave him the bones of a drake. That would make anything a chimera, you know that.¡±


    Verdant morphed into a massive serpent, coiling around the great tree, ¡°Maybe so, but that wouldn¡¯t be enough to make them a chimera! You did something else to this little one, didn¡¯t you? And to make him one of your favoured¡­ Grim, what are you up to?¡±


    Grim chuckled and knocked their staff down again, causing the surrounding darkness to tremble and roil, ¡°That is for me to know, and is no business of yours, Verdant! This little one caught my eye, and evidently he caught yours as well, otherwise he would not possess such a powerful ability! Even if he had passed whatever test of yours you had devised, you could have gifted him any other variety of abilities! So I do not want to hear your musings on what I decided to gift to this little one! This was merely my choice of gift for him completing my task.¡±


    Verdant hissed at them and twined harder around the tree, but let out a long sigh and chuckled nonetheless, ¡°Very well you bony old codger, but you are not incorrect. He has caught my attention, you do not get to drag his soul to your cold realm yet, I am invested in his future from here on out.¡±


    Grim rubbed their neck and let out a long sigh, ¡°You impatient cretin, you misunderstand much. I am the only reason he is currently present in the land of the living. Of the two of us, I have gifted him with much more.¡± They turned to me and bowed, ¡°In fact, I am sure he is quite confused with what is going on. To answer your questions, when I recreated your body before sending you to the land of the living, I utilized the surrounding materials of my realm. You are no longer a mere human, but a creature of Grim, a true chimera. You are now fundamentally different from the other races and species that exist in the land of the living. However, the fact that you also have the mark of Verdant makes you an interesting specimen.¡±


    Verdant sighed and lashed their tail, speaking up with a purr, ¡°As such, you are a combination of the two, life, the wild and change, and death, peace, and nothingness. The darkness will not take you, and life will not release you from its grasp. You are an eternal existence now, until you wish to no longer be. Hence, why you are now one of Grim¡¯s favoured.¡±


    My eyes widened more and more as Grim continued. ¡°So¡­ what I''m hearing is¡­ I''m not dead?¡±


    Verdant screeched in delight, having shifted into a massive four legged beast, covered in gleaming red and blue scales and a club tail. ¡°Ha! No you are not dead, little one. In fact, your body has already healed. We are merely holding you here now. I was curious about how you were faring, and I imagine Grim was shocked at how quickly you had almost died. It goes without saying, but we are so very old. This world bores us at times, and that troublesome goddess Malxonus has been fiddling much more than she should. Your story however, I''m curious to see.¡±


    Grim nodded their hood, ¡°As irritating as Verdant is, I do agree. You have caught my attention, little one. Your soul may have originally come from another world, but now you are a part of this one. Make your own way, but know that we are your benefactors. We do not intend to coddle you, but we also do not intend to abandon you.¡±


    Grim and Verdant walked closer, circling around me, and Grim spoke up, ¡°Know this little one. You may be eternal, but that does not mean you are invincible. Pain, torture, heart ache, and loss still affect you. You may not die, but that also means that you must live. Pain, agony, and true hurt, these are your permanent companions now.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Verdant morphed into a tall, muscular wolf-like beast, a thick layer of fur covering their entire body. They bared a mouth full of fangs, and lashed out with their free hand, clawing my chest. Blood flowed down my chest, and I grunted in surprise. Then, I felt a slash open up on my back, peeling my skin from my flesh. I roared in pain and whipped around, confusion running rampant within me.


    I growled at them both, but paused when I saw Verdant draw their claws over their arm, opening up a large wound. A bright green blood flowed down their arm, sizzling as it landed on the ground. I frowned and looked up as Grim walked in front of me, and rolled back the arm of their robe, exposing a pale bony arm. Their scythe arced down, slashing a deep wound into themself. A glimmering black blood slowly began flowing down, dyeing the nearby ground.


    I eyed them both, but stayed still, ignoring the pain in my chest and back. As they continued to circle around me, they began chanting in what sounded like another language, each word shaking the very world around them.


    Blood continued dripping from mine and their wounds, beginning to slowly move and flow into various shapes. It began to spiral around me as more and more fell to the ground. The blood shimmered and swirled together, spiking up from the ground and into the air, twining together in a beautiful shape of red, green, and shimmering black.


    Then, just as I felt like all the blood I had left was gone, everything stopped. Grim and Verdant turned to me, bowed, and stepped back. Then the void that had been so patiently spiraling around the island crashed down towards me, stabbing into my chest and black, roaring through my empty veins and simultaneously setting my body on fire and freezing it. I roared in pain and my eyes squeezed shut. Darkness smashed into me like a tidal wave, and I blacked out.


    My eyes snapped open and I gasped, sitting up so fast my vision filled with static. My hands crushed through a brittle fine substance, and I shivered as I realized my body was bare again. I laughed to myself and shook my head, waiting for my vision to slowly return. As it did, I slowly scanned my surroundings, taking them in little by little.


    It was night now, and honestly I wasn¡¯t exactly sure how much time had passed. I was in the same copse of trees as before, though now I could see that several of them and the immediate grass around me was singed and burned from what looked like an insane fire.


    I glanced at the tree to my left and sighed as I saw the remains of my skeleton, now laying in a pile at its base without the arrows to hold them up. I groaned and stood up, cracking my neck. I hummed to myself and walked over to the tree and sat on my heels, looking down on my bones.


    This was the first real time I''d been truly forced to fully regenerate since I had come back from seeing Grim that first time, so it was also the first time I''d really had to see my bones. My eyes narrowed as I lifted up one that was set on the pile. It looked like any normal bone, but I could see that it had a slight red tinge to it. I slammed it down hard on my knee, but besides a quick bruise I could feel forming, it didn''t even crack. I lifted it up and looked around on the ground. The rest of me had been reduced to ashes, but the bones were still cool to the touch. I guess Grim hadn¡¯t been entirely wrong about them being from a drake¡¯s corpse¡­ though that did make me wonder what else had changed. I shrugged and tossed it back into the pile with the rest, standing up.


    Alright, first things first, I needed to check on my things. I turned and sprinted off into the woods, dodging trees and leaping over rocks as I felt my feet impact the cold ground. I powered forward, running harder and harder as I felt my heart slamming in my chest. I grinned and whooped, skipping up into the air and smacking my hand into the tree. Ha! Still not dead, but those shit for brain bastards were going to be dead the next time I saw them. I roared into the night as I sprinted forth, my muscles screaming and singing as I pushed them to their limits.


    That was, until I flew off the edge of a ridge and crashed into the river. My lungs were begging me for air, but I just sank, letting the little fishes and larger eels and bladed turtles dart around and away from me. The water cooled off my skin, and allowed my mind and heart to calm down finally. I eyed the crawdads flicking away from me in the water, calmly noticing the fact that they seemed to be split down the middle into two with two heads and four claws.


    I grinned and slowly sat up, slowly letting my hand glide through the water. I could feel the current pulling me along, wanting me to go down stream, but I resisted it, for now. I think that I had originally intended to go the opposite way, probably in order to head back to the bear''s den, but I wasn''t sure anymore. I might have beaten the dire bear, but there was no promise I could do the same with the next enemy I encountered. Obviously that hadn¡¯t worked with Cylkia and her entourage¡­ I was much too weak. Much¡­ much too weak.


    I ground my teeth together, and for the first time since I killed the dire bear, I pulled on that dark place inside, calling for my status screen from the void.


    Name: ???


    Race: Chimera


    Level: Fifteen


    Title: Dire Slayer


    Abilities:


    Undying Will


    Unending Vitality (Incomplete)


    Death''s Favoured (Incomplete)


    Skills:


    Sprint (Veteran)


    Sword Slash (Initiate)


    Pierce (Initiate)


    Acid Resistance (Initiate)


    Claw (Novice)


    I let out some air, watching the little bubbles floating upwards. I was a chimera now, but that wasn¡¯t really going to do me any good, unless I was being burnt alive. I didn''t really have many skills either, so I would have to focus on the few I had, and try to increase their proficiency. Same with my level too¡­ I needed to increase that. Make my base self stronger as well.


    I brought my hand up, and flexed my fingers. The tips of them were still sharpened into claws, cutting and slashing through the water smoothly. I slashed wildly, activating my skill at the same time, and felt the power behind each movement. It was stronger than a normal swing, but nothing that was going to get through any of the nearby wildlifes hides, much like it had before I¡¯d been murdered by Cylkia and the others.


    I narrowed my eyes, and squatted low, pushing off of the riverbed with all of my might and catapulting myself upwards, blasting out of the water and landing on the nearby river bank. I shook myself off like a wet dog and eyed the trees. I''d left my axe in one of those¡­ I had no clue which one, but as long as I just jogged along the river downstream I''d eventually have to pass it. I didn¡¯ think I would ever have said this, but I missed the bear jerky.


    I didn''t want to accidentally miss it, so this time, I didn''t activate sprint. Instead I just strolled down the side of the river, and took a moment to gather my frayed thoughts.


    I was alive still, which was good. I still intended to find whoever had crafted that axe, but in order to do that I needed to find civilization. At the same time, I also needed to get stronger if I ever wanted to make Cylkia and those bastards pay.


    I was eternal, whatever that meant, but I obviously wasn¡¯t invincible. Halfi had made that abundantly clear when he''d pinned me to that tree and Baern had lit me on fire. Frankly, I was pretty helpless. I hadn¡¯t leveled up since I''d killed that bear, and besides claw, I also didn''t really have any skills I could use for fighting. I could try to get one through using the axe, but a part of me always felt¡­ wrong, whenever I tried to use it. Like it didn''t belong to me. Besides, I didn''t want to get too used to having the axe, especially if I was going to return it soon.


    I slowed down as I started seeing more familiar surroundings, and I started checking the tree''s bases. I had left a mark carved into the one where I''d left my stuff, and unless the talk with Verdant and Grim had taken a decade, I doubted it would have just healed over.


    As my eyes scanned the nearby trees, a certain trunk suddenly stood out to me, and I grinned again. I started to take a step closer, when there was suddenly a loud hiss from the nearby trees. My eyes darted to the side just as I saw a massive snake shoot forward, snapping its jaws at me.


    I grunted and jumped back, but the snake was lightning fast, and its jaws snapped down, stabbing into my leg. I flinched back, but its muscles tensed, dragging me back and slamming me into the ground, knocking the air out of my lungs. I gasped as I felt it suddenly start pumping venom. It burned like a raging fire and I could feel my muscles and bones scream from the combined pressure and burning venom arcing through me.


    I struggled to take in a new breath, but the snake''s body suddenly wrapped tighter around me, crushing and restricting me. My bones creaked as the snake crushed me, its fangs still stabbed into my side. My vision darkened, and my whole body began to burn, as I felt liquid fire begin to flow through my veins.


    This damn snake¡­ it was venomous too? Fuck me¡­ if it hadn¡¯t been for my acid resistance, I¡¯d probably be dead by now¡­ I cursed to myself and fought against the creeping darkness, struggling to do anything to stay awake. I ground my teeth together, biting down on the top of my tongue, and cutting straight through. More pain flooded through me, knocking back the darkness for a brief moment, and I grinned, laughter shaking me. Blood flooded through my mouth, and down my neck, wetting where the snake was constricting around me.


    The coils slipped, not much, just a little. Just enough that I was able to snap my head forward and bite down on the body of the snake. I smashed my teeth together, trying to damage or hurt the snake in any way, but they just clinked down on the rock hard scales. I narrowed my eyes as the snake''s coils tightened even more, crushing the last of the air out of my lungs. I ground my teeth down even harder, desperately trying to crack, annoy, or do anything at all. My teeth cracked at the pure force, my neck strained and popped, but nothing.


    Every muscle in my body desperately squeezed and pushed, trying to fight back against the snake, but the lack of air caught up to them quickly, and they went limp one by one. Nothing worked until¡­ my nails suddenly flashed with power, and cracked the scales of the snake. There was a loud hiss as my fingers stabbed into the snake''s flesh, piercing into the snake''s side. Instead of the snake unraveling, it squeezed even harder, the pace going from a slow compress to a panicked crush.


    I gripped harder, tearing out two large chunks from the side of the snake, but it wasn¡¯t good enough. I needed something¡­ more. I pushed my arms out to the side, straining at the snakes constricting coils. It didn¡¯t free me, but it was enough to get one last breath. I ground my teeth down again, but this time I didn¡¯t pause when they cracked, I pressed them harder instead. I pushed and pushed until my teeth shattered and a bloody grin came over my face.


    As they began to heal and grow back, I willed them to change. I forced them to shatter and adapt, making them into what I wanted. I demanded that they become like the claws on my fingers, pointing them, sharpening them, and then hardening them until finally, I had fangs.


    New Skill Learned!


    Bite (Novice)(New!)


    I ground down on the snake¡¯s scales, half expecting them to slide off, but instead they slashed across. I felt the scales shiver, and then after a moment they dented. I growled and reached into the void, begging for its help, and when I bit down again, even harder than before, I felt a surge of power. My jaws clenched with newfound strength, and then those unbelievably hard scales cracked. The snake froze in its crushing, and then hissed, snapping down and biting me again. I groaned as another wave of venom roiled through my body, melting my already crushed bones, but I didn¡¯t release my fangs. Instead, I reached into the void again and again, crushing down harder each time.


    I could feel myself going limp as my organs failed and my lungs popped. My vision went black, and my fingers and teeth were the only things left, still biting down into the snake''s body. The snake hissed and injected more and more venom, sensing victory. It even loosened its coils for a moment. A moment which was all I had been waiting for. I redirected the rejuvenation flow into my arms, and with every last bit of my healed muscles, I strained.


    The snake wasn''t expecting it, otherwise it probably could have even done something. Instead though, a loud tearing noise echoed through the air as its already tired muscles stretched and then ripped, splitting where my fingers had dug into it as I activated pierce as well. Blood poured from its wound in my mouth, and from the tears from where my claws were piercing it.


    The once tight coils that were pressuring me, went limp as the snake let out one last screech. Unfortunately, the coils had also been the only thing keeping me intact. I felt my body flop to the side, and the darkness that was covering my vision finally drew back as I gasped.


    LEVEL UP!!!


    Name: ???


    Race: Chimera


    Level: Sixteen(NEW!)


    Title: Dire Slayer


    Abilities:


    Undying Will


    Unending Vitality


    Death''s Favoured (Incomplete)


    Skills:


    Sprint (Veteran)


    Sword Slash (Initiate)


    Pierce (Initiate)


    Acid Resistance (Initiate)


    Claw (Initiate)(NEW!)


    Bite (Novice)(NEW!)


    I groaned as my body was racked with spasms as the level up struggled to heal some of the damage that was running rampant in my body, breaking me. I groaned in pain, but thankfully it was fast working and was able to heal my punctured lungs and organs. However, my shattered and liquified bones were the bigger issue.


    I let out a long sigh and relaxed, letting my ability do its thing. With all the venom that was still racing through my veins, it was probably going to be another few hours until I was able to even move, let alone climb the tree to retrieve the axe and my stuff.


    I frowned over at the snake''s corpse, and narrowed my eyes. I''d probably jinxed myself earlier, but still, this was good. This was exactly what I needed to happen. I ran my half healed tongue over my new teeth, surprised at how dull they already were. The scales on that snake¡­ I sighed again and closed my eyes, wincing at the pain of my bones cracking and solidifying again. I might have the bones of a drake, but they obviously weren''t resistant to certain kinds of venom. I didn¡¯t even want to imagine the state I would be in if it weren¡¯t for my acid resistance.


    I hummed to myself as I laid there, tapping on the ground with my healed arm, and thinking. This was good, but I needed to fight more if I wanted to get stronger. The creatures in this forest were incredibly strong, and I could probably level up a lot from them, but I just wasn''t in their league¡­

 Chapter Twenty-One: Old Man Wess

    I don''t know how long I was laying there, but I had yet another dreamless sleep. Having the wolves gnaw on my bones had been a great alarm clock, but without them I¡¯d found that I was actually a rather light sleeper. It had helped me avoid getting eaten whenever I had been investigating around the bear¡¯s den, so I was surprised when I was startled awake by something tapping on my forehead.


    I frowned and shot up, shaking myself as adrenaline pulsed through me. I whipped around and looked behind me, confused by what I saw.


    It was an old man, but he wasn''t thin or feeble in any way. Despite the long grey beard that covered his entire face, he was absolutely massive, having lumberjack arms and a body that had obviously been hard at work for its entire life. He was bare chested, showing off a silver moon mark that shimmered, and many, many scars. He regarded me with piercing silver eyes and a furrowed brow, his arms folded in confusion.


    He cleared his throat and his voice boomed through the air, sure, confident, and so powerful, ¡°Wasn''t sure if you were dead or not. Figured I might as well prod you first before I left you.¡±


    I tilted my head to the side and considered that for a moment. This was the first real person I''d encountered that wasn''t trying to kill me or leave me to die. I should probably say hello, or maybe ask where the nearest settlement was?


    I cleared my throat and relaxed, giving him a little bow, ¡°I- I''m sorry sir. I haven''t seen someone in so long, you really caught me off guard. If it''s not too much of an issue, could you point me in the direction of the nearest settlement? I''m afraid I''m rather lost¡­¡±


    The old man  raised an eyebrow, and then turned and looked at the corpse of the snake nearby, not even bothering to answer my question, but instead asking one of his own, ¡°Hmm¡­ you did this?¡±


    I grunted in agreement, and nodded my head, ¡°Yeah, the damn thing snuck up on me yesterday. Not before it bit- I mean¡­ not before I killed it.¡±


    He narrowed his eyes at me, ¡°Hmm¡­ well the nearest town would probably be Sparbrook. It¡¯s about a day''s walk if you follow the river.¡± The old man tapped his thick finger on his shoulder and sighed, ¡°I''ll tell you what, kid. I''ve been looking for a hand to help out on my farm, and all my traps haven''t been very lucrative so far. I''ll buy this bynthon off of ya, and if it sounds good to ya, you can stay at my farm. Hell, I''ll get you a new set of clothes too unless you have a set somewhere. There¡¯s a spare room and bed if you need it as well.¡±


    I cocked my head to the side and tapped my chin thoughtfully. It wasn''t that bad of a deal honestly. Hell, the only plan I had originally was to go into town, maybe find a mentor or an easy way to get strong, and then probably head off into the forest again. Maybe I''d get some help out of this guy? He definitely looked like he could crush my skull with one hand¡­


    I eyed his tree trunk arms, and stuck out my hand, ¡°Sounds like a great deal! I accept! Alright, I just have some stuff in the tree over here, I''ll be right back.¡±


    The old man raised his eyebrow, but didn''t say anything. After shaking my hand, he just took a step back, and started breaking down the bynthon. His motions were strong and efficient, and within moments, I watched him entirely skin it and then get to work on the rest.


    I gave him a nod and then leaped up into the tree, catapulting from branch to branch as I ascended higher. Thankfully I could still see my bag dangling from the top, the wildlife must not have even noticed it. I cracked my knuckles as I landed on the branch where I''d slept last. Hey, maybe I could even ask that old man if he''d ever heard of this Xian?


    I swung the axe and my cloak over my shoulder before I stepped off the edge of the branch, crashing through the air and leaves as I fell back down to the ground. I landed with a solid thump, causing a nearby pile of rocks to shiver and collapse. The old man didn''t even say anything about the drop, having already hidden away the bynthon remains. As I walked up to him, I watched as his eyes snapped to the axe in my hand,a frown forming on his face. How odd¡­


    I shrugged at the obvious interest, and flashed him a grin. ¡°Well, that''s all I needed to grab. I¡¯ll just follow behind¡­?¡±


    The old man just glared at the axe, before his eyes snapped over to me. Suddenly the air was knocked out of my chest and my vision went black for a moment as I felt myself slam back into the tree. I gasped for air, dizzy and discombobulated as I realized that at least half of my ribs had been shattered.


    I groaned and slowly stood up, beginning to drop into a fighting stance just as a massive hand latched onto my neck. It crushed my neck, choking me as it easily lifted me back up into the air and slammed me back into the tree, dragging my bare flesh against the rough bark. A meaty fist slammed into my side, and my just returning vision went blurry again. I groaned and my eyes snapped over to the old man, who was baring his teeth at me.


    He crushed me back into the tree, and growled more than asked me, ¡°Where¡­ is¡­ Xian?¡±


    I bared my own sharpened teeth at him, struggling to dag in enough air to respond, ¡°I¡­ don''t¡­ know!¡±


    The man slammed his fist into my side again and spat, ¡°Liar! That axe is his! No one else can wield it! So where¡­ is¡­ Xian!?¡±


    I flexed my hand into a fist and slammed it into his side, baring my now bloody teeth and staring him straight in the eye, ¡°I¡­ don''t¡­ know! I found it¡­ buried¡­ in the shoulder¡­ of a¡­ dire¡­ bear!¡±


    Just like that, all of the rage and hate on the man''s face vanished. He took a step back, releasing his fist from my neck and dropping me from the tree. I fell to my knees and coughed. I glared up at him and bared my teeth, but he wasn''t looking at me anymore. He was staring into the distance, an unfathomable sadness in his eyes.


    I sighed and got up, leaning on the tree I''d just been pressed up against, ¡°I take it, you knew the previous owner? I had intended to search for someone who may know that name in town, but if you knew them, the axe is yours by all rights.¡±


    The old man slowly turned from where he was looking, and glanced at me. ¡°I¡­ I am sorry. I¡­ Knew¡­ Xian. We used to adventure together. That old fool probably decided he wanted to go out in a blaze of glory¡­¡± He let out a long sigh and looked me in the eye. ¡°My apologies young sir. I haven''t even introduced myself. I am known as Wess.¡±


    He stuck out his hand and after a short hesitation, I shook it, ¡°Nice to meet you Old man Wess, I''m¡­¡± I froze as I searched for a name, but coming up with nothing, I just shrugged, ¡°Eh, I can''t seem to recall. You can call me whatever.¡±


    He roughly shook my hand, and then pondered for a moment, ¡°How''s about I call you Will?¡±


    That caused me to pause, and with a grunt, I felt a small smile come onto my face, ¡°You know what¡­ that sounds¡­ good. Will¡­ I like that!¡±


    I let out a loud laugh and clapped him on the shoulder. Old man Wess just grunted and slung his pack back over his shoulder, before heading off into the forest once again, but not before I called out after him.


    ¡°So¡­ who is this Xian?¡±


    The old man didn¡¯t respond to me the whole walk back, choosing instead to take his time detouring and checking various different traps. Most of them were empty, but there were a few that had something in it. Most of them had these small, round, and black creatures with round ears and a zigzag tail that Wess said were Ewin¡¯s. Though there was this one that had a green four legged and hoofed beast with praying mantis limbs. Wess had called it a Fewn.


    That one had been quite odd¡­ I was slightly happier than I had expected when he had released it. It had shaken itself and then darted into the nearest tree, vanishing into it as it came into contact with its bark.


    I¡¯d been curious as to why Wess had let it go, but he had said so without me even asking, ¡°Much too little meat on such a small one like this. Much too young as well. I only take the excess from this forest¡­ remember this Will, for this is the most humane way to live.¡±


    I eyed Wess as they walked away, but made sure to memorize it anyway. I mean, it was a pretty fair statement, and I had no idea how long I¡¯d be living with the old man anyway. Might as well follow his rules.


    It didn¡¯t take much longer before we came across a wide clearing, full of tilled soil and various different plants. There were some bright pink round fruits, a patch of green spears that shivered and shook, and a growing group of vines that were growing large, black, and oval vegetables.


    On the far side, there was a fenced area that had been divided for various different animals. One was full of those damn turtle chickens, another had an animal that looked like a mix between a hog and an alligator, and another had a six limbed and eyed panther like beast, covered in a mucus that sizzled whenever it came into contact with anything living.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Then, behind all of that, there was what I assumed to be his home. It was a rather simple stone and wood building, but even from here, I could tell that it had been well made and upkept. The windows that were placed all around the home glowed a soft blue, and the wooden doorway was wide enough to fit at least two Wess sized people at once. From the stone chimney, I could see a small trail of smoke and smell something amazing cooking.


    I turned to Wess, who was grinning at the place, ¡°Ah, good! It smells like dinner is almost done cooking. Why don¡¯t you come inside? We can get more up to speed on exactly what your job is going to entail, and you can see your room, hmm?¡±


    I nodded and went to follow him inside, but I stopped, looking myself up and down, ¡°I¡¯m sorry but¡­ I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t really just walk in yet. I¡¯m a bit¡­ covered in blood.¡±


    He frowned and folded his arms, but after a moment sighed and shook his head, ¡°You haven¡¯t had a real good shower in a while huh¡­ here, I¡¯ll hose you off. You¡¯re gonna have to wait for a nice hot bath unfortunately, I¡¯m afraid the nearest bath house is all the way in Sparbrook.¡±


    I frowned and cocked my head to the side, ¡°Bath¡­ house? I¡¯m sorry, but what is that?¡±


    Wess eyed me for a moment, before a wide grin spread across his face, ¡°You don¡¯t know what a bath house is? Haha¡­ well that just makes the next few weeks even better! Hahaha!¡±


    I frowned, but shrugged and followed behind him as he walked over to where the pens were. I had noticed a few of the animals already, but as I got closer, I could see that there were even more, each of them more odd than the next.


    I couldn¡¯t even look at them much, because I was suddenly lifted into the air again like I was nothing, and then unceremoniously tossed into a large pool of cold water. I grunted and tried to get up, but suddenly there was a large brush that clunked into me, and the sound of laughter. I growled and sat up shaking off the cold water.


    I glared at the chuckling Wess and spat out some water, ¡°The hell was that for old man!? Have half a mind to kick your ass¡­¡±


    Wess laughed and cracked his knuckles, ¡°Ha! I¡¯d like to see you try! No, the water is mighty cold this close to the cranoss pit. So I figured it¡¯d be better just to toss you in.¡±


    I growled and got to work scrubbing myself off, ¡°Bah! I¡¯m no stranger to the cold! There was no need you old foggy¡­¡±


    The old man chuckled and turned away, waving his hand above his head, ¡°I¡¯ll see you inside, eh? Make sure you get it all scrubbed off, I¡¯d rather not have the venom eating away at my chairs. Just got them all fixed up by that new woodworker in Sparbrook!¡±


    I sighed and got to work scrubbing off all of the sizzling venom. What an odd old man¡­ I like his harshness though. Straightforward. Just like I liked it. I grinned and sank into the cold water, breathing out all of my air as I scrubbed myself clean, watching the streams of venom and blood mix with the water.


    I took a moment to dry off before I headed in, whistling as I took in the comfy looking interior. I had expected simple and straightforward from the way that Wess had acted so far, but as I looked into a simple sitting room in front of a burning fireplace, all I saw were cushioned chairs and a rather nice looking sofa. On the other side of the room was a nice dining room set and a rather large kitchen that Wess was moving around.


    He whipped around as I walked in and flashed me a wide grin, ¡°Ah, there you are Will! What took you so long, eh? Haha! I didn¡¯t know that I would have any company tonight, so I had to make a few last minute adjustments! Come, come! Have a seat young man, I¡¯ll be there in a moment!¡±


    I rolled my eyes but made my way over to the table and sat down with a sigh. They really were such nice chairs¡­


    Wess laughed and thumped a steaming plate of meat, fresh baked bread, cubes of pink fruit, and a bowl of a dark cherry liquid that smelled¡­ Amazing¡­ I let out a sigh and dug in, tearing into the amazing steak and tossing in piece after piece of pink fruit into my mouth. The steak was juicy, bloody, and though it was quite tough, the flavor was out of this world. The pink cubes of fruit were crunchy and juicy, but as I bit into them, an explosion of pleasant sweetness poured forth. They were perfect, and when I poured the dark liquid over them, it added a nice spicy tart kick that made my taste buds sing. The fresh baked bread just brought it all together, and I excitedly used it to sop up all of the juices that had pooled onto the plate.


    Wess laughed and used a knife to carve off a piece of the meat, ¡°You know it¡¯s not gonna grow legs and run away from you! Haha! Though I must say, it does bring this old man some great pleasure to see someone enjoy my cooking so much¡­ Last time I had such an eager guest was ages ago¡­¡±


    I chuckled and leaned back, ¡°Haha¡­ Either way, this is an amazing meal, old man! Someone could really get used to eating like this¡­ I can¡¯t believe that anyone would ever choose to leave here!¡±


    Wess chuckled and set his silverware down, eyeing me with a frown, ¡°You know¡­ I think it¡¯s about time that we had a good ol¡¯ talk about each other.¡±


    I froze mid bite, and then slowly set down the meat, swallowing the bite I had in my mouth, ¡°... Oh yeah? What did you want to know?¡±


    Wess pursed his lips and eyed the axe that I had left by the doorway, ¡°There¡¯s a lot of course¡­ but I guess that where we start is all up to you. I like to know about my employee¡¯s before I start training them.¡±


    I sighed and pursed my lips, ¡°I guess that¡¯s a fair policy¡­ I don¡¯t really have much to hide though. I woke up one day within the dire wolves den, and after a long period the Dire Bear came and took over the den, scaring those damn hounds away. I was able to kill the damn thing using that very axe, which was buried in its shoulder, and had actually intended to find anyone who could give me information on who it could have belonged to¡­ guess I could call that checked off since it seems you knew them once. After that, I was intending to find a mentor, some way to get stronger, or something that could help me with my missing memories.¡±


    Wess hummed and tapped the table, ¡°I see¡­ well to answer at least one of your questions, yes, I did know that fool Xian¡­ she was a student of mine a long time ago. Left on a mission to get stronger in her ¡®own way¡¯... the last I ever saw of her.¡± Wess sighed and rubbed his forehead, ¡°I imagine she had a grand old battle¡­ Thank you for finishing it, Will. You know¡­ I am something of a trainer myself. If you wouldn¡¯t be against the idea, I could train you. Maybe teach you some good ways to get stronger.¡±


    I grinned and nodded, ¡°I¡¯d love that old man! Frankly, I don¡¯t remember much about this world, my own personal status, or what exactly any of this means.¡±


    Wess grunted and got up, and after vanishing into one of the rooms, he came back carrying an orb, ¡°This is what we call an olken orb. It allows others to see your status in its entirety. If you wouldn¡¯t mind, would you place your hand on it?¡±


    I eyed it, and nodded, reaching out and placing my hand on it. It swirled and spun for a moment, before spewing up an immaterial screen with my name, race, level, abilities, and skills, just like the one I could pull up.


    Name: Will


    Race: Chimera


    Level: Sixteen


    Title: Dire Slayer


    Abilities:


    Enduring Heart


    Unending Vitality


    Death''s Favoured (Incomplete)


    Skills:


    Sprint (Veteran)


    Sword Slash (Initiate)


    Pierce (Initiate)


    Acid Resistance (Initiate)


    Claw (Initiate)


    Bite (Novice)


    Wess stared at it for a moment, casually tossing some of the pink cubes into his mouth and musing to himself, ¡°Hmmm¡­ I see¡­ novice¡­ initiate¡­ veteran!? Haha!¡± He leaned back in his chair and grinned at me, ¡°You haven¡¯t been fighting for long it seems, and it looks like besides for being relatively durable, you don¡¯t seem to have many good offensive or tactical skills. We¡¯ll work on those first. As for those abilities¡­ ha! You¡¯ll have to be careful about how you use them, the last of Death¡¯s favoured I met¡­ Well, to say the least, it¡¯s really no wonder that you have no real memories. Both those skills require you to sacrifice your past self, though in different ways. And¡­ hmmm¡­ you said you didn¡¯t know your name before right?¡±


    I nodded and eyed the Name section of my status, ¡°Yeah¡­ it¡¯s been just a question mark this whole time.¡±


    Wess sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, ¡°Ah¡­ I hadn¡¯t realized that when I¡¯d offered you the nickname¡­ you really liked it eh?¡±


    I grinned and nodded my head, ¡°Hell yeah I did!¡±


    Wess sighed and then grinned at me, ¡°Ah, I guess that¡¯s fine then. If you ever decide you don¡¯t like the name, you can just ask around at the guild, they usually have a pretty talented magus that¡¯ll help you out with that. As for your memory¡­ Unfortunately only a god or an ascendant could help you out there. Sorry kid.¡±


    I frowned and eyed the knife and fork next to the plate. I guess¡­ that would make sense. I did briefly remember Verdant mentioning that I¡¯d have to sacrifice much before sending me back¡­ and I doubted that Grim¡¯s gift was really any different.


    Hmm¡­ now that I think about it¡­ it was pretty weird, that I knew what a fork was, or a chair or even how to speak¡­ if I had really been raised and born like a wild animal, I shouldn¡¯t be able to know any of this¡­ I couldn¡¯t remember ever doubting what I knew, as if it was all just second nature to me.


    I shook my head, sending my long hair in a halo around me, ¡°You know¡­ that does make sense. So, when do we start? And how can I help you with your farm and home upkeep?¡±


    Wess harrumphed and finished eating the last half of his bread loaf, ¡°Works all done for the day, so I¡¯ll have you help me out at day break. As for the training¡­ ha! I¡¯ll put you through the ropes in the afternoon and evening. I¡¯ve already got a few exercises in mind¡­ hahaha¡­¡±


    I worriedly watched him as he grinned and rubbed his hands together. That was¡­ worrisome to say the least. Though¡­ How bad could the training be anyway? He was just an old codger¡­


    Wess cleared his throat and stood up, ¡°Alright, well, we¡¯ve both had quite the long day. You more so than me it seems. Come, I¡¯ll show you where I was and store dishes, and then I¡¯ll show you to your room.¡±


    I nodded and grabbed my dishes and followed, making sure to scrub them thoroughly like he showed me. He seemed to have a similar hose to the one outside, and when I asked him how it worked, he just mentioned that he¡¯d had a water mage set it up so that it would pull from the water within a well that the house had built on top of.


    After that he¡¯d shown me to a rather small and simple room. There was a single bed, wide enough for two people if they snuggled up to each other, and had a small fireplace and a comfy looking chair in the corner.


    I turned to thank him, but he¡¯d already vanished, leaving the house silent and seemingly empty. I frowned, but shrugged and tossed my bag in the corner. That damn old man was like a wraith¡­ I¡¯d have to keep an eye out for him¡­ My senses told me that I could trust him, which is why I had agreed to go with him, even after he¡¯d almost ended my life.


    I flopped on the bed and rubbed my neck, letting out a long sigh as I traced the grains in the wood. I¡¯d made it to my next step¡­ whatever this entailed. I had no doubts that the old man could definitely show me a way to get stronger, but¡­ that also made me wonder.


    I had two strong abilities, but aside from my sprint skill, I was pretty weak. Grim had mentioned that my life hadn¡¯t begun here when I had last seen him, but what exactly did that mean? Am I not of this world? And if that¡¯s so¡­ where did I come from? Did I even want to go back?


    I sighed again and clenched my fists, squeezing tighter and tighter until I felt my claw-like nails pierce my hands and draw blood. I hesitated, but quickly wrapped my hand in some of the bearskin, making sure not to let any blood drip on the ground.


    After the bleeding stopped, I bared my teeth and ran my tongue over each of them, humming to myself as I felt their sharpness. I had changed¡­ and while I had no doubts in my mind that I was a beast now, I wasn¡¯t exactly a human anymore. A chimera¡­ that¡¯s what Verdant and Grim had called me, right? A mixture of several different beasts¡­ apt, considering what Grim had mentioned that they had to do.


    A ghost of a smile flashed across my face as I felt my hand heal, and I flopped back on the bed and looked at it. I¡¯d definitely changed, but at the heart of it all, I was still myself. I was still alive. And tomorrow, I was finally going to take some serious steps towards getting stronger!


    I laughed and flexed my fist again, enjoying the softness of the bed. I didn¡¯t know how it could have been any better, but I enjoyed it at least. I smiled and closed my eyes, quickly falling into a deep slumber.


    I¡¯d told myself that the old man couldn¡¯t possibly have that hard of a workout planned for me. At least, that¡¯s what I told myself¡­ in the morning I was made very aware of how wrong I was.

 Chapter Twenty-Two: Training Hell

    ¡°Harder! Quicker! Stronger! More Powerful! Come on! It¡¯s like you¡¯re not even trying!? Sprout! That was too damn slow! Make sure you move quicker or my fist is going straight through your side!¡± The sharp, loud, and assertive commands echoed through the air, belittling me, but also demanding my best.


    I bared my teeth and whipped around, unable to see anything through the blindfold tied around my eyes. I crouched low and slashed my claws out at where I could have sworn I heard him yelling, but they just slashed through thin air, too late. I roared and slashed out again carving a deep line in a nearby tree, cursing to myself. I had been too slow, and now I was going to pay for that.


    Almost as if he could read my mind, I grunted as a massive fist smashed into my side, knocking the breath out of me yet again. I groaned and stumbled to the side, whipping around and lashing out at where I felt like the massive fist had come from and slashed out.


    Unfortunately my claws failed to hit anything, and I growled as I felt that damn club smash into my side again. I guess the bastard had decided to switch from using his fists to batter me¡­ Fuck this was gonna hurt!


    I roared again and reached into the void, pulling on it to activate claw. I felt the extra power surge through my arm, and I spun around, lashing out with my arm and allowing my claws to carve through the air almost like it was butter. I hadn¡¯t managed to catch Wess all morning, but something inside me was certain that I had caught him this time.


    I laughed and screamed into the air, ¡°Aha! I got you this ti-¡± But I cut myself short as my claws slashed through thin air, and not the old man like I had been so certain of, and I cursed out loud, ¡°Damn it you old codger! Show yourself!¡±


    Another mass of dull pain slammed into my side, into the back of my knee, and then into my gut, knocking the air out of me once more and sending me face first to the ground. Four more crashed into my side, and I struggled to crawl forward, but then I felt a heavy boot slam onto my back, smashing me back into the ground. I fought and struggled for a moment, but the oppressive weight of the heavy boot did not relent, and after a long moment, I sighed and raised my hands up in the air, showing that I had given up, and after yet another long moment, the boot lifted from my back and hearty laughter filled the air.


    I rolled on my back, and growled, ripping the blindfold off of my eyes, ¡°Oh you old cheat! How am I supposed to even find you with a goddamn blindfold over my eyes!?¡±


    A loud boisterous laugh echoed through the air as yet another boot slammed down on my chest, ¡°Oh you really don¡¯t have a clue don¡¯t you? Ah¡­ I guess that¡¯ll just be yet another day of training for you! You know, back when I was training to be an adventurer, this was one of the first skills they trained into new little sprouts like you? Once you get past the first five floors of the dungeon, there is virtually no light, and after level ten? Even the boss rooms are often pitch black.¡±


    I let out a long sigh and went to shove off the old man¡¯s leg, but he¡¯d already moved it out of the way. I shot him a glare, but he had already walked away and begun setting up the next training spot, which seemed to consist of several massive rocks that were each bigger than the other. I hadn¡¯t seen that particular set up yet¡­ but I had a feeling that it was gonna be a pain in my ass.


    I grunted and sat up, shaking my head as I did, ¡°Are you serious? I really doubt that every adventurer goes through all of this goddamn training, it''s been weeks! And I still don¡¯t have the damn skill! They have to use other methods, right?¡±


    Old man Wess eyed me from where he stood, casually tossing the club in the air and catching it without even looking, ¡°Yes¡­ There are always the mages that can make floating lights, or even just plain old torches. It''s a rather simple and easy spell to learn, or so I¡¯ve been told¡­ That is, of course, what most adventurers end up using, and so mages are almost always a need if you ever want to form a party to go into the dungeons¡­¡± He growled and slammed the club into the rock, shattering it and reducing it to a pile of dust and gravel. ¡°But using that shortcut will only hinder or cause problems for you! A mage light is good, but it slowly drains a mage''s mana! Meaning that they are losing out on their own potential and have basically become a mobile torch! And what if you don¡¯t have a mage, or they become unable to move for one reason or another? You¡¯d be absolutely fucked! And a torch will make you lose the use of one arm to fight, and scare away any potential monsters and loot to boot! Hence why this training is so vital, Will! Now, put that blindfold on, and get back up! I know you have more in ya!¡±


    I stuck my tongue out at him, which just caused him to grin and spin the club around in his hands eagerly. Oh yeah¡­ I was gonna pay for that, but damn was it worth it! I dropped the blindfold down over my eyes and cracked my knuckles, before dropping into my stance, carefully turning and listening for any sounds that would tell me his position. A slight creak to my left, a bird call to my right, and then I heard it. The squeak of a wet leaf rubbing against the bottom of a boot.


    I grinned and dove forward, slashing my claws out and around in a scissor motion to catch him, but I was too late again. I grunted as I felt a boot slam into my stomach, knocking me back and throwing me through the air like I was a sack of potatoes. I sailed through the air for a glorious moment before I slammed hard into a tree, wincing as I felt a couple of my ribs crack.


    I slammed face down on the ground and sighed, spitting out a clod of soil. I growled and dug my claws into the ground and then pushed back off, roaring as I sailed through the air towards where the boot had come from. I whipped around and slashed my claws in a crazy blur of attacks, activating claw over and over as I tried to make myself an untouchable bubble of violence.


    Heh¡­ it wasn¡¯t a bad plan. Hell, it even worked for a moment¡­ but not forever. A rustle to my left was all I heard before I felt that damn club slam into me again, pulverizing my flesh and splitting my skin like it was nothing.


    I was prepared, in a way, for when that club would smack around and crash into me. To smash and bruise me like I was nothing but a piece of meat. But even as the club was smashing into my side, I had already begun lashing out to the left. I smiled, eagerly awaiting the feel of my claws finally catching on something besides bark, but my hopes were pretty quickly dashed as I felt nothing and instead heard a chuckle from behind me.


    That same, deep, amused, and absolutely irritating voice sounded through the air, ¡°Oh that was good, Will! You¡¯re starting to get it now! Not nearly fast enough though, AGAIN!¡±


    I hissed and lashed out at where his chuckle had come from, but I knew he would have already moved. I flashed out to the left as I heard another creak, but was only rewarded with another club smash into my side and a loud laugh, ¡°GOOD! NOW FASTER MAGGOT!¡±


    I roared and went on the offensive, lashing out at any noise or sound that I could hear, receiving nothing but thin air and tree bark as a reward. Volley after volley of club smacks, kicks, and fists crashed into me, knocking the air out of my lungs, shattering ribs, and concussing me. I was knocked to the side, sent through the air, and slammed into the ground, but each time I kept on getting up. Of course, that always goaded the old man on, and he''d give a surly laugh before slamming his fist into me, slamming me right back into the ground and cracking my ribs once again, almost as if they weren¡¯t made of drake bones.


    The old man had really taken a liking to beating me senseless under the guise of ¡®training¡¯, these last few days¡­ but he hadn''t started out that rough at first. In all honesty, the first few days of training had been pretty relaxing in comparison.


    It had been nothing but runs, workouts, and sword swings, which had felt eerily familiar. Then, after he had decided I was ready, that turned into sparring. He had been almost gentle, defeating me completely, but not without teaching me something each time. It was only after Wess had accidentally split me in half and I had returned alive within the day, had he realized that I had a pretty robust healing factor. He had seen my status before, but after seeing that¡­ his training methods had become much more¡­ sadistic.


    Another fist slammed into me, cracking my femur and sending me down to one knee. Then a fist flew around and into my gut, the force of it lifting me up and then shooting me out like a shooting star. I slammed through several trees, and then slammed into a dense, thick, hard branch, my body folding over it like a wet rag as it pierced through me.


    Wess roared with laughter, and clapped his hands together, ¡°Oh I didn¡¯t hit you that hard Will! Get down from that tree already you faker!¡±


    I ripped the blindfold off on my eyes and glared down at him, ¡°Didn''t hit me that hard!? Old man! I''m impaled on the top branch of this goddamn tree!¡±


    He waved disinterestedly, ¡°Oh you''re fine! Just drop down already, sunsets almost here! I¡¯ll let you off the hook for the day, let us go eat! I''ve been stewing a particularly good lahmash all day, and I am hungry!¡±


    I groaned, but pulled myself off of the branch inch by inch. I winced and grumbled as the new gaping hole that was created started pouring blood, soaking the branch and making me rather light headed. I shot him a glare as I felt my Unending Vitality kick in and heal it over, pausing the bleeding for now.


    I''d have liked to hang there for a second so that it could heal before I dropped down, but if I took too long Wess had this habit of lifting rocks and chucking them at me. Probably why he had stacked up those rocks earlier¡­ ha, that damn monster!


    I swung twice before letting go and sailing through the air, dropping towards the ground just as a boulder sailed through the air, narrowly missing my side. I glared down at a grinning Wess, and held both of my middle fingers up, which only resulted in him laughing at me as I sailed through the air. I slammed into the ground right by him, gasping as the half healed wound in my gut violently reopened, spilling out my guts.


    I spat a wad of blood to the side and scooped my guts up, shoving them inside me as I felt that hungering void swirl faster around me, threatening to take me to the sand island, ¡°You ol¡¯ bastard, now look at what you''ve done! My guts are all over the ground! Look! There¡¯s grass all over my small intestine!¡±


    Wess just laughed and clapped his hands together, ¡°Ah, don''t sweat it kid! Besides, the lahmash will burn all that away. Those peppers we collected yesterday were a special blend from the west. I got ''em off of a Knahlack caravan last year.¡±


    I leaned down and scooped my innards up, grumbling and shooting Wess a glare. I pushed them back inside me after brushing off as much dirt as I could, my body could rearrange them on its own. Ugh, I hated having dirt heal inside me, it was always so painful until my body broke it down.


    Grinning ear to ear, Wess slapped me on the shoulder before heading over to where he''d left his various ¡®training aids¡¯. I winced as I saw him fling each of them over his shoulder, but sighed and followed behind nonetheless. I was pretty excited for the lahmash if nothing else.


    It was quite the interesting dish, full of peppers, these odd looking mushrooms, zhaarst meat, and seasoned with a wonderful blend of herbs and spices. Wess was actually quite the cook, though he always was trying to make better and more interesting dishes. He always would sit down to eat with me, but after taking a bite, he¡¯d then grumble about it under his breath before writing things in a little notebook he carried around with him.


    It had been like that for the last year or so. The sound of the zhaarst crowing would wake me up at dawn, and I¡¯d roll out of bed to the sound of the old man making breakfast. I¡¯d help him clean up after, and then we would work the farmstead. There were crops to water and tend, animals to feed, zhaarst eggs to collect, and some of Wess¡¯s more¡­ exotic livestock required much more specific care.


    After the first few days I had been worried that I was doing more harm than aid to the old man. Especially whenever I accidentally over-watered the plants or pissed off the livestock. Wess assured me that it went by much faster with the two of us, but it was hard, back breaking work all the same.


    After helping with the farm, it was onto training. We would forge off into the forest and head to a new area every day, in order to ensure that I wouldn¡¯t get used to fighting on only one kind of terrain.


    The old man would put me through the most grueling workout regimens he could think of. Some days he would have me hold my breath underwater (with his foot on my head of course). Other days he would have me lift and run with boulders until I fell flat, my muscles unable to move. Many of the recent days had been awareness training like earlier, but there were also days filled with other, more normal kinds of training.


    There were days of unarmed combat, where he would have me punch trees and boulders, use claw and pierce and bite in different combinations and various patterns. There were days of armed combat with a variety of odd weapons that he assured me he had collected during his old adventuring days.


    Then he would focus on my skills and how to improve them. He assured me that strengthening both my physical body and my skills were the best way to get stronger. He doused me in acid, and had me use any and all of my skills over and over, all in the hopes of increasing their proficiencies. The other day, after he had figured out that my bones had a solid resistance to fire, he had hung me over a roaring fire until I had been reduced to a charred corpse over and over again.


    It was pretty much just straight up torture for most people, and even Wess himself admitted that most would have given up at that point. He insisted that I was made of stronger stock. Which would have been rather nice to hear, if it didn¡¯t mean that I would have to endure ever more¡­ training¡­ but it was worth it. At least, that¡¯s what Wess told me whenever he had me place my hands on the olken orb. I actually ended up thanking Verdant at least twenty times a day for their gift at this point.


    However, it wasn''t like Wess had been lying about my getting stronger, and my intensive training hadn¡¯t been without any serious benefits. I reached into the void and pulled, seeing my status appear in front of me after a brief pause.


    Name: Will


    Race: Chimera


    Level: Sixteen


    Title: Dire Slayer


    Abilities:


    Enduring Heart


    Unending Vitality (Incomplete)


    Death''s Favoured (Incomplete)


    Skills:


    Sprint (Veteran)


    Sword Slash (Trainee)


    Axe Smash (Initiate)


    Pierce (Initiate)


    Hammer Bash (Novice)


    Claw (Trainee)


    Blow (Initiate)


    Bite (Novice)


    Leap (Novice)


    Acid Resistance (Passive)(Initiate)


    Spatial Awareness (Passive)(Novice)(New!)


    Hardened Body (Passive)(Novice)


    I had gained a few new skills over the course of the year, like Hardened Body, which made my skin and muscles tougher and more durable, leap, which allowed me to jump about ten feet in the air, and a few new weapon skills. I¡¯d even gained the skill blow, which made one of my punches, kicks, or even elbow strikes, knee strikes, and head butts do about double damage. Each of them weren¡¯t all that strong to use once, but Wess had made sure to teach me how to use them in various different combinations. He made sure to teach me to make the most of my Enduring Heart ability, which allowed me to use skills seemingly endlessly.


    As my eyes continued to scan my status, I couldn¡¯t help but grin as I saw the Spatial Awareness skill. I had felt like I had started to get better at catching him in the end, but it was incredibly satisfying to see that I had actually gotten the skill. I¡¯d have to really make use of it whenever I could¡­ based on what Wess had said earlier, it would be unbelievably useful whenever I ended up descending the dungeon.


    I closed my eyes and relaxed, doing my best to follow behind Wess and dodge anything in my way. I couldn¡¯t see anything, but that didn¡¯t matter. Everything stood out in such sharp detail, and even the flow of the wind was almost like a material object. Even without my eyes, I could see, and as my senses stretched out, I realized that this was somehow even better than sight. Wess had explained to me that passive skills were always activated, though they could be improved or evolved through hard work and training, but this was just ridiculous¡­ This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    No wonder the old man had been so certain of making me learn the skill¡­ and also why he had chosen to end today''s training when he had. Wess only had an olken orb at home, but that didn¡¯t stop him from somehow always knowing my status. Almost as if he could always see my strength floating above myself¡­ Making it so that he always seemed to know whenever I had gained a new skill. Each time I would, he would always adjust the workouts to accommodate and train them.


    Then there was my name, or rather my new name. For so long it had been just three question marks, but ever since the old man had called me that, it had changed to Will. I hadn''t told him that I had never had a name before, or at least one that I could remember. I wasn''t sure how he''d take the fact that he''d been the one to name me, an absolute stranger.


    Especially since I wasn''t upset about the name. In fact, I enjoyed it! It was rather nice to have something I could truly call my one, and I found it quite fitting in a way. Considering I was only here because both Grim and Verdant had decided I had a suitable amount of willpower to continue surviving and fighting here, it just made the most sense at the end of the day.


    Wess¡¯s voice sounded through the air, snapping me out of my reverie, ¡°Oi Will, you good? Been walking around with your eyes closed for a while now. I didn''t break ya, did I?¡±


    I paused from my musings and eyed Wess, ¡°Figured I should let you know, all that tor- ahem, training, helped me learn a new passive skill. Spatial Awareness?¡±


    A smile flashed over his features before he settled back into a thoughtful glower, ¡°Hmm¡­ good. I knew as much of course, but it is rather nice to hear you confirm my thoughts. I guess I can give you some real training now.¡±


    I stuck my tongue out at him and blew a raspberry, ¡°The hell you mean real training? The hell was this last year then? Just a tutorial?¡±


    He stared at me without blinking, confusion across his face, ¡°Well obviously it''s just been conditioning. If you had attempted any real training when I first met you, I''m pretty sure you''d be dead. Even with that fancy healing ability of yours. You aren¡¯t even ready for floor five of the dungeon numbskull.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at that, deciding that I shouldn''t mention the little agreement I had with Grim. Wess didn¡¯t ever ask about my past, which wasn''t that odd considering how little he talked about his own. I''d considered asking him about Xian or his old adventuring days, but had decided against it.


    From what I gathered, the old man lived on his own, and had done so for a long, long time. He wouldn''t even travel into town to sell some of his excess crops. Instead, he would sell them to any passing by travelers or caravans. Said that he preferred to meet new people, though I always got the feeling that there was another reason besides that. Some age old past that he shared with the town.


    The room he had lent to me was nice, and I had really made it into my own little home, but I could tell that it once had been the home for someone else. Though, based on how much dust had accumulated, I could tell they hadn¡¯t lived there for a long time. The old man didn¡¯t ever tell me who, but when I had kept on badgering him about the matter, he had told me to shut up, lest he send his fist through my head. I knew that I would survive the attack of course, but even back before he had put me through one of his very first workout regimens, I knew he was a force to be reckoned with. And so I had kept my mouth shut, knowing that if he ever did want to tell me, he would without the badgering.


    It was a rather odd change for me if I was being honest though. Going from living in the wilds, free but always at risk of being hunted by a larger enemy, to living in a house, with another living being. Instead of sleeping on the cold hard ground, I now slept in a room, inside of a building, on top of a rather soft bed. I didn¡¯t have to hunt for food anymore, and instead all I had to do was merely help take care of the farm, collect water, and train with Wess in order to guarantee myself a nice, delicious, and home cooked meal. I still couldn¡¯t remember much about my past, but something gave me the feeling that I used to sleep in a room before. Long, long before¡­


    I sighed and shook my head, dragging myself back to reality. I closed my eyes and refocused on scanning my surroundings using my new skill, noting everything that changed, moved, or flowed around me. Wess walked in silence, but he had noticed what I was doing by now, and was now flicking little rocks at me, suddenly stopping, and whistling distractingly.


    It was actually rather nice, though he still was trying his best to get on my nerves. As soon as the old man had caused me to crash out and go on a rampage once, he had made it his life mission to get me that angry every chance he got. I of course had noticed a long time ago, and refused to give him the satisfaction of breaking me. This had in turn just made him even more intent on getting me to crash out. I grunted as I sensed him toss a particularly large rock at me, but I still dodged it. He¡¯d have to try harder than th-.


    I gasped as I felt his foot smash into my chest, sending me flying through the air until I crashed into another tree. I groaned and struggled onto my feet, shaking my head as I dodged two mire rocks that were thrown at me. Wess¡¯s laughter echoed through the air, and I threw a nearby rock at him as hard as I could, though he was easily able to dodge it.


    I spat a wad of blood to the side and bared my bloody teeth at him, ¡°Oi! You old codger! I''m gonna make you regret that one of these days!¡±


    The old man just laughed, tossing another large rock at me, this one much faster than before, ¡°Hahahaha! I''ll be dead by that time! How long have we been training and you still can''t even defend against a proper hit from me?¡±


    I grumbled and stuck my tongue out at his retreating back, which he didn''t deem to respond to. A grin spread across my face as I was suddenly hit with a waft of herbs, spices, and meat. My mouth watered and I activated sprint, dashing around the old man as I charged towards the door to his house.


    I yelled over my shoulder as I used leap to dash forward a few feet at a time, flying through the forest even faster than before, ¡°Ha! That first bowl is mine old man!¡±


    I took off my shoes and tossed them outside, before I wrenched open the door and charged inside. I ducked under the low beam, spun around the bedroom wall, and looked upon my glorious reward of¡­


    ¡°Ah there you are Will. I thought you had fallen asleep or something. Well, I already made myself a bowl, but yours is over there if you''d like it.¡±


    That damn old man! When did he manage to get in front of me!? I groaned as I came to a standstill. I couldn''t deny it, because there he was, leaning back in his chair, a bowl of his stew in one hand, and a jug of his liquor in the other.


    I grumbled under my breath, but after a moment I just let out a sigh and picked up the bowl from where he''d pointed it out, ¡°So, once again you beat me to the punch. You gonna tell me how this time?¡±


    He raised an eyebrow, but only offered me a smirk as an answer. I groaned and sat down across from him, eagerly digging into the lahmash. I wasn''t sure where the hell he''d learned to cook, or if he just had a skill for it, but every dish I''d had since living with him was jaw droppingly good. I closed my eyes and savored it for a moment, feeling the spices, herbs, and flavors sing in harmony across my tastebuds.


    ¡°You know, it is quite satisfying to see that you enjoy my cooking so much. I''m not sure if that''s because I am an especially good cook, or you have just never had good food, but this last year has been amusing for me.¡± I opened my eyes as the old man began talking and eyed him, but he wasn''t even looking at me. He was staring at the door across the hallway. My eyes dashed there before looking away. It was the one room in the house that the old man had never shown me. I wasn''t sure why, but I knew enough to respect his privacy.


    We sat there in silence for a while, just eating and relaxing, until he suddenly spoke up again, ¡°Ah, I hadn¡¯t mentioned it earlier, but I think it''s about time you headed on into town. Start work as an adventurer. Really get the chance to apply what I''ve taught you.¡±


    I frowned, and spoke up, confusion lacing my voice, ¡°Already? I know it''s only been a year that you''ve taught me, but do you think I''m ready? I only just learned spatial awareness after all.¡±


    He scoffed and gave me a stern look, ¡°Ha! No, you''re definitely not ready. In fact, if you were any other person, I would keep you training for at least another two years.¡± He paused and eyed my chest, ¡°But I''ve seen those marks, and I¡¯ve seen your status. You''re not any normal person Will. You¡¯ve received two strong abilities from two rather strong deities. Not only that, but you¡¯ve even managed to evolve one of your abilities. You have potential, kid, and the fact that you''ve been able to learn and get as far as you have is a testament to your hard work.¡±


    I frowned and shook my head, ¡°Thank you for the compliment, but-¡±


    He raised his hand to cut me off with a sigh, and stood up and dusted off his hands, ¡°It¡¯ll be fine Will. You think I¡¯d let you go if I didn¡¯t think you could handle it? Besides, this is only the first phase of your real training. You need real world experience before I can really start, and the only solid way for you to get that is in the dungeons. Tomorrow you leave for town, and once you''ve made it past the first dungeon boss, you come back and we''ll begin.¡±


    I frowned and opened my mouth to ask him what he meant by that, but he had already turned and walked over to the kitchen and started scrubbing the dishes, which was a very clear sign that he didn''t want to talk anymore about it. I hummed to myself and considered what he was saying for a moment, but shrugged and walked over, grabbing a rag and drying off the scrubbed dishes before putting them away.


    We worked in silence like that for the rest of the evening, and once the dishes were done, we moved onto cleaning the kitchen and the house. I scrubbed and cleaned in silence until finally, the old man¡¯s singing broke the silence. He didn¡¯t sing very often in the morning, but every night while we were cleaning the house, he did enjoy singing these odd old sea shanties of his.


    I crash and sway in this sea of mine¡­


    Beholden in the eyes of Khrive!


    I crash and sway in this sea of mine¡­


    For once I go I¡¯ll be alive,


    Within this old sea of grime!


    And once again,


    I¡¯ll crash and sway in this sea of mine¡­


    Beholden in the eyes of Khrive!


    There he goes, the old man sailor!


    Strong as stone and light as air,


    There he goes, the old man sailor!


    Fast, strong, smooth, and fair!


    He is the one we all must know,


    For that is where we all must go¡­


    There he goes, the old man sailor!


    Strong as stone and light as air,


    There he goes, the old man sailor!


    Fast, strong, smooth, and fair!


    I hummed along to the song, frowning slightly as I followed along. It didn¡¯t exactly make sense, and honestly the song itself was pretty bad, but I didn¡¯t dare say anything like that and risk another emergency training session¡­ I didn¡¯t exactly know who the hell Khrive was or where he had learned the shanties either, but it was interesting to listen to either way.


    I glanced back at the old man, looking him over again. He was a massive man, with white bushy hair, and a long thick beard. He was covered in scars, and even with his tree trunk arms, I got the feeling he was nowhere near as strong as he once was. Since he had taken Xian¡¯s axe when we had first met, I hadn¡¯t actually seen it again. My best bet was that he had it in that one room I wasn¡¯t allowed into. I doubted he would have just gotten rid of it, and despite all the various weapons and methods of training he¡¯d put me through, he hadn¡¯t taken it out to practice on me either. It made me wonder even more what exactly could be in there¡­ but those were thoughts for another time.


    I turned back to the wall I had been cleaning and sighed, getting back to work. I didn¡¯t exactly need to sleep, but I did find that I did rather enjoy sleeping in the comfy bed. That, and I was starting to discover that if I did get enough sleep every night, I was able to do much more the next day. Which definitely came in handy while trying to survive the old man¡¯s training. If I was going to start heading into town tomorrow, I had better get some actual rest tonight. I didn¡¯t really have much to my name, so I would probably be fine just waking up and heading to town. Hmm, I¡¯d have to ask the old man tomorrow which direction it was in, I¡¯d rather not just aimlessly wander like I had last time.


    Suddenly Wess spoke up, pausing from his singing for the first time, ¡°Make sure you see me in the morning before you leave. I did have something I wanted to give to you before you left.¡±


    I turned and looked at him where he was standing in the doorway to his room, ¡°Of course, I was going to ask you for directions anyway.¡±


    Wess folded his arms and raised an eyebrow, ¡°You really don¡¯t remember much, eh? The town is about a day''s walk northeast. You''ll just need to follow the fork in the river.¡± He eyed me again before adding on, ¡°I bet you¡¯ll end up sprinting the whole way there and end up getting there by midday, so you should be okay¡­ Though I might as well warn you. Make sure that you get into town after nightfall. If the guard is the same as the last time I was there, they don''t take too kindly to night visitors.¡±


    I frowned, and opened my mouth to ask a question, but Wess just turned and walked into his room without another word. I let out a long sigh and eyed the door. Well, I mean, I should probably listen and get some real rest but¡­ well¡­


    I closed the door gently behind me as I snuck out of the house, gently placing my feet so I didn¡¯t make a noise. Of course with my luck, this would be the last night I was going to be here. Ugh, I was so sure of it too. This wouldn¡¯t really be the best night to see it, but oh well. I needed this, a part of me deep down knew what it was, but it wasn¡¯t just that. My soul was crying out for this as well.


    I cracked my knuckles and stretched out my legs, before settling back on my haunches and activating sprint. With a mad grin, I flew into the forest, kicking off of the trees hard and aiming for the branches just right out of easy reach. My palms smacked into the wood of the branch, the bark pushing into the calluses on my hands and fingers. My fingers gripped hard, crushing and pulverizing the wood and turning it into splinters, but before I could fall, I pulled myself forward and up, swinging off of the branch and catapulting myself through the air.


    I whooped with joy and my lips spread wide in an ecstatic grin. This¡­ this was what I needed. My eyes flicked over to the moon, and my smile spread even further. It had changed from its normal shade lf white, and was now a dark blue, and absolutely massive, filling up the whole night sky.


    I swung through the trees quickly, aiming higher and higher in the branches, heading towards the tall tree that I had seen earlier today. My breathing became labored, and I could feel the rush of adrenaline and endorphins exploding through my body, and I focused on those, asking, no, demanding more. More energy, more power, and more strength. My body protested, but my will that was normally a winding river changed into a massive roaring wave, drowning out my body''s complaints and pushing myself forward as I flew through the air.


    I flashed from tree to tree, using leap everytime I pushed off of a trunk or branch so that it was almost like I was flying. My eyes strained and tried to focus on everything, but because of the darkness I was forced to stretch out my senses instead. They were put to the limits in order to sense if any of the branches I was landing on were cracked or broken, but I frowned. My skill was helpful, but it wasn¡¯t exactly good enough that it could keep up with me while I was flashing from tree to tree¡­ The issue was my eyes. They needed to be able to pierce through that darkness¡­ and in order to do that, they needed to be changed, forced to adapt, much like my claws and teeth had.


    For a brief moment, I paused on top of a tree and took a deep breath, steeling my nerves. I knew what I should do, but it still takes a strong bit of resolve in order to just claw my eyes out, but¡­ there wasn¡¯t a faster way, especially if gaining any real skill like spatial awareness took me another month¡­ No, this was the last real night I could have in order to adjust and strengthen myself. I had to do it.


    I bared my teeth and reached up with my free hand, activating claw and tearing into my eyes, pain and blood exploding from them and coating my chest as I screamed. I was blind now, and it was almost like I didn¡¯t exist anymore, the only thing telling me that I was here being the smells and sounds of the night creatures, and the feel of the bark pushing against me. I could feel my body already straining to fix the damage, and at least stop the bleeding. I let out a grunt as another pulse of pain arced through my entire being.


    I took a deep breath and leapt forward, dashing from tree to tree using only my spatial awareness. It could fill in the gap well, but I could still tell that I was struggling. I let out a long sigh, and relaxed, really allowing my spatial awareness and instincts to take over, guiding my path throughout the forest. My regeneration had started to kick in, doing its best to heal and fix my eyes like normal, but I didn¡¯t need my eyes ¡®just healed¡¯. I needed them better than before.


    I paused on another branch, and focused intently on my ability, latching onto it like before and taking command. It bucked and fought back harder than before, but I wasn¡¯t a pushover, especially now that the adrenaline and endorphins were pulsing ferociously through me. I roared at it with all of my will, crushing it into submission and grabbing onto it by the neck, demanding that it listen to my demands. Unending Vitality was a gift that Verdant had given me, but now it was my ability, and I needed to make sure it was aware who was in charge now.


    It growled, hissed, and snapped at me, but I didn¡¯t release my grip. I pushed and pushed and pushed, and finally the unwilling ability bent, and then twisted into the shape I desired. I could feel my eyes shiver and move, roiling almost like it was boiling water. I stood there for a long moment as the irritating feeling itched in my eyes, but suddenly, I went from seeing nothing, to suddenly seeing a red blackness, almost as if I was looking at the back of my eyelids again.


    My eyes snapped open and I glanced around, a grin spreading across my face. The shadows¡­ I could see through them now. Everything was finally clear, even in the blue darkness casted by the moon. I laughed again and dashed up the forest trees, my eyes locking onto the towering tree in the distance. I leaped from tree to tree, laughing like a mad man, and letting my spatial awareness make sure I was placing my feet in the correct spots as my eyes eagerly darted around. I hungrily drank in my surroundings, seeing the world like it was a new flavor. I rested on a branch for a moment and stared up at the moon with a wide grin, wiping off the streaks of blood on my cheeks.


    I had noticed the moon turning a slight bit more blue the last few nights, and had been curiously tracking it, excited for the first full moon that I had seen since coming here. I had been eagerly, but patiently waiting, coming out each night and training for a few hours at a time as I watched it fill, ever so slowly. It had taken almost a full year for that to happen, but a few nights ago I had also realized that it wasn¡¯t just a full moon. When I had seen how absolutely massive it had been, I knew that this one was going to be special, even for a full moon. If I was right, and I could now tell that I was, that I was going to be able to see a blue supermoon. Then I had seen that tree when the old man had sent me flying through the air yesterday, and the idea had been born.


    I crashed into the trunk of the  tall tree, and I dug my claws into it. I laughed and pulled myself upwards, scaling the tree as if I was climbing a ladder. I ducked around a little lizard who hissed at me from its home, a small plume of smoke erupting from its mouth. I apologized as a sleeping bird restlessly chirped at me and flew to another tree, its long tail feathers hissing at me like snakes as they lashed behind its two pairs of wings.


    Inch by inch, hand hold by hand hold, I dragged myself up the tree as fast as I could, all until I finally crested the top of the tree and gasped. The sky was awash in a deep, gorgeous blue. It flowed and shifted, moving around the moon almost as if the sky itself was alive. The dark light shined down on the tree tops, changing them from the dark green to something else. It made the solid canopy of leaves, even though they were different from each other, into various shades of blue. The expanse of leaves and forest turned into an¡­ ocean. An ocean made of leaves.


    As my eyes scanned around, drinking in the gorgeous sights, I froze as I heard a deep roar echo through the air, vibrating the shifting blue waves. I whipped around, trying to find the source of the roar, and right as I turned around, I watched as a massive dark blue serpent flashed through the air.


    It was wingless, but that didn¡¯t stop it from flying as if it was just a leaf caught in the wind. I watched in wonder as it spiraled and twisted, its scales glinting and shimmering in the dark blue moonlight. As it spiraled upwards towards the moon, it opened its mouth and roared again, expelling a huge wave of blue flame. It was almost as if it was trying to melt the moon itself, and even from where I was watching, I could feel the heat wash over me.


    I let out a long sigh and leaned back, dangling from the branch as I let my dug in claws keep me anchored to the tree. In the morning the next phase of my life would start, but for right now I allowed myself to remember.


    My mind slowly wandered, flashing back to Halfi and Baern''s laughter, Cylkia¡¯s retreating form, and the burning sensation from his flames and the arrows piercing me. It flashed to the bear, its powerful paws smashing into me and its gaping mouth crushing down on my body. I remembered the wolves that I had woken up to first and I frowned, cocking my head to the side. That couldn''t be my first life, could it? No¡­ there was no way. I ground my teeth together and glared into the distance. They must¡¯ve been the ones to leave me there, at the mercy of the wolves, getting torn apart again after again. Verdant must''ve chosen to give me Unending Vitality because of that. So that one day, eventually, I could find a way to free myself. Grim must have a reason to keep me alive too, all he had to do was let me come back to the land of the living, but he gifted me an ability as well.


    There was also that whole conversation that we had when I had last died. If Verdant had expected me to get revenge, I bet she could have given me a different ability, or my memory back for when I awoke. Grim too¡­ he never said anything about vengeance or the killing. They had only said that they wanted to watch. To see what I would do¡­ I narrowed my eyes and looked up at the spiraling blue serpent. They weren¡¯t going to dictate my life or demand anything from me. They only wanted to watch a show. To see what the little guy would do. How I would act and the path I would take with these gifts.


    ¡°Ha¡­ Haha¡­! Hahahahaha!!!¡± I leaned my head back and laughed, tightening my claws in the tree until I heard it crack. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this! Ha! I¡¯m just a story to these timeless beings aren¡¯t I!? Aren¡¯t I!!!¡±


    The only response I got was the roar of the blue serpent, its spiraling form slowly vanishing into the distance. I grinned and took in the moon once more. If I was just a story, well, I guess I might as well make it a good one shouldn''t I?

 Chapter Twenty-Three: On The Road Again!

    ¡°Alright, you remember? Head to the river and follow it until the fork. Once there, head northeast for about a day''s walk. That should lead you right to the outskirts of the village. And remember-¡±


    I groaned loudly, cutting off the old man mid sentence, ¡°Yeah yeah yeah¡­ Get to the gate before sunset right? Damn, you¡¯ve made me recite this like a bajillion times already. Even a deaf man could recite back word for word what you were saying!¡±


    He harrumphed loudly and leaned back in his chair, jabbing his finger at me, ¡°Bah! Of course I have to make you repeat this! You have the attention span of a jarblong!¡±


    I grunted and stuck my tongue out at him, ¡°Ha! What a stupid insult! I don¡¯t even know what that is! Hell, for all I know, you could be complimenting me! The hell even is a jarblong you old fool!?¡±


    He glared at me and slammed his fist into the table, ¡°A jarblong! How do you not know what they are!?¡±


    I glared back at him and spread out my arms mockingly, ¡°Bah, you''re just making up words now, aren¡¯t you!?¡±


    Wess glared at me and narrowed his eyes, ¡°You little¡­ Alright, new rule while you¡¯re away! While you''re in town, make sure you get acquainted with the library there! Either you learn more about the monsters you¡¯re going to be fighting on your own, or I am going to teach you the hard way!¡±


    I went to open my mouth to snap back, but paused. No¡­ He wasn¡¯t wrong. Since waking up in the wolves den I knew pitifully little about this world. The old man had taught me a couple of things about the world over the course of this last year, but not too much. He was much more focused on getting me physically ready the whole time, not that I was complaining of course.


    I sighed and shook my head. No, Wess wasn''t wrong at all, I''d have to make that one of the first places I went after I got into town. I seemed to have a pretty good grasp on how to speak this language, I¡¯d just have to hope that I could read as well¡­


    The old man eyed me before standing up with a nod, ¡°Alright, at least it looks like I don''t have to impart the importance of the library to you, so I won''t mention it again. Now, onto the real reason I wanted to talk to you before you left.¡±


    He walked over to that door I had never seen him enter, and grasped the handle before pulling on it. For a brief moment, the entire door shone dark red. Then spiderwebs of black darkness spiraled out from the center, before turning hard and heading towards where his hand gripped the handle. The darkness covered the gleaming silver handle, and then poured up his arm, covering it with a searing noise, filling the air with the smell of burnt flesh.


    Wess bared his teeth and roared, tearing open the door and exposing the room behind. His arm was covered in black darkness, and though it looked like he should have been in intense pain, he turned to me with a wide grin. He gave me a wink and stepped to the side, spreading out his darkened arm with a flourish and presenting the room.


    I didn''t say a word, my eyes wide as saucers as I looked from the darkened arm to the room. No wonder he never wanted to open the door¡­ and no wonder he always told me to stay away from the room. If it hurt that much each time you just wanted to open it¡­ whatever was inside must be unbelievable.


    My eyes hungrily took it in, my body slowly walking forward of its own volition. I hadn¡¯t expected a rather large room, and it wasn¡¯t, but¡­ it was still much larger than should have been possible. The ceiling stretched up farther than any of the other rooms, and stalactites of an odd material hung downwards, glowing as if lit from within. The floor was made of a pitch black material, almost as if a piece of the night sky had been taken and placed there. There were wide veins of deep blue that spider webbed across it, glittering and flowing like ocean waves and streaking along the walls.


    Speaking of the walls¡­ There was rack after rack full of various different weapons, ranging from staves, to bows, to axes, and swords and falchions and rapiers and mauls¡­ It was almost as if there was an entire garrison''s armory there, and each of them glimmered with power, much like Xian¡¯s axe had. Below them there was row after row of deep brown chests that had been pushed up against the back walls in order to create more room for a large space in the center with several heavy looking weights and a sparring mat.


    Oddly enough, there were even several human sized windows along the one empty wall in the room, which was especially weird since I never remembered seeing windows like that on the outside of the house¡­ Even though I had looked inside every window on the outside of the house. I¡¯d seen the living room, my room, a couple of spare rooms, a storage room, and even several rooms full of items that I had no idea what they could possibly do. Hell, I¡¯d even caught a glimpse of the old man¡¯s room, well, before he had beaten me to a pulp for looking and told me to stop peeping.


    I cautiously stepped forward into the room, and then turned my eyes to the old man, ¡°So this was what was in this room? How does this all even fit in here? This house isn¡¯t this big or tall enough for a room this size, and those windows don¡¯t look like any of the ones on the outside of the house either¡­¡±


    The old man grunted and smacked me on the back, forcing me to take another step forward into the room, ¡°Well, that¡¯s not the hardest thing for a mage to do. Once they manage to figure out the spell for spatial manipulation of course. I happen to know a mage from way back when, he offered to help me out with this room in exchange for some of my crops. Stubborn old bastard wouldn¡¯t stop asking me for ways to pay me for more¡­ bah! He became a regular customer though, you¡¯ll probably meet him once you get back, he had to go to the southern desert lands for a time.¡±


    I nodded and peered at the walls and chests closer, hoping to maybe learn something new about the old man''s past, though I didn¡¯t have too high of hopes. After a moment of realizing there wasn¡¯t anything on the chests or weapons that would lend me any clues, I cautiously peered through the windows, hoping to maybe catch a glimpse to show me where in the house the room might be located. Just as I was looking through, I gasped as a huge expanse of silver scales suddenly flashed by, a swarm of bubbles blowing around it as its powerful tail powered it through the water. I stumbled back as it suddenly stopped, and a giant eye peered through the window, with a backdrop of red and an explosion of silver and gold replacing the iris. It slowly blinked, before lifting upwards and leaving the window unobscured, which in turn revealed a huge rocky basin, full of burbling dark red lava.


    In wonder I glanced at the other windows, hoping to see more of the volcano, or perhaps another amazing creature, but instead they showed entirely different scenes that slowly shifted about, almost as if they were moving lenses into another world. The one on the right that I had first peered through was of a bright clear blue ocean, and a coral reef full of wildly colorful and vibrant fish and wildlife. Another showed a barren desert, wind blowing the white sand along the tops of the dunes as snake humanoids slithered along, their many arms each holding onto various different weapons. There was another that showed a dark green and brown jungle, and a three headed panther that was stalking a large feathered bird, its massive beak glinting gold in the few rays of sunshine shining through the treetops. There was even one window that peered into a land that was covered in a couple inches of pitch black water, a forest white leafless trees spread out as far as you could see. Amongst and throughout, there was an endlessly shifting mass of shambling skeletons and withered beasts, their empty eye sockets glowing crimson red.


    Chuckling, Wess walked into the room and shut the door behind him, ¡°Like the views? Haha, yeah those spatial mages really are something actually¡­ That spatial mage really was something of a prodigy you know. I knew that doing the room was an easy enough spell to learn, albeit hard to practice, but when he just kept asking me how he could ever repay me¡­ well I just threw out that I¡¯d love to have a spatial doorway put in! The damn mage didn¡¯t even blink before saying yes¡­ so in payment for more of my crops, I had these installed.¡± The old man took a long deep breath and folded his arms, grinning at the doorways, ¡°See¡­ I used to be quite the adventurer Will. Back before I retired that is. This farm and the forest are a nice place to relax and retire of course, but there is so much more to this world than just this small country¡­ The one thing I had been missing these last few years was this, windows to different places I¡¯ve traveled to before. The deserts of Alqui, the oceans of Szinst, the forests of the Pale One, and the Jungles of Gaurdu¡­ Oh how I miss delving into thosee wild dungeons and fighting the monsters of those lands! Haha¡­ However, that is besides the point! The whole reason that I called you here was for this!¡±


    He walked over to one of the chests on the floor, and pressed his palm against the top, a flash of dark green light circling the edges of his palm. It reached out into the air, hungrily snapping about before stabbing into the dark bracer that had formed upon his arm, changing into a series of beautiful crawling vines. With a grunt, he cracked it open, and I stepped forward, excitement coursing through me at the thought of whatever powerful artifact that must be inside. The old man stepped aside with a chuckle, revealing¡­ a simple brown knapsack.


    He reached in and grabbed it, offering it up as he turned back towards me,  ¡°Alright Will, I don¡¯t want to ruin your first experience of adventuring, but I figured I should give you at least the bare requirements to start your training. Within this knapsack I left your pay for all your help these last few days, a couple changes of clothes, a hunting and skinning knife, and a simple bedroll.¡± He walked over to me and dropped the knapsack in my hand, causing me to grunt at the extra weight. ¡°Oh, and I almost forgot, there should also be some bread, soup and jerky. That should tide you over for those first few days before you start making enough money. I know it isn¡¯t much, but I find that giving the younguns too much before they begin their journey always ends up leading to disaster¡­¡±


    I raised an eyebrow as I checked out the knapsack, but after a moment I shrugged and tossed it over my shoulder with a grin, ¡°Thanks old man, I appreciate it. This house has been comfortable, the food was amazing, and the training was¡­ rigorous. You know, I think I¡¯ll miss you for this next¡­ wait, how long does it normally take for someone to get past the first boss?¡±


    The old man leaned his head back and laughed, the joyous sound echoing throughout the entire house. He didn¡¯t answer me immediately, but gave me a wink and then shooed me out of the room. He closed the door behind him and placed his hand on the handle, the smell of burning flesh filling the air once more as the dark bracer that had covered his arm streamed off of him and back into the door. After a moment, the sound of hundreds of locks sliding into place reverberating through the air, which was quite odd considering there hadn¡¯t been that noise when he had first placed his hand on the doorway.


    He turned to me with a sigh, wiping a cold damp cloth along his arm that he had procured from seemingly nowhere, ¡°Oh, well it depends on a lot of things kid. How long you choose to go in for, how many delves you do, the quality of your equipment and how strong you are able to get before you begin the floor¡­ It took me about a month, though I have to be honest, I had some pretty piss poor gear, levels, and armor. For you though? Hmm¡­ probably three or so years.¡±


    I rolled my eyes and glared at him, ¡°Three years? Are you shitting me, you old codger? How weak do you think I am that I can¡¯t get through one floor of a dungeon? It can¡¯t be that hard, can it?¡±


    He raised an eyebrow before slapping me on the shoulder and staring me straight in the eyes, ¡°Look kid, it has nothing to do with how weak or strong you are. The dungeon is a constantly changing and adapting thing, each group of people that enters will encounter the same kind of enemies for each floor, but they will have wildly different strengths and attributes. Even if it¡¯s the same person, based on if they have leveled up, acquired better gear, or learned new skills, they will encounter a slew of stronger beasts and traps.¡± Wess sighed and folded his arms, ¡°Even taking all of that into account, I would still put you on a fast track through the dungeon. You are a wildly adaptive and powerful hunter, and one of the very few that I can fully expect to actually manage to survive my training¡­ No, it has less to do with your personal strength, and more to do with how you are going to go through the dungeon. I expect you to get through the first floor and past the boss without the aid of healing spells and potions, not counting that regenerative ability of yours of course, or without the aid of a party. In order for me to accept that you are truly ready for your next phase of training, I want you to solo the first floors of the dungeon.¡±


    I felt my eyes widen at the realization. That¡­ that was going to make this really hard. I had never been in a party with other people before, but I wasn¡¯t idiotic enough to think that I could delve into a dungeon without one, especially after some of the stories that the old man had told me¡­ Having other people in the party might make the monsters more difficult to kill, but the extra pairs of eyes, aid, and utility more than made up for it.


    I pursed my lips and leaned back considering that. Not being able to form a party was hard enough, but not being able to purchase healing potions or use healing spells would definitely be even more problematic. My unending vitality could heal virtually any wound I incurred, but it was much too slow. In a fight it would not save my life before the enemy realized I was slowly healing and proceeded to stomp me into a puddle over and over, which was something that the old man had shown me on several occasions.


    On top of that, being on my own also made any interaction with monsters much more dangerous, especially if I had to fight the floor boss by myself. I couldn¡¯t rely on a scout to keep watch of the surroundings, a tank to block dangerous hits, a healer to instantly heal me, or even a tank to take the big hits and attention of the monsters. That would all be on my shoulders, which would also severely limit how much I could bring into and out of the dungeon. Even after taking all of those hurdles into consideration, three years though¡­


    I let out a long sigh and shouldered my bag before walking towards the front door, ¡°Alright old man, I accept those terms. I¡¯ll see you in two years, and then I¡¯m going to complete your training like it''s a breeze.¡±


    The old man leaned his head back and laughed long and hard, ¡°Yeah sure! I¡¯ll remember that Will! Please, best my expectations¡­ It¡¯ll be amusing to see how hard you fall short! Hahaha! You better not forget my rules though! Especially when you think about crawling back here and begging me for a break!¡±


    I rolled my eyes and sighed, before reaching out and opening the door, taking in a deep breath. It was irritating that the old man thought so little of me, but I couldn¡¯t help but smirk. He¡¯d put forth a challenge, and I was a sucker for beating any challenge that was placed before me¡­


    I raised my hand in farewell, and shut the door, smirking at the sound of Wess¡¯s laughter. That old man¡­ I couldn¡¯t wait to see the look in his eyes when I came back from beating his challenge early.


    I eyed the sun, which was already midway through the sky, and sighed. It really was about time I started heading off anyways, I had spent much longer than I had thought in the old man¡¯s room. I needed to start heading off now, especially if I wanted to get to that gate before nightfall.


    I could make it there easily, especially if I kept sprint activated the whole time, but I really needed to be careful about running into any other monsters or beasts. I cracked my neck and let out a long breath, exalting in the sun¡¯s rays. I didn¡¯t really know what Sparbrook had in store for me, but I was excited. Excited to make my own way, excited to find other people besides that old codger, and excited to see how strong I could get. Ha! This world wasn¡¯t even close to ready for me!


    I rolled my shoulders and laughed loudly, before I bared my teeth at the woods in a manic smile. I reached into the void and pulled, activating sprint and causing a surge of power and strength to rush through my legs. I roared, and exploded into motion, charging forward into the forest and dodging around trees like they were nothing, the whole world blurring around me as it felt like I flew forward.


    I managed to make it about two hours before I was forced to stumble to a stop, my lungs screaming at me to take a break and my legs burning as if my veins were full of lava. I fell to my knees and threw up, groaning as my vision went blurry for a moment. Holy fucking shit¡­ I¡¯d gotten stronger, especially with all of  the training the old man had put me through, but having sprint activated for too long really just was too much for my body to take. I groaned and rolled away, staring up at the forest branches above me as I waited for my heart rate to settle. I¡¯d just¡­ rest here for a while longer before I started again¡­


    I dragged in another breath and squinted my eyes as I looked up at the sun. I probably had about another two hours left before sunset, which put me right on track with what Wess had told me, even with the break that I was taking. Good¡­ good! I had been a bit worried about getting to town in time, but it looked like I had nothing to worry about.


    I sat up and unslung my knapsack peering inside at what Wess had packed me. I could see that he hadn¡¯t been joking when he had said that it was only the necessities, but I had hoped that he might have snuck me an axe or a blade or something neat¡­ Though I guess I couldn¡¯t be surprised that he didn¡¯t.


    I sighed and rummaged around inside for some jerky, careful not to slice my hand on the unsheathed knives within. I really didn¡¯t want to meet the town guards covered in blood, let alone my own. After a moment, I grinned as I felt my hand clasp on a familiar bag and I took it out, my eyes taking in the air tight bag that the old man had shown me during some of our training sessions. He¡¯d told me that a mage had imbued it with a spell that would keep any food that was placed inside safe from diseases and stop the rotting process, which was incredibly useful for whenever you wanted to travel long distances and keep fresh fruits and meats with you.


    I thanked the old man silently, before reaching in and pulling out a couple pieces of jerky and taking a bite of one, indulging in the delicious taste. I hummed to myself, and kept my eyes closed as I used my spatial awareness to perfectly tie it up and replace it in the knapsack.


    I ripped off another piece and leaned back while I caught my breath, my eyes scanning my surroundings. I had ended up stopping in front of a large rock formation, and was currently lying in a rather convenient clearing that spread out in a large circle around me. I really couldn¡¯t have asked for a better place to stop, and the space would allow me to see any threats that may try to sneak up on me first, especially if my spatial awareness didn¡¯t catch them.


    The trees in this part of the forest were particularly large, and funnily enough, they were also cone shaped, the branches and thick, broad leaves blocking any sign of the tree trunk. Not only that, but the base branches stabbed out and into the ground, before stabbing back upwards, forming spikes that exploded outwards like a sharpened barricade. It looked dangerous, and I imagine that most creatures steered clear from these trees, but not all creatures.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    I could see little creatures darting in and out of the spikes surrounding the trees, their sizes ranging from being the size of a mouse, to roughly the size of a cat. Oddly enough, they were entirely round, almost like rolling dandelions, and they chirped angrily at my intrusion. Though I could tell that the vast majority of them didn¡¯t care too much about me lying there, as long as I stayed put. Which was definitely not a hard ask of me.


    I let out a long sigh and closed my eyes again for a brief moment. I¡¯d been sprinting for what felt like all day, even though I knew it had only been about two hours. It had been easy enough to follow the river as it snaked through the forest, and this was the first time I had abandoned it, choosing to rest away from the unprotected river banks.


    Wess had trained me to the point that I could run for hours at a time now without needing a break, but I wasn¡¯t a machine. I did still need to take breaks once I hit my limit, though thankfully it was only for about a half an hour before I could start running again. In the meantime though, I did have to keep my eyes and ears open, especially since I was basically just a sitting¡­ duck.


    A rustle noise came from my left and I felt my heart freeze, struggling to keep my breathing and body to seem as if I was still unaware. I strained my ears towards the sound, reaching out with my senses and spatial awareness, hoping to catch whatever it was before it caught me. There wasn¡¯t anything until¡­ another rustle. And then another, and another until I could hear the loud footfalls of a massive beast, rapidly moving towards my direction.


    Excitement and bloodlust surged through me as my eyes shot open, and I shot up, glaring at the rustling trees, ¡°Oh you big old bastard, come on out already! I¡¯ve sensed you for ages now, and I¡¯ve been itching for a fight all day! You better make this worth it!¡±


    The loud footfalls suddenly went silent, and nothing moved for a long moment, not even the little fluff balls that had been so active earlier. Then, a loud hiss snaked through the forest and I saw eight bright red eyes appear, each of them peering at me.


    I hissed back at it and rolled my eyes, ¡°You gonna take all day or what? You know, I have far better things to do you oversized rodent. Are you scared or something?¡±


    It hissed again, this time with a noticeable tinge of anger and annoyance, and then stomped out into the clearing, knocking aside a tree and breaking it right in half in the process. I laughed as I took it in, flexing my claws. It was big, with its shoulders being right around my head height and its body rippling with lean muscles. Its sides were covered in spines and quills, and as it stalked around the edge of the clearing, I watched as its six thick scaled legs thumped into the ground with power. It hissed again, and its long snakelike neck reared up and swayed back and forth,  baring its mouth full of blackened fangs.


    I laughed and charged forward, slashing my claws at its exposed side. It hissed again, leaping backwards in surprise at my sudden attack. I followed after it, baring my teeth and slashing at it over and over again, activating claw as often as I could. It dodged each attack, and narrowed its eight eyes at me, watching every movement I made like a hawk. Then, it went on the offensive, lashing out with its claws and snapping its jaws at me with lightning fast reflexes.


    My spatial awareness screamed at me and I dropped, watching as its blackened maw snapped shut right over my face. With a roar I reached into the void and activated pierce, stabbing my claws up. They stabbed into the underside of its jaw and it hissed in pain as I dug them in, causing a waterfall of steaming blood to pour onto me.


    It dropped its weight down, but I rolled out just as its chest slammed into where I just was, wincing as I wrenched a couple quills out of my arm. I sprung to my feet and leaped backwards as its claws flashed through the air again, just barely skimming my arm, creating three thin lines that welled up with blood.


    Slowly we circled each other, carefully eyeing each other''s moves and focusing all of our attention on the other. It was a wild animal, but I could tell that it was also incredibly intelligent, which was incredibly problematic when it was combined with its incredible vision, defensive spikes, and the extra offense and power afforded by its three pairs of limbs. I cautiously waited for an opening, and I could see that the beast was as well, though unfortunately, I realized far too late that I was much too focused on waiting for the opportunity, and not making sure to keep an eye on my surroundings.


    Pain lanced through my leg as I suddenly rolled my ankle on an exposed tree root, and as my balance wobbled for the briefest of moments, the beast jumped on the opportunity. With a hiss, it leaped forward, its quills standing on edge and its claws and may spread wide, aimed at my vital points. It reeked of death, and most creatures would have cowered in fear, but I couldn¡¯t help but grin as I saw that it had exposed its vital points as well.


    I roared with laughter and dropped to the ground again, spreading out my spatial awareness in order to tell when the beast was in the perfect position. I waited half a heartbeat, then two, before I saw the perfect strike light up like a beacon and I exploded upwards, smacking into its exposed stomach. I roared and wrenched on the void again, activating blow and slamming both of my fists and head into its chest, impaling myself on its quills, but also caving in its chest and lungs.


    Its hiss of surprise was cut short as it wheezed and hacked up blood as I flipped it over, shattering the quills that had been standing straight up. I could feel the surge of pain rip through the beast, but I wasn¡¯t done. I spat out a wad of blood and ripped out the quills that had pierced through my hardened skin like it was nothing, and straddled its long neck, locking my eyes on its disoriented face.


    With a roar I reached into the void, activating claw, blow, and pierce over and over again, striking out and attacking the beast in an unending cycle of destruction and carnage as my bloody fists and claws rained down on the beast. Its hisses and snapping maw were turned into a pile of pulp, its throat was ripped into shreds, its quills and scaly skin flayed from its flesh, and its somehow still beating heart was ripped out and tossed aside. Rage poured through me as I stabbed my claws into it, and only when it was an unmoving pile of gore did I stop. The red abated from my vision and I leaped backwards, wildly gasping for air as my lungs burned.


    I shook my head groggily and began to walk away, staggering across the sea of roots and thick grass, when suddenly an intense pain blossomed from my shoulder. I roared in pain and looked in astonishment at the seemingly totally fine snake head tearing into my shoulder, and then glanced back at the mutilated creature below me, my eyes widening as I saw that it had split down the middle and been parted. Realization quickly dawned on me that the damn thing had molted its carcass and been rebirthed as good as new. Just like I was whenever I died¡­ ha! So this is what it was like seeing that from the other side! I laughed wildly and spat blood, the taste of iron filling my mouth once again as those damned blackened teeth tore even deeper into my shoulder, sending a searing pain lancing throughout my veins.


    It was agony, and as I thrashed and slammed my fists and claws into its body and face, I dimly realized that the damned thing had somehow managed to grow even larger when it had been reborn. Rage coursed through me once again, and I bared my teeth and bent my head around as much as I could, reaching into the void and ripping the power I needed from it, activating both pierce and bite, ripping into and through its scaly flesh.


    Rotten blood filled my mouth, and with a roar I ripped out a huge chunk out of its flesh, sending a stream of blood throughout the air and coating the grass and rocks a dark green. The beast bit down harder on my shoulder, but my hardened body and durable drake bones were able to slow it down just enough that it was unable to bite clean through and rip my arm off.


    I laughed wildly and activated bite and pierce again, biting down even harder than before and carving another huge chunk of flesh from its neck. The smell and taste of the rotten blood filled the air and my mouth as the wound gushed hot dark green blood, coating me head to toe and soaking into my clothes. Still I dug my claws into its sides, and activated bite and pierce once more, ripping the third massive chunk out of its neck.


    The beast hissed and gave up on biting me, panic pulsing through it as it finally realized that its venom was doing absolutely nothing to me. It chose instead to start clawing and tearing at my arms and chest, each of its six claws battering me and destroying my innards from the force of its blows and slashing attacks.


    Even though I had strengthened my body through the old man¡¯s workout regimen, I couldn¡¯t help but roar in pain as I felt its claws slice through my skin and bounce along my ribs. My side was soaked in blood as my Unending Vitality struggled to keep up and heal the damage, but I continued my work.


    My heart beat wildly, my mouth was bared in a wild grin, and I drug in breath after breath as I reached into the void over and over, asking, no, demanding that it gave me the power to defeat this beast. It was reluctant, but after sensing my will, it offered up the strength, and with a roar, I activated each of my skills as soon as I could. Blow, Bite, Pierce, and Claw were all used in a bloody symphony of destruction and mutilation that not even the newly reborn and strengthened beast could escape. It growled and hissed and bit, but all it could do was hold on until it finally, with one last hiss, keeled over, dead.


    I stared at its unmoving body, half expecting it to rip open once more and be reborn, but it thankfully stayed still, and I leaned my head back with a hearty laugh. Suddenly my aching and torn apart body was hit with a rush of power, and I stumbled to my feet, giggling at the sweet feeling of euphoria. I grinned down at the beast, before I glanced at my new status, humming to myself in satisfaction when I realized this was the first time I had leveled up since I began my training with the old man.


    Level Up!!!


    Name: Will


    Race: Chimera


    Level: Seventeen(New!)


    Title: Dire Slayer


    Abilities:


    Enduring Heart


    Unending Vitality (Incomplete)


    Death''s Favoured (Incomplete)


    Skills:


    Sprint (Veteran)


    Claw (Beginner)(New!)


    Sword Slash (Trainee)


    Pierce (Trainee)(New!)


    Hammer Bash (Novice)


    Bite (Trainee)(New!)


    Blow (Trainee)(New!)


    Leap (Novice)


    Axe Smash (Initiate)


    Acid Resistance (Passive)(Initiate)


    Hardened Body (Passive)(Initiate)(New!)


    Spatial Awareness (Passive)(Novice)


    I shook myself and rolled my shoulders, still smiling. That was a gods damned good fight! I¡¯d been training with that old man for so long, I was worried I had gotten rusty¡­ but it looked like I still had it in me! I laughed and staggered away from the corpse, my eyes passing over my status update happily. I hadn¡¯t expected so many improvements from my first fight, especially since even the old man¡¯s training hadn¡¯t resulted in so many improvements¡­


    Although I couldn¡¯t just say that the training with the old man had given me hadn¡¯t done wonders for my physical body, and had also allowed me to gain many new skills¡­ It just looked like I couldn¡¯t get as strong in that environment. At least, not compared to fighting to the death like I had with this damned thing!


    I eyed the bloodied beast for a moment, before I walked over and searched through my pack. The level up was amazing, and I was excited to see that I had improved the proficiency of many of my skills, but¡­ there was something else I was hoping to gain from the corpse. I hummed to myself as I moved aside my clean clothes and food bag, only stopping as my hand clasped onto the handle that I was looking for. I laughed and pulled out the skinning and butchering knives that Wess had left for me, turning to the beast''s corpse with a wild grin. Oh hell yeah, I was eating well today!


    I went to work skinning and butchering the carcass just like old man Wess had shown me, setting out the hide to dry and setting the innards aside and most of the meat onto skewers that I made from the nearby spiky tree barriers. The bones were carefully cleaned and set in a pile by my knapsack, and right as I began to pile all the inedible pieces of meat together, I heard the first rustles in the underbrush around me.


    I sighed and stood up, allowing my newly sharpened eyes and senses to confirm what I had already assumed before I picked up the extra meat and innards that I''d set aside earlier. I carefully placed each piece of meat in a large pile at the edge of the clearing, before stepping back and going to where the beast''s corpse was and gathering the rest. The rustling in the underbrush, which had become louder and more and more frenzied, finally paused, and as I kept on stacking more and more on the small piles, I heard an excited and satisfied chirping.


    I set down the last piece, and bowed to the forest, before I turned and headed back to where I had been making the fire. The chirping and chittering that had been getting louder and louder went dead silent behind me. Then a little sea of the fluff ball-like creatures poured forth from the forest, pouncing on the little piles of meat that I¡¯d left for them. By the time I reached my fire and turned back to them, it was empty, with not even a sign of the little creatures, or the several piles of meat and innards. I chuckled and kneeled over the fire, lighting it like the old man had shown me and setting the hide and meat skewers closer so they could begin to cook.


    I leaned back and let out a sigh as the smell of the cooking beast filled the air. Wess had taught me a lot over the course of training me, and one of the first things he had taught me was to always leave a sacrifice for the Ewin¡¯s (The small black fluff balls). Apparently if they didn¡¯t receive a sacrifice, they had the bad habit of overwhelming you and taking a sacrifice by force¡­ usually by devouring your flesh like a pack of piranhas.


    I sighed and leaned back, exalting in the warmth from the fire. I guess I could just stay here for the night¡­ I hadn¡¯t expected such a fight while I was traveling through the forest, but I really couldn¡¯t just pass up a chance to improve like that. My eyes traced the clouds in the sky, and I looked up at the sun with a frown. There was something itching in the back of my mind, telling me that I was forgetting something¡­ something¡­ important. Something to do with the sun I think? Wait, why was that important again? I really feel like there was something¡­  hmm¡­ I ground my teeth together and glared at the setting sun, wracking my brain for whatever could possibly be so important¡­


    After a long moment, I shrugged and let out a sigh, giving up on the feeling for now. I guess I¡¯d remember soon if it was that important I guess¡­ I sighed again and reached out towards the fire, snagging one of the glistening meat skewers and staring at it hungrily. Wess made good food, and I knew that this wouldn¡¯t compare, but there was something special about eating something that you had hunted down and killed yourself. I tore a piece off and winced at the searing heat that burned my mouth. It was good, but I hadn¡¯t been patient enough.


    I sighed and turned back to the fire, tossing in a bit more wood and watching as the flames hungrily devoured it, slowly wrapping around the piece and blackening it. I leaned back against the rock formation behind me and stared at the curling flames, allowing my mind to wander again. I had noticed the little ewin¡¯s while I was racing through the forest, but I had been surprised to see that they were here. Especially since I hadn¡¯t really seen them around the old man¡¯s place. He¡¯d told me about them of course, but he¡¯d never had to do it whenever we went hunting it¡­ huh, how odd.


    I guess I didn¡¯t mind sharing my kills though, and even after killing that damned dire bear, whenever I had run into struggling creatures around the old den, I had shared parts of my kills with them whenever I could. I hated the idea of not using every part of the beast, and the various small creatures of the forest always seemed to be around and hungry for morsels¡­ Besides, I did enjoy hearing all of their little chirps, especially the colorful little birds with snakes for tail feathers that would fly in, snap up a piece, and then let out an unbelievably beautiful melody. I sighed and closed my eyes at the happy memory. Maybe I would see them before the sun¡­ set¡­


    I gasped and shot up, my face going pale. Oh damn it! That¡¯s what I had forgotten! I needed to get to the town before the sun set! I cursed loudly and leaped up, running over to the fire and stomping it out quickly. I went to snatch up the hide and my knapsack, but after a brief hesitation, I grabbed the extra meat that I had set aside and placed all of it by the edge of the clearing, where I had placed the other sacrifice. I gave the forest and the rapid happy chirping a nod, before I rolled up the hide and placed it in my knapsack.


    I groaned as I looked at the sun again and cursed, reaching into the void and activating sprint. My newly leveled up and energized muscles surged with power and strength, and I dashed off into the woods smacking aside any branches and leaves that got in my way.


    I used leap to fly over a fallen tree and groaned as I watched the shadows begin to really lengthen. Damn it, damn it, damn it! I got so distracted by that fight I just absolutely forgot about that deadline! I growled and activated blow, slamming my fist into a tree and smashing a large chunk out of it as I raced by. Oh gods fucking damn it! I only had about an hour or so until sunset and I hadn''t even seen an outlying farm! I groaned again as I leaped over a creek and spun around a tree, powering forward as quickly as I could. There really was no way I¡¯d get there before dark¡­ but¡­ agh¡­ oh well, there was not much I could do for that. Hopefully the guards wouldn¡¯t mind too much.


    I continued racing through the trees, feeling my breathing coming harder and harder as I pushed myself to the edge of my limits. I ran harder and harder, until I surpassed the first hour, and then the second, and began to creep up on the third. Still, it wasn¡¯t fast enough, and I growled as I watched the shadows lengthen.


    I picked up the pace again, ignoring the birds and the animals that chirped and growled at me as I flew by them, because I knew that they didn¡¯t even have enough time to truly get ready to fight the blur that was me. My lungs were screaming, my legs were on fire, and my body was struggling to heal me even as I broke it more and more. My vision started to go dark from the lack of oxygen, and then I saw it.


    Before me there was a large rocky hill, and past it the forest thinned our and vanished, revealing a massive clearing, lined by trees. There was a sprawling town surrounded by large wood and stone walls, and outside of it was farm after farm, some full of roaming livestock, and others full of row after row of flourishing crops.


    I laughed hysterically and picked up the pace, exploding out of the forest and flying down the hill towards the most unpopulated looking farm that I could see. I guess I could knock on one of the farmer''s doors and ask if I could sleep in the stables for the night, but I really didn¡¯t want to be too much of a bother, and so I flew around the plowed fields, towards where I could see the gate in the distance.


    I hesitated as I watched the sun set, placing the entire world into a dusky gloom. I slowed down to a walk, trying to drag in as much air as I could and calm my heart rate. I know that Wess had been so insistent that I get into the town before sunset, but¡­ the sun had just set, I should be fine right? They wouldn¡¯t throw a fit about one poor soul sneaking in immediately after sunset¡­ right?


    I sighed and looked down at my bloody clothes, grimacing as I glanced up. I needed to change my clothes before I walked up to the gate. The guards might let me in a bit late, but there was no way in hell that they¡¯d let a bloody stranger in.


    I ducked behind a stable near the gate, glancing around before stripping the bloody clothes off. I reached into the knapsack and took the rag out and wiped off all of my sweat and blood, throwing the rag in a pile with my bloody clothes. After that I switched into my extra set of clothes and cautiously made my way over to the trough of water, peering in and taking a quick glance at myself.


    I was definitely not going to win any beauty contests, but I was presentable enough that I imagined that the guard wouldn¡¯t be too worried. I¡¯d just have to tell them that I was out hunting, and had a rather hard time killing the beast. I let out a chuckle and dipped my hands into the trough and washed off my face, shaking my head and hair before heading straight towards the gate.


    As I got closer, I couldn¡¯t help but laugh again as I saw it was still open, and with a grin I forged ahead, my mind full of how nice the bed and a nice hot meal would be. Though, as I got nearer and nearer, I noticed something was¡­ off, about the entrance.


    I slowed down to a jog, and frowned as my feet clopped along the ground. I crouched and stared at the¡­ stones? They were all arrayed out purposefully, and there was even sand and clay running between them all. How¡­ odd? I carefully walked closer to the gate, and peered through at the dark buildings that laid beyond, cocking my head to the side. I had assumed that there would be guards about, or that I would see some sort of life moving about, but there wasn¡¯t even the slightest hint of movement.


    I sighed and readjusted my bag over my shoulder with a grunt. Ah shit, was I really going to have to sleep in some poor farmers stable? I guess I¡¯d have to find somewhere to sleep huh? I wonder if I could find a¡­ oh where did that old man tell me I should go? Was it the Old Haunt? Or was it-


    Suddenly I was snapped out of my thoughts as I felt a cold, sharp line press against my throat, the edge of it so sharp that I could feel a thin bead of blood already start to form. I frowned and stopped moving, glancing down at what looked like a sword that was pressed against my throat, the edge of it gleaming in the dusk. The hell was a sword doing against my-


    Before I could even think another thought, the blade vanished and a boot slammed into my back, sending me stumbling towards the gate wall. I stretched out my senses, catching the scent of danger and dropped, hearing something whistle through the air right where my head had been.


    I growled and leaped up, spinning around and looking behind me, baring my fangs at whatever had dared to attack me. I was expecting a goblin or some other sentient beast, but to my surprise, it was instead a lightly armored guard, dropped into a fighting stance and pointing their gleaming blade at my throat.


    I frowned as they lashed out at me with their sword again and I leapt backwards, just missing the edge of it. The hell were they doing? It wasn¡¯t like I was harming anyone, and I had cleaned up and everything! The only thing I was doing was entering the town¡­ after¡­ sunset¡­


    I sighed and let my body flow into autopilot, dodging each attack from the guard as they flashed forward and viciously attacked. They had suddenly procured a solid wood club, and it was flying through the air viciously, working in concert with that gleaming short sword from before. It was an odd combination of attacks, and even with all of the training from the old man, I wasn¡¯t near fast enough. I ducked and dodged and spun and dropped, struggling to avoid the sharp edge of the blade and the hard edge of the club without striking back. I knew that if I seriously harmed the town guard, there was no way I would ever be allowed in. I¡¯d just have to wait for them to get tired or frustrated, but¡­ that was easier said than done.


    The sword flashed in the moonlight, turning from the cool silver to red as it drew more and more of my blood. The club smashed into my side, then my hip, my arms, and then my leg, cracking painfully against my shin. I growled and ducked a particularly vicious sword slash before charging forward, tackling them at the waist. They grunted as they were forced to take a few steps back, and then twisted their sword around and stabbed it into my side, creating a hot gush of blood. I bared my teeth and growled, before wrapping my arms around them, straining backwards and flipping them with all the strength I had. To say they hadn¡¯t been expecting that move was an understatement, and they slammed into the ground, yelping in pain.


    I laughed and dashed forward, placing my hand on my side to staunch the blood and leaning on the gateway, ¡°Ha! I win! Now, would it kill ya to just wait a second before-¡±


    I felt something slam into my skull, cracking my skull and lighting my entire existence aflame with agony. My eyes rolled into the back of my head and I slumped to the ground, darkness flooding my vision. The last thing I heard was a deep voice admonishing someone and a boot crushing down on my chest, knocking out whatever air was left in my lungs and sending me straight to oblivion.

 Chapter Twenty-Four: A Little Jail Time

    ¡°Hey! You! Get up, the guard is coming!¡±


    My eyes fluttered open to the aggressive whispering and I glared over at the cell across from me, where my nearby cell mate was. I could see her standing at the bars like she did every morning and night, right when meal time was. She didn¡¯t have an immediately threatening look, especially with her bright green hair, yellow eyes, and sweet smile, but something about her also gave off a feeling of overwhelming power. I¡¯d be intimidated by her, especially after I had seen her mouth full shark- like teeth and seen the green scales that covered her entire visible body shrug off a magic fireball like it was nothing, but she was rather too over-positive and chatty for me to really feel any real fear.


    I sighed and stretched out, shooting her another glare, ¡°Oh would you relax? Just cause you wake me up early doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯ll come faster or that I¡¯ll give you any of my breakfast when they do!¡±


    Willow pouted and slouched back down on her bed, ¡°You¡¯re such a grouch when you wake up! Besides, it¡¯s not even like you¡¯re going to eat it, you always just throw it at the guard.¡±


    I laughed and leaned back on my cell bunk, ¡°Yeah, it makes me laugh watching them jump back. It¡¯s a ritual we have, you know that! Handing it over to you doesn¡¯t give me anything but a headache.¡±


    Willow gasped and put on a fake mask of offense, ¡°What do you mean by that? You are my only form of companionship, of course I would want to thank you! All these other prison cellmates are either empty or just plain rude¡­¡±


    I rolled my eyes and shot her another glare, ¡°There¡¯s a difference between thanking, and spitting each piece that you don¡¯t like at me and talking with your mouth open! I¡¯ve seen wild beasts with better manners than you!¡±


    She pouted again, folding her arms, ¡°Oh come on, that¡¯s quite the exaggeration don¡¯t you think? I can¡¯t be thaaaat bad.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow and eyed the pieces of dried vegetables that littered the hall floor near us, ¡°Huh¡­ No, no I do not think so. Besides, why are you so picky? Food is food you know, even if it is prison food.¡±


    Willow raised an eyebrow and eyed the several splatters of gruel, soup, and meat on the ground, ¡°Hmm¡­ So why don¡¯t you eat it then? You have to be hungry at this point, it''s been weeks and I haven¡¯t seen you eat once!¡±


    I shrugged and stretched out, smirking as I heard the familiar clanking of the locks being undone, ¡°Ah I once went a year or so without eating, so this isn¡¯t too bad. The annoyance on the guards faces makes it all worth it ya know, I¡¯m still pretty pissed that they just threw me in here without giving me any form of trial or hearing me out.¡±


    Willow giggled and spun a ball that she had somehow made out of straw on her finger, ¡°That¡¯s the guard for you! You can¡¯t just go and try to get into the town after dark, fight and then knock out a guard, and expect to get preferential treatment! Keep your head up though, the violation shouldn¡¯t be too bad, I bet you¡¯ll be out of here soon.¡±


    I harrumphed and cracked my neck, ¡°Fine fine¡­ what did you even do to land up here anyway? You don¡¯t give off the vibe of an insane criminal.¡±


    A flash of anger passed over her face for a moment, but it was gone before I could even blink, ¡°Oh nothing too bad really¡­ I just showed quite the rude individual what their true self looks like. Turns out that¡¯s rather illegal here in the town though¡­ especially when it¡¯s one of the nobility haha¡­¡±


    I grinned and laughed, ¡°Wait, really? Ha!  I remember the old man telling me to steer clear of the nobility here, said they were quite the pain in the ass as a matter of fact. What did you end up making them into anyway?¡±


    She scowled, but couldn¡¯t help but smirk after a while, ¡°Oh nothing too bad¡­ but, I ended up making them into a Piglint! They actually ended up darting about and ended up getting hit by a small cart though¡­ Made them rather angry when I let them change back.¡±


    I whistled and shook my head, ¡°Yeah I guess that would be a good enough reason to land you in prison. How long are you in for?¡±


    Willow smirked and flicked her bright green hair over her shoulder, ¡°Oh that was a couple years ago, I think I have another few months before I can go free. As long as I help out around the town that is. The captain is rather strict, but does have an open mind. There¡¯s a reason there aren¡¯t many prisoners here after all.¡±


    I shrugged and glanced at the other empty cells, ¡°Fair enough. Hopefully I¡¯m not in here for long though. I¡¯m starting to get sick of this musty room.¡±


    Willow laughed, ¡°Hahaha you¡¯re telling me! I mean, you do get used to it after a while. Guess you haven¡¯t been here for long enough though¡­ Ha! I remember when they first threw you in! All you did was growl and roar and tear apart the cell! Ended up ripping yourself apart and spreading blood everywhere¡­ Oh the guards were not happy about that when they saw it!¡±


    I sighed and eyed the blood stains that still covered the bars, ¡°Yeah, that was a bit of an overreaction I admit¡­ but I really don¡¯t like being locked up, you know? I don¡¯t like having my freedom restricted¡­ Though I must say, I¡¯m surprised they were able to clean up as much as they could with a simple spell.¡±


    She eyed me with a curious look, and right as I expected her to launch into some insightful speech, she launched into her normal nonstop chatter. I sighed and tuned it out, putting on a dull face as I heard the sound of the guards footsteps.


    I didn¡¯t even look up as the guard strode by, setting her plate down by her door, and I didn¡¯t even move as they turned towards me. After a moment that was filled only with the sound of Willow¡¯s chatter and gratitude for the food, they set my food down and kicked it to me.


    They jumped back quickly, knowing by now what would happen next, but I was faster. The dull look on my face vanished and I lunged forward, snatching up the plate. I spun and flung it between the bars at them with all my strength, smirking as I watched it gloriously fly towards the lightly armored guard. They cursed loudly and made a quick gesture, conjuring an invisible shield in front of them, blocking most of the flying food, which slapped into it with a wet sounding plop noise.


    I laughed raucously, before a crushing sensation descended on me, knocking my breath out of my lungs as I was ground into the floor. I grit my teeth and strained, struggling and slowly pushing back against the invisible force, until I felt another force crash into my side and fling me until the wall. I could feel my ribs crack and splinter, piercing into my organs. I laughed and spat blood at the guard, but they were already strolling away, heading towards the deeper regions of the jail in order to hand out the rest of the cell mates'' meals.


    I silently laid there for a moment, listening to Willow chatter on, before I sat up with a sigh. It was about time that I got to work and started my workout routine of lifting my bed and doing pushups, sprints, squats, and pullups. Willow for her part was just loudly chewing her food and babbling to me about random things, and as normal I chose to ignore her.


    I¡¯d feel bad about doing that, but by now I had realized that she didn¡¯t mind. She just needed someone to talk to, which might have seemed insane, but it actually seemed to keep her rather stable. The few times that she had been quiet for too long, she had become rather¡­ problematic, to say the least. The last time it had happened, the entire guard had to come down in order to suppress her. They had started by using magic, but that had seemed to be entirely ineffective, and so they had resorted to purely physical force. Which had also been incredibly ineffective, since she had managed to seemingly grown several times larger. Several bruised guards and a rather large cake later, she had finally calmed down. I guess that no one had wished her a happy birthday, so she¡¯d been rather upset¡­ apparently it was a deep insult in her culture.


    Crazy to me, since I didn¡¯t even know when my birthday was, but I guess I couldn¡¯t blame her. After that, there had been several more cuffs placed on her and the bars had been replaced and strengthened, since she had torn them off. After that, I¡¯d wished her a belated birthday, and since then, she had been rather insufferable towards me, though I guess I didn¡¯t mind too much.


    I¡¯d been in this cell for a couple weeks since the guard had knocked me out at the gate. According to Willow, it was a senior guard who had noticed the fight and knocked me out after I had ¡®beaten the snot¡¯ out of the trainee guard. Apparently, after sunset it really really wasn¡¯t okay to approach the gate. The trainee guard had even honestly thought that I was some dungeon beast or forest monster, but after the senior guard had knocked me out, he had noticed that I was in fact a normal human, albeit with an odd biology. He had actually felt bad about knocking me out apparently, but rules were rules. I had tried to barge into town after nightfall after all, which scored me some jail time either way.


    I couldn¡¯t really blame them, but I still ended up butting heads with the guard who patrolled here. I got the feeling they were the same one who I¡¯d fought at the gate, and from the first day they¡¯d walked by the cell, I had recognized the club and short sword combo that none of the other guards wielded. I¡¯d begun the ritual from that day on. They would toss my food at me, I¡¯d toss it back, and then they had this annoying habit of smacking me with those invisible walls over and over again. I was confused that they hadn¡¯t used that at the gate, since I obviously would have lost the fight, but I guess that might have been the only magic they could use or knew.


    That had been my routine these last two weeks, get woken up by the non stop yammering of Willow, fling my food at the guard and get knocked around, do the work outs that the old man had taught me, and then fling the dinner bowl at the guard once more before I went to sleep. It wasn¡¯t what I was expecting to be doing after getting to town, but I didn¡¯t mind too much. I just hoped that they hadn¡¯t messed too much with my knapsack, I was still hoping to sell that hide in town.


    I ducked to the left, and let out a long sigh. This little¡­ I whipped around and glared at Willow, who had given up on her non stop babbling and started to ping little pieces of dirt and rock at me. I had dodged most of them using my spatial awareness, which had given her nothing but more reason to continue. I glared at her more, but she just looked off into the distance innocently, whistling nonchalantly. After a moment, I turned around and began working out again, dodging little rock after rock as she began her little tirade again. I caught one which she had bounced off of the wall and spun around, pelting it back at her.


    She yelped and jumped backwards, ¡°Oh no fair! How do you even know that I¡¯m throwing them at you anyways? You keep on dodging them, even with your back turned!¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at that, but didn¡¯t respond, silently returning to my routine. She really was like having a younger sister, all the annoying habits included. Though what she said intrigued me¡­ Did she really not know anything about spatial awareness? How odd¡­ She had mentioned to me, on many different occasions, that she was a relatively high ranked adventurer, and after that whole birthday thing, I really didn¡¯t doubt her. So¡­ she should know about spatial awareness¡­ right? At least based on what the old man had told me, it should have been a common skill for high level adventurers.


    I sighed and dropped down from where I was doing pull ups. I looked out the window at the position of the sun in the sky and smirked. I¡¯d been doing the workouts for longer than I had thought, probably because of the constant chatting from Willow. Which meant that right about now¡­ I cocked my head to the side, and then let out a low chuckle. There it was¡­ the sound of pissed off boots on stone.


    Unfortunately I was unable to spill any food on them this time, but I had received quite the beating this time. It was rough, though I had to admit¡­ they had seemed almost¡­ sad? Yes¡­ sad. That was it. They seemed almost sad. After they had crushed me against the ceiling, floor, and both the walls of course.


    I groaned and sat up, rubbing my neck and shaking my head to stop the ringing. My ribs had actually cracked from that whole set, even with my hardened body. I eyed the guard as they made their way back, but instead of walking by me like usual, they paused in front of me.


    A low, but melodic voice emanated from their metal helmet, and they turned to look at me head on, ¡°Last day sprite. Make sure I never see you again, else I¡¯ll make sure you won¡¯t be able to make it out of this place before your time is up.¡±


    I went to make a snappy remark, but stopped myself, ¡°Last day, eh? Well¡­ I¡¯d be lying if I wasn¡¯t going to miss our little ritual. You know what¡­ I might just have to make a stop by at some point. Take you on myself, face to face. See how that magic handles me when I¡¯m not behind bars.¡±


    The guard grunted and waved their hand, slamming me back into the wall, ¡°We¡¯ll have to see about that. Don¡¯t get yourself killed talking to the boss, I would hate having to clean up your bloody corpse tomorrow.¡±


    With that, they turned and walked out of the cell hall, slamming the door behind them with a resounding thunk. I flopped onto my hands and knees and coughed up blood, a scarlet grin adorning my face. Tonight was my last night in this goddamn shit hole, thank the gods!


    Willow''s cheerful voice echoed across the dungeon towards me, ¡°Aww, you¡¯re gonna be free tomorrow sprite! Are you excited?¡±


    I sighed and went back to my regimen, ¡°You know what Willow? I am excited! I¡¯m sick of this prison, and I miss the forest, the feeling of dirt and grass beneath my feet, and the wide open skies. More than that though, I want to finally start becoming an adventurer!¡±


    Willow laughed and spun in her cell, her green and yellow hair spreading out in a halo around her, ¡°Oh I am so happy for you Will! You know, whenever I get out of here, we should group up! You might be pretty low level, but I feel like that won¡¯t take you too long! You would be a great addition to my dungeon group! Ha! I bet Aara and Sylie will love to meet you!¡±


    I chuckled and leaned back in my cell, a smile resting comfortably on my face, ¡°Oh is that so? You know I¡¯m a newbie to all this dungeon stuff right? It''s going to take me a long time before I could join up with you. Besides, I can¡¯t be a part of your group until I get past the first dungeon boss anyways. Got a deal that I still gotta complete.¡±


    Willow laughed again and waved her hand in the air, ¡°Oh of course I know that! I could tell that you were new to this as soon as they drug you in and dumped you in that cell! You don¡¯t have to party with any of us immediately, but I¡¯d love to have you meet some of my friends! Oh they would love you! Especially Jhost, or Mher, they¡¯re great with nature like you are! Aara is soooo fun, and Cairn¡­ well, they¡¯re a bit rough, but quite nice!¡±


    Willow kept on rambling on and on and I just chuckled, leaning back and closing my eyes. Tonight was the last night huh? I really couldn¡¯t wait to finally be free of this place. To finally be on my path again¡­


    My eyes flashed open as I heard the cell door pop open, swinging on old creaky hinges. Oh perfect, that must be the guard coming to grab me. I¡¯d have to be careful with the captain¡­ I didn¡¯t wanna ruin my first real chance to get out of here, especially after having been here for so long.


    I shot up and flashed around my cell, cleaning and tidying it as I got dressed and ready. Willow was still snoring across from me, and the other cellmates were out cold. They never spoke, either because they couldn¡¯t, or because they chose not to, I wasn¡¯t exactly sure.


    I frowned and peered through the edges of my barred window. How early was it? I didn¡¯t need to sleep, but I did enjoy it, so the fact that I hadn¡¯t been able to sleep at all irritated me, at least a little. I peered through the bars and frowned, feeling my night vision activate. All I could see was darkness¡­ what time were they letting me out of this place?


    The sound of hard soles cracking down on stone echoed through the air, and I whipped around, casually leaning on the stone wall as four guards walked up to the cell door. I raised an eyebrow at the amount of heavily armed guards, but gave them all a respectful nod anyway. I respected the thought, even if just one of them was strong enough to very easily immobilize me.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    A rather wide guard stepped up to the bars with their arms folded, ¡°Prisoner 142, you are to follow us to meet the guard captain. If you try to run, we will kill you. If you try to fight us, we will kill you. If you steal anything, we will kill you. If you attempt to harm anyone, we will kill you. If you do not listen to an order that we give you, we will kill you. If you speak out of turn to the captain, he will kill you. These are not what ifs, or maybes Prisoner 142. They are promises.¡±


    I grunted in affirmation, and gave them an over the top bow, baring my teeth in a wide grin. One of the guards stomped forward to the lock, and held out cuffs. I raised an eyebrow, but placed my arms through the opening in the bars, allowing them to lock the cuffs in place. Another guard walked forward and unlocked the door, and then stepped to my side as it opened. I grinned again, and followed behind them, one on each side, as we walked out of the prison.


    I gave a little wave to Willow, who had woken up at the noise. She gave me a wide grin and happily waved, before yawning and walking back to her bed and curling up. I rolled my eyes, but turned my attention back to the guards and hummed to myself as I followed them up flight after flight of stairs.


    I hadn¡¯t realized how deep underground the cell was, at least, not until I had to walk up all the stairs, but we really were quite far underground. I considered that for a moment, and frowned. I had a window that I could see out of my cell of course, but Willow had mentioned that it was just a made up projection of the outside world. Supposedly, the only accurate thing was the sun and moon''s movement, since magic couldn¡¯t fake that. Though, as I peered out of the windows that we walked by, I noticed that each of them had a sun that was in a different place in the sky. How¡­ odd.


    I leaned a little too far to the side and received a quick jab from the guard behind me. I flashed them a glare, but was more subtle with my glance the next time. Unlike my cell, the view was real, minus the different times of day and night. As I peered through them, I could see all of the people and creatures milling about below.


    Willow had mentioned that the town''s name was Sparbrook, which was relieving since I hadn¡¯t actually been able to see anything before getting knocked out. Apparently, they were one of the few human towns that allowed any and all races to coexist, as long as they followed the rules of course. It was why Willow had been staying there with her friends, though she had mentioned that there were still some deep seated biases, and that most of the nobles and ruling class were humans.


    I started humming to myself as we kept on ascending, taking flight after flight of stairs. Honestly, even though the windows changed times of day, it was nice to see all the people and creatures milling about. Though¡­ It was even nicer listening to the guards breathing slowly become more labored and ragged as we ascended the never ending stairs.


    Speaking of never ending stairs¡­ I frowned as I stared out of the window nearest me. We really had been climbing up these stairs for a long time, and it really felt like we weren¡¯t getting anywhere. The ground didn¡¯t seem to be getting farther away either, and the people and creatures changed, but¡­ the different times of day were the exact same, almost as if I was just walking around in a circle¡­ I eyed the guards with a frown. They weren¡¯t even smacking me whenever I looked out of the window either¡­


    I sighed and shook my head. Well, there probably was some trick to getting to the captains quarters, but I didn¡¯t really feel like wasting my time figuring it out. Instead, I was just going to try and see if the guards wore out first, or I did. I smirked and hummed to myself and kept ¡®climbing¡¯, belatedly noticing that my legs had finally begun to burn.


    Funnily enough, it didn¡¯t even take that long before the first guard dropped. That I had been expecting, but what surprised me most was that the other guards didn¡¯t so much as glance back at their comrade. They just kept on struggling up the stairs, gasping for air and slowing down one by one until they all had dropped like that first guard. The guard in front of me, who I assumed was the leader of the four, didn¡¯t waver, stumble, or even slow down. Instead, the two of us continued slogging on, stuck in the perpetual stairwell until finally, I noticed there was a change in the stone.


    Instead of the light gray I had been looking at for so long, it shifted into a more purplish hue. The guard in front of me didn¡¯t say anything, but I noticed the relief in each of the steps they took. Then as we continued up the steps, I started to notice that the walls were finally changing as well, with various different murals of people, creatures, and various different scenes starting to appear at seemingly random intervals. There was one of a grand banquet hall, another of a group of people preparing to enter a cave with black smoke roiling from it, one of an ethereal being descending from the sky, and many more. As we rounded the corner, I came face to face with a rather simple dark wood door. Everything about it screamed simplicity, and yet¡­ There was something¡­ off, about it. Something that screamed danger and¡­ power. The guard walked up to it and placed his hand on the center, and the door exploded into a rainbow of bright and exotic colors. They shifted and swirled around and around the edge of the door, spiraling more and more inwards until they ended in the middle, having created a gorgeous and intricately vibrant mandala.


    As the guard pushed the door open, a deep booming laugh echoed through the air, ¡°Ah, there you are Seth! I was wondering where you were! Well come on in, I¡¯m sure your arms must be tired from carrying that prisoner up all those stairs! To be honest with you, I was gonna come and check on you in another few minutes! After I completed this damn field report that is¡­¡±


    The guard pushed more on the door, slowly revealing more of what seemed like a simple stone room. There was a lit fireplace in the corner, a plush purple carpet underfoot, shelf after shelf of books and tomes, and occupying most of the floor space was taken up by an absolutely massive wooden desk. There was a bear of a man seated behind it, a wide grin upon his face. He wore a plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up halfway up his massive barrel arms. He was covered in scars, and his left eye was white where it looked like it had been slashed. When he saw the guard, and then me, walk into the room, a quick look of surprise flashed across his face before he started guffawing, his massive frame shaking from how hard he was laughing.


    The massive scarred man wiped away the tears in his eyes and flashed a wide grin at us both, ¡°Oh my! Oh my, oh my, oh my! No wonder you were able to make it up so quickly!¡± The bear of a man stood up and cracked his knuckles, before offering his hand to me, ¡°Good job on making it up Prisoner 142! You know, most of my soldiers can¡¯t even get halfway up without passing out or throwing up! Ha, even the guards here struggle to make it up! Only Seth over there can reliably make it to the top, but you look like you¡¯re in better shape than him! Hahaha!¡±


    He waved me over and stuck out his hand with a wide grin. I cautiously walked up, but with a grin and a shrug I took his hand and shook. It was like shaking a stone wall, and while he didn¡¯t crush my hand into bone powder, I could still feel a crack form in my bones. I kept a grin on my face and gave him a solid shake, casually taking a seat after. He must be unbelievably strong in order to so casually break drake bones¡­ Truly a force to be reckoned with.


    The massive man¡¯s grin widened, and with a chuckle he sat back down, sighing as the chair shifted backwards. The guard, Seth I guess his name was, declined taking a chair, instead choosing to stand at attention by the now explosively colorful door.


    The captain leaned back and looked me up and down before pulling out a piece of paper, seemingly out of thin air, and appraising it. ¡°Hmm¡­ says here that you were detained for trying to enter the gate after nightfall, and after a brief scuffle, which you won¡­¡± He glanced up at that, and eyed Seth, who was still silently standing at attention in the corner, ¡°My boy here intervenes and knocks you out. Then he placed you in the prison to serve out your sentence¡­ Throughout which you and that same guard you first ran into seemed to butt heads. Does that just about sum it all up?¡±


    I nodded and cracked my neck, ¡°Yeah pretty much. Though I must say, compliments to the chef! He always managed to make such a great slop that I could toss it at the guard and almost manage to hit them every time!¡±


    The captain laughed and leaned back in his chair, ¡°Well. I can¡¯t say that I¡¯ve ever had quite an odd prisoner show up! Ah, well, your time has been served, all I have left is to enter you into the town registry. Odd that we never seemed to snag a name from you¡­ A simple enough process really. Now, a name?¡±


    I cocked my head to the side and thought for a moment before shrugging, ¡°Will. You can call me Will.¡±


    He chuckled and scribbled into a massive book that he had procured from seemingly nowhere, ¡°Perfect perfect¡­ no last name?¡± I shook my head after a moment, and he grunted before writing in the book again, ¡°Very well, now, you have a reason for staying?¡±


    I grinned and leaned back, ¡°Ah simple enough, I want to become an adventurer! Preferably, I¡¯d love to get past the first dungeon boss.¡±


    He smirked before writing in the book again, ¡°I see¡­ You know, I get wave after wave of excited and hopeful adventurer rookies every year? They almost all come back within a month hoping to get an insight or approval into some other job class. You however¡­ I¡¯m curious to see how far you get. Come see me after you get past the first dungeon boss, I might have something that will catch your fancy.¡±


    With that, he slammed the book shut and stood up, motioning for me to do the same. He waved his hand in the air and a stamp appeared in his hand. He whispered something into it before he looked up with a grin and motioned for my hand. I gave him it, and he unlocked my cuffs before taking the stamp and pressing it right above my wrist. Pain lanced through me from the stamped area, and I grunted in surprise.


    After he lifted the stamp, I checked it out, my eyebrows rising as I took it in. There was a black flame there, and I whistled as I watched as it grew and flickered, almost as if it was a real flame. Then it wavered before twisting around and around itself until it broke up into several lines of floating writing. It was almost like a mini status of mine, with my name, level, and job class, which said nothing.


    He nodded and gestured at Seth, before he sat back down and opened another ledger, seemingly done with me. Seth stepped to the side and opened the door, motioning for me to walk through. I raised an eyebrow, but grinned and made my way through, finding the three other guards who had fallen on the way up the stairwell standing there, passively waiting. I grinned at them and gave a half bow, showing them my still cuffed wrists. They eyed Seth, but turned and began making their way down the stairs.


    Thankfully it only took a few minutes to reach the base, and they walked me all the way to the front door, where they gave me my bag, which was thankfully untouched. I asked them where I could find the adventurer guild and lodging, and they helpfully pointed their locations out to me. Then they proceeded to slam the door shut behind me.


    I chuckled and cracked my knuckles, eyeing the town. Where to go, where to go¡­ The guard had mentioned that the adventurer hall was straight ahead, and that there was a ton of lodging around it. He did mention it was expensive, but there were farms around the town where I could get some cheap lodging if I was willing to sleep in their barns. Hmmm¡­


    I hummed to myself and started wandering straight, eyeing the small, but cute and tidy homes. It was still pretty early in the day, so most of the people hadn¡¯t really started their days yet. Though, it was odd to me that most of them seemed to be covered in scales, muscular, and running around doing what seemed to be anywhere from cleaning the streets, to picking up groceries.


    I was going to stop one of them to ask why, but was forced to jump to the side as my senses lit up, just narrowly avoiding a cart flying through the road, a six legged and four horned beast pulling it along. The driver, a tall thin person with insect-like mandibles and wings waved their four right arms at me and spat. I raised an eyebrow at them and kicked the side of the cart as it flew by, making the whole thing shake and prompting several curses as they struggled to keep the cart straight. I just chuckled and kept on walking, humming to myself as I made my way down the road towards the building in the distance.


    As I got closer, I noticed that the people I was seeing were shifting, changing from those that were out looking for groceries or trying to get their work done, to more¡­ deadly folks. There was group after group of people hanging out and talking, grabbing a bite to eat at little cafes, or making their way towards the grand building in the distance that I had been walking towards. I had just assumed that it was the adventurer guild, but as I got closer, I could feel my jaw drop in amazement as I saw how right I was.


    It was a massive building for sure, but what really made it stand out was the design and the¡­ plethora of skeletons. It was shaped with its walls curving outward until they hit a sharp angle and curved inwards in the other direction, mirroring itself until it created a pointed roof. This led to there being a lot of surface area, albeit angled, where there was a wide assortment of skeletons of various beasts that were arranged on the roof. They varied from the bones of a massive dire wolf, which was even larger than the one in the clearing, a great winged beast with talons longer than my forearm, a massive serpent which wrapped around the whole roof, a six legged hoofed beast with eight horns and no mouth or jaw, a ball of literally just wing after wing, a large dragon, a massive minotaur with eight horns, and various other massive creatures, each of them more wild and different than the next.


    I was amazed, but I was brought back to reality as I was jostled by other adventurers making their way into the building. They didn¡¯t even stop or slow down to glance at the beasts, either because they¡¯ve seen them many times before, or because they didn¡¯t care. I took a deep breath and then cracked my neck. Well, here¡¯s to new experiences right? I chuckled and walked up the stairs and then into the building.


    Inside there was a huge room, full of tables and laughing people, creatures, and a wide assortment of weapons, drinks, and laughter. I eyed the walls that were covered with not only hanging weapons, hides, and various different gems and torches, but also what looked to be several shrines to what seemed to be shrines that covered everything but a board that was covered in various posters and letters. Most of them were a bright white parchment with various different inks, but I could see that some were yellowed with age, while others were dark black and dripping with menace. Some simply had two lines, which I assumed were a request and the reward.


    On the right side of the massive room was a long bar, where the adventurers were procuring most of their drinks and booze. There were several men behind the counter, quickly and deftly taking and dealing out orders to people. I gave one who caught my eye a nod, but looked away quickly when they flashed me a smirk and a wink. Blushing, I looked towards the center of the room, where a very bored looking lady was sitting behind an absolutely massive desk. She had raven black hair, black skin, and talons that looked like they could easily flay flesh from bone. Adventurers would take one of the papers off of the wall and head over to her, where they would carefully, oh so carefully, offer her the paper. Without even looking up, she would snatch up the paper, write something on it, and then slap it back on top of the counter for them.


    I considered that for a moment, but shrugged. Eh, I needed to get my adventurer certification somehow, right? At least, that¡¯s what Willow had mentioned I needed to do¡­ Hmm¡­ Hadn¡¯t she also mentioned something about appeasing her somehow? What was it with again? Ah¡­ khoush? Right? Oh¡­ wait, where would I even be able to get that? The bar? Fuck, I needed money to get that, and¡­ oh wait! My pay from working with the old man for so long! I let out a sigh of relief and rummaged around in my bag before pulling out the jingling bag. I opened it up with a grin as I saw all the loose coins and hummed to myself on the way over to the bar.


    I ducked around a group that just got their drinks and caught the attention of a waiter. With a sparkling smile and a flourish they made their way over to me, somehow not knocking anything over even with the colorful wings folded on their back.


    They smiled at me, their eyes managing to look at me while also darting all over the adventurer hall and people, ¡°Hello there! You look new¡­ so what¡¯ll it be, sprite?¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at the sprite comment, but after a brief hesitation, I asked anyway, ¡°I¡¯d love a khoush, if y¡¯all make it here of course.¡±


    For a brief moment, the restless energy that had been pouring off of them in waves, just simply, paused. Their wandering eyes focused on me, a flash of red filling their eyes as they locked on mine.


    Then that big grin faded into a taunting smirk, and they leaned back curiously,¡°Don¡¯t have very many people ask for that drink¡­ but I''ve made it plenty of times, so I¡¯ll get that done for you here soon.¡±


    With a flourish they whipped around again and began quickly grabbing various different bottles and adding little dashes and swirls into one glass. The color changed from a bright green, to a dark red, and then a dark swirling purple. The whole experience only lasted a few moments before they turned around with a grin and handed me the drink. I nervously smiled back and offered them a few coins.


    They raised an eyebrow at them, and looked back up at me, ¡°It¡¯s only one col you know?¡±


    I laughed and shook my head, ¡°Please take it all, I have more than enough, and besides, I really appreciate the help¡­¡±


    They laughed and shook their head, their wings flaring out for a brief moment, dazzling me, ¡°I appreciate that more than you know little sprite. I¡¯ll gladly take them if you¡¯re so sure, but I won¡¯t forget this kindness.¡±


    They gave me a wink, and dashed off to help another group of rowdy adventurer¡¯s that had walked up to the counter. I watched them go, their beautiful wings catching the light in dazzling ways. I let out a sigh, and grabbed the drink, trying to focus my wandering mind. The whole reason I had asked for the khoush in the first place¡­ I needed to give it to that raven haired lady. To get on her good side¡­ just like Willow had told me. I sighed and headed over to the desk, trying my best to put on a nonchalant look.


    She didn¡¯t even look up as I walked closer, seemingly intently looking at her long purple and black nails, but before I could even say anything, she cut me off, ¡°You overpaid them you know. A drink like that only costs a col, and they will have forgotten you by the end of the day.¡±


    I shrugged and held out the drink towards her, ¡°Ah, that¡¯s okay. They¡¯ll have earned every last bit I paid them by the end of the day. That last group that walked up looked like quite the headache¡­ But that¡¯s besides the point. A little birdie mentioned to me that you liked khoush? I figured it¡¯d be a great way to start your shift and make you a little more amenable to signing me up as a new adventurer¡­?¡±


    The raven haired lady let out a long sigh, and without even looking up at me, she snatched up the tall purple glass, ¡°Well¡­ that little birdie needs to keep her mouth shut¡­ going around and telling just anyone that¡­ ha!¡± She took a long swig of the drink and leaned back in her chair, still checking out her talons intently, ¡°She¡¯s not wrong though, and I do quite enjoy the drink. Keep that to yourself though. Now, to become an adventurer I need to see your badge and a fee of 10 col. That¡¯ll officially get you the job and allow you to enter the dungeon whenever you feel like it.¡±


    I nodded and reached into my bag, grabbing the amount and setting it carefully on the counter before offering my arm. She ignored the col and grabbed my arm, twisting it and dragging her talon across it, drawing blood. She tsked, and then with the blood on her talon, scribbled on a piece of parchment that she pulled from underneath the counter, reaching out and dipping her talons in my pooled blood every so often.


    I patiently waited as I watched her continue to write, taking quick swigs of the khoush every so often. Then, ever so slowly, she rolled up the parchment, carefully placed it underneath the desk, and took an oddly shaped stamp from underneath as well. She took the stamp and placed it in the little bit of blood that had pooled on my wrist before my arm had healed itself. The blood swirled and curved, before shooting over to where the captain had stamped my hand, causing the flame to flare up again. The flame roared and flickered, before settling into the ministatus once more. Then the blood moved upwards, filling out the title line with the words adventurer.


    She cleaned off the stamp with a flick of her wrist, before placing it back underneath the counter and sighing again, ¡°Welp, that''s it sprite. You''re free to go into the dungeon with a party or just by yourself, and the guild takes no responsibility for any maiming, loss of limbs, pain, loss of life, or any other problems you may encounter. Face off against the monsters you¡¯re confident in beating, nothing more, you got that? It¡¯s an annoying amount of paperwork when one of you new sprites dies in the first week.¡±


    I nodded at her and flashed her a smile, ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll try my hardest not to make your day any harder, eh? Though if you don¡¯t mind me asking, where is the dungeon?¡±


    A light and friendly voice spoke up behind me, cutting off anything the raven haired lady might have said, ¡°Oh the dungeon? You know, me and the Richters were gonna go head on into the dungeon right now. I didn¡¯t recognize you,  I assume you¡¯re a bit new to town? You¡¯re free to join us if you¡¯d like!¡±


    I turned to see a group of six or so standing behind me, wearing chain mail, leather armor, and strapped to the teeth with various different weapons and gear. I considered that for a moment, frowning. Hadn¡¯t the old man told me that I wasn¡¯t allowed any help in the dungeon? Wouldn¡¯t taking them up on their offer be exactly that? Though¡­ it wouldn¡¯t be real help if I didn¡¯t join their party and they just showed me where the dungeon was, right?


    I flashed them a grin and held out my hand, ¡°Oh, why thank you! I¡¯d love to come along! The name¡¯s Will, and I admit, I am a bit new to the town, so a little help finding the dungeon would be great!¡±


    The one who had originally spoken up, a thick armed man with a dazzling smile and a warmace and various gold and green tattoos over his arms, gave me another grin and waved me over, ¡°Perfect! The name¡¯s Darnell, nice to meet you! Now, obviously you don¡¯t have to be a part of our party, but I figure there¡¯s no real issue if we just show you to the entrance eh?¡± He let out another loud laugh and turned back to the rest of his group, the Richters, who gave me either a nod or a smile as I walked up to them. ¡°Alright, today we have a pretty full agenda! First, we¡¯re going to take this sprite with us to the west entrance to the dungeon. Then we need to collect 10 goblin ears, a wineace wing, and a few vials of flipan ooze. Should be able to get it all on the third floor, so no real worries. Now, we have enough time in the day that we should be able to get this all done by nightfall, but I¡¯d love us to get out of here as soon as possible, so Richters! Forward march!¡±


    He smacked his fist down on the table with a grin, and with cheers the rest of them laughed and got up, heading on towards the door. I cocked my head to the side, and then looked back at the man who had invited me, who had stayed behind. He grinned and winked at me, offering me his thick hand. I blinked in surprise, but grinned back, and took his hand, squeezing it and giving it a solid shake. A quick look of surprise flashed across his face as well, before he laughed and shook my hand back and motioned for me to follow the others.


    I cracked my neck and shouldered my bag, heading towards the door after the others. I knew that I should have probably hid it somewhere or found a place to sleep first, but I didn¡¯t want to just pass up this easy chance to see the way to the dungeon. I¡¯d just have to carry around the bag with me, which I wasn¡¯t really worried about honestly. I let out a long breath and followed Darnell out the door, and as my foot crossed the threshold, I looked back one last time, catching an almost¡­ worried look in the raven haired lady and the bartender''s eyes before I passed through and lost sight of them.

 Chapter Twenty-Five: Could’ve Seen That Coming From A Mile Away

    Darnell turned and grinned at me, showing off a glinting gold tooth, ¡°So, I had just assumed you were new to town, but where do you hail from? Haha¡­ I don¡¯t really recognize your complexion, or the claws and sharp teeth¡­ Maybe from the south? Or are you more from the jungles of the East?¡±


    I grunted in surprise, but hesitantly froze. Where¡­ where should I say? I don¡¯t even remember anything prior to the wolves¡­ Prior to the Bear¡­ and prior even to meeting Wess. I guess¡­ if I could only remember the forest, I might as well say that right? Though, it might just be worthwhile making up a fake backstory.


    I let out a slow breath and chuckled, ¡°Oh, well, I guess I grew up on a farm in the southern forests. Was dropped off at the doorway as a baby, and worked there until I was old enough to pay off my debts. Figured I might be able to make a living here, as an adventurer ya know?¡±


    Darnell chuckled and swung his warmace up and on his shoulder, ¡°I see¡­ We get quite a lot of new adventurer¡¯s with stories like that. Dropped off as an orphan, go to the city and try to make it big¡­ Just be careful kid. Being an adventurer is not as easy as we make it look. Death is always a threat, and you¡¯re always at risk of dying.¡±


    I nodded and held up a hand, ¡°I know, I know¡­ Even traveling through the forest to get here, I had to fight this quill covered, snake necked beast¡­ The damn thing almost got me, but thankfully I got it first. I even managed to level up!¡±


    Darnell¡¯s eyes widened and they looked down at me, ¡°Are you serious? You fought a juvenile Quam and lived to tell the tail? At your level! Hahaha! You must be quite the voracious one kid! Their venom isn¡¯t enough to kill you, but I hear it is unbelievably painful! You must have some resistance skill, but still! Hahaha! Sprig! Would you get a load of this! This kid is insane!


    A small lithe person laughed and looked back at us, ¡°That is rather impressive! It took me at least five years of adventuring before I managed to kill one of those damned things! Ah how I remember when I was a young woman¡­ The joys of youth!¡±


    A short bulky person who was covered in quills grunted, cutting her off, ¡°Bah! What do you mean the joys of youth Sprig! That must have been twenty years ago, and you haven¡¯t changed at all! You timeless one! To someone like you, what¡¯s five years of adventuring!? I managed to kill one in a year!¡±


    She giggled and flipped her long brown hair over her shoulder, running over to the tall and silent silver scaled beast-man at the front of the group. ¡±Oh you¡¯re such a grouch Kwamp, it¡¯s not my fault your people only live for fifty or so years! You¡¯re just a grumpy old man because your quills have started turning grey!¡±


    Kwamp growled and waved his arm at her as she ran around the silver scaled lizard-man. They hadn¡¯t told me their name, but Darnell had mentioned it was best translated to Slosht in human tongue.


    I had been wanting to ask them about why I had seen so many of them around town, seemingly doing chores, but when I had started to ask them, Darnell had walked up and pulled me to the side. Apparently their throat had been damaged during a dungeon run, and they couldn¡¯t speak anymore, despite Sprig''s best efforts.


    After a while of the back and forth between Kwamp and Sprig, Slosht¡¯s green eyes flashed down to Sprig and they snatched her up, lifting her like she was a piece of fruit and setting her on their shoulder. A low hiss coming from deep in their chest, and they glared at Kwamp, who huffed and waved them both off, grumbling to himself as he walked away. Sprig laughed and patted Slosht¡¯s head before leaping off and running behind Darnell, batting her eyelashes up at him and pouting at Kwamp.


    Darnell chuckled and waved her off, ¡°Oh you know Slosht doesn¡¯t take too kindly to being used as a shield! Besides, didn¡¯t you get off rather lightly? Kwamp didn¡¯t even smack you like he normally does! You have nothing to pout about!¡±


    She giggled and skipped off, giving him a wink before leaping up into the trees, vanishing in moments. Darnell flashed me another apologetic smile before walking up to Slosht and talking to him. I didn¡¯t see him respond at all, but there was a lot of nodding and hand gestures that quickly flashed between the two of them. I guess that was how the two of them communicated¡­ It might be worthwhile to figure out how to sign like that. I¡¯d have to make a mental note of that¡­


    I sighed and dropped back, tailing the others as we continued walking through the forest. I tried to see if I could catch any sign of Sprig or any other monsters, but the forest was quiet. I¡¯d already given up trying to find the other two that had vanished into the forest as soon as we had left the town gates, but it really irked me that I already had to give up on finding Sprig.


    Though¡­ I guess I shouldn¡¯t be too upset about that. They were all well over my level, had rarer and higher proficiencies of skills than me, and were bonafide veterans. It made me wonder how long each of them had been adventuring together, especially since they seemed to know each other so well, not even counting the fact that Spyr and Cryon, the two that had vanished off into the woods for recon, were apparently twins. Though I still couldn¡¯t believe that fact, since they both looked as different as can be from each other.


    Spyr was a red skinned avian with a pair of fiery wings that allowed her to fly and get some amazing reconnaissance. She was the team¡¯s air scout, but she was an incredibly deadly fighter as well. She had two khopesh¡¯s that she dual wielded, and apparently had been blessed by the goddess with some fire magic as well. It made her a vicious fighter, but she mostly used it in order to speed herself up, making her by far the fastest person in town. Darnell mentioned that she could fly so fast, that the last time the town had a flight competition, she had won so handedly that she had to be disqualified.


    On the other hand, Cryon was a light snowy blue, and while he wasn¡¯t able to fly like his sibling, he was able to phase through trees, water, and just about any object, leaving behind a frost like residue. He was even able to phase through the air which allowed him to float around almost like a wraith. On top of that, unless someone was specifically looking out for him, he blended in with his surroundings perfectly, becoming practically invisible. Darnell praised him as the perfect spy, if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that he had the bad side effect of leaving behind a frost wherever he phased through that is.


    I rolled my shoulders and frowned. It was odd that Darnell had told me so much about all of them and their skills¡­ Maybe it was just me, but I don¡¯t think I would be just sharing all of that with an obvious newcomer¡­ and not only that, but we had been walking for a long time now¡­


    I eyed the forest again and then Darnell and Kwamp, who were talking to each other in front. I knew that the town and farmers wouldn¡¯t want to set up right next to a dungeon entrance, but I doubted they would be that far away from one. After all, the amount of materials and business that flowed around a dungeon entrance was absolutely incredible, it had to pay to be close to an entrance.


    I sighed and shook my head. The old man hadn¡¯t taught me much besides the physical sides of combat and training, but that had been one of the things he had made clear to me. An adventurer''s life was fraught with danger, but the treasures and money that could be made from it was enough to change anyone¡¯s life. The thing was¡­ even if this was an entrance most people didn¡¯t use, and the Richter¡¯s were taking me to a secret entrance¡­ They should have told me by now, and more than that, I definitely should have seen someone else by now. That just¡­ shouldn¡¯t have been possible, right? Especially in an adventuring town? I frowned, and let out a long sigh, before I carefully made my way over to Darnell. I guess there was no harm in asking, I doubt that they were trying to kill me. Besides, its not like I had anything of value, and they knew that, especially after my fake story and how new I obviously was.


    I gave Kwamp a nod as I walked past him, and then turned to Darnell, tapping him on the shoulder, ¡°Hey, Darnell, sorry to bug you, but I just had a quick question I wanted to ask you?¡±


    He turned with a grin and nodded at me, ¡°Yeah of course Will, no problem! How can I help you? Don¡¯t even feel bad about asking, I¡¯m glad to help however I can! You know, I didn¡¯t have anyone to help me on my first day adventuring? Oh the things I could have gotten done with just a little bit of help in those early days¡­ Anyways, sorry for babbling on, what¡¯s up?¡±


    I smiled, a little more at ease after listening to him talk, ¡°Oh it¡¯s probably nothing major, but I was just curious. Where are the other adventurers? We¡¯ve been walking towards the dungeon entrance for a while now, but I feel like I haven¡¯t seen a single person, group, or even any beasts?¡±


    Darnell frowned and glanced around, almost as if he had just noticed that as well, ¡°Huh¡­ well I guess you¡¯re right! Usually you don¡¯t see many people going to the west entrance since it¡¯s so much farther than the others, but it is odd that we haven¡¯t seen any other groups heading back yet¡­¡±


    After another moment of consideration, he put his fingers to his lips and let out a long, shrill whistle. I winced at the sharp noise, but patiently waited, my eyes watching the sky and forest like a hawk. I was curious to see if I could see Spyr or Cryon before Darnell, though I wasn¡¯t keeping my hopes that high. Not after I had seen how fast Spyr had taken off earlier¡­ It knew that it wouldn¡¯t take that long considering that, but still, I was caught off guard when Spyr exploded into the clearing, like a rocket.


    With an eruption of leaves and color, Spyr slammed into the ground, a massive grin on her face. She laughed loudly and turned to the trees, just as Cryon floated out from them, a semi miffed, but amused look on his face. As he got closer to the group, he unphased and fell down, lightly touching down in contrast to Spyr¡¯s meteoric crash. Spyr punched him in the shoulder, which he allowed to happen, and smirking they both turned to Darnell expectantly.


    Spyr laughed boisterously and stretched out, cocking her head to the side and blinking her flaming red eyes, ¡°What¡¯s the issue boss? Need us to check something out in particular, or did something happen? I¡¯ve been itching for a fight! Pleeeaaase tell me there¡¯s something around here I can kill!¡±


    Darnell chuckled before shaking his head, ¡°No, nothing big happened. Besides, as our scout, wouldn¡¯t you have seen any beasts or monsters first? Ha¡­ No, I was talking to Will over here and he was worried because he hadn¡¯t seen any other adventurer¡¯s or groups. Normally I wouldn¡¯t have noticed not seeing one or two groups, but¡­ this is a bit odd not seeing any groups. Have you two seen anyone from overhead or in the forest?¡±


    Spyr cocked her head and frowned for a long moment, but Cryon was the first to speak up, their voice cold and halting, ¡°Yes. Though, I have not seen many. There have only been a few. One was far to the left. Another group. Four strong. They were to the far right. Not many though. This is true. All going back to Sparbrook.¡±


    Spyr cut in loudly, huffing in annoyance, ¡°Hey I was gonna say that! Yeah I¡¯ve seen a couple, but, like, nowhere near as many as per usual! Like, I didn¡¯t see the Crhons, the Lampa¡¯s, or even the Zerk¡¯s! So weird honestly!¡±


    Darnell frowned, but after a quick glance around at everyone, he let out a sigh, ¡°Well, that¡¯s quite unusual to not see any of those three groups¡­ but not unheard of. Besides, if there was something bad happening, I doubt you both would¡¯ve seen those others, even if they were heading back. The call or a warning definitely would¡¯ve been put out, and Lynn would¡¯ve told us or Will here before we left¡­¡± He frowned, tapping his chin as we all took a brief break, crowding around him. He eyed me, and then turned to everyone, ¡°Well, we did promise Will that we would show him the entrance, so we might as well follow through eh? The others must be taking a day off. You know, thinking back about it, I think I did hear something about them getting a nice run the other day. Must be hitting up the Hanging Drop, those lucky bastards! Alright, well let''s get a nice run ourselves eh guys?¡±


    He laughed and swung out his arm with a flourish, motioning for everyone to continue on. Kwamp grumbled and stomped along, Sprig, who had sneakily reappeared from the forest, stabbed little berries on his quills, and Slosht exchanged a look with Darnell before turning and following the two of them. Spyr laughed and whirled around, sending red feathers everywhere, before exploding into the air again, breaking a hole in the overhead canopy, while Cryon gave a bow before stepping back straight into, and through, a tree, leaving behind a frosty mark. I glanced at Darnell, expecting to see his normal grin on his face, but instead I saw a dark worried look as he looked off into the forest. Almost as if he felt my gaze on him, the look vanished as if it was never there, and he grinned down at me.


    He cleared his throat and shook his head, banishing the dark look off of his face, ¡°Ah sorry about that Will. I was just thinking about the Crhons. We¡¯ve had a little rivalry between us for a long time now¡­ If we could get a good run today while they¡¯re off taking a break, I think it¡¯d be amazing for us as a team. But you don¡¯t have to worry about that at all Will. I¡¯m sorry if I worried you at all, but on our honor as the Richter¡¯s, I will make sure your safety is prioritized if anything happens, okay?¡±


    I flashed him a smile and laughed, ¡°Oh, don¡¯t even worry about it Darnell! Like you said, I¡¯m not a part of the Richter¡¯s and you¡¯ve already done me such a good turn by showing me even this far! No, thank you for what you¡¯ve done so far, really! I wish you luck on beating those Crhon¡¯s, eh?¡±


    Darnell smiled at me, before turning and walking after the others, shouldering his massive warmace. I eyed the forest, before closing my eyes and stretching out my spatial awareness, hoping to catch any sign or feeling of something wrong, but I got nothing. Even with us not seeing anyone, and everyone¡¯s worries seemingly vanishing after Spyr and Cryon¡¯s report, I still felt like something was¡­ off. I sighed and opened my eyes, shouldering my bag and jogging after Darnell, catching him right as they rounded a copse of trees and almost passed out of my line of sight. I¡¯d have to keep an eye out¡­ but everything should be okay, right?


    I caught them, and even with everyone on high alert, we didn¡¯t catch anything wrong in the forest or anything wrong as we made our way through. As we got closer to the entrance, Spyr and Cryon would appear almost at random, giving us a heads up if they saw any goblins, or other beasts ranging around the entrance. They could pretty easily destroy them considering their low levels, but Darnell leaned down and whispered that while they could very easily kill them, it was honestly more trouble than it was worth. It was also frowned upon by the guild and the others, as the lower level monsters were generally left for the newer or weaker members of the guild. He even mentioned that after they entered the dungeon, it might even be a good idea for me to kill one or two of them before heading back into town.


    I liked the idea, but I still was on edge the whole time. That feeling I had gotten earlier just kept on getting worse and worse as we made our way through the forest. I jumped at each crack of a broken twig, and the crunch of leaves under our feet made me grind my teeth together. Still though, it was an extremely peaceful and straight forward walk, and I even started to see more groups passing through the forest as we got nearer and nearer to the entrance. Seeing them actually made Darnell relax, though I could still see that Slosht was on edge, eyeing the forest and keeping their hand on their blade, ready to pull it out at a moment''s notice.


    Finally though, we made our way into a large clearing, and my eyes locked onto the dungeon entrance. It wasn¡¯t anything especially amazing or spectacular, but rather just a cave. It was actually smaller than the wolf den¡¯s, with the opening¡¯s only being about half the size of those den¡¯s. In fact, it was such a small entrance, that I wasn¡¯t even entirely sure if the Dire Bear could have fit through if it had tried. Honestly, the only thing that really distinguished it from any other normal cave was that the opening had various different glyphs and runes lining the rim. When I had asked, Kwamp had spoken up and gruffly told me that they were there to keep all of the more dangerous and powerful monsters locked within the dungeon. All dungeons that were near towns or settlements were usually locked this way, which is why the wilds near towns were relatively safe, as compared to the wilds in the deep forests.


    I whistled at the sight, and Darnell and the others grinned with relief, before turning to me and waving goodbye, ¡°Alright Will, well, this is where we part ways! We¡¯ll probably be in that dungeon all day, so feel free to head back whenever you feel like it. You remember the way back right?¡±


    I nodded and gave him a handshake and nodded at the others, ¡°Thanks again Darnell, Kwamp, Sprig, Slosht, Spyr, and Cryon. I was really worried about being able to get here on my own, but with this, I get the feeling that the rest of my path is going to go smoothly! If there is ever anything I can do to help y¡¯all out, please, just let me know!¡±


    Darnell smiled and clapped me on the shoulder, ¡°You¡¯re a good kid Will, and don¡¯t even worry about it. Us adventurers have to look out for each other, because who else will?¡±


    Sprig gave me a wink and a hug, before skipping off towards the entrance, giggling the whole way. Both Kwamp and Slosht gave me a simple nod and a solid handshake, before they shouldered their bags and began walking towards the entrance as well. Spyr actually surprised me by slamming her fist into my side and laughing as I grunted and staggered back. She slapped me on the shoulder and congratulated me on being able to take a hit, before heading towards the entrance as well. Cryon phased through me when I went to shake his hand, smirking at me before giving me a chilling handshake, cooling me down after the fiery punch I had just received from his sister. Darnell just gave me a simple slap on the back and a boisterous laugh, heading towards the entrance after the others with a passing wink.


    I sighed, and looked towards the woods, a small smile cracking onto my face. There were mostly just goblins, zhaarst¡¯s, zeal¡¯s, fewn¡¯s, oglebons, and piglints around the west entrance according to Cryon. The highest leveled beast around there was only around level 25, and those were few and far between and easily avoided.


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    I leaped into a nearby tree and hid my bag, before I dropped down and turned towards the woods with a crack of my neck. I laughed loudly and activated sprint, dashing off into the forest as I closed my eyes, straining my spatial awareness to map out my surroundings before I ran head first into a tree or any nearby monster¡¯s. I had only really wanted to see the dungeon entrance, but I figured I should take up Darnell on his advice and hunt a creature or two before heading back. After all, it was only the morning, and I doubted it would really be that hard finding a place to sleep tonight.


    It was going pretty well, and I actually managed to find a couple monsters that were worth fighting, but I decided to hold off for now and check out my surroundings first. So I just dodged around them, and outran any that gave chase, losing them easily with my high proficiency sprint skill, as I searched for the perfect prey. I didn¡¯t really want to risk being out of commision like I had almost been with the Quam, but I still wanted something that was at least close to my level.


    I dashed casually through the forest, making sure to keep track of trees and my path in order to make my way back at some point. Then I finally happened across the perfect enemy. It was just a single goblin, making its way through the forest. It was probably just a low level scout, but that was perfect for my first kill as an adventurer. I bared my teeth in a sharp toothed grin and ran even harder through the trees, not even trying to hide myself as I raced towards the goblin.


    The goblin turned at the sound of me flying through the undergrowth, and with a screech it raised its spiked club and charged towards me, spittle flying from its mouth. I roared and jumped, reaching into the void once more and pulling from it, reaching out and activating three of my skills at the same time. Power surged through me as I leaped, and then I activated claw and bite, extending my claws out and then snapping my teeth down towards its neck, my body and claws impacting the poor creature. Bitter blood flew and filled my mouth as I slashed into the goblin, but the goblin wasn¡¯t ready to lose either. It screeched and tried to slam its club into me, but I wasn¡¯t going to just let it get a hit in that easy. I roared and slashed down, but it kicked me off and I flew backwards, surprised at the sudden power behind the kick. It staggered to its feet, growling and holding onto its bleeding wound, its green eyes glaring at me as it gripped its club.


    I growled and flexed my claws, but I wasn¡¯t really worried. I could see the mass amounts of green blood that the goblin was losing, and knew that it was only a matter of time before it keeled over and died. It wasn¡¯t even fair to be honest, and just letting them bleed out and die slowly and painfully just didn¡¯t sit right with me. I flexed my claws and paced around the goblin, the two of us circling each other, the goblins'' life blood staining the forest floor. Then, the goblin stumbled on a branch, and I raced forth, activating bite and tearing out its throat. It gurgled and fell to the ground, going limp within moments as the life left its eyes. I bared my teeth and spat out a chunk of the goblin flesh. I¡¯d only wanted to kill the one¡­ but I needed more.


    I laughed wildly and flew off into the forest again, reaching out with my spatial awareness and flexing my claws as I spun around tree after tree. This forest wouldn¡¯t be where I was hunting after this first week, but for now, it was mine. It was mine, and all of this prey was mine to claim. I laughed wildly and swung up and into a tree, leaping from branch to branch until I sensed yet another lone goblin. I dropped down from the trees and lashed out viciously, catching it entirely off guard. They didn¡¯t even last as long as the other one, their neck snapping as my full weight crashed down on it. I growled and stood up, eyeing the trees once more as I considered where I was off to next. I decided to head to the left, just as a rock hard head slammed into me from behind, sending me flying through the air.


    I grunted as I slammed into a tree, and with my free hand I snapped out, digging into the bark and yanking me up and out of the way as the beast slammed into the tree below me, shaking the whole tree aggressively. I bared my teeth and roared down at the creature, which shook its head and squealed loudly and angrily stomping its hooved feet as it looked around for me. I eyed the horns sprouting out of the left and right sides of its head, and the thick black and green carapace covering its entire back. It¡¯d be a bit of a pain in the ass to get through that¡­ what to do, what to do¡­


    As I hung from the branch, considering how best to fight and kill the beast, I suddenly felt a searing pain rush through the arm holding onto the branch. I ground my teeth together, struggling not to make a noise, and switched to my other arm. I glared up at the branch, just in time to see a rather large tree snake hiss at me and slither away down the branch. I shot its retreating form a glare, and shook my arm, inwardly cursing as the venom raced through my veins, setting my arm on fire as my cells exploded and shriveled from the acid.


    The snake''s venom must be ridiculously strong if it was able to just cut through my resistance¡­ fuck, right as I was in the middle of fighting that damned beast! I looked down at the creature, surprised that it still hadn¡¯t looked up. Instead it seemed to have chosen to bite and tear into an exposed tree root, turning it into a mulch before slurping it up. I grimaced at the disgusting sight, but froze as a thought raced through my head. If I could jump on its back, I¡¯d probably catch it by surprise¡­ and if I managed to do that, I might even be able to take my claws and use pierce to get through the sides of its hide that were particularly thicker. I¡¯d just have to be really careful¡­ I could tell that my arm had been weakened by the snake bite, so I only really had the one to work with until my ability healed my arm.


    I narrowed my eyes and slowly swung down the branch, careful not to make any creak or crack sounds. The beast hadn¡¯t looked up yet, but I didn¡¯t want to test the theory that it had forgotten me any more than I had to. I winced as my body struggled to fight off the venom, and shook my weakened hand, pain lancing through me. Damn venomous snake¡­ I swear they were everywhere! Wait¡­ venom¡­ I smirked and swung back the other way, straining my senses to find the snake. If it hurt me this badly with my resistance¡­ then maybe¡­ just maybe¡­ I searched amongst the upper branches until I finally heard the rasp of scales on bark. I grinned and pounced, wrapping my hand around its head while simultaneously letting go, falling straight down towards the beast.


    It hissed loudly and squirmed, alerting the beast of the threat above it, but it was much too late. With a wild laugh I slammed onto the hard bug like carapace and wrapped my legs around it, digging my free hands claws into a gap in the shell. I popped the snake''s jaw wide and stabbed its fangs into the beast''s eye, right as it looked up and squealed in anger.


    This of course caused it to buck and squeal even more, but I didn¡¯t care, I¡¯d managed to do what I had wanted. I released the snake which went flying through the air comically, and laughed as the beasts squealed and bucked, crashing into tree after tree and flashing through the air, slamming into anything that it was able to see. As the venom flowed through its veins, its pissed off squeals became weaker and weaker, but that didn¡¯t stop it as it crashed into anything it could. With me on top of it still¡­ I screamed in agony as I felt my legs and body being crushed by the weight of it crashing into everything.


    It was pure agony, but the sound of its squeals were worth it. I didn¡¯t like the extra suffering from poisoning, but the damned beast was running around so hard and working itself up so much that it was rushing towards its own death in record time. Then the snake¡¯s venom coursed through its blood and seeped into its brain, and it crashed to the ground, foaming at the mouth as its eyes seeped blood.


    I laughed again and fell off its side, flopping onto my back as I felt a rush of euphoria pulse through my body, mending my bones and biting back at the very last bit of venom pulsing through my veins.


    The normal message for a level up appeared in front of my eyes and I chuckled patting the side of the massive beast, ¡°Thanks buddy, I was hoping for at least one level up today.¡±


    Name: Will


    Race: Chimera


    Level: Eighteen(New!)


    Title: Dire Slayer


    Abilities:


    Enduring Heart


    Unending Vitality (Incomplete)


    Death''s Favoured (Incomplete)


    Skills:


    Sprint (Veteran)


    Claw (Beginner)


    Sword Slash (Trainee)


    Pierce (Beginner)(New!)


    Hammer Bash (Novice)


    Bite (Trainee)(New!)


    Blow (Trainee)


    Leap (Initiate)(New)


    Axe Smash (Initiate)


    Hardened Body (Passive)(Trainee)(New!)


    Acid Resistance (Passive)(Initiate)


    Spatial Awareness (Passive)(Novice)


    I groaned and sat up, flexing my toes and testing out how my legs felt. The bones still ached, but I¡¯d probably be fine as long as I let my body healed naturally for a moment. Those dragon bones that Grim had made me out of really were pretty durable¡­ I couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine how strong a real dragon must be.


    I let out a long sigh and crawled over to the beast and looked it over. Seeing it from the side was quite different, and I frowned as I saw how odd its anatomy was. It had a bug-like carapace, but its body underneath was more like a boar. It had four legs, but there were massive paws instead of hooves. The edges of the carapace were serrated, and it had two different sets of mouths. One was on the boar''s head, but below that there was another opening, the sharp fangs poking out of the sides of the smaller mouth. I eyed that, but after a moment I cracked my neck and got to work, slowly but surely ripping off a section of the carapace. Thankfully, it was pretty easy without the beast struggling, and I ended up using my claws to get most of it off. I wished I had grabbed my skinning knife from the bag, but oh well, lessons for next time. I sighed, and then placed my foot on the side of its skull, and after straining on one of its horns and for a long moment, I heard a loud crack, and the horn ripped off. I flopped onto the ground and laughed, holding the horn up to the light.


    It was light, much lighter than I was expecting, but it seemed to be rather hard still. Hopefully it sold for a lot¡­ or at least enough to hold me over. I should probably check those other goblins corpses too¡­ they probably had some loot I could sell, even if it wasn¡¯t much.


    I shrugged and stood up with a groan. Damn beast hadn¡¯t gone lightly, that was for sure! I reached into the void and activated sprint, grinning as I felt power flow through my legs once more. I let out a long breath and dashed off into the forest, heading back towards the goblins corpses. I hummed to myself, and closed my eyes, letting my senses reach out and keep a track on every little thing around me. The scent of the woods, the creak of a branch underneath a squirrel''s foot, the call of a bird, and the feel of the wind¡¯s breeze on my skin. All of these and more created the perfect image of my surroundings, even better than my sight could give me.


    It was because of that, that I was able to sense the arrow flying through the woods towards me, moving faster than I could ever have had the time to dodge in time otherwise. I grunted and dropped, feeling the air waver as it flew through where I had just been before. I growled and rolled forward, getting back onto my feet and taking off towards the clearing again. I wasn¡¯t exactly sure what had shot that arrow, but I did know something for sure, and that was that shot wasn¡¯t fired by some novice, no¡­ that was a shot at someone moving 40 miles or so an hour in the middle of a dense forest. My sense of danger was at an all time high now, and my senses were on high alert as I flew through the forest, leaping up and pushing off of trees, dodging arrow after arrow as they shot through the air, and ducking under low hanging branches in my mad rush.


    I didn¡¯t know who they were, what they wanted, or even why they might be shooting at me. I was a low- level adventurer, had no money, and had only just killed that weird beast. I doubted that was a great enough haul that someone would try to kill  me for it, but I wasn¡¯t just gonna give up my loot. I growled and flew up a tree, scaling it in a flash and snagging my bag before I jumped off of the top and slammed into the ground. I winced as the shock flew up my leg, but was thankful that I had made the jump when I heard the sound of an arrow thwack into the top of the tree where I had just been.


    I groaned and flew off again, heading towards the clearing once more. I doubted that I¡¯d find any adventurers loitering about there, but I knew that if I could get deep enough into the dungeon, or in a big enough clearing, they would have to come down and meet me eventually¡­ right? Hell, maybe I could even find the Richter¡¯s! Or maybe I could even outlast this damned archer! Arrows couldn¡¯t last forever, right?


    I groaned as I felt another arrow flash through the air, curving at me from behind me and to the left. I fell flat and rolled, dodging the arrow right as it split into two and stabbed into the earth where I had just been about to run. I sighed and waited there for a moment, staring up at the night sky.


    After I hadn¡¯t been able to see the Richter¡¯s or any other adventurer¡¯s in the dungeon, I¡¯d just tried to evade the archer. I¡¯d thought that I could wait out the archer here in the clearing, and that they would eventually run out of arrows. Honestly, I thought it was a pretty good plan, if I don¡¯t say so myself! Especially since I was never really at too much of a risk with my Spatial Awareness and reflexes. Unfortunately, the gods damned archer apparently had a fucking neverending quiver!  I¡¯d been running around and dodging arrows for hours at this point!


    I roared in anger and rolled, dodging yet another arrow. I lashed out and grabbed its haft, tearing it out of the ground and whipping it into the forest, not even caring that it wouldn¡¯t hit anything, and also knowing that all I would receive was the light giggle that had been haunting me for the last few hours.


    Every time I raced into the forest to try and track them down, or chucked the arrow back, they would simply vanish or mock me with that giggle. All while shooting arrow after arrow at me! It was so irritating that I had even considered letting one of the arrows hit me and playing dead, hopefully to drag the little shit closer.


    I¡¯d discarded that thought pretty quickly though¡­ Especially after they had started shooting trick arrows and curving their arrows. I sighed and activated sprint once more, dashing through the forest again, right as another arrow slammed into the tree near me. No, there was no way that they would fall for that. The way they were attacking me? The power behind each of these shots? And the mocking giggles that echoed around me every time I entered the forest¡­ yeah, that was all I needed to know. They knew exactly what they were doing, and unless I raced all the way back to town, I was pretty much screwed¡­


    I sighed as I realized that I had made yet another lap around the dungeon entrance and glanced upwards at the night sky. How long was I just going to be stuck here? I went to turn around and begin a new path racing through the forest, when all of a sudden I heard the sound of footfalls on rock.


    I froze, my heart and mind going numb as I realized what that had to be.  I¡­ I recognized those footfalls! And¡­ they were the key to my victory. I laughed, and leaped into the air, my overwhelming jow almost causing me to miss the sound of another arrow flicking through the air. I landed and rolled aside at the last moment, just barely getting nicked by its barbed tip. I stood up, and cracked my neck, a slow smile spreading across my face.


    I heard that same laughter echo from the forest and I laughed again. That archer really had no idea how fucked they were! Hahaha! With a flourish and a bow, I waved goodbye to the forest and raced into the dungeon, a full grin on my face. I couldn¡¯t see much by the torch light of the dungeon, but what I could see was just as I had seen the last time I had gone in. Just cold stone and dirt walls, the smell of the damp earth, and an odd dripping noise in the background.


    I heard the laughter of Darnell¡¯s group and the sound of their footfalls stop, and I grinned, picking up my pace as I raced forward. I could tell that they weren¡¯t that far away now, though they were still out of sight. I went to yell out hello, but then I heard the telltale signs of a blade being unsheathed. My smile faded and I frowned, right as I felt the group in front of me suddenly decrease by one individual. I started to slow down, but then something slammed into me, crushing me into the dungeon wall.


    I yelped as a knife pressed into my neck and I could feel a bead of blood form as Spyr¡¯s voice growled through the air, ¡°You have a death wish or something, huh? Like what makes you think rushing the Richter¡¯s is a smart idea, huh?¡±


    I gulped and held up my hands, feeling that the others were suddenly standing around me and pointing their weapons at me,  ¡°Woah, woah, woah! It¡¯s just Will! Remember, the newbie adventurer you were with earlier! Sorry for spooking you all! I just figured I should give you a warning before you head out there!¡±


    Spyr froze, before laughing hard and pulling back, slamming her fist into my gut, ¡°Oh, Will! I know you¡¯re new and all, but didn¡¯t anyone ever tell you not to sneak up on an adventuring party, especially late at night? That¡¯s like, the easiest way to get yourself eviscerated you know! Hahaha¡­ sorry about the new scar kid!¡±


    I fell to the ground and sighed, rubbing my stomach where she¡¯d punched me, ¡°Hahaha¡­ No worries Spyr, it should heal up here soon anyway. You really didn¡¯t give me much of a choice to announce myself! I didn¡¯t even have the chance to say hello before you slammed me into the wall, Spyr!¡±


    She laughed hard and went to the others, who had conjured a floating bright ball of light that spun overhead. They all seemed to be in a pretty good mood, with each of them hoisting a very full bag over the shoulders. Even Kwamp gave me a solid head nod before glowering off into the distance. I chuckled and shook my head at the sight. I knew that they were a solid adventurer group but damn! It really must have been a good haul down there!


    Darnell slapped Slosht on the shoulder and whispered something to them before making his way over to me, a wide grin on his face, ¡°You know, I had hoped to see you around the guild Will, but I hadn¡¯t been expecting to see you so soon! Did you forget the way back to town? You haven¡¯t been waiting for us all day and night have you?¡±


    I gave him a smile and shook my head side to side, ¡°No¡­ I wish it was something as easy as that! I was doing some hunting out in the woods when I was suddenly attacked by an archer! I have no clue who they are, why they are attacking me, or what their goal is, but I have been shot at left, right, and center! I was hoping to just outlast their supply of arrows, but they seem to either have an endless supply, or an unending amount of quivers because I¡¯ve been dodging arrows for hours! It¡¯s really starting to piss me off actually!¡±


    Darnell chuckled, but stared at the entrance with a look of worry, ¡°An endless supply of arrows you say? Ah shit¡­ no wonder we didn¡¯t see the other groups on the way here¡­¡± He glared at the entrance for a while before his eyes suddenly widened and he turned to me, ¡°Wait, you said you¡¯ve been dodging the arrows this whole time? Are you serious?¡±


    I raised an eyebrow, but shrugged anyway, ¡°Yeah, I mean, it''s not like it was that hard, the coward shoots from so far away that I can pretty easily dodge it. I would¡¯ve just come in here and climbed down the levels, but honestly I don¡¯t think I¡¯m anywhere near ready, or strong enough to make it through and then turn around and face that ass wipe of a coward!¡±


    I spat on the ground and harrumphed, shooting a glare of my shoulder. When I turned back to Darnell and the others, they were staring at me with wide open jaws. After a long, and pretty awkward, moment, they all started laughing. Darnell had to lean on the cave wall, his eyes squeezed shut as he gasped for air, Spyr and Sprig were rolling on the ground, tears running down their eyes, and even Kwamp and Cryon were guffawing, holding their stomachs with both hands. The only one who didn¡¯t laugh, of course, was Slosht, though if I wasn¡¯t mistaken I could have sworn I saw an amused glint in their slit eyes. After a long moment, everyone pulled themselves together and turned to me.


    Darnell strode forward and clapped me on the shoulder, an almost wild look in his eyes and a mischievous smile slowly  spreading across his face, ¡°Hey Will, do you think you could distract the archer for long enough that we could figure out where they are and pin them down? You see, that¡­ what did you call them¡­ ah yes, ass wipe was it? Well, they¡¯ve been a plague to us dungeon groups for years! They usually pin down groups with their arrows, pick off the weaker members, and then shoot one with a demand tied to it. Something along the lines of, drop everything you have and I¡¯ll let the rest of you live, ya know? Thing is, no one has been able to figure out who they are, where they hide, and how to stop them¡­ until now that is.¡± With a manic look in his eyes he slapped me on the shoulder and turned to the entrance, ¡°Look, the capture or death of that bastard is a huge reward, and if you help us out with killing the little shit, I promise to split the reward evenly with you, eh? What do you think?¡±


    I grinned and held out my hand, ¡°That sounds like a great deal to me Darnell! Though, if it''s all the same with you, I want to add one little stipulation to that¡­¡±


    Darnell didn¡¯t even glance down at me, but I felt his hand tense on my shoulder at that, ¡°What¡¯s up Will? You know, even split seven ways, I¡¯m willing to bet that¡¯s more money than you¡¯ve seen in your entire life¡­¡±


    I laughed and slapped him on the shoulder as well, ¡°No, no no no¡­ you have me all wrong Darnell! No, if you¡¯d be so kind, I¡¯d love to kick that damn shit for brains once or twice, eh? I know they¡¯re a strong archer and all that, so you don''t have to keep them alive for me, but fuck me if I¡¯m not gonna get in a good kick or two for how much they pissed me off!¡±


    Darnell laughed hard and squeezed my shoulder, giving me a warm smile after a moment, ¡°You know what, I think I can arrange that for you Will. Now, I¡¯ll let you do the honors and give the go command when you¡¯re ready. You can just run out and to the left okay? Just give us a few moments after you race out there to properly get their attention, I¡¯ll have Cryon sneak through the ground and Spyr and Sprig are gonna get some recon of where they are in the woods. Just give them as long as you can, okay? Hopefully they¡¯ll be so distracted by you that they won¡¯t even notice us tracking them.¡±


    I cracked my knuckles nervously and sighed. I couldn¡¯t afford to mess up here. It sounded like none of the Richter¡¯s had the spatial awareness skill, which was incredibly weird to me considering what Wess had told me about the lower levels, but oh well. That was probably why they had been so spooked by me running at them, and that was also why this archer was able to pick off so many other adventurers¡­ It really wasn¡¯t a common skill for adventurers to win these days.


    I grunted and turned towards the cave entrance. Well, there was no time like the present right? It''s not like standing around was going to do anyone any favors. With a mad laugh I activated sprint and raced towards the cave entrance. Oh well, I needed to get their attention right? Oh yeah¡­ I could do that.


    I leaped upwards, using every bit of power I had in my legs. Right on time really, as an arrow shot through the air, smacking into the earth. I laughed as I spun through the air and jerked to the right, feeling another arrow skim by my right ear. I spun about wildly as I hit the ground, before choosing a random direction and racing along as arrow after arrow flew my way. I jumped, spun, rolled, and dove, just barely missing the swarm of arrows, each one getting closer to hitting me than the last¡­ or at least, that¡¯s what I made it look like. Hell, I even let the arrows nick me here and there, drawing lines of blood along my body. My eyes flicked to the dark red droplets that spun through the air, and I grinned as I twisted, evading the arrows flying through the air all around me.


    I laughed maniacally, listening to the mad giggles of the archer echoing through the forest as I raced towards them. Ah, I never was the best at bluffing anyway, even when the old man had been trying to train me. The best way to distract this archer was just to really make them think I wanted them and only them. That there was no other plan or sneaky trick that I was trying to use. Just them and me, and fuck it, maybe I could even catch them on my own! I might have Darnell and them as a backup, but this fuck was mine!

 Chapter Twenty-Six: Catching A Rat

    Of course, that¡¯s what I had thought to myself as I had begun my mad dash into the woods. I hadn¡¯t really fully thought that I would be able to catch them, but I had been more focused on trying to make them think I was trying my hardest to do that. After all, my whole purpose in chasing the damned bastard was to be as real as possible. As believable as possible¡­ And honestly, the only thing that had been truly believable to me, truly something the archer would fall for, was to chase after them in a rage. To seem so pissed off that the only option I though was left to me, was been to track the fuck down and beat the ever living shit out of them.


    It was a pretty okay plan I had thought¡­ But what I hadn¡¯t been expecting was for the damned archer to have set up traps everywhere. The first one I had run headfirst into had simply exploded, creating force waves right below me and sending me flying through the air and straight into a tree. I¡¯m pretty sad to say that I had let out quite the humbling yelp, which had been rewarded with the sound of giggles floating through the air. I¡¯d tried to be more careful after that, but I¡¯d still managed to get slapped around by giant rotating trees, stabbed in the foot and legs by various spikes, had an axe narrowly miss cutting me in half, had a mist of poison melt off a layer of skin, and had even managed to fall into a pitfall of venomous snakes.


    Frankly, the future where I was able to run down the archer on my own and kick their ass¡­ Well, it was not looking up for me at the moment. Looking back on it, I found it hilarious that I had thought that I had stood any chance of actually catching the coward on my own! Still though, I had a plan to accomplish. And so, I had continued flying through the forest, ducking and dodging arrows and traps to the best of my ability.


    I cursed as I flew by another trip wire, and had to drop to the ground in order to avoid the snake that was catapulted at me. A SNAKE! Like, how the fuck did they have the time to set up a snake catapult!? If it hadn¡¯t been for my spatial awareness skill, I just knew that I would be dead by now. I growled and pulled on the void once more, activating leap and launching upwards through the air right as another arrow slammed into the ground. I laughed and lashed out, grabbing onto a branch and swinging off of it and through the air, just barely dodging a spear trap that shot out from between the two trees in front of me. I sailed through the air and slammed into the ground, but at the last second, my senses screamed out, and I realized that it was yet another fucking trap.


    I yelped as I crashed through a thin layer of leaves, mud, and branches and fell into a pit of boiling water that instantly seared most of my skin off. I roared in pain, and clambered out, glaring up at the trees as Unending Vitality was forced to really started to kick in. Fucking damn it, I wasn¡¯t even sure how long they had been setting up these traps, but it should have been impossible to carry around all the different components in a day or so. No, they must have been working on setting them up for a long time now. I growled and cracked my neck before I activated sprint again and dashed off into the forest, listening for the little clinks that I had come to realize were the sound of the archer dashing through the forest.


    Thankfully, we must have made it to a part of the forest where there were much fewer preset traps, because I only had to dash over and around one here and there. Granted, that also meant that they were much more annoyingly prepared, and after the third time I had a swarm of poison darts fly towards me, I felt something change. The clinks weren¡¯t moving at such a carefree pace anymore. The giggles and laughs that had been echoing through the forest for so long were coming at fewer and fewer intervals¡­ They weren¡¯t giving off the same aura of cocky cockiness¡­ Instead, the clinks that were their telltale calling card, sounded almost¡­ panicked?


    I grinned and ducked under a razor wire and leaped over a trip line, just as I sensed another volley of arrows come my way. My spatial awareness pricked, and I grunted and dropped to the ground rolling to the left and right and feeling the arrows slam into where I had been just moments before. I bared my teeth and rolled forward, pushing off with my legs and activating leap to get particularly higher in the air. I felt the air being disturbed around me as my hand grasped another branch, and I pulled myself and jumped from tree to tree, charging forward towards where I could sense the archer was.


    They were still a long ways away, but I couldn¡¯t help but feel a slow smile spread across my face. I had made them panic, even if there was no way I could dodge every single arrow, I had finally been able to make some headway for once. I laughed and leaped to another tree and hid behind the massive trunk, several thuds impacting the other side. I darted out and dashed to another tree, but the archer had thought that far and had already sent a swarm of arrows to cover every possible way I could go, even if I had tried to backtrack to the cover of the tree. I cursed and stepped off the branch, feeling one of the arrows smash into my shoulder and leg as I fell down through the air.


    I lashed my claws out, trying to cut down or smack away as many arrows as I could, but I couldn¡¯t actually deflect every single arrow and suffered quite a few wounds. The archer had obviously known I might have chosen to drop, and had by now noticed that I was. Obviously it was a terrible decision, and once I impacted the ground, it was highly likely that I was going to break or crack the bones in my legs and be unable to move as quickly, dragon bones or not. Still, I had a feeling this was the best move, especially since it was the least expected move that I could have pulled. Which was probably why it took them so fucking long to send the unending swarm of arrows towards me.


    I laughed and lashed out with my claws, digging into the tree and slowing myself down from free fall. Of course it still didn¡¯t do much as I felt my muscles and bones scream from the stress of trying to stop that fast, but I could tell that it was slowing me down just enough. My claws got white hot from the friction, and I was forced to unlatch and push off of the tree, kicking off upwards so that when I crashed into the ground it would lessen the impact.


    I slammed into the ground, thankfully only fracturing my shin bone as I staggered and fell to the side. I flopped onto the ground and stared up at the canopy above my eyes, for a brief moment, a smile slowly spreading across my face as elation raced through me as I gasped for air. I had done it! I¡¯d actually managed to make the fall!


    I laughed hard, and sat up, turning towards where I knew the archer must have been. I couldn''t see anything from all the way down here, but I could hear the sound of an intense fight raging through the trees, and the shouts of Darnell and the others. They must have caught onto my plan and wrapped around and set up a trap for the archer¡­ No wonder I wasn¡¯t a pincushion yet!


    I had my doubts that they intended to help me when I had been chasing after the archer for an hour or so without seeing any of them¡­ But earlier when I had been leaping over a branch, I had felt how ice cold it was and seen the frost coating it, and realized Cryon must have been close. And if he was close, then that definitely meant the rest of them were still tracking the archer, and they must have them in their sights.


    I let out a sigh and stood up and cracked my neck. I guess break time was over, they might have caught the damned archer, but it sounded like they were still struggling with them. I started making my way over to where the sounds of the fighting were coming from, breaking into a jog after a moment. I¡¯d definitely need to get there soon to help them out, but at this point I had done my part of the deal, and frankly I was absolutely exhausted!


    Still, as I felt my breathing coming hard and hot, misting the air in front of me, I couldn¡¯t help but feel content and happy. I had missed being able to run and let loose like that, and a large part of me was singing with joy after being able to truly be able to run like that for so long. Even with my screaming muscles and joints, I couldn¡¯t help but feel like this was what I really loved, even from before I had lost my memories. Being able to run like this and feel the wind through my hair and skin, the soil and nature under my feet as I raced as hard as I could, and the wild beat of my heart and lungs¡­ something about it all felt so¡­ nostalgic. Like I was born to do this.


    I shook my head hard and narrowed my eyes. Ugh, that didn¡¯t matter right now. Whatever had happened that made me sacrifice my memories was in the past. I could think of that later, the real thing I needed to worry about right now was the archer, and helping the Richter¡¯s catch them.


    I guess I didn¡¯t actually know anything about the wanted poster that was supposedly there for them back at the guild, or how much money it really promised as a reward, but anything was good for me right now honestly. I hadn¡¯t even looked at the quest board before I had run off with the Richters, since I had been so sure that I was just going to go out, see the entrance and head back. Whatever amount of reward money I got was going to be good for me, especially since I still had to buy so much gear, let alone finding a place to sleep and eat¡­ I¡¯d had my little ritual with the guard, so it had actually been a while since I had eaten and damn it was I hungry! Who knows how expensive that all would be¡­ maybe that pelt I had skinned would fetch for some money if this failed? I still had that chunk that the old man had left with me, but I had a feeling that wouldn¡¯t be enough for a room while I was trying to get on my feet, let alone all of the gear I¡¯d need¡­ Besides, my claws were doing a lot for me now against weaker foes, but as soon as I ran into a monster that had more reach or weapons of their own? Let alone some armor? I had a feeling they wouldn¡¯t be good enough. Whatever my split of the reward money was, I¡¯d be set for a while hopefully. Which means, I had to make sure this damned archer was caught!


    I cracked my knuckles and reached into the coiled void, activating leap once more. My legs filled with energy and power, and I shot upwards through the air. I lightly rested on a branch and activated leap again, dashing from tree to tree, flying through the trees, my heart racing as I laughed from the crazy rush of it all. I ran as fast as I could, making my way higher and higher up into the treetop canopy and evading the few traps that were set up here and there. I locked onto the sounds of fighting and kept as quiet as I could, racing forward as quickly as I could. I didn¡¯t know how much help I could offer at this point, but my biggest bonus was probably the element of surprise. Maybe I could catch the archer off guard and corner them with the Richters, or just throw them off for a brief moment at least. As I swung around the branch, the sound of fighting and explosions suddenly became unbelievably loud, and I yelped anc leapt up towards a higher branch. I quickly dashed around the thick bough of the tree and hid behind it, sneaking my head around and taking in the vicious battle happening in front of me.


    The Richter¡¯s had definitely caught the archer off guard, managing to trap them in a wide clearing surrounded by massive trees and pillars of ice and stone. I could see the scattered arrows, singe marks, ice pillars, and huge gashes in the trees scattered around it, but I could also see that the fight was far from over and the Richter¡¯s were struggling to withstand the archers onslaught. After all, even without their annoying ass traps, they hadn¡¯t been harassing adventuring groups and not getting caught for this long without having some serious skills of their own.


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    The first person I saw was Spyr, and my eyes widened as I saw her struggling and cursing, her wings pinned to a tree¡¯s trunk with two long daggers. Cryon was the next person I saw, and he was livid, chasing down the archer with an icy cold rage in his eyes as arrow after arrow phased through him. The others were grouped together, hiding behind Darnell who had opted for a smaller more portable shield and was knocking aside arrows. Kwamp was holding their own, as the arrows pinged off of his rock hard skin. He stomped hard on the ground, causing it to rumble and spit up head sized boulders into the air, which they slammed with two hammers and sent flying towards the archer. Sprig chanted behind Darnell, holding onto a rather intricate staff covered in vines and flowers that glowed green. Slosht was leaping between the trees even faster than I had been, which was quite impressive considering how tall and covered in armor they were. Slosht was slinging knife after knife at the archer, seemingly pulling an endless supply out of thin air. Each one either deflected the arrows flying through the air, or impacting the trees around where the archer was, just barely missing them.


    The archer who I had been expecting to be out for the count by this point, especially considering the impressive oncoming onslaught, was somehow still in one piece on the other side of the clearing. They were madly spinning and jumping through the air, slinging arrow after arrow from a massive longbow. I watched in amazement as they easily dodged four boulders, a slew of knife¡¯s, and a massive icicle spear that Cryon had created. They were grinning, a sweet smile gracing their features as they ripped the bow around as if it was nothing and firing off arrow after arrow. They looked almost¡­ ecstatic¡­ as they dodged the knives, boulders, and icicle-like blasts from Cryon, and I didn¡¯t even see a mark or cut on their body.


    I had expected them to be humanoid like the others I had met so far, but they were anything but that. They were tall, with long lithe legs, and a long torso that had two pairs of incredibly muscular arms. They had several small horns sprouting from their brow, and a long length of braided dark green hair swung behind them as they dashed from side to side as they continued dodging attacks. Not only that, but they had a pair of long lizard-like tails that lashed out and wrapped around branches and provided them support as they continued to fire shot after shot. They did not have much armor, but were instead wearing a dark brown cloak that hid most of their body.


    They continued to giggle and laugh as the fight continued, up until they suddenly froze and whipped around, locking their eyes on where I was hiding behind the tree trunk. The look of pure¡­ rage, that they sent my way¡­ well, suffice it to say, I was forced to take a step back. Without even stopping their barrage on the others, they started firing bolts towards me, arcing them, creating scatter shots, and unbelievably fast arrow shots that almost seemed to vanish. They were strong, but just like before, I was easily able to dodge each one. All I had to do was allow my body to flow and move around them as I kept my eyes locked on their slit eyes.


    As I continued to dodge arrow after arrow, the rage that was searing through the air towards me¡­ changed. It adapted and molded itself, switching from that hot searing rage, to more of a wild crazy one. I raised an eyebrow as I saw a knife that Slosht threw and that they had been easily evading before, get dangerously close to nicking their leg. They were¡­ they were panicking! Hahaha!


    I laughed and cracked my neck. Oh this was good¡­ I really must have gotten in their head! It was a good start, but if I wanted it to make a real difference, I needed to do more than just that. I needed to rush them and press them hard, even if I managed to get hit by those crazy fast arrows. I eyed poor Spyr, who had finally managed to rip the long daggers out of her wings and was getting mended by Sprig, a look of red hot fury in their eyes. Yeah¡­ I couldn¡¯t just stand around and let any of the Richter¡¯s get hurt again.


    I locked eyes with Darnell, who gave me a nod as he knocked aside another volley heading towards them. With a grin, he turned to the archer and took a wide stance, letting out a loud scream which briefly caused the archer to freeze up, if only for a moment. I laughed hard, and cracked my neck, locking eyes with the panicking archer again. It was about time this fucking ended.


    I punched my arm out towards them, and flipped them off, letting out a loud taunting roar of my own, ¡°Oh hey there, you fucking coward! I see your aim hasn¡¯t gotten any better! What, are you new to using the bow!? I¡¯m right the fuck here! How are you going to miss me for this long!? Hit me already, you blind fuck!¡±


    The archer screamed and turned their full attention to me, unleashing an absolutely blinding wall of arrows. I laughed and went to work, allowing my body to move back and forth as I stuck out my tongue and made faces at them, narrowly dodging each one of their arrows. It was an impressively overwhelming barrage, and so I couldn¡¯t really keep an eye on the others as my senses and body were pushed to the limits, working to stay out of range of the fury of the archer¡¯s shots.


    I laughed and ducked, rolled, and leaped, feeling the arrows fly by me, drawing deep red lines in my skin as my body creaked and burned, my muscles being torn to shreds as I continued to push past my limits, relying on my high stamina just to stay alive. My regeneration struggled to keep up with the damage I was putting my body through, but I was still wracked with unbelievably powerful waves of pain and agony. It was hard, but I kept my eyes locked on the archer, and they locked their eyes on mine, rage pulsing off of them in almost tangible waves. We continued to dodge and attack each other, playing our little dance while we each waited for the other to blink first.


    Unfortunately for them, it wasn¡¯t just them and me playing this game. I had backup, and right as I began to be overwhelmed by the arrows, even getting hit by several of them, Cryon appeared behind them and struck. They screamed loudly, causing a massive surge of ice and frost to explode out of the tree towards them, creating a massive barrage of huge spears.


    The archer let out an enraged roar and was forced to tear their attention from me for a brief moment, dashing away and dodging each of the spears. They glared at Cryon and unleashed a flurry of arrows, each of them flying through Cryon¡¯s immaterial body. Cryon let out a cold laugh as he continued drifting towards the archer, sending icicle spear after icicle spear at them. They leaped towards another tree, but a gigantic boulder crashed into it, and they fell through the air with a yelp. The archer flashed out with two of their arms and grabbed onto a branch, stopping themselves for just a moment.


    They began to pull out more arrows, but just then, Spyr crashed into them in a screaming raging ball of feathers and fists, ¡°OH YOU FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT!!!! YOU THINK YOU CAN STAB ME THROUGH MY WINGS AND GET AWAY WITH IT!? FUCKING DIE ALREADY!!!¡±


    Spyr screamed and slammed her fists into the archer as they knocked them off of the branch and slammed into the ground, a giant plume of dust being sent into the air. I fell to my knee for a brief moment, catching my breath as my heart beat wildly. I had a lot of stamina thanks to my ability, but damn had I put myself through hell trying to dodge all those arrows. I could still feel my muscles being healed and brought back together, and with a groan I staggered back to my feet. I let out a long breath as I broke the end off of the arrow head and yanked it out, grunting as I put pressure on the gushing wound. What a pain in the ass¡­ that reward better be worth it.


    I raised my eyebrow as I looked up and saw the two screaming forms rolling back and forth on the ground, and with a sigh I began to make my way over. Darnell and the others had made it there first, but they were sort of just awkwardly standing there as the two of them screamed and tore into each other, sending feathers and blood flying through the air.


    I pursed my lips and nodded at Darnell, motioning towards the two of them with my head, ¡°So uh¡­ are we going to do something, or¡­?¡±


    Darnell tapped his hand on his shoulder and sighed, ¡°Well, I mean, I¡¯d love to intervene, but honestly, I don¡¯t know if I could if I wanted. After Sprig healed up Spyr¡¯s wounded wing¡­ well¡­ she screamed at us all that the archer was hers, and to not interfere or she¡¯d rip off our heads.¡±


    Darnell let out another sigh and looked back at the two of them. Usually I would feel some bit of pity for him, but as I looked down on Spyr and the archer, all I felt was annoyance. I glowered at the two of them and stomped forward, hearing Darnell¡¯s protestations coming from behind me. I growled and reached down, grabbing the two of them by the shoulders and receiving several gaping wounds to my chest and arms in the process.


    I roared and lifted hard, tearing the two of them apart. Spyr¡¯s and the archer¡¯s eyes were ripped from each other, and they turned their rage on me, but I didn¡¯t care. I roared again and slammed their heads together, catching the both of them both off guard. As they yelped and groaned in pain, I strained and spun, sending Spyr flying through the air. She yelped in surprise and spread out her wings, slowing herself down as she shot me a long hard glare.


    I took a long deep breath and then screamed at the top of my lungs, ¡°You fucking impatient dumbass! Do you know how long I¡¯ve been dodging this stupid fucks arrows!? It¡¯s been fucking six hours! I thought I told you I get to have a couple kicks in first eh!? Don¡¯t you go and try to skip the line!¡± I turned to the archer who was staring at me, their mouth hanging wide open. ¡°And you¡­ I¡¯ve been meaning to have a talk with you, you fucking coward!¡±


    I roared and flung them at a nearby tree, knocking their breath out. They grunted and fell to their knees, but before they could do anything, I reached into the coiled void within me again. My muscles tensed and exploded with power as I activated leap, and exploded off the ground towards them. I let out a loud laugh as I activated claw and blow and swung and punched at the archer, pummeling them into the tree as they screamed and returned the favor, sending all four of their lithe fists at me. I could tell that in a real fight, I definitely would be on the losing side, but as tired and beaten down as they were now? This was an even closer fight than I could have ever hoped for.


    I bared my teeth and snapped at them, using my claws and fists to wildly slash and attack the archer, but I was doing incredibly little damage to them. In return, the archer struck and pummeled my body with unbelievably powerful and precise strikes, crushing my organs and creating massive bruises all over my body. I gasped as one crushed into my gut, knocking the air out of my lungs and sending me into a spasm.


    I fell to my knee, wincing as the archer took that as an opportunity to pummel me with their fists. Red filled my vision, and with a roar I exploded upwards, slamming my forehead into theirs, and swinging my claws around. They let out a groan of pain and stepped backwards, but I wasn¡¯t done. I dashed forward and slammed my fist into them, roaring as I let out all of my annoyance from the last six GODDAMN HOURS. I screamed and spat and kicked and punched, seeing nothing but red as I attacked, mercilessly.


    A part of me heard the others yelling at me to stop, and another part of me felt every punch, hit, and kick from the archer, but mostly I just felt anger. Anger at this archer, anger at the wolves, anger at the bear, and anger at how I had ended up in this situation. The attacks hurt, and my body was screaming in agony even with my hardened body passive and Unending Vitaliy, but¡­ it was manageable. I roared and threw my arms and fists forward, not because of the pain, but in spite of it. I mercilessly pressed the attack, flinging my entire self into each strike until suddenly their barrage of fists slowed, and then stopped, the only sound being my fists slamming into them.


    I laughed, and bared my bloody teeth as I roared down at the now still archer, ¡°OH IS THAT ALL YOU CAN TAKE YOU COWARD!? NOW THAT ITS AN EVEN FIST FIGHT YOU CAN¡¯T FUCKING KEEP UP CAN YOU!? HAHAHA YOU FUCKING RAT!!!¡± I leaned my head back and laughed, falling backwards as my legs gave out beneath me, ¡°HAHA¡­ Oh you stupid fuck¡­¡±


    I groaned and coughed up a wad of blood as my body began to shut down. My Unending Vitality, Enduring Heart, and hardened body had done wonders for me, but there was a limit to what they could do. I laughed and fell to the side as my vision darkened, the blood loss finally catching up to me. Haha¡­ yeah I showed them¡­ I closed my eyes and coughed up another spew of blood, welcoming the sweet peace of the darkness and relaxing as I felt the feel of the sand on my hands and feet again.

 Chapter Twenty- Seven: Filthy Hornswagglers!

    I awoke to the feeling of sand underneath me, and with a sigh I sat up, glancing at the void, ¡°Damn it all¡­ right as I was beating some sense into them! Fuck am I easy to kill¡­ eternal really doesn¡¯t mean jack shit, besides being able to come back eventually, huh?¡±


    The darkness that swirled around the island didn¡¯t respond, but as it simply continued to spin around aggressively, I could have sworn I saw an amused twist in it. I considered it for a moment before standing up with a groan and looking around. It was almost the same as the sandy island I had originally woken up on, complete with the odd thrones that Verdant and Grim had appeared on. Though this time they weren¡¯t here, probably off doing god duties or whatever.


    I shrugged and walked around the island curiously peering down at the sand. It was darkened, almost as if the void swirling around had tinged it. Though when I stuck my hand in it and picked some up, it did move and feel like normal sand. I hummed to myself and cautiously walked up to the edge of the sand island, looking up at the wall of swirling void.


    Something told me that I would thoroughly regret touching it, but I still struggled not to. It just seemed so¡­ exciting! Just a quick poke wouldn¡¯t hurt¡­ right? I stretched out my arm towards the swirling void, but right as I was about to touch it, the void suddenly churned.


    I yelped and leapt back, watching as it vibrated aggressively and coalesced into the shape of a massive arm and hand. It shot out towards me, slamming into me with so much force that I felt my entire body crumple. My bones shattered, blood filled my mouth, and as I was reduced to nothing but a human pancake, I blacked out.


    ¡°Oh get up already you big cry baby, you¡¯re acting like you just gave your life heroically or something. You know Sprig is a healer right?¡±


    I groaned and opened my eyes, my body still crying out at me even as I laid there. I guess touching the void really was a bad idea¡­ I hadn¡¯t even been able to get close to it before it had punched me into oblivion! Damn that had hurt¡­


    I sighed and refocused my eyes, grinning as I looked up at the annoyed face of Spyr, ¡°Oh hey there Spyr¡­ Sorry about throwing you off earlier. It¡¯s just that when I saw them¡­ well¡­ I couldn¡¯t hold myself back, you know?¡±


    She rolled her eyes and punched me in the shoulder before laughing and offering her hand, ¡°Yeah, yeah, yeah¡­ Nah I get it Will. That was your catch really, and that¡¯s on me for jumping the line. Though, I won¡¯t mind it if you bought me a round back at the guild, eh?¡±


    I laughed and took her offered hand, wincing  as she pulled so hard that I felt my arm almost get pulled out of my socket, ¡°Thanks for the hand and understanding! It¡¯s really no problem Spyr, though you¡¯ll have to wait until after I get my payout before getting you that round if that¡¯s cool. Knowing you, I doubt I have near enough money to cover just one round of drinks for you!¡±


    Sprig, who had been waiting nearby, yelped and rushed forward, picking me up like I was nothing but a bag of potatoes and setting me back on the ground, ¡°Oh! You and Spyr both are maniacs! Don¡¯t you know that you aren¡¯t supposed to move that much when you have holes in your body!? Agh!¡±


    Bandages and ointments appeared out of nowhere and she flashed forward, applying them, cleaning me off, and wrapping me up. After a moment she shot me a glare and then started chanting, holding her hands out over me. I eyed her, but let her work, turning my attention to the others, who were all covered in bandages and ointments of their own.


    I raised an eyebrow and laughed as Sprig began fussing over my arm, ¡°Hey everyone! What¡¯s up? We got that bitch ass archer, right? Cause I swear to every god, goddess, and eldritch being, if we didn¡¯t get them¡­ ohhhh ho ho¡­¡±


    Darnell laughed and shook his head, ¡°You are a riot Will! Haha! Nah, she wasn''t able to get away. You made sure of that haha! After the beating you gave her, it was pretty easy to capture her. She¡¯s right over here if you wanted to take a look yourself.¡±


    I frowned and leaned to the side, straining to see around him, but something about what he had said was bugging me, and I blinked at him in confusion, ¡°Did you say she?¡±


    Spyr kicked me in the back and Sprig punched me in the side, shooting me a glare, growling at me, ¡°The hell do you mean by that Will?¡±


    I grunted and shot them a return glare, rubbing my side, ¡°Oi! I didn¡¯t mean anything by that! I was just curious! Based on their super lithe build, I had figured it might have just been one of those thinner looking adventurer¡¯s I had seen in the guild or around town. Thing is, I don¡¯t think any of them were women, and none of the women there matched the size of this archer. They were all massive tanks!¡±


    Sprig huffed, but nodded her head and went back to fussing over my arm. Spyr didn¡¯t apologize, but she gave me a solid punch on the arm and a wink. Honestly, as if I would ever think that way about anyone!


    Either way, I hadn¡¯t been expecting it to be a she¡­ I had really hoped it was going to be one of the people I had seen around or in the guild. It would have just made sense honestly. They would have been able to overhear our conversation about leaving to the dungeon, and would have been able to find easy marks from there too. But every female adventurer I had seen in the town had been massive, the entirely wrong anatomy, or much smaller than the archer had been. I guess it could be one of the ones out doing quests or other things, but¡­ Ughhhhh¡­ Well, I guess the Richter¡¯s might know who it is, but I had been hoping to figure it out, sort of like a mystery.


    Sprig patted my knee and I gave her a thankful nod, and stood up, appreciative of how nice my wounds felt, ¡°Alright, well I appreciate you waiting for me to get patched up, but did you want to unmask her now? I¡¯d love to get an eye on the bastard that has been fucking with me for the last six hours!!!¡±


    Darnell pursed his lips, and exchanged a look with Kwamp, ¡°Ah, well, I know you want to see who it is, but it¡¯s probably best that we unveil it back at the guild. Even if we were to unmask her here, if she managed to break out on our way back to the guild, no one would really believe us if we told them. No, it¡¯ll be better if we can unveil them in front of the whole guild. That way, we seem as surprised as everyone else, and there¡¯s less of an issue of backlash. That work for you?¡±


    I let out a long sigh, but nodded my head, ¡°Eh, unveiling her here, there, or in their coffin doesn¡¯t mean that much to me I guess. As long as I get paid and get to see their stupid face eventually, I¡¯ll be happy with whatever happens. By the way, how much does her contract end up paying out for? It sounded like it was quite a lot based on your reaction earlier.¡±


    Darnell laughed and turned to the archer, his hand balling into fists, ¡°Oh yeah, you can say that again. This little shit has been a thorn in the guild''s side for a long time. They¡¯ve been hunting down adventurer¡¯s for as long as the guild¡¯s been around. They¡¯ve actually been the cause of several different adventurer groups being eradicated, crippled, or being forced to disband.¡± He shot a glare at the still figure of the archer, ¡°Yeah, the reward for this one is pretty insane. We¡¯ll be eating well for a long time. Drinks are on me when we get back!¡±


    Everyone cheered at that, raising their fists in the air and grinning at each other. I laughed and cheered as well, but I couldn¡¯t help but feel like something was off. I narrowed my eyes at the archer. They hadn¡¯t moved in a while¡­


    I flinched as I felt Darnell¡¯s hand on my shoulder, startling me, ¡°Hey, Will, what do you say we make camp here for the night, eh? We only have a few hours until nightfall, and the monsters and beasts that make this part of the woods their home are especially active at night. Normally it¡¯s not an issue, but at this point in the day, I¡¯m not sure if we¡¯ll actually be able to make it back in time.¡± Darnell sighed and folded their arms, ¡°No, it¡¯ll be better to do it in the light of day, when we can see any beasts that appear.¡± He chuckled and nodded at the others, making a sign with his hand before he turned back to me, ¡°You did all the real work earlier, so you can just relax Will. The rest of us will make camp for the night and chain up this one¡­¡±


    I stretched out and yawned, ¡°Yeah, that makes sense Darnell. Thanks for the offer, but I¡¯m gonna just swing up and pass out in one of these trees. I don¡¯t know why, but I just sleep better up high in the trees ya know? Never have liked sleeping on the ground.¡±


    Darnell laughed and waved at me, ¡°Oh you¡¯re fine man! I¡¯ll see you at daybreak, eh?¡±


    I gave him a smile, and cast one last look at the archer, ¡°Yeah¡­ yeah, I¡¯ll see you all at daybreak. We will have quite the reward to collect when we get back, right?¡±


    He gave me another smile and headed on over to the others, who had already broken out their beddings and tents. I smirked and let out a sigh. I would have to head back and grab my stuff from where I had stashed it around the entrance to the dungeon. After all, I still had to sell that pelt and the horn and items I got from the goblins


    Though, if I was able to get the large payout from the archers bounty, all my immediate issues would be solved! Haha! What luck! I really shouldn¡¯t have too much to worry about in the money department from here on out! I let out a laugh and activated leap, shooting up into the tree and snagging the highest branch I could. I strained my muscles and swung, shooting from branch to branch as I flew towards the top of the trees, searching for the best place to set up my own camp. I had quite the day ahead of me once I awoke!


    As the light of the day flashed over my eyes, I groaned and dragged my claws down the tree''s bark, ¡°Ugh, is it really that time already? Fuck¡­ Time for another breakfast of leaves and berries¡­¡±


    I stretched out on the branch I had found last night and grinned. Ah fuck breakfast, it was time for my favorite part of the morning¡­ my wake up routine! I let out a loud laugh and rolled off the edge of the branch, grinning as I felt the branches and leaves smack into me as I dropped through the trees, my entire body being torn to shreds at the pure force. It was exhilarating, and within moments my body and heart raced with energy and liveliness as I watched the ground get closer and closer. Then with a roar, I lashed out my claws, digging them into the trees and forcefully slowing myself down so I didn¡¯t absolutely shatter my legs on impact.


    Still, as I slammed into the ground, I let out a loud whoop as I felt the joins in my legs groan and creak. Gods was that exhilarating! It hurt for sure, but the dragon bones were strong enough that they held together easily enough. Though, my joints were an entirely different matter¡­ I grunted as I shook out my legs, wincing at the stabbing pains that shook up them. Hopefully that got better with time, but for now, it was time to go and get paid!


    I hummed to myself as I made my way through the forest, heading over to where I had left the others last night. I could hear the chirping morning creatures, the wind blowing through the trees, and¡­ hmm¡­ something else. Something that wasn¡¯t like the other sounds¡­ I narrowed my eyes, and cocked my head to the side. No¡­ no no no¡­ I ground my teeth together and activated sprint, dashing forward just in time to miss a giant axe that sweeped at chest height, a flight of darts, a vat of acid, a series of explosions, and last, but definitely not least, a huge explosion of poisoned spikes. I spun around a tree, but at the last second my senses screamed at me as an arrow slammed into my side, pinning me to the trunk.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    I roared in agony, and glared into the forest, where I heard that telltale haunting giggle once again, ¡°Nice shot you coward! So, when did you get out huh? As soon as I left? Just this morning? Pretty shitty trap set up you fucking asshole! Definitely not your best work!¡± The giggle stopped and I smirked, and gripped the end of the arrow before I ripped it out with another roar of pain, ¡°I had a feeling that you weren¡¯t gonna be stuck in those bindings for long, but damn I didn¡¯t realize how quickly you could break out!¡±


    The giggles resumed and I ducked and rolled, trying my best to dodge the incoming arrows. There were not too many traps that were going off, but at the same time there were not that many. Definitely a rush job on their part, but still¡­ Fuck was this annoying to deal with again!


    I growled as a particularly aggressive arrow barrage slammed into the ground near me, and I shot up into the air, snagging onto a branch and then catapulting backwards, ¡°So¡­ you damned archer¡­ what did you¡­ do¡­ to the¡­ rest¡­ of¡­ them¡­!?¡±


    The giggling paused again, and the siege of arrows momentarily ceased, the only sound being the fires from the set off traps and the bubbling pools of acid. I landed on the balls of my feet and crouched, sending another glare into the forest. It was quiet for a long moment, but then I felt the change, the slight cry of my senses, and the twinge of my instincts. I tensed my muscles and braced to dart out of the way of another volley, but something about it made me pause. I could sense the arrow flying through the air, but¡­ it wasn¡¯t aimed at me like before. No¡­ it was¡­ My eyes dashed to the left as a solid arrow slammed into the ground, about 5 feet away. Then another slammed into the ground five feet away from that one, and then another, and another, creating a line that led off into the forest.


    I sighed, and then untensed, sending another glare at the forest. I guess there was no harm in following them, they did seem to be quite the fun time if nothing else. I cracked my neck and began following the evergrowing trail of arrows, my senses still on edge for the slightest hint of danger.


    I cast a glare at the forest as one thumped particularly close to me, but walked forward anyway. Well, hadn¡¯t this just taken quite the turn? Though, if I was just going to be led to the rest of the Richters, I shouldn¡¯t be that worried about them, right? They had been rather strong¡­ Nah, the archer must have just slipped out of their bonds and gone for revenge.


    I sighed and ducked around a large tree, a small frown creeping up on my face as I thought about things more. If the archer was free¡­ and had set up all of those traps, as rushed as they were, they would have had to have been able to get free as soon as I had left them¡­ but those chains and bindings? No¡­ There was something else going on here.


    I narrowed my eyes as I walked around a tree, noticing that the trail of arrows had finally stopped in a semi- familiar clearing. I sighed as I recognized it as the same place I had left the Richters last night. It was almost the exact same, down to the arrows and ice, but in stark comparison to last night, there was no sign of the Richter¡¯s, or their tents. Hell, there was not even a sign of a fireplace that had been left behind.


    I growled and clenched my fists, shaking with the unbridled rage that was surging within me now. What the fuck was this shit! I had thought it odd that they were all so ready to sleep, but really!? They just left me behind to die just like that!? No wonder Darnell had seemed so invested in sleeping the night away, this must have been planned!


    I turned to the forest and bowed, just as an arrow thumped into the tree directly behind me and grazed the flesh of my back. The giggle echoed through the forest and I rolled my eyes. Oh what a pompous fuck, no wonder they had shown me. Probably assumed that I¡¯d be shattered by the sight and knowledge that the Richter¡¯s had stabbed me in the back and had left me behind. For most, it would have been a rather demoralizing realization, but I couldn¡¯t help but laugh as I had looked around the empty clearing.


    I grinned and stood up with a flourish, winking at the forest as I flexed my claws, ¡°Nice try, you coward! Are you ready to fight like you have a backbone!? Or are you gonna just run away again like a coward!?¡±


    The giggle sounded once more, but instead of the familiar twang of a bowstring, I heard a resounding roar. My spatial awareness screamed at me that I was in danger, but I couldn¡¯t see anything at all. I narrowed my eyes and whipped around, searching for the source of the noise. I scanned the trees, but saw nothing, and the trees didn¡¯t give me any signs either.


    My spatial awareness screamed at me, and I leaped backwards, whipping around and slashing my claws through the air while cursing aloud, ¡°Oh what the fuck-¡±


    A huge tendril smashed down, crushing and cracking the ground where I had been just a moment ago. My claws slashed into its thick flesh, barely even managing to slice into the muscular flesh. The tendril recoiled and bunched up, dark brown blood pouring from the cut as another roar echoed through the forest powerfully. I dashed backwards, half expecting another tendril or arrow, but the only sound that broke the silence was a heavy thud. Then another and another as the trees were forced apart and a massive form forced its way into the clearing.


    My eyes widened as I took in the impressive beast that was towering in front of me, easily being fifteen feet tall. It stood on six thickly muscled legs, the ends of each limb morphing from the thick muscle to a mass of tentacles. It had a thick dark green carapace that was covered in vines, earth, and mushrooms, and an odd green ooze seeped from beneath it. The parts of the beast that weren¡¯t covered, glinted from the light that was shining through the trees, almost as if it was made of metal. Its eyeless head was mostly just a mass of horns that grew out in various crazy and wild ways, with some curling forward, some spiking upwards, some spiraling, and others simply curving down and to the sides. Its jaw was crazy as well, and the bottom jaw split into three separate maws that curled backwards in a reverse spiral, and were covered in viciously hooked teeth. Then, just to make it even more horrific, a dark green drool dripped down from the gaping maws, sizzling as each drop hit the ground.


    The giggle echoed through the forest again, and out walked the archer, their hood pulled back from their face this time. I hadn¡¯t had the chance to really get a good look at them back then, but even when they were tied up, I could feel the power spiraling off of them. Now though? When they were free to move around freely? I could feel the pressure of their bemused strength crashing down on me, threatening to force me to my knees.


    I shook my head hard and flexed my claws once more, bringing myself back and refocusing on the archer. There was no time to get lost in how strong they were or anything stupid like that¡­ I had better things to think about.


    I looked the archer up and down again, still slightly impressed by the power that oozed from them. They were an ethereal gray blue, with two small horns protruding from their forehead. Their hair gleamed a silver blonde, the ends extending past their waist. They had four arms, with each having six delicate fingers. Two of the arms gripped the handle of a dark brown and green bow, while the other two were propped up on their hip. Two strong, thick tails agilely flicked back and forth behind them, wrapping around branches and grazing the ground. They were lean, wiry, and each step they took was soft and silent, their feet being two padded paws. They giggled that same laugh again and stroked the side of the beast, which thrummed and drooled even more of that green acid. Then, for the first time since they had started chasing me through the forest, she spoke.


    It was a light, airy voice, enchanting as well as being amused at the same time, ¡°And so we really meet, quick one. Your¡­ friends, haha¡­ left you as soon as you went to your bed. All it took was a monetary bribe and they were all ready to leave you behind! They didn¡¯t even need to free me from my bindings, because they never even locked me up in the first place! Now, the two of us stand here, eye to eye, claw to claw and tooth to tooth, as the mother intended. You have insulted me, dodged me, attacked me, and with the help of others, even captured me, albeit for the briefest of moments.¡± She flung her hair around, causing it to create a glimmering circle, and stabbed her finger at me angrily, ¡°You have earned my ire, and in so doing, have earned my respect. You have laid the challenge, and so I am here to answer it. If you can survive my einha, I will accept defeat and leave this forest as your prisoner. Do you agree, quick one?¡±


    I narrowed my eyes and pursed my lips, but nodded after a moment. I was never going to catch her, especially without the help of the Richters. Fucking rat fuckers as they were, they had been incredibly helpful, and far stronger than me¡­ I¡¯d have to beat it out of them later why they had left me behind with this fuck. Once I had dragged them in, and gotten far stronger.


    I bowed and grinned, ¡°I gladly accept your challenge coward! I just need to survive against this beast, huh? I¡¯ll do you one better, how about I kill this fuck? You wouldn¡¯t mind too much if I did that?¡±


    The archer narrowed her eyes and bared her dagger teeth, ¡°Ha! You are an overconfident little one! I doubt you could kill it even if you wanted to, but I invite you to try nonetheless! I, Lahtzi, as the only priestess within hearing, and the strongest woman of my tribe, accept your terms quick one!¡± With a swirl of her arms, she procured an arrow out of thin air and set it on the bow, pulling it back and aiming it up in the air. ¡°When the bolt hits the ground, the challenge begins! My beast will stay here till then, so you may prepare yourself in any way you deem fit. Now! Let us see the true strength of your mettle!¡±


    With a flourish and a high pitched shrill, she pulled the arrow back and released, sending the arrow skyrocketing through the air. She looked down at me, a twisted smile on her face, and excitement in her eyes. She knew that I was going to die¡­ or at least thought she knew.


    I gave them a smirk and folded my arm. I couldn¡¯t wait to prove her wrong and tear apart that damned einha of hers!


    I eyed the einha and grinned. Oh yeah, this next part was gonna suck, but I had a plan. It turned to me, somehow knowing where I was even though they had no eyes. I blew it a kiss and turned back to the archer, who was still smiling at me.


    Then I heard it, and I laughed aloud, ¡°Ha! Get ready, because you''re gonna be stuck in a jail cell for the next¡­ ahhh¡­ well, until the guard lets you out! Make sure to give the hooded one my regards!¡±


    She raised an eyebrow in confusion, but then the arrow shot down, slamming into the ground with a loud thud. The archer screeched and leaped backwards, giggling as a loud thrum shook the air. The einha roared, and charged at me, its jaw stretching wide. Its thudding run shook the ground, but I stayed still, glaring at the archer as they flew backwards through the air. Only at the last possible second did I finally turn, and when I did I grinned, spreading my arms wide and laughing.


    That of course, infuriated the beast even more. It screeched, and the tendrils that had been tearing the ground apart as it charged towards me, lashed out at me, spearing through the air almost like weapons. I grunted at the sudden change up, but continued to grin and stand there, patiently waiting for the exact moment I wanted. It tore through the space towards me, filling my vision, and the sound of the archers giggles were replaced by the sound of the einha¡¯s roars and loud panting. It caused my heart to shiver and shake, but still I stood there with my arms spread wide, and a fake grin plastered on my face.


    Then, at the very last second, right as my spatial awareness became a booming roar, and every part of me screamed at me to do something, I dropped. My body ducked underneath its vicious tentacled paws that lashed out at me, somehow not even being skimmed by each of them as the beast sailed over me. I roared and leaped off of the ground, crashing into the underside of the einha and latching on, my claws tearing into the underbelly and causing a small explosion of dark green blood to pour down my arms and body.


    It roared, and stood on its hind legs, shaking itself back and forth viciously and sending my body back and forth as well. I responded by latching on harder, and clawing at the beast''s belly even more, desperately trying to hold on. The einha screeched and reared back on its four hind legs, and then its two front legs twisted and wriggled, turning inwards in order to attack me.


    I bared my teeth and activated bite, digging my teeth into the einha¡¯s underbelly, doing barely little to harm the massive creature. The tendrils reached out for me, but paused, right before actually grabbing me. It took a moment to do anything, but then it thrummed, seemingly laughing at my attempts at harming it. It lashed at me again, emboldened by my feeble attack, and easily being able to crush and bruise my muscles. The force of the strike made me let go, and I dropped, rolling underneath and away from it, making sure to slash at its exposed flesh as it stomped and lashed at me. The einha roared and slammed down on me, the mass of tentacles forcing me to change tactics once again.


    I activated sprint and dashed around the beast, forcing it to turn in order to follow me. I leaped and laughed, but as my feet landed on the tree, the bark turned to putty, and I sank all the way to my shin. I yelped in surprise and lashed out with my claws, hoping to catch onto the surrounding bark in order to pull myself out, but it was just putty as well, and my hands slapped around in the bark as if it was just water.


    I struggled to move, and right as I felt like I was making a little bit of headway, suddenly, there was nothing. I was just flying through the air, my limbs freed from the tree¡¯s trunk as it crashed down. My spatial awareness screamed out again, and I laughed and spun in the air, my claws slashing out as I attacked the tendrils that had been flying up behind me. They recoiled away from me, but not before they pushed me hard and sent me crashing into the ground.


    My breath was knocked from me, and I soundlessly screamed in agony, feeling my bones pierce my lungs and fill me with blood. I groaned and tried to get to my feet, but felt my torn apart legs scream in protest as the pieces of shattered bark and wood ground into my exposed flesh.


    I turned and coughed blood, the loud thrumming of the beast sounding from behind me. Ah fuck me¡­ I had assumed that I¡¯d last a little longer against the beast, but I guess it was time for plan B now. Fuck¡­ well here goes.


    The beast roared in victory and charged at me, its heavy legs smashing into the ground and dragging itself forward towards me. I screamed in agony as I dragged myself to my feet, my body crying out as it barely had begun to heal itself. It hurt¡­ Oh by the gods it hurt¡­ But as the ground shook, I knew that I needed to be standing if I wanted this next plan to work.


    I turned to the einha, but I didn¡¯t activate claw or bite or anything. Instead, I stretched my arms to either side and grinned. My actions confused it, but it was far too late to do anything as it crashed into me, tearing me apart in seconds. Its horns gored and skewered me, its teeth ripped into me, and I roared as the pain doubled and then tripled. I wriggled, trying to free myself as darkness slowly began to creep up in my vision, but the einha didn¡¯t even give me a chance to think.


    It shook its head viciously, and then I was flying through the air again. I could barely see, but as I looked down, I watched as the einha reared up on its four hind legs and swung its front two legs at me, a wall of tendrils filling my vision. I couldn¡¯t even move before they latched onto me, gripping every available surface and pulling. I felt my skin get ripped from my muscles, and I screamed as I felt my eyes get ripped and torn out of their sockets. My vision went dark, but my mind did not descend into darkness. Instead I was aware as my skin was literally torn from my body, and I exploded outwards in a shower of blood and viscera. A part of me realized that I was still screaming, and another part of me heard the giggling of the archer as the einha slammed me into the ground, and stomped on my body, grinding my bones into oblivion.


    Pain was all I knew, but the beast wasn¡¯t done. It gathered my destroyed remains and lifted me with its tendrils, bringing me to its triple split underjaw and throwing me in. It chewed and tore, and my screams went silent as I felt my life sizzle out and vanish, the sweet relief of death finally grasping me and dragging me into its very own maw.

 Chapter Twenty-Eight: Surprised!?

    I groaned and sat up, my eyes looking around me at the dark expanse once more. I could feel the dark sand shifting below me, and thankfully, my body was entirely intact like before. I had worried that the ridiculous damage that the einha had done to me might transfer as well, but I guess I couldn¡¯t be too surprised that it hadn¡¯t. It was an odd island to appear on, but I guess this was it huh? I might as well get acquainted with it.


    I sighed and let my toes sift through the sand as I thumped back down again. Well, I guess that had gone about as well as I could hope for. Damn, I was already dead, huh? I groaned and slapped my forehead. And on my second day free from that jailcell too! I eyed the empty expanse and shrugged. Well, I guess I wouldn¡¯t see Verdant and Grim everytime I ended up here, but I had hoped to see at least Grim. I sighed and glared at the shifting darkness. This whole place was just so bland, what was I even supposed to do in the meantime?


    I sighed and picked up some sand and considered it. I guess I should enjoy this brief respite while I can. After all, when I revived it was going to be unbelievably painful. I didn¡¯t really want to have to begin relying on this method to kill anything stronger and bigger than me¡­ but I doubted there was going to be any other way to kill the einha as I was now. It just¡­ was gonna be such a pain in the ass. Even if it worked like with the Dire Bear.


    I sighed and let the sand trickle through my fingers, enjoying the sound of it smacking into the ground. After a moment, I shook my head and rolled over onto my stomach and kicked my legs into the sand. Oh what a ridiculous experience this was. Was this really all I could do while I was stuck here?


    I guess I should at least attempt to plan out my next steps¡­ The stomach acid of that dire bear had really burned, hadn¡¯t it? Although, my healing had helped me forge through it so that I could cut my way out eventually, it had really only been my newfound resistance that had allowed me to live. But this creature? That acid that had been drooling from it¡­ I had seen that same acid eating through the forest floor, and I had no doubts in my mind that its stomach was going to be full of more of the same. Would my regeneration be able to keep up? Could my acid resistance even do anything against it? Fuck, what would I do if it couldn¡¯t? Just lay here in the sand till it shat me out? Who knows how many times I¡¯d die before I carved my way out again? Before it finally keeled over?


    I groaned and smacked my face with both hands. Ah¡­ well, no reason to worry too much about it I guess¡­ This was the only way, right? Haha¡­


    I held up my hands and clenched them until I could feel my joints begin to hurt. You know¡­ I wonder¡­ I ground my teeth together and squeezed tighter, biting my lip as I felt my muscles shake. I clenched until my claws began to dig into my hands, and I narrowed my eyes expectantly, waiting. Then I felt it, and my claws dug into my hands, and I felt¡­ wet? But¡­ nothing dripped out of my hands¡­ And when I opened them, they were the same as before, no blood, no wounds. I bit down harder on my lip, and felt my sharp teeth slash and pierce straight through. Still, even though I didn¡¯t taste anything, my mouth felt wet.


    I could feel my Unending Vitality instantly begin to fix the gashes, but still I frowned and shook my head. How the fuck does that make any sense? I could hurt myself here, but there was no blood? I guess I was technically dead, but still.


    I eyed the darkness once more and sighed. How long was this gonna take anyways? I flung some sand into the darkness, half because I was bored, and half because I was curious what it was going to do. I watched with amusement as right as it impacted the darkness, it rumbled. I pursed my lips and turned and looked around. I could feel it¡­ something had just changed.


    The air thrummed, and the darkness shook, much like it had when it had last taken me. This time though, after it shook, it churned and swirled, tendrils appearing and lashing out at the surrounding sand and darkening it even more. It seemed almost conscious, and as the swirling void shook and shivered, I couldn¡¯t help but feel excited.


    I laughed and stood up, cracking my neck, ¡°Oh it¡¯s about damn time! I was wondering how long I would be stuck here, having to just kick sand and be bored out of my mind¡­ well, I guess it¡¯s about time for me to go huh?¡±


    I eyed the sand where I had been sitting and hummed to myself. Maybe next time I could make a sand castle or something? Wouldn¡¯t that be cute? I laughed and winked at the darkness. Well, I might as well head on now, there was all the joys of melting alive to look forward to, right?


    I whistled and walked forward, stepping forward until I was at the edge of the island and standing in front of the lashing and churning void. Suddenly it lashed out and wrapped around me, yanking me into itself until all that I could see was black. My senses went dead, and I floated there in the darkness, wondering if I had died again.


    The darkness covered everything, and even with my eyes closed, I could still see it. It was immaterial, but somehow I could feel it, hear it, and even smell it, for it was everywhere. It was everything. And then¡­ it wasn¡¯t. Suddenly there was no more darkness. No more sight. Just nothing. It was¡­ pure. Peaceful even. Until it wasn¡¯t.


    I awoke to screaming, agonizing pain that pulsed and stabbed into everything it could with a vengeance. It filled my entire existence, and was all consuming in its intense desire to fulfill everything I was. I forgot where I was, where I had been, and what I wanted to do. There was nothing but this. Nothing left anymore, except pain. Pain was my everything, but¡­ a small part of me that was hidden in a corner of my mind screamed out. In order for the pain to be my everything, that means there has to be something beneath it. Something else that wasn¡¯t pain.


    A part of me realized that whatever that something was, it had to be important. Important not just because it wasn¡¯t this intense, allconsuming, but important because it could save me from the pain. Important because that something was me. Important because it meant that I was alive. That I was still fighting. That something was me, and if it was me, then that must mean that I must exist.


    My eyes opened as my memories suddenly came crashing back like a tidal wave. That¡¯s right¡­ I had just been consumed by that void hadn¡¯t I? Which meant that I had been revived! That I had been brought back to life! Which meant that I¡­ which meant that I was back where I had been before. It meant that I was in the belly of that beast once more, and my plan was in full swing now. A plan that required me to finally do something!


    I roared, screaming as the acid poured down my throat, attacking and destroying everything it came into contact with. It hurt, but still writhed and struck out around me, cursing over and over. Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck! I had known this was going to hurt, but honestly fuck me! I hadn¡¯t expected it to be this bad! Already, I could feel my fully healed body screaming as it tried its best to stay that way, my Unending Vitality working overtime to repair my sizzling skin. My acid resistance was doing as much as it could to save me, but against this pool of death it couldn¡¯t even offer much.


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    I extended my claws and lashed out around me, scratching and tearing at anything and everything I could. My old bones which were already rapidly dissolving, old rusted weapons, and then finally, the stomach lining of the einha. I bared my teeth and latched on, dragging myself closer until I was within range. I bit down, reaching into the roiling void in the corner of my mind and forcing my bite skill and claw skills to both activate at the same time. The void resisted and fought back, but as I continued to demand that it listen, the void grudgingly acquiesced, and I felt the familiar sensation of power surging through my jaw and limbs. With a roar, I lashed out, pushing the skills to their respective limits, and then beyond as I tore into the stomach lining.


    I could feel the einha roar in pain, and with a sudden rush it began flopping back and forth, sending my body tumbling around as my world went sideways, upside down, and backwards. It was incredibly disorienting, but as soon as I got close to the stomach lining again, I activated bite and latched on as hard as I could with my teeth. The acid continued to burn away at my skin and flesh, but I fought through the ridiculous sea of pain and clawed wildly at the lining, activating claw over and over as I tried to shuck away the thick layer of mucus and protective membrane.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if it was because the einha had a strong acid drool, or if it was just a stronger beast, but I could tell that the lining was much thicker, and even denser than its outer carapace had been, which honestly didn¡¯t even make sense to me. Still that didn¡¯t stop me, and I growled in amusement as I realized that I had dealt some real damage to the lining.


    I viciously renewed my assault, agony filling my vision as my skin sizzled and hissed, slowly dissolving as the pool of acid swirled around me. I could feel the regeneration slowing down, focusing more so on keeping my muscles and vital organs intact as all of my attention that had been going towards keeping me alive, was instead diverted towards my arms and claws and my jaw.


    I roared and attacked in a frenzy, slashing, hacking, and tearing as my entire body hissed and was knocked around. My eyes had been squeezed shut, but as my skin dissolved away it exposed them to the roiling acid. Pain lanced through my entire being, forcing me to bite down even harder as my body shook. White hot agony twisted and burned through me, and as I groaned, I felt the acid corrode away at my skin even more, my body spasmed as I screamed out in pain.


    I drifted backwards from the wall, convulsing as I felt my eyelids sear away, the acid hungrily consuming my eyes. Screams racked my body as I felt my eyes leak out of my skull and mesh with their surroundings, but as I lashed out with my claws, the pain and agony twisted and changed until red hot rage consumed me. Anger poured through me, drowning out the pain as I lashed out with my claws and teeth. My attacks lost whatever flow there had been, and I stopped thinking about anything else as I lashed out like a wild beast. All I knew was all consuming red roiling rage, and I lashed out at the only thing within range. I slammed my body forward, and lashed out indiscriminately in every direction, feeling my claws break and tear, my skin melt away and heal back, only to melt away once more. The beast roared in protest at the attack, but that only pissed me off more and my mind went numb under the roar of rage.


    New Skill learned!


    Berserker¡¯s Rage (Rare)


    A skill that places one into a state of mindless violence and anger,


    All offensive stats are doubled, but in return all defensive stats are halved


    A part of me noticed that the darkness inside me pulsed, but the all consuming roar didn¡¯t care. All it cared for was the end of this fuck and its master. The darkness swirled around curiously, but approved and willingly offered up the strength to me, which I grasped and tore from it greedily. I demanded that the skill rend and tear, and it happily replied, singing through my entire being and empowering me.


    I laughed in the sea of dissolving pain and attacked even more viciously than before, ignoring everything else as the Berserker¡¯s Rage filled my entire being. As the roar and the rage sang in harmony within me, I carved away the last of the stomach lining and dug my claws into the stomach itself finally, finding surprising resistance. A resistance that infuriated me, and I tore into the flesh even more viciously, my Unending Vitality ignoring the rest of my body, as it focused only on what was essential to keep me fighting.


    The beast screamed and shook itself so hard that I felt my weakened and half dissolved spine twist and snap, cutting off all feeling from my chest down. It was honestly a good thing losing feeling down there, since my lower body wasn¡¯t offering up anything to damage this damned thing. Everything that didn¡¯t go into pure damage was just useless! The death of this beast was all that mattered! Even if it killed me!


    I roared and struck out again, borrowing deeper and deeper, until, finally, the edge of my claw caught something. A feral grin covered my decaying face and I laughed as all the sizzling acid and mucus gave way to a river of blood that flowed into the new opening, the surge ripping open the stomach more and more as it poured in. I rolled and tumbled out into the rest of the einha¡¯s insides, feeling the organs and ruptured blood vessels explode around me as the sizzling stomach acid viciously ate and corroded everything it came into contact with.


    The einha¡¯s roars shifted and changed into something else, pain entering its screams for the first time. My Berserker¡¯s Rage hadn¡¯t ended though, and as I swished around in a quickly dissolving einha, I kept on lashing out and attacking anything and everything around me, until suddenly, I wasn¡¯t inside the einha anymore.


    My body rolled along the ground until it slammed into a tree and came to a stop, unable to even move without my legs. The roaring rage suddenly vanished like a burst bubble, and my thoughts and mindset came rushing back as well, along with a sea of roaring pain that drowned out everything as well as I blacked out, my body and mind too horrified by the damage that had occurred.


    I sighed as I awoke on the sand island again, the grains roughly pushing against my skin. That had thoroughly sucked¡­ but to have gained a new skill? Berserker¡¯s Rage, huh¡­ A double in all my offensive stats and skills would be unbelievably helpful, but to lose my mind in the process? Ugh¡­


    I sighed and leapt up onto my feet, stretching out as I took in the island once more. It was the same as last time, grooves from where I had dug into it and all. Though¡­ I felt like the void had changed in its swirls and chaos, and was now almost happily crashing and swaying as it spun around.


    I considered walking up to the void and sticking my hand in, but the void within my mind viciously spun, angrily telling me no way. I took a step forward anyway, but it angrily stabbed out, giving me an intense headache that was so bad I was forced to my knees. I groaned and held my head, blinking away the tears of pain as I glared at the void. I guess¡­ maybe I wouldn''t do that. Seemed like a bad idea.


    The darkness swirled inside me and huffed, almost as if in agreement, before slinking away back into its corner and curling up like before.


    I shakingly considered it for a moment, but sighed and leaned back into the sand instead, blankly staring up into the swirling void above me. I had been sent back to the land of the living the first time by Grim and Verdant and the void had taken me earlier, but I was curious if that was how it always was going to be. After all, the darkness within me hadn''t reacted so viciously the last time I had considered walking up to the void.


    Maybe it had something to do with how damaged I had been before I died? Which would make sense considering how I was mostly fine before, and actively being healed by Sprig¡­ that damned backstabber! Though¡­ were they really the ones who decided to stab me in the back? They hadn''t all seemed so ready to stab me in the back before¡­ Hell, Darnell hadn''t even seemed that bad!


    I groaned and smacked my head, suddenly remembering that crazed look in his eyes back at the dungeon entrance. I had just brushed it off as him messing around, but maybe he hadn¡¯t been¡­ and if what the archer said was true, he must have gotten a pretty good bribe. One that was even better than the bounty on the archer''s head¡­ but to just stab me in the back and leave me to die!?


    Rage burbled up inside me and with a roar I slammed my fist into te sand, ¡°You fucking filthy hornswagglers! Argh! I¡¯m going to kill the lot of you as soon as I finally get out of this fucking place!¡±


    I screamed and slammed my fists into the sand again, wincing at the feel of the grains grinding into my skin. It hurt, oh fuck it hurt, but it was also somehow rather calming. Itching some corner of my brain as I watched the ground crunch beneath my fist, imaging it to be each of the Richter¡¯s faces. Angrily I slammed my fist in again, and again, and again and again until my skin split and Unending Vitality was forced to step in, frantically working on healing the damage.


    I acknowledged the healing sensation, but only because it allowed me to throw out my fists and slam the sand even more. Anger burbled within me, flowing out with each punch as my heart raced and my breathing came harder. I lost track of time as I mindlessly slammed my fists into the sand, until I remembered with a start that I could use my skills here!


    I laughed and reached into the coiled void, activating blow and slamming my fist into the sand with a boom, my arm shaking from the impact. I laughed and cracked my neck, refocusing on the sad and lashing out with blow as often as I could, meshing it with my normal attacks and once I couldn¡¯t anymore, I returned to my one minded barrage.


    I was so focused that I didn¡¯t even notice the churning void suddenly shiver. I didn¡¯t notice the tendrils that reached out once more, darkening the nearby sand as they searched for me. I didn¡¯t notice them reaching farther and farther in until they wrapped around my leg tentatively. I only noticed them when they suddenly swelled in size and enveloped me in a cocoon, yanking me off my feet and flinging me into the swirling void, my scream vanishing along with me.

 Chapter Twenty- Nine: First Steps

    I let out a rather embarrassing scream as I jolted up from the ground and looked around frantically, confusion pulsing through me as I realized that I was totally intact. I felt the grass and dirt below my hands like normal, but as I turned my head to the left I noted the charred and still dissolving remains of what I assumed was my old body, the acid not even leaving behind bones.


    I hummed to myself and considered my claws and intact skin. It was almost as if I had regenerated entirely upon reviving, but¡­ Reviving had never really worked like that before¡­ Though I guess I couldn¡¯t really complain. It definitely beat having to slowly regenerate from some half torso or torn off limb, but¡­ At the same time it was really odd to me that I had been forced to regenerate entirely. After all, shouldn¡¯t I have leveled up several times from killing the einha and been healed entirely?


    I frowned and looked around until my eyes landed on the einha. Their guts and insides had spilled out all over the ground, but¡­ they weren¡¯t dead yet. I could see the red trail that had been left behind by them as they had dragged themselves further and further away, desperately trying to get somewhere away from me. It was sad to see the once mighty beast on its last legs, but as I looked at the shivers running through its body and the continuing stream of blood that was pooling around it, I knew that its life was ending here soon.


    I sighed and glanced around the forest and trees half expecting to see the archer at some point, either because they were here to pick me off or if it was because they had heard the death throes of the einha, but for whatever reason they were still nowhere to be seen. Almost as if they had left the forest entirely for some reason.


    I sighed and flopped back for a moment. Honestly, was that really even something I wanted? What would I even do if they were here? Just their pet was enough to defeat me¡­ and some part of me told me that I still hadn¡¯t seen them going all out.


    I shook my head and sighed. I wasn¡¯t even sure if I was ever going to see them again, but that was a problem for later. Right now, the biggest problem I was facing was how the fuck I was going to get back to town. Not to mention what the hell I was going to do against the Richter¡¯s.


    I groaned and rolled over, flopping on my back and glaring at the half decayed body of the beast, ¡°Stupid fucking bastard¡­ the least you can do is just die already! Go on! Stop forcing yourself to sit through all of this pain and misery!¡±


    The beast groaned and weakly lashed out with its tendril at me, but it fell just short since I¡¯d already rolled out of its range. I coughed and sat up, propping myself on my elbows as I stared the beast down. At this point, I really was sure that the Richter¡¯s must¡¯ve swooped in after or during my fight with the einha and captured the archer. That must¡¯ve been their plan from the beginning. Capture and weaken the archer, which would explain why they had called the beast instead of just dealing with me themselves, and then swoop in after the archer had dealt with me, claim that they had been too late to save me, and then take all that sweet reward money for themselves. The extra bribe from the archer probably made everything all the sweeter.


    I eyed the beast and sighed. It was a fair enough tactic honestly. Unfortunately for them, my death¡¯s favored ability gave me a free ride back to the land of the living. Apparently entirely intact too.


    I grunted and sprung to my feet, looking around for any broken arrows or other items that I could see. After a moment I saw one of the massive arrows that had been shot at me, and I laughed as I scooped it up. It was a bit light, but it should work perfectly for what I had in mind. After all, the damned thing was already on the edge of its own death bed¡­


    Right on cue, the einha weakly roared again, but even I could hear the acceptance in its voice. It knew it was beaten, even if it was going to fight me until the end. It didn¡¯t want to just roll over and die from blood loss. It wanted to die a warrior''s death. It was a respectable wish if nothing else¡­ and I could respect that.


    I sighed and began to make my way over to where the einha was curled up. I had thought that I would enjoy killing the beast, but as I walked forward, I couldn¡¯t help but feel regret. As much as I needed to kill the einha, I knew it was just following orders. Just being obedient to its master. Even if that same master was a prick¡­ It wasn''t its fault that it ended up facing me.


    As I got closer, the einha growled and lashed at me again, but it was still unable to hit me. I eyed it and hummed again, before glancing down at the sharp glint of the arrowtip. I really hoped that this was going to be enough to kill the poor creature¡­ it deserved a clean death if nothing else.


    Weakly, the einha lashed out again, but I was able to duck and dodge the swipes pretty easily now. It was just that weak. I bared my teeth at it, and for the first time, I thought I saw¡­ fear in its strikes. And yet¡­ more than that I saw a cold determination. To fight with all of its strength, until it could no longer.


    I chuckled and shook my head as I got ever closer to the beast, having to move quicker and quicker as the strikes became even faster and faster. Then the einha rumbled and shook itself, its thick muscles shivering with noticeable pain from the movement. It rumbled and shifted its legs and stabbed its tendrils into the ground, tugging and pulling itself forward. Slowly, ever so slowly, it dragged itself not towards, but away from me, its body making a massive furrow into the ground.


    At the sight, I couldn¡¯t help but stop for a moment, my mouth hanging wide as I momentarily forgot about what I had been thinking. This little¡­ this little shit was trying to get away from me! And right after the respect I had just been willing to give to them! Really!? They turned out to be a coward in the end!?


    I roared in anger and activated Berserker¡¯s rage, my vision going red as I slammed my foot into the ground, seething. This¡­ THIS FUCK!!! I roared and stormed forward, my hand gripping the haft of the arrow so hard I felt it crack. I didn¡¯t even notice. And if I had, I wouldn¡¯t have even cared. All that my mind and body knew at that moment was just pure and total rage as I charged forth, my surroundings becoming background noise as my vision centered on the einha and that massive groove in the ground.


    It weakly roared as it noticed me rushing forward, and it frantically picked up its pace. Its tentacles stabbed into the ground and pulled and tugged, ripping up large pieces of earth and stone as it struggled forward wildly. It threw those massive pieces of rock at me and spewed acid, using everything at its power as it wildly scrambled away.


    Anger was all I knew, and I narrowed my eyes as rage poured hot and hard. I roared and reached out towards the void, activating blow and sending my fists into the flying rocks, knocking them aside or blowing them apart. Then I refocused on the frantically fleeing einha, and pulled deep into the void once again, activating sprint and dashing forward, covering the distance in a flash.


    The beast roared desperately and stopped trying to get away, choosing instead to lash out with its tendrils at me once again and shoot an ocean of searing acid at me. At this distance I could do nothing but watch as the wave and tentacles crashed into me, but even if I could have dodged, the rage that controlled me wouldn¡¯t have. It insisted on the quickest path to the end of this beast, and that was forward!


    Then the tentacles and acid crashed into my body, knocking me backwards with enough force to crack my bones and force me to my knees, but my eyes never left it. The acid coated me and worked to dissolve as much skin as it could, but the rage didn¡¯t even try to shake it off. As the tentacles wrapped around my chest and squeezed, the rage reached into the void and activated claw, slashing down and tearing an unbelievably deep wound into the tendrils that were wrapping themselves around me.


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    The einha roared in pain, but it was drowned out by the rage as it activated claw again and slashe down again, and again, and again, and again, until the crushing force that had been surrounding me suddenly vanished. It heard the thump of the tendrils falling to the ground, but it was already storming forward, forcing my feet to slam down hard on the earth as leap was activated and I flew through the air and landed on the body of the einha.


    It weakly twisted and thrashed as I scaled it, but every time I lost my footing the rage lashed out and used claw or bite in order to latch on, if only for a moment. The einha roared again, but it knew the truth. The end was near, and I was here to deliver it!


    I roared and leaped up into the air, spinning in a circle before I began falling, heading down straight for its head. I narrowed my blood red eyes and let out a manic laugh as I pointed my body like a spear and shot straight down, the rage activating pierce and using it on both of my claws. On impact with the skull of the einha, I tore straight into and through its skull, exploding out of the other side in a burst of viscera and gore.


    I slammed into the ground and felt my bones disconnect as the force of the impact crushed me, and I roared in pain. It hurt enough that for a moment the Berserker¡¯s rage paused and I turned to look at the einha, watching as it staggered and flailed out as blood poured from its skull and the life left its eyes. Then it let out one last cry, before its entire body shook and spasmed, collapsing to its side as it went through its last death throes, before finally, thankfully, dying.


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    Name: Will


    Race: Chimera


    Level: Eighteen (New!)


    Title: Einha Slayer (New!)


    Abilities:


    Enduring Heart


    Unending Vitality (Incomplete)


    Death''s Favoured (Incomplete)


    Skills:


    Sprint (Veteran)


    Claw (Apprentice)(New!)


    Bite (Beginner)


    Pierce (Beginner)(New!)


    Leap (Beginner)(New!)


    Sword Slash (Trainee)


    Axe Smash (Initiate)


    Hammer Bash (Novice)


    Berserker¡¯s Rage (Rare)(Passive)(New!)


    Spatial Awareness (Passive)


    Hardened Body (Passive)


    I gasped as I felt the multiple level ups explode through my body, the euphoric rush dragging me out of the Berserker¡¯s Rage. I laughed and fell to my knees, placing my hands on the forest ground as pulse after pulse of healing energies crashed through my body, causing my bones and muscles to snap to attention, rejuvenated and healed.


    I rolled over onto my back and laughed wildly, my eyes flashing over to the now dead einha. Holy fuck¡­ that had been one hell of a rush! How high of a level had that einha been? Four level ups!?


    I rolled back and pushed off the ground with my hands, springing onto my heels, a grand grin spreading across my face. Ah who cares about that stupid archer and their stupid bounty? The level ups and this amazing feeling was all the reward I needed!


    I chuckled and shook my head, clearing away some of the ecstatic rush. Ah okay, well I guess that might have been an overstatement. I¡¯d definitely have to fuck up the Richter¡¯s when I got the chance, but for now? Well, I was just way too weak. I had sort of had a feeling that the whole ¡®eternal¡¯ thing was a bit too good to be true in the first place, but as I looked at the glowing level up screen in front of me, I finally realized what the drawback was.


    I had been level eighteen the last time I had killed a creature hadn''t I? Which means that with the four level ups and only being level eighteen now¡­ that meant that I had lost four levels somehow. How weird¡­ I hummed and eyed the einha''s corpse, and cocked my head to the side.


    I wasn¡¯t exactly sure about how the ability worked, but I had the feeling that the loss of levels probably had something to do with the revive ability. Though I guess I couldn''t complain. It was far better to lose a level than to stay dead, but still¡­ I really was far too weak as it was. I needed to get stronger, learn some new skills, and finally find myself a weapon, and soon. But first¡­ I had some loot to collect!


    I rolled my neck and walked up to the corpse, stepping around the pools of steaming acid. I looked closely at its hide and slowly paced around the beast for several moments, leaping over its tentacles and the pools of blood, before I couldn¡¯t help but let out a long, loud, sigh. This was just¡­ hopeless. There was nothing left to use even if I really wanted to. The teeth? Smashed to bits and covered in grim and acid from that last frantic crawl. Its bones? Currently dissolving into a puddle underneath it. Same with its innards, and quite frankly, I wouldn¡¯t be able to bring any of it back even if I wanted to. I had no clue where my bag was, and even if I did, I doubted I could carry anything that far.


    I sighed and folded my arms as I looked up at the beast''s corpse. Hmm¡­ What a massive kill¡­ Ugh¡­ What to do, what to do¡­


    I allowed my eyes to to pass back and forth over it, before finally landing exactly on what I needed, a grin spread over my face. That¡­ that would just have to be good enough!


    With a whoop, I activated leap and blasted off of the ground, soaring over the steaming corpse in a flash. I laughed as I soared through the air, enjoying the free feeling. I loved the skill so much, but it didn''t last for long before I began to fall back down to the ground, and the einha¡¯s corpse, picking up speed as the wind rushed by me until I slammed into its head, coming down hard and using all of that momentum to kick hard at one of the smaller horns that adorned the back of its skull.


    The force of it sent a heavy thrum through my body and I heard a crack, but unfortunately it didn¡¯t budge and I was launched flying through the air with a yelp of surprise. I twisted around and managed to catch myself on the ground, but the force and momentum caused me to stumble backwards for a few steps.


    I almost managed to get my footing too, until I tripped on a branch that had been torn up with the einha¡¯s death throes. I yelped and fell backwards onto my ass, swinging my arms out in order to save me from cracking my skull onto the ground, but still finding myself covered in bloody mud.


    I groaned and shook my head, wiping the shit out of my eyes and shooting a glare at the einha''s corpse. Fucking bastard¡­ I can''t believe that didn''t even work! But I''m not just giving up now!


    I shot another glare at the corpse and activated leap, doing a much smaller hop up and snagging onto one of its other horns so I didn¡¯t tumble off of the side of its head. I gripped hard and then swung, flying through the air and landing on its side with a thump.


    I laughed and stumbled to my feet, shaking my head as I made my way over to the half cracked horn, ¡°Haha¡­ Even in death you¡¯re such a massive pain in the ass!¡± I growled and gripped the horn with both hands squatting down low and straining with my whole body, ¡°Just¡­ give¡­ me¡­ the¡­ horn!¡±


    I roared and tore, snapping the horn off at the base with a satisfying crack. I grinned and laughed, raising it up victoriously, until I realized that I had nothing left to hold onto.


    I let out a loud curse as I flew backwards, stumbling wildly, until I lashed out and managed to catch a hold of a nearby horn and stop myself at the very last second. I let out a loud sigh, which got cut short and turned into a yelp as I felt my heel catch one of the beast''s horns. I cursed as I felt myself tumble off the side of the einha¡¯s head, crashing into the ground and knocking the breath out of my lungs.


    I groaned and shot another glare at the corpse next to me. I guess it did get the last laugh, huh? I let out a sigh and sat up, shaking my head as I curled my legs underneath me as I managed to get to my feet yet again.


    I grunted and eyed the horn in my hands curiously and shrugged after a moment. Well, at least I guess I got the trophy I wanted, and hopefully it would sell for a solid chunk. Though¡­


    I sighed as I looked down at myself, and my very apparent lack of clothes. The einha¡¯s stomach acid had almost certainly dissolved what I had been wearing, and frankly I didn¡¯t have the time or tools to try and make a replacement set. I¡¯d have to find my bag again, but that also meant that I had to make my way back to the dungeon entrance. I doubted that the Richter¡¯s would still be around there, since they were probably well on their way back home with the archer in tow. I hadn¡¯t missed the looks that Darnell had been sharing with them, I just hadn¡¯t expected him to be the kind of guy to stab me in the back.


    Ah, oh well. I¡¯d just have to curb stomp his bitch ass later¡­ For right now though, I just needed to find my bag. I think I had left it near the dungeon entrance before I had gone in and asked for the Richter¡¯s help. I guess they could have stolen it, but I doubted that. Not that they would have had to look hard for it of course, but I honestly doubted that they would have gone through all the effort of finding it and stealing it, after all, I had been rather broke.


    Which meant that it was probably still there¡­ Which was also where I needed to head off to anyways, so hey! I guess that was a little win for me, right?

 Chapter Thirty: The Beginning

    I whistled to myself and slowly turned towards the rest of the forest and took it in. The beast had been lying in the middle of a large clearing, and even though a lot of it had been dissolved or ruined by all of the acid it had flung and its final death throes, I could still see a lot of the underlying beauty. There were unbelievably colorful flowers coating the forest floor, and from underneath the thick petals crawled out a heavy plethora of winding vines. They stretched out and crawled around the trees surrounding the clearing, winding around them tightly. So tightly in fact, that if it hadn¡¯t been for the clearly visibly branches and canopy overhead, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to tell if the vines weren¡¯t just the trees themselves. Though¡­ that¡¯s not to say the vines weren¡¯t still trying to strangle the tree branches.


    I hadn¡¯t actually been paying attention to my surroundings during the fight, so it was actually sort of really cool to see where the einha had chosen to die. I wonder how crazy that must have felt¡­ just feeling like you were having a good day and resting in a field of flowers, and then suddenly you feel like your stomach was being clawed and destroyed from the inside.


    I shivered and shook my head. Damn¡­ that was actually such a terrifying thought honestly. Since I was so focused on not dying for the second time against the dire bear, I hadn¡¯t even considered it, but¡­ yeah, maybe I was going to stop using this tactic for the future¡­


    I sighed and shook my head. Yeah, I had realized it when I had been training with the old man, and then when I was fighting the archer and that einha, but I definitely needed to get stronger. Honestly though¡­ I felt like it wasn¡¯t even a matter of having stronger, rarer, or more proficient skills. Experiencing how aggressively the old man had crushed me during each of our training sessions, well, it was humbling. I could tell by now when others would use their skills, but that old man¡­ he never once used his. He just pummeled me into oblivion, using pure physical strength. And the same thing had happened with this archer, and the einha. All they had to do was use pure physical prowess.


    I clicked my tongue and cracked my knuckles. I guess it was about time I changed that, huh? Now¡­ if I was heading back to the dungeon entrance to grab my bag and get some new clothes, why not just dive into it, eh? I mean, I was going to have to get stronger eventually, and how funny would that be? I make my magnificent return in a few months, show up the Richter¡¯s, kick Darnell¡¯s ass and take my cut, and then go back to that crotchety old man for my real training since I got through the first floor? Hell, especially if I was able to get through it in a few months! That¡¯d show that old man! It was a perfect flow¡­ and I was all about a good flow!


    I laughed and started off into the forest, humming to myself as I tossed the einha horn from hand to hand. It was going to be a bit of a walk back there, but I just had to follow the einha¡¯s tracks back¡­ or at least I was hoping they led back. If nothing else, I should be able to start finding some of the archer¡¯s arrows. I doubted that the Richter¡¯s cleaned them up after they captured them, and they should be able to lead me all the way back. Hell, I bet they might even be able to lead me all the way back to the town when I managed to make my way out of the dungeon.


    I sighed and dodged around a particularly low hanging branch. Well, that is, if I make it through the dungeon with my sanity intact¡­ yeah¡­ maybe this wasn¡¯t the best plan. I imagine that the old man laid out those limits with the expectation that I would be adventuring into the dungeon over the course of several years, and all while learning more about how my skills and strength worked. So even if I did just nonstop push through the dungeon, there was no way this would take a year¡­ but I didn¡¯t really have any other options as it stood.


    Hell, I doubted that even the Richter¡¯s were able to get through the dungeon in one go. Mostly because they would have to go back for food and supplies, but still. Even if I could survive without food and water like I had in the past, damn was this going to suck. And if I got to a crossroads that needed anything that I didn¡¯t have in my bag? Fuck¡­ yeah I really was going to be fucked.


    I groaned and hopped over a stack of rocks, lightly hopping on each of them. At the end of the day though, I didn¡¯t really have any other options as it were. It was either, find my bag, try my best to make it back to town, try to get the Richter¡¯s arrested, probably fail, and have no real way to prove that I had any stake in the archers bounty¡­ Or, I dive the dungeon, get stronger and more powerful, and then hopefully find my way back to the town or find someone to help me back, kick Darnell and the Richter¡¯s asses, and then claim my rightful cut of the pay through force. Then I could just make my way back to the old man''s place and work on finding a way to get back at that asshole Hafi, Cylkia, and Baern.


    As it was, I was really leaning towards the second option, but there were so many problems with it. I grunted as I leaped over a small creek, my feet sinking into the soft earth into the other side. Damn, how far had this fucking einha gone before it died? I hadn¡¯t even seen any of the arrows from that last fight with the archer, or even any of those damned traps. Ugh¡­ Well, as my plan stood now, I guess the second option was my only real option. I was just going to have to try and just storm through till I was strong enough¡­ or found someone who was. Though¡­ I don¡¯t know if I liked that option either, especially since the last time I had tried something similar, I had just ended up in this exact situation!


    I cursed and kicked a rock, muttering to myself as I continued on through the forest. I can¡¯t believe that they had just left me like that. I mean, the least they could have done was just stab me in the back! But no, they couldn¡¯t have been bothered to do some good ol¡¯ betrayal, instead they just unraveled all of that hard work I had painstakingly accomplished! They just let that fucking coward free! Not even an hour after being caught for the first time since they had begun their rampage! Ugh! I assumed that they probably had some plan to recapture them, but still! Fucking hell¡­ I was getting my cut at the end of the day, one way or another.


    My eyes scanned the forest, until finally, my passive skill picked up on something below me. I hummed to myself and looked more closely at the ground, laughing as what I saw reinforced what I had thought.


    I felt the edges of my lips twitch up into the ghost of a smile. Carefully, casually, and easily, I sauntered over the trap, humming to myself as I eyed the poorly hidden pitfall. Shoddy, rushed work. Hmm¡­ yes, I must be close to where the einha had eaten me.


    I smirked and picked up the pace, ducking and dodging around the trees until finally, I saw the glint and glimmer of an arrowhead. Fucking finally! I laughed and skipped into the clearing, eyeing the torn and destroyed ground and trees. Damn¡­ it really had been a hell of a fight.


    I eyed the edges of the clearing and then closed my eyes, struggling to remember where I had come in from, and where the entrance to the dungeon was. It took me a second to see what I had been looking for, but as I slowly walked around the edge of the clearing, my eyes rested on a deep cut on the tree. One that matched my claws¡­ perfectly. I laughed and slashed into the tree again, carving a deeper groove into the bark. Perfect indeed, perfect indeed!


    I tugged on the void, and activated sprint, charging off into the forest and straining my senses so that I didn¡¯t stumble into any other traps. I hadn¡¯t been exactly trying to run in a straight line when I had been avoiding the archer, but the Richter¡¯s had been. They needed to have set up some way to find their way back, and I just needed to find it. Or at least, I had been needing to find it. My senses suddenly pricked, and I couldn¡¯t help but let out a loud whistle as my eyes landed on the sneakily hidden R high up in the branches.


    I smirked and dashed forward again, chuckling to myself, ¡°Should¡¯ve known they¡¯d hide it up so high. It¡¯s perfect for Spyr and Cryon to see isn¡¯t it? Haha¡­ well, I guess I got the last laugh in the end! Thanks guys!¡±


    I dashed forward, laughing as I flew through the forest again. I had to be careful of the increase in traps of course, but as I raced along I was emboldened by more of the R¡¯s I saw, and an increase in the traps placed in the forest. Then, almost as if it was just spitting me out, I exploded out of the forest. There, in front of me was that same dungeon entrance that I had seen so long ago, and as my eyes searched near the opening, I let out a loud sigh of relief as I saw my bag hidden where I had left it. Oh thank the gods, I was getting sick of being naked!


    I flew forward and scaled the rocks, snagging a hold of the bag and tossing it up in the air, catching it as it fell down and ripping it open. There it all was, and as my eyes darted to the extra pile of clothes and jerky in the corner, I felt a smile explode onto my face. Good, I still had some gods damned food! Holy shit was I starving!


    I snatched them up and clothed myself, before tearing into the jerky cheerfully. I had been starving for years before, so I knew I could last a terribly long time before I needed to eat again, but I still felt the hunger. Still felt the thirst. Still felt the cold and the heat. I tugged the shirt and pants on and turned to the entrance to the dungeon entrance again with a laugh.


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    I considered it for a moment before shrugging and slinging my bag over my shoulder. Hmm¡­ Well, I still did have only those two options left, and the second one seemed better and better the more I considered it. Eh, well, this was the whole reason I came to the town wasn¡¯t it? To dive into this shit dungeon and get stronger. Yeah¡­ it was just about time that I did some real dungeon diving.


    I eyed the dark, but shrugged and started in after a moment. I didn¡¯t know what to expect, but still I walked on through the dark, heavily relying on my spatial awareness as the light quickly dimmed, and then vanished, making it so I couldn¡¯t see anything at all.


    I pursed my lips, but focused back on my spatial awareness, allowing it to do all the looking for me. Though, it wasn¡¯t like I really needed it. It was just more of the same, all around me. Just darkness and stone walls, continuing on seemingly endlessly in a straight line. On and on they went, and so did I. Simply walking forward through the dungeon until I finally arrived at an odd point in the dungeon. My senses reached out around me, but found nothing tangible besides the ground beneath my feet. No walls, no scents in the air, and not even the feel of the air on my skin.


    It was almost as if I had been dropped off into the middle of nowhere, and my heart raced as I froze still, my mind racing a million miles a minute. Nothing happened, nothing moved, and still I continued to simply stand there. Until suddenly, I felt it. A movement in the dark. A shift, or a rustle, I wasn¡¯t so sure, but I lashed out at it, frantically trying to stop it or fend it off, but I was much too late.


    It snatched me up as if I was nothing and flung me through the air, smacked me to the side, and then spun me as if I was a top. Inertia flung me every which way and I felt sick to the stomach as I crashed into a pillar, and then a wall, and then the floor.


    I groaned and tried to get up, but once again the thing latched on to me and tossed me flying through the air. Then I was swatted to the side, flung upwards, and then slammed into the ground once more. I was expecting pain to be screaming through my body, but even with all of the ragdolling, I still somehow felt okay. Somehow still whole.


    My eyes were wide, and so when the darkness lit up with color, it instantly blinded me. As my eyes shriveled and stung, I cried out in shock, slamming them shut as fast as I could. Pain pulsed through me, forming an instant headache as afterimages of color flashed across my eyelids.


    I bared my teeth and shook my head as I felt tears sliding down my cheeks as my eyes struggled to heal and adjust. I panted and rubbed my eyes with the heels of my hands and groaned in annoyance. Holy fuck that was so bright!


    I took a long moment, but slowly, ever so slowly, I opened my eyes and peered out, amazement screaming through my body as I looked around. The once dull and dark tunnel was full of color, bedazzling diagrams, shapes, and symbols. They morphed and flowed and changed, becoming one shape after another as I sat there and took it all in. It was just¡­ too much. Too much color, too many things, and just too much¡­ stuff! I frowned and let my eyes flick around my surroundings for an exit. I much preferred Grim¡¯s, or hell even Verdant¡¯s, realm over this.


    Almost as if it could hear the thought, I felt that same thing from before grab onto me aggressively. I yelped as it ripped me from the dungeon floor and flung me into the color filled expanse once more, before suddenly forcing me to stop and flinging me the other way. Then I was flipped, twisted, spun, and then slapped straight into a wall so hard I felt a massive bruise form.


    I yelped in pain, but it wasn¡¯t done with me, and I was tossed back and forth even more aggressively, crashing into colorful wall after colorful wall. I groaned as my head went woozy, and I shook my head hard, struggling not to black out. What the hell was this? A trap or something?


    Panic coursed through me, and I slashed out with my claws in a whirlwind. I was hoping to cut any wires or monsters that could be around, but my claws passed through thin air, pissing me off even more. I roared and slashed again, narrowing my eyes to block out the colorful views around me, but it didn¡¯t do anything. I was still getting dragged and thrown around by the mysterious entity, and the kaleidoscopic views refused to change.


    Then, it fucked up. It flung me hard at what I had figured out was the wall, and I spun, pointing my legs down. When they impacted, I allowed them to bunch up, and then I pushed off hard, slapping the void and activating leap at the same time. I exploded off of the wall, the entity weakly snapping at my heels as I flew through the wild section of the dungeon. I started to laugh, but was cut short as my body crumpled into a springy wall. I yelped as I ricocheted off of it, slamming into the ground and feeling my bones crack and crunch as I bounced along on the ground.


    As I slid to a stop I let out a long groan, pain filling my body as I laid there. Ow¡­ what the fuck was that? I shook my arm and sat up, glaring at the space in front of me. It just looked like the same colorful walls around me, shifting and changing and swirling in that same wild and chaotic way. But as I reached my hand out, it slowed, stronger and stronger resistance pushing back against me until it finally stopped.


    But¡­ that wasn¡¯t entirely true either. I grinned and extended my claws out, the tips of them piercing through the field ever so slightly. I winced as I felt them vibrate from the resistance, but forced them to drag down anyway. The field resisted even harder, making my claws feel like they were going to rip out of my fingers, but I didn¡¯t care. I could see the other side of this colorful hell, and I wasn¡¯t about to just roll over and show my belly now.


    I roared and stabbed into the void, feeling it hiss and swirl around. I growled at it and tore out the sharp strength I needed, activating pierce and punching my arm forward even harder. It worked about as well as I was hoping, and the stubborn wall gave way to my hand and arm, which popped on through comically easily.


    I laughed as I realized that it worked, but then I realized that I had another problem on my hands now. I had been able to get through, sure, but unfortunately, that also put me in an incredibly comical and quite awkward position. I grunted, and wriggled my arm on the other side awkwardly, feeling around the odd wall. There was nothing that I could feel, and nothing touched or snagged it which was rather nice but also told me absolutely nothing about the other side of the wall.


    I pursed my lips, and then slowly pulled my arm back, feeling the wall resist me the whole way. Then it came unstuck with an odd pop noise, and I fell on my ass with a yelp. I grumbled and got to my feet, watching as the wall struggled to heal the hole in it. How odd¡­ I would have thought the hole would remain, but maybe the wall was a living being? Maybe it had something to do with that odd entity from earlier¡­


    I exhaled, and then stabbed into the void once more, trying to do something I hadn¡¯t attempted before. I ground my teeth together as I activated sprint, revving my entire body, and charged at where I figured the field was. Then, at the last moment, I slapped the void, causing my legs to activate leap and fly through the air, sending me headfirst into the field. It came up fast, and I screamed and brought my arms up in front of me, the resistance crushing my fingers as I desperately attacked the void again, demanding that same strength as before.


    The void coiled up and hissed at me, extremely displeased that I was asking so much from it so quickly, but as I continued pushing and stabbing deeper for the strength I needed, it relinquished it, albeit unwillingly, and pierce was activated. The resistance that was in front of me wavered and then tore as I flew at it and through it, aiming for what lay behind this colorful hellhole.


    I laughed as I sailed through the air into pure, blissful darkness, ¡°Haha! Yes! That actually fucking worked! Fucking finally!¡±


    I kept on laughing until I slammed head first into the ground, cracking my head so hard that my vision went black for a moment. I groaned and writhed painfully on the ground for a long moment, cursing at the fact that I hadn¡¯t been paying attention to my spatial awareness, which had been telling me exactly what and where the danger was.


    After I got my vision back, I dragged in a long, painful breath, and crawled to my feet, groaning. Damn¡­ I was definitely not using that combination anytime soon. I could still feel the pissed off void coiled up inside me, and  as I reached out to it, it hissed and snapped at me, emanating its intense displeasure. Shit¡­ I¡¯d have to make it up to it somehow later¡­ Which would be interesting considering how I had no idea how to do that¡­


    I sighed and looked around, relying entirely on my spatial awareness. I¡¯d have to give it a moment before I tried to use any of my skills, but thankfully that was a passive skill so I didn¡¯t have to rely on calling upon the void. There was really no telling how pissed off it was, but¡­ I would definitely have to call on it soon because wherever in the dungeon that I was now¡­ it was not a safe place to be.


    I could tell that I was in the dungeon still, but it was¡­ different. The walls oozed with contempt, and in the distance I could hear a haunting howl and the rattle of what could only be bones. My senses screamed out that I was in danger, and to get out of there as soon as possible.


    I pursed my lips and looked around more, the area still being lit up by the colorful abomination that was behind me. The walls were made of stone and dirt, and though they gave me a bad feeling, I could tell that they were natural, almost as if they had been dug out by a normal living creature.


    Though¡­ even that was a bit of a stretch, since they would have had to have been at least fifteen feet tall given the height and width of the ceilings and walls.  The cave had no other light besides what was coming from behind me from the colorful room, but at the same time, I could tell that there would be torches eventually. Or at least¡­ there once was, since I could smell the traces of smoke and ash in the air.


    I sighed and cracked my knuckles and rubbed my side. My bones, cuts, and scrapes were almost healed, and I could tell that the void was uncoiling, silently forgiving me for my transgressions and getting ready to offer up its power once more. I eyed the darkness and hummed to myself, taking a cautious step forward. It was about damn time I did some real dungeon diving!