Darkness covered the entire forest, even the moon decided to shy away that night. The only light source available was a makeshift campfire. Ashton listened to the sounds of the forest, or lack thereof. The forest was silent, like death was crawling around and the animals fled. The only sounds that he could hear were those of the wood creaking, and Fauna’s snoring.
“This is so calm…”, said Ashton, adding a branch into the fire.
“I can’t believe we got reincarnated. No, I can’t even start to believe we died.”
Maybe I should try using my skills ?, he thought.
Ashton got up, and turned his back to the fire.
“I used Elemental Arrow earlier to make the fire, so I got that covered.”
He was thinking, What could I try?
Looking around, he saw Fauna drooling in her sleep. Maybe I can try that ?
Ashton raised his hand toward Fauna and said, “Blessed Barrier”.
A translucent-green barrier appeared around the girl. Although, you could still hear her snoring.
Ashton threw a stone he picked up at her, which bounced back.
“Nice.”
Nothing of importance happened during Ashton’s watch. After spending what felt like three hours doing nothing but keeping the fire maintained and watching the stars in the sky, Ashton woke Xia.
“Hey, Xia, it’s your turn.”
Xia opened her eyes slowly, trying to understand what was happening.
“Ashton? Why are you in my house?”, questioned Xia in her hazed mind.
“We’re not home. It’s your turn to watch the camp.”
“Huh… Oh!”
After understanding what Ashton was trying to say, Xia sat down and yawned.
“Do you want me to use Abundant Energy ? It will relieve your sleepiness.”
“Nah, I’m fine. The air’s cold enough,” said Xia before getting on her feet. “Did anything happen ?”
“Nope, nothing. Not a single bird sound, not a mouse, nothing.”
“Weird… Even in another world there should be some sound in a forest, no?”
“I don’t know. Maybe? Does Shadow Rader say anything?”
“No. So either there’s something too far for my skill to catch, or there’s nothing.”
“Alright. If something appears to you, just wake us up. Don’t try to fight alone.”
“Yeah. I’ll do that.”
However, despite their worries, nothing happened that night. Seeing the sun getting up, Fauna woke Xia and Ashton.
“I think we should leave the forest now,” said Ashton.
Xia nodded, “We can’t survive off the forest alone.”
“And the weather might worsen,” added Fauna.
“Yes. I think Fauna has a good point for once.”
“What does that mean, Ashton?” shouted Fauna.
Ashton threw dirt at the campfire to extinguish it before turning back to his friends. “Let’s go.”
“Where to?”
“Good question, north is most probably that way, considering how the sun was yesterday so… north?”
“In stories like this, everyone always goes north,” Xia muttered.
“Well, we have to go somewhere anyway,” said Fauna with a shrug, already walking away without a care in the world.
Xia and Ashton looked at each other, sighed, and reluctantly followed her.
After walking for over an hour by now, the trio felt something falling on their heads.
“Is it raining?” asked Xia.
“Looks like it,” answered Ashton.
“It’s nothing, it’s not like it’s raining cats and dogs!” announced Fauna happily. Then it started raining cats and dogs.
Five minutes passed. Then ten. Then thirty. The rain never stopped.
Mud crept on their feet, slowly getting up their pants like a venom.
Noone could tell how much time had passed since it started raison.
An hour? Two? Maybe less than one? It was impossible to tell.
Then, like a spring of life, something different happened.
Ashton and Xia heard a yelp, quickly followed by “splash”. Fauna had fallen, or maybe she decided to take a mud bath by herself.
Laughter erupted from Fauna’s friend. They couldn’t even help her up. It took them a solid minute before calming down.
“Finally! Can’t you help me out?” Fauna snapped, clearly pissed.
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“Sorry, sorry! It was just too funny,” said Ashton, trying to calm her and his laughter.
Xia and Ashton held out their hands so Fauna could get out, but she was having none of it.
She grabbed their hands, then yanked them into the mud with her.
“Who’s laughing now, bitches?”
After what felt like six hours, the downpour ceased. Rain had washed off most of the mud from their heads and hair.
Ashton looked up at the sky and spotted the sun high up. It was around midday, maybe one o’clock. And it seemed that Fauna’s stomach agreed, gurgling loudly.
“Fauna, we still have some berries if you’re hungry,” said Xia.
“But I’m not hungry ? Wasn’t it your stomach, Xia ?”
“No… Ashton?”
“Not mine either.”
The three stopped in their tracks as realization struck them.
There’s something else here.
“Xia?”
“Not connected to my shadow.”
“Guys… Look up,” Fauna said, her voice shaking.
Ashton and Xia looked up. There was something in the sky. Something that could definitely be the source of the rumbling they heard.
It was a massive dark form, the light from the sun coming straight down toward it. Circling around them like a hawk eyeing its prey. It looked like a bear, but with long wings that spanned over three meters long each. It was a flying creature that should have not been able to.
Fauna grabbed her friends' hands and took off through the mud – which wasn't very fast, if we were honest. The hawk-bear chimera noticed that its prey were trying to escape and began its descent.
Quickly – faster than a bullet, even – the chimera reached them and tackled Ashton. The attack threw the boy against a tree like a football, joined by the girls soon after. The three of them heard a cracking sound coming from Ashton.
“Ashton!” exclaimed Fauna, “Are you ok?”
“Yeah… I think.” answered Ashton.
“I think we need to fight that thing,” said Xia matter-of-factly.
“Fauna, help me get up please.” requested Ashton, “I think I’m stuck.”
“Sure.”
Fauna tried to help Ashton get up, and he did – for a second – before his leg abandoned him. As soon as Fauna had let him go, Ashton fell on the ground, eyes wide.
“I can’t… feel my legs.”, Ashton said – alarmed – as fright crept up his spine.
However, the chimera wasn’t taking kindly to the fact that its prey were trying to scurry like rats in a sewer, and went for another attack. It roared, paralyzing the three of them and grabbed Ashton by the leg. It ate his leg.
Ashton couldn’t even scream since he was paralyzed. He couldn’t try to run, he couldn’t even try to crawl away. Why did God send us to this forest ? Will I die once again ? Like that ? Like nothing mattered ?
Anxiety kept growing in his mind. Will I get another chance at life ? Will I be reincarnated with Fauna and Xia again ?
As Ashton was getting ready to die, he heard something faint – a voice, most likely. It was nearby but unrecognisable.
“A…n”, said the voice. Is that Xia ?
“ton!” said another voice. That sounded like Fauna.
Another roar. The voices stopped. It was them ! They’re still alive!
Ashton looked at the chimera, munching on his leg like it was a dog’s toy. Only one thing crossed Ashton’s mind : Bastard.
Ashton casted God’s Hand on himself, raising all his statistics by fifty percent. Without wasting time, he swiftly used Elemental Arrow two times. Two water arrows hit the chimera square in the face – they probably did no damage. Before the chimera attacked him again, he sent another Elemental Arrow, this time it was the electricity element. It probably chipped away at its health, but the important thing was that the chimera got paralysed by the attack.
Ashton stopped God’s Hand and used Holy Blessing on the three of them. This stopped the paralysis.
Fauna and Xia sprung to their feet and were about to go to Ashton when he said “Kill it while it’s paralysed ! We don’t have much time !”
The girls turned back toward the chimera and jumped on it. Ashton casted God’s Hand on Fauna since she is the strongest of them.
A notification appeared on his system.
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SYSTEM
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You helped your ally while bleeding out.
Received 10 System Points.
Ashton quickly opened the Skill Shop. He searched for a skill that could be used to heal himself and found one. Great! he thought.
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SKILL SHOP
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HEALING LIGHT
Heal the target’s injuries over time.
Cost 100 MP.
BUY - 50 SP
I can’t buy the skill… So I guess I’ll die today. At least they’re safe.
The chimera let out a roar that turned into a rattle, a death rattle. Then, nothing. It died.
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SYSTEM
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You killed your first monster !
Received 20 System Points.
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SYSTEM
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You leveled up for the first time !
Received 10 System Points.
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SYSTEM
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You killed your first monster with a deadly injury !
Received 50 System Points.
Three system notifications appeared in front of Ashton. He didn’t take the time to read them in detail and bought Healing Light.
If I cast Healing Light, with my traits I’d need 25 MP… And I only have 5 MP left… I’ll buy more MP with the remaining points.
Pouring the remaining System Points to increase his MP capacity, he reached the measly 25 MP he needed – and casted Healing Light on himself.
The sound of flesh ripping reached the ears of Fauna and Xia. They saw Ashton’s leg growing back slowly. First the bones appeared with small magical red cubes, muscles made of those cubes covered them and the skin quickly followed – there is no doubt that Ashton would have suffered greatly if the depletion of his MP didn’t knock him out.
Fauna and Xia watched Ashton’s leg growing back with disgust.
Fauna gagged. Then puked.
Staring at the unconscious boy, Xia thought.
If he didn’t have Zealous Healer and Great Mage slashing the cost of MP, he might already be dead. He risked his life so we survived…
