“Why are you not following the Owler?” Mrs. Zerog’s voice rang out, but I could not find her—or anyone else, for that matter.
My blade was still drenched in the blood of the three 3-Star Wilds I’d killed, yet their corpses were nowhere to be seen. All that remained was a wounded deer, mantled in a thick plumage of dirty-white feathers, fleeing from the battlefield.
Three 3-Star Wilds had attacked the beast, the Owler, and wounded it severely. It would have only been a matter of minutes before the Owler succumbed to their combined attacks. That is, if I hadn’t intervened. The refined silvernit sword, a little bit of ether, and good timing were all it took to kill one of the predators. The remaining two would have been no issue for Aureus and me to deal with, yet it was the Owler who helped me. It rammed into the 3-Star Wilds, knocking them to the ground, just enough for me to end one of them.
Aureus could have paralyzed the other beast, but I stopped him from exerting his trait. There was no need to waste Aureus’ precious power when we had three more 3-Star Wilds to kill.
“Following a wounded beast doesn’t sound smart in unfamiliar territory. I don’t know anything about Owlers, or where it’s running. There could be more Owlers in that direction. Even if there aren’t, it’s bleeding heavily and will attract all nearby predators, be it Soilbacks in groups too large for me to handle, or stronger beasts,” I answered into the vicinity, unsure where to look.
“Is that all?” Mr. Zerog’s stern voice cut through the silence that followed my explanation.
My lips parted, but I found myself hesitating to answer. What would they think if they knew everything? What would they think of me?
“That... I think that sounds a bit stupid, but the Owler did not look like it wanted to kill me. It didn’t display the same…” I tilted my head, searching for the words. “It didn’t display the same ferocity... or bloodthirst as all the other beasts I’ve fought until now.”
Nobody responded, and I felt stupid for speaking my mind.
Everything would have been better if I had kept my mouth shut. I grimaced, regretting what I said, until Mr. Zerog’s voice rang out once more.
“Your reasoning is more than acceptable. Keep going, Adam. You have four hours left to eliminate three more 3-Star Wilds.”
Only four hours? I was sure only one or two had passed since we landed in the Oridon Mountains. That meant the mountain valley was home to even fewer beasts than I’d anticipated. And even fewer 3-Star Wilds than I could have hoped for.
The worst, however, was that there weren’t any more smaller groups. My first two encounters had been strokes of fortune, as they’d been the only pairs I’d encountered in the last few hours.
Aureus crawled on top of my head and stretched his body as I moved away from the battlefield. However, as I stepped away, Aureus informed me of a few ‘guests.’ He pulled on our bond, which was suddenly filled with an overabundance of fury and impatience.
Soilbacks? I concluded at once. How many? Where?
Following Aureus’ guidance, I turned southeast and rushed to the nearest tree. Even though I couldn’t find the Soilbacks, I didn’t doubt my Soulkin’s judgment for a moment. Or, to put it more bluntly, I didn’t doubt my Soulkin’s raging emotions for a moment. Only Soilbacks could enrage my tiny companion this much.
Once I had a tree to hide behind, Aureus leaped from my head. He climbed around the tree trunk and sent images of a Soilback trio. The three Soilbacks were mature, their heads held high into the air, their nostrils flaring. Aureus used images and emotions to explain what the incoming enemies were doing before showering me with memories showing exactly what we were going to do.
I’m glad we’re on the same side. I grinned at my companion, who responded in kind.
Three mature Soilbacks were heading toward the battlefield, following the scent of blood. They walked past the tree line I was hiding near, as well as the small shrub I had chosen as additional cover. I crouched behind the densely-grown shrub without even looking at the beasts, making myself as small as possible, waiting for the command.
The beasts ignored the vegetation around them and walked past the tree Aureus had climbed. Images showing the mature beasts nearing the shrub appeared in my mind, but I stayed unmoving. My wildly beating heart was my greatest worry, but it didn’t look like the Soilbacks noticed anything as they drew near.
Aureus let out a loud, high-pitched shriek and sent an image of the Soilbacks’ heads jerking back to look at him. But I barely registered the image as I leaped to my feet and burst through the shrub.
The Soilbacks were even closer than I’d anticipated, but they were all looking at Aureus, just as we expected. Once in attack range, I lunged forward, sword arm leading. The silvernit sword acted like an extension of my body as it whipped at the nearest Soilback, piercing straight through its neck in one smooth motion. I twisted the blade and ripped it out with brute force. My legs carried me around the first target and pushed me toward the second Soilback, which was frozen on the spot.
The beast didn’t even try to resist Aureus’ paralysis, and it stayed frozen long enough for me to drag my razor-sharp blade across its neck. I didn’t spare a single glance at the second beast as I passed by its stone-breaking jaw, much closer than I would have been comfortable under normal circumstances. I was still scared shitless, half-expecting something to go wrong. However, I trusted Aureus more than I trusted myself. Enough to press on. Keeping my momentum, I reached the final Soilback as it turned to face me.
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The beast’s maw opened for a roar, but it didn’t get out a single sound as it froze on the spot. A moment later, my blade tore into the beast’s maw and pierced its throat.
My hair stood on end, excitement blossoming at completing my mission just as Aureus returned to my World to recover from using his trait at full power twice in a row. My movements never halted. I twisted the blade and slashed sideways, creating a lethal wound as I pulled it out.
Aureus joined my excitement with waves of joy and satisfaction from the World. He’d played a major role in the death of the Soilbacks, resulting in the defeat of the last of ten 3-Star Wilds we had to kill to complete the mission.
I slashed the Soilback’s neck, tearing through its thick, muddy scales with my ether-infused blade to end its suffering, and I felt…good. Too good. Killing was still nauseating, but my mind was already drifting to the training Daniel’s parents would offer me. To all the knowledge I’d receive in the next few months.
Yet, as my mind drifted to the future, I failed to sense the darkness around me. It was still afternoon and bright all around, except for where I was standing.
Something’s not right.
My hair stood on end, and I sensed bloodlust, too potent to be fully concealed, lingering over me. The darkness around me grew thicker, and my ears perked up. My head flicked to the sky, and my heart skipped a beat as something descended. I moved on instinct, guiding ether through my body. It surged toward my legs, tearing at my muscles as I leaped to the side, unleashing the ether surge all at once.
I failed to roll smoothly on the ground, the pain in my legs and the shock of the surprise attack tormenting my mind, but I scrambled to my feet before the unknown assailant struck again.
My hands hurt almost as much as my calves as I clutched the refined silvernit sword tightly, and I welcomed the pain. Pain meant my worst wounds were my knuckles and my calves. As long as it was only that, I’d be fine.
Or so I wanted to convince myself as I stared at a falcon the size of my body. Its wings were at least thrice my height, and its plumage was so dark, it reminded me of starless nights. The black falcon regarded me through its dark, button-like eyes and flapped its wings once.
My mind went blank, my body unmoving as the shadows around the beast coalesced. It didn’t attack, but it didn’t need to in order to scare the living shit out of me. I was doing that all by myself as realization dawned.
Fuck…an Awakened? Seriously?
Where were the others? The corpses of the Soilbacks had already vanished into crackles of electricity, yet the Zerog family hadn’t intervened.
Really? You expect me to fight this thing?
I gripped my sword even tighter and tried to convince myself that Daniel and his parents were there, somewhere, and that they would protect me the moment the Awakened beast attacked. As much as I hated to rely on their help, knowing they were somewhere did help. It didn’t dispel the tension, nor was it enough to prevent a nervous breakdown, but it did something.
At least Aureus would be alright. I grimaced, shifting to a defensive stance as the atmospheric ether rippled.
However, no matter how prepared I’d been for the black falcon’s attack, I couldn’t do anything against the pointed feather that burst from the coalesced shadows at blinding speed. I saw the feather and felt the shift of ether as it formed, yet I could only manage a tiny step before blood burst from my thigh. The pain came only moments later, the strength in my right leg faded, and I let out a pained scream.
At that moment, the black falcon was upon me. I didn’t even see it move, yet it was there, shadowy feathers revolving around it.
Will I die here? I suddenly thought, my eyes widening in terror.
For a moment, I forgot all about the Zerog family and the protection they had offered. All I could think about was the joy of life I’d experienced in the last few months, what would happen to Aureus if I were to die, and how my parents would react to my death.
I… couldn’t die. No, I wouldn’t die!
My subconscious drifted to the World and Aureus’ bond, which flared up as his thoughts and desires overlapped with mine. We desired the same. We… were two souls in one body. We were one and the same, and we shared everything.
Searing pain shot into my eyes, but it didn’t stay there. My core dried up, yet it craved more and more ether. It sucked the ether out of my body and spread the searing heat throughout my entire being.
Time seemed to come to a crawl, and I watched the black falcon attack. It was still fast, even though time around me had slowed, and I knew I would never be able to block the incoming strike. However, I watched the black falcon as its talons neared my face, and I lifted my sword. The silvernit blade moved even slower than the beast, until I locked eyes with the darkness in the falcon’s gaze.
The beast’s talons stopped mid-air. My sword continued to move forward, carrying an unfamiliar, heavy presence as it reached the falcon’s plumage. It carved through the stone-hard feathers and would have cut even deeper if the situation had allowed it. However, that was not the case.
Time returned to its natural flow, the paralyzed Awakened beast moved again, and the strength I’d built over the last few months faded.
I… felt as weak as I had been before I bound Aureus, which could not have come at a worse time. My eyes burned, my sight was hazy, and the rest of my body felt as feeble as it had for most of my life as the black falcon’s talons closed in on my head. They were only centimeters away when a violet flash whipped past me.
The falcon could barely shriek once before the projectile struck, yanking the Awakened beast away. It smashed into a nearby tree, a gaping hole in its chest, and its plumage charred.
The talons never touched me, yet the scar of death lingered above me. It clutched me tightly, and the sense of my oh-so-familiar weakness did little to reassure me. The dread only lifted when a firm hand landed on my shoulder, sending warmth and ether into my dried-up body.
Mrs. Zerog emerged beside the Awakened beast in a burst of violet ether alongside Daniel, whose eyes lingered on me.
“This is curious. You have only refined your second ether gate, yet your body keeps absorbing more and more ether,” Mr. Zerog’s voice rang in my ears as strength returned to my body. His ether spread evenly through me and filled the gaps my desperate struggle with the Awakened falcon had left behind.
I looked up with a questioning expression, but Daniel’s father waved dismissively.
“Ignore what I just said.” He looked at me for a moment and offered a faint, encouraging smile. “I think congratulations are in order. You did it.”
I… did it? Wait, yes I did!
Nearly dying to an Awakened beast had been scary, to say the least. It was frightening enough to nearly make me forget why I was in the Oridon Mountains in the first place.
I had killed ten 3-Star Wilds, which meant that I had completed the mission.
I am going to join the Camp.
It felt surreal, but it was real… right?