Three more of the creatures dove at my head. I ducked and poofed out my tail and fur. These things wanted a fight, and I was ready to give it to them! They were just little butterflies; how dangerous could they possibly be?
I glared at the swarm, a growl forming deep in my throat as I pinned my ears back. How dare they attack me? I was a Level 1 creature! They should fear me for my overpowering strength!
But…hadn’t Amsiii said they were Level 1, too? That didn’t make any sense. They were insects. All they did was hop between flowers!
The swarm approached in a giant ball of fluttering blue and gray. My bravado left me. That was a lot of creatures that were supposedly the same level as me. I turned and leapt back into the brambles from which I came.
Only the wingbeats did not fade behind me. I turned my ears back, tracking the swarm as my eyes focused ahead. They were coming. I sprinted from the brambles, running as fast as I could through the flower field where the first Petal Hopper had died and into the dense woods beyond.
I raced ahead, a black streak across the forest floor. I needed somewhere to hide from these tiny menaces, but where? The trees would be a death trap against flying enemies! Maybe a hole in the ground? Any burrow would likely be occupied, but one enemy was better than the innumerable enemies behind me.
Fear coursed through me, sending adrenaline straight through my limbs and all the way to my paws. I’d been running like this before. The feeling was familiar. I was the prey now.
The Petal Hoppers streaked after me. Though the swarm was not as fast and coordinated as an individual had been, they were still gaining on me. I urged my paws to move faster, urged my eyes to spot any sort of hiding place, but it was for nothing.
Three Hoppers streaked ahead of the swarm, flying right over my head. I lashed out with my teeth, crushing the creature’s wings.
Congratulations. Level 1 Petal Hopper defeated. Experience gained.
The other two Petal Hoppers were not pleased with the death of their companion. They landed on my ears and shook their wings at me. More of the powder released by the first Hopper coated my fur. Was that all the creatures could do?
Ha! Had I really been so afraid of such tiny creatures? They had no vicious claws or terrible jaws to hurt me. They just had this silly, glittery powder.
I slowed my pace, shaking my ears to dislodge the two Petal Hoppers before batting one right out of the air and killing it swiftly. Though the other one retreated in time to return to the swarm, I was still ready.
Congratulations. Level 1 Petal Hopper defeated. Experience gained.
The rest of the swarm was soon on me as I crouched, ready to harvest this field of experience so that Amsiii might look favorably upon me once more. I threw myself into the air, catching four of the tiny creatures in my jaws. When I landed, I caught another between my paws.
Congratulations. Five Level 1 Petal Hoppers defeated. Experience gained.
With each of their brethren I ended, the remaining Hoppers dumped more of the powder on me. Soon, my coat was so covered in the stuff that I was less of a black cat and more of a blue one. Still, it didn’t seem harmful. It just itched a bit and made me sneeze.
The Petal Hoppers began to keep a wide berth as they continued to pepper me with powder. It was odd. What were they planning?
A bigger Hopper separated itself from the swarm, darting at me with the same blinding speed the smaller individuals had shown. I ducked. It beat its gray wings, shedding more powder over me, this time gray. The gray powder fell upon my nose. I sneezed. This stuff itched more than the blue powder had.
The gray one landed on my head. I batted it away, but the moment my paw made contact with the shimmering wings, it began to burn. I hissed, pulling it back. My paw pads were covered in gray powder. It burned into my pads. My nose was starting to itch more. I sneezed again.
Another gray one separated itself from the swarm. I swatted at it, claws bared, but it flitted around me, shaking its wings over my back. My fur began to itch more and more. I shook myself, trying to dislodge the powder before it reached my skin.
Only it was too late. The itching turned to a burning sensation all along my back. I couldn’t get it off!
The gray Petal Hoppers dove down for another pass. I sprang into the air, catching one in my teeth. I tried my best to only touch the black bodies, but as the creature died, its wings released powder that went straight up my nose. I howled in agony as the burning pain shot up my snout and into my throat.
Congratulations. Level 2 Petal Hopper defeated. Experience gained.
Level 2? The gray ones were Level 2?!
I coughed, trying to dislodge the vile powder from my nose, but it was useless. Blood began to drip from my nose as the irritant made its way deeper into my system.
As the blood dripped onto the grass, the Petal Hoppers seemed to all stop. They hovered in place. Somehow, that was more unnerving than the tornado of blue and gray that had previously swirled around me.
I growled and pinned my ears back at the swarm. They were a deceptive enemy, one that I would not be fooled by again. Whatever the blue powder did, it had lured me into a false sense of security, making me an easy target for the gray Petal Hoppers to take advantage of.
Then the first blue Hopper dove. I swatted it from the sky.
Congratulations. Level 1 Petal Hopper defeated. Experience gained.
It was followed by three more.
Congratulations. Level 1 Petal Hopper defeated. Experience gained.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
Level up to Level 2.
One Aptitude point available for allocation.
Amsiii praised my violence and rewarded me with another level. I wasn’t quite sure what that did for me at this time, but I had more important problems.
Of the three Petal Hoppers that had streaked towards me, two had made it past my wickedly sharp claws. These ones landed on my back and two sharp pains erupted amidst the furious itching on my back. They bit me! And, as my blood welled up from the bites, the itchy powder only made the injuries burn worse.
So much for not having vicious claws and terrible jaws…
The Petal Hoppers did not need claws like mine. Their powder was dangerous enough. I couldn’t fight these, not with four more gray ones watching me from the swarm…and those were just the ones I could see! There could be dozens of gray ones lurking behind their blue brethren.
I turned, fleeing as fast as my legs would carry me. The Petal Hoppers continued their pursuit, staying right on my tail as I raced through the woods. My lungs burned with every breath, the powder having penetrated deep into my system.
What had I done wrong? How could I have known that there would be powerful gray ones among the relatively harmless blue ones? They were so small, I had been so convinced that my fears were irrational. I should have listened more to my instincts. If I’d just kept running, I might have been able to spare myself this vile itching!
I wove between trees, searching once more for a hole or bush that would stop the Petal Hoppers. No obvious options presented themselves. Every tree had holes and knots used by lesser creatures of the forest, but few were big enough to hide me. Those that were big enough wouldn’t provide much cover from my enemies!
My legs were growing tired. I wasn’t built for long sprints. My lungs burned and my body screamed to stop and rest, but the Hoppers were only inches behind my tail.
There had to be something I could do! I was a great and majestic being! Surely there was something I could do to escape the Petal Hoppers!
Like a saint from on high, Amsiii had an answer.
Aptitude points available: 2
Aptitude points! Yes! I had gotten them with each level up! Amsiii! What can I do with aptitude points?
System Activation of Welcome to Atria
Aptitude determines an individual’s skill with the four classes of magic: Environmental, Internal, Energetics, and Enervation. Applying an Aptitude point to a class increases the ease at which an individual can cast spells with traits from that class.
Great! Allocate Aptitude points! Quickly!
Aptitude points available: 2
Allocate points to which class of magic?
That…was a good question. I doubted that I could learn enough magic in order to outrun them in the next thirty seconds. Instead, I needed something to make the Petal Hoppers go away so that I could escape!
Amsiii! Which class of magic can I use to make them go away?
System Activation of Welcome to Atria
There are four classes of magic-
AMSIII!!! I DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THE FULL LESSON!
Amsiii went quiet. I got the distinct feeling that it was sulking. Fine. I was on my own to figure this out. Once I was out of danger, then I would let Amsiii give me the full run down.
Okay. What do I know? The four schools are called Internal, Environmental, Energetics, and Enervation. My problem didn’t call for an internal solution. The Petal Hoppers were distinctly outside of me. That left Environmental, Energetics, and Enervation. Energetics was likely something to do with energy, but it and enervation both had the potential to be completely worthless without Amsiii’s knowledge on how this aptitude system worked. Environmental magic at least had the promise of doing something to the world outside of me. That’s what I needed, right now.
Allocate all points to Environmental!
Allocating 2 Aptitude points to Environmental.
Spell Discovered: Telekinesis I
Purrfect! It was time to get to work.
I suddenly became aware of a swirling pool of warmth inside me. As the aptitude was assigned to Environmental, the pool had changed ever so slightly. This was the pool from which my magic would be cast, of that I was certain.
Focusing my mind, I urged the pool of warmth to surge outward. As I ran, I spotted a tree branch on the ground nearby. It was small but would make for a good swatting tool to keep the Petal Hoppers off me for just a little while longer.
The pool in my stomach surged outwards as I cast Telekinesis I. Orange light surged around the branch as it was dragged along the ground behind me. I twisted my burning snout, forcing my focus entirely on the branch. It was a small miracle that I didn’t run into anything.
The branch lifted off the ground, but it stubbornly refused to swat the Petal Hoppers, instead just rising through their ranks. It would have to do for now…
I dropped my focus on the spell. The branch crashed down through the swarm.
Congratulations. Six Level 1 Petal Hoppers defeated. Experience gained.
Congratulations. Three Level 2 Petal Hoppers defeated. Experience gained.
Ha! Take that you powdery little imp-spawn! Who’s the predator now!?
But, the answer was obvious. There were hundreds of Petal Hoppers, and only one me. They were still the predators, and I was still running for my life!
Spite replaced the fear in my heart. If they were going to hunt me down, then I would take them down with me! They would rue the day that they challenged me!
Gathering the pool of warmth inside me once more, I found a small rock just in front of me. I focused on throwing the rock as fast as I could into the swarm of Hoppers. Telekinesis obeyed and the stone flew through the air, straight through the middle of the swarm.
Congratulations. Four Level 1 Petal Hoppers defeated. Experience gained.
Damn. None of the gray ones had been hit. The Petal Hoppers rallied and continued the pursuit.
My legs grew tired, spite and adrenaline running low. My lungs still burned, though less than they had before. That was worrying in itself. Had the pain become so great that my body was beginning to numb it? Was the damage so bad?
Just a little more! I just needed to dissuade the swarm just a little longer!
With a yowl that bubbled up from the very deepest part of my tiny body, I threw every last ounce of my magical warmth at a large branch nearby. This one had many leaves on it. It would be heavy, but I was desperate. It rose slowly, and I poured more of my inner magic into the spell. It surged high into the air, swinging straight across the swarm.
Congratulations. Twenty-Five Level 1 Petal Hoppers defeated. Experience gained.
Congratulations. Six Level 2 Petal Hoppers defeated. Experience gained.
The swarm slowed some as the branch tore through their ranks. I kept running, not looking back. I darted through a bush, scrambling to the other side.
I ran until the wingbeats faded into silence. The sun cast long evening rays through the trees when I finally collapsed into the grass. My paws ached, my skin burned, and my breath was ragged. I’d survived the stupid Petal Hoppers, but at what cost?
I allowed myself to rest only until the sun’s rays had disappeared completely from the forest. Night was even more dangerous than the day. Other predators may be wandering. I needed to find shelter. A tree, perhaps?
I swiveled my ears around, looking for a tree that didn’t have as many sounds as the others. Finding a suitable one, I padded forward, my tail dragging across the ground.
I would love to report that I made it safely into the tree, had a lovely night’s sleep, then woke up perfectly fine in the morning, but that isn’t what happened.
I did not see the hollow in the tree’s trunk in time. I did not see the hole in the ground until it opened up beneath my paws. The ground heaved and split apart, and I was swallowed by the depths.