Dark figures roamed in the distance, so far away that it was impossible for Astrid to tell if they were regular animals or vicious monsters. It was likely the latter. It had been a while since she had seen wild animals in the area near the farm, as they had fled to other places when the monsters began arriving. That was almost three years ago, and each passing day brought those ferocious beasts closer to her home.

At first, there had only been a few monsters, but soon their numbers increased, which made it too dangerous to venture outside the fence surrounding the cottage and stables. Monsters had always existed, but outside of dungeons, they were only found in remote places such as the tops of mountains or deep inside of caves.

Astrid still found it difficult to content herself with staying inside the fence. Less than half a mile away, the forest lay, and it had been her favorite place to play when she was younger. She missed climbing trees and swimming in the lake, and she worried she would never get to do those things again. She was already fourteen and rapidly growing too old to play around.

One of the creatures stopped and stared right at her. Shivers ran down her back, and she looked away momentarily. When she looked again, the figures had dissipated, almost like they had never been there in the first place.

Astrid let out a sigh and shook her head. It was no use standing here worrying about things she couldn’t change anyway when there was work to be done. Her list of daily chores was endless, but most of the time she didn’t mind. She enjoyed tending to the chickens and the herb garden, although her skills in animal care and plant care were progressing at an agonizingly slow rate.

Despite having had the ability to gain skills for over a year, she was still at level one in everything, even though she worked hard every single day. It was because the tasks she did offered no real challenges. She had, after all, done them for as long as she could remember, even before her system matured enough for her to develop skills. 

She tossed a handful of seeds on the ground, and the chickens rushed over and began eating. While they were distracted, she went over to their nests, looking for eggs. There were only two. Even fewer than yesterday. For months, the chickens hadn’t been laying eggs as often as they used to. Astrid’s father said the monsters stressed them.

After picking up the eggs, she carefully put them in her basket before walking back towards the cottage following a sunken cobblestone path. The wooden facades of the cottage resembled patchwork, with new and old materials mixed together. Some parts were dark and weathered while other parts were bright and new.

The door creaked as she entered. The cottage only had one room. The windows were just holes in the wall that could be closed with shutters, and the floor was exposed earth stamped until it was hard and flat. Even so, her home was perfect. It was cozy and had everything a person needed.

The sleeping area at the back of the room had two small beds. Her parents slept in one, and Astrid shared the other one with her sister. The straw-filled mattresses rested on old bed frames, and the blankets were worn thin through many years of use.

The dining table in the middle of the room had a piece of wood pushed in under one of the legs to stop it from wobbling. The bench on either side was all the seating the cottage had to offer.

The kitchen area was beside the entrance. It had a bit of counter space, a few shelves, and a basin for washing dishes. Then there was the fireplace, which kept the cottage warm and allowed her mother to cook food.

Astrid suppressed a groan as the smell hit her. It seemed like they would have gruel for breakfast. Again. Complaining about it would only earn her a scolding from her mother, but she was getting tired of the bland porridge. She wanted pancakes, but with the low egg yield, it wasn’t possible.

“Are you sure there weren’t any more?” her mother asked after checking the basket’s content and taking it from Astrid’s hands. Her blond hair, streaked with gray, was tied back in a messy bun, and her dress had so many patches that it was hard to tell what the original fabric had been.

“I am. I checked everywhere.”

“Well, we’ll just have to make do,” she said, giving Astrid a warm smile. “Now, hurry up and set the table. Breakfast is almost ready.”

Astrid grabbed a stack of bowls off the shelf and quickly placed them on the table. If there was a table-setting skill, she hadn’t unlocked it yet despite being given this task three times a day. Unlocking a skill could be tricky and would often require the aid of a teacher or a book. Both were too expensive for her family to afford. However, sometimes a skill was unlocked through trial and error.

Just as Astrid placed down the last bowl, her sister Sigrid entered with the milk bucket. She looked like a younger version of their mother, with a single braid down the back reaching all the way to her hip.

Stolen novel; please report.

Astrid wished her own hair was that long, but it barely reached past her shoulder blades. She also wishes she could keep her dress as neat as her sister’s. Sigrid’s were never dirty or damaged, despite working in both the fields and the stables all day.

However, as soon as the dress was passed down to Astrid, not a day would go by without it getting either stained or torn. She spent more time than she would like, trying to mend it neatly, but it was impossible to hide the places where she had stitched the fabric together.

As Astrid went to pick up the spoons and cups, she peeked into the bucket, and her mood sank. It wasn’t even half full.

“Hurry up and finish setting the table,” her mother said. “Breakfast is ready.”

“Yes mom” Astrid quickly placed the last things, completing her task.

Her father entered the cottage just as her mother placed the food on the table. Where Sigrid looked like their mother, Astrid looked more like their father. His dark brown hair was the same shade as hers, and likewise were the brown eyes.

They all sat down at the table and ate the thin gruel. It was hard not to let her discontent show as she swallowed the bland food. 

“I saw monsters near the forest,” Sigrid said anxiously. “They are getting closer.”

“I saw them too.” Astrid added.

“As long as you stay inside the fence, you’ll be fine.” Astrid’s father said, but it sounded like he was trying to convince himself as much as his daughters.

“We really need to evacuate soon. We can’t hold out like this for much longer.” Astrid’s mother said. This was a discussion they had had several times before.

“After the harvest is sold, we’ll have enough money to settle in the city until the monsters are dealt with. Just two more months now. We’ll be fine for that long.” Her father was reluctant to leave, as the farm had been in his family for generations, but he was slowly getting around to the idea. Astrid didn’t want to leave. This farm was the only home she had ever known.

After breakfast, it was back to the chores. Astrid kept busy cleaning the dishes, sweeping the floor, getting water, and peeling vegetables. Despite all the work she did, none of her skills gained any experience at all. Not a single point. The lack of improvement was getting frustrating.

It was mid-afternoon, and Astrid was tending the herb garden when a bloodcurdling scream tore through the air. Astrid looked up, and a sight so horrible she couldn’t believe it was real, greeted her. A large wolf monster had jumped over the fence and tackled Sigrid. Her arms flailed, trying to push the monster away, but it wasn’t deterred in the slightest. It just sank its fangs into her throat and tore away a large piece of flesh. Blood sprayed in every direction, and Sigrid went still. Astrid wanted to rush to her sister’s aid, but she couldn’t move.

“Get off her!” Astrid’s father shouted, rushing towards the monster with a pitchfork. Before he could reach his daughter, another wolf leaped out of the tall grass, knocking him to the ground. Astrid watched helplessly as her sister and father were ripped apart.

Suddenly, her mother was beside her.

“Snap out of it, Astrid, and get inside the house.” Fear radiated through her voice.

“But we have to help them. We can’t just leave them like this.”

“It’s too late. Now get up.”

Somehow, Astrid managed to get to her feet and force her legs to walk towards the cottage.

They were halfway there when one of the wolves let out a howl. Astrid turned and found herself staring into a pair of yellow eyes. The monster snarled and lunged forward, sprinting towards her. The other one followed suit.

The cottage seemed endlessly far away as she raced towards it, her mother urging her to go faster. Still, the wolves gained on them with every step.

Astrid and her mother ran through the door, and her mother slammed it shut behind them. A heartbeat later, the first wolf rammed into the door, followed by the second. The wood cracked and splintered from the impact, and Astrid backed away from the door, clutching her mother tightly. Soon, they hit the wall on the other side of the room. The door wouldn’t hold long, and they had nowhere to go nor anywhere to hide. They were trapped, and in a few moments, the monsters would get through the door and rip them apart, just like they had done to her sister and father. Hot tears streamed down her cheeks, and she let out a sob. She was going to die.

“Listen to me, Astrid,” her mother said. “You have to run.”

“What?”

“Climb out the window and run. Don’t look back, and don’t stop until you’re safe.”

“But…” Another slam against the door interrupted her protest. One of the wolves had managed to get a paw through a hole in the door and was clawing viciously at the wood.

“No buts. Just go.”

Astrid wanted to protest more, but a quest appeared. This was the first quest she had ever received, but she instinctively knew how to view it. 

New quest from mom

Monsters are attacking your home

Objective: Run away to escape monsters

Reward: 3 large copper

Astrid barely managed to skim the text before the door flew off its hinges and the wolves entered the room.

“I’ll hold them back,” her mother shouted, swinging the broom she had picked up at the wolves.

Astrid pulled herself together and ran over to the window. It was small, and Astrid could barely squeeze her body through the hole. Her mother would never have been able to make it through. The realization made Astrid sob harder, and as she landed on the ground outside, it took all her willpower not to curl up on the ground. 

Which way should she run? There were no monsters on this side of the cottage that she could see, but it was impossible to tell if anything lurked in the tall grass, waiting to ambush her.

She picked a direction at random and ran as fast as she could, not looking back. From the cottage, her mother screamed, and images of her body torn to pieces and devoured flashed through Astrid’s mind.