The decision to stop and find a camp for the night came as the sun dipped lower on the horizon, casting long shadows through the trees. The fading light gave the forest an almost spectral quality, the chirping of birds falling silent and replaced by the occasional rustle of leaves or distant calls of unseen creatures. Del waded back across the stream one last time, collecting his spent arrows. Mud clung stubbornly to the shafts, and the cold water bit at his skin as he worked to clean them. A stark reminder of how truly exposed they were.
Ahead of him, Misty padded silently along the forest floor, her movements deliberate as she scouted for a suitable campsite. Her tail flicked in a rhythmic arc, her posture conveying a sense of purpose that Del couldn’t help but admire.
“Find us something good, girl,” he muttered, watching the cat disappear into the undergrowth like a shadow.
Elara walked quietly beside him, her gaze scanning the forest with a mix of wariness and curiosity. The weight of the day’s events seemed to hang over her, her hands brushing absently against the bow slung over her shoulder. After a long silence, she spoke.
“I’d feel better if I had my gear,” she said softly, her tone tinged with frustration.
Del glanced at her, offering a faint smile meant to reassure. “We’ll find something to replace it,” he said. “Misty’s got a knack for this sort of thing.”
True to form, Misty reappeared not long after, her tail held high as she led them toward a dense thicket of thorn bushes. The brambles were twisted and gnarled, forming a natural barrier that even the most determined predator would think twice about breaching. Misty paused at the edge, her head tilting back in a way that seemed to say, This will do.
Elara stepped closer, studying the dense tangle of thorns with sharp, assessing eyes. “There’s a path,” she said, pointing to a narrow, almost hidden opening in the brush.
They followed her lead, pushing through the tight entrance into a small clearing at the centre of the thicket. The ground was dry and soft, scattered with fallen leaves and free of any immediate dangers.
Del surveyed the spot, his hands resting on his hips. “Well,” he said, “it’s not a five-star inn, but it looks safe enough.” For a moment, the two of them stood in silence, taking in the relative safety of the space.
“We won’t risk a fire,” Del said, his gaze sweeping the clearing. “But it should be warm enough without one.”
Elara nodded, moving toward the narrow entrance. Her fingers hovered just above the thorny stems on either side, her expression thoughtful. “Let me try something,” she murmured.
Del watched as she closed her eyes, her lips moving silently. Almost immediately, a strange sensation prickled at the edges of his awareness—a warmth that seemed to radiate from her hands and pulse faintly in the air. Del wasn’t sure, but it almost felt as if there was a resonating echo faintly within his own gut. The thorny branches began to shift, emitting a soft green glow as they twisted and wove together, sealing the entrance until it looked as though it had never existed.
“Wow,” Del breathed, the word escaping him unbidden.
Despite everything he’d experienced over the past few days—Menolly’s strange appearances, the frozen moments outside time—this felt different. This was magic in its purest, most tangible form, and it left him awestruck.
Elara opened her eyes, a shy smile playing on her lips as she turned to face him. “It’s just a simple spell,” she said modestly. “But it should keep us safe for the night.”
“That was incredible,” Del said, his voice hoarse with genuine wonder.
She laughed softly, the sound light and musical. “Anyone would think you’d never seen a casting before.”
“I haven’t,” Del admitted, shaking his head. “Where I’m from, we have a few tricksters and illusionists, but no real magic. That was... something else.”
Elara tilted her head, her expression turning curious. “No magic? None at all?”
“None,” he said. “Just smoke and mirrors. Nothing like this.” He gestured toward the glowing thorns, their light casting gentle shadows across the clearing.
She seemed to ponder this for a moment, her gaze flicking between him and the sealed entrance. “You must find it strange,” she said finally.
“Strange? Yeah.” He let out a short laugh. “But in a good way. It’s... refreshing, I guess. Feels real. If that makes sense.”
Her smile deepened, and for a moment, the tension in her shoulders seemed to ease. Misty, who had settled herself in the middle of the clearing, stretched luxuriously before giving them both a look that seemed to say, Are you done being impressed yet?
“All right, all right,” Del muttered, crouching down to scratch behind her ears. “You found the spot. You win. Don’t let it go to your head.”
Misty purred loudly, her tail flicking with what he could only interpret as smug satisfaction. Elara giggled softly, settling herself on the ground near the centre of the clearing.
“We should set up for the night,” she said, her tone practical again. “Do you need help?”
Del glanced around the confined space, noting the simplicity of their surroundings. “Not much to do, really,” he said. “Just a matter of getting comfortable.”
As Del and Elara set about preparing the camp, the forest grew quieter, the day’s light fading into twilight. The air cooled, and a faint breeze stirred the branches above, rustling the leaves with a soft, almost rhythmic sound. Their evening meal was simple—cold pork leftover from earlier, a handful of berries Elara had gathered, and water from the stream. Elara, with a small flourish, created a faint orb of light that hovered between them, just bright enough to illuminate their immediate surroundings without drawing unwanted attention.
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Del watched her as she worked the spell, fascinated by the way her fingers moved, precise yet delicate, as though weaving an invisible thread. The soft glow cast her features in a warm light, highlighting the slight curve of her smile.
“Handy,” Del said, gesturing to the orb. “I’d ask how it works, but I’d probably need a few years and a lot more brain cells to understand.”
Elara laughed, a gentle sound that carried easily in the stillness. “It’s not difficult,” she said modestly. “At least not this one. It’s just a light spell—a first-year apprentice could manage it.”
“Well, I’m impressed,” Del replied, tearing off a piece of pork. “Where I’m from, people would call that sorcery and run screaming. Or try to burn you at the stake.”
Her smile faltered slightly, her gaze dropping to the food in her hands. “There was a time when magic was feared here, too,” she said softly. “Some still fear it. But in most places, people have come to accept it as part of life.”
Del chewed thoughtfully, nodding. “Sounds like a step up from where I’m from. There, we just pretend it doesn’t exist.”
The conversation drifted to lighter topics as they ate, the initial awkwardness between them giving way to a more relaxed camaraderie. Elara began to speak of her childhood, and Del found himself listening with genuine interest. She described the Hometree in vivid detail, painting a picture of a place that seemed more dream than reality.
“It’s not just one tree,” she explained, her hands moving animatedly as she spoke. “The Hometree is... well, it’s a forest unto itself. A massive tree with multiple trunks, all connected by walkways and paths that span the entire canopy. Homes are grown directly into the trunks, and some of the larger branches hold entire villages.”
Del leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Grown into the trunks? How does that work?”
“Magic, of course,” she said with a teasing smile. “The Hometree responds to the needs of its people. It provides shelter, food, and protection. It’s alive in a way that most places aren’t.”
“It sounds incredible,” Del admitted, picturing the towering tree with its sprawling network of interconnected homes. “I can see why people wouldn’t want to leave.”
“Most don’t,” Elara said, her tone growing quieter. “Those who stay live in harmony with the tree, tending to it and each other. But it can feel... suffocating, sometimes. The elders watch everything, always telling you what you can and can’t do. Leaving wasn’t easy, but I knew I had to.”
Del nodded, understanding the pull of independence. “And now you’re out here, chasing your path.”
She smiled, though it was tinged with melancholy. “Something like that.”
Misty, stretched out beside them, gave a loud yawn, as if bored by the sentimental turn in the conversation. She rolled onto her back, her paws kneading the air in slow, deliberate movements. Del reached over to scratch her belly, earning a contented purr.
“You’ve got no appreciation for a good story, do you?” he teased. Misty’s slow blink was answer enough.
As the meal wound down, Del noticed Elara stifling a yawn. Her movements grew slower, her eyelids heavy. “Time to call it a night,” he said gently.
She nodded, rolling up as best she could in a tattered goblin cloak. “Goodnight, Del.”
“Goodnight, Elara,” he replied, watching as she lay down and drifted quickly to sleep. Her soft snores soon blended with the ambient sounds of the forest, a comforting reminder that they were, at least for now, safe.
Del leaned back against his pack, using it as a makeshift pillow. The green glow of the thorns still faintly lit the clearing, casting long shadows that danced with the swaying branches overhead. He stared at the canopy for a moment, his mind wandering through the events of the day. Then, almost as an afterthought, he called up his log.
Sure enough, a blinking blue icon awaited him.
[Congratulations, you have enough experience to level up. Would you like to level up now?]
He blinked, surprised by how much he’d forgotten in the chaos of the day. A small smile tugged at his lips. ‘Yes,’ he thought.
The familiar overlay of his stat sheet appeared, the now-familiar interface somehow comforting in its predictability. A notice informed him he had two points to assign to his stats. Del considered his options carefully, thinking back on the moments that had tested him most. Strength and Dexterity had been crucial in every fight so far, and it made sense to bolster them further. He assigned one point to each.
[Archery Skill has Increased slightly. Congratulations, Archery is now Level 3. You have gained a special attack: Archery Mastery.]
‘Not bad,’ Del thought, his chest swelling with a small sense of accomplishment. All the practice had paid off, and the system had seen fit to reward him for it. He tapped through the menus, curious to see what else had changed.
Misty’s stat sheet caught his eye, and he couldn’t help but grin as he saw the update.
[Companion Misty has Leveled Up. Intelligence increased by 2]
“Well, that explains why we’ve started to understand each other better,” he murmured, glancing down at the cat. She cracked one eye open, giving him a look that could only be described as smug.
“I suppose you’d say the problem of understanding was all me, wouldn’t you?” he teased. Misty purred softly in response, leaning into his hand as he scratched behind her ears. “Yeah, yeah. You’re probably right.”
For a while, he simply sat there, absently scrolling through his stats and reflecting on how far he’d come in such a short time. The clearing felt peaceful, almost serene, and for the first time in days, he allowed himself to relax. As his eyes grew heavier, the soft sounds of the forest lulled him into a light, dreamless sleep.
Name: Del Axholm
Level: 2
Path: Archer
Health: 24
Strength: 16
Dexterity: 17
Stamina: 16
Intelligence: 11
Wisdom: 12
Mana: 11
Spirit: 12
Agility: 19
Presence: 10
Animal Companion: Misty; feline
Skills:
Archery lvl 3 – Able to use all manner of handheld bows and crossbows
Woodcraft lvl 2 – Basic survival skills in wooded areas. Can safely make fires and create crude shelters.
Tracking lvl 1 – Can find and follow obvious tracks or blood trails.
Traps lvl 1 – Can make basic snares and pit traps.
Sneak lvl 2 – Able to hide in available cover. Movement increases the risk of being seen or heard.
Herbalism lvl 2 – Can identify and gather basic herbs.
Skinning lvl 1 – Can manage to crudely strip the skin from a carcass.
Attacks:
Bow lvl 3 – Simple Shot.
Sword lvl 1 – Cut, thrust.
Dagger lvl 1 – Stab, Slash.
Special Attacks:
Bow:
Sneak attack lvl 1 – Doubles damage
Master Archer lvl 1– Cost 1 Stamina: Increased damage and chance of critical hit.
Dagger:
Backstab lvl 1 – Double damage.
Name: Misty
Level: 2
Path: Feline Companion
Health: 30
Strength: 8
Dexterity: 18
Stamina: 13
Intelligence: 6
Wisdom: 6
Mana: 6
Spirit: 6
Agility: 20
Presence: 12
Skills:
Charm lvl 2 – Can influence the attitude of someone in eye contact with her.
Attacks:
Claw lvl 2 – Attack with front claws.
Rake lvl 2– Double rear leg attack.
Bite lvl 1 – Its teeth all the way.
Special Attacks:
Pounce lvl 2 – Can be used with any or all of the standard attacks. Double damage, with a small chance to cause target to stumble.
Sneak Pounce lvl 2 – As above; Triple damage.