“I don’t know much about doctoring, my lord, but this should be good enough until we reach the village,” Nate said. Tied around Sean’s lower left leg were a set of beige bandages tinged red from blood. It was the same spot the bear had clawed him before the bear's timely death.

“Thanks,” Sean said before turning to Nick. “Nick, have you found it yet? I’m ready to go.”

His eyes were darting back and forth between Nick and Nate—Sean didn’t want to look too long at Nick, the quieter twin, whose whole arm was inside the deceased bear's stomach.

While blood and gore weren’t a topic he was usually so squeamish about being a hunter himself, Sean didn’t like how Nick was making a mess of things. Both the smell and sight were nauseating.

“Not yet,” Nick replied.

“The bestiary says a monster's core is usually near the heart," Nate added. “Have you checked the heart?"

“Yes, I’ve checked the heart,” Nick replied dryly. “The monster Core is here somewhere. Just give me another minute.”

“What about the meat and hide, my lord? Should we come back for it once we've gotten you back to the doctor?”

“No, It’s not worth returning, but let’s gather whatever arrows you think are viable. The bear destroyed the bow and arrow you lent me, so that's probably off the table, but It won’t hurt to take the ones you shot,” Sean replied. He then turned back to Nick. Nick was covered in blood. “Night will come sooner rather than later, but we have plenty of time if we hurry; something about this forest isn’t right.”

Sean’s unease at the unusualness of the environment hadn’t been too high when they first left the boundary. It had only been maybe a five on his scale of weird places. That had changed since the bear attack.

The forest was darker and colder than when they’d first arrived. And it wasn’t just the sun starting to go down; it was a quiet eeriness that he wouldn’t attribute to a forest teeming with life.

“Nothing seems too strange, my lord. But to be fair, we are only familiar with the forest inside the boundary,” Nate said.

“I think I got it.”

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

Nick yanked his arm out of the bear’s intestines, and In his hand, he held a jagged crystal the size of a fist. It was the monster core.

“It’s a decent size. You’ll be able to get good money for this,” Nick said. He then offered it out for Sean to take, so Sean limped over to grab it.

The crystal was cold to the touch.

“How much is it worth? I’m not sure what it does,” Sean said. He was looking down and studying the crystals' milky surface.

“Neither do I, but traders always buy monster cores, even normal ones like these, though I heard they prefer the stronger kind. I think Alastair may know more. He’s a mage,” Nick said.

System, Sean said internally, remembering the tool. What do you use this for?

[Craftsmen typically use Monster cores to make tools and gear of higher quality, though they can also be used as a form of currency in certain situations.]

“At least we're not leaving without any reward. Let’s go; this place gives me a bad feeling.”

They gathered up the not-destroyed arrows and set off for the boundary through the well-trodden path–the bear's rampage had done an excellent job of opening the forest up. Along the way back to the boundary, Sean learned a lot about the world beyond the boundary.

The boundary, according to the system, was like his shield. It keeps monsters out and makes the interior, his domain, a place for non-predatory creatures like squirrels and deer. Dangerous predators enter the domain only on the weekly monster invasion.

“My Lord, I think this is where the boundary should be,” Nate said as they broke the treeline of a small clearing. The clearing that separated the boundary forest from the regular forest stretched a few feet across and kept going in both directions. If Sean had followed one of the paths, he was certain it would have led him back around like a circle.

They stepped through the boundary, and the sense of unease and the weight of the air disappeared. It was as if they’d never been there.

“Back like we never left,” Sean said as he glanced back and saw the shimmering boundary, letting him know they were safe again.

“The sun should be down soon, my lord, but I didn’t bring a lantern. It’s my fault. I didn’t think I’d need it,” Nate said. Sean glanced at the sky. God colored it the shade of purple, and the last rays of the sun were almost nonexistent.

“Let’s run back. Nothing inside the barrier can harm us,” Sean said, informing them of new info. “I can also use my ability to guide us.”

They rushed through the forest, and it was already dark out by the time they got back. Luckily, the village lights stood out in the otherwise dark surroundings.

“Who goes there,” a voice shouted as they approached. It was one of the guards out on duty, Bert, if Sean was remembering correctly.

“It’s us. We are back from our journey,” Nate said. “Wake the doctor. The lord was injured.”

Bert rushed off and brought the doctor, who was already asleep by the looks of the tiredness still present under his eyes.

The doctor led Sean to a small wooden building designated as the doctor's quarters and treated him. The treatments amounted to applying some alcohol and then applying some weird paste. The paste numbed the area.

“Try to get some sleep, my lord, and give the leg time to rest. It should heal nicely,” the doctor said.

“Thanks for the help. And you don’t have to worry; I’ve had enough adventure for a day.”