||Fear stalling Skill up! 2->3||

The trees shed their skin, revealing eyes and mouths cradled in fangs. Branches shook loose to spread as tendrils over the starlit sky. Bushes drew in their leaves and extended their tongues. Patches of moss grew needles of oily black. Distant screeches echoed throughout the night. Bestial cries of pain and pleading an endless backdrop to the living, shifting woods.

“Neria-”

“AAHHH!! F-fuck!”

I couldn’t help but scream. I had no idea where the sound came from. Or why it was so close. If Orphea didn’t turn me to face her I was about to start tossing around spells in pure panic.

“Calm down. I need to tell you something.”

Orphea is talking slowly. Clearly. I think it's for my sake. As embarrassing as it is, its working. Honestly just having someone to talk too is helping. After the elf brought me to this clearing to sleep through the night and the environment became so… Animated. I’ve been terrified I might get eaten or worse any second.

“Okay.. I’m good. Talk.”

“I didn’t recognize it during the day. But I’ve seen this plane before.”

During the day? Yeah. I don’t know how anyone would associate this crimson nightmare with the place it looks like during the day. I guess it makes sense that Orphea would be familiar with a place this horrifying.

“There’s a creature here we must avoid at all costs. If we meet it, it would mean dying, without question.”

Ah wonderful. More danger.

“That sounds.. Bad. Do you have any plan for how to avoid it?”

“If it gets cold. Run.”

Well, I guess that sounds as good as anything else. Who am I to question Orphea’s background knowledge.

“Alright… What are we gonna do to get through here..? Its not safe to spend the night just anywhere. I don’t even know what direction to go to get to the next plane.. And it's not safe for you to be stuck on your own.”

“Hm.. It’s a frustrating situation. But I think it’s best that you continue the farce for now. I’ll manage out in the wilds awhile.”

Orphea tried to pull away. But my hand was already clutching her wrist. I don’t know where my sudden boldness came from. Probably still just being afraid of being alone in this hellhole.

“Wait. Before you go… Um.. You know a lot about casting right? Teach me. I really need every trick I can get, things are getting more dangerous out here and all..”

Her expression looked… Shocked. I couldn’t even start to guess as to why. But quickly she started prying my fingers off her.. Shit. I didn’t even have the strength to let go. I’m really a coward to the bone huh..?

“Nerian.. My casting lacks the.. Utility. Of your spells. I owe you as much as I can owe anyone. But please for my sake. Never ask that of me again.”

Ah. Of course. I don’t know why I thought that would fly. Orphea knows exactly how shoddy my magic is. She’s clearly making an excuse here, probably doesn’t want to deal with an untalented student… Well I guess that one’s on me.

“Right.. I’ll try to.. Remember that.”

Dammit. I didn’t have to say it like I was a kicked puppy. Now she looks guilty…

“Thank you. I know its hard to ask you to follow this path alone. But I really.. Can’t help here.”

This time I didn’t move when she slithered backwards away from the tent I was resting in. I’m sure she has some stealth skill or something to avoid waking up the elf laying near the campfire.

Alone.. I should be pretty used to that by now.. Well If I’m not gonna sleep. I might as well practice some spells…

---

I push harder. Teeth finally cracking through the tough layer of what I could in generous terms be call a cracker. ‘Better than eating a raw rat’ isn’t a high bar. But it’s where I'm putting this for now. If nothing else it's got me staring like a fiend at whatever leathery strip the elf was chewing on.

“We should be there before nightfall. Erm, otherworlder are you.. Well?”

Well. I am staring at his.. Her? Food, and probably look like shit since I didn’t end up sleeping a wink last night. Can’t blame someone for getting the wrong idea there.

“Yeah I’m just a little tired. Anyways. Let's get going. Don’t wanna keep anyone waiting.”

Oh that really makes it sound like I’ve got someone I’m going to see.. Well. I’ll find a way out of this hole I dug when It becomes a problem.

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The elf just nodded, adjusting the bow hanging around their torso and giving a few touches to a dagger hilt on their belt. I remember them fiddling with those last night as well.. I was about to say their weapons seem annoying to maintain. But looking at the rusty broken thing hanging with its head up on a loop at my side… Maybe I should be doing something maintenance too?

We start hiking through the woods. I’m still sore from yesterday. But If I start bitching I’m probably gonna just give away how pathetic I am. And I’m not sure what the sentence is for falsifying an identity around here… so just keep quiet is the play.

I wonder how Orphea is doing. We slept in a clearing.. Which I think might be standard forest behavior, but this place during the night looks scary as shit. Is she really okay hanging out in it overnight? How’s she slept? And does she even know we’ve left?

“You seem distracted otherworlder.”

“Huh.. Oh yeah. I’m balancing a lot of things right now.”

“I recommend you refocus then.”

No need to be catty-Oh when did that show up?

It was just a stag. But still. How didn’t I notice it right away? I’ve definitely gone a day without sleeping before and not been this out of whack. I might have gotten bitten by the snarling elk-monster if I kept walking there.

“It’s not like this is a big deal. Let me give it a shot. [Eta Wyvern]”

I snap my fingers and boom, swirling tendrils of green and purple fluid start to combine infront of me. This IS just a spell. But I had some time to mess around last night, and I’m still running with this lie about being some kind of summoner, so I figured I’d work on a way to keep that going.

Bristling scales of purple covered a noxious green skin, dark spots of thick clumps flowed through the fluid body, bat wings spreading wide and snapping up and down in the air to keep the thing aloft, a long tail ending in a narrow stinger connecting to the wide kite wings, an a small triangular head without eyes snapped at the open air where the bulky shoulder muscles met.

It would be pretty intimidating if It wasn’t the size of a house cat. But hey. Even this much is a huge drain on my anima to cast. I get the sense that you’re not supposed to make spells that just continually stay out like this. Or maybe it's a skill issue. Regardless. It wasn’t gonna fight on its own either.

“Go for the throat.”

Oof, that sounds kinda edgy. It’s not like it needs a verbal command. It actually just follows my eyes. Swooping around flipping and flapping in what I hope looks like a genuine monster. The stag started to shake its antlers around trying to swat the spell out of the air. But It moves almost as fast as I can look around at this range, it's not like its gonna-

Shhllk!

Shit. The elk hops up a bit and actually manages to swipe one of the wings off. It's spinning around like crazy now. I don’t honestly know if it's getting harder to control because I'm a good actor, or for some reason the wings actually helped control the thing. But I’m looping the thing around way longer than I’d like before it contacts, burying its tiny fangs into furry hide.

“[Rejection]”

I wave my hand and the fake summon is gone, the elk looks super confused as it trips over trying to slam the attacker off its body. Well. as confused as a predatory deer thing can look. Either way it's on the ground and I’m standing over it with my mace. Soo..

Crack!

“I imagined your summons would be… Stronger. Otherworlder.”

“Well, yeah. I just thought I’d see how my weakest one managed. It’s not like I’m gonna get a better chance to use it.”

To be fair. These elk monsters are actually kinda beefy. It took Orphea smacking one three times and a Epsi arc to kill the first one we spied. I might be in some trouble if I didn’t spear this ones brain with a mace spike on my first try.

“I see. I assume your equipment is a similar affair?”

“Yep! You're really smart, I just wanted to try out using starter equipment and stuff. You only live once you know?”

God I hate how suspicious the elf is. But so far I’m rolling with the punches pretty well if I do say so myself. How well I’d do once I actually have to start answering for the lies I’ve been setting up… Let's just not think of that.

“We’re almost to my village, so I hope you’ve had your fill of this.. Entertainment.”

Or I guess I can start thinking about it very hard right now.

There wasn’t any real barrier to the elf village. We just passed through some tighter packed trees and suddenly the area spread out. Maybe a few blocks worth of ground cloistered in towering pillars of ‘wood’ and even a few spacing throughout the inside of the village.

Surprisingly, the buildings inside seem to be made out of wood. You expect graceful tree houses from elves right? Not like, log cabins and stuff. Doesn’t the wood around here come alive at night..? I’m not sure I want to see what that looks like. But maybe the wood here isn’t from this plane at all. It's just a guess. But every structure around here looks… Shoddy. Rotten corners and pockmarked with holes and things, discolored more often than not. It actually feels like I’ve wandered into some kind of slum more than a magical elf village.

“Ah, It seems like the Elder predicted our arrival.”

The elf beside me knells on the ground in reverence. Should I..? No. its a sign of respect and submission. And my act here relied predominantly on an ambivalent strength I didn’t care to show. So I should act as relaxed as possible… I guess.

The Elder sure looks old. Liver Spots and wrinkles staining what is barely recognizable as a proud.. If a bit droopy, face. Long silver hair swept back to show a widow's peak. His weird pupil-less gem eyes were a sterling gray tone, almost looking metallic.

“Who is this guest Relt?”

“An otherworlder your benevolence. It seems he has some business with you.. Oh and he’s a summoner. Show the Elder that creature you had when we met.”

Well. That might be hard. Even if Orphea is hiding out around here somewhere. We’re kinda too far from anything for me to cover her entrance.. Shit. Maybe I have to try anyway…

“Relt, you're being very rude. Summoning is a taxing and risky affair. I will confirm this otherworlders intent on my own. Go rest.”

“Yes, your benevolence.”

With a little wave to his subordinate it was just me and the elder… Shit. I have no idea what to say. I needed a bit more warning before we got into the thick of this!

“You must be weary from your travels. Allow me to host for you.”

“Are you sure that’s alright considering…”

Okay sometimes you just have to wing it. I’m in deep shit here almost certainly. But one old guy is probably the easiest person here to run away from. So I might as well shoot my shot now. If he acts like he has no idea what I’m talking about. Just bail.

“Of course. Don’t underestimate the Elves stranger. This much wouldn’t cripple us.”

Or It can go perfectly. So something DID happen recently. Maybe that's why the buildings are so messed up? Plus now he thinks I’m in a position above him, so he’s more likely to go along with whatever random excuses I spray. Pretty good for an idiot.

Inside the structure looks even worse. The pillars and the roof frame are sort of.. Drooping? There aren’t any windows. But still a fair amount of light filtering in dusty rays through countless holes in the walls and ceiling. A lit fireplace giving off no smoke was already waiting with a kettle atop it. Only took a minute or so for the Elder to pour two wood mugs of hot leaf water. Both of us sip it over a tiny end table on tilted stools.

It wasn’t that bad. Super bitter. But it's probably the strongest tea I've ever had in my life. Drinking anything that doesn’t taste leathery was an upgrade as far as I'm concerned.

“So otherworlder. Do you have any skills besides summoning?”

The tone was a bit tense for small talk. Though I guess I am a strange and rude visitor. So maybe this is just the best he can manage.

“Mm well I’ve been dabbling into Rot casting recently.”

For some reason he tenses up at that. Does rot magic have a stigma against it? Wait. memory is bringing something up… The cast tutor when I first told her about it mentioned something or other about dark magic. So maybe I should keep that under wraps in the future. Well, I’m not getting attacked or anything. Good enough for now.

“Then you coming here… What’s your purpose.”

“Well. Let's say I have some interest in what’s put you on hard times recently.”

The old man's brow knit. And he pushed his chair back as he shot up. Raising up a hand with a pointed finger while I took a long sip of tea.

“You think I would accept help from an OTHERWORLDER!? I-you!”

His face is turning colors and everything, but he just cuts himself off before finishing the thought. Slamming back down into his chair and rubbing his temples with both hands. Hopefully he didn’t notice how I’m clutching at the head of my mace. That was a bit sudden..

“No.. Perhaps to defeat the devil I will need to enlist another devil… I’m holding a trial in order to divine the greatest warrior of the village to pass on our sacred relic. No one would complain if you were to prove yourself there.”

Ooh? Sacred relic? Lying really does always pay off. I mean. Assuming I can actually win whatever trial there was. But this sounded like an honest to goodness quest. Not an instanced event but a real request with real rewards. The kind of thing I came here for in the first place. Still. I can’t just act like I’m here for stuff.

“I guess that doesn’t bother me. But do you happen to know the name of your ‘devil’? I have my own reasons to be here after all.”

“Of course. He was more than insistent that I know exactly who stole the only hope of our people. The filthy otherworlder called himself ‘Castel.’”