My heart raced as I squared off against the two crabs. The first one, still recovering from its failed charge, circled around, trying to flank me. The second, blocking my path, snapped its pincers menacingly.
Fighting two crabs at once, especially this close to their den, was risky. I needed to use my agility and strength to my advantage. I decided to focus on the one in front of me first, hoping to create an opening to escape.
As the crab lunged forward, I feinted to the left and then quickly darted right, using my tail for balance. The crab's pincers clacked together just inches from me. Seizing the moment, I lashed out with a claw, striking its side. The hit wasn't enough to seriously injure it, but it staggered back, disoriented.
The first crab, recovering from its daze, joined its companion, and they coordinated their attacks. I found myself dancing between the snapping pincers, each dodge and weave draining my energy. I struck when I could, but these creatures were resilient, their shells hard and their movements deceptively quick.
Condition: Wounded
A sharp pain shot through my flank as one crab managed to land a glancing blow. Warmth spread across my scales, and I knew I was bleeding. The realization that I could be seriously hurt, or worse, reminded me once again of this ruthless reality I was now part of.
Drawing out this fight more than necessary would be the end of me. While I wasn’t directly near their den anymore, I was still close enough for more crabs to appear at any moment.
The pain in my flank was giving me periodic reminders of the danger I was in, so I shifted my strategy.
I need to end this fight or create a window to escape.
Glancing around, I noticed a thick vine hanging from a nearby tree. An idea sparked in my mind.
Channeling my focus as a Phytomancer, I reached out to the vine with my senses, feeling its life energy pulsate in response. With effort, I willed the vine to move, to coil like a serpent on the forest floor. The vine responded, although quite slowly, and approached the crab closest to it from its blind side.
As the creature prepared to strike, I lashed out with my tail, baiting it into a charge. At the last moment, I leaped aside, and the crab, unable to stop its momentum, stumbled over the strategically placed vine. It toppled over, momentarily exposing its underbelly.
I didn't hesitate. I pounced, using my full weight and the sharpness of my claws to penetrate its softer underside. The crab struggled beneath me, but I was relentless. With a few more powerful strikes, it lay still.
Now it was one on one.
I turned around with a heavy breath trying to locate the second enemy but I was too late.
The remaining crab slammed into my wounded side and sent me tumbling against a tree.
Condition: Wounded (major)
I cried in pain, but after a moment of despair I gritted my teeth as I looked up at the crab pivoting on itself to prepare another attack.
I am not out of it yet.
I couldn’t help but notice that its last charge brought it close to my trusted vine. My latest use of my Phytomancer ability left my mind quite weak and tired, but I couldn’t let this chance slip by me.
Regaining my footing, I refocused on the vine, but my connection with it felt weak. I attempted to trip the remaining crab, but I couldn’t move the vine in time as I watched the creature charge past it just a moment too early.
Mustering much of my remaining energy, I sidestepped, using my tail to maintain balance. My movements were slower, but I fought through the pain. I feinted a strike, and as the crab reared back, I saw my opening. With all the strength I could muster, I lunged forward, my claws aiming for its underbelly.
The crab tried to counter, its pincer connected with one of my rear limbs as I felt the pressure around my ankle, but my scales didn’t falter this time. Ignoring the morse on my leg I struck my claws into its softer underside.
The force of my attack knocked the crab onto its back, its legs flailing in a futile attempt to right itself. We were now locked in a close-quarters struggle, the crab trying to regain some sort of footing while I kept striking at its shell trying to aim for the weak spots at its joints.
I ended up losing my footing as well and we tumbled down still locked in a deadly fight. Just as we stopped rolling. My attacks appeared to work as I noticed the crab struggle to its feet, dark green liquid oozing out of multiple of its limbs.
I mustered all of my remaining energy into one final claw attack. I struck its left eye and drove my claw as deep as I could. I felt the crab attempt one final struggle below me, until finally it dropped, motionless.
Phytomancer - Experience +50
Phytomancer - Level up!
Panting heavily, I stepped back. The fight had taken its toll on me.
I need to get out of here. Now.
The forest around me was silent, save for my heavy panting, so I began to limp back into the forest, away from the crab den.
As the adrenaline wore off, the pain became more pronounced, but I didn’t stop. I felt the warmth from my wound on my side as I counted every step I made to try and distract myself.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
Every step was a battle against the growing pain and weakness. My vision blurred at the edges, my focus narrowing to the simple act of putting one paw in front of the other. The dense canopy above seemed to spin slowly, a dizzying mosaic of light and shadow.
I stumbled through the underbrush, my instincts guiding me more than any conscious thought. The forest, once a place of wonder, now felt like an endless maze, each step as uncertain as the last.
Then, when I almost couldn’t take it anymore, through my haze of pain and fatigue, I saw a large tree, its roots sprawling out to create a small alcove. It was like a beacon in my dimming world. With what little strength I had left, I dragged myself toward it.
The roots formed a sort of small cave, a hollow space that was just big enough for me to crawl into. As I approached, I could feel the faint, soothing pulse of the tree's life energy. It was a comforting presence.
With a final effort I looked at my wound.
Well it hurts like hell but at least the bleeding has pretty much stopped. Let’s hope that being a dragon comes with having good natural healing.
With that last thought, I collapsed inside the shelter, my body giving in to the exhaustion and pain. I curled up, tucking my wounded flank beneath me and finally released the tension in my muscles as my eyelids finally gave in and I fainted from my fatigue.
* -
I slowly opened my eyes.
Still in one piece… that’s good at least.
I stood up, calmly stretching my sore muscles as I started to remember about the fight with the crabs.
That was close, Juniper. You need to take better care of yourself.
I looked to my wounded side.
Would you look at that, dragons really have incredible healing.
While it wasn’t completely healed, the cut was significantly smaller and I could see the scales beginning to grow back near its outer edges. I was surprised at how quickly it had healed for just a day or so of sleeping… or was it more than that?
As the thought dawned on me I could have actually been asleep for days and I had no real way to tell. I sure was hungry though.
I poked my head outside of the alcove. The weather was sunny once again.
No point in dwelling on it. It’s not like I had a way of tracking how long I was out of it anyways.
Clarification.
User was asleep for 2 days, 14 hours and 43 minutes.
“System! So good to see you again! How have you been?”
No answer once again.
Let’s try this.
“System, what time is it now?”
Answer.
It is now 11:28 in the morning.
Well I overslept a little, but who doesn’t after almost dying to giant crabs on their way home.
Suddenly I remembered the last system notification before I collapsed after the fight. I pulled up my status panel
Name
Juniper
Race
Dragon
Growth
Cub
Body
2
Classes
Level
Reflexes
2
First
Phytomancer
2 (+1)
Cool
1
Second
none
-
Mind
3 (+1)
Third
none
-
Mysticism (racial)
1
Fourth
none
-
At a glance, it appeared that I had leveled up my Phytomancer class and my Mind attribute.
I have only seen a notification about my Phytomancer class level up, so why did I level up my mind attribute as well?
Clarification.
Class level ups affect the user’s attributes.
So leveling up Phytomancer also gave me an attribute increase? That’s neat I guess.
“System, can you tell me what benefits I got from leveling up my class?”
I waited a few moments for an answer. Nothing.
“Damn you System, this was an important question!”
I scoffed at the petty System and sat down. I decided to find out on my own if my level up had any significant benefit.
Settling into the natural alcove, I decided to experiment with my connection to the tree that had sheltered me. Closing my eyes, I extended my senses, reaching out to the tree's life force. With the recent upgrade to my Phytomancer class and Mind attribute, I felt a noticeable difference in my ability to connect with the plant life around me.
The tendrils of life within the tree were more vivid and tangible in my mind's eye. I could sense the slow, steady pulse of its existence, the flow of nutrients and water through its roots and up into its massive trunk. It was like tuning into a frequency that had always been there, but only now could I clearly perceive and understand it.
With this enhanced connection, I decided that maybe I could pull off moving part of the tree.
Excitement bubbled within me as I made a solid connection with a nearby root and attempted to move it.
The root didn’t budge. Not even a tiny bit.
Alright then, want to play hard to get? Let’s have it then.
I zeroed out on the root with all my newfound mental might. I started to feel dizzy but I decided to keep pushing, pulling at the strands that cursed through the root.
Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my mind that made me immediately drop my connection with the tree.
“Ow, ow, ow…”
I massaged my scaly temples with my paws for a few moments until the pain subsided.
Alright alright, message received, not strong enough to pull a massive tree root.
Clarification.
User should stop pursuing impossible tasks before she hurts herself.
“Oh shut up system, no one asked for your opinion!”
I quickly shut down the notification in front of me.
I know you just like making fun of me but I’ll show you one day.
I exited the alcove once more and looked around at the quiet nature that surrounded me. I thought of the dangers that lurked in the underbrush and once again decided that I still needed to find a more permanent shelter solution.
“Growl…”
Right after I get something in my stomach.
With that thought in mind, I once again set off into the unknown, making damn sure that my “unknown” direction was precisely the opposite of the crab den.