CHAPTER 2

I don’t know when I started to think. All I know is that the world is cold. It seeps into my bones, sapping away my strength and life. Wait, what are bones? Do I have bones?

I know not. All I know is starvation and hunger. I have not eaten for weeks, and I barely have enough strength to walk. Wait, have I ever eaten anything? Do I need to eat?

I hate the snow. Even with my hair and clothes, I still freeze. I wish the sun would come out soon. I want to eat meat. I want to listen to the animals. I want to bath in the river.

Wait, whose thoughts are these?

That was when I realized. These aren’t my thoughts, but nonetheless they continue to flow into me. Who am I? Where am I?

Every time someone sacrifices themselves, I feel profound grief and sadness flow into me. Where is it coming from?

At this thought, vague figures of creatures covered in black hair appear within my mind. The creatures are staring at me, I can feel it. Strange. Are these where the thoughts are coming from?

Suddenly, an explosion of color enters my mind. For the first time, I can see. I’m in a dimly lit cave surrounded by creatures. I can’t move or speak, but I can sense everything in the cave. I feel like I’ve known the creatures since I started to think. Are they family?

But where am I?

I look inward and see that I’m a block of wood. I look just like the creatures, except that I’m stronger and healthier. I guess we are family, except that I’m a little different.

I’m continuously passed around the cave. Sometimes I’m hugged, sometimes I sleep with someone, sometimes I eat with them, but never am I forgotten. A feel a deep bond with them, something on a fundamental level.

I look over them as they sleep. Even though I can’t do anything, or even communicate with them, I still watch the cave for any enemies.

One day, something opened up within me. It was on the day the snow disappeared. I felt joy, pure joy, coming from the depths of my being. I cried tears of joy and laughed gleefully. That blasted snow was finally gone. Now my family could be free. It was their deepest wish.

I sit there as they rush out of the cave. The world in my mind rapidly expands. I can see a variety of colors; green, blue, yellow. As my family travel through the forest, I too travel with them. I see what they see. Hear what they hear. This is our bond.

After awhile, a thought creeps into my mind. Am I going to be forgotten? Will I sit here, alone, forever? I feel conflicted. I’m happy for my family, but sad for my existence. But then I think of the sacrifice so many of my family members had to make. Perhaps I too must be sacrificed.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

That was when one of them returned. He carried a spear in one hand while dragging the corpse of a deer with the other. He dropped the corpse at my feet. I watched as he carefully cut open the deer and extracted the meat. Then he placed a piece of meat in front of me.

How foolish of me. I thought I had been forgotten. Was the relationship between me and my family so shallow? No, of course not. We went through hell together. I was so happy. I wish I could partake in this wonderful offering, but alas, I couldn’t eat, much less move.

Would you like to accept this offering?

Yes / No

A foreign voice rang in my mind, but I knew that it came from within me. For some reason, I wasn’t surprised, but felt that it was a matter of course. Strange.

Seeing that I could eat the meat, I gladly accepted.

To my shock, I started to emit a dim yellow light. The light covered the meat before disappearing together. As the meat disappeared, I felt stronger. Like I was filled with boundless strength.

You have gained 1 influence.

The family member who gave the offering staggered backwards in shock. Seeing that I scared him, I wanted to speak out and tell him everything was fine. At that thought, I felt the connection between us grow stronger momentarily.

You have spent 1 influence.

During that brief moment, I learned that the family member who stood before me was an ape named Do. Do looked at me with increased shock, but he quickly calmed down after receiving my feelings. I tried speaking again, but I felt much weaker than a moment ago. It was like my increased strength was an illusion. Somehow, I knew that it was because I didn’t have enough influence.

Do spun around and ran out of the cave, hallowing and shouting. Not long after, all of the apes returned to the cave at Do’s behest. I could sense their disbelief and confusion. Do once again stood before me, this time with a look of confusion himself, like he couldn’t believe what he witnessed.

Slowly, he cut a chunk of meat and placed it in front of me. The same voice appeared in my head, asking the same question. I wanted to tell my family that I was there with them, so I accepted.

With a dim yellow light, I consumed the piece of meat. The apes jumped up and down in shock and bewilderment. For a time, the cave was filled with a cacophony of screeches. After they calmed down, the apes left the cave and hunted like crazy. They dragged back all sorts of animals and food to place at my feet. I didn’t decline, that would be rude, so I accepted them all.

I felt my strength increase every time I did, a strange feeling. What exactly was being increased?

As I partook in the offerings, so too did my family members. For the first time in years, a bountiful feast was held. Joy and happiness, long lost emotions, surfaced. I could sense my family members grow stronger just like I had.

Suddenly, a loud roar came from the mouth of the cave. There, a big black bear stood fiercely. Everyone turned and froze. I could sense fear and horror well up within them. Only one stood strong, the ape who gave me the offering. He held a spear in his hand and stood in front of his tribe.

For some reason, I assume because of my increased strength, I was able to tell the difference in power between the bear and the ape. The ape was no match for the bear. If they fought, he would be killed. I didn’t want that to happen.

Level 5 - Black Bear

Level 2 - Do

Afraid for Do, I thought about if I could do anything. Suddenly, a torrent of knowledge flooded my mind. It came from within me, just like many things before.

Just as the fight was about to start, I cast a skill. I felt all of my strength drain away as a dim yellow light shot out of me and landed on the bear.

You have 'feared' the black bear!

You have spent 10 influence.

The bear roared, but this time there was no power behind it. Its eyes widened as it turned tail and fled. The apes watched in surprise as the bear fled before turning towards me. All of them had seen the yellow light shoot out from me.

They slowly walked up to me, surprised and curious. They poked and prodded me, but I didn’t have the strength left to respond. I was only glad they didn’t fear me.