As they trudged through the warm night, conserving their energy in shared silence. Aridan suddenly broke the quiet. “I’m an idiot,” he declared, smacking his forehead in sudden realization.

I know, but what’s the reason this time?” Kaiden quipped, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards.

Aridan shot back with a touch of sarcasm, “Oh, haha, you’re hilarious.” Then, more seriously, he suggested, “We should party up.”

“You can party here?” he asked.

“You’ve never been in a party with anyone before?” he asked, incredulous.

Kaiden shrugged, a wry smile on his lips. “Not exactly on the best terms with the Dragonborn back there,” he said, thumbing over his shoulder towards the city.

“Right, of course,” Aridan mumbled, then explained, “The party system allows members to view each other’s class and monitor their health.”

Intrigued, Kaiden asked, “Does it let you share experience?”

Aridan scoffed at the idea. “No, that would be absurd, imagine the abuse that would arise from such a system. People could just sit in the party doing nothing while they leveled up. Experience must be earned through actions relevant to your class.”

Kaiden nodded, “So, how do we form this party?”

“It’s straightforward,” Aridan began, “To invite someone, just focus on them and think ‘invite to party.’ If you’re on the receiving end, a blue notification will appear, and you simply accept or decline. However, only once a party is formed, only the party leader can invite further members. I’ll invite you.”

Suddenly, a translucent box materialized in Kaiden’s vision:

Aridan Everclear invites you to party.

Accept or Decline?

Kaiden accepted and the blue box promptly vanished.

“Excellent,” Aridan confirmed with a nod. “Now, to access the party details, it’s similar to accessing your status or skills interface. Just concentrate and envision the ‘party panel.’

Kaiden focused inward and did as instructed. The party interface materialized before him:

Party Panel

Name

Class

Health

Aridan Everclear

Arcane Ranger Level 22

Full

Kaiden Hunter

Dragon Knight Level 17

Full

“Why is the health section so basic?” Kaiden asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

“What’s there to question? Our health is at maximum, so it’s marked as full.”

“But what if one of us is hurt?” Kaiden pressed.

“In that case, it would indicate ‘injured,’” Aridan explained, as though the answer was obvious.

“And if the injury is severe?” Kaiden persisted.

“It would still read ‘injured.’” Aridan stated.

Kaiden couldn’t hide his frustration, “That’s barely helpful,” he complained.

Aridan disagreed. “It provides essential information: the names, classes, levels of party members, and a general sense of their health. The system is a tool, not a–”

“–crutch, yeah, I get it,” Kaiden interjected, familiar with the argument. A thought occurred to him, “What does it say if someone in the party has died?” he asked.

“It simply states ‘dead,’” Aridan responded.

“Figures,” Kaiden muttered under his breath. Changing the subject, he commented, “I thought you’d be higher leveled.”

“I’ve already told you what my level was,” Aridan stated.

“I thought you might have been downplaying it, you know, being modest or something,” Kaiden admitted. “Aren’t you like a thousand years old though, don’t elves live for ages?” he asked.

Aridan frowned “It’s generally considered impolite to comment on someone’s age. I’d advise against such inquiries with elves or especially women in the future. And no, I’m 22, Elves don’t inherently live for thousands of years, only those reaching an extraordinary level of vitality can live for so long.”

Kaiden started, taken aback. He’d pegged Aridan for being much older, not someone younger than his age before his rebirth. The harsh conditions of his imprisonment had clearly taken its toll.

Aridan continued, “Moreover, it’s not common practice to thrust untrained recruits into battle. I didn’t even see combat until I was 18, a year later I was caught by the Dragonborn. I suspect my former comrades have long since passed me.”

Kaiden felt a pang of guilt for his thoughtlessness, of course, Aridan was behind after losing three years of his life in that hell hole.

“For what it’s worth, as much as I despise that place, I’m glad I met you,” he stated.

Aridan’s smirk was tinged with humor. “I wonder what misdeeds I committed to not only endure dragonborn captivity but also end up with you as my closest friend.”

“Hey!” Kaiden protested with a grin of his own.

As they ventured further into the desolate landscape, their quiet march was interrupted by a sudden movement. A diminutive creature, barely reaching their knees, bounded towards them with surprising agility. Its distinctive long ears perked up, and a solitary horn adorned the center of its forehead.

“Perfect,” Aridan remarked.

Kaiden looked at the creature puzzled, “What is that?”

“A chance for some practice,” he explained.

“It’s just a rabbit,” Kaiden replied.

“No, this is a horned desert sylvilagus.” Aridan corrected.

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Kaiden examined the creature more closely. The rabbit-like creature regarded them with an air of curiosity, its long ears twitching rhythmically.

“You want me to fight a rabbit?” Kaiden asked incredulously, stepping towards it.

“Yes, it’s an excellent opportunity to hone your skills,” Aridan encouraged, adding a word of caution, “But, be careful they can be vicious.”

Kaiden continued to approach the furry little creature. “This little thing?” he asked, the scepticism evident in his tone.

In an instant, the creature’s eyes ignited with a menacing red glow, signaling the activation of a skill. With surprising speed, it propelled itself toward Kaiden, its horn aimed directly at his chest.

Caught off guard, Kaiden let out a startled yelp, barely managing to interpose his shield in time. The rabbit’s horn made a solid impact against the shield, puncturing the leather and leaving a noticeable dent in the wood beneath.

“What the hell!” Kaiden exclaimed, his heart racing as the rabbit prepared for another assault. It struck the shield once more, the force of the impact reverberating through his arm.

Kaiden glanced towards Aridan for assistance, only to find the elf struggling to suppress his laughter. “Aren’t you going to help?” he demanded.

Aridan, still amused, shook his head. “Nope, it’s only level 15. You’ve got this. Try using one of your skills.” He advised, barely containing his mirth.

Gritting his teeth, Kaiden focused, attempting to activate his dragon scales skill, in hopes of bolstering his shield's protection. However, at that moment the rabbit launched another attack. Kaiden’s concentration shattered as he scrambled to deflect the oncoming horn, causing the skill to dissipate before it could fully manifest.

Kaiden’s frustration mounted with each failed attempt to maintain his skill. It reminded him of the time he learned to drive his car, and the need to juggle multiple tasks – steering, shifting gears, monitoring the road – all to avoid stalling or crashing his car.

After a grueling twenty minutes that felt more like an eternity, Kaiden began to grasp the finesse required to keep the dragon scales skill active amidst the chaos of combat.

During the fight he also uncovered the reason for Aridan’s comment on why the skill would be challenging to learn. Thinking of further protection, Kaiden had attempted to extend the skill’s effects to his cloak and pants, only to discover the exponential mana cost and the heightened demand for concentration this entailed. Each piece of armor required its own focus and mana. Needless to say, he failed on that attempt.

During a particularly aggressive lunge from the rabbit, Kaiden’s sword found its mark, cleaving the creature in two.

Aridan response came in the form of a slow rhythmic clap, and it felt just as sarcastic even in this world. “That might just be the most underwhelming display I’ve witnessed,” he remarked, though his grin softened the blow.

Kaiden still catching his breath, retorted, “That little bastard was bloody fast you know.”

“Exactly, it provided the perfect amount of pressure to refine your skills,” Aridan replied. "Let's collect what meat we can and continue on.” He suggested

As they walked Kaiden’s mind wandered back to the fight against Gorath, he realized he was lucky to survive that confrontation. However, the realization that he had relied on something as fickle as luck to survive grated against his nerves. Luck was the reason why he started in the Dragonborn capitol to begin with.

Determined to sever his dependence on the whims of chance, Kaiden resolved to train his skills so that no matter the situation, no matter the distraction, he would be able to activate them.

By the time they reached the third night of their journey away from Gul’Gormeth, Kaiden, and Aridan had found their stride, moving through the desert with a silent understanding between them. The distance from the capital brought with it an increase in the frequency of monster encounters.

Aridan, with his keen-senses, a trait of his Elven heritage, sharpened by his arcane ranger class, led them with a vigilant eye, avoiding the more dangerous monsters whenever possible. Unfortunately, sometimes adding hours to their journey. Yet, the desert was unforgiving, and avoiding encounters altogether was impossible.

When they faced lesser creatures, Aridan stepped back, allowing Kaiden the opportunity to face them alone. These moments served as invaluable practice for Kaiden. For more formidable foes, they worked together, their classes synergizing well. Kaiden’s role was to engage and hold the attention of their adversaries, providing Aridan the opening to unleash the full might of his arcane ranger skills. The sight of Aridan drawing his bow, and summoning ethereal arrows from thin air, was impressive. The natural advantage elves possessed, owing to their longer limbs, allowed Aridan to draw his bowstring back further than most, increasing the power of each shot.

By the fifth night, the countless skirmishes they had endured blended into a blur in Kaiden’s memory. He had managed to level once, bringing his level to 18 and his mastery over elemental talons and dragon scales skills had also ranked up, both skills nearing the threshold of apprenticeship at rank 9.

Kaiden and Aridan’s teamwork had also improved and the level 21 sand scorpion they had just killed stood no chance. Kaiden looked back over his shoulder to see Aridan with a mad grin on his face.

“What is it?” He asked.

“I’ve leveled,” Aridan exclaimed. “I never thought I’d see this screen again.” He shared.

Kaiden walked over and gave his friend a small congratulatory bump on the shoulder. “Congrats.”

After dawn broke, they trudged on, unable to find any shelter to shield them from the sun's relentless heat. The desert heat shimmered around them, making the air thick and their vision blurry. Amidst this haze, a stoke of green broke the monotony of the sandy expanse – a beacon of hope on the unforgiving horizon.

Kaiden’s heart quickened, and he turned to Aridan, who acknowledged the sight with a silent nod.

Driven by the prospect of escaping this god-forsaken place, their pace quickened. The green expanse grew larger, promising the end of their arduous journey in the wasteland. They navigated a maze of boulders that lay scattered, the edge of the forest now tantalizingly close.

Suddenly, Aridan shouted a warning and a shadow enveloped Kaiden. His instincts flared and he leapt aside, bringing his shield up in a desperate defense. The impact was sudden and ferocious, a force sticking his shield and sending him sprawling across the sand. The world spun, a chaotic blend of sky and sand.

Through his disorientation, Kaiden could hear the clash of battle, Aridan’s determined cries cutting through his foggy mind. Struggling against the weight of his own body, Kaiden pushed himself to his feet.

It was then he noticed that his shield was shattered, the remains dangling off his broken arm. The creature before them was like a behemoth carved from the very earth, its towering form a patchwork of boulders. Its face was a terrifying assembly of stone with fiery red eyes that burned with malice.

Aridan was a whirlwind of motion, his arcane arrows flying continually, each shot only chipping the surface of the tough exterior.

The monster’s roar, a sound pulled from the depths of the earth, resonated with a primal fury as it attacked, forcing Aridan to dodge its powerful blows.

“Run, it’s a level 75 golem,” Aridan shouted, noticing Kaiden was standing.

Kaiden’s stomach clenched at the desperation in his friend's voice.

“What about you!” Kaiden shouted.

“I’ll be fine, just run.”

Kaiden had known the elf long enough to know he was lying, his friend looked exhausted.

Casting aside the remnants of his shield, Kaiden activated his elemental talons skill, pain flaring in his arm with each movement. He maneuvered behind the golem and charged in striking a blow on its leg. The impact sent a meager shard of stone flying, and Kaiden felt only a minuscule influx of life force from his skill, a bitter confirmation of the tiny damage he was doing. The golem's vitality was too high for them.

Kaiden narrowly dodged the golem’s massive fist, the air whooshing past him as it sailed past.

“What are you doing, you’re going to get yourself killed,” Aridan yelled.

“I’m not going to leave you,” Kaiden shouted back.

This was a terrible match-up. Kaiden’s sword though sharp, was like a child’s toy against the monstrous golem and their level differences were too vast.

“What’s the plan?” Kaiden called out, desperation seeping into his voice.

“Try moving closer to the forest,” Aridan suggested. “We might have a chance to make a break for it.”

It was a long slog, the forest was closer now but Kaiden’s mana was almost empty and his stamina was flagging.

Having the least dexterity of the two and being melee, it was difficult to help and it was only Aridan’s expert fighting ability and battle sense that kept him alive, somehow, interrupting and distracting the creature every time Kaiden would have been hit.

They were much closer to the forest, but they still needed their chance to break away. “I have an idea,” he shouted, “when I go in shoot the thing in the face and get ready to run.”

“Alright,” Aridan replied.

Seizing the moment, Kaiden charged, his legs pumping and heart racing. As he neared the golem, he thrust his sword with all his might towards the creature’s knee. Simultaneously, Aridan unleashed a flurry of arcane arrows, striking the golem square in the face. The creature roared’ its massive hands flying up to shield its face.

His sword wedged deep into the gaps in the stone of the golem's knee. Abandoning his sword, he sprinted, his path curving back towards the forest. “Now! Run!” he bellowed, adrenaline surging through his veins.

Together they bolted from the enraged colossus. Casting a glance over his shoulder, Kaiden internally cheered as he saw the golem, its movements hampered by the sword lodged in its joint. His celebration was short-lived however as the blade shattered and gave way, allowing the golem to gather terrifying speed as it lumbered after them.

They entered the forest at full speed, barely slowing to navigate the labyrinth of trees and underbrush. The golem’s furious pursuit continued into the forest only for a moment, marked by the toppling of trees, before it roared in anger and stomped back to the wastelands.

“I can’t believe we managed to outrun that thing.” Kaiden panted, breaking out into laughter.

Aridan shot him an incredulous look, still catching his own breath. “You do realize you’re absolutely mad, right?”

A grin spread across his face, despite the pain he began to feel as his adrenaline faded, “No more than you.” he retorted, as Aridan's laughter filled the air.

“Wait, I just leveled up,” Kaiden exclaimed.

Aridan nodded, “Of course, surviving an encounter with a level 75 monstrosity like that is bound to grant us a substantial boost. Nicely done.”

Kaiden winced from a twinge of pain from his arm, prompting a concerned glance from Aridan, “How’s your arm?”

To his own surprise, Kaiden found the injury less severe than anticipated, already showing signs of rapid healing. “Actually, it’s mending quite well. Higher vitality does have its perks.”

Aridan looked relieved, “That’s good, if you’re feeling up to it we should probably get out of here, that wasn’t the stealthy entrance I was hoping for.”

Kaiden was about to agree when the sudden thud of an arrow embedded itself into the tree trunk, beside him, cutting him off. “Don’t Move,” A voice echoed ominously through the forest, freezing them in place.

“Ah, Crap,” Kaiden muttered.