Soon she got tired of crying and passed out in my arms.

Poor girl, she is only 7 years old.

Besides, I can’t seem to understand what’s going on right now.

What was that creature?

Are there others? I doubt my uncle would have been killed by just one.

I turn around to take a look at the corpse while carrying Annie in my arms.

Strange…

It isn’t there.

Did it just disappear when I was looking after Annie?

There is blood on the ground and… what is that?

A piece of paper, similar to the pages from [Evocatus].

Somehow I manage to pick it up while holding the little girl, not an easy task.

And poof… as soon as the page got near the ring it vanished.

Let’s calm down.

First, let’s go back to my cabin.

I really hope it’s safer inside.

Once there I leave Annie on top of my bed, she is asleep, probably too traumatized by the things she has seen today.

I take out the book and check.

As expected.

Some of the contents have changed and new pages have been added.

Page one has my level and status.

Gabriel Hess - Level 2

Experience: 0%

Health: 90% - Magic Power: 0

Skills: none

Now that I take a closer look, I remember the ratman scratched me.

That’s 10% of my health uh…

And I leveled up?

Page two has the info on my knife.

Simple Knife

Level 2 - Experience: 0%

Type: Weapon

Description: a usually sharp blade attached to a handle that is used for cutting or as a weapon.

Skills available:

Backstab Level 1 – Proficiency 0%

Increases chance of critical hit when attacking from behind.

Ugh…

So the knife also gets experience? I don’t understand this.

There is a skill available, I wonder how that works.

For the third page is completely new information.

Short Sword

Level 1 – Experience 0%

Type: Weapon

Description: this weapon is a smaller version of the longsword but longer than a dagger, having many of the same parts including a generally double-edged blade, cross-guard, grip, and pommel.

Skills available: none

The drawing of the short sword reminds of the weapon the ratman used.

I’m guessing it’s the piece of paper the creature left behind after its corpse disappeared.

When I summon the sword, a different sheath appears hanging on the left side of my belt, the knife is on the right side.

I take the sword from its sheath.

It’s around 15 cms longer than my knife, it’s a little bit heavier too.

After waving it around for a couple of minutes I put the sword back on its sheath.

Then I take a look to the last page on the book.

Log:

Y1D1 Killed Ordinary Ratman lvl3 – Acquired Short Sword lvl1

This doesn’t make any sense.

Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in and breathe out…

Okay, I’m calmer now.

It was a level 3 creature, so no wonder I got a whole level by killing it.

What worries me the most is the fact that this was just an ‘ordinary’ ratman, meaning there are others not so ordinary.

There is a lot of information I have to process.

First, let’s try calling the police.

I pick up my phone, no signal…

How about internet?

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

No internet either.

The phone I can understand, we are on a rural area and the connection may fail.

But I made sure the internet would be always connected, a dedicated satellital connection, after all I need to use the web for my job.

What to do? We should leave these place and go to the city.

If I’m not wrong, there is a police station a few kilometers from here.

Maybe I will find some help there.

I can’t do that.

My aunt and uncle.

I have to retrieve their corpses and bury them, I can’t abandon to those creatures.

Does that mean I have to fight again?

The excitement from the previous battle comes to my mind, I felt alive back there.

Can I take another life?

Yes, I can.

I have to.

If I don’t recover their corpses I won’t be able to forgive myself.

What should I do with Annie?

I could just leave her sleeping, I doubt she will wake up soon.

Is it safe here?

The walls from my cabin are pretty sturdy, my room is soundproofed.

It should be safe enough.

But checking the surrounding area to make sure it’s safe before going to the farm won’t hurt.

What else should I prepare before leaving?

I’m not hungry even though I left my breakfast over the ratman corpse.

A couple of bottles with water won’t hurt.

I grab my backpack and put some water bottles inside.  

Nothing else comes to mind.

With my sword on one hand and the knife on the other I leave the cabin.

Walking for a few minutes I take a look around the surrounding area, there is no danger close as far as I can tell.

Once I’m sure the place is safe I turn towards the farm.

Time passes slowly as I walk, I’m trying to be careful, always prepared for a sudden movement.

Yet the lack of sounds on the way there makes me nervous.

As I get closer my courage begins to fade little by little.

I’m no longer certain that I can fight one of those creatures again, much less win.

What if there are too many for me to defeat?

Or worse… there might be something far more dangerous than a ratman.

I don’t even know how to wield my sword and knife.

Yes, I’m afraid.

I could die you know.

Little Annie would be all alone on this world, no family left to take care of her.

“Aaaagh”

Who are you trying to convince?

You can’t turn back now.

I know I’m a coward.

There are infinite reasons for me to turn around and hide on my cabin, flee from the mountain and let someone else take care of this matter.

But I just can’t leave their corpses to those creatures.

My parents would never forgive me, after their death it was my uncle and his family who took care of me.

So grow a pair and go get them.

Sounds of footsteps bring me back from my thoughts.

I swiftly hide behind a tree.

Two ratman are walking towards the direction of the cabin.

My body freezes as they pass near my position.

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I can't seem to make the tables work, I'll edit that later. Please let me know if you find any mistakes, thanks!