The morning air was crisp and heavy with a lingering mist, painting the world in shades of grey. A dreary chill had settled over the landscape, the kind that seeped into your bones and reminded you of the changing seasons. I was nestled in a makeshift shelter with Thor and Loki curled up beside me, when I was jolted awake by a rustling sound emanating from the nearby bushes.

My eyes snapped open, instantly alert. The usual serenity of dawn was pierced by this unexplained noise, setting my nerves on edge. I lay still for a moment, listening intently, my senses heightened from my recent awakening as a druid. Thor and Loki, sensing my tension, perked up, their ears twitching towards the source of the disturbance.

The rustling continued, sporadic but deliberate, as if something or someone, was moving through the underbrush with care. My mind raced through the possibilities. In this new world, any noise could be a threat.

Silently, I reached for my hoe. It was more like a staff now. I hadn’t noticed it the night before, but doing my class process, the wood of the handle had strained and grown under the verdant, green energy coursing through me. Flickers of green floated inside the grain. I signaled Thor and Loki with a subtle hand gesture. They both understood what I meant and rose to follow me.

Taking a deep breath, I prepared to investigate. I moved towards the bushes, each step deliberate and quiet, Thor and Loki flanking me. We moved together. They weren’t my actual familiars, that wouldn’t happen until I unlocked my specialization, but we were so close it didn’t really matter.

With a swift movement, I parted the bushes, ready to confront whatever I found, my heart was pounding inside my chest. It was a spider. A giant fucking spider. It as the same size as my boys.

Its eight eyes glistened menacingly in the dim light, and its fangs, dripping with venom, gleamed ominously. The spider’s legs, covered in coarse hairs, scuttled across the ground, creating a chilling sound that echoed through the quiet morning.

“AAAAAAAHGG.” I screamed. I hated spiders. My staff swung down without thinking. Also without thinking, one of my new abilities triggered.

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I felt a surge of power and electricity surged down my arms, across the staff and into the spider. The spider lunged towards me with surprising speed. The shock of electricity seemed to stun it.

Thor and Loki, working in tandem, maneuvered around the spider. Thor, using his shadow magic, blended into the surroundings, creating confusing illusions to distract the spider. Meanwhile, Loki, harnessed her ice magic, exhaled a chilling breath, aiming to slow the creature with frost.

The spider, caught off guard by the combined assaults' of magic, struggled against the electricity still crackling along its legs. Its movements became even more sluggish as ice began to form on its hairy legs.

I seized the opportunity and stepped forward. I plunged the butt of my staff directly down in between the eyes of the spider. The world seemed to slow down as I brought the staff down with all my might. There was a sickening crunch as the staff made contact, the force of the blow reverberating through my arms. The spider, its movements now lethargic from the shock and cold, couldn’t react in time. The impact crushed it, ending the threat it posed.

I stood there for a moment, panting, my heart still racing from the encounter. I looked down at the vanquished spider, a mix of relief and disgust washing over me. I had never liked spiders, and this giant one was the stuff of nightmares. Yet, there was a part of me that couldn’t help but feel a twinge of regret for the creature, just doing what it instinctively knew.

Thor and Loki approached me, their tails wagging as if to check if I was alright. I bent down to pet them, their warm presence a comforting contrast to the cold dread that had filled me moments ago. “Good boys.” I murmured, grateful for their help.

As I straightened up, I looked at my staff, or rather, my new weapon. The electricity had coursed through it as naturally as if it had always been meant to conduct such power. It was a stark reminder of the changes I had undergone and the new abilities I now possessed. The druidic energy that flowed within me had transformed not just me but the very objects I interacted with.

The encounter with the giant spider was a harsh reminder to the dangers of this new world. I should have recalled the giant ants and realized that there were not they only creatures to change. Would all the creatures change like that? I began to worry. Maybe the woods were not the refuge I had initially thought they would be. But they were a place I could survive. Especially with the new skills I had and with Thor and Loki at my side.

I knew it was time to move on. I decided to try to loot the spider but nothing happened. I don’t know what I expected to happen. I placed the spider in my inventory to deal with it later. With my loyal companions, I set decided to set off. I was going to make something of myself in this world.