Within the Sainba Forest, a myriad of flora and fauna flourishes, captivating the attention of those who delve into the alchemic arts. But to journey beneath the darkened canopy of the forest is to be tested, and to come to a deeper understanding of one's place within the natural world. It is an experience of profound humility.

- The Fanciful Travels by Beron de Laney 376 AC.

Elwin died, then Kidu soon after, slain by my own hand. The wavy form of my dagger was bloody with their life essence, as a testament to my sins. Their deaths were the coin with which I could bargain for my heart’s desire.

Faltering for a moment, I snapped out of a vision that seemed far too real to be an idle thought or daydream. It was nearing noon, with the glorious sun high in the sky, a stark contrast to the earlier darkness I had experienced. Like pilgrims, my companions and I walked our first steps along the path of legend. And, like the heroes of old, I felt that we were answering the call to adventure.

As we journeyed further away from Ansan, the Jewel of the Grieving Lands, the road eventually turned into a simple track of dirt, then finally into an animal trail as we came closer to the great Sainba Forest proper. Under the newfound leaves of my optimism lurked thoughts of my encounter with the wailing woman in Ansan.

I focused my mind and made a mental list. Essentially, we had four objectives, three of which were to find River Root and Moon Moss for the Guild, and to gather some Broomshead mushrooms for the eccentric alchemist Hamsa. Finally, we had to slay some fearsome River Lurkers to harvest their hides. A romantic part of me, which had followed me from adolescence, forgot about the rather pedestrian request to gather herbs, and envisioned us accomplishing awesome deeds and vanquishing terrible foes.

I wasn’t particularly looking forward to engaging the terrifying lizards in close quarters, so I would probably rely on my magic and Kidu’s longbow to do most of the damage. The throwing knives at my waist probably wouldn’t even irritate the beasts, and I resolved to buy myself a more-powerful ranged weapon. Sighing, I wish I could have afforded that exotic crossbow from the market.

Just before we entered the Sainba proper, we paused for Kidu to string his massive longbow. Even for the giant, it proved a difficult task and he was red in the face when he finished. The poundage on the bow must have been phenomenal and the string tougher than wired steel. The merchant did, after all, describe the string as spider silk from this very forest, and I prayed in my heart that they were not of the giant variety.

Once more under the dense boughs of the giant trees, I could feel some sort of energy, or electricity, in the air, like the portentous pressure before a wild storm. Kidu led us now, the wild calls of the animals and birds banishing the last echoes of civilization, as we ventured deep into the dark forest. Elwin was constantly scanning the greenery, his keen eyes looking for the moss that apparently grew on the bark of the giant trees as he took a position at our rear. I led our new donkey, Patches, gently at the center of our small formation. So affectionate was the intelligent donkey that I doubted I truly needed the new leather harness. In all honesty, I felt a little useless, as I had almost no knowledge of any applicable bushcraft skills.

Tapping the large man on the shoulder and raising my hand for Elwin, I called for a pause as I checked my Status. I knew well from experience that the great Sainba Forest was as wild and as dangerous as it was beautiful and mysterious.

Health: 230/230

Stamina: 49/55

Mana: 6/15

Even as heavily-armored as I was, my Stamina was in a good place and I didn’t feel overly encumbered in my gear. I surmised that this was probably due to my higher Constitution, Strength, and Heavy Armor skill. However, with my Mana at just over a third, I was sorely tempted to drink my expensive Mana potion, when a flash of inspiration hit me. If my Drain spell worked on living things, then it stood to reason that it would also work on the giant trees that surrounded us.

Elwin, as always, was glad for the short rest and gratefully flopped down onto the forest floor. Kidu continued to look around, remembering to search upward as well for threats among the viridian vegetation. I locked eyes with Kidu and a silent communication passed between us. Nodding to me, he unslung his bow and drew an arrow fletched in black feathers from the quiver at his side.

Focusing on the dark energy that had grown in the depths of my soul, I silently drew upon the power of the vampiric spell Drain and targeted the nearest giant of a tree. Dark tendrils and threads of midnight latched hungrily across its mighty trunk, passing through the bark and searching for life energies.

Instantly I felt invigorated, as the black threads began to pump vital energy into me, and I delighted in the sensation. However, it felt different, the stolen song had a subtly different meter and pitch. My Mana steadily rose and, wishing to accelerate the process, I began to cast another Drain spell on a different tree, whose mighty branches reached up into the heavens.

I exulted in the heady feeling of power that was flowing through me. My Mana rose steadily, then accelerated as the spell siphoned even more vital energy to me. Like a conductor orchestrating a symphony, I waved the thin threads of darkness this way and that, latching them onto new trees before I cast Entropic Aura as an experiment.

A pulse of entropic darkness all but exploded from me, causing the vegetation to wilt and droop slightly as the dark waves pulsed. Out of the corner of one eye, I could see that the dark energies passed harmlessly through my companions and their possessions, and I reveled in my mastery.

Sure enough, the threads that were attached to the trees within the Aura pulsed thicker. Within the bounds of the spell, the rate of energy pumping into me was increased and the sibilant dark whispers grew more jubilant.

Kidu remained at a guard position to protect me, keeping watch for anything that could disturb my arcane ritual. Within minutes, instead of hours, my Mana had risen to thirteen points, so I reined in my magic as if it were an unruly hound. I gave Kidu a nod, and we recommenced our journey. I was surrounded by living batteries of delectable power. I was rewarded for this new discovery with a new level in my Drain spell and ten points of experience that put me tantalizingly close to level eleven. I itched to kill something, just to get that last bit of experience.

I joined my companions in scanning the forest, although for a much different reason - to look for something to kill.

*****

We plowed on through the forest for another hour or so, the animals and the birds becoming a little quieter around us. I could feel Patches growing more tense, though this didn’t stop her from occasionally nibbling on some of the plants we passed. Suddenly, at the edge of the clearing, Kidu called for a halt with a raise of his hand.

“Karilla,” said the big man in a hushed voice, pointing to a great lizard basking in the sun on a mound of rotting vegetation.

The animal, at first glance, resembled a Dimetrodon, a creature from Earth’s ancient past, with fern-green scales that matched the viridian hue of the forest. But it had six legs, like a lot of the fauna of this world. The fearsome creature was about five meters from the curled tip of its tail to its brutish head. Refracting scintillating halos of light across the clearing, a large multi-colored sail ran across its spine. From its stubby head, two large fangs grew from a slight overbite, and a single long horn, perhaps half a meter, erupted from between its closed eyes. The creature’s six short legs were powerfully built, and each limb had sharp claws that looked like they could easily rend and tear flesh. At its throat lay a bulging large red sac that pulsed with every breath.

Perhaps, if I wasn’t so close to gaining a level, I would have chosen to simply avoid the creature, but I could barely control my lust to get some more experience. Something drove me towards conflict.

“If the creature is still basking, then it must be sluggish and vulnerable right now,” I whispered to my companions, looking them each in the eye. In my mind, I was already gambling that the biology of cold-blooded creatures in this world functioned the same as in my old one. “Also, I don’t want to waste precious daylight circling around its territory. How dangerous are these creatures?” I nervously inquired, losing a little of my confidence with every passing second.

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“You can’t be serious,” Elwin stuttered, almost coughing in surprise at my audacity. Kidu and I both looked at the Rogue, then back at the Karilla.

“Acid can be a problem. I suggest that we take it from afar. I can hit its acid sac, which will do grave damage, and it is said that hotlander alchemists pay a fine price for it,” mused Kidu, who was now seriously thinking about taking down the monstrous reptile and adding another notch to his belt. The man had a dangerous obsession with finding, and hunting down, worthy prey.

“You are all crazy—just look at that thing! I thought we were all here just to pick a few plants!” exclaimed the Rogue shrilly.

“Stay back, Kidu and I will handle this. Help out if things get a little hairy,” I commanded, a certain edge of annoyance entering my voice. “Kidu, shoot for the throat if the beast stirs,” I ordered, the voice of command coming surprisingly naturally to me.

As I put the visor of my helm down, my world reduced to a narrow slit of vision, and I began casting. The magic of Entropic Aura pulsed with a wave of black-laced and gray-flecked energy, with me at its epicenter. Experimentally, I silently cast Decay on the fearsome creature. An oily sensation filled the pit of my stomach as I completed the spell, but only a few of the dark tendrils were able to attach themselves to its sleeping form, almost as if the creature was resisting.

With plenty of Mana left, I cast Drain on the creature, to hopefully weaken it further. Sure enough, the gossamer-thin strands of midnight energy eagerly sought the beast’s life force and began transferring it to me. For good measure, I also cast Drain on two of the gigantic trees near me. The confluence of incoming power was a narcotic rush that I had to push down with an effort of will. As my Stamina and Mana began to climb higher and higher, the voices within me exalted.

The lizard was still asleep, the thick scales along its belly rising and falling with every breath. The creature began to stir a little and started whisking its tail slightly in irritation. Then it opened its mouth in a mighty yawn, displaying a row of jagged teeth. The sail on its back shifted, and rainbow hues of light filled the clearing as it settled back down to rest.

Kidu had his bow at the ready, his shield glove holding the strong supple wood, a deadly arrow knocked on the string, ready to be shot at a moment's notice. The large man looked at me for further instruction but I held up a hand, willing him to wait as my magic continued to take its toll. Turning around, I glanced at Elwin, who looked increasingly nervous under his hood as he gripped Patches’ harness. With my Mana going up, I decided to sate my curiosity by casting Identify on the creature to measure its potential threat.

Karilla - [Great Lizard lvl.12]

Health: 287/336

Stamina: 48/65

Mana: 0/2

Good, my magic was steadily weakening the creature, I thought to myself. The creature did not even seem to be stirring to wakefulness, just continually basking in the sun. I posited to myself that the low Mana of the creature must be representative of its general intelligence.

I realized now that fighting a creature such as this head-on would have almost been tantamount to suicide. Its higher level and impressive physical attributes, coupled with its thick armor and sharp natural weapons, would have been a grave threat to my party. Luckily, however, we had magic on our side and also, it seemed, time as well. The longer it took for the creature to realize what was causing it harm, the greater advantage we would enjoy.

For several minutes my dark magic continued to leech the vital force out of the huge basking lizard, and soon enough my Mana reached a healthy ten points. Suddenly, a colorful bird atop a branch above and behind Elwin made a raucous call that caused him to jump in quick surprise. This sudden motion then caused Patches to release a loud panicked bray that resounded through the clearing, scattering a flock of pink-colored birds from their afternoon perch.

Gradually, like the inevitable tides, the Karilla opened one heavily-lidded eye. The reptile’s eye was a menacing yellow orb that revealed a pupil that was a thin black slit running down its center. Although weakened, it still got up to its feet and cried a bestial roar that caused the rest of the wildlife in the near vicinity to flee in a panicked explosion. Patches was visibly disturbed now and, ears flattened, she began braying loudly, forcing Elwin to lead her back away from the clearing.

Suddenly, without warning, there was a whistling sound, and an arrow sprouted from the Karilla’s throat sac. The scarlet bulge exploded, spraying green acid across the forest floor, the corrosive liquid hissing violently as it ate away at the ground. Planting his feet firmly, Kidu drew his longbow and launched a second missile at the giant lizard’s eye, but it was deflected by a horned ridge as the creature finally turned in our direction.

Realizing that our group was the threat, the ferocious creature lowered its head and aimed its long, brutal-looking horn at us, before starting to charge at us with surprising speed, green acid still leaking from its injured throat.

In a valiant show of martial skill, Kidu shot another arrow that scored a light furrow along its snout, bloodying its nose. The animal shook its head in pain and confusion. Showing bravery I never knew I had, I charged the creature and launched a Power Strike at the lizard’s scaly head. That I was flying into danger was forgotten in the heat of the moment, as the dark whispers urged me on to greater heights of violence.

Half-stunned by the impact, the Karilla was unable to dodge the next attack. The blow drew a dark arc before the “mace” part of my flail squarely hit the side of its skull in an explosion of loose scales and blood. The striking head of the flail wrapped under its snout and struck its lower jaw with the deadly spiked head.

The terrifying beast was tough, however, and simply refused to die. It reflexively turned around to swish its long supple tail in my direction, sweeping me clean off my feet as it impacted my kite shield. I felt no pain, but I still took minor damage to my health. The psychological impact was, however, immense, and I suddenly grew fearful. The last vestiges of my earlier confidence left me as I desperately scrambled up to my feet, forced to pit myself against the raw strength of the scaled monster.

The creature, however, in its stupidity, did not press the advantage and, instead, charged after Kidu, who shouldered his bow, drew his boar spear and braced himself to receive its charge. Surely enough, the creature impaled itself upon Kidu’s spear, the winged lugs of the weapon preventing the Karilla from running up the shaft and reaching the massive Hunter. Its struggles to rend and tear the large man only served to widen its own wounds.

In a whirl of motion, from a significant distance away, Elwin let loose a volley of four knives that fanned out and impacted all along the Karilla’s flanks and sides, but they did not penetrate deeply. Inspired by this, I hooked my flail back to my belt and drew two throwing knives with my gauntleted left hand.

I held both knives in the same hand, the handles of both weapons touching each other, the blades at the opposite ends of my hand. I then threw the knives in quick succession, first with an overhand throw, and the next with a flick of the wrist, underhand, at the center mass of the large creature. After initiating the skill in my mind, my Stamina was drained suddenly by five points. Although my blades embedded themselves into the natural armor across the lizard’s back, I doubted they did any noticeable damage.

The Karilla was beginning to weaken now, with the accumulation of all the minor wounds and the damage it was inflicting on itself by trying to reach the wildman as he slowly retreated.

My magic, too, was taking its toll. Bolstered by my Entropic Aura, the tendrils of my Decay spell grew thicker as they attacked the areas around its open wounds, causing the faint smell of rot to cloud the air. All the while, my Drain spell continued to energize me as it leached away at the Karilla’s life and restored my Health.

Despite this, Kidu was getting pushed back by the raw strength and weight of the animal. His face was a picture of desperate exhaustion as he grudgingly gave ground, playing for time and forcing the creature to expend even more of its Strength in the contest.

It was all too much for the monster. After a few more seconds, Kidu, with impressive innate skill, sensed that the monster had been weakened enough. He ripped out his spear with a splurt of arterial blood, and stabbed it cleanly through one of its eyes. The maw of the great lizard gave out a muffled sigh as the rest of its body finally realized that it was dead, though its tail still twitched in denial.

I quickly dispelled all of my magic, not wanting to damage the remains of the creature, as I was met with more notifications from my UI.

You have slain a Karilla 30 experience gained.

You have gained 1 Strength.

You have gained 1 Dexterity.

You have learned Medium Armor (lvl.2)

You have learned Heavy Armor (lvl.3)

You have learned Maces (lvl.2)

You have learned Silent Casting (lvl.2)

You have learned Double Throw (lvl.1)

You have reached level 11.

3 unassigned attribute points.

1 unassigned skill point.