Deciding not to stray too far from the bus, I take a good look at the people surrounding me. There are 24 of us. 23 if I'm not counting myself. There are 15 males and 9 females of all ages. The youngest one is a little girl next to the girl who looks like she's perpetually annoyed.
"Does it look like Earth to you!?" I overhear from the crowd as a 50-year-old man points towards the second, rather questionable sun. I can see spit flying out of his mouth and veins popping up on his forehead. "We can't just bloody sit here and wait for the police." When he starts shouting, no one tries to calm him down, and it even appears that some of them agree with him. "We should look around first, maybe climb on some trees or something."
I can't help but roll my eyes as I stop listening to him.
We're surrounded by trees in all directions. They look ordinary. Like the trees you'd find on Earth…
I stop my thoughts. Earth. I think about it. Did I already determine that we aren't on Earth anymore?
It appears so.
After pondering for a bit longer, I come up with a few options, each more ludicrous than the last:
First, someone kidnapped us. Put us to sleep, perhaps with the help of some gas sedative filling up the bus. Afterward, they waited until morning and then let us wake up in the middle of the forest while somehow faking the second sun.
I find this option highly improbable as I don't remember falling asleep. Sure, I was sleepy but I didn't fall asleep. The only thing I recall is a flash, us falling down together with the bus, and then just being here. There are no empty spots in my memory, and I don't feel as if anything is missing.
Second, I am dead. The flash I saw is either us crashing into something, maybe an explosion. Perhaps I got shot through the window. It would mean that this is some weird kind of afterlife.
I also find this option improbable, not to mention utterly depressing.
Third, I fell asleep, and this is a dream.
I pinch my forearm as hard as I can and the pain feels way too real, and I'm now mildly annoyed at myself.
Fourth, some kind of convoluted prank.
I think about it for a minute and, after I can't come up with a way they would pull it off or why they would even bother, I nearly dismiss it. It still lingers, though, because honestly, who knows what people are capable of these days? I once again look towards the passengers. They're still "discussing." I slowly glance over every one of them, but no one looks high profile, important enough, or rich enough for such a waste of resources.
I don't completely scratch out this option, but it's also highly improbable.
Fifth, we really are on another planet.
The main reason is this bloody orange thing in the sky. The probably-sun.
I just can't find anything fake about it. Not a single thing. Of course, you would expect higher temperatures, but with the first sun looking slightly smaller and the second one looking weaker, it might balance out. I don't know to be honest. My knowledge about this kind of stuff is pretty much just the basics.
I sigh.
Then I hear one of the schoolgirls screaming and pointing towards the forest. I follow the direction she is pointing towards and notice a wolf standing on the edge of the forest.
The beast's brown fur is matted with dried blood. Missing an ear and bearing a gruesome scar on its snout. It fixes its unnerving gaze on the terrified girl, eyes glowing with an eerie light. This massive creature is tall enough for its eyes to be at the same height as mine.
It growls and takes a menacing step towards us. A huge, car-sized wolf, with a strange text hovering above its head.
[Wolf - lvl 2]
Yeah, nope. I am out.
Thank you and fuck you, whoever is responsible for this monstrosity.
I am already on my way back inside the bus even before the wolf takes the first step.
Wolf moves towards us and lets out a deep, long growl. I can feel it in my chest. The deep, disturbing vibration and all my instinct screaming at me to run.
Yup, it's definitely time to run.
People are running back inside the bus, obviously with a lot of screaming. Some of them even fall down and desperately crawl and run back inside. I see a few men pushing kids out of their way just to get in first.
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The level two wolf slowly and carefully walks towards us. He almost seems like he is expecting some kind of trap, and an inhuman intelligence shines in his eyes.
While not turning my back to him, I get to the bus and enter it as well. Everyone is already inside. I hear a few people sobbing and their scared voices.
"What the hell is that..."
"...at least two meters tall."
"...level..."
While they are staring at the wolf, I look around, searching for something I could use as a weapon against...I glance outside at...that thing.
Usurprisingly, there is no weapon laying around. Hell, I would like an RPG at this point.
Fortunately, I notice a slightly bent iron pole used for people to hold onto the hanging and after a little bit of pulling with all my force, I manage to free it. It's unfortunately only around 1 meter long and blunt. After another second, I grab a bigger piece of glass from the ground and hold it in my left hand while holding the pole in my right one.
Probably because of my nervousness or shaking hand, I can already see blood from my cut hand on the piece of glass, but I quickly ignore it.
The wolf is around 10 meters away from the bus, looking even more dangerous than before. It is sniffing and growling while showing its massive teeth. It has lowered its body closer to the ground as if getting ready to attack or run. Its steps are slower and slower as it starts making circles around the bus while letting out horrifying growls.
"Hey Google, what's the opposite of 'pspspsp' but for wolves instead of cats?" The boy with an annoying laugh says, his voice shaking and his face pale as snow.
He gets a few shocked looks but no laughs. Everyone is looking absolutely terrified and I am sure some people can't even see the wolf because of their tears.
"Mommy..."
"Oh my god, please let me..."
"G-get away from the windows..."
The wolf’s circles are getting smaller and smaller and it seems to be getting more and more comfortable. It's as if they are slowly stopping seeing us as a threat.
My eyes are glued to the text over the wolf´s head.
[Wolf - lvl 2]
I look around but I don't see anyone with such text over their head.
I focus and try to filter out all the screams, cries, and wolves' growling. A crazy thought flashes through my mind.
It can't be, right?
"Profile," I whisper. Nothing happens.
"Character window," I say.
Nothing.
"Window," I say.
Nothing.
"Level," I say.
Nothing.
"Inspect," I say.
Nothing.
"Appraise," I say.
Nothing.
"Shut the fuck up with your mumbling!" one of the men yells at me.
"Shut the..." I start, but then I realize that a few people are watching me like I've gone crazy.
For a second I look around. Some of the passengers already have some kind of "weapon" in their hands, like a glass bottle, a piece of glass from the window, a purse, a messenger bag, or another piece of iron pipe from the bus.
The wolf is already two meters away from us. We can hear it sniffing and I can see drool dropping from its massive maw.
I go back to my thing, ignoring the other passengers.
"Skill window," I say.
Nothing.
"Skill," I say.
Nothing.
"Skills," I say.
Nothing.
"Status window," I say.
Nothing.
I hear screams and see a wolf's massive head behind one of the unbroken windows. Everyone is trying to get as far away as they can, shaking, screaming, and crying while waving their makeshift weapons and trying to look as dangerous as they can.
"Status," I say.
Before I have a chance to say another word, a golden see-through window pops up in front of my face.
[Name: Nathaniel Gwyn]
Difficulty: Hell
Floor: 1
Time left until forced return: 4y 364d 23h 36m 12s
Lvl 0
Strength: 6
Dexterity: 7
Constitution: 3
Mana: 1
[Primary Class: Unavailable]
[Sub-class: Unavailable]
Skills:
Focus - lvl 1
Mana manipulation - lvl 1
[Skill Points: 0]
[Stat Points: 0]
It's interesting, but useless at the moment.
The window disappears when it decides to do so and then the window breaks and the wolf sticks its head inside, ignoring the broken glass and trying to bite an older woman nearby. Fortunately, it only bites off part of her sweater and the fabric tears as the wolf tries to pull her outside. The woman falls down while screaming.