I was a little surprised that I was actually correct with my remark. I never really believed in hell or heaven, although I don't think I was an atheist. I was pretty superstituous, but not religious.

Although, considering there was this game system as well, this place probably wasn't a "Hell" I was familiar with.

Realizing I should probably get off my ass and stop moping, I started to climb back down the cave. I wasn't really sure what I was going to do, but I wasn't in the mood to painfully level heat resistance again.

Thinking negatively never helps, it feels so much better to be positive.

At least, that's what I liked telling myself to get out of slumps. It somewhat worked, realizing that it's a good idea to focus on the positive. Besides, it definitely helped to laugh and enjoy things, rather then walking around in a melancholy.

It was a longer journey down the cave this time, I was walking slower and thinking more about the situation I was in. I honestly didn't have a clue what to do. Based on the sights outside the cave, water is scarce or maybe even nonexistant here. If I even try to go out and find somewhere more hospitable, I'll probably get killed by the things- the demons that were there.

Probably because of my slower pace, I realized that this place I was residing in wasn't exactly a normal cave. It was more like a sloping hole into the ground. There wasn't any stalagmites or stalactites, and the passage had very uniform dimensions. It was nearly a perfect circle.

Of course, there were plenty of faults in the rock from time, but it felt like this place was definitely made by something rather then formed naturally.

There was a rather large crack in the wall, one that I had noticed previously but ignored. This was the biggest one I had seen, about as tall as me and a few feet wide. Large enough to walk through, to be honest. And it appeared like it actually led somewhere.

I didn't exactly have anything else to do, so I went inside, shimmying sideways through the small passage for a minute or so, until it opened up into a decently wide area.

It was a roomy passage, much darker then the main cave, and appeared to wind downwards in a curve. As I entered the area, I noticed something else.

It was maybe three and a half feet tall, with sickly yellow skin, and small grey scales embedded around it like shoddy armour. It's freakishly large and cloudy eyes were dark, and angled downwards over a snarl showing sharp teeth. Two black horns curved half a foot into the air, thin and gleaming.

Seeing it, I froze for a second as a million thoughts went through my head, interrupted as it let out a shreak and charged me, long claws outstretched, grasping outwards as it ran.

It's claws sunk into my bad arm and I gasped as horrible waves of pain swept through my body.

On instinct, I kicked outwards, my foot meeting the demons chest. It was launched away from me, and I scrambled backwards.

Screaming again, dark blood dripping from its mouth, it ran towards me. A bit more ready this time, I kicked it again and stepped forward over it, slamming the bottom of my shoe into its face as I yelled wordlessly.

You Have Slain: Lesser Keilatrix, Level 1

+8 XP Acquired

Stomp: Level 1 Acquired

The bottom of my shoe was covered in black demon blood.

I carefully stepped away from the body, and sat down with a shudder, my back hitting the wall.

What the hell was that? A fucking Keilatrix? The hell?

I couldn't move my eyes away from the lifeless body a feet away from me.

It obviously wasn't my first time seeing a dead body. It's not like I haven't been in a similair situation before, but....

What hit me at that moment was the realization. The same realization I had just a few minutes ago, but killing one of the demons made it very clear.

This was not a place that I knew, not a place that would help me. This was a place that would try to kill me, and one that would not make surviving easy.

I sometimes thought about how I would die, before ending up here. This was back when depression clouded my every moment, when all I could think about was what had happened to me and why I had lived.

I wondered if I would eventually crack, my own hands doing it. I mainly feared that they would come back, finding me and killing me. It was irrational, but I wasn't thinking rationally in the months after it happened. Hell, it had taken years before I could put those thoughts out of my head, albeit temporarily.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

But I had gotten past that. Mainly by telling myself that living on would spite them. It was petty, but it kept me from spiralling too deep.

Which is why, at that moment, after killing my first demon and coming to realize that starting from then on, surviving would become the hardest challenge imaginable, I smiled.

It feels better to be positive, doesn't it? So be positive.

If living through this would spite the very land I resided in, I'd live through this.

"Menu, please."

Main Menu: Lake Rogers

- Character Profile

- Quests (1)

- Loot Boxes (1)

- Options

Seeing I apparently had a new quest, I clicked the tab and checked it out.

Quest: The Great Keilatrix Massacre

So you've fought your first demon. Good for you! Did you know that demon you just killed was actually the weakest creature that lives in this realm? No? Well I guess that sucks for you! Did you also know that those things like to group up in dens since they're so weak? No? Well watch out, 'cuz where there's one Keilatrix, there's twenty.

Objective: Defeat every Keilatrix residing in the den

Reward: Uncommon loot box

So, I just have to kill a bunch of those yellow things? Seems easy enough. Keilatrix, was it?

Analyze: Level 1 Acquired

And I got a new skill, too? Awesome!

That quest didn't worry me too much. I may sound a little overconfident, but that little yellow thing was pretty underwhelming. It looked pretty scary, but the only reason I got scratched was because it surprised me. I had a longer reach then they did, so as long as I kicked them away they couldn't do anything. Case closed.

Just as I was thinking about how easy it would be to complete the quest, another one of the little buggers crawled into sight from around the bend. As he got close enough to make out clearly, a small see-through textbox appeared in front of me.

Lesser Keilatrix: Level 1

These tiny creeps are everywhere in Aurantias. They're basically the demon version of goblins, honestly. They like to hole up in their little dens waiting for weaker prey to come around. They might normally be super huge cowards, but if you try to invade their homes, watch out! They can get vicious and love to bite fingers.

I got a description, I guess? Maybe it was due to one of the abilities I got. I had to figure out if there was a way to get in-depth explanations of the skills.

But not at that moment, because the instant the demon saw me he screamed and charged, nearly the exact same way his friend did. Honesly, these things needed to mix up their patterns, it's way too telegraphed!

Catching him with my shoe, I shoved him backwards and stomped him 'til he didn't get up anymore.

You Have Slain: Lesser Keilatrix, Level 1

+4 XP Acquired

Kick: Level 2 Acquired

Nice going! Those things were almost comically easy to kill once I had figured them out. They really were pretty weak. I gotta say, I was expecting more from literal demons.

Almost as if they were punishing me for mocking their weakness, another four of them came into view.

Four of them.

Now, I wasn't so stupid that I didn't realize this was quite the dangerous situation, even if they were tiny and weak and dumb.

And trust me, they were tiny and weak and dumb.

The problem was that difficulty often rocketed upwards when there were more things attacking you since they could get in more attacks and you would get in less.

The other problem was that the tiny crack I had come through was way too small for me to get through fast. And those Keilatrix's were literally the perfect size to move through it quickly. It was so unconveniant, I was suspecting that it was on purpose.

So basically, there was four of them, and I couldn't run.

That's why I decided to do the smart thing. It might have been somewhat dangerous, but taking the momentum in a fight is definitely important.

So before they could react, I sprinted at them screaming my ass off.

I think it worked! They looked pretty terrified as I ran towards them. It might have actually been surprise- not terror- on their faces, but either way they didn't react in time.

I slammed one of them into the wall and another to the floor.

Before I could get in a solid stomp, the other two had quickly reacted and were attacking me with their surprisingly large claws.

I leapt to the side, getting a bit of extra distance due to my Jump skill, but one of their swipes managed to graze me.

It stung like a bitch, but it was just a flesh wound, probably.

I sent a left hook smashing into its face, and leapt out of the way of another attack.

Standing at the ready but breathing hard, I surveyed the scene.

The one I had introduced to the wall was trying to stand, but that black blood was dripping down its face in rivults. The one I had slammed into the floor was facedown, unmoving. It probably wasn't dead, but it wasn't about to get up. The other two were faring better, one was slightly stunned from the punch I had planted in its face, while the last was untouched, warily standing with his claws pointed towards me.

I was genuinly surprised the healthy one wasn't attacking me. It looked like he had realized it wouldn't go well. I thought those things were as dumb as slugs, but it seems they have some sense for self-preservation.

Well standing still won't help you either, bitch!

I charged forwards again, aiming for the unharmed one, and I got a good kick in but his pal wasn't as stunned as he looked and raked his claws down my side.

Grunting, I turned around and threw him to the ground, stomping down with anger and pain.

They were all out for the count, and I hastily went around taking them out.

You Have Slain: Lesser Keilatrix, Level 1

You Have Slain: Lesser Keilatrix, Level 1

You Have Slain: Lesser Keilatrix, Level 1

You Have Slain: Lesser Keilatrix, Level 1

+32 XP Acquired

Punch: Level 2 Acquired

Pain Resistance: Level 2 Acquired

Stomp: Level 2 Acquired

Foresight: Level 2 Acquired

Demon Hunting: Level 1 Acquired

Abyss Sanctum; Mastery of Death: Level 1 Acquired

Demonic Envelopment: Level 1 Acquired

Oh wow! Look at all the stuff I had gotten from that! The new skills all sounded really cool too, even if they were a little edgy.

The only problem was dealing with my injuries....

I had bad burns and deep cuts on my right arm, my left had a few minor scratches, my face was covered in burns, and my left side was pretty torn up from that last attack.

I was looking like shit, and my HP was at 5/12.

So basically, I had 4 more health left before I should start panicking.

Lets go kill some more demons!