1.15 

The pulverized remains of the fire exit door blocking off the 1st floor crashed to the ground. Eric, trying to ignore the dull ache in his legs from striking the door repeatedly, stepped forward. His feet avoided the splintered wood. Brandishing his improved sword Eric’s gaze swept through the hallway searching for enemies. To his surprise and dismay there were none. The hallway was completely clear. Still on alert Eric began his advance. Worryingly the majority of the doors were open but there was no sign of their occupants. Listening closely Eric paused. Still nothing. Sword at the ready Eric entered the first apartment. Annoyed at the lack of charging hordes of attempted murderers Eric swept through the apartment hunting for would be attackers. Eventually once he had cleared everything else of enemies he reached the guest bedroom. A bit complacent Eric opened the door. Almost instantly Eric felt the distortion of air above him. He reacted subconsciously his sword swept out and he felt the impact of the strike. Spinning round he glanced behind him. On the floor was a giant fly nearly split in two. Eric let out a breath and looked away from the dead insect. Feeling disappointed he stepped into the guest bedroom. Other than the now dead fly it was empty. Disappointed but knowing he had more apartments to search Eric moved on.

Back into the apartment hallway Eric felt that the dark corridor was ominous. It was ironic that the silence was far more disconcerting than the shrieks and sounds of battle that the goblins and snakes had made. Eric trying to stay silent tentatively entered the second apartment on this floor. Similarly, this one was also empty. There wasn’t even a fly for him to murder. Disappointment followed disappointment and it took 4 more apartments before he found something worth his time. The 6th apartment didn’t scream enemies but it definitely didn’t conform with the empty boring apartment motif of the others.

Dominating the 6th apartment was a giant sunflower which sat near the lounge window. A glance showed that it had once sat in a clay pot but the clay pot hadn’t survived the plants sudden growth. Its shattered remains encircled the sunflowers overgrown stalk. The plank against all logic sunk into the stone floor of the apartment and its roots spread out around it. The sunflower head was big but not overly outrageous, the seed area had an estimated radius of 10cm’s and the petals were only 10 – 15cm’s in length. Realizing that he was being distracted Eric shook himself mentally and moved his body into a read stance. Sword extended he shifted his foot to widen his stance. Until it impacted something on the ground.

Confused Eric looked down at the offending foot, he got a swift glimpse of some kind of plant roots/ivy before a flash of light in the direction of the sunflower made him look up. Then there was pain. Eric’s vision darkened as the pain increased.

He awoke on the ground probably only moments later. He assumed that because he was still alive. Remembering that something had just tried to kill him he cautiously got to his feet. The movement was agonizing Eric tried to blank out the pain in his side but the agony was too great. Fearfully he glanced at the wound. His side was horrifically burnt and there was obviously some missing flesh. His clothing around the area was simply gone. Eric struggled to think clinically he noted that the injury wasn’t life threatening right that second, mostly because whatever had caused the burn had also cauterized the wound. Trying to organize his thoughts through the pain was difficult but Eric finally began to look cautiously around the room for any unseen threats. Obviously, there was some kind of hidden danger to the sunflower but what else might there be…

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Now aware of the danger Eric noted that the floor was criss crossed in vine/roots. The previous attack showed that touching the root identified his location to the plant like a spider’s web. Careful of where he stepped Eric approached the sunflower. He didn’t have far to travel but the wound in his right side slowed his movements. The knowledge that the injury would slow his movements made him extremely cautious. He was about five meters from the sunflower head and was growing in confidence when everything changed. The roots which had to all appearances been latched into the ground began to move. The sudden surge in movement expanded from the sunflower as the epicenter. Each vine would rise off the ground and move position before settling back down. Eric could only stare in horror as the vine moved and struck his foot once more.

The moment the sunflower began gathering light Eric dived to the left. The impact of his body on the ground sent pain through his wound but it was much better than the alternative. This time Eric got a perfect view of the sunflower’s attack. The best way to describe it would be that the sunflower gathered light towards its head then a second later that light would fire like a laserbeam towards its target. It should be noted that the head itself didn’t move but the light fired at an angle. The attack missed but Eric realizing that he was now standing on a vine leaped to his feet and started moving. Not caring where he was stepping. Ignoring the wound in his side took a great deal of fortitude. It was probably only his increased stats and his recent experiences with pain which allowed Eric to keep moving.

Running at an angle Eric managed to avoid the sunflower’s beam but he was struggling to get close enough to kill the flower. The roots had begun actively attempting to slow him. Rising from the ground pushing against his legs as he ran. The obstruction wasn’t dangerous in itself, the roots weren’t whipping or trying to wrap around him but pressing against him. He almost tripped several times before he began cutting the roots with his sword before they could get close to him. Between his previous injury and being forced to strike with his sword between movements the attacks were dangerously close. The heat from each beam was sweltering. It took several minutes of running back and forth at different angles before Eric managed to get close enough to attack.

The true danger was that the within a meter of the sunflower there was very little chance of dodging the beam. Eric resolved this by risking everything in a sudden death defying leap under the beam as it fired. His hair was singed, his back badly burnt but he successfully slashed his sword without hesitation at the sunflowers stalk. Un-climatically the stalk split and the sunflower head fell.

Illogically the sunflower head then morphed into a bright yellow pearl. The pearl seemed to have an internal light. Eric lying on the floor next to it, immediately scooped it up. Ignoring all injuries in his desire for loot.

After pocketing the sunflowers loot Eric glanced around the room checking for any other hidden dangers. Fortunately, the apartment seemed empty. He was still horrifically wounded and he although he felt the wound was stable it still weakened him. Realizing that he needed to find a safe place to recuperate and that lying on the floor of un-cleared apartment wasn’t the wisest move. Eric began to rise slowly and carefully to his feet. Every movement was slowly, he feared jolting the wound and the pain it would bring. Knowing that it would be stupid to search out more dangers Eric began to travel back to his own apartment one step at a time.

Hesitating on the second floor Eric decided against making use of the golden fleece. Whether pride or weird rationalization Eric felt that it was the wrong kind of impression to make on the powerful cyclops. Eric wanted to be viewed as useful not someone that needs healing every time he returns. Eric resolved to go to bed and if the wound had not recovered sufficiently he would go visit the cyclops. Following step after painfilled step, completely regretting his previous decision. Eric crawled into bed.