The day was young, and I was hungry. I also hadn’t slept at all, and the fatigue was catching up to me. However, food was my top priority, which was why I went out to the swamp with Ivy. She promised a catch that required a bit of muscle to get it. Afterwards, I planned to scout the catacombs for any bug incursions.

On the way out of the village, we followed the humongous tracks that the Brutalorg left on the way in. I wanted to know how it arrived at the village. It would tell me which path it was likely to take during the next Dark Night. The tracks meandered for a time, but it wasn’t in vain. I was rewarded with another [Cartographer] upgrade for exploring new territory which granted me the ability to make notes, and to draw on the map.

Brutalorg’s tracks stopped at the water’s edge, right before the Cube, northeast of the village. Like following a bulldozer, it was hard to miss them. Each foot print left a deep impression in the soggy ground, and at times it looked like the colossal monster had gotten stuck in all the mud -- up to its knees. This gave me an idea about stopping, or at least slowing it down in the future.

I craned my neck to look up all the way up to where the clouds had piled up against the dark structure, and felt vertigo. The incredible size and smoothness of the surface baffled the mind. What manner of technology could create such a thing? None of the openings in the endless expanse looked big enough to fit anything larger than a cow.

“Where’d it come from?” I asked Ivy.

Ivy gestured to the swamp that abutted the cube from north to south without end.

“Huh?” I scratched the back of my neck. “From under the water? There’s a bigger entrance below?”

Ivy shrugged. “Must be.”

It could swim, or more likely, just hold its breath long enough. Was it amphibious? I took advantage of the new upgrade to note the location on my [Cartographer’s] map by adding a marker, and a short note, ‘Brutalorg.’ I also added the path by drawing on the map with a finger like it was a touch-screen.

From what I saw at night, the monster’s carapace must have been a foot thick. A normal gun wouldn’t kill it. It wouldn’t even feel a bullet. What this needed was artillery, or superior tactics. Like getting it stuck in one place until the sun came up, and then whittling it away until it was dead. The eldritch eyeball was the bigger issue. It could float above the ground and water, so trapping it would be very difficult, if not impossible. Nevermind whatever mind powers it had. I figured that trying to kill both at the same time would be suicide. For now, I decided to leave that problem for future Kevin.

I turned to Ivy. “You mentioned some grub?” I hoped she didn’t literally mean ‘grubs.’ I knew they were quite nutritious and full of protein, but not something I could stomach, not yet anyway -- maybe if I was really hungry.

Ivy pointed to a stubby, clump of green grass. “Right there, honey.”

I curled my lip at the sight of it, feeling my appetite vanish. “Salad?”

Ivy chuckled. “Nah, darling, that's the Bogworm.”

I peered closely, squinting my eyes. “What? Under the bush?”

“It is the bush, darling. Well, the upper portion of it, at least.”

“Oh. Just how big is it?”

Ivy extended her arms gracefully to the sides. “About this big,” she purred. “And you have to approach it ever so slowly, with a sense of anticipation, ready to seize the moment. I lack the strength to pull it from the earth, but…” She cast a seductive gaze over me, her smile suggestive. “You, on the other hand, could certainly manage.”

“Why not just fry it with one of your fire spells?”

“Oh, darling, it's such a tease, isn't it? Most of it lies hidden beneath the surface, tantalizingly out of reach. My flames would barely brush the surface, leaving the rest untouched.”

“Pounce on it, eh?” That gave me an idea -- I had the [Leap] skill just for that.

Much like other spells at my disposal, this one required a bit of mental targeting to get it to work. I picked the target right over the bush about fifteen yards away, and activated [Leap.] In an instant, I was propelled forward as if a giant hand had grabbed and flung me. The air rushed past me at neck-breaking speed. I felt a momentary weightlessness at the apex of my leap, the cool breeze, and then the pull of gravity. I slammed down to the ground, sending mud in every direction.

Like a kid splashing through puddles after a rainstorm, I was so excited by the exhilarating experience that the green tuft of grass vanished underground before I could think of grabbing it. I pulled my feet out of the mud that had sunk deep, and looked intently around. Fortunately, the swamp had plenty more of the Bogworms poking up above the ground for me to hunt.

Ivy was amused to see me leap from place to place, attempting to catch them. It took a few tries before I managed to land and throttle the worm under the green tuft. Despite me wrapping my hands around it, the fleshy worm gave me the slip. I tried again and again, but each time I could barely get any grip on it. At least I was getting great practice with my new [Leap] ability.

Ivy chased after me as I hopped about. “You have to dig your claws into it!”

I tried again with Ivy’s suggestion in mind, and it worked. I nearly lost my footing as the worm fought against my hold. My muscles tensed up, and my feet slid around the muddy ground. Little by little, I pulled and heaved and finally managed to pull it up. Shaped like an elephant’s trunk and equally as long, the muscular worm writhed as if possessed. Ivy ran up to me, and stabbed it with an ivory spike. The worm tensed up for a brief moment, and went limp in my hands.

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She beamed. “That’s a juicy one.”

“I’ll catch a few more to share at the village.”

“Why bother? I'm sure they're well-fed enough. How about we head back to my cozy little hovel and cook this one up with some mushrooms?”

I shook my head. “Plenty? Not at all. We’re having a difficult time with food after the Swarm. You know that.”

“Don't fret over them, darling. They'll manage just fine.”

“I can’t help it, that’s just how I am. Maybe you could tell me if there’s anything else I could hunt around here?”

"Someone as capable as you could surely take down the Goliath Turtle," she remarked, her smile suggestive. "With a little guidance, of course."

“I thought you were against harming animals?”

"When it comes to satisfying hunger, I'm not one to hesitate," Ivy declared, her tone matter-of-fact. "Life and death, it's all part of the natural order," she continued, trailing her clawed finger along the length of the dead bogworm. "It'd be a shame to let such creatures wither away from old age, all that delectable meat going to waste."

“How do you kill it?”

Ivy's smile grew wider. "I'll share the details with you over a meal at my hovel."

***

Nestled within the murky embrace of the swamp, the cozy hovel exuded an air of rustic charm and natural tranquility. Built from weathered timber and woven reeds, its curved walls blended seamlessly with the surrounding landscape. It was adorned with hanging vines and moss that draped it like verdant curtains. I added the location to my map, just in case.

Following Ivy, I had to crouch low, and barely fit through the tight entrance. Inside, the hovel was a haven of warmth and comfort. Ivy lit a set of candles and their soft glow of flickering light illuminated the interior along with the gentle rays of sunlight filtering through the latticed windows. The earthy aroma of damp soil and decaying vegetation mingled with the fragrant scent of drying herbs and mushrooms, filling the air with a heady bouquet.

In the center, a humble cauldron bubbled merrily over dying embers, filling the air with an aromatic scent. Shelves lined the walls, overflowing with jars and vials, and bundles of drying plants hung from the rafters. To the side stood a rough-hewn table with mismatched chairs, next to a cot with a fur blanket and a rolled up pillow of hay. Potted plants dotted the room, adding a touch of green.

“This is quite the place you have here,” I said. “Very … charming.”

She smiled. “I’m glad you like it.”

Like a chameleon, her skin shifted to warmer hues of yellow, orange and red. She took the Bogworm from my hands, cleared the table, and plopped it down on top. Her deft use of a knife in gutting and cleaning the fresh kill spoke about her familiarity with cooking Bogworms in the past.

I sat close to the fire and watched her cook. “Do you get lonely here?”

“Why would I be? I’m surrounded by life and nature. What better companion would someone need?”

“Other dryads?”

She sighed. “I don’t belong with them, I’m afraid. And they wouldn’t take me back in any way.”

“Do you have any brothers? Sisters?”

“I’m afraid not, and it’s probably better that way.”

“What about your parents?”

She shrugged. “Mother died giving birth to me. And-” Her face grew dark. “The rapist -- the lot of them. They’re still on the loose. Maybe dead, maybe not, but it doesn’t matter now. I wouldn’t know who it was anyway.”

“Oh.” I winced. “Demons, was it?”

“Demons? Sure, it’s what I’d call them. But the villagers call them raiders.”

“Oh .. that explains-”

“Why I don’t like staying in the village? I suppose it does, but I can’t exactly hold it against them. They had nothing to do with it.”

“Yeah, I get that.”

She smiled, the tip of her tail fluttering. “But you … you’re not like them. What are you?”

I took a deep breath. “I am- I’m not entirely sure any longer. My status screen says I’m a Drakon, but also Human. A mixed blood, just like you. I think there’s another, a third, but I have no idea what it is. It’s listed merely as a number. What does that mean?”

She shrugged. “Never heard of that before. Then again, I haven’t spoken to many Drakons before. What about your parents? Wouldn’t they know?”

“Yeeeaah, uhm-”

“You never met them, have you?”

I had met my parents, but not in this world. What year was this now? Did this body have parents? It must have. It’s not like I was created in a test-tube.

“No. Never did,” I told her.

“Who needs them anyway? Am I right? We did just fine without them.” Ivy slammed a cleaver down with a meaty thunk, severing the Bogworm in two.

“Y-Yeah, I can see that.”

A solemn mood filled the cottage, interrupted by occasional thunks as Ivy sliced and cut the worm’s flesh into chunks. She dropped them into an awaiting frying pan resting over hot coals. The meat sizzled, sending up smoke and mouth-watering aroma into the air. She added spices, dashing the meat with salt. Juices poured out, mixing with oil as she basted the meat.

She served the steaming meal in clay bowls with the vegetable stew from the cauldron. We sat down across from each other at the table. She didn’t wait for it to cool down before digging in.

“This looks and smells amazing,” I told her.

“Mm, shud com'by mor' often,” she replied with her mouth full.

I took a bite, savoring the taste. The meat had a crunchy exterior, while juicy and soft on the inside. It paired perfectly with the root vegetables from the stew. I gulped down my bowl in record time, then asked for more.

“You’d mentioned that you know how to kill the goliath turtle?” I said.

“Mhm, bogworms. They love them, but you’d need to taint the meat with some deadly webcaps. It puts them to sleep.”

“Ha! That’s perfect, I actually know where to find those mushrooms too.”

Ivy tilted her head, looked at me with suspicion. “That is not the sort of a mushroom I would have thought you’d be familiar with.”

I chuckled. “Yeah, funny story about that.”

Ivy leaned in. “I’d love to hear it.”

I shared the story while we had some hot tea of a sour, earthy taste. The lack of sleep from the previous night was catching up to me. Initially, I wanted to wrangle up a few more Bogworms to take back to the village to share with the orphans. However, with what Ivy had just shared with me, I decided to snag a much larger prize. For that, I needed a sharp spear. If I was going to take a stab at the turtle while it slept, I wanted to do it swiftly with a single powerful strike without taking a chance it’d wake up.

“I better get going,” I said.

She smiled mischievously. “Maybe after a nap?”