Now that Nick had found the border of the komos’ domain, he sat down and watched them as closely as he could.
He began teaching himself how to spot the lizards quickly, even when they weren’t moving. Their camouflage is dangerous, but their bodies don’t reflect sunlight the same way that sand does. They don’t blend in completely when there are multiple colors nearby, and they block my view of anything behind them, creating areas of contrast.
He eventually decided that unless he was in a hurry or there were komos with an advanced version of the ability, he could spot them from further away than they could detect him. At least with their eyes.
To test this theory, he rose to his feet and waved his arms like a bird taking flight. The lizards showed no sign that they had noticed him, even the ones facing his direction. Be careful not to lower your guard. If their vision is poor, they must hunt by using their other senses.
Having learned everything that he could from a distance, Nick cut across the beach at an angle, retracing his steps from the day before. His heart started pounding the moment he crossed into the komo pride’s territory, anticipating another ambush with every step.
He forced himself to take slow, deliberate breaths, carefully scanning the path ahead as he made his way back to where the brook spilled across the shore before pouring into the sea.
He hadn’t sighted any lizards near the spot where he’d killed the komo with his drop kick. However, the corpse was nowhere to be found. He was afraid that the lurk’s tracks would be in the area, revealing that the massive predator hunted this far to the south.
But the tracks he discovered looked like they had been left by a pack of wild dogs instead. Prints from paw pads ending in long nails. The beasts must have come ranging out of the forest. The tracks led straight up the incline and into the woods, including a broad swath of displaced mud where the pack had dragged the corpse behind them. Fortunately, the trail veered away from the direction that Nick was heading.
This discovery confirmed his suspicions that the woods were home to creatures more dangerous than the ones spread out along the beach. It strengthened his resolve to avoid the forest’s interior for now.
Before committing to a course of action, he bent down and took a sip from the stream to test the quality of the water. He spat out a mouthful of brine while nodding to himself. The flow tasted significantly less salty here than it was closer to the shore, but it wasn’t clean enough to drink.
This was still welcome news. The rate of improvement meant that the source of the stream was somewhere nearby. His gaze followed the meandering brook until it landed on the same patch of dense growth that he had noticed the day before, which he thought marked the location of a sizable body of fresh water.
Now that he was past the stretch of streambed claimed by the lizards he had run into yesterday, Nick slowed his pace to a crawl as he moved to higher ground. He started panning his gaze back and forth over the terrain ahead, advancing once he was certain that no camouflaged komos barred his path.
He cupped his hands behind his ears to improve his hearing, seeking out any sound that might reveal the presence of beasts moving through the forest. To his relief, Nick met nothing larger than horseflies and mosquitoes as he walked along the water’s edge, which now ran parallel with the shoreline instead of leading him deeper into the woods.
He crept over the top of a sloping rise, where a sight awaited him that made him shudder with relief. A natural spring was gushing out from between a cluster of colossal obsidian boulders, sparkling in the sunlight as the water fell to feed a clear pond about thirty feet across.
While there were plenty of tracks in the area, the spring wasn’t nearly as crowded as he’d feared. He could see birds and small critters milling around the water’s edge, but none of them appeared aggressive or looked dangerous.
Nick had been afraid that this was the only source of fresh water nearby—that it would be guarded by ferocious beasts and so clogged with komos that he couldn’t reach the reservoir. But in addition to forming the stream he had followed, the runoff pouring out of the pond spawned small creeks branching off in every direction, as the ground was relatively flat at this elevation. There must be other places for the animals to drink all throughout the forest. They don’t have any reason to compete to claim this spot.
But that doesn’t mean nothing nasty lives nearby. He held no illusions that it was safe to remain here for long. Even if this spring wasn’t home to dangerous animals, they likely used this place as a hunting ground and a convenient place to drink.
While the fresh water offered a solution to a pressing problem, if Nick wanted to head further out and explore more of the island, he needed to find a sheltered location somewhere nearby and a reliable source of food. Then he could survey the region in earnest, begin gathering resources, and come up with a plan to survive the days ahead.
But all of that could wait until he quenched his thirst, which had been magnified by sighting more water than he could ever hope to drink.
Although he was excited, he didn’t lower his guard. His eyes swept the path ahead for komos, in case he had missed one at first glance. Before long, he found himself standing at the pond’s edge. He gazed down at the rocky bottom, peering into crystal-clear water continually stirred by the flow of the spring. Except for a few silver fish the size of his fingers, he couldn’t see anything lurking within its depths.
Since the coast was clear, he lowered his head and took a long sip from the shockingly brisk reservoir. He swallowed and let out a long, shuddering sigh. It’s pure spring water. I’m not going to die of dehydration after all. He took another gulp and then forced himself to stop before he filled his stomach with cold liquid. Nick had read that it wasn’t a good idea to drink too quickly if you were dehydrated.
While he waited for his stomach to settle, already feeling immensely better, he caught a glimpse of his reflection. It was the first time that he had seen his own appearance since coming to this world. His familiar features stared back at him from a dirt-smeared face. Green eyes, brown hair. Strong nose and a square jaw. The long locks and thick beard changed his look dramatically, but he would deal with them whenever he found a blade.
He was surprised to discover that he was significantly leaner and more muscular than before. Like he had looked back in college, when he had taken courses in athletics every other semester. Even with everything he was going through, it was nice to see some improvement in his physique. Nick smiled as he ducked down to take a longer drink.
Just as he was about to turn away, he caught sight of something resting on the bottom of the pool. A lump of wood that seemed unusually symmetrical, almost boxlike in appearance.
That’s because it isn’t a piece of debris, it’s a chest. One of the hidden reward chests mentioned in the quest’s description. You need to get your hands on it, his power gaming reflexes insisted. Whatever is in there will help you survive the tutorial and might reveal clues as to the nature of the System.
It’s not worth the risk. Something might show up while you’re in the water, Nick’s survival instincts argued, the memory of the lurk sending a shudder of primal fear rippling throughout his body. But it was countered immediately by his original train of thought.
There aren’t any large tracks around here. You haven’t seen any giant turds, and this spring is hours away from where you saw the lurk. Go. Get the chest. Do it now. After wondering if his isolation was already affecting his sanity, Nick’s ego stepped between his warring impulses, making an executive decision despite his reservations.
The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
While he intended to play it safe when it made sense, this opportunity was too good to pass up. He quickly stripped down to his skin, laughing at the absurdity when he reacted with embarrassment, like he was streaking into his neighbor’s pool. Bracing himself, he dove headfirst into the clear water, shocked at how much colder it was than the air above.
His eyes were locked on the box resting on the rocky bottom, beckoned by the promise of treasure below.
It took longer to reach the chest than he’d anticipated. Refraction made the box appear closer than it really was. He was starting to run low on air, but instead of returning to the surface, Nick started swimming faster.
He wanted to get a good look on this initial pass, then claim the contents if he could. He had to get out of the water before he froze or something nasty walked into the grove. Thanks to his Survivor trait, he could hold his breath for longer than he’d expected. His fingers soon brushed against the bottom of the spring.
With no time to waste, Nick tugged on the trunk to assess its weight, hoping that he would be able to retrieve it without needing to fashion any tools. To his delight, the box was lighter than it looked.
He wrapped his arms around it and then kicked off the ground, legs paddling madly toward the surface high above. His lungs burned, but he was able to make it back without abandoning his prize. Ten seconds later, his head breached the water, taking in a great gasp of air.
As he struggled to haul the chest to the shoreline, he scanned his surroundings to make sure nothing hostile had arrived while he was underwater. Spotting nothing but birds and bugs, he set down the box, toweled himself dry with the least grimy section of his bathrobe, and pulled on his pants. Then he washed the robe as clean as he could in the cold water, wrung it out, and draped it over one shoulder, letting it dry as he walked.
Shivering as the sunlight restored warmth to his skin, Nick turned to inspect his find, dopamine surging into his brain with the avaricious anticipation of acquisition. The chest was made from dark brown wood. It was carved with beautiful etchings of interlocking, geometric shapes that had weathered being submerged incredibly well. In fact, the elegant trunk looked so pristine that it could have been part of a museum’s collection.
He doubted that the chest was trapped. It had been resting underwater, and this was all supposed to be a tutorial. But his belief that it was a reward chest was only a working theory.
Just in case, after unfastening the latch, he propped the lid open with a stick and then leapt back. As he had expected, nothing happened. Unable to endure the suspense any longer, Nick bent down and peered inside, thrilled to see that a variety of objects were contained within.
On top of what appeared to be a canteen rested a single sheet of paper. After prodding the interior of the chest with his stick, he fished it out, eyes lighting up as he read the words written on the page.
Congratulations! You have discovered an Exploration Reward Chest (Wood).
A tutorial knowledge point has been awarded.
Contents: Large Canteen (Basic). Shirt (Basic). Sunhat (Basic).
After receiving confirmation that this was a reward provided by the System after all, Nick was no longer worried about the chest being trapped. I think I just found a basic supply drop. Useful stuff, although I would have preferred a pair of shoes.
He pulled the shirt over his head, glad to have another layer of cloth between his flesh and the world. The light beige fabric was thick but surprisingly supple and smooth. It would offer some protection from the elements and was far more durable than the cotton T-shirt he’d shredded for bandages.
The woven straw hat fit neatly on his head and would keep the sun off his face and out of his eyes. Nick no longer had to worry about being burned. The wide brim would come in handy if it rained during his stay, which seemed likely given the prolific growth covering most of the island.
As nice as upgrading his wardrobe was, the final object in the chest was the one that really excited him. True to its description, the canteen was sizable and was clearly the best prize of the bunch.
It was fashioned from stainless steel wrapped in a thin shell of yellow leather, which kept the metal from glinting in the sunlight. The canteen had a clip mounted beside the neck, although he wasn’t sure what its intended use was just yet. He began to revise his plans on the fly. Being able to carry water with him would let him explore a great deal further than before.
After filling the canteen and sliding it into the pocket of his bathrobe, Nick bent down to pick up the chest. He was planning to use it to store food, perhaps even water, if the seals were tight enough.
Before he could grab it, the box crumbled into dust before his eyes, disintegrating into powder in between one breath and the next. The dust blew away with the next puff of breeze, leaving nothing behind to prove that the trunk had existed besides a rectangular impression in the mud—undeniable evidence that magic had become a part of his life.
The chests contain rewards but are not part of them. Too bad, although I suppose it makes sense. With his need for water met and his unexpected loot drop obtained, it was time to get back to work. Nick had several goals to accomplish before he started losing the light.
It was already a little before noon, judging by the position of the sun overhead. He had another eight or nine hours left to find food and shelter. The days on this world were somewhere in the ballpark of twenty-four hours, judging by the timer on the obelisk’s display.
As he had no idea where he might find a suitable shelter, his next goal was to find a reliable source of food and, ideally, figure out some way to make a fire along the way. He had already decided that his best bet was to follow the tribe and watch what they ate, as he didn’t feel up to exploring the komos’ side of the beach just yet. He needed at least one more day before his wounds were healed enough that he could exert himself without risking secondary injury.
On his way back to the lemurs’ domain, Nick made a detour to pass by the obelisk. He needed to redeem his knowledge point and examine his profile. The more that he knew about the System, the better his odds of survival and the more effective his strategies would be.
Keeping an eye out for predators and interesting terrain alike, he made his way over to the edifice. He saw a half-dozen lizards enroute. Now that he knew how to spot them, he avoided the color-changing reptiles by walking along the surf, as the komos tended to avoid the water’s edge.
By the time his shadow was poking its head out from between his ankles, Nick found himself standing in front of the mysterious structure once more. When he reached out and activated the display, he discovered several welcome surprises.
The first detail that caught his eye was a new field listed on the main menu. It seemed that he had some notifications from the System awaiting his perusal. The second was that the display had automatically updated his KP total.
With a grin of anticipation, Nick ran his gaze across the screen.
Notifications (4)
Active quests (1)
Contestant profile
System encyclopedia (Tutorial knowledge points: 1)
Bursting with curiosity as to what would be revealed, he pressed the section marked Notifications.
Congratulations. You have accumulated enough experience to reach Level [1].
You have one free attribute point awaiting allocation at your discretion.
You have conditioned your body and improved the following baseline attribute:
Toughness has increased from [3] to [4].
Through use, you have improved the following skills:
Foraging has increased from [0] to [1].
Evaluate Danger has increased from [0] to [1].
Nick took a look at his new and improved attributes while he pondered how to spend his first free point. He was still wrapping his head around the concept that he could enhance various aspects of himself by selecting an option from a list.
He had done it all the time with his characters. But the idea that he could do it to his own body and mind was both bizarre and awesome to contemplate. He knew that making the right decision was critical to his survival, especially during his early levels.
Attributes
Strength: 3 Dexterity: 5 Toughness: 4 Mind: 7 Creativity: 6 Charisma: 5 Magic: 2 ??? ???
While he considered his stats, he realized that several variables were not listed on his profile. To begin with, Nick had no way of determining how much experience he’d acquired—no way of knowing how close he was to reaching the next level. There was nothing indicating his current or maximum health, or any other depletable resources such as stamina or mana.
He wondered if there was a way that he could measure or sense them, but soon shelved the issue as a problem for another day. Nick had a hazy memory of the System mentioning that five was the average for his species in physical and mental attributes, although he couldn’t recall exactly when he had learned that fact.
Well, look at that. Taking everything together, I’m finally average.