Great. Nick quickened his pace after reading the last word. If people were already entering Darkstone Tower, then he needed to make it to the center of the bog even faster than he had thought. While the first global event wasn’t as bad as he had feared, it was still going to cause problems, and the message implied that the next event would be significantly worse.
He had to reach the base of the tower sooner rather than later. Confer with the people who were already there, intercept the rest as they arrived, and encourage everyone to wait as long as possible before heading inside the tower and kicking off the next stage of the quest for the fate of Earth. If only people who were critically injured entered early for the full healing, maybe they could keep things manageable and prevent a catastrophe.
The problem was, more blackmist on the bog would slow everyone down, more than the rain was already. Right now, the blackmist was more of an environmental danger than a direct threat, although getting caught within it unprepared was certainly bad news. But if beasts could attack people in the mist while they were blind, the casualties team Earth suffered were certain to rise.
Lengthening our travel time while providing a constant source of stress is going to drive more people into the tower, Nick frowned while breaking into a light jog. Too many parties are already inside and if the situation is left unchecked, the hunters in the mist will accelerate the process when they appear. Any injuries they inflict will only make things worse, since people will be forced to enter the tower for the free healing, or risk dying from their wounds.
Any way that he looked at it, Nick was certain that the consequences would be disastrous if too many global events were triggered before all the contestants reached the tower’s base. Each event would ratchet up the pressure to head in early, creating a cascade of escalating threats that would lead to the doom of his entire species if too many people died during the quest’s first stage. A blood-drenched snowball effect that would leave countless bodies in its wake.
But there was no way that Nick was going to let that happen. Not without giving everything he had to help bolster their chances. Regardless, the next step was clear, he had to press on as hard as he could and pray that he made it in time. Maybe he could come up with a plan while he was on the way.
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After checking the position of the tower to get his bearings, he pushed himself into a greater burst of speed, the squish of his boots striking waterlogged earth accompanying the racing of his heart. Nick ran long and hard, occasionally stopping to scan the terrain ahead for threats, then throwing himself into motion once more.
He put mile after mile beneath his feet, at a pace that would put a marathon runner to shame, at least by the standards of his old world. He was still getting used to his amazing new body and he didn’t get tired as quickly as he expected, a gift of his increased toughness and the reduced need for oxygen granted by his Survivor trait.
The rain died down an hour later, and he began to dry out when the sun reappeared from behind the clouds. Nick decided to break for lunch after spotting some edible tubers that looked like blue potatoes, taking some dry wood out of his pack so he could cook them. He lit the fire with his flint and steel, then boiled the tubers in the ratman’s helm.
The starchy plants turned out to be a pretty good meal, although he suspected that they would taste even better with some proper spices. He stopped long enough to unearth a second batch to top off his provisions, then continued on his way, enjoying the sensation of a full belly after a warm meal.
At least he didn’t have to worry about getting lost. Nick set his sights on the impossibly tall tower on the horizon and kept on running with everything that he had.
Nick soon entered a region covered in short yellow bushes, which were sparse enough that it was easy to wind his way through. The footing was firm, and visibility was good, letting him lengthen his stride and pick up his pace. Since the foliage was thin and the waterline wasn’t nearby, there wasn’t any way for a predator to catch him unaware. Not unless they were unusually small.
That was when his gaze landed upon a diminutive beast. He would never have noticed it if the creature hadn’t been a half second slow to freeze, after noticing him looking in that direction.
He came to a stop gradually, as if he was pausing to catch his breath, head half turned to keep it in sight. Nick tried not to peer directly at the beast, so that he wouldn’t give away his intentions, examining it in the periphery of his vision while loosening the flap on his pack.
The creature in question was a small hunting cat that couldn’t weigh more than thirty pounds soaking wet. It had an angular face, wedge shaped ears, and long whiskers. Nick decided that it was actually kind of cute. On the other hand, its claws were long and sharp, and it gazed at him without a trace of fear. He didn’t lower his guard as he weighed his options, uncertain how he wanted to proceed.
He blinked, and when his eyes opened once more, the beast was gone. The little cat must have noticed that Nick had spotted it after all. Since it didn’t seem to be threatening, he turned to face the tower and continued on his way, making better time now that the rain had stopped.