I tighten the straps on my boots.

Pull both of my daggers an inch out of their scabbards before sliding them back in.

They both fit snugly enough to hold them fast when I move, even if I am upside down, yet easily pulled out. An absolute necessity.

I secure the straps on my shin braces and check my wrist guard and gloves.

Lastly, I check my satchel for the heating crystals I brought to keep myself warm and heat my food. They are all there. I also brought some rope, a water sack, and a change of socks. I close my satchel to stop the falling snowflakes from wetting the contents.

``You are sure you did not forget anything?'' [Jessica]

My mother, standing behind me, asks.

``Yes, I brought everything. Got any last minute advice?'' [Nathan]

I turn around to face her.

``Yes. Stay alive.'' [Jessica]

``Heh.. I hardly think that needs to be said.'' [Nathan]

``You would be surprised. Do not risk your life on this Nathan, only act when you know you will win.'' [Jessica]

``Do not worry mom. Anything else?'' [Nathan]

``Yes.. Take this.'' [Jessica]

My mother pulls a white robe from her satchel and hands it to me.

The trim is a deep royal blue that fades into the almost ceramic white of the robe, and it is embellished with golden embroidery. It has long sleeves and a hood.

``This should keep you warm. This is, after all, not a test of endurance and perseverance.'' [Jessica]

I hold the robe in my hands, feeling it's weight and fabric. It's light, but it feels durable and warm.

``I know.. Are you sure? A crystal host is incredibly dangerous, especially one that has been allowed to mature for this long..'' [Nathan]

``I know. That is why you have to do it. You have to learn to overcome danger, and I-.. I have to learn to let you go.. You are very wise and brave for your age, I am sure you will be fine.

Just remember to stay alive.'' [Jessica]

``Yes.. I will.'' [Nathan]

She gives me a reassuring nod and looks past me.

``I have been looking for it in vain for a long time. Recently, I found it. That is, I found its tracks.'' [Jessica]

She points towards the forest.

``Follow this path and when you come upon its paw prints, track it down and kill it. Make sure you take its remains back with you, we do not want it spreading the plague.'' [Jessica]

I nod confidently and turn away from her to follow the path. As I reach the thicket, I look back at my mom,who is standing where I left her, looking at me with pride on her face.

I renew my determination, and continue into the trees.

I walk the path slowly, looking for the tracks of the fox. Mother taught me how to track and hunt some time ago. I make sure to watch my surroundings, if the fox is nearby it might be trying to ambush me. Foxes have an excellent sense of smell, so odds are it will know I am here before I find it. If I'm unlucky, it will remember my scent..

I walk for a while, with no sign of any fox tracks.

A tree has fallen across the path. While looking for a spot to jump across it, I notice that is no snow in the gab below it. Looking at it closer, there are smudgy footprints in the mud below. Only one in four is clea-

Oh shit. Looking at this, only the back right paw is still the right shape. The infestation has advanced that far..

Now I know why I didn't see the prints before now.. Three of them don't look like prints at all, they are sharp random shapes.

The thin layer of snow makes it easier to spot them, but the falling snow is obscuring them. I need to pick up the pace if I want to catch it before the snow covers them entirely. At least the snowing is light right now, hope the weather doesn't shift.

The tracks lead away from the path, so I leave it behind.

It seems like it's hunting. There's a set of rabbit tracks going alongside the fox tracks. The rabbit tracks shows signs that it has been startled every now and again. Oh, here it tried hiding, but it doesn't seem like it worked. It does, however, seem like it got away. But the fox followed it..

Foxes aren't persistence predators, they are stalk predators. They should give up on their prey when a hunt fails, most predators do.. Though mother did say that the crystals corrupts its mind and body..

I follow the tracks for several miles through the snow covered forest of leafless trees. The forest is silent. There are usually birds chirping or leaves rustling, but winter has set in and nothing moves.

The silence is eerie, and it puts me on edge. Especially because I know it's out there, and I'm getting close.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

A sudden screech sounds out across the forest. It wasn't loud, but it was there. It was in the direction that the tracks are leading me towards. Did the fox catch the rabbit?

I lower my body and continue forwards. The tracks lead upwind, so if I'm lucky I can catch it by surprise.

If I can kill it before it has a chance to attack me, I have a much better chance of making it.

Come on Nathan.. Deep breaths.. You can do this..

My blood is pumping, I can feel the adrenaline. I haven't forgotten how terrifying it is to fight that thing.

I slowly move forward. There is a low ridge in front of me, and the tracks are leading across it. By now, it's clear from the tracks that the fox caught up to the rabbit.

I'm at the top of the ridge. I take a deep breath and steel myself.

You can do this Nathan..

I peer over the ridge.

There's a clearing next to a lake. A few yards from the bank, the fox caught the rabbit.

It's currently eating it, and the snow around it is dyed red.

The crystal infestation has progressed a lot. I can only see it from the back, but crystals cover most of it's body, especially on the left side. Only the back right leg is completely untouched.

Some of the crystals changed color. What I can see of the front left shoulder and the back of the head, it's changed into a deep purple instead of the golden pyrite color, with a gradient of the two colors in between.

I should move soon. Who knows how long it will take to eat that rabbit, I should strike before the wind shifts and gives away my position.

I take a look around me. There are trees, but none of them go as far as to let me climb to a position where I can drop down on it. The hillside looks slippery, and if I slide down it will know I'm there, and move in to attack before I reach the bottom. That's the worst case scenario, I cannot let it get the jump on me.

I have to try and go around the hill. It will increase the distance, but I have no other option.

I slowly take off my robe. It will only get in my way from now on.

I slowly climb down the way I came from, and pass around the hill. It's slow, and I'm in a hurry, but I have to do this right or I will give away my presence.

At the bottom of the hill on the far side of the fox, I peak around a large oak tree.

The fox is still eating. Good, I might just take it by surprise.

Slowly Nathan.. Slowly..

I creep forward, a single step at a time..

The fox is about twenty yards ahead of me..

Closer..

Fifteen..

Easy now.. Slow down your pace.. Deep silent breaths.. Calm down, relax..

The silence is broken only by the grunts of the eating fox and the sound of the wind.

Ten yards.. I slowly draw my blades.. One step.. Another.. I dare not get any closer, this is it.. My heart is thumping so hard I can feel it in my fingers..

I power up my boots and leap into the air.

The fox hear me, and swing around in surprise. The entire back of the head, along with the topmost part of the torso and front left leg are glowing with a pulsating red color. Suspended in the air on the top of my trajectory, I seek out a place to drive my blades into its neck. There! A small patch without large crystal forma-

It looks up.

Shit.

The jaw is filled with ruby red crystals that look sharp as razors and needles in place of teeth. The canines in particular look like they will make short work of my thin leather armor.

The eyes.. The right eye is still pyrite golden, but the left eye that I stabbed.. It's a hollow purple hole, with a sinister red glow at it's pit.

I spin my blades from a stabbing grip to a slashing grip and cross my arms in front of me.

Just before I land, I slash in front of me with a scissor motion.

The fox reacts just in time and darts backwards to avoid a deadly strike to it's head.

But it's front left paw doesn't make it past my scissor move.

I feel the resistance, but my blades make it through, and separates the paw from the body.

It howls out in pain, and darts away. I run after it, desperate to finish the fight.

It's fast, but being crippled has slowed it down considerably. I will never get another chance this good, I have to fini-

I stumble on a root below the snow and fall forwards.

I fall flat on my face, the blades thrown in front of me.

The sound of my blood pumping fills my conscience as I push myself up.

I taste blood, dirt and snow.

The cold of the snow makes my face and fingers burn slightly.

My vision is red. Touching my right eyebrow, I feel the hot sticky liquid.

I look at my hand. There's some, but it't not too bad. I can continu-

The fox is looking at me.

It stopped in it's tracks and is now looking at me.

I can feel it's fury.

Where are my blades?!

SHIT!

They are gone.

I can't see them!

The fox charges.

I scramble to my feet as the fox leaps at me.

Pushing mana into my boots, I activate the crystals and leap into the air, dodging the fox's attack by a hair's breadth.

Doing a somersault, I see it landing roughly behind me before I land.

I rush forward, desperately looking for the daggers.

``Where are they?!! Come on!!'' [Nathan]

My vision flicker across the snow, unable to spot them.

There!! I see a single handle extending from the snow five yards ahead.

I look back. The fox is on it's feet running towards me, ready to pounce.

I take a few steps before plunging towards my blade, landing in front of it and grabbing the handle.

Looking behind me, the fox is mid air, crying out as it bares it fangs.

I grip the handle tight, and slash it wildly as I turn around to lay on my back.

I hit it squarely in the shoulder, and give it a deep cut that pushes it out of the way so it lands besides me.

Changing my position, I sit up and point my dagger towards it.

It get's back on it's feet and lunges at me again, landing on top of me.

I hold it of with my left hand on it's neck.

I can see the blood of the rabbit on it's already ruby red teeth.

It snaps at me violently, inches from my head, it's hatred and rage apparent.

It's teeth grind against each other with the pitch of nails on a blackboard.

I grip my dagger tightly, and push it upwards.

It makes a single violent jerk, and looks at my eyes silently.

I look at my right hand.

I penetrated it's chest.

I look it in the eyes.

The life in the right, pyrite, eye is flickering around scared and confused.

The red glow in the left eye socket stares at me unmovingly. The fox releases a low, sneering growl, and the light slowly dims and goes out.

It's body goes limb.

I push it off me, and staggers to my feet.

I just stand there for several seconds, trying to get my head straight, before I stumble to the nearest tree and crumble down with my back against it.

This was way too close for comfort..

Shit..

Is this going to be what I need to do to survive in this world?...

Am I going to have to fight to survive like this?..

Damn it.. I want to go home.. Why do I have to be stuck in this world?...

How do I go home?..

I sit on the snow covered ground for an hour, contemplating my situation and my new world. When I get up it's clear, even through the clouds, that the sun is setting. I go looking for my other blade, finding it close to where I had my final struggle with the fox, and gather the fox's remains without touching them in my satchel, putting it's contents in my pockets.

With fading light, the day is coming to an end.

What a crappy way to celebrate my eight birthday.