Tick.

I realized I had made a terrible error.

Tock.

I ought to have invested in Strength or have acquired an artifact that improved Strength.

Tick.

The Time Dilation Watch was undoubtedly helpful in allowing me to perceive just how perilous our current situation was. Leo was right; we were too close to the explosion and were being hit by its effects with each passing moment. With a temporary boost of 500 to Perception, I could practically see little fuzzy specks of light radiating from the blast and prodding into us. Interestingly enough, it also allowed me to move faster than physically possible with the temporary boost to Dexterity. Heck, if I was in better shape, perhaps I could have even run all the way home from here before the watch hit midnight.

Tock.

However, what the watch's power did not alter was that I was weak. Nor did it help that, in this situation, I was the only one who could utilize the watch's power. The physical toll on my body was immense. My muscles ached and trembled as I carried Elda away on my back. My shirt clung to my skin, drenched in sweat, and every step felt like a struggle against an invisible force.

"UGHHH!" I rasped in frustration, my voice strained from the effort.

My little sister couldn't have weighed all that much, but my arms burned from carrying her. I rested and looked back at where Leo still was, with the colorful mushroom cloud looming further out in the background. I had managed to go a distance of around fifty skulls, which under normal circumstances would have made me proud. Unfortunately, I still had a ways to go if I was to reach the location that Leo had initially suggested we remain at, but which was too far for Julius to blow up the Wobbly Pebble.

Tick.

Here's to hoping his calculation was correct about that distance.

I adjusted Elda on my back and moved forward, every step sapping more of my strength.

Tock.

However, soon enough, I had to rest again. I was simply too weak. The relentless physical strain left my body in agony. My arms screamed in pain and felt like they were on the verge of tearing apart, while my legs felt like lead, barely responding to my commands.

I clenched my jaw, frustrated by the situation.

I hadn't even managed to move Elda into a safe location yet, but looking back, I still had Leo, Julius, and Henry to carry over, all heavier than my little sister. Then there were the other guards, which I almost considered leaving behind, but I knew my conscience wouldn't allow me to do so. They were members of the Frey Manor as well, after all. Finally, there were the desert riders and carriage; unfortunately, I couldn't leave our only mode of transportation out of this forsaken desert behind.

And just how in the world am I supposed to carry those giant birds and carriage over??

I rubbed my eyes with the balls of my palms, trying to organize my thoughts and push away any useless tears of frustration.

The only one I can carry without any trouble is Leona.

I felt the small lump inside my breast pocket.

I blinked.

An insane idea came to mind.

Click.

I stopped the watch.

"What the—?" Elda exclaimed.

"I'll explain later; I need to concentrate," I quickly told her. "I'm getting you to safety."

I ignored her other questions and turned my attention to Leona in the palm of my hands.

<< Leona, we're all in danger. I can get us out, but you're the only one I can carry. Can you eat everyone? The desert riders and carriage too. >>

Leona cocked her head to one side.

"Peep!"

Do you mean if I can store everyone in my other stomach?

<< Yes–Yes, that's what I mean. >>

That hardly sounds tasty. But I probably could. Not that any of my ancestors have ever stored humans in their stomachs.

<< Great! Please eat my sister then! >>

I felt pressed for time. Another blue notification had appeared before me, notifying me of the adverse health effects of staying here within the radius of the Wobbly Pebble explosion.

If I was getting hit by these, everyone here was too.

"Ah—!" Elda's surprised voice sounded, but she didn't have time for further alarm.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

CHOMP.

Leona had fluttered over to Elda, and then something I had witnessed once before but still couldn’t believe to have occurred, transpired yet again. Leona's beak extended beyond what the fabric of reality could muster, and the tiny little thing swallowed my sister whole.

Click.

As soon as my sister disappeared into Leona's black hole of a stomach, I slowed down time again, grabbed Leona, and quickly moved back toward where everyone was still situated.

Click.

<< Now, eat everyone else! >>

"Everyone, don't be afraid of the bird!" I advised. "She has a portal in her mouth that will take you to safety."

I didn't do a proper job in explaining what I didn't understand myself, but it was the first explanation that came to mind.

CHOMP.

However, there were still yells of alarm from the guards as Leona seemingly unhinged her beak and swallowed Julis and Leo whole. One of the men even attempted to escape into the desert.

"Stop! Anyone who doesn't get inside my bird's mouth, know that I will inform Micah that they were insubordinate," I threatened.

That made all the guards practically rush to line up before Leona to be eaten whole.

"Peep!"

Your brother is a truly terrifying being.

CHOMP.

Leona swallowed the lot of them in one gulp.

I ignored her comment and directed her to eat the desert riders and carriage, which she accomplished in just one gulp as well.

Click.

I was now left all alone in the desert. It felt eerie.

The desert was without any smell, as it were, and with the power of the Time Dilation Watch, all sound had morphed into this strange low hum.

I gazed up at the position of the bright sun in the clear blue sky and marched south. I had considered going to the location that Leo had outlined but decided that I might as well get everyone out of the desert entirely. I didn't wish to be in a position of having everyone be eaten by Leona yet again.

***

DONG!

The Time Dilation Watch sounded as the two hands hit midnight, and the screen shattered entirely and dissipated into the air.

"HAH…. HAH….” I crumpled to the ground, gasping for breath, and lay on my back atop the tall yellow grass, gazing up at the rich blue sky. My chest heaved, and every inhalation felt like a struggle to fill my lungs.

I turned my gaze left and observed the vast expanse of the desert, still within a stone's reach. My view of the giant mushroom cloud was obscured by the unique gases emitted by the Desolated Expanse Desert.

I wonder what else might be hiding within the desert.

The smell of dirt, grass, and leaves filled my nose. It was a drastic sensory overload after the scentless desert. The extremity of the sensation was only second to my throbbing legs. Just because I had managed to slow down time and my dexterity had improved, didn't mean my legs were any stronger.

I might need to ask Lady Sedna about where she procured that wheelchair. It might be required if healing potions don't do the trick in bringing my legs back to life.

"Peep!"

Leona escaped from my breast pocket and perched atop my chest, her tiny wings fluttering as she observed me.

You look exhausted. Did you walk all the way out of the desert?

<< I did. >>

There wasn't anyone around to hear our conversation, but I was too tired to form any words and relied on the Whispering Necklace instead.

Leona flew up and inspected the field.

"Peep!"

Where are we?

I shook my head, the dry golden grass rustling beneath my head.

<< No clue. I just walked south. We should be back in Adovoria, in any case. >>

"Peep!"

Would you like me to bring out everyone?

Leona fluttered back atop my chest, ready to assist in any way she could.

I nodded.

SOOSH.

The golden grass bent and creaked as everyone was brought out, their bewildered voices filling the air.

"How'd we get here??"

"What happened?"

"I saw the world whoosh by me!"

"SKEEEEE!"

Confused voices surrounded me as people removed their dark face shields and looked about. Most notable were the screeches of the desert riders, which, to our luck, did not run off and were quickly secured by the guards.

"Luca! Are you alright?" Elda was the first to spot me in the grass. She ran over, her bob of red curls bouncing with each stride. She kneeled beside me, her green eyes wide with concern.

But her look of concern quickly shifted to one of fear as her eyes spotted Leona. "That bird ate me. Just what in the world is it?"

Elda's green eyes were wide, and she didn't take her attention away from Leona, as if doing so might prompt Leona to eat her again.

<< I'm fine. I'm just tired. >> I replied using the Whispering Necklace. I didn't have the energy to speak, but I could think.

<< And she won't eat you again. Leona has a dimensional pocket inside her stomach. I stored everyone inside her while I used an artifact to move us here to safety. I'm sorry I didn't explain properly. >>

Elda, still wide-eyed and cautious, observed Leona for a moment longer before turning her attention back to me.

She shook her head as if trying to clear her thoughts. "You must warn someone before you do something like that, Luca. One moment, I was in the desert, then in another part of the desert, and the next, we're here, and in between, I thought.... well, I thought I was bird food."

Her words were filled with a mix of relief and annoyance.

I managed a weak smile, my energy slowly returning. "I promise I'll explain ahead next time," I managed to say aloud.

"Next time??" Elda scrunched up her nose. "No way. I hope there won't ever be a next time I'm eaten by your bird again."

I noticed again the blood dripping out of her nose.

The blue notifications had stopped, so I knew we were safe here. However, due to my inability to access the stats screen, I couldn't be sure of the damage that I and everyone else had incurred. The permanent drop in my HP was concerning since I was not the only one who likely experienced it.

<< System, please disable Game Store access and revert the permissions. >>

I needed to assess the damage and decide on the next steps.

[ Certainly. Due to the penalty, this shift will take two days. You will be unable to access certain functions during this update, and others will be error-prone. ]

It wasn't ideal, but it was what it was. Besides, if anything, I was already accustomed to a broken access state.

Elda wiped the blood away with her shirt sleeve. I now noticed that there were more splotches of blood that she must have wiped away before she ran over.

"Ah, this darn nosebleed," Elda muttered.

She held her head up and waved over one of the guards who procured some gauze to plug her nose with.

"Elda, are you alright?" Leo ran over, noticing her nose bleed as well.

"Better than you," Elda retorted. "Did you finish throwing up your guts?"

I blinked and sat up. I examined Leo, noting how unusually pale his completion looked. His skin was a dark brown, so to ever call him pale seemed ridiculous. But in this moment, he did seem to have lost some of his color.

"We were too close to that explosion," Leo stated with a serious expression. "If we're going to try that again, we'll need to find a more suitable way to cut into the Wobbly Pebble."

"Yes, we'll be more careful next time," she agreed with him.

"Next time?" I asked, my eyes shifting between the two children.

Were they being serious?

Elda's attention returned to me. A wide grin spread across her face, and her green eyes twinkled.

"Yes, next time. Luca, you said you had access to more of these Wobbly Pebbles, right?"

I had momentarily forgotten how obsessed with explosions my sister was. And I had just provided her with the pinnacle of explosions the world had ever seen.