Kael took a step forward, Yareeth falling into step beside him. Her gaze flickered over the landscape, her senses alert, and he could feel her taking in the details: the warmth of the sun against her scales, the dry air, the unfamiliar scent of earth and grass.

This place was different from her own, different from everything she’d ever known.

“Stay close,” he cautioned her. The grasslands, though seemingly tranquil, held dangers he recognized - creatures that blended into the tall grasses, predators lurking just beneath the horizon's edge. She had a knife now, her skills steadily increasing, her intelligence a weapon he envied, but she was still vulnerable.

And protecting her, he realized, was the most important quest he’d ever face. He led her toward a small cluster of rocky outcroppings. The system was silent, no notifications pulsing, but there was a prickling sensation along the edges of his awareness— his survival instinct, honed by the previous realms, humming, and the Shard a steady heartbeat against his ribs. He needed to gain a sense of the landscape. And he trusted her senses, her awareness, which were now honed by the System.

“Up there,” he said, pointing to a rocky ledge, the way up a jumble of loose stones and weathered rock. A simple climb, a child’s play compared to the crumbling facades he’d scaled back in the city, but there was a nervousness in his chest he hadn’t felt before. Her safety.

“Just be careful.”

He was speaking more than usual, he realized. She didn't reply, just nodded, and her movements were as graceful, as sure as those of the lizardfolk elder in her village, her claws finding purchase on the loose rocks. His gaze lingered on her as she effortlessly made her way up the rock face, her scales a bright flash of color in the sunlight, each move a fluid testament to her power, a strange mixture of envy and longing a twist in his stomach.

As they reached the top of the rise, the wind whipped across the plain, rustling the long grasses and carrying the scents of wildflowers and a distant, musky odor that sent a shiver down his spine. Predators.

He could see them now, in the distance - dark shapes moving against the sun-drenched expanse.

“More food, and… Experience.” She’d said the word the way the city children spoke of candy, a treat, but her eyes gleamed with a different kind of hunger. Understanding.

He drew his club-hammer, hefting it in his hand, the worn wood familiar. “Yeah, but we’ll have to be careful. Those creatures, they look pretty skittish, and there's a group of them. There could be a… leader. Stronger, maybe.”

“A leader?” she echoed, “Like an Alpha? A guardian?” He liked her way of thinking, the questions an echo of a world where balance mattered.

“Something like that,” he said, her words triggering a strange ache. A memory of a life he’d never had, of belonging to something larger than himself, something more than just a crew of orphans scavenging their way through the city’s underbelly. He shoved the memories away, took a deep breath.

“We can do this, together,” Kael said, forcing his voice to sound stronger, steadier, a façade he needed for both of them.

They crept through the grasslands. The scent of the herb he'd noted previously intensified, guiding their path. The wind whipped around them, and Yareeth shivered. He was about to ask if she was cold, but then he saw it, not a tremor, but a subtle ripple in the way her scales seemed to darken. Adapting. He found a cluster of purple-streaked herbs. The world, so hostile, offered a way to survive.

The purple-streaked plants stood out against the backdrop of swaying grass, a burst of color that drew Yareeth’s attention. She touched one gently, her scales a shimmering contrast against the delicate leaves.

Moonpetal (Common)

“Maybe they’re… useful? Valuable?” She was catching on. Understanding. But he knew it wasn’t just about survival, this fascination with the realm. It was a way to reconnect with the world she’d lost, a way to find a piece of home in this shattered reality. He liked that.

“Maybe,” he agreed, hoping he sounded encouraging, hoping this was a turning point, a sign that she might actually… thrive, here. But that thought was a dangerous distraction, an emotion he couldn’t afford.

He scanned the surrounding area, his gaze sweeping across the waving grasses. A flicker of movement in the distance, a shadow detaching itself from a clump of trees. The creatures he'd seen earlier. The memory of the Blightmaw’s strength flared.

“Try it,” he said, moving a little closer to the herb patch. "The… the system might… you know.” It was a terrible explanation, but he’d realized his words, his attempts to describe, only added to her confusion. The best way to learn was… to do.

Yareeth hesitated, then reached out cautiously, her clawed fingers closing around a stalk. She held her breath as she brought the knife up, the movement slow and careful.

“It’s like… preparing reeds for weaving.” she whispered.

He chuckled. “Something like that, I guess.” The comparison, so unexpected, but so… appropriate, warmed him, a strange, unsettling flicker in his chest.

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He watched, mesmerized, as she worked. The precision of her movements, the way she held the knife. It was graceful, skillful. The scent of the freshly cut herbs drifted towards him, a blend of sweet, earthy aromas. There was a familiarity in it, too, a reminder of the herbs she’d gathered in her own realm.

Moonpetal (Common) Harvested

Herbal Identification +1

The System’s notification blinked into existence, a pale blue rectangle against the vibrant green. Yareeth felt a rush of… something, a warm sense of satisfaction she couldn’t explain.

Yareeth looked at Kael, her eyes shining. "It’s… working,” she breathed, disbelief mixed with excitement in her voice.

He grinned back, feeling like a kid who’d discovered a hidden treasure. “Keep going. See what else it says.”

4x Moonpetal (Common) Harvested

Herbal Identification +1

He could see the confidence growing within her, the fear fading as she focused on the task, on the numbers ticking upward, on the tangible rewards of this world.

“This realm… maybe it’s not so bad.” she mused. “If it can offer… this.” He watched as she collected the petals, carefully tucking them into a pouch, and thought, “It’s the herbs,” he said, but to himself, a sudden understanding dawning. “She misses those things… misses that connection. The healing. Maybe it’s how we… survive here. Together.”

His heart ached, a bittersweet reminder of the connection they’d forged, a connection that was both a blessing and a curse.

Yareeth paused, her hand hovering over a cluster of similar-looking plants, their leaves a darker shade of green with a silvery sheen.

Fools Bloodshade (Common)

She sniffed the air cautiously, her brow furrowing.

“I can’t tell if this is poisonous or not.” Yareeth frowned, the scent a puzzle to her sharpened senses, a reminder of her limitations. Her world. It felt like another betrayal. He had stolen that knowledge from her.

Kael, his own knowledge of flora limited to the scrawny weeds that sprouted between the cobblestones of Mudtown, shrugged. “Well, it… doesn’t look dangerous? Maybe avoid the… pointy bits?” he offered, wincing as her laughter, soft and tinkling, echoed through the air, her tail flicking back and forth as if it were holding back from striking him. It was a sound he’d never heard before, not really. Not directed at him. But it was… pleasant.

“You’re terrible at this, Kael." She shook her head, amused. Her amusement was contagious, he felt his own lips curving into a grin.

“Hey,” he chuckled, “I’m good at fighting things. Not identifying plants.” He patted the club-hammer, the reassurance more for him than for her. “I'll leave that to you.”

“Good," She said with a mock sternness.

Fools Bloodshade (Common) Harvested

Kael kept watch as Yareeth continued to explore, his gaze scanning the horizon. Their path towards the realm boss was still unclear. The grassy plain offered little cover, few landmarks. They were vulnerable out here, exposed.

A shiver of unease danced across his skin as he caught a flicker of movement in the distance. It was subtle—a shadow shifting amidst the swaying grasses. A predator’s dance, a stalking awareness that he’d only seen from the weakest and most deadly of creatures. He tensed, his heart pounding against his ribs, a familiar rhythm of fear, but there was a sharpness to it now, a focus that the realms had honed.

“Yareeth.” his voice sharp. He saw her startled expression, the scales rippling with a sudden wave of adrenaline. The instinct was in her now. Shared. He pointed toward the rising ground ahead. “Something’s over there. Watching us.”

She drew her dagger, its simple, chipped blade a glint of moonlight in her scaled hand, her eyes a startling contrast—warm, black depths edged with an ancient, reptilian intensity. He could see her senses working. It was in the way her head tilted slightly, the scent of fear mixing with curiosity.

He saw it first, a ripple of movement at the crest of the hill. "Something's there," he said, the words barely a whisper, but the urgency in his voice was enough.

Yareeth followed his gaze, her scales shimmering in the sunlight, eyes narrowed, a predator’s focus she'd learned from him, from the realms themselves. "It’s big." Her hand tightened on her dagger, a nervous tremor, her muscles coiling beneath her scales. He felt a surge of protectiveness, his club-hammer a reassuring weight in his hand. He had to keep her safe.

They moved closer, taking a winding route through a shallow gully that offered a sliver of cover. The scent he'd noticed before— musky, pungent — intensified, a mixture of wild boar and something else, a heavier, almost… metallic tang that resonated deep within him.

They reached a small rise in the grasslands. There, pacing back and forth, was a creature. Wolf-sized, muscular, it resembled a grotesque fusion of bear and boar— a thick, shaggy coat of dark brown fur, short, powerful legs, and a head dominated by a long, heavy snout, its jaws studded with sharp, curved teeth.

“Stay back,” Kael whispered, taking a step forward. The club felt familiar, a comforting presence despite its simple, brutal design. He glanced at Yareeth, her gaze focused on the creature, fear a shadow beneath the surface of her curiosity. This one was different from the scrags, different from the docile Meadow Nibblers, the sense of threat radiating from it palpable, a predator’s aura that made his own heart pound.

The system confirmed his assessment.

Razorfang Brute Level 4 [Realm Boss]