Traveling through the jungle required pretty much constant vigilance. One momentary lapse could have easily led to some horrific monster enjoying an easy meal. Every rustle of a leaf or shift in the branches could have easily heralded death’s approach.
Strangely, I found the relative safety of the camp to be even more unnerving than the hostile depths of the jungle.
There was nothing actively trying to harm me here. I no longer needed to constantly travel forwards towards a distant goal. By all means, I should have finally felt comfortable and safe.
Somehow, I didn’t.
Everything felt off. The construction of the buildings around me was utterly alien compared to the earthen structures of my home, even if they held a similar purpose. The voices of workers which reached me on the wind spoke in unfamiliar words, yet their meanings reached me regardless.
The curious gazes that people cast my way as they worked were probably the most unnerving element of my situation. During the long years of my penance, I had grown used to being treated as though I didn’t exist. To now be not only noted but scrutinized was a surprisingly unwelcome change.
It didn’t take long for me to flee back to the woman’s bunks. I still found the structure to be unusual, but it was at least comfortingly private.
The two women from before had finished their food but were still chatting when I reentered the building. One of them nodded her head at me before resuming her conversation. I awkwardly returned the gesture before retreating into the back room to sit on my new bed.
Safely hidden away, I couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh. After longing for community for so long, the first thing I did upon finding it was immediately try to escape from everyone.
With that I decided that I would make an effort to go befriend the two women in the front of the building. At least I would, after I managed to build up the courage to do so.
Rather than immediately tackle the daunting task of interaction, I decided to look over my interface.
Name: Kyo —-----
Class:Outlander
(5/83%)
Mana Pool: 197/200
Codex: 71.99%
Credits: 5
MR:255
TPEL:40
Boons:
System Initiate: 10
Novice Mage: 10
Outlander: 4
Emergency augmentations: 2
Environmental Conditions:
Mana level: Moderate
System Messages:
Update Available
Not very much had changed since the last time I looked at it. I did have something new to add though. I called up the new clock that the system provided.
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Time: 6:78:42
The system clock was rather strange. Unlike what I was expecting, it didn’t measure time using marks. Instead, it used three numbers to represent the current time.
I was going to need some time to get used to it, but I was pretty sure that I would like this method of time better. Instead of having thirty two marks in a day, this method of keeping track of time was based on tens and hundreds.
Matthew was kind enough to explain the names and meanings for the different numbers when I asked earlier that morning. There were one hundred ticks in a tock, one hundred tocks in a bell, and ten bells in a day.
I moved around a few things in my interface to make room for the clock before looking at my system message. I still needed to go through the list of updates soon. I didn’t even know how many updates I had waiting for me.
System Updates Available: 1742
Once again, the system tried to be helpful by unexpectedly giving me exactly what I wanted to know. What was more surprising was the sheer number of updates I still needed to look through.
Going through all of those was going to take a while. I added the counter to the system message before closing my interface.
I had some new friends to go make. I just needed to go out and talk to them.
Looking through my list of updates suddenly didn’t seem so intimidating.
----------------------------------------
About two marks, or perhaps one ‘bell’, later, I had worked my way through almost two hundred prospective updates. Fortunately, the system let me mark the updates that I had looked through but didn’t want or was unsure about in different colors.
As I was reading through the description for an update labeled “Class rarity labels”, a broad-shouldered woman walked into the bedroom and sat down on one of the messy beds.
With a sigh, I set the update to start integrating and closed my interface. I couldn’t put off socialization any longer. I just needed to figure out how to start a conversation.
It had been long enough that I had totally forgotten how to introduce myself to a stranger. Integrating myself into Martin’s party had been relatively easy. I just needed to help them fend off an onslaught of angry monsters instead of starting with small talk.
Surprisingly, small talk was somehow the more intimidating option at this point.
As I floundered about trying to find the right words to say, the woman turned towards me.
“So you’re that new girl they found out in the jungle. Can you talk?” She asked while taking off one of her boots.
“Y-yes.” I replied, surprised and relieved that I didn’t have to be the one to start the conversation.
“You any good with that thing?” She asked, guesting towards my spear with her boot.
“I guess?” I wasn’t as good as a hunter, but I did know how to use my weapon.
“Might have to have a spar at some point then. Take down any big monsters?”
I nodded.
“Not very talkative are you? Meh, suits me fine. Better than having another chatterbox to deal with at least.” She remarked as she took off her other boot and tossed it into the box at the foot of her bed. “I bet I’ve taken out a bigger monster than you. Wanna have a look?”
Once again I nodded, unsure how she intended to compare. The woman didn’t need any further encouragement. She opened up her interface and sent it flying across the room with a gesture to hover in front of me. I didn’t realize the interface could be moved around like that.
The image on the interface was a little strange. The ground was made of wooden planks and was rocking back and forth. Past a short wooden fence was a vast expanse of open water.
Flying over the waves was a large, bird-like creature with red and green feathers. Arrows flew towards the grune-sized beast, but it nimbly dodged around them as it drew closer.
As the bird flew over the short fence, it opened its mouth in a silent scream. Glittering points of light spread across the creature’s wings in a dazzling display.
The image in the interface lurched forwards as the women didn’t wait to see what manner of magic ability the monster was trying to use. A spear with a gray metal head flashed forwards.
The bird attempted to evade, but took a brutal strike to its wing and It dropped down to the wooden ground. The glittering lights scattered from its wings. Where the sparkles landed, the wooden ground turned to sawdust.
Weaving past the glittering motes, the spearwoman struck once more. This time, the beast was unable to even partially evade the lethal blow. As the light faded from the bird’s wings, the interface disappeared.
“Pretty impressive, don’t you think?” The woman asked with a confident smirk. “So, what have you managed to bring down with that spear of yours?”