Chapter Seven: Get The Loot!

Coins and skill stones are known to be formed in similar ways, but to say that skill stones are far more rare than coins is vastly understating the difference between the two.

While every living animal, human and beast, is granted a coin every day with the rising of the sun, A skill stone is only formed when the conditions are just right. An animal that is proficient above the average of its species can consolidate its talent over time into a skill stone.

Then, when that animal dies, and its soul space is released, and a new skill stone, containing the talent of that animal appears in the world.

Less than ten percent of one percent of animals have the potential to create a skill stone. Lower grade stones, from common animals with high populations, are more common, but larger and more powerful animals, create more powerful stones, just at frustratingly low rates.

One fact that is universally understood is that only animals create skill stones. Humans, on the other hand, can not create skill stones. Instead, they have the ability, under similarly rare circumstances, to use the skills stones of different species. They must, however, have the correct affinity, a trait that is rare enough amongst humans, and are unable to use stones of any other affinity.

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It was still impossibly cold, but the numbness was leaving his body. Rook took it as the poison wearing off.

It was odd; he felt like he could move, but without any ground or even visibility of his own limbs, it was hard to be sure.

［Yes, you should be able to move now. Still, I have no idea what it is like outside right now.］

“Huh? But haven’t you been watching this whole time? How did you know what was happening before?”

［Before, you were outside. I can only see the outside through your senses. Once you came inside, I was cut off completely.］

“So you don’t know if they are still outside?”

［Hey! Are you hearing me? I just said I can’t see anything outside as long as you are in here.］

“Then can you at least bring me out somewhere else? What if there are bandits crawling all over the camp?”

［No can do buckaroo. At least not now. When I send you back, you’re gonna pop out exactly where you were when I pulled you inside.］

“What do you mean not now?”

［Well… My abilities are pretty bare-bones right now, but I get the feeling that this is something that we can do something about. If you can help me power up, I should be able to do a lot more.］

“How do you level up? How could I be able to help you?”

［Getting me some more of those coins would be a good start.］

“I won’t get another coin until the morning.”

［One more coin ain’t gonna do much for me. To boost these abilities, you’re gonna need a lot.］

Rook was getting impatient, and now that the voice was asking for coins, he was starting to doubt how much of what he was hearing was even true.

He thought about his options. He could stay in the cold, dark space. It was safe, at least from the attackers, but he didn’t think he could stay there forever.

［You can’t. Maybe I should have mentioned this. I need more coins just to maintain a place for you here. If you stay here too long, I won’t even have enough juice to let you back out.］

“What? What do you mean? What is juice?”

The voice spoke with words that were hard to understand for Rook. It used unfamiliar terms, like a merchant who had come from a faraway place. Still, he could roughly guess the meaning behind the odd words.

Coins were the universal currency of the world. Rhaeger relied on coins to purchase supplies for the ranch as they didn’t produce enough milk or vegetables to barter.

Anyone would accept coins in exchange for goods or services. There were always brokers buying extra coins in exchange for anything you might need. It seems like the master of this space was expecting to be compensated for allowing Rook to stay inside and safe, and wanted the coins he had in exchange.

［No, I’m not charging you a fee, I’m using them. Bringing you inside takes up energy. Putting you back outside uses more energy. Even maintaining a place for you to be takes energy. Your coins are the energy I need.］

That actually made sense to Rook. While they didn’t have many, Rhaeger had a few magic tools at the ranch. The purge stick was an example of one of them. Rook knew that inside the handle, there was a coin. After he used the stick many times, The coin would start to slowly get thinner. The longer he used it, the thinner the coin would get until it completely disappeared. He could use it for at least a season before he would have to ask Rhaeger to replace the coin.

All magic tools worked like this. It was one of the reasons that he had to collect the daily coins immediately after sunrise. If he waited, sometimes an animal might do something that would cause their coin to start to diminish.

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Rhaeger was always very carful to measure the coins that Rook collected each morning to make sure that none of them showed signs of use.

“How long can I stay here then?”

Hmmm. With the power I have left, I can put you back outside and bring you back here maybe… three more times, Oberon explained.

［If I only have to put you outside once, then I can maintain this place for about… ten more hours?］

“Huh?”

［Oh… that’s… about five candles.］

That wasn’t a lot of time. The demon voice wasn’t the most reliable of support, but out alone in the forest, Rook had no one else left to rely on. He had no idea how to get back to the ranch, or the next village. Even if Willis was not outside, he wasn’t sure he could survive all alone.

Getting more coins might be the most important key to his survival.

“Maybe you can send me out for just a moment, then bring me back if we see Willis or any of the attackers outside.”

［If he sees you again, he’ll definitely know there is something going on. He will keep watching the exit point.］

“But Thayn might be there. Maybe they beat the attackers back.”

［What if Thayn thinks you are one of the attackers?］

Rook was about to dismiss that possibility, but found he could not. The idea sank to the bottom of his stomach and drilled down deeper into his gut.

He had only known the man for a few days. It was true that he had not been cruel, like Rhaeger, but he wasn’t exactly kind either. He owned Rook’s contract and was using him as a tool.

Thayn didn’t have any reason to trust Rook either. Still, the thought of navigating the forest on his own appeared to him like an insurmountable challenge. He desperately wanted the old man to be alive so that he could at least accompany him to a city or even another village.

Making up his mind, Rook decided that it was better to check out his options before he ran out of options.

［Okay, it’s your funeral. As far as I can tell, the paralysis has worn off. You should be able to move when you go back. I suggest you move slowly to avoid drawing attention to yourself, you should also be prepared to move to as safe a place as you can find as soon as possible. If I see anything dangerous, I’ll pull you back. Just remember, if you don’t see it, I probably won’t either.］

Those instructions fanned the flames of doubt burning in Rook’s stomach. Still, his fear of getting stuck in an endless void, or being left alone in the forest, created a kind of balance. Everything, including doing nothing, was very bad. There were no good options. At least, in the real world, he could try to run away.

［Alright then. Let’s do this on the count of 3.］

［1］

［2］

［3!］

It was still dark outside. This was a blessing as his eyes didn’t need to adjust.

The transition was instantaneous. The blast of the full return of his senses was like being hit by a running bubal though.

Nothingness instantly became an entire world of things to look at. Silence became a storm of different noises. Smells, some quite foul, filled his nostrils. As much as he wanted to follow the plan, Rook was momentarily overwhelmed.

［Rook! Snap out of it! Look around, slowly.］

He could still hear the voice. Having never heard it before, he half expected it to be silent when he transitioned to the real world.

The words took a moment to register; then, he snapped back in control of himself.

He quickly looked around, then slowly moved between two of the bubals and crouched down low.

［I didn’t see anyone. No one is moving.］

“Did you see Thayn? Or the boss?”

［Shhh! You don’t have to talk out loud, remember? Anyway, no. They were on the other side of the camp, though. You need to move closer.］

The fire in the center of the camp had burned down to embers. Now that his senses had adjusted, he could just barely make out the details of the camp. There was movement, and the only sounds he could identify were normal forest noises.

［Those weird deer. They are gone.］

“Huh?”

Twisting his head slowly, Rook looked back. Indeed, both of the selok deer were missing. They had been tied down securely, so someone must have taken them.

Hopefully, the attackers had used them to run away. That was the good option. The bad one was that Thayn or the other mercenaries had used them to escape and left him behind.

As quietly and with as little motion as possible, Rook crept toward the center of the camp.

He saw the bodies before he even made it ten paces.

Over by the sleeping tents, he recognized a number of still forms spread around the ruins of the tent.

Keeping an eye out for movement from any direction, he slowly moved closer to the tents.

He recognized the large bald man first. He was certainly dead. There was a small axe protruding from his head. It was horrible; There was blood and bodies strewn around everywhere. The bodies of at least three of the attackers were here as well, one of which was missing a head.

Rook recognized the tunic of the cook who had given him the stew. He was lying face down behind his companion. He remembered that Thayn had said these two men were brothers.

It was very gruesome, but Rook had seen bodies and blood before. Even those of humans. He had only been ten years old when the ranch had been attacked by a large pack of wolves. That was when Rhaegun’s mother had been killed. In those days, they had several grain fields on the ranch. The woman and two farmhands had been torn to pieces before anyone had even noticed the danger.

Still, Rook turned away to look for Thayn.

［Stop! Go back!］

Rook stayed silent, but mentally questioned the voice in his head.

“Why?”

［You idiot! Loot! Get the loot!］

It took Rook a moment to decipher Oberon’s meaning. Then he saw it. Scattered on the ground near the bodies were bags, bundles, and… coins. Piles of coins.

Of course, Rook recalled. When a person or an animal dies, their soul space will collapse, and then everything in the space will return to the world just as it does with a purge.

While looking at the bodies invoked a mild sense of revulsion, the thought of stealing all their possessions gave him even greater pause.

He had almost dismissed the idea outright. Stealing from the dead certainly felt wrong. That he had never owned anything, never even been allowed to keep anything, further contributed to his feelings.

［The coins! We need those coins!］

Suddenly, it made sense. With more coins, he didn’t need to worry about using the soul space. He might even be able to strengthen the ability somehow. Not to mention, he needed things to help him survive the forest. Weapons, supplies…

His hesitation evaporated. He quickly moved to grab the dropped loot.

As he reached to touch the first pile of coins, they immediately disappeared.

［Oooh, yeah! That’s the stuff!］

He moves quickly and deliberately, grabbing up coins, bags, bundles, and weapons. Possessions of friend and foe alike, he took anything that looked remotely useful.

At one point, it occurred to him that his soul space was already full of the porter’s gear. He wondered how much more could fit.

［Don’t worry about it. Grab everything you can. Grab it all!］

It didn’t feel real. Having never used his soul space like this before, Rook couldn’t make the connection between touching these things and actually possessing them.

This made it easier, and he quickly grabbed everything he could see to save the bodies. He even stored the ruined tent and the cooking supplies.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw something move.

He almost jumped out of his skin, and quickly sent a silent cry to Oberon to pull him back into the space.

［No, I think it’s okay. It’s Thayn.］

Rook spun around. Over near the tent of Presia, the mercenary boss, he saw more bodies, including one, slumped over forward in the kneeling position.

Rook recognized the armor of Thayn, now stained with dirt and blood.