It was a hidden world.
From above the canopy, all Ace could see were giant leaves. Now on the ground, he recognized that he wasn't getting anything close to the complete picture.
Extending in every direction were trees of all different kinds of size. Various flowers, weeds, moss, and fungi grew on them. The ground was also awash with all different manner of colorful flora. Thick vines were draped from the canopy above, seemingly inviting him back up there. He wasn't tempted to make the trip.
Almost as if to affirm his weariness, dozens of shrill cries boomed from above. He took off running with all his might.
'Time to go! I don't know where, but the further I get away from the nest, the better!'
He continued to sprint through the forest landscape, trying to keep in a straight line as much as possible. Unfamiliar with the terrain, he inevitably slipped and fell multiple times. Each time he was stopped, he could hear the sounds of the bird screeches not far behind. Despite his superhuman endurance, he began to grow tired. He had been running for what felt like hours.
Eventually, the squawks from the birds echoed through the forest no longer. He was finally free.
Stopping to gasp for air, Ace clutched his throat. With everything that had happened, he almost forgot that he hadn't drank any water in over 24 hours. Even without a formal education, he knew that he could only get away with such a thing for another day or two at most, especially if he needed to exert himself.
He racked his brain, trying to remember if Thalia had told him anything useful about wilderness survival. The only memories that surfaced were ones of learning how to fight and how to haggle people at the market. Smacking his teeth in disapproval, he cursed his luck.
'That brute! I'll have to figure something out on my own I guess. Unless you have any advice Talos?'
The orb chimed in his head.
[Yes, as a result of our increased synchronization, I have gained the ability to speak more freely. As you thought, finding water should be your first priority. If you are not able to do so quickly, you should seek shelter before nightfall. You are not equipped to deal with its... challenges]
'Well I have to say... that wasn't exactly encouraging. You make it seem like I will be instantly killed if I am caught out here during that time.'
[Rest assured, your death would not be instant, it would be slow and painful. My updated data indicates that some of the most aggressive Sever Beasts make their rounds during that time.]
Ace shuddered as he once again caught his breath and jogged forward. He wasn't used to his orb having so much personality. It almost seemed... worried?
*** 6 hours later ***
After tripping on yet another patch of slick mud, Ace hit the ground hard. Before he could get up however, he heard the sound of running water.
'It's a river!'
Overjoyed at his luck, he ran forward with all his might. With each step, the sound of the furious torrent grew ever louder. He followed the sound, eventually breaking out of the tree line and almost right into the running stream. He didn't know how to swim so he most certainly would have drowned.
The river was wide, at least a couple dozen feet, leaving him no hope of crossing to the other side unless he managed to harness the mysterious energy within his body.
Almost delirious with dehydration and acutely aware of the waning sun, Ace stepped closer to the bank to quench his thirst. Before he could, Talos's voice boomed in his ears.
[Alert! Multiple species of Sever Beasts detected in optical field!]
'?!'
He jumped backwards, quickly hiding behind a tree. He had no clue what Talos was talking about, he had seen nothing when he stepped on the river bank. Carefully peeking out from behind his hiding spot, he scanned left and right down the river before finding what had set off the alert.
A creature easily twice Ace's height and definitely far heavier than him walked out of the tree line across the river. With four legs, stone like hooves, a long neck, brown fur, and a horns that almost matched its body in size, the creature looked so menacing that Ace was paralyzed with fear. The Ravens were big but the beast before him could have easily squashed him with just a single stomp.
Keeping his composure, Ace asked for a file on the creature while he waited with bated breath. The screen flashed below him instantly.
---
Mutated Deer (Buck)
Highest Grade on Earth : Grade 2
Number Detected in Vicinity : 1x Grade 1
Typical Behavior
- Herbivore, but will fiercely defend territory from other males by using its horns. These battles sometimes attract even larger local Beasts
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.
- Will defend itself from predator attacks with rear leg kicks or front leg stomps
---
Ace breathed a sigh of relief. It looked like this animal was non aggressive as long he kept his distance.
As if to confirm his hypothesis, the creature lazily walked further down the bank before bending its large neck down to drink from the water.
Ace watched the creature slightly puzzled.
'And here I was worried because you said there were multiple species nearby. Wait... '
With his heartbeat pounding, Ace quickly looked behind him and up above in the tree. Both areas were clear. Shaking his head, he looked back towards the deer drinking water. What happened next was so fast that he almost didn't see it.
In an instant, something rose from the water and clamped onto the deer before it could flee. Its size was so great Ace was convinced it could swallow him whole. Using its massive size advantage, the creature from the river dragged the deer into the water in under a second. It was over before it even started.
Gripping the tree so hard that his knuckles turned white, Ace asked for a file on the river creature.
---
Mutated Alligator
Highest Grade on Earth : Grade 4
Number Detected in Vicinity : 20x Grade 1
Typical Behavior
- Ambush predator that prefers to lie in wait near river banks or on lake shores
- While most comfortable in the water, the beast is still a formidable threat to other creatures while on land
Special Abilities
- Can manipulate bodies of water to create artificial currents starting at grade 3
- This creature's scales are made from a flexible yet durable material that grows even stronger in environments with high moisture
---
Terrified with the description, Ace couldn't move. Despite the creature's massive size, it had struck so fast that he nearly couldn't perceive it. He had no doubt that he would have met a similar fate if he tried to drink from the river.
In spite of this, he struggled to make the right decision. He desperately wanted water but he wanted to stay alive even more. The river being only a few steps away certainly didn't make things easier for him. He deliberated for what seemed like an eternity before making his decision.
Stepping away from the bank, he faded into the tree line and ran alongside the stream, hoping that it would eventually branch off into some smaller lines. His heartrate began to increase as the brilliant rays of sunshine slowly transitioned to a deep orange color. Checking the alligator log, the number that was in his vicinity was still over a dozen. It seemed like the entire river was infested with them.
'Damn! These things don't have anything better to do than wait?! This isn't good...'
Licking his chapped lips, he gave up and dove deeper in the forest until the sounds of the river were but a faint whisper. Taking a seat against a tree, he reached into his leg pocket and pulled out the three eggs he had grabbed from the Raven nest.
During the his escape from the vicious birds, he had accidentally stepped on some of their eggs so he knew that the inside of them was filled with some kind of liquid. It must have been the highly nutritious material that the guide mentioned.
Desperate for sustenance of any kind, Ace wedged an egg in between his legs and lightly tapped the top with his crowbar, cracking it. He then pulled at the loose shells, creating a thin opening at the top of the egg. Peeking down through the hole, all Ace could see was a shimmering golden liquid.
'Ewww, it looks like pee!'
Eyeing the bright liquid dubiously, he raised the egg to his mouth and tipped it over. As soon as the liquid touched his tongue, he was filled with the desire to throw up. It's foul taste permeated his taste buds, eventually making its way up to his nostrils. Still, he endured it, drinking the entire egg. After he was done he felt surprisingly... hydrated?
He looked down at the remaining two eggs in his lap.
'I can last three, maybe four days if I ration these. On the other hand... the Sun is coming down and I need to find a place to sleep.'
As Ace considered ideas, Talos spoke, catching the boy off guard. He had never spoke first before. It was a welcome change.
[As you do not possess the tools to craft a shelter of your own, you should seek shelter high off the ground in the trees. The Ravens are a successful species for this reason. You would do well to copy them!]
Nodding his head in affirmation, Ace glanced upwards at the tree he was sitting against. Things didn't look promising. The first branches were dozens if not over a hundred feet off the ground. He sighed deeply, and grabbed his crowbar. There wasn't another option.
'Sleeping on the ground will most certainly result in my death. Looks like I'll have to climb.'
After tucking the eggs safely back into his pockets, he jammed the crowbar into the tree trunk.
Settling his feet at an angle on the tree, he focused deeply before jumping up with all his might while ripping out the crowbar. Before he could be reclaimed by gravity, he quickly jammed his weapon back into the trunk. He had only moved two to three feet off the ground but it was better than nothing.
*** 30 minutes later ***
Gritting his teeth, Ace repeated the process once more. He couldn't bring himself to look down. A fall from his current height would certainly spell his doom. His arm felt like someone had poured liquid fire into it. Each second that passed only magnified the burning sensation.
He looked up at his target. The branch was only two or three jumps away, but he was dead tired. He simply didn't have it in him. As his grip on the crowbar slowly loosened, memories of his family flashed in his mind. He had to see them again. He had to.
Refusing to die after having survived the impossible, he roared loudly before bracing his legs with all his power. A split second later a strange heat permeated his lower body.
He then leapt from his perch, sailing into the air parallel to the tree trunk. He flew towards his target and... right over it. Too fast to stop himself, he continued upwards and right into a higher branch, hitting it hard enough to knock the air out of him. Immediately after, he fell down and landed flat on his back on top of his initial target. He felt a lot of things within his body crack in that moment.
Out of breath with multiple broken fractures in his ribs and spine, he lay still, dreading what came next.
The next five minutes were filled with muffled screams as he healed from the injury caused by his fall. He had to stay quiet. The last rays of sunshine had disappeared over the horizon and the only thing illuminating the forest floor were thin specks of moonlight that had broken the canopy above.
Once he was completely healed, he sat up against the tree trunk. He had noticed something strange while healing. Unlike previous times, he felt the heat flowing from his injuries back to his right shoulder before he lost the ability to sense it.
'Now that's certainly interesting. I wonder if...'
Eager, to satisfy his curiosity, he gripped his crowbar in his teeth and held out his hand. With great force, he wrenched his head to the left, swiping the bladed side against his open palm and creating a small gash. As usual, an indescribable heat popped into existence in his body, eventually coalescing underneath his cut palm. Closing his eyes, he tried to focus on the energy. Before he could fully concentrate on it however, it faded away along with his injury, but not before he could feel it heading back towards his right shoulder.
Almost as soon as the feeling dissipated, he pulled up his personal assessment screen.
Looking at the numbers, he whispered in excitement.
"I knew it!"