Alex lay with his back against the tree. I’d done everything I could for him. His wounds were deep but fortunately it looked like nothing vital had been hit. But he had lost a lot of blood.
Letting Alex rest, I go back through the pack until I find my water canister. Removing the lid I splash my face. Instantly agonising pain hits me and I cry out as the water washes over my cut. Lifting my hand, I gently touch my face. I can feel the cut running from my eyebrow all the way down to my chin. Shit it’s bad.
In my minds eye I can feel the system message as it keeps reminding me I levelled up. If this is anything like a game.. it might help.
Whispering, I say, “Status.” And the information fills my mind.
Status
Name: Balin Tellis
True Name: N/A
Trait: N/A
Class: N/A
Level: 3
Stats:
Strength - 8
Dexterity - 13
Constitution - 9
Mana - 10
Free Stats - 6
Looking at the free stat points, I assume like a game I can add them to one of my stats. “1 point into constitution”
The point disappears and I feel a tingling over my skin. The feeling is unlike anything I’ve ever felt. I bask in the sunlight shining down between the trees canopy. While I feel the pain lessening for my cut and slowly begin to close.
Deciding to test some stuff, I give the system a mental prop to add two more points into constitution and it works.
Okay, so I don’t need to speak the commands.
The pain almost disappears and the blood stops trickling down my face. I bring my hand up once more and trace the cut, It’s completely scabbed over.
Flashbacks of the wolf consume my thoughts, reminding me of how close to death I was if Alex wasn’t there.
As I focused on what abilities to enhance, my mind turned to dexterity. I knew it was crucial in this brutal forest where survival depended on quick reflexes and nimble movements.
With a moment of concentration, I allocated points towards dexterity, feeling a subtle surge of power as it grew within me. It was like a hidden potential being unleashed, making me more agile and precise in my actions.
The memory of the wolf's lightning-fast attack is a clear reminder of why I need to improve my agility. An attack like that won’t catch me off guard again.
Smiling to myself I pull up my status again.
Status
Name: Balin Tellis
True Name: N/A
Trait: N/A
Class: N/A
Level: 3
Stats:
Strength - 8
Dexterity - 16
Constitution - 11
Mana - 10
Alex slowly came to his senses, his eyes opening, looking around and groaning in pain from the fight. I rush to his side with a bottle of water.
Before he does anything I quickly speak up. “Don’t move. Check if you level up. If you did, add your stat points to constitution, it will help.”
He gives a pained nod before a blank expression covers his features.
This must be what it looks like when someone is checking their status.
I look at my surroundings, seeing nothing but trees and dense underbrush all around. I moved me and Alex through the forest some more, to get away from the dead bodies. Thinking about it now, I’m quite happy with my decision. The forest is beautiful, if only it were different circumstances.
The air was thick with the scent of pine and decaying leaves, the faint rustle of branches in the wind and the sound of chirping birds the only thing breaking the silence of the forest. I could almost smile at it all.
I observe as Alex allocates all his free stat points to Constitution. His wounds begin to heal before my eyes, the edges of the puncture marks visibly closing as his body repairs itself with increased speed and efficiency.
As I see Alex's wounds visibly closing and his flesh regenerating, a wave of relief washes over me. The threat to his life, which seemed so dire moments ago, has faded away, replaced by the realisation that Alex will survive and recover.
I look to Alex’s face as his wounds finish knitting themselves close.
"Are you okay, Alex? That healing was fast."
He gives me a nod and a weak smile. He stands up, moving gingerly as he flexes his stomach muscles.
"Yeah, I'm okay. My stomach still hurts a bit, but I think I'll live."
He grins at me, likely recalling the rush of levelling up.
"This is crazy, I can't believe how fast I healed after I put all those stat points into Constitution. It's like the wounds are months old." He idles quietly, while feeling his stomach.
“Did you also level up?” Alex continues.
I tell him about my stats and how I allocated them. Alex also tells me how the wolf was level 5 and he also levelled to level 3.
“We need to find food and water,” Alex speaks up and I can’t help but agree.
After a quick discussion we decide to head back to the wolf carcass and butcher it for some meat, unsure if we will find any other food source.
Armed with our intermediate survival skills, we decide to searched our surroundings, keeping our eyes peeled for any signs of running water. We follow the faintest trickles and the subtle dips in the terrain, hoping to find a source of liquid sustenance.
Relief washed over me as we stumbled upon a small river snaking its way through the towering trees of the forest. The sound of flowing water was a welcome respite in the otherwise silent and deadly surroundings.
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With our water bottles filled, I sit down by the trees, resting my body and leaning against the solid bark.
The events and the battle earlier had taken its toll on me, I felt tired and exhausted from the exertion. Every muscle ached and the adrenaline from the fight is wearing off.
I look up to the sun setting, its warm orange and red light cast through the trees and danced on the forest floor, turning the fallen leaves a vibrant red colour. The air is crisp and cool, and the scent of pine and earth was strong.
The trees are tall and majestic, their branches reaching high up towards the sky. The sound of the wind in the trees and the rustle of leaves is calming, and the light made the whole surroundings look like something out of a fantasy painting.
Although I suppose everything that is happening feels like a fantasy.
Looking towards my brother I can see he’s still in pain. “Sit down Alex. I’ll take first watch, you rest and recover.”
He nods gratefully as he sits down in a nearby spot, rubbing his stomach where the stab wounds once were.
"Thanks, I appreciate it. My strength is still pretty low, I could use a good rest. Let me know if anything happens." He replies before closing his eyes.
The night’s alive with the eerie howls of nearby wolves. Their haunting calls echoed through the trees, sending shivers down my spine as I keep watch. Clutching my bow, I remained vigilant, my senses heightened to every shift in the wind and every rustle of leaves. The points in dexterity amplifying my reactions to every small sound.
The howls served as a constant reminder of the dangers that stalked the shadows, and the grip on my bow remains tight, my mind alert to any sign of imminent danger. Fortunately none venture close. I can feel myself slipping into the cold embrace of sleep, sighing I stand up and make my way towards Alex.
Alex opens his eyes slowly, groaning as I shake him from his sleep. He sits up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"Balin, is it already my turn?" he asks, voice still groggy.
“Yes, be carful. The wolves have been howling close by.” I reply before resting against the trusty tree and shutting my eyes. Sleep soon takes me, as my mind replays the events to the afternoon.
“Balin get up quick!”
Groggy from sleep, I was abruptly jolted awake by the sound of Alex screaming my name and frenzied goblin voices shrieking in the distance.
With bleary eyes, I tried to focus, my heart pounding in my chest as I saw the gruesome scene unfolding before me.
Goblins were swarming around, their grotesque forms illuminated by the faint moonlight. Their wild yellow eyes gleamed with malice as they look to attack us with vicious, primal intent.
In a flash, adrenaline surged through my veins, and I swiftly grabbed my trusty bow. Without a moment's hesitation, I began to unleash volley after volley of arrows upon the goblins.
The deafening sound of Alex's rifle echoed through the forest, cutting through the din of screaming goblins.
“We need to run. NOW.” Alex shouts before taking off into the deadly forest. I’m hot on his heels, bow in hand, as the goblins give chase.
We darted through the forest, my heart is pounding in my chest as the goblins pursued us closely. The trees became a blur as we leaped over fallen logs and ducked under low branches, desperate to escape their grasp.
The sound of their guttural grunts and heavy footsteps echoed behind us, a reminder that they are gaining ground with every stride.
Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, the howls of wolves pierced the air, joining the pursuit with a primal hunger.
The deep, guttural howls sent shivers down my spine, adding a new level of danger to our already precarious situation.
“This way,” Alex shouts as he ducks and weaves through the forest, dodging branches and roots with expert ease.
I follow close behind, cutting through the forest with a light step. Despite the dire situation I can’t help but marvel at how well I’m navigating through the forest. My feet continue to find the perfect placement as my pace quickens.
After running for what felt like an eternity, we stumbled upon a dead end – a high rock face blocking our way. Turning around, I realised that we had backed ourselves into a dangerous corner.
I shifted my weight against the rough cliff face, feeling the unforgiving rock dig into my back. My eyes darted around, searching for any escape route, but we were trapped. In the distance, I heard the sound of approaching footsteps and guttural growls growing louder with each passing moment.
The fear and tension were palpable as I exchanged a panicked glance with my brother, Alex. The knowledge that we were outnumbered and outmatched hung heavy in the air. We had nowhere to run and no way to escape. The only option was to stand and fight.
My heart pounded in my chest as the sound of the approaching creatures grew louder. I clenched my bow tightly, the weapon feeling woefully inadequate against the horde of goblins and wolves that were closing in on us. I could see the fear in Alex's eyes as well, but there was determination in his expression, a quiet resolve to stand our ground.
My heart rate picked up even more as wolves suddenly emerged, each with a goblin rider perched menacingly on its back. The goblins perched atop the wolves jeered and hooted, confident in their numerical advantage.
Just as I was about to signal to Alex for a plan, the goblins and their wolves lunged towards us without warning. The creatures charged at us with a speed and ferocity that left little room for planning.
Alex fires his semi-automatic rifle, hitting one of the wolves before the creatures are upon us, initiating chaos in the midst of battle.
In the chaos, a goblin charges at me with a heavy mace in hand. The creature swings the weapon aimed at my head, its intentions clear as day.
My heart races and my muscles tense as adrenaline kicks in, my body prepared for action. I dodge the goblin's mace by ducking at the last moment, narrowly avoiding the potentially deadly blow.
Acting fast, I swing my bow and hit the goblin with the weapon, driving it back with the force of the impact. The attack sends the creature stumbling back, momentarily stunned and off balance.
Before I can take advantage of the stunned goblin, Alex fires another shot from his rifle, taking down the weakened creature.
Acting quickly, I spot a wolf lunging at Alex's blind spot from behind. I call out in warning "Alex, behind you!"
Alex drops to the ground just in time to dodge the wolf's lunge. I draw my bow, aiming swiftly and releasing an arrow at the charging wolf. The arrow flies straight and true, striking the creature clean in the flank.
The hit from my arrow provokes a pained whimper from the wounded wolf. The creature stumbles briefly, its balance thrown off by the injury.
I don't hesitate to fire two more shots into the wounded wolf, each hit precise and accurate. The wolf falls to the ground, lifeless.
With the second wolf slain, we think we're in the clear, but the first wolf that Alex shot earlier rears back and charges at him again.
To make matters worse, the goblin riding on the charging wolf leaps off its back, launching itself towards Alex.
The goblin and Alex collide in a chaotic mess of limbs and yells, both of them struggling to gain the upper hand.
As Alex and the goblin are wrestling, I see the wolf that we had initially wounded beginning to circle us. Its eyes glint with aggression and hunger.
As the wolf lunges towards Alex, I quickly reach into my quiver and pull out my last arrow. Without wasting a moment, I draw back the bowstring and fire the arrow at the charging wolf.
My aim is true, and the arrow hits its mark, causing the wolf to stumble and collapse to the ground. Without missing a beat, I rush towards the fallen wolf, pulling out my hunting knife as I approach.
The wounded wolf growls defiantly and pushes itself up from the ground, attempting to charge at me with a fierce snarl.
The wolf pounces forward, aiming for my throat with its fangs bared. Time seems to slow as it flies through the air towards me.
My hand meets the powerful jaws of the wolf just in time to prevent it from ripping out my throat, but the sharp teeth still sink into my arm, causing me to cry out in pain.
I drive my hunting knife into the wolf, aiming for the creature's neck. I stab again and again, focusing all my strength on the blows. Its jaws loosen but I don’t stop. Repeatedly I stab into its side. Blood sprays into my face after the fifth time. I must have hit an artery.
The wolf eventually collapses to the ground, its body finally succumbing to the injuries it has sustained. The creature lies motionless.
As I stand over the fallen wolf, I feel a rush of newfound energy flowing through me. It's as if the system is responding to our victory, rewarding us for overcoming the enemy.
As the rush of energy subsides, my eyes widen as my mind's eye shows me that I have indeed leveled up. I can see the progress bar in my inner vision, showing where I have gained XP from the battle.
Alex's voice snaps me out of my momentary daze. "Balin, are you alright?" he calls out, his voice urgent and concerned.
I tear my gaze away from my mind's eye and turn towards Alex, who is lying beneath the now lifeless goblin. "Alex!" I call out, rushing over to his side.
I quickly pull the goblin off him and kneel beside Alex, examining him for any serious injuries.
I see that Alex is bleeding from several shallow cuts on his arms and face, the wounds not severe but definitely painful and in need of attention.
Just as I am about to check on Alex's injuries more closely, we hear the sound of approaching monsters in the distance. The noise snaps me back into a state of alertness, knowing that another fight is on the horizon.
Alex points towards a small opening in the rock face nearby. "There," he says, his voice tense but determined. "There's a small opening there. We can take cover in there for now."
Without wasting a moment, we both scramble to our feet and sprint towards the small opening in the rock face, our injuries temporarily forgotten as we prioritise getting to safety.
As we reach the safety of the small cave, I can feel blood trickling down my arm from the wound inflicted by the wolf earlier. Each drop of blood splatters onto the lush, leafy floor, creating a stark contrast between the dark red liquid and the green foliage.
As we catch our breath in the cave, we can hear the faint sound of goblins outside, their guttural chatter and stomping footsteps growing increasingly closer.
We sit in tense silence for what feels like hours, listening to the sounds of the goblins searching outside. Their footsteps crunch through the undergrowth, their voices carrying through the night air as they continue their pursuit.
“It’s okay, Balin,” Alex speaks softly, worried the sound will travel out to the searching goblins. “Let’s rest.”
I agree and we both shut our eyes. I grimace as I realise this is only our first day.