Jax was straddling a tree limb, staring down at the creature beneath.

[Coyote Stalker(lv.8)]

This was something he’d learned along with the others a few days ago: Identify. It was pretty useful.

Swiftly, Jax fell from the tree as smoothly as he could, masking his sounds in the wind that had come with the snow. Without any sign it had ever known he was there, the coyote was taken through the neck. It felt no pain.

Breathing out, Jax took solace as the snowy winds took his fogged breath and dispersed it in the wind.

“Hopefully Brad doesn’t complain again…” Jax muttered as he brushed aside the pelt of the previous Stalker he’d killed and made a cloak out of. It was necessary in the cold climate of the Battleground. He had taken the first one, this one he’d just caught to be given to Mark so he could venture outside the cave and help Jax hunt.

Jax grabbed the coyote and put it over his shoulder under his cloak, the creature’s heat its last offering to Jax as he took it back to the cave they’d found a week ago. They wanted to go to the center, but after a week of travel, the snow came. It was brutal, and Angela was the biggest problem, as she collapsed multiple times before she spotted the cave we now sheltered in.

Jax wasn’t pleased by the circumstances, but he couldn’t bring himself to consider leaving her behind or forcing her to move. Jax was the one that ultimately decided to go and hunt down a few pelts to keep warm enough to travel. He’d be lying if he said the pelt was warm, and it stank like death, but it kept him a lot warmer than if he was still in bare leather armor.

Jax followed his little marking system in the trees back to the cave, where a small column of smoke came out of its mouth. As soon as he walked inside, Bradley looked up from the fire that had been burning in the pit. “You’re back, and with a level to show for it no less,” Jax nodded.

“I’ve got a pelt for Mark so he can help me. We’ll find a few more then be on our way to the center.” Jax dropped the dead coyote, the size of a large dog, right next to Bradley. His enhanced stats made the job easy.

Mark and Angela were tangled together on the other side of the fire, clearly enjoying themselves. Jax was happy they could find happiness, but he’d be lying if he said it wasn’t annoying how they seemed to ignore Bradley and Jax.

Jax kicked Mark’s foot, “I’ve got your pelt, lovebird. You’re gonna help me hunt tomorrow.”

Mark rolled off Angela to face Jax, a shit-eating grin on his face. “Yeah, I’m gonna show you how to really hunt. Just cause I’ve got a sword doesn’t mean I can’t hunt.”

Jax grinned, “Good luck, but I don’t think you’ll be able to kill one of the Stalkers till you’ve got a few more levels under your belt.” As he said that, he Identified all three of them.

[Human(lv.3)] Bradley

[Human(lv.6)] Mark

[Human(lv.1)] Angela

Mark shook his head, “Those stats don’t do too much in a sneak attack like you’ve been doing. Not to mention that I can get just as strong as you with my skill.”

Jax shook his head, “Do I need to say it again? Don’t use Warrior’s Strength unless you’re literally about to die. It doesn’t do that much to help, doesn’t last long, and leaves you a throbbing mess for a day. You’re the one who had to drag me around for a day after the shrew, remember? If that doesn’t deter you, only death awaits.”

Bradley snorted as he worked on the corpse. “I agree with Jax here. Weakness that debilitating in cold weather like this probably is a death sentence.”

Mark waggled a hand, dismissing us, “Relax, I won’t use it. It was a joke.”

Jax just plopped himself down next to the fire, wanting some rest. Even with the extra stats, it was tiring traversing the snow and being out for hours. Plus, the adrenaline when Jax engaged his targets was taxing.

Bradley talked while finishing up gutting the creature, “How are you doing, kid? I know it's not really traumatizing, having to kill other creatures for survival, but it definitely is a big change from how things are normally done for us.”

Jax closed his eyes and laid down, “I’m doing as well as I can. The killing isn’t pleasant, but I’ve come to terms with it. It's us or them, after all.”

Bradley let out a soft, mirthless chuckle, “Good for you, I guess. Say, I’ve never really asked, and you’ve never said, but what did you do before the System came?”

Jax wrapped himself in the cloak, still getting used to the stink, “I was a college student. Nothing crazy. I played football and baseball in highschool, wasn’t too great, so I went to community college to save some money, then was going to transfer up to a four-year to finish my degree in electrical engineering, until this happened.”

Bradley nodded, “Mm, that reminds me of my son. He was a freshman in college, so a few years younger than you. Seeing you do well here makes me feel like he’s fine too.”

“Well, at least I can help you feel better. Now, not to be a dick, but I need some sleep. Night.” Jax rolled on his side, elbow under his head.

Bradley snorted a laugh, “Yeah, yeah, ignore the old man. Good night, kid.”

Jax smiled as he went to sleep. It was odd how fast he formed connections with Bradley and Mark. Angela was nice, and always seemed earnest, but Jax just didn’t feel that bond with her that he felt with the others. Maybe it was a man thing? Who knows, who cares. Jax was sleepy.

…

Jax woke up to the wonderfully homey scent of burning skin and fur, as well as the sounds of two very obnoxious snorers: Brad and Angela. Mark was like a cherub when he slept, serene, still, and quiet as a stone. Jax too, if Bradley’s “flattering” impression was anything to go by.

Stretching, Jax looked to Mark who was awake and at the entrance, wearing his brand-spanking-new cloak, which the smell was still strong on. He was staring ponderously out into the snow, which was more tumultuous than it was the day before.

Jax walked over to him, looking with him into the snow. “Doesn’t look like today’s gonna be fun, ey?” Jax asked, using his spear to see how deep the snow was. About 4 inches.

Mark nodded, “Won’t be fun, but it will be easy if we can find a few Stalkers. This snow makes it easy to sneak around. Also, you’re close to level ten, right? That’s when you evolve. What race will you pick?”

Jax blinked, then threw up his status:

[Status]:

Name: Jackson Emmory

Alias 1: Jax

Alias 2: Undecided

Class: Warrior (lv.9)(+2str,+2Tgh, +2Agi, +1 Per, +1FP)

Profession: N/A

Race: Human(seedling)(lv.9)(+1 all stats, +3FP)

Strength: 34

Toughness: 34

Agility:32

Perception: 22

Cognition: 14

Integrity: 19

Willpower: 14

Free Points: 36

Class skills: [Warrior’s Strength]

Profession skills:N/A

Race skills: [Infinite Paths], [Cultural Mimic], [System Assistance], [Identify

Titles: None

Integration Variables: [ERROR]

Initiation Event Points: 237

“I don’t really know, to be honest. The idea of it is honestly terrifying.” Jax said, looking over his unspent free points. He still didn’t really know where to spend them.

Mark looked Jax in the eyes, “It may not mean much to you, but I’ll always think of you the same, no matter what Race you choose.”

Jax stood there, unable to respond for a moment before he went with what came most naturally to him: “Little bit racist, don’t ya think?”

Mark blinked, “What? Geez, it's not a joke man!” He grinned as he kicked a little bit of snow that had come into the shelter at Jax who laughed and fell onto his ass. Bradley and Angela both woke up in a hurry, stumbling to see the disturbance.

Bradley breathed heavily, “Don’t scare me like that, you damn idiots! I nearly shit myself…”

Jax chuckled, “Sorry.” He stood up and retrieved his spear, which still felt alien in his hands. “Ready, Mark?”

The man nodded, coming close to the fire to scoop some warm air inside his cloak before taking off in the direction where coyotes lived, more toward the edge of the Battleground. Jax looked at Angela before he left, asking a question, “You’re sure you’ll be able to move on after we get these cloaks? It would suck if this were all a waste of time and effort.”

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Angela nodded, “I’m sure that once you guys are done collecting the cloaks, I’ll be good to move on to the center.”

Jax nodded, “Good. I’m off, then. I’ll find you a warm one, don’t worry. Bye.” Without further delay, Jax hit the forest, on the hunt for something he’d not killed yet. There were these alpacas that Jax had seen when he was scouting the surrounding area, and they were stationary, having made a home in a clearing with a strange fire that erupted from the ground without pause. They all huddled around it, and were all colored pink. To say they were strange was an understatement.

When Jax got there, he circled to the left of the clearing, where there was a hill and gap in the trees, making it pretty good for spying on the alpacas. It wasn’t hard to sneak there, as the snowstorm was making it damn hard to see and hear. The flame made it easy to see the animals themselves though, all huddled around the flame, so close Jax wasn’t sure how none had caught fire yet. Last time he’d been here, though, he didn’t know about Identify.

[Flame-spirit Alpaca(lv.??)]

Jax frowned, but he knew they needed one of these creature’s coats. He didn’t like the unknown, but then again, Identify, in the eyes of a pre-System hunter, was a luxury. They had to use deduction, tracking, and gut-feeling to get a feel for a creature’s abilities before ever engaging it.

Jax was no hunter though, just one of necessity. The alpacas didn’t look “strong,” but maybe they were fire-proof, hence the name? That would certainly explain the lack of burning alpacas.

Jax shook his head, refocusing. He needed one of them, and he didn’t really know how to lure one away. And charging in wasn’t an option, as there were more than twenty of the creatures, so Jax was at a loss.

Until he saw one of the alpacas come to the edge of the clearing, tear up a sapling, then bring it back to the flame, tossing it in. Jax saw an opportunity. He quickly scanned the edge of the clearing, noticing about three other saplings, and decided to make his way to the one closest to him, which was also near a big rock, making hiding easier.

Jax got into the snow, throwing some over his back to hide himself, then sat still as he waited. It took a while, as the alpacas only came to get one every thirty minutes or so, and the one Jax chose was the last one they grabbed. Jax was in the snow for about an hour, and he felt numb just about everywhere.

But, when the alpaca came, unwary and unwatched, Jax steeled himself. Just as the alpaca tore the sapling up and turned to leave, its side was open. Jumping from the snow, Jax speared the alpaca where most creature’s hearts were.

The creature went down with a heart-breaking wail, and Jax cringed as he noticed the whole flock of alpacas looking straight at him. Grabbing his kill’s back leg, Jax took off, dragging through the snow the creature that was too big and bulky to just put on his back. He didn’t think alpacas were particularly bloodthirsty, but neither were coyotes meant to get as big as a wolf.

Jax made the right call. Around a turn, where he was following the marks he left in the trunks, Jax looked back and noticed two alpacas full tilt, running straight for him. “Fuck!” Jax renewed his sprint, finding energy he didn’t realize he had.

After another thirty minutes of running, Jax was nearly back at the cave, when he turned back and saw the alpacas gone, probably lost in the snowstorm. Jax considered himself lucky for a few reasons, one of them being that he’d somehow kept up with his marks while running and dragging a heavy corpse through the snow.

Jax went pale, looking down and noticing a blood trail in the snow. “Shit…” Jax wasn’t quite back at the cave yet, so he took off his cloak and wrapped the bloody part of the alpaca up, then slung it over his shoulder by its feet. It was unruly, but he didn’t have far to go.

Jax treaded tiredly back to the cave, worn out from the weather, the weight, and the run. Adrenaline too. It was a miracle he made it back.

Jax was already considering what he would do when he found the others in the Battleground with them. While it was possible some people would turn murderous, Jax decided to believe in humanity, hoping that they would all come together to survive and make it through.

It didn’t take much longer to reach the cave, and Jax smiled, feeling safer after returning “home”, but then frowned. There was no smoke. That wasn’t good. Without that fire, Angela would be freezing, and Bradley wouldn’t be much better.

Dropping the alpaca, Jax rushed inside, “Are yall okay? Answer me!” When he got inside, Jax nearly threw up, unable to believe what he was seeing. Bradley was laid down next to the fire. At least, his body was. His head was gone.

Jax looked around, hoping at least Angela had made it, but he didn’t see any sign of her, so maybe she’d escaped whatever did this? Jax hoped she did. Grimacing, Jax turned back outside, seeing some faint tracks swiftly being covered by wind and snow. He decided to follow them, and they were heading in the direction of Mark.

Jax dragged the alpaca into the cave, hoping whatever did this didn’t come back. Afterward, he gripped his spear tightly, and headed in the direction the footprints went.

Jax knew that they couldn’t be too far. The coyotes didn’t live too far from where they settled, so he rushed there. On the way, he couldn’t stop thinking about Bradley, tears coming unbidden. Now that he took a minute to think about it, no way an animal did that. At least, not one Jax knew existed. The head was severed cleanly–Jax gagged– and the body was left alone for the most part.

No, whatever, or whoever, did this was a person. A fucking human. Jax felt tears come faster as his face twisted in rage. It must have been someone else. They probably saw the smoke from the cave and decided the old man and young girl were easy targets.

Jax paled, just now realizing what murderers would probably do if they caught Angela. Growling, he sped up, breaking into a full sprint. Nothing but rage was fueling him, and he pressed onward, the tracks getting easier and easier to follow as he caught up to who he hoped was Angela.

The snow was getting worse. Jax had no doubt, and he hated his own stupidity. He’d forgotten to retrieve his cloak from the alpaca, now facing the extreme cold adorned in nothing but boiled leather weave. Gritting his teeth, he pressed on, hoping to anything Angela was close by.

When he reached the home of the coyotes, Jax noticed the footprints abruptly disappear. Dismayed, Jax searched around, “No, nonononono! Fuckkkk” He kept looking. “ANGELA!!! MARK!!! CAN ANYONE HEAR ME!!!” Jax screamed as loud as he could, but he doubted anyone could hear over the wind and trees.

Just as Jax was starting to give up hope, he heard a faint call, “here…” It sounded like Angela. Jax, like a bloodhound, followed the noise, running. He hoped she was alright.

When he found her, he also found Mark, or what was left of him. His head was gone, same as Bradley’s. Angela was over his corpse, crying and shivering, and Jax ran over and fell to his knees over Mark, beside Angela. More tears came, and he looked to Angela, “What happened?! Who did this?!” He asked, wanting to ask if she was alright, but knew the answer already: no.

Angela sniffled, still shivering, then nodded. She pointed to the side, where a cave was. “The-they went in there… Please, at least let me bury him with his head…”

In pain, Jax stood up, “I’ll make them pay.” Without further thought, Jax rushed towards the cave, spear in hand. He was struggling to think, overloaded as he was. Freezing, traumatized, angry, and filled with violence, he still ran for the murderers. Roaring he ran in, seeing firelight. Jax had never killed a man before, but he knew today would be the first, and however many more there were.

He ran inside, noticing a form sitting next to the fire, not noticing him somehow. Jax didn’t even think to question it, just running forward and running the man through where the heart should be. It was like a bag of straw… which he noticed wasn’t inaccurate.

Confused, he turned around, only to be met by a shield to the face, knocking him flat on his back. Dazed, Jax tried to roll and gain distance, but was sat on. Looking up through the water in his eyes, Jax noticed… Mark?

Mark looked down at Jax, an evil smile splitting his face, “Howdy.” Jax, confused, sputtered, but couldn’t form words. Mark was heavier than he should be, and Jax was exhausted, seeing Mark deflating him of even the rage that kept him going.

“Why…” Jax managed, seeing black. He was sure the body outside had been Mark’s… But apparently not?

Mark’s face literally split at the jaw, hinging crazily. Jax felt sick seeing it… whatever this was, Mark wasn’t human. Maybe he never had been. “Because I need your face! All the faces… ALL OF THEM! Hahahaha.” The sound was terrifying, more like a monster than anything else.

“You’re next,” it said, barely a whisper. Jax refused to believe this. This was a crazy person, and Mark had definitely never been like this. This wasn’t the kind of crazy one could hide.

Jax identified him:

[Feral Changeling(??)]

Cringing, Jax breathed, “Changeling?”

Mark, or whatever it was, laughed crazily, “Yes yes yes! Good boy. NOW DIE!!!” It extended a humongous claw, more like a big karambit blade, from its elbow, leaving no doubt that’s how Mark and Bradley had died.

Jax, with a final gambit, poured all his free points into his strength, and bucked the changeling off. Far harder than he thought possible. It flew upward, crashing into the top of the cave headfirst. Jax scrambled to his feet, grasping his spear. He felt rejuvenated, and he lunged forward to stab the creature in the gut. It landed, and the changeling hissed, then fell limp.

Tired, Jax just sobbed. It felt like everything was falling apart all over again, even this small family he’d put together. He grabbed Mark’s shield and took it outside to Angela. He didn’t see her, and Mark’s corpse was still there. Jax went over and fell to his knees, “Her too…”

“Jax!...” Angela said, stumbling from behind a tree, holding her gut. Jax breathed in relief… until he noticed.

“Jax, did you find him? Did you kill the bastard?” Angela asked hopefully as she stumbled her way forward. Jax suddenly felt cold all over. He was chilled, and not the temperature kind. "I was stabbed in the gut by his friend. He ran that way." She pointed opposite the cave.

“Yeah. It was some changeling, whatever that is. It looked like Mark.” Jax said, and he felt his stomach feel more and more hollow. He picked up Mark’s sword and shield, walking over to Angela. “Here, I think you should have these. Mark loved you, after all. It would be a waste to simply lose them.”

Angela smiled, further cementing Jax’s doubt, “Yes, I’ll take good care of them, in his memory.” She was less than a foot from Jax, and he handed her the shield first, which she received with both hands. Then, as sudden as he could be, Jax lurched to the side, swinging the shortsword like a machete into “Angela’s” neck. Angela didn’t react in time. The sword cleaved into her neck, nearly to the spine, and blood came spilling all over the snow as Jax dislodged the sword fiercely.

Jax snatched the shield from her as she reached for her neck, gasping and clutching at it. Jax felt his stomach turning, hoping he hadn’t been wrong. He readied his shield, just in case he hadn’t been.

Angela stood there, gaping, then suddenly got low and tried to tackle Jax. “I knew it!” he yelled while slamming the pommel into the back of her head. It threw her off, but Jax still fell on his ass, having not stepped out of the way in time.

They both clambered to their feet, Angela’s harmless visage transformed into a demonic face. Her mouth was hinging open big enough to fit a head inside, and her eyes were nearly popping out of her head.

She ran to the side, right for Mark, and Jax shouted as he lunged, trying to hit her anywhere. He missed, and she dove for the spear Jax had abandoned in his ruse. She rolled, grabbing the spear and ending with the spear pointed right at Jax. She gave three pokes, each blocked by the shield.

Jax kept trying to swing his sword, but any time he’d try, she would poke at his right shoulder, which became exposed. This went on for a minute, both dancing in the howling wind and freezing snow.

Eventually, Jax was starting to feel tired. In frustration, he thought of using his shield like a weapon. In his first ever well-thought combat maneuver, he feinted an overhead chop, which she predictably poked at, but Jax didn’t put any effort into it. He pulled back his shoulder and leaned in, stepping too, as he used the shield more like cover than a blocking implement, then stabbed upwards, right next to where he’d stabbed her last time.

She shrieked, then grabbed the spear with both hands spread wide, using the shaft like a guillotine as she pulled it down violently. In time, Jax pulled his head down and out, raising his shield in time to block a bash with the weighted blunt end of the spear. It made his shoulder hurt, which was scary when he remembered he had thrown every stat he had into strength, which should have made that easy.

She wasn’t over level 10 for nothing. Gritting his teeth, Jax stepped close again, but Angela, instead of poking, swept low with the spear, which landed squarely on his left boot, though it only hit the sole of his boot as he tried to jump over it, which unbalanced Jax, but didn’t do much else.

His attack was foiled though, and so they both began to trade blows, getting more and more competent each trade. Jax was starting to get tired to the point of sluggishness now. He yelled, mania in his eyes, as he charged in once more, prepared to end it all. She tried to push him aside again, but this time Jax committed fully, gambling on himself being stronger than Angela. A well-made gamble. She fell flat on her back, and without further drama, received a shortsword lobotomy.

Jax collapsed to his knees, praying for the confirmation of death he’d neglected to check earlier in the cave. A moment later, it came.

[Feral Changeling(lv.17)] slain. Exp gained.

Congratulations! You’ve reached level 10 in both class and race! Evolution is imminent.

Jax just stared at the options, listless. He was tired… and then fell asleep.