The forest echoed with the boars dying squeal as its body slammed into the earth with enough force to shake small stones nearby. Standing triumphantly over the mighty boars body with bloody hands...

was Muiri

”This should be enough for big to make food for the week.”

Hopping off the almost building sizes boars body Muiri grabbed it by the tusk and began dragging the Greater Forest Boar in the direction of the town. The small Kitsune girls body glowed subtly as she channeled her mana into a spell to increase her strength. Distantly, Muiri felt the familiar pang of displeasure at her own weakness, in the past she could have carried prey like this without needing magic.

 And just like every other time before now she shook off those emotions and reminded herself that she was more now than she ever was before. Monsters, the gods first children, and their first mistake if the stories are to be believed. The races that are now known as monsters are said to have been the still newly born gods attempt at imitating their own creator. The mysterious being that had split itself into various parts of itself.

Unfortunately the gods first attempt ended in utter disaster. They attempted to create beings comparable to themselves, the leaders of every species of monster was imbued with a spark of their creators mana. Sadly the monsters were...imperfect, the leaders of the monsters slowly went mad and their subjects were quick to follow. 

It is often said that in the aftermath of those days the gods eliminated any surviving leaders, but stories still remain that hint at the survival of a few of these mythical god-like beings. Of course Muiri was far to busy to care about any of that, that’s just what old Atulg said when he got a little to deep into his drinks one night.

Apparently it was only after many hundreds of years later that the gods created the first truly intelligent species. In that time war had broken out among them as the gods began to argue amongst each other in petty squabbles that future scholars would point out reflects their first creations. Eventually the war ended and the new high gods created their chosen races. In the process they gave these limited beings the capacity to grow, they gave the world Potential. And with Potential came Levels and Classes. 

All things that monsters didn’t have, until one day a young goblin woke up weaker than he was the night before, but in exchange his mind was more free than ever before. He had awakened to his Potential, apparently he was quite famous but Muiri didn’t really know his story, she was told it wasn’t very happy one.

Nonetheless that unnamed goblin and his many titles went down in history even among the non monsters, once a year some cultures of awakened monster kind would celebrate his legend and thank him for taking that first step. Muiri didn’t really care about any of this, she had more important things to focus on. Like lugging a building sized boar back home so her sister could make food for their stall.

Maybe she could even get a sample...drool began to gather in her mouth when her ears suddenly perked up. Unceremoniously dumping the boars corpse on the ground Muiri dropped to all fours as the smell of iron, magic, and blood tickled her nose.

Slowly and silently Muiri inched forward, following the smell, she wasn’t worried about stragglers trying to take her prey. The Greater Forest Boar was the top of the local food chain and its hide was as tough as steel. Muiri wouldn’t stand a chance if she didn’t already know how to exploit its weakness. 

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Leaving her catch behind Muiri slowly came upon the remains of a battle field. On the ground were the corpses of several local wolves and even an alpha. Standing over the corpses were students from the local military training school the young nobles and occasionally talented peasant attended.

None of this held the Kitsunes attention for long, no, all of the young Kitsunes attention was focused on the creature standing in the trees above the students. A three eyed crow flared at the shivering students contemptuously, the magic in its gaze freezing the unprepared children with crippling fear. Even Muiri was frozen in place.

But not with fear, on no, fear would probably be better than what she was feeling right now. Bloodlust, pure, over whelming, unadulterated bloodlust sang in her veins as the monster within begged for release.

The three eyed crow was a dangerous foe to be certain. It’s ability to create fear was only one of its abilities. It could also wield dark attribute magic and possessed a fiendish cunning. This was just another example, it had let the children tire themselves out in the wolf and, perhaps, even gain a Level in a Class, fattening them up for the feast. However, what many don’t know about the three eyed crow is another interesting trait it possesses.

It smelled absolutely divine to the kitsune. It was their ideal prey and widely considered a delicacy. Now that Muiri was face to face with one she began to feel the monster she once was taking over again. No, she couldn’t allow that, if she did she’d never be allowed into the town again. Even if she managed to change back the guards had a way to find out and they didn’t trust the monsters as it was. There was no way they’d trust one who had reverted back to the old ways.

She needed to leave now, while she had a chance. Muiri spun around ready to sprint back to town, her original prey completely forgotten. Only she couldn’t, sitting in the trees above her was another three eyed crow, and it was staring right at her.

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Corvo was not in the best of moods right now. His only pair of shoes were now very soggy, he had no idea where he even was, and he’d been walking in this hallway for ages now, but most of all...

”I’m so not getting paid for this am I?”

With a deep sigh that only the destitute could understand Corvo continued his long, soggy March down the lit hallway. At some point the water had risen up to mid-calf level before he’d even realized it. Corvo estimated he’d been walking for almost an hour and a half by now and the silence of the place was wearing away at even him.

If Corvo had been paying attention he might have noticed the silhouette creeping up on him from the water. He certainly felt it when a cold, squishy hand suddenly clamped down on his ankle like iron. Suddenly, the water exploded on all sides as five zombies in varying stages of decay burst from the water.

Without hesitation Corvo whipped his sword out just in time to stop a sloppy thrust aimed at his throat. His return stroke took the fingers from the hand holding that sword. With a splash the rotting sword it was holding disappeared beneath the water. Unfortunately this did nothing to deter the other four attackers that closed in on him much the same way as the first. 

A second hand clamped down on Corvo’s other leg, completely halting his mobility. 

“Tsk, Haste”

 Mana sang in his veins and extended his already impressive speed and reflexes beyond their limits. Like a tornado of steel Corvo twisted in place, severing both the arms holding his legs and knocking two of the four blades away from him. the last two managed to score small cuts along his chest and left arm but the damage was superficial. Utilizing his enhanced speed Corvo backed up two steps and suddenly stepped right. just as he does this the armless zombie lurking in the water lunges forward only to meet a face full of stone wall.

At first the zombies face sticks to the wall before slowly sliding down the wall untilvit was once again submerged among the water. With his back now against the wall to prevent being surrounded Corvo raises his word as the five zombies shambled closer through the now knee high water.

"I need a vacation."