Jax inhaled and exhaled slowly, trying to calm his racing heart. With a final deep breath, he stepped into the shimmering crack before him. A sense of vertigo overcame him but disappeared just as quick as it came.

Jax bellyflopped onto the hard forest floor. He groaned in pain as he struggled to regain his breath.

“And that, students, is how not to land.” A cold voice sneered.

A chorus of laughs echoed through the trees as Jax stood up sharply and brushed the leaves clinging to his clothes off. A group was gathered around a thin mustachioed man all bearing the Dawning Sun guild insigna. The other people, who all seemed to be around Jax’s age, wore shining, polished armor and had weapons that clearly gleamed with enchantment.

“Let’s leave this peasant and head back to the guild.” The mustachioed man said before stepping through a rift behind Jax.

The group left, sneering and jeering at Jax as they left. Jax merely ignored them, instead focusing on the status message that popped up in the corner of his vision.

You have entered a rift, Forest of Howls

Size: Tiny

Stability: Extremely Stable

Entities: 1

Time till realm reset: 1h 30m

New Quest: Wolf Pup

Requirements: None

Difficulty: F

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Primary Objective: Find the Wolf Pup and begin the taming process.

Rewards: 1 silver.

 Jax smiled, those noble sods had actually helped him. There was only one other being in this entire place if his system was to be believed. And the system never lied or gave out impossible quests, which meant that somewhere in here was the Wolf Pup. Jax began walking down the dirt track that led deeper into the forest.

Jax flicked open his status and stared at his Cornerstone Ability as if it was meant to reveal all it’s secrets to him.

Cornerstone Ability – Tamer

F Rank Effect 1: Tame a beast by spending time with it. Cannot tame a beast of higher rank than tamer.

F Rank Effect 2: ???

F Rank Effect 3: ???

No matter how long he stared the display did not change. A high-pitched whine snapped him out of his reverie. He turned, searching for the source of the noise. It took Jax a while before he looked up and saw a small black furball clinging upside-down to a branch. As Jax watched the furball slipped and plummeted to the ground.

With reflexes that would impress a trained adventurer Jax dove for the falling furball and caught it right before it hit the ground. A groan escaped him as he stood up and dusted himself off for the second time today. He held the furball in one hand and poked it with his index finger. A paw batted at his finger and retracted back into the furball. Just as he was starting to believe he had discovered a new species of turtle a system notification popped up.

Quest: Wolf Pup Complete!

Rewards received.

Jax patted the furball and began making his way back to the exit rift.

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An average room at an inn generally cost ten copper, twelve if you wanted breakfast with that. In other words, Jax’s gains would stay at an inn for a week or so. It was midnight by the time he made it to an inn. It was almost empty save for a barman who was cleaning a shot glass. The barman looked up as Jax entered and gave him a toothy grin.

“Welcome to my fine establishment. What can I do fer you lad?” The barman said as he set down the rag and glass.

“I’d like a room for the next five nights please.” Jax said as he placed the silver on the bar top.

“That’ll cost you fifty-five copper. Ten percent discount fer stayin’ five nights.” The man dug out four tenth silvers and five coppers from his belt pouch and unhooked a key from a row of pegs behind him, “Go up the stairs. Third door on your left.”

“Thanks.” Jax  said as he scooped up the coins and key and clambered up the stairs.

He unlocked the door and sat on the edge of the bed after locking and closing the door behind him. Jax patted the furball and put it on his pillow before bedding down himself. He fell asleep in seconds.