Crocodiles are apex predators, and they are feasted on by the White Spider. It rests on the top of trees, hiding itself within the broad tree cone. If anything walks under the tree, it’s a quick path to the afterlife. Shadow archers had to be quick enough to escape its grip.

The steps coming from the goblins soon faded away. Goblins were dangerous and shifty creatures, always staying together in groups of at least 5. Finding a lone goblin was a bad omen, not a lucky one.

Arne couldn’t believe how calm Logan was when there was five goblins so close to them. Meanwhile, he was sweating and praying that they didn’t come close. He felt his heart beat furiously.

The upside with living in the stable was the safety the city provided him. He had heard stories of small villages being plummeted by these shitty green creatures.

“Logan. How are you so calm.” He was also shokced at Logan being awake.

“I’m used to it. That’s all.”

“How can you be used to it.”

“I travel a lot. I’m an adventurer.”

“Interesting.”

Arne didn’t know what to do. He wanted to train himself, somehow. Perhaps he could train his perception, by perceiving things. He looked out to the dark, and saw pitch black. He strained his eye. He saw pitch black. He strained his eye even further. He saw more pitch black.

The pitch blackness of the pitch black did not turn into another pitch black for there was only one pitch black, and that he saw. He continued straining himself but the system did not show and he began feeling like a complete idiot.

Was there a way to game the system? Arne thought, “When I worked at the farm I upped my perception. And all I did there was notice the strawberries. Maybe I need to try thinking of something and then seeing it for my perception to increase.”

He looked back at the dark. What would he try to see? He tried spotting trees, but couldn’t do so. Perhaps he had to be successful in order for his perception to increase. He looked at the fire, and noticed it. His perception did not increase.

Perhaps he needed to find whatever it was. He couldn’t find the fire, because he already knew where it was.

“Why are you looking around at things?”

“Why not. It’s fun?”

“What’s so fun about it.”

“Well, what else am I supposed to do?”

“Why not meditate?”

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“Meditate?”

“It’s a technique warriors use to increase their concentration. You sit with your legs crossed and concentrate your deepest on your breath. There isn’t more to it than that. Make sure to tell your mind to shut up if it tries to but in.”

Arne noticed that Logan was sitting in a cross. He tried it. He put his legs in a cross, and closed his eyes even though he wasn’t told to. He breathed, actively at first but it turned automatic. Concentrating his mind on his breath was hard.

For once he was feeling what his mind was feeling. He noticed a strange sensation around his arms. He could feel the blood pulsing through his tattoos. It almost tickled. He concentrated on it.

After a while he got bored of it. He stood up with, got down, and started doing push ups.

“What are you doing?”

“Pushups. It..”

“I know what it is, but it’s the middle of the night.”

“And?”

Logan became silent. He stood up, and got down.

“You have a point.”

They started doing push ups. Arne felt his hands getting dirty. His arms strained, it didn’t take a long time before he reached his limit. 7 proper pushups.

“+1 strength”

A wide smile stretched itself out on Arne’s face. He rested a bit and then did more pushups, rested and did more pushups. Logan still hadn’t rested, his muscles were a lot bigger than Arne’s

“+1 strength”

Arne got back from his fit of jealousy and continued doing pushups. He wondered how much he could increase his strength before the night. He got down and continued doing pushups until his face fell into the dirt.

“+4 strength.”

The sun had arisen, and Arne’s arms felt like rubber, torturers would be amazed at how destroyed his arms were. After a certain while he’d have to wait multiple minutes before being able to do a single pushup. Logan opened his eyes. After a few push ups he had gotten tired and fell asleep.

Dark circles coated beneath Arne's eyes. He could balance himself. He gripped his bow and stood up, since he didn’t have the strength to pick it up. His eyelids felt heavy, he’d have to force them open each time he blinked. Each time it felt harder.

Logan stood up and dusted the dirt off himself. Arne started tripping towards the town, not wanting to injure himself for falling. Shadow woke up with a bark. He seemed more comfortable around them now.

“Let’s go back to the adventure guild and redeem our reward for the quest.” Arne said.

Logan nodded.

They continued back to the town, and eventually entered the adventure guild. It was completely silent the entire route. Even if, Logan tried to hold a conversation, Arne would only slur words back at him.

They said that they completed the quest. They got a silver coin. A silver coin! Arne looked unexcited because his mind couldn’t process what happened, he thought, “Where’s the copper?”

Logan said, “We’ll split the reward 50/50.” Martha nodded, and took back the silver coin. She gave them both a bag filled with 50 coins. Logan made his way out, whilst Arne was left admiring the coin.

Shadow barked. “Meat.” He thought in his squeaky voice. Arne nodded and stumbled his way to the merchant. He could barely think. He bought Shadow a slab of meat for 10 coins and walked to the barn for sleep. He closed his eyes and when they opened it was a new day. Shadow cuddled close into him.