Al was the first to go through the Gate, and I followed right behind him. I ran straight into his back as soon as I stepped through, bouncing back and almost falling.
“Why’d you stop?” I asked, annoyed.
He moved aside, revealing what had stopped him. My jaw dropped. The last time I went through this Gate, it was daytime, and all I saw were lakes, ponds, and big mushrooms. But now, with darkness settling in, those same mushrooms were glowing with vibrant colors, creating a strange, almost psychedelic scene. It was the most stunningly beautiful sight I’d ever seen. The air smelled sweet and earthy, with a hint of something floral and foreign. The soft hum of night insects and the distant croaking of frogs added a symphony to the visual effects.
I stood there, frozen in awe, until Mahya bumped into me, jolting me forward. “Why are you blocking the Gate?” she grumbled.
As I stepped aside, her eyes widened, and she gasped in wonder. “Oh, pretty!” Her soft voice cut through the quiet night, and I could see her breath catch as she took in the view.
Al had a huge smile, rubbing his hands together like he was about to make a million-dollar deal. The way the colors reflected in his eyes made him look almost as magical as the mushrooms.
“Why do you look so pleased?” I asked.
His eyes sparkled with excitement as he answered, “The luminescence emitted by these mushrooms indicates a high concentration of mana.” He looked like a kid who had just found a stash of candy.
“You’re planning to pick these beautiful mushrooms?” Mahya asked, her face scrunching up in confusion.
“Of course,” Al replied without missing a beat, his voice serious.
Mahya and I exchanged shocked glances, both clearly wondering the same thing: Was he serious?
“What?” Al shrugged. “Those are merely mushrooms. They will grow back.”
“But they’re so pretty!” Mahya protested, her voice rising with a touch of desperation.
“Exactly,” Al replied. “I intend to utilize these materials to craft aesthetically pleasing potions.”
I sighed, realizing that some people didn’t know how to appreciate beauty. “Fine,” I muttered, shaking my head.
The three of us opened the Traveler’s Map and examined it. Lumis consisted of one large continent, two smaller continents, and several large islands. We were on one of the southern islands.
“Looks like we’ll have to sail to get to the main continent,” I remarked, tracing the route with my finger.
“Check the Map closely,” Mahya interjected. “I think we’ll need the balloon to get out of here.”
Her meaning became clear when I zoomed in on the Map. We were in a vast valley, surrounded by numerous rings of tall, dense mountains. I rotated the map, searching for a pass, but there wasn’t one. The mountains were so high and thick that flying seemed the only way out. Even from a distance, the tall mountains looked imposing, their long shadows stretching out even in the moonlight.
“How likely are there to be monsters in the air or sea?” I asked, feeling uneasy.
“At 32 mana?” Mahya replied. “Not much of a chance.”
Al nodded in agreement.
“Alright. You two know best. This is my first world with medium mana, so I’ll trust you on everything environmental.”
As we discussed our plan, Rue, always curious, wandered off to explore the valley. Suddenly, his howl pierced the air, and I ran toward him, my chest tightening with fear. By the time I reached him, Rue was locked in a struggle with a small green monster, its teeth sunk deep into his leg.
I kicked the monster off Rue, sending it flying a few meters. It stopped moving when it hit the ground. I whispered, “Good boy,” healing Rue’s leg. Another green creature charged at me before I could catch my breath. I punched it mid-air, sending it flying, too. My hand throbbed from the impact, but the rush of adrenaline dulled the pain.
Sensing more of them approaching, I pulled out my staff. Mahya and Al readied their swords, their faces grim, the tension around us thickening.
The creatures swarmed us. Each was about the size of a cat, with large, bright yellow eyes, sharp claws, an enormous mouth full of teeth, four horns, and green fur. They were the most bizarre things I’d ever seen. Their hisses and growls filled the air, creating a chaotic din. We fought, taking down over thirty of them. My staff swung in smooth arcs, each hit vibrating through my arms. Mahya and Al’s swords cut and stabbed with precise efficiency. Rue tore through the horde, tearing them to pieces.
When the last monster fell, I was breathless, sweat dripping down my face. The metallic scent of blood mixed with the earthy smell of mushrooms, creating a strange, unsettling aroma.
Al grinned, his eyes gleaming with happiness.
“What’s got you so cheerful now?” I asked, confused. “These were monsters.”
“Exactly,” he said, his eyes glinting with greed and excitement. “The presence of a significant number of monsters in this area implies that the mushrooms are of even higher purity.”
I shook my head, realizing everyone sees what’s most important to them. After gathering all the monsters in one place, I turned them into crystals. Looking up from my work, I noticed the red dot blinking, signaling a system message.
Pim Level 3 defeated
Pim Level 3 defeated
Pim Level 3 defeated
Pim Level 4 defeated
Pim Level 4 defeated...
Pim sounded cute and fluffy, but these monsters were anything but. They were just strange.
After a brief discussion, we agreed to stay in the valley for a few days. Al wanted to collect mushrooms, and I needed a mental break. My last days on Earth were stressful, with the writing, sending out, and wanting to leave as fast as possible.
I took out my house and activated the protections to ensure our safety. The following day, everyone did their own thing. Rue resumed his patrolling. Mahya went into the spell room and got back to work on her motorcycle. Al mercilessly picked five beautiful mushrooms and then took over the kitchen. I settled on the porch, split my mind, and tried to connect with the wind.
I was in for another surprise—I looked forward to the day I would stop getting surprised every other day. The wind here felt different from the wind on Earth. She was less playful, maybe not meaner, but less friendly and more unkind. Standoffish. I spent most of the day trying to achieve Unity, but it wasn’t happening. Something was missing.
I thought about my experience on Earth and remembered that I initially achieved Unity, but the wind and I only became friends after playing with the hot-air balloon. Scratching my head, I thought, “Maybe we can play together?”
Stolen story; please report.
I didn’t want to go up in the balloon with an unfriendly wind, so I brainstormed another game. Eventually, I made paper airplanes. Sitting on the porch, I folded twenty paper airplanes, stepped outside the house’s defenses, connected with the wind as much as I could, and flew the airplanes one by one, inviting her to play. I sent her the feeling of, “Let’s throw them as high as possible and keep them from touching the ground.”
At first, she wasn’t interested, but she warmed up over time. I kept picking up and flying each plane back into the air after it fell. She took the planes and flew them all over the valley. Gradually, I felt her playful side emerge, and our bond grew stronger. After a few hours of playing together, I knew we’d achieved Unity. She wasn’t mean or rude; she just had an aggressive mood that day. Our game brought out her playful side. We played with the paper airplanes all day, and both had a blast.
At some point, I floated again, but I had enough self-control to ask the wind to place me back on the ground gently. I got a wave of surprise from her, and it took me a second or two to realize she wasn’t the one lifting me. When I fully connected with her, I took on the characteristics of the wind, and so I floated.
Steering back and forth or sideways to improve my flight skills didn’t get me anywhere. In truth, it was an attempt to steer me, but I just hovered in the air, about two meters off the ground. Even when I sent the wind a nudge, urging her to give me a push, she wasn’t interested—she preferred playing with the planes. Nothing I did made a difference. I couldn’t get myself to budge, and she wasn’t playing along.
Bad wind.
As soon as I thought that, I fell.
Ouch!
That was enough for one day—time to cook dinner. As I stirred the fragrant stew, Mahya came up behind me, her eyes narrowing in playful suspicion. The rich aroma of simmering vegetables and herbs filled the air, making my mouth water. “Are you done filling the valley with litter?” she asked, a teasing lilt in her voice.
I glanced over my shoulder with a grin. “I didn’t litter. The wind and I played together.”
She rolled her eyes. “Spirits! You and all wizards are just weird.”
“I’m not weird. I’m different,” I said, giving her a mischievous wink.
Mahya shook her head, her smile softening. She said nothing else, but there was a mix of exasperation and affection in her eyes when she looked at me.
After her comment about litter, I felt uncomfortable, so I went to collect all the paper airplanes. The wind blew them away quite a distance from the house. Along the way, I got ambushed by pims now and then.
Spirits, they were annoying!
When I returned, I told Mahya and Al, “We need to clear out all the pims around the house. Otherwise, they’ll keep attacking us every few minutes as we move through the valley.”
They agreed, and we planned to handle it in the morning.
We set out in the morning to handle the extermination mission. Al, Mahya, Rue, and I walked together, weapons drawn. Al hummed a tune, his fingers tapping on the handle of his sword. Rue’s ears twitched, alert to every sound, and Mahya kept scanning the distance for any sign of movement.
The first attack came quickly. Pims ambushed us from behind a cluster of mushrooms, the piercing sound of their screeches resonating through the air as they charged. I swung my staff in a wide arc, catching two mid-air and knocking them to the ground.
“Watch out!” Mahya shouted as a pim lunged at me. I barely had time to duck before she fired her MK47, hitting the monster dead on. “Thanks!” I called out, turning to swat another one away.
Rue growled, tearing through a pim that tried to sneak up on Al. “Good boy, Rue!” Al praised, ruffling his fur before slashing at another monster.
After the first wave, we paused to catch our breath. I knelt and turned the pims into crystals. The process was quicker now, but I knew we’d do this all day.
Mahya tapped her MK47 and said, “We need to keep moving. More will come.”
As we continued, the scenery became more breathtaking. Ponds and enormous mushrooms dotted the valley, which were strange and beautiful even during the day when they didn’t glow. But we were on a mission, and there wasn’t time to fully appreciate the view.
We moved slowly, clearing each area as we went. The pims kept attacking in waves. Al was in his element, swinging his sword with precision, his eyes lighting up with joy. Mahya simply shot them, praising or even kissing the rifle occasionally—she was developing an unhealthy relationship with guns. Rue did a great job watching our backs and warning us before every attack.
At one point, a massive group of pims charged at us. I focused, gathering my energy, and sent a wave of mana out of me that knocked a few pims off their feet. “That’s it!” I yelled, feeling a rush of power course through me.
Mahya took advantage of the opening, cutting down the monsters with her MK47 flashing. “Yes! Got them!” she cheered, kissing the gun. “Love this thing!”
Rue barked and snapped at a pim that tried to surprise us while Al laughed, clearly enjoying the fight.
When the last pim in that group fell, I got down on my knees again and turned them into crystals. We’d cleared a lot, but there was still much to do. “How’s everyone holding up?” I asked, looking at my friends.
Al wiped the sweat from his brow. “I am in excellent condition.”
“I’m good. Let’s keep going,” Mahya said.
“Rue?” I scratched behind his ears.
He wagged his tail in response and said, “Rue fight.” He didn’t shout it but said it in normal volume!
I identified him:
Rue
Bonded Familiar
Level 10
“Congratulations, buddy!” I exclaimed.
As the sun rose higher in the sky, we kept moving. Even though the heat was building, we didn’t let it slow us down. We took breaks to rest and drink, but were always ready for another attack.
Around noon, we reached a point where the valley walls narrowed, closing in on us from both sides. It felt like the place was trying to squeeze us into a trap. “This appears to be an ideal location for an ambush,” Al said, scanning the area.
Mahya tightened her grip on her MK47. “Stay sharp.”
We moved cautiously, and sure enough, an enormous group of pims sprang from behind rocks and mushrooms, coming at us from every direction, their yellow eyes gleaming with malice.
“Alright, let us begin!” Al yelled, charging into the fray.
I twirled my staff, feeling the satisfying thud as it connected with a few pims. Mahya moved like a whirlwind of steel and bullets, while Rue leaped and snapped, his growls echoing through the valley.
A large pim lunged at me, its teeth bared. I ducked and rolled, coming up with my staff ready. I thrust it forward, catching the monster in the chest and sending it sprawling. “Not today,” I muttered, finishing it.
The pims kept coming in waves, and for a few minutes, it looked like they would never stop and overwhelm us. Finally, the last pim dropped, and we stood there, panting. Mahya wiped her face. “That...was intense.”
“You’re telling me,” I said, kneeling to turn the monsters into crystals.
This time, we took a longer break, sitting under a giant mushroom for shade. We ate, drank, and let our muscles relax. I cast Fortify Life Force on everybody to pick us up physically. Rue lay down, still alert but worn out.
“Think there are any more?” I asked, looking at the Map.
“Maybe a few more nests,” Mahya said. “But we’re doing well.”
As we moved deeper into the valley, the landscape seemed to stretch endlessly. We encountered more groups of pims, and each battle was chaotic but getting easier with familiarity. Despite the relentless combat, we kept our spirits up with jokes and encouragement.
“Remember the rats?” I asked them.
Al shook his head. “It would be best if I did not remember.”
We paused in another clearing, and I checked the Map. “Looks like we’re getting close to the last area we haven’t cleared.”
“Let’s finish this,” Mahya said, sounding determined.
The last group was the biggest we’d faced so far. pims just kept coming, their screeches piercing the air. We fought hard, every move sharp and in sync—magic, steel, and bullets all working together. Al’s sword flashed, Mahya’s MK47 fired nonstop, and Rue tore through them with his teeth. My staff connected every time.
We didn’t back down, even though there were so many of them. I sent out another blast of magic, knocking a bunch of pims back. I got a little light-headed, but it went away. Mahya was relentless, eyes locked on the fight. Al kept grinning, and Rue was unstoppable.
The last pim hit the ground, and we stood there, panting. I turned the remaining monsters into crystals. “We did it,” I said as a wave of dizziness hit me. I checked my mana: 70 out of 10,200.
Thinking back on that mana wave I’d unleashed, I realized it was a first for me, even though it felt natural in the moment. I glanced at my character sheet, but no new skills or spells appeared.
Mahya sat down heavily, kissing her MK47 again. “That was...something.” She said to the gun, “Love you.”
Al grinned, wiping his sword clean. “Yeas, but enjoyable as well.”
Rue barked and wagged his tail, looking pleased with himself. “Rue very dangerous.”
We took some time to let the adrenaline fade. With the pims no longer a threat, the valley was quiet. I looked around, appreciating the beauty of the rocks, mountains, and mushrooms. The only sounds were the distant rustling of leaves and the occasional bird singing.
We were all tired but satisfied as we began the long trek back to the house. The valley was safe now, and we could explore without constant attacks. We walked in comfortable silence, enjoying the view. The sun was setting when we reached the house, casting a golden glow over the landscape. The sky was a canvas of oranges and purples—the perfect backdrop of beauty to a challenging day.
“That was quite a day,” I said, my voice a mix of exhaustion and satisfaction.
Mahya leaned back, nodding as she closed her eyes. “Yeah. We did good.”
Al smiled, his eyes twinkling. “We are a good team.”
Rue was already asleep at my feet. I smiled, feeling a deep contentment, even after all the fighting. Sometimes, it was worth it. We laughed and talked over dinner, sharing stories and memories. The valley was quiet now, a welcome change from the day’s chaos. Everything felt just right—the colors of the sunset, the taste of the stew, and the camaraderie.