A single, thunderous clap brightened the serene afternoon before dissipating. A cacophony of sounds filled the verdant plain until silence reigned supreme.

Two dimensions collided.

From there, hovering motionless, a human body took form. At first appeared his white bones, then the pulsating organs, the muscles, sinews, tendons and everything in-between. Finally, flesh draped over his form like a carpet. His earrings emerged along with him from thin air, as though living.

[Welcome to your species’ biome, the Earth.]

Brian’s head twitched in a seizure-like manner as dark blood seeped out of shut eye sockets. His consciousness returned in a flash. He could feel his body hair being tickled by something soft.

[Outstanding achievement! You are the 4th surviving member of your species to successfully clear the tutorial unassisted. Total time elapsed: 9 years, 11 mo – ERROR! Recalibrating… Total time elapsed: 2 months, 1 day. Given your performance, you have accumulated an incredible amount of {?}. A chance to obtain an inferior race's skill has been obtained. You are now a Pioneer. From now on, you are free. We have already obtained what we desired. Enjoy your permanent stay.]

His eyes split open, and pain soared through him as if he had been hit by a club. The smell of fresh dew tingled his nose as the faint chirping of birds stuttering away could be heard. The warmth of the day spread through his skin. A red sun.

This wasn't the grotto.

[Congrat–]

As his mind panicked, his body reacted. He pushed himself low on the ground, uncomfortably pressed against jagged pebbles and slick mud. Grass. Actual fucking grass. An absence of trees, a hill. I’m wide open. Brian shifted position so his satchel lay between his bare belly to shield him from any further scraping.

The air was clean, it felt like he was breathing through an air freshener. The yong man could hear his own heartbeats pulsate through his hurting eyes, and they were getting louder. He surreptitiously glanced between the tall blades of weed he was in; on his left, more vegetation, green and luscious, full of life – on his right… everything was dead. Ash still settling in place and charred ground was all he could see, as if a God himself had smited the place a mere second before. A large plume of smoke was soaring high, being carried by the wind.

Even if he was half sure about the grace period being put in place after the transportation, the fact that his body hadn’t healed between crossing boundaries spoke volumes about the information he was provided with. Complete and utter goblinshit.

His gaze trailed up. He seethed as the smoke overlapped with the outline of a red star high above — bulbous and thick, it lay there, unperturbed.

His eyes begged for moisture.

Paradoxically, even with his eyes burning, he couldn’t stop looking at it. He felt very much like a moth drawn to a lightbulb. A faint smile formed on his scarred, coarse lips, and he allowed himself a small moment of relaxation. The smell of the earth, the sound of life... “I… am back.”

The tears running down his cheeks hurt more than the aches of his body as he turned around, crawling like a worm.

He started slithering forward, creeping and pushing while keeping his frame low. He wasn’t aware of the threats around him, therefore he opted to keep a low profile. He knew he wasn't alone, and that given enough time, more people would show up, but that was it.

The further Brian inched forward, the more he was becoming aware of the slight downward slope he was in. Changes in terrain were great, it meant he was definitely getting somewhere. His mind thirsted for knowledge, it tried to absorb any useful tidbits of information available, and as he moved, he noticed the different variants of colorful bugs on the ground, no different than the ones he was used to. Brian didn't touch them, as he wasn't sure if they were edible. They were hurriedly skittering away due to his presence, he mused he must’ve looked like a giant spider from their perspective.

His hearing picked up small sounds all around him, but he wasn't sure what to make of it with the wind buzzing over the tall blades of grass. His neck hurt from the position. Although hazy, he remembered hearing birds a few moments before. Hopefully, that meant trees – and thus water. Water always brought hope.

Back in the Pits, potable water was scarce, so much so that he couldn’t risk getting caught stealing it. In all of his planning all he had managed was the chief’s precious satchel. The more he thought about the possible dimensional collapse of the tutorial the happier he was. They were probably all dead.

Brian’s shoulders were starting to buckle a little from the strain, but he continued on, nails scraping on the soft terrain. This time the ground felt properly steep, and mud had managed to snake up to his chin. He sucked, savored the dirt in his mouth, before spitting it out in great gulps. Even this soil tasted good. He wasn't seeing a great variation in the vegetation. Just grass, and grass again. All with the same vibrant green color, all at the same height, exactly as if had been copy-pasted by someone, which might’ve been a great assessment of the situation as far as he knew.

Brian’s brain fog was beginning to fade, and, while still disoriented, he cracked on, elbows creaking. His brain momentarily burned, scorching hot, and the pain subsided a bit.

Time moved on.

The satchel was burrowing in his neck the more he trudged forward, and he had to change shoulder position every thousand blades of grass or so. Until finally, when the sky was changing its color to a darker, grimier hue and the heat wasn’t as agonizing as before, his ears picked the sound of running water. Mud and sweat had blended together so much so any predator would be intrigued by the smell. His popping joints pushed forward, eyes bulging as blue veins snaked under his skin. The thick vegetation parted to a clearing of bamboo sticks, all neatly arranged in rows, pointing up. The buzzing of new insects replaced the monotony of the hours prior, and brian felt his throat open up by itself.

A clear stream of water curled around a pathway of rocks, undisturbed. The stream curved with unnatural alacrity, swaying its hip as it continued on. Beautiful.

He couldn't remember seeing so much clean water in his life.

Just a glance was enough to confirm there weren’t threats in his current vicinity. That was all Brian wanted to know as he plunged his muzzle in the freshwater. He vowed to not waste it but there was so much that he just didn’t care. So much of it, and It tasted good, like fresh mud, or dirty clay, which was a billion times better than the urine and blood mix he had to gulp down in times of need. It didn't rain much in the Pits. Droplets of water wet his scalp as it trudged down the ridges of his naked form.

He had the presence of mind of shielding the satchel with his wrinkly hand so as to ruin it. Brian couldn’t remember the last few minutes of his life, swallowing like a starved animal – he was hypnotized, as if in a meditative trance.

It was thanks to that that he heard the faint rustling on his right.

Head still down, he had already dodged, feet scurrying on the soft bank of the river Off balance from the awkward position he was in, the young man fell on the ground with a painful thud, coating him in brown, slick mud. “Shit!” He protected his vitals, veins bulging from the exertion.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

The strike he expected never came – as there was no enemy.

Only after realizing the sound was coming from a patch of grass near a depression on the ground did he breathe a sigh of relief. He approached it. The entrance was properly covered, even his ruined eyesight had failed to notice the opening — fortunately his ears didn’t.

There was whimpering from the inside at intermittent levels of intensity, like peeps echoing around in a chamber. Animals. It was the perfect hiding spot, he pondered, and If the ground hadn’t been so solid before he would’ve dug a den himself as soon as he was transported here. Brian was so enthralled by the water he had lost all reason for just a moment — being a fool in an unfamiliar place could prove fatal, yet he didn’t have it in him to scold himself. Brian set his eyes on the slight mound under his bare clawed feet.

A swipe of his calloused hand revealed an entrance big enough for him to fit in, freshly cut green grass hid the shelter with maniacal tidiness. Odd. It was also too wide, too clean, too perfect, to be made by any animal. It screamed like a trap.

Alas, even if he had the knowledge that a big bad orc was sleeping inside... Brian knew he would’ve still found himself inside either way. That was almost as paramount as water for him. He needed to cool his blazing head — he needed to rest. There was just a slight problem. What was it hidden from?

He could feel the tingling of the system's presence prickle his skin, it was getting stronger, too. System messages. He ignored them as he stepped in, careful with his footing.

Thick roots were sticking out from inside of the burrow, they resembled ginger, bulbous and misshapen. As soon as his whole body crossed the boundary, his smile disappeared. His red earrings danced in the dark like two bright campfires. The terrain was properly packed, solid. Before he knew it, he found himself in a small chamber with no further exits. The space barely fit his lithe frame.

Six little pink rabbits lay on the ground, sucking on foilage with their cute lips. Eears against their fragile skull, their meat sacks curled together, trembling.

It took less than three seconds to kill them all.

The young man had to crouch to fit in the small chamber, bony knees pressing in on his caved in belly. There was plenty of grass scattered throughout the place, so all he had to do was to stack it on top of the entrance and he was covered again. Although the job had been sloppy, he lamented himself.

Now that Brian was in a familiar environment his heart calmed down a bit. The young man hugged his lonely form, forming a ball.

He’d like to be in the usual meditative darkness he was used to, but that would have to wait for tonight, the grass above was too thin to block the late afternoon light completely. He’d wait before falling asleep, the bunnies had probably been hungry, given their earlier peeps, and a mother would not let its youngs die of starvation.

His hands trembled from the exertion, body aching and joints popping. His heart skipped a few beats here and there, reluctantly pumping blood. He could see a few spots where his pallid skin was scraped completely off, revealing the dark red muscles underneath.

He yearned for a nice pelt for tomorrow. Maybe he wouldn't be so cold, then.

Brian glanced at the cold headless bodies of the bunnies in front of him with the frigidness that only the Pits could bestow upon any man, and uttered two single, powerful words.

“System notifications.”

***

“–too quick.”

“I. Am. Aware.”

Carmen stopped listening to the conversation and looked forward. There, on full display, still smoking, lay a crater. Human-sized in diameter, it undoubtedly resembled a call.

It was the 4th one this year. They were getting closer. Which was good, they needed them.

Or bad, if someone else found them. They couldn't waste much time.

She lifted her right fist as the whole covenant behind halted with her. Most of the troops weren't under her direct supervision, but hell if she didn’t care.

Carmen's senses spread far from her body. There was only a faint smell of blood, but no active skills were detected. That was odd. Had they been too late?

Something just didn’t feel right. A thin, transparent barrier formed and stretched just under her full plate armor to garner further protection. “Graham, do you see anything?” She enquired. It was bizarre that she couldn’t feel any lingering effect of skills; she had nothing to grasp on to.

She braced as pulse of disgusting energy passed through her, as though the world itself was urging her to fall back to the recesses of her darkest thoughts – then it moved forward, encircling them and more in a perfectly circular radius. She couldn't even fathom the power needed to do that. Loud gasps sounded behind her from her least trained troops.

Graham furrowed his brows and shook his old head, thick gray locks falling over him like a mop. “Nothing as far as I can feel. Only bugs and some mammals I’m regretfully not able to identify.”

“All right, then. We’ll do it.” A nod. Then he was off. She whistled, and her men scrambled away from their assigned positions – as for the others, she couldn't care less.

A select few, the Elites, approached and encircled her horse, tower shields raised up high. These weren't their preferred weapons of choice, and yet, they held them with absolute stillness. The certainty of a veteran. Their armored forms glistened under the plentiful moonlight.

The general dismounted and her boots hit the solid earth as she observed the place with a more cautionary glance. Someone whistled – the signal – and she spread her senses again. Now, she could feel every blade of grass, every insignificant part of the world around her, all within her grasp.

It still caught her off guard.

With a rumble, a towering pillar of earth erupted, prompting the shieldmen to defend their leader from flying debris. Its thick shadow stretched as far as the rear of the entourage in the back. Soil, grass, and roots on its rough surface shifted and coalesced into a ball on top of its pillar-like form. From it, an eye opened, looking down on them.

A mountain.

All of the battles back at home, subterfuges to obtain power, schemes to avoid betrayal, desire for power – and wealth to move masses – that were utterly useless in front of such an overwhelming presence.

Her bones rattled as the Earth Elemental quaked. The ground trembled. After a few agonizing seconds, finally, the right frequency was found, and they repeated the question.

“Gratitude. That was a most appreciated gift, Gaian conqueror. Our time is limited, and so is yours, we presume. Speak out.”

Carmen stilled, her mind going blank. She wasn't a conqueror, she was just a general. This wasns – this swasn’t – this wasn – what… she expected. Her form stilled as the pillar observed her with the stillness of time. It was made of the same earth she stood on, and yet… She had to stretch her neck upward to see its top. Its singular eye eclipsing the moon itself.

If their pursuers weren't aware of their position before, now…

Right now, Carmen was very doubting if she was fit for this job. Her form suddenly retreated back to the recesses of her childhood. Small, terrified – hopeless. She blinked with her long eyelashes.

This wasn't her father.

Some of the Elites were expectantly looking at her, their usual stoicism shattered like glass – urging her to do something with wide eyes.

She almost surprised herself when words came out of her own mouth. “I seek knowledge. Simple knowledge. We'd like to know the whereabouts of the individual that appeared over this crater approximately three hours ago.” She blurted out the words with impossible speed, afraid they might be forgotten in time had she not uttered them so quickly.

“Are you referring to the 4th initiate?”

Initiate. Was that how they called them? She bawled her hands into fists and nodded. Silence stretched. When it – they – didn’t continue, she did instead “Yes. They are very important to us. Please, we need to know of their whereabouts for our own… we need them.”

“Understood. We will begin the search." The pillar stopped speaking for a microsecond, before immediately resuming. "We found your target.” Carmen hadn't felt anything. The glowing eye on top changed its trajectory, twine and roots shifting as if they were meant to be from the beginning. Debris fell from the sky as the Earth Elemental looked in a remote place, far in the distance. “Approximately 40 minutes on horseback from here in that direction, you will find what you are looking for… underground.”

Someone back at the rear might have said something because the pillar spoke again.

“Are you sure of the location your limbs are in, young child?”

She wasn’t a leader anymore, Carmen was just a little lost lamb. Summoning the courage of a lifetime, she asked a last question before it disappeared. “Could... I know what kind of skill they employed to move so far in such a short timeframe?" Her voice cracked. "What method of transportation? Did someone get to them before us?”

Rocks and dirt fell on top of her with a thud, men and women alike protecting her with shields raised over their heads, buckling over the pressure before steadying themselves.

“No help.” From under the dark cover of her troops, the outline of the eye resumed looking at her.

“And no again.” The ground rumbled. "They crawled.”