Rayna ducked under an attack aimed for her throat and killed the Pyria with a stab to its chest.

Daria was still following her, hiding in the vicinity with her canine ears pressed firmly backwards on her head. Rayna wasn’t sure what the woman’s race was, but she didn’t really care as long as the translation feature was still working. She had been worried that it would switch back to subtitles since she was outside of the tutorial area.

Rayna hoped the woman would come out and talk to her soon, it was getting annoying to pretend she didn’t see her.

The penalty title was getting more and more cumbersome.

Failure to comply V — You have not returned to the tutorial area even though the trial ended more than an hour ago. Until you return, your stats will be affected.

-6 Str

-3 Dex

-3 End

-1 Int

-2 Wis

Time until the penalty grows: 22m 09s

She wished it would take some Vitality or Luck, instead of her much needed Strength and Endurance. If it kept taking from one of those two stats, she wouldn’t be able to keep up.

Rayna absorbed the Essence from the bird and took a look at her Character Sheet.

Name: Rayna

Level 8 (Exp: 1328/2513)

Class: Warrior (Initial)

Race: Lerian (Essence: 14,700)

HP: 1490/1490

MP: 423/480

Stat Points

Str: 33 (27)

Dex: 67 (64)

End: 47 (44)

Vit: 149

Int: 50 (49)

Wis: 50 (48)

Luck: 10

[Free Points: 1]

Rayna still had no clue what Essence was, and finding out was fairly low on her todo list. She had been at this for three hours and she had only gained a single level. At this rate, the tutorial would be over before she made it back.

Tired of being watched, Rayna turned to where Daria was hiding. “Are you going to stand there all day? The least you could do is help me fight since you’re getting half of the Experience.”

Daria came out from behind a large boulder, showing no surprise at the fact that Rayna had noticed her. “I’d be no help in this fight, and you seem intent on getting yourself killed.” She shook her head. “You really don’t have to grow this fast. It could ruin your First Ascension, you know. You need some life experience to get better options when you hit Level 25.”

“Maybe I want to be a fighter Class and punch birds to death,” Rayna joked. “But if you can’t fight the Pyrias, why are you even here? This forest is crawling with monsters a lot stronger than these.”

“I’m a Potion Brewer. I needed an ingredient. I had ways around the monsters but I—” Daria snapped her mouth shut. A small whimper left her throat as her ears flattened back on her head.

“What is it?” Rayna asked, lowering her voice. She couldn’t use her monster sense effectively with so many monsters around.

“My night vision skill ended.” Daria said, moving closer to Rayna. “It just startled me.”

Rayna frowned. “Night vision? Do you really need that in here?”

The glowing moss on the trees was enough to see by, and basically all the monsters glowed as well.

“Not all of us have glowing hair to light up the forest,” Daria said.

“Yeah, but—” Rayna cut off as her senses went haywire. Daria didn’t seem to notice as a looming figure appeared behind her.

“Daria, look out!” Rayna grabbed the woman’s arm and pulled her back just before the monster could bite her head off.

Daria screamed as Rayna pushed her back. She kept herself between Daria and the monster, trying to find an escape route. She didn’t want to go up against this thing.

It had the general shape of a bear, but its body was thinner and covered in glowing brown feathers. Its head was similar to a hawk, with beady yellow and black eyes and a hooked beak. All four feet ended in thickly feathered talons that looked like they could tear Rayna in half in a single attack. On its back, two enormous wings were folded into a resting position, stretching back to blend into its long feathered tail.

[Ursivul — Level 4]

“We’re dead,” Daria whispered, her voice full of dread. “That thing will catch us, even if we try to run.”

Rayna raised her dagger, feeling tiny as she stared up at the massive monster, but she wasn’t going down without a fight.

“I hope you have more weapons on you,” Rayna said. “I’m not sure I can take this thing on alone.”

“What of ‘I’m a crafting Class’ are you not understanding?” Daria hissed.

The part where you go into a monster infested forest without a weapon, apparently.

“Do you know anything about its stats?” Rayna asked.

“Ursivul, C-10. Strength and Dexterity are its strongest stats. Stay away from the talons and beak. It can fly, so don’t bother trying to climb, it won’t work.”

Rayna didn’t know what C-10 meant, but she didn’t have time to ask.

The creature charged, its crown feathers flaring.

Rayna pushed Daria out of the way, slashing at the monster’s chest with her dagger. It was too short, missing by a large margin as the Ursivul tried to take Rayna’s head off with its talons.

Rayna ducked, stabbing the monster in the chest.

It didn’t penetrate far into the Ursivul’s thick hide, but it was enough to draw an angry screech from the monster. Pain erupted on Rayna’s arm and her blood splattered the forest underbrush. She backed off, checking to make sure her amulet had taken care of the wound. One hit had taken almost seven hundred of her HP.

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Alright, don’t get hit.

Rayna dodged another swipe from the beast’s talons, trying to circle around to attack its rear. The Ursivul spun with her, trying to snap its beak around her neck. Rayna swiped at the monster’s eyes with her dagger, forcing it to take a step back. It flared its tail for balance, the peacock-like plume creating a brown halo around its head.

Rayna put some distance between herself and the monster, she needed to buy herself time to think of a plan. This was just like the Trena. She was outmatched in Strength and Endurance, and the monster was much bigger than her. It didn’t really matter what its stats were, Rayna had to find a way to outthink it or outrun it.

Or she could just try biting it again. That had worked on the snake.

She would have to get close enough.

“Rayna!” Daria yelled, throwing her a spear. Apparently, she did have more weapons in her Inventory.

Rayna didn’t have time to thank the woman. The Ursivul closed the distance between them in a flash, almost managing to catch Rayna’s ear with its beak. A chunk of Rayna’s hair fell to the ground as she dodged to the side. She ran to the creatures left side, stabbing into it with Daria’s spear.

Instead of pulling the spear free, Rayna climbed up the shaft, landing saddle style on the creature’s back. She threw her dagger into her Inventory, too focused on not falling off to worry about holding onto her weapon too.

The Ursivul bucked wildly, screeching its indignation at Rayna’s presence.

“Well, you started this,” Rayna growled.

She opened her mouth and bit down on the monster’s neck, grimacing as the acrid stench of the monster’s blood filled her nose. It smelled like molding furniture that had been left out in the rain for months and it tasted even worse.

She let go, gagging as she pulled her dagger out of her Inventory. She stabbed it directly into the wound, pushing the weapon as far as it would go.

The Ursivul screamed, stumbling a few steps as it tried to turn around to snap at Rayna with its beak.

Rayna yanked the dagger free, and a fountain of blood erupted from the wound. She must have hit a major blood vein.

The monster kept trying to snap at her, but its motions became sluggish, each attack missing the mark by more distance.

It nearly crushed Rayna as it fell. She jumped clear just in time, stumbling a few steps. She turned around and raised her dagger, ready to fend off another attack.

The Ursivul didn’t move.

Rayna stood still for half a minute, not daring to get closer. It wasn’t until she got the kill notification that she allowed herself to relax. She inched around the monster, frowning down at its glassy eyes.

Rayna sank to the floor, exhausted. She stowed the dagger in her Inventory and closed her eyes, taking deep breaths to try to calm herself down.

Reaching out, she absorbed the Ursivul’s Essence; it was pretty much habit by now.

Energy flowed into Rayna, but it did little but take the edge off of her sudden exhaustion. In fact, it might have made it worse. Rayna rubbed her suddenly throbbing temples.

The Ursivul’s body melted into the ground, leaving no evidence of their battle except for yet another ruined shirtsleeve.

“You’re insane,” Daria said, reminding Rayna that she was there.

Rayna blinked at her. “Thanks for the spear,” she said. “I’m not sure I could have killed it without that.”

“You shouldn’t have been able to do it at all!” Daria said. “That was a C-10 monster. It should have taken your arm off with that attack. What is your Endurance at?”

Rayna frowned. “It’s forty-seven, I think,” she said. Her words slurred at the end of the sentence. She shook her head, trying to clear it. “Actually, I think it’s forty-four when you count the penalty title.”

It had only been a few hours since she had started fighting. Rayna shouldn’t be this tired.

“Forty-four? Thats—Hey, are you alright?” Concern colored Daria’s voice.

“I’m fine. I just—” The world tilted sideways, and Rayna hit the ground with a painful thud. She blinked several times, her vision blurring.

“Did you get some of its blood in your mouth?” Daria asked, her voice suddenly urgent.

Rayna closed her eyes, but Daria shook her awake.

“This is important! Did you get some of its blood in your mouth?”

Rayna grimaced. “Bit it,” she said groggily. “Had to get through its skin.”

“Ursivul blood is poisonous!” Daria snapped, grabbing something out of her Inventory.

That shouldn’t matter, Rayna thought. I have poison resistance.

She couldn’t make her mouth say the words.

“Oh, System help me! I would find a lunatic like you out here!”

Daria’s voice sounded far away. She said something else, but Rayna didn’t hear it as darkness closed in on her.

* * *

Daria opened her Inventory and pulled out the strongest multi-purpose antidote she had.

“You are not allowed to beat an Ursivul just to die of Ursivul Blood poisoning a few minutes later,” she growled.

Daria dragged the girl into a sitting position and shook her, trying to wake her up.

“You need to drink this,” she said.

Rayna groaned and opened her eyes a crack. She wasn’t fully conscious, judging from the distant look in her eyes, but hopefully she would be able to swallow.

Daria didn’t have any better ideas. She opened Rayna’s mouth and dribbled the potion into it, going slow enough that she wouldn’t choke. The girl stared absently at her, swallowing on reflex when her mouth got too full.

It took three swallows for her to finish the bottle.

“That better work,” Daria said. “That cost me thirty gold drakas.”

Rayna didn’t respond, except to close her eyes and drift back to sleep.

Daria pulled up the status screen for her party, checking on the girl’s HP.

[Rayna — Level 9]

HP: 1510/1510

MP: 480/480

As Daria watched, Rayna’s HP dropped by a hundred points then jumped back to full. Whatever healing-over-time spell she was using, it was powerful. How had she gotten a hold of that before the First Ascension? No, more interesting than that was her Vitality. She must have a natural Vitality above one hundred to have this much HP at her age. Unless she was using a skill to boost her stats temporarily. That might explain how she had beat the Ursivul.

What do I do now?

Daria couldn’t leave the girl here, but she also couldn’t carry her all the way out of the Obsidian Forest. Even if she did, it would take days to get back to her village and by then the girl might have succumbed to the poison.

Unless…

Watching the girl’s HP flutter again, Daria made up her mind.

Daria wrapped the girl’s hair into a bun, securing it with a hair stick from her Inventory. Then she pulled out a head scarf and covered the glowing locks.

She grunted as she hoisted the girl over her shoulder and reactivated her Night Vision skill.

The fight with the Ursivul was too loud. Daria wanted to get out of the area before some curious monster came in search of an easy dinner. She ran until she found a deserted clearing. She adjusted her hold on Rayna.

“I was hoping I wouldn’t have to use this,” Daria said, pulling her teleport crystal out of her Inventory. The item was a last resort option, as it cost more than a year’s earnings for most craftsmen, but it was the only way they were getting out of the forest alive.

“Take me home,” Daria said aloud, picturing the fields outside her village. Daria and Rayna started to glow as the crystal teleported them out of the forest.

Daria covered her eyes against the glaring afternoon sun, caught off guard after days in the pitch black woods.

A startled screech told Daria that she hadn’t come alone.

She didn’t bother looking at the monsters as she bolted toward her village gates, pulling a horn from her Inventory.

She blew on it as hard as she could, piercing the air with a long low note that would travel for miles in every direction.

The monsters snarled and charged after Daria, snapping at her heels but unable to keep up. Her mentor had thought her mad to waste her free points on Dexterity, but it might just save her life now.

Daria’s heart raced and her legs ached under the girl’s weight. She had to stop blowing the horn so she could focus on breathing through her mad dash.

Several shadows passed Daria, and she screamed, tripping over her own feet. She dropped Rayna, both of them bouncing for several feet before they rolled to a stop. Daria covered her head with her hands, bracing herself for pain.

“How many times have I told you to clear the area before you teleport?” Jerom snapped.

Daria grimaced. “It was an emergency.”

She got to her feet, dusting herself off before she went to check if the girl was alright. Whatever healing she was using was still active. She didn’t have a scratch on her.

Daria felt a flash of jealousy. Her own bumps and bruises would have to wait until her Mana refilled, as she had been using it all to keep herself hidden in the forest.

“This is why you should never have gone in the first place,” Jerom said. “You could have gotten yourself killed. Some of those monsters were C-6 beasts. Wait, who’s that?” he asked, noticing Rayna for the first time. “She’s an Initial? What was she doing near monsters of that category?”

Daria shook her head. “No idea. But she was better equipped than me out there. She killed a Level 3 Forest Gecko with a rock.”

Jerom looked skeptical. “She looks like she could blow away in the wind.”

“Well, she just might if we don’t get her to the healers. She ingested Ursivul blood. I don’t think my antidote is doing anything.”

“Ursivul Blood?” Jerom gawked at the unconscious girl. “How is she even alive?”

“She’s got some kind of healing spell or skill, I think, but it can’t have much time left on it, she’s been using it for hours.”

“Alright,” Jerom said, picking the girl up. “Myrial should be waiting for us, with your noisy arrival.”

It wasn’t just the Healer waiting for them. Practically the whole village had gathered just inside the gates, trying to see what was happening. Daria had to push her way through the little ones that were blocking the entrance.

Questions flew at her from all directions.

“Where did you go?”

“Who is she?”

“Did you kill a monster?”

“Did you level up?”

Daria shook her head. “You all need to move! The girl is sick, so we’re taking her to Myrial.”

The children scattered, well aware that a visit to the healers meant it was serious. If this had been something simple, Daria could have just cast Basic Heal on the girl and been done with it.

“Go back to your lessons,” Elder Grana called. “You will have a chance to meet the outsider when she is well.”

The old woman fell into step next to Jerom. “What happened? Was the monster threat neutralized?”

“They were all low level, even if they were high category.” Jerom said. “Daria probably could have taken them if there weren’t so many. We need to send someone out to bury the corpses before they attract more monsters.”

“And the girl?” Grana asked Daria.

“She’s an Initial,” Daria explained. “I found her wandering around the Obsidian Forest, trying to clear a space large enough to teleport out. She thought she was going to fight an Arachne.”

Jerom grunted. “That forest is a death trap. You should have just gone to the caves for your moss. What took you so long, anyway? You were due back days ago.”

“I got lost, but I got the moss, and it’s much higher quality than I would have found in the caves. When you get deeper into the forest, the trees are literally covered in the stuff.”

“That only matters if you can get out of the forest alive.”

“This is an argument for another time,” Grana said disapprovingly. “Do you know where she came from? I can send word that she has been found.”

“I was hoping you would know,” Daria said. “I’ve never heard of a Lerian before, and she didn’t seem interested in giving me the name of her village.”

“We can ask her more when she wakes up,” Grana said. “If she wakes up… Let’s get her inside.”