Movement.

I felt a staggering. Was I moving?

Was this death? Did I die?

Was I in some sort of river of souls or something? I feel like puking out.

More precisely I think that I am on something that is moving. I don't think that I am dead, more likely I am lying on a horse. Lying in an uncomfortable position, though; face down and perpendicular to its back.

Regardless of the horse, I thought that I would die back then, I felt horrible. I wonder what happened, I don't even sense any pain anymore and I can perceive that I have all my limbs. I can even feel that my head is wet.

I am relieved. I thought that it was the end, my end.

I can feel a lot of things. Like that I still need to piss and that my hunger is almost unbearable. I am thirsty too, I need water, my throat is drier than a dessert. Also, I don't feel any pain.

I could hear some noises too. The unhurried running of water at the distance, birds chirping, insects making a myriad of sounds, and even bigger creatures raising their roars from time to time.

But something in the ambient was creeping me out. There was an eerie feeling but I couldn't quite place it.

I got it.

What frightened me is what I didn't hear. Although I could feel the horse's steps, I can't hear them. Not at all. I could hear faint steps but I am sure that these were away from this horse.

Just when I realized something I got goosebumps. My mind thinking of many silly possible answers. Is this a ghost horse or does the horse has pillows attached to its hooves?

Very well. I suppose that the only way of finding out what is happening is seeing it myself. I couldn't avoid having a bad feeling about this though.

I guess It's time to stop pretending to be still sleeping. I would proceed slowly, first I opened my eyes.

My vision was upside down, of course. I could see the side of the horse. A black horse, it must be very strong because my skin could feel its tough fur. As my eyes adapted to the light my body started to paralyze at the same rate.

As I became completely accustomed to the light at the same time I couldn't be more shocked. The horse was not black. As I feared, Its color is dark blue and it glimmers dark purple in the sunshine.

What the hell was going on?

I glanced up and can saw its paws and scary-looking claws.

This... This wasn't even a horse!

I am in the back of one of the monsters I fought. My heart won't be able to handle all of this someday.

What happened? I have so many questions.

I am sure that I am feeling like Harry that time he woke up in his bed, next to a man, one that he didn't even know, naked. Ars always made sure that everyone heard of it, it was just a joke played against Harry, after all, he is married and he had fallen unconscious after drinking all day. He was horrified when he woke up.

It was hilarious. This time wasn't hilarious, though, it's a nightmare.

But. Could this also be a joke too? Oh how I would like it to be so, but my guts tell me otherwise. There is no way to orchestrate a so elaborate joke in a nobody like myself, that is just wishful thinking.

I breathed slowly to stabilize my respiration for a couple of minutes to calm myself.

At the apparent lack of aggressiveness of my captor, I glanced farther to my left and confirmed my suspicions. There were more creatures, all walking together in the same direction through the trees. The sound of the running water had been increasing so I could guess where were they going.

I was not the only oddball around here, though. I could see other three animals in the group that weren't of the same species as the creatures. Every single one of them were beasts that I had never heard of and had different colors and shapes. Apart from them, the creatures like the one I fought conformed like ninety percent of the group.

At that moment, without letting me think anything else I felt one of the creatures moving towards me. It neared its head to mine. I channeled mana to cast Gale's matrix without a chant and slightly point my hand to where I believe it was coming. I would shot if necessary but for now, I held back the spell.

Then, to my horror, it started licking my hair and head. I was too scared as to even flinch but managed to abstain from shooting the spell in reflex. So, that is why I felt my head wet all this time. While the monster continued to thoroughly lick my head I canceled the casting, getting back almost all the mana. It's a slow process but it's better than letting it dissipate and get nothing. Maybe I will need it.

Once the creature walked away I realized that its saliva has no odor. Smelling the creature whom I was still riding I noticed that their bodies didn't smell of anything either.

It didn't matter. More importantly, I wondered why I wasn't injured anymore.

I looked at my left arm and to my complete surprise noticed that my burnings had healed, burning scars remained but seemed like years old, not so fresh. They weren't pretty, though. At least I had nails in my left hand again and neither it hurts nor feels uncomfortable.

Really, what happened? Was I hallucinating? I don't know any healing magic. Did the creatures heal me?

Are they magical beasts? If they are then why the one I fought didn't use any type of spell?

Now besides being confused and scared, I was starting to feel ill.

With all this staggering gait of the beast I was riding I was getting dizzy and I would prefer to not puke on the creature. Now that I think about it I am glad that I didn't shit myself while unconscious either, the monster may have ripped me to pieces. It would have been an unfortunate end for me. Surely one I wouldn't want anyone else to know.

I gathered my courage and started to grab the creature's body to get in a better position. It noticed my movements and twitched its head to look at me. After a few seconds of staring it turned back and walked until being a few meters away from the edge of a current of water to lie down.

I got down from it and up to my feet and glanced at the other creatures and animals resting at the edge too, some entered the water or just drank it.

I still didn't know why they weren't attacking me but I was thirsty so I approached the current's edge without making any harsh movements and proceeded to drink water using my hands as a glass. I could make permanent water that is safe to drink with magic but it's a very mana consuming spell, I should save my mana for now.

After that I went behind a tree not very far and did my necessities; then I sit down and leaned against a tree, not the one where I did my necessities of course.

I still had my backpack and also the clock pressed against my stomach where I could see more claw scars. I put on the clock, my wrist was very small compared to it but it could be adjusted so the clock wouldn't fall off of my hand.

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

From the backpack, I took out the seeds and dried fruits. I put inside the backpack the cloth I had wrapped in my stomach to hold things, it was very damaged and it wasn't necessary to have it there anymore but the cloth can be used for bandages or something.

I let out a sigh. I was rested but I felt my head heavy and a sensation of danger at being in this place. Still, I needed to think. And meanwhile, I needed to eat too.

If this was not an illusion or a hallucination and I were to guess what is happening, either I was accepted into the herd or I was being kept as a cattle or as a pet. Even though it sounds interesting the last two options aren't probably right, they have seen me use magic, I am kind of dangerous. By simple elimination, the first one is the most likely to be correct. Or do they expect me to just get up and leave? If I did that how long until something else kills me? At least, for now, I am relatively safe around them.

I glanced at one of the creatures, the one I awoke on the back of. I wondered what was passing through their heads, why were they cohabiting with their prey. The corners of the creature's lips lifted upwards and it showed its teeth at me, these may as well not be teeth but sharpened knives instead. I didn't know if it smiled or bared its teeth at me but it still scared the shit out of me so I glanced away and feigned nothing happened.

If I were to be attacked I was ready to insta-cast a spell so I wasn't that worried.

The creature whom I fought with yesterday was half the size of the biggest around here. Yesterday, only if it was just a night which I passed unconsciously. I fought while being exhausted, injured, and in almost complete darkness and still, I managed to pull out something like a tie. Well, now that I'm miraculously healed and well-rested I can fight much better, take down a couple of them or even escape.

Now that I think about it, during the fight with the creature my reflexes weren't as fast as always. That is rare and I had felt fuzzy since I woke up after the raider mage injured me.

And another thing, when the rider mage was attacking me I felt anger, real anger. In my life, before that moment, I have gotten a little angry sometimes but never so much as that time. That was the first time since I can remember that I felt really angered.

The second time is right now and not at the mage.

I feel so angry with my teachers, with my classmates, with the parents I never had, with my so called friends, with myself. Why I never felt like this?

I was never before so upset with them and even so I can only feel emptiness and sadness because they are all dead now. I would never be able to talk or see them again. I could feel tears streaking down my face again. When was it that I started to cry so easily?

I didn't feel any guilt for their deaths. Why should I? I wasn't responsible for them. I couldn't have done anything even if I had tried to. I barely survived myself. Hell, if they could have saved me would they have done it? Although I wasn't hated I was ignored and was glared at by many people. I was unwelcome on the majority of occasions. Almost no one was kind to me. I am not a saint but I didn't deserve that treatment.

There were Harry and Ars, they were good people and are probably dead now. Even Claire, she was strict and hit me often but that was her way to care for me, I now realize. That girl whom I talked with yesterday was nice too but there was only one way out of the valley, so probably her family didn't make it out either.

The raiders seemed intent on just killing everyone. I wonder from where they came from, who sent them? I think I heard some of them shouting in the empire's common but the only ones I heard distinctively used tongues I didn't recognize.

All I can do now is hope that they somehow made it alive, that they are well. It's not impossible, I am alive after all. I can't be the only survivor. I can't be, right?

I am crying. Without making a sound. A soundless cry, as I learned because if I did a single sound the punishment would get worse. They were inhuman. I feel so angry at them. Now that I feel like this would I have tried to save anyone somehow if the attack wasn't yesterday but today?

Doesn't matter. More than sad or angry now I only feel empty.

I also feel dumbfounded that the thought of leaving the town never crossed my mind before. As I see it right now I would have left long ago or at least would have tried to. I never heard of anyone leaving without permission. It was heavily forbidden.

I cleared my eyes with my hand. None of this was of any use now that the town was burned to the ground.

Still, there are too many strange things.

First of all why and who attacked us? The raiders had armor and weapons very different from each other. They didn't wear a single color or insignia that I remember, not like I put any effort.

The divisions of the army, the three thousand mages, likely were somehow defeated. Almost ridiculous. But if it happened, why the town never saw the attack coming?

I feel so different today compared to how I felt all my life as if before yesterday I was being suppressed. It doesn't take a genius to start to guess.

I have never heard of spells to manipulate someone like that but it's the only thing that comes to my head. If the leaders of the town were so merciless with kids, then it wasn't below them to do something like that.

The answers avoid me. There is only one thing that is very clear for me. I am pretty confused right now. I am a child, but I am sure that other kids don't think the same way that I do, if they even ever think.

However, I am going to nowhere thinking about these things right now. Later I will have time to reflect on this but for now, I have more important matters at hand.

For instance, what should I do now? If I assume that the creatures took care of me and were walking all the time I was out then I may be very far from the edge of the Great Wild.

I have to make a decision and I have time to think about it, unlike almost every other time that a decision needs to be made. I could follow my wits, which are telling me to strive in the Great Wild thus staying with the creatures would be the better choice. Or I could go my own way, separating from them now and hoping to find the way out before dying to something. The size of this forest defies imagination, by what I have been told and read. It's not even a question about having luck in choosing a direction to walk randomly, it's hard to be sure if you are moving the way you want in this place.

Not to mention I know nothing about survival but what little I have read and remember.

Suddenly I heard strong roars in the distance, Which startled me out of my thoughts. I glanced at the creatures but they didn't seem bothered by it. It seems that something like that is a common occurrence.

If I were alone in this place I wouldn't be able to even relax for a moment to think.

At this moment I saw movement at the edge of my vision and lifting my head to look I noticed one of the creatures approaching me slowly.

I stand up and try to not insta-cast a spell when I notice that it has a burning scar all around its closed right eye. I tensed my muscles and readied my body to fight. This creature is the one who I fought yesterday.

It stopped its approach when it saw my movements. It started to wave its tail from side to side and after a few seconds slowly threw its body to the side and turned its head to look at me while upside down.

I gulped loudly.

I am interpreting it as a form to say: 'I am not armed' while raising the arms, and I don't like it. After a minute more, it rolled again and stood up, approaching me again. Even slower this time. As if it were approaching a savage animal.

I started to guess its behavior a while ago and against my better judgment of self-preservation, I started to approach it too. I also prepared myself mentally to insta-cast an Earth Lance from my pointing hand with half my mana if necessary. I am not taking any chances in this.

Stopping a meter away from it, I wait for it to close by itself the rest of the distance.

I won't lie. My pulse couldn’t be faster, I had goosebumps and was sweating a storm. It got near my head and I stiffened. It started to slowly lick my face. Thankfully without taking a bite.

I chuckled when It stopped and pet it in the neck. Although it didn't seem like it would attack me I still felt uneasy standing at its side. It must be young because I have seen many others here that are bigger, some are even two times bigger.

"I understand little one. No ill feelings either."

It was time to make a decision.

I looked at my surroundings until I found the tallest tree around. I moved to it and started climbing it. It was easy at first as the tree had a lot of branches but the higher I got the fewer and more separated branches there were, and my arms weren't long enough. After a few risky jumps and just under ten minutes, I was already at the top of the tree. It was only two meters taller than the second tallest but it will do.

I glanced in every direction and I was surprised to see only trees filling the horizon, doesn't matter where I gazed. No mountains either. I am pretty very much lost. I couldn’t be more lost.

It seems that I was unconscious more time than I thought. I wonder how I survived that much time.

I sighed.

I think that my decision is made. Although maybe there wasn't a different option since the start. I have no chance to survive here alone.

I understand that this wouldn't be a walk in the park. I will have to sleep in the cold and dirty ground. No tasty food and probably no clothes either. Without other people. Alone.

Truth to be told it sounds just like my life has been so far, isn't it?

But here is truly dangerous. Every moment I would be in danger.

I will need to learn many things; it will be difficult but I won't falter. I will train hard and I will become stronger. I can feel the dense mana in the air, after all, not taking advantage of it would be stupid. Training my magic in the Great Wild is a chance that I couldn't let pass, even if I end in a path other than the magical.

I will probably die regardless but what if I manage to pull it off and escape? If I didn't train in the meantime in the place rumored to be the best in the world to train then I would regret it forever.

Perhaps all not is bleak, maybe I have found luck in the unluckiest of events.

My mind is sharper than ever. I feel free too. From what I have freed myself I don't know, but I'm sure of this feeling.

I won't hesitate neither will I step back.

I have lost everything and everyone.

But I am alive.

The least I can do for those that have died is keep living.

Yes, I am alive.

And I feel it too, more alive than ever before.

…

…

...Not for much, though, if I don't find a way to climb down this damned tree without dying.

I facepalmed. I should have thought about this before climbing. To die falling from a tree after having that resolve won't do. Even if I don't die in the fall I will just drop dead from embarrassment.

Like a great drunkard once said: Such is life.

Such is my life.