The sun had only just started peaking over the horizon when I got up and got ready for the new day. Thankfully because of my inventory skill, getting ready and packing up was incredibly easy, I just had to equip my gear and place my nest into storage. I had nibbled on a papple while mentally preparing myself to leave my safe haven. I had seriously considered heading back to Fairy while I lay in my nest. I imagined somehow getting through the protective barrier, after all, if a dumb undead bear can do it, why shouldn’t I be able to as well?
It was with hesitant and cautious movements that I hovered out of the small hole that I had hidden in for the night and I turned to look back towards where Fairy was.
The idea that I’d run back home after barely a day left me with a bad taste though. I knew that my family would be relieved and happy I was home, safe and sound. The fact remains though that I still felt that desire to explore and experience the world, to become an adventurer. To level my class and see how high I could get my Power Level. All of these things swirled around in my noggin, bonking into each other. I could almost imagine all of these thoughts as people arguing with each other. Possibly challenging each other to duels. I couldn’t help but giggle a bit at that thought and I felt a little better. Besides, I couldn’t let my family down after all they did to help me leave. They’d placed their trust in my ability to survive, to come back and tell them all about the great adventures I’d experienced. I wasn’t going to let them down. I turned away from the direction of my forest home and took off, quickly but cautiously. I wasn’t going to get caught out like that again if I could help it.
I passed directly over a red stain in the grass. It still had some torn fur scattered about from that predator's midnight snack from last night. I shook my head, this place was far more dangerous than I thought, I need to boost my power level asap. I began putting extra effort into looking for something or somewhere that I could practice my abilities on. Just as I had started looking around with that in mind, another large shadow fell over me. I felt my blood instantly freeze, I was already mentally preparing myself to fight this time and quickly glanced up. Only for the shadow to pass over me with no attacks apparent. I was already looking up so I got to see what seemed to be a dragon flying overhead. I couldn’t help but gasp at seeing the dangerous beast. It was too high up for even my sharp eyes to make out much detail, but I could see it’s scales were a dark red colour with black spikes along its back, it reminded me of Rose’s hair actually. Not the black spikes though, that definitely didn’t. Unfortunately I wasn't close enough to inspect it. I had drifted a bit as I stared up in the sky before realising that I wasn’t paying attention to my surroundings again. I mentally chastised myself for the lapse and couldn’t help imagining some kind of drill sergeant shouting at me in a bad accent, “Did’ja wanna be monster poop?”. I giggled a little bit as I tried to remain alert, but it was just so damn hard.
I heard a soft gurgling noise and spotted through some trees a small wateringhole with a little waterfall feeding it. Approaching it cautiously, places with water like this can often mean creatures coming to either drink or to eat creatures that have come to drink. If I’m lucky, there would be something I could fight. Also I was feeling a little thirsty. I hadn’t thought to pack water, which seems like an oversight now that I think about it. Although fairies didn’t seem to need as much water as I remembered needing as a human. As I flew through the gap between the closest trees to the water, I spotted what looked like something that might be good prey. Some kind of large boar covered in spikes, they looked similar to quills from a hedgehog. I used my inspect skill and luckily I was close enough this time.
Quillboar
Power Level: 193
Quillboar herds are a staple in many regions. Mainly due to their abilities to reproduce rapidly and eat almost anything. It is because of this that many quests are given to cull them frequently.
“Alright!” I shouted in glee, only to startle the boar as it made a loud squeal and turned around to glare at me angrily. It’s quills standing up in a defensive position. “Oops!” I mumbled to myself as I covered my mouth. I should probably learn how to keep my mouth shut when stalking prey like the uber predator I am. I quickly raised my arm and fired off a [Telekinetic Pulse], which blew a hole in the ground as it just narrowly missed my target. The boar had just started charging as I had fired and while I missed, the impact caused a small shockwave knocking the boar sideways, tripping it up and causing it to roll several times before stopping on its side. It had started squealing louder as it fell.
“Ha! Serves you right for dodging me!”
I aimed carefully and then fired a second and third pulse as the boar started to stand up. This time I managed a direct hit, two of them in fact and the results were spectacular. The first shot hit the side of its head and where it impacted, that part of its face just crumpled. My second shot almost missed as the boar staggered from the first hit then the second and final blow ripped straight through the top of its head, immediately silencing the noise it had been making. As suddenly as it had begun, the fight had ended, as the still body of the Quillboar dissolved into hundreds of tiny particles of soft blue light and vanished. Leaving behind an orb made of golden light. Before I could even think of going and getting whatever loot the boar had dropped, pain wrecked my body as several quills suddenly forced their way through my left shoulder. Two of the three projectiles thankfully fell out but the third seemed to hit something a bit sturdier because it stopped halfway.
With a pain filled yelp, I turned around and saw two more Quillboars charging me.
“Sneaky little devils! How dare you attack me while I’m not paying attention..ow.” I yelped again as I tried to shake my injured fist at them. The one on the left had its quills laying almost flat on it’s back and the one on the right had them extended almost pointing forward. The left one grunted and it’s quills flexed forward. All of a sudden, several quills were flying at me. With seconds to spare I did the only thing I could think of at the time and dropped down to avoid the attack. The quills narrowly missed me, flying harmlessly over my head.
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“Ha! You missed dumby!” I taunted, before noticing how close they had gotten. They were now within melee range as the boar who had hit me with it’s quills tried to bite me. I reflexively lifted both arms up in front of me to somehow block it. A pain filled scream clawed its way up and out of my throat as agony nearly overwhelmed me from my injured shoulder. My vision dimmed and there was almost nothing else but the pain, thankfully I had enough presence of mind to trigger my [Telekinetic Pulse] once again. Unfortunately for the target, it had been close enough that aiming had been unnecessary. Purple light rippled down both of my arms and coalesced into one ball of light that shot out from my hands and smashed into the boar at point blank range. Thousands of soft blue lights passed harmlessly through and around me as my attack pulverised my target, killing it with a single blow. However I didn’t get a chance to appreciate the pretty light show as the shockwave from my ability smashed me backwards. I crashed into the ground before bouncing and flipping over. I had only just managed to catch myself, stopping before I could flip over any further. The shockwaves from my attacks weren’t too powerful but they seemed that way because the boars were top heavy and so a little unstable from impacts in their sides and I was an itty bitty fairy in the air with nothing to hold onto.
“Phew, you lot are tougher than I expected.” I groaned out, my chest was heaving as I fought to get my breathing back under control. The last remaining Quillboar had been hit by the blast as well, but it was only staggered. Luckily it had stopped its wild charge at me though. Served it right for not looking where it’s going. The boar cocked its head sideways like a dog would do when I spoke and then let out an angry huff. It had pushed it’s quills back flat again and braced itself ready to fire.
“Oh no you don’t!” I yelled out as I raised my arms again, this time prepared for the pain. “No more poking holes in ME!” I practically bellowed, well as much as a fairy could be said to bellow and fired. Four [Telekinetic Pulse] lashed out at the remaining Quillboar in rapid succession. The first one missed, as did the second, it would seem I need more target practice. Even though my second attack missed, it did a wonderful job of scattering the quills the enemy boar launched at me at the same time as they intercepted each other. Then the third and fourth attacks hit almost simultaneously and it blew apart into blue light dust.
I glanced at my interface and noted that I had lost nearly half of my health and almost 70% of my mana. “Well, that could’ve gone better.” I winced as I gently pulled on the quill sticking into my left shoulder, just above my armour. Fat lot of good the armour did. It came out reluctantly and I couldn’t help but let out a whimper. It hurt a lot.
My hands came away covered in my own blood. It was a weird sort of pinkish colour that seemed to glow a little bit. Even stranger was that it slowly faded over time and vanished. I had no idea if that was something to do with the systems mechanics or my own blood, or both. I pulled out one of the health potions I had been given. A slight scent of strawberry cheesecake hit my nose as I opened up the vial of red coloured liquid and I suddenly remembered all of the times that my human mum had given it to me for my birthday and special occasions, she had even made some for me the day I came out as transgender to my family. I couldn’t help but tear up a little at the bittersweet memories. Mum had been my biggest supporter until the day that she died. I took a sip but was a little disappointed that it didn’t actually taste of anything but my health bar immediately started rapidly replenishing and I let out a soft sigh as all the pain I had been feeling slowly started to vanish.
I pulled out the mana potion and debated about whether to use some or not, when out of the same spot the last few Quillboars appeared from came five more, looking even angrier than the last lot if that was even possible. “Well, that answers my question nicely.” I mumbled to myself and quickly sipped some of the blue liquid. I was unfortunately too distracted to notice the scent but figured I’d get plenty of time later and prepared myself to fight. “Come on you ugly pigs, I’m dying to have a ham sandwich!” I hadn’t had one in over 50 years, I was overdue. My eyes widened in surprise as all five launched their ranged attacks at the same time. Dozens of quills flew at me at once and it was all I could do to dodge them as they whipped past barely missing me, until with an unladylike pain filled grunt several struck me. Two hit my stomach with several hitting my armour and thankfully sliding off but worst of all was one slicing through one of my wings. I immediately started dropping to the ground at an angle to my left as I was struggling to only fly with three wings. Apparently all four are needed to help stabilise my flight, good to know. I landed roughly on the ground as I was afraid I’d permanently damage my wing and could only hope the health potion will fix it. There was a bit of time before I could use it again though unfortunately. I lifted my arms to fire my pulses when from behind my enemies a huge Quillboar burst into the clearing.
“This just got a whole lot more interesting, I might just have to use all of my power!” I taunted cockily, all the while starting to really get worried. I kept that from my face though, no need to let these overgrown precooked roast hams know that. Although come to think of it, would they even recognise emotions? Anywho, focus girl!
My newest enemy knocked into the smaller Quillboars that had shot me, sending them sprawling. At first it seemed to be charging at me, that was until a dark shape that seemed to be almost covered in flames made from shadows landed on top of the mother of all Quillboars and with a familiar hissing growl started ripping into its back. Taking the opportunity that the creature had given me, I began firing at the boars who had shot at me as they tried to get up. Some of my shots missed but enough hit even at this distance that they were all soon just blue glowing dust in the wind. Served the meanies right for making me walk!
With a little bit of pinkish blood I pulled out the two quills that had stuck into my stomach.
“Owie, that really hurts!” I hiss out in an angry pout.
I flexed my wings, testing to see if they still work. A sharp stab of pain pulls a whimper from my lips. I then groan, getting hurt can apparently hurt a lot. Suddenly the big Quillboar burst apart into the now familiar death light show, startling me. It looked like it was walking through blue fire. From within the swirling light prowled a horrible looking giant cat. The creature that seemed more shadow than beast and it was snarling while glaring straight at me.
Undead Shadowcat
Power Level: 490
Shadowcats hail from the dark and mysterious year round mist-covered forests of the far north. They are dangerous foes to many unprepared victims of this powerful predator. How this creature is so far from its natural habitat is quite a mystery.
I paled and my light dimmed significantly as I saw the power level of the creature that had turned its hungry eyes on me and to make matters worse, I couldn’t fly just yet.
“Um, nice kitty?”