Chapter Eight
The moon still glimmered softly at the edge of the sky when Moira woke. She stroked Duke’s back softly for several minutes before quietly getting up and walking to the creek’s edge.
She opened her Inventory and focused on the water pouch, kneeling on the bank of the creek to refill her water. As she dipped in the pouch, she noticed dirt and dried blood from the attack the night before still covered her face.
Moira pulled out the cleaning crystal. It was still dark gray. Cyrus had explained that when it was ready to be used again, it would return to a light blue. She tucked it back into her pocket and finished refilling her water.
It looked like she’d have to bathe the old-fashioned way. She glanced around again, observing the forest edge of any monsters or creatures. When she didn’t see anything, she stripped off her top and leggings, folding them on the side of the bank. She shivered in the brisk morning breeze before slowly dipping into the cool water.
She scrubbed her skin with her hands, rubbing off the dirt and blood as well as she could without soap.
“Maybe next time, you could drop some soap. Help a girl out,” she grumbled before dunking her head in the water to scrub her hair. As she was lifting her head, Moira felt something brush up against her leg.
She felt it again, “You’ve got to be kidding me—” A shock of electricity ran through her body. She stiffened and fell back into the water.
#
Quest: Save Companion
Save your companion, Moira, from danger.
Reward: XP
Countdown: 5 minutes until Quest expires.
Duke watched the grassy bank. He jolted up as he received the notification right as Moira slipped under. He growled and ran forward, leaping into the creek.
Falling through the water, he hit the sandy dirt bottom. Swirling sand and rocky debris blocked his view. He paddled through the creek, searching desperately. He couldn’t find her, his Mo. Bubbles floated up from his nostrils, air was running out. He kicked back to the surface, panting for air.
Countdown: 3 minutes until Quest expires.
A soft whine escapes his throat. He dived back down. Time was quickly running out. His nose betrayed him. He couldn’t smell her through the flowing water. In a last burst of hope, he reached out to her, to their connection. He yanked hard at the inner link that connected them.
Countdown: 2 minutes until Quest expires.
Everything rushed forward, time and space warping around him. Then slowed down, normalizing again. He steadied himself and spotted Moira lying on the creek floor, motionless.
He swam toward her, paws digging through the water with speed he didn’t know they had.
Countdown: 1 minute until Quest expires.
He nosed her arm once before grabbing it in his mouth. Her olive skin looked so much paler. Duke pushed off the sandy bottom with as much force as he could manage, dragging Mo with him up toward the surface.
Countdown: 10 seconds until Quest expires.
#
Moira sputtered, coughing up water as she tried to draw in air. Her heart shuttered against her chest. The world came back into view as she gasped, breathing in deeply. She shivered, her skin still tingled, and her hands shook uncontrollably.
Ding!
Congratulations! Your companion, Duke, has reached Level 3!
Duke stood over her, panting nervously. A thin string of drool dripped onto her cheek. Tears welled up in the corner of her eyes, and she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly.
“Thanks, bud. You really saved my butt there,” she said, her voice cracking.
Duke leaned down and licked her face gently.
“Did you kill whatever that thing was, bud?” she asked.
He tilted his head and stared at her.
“Is it still alive?” she whispered.
Duke barked once.
“It’s still alive, then. How did you get a level?”
He tilted his head in confusion. A question for another time, then. The monster was alive. She shivered again. She’d felt darkness closing in on her. If Duke hadn’t been there. Well, she didn’t want to think about what would’ve happened if he hadn’t been there.
She braced herself, getting back to her feet. It wasn’t over yet. That thing, whatever it was, was still alive. And she’d be damned if she’d let it live after nearly killing her.
Moira forced a smile and rubbed Duke’s fluffy head. She quickly changed into her clothes. Moira pulled the spear from her inventory. It appeared in her hand.
She straightened and headed towards the creek. Duke followed closely behind, whimpering softly. Moira surveyed the surface of the water, watching for movement. A ripple appeared, and then another. She followed it with her eyes. She hefted the spear onto her shoulder. The motion felt natural, smoother than before.
The ripples moved closer to the riverbank. Below the surface, a creature undulated through the water. Light blue skin shimmered below the surface, a ridge of gray covered the creature’s back as it slipped easily through the water. Anger pulsated through her, rage that such a small creature had almost killed her. Moira screamed as she threw the spear. It slammed into the monster, pinning it to the sandy bottom.
Ding!
Congratulations! You have defeated the Lightning Eel!
Congratulations! You’ve reached Level 7!
You now have 10 free attribute points available.
Ding!
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Spear Basics lvl 2
Moira slumped down as the adrenaline left her body. It was done. And she’d been the one left standing.
Moira waited for the loot notification. It didn’t appear.
“Did I do something different last time?” she asked herself.
Duke barked and glanced back at the water.
“Damn it, I have to touch it, don’t I?”
Duke tilted his head and looked pointedly at the water.
She glanced uncertainly down at the creek. She didn’t trust that there weren’t any other creatures lurking beneath the surface. After a moment of hesitation, Moira jumped into the creek and trudged toward where her spear was lodged in the eel. She pulled the spear out of the water and lightly tapped the dead eel before stepping back.
Would you like to loot the lightning eel?
Yes/No
Moira quickly selected yes. The eel combusted into inky flames, searing the end of her spear.
“Dammit. I just fixed that.”
Ding!
Weapons Making lvl 2!
(1)Bar of Soap has been added to your inventory!
(3)Lightning Eel Meat has been added to your inventory!
She stopped, slowly reading the notification again. A bar of soap, just like she’d requested. She swallowed, staring up at the stars.
“I get it. You’re listening.”
The system, whoever or whatever it was, didn’t respond.
A feeling of uneasiness settled over her. She looked down at Duke. “I think it’s time to get out of here.”
Moira charged forward through the hanging vines and violet bell-shaped flowers, determined to find a way out of the forest. Duke followed, right on her heels.
Yellow eyes watched them from the roughage. Tracing their footsteps as they wandered back into the forest. The creature hopped out of the foliage and scurried after them.
#
“FUCK.” Moira yelled, slamming her fists against a tree.
For the second time in two days, they had almost made it out of the forest. But just as they reached the forest edge, the trees had moved again, blocking their path. She slumped down to the forest floor, rubbing her hands against her face.
“It’s like the forest just doesn’t want us to leave.”
She’d been so close. A footstep from the forest edge, and beyond, a plain of emerald grass.
“There has to be some way out.”
She leaned back against the peeling tree trunk, thinking. The trees seemed sentient; one had even gifted her a branch it’d almost spoken to her. Maybe that was the key.
Moira pressed her hands against a tree, focusing her energy on it the same way she did with the cleaning crystal. She waited. Silence. After twenty minutes, she gave up, resting her head against the tree.
Laughter crept through her, starting with a giggle that bubbled into hysterics.
“What am I doing? I tried talking to a tree. Why did I think that would work?”
Duke glanced at her out of the corner of his eye from his spot next to a fiery red bush.
“Don’t give me that look. I’m not hearing any suggestions from you.”
He grumbled to himself and rolled on his back, pointedly ignoring her. Even Duke was sick of the forest.
Moira paced. There had to be some solution, something she wasn’t seeing. She pulled up her stats.
Name: Moira Thompson
Race: Unavailable
Racial Abilities: Looting, Inventory
Class: N/A
Level: 7
Health: 66/66
Stamina: 33/33
Mana: 39/39
Core Traits
Strength:15 (16)
Constitution:13 (14)
Dexterity:11 (12)
Intelligence:17 (18)
Wisdom:10 (11)
Charisma:10 (11)
Skills
Tripping lvl 1, Weapon Making lvl 1, Dodging lvl 1, Spear Basics lvl 2, Analyze lvl 3, Sword Basics lvl 1, Archery lvl 3
Titles
Beast Slayer-5% increase to all core stats.
Companion
Name: Duke Thompson
Race: Dog
Level: 3
Attribute Points: 10
Everything seemed normal to her, but she also didn’t really know what was normal here. Moira dismissed the screen. If it wasn’t her stats, what could it be? Why didn’t the forest want her to leave? Did it need something from her? Or was she reading into it too much and the trees just moved whenever they felt like it?
Something flickered at the edge of her vision. She whirled around, pulling her bow from her Inventory. Yellow eyes peeked out from the brush, watching her. She loaded an arrow, aiming at the creature.
“Come out, or I’ll shoot.”
The creature sneered, revealing its shining white canines. It sauntered into view. The creature was built like a fox, but with dark fur and elongated ears.
Duke growled, showing his teeth and snarling at the creature. Moira stepped back, bow still in hand. The creature’s eyes blinked with intelligence as it grinned back at her. She shivered. The atmosphere changed, feeling heavier, denser. She Analyzed the beast.
Puca
Level ???
Special Abilities: Shapeshifter
The Puca blinked, tilting its head.
The question marks were new. And they definitely didn’t ease her concern. Something was off here. Her intuition told her that this creature was something stronger than she could handle.
“What do you want?” She asked.
“I’ve been watching you.” It said, its voice a grumble of graveling notes.
“Why?”
“You’re interesting. Something new. I like to play with new things.” It purred as it inched closer.
“Stay where you are.”
The Puca tilted its head. “No.”
“I’ll shoot.”
Moira raised the bow, pulling back the bowstring, and aiming at the creature. The Puca licked its paw, unconcerned with the arrow aimed straight at its head.
“Then shoot.”
She let go of the bowstring. The Puca shrank. Changing into a small rodent with shaggy dark fur. The arrow hit a tree, right where the Puca’s head had been seconds before. Moira reached for another arrow, aiming again at the Puca.
“Try again if you like. It won’t make a difference.” Its yellow eyes dared her to try again.
“Tell me what you want.” She gripped her bow tightly.
“Oh, but I already did. You’ve got so much potential. If only you put it to good use.”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“You’re asking the wrong questions.” It leaped onto a green streaked boulder, stretching it down like a cat.
“Then what’s the right question?”
“That’s the question, isn’t it?”
The Puca grew, its arms expanded, growing wider. Black iridescent feathers burst out from its skin. It flapped its new wings, gaining air. Moira kept her arrow aimed at it. Unsure what to do next.
“We’ll meet again, young Moira. When you know the question.”
The Puca flew up through the trees, circling her and Duke. Once it reached the treetops, it stopped and winked before soaring away.