Bright green aspen leaves swayed lazily, rustling against each other and causing light streaks that shifted and danced across the forest floor. Flower bird monsters hopped around the white branches, grunting and squeaking at each other. Although they were called 'birds', they couldn't fly, nor did they have feathers. They were just shaped like birds, covered in bright green leaves. They didn't have beaks either, but a weird pointed five lipped mouth that looked like a toothy red flower when it opened. Hence the name: flower bird. The small E ranked monsters weren't a threat, unless you're a small insect.
Levi looked up from my shoulder, watching the noisy monsters above. His tongue flicked out, hungrily tasting the air. A second later, he slipped off my shoulder and disappeared into the brush before I could catch him.
I took a breath to stabilize my emotions. It’s okay, I’m not alone. He'll be back, he was just grabbing dinner, that's all, I told myself. He kept rejecting all the food I offered him, so it didn't surprise me he was hungry. Still, I couldn't relax. Not here, among the growing shadows. The darkening shapes seemed to twist and take shape out of the corner of my eyes, as if there was a monster. But every time I turned, nothing's there. Just a cruel trick my anxious mind played.
I could hear the monsters around me, and not just the squawking flower birds. I'd heard at least a dozen different monster calls since I entered these trees. Fortunately, I hadn't run into the owners of said calls yet, but my luck was never that good.
I gripped my bow tight as I carefully walked through the forest. I was getting better at the walking silently thing, my feet noiselessly shifting over loose red rocks and subconsciously avoiding downed leaves and twigs. It meant I took a little longer to travel, but it was worth it to avoid monsters. Since I wasn't strong enough to use my Hunter aura to scare away threats — if anything, it would scream 'I'm weak, come eat me!’ — I kept my aura hidden, trying to minimize my presence as much as possible.
The flower birds behind me suddenly went quiet. Then there was a quick rustle, followed by a sense of satisfaction I felt through mine and Levi's mental bond. He was successful.
And that's how it goes in the wilds. The strong will always prey on the weak. No, that wasn't a rule just in the wilds. Hunters lived by that creed, too. It wasn't as profound as when Gates were on Earth — or ever the first decade after they disappeared — but that caste system that dictated my life now. A burden I willingly chose, so I couldn't complain. I just needed to adapt and level up, so it didn’t crush me.
A GPS notification popped up, chest height and slightly to the side. Ding! [200 feet from your destination.]
I swallowed hard. Okay, two hundred feet. Then I can grab the water and get out of this forest. If I hurried, I could make it before dark. Silently running wasn't my forte — I was doing good enough just walking — so hopefully I didn't draw the wrong monster's attention. You know, like a really strong one.
All this fuss for a pint of water? Aish.
The bush rustled right behind me. I whipped around, drawing the arrow back and ready to shoot. My heart jumped in my throat and my nerves sizzled.
Levi peaked out of the bush and blinked his golden eyes, asking me what I was doing.
I sighed in relief and relaxed my hold on the string. As much as I wanted to chew him out for scaring me, I didn't dare to. Honestly, I hadn't said a word since I entered this forest. I doubt I would until I exited it.
I scooped Levi up, ignoring the bulge along his slender length and plopped the snake on my shoulder. He wiggled around and hooked his tail around my shoulder guard so he didn't slip off. Seriously, we need to figure out a better place for him to ride. I couldn't hold him in my hand all the time, and every time his meal bulge pressed against my neck after he ate, a creepy shiver zinged down my spine. Ugh.
The ground sloped down, then the trees and flowering bushes came to an abrupt stop in front of a twenty-foot cliff. I stood at the bottom, looking at the red, tan, and brown layers on the rocky face. The edges were sharp and harsh, obviously not naturally caused. It was just like all the other out-of-place features in the wilds — caused by the worldwide earthquakes that reshaped the continents three decades ago. And this cliff was between me and the spring I was looking for.
Humming under my breath, I opened up the GPS and double checked. The instruction didn't say that I needed to go up anything, so the spring was at the same level I was. Granted, the Guide wasn't all knowing. A lot of the wilds still needed to be searched, and every time a Hunter wandered a new place, their Guide automatically updated the Hunter's Association's communal map. It was possible that my activities were currently doing exactly that. Meaning, the GPS didn't know there was a cliff here.
But I had a feeling the System knew more than the Association's Guides. Maybe the spring was on the same level as me, but on the other side of the rocks? This cliff didn't have a lot of handholds. I'd rather not climb it if I didn't have to.
I pinched my left thumb with my right fingers, debating what to do.
Levi shifted forward and 'tasted' the floating map, as stubborn as always.
I opened my mouth, ready to admonish him again, then paused. Faintly, the sound of water whispered in the air. Water, maybe from a spring?
I turned to sound and started walking along the cliff. As I passed by a spread of red lichen on the rock, it suddenly shifted. The red spot broke apart, revealing two rodent monsters with lichen-looking flaps on top of their heads. The rodent monsters hissed and lunged out of the hole they were nesting.
I jumped back, and flicked my hand, my sword replacing my bow at the same time. The blade cut caught the first rodent in the stomach and I smashed it to the ground.
Instantly, my System sent a notification. Ding! [+8 EXP]
I was too distracted; the second monster survived my attack. It landed on my arm and accurately bit down in the small pre-existing hole in my under armor from an earlier fight. I hissed as the shape little teeth took a chunk out of my skin. A split second later, Levi struck and lifted the struggling monster in his mouth.
I winced and looked away as he went about swallowing it. Unfortunately, I felt everything, since he was still on my shoulder. Now there were two lumps pressed against my neck. I cringed as the mouse lump shifted. God, it wasn't still alive was it?
Ding! [+8 EXP].
Okay, it was dead now.
Huh, now that I thought about it. I didn't get EXP when Levi went hunting earlier, but I did get some just now. The only difference was, one was him acting alone, and the other was a team effort to tackle a fight. So, that's how it worked with familiars. Good to know. Although, honestly, I refused to accompany him each time he hunted. Watching Levi dislocate his jaw and swallow something whole wasn't a sight I was eager to see often. I get we were bonded, and I'd have to get used to it, but there were some things I drew the line on.
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I glanced at my bleeding arm in frustration. It hurt a lot, but mostly I was annoyed that I was bleeding. My ability, Limited Regen, would fix the wound in thirty minutes or fewer of rest, since it wasn't big. But in the meantime, I was a walking perfume ad, wafting the scent of my blood out for all the monsters to find. And there was no guarantee that they would be low leveled rodents again.
The thought barely crossed my mind when a chill shivered down my spine.
Levi froze, obviously feeling the same threat.
Shit! I ducked, and looked around, trying to spot what it was. Whatever the threat was, it was outside of my area of awareness. But I could still feel its stare like damp fingers on the back of my neck. Without a doubt, the monster was stronger than me. But how much? I didn't dare wait around to find out.
I bolted along the cliff, heading towards the sound of water. Sharp claws scraped on bark and tree branches groaning, as whatever was chasing me quickly caught up.
Desperate, I twisted around, skidding across the ground while taking my bow from my Items Bag and drawing a water arrow. Instinctively, I zeroed in on the sound. A large black cat-like monster glared down, green eyes glowing with a ghastly fire. A level twenty shadow cat. I didn't know if they all looked so emaciated, or if this one was extra hungry. Damn.
I loosed the water arrow, aiming at its eyes. Without seeing it I even hit it, I whipped around and sprinted towards the water. Although I wasn't very knowledgeable, I knew that shadow cats didn't like water. If I could get to the stream, I might get away. Unfortunately, the ground was so uneven, I strayed away from the cliff as I ran, so I didn't trip and fall over rocks and brushes. Even so, I stubbornly followed the sound of water, which was getting closer and closer.
Levi hung on my shoulder, maneuvering the water from the open water bottle attached to my hip shooting water bolts, which very quickly whittled away his water supply. It didn't help that each step I took caused water to splash out of the bottle. The shadow cat was a higher level, but Levi's relentless attacks actually managed to land a few times from the sounds of the hissing. The monster was hot on our tails, but Levi's efforts kept it at bay.
From a gap in bushes ahead, I spotted a glimmer of light reflecting off a stretch of flowing water. I reached out to water, both with my hands and my essence, and grabbed as much as I could from the stream, adding it to the water essence I stored inside myself. My boots skidded across the muddy bank as I whipped around, and flung water with all my might, creating a small raging tidal wave.
It washed over up over the whole tree the shadow cat crouched in, ready to spring on me. The force of the water wall slapped the shadow cat right off the branch and into a puddle below. My attack barely dented the HP bar below its name, but the effect that water had was obvious. Smoke rose up from the monster, along with a sooty smell, like a newly drenched campfire. The shadow cat paused in shock, then yowled and leapt out of the puddle, completely freaked out.
Before it could compose itself, I turned and sprinted to the stream. It was about twenty feet wide and at least three feet deep. I could jump in and hide under the water. I'd most likely get away from the shadow cat if I did, but I'd be at a disadvantage. I didn't know how to fight in water. I might be a water mage now, but I was still learning. And honestly, I'd never heard of anyone that could fight underwater. Magic didn't normally work like that. Then again, most of my magic attacks were unconventional.
I didn't slow down as I reached the water, simply stretched my foot out and cast Water Manipulation. The water directly under my feet solidified and supported my weight as I ran, creating my own wet hop scotch spots.
Levi manipulated the stream water into a long whip and flung it to the side. Now that he wasn't limited to sixteen ounces of water, there was more force in his attack. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the whip snap on the black shadow cat sprinting along on the water bank, throwing it off balance enough for the monster to stumble.
My heart squeezed in my chest in alarm. It still hadn't given up?! Ahead, the cliff rose up and from it, the stream flowed from a slot canyon that cracked the cliff in half.
My eyes narrowed as I focused on the target — my escape plan. With Levi dealing with the shadow cat, I put all my effort into the water under my feet, urging it to carry me forward. Each water foothold I used propelled me forward, increasing my speed like I had wheels attached to my feet.
The shadow cat darted along the river side. It tore its gaze off me to glance at the quickly approaching rock wall. It shot forward, sprung off the cliff and twisted in the air, aiming at me.
I gasped and dropped to a slide tackle, skidding across the surface of the water, wet beads shooting everywhere.
The shadow cat sailed right over me, so close I could feel its extra high body heat on the top of my head.
I reached out and grabbed Levi's water whip as the monster passed and flicked the hip. It smacked the shadow cat's vulnerable stomach. Like before, it didn't do a lot of damage, but it interrupted the monster's jump. Instead of landing on the bank, the shadow cat cartwheeled into the stream. It howled and struggled in mindless panic, as the current dragged the monster away.
I pushed myself up before the water could drag me down too. Granted, the stream was only waist high for me, but like before, I didn't want to be underwater. With a sigh of relief, I walked into the slot canyon. Since Levi’s water bottle was empty, and there was water everywhere, I put the bottle into my Items Bag.
Ten feet into the slot canyon, I paused and looked down at my feet. The clear steam rippled and slipped by under my boots, but the water that directly touched the soles of my boots was as firm as stone. I was standing on water. Walking on water.
... That was so cool!
I wanted to jump around and scream with excitement -- I mean, come on! This was a very unique skill, only a couple dozen known Hunters in America had this ability. And somehow, I joined their ranks. I didn't even think about it when I used Water Manipulation while fleeing the shadow cat. Because Levi used the same ability on me yesterday with the slime, I knew I could do it. So I just did it.
I hummed softly under my breath in thought. Then again, Water Manipulation wasn't on the list of magic attacks that I reviewed in Hunter Prep. All magic attacks were kinda pre-set. Water arrow, water whip, that kinda thing. Sure, Hunters could manipulate a water ball to an extent, like to put out fires, but those actions weren't usable in a fight. The controlled water simply fell apart without causing actual damage. Other elemental mages were the same; a fire mage could start a campfire with a flame, or a lightning mage could charge a generator, but when they attacked, the magic always took a specific shape.
But from what I understood, the only thing limiting my ability Water Manipulation was my own imagination and knowledge. As soon as the thought stuck, it felt like a tightly locked down burst open, creating thousands of possibilities. I could do ... so much.
My hand drifted up until it touched the green pearl half buried in the skin of my right temple. The System housed in that pearl was what gave this unique ability. Without the System, I was a weak little girl stepping into the world of giants. But now, I suddenly felt limitless.
No, my hand lowered and clenched into a fist. I was still limited. Still weak. Still scared of the dark wilds. But if I could survive this night, and the ones after until I got back home, I wouldn't be anymore.
Ria Moore
D Rank
Level 10
EXP to Next LV 2
HP 26/109
MP 38/127
Strength 17 (+2)
Magic 21
Constitution 17 (+2)
Agility 21
Perception 17
Intelligence 20
Abilities:
Regen (Limited)
Bubble (10 MP)
Water Manipulation (10 MP)
Skills:
Power Swim
*****