"""AHHHHHHHH!"""

I shaded my eyes with my hand, and gave a whistle at the dust cloud they were making as they ran away. The trip should've only taken a day, but because of the Ogre delay they were planning to camp out for tonight, since the road gets much more dangerous at night. Gerald had tried to convince the others, saying it would be 'interesting' but was quickly shot down.

I rested my hands on my knees, and sat back down. Night was quickly approaching, and the monster-repelling charm was in the tradesman's' wagon.

Ahh, the sky is so much more beautiful at night. To the side, my black-and-white streaked horse was lazily chomping grass. I gave a short whistle, and it walked over to me and nuzzled its' nose into my cloak, looking for treats. I gave it a pat, and stroked its' mane.

"Hah...looks like it's just us now, huh?"

The horse nickered, and gave me a comforting butt of the head.

"It'll be sorta lonely...even though each and every one of them was out of their minds, it was kinda nice to be part of a group."

The horse gently chewed on my hair. "But, you saw the notification too, didn't you? I'm a <> now. Now, whenever I meet people, they'll immediately try to either kill me, or flee in terror."

The horse licked my hands, and I scratched its' chin. "...I know it's not very monstrous of me to wallow in loneliness, but I can't very well help it. Hell, I'm talking to a horse."

The horse blew on my face, and nuzzled further into me.

"Well, at least I can solve on problem immediately. I can't just keep calling you 'the horse' can I? But I had a hard time thinking about mine, and I have no experience naming horses."

The horse withdrew, and bent its' knees enough to lie down, and looked at me.

"Hah...well, here in the dark, those white streaks really show. How about Wraith?"

The horse blew out air in a snort.

"Guess not...what about Shadow? You're sorta blacky-ish."

The horse looked at me, then I swear it rolled its' eyes.

"Damn...not that either? Well, what then!"

I stood up and kicked a rock. Rock vs. Toe, Rock wins!

I hop around on one foot, then almost fall over-

I fall against something big, and warm. Looking at the horse from this angle, the black blending with the darkness, the white streaks suggesting, yet not confirming the shape of a horse. I stop swearing, and pat the horse some more. I tighten the saddle, climb on, then pat its' neck.

"How about Ghost? A perfect mount for a zombie, don't you think?"

Ghost nickered cheerfully, then started high-stepping down the road, the way we'd come. I took my feet out of the stirrups and lay down on Ghost, while looking up at the sky.

Like this...I didn't have to be lonely, and I could still enjoy the night sky.

I think...I can live like this.

Then, of course, it started raining.

Just typical.

---

I had to dismount and lead Ghost, as horses don't have my night-vision. I'd broken off of the road, as the trees offered more shelter, but they also had many deep, treacherous holes. Getting through without breaking Ghosts' legs was taking all of my reaction, and Ghosts' strength.

I'd headed North, towards the mountains, and hoped to find an overhang. To my fortune, I found one just big enough for a horse and two people. Unfortunately, it was occupied.

Two small, ugly, green-skinned goblins huddled underneath. Both were wearing sacks, but only one had a rusty dagger. They were both half the size of other goblins, and one had blue tattoos covering their face, arms, and legs. For several seconds, we numbly stared at each other. The goblin holding the knife quickly rose, and picked up its' companion, preparing to flee. They looked about ready to die on their feet.

I held up a hand to stop them. "You're fine. Mind if I put Ghost here? When his mane gets wet, it puffs up and irritates him."

Ghost shook helpfully, and trotted under the overhang, fearlessly dropping gratefully to its' knees. The two goblins trembled, and I leaned up against a tree. "It's fine. The rain doesn't bother me, but you two'd most likely die if you go anywhere right know.

One of them mutters something, while the tattooed one collapses and passes out.

"Sorry, what was that? I didn't hear you."

The goblin holding a knife looked at me. "I-M-E-D. Strange name."

I laughed. "Don't too much fun of it. I thought it up myself, after all. But, I confess you have the advantage of me, as I don't know your name."

The goblin sat down next to its' friend, then grunted. "Don't have one."

I thought for a second.

"How about Pokey?"

"No."

I sat down, rain dripping off of my hood. "Not much for conversation, huh?"

"No."

"But, this rain could go on for hours...don't you want to pass the time?"

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"No."

We sat in silence for several minutes. The rain began to increase in intensity.

Then, the goblin spoke. "You not eat us?"

I eyed the two. "Nah. You're so small and thin, I could pick my teeth with your ribs. Besides, even if I wanted to, I couldn't."

"Why? You named. Strong."

"Hahaha! That's a good one! But, sadly, not the case. True, being named does...what does it do?"

I pulled up my status, then checked the description on my name.

Named Monster <>

Due to cunning rather than strength, this individual stole a name. All base stats increased by 10%.

"Ah, that's what it does. Kinda funny, since I don't have any base stats. I have...let's see, four points from <> and one from <>, and one more from <> if you can count that. The ring is so that means something, maybe."

"...You, named, weak?"

I nodded. "You could probably kill me with one stab. Though, Ghost would be a bit harder..."

The goblin seemed comforted by this. After a few more minutes, it'd nodded off as well. Two goblins, a horse, and a zombie. Three were sleeping.

For the first time since waking up, I wished I could go back to sleep. It had been so warm, so stress-free. Plus, in my dreams, I wasn't a fragile, weak, lesser, decrepit corpse. I was me, in my prime.

Boiling, roasting, skewering, crucifying, ripping, and doing all manner of entertaining things to my enemies. Of course...

As time went on, their faces blurred together, and even I started to fade, until I was just a shadow, torturing blobs of unrecognizable humanoids. Even dreaming became dreary, and the warmth had all seeped out into my coffin.

And, while tossing and turning inside a stone sarcophagus, I got bored. There was no one to talk to. No one too fool. No one to best, no one to beat, just...more of nothing.

Life is meant to be lived for the joy of living. And I'm dead. Sure, I didn't have an alliance of kings all gunning for my head, but that had been fun. It had made every moment hell, so that each moment that wasn't hell was memorable. But now...

Even memories that I'd treasured for years were nothing but a vague sense of deja vu.

What was I even doing here? What could I do?

If I got myself killed...could I proudly walk up to the enemies that I conquered, and tell them I met a fitting end that could satisfy them?

No. I cannot just slip quietly into the night. It is my responsibility, as the one who ended so many lives, to kill myself in a sufficiently bombastic manner. Why else would I have been brought back to life, if not to satisfy the spirits of the dead?

Anything else would simply be shameful.

As the rain lessened, let up, and finally retreated, morning light painted the open canvas that was the mountains. Two goblins and a horse woke up to find a zombie grinning at them.

"Hey kids, wanna make some dead bodies?"

----------------------------------------

Percys' POV

I panted, catching my breathe, as the light of the sun rose over a terrible night. I'd had a nightmare, of a grinning monster leering over me. I held my hand to my breast, and noticed an unread notification.

Oh no, you were tricked into giving a monster a name! As such, the price of power was deducted directly from you.

-1 Exp.

I rubbed my eyes, then reread it, and looked at the cost again. I looked at my exp bar, but if it had moved, I couldn't tell. The exp required to level was in the thousands.

Wait...wouldn't that mean...that he was stupidly weak...?

For a long time, I would ponder over this. Not until much later would I get an answer.

Of course, at that time...much bigger problems were holding my attention.

---

Asheras' POV

I knelt in the mud.

With a scream, I smashed the clay bowl that was the only remnant of the camp. I'd gone without sleep...pushed myself as hard as I could, and braved dangers grown men would fear...and after all that...

"Foiled! By the fucking weather!"

All tracks had been obliterated. Now I had no choice but to follow the supposed route towards the town, and hope that I could find him. My hands trembled with rage, and a tint of red hung around the edges of my vision. From the side, I heard a low growl. Behind as well. I looked up, and saw that I was surrounded by wolves.

"You fuckers! Come on then, come and get some!"

I pulled my bow to the limit, and flipped the cover off my short-sword.

I had some stress to relieve.