Sand and mud were all over my face making it hard for me to breathe. My mind was buzzing from the constant squealing and pain. I did what I had to make it stop.
I ended the wolf lodged under me. A clean cut with the dagger was all it took. I'd say, but the dagger that laid before me on the shore was the dull one.
So sorry for the lengthy death.
A few seconds later after a notification sounded of the wolf's death I stood up on the shore and wouldn't you know the Wolf Boss was there.
Running towards me.
"You son of a-" Bitch. I didn't have the chance to finish it as he leapt at me and brought me into the shallow depths of the water.
There our fight took place. He was thrashing with me trying to rip chunks out of me. Meanwhile I was trying to gather magicules and fight back.
But all I was getting were water magicules and not even a lot of them as I couldn't concentrate. Either way I gathered them how I could.
As I felt him going for my neck, I punched him. He got pushed back a bit and growled. Guess he didn't like that.
Not a second later he leapt at me going a second time for my neck, this time with more force. I punched at him and pain shot up my arm. He bit into it. Motherfucker likes BBQ, huh?
That gave me a moment. I brought all the surrounding magicules to the most possible density and pushed it against his face.
My arm must've been good enough as he didn't let go of it in time and the spell that I can best describe as a water ball hit.
---
Black Wolf lvl.5 (Tier: E) got hit
---
We both were repelled backward as the water ball burst. I took a brief moment and climbed out the water.
Now, I was the one on the shore while the Boss was rushing at me from the water.
This time I was prepared and the water was helping me slow him down for me to gather enough magicules.
He leapt at me and as he did so two of my fingers greeted him in the neck. Scolding hot they burrowed into his flesh.
On the ground I was pushing them further and further as the Boss was pushing forward for my own neck.
---
Black Wolf lvl.5 (E)
+1000EXP
---
He went limp. His fangs mere inches away from my neck, I could feel his bloody saliva dropping down them right at my exposed neck. It brought me shivers.
Seeing that I ignored it for now and focused elsewhere as I was barely keeping myself together thanks to all the leftover adrenaline I've got.
I ripped up my trousers to strips and after washing them somewhat, I used them as plugs into the teeth holes the wolves left in me. After that the number of my holes returned to original.
I washed one more time in the lake and started walking downstream. As for the possible loot? I left it behind as that would require additional time that I don't know if I have. Plus I'd have to carry more weight and meat.
The meat. Maybe that's why they chased me.
***
The night wasn't going away but I was. In the distance I saw smoke rising as I get out the forest.
Walking further and up I got on a hill where a field of wheat was laying before my eyes. On the other side of the field, below the hill a village laid.
Laughter of kids was heard from all that way. Lights of the fireplaces were shining in the windows of their houses and the air. It brought with it the smell of burning wood and fresh bread.
I walked through the field and came under one such window. Inside were people alright, a small family of three, but they also had animal-like features. Tails, animal ears and the kid had a pair of thin whiskers.
As I was observing them, I heard the laughter of the kids stop. Sensing the situation to be strange I turned to the side.
There a group of kids was staring right at me. Without saying anything I kneeled and lowered myself to their size. They stood there observing me.
"I'm friendly, I just got lost." I pointed towards myself and saw the kids whisper something among themselves before one of them ran off.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
"Mister." One of them a small girl stepped towards me. She had fox ears and a tail white in colour. "Are you an Otherworlder?"
"Yeah… I guess I am. I got here by a portal and then fell out the sky."
Wild stuff saying it aloud.
"How's it?" She asked.
"What do you mean? "
"The World you come from your home. I heard that people live there on the surface."
"Yeah... Yeah, we do. We built megacities there. Skyscrapers that reach the sky."
"How does your sky look like?"
"..." I looked at the sky and even now saw that it remained the same. I must've been in the forest for a long time but no change. The stars were up... floating there. Moving in a collective direction.
"Well, our sky was a blue one. With sun shining about."
"Sun?"
"That's a big fireball in the sky. It comes..." I got engrossed in talking about all the different stuff so much so that I didn't even know when all the kids sat around me. "...meat, buns and vegetables that's all you need to make a good burger. We-"
I heard a cough. It came from the village. I looked there and saw the whole village was gathered, looking at me.
Pitchforks, shovels and some spells prepared for welcoming me.
Nice.
"Cindy come back here." An old grandma with fox traits called out.
---
Witch lvl.18 (F)
---
To which the fox girl that spoke with me at the start responded.
"He was only telling us stories. He's no bad guy, he's an Otherworlder."
"Cindy here!"
She grumbled a bit and followed.
Other children did so too and rejoined their families.
"We'll talk about this later and how to deal with strangers later, young lady." The grandma then turned to me a fireball burning atop her hand. One man with dog ears stepped forward and was about to speak but she spoke faster.
"We don't welcome your kind here. Go away before the Prophesized Ones get here."
"Please can I at least heal my wounds here a bit? I'll do what I can to repay you." I said as sincerely as I could. But no amount of sincerity helped as a fireball was hurled at my feet.
It made me jump a few feet away, but did no injuries.
"You should be thankful that we didn't kill you on the spot." She was about to cast another fireball, but the dog-eared man stopped her.
---
Mayor lvl.7 (F)
---
"We can let him heal and before the Prophesized Ones come, he'll escape." He said and glared at the old woman, before eyeing the muttering crowd.
"Isn't that right Norton? The Prophesized Ones should come here a week later to get the tax." He said turning to another man with doglike traits. Maybe a jackal.
"That's right. They should get here by horses."
"Then it's decided. Don't worry people if anything I'll be the one responsible for him."
The crowd seemed to be restless as they whispered amongst themselves, but they calmed down on account of Norton going between them and talking things through.
After which I looked as all of them dispersed. That didn't spare me from the occasional unfriendly and cautious glances. The Mayor and the Witch along with Cindy stayed.
"So, I'm allowed to stay."
"Yeah, but you're coming with me." He said as he glared at the Witch before giving me a smile. "You don't mind sleeping in a living room, do you?"
"Not at all."
Honestly, I'll be happy to have a bed and not a slab of cement.
I returned him a smile and followed behind him as he started walking away.
As for the Witch she took Cindy's hand and together they departed to a nearby house here at the corner of the village.
As for us we arrived at the house that was right in the middle of the village. It looked like the rest, a wooden building with stones as a foundation.
Stepping inside was cozy. All thanks to a fireplace that was lit and on it a stew was being cooked.
"You can drop off your things there." He pointed at the couch that was near the fireplace. "Pillows and blankets are there in the chest. Also, some spare clothes."
The chest was next to the couch.
"Can you look after the stew, while I'll go to the old Witch? She's grumpy, but has a lot of herbs that can help you heal."
"That's fine by me." I answered.
He was satisfied with my answer and went out, leaving me alone in his own home. I didn't have any bad ideas though.
For starters I changed my clothes to nice leather ones. That meant I finally had my chest fully covered and didn't look like a wild man.
I also found out I can inspect them. Thanks to all the floating windows above them.
---
[Silver dagger]
-Traits: sharp
[Silver dagger]
-Traits: dull
[Spellbook]
-Stored spells: Spark, Fireball, Increase sensitivity
-Traits: magic gathering, spell storage
---
I prepared my bed and sat by the fire. The stew didn't look bad at all, a surprise was that there was no meat in it. Not that I'm complaining.
The house itself looked medieval. I can imagine my Boss had one like this. It wouldn't be out of character for him to buy such property outside the Metropolis. After all I know he had bought some floating fishing houses.
Solid wooden floorboards and trophies of animals on display along with weapons. Yeah, that old fuck would love it.
But he died, got his helicopter shot down while trying to escape when we were attacked. Kinda ironic.
Thinking about the old times I was stirring the stew when the Mayor returned.
---
[Vegetable stew]
(Traits: energizing)
---
"Here you have the medical supplies. You can use them while I go and finish the stew. After that I'll help you with it." He came and dropped the stuff on the couch.
"Sure. By the way it smells nice. Do you have some secret recipe for it?"
"Not at all, it's just whatever we harvested for most part and what we gathered in the forest."
I went ahead and started using all the things he brought.
Which were bandages, oils, needle with a thread, herb ointments that smelled god awful and alcohol to disinfect the wound and myself.
Although he could've brought a better one.
---
[Alcohol]
Alcohol concentration 40%
---
But beggars can't be choosers.
He dropped a few other things into the pot before stirring it some more. "Sometimes it works out at other times... well not so much."
"Then I have the luck of coming at the right time."
He chuckled at that. "That you do."
He took out two bowls from one of the shelves before filling them whole up. After which he put them down on a table and got back to me.
He took the thread and the needle and helped suture my wounds. Once that was done, we sat down to eat.
"Have a nice meal."
"You too."
It all looked so nice from here. A nice village in the woods where all its inhabitants help each other out.
I sighed, breathed in the mouthwatering smell of stew, took the prepared spoon and dug in. Then I stopped. The spoon right before my mouth.
---
[Vegetable stew]
Traits: energizing, hunting mark
---
I expanded the hunting mark.
---
[Hunting mark]- Upon ingestion marks the consumer with a certain magic trace that can be followed.
Mark will disappear when it's digested.
---
My absent-mindedness was short as Mayor's words woke me up as he was eating.
"You should eat it while it's hot." He said as he put one hand below the table. Meanwhile his eyes never stopped observing me.