The exit was slightly overgrown and with some effort he pushed through the brush and emerged into the fresh island air. He fell to his knees and let the sun warm his skin. He breathed deeply, the myriad of rich flowery scents assaulting his senses.
He reveled in his return to the surface. Though his adventures below ground had been very rewarding, nothing beats some warm island weather. Looking around to get his bearings, he saw that he must have traveled far underground, the mountain at the center of the island looking completely different from this part of the island.
He pulled out his map and looked at the strange symbols indicating the place he wanted to check out. He did his best to orient himself, then stored his map, walking into the jungle, ready to overcome whatever waited for him out there.
His thoughts raced with excitement, he was more prepared than ever to face the challenges of the Island. His foraging ability was illuminating small plants and fruits all around him while his tracking skill highlighted animal tracks with glittering lights, just begging him to follow.
He carried on for hours taking the time to gather small fruits, placing them in his satchel. He sampled each of them, some were intoxicatingly sweet while others were tough or filled with inedible seeds. Nearly everything on this island was new to him and his senses were on fire as he absorbed all these new experiences.
Birds sang and frog like critters croaked throughout the trees. He was truly, utterly alone and he was loving every second of it. He knew that he could survive here for a long time if he had to, but he really wanted to get to the next step in this great adventure sooner rather than later.
After all, he hadn't been transported here to be trapped on an island forever. Add in what he had learned about his potential destinies and he knew there was no way that shark headed bastard expected him live and die here.
He shook his head when he thought about Sharktooth, the strange creature who was apparently some sort of god like being. He also remembered how much it hurt when he broke his friggin’ hand punching that mutant bastard in the face. Or was it the snout. He really didn't know much shark biology.
Skree made his way through the underbrush, his skill increases letting him move effortlessly through the thick foliage. He spotted a boar like creature, digging at the ground with its tusks, deciding that he should see if these things could be made into bacon. Man, he really wanted some bacon.
Activating stealth, he drew his bow, nocking an arrow and activating Careful Aim. As always, the world slowed, and he settled in on his target. As he watched the boar shuffle in slow motion, he noticed a small icon in his vision. With a glance, he read the status seeing that it was the Natural Predator Trait activating. He was currently receiving 100% increased stealth and tracking while hunting this boar.
He used Analyze, taking in the information quickly.
Name: Jungle Boar, level 3
Health: 140
Mana: 10
Stamina: 260
Disposition: Wary. Jungle boars are omnivores, just as willing to eat carcasses as vegetables and fruits. They often explode in population in the late spring and can become extremely violent during the rut.
He let his arrow fly, the Ebon-Tipped projectile burying deep into the targets chest, penetrating the heart and killing it near instantly. The poor critter barely making a sound as it fell to the ground dead. Skree shouldered his bow, moving to claim his kill.
As he approached, he was startled out of his stealth by an ear shattering shriek. He looked around wildly, trying to find the source of the deafening sound when a shadow passed over him. He looked up and saw what had to be the largest bird he had ever seen. It was an eagle like creature, though it was the size of a small automobile. Probably ten feet from beak to tail feather.
It swooped in fast, landing talons first on the Jungle Boar he had just killed. It gave another shriek in exaltation, extending its wings in triumph. Almost on instinct, Skree used analyze.
Name: Giant Eagle (male), Level 9
Health: 340
Mana: 60
Stamina: 360
Disposition: Animosity. Giant Eagles are an apex predator of the skies, often killing creatures equal in size, though occasionally much larger. These majestic birds will carry small boulders and drop them from great heights on larger prey animals before attacking with its razor-sharp talons.
“Now that’s a big ass chicken right there.” Skree muttered to himself, watching the bird tear the boar to pieces with relative ease. Blood sprayed as the limbs were ripped from the torso and the entrails torn out. The majestic bird was swallowing large mouthfuls of meat, throwing its head back letting the meat slide down its throat.
“Well, I really wanted some bacon, but I suppose white meat will have to do!” Moving as fast as he could, he drew his bow, activating stealth and Power Shot. He hoped to do a significant amount of damage in a single shot.
Holding the bow as it creaked under the strain of his pull, his Natural Predator talent activated again. Just before he released his shot, he remembered that he now had spells! He let the string go slack, holding the bow and arrow with one hand and with other began casting Entangle for the first time.
He had never used magic, but somehow, he knew how to use it effortlessly. He moved his hand in small circles, his fingers moving through complex forms. He felt the power building up and with a whispered word of power, the mana left his body. The ground around the eagle erupted with a tangle of vines rapidly entangling the creature’s wings, head and legs.
Thorns sprouted from the vines, embedding in the flesh of the raptor. Skree grinned fiercely as the creature struggled against the magical vines. Knowing that it wouldn't hold forever, he drew hard on his bowstring, activating Power Shot. He sighted and loosed quickly, the bow shuddering as the power was released.
The arrow struck the target just below the beak, tearing into the throat of the creature. It trumpeted a sound of anger as blood soaked its golden feathers. He activated Careful Aim, letting the time slowing effect wash over him. He waited for his opportunity and released the arrow. It tore through the air, the bladed arrowhead burying itself into the eagle’s neck, nearly impacting the same spot as his first shot. The poor bird struggled weakly against the vines, blood pouring from the holes in its neck.
Skree moved in, dropping the bow and pulling the huge sword from his back. The eagle looked up at him, nothing but pain and sadness in its eyes. He shuddered with sadness at the sight, knowing he had killed this majestic predator for almost no reason.
Despite the admonishment he felt, he raised the blade and swung in one fluid motion, decapitating the eagle and ending its suffering. He collapsed to his knees, sadness washing over him. Had he really become so comfortable with killing after only a few days in Raiya? He didn't know why this death was hitting him so heavily, but he forced himself to calm.
This creature was a dangerous predator, and he was alone in a deadly world. He took a few deep breaths then relaxed, reviewing a few prompts.
You have gained 160 experience from killing Jungle Boar, level 4
You have gained 950 experience from Killing Giant eagle level 9.
Well, at least he would get more than just food from this carcass. He pulled out his dagger and got to work, carving meat from the eagle’s legs, chest and wings. Each gave him a prompt, but he dismissed them without much consideration as food was pretty lacking in information and necessity.
He removed the talons from each foot, awestruck by the size of the things. They were nearly the size of his short sword and they were made of a material as hard as stone.
He checked the prompt.
Congratulations, you have found Giant Eagle Talons x 8, Rarity: Scarce, Quality: Superb, Durability: 80/80. Giant Eagle Talons are a sought-after commodity as Giant Eagles are rare creatures. The Talons can be made into extremely durable knives or tools.
You have found Giant Golden Feathers X 50, Rarity: Scarce, Quality: Superb, Durability: 4/4. Golden feathers are
a rare crafting ingredient, useful for creating enchanted arrows.
He looked at the eagles remains, shaking his head. “I promise, I will put these to good use. I hope you find peace in the next world.” Skree cleaned his weapons, recovered his arrows and stored the trophies in his satchel. With one last glance at the majestic bird, Skree carried on, into the jungle, with a bit more experience both in the game and in his new life.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The next few days passed in a bit of a funk. The rain came that night and it rained hard. Rain like this only happened on islands or in deep jungles. It came in great punishing sheets, battering him until he had to give up on traveling, forcing him to find cover.
He took shelter under trees or stony outcroppings. Getting a fire going was impossible, so the roasted meats and vegetables that Sawbones had given him were a life saver. He ate most of his stores out of sheer boredom, the dark clouds and impassable mud keeping him stationary hour after excruciating hour.
He was wet, cold and bored, but at least he was good and full. Eventually the rain let up and Skree was able to resume his trek to the base of the mountain where the strange markings were on the map. By his estimations, he should reach the area in the next day or so.
Along the path he gathered what supplies he could, finding a few handfuls of berries, some carrot like vegetables and even a weird fruit that resembled a watermelon, only it was… shaped like a dodecahedron. He didn't care what analyze called them, from now on he would call them twenty-sided Fruit.
After a tough day of rugged, muddy travel Skree found a nice cavernous rock formation, closed on three sides with a nice opening at the top where a flat slab was propped up a foot or so from the walls. He was happy, knowing it would be an excellent place to camp for the night.
He got a roaring fire going, glad to remove his armor and clothes and let them dry a bit by the fire. He roasted all the Giant Eagle meat, the succulent flesh crackling and spitting over the flames. He checked his gear for damage, cleaned any caked-on mud from his boots and sat down with a large cut of meat.
He ate it greedily smiling happily after each mouthful. Who knew that walking for hours through ankle deep mud while carrying thirty pounds of gear would be so exhausting. As he ate, the hair on the back of his neck stood up and a sense of danger washed over him. He quickly grabbed the hatchets from his harness and waited, listening for any sounds.
He saw it then, and nearly jumped out of his skin. A pair of glowing eyes, looking at him from the Jungle. He made no moves and watched intently as a form creeped into view from the darkness, pacing cautiously into the firelight.
A dark furred wolf, young and scrawny limped closer, growling deeply as it approached the camp site. Skree used Analyze to see what he was up against.
Name: Jungle Wolf, level 2
Health: 40/180
Mana: 120
Stamina: 160
Disposition: Wary. Jungle wolves generally hunt in packs, but some alpha males will break away from the group to hunt alone. Most Jungle Wolves will avoid firelight and other signs of danger unless driven to extremes by hunger or other conditions such as disease.
Skree looked closely at the wolf, Analyze showing him that it was missing a good bit of health. It was a scrawny thing, its muscles far too lean for size. “This thing must be starving,” he thought.
Slowly, ever so slowly, he reached for the meat he had been eating. As he did, the creature bared its fangs, the hackles on its back standing straight up in the firelight. He made some soothing sounds and tore a piece of meat from the haunch and threw it toward the wolf.
The movement caused the wolf to jump back a few steps, but it did not flee. Instead is sniffed at the air and moved toward the cooked flesh just a few feet away. Once it was close enough, it snapped up the meat and scurried over to the wall, tearing at the juicy seared flesh.
Skree remained motionless, watching as the wolf devoured the meal. When it had finished the last bits, it turned to look at him again. It whimpered and huffed, looking at the remaining meat in his hands. With a sigh, he tossed the rest of his piece of meat to the wolf, who snatched it out of the air and didn't bother moving away before eating with reckless abandon.
The creature sat staring at Skree, licking the greasy remnants from its lips. It had devoured the meat, the grease matting the fur around its mouth. Still doing his best not to scare the creature he saw that it looked… happy? The wolf slowly limped closer to Skree, the fear and tension evident. When it was no more than three feet away, it whimpered and laid down, the motion communicating just how exhausted the poor creature was.
Skree scanned the wolf carefully, seeing the lupine creature had a bleeding wound on its back leg. It looked infected and would probably lead to a slow and painful death for the small wolf. Its breathing was labored, its eyes shut tight against the pain.
Skree grimaced in solidarity, his heart filling with determination. He began drawing on his mana, his fingers coursing with life giving power. Finishing the casting, a golden light surrounded the wolf. Skree watched in wonder as his power closed the wound on its leg, sealing the gash shut, sickly yellow fluid flowing out of the rapidly healing flesh,
Skree used Analyze on the wolf again and saw that his spell had restored a large portion of the missing health and the heal over time effect of his spell was still working. Within a few moments, the creature’s health points were fully restored.
The wolf visibly relaxed, crawling slowly closer to Skree. The wolf nuzzled its head against his leg, then licked his hand lightly. Extending his hand very slowly, he gave the wolf a few scratches on the ear. The wolf rolled onto its side, showing its soft stomach to him. From what he knew from books and his own dogs, it was a gesture of trust. He sat there for nearly an hour, running his hands over the coarse fur, stroking the wolf while it snored gently under his gentle touch.
Leaning back on his satchel, sleeping wolf beside him he closed his eyes and a few minutes later, he drifted off to sleep.
Sunlight streamed in through the openings in the roof, illuminating the space with a warm light. Skree stretched, his joints cracking angrily from the long night on the stone floor. With a sudden start, he looked around for his friend the wolf.
When he couldn’t find it, he experienced a moment of sadness. He knew it wasn't a pet, but it was nice to have a small reminder of his pet dog from back home. He missed his big old Smash - the name he had given his beloved pet dog.
When the moment had passed, he gathered up his weapons, donned his armor and took his first steps of the day. The sun was warm and the breeze refreshing. He had a good feeling about today.
Skree hurried along moving toward his intended destination with single minded focus. Today he would find the place marked on the map and put this mystery to bed. As per the usual, he gathered every piece of food he could gather without deviating to far from his path.
It was surprising just how much food you could find when you have magic powers that illuminate every scrap worth grabbing. He had been snacking on berries and tubers for days and found that they did a great job keeping him energized. Very different from the fast food he ate several times a week in the old world.
The travel was uneventful, eventually taking him up a long, steep hill where the trees thinned substantially toward the top. He crested the hill and took a moment to look down upon the valley below.
To his surprise, it was not a small dip in the land but a substantial valley, with steep inclines and craggy slopes. It was at least half a mile across with a large waterfall at one end, coming from a smaller peak of the central mountain spilling into a wide river that stretched all the way to the ocean.
Skree searched up and down the rim of the valley, finally locating a trail the led down the slope. Making his way down carefully, always moving toward the waterfall as according to the map, the strange marker was around the base of the mountain, near the cascading falls.
The roar of the waterfall continued increasing in v
olume until it was impossible to hear anything else. The air was damp, and a fine mist hung thick in the air. As he approached the base proper, he had a chuckle to himself.
“If there is a secret cave behind that waterfall, I am going make fun of you so hard Sharkface.” He said aloud, looking to the sky and mocking Sharktooth. Approaching carefully, he peered around the edge of the waterfall looking for a dark gap or other indicator that there was a secret chamber.
When he couldn't see anything, he did consider trying to walk through the torrent of water but tossed that idea away figuring the water would crush him. No, he knew he would have to look for something less obvious. He activated his tracking skill, searching for tracks of any kind. When nothing appeared in his vision, he sighed gloomily. Of course, it wouldn’t be so obvious.
He paced up and down the river, searching for anything that that might draw his attention. He was about to give up and move further down the river when he saw a glint under the water in a deep eddy.
“It has been a bit warm today, how about a swim?” he asked himself sarcastically. He started removing his gear, leaving it in a niche between a few of the larger river rocks. When he was down to just his silken pants, he waded into the river, grateful that it was actually very warm and refreshing.
Plunging into the water, he swam toward the glinting light, discovering a large golden statue, broken into multiple pieces. He swiped at the dirt and grime that had grown over the statue revealing the head of a Kobold, wearing a crown with a large blue stone as the focal point.
Looking around, he quickly spotted several other pieces scattered near and far, all made of a similar golden metal. He tried to lift one of the smaller pieces, but it was far too heavy. He nearly pulled a muscle in his back and despite his efforts, it barely even stirred up mud.
He was running short on breath, so he pushed off the statue, the force of his jump enhanced by his new strength allowing him to rapidly reach the surface. He broke through gasping for air. He just floated there for a minute, thinking about the statue and the many pieces littering the riverbed. He doubted that even the huge waterfall would have had the power to push the massive statue this far down the river.
Raiya: Starter Zone - A LitRPG Saga: Archon's Chosen - Book One Page 11