As the frontline Warrior of the group, Marcus led the way, using his compass to lead the group further East into the forest. There were clear signs of ancient human activity, old rickety wooden houses and powerlines that had broken off lying in the middle of the forest.
The group looked into these houses but found nothing of value, any remaining containers like cupboards and wardrobes were broken and splintered, the only thing they came across was a dusty family photograph where the glass was cracked.
It left them wondering, "What happened to these people?" Asked Carla.
The whole layout of the buildings they'd come across didn't seem right, there were houses and paths sprawled over in places that didn't make sense, sometimes they'd come across a half of a house, then mere minutes later into the forest finding the other half, like the land itself had tore it apart.
The deeper they went the stranger it became - buildings jutting out from the ground, roads and paths leading into trees and crossing over themselves.
Olek shrugged, "No clue. This place is strange. I wasn't expecting to see all this merged into the forest." he muttered.
"Right." Carla nodded, "Nothing is where it's supposed to be, houses halfway in the ground, paths leading to nowhere."
Isaac looked in thought, "It's kind of like someone's swept everything off of a table and left it like that, only in this case it's people's livelihoods."
Olek left the three to talk, taking a step out of the ruined house they'd found, and that was when he saw what they've been looking for - activity.
Along a broken road leading into a tree, he saw a pair of what looked like goats, only, these goats were a foot taller than normal, and they had large crystalline horns above their heads. More than the their horns were covered in blood, with pieces of flesh visible on their fur... ringing alarm bells in Olek's head.
"Quiet. We've got something." He said in a hushed but firm tone.
The three discussing the house quietened, and gathered around Olek, peering round a corner of the house and observing the goats.
Focusing closer, Olek tried to identify the goats.
[ New Species Found ] Shardhorns - Goat-like creatures whose horns have mutated in size and to take on a crystalline form, being a perfect conduit for mana. They are violent and omnivorous beasts.
[ Shardhorn - Lvl 3]
[ Shardhorn - Lvl 2 ]
"Identify them with the System. Looks like a mutated goat-beast-thing. One level 3, the other level 2." Olek whispered.
Isaac grimaced, "Goats? They were already a pain in the ass in the old world..."
"Quit whining, this is perfect for us." Marcus said, his gaze serious.
"How do we take this? From the looks of their horns they're no stranger to a fight..." Asked Carla, her voice laced with a hint of nervousness.
Olek observed the goats, they seemed to be grazing on leaves, still having that vacant and stupid look in their beady eyes.
He doubted they were going to be tough to kill, they didn't look to be smart prey, even in real life they were quite dull and would just ram anything that threatened it - sometimes without even being threatened, just pissed off. Imagine having an off day and just deciding to ram a random passerby. Assholes.
Besides the point, he was quite confident one Mana Bolt could be the end of it.
But those horns... What was that about being perfect mana conduits? That intrigued him, seemed like it could be worth something.
While Olek was debating the intellect of the goats and the value of their horns, Marcus was deliberating on how to take them down.
"Carla, you reckon you could shoot one from here?" Marcus asked.
"I- I think so." She said.
Carla couldn't be one hundred percent certain, she'd never fired a bow at a living creature, it was only till recently she first fired a bow to begin with.
"You can only try. You've got us here, if you fail to kill one with an arrow, get back and prepare another. I'll take it head on. Isaac you'll back me up, I'll be the target of their attention but I'll need you to try go for it when you can got it? Olek, if Carla misses or fails to land a lethal hit, follow it up with a mana bolt." Marcus said.
Nodding, they all slowly started to move out into the open, trying not to alert the Shardhorns.
Carla got into position, crouched down low to the ground and took her bow into her hand. Knocking a wooden fletched arrow, she steadied her breath and focused her Keen Eye on the front Shardhorn, drawing the string as far back as she could, she aimed for the neck of the beast.
Carla's finger trembled on the string. Olek could see her jaw set - her eyes squinting slightly, her focus tightened like a hinge. She let out her breath, and released.
The arrow sang across the clearing.
Thunk.
It hit, but not quite cleanly. The tip buried deeply into the Shardhorn's side with a satisfying noise. The beast huffed and snorted, ears peeled back, it's head snapping toward the group. Blood sprayed out of the wound. It staggered, but it wasn't dead. It let out a loud, nasally scream, alerting it's compadre of the attackers.
"Shit!" Carla yelped, "I hit it, but-"
"Good work," Marcus put a hand on her shoulder, "It's not over, get back and prepare another."
She nodded, retreating and getting into position for the charge.
The larger, uninjured Shardhorn reared, the crystal on its head lowered, pointing directly at Marcus who was in between it and Carla. The beast pawed at the dirt, hot breath steaming from it's nostrils as it charged like a battering ram.
Marcus moved like he'd been ready for this since he got here. He planted his feet and squared his shoulders - he was no fool, to take the thing horn first would be suicide. As the Shardhorn got into range to lunge at Marcus, he successfully timed a Heavy Strike whilst sidestepping from the way of its horn, leaving a gash along the side of the Shardhorn as it missed him completely. It let out an almost human-like scream, but it had no time to lick its wound.
The larger Shardhorn steadied itself and prepared for another charge.
Now with Marcus having his back turned on the original Shardhorn, it prepared to attack, it's hooves pounded the ground and it let out a crying bleat as it charged into Marcus' blind spot.
Another arrow came flying across, but unexpectedly the Shardhorn seemed to have gained some braincells, batting the arrow away mid movement with it's crystalline horn - it adjusted it's path, heading straight past Marcus and Isaac and closing in on Carla.
"Fuck, Olek! Marcus-" Carla panicked.
"On it." Olek was already after it as his heart slammed into his ribs with excitement he hadn't felt for a long time - it felt a little wrong, but also intoxicating. This is exciting!
Olek shoved his novice staff forward, breathed for focus, and let the mana respond to his will. The familiar sensation of static rushed through and slipped into the staff in hand. Mana Bolt. As those words ran through his head head, the tip of the spear flared with magic and a raw bolt of mana shot out of his staff.
The blue shimmering bolt crackled through the air as it seared a hole into the side of the encroaching Shardhorn's neck with a wet squelch.
The beast folded like a puppet whose strings had been cut, it's already lifeless eyes losing all remaining vigor. It's leg twitched, but it didn't get up.
"Good shit Olek, fuck that goat for coming at me!" Carla cheered.
There was no time to revel. He turned his attention to the other Shardhorn.
As Marcus prepared for another bout with the larger goat, its attention was drawn and back turned, Isaac seized this opportunity, he steeled his nerves and advanced forward, his mace high above ready for a swing as it bludgeon the right hind leg of the goat, causing it to stumble to the ground.
Seeing its stationary form, Olek shot out a second mana bolt, this time less accurate, piercing the other side of the Shardhorn.
At the same time Marcus' greatsword swung down judgment cutting the head clean off of the goat.
Silence fell. The stink of blood being burned by mana remained in the air but... "We did it! Oh my god, we did it! YES! Fuck you goats!" Carla was the first to express her joy, quite literally jumping up and down on the spot.
The three looked at her and couldn't help but smile and laugh. Always an open book with her emotions, one moment she's wracked with nerves, the next she's crying out in joy.
"We sure did Carla, but you got to be more accurate in the future, Olek saved your ass." Marcus chuckled.
Carla looked at him with distaste, "Bloody killjoy." She muttered under her breath.
"Leave her alone Marcus, who knew the dumb goat would grow half a brain and block her arrow." Isaac added, "Besides, that was good work."
Marcus pats Isaac's shoulder, "We did indeed, good thinking batting the rear leg, gave Olek a clear shot."
[ Enemy Defeated: Shardhorn (Lvl 2) Experience gained based on level relativity.]
[ Enemy Defeated: Shardhorn (Lvl 3) Experience gained based on level relativity. ]
[ Total Credits Earned: 25 Credits ]
[ Congratulations! You have levelled up! ]
Olek's laugh faded as he watched the party cheer and pat each other on the back. He opened up his status panel to see what had changed.
Status
Name: Olek Bjorn
Level: 1
Race: Human (E)
Class: Magician | Job: N/A
Aptitude: EX-rank | Affinity: Space
Health Points (HP): 90/90
Mana Points (MP): 107/150
Attributes:
Constitution (CON): 8 -> 9
Strength (STR): 6 -> 7
Dexterity (DEX): 6 -> 7
Perception (PER): 10 -> 12
Wisdom (WIS): 8 -> 10
Intelligence: (INT): 12 -> 15
Free points: 0 -> 1
Skills: Mana Manipulation (Novice), Mana Bolt (Novice, Mana Sense (Novice), Spatial Pocket (Novice).
The difference was anything but negligible. His head felt clearer, body felt full of life, and his soul refreshed. This levelling up has an addicting feeling.
And the growth, he'd barely even winded himself during that fight yet he could fire three more Mana Bolts than before. If this is Olek at level one, he wondered what monster he'd be at level one hundred. The current him would be a ghost of the past.
"So what do we do with the bodies? Food is sorted, and I reckon it's time for us to head back west." Carla asked.
"Take them back to butcher, doing it here will make it difficult and messy to bring back." Isaac mentioned.
At his words, Marcus took off his top and threw it at Isaac. Then with one big effort, hauled the larger Shardhorn over his shoulder. Blood dirtying his body. "Olek, you did the least physical activity, you take the small one."
Olek sighed, "Fine..." He also took off his shirt and also threw it at Isaac, who stood there in shock as he was treated like a coat hanger.
He picked up the smaller Shardhorn over his shoulder, with noticeably more effort than Marcus who made the bigger one seem like a sandbag.
Slowly, the group made their way west, thanks to the compass and unmistakable land marks of houses past visited, they found it a sinch to get out of the forest.
By the time they got out, the sun was starting to set. They desperately wanted to get back for a nice meal and a drink of water. They also needed to prepare a fire.
They approached the warehouse, still as dilapidated as they left it, but it felt good to be back. Olek felt a sense of satisfaction making it back after a successful hunt, his body felt weary after hauling this abnormal goat across several miles. And the thought of putting it down danced dreamily in his mind.
Opening the rusted, creaking metal door, they had made it.
"Finally! I was getting tired." Carla stretched, yawning as she did so.
Olek's eye twitched, "You were getting tired? I had to carry this dumb goat all the way here."
"Wah, wah, wah. Quit your moaning." She taunted.
He felt a vein pop out of his forehead, "Remind me, who saved your tiny ass earlier again?"
She looked away and scratched her cheek, "Uh... If memory serves me right - Marcus? What a good guy he is for doing that eh?"
"Fuck you." He says plainly.
Marcus and Isaac laughed at their bickering. It was moments like that which made it seem less like they'd been thrown into a new reality and more like they were out camping.
Internally, Olek was grateful for his team mates. He could have been paired with some real nutjobs - Carla excluded - but they seemed like good, earnest people. He'd be sure not to rip them off in the future when he dominates the universe economically.
Olek and Marcus placed down the bodies in the corner of the warehouse,
Isaac knelt down by the larger Shardhorn and ran a hand along it's body. "I reckon I could butcher it here. I think I've found a use for my Sanitize skill..."
As he said that and golden glow radiated from his palm and enveloped the Shardhorn, clearing all the bacteria and infection it may have carried before, washing the blood from it's exterior.
"I used to work at a butcher's under my Uncle when I was in my first couple years of med school, then the uni work got too much and I had to quit... but I quite enjoyed the experience. These beasts aren't dissimilar from regular goats, I should be able to process it." Isaac explained.
Olek watched as Isaac set to work with surprising confidence. He rolled up his sleeves, muttered something about anatomy being anatomy, took out his knife from the satchel and made the first incision beneath the Shardhorn's foreleg. The knife probably wasn't as sharp as what he's used to, but he worked with medical precision.
He carves along the muscle lines, peeling back the hide with the experience of someone who's worked with creatures before, wet squelching of flesh parting filled the room. Carla gagged and had to leave the room.
Steam rose from the carcass as the warm blood met the cool air of the evening, pooling beneath and staining his shoes - probably for good. Golden light radiated from his feet and hands as he cleared away the blood and grime - which Olek was grateful for, not looking forward to sleeping in a bloody room.
It was grisly work, but watching Isaac work was probably the only relaxing thing he'd seen this entire day. Finally, Isaac managed to pry the horn from the skull, sanitizing it and throwing it to Olek for inspection, "Have a look, seems to be useful for mages."
Olek looked closer, identifying the item.
Crystalline Horn (Apprentice) - A naturally formed mana conduit harvested from the mutated Shardhorn beast. The horn's lattice structure is composed of condensed ambient mana hardened into a crystalline material, making it incredibly sturdy, stable, and responsive to magic. When refined properly, it can serve as an Apprentice grade focus for staves and wands. Due to it's neutrality in origin, it can be attuned to any elemental affinity - though at lower efficacy than a naturally attuned focus.