Chapter 17: To Choose and Prepare

The choice was made when I woke. I somehow knew that it was to the city of Razeal I would be going. Maybe it was the bubbling curiosity and my imagination or my desire to be rid of this place as soon as possible. In any case, it didn't matter. I had my choice, and after a quick breakfast, I let Dill in on the plan.

"I'll be coming with you to Razeal."

He nodded and tried to hold back his happiness, but it was clear in his eyes. I suppose I shouldn't have been too shocked. He'd seen how I could handle myself and well, he was down a working arm. Having me by his side increased his chance of survival. Perhaps that was another reason I had made this choice.

"We can leave now then."

"Not so fast," I said. "First we need food, preferably wolf steaks, and more importantly, to refill our water."

"Where will we do that?"

"There's a watering hole nearby that the monsters all drink from." I smiled, unsheathing my blade and drawing my pistol. "We can decide how to go about things when we get there."

He nodded and drew his blade. "I'm with you."

I climbed a tree for the third time, and after confirming the direction, we began moving. Dill definitely wouldn't have survived on his own. He had no way to store food or water, and hunting would be a huge risk. He had a broken arm and seemed slightly naive. Not a good combination.

"Are you sure about this?" Dill asked as we crouched in a bush.

The watering hole wasn't too busy. There was only a pair of wolves and what looked like a cross between a dog and a hedgehog. In fact, it sorted of looked like a honey badger, just larger. If it was anything like the animal then best not to piss it off.

"Alright, here's what we'll do." I unslung my backpack and handed him the empty bottles of water. "I'll lead them away and you will go to the water hole and refill the bottles."

His eyes bulged. "Alone?"

"You scared?"

"No!" He pointed to his arm.

"I know, but everything nearby will be attracted to me, not you." I readied my blade and my pistol. "Now, once you're done come back here, ok?"

He looked unsure. "Can't we wait until there just gone?

"More could come, and we need food."

"Ok then." He sheathed his sword and took the bottles.

"Here use this bag to carry them." I hand him a plastic bag before moving away to the opposite edge of the watering hole. After taking a deep breath and steeling myself, I began to shout.

"Free snack! Free snack right here, come and get it!"

Another wolf had joined the first two while the honey badger monster was gone. All nine eyes turned to me, and in unison, they howled. I turned and ran, not using Quickstep. I wasn't actually running from them, just leading them away. I ran on and I could hear the wolves behind me. Perfect.

As I was running past a tree, I jumped and grabbed one of its lower branches before hauling myself up and turning to face the direction of the wolves. I waited. The first that came into sight got a bullet to the head while the next which came from the left, in some sort of flanking maneuver, was hit by a throwing knife. On its own, the knife might not have killed, but it was enhanced by Heavy Impact. The wolf went down, leaving only the last.

I holstered my pistol, moved back the trunk of the tree, activated Quickstep, then ran, and when I was at the end of the branch, I leaped. The wolf looked up and maybe that was shock I saw in its three eyes as I came down with my blade. It didn't stand a chance. I hit it full force, my blade cutting into its head. I rolled and tore the blade out, landing with a laugh. From paperwork and normalcy to this. Man, I was glad my uncle had left me his home.

I had received a level-up notification, but I ignored the points for now. I pulled the plastic bag I had used yesterday from my pocket and quickly shoved the steaks inside. I slung it in my backpack and quickly got away from there. I was full of energy and felt like I could take on the world, though some of it faded with Quickstep as I made my way back to the watering hole.

"Kaiden!"

"Shit." I ran at the sound of the voice and burst into the area around the lake to find Dill holding off two giant spiders. The bag of bottles was behind him, near the water. He had his scimitar drawn and was trying to keep them both in his line of sight.

When he saw me, he relaxed, which was a stupid mistake as one of the spiders leaped. He barely managed to duck, causing the spider to land in the water. I sent a Force Bullet at the other spider which stunned it long enough for Dill to end it.

"Grab the bag and let's go," I said, ignoring the first spider which didn't look like it could get out of the water.

We ran from the watering hole, senses on high alert for any signs of pursuit. When we made it back to our little abode Dill let out a sigh. "That's the second time you've saved me. Damn spiders."

"If there like normal spiders then they can't hear," I said, catching my breath. "So my shouting must not have attracted them. We made it though, whole and with our bounty."

"You got the steaks?"

I nodded. "Six and with what else I have it should last for a time. We can also hunt as we follow the compass. The bottles full?"

"Completely," Dill replied, handing the bag over. I placed it in my backpack. "Dill, did you get anything from killing the spider?"

He shook his head. "I don't have any magic. All I got was some black blood on my armor."

Either he was hiding it which was unlikely or what was probably the case, he didn't have a system. "Give me a minute then we can begin to follow that compass."

I brought up my stats and placed one in endurance to get it to twenty, two in willpower because IE was very useful, and then the final two in dexterity and agility. I was thinking that maybe I'd get everything to twenty first then go from there.

"Alright, lead the way." I motioned him forwards. "Unless you want me to lead?"

"I'll do it, just have my back?"

"Of course."

Dill pulled the compass out from where it lay against his chest. After a glance, we began our journey.

"This way."