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The Trail of Sloth

Brought to another Land, Phoenix loses his normal life and learns about his fate and the curses inflicting humanity. In a desperate attempt, he decides to save humanity by completing the "Trail of the Sloth"

Writer_Assistant · Fantasy
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15 Chs

Fighting the Dangers

I kept walking in the south direction after completing my test about the effects of this island.

I was feeling very sleepy. So much so, that it was hard to walk, Maybe the environment of the island was causing various effects on my body. For example, Boosting my stats above the normal human limit. But there seem to be effects that are a huge disadvantage too.

I could not find an answer to why I was feeling so sleepy, Maybe because I kept walking for 3 hours without resting. To keep me awake, I washed my face again and again with water from a stream flowing near me, but it didn't seem to work.

"Come on! I can't fall asleep, It is too dangerous." I kept repeating this in my head as I could not afford to sleep. I do not know what kind of animals inhabit this Forest. Releasing a sigh, I kept moving forward.

It was getting harder and harder to continue moving forward. And looking at the position of the moon, I could say that it was not midnight yet. My urge to sleep was overwhelming me by now.

"I Guess this is the only way. Ok!"

I took long breaths and in a desperate attempt, I bit my hand as hard as I could, to the point it was bleeding. Just to stop the urge to sleep.

"ARRGHHHH !!!!" I let out a cry after releasing my hand.

"It hurts! It hurts..!"

The pain caused by me biting myself was far more pain caused by any other bite I've ever experienced.

But the pain did its work after all, and it was now easier for me to keep myself awake.

Relieved from sleepiness, I kept moving ahead in the dark forest. Now that I'm not focused on staying awake, I can sense it.

I'm being watched.

What could it be? It isn't attacking me, So I think I'm good...for now. It probably is just a small animal hiding from me. Thinking this, I shook the feeling off and continued heading south, but seemed to find nothing.

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After walking for a long time, I felt disappointed. Walking mindlessly for 4 hours has taken a toll on my body, both physically and mentally. I felt as if it would be useless to walk more.

It was past midnight. I decided to rest right under a Thick tree.

Lying there, I started to think about my current situation.

'There seems to be nothing in this direction, I am sure it was south.'

If this island, in fact was Mystia, it should be the same size as the approximate graph of The island published in the recent research and exploration papers. If it is the same, I'm sure I should've reached The 'M.A.P' by now.

So, either I went in the wrong direction, which I highly doubt. Or this island is far more massive than current assumptions. I believe it is the latter.

Or this could be a totally different island from Mystia and I have just been walking around uselessly, searching for help which does not exist.

"No, no, no get out of my head." Demotivating thoughts were starting to rush my mind. But I had to stop them to even have the slightest chance to get out.

"An Ideal Man's Brain Is Truly The Devil's Workshop." I was repeating this quote to get my mind together.

I pondered the ways of how I would escape the island or find the others.

Suddenly, I was struck with a great yet dangerous idea.

"I will set the forest on fire!" it was the best way to display my current location to any person nearby or even far away.

Smoke clouds can be seen from a lot of distance and could easily give the location of a person, but it has its disadvantages.

I could be harmed by the smoke and suffocate from the lack of the oxygen or even worse, I could be burnt Alive. Also, the fire will definitely spread everywhere and could cause a great harm to the wildlife around here.

It was a high risk to take and an uncertain high reward situation. I could be burnt to ashes and bring the entire island down just for the sake of being located, the chances of which are low.

"The biggest risk is not taking any risk..." repeating another saying to myself, I started finding material to start

'The Great Forest Fire Plan'.

I Pulled out the knife from the Holder tied to my leg and I felt a piece of Flint in my pocket.

"H-How did this get here?"

Not paying attention to how it got there, I gathered a bunch of dried leaves and started the fire.

"Hahhh...This was easier than expected."

I said as I sat beside the Fire.

"As long as I am careful I'm sur-"

Just before I could finish saying this, I saw a tree catching the fire. "SHIT!!! SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! WHAT DO I DO NOW?!?"

I started panicking. I tried to calm down the fire but it was of no use. The fire started spreading Rapidly.

Great! I accidentally set the whole forest on fire.

The fire started growing and so did my fear.

I started running away from the fire.

"HELP!!! SOMEBODY HELP!!!" I kept shouting as I ran with all my might, but it was of no use. The fire caught up. I could feel The flames right behind, advancing towards me at an unnatural, rapid speed.

I was convinced that I would be burnt to a crisp by the flames.

'I wish I could see Levi one last time.' I thought to myself. But why am I think about her now ? In this situation...Why?

Suddenly, I felt a Jolt throughout my body, as if I was electrocuted. The shock made me open My eyes. And all I could make out was the shape of a weird creature,

'What's it doing?'

...IT WAS KISSING ME !

I got up in panic and tried to shake it off of me, "Why?! You piece of shi-" I grabbed its head and moved it away from me. Looking at its horrendous face, I smashed the creature on the ground.

"Don't come near me you little shit !!"

Looking at me, the creature ran away hastily.

"I started wiping my mouth, I was Disgusted just by imagining the creature's face.

"Huhh...There goes my First kiss." I said.

I looked around my surroundings and found the forest Completely normal. Everything was completely fine. "So that was a dream..."

That creature surely had its hand on those hallucinations. But still...

"Why?!? Seriously! Why did it have to KISS me to do so?!"

Successfully traumatised by the creature, I decided to continue on my Journey to find Levi and Ragnar.

"Wait, Which side is south then?"

"Is it this way or is it that way?" pointing my fingers here and there randomly, I tried to remember which way was the south.

"I've got an idea."

I looked at the night sky and searched for the moon. Using the moon's location, I guessed the south direction and started moving.

The fatigue and sleepiness I had felt earlier had vanished. Those were probably caused due that creature too.

Walking ahead, the forest kept getting less and less dense and it felt like I was going to reach a proper landmark.

But then, I felt a change in my surroundings.

The temperature went cold. I could not hear anything in the still thick forest.

I think I saw something out of the corner of my eye. I turned to my left and there it was. Behind those trees, A figure. Just standing there, with it's back towards me. I could not make a shape out of it, but it looked like a Human, more or less. Covered in Black & White Aura. Something wasn't sitting right for me. Just seeing the figure from afar felt uncanny.

I took a step forward, And it turned around.

Looking directly at me. As if he knew I was there all along. It was as if It's White, Lifeless eyes were staring right into my soul.

My gut was telling me to Run away but I didn't. It let out a Grueling Howl. The howl alone was enough for me to freeze in place. I was scared as I took a step back. But before I knew it.

The 'Figure' charged towards me.