The System

It was five years ago that she made the trade, and she had never regretted her decision. Not once.

~ 5 years earlier

A slim blue figure could be seen thrashing through the shrubbery as she bent her back to doge several branches headed for her.

Her body moved continuously as she dodged, jumped and swerved.

Her loosely hanging auburn hair was flying in the wind created by her speed.

Behind her the cracking and crunching of wood could be heard. Trees fell down and white-leafed bushes were torn open.

The tranquil forest shuddered in fear as this chase continued.

The auburn haired lady, who was non other than Arya had a frightened expression displayed on her face.

She jerked her had backwards, realizing that she was still being chased she increased her speed. She was breathing profusely, her windpipe and lungs were already starting to feel like burning inwardly while simultaneously being ripped apart.

Her eyes became watery and her vision blurry, making it harder to completely dodge the branches in her path.

Due to this in the next moments several silver-twigs and glass-leaves had cut her skin, causing gashes which dripped with blood. The smell of iron only further intrigued the blood-thirst of the Glacial Bear chasing her.

In front of her the tees grew larger and more in size, shrubs were thorny and thick. The canopy of the Northern Silver Forest let no light through. The only source of light were the Glass Iceflies, little creatures resembling fireflies but they were made out of glass and shone in several shades of blue. The ground grew more uneven with every step. Roots were protruding and silky plants lurking beneath Aryas feet.

One big root protruding caught her foot, halting her movements in an instant. Arya's eyes widened as her face fell towards the floor.

The outlines of the silk-grasses became clearer, each blade looked like a tiny fern only in white.

Her body fell creating a swooping sound due to the acceleration of her pace before. Arya stretched out her hand to cushion the fall's impact.

Her gashed hands pressed against the floor, holding about 30% of her whole body weight, before slipping away after a few seconds.

Her body crashed onto the floor. All the twigs on the floor pieced into her skin, while the silk-grasses sticked to her making her unable to move.

Immobilized like this she was like a fly in a spiders cobweb, only that here she was the fly and the glacial bear was the spider.

The cracking and falling of tress still reverberated through the forest, becoming louder and louder as the predator approached.

"No good! No good! Not at all!" The woman was panicking.

Arya tried to move her hand but was unable to. Her hand was entangled with the grass on the ground and her body's strength had left her. Her muscles twitched in pain, she was huffing and exhausted. Still Arya tried push herself, struggling to free her hands and feet so that she could get up. The more she pulled the harder it became. The sticky silks glued themself's even more to her skin.

"Why is this happening? I only wanted to get some herbs for the quest! As a boss I just wanted to get some easy money!" She wailed in desperation.

A tree behind her fell down, landing directly next to her. The tree shattered into thousands of glass shards, penetrating and impaling her skin.

Blood oozed out slowly seeping into the white earth staining it red. A faint iron smell spread through the forest and lingered in the air.

In the forests floor the blood seeped down sticking to everything it touched.

Above ground a loud roaring was heard. The bear had caught up and was even more incensed due to the heavy blood stench.

It stood on its hind legs and drummed its paws against its chest. In the next moment the bears claws thrashed down the last tree separating him and Arya.

He repeatedly slashed against the tree, each time a sound like chalk scratching on a chalkboard was heard.

Smaller animals had run away, dug into the ground or hid with camouflage. Nobody wanted to get involved with the #1 predator, the Alpha Glacial Bear A-tier.

Arya had managed to turn her head, facing the fast approaching creature. The bear raised its body and claws, then a loud roar could be heard. Trees shaking, leaves trembling and the floor vibrating.

"Oh no. Please! I don't want to die here! Please! I only came hear to gather he-" Before she finished the thought her consciousness slipped away.

The bears claws were descending fast, his white glistering fur fluttering in the wind.

Roaring. Then swooshing.

Simultaneously two things were out of perception for the bear who was focused on his prey.

The first one was an elegant black-white crow sitting on one of the branches above, staring downwards with crimson glowing eyes. The second was the blood still seeping deep into the ground. The crow had been there for quite some time, looking at the floor with a sharp vision. The only difference between now and two minutes earlier was that the crow was now dashing down. Impaling the bears tough fur-coat on its right shoulder, right below its shoulder blade. It repeatedly thrashed its bill, causing a piercing wound.

In an instant as the blood of the bird had managed to open a wound drops of blood could be seen dripping out. The bear was aggravated and turned around.

Craw! Craw!

The crow fluttered upwards, dodging a swing at the bear's paw. It moved 2 degrees right and 7 upwards. The bear swung its claw again.

In its movement the blood of the wound spritzed out.

The crow dodged again by swerving to the right. The bear raided its claw again and was about to thrash downwards when suddenly it stopped.

[Movement blocked]

[Success!]

It didn't stop here. The messages kept popping up.

[Initializing lifeblood acquisition]

[0 % / 100 %]

[Estimated time: 20 minutes.]

{Does host wish to acquire lifeblood?}

{Yes/No}

"Yes." A silent female voice could be heard. It was Arya. She was still lying on the ground but her body had almost stopped bleeding and her eyes were glowing in the same crimson colors as the crows.

[Initializing acquisition.]

[1 %/ 100 %]

As the gauge went up Anya stared at her surroundings still struggling to free herself.

The sticky ferns had completely entangled her.