I approached the water sack plant carefully, examining it up close.
It was indeed clear, which was usually a bad sign. The name for this type of plant on Earth is "hyaline," and it's concerning because chlorophyll—the green pigment that absorbs sunlight and turns it into energy for plants—is necessary for most plants to live. When it's missing, it often means that the plant gets energy from other means—such as eating animals.
I loved hyaline plants so much.
That said, this case was different. The clearness seemed to match the purpose of hyaline in sphagnum moss—which was to retain water. It made me wonder if this world was different from the world I was just living in or if there were inherent similarities that, you know, didn't involve death.
I couldn't wait to study it—but this wasn't playtime.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out my pocket knife, heart pounding, deciding whether to cut it and risk the forest turning on me or run away, flipping the bird to Lithco, the Oracle, and this crazy quest.
2.
While Mira was making her decision, another integrated human was arriving in the First Ring of the Areswood Forest, unaware that he would soon cross paths with her. His name was Aiden Roe and he was a zookeeper at the San Diego Zoo. So naturally, he accepted the Beast Tamer class—but he was still wondering why he was there at all.
One moment, he was throwing frozen blocks of fish at a raft of otters—since the cute bastards need mental stimulation to eat—and the next, he saw the countdown, rushed inside, heard some screaming, called his Mom, and then was whisked off to The Matrix. Now, he had just stepped out of the way of a carriage being pulled by massive lizards with tiny wings. Simply thinking, What the hell is that thing? made an info screen pop up, telling him that the beast was a half-wing, a dragon-like creature that couldn't fly but could glide above the ground like a hang glider. It felt like a simulation.
But it felt like real life. He was walking through a city—"Theovale"—with five hundred other confused people from Earth, each speaking with Earth's idioms or in languages he could vaguely recognize. That made it seem believable. That said, they were walking toward a train that didn't chug or release steam, watching water flow through the air in streams above them, weaving through "humans" with cat ears or scales or fur buying meat and vegetables in a marketplace, all while the other people he was summoned with played dungeons and dragons with swords, shields, and spells in a nearby forest.
It genuinely felt like a video game—but it was too real—and that made him nervous. If he weren't integrated with a dozen of his pets, he would be stressed beyond functioning. Yet he was still nervous because he was separated from them for a week during the "Trial of Worth."
He would later realize just how blessed he was once he met Mira face-to-face and got to know her, but right then, he felt like his world was collapsing. Unlike Mira, it would take him some time to build up his confidence—but his journey had just begun.
"Listen up!" Graxan, the guide for the beast tamer class, said in front of the train. "In a few moments, we'll be headin' out to all your trials—and I suggest you take 'em seriously. The Trial of Worth determines what opportunities you get. If you're an alchemist, it's the difference between spendin' fifty years makin' low-tier potions and earnin' millions for specialty concoctions. In your case, it'd the difference between controllin' a dragon army and cleaning animal shit from the stables."
A man in a dress shirt beside him chuckled, smirking. Aiden saw his absolute confidence and was rubbed the wrong way immediately, instantly granting the man the title Mr. Smirk in his head.
"I'm not jokin'," Graxan said, drawing him back in. "The number of people that can tame dragons is as low as the need. But there's no shortage of need for people shovelin' shit. So unless you wanna be the best shit shoveler in the Multiverse, you should treat this seriously."
The nervous chuckles turned to silent horror.
"That's why you gotta prove that you're worth investin' in. If you do well, it'll open up options for you. Got it?"
A pair of twins whispered between them as the rest of the group exchanged uncertain glances. The sister pushed the brother's shoulder; the brother pushed her back. She huffed and spoke for them:
"I'm sorry to sound dumb, but what is an 'option?'"
It was a good question. Options could mean doing well on the SAT to get better options for college. Or it could mean something else entirely. This world was far different than their own.
"Options are called subclasses," Graxan said. "They're an area of specialization. If you don't got one, you gotta level up and do quests to get anywhere. But if you do get one, it'll unlock a whole lotta skills, books, spells, recipes, and other things to get you started in a certain area. For beast tamers, there's skills for subclasses for breakin' beasts, flying creatures, using beasts fight, and healin' animals."
The sister perked up at his words.
"Subclasses also unlock free resources as you achieve mastery and provide more quests," he said. "It's the most valuable thing outside of a legacy you can get. Luckily, the Trial of Worth is equal opportunity and provides you with the equipment and resources to showcase your talent. So if a job exists, you can get it. You just gotta make sure that you show off the skills and prove it's valuable."
Aiden swallowed.
"How do we know we're on the right track?" the brother of the twins asked.
"It'll tell you," Graxan said. "As soon as the trial begins, it's gonna start offering you voluntary quests. Once you finish one, it's gonna give you rewards dependin' on your distinction. If you get a quest to heal animals and you heal a hundred, you're gonna get better rewards than someone who heals one. And if you get those higher rewards, you're on track for gettin' a subclass."
The twins nodded, and the sister said, "Thank you."
"Anyone else?" Graxan asked.
Mr. Smirk skipped the subclass as if it was guaranteed and spoke confidently when he asked, "What's a legacy?"
Graxan chuckled at his brazen attitude. "Nothin' you gotta worry about, kid. Legacies are given out by individual gods and you gotta do somethin' truly absurd to get their attention. But if you do get a legacy quest, you should take it unless it's guaranteed to kill you. Hell, you should take it even if it does. If you get one, you'll unlock a sea of unique skills and resources. It's like inheriting the research and belongings of a famous scientist on their deathbed. But get that fancy shit outta your head and worry about a subclass. Only a dozen every wave gets a subclass. So I'd focus on that."
Mr. Smirk raised his eyebrows as if to say, Oh, really?
Aiden didn't like that man. Not at all. He took one glance at the twins and then at Graxan, who panned their gazes before asking. "Anythin' else?"
No one said anything.
"Good. Then let's go."
3.
I sat in front of the water sack plant for around ten minutes, praying that monsters wouldn't come barreling through the forest to kill me. I had put away my useless-for-even-cutting-plants knife while I thought, afraid that some beast would see me as a threat instead of a creature drinking.
To be clear, the only reason I was hanging around a location where animals were prone to drink was that the trees had thirty-foot gaps. I probably could've seen a mile and could've seen 49 more if it wasn't uphill.
Still, I was cautious. I put my jacket back on even though I was sweltering. The night would be cold, so I was lucky to still have it.
"What's the quest again?" I whispered, hugging my knees as I read it for the fourth time.
Neophyte Mira Hill has been offered a new Legacy Quest
Legacy Quest: Get Your Stuff Back
Quest Summary: Your knee-jerk decisions have landed you in the pits of hell, and the Trial of Worth certainly isn't helping. Now, you are in a dangerous location without any survival equipment and a class that's—just as I've warned you—practically useless for The Path in the short run. But rejoice—the Guide has recognized your desire for revenge and has offered you a path to salvation.
Value: Obtain the means for survival.
Requirement(s):
Obtain your survival equipment
Survive
Complete the quest within 24 hours
Rewards:
An Epic Soul Weapon
Temporary Shelter
A Six-Month Barrier That Prevents Beasts Third Evolution or Higher From Entering Your Location
Quest Reward
It's pretty much telling me I'm screwed, I thought, gripping my knees. Kline walked up to me, and I let him in my lap. "What do you think, Kline?" I asked.
He meowed.
"Thanks." I hugged him. "It's not like we have a choice."
The value was "obtaining the means for survival" and provided an ostensibly powerful weapon. Most importantly, there was a barrier that prevented what I imagined to be particularly dangerous beasts from coming to my location. It was clear that this quest was the key to surviving—and I wanted to survive.
I grabbed the clear bulb and squeezed it shut. It felt like plastic, and it was difficult to twist with the water inside and harder to knot. But I made due because I needed that water. I was certain of it.
Then, I pulled out my knife and flicked it open. The symphony bugs reacted, changing their dreamy melody to a fast-paced rhythm as if they could feel my killing intent. That was ominous, but it increased my adrenaline as I grabbed the clear bulb, which felt thick and firm like plastic, and pulled it shut with my left hand. Then, closed off with the water inside, I swung the knife like a machete, prepared to hack and slash, but instead, I fell when it sliced right through.
My head felt dizzy from the fall, and the symphony bugs didn't make things better. Their musical tune turned dark and ominous, telling me that they were communicating the event to other animals.
Kline yowled in distress, nudging me. I got the message, got up, and made sure that the bag still had all the water inside.
That's when I heard the roar. It was unlike anything I had heard before. Guttural and alien—it echoed in on itself. It was as if it growled through a mouth as long as a storm drain.
Oh, hell no! I thought. I immediately looked at the Map, searching for the mushroom. Thankfully, it was way away from there, so I got up and ran.
I started by following dirt, but I didn't have time. A colossal beast the size of a double-decker bus barreled through the forest, roaring with an anteater snout and black fur that looked as distinctive as volcanic glass. It was moving towards us—fast.
I suddenly lost my fear of poison and ran as fast and blindly as I could, looking for an area with dense trees. I found one. It was a few hundred yards out, and the beast was about a half mile away but gaining on me. I had to make it.
My sock slammed onto ground cover, my arms ran into bushes, my ankles rolled when I stumbled over rocks. I didn't stop for anything, and I never looked back. Then I saw it. A thicket that was dark and penetrating with shade, a consequence of the trees being only five feet apart. If I got there, I'd be safe from the bus.
The beast roared and slammed into a tree, ratting the earth with a boom. My heart reacted, pumping me with adrenaline and pushing me forward the last bit.
Suddenly, the sun disappeared as I entered the thicket, relieved that I was safe.
I was wrong.
Nope. I had only run for five seconds before the beast charged in head first, sending trees crashing down around me. I was certain I would've gotten hit if there weren't so many trees blocking the path. The destruction was thunderous, and the beast didn't stop. It must've been the spirit guardian life force super protector of the water sack plant or something because it was howling like a mother that lost their child as it crashed blindly through the forest.
Suddenly, I heard a tree crashing, and Kline screeched, jumping to the right. I followed him just in time for a tree to crash down where I was standing. It hit two other trees on the way down, creating a rain of sticks that hit me in the head.
I kept running without concern after that, which was a good and bad thing.
Two minutes after entering the forest, I saw neon blue moss growing high on a tree. It looked very unnatural or perhaps dangerous. It was only a glance, but it was enough to mess me up.
I ran right into a sharp bush that sent spines into my neck. I screamed and pulled back, finding that the bush was as clear as ice, glistening like spider webs under morning light. "What the hell is—"
Kline howled at me, followed by the sound of more trees quaking behind us.
"Coming!" I sprinted with him, following his path—trusting in his ears, nose, and animal instinct.
There were twenty minutes before I reached the Treskirita, the fungi that would complete my preparations to face off against the Wandering Reaper—somehow.
It was a race against the clock—but I didn't slow down. I kept running, running until my foot was bleeding from jagged rocks and ground cover, running until my throat was raw, and my neck, chest, and arms were itchy from the bush that had stabbed me and then pushed on. I was going to live, goddamn it!