Chapter 49: Chapter 49: When A Monster Calls

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

When A Monster Calls

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As I gazed up at the dense foliage of trees ahead of me, I exhaled the breath I’d been holding in since leaving the quarry behind.

“What in the Hel am I doing walking into danger like this?”

I could still hear the wolf’s cry that my fellow novices couldn’t. Convenient.

“No point standing around out here debating whether I’m going insane or not.” My fingers tightened on the handle of my pickax. “Adventure comes calling… and I always answer.”

With that bit of self-encouragement, I took that much-needed step through the gap between the trees—thereby shrugging off the doubt weighing on my mind—and crossed into the Wandering Wood determinedly.

The light of the afternoon sun went away as soon as I stepped into the embrace of the woods. The canopy of leaves above me was so dense that it blocked out Yggdrasil’s glow as well.

I pulled out my hearthstone and whispered, “Kenaz.”

A burst of magic engulfed the crystal, bringing with it both that light and warmth I sorely needed as there was this biting chill in the air that I could feel despite the Flameheart’s warm aura dangling from my necklace.

My hearthstone’s light bounced off a forest floor carpeted in leaves and patches of tall grass for a good twenty feet.

“Light source secured… Onward and forward.”

I hiked deeper through the woods, with only the chirping of birds and the noises of other wild animals keeping me company—and I kind of liked it. Days spent around so many people were beginning to make me feel restless and longing for the mountain home I had with Divah.

“Divah really should have taught me to be more like that cool dude from those spy movies she liked so much… I bet Double-Oh-Seven doesn’t have to worry about social anxiety… or girl problems,” I chuckled.

At some point during the trek, I began noticing a low fog snaking around my legs and obstructing my view of the ground.

“I’m about to get attacked, aren’t I?”

No sooner had these words escaped my lips when the sound of crunching leaves reached my ears.

“Jackpot.”

I felt the presence of something approaching me from just beyond the reach of my hearthstone’s light. Luckily, whatever it was didn’t sound too big for my pickax to deal with.

It didn’t take long for the thing stalking me in the shadows to step into the light, and I saw the white-furred paw of a beast whose scarlet eyes were now visible beyond the gloom. Its long-eared, furry head came next, followed by a body that was far too large for this creature to be just a regular rabbit.

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“What’s up, doc?” I smirked.

I know, I know. I couldn’t help myself. This ‘Buggy Bunny’ wannabe was making me sentimental.

Okay, fine, it didn’t look like a wise-cracking cartoon bunny about to perform standup comedy. This monster’s countenance was much fiercer, with deer antlers jutting out of its head, and fluffy wings sprouting from its back. The foot-long claws spreading out of its paws were anything but friendly too.

I didn’t have time to check the bestiary of Divah’s guide—which was the only thing clipped to my belt at that moment—but it didn’t matter as I already knew what I was facing because I’d fought these ‘Wolpertinger’ before during that trip Divah and I took in the alpine forests of Bavaria.

The trick to fighting this particular monster was pretty basic. One need only watch for the wings spreading outward—which it was doing right now—and then dodge the wolpertinger as it pounced for the kill shot. Sure enough, I weaved out of the way of its claws from reaching my neck while also swinging my pickax forward.

The tip of my pickax barely grazed the monster, however, and I was forced to jump away while the wolpertinger twirled around in the air like a basketball star enjoying hangtime mode.

“This little bastard!”

Annoyed, I jumped forward to hit it again, and the wolpertinger was eager to meet my swing with one of its own. It was faster than me though, and its claw swipe nearly caught my throat if instinct hadn’t driven me to pull away at the last second.

Yes, my previous death matches have taught me not to commit to every attack. Less painful that way. Plus, backing out at the last moment brought with it a lucky bit of circumstance I didn’t fail to capitalize on. I may have stopped my attack in time, but the wolpertinger certainly didn’t. It had pushed out too far and exposed its head to my pickax which I obligingly swung down on its head.

Even for me, it would have been impossible to dodge this would-be deathblow, which of course meant that the little bastard would show me up. It dodged my downward swing a millisecond before my pickax struck gold, allowing the beast to send the claws on its feet up at me in a backward flip maneuver that would have slain in a martial arts movie.

My competitive streak flared suddenly, and I set out to prove that I could do whatever the wolpertinger could do too. My passive Athletic skill sat at a cozy level two after all.

I blocked its attack with the arm grasping my pickax while using my other arm to pull off a one-handed backward summersault that put some distance between me and the wolpertinger.

“What else you got?” I asked smugly. I wasn’t entirely sure why I was competing with this oversized rabbit but it felt good to show off.

The wolpertinger let out a bird-like “Squawk!” and then it spread its wings and leaped after me. From the aggressive way it attacked, I got the feeling the monster wasn’t the least bit worried about my crappy weapon grazing its thick hide. Seriously, the little bastard would regret underestimating me.

I ducked underneath another obvious swipe at my neck and then launched a flame-coated fist right into its fluffy belly. Fire Fist’s explosive punch knocked the wolpertinger’s body back, giving me the distance that I needed for some more magic casting.

“Spirits of flame, lend me your will of fire…” I brandished my pickax high as I strode forward. “Breathe life into my blade so my foes can taste my all-consuming ire!”

Elemental Weapon ignited the iron of my pickax, coating it with flames that were hot enough to pierce the surprised wolpertinger’s hide when it came charging recklessly at me once again.

“Die, die”—I drove my pickax deep into its chest, ending the little bastard’s life in that one swing—“die, die!”

The wolpertinger’s body went limp as it fell, its scarlet eyes going cold and lifeless before disappearing in the fog cloying on the ground. I was quick to mark the spot it fell on though because a wolpertinger’s ears and feet were pricey loot.

“A pair of lucky rabbit’s feet will sell well the week before proving exams,” I said, grinning.

The left pocket of my pants began to vibrate, prompting me to pull out my status bar and see what boon I just received.

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