Chapter 10: Chapter 9: A Mile Behind

Drake’s eyes fluttered open, his whole body in pain. His vision blurred by crust and the brightness of what he hazily thought was the sun and a campfire?

Definitely a fire. He thought as he heard the crackling of embers.

He tried to rub his eyes to clear the filth that was apparently on them, trying to figure out what was going on. Removing the dirt from them he blinked wildly and tried to focus his vision. Suddenly remembering he was fighting some steroid using monkey, he shot up halfway from his lying position, his head darting back and forth looking for it.

“Ape’s dead little guy, no need to worry.” A rumbly voice like a low thunder said.

“Who are you calling little gu-” Drake began as he turned to the voice by the fire, but quickly shut up seeing who or what it was. Had the Monkey had a friend? “Nevermind, you can call me whatever you want. Alright Big guy?”

The man scoffed, “Name’s Bear, you can wash up at the river over there.” Bear told him, pointing a little past Drake. “The stuff from the Warrior Vampiric Ape is right here.” Bear rapped his finger against the armor at his feet, a crystalline stone reflecting in the light next to it. “But I'll’ be taking this as compensation for making sure you didn’t die when I found you passed out back there.” He finally said, picking up the wooden club the Ape had been using. It still having some blood on it, most likely from Drake, making him shudder slightly.

“That’s fair. My life is worth a big stick then I guess.” Drake said, fumbling over himself as he slowly stood up.

“Would you rather I take everything? Not that I need it.” Bear quipped.

“No, we're square. Haha… My bad, I joke when I shouldn’t sometimes. I- What I meant to say was- Is, thank you.” Drake said sheepishly, turning to go in the direction of the river.

“No worries man, Ain’t that deep.” Bear chuckled lightly, taking Drake off guard with his response.

“Ain’t that deep? Where are you from dude SoCal…?” Drake asked, turning back to the fire, finally getting a good look at the man. The man, Bear, was obviously using an alias. Drake didn't have any way of confirming his name anyway, the system’s identify didn’t work on living beings; he had confirmed it on the Apes multiple times.

“Yeah, why?” Answered Bear, from his seat on a fallen tree next to the fire. His large figure clearer to Drake now that his eyes were clearer. It was still bright out. A little past noon it looked like Bear's red hair shining in the light, and lit even more by the fire. He had a strong looking face even more fierce than what he saw the day before, and a rough full beard covering it. His body was broadly framed, and although he wore a loose buttoned shirt it was easy to tell he was massive underneath from the way it draped on it. If the way he handled himself earlier wasn’t telling enough.

“No, I know a few people from California. You just come off as, you know, a huge Paul Bunyun or Brave Heart kinda guy.” Drake said, laughing lightly.

“I get that a lot. I’m actually Icelandic, moved to the States when I was just a kid. The ironic thing is I ended up in Canada up in the woods, so I guess the Paul Bunyon fits now.” scoffed Bear, waving Drake off to go to the river.

Drake moved a small way off and found the river, looking around now and then to look for danger. When he felt safe he knelt to the edge of the running water, splashing copious amounts of water onto his face cleaning off the rest of the caked on, blood, dirt and grime from it.

Soon Drake’s hands began to shake, the events catching up to him as his body began to shake as well. He curled up his arms wrapping his body as he yelled and screamed quietly into his arms. The fact of him almost being crushed and dying twice in the last 24 hours was just too much for him. He had never faced anything like this in his life, never being in the army or much confrontation his entire life. Sure he had been in a street fight or scuffle at school, but the life and death battle he was just in couldn't compare.

The water on his face was indistinguishable from his tears as he sat there for a moment. Staring down at the muddled water.

“Fuck!” Drake shouted finally, throwing both his hands into the water in frustration of his weakness. After a few moments he cupped them to drink the water thinking he would drown in the coolness of it quenching his thirst, coating his dry throat in moisture.

“This definitely wasn’t what I pictured when I thought of the great Mage I wanted to be. Finally get magic and I can only cast one spell, then monkey man nearly trampled all over me. I’ve got to make a change here soon.” Drake sighed, slowly standing up.

Drake grimaced again from the muscle pain, looking at his health. It was full but he still felt the effects of the pain. The system’s health meter didn’t account for larger injuries' lasting effects when it measured health, he guessed. Drake was still in one piece, but his body still felt where he was smacked into the tree, and by the Ape’s club.

Drake made his way back to the fire Bear was sitting at, taking a seat in front of it on the ground to dry himself and his now cleaner clothes. Bear seemed to be looking over something through the system as he only looked up briefly to nod at him when he approached.

Drake did the same, curious of his own status.

 

[You have defeated Warrior Vampiric Ape Level 7] [3,000 Experience Points and 300 Tutorial Points have been rewarded.]

 

Holy shit, no wonder it almost two-shotted me. And that’s a crazy amount of experience! He thought.

 

[Congratulations! You have increased to Mage Level 6] [14 Free Points have been awarded.]

 

Drake frowned slightly at the fact that he only gained one level from the Ape. It had nearly killed him after all. He was also surprised to see that the kill didn’t count towards the kill quest, a new one being added instead.

 

[New Subjugation Quest! Kill 10 Warrior Vampiric Apes]

[Reward: Experience. 1 Random Skill Stone.]

 

Drake brought his hand to his chin looking at the notification. It looked like encountering new species and monster types was the trigger for Subjugation Quests. He moved to his status now.

 

[Drake Wallen]

Tutorial Alias [Shot]

[Base Class: Mage] Level 6

[Vitality] 91

[Strength] 13

[Dexterity] 29

[Intelligence] 79

[Wisdom] 46

[Endurance] 12

[Free Points] 14

[Skills] Basic Mana Bolt [Level NA]

[Titles] First Blood, Two versus One, One vs Many, Monkey Slayer, Living on the Edge, Close Call.

 

[Close Call]

[Being on the edge of death twice, dropping below 5% health and surviving twice. +10 to Vitality.]

 

Before Drake could decide what to do with his free points, his stomach roared in hunger at him. Reminding him that he hadn’t eaten in two days. He looked at the fire and got an idea.

“Hey Bear, are you hungry?” Drake suddenly asked the man across from him.

Raising a brow looking up from presumably his own status, Bear answered “Yeah, always.”

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Drake pulled the deer carcass from his inventory. “Do you have any idea how to prepare this?” Drake asked, as he had no idea himself, he wasn’t exactly the outdoorsy type before the tutorial.

“Yeah I’ve done it a few times, no worries.” Bear answered, picking the deer up by its hind legs with one hand.

“Would you be willing to prepare two then? I’ll give you one of them as thanks for helping me out earlier.” Drake said, bringing out the second deer he had.

“Yeah no problem.”  Bear grinned as he took the other deer in his other hand, and walked out of sight with them.

What a monster, those things are easily 200 pounds each, and he's handling them like toys. Drake thought.

While Bear was preparing the deer, Drake moved over to the pile of armor from the Ape he had yet to grab, first he picked up the small stone next to them, inspecting it before plopping it into his inventory.

 

[Skill Stone: Debuff] [Uncommon]

[Unlocks a random skill from the Debuff tree]

[Requirement: Open Skill Slot]

 

Drake was pleasantly surprised at the Stone’s description. A debuff skill would be great. Well if he could use it.

Soon he heard footsteps coming from the woods and turned to see Bear carrying two skinned and skewered deer in each hand. “That was really fast.” Drake said.

“It doesn’t take long if you know what you're doing, and with the strength I have it goes really quickly.” Bear answered, shrugging his shoulders.

Drake just nodded, impatient to get a meal. Bear setting up a spitroast for the fire. Sitting back down on the fallen tree he roasted it now and then silently.

Drake wasn’t much for conversation at the moment either, staring at the deer drooling in anticipation for a meal in so long. The smell of the cooked meat filling the area. Over the next hour they mostly sat waiting for the food to cook, barely any chatter between them.

Bear was incrementally turning the deer over the spit in a constant motion now, while still looking like he was fiddling with his status.

Drake wasn’t sure how much longer it would take, and fiddled with his screens as well, going over the armor he had put off checking until now.

 

[Crude Iron Helmet NG][Common]

[A crassly made helmet that offers a small amount of protection. +2% defense proficiency.] 

 

[Crude Iron Chest NG][Common]

[A crassly made chest armor that offers a small amount of protection. +5% defense proficiency.]

Drake looked curiously at the armor, new stats he had yet to see on them. He looked closer at the names of the pieces trying to glean some more information if possible.

 

[Crude Iron Helmet NG]

[A Non-graded piece of equipment]

 

What was a Non-graded item? Drake thought. Was it because it was too low of a level, like how some games had white or normal armor?

“Hey what’s a Non-” Drake asked while starting to look up from his screen, when another rumbling from the forest vibrated through the ground. Drake subconsciously started to shiver as he remembered the last time he felt this.

And Drake was right, as a familiar daunting figure made its way out of the tree line. The Ape’s nose was up in the air sniffing. It had apparently been drawn to them because of the cooking deer.

Drake got up in a scramble searching his person for his staff. But it was gone. Had Bear taken it? But he looked like he had been a warrior, why would he need it?

“Don’t worry I’ll grab this one.” Bear said calmly from his sitting position, the next instant he was in front of the Ape in a blur. He was almost a match in height for the massive monster, but he was more than a match for it in strength.

Bear was holding the Ape by the throat, raising it in the air with one hand, its legs dangling off the ground as it scratched at his arm to no avail. Bear raised the beast even higher and threw it to the ground, shaking the surroundings and leaving it in dented earth. He then brought the club he had taken and drew it to the sky before slamming it down on the beast, once then twice. Leaving it unmoving, he picked up whatever was left by the Warrior Ape and placed it into his inventory as he walked back.

Drake’s mouth was left on the floor, the display of power had dwarfed what he saw the Ape do just earlier. “Bro, what kind of food did you grow up on to do something like that, you just embarrassed that Ape’s whole family for like 6 generations. What the hell level are you?” Laughed Drake sheepishly.

“14” Smiled Bear answering.

“You’re what!? You already finished the quest then and got your second class? What is it? Do you want to pa-” Drake’s mind was going wild with questions when he heard the number, and he rapidly asked them without thinking until he was about to ask him to party up. Drake stopped just before the words left his mouth, embarrassed.

Drake had already asked a lot of Bear, he had even made sure he was safe when he blacked out earlier, when he was under no obligation to do so. Drake’s pride wouldn’t allow him to keep asking for help from this man when he had nothing to offer himself. What was he going to give him that he couldn't get himself?

Drake was a step behind. He had been playing it too safe, it was clear. He wasn’t sure what Bear’s stats were but he could tell that they significantly out did his own. Sure he was a melee class from what he could see, but he was out here alone just like Drake. He felt a pit of shame creep up into his stomach.

Bear had doubled the level Drake was and more somehow. And here he was scared, instead of out there getting stronger, making his goals for this world a reality. The people he looked up to would never approve. Goku would never back down from a challenge. And he wasn’t about to either.

Bear seemed to have ignored Drake’s outburst and reached for the deer to tear off some straps, offering some to Drake. “Food’s done, stop standing there like you're contemplating the world and eat first.” Bear teased.

Drake swiped the meat from Bear’s hand scowling, biting into the still piping hot strap with vigor. Quickly devouring it and feeling rejuvenated. “I’m going to take some of the cooked deer and leave.” Drake said, ripping off some more pieces of the meat and thankful he could place the pieces into his inventory. Now ready to set off.

“You're going to need this then.” Bear said, throwing a wooden staff at Drake.

Drake grabbed the staff out of the air. The staff looked very similar to his own but it wasn’t the staff he had been using, it had no bite marks or rough chips in it from the fights. Did he get this from a different monster or person?

 

[Novice Wooden Staff] [Common]

 

• 1 to 12 Physical Damage

• 40 to 44 Magical Damage

• Attack Speed: Normal

• Cast Speed: Normal

• A starter wooden staff made of what it looks like, wood.

 

Drake smiled slightly at the familiar description.

“There are higher level monsters roaming around it seems like as the days pass, like this place is steadily increasing the difficulty. I found this off one that could use magic, and it isn’t any use to me so you take it since yours broke.” Bear said. Ripping off another strap from the deer.

“Why didn’t you give it to me before?” Drake asked.

“What? I might be nice, but I'm not going to give someone a weapon when I don't know them. But you're leaving now, and I can make out that you're not a lunatic, so take it.” Bear said, pointing his deer strap at Drake.

“Thank you again, I’m not sure how I can repay someone twice my level right now, but next time we meet I will.” Drake inclined. Receiving a wave of deer meat from Bear. Drake walked past the fallen Warrior Ape with a look of determination in his eyes, he may be a step behind now but he wasn’t about to be outdone forever.

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