Chapter 10: Patience!

"He should've been back a while ago..."

Meg was currently sitting at the campsite, wondering what happened to Jackson. They both agreed to be back by the time the sun was at it's highest, and it had been about 2 hours since then.

I'm seriously getting worried... Should I just go look for 'em? That'd probably be best. Shoot. If he's dead... Nevermind I'll hope that Chop's nose is good enough.

Meg pulled out a wooden statue carved into the shape of a wolf. It looked slightly scraggy, but seemed well maintained. Meg released a steady steam of mana into the statue, and it slowly grew into the size of a big dog. Smaller than an actual wolf, but it would work. Meg rummaged through Jackson's stuff and pulled out a worn shirt from his bag.

"Sorry... Wait, how did he lug all this stuff out here? Scratch that, Chop, find this guy."

Chop scurried up to Meg, dropping a mouthful of nuts at her feet before sniffing the shirt and darting around trying to find a scent trail. Meg looked at the nuts and sighed.

"I love you n'all chop, but why did kid me pick a squirrel spirit to be a wolf helper?"

 

      

 

Jackson woke up to a sore body, and the feeling of someone aggressively rubbing his face with a stick.

"What... Ah!"

Well he was partly correct.

"It's... friendly?"

"Chop! don't run off Withou- Jackson!"

Meg ran out from the brush and seemed taken aback.

"Stay still, I have my med-kit on me. Moving would just hurt you more."

"Meg? w-wait I'm fine let me just-."

"How long ago did this happen? That bear..."

"I don't know, looking at the sun-"

"I'm so sorry, I was trying to help you experience what adventurer's do but..."

"I promise I'm fine, I bounce bac-"

"I'll take you to the hospital and report the attack to the guild this isn't-"

"Meghan! Calm down. I'm okay. Let me just... explain. I'll treat myself, I'm used to it."

Meghan took a breath.

"Okay."

 

     

 

He reminds me of Michael. He was always good at defusing tense situations. Back to the matter at hand.

"-After I killed it I got a normal kill notification, and then an Achievement. I'm going to preface this by saying that about a month ago I killed an anomaly, which is rare in itself. But this is something new. I got an achievement that called it a triple anomaly; I absorbed three stats!"

"...What?"

"Yeah."

Meg had a sinking feeling in her stomach.

We're already in a war, if this means...

"That's not all, when I finished reading the achievement-"

There was a short moment where nobody was talking. Jackson seemed confused.

"Um, I know this is a tense situation and all but what did ya say?"

Jackson seemed confused, then his posture immediately straightened, and his face went to a somewhat neutral expression.

"I said that at the bottom of the achievement It kept track of how many anomalies I've killed, but instead of saying 1/5, it said 4/5; The title was also called, "A New Breed". Isn't that what happened when the second Demonic invasion happened?"

Meg's heart dropped.

 

     

 

Jackson was freaking out. He couldn't move! He couldn't speak! It was like his head was too big and his mind too small to fit-

All of a sudden, it was as if the past few seconds didn't happen, and it felt like something was missing.

That was weird, I think blacked out for a second? Hold on, I have no idea where I am in the conversation. Um uh, I'll just follow along with what she is saying.

"Phew, well that's a lot to take in. Let's just go have some... late dinner and head to bed early today. I think we could all use some time to breathe."

Chop? seemed to agree.

"Um, if you don't mind me asking, who's this?"

"It's a... long story, I'll tell ya on the way back. although, we'll probably need some help lugging this guy back."

Meg reached into her bag and pulled out a finely sculpted and polished wooden statue made into the shape of a gorilla. Slowly she Injected mana into the statue and as the gorilla grew, the space between the floor and Jackson's jaw did too.

"Don't question it."

"Yes Ma'am."

As they were leaving the area, Jackson remembered about the start of his encounter with the Ursid. He then brought Meg to the area while she sent her... Companions back to camp.

"When I found the bear, I was on the trail of a horned rabbit, and I think the bear got to it. I don't think it had time to finish off it's meal though."

Sure enough, they found half of the rabbit laying on the floor, it's bottom half completely devoured.

"Sheesh, that fella did a number on the little guy. At least the top half's still here. Well, Jackson, how do you feel about having completed an Adventurer's comission?"

"Tired."

     

They both made it back to camp and relaxed. Well, Jackson did at least. Meg got straight to prepping some bear meat because, in her own words "I can't let a hurt kid do everything! I think the fact I haven't taken you to the city already is enough to make people give me disapproving looks...".

Jackson just wanted to sleep if he was being honest, but he still wanted to be productive. He needed to get higher stats to do well in the exam and-

Oh, yeah. I already got my enhancement. Huh. How did I forget about that?

Jackson somehow let it completely slip his mind. Now that he thought of it, it explained how he was able to stay that alert even with blood manipulation shenanigans. And how he survived even a glancing blow; he should've been easy picking after that hit, even with his high vitality. He did feel strangely groggy this morning too...

As per usual, high Wisdom, but still not wise.

He shook his head. He already bandaged himself up and healed what he could, but now he just really wanted to nap, so he did.

     

Jackson looked down at his wooden bowl full of some really good Bear Chili. Although he couldn't help but be confused.

How in the heck did she get her hands on beans and tomatoes? Scratch that, who would have so many spices on hand in a situation like this? Doesn't that take up too much bag space?

"-So, these guys are like my... Friends."

"Let me get this right, you can take the souls of willing beings that have less complicated minds then us people right?"

"Right."

"And then you can stuff them in vessels that you can control?"

"Yup."

"So this dog, wolf thingy, is a squirrel?"

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"Correct."

Chop dropped a mouthful of nuts at Jackson's feet. Chop's tail waggled back and forth; Chop let out a small... Whine?

"Alright, that makes sense I guess. Your born trait let's you understand animals and let's them understand you. So what is Chop saying? Or is it more of thinking?"

"Chop want's you to crack them open and share the nuts with him."

"Jackson couldn't deny the sweet... Dog? Such an innocent request. After trial and error he cracked open a few and tossed some to Chop. 

He swallowed them whole and seemed ready to have some more.

"How does that..." 

He shook his head looked at Meg, she seemed amused.

"Where does it go?"

She chuckled and held her hand out to to Chop.

"Go ahead."

Chop started Hacking and regurgitated the nut in almost perfect condition.

"I'm not even gonna question it anymore. Actually, Is that where the..."

Jackson looked at his bowl, now empty of the delicious chili.

"I don't even know if it matters, and I don't think I want to know." He shook his head. "I think I'm going to head to bed. I'll probably be out a while."

"Right, how's about coming back to the guild with me? You deserve at least half the cut for this commission anyways."

Jackson shook his head. "No, no-".

"Yes, bloody yes! Of course you deserve it, and you're not getting out of it by respectfully declining. I don't need the money much anyways. This commission was more of an excuse to have a camping trip."

"Oh, alright then... Well, uh, do you know what day it is?"

"Well, 7 days ago it was the... 14th If I remember correctly. So that makes today the... 21st."

"Huh, well my birthday was two days ago then."

Meg made a face as if she just ate something foul.

"Well now I feel like a bad person. Umm, here how 'bout this." 

Meg started to dig through her bag, until she pulled out a small wooden slab, with many intricate carvings surrounding a central carving of what appeared to be a four leaf clover. She held it out towards Jackson, dangling it from its string.

If Jackson was completey honest, he had no idea what it was.

"Oh, uh, thank you! You really didn't have to."

He awkwardly put it on his neck, over his locket.

"Well at least let me tell ya what it is! It's a good luck charm my dad taught me how to make. The writing around the clover is in Ancient Ent speak. I'm actually part Ent Ma'self!"

"Really? Actually wait, that makes sense."

He shook is head.

"Anyway, thank you, I'll be sure to make use of it."

"Of course! I inteded to give that to you actually. It just slipped ma mind. Well, night."

"Goodnight."

Jackson slipped into his tent. He felt... Off. He didn't really know why. He just shrugged it off and went to bed. 

     

"Phew! I almost thought he noticed!"

They wiped the sweat off their... Oh wait, why would They even sweat?

"Your Excellency, pardon me, but how would he notice someone with such skillful abilities such as yourself? You must have been practically undetected!"

They stared deep into the speaker. Just  glance, even with no ill intent behind it was enough to give the weak heart attacks.

"Oh *****, you flatter me! Even one as great as myself can't fight human willpower! That boy was strangely perceptive, although, he would be a buffoon to not notice. If I am to be honest, I couldn't subtly influence him as well as before, since enhancement he has been to control."

"I'm sure one such as yourself could still do what is nessecary if need be." 

"Oh but of course! It's not him I worry about. It's that woman. Huff! Am I right? Such a bother. And it's not like I can control her either! You have to lay the roots early, when they're at their lowest. Poor Michael, If only he wasn't so heroic."

***** looked towards Them with what seemed to be determination.

"Yes, poor Micheal, at least his brother was a good enough candidate."

***** Clasped their... Hands together.

"Well! Your Excellency haven't all the seeds been planted for the preformance?"

They smilied.

"Thank you for mentioning! Yes, yes, as soon as the other man is done being prepared, we can start the show!" 

They seemed to glow and vibrate, as if They were dancing.

"I just have to see how our little Heroes are coming along!"

They danced off through  mirror in the finely furnished mansion that appeared, leaving the white void behind. It had light tan walls, and appealing hardwood floors. 

***** manifested a humanoid shape and sat to drink a cup of freshly brewed tea.

On the other side was The same mansion, but a tad off. It had many strange oddities, It seemed to lack any magically powered tech. It's walls were a darker shade of tan. Instead of hardwood flooring, it was carpeted.

With much excitement, They began to focus. The walls of the mansion began to fade.

Many Images flashed by. A tall fit woman was selling wooden mugs with animal designs in a storefront that smelled of freshly brewed coffee.

It changed.

Now it focused on a tall and fit dark skinned man. He had a firearm at his side, with a badge on his chest he carried with pride. He snuck up to a locked door with another SWAT. They carried a huge ram and busted the door down. All he knew was that he would finish his job and all would be fine. Like always.

The Image flashed many times.

A 17 year old girl running across a trackfield. A kind looking boy helping out at a retirement home. Many faces, many stories to be told. But not yet.

The Image settled on a pale and deathly thin newly 16 year old. He had empty green eyes with brown hair. He was settled under a blanket in a dark and cold room. Somebody knocked on his door. He didn't answer.

"Hey Caleb. Um, I was just wondering if you wanted to go bowling with me?"

The boy felt bad. They could tell.

Mike just got a short leave to spend time with us and here I am. Sitting in my room instead of learning to communicate properly. I'm such a joke.

They walked up to Caleb's bed and promptly slapped him across the head.

Shortly after, Caleb's door opened the pale boy peeked out timidly.

"Umm... Sure! Just uhh, let me get ready."

They smiled.

"Ahh... All you heroes will get a chance, but for now, this boy will be my tragic Protagonist! I can't wait for the Climax! ...Hahhhh, ok, The demon lord should be set to go soon."

They seemed to be shaking off frantic energy moving Their body this way and that.

"Patience! It has to be perfect lest it become boring!"

And They HATED boring.

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