Chapter 4: Chapter 4 – Realm of Beasts [2]

As I woke with a start, I found the red light of the sun shining in through the crevices in the makeshift door. The porcupine-squirrel Beast had already woken and appeared to be gnawing on the tree. This was likely what had created the space around me over a few years' time.

 

It seemed to be in a non-aggressive state as the quills lining its back and tail were laid back, now looking just like an oversized squirrel. The blood previously matting the Beast’s fur had dried and appeared to irritate the Beast.

 

Avoiding its vision I began making my way to the door of the spacious room and removing. I then found myself squeezing through the opening, slightly larger after my first crawl through it, allowing for me to get out onto the large branch protruding from the trunk of the tree.

 

As I exited I heard the Beast scuttle out behind me as it appeared to start heading off on its own way. This was when I had to make a decision, I could either follow the Beast or scout the vicinity in search of a clean water source, so likely a flowing river or stream.

 

But first I had to mentally review the list I had made of my necessities over my conflicted thoughts of last night,

 

1. Water : Find a flowing, clean source of water. If I get sick here I’ll likely die from the lack of medical attention. This is of the highest priority as if I don’t get any within the next two days I’ll likely die of dehydration.
2. Food : I need to find a reliable source of Beasts I am able to kill without being majorly injured. If I get injured it could be game over.
   1. Power : As an addition to killing Beasts I need power, however, there is a correlation between the two. Eating Beasts will increase my power, increasing my capabilities to attack higher tier Beasts, allowing me to eat denser Beast meat and get stronger.
3. Shelter : I would need a base of operations able to block out the elements as well as Beasts of Tier 6 or higher, otherwise my life would be in constant danger.

 

Surprisingly, the third on the list in terms of priority had already been fulfilled as the tree would be able to stand against the attacks of at least a Tier 7 based on my estimates of the tree's durability.

 

While I had reviewed the necessities the dog-sized Squirrel Beast had scuttled off, leaving me alone on the branch. I began to proceed with Plan A, scouting the vicinity for any high-tier Beast dens. I wanted to be far from any high-tier Beasts because if a scuffle came between two Beast of Tier 3 or higher, everything within several dozens of km would be obliterated.

 

As I scurried up the tree I had rested in I drew above the red canopy and took in the entirety of the Realm of Beasts unfolding in front of my eyes.

 

“Wow.” I said, flabbergasted by its astounding beauty.

 

The red leaves spanned kilometers in every direction, but through pushing a small amount of magic through my eyes I was able to see further. I had spotted a large body of water, so large I couldn’t determine if it was a lake or an ocean.

 

To my right I could finally see the outline of a humongous, vaguely humanoid figure standing amongst the fog of the enormous mountain range, fog covering the bottom half of its body while its head seemingly reached the clouds above. The air around it seemingly warping like the giant was the eye of a tornado.

 

The likelihood of this creature originating from the Realm of Beasts was practically zero, it was likely a high ranking inhabitant from the Realm of Monsters who had come through a wormhole.

 

In fact, it wasn’t strange for people to just travel through a wormhole depending on their circumstances. I had known several homeless to just travel through a wormhole in the hopes of gaining special opportunities or treasures to turn their lives around. Unfortunately, this was my reason for seeing some corpses before I even became a teenager.

 

I had watched a lady dressed in ruined rags that could hardly be called clothes jump through what had appeared to be a ninth tier wormhole. Less than a minute later her body came back, now lacking its head, left leg, and right hand.

 

She had most definitely gone to the Realm of Death, of which no inhabitants had ever visited our Realm. This was likely due to their never being a high enough tier of wormhole able to handle the entities that were on what seemed to be a very thin wormhole stopping such terrifying entities from breaching into our Realm.

 

After seeing it I had vomited my guts out after the reality of it hit me, terrified of the wormhole that remained behind the corpse of the lady who had yet to even reach her 30s.

 

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I shuttered remembering that event.

 

But now was not the time to get trapped in the past, but to remain in the present. I would need to scout the entirety of the forest that my eyes had beheld, but first I would need water.

 

I had reinforced my legs with the little magic I had, using it to relieve my legs of the strain of yesterday’s chase. I now walked along the canopy, careful with my steps in order to not fall into the red shadows of the shade under the trees.

 

The vibrant color of the trees caused me to stand out against my backdrop as the blue uniform with a gold colored tie did not blend well with the red of the leaves. 

 

Soon enough after the couple km walk I had arrived at the shining body of water. I dipped my hands in the water and brought it to my lips and took a small sip.

 

I grinned in happiness as the clean taste of fresh water filled my mouth, immediately bringing my hands to the water to drink more.

 

As I looked up after receiving my fill of water I could see a ripple spreading out from across the lake, and as I continued setting my sights at the epicenter of the ripple something appeared to be rising out of the depths. I froze as I said a tentacle rise from the center, its suction cups seeming ominous as the tentacle swung around, as if searching for something.

 

I immediately shook off the shock I felt and began to flee from the lake’s edge as the whip-like arm multiplied and began wiping around the lake. It was a Tier 1 Beast, and just like its appearance it was called “Kraken,” it was one of the main reasons people were unable to travel across the seas as any attempts would be immediately halted by its presence. In fact, it was still unknown if the Beast had originated from Atlas or one of the other Realms because of the mysteries of the ocean, but here I had found the answer.

 

As I escaped into the forest I heard a loud cracking sound as I saw one tentacle snap through one of the 8 feet thick trees with ease.

 

After running for what seemed like forever I no longer heard or saw the Kraken pursuing me, as it was still trapped inside of the lake.

 

I would not want to return there again anytime soon, meaning I would need to find another water source or risk encountering that Beast every time I went to that lake. But now I could feel my hunger beginning to fill my body as I hadn’t eaten since what felt like an entire day ago. I knew I wouldn’t starve for at least two more days but the uncomfortability of it would make it difficult to think things through and would keep me from peak strength which would be horrible in the situation where I would have to fight a Beast.

 

I would need to find something to feed on, whether it be a fruit from a tree or some kind of weak Beast. I began climbing the tree right next to me as I left the darkness of the forest, fearing some kind of Beast would appear as I had been hearing the sounds of crunching occasional as I ran from the Kraken.

 

As I reached the top of the tree I could see something off in the distance, a tree that seemed nearly the size of the mountains that were now to the right of me, and as I focused magic into my eyes I could see enormous fruits hanging from its branches. I could feel my mouth watering as I imagined myself tearing the fruit apart, each bite having a sweet crunch and burst of juice.

 

It was then I found myself entranced and walking toward the oh-so desirable fruit.

 

—

 

Author’s Note: Sorry this chapter took a bit longer.

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