A fresh breeze blew through my hair, and threw my locks over my eyes. I brushed them aside and gazed around me. A few bushes and lone trees grew sparingly, but about a mile away, there was a thick outgrowth. My regular hunting spot.
I walked toward it, and as I did, Helen’s words echoed through my mind.
I don’t need someone else’s help, I thought. I can’t have someone else’s help. The sounds of sobs replayed in my ears, and my chest tightened. Why did she cry? My face drooped. Why doesn’t she understand? Why does nobody understand?
Because I was different. That’s why.
A few minutes later, I entered the forest. The trees were all over twenty feet high, with the occasional thirty or forty-foot monster as well. A powerful scent flowed through the air, and I didn’t know how to describe it, other than sharp and spicy. Just taking a whiff of it would sink electricity into my muscles and energize me.
Then again, I was probably just making those feelings up. Everyone needs an escape.
A voice chuckled. “Right on schedule.”
I froze.
Jack Henway walked out from behind a tree, and Ben stood right beside him. “If it isn’t our favorite person,” Ben smiled.
Another boy stood next to them, and raked his fingers through his brown hair. A girl stood to his left, and stared at me with her black, void-like eyes. Her dark hair was sleek and shiny, and the gold earrings she wore told me enough about where she was in the social hierarchy of the city. Pretty close to the top.
“Who are the extras?” I muttered.
“Just some people who wanted to say hello,” Jack smiled. “You’re quite the celebrity now. All thanks to the commotion you caused at the procession this morning.”
I gritted my teeth.
“Oh, he’s angry now?” the girl frowned.
“He’s always like this, Caroline,” Ben said. “It’s what makes it more fun. Well, that and the fact that he’s always alone.”
Thoughts of the torn scroll filled my mind. I clenched my fists, digging my nails into my flesh, but I did nothing. A punch here, however satisfying, would ruin the docile image I’d taken so long to build. You can’t lose it all now, I thought. You’re bigger than this. Don’t let your emotions speak.
“Say, Ryder.” Jack smirked. "I got my hands on this odd item. I was wondering if you knew something about it."
I frowned. What is he talking about?
And then my eyes widened.
Ben held a rope in his hands, and at the end of it hung a hook made of torn cloth and spoons. I stared at the contraption, and then at his face.
He glared at me. “You paid us a visit, didn’t you?”
***
My chest thumped hard, but I kept my voice calm.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Ben raised an eyebrow. “You don’t?” He stepped up to me, as did the other three. I looked up at their faces, and glanced at the Health bar that hovered beside them. Caroline and the other boy’s just showed a green rectangular par, but the ones beside the Henway twins’ had their names and levels on them —an advantage from using my Analyze skill on them before.
Level 19. I clenched my fists. No way was I taking them out on my own. Not when there were four of them.
“Don’t make us hurt you, Ryder.” Jake stepped closer, and held a knife in his hand. In a second, I was boxed in by the four people, left with nowhere to go. I was a cornered animal.
Well, then I’ll just have to fight like one.
I stepped forward, and swung my fist at Ben’s chest. The boy’s eyes widened but he brought his hands up fast enough and blocked my strike. I was ready though. I arched back and lifted my leg up, swinging with all my might. My heel thudded into the side of his head and he went stumbling to the forest floor.
A footstep sounded behind me, and I stepped to the side. Jack stumbled past where I’d stood, and fell to the ground as well. The girl and the boy jumped at me, but I was quick. I ducked down and leapt forward, avoiding their punches.
I landed next to the fallen twins and picked myself up, even before they did. I lifted my arm, aiming for their face. Jack’s hand shot out, and gripped my fist, crushing my fingers together.
The next moment, a stinging pain shot up my side, and I yelled out. A knife lay half-sunk into my side, and blood flowed from the gouge. The weapon slid out my body, and I stumbled backward.
“You’re pathetic, Ryder.” Jack gripped the knife, and wore a grin on his face.
The Henway twins’ two friends grabbed onto my arms, and held me tight. I thrashed about, kicking my legs as hard as I could, but I couldn’t even reach them.
“Criminals like you don’t deserve to live.” Caroline smiled. “Just die already.”
I think I hate her even more than the Henway twins. I gritted my teeth.
“What do we do?” Jack looked at his brother.
Ben walked up to me, and then smiled. “Do you know what the Nura River is like around this time of year?”
I blinked. “What?”
“Bring him.” He walked to his left, and deeper into the forest.
I kept thrashing about, but it helped me in no way. Their grip on me tightened even more, and sharp nails dug into my skin. The pain at my side slowly numbed as more blood streaked my dark pants. Helen is going to be annoyed again.
Jack peered into my face. “So, what were you doing with that scroll anyway?” he asked.
My teeth clenched. “You’re too stupid to understand.”
He chuckled. “You’re fun, Ryder.” He sent his fist into my stomach and I gasped. “That thing wasn’t even written in our language. Where did you get it from?”
I stayed silent.
“Did you manage to piece the shreds back together?” he asked. “Sorry, but I think Ben and I might have lost a few pieces when we were playing around with the heap.”
“Damn you!” I swung my leg at him. He kicked it aside with his foot, and slammed his fist into my chest yet again.
“Know your place, trash.”
I breathed heavily, sucking in the air that I’d lost. What have I done to deserve this?
The sounds of flowing water came from ahead of us. The forest cleared twenty yards ahead, and within the clearing was a river. Water surged through it, with white rapids swirling around the rocks inside.
“What are we doing here?” Caroline asked. Her grip on my arm loosened a little.
I focused on her hold. Just a bit more. I gritted my teeth. Just ease up a bit more and I can get out of this.
Ben stood at the edge of the river bank, and my two captors took me to it as well. My knees felt weak, and more blood had spilled out of my wound now. I couldn’t feel the left side of my abdomen, and the numbness lowered down to my thighs as well.
“This is a fun game I wanted to play,” Ben chuckled.
“You see.” Jack leaned close to me. “Levi doesn’t know how to swim.”
I froze. Oh no.
“Now’s the best time to learn, kiddo.” Ben grabbed my shirt and tugged me. I stumbled forward, right into the river water. My body crashed into the rapids, and water flowed down my throat. I gurgled and gasped, while my arms and legs thrashed about, keeping me at the surface.
“Take this with you!”
A hard object smacked into my face, and I grabbed onto tight as the river pulled me away. Long lengths of rope wound around my arm as the rapids took control of their moment. I stole a glance at the object in my hands.
The hook. I blinked, and then I smiled. You idiots. My head dunked in and out of the water, but I held my hand above it, and spun the rope with what little strength I had left.
I’m getting out of this.
My head cracked into a rock, and my vision flickered. My thrashing body froze up, turning numb, and the river took control. Water rose up my nose and filled into my lungs. Bubbles floated all around me, and dark spots covered my vision.
You bloody lowlifes. My heartbeat th
robbed in my ears.
And then everything went dark.
***
CHAPTER FOUR
Joseph knocked on the wooden door.
“Come in,” a stern voice said from inside.
He turned the handle and walked in. The room was furnished with a single desk, and behind it sat a man with a steely look in his eyes.
Joseph stepped forward. “You called for me, Elya?”
The Knight captain looked at him for a few seconds, and then spoke. “It was recommended we review the incident that happened back at the Knight Procession.”
“The incident?” He blinked. “What incident?”
“The act of pushing a young boy back into the crowd.” He said with a calm expression on his face.
A vein throbbed on Joseph’s forehead. “Are you kidding me?!” His voice rose. “That kid pushed his way into the procession’s path. You saw it, didn’t you? We are supposed to protect the princess from potential threats, and you’re reviewing an act of protecting her?”
“I did not see any threat being made to the princess,” Elya said. “I was right beside her, so I am confident in my perception.”
“Well, I guess that’s where we differ, then,” he muttered. “I’m much stricter on my definition on a potential threat.”
“That act is still not as troublesome as your statements right after,” he said. “This report says you called this young boy trash, and told him he wasn’t supposed to go to those streets. Is that true?”
“You saw that kid!” Joseph slammed his hands onto the desk. “Every single piece of clothing he owned was torn in some way. He’s a beggar living on the edge of the enclosure. Of course he shouldn’t have come up to the procession.”
Elya looked at him calmly. He blinked once, and this his lips parted. “Very well. Joseph Crawford, you are delegated to a day of kitchen duty to reflect on your actions.”
Joseph stared at him. “Are you serious?”
“The Knights are a force that people look up to, regardless of whether they’re nobles, or merchants, or the poorest men in the city. Take this one day to think of whether your actions were something this city as a whole would have understood as necessary.”
“I can’t believe this.” He gritted his teeth. “Who asked for this review anyway? Stupid guy doesn’t understand a damn thing about enforcement.”
Elya smiled. “I asked for it.”
He stared at him. “As you wish.”
“Thank you for your cooperation.” The Knight captain turned to a few papers on his desk.
Joseph left the room and resisted slamming the door as hard as he could. He did punch through empty air, and that definitely didn’t feel anywhere as good.
“It’s all that stupid beggar kid’s fault.”
The other Knights were going to hear about him being put on kitchen duty, and they’d all be laughing at him when they found out. Why wouldn’t they?
A lot of them already were.
“Bloody Elya. You're just acting like that because you're on a high pedestal." His fists clenched. "I'll surpass you one day. Just you wait."
***
I woke up choking on water. Not the most ideal wake-up call.
I spit the liquid out, and it spilled onto my bloodied tunic. A weight pressed down on my stomach and I arched my head, taking a look at it.
A fluffy rabbit of pristine white sat atop me, and nibbled at my torn clothes. It froze up when it saw me, and it just stared, watching my head with its yellow eyes. I blinked. The rabbit immediately jumped off me and hopped away.
Pain shot up my throat and I turned over, coughing hard. Blood, mud, and water forced their way out of my wind pipe, and fresh air wound its way into my body once again. My eyes darted to the top right corner of my vision, at my health bar. About a tenth remained, and shone in red light instead of green. I need to heal myself. I moved gingerly and glanced around me.
My body was half sunk into a small stream. The liquid laced my skin with a cool sensation as it interweaved between my limbs. A rock stood a yard away from me, within the river, with a web of broken branches around it. A spoon-made hook pressed against it, sandwiched between the river and the branches. I shifted and reached out to the contraption. I tugged at a spoon and lifted the whole hook up.
It’s funny how you keep coming back to me. I chuckled and put the item into my Item Inventory.
I pulled my lower body out of the water and stood up. I stumbled half a second later, and fell back to the ground. However, a few tries later, I managed to say steady on my feet.
Where am I? I looked around.
A small field of grass grew before me, extending for about twenty yards. Beyond it grew a tall forest, with trees much taller than the ones I’d seen before.
This must be the deeper sections of the Ymir Forest. I looked at the dense tree tops, and then lowered my gaze to the darkness between their trunks.
No one came to this place.
Not anymore.
I opened my Ga’em menu and the five icons slid down in a vertical line once again. I shifted away from the first icon this time, and looked at the fourth one—one of a scroll illustrated in dark grey. I tapped on it, and a screen slid out from behind.
Dungeon Map
Quests
Field Map
I tapped on Field Map and a bigger screen opened over the current one. A small compass was displayed at the top, aligned toward the north. A small dot of black stood on the screen, and had the words Zevalon City next to it in black lettering. Beneath it was a patch of trees that grew larger and thicker as I looked further down. The words Ymir Forest were written amongst the trees, in a similar shade of black. A river cut through the dense outgrowth, and my eyes traced its form, all the way until I saw a blinking blue dot. My position.
There was a ten-mile distance between me and the outpost into the city. And to get there, I’d have to walk through five miles of forest at least. The distance wasn’t a problem, but I was injured, and for a normal person, Ymir was a terrifying place to be. Especially alone. People said no one had ventured into the forest in years. And even before, when they did, barely a handful came out.
There were rumors about Ymir that had been spoken of over the years, that there were unknown beasts of a terrifying ferocity that lived here, creatures so vile and murderous that no one who faced them lived to tell the tale.
I usually scoffed at those stories, and my attitude remained the same even now.
Humans were simplistic creatures. They comfortably took what someone said and repeated it to another person, without checking whether it was true or not. And every so often, an idiot came along and exaggerated things so much that the stories were basically lies—but people still believed them, and went around spouting nonsense like it was the truth.
The tale of Ymir, I believed, was one such exaggeration.
My stomach knotted again, and pain shot up my left side. The wound from the knife was still bleeding—at a slower pace now, but bleeding nonetheless. I pressed my side with my shirt, and held the pressure as I walked around.
My eyes picked out a few sharp stones on the ground, and then my gaze shifted to the web of broken branches stuck in the small stream.
Good, that solves one problem.
I stepped into the water and tugged at one of the thicker branches with my free hand. A piece of wood snapped, and a four-foot section of it came free. I tossed it onto the bank and then knelt at the edge of the river, where land met water, and picked out a large stone with a sharp point. I made my way back onto the bank and grabbed the branch as well.
DING!
You have found a new item.
Tree Branch!
A broken tree branch that has no use as a weapon. Seriously, don’t use this as a weapon. Would you like to transfer the item to your Item Inventory?
Yes
No
DING!
You have found a new item.
Pointy Stone!
; A jagged rock made smooth by the constant water running over it. It has a sharp point on end and will make for a good makeshift weapon — certainly more than a blunt tree branch, at least. Would you like to transfer the item to your Item Inventory?
Yes
No
I tapped No on both options and sat down. I eased the pressure from my left hand and lifted my shirt up to take a glance at my wound. I was bleeding much slower already, but I hadn’t completely stopped yet.
It’s probably okay for now. I tugged at the lower section of my shirt — on the right side — and tore off a thin strip of cloth about two feet long. I placed the stone on the top of the tree branch, with its pointy side facing away, and used the cloth to tie the two together.
I lifted the contraption up, and swung it around a few times. Feels much better than I expected.
DING!
Congratulations! You have advanced a skill.
Crafting Level 2!
For a man that can use river stones and broken wood to make weapons, the greater challenges of crafting await ahead. Reward: 1000 XP.
Effect 1
The value of items you have craft will increase by 1.5%.
DING!
Congratulations! You have crafted new equipment.
Stone Spear!
Though the two items you used were pretty much useless on their own, the weapon you have crafted with their combined strength is much stronger. Reward: 250 XP. Would you like to send the new equipment to your Equipment Inventory?
Yes
No
I tapped on the equipment name, and its info screen popped up.
DING!
Equipment Title
Ascend: A World of Ga'em LitRPG (The Chaos Emperor Book 1) Page 4
