Reidar stopped running and crouched behind an oak tree. His chest heaved as he caught his breath. The surrounding vegetation was hiding him from the monsters' view.
Ferns and undergrowth had sprouted everywhere, creating a natural maze that hadn't existed before the world changed, but there was no doubt they were still searching for him.
He peered around the tree trunk. The two sprites separated, but Reidar could still see one in the distance, as it was scanning the area.
Its head swiveled back and forth, left and right. Even above and below.
Reidar gripped his mop handle tighter. The metal felt reassuring in his hands.
The only problem was that Reidar was certain they would just be killed with one hit, and if that didn't happen, he would be facing their claws and magic pistol mouths.
The Stone Sprite hovered close to where he waited, somewhat hidden by a copse of slender birch saplings. The Aqua Sprite probably lingered further back, closer to a stretch of fractured pavement where stubborn weeds thrust up through the asphalt—ground he'd crossed earlier.
Reidar waited. Patience was extremely important. If he moved too soon, the creature would detect him and attack.
The Stone Sprite took several awkward steps to the left, checking out a rustling sound in the underbrush.
Reidar saw his opportunity. The Stone Sprite basically gave its back to him about ten feet away.
He moved, but it was not easy to avoid the dry leaves or to break twigs here and there, and that was while trying to be as fast as possible.
The combat proficiency guided his movements, making him more conscious of how to move without creating noise, but it wasn't like it was omnipotent.
In fact, there were many things it sort of suggested to him that were actually wrong. Though, whenever he recognized something, he realized his proficiency was increasing.
The Stone Sprite lingered motionless, its focus locked on the spot where a squirrel had disappeared. Thin steam drifted from small fissures in its porcelain skin. Its parted jaw exposed rows of needle-like teeth.
Reidar raised the mop handle above his head. He aimed for the creature's skull, just as he had done with the earlier sprites.
He brought the weapon down with all his strength. The impact was terrible. The Stone Sprite's head cracked like an eggshell.
[CRITICAL! Your improvised weapon strikes Stone Rift-Sprite for 156 bludgeoning damage.]
[Level 2 Stone Rift-Sprite defeated.]
[You have gained 27 C.L.A.S.P. Points.]
[You have earned 10 Survival Points.]
Reidar took the thing down with another lucky critical hit. The problem was, the noise he made killing the Stone Sprite must've given him away, as he could hear the Aqua Sprite shrieking nearby.
Its blue eyes blazed with fury as it spotted Reidar among the foliage.
The creature's mouth opened wide. Water gathered in its throat, swirling and compressing into a projectile. The sprite's aim was better than its fallen companions had been; that was sure.
Reidar dove sideways just as the water sphere launched. The projectile struck the oak tree where he had been standing, leaving a deep dent in the bark.
Steam hissed from the impact point. No way would that thing have left him in one piece—it could've shattered bone, ripped through skin—but the old trunk held. The bark was scarred, nothing worse.
The Aqua Sprite waddled toward him with surprising speed for such an awkward creature. Its stubby legs carried it through the underbrush. Another water sphere began forming in its mouth.
Reidar rolled behind a fallen log and pressed himself against the rotting wood. The second projectile struck the log with massive force. The impact sent splinters flying, but it wasn't enough to get through it and kill him.
The creature's magical attacks seemed to need a brief pause between shots. That gave Reidar a window of opportunity.
He went past the log and charged at the Aqua Sprite. The creature tried to fire another water sphere, but Reidar was already too close to give it the time.
He swung the mop handle, aiming for the sprite's torso. The metal pole struck the creature's abdomen. The impact sent it stumbling backward into a patch of thorny bushes, but it wasn't enough to kill it.
[Your improvised weapon strikes Aqua Rift-Sprite for 78 bludgeoning damage.]
It looked like that thing had more than 78 health points, and besides, Reidar didn't even critically hit. The monster was still alive but was on the ground, while Reidar was already swinging his mop handle down on the creature's skull before it could recover.
The impact was what killed the beast. The sprite's blue eyes dimmed to nothing as its body went limp.
[CRITICAL! Your improvised weapon strikes Aqua Rift-Sprite for 178 piercing damage.]
[Aqua Rift-Sprite defeated.]
[You have gained 44 C.L.A.S.P. Points.]
[You have earned 10 Survival Points.]
Silence returned to the forest. Reidar stood among the bodies of the two sprites, breathing heavily.
The fight was over fast, but it felt anything but easy. Reidar's hands were shaking—partly from the rush and a lot from plain fear. Still, he couldn't deny the small lift of confidence rising through him. He'd just taken down creatures many levels above him, and he hadn't even leveled up yet. Not bad for level zero.
The surrounding vegetation showed signs of the battle. But the forest was already beginning to heal itself. New growth sprouted in damaged areas with unnatural speed.
Reidar wiped the dark red fluid from his weapon using a handful of leaves. The mop handle had served him well again, but he wondered how long it would last. The metal was beginning to show wear from repeated hits.
He looked back toward the gas station in the distance. Smoke rose from somewhere in that direction, but luckily there hadn't been an explosion.
The other sprites were probably still investigating the place and likely eating whatever corpse was inside.
He checked the Guardian system. No quests, no achievements, no titles—nothing but some C.L.A.S.P. points and those survival points he still had to figure out. They felt like some kind of currency, though. He just didn't know how to use them yet.
Reidar checked his surroundings one more time. There were no immediate threats to his safety. No movement in the trees. The two dead sprites lay where they had died.
He had survived another fight. Killed two more creatures. Gained more points and resources. But he was still alone in a hostile world.
The achievement notifications had mentioned that other survivors existed. Somewhere out there, Martha and Marcus were facing the same transformed reality. They might be fighting their battles against these creatures. Or worse, they might already be dead.
Reidar pushed the dark thoughts away. He had to believe they were alive. Had to believe he would find them. The system had given him advantages that would help him survive long enough to search for them.
But he didn't just have to search for them. His parents lived nearby, unlike Martha and Marcus, who were farther away.