At that moment, reality hit me hard. The thrill of battle quickly faded as I grasped the gravity of my rash decision to pursue the hunt. Driven by my own hunger, I disregarded not only my safety but also that of my comrades. I had treated them as mere tools to elevate my own status, ignoring their humanity. But as I saw a blank expression on my healer's face and heard the agonized screams of my fellow warrior, a crucial realization dawned on me. These people are not pawns, not placeholders, they are humans, just like me. And yet, as that thought settled, another followed, unbidden.
I had been careless. Tools must be maintained, not broken prematurely. My hubris had blinded me, leading us to the brink of disaster. The thrill of the hunt had been intoxicating, but now, in the cold light of reality, I saw my slight miscalculation. They were still useful for now. I had no other comparison. They were my only aid and I cannot lose them just yet. I had to put on an act. I prepared myself for a performance of a lifetime
"I... I'm sorry," I stammered. "Rebecca, I made a reckless decision and now look where it's gotten us. You would have made a better choice. We should have scared it away instead of trying to sort out our dinner for a few days."
I tried my best to pull at her heartstrings, hoping that she would agree. But I knew the truth, a part of me still longed to hunt again, driven by instinct. This is dangerous. These thoughts of committing to a hunt. I shouldn't have enjoyed it as much as I did. Alas, here I am.
Shawn snapped me out of my thoughts, slapping my back. "Cut the sappy crap. We barely spoke a word during the fight, and we still came out on top. So stop overthinking and enjoy the spoils."
Rebecca and Anna joined in. "Hudson,," Rebecca began to say, helping to ease my burden. "If we're going to survive this tutorial and beyond, we need to hunt more. Stop beating yourself up, it was necessary."
"To be honest-I was terrified," Anna admitted, yet her expression remained unchanged. "But I agree with my sister. This was a wake-up call. And on the bright side, we all gained something look" strangely after raising an arm showing off her new bracelet she smiled crookedly. Perhaps she was simply trying to better the mood. Perhaps she simply didn't know how to smile. Oh well.
Either way, I felt incredibly grateful at that moment. The situation turned out far better than I could have imagined. I had never been good with people, yet in this twisted scenario, it seemed no one cared about that anymore. It was enough to get by
With that, I decided to check my status to see how much I had grown.
Name: Hudson Mitchell
Rank: Mortal (F)
Class: Light Warrior
Patrons: N/A
Skills:
Identify [A]Low Pain Resistance Level 1 [P]Predatorial Vision (initial) [A]
I also noticed that I gained new boots,boots that for some reason made me feel lighter on my feet and as if I could run forever. With excitement I used my identity thus immediately lowering my mood.
Pretty Fast Boots
These boots were kinda blessed by some Celtic god, probably Lugh's, great great grandchild, a minor god of speed or something. They make you run a bit faster than normal, like, you'd probably break a world record if you really tried. Stamina's better too, so you won't get winded as quickly. (Your Favourite Author)
The description was sad frankly. I didn't really know what to make of it. Well I guess it is an improvement. I noticed how much easier it was to move around. Yet despite all that, I couldn't help but feel as if I was being watched.
The forest around us felt oppressive, as if the trees themselves were closing in. Every rustle of leaves, every distant howl, set my nerves on edge. We needed to find a safer place, but with every step, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched, haunted by something unseen. Our journey was arduous, to say the least. We travelled for a week, searching for a safe zone, encountering numerous beasts along the way, gaining both injuries and rewards. Finally, after much effort, we found something both hopeful and unsettling: a settlement of other survivors.
But the problem we faced was that we could never agree on what is to come if we are to face survivors. I needed to breach this topic, if not now we would be blindsided by any possibility of deceit.
"Guys," I began, "what are we going to do if we meet other survivors?"
"Uh we talk?" Shawn responded with his incredible intelligence.
"I mean clearly we need one of us to take charge." Anna said "to lead negotiations" Anna became more and more open as this tutorial went on. She shuffled less, and became more comfortable with the rest of us. But I still can't trust any of them.
"I'll do it" rebecca added
"Why?" I asked
"I mean clearly I'm the best option." she began "Anna just got out of her shell. And as if I would trust you or Shawn." There was venom behind her voice when mentioned Shawn and I. Clearly something more than what we did. It was better not to press it. So I told Shawn to drop it before he tried butting in.
So with that discussed it was decided that Rebecca would lead the negotiations. Our trust in each other had grown during our expedition, as you might imagine. We relied on each other in combat and strategy, though none of us ever shared personal information. Our trust was based on survival, and perhaps that was for the best.
It was at this point we saw a gate of some sorts, a little makeshift stronghold. There was a guard standing there waiting for our arrival. So without further ado we made our presence known.
"Halt! State your names and intentions!" A rugged man, standing about six feet tall and clad in heavy armour, greeted us at the gate. It was clear that everyone here had endured their own struggles during this tutorial, which explained their wariness toward strangers. Given the current state of affairs, this was only natural.
Mission: Survive.
Time Limit: 20:13:28:34
Survivors: 434/1000
The tutorial's situation was dire, less than ten days in, and over half of the participants had already perished. Rebecca stepped forward for introductions. "Good afternoon. My name is Rebecca, an archer as you can see. This is my party, we have two warriors and a healer. We're seeking a safe place to stay." She kept the introduction brief, earning her a nod of approval from myself. Delving more than necessary information is asking for trouble.
The rugged man replied, "I'm Michael, a guard here. We'll take you to our leader to see if the warriors have any use." Alarm bells went off in my head as I noticed he didn't mention the twins. Two possibilities crossed my mind, one of which I didn't particularly like.
As we were being escorted, I noticed how large the settlement was, there were countless eyes staring at us, as if we were freaks of nature. These people felt off, the 20 or so tents had no individuality from each other. The settlement did not feel homely. It felt unnatural. Designed to make you comply. It reminded me of that place.
We were escorted to a tent in the centre of the settlement. A tent different from the rest, larger, more imposing with more fauna surrounding it. Clearly the tent of the ruler. In this tent we were greeted by a short, nimble man. "Well, isn't this nice, more survivors? Come in, make yourselves comfortable. My name is Jacob, I'm an Orator. I know it's a rare class; I think I'm the only one in the tutorial. How else would I have managed to lead such a fine group of people?"
Something was off. I didn't trust him. My instincts screamed that he was lying, but I couldn't immediately figure out why. I scanned the room for clues. On his belt hung two karambit blades, short and deadly. A makeshift bullseye on the wall was filled with holes far too large to be made by darts. A bottle of viscous purple fluid sat on his desk. Something wasn't right, this orator was more than he seemed, far too ready for war. But I didn't know enough yet.
This man was more than just dangerous, he was calculating, cunning, the type who would turn on you the moment it suited his plans. A nagging sense of doom settled in my gut. Something was bound to go wrong, and when it did, I feared it would be catastrophic. My pulse pounded in my ears, each beat a reminder of how close we were to disaster. As Rebecca spoke, my mouth went dry, and I could feel a cold sweat breaking out along my spine. Every word felt like a step closer to a precipice, where one wrong move could send us all plummeting. He responded, "Of course, a healer and an archer of such… stature are rare in these lands. You'll both have a place to stay, Don't you worry" he said with a sly grin. " As for you two, unfortunately we have more than enough warriors, you are not needed. Good luck." he explains, leaning back, focusing on the twins once more. The guards, as if by habit were ushering us whilst showing us to the door.
I was certain now. The look in his eyes revealed his true intentions. While I was confident Rebecca could handle herself, this situation was far from ideal. Splitting up our party wasn't just a risk, it was a death sentence. The thought of leaving Rebecca and Anna behind made my stomach churn, but hesitation now would be fatal. I had to act, and fast, to protect my allies from a fate they didn't even see coming.
"We will earn our place. Give us a task. You will see how valuable we are.." I glared at Jacob, no longer cared for any semblance of respect; this man didn't deserve it. But I had to prioritise my allies' safety.
After my demand, something in jacob switched. He finally looked at us as if we were more than just another number. He looks at us, slowly leaning forward. The guards retreated without an order, and that's when he opened his mouth.
"You know, many like you have come before. Men whose hubris clouded their judgement. Every one of them was given the same hunt, and none returned. Do you really want to take that risk?" I forced myself to nod at Jacob's remark, my jaw clenched so tight it ached. Doubt gnawed at me, was this a trap? Were we walking into a death sentence? But there was no turning back now; I had to project confidence, even if I was far from certain "Very well. Ten miles west of here, there's a creature known as the Predator of the Plains. We know little about it. Our scouts tried to identify it, but all they got were question marks. Do you believe the two of you can handle that? If so, I'll gladly set up a tent for you." without so much of a nod, shawn and i accepted the wager, leaving the settlement not knowing if we were to return
As we set out, the settlement faded into the distance, replaced by the vast, unforgiving wilderness. Every step felt like a march toward doom, and I couldn't shake the feeling that this challenge would test more than just our strength; it would test our very souls. The Predator of the Plains awaited, and with it, the shadow of death loomed ever closer.